Anita Heiss - Mattys Comeback

Rabbitohs versus Roosters

Glory, glory to South Sydney Matty sings the team song all the way to the game. He gets out of the car and continues as he strolls with his family into the stadium.

They havent even won yet, his little sister Nita says, rolling her eyes, already sick of listening to her brother sing the same song, over and over and over again.

Glory, glory to South Sydney Matty sings louder because he really enjoys annoying Nita.

Its the last game of the round and all the Sydney Roosters supporters are there to barrack for their team. Many are holding cardboard cut-outs of their favourite player in front of their faces and Matty and his brother Ben make fun of them.

Theyre all so ugly, they need the masks, Ben says.

Yeah, Matty agrees, then looks at Nita. You need a mask too, he says, trying to be funny, but he just sounds mean.

Very funny, Nita responds with a smile but shes really hurt by the comment. Not for the first time, she wonders how they could possibly be related.

Making their way through the crowd they find their seats in The Burrow, which is especially for Bunnies supporters. Matty is even a Burrows Member, which means he gets to sit in a certain place and even gets a special songbook.

Matty loves being surrounded by lots of red and green they are his favourite colours. But they are at the Roosters home ground so theres a lot of red, white and blue also.

These mob have no shame, Mattys mum says.

Why, Mum? Nita asks.

The Roosters home ground is in Rabbitohs territory. The Bunnies are like footy-traditional-owners here.

Yeah, those feather dusters should show some respect! Matty says.

As long as they stay in their chook pen well be right, Mattys dad puts his arm around his mum. The whole family loves footy. Although Nita is not as excited as the rest of them. She wishes she could get into it more.

It starts to rain, and the wind has picked up. Lots of the crowds down the front of the stand are wearing ponchos. Nita takes note of a few fans wearing wigs with red and green Rasta dreads.

Do they even know the history or meaning of dreadlocks? Nita says to no-one in particular.

What are you mumbling about? Matty says.

People just copy other peoples culture all the time, but do they even know what it means? Like you with that thing on your head, Nita glances sideways at Matty. Do you think youre some gangster rapper or something? She hates rap music and the videos with the blokes rapping while silent women dance around them, pretending to adore them.

Matty moves his cap to the side a little, does some funny hand gesture and pulls a face; Nitas not quite sure what hes trying to do.

The game hasnt started and already people are booing and carrying on when the Roosters walk out onto the field.

Boo! Boo! Boo! Matty, Ben and their parents join in. The Rabbitohs supporters are bad sports, Nita thinks.

Thats terrible, Nita mumbles.

Oh, shhhhhh, its just part of the game, isnt it, Mum? Matty looks to his mother for reassurance and she agrees. Nita cant believe it. She is appalled with all her family for booing and wonders why they make her go to every game.

Well, I like the red, white and blue colours, Nita says enthusiastically. They work well together.

Dont say that out loud, Nita, Mum whispers. Not here, anyway.

Well, I do, Nita answers. They remind her of the French flag.

Sit down in front, Mattys dad says in a loud voice to a man who is standing up to check out the Roosters cheer squad.

Nita only half looks at the girls dancing, shaking her head at their silly skirts and pompoms. If you can dance and sing then why do you have to dress like that? she thinks to herself. Besides, they must be freezing.

Nita thinks the Rabbitohs should have some Aboriginal choreography in their cheer squad because they have a lot of Koori supporters, just like her family.

There are announcements being made, and Matty and Ben are talking about how many points they think the Bunnies will win by, and her parents are talking to a family in front of them about their favourite players.

I like those brothers best! the teenage girl coos.

Mum laughs, They havent a patch on the captain. That Koori boy is my cup of tea.

Dad laughs with her, Hey, you talking about me and my good looks again?

Everyone is excited, but not Nita. She wants to scream and scratch her eyes out. She is so bored and the game hasnt even started yet. And her legs feel like icy poles. Winter sports should be played inside, she thinks to herself. Sports like indoor basketball and netball would be much better to watch. Shes sick of watching the stretching and sprints and the cheering for players who havent even done anything yet.

And then the Rabbitohs run out and everyone in the Burrow goes nuts. Cheering, punching the air, and Matty is singing Glory, glory again. He keeps elbowing Nita because hes so excited, and she just gets angrier and angrier.

Can I swap with you, Mum? Nita climbs around her Mum, sits down and takes a book out of her backpack.

Matty is glad his sister has moved. He needs to be amongst his true Rabbitohs family, the ones that know the history of the team and love the red-and-green as much as he does. Matty is only ten years old but he claims to be the teams #1 fan. He checks the teams website every day after school, and every Christmas he asks for an NRL Junior Pass so he can go to most of the games. He has more memorabilia than anyone else he knows. His room is like a Rabbitohs museum.

Matty even joined the South Eastern Seagulls because their uniform is red, white and green. In some ways, Matty is colour blind because his team colours are the only ones he chooses to see most of the time. He can also do the goanna almost as good as the one the Rabbitohs team captain is famous for. He gets down on the ground, he stretches his legs and keeps them low, he pushes up with his hands so his chest is high, like he is a big goanna, and then he takes a few steps. Matty practises in their backyard at home and sometimes does a goanna pose in his mums bedroom where he can check himself out in the full-length mirrors. Matty reckons he looks proper deadly doing the goanna even if he says so himself. And when he scores a try on Sundays his mum photographs him and puts it online so everyone can see. Matty feels a little bit famous too, and hopes one day he might be a famous Koori Rabbitohs captain himself, like G.I.

Off! Off! Off! Send him off, ref! Mattys father yells out.

Another high tackle, Matty speaks into his empty drink bottle, pretending its a microphone.

Who do you think you are? Bunny Warren? Nita asks, leaning across her mum.

Its Ray Rabs Warren. Derrrrr. He is a famous commentator, dont you know? he responds with a scowl. Hes been commentating the footy, like, forever!

Whatevs, she says, pretending not to care, but she really doesnt like to be wrong.

Knock on, ref, Matty yells out, drink bottle by his side. Bringing the bottle back up to his mouth, he says into the lid, Its tight, the score is 2418, so its anyones game still but the Rabbitohs will bring it home for sure.

He continues, GI scores a try and as the hooker lines the ball up for a goal, the Burrow is chanting