Gerard

It was a tingling night from the horse-drawn carriages, from the bands playing outside the ground, from the penny farthings, from the legends, from Rex Hunt roaming the wing and calling the game dressed like a burbler from Snowy River, Peter Dacos and Wayne Johnson and Jezza with the place kick.

Bruce was dressed up too in a turn-of-the-century suit to call the match for Channel 7.

Ooh, he looked very special.

The same old Zimbabweans and on it goes.

And he says, during the national anthem sung sweetly by boy soprano Joel Harvey, the players clasped their caps to their hearts.

All this could have looked silly and overdone.

In fact, it was quite touching.

The AFL got this just right.

And Martin Flanagan writes the other piece, since Tenerife's celebration proves the biggest show in town.

And

There can be no doubt about it.

Last night, the AFL Centenary was the biggest show in town.

Outside the ground, a fairground organ played Strauss and a hot air balloon thumped with the sound of igniting gas and turned a brilliant red.

Inside, the Legends match was about to begin.

A mention of Rex Hunt there.

The champions of yesteryear may not have been as fleet of foot as they were in their prime, but their speed with their hands and skill with the ball did not seem greatly diminished.

It references Amazing Grace as well.

And finally, the air still thick with smoke.

Geelong and Essendon took the field to play a game of football in the event.

Essendon confirmed the result of the match played 100 years ago, coming from behind in the final quarter to win by 29 points.