Name: Judy Green
Carlton member years: 24 years
Favourite player: Stephen Silvagni & Chris Judd
Memorable match: 1999 preliminary final
Judy may have started off as a “passive Blues supporter” in the early 1990s, but she’s definitely made up for lost time.
“I’ve still got a life-size cutout of Stephen Kernahan in the lounge room!” the 24-year member exclaimed.
“The whole front of the fridge is full of Carlton magnets: there’s a lot of team ones, SOS of course is looming large at the front, Andrew Walker is there and Marc Murphy is also on there.”
Judy attended her first AFL game in 1990 and couldn’t help being dazzled by the competitiveness, goal scoring and tackling.
“I sat there and thought ‘I love this game’, so I signed up a couple of years later, became a Carlton member and never looked back.”
Her love for the Blues has well and truly blossomed with Judy admitting barracking for Carlton is “an important part of who I am” and “I don’t really understand why anyone barracks for anyone else”.
“I find great pride and great joy in following Carlton,” she said.
It was her uncle that initially turned her to the navy blue. He played for the Carlton Cricket Club, so there was an obvious association when it came to picking a team. Now it’s only Judy’s mum and nephew (who she converted) who follow the Blues.
“Some family members barrack for Essendon and Hawthorn, but we won’t mention that,” she laughed.
“I converted my twin nephews to become Blues. They came to a match wearing Hawthorn jumpers, fortunately it was a great Carlton victory and those Hawthorn jumpers disappeared!”
“One is still Carlton, but the other one moved to Sydney so now he follows the Swans.”
“He clearly wasn’t prepared to go the long haul,” she laughed.
The Graphic designer says “without a doubt” she loves to beat Essendon the most, closely followed by Hawthorn.
“We haven’t had a good record against the Hawks recently, but there were some great floggings back in the day.
“I can remember one game at Princes Park where Barry Mitchell went berserk.”
That game was Round 10 in 1995. Mitchell had 37 disposals and kicked two goals in the Blues' 102-point thrashing of Hawthorn.
“That was a great victory,” Judy said.
There are three other spirited victories Judy will always treasure: a grand final, an elimination final and a preliminary final – all against arch enemies.
“Besides the 1995 grand final, which was spectacular because it was only my third year as a member, the one-point 1999 preliminary final victory was so fantastic.
“I turned around and kissed the woman behind me – she was a Carlton supporter, don’t get me wrong,” she laughed.
“We were just so excited we got over the line.”
“The other game is the 2013 elimination final against Richmond. My friends and I had gone to get a drink at half-time because the game looked terrible and then when we got back to our seats it was a goal fest – Carlton got up and that was brilliant.”
Her favourite players have changed over years as the greats of the game call an end to their careers.
“It was SOS, and then in the modern era it was Juddy and now I’m scouting around for his replacement – I think it could be Patrick Cripps.”
The runner-up in the AFL Rising Star has stated he wants to be a Bluebagger for life, so Judy is on a winner if she sticks with ‘Crippa’.
