'Something to look forward to': Roughriders fan cheering for Bombers in Australia

CFL fans down under are preparing to take in the Grey Cup – Canadian style.

Come the 111th CFL Grey Cup game, Percy Balon will be cheering on the Winnipeg Blue Bombers in his local sports bar. The main difference between him and the majority of CFL fans is he’ll be doing it at 10 a.m. Monday (his time) in a Melbourne bar.

“They’ve got a good team; five years in a row what can you say? I have a soft spot in my heart for Zach Collaros,” said Balon, who was raised in Saskatchewan but lived in all three Prairie provinces.

Balon and the Canada Club of Victoria successfully convinced The King Hotel in the city’s central business district to stream the Grey Cup again this year.

“I taught them how to make Caesars last year,” he said.

Watching the game live wasn’t possible two decades ago when Balon first moved to Australia. He and another Canadian were itching to watch the Grey Cup – a familiar thrill for the two Prairie men.

“On behalf of the club we threw something together,” Balon said. “His dad sent us a DVD of the game and then we hoped and prayed that it would get here on time… luckily, it got there.”

That Saturday afternoon, more than 150 people showed up.

“It was great. It was far more than what we expected,” Balon said.

The Saskatchewan Roughriders fan is expecting 20 people to join him this year at The King Hotel, many in CFL jerseys of their own.

“It’s a lot smaller, but it’s a lot of fun. Something to look forward to,” he said.

Balon said he hopes to teach more Australians about Canadian football, known simply as ‘gridiron’ down under.