I heard NSW Opposition Leader Barry O'Farrell refer to winning the NRL premiership as "the flag" several times during the finals series.
Checked his history to find out he was originally from Victoria.
Barry, if you're going to pretend to be a league fan then at least use the correct terms.
Storm fans do it too, it's a simply what they grew up with. Even though I've lived here for 20 years, I still look at them funny when they do it lol But I do understand why.
I'd be shocked if too many real northerners called it that though, Peter Tunks is shocking, has he spent time in AFL states since retiring?!
FWIW - To the poster who mentioned what Collingwood won, as mentioned yes it was a trophy, but they will also unfurl their premiership flag at their first home game for 2011. The history I *think* is that the VFL didn't award a trophy. Though I could be wrong on that, I do know that within the last 10 years they (the AFL) actually went back and produced trophies for way back when for the premier teams (& I think actually made the clubs involved pay... lol)
Not sure if it's a Victorian thing, I know the VRU & VRL have at one point in their history does exactly the same thing. If you walk into Harlequins RU club for instance, they have all their premiership flags from various senior/colts grades on the wall. From memory, I saw something similar in a pub that used to be aligned with the old St Kilda RL club too. Pub doesn't exist anymore, so couldn't go check.
