Particularly for footy fans (of all codes), and locals enjoying the inclusiveness and social benefits of participating rural team sport.

The smell of freshly cut grass – for footy fanatics, it’s enough to send shivers down their spines.

The sun’s out again after a long dark winter, and fans are either preparing for the emotional exultation or despair of discovering their side’s final premiership credentials.

The build up to the local footy finals is amplified by the avalanche of footy news and advertising from national competitions, as spring rears its head.

Anyone still with some sort of emotional involvement in the national codes’ finals competitions knows how encapsulating the chance of success can be.

To the point where conversations will always inevitably circle back to discussing who’s winning the coming weekend’s games.

But while we’re a self-proclaimed sporting nation, and tribal about our teams’ success, there are just as many people out there taking zero interest in any form of sport shown on television.

It’s difficult to describe to a sporting novice why people take their team’s success, or lack of, so seriously.

Most hardcore fans have no personal relationships with anyone involved at their favourite clubs.

Few would have even met any of their favourite players in person.

But there remains a blind and rock-solid loyalty to these clubs, despite often being based hundreds of kilometres away.

Believe it or not Collingullie fans and players, but Leeton fans and players are the same.

They will both be emotionally beat by the end of the game, and they’ll all react with the same elation if and when they can get their hands on the premiership.

It’s hard to get drawn in to the euphoria without following a team, or while watching through a TV.

But for locals wondering what the footy fever fuss is all about, head down to the local footy this weekend.

Absorb yourself into the contest and become one of the fanatical fans urging on their desperately determined players to victory.

And if the boys get up, head back to the footy club to see first hand what it means to a town when its side brings home a flag.