Attending the Bushfire Appeal match last Friday, I repaired to the bar after a suitable interval to avail myself of a beer. I know all AussieRulesBlog readers will be stunned to read that beer prices have risen (again!).

I did a little quick (and not enhaustive) research. I can purchase online, home-delivered, a 30-can block of Carlton Mid-Strength for the princely sum of $37.99. This equates to around $3.40 per litre.

At Docklands Stadium however, Spotless, Fosters Group, the AFL and, one presumes, stadium management conspire to fleece us a whopping $6.00 for around 300ml of Carlton Mid-Strength. This — are you sitting down? — equates to around $18.00 PER LITRE. More than 500% the price of having the self-same product delivered to my doorstep!!! And it's in a plastic cup, no less! Oh, the indignity!

Those of sterner moral fibre than I may well remind me that I could forego the demon drink. And it’s true that there are many among the crowd who would be much more pleasant company were they to heed such advice. I'm a temperate chap though and confine myself to two beers for the game.

Now, Spotless will no doubt counter that they have to provide staff (who frankly are unlikely to be paid penalty rates, but could be paid a minor king's ransom at $18/litre) at a time when the rest of us are at our ease. Bollocks!

I am as guilty as anyone else. Every one of us who favour these THIEVES with our hard-earned dollars are saying to them: “Here, beat me up! Rifle through my wallet and take what you want!”.

Prices for what is loosely described as “food” are no less scandalous, but at least there's a modicum of preparation involved. $8 for a ham, cheese and salad sandwich made some time during the last week is pretty steep though. What irks most is that I can take my own food and feast like a lord — but I can't take my own alcohol . . .

The ONE saving grace of $6 per cup of beer, is the nice even change which should allow the queues to speed up to snail's pace now that the wunderkind on the cash registers don't have to think.

I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Hawthorn-Western Bulldogs qualifying final. I like one or two beers at the footy and a pie. The prices are ridiculous, but for my simple needs I'm prepared to absorb them. At a nearby snack bar — a wonderful example of disorganised chaos if I've ever seen one — I spied a ham, cheese and salad sandwich with a sticker price of $7.90. Nearly eight dollars! For a pretty ordinary-looking sandwich! Highway bloody robbery!!! It seems that the AFL's licenced caterers feel that an essentially captive audience warrants charging like wounded bulls.