The ‘big dance’ is here and we’re hosting. BYO guernsey.
Good food, good drink, good friends – at its essence, a party is a timeless combination of elements brought to life by the individual touch that hosts and guests contribute to the occasion. To help you pull off your best and most fun-filled gathering yet, our Dan’s Daily Blueprints tell you everything you need to host whatever event is next on your hit list.
For some, Christmas is the best day of the year. For others, it’s their birthday. For us? Well, it’s the AFL Grand Final. Yours might be the NRL decider, and if you’re in NSW or Queensland, it demands you make a day of it since it lands on a long weekend. Or maybe you’re getting into the NFL, with that season just getting started.
Whatever the code, the big games have everything you could want: footy, mates, a piping-hot pie and other excellent snacks, good drinks and two teams vying to be the best. Tell me how Christmas tops that (okay, presents are pretty good, too). Anyway, hosting grand final day? We’ve put together your ultimate guide.
If your grand final day has a dress code, we reckon everyone should be coming in their team colours (yes, even the West Coast fans). Full kits are encouraged. And if some of your guests don’t really follow the footy, give them a little hint on the best colours to throw on (that will obviously be your own team – it’s your party, after all).
Your local party store is likely to have team swag, like balloons and banners, so go big on the theme. But if you’re going for a more-is-more vibe, there are plenty of DIY touches you can add to the day. Head to Bunnings and buy a strip of fake grass the length of your dining table. Next, you’ll need a few mini footies, and then grab some long white candles that double as goal posts, and you’ve got yourself a footy-field tablescape (hey, we said more is more).
And while you’re thinking about what goes where, consider the screens for the day. If you have a spare TV, or you can borrow one from a friend, a second space to catch all the action is ideal. Maybe there’s room in the kitchen so no one misses anything, or perhaps you could set up a projector in the back yard. This way you’re not yelling at each other to move out of the way all day.
Easy, refreshing, crowd-pleasing drinks are the goal of the day, which is exactly what you get from these top selections below.
1. Hard Rated Orange Passionfruit Zero Sugar
For anyone who appreciates a bright, fresh and fruity drink, you can’t go past the latest addition from Hard Rated. Even without any sugar added, this premix is sweet, juicy and full of flavour. Classic orange flavours mix with tropical passionfruit, with fizz and refreshment in spades. Load up the esky with these cans and set out plenty of bowls of tangy, salty chips and dip – a perfect combo.
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2. Carlton Dry Mid
For the beer lovers, Carlton Dry Mid is an excellent pick. No one can complain about a crisp, dry lager – not when it’s this easy-drinking. We love that its bold blue packaging jumps straight out of the fridge and esky, and it also helps that it has an ABV of 3.5% – or one standard drink per serve. It has fruity aromas with a low bitterness, making this a great palate cleanser for any fried or heavier food that comes out on the day.
3. Grant Burge Prosecco
Why prosecco? There’s always someone at a party who prefers bubbles. And for anyone else who chooses wine over anything else, sparkling is almost always a winner, especially when it’s as vibrant as this one. This is a lively prosecco, with notes of pear, lemongrass and even a subtle honey. If you want to take it to the next level, you could blitz up a couple of cans of peaches with their juice, set that out in jugs, and guests can DIY themselves a Bellini.
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4. Roku Japanese Craft Gin
Picture this: the TV is outside, the sun’s shining and everyone is sitting around the table waiting for the pre-game show. That’s a pretty perfect time for a round of G&Ts, if you ask us. We’re going with a bottle of Roku Japanese Craft Gin, along with ice-cold bottles of Fever Tree Tonic in the esky. Prep some sliced oranges, lemons and limes, and lay out a few fresh herbs for garnishes. Rosemary, mint, thyme, basil – they’ll all lift your bog-standard G&T to something pretty special.
5. Espolon Tequila Blanco
Unless you really love playing host and have zero interest in the actual footy match, we don’t recommend offering up Margs or you’ll be at it all day (you could instead batch them ahead of time, FYI). But if you do fancy a bit of tequila, our top tip is to set out everything people need to make Ranch Water. Go for Espolon Tequila Blanco, quality soda water, a bunch of limes with a squeezer in easy reach, and some sea salt. It’s the simplest, most refreshing way to mix up tequila.
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If you’re channelling the MCG or Stadium Australia, it’s time to load up on Four’N Twenty pies, and you’d better throw in a few sauso rolls, too – and have them ready to grab and go from quarter time. You could also do well to set up an air fryer, and keep the hot chips and dimmies coming. Just make sure there’s plenty of sauces for the lot.
If people are coming over a couple hours before the first bounce, then you have time for a barbecue. Task your friends with bringing the salads (potato, pasta, slaw, greens, maybe even a fried rice), get someone to pick up a bunch of bread rolls, and you can look after the grilling – sausages, steaks, burgers, halloumi and mushroom. And if there’s a baker in your midst, perhaps they can whip up some footy-shaped cookies. Head to Pinterest for some inspo.
For the Aussie Rules diehards who go into hibernation from October to March, your top playlist is likely ‘AFL Theme Songs’. But for those who’d rather not hear ‘We’re the pride of South Australia’ over and over, then try ‘7AFL’s Thursday Night Footy’ playlist.
Alternatively, you may prefer something a little more laidback to play in the background. And just remember there’ll always be at least a couple of non-footy people who aren’t glued to the game, so they’ll appreciate some good tunes, too.
Serviettes – and lots of them. You just know that dark, thick pie gravy is going to be slopped down a top or two.
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