An overly optimistic Collingwood supporter has been captured by authorities after attempting to cross the Victoria–NSW border this morning so he could get to Sydney for tonight’s game against the Hawks. Brendon Grimsdale, from regional Victoria, reportedly made the bold attempt earlier this morning, but was fished out of the Murray River around 8.00am after failing to make the full swim across to NSW.

Authorities are remaining fairly tight-lipped about the breach, but did release this official statement just moments ago: “Around 7.30 this morning we received reports of a 32-year-old male floundering in the river. After sending a rescue boat out to retrieve him, it was ascertained that he was attempting to evade the border patrol. He has been detained for further questioning, and we will provide more information once that investigation has been conducted.”

Eye-witnesses to the brave yet ham-fisted attempt where left feeling a mixture of shock and amusement. One witness said, “He didn’t seem to be a very strong swimmer, and that water would’ve been ice cold. I’m not sure what he was thinking. We wasn’t even dressed in any form of camouflage. He was just wearing his Magpies jumper and a white t-shirt underneath. It was bizarre.”

Another witness said she heard Grimsdale yelling a whole lot of things as he was taken from the boat to a waiting divisional van. The witness said, “He was just ranting and raving the whole time. It was quite unsettling. At one stage he yelled, ‘I want my phone call! I need to call Bucks. I think I know how to stop Wingard! Seriously, I do!’ And he kept pronouncing ‘castle’ the NSW way like that was some kind of validation that he was from north of the river.”

More to come.

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