The Carlton-supporting grandmother-of-seven and great-grandmother-of-five was resigned to watching the game on television at her Wynyard home until a surprise visit on Friday night.

Her niece Melissa Edwards and husband Ken arrived unexpectedly from Canberra and told her she was going to the match.

“I kept on saying I would love to be able to go and suddenly they knocked on my door and said we’ve got tickets and you’re coming too,” Mrs Stretton explained.

“I was so excited I burst into tears.

“I’ve never seen Carlton in the flesh, only ever on TV, so I’m absolutely thrilled.

“I have been to the ground before, I watched Hawthorn play Gold Coast here but it was a shocking day, very wet, but today is beautiful. And obviously I’d rather be watching Carlton.

“I just love Brendon Bolton because he’s a Tasmanian.”

Fans flocked from throughout Tasmania and the mainland for the Melbourne derby.

They recorded the biggest crowd since the visit of Sydney in 2012 with one Carlton fan enjoying more success than his team when his quarter-time marriage proposal was accepted by his Hawthorn supporter girlfriend.

Many of Tasmania’s large number of Carlton supporters seized the moment to see their favourite team in their home state.

Launceston’s Mel Porter, a Blues fan since 1971, said it was a “wonderful” opportunity.

“We have permanent seats here for the whole year and come to every game even though I go for Carlton,” he said.

“I come and watch Hawthorn because it’s good football, it’s comfortable and a wonderful stadium.

“But I would like to see Carlton here again next year.”

Ulverstone’s Vern Heazlewood was also showing his true Blue colours.

“When I saw the fixtures I thought ‘I’d better go to that’,” he said. “I don’t think I can remember Carlton playing in Tasmania before, it’s great to see them  playing somewhere new and it should happen more often.”

Mrs Stretton was among those enjoying a front-row seat to watch X-Factor winner Reece Mastin.

“I’m afraid I don’t watch it,” she said of the TV talent show. “I’m a dairy farmer’s wife so country and western is more my thing.” 

Sporting a blue and white scarf and blanket she had knitted herself, Mrs Stretton even had a tale to tell about her Carlton fleece jacket.

“I got a good deal for it at a shop in Burnie,” she said. “The owner went for Collingwood and said he wanted it out of his shop so I bought it and didn’t tell him what I thought of his team.”