This is a really good explanation. It's something I kind of understand intuitively but haven't thought about much in my games. I got to a competent level in smash just basically by learning good moves/setups/punishes and not doing obviously dumb/unsafe stuff but you reach a hard plateau once you start to face players who don't make obvious mistakes. I initially assumed that this was a matter of them simply having more game knowledge/experience than me, but I think its more what you explain here, where their neutral is just more sophisticated than "doing good moves until they fall into your setups" .
Sounds like an experience barrier. In the process of learning any skill, technical expertise and perfect moment-to-moment awareness are just the beginning of the path of mastery. At this level, the major gaps in players' skill levels are usually determined simply by the total number of hours under their belts. Top tier pros have an extrasensory intuition unconsciously guiding their choices during a match, built up through years of experience. In a strange sense, they actually play with a mentality similar to that of a beginner, whose only thought when acting is the simple intention to do damage, throwing out whatever moves they feel will accomplish that end. The only difference is that the pro has that refined intuitive sense unconsciously synthesizing his actions into a gracefully effective dance of punishment, whereas the beginner can only flail like a loose sail in the wind with no mast to secure it firmly in place.
Sometimes doing "dumb" stuff is the way because your opponent is a human and sudden, weird things have a habit of causing hesitation. Obviously, you don't just make a stupid play, but sometimes I let that Pichu get me with intentionally bad DI several times in a row only to suddenly shift a tiny bit and all the sudden you are batting Pichu off stage repeatedly because you conditioned them with a seemingly winnimg strategy. Smash is mind games.
1. No option covers everything 2. When anticipating incorrectly you leave an opening because of 1. 3. Everything you do influences your opponent and establishes some kind of anticipation
Smash Ultimate is my first Smash game, having spent thousands of hours in the world of Tekken. You are really helping me understand Smash at a fundamental level, which is exactly what I need. And of course, you inspired me to play Big Boy Ganon. Thanks so much for these videos, especially love anything that breaks down the neutral game!
Quell Dieu It’s hard to say, as I dedicated a lot of time to one fighting game before trying another; so it makes it really hard to imagine what learning smash with zero knowledge would be like... I understood the concepts of whiff punishing, footsies, neutral, mix ups etc before going into smash, so I could hone in on what’s important. I think that, mechanically, Smash is more difficult to pick up. Also, in ultimate there is an insane amount of match ups to learn!
I found this video pinned in a smash ultimate discord and I can understand why, even after a year this was uploaded it doesn’t dwell on how characters behave but rather the players and how to manipulate the outcome, this is a well researched video. Nice job!
Coincidentally, this video uploaded right after I struggled with this kind of neutral concept in a match. I feel like this also slightly dwelled on furthering advanced, back and forth exceptions, or "Reading reads" a bit as a result of explaining awareness of the opponents expectations in combination with knowing how you can be manipulated yourself in neutral. Either way, I found this video to once again greatly help in clarifying my next steps to take in improving, keep up good content, as this is great knowledge to pass along, and I'm sure it's helping many others find their struggle in neutral as I am.
This is a very nice contrast compared to all the combo videos people do, I feel like more people should learn about neutral especially considering neutral is more important than a punish game.
I'd say it is, but to a point. Because if you have a really solid neutral but can't follow up with a combo of some kind, or finding a hit afterwards, then it's not doing a lot for you. It's more important, but you need to know some basic combos to build up damage against your opponent.
Ignis Id only think punish game is worth learning more in Melee and in some cases 64 Ultimates true combos dont usually get too complex or even pass 3 hits a lot from what Ive seen, Im not saying punish game isnt important but youd be better off chipping damage out of the opponent 4 out of 5 times and learning to extend hits via reading escape/counterattack options imo
@@ignis2614 He just meant that learning a combo chain isn't as valuable if ypu have no fundementals. Fundementally sound play is the foundation on which your punish game is being built.
Why do you have so few subscribers? Your videos are the most informative and useful Smash Bros. content I have witnessed. I already have seen improvements in my play so thank you!
I’ve seen videos on neutral game but I feel like this video explains it next level. I haven’t seen a better breakdown and understanding of it, thanks for the video, I’ve sent it to all my friends because this video really nails the concept perfectly
I could hear you talk for hours, you are so intelligent. What a hidden gem this channel is! I'm a total scrub, but I took your advice from your recentes videos and I really feel like i'm improving a lot already. Can you make a video that goes into the routine and principles of pratice? How do you personally train & etc?
@@Vermanubis they have been the furthest thing from a disaster, for sure! And of course, you should do the vod on your own time, but maybe keep the tought on the back of your head, let it simmer for a bit. Anyways, i'll watch anything you post at this point, cheers!
Great work on this video man (and all of your videos that is!). Watching your videos, I have noticed you sound more like a teacher and less like an instructor. I find there are lots of people on youtube providing instructions for learning how to play ssbu, but you sir are the first I have found who is providing a foundation on which to apply the skills so readily instructed by other players. Im gonna go watch the rest of your videos now, keep it up!!!
Awesome video. I struggle with neutral the most. I’m looking forward to the character choice video you talked about a few videos ago, and I’m certain it will be great!
This has to be the first video I've come across that focuses on the meat and fundamentals of combat in this game, and actually properly explained to me as a newbie how the mental game works. Thanks for the lesson, mate!
I don't know why but the combination of the music and your profound logic makes this video give off creepy vibes for me, like trying to understand the mysteries of the human mind. Excellent video!
This explanation is gold. I never realized how complex and sophisticated neutral is until you broke it down like this. I'm on a grind to get to compete level and you've definitely brought me closer with this video. Also with the music and how you explain things you remind me of a smart anime character lol
I love your videos so much, Verma. I agree with everything you say in them, and I'm sure I can get better by applying what you say. Do you think you'll ever make a video related to how to learn the concept of spacing? I know it's much more complicated than just hitting your moves with the tip, but it really is difficult for me to understand and I've heard it described in too many different ways for me to comprehend what it means.
Ngl, you helped me a lot with understanding neutral, it's usually said as "don't get hit and rather hit your opponent" but you bro have made it clear for me, I don't understand usually how regular people would understand it since my brain doesn't think similar how others do, you made this very clear for me since now I get what I have to do, this will definitely make me make a huge list on how to exploit different characters moves, thank you very much!!
this is such a cool blend of mentality and gameplay combined into a solid vid on what most people struggle with... Neutral. I only recently started competing, and my local scene is quite tough. But last night i got the chance to get some practice in at a little smash meetup thing at a pc joint and got to have some 1 on 1 time with our best player. I asked him if he could point out my flaws, and what he actually ended up doing is describing step by step what he thinks about when hes playing the game. Through this talk, i realized that its not about random or specific bad habits that i had, rather, it was just i really dont know how to play neutral. I just throw out safe options hoping they run into it and then i can combo from there. Its not terrible, but its not getting me much further than going 1-2 or 2-2(my best) in bracket. I ended up here at this video and man, this is such an intricate and deep elaboration on what FOW (our best player) was saying about neutral. Cool stuff man, liked subbed and notifications on brotha.
One of very few videos I've seen that actually add to machabos neutral triangle. Thanks for this. Great stuff. Edit - meaning add to as in, as a basic definition and understanding of what neutral is.
Your videos are EXACTLY what I've been needing the most help with & you have such a great way of explaining & teaching all those things! Thank you so much! You've earned a new sub 🙏😁
This was awesome, it gave me a new, better and more clear perspective on neutral in Smash. Thank you! I hope you make more stuff like this in the future
Amazing video. I can hear the inspiration from the many martial arts you've trained in. Neutral is something so second nature to smashers and I really struggle to explain it to people who don't know it yet. I'm just going to link them this video.
This is the best explanation of neutral I’ve ever seen. I agree with other commenters that most of the high-level smash players understand these concepts without being able to vocalize them the way you did.
I've been binge watching your channel all day. You do a fantastic job of explaining theory with approachable and relatable examples. Thank you for another great video!
Your content is so bingeworthy I always forget to leave likes and comment. I am usually listening to your vids while playing haha. Solidified thoughts are cool
I'm so glad I found your channel. I was familiar with you before I found it (reading about players on the smashwiki I found your page lol) but didn't know you had such great content, thank you for these resources dude, this is great.
I never understood how to play neutral before I watched this. Even after being told what Neutral is and how my mains ''play'' it, I didn't know what it was. I didn't think Neutral was based on the player, not on the character. Definitely putting this video in the Character Discords I moderate.
Learning Nuetral is hard but I can understand the breakdown you’re doing. It also helps that I’m a Ganon main so Neutral is even harder based upon his tool kit properties. Thank you for making these videos and I hope someday to achieve your level of skill.
Thank you for this. I thought I had known what it actually meant but I was wrong, even thinking I did it "good". Very informative video and it got me to rethink everything I know about it, ahaha!
thank you for this video. i’ve been playing smash for many years now and this is by far the best explanation of neutral. wish someone said it to me like this in 2013...
Absolutely love how you write! Delivery is good, but you sometimes lose track of a sentence if it's too convoluted and lose flow even if the sentence is great in a written form - using appropriate punctuation and emphasizing that punctuation during the delivery should help maintain flow and clarity for sentences with a bunch of clauses and parentheticals.
There’s a lot of players such as Zer0 teaching us what tools to use in smash , such as short hop attacks, rars , and proper edge guarding . But what I appreciate about Verm is he is trying to teach us the hardest part, WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THESE TOOLS .
Insta like and sub, you're pretty eloquent when talking about these topics. Well done! I, as a newbie, find myself focussing too much on using fancy techs and trying to hit my adversary with them instead of actively avoiding their assaults... usually falling back on a standard pattern of defenses that are easily predictable.
Thank you, neutral explanation are few and far between and most of the time terrible. I have been trying to explain it several times and it's been really complicated to make people get it. I hope this will help. Good work.
Really great video! You do a great job condensing the most important parts down into something that's easier to think about. In the future, though, would it be possible to hold on those diagrams a little longer? Or maybe just release them as a slideshow in the description. They were quite useful, but I ended up having to pause the video in order to get the most out of them.
Correct me if I’m wrong, but It’s like that trick people used to do in rock paper scissors. You or your opponent may say “Hey, I’m going to play rock” and then actually play scissors like a boss. Except there is infinitely more options.
8:09 That was a perfect example, you did uair + jab to bait, you read the jump and tried to use a tilt, but he didn't take it. Got scared and jumped off lol.
This is a really amazing video, could you elaborate more on what you meant when you said: "Everything we do influences our opponent and establishes some kind of expectation assuming they don't want to get hit."
Ah, the RUclips algorithm outputting a hidden gem to my recommended feed. So thankful for this platform sometimes.
This is a really good explanation. It's something I kind of understand intuitively but haven't thought about much in my games. I got to a competent level in smash just basically by learning good moves/setups/punishes and not doing obviously dumb/unsafe stuff but you reach a hard plateau once you start to face players who don't make obvious mistakes. I initially assumed that this was a matter of them simply having more game knowledge/experience than me, but I think its more what you explain here, where their neutral is just more sophisticated than "doing good moves until they fall into your setups" .
Sounds like an experience barrier. In the process of learning any skill, technical expertise and perfect moment-to-moment awareness are just the beginning of the path of mastery. At this level, the major gaps in players' skill levels are usually determined simply by the total number of hours under their belts.
Top tier pros have an extrasensory intuition unconsciously guiding their choices during a match, built up through years of experience. In a strange sense, they actually play with a mentality similar to that of a beginner, whose only thought when acting is the simple intention to do damage, throwing out whatever moves they feel will accomplish that end. The only difference is that the pro has that refined intuitive sense unconsciously synthesizing his actions into a gracefully effective dance of punishment, whereas the beginner can only flail like a loose sail in the wind with no mast to secure it firmly in place.
Sometimes doing "dumb" stuff is the way because your opponent is a human and sudden, weird things have a habit of causing hesitation.
Obviously, you don't just make a stupid play, but sometimes I let that Pichu get me with intentionally bad DI several times in a row only to suddenly shift a tiny bit and all the sudden you are batting Pichu off stage repeatedly because you conditioned them with a seemingly winnimg strategy.
Smash is mind games.
T1J hey I like your comment but also your videos. Great minds waste time alike I guess.
William Wesner poetry, man. Just like Verm.
@@williamwesner4268 We're still talking about smash right? holy that was profound haha
1. No option covers everything
2. When anticipating incorrectly you leave an opening because of 1.
3. Everything you do influences your opponent and establishes some kind of anticipation
Smash Ultimate is my first Smash game, having spent thousands of hours in the world of Tekken.
You are really helping me understand Smash at a fundamental level, which is exactly what I need. And of course, you inspired me to play Big Boy Ganon. Thanks so much for these videos, especially love anything that breaks down the neutral game!
Ezool Goodluck!
which is harder to learn from zero knowledge on each game?
Quell Dieu It’s hard to say, as I dedicated a lot of time to one fighting game before trying another; so it makes it really hard to imagine what learning smash with zero knowledge would be like... I understood the concepts of whiff punishing, footsies, neutral, mix ups etc before going into smash, so I could hone in on what’s important.
I think that, mechanically, Smash is more difficult to pick up. Also, in ultimate there is an insane amount of match ups to learn!
This is the best video I've seen on neutral. I feel like you've opened up a whole new skill tree to tackle -- deserving my sub.
I found this video pinned in a smash ultimate discord and I can understand why, even after a year this was uploaded it doesn’t dwell on how characters behave but rather the players and how to manipulate the outcome, this is a well researched video. Nice job!
such a good explanation and video
This guy is one of the smartest people I have ever stumbled upon. He explained it so easily in a really smart way. Great video!
Please continue this series you are the best teacher of advanced smash concepts I have seen on all of RUclips
This video is the best explanation of neutral
Coincidentally, this video uploaded right after I struggled with this kind of neutral concept in a match. I feel like this also slightly dwelled on furthering advanced, back and forth exceptions, or "Reading reads" a bit as a result of explaining awareness of the opponents expectations in combination with knowing how you can be manipulated yourself in neutral. Either way, I found this video to once again greatly help in clarifying my next steps to take in improving, keep up good content, as this is great knowledge to pass along, and I'm sure it's helping many others find their struggle in neutral as I am.
This is a very nice contrast compared to all the combo videos people do, I feel like more people should learn about neutral especially considering neutral is more important than a punish game.
I'd say it is, but to a point. Because if you have a really solid neutral but can't follow up with a combo of some kind, or finding a hit afterwards, then it's not doing a lot for you. It's more important, but you need to know some basic combos to build up damage against your opponent.
Ignis Id only think punish game is worth learning more in Melee and in some cases 64
Ultimates true combos dont usually get too complex or even pass 3 hits a lot from what Ive seen, Im not saying punish game isnt important but youd be better off chipping damage out of the opponent 4 out of 5 times and learning to extend hits via reading escape/counterattack options imo
@@ignis2614 He just meant that learning a combo chain isn't as valuable if ypu have no fundementals. Fundementally sound play is the foundation on which your punish game is being built.
Why do you have so few subscribers? Your videos are the most informative and useful Smash Bros. content I have witnessed. I already have seen improvements in my play so thank you!
Amazing video, I learned so much in just 8 minutes
Extremely underrated channel
I’ve seen videos on neutral game but I feel like this video explains it next level. I haven’t seen a better breakdown and understanding of it, thanks for the video, I’ve sent it to all my friends because this video really nails the concept perfectly
I could hear you talk for hours, you are so intelligent. What a hidden gem this channel is!
I'm a total scrub, but I took your advice from your recentes videos and I really feel like i'm improving a lot already.
Can you make a video that goes into the routine and principles of pratice? How do you personally train & etc?
@@Vermanubis they have been the furthest thing from a disaster, for sure!
And of course, you should do the vod on your own time, but maybe keep the tought on the back of your head, let it simmer for a bit.
Anyways, i'll watch anything you post at this point, cheers!
This series is the most valuable smash-related content I've been watching recently. Thanks a lot for sharing!
Underrated gem. Please do more of these
Great work on this video man (and all of your videos that is!). Watching your videos, I have noticed you sound more like a teacher and less like an instructor. I find there are lots of people on youtube providing instructions for learning how to play ssbu, but you sir are the first I have found who is providing a foundation on which to apply the skills so readily instructed by other players. Im gonna go watch the rest of your videos now, keep it up!!!
Awesome video. I struggle with neutral the most. I’m looking forward to the character choice video you talked about a few videos ago, and I’m certain it will be great!
This video deserves an automatic subscribe
I find the background music coupled with your analysis of the neutral to be very mesmeric. Keep the videos coming!
This has to be the first video I've come across that focuses on the meat and fundamentals of combat in this game, and actually properly explained to me as a newbie how the mental game works. Thanks for the lesson, mate!
I don't know why but the combination of the music and your profound logic makes this video give off creepy vibes for me, like trying to understand the mysteries of the human mind. Excellent video!
This explanation is gold. I never realized how complex and sophisticated neutral is until you broke it down like this. I'm on a grind to get to compete level and you've definitely brought me closer with this video. Also with the music and how you explain things you remind me of a smart anime character lol
5 years later, still the best in-depth explanation for neutral play
I love your videos so much, Verma. I agree with everything you say in them, and I'm sure I can get better by applying what you say.
Do you think you'll ever make a video related to how to learn the concept of spacing? I know it's much more complicated than just hitting your moves with the tip, but it really is difficult for me to understand and I've heard it described in too many different ways for me to comprehend what it means.
Ngl, you helped me a lot with understanding neutral, it's usually said as "don't get hit and rather hit your opponent" but you bro have made it clear for me, I don't understand usually how regular people would understand it since my brain doesn't think similar how others do, you made this very clear for me since now I get what I have to do, this will definitely make me make a huge list on how to exploit different characters moves, thank you very much!!
this is such a cool blend of mentality and gameplay combined into a solid vid on what most people struggle with... Neutral. I only recently started competing, and my local scene is quite tough. But last night i got the chance to get some practice in at a little smash meetup thing at a pc joint and got to have some 1 on 1 time with our best player. I asked him if he could point out my flaws, and what he actually ended up doing is describing step by step what he thinks about when hes playing the game. Through this talk, i realized that its not about random or specific bad habits that i had, rather, it was just i really dont know how to play neutral. I just throw out safe options hoping they run into it and then i can combo from there. Its not terrible, but its not getting me much further than going 1-2 or 2-2(my best) in bracket. I ended up here at this video and man, this is such an intricate and deep elaboration on what FOW (our best player) was saying about neutral. Cool stuff man, liked subbed and notifications on brotha.
One of very few videos I've seen that actually add to machabos neutral triangle. Thanks for this. Great stuff.
Edit - meaning add to as in, as a basic definition and understanding of what neutral is.
Who needs neutral when you got Ike’s nair
Who needs neutral when you got Wolf's neutral b
Ganondorfs UpSmash*
Who needs neutral when you got palutenas nair
thanks verm- always manage to pique my interest and answer curiosity's
from a fellow ganon main
Your videos are EXACTLY what I've been needing the most help with & you have such a great way of explaining & teaching all those things! Thank you so much! You've earned a new sub 🙏😁
Super insightful, great work
This was awesome, it gave me a new, better and more clear perspective on neutral in Smash. Thank you! I hope you make more stuff like this in the future
Amazing video. I can hear the inspiration from the many martial arts you've trained in. Neutral is something so second nature to smashers and I really struggle to explain it to people who don't know it yet. I'm just going to link them this video.
This is the best explanation of neutral I’ve ever seen. I agree with other commenters that most of the high-level smash players understand these concepts without being able to vocalize them the way you did.
This is simple and to the point i love it just give the diagrams and picture like more than 0.5 seconds of screen time
I've been binge watching your channel all day. You do a fantastic job of explaining theory with approachable and relatable examples. Thank you for another great video!
The most meta meta-video I have ever scene. The presentation reminds me of videos that talk about chakras and palm reading haha
I think this is the best explanation of neutral I’ve ever heard. Thank you!! I struggle with it and this really helped
god bless the baten kaitos music
Top tier explanation. Excellent video
Your content is so bingeworthy I always forget to leave likes and comment. I am usually listening to your vids while playing haha. Solidified thoughts are cool
I'm so glad I found your channel. I was familiar with you before I found it (reading about players on the smashwiki I found your page lol) but didn't know you had such great content, thank you for these resources dude, this is great.
Thanks to this video I just won my first elite smash battle with my main! After weeks of getting in then immediately dropping out, I've done it!
I never understood how to play neutral before I watched this. Even after being told what Neutral is and how my mains ''play'' it, I didn't know what it was. I didn't think Neutral was based on the player, not on the character. Definitely putting this video in the Character Discords I moderate.
Great music choice, Baten Kaitos was a fun game. Thanks for the informative video!
Learning Nuetral is hard but I can understand the breakdown you’re doing. It also helps that I’m a Ganon main so Neutral is even harder based upon his tool kit properties. Thank you for making these videos and I hope someday to achieve your level of skill.
How this guy so perfectly explained this topic arguably better than ZeRo and ProSmash Guides is beyond me
Great video. Keep them coming at what ever pace works with you. You have a talent for explaining concepts.
Thank you for this. I thought I had known what it actually meant but I was wrong, even thinking I did it "good". Very informative video and it got me to rethink everything I know about it, ahaha!
thank you for this video. i’ve been playing smash for many years now and this is by far the best explanation of neutral. wish someone said it to me like this in 2013...
I was sent here by Aligleed, I saw your videos and they were awesome. You deserve another sub my fellow Ganon comrade.
I am do happy that i searched for your name after that tournament. great video
Absolutely love how you write! Delivery is good, but you sometimes lose track of a sentence if it's too convoluted and lose flow even if the sentence is great in a written form - using appropriate punctuation and emphasizing that punctuation during the delivery should help maintain flow and clarity for sentences with a bunch of clauses and parentheticals.
There’s a lot of players such as Zer0 teaching us what tools to use in smash , such as short hop attacks, rars , and proper edge guarding . But what I appreciate about Verm is he is trying to teach us the hardest part, WHAT WE SHOULD DO WITH THESE TOOLS .
This channel deserves way more subs!
Neutral in a nutshell is basically this: Having both players be in a position similar to that of the beginning of the match
Coming here to learn the fundamentals again. Can’t seem to get any better
Love you
Insta like and sub, you're pretty eloquent when talking about these topics. Well done! I, as a newbie, find myself focussing too much on using fancy techs and trying to hit my adversary with them instead of actively avoiding their assaults... usually falling back on a standard pattern of defenses that are easily predictable.
Thank you, neutral explanation are few and far between and most of the time terrible.
I have been trying to explain it several times and it's been really complicated to make people get it. I hope this will help.
Good work.
This definitely helped me better understand what neutral is
The Emanuel Kant of smash neutral. Well explained.
I like that analogy at the beginning
Video: displays important and useful information.
My brain: “he he he wiz kick”
Your videos are fucking astonishingly high quality.
ah, ive always heard bout sword/spacie neutral, btu never about the roots of neutral. i love it!
You’re videos are amazing dude
I subscribed to you and am looking forward to more wonderful and informative videos!
I live for Vermanubis content
Vermanubis is the legend!!
This is Smash at it's deepest
As a new player, this is extremely valuable
Really great video! You do a great job condensing the most important parts down into something that's easier to think about. In the future, though, would it be possible to hold on those diagrams a little longer? Or maybe just release them as a slideshow in the description. They were quite useful, but I ended up having to pause the video in order to get the most out of them.
God damn bro, some of the shit you said in first two minutes is poetry
"...it's harder to feed a man than it is to teach him to fish."
Is it?
just give him a burger.
I wish I knew you existed when I started playing last year. I would be so much better T.T
Fantastic video, neat and concise.
Idk why it's so hard to find you
Fantastic video, man.
Excellent video breaking neutral!!! Thank you!
wow what an excellent video, im impressed
Very eloquent. Thank you
Correct me if I’m wrong, but It’s like that trick people used to do in rock paper scissors. You or your opponent may say “Hey, I’m going to play rock” and then actually play scissors like a boss. Except there is infinitely more options.
The fighting game elders referred to these as 'conditioning' and 'baiting'.
I learned more in this video than I learn in school
Really really dig this kind of content, some borderline introspection of the human mind through the lense of smash kinda shit. Ez sub.
How have I never come across your videos before today? Ive watched about 10 and I got more out of any "professional" smash youtuber
8:09 That was a perfect example, you did uair + jab to bait, you read the jump and tried to use a tilt, but he didn't take it. Got scared and jumped off lol.
I was super surprised to hear baten kaitos music. That game is so unknown
Props for Baten Kaitos music ☺
This is a really amazing video, could you elaborate more on what you meant when you said:
"Everything we do influences our opponent and establishes some kind of expectation assuming they don't want to get hit."
Really good video 👍 thank you! I think my friends can find this useful too 👌
My brain actually kind of hurts but I get it
This is some Sun Zu, Art of War shit.
Great video, definitely showing this to some friends of mine
i tried liking this video 3 times over
Saddest crowd for a grand final