It would be a disservice to simply call those who follow Collingwood and St Kilda fans - they are zealots, fanatic members of a religious cult.

They came in their tens of thousands to cheer their heroes in the time-honoured AFL grand final parade in central Melbourne on Friday.

An observer got the impression some of them would lay down their lives to get their team over the line in Saturday's decider.

The Collingwood army's passion was exposed at the end of the parade when St Kilda captain Nick Riewoldt was called to the microphone on the steps of the Old Treasury building to say a few words.

After starting by saying it a great day a chant of "Collingwood" grew louder, and louder, drowning out anything else he may have wanted to say.

"Nice sign of respect there," Riewoldt could be heard saying under the din.

A bespectacled woman in the large crowd, by all appearances a respectable mother with her 10-year-old son, at that point turned around to the Pies supporters and shouted: "Shut up you p*****, you're all scum".

The turnout estimated at 100,000 Aussie Rules souls, 20 to 30 deep in places along the CBD route, painted the energising scene with club colours of black and white or black, white and red.

Some clambered up trees and flagpoles to get a look while others sipped champagne on verandahs of Victorian-age buildings to watch the great parade pass below them.

Pipe bands, brass bands, drum bands, a team of draught horses, mounted police all contributed to a showpiece unique to Melbourne, which loves a parade, especially this one.

Darren Harris, of South Morang, got his timing perfect for a man who works on the oil rigs off Broome on a roster of five-weeks-on and five-weeks-off.

He arrived early to stake a place with his three young children, Paris, eight, Page, four, and two year-old Parker, all decked out in their favourite Collingwood player's jumpers.

Mr Harris has a ticket for Saturday's grand final and said his trip into town on Friday was mainly for his kids, so they could always remember the occasion.

St Kilda fan Matt McLean, from Kilsyth, brought his five-year-old son Caleb for the same reason, to give him a lasting memory of the parade.

Caleb was at the parade last year for the Saints, who lost to Geelong. He's tipping his team to win by 17 points this year.

Two young women in Collins Street who had no idea what was going on were Japanese tourists who were aiming their cameras toward church spires.

They wanted to know about the fuss and when it was explained, asked if the teams were famous in Australia.

They couldn't hang around to see the players though. They had to catch the tour bus to Phillip Island to see another black and white parade - the penguin parade.

An excited Melbourne Lord Mayor Robert Doyle said the teams are not only famous in Australia but famous throughout the world.

He told the masses that the eyes of the world would be focussed on the MCG on Saturday.

Adam Newgreen, 36, made the pilgrimage to Melbourne on Friday from Hong Kong where he works in corporate real estate.

The expatriate did the same thing in 2002 and 2003 when the Magpies reached the grand final only to lose. He's hoping it's third time lucky for him and his team.

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