'I went to a sports dating event and it taught me a harsh lesson about my dating profile.'

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When's the last time you deleted Hinge, only to re-download it a week later?

Playing the dating app game feels like gambling, but a lot of the time, your "most compatible" matches make you want to throw your phone in the ocean.

But I just tried a new form of dating that actually didn't make me want to scream into the abyss.

Match day mingles are popping up all over Australia, so when Mamamia co-hosted the Sydney Swans Match Day Mingle last week, I decided to give it a go in the name of very serious work research (and, okay, a few drinks.)

Watch: Dating Advice: Am I in a toxic situation? Post continues below. 

It was an event where we encouraged people who were single (and people who wanted to wingman/wingwoman their single friends) to come along for some food and to watch the game — all with the opportunity to meet some new people.

The event kicked off with a pre-game mingle, and the atmosphere was buzzing. We were greeted by a super-friendly crew handing out Swans scarves, wristbands (red for single, white for taken), and drink tickets. Nerves were beginning to take over, so I grabbed a free cocktail and cradled it like an emotional support water bottle.

The setup had bars on either side, a DJ spinning tunes, a 360-degree camera with all your costume necessities, and enough dumplings and nibbles (catered by Merivale) to fuel a small army.

Colgate Optic White decorated the room with balloons, a giant toothbrush to take pics with and an Optic White station (a clear reminder of what's important when dating — fresh breath and teeth, people!)

Despite being a dating event everyone paid for, it was easy to forget because the footy was the perfect conversation starter or distraction between chats.

Once the game started, we took our seats, but the real magic was in the constant movement. Every time we got up for a drink or a snack, we ended up sitting with different people. It was a perfect way to keep the conversations flowing and meet a wide range of people — in pairs, big groups, and even a few brave souls who came solo.

As someone who's still pretty new to Sydney, I quickly realised that even if I didn't find a date, I was definitely leaving with a bunch of potential friends. Everyone was there for a good time, and the energy was high. 

The speed date.

At halftime, we all headed back into the box for some speed dating. It was a chaotic and hilarious scene. People started making up their own questions, which was a great way to get to know someone without following along with everyone else. Before we knew it, everyone was split into pairs or small groups, heading back out to their seats.

I made friends with a new group, and we ended up all hitting the town after — and a couple of sparks started flying post-match. 

I ended up hitting it off with one of the guys, and we made plans for a "tequila trail" date for the following week. Our conversation flowed so easily, and it was clear that meeting in person was way more fun than just swiping on an app.

Image: Supplied

The following Tuesday our first date post-match meet up was going great.

We had made it to our third bar, talking about music, when he handed me his phone to show me his Spotify. That's when I saw it — the glowing white Hinge badge.

"Can I see your profile?" I asked, my curiosity piqued. He agreed, but only if he could see mine. We silently scrolled through each other's profiles, and then it happened…

" Have we...?"

"I think we have."

I snatched my phone back, scrolled down my list of Hinge purgatory, and there he was. Isaac was sitting in my forbidden 'hidden' folder due to a lack of activity. We had matched only two months before. I looked at our conversation and cringed. My responses were blunt, boring, and I hadn't asked him a single question back. I had left him on read.

That moment was a huge reality check. This "IRL dating task" held up a mirror to my dating habits and showed me exactly where I was going wrong.

I realised that the best version of myself is the one who's there in person, with a drink in my hand and never short of a funny (or silly) story to tell — not the one halfheartedly swiping on an app.

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So, if you're tired of the app game, give an in-person event a shot.

I highly recommend the match day mingles as they take the seriousness out of it all.

You might just meet your next date — or at least a bunch of cool friends — and have the time of your life doing it. 

Feature Image: Supplied