WACA thoughts (it’s the economy, stupid: crowds, stadiums and why cricket must play (foot)ball)

Shannon Gill looks towards the imminent loss of the WACA, seeing it as further evidence of the AFL propping up cricket grounds in Australia.

Retirement of Mitchell Johnson

Share your thoughts and impressions of Mitchell Johnson, who has announced his retirement from all forms of international cricket.

Almanac Cricket: Views from outside the clique welcome

Shannon Gill is impressed with the new direction taken by ABC radio this summer. The game has been crying out for fresh voices, prepared to speak up.

Martin Flanagan in conversation with Bob Murphy at the Wheeler Centre

Martin Flanagan in conversation with Bob Murphy at the Wheeler Centre. [This film runs for an hour and is well worth seeing – Ed]

Almanac softball: Ping it; fling it.

Peter Argent took some snaps of a Div 1 SA softball game.

The Beauty in Cricket

Peter Argent reflects on the game of cricket.

VFL/AFL all time highest aggregates

Tony Corke provides us with a list of the highest-aggregate scores in VFL/AFL history. It includes the incredible 1972 VFL Grand Final. [Does this list trigger any memories? Were you there?]

Long Bombs to Snake: Player Profile – Mathilde de Hauteclocque

Long Bombs to Snake is our new sports writing magazine. One of the regular columns is a player profile, where one of our writers responds to a series of prompts a la The Footy Record. In this edition it is much-loved and admired Almanacker Mathilde de Hauteclocque. Here is a taste.

On The Outer – The Metro Farm Footy Club is being revived

Shane McGrath is an artist with a profound interest in lost vernacular cultures. He is reviving the Metro Farm Herefords football team that played out of the middle of Melbourne’s sewerage farm from the early to mid 1900s over the next two weekends. Here’s how you can be part of it.

Almanac music: uni life with Woodrow Wilson and Warren Zevon

Anthony W Collins (also known as Mulcaster here at The Almanac) makes his Stereo Stories debut with a tale of uni life, US-Central Amercia politics circa 1914, and the great Warren Zevon.

Horses for Courses: Your Form Guide to the Asian Century

Tim Harcourt can bring any topics together dexterously. Here it’s the Melbourne Cup and the Asian region. A bit of horse-racing, a bit of business, a bit of trade. [But who wins the race, Tom? – JTH]

Almanac Golf: Monumental match decides the Metropolitan Golf Club’s C-Grade championship.

The C Grade championship of Metropolitan Golf Club was decided last Sunday. It was a classic between 91 year old professor of history Weston Bate and ex-Richmond fast bowler Andrew Burridge, as Bruce Baskett (former editor of The Herald) writes.

Forget the Formal SACA Function, come to a Marquee Lunch

There’s only one place to be for Lunch on Day 1 of the Adelaide Test, that’s with The Blacks and Damien Fleming at beautiful Uni Oval. More details here. Hurry, selling fast.

Long Bombs To Snake (extract): Surfing and the middle-aged CPA

This is an extract from Dips O’Donnell’s ‘Surfing and the middle-aged CPA’ which is one of a dozen features in Long Bombs to Snake. Get a taste, order your copy and tell the world.

2016 – The Almanac’s Best Teams

With the 2015 season already fading from memory (who won again?), the Almanackery’s greatest footy brains have come up with their best lineups for 2016. The full list is here.

Book, magazine and other partnerships available

With the 2015 Footy Almanac book in the final throes of editing and layout, a reminder to all of partnership opportunities for 2016 and beyond.

Danger Geelong

Lee Carney takes the microscope to Geelong’s recent trades and sees high risk where many others haven’t. [Thought-provoking analysis – Ed]

Sports Writers’ Festival in Melbourne, Nov 21

The inaugural Sports Writers Festival is on in Melbourne on November 21. Francis Leach tells us what it is all about. [Should be very informative and entertaining – JTH]

Quintessential country football photos

Photographer Peter Argent has captured some classic country footy moments here. [Which is your pick for quintessential country footy photo? – Ed]

Long Bombs to Snake: Lindy Burns’ Monday segment on ABC Radio

JTH, Dips O’Donnell and Mathilde de Hauteclocque were Monday night guests of Lindy Burns on 774 ABC Melbourne. Check out their conversation; which covered Long Bombs to Snake, Footy Almanac and writing generally.