Almanac Boxing: School teacher to champion

The Battle of Brisbane was a real fight. Horn is world champion. Australian boxing has a new face.

Fabulous Phil Carman – an extract about punches

In this extract from Fabulous Phil, Matt Watson relates the reasons why Max Richardson ‘ … just turned around and biffed him.’

Fabulous Phil – gathering the story

Matt Watson’s book Fabulous Phil – The Phil Carman Story has just been released. Best for me to say, just read this terrific piece by Matt about Phil Carman and the process of writing the book.

Girl footy (part two): Girls against boys

Mike remembers a school competition of indoor soccer that led to an invaluable lesson of inclusivity in sport.

Historical similarities

If Hawthorn is looking for a way out of the 2017 season they might need to look back 30 years or so to Matt Watson’s Kangaroos

Girl footy – Don’t You Dare Laugh

The success of the weekend has Matt Watson reaching back to his primary school days and his involvement with girls’ footy.

Darryl Sutton – underrated poise and consistency

North Melbourne premiership player Darryl Sutton passed away last week. Matt Watson provides this touching tribute.

Journalists have the right to resist compulsion to intrude

Ironmike provides plenty of food for thought about the dilemma facing journalists when preparing an item for publication, particularly the ethical considerations and the implications that may result from that story.

North Melbourne v Carlton: Round 9 ancient history

Remembering Round 9 1978, Ironmike feels a sense of history repeating itself as the Kangas prepare for the Blues.

Ancient Caribbean Memories

Matt Watson is not happy. He wants the old Windies back.

The Snake at full-forward

As a six year old, whenever Matt Watson played ‘sock footy’ in his bedroom, he was Snake Baker. Here’s Matt’s story of his old hero, a player who, on his day (often in finals), showed how much talent he had.

2015 AFL Grand Final – No ticket, no worries – part two

In the second part of his Grand Final ticket odyssey, Matt Watson heads from Brisbane to Melbourne for work, but without a ticket to the game. When all seems lost, however, Matt becomes involved in a ‘Raiders of the Lost Ark’ style race to Melbourne’s outer west in search of the gold. [SPOILER ALERT: Matt’s available to help with your Lotto and Quaddie numbers for Caulfield this weekend. – Ed]

No ticket no worries

After a slow start, Matt Watson has now attended many Grand Finals in many and varied guises. Bt this year he will be watching from a pub somewhere in Melbourne.

Preliminary Finals – West Coast v North Melbourne: Eagles Do Eat Roo Meat

Matt Watson had to lie about the eating habits of Eagles, when assessing the chances of his Roos. Will he get a ticket for this weekend?

Preliminary Final – West Coast v North Melbourne Preview: Difficult, not impossible

We defy you not hear the theme music from “The Godfather” playing in your mind, as you read Matt Watson’s thoughts on North Melbourne’s “impossible” task in Perth. Can they get out alive?

Finals Week 2 – Sydney v North Melboourne: An empty forward line, space in cupboards

Matt Watson had played the Semi-Final over dozens of times before the match. It unfolds here.

Crazy fantasies about victory

There are many different ways in which North Melbourne could win on Saturday night. Matt Watson has fantasised about them all.

Finals Week 1 – Richmond v North Melbourne: The Tigers of old – for the vanquished

Matt Watson enjoyed North’s win over the Tigers, but with close family ties to Richmond, he was more than able to empathise with the LSPRF (The Long Suffering Punt Rd Faithful – to borrow from The Wrap).

Finals Week 1 – Richmond v North Melbourne preview: Do Tigers eat kangaroo?

Matt Watson uses a past experience and knowledge about Tigers and Kangaroos (the animals) to explain what may happen between the two clubs with said animals as mascots.

Round 23 – Richmond v North Melbourne: Desperation without demand for victory

Matt Watson had a fundamental disagreement with the strategy employed by North Melbourne at selection last week, so he too had a less than full-strength commitment to supporting North against Richmond. Friday night’s result was hardly a surprise, but the self-imposed additional pressure it now places on the club heading into an Elimination final showdown with the same opponent nine days later is unwelcome and distracting, argues Matt.