Almanac Memoir: Denouement, September 2010

John Harms remembers September, 2010. Especially the night of the Preliminary Final between Geelong and Collingwood, the night his father died. [First published in The Footy Almanac 2010]

Grand Final day 2010: London

What happens when you have to watch the Grand Final from half a world away? Grown men in sheep costumes, apparently. Brenton Shaughnessy braved the 3am start, the Fosters cans and the expat Collingwood fans to experience a beloved ritual from foreign turf.

Pies, Joffa and Barry Manilow on Grand Final day in Vegas

How Nick saved me from Mandy In many years to come football fans around the globe will remember exactly where they were when the siren brought down the curtain on the 2010 drawn AFL Grand Final. That’s the way it is with drawn grand finals. I recall officiating over Bay 13 in a green coat [Read more]

Grand Final wash-up: is that all there is?

When asked by a reporter why he had decided to visit Canada, the Irish playwright, Brendan Behan, is said to have replied “I saw a picture at the Airport saying “Drink Canada Dry” so I thought I’d come here and try”. My more modest intention, following a Collingwood Grand Final win, was to line the [Read more]

Grand Final Replay: Nothing to Worry About

THERE IS NO WAY TO DESCRIBE THIS. My cousin Steve and I are consoling a guy who has slumped in his seat. His shoulders are down; he is weeping openly. A Saints cap sits on his head; a red, white and black scalf is draped around his sagging shoulders. Eventually Steve and I grab one [Read more]

Exotic Fauna II

Time to call Neighbourhood Watch? Or just a reminder that beauty is in the eye of the beholder? It seems “keeping a lid on it” hasn’t really taken root down in Tassy. Picture courtesy of Bill Walker.

Haiku Bob- Premiership Edition: earth and the times

last Saturday in September the sun beaten to a pulp grand final replay – the washing still hanging over my thoughts the chorus of magpies warm spring sun the Colliwobbles fade the earth and the times turned by his feet – Heater’s smother October sun Ball soaks up some heat between goals the coach wears [Read more]

Enough to try a Saint

Brian Matthews didn’t get the fairytale ending, but this Eureka Street article still makes for a fine tale of football dependence syndrome. http://www.eurekastreet.com.au/article.aspx?aeid=23516

Gunbower Races 2010

Standing  in  the  main  street  of  Echuca  on  the  first  Friday  in  October,  I  ponder  which  upcoming    event  is  generating  the  most  excitement.  Whilst  there  are  several  shops  displaying  St. Kilda  and  Collingwood    colours  and  footy  gear,    one  shop  window  has  a  desperate  plea  painted  on  it-  “Tickets  wanted  for  Deni  Ute  Muster”.  As  utes  [Read more]

Floreat Pica Report- Premiership Edition

PART ONE – Game 1: “Weird” is definitely the word from last week – thanks Steve, perfectly worded yet again.  For me it was doubly so – as I’ll explain! For any of you who subscribed to the Hot Pies Fanzine from 1999 – 2004, you may recall a “page filler” on page 26 of [Read more]

My Grand Finals

They are My Kids and I Love Them I was born in 1970, the year Collingwood finished on top of the ladder and should have won the flag. I began following Collingwood in 1977, the year Collingwood finished on top of the ladder and should have won the flag (after an agonisingly close draw). Although [Read more]

Magpies in Spring

Tribute or St Kilda masochism? Yvette Wroby ‘s final comment on the Grand Final.

Thumbs down to Grand Final telecast

As a recent inductee into the Floreat Pica Society, I am thoroughly enjoying the writing of the various members and sharing the joy of the occasion. I am celebrating the win in a very understated way, and very much looking forward to the dinner this Saturday night. I feel privileged. However, those of my family [Read more]

The View From Shepparton- Final Grand Final Edition

For Sale. One redundant St Kilda Football Club flag, brought in the heat of the moment 10 days ago to counter balance a neighbour who had for some reason or other purchased the Collingwood Football flag. And there it had been, protruding out of his mailbox, in all of its ghastly glory. I spent $20 [Read more]

THE FINAL WRAP FOR SEASON 2010

FOR THE PHILOSOPHICAL MARNGROOK FAN   What a Season it’s been in Footy Eddie.  The Mighty Magpies took The Flag and left TLSJOF staring through their Jelden Window, wondering when Opportunity would next come knocking on their Jelden Door. The drawn Grand Final replay once more proved to be an unequal contest.  This time it [Read more]

Eid rides roller coaster- manages not to fall off.

Thursday- 30th September 12:35am I’m at that point where my brain is going to either melt or explode. As Damo Watson pointed out to me the other day- at the start of the season I had said that I didn’t want Collingwood to win the flag during my year 12 VCE year. The reason for [Read more]

The Healing Power of Song and Love

My final words for 2010.  My love Zamir and I went to Moorabbin this morning with a few thousand others.  The sun was out, the world goes on, there was a good band playing good music.  There were many families, young and old, all happy to be in the new day and encourage our boys [Read more]

Prayers Not Answered for Saints.

It’s a good thing tomorrow is my birthday and that I know we’re doing something nice to celebrate. I can hardly bear to look back and try and understand yesterday at the G.  Collingwood were magnificent, clinical, confident, fast and deserved premiers.  I SMS’d and congratulated my walking friend Kate and my cousins on their [Read more]

That was just a tragedy

“That was just a tragedy”. Last year at this time I wrote about my then 6 year old son and his apparent adoption of St Kilda.  Having watched Nick Riewoldt dominate the season, in the Grand Final, and for the first time in his young footy supporter’s life, he managed to sustain his support for [Read more]

Resounding end to an eerie week

Collingwood v St Kilda Grand Final Replay It’s been an eerie week. Ever since that final siren sounded last Saturday, plans were thrown in the air, weddings were postponed, holidays were cancelled, and more money was spent on a Grand Final ticket. It was the first Grand Final draw I’ve experienced in my lifetime, and [Read more]