By Andrew Gigacz AUSTRALIA IN SYDNEY is an anagram of IN A RAINY DAY TUSSLE. PAKISTAN IN SYDNEY? is an anagram of YES! AND STAY IN PINK! DRAW IN SYDNEY is an anagram of DRY ENDS. I YAWN. A TIE IN SYDNEY is an anagram of I.E. DENY SANITY. Australia were [Read more]
Ridiculous things you really didn’t need to know about this Test match
January 3, 2010 by 26 Comments
First Test, Day 4: In search of the pivotal moment
December 30, 2009 by 12 Comments
By Andrew Gigacz Day four of the Boxing Day Test match. Potentially the best day. I’ve never really understood the whole Boxing Day thing. I mean I understand that it’s become a bit of a Melbourne sporting tradition. Huge crowd. Big expectations, no matter who the opposition. But in the context of a Test Match, [Read more]
Boxing Day: What does it mean to you?
December 26, 2009 by 11 Comments
by Andrew Gigacz The Boxing Day Test at the MCG is a tradition that seems to have been around forever. In truth, it’s a concept that only really took hold in the 80s. As late as the end of that very decade, the ACB (now Cricket Australia) were still tinkering with it. In 1988, the [Read more]
The Legend of Chicken Man
December 14, 2009 by 5 Comments
Not over the Hill – Issue 1 by Andrew Gigacz I’ve been known by many nicknames over the years. These days most people know me simply as “Gigs”. But at various points in my life, and for various reasons, I’ve also had the monikers Gene, Roy, Bop and, more recently in these tech-dominated times, Gigabyte [Read more]
Second Test, Day 5 Preview
December 8, 2009 by 16 Comments
by Andrew Gigacz On a ground that has produced its fair share of tight finishes, the Second Test is poised on a knife-edge. My rule of thumb is that a team batting second in a Test needs a lead of 100 in the first innings to break even. On that basis, the Windies are well [Read more]
Second Test, Day 2 – A change of fortune for West Indies and Clifton Hill
December 6, 2009 by 3 Comments
by Andrew Gigacz From the outside, the parallels between the current West Indies team and the Clifton Hill 5th XI may not appear obvious. Actually, even from the inside, they probably aren’t apparent to anyone but me. And in truth, they did not even manifest themselves in my mind until I woke up on Day [Read more]
Not Crio’s Question: What will the Dogs and Dees cop in next year’s fixture?
October 29, 2009 by 52 Comments
by Andrew Gigacz When the 2009 fixture was released on this day last year, I for one was not surprised to see the Western Bulldogs heading off for six interstate matches, NONE of which were to be covered on free-to-air TV. In fact it was actually an improvement on 2008, in which the Dogs were [Read more]
AFL Grand Final: Go St Killdog! Having two teams leaves me doubled up in pain
September 30, 2009 by 4 Comments
By Andrew Gigacz If there’s one piece of advice that’s been delivered ad nauseum to investors, it’s that they should diversify. Put all your eggs in a single basket, they say, and you’ll be regretting it when that basket falls under a steamroller. But put a little here and a little there and if one [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Rats, Cats, why did you have to spoil a good sequence?
September 28, 2009 by 5 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Grand Final Stat. Declaration CONGRATS TO THE CATS Well done to Geelong on winning the flag. Apart from transforming the house I was at from being one of the noisiest in Melbourne to one of deathly silence in a matter of minutes, here are some other statistical fur balls the Cats’ coughed up [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Cold reception suits Saints and Cats just fine
September 23, 2009 by 6 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Finals Week 3 Stat. Declaration SAINTS CAUSE FAINTS WHILE CATS PILE UP STATS Now that it’s all over bar the shouting, it remains only to be seen who’ll be shouting the bar – Saints supporters or Cats clappers. Let’s see what could be gleaned from the two games. LAKE, BLAKE AND DOGGY HEARTACHE [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Wins is a four-letter word
September 16, 2009 by 25 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Finals Week 2 Stat. Declaration I WAS JUST TESTING YOU OUT – NO, REALLY! No sooner than last week’s Stat Dec had hit the presses, the emails and phone calls started rolling in. The Almanac switchboard went into meltdown as people queued up to point out that the attendance figure from the St [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Saints primed to put their number in the frame
September 8, 2009 by 12 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Finals Week 1 Stat. Declaration IT’S PRIME TIME FOR THE SAINTS While none of this week’s final scores were prime numbers, if you add them all together you get 761, which IS a prime number and it seems to me the Saints are primed to take their first flag in 43 years. 43 [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Season’s highest score, flag omens and much, much more
September 1, 2009 by 6 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Round 22 Stat. Declaration A PLEASIN’ SEASON FOR MORE THAN ONE REASON Everyone knows who won and we know who’s playing who and where and when next week, so let’s get straight down to the stats that really don’t matter:
Gigs’ Stats: Make-up of the eight is not as clear-cut as you think
August 25, 2009 by 7 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Round 21 Stat. Declaration FINALS PERMUTATIONS ABOUND IN FINAL SENSATIONAL ROUND As the man who inspired Ben Cousin’s torso markings once said, “so it’s come to this”. The Pies will finish third, the Bulldogs will finish fourth and Essendon and Hawthorn will play off in a virtual elimination final.
Fifth Test, Day 1: Gasometers and elephants make for intriguing final Test
August 21, 2009 by 5 Comments
By Andrew Gigacz The Oval is a ground that always makes me think of the North Melbourne Footy Club. It was the scene of the so-called “Battle of Britain” in 1987 when Donald McDonald, Alistair Clarkson and their North mates “went the knuckle” in the post-season exhibition match against Carlton. Ian Aitken’s jaw is still [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: St Kilda loss marks four weeks in a row that games have been decided after siren
August 18, 2009 by 10 Comments
TEAMS KEEP TRYIN’ EVEN AFTER THE SIREN By now most footy fans area aware that St Kilda’s dream of a lossless season came crashing down on Sunday evening when Nick Riewoldt’s post-final-siren shot sailed wide. What many may NOT be aware of is the fact that Riewoldt’s last-ditch attempt was the fourth time in successive [Read more]
Gigs’ stats: Easton, Western and all points in between
August 10, 2009 by 4 Comments
MAKING UP THE NUMBERS Making up the numbers is something I’m often accused of doing but it’s looking increasingly likely that one of Port Adelaide, Sydney, Essendon or Hawthorn will be doing just that come the first week of September. And the battle to avoid the top eight is really hotting up between those four [Read more]
Fourth Test, Day 1: Australia dominates as Marto has eyes for only victory
August 8, 2009 by 12 Comments
By Andrew Gigacz With Australia 1-0 down, and two Tests to play, in preparation for Day 1 at Headingley I asked myself what are the important issues confronting us? I came up with four. Will it rain? Will Freddy Flintoff be fit enough to play? Will the Aussie selectors finally see the light and give [Read more]
Fourth Test: Australians dominate as ‘Marto’ has eyes only for victory
August 8, 2009 by Leave a Comment
By Andrew Gigacz With Australia one-nil down, and two Tests to play, in preparation for day one at Headingley I asked myself what are the important issues confronting us? I came up with four. Will it rain? Will Freddy Flintoff be fit enough to play? Will the Aussie selectors finally see the [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Tigers, you can still make the eight; Seven, you can jump in the lake
August 5, 2009 by 68 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Round 18 Stat. Declaration STATITORIAL – SEVEN PLUS TEN EQUALS A PRIME TIME NUMBER How do I hate thee, Channel Seven? Let me count the ways. Too many ways to count probably, but 10 seems like a good starting number. Presented with their second opportunity of the season to show a game live [Read more]
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