AFL Round 8 – Collingwood v Geelong: Alter ego

No stereotypes in this match report from Collingwood tragic James Gilchrist. No love for the umpires either.

Throwing Rocks at Cats

I would like to call this speech “Throwing Rocks at Cats.” During the first launch of Tortured Tales I launched a few rocks at Carlton angry bitter hate filled missiles. It felt pretty good – but my therapist has since reminded me that this represents a kind of thinking called “negative regression” which is stopping [Read more]

James Gilchrist book launch

If you weren’t lucky enough to be at the launch of Almanacker James Gilchrist’s book, Tortured Tales of a Collingwood Tragic, you can catch James’ launch speech at the link below. Then do yourself a favour and buy the book. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QF68JeP8trw

Book Launch: Tortured Tales

The better angels of St. Pat’s Ballarat

“Ultimately it is this innocent charm that provides the lingering impression of John James, a boy who delighted in the stolen moments of jam toast with mates in the stoker room and a man, standing on his own staring in wonder at the corridors of his old school, smiling blissfully to himself.”[i] At 1pm on [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]

Collingwood 2010 – “Moving Forward”

At the start of season 2010 I was a little concerned about the Pies. Not about the playing stocks which seemed promising but the departure by some club officials, president, captain and ex-players from the well-worn and time-tested football clichés that we have all come to depend upon. The life blood of any football club [Read more]

The ’76 Peter Moore

by James Gilchrist This is an extract taken from the unpublished manuscript “Tragic – The Diary of a Magpie Fan” it won second prize in the Sminkworks Short Story Competition in 2007. Some of the pitfalls I faced growing up included being short, freckle faced and red haired, having to wear light blue cotton skivvies [Read more]

The Kids are Alright

The St. Pat’s First XVIII entered  season 2010 with twelve of the previous year’s  Shield  Final team including sublime marking talents Nick O’Brien, Hayden Walters, Jake Dunne and Matt Twiggy James. Coach Howard Clark had added to this mix, an effective and mobile ruckman with the ability to push forward in Tom McDonald and the [Read more]

Brunswick Revisited – A Day with North Old Boys

At the place where Sydney Rd meets Albion Street rise two distinct buildings, the Edinburgh Castle and Don Bosco Boys’ Hostel. Passing these landmarks I recall flickering images of youth. Twenty years ago I boarded at Don Bosco with many other students and apprentices new to the city. A few of these made their way [Read more]

Footy: My season exploring a wonderful tradition

By James Gilchrist At the start of Wednesday Warriors, the book I wrote about the footy tradition at St Patrick’s, Ballarat, Matt “Twiggy” James, stands suspended on top of a ten metre pole, contemplating the “Leap of Faith”, part of a team building exercise with the St Pat’s First XVIII in the chill winter months [Read more]