Merv Collins has a life-long love of quality sports writing. He lists his favourites. (You are all welcome to offer your own suggestions – Ed).
Almanac Rugby League – Looking for an anniversary to mark in 2020?
May 12, 2020 by 4 Comments
Almanac debutant Tim Burke takes us back to the 1970 British rugby league Lions Tour of Australia and New Zealand to commemorate a special 50th anniversary. (Welcome aboard, Tim!)
Almanac Rugby League: Excerpts from a rugby league lover’s diary – The Early Years
May 7, 2020 by 4 Comments
Imagine an Adrian Mole-type character thinking back over the childhood competitiveness of two brothers supporting rival teams. Actually, Paul Connolly has already done it for you!
Almanac Basketball: Community `Ball – A Way of Life and Opportunity of a Life-time
May 6, 2020 by 2 Comments
The Last Dance has captured the world’s attention. But there are local equivalents. Steve Earl presents a terrific short film ‘This is Yarra’ about the Yarra Wild Beasts, a community basketball team with quite a story.
Almanac Rugby League – The 1965 Grand Final: St George Dragons v South Sydney Rabbitohs
May 5, 2020 by 6 Comments
John Campbell remembers the day his Dad took him and his little brother Lonno to the 1965 Sydney rugby league Grand Final. Caught up in the massive crowd, John and Lonno didn’t see much that day but their experiences, real and imagined, left a huge impression.
Almanac Rugby League – ‘Brookie’ and the 70s
April 30, 2020 by 7 Comments
Adam Muyt is catholic in his footy code tastes but Brookvale Oval on Sydney’s northern beaches really tugs at his heart strings. He takes us back over the years to explain why.
Almanac Rugby League – Another perspective of Channel 9’s ‘The Greatest…’ series
April 30, 2020 by 4 Comments
Rugby League author Liam Hauser takes issue with the Channel 9 panel as he responds to their recent series of programmes on the greatest rugby league Grand Finals and the greatest players from State of Origin.
Story of a grass-roots basketball club wins Basketball Victoria media award
April 27, 2020 by Leave a Comment
A book has won Basketball Victoria’s media award for the first time; “Not Bad Thanks,” by Graeme Willingham. It is a story of an 80-seasons-old basketball club, covering everything from premiership quests and disappointments to births, deaths and links with the likes of Magic Johnson and The Harlem Globe Trotters.
Almanac Rugby Union: Rugby Disunion – Worrying Trends
April 27, 2020 by 8 Comments
Anne Cahill Lambert has concerns about the position of women in sport. In particular, the scenario surrounding the resignation of Raelene Castle as CEO of Rugby Australia highlights this difficulty she comments.
Almanac Rugby League – NRL 2010: The Saints come marching in (at last!)
April 24, 2020 by 3 Comments
In the absence of real footy, we all need something to celebrate. Newcomer Jason Buffier recalls the 2010 NRL premiership win by the St George Illawarra Dragons. Fans of all codes will relate to this. [Welcome aboard, JNB!]
Almanac Rugby League: The Manly Way
April 23, 2020 by 5 Comments
Why do we choose to follow a particular footy club? What is it that makes us stick with them through thick and thin? In our ongoing Thursday series of rugby league reflections, Lindsey Cuthbertson explains why it’s ‘The Manly Way’ for him.
Almanac Obituaries: A toast to Pubby Dave
April 22, 2020 by 8 Comments
Pubby Dave has played his last game of cricket for the Clifton Hill Cricket Club. Gigs pays tribute to a fine innings played.
The 2020 Sir Stirling Moss Cup – Round 5
April 22, 2020 by 4 Comments
Earl O’Neill surveys the weekend games from AFL Round 5 and mourns the loss of another sporting great. [Ed: Thanks for imagining what the season could have been like Earl!]
Trivia question – who finished runners up more times than Collingwood between 1958 and 1990?
Almanac Surfing: Surfing and the middle-aged accountant
April 20, 2020 by 6 Comments
Following Dips O’Donnell’s excellent Queen’s Birthday weekend surfing piece, we thought we’d let you know where it all started. Here’s Dips’ first crack at the caper, a piece which was published in Long Bombs to Snake I.
Almanac Rugby League – Some push pianos, others play them
April 16, 2020 by 6 Comments
In our continuing series of rugby league stories, Steve and Col Wilson tinkle the ivories to explain why ‘some players push pianos while others play them’. They argue that it’s one aspect of the game that has never changed.
Almanac Rugby League – Convent Kids in Clydesdale Country (Part 2)
April 9, 2020 by 1 Comment
Damian Roache concludes his tale of his childhood days playing in the Toowoomba-based junior rugby league Catholic Convent Competition.
Almanac Rugby League – Convent Kids in Clydesdale country (Part 1)
April 8, 2020 by 6 Comments
In our continuing series on rugby league stories, Damian Roache sets the background to his childhood days playing in the Convent Schools competition in Toowoomba. His story concludes tomorrow.
Should parents get their children into swimming lessons from a young age?
April 6, 2020 by 1 Comment
An in-depth look at the merits of teaching swimming at an early age for survival reasons from Shannon Cole.
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