Micky McTigger continues his evaluation of 2026 club lists as he casts an eye over Collingwood.
Almanac Footy: Fitzroy Football Club’s 15 biggest season goal scorers in the modern era
December 31, 2025 by 7 Comments
In another superbly researched look back at the mighty Roys, Phil Mendes presents the 15 biggest goal-scorers of Fitzroy’s modern era (1970-1996).
‘G, what happened Melbourne?
December 29, 2025 by 4 Comments
Times change and with it experiences – from Test cricket, to the footy and public transport, shunt gives his thoughts on recent times in Melbourne
Almanac Footy: Adelaide 2026 Season Preview
December 24, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Mickey McTigger begins his pre-season evaluation of each club’s player list for the 2026 AFL season. Today he starts with the Adelaide Crows.
Almanac Footy: Ovals Old Dog played (and trained) at that no longer exist
December 23, 2025 by 7 Comments
The Old Dog takes a nostalgic trip recalling many of the footy grounds he played on during his 43 year footy career, unfortunately some of the grounds no longer exist but the memories remain.
Almanac Footy: Zoch’s AFLW Dream Team: 2017-2025
December 13, 2025 by 2 Comments
In December 2021, Lindsay Zoch selected and posted what he called his AFLW “dream team” – a team he regarded as the best possible team from the first five seasons of the competition. When Season 10 concluded a couple of weeks ago, it seemed like a good idea to repeat the exercise, but this time with no set criteria. Here’s the result.
Almanac Footy: The Dashing Demon From South Bendigo
December 13, 2025 by 2 Comments
Ian McLean of the Melbourne FC was a champion wingman, courageous, a quick and reflexive player, and with his fluent ball handling skills, became a multiple premiership player for the club during the 1950s. Roger Spaull presents a wonderful account of the life and times of the footy career of Ian McLean.
Almanac Book Reviews: Kelvin Templeton on Carolyn Spooner’s ‘Frog Cakes at Half Forward’
December 10, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Kelvin Templeton is taken by the originality of Carolyn Spooner’s ‘Frog Cakes at Half Forward’ and concludes that it’s a book ‘every lover of Australian Football should have on their bookshelf.’ Nice review.
Frog Cakes At Half Forward at ASSH
December 8, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Carolyn Spooner spoke about ‘Frog Cakes At Half Forward’ at the recent ASSH meeting.
Almanac Books: ‘Champions of Carlton’ – Miles Wilks
December 2, 2025 by 10 Comments
Blues fans, here’s the book you’ve all been waiting for, ‘Champions of Carlton’ – it’s a cracker!
Almanac Literary: ‘Frog Cakes at Half Forward’ is now published and available
December 1, 2025 by 3 Comments
Carolyn Spooner started writing quirky and creative footy articles for the Almanac site about a decade ago. She has now put them together in an anthology, ‘Frog Cakes at Half Forward’, which is out now. Have a look. [Congrats Carolyn – JTH]
Almanac Footy: Peter Malinauskas on why you should play for The Blacks
November 29, 2025 by 1 Comment
This is a classic. When the premier of your state narrates a short Uni Blacks FC promotional video, why wouldn’t you play for them!
Almanac Footy: AFLW – Carlton’s season
November 28, 2025 by 2 Comments
Peter Fuller presents his thoughts on the Carlton AFLW team’s fortunes during the home and away season just completed, and the upcoming Grand Final between Brisbane and North Melbourne.
Almanac Literary: Neil Cordy chats to Kelvin Templeton about the experiences which influenced his novel ‘Collision’
November 19, 2025 by 2 Comments
Football, at senior level everywhere, was a violent game. Neil Cordy takes us back to those days of the 1970s and talks with Kelvin Templeton about the experiences on which key elements of his novel ‘Collision’ are based.
Almanac Books: Books in my life – A reluctance to read
November 14, 2025 by 14 Comments
Barry Nicholls was invited to speak to The Friends of the State Library of South Australia to talk about influential books in his life. Here is the speech he gave on Tuesday November 4 at the Hetzel Lecture Theatre.
Almanac Footy Comment: Gather Round is the solution
November 14, 2025 by 2 Comments
Miles Wilks thinks that the recently announced Wildcard Round is an answer to the wrong question. By drawing on overseas examples, he offers an alternative framework which may well provide the answer to what he believes to be the right question.
Almanac Literary: An extract from Kelvin Templeton’s ‘Collision’
November 12, 2025 by Leave a Comment
In this extract from Kelvin Templeton’s debut novel ‘Collision’- the Prologue and the first two chapters – we are introduced to a gifted and determined young footballer, Joshua Shamrock, whose talent and interest in the game (and its complexities) make him the hope of the Footscray side in 1975. We also meet Faye. But what of the flashback to 1957?
Almanac Local Footy: The Kat Trick
November 12, 2025 by 2 Comments
It was a thrilling day of grand final football in the North Pilbara Football League. John Gordon recounts what was an historic day for the Karratha Kats
Almanac Footy: The Death of the Ruckman
Old Dog has had enough. He’s watched as the AFL administration have killed off the ruckman – and he’s furious. [It’s a s fired up as we’ve ever seen Old Dog – Eds]