Michael Sexton recounts the brief but highly successful VFL career of Bill Bennett. But the raw statistics hide a great story of overcoming adversity to earn the spoils of victory.
Almanac Footy History: Alf Hedge – The Bloods’ braveheart (Part 1)
April 22, 2025 by 1 Comment
Roger Spaull is one of the Almanac’s much-loved writers. He brings to life great characters, usually sporting characters, of days gone by. His ANZAC Day story this year is of South Melbourne’s Alf Hedge. Such is the breadth and depth of Roger’s research and writing, we are publishing his story in three parts, starting today (Tuesday, April 22). The next two parts will be published on Wednesday and Thursday. We are grateful to Roger for these wonderful contributions, which always generate a lot of interest.
Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2025: Round 6 Review / Round 7 Preview
April 20, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2025 presents the match review for Round 6 and also previews the upcoming Round 7 match on ANZAC Day against Essendon.
Round 6 – West Coast v Essendon: Eagles swoop but Bombers prevail
April 19, 2025 by Leave a Comment
It was a hard slog for the Bombers against a spirited West Coast Eagle as Peter Wright with 6 goals proving to the winning difference between the two teams.
Round 6 – Sal’s Preview: Here is to the gathering.
April 17, 2025 by 1 Comment
Sal Ciardulli presents his Round 6 preview and selections, and also his racing tips for this weekend.
Almanac Footy History: Black and white evidence for footy’s forgotten years
April 16, 2025 by 4 Comments
In researching the life of Karl Schneider, MIchael Lefebvre has found a document which is in itself interesting and helpful, but also offers insight on another topic. The letterhead on the Collingwood FC correspondence says something about the sensibility of the time and the place of pre-VFL premierships in the history of the game in 1928. [Great find – Ed]
Where have all the gun Western Australian midfielders gone?
April 16, 2025 by 1 Comment
Mark Simms ponders the current dearth of quality West Australian midfielders in the AFL
Round 6 – AFL Footy Fixture Season 2025: Who, where, and when?
April 15, 2025 by Leave a Comment
Check out who, where, and when your team is playing in Round 6 of AFL Season 2025.
Round 5 Gather Round – Collingwood v Sydney: Floreat Pica Society Report
April 15, 2025 by 1 Comment
Michael Waters presents his first report for the year on behalf of the Floreat Pica Society featuring Collingwood’s win over Sydney during Gather Round.
Almanac Footy: Team of Caretaker Coaches who never got a full time job
April 15, 2025 by 4 Comments
Rodney Boyd creates a team made up of caretaker coaches who did not become the full-time coach of that club.
Almanac Footy – Western Victoria Football Wrap: Round 2 and Round 1
April 15, 2025 by 4 Comments
Dandy Andy looks at the weekend round of matches in his Western Victoria Football wrap.
Almanac Book Review – Helen Garner: The Season
April 14, 2025 by 3 Comments
A brief review of the recently released ‘The Season’ by Helen Garner from Callum Quirk.
Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2025: Side by Side – Gather Round Review / Round 6 Preview
April 13, 2025 by 1 Comment
Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2025 reviews the Pies Gather Round win over the Swans, and previews their Round 6 match against Brisbane,
Round 5 Gather Round – Adelaide v Geelong: An open letter to Adelaide.
April 13, 2025 by 11 Comments
Dips has some advice for Adelaide supporters after Geelong’s win from behind stunned the parochial crowd.
Round 5 Gather Round – Melbourne v Essendon: Dees Bomb!
April 13, 2025 by Leave a Comment
With small forward Jye Menzies leading the way with four goals, it was an inspiring Essendon win over a lacklustre Melbourne during Gather Round.
Almanac Footy: Gather Round – why stop here?!
April 12, 2025 by 5 Comments
As the Gather Round of footy has been such a success, Gigs presents some thoughts for further development of the concept.
Almanac Footy: Fifty years ago, ‘Far, Far Away’
April 11, 2025 by 17 Comments
Andrew ‘Gigs’ Gigacz was on top of the world on this day 50 years ago as he headed to the Western Oval with Slade’s ‘Far, Far Away’. He’s learnt an important life lesson from that day.
[On the 50th anniversary of this tragic accident we reprise Gigs’ account of the event from a few years ago – ED]
Almanac Sports History – When three codes crossed borders: Ironies of footballs’ first Internationals
April 10, 2025 by 1 Comment
As the Aussie Rules footy world’s attention is drawn to the AFL’s 2025 Gather Round in Adelaide, the once mighty clash between Victoria and South Australia is being replayed on minor ovals between the men’s and women’s teams of the now second-level Victorian Football League and South Australian National Football League. Geoffrey Gold recalls when the inaugural representative match between two rival Australian colonies completed the trifecta of first internationals of major codes, Rugby Union in 1871, Association Football (soccer) in 1872 and Australian Rules in 1879.
Almanac Rugby League: There’s always next year
April 10, 2025 by 7 Comments
They say ‘there’s always next year’, but sometimes there simply isn’t. Mark Courtney’s poignant story recalls his decades-long friendship with his best mate, Greg, and their total commitment to the South Sydney Rabbitohs. (We reprise this wonderfully offering after Mark alluded to it at the recent Almanac rugby league lunch in Sydney – Ed.)
Almanac Rugby League: The Magnificent Murri Nine
April 10, 2025 by 2 Comments
The final scoreline doesn’t always tell the full story. Patrick Skene explains a game where what seemed like a scoreboard thrashing was, in fact, a noble loss full of character. (We’re reprising this article from Patrick Skene as a follow-up to his presentation at the recent Almanac rugby league lunch in Sydney – Ed.)
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