Earlier this year, my 11 year old daughter, Anna wrote an article for the Footy Almanac. It was all about footy tradition. Tradition is a key word in our house. Much to my wife Jenni’s chagrin, I spend just as much of my time looking back as I do looking forward. She is a very [Read more]
The Brownlow Medal: Brownlow Thoughts?
September 26, 2012 by 9 Comments
Brownlow Thoughts? Well done Jobe! You are a jet! A superstar! All those other fancy words. A Brownlow winner! A Brownlow! Hell, yeah. And, I thought, a damn worthy one! I loved watching you play this year, your hardness. Your want! Geez, you have want! And you seem like a top bloke! Anyone else [Read more]
Cause-infested footy
September 26, 2012 by 29 Comments
Footy is becoming cause infested. It is involving itself where it need not be; where it should not be. Like a movie star who suddenly acquires the wisdom to resolve the Middle East conflict, the AFL is becoming a slave to its own hubris, says Dips O’Donnell.
The Brownlow winner
September 26, 2012 by 3 Comments
We re-visit John Harms’s tribute to Jobe Watson after an unlikely Bombers win one Sunday evening in 2009..
1980 – A Personal Footy Almanac: Grand Final – Richmond v Collingwood
September 26, 2012 by 22 Comments
Richmond tragic Stainless reaches the final stop of his nostalgic journey through the 1980 season – the Grand Final against Collingwood.
People and Memories – Part 6: Joan Etherington, Melbourne FC
September 25, 2012 by 4 Comments
Joan Etherington has her feet up in front of the TV when I arrive at her Blackburn unit, in Melbourne’s east. Her Melbourne scarf hangs on the coat stand and the living room walls are covered with family photos. Beautiful grand-daughters smile out at her from exotic European and African settings. Over cups of [Read more]
GWS Giants: a new chapter opens
September 25, 2012 by 3 Comments
Many will look at the Giants’ first season and say it was terrible, laughable, a joke and a disgrace from a team nobody wants in an area where people shouldn’t even be allowed to touch a Sherrin. Steve Duffy doesn’t see it that way.
Off Season Odyssey – Part 22: Unnoticed Echoes
September 24, 2012 by 3 Comments
The day’s been perfect. Lost and perfect. I have money in pocket, hard work behind me. There’s only five clouds in the sky. Each one worn by a mountain range, making their own weather. The town is perfect, to look at, anyway. To drive through. To drink at. Walking into the pub, surrounded [Read more]
The 2012 ‘Mopsy’ Fraser Cup – Preliminary Final
September 24, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Greetings Tipsters I watched Friday’s prelim laying down in my Hanoi hotel room with Perky Girl, drinking several beers at $0.60 a pop and smoking cigs at $0.50 a pack. For all of that, I’ve been following the Sparkies for far too long to ever get too cocky, so it wasn’t an entirely relaxing experience. [Read more]
Holy Grail
September 24, 2012 by 1 Comment
The tension is building for Jake ‘Cobba’ Stevens as the Swans fight for the silver chalice.
2012 Season Positives for the Pies
September 24, 2012 by 1 Comment
As I start to pick up the pieces and get my life back together after the devastation of the Preliminary final loss to the Swans, I’ve decided to reflect on all of the positives Collingwood had in season 2012. There will be no negatives in this article. Therefore no mention of the four knee reconstructions [Read more]
“He’s a Magic Man …”?
September 23, 2012 by 6 Comments
As a long time barracker of the “Mighty Mustardpots” I’ve taken great delight in the fabulous exploits of all our players in the Brown and Gold (It’s gold! Got that? As Alan Jeans once said “… there’s nothing yellow about Hawthorn!”) and with such an array of talented indigenous players at the club at the moment I’ve [Read more]
AFL Preliminary Finals – Hawthorn v Adelaide: A Crows Fan’s Perspective
September 23, 2012 by 21 Comments
I don’t recall ever feeling prouder after a loss. The Adelaide Crows have now lost the last four Preliminary Finals they’ve taken part in. All four of those losses have been painful experiences, but this one was by far the most tolerable. That may seem baffling; especially considering the margin in this one was closer [Read more]
AFL Preliminary Finals – Sydney v Collingwood (Floreat Pica Society): And now, the end is here
September 22, 2012 by 5 Comments
Dear Floreat Picans, Well, despite my doubts last night, the sun did come up in Sydney town this morning. And here I sit in the Virgin Club lounge sadly punching out the final match report for the season. As I walked into the lounge I was confronted by a sea of black and white CGU/Westpac [Read more]
VAFA – Div 1: A truly grand finale
September 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
In what can only be described as a magnificent showcase of amateur football, North Old Boys – St Patrick’s defeated Peninsula Old Boys by three goals at Sandringham last Sunday to convincing win the Division 1 premiership. Not since its 1982 A Grade win had the famous Brunswick-based club won a senior flag; importantly, this [Read more]
AFL Preliminary Finals – Sydney v Collingwood: Silky Swans Grand Final ready
September 21, 2012 by 7 Comments
The Sydney Swans have broken an eleven game, seven-year voodoo losing streak against Collingwood, securing their Grand Final appearance by twenty-six points infront of 57,156 at ANZ Stadium. Amongst the celebration of Jude Bolton’s three-hundredth game and the battle of the Reids and Shaws, the Swans were strong defensively and attacked early putting the [Read more]
Off Season Odyssey – Part 20: Empty Bars and Back Pocket Legends
September 21, 2012 by 8 Comments
Empty Bars and Back Pocket Legends. The hotel hangs over a winding road that cuts down into town. Above its door is a sign that says Top Pub, simple and honest. I’ve been on the road for ten hours and slouch over my beer as if it’s a lead-lined magnet. [Read more]
The Book of VFL/AFL Finals
September 21, 2012 by 3 Comments
It’s that time of year when Phil Dimitriadis reaches for the ‘Bible’ of AFL finals.
Dear Bruce, stop the stats!
Sean Curtain makes an impassioned plea to Bruce McAvaney before the Grand Final – Enough of the Stats already!