When I started working as a cadet journalist on the Knox-Sherbrooke News back in 1985, one of the first stories I wrote was about women’s footy. The VWFL was in its infancy and the Ferntree Gully Kangas were struggling to find their feet. The competition had a handful of teams and faced [Read more]
Eat up! Eat up! And play the game.
August 26, 2012 by 16 Comments
It was one of those nights when a few middle-aged blokes get together to talk about old times in sport. John was a new fellow to join the group and everyone’s eyes lit up when he said ‘I saw Bradman bat once’. John’s view of Bradman was when the Indians played a Test [Read more]
AFL Round 22 – Richmond v Essendon: Schadenfreude
August 25, 2012 by 6 Comments
The German term “schadenfreude” is beautifully efficient – a single word when in English we need seven (taking pleasure in the misfortunes of others). Richmond was hardly efficient last night but the ease with which the Bombers were brushed aside was breathtaking. And enjoyable. As Essendon’s abortive 2012 campaign played out its last dismal rites, the schadenfreude flowed [Read more]
Don’t take the mickey Mick
August 24, 2012 by 9 Comments
So I bet you are all wondering, why is Travis Cloke playing so badly? Well you can stop racking your brains and coming up with that list because Mick Malthouse thinks he knows the answer. Yes Travis has been double teamed in the past and yes last week the delivery to the big number 32 [Read more]
When the North Adelaide Roosters were kings
August 24, 2012 by 29 Comments
In this wonderful reminiscence of the era, Michael Sexton recalls the 1972 Champions of Australia series, when the North Adelaide Roosters improbably beat Carlton.
Spring hopes eternal – a survival guide to September
August 23, 2012 by 3 Comments
“It’s spring fever. That is what the name of it is. And when you’ve got it, you want – oh, you don’t quite know what it is you do want, but it just fairly makes your heart ache, you want it so!” ~Mark Twain As winter slowly comes to a close, those chilly frost-filled mornings [Read more]
Tigers fans still there through thick and thin but where are Hawks fans?
August 23, 2012 by 5 Comments
Richmond may have disappointed by missing the finals again this year, but its fans certainly haven’t. Stats revealed in the Herald Sun show that despite an overall downturn in attendances, Richmond has had the fourth largest crowds on average this year at 42,113, behind only Collingwood, Carlton and Essendon. These Tiger fans who turn up [Read more]
The 2012 ‘Mopsy’ Fraser Cup – Round Twenty One
August 22, 2012 by 2 Comments
Greetings Tipstsers Predictions, projections and prognostications have been propelled into a pointless pile of piffle. Where once we wallowed in a world of near certainty, now we walk warily in a universe wherein anything might happen. For, dear reader, it now does appear that any of the Top Seven could beat any other of the [Read more]
1980 A Personal Footy Almanac – Round 21, Saturday 23 August, v North Melbourne, Arden Street Oval
August 22, 2012 by 3 Comments
I’m pacing the floor of a stately, shady old house in Brighton, Adelaide. I’m secluded in an ornate living room where the house’s one radio is located. The setting is incongruous enough for a football broadcast. The house looks like footy has never before sullied its oh-so-respectable interior. But it’s me who is really out [Read more]
Bless me Father, for I (may) have sinned
August 21, 2012 by 15 Comments
Bless me Father, for I (may) have sinned. Maybe it was our esteemed leader Mr Harms writing about Assumption Day recently (rightly corrected by one of the Micks amongst us as the Feast of the Assumption and a Holy Day of Obligation) but I feel the need to get religious and seek forgiveness. I recently [Read more]
The View from Shepparton – Round 21
August 21, 2012 by Leave a Comment
My mob beat the Adelaide pretenders, no one can take them seriously now. They cannot play away from Footbrawl Park and that is that. On the other hand, what a magnificent comeback from my mob. 38 points down at quarter time and then they gradually reeled them in. They are definitely the Richmond of the [Read more]
Let the umpires off their philosophical hook!
August 21, 2012 by 5 Comments
Once I smugly looked down on Rugby Union. Its penalties seemed to contribute far too much to the final score and, worse than that, they seemed trivial and opaque. Fans apparently waited with bated breath and accepted the direction of the referee’s pointing arm with the best good humour they could muster, and then mutter [Read more]
The Wrap – Round XXI
August 21, 2012 by 7 Comments
THE WRAP – ROUND XXI WHERE LIFE IMITATES FOOTBALL And what a round it’s been in Footy Eddie. On Friday night The Handbags led at every change, seeing off a second half challenge, to send The Saints marching back to Seaford for Season 2012. Come Saturday and it was Boilover time. First it was The [Read more]
MRP – it’s the humans, stupid
August 19, 2012 by 15 Comments
We all remember the old AFL tribunal – well some of us do. It was hopeless. Subjective as all get out. Inconsistent. Biased. Incredibly frustrating. Everybody agreed, even the AFL commissioners. There had to be a better way. So they scoured the globe, looked at other systems, and decided that the solution was to go [Read more]
Sydney’s rich Australian football history
August 17, 2012 by 5 Comments
By Miles Wilks It is a commonly held belief that Sydneysiders have had an almost non-existent role in the game at the top level, yet the fact is that as many as 80 players have been recruited from Sydney to the VFL/AFL. Amongst the “no-name” players recruited from Sydney is a player who kicked the [Read more]
A superior draft system
August 17, 2012 by 13 Comments
By Peter Zitterschlager Recently, under the auspices of a … ahem … sports company I formed, I proposed a draft system to the AFL. The system was developed by my associate (with enhancements by myself), and believing we had a winner, we were confident the AFL would be interested. Unfortunately, after repeated efforts to catch [Read more]
Coaching movements in the NTFL
August 17, 2012 by 2 Comments
By Jackson Clark It is set to be an interesting lead up to the 2012/13 Northern Territory Football League season with a number of coaching movements announced throughout the off season. Heading the list is former St Marys coach Damian Hale’s decision to leave the Saints and take on the top job at Nightcliff. A [Read more]
The Pre-Wrap – Round XXI
August 17, 2012 by 3 Comments
THE PRE WRAP – ROUND XXI FOR THE PHILOSOPHICAL MARNGROOK FAN What a week it’s been in Footy Eddie. Brad Green has followed Brad Miller, Cameron Bruce, Brock Mclean & James McDonald out the door at Melbourne. You’ve been a Loyal Servant of The Club Brad, and you’ve given us some great moments. After the [Read more]
The return of Uncle Gerard
August 17, 2012 by 6 Comments
It was great to see him back again tonight. Uncle Gerard is normally sighted or heard every day of the week. So it felt strange to not hear from him for 3 days. He’s been on a bit of a trip, to London I believe. My two boys, aged 4 and 2, were thrilled to see [Read more]
Seagulls fail to bring home the hot chips!
August 16, 2012 by 2 Comments
Well, the big day had come. Saturday morning arrived with a southerly breeze and the promise of mainly sunny conditions. Drew couldn’t believe how quiet and tranquil it was. I told him that had he been here during the week he would of experienced the roaring forties in all their glory trying to blow anything [Read more]
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