With the first bounce just hours away, hopes, dreams and delusions are still alive. Will the Magpies enjoy a cakewalk? Can the Saints and Cats hold on? Who will be this season’s bolter? Tell us what you’re thinking Knackers. Does hope spring eternal? Or has resignation claimed you already? Fire away!
The next ‘Big Thing’
March 23, 2011 by 3 Comments
By Domenic Favata As we all await the season opener, we continue to speculate our club’s talent and search for the next ‘big thing’ who will emerge from a box of talent and evolve into superstars like Gary Ablett and Dane Swan did. Often earmarked the ‘breakout year’, a year that often establishes a successful [Read more]
A Painful Debut
March 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
On Thursday night, the new AFL season begins. Many fans are having trouble containing their anticipation. Sure, I’ll be at the MCG to see the “traditional” opening game between Richmond and Carlton, but the overt passion that I should be displaying will be masked by an aura of stoic resignation. Forty years of barracking for [Read more]
Footy exPIEriment
March 23, 2011 by 33 Comments
Being a student in the faculty of psychological science, i couldn’t help but try and conduct a small experiment to do with footy. We all know how people react to Collingwood supporters, so i took note of the reactions of my new classmates and lab buddies to see if it effects how they act to [Read more]
My favourite drop kick, part five
March 23, 2011 by 16 Comments
The latest in Vin Maskell’s occasional, indulgent series The new edition of The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers once again records the careers of thousands of players, listing their vital statistics and describing their skills and style of play. Of all those players, going back to 1897, only 57 are noted for their talent for the [Read more]
The Language of Football: A Barthesian Perspective
March 23, 2011 by 15 Comments
by Phil Dimitriadis At this time of year conversation turns to footy in earnest and in jest. We take it for granted in Melbourne, reasoning that it has always been part of our cultural communication. It really is a language spawned by the game that intends to be a portal of inclusion and connection. Generally, [Read more]
Business as usual
March 23, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Nick Sculley After yet another tumultuous off-season the Saints have adopted a siege mentality. The St.Kilda versus the world idea has been enforced by coach and captain alike, and to an extent it has acted to deflect any excess attention away from the club. As a loyal St.Kilda supporter this summer’s indiscretions and controversies [Read more]
Crio’s Q: The pre-season grind
March 22, 2011 by 12 Comments
The serious stuff is about to start but no doubt the clubs have been putting the players through some pretty interesting pre-season drills over the summer. And variations of such things would have filtered through to suburban and country level pre-seasons. There’s bound to be a story or two out there of a training drill [Read more]
The Match Committee Ep 1
March 22, 2011 by 2 Comments
The Roosters are working through the telling issues which are part and parcel of a modern footy club. They deal with them in their own way. Episode 1 can be found at www.thematchcommittee.com Have a look and return to make your comment.
Crio’s Q
March 22, 2011 by Leave a Comment
by Chris Riordan Apparently another Pies Flag is a given. The world, it seems, is back on its hyperbolic axis – despite their last consecutive (can’t bear “back-to-back) premierships being over 70 years ago! Here’s a way to stay interested in what will manifestly otherwise be a “cakewalk” – using the increasingly popular “head-to-head” betting. And it is [Read more]
A Difficult Conversation
March 21, 2011 by 14 Comments
When his daughter, upon learning of Gary Ablett’s departure north, asked “Daddy, do we still barrack for Geelong?”, Gerard Whateley knew he’d reached a pivotal moment. Read his response. http://www.geelongcats.com.au/geelongnews/newsarticle/tabid/3933/newsid/109483/default.aspx
Strike?
March 21, 2011 by 10 Comments
Does anybody recall much about the Essendon player strike at the start of 1970. I think around 6 players were in dispute, Geoff Pryor, definitely; Gosper, John Williams, and Don Mckenzie i think were amongst them. Lost to Carlton in R 1 , with Les Stillman kicking 6 for the Dons, but beyond that my [Read more]
Should he stay or should he go?
March 21, 2011 by 23 Comments
A special investigative feature, looking at the truth behind the Malthouse Buckley rumours. By John Weldon Is it too early to begin speculation about the possibility of the Malthouse Buckley succession deal falling through at the end of this season, should Collingwood win (or not win) the2011 flag? No it’s not. Well not according to [Read more]
Tipping Rebellion
March 20, 2011 by 3 Comments
If there’s one thing I like, especially in Football, it’s tradition. One of my earliest memories is Dad coming home from work with the footy tipping cards. He’d call me into the kitchen before tea, and read out the eight games to me. What I thrill I got from choosing what team I wanted to [Read more]
Sid Myers rewards
March 20, 2011 by 7 Comments
It was raining hard on a mid-winter Tuesday night; the oval full of water and mud; everything well dark. The club had fallen hard. We were in what, D-division? Something involving knuckles and no hope. We’d won one game, they’d sacked the coach. Eight of us had bothered to show up. We milled around the [Read more]
THE WELCOME BACK WRAP
March 18, 2011 by 10 Comments
For the Philosophical Marngrook Follower What an off-season it’s been in Footy Eddie. Lots of juicy stuff for the Yellow Press. The Fev, Chicken Lips Nixon & the now 17 year old chick, Bomber’s Betrayal, the return of The Culture Club, an Ashes Creaming, and on top of all that, we have a new Reigning [Read more]
In Pre Season, Speculation Springs Eternal
March 18, 2011 by 15 Comments
Conventional football wisdom appears to have undergone a major reversal in recent times. Not so long ago, it was a given that winning back-to-back flags was a task achievable by only the greatest teams. History still supports this view. Yet recently, every reigning premier begins the season lauded as a dynasty in waiting. Numerous are [Read more]
The ball is in dispute…
March 17, 2011 by 6 Comments
There is not a single holy grail of football; it is a different thing to each man. Some crave September silverware and the reflected glory of team success. Fathers dream of lacing up the first pair of boots on their offspring and watching them take the field. The purist, however, must one day embark on [Read more]
Essendon’s everlasting legends
March 17, 2011 by 1 Comment
There has never been a shortage of legends at Windy Hill. Dick Reynolds was announced Essendon’s greatest player of all time at a September function in 2002. King Dick was a four time premiership player, won Essendon’s best and fairest seven times and claimed three Brownlow Medals in a career that spanned some 320 games. [Read more]
Harms on footy commentators
John Harms measures the current crop of footy commentators according to the Sid Waddell scale. Check out his article from the Age, and return to leave your comment. Footy talk: too good to be scripted www.theage.com.au