Even though I grew up a Shinboner, my recent work sojourn to Sydney brought back memories of a great moment of watching VFL/AFL games that didn’t involve the boys from Arden Street. As I write I can sense the grumblings out Windy Hill way. It was one of those moments that would not be out [Read more]
Footy: Gary Ablett jnr and Joh talk turkey (or is that chooks?)
December 14, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Gary Ablett Jnr: Son of you-know-who. Two time Geelong premiership player, Brownlow medallist and dazzling on-field magician. Sir Johannes Bjelke-Petersen: Former Queensland Premier, plantation paternalist and gerrymander general. Ruled for over 20 years with a unique blend of authoritarian cronyism, faux naivety, homespun ruthlessness and pumpkin scones. Gary jnr is astride the proverbial horns of [Read more]
A thoroughly Australian few days
December 11, 2009 by 10 Comments
by John Harms I have always had a sense of being Australian. Not in a flag-waving, Aussie-Aussie-Aussie sense. It’s more a feeling of being connected to the place I come from. The land. The people. The way of life. A job if you can find one. A beer and a bet. My first overseas trip [Read more]
Sports Science: Too much technology is bunk; coaches should rely more on instinct
December 9, 2009 by 4 Comments
By Clint Youlden I’m all for technology when it comes to sport, but I do see an alarming trend towards over-analysis. Isn’t the whole idea of sport to compete against others on an even playing field? Shouldn’t it be the cast that coaching and winning instinct make the difference between victory and loss? I’m wondering [Read more]
Footy: Glenn Archer a champion on and off the field
December 8, 2009 by 2 Comments
By Stephen George Where egos can overshadow champions of Australian football, few players have had an impact like North Melbourne champion, Glenn Archer. Throughout his career, he admitted to feeling violently ill before games because of nerves, such was his fear of failure. This didn’t prevent him though from confronting each contest on the field [Read more]
Soccer: Demetriou overreacts to World Cup talk
December 8, 2009 by 45 Comments
By Martin Reeves The 2010 World Cup in South Africa is just around the corner, but it’s Australia’s 2018 and 2022 World Cup bids that are dominating the headlines as the culture wars are reignited on the Australian sporting landscape. At the centre of the latest war is an Australian of Greek descent, representing the [Read more]
Footy Talk: Richo and Hamlet ponder what might have been
December 8, 2009 by 5 Comments
by John Butler Setting: Matthew Richardson – magnificent, flawed prince of the Richmond Football Club. Recently retired after 282 games, no premierships and not enough finals. Hamlet- tragic, flawed prince of Denmark (long before the guy who married the Tassie realtor).
Crio’s Question: Who is the best sports commentator?
December 4, 2009 by 38 Comments
Thanks to Peter Flynn for this instalment. It’s been inspired by Britain’s Daily Telegraph, whose readers have voted Murray Walker as “the greatest sports commentator of all time”.
Footy: Full points for goal umpire who relishes his part in the game he loves
December 3, 2009 by 7 Comments
I often mused when growing up: “What on earth would make someone take up footy umpiring and endure the insults and abuse that came with it”? During my childhood, I was sure it was normal practice to be an overzealous critic of umpires and it was OK to hurl foul language at them. After all, [Read more]
Footy: A day in the life of Jack Anthony and his WAG
December 2, 2009 by 183 Comments
Jack: “Danni, where’s my tie, honey?” Danni: “It’s in the cupboard on the left, darling!” *muffled noises* Jack: “I can’t find it! Do you know which one I’m looking for?” Danni: “Hold on sweetie I’ll be there in a sec.”
Footy Talk: PT Barnum and Kevin Sheedy plan to put on a show
November 30, 2009 by 1 Comment
By John Butler Setting: PT Barnum: legendary showman and entrepreneur, founder of Ringling Bros Barnum & Bailey’s Circus and famous for pulling hoaxes and working freak shows. Often attributed the quote “there’s a sucker born every minute.” It’s a surprise he hasn’t worked for the AFL before now. Kevin Sheedy: really needs no introduction. With [Read more]
These sides ain’t half bad!
November 30, 2009 by 530 Comments
by Josh Barnstable After asking my Mum if there was such thing as a ‘half-decade’, she said she had not heard of such thing, unlike the popular saying of half century. But, I’m going to make half-decade a proper saying in this report, a report of the Team of the Half-Decade for each team. So [Read more]
Noel McMahen: City superstar, country legend
November 30, 2009 by 7 Comments
by Mark Gullick Many people know the cliff notes of Noel McMahen’s time in Rochester, but the full story has rarely been told. It is the tale of high stakes, high pressure and high achievement. McMahen was a VFL superstar. Debuting in 1946 with Melbourne, McMahen struck success in 1948 as part of a winning [Read more]
Anson Cameron: Silences Come and Gone
November 27, 2009 by Leave a Comment
by Paul Mitchell Intro: Melbourne author Anson Cameron’s debut novel, Silences Long Gone, which dissects the issue of Aboriginal land rights, has received unanimous critical acclaim. A pleasing result for a man who knew himself from a young age to be a writer…but didn’t write… Drinking coffee is meant to be a relaxed, friendly pastime. [Read more]
Off Season Overload
November 27, 2009 by 1 Comment
by Pamela Sherpa The season’s over, it’s time for a break To rest up weary bodies, slacken off the pace Tortured, overworked muscles are screaming for a rest After a long hard slog, it’s time to de stress. Triathlons, time trials, boot camps in excruciating heat Just reading about it, “Phew! ‘I feel [Read more]
Review of the 2008 Footy Almanac
November 26, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Review by Bernard Whimpress John Harms and Paul Daffey (eds), The Footy Almanac 2008: The AFL Season One Game at a Time, Penguin Viking, Melbourne, 2008, pp. xxv + 507, pb, $29.95. John Harms, Neville Turner, Bob Speechley and I were into our third bottle of shiraz over a long lunch at the Pumphouse Hotel, [Read more]
Footy Talk: Mick Malthouse and Sun Tzu talk tactics (mostly off-field)
November 26, 2009 by 2 Comments
By John Butler Setting: Sun Tzu: ancient Chinese warrior general, author of the Art of War and in many ways the original Director of Coaching. Michael Malthouse: as we all know, is soon to be Collingwood Director of Coaching. In his never-ending quest to bring world’s best practice to the Lexus Centre, President Ed has [Read more]
Daniel Harris speeds to another level in six sessions with the Cannonball
November 25, 2009 by 14 Comments
The challenge for me, Clint Youlden, along with Daniel, is to re-program his body to be more coordinated, run faster and more efficiently. This will give him greater speed and agility as well as enable him to run out the game better and faster. In order to do this, we will have to go into [Read more]
A blast from drafts past
November 25, 2009 by 8 Comments
By Damian Watson Well folks the 2009 AFL National Draft is fast approaching! It’s that brief moment in summer where the sole sporting focus shifts to AFL Footy just one more time before we enter the New Year. It is a day where the best young talents wait anxiously to hear the recruiters announce their [Read more]
My favourite footy memory
November 24, 2009 by 162 Comments
by Josh Barnstable It’s a question I would have to work hard to find the answer for. But I would enjoy sifting through the memories my brain has stored. What is my favourite moment I have experienced in a game of AFL footy? It would have to be from the Round 19 clash between North [Read more]
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