Andrew Gigacz’s Finals Week 3 Stat. Declaration SAINTS CAUSE FAINTS WHILE CATS PILE UP STATS Now that it’s all over bar the shouting, it remains only to be seen who’ll be shouting the bar – Saints supporters or Cats clappers. Let’s see what could be gleaned from the two games. LAKE, BLAKE AND DOGGY HEARTACHE [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Black and White through shades of Blue
September 23, 2009 by 6 Comments
Warning: the following will contain biases which are impossible to conceal. Another Magpie campaign has come-a-gutsa at the hands of the formidable Cats. Once again the black and white army is left to its disgruntled contemplation of what might have been … My heart beats Old Dark Navy Blue, and seldom will I be seen [Read more]
General Footy Writing: I love the Brownlow Medal
September 23, 2009 by 5 Comments
It’s one of my favourite nights of the year, the speculation, the over-achievers, the under-achievers, and the night where heroes are made. It’s Brownlow medal night. I can remember every Brownlow medal from 2000 onwards, mainly because Wowoedin won that year. That was the good old days when my whole family loved footy. At the [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Tales of Krakouer brothers and Cockatoo-Collins confirm rich contribution of indigenous players to Australian football
September 23, 2009 by 3 Comments
A keen audience gathered at the National Museum of Australia in Canberra , to attend the recent FORCE FOR GOOD seminar. Presented by the museum in conjunction with with Manning Clark House and hosted by John Harms, the seminar focused on how indigenous Australians have enriched football. Dr Sean Gorman (an Almanacker) spoke about his book Brotherboys, which [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Full points for my mate the goal umpire
September 22, 2009 by Leave a Comment
by Darren Dawson The Saints v Bulldogs prelim final was a cracker of a game. It was impossible even for the impartial viewer not to get caught up in the romance of two historically unsuccessful clubs battling it out for a spot in the grand final. The game itself did not disappoint. However, for me [Read more]
View From Shepparton: Good on you, Gazza, and thank goodness Judd fell short
September 22, 2009 by Leave a Comment
Well Gazza got up and good on him. I recently became aware that some commentators have criticised him for standing clear of the play to receive easy handballs or kicks but I must say that this has never been obvious to me. I would just go to a game to see him play. The other [Read more]
General Footy Writing: No flies on Carlton’s Bulldog Gilbert; he just loves his footy club
September 21, 2009 by 3 Comments
By Pia Abrahams I didn’t expect to be sharing laundry tips with a footy club legend and a pesky lorikeet on a frosty winter morning. But construction at the Carlton Football Club’s elite training facility has landed my meeting with its property steward in the shadow of a gum tree on a Princes Park bench. [Read more]
The Wrap: Now for the big one
September 21, 2009 by 10 Comments
THE WRAP Where Life Imitates Sport What a round it’s been in Footy Eddie. The Feeling Faints toughed out an absolute thriller as The Dogs get boned once again at the last hurdle. The Saturday night event was a fizzer, with Carringbush doing most of the fizzing. Forget Derby Day and Cup Week. Don’t you [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Alas I’ll have to rely on my sister again for a Brownlow update
September 21, 2009 by 5 Comments
A national game it’s supposed to be But alas the Brownlow count I’ll again not see It’s that time of year again, when all thoughts head south. The Brownlow Medal count isn’t screened into the states that the AFL can’t get to quickly enough. Hmmm….? Not screened live that is. Past bed time screening doesn’t [Read more]
The Pre-Wrap: A salute to Lloyd for memorable career
September 19, 2009 by Leave a Comment
For the Philosophical Marngrook Follower What a week it’s been in Footy Eddie. Now here’s some Breaking News. Lloydy may have played his last game in the Red & Black of Whingy Hill. The story going around is that Coach Knighter wants him to play further up the ground (about fourth row in the W.H. [Read more]
General Footy Writing: The Footy Almanac is like the ravens that feed me in the desert
September 17, 2009 by 1 Comment
By Michael Viljoen Gadala, Cameroon When I came to work as a linguist in rural Cameroon in 2002, I knew the land was an Aussie Rules wilderness. Internet connections were feeble and fluky. The first Grand Final cassette sent to me was lost in the post. Occasionally I went weeks without hearing a result. My [Read more]
Local Footy: Serong’s two seasons in Bendigo league rank him among the best
September 16, 2009 by 21 Comments
My fellow Almanacker Richard Jones is a keen observer and promoter of the Bendigo Football League. He has compiled two separate lists of the 10 greatest players from different eras. I saw several of the players he had on his list from the 70s play and that’ll brook no argument with me, all great players. [Read more]
General Footy Writing: How does the AFL expect the code to expand in Sydney?
September 16, 2009 by 1 Comment
I have constantly railed against the TV scheduling of football telecasts, as have all footy supporters. For those who get The Oz I refer them to Imre Salusinszky’s column “The Wry Side” in which he discusses the reason why he was not thrilled by the Adelaide-Collingwood game. His comments encapsulate exactly the frustration felt by [Read more]
Top Ten: The best dummy spits in sport
September 16, 2009 by 49 Comments
1. Jeff Tarango, 1995 The American hot-head spat the dummy in the ultimate fashion by becoming the first tennis player to walk out on a match at Wimbledon. After losing a point that had been replayed during his third-round match against Alexander Mronz, Tarango told heckling spectators to “shut up”. A subsequent warning for an [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Wins is a four-letter word
September 16, 2009 by 25 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Finals Week 2 Stat. Declaration I WAS JUST TESTING YOU OUT – NO, REALLY! No sooner than last week’s Stat Dec had hit the presses, the emails and phone calls started rolling in. The Almanac switchboard went into meltdown as people queued up to point out that the attendance figure from the St [Read more]
Sports Science: Why speed is the most important fitness component in football
September 16, 2009 by Leave a Comment
So let’s look at why speed training is probably the most vital fitness component of a footballer. I admit that this article might be of less interest than others during the finals period, but you can use this information to gain an insight as to why some of the great players in the top four [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Wedding and footy are more alike than you think
September 15, 2009 by 4 Comments
They say the wedding is the most important day of a female’s life. The old rumor that we plan and dream about our weddings all our lives is true. Well, in my case it is. I know the wedding ring I want, I’ll spare you from the details. My dress will be exactly like the [Read more]
View From Shepparton: Joy and pain in Shepparton and Jeparit
September 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment
As someone has observed the things that give you the most joy can also give you the most pain. In this instance I was so deliriously happy after Brisbane’ s great comeback win and so deliriously unhappy after reading about the circumstances of Adelaide’s last-second loss. I hadn’t really expected Brisbane to go any further. [Read more]
Crio’s Question: Who are some notable September performers and failures?
September 15, 2009 by 32 Comments
“Give me 80,000 people at the MCG and I was Hercules. Give me a grey day at the Western Oval and I wasn’t worth a cracker.” – Brent Crosswell At this time of the year it’s always trumpeted that reputations are made and lost in finals (sorry Skilts!). Think Dermie, Gazza in ’89, KB in [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Riewoldt named All-Australian captain
September 15, 2009 by 7 Comments
Nick Riewoldt has been named captain and Chris Judd the vice-captain of the All-Australian team that was announced on Monday night.
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