Advice to a Young Footballer “Don’t worry what the papers say, don’t fear the words of men, in Melbourne-town the footy boot is mightier than the pen.” Jesaulenko You Beauty! If you blinked you would have missed it–– like the strike of a death adder–– he was soaring into outer space, Jenkins was [Read more]
still the crowd
April 10, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Good Friday – we discuss who ought to be culled Easter Saturday – we enter the game without our leader a shot at goal brings howls from the crowd – full moon no wind missed kicks still the crowd autumn night nothing much going on except Pendlebury dusk – Daisy splits the night into [Read more]
down another falling
April 4, 2012 by 5 Comments
new season starts at the 10 minute mark I catch my breath first quarter the umpire plucks the ball from the clinging pack dusk deepens one more missed goal the debutant’s first shot at goal straight through the middle MCG in March Buddy’s skied hook post-high Cloke drags down another falling leaves alone inside fifty [Read more]
John Kingsmill’s 2012 Footy Diary: Week Two
April 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Sunday, 1 April 2012 Round One Week Two 3. Ben Cousins is arrested – here’s a footballer’s story that refuses to go away. It doesn’t really matter what we think. Life after footy is no easier for him than before. We’re watching him and we care but we’ll skip any further note. On Thursday night, [Read more]
John K’s 2012 Footy Diary
March 26, 2012 by 1 Comment
Sunday, 25 March 2012 Round One, Week One 1. The season begins, oddly, with one game for the week – the Sydney derby between the Swans and the Giants. Matty Rendell goes down for a Thought Crime; Jim Stynes dies; Jason Akermanis says that Stynes was nasty on the field. He meant that as praise [Read more]
sunlight on leather
March 21, 2012 by 10 Comments
by Rob Scott first morning a familiar scent on the breeze It should perhaps be the game at its purest. Everyone and everything is primed. Sun-tanned, tattooed and absurdly muscled players; feverish fans emerging on frenzied tenterhooks from a long summer of enforced detachment and other family commitments; pristinely manicured playing surfaces; even [Read more]
Lawn Bowls Poetry
February 12, 2012 by 11 Comments
John Kingsmill will be writing a series of bowling poems over the next few weeks. WEEK ONE Back to the Bowling Green after a long delay My father’s bowls are still too large in my hand. It’s only my obstinacy, I suppose, that makes me stay with them. His hands were no bigger than [Read more]
2011 – Looking Forward, Looking Back
December 31, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The angel sounded – the sentinel horn, The final quarter of the old year gone; It’s been a good year for the team up in heaven, Got the best of the Draft in Two Thousand Eleven. Yabby’s the coach of this team for the Ages, With Doc as the skipper of the BeSainted [Read more]
BOXING DAY
December 23, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Boxing day, aah! Official rest, Blissful relaxation, I’m going to watch the Test. Christmas recovery is underway Time to put my feet up and watch the Aussies play. No orders, demands or chores from the boss Why, I was even asked, if our captain won the toss! The kids are outside, occupied with new [Read more]
AN ALMANACKERS CHRISTMAS TALE
December 22, 2011 by 4 Comments
‘Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house Not a creature was stirring, not even Harms’ mouth; Blue and white stockings – the chimney festoon, In hopes that the Handicapper will be filling them soon; The children were nestled all snug in their beds; As visions of Cats premierships danced in their [Read more]
My current bucketlist
December 16, 2011 by 3 Comments
I want to travel. I want to do good things as a volunteer. I want to live and work outside of Australia for one year, sometime in the rest of my life. I want to learn a musical instrument… the violin will do. I want go to the gym in the mornings, not at night. [Read more]
THE ALMANAC AFFLICTION
December 1, 2011 by 1 Comment
I’ve got a strange affliction that’s always on my mind. It’s such a strong addiction it takes up lots of time. Morning, noon and night and when I should be fast asleep I get the urge to read or write and can’t resist a peep. Footy yarns, opinions Belly laughs and thoughts. [Read more]
Haiku for Maggie
November 30, 2011 by 2 Comments
by Damien Little The morning sun beats Starting slowly unsteady Gripping handle bars Determination Can’t let go a father’s test Start over again Determination Possibilities awake Feel freedom flying Almanac Admin
Pre-season
November 23, 2011 by 1 Comment
by Peter Edwards Pre-season training in full swing. The boys are back and all sweating. Running hard and doing weights, Speed and strength they elevate. Blues got brown in Middle East, In regal grounds, they trained in peace. And from the cave the Hawks emerge, September demons have been purged. Bored with schoolies, surf [Read more]
Perfect media
November 20, 2011 by 8 Comments
JOHN KINGSMILL The best thing about radio cricket is that you know that it is on and that you don’t have to watch each delivery, each ponderous over. Radio lets you get on with your life. When life pauses, you flick a switch and it’s usually just at the right moment. The game is poised [Read more]
Footy Quatrains
November 3, 2011 by 9 Comments
The First Game of the Season A wife in marvellous Melbourne may well be tried for treason if she tries to stop her man attend the first game of the season. Damian BalassoneDamian Balassone is a failed half-forward flanker who writes poetry. He is the author of ‘Strange Game in a Strange Land’. [Read more]
Ode to a Magpie
October 11, 2011 by 8 Comments
This anonymous poem was handed to my cousin John Scopas by an old Collingwood fan. He passed it on to me in the hope that it will get a run on the site and that we may yet find the author. I have cleaned up a fair bit of punctuation (written by a Collingwood [Read more]
Yellow wins in ten syllables
October 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Australia shrug South Africa out of the World Cup; then Woodville-West Torrens stop the Dogs five years deep in victory to snare an unlikely cup. Their thick-set ruckman wins the medal and, on stage, says: “We’ll never fucking forget this.” And we will never forget those words, the TV says, drier than salt in [Read more]
the damp Sherrin
October 4, 2011 by 5 Comments
grand final dawn a bit of tightness in my hammys low cloud Cloke’s long drop punt splits the ‘G in half even on this day Stevie J reminds us the ‘G is a playing field half-time at the pub another round of texting lights on [Read more]
preliminary final – the clock stops
September 28, 2011 by 4 Comments
late september the veteran scores the winning goal the MCG in spring — alive with hawks, magpies and seagulls the moon punches a hole in the sky — Tarrant spoils bad live stream our hopes flickering spring haze a field of heavy-limbed footballers [Read more]
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