footy season begins all the teams freshly tattooed first game of the year – Ball tackles without hesitation umpire’s whistle – side by side fingers point together crisp autumn shadows – they answer each one of our goals feeling closer to home – Cloke shanks one sun slips through clouds Pendlebury finds himself on the [Read more]
In Motion
February 24, 2011 by 10 Comments
In the 1994 World Cup semi-final, an 80th minute strike from Brazilian star Romario denied 10-man Sweden a place in the final. Sweden went on to thrash Bulgaria 4-0 in the third place play-off at the Rose Bowl, Pasadena to complete a glorious summer for Swedish football – the likes of which they had not [Read more]
Haiku Bob- Premiership Edition: earth and the times
October 12, 2010 by 11 Comments
last Saturday in September the sun beaten to a pulp grand final replay – the washing still hanging over my thoughts the chorus of magpies warm spring sun the Colliwobbles fade the earth and the times turned by his feet – Heater’s smother October sun Ball soaks up some heat between goals the coach wears [Read more]
Haiku Bob: grand final draw – nowhere to be seen
September 27, 2010 by 7 Comments
September morning – a magpie’s song pierces my brain Spring clouds – the teams gather in their huddles first warm day players clutching and spilling a hot ball blood pouring from the full-back’s nose – spring heat glare of the sun – the path to goal nowhere to be seen Spring breeze – Davis goals [Read more]
The Big Dance
September 21, 2010 by 5 Comments
i) The Pilgrimage An overcrowded morning train is nearing Richmond station, the fabled Melbourne Cricket Ground, the common destination, where kids are playing kick-to-kick, and cars are filling space, and stalls are selling scarves and things, they’ll even paint your face,
The Ballad of Dogs and Magpies
September 6, 2010 by 8 Comments
The Ballad of Dogs and Magpies by Andrew Gigacz The Magpies won The Bulldogs lost It was to be expected But ’twas a game Of Dogs too tame And needs to be dissected Before the match The pundits said “The Dogs have nought to lose” So you would think With that in mind A “risk [Read more]
Crows: Capable of Obstruction but not Government
August 13, 2010 by 2 Comments
I tipped Western Bulldogs to beat Adelaide yesterday and bet on them to get over the line. And they did, but, sitting in the rain in that lonely park I only wanted Adelaide to find a method, any method, to kick a couple of goals in the last quarter and to stay in front. In [Read more]
A Tiding of Magpies and an Interloper Farewell Haiku Bob
August 3, 2010 by 19 Comments
by Peter Flynn It is early Saturday night not long after sunset. I saunter down Gertrude Street listening to Port versus Hawthorn. Bizarrely, I find myself barracking furiously for Port Adelaide. It’s funny who you can end up supporting in neutral sporting contests. Each Port pack mark in front of goal evokes a well-concealed short [Read more]
Haiku Bob: round 16 – fingers of sun
July 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment
Saints get the first – Magpies and seagulls form huddles blustery day – Swan’s first half dozen to collect his thoughts noon chill – players dropping marks I blow into my hands winter echoes – Heater’s mark again on the big screen stop start wind – forwards turn defenders turn forwards long winter – Leigh [Read more]
Haiku Bob: round 15 – holes in the night
July 15, 2010 by 3 Comments
first quarter gloom Swan weaves light through the darkness the wind pierces my body another goal behind the cold – Ball lays another tackle to keep warm icy wind the pack splinters in Didaks’ wake Swan’s thirty-nine touches no two the same non-scoring end a gull turns its head on play by hand or foot [Read more]
round 14 – one touch at a time
July 8, 2010 by 3 Comments
the night drifts along until Didak another night punctuated by Harry’s stampedes Jolly sidesteps the night all to himself first goal in an hour followed by another a minute later World Cup month and now Daisy tries a scissor kick night sounds a smother ricochets off the roof Swan up the ground and back one [Read more]
Haiku Bob: round 13 – moon at every turn
June 30, 2010 by 5 Comments
magpies darting here and there the moon at every turn beneath exploding pinks and blues Harry’s bursting run bitter night Ball bundles his catch full moon – we have their forwards surrounded Toovey arrives at a moment unafraid of his limitations brief eclipse – Didak shakes his shadow loose full moon Beams in space winter [Read more]
haiku bob: what’s left of the light
June 22, 2010 by Leave a Comment
winter dusk… the pleasant gloom of a drawn game the cold – not enough on the kick blustery wind – Leon switches on and off deep winter – Fraser’s dropped mark takes us deeper bare stems – our brittle lead grows by a point another behind leaves me chuckling in the chill air deep in [Read more]
Haiku Bob, Round 11- the short road
June 10, 2010 by 4 Comments
onset of winter – the game begins with brisk movements still life – Fraser stands the mark a nip in the air – taking the short road to goal a gull glides from the rafters – Leon curls one in cold winter night the ruckmen lock arms watching closely but not understanding the umpires winter [Read more]
Poetry: A Lament To Kings All
June 8, 2010 by Leave a Comment
By Tim Pekin A LAMENT TO KINGS ALL It’s as if some kings have never been not Attracting the strong, the poor, the traditional hero’s lot Unearthing dreams on a quest for the Holy Grail Performing epic deeds for the populace to hail They lead their men into battle, at the fore Mercurial imposing figures, [Read more]
Haiku World Cup
June 6, 2010 by 10 Comments
In less than a week, South Africa plays host to The Greatest Show on Earth when the World Cup kicks off in Johannesburg. Pretty soon, the Knackery will be full of punditry and prognostication on the fortunes of the Socceroos as they take on the world’s best. To celebrate, a panel of experts (actually, a [Read more]
Haiku Bob: round 10 – stars far apart
June 2, 2010 by 5 Comments
raising our beers to Didak’s first he snags another stars far apart – Cloke sends a long bomb to nowhere talk of a leadership spill – Maxwell loses traction on his own line rock in the stream – Ball stands in a tackle of four a mark only Brown could take taken again shimmering floodlight [Read more]
Haiku Bob: Round 9- the cat’s purr
May 25, 2010 by 4 Comments
after the sky bleeds cats from every nook and cranny no moon Beams the light inside the arc the dark rises – I wait for the moon and Leon one star – the pack releases Ablett ravaged trees – the flimsiest of hopes on Caff’s boot the cold begins its creep shots drift wide footprints [Read more]
Poetry: TWELVE STRAIGHT MATE
May 25, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The balmy army sat there calmly well….for just a little while thought they had the old foe down and out so they chanted, yelled and smiled openers smacked the ball around Australia in a pickle but balmy army hadn’t counted on a startling spell from Bichel he used the humps and hit the stumps made [Read more]
round 8 – the air crisps
May 20, 2010 by 3 Comments
top of the table clash spilling the wine I look up Heater fumbles the air crisps Pendlebury’s pinpoint pass autumn thickens no way through Sandilands night breeze flat-footed forwards in Toovey’s wake darkening skies Cloke from dead in front… all the fallen leaves – we get numbers around the ball umpire’s appreciation round the sound [Read more]
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