Champagne Football: Myth and Bubbles

By Phil Dimitriadis Champagne is the alcoholic drink commonly associated with upper class tastes. It appears absurdly paradoxical that many fans that utter this expression would probably do so with while drinking beer or soft drinks. The only time we see champagne after a game of football is when it is poured into the premiership [Read more]

What’$ the point?

There was a lot of hype this year of it being the closest top eight for many seasons; up to six or even seven of the top eight could win the whole thing. No one had ever had to win 13 games to get eighth before. Geelong fans were talking up the possibility of winning [Read more]

A short passage from Mongrel Punt – the novel

Mongrel Punt is a new novel by poet, author and former footy player Ged Zochling. This is his first novel, launching on Thursday 20 September at Gertrude’s Brown Couch in Fitzroy at 7:00pm. This story follows three players on a top grade footy team as they enter Grand Final week – the biggest week of [Read more]

Van the man!

A wonderful Robin Van Persie hat-trick saved Manchester United from an unlikely loss against lowly Southampton.

Tomic the Tank Engine

Tomic There are modest champions like Sam Stosur and Pat Rafter, and then there is Bernard Tomic who has done nothing and is a prat. In his second round US Open match Tomic lost to the soon to retire Andy Roddick in straight sets losing the third set 6-0. During the last set John McEnroe [Read more]

Swans are live

With the Sydney Swans experiencing a somewhat unseen resurgence it feels appropriate to mention another bunch of Swans also making their own understated comeback this year. Born in the bowels of NYC in the early ‘80’s the band Swans, led by Michael Gira, have been unleashing their genre-defining sound on the world for thirty years [Read more]

Hurry up Travis, Shutup media

Travis Cloke this and Travis Cloke that! Seriously Travis just sign or leave its not that hard, stay with us and play finals or leave and get more money. Make your choice and put us all out of our misery already!

Domenic Favata Interview

By Phil Dimitriadis PD: Hi Domenic and welcome to the Junior Footy Almanac. Can you start by telling us how you became involved with the Footy Almanac? DF: Thanks Phil. My involvement with the Footy Almanac began with a gift, the 2008 Footy Almanac, which began a series of events that led to my eventual [Read more]

Gold Coast footy alive and well

      By Cheryl Critchley “Gee-long, Gee-long, Gee-long!” Some things never change, even 1800km from Sleepy Hollow. We’re at Metricon Stadium on the Gold Coast and the Cats’ Cheer Squad sounds as hick as ever. “Gee-long, Gee-long!” The small but dedicated band of “Southerners” is surrounded by Suns supporters decked out in their still [Read more]

Of Bogans and Burqas

By Phil Dimitriadis The AFL celebrates multicultural round this week. Its catchcry is: “Many cultures, one game”. Possibly, but there is more to promoting cross-cultural understanding than just vacuous slogans and panegyric rhetoric. People from diverse cultural backgrounds are still seen as a novelty and until this changes  Australian football will not realistically reflect the [Read more]

Too tough to lose : the Story of Laurie Morgan, Australia’s first equestrian Olympic gold medallist

  Book Review by Jan Smith Too tough to lose : the Story of Laurie Morgan, Australia’s first equestrian Olympic gold medallist. By Warwick Morgan.  Published by Forty Degrees South, Hobart, Tasmania. Not many sons write a book about their father, but not too many people have a father like legendary sportsman Laurie Morgan.  Australia [Read more]

Susie Giese: The Facebook Interview

Susie Giese: The Facebook Interview Susie Giese is an emotional, yet intelligent Geelong fan who has just graduated in the field of Sports Journalism from Deakin University. Writing for The Footy Almanac helped her land her first job for the Geelong Advertiser  and she is well on the way to being a major force in the world [Read more]

Sports of All Sorts

                                                              Sports of all sorts                                                      By Anastasia Dimitriadis                                                                   Grade 6   As a little child, sport has always and still [Read more]

Port Adelaide v North Melbourne

Port Adelaide v North Melbourne By Josh Barnstable When the fixture was first released last November, my eyes were drawn to Round 8 of a Saturday afternoon. Port Adelaide v North Melbourne from AAMI Stadium, on free to air telly on a Saturday! Beating the likes of Hawthorn v Fremantle and even Sydney v Melbourne. [Read more]

For Those Who Wait – The Barry Jarman Story

The biography “For Those Who Wait – The Barry Jarman Story” is not only a loving portrayal of its subject, a man who captained Australia in one Test match, but also of a time when suburban heroes ruled the world of every young man who loved his sport.

Book Review: Australia Story of a Cricket Country

  Editor:  Christian Ryan Publisher:  Hardie Grant RRP:  $90   (Almanac price $75. Details here)   We are told a lot of things nowadays. We’re told nobody buys books anymore. That iPads and eBooks are the inevitable, irresistible way of the future. Even cricket administrators tell us few under thirty care much about test cricket now. [Read more]

110% Episode 1

Check out Barry Nicholls’ (ABC presenter from WA) new show, 110%.   http://blogs.abc.net.au/grandstand/2012/02/110-with-barry-nicholls-.html   Barry looks forward to contacting quite a few Almanac contributors in the months to come.          

Cricket Dreaming by Barry Nicholls

  Cricket Dreaming by Barry Nicholls  $25 (+ $5 postage) The experiences, stories and characters of a life in cricket.

The Story of 78 by Barry Nicholls

  The Story of 78 by Barry Nicholls  $25 (+ $5 postage) One of the most thrilling and consequential grand finals in South Australian lore. Sturt and Norwood fight out a classic.

Memoirs of a Mug Punter by John Harms

  Memoirs of a Mug Punter by John Harms  $30 (+ $5 postage) Can a horse syndicate also set a socialist example? Can truth and beauty be found at a country race track? Follow the adventures of Courting Pleasure, and those who had a stake in her.