The Stand is dead, long live the Stand

Watching Kardinia Park take centre stage on Saturday night, Stephen Cooke’s thoughts turn to the past – and Kent Kingsley.

AFL Round 10 – Melbourne v Hawthorn: Hawks untroubled by the bald and the dutiful

Aussie80s went to the MCG concerned for Hawthorn’s form against bald players but on this sunny winter’s day he had nothing to worry about. Unlike Mark Neeld.

AFL Round 10 – Collingwood v Brisbane: Dr Seuss and the big storm

There was a game on Friday night but David Wilson (aka e.regnans) had bigger fish to fry: A thought-provoking week; a brilliant community book launch; a crackerjack storm. Dr Seuss was right.

Footy in South-East Asia

Former AFL umpire Adam McDonald now umpires in South-East Asia, and has been involved with the Bali Geckos, Malaysian Warriors and the Vietnam Swans.

AFL Round 10 – North Melbourne v St. Kilda: The very best things

The Saints were out of the game at the end of the first quarter. So there was no expectation or suspense. It just was, writes Yvette Wroby. (Being Yvette, there were plenty of positives to take out of the night.)

AFL Round 10 – Melbourne v Hawthorn: Neelding change – urgently

Exactly one year ago to the day, Melbourne pulled off a stirring victory against Essendon. It’s been a long, long year, writes Dees fan Michael Thompson.

AFL Round 10 – Sydney v Essendon: Delivering the Goodes

A nervous Tom Bally forecast a close game with The Enemy on a ground increasingly unsuited to Sydney’s style of play. He now predicts a coaching career isn’t on the cards for him anytime soon.

AFL Round 10 – Adelaide v Fremantle: Kensington Road runs straight for a while before turning

This game wasn’t about “the four points” for Fremantle fans like Neil Belford, it was about revenge, cold and simple.

AFL Round 10 – Sydney v Essendon: Sydney strong, Goodes good.

The upsetting week in footy prompts Rod Oaten to remember one of the VFL’s earliest Aboriginal players as he watches the Swans do battle with his Dons in rainy Tinsel Town.

AFL Round 10 – Carlton v GWS Giants: Bring on the thrashing

Damian Watson was asked whether he didn’t have anything better to do when entering Etihad to watch the Blues and Giants. He figures he endured enough 100+ point drubbings throughout his team’s ‘salary-cap punishment years’ to enjoy basking in a one-sided victory.

Easy targets

Peter Davis was struck once while umpiring. It was in a game of under 14s.

AFL Round 9 – North Melbourne v Adelaide: Who booked my flight?

Crows fan Rajesh Singh had to catch an early flight back from his recent Melbourne weekend. No problem,it just meant leaving the North-Adelaide match 20 minutes into the last quarter. What could go wrong?

Mitch Morton and the worriers

Craig Dodson may well have instigated a rich outpouring of personal angst here in this interesting discussion of sport and anxiety.

Almanac Rugby League – Homecoming

After 15 years away, a weary traveller returns excitedly to Cronulla for the Sharks match against Souths. And it proves to be a good night to come home.

DA Puzzle of the Round (10)

Another mind-melter from the best in the business, David Astle.

AFL Round 10 Preview

JTH has a look at Round 10.

How to Watch Footy (part 11): Seconds, guests and postcodes

The new Bendigo Gold club, replacing the Bendigo Bombers, is struggling, as is Vin Maskell, charged with the responsibility of manning an electronic scoreboard with a life of its own.

A grey backdrop to the colour picture

Jeff Dowsing asks whether the images of Winmar lifting his jumper has made lasting headway into the headspace of the average Australian. Have we learnt anything in the 20 years since?

AFL Round 10 Preview: Wilburrrrr

Sal Ciardulli took a look this week at which clubs (not including the new teams) are playing the most kids with 50 games or less. After Melbourne and the Dogs comes…Hawthorn. Worryingly for Richmond fans, they are fielding less new players than all but Sydney.

Hypocritical racism

Matt Watson recalls his first introduction to racism when, as an 11-year-old kid, he watched North fans abuse Rioli and Richmond fans abuse the Krakouer brothers. It made no sense to him. It still doesn’t.