Prelude: This mad Monday for night footy saw Rina and I picking up Amanda from her place. Someone had run into her car a while ago, and by next week she will have a new set of wheels. At Amanda’s front door, we met a “fairy” in the form of her very little sister. Once [Read more]
The Yorkshiremen
May 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Collingwood fans in Queensland often end up like Monty Python’s Yorkshiremen; standing around with tans and expensive shoes talking about how tough Reservoir was in the seventies. The collection of aging tradies and engineers in black and white standing in front of us at the Gabba on Saturday were the classic bunch. They were keen [Read more]
No. 55: Austin McCrabb and Mark Neeld
May 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
With no players since 1980 having represented the Cats in Number 54, we skip to two Geelong favourites who wore the Number 55. Number 55 – Austin McCrabb and Mark Neeld Colac farmer Austin McCrabb was a cult figure with Geelong supporters who stepped out in the number 55 jumper for the final two home [Read more]
For the love of professional sport
May 17, 2012 by 6 Comments
For the love of professional sport It’s easy to be cynical towards professional sport. I can be and I sense your average Almanacker (those old enough to be cynical) is a true believer who fears something is being lost. That our sports stars, clubs, franchises and competitions, have become distant, unaffordable, inaccessible, compromised, bastardised, less [Read more]
autumn veins
May 17, 2012 by Leave a Comment
autumn night long before it ends the game over goal in the first minute and the last in between the scrap deep autumn veins bulge on the neck of the coach sun long gone the forward line lacking spark sultry night a set shot slides away away game short passing left behind some leaves dead [Read more]
When a throw is a throw
May 17, 2012 by 16 Comments
In baseball they call it a pitch, in netball a pass, in football a handpass. In all three cases it could simply be called a throw. I remember gathering around Mr Patto at footy training as an eight year old at Petrie Park in Montmorency. Mr Patto was a legend; Montmorency’s Pied Piper. Rather than [Read more]
In The Beginning Of The Royboy Bail-Out Was The End Of The Word Love.
May 16, 2012 by 34 Comments
I remember everything and that is unforgivable when you love the Fitzroy Football Club with every molecule and gum-guard. I have always adored them in their absence and write them back to life at every single chance. When the blessed can-rattlers came out like ghouls bearing bent two bob bits I knew the jig was [Read more]
Take no heed of the early crow
May 16, 2012 by 6 Comments
I wish my boy was seven years older so he could have come home from Reservoir West primary on Monday and seek me out to make things better; put him at ease. For those little monsters wearing different colours would have been telling him his world is about to turn for the worst. That his [Read more]
1980 A Personal Footy Almanac – Round 8, Saturday 17 May, v Carlton, MCG
May 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
It’s 12.30pm and the upper deck of the Southern Stand is already a sea of faces. Sure, the cool, showery weather has encouraged the early arrivals to grab the under cover seats, but this crowd isn’t just regulars huddled together for shelter. This is huge. I grab one of the few remaining areas of bench [Read more]
DA Puzzle of the Round (8)
May 16, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Discover the world of David Astle here. But first, can you solve this week’s puzzle? Two prominent players, From two Melbourne-based teams. Who paired could be magical, Or so it seems. Since the midfielder And forward combined Echo house members Of a sorcerous kind. Abracadabra, what two stars? And what house? (No mixing [Read more]
Perplexed, Warburton.
May 16, 2012 by 4 Comments
Never has a club been so blessed in being sacked by its coach as St Kilda in losing Ross Lyon. Two years ago I wrote up a Carlton-St Kilda game for the Almanac. In 45 years of watching the game I’ve seen some monumental thrashings, but always there’s been a Bobby Skilton, or even [Read more]
Round 7 Winners and Losers
May 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Round 7 was a round unlike many others. The competition’s newest members got their inaugural win, and the smallest winning margin was 3 goals. This week’s list features plenty of unexpected winners as underdogs not only came away with victories, but significant margins to boot. Winners The Greater Western Sydney Giants This match was the [Read more]
The 2012 ‘Mopsy’ Fraser Cup – Round Seven
May 15, 2012 by 2 Comments
Greetings Tipsters Instinct is important in itself, but more important is knowing when to go with it. Works in all sorts of situations, whether a mate introduces you to his new girlfriend and the sirens blare and emergency lights flash “Noooo, don’t do it!” or your sister introduces you to her new boyfriend and he’s [Read more]
The View from Shepparton
May 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Well, I might as well been on Mars trying to follow the footy this weekend, but instead, extremely happily it must be said, I and the Minister For Home Affairs were wending our way to the Sunshine Coast to get away from the cold and gloom of Victoria. The only thing was for whatever reason it was [Read more]
Toasting Crows victory with Black Caviar
May 15, 2012 by 2 Comments
Sport can do funny things to people. If you’re anything like me you’ve most likely just nodded in agreement. For fanatics like you and I it makes us go to extraordinary lengths to be a part of great sporting moments. I did something that normal people would probably think was a little crazy on the [Read more]
Nail biter
May 15, 2012 by 2 Comments
Ive bitten my fingers right down. I can barely type this because of the pain. It starts when the game starts. I’m a Carlton supporter. My Dad who I no longer have any contact with was and still is a Hawthorn supporter. I grew up going to watch Hawthorn games right throughout the 80s and [Read more]
No away strip in Royal Blues v Blues up the bush
May 15, 2012 by 5 Comments
Spent a few days at Donald recently, in the heart of the Mallee, it being the location of the famous Bullocks Head tree, also being at the centre of the right wing, White Army mobilisation of March 6 1931. Whilst there why not go to the footy, and see a classic North Central League encounter. Donald played Charlton, [Read more]
No fairy tale ending at the SCG
May 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
On the eve of round 6, one astute observer made the point that Melbourne Storm, in the Sydney based NRL and the Sydney Swans, playing in Melbourne-centric AFL were both undefeated. Contrary indeed. The potential for a good match between Sydney and Adelaide loomed. After a great win against Hawthorn, the Swans were set to [Read more]
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