Heard Bill Ryan talking on the Coodabeens on Saturday. He was a club stalwart in the halcyon days of footy, playing 167 games, kicking 220 goals. Memories of my early years as a Cats supporter. I first barracked for them in 1969, their eighth and last finals campaign in a great run. In 1970 they fell [Read more]
The 2012 ‘Mopsy’ Fraser Cup – Round Six
May 8, 2012 by 1 Comment
Greetings Tipsters I’ve watched the football on teev in many places, from my loungeroom to an open-air bar in Asia, but before Sunday, I’d never watched it in the Commanding Officer’s cabin of a heavily-armed warship. Perky Girl and I were given a tour of the ship by the CO and I was much taken [Read more]
Gideon Haigh book launch with John Clarke
May 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Footygods: Ajax the great
May 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Ajax the great was tall, big strong and smart. When he was born, Heracles threw a lion skin around him and prayed that the baby’s skin would be just as tough and his courage just as strong. Zeus came through on most of that but left the skin soft around his neck just to show [Read more]
No Foxtel? No problem! There’s always the radio
May 8, 2012 by 4 Comments
Saturday mornings are frantic. Filling up water bottles, treating any niggles and getting a tennis bag ready, it isn’t easy! As My Dad, brother and I get in the car, we get half way along the neighbouring street until Dad says, “Max do you have any tennis balls?” We turn back.
Tipping with the head, not the heart
May 8, 2012 by 1 Comment
This year I’m in a tipping competition at my mother’s retirement home. The week-day manager is a bright and energetic woman, a footy nut and has 20 or so people, staff, family and residents, involved, including my mum, sister and I. Mum just tips who she likes, Denise and I take it a little more [Read more]
A Luculia Winter
May 8, 2012 by 10 Comments
I’m a mass murderer of luculias. At last count I’ve killed six of them, though one of the six died because it wasn’t potted up correctly at the nursery. I reckon I could get off that with a grievous bodily harm rap.
Crio’s Q: Eye-catching grounds
May 8, 2012 by 8 Comments
It must be Subi”, I deduced, glancing at the screen. There they were….M, M, M, M – the “messages on hold” stalwarts waving their signs behind the goal umpire. Somehow this amuses me. It also locates the venue. Bearings were not so evident before Saturday night’s FA Cup Final. Sure, everyone knows that is played at [Read more]
Scarf
May 8, 2012 by 6 Comments
I went to my second Super Rugby fixture last Friday night, and I wouldn’t be lying if I said I enjoyed it more than my first. There were plenty of tries, there was skill shown by both large and small, and the kicking for goal (I’m pretty sure that’s not the correct turn of phrase) [Read more]
Conflicted
May 8, 2012 by 6 Comments
A football love-hate story It’s happening and I swear I had nothing little to do with it. A couple months ago my wife dragged took my five year old boy to church. To her incredulity, out of nowhere he started singing Good old Collingwood for da ever (sic).
Round 6 Winners and Losers
May 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Round 6 is done and dusted and only one undefeated team remains. It will be remembered for giving us some great games, some horrible games and Joshua Bootsma. Winners West Coast Eagles Winners because they are the last remaining undefeated team. Losers because their entire list is going to be out with injury by round [Read more]
Ritual or routine?
May 7, 2012 by 24 Comments
Growing up, footy, for our family, was a matter of ritual. Each season developed its own rhythm, its own timetable, and we would find ourselves doing the same thing at the same time each week. Church, school, Saladas and Vegemite and Adventure Island after-school and then kick-to-kick, Monday’s newspaper to read, and F-Troop, being allowed [Read more]
Superdogs lick their wounds
May 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment
SOUTH AUSTRALIAN AFL MASTERS – ROUND THREE: RIVERLAND SUPERDOGS V ADELAIDE UNI GREYS The Riverland Superdogs’ winning start ended with a heavy loss to a classy and skilful Adelaide Uni Greys at Lyrup Oval on Sunday. Injuries and illness to key players did not help as the hosts went down by 94 points. Adelaide Uni [Read more]
Pies do it without the umpires – again
May 7, 2012 by Leave a Comment
There will be fireworks. There will yelling and cheering. There will be dancing in the streets. The Prime Minister of the day will tell the people of Australia that any boss who sacks their employee for not attending work the next day is a bum. And I want to be there to witness the event [Read more]
The Hardest Working Men in Football
May 7, 2012 by 6 Comments
What a week it’s been in life and footy, Eddie. Sorry, I’m suffering from Wrap Deprivation Syndrome. Who would have thought that he’d desert TLSWRF* and take the $1.5 million a season from GWS to ghost write Sheeds’ column for the Blacktown Bugle? (*The Long Suffering Wrap Reader Faithful).
Mosquito fleet helps Bombers soar
May 6, 2012 by 1 Comment
The “refugee” from Jersey rang me up earlier in the week to see if I was free to go and see the Dons take on Brisbane. Not a lot was on for me, so the answer was a quick yes. Now I don’t have a lot of love for the Emptyhead Stadium behind Spencer Street [Read more]
First in, best dressed
May 6, 2012 by 6 Comments
It is hard sometimes following AFL when attending university in NSW. With their obvious passion for league and union, footy comes third at best with the majority of my student colleagues. I am almost half way through my third year in Bathurst, and in all the time that I have been here, I have never been [Read more]
Good sumps mean good footy
May 6, 2012 by 2 Comments
Match 2 Coober Pedy Saints vs Hornridge Football Club 12.30pm Saturday 5th May 2012 Roxby Downs Oval. by George Laslett This week has been an insight into the life of a football club committeeman, organiser and run-around man. After last Saturday’s debacle of the coach going troppo at the boys and the last half [Read more]
From the US to Australia: a young boy’s introduction to footy
May 6, 2012 by Leave a Comment
My boys were born in Melbourne, we moved to California when they were 2 and 3, and they have spent the majority of there short lives in the USA. After living there for a little over a year there was a heartbreaking moment when I realised that my kids now sounded more American than [Read more]
Snooker with George
May 5, 2012 by 1 Comment
Every Wednesday morning I walked across the road and played snooker with George. On Saturdays I watched the local cricket … George lives with his sister in a sparse weatherboard home. The front fence is high and the gate is hard to open. Every room has different carpet, different wallpaper. Nothing matches. George [Read more]
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