Essendon win twice

Today was the first tennis match of the season. We were versing old rivals on a cold wet Saturday morning. As I am number one in my team, I play the first singles and don’t get the luxury of warming up in the doubles especially with my sore shoulder. The courts were wet under foot [Read more]

Labels and brands and markets

Not so long ago down here in Tassie mum went shopping at the local corner store or supermarket and she would buy a particular brand of milk, bread or toothpaste. This was a time when football was footy and we went to watch the local team play at grounds like the then unlabelled York Park [Read more]

Ralph

Three years ago I was given the opportunity of a lifetime when appointed  Regional Development Manager (RDM) for AFL NT. For the next two years my home was Elcho Island; a remote location based 500km east of Darwin where one of the biggest Indigenous communities in Australia, Galiwinku, is situated. I’ll never forget the first [Read more]

We have to talk about Melbourne!

Da-da-da-da to all, Well for this week anyway! What was that cooking slogan again? Now to keep the lid on! All the shenanigans between Eddie and Mick turned out to be a bit of bonus for a few other clubs who should have been in the spotlight. Whilst I might not be Buckley’s biggest fan, [Read more]

John Kingsmill’s Footy Diary

Round Four, preview Here’s a chance Here’s a chance for Port. Collingwood is tearing itself to bits. Here’s one round where Port can note that its opposition is more ragged than itself. Here’s a chance to put their foot upon their throat in the last quarter, where the game may still be there to be [Read more]

THE PRE WRAP – ROUND IV

FOR THE PHILOSOPHICAL MARNGROOK FAN What a week it’s been in Footy Eddie.  Bury my heart at Victoria Park.  Talk about The Club That Ate Itself.  You could write a play about it.  (It’s been done Wrap – Ed)  But surely we’ve all seen this coming?  The stabled ox looks longingly at the fallow field. [Read more]

Twelve Months on a Pogo Stick: Part 2

By Bill Walker Summer Sojourn   The summer break is always a challenging time for small footy clubs. The game day business is finished but book balancing is daunting, annual dinner and AGM loom and coaching review and recruitment are pivotal to player recruitment. Every aspect of our club’s administration is undertaken by volunteers. They [Read more]

The Return of The Ross

  The Return of The Ross David Downer   Weird shit happens at St Kilda v Fremantle games.   Two encounters have even been tagged with monikers more suited to lunchtime tele-movies, or perhaps Kevin Costner latter career stinkers.   The low budget 2006 Tasmanian thriller, Sirengate. And its prelude, the previous year’s cross-Nullabor production, [Read more]

The Day The Tiger Ate The Cat

As Richmond heads down the highway to take on the might of Geelong, seriously one of the greatest teams of all, I began to reflect on the last successful trip I made down to Kardinia Park. Actually, the only successful trip I’ve made to the Cattery. Funnily enough, it seems fairly recent. You see, the [Read more]

Too much Licca spoils Port

Collingwood’s 50 Most Sensational Games 2002 Qualifying final Collingwood     5.3.33   9.6.60   13.9.87    16.12.108 Port Adelaide   3.1.19   8.3.51    12.6.78    14.11.95 VENUE: AAMI Stadium DATE: Friday 3 September CROWD: 33,131 UMPIRES: Allen, Avon, Goldspink COLLINGWOOD B Johnson Wakelin Burns HB Clement Prestigiacomo Cloke C Lockyer O’Bree L Davis HF Didak A Rocca Fraser F Molloy Tarrant Betheras [Read more]

I know the feeling, the Blues have arrived

It is a beautiful feeling. A feeling that we believe will never arrive. Many fans have yet to feel it. But whilst it is such a rare personal occurrence, it happens to at least one group of supporters most seasons. It’s that rush of the heart, a sudden realisation, such a fast realisation that it [Read more]

THE AFL ‘ALL-ROUNDERS’

I really enjoyed my footy last weekend! It started with great anticipation leading into Friday night footy at the MCG where the Blues took on the Pies. Then my daughter and I watched an unexpectedly absorbing contest between the Gold Coast Suns and the Bombers on Saturday night. Come Sunday afternoon, as I thought the weekend was winding [Read more]

Almanac Rugby League – Another Kind of Heaven

The highest individual honour in Northern Territory Rugby League is the Frank Johnson Medal and is awarded to the Best and Fairest player in the Darwin Rugby League. Frank Johnson was a tireless servant of the game. Originally playing seniors for the Port Kembla Blacks in the Illawarra at the age of 16 he quickly [Read more]

Standin’ on the Outside Lookin’ in – Post Round 3

  Round 3 of the footy is over and things have never been more clearer in terms of where the year is heading. The gurus at HQ must have a team of speech writers working around the clock producing press releases that do not contain the terms “equalisation” and “compromised” as the competition has not [Read more]

Crio’s Racing: Doncaster Day

Heavy rain and a resultant heavy track has put a dampener on what looked likely to be a vintage Doncaster Day this Saturday, with Gai preening her beloved More Joyous for a fabulous final fling. Randwick patrons should flock back after the momentous meeting last weekend. Highlights abounded. Pat Carey and Rhys McLeod won the [Read more]

1980 A Personal Footy Almanac – Round 4, Saturday 19 April, v Collingwood, Victoria Park

Victoria Park I remember as a little kid being driven down the hill through Studley Park towards Collingwood and seeing in the distance the packed stands of Victoria Park on match-day.  That vantage point, just near John Wren’s mansion, was as close as I ever got to the Magpies’ infamous old ground until this, my [Read more]

DA Puzzle of the Round (4)

Discover the world of David Astle here. But first, can you solve this week’s puzzle?   Both stars are among the taller players in the same top-eight team. Placed side-by-side they sound out a sportsman somewhere between 80-90 kilos. Name all three athletes.   Solution next week   Solution to DA Puzzle 3: Budweiser Franklin, [Read more]

Round 3, 2012. Richmond v Melbourne

Logging onto the official AFL tipping website with just minutes to register my tips before the round 3 deadline, I came to game 2 and had to do a double take… Richmond was considered a 94% chance of winning! Ninety-four per cent! Now I understand that Melbourne is a ‘club in crisis’ and other such [Read more]

Small steps in an industry built on four legs

On Saturday afternoon, I – as unassumingly as I could – entered the age-old ambiance of the TAB Sportsbar at a local pub. This is neither a first-time practice for me but nor is it a regular one. This is about family! With six minutes left before they jumped out of the barrier at Hamilton for [Read more]

I should stick to writing

  And there I was: doe eyed, mic in hand, looking straight into the spotlight, the camera pointed straight at me, words coming out of my mouth in a baffled slur before I could even think about what I was saying. Welcome to my nightmare, the worse experience of my life. Okay let me fill [Read more]