By Phil Dimitriadis The Club by David Williamson examines the political machinations of a failing football club and the power plays of its traditional and emerging stakeholders. The play challenges the hero myth and teamwork ethic that seems prevalent in the celebratory publications. It is a play about relationships and their vulnerability as the club [Read more]
A strange scene
March 7, 2012 by 1 Comment
by Steve Merry It is a strange scene. Thirteen thousand fans have rated this event worthy of their attendance. Worthy of donning their team’s colours. Worthy of coordinating plans with friends or family. But to show that one might actually care about the result tonight is another matter. Only a brave few seem prepared [Read more]
Obituary – Hank Nelson
March 6, 2012 by 4 Comments
by Gavan Daws (Peter Temple read it and thought it would be of interest to readers…and he was dead right) From Peter: here is a link to a great obit for Hank Nelson, a much-loved prof at the ANU, written by a colleague and lifelong friend, Gavan Daws. Hank was such a quintessential Aussie [Read more]
The unintentional comedy in the 2012 membership videos.
March 6, 2012 by 4 Comments
With the 2012 regular season less than a month away, clubs are stepping up their efforts in order to get more members on board for the upcoming season. Given how important membership is to fans and clubs alike, it seems appropriate that we should analyse the membership videos. Some promise success. Some promise excitement. Some [Read more]
How the West is being won
March 6, 2012 by 9 Comments
by Rod Gillett AFL football will be played at four different venues in Sydney this season. Three of those are in western Sydney. Only one is in the city, the traditional home of the game, the Sydney Cricket Ground. Footy has been played at the SCG since the 1880s and hosted VFL matches as [Read more]
The tides of March
March 6, 2012 by 4 Comments
by Jeff Dowsing After a glorious last hurrah, the summer of 2012 evaporated quicker than Sean Marsh’s batting average. Hard to believe it’s already March. It must be a loathsome month for emo-goths, artistes and like minded hipsters with serious sport allergies. NRL, Super Rugby, A-League, AFL in-embryo, and cricket’s tail end all scramble [Read more]
Broken moulds (or do all Croweaters really have mullets?)
March 5, 2012 by 34 Comments
Some of footy’s great “thinkers” caused a furore by alluding (or was it stronger – I don’t watch that stuff!) that Aborigines lack endurance and hence would suffer from further interchange limitations.* On our discussion thread for crio’s racing this weekend, Skip of Skipton pondered if chestnuts just don’t handle the wet. Funnily enough, we [Read more]
‘Big Red’ Bows Out
March 5, 2012 by 4 Comments
Popular Warrnambool figure Chris “Big Red” Jennings has passed away, aged just 47. The Warrnambool Standard reports: http://www.standard.net.au/news/local/news/general/big-red-bows-out-a-shark-forever/2475584.aspx
FOOTY ALMANAC TRIP ACROSS THE DITCH
March 5, 2012 by 6 Comments
Friday 1 June to Sunday 3 June Join John Harms and other intrepid Almanackers for a weekend in North West Tasmania
Almanac Rugby League – March: the month of shared hope
March 5, 2012 by Leave a Comment
March is a legitimate contender for my favourite month of the year. In no other month does the concept of hope resonate more strongly. Hope that my tipping competition exploits and ongoing duels with bookmakers will prove victorious over the winter months. Hope that via another skill-based medium, that of fantasy football in its multiple [Read more]
Standin’ on the Outside Lookin’ in
March 5, 2012 by 17 Comments
Well, it has been an interesting couple of weeks. They have just removed the warning signs from the Manuka precinct alerting passers by to the higher than average level of lobbyists in the area and the café patrons now have faces. There is no greater sport in Canberra than politics and the imminent arrival of [Read more]
Who Do You Think You Are?
March 5, 2012 by 1 Comment
As I jumped on the tram immediately after work on Friday, the familiar thrill of Friday Night Football was back. The worries of the five previous working days were swiped away with my Myki as I shook off the dust of the CBD and crawled towards Brunswick St. The clear air of the weekend descended [Read more]
Young and Old
March 5, 2012 by 4 Comments
During the off-season I did the only thing I could to keep me going; watched the Grand Final replay once a week, scoured the internet for any footy news, the draft, trade week, new appointments and when there was none of that to be done I went to the pub. As things unfolded I became [Read more]
A MEXICAN VENTURES INTO RUGBY TERRITORY …. IN MELBOURNE !!
March 4, 2012 by 1 Comment
By Richard Jones It was never going to be an easy assignment. A Victorian venturing forth to take in his first, live look at a transplanted northern states’ code in Australian Rules heartland. But I agreed to accompany our English son-in-law, his Dad who’s out in Oz on a summer holiday and sundry Queenslanders and [Read more]
Tamworth 2
March 4, 2012 by 2 Comments
by Andrew Starkie Our hostess has her head on the counter and appears to have nodded off. Suddenly alert, she grimaces, runs her hand through her bed hair and focuses bloodshot eyes. Sorry darls… I’m a bit hungover…where was I? That’s right, here’s your key. Towels are in your room.
PLENTY OF THEATRE AT ADELAIDE OVAL
March 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
By Peter Argent While the famed Festival Fringe had many acts playing around the Adelaide CBD on Saturday evening, February 25, at the home of SA sport, there was plenty of theatre as well. For South Australia they had a Doctor who was trying prove he still had what it takes to impact for his [Read more]
Sport and friendship
March 4, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Knowing people comes in handy. I once got free tickets to a show at the National Gallery of Victoria because I knew a guy who worked behind the information desk. I hadn’t seen him for about three years, but he didn’t mind, in fact he seemed to revel in dishing out free goods. I didn’t [Read more]
THE LITTLE DOG WHO LIVED A BIG LIFE
March 2, 2012 by 7 Comments
Our family pet dog, Spot, should’ve been the Western Bulldogs mascot. He wasn’t a bulldog – he was a Jack Russel/Foxy cross – but he thought he was a giant. He walked with a strut, which with old age became a slow, confident swagger. He was barrel-chested and mischievous and had more friends in [Read more]
Premier Cricket: Round 16 Preview
March 2, 2012 by Leave a Comment
The Sixteenth and final home and away round of Premier Cricket for season 2011/12 will be played over the next two Saturdays, 3 & 10 March. A preview, including the obligatory feeble attempt at picking winners, follows. MATCH OF THE ROUND Prahran (2nd) 56pts v Carlton (1st) 67pts v @ Toorak Park Toorak 2011/12 [Read more]
The local footy book
March 2, 2012 by 9 Comments
Hi all, Yes! The local footy book lives! Malarkey Publications, publisher of The Footy Almanac, should soon be in a position to revive the local footy book of essays that went into abeyance last year. We have a dozen completed pieces and several others in the editing stage (see list below) but [Read more]
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