by Richard Naco Cometh the September school holidays, cometh the family holiday in September. Always the wrong time of the year, always taking me away at Grand Final time. (Last year it was as far away as New Zealand, which is a lovely bit of countryside but hardly AFL heartland.) Except this year. [Read more]
Hussey avoids the finger of blame
September 20, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Darren Dawson The finger of blame could be pointed at Sri Lanka, Australia and the wicket. All were culpable in allowing the Third Test in this hitherto interesting series to peter out into the tamest of draws. In what seemed a reaction to the raging turner produced for the First Test, the home [Read more]
The Footygods: the Phoenix
September 20, 2011 by 2 Comments
by Ian Latham The phoenix was an eagle like bird with golden feathers. It would build its nest from twigs and die when it burned only for a new bird to rise in its place. It was a great story of triumph over our inevitable decline. I was quietly hopeful of the triumph of [Read more]
The spectrum of turnovers
September 20, 2011 by 20 Comments
I am in the process of editing this year’s Footy Almanac. This is a truly joyous role. I am always struck by the originality of the writing (there are well-worn cliches as well, don’t worry). In Brian Matthews review of Freo v St Kilda (which so reminds me of his lovely footy essays in [Read more]
2 sausages, 1 barbie
September 20, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Rina Reiss Last Sunday (18th Sept 2011) a Muslim-Jewish harmony footy match with two mixed teams of Jewish and Muslim teenagers playing side by side at the Whitten Oval. I first heard about the footy match while sitting with a group of Almanackers in the audience of the live-to-air ABC 2 Aboriginal [Read more]
Sandover to Blackwell
September 20, 2011 by 2 Comments
Les Everett reports at the link below that ex-Blue Luke Blackwell, from Claremont, has taken this year’s Sandover Medal. Check the details and your thoughts. It’s worth noting that last year’s winner, Andrew Krakouer, is having a stellar season with reigning premiers Collingwood. Luke is not yet 25 years-old. Could his AFL career also be resurrected? http://australianrules.com.au/news/927/78/Sandover-to-Blackwell [Read more]
Rudd, Lyon, Freo and the Value of Nothing
September 20, 2011 by 14 Comments
by Peter Baulderstone I don’t like the Harvey assassination (Mark not Lee Harvey) and Lyon ascension (Ross not Gary). Trying to put aside the surprise, emotion and unfairness of the event, I want to put it in the context of our society and our politics in particular. As the old saw goes ‘art [Read more]
Dawdling Sri Lankans still a chance
September 20, 2011 by 7 Comments
I have played in cricket teams which lacked direction. Ones where you sat around the dressing room comparing hangovers, and talking about Friday’s play in the Test match. Then wandered out to bat. Or sauntered out to field. No chat. No plans. No sense of where we were on the ladder. But not many of [Read more]
North Melbourne: season in review
September 20, 2011 by 1 Comment
by Josh Barnstable Another season has gone and passed, and again it is a September perfectly suited for a three week break for North Melbourne supporters. We missed the finals, by six points, finishing in ninth position. The same as last year. The year before we ended up in 13th spot. We are slowly improving. [Read more]
Coaching Solutions
September 19, 2011 by 14 Comments
Okay, already! Alright, alright, I’ll do it. Somebody has to. I’ll coach an AFL team, damn it. Anyone see Mark Harvey being interviewed on Friday night? Died black hair, sunnies, faded grey t-shirt. He looked like another mug who hangs out at the TAB a bit too much. I mean, take away the [Read more]
Visigoths ransack Tigerland
September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
IF THE footy gods do pen the story of every season, they have started this one brilliantly. You can have your “Best of times, worst of times”. Dickens reads like a Funniest Home Videos auto-cue by comparison. Richmond’s performance last Thursday night has provided the perfect opening. We have started with a complication, a question, yet again [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – The Old Boys Can Bar corner and the 50 cent doubles
September 19, 2011 by 3 Comments
The Preliminary Finals of the Queensland Cup were both played at Redcliffe’s Dolphin Oval this weekend with two clear-cut results setting up an intriguing Grand Final next Sunday at Lang Park. Full credit to ABC-TV for telecasting both games live throughout the State. Memo to ABC-TV bean counters: In your drive to cut costs in [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Timing Your Departure
September 19, 2011 by 9 Comments
Way to go! It seems Darren Lockyer has been blessed with a fairytale farewell up in Broncoland. Others, however, have not left with such grace and glory. How to call time? Fortune has not always looked fairly upon those making a “last stand”. Who’s had the luck or judgement to finish “on song” – or [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – The fairytale continues
September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
For someone who appears not to particularly enjoy the attention of the public spotlight , Darren Lockyer gets plenty of it. Don’t get me wrong, Lockyer is entirely accommodating with the media, public and corporate demands. He is pure sporting hero. But I can’t help think sometimes the demands of attention must be tiring and [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Justice
September 19, 2011 by Leave a Comment
I was watching a program on SBS last week (insert obligatory “not that sort of show” comment here) on the problems involved with online gambling and it got me thinking how the changes in gambling had affected our day to day lives. Now, in my mind, if you can find your way through all the Senator [Read more]
Manchest United v Chelsea at Old Trafford by Basil Naimet
September 19, 2011 by 1 Comment
The much anticipated clash between two of the Premier league heavyweights didn’t disappoint on Monday morning (AEST) at Old Trafford. Manchester United looked set for a big score when Smalling scored in the eighth minute. Smalling was offside and missed by the sideline assistant referee. The goal though would set the pace for the Red Devils.
THE WRAP – FINALS ROUND II
September 19, 2011 by 5 Comments
WHERE LIFE IMITATES SPORT What a round it’s been in Footy Eddie. Rumours of the demise of the Hawthorn Football Team for 2011 have been greatly exaggerated. They weathered all The Thunder The Bloods could Pull Down From The Sky to move on to Carringbush next Friday. Meanwhile, over in Perth The Miseries, after coming [Read more]
The Footy Gods: Achilles
September 19, 2011 by 2 Comments
Achilles was fair of hair and fleet of foot. His troops loved him. He was fearless and beautiful. But not flawless. He could be moody and the tendon in his ankle was unprotected. And that is how the trojans killed him before the great victory of his troops. Not that the lesson was lost on [Read more]
Sri Lanka v Australia Third Test Day 3
September 19, 2011 by 7 Comments
Over the generations, Test cricket connoisseurs have savoured many great tandem acts. For Australian fans, the incandescent bowling partnership formed by the menacing moustachioed DK Lillee and the frightening beach-bum-looking JR Thomson unfortunately shone all too briefly. Other partnerships, like those two miserly yet very attacking bowling geniuses Warne and McGrath, or the masterful English [Read more]
New Norfolk and all who sail with her
September 18, 2011 by 6 Comments
IN TASMANIA In Tasmania the New Norfolk Eagles are a football enigma. Last Saturday they were striving for a three-peat, which had never previously been achieved by the club. In fact back-to-back only occurred last season, such is the sporadic nature of their premierships.
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