Just when my next article this week was going to start with “I write with no pain and suffering”, in the way of the footy world, this has completely changed on Thursday night 15th September 2011. The GOOD was being with nine other Almanackers (or family members) and meeting at the Marngrook Footy Show, in [Read more]
The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: or another day in the life of a Saints supporter…
September 16, 2011 by 4 Comments
Sal’s Tips: Finals Week 2
September 16, 2011 by 3 Comments
Happy Finals to All, However all the action looks like it is off the ground with tonight’s disposal of Mark Harvey by the Purple Haze putting fuel on the coaching frenzy fire. If reports are correct that Get Stuffed Lyon will be new Purple Wizard, then it should spark some frenzied activity with Melbourne, Footscray [Read more]
One Hundred Years Ago: 2nd Semi Final, 16th September, 1911
September 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
All available evidence suggests that Jack Worrall was a man of practical methods. A plain-speaking disciplinarian who proved a model for most successful coaches who followed. His famous recommendation to his players that ‘football and booze don’t mix’ suggests a man of temperate habits and firm resolve. The teams he coached were renowned for [Read more]
Grand Final Scoreboards
September 16, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Scoreboard Pressure, the website dedicated to scoreboards, is featuring Grand Final scoreboards over the next few weeks. First up are scoreboards from the 1977 VFL, 1986 WAFL, 1990 TFL, 1998 VFL(VFA) Grand Finals. Part 2’s looking like: 1973 WAFL, 1999 AFL, 2002 WAFL, 2008 VFL and 2010 GSFL (WA). Then part 3 will be a [Read more]
BREAKDOWN OF A GF….DEFEAT
September 16, 2011 by 1 Comment
In the traditions of the TV Show 24 (for some reason I have ONE on the TV in the background)….The following takes place between 6:30AM and 11:00PM on Saurday 3 September 2011. 6:30AM: Wake up after short sleep, try to make sure footy gear is dry. 7:00: Warm shower, pleasantly surprised hot water is working. [Read more]
Looking for a win for the improving Australians
September 15, 2011 by 3 Comments
It may not be the Ashes, it’s September in the footy season and cricket certainly doesn’t seem to be at the forefront of many sports fans’ minds. But the Third Test against Sri Lanka starting in Colombo on Friday is very important for the rehabilitation of Australian cricket after the problems of recent times. Michael [Read more]
Go Harvey, go!
September 15, 2011 by 114 Comments
Mark Harvey has been sacked as Freo’s coach. Early rumours were that Ross Lyon might get the gig. Slightly less early rumours now suggest that Rocket Eade is in the frame. STOP PRESS!! Even less early news is that it IS Ross Lyon who will be announced as the new Freo coach. Gerard Whately [Read more]
DA’s Clue of the Round (26)
September 15, 2011 by 2 Comments
Catch up with the wonderful world of David Astle here. But before you do, see if you can find the answers to this week’s clue. This week we browse Brownlow winners over the last 20 years. Playing with the winners’ surnames only, you will find: 1. A colour; 2. A major novel by the [Read more]
GWS is a Menace
September 15, 2011 by 23 Comments
by Dave Nadel It seems to me that Greater Western Sydney has taken a different approach to its pre-draft recruiting than Gold Coast did last year. The two best players that Gold Coast took, Ablett and Harbrow, were taken from clubs who had played off in the Preliminary Finals last year. Two other players, [Read more]
Playing finals football: how to make your head hurt.
September 15, 2011 by 13 Comments
by Antony Ugoni From the outset I should declare my love of the format of the final 8. It has everything I could hope for in a finals system. That is Rewards for finishing close to the top of the eight. Teams in positions 1 to 4 earn either a week’s rest or [Read more]
Mark of the Year: Part I.
September 15, 2011 by 8 Comments
Never take a mark for granted. They are the sweetest thing. Never take The Mark of the Year for granted, either. People say it like it’s a fact. “That was the mark of the year!” Full stop. Odds are, Walker will win the telly one, but footy means many different things to many [Read more]
deeper into spring
September 14, 2011 by 5 Comments
spring sunset the difference a goal makes freshly cut fields Swan feeds on the MCG cloud then sun then cloud yet to hit our stride looking for the angle Krakouer turns his back to the goals a gap in the clouds Wellingham catches the [Read more]
Loxton North say hoo-roo to a hoodoo
September 14, 2011 by 1 Comment
A-GRADE RFL LOXTON NORTH V WAIKERIE – GRAND FINAL 2011, Sept 10th 2011 By Nick Kossatch at Loxton North Loxton North broke a seven-year hoodoo by thrashing Waikerie to the tune of 42 points in the RFL Grand Final at Loxton North. The Magpies dominated the play early with skipper Ben Venning booting the first [Read more]
Someone Like You
September 14, 2011 by 11 Comments
This link’s gone through email in-boxes like wildfire but even if you’ve seen it already, it’s worth another look: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oFGGD_d9GnQ&feature=share Feel free to share your thoughts below.
DAY 5 AT KANDY
September 13, 2011 by 4 Comments
One of the surprising sites in Kandy is to see a dog with four legs. There are not as many dogs as at Whitten Oval which has surprised me. Most of them laze around on the very edges of the main roads. None are fat (Georgie Bissett) but lean (Robert Murphy). As a dog lover [Read more]
Blues Rediscover That Finals Swagger
September 13, 2011 by 21 Comments
We’re all well aware of a grim anniversary that occurred this weekend past. I’ve no intention of adding to the numerous postulations on what that event may or may not have meant. So relax. But that same week a decade ago happens to also mark the beginning of Carlton’s descent. In the general scheme of [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – A numbers game
September 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Coming into this weekend I found myself once again scratching my head, just like most rugby league fans as to how this McIntyre Finals system operates. Apparently it’s all about rankings, and provided you keep winning, elimination isn’t a problem. On the surface, it sounds simple enough. But delving a little deeper, I realised that [Read more]
Almanac Rugby League – Going the distance
September 13, 2011 by Leave a Comment
You learn a lot about life from watching Rocky movies. “It’s not about how hard you hit, but about how hard you can get hit and keep moving forward,” Sylvester Stallone’s iconic character Rocky Balboa says in the final film of the franchise. “[It’s about] how much you can take and keep moving forward. That’s [Read more]
When the Band Stopped
September 13, 2011 by 3 Comments
After a week-long build up focusing on match ups, previous finals clashes, a 100 year long rivalry, finals ticketing dramas and the usual injury concerns, 90,000 people arrived at the MCG ready for action. You would think that such an attendance would be a glowing endorsement of the appeal of the indigenous code. With an [Read more]
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