Peter Lawrence is a former Committeeman with the Melbourne Racing Club. Fawning to him, former colleagues have shafted legendary sports identity (and remaining link to the Williamstown Racing Club) J.J. Liston, renaming from 2010 a time-honoured “Spring”-board for WFA stardom. The horses, of course, know nothing of this blight and the owners and trainers still [Read more]
Adapted Fencing
August 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
“Keep your guard up, with your arm out straight. Move the blade with your wrist,” My Dad said as he fixed my grip on the weapon. “En guarde, evut pre , alles vous en. “Quarte, Octave, Septime, Quinte.” I parried as he said the numbers corresponding to the positions but I was being pushed [Read more]
Footy grounds of yore
August 11, 2011 by 5 Comments
The older you get the more your mind drifts back to earlier times, not that they were all good, as some would have you make out, but when it comes to sport and football in particular, all the memories are good. Footy grounds, especially the eleven suburban grounds of the old VFL, bring back happy [Read more]
Fantasy and reality
August 11, 2011 by Leave a Comment
It’s easy to confuse fantasy with reality in sports. Three months ago even the thought that the Saints would be contenders for the finals – let alone a home final – was pure fantasy. Or that Justin Koschitzke would be a difference-maker. Now? Sometimes the line is clear. Dream Team is pure fantasy – pick [Read more]
The Forgotten Man
August 11, 2011 by 1 Comment
Following his ongoing battle with a mystery illness, the continued search for a midfielder and the recent emergence of Tom Cleverley, it would be easy for most people to forget about Darren Fletcher. On the eve of United’s defeat by Liverpool on March 6, the midfielder came down with a temperate and was subsequently named [Read more]
Old School Sports Medicine
August 11, 2011 by 2 Comments
John Mosig noted the delicate way the injured player (on left) was carted off. Much less ceremony than today.
One Hundred Years Ago: Round 15, 29th July, 1911
August 11, 2011 by 10 Comments
Any hope that St Kilda might resolve the internal conflict of the previous weekend soon dissipated as the following week unfolded. The committee stuck fast to their position in relation to withdrawing dressing room passes. At Tuesday training the players voted unanimously that ‘the indignity to which Messrs Eicke and Hogan had been subjected [Read more]
Haiku Bob Round 20: somewhere the moon
August 11, 2011 by 4 Comments
winter rain — the ball tossed between bodies of water somewhere the moon — Port players have trouble finding the ball soggy night — Blair uses his lack of height night rain — Collingwood players add to the glitter non-stop rain — a dyke erected across [Read more]
Something funny happened to me on the way home from Goodison Park
August 10, 2011 by 10 Comments
by Dave Goodwin Thatcher’s Britain. 1987. My first trip to the old dart, with my lovely young bride. A rite of passage. We were scheduled to drive from Oxford to Scotland. A diversion was needed and I had consulted the draw. A single ticket was procured – Everton v Manchester United at Goodison [Read more]
One Point
August 10, 2011 by 3 Comments
The Ressies had it in the bag. The mob we were playing had to beat us to take our spot in the finals, but didn’t. On a day forecast for rain, the clouds danced over the mountain without stopping to even look. Hell, it wasn’t weather, it was scenery. Under that, on the [Read more]
somewhere the moon
August 10, 2011 by Leave a Comment
winter rain — the ball tossed between bodies of water somewhere the moon — Port players have trouble finding the ball soggy night — Blair uses his lack of height night rain — Collingwood players add to the glitter non-stop rain — a dyke erected across the half-back line [Read more]
A T20 match with relevance
August 10, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Brendan McArdle As a general rule the conservatives among us take a bit of convincing about the significance or otherwise of two T20 matches played immediately before a five match ODI series with three Test matches to follow. But without doubt the second of the Sri Lanka – Australia matches played on Monday was as exciting [Read more]
DA’s Clue of the Round (21)
August 10, 2011 by 4 Comments
Another diversion for the devotees: If OSTRICH = CHRIS SCOTT And BANTER = BRETT RATTEN Then what prominent players of 2011 (from four different clubs again) equal the words below? ALCHEMIST BARONETS CHAMPED SWATHE Solution to DA’s Clue of the Round (20): Mark LeCras (mark/clears/lacers) Visit David’s site at http://davidastle.com.
The White Mouse
August 10, 2011 by 2 Comments
by Damian O’Donnell She crept around; a tiny mouse, But when she struck, It was through the heart. She made Hitler’s list, Her name at the very top. Where is she? the lunatic raged. New Zealand saw her birth Australia her growth, The French her courage. Vale the White Mouse.
Geelong: the family club
August 10, 2011 by 9 Comments
by Glen Davis I barracked for Geelong from 1969 until 1999. In these 30 years i saw some marvellous players. I no longer follow Geelong, or any AFL club for that matter, but with the proliferation of footy on TV i am still fairly up to date with what is happening in the AFL.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE – footy this Sat’dy
August 10, 2011 by 10 Comments
by Chris Riordan There are some big games on in the ‘burbs this weekend. Sunday will be inked on many fridge calendars. For juniors, it is finals time (good luck Matty on Sunday!). But Sat’dy – the traditional footy day- will still have a store of big battles to draw you from the couch.
Winter Masterpieces
August 9, 2011 by 16 Comments
the good, the not-so-good, and the awful: thoughts on the draw
August 9, 2011 by 18 Comments
by Trevor Blainey a few thoughts on the draw for the Almanac. like a lot of footy tragics i’ve thought about the draw a bit too much. divisions has appeal but i keep getting hung up on things like how after looking at a division based system would you make a fair finals [Read more]
GIGSTUFF 56
August 9, 2011 by 1 Comment
by Andrew Gigacz NEWS OF THE WORLD (no one else uses that title, do they?) Bankrupt nations, stock-markets in freefall, riots across London. You see, this is what happens when we let Collingwood win a premiership. I tried to warn them, but would they listen… ONE vs 100 And let’s not forget that the footy [Read more]
Another successful golf weekend
August 9, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Peter Argent Now of the Eudunda Golf Club calendar for over a decade, The JAK (Jack Knight) golf weekend just keeps getting bigger and better. This celebrates the long time club secretary’s commitment to the community and is a chance for many former Eudunda-ites to catch up. Last weekend at the course [Read more]
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