First Game Denied

All dressed up and nowhere to go. I’m a much grottier and far less elegant embodiment of that well worn phrase. I can’t remember the date or even the year. I’m guessing mid-1980s and by the look of that dishevelled bunny on the wall behind me it must have been sometime after Easter. All I [Read more]

A Dud Bet

For once, I’m doing pretty well in my footy tipping competition this year.  Equal 6th out of 246 in fact.  It’s a bit of fun and there’s the prospect of turning $20 into several hundred at season’s end. But last weekend my tips suddenly went pear-shaped and I found myself, late on Sunday, urging on [Read more]

under the press

  jet lag fog — Daisy handballs over his head to his opponent   low cloud — Hawks wilting under the press   leaves gone — Cloke leads into the space   murky day– Cloke’s hands trap the light   flags flutter on top of the scoreboard — the kick doesn’t come back   night [Read more]

Barmera Monash v Renmark

  BARMERA MONASH V RENMARK RFL – ROUND 11 2011, Sat July 2nd 2011 By Nick Kossatch at Barmera Barmera Monash flexed its’ finals-bound muscles with a powerful eight-goal final quarter to defeat Renmark by 40-points in round 11 of RFL. It certainly was not all one-way traffic prior to the final quarter because the [Read more]

Almanac Rugby League – State of Origin 3

  byDavid Butler NSW go into tonight’s State Of Origin decider at Lang Park with a realistic chance of winning the series they have failed to win for the last 5 years. Even those like myself who have had only a passing interest in Rugby League after having been immersed in it as a kid [Read more]

The Australasian Sketcher with Pen and Pencil June 12, 1875

I thought there’d be some interest in this piece I just unearthed in the archive. It tells of football’s popularity at the time but it also speaks of the difference between then and now. The writer seems only to have a passing connection with the game (so at least nothing’s changed in that regard — [Read more]

(regretfully) Reminiscing as a Saints fan

  by Joseph Walker Carlton. I’ve always kind of respected them. Not warmed to them, but respected them. Maybe I feel sorry for them. Since they’ve had such a bad last decade. Let me take you back to 2006. I was a 7 year old confident of my team, St Kilda. The weekend before we’d [Read more]

Benalla v Kyabram – 2011 GVFL Round 11 from Benalla.

Pictures and words by Shane Goss www.licoricegallery.com It was a sad week for footy and in-particular Melbourne fans with the passing of Sean Wight who died from lung cancer at just 46. The Irishman pioneered that country’s influence on the game we love along with current Demon’s president and former teammate Jim Stynes. Another of [Read more]

In the shadows

by Matt Zurbo Four anti-inflams, three pain killers and some good padding on the ribs and I run out in town for my 499th game. The oval is strange. Wide enough, but an outline of a thing. The ground either side of it is railway-yard-flat. There are no slopes, no trees, no back fences or [Read more]

Footy this Sat’dy, July 9, 2011

  by Chris Riordan It looks like being a weekend of “traditional” winter footy, coming at the back end of a cold, wet and windy week. There are certain factors that can make footy more bearable for supporters in these conditions. One is the game you are watching. If the players are having a dip, [Read more]

Pies blanket Hawks in Blankety Blankless game

  by Damon Robb Blan-ket –verb (used with object) 1. to obscure or obstruct; interfere with; overpower In the immortal words of 70s commentator Peter Landy, the Collingwood v Hawthorn game was a game of two halves for me.   The first half I was at the game in standing room behind the Pies cheersquad; the [Read more]

Wimbledon 2011: Reasons to be cheerful

  by Peter Baulderstone There is always much to complain about in sport and in life.  The art critic and social observer, Robert Hughes, wrote a book about it some years ago called ‘Culture of Complaint’.  I suspect that the Dalai Lama’s relentless cheerfulness in one of the main reasons why he has become so [Read more]

THE WRAP – ROUND XV

WHERE LIFE IMITATES SPORT   What a round it’s been in Footy Eddie.  The Suffering continued in the Longroom as once more The High Flying Flag was lowered to halfmast as The Sons of Lazarus Came Out Snarling & Biting on Friday night.  TLSPRF watched their season flash before their eyes as The Silvertails ran [Read more]

“Just” ends up being good enough.

An English psychoanalyst  Winnicott came up with the phrase “good enough mothering” where he relieved the anxiety of millions of mothers (and later parents) when he talked not about being a perfect mother (parent) but a good enough one.  The difference was in being present and available.  There is an inbuilt need that there be [Read more]

Suddenly im craving Lindt…

So Roger Federer didn’t make it to the Wimbledon final, but after watching this video it’s a wonder he can even make it through air port security! In this advertisement Roger took his love as ambassador for Lindt chocolate to a very yummy level. (link to vid below)

John Harms’ Celtic Dream

  ‘Twas Thursday night – the Match Committee, Down Corio way – the windy city, Chris said “its tough – this coaching lark”, “No finals played on Kardinia Park”.   Need fresh ideas – a new game plan, Not ‘forward press’ nor ‘man to man’, Now Bomber’s gone to Windy Hill, Need fresh ideas to [Read more]

Crio’s Q…unfair comparisons

“Callan Ward…He’s our Joel Selwood!” screamed the headline. Google Ian Craig (not the race caller!) to get a lesson from cricket history.   I came across an old Shane Templeton article in which he declared Zeditave the best sprinter since Vain. Don’t rate Manikato, Shane?   I know what they say about opinions. We all [Read more]

Kota Kinabalu

It’s late Sunday afternoon and I haven’t slept since Friday night.  I flew out of Tullamarine midnight Saturday and landed in Kota Kinabalu, via Kuala Lumpar,  10 am this morning local time. I’m surviving on a mixture of adrenaline that accompanies arriving in a new place,  some chicken and rice concoction I found in this [Read more]

Geelong’s Lament

By Rod Klein   Nothing was lost until the moment when cursed coin was tossed, and then for Cats, all time stood still whilst Collingwood applied their noisome drill.   The tide, for men hooped in blue and white, has flooded from the shore with premier-ship astride. In quickening sand and on the muddied strand [Read more]

We will fight them on the beaches

The pre-match address of Darien O’Reilly, coach of the Adelaide Uni Chardonnay Socialists, before their (victorious) match against Gepps Cross:   “I have, myself, full confidence that if all do their duty, if nothing is neglected, and if the best arrangements are made, as they are being made, we shall prove ourselves once again able [Read more]