The Saturday of round nine dawned fine and still, a rare occurrence in the June of this particular year. But the effect of recent rain on the football grounds of Melbourne was plain for all to see. This round of games would be played on quagmires. The Lake Oval handled the wet better than [Read more]
Paul Kelly, Footy and the Almanac
June 30, 2011 by 8 Comments
Paul Kelly is God – got it. Or at least the Australian version of God. For me. My Australian God. Of course I have American gods – Dylan and Springsteen. And a Brazilian God – Paolo Coelho. Enough already. So I am a polytheist, and these are the people who remind me about what is [Read more]
blood and innards
June 30, 2011 by Leave a Comment
It was midsummer this week in Sweden. Haiku Bob spent the weekend at the family’s summer house north of Stockholm on an island called Vätö. Beautiful spot. Went on a fishing expedition while the Pies and Swans slugged it out. The Pies got the points and we brought home the herring (about 60 0f them!)
DA’s Clue of the Round (15)
June 29, 2011 by 3 Comments
DA’s Clue of the Round (15) Time to consider the AFL commentary box – both TV and radio, both primary callers and special comments across all networks. We deliver six clues here, then six new clues on Friday, over at the DA blog (http://davidastle.com/). See how you fare with the dozen. So, just toying with [Read more]
Collingwood: a youthful obsession
June 29, 2011 by 8 Comments
by Brian Nankervis It’s the twenty-eight minute mark of the final quarter in the 1970 Grand Final. Alex Jesaulenko gathers the ball and snaps an amazing goal. All around us, cocky Carlton fans erupt in a nauseating display of pathetic barracking. The dazed Collingwood army turns even whiter with shock, horror and disbelief. Something [Read more]
A novel idea
June 29, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Sam Steele As the handsomely remunerated executives of the AFL turn their attention to the complexities of the 2012 draw, here’s a novel suggestion for nothing. What about restoring the tradition of Saturday afternoon at the MCG to its former glory? One of the things that my recent “Drouin Transfer” has made [Read more]
Sat’dy footy 02/07/2011
June 29, 2011 by 2 Comments
by Chris Riordan Most of us love to browse the suburban and country footy results in Sunday’s paper. Some even start to barrack for towns or grounds they’ve never visited. I tend to scour the main metro leagues and the SANFL and WAFL (when printed!). Others prefer their Ammos or juniors or various regional [Read more]
Two on a couch
June 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
by The Piesimist We were three on the couch, ready to watch the game. ‘Looks like Lou, Bobby and Jack’ I said, recalling long-past Thursday culture. ‘No, looks more like Larry, Curley and Mo’, said JR. Suzy just looked at us with that mixture of pity, disgust and despair that [Read more]
Willi CYMS uncover plan B
June 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
WILLIAMSTOWN CYMS FC by Dene Macleod For a review of Saturday’s Senior match, plus all the latest club news, head to: http://www.williamstowncyms.com.au/football/?page_id=3826 At a glance, here are the results: D1 SENIORS Williamstown 1.3 6.10 11.12 17.18.120 North Old Boys/St Pats 5.6 8.8 14.12 17.18.120 Williamstown Goal Kickers: J. Wong 5, B. Gray 3, C. [Read more]
Support the VAFA via LinkedIn
June 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Folks, We are trying to build the VAFA presence on LinkedIn, which is the primary online business network. If you have not yet signed up for LinkedIn, go to http://www.linkedin.com/ to join. Then connect with as many people as you know – the site will suggest based on your affiliations, etc. Then search for and [Read more]
Rockdogs blow Megahertz off the dial
June 28, 2011 by 8 Comments
by Andrew Fithall Solved! I now get it! Finally I understand why the AFL keeps scheduling such crap pre-game and half-time entertainment. They don’t have sufficient confidence in the quality of their own product that they can put on the same program something that might compete with the actual game in providing a benefit to [Read more]
The long road back
June 28, 2011 by 2 Comments
by John Green How times change. Back in the late sixties and early seventies, when the Tigers ruled the footy jungle, my forays to the MCG on Saturday afternoons always began at the Australia Hotel, on the corner of Bridge Road and Waltham Street in Richmond. This was where my father would meet [Read more]
Australia Network Debate
June 28, 2011 by Leave a Comment
1. Changes for Australia Network, By Sid Maher, The Australian A DECISION on the tender for the federal government’s Australia Network has been put back six months and responsibility for the decision stripped from Kevin Rudd’s Foreign Affairs Department and handed to cabinet. In a joint release, Julia Gillard, Mr Rudd and Communications Minister Stephen [Read more]
A DOGGIE FAN IN THE SUN
June 27, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Normally I would be writing about my exploits on the local field of dreams, and in the near future I will provide an update on the season. But during the local season I set aside a number of weekends a year to travel around the country to follow the fortunes of the Western Bulldogs. In [Read more]
Daicos
June 27, 2011 by 8 Comments
Peter Daicos played for Collingwood. You can’t help bad luck. He kicked amazing goals, and torps on the run, but did something the likes of which I’ve never seen since, early on, when he played on-ball.
THE WRAP – ROUND XIII
June 27, 2011 by 7 Comments
WHERE LIFE IMITATES SPORT What a round it’s been in Footy Eddie. The Fred Hesse Annihilation scoreboard on Friday night told a grim story as The Box Hill Hawks drove yet another nail in the lid covering the Bambi’s Bombers Experiment. The Dees staked their claim to a Final Eight Place with a convincing win [Read more]
We won….
June 26, 2011 by 7 Comments
Well, Sandringham Zebras won today against Collingwood seconds, and I’ll take that, thanks very much indeed. My last Almanac offering started an email conversation and coaching panel between another Almanacker and Saints supporter and sufferer, DD and myself. He let me know he’s a regular follower of Sandringham, so gets to see the young players [Read more]
A glimpse in to the Kardinia future
June 26, 2011 by 2 Comments
It was with far more interest than usual that I ventured down to Kardinia Park this afternoon with my daughter Emily. For on display was going to be a glimpse into the future of the Geelong Cats. Injury, suspension and fatigue had necessitated seven changes to the team. Normally this would have a catastrophic effect [Read more]
Crio’s Q: Sacked Coaches
June 26, 2011 by 14 Comments
“Woosha” Worsfold was the bookies’ favourite to be the first coach sacked in AFL 2011 but it would seem that markets would need to have been revised! Even “Dead Man” Bailey might yet walk. But it’s that time of the footy season where the deckchairs start to get shuffled.
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