DA’s Clue of the Round (7): Avid fans of footy matches, First knew me as trim catches. Then consequently: 4A9. Before rattles plagued my sign. Nowadays, surprise-surprise, I’m a union under foreign skies. What am I? [Don’t give it away in the comments…we’ll let you know next week] Answer to Clue of the Round (7): The [Read more]
The new footyalmanac world
May 5, 2011 by 7 Comments
We are in the process of developing this new site. Please let us know what you think, and if you identify any problems – keeping in mind we are still putting together The Almanackers’ authors’ page, and some other pages – let us know. Suggestions welcome.
OK, Who forgot to Compile the VFA Stats between 1877 and 1896?
May 5, 2011 by 6 Comments
Given that the 18 (or is it 19) years represent a significant chain in the history of footy, I’m surprised that there is (or seems to be) no easy-access stats for the VFA results in the period. I can find the premiers but that’s about it. Is there a place to find this stuff or [Read more]
Footy Un/certainty
May 5, 2011 by 1 Comment
A couple of weeks ago, Friday night football hosted Collingwood and Richmond. As the first half drew to a close, the Pies up by some 8 goals, the ABC’s David Parkin lamented the unevenness of the match. He wasn’t having fun anymore: ‘The joy of any contest surely comes from the uncertainty.’ * On the [Read more]
Reflections on a royal wedding and other miscalculations
May 5, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Jim Young (author of Any Old Eleven) Thirty years ago, before plastic was invented, the first thing you had to do in a foreign country was make sure your banking arrangements were in order. In London that meant a trip to The Strand, where the local representatives of all Australia’s banks huddled under the [Read more]
My (not so) favourite drop-kick, part 7
May 5, 2011 by 5 Comments
Vin Maskell hears the ugly truth in part seven of his meandering series. The train stuttered and stopped as it tried to pull out of the station. “Passengers,” announced the driver, “we’ve had to stop because some drop-kick in a red cap is trying to force open the doors.” You know the game is just [Read more]
Dining Out All Round
May 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
This game scares “all the heck” out of me. To think that the Essendon Football Club, a great club with over one hundred and forty years of history could be defeated by this new creation of the AFL, is unthinkable. But there we are, the Dons are to play the Gold Coast Meter Maids at [Read more]
The View From Shepparton: Rd 6
May 5, 2011 by Leave a Comment
The View” has been delivered late this week as the events organiser and myself have made a sudden decision to relocate within Shepparton. We found this retirement village with facilities that one could only dream of, for example a library, a table tennis table (very important)! a bar, gym, 15 metre lap pool,a gold star [Read more]
Haiku Bob Rd 6: clear moments after
May 5, 2011 by 1 Comment
wet afternoon the football used as a lure Johnno subbed off the game loses a little right-side brain sprinting in the clear then on meeting Luke Ball stopped wind-tossed rain a perfect pass by mistake moon strains through clouds a goal clear moments after watering my dead plant Leeroy explodes to life the rain lighter [Read more]
Culture wars: the new frontier of player development?
May 4, 2011 by 4 Comments
by Peter Baulderstone Chris Reardon’s incisive piece on football team ‘culture’, and the thoughtful responses from other contributors inspires me to make my own observations on the closely related issue of young player development I have been following the WAFL colts competition pretty closely for the last 3 years. These Saturday morning matches are a [Read more]
One Hundred Years Ago: Round 1, April 29th, 1911
May 4, 2011 by 19 Comments
The year of 1911 marked the completion of Australia’s first decade as a federated nation, and many of its not quite four million citizens may have been moved to reflect on their country’s distant role in a rapidly changing world. As autumn arrived in Melbourne, the more rarefied circles amongst its almost 600,000 residents may [Read more]
What about the fans?
May 4, 2011 by 17 Comments
Almanacker John Weldon has weighed in with his thoughts on the latest TV rights deal and he doesn’t believe the fans are getting much of a look in. Check out his piece at the link below and then add your thoughts here. http://theconversation.edu.au/articles/fans-pay-most-for-afl-broadcast-rights-1286
Suns thrashing reflects Power failure and a team in disarray
May 4, 2011 by 2 Comments
By Sasha Lennon There’s been a fair bit of talk since Sunday afternoon (mostly by Bombers fans) following Essendon’s record-breaking 139 point annihilation of the Gold Coast Suns at Etihad Stadium. Some will say it’s a sign of how undeveloped the new northern franchise is. Others will claim it’s a clear indication of just how [Read more]
Could the Swans have done better than Jetta?
May 3, 2011 by 11 Comments
by David Butler The Sydney Swans have had 3 first round draft picks in the last 10 years. Jarred McVeigh, Lewis Jetta and Gary Rohan. The dearth of first round picks is directly attributable to the consistency shown by the Swannies under the management of Paul Roos. As a result the Swannies midfield over the [Read more]
Bombers feast on Suns
May 3, 2011 by 3 Comments
by Andrew Else “Och that’s a sin. They’re gunna thrash them” Trust my Mum to start feeling sorry for a team with a borrowed, un-original name that wears a glorified training jumper. How a person raised on the streets of Glasgow could have sympathy to such a conglomerate baffles me. “C’mon Mum, just think of all [Read more]
Admiral Byng-inspired Malthouse leads Pies to victory
May 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment
by John Ramsdale Game Report v’s Footscray Sunday May 1st 2011 I’ll get it out the way early. A ridiculous time to have a game, but clearly 55,754 others didn’t agree with me. At least it wasn’t at Docklands. I went to the game with some misgivings, no Jolly (he was very good last week), [Read more]
Something old, something new, something borrowed & something blue
May 3, 2011 by 8 Comments
by Mic Rees The old custom above shouldn’t have been confined to events 17,000 kilometres from Oz earlier this weekend. Merv Hughes Oval/Turner Reserve, located on the banks of the Maribyrnong River, played host to a Division 2 Western Region Football League (WRFL) game on Saturday that could have used the tradition reserved to instruct [Read more]
A full day of football
May 3, 2011 by 7 Comments
Last Friday, I had a full day of football. It started at 12 noon (well actually, it was about an hour later when host and guest turned up). It was the monthly Footy Almanac luncheon at the Clyde Hotel in Carlton, and Ted Hopkins was the Guest of Honour. Many years ago I was an [Read more]
Crio’s Q: What is ‘culture’?
May 3, 2011 by 9 Comments
by Chris Riordan Alex “the estranged” Fevola has reportedly (H/Sun, News section, p24, 02/05/2011) blamed the AFL culture for her “monster” ex-hubby’s infidelity, drinking and gambling – inferring that different tolerances apply to gifted sportsmen. It is easy to make light of the media/celebrity circus and, no doubt, her news grab will soon be buried [Read more]
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