By Steve Healy In recent times I have taken an interest in the birthdates of players. This interest sparked a ridiculous idea in my head to do some research and select the best players born in each month and see which the strongest side is. I have judged my selections based on career form, along [Read more]
Two games are better than one
May 21, 2010 by 1 Comment
By Steve Healy Two footy games in one day, could there be a better way to spend a Saturday? I walked towards Etihad Stadium as the sun set over the Melbourne CBD. The Dees had lost, but I was excited about going to the Roos V Crows game, where I would get to catch up [Read more]
Home ground disadvantage – North Melbourne’s Western Oval dominance 1973-1995
May 20, 2010 by 10 Comments
When North Melbourne take on the Western Bulldogs this weekend at the concrete canyon located in Melbourne’s Docklands, discernable home ground advantage will favour neither team. In what was viewed as perhaps the toughest assignment in the days when there was, with respect to the VFL teams located in the Garden City, home ground advantage, [Read more]
Bloody Collingwood
May 20, 2010 by 10 Comments
By Ged McMahon I hate Collingwood. I have hated them for a long time. There are many reasons for this hatred but I think the best way to sum up my argument is to borrow a quote I heard from Dr Turf a few years ago … “I hate Collingwood so much that if they [Read more]
West Coast Fly High
May 20, 2010 by Leave a Comment
By Steve Healy I was back at the MCG on another glorious afternoon. This time, it was a little different, we were playing West Coast. Based on recent form, we should’ve smashed them. I met up with a large group of people from school (James, Tim, Miles, Nathan, Matt, Anthony, Josh and Danny) and we [Read more]
North: Fade Outs a Speciality
May 20, 2010 by Leave a Comment
North Melbourne versus Adelaide 7.10pm, Saturday, May 15 Etihad Stadium During three-quarter time I was almost through a banana, and this thought: ‘We can’t lose this game, we cannot poss…’ when I stopped myself, turned to the big bear of a bloke behind and said, ‘You’re still in this, mate. We never put teams away.’ [Read more]
“Football Williamstown”
May 20, 2010 by 4 Comments
By Darren Dawson There has been more than a little discussion about junior footy on the Almanac website recently, in part prompted by Paul Daffey’s piece referencing the Brunswick Junior Football Club: http://footyalmanac.com.au/?p=10504 Was it mere chance that in the very week Daff’s article appeared on this site, that my old club Williamstown CYMS was [Read more]
Footy in NSW 1883
May 20, 2010 by 1 Comment
The following article was published in the Maitland Mercury, and Hunter River General Advertiser Thursday 19 July 1883. It is astonishingly long and speaks to the idea that footy was getting a strong foothold in NSW. There seemed to develop an intense and passionate culture that only a few short years later was no more [Read more]
John Smith
May 20, 2010 by 3 Comments
by Ed Harcourt John Smith plays for Geelong. His disposal this season has been first class, his versatily around the grounds is respected by his peers, and his use of the ball in and around the packs is unusually very classy to watch. Over the past few seasons I’ve been a fan of his game, [Read more]
World Cup, Schmorld Cup
May 20, 2010 by 6 Comments
Is it just me or does anyone else think that the chances of Australia hosting the World Cup sit somewhere between Buckley’s and none. It is bad enough that the Federal Govt has ploughed $54 million into the bid without the utterly scandalous decision to spend billions of dollars on a series of rectangular white [Read more]
Pies get one for the road
May 20, 2010 by 12 Comments
How slow does school drag on when you know your team is playing that night? I’ll you, it drags on forever, to top it all off I have a huge headache. Don’t stay up past midnight writing a lit essay; it will get to your head before bed and the next morning! I love Friday [Read more]
round 8 – the air crisps
May 20, 2010 by 3 Comments
top of the table clash spilling the wine I look up Heater fumbles the air crisps Pendlebury’s pinpoint pass autumn thickens no way through Sandilands night breeze flat-footed forwards in Toovey’s wake darkening skies Cloke from dead in front… all the fallen leaves – we get numbers around the ball umpire’s appreciation round the sound [Read more]
Dogs bureaucratic processes prevail at Manuka
May 20, 2010 by 9 Comments
When footy reports focus on the day, the weather, and the strength of the sunshine, the trees and the colour of their foliage, the state of the oval and the scoreboard, and the food and beverage preferences of those in the reporters’ company, you can usually draw a pretty good conclusion regarding the quality of [Read more]
Local Footy: Brunswick changes give grounds for thought
May 19, 2010 by 19 Comments
It was a beautiful place to watch the footy at Brunswick’s Gillon Oval on Saturday, basking in the sun in front of the Glenn Stand while Amateur clubs North Old Boys-St Pat’s and Williamstown CYMS went at each other in their Division 1 match. But it was a strange sight if you looked across the [Read more]
Winter of Discontent
May 19, 2010 by 2 Comments
by Bill Walker Out east in the leafy eastern burbs, climate change has hit the streets the May bloom buds refuse to burst, there is no winter sweet scattered forlornly on the footpath, scuffed leaves of gold and brown big Jeff’s pulled out his secateurs, just who is leaving town perfect juicy ripened fruits can [Read more]
Geoff Sinclair’s Home and Away Games: Round 2
May 19, 2010 by Leave a Comment
ROUND TWO Sunday, April 4th, Etihad Stadium Essendon versus Fremantle I roll onto my back, drugged with sleep. Somewhere away in the distance there is a complaining creak such as a fold-down bed would make. I extend my arm and let it drop across a hump of sheets and blankets, accumulated during a restless night, [Read more]
The Albatross Rules, Chapter 11 – Round 4, Mt Desperate Desperados (away): On a Hiding to Nothing
May 18, 2010 by Leave a Comment
The climb up Mt Desperate was the first major obstacle the pioneering miners had encountered after two hundred miles of flat land as they headed into the gold bearing hills. Not so much a mountain as a steep rise to an elevated plateau it claimed numerous diggers who failed to heed the need for caution. [Read more]
The more things change…
May 18, 2010 by 12 Comments
It’s obviously Blockbuster Season again in the AFL. Although, I wouldn’t the only one who suspects Blockbusters aren’t quite what they used to be? The moment a couple of teams string 3 or 4 wins together, we got ourselves a blockbuster folks! Yeehaaa! Roll out the marketing guys. If Collingwood, perchance, happens to be one [Read more]
The priceless value of perseverance
May 18, 2010 by 18 Comments
by Damian O’Donnell I had a great week end. It wasn’t great because of some extraordinary event, a fabulous party or even because the Cats had another thumping win. No, it was great because I went to the nursery with my 15 year old daughter and learned a wonderful lesson in perseverance.
Footy at Manuka: a preview
May 17, 2010 by 12 Comments
It’s a big weekend for Canberra footy fans. Yes, the Brumbies have the toughest possible opponent, away, in Christchurch. Yes, the Raiders will probably lead the Storm at half-time. And, yes they will sing ‘Abide With Me’ at Wembley on Saturday night before the FA Cup final. But when all is said and done, and [Read more]
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