North Melbourne Football Club has been robbed of its traditional rivalries in recent years. But an AFL Gold Coast team presents a unique opportunity for NMFC to capitalise on a very real rivalry. While rarely acknowledged in the media, North Melbourne has some fascinating traditional rivalries. The Hawthorn-North Melbourne rivalry, founded on the teams’ three [Read more]
OUT: Richo, Wallace and bad times. IN: D Martin, Hardwick and FINALS!
January 18, 2010 by 4 Comments
By Jeff Paterson. Well, I’ve been reading the newspaper (mostly the Herald sun) and reading what they’ve had to say on the internet – and something’s come to my attention. For the first time in quite a while Richmond, the team I’ve supported most of my life, isn’t getting talked up to do anything spectacular this [Read more]
Footy: Mum’s the word on these dream-team tips
January 17, 2010 by Leave a Comment
So it’s that time of the year again. Well not quite, but you can now register for all sorts of AFL fantasy footy teams. Those fantastic games where you pick 18 players, they score points when they get a kick and then you get to beat other people. It’s your own little team! I usually [Read more]
American football: Mixed feelings for New York fans
January 17, 2010 by 14 Comments
By Adan Hesketh I’m living in New York and I’m pretty excited about the NFL playoffs. The mood in town is predominantly a mixture of excitement (and optimism) for the Jets, who looked no chance to even make finals late in the season, and disgust/disinterest from Giants fans, who had expected a lot more and [Read more]
Third Test, Day 2: Ponting a chance for the Camira?
January 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
by John Harms We are on the Newell Highway. At last. Just south of Goondiwindi. Stumps have just been drawn at Bellrive; a couple of disastrous run outs ruining the Pakistanis day . The Handicapper has taken the wheel. The kids have been very good, sleeping from Michael Clarke’s dismissal, all the way to Pakistan [Read more]
Cricket: Commentary contributes to soundtrack of holiday bliss
January 15, 2010 by Leave a Comment
By Damian O’Donnell Picture this: You’re sitting on the banks of the Murray at Yarrawonga just down river a bit from Bundalong. You are shaded by a large leafy willow tree that has seemingly been there since whales walked on land. An ice cold beer is sitting on the arm of the chair, kept ice [Read more]
Tennis: My Australian Open preview
January 15, 2010 by 64 Comments
By Domenic Favata Men The men’s singles is headlined by Federer, Nadal, Murray, Del Potro; all have a chance of claiming the first tournament of the year.
Third Test, Day 1: Dysfunction, thy name is Pakistan
January 14, 2010 by 2 Comments
3rd Test Australia v Pakistan at Bellerive Oval, Hobart Day 1, Thursday 14 January 2010 [Stumps score: Aust 3/302. Ponting 137*, Clarke 111*.] by Tony Roberts Preview My return to work having blessedly liberated me from reliance on Channel Nine or the ABC’s deteriorating radio commentary, I followed the first day of this match via [Read more]
Tennis: Things to look for at the Australian Open
January 14, 2010 by Leave a Comment
By John Butler * Numerous folk called Bruce, Baz or Cheryl suddenly discovering long lost Swedish or Spanish heritage and a love of foreign flags and group chanting. * Maria Sharapova’s picture to appear at least daily in the major metropolitan papers. Some of the pictures may even relate to tennis.
Tennis: C’mon, give it a go. Tip someone other than Federer
January 14, 2010 by 3 Comments
It’s that time of year again: the time when everyone tips Roger Federer to win the Australian Open. Is anyone willing to tip another player in the tournament that starts in Melbourne on Monday? What about Juan Martin del Potro? Or the unlikely-sounding Robin Soderling? As for the women’s title, surely there’s a candidate among [Read more]
Tennis: Federer’s class separates him from the rest
January 14, 2010 by 259 Comments
By Domenic Favata Roger Federer, the magician, the king, whatever you want to call him, is back at Melbourne Park and ready to rock. The fifteen-time grand slam winner is back after a loss to Nikolay Davydenko in Qatar. Some may call it a setback, but I call it ‘warming up’. Federer will release his [Read more]
Akmal’s nightmare sparks memories of dreadful day at Spring Gully
January 14, 2010 by 3 Comments
by Peter Lenaghan Pakistan’s wicketkeeper, Kamran Akmal, described it as a “scary dream”. Three dropped catches off the bowling of the leg spinner, Danish Kaneria. All from the bat of the century maker, Michael Hussey. All while keeping up to the stumps. All in front of a big crowd at the magnificent old Sydney Cricket [Read more]
Tennis: Australian Open offers best sporting value in town
January 14, 2010 by 2 Comments
A preview of who I think will be the main players at Melbourne Park in 2010.
Footy: Year of the Tiger
January 13, 2010 by 110 Comments
By Domenic Favata According to the Chinese zodiac, Richmond should have a pretty good year. That has been promised for years, but will Richmond, under new coach Damien Hardwick, finally take the giant step all the fans have been waiting for? When I heard about one of former coach Terry Wallace’s theories of coaching — [Read more]
Link: Somehow you can come clean but leave others feeling dirty
January 12, 2010 by 1 Comment
Dear Almanackers, Here’s another interesting piece from the New York Times, this time concerning the stage-management of mea culpas. The apologist here is Mark McGwire, but it’s an issue that play on the minds of footy administrators in 2010, I’m sure! http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/12/sports/baseball/12sandomir.html?hp Rob Clarkson
Footy: A midsummer reflection on the rise of the Cats and the Saints in light of 2004
January 12, 2010 by 40 Comments
By Sam Steele When it’s 44 degrees outside and the rest of the family are on holiday, what else is there to do but bung a couple of old footy tapes into the VCR and relive some of the great games of the past. As fate would have it, I chose to have a look [Read more]
Soccer: Is it OK to love another man (in a sporting sense, of course)?
January 12, 2010 by 10 Comments
By Stephen George Man love or man crushes are seen as a common and acceptable practice by male members of the sports loving community. How do we best define man love or a man crush in the sporting world? To me, it’s about the ability of a sportsperson to either bring me through the gates [Read more]
Bikes, bats, lycra: a big weekend in Ballarat and Bunni
January 10, 2010 by 9 Comments
Local civic and political leaders rarely miss a chance to proclaim Melbourne the “sporting capital of the world”, or “the world’s most liveable city”, blah blah. Whilst I agree that our beloved state capital is a very nice place to live (for most) and a fine sporting town, would it be too cynical to suggest [Read more]
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