By Tim Ivins It’s amazing what a difference a day can make. Sunday eastern Australian time: Serena Williams v Kim Clijsters. World number 2 versus a woman aiming to be the first mother to make a grand slam final since Evonne Goolagong Cawley in 1980. Williams’s anger has been bubbling away all evening. She’s broken her racquet after [Read more]
In the Sheds: Stony Creek people wake up and they’re still the premiers
September 16, 2009 by Leave a Comment
THIS column shares its title with the In the Sheds program that airs on ABC Radio when there’s no AFL game on a Saturday afternoon. Listeners last Saturday might have heard Stony Creek president Greg Burge threaten to blow a gasket when his beloved Lions looked like being overcome by the hated Wonthaggi Power in [Read more]
Gigs’ Stats: Wins is a four-letter word
September 16, 2009 by 25 Comments
Andrew Gigacz’s Finals Week 2 Stat. Declaration I WAS JUST TESTING YOU OUT – NO, REALLY! No sooner than last week’s Stat Dec had hit the presses, the emails and phone calls started rolling in. The Almanac switchboard went into meltdown as people queued up to point out that the attendance figure from the St [Read more]
Local Footy: Little Lions roar in Tassie Midlands grand final
September 16, 2009 by 3 Comments
By Daryl Sharpen About an hour’s drive north of Hobart is the town of Oatlands, in the Tasmanian Midlands. In a long forgotten past it served as a carriage stop for travellers as they made their way north or south in a penal colony known as Van Diemen’s Land. It is generally considered to be [Read more]
Haiku Bob: AFL finals – week 2 – closer to oblivion
September 16, 2009 by 5 Comments
night trickles in… Maxwell’s early blunders clear as day a flock of Crows only one of them carrying the ball unseasonal heat a detectable haze across the forward line another September Leon’s basket of tricks snapped shut white-hot moon we edge closer to oblivion blustery wind the less polished among [Read more]
Sports Science: Why speed is the most important fitness component in football
September 16, 2009 by Leave a Comment
So let’s look at why speed training is probably the most vital fitness component of a footballer. I admit that this article might be of less interest than others during the finals period, but you can use this information to gain an insight as to why some of the great players in the top four [Read more]
Local Footy: CYs end season in perfect fashion, with flags in firsts and seconds
September 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment
SENIORS WILLIAMSTOWN 6.4 8.5 12.5 15.9-99 PENINSULA 2.2 6.5 9.10 9.18-72 WILLIAMSTOWN Goal Kickers: W. Cooper 3, B. Gray 2, C. Elliott 2, T. Wheeler, M. Cini, J. Wong, F. Adamson, B. Lethborg, J. Tranter, J. Reid, C. Richards Best Players: B. Gray, S. McGuinness, T. Wheeler, J. Wong, J. Tranter, W. Cooper PENINSULA Goal [Read more]
General Footy Writing: Wedding and footy are more alike than you think
September 15, 2009 by 4 Comments
They say the wedding is the most important day of a female’s life. The old rumor that we plan and dream about our weddings all our lives is true. Well, in my case it is. I know the wedding ring I want, I’ll spare you from the details. My dress will be exactly like the [Read more]
View From Shepparton: Joy and pain in Shepparton and Jeparit
September 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment
As someone has observed the things that give you the most joy can also give you the most pain. In this instance I was so deliriously happy after Brisbane’ s great comeback win and so deliriously unhappy after reading about the circumstances of Adelaide’s last-second loss. I hadn’t really expected Brisbane to go any further. [Read more]
AFL Preliminary Finals: What’s this business that the Pies have the wood on Geelong?
September 15, 2009 by 11 Comments
Here’s one for the Collingwood fans. At the completion of Geelong’s annus horribilis in 2006 the club was determined to trade Steve Johnson. Give us a second-round draft pick and we’ll throw in a set of steak knives, club officials said. Collingwood seemed interested. Geelong would have thrown in two sets of steak knives if [Read more]
Crio’s Question: Who are some notable September performers and failures?
September 15, 2009 by 32 Comments
“Give me 80,000 people at the MCG and I was Hercules. Give me a grey day at the Western Oval and I wasn’t worth a cracker.” – Brent Crosswell At this time of the year it’s always trumpeted that reputations are made and lost in finals (sorry Skilts!). Think Dermie, Gazza in ’89, KB in [Read more]
AFL Semi-Finals: Now for Jodie’s Cats
September 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment
The evening begins to take over, closing what has to this moment been a great day. A traditional beer and a Mitre Burger at one of Melbourne’s famous taverns for a first-time meeting with an online football friend (the famous Walesy from tooserious.net.au), followed by a walk with my wife Jodie to the MCG.
General Footy Writing: Riewoldt named All-Australian captain
September 15, 2009 by 7 Comments
Nick Riewoldt has been named captain and Chris Judd the vice-captain of the All-Australian team that was announced on Monday night.
Local Footy: De La duo share A-grade medal
September 15, 2009 by Leave a Comment
De La Salle pair David Lowe and Matt Fieldsend have earned a rare double by becoming the joint winners of the Woodrow Medal for best and fairest in the VAFA’s A-section.
Local Footy: De La run Uni Blues off their legs to earn Grand Final berth
September 14, 2009 by 3 Comments
De La Salle yesterday ran University Blues off their legs in the A-section preliminary final at Elsternwick Park, overturning an eight-point deficit at half-time to score a 17-point victory. De La’s victory earned it the chance to avenge its 92-point second-semi-final loss to Old Xaverians in next Sunday’s grand final.
The Wrap: AFL Semi-Finals
September 14, 2009 by Leave a Comment
THE WRAP – WEEK II OF SEPTEMBER Where Life Imitates Sport What a round it’s been in Footy Eddie. We watched as The Pride of South Australia were overhauled by The Valiant Magpies and the Doggies mauled the Lions. But the biggest exit this weekend came a million miles from THOF. Yes folks, it was [Read more]
AFL Semi-Finals: Anthony the unlikely hero in hot Pies victory
September 14, 2009 by 30 Comments
After a day of being bored and getting boiled up by the 30 degree heat, I couldn’t wait for the footy to start. It made me realise how much I miss Saturday afternoon footy, although I initially tried to compensate by watching the VFL.
AFL Semi-Finals: Words of joy in the unfamiliar month of September
September 14, 2009 by 3 Comments
Here’s the thing . . . for 36 years of my life barracking for Collingwood has been a poisoned chalice. From an early age mythical losses have been chiseled into my mind. What hurts more than anything is that many of these tragic events could be described in just one or two words: Froggy’s goal, [Read more]
AFL Finals series: Pies provide a lesson in faith
September 13, 2009 by 17 Comments
By Phil Dimitriadis This is a reflection of the brittle faith expressed by a small group of Magpie fans at the MCG last night. The cliche ‘cut-throat’ final seemed appropriate halfway through the first quarter. The Crows have made a number of deep incisions into the weakening Collingwood body and are two goals away from [Read more]
Local Footy: Brilliant Renmark smash Loxton in Riverland Grand Final
September 13, 2009 by Leave a Comment
By Nick Kossatch in Barmera Renmark produced their best football when it counted by obliterating Loxton by 83 points in the Riverland Football League Grand Final at a hot, dusty and windswept Barmera Oval on Saturday. Matt and Aaron Camplin shared nine goals between them in Aaron’s and Brett Exelby’s last game.
Recent Comments