Almanac Music: Dave Kimber – Herb Alpert, Buffy St Marie, and deer antlers!

More wonderful musical tales from Dave Kimber during his time at the Guitar Centre in Los Angeles, including Herb Alpert and a deer.

Almanac Poetry: ‘The Whitsun Weddings’ – Philip Larkin

‘The Whitsun Weddings’ is another much loved poem by Philip Larkin.

Almanac Rugby League: NRL Finals Week 3 wrap – A week of anticipation ahead

Liam Hauser reviews the weekend’s NRL and NRLW clashes and looks ahead with anticipation to this weekend’s Grand Finals.

Almanac Music: The music of New Orleans – Allen Toussaint

During his lifetime, Allen Toussaint was a dominant and legendary figure in the music of New Orleans, that still continues to this day.

Almanac Poetry: In a Kelly town museum

In today’s poem, Kevin Densley goes ‘a bit abstract’, to use his own words, with a Ned Kelly theme about going to a museum in Kelly Country as a kid and seeing two particularly interesting artefacts side by side.

Almanac Footy – Famous VAFA Club XVIII/Clubbies footballers

Kevin Pollard keeps working his way down the Victorian footy leagues tree of individuals with notable careers who had a crack at playing – this time in the VAFA’s Club XVIII league or ‘Clubbies’. Can you add any more names to the list?

Almanac Art: A prelude to the 2020 AFL Grand Final from DJ Williams

They’re the last teams standing in 2020, but as the artwork of Darren ‘DJ’ Williams shows, Richmond and Geelong have been standing for a very long time.

Finals Week 3 – Brisbane v Geelong: Prelude to a Jig

Jamie Simmons gets to the Preliminary Final at the Gabba where he is left contemplating football expressions, football experience and football expectations.

Finals Week 3 – Brisbane v Geelong: Small mercies

After a year of superb Brisbane coverage, Shane Reid used last night’s preliminary final loss to reflect on better games and premiership moments.

1931 Grand Final – Geelong v Richmond: Cats shine in hard times

John Harms’s account of the 1931 Grand Final – between Geelong and Richmond – was first published in Grand Finals Volume 1 1897-1938 (published by Slattery Media Group). It tells the tale of a memorable match where one of the smallest players ever to pull on footy boots, Mickey the Mouse Carney, was the star, all at the height of the Great Depression.

Almanac Short Fiction: Floundering

A passage from Kevin Densley on a boy, a fish and the ripples of their brief and frenzied interaction.

Almanac Life: How to establish footy on a continent (in three parts)

Rob Spurr tells the story of Australian football in Chile and across the South American continent. [Great yarn – JTH]

Finals Week 3 – Port Adelaide v Richmond: The better angels of our nature

I didn’t realise mild-mannered John Green had this in him. He reports on the Port-Richmond match which seems to have added bonuses.

Almanac Footy History: The Crapp Chronicles – Origins of Henry ‘Ivo’ Crapp

Tim Ghys provides some background information about Henry ‘Ivo’ Crapp as part of the Crapp Chronicles.

Finals Week 3 – Port Adelaide v Richmond: Another option

Paddy Grindlay depicts snippets which construct a picture of a high-pressure game which was crazy-random at times and predictable at others. [Some tremendous observations in this – Ed]]

Almanac (Finals) Footy: Meandering thoughts and Finals observations while camping in the bush, and beyond

Paul Spinks has been meandering, both mentally and geographically, pondering the possibilities for the Cats as we head into the Qualifying Finals this weekend.

Almanac Footy Life: Brad Boyd – Time to sing the praises of an unsung Fitzroy hero

Gabrielle Murphy is a big fan of Brad Boyd, who is sometimes forgotten. She states the case for greater recognition and acknowledgement of the deeds and leadership displayed by Brad Boyd, Fitzroy FC’s captain, during their final two tumultuous years in the AFL.

Almanac Music: Iris DeMent – What a voice!

Iris DeMent is a favourite singer of Col’s. He first came across her performing at Bluesfest in Byron Bay about twenty years ago and was hooked!

FEARLESS 2020 Finals Week 2: Review, and three tales for the week of varying importance and significance

Fearless presents his thoughts on the lead up to AFL Finals Week 3 and reviews the Finals Week 2 matches.

Almanac (Local) Cricket: Pomborneit Cricket Club 2020/21 Season- Pre-Season Review

With the season about to start, Luke Reynolds takes us through all the off season happenings at the Pomborneit Bulls.