John Harms remembers September, 2010. Especially the night of the Preliminary Final between Geelong and Collingwood, the night his father died. [First published in The Footy Almanac 2010]
Almanac Horseracing – Four characters in search of a racecourse
May 7, 2020 by 6 Comments
Four mug punters go virtual to take in the 2020 Warrnambool May Racing Carnival. By the end of Day 2, they finally had a ‘system’ that worked. [Some splendid new racing terminology introduced here – JTH]
Bugger Boris!: A cricket team of initials
May 7, 2020 by 17 Comments
Citrus Bob Utber can’t help himself! He has come up with another cricket team to keep everyone guessing; this time, a team of initials!
Almanac Cricket: If you love cricket, you love initials.
May 7, 2020 by 14 Comments
Given the Citrus Bob Utber challenge of recent days, we’re reprising this piece from 2016.
There are so many elements to cricket. John Harms looks at the multi-initialled player throughout history. You probably have a favourite. A piece first published in The Cricket Monthly.
Almanac Rugby League: Excerpts from a rugby league lover’s diary – The Early Years
May 7, 2020 by 4 Comments
Imagine an Adrian Mole-type character thinking back over the childhood competitiveness of two brothers supporting rival teams. Actually, Paul Connolly has already done it for you!
The Footy Almanac 2007 Round 6 – Richmond v Geelong: Only three more years of this crap!
May 7, 2020 by 1 Comment
Adam McNicol tipped an upset win for the Tigers before they proceeded to lose by their greatest margin ever! The good news was that the coach said that things would be better in three years.
The Footy Almanac 2007 Round 6 – Melbourne v Port Adelaide: The trouble with umpires
May 7, 2020 by 1 Comment
“As if the Dees didn’t have enough problems with dodgy draft picks, why did the umpires have to give them a hard time, too?” Mark Freeman may well have asked. Why indeed?
Almanac Writing Competition – #almanac280: COVID-19
May 7, 2020 by 47 Comments
A new writing challenge for those who are Twitter inclined, or for those who just value brevity. But hurry! This comp closes 6pm Thursday.
Sausage Roll Review: (not quite) Hurling on Hurtle Square
May 6, 2020 by 21 Comments
Even during Covid-19 Mickey Randall finds an opportunity to purchase a sausage roll; here’s his review, is it hit or miss?
Almanac Basketball: Community `Ball – A Way of Life and Opportunity of a Life-time
May 6, 2020 by 2 Comments
The Last Dance has captured the world’s attention. But there are local equivalents. Steve Earl presents a terrific short film ‘This is Yarra’ about the Yarra Wild Beasts, a community basketball team with quite a story.
Almanac Footy History: 65 years ago Kevin Murray plays his first game for the Fitzroy FC
May 6, 2020 by 11 Comments
Fitzroy great, Kevin Murray is paid a fitting tribute by David Leydon to celebrate the 65th anniversary of his first game of VFL football.
1966 and all that: Round 5 – South Melbourne v St Kilda
May 6, 2020 by 5 Comments
It’s Round 5, and the confident Saints travel to the Lakeside Oval to take on Bob Skilton’s in-form South Melbourne. Peter Clark’s look back at 1966 continues apace.
‘On The Take: The 1910 Scandal That Changed Australian Football Forever’ – review by Roy Hay
May 6, 2020 by 3 Comments
Roy Hay reviews a fascinating new release, ‘On The Take: The 1910 Scandal That Changed Australian Football Forever’ by Tony Joel & Mathew Turner. This book is sure to generate much interest for aficionados of football history.
Almanac Poetry – A Beer With No Pub
May 6, 2020 by 12 Comments
Dips has had enough! Airing his frustration in satirical verse, it’s time to re-open the pubs and let the good times roll he urges. [Ed: We’ll drink to that!]
SA’s Lost Video Treasures – Vol 2: BetaMax
May 6, 2020 by 19 Comments
Swish has opened that other box of SA themed videos. Maybe he shouldn’t have. [But we’re glad he did – Ed].
Footy: The Rise of the Fall
May 6, 2020 by 34 Comments
Dips muses on the push to bring back footy (prematurely?) and the nature of the AFL beast that demands a conversation be had on the merits of the spectacle and its perhaps seedier underbelly.
The Footy Almanac 2007 Round 6 – Brisbane v Fremantle: Sorting the wheat from the chaff!
May 6, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Brisbane Lions had a convincing win against Fremantle, touted prematch as a season predictor for both teams in their Round 6 2007 match. Andrew Stafford’s report was published in The Footy Almanac 2007.
The Footy Almanac 2007 Round 6 – Adelaide v Collingwood: Pies 7 posters!
May 6, 2020 by Leave a Comment
Collingwood scored 7 posters in their Round 6 2007 win against Adelaide suggests the winning margin could have been much higher. John Kingsmill reported on this game as published in The Footy Almanac 2007.
‘Jovial Jack Fergie……’ by KB Hill
KB Hill tells us about Jack Ferguson, the Wangaratta Magpies champion full-back and, later, 3NE radio commentator extraordinaire. He was a pretty good shoe salesman, too!