NRL Round 1: You gotta love footy

Prop among the Canefields is 0-2 but that won’t stop his pontifications which include a nice whack for the Rabbitohs and a ridiculously huge claim about Penrith and all of human history.

The Blue Bay Café

Damian Balassone’s latest offering finds him reminiscing about The Blue Bay Café

Almanac Soccer: Harry Souttar and the back-to-front Socceroos

It’s rare for a central-defender to feature among the goal-scorers but Australia’s Harry Souttar has a phenomenal record in recent times writes Roy Hay.

A beer with…Matt Zurbo

Every now and then, Barry Nicholls will have a beer with one our writers and bring us their responses to a series of questions. The first one is with Old Dog.

Almanac Cricket: Marnus Out?

Citrus Bob Utber has a few strong views on the make-up of the Australian side and recent and current selection approaches. [He’s coming at you SPD Smith – Ed]

Almanac Pro-running: The Stawell Gift Monday program from 1961

Swish Schwerdt and JTH help Dips recover from the shock banning of bookies at the Stawell Gift by publishing this gem of an artifact [a holy relic no less] from 1961. Can you help build the story?

Almanac Horseracing: A bad day at the Bell Races (1954)

Damien Morgan from the Darling Downs has been delving into racing history. A Trove search revealed a crazy meeting at Bell in 1954. Here’s what happened.

Almanac Cricket – NZ v Aust, First Test, Day 4: Aotearoa Dispatches

All wrapped up with a day in hand, Dennis Gedling recounts the tail of the Test, beers with the boys and an extra sporting highlight.

Almanac Life: Stawell and the Hand Gluers

Dips O’Donnell is a broken man. The Stawell Gift is on again this Easter, but bookies have been banned. And, worse, you can’t pitch a tent in the camping ground. Dips can see the writing on the wall.

Almanac Music – Wantok Sing Sing: 16 artists from Melanesia and Australia together in one show (Melbourne/Adelaide)

This is a very special lineup of musicians from the Wantok Musik family, playing together for just two dates in Melbourne and Adelaide this coming weekend.

Almanac Memoir: Knowing Hazel

Instead of a poem, KD shares a short memoir about his late friend, internationally renowned writer and biographer, Dr Hazel Rowley, who died in Manhattan in March 2011. Rowley wrote biographies of authors Christina Stead and Richard Wright, as well as non-fiction works about iconic twentieth century couples Jean-Paul Sartre and Simone de Beauvoir, and Franklin and Eleanor Roosevelt.

Almanac Cricket – NZ v Aust, First Test: Day 3 – Get Lyon on the line!

Citrus Bob Utber rises from his sick bed and watches Nathan Lyon spin Australia to victory on Day 4 of the First Test in Wellington.

Almanac Cricket – NZ v Aust, First Test: Day 3 – Aotearoa dispatches

The evidence was that the boys were in slow decline as they prepared for Day 3 of the Wellington Test. Just, says Dennis Gedling, like a Test pitch. [Hang in there lads – Ed]

Almanac Cricket – NZ v Aust, First Test: Day 2 – Aotearoa dispatches

Dennis Gedling reports from Wellington on a day when Josh Hazlewood emerged as an all-rounder.

Almanac Cricket – NZ v Aust, First Test: Day 2 – Green and Hazel favourite colours

A crook Citrus Bob Utber missed the end of the Aussie innings but was there to watch New Zealand get off to a disastrous start on Day 2 of the First Test in Wellington.

Almanac Cricket: Pomborneit CC Weekly Wrap

Wins, losses and junior premiership reunions (featuring 2 former AFL players) in another big week at the Pomborneit Cricket Club.

Almanac Cricket – NZ v Aust, First Test: Aotearoa Dispatches

Dennis Gedling and his mates make a pilgrimage to one of Test cricket’s great grounds – The Basin.

Almanac Films: ‘The Zone of Interest’ – Having Genocide as your Neighbour

Ian Wilson reviews a movie about the holocaust, ‘The Zone of Interest’ directed by Jonathan Glazer, and he was both impressed and moved by the movie.

Almanac Music: ‘Rooms on Fire’: Songs about Houses and Rooms

In this Friday’s music piece, KD deals with songs about the spaces in which we live – houses, flats, apartments and the rooms within. As usual, readers’ contributions are warmly welcomed.

Almanac Cricket: NZ v Aus, First Test – Windy Welli

After leaving a 45degree Mildura, Citrus Bob wonders whether he should have packed more clothes for a cool and windy Wellington as he watched Cameron Green score a memorable century on the first day’s play of the First Test against New Zealand.