Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2026: Round 4 Review/ Round 5 Preview

Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2026 reviews the Pies disappointing loss to Brisbane in Round 4, and previews their Gather Round match against Fremantle.

Almanac Footy: Minor Encounter with a Major Legend – Ted Whitten at Elizabeth Oval

Philip Peel recalls a brief but very memorable encounter he had with EJ Whitten at the Elizabeth Oval in 1968.

Round 4 – Brisbane v Collingwood: Floreat Pica Society match report

Tony Scully presents the match report for the Brisbane v Collingwood Round 4 game on behalf of the Floreat Pica Society.

Round 4 – North Melbourne v Carlton: Roos pounce as same old Blues tumble

When a party of bucks, accompanied by two chaperones, attended Marvel Stadium on Good Friday they arrived full of expectation but left a little dejected. Their spirits were quickly revived when the day’s mission continued.

Almanac Footy: Melbourne, Mayhem, Merger, and Madness

Richard Griffiths was Football Manager at the Melbourne FC during the tumultuous period of the proposed club merger with the Hawthorn FC and presents a first-hand account of that time.

Almanac Rugby League: The Dolphins Cry

Jamie Simmons, once a Victorian, explains the challenges of assimilating into Queensland culture, especially when he can’t hack supporting the Brisbane Broncos (which just happens to be the team of his father-in-law).

Almanac Music: Our Dad banned Ted Mulry Gang, but embraced Skyhooks

The Goodwin brothers, Dave and Ian, take us on a journey to a different time and place to explain why their father, a State High School Principal, banned the Ted Mulry Gang from performing at Dalby State High School back in 1977. (Fascinating!~ – Ed.)

Sal’s Preview – Round 4: All Aboard The Coaching Cycle – Bring your Alibi to the Championships

Sal takes the coach critics to task for their two-handed approach to the suitability or otherwise of particular coaches. But the continuing daytime Grand Final time slot gets a big tick.

Almanac Life and Music: The Eighth Caller Through – The Cars, Neil Young, and Goanna

Mickey Randall’s mate Lukey dropped off some old vinyl albums recently. They took Mickey back to a special time in his life. Is nostalgia ‘right now — the way it found us in the first place?’

2026 NRL – The Prospector’s Pickaxe: NRL is an 80-minute game. Or is it?

The Prospector swings his pickaxe at the illusion of rugby league being an 80 minute game. It’s not, but how can we make it closer to that goal without causing too much collateral damage?

RITV – Athletics: The 2026 Maurie Plant Meet

For a change of pace (no pun intended), RITV reviews last weekend’s Maurie Plant Meet, formerly the Melbourne Track Classic, one of the highlights of the annual athletics calendar in Australia.

2026 NRL – Prop by the Sea: You gotta love footy! – Round 5

Prop by the Sea has gone all Bee Gees this week, a soundtrack with which many of us of slightly advanced years will certainly identify. Does anyone remember George Wallace and ‘Theatre Royal’ from the early 60s with the Gibb kiddies in their white t-shirts, shorts, socks and sandshoes? (‘Cucumber Castle’, Prop? I, for one, recall that! – Ed.)

Round 3 – Geelong v Adelaide: From the Premiership Stand

Marcus Holt was in the Premiership Stand to see his Cats triumph over the Crows at a soggy Kardinia Park

Round 3 – Haiku Bob: unnatural things

Haiku Bob saw rather more polish in the Magpies’ performance under the dome in Round 3.

Almanac Horseracing: Boo ars only

Pestwac, as we know, spent a lot of time on the punt where he came into contact with any number of colourful characters. Today it’s Dickie, a man of military bearing – although he probably wasn’t!

2026 NRL – Upsets on and off the field

After a weekend with several surprise results, the NRL is full of people and clubs who are more than a tad miffed this week.

Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2026: Round 3 Review and Round 4 Preview

A good Round 3 win to the Pies over the Giants is reviewed by Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2026, and the Round 4 match against Brisbane is previewed.

Almanac Footy: 2026 AFL Draftees Preview – Ch.1

Micky McTigger looks ahead to some of the likely prospects for this year’s AFL draft.

Round 4 – AFL Footy Fixture 2026: Who, where, and when

Find out who, where, and when your team is playing in Round 4 of AFL Season 2026.

Almanac Poetry: ‘High on the low down in Wonthaggi (even though I have to jump), reprise’

Except for the personnel involved, play remains much the same on the streets of Wonthaggi as it has for ages recalls James Walton in his poem.