Almanac Footy History: Carlton’s 1970s windfall from the Bendigo zone

The Bendigo Football League provided a windfall in players for the Carlton Football Club during the country zone period from 1969 – 1985. Jack Coyne has produced a You Tube clip celebrating many of the players recruited in the 1970s.

Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life 2026: Round 3 – Preview Collingwood v GWS

After a loss and a bye Cam Hooke’s Collingwood Life and true believers are keen for a Round 3 win against the Giants. Cam previews the game.

Almanac Teams: Joined a team for a premiership that year

This week Rodney Boyd selects a team of players who changed clubs to join a team that would win a premiership that year. He goes back to 1980 with his selections.

Almanac Song Lyrics: I Can’t Get Started

This week, in place of his usual Monday poem, Kevin Densley provides an original song lyric.

Round 2 – Richmond v Gold Coast: It was close until it wasn’t

The Suns with their star import Christian Petracca are a hot topic. Greg A casts an eye over their performance against the Tigers at the ‘G’ in round 2.

Almanac Footy: Wildcards and the Final Ten

The AFL’s announcement of Wildcard Finals for 2026 has generated strong reactions. Some of the pros and cons of the change are examined in this discussion. What is your view?

Round 2 – Port Adelaide v Essendon: Carr’s Port crushes win(g)less Bombers.

Nick Kossatch reports on Josh Carr’s first win as coach of Port Adelaide smashing Essendon in their Round 2 match by over 10 goals.

Round 2 – Port Adelaide v Essendon: Under-powered Bombers crash at Port

Once again the Bombers put in another dismal performance to be smashed by more than 10 goals, this time by their Port Adelaide opponents.

Round 2 – GWS v St Kilda: Lightning Does Strike Twice as Saints Hang On

Proving that lightning does strike twice, the weather-delayed start to the GWS Giants v St Kilda match at Engie Stadium on Saturday afternoon reminded Richard Griffiths of a similar interruption at the same venue 12 years ago.

Round 2 – Adelaide v Western Bulldogs: Dogs dodge the Crows swoop in a Friday night frenzy

The Bulldogs’ late bite on Friday night leaves Matthew Nicks to ponder the one that got away, while Bevo’s men soak in their undefeated start to the season, writes Kristian Cavallo.

Round 2 – GWS v St Kilda: Saints lucky to get away with this one

Unimpressed with Ross Lyon’s treatment of reporters in press conferences, Ian Wilson moved on from his pre-match thoughts to the Round 2 action after a lightning-delayed start at Engie Stadium. He tipped it would be close, quick and open.

Round 2 – Adelaide Crows v Western Bulldogs: Dogs are a tense watch, but I am smiling now as they remain undefeated!

Sports broadcaster Dan Lonergan admits to having shown emotion in the box at Bulldogs’ games in the past and still finds it hard to watch his team live or on TV. So it was on Friday night, even after a relaxing run and his favourite Italian meal, ‘Negative Nelly’ was in for a nervous night.

Almanac Film and TV: Shelley Long – a Modern Anti-Hero

George Smith pays tribute to Shelley Long, who throughout her movie and TV career generally played characters of the ‘flawed, tragic, messy’ good person type who had a tendency to grate ‘like fingernails down a blackboard’.

Almanac History and Culture: In The Footsteps Of Unfortunates And Ghosts Past (a weekend spent in Pentridge Gaol, including a walking tour in nearby Coburg Cemetery)

Allan Barden shares with us the sights he discovered on a recent tour of the infamous Pentridge Gaol.

Almanac Music: ‘Hip To Be Square’ – Songs Referencing Shapes

In this week’s instalment of KD’s long-running series on popular song themes, the focus is upon shapes – squares, triangles, circles, diamonds and the like. As is always the case, readers’ song choices and comments are warmly welcomed.

Almanac Music: ‘I’ll Hold You in my Heart’ – Elvis Presley

With Elvis Presley once again the flavour of the month, Stan Kluzek takes a look at Elvis’ recording of ‘I’ll Hold You in my Heart’ from his Memphis era.

Round 1 – Haiku Bob: loose thread

Is Haiku Bob suggesting that things may be ‘autumnal’ at Collingwood after their Round 1 loss to Adelaide? At the very least, he’s a tad unsettled.

Sal’s Preview 2026 – Round 2: Cheeky Devils – Glowing this Autumn

Sal is ranking the Matildas as the biggest game around this weekend but he’s still keen to pass on his thoughts about the AFL’s Round 2 as well as the major racing programmes at Caulfield and Rosehill.

Round 1 – Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions: Some channel surfing

Simultaneous games give the viewer a chance to do some channel surfing. So it was on Saturday night when the Sydney Swans took total control early at the SCG, and the game at the MCG was just a press on the remote away.

Round 1 – Carlton v Richmond: ‘half-arsed football’

Peter Fuller, tongue-in-cheek, writes about his tentative conclusion that the Carlton FC wants to mirror T-20 cricket by only ‘playing’ for half the game time. He sees evidence of Carlton’s half-a-game strategy in the first two games of 2026, much like their 2025 model.