Almanac Art: Footy Fun Day

You may have seen Jack Riewoldt riding to school on his bike this week. School kids are celebrating Footy Fun Day, or Footy Colours Day, this month by wearing their team colours in support of a charity.

Murderball – it’s a killer of a game

After watching the Wheelchair Rugby Tri-Nations tournament while in Sydney, Ramon Dobb is hooked on Murderball.

AFL Finals Week 2 – Geelong v Port Adelaide: Kenny, Travis and the love of the game

“The Wrong Dreams of the dullards and egotists and meglomaniacs of footy look even further from the mark than they already did” writes John Harms in describing the restorative powers of the first round of the finals in this piece about the Cats past few weeks.

AFL Finals Week 2 – Sydney v Carlton: A blue road trip

Tony Reed rode the rollercoaster that was Carlton’s season all the way to the end.

Almanac Rugby League – NRL Finals Week 1: Sharks v Cowboys – 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6…..7?

Peter Hulthen contemplates the Cowboys unfortunate loss.

Crio’s Racing: Atlantic Jewel at The Underwood Stakes

There’ll be no “cotton wool champ” dung flung at Atlantic Jewel after the champion mare was a surprise Acceptor on Wednesday for The Underwood Stakes which has gathered one of the best WFA fields seen in Melbourne for a long time.

Writers block during the finals: I blame KISS

Much to ponder – Chappy and the MRP, the Alvarez-Mayweather fight, the Kennett Curse – but an inability to put those thoughts on paper. KISS made a fortune out of writers block, why can’t Iron Mike?

AFL Round 23 – St.Kilda v Fremantle: Once again, Saints look to next year

No strangers themselves to sensation, the St Kilda players found sensation overtaking them, like it or not, before they’d even pulled on a boot to meet Fremantle in Round 23, writes Brian Matthews.

AFL Finals Week 2: Bula!

Paul Thomson watches the finals from Fiji.

AFL Finals Week 2 – Sydney v Carlton: Class of 2013

Class of 2013, please be seated. Mr Judd, Henderson, Jamison, Walker, Murphy, Simpson and Robinson may leave the room. Last week I was ambivalent about the class’ attendance in the end of year celebrations. This week, I’m just very, well, as you can see I have my angry face on. Students, if the lucky dip [Read more]

The club fan buries its de-listed

The fate of the de-listed played (with a nod to Henry Lawson).

The Story of Peter Reville – The Champion of the Brown Coal Mine

The story of former Brown Coal Mine and South Melbourne premiership player Peter Reville, who was suspended for 20 weeks after snapping in the 1934 Grand Final.

AFL Finals Week 2 – Sydney v Carlton: If the road is easy, you’re going the wrong way

Saturday night and as the temperature dips I’m swept up in a sea of people pouring into Olympic Park. The hopeful, the confident, the desperate and the drunk, all wanting a win. This is most definitely The Last Chance. In just over two hours some of us will be singing, the rest shambling out looking [Read more]

AFL Finals Week 2 – Geelong v Port Adelaide: Payback can wait

Port’s massive Grand Final loss to Geelong in 2007 pushed it to the brink. It didn’t exact revenge on Friday night but they’re on the right track, writes Dan Hansen.

Quintessential country football

Peter Argent captures the action from South Australia’s North Eastern Football League.

Take me out to the ball park

Yvette Wroby travelled to Fenway Park as part of her USA adventure to watch the Red Sox and the Yankees.

AFL Finals Week 2 – Sydney v Carlton: End of the line

It was a helluva ride this year but being out of the finals has its upside, writes Barb Smith, who now vows to concentrate on other parts of her life.

Wallabies grind out first win for McKenzie

Ewen McKenzie finally broke his duck as Wallabies coach on a wild night in Perth less suited to international athletes than to, well, ducks. The weather, and the pressure of consecutive defeats, meant this was not a pretty win, but it was the win Australia just had to have. Argentina were superior at the scrum, [Read more]

SANFL – Finals: West Adelaide faces Norwood for Grand Final berth

West Adelaide came back from a 27 point half time deficit to defeat the Eagles and set up a second semi-final against reigning Premier Norwood.

The View from Shepparton

The Cowboys debacle sums up another inglorious year for the NRL, writes Peter Schumacher.