Almanac Footy: A Flag by the Narrowest Possible Margin

Ever pondered on some of the wildest finishes at a footy grand final where the team is showered in glory after narrowly getting over the line by a solitary point? Brian Dawson takes us through the history of Australian Rules Football spanning across the days of state competitions across WAFL, SAFL, VFL and what recent memory we have during the AFL period. Desperate defending, controversies, heartbreaks, Brian covers it all.

Almanac Footy: Most VFL/AFL Reserves Games

Big Kev needs your help! By composing a database of players that have made appearances in the VFL/AFL games, advice or contributions would be appreciated to add missing players from the late 80’s and throughout the 1990’s era.

Almanac Footy History – The Crapp Chronicles Part 9: Crapp Duped! (How Ivo headed west)

The adventures of Ivo Crapp were set to follow the setting sun after the 1905 VFL/AFL Grand Final, but what happened between Melbourne and Western Australia to upset the umpire’s applecart?

A day at the MCG – not watching sport but reliving history

Greg Blood reviews his tour of the recently revamped Australian Sports Museum at the MCG, and the MCG itself. [Terrific piece – Ed]

The strange case of Archie Whitfield

The ‘one game only’ club contains a plethora of interesting stories. Archie Whitfield is one such case, as related here by Gigs in an excerpt from his forthcoming book with Mick Rees.

Leaps and Bounds

‘Andrewce’ remembers his days as a fledgling Eagles follower.

The State of the Origins (of Australian Football)

Charlie Wells chronicles the origins of the names and places of all the clubs that grace our great game. And despite all the pommy toffs and shonks that lent many a club name, Ron thinks the indigenous possum skin game ‘Marn Grook’ gave it much of its style. (Lovers of our history will be richly rewarded by Charlie’s research – Ed.)

The Champions That Never Were

Armin Richter has done an amazing job of researching “Champion of the Colony” a VFL award that never existed (except as one man’s opinion) but is still shown in the AFL Season Guide. Fascinating stuff for anyone with an interest in footy history.

Footy’s home away from ‘drome

  by Jeff Dowsing Since Roy Cazaly was a boy, a perennial issue facing football has been access to suitable venues to play and train. If it’s not a war between football and the local council, it’s a barney amongst the club’s pigskin punters and their ship of flannelled fools.  The latest is the Kangaroos jettisoning the cricket club [Read more]

The Grand finale – Round 22 1972

Two rounds remain in this year’s home & away fixture. Barring any late season collapse it looks as though the eight teams that will take part in September action have been decided. Whilst season 2010 is unlikely to provide many last round thrills, the football loving public have been treated to some dramatic season finales, [Read more]