Round 15: Carlton v Richmond – a day to forget

Mum and I have been tested a lot this year. Losing to the reigning wooden spooners, losing in the last minute against Port, travelling to the Gold Coast to witness a poor performance and worst of all, being thrashed by rivals Carlton, Essendon and St Kilda (Can’t wait till we play Collingwood).  Today may be [Read more]

AFL Round 15: Fevola Betts on teamwork

by Jill Scanlon Shower, make rolls, grab drinks and jump in the car. Want to make that midday train. It’s been quite a few weeks since we’ve been able to get to a match and today’s is a favourite clash. My teenagers and I arrive at Ringwood station, oooh –  a car space close to [Read more]

AFL Round 14: Worth the WACA trip to see the Yellows

By Barbara Smith Freo was always going to be a danger game for Carlton. Freo gave the Cats a big fright two matches ago, and are scary at home. Plus, after the last few see-sawing weeks, you never know which Carlton team is going to turn up: the hungry one or the one that seems disinterested. [Read more]

AFL Round 13: Essendon v Carlton: Bombers score best win in Knights era

By Damian Watson Another very eventful Friday indeed! It is the end of the school term, two very notable American entertainers have passed away (Michael Jackson and Farrah Fawcett), and we are witnessing another huge build-up to a season-defining clash between Essendon and Carlton at a packed MCG. Unfortunately I wasn’t one of the 83,407 [Read more]

AFL Round 13: Essendon v Carlton: Lloydy kicks goals at both ends of the house

By Pamela Sherpa It almost feels like the start of a new season. Does the split round harm or help teams? Is momentum broken or are players refreshed? Essendon played last week but Carlton didn’t. When the ball bounces it will count for little. A finals berth is an incentive for these arch rivals. Carlton, [Read more]

Crio’s Question: Chris Riordan looks askance at the Blues

Were Carlton over-rated? This was supposed to be a season-defining game. Clearly, Carlton’s season is gone. “We are coming!”… they might need some nasal spray to reload if they’re going to finish in the finals. Waite’s loss is significant and maybe it is time to get rid of Fev. Big Jack, as usual, made it [Read more]

Round 12: Carlton v St Kilda: Even a Tigers fan admits the Blues deserves praise

By Sam Steele I’m home alone – a rare event in the Steele household.  Older son Tom has gone to the game with some university mates.  Younger son Billy is at a party.  My better half, the non-footballing Yang to the football-mad Yin of the three boys in the family, is having a family reunion [Read more]

AFL Round 12: Carlton v St Kilda: Saints fall in in a ring-a-ding-ding affair

By Josh Barnstable Having a day off school means you can relax for the day. It is also vital that you relax your muscles after a tough night of footy training and, in today’s case, rest your muscles after a night of dancing, raving and just having fun at the school social. For me, I [Read more]

AFL Round 12: Saints hit the dozen

By Damian Watson All week, in the words of the Easybeats I had “Friday On My Mind” as I had a long four days completing my Year Nine exams. Friday was also on the minds of everyone involved at Carlton and St.Kilda as they prepared for a Friday Night blockbuster at Etihad Stadium. As I [Read more]

AFL Round 11: Carlton sneak home

by Josh Barnstable This match will be an absolute cracker. A gun up one end of the field, and quite a controversial one (Brendan Fevola) while the twin towers await the Blue defence up the other end (Jonathan Brown and Daniel Bradshaw). A different role has presented itself to Bradshaw in recent weeks though, with [Read more]

AFL Round 7: Freo break their Queensland duck

Carlton versus Fremantle 7.10pm, Saturday 9 May 2009 Carrara Oval (Gold Coast Stadium), Gold Coast, QLD By Dianne Waddingham A quick scan of the 2009 fixture had Fremantle’s first away game outside Victoria in the glitzy, high-rise world of the Gold Coast (and Warwick Capper). Carlton sold their souls for the mighty dollar to play [Read more]

AFL Round 11: Footy first-timer films fan fervour and Fev fever

By Pamela Sherpa Brisbane Lions versus Carlton 7.10 pm, 6 June The Gabba, Brisbane What’s the best possible Aussie experience to share with someone before they travel overseas? Go to the footy of course. As I’ve travelled up from the Snowy Mountains to visit my daughter Tashi before she leaves I’m grateful there is a [Read more]

AFL Round 10: Carlton makes work at the London desk a little easier

Carlton versus West Coast Eagles 7.40pm, Friday, May 29 Etihad Stadium Ben Santamaria I have always loved the prospect of a Friday night game: the dash from school or work to the ’G or the Dome, or whatever it’s called these days; the taste of that first weekend beer that you feel you have earned [Read more]

AFL Round 10: Another Friday, another parma, another Blues win

By Josh Barnstable   Another Friday, another exciting day at school, another successful radio interview on ABC. I tip the Blues on this occasion, knowing that Brendan Fevola does not play too many bad games in a row and that Chris Judd should bounce back from last week’s shocker against Adelaide, and so should everyone [Read more]

AFL Round 10: Rain, beer and the footy on a front bar TV in Sydney

by Tony Reed I guess I have a confession to make from the outset when reporting on this game. I didn’t watch all of it, although I did manage to watch most of it. A bit like Carlton, I knew it was a-comin’ – in this case the rain in Sydney and hoped that this [Read more]

AFL Round 8: (FPS) I’d rather not be in Philadelphia

By Steve Fahey     I was bruised and battered and I couldn’t tell What I felt I was unrecognizable to myself I saw my reflection in a window I didn’t know My own face Streets of Philadelphia, Bruce Springsteen   I’m not sure whether this applies more to the team or to we supporters.  [Read more]

Hawks Home In A Classic

by Sasha Lennon I was worried about the Hawks. Carlton had a confident buzz about them, as they have all year. I could almost feel it from my Brisbane lounge room as I made myself a coffee to aid the concentration and then took my place on the couch as the players took to the [Read more]

The Bulldogs and that Other Side

by Andrew Gigacz Q. Why didn’t the athiest chicken cross the road? A. Because it didn’t believe in the other side.   At this time of year, it’s hard not to think about what lies on the other side. As we commemorate ANZAC Day and the leaves fall from the trees, thoughts turn to what [Read more]

Bombers Lift to the Hallelujah Chorus

How much warm inner glow can a person stand. The kids, a whole mob of them from across four families, have just returned from hunting Easter eggs. It’s a pagan pleasure that manages to retain an element of celebration. They’re all buzzing with an excitement that belies three holiday late nights that have left them [Read more]

Carlton too good at promising new stadium

Carlton versus Brisbane Lions Saturday, April 4 Etihad Stadium by Tony Birch   Carlton 3.2 11.5 13.8 18.11 (119) Brisbane Lions 3.3 4.6 10.8 15.10 (100)   Goals Carlton: Fevola 5; Murphy 3, Betts 3; Gibbs 2, Cloke 2; Judd, Hadley, Houlihan. Brisbane Lions: Bradshaw 6; Brown 3; Sherman 2, Hooper 2; Johnstone, McGrath.   [Read more]