Almanac Memoir: Rannoch House, Renting, Music and Writing

This Friday’s post from KD is a multi-dimensional affair, involving an iconic Geelong mansion – Rannoch House – and personal memoir, music, writing and Geelong Football Club history.

Almanac Footy: The Geelong Ruck Crisis

Deakin Uni student Chris Mangos considers the question that has frustrated Geelong supporters for years: who should play in the ruck?

Almanac Memoir: Geelong with All Five Senses

This week, KD’s Friday column is a pastiche of Geelong memories, involving all five senses – it features Geelong’s most iconic building, possibly the best meat pie ever, and 3GL’s VFL football broadcasts of Geelong matches.

Almanac Tribute: Gareth Andrews remembers Frank Costa

Frank Costa was Geelong through and through, the driving force behind the Geelong Football Club becoming the on-field powerhouse it has been in recent times. Gareth Andrews remembers Frank Costa’s passing with a fitting tribute that was recently published in The Age.

The Unsung – Round 2: Chad Warner and Francis Evans

Deakin Uni student Chris Mangos’ second weekly column ‘The Unsung’, featuring young, up-and-coming footy stars Chad Warner and Francis Evans.

Geelong’s Record Run: Introducing Peter Clark’s new column for 2021

Peter Clark introduces his new column which is sure to be popular again: an account of footy, other sport, and life during Geelong run of 26 games without a defeat through 1952 and 1953.

Grand Final – Richmond v Geelong: On Grand Final day things started going wrong long before the bounce.

In hindsight, Hamish Townsend realises that the omens were there long before the game started. But why did his match ticket have to be among the Richmond hordes?

Almanac Football History: Aren’t we lucky we are not playing soccer?

Here’s an interesting tidbit by Roy Hay from the early decades of Australian Football in one of its original heartlands – Geelong. Could the 2020 AFL grand finalists have been less the Cats we know today and more like the Sunderland Blackcats?

Almanac (Footy) History: Memories of Corio Oval, Geelong

Kevin Densley provides a background to Corio Oval in Geelong which provided a setting for footy and harness racing for decades. Its current day use will not thrill you.

Old Autograph Books: Roger Lowrey

More autographs. Some famous Geelong names from the 1960s.

The Footy Almanac 2007 Round 3 – Melbourne v Geelong : A young Tomahawk axes his critics

John Harms was on the spot to see young Tom Hawkins leave his mark on this clash with the Dees. The kid silenced his would-be critics and the Cats ran riot.

Tom Harley: Mr Perseverance becomes elite

Malcolm ‘Rulebook’ Ashwood considers the life and career of a tenacious Geelong (and Redlegs, of course) champion

Neil Balme – player, coach administrator: five decades of influence

If success follows you across 50 seasons of footy you must be doing something right. Rulebook’s profile of Neil Balme captures an incredible career in footy!

Almanac Book Review – Bomber the Whole Story: Hardworking and Rewards with Honesty

Yoshi gives an excellent overview and summary of Mark Thompson’s autobiography Bomber: the whole story. And he thanks Francis Leach who gave Yoshi the book at the Sports Writers’ Festival. Yosho had travelled from Japan to Melbourne especially for the event.

Round 10 – Geelong v Port Adelaide: the Pedant’s Lament

A cracking game of footy but did the umpire get the Dixon call right? A frame of reference wouldn’t go astray

Women’s Footy – VFL: Mel Kuys

The inaugural VFL Women’s captain of the Box Hill Hawks Mel Kuys talks leadership and the future ahead for her side.

Don’t let the door hit you on the arse.

Reprising an old classic, Ron Wells AKA San Diego Catter on Grand Final day contemplates the dreams of players, the lamentations of fans, and the fairytale of one neglected player who lived his dream.

Finals Week 1 – There is only now: Everybody needs somebody to love (Go Dogs)

E Regnans expresses his feelings for Footy and the emotional contests that he witnessed in Week 1 of the Finals.

Almanac Finals Preview – Cats’ home ground DISadvantage

Daylight robbery. Ahead of Geelong’s “home” final, see Gary Caulfield’s unbiased analysis into home ground scheduling.

Junior Almanac Round 16 – Geelong v Sydney: The trip has begun

Former Patrick Dangerfield devotee, Aidan Hammond (aged 10), begins a big weekend of Victorian footy with a visit to the Cattery