Almanac Footy (Life Sentences): Preliminaries be Damned!

Most of the time we manage to get on with life after a significant letdown. But sometimes it’s a life sentence!

Finals Week 3 – Melbourne v Geelong Preview: It’s not about you, son

Mark Freeman is toey about Friday night as Melbourne inch closer to snapping the Norm Smith Curse. He shares his experiences as an excited Demon who will be attending on Friday in his stead. (It’s got to be a good omen, Mark, surely? – Eds.)

Errors: Significant, but often forgotten by history

Many of us have turned to the past to fill the footy void – Alex Darling has been looking back on classic matches with a keener eye than before and discovered a veritable forest amongst the trees. Those trees are the individual moments of brilliance we reduce so many memorable games to.

The Ashes – Fourth Test, Day 4: Sod It 

In the bowels of the ‘G, people mill about, wearing confused expressions. What is a man or woman to do when his or her day at the cricket is ruined by the glory of Melbourne summer rain? Jack ponders this question as the rain begins to play a part in determining the outcome of the fourth Test.

September Specialists

Phil Dimitriadis has selected his team of finals champions. Over to you for your thoughts.

In the tree tops with the ruckmen

Carolyn Spooner finds a perfect relationship between the very best of football’s big men and, thanks to a trusty copy of Shrubs and trees for Australian gardens, many particularly characterised Australian trees.

Jim Stynes statue: the photo, the conversation

A statue, a conversation with 9-year-old Harry; observations and photograph thanks to Sasha Lennon.

Round 5 – Melbourne v Fremantle: Dockers a class above

A pretty good afternoon, when it’s all said and done. Autumn sunshine, footy at the G, post-game kick-to-kick and Steve Johnston’s Dockers grab the points with the skipper and a key small forward on the bench.

The Finals: Perfect Prelims – A Walk Down Memory Lane

The 2014 Preliminary Finals are drawing ever-closer. And to get us all in the mood, Steve Baker recalls some of the classic Prelims: Stynes going over the mark in ’87, Fraser Brown’s tackle in ’99, Plugger’s after the siren gem in ’96 and the death of the ‘Kennett Curse’.

The Footy Almanac Podcast – Episode 14

Journalist and author Warwick Green joins Matty Q, Stone Cold and JTH to chat about his friend Jim Stynes and their collaboration on My Journey, and how that biographical tome has been modified in an edition aimed at children. [Nice insights into Warwick’s footy and writing career, Jim’s life, and their friendship. Wonderful to be involved – thanks Warwick. JTH]

What were you doing when Stynes ran across the mark?

The IronMike Matt Watson reflects on his memory of ‘that Stynes mistake’ and wants to know, where were you when it happened?

AFL Round 9 – Richmond v Melbourne: A Tale of Two Suburbs

Two teams battling. How good are they? Gregor Lewis feels the time warp spinning back to 2011 in watching Melbourne and Richmond. But this time, there’s a certain something about the Demons.

Don’t punish Dees for Tanking Think Tank

Paul Mitchell says don’t blame Melbourne when the AFL set up the system, and Collingwood also abused it to recruit Pendles and Daisy.

Jim Stynes

I can’t really remember much of Four Weddings and a Funeral, other than Hugh Grant playing to the bumbler in all of us, but especially in the feckless blokes among us. I remember enjoying the movie, in the way that you enjoy happy-sad things. I also remember the poem it featured: “Stop all the clocks”. [Read more]

Jim Stynes and the triumph of idealism

  by Jonathan Rivett The problem with writing about someone you have never met is that your presumptions could so easily be wrong. Maybe what I’m about to say about Jim Stynes, who died on the morning of Tuesday the 20th of March, is incorrect. Maybe he was not much different from those who came [Read more]

Round 14: Jimmy and us

by Steve Healy It had been a big week for the Melbourne football club to say the least, with the shock announcement from Jim Stynes that he was suffering from cancer, and would temporarily stand down as president. This came as shocking news for me, and all other Melbourne supporters, along with Jim’s family and friends. [Read more]