At three quarter time of the Swans vs Bombers I was having a relaxing Saturday, the next 30 minutes exposed my seedy underbelly. I have to face the facts – I am an unsociable supporter. The day started so in great fashion, despite a bumpy week where young Jack was feeding poorly and I feared [Read more]
Invasion of the Bomber Snatchers
June 10, 2012 by 1 Comment
Terror isn’t normally a word thrown into the mixing bowl of footy adjectives. Yet it’s the first word flashing across my mind on this freezing Sunday morning reflecting on last night’s game. A savage final quarter of football so chock full of impending doom that even now, in full daylight and knowing the result, I [Read more]
A Life with Footy and Kids
June 5, 2012 by 2 Comments
During the first half of the Round 6 night game against the Crows, I looked along Row U and realised that none of the O’Reilly boys nor I had our children in attendance. (The Cygnet was with us, but he was down on the concourse waiting to play with the Under 8s). I can’t remember [Read more]
The true measure
June 5, 2012 by 1 Comment
Stats seem to be the key in the professional footy world right now but quite frankly the sheer amount of gibberish being hammered home of late has turned my mind to jelly. And are they measuring the right thing? It’s all well and good to concentrate on a player’s work rate and inside leg measurement [Read more]
Footy through the eyes of a father
May 31, 2012 by 7 Comments
Football as I know it changed during round 2 on April 7th as Jack William Dodson came into the world. As fish and chip shop owners were playing their grand final on Good Friday and I was pondering if Ross Lyon instilled structure and process into doing the dishes and lovemaking or if he was [Read more]
A Heart Full of Lenny and Heart Beats for Farren
May 28, 2012 by Leave a Comment
1. A week is a long time in footy What a weird few weeks of football we’ve had. The favourites haven’t been winning. Teams like Richmond upset Premiership hopefuls Hawthorn, Collingwood find some form against an unbelievably improved Adelaide, who were kept scoreless in the final quarter in a tight game. Bulldogs took it right [Read more]
A Dove Among Pigeons
May 27, 2012 by 2 Comments
By Jake ‘Cobba’ Stevens Not that long ago I was on a train in India. True Story. (More on my adventures in India later…) Aside from my Parents and my sister I was the only non-Indian on the train. It was packed, and I estimate I was the only person with white hair within a [Read more]
The Footygods: Nike
May 22, 2012 by Leave a Comment
Nike was the sister of Kratos, Bia and Zelus. Given that they personified strength, force and envy, they almost had a forward line between them. Nike made up for what they missed. With her wings and chariot she was known for her speed and the greeks just loved her. Saturday saw indigenous round come to [Read more]
No fairy tale ending at the SCG
May 15, 2012 by Leave a Comment
On the eve of round 6, one astute observer made the point that Melbourne Storm, in the Sydney based NRL and the Sydney Swans, playing in Melbourne-centric AFL were both undefeated. Contrary indeed. The potential for a good match between Sydney and Adelaide loomed. After a great win against Hawthorn, the Swans were set to [Read more]
Jumper lore
May 12, 2012 by 4 Comments
On the way to the footy last Saturday night, I stopped in to change my mobile phone plan. This involved a fair bit of lightning typing from an under 25, who drew breath only to ask me: ‘Do you want me to do a number sequence search on anything in particular?’ After looking blankly at [Read more]
A Role To Play
April 29, 2012 by 6 Comments
I have always found voting an oddly stirring experience. Possibly because it is one of those intermittent events that binds us as individuals to something bigger – reminds us that we have the privilege and responsibility to gather ourselves to decide whose umbrella we will open over our collective heads. Last Sunday I voted in [Read more]
Anyone out there holding an AFL Retro?
April 12, 2012 by 7 Comments
The winner of the Norm Smith medal usually doubles up with an AFL premiership winner’s medal. After three gut-busting hours, only flag-winning adrenaline could allow Mr Norm to lump half a stone of metal around his neck on the lap of honour. I say this because I have recently worn a Jock McHale medal [Read more]
A Seductive Afternoon With Sherrin
April 8, 2012 by Leave a Comment
I’m getting jealous. While increasing numbers of our community here are enjoying closer and closer shared family experiences at the footy, my own experiences are going in the opposite direction. My wife’s previous apathy to attending any sort of sport is slowly reasserting itself, while my son said goodbye to me from the couch at [Read more]
Getting to Know You
April 5, 2012 by 3 Comments
A few weeks ago, I streamed the Sydney Swans Guernsey presentation. In twelve years of membership, I have never attended or watched a Guernsey presentation. I have been content with skimming the captain’s speech the morning after and stealing away a quote or two for the parenthood file. But this year, I watched it live, [Read more]
The View From Shepparton: Round 1 Pt. 1
March 26, 2012 by Leave a Comment
At last round one has started, and really I reckon that Greater Western Sydney were OK. Izzy has already received flack for not being up to it but despite my critical pre season comment, he might yet have something. It does appear though that they will have trouble getting a decent forward set [Read more]
Shaking off the giant pressure
March 26, 2012 by 2 Comments
The Sierra Madre is full of notoriously remote and lawless towns. A place where asking too many questions will only end in trouble and bemused shrugs from the locals afterwards. They’ve also never heard of Aussie Rules and certainly not the Sydney Swans. In other words the perfect bolt hole should tonight go drastically wrong. [Read more]
at the beginning….
March 26, 2012 by 4 Comments
I am ‘nobody’. I am ‘no one’ – and so’s my wife. We have been told daily for the past couple of years that ‘nobody’ wants the Giants; that ‘no one’ will go and watch. We have been told that in one of the largest, fastest growing, most diverse regions in Australia, that there is [Read more]
Giant Buzz
March 26, 2012 by 8 Comments
Everything comes to those who wait. Living in NSW for nearly 25 years has caused much angst where football is concerned. Telecasts at unreasonable hours despite having a so called national game has been frustrating. But with the introduction of GWS now I have an AFL team to follow in this state. I haven’t followed [Read more]
“From Little Things, Big Things Grow”
March 25, 2012 by 19 Comments
For the second straight season, the AFL welcomed in a new club built in the heart of the traditionally non – Aussie Rules wilderness. In 2011, it was the Gold Coast. Spared public scrutiny by being granted a bye in Round 1, they were blooded on a balmy Saturday evening in Round 2, smashed to [Read more]
Hot and Hotter, and Everybody Wins.
February 25, 2012 by 7 Comments
Hot and Hotter and Everybody Wins: So it’s started for St.Kilda (and Geelong and Sydney Swans). It started in a night of 100% humidity and 36 degree weather, with a good NAB Cup crowd of 18,000+ at the Etihad Stadium. I make a bet (in my head) that the players felt worse in the heat [Read more]
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