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Telstra Dome Double Trouble

February 17th 2009 01:50
February 28th should be an interesting night in the history of sport. Both the A-league grand final and the Collingwood V Richmond NAB cup match are scheduled at the Telstra Dome. As versatile a stadium as it is I don’t think closing the roof will solve the problem.

You would think, given that it is the grand final for the A-league, it should get president. Although seeing the pitch surface presented to the Victory after the new year “Sensation” should give some insight as to the standing of the A-league in the eyes of the Telstra Dome management.

What makes this even harder is the pressure being exerted by channel 10 as a lack of a Saturday evening game would put a huge dint in their Saturday night programming (they’d be forced to air their new reality series where Natalie Bassingwaite and some of the Australia’s Next Top Model girls are thrown in the Big Brother house and force fed KFC. The winner will be decided by who is the last to purge and will be call Australia’s Skinniest Looser).


This puts the AFL in a tight spot, given the MCG is off the table due to the cricket pitches. Where is Waverly when you need it? Princess Park is in the middle of a re-development and probably couldn’t be used and Vic Park looked in disrepair last time I went by it on the train to Preston. What else is left the Western Oval or Punt Rd?

Given that the game to be held in Darwin was cancelled due to the bushfire appeal game maybe it would be a good opportunity to fulfill this commitment. The Essendon V Footsgray game was moved back to Melbourne with only a couple days notice so surly logistically it’s possible and it would be a good sign of thanks to NT residents who had to give up there one game of footy for the year. The added benefit to this proposal is that it is fun anticipating the cries of "everyone’s-out-to-get-the-us" Maguire when they try and make Collingwood fly to the Top End.

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Happy Valentines Vossy

February 15th 2009 12:01
The Lions took on the Saints at a sodden Carrara stadium on Valentines day and the boys from Brisvegas put out on their first date for new coach Michael Voss. Like they could ever say no to their beloved, multiple premiership captain and Brownlowe medalist, Vossy. Obviously you can only beat who the opposition put on the park but it will be interesting to see just how long the honeymoon lasts given the second string side fielded by the Saints.

Despite the loss, Saints fans can be assured that their side will be following the same philosophy in 2009 as last year in that they believe they can win games without kicking any goals. They only managed a single goal in the first half in an effort that has come to typify the Saints game plan of recent years but cam back to make the game interesting with some attacking footy in the second quarter. It begs the question why the Saints don’t just attack from the outset and not risk falling short at the line?

St. Kildas fickle play aside, it will be Michael Voss relaxing with a cigarette and endulging in a bit of pillow talk after his first up valentines score. Although not counting for much, it will be a great relief to Vossy to break his coaching virginity with a win. It will be interesting to see what the Lions will do for him against some first rate opposition.
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Bush Fire Appeal Game

February 12th 2009 10:54
Hardly breaking news I know but Friday nights game between the Bombers and the Dogs has been shifted from Darwin to the Telstra Dome and is being played to raise money for the victims of the Victorian bushfires. We’ve all seen the devastation on the telly and probably, given the six degrees of separation rule, know people who have been effected by these events. Needless to say get there and dig deep.

The only insight that I can probably add to any of this is that my family survived the ash Wednesday fires in Cockatoo and I fully empathize with those who are suffering at the moment. Although I was only three and a bit years old in 1983, I still remember the day of the fires vividly. In fact I would say it is my earliest memory. It’s a traumatic experience that I will always live with and now, unfortunately, many more will too.

We were the lucky ones.

We were able to sleep in the lounge room at my Grand ma’s in Frankston North which, although cramped, was better than the accommodation some had. Things were tight, especially initially, but they would have been a hell of a lot tighter without those who gave generously back in ’83. It took a while but our house was re-built and our lives slowly returned to normal. The moral of the story I guess is that I can attest first hand as to how much your financial support will help these bushfire victims, so don’t be stingy when the tin rattlers come around on Friday night while you’re watching the Dons thrash the Dogs.
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Well it has been a long time between drinks and for that I do apologize. I have been working for an evil mining company for the last little while and as such have been too busy to post anything. Now that I am no longer digging holes for Satan (global economic crisis and all) I have a bit of free time on my hands. Just so that we are clear about my situation I will drop pants for food and or money so if you’re interested, give me a yell.

Now that the formalities are out of the way let’s get down to the business at hand. The AFL is back and not a moment too soon! No more having to pretend to like the Cricket as an excuse to have a beer or three


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A New Position? Big Wing

June 27th 2008 04:15
At the start of the season you wouldn't have been alone in thinking that Richo was in the twilight of his career and that he would offer little more than a couple of goals and a good dummy spit per game.

For mine, he's always been one of those odd ones caught between greatness and mediocratity. He'll take mark of the year, play on, fall over, get up, baulk a couple of players then kick it out on the full (and in some games that will happen every time he touches the ball). As frustrating as I can see this being for some die hard Richmond fans, you can't help but love him


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A Great Year for the Bombers

June 26th 2008 10:32
I should perhapse lay my cards on the table from the outset and start off by saying that I am a life long Essendon supporter. As such, being a spritley 28 years of age, before this season I have only ever known one coach. Kevin Sheedy. I know I was already born when he started the job at Windy hill but I'm struggle to remember what happened last week these days, let alone the VFL when I was but a rugrat.

It's also safe to say that, at the start of the year, I was fairly skepticle of Mathew Knights' coaching credentials. He could bearly win a game as coach for Bendigo and the years he captained Richmond were not exactly their most prolific or stylish (let's not forgett the flat top lest it makes a come back


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Let's Just Call The Season Over?

June 23rd 2008 11:32
Having watched Geelongs stunning dismemberment of the Weagles over a few beers at the local last Saturday, I find it hard to recall a more dominant footballing performance. It was literally awe inspiring. Everyone at the bar was transfixed, eyes glued to the screen not wanting to miss a second. Jaws touched the floor every time Jr touched the ball. Can I be so bold and ask, does anyone else have a problem if we just declare the season over now and hand them the cup again?

Certainlly Chocko doesn't. He thinks Port are done for the season and he's the coach so he should know. "It all over people, we don't have a prayer" I believe was Mark Williams anguished cry as he ran from the after game press conference sobbing uncontrolably (or so I'm led to believe, I didn't actually see it, and you know what these chinese whispers can be like


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Round 13 Tipping Horrors

June 20th 2008 03:35
Not to brag, but currently I'm leading the work tipping competition with what I feel is a respectable 76 for the season to date. Despite reading recently that this year has been the easiest in ages to pick a winner, I'm fairly proud of my efforts (especially considering my less than impressive past results - previously I think 76 would have been a good result for the entire year!).

Being on top is starting to weigh on me. I'm more a customed to starting slowly and coming home with a wet sail just to be pipped on the line. As such this round seems extrodinarily hard for me to pick, even though the odds suggest some clear favorites


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Buddy Christ?

June 18th 2008 06:30
Is Lance Franklin the second coming or just another in a long line of false prophets? He’s certainly big, fast and athletic. The antithesis of the modern footballer who, with sixty odd goals to round 12, looks set to be the first player since Lloyde to kick a ton. Watching him kick a bag against Essendon two weeks ago I, like most, marveled at how easily he took apart their defence. How did he do it? Well it didn't help that his opponents couldn’t touch him, literally.
The bombers back men are by no means the worst going around. Dustin Fletcher is one of the greatest full backs of all time, and his young apprentice Patty Ryder is himself a player on the rise. However, they were both powerless against the rampaging Love at the MCG thanks in no small part to being hamstrung by the AFL’s new rules designed to nobble back men.
Once upon a time a defender could do something when the ball was kick to his opponent in the air. He had a chance to spoil as he knew that the slightest tap on the wrist was not going to result in a free kick ala basketball. Taking the arm was a vaunted skill taught to every youngster. Punch from behind. It was the backman's mantra and now it’s being stamped out by a league hell bent on artificially manufacturing an “attacking game


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About This Blog

June 18th 2008 04:44
The Alley God is the last Neanderthal alive. He lives in the back alleys and seedy bars of Melbourne living off free to air football highlights, whispered tips, crumpled betting slips, cold pies and warm beer. These are his views on the world of AFL.
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