Category Archives: Sport

Legacy fan

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I have been an Arsenal fan from afar for the best part of 50 years. Living on the other side of the world meant that I either had to be near the radio for the classified results on a Sunday morning or hope our local daily had enough column space to print the results. on a Monday or Tuesday. I used to read Shoot magazine with my copy arriving at the newsagent weeks after it came out in England. The only TV coverage was Match of the Day The Big Match hosted by Brian Moore and the FA Cup final.

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My sports memories – The story of one Sturt supporter

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With no sport on anywhere I’ve realised just how much a part of my life sport plays. It’s not a life or death matter but it is an ever present in my life.

For as long as I can remember I’ve always been a sports fan. Never much of a player; a very average footballer (Aussie Rules) and a slightly better cricketer. Both my football and cricket careers if you could call them that were ended in my early teens due to an eye injury caused by a flicked towel in the eye by a friend in the change rooms. It caused a series of eye problems that meant contact sport was out. I then took up golf which I also was OK at, but one “B” Pennant Match and “C” Grade Club Championship signifies that I was at best run of the mill. No matter.

I grew up in Tiger heartland. About a mile from the Bay Oval where, Glenelg, The Tigers, played in the SANFL. Back then we only had a vibrant state league that dominated interest. The SANFL was not as strong as the VFL ( which subsequently became the AFL our national competition). When I started going to the football we had a 10 team local league, dominated by Port Adelaide. Attendances were pretty good in those days around 50,000 across the 5 games. Games were played on a Saturday afternoon starting at 2.20pm except when there was a holiday Monday or Anzac Day when there was always a game between the previous years Grand Finalists.

Like so many kids, I looked to my father and supported the team he did – Sturt. He barracked for Sturt, largely because a number of his friends had come from the Riverland to play for Sturt. Dad stayed on the River and played country footy. He said he was at best a Second 18 footballer (whether that’s true or not I have no idea).

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London, England – A boyhood dream

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Today I did something I once only dreamed of – seeing Arsenal play live.

I don’t recall why I decided to barrack fro Arsenal. Living in Adelaide there is no logical reason but sometime in the early 70s I reached that decision. Beartie Mee was manager, Charlie George was someone I’d heard of and that was really all. I don’t think I knew they had won the double. This was a time when we got the classified scores on the radio Sunday mornings and the scores in the paper on Mondays. We had Match of the Day highlights during the week, and the only game we ever saw live was the FA Cup Final.

Fast forard 45 years and today I was at The Emirates to see Arsenal play Burnely.

It was a lunchtine kick-off which for a football novice was a bonus.

I wanted to soak up the day Continue reading →

Is it fair playing the AFL Grand Final at the MCG every year?

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Last night’s tremendous heart stopping GWS Richmond game was Richmond’s fourth loss of the season and their fourth loss of four on the road.

This just a week after Bruce McAvaney’s suggestion that Richmond might be the greatest team of all time. Why that might be seen as overreach would be worthy of further comment except Bruce is somewhat prone to overreach as he sits at the microphone.

These were prompts for asking the question – Is it fair that the AFL Grand Final is played at the MCG every year?

The AFL Grand Final has been played at the MCG since the VFL became the AFL and the AFL recently locked in its continuance at the MCG for a further 30 plus years recently. I found that decision surprising for a national competition particularly where there seems empirical support for Home Ground advantage playing an important part in the result.

We talk endlessly about the benefit of home ground advantage Continue reading →

The Diary of a Slow Traveller – a long way from Adelaide Oval, Sanday, Orkney Islands

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Whitemill Beach – Sanday

We timed our trip to Sanday, Orkney Islands perfectly to coincide with The Adelaide Crows Preliminary Final against Geelong. When we booked our travel to the UK it seemed likely that The Crows would be in the finals and that for the first time in my life I’d be on the other side of the world when my team is playing in the football finals. (Infact its more than just The Crows, my beloved Sturt are playing in the SANFL Grand Final as I put the finishing touches on this post –  thanks 5AA for providing the commentary steam).

With the AFL Watch App loaded we could only hope that the B&Bs we chose had good wifi , but as the finals draw was announced it seemed we would be on a ferry when the Preliminary Final started! Oh well, I thought, our trip to Sanday was important as it was the birth place of my favourite person’s’ ancestors and I’d have to wait until we landed in Sanday to get the scores.

Pregame – at the ferry terminal

As we arrived at the ferry terminal I got a text message from a friend, a Geelong supporter from a bar near the ground. I responded with a picture of us at the ferry terminal. In our usual style, we had arrived at the ferry terminal early careful to make sure we didn’t miss it.

We drove onto the ferry about 40 minutes later, Continue reading →