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13 Summer, football and these blogs
It’s only 14 weeks or so until the Sherrin is bounced again, football fanatics. This no cause for despair. This is a good time in the year to gather our thoughts about football – to reflect on the best game in our part of the world, to adjust to a shift in our cultural emphasis as the generations roll though.
READ ON to discover how to lodge your own subject here.
John Kingsmill
12 The long view
 Taking a long view, the SuperLadder tells us many remarkable things about the modern era in the AFL. Forget the parochial myths about the bias in the draw. Instead, have a good look at the outcomes.
John Kingsmill
11 UNLOAD. Season Over.
Driving back from Melbourne after the Grand Final, through the radio zones, was like driving through two different countries in Europe.
In Victoria, it was the greatest winning margin in the history of the game.
In South Australia, it was the greatest losing margin in the history of the game.
By John Kingsmill
10 Three bets
And I think I have got it covered.
Port by 17 points plus.
Geelong by 39 points plus.
David Rodan at 41/1 to win the Norm Smith.
I can only win two out of three. Any one of these three will do.
Tell me what you've done.
Especially if you have won.
9 A cruel uneven season
There was a strong argument last week in SB’s Deli on Hutt Street on whether or not this was an even season.
by John Kingsmill
8 Did Port tank?
With 11 shots at goal to 3 in the first quarter against an inept opposition last Saturday night, Port built a 46 point lead over Fremantle in the next quarter only to have it reduced to 3 points by the long break. Did they tank?
by John Kingsmill
7 The Curse of Drink
Once again, AAMI Stadium is fiddling with the idea of allowing patrons the right to carry alcohol to their seats. In a recent SANFL poll, according to the Sunday Mail, more than half of the respondents are voting in favour of the idea.
By John Kingsmill
6 Advance notice on the Grand Final
A few years ago, I wrote a column for the Adelaide Review that described how a number of unrelated people spent grand final day. I scratched it together, like a meal from anything that was in my fridge.
Some went shopping, some slept in, some gave birth. Some had hangovers. Some went jogging in the morning. Some slept through this grand day.
I'd like to try this social inquiry again and this is an invitation for you to be involved in the making of a column.
By John Kingsmill
5 Port will win the GF by four goals.
This Saturday, the young Port team will maintain the recent record of the travelling teams and dent the Victorian pride. It won't be easy but this strong brave team will cap off a remarkable personal year for Mark Williams that has seen the sad passing of his mother, the triumphant birth of another daughter, his 200th match as Port's coach and a remarkable resurgence of his spirited squad from 12th to premiers.
By John Kingsmill
4 Geelong will cream Port Power in the GF
This Saturday, Geelong will beat Port Adelaide by ten to fifteen goals. Robert Walls will have no need to bare his backside in Rundle Mall.
By John Kingsmill
3 It's been great. So long. I am going home
Chris Judd’s decision to leave the West Coast Eagles after being drafted from the Sandringham U18s in 2002 and to return to a Victorian club of his choice in 2008, inches forward the argument for free agency for maturing players.
By John Kingsmill
2 On Neil Craig
We have been here before.
Last year I thought that Neil Craig was a transitionary coach – good enough to save the squad from collapse; good enough to form a functional unit; good enough to create a team.
But not good enough to win a flag.
By John Kingsmill
1 How dumb does the Advertiser want us to be?
Thursday, September 5
In the block under the banner, they ran these words: Monster of the Deep... Rucci thrown to the sharks
We go to page two and in a space normally kept for breaking news or a spill from a lead item on page one, there is a photograph of Michelangelo Rucci and there is a photograph of a shark.
Read on...
By John Kingsmill
15 Where to for women's cricket?
Lance Campell gave a great report on the state of SA women's cricket in the current edition of the Adelaide Review.
Read it, now, while it's still up on the AR Sports page on this site.
I've asked him a few questions. Shortly that article will be replaced by the next edition.
We can continue that chat here. If we are lucky, he might join us.
John Kingsmill
14 The AFL can learn a thing or two from the World Game
VINCE TRIPODI is the first reader of these blogs to start a new topic. Here, he argues how the AFL could use the Red and Yellow Card system as a replacement for the AFL tribunal which, he says, no-one understands
EDITED by John Kingsmill
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