Author Archives: David Williams

Rising to the Occasion – Ticketek Takes On All Comers

The morning was reminiscent of my Under 13 footy days in the ’70s – an early start, crispness in the air and dew glistening on suburban nature strips.   It’s 8.30am as I pull into the Westfield car park, and I’m pleased to spot the gleaming recently-detailed Lexus belonging to Neil McLean parked in a […]

Not exactly a bloodbath (Syd v Carl)

The most infamous of clashes between the Swans and the Blues is the 1945 VFL Grand Final; aptly referred to as The Bloodbath. And tonight’s game at the SCG between Sydney and Carlton seems the perfect opportunity to pay due homage to its fabled predecessor of the forties.  In communication with my mates earlier in […]

Footy and Family – Life is Good (Syd v Bris)

It’s Round 6 and both Fitzroy and South Melbourne are highly fancied for the 1944 flag. Fluctuating form makes it difficult to forecast the winner. Fitzroy has strengthened its line-up with the inclusion of Claude Curtain and Noel Price. They’ve been up north for 18 months engaged in the war effort. They’ll receive a rousing […]

A Cherished Gift and a Case of Mistaken Identity

I was convinced that I had spent many Saturday afternoons watching the football with Les “Wally” Walsh at the Junction Oval in the 1970s. We both loved Fitzroy. We’d shared some victories and many more defeats. Now I know that I was wrong; we had never met. Not once.  I’m pretty sharp – it only […]

Hug Me Like the World is Ending (Grand Final: Syd v Haw)

“I know you want to have a chat with him”, were the words from my wife that gave me the tacit green light. “No. I just want to hug him”, I replied all too honestly. It’s Garry Jack, father of newly adorned Premiership player Kieren, and a local identity of Sydney’s Hills District due to […]

Headlines Heresy Halted – Hooray!

In a recent Federal Court case, Justice Bennett found that newspaper headlines are not protected under Copyright law.  Footy sub-editors must have breathed a collective sigh of relief.  A ruling the other way could have rendered a gem like “Power switched on” never to be repeated again – the prospect of being a very sad […]

Incidents That Stick

What could Helen D’Amico, Trevor Chappell and John Kerr possibly have in common? Maybe that the mention of their name is likely to have anyone under the age of about thirty-five scratching their head.  But for those of us ever-so-slightly older, these names will bring an incident immediately to mind; an incident that is intrinsically […]

Grand Final Nirvana – Celebrity Skin

With Grand Final week looming large, ready yourself for the celebrity footy supporter to come out of hibernation.  You know the type.  Those that are prominently positioned at one of the front tables at the Grand Final breakfast; proudly garbed-out in their “never soiled by dripping sauce from a Four ‘N’ Twenty” scarf – still […]

To Boo or Not to Boo?

It’s time for me to come clean – I boo. I have booed for many years now; only ever between the months of March and September.  My booing is an insidious activity that I have been able to cleverly conceal from my family, friends and work colleagues.  But now is the time for me to […]

Redheads to Become Extinct?

There were alarming reports of a National Geographic article having suggested that redheads would eventually become extinct.  This story was later debunked in September 2007 and Geelong went on to annihilate Port Adelaide in the Grand Final; taking out their first Premiership since 1963. Less than 2% of the world’s population are redheads.  By contrast, […]