The Footy Almanac 2014

[Stephen Whiteside]

For something a bit different, I attended the launch of "The Footy Almanac 2014" at the Waterside Hotel last night. The Almanac gives a comprehensive report of the AFL season just passed, with a match report for every game. My report of the Round 2 clash between the Demons and the West Coast Eagles - one of the Demons' worst performances for the year - is in the book, hence my decision to attend the launch. (Yes, I am now officially a sports journalist as well as a poet!)

It was fascinating to hear Enzo Spangher talk about his cult hero son, Matt. (Matt's picture is on the cover of the Almanac this year, as he tears the ball away from Buddy.)

You can find The Footy Almanac web-site here:
http://www.footyalmanac.com.au

[warooa]

Let me guess . . . Demons were pantsed, references were made regarding Paul Roos needing every bit of his "messiah-like" aura to turn this rabble into something that may resemble a competitive footy team, with only one player - the skipper Nathan Jones - showing any fight, along with the obligatory reference to how disappointing Jack Watts is.

This being the set script for every other week (weak) Demons performance.



Marty

ps. Matty Spangher - great story, but if the bloke didn't look like Jesus would he be as big a cult figure??

[Stephen Whiteside]

Surprisingly little reference to the Demons, Marty.

The hair is part of Spangher's appeal, no doubt about it. But it's not just that. He's been playing nine years for 51 games - not a great return. It says something for his persistence. He was also at two clubs - the Eagles and the Swans - during years that they won the flag, but did not make the team on either occasion, so it's great that he's finally picked up a medal. Finally, there is this whole thing that he doesn't really look like a footballer - partly the hair, but also he is not particularly well muscled, fast, or skilled, yet somehow he gets a job done. Good luck to him! His father, Enzo, launched the book, and he was surprisingly erudite and humble. He seemed to have no illusions about the position of his son in football's hierarchy, but he was also - quite justifiably - very proud of him.