Showing posts with label afl. Show all posts
Showing posts with label afl. Show all posts
Saturday, July 20, 2024
Friday, February 12, 2021
Sunday, November 10, 2013
My Finest Moment in Sport.
This article title is a bit misleading.
I was at a cricket club reunion today when one of my past team mates, who I also went to high school with, brought up an event that hapenned in the school(Henley High) lunch hour probably about 1963.
Those in the AFL playing states will remember that at lunch time and recess time kids would race out on to the school oval to have a kick of the footy or a have hit at cricket or whatever their sport or fun thing was.
This of course was a way for kids to let off steam and use up the boundless energy that most of us have in our youth.
In the lunch hour the footy playing kids would have what we called "kick to kick".
In fact when I played football in 1970 in Darwin that was about the only thing our players did at training.
"Kick to kick" if you can imagine,is where a number of kids ,with up to 20 in each group , face each other from a distance of about 50 metres or yards and kick a football back and forth between the 2 groups.
There would be usually more than one football going at a time.
The idea was to kick the ball as far as you could and compete for "marks" (catches to the uninitiated)
A number of different age groups would be taking part.
If you were not very good at getting the ball you could "wax" with a mate which meant that whoever got the ball in your "wax" team would share having a kick in turn.
People would sometimes take a "speccy" as the ball came high in the air.
It would become very competitive and sometimes a little rough.
Well this particular lunch hour I was not taking part in the "kick to kick" but standing just behind one end and just watching proceedings.
I was with a couple of mates and suddenly got the urge to take a "speccy".
A "speccy" is where a player can see the ball coming in high and judges a run up to leap onto an opponents back and shoulders and when as high as you can go, you reach out and grab the ball and usually crash to the ground.
If you hold onto it cleanly without dropping it during a game then you are given a free kick.
"speccy" is short for spectacular.
Sometimes a "speccy" is called a "screamer". (Because the crowd screams approval.)
Well I saw the ball coming and took a run up from a few meters away and launched myself in the air on the back and shoulders of a lad called Greg Conley.
When you get a "sit" as it it is called, the idea is to push up upwards from your knees or shins to go as high as you can.
There have been many exponents of this art in AFL over the years and each year a mark of the year award is made to the best mark in the AFL National competition.
South Australia has had some great "speccy" takers, probably Tony Modra of the Adelaide Crows being the most notable of recent years.
Or the great Gary Ablett senior from Geelong.
To continue my story.
Well I got the perfect "sit" and soared higher and higher and grasped the footy.
With ball firmly in my grip I pitched forward ovr the top of Greg, plunging to the ground.
When I hit the turf my legs were still entangled around his shoulders.
Taking a "speccy" is probably more exhilarating than bungy jumping.
There were gasps all around and looks of amazement from the guys looking on.
I have often looked back on this event and thought it my finest moment in sport even though it was just a lunch hour kick to kick. (Greg wasn't hurt by the way just bewildered".
As I progressed through my football career I probably took about 7 "speccies"but none as good as that one.
I thought that it was something for my memory banks only with no photograph or video taken.
Yet Jeff Barnes today said it was the best "speccy" he had seen even better than the famous Tony Modra.
I was amazed that someone other than myself remembered it with out my even bringing it up.
It's funny how old guys getting together remember how amazing we were in our youth.
Sadly Jeff said Greg Conley has since passed on.
Below is a link to some more "speccies"
Tony Modra's mark of the year in 1993.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6c8iAckQrM
Many more to be found on this you tube search link.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=afl%20marks%20of%20the%20year&sm=1
I was at a cricket club reunion today when one of my past team mates, who I also went to high school with, brought up an event that hapenned in the school(Henley High) lunch hour probably about 1963.
Those in the AFL playing states will remember that at lunch time and recess time kids would race out on to the school oval to have a kick of the footy or a have hit at cricket or whatever their sport or fun thing was.
This of course was a way for kids to let off steam and use up the boundless energy that most of us have in our youth.
In the lunch hour the footy playing kids would have what we called "kick to kick".
In fact when I played football in 1970 in Darwin that was about the only thing our players did at training.
"Kick to kick" if you can imagine,is where a number of kids ,with up to 20 in each group , face each other from a distance of about 50 metres or yards and kick a football back and forth between the 2 groups.
There would be usually more than one football going at a time.
The idea was to kick the ball as far as you could and compete for "marks" (catches to the uninitiated)
A number of different age groups would be taking part.
If you were not very good at getting the ball you could "wax" with a mate which meant that whoever got the ball in your "wax" team would share having a kick in turn.
People would sometimes take a "speccy" as the ball came high in the air.
It would become very competitive and sometimes a little rough.
Well this particular lunch hour I was not taking part in the "kick to kick" but standing just behind one end and just watching proceedings.
I was with a couple of mates and suddenly got the urge to take a "speccy".
A "speccy" is where a player can see the ball coming in high and judges a run up to leap onto an opponents back and shoulders and when as high as you can go, you reach out and grab the ball and usually crash to the ground.
If you hold onto it cleanly without dropping it during a game then you are given a free kick.
"speccy" is short for spectacular.
Sometimes a "speccy" is called a "screamer". (Because the crowd screams approval.)
Well I saw the ball coming and took a run up from a few meters away and launched myself in the air on the back and shoulders of a lad called Greg Conley.
When you get a "sit" as it it is called, the idea is to push up upwards from your knees or shins to go as high as you can.
There have been many exponents of this art in AFL over the years and each year a mark of the year award is made to the best mark in the AFL National competition.
South Australia has had some great "speccy" takers, probably Tony Modra of the Adelaide Crows being the most notable of recent years.
Or the great Gary Ablett senior from Geelong.
To continue my story.
Well I got the perfect "sit" and soared higher and higher and grasped the footy.
With ball firmly in my grip I pitched forward ovr the top of Greg, plunging to the ground.
When I hit the turf my legs were still entangled around his shoulders.
Taking a "speccy" is probably more exhilarating than bungy jumping.
There were gasps all around and looks of amazement from the guys looking on.
I have often looked back on this event and thought it my finest moment in sport even though it was just a lunch hour kick to kick. (Greg wasn't hurt by the way just bewildered".
As I progressed through my football career I probably took about 7 "speccies"but none as good as that one.
I thought that it was something for my memory banks only with no photograph or video taken.
Yet Jeff Barnes today said it was the best "speccy" he had seen even better than the famous Tony Modra.
I was amazed that someone other than myself remembered it with out my even bringing it up.
It's funny how old guys getting together remember how amazing we were in our youth.
Sadly Jeff said Greg Conley has since passed on.
Below is a link to some more "speccies"
Tony Modra's mark of the year in 1993.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o6c8iAckQrM
Many more to be found on this you tube search link.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=afl%20marks%20of%20the%20year&sm=1
Monday, September 2, 2013
Adelaide Crows and Port Power farewell Football Park
Next year games will be played at the new version of Adelaide Oval.
There are still SANFL finals to be played this year at Football Park.
Here is a video tribute made at the Crows last game.Video by Daniel Thompson
http://vimeo.com/73107002
Below are some pics of the Port Power v Carlton Game and the Motorcade of Port's past champions.
Tuesday, September 11, 2012
Death of AFL Player John McCarthy
It has been very sad to read of the death of a young footballer John McCarthy who played for one of our 2 AFL teams,Port Adelaide.
He died while on an end of season trip to Las Vegas.
A tragic loss.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, team mates and partner at this difficult time.
Below is a pic that I took earlier in the year at the showdown between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows.
John is seen leading all comers to the ball.
He died while on an end of season trip to Las Vegas.
A tragic loss.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his family, team mates and partner at this difficult time.
Below is a pic that I took earlier in the year at the showdown between Port Adelaide and the Adelaide Crows.
John is seen leading all comers to the ball.
Saturday, September 1, 2012
Colonel Light Gardens v Woodville South
It 's the first day of spring in Adelaide and also the start of footy finals time.I went today to see my nephew Beau play for Colonel Light Gardens in a semi final in Division 6 reserve grade in SAAFL.
It was a close fought game with CLG running out eventual winners.
There were some dubious umpiring decisions but I think they evened out in the end.
Below are some pics from the game. This is what they call grass roots footy.
It was a close fought game with CLG running out eventual winners.
There were some dubious umpiring decisions but I think they evened out in the end.
Below are some pics from the game. This is what they call grass roots footy.
 |
| excited spectators |
Wednesday, May 23, 2012
Unseen football photos.
I have been watching and photographing this week an AFL junior football carnival in Adelaide.
The rules about photography are that you can take photos but they are not allowed to be posted on the internet.
I got some great shots but you will have to imagine them.
There were some Galahs at the game so I have posted a photo of them.
Enjoy!
A little bit of added blur from iPhoto makes the picture even more pleasing to my eye.
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