What's Been Happening?

It's been a busy and intense couple of weeks in the Holt Press world.

My has Mum arrived for a visit. She apparently spent a great time with Vicki at a scrapbooking weekend retreat at Nowra if such a thing is possible before hosting her Victorian grandchildren for a weekend at Echuca. Then came a real highlight, a reunion with her best friend from school, Irene, whom she hadn't seen in over 40 years!! She came back to Ocean Grove glowing and bubbling over with stories and happiness.

Mrs Holt Press' Dad Alan has been sick and in hospital for a few weeks. One thing has led to another and his condition has deteriorated significantly. Despite this, after discussions with me and her brothers she decided to take a short trip back to WA to see The Heir for his birthday and visit her friends whom she misses terribly. Her brother Trevor was on hand to do "hospital duty". Unfortunately the day after she flew to Perth her Dad's health took a serious downturn, to the point where the medical staff were afraid he wouldn't make it through the night. So Mrs HP got on the next available flight and came back, with The Heir as her companion.

I spent a couple of hours at the hospital with her Dad before going up to Melbourne to pick them up and am pleased to report that he has perked up considerably and the crisis has passed for the time being. He is still gravely ill and the prospects of him coming out of hospital are not great but he has improved enough to be able to talk and smile and enjoy the visits of various family members over the weekend. We're taking it one day at a time. 

It is nice to have The Heir here for a visit and last night Favourite Daughter cooked a stupendous meal in honour of his birthday, roast chicken and lamb and veges followed by homemade pavlova! The only one missing was Spike.

Sunday morning I umpired a footy game at the old Geelong West oval which brought back happy memories of going to watch the Roosters play there in the VFA when I was a kid. 

Sport Boy had a soccer game at Lara, North Geelong's home ground, and drew 1-1 with Werribee in a good quality game. After that we took Mum up to the MCG to watch the West Coast v Collingwood game, risking the physical contortions and exclamations that go with watching a live game of football with my mother! The Heir, Sport Boy and I laughed our heads off at the looks on the faces of all around after one particularly high-pitched outburst after a West Coast goal! To say Mum is a nervous spectator is the height of understatement.

I have a couple of days off but work rang to ask if I can cover a late shift this arvo. Money is tight so overtime is a welcome boost. Tomorrow I'm hoping to take Mum up to Shepparton to visit Auntie Merle who hasn't been in very good health herself lately but is back home again now.

The other family milestone of late was my Dad's 75th birthday on Saturday. He too has been having his own health problems recently, suffering an episode of Bell's Palsy which has not gotten better as yet. Despite that he sounded in good spirits when I rang to wish him happy birthday.

No extended footy report this week but suffice to say I was a lot more pleased, and relieved, with Geelong's second half performance than their first half effort against the Gold Coast Suns on Saturday night. There was a lot of love for ex-Cat Gary Ablett after the game, once victory had been secured!

Cats v Blues @ Docklands: Footy Almanac

Carlton v Geelong Rd 9 Docklands

May 22, 2011 @ 10:38 pm posted by Marcus Holt

Preparation for this game started months ago.
As soon as the AFL fixtures came out and I saw that my roster had me finishing work at 2031 that night. Too late.
I needed to find someone who would swap a shift with me.
I needed someone who’s not a footy fan. Billy was my man. He was happy to forgo a 5th consecutive day of Deakin Expresses for a late finish on Friday night. Not only that, he made up the balance of hours by doing my last couple of runs on Monday night, freeing me up to pick Mum up from Avalon airport.
There was a setback when the game threatened to be a sell-out and the only way to secure seats as a Geelong member was to get there when the gates opened. Even with an earlier shift that wasn’t possible. Enter Favourite Daughter and Sport Boy: their mission- get to Docklands early and save me a seat.
I finished the last run of the day, resisting the temptation to tilt the bus to tip the last few passengers out at Geelong station and ten minutes later I was on my way up the Princes Freeway and headed for the footy.
I found a park in my usual place, made the dash up the stairs at Southern Cross and headed for Docklands and a rendezvous at Aisle 41 Row N.
I was especially keen to get there in time for the pre-game tribute to Bob Davis. The word icon is used way too easily these days but in this instance it is the perfect description for Woofa, The Geelong Flier who passed away earlier in the week. The minute’s silence was powerful and emotional.
The game starts and Carlton jump us early. The ball is camped inside their forward 50 and they have two goals on the board before we’ve even crossed the half way line. It’s not a good start but I’m not worried. The Hawks jumped us and we got them in the end, we’ve been finishing games really strongly.
Sure enough we kick a couple of goals but the pattern is established. Carlton break away and we reel them in. They look good and we’re playing catch-up. The Blues move the ball quickly and effectively with Murphy the driving force. Kelly is outstanding for the Cats. Put these two in a room together with a footy and no-one gets out alive.
A dubious free kick and goal to the Cats just before the main break and the scores are tied.
Some things in football are 100% predictable. Tonight it is that Darren Milburn will get roundly booed every time he touches the ball, and Joel Selwood will get the most free kicks and the Carlton fans will howl and moan at the injustice. Never mind that he goes where angels fear to tread and the ball is always his object.
Half time brings an unexpected question.
“How come your son doesn’t have a fishing rod?”
The enquiry comes from a big burley Blues fan sitting next to Sport Boy.
His name is Raff and he is friendly, engaging and good company, and seemingly equally passionate about the Blues and fishing.
I tell him my interest in fish only extends as far as eating them. He confides he’d rather catch them than eat them. I see a beautiful relationship forming!
The game restarts and the battle is rejoined. It’s a high standard game and the Cats need someone to stand up and break the game open. As if on cue, Travis Varcoe realises it is Indigenous round and this is his stage. He kicks the first three goals of the third quarter as a result of that most wonderful combination, speed and skill. The Blues hit back and Geelong lead by 7 at the last change.
The Cats had suggested they were about to run away with the game but one Blue has other plans and a certain dual Brownlow medallist threatens to win the game on his own. I’m sure he limped off with an ankle injury late in the second quarter but you’d never know when he kicks a brilliant goal to start the last quarter and follows up with a pinpoint pass to Simpson moments later and it is well and truly game on.
Can anything or anyone stop Chris Judd when he sets his mind to a task?
In the hour of need Chappy and Stevie J can always be relied upon. They both kick goals and the Cats grab back the lead.
Two defining moments bring the game to a thunderous crescendo.
The first is when Steve Johnson climbs high for a pack mark at full forward and is eclipsed by the soaring shadow of James Podsiadly who comes from four deep to fly even higher and pull down a screamer. I immediately look at Sport Boy and we share the same thought without having to say a word. Seven nights ago the JPod missed three dead-set sitters against the Magpies from about the same position. What would he do this time with the game again in the balance?
We needn’t have worried. He put it through the big sticks although the replay revealed the ball had helicoptered back from outside the left hand goalpost to get there. Cats by 10 and not long to go surely.
Carlton respond and Jarrad Waite goals shortly after. Cats by 4.
Andrew walker has a set shot from just inside 50 and misses.
Cats by 3.
Nerves fraying.
Then comes the final decisive moment. Corey Enright tries to spoil and succeeds only in clouting Blues ruckman Robbie Warnock in the head.
Free kick. 15 metres out, bit of an angle. The result rests on the big man’s shoulders but unbeknownst to anyone at the time, he is not a well boy. In fact he spends the night in hospital with concussion. Armed with this knowledge his miss to the left for a point is perfectly understandable. Never-the-less, at the time all we know is the Cats are clinging to a 2 point lead and in need of another hero.
Matty Scarlett volunteers for the job with two game saving marks in the heart of the Carlton forward line. The Cats clear the ball to half forward.
The siren goes.
I jump out of my seat in relief and joy and give myself a headspin.
We’ve won again.
Another thriller.
Saints by 1, Pies by 3 and now the Blues by 2.
What a ride!
“We are Geelong” rings out and I fancy Bobby Davis is grinning from ear to ear.
I swap phone numbers with Raff and picture a juicy snapper for dinner.
Votes: Kelly 3, Selwood 2, Murphy 1

Comings and Goings

There has been a shift in the "balance of power" in the Holt Press home of late. 

Favourite Daughter has returned from her sojourn to WA for weddings and such. She has brought her friend Toni: the two of them crossed the continent in the Kombi which is proving to be a most dependable vehicle.

And to fully complete the package, Mum has arrived for a visit.

Suddenly Sport Boy and I are out-numbered and the house is awash with females.

Mrs Holt Press is not complaining, especially as she has been fully occupied for the last few weeks tending to her Dad. He has been in hospital with a succession of issues, most of which have improved to the point where he may go home again soon.

Meanwhile, Mrs HP is booked to make a short visit back to WA next week, her Dad's health permitting.

She had an unused air ticket as a result of the move back to Victoria and booked a trip "home" to coincide with The Heir's birthday. We'll have to wait and see whether she can go or not.

Sport Boy has a trip to WA in the July school holidays which he is really looking forward to.

He has started the soccer season with North Geelong in the U14 A Division which involves playing against teams from Melbourne every second weekend as well as Ballarat. After two losses they won their first game last weekend so we were all very pleased and relieved.

He is home from school today with a cold.

Mum has caught the train and bus up to Echuca to spend a weekend with her grandchildren (Shannon's kids) and is then having a reunion with a schoolfriend, Irene who she hasn't seen in over 50 years: they are both very excited at the prospect.

Favourite Daughter and Toni have gone for a drive down the Great Ocean Road for the day.

I've got a late start today and am currently doing as much overtime as I can to ease some financial pressures. When I'm not working I'm enjoying going to the footy. Last week's win over Collingwood was an absolute thriller. Beating the Magpies is always good but this one was even sweeter considering both teams went into the game undefeated.

The Cats play Carlton at Docklands on Friday night which will be Favourite Daughter's first game of the season. It will be an emotional game following the death of Geelong legend Bob Davis this week. I'm hoping to attend his funeral on Tuesday.

Winter has arrived in Victoria! We've had the fire going the last couple of nights which provides very welcome comfort against the cold.

Footy Almanac Round 7 Geelong v North Melbourne 2011

 When I was growing up Saturday in Geelong was always synonymous with footy. Saturday mornings saw me running out in the resplendent yellow and red jumpers of the Terrifics in the Geelong West YMCA Little League under 9’s. Each week we’d line up against similarly named opposition: the Dazzlers, Rippers, Corkers or Beauts. Positive reinforcement may have had its birth place in Geelong junior football.

The only premiership I ever won was against the Dazzlers in 1970 on the back of our star player Grant Sutherland and our little red haired rover Patrick McGinnes.

Fast forward 41 years and Saturday morning finds me back at a junior footy ground, this time as an umpire for my first game of the season. Resplendent this time in bright orange I may look the part but before long it’s obvious my body has lost all semblance to the 9 year old who used to run around for the Terrifcs. I struggle to keep up with the under 16’s in the opening game and in the second game the under 18’s whiz past me in a blur of footy speed and skill that leaves me breathless. I contemplate alternative means of transport for aging unfit umpires to get around a footy ground; maybe one of those Segways I’ve seen on TV would do the job, or a horse?

I’m just glad that Neil, my co-umpire is fitter than me and carries more than his share of the load. After the game(s) I start to stiffen up as I walk to the car and wonder at the wisdom of it all.

I’ve got about an hour to have a quick look for footy badges at the Collectables Fair in Belmont before the Cats v Roos game at Kardinia Park.

Carolyn delivers Sport Boy and a very tasty packed lunch then drops us off outside the ground.

We find some seats in the temporary stand in the pocket at the river end that is set aside for general admission punters. It’s a good spot: I like having some elevation and a better over-view of the game and bring binoculars to see what’s going on at the city end.

Much has been made of this being the first AFL game ever coached by opposing twin brothers, the Scott boys. They refuse to buy into the hype:

“It’s not about us, it’s about the teams”. Fair enough; it’s an interesting piece of trivia and that’s about it.

Of more long term interest is Geelong’s chance of setting a new record for consecutive wins at our home ground. Victory today will take it to 25 in a row. Kardinia Park has become an impregnable fortress for the mighty Cats.

I have to make comment here on the number of talk-back callers and footy commentators who have suggested that the record is somehow lessened in stature because of the number of “weaker” teams we play down here.

Firstly, we have no control over who we play here or anywhere else, the AFL set the fixtures not Geelong.

As we all know, footy is a business and the dollar is the bottom line, therefore, all clubs like to maximise their earnings by playing the biggest drawing teams at the biggest venues. The Cattery only holds about 28,000 (at this stage) so if Geelong played a team like Collingwood down here 50-60,000 people would not be able to come to the game. It makes perfect common and financial sense to play such a game at the MCG. But here’s the rub, where would we prefer to play all of our home games? At Kardinia Park of course.

Finally, and most significantly in my mind, the criterion for which teams we play at Geelong has NOTHING whatsoever to do with the relative strength or weakness of the opposition and everything to do with the size of the crowd they are likely to draw. Naturally enough that means the non-Victorian teams are scheduled at Kardinia Park because of their small support at away games.

Similarly, North Melbourne tend to play us here because they don’t attract huge crowds. But the thing everyone seems to forget or ignore is that we just happen to be in a period of dominance of Victorian teams.

We have been playing much the same teams at home for years. Let’s just consider the last ten years.

Brisbane, triple premiers 2001-2003, Port Adelaide, premiers 2004, Sydney, premiers 2005, West Coast, premiers 2006, North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs, regular finalists are all regular visitors to the Cattery.

No-one complained about unfair fixturing when we were drawn to play premiership teams down here year after year. Conversely we never play Collingwood or Essendon at home because of the ground capacity and nothing to do with where they are on the ladder.

Sorry, I worked up a head of steam there but it is a pet peeve of mine.

The game itself goes to script. The Cats start well and threaten an avalanche.

North put up some early resistance and Petrie marks everything in sight. Lindsay Thomas rediscovers his radar and snaps a ripper goal.

Dasher Milburn defies all rumours of his demise and ghosts forward to kick a goal. Menzel out-muscles his opponent in the goal square and pulls in a one-hander. Selwood racks up clearances and Matty Stokes kicks goals.

The stand-outs are Podsiadly, Varcoe and Kelly. JPod crashes into packs and pulls down a string of contested marks although no-one in football takes longer to get up off the ground after a mark than James. His kicking is erratic but he still bags three. Travis runs and runs and runs and his finishing has gotten better and better on either foot. And Kelly does what Kelly does: goes in hard, wins contested possessions, delivers accurately and tackles anything that moves, not flashy just super-effective.

After the first quarter North become bit-part players as the Cats pile on the goals and run away with the game. By half time the result is so certain that Chris Scott makes possibly the most unusual substitution of the season so far, giant ruckman Brad Ottens is replaced by midget first year Allen Christensen, hardly like for like. Hawkins and Moons share the ruck duties while Otto rests up for Collingwood next week.

The Cats coast to an 11 goal win, the streak extends to 25, the Cattery remains a fortress and everyone goes home happy.

The only thing that soured the day was the four blokes behind us who swore loudly and yelled obscenities and abuse all day and took extreme exception to my polite request that they restrain their bad language out of respect for the nine small kids sitting nearby. They looked at me as if I had three heads, incredulous that anyone could suggest they had no right to yell and swear and carry on as they pleased. Sport Boy was worried they were going to hit me but thankfully it didn’t come to that.

Footy Almanac Rd 5 Geelong v Hawthorn

My effort at reporting on the Hawthorn game is below but if you want to read some brilliant writing about the same game, go here and see what John Harms had to say.

It started out as a day of no-shows. 

First, Sport Boy’s mate Dylan piked it on the morning of the game. (That family membership I bought with the extra kid’s ticket has been a waste of money so far.)

We caught the early train so we could hook up with Darlow at the Hilton for a drink before the game but that also fell through. His apologetic text read “Sick kids going mental, I’m losing my mind. Call U later, I’m not gonna make it”.

Ditching the Hilton plan we settle on a gluten-free microwave meal from 7-11 and a kick in the park outside the MCG.

Not surprisingly the kick-to-kick was better than the food.

There was a huge crowd making there way to the ground and gold and brown seemed to be the predominant colours.

The third no-show of the day was the Cats in the first 10 minutes.

They were nowhere to be found and it was Buddy Franklin in full flight.

The Hawks had 4:2 on the board before we troubled the goal umps and Sport Boy and I were quiet and pensive.

Chris Scott moved Lonergan onto Buddy: enjoy your day Tom!

The first glimmer of hope came when Tomahawk out-muscled Josh Gibson to mark and goal. We started to breathe again.

More goals followed and by some sort of Easter miracle we were only a point behind at quarter time.

Turnovers and missed shots hurt us badly in the first half: mistakes from Milburn, Varcoe and Selwood all lead directly to Hawk’s goals and they were out to a 16 point lead before Joel redeemed himself to kick our only goal of the 2^nd quarter.

The game washard and tough and fast and furious and neither side was giving an inch. In other words it was a typical Geelong v Hawthorn game.

In the mid noughties Sydney and West Coast fought out a succession of thrillers.

Since the 08 Grand Final it has been the Cats and the Hawks  turn to deliver epic encounters with single digit margins. By equal measures of luck and determination the Cats have triumphed in the last four battles but I’d gladly trade all those victories for the 08 flag.

That can’t happen of course so I’ll settle for another victory today but right now I’m not feeling confident.

In the third quarter Chance Bateman set the Hawks alight with a couple of goals, one a brilliant snap from the pocket and my anxiety levels were climbing again.

Then, someone flipped a switch and the Cats suddenly unleashed the sort of stunning 5 goal burst they were renowned for in the premiership years.

Fast, direct, daring up-the-guts footy launched by Scarlett, Enright and Taylor and finished off by Varcoe, Ling, Bartel and Duncan. Suddenly the Cats were 22 points in front and looking a million dollars.

Hawthorn responded with the last two goals of the quarter to narrow the margin and constrict the lungs.

They kept coming at the start of the last quarter and the margin was less than a goal. This wasn’t fun. This was becoming unbearable in that exquisitely painful way only a close game of footy can be.

Lonergan had done a brilliant job on Franklin but when he slotted one from the boundary the Hawks looked capable of pinching the game.

Joel Selwood must have sensed the same thing because he refused to be beaten at the ensuing centre bounce and forced the ball to James Kelly who dobbed the immediate reply from the 50.

A small wave of calm washed over me; I knew at that moment we were going to win.  When Duncan finished off some great work by Menzel and J-Pod goaled from the boundary line a minute later it was just the icing on the banana cake. The Cats were home: played 5, won 5. Chris Scott must think coaching is easy. Scarlo was chaired off in triumph for his 250^th.

We missed the last footy special so Sport Boy and I indulged in a curry at our favourite Indian restaurant before catching the Warnambool train back to Geelong.

 Votes

3 Lonergan 2 Taylor 1 Scarlett

Footy Almanac Sydney v Geelong Rd 4 2011

Round 4 Sydney v Geelong  SCG April 16 2011

Friday arvo.

Chris SMS’s seeking counsel for her footy tips.

“Cats or Swans?” reads her succinct question.

Three wins from three has convinced me the Cats are the real deal still and not even the fact that the game is at the SCG dents my confidence.

“Cats” I reply.

“Na, I’m going with the Swans” she shoots back.

Why did she ask if she’s not gonna listen I wonder?

Oh well, her loss!

Saturday night.

I have to work late and the game starts before I knock off. Thank goodness for the good old tranny, wedged next to the bus window as I complete the last route 50 for the night.

Apparently it’s been raining for the last 24 hours in Sydney and the commentators are predicting a tough tight low-scoring game. Hang on, this is a Swan’s game, what else would they be predicting?

No Geelong fan needs or wants to be reminded about what happened last time we played at the SCG but that of course is exactly what every tv, radio and newspaper commentator does in the lead up to the game.

My mate Mike just says two words whenever the Cats play the Swans.

“Nick Davis”

They still stab like a knife.

2005 semi-final.

In one of the great individual finals performances, the afore-mentioned former Magpie kicked four goals in the last quarter including the last one with three seconds left to steal the game from the devastated Cats. I’ve had many bad days as a Cats supporter and that one ranks right up there with the worst of them.

Ironically, two weeks later I was lucky enough to be at the MCG and barracked hard for the Swans as they beat West Coast in the ’05 Grand Final. You can’t accuse me of being bitter!

Tonight the Cats start well and kick the first two goals. Menzel’s side-stepping effort impresses the ABC team. Go Cats I say to the empty bus. Stevie J defies gravity and the soaking conditions to pull down a screamer. The Cats are on fire but the tide soon turns. The Swans start to get on top and kick four of the next five goals to lead at quarter time.

It’s starting to sound like the soggy slogging game everyone predicted.

By the start of the second quarter I’ve clocked off and am heading for home but it’s a half hour drive to Ocean Grove so Dan Lonergan and the Grandstand team are my eyes and ears at the game. By the sound of their description Geelong are having the better of it but typically the Swans refuse to be shaken off. They are more dogged than the Dogs and have been for years.

Finally the Cats dominance of possession pays off and late goals to Chappy and Wojo give us a 13 point lead at the main break.

By then I’m home and can watch the second half.

That ought to be good news but somehow being able to see what’s going on doesn’t bring me comfort.

It’s tense and so am I. Yes the Cats are doing well but as I remind Sport Boy, so were the Eagles last week until Sydney stormed home in the last ten minutes courtesy of an Adam Goodes inspired revival and two goals from Andrejs Everitt.

Perhaps I should take comfort from the fact Everitt is subbed off but the much vaunted “super-sub” Gary Rohan takes his place so there’s no room for comfort. As long as the scores remain this close I’m worried.

The spectre of 2005 seems ever-ready to rise out of the SCG basement and create another nightmare for Geelong.

Both sides kick 2:4 in the 3^rd quarter, the lead is still 13 and the game is still in the balance. When Kennedy kicks the first goal of the final quarter my pulse quickens several beats. The Swans will not be denied!

Then comes blessed red-headed relief, Lingy goals for the Cats to restore the two goal margin. Not long after the J-Pod  snaps truly and I breathe a little easier. He’s taken some great marks in the wet conditions tonight only to undo his good work by missing “easy” shots for goal, thank goodness this one’s gone through.

 The real star of the night is Bomber Wojicinski whose dashing runs and long bomb goals on the run belie both weather and age.

The Cats are safe. Not even Nick Davis could catch us now.

Four from four to start the season, three of them against finalists from last season. The signs are good. Go Cats.

Votes

3 Wojcinski  2 Kelly   1 Scarlett

Footy Almanac: Geelong V Port Adelaide: Rd 3 2011

Round Three Geelong V Port Adelaide  Kardinia Park   April 10 2011

Our first game at home this season, Kardinia Park that is, our real home. It has been a fortress for the last four seasons; another win today will make it 24 on the trot. The papers have done their best to spruik the game by reminding us that the last team to beat Geelong at the Cattery was Port, in round 21 2007. That game is memorable personally for three reasons.

1. I was on roster at the local art gallery back in Busselton so I couldn’t watch it. I took a portable telly with me but the reception was horrendous and the game was just a swirling blur of black and white static. At least the sound was clear.
2. Port lead for much of the game but the Cats looked like they had snatched a dramatic victory when Gary Ablett danced his way around 3-4 Port defenders to slot a brilliant goal with less than two minutes left.
3. Domenic Cassissi spoiled the party by kicking an equally dramatic if anti-climactic winner with about 10 seconds to go. Subsequent analysis blamed a fumble from Henry Playfair for giving him the ball and the chance to be Port’s hero. Coincidence or not, Henry never played for the Cats again, being traded to Sydney at the end of the season and not even their famed recycling resurrection powers could save his career.
   
   

Geelong and Port met again a few weeks later in the famous drought breaking Grand Final and since then have travelled hugely divergent paths.

So far in 2011 Port are in trouble and the Cats have started well.

Before the game Max Rooke does a lap of honour in the back of a Ford.

He is a crowd favourite and receives a rousing reception. Injections of calf blood in Germany enabled him to heal from a serious hamstring injury and take his place in the 2007 premiership side and in the epic ’09 Grand Final Maxie kicked the first and last goals of the game. Sadly 2010 was ruined by injury and in the end his body said “Enough”. Geelong are a pretty strong team physically but all of us miss Max’s toughness, he was the nearest thing we had to an enforcer.

This game starts slowly. Marred by inaccuracy and missed chances and at quarter time the scores are pretty close. After quarter time it becomes one way traffic as the Cats set about pummelling an ineffectual Port. 62 inside 50s to 22 and 15 goals to 5 in Geelong’s favour, end of story.

James Kelly seems to be relishing his greater midfield opportunities and tackles everything that moves. Steve Johnson kicks a typical Stevie J goal.

New coach Chris Scott has performed his first miracle: keeping Brad Ottens fit and on the ground and that makes a huge difference to the whole team. Mark Blake may be destined never to play his 100^th game; this week Tom Hawkins takes 2^nd ruck duties and does a reasonable job. Cat’s fans have had to be patient with the Tomahawk but the experts always say big blokes need longer and I’m prepared to give him the time he needs to develop. I like him a lot.

By half time it’s clear the Cats will win and a little bit of the sting goes out of the game. There’s a procession of goals and goal kickers and all the kids who’ve been selected give a good account of themselves. Daniel Menzel in particular has good goal sense and that rare quality of “time with ball in hand”. Some players always seem rushed and under pressure but Menzel doesn’t and he kicks a couple of goals.

Jimmy Bartel has started the season on fire and takes six contested marks and kicks two goals. Only Moons and the J-Pod are quiet, in fact big Cam ends up at centre half back. Versatility seems to be one of Chris Scott’s strategies as he employs subtle rather than radical changes.

Port leave Kardinia Park empty handed and the gulf between the two teams seems as wide as ever.

Good News and Good News

Sorry I haven't written my Footy Almanac report on the Geelong v Port Adelaide game yet but the Cats won, easily. More to follow...

Good news pt. 2: I have lost 5kg since starting my COATC (Cut Out All The Crap) diet. I was pleasantly surprised when I stepped on the scales this morning to see that I have dropped down to just under 104 kg from a starting weight of a little under 110kg. Sorry about the approximations but my scales are not that easy to read! I got off and got back on just to check because the last couple of times I've weighed myself there has been almost no change. But I'm confident that I've dropped 5kg so far. My target weight is 90kg so I've got a fair way to go but I'm encouraged by the progress.

I have had occasional treats, a cherry ripe last week for instance and two bowls of low-fat ice cream in the last two months but compared to the daily indulgence in cakes, pasties, lollies and ice cream which had been my norm for a long time it has been a significant change. Interestingly, when I do allow myself a small treat, eg.a couple of squares of (dark) chocolate, A: I feel a little guilty and B: I don't feel the need to eat more and more.

I haven't yet gotten into any regular exercise so there is plenty of scope to accelerate the weight loss if and when that happens.

Buy Your Gas on the Way out of Town, Not the Way in

 Same sign, same time,same day, different sides

I know which price I'd prefer

Footy Almanac: Round Two. Fremantle v Geelong

Round Two  Fremantle V Geelong  Subiaco  Saturday April 2 2011  

The footy talk all week has centred on concussion. So much so it’s given me a headache to rival the one Joel Selwood copped courtesy of Farren Ray’s hip last week. The media speculate all week: Will Selwood play? Much as I love having him in the team I really hope the Cats play it safe and don’t pick him to play the Dockers. Why take the risk, especially when it involves flying to Perth and back? I’m relieved when the news comes through that he’s not playing but am less thrilled to hear that both Mooney and Lonergan are out too! With Scarlett already serving a week’s penance we’ll be significantly under-manned in the backline. On the strength of this and home ground advantage I’ve tipped Fremantle. On the plus side Ling is back and Chappy will line up for his 200th game. 

The warm up game on TV is a sad affair with Gold Coast being given a stark reminder that this is the BIG League and no amount of gun recruits and first round draft picks can make up for lack of experience. It looks like being a long slow learning experience for the Suns.  The fortunes in the actual curtain-raiser at Subi are more encouraging. My WAFL team East Perth kick three goals in the last four minutes and snatch an unlikely victory against reigning VFL premiers North Ballarat in the Foxtel Cup.  Having lived in WA for the last 38 years before a recent move back to Victoria it is the first Geelong game at Subiaco I haven’t been to in 20 odd years.  

So to the main event: the Cats and the Dockers. Emergencies Menzel, Guthrie and debutante Christensen line up for the Cats as Chappy leads the boys out and tosses the coin.   Sandilands and Ottens go head to head for the entire game with the jolly purple giant winning most of the taps but the Cats sharking well to lead the centre clearance count.  Freo make the early running and kick the first couple of goals. Pavlich is on fire in the first quarter but Chris Scott swings Lingy on to him at quarter time and that severely restricts his impact on the game. Late in the term the Cats start to find their range with Stevie J refusing to do things simply and Menzel looking like an inspired inclusion. Geelong by 5 points at the break and I’m encouraged rather than confident.

Geelong look like they’re getting on top in the second and manage to get out to a 22 point lead before the Dockers claw them back. Kepler Bradley has three goals and at half time the margin has been cut to three pints. It’s a good game, a vast improvement on last week’s dour struggle with the Saints. 

Half way through the third quarter there is a cataclysmic collision between Steve Johnson and Mt Sandilands. I feel the earth move from 3000 kilometres away! In an act that inspires groans and then amazement Johnno bounces straight up and chases after the ball. The biggest man ever to play football has failed to stop him and I begin to think it might just be our night.  Ballantyne is making a pest of himself as usual. He sucked Lingy in earlier which gifted Pavlich a goal and now he’s looking like a match-winner, bursting through packs and kicking a goal from 50.  Every time Geelong kick a goal the Dockers get a quick reply.

We’re 9 points up at the last change but by no means safe.

Our recent record in Perth is very good but this is not the Dockers of old. They’ve put a number of their old stars out to pasture and the kids like Hill, Suban and Fyfe seem to have sparked a new lease of life in the likes of Mundy McPharlin and McPhee. Will the heat and the travel take its toll or can we hang on?  Ottens twice has chances to kick goals that would make us safe and twice misses. I expect nothing less, as a forward Brad makes an excellent ruckman. At the other end Mayne misses twice as well before Pavlich, playing his 238th game to equal Shane Parker’s games record for the Dockers, lines up a very gettable shot but also misses. As a commentator said, “There’s no such thing as a captain’s point” and I feel my hopes rising. 

Enright has been brilliant all night and once again clears for the Cats. The ball travels the outer wing and ends up in the hands of Matthew Stokes who coolly and calmly slots the winner. We’re home by 11 points and there is much rejoicing in the lounge room at Ocean Grove.  

The boys chair Chappy off the ground to the applause of the small band of WA based Cats fans. It’s a suitably hard-fought win that matches the milestone man’s own tough character. 

Votes 3 Enright 2 Ling 1 Ballantyne

25 Years Ago Today (March 29 1986)

We've been married for a quarter of a century!!!!

This is the first anniversary we've spent back "at the scene of the crime" in Geelong.

Mrs Holt Press just got home tonight from her excursion to Bruny which sounded like a lot of fun and plenty of hard work. It's good to have her back.

 

Footy Almanac: Round One Geelong v St Kilda

Each year The Age publishes a fantastic book called "The Footy Almanac", first hand accounts of every AFL game in a season, written by real fans, who may or may not be professional writers. John Harms is one of the people behind the book and accompanying website. Apart from being an excellent writer Harms is also a life-long Cats fan so I particularly enjoy his writing. I've been reading a lot of football books, partly to motivate and encourage me to finish my own book. Further to this I'm going to have a go at Almanac style writing, reflecting on my experience of watching Geelong regularly, for the first time since I was 11 years old. Doing so in the company of Sport Boy, and Favourite Daughter when she returns from WA will add a nice touch and revive memories of my own childhood in Geelong all those years ago.

You, dear readers, are going to be the guinea pigs. I'm going to post my reflections on the blog. I welcome your feedback, positive or otherwise. The ultimate aim is to submit some of my writing to The Footy Almanac in the hope it will be published in the 2011 edition.

Here goes:

Round One, Friday night, March 25. Geelong v StKilda, MCG

I've been waiting 38 years for this game, that being the length of time since I last lived in Victoria for a footy season. That long absence has not diminished my love for the Cats, if anything it has reinforced and enhanced it but I feel like my timing is slightly out; I'm back at a time when it is almost inevitable the Cats will slide after four years of brilliance that delivered two premierships. Everyone says Collingwood are going to go back-to-back.
But the first round of a footy season brings its own brand of hope and optimism, everyone thinks their team is in with a chance, even Tigers fans, at least until the siren sounds.

I've bought a family membership and my son Paul, aka Sport Boy, is going to come to the footy with me each week. We board the train at Marshall and it quickly fills with Geelong fans. En route I swap a few texts with Chris back in WA, a Saints fan, and observe that 23 of the 26 people in our section of the train are women. The train is overflowing, people sit on the floor and everyone is excited about tonight's game. Geelong and St Kilda's recent rivalry has seen some classic encounters and I'm hoping tonight will serve up more of the same although I’ve tipped the Saints. Head over heart.

Inside the G  a rock band is playing: pre-game entertainment during the home and away no less and when the teams line up for the national anthem before the game there is more than a touch of Grand Final about the whole thing except that the crowd is a bit disappointing, just over 42,000. Maybe all the scandal and controversy the Saints have suffered in the off-season has prompted a stay-away protest? But it means we get good seats, close to the front on level 4, near the wing. Perfect.

 Geelong get the first clearance and Mooney marks inside 50 but in a portent of things to come he kicks out on the full. Ottens misses a set shot minutes later, struck again by the commentator's curse: "He's a great kick of the football..." Sport Boy and I know that the moment those words are uttered big Brad is going to miss.

The Saints get the first goal, and the second and keep the Cats goalless in the first quarter. The game is bad and is about to get worse. Joel Selwood attacks a loose ball headfirst and comes off second best in a sickening collision with Farren Ray's hip. Not for the first time people question whether he is too courageous for his own good. He's out cold, blood pouring from his mouth and the swarming ants of the medical team take forever to stabilise him and transport him off the ground. Ray looks aghast and I'm sure it was completely unintentional. He gets reported but shouldn't go for that. With Lingy already missing and Selwood injured the Cats are captainless and things don't look good.

Mitch Duncan squeezes a goal in the second quarter but by half time that's all we've got on the board. Saints 2 Cats 1 and it feels like a soccer game. The crowd are confused and restless, this is ugly footy. I quip to the bloke next to me that it's the worst game I've seen all season and he responds that it's the worst game he's seen in the last ten years. I can't disagree and yet it’s still great to be here. The footy is back.

By half way through the third the Cats are 20 points down and making too many mistakes to look like winning. When Varcoe's handball is intercepted and St Kilda goal I can't help think how much we are gonna miss Gazza this year. Then something happens. The Cats kick a goal. I stand and shout "Hallelujah" to the mild amusement of nearby supporters. When we goal again within thirty seconds I'm in raptures and when a third follows soon after a full scale revival threatens to break out in the stands.

At 3/4 time there's just a point in it and the Cats are finally finding a way through the Saints wet blanket defence. Lonergan is having a great game on Riewoldt with help from Scarlett and Taylor and with 200 gamer Boris Enright rebounding across the half back line the Cats are on a roll.
With five minutes left the Saints hit the front and St Nick takes a couple of great pack marks. If the Saints can hold the ball and wind down the clock we’re done for but hope springs again when Blake generously kicks to Enright and Geelong mount one last charge. Duncan kicks long to Jimmy who beats two and the ball spills to Moons, he dinks a handball over the top of a lunging Saint and a gleeful Dasher Milburn, who had subbed on for Selwood slams through the winner. There’s about 20 seconds left but the Cats get the vital clearance and the siren sounds to the sort of joyous celebrations that only accompany a victory snatched in the final minute of a game. Sport Boy and I laugh and sing and smile and sing again. The footy’s back. The Cats are back. And we’re back, oh it’s good to be alive

Cats Win by a Point

Bon Voyage Mrs Holt Press

Mrs HP is going to Bruny Island tomorrow to spend a few days with her brother Ray and help him with a big function he's catering for, something to do with an opera company. Bruny is on the south coast of Tasmania, nearer to Antarctica than Brisbane. I don't know that for a fact but I reckon seeing as I just made it up it's probably right. Suffice to say it is colder than here and Mrs HP has a long-established aversion to cold weather so I'm hoping she'll be OK.

Ray runs a cafe/restaurant on Bruny, the only establishment of its type on the whole island I believe, a Brunopoly if you will.

She has been issuing me with instructions and directions for the safe management of the household and supervision of Sport Boy over the last several days in preparation for her absence. I have been paying careful attention ...

On the plus side she has cooked and prepared several meals which are now in the freezer. She is entrusting me with the responsibilty of taking them out of the freezer and placing them in the microwave. I hope I don't let her down.

She'll be away for 5 days and hopefully, apart from the work at the cafe, will have a nice break from regular routines and spend a bit of time with her brother and some of his family.

Sport Boy and I will content ourselves with going to the footy on Friday night for the Cats first game of the season. Geelong v St Kilda, a pretty tough opening round fixture.

Tomorrow is Favourite Daughter's 22nd birthday. I can still remember her 21st birthday like it was last year, time goes quicker and quicker...

FD is back in WA, working, being with her friends and getting ready for a couple of weddings so we can't celebrate with her. I know Mum/Nan took her out for lunch today in Busselton which is not a bad substitute. Needless to say I hope she has a really lovely day.

Grateful & Thankful

It is another beautiful day in Ocean Grove after a very pleasant and relaxing long weekend. I often give thanks that I live in a safe secure and prosperous country. Australia is a wonderful place to live for so many reasons. It's not always "safe" and we have had some harsh experiences in the last few years through fires floods and cyclones, but they seem pretty small scale when compared to recent events in New Zealand and Japan. As AC/DC said, "The earth was shaking.......you shook me all night long". I have been in one small earthquake, in Perth in the late 70's. It was tiny and caused no damage so for all intents and purposes it was more of a "thrill" and "fun" than scary or dangerous. I can't imagine what it would be like to personally experience the Christchurch or Sendai quakes and subsequent tsunami. Because of the e-world we now live in we are immediate witnesses of these global events and can see for ourselves exactly what is happening as it happens. But it's a far cry from being a victim. The damage and the death rates are staggering and of course we all remember the Boxing Day tsunami that claimed half a million lives in Asia.

In light of these tragedies I have to pause and be thankful.

I don't want to take for granted the way of life and freedoms I possess so easily simply by having been born in the right place. The people of the middle east are fighting for and paying with their lives to achieve the freedom that I enjoy. I had no control over where I was born. I clain no credit for the fact that living in Australia is so comfortable and easy.

The best I can do is be grateful, to do what I can to protect our way of life, and to pray for others who are not so fortunate.

The Food and The Guests

We had a really good night last night.

The girl at the restaurant apologised profusely for spoiling the surprise.

The food was great (except for the seafood salad which was overpowered by coriander).

The guests were Mrs HP's cousins Fran and Edwina with respective husbands Bruce and Greg, and Sue, a new friend at church.

In the interests of self preservation I can't tell you what I gave Mrs HP for her birthday* but the line of the night came from Sport Boy when we got home:

"Well you dodged a bullet there Dad"

"Que?"

"No-one asked you what you gave Mum for her birthday!"

* Nothing dodgy just something that could be misinterpreted! In case you're wondering/worried, she loves it.

Happy Birthday Mrs Holt Press

I'm out in the garage playing table tennis with Sport Boy.

Mrs HP appears holding my mobile phone.

It's the restaurant wanting to confirm your booking for 8 people.

Oh oh!

Up till that moment my beloved thought it was just the three of us going out for dinner to celebrate her birthday!

The best laid plans etc etc...

She had already become suspicious when her cousin Fran rang to tell me she had found some badges for me...

An odd reason to call...

Especially the day before Mrs HP's birthday...

Oh well, she doesn't know who the other guests are yet, and we're about to go.

I'll post some pics tomorrow.

Let's take a walk

After being back at work for a week I had a day off today. Sport Boy was at a youth group event so Mrs Holt Press and I went for a walk...to Barwon Heads. About a 10km round trip. It was great and we talked all the way but by the time we got home, and up the last hill, my feet were sore, my knee was sore and my back was aching! Leading me to the conclusion that this exercise stuff is bad for your health. I'm still doing pretty well avoiding all most  junk food but need to add some exercise to burn off the existing layers of fat. Hopefully today helped a little.

Back to work tomorrow.

Home Again

I spent 12 hours on a bus today coming back from Adelaide and arriving just in time to get to Docklands to see the 2nd round NAB Cup game. I needn't have bothered! The Cats copped a flogging from the Saints, just as well it's only pretendy-footy!

I'm home again now, woohoo.

Favourite Daughter has flown back to WA and will be there for about three months to go to a couple of her friend's weddings.

Then she and Toni are going to drive back here in the Kombi.

Had a great couple of days with Vicki, lots of talking, lots of laughing, lots of running around Adelaide.

Off to Adelaide on the Train

One of the many things I like about my job is that every 22 weeks I get a rostered week off, and this week's the week! In fact, with a weekend at the start and a Tuesday re-start I actually have 10 days off.

 I didn't have any specific plans for it but a speculative text to my sister Vicki which revealed that she will be in Adelaide this week has prompted me to book a train ticket to the city of churches. I board The Overlander at 9.45 tomorrow morning and arrive in Adelaide at 5.45 tomorrow afternoon. I'll have 3-4 days with Vicki before coming back on either Friday or Saturday. 

Another of the benefits of the job is that I get free travel on just about all public transport in Victoria, including on V-Line services to Adelaide! However, the V-Line service runs mostly by coach and I really love and prefer trains for longer distances so I've bought a ticket for the trip over on Great Southern Rail and will probably use the freebie on the way back.

I want to be back by Saturday night so I can go to the footy at Docklands, the Cats are playing old enemies the Saints in the 2nd round of the NAB Cup. I went to the round robin games against North Melbourne and the Western Bulldogs at Kardinia Park yesterday. It was great to be at the footy and see the Cats for the first time this season. The NAB Cup doesn't mean much except that the real thing is getting closer.