Free Republic

Yesterday, I had the enormous privilege to witness the three quarter time huddle of the Hillside women’s senior football team in a match against Aberfeldie. Hillside had gone into the match undefeated and Aberfeldie were second on the ladder with two losses. At halftime it was a point the difference but Aberfeldie completely outclassed Hillside in the third quarter to go five goals ahead. The determination of Hillside to fight back reflected in the fierce raw of their voices in that huddle was the most passionate sound I have ever heard from a group of footballers. Previously it has been...

In Alice Springs in 1989, an Englishwoman seeing Australian Rules football for the first time on television said to me, “There are no rules.” I said to her “You cannot understand Australia without understanding this game.” But I couldn’t explain why. I still can’t. It’s something to do with freedom. Freepers, I need your thoughts.

West Coast beat Sydney by one point in a classic AFL grand final today at the MCG. The teams produced a grand final even more nail-biting than their thriller last year, with the Eagles reversing the result to hold on this time to win 12.13 (85) to 12.12 (84). It was West Coast's third premiership, following its flags in 1992 and '94. The Swans, who won last year's decider by four points, reduced the margin to one point three times during the last quarter but only led at the very start of the game when they opened the scoring with...