Wandering Time

Aussie Rules!!! Go the Saints!!

While in Meandarra, thanks to my mate ¹ , I rekindled an interest in Aussie Rules ² . I'd last watch the 2010 St Kilda vs Collingwood Grand Final when I was in Stonehenge, that ended in a draw. I missed the next game where Collingwood won. He was trying to get me excited about the upcoming State of Origin game between Queensland and New South Wales. He had Buckley's ³ of that. I've never been interested in the rugby. Even without knowing the rules, there was something about the players; their lack of necks, the 'sniff each others armpits' gatherings, running forward but throwing the ball backwards! And they always throw themselves at the ground. What is with that? The players can't think at all; get ball, run straight forward to smack into another player, all fall down. Get up, and repeat. Like blowies ⁴ at the window, thump, thump, thump, over and over again. The line from The Man from Ironbark always comes to mind: "Their eyes were dull, their heads were flat, they had no brains at all;"

My mate explained, there is Rugby League and Rugby Union. And when looking into the history, it all becomes clear. Rugby Union started about 1845 at Ruby School , the oldest, most expensive boys school in England. Soccer, also called football, was the game played before that. A game where only the goalkeeper can touch the ball with their hands. What happened was, one of the rich boys, not able to kick the ball, picked it up and ran. Maybe he'd also heard about the new game played out in Australia, but didn't know the rules. He couldn't kick a ball to save himself. Not being too bright, he ran straight into another player, and they all fell over. His father, who gave big bikkies ⁵ to the school, said his son was right, that was the way to play football. The school, not wanting to get in a blue ⁶ with the father, and risk losing all the moolah ⁷ he gave to the school, gave into to him and agreed. After that, everyone was told to play the new game. Thats what happened, Fair dinkum ⁸ !

Rugby League formed in 1895 when some clubs split from the rest over an argument about players pay.

Where as, Aussie Rules had its beginnings in the early 1820's in Melbourne. With Melbourne Football club being the oldest in the world that is now professional.

So would you rather support an English game, created by rich school boys that can't kick a football, or a true blue ⁹ Aussie game? No question there; Aussie Rules!!!

As for the State of Origin games; Aussie Rules had been playing interstate competitions were played from 1879. Rugby games were played from 1908, but wasn't really known about till a couple of journalists, wanting to sell more papers, got the rules changed in 1980. It worked, so that is how it stayed.

For all the advertising for the State of Origin, Aussie Rules has higher average attendances , and highest Grand final attendances .

Anyway, what could I do; he's a mate, so I went to the pub to watch the first game of 2015 series. In the lead up to the game starting, watching one of the Queensland players beating his chest; it reminded me of a nature documentary I'd seen on gorillas. Needless to say, the game was shit house ¹⁰ . Finally, Queensland, who hit their heads slightly less than the New South Wales side, fumbled the ball, accidentally kicked a field goal and went on to win by the one point. Amazing. Kicking is not something rugby players can do.

So the better game; Aussie Rules. Watch the big men fly ¹¹ . They can run, kick, jump, and have necks.

My team: St Kilda. Go the Saints!

Recently I was able to watch St Kilda Vs Melbourne (STK Saints V Melb Demons) Round 11. A great game! Here's the last 2 minutes:

I'm currently on the family farm up outside of Cairns. Yeah, way behind on blog entries. I'll catch up slowly.

Australian Slang

1 mate: a friend

2 Aussie rules: Australian Rules Football

3 Buckley's: no chance

4 blowie: blow fly

5 big bikkies : a lot of money

6 blue : a fight

7 moolah : money

8 fair dinkum : true, the truth

9 true blue : patriotic

10 shit house : of poor quality, unenjoyable

11 big men fly: A reference to Australian Rules Football, where players leap into the air to catch the ball (“take a mark”).

Boggabilla, Goondiwindi, Moonie, The Gums, Meandarra

Arrrrgggh, it was cold last night. I managed to camp on top of a hill, but the frost on the ground told the story. A fair bit of standing in the sun, hands under my armpits, talking to myself like a pirate. This was to be the last cold night though. Just outside Broggabilla, it was a balmy 8C overnight.

A quick run through Goondiwindi for shopping. Then on northwards.

Leaving Goondiwindi, I managed to miss the turn off, maybe it was enjoying the tailwind. I've been along the road too many times, something wasn't right. Stopped, checked the map. Yep, missed the turn off. Bit later, I was sure I was on the right road; narrow, no shoulder, lots of truck traffic and roadside rubbish. Yep, going the right way now.

Blissful normality through Moonie to The Gums, when my trip north took a west detour to Meandarra to spend a couple of days with a mate ¹ .

A sign on a creek walk said that "Meandarra" is aboriginal for 'a place of water'. Looking at the creek, all the irrigation pump tails in the water holes, the low water level, I'm not sure for how much longer. Even the bunyips ² have moved out.

A good time was had. With help, my charge system is back working. After years of outdoor use, a mini to micro usb adaptor, was rooted ³ . Must be corrosion somewhere in it. Was still giving out 5V but zero current. The mobile would ping to say it was charging, but then slowly go flat. Ordered a new adaptor, and will improve my charging setup.

Australian Slang

1 a friend

2 An Australian creature that lives in swamps, billabongs, creeks, riverbeds, and waterholes.

3 Broken

Bingara, Warialda, North Star

My sleeping bag needs more feathers in it! Been cold the last few nights. Just below zero, with frosts. Been wearing thermals, clothing, jumper and the rain gear, and it's still cold. My "winter" gloves aren't. My thick socks aren't thick enough. I sleep huddled up like a pill bug, trying new ways to get more layers of my sleeping bag around me.

But after the sun has comes up, it's all forgotten; beautiful sunny, warm days. Who could want for more?

I've managed done dirt roads along the way. The old farmer that stopped told me I was lost. I wanted to believe I wasn't. I had suspected it was going to get interesting when the road became two wheel tracks. But as it as heading the right way, all seemed all good. Later I had to back track and return to the tar. Not bad, a 60km trek about the farm roads. Would have been only 20 km if I'd stayed on the tar. But where's the adventure in that?

Barraba

Ah, nothing like the smell of Roundup in the morning. A farmer spraying, and I get a misting as I ride past. No weeds on me!

I take the non direct route to Barraba. It takes a few days. The mining has expanded and the road has been closed permanently. I flag down a mining vehicle, and am told there is an alternative path around the closure. But the driver wasn't sure. The maps I have haven't been updated and provide no help. With no signs to guide me, I return to another route.

Along the way I pass the Rangari automatic telephone exchange. Would have been the heights of modernisation once..

Broggabri

Relaxing dirt roads. Blue sky. A gentle breeze. Next to no traffic. Who could want more?

Packing up next morning I found what looked like a scorpion. Didn't know Australia had any, but we do!