A glimpse of heaven
It's only now, three or so days out from the game, that it all seems less like one sort of fantasy and more like another. Three days out from a match with tens of thousands in attendance, in a proper...
View ArticleWhen the facts change, opinions must change. Maybe.
It's possible that I was wrong about the Australia Cup. When it began, the framing of "reunification" rubbed me up the wrong way; the new dawn had, after all, won the popularity battle by some margin,...
View ArticleShip of Theseus
South Melbourne Hellas dates its origins to August 1959, but what is left from that time? Everyone who played at the club in the club's inaugural season is almost certainly dead, as would be every...
View ArticleThe Fear
One shouldn't think like this, but it's inevitable. The relevant fear is not about a disastrous result on Saturday, or the mockery that would come from that. That's a different kind of inevitability....
View ArticleMaybe it's time to go back to the beginning...
... and remember the advice of an early interlocutor, to write every day, no matter how badly.
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I'm feeling pretty condensed already, and there's still more to come!
Our involvement with the OFC Pro League has brought about a lot of novelty - new opponents, new destinations, dealing with VAR directly - but it's also brought back one very retro phenomenon not seen...
View ArticleFixture updates, April 2026
Some brutal fixture scheduling this April for both fans and players, continuing the trend of what we've already had to experience in 2026.First up, the return to Lakeside (finally) against Dandenong...
View ArticleVenue and ticketing details for OFC Pro League Melbourne hub
As had been discussed around the traps, seemingly confirmed at the AGM, and now confirmed for sure, the venues for the Melbourne hub of the OFC Pro League have been announced as being Olympic Village...
View ArticleNotes from the 2025 AGM
This report contains the usual mix of fact, editorialising, and inadvertent blurting out of all the Club's secrets. Before getting into my hazy recollection two weeks after the meeting happened, it's...
View ArticleThoughts on the OFC Pro League so far - (Guest post by Manny)
Thanks to Manny of Blue and White Views for offering up this piece. My AGM thing will be up by Thursday.South have now played five games in the OFC Pro League (OPL) and fans finally have a sense of...
View Article2026 membership and public transport updates
First, yes, my AGM report is coming. But for now, other things.MembershipsAt last, memberships for the 2026 season have been made available. You have to head to the Intix site to purchase them if...
View ArticleSeason 2026 begins. What, already? Yes.
The most important thing right now about the Oceania Pro League - HOW TO WATCH IT!In order to watch our matches in the Oceania Pro League, you will need to download the FIFA+ app on to your phone. As...
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Caricature artefact Wednesday - Steve Kalogeros WEG caricature
The bloody things people have tucked away! I was doing my 100th daily refresh of smfcfans.net the other day, when I saw someone post a screencap of this, which was originally posted on Facebook.Scene...
View ArticleJust a quick word / fans grateful / 18 years
The blog being semi-retired now for a couple of years, I deliberately didn't compose an annual "thank you" post last year. This year, though, I would just like to take the time to single out a couple...
View Article2026 senior men's fixture updated on blog
Manny's guess post the other day focused on the worst case scenario for the logistical nightmare we've signed ourselves up for in 2026. No need to retread that just yet,This post is just to indicate...
View ArticleMore than a bit of waffle on idiosyncratic forms of Australian soccer chauvinism
This week, in posting nothing even particularly inflammatory, which I'm more than capable of doing - some of it was just quoting choice elements of news articles on social media about Western United's...
View ArticleNo rest for the wicked (guest post by Manny)
Thanks to Manny of the now in hiatus Blue and White Viewsfor this clear and concise overview of the upcoming fixturing challenge facing South Melbourne in 2026. Also, Manny - please upload the...
View Article2025 South of the Border Awards
Player of the year: Jordon Lampard. The one player I could not fault throughout the entirety of this ridiculous season. Defended well, got up the field, scored crucial goals.Goal of the year: Max...
View ArticleVerifying you are human. This may take a few seconds.
It's the day of a national final of sorts (more on all of that some other time, maybe), so it seems like a fittingopportune opportunistic moment to take stock of things.Let us remember where we were...
View ArticleDiscussion paper relic - SMFC Museum Tour Notes, circa 2015
As will be evident upon reading the following paragraphs, this is a discussion paper I wrote up in late 2015, after having gone on a sort of reconnaissance mission to various AFL club museums with a...
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