Who's your favorite footy writer/journalist and why...

[t_94]

No surprise the dogs fans like it, but can't believe how much the general public have swallowed the 'Bob' Murphy Kool Aid.

He can string a few words together nicely and he probably likes to drink juice from a jar. He's hard a revolutionary character.

Think he tries to go for the 'intellectual/ alternative' angle in his media appearances and writing, bit like Ed Cowan in cricket. Pulls up short though IMO, He's nothing special.

 

[Gavin Excell]

Think he tries to go for the 'intellectual/ alternative' angle in his media appearances and writing, bit like Ed Cowan in cricket. Pulls up short though IMO, He's nothing special.

he is at pains to reference his residential north fitzroy credentials. Its painful really

 

[t_94]

he is at pains to reference his residential north fitzroy credentials. Its painful really

It's made worse when Gerrad and Robbo bar up over him on 360

 

[Sttew]

Quayle and Whateley are the best.

Jon Ralph is the worst.

I've gone of Whateley. I think he loves the sound of his own voice too much

 

[maxip]

Robbo by a country mile. hes a pig of a man, lol but good to read and listen to

 

[Procrastinator35]

I've gone of Whateley. I think he loves the sound of his own voice too much

Just noticed that recently then have you!....He's a professional mouth-piece/word-smith.....Nothing more, nothing less.

Still....He makes 360 compulsory viewing nonetheless!.....That & the fact that we are all waiting to see when Robbo finally rocks up hammered.

he is at pains to reference his residential north fitzroy credentials. Its painful really

Have you ever tried driving across to the Whitten oval from Fitzroy these days?.....There are zero short-cuts!

 

[Papa G]

he is at pains to reference his residential north fitzroy credentials. Its painful really

So basically Flanagan, 30 years younger with more football ability but sans art degree and Tattered "IT'S TIME" T- shirt?

 

[hatty806]

I think any journalist - should have to put next to their name under the column they write - the team they barrack for - so Scott Gullan who has written some of the most cringeworthy stuff about Geelong - has to put - i am a Geelong supporter next to his name - the same goes for Rohan Connoly - and Essendon

Kevin Sheedy when he was still coaching - at his after the game conference - if there was a new reporter asking him questions - before he would answer - he would ask the reporter - who he barracked for - Sheedy was no fool - he knew why certain reporters /barrackers were asking certain questions

As for the best - Jack Dyer - and his weekly column in the Melbourne Truth - must reading - real football writing - and he didnt sugar coat anything - if he thought such and such a team was a rabble - thats exactly what he put to print

Gullan is a doggies man. Just has good contacts at Geelong.

 

[RobZombie]

Btw OP you should connect with the good people at The Footy Almanac. You can submit writing there and they put out a great book each year.

Love the almanac, even though it is sometimes over-represented with "what a nice time I had at the footy with my kids" pieces (been guilty of that myself). Wide range of styles and talent levels. Fan writing rather than objective journalism.

In particular, I find Craig Little, Matt Zurbo, Mathilde De Hautcloque, David Wilson (e.regnans) and The Wrap (John Mosig) to be consistently good value on there.

The only (mild) criticism I have of the book is that a lot of the best pieces on the site come from fans of the losing team, while they tend to prefer winning team pieces for the book. But you can't please everyone.

Of the mainstream journalists Niall, Flanagan and Baum are more to my taste than the Hun types. Don't mind Connolly, and Emma Quayle is good at what she does. Like a few others here, I find Gerard Whately to be insufferably self-indulgent (but not Flanagan or Bob Murphy. Go figure).

 

[Back One Out]

Anyone that doesn't support Essendon in the drug saga.

Nah…

Any professional in the media who doesn't let their club bias or any close personal friendships affect their objectivity

That would be a more accurate way of putting it, I think.

 

[footy4ever]

Well Jon Ralph will be reading this (Hi Jon!) as BigFooty's where he gets a most of his ideas for articles from. So I'll go with Ralphy!!!!

Sure you're not talking about M Rucci?

 

[hutchy31]

I think any journalist - should have to put next to their name under the column they write - the team they barrack for - so Scott Gullan who has written some of the most cringeworthy stuff about Geelong - has to put - i am a Geelong supporter next to his name - the same goes for Rohan Connoly - and Essendon

Kevin Sheedy when he was still coaching - at his after the game conference - if there was a new reporter asking him questions - before he would answer - he would ask the reporter - who he barracked for - Sheedy was no fool - he knew why certain reporters /barrackers were asking certain questions

As for the best - Jack Dyer - and his weekly column in the Melbourne Truth - must reading - real football writing - and he didnt sugar coat anything - if he thought such and such a team was a rabble - thats exactly what he put to print

Here's a tip for you OP - don't put lots of hyphens - in your writing - it's impossible - to read.

Edit: I wasn't implying the OP did....

 

[WhyAlwaysMe]

Whateley and Caro.

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

I don't think this relates totally but Robert Murphy has his own piece in The Age once a week. I love reading them as he tells a story as he writes the article and it is all very personal and seems like important information.. Obviously he is in the inner sanctum and has an interesting perspective. If (big if) you can some how combine being a journalist who some how delivers a similar vibe to his articles.. then I think you might win a few fans.

The problem seems to be that all journalist have the same ideas and just look for headlines etc

No Age or Afl 360 for Bob this year.
Concentrating on Captaincy.
Shame

 

[Mervyn Beasley]

I think any journalist - should have to put next to their name under the column they write - the team they barrack for - so Scott Gullan who has written some of the most cringeworthy stuff about Geelong - has to put - i am a Geelong supporter next to his name - the same goes for Rohan Connoly - and Essendon

Kevin Sheedy when he was still coaching - at his after the game conference - if there was a new reporter asking him questions - before he would answer - he would ask the reporter - who he barracked for - Sheedy was no fool - he knew why certain reporters /barrackers were asking certain questions

As for the best - Jack Dyer - and his weekly column in the Melbourne Truth - must reading - real football writing - and he didnt sugar coat anything - if he thought such and such a team was a rabble - thats exactly what he put to print

Gullan barracks for the Dogs.
Lives in Geelong so gets all the Cat gigs.

 

[BluesMan]

Whateley is fantastic. Understand each side of the coin and give a proper opinion.

John ralph and that other ******** from channel 7 (the one malthouse hates) are the worst.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Zarrix]

Gerard Whateley and Titus O'Reily

 

[GUMBLETRON]

Of those not mentioned, Peter Hanlon deserves more credit. Can write, knows footy and isn't hopelessly invested in a particular team, outcome or angle. All are rarities in the Melbourne papers, let alone as a combination.

I also appreciate Anson Cameron's occasional offerings, but he isn't a journalist as such.

As for what the OP is evidently after, Leaping Larry fills your niche, but for the pinnacle of the art give Hunter S. Thompson's Fear and Loathing at the Super Bowl (1974) a whirl.

 

[Doss]

Damian Barrett is the worst by a very long way. To me he's the perfect epitomisation of everything that's wrong with the bloated, self serving industry that is the football media.

Martin Flanagan is the best.

 

[W.C. Fry]

Jon Ralph. Him informing the footy world last year that the eagles didnt have Stenglein and Judd anymore was just ground breaking stuff.

To tell the truth I dont really read much journos crap. If I want real footy news I go to BigFooty first.

 

[andrew coombs]

Jake Niall is an excellent writer. Always interesting and well researched. Most importantly he has a Matthews like aversion to the type of hyperbole that so afflicts the likes of Sheehan or the medias resident air head, John Ralph. Tim Lane is a very professional broadcaster and writer. His pro Tassie drone became tiresome years ago but apart from that he is near the top of the tree. Rohan Connelly and Martin Blake are very good too. On radio Mark Fine can polarise opinion but I find the fact he makes the effort to be well researched and prepared to analyse the round of matches a refreshing change from the piss poor output of most of his colleagues in the football media. It sounds ridiculous that we are giving praise to a football journalist for doing no more than being professional enough to actually watch the games played in a round of footy before offering opinion but sadly, this is the case in Melbourne.

 

[Tiger2709]

Bruce Francis deserves a mention.

#goeshard

Does he write about anything that is not an over the top defense of James Hird though?

I find his writing style to be terrible but that could be the subject matter and it seems he doesnt handle criticism well either, but maybe you are referring to writings of his not related to the Essendon saga?

 

[Tiger2709]

Just noticed that recently then have you!....He's a professional mouth-piece/word-smith.....Nothing more, nothing less.

Still....He makes 360 compulsory viewing nonetheless!.....That & the fact that we are all waiting to see when Robbo finally rocks up hammered.



Have you ever tried driving across to the Whitten oval from Fitzroy these days?.....There are zero short-cuts!

Are you saying Robbo has been sober in the previous episodes of 360, well I'll be?

 

[Milanista28]

Does he write about anything that is not an over the top defense of James Hird though?

I find his writing style to be terrible but that could be the subject matter and it seems he doesnt handle criticism well either, but maybe you are referring to writings of his not related to the Essendon saga?

I was just taking this piss. He does like Hirdy though.

 

[SBYM]

Can't help but shake my head at anyone who has named Robbo...

And this has nothing to do with his views on anything...the bloke simply cannot write...not surprising when you hear him speak.

His mastery of his tools - language - is so palpably bad that I reckon he has pics of Rupert at the Max Mosley orgy...

Throws words together to form awkward sentences. Throws awkward sentences together to make awful paragraphs. Goddamn he is s**t.