It's A Dave Thing Blog & Podcast

[The Majestic]

While the footy world loves to celebrate the stars—those big-marking, goal-kicking, Brownlow-sniffing names—there’s always a handful of players who do the dirty work and don’t get near the fanfare they deserve. Enter Beau McCreery. If you’ve watched Collingwood in the last couple of seasons and felt like their forward pressure was suffocating, it wasn’t just a system—it was Beau. This bloke is the engine room of Collingwood’s forward chaos.

McCreery doesn’t seek out headlines. He doesn’t care if he kicks one goal or none, as long as the opposition backline ends the day bruised, flustered, and second-guessing every disposal. You won’t see him doing backflips after goals or pointing to the stands. What you will see is a 190cm, 85kg pressure machine hurtling at defenders like a guided missile, tackling like a man who’s lost his wallet and the thief’s wearing the footy jumper.

Beau McCreery: The Unsung Hero of Collingwood’s Forward Chaos

He doesn’t need goals to hurt you—just a license to pressure, and a target in black and white.

daveharding.substack.com

 

[The Majestic]

The ballots have been cast, the promises are already fading, and the campaign ads have finally stopped clogging our screens. Tasmania’s 2025 election is done and dusted — and what are we left with? A hung parliament. No outright mandate. No decisive victor. Just a Premier clinging to power and a group of independents holding the balance.

But buried beneath the political gridlock and deal-making lies an opportunity — if we’re brave enough to take it. It’s time to get back to business, and priority number one should be clear: build Mac Point Stadium.

Because if we can’t agree on this — something with long-term economic, cultural, and social benefits — then what can we agree on?

For over two years, the Macquarie Point project has been trapped in a swamp of political theatre. What started as an exciting, transformative vision became a lightning rod for division. It’s been spun as a luxury we can’t afford, a burden on taxpayers, and a distraction from “real issues.” But those arguments collapse under any serious scrutiny.

The Election’s Over, the Parliament’s Hung — But It’s Time to Unite and Build Mac Point Stadium

With Tasmania’s future on the line, political deadlock can’t stop the stadium that could change everything.

daveharding.substack.com

 

[The Majestic]

Darren Millane was one of Collingwood’s most beloved players, a burly, fast wingman whose fearless play helped end the club’s 32-year premiership drought in 1990. Recruited from Dandenong in the VFA, he debuted for Collingwood in 1984 and quickly became known for his strength and courage on the field. In 147 games, kicking 78 goals, Millane earned the 1987 Copeland Trophy as Collingwood’s best and fairest, placed fifth in the 1988 Brownlow Medal count, and by 1990 was the league-wide MVP (then called the Leigh Matthews Trophy) and an All-Australian.

His role was pivotal in Collingwood’s 1990 premiership team. He famously played through the finals series with a fractured thumb, requiring regular painkiller injections, and collected 26 possessions in the 48-point Grand Final win over Essendon, with the final siren sounding while he held the ball aloft. The iconic image of Millane tossing the football into the air as the siren sounded endures as a symbol of Collingwood’s long-awaited triumph.

Courage, Class, and Tragedy: Remembering Darren Millane

The life, legacy, and sudden death of one of Collingwood’s most unforgettable heroes

daveharding.substack.com

 

[CrazyEighty8]

Nice one! ’90s nostalgia is such a fun topic. Curious what parts you covered, like music, TV shows, or just general vibes?