Footy Tipping 2025

Our Footy Tipping Competition is on again – now in its third year – Thank you Leon Laragy

Round 6

Congratulations to John Schmoll for achieving the round high of 7 correct tips!  Well done to Bill Cruthers, Leon & Michele Laragy, Simon Appel and Guy Pianella for managing the next highest return of 6 correct tips.  Please note 2 players did not get their tips in and were awarded the default of Away Teams (4).  All player standings are in the table below.

The top of the leaderboard certainly did some Bunny Hopping this Easter – the winners of our First Prize* Pool block are: Congratulations to Garry Sebo for claiming outright First Place (payout*: $84) – pls keep a lid on it Garry … you are still recovering from back surgery!  Four players made it to Second Place, well done to Tom Glass, Tim Harding, Paul Stephens and Geoff Cupples (payout*: $42 each).  

*However, please note the payout figures are provisional as there are 6 participants who are yet to pay their fee of $30… If you are not sure whether you have paid, please check with me – or wait until our hard working Treasurer emails reminders in the coming weeks.

The good news is the Second Prize Pool starts from Round 7 (rounds 7-12) and we all start from zero tips!

Please note that Round 7 commences on Thursday April 24 April… just 2 days away!!  If you don’t have the ESPN app on your smartphone/tablet, enter tips at: https://www.footytips.com.au/home

DON’T USE A SMARTPHONE/TABLET AND OR COMPUTER MUCH?  THINK AGAIN!

You may not think so but I’m sure your involvement in our Club’s tipping comp is good for you mentally!  Our mental health benefits from modern tech too – the following link explains how digital technologies are actually associated with reduced cognitive decline.  It is very reassuring to know these devices are actually good for you!: https://news.web.baylor.edu/news/story/2025/digital-dementia-does-technology-use-digital-pioneers-correlate-cognitive-decline

Well that might not be too lighthearted but it is interesting… If you have a lighthearted /interesting story to share please do so – it need not be football related, it can be on any issue, and quite short, but not too long. (And it can be anonymous!)

Good luck everyone for the next round & please avoid getting your tips in at the last gasp!!

 

Round 5

Congratulations to Geoff Cupples, John Green, Leon & Michele Laragy, Simon Appel and Bill Cruthers for achieving the round high of 8 correct tips!  Well done to the 15 who managed the next highest return of 7 correct tips.  Please note 2 players did not get their tips in and were awarded the default of Away Teams (5 wins – even though there were 6 away team winners; the ‘away teams’ default is capped at 5, so if more than 5 away teams win, and you forget to get your tips in, you can never earn more than 5!).  All player standings are in the table below.

Please note that Round 6 commences on Thursday April 17 and ENDS Monday 21 April.  If you don’t have the ESPN app on your phone/tablet, enter tips at: https://www.footytips.com.au/home

Round 6 is the last in our first prize pool block… Currently 3 share First Place and 8 share Second Place… How will it turn out?

I guess we have all witnessed footballers mistakenly handpass to the opposition thinking it was their team mate, but have you ever had a stranger mistake you for someone else? Or have you done something like that yourself?  Encountering someone’s doppelgänger?!  I can recall a couple of occasions over the years where someone thought I was another person… My most recent such encounter was over 10 years ago when a chap of mid-eastern appearance kept hailing me as ‘Barak’ – he confusedly accepted I was not his Barak!

Appearance is one thing; a name is another – the strangest misidentification occurred 45+ years ago when I was doing some garden clearing in the backyard of my soon to be mother in law (STBMIL).  I’d taken a day off work; my STBMIL came out into the yard and told me there was a caller on her phone asking for me… No one knew I was there… How could it be?? Caller: Is that Leon – Yes.  Caller then hurriedly blurted out “I’m Sally’s friend and I’m telling you Sally never wants to see you again and you are to leave her alone!!”… Our call was long, and back and forth – I valiantly tried to convince the determined friend that although my name was indeed Leon, I was certainly not the ‘cad’ Sally had had enough of…  I don’t think the caller ever really accepted I was not the ‘Leon’ she sought… However, I’m absolutely sure my STBMIL believed me!! …

If you have a lighthearted interesting story to share, please do so – it need not be football related, it can be on any issue, and quite short, but not too long. (And it can be anonymous!)

Good luck everyone for the next round & please avoid getting your tips in at the last gasp!!

Round 4

Congratulations to John Hewison, Guy Pianella and Paul & Rosemary Myers for achieving the maximum possible return for the round of 8 correct tips!  Well done to the 20 who managed the next highest return of 7 correct tips.  Please note 2 players did not get their tips in and were awarded the default of Away Teams (3).  For player standings please refer to the table below.

Two rounds remain to complete the first Prize Pool contest: on current standings ten players occupy the top two positions – keep in mind the prize pool ‘cake’ is split thus: those with the highest tally are paid twice as much as those with the second highest tally.

Please note that Round 5 commences on Thursday April 10.  If you don’t have the ESPN app on your phone/tablet, enter tips at: https://www.footytips.com.au/home

This week’s contribution is from Lloyd Jenkins:

A long-term interest in Sport builds up a great parcel of highlight cameo memories doesn’t it. They have a knack of staying in the mind, rather like gems in a collection of more ordinary jewellery. How about long striding Nicky Winmar sweeping through the MCG Centre at speed and taking a bounce as he looks around for options up forward. Or Cathy Freeman in that novel outfit in the Olympics 400 metres final bringing a nation of people to their feet in their own lounge rooms, looking good for a victory as she took the bend into the straight and then to the winning tape. Carlton’s David Mackay soaring for a high mark. “The Swan “.   And Tony Lockett/, that massive frame, slowly lining up after the final siren for a long shot well outside fifty in that memorable Sydney final, then booting the massive bomb that sailed through for the point that took the Swans to victory and into the grand final. Shane Warne with the Gatting ball. Or Greg Chappell, stepping forward in that upright majestic style, head over ball, to complete an on-drive that was always a sight to behold. Young Betty Cuthbert with mouth wide open sprinting her way to three gold medals at the Melbourne Olympics. Jezza soaring for that screamer. Black Caviar and Winx making it look easy.  

We could all fill a book couldn’t we. Yes, even as you are reading this you are saying to me “but what about, what about. ~ “ Yes, of course, and I did not get to Bradman. You youngsters did not see him, but I did, and I have rattled on about it ever since.   LJ

Many thanks Lloyd!

If you have a light-hearted/interesting story to share please do so – it need not be football related, it can be on any issue, and quite short, but not too long. (And it can be anonymous!)

Good luck everyone for the next round & please avoid getting your tips in at the last gasp!!

Round 3

Congratulations to Geoff Taffs for achieving the maximum possible result of 8 correct tips!  Well done to the 14 who managed the next highest return of 7 correct tips.  Please note 2 players did not get their tips in and were awarded the default of Away Teams (3).  We are at the halfway point of the first prize pool – six players are tied in first place and six are tied in second place, 3 rounds to go!  For player standings please refer to the table below.

Please note that Round 4 commences on Thursday April 3.  If you don’t have the ESPN app on your phone/tablet, enter tips at: https://www.footytips.com.au/home

Elephants – not a nickname for an AFL team … or is it?… Early in the new year I saw a headline reporting the sad news from Thailand that a young tourist had been killed by an elephant.  I chose not to read the item but somehow I was instantly reflecting on my early childhood and a recollection of a very exciting time at the Melbourne zoo involving riding an elephant with other enthusiastic youngsters. I wish I had a photo!

Wikipedia says Elephant rides at Melbourne Zoo stopped in 1962 for safety reasons – a worldwide trend.  Wiki had some very old photos of children riding an elephant called Queenie – an elephant that had carried countless people of all ages for 40 years up until her unfortunate demise during WW2.

Lloyd Jenkins (Member Emeritus) told me he recalls riding Queenie during the war when he was very young.

By all accounts Queenie was very intelligent – she was known to play tricks on young boys who teased her.

The second world war years were tough, and the zoo did not escape hard times; men came out of retirement to fill gaps in staffing – one such keeper mistreated Queenie to force her to obey him; Queenie was a solver of problems… the keeper ceased to be one…

I enjoyed reading about Queenie the incredibly clever elephant – please use the following link if you would like to know more, however there are some sad aspects so you may prefer to skip it:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queenie_(Melbourne_elephant)#:~:text=In%201962%2C%20elephant%20rides%20at%20Melbourne%20Zoo%20finally%20ceasedIf you have a lighthearted/interesting story to share please do so – it need not be football related, it can be on any issue, and quite short, but not too long. (And it can be anonymous!)

Good luck everyone for the next round & please avoid getting your tips in at the last gasp!!

 

Round 2

Congratulations to Jim Duggan, Geoff Cupples, Peter McGregor, David Rushworth, Keith Ross, and Garry Bradd for achieving the round high of 6 correct tips!  Well done to the 24 who managed the next highest return of 5 correct tips.  Please note 2 players did not get their tips in and were awarded the default of Away Teams (4).  For player standings please refer to the table below.

Please note that Round 3 commences on Thursday March 27.  If you don’t have the ESPN app on your phone/tablet, enter tips at: https://www.footytips.com.au/home

COMP FEE PAYMENT:  I am pleased that just over 75% of players have paid but there are a number yet to pay their $30 fee – if you have not paid please do so as soon as you can and save John our Club Treasurer (who is not well at the moment, but slowly on the mend) from having to chase it up. 

This week John Green has provided the following for our contemplation:

If you think the Tasmania Football League is having problems sorting out the stadium this anecdote might raise your level of concern! 

The 1967 Tasmanian State Premiership Final (colloquially known as the Goalpost Final) was an Australian rules football match played between the Wynyard Cats and the North Hobart Robins on Saturday 30 September 1967 at West Park Oval, Burnie, to decide the winner of the 1967 Tasmanian State Premiership. One of the most controversial games in Australian rules football history, the match was declared no result and the premiership was withheld after fans invaded the field and eventually took down the goal posts, preventing North Hobart full-forward David Collins from taking a kick after the siren which would likely have won or tied the game for the Robins. The culprits were last seen heading towards the railway line which was adjacent to the oval! 

As far as I can recall our coach for the Robins that day was ‘Trunky Marquis” (Peter Marquis, ex Melbourne Football Club player)! Trunky was followed as coach of the Robins by “Deadlegs Devine”, (John Devine, ex Geelong player).

Many thanks John!

If you have a lighthearted/interesting story to share please do so – it need not be football related, it can be on any issue, and quite short, but not too long. (And it can be anonymous!)

Good luck everyone for the next round & please avoid getting your tips in at the last gasp!!

Cheers, Leon 

Round 1

Greetings All

Congratulations to the 18 players who achieved the round high of 8 correct tips! (FYI, no one tipped Richmond to win!)  Well done to the 9 who managed the next highest return of 7 correct tips.  Team ‘Pi 4 2Ts’ did not get their tips in and were awarded the default of Away Teams (3).  For player standings please refer to the table below.

Please note that Round 2 commences on Thursday March 20.  If you don’t have the ESPN app on your phone/tablet, enter tips at: https://www.footytips.com.au/home

Some of you might recall that in the last update I included a piece by former longtime member of our Probus Club Lloyd Jenkins – soon after publishing I received the following, lighthearted, followup from Lloyd: 

For several footy seasons now our beloved Leon has used gentle persuasion in inviting stories to enliven the tipping reports. He states – “it can be quite short but not too long.”  I have worked hard on this intriguing parcel of words. There is something enigmatic about the sentence.  What does it mean?  It keeps me awake at night. He does it on purpose you know. “Keep them on their toes” is his intention. Every week without fail. Watch for it.  It is a form of mental torture.   “On their toes eh”.  It is rather like an interrogation in a cell at Siberia.  Drops of water on the forehead at 10 second intervals for hour after hour. Drip drip.   Hammer blows after a while. Mercy mercy.  But there is no mercy.    “Short but not long”  in repetition. He will do it again next week. Mark my words.    L  J

… Merci Lloyd!

At the risk of inflaming Lloyd’s condition… If you have a lighthearted/interesting story to share please do so – it need not be football related, it can be on any issue, and quite short, but not too long. (And it can be anonymous!)

Good luck everyone for the next round & please avoid getting your tips in at the last gasp!

Round 0

Greetings All

The Opening Round concept of just 4 games seems to me to be NQR – cyclone Alfred (btw, it was going to be named ‘Anthony’…) has made the commencement of the season even more bizarre with the round being reduced to just 2 games… However the impact on sport is trivial when so many have had their lives upended – We hope that everyone affected stays safe and recovers quickly.

Back to the tipping… Amazingly, of 42 participants, only two players managed the maximum return for the round!  Congratulations to Jim Duggan and Paul Stephens for achieving 2 correct tips!  Well done to everyone else! (27 got 1 correct tip & 13 none…) Please note 2 players did not get their tips in – and were awarded the default of Away Teams… therefore both got 1 correct.  For player standings please refer to the table below.

As mentioned, this season our Participant’s list has reached 42 – a net gain of 4 allowing for 2 departures from the comp.  Welcome to all our new players!

Please note that Round 1 commences on Thursday March 13.  If you don’t have the ESPN app on your phone/tablet, enter tips at: https://www.footytips.com.au/home

Former longtime member of our Probus Club Lloyd Jenkins in past seasons has been a great contributor to the Footy Tipping weekly updates via his entertaining and inimitable vignettes – I am delighted to announce that, though he has left the club, Lloyd has generously provided me with a number of contributions for this season.  I thought I’d start with this one:

The hard hitting hard drinking American golfer John Daley said – “I just hit it as far as I can and if I can find it I hit it again.”  At one stage Daley weighed 18 stone.  At Sandringham course, used as a warmup area in a Royal Melbourne tournament, he hit a practise drive from near the clubhouse onto Reserve Road. We jump now to a trivia question. Who originated the well known golfing quote ‘Don’t forget to stop and smell the roses’. Every golfer knows the answer. We golfers know everything. Just listen to a conversation in a drinks session after 18 holes. The roses quote is attributed to a range of people. Walter Hagen always gets a mention but go to Google. Mr Google knows everything too. Try it.  Now you are really confused.   LJ

Many thanks Lloyd!

If you have a lighthearted/interesting story to share please do so – it need not be football related, it can be on any issue, and quite short, but not too long. (And it can be anonymous!)

Good luck everyone for the next round & please avoid getting your tips in at the last gasp!!