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About Greg Baum
About Greg Baum
Despite more than 20 years as a sports writer, Greg Baum still gets excited about going to the MCG to cover an event. He was first exposed to the passions generated by Australian football when, as a six-year-old, he witnessed his uncle's excitement over St Kilda's 1966 premiership triumph. Even though he was obsessed with sport and wanted to become a journalist, the thought of combining the two ideas hadn't crossed his mind. He was an aspiring political journalist but his ability to vividly tell sporting stories was soon in demand. Baum, now The Age's chief sports writer, is widely-respected for his flair with words and his understanding of what really matters to fans.
Do believe the hype
The prolific meets the mean in a blockbuster that deserves the name.
Codes can co-exist — and remain the friendliest of enemies
Melbourne Victory chief executive Geoff Miles is a Melbourne Football Club member, "passionate, long-suffering", he says.
Learn to look past numbers
Leigh Matthews, characteristically blunt, reckons it is hard to see a No. 1 draft pick in Jack Watts. In the two games he has played, Watts has looked overwhelmed.
No talking required, record shouts legend
To comprehend fully the career of Michael O'Loughlin, it is important to reflect on the football landscape at the time he arrived in Sydney in 1994.
In the Mick of time
Injuries have forced the Pies into playing more and younger players than they intended; on Queen's Birthday they were in aggregate five years younger than their supposedly callow Melbourne opposition.
A lot of love, not much money
In the mid-year break in 2003, Collingwood went to the Northern Territory, Richmond to the Sunshine coast. North Melbourne went to a cold and windblown adventure park on Phillip Island.
Like the hype, Naitanui and Watts are poles apart
Five days apart, the first two picks in last year's draft, Nick Naitanui and Jack Watts, made their AFL debuts.
A new coach's first step
This week, as last - as most - the Richmond coach is topical. Then, it was the old coach, Terry Wallace, wily, but weary, beaten. Now, it is the new coach.
Picken up the pace
Sheer determination has helped Liam Picken achieve his dream of playing in the AFL.
Demon diehards applaud their glimpse of the future
Jack Watts received two rounds of applause before he touched the football for the first time in the AFL.
Freakish Adelaide tears up the game plan
The Essendon-Adelaide game took on a carefree life of its own.
Pies' greats serenade good old Collingwood
Collingwood legend Tony Shaw was on stage early this week with club president Eddie McGuire, remembering what constituted a recovery session when he first played.
The real villain is Channel Ten
If Ben Cousins is to hang, at least let it be for a hanging offence.
Super salesman Wallace laments the bottom line
Time will tell whether the Tigers can climb out of their black hole.
Run machine Swan falls short of half-century
Magpie midfielder has the stats scorers flat out and the fans counting at the 'cricket ground'.
The kids are ready to play
Just getting a game is no longer enough for the new breed of footballer.
Up-and-coming Lion thrown to the Saints
Aaron Cornelius met Nick Riewoldt at a footy camp. "I was a mad supporter, so I did bit of one-on-one with him," Cornelius said. "He landed on my toe and broke it. So I ripped his T-shirt."
Media pack chases its own tale at Punt Road
Yesterday the story came out wrong. And it kept coming out wrong.
Saints, Bombers wiser for match
Essendon blueprint for victory fails against St Kilda's dogged defence.
Hawks ride the bumps with a win
Pause the last rites. Stop the requiem. Hawthorn's premiership defence is not done yet.
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