Oddie has been around the block a couple of times.
But even this columnist had to pause for a moment to process one journalist’s excuse for being late to work this week.
The message came in early on Monday morning that the journalist in question would be a bit delayed.
There’s always plenty of reasons for minor tardiness — traffic, a missed alarm, the coffee machine being on the fritz.
But being trapped by a herd of livestock? That is certainly a new one.
The neighbouring farm was moving its cattle across the road, giving the journalist no way out and forcing them to wait out the stragglers before venturing in to the office.
It doesn’t get any more country than that, does it?
Gather Round and rejoice
Oddie loved just about every minute of the AFL’s Gather Round experiment at the weekend.
It seemed from afar that South Australia was positively buzzing from Thursday to Sunday, and the action on the field seemed to be better for it.
But while Adelaide has been able to secure the product for at least the next three seasons, Oddie feels sharing the round to different locations would be more beneficial in the long run.
What about a pre-season version of the idea in the meantime?
Split the league in three and take three pre-season games to a trio of suburban or regional places across the country each February.
Brisbane, Gold Coast and Sydney could host three Victorian sides on the Sunshine Coast. Fremantle, West Coast and Port Adelaide could head to Broome with opponents in tow. Shepparton would certainly welcome a pre-season hub.
Play a Friday, Saturday and Sunday game in whichever areas were chosen, and move the western, north-eastern and southern hubs around each year.
It would certainly ‘gather’ plenty of momentum for the campaigns ahead.