Simon Simoudis

Finally comes the time for which almost all of Australia has been holding its breath patiently. Geelong Cats vs Brisbane's grand final commences at 2.30 pm AEST on Saturday, September 27. For the first time in AFL history, these two teams will clash with each other in the finals, but neither team is an unknown quantity to either team or to playing in the finals. Yesterday, the Grand Final Eve, was a public holiday for us Victorians. Just think of the level of excitement about the finals in Victoria. Even the government knows it, too. TV viewership is also the biggest amongst the Victorians. Victorians are the craziest AFL followers. I, Simon Simoudis , arrived in Melbourne the night before to view the match first-hand in the MCG. I am writing now because I am just about to go out to the stadium. I had finished all my work well in advance and had not committed to extra work just because I wanted to indulge in the excitement and passion within the stadium without having something com...

First things first, if,  by any chance,  you are not familiar with AFL, and if you are reading this blog from a country where people do not know what Australian Football is all about, I, Simon Simoudis , will tell you about Brownlow. The Brownlow Medal, also known as the Charles Brownlow Trophy and informally as Charlie, is an award given to the best player in the Australian Football League, who is also the fairest among all.  Their points are calculated for all the matches they have played during the home and away seasons. At the end of each game, four officiating field umpires give their votes. The Brownlow Medal is considered the most prestigious award for any individual player.  On Monday, September 22, this year’s Brownlow Medal was held at its usual venue, that is, the Crown Palladium in Melbourne, at 7.30 pm (AEST). This award is traditionally presented at the start of the week preceding the finals. I must tell you, this award involves lots of pomp and show, a...

The much-awaited 77th Emmy Awards took place in Los Angeles’ Peacock Theatre on September 14, 2025. A galaxy of stars descended to attend the event, and as always, it was a memorable event. I, Simon Simoudis , too eagerly await watching this event live on TV, by making sure that I don’t have anything urgent pending during those hours that could hamper my uninterrupted viewing. Some of the names of possible winners were already doing the rounds among the Emmy ‘Clairvoyants’, and also because of the number of nominations they had received. Notable among them were ‘Severance’ and ‘The Penguin’. The former had 27 and the latter had 24 nominations. And to that list, a few more names like ‘The Studio’, the hospital drama ‘The Pitt’, ‘White Lotus’, and ‘Adolescence’ that were expected to do well. ‘Adolescence’ had the chance of throwing up the youngest male actor ever to win an Emmy. Its actor, Owen Cooper, had already earned a name for himself for his superb performance. I, Simon Simoudis , ...

Graham Greene died peacefully at the age of 73, on September 1, of natural causes, according to his manager. He had been battling with illness for a long time. I, Simon Simoudis , offer my condolences. Graham Greene is best known for his role as Kicking Bird in the 1990 Kevin Costner epic Western “Dances with Wolves,”. For this film, he got an Academy Award nomination for Best Supporting Actor. During the last few years of his life, he had been living outside of Toronto, with his wife and ‘an army of cats’. Until his death, he was living with his wife, Hilary Blackmore, whom he married in 1990, and they had two children. He is survived by his wife, daughter, and a grandchild. He chose not to move to California, which would have been a natural choice for an actor. He preferred the comforts of his home in his home state, Ontario. According to him, if there was any requirement for him as an actor, he could always move out. He never quit his acting, and apart from that, writing and playing...

If you are an Australian, chances are you must be familiar with the name Dave Hughes. And if you have not heard about him already,  Dave Hughes is a stand-up comedian and a well-known TV personality. He is 54 years old, a husband, and a father of three children. On Thursday, August 28, he suffered an injury during an AFL legends game. Now you might be wondering what on earth was a 54-year-old comedian doing in an AFL match? I, Simon Simoudis , too, till recently, didn’t know a word about the AFL legends game, although I follow the AFL matches and am familiar with all the teams and the big players. The AFL legends game started in honour of the football legend E.J. Whitten, who died 30 years ago because of prostate cancer. The proceeds of these matches are used for prostate cancer research and patient care at the Australian Prostate Centre. These legends are selected for their significant contribution to Australian Football. During the Thursday match at the Marvel Stadium, Dave got b...

Bulldogs 28, Panthers 4. That is the score at Round 26 at Accor Stadium, Sydney Olympic Park, on August 28. I, Simon Simoudis , was totally shocked when I learned of the final score. How can the Panthers lose so comprehensively? After all, they have won the championship so many times recently. When I, Simon Simoudis , got down to the details, I found that the Panthers had benched 16 of their top players for this contest. And by most accounts, considering the raw Panthers that the Bulldogs were playing, the goal difference should have been greater. Nathan Cleary's decision has kicked up a storm, which has been the point of discussion this evening, over and above the result of the match itself. The majority approve of his decision, and there are many even in the Panthers camp who wonder at the logic of his decision when the Panthers were placed 7th and they desperately needed to have won this game. In my view, Simon Simoudis is the coach who best understands what is best for the tea...

Australia's budget airline, Jetstar, has launched a sale that has seen fares as low as $29 for 24 domestic routes. It has also put international flights to places like Singapore, Bali, and Tokyo at just $129. If you're an Aussie wanting to go on holiday, or a foreigner already in Australia, or plan to be here in the near future, here is something you would not want to miss. Jetstar plans to close off the sale at 11.59 pm AEST on August 29, or even earlier if the flights sell out. Be fast, folks, before it is too late. Apart from that, Jetstar is also holding a social media contest where the winners will win a trip to the Cook Islands. To me, Simon Simoudis , that was surprising. Because a few weeks back, Jetstar Asia, which is owned under the wing of Jetstar, was closed down. They had given two reasons for closing down. At first, given the rising costs, it was not feasible for them to fly at such low prices. It was becoming difficult for them to compete with other low-cost airl...