AFL Books ..... ?

[MattyO1981]

Hi Guys

Just finished 'The Draft' by age journo Emma Quale. Cracking read and highly recommend it

Just wondering if there were any other similarly decent AFL books that you have read or have seen around?

Cheers

 

[beez]

AFL Record Season Guide 2008

Its a great "read". Whenever I'm bored I just pull it out and look for some random stats.

 

[MattyO1981]

Thanks Beez

im more looking at a novel or autobiography or something

thanks tho

 

[Francis]

There are many good footy books out there, however a number of them are either not in print or quite hard to find, so ebay is helpful. A few that I like are:

A Game of our Own - this is the story of the development of the game; not for everyone but I enjoyed it.

Kill for Collingwood - a history of Collingwood; although I am not a Magpie fan, I found it fascinating.

Maroon and Blue - This is a history of Fitzroy as told by players, officials and fans; reminds us what we lost in 1996.

Football Ltd - Deals with the off-field stuff which doesn't interest everyone, but which I enjoy reading about. I liked it, I am sure many others would not. However I highly recommend it.

The Winter Game; More than a Game; The National Game - Histories of footy with the main focus being the VFL/AFL. I've read the first two, I only picked up the last one last week. I think "More than a Game" and "The National Game" are by the same authors, however i don't think they are the same (I hope not otherwise I just wasted money!).

The Champions; The Brownlow - Interviews with the medallists and players and coaches; both offer some insight into the world of an footballer. Both books are quite good, easy reading.

 

[wba1977]

I too thought 'The Draft' was a cracking read.

My other favorite football books are :

'Heart & Soul' Robert Shaw - Mainly about grassroots footy essendon stuff too
'Loose Men Everywhere' John Harms - recollections of a Geelong tragic
'The Jigsaw Man' Tim Watson was also great

I know there is an essendon flavour but any footy fan would enjoy those.

 

[JUBJUB]

The Mission by Scott Gullan

 

[polly63]

http://collingwoodfc.com.au/tabid/5586/default.aspx?newsid=67569

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Football Ltd - Deals with the off-field stuff which doesn't interest everyone, but which I enjoy reading about. I liked it, I am sure many others would not. However I highly recommend it.

Best footy book I have in my collection. It helps explain how the game grew from a suburban league to the number one national comp. I still use it as a reference source thirteen years on. I wish Garry Linnell would produce an updated version.

 

[MattyO1981]

Thanks REH - ill go on a hunt for it at Borders.

Cheers all.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Thanks REH - ill go on a hunt for it at Borders.

Cheers all.

It is out of print as it was published in 1995 in Ironbark by Pan Macmillan, Australia Pty Limited.

You might find a second hand copy on line thru Amazons etc. Or you could give Pan Macmillan a call. I know they have an office here in Sydney.

The proper title is Football Ltd - The Inside story of the AFL by Garry Linnell,

Edit: Was curious if you could still buy it and found this copy on ebay

The funniest footy book I have is the Mal Brown biography co authored with Brian Hansen. I haven't seen my copy for about 4 years because I reckon I have lent it to about 6 or 7 mates one after the other as all my mates have recommend it to each other. We are all in our early 40s and remember Mal Brown from his coaching days so it resonates a lot amongst our age group.

MAL BROWN AND MONGRELS I'VE MET!
http://www.dromanabooks.com.au/?pag...00&CLSN_1008=12165898541008abae7754c24c15b978

 

[PHX]

Might interest you . . .

'The Tigers' - A Century of League Football by Rhett Bartlett
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/Portals/63/richmond_shop.html (Under "centenary Merchandise" in the menu)

 

[MattyO1981]

Might interest you . . .

'The Tigers' - A Century of League Football by Rhett Bartlett
http://www.richmondfc.com.au/Portals/63/richmond_shop.html (Under "centenary Merchandise" in the menu)

Yep got it already. Good book. Would love for Richo to bring out an autobiography.

 

[rbartlett]

Richo autobiography would be great

Btw a reprint of Richmond FC is in bookstores from October this year with updated stats.

Additional chapters and interviews will be in the next reprint maybe in a year or two (like David Cloke, Jim Jess, Bruce Monteath.. etc etc)

Rhett Bartlett

 

[-CG-]

Saturday Afternoon Fever by Matthew Hardy. Probably one of the best footy books I've read.

 

[sydjackson]

From someone in their late 50s with hundreds of books on our great game, here are my recommendations for "must haves" in any Aussie rules library:
"The Greatest Game" - Fitzgerald/Spillane (Eds)
"A Game of our Own" - geoffrey Blainey
"From the Outer" and "Great Australian Football Stories" - Garrie Hutchinson
"Up there Cazaly" - Leonie Sandercock
Anything at all by Martin Flanagan

and, although, not strictly football "Rose Boys" by Peter Rose telling of his life with his brother Robert and father Bob is simply an outstanding book.

 

[Subprime]

The Full Points Footy Encyclopedia of Australian Football Clubs by John Devaney is a history of footy clubs. Through their history the story of the game is told.

For instance, Scottsdale, in northern Tasmania, won all but one H&A game (the blemish was a draw against North Launceston) and then beat Hobart and Cooee to win the state title and thus make the 1973 Champions of Australia series. A remarkable achievement for a town of under 2,000 people.

Although Scottsdale lost to both Glenelg and Subiaco they were competitive, especially against the Lions, and they put their town on the map. In 2005 the '73 team was inducted into the Tasmanian Hall of Fame.

The book is published by Lulu, an online self-publishing crowd, and costs about $70.

 

[MattyO1981]

Richo autobiography would be great

Btw a reprint of Richmond FC is in bookstores from October this year with updated stats.

Additional chapters and interviews will be in the next reprint maybe in a year or two (like David Cloke, Jim Jess, Bruce Monteath.. etc etc)

Rhett Bartlett

Cheers Rhett

keep us posted when the updated edition has been released

 

[Willo #6]

Saturday Afternoon Fever by Matthew Hardy. Probably one of the best footy books I've read.

Fantastic read. Have re-read it
superb

 

[NICK THE PIE MAN]

I loved 'Loose Men Everywhere' by John Harms and highly recommend it.

 

[Johnson#26]

Keeping the Faith, Steve Strevens.

 

[buddyruff]

Has anyone read Nathan Buckleys autobiog? Its about $50 so I'm holding off buying until Ive heard a few reveiws.

100 Years of Australian Football is a great read

 

[Sanks]

"The Great Laurie Nash" by Edward Albert Wallish is a very good read covering the former South Melb and Camberwell champs VFL/VFA and Test cricket career and his life in general.

"Local Rites" by Paul Daffey is a brilliant book. The author travelled to a couple of games each weekend in nearly every different metro and country league in Victoria for the 2000 season and wrote a chapter on each one. A fantastic read.

 

[JR#8]

Can't believe no one has mentioned Kevin Sheedy's "Stand your ground". Reading it at the moment, great book.

 

[RussellEbertHandball]

Has anyone read Nathan Buckleys autobiog? Its about $50 so I'm holding off buying until Ive heard a few reveiws.

100 Years of Australian Football is a great read

Not sure which book you mean.
100 years of Australian Football = 1858 to 1958;
100 years of A/VFL = 1897 to 1996 was the centenary season; or
do you mean the book that came out last year for the 150th anniversary, The Australian Game of Football - Since 1858.

That book indeed is great. 400 pages of the history of the game from around Oz, a big, sherrin red coloured, hard back book with plenty of glossy historical photos as well as facts. It cost $90, but they released it in NSW for $60 so I bought it straight away.

edit; Not sure what happened and why the picture in blue below appears but this is the book I am referring to

 

[ezywalker]

Good Post, i am a new user to this site. Will start hunting down some of the posters recommendations.

I enjoyed"- Way To Go!: Euphoria, Sadness And The Fremantle Dockers by Matt Price, ISBN 9781920731960

I am an Eagles fan but it gives a great insight now as to how far FFC have come