Books on Australian Rules

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Copernicus

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Well, this forum seems to be the most appropriate place to ask this question. I have been recently looking into books about Aussie Rules, with no particular focus, and was wondering if people had any to recommend. It's a little difficult to find Aussie Rules books in the stores here in the US ;) so I thought this might be a good resource. Any of you folks got some good books that you might want to recommend? I'm all ears.
 
Best football book I have is Football LTD by Gary Linall. It was written in the early 90s about the backdoor deals etc of the VFL/AFL. An awesome read.

Matt Hardys Saturday afternoon fever is another really good read. If you grew up in the 80s you will love it.

The Champions of Essendon book is a really well done book on the top 60 players in Essendons history.
 
BERT said:
Best football book I have is Football LTD by Gary Linall. It was written in the early 90s about the backdoor deals etc of the VFL/AFL. An awesome read.

Matt Hardys Saturday afternoon fever is another really good read. If you grew up in the 80s you will love it.

The Champions of Essendon book is a really well done book on the top 60 players in Essendons history.
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Thanks, those sound like good tips. I've already found a cheap copy of Saturday Afternoon Fever, so I might grab that. I'll look into those others.
 

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Anything written by Martin Flanagan is well worth checking out. Southern Sky, Western Oval and 1970 and Other Stories of the Australian Game are both highly recommended.

Also, if you can find it (it's out of print), Richard Stremski's Kill for Collingwood is a fantastic read, even if you hate the 'Pies. ;)
 

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Geoffrey Blainey's 'A Game of our Own' is a very good book about the origins of footy, especially in Vic.

I got Kill for Collingwood last year off ebay (for only $20) and it's a very good read. It details the formation of Collingwood and the origins of the feuds with Fitzroy, Carlton etc.

Paul Daffey's 'Local Rites' is about footy in regional Victoria, which has some good pics and stories.
 
'The Greatest Game' by Ken Piesse is pretty decent.:thumbsu: Still haven't read all of it, has some entertaining yarns.
 
Martin Flanigans book about the life of Thomas W Wills "The Call" is a great read.
 
'The Coach', by John Powers. A fly-on-the-wall report of a year in the history of the North Melbourne Football Club, as coached by Ron Barassi. John had unfettered 'access all areas'. Luckily, it coincided with the team winning a premiership. I think it was 1977.

Funnily enough, John Powers had virtually no interest in football at all. It was merely a journalistic project for him. I had the privilege of being tutored at uni. by John, so I'm biased. Given that, I'd still have to say that as a person he gave significance to a word which has been undermined and rendered meaningless by overuse. He was a 'nice' bloke.
 
I remember a few years back in high school, having to do book reviews and and/or having to read books. I got some really crappy novel about some guy who plays for Fremantle (or at least a ficticous WA side, you could tell it was freo though) and it was horrible. I think it even had a sequel. I don't know the name of it. Something to do with magic boots.
 
i read some book called possibly young bloods? i dunno, bout a fictional aussie rules side in the afl.
 
can anyone recommend a book on modern football, and in particular on changes in the game over the last 20 years?

something like 'the blind side' of AFL...
 
I'd have to recommend 'The Call' by Martin Flanagan as well. I don't think his style would be for everyone, but once you get into it, it's great. It really gave me a sense of where the game came from, made me feel more connected to Melbourne as a city. It makes sense that Melbourne's insane passion for footy (arguably) stemmed from a guy like Tommy Wills. And it's not just history - heaps of other stuff, national identity, nature...
 
WeeBlake said:
can anyone recommend a book on modern football, and in particular on changes in the game over the last 20 years?

something like 'the blind side' of AFL...
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Time and Space goes into the evolution of tactics from the beginnings of the sport right up to around 2011 - crosses state lines to so not confined to VFL history. A must read for any footy supporter who likes to understand the game they're watching.
 
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