Toast Richmond and how Australian politics could take a leaf out of its book

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Greg Tivendale

All Australian
Aug 5, 2013
973
1,563
Victoria
AFL Club
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Other Teams
Miami Heat, QPR, Chicago Blackhawks
Not sure if anyone has seen this yet but with all that's going on in the Australian political landscape this may be a good read for the Richmond intellect which we all know does exist.

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-football-solution-9780143791720

Summary:

In a characteristically sweeping and entertaining story, George Megalogenis reveals how football has been shaped by the nation that invented it and how the game we love, in turn, might help resolve Australia’s political impasse.

9780143791720.jpg

A sport unlike any other in the world, football has always been Australia’s bellwether. But at a time when politics is increasingly conducted like sports – full of one-eyed tribalism, captain’s calls and policy dictated by the Newspoll scoreboard – football is the one institution that’s more relevant than ever.

And it’s Richmond that’s out in front of the pack. Before it could win the 2017 premiership, the club had to change how it thought about good leadership. By weaving together the game’s conflicted history, a sharp-eyed analysis of Richmond’s off-field turbulence and his own love of the Tigers, Megalogenis reveals just how Richmond found a new way to win – and how Australia might do the same.

‘Megalogenis has done it again, but with an unexpected twist.’ HUGH MACKAY

‘A public intellectual who barracks for Richmond argues that the Tigers’ 2017 flag contains the seeds of our national resurgence. That’s some footy argument . . .’ MARTIN FLANAGAN

‘Richmond are not yet ahead in the premiership wars, but through inspired leadership, they’re streets ahead in the culture wars.’ BARRIE CASSIDY

‘Manages the incredible feat of igniting hope again for something called Australia. Whatever football code you follow, or even if you don't follow sport at all, I urge you to read this book. It's bracingly sane and beautifully told.’ CHRISTOS TSIOLKAS
 
Not sure if anyone has seen this yet but with all that's going on in the Australian political landscape this may be a good read for the Richmond intellect which we all know does exist.

https://www.penguin.com.au/books/the-football-solution-9780143791720

Summary:

In a characteristically sweeping and entertaining story, George Megalogenis reveals how football has been shaped by the nation that invented it and how the game we love, in turn, might help resolve Australia’s political impasse.

View attachment 547829

A sport unlike any other in the world, football has always been Australia’s bellwether. But at a time when politics is increasingly conducted like sports – full of one-eyed tribalism, captain’s calls and policy dictated by the Newspoll scoreboard – football is the one institution that’s more relevant than ever.

And it’s Richmond that’s out in front of the pack. Before it could win the 2017 premiership, the club had to change how it thought about good leadership. By weaving together the game’s conflicted history, a sharp-eyed analysis of Richmond’s off-field turbulence and his own love of the Tigers, Megalogenis reveals just how Richmond found a new way to win – and how Australia might do the same.

‘Megalogenis has done it again, but with an unexpected twist.’ HUGH MACKAY

‘A public intellectual who barracks for Richmond argues that the Tigers’ 2017 flag contains the seeds of our national resurgence. That’s some footy argument . . .’ MARTIN FLANAGAN

‘Richmond are not yet ahead in the premiership wars, but through inspired leadership, they’re streets ahead in the culture wars.’ BARRIE CASSIDY

‘Manages the incredible feat of igniting hope again for something called Australia. Whatever football code you follow, or even if you don't follow sport at all, I urge you to read this book. It's bracingly sane and beautifully told.’ CHRISTOS TSIOLKAS

Heard a podcast on ABC Conversations with the author about this recently. Anyone who's into podcasts should do themselves a favour. A very interesting hour and well worth it. Christos is very engaging.
 

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He describes how the Tiges got where they are quite well, and the underpinnings of how we are where we are. A heap sounds like it came from Y&B. So you get much the same story (from the podcast anyway). But anyway, the Tigers are the epitome of how something should work. And right now the AUstralian government is the epitome of how not to run things :p :rolleyes:


death-politician-stab-stabbed-knife-knifed_in_the_back-bfrn129_low.jpg
 
The Richmond Tiger Talk boys had him on their podcast recently as well. Sounds like an interesting read.

Our current crop of politicians are nothing short of diabolical who seem to be going about things in some kind of alternate universe. Something has got to change.

Richmond has a No Dickheads policy. I think there should be a No Narcissist policy in government. Wouldn't be too many left to govern but that might also help get things done.
 
I think it should be the other way round... We should take a page out of the political book. Look how boring it is now that we're successful. Nobody is talking in the game day threads, it's like a ghost town. If we had a little bit more backstabbing, chaos, s**t policy and conservative fear mongering imagine how exciting the club could be!!

Let's make Richmond great again!

BRING BACK EVERYTHING FROM 1980-2017
 
Heard George speak on The Outer Sanctum podcast; bought the book the next day and am now about 2/3 of the way through it. Probably not everyone's cup of tea but a very insightful read given this week's happenings.
 
Yeah great. Have the ‘halal’ club coach the govt on how to halt Hijrah. Dutton will win today and begin the restoration of conservative western values.
 
He gave a talk at ANU on the book recently. Said how Richmond went through a period sacking coaches all the time and mentioned the parallel to both sides of politics sacking PMs all the time. Obviously the Libs weren't at his talk. :drunk::mad:
 

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Listened to the podcast on Richmond Tiger Talk. Was interesting, but he lost me when he cited Howard and Keating as great PMs. Not a fan of either so it soured it a bit for me. But George, while more thoughtful and articulate then most of the navel gazers in the Gallery, has always been a shill for neoliberalism.
 
Yeah great. Have the ‘halal’ club coach the govt on how to halt Hijrah. Dutton will win today and begin the restoration of conservative western values.
forgot your meds again gramps? the staff at the nursing home say you're upsetting the other residents every time the project comes on and you hurl racist epithets at the tv
 
Yeah, a great read. At its core, it's a sociological study of how the two wars, migration, religious convictions and rising living standards changed the way Australians, and specifically the people of Melbourne, identified themselves. Hard to accept that up to the 1930s, Collingwood and Richmond actually liked each other. It also offers a fascinating and entirely plausible explanation as to why Rugby League became the dominant code in NSW and Qld. On which point, J Thurston's christian name should have been spelt "Johnathan", not "Jonathan". Just me being a facts Nazi.
 

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