This new football book from GSP interviews 24 AFL/VFL players about their Australian Rules football experiences. From Ron Barassi and Bob Davis to current footy stars such as James Hird and Robert Harvey, this book gleans information from the players about their football careers and where their lives have led to after football. This book will appeal to readers who are 40 or older—younger readers may find the format a little dry and regimented.
The Champions: Conversations with Great Players and Coaches of Australian Football (Ben Collins, Geoff Slattery Publishing, $34.95 pb, ISBN 0975796445, March) ***
This new football book from GSP interviews 24 AFL/VFL players about their Australian Rules football experiences. From Ron Barassi and Bob Davis to current footy stars such as James Hird and Robert Harvey, this book gleans information from the players about their football careers and where their lives have led to after football. This book will appeal to readers who are 40 or older—younger readers may find the format a little dry and regimented. However, the range of older and more recent players means the content is relevant to a broad age group. What did I learn from this book? That most footballers who were successful during their playing careers usually did well in business or other field afterwards. Public libraries should get this book as a compulsory purchase, because of its appeal and usefulness as a reference to some of the great players in Australian Rules football. Hardcore football supporters will buy it too and I’ll stock The Champions because Peter Hudson was—and still is—my idol!
Santo Caruso is the owner and manager of sports books specialist, Melbourne Sports Books in Flinders Street, Melbourne
This review from Bookseller & Publisher magazine is reproduced by kind permission of Thorpe-Bowker, a division of R R Bowker LLC. © Copyright 2005, Thorpe-Bowker