For fans of the AFL and great sports writing, this collection provides a compelling look at events on and off the field.The Game collects the best AFL stories on and off the field told by the best writers around. They delve behind the statistics, examining the players, coaches and teams that make the game.Greg Baum brings to life the epic drawn 2010 grand final and Jake Niall dissects game styles and tells how the Cats saved football in 2008. Carol...

The best, the worst and the most memorable moments from Australia's best-known sports commentators."I love this book" Peter FitzSimons Without doubt, we Aussies love our sport. We've got passionate opinions about the contest, the players, the refs and umpires - and about the commentators. Love 'em or loathe 'em, their calling of a game or race can lift something ordinary into the extraordinary, while their quick-thinking asides are often as timeless as the event itself. In Back to t...

'I didn't know Matthew could read or write' - Matt's dadFrom the Sheds is Matthew Johns' fascinating, frequently hilarious look behind the scenes of Rugby League. the creator of the self-confessed Aussie legend Reg Reagan - as well as a tough competitor who notched up almost 200 first grade NRL games and eight matches for the Kangaroos, winning a premiership with Newcastle Knights along the way - who better than Matthew to give an insider's view of the superstars, larrikins and ente...

A celebration of chest puffing goodness and kindness from around the country written in inimitable Peter FitzSimon's style.You gotta love this country when an AFL legend takes his mum instead of his girlfriend to the Brownlow, when an Australian cricket captain joins a bunch of fourteen year olds for a bit of street cricket, when a bloke wins the Australian Marbles Championship after being reunited with the tom-bowlers his brother threw away forty years ago, and wh...

Not all cricket legends are forged easily - sometimes you have to conquer yourself before you can conquer the world.Mitchell Johnson is a once-in-a-generation Australian cricketer; a devastating left-arm fast bowler who became a household name following his epic performance in the 2013-14 Ashes series and the subsequent Test series against South Africa. But behind the cult image and fearsome pace bowling is an unforgettable story of perseverance and persistence.The story of...

The end of career biography of one of the most loved stars of Australian cricket is now available in paperback with a brand new cover, after selling over 30,000 copies in hardback. Michael Hussey’s huge popularity does not rest solely on his incredible playing record. Popularly known as Mr Cricket, he made his Test debut against the West Indies in Brisbane in November 2005, and has scored 6,183 Test runs over 78 Tests in his career. But to his fans, it is the way he plays the game rather t...

Craig Bellamy is no ordinary coach. He has a remarkable win-loss record in his ten years with Melbourne Storm, but when he led his team through a season of scandal and turmoil, winning games while playing for no points, he gained national respect.For the first time, the legendary coach reveals his thoughts on subjects such as leadership, management, character, adversity, courage, teamwork, success and failure, by sharing his personal experiences. Known as a straight shooter and a m...

tawera Nikau is an exceptional athlete and veteran of international rugby league at the highest levels, with a faithful following of fans in New Zealand, Australia and the United Kingdom. His career on the field has been spectacular, but events off the field have created an air of intrigue, especially his well-documented antagonism towards fellow Kiwi international Richie Blackmore - to the extent that he refused a spot on the New Zealand team if it meant playing alongside Blackmore. the t...

A true football legend, this is a hugely long awaited autobiography told with Leigh's customary steel, wry humour and no-holds barred honesty.Life and lessons from the world of Australian Rules Football as told by an icon of the sport, Leigh Matthews. Four time Premiership player, voted the player of the 20th Century and four time Premiership coach.Accept the Challenge offers rare insights into the life and learning experiences that have shaped Leigh along his successful and at times turbu...

Known to fans as 'Micky O', Michael O'Loughlin is a legendary figure in AFL and one of the Sydney Swans' favourite sons. This is the candid and inspiring story of the boy who became one of AFL's greatest players.When Michael O'Loughlin was drafted by the Sydney Swans at just 17 years of age, he was the no. 40 selection and the last player picked. Back then he could not have imagined the extraordinary future that awaited him: the numerous awards and accolades, the respect and admirat...

Some of Australia's best-known cricketers relive their childhood summers of playing cricket in their backyards.Australia has dominated test cricket over the last 130 years. But it's not the formal cricket academies or high-end coaching that are responsible for the Australian cricket team's winning ways. the backyard has been the real academy of Australian cricket. Don Bradman's unique grip, stance and backlift all evolved in response to the pace at which the golf ball rebounded off ...

Australian cricketers have always liked to keep in shape. It's just that a lot of the time that shape is a circle. When Shane Warne waddled out to play South Africa in the 1997 Boxing Day test, his physique wasn't exactly streamlined, but his competitive spirit was still in fine shape.'I've waited two years for another chance to humiliate you,' he growled at his 'bunny', batsman Daryl Cullinan.The bunny looked Warne up and down. 'Looks like you spent it eating'.Davi...