The Football Solution: How Richmond’s Premiership Can Save Australia

by George Megalogenis

When Richmond won the 2017 AFL premiership, thousands celebrated the return to glory of one of the games oldest and most successful clubs. But outside of the suburb of Richmond—who cares? Megalogenis is a Richmond nut, but he’s also the foremost interpreter of our national narrative. In Richmond’s victory, he argues, we can understand our past, diagnose some of the ills of the present, and see a path towards our future. Football is more than a game, it’s Australia’s bellwether. It tells us more about ourselves than any other institution in the land. Richmond has more members than the federal Labor and Liberal parties combined. As many people are members of AFL clubs as are members of private sector unions. The AFL is one of the biggest, richest and most influential organizations in our culture, expected to take a leading stand on racism, depression, marriage equality, domestic violence. At a time when politics is increasingly conducted like a sport—full of one-eyed supporters and captain’s calls—sport has been filling the vacuum left by the loss of respect for parliament, media and the church. Megalogenis tells a characteristically sweeping, revealing story about how Australian Rules contains the DNA of the gold-rush prosperity in which it was conceived; came of age in the depression that followed, spawning the world’s first mega-rivalry (Richmond/Collingwood); absorbed the changes immigration brought after World War II; and became the mega-business it is now. And Richmond is the key to it all—by revising its leadership structures, and by embracing diversity, it points to the solution to our national impasse.

Genres: Nonfiction, Australia, Politics, Sports

224 pages, Paperback

Published December 1, 2018

About the author

George Megalogenis has written three previous Quarterly Essays. His book The Australian Moment won the 2013 Prime Minister's Literary Award for Non-fiction and the 2012 Walkley Award for Non-fiction. He is also the author of Faultlines, The Longest Decade, Australia's Second Chance and The Football Solution.

Reviews

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked up this book for a quick skim and I end up reading every page.

[Chel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Particularly loved the social history of early Melbourne and how it contrasted to Sydney.

[Ben Raue · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyable book for anyone interested in both Australian rules football and politics/economics. I think the central theme of the book is a bit disjointed and it jumps around in the topics it covers but all of them are interesting.

He tells the story of the rise of the VFL and Richmond the club alongside the economic history of Victoria, and the evolution of Richmond the suburb, which is excellent and would be hard to find a similar story published elsewhere.

He also explores the ups and downs of the Richmond football club including its recent evolution leading to last year’s grand final win, and his own relationship with the club, which is also interesting. All of it is underpinned as much as he can by data, including by trying to explain how crowd numbers can be explained by demographic forces.

Very enjoyable read.

[Vin · Rating 4 out of 5]

It is only 22 days to go to the start of the 2019 AFL season, but I'm not counting. What better way to distract myself in the meantime than to read how Richmond's 2017 premiership can save Australia. After all, a national election is in the wind (maybe 80 days away). If only Australian political parties 'embraced diversity' (as Richmond did) and had faith in good political leaders, allowing them the resources and culture to do good work (as Richmond did for its coach), all our problems might be solved. Well, not quite. Homelessness, poverty and climate change must be among national priorities whichever party wins in May and require careful design and execution of public policy. But come September, we may have more insights on how to govern Australia. This is because Richmond may win a second premiership in 3 years, and George will (hopefully) write another book.

[Liam]

I'd be equally interested in learning how 2017 Richmond can save 2024 Richmond's season.

Some great insights on the development of the game in a newly rich Melbourne and the unique lack of an offside rule was a delightful exploration. The divergence between increasingly populist and sloganeering political leadership vs the flyball systems speak of the modern game, with football club members outnumbering political parties significantly, was another fascinating link.

Other points:
- Appropriate Shaun Grigg respect
- No direct reference to Jason Castagna

Accurate predictions
- Richmond and Collingwood to enjoy more success after 2018

Inaccurate from todays perspective
Dimma the family man

[Andreas Sekeris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really easy to read history of aussie rules placing it in context of social and political changes through the ages. I thought there would be more around what lessons politics could take out of it, but what was there was informative and correct. It also did what many books lack, which is offer some actions to help the political situation of today. Parties need to grow their own membership base by empathising with people and showing themselves to understand what is going on, and actually be reflective of modern communities. Also trust themselves to be able to have a proper conversation about issues, rather than playing tricks to stonewall journalists.

[Darby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obviously I am biased as a Richmond supporter and Australian patriot. George draws lessons some lessons from Richmond’s steady rise from being the laughing stock of the AFL to leadership on the field and off the field in building social value. Can we as a country repair the damage being done to our social fabric by the vile shock jocks, the opportunism of people like Peter Dutton and the supine response of the Prime Minister? George thinks so. I hope he is right as the country is a mess under the current leadership.

[Rod Hunt · Rating 4 out of 5]

A brilliant and searing analysis of the administration of the best AFL club of all, woven with a social history of Melbourne and the game and an analysis of interstate differences. His use of data and evidence will terrify the current anti- science/fact paddlers. The framework of 2017 AFL success is then applied to Australian politics and national leadership - with a clarity that few contemporary commentators can match. You must read this. Go Tiges! Eat em alive!

[Matt · Rating 3 out of 5]

Fairly interesting history of Australian rules football, intertwined with personal reminiscences and culminating in a retelling of the on- and off-field buildup to the Tigers' 2017 premiership. The title is misleading, though; the political parallels are fairly tenuous, and the book doesn't mount any kind of argument until the (brief) conclusion, which itself doesn't go much further than the obvious platitudes about the failings of 21st-century political leadership.

[Jim Mellas · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book by George Megalogenis which explores the history and origins of the Richmond Football Club, the suburb and football in Australia and also looks at the interaction between football and politics - the comparison between the the response of the fans and the whole suburb to the premiership wins in the 20s and the 30’s to those of 2017 and 2019 is fascinating. A must read not only for Richmond fans but also for anyone with an interest in Australian History and politics

[Michael Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not sure George really prosecutes his theory that ‘Richmond’s premiership can save Australia’ (it only plays out in the conclusion). However, as a man of similar age as the author and who shares a passion about the Richmond football club and a keen interest in history, politics, and the place of Australian Rules football in our nation’s culture, I found this a cracking read!

[P Paskos · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very interesting history of football, especially in its early days, particularly about how footy in Melbourne reflected the more egalitarian nature of australian society. I found the historical parts much more compelling than the political parallels though, which were a bit tenuous and surface level. 3.5.

[Henry · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm not a Tigers fan (carn the Bulldogs) but this book served as a great crash course on the history of the game. Through the story of Richmond, Megalogenis illustrates in detail how the way clubs operate has changed over the years, and how the Tigers clawed their way back to their premiership in 2017 via unconventional means. I would strongly recommend this book to any footy fan.

[Sandy Loyall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Come on Aussie politicians! Read this book and get your collective acts together! Change IS possible! See the interconnectedness of all Australians, politicians and voters, the government and the opposition. Let’s work as a team and kick some goals!

[Agostino Giramondo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. Megalogenis has cleverly put together a book on leadership and Australian history and used the Richmond Football Club as they inspiration.

[Andrew Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Biased view being a fan yet the depth of George's pursuit to unlock the leadership comparisons completely brilliant.

[J.D · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was raised in Richmond, 3 premierships in my first ten years, lived next door to GR and up the road from Captain Blood. And then...
Married a Hawthorn supporter, when our boy was born my wife suggested that instead of turning out another basket-case perhaps our son should be shepherded into the Hawks Nest other than the Tigers Den. Didn't fly. It's character building going for the Tiges.
Love this book. Transcends the supporter which is easy to say as I bleed Yellow & Black (I witnessed the Jason McCartney game and realised the bigger picture despite myself). But if you want to learn how to change the culture of an organisation, read as a treatise. Sensational.

[Josiah · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a life long Tigers supporter, this book caused my heart to sing. Never have I been so proud of my team and I was surprised to learn more about their long history and how it fits into the context of Australia. The uniqueness of the Australian journey was insightful and gave me a greater appreciation for my country. One star was dropped as I felt the remedies for Australian politics was too short and I believe the success of the Tiger’s counter-cultural leaderships strategies could be mirrored in all workplaces, not just politics.

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very enjoyable. A lot more fun than I expected and I learnt a lot more about the history of Australian Rules than anticipated. Read this book in a couple of sittings. Of course some of the comments about Richmond and especially the Coach seem a little simplistic given the change in his personal situation. As I right I've recently witness the Tigers being walloped by Sydney so maybe the lessons of their success have been unlearn't. Time will tell.

[Loki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mega George is back with his most personal book yet - a reflection on the changing fortunes of the game and Australian (most particularly Victoria) society, seen through the prism of the rises and falls of the Richmond Football Club. It's clear, lucid and personal, and if you love the game - even if you hate the Tiges - you'll find something here to love.

[Mick Maye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Surprising a very good read. I could not put it down. Whilst I am a Richmond supporter and a lot of his stories correspond to my feelings and thoughts, his story follows the VFL/AFL during its life.
The synopsis at the end between current politics and football resonated and was further enhanced by his background reporting politics. Exceptionally enjoyable.

[Angela Mckenna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fun. A great weekend read.

[Karl Kindt · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great survey and overview of footy in Australia. Even though it's conclusion is not proven by details, the author is right--both parties are bonkers.

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read the updated version. Still interesting.