Aussie Rules Football: An Outsider's Perspective

by Don Warner

An overview of the evolution of Australian Rules football in Victoria from its origins in 1858 to the present day. The opening chapter provides a snapshot of the unusual 2020 AFL season. I then trace the evolution of the game in Victoria during the late 1800s including the background to the 1896 VFA/VFL split, followed by a chapter outlining the development of the two leagues during the 20th century. This is followed by chapters on all 18 AFL teams, including major team rivalries, great coaches, great indigenous players and great goalkickers. There are also chapters on how the various finals' systems work(ed) over the years, State of Origin and Laws of the Game. The book is chock full of statistics, trivia and footy anecdotes which will enthral any Aussie Rules fan.

401 pages, Paperback

Published January 21, 2021

Reviews

[Kevin Conlon · Rating 3 out of 5]

For a non-Australian, this was a great way to get a good grounding on Australian Rules football. Every club got its own chapter, recapping their history and star players, and there were separate chapters explaining some general aspects of the sport. Some sections were repeated word-for-word; for example, the exact same paragraph about the rivalry between West Coast Eagles and Fremantle Dockers appeared in both teams' chapters. All in all, an enjoyable and easy read