Silk: Football, Family, Respect

by Shaun Burgoyne

Shaun Burgoyne - inspirational footballer, leader of his people, devoted family man - is one of the most respected players in AFL history, on and off the field.

The man they call 'Silk' was the ultimate team player - versatile, highly skilled and hard at the contest, with an enviable reputation for being able to stand up in big moments.

Burgoyne is a proud Indigenous man, with a football pedigree that is a story in itself. Starting with his father's time at the Koonibba Roosters, the oldest surviving Indigenous footy club in Australia, the Burgoyne name is directly linked to Gavin Wanganeen, Eddie Betts, Graham Johncock and many other AFL stars. In his 400-plus games, Burgoyne had only two coaches. He reveals the tough love dished out by Port Adelaide coach Mark 'Choco' Williams, and the left-field techniques of legendary Hawthorn coach Alastair Clarkson. He shares how he changed from star midfielder to role player, a move that enabled him to overcome injuries and become one of the best impact players the game has seen.

Burgoyne's story isn't just about winning four premierships and becoming the Indigenous games record holder. He experienced the ugliness of racist taunts, from growing up in Port Lincoln to bearing witness to the fallout of Adam Goodes' public stance on racism. The way Burgoyne sees it, we can't change history but we must learn from it, and work towards reconciliation, to a position of mutual respect and understanding. This modest champion shares what he has learnt to show others what is possible when you seize opportunities, are willing to put in the work and surround yourself with the right people - family, friends, teammates, mentors - who will inspire, support and guide you every step of the way.

Genres: Biography

346 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 13, 2021

Reviews

[Alli_aye · Rating 5 out of 5]

Fair cop, I’m a Hawthorn fan and Silk fan girl. And it’s an excellent read. Fascinating insight into a champion of the game

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

An audiobook listen from one of the best, and best Indigenous players, to play the game of AFL. As a Hawks fan, it was essential to get around in reading/listening to this and learning more about Shaun “Silk” Burgoyne and his early football career, his family, talking about how important Indigenous culture and rights are in Australia, more insight into his time at Hawthorn and the people around him that helped achieve his 407 record breaking milestone. A great one for every footy fan, especially Hawthorn people.

[Dennis · Rating 4 out of 5]

Although this book is essentially about a champion Australian Rules footballer who has played a record number of games, as a book it is also a great insight into Australia's close-knit, inter-related indigenous community. It is also a great insight into the football community, how they cope with their injuries and maintain fitness and a very close friendships that develop. I am not a Hawthorn , or Port Adelaide fan, although I did play junior football once wearing Hawthorn colours, but I am a great admirer of Shaun Burgoyne as a footballer and a person. Clearly his family has been a great inspiration to him and his wife Amy also comes from a football family with a father who was a legend with Collingwood and Port Adelaide and a sister who is regarded as the best female footballer in Australia. I started to read the sample of this book, just to see what it was like and it got me in and I greatly enjoyed the experience.

[James Lees · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this read, great reminder of the dominance of the hawks and the qualities and champions involved in their success. Silk is just a top notch bloke and character in general.

[Todd Simpson · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an amazing footballer. I was very sad when he left Port Adelaide, but I'm glad he did so well for Hawthorn and had an incredibly long career. This is well worth a read.