Neil Balme: A Tale of Two Men

by Anson Cameron, Neil Balme

‘You’ve got to have that madness in your mind to win, win, win. You’ve got to have that somewhere, but it can’t consume you.’

The singular story of football's hardest man and sharpest mind.

This story begins in infamy. Everyone’s first glimpse of the man is of ferocious blows struck in grand finals, his name splashed in headlines across the back pages of the tabloids. It’s the 1970s, it’s kill or be killed.

There was a time when almost every football watcher who heard Neil Balme’s name would react with disapproval. My God, what a bruiser . . . A dangerous fellow . . . And those who knew him would quickly deny these accusations. He’s not a brute, you know, he’s a thinker . . . A mild-mannered bloke, easygoing. The great paradox of Balme is the violence and the pacifism, the mayhem and the calm, the rough justice and the gentleness. He’s a cold-blooded thug; he’s a soft-hearted healer; he’s a villain and a hero.

Balme is unique in having spent longer than anyone else in clubland. Richmond, Norwood, Melbourne, Collingwood, Geelong and Richmond again – over fifty years. He’s seen and created limitless change in those decades. So how did Neil Balme go from being the infamous on-field enforcer of the 1970s to the avuncular guru the football world knows and loves today?

After eleven premierships, an aura surrounds the man. Get Balme to your club and success will follow. What has he to tell us of football, of the high times and the low, of the champs and the egos? Of Royce and GR, of Diamond Joe, of Eddie and Mick, of Bomber, of Dimma? And of life and the human heart?

Balme’s tale is, unsurprisingly, a mix of hard truth and unerring compassion.

Genres: Biography

421 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 16, 2022

Reviews

[Dennis · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's the time of the year to read a book about an Aussie Rules legend and this one takes the genre to a new level. Neil Balme was known as a thug on the football field when he played for Richmond, but clearly that was a mindset he developed as the man described in that character assessment is not like that at all but a caring, sharing man, hence the title of the book. It is also a much better written book than the usual retired footballer ghosted biography. The man described by author Anson Cameron is one that is able to cope with the complex management tasks of moulding a group of outstandng young athletes of varying mental capacities and egoes into a team that will win the premiorship. Not an easy task to do. The other aspect of this book is that it takes you behind the scenes of some major clubs and tells tales that have never been revealed before. As we are now in final series of the AFL, when interest in the code of white-hot, the timing for the release of this book is spot-on. I would recommend it for any Aussie Rules fan with an interest in reading about what happens 'behind the scenes.'

[Mike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anson Cameron’s biography titled Neil Balme: A Tale of Two Men recounts the life of the wise elder of Aussie Rules Football. As a former player, coach and football manager, Neil Balme has brought unparalleled success to whichever football club he was at. Playing footy in the 1960s and 1970s was a dangerous occupation, as the physical confrontation and deliberate violence were par for the course. Moving from Western Australia to play in the premier competition of that era, Neil joined the premier club, Richmond who were ruthless off and on the field. This is an engrossing insight into a contradictory man, whose fearlessness for the contest on the field was only surpassed by his intelligent gentleness off the field. His winning of premierships at numerous football clubs is a testament to his character and wisdom, notably in realising AFL is a game after all. So, an absorbing biography that sports fans will relish, with its five stars must read rating. As always, the opinions herein are totally my own and freely given.

[Robbo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative and interesting story about why Neil Balme has been so successful in football. Didn't really like the style of writing, felt there was a little artistic licence that perhaps strayed from the factual. Opinion triumphed over observation at times. Insight in to the personalities in football, "wow, Nathan Buckley really does not seem to like Mick Malthouse", "turns out Eddie McGuire can be a real prick, who'd of guessed".

[Mick Maye · Rating 5 out of 5]

outstanding

I am biased being a tiger supporter but this book is truly fascinating. The contradiction between the man who terrorised teams on the seventies to the coach and then football manager who had great success everywhere he went.
Maybe he was just blessed to be in the right place at the right. However, I remember the Daicos ad which said “the more I practised the luckier I got”. To me he clearly impacted everywhere he went. I am just glad he came home eventually.

[Andrew Killingbeck · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful book. A very easy, interesting read. Really is a tale of 2 men. When I finished reading couldn't help but wonder what if Essendon had of engaged his services, after their saga, where would they be now. An absolute blessing they didn't. Highly recommend.

[Andrew Walton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Outstanding portrait of this colossus in AFL by Anson who has given so much to so many.

[Mark Green · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very readable book but I still finished it wondering why Mr Balme is such a big deal.... Read it in a couple of sessions though & getting an understanding of how the AFL has changed was interesting.

[Ian Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it. A great insight into a fascinating man. Thank you, Neil and Anson.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was not what I expected from an AFL biography. Really interesting and well written. Will definitely be buying for my Geelong Cats-mad dad for Fathers Day.

[J.D · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great bloke, terrific footy player, very good read. Worth the price just for the anecdote of how Carlton stand-over ruckmen 'Gags' Gallagher and Percy Jones would give it to the young Richmond ruck Michael Green at the centre bounces, with sledges and threats of bodily harm only to shut their gobs when Balmey came in to give Green a spell. A considered man in his post-playing days and certainly brought success to most of the clubs he had dealings with and at least improved the ones he couldn't take to the Promised Land. I thought the tome was very well structured with all the stories from different sources. Enjoyable biography, and well titled.