Australian Football Quarterly - 4
The Coach – A Season with Ron Barassi
Edited by John Powers

The ultimate inside story about football
In 1977, writer John Powers was a fly on the wall at the North Melbourne Football Club when revered coach Ron Barassi was in control. The book that emerged from that season, The Coach, recorded the months of often brutal training leading up to the spine-tingling Grand Final draw between North Melbourne and Collingwood, and on to North Melbourne’s ultimate victory.
Nominated as “the bible on motivation” by The Age newspaper, this account of the team’s massive commitment and Barassi’s extraordinary motivation techniques is as relevant and fascinating in 2005 as it was in 1978.
Republished nearly three decades on with Ron Barassi’s own reflections on that amazing season and a new introduction by John Powers.

Australian Football Quarterly - 3
The Life Cycle of an AFL Player
Edited by Geoff Slattery

Have you ever wondered about what it takes to become an AFL superstar? How did the likes of Michael Voss, James Hird, Shane Crawford and Aussie Jones go from kicking a ball around a school playground to kicking goals at the MCG, surrounded by thousands of screaming fans?
The Life Cycle of an AFL Player takes readers on a journey into the life of an Australian footballer. From humble beginnings and cold winter mornings at local junior football clubs, the rise through the ranks of the TAC Cup and the anticipation and excitement of being drafted to an AFL club, to what it feels like to play your very first AFL game.
Michael Voss, James Hird, Shane Crawford and Aussie Jones are just a few of the players featured, who all detail their personal experiences in the world of AFL - their triumphs, frustrations and challenges throughout the course of their careers. The Life Cycle of an AFL player also looks at life after final siren sounds – how AFL champions have coped with life after football.

Australian Football Quarterly - 2
The Challenge
Edited by Geoff Slattery

The Challenge is issue No. 2 in the acclaimed new series, Australian Football: A Quarterly Journal of Essays, Ideas, Commentary and Illustration. The Brisbane Lions had history in their grasp. Three straight Premiership Cups had been claimed, a fourth beckoned. Season 2004 was always going to be an extraordinary time. Join the team –  every step of the way. Peter Schwab was in his fifth season as coach of Hawthorn when he was sacked. It hurt. He describes the journey and the pain – exactly how it was. Writer and SEN radio show host Francis Leach has always been a St Kilda fan. How was Saint Francis born? Join him on a journey to find out why his heart beats red, black and white. Also, articles by: Ben Collins, Barry Richardson, Jason Kimberley, Peter Di Sisto, Bruce Guthrie, Andrew Demetriou, David Wadelton plus an extract from AKA: The Battle Within by Jason Akermanis.

Australian Football Quarterly - 1
The Spirit of Football
Edited by Geoff Slattery

Australian Football – A Quarterly Journal of Essays, Ideas, Commentary and Illustration was launched in August 2004 as the companion to The Spirit of Football exhibition of original Australian art at the National Gallery of Victoria: Ian Potter Centre, Federation Square. The inaugural edition of Australian Football titled The Spirit of Football features profiles of the 21 selected artists, and their works, all created to represent the spirit of football. It also includes essays on Tom Wills (by Martin Flanagan), the spirit of the coach (by Robert Shaw), the search for Jock McHale (by Geoff Slattery) and people who embody the football spirit (by Geoff Slattery and others).