Stoked!: Winners and Grinners from Our Sporting Life by H. G. Nelson

$19.99 AUD

Category: Sport

There’s nothing Australians love better than a sporting hero, except perhaps giving that hero a gentle ribbing for having the temerity to outstrip the rest of us. From the Jumping Doc and his ‘Peltzer flinch’ to late nineteenth century fashion on the field (knitted jumper, anyone?), th e great H.G. ‘battered sav’ Nelson heads trackside once more to scrutinise the efforts of some of Australia’s finest athletes. In this broad-reaching commentary, readers will join him to speculate about the complex rules of roller derby, reminisce fondly about the good old days on the Hill at the SCG and delight in a rare snap of that most famous of underground sports, shotgun tennis. Alongside H.G.’s incisive commentary are images of some of Australia’s finest sporting achievements from the National Library’s vast Pictures Collection and obscure truths about Australia’s national pastimes. Did you know that completing a 2,000 metre rowing race is the physiological equivalent of playing two basketball games back-to-back? That many ballet positions are derived from those of fencing? That, in 1952, one cheeky wrestler slid down the gilt banister of the main staircase in Buckingham Palace while visiting the Queen? A mix of facts and humourous observations, this book will educate readers a little and amuse them a lot. ...Show more

Icons of Footy by Kevin Sheedy

$39.99 AUD

Category: Sport

Footy legend Kevin Sheedy crosses team alliances to profile the 21 most iconic Aussie Rules players and coaches of his lifetime.  He also sits down for interviews with nine icons he has long admired and who don't normally (for various reasons) have their stories told. Packed full of wisdom and wit , insight and memories, ICONS OF FOOTY is a treasure-trove for football fans of all tribes and ages, from one of the most unique and colourful characters in Australian sport. This beautifully-packaged hardback includes: Gary Ablett Senior, Allen Aylett, Ron Barassi, Kevin Bartlett, Malcolm Blight, Barry Cable, Wayne Carey, Alastair Clarkson, Jason Dunstall, Graham Farmer, Lance Franklin, Adam Goodes, Royce Hart, Francis Hughes, James Hird, Alex Jesaulenko, Leigh Matthews, Kevin Murray, John Nicholls, Barrie Robran and Michael Tuck. ...Show more

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: A Biography of a Sporting Icon (HB) by Rob Mundle

$49.99 AUD

Category: Sport

The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race is the story of one of the world's greatest sporting challenges. In its 75th year, the Rolex Sydney Hobart Yacht Race has become an icon of Australia's summer sport, ranking in public interest with such national events as the Melbourne Cup, the Australian Open tennis an d the Boxing Day cricket test. No regular annual yachting event in the world attracts such huge media coverage as does the start on Sydney Harbour. The Sydney Hobart Yacht Race: A biography of a sporting icon is the story of one of the world's greatest sporting challenges, an event where men and women from all walks of life are inspired and challenged by the beauty and power of nature. The 628-nautical mile course is often described as the most gruelling long ocean race in the world, a challenge to everyone who takes part. A team effort as much as a personal challenge where one mistake can lead to defeat, while success can deliver national and international acclaim. Bestselling author Rob Mundle has competed in the race on three occasions and reported on it for both newspapers and television for more than fifty years. The pinnacle of his many writing achievements is the international bestselling book Fatal Storm, the powerful story of the tragic 1998 Sydney Hobart race. ...Show more

The Golden Era: The Extraordinary Two Decades When the Australians Ruled the Tennis World by Rod Laver; Larry Writer (As told to)

$39.99 AUD

Category: Sport

Rod Laver's fascinating account of the extraordinary two decades when Australia ruled the tennis world. From the 1950s to the 1970s, Australia was the world's tennis superpower, producing players who dominated amateur grand slam tournaments, the Davis Cup and the professional circuit,and none was more s uccessful, famous or influential than Rod Laver, whose two singles Grand Slams - winning the Australian, French, Wimbledon and United States championships in a calendar year - have never been equalled.The Golden Era is Rod's deeply personal account of those great years. As a participant and eye-witness, he captures the excitement and drama of the great wins, and gives us genuine insight into the band of supremely talented Australian champions who balanced playing hard with a legendary sportsmanship.Written with all of Rod's peerless tennis knowledge, and including key interviews with Frank Sedgman, Ken Rosewall, the late Lew Hoad, Neale Fraser, Mal Anderson, Ashley Cooper, Roy Emerson, Fred Stolle, John Newcombe and Margaret Court, The Golden Era is the definitive story of the two decades of Australian tennis domination that will almost certainly never be repeated. ...Show more

The 50 Greatest Matches in Australian Cricket by Dan Liebke

$32.99 AUD

Category: Sport

What makes a cricket match truly great? Is it broken records or heroic defences? Tight victories or humiliating defeats? A classic sledge that sticks in the mind? Or is it those incredible stories and monumental moments that make some contests live on forever? Matthew Hayden scoring 380 against Zimbabw e might qualify for the record books, but not for this book: these are the Tests, ODIs and T20 matches that transcend the numbers and will be talked about long after the participants have hung up their pads. Relive the breathtaking ties, impossible chases, and even the devastating losses that created cricket legends as we count down to the greatest match with sports journalist and cricket tragic Dan Liebke. An essential collection of cricketing tales for any fan of our national sport. ...Show more

Tea and Scotch with Bradman (HB) by Roland Perry

$39.99 AUD

Category: Sport

Discovering the man behind the legend In 1995, journalist and author Roland Perry wrote to Sir Donald Bradman requesting an interview for a biography he was planning of the great cricketer. Surprisingly, the Don agreed. It was the start of a conversation that continued for years, during which the real B radman shone, not only as a great sportsman but musician, brilliant thinker and humourist with a fondness for tea and a Scotch or two. In Tea and Scotch with Bradman, Perry paints an intimate and revealing portrait of the man many regard as the greatest Australian cricketer of all time. ...Show more

Please, Gamble Irresponsibly: The Rise, Fall and Rise of Sport Gambling in Australia by Titus O'Reily

$34.99 AUD

Category: Sport

The rise, fall and rise of sport gambling in Australia Australians lose more money gambling than any other country. But how did we get here? In his inimitable, hilarious style, sports historian Titus O’Reily charts the rise, fall and rise of sport gambling in Australia. We’ll gamble on anyth ing, from two flies crawling up a wall to less important things like federal elections. And thanks to the internet, phones and gambling-tax loving governments, these days Australians can indulge their love of a punt no matter what they’re doing. Aussies could be at the birth of a child or performing open-heart surgery and still put a bet on. It wasn’t always this easy. Once, you could only gamble on sport illegally. Which, it turns out, was actually also pretty easy. But over the last thirty years gambling on sport has been legalised, first slowly and then very quickly. Now almost every ad on TV is about sport betting, and even some of the players are getting in on the wagering. Please, Gamble Irresponsibly traces the history of gambling in Australia from horseracing in the colonial era, through the rise of SP bookies and organised crime, to the commercialisation of the industry and its impact on communities and the integrity of sport. With billions of dollars involved, what are the odds of putting the genie back in the bottle? ...Show more

The 100 Greatest Sportspeople of all time

$49.95 AUD

Category: Sport

The Wind at My Back - A Cycling Life by Paul Maunder

$22.99 AUD

Category: Sport

A beautifully written exploration of the links between cycling, creativity and the landscape. In this deeply personal and lyrical exploration of what it means to ride a bicycle, Paul Maunder explores how our memories have a dialogue with landscape and how cycling and creativity are connected. Taking a journey through the places that have shaped him, we ride across wild moorland, through suburbia and city streets, into quintessentially English pastoral scenes. We see too some of the darker parts of the British countryside, sites of great secrecy that intrigue the imagination. This is abook about how landscape can sustain us, and how even an hour's escape can inspire our creative sides. The bicycle allows us to explore and dream, and return in time for dinner. ...Show more

For Cap and Country: Interviews with Australian cricketers on the enduring spirit of the baggy green by S. Auteri; Jesse F. Hogan

$34.99 AUD

Category: Sport

Breathe in the mowed grass and linseed oil as they take their first steps to glory. Share with them the euphoria of their cap presentations. Immerse yourself in the wonder of Test triumphs and the despair of being dropped form the team. In sharing the players' stories - and disclosing how treasured Aust ralian caps are kept under lock and key, in dank cupboards and stuffed in undies drawers - Jesse Hogan takes you inside their lounge rooms as well as cricket's dressing rooms.Their stories contain salutary lessons for the game's future. As such, this is a conversation about Australian cricket as much as it is a chat with its best players. And at its heart is the unifying force of the cap, under which all players are equals, no matter if they've played 168 Tests like Steve Waugh, or one like Bryce McGain.What began as a passion project for sports journalist Jesse Hogan and cricket agent Simon Auteri in 2015 - to interview Australian cricketers, past and present, on the significance of gaining their Test spots - became a story about the spirit of cricket and its power to bring us together.Just two weeks before the first draft was completed, tragedy struck. At the age of 33, Jesse Hogan suffered a devastating stroke that left him unable to speak, write or even walk. Following intensive rehabilitation and with immense support, Jesse made it back and finished the book with the help of fellow journalist Andrew Faulkner.For Cap and Country and its publication is about the importance of generosity, sportsmanship, perseverance and community to help us achieve our goals in life as much as in sport. Now cricket tragics like Jesse can finally enjoy these stories too. ...Show more

Brock at Bathurst by Bev Brock

$39.99 AUD

Category: Sport

No driver is as connected to a single track as the legendary Peter Brock is to Bathurst. Half a century ago, a shy and bearded Brock first took on Mount Panorama, the track he was destined to dominate with a record nine wins, earning him the mantle ‘King of the Mountain’. That uncanny rela tionship between driver and track is the focus of this book, a 360-degree look at every race of Brock’s glorious Bathurst career. Relive Peter Perfect’s reign over the Mountain in the company of Bev Brock, his partner of nearly three decades, as well as mechanics, teammates, rivals and friends who witnessed his genius up close. Featuring over 150 images, including previously unseen photographs from Brock’s private collection, Brock at Bathurst is a nostalgic and exhilarating celebration of an iconic pairing in Australian sport. ...Show more

Dustin Martin by Dustin Martin

$39.99 AUD

Category: Sport

A stunning illustrated companion to Dustin Martin's stellar career, this book celebrates Australia's most popular football player with never before published photos of his early life and behind-the-scenes moments. As a fully authorised publication, it's the ultimate book for footy fans everywhere, from the most popular player in one of AFL's most popular teams. From his earliest moments as a small child, badgering his dad to get his very own footy; to the shy teenager who went to the draft expecting nothing; to winning the highest accolades; to behind the scenes at the club and out and about, this book is a revealing story of Dustin Martin's rise to the very top of AFL football. Richmond fans as well as fans across the code will discover the true Dustin Martin revealed through stunning pictures. Published to coincide with the end of the AFL season and to celebrate Dusty's amazing career to date, this will be a must have, must give, must read for all footy fans. Dustin 'Dusty' Martin continually awes AFL fans, regardless of club allegiance, and this book will be awe inspiring!   ...Show more