Fully illustrated profiles of the most legendary Australian rugby union players. Hardcover and jacket gift book which names a best of the best 15-strong line-up of Australian rugby union players. Each Immortal player named is profiled in a dedicated chapter with career stats and multiple action images. There is also a group of honourable mentions and an Immortals Wallaby side. Features 100 photographs and key statistics. The Immortals of Australian Rugby Union celebrates the greatest players to wear the green and gold for the Wallabies. It takes the Immortals concept made famous elsewhere in the sporting world and applies it to the 15-player game. Gordon Bray, the voice of rugby in Australia, chooses his XV Immortals, telling the remarkable stories behind pioneering and modern-day Wallabies.
This gutsy guide for the Teen Witch takes them on a journey of self-discovery - to dig deep and learn about all the magick that is inside of them, and then shine that magick into the world. At night, Teen Witches are out under the starry sky, turning on to Magick; they meet after school IRL … and Zoom in with other magick youth around the world, for full moon rituals. They cast spells and divine rituals, alone, to help them pass tests, attract boyfriends or girlfriends, get along with their parents, and find out what their life's true calling is. What does it take to be a real witch in this brave new world? With all the tools, spells, sacred days and tips for what to do in love and life, this book is a must-have for the young person who wants to evolve into the most empowered version of themselves in a brave, new Magickal life!
David Pocock's story is one of dedication to self, family, team and others. Detailing his incredible talent and drive, Openside showcases both his spectacular rise and personal insights in the world of Rugby. From his early days growing up in Zimbabwe, immigrating to Australia and playing for the Australian Schoolboys, his debut with Western Australia's The Force to his call up to the Wallabies, David has won many honours in the game and is held in great esteem by fans and peers alike. In Openside: My Journey to The Rugby World Cup ... and Beyond, David shares the life and times of a professional rugby player. It includes key tournaments in Rugby throughout 2011: Super Rugby, Tri-Nations, Bledisloe, as well as the highlight of the Rugby calendar the Rugby World Cup in New Zealand. Two new chapters brings David's story into 2018 ... his standout performance at Rugby World Cup 2015, his one-year break across 2017 that saw him return to Zimbabwe, study and excel in Japanese rugby, and his return to the Brumbies in 2018 in preparation for another World Cup campaign. Even if you don't follow rugby at the international level, his story will still provide insight into what it takes to become a top-notch athlete through dedication and perseverance.
The Immortals of Australian Soccer celebrates the greatest players from the round ball game to form a best-of-the-best XI from our country's storied past. It takes the Immortals concept made famous elsewhere in the sporting world and applies it to soccer. Football journalist Lucas Radbourne selects his team of 11 Immortals and delves into the careers of icons Johnny Warren, Craig Johnston, Tim Cahill, Sam Kerr and others. These are heroes who are not just high achievers but influential identities who set a new benchmark and changed the game forever. The book tells the remarkable stories behind each Immortal's rise, from the pioneers to modern-day mainstream heroes - Socceroos, Matildas and other controversial Australian footballers. The Immortals of Australian Soccer is the fifth instalment in Gelding Street Press's Immortals of Australian Sport series.
Cricket enthusiasts endlessly debate the question of who are the best Australian players across different eras? In this book, experienced journalist and sports writer Liam Hauser selects his Immortal team from players who didn't just dominate, they changed the game with their sheer will. How do you select a team from the Australian Immortals of Cricket? In a sport saturated with statistics and analysis and changes to rules, equipment and playing conditions, and with more than 100 years of traditions and personalities to consider, just how do you make your selection? Who makes the cut and who misses out? It is sure to lead to lively discussions and debate, and certainly controversy. But whether you agree or disagree, cricket followers around the world will find this volume provides a new perspective for the debate and an invaluable insight into the cricketing careers of some of Australia's all-time IMMORTALS.
'Heads and Tasker, legends themselves, set out to write a book that would continue the trail laid by early-days sporting scribes of long ago. I could not put it down.' John Coates AC, President of the Australian Olympic Committee 'I know readers will enjoy the many stories and anecdotes that Heads and Tasker have accumulated over more than a century combined in journalism.' Ian Chappell, former Australian cricket Captain. Australia enjoys a rich sporting heritage. Our small population has yielded a disproportionate number of champions. These sports stars have become known worldwide as fierce combatants and honourable competitors, achieving soaring victories, but also heart-pounding near-wins and humbling defeats. Veteran Australian sports journalists Ian Heads and Norman Tasker have seen it all. In these 65 original stories, we hear of the explosive introduction of World Series Cricket in 1977, which turned a genteel endeavour into a high-octane contest, and the clash of the titans as Packer and Murdoch squared off over the Super League war. We see Rugby Union become a battleground for race and the Olympics an arena for sublime acts of courage and achievement. We get an insider's perspective on every kind of sporting endeavour - from boxing to tennis, cricket to AFL, athletics to rugby league - and not just the action on the field, but the change room gossip and clubhouse politics as well. Written with wit, insight and a wealth of knowledge, Great Australian Sporting Stories is an enthralling expedition into the combative, collegiate, entertaining and always exciting world of Australian sport.
The making of a New Zealand coaching great Between the years 2012 and 2019, Sir Steve Hansen oversaw an era of such remarkable success that it would be almost impossible to repeat. His 15-year career in the All Blacks coaching team is the heaviest footprint in rugby history. Of the 210 tests he was involved with, his team lost just 25 times. Of the 107 tests he served as head coach, Sir Steve accumulated a record 4 World Rugby Coach of the Year awards and orchestrated 93 victories - a winning percentage of 87 per cent, the highest of any All Blacks coach. Steve Hansen: The Legacy delves into the highs and the lows that earned the New Zealand rugby knight a place in the pantheon of world rugby coaching greats. Revealing and perceptive, the book uncovers how Hansen dealt with the immeasurable pressure of leading the world's most famous rugby team; the tension created by being re-appointed specifically to win the Rugby World Cup; how he dealt with high-profile athletes and an exodus of New Zealand's all-time greats; the endless tug-of-war between commercialism and high performance; the increasing influence of referees on the game; the power battle between the northern and southern hemispheres; the Achilles heel that contributed to the All Blacks' 2019 Rugby World Cup loss; and how, during his career, he learnt to understand his weaknesses and use them to his advantage. Much more than a biography, in Steve Hansen: The Legacy, award-winning writer Gregor Paul tells the compelling story of the former policeman from Mosgiel, his quest for world rugby dominance and his journey to coaching greatness.
'A book about humanity as much as sport. It’s like sitting at the kitchen table with your best mate and he’s pouring his heart out – about his life, his loss, his triumphs and his faults … and the love that got him through. Honest, generous, and most of all, courageous.' Markus Zusak, bestselling author of The Book Thief Mat Rogers is an Aussie footy legend and TV star who has triumphed over hardship, loss and heartache. He is finally ready to share his powerful life story. He is one of the most talented footballers of the modern era and a dual international in rugby league and rugby union. But for a long time, Mat Rogers lived in both the shadow and the thrall of his famous father, and their complex relationship shaped him in ways he couldn’t fathom. Craving paternal acceptance while determined to carve out his own identity and, later, to avoid repeating the sins of the father, he veered between periods of jubilation and depression, fulfilment and despair. Now, in his majestic, evocative autobiography, Rogers tells the story of a life framed by triumph and tragedy, a life in which, ultimately, he finds purpose and contentment in a harsh world. With its cracking pace and unvarnished frankness, A Father’s Son will be widely read and difficult to forget. Though by and about a celebrated footballer, it is so much more than another athlete’s memoirs. In spare, vivid prose, Rogers reveals how his teenage years were marked by periods of rebellion and self-destructive behaviour. Then, at age 20, he became a father to son Jack before he had finished his own journey into adulthood. By 22, he was married to first wife Michelle with another child, daughter Skyla, following shortly after. As well as discussing the experience of having a family while still a young man, Rogers also recounts the challenges that have defined his life off the sports field – the impact of losing both his parents in tragic circumstances and the experimental neck surgery he underwent in 2007, ending years of debilitating pain. Rogers’ story is one of a man who rises to the difficulties life sends his way. The discovery that his son Max is autistic prompted him and second wife Chloe to co-found charity 4 ASD Kids – and he talks passionately about the work he has done to raise awareness of a subject so close to home. That fighting spirit introduced Rogers to an even greater number of Australians who watched the sporting legend thrive on Australian Survivor. Across two memorable appearances on the reality TV series, he impressed viewers with his ability to combine his competitive spirit with his desire to play with heart. That duality, which defines Rogers' life, shines through in A Father’s Son. 'I couldn’t put this down. Mat shares his story with so much honesty and openness. I was overcome with emotion and such deep respect for Mat and the person, father and role model that he is.' Sally Obermeder, author and presenter
The true history of rugby league's birth in Australia and its dramatic first seasons. A revised, updated and expanded 'Centenary Edition' of The Rugby Rebellion: The Divide of League and Union. Pioneers of Rugby League is a thrilling and authoritative account of the most explosive era in Australian sport - caused by the tumultuous arrival of rugby league (our nation's first professional football code) a century ago. Using dramatic first-hand accounts, of on-field action and off-field events, the true history is revealed: of how 13-man rugby league won the support of New South Wales and Queensland footballers and fans alike, conquering the established rugby union, and thwarting the plans of Australian football.
