Just So Stories

Allen & Unwin

August 2026

ISBN:9781761472930

Publisher:Allen & Unwin

Imprint:Allen & Unwin

RRP: $34.99

I freely admit as always that I’m a league girl, always have been and always will be, but that’s not to say I’m entirely ignorant nor uninterested in the aerial ping-pong version [ok, so I had to get that in somewhere!]. Honestly, it seems that I’m a magnet for people who are true aficionados of this other kind of football and, as I’ve said before, I’ve been to Windy Hill with my die-hard Bombers fan and I did enjoy the experience of watching the team train and seeing a real slice of AFL in action outside a game.

But even I, who has only just started to learn a little of how the game actually works [I could never figure out those scores!] know the names of the greats: Ron Barassi, the Abletts Snr & Jnr, Brereton, Kevin Sheedy, Eddie Betts and teams such as the Bombers, the Hawks, our own Brisbane Lions now. And, of course, I have both reviewed and written resources for kids’ books on this very topic e.g. Kimberley Kickers series, so I can claim a modicum of knowledge even if the sport is not my preferred one.

This is exactly the sort of book that both a true fan and a relative novice can enjoy. Each chapter is relatively short and while it may focus on one particular player or incident, each concludes with a short tabulated ‘best of’ list e.g. Most Premierships won, Most Grand Final Defeats etc. For those who don’t have as much time for dedicated solid reading it’s a true gift as each of these chapters can readily be consumed within ten minutes, so it’s a true dip-in-and-out style of book.

Author Martin Blake, whose own aspirations as a professional player were fairly easily eclipsed by his greater skill and desire to be a sports journalist, brings a really engaging style of reconnoitring throughout his carefully curated 50 highlights blending fact with light-hearted opinion or commentary to make this both informative and entertaining.

For the multitude of fans for whom AFL is basically a religion, this will be a gift to ongoing debate and personal opinions and I can easily envisage many well-lubricated and sparky conversations as participants bandy their own views about. For footy fans of all ages really this is a terrific read and makes a great gift with Father’s Day approaching all too quickly. It’s a 5 🏉🏉🏉🏉🏉for anyone interested in the game – fly up, Bombers!!