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Footy's Revolution: The Inside Story of the AFL
From private ownership to drug scandals, salary caps, ‘franchise’ teams and media proliferation, the ascent of the AFL has been filled with drama, while some of the game’s biggest stars – Lockett, Ablett, Carey, Hird, Goodes, Dangerfield and Franklin – have strutted the national stage, garnering admiration and controversy in equal measures.
With crowds falling and the competition in Victoria in disarray, desperate measures were required. Many of the original clubs faced a precarious future as the game was ruthlessly rationalised, nationalised and marketed to a new generation. As the code shook off its suburban shackles, sponsorship flooded in, old grounds were swept aside, themed rounds became the norm, Indigenous players rose in prominence and interstate clubs ruled the roost.
The AFL has become a genuine national force, with round-the-clock news and opinions, and spectators watching every move, both on and off the field. The game is now played in supersized stadia from Brisbane to Perth, Sydney to Adelaide, with Melbourne steadfastly clinging to its ‘spiritual home’ status.
Footy's Revolution is packed with insider tales, snapshots and first-hand accounts from coaches, players and commentators on the AFL’s remarkable rise – and the controversies that accompanied it.
With crowds falling and the competition in Victoria in disarray, desperate measures were required. Many of the original clubs faced a precarious future as the game was ruthlessly rationalised, nationalised and marketed to a new generation. As the code shook off its suburban shackles, sponsorship flooded in, old grounds were swept aside, themed rounds became the norm, Indigenous players rose in prominence and interstate clubs ruled the roost.
The AFL has become a genuine national force, with round-the-clock news and opinions, and spectators watching every move, both on and off the field. The game is now played in supersized stadia from Brisbane to Perth, Sydney to Adelaide, with Melbourne steadfastly clinging to its ‘spiritual home’ status.
Footy's Revolution is packed with insider tales, snapshots and first-hand accounts from coaches, players and commentators on the AFL’s remarkable rise – and the controversies that accompanied it.
- GenresSportsNonfiction
320 pages, Paperback
Published September 1, 2018
About the author
Elliot Cartledge
4 books3 followersBorn in Gippsland, Victoria, Elliot Cartledge is a freelance writer and editor. He studied at Monash University and his work has featured in The Age, Inside Sport, Sydney Morning Herald, Inside Cricket and numerous overseas publications.
Cartledge has lived in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Argentina and Corfu. His first commercially-released book, The Hafey Years, was published in 2011, with a second edition following three years later. Footy's Glory Days was published in 2013, while the co-authored Chasing Shadows: The Life & Death of Peter Roebuck was released in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in 2015. A second edition followed 2017.
Chasing Shadows won the British Sports Book Awards book of the year (cricket) and the Australian Cricket Society's book of the year. It was short-listed for the William Hill book of the year and short-listed for the MCC book of the year.
His latest release, Footy's Revolution: The Inside Story of the AFL was released in September, 2018.
Cartledge has lived in the United Kingdom, Mexico, Argentina and Corfu. His first commercially-released book, The Hafey Years, was published in 2011, with a second edition following three years later. Footy's Glory Days was published in 2013, while the co-authored Chasing Shadows: The Life & Death of Peter Roebuck was released in the UK, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa in 2015. A second edition followed 2017.
Chasing Shadows won the British Sports Book Awards book of the year (cricket) and the Australian Cricket Society's book of the year. It was short-listed for the William Hill book of the year and short-listed for the MCC book of the year.
His latest release, Footy's Revolution: The Inside Story of the AFL was released in September, 2018.
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
June 13, 2019
really good book!!! interesting to read about how footy has changed over the past decades and all the scandals that happened (esp Carlton's hahahaha)
September 2, 2024
a strong selection of quotes scaffolded by convoluted writing and blatantly unexamined narrativising. not a rigorous project, but still informative
April 16, 2025
Tough to follow - bounced all over timeframes without much pattern or explanation. Switched from coaching 25 years ago to today without much warning
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews