Best On Ground: Great Writers On The Greatest Game

'Who do you barrack for?'

Nothing unites or divides people as much as the tribal loyalty of AFL supporters. Combining passion for the game with a talent for words, seventeen writers explore the full range of supporters' emotions, from the fervour of a convert to the weariness of the long-term sufferer, the guilt of the turncoat to the joy of the flag-winner.

These writers know what it's like to barrack and can always find a good story – and the game itself offers scenarios that are sometimes stranger than fiction. Jean Bedford's return to football might have been prompted by a life-size papier-mache model of Plugger; Sean Gorman remembers only too well when a field umpire unexpectedly took a neat chest mark; and Tony Wilson tried in vain to prolong his playing career with the Hawks by tutoring Shane Crawford in maths.

From the Dockers to the Doggies, every club gets a guernsey – but beyond the team allegiances, this is a book for those who love footy. You'll find more than a little of yourself in the true appreciation these writers have for our national game.