Local footy and racing columnist John Harms of the 3RRR Breakfasters’ ‘Help Me Harmsy’ segment talks about The Footy Almanac 2007 which he put together with Paul Daffey.

1. What gave you the idea for

Paul Daffey and I were wondering why there wasn’t a book which gave an entertaining account of every AFL game, with the scores and traditional match details, written by people who know and love the game. So we published one ourselves.

2. What makes this book stand out from other footy books?

It is fresh. It is diverse. It is written in a way which reflects people’s experience and understanding of the game. It is about what happens on the field, and also about how the writers (who are just like you and me) have experienced the game.

3. How did you choose the contributors?

We started with a group of friends and colleagues. As others heard of the project they fell in love with the concept, so suddenly we had a stable of 34 writers from all over the country.

4. What do you love most about footy?

Where do you start? The way the game is played. The mythology of hope it provides. The fact that we have grown up with footy, so footy has always been part of us. The fact that it is something we experience with family and friends.

5. What is your earliest footy memory?

I have a few bone fragments of memory which I believe I can make into a complete beast. I am at a Geelong - St Kilda match sitting on my Dad’s shoulders. I’m about four.

6. What was the highlight of the 2007 season for you?

For a Geelong fan this was an amazing season. But that ten minutes of footy in the second quarter of the Grand Final when Geelong kicked clear and we were all thinking to ourselves, ‘This might be our day.’

7. Complete this sentence: ‘You know you truly love footy when …

… you have a copy of The Footy Almanac 2007 on your shelves.’