Statistics, Records and Reference Works
Featured content from Reading Australian Rules Football 2017
Comprehensive content from Reading the Game 2005
Works in this chapter include bibliographies, encyclopedias, dictionaries, compilations of records and statistics, or general football year books and annuals. Some club year books and annuals have been listed separately in the ‘Clubs – Major Leagues’ and ‘Clubs – Minor Leagues’ chapters.Reference works are typically those which provide brief information for the initial stages of research, or references to additional information or sources.
Works in this section are arranged alphabetically by author, or by title if their is no identifiable author.
Reading Australian Rules Football 2017 List (in preparation)
Works in this section are arranged alphabetically by author, or by title if their is no identifiable author.
Reading Australian Rules Football 2017 List (in preparation)
Reading the Game List 2005
The A.B.C. Football Guide and Register, Gordon & Gotch: Melbourne.
An annual guide first published in 1886 and similar in content to the earlier, The Footballer: An Annual Record of Football in Victoria, circa 1875-1879 The A.B.C. guide contained fixtures for senior and junior level football, club notes, which later expanded to very short club histories, season reviews, analyses of team performances and the obligatory reproduction of the laws of the game. The State Library of Victoria holds microform copies for most issues published from 1886 to 1895 and some original copies. The Guide was published initially by Gordon and Gotch and then from 1895 by the Melbourne Sports Depot. It is not clear when it ceased publication, but a later production, The Victorian Football Follower, contained advertisements for the A.B.C. Guide in 1908 issues, advising that copies of the A.B.C. Guide could be obtained from the Melbourne Sports Depot in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. TH.
The Argus and the Australasian Football Guide, The Argus: Melbourne, 1931.
The Argus Football Guide 1937, The Argus & Australasian Ltd.: Melbourne, 1937.
Atkinson, Graeme, Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Australian Rules Football, but Couldn't Be Bothered Asking, Five Mile Press: Canterbury, Vic., 1982.
An excellent, imaginative and comprehensive compilation of records, statistics and trivia relating to elite-level competitions in all states and the VFA between the 1850s and the date of publication in 1982. The section titled 'The Good Old Days' has an interesting selection of match reports, old rules, coaching advice and recollections from the early days of football. Useful for trivia buffs and researchers. TH.
Atkinson, Graeme, Hanlon, Michael, 3AW Book of Footy Records: All the Great Players, Matches, Goals, Kicks, Brawls and Sensations from More Than 100 Years of Aussie Rules in Australia, Matchbooks: South Melbourne, 1989.
A comprehensive and fascinating collection of football records, statistics, anecdotes, famous incidents and football innovations. Examines all senior football competitions in Australia, including the VFL, SANFL, WAFL, VFA and senior football in other states, with some notable references to junior competitions. This is one of the better publications of this type, with some black and white pictures included. TH.
Australian Rules Football, Associated Publishers: Adelaide, 1963.
A typical year book which includes features such as 'Football Milestones', 'Giants of the Past', 'State and Club Records', 'Brownlow and Magarey Medalists', as well as season previews, an article about dwindling crowds in South Australia and the story behind Ian Mackay's famous mark taken in the SANFL Grand Final of 1952. TH.
Australian Football League, AFL the Great Australian Game: The Essential Guide to Understanding the AFL Game, AFL: Melbourne, 2001.
Also published in 2000. TH.
Australian Football League, A Guide to Australian Football, Australian Football League: Melbourne, 1997.
Bartlett, Kevin, Kevin Bartlett's Book of Football: Stories, Statistics, Trivia, Five Mile Press: Noble Park, Vic., 1995.
Bartrop, Paul R. & Australia 1788-1988: A Bicentennial History, Scores, Crowds and Records: Statistics on the Victorian Football League since 1945, Historical Statistics Monograph, History Project Incorporated: Kensington, NSW, 1984.
Bartrop, Paul R., Australia 1788-1988: A Bicentennial History, & History Project Incorporated, Scores, Crowds and Records: Statistics on the Victorian Football League since 1945, Historical Statistics Monograph, History Project Incorporated: Kensington, NSW, 1986.
Blair, Peter R., Brownlow Medal Records, Allsport: Toorak, Vic., 1976.
Blair, Peter R., History of the Brownlow Medal: Fairest and Best, Sabey & Associates: Hawthorn, Vic., 1997.
The story of every Brownlow medal winner, with full voting tallies for each season from 1924 to 1996, short articles by Jon Anderson on various aspects of Brownlow history and an introductory chapter about Charles Brownlow. Includes three pages of statistics, as well as black and white pictures of all winners and an index. An earlier edition was published in 1976 with the title Brownlow Medal Records. TH.
Bowen, Nick & Salttery Media Group, Australian Football League Official Fixture Guide 2011, Slattery Media Group: Docklands, Vic., 2010.
Boyle and Scott (Firm), Boyle and Scott's Footballers' Pamphlet for 1891: Containing Revised Rules of Football; Diagram Showing Position of Players on the Field; VFA. Club Fixtures for Season; and Price List of Football Material, etc: Melbourne Pater & Knapton, Printers, 1891.
Campbell, R. H., Football Facts, Speciality Press: Melbourne, 1928.
Canberra Australian National Football League, Handbook 1966, CANFL, Canberra, 1966.
Clement, Dave, Facts and Figures from 100 Years of Australian Rules Football, Printed by Sands & McDougall: Perth, WA, 1967.
Collins, Traven, The Easy A-Z Footy Book: In the Age of the Drop Punt, Bookmen Press: Melbourne, 1994.
A pocket sized dictionary of words and expressions, with brief descriptions of their meanings but no etymological content. TH.
Conway, Sean & Seddon, Ron, Aussie Rules Ok: A Dictionary of Australian Rules Football, Sky Pub.: Padbury, WA, 1989.
Hundreds football words or expressions are explained, ranging from cliches and slang, to more straightforward terms such as 'pass', 'goal', 'boots' and positional terms such as 'Rover' and ‘Rucks’. It includes most terms which are peculiar to Australian Rules football, such as 'behinds', 'ride', 'had the sit', 'crumbs' and 'blind turn'. There are omissions, such as 'white maggots', 'straight down the guts', 'across the face' (of goal) and 'pack'. Some entries are merely popular Australian expressions such as 'Ave a go yer mug'. Lacks etymological content for popular linguistic terms, such as 'barracking' and 'ocker'. Includes a mixture of older and more contemporary terms, including old and new nicknames for VFL, SANFL and WAFL clubs and contains several cartoons and a useful index. TH.
Country Football 95, Eclipse Sports Publishers: Northcote, Vic., 1996.
A comprehensive record of country football in Victoria in 1995, including a short season overview for every league and summaries of all team performances for senior, reserve and under 18 age teams, as well as Grand Final reports and results of all finals series and final ladder positions. 53 leagues are featured in an excellent publication which does not seem to have been published beyond its first edition. TH.
De Lacy, H. A., The Sporting Globe Football Book: Instructive, Informative, Pictorial: A Record of Australian Football, Printed and published by Edgar H. Baillie for the Herald and Weekly Times: Caulfield [Vic.], 1946.
An early football publication with a range of feature articles, instructional pieces and a guide for football fans, in a structure common to early football books. Contents include articles on how to play the game written by coaches and star players of the era, statistics, records, fixtures, ground details, team colours, a chronology of the game and some articles on the history of the game. Contains some coverage of interstate football and an article by Haydn Bunton comparing football in the different states. Also published in 1948 and released in 1953 and 1954 as The Sporting Globe Football Annual: Informative Pictorial Record of Australian Football. TH.
Denham, Greg & Bond, Graeme, Football Year 95: A Record of the 1995 Australian Football League Season, Pagemasters: Carlton, Vic., 1995.
Also published in 1996. TH.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy. Volume One: Encyclopedia of Australian Football Clubs, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2008.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2008.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy's Tasmanian Football Companion, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2009.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2008.
Donnelly, Jack, Football Guide 1947, W.R. Rolph: Launceston, 1947.
Review of Australian Triennial Carnivals, complete with records and detailed scores of all games played since 1908; records, scores and interesting facts associated with all State premiership and intrastate games; TFL, NTFA, NWFU, Huon Association, VFL, VFA. and SA League roster match results in 1946; careers and photographs of great players and teams. Publisher’s blurb.
Downes, Stephen, Ross, John, & Hutchinson, Garrie, The Whole Australian Football Catalogue: The A-Z of All Things AFL, HarperSports: Sydney, 2001.
An encyclopedia of VFL/AFL football with occasional references to non-Victorian personalities and topics. There are entries for significant players, coaches, administrators, media personalities, teams, incidents, football terminology, grounds, tactics, skills, records and awards, footy politics and issues and the organisation of the game. The entries range from a few sentences to almost a page and several black and white images supplement the text. TH.
Dunstan, Keith & Hook, Jeff, Footy, an Aussie Rules Dictionary, Sun Books: Melbourne, 1983.
A satirical A to Z look at Australian Rules Football. It is written by Ketih Dunstan, author, journalist and founder of the Anti-Football League - a charity organisation that pretends there are better things to do on Saturday afternoons. TH.
ESPA Savings Bank, Football, History, Rules Records, Facts, Fixtures, The Bank: Melbourne, 1963.
A 30 page booklet with VFL and VFA fixtures, statistics and records, a historical overview of the game, ‘hints for juniors’ and the laws of the game. Authorised by the Australian National Football Council. Also published in 1962. TH.
Eagleson, Robert D., McKie, Ian, & University of Sydney. Australian Language Research Centre, The Terminology of Australian National Football, Sydney University Australian Language Research Centre Occasional Paper, 3 vols, Australian Language Research Centre, University of Sydney: [Sydney], 1968.
An academic study by the Australian Language Research Centre Project, based at Sydney University, which used Australian Rules football as a case study to investigate the development of the English language in Australia and its connection with social activity. Part of the project was the compilation of a glossary of football and the identification of regional variations in terminology. Published in three parts as part of a series of Occasional Papers. TH.
Ferguson, Ian & Kingsbury, Brad, 'Chewy on Ya Boot!': Aussie Footy Dictionary, Brolga: Melbourne, 2006.
Fiddian, Marc, Ladders without Snakes, Raccoon Tail Books: Forest Hill, Vic., 2009.
Fine, Mark & Browne, Ashley, The Book of Footy Lists, Slattery Media Group: Docklands, Vic., 2011.
Football Digest: The Story of Post-War League Football, 1946-1961, Platypus Press: [Melbourne], 1962.
A general reference book which includes complete statistics for 'post war' football between 1946 and 1961. Other sections include club profiles, star player profiles for 1961, coaching notes by Melbourne star Brian Dixon and an overview of the growth of the game during this period. The statistics section includes a record of 'sharp shooting' teams and some black and white pictures are reproduced. TH.
Footy Facts 2007, Forrester Systems: Bentleigh, Vic.
Football Victoria, Australian Football: Our Game: A Reference Guide to the Development of Australian Football in Victoria, Football Victoria: Jolimont, Vic., 2005.
Gabbe, Belinda & Deakin University, School of Human Movement, Tackling Australian Football Injuries: A Review of the Literature, Research Report / Deakin University, School of Human Movement, Deakin University, School of Human Movement: [Burwood, Vic.], 1998.
Gleeson, Michael, AFL 2002: The Official Yearbook, Harper Collins: Sydney, 2002.
Gleeson, Michael, Diary of a Season: AFL 03: Every Team, Every Game, Every Issue, HarperSports: Pymble., NSW, 2003.
Hanna, Glynis & Footscray Institute of Technology Library, Australian Football Literature 1960-1980, Footscray Institute of Technology Library: [Footscray, Vic.], 1981.
Harms, John, Daffey, Paul, & Malarkey Publications., The Footy Almanac 2010, Viking: Camberwell, Vic., 2010.
First published in 2007? Annual publication. Also online. TH.
Harris, Jim & Bergin, Brian, Aussie Rules Dictionary, Rigby: Adelaide, 1983.
Hayman, Dion, Russo, Steve, & South Australian National Football League, The Complete Book of SANFL Records, D. Hayman: Prospect, SA, 1990.
Hibberd, Jack and Hutchinson, Garrie, The Barracker's Bible: A Dictionary of Sporting Slang, McPhee Gribble: Melbourne, 1983.
This dictionary was styled as a ‘glossary of sporting terms, jargon and slang that enjoy currency in Australia' and includes a great number of Aussie Rules terms, as well as prominent terms used in various codes of football played throughout the nation. Each term is identified by an abbreviated code, such as 'AR' for Australian Rules football. Some archaic words are included, with most terms in common use at the time of publication. Helpfully, this dictionary provides examples of word usage with various quotations or sentences, providing guidance on the meaning or context of football slang. This volume also includes comical illustrations by Noel Counihan and Barry Dickens. TH.
Hogan, Tim & Australian Society for Sports History, Reading the Game: An Annotated Guide to the Literature and Films of Australian Rules Football, ASSH Studies, Australian Society for Sports History: Melbourne, 2005.
Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim, The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: Every Adelaide AFL Player Ever (and All Other AFL Clubs), The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: Club Editions, BAS Publishing: Melbourne, 2004.
Club editions for all AFL clubs for this standard reference work. TH.
Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim, The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: Every AFL/VFL Player since 1897, 5th Ed., Crown Content: Melbourne, Victoria, 2003.
An invaluable record of every VFL/AFL player since the inception of the league in 1897. Each entry contains a brief summary of the player's career, including the number of games played for all clubs, goals scored and list of major achievements and awards. Most players with more than a handful of games contain a brief written record of their career, while more prominent, infamous, or colourful players receive longer entries. Recent editions have given larger entries for current and more famous players. More recognition has also been given to players who played a handful of VFL/AFL games but were particularly prominent in other states, such as Western Australian great Jack Sheedy. First published in 1992 with multiple subsequent editions. TH.
Hunt, Paula & Manton, Glenn, Mongrel Punts and Hard Ball Gets: An A-Z of Footy Speak, Red Dog: Fitzroy, Vic., 2006.
Hunt, Rex, Rex Hunt Presents the Football Bible 94, Crossbow Publishing: Jolimont, Vic. Moss Vale, NSW, 1993.
Hutchinson, Col, Lovett, Michael, & Sinclair, Cameron, AFL Record 2005 Guide to Season: The Official Statistical History of the AFL - a Publication of the Australian Football League, Australian Football League Publishing/Geoff Slattery Publishing Pty Ltd: [Sydney], 2005.
Jervis, Bob & Agars, Merv, The South Australian Football Year Book, Printers' Associates: Adelaide, SA.
Junior Football Council of Victoria, Handbook 1978, Supreme: North Melbourne, Vic., 1978.
Laidlaw, Robert, Platten, John, Cornwall, Peter, & Jarman, Andrew, Platts' and Jars' SA Footy Year Book 2000, Evanston Gardens Robert Laidlaw, 2000.
Limb, Ivon & Pagoda, Charles, Footy's No Joke: A Humorous, Satirical Explanation of the Aussie Rules Idiom, IGL Enterprises: Adelaide, 1986.
Lines, Peter, Encyclopedia of South Australian Country Football Clubs, Peter Lines: Cowell, SA., 2008.
Lovett, Michael, AFL Record Season Guide 2011: The Official Statistical History of the AFL, Slattery Media Group: Melbourne, 2011.
A comprehensive guide to the AFL 2011 season with an exhaustive statistical history of the VFL/AFL competition. This is a publication which has greatly expanded since its first publication in 1996 and includes a detailed summary of the previous season, a preview of the forthcoming season, a guide to all current clubs, players, coaching and support staff, league officials and grounds, very short player profiles for all current players and a full record of the player draft since its inception. Also includes laws of the game, draft and salary cap regulations. Preceded by the smaller, but similar annual AFL Media Guide published between 1992 and 1995 and the Official VFL Year Books published throughout the 1980s. Includes black and white photographs and an index. TH.
Lovett, Michael & Australian Football League, AFL Finals '99: The Official Finals Statistical History of the AFL, Australian Football League: [Melbourne], 1999.
Main, Jim & Dunn, John, Footy Annual, Lansdowne Press: Melbourne, 1967.
A detailed record of club and league statistics and player awards in the VFL competition. Includes a chronological history of Australian Rules football, Australian championship details, some records from the VFA and interstate competitions and various statistical oddities. This publication aimed to be the Wisden of Australian football and mirrored that publication by including a selection of the 'Five Footballers of the Year'. TH.
Main, Jim & Piesse, Ken, Holden Football Handbook: Celebrating 125 Years of Football, Wedneil: Melbourne, 1983.
Contains profiles and statistics for all VFL clubs and includes photographs of most regular senior players and coaches for all clubs. There are brief summaries of Brownlow medallists and the top twenty players who didn't win the Brownlow. TH.
Main, Jim & Piesse, Ken, The A to Z of Football, Wedneil Publications: Melbourne, 1982.
McDonald, John, Bond, Graeme, Football Year 94: A Record of the 1994 Australian Football League Season, 4th Ed., Pagemasters: Richmond, Vic., 1994.
First published in 1991. Annual publication. TH.
Mid Gippsland Football League, Mid Gippsland Fl Results, 1935 to 1988: Seniors, The League: [Gippsland, Vic.], 1988.
Mundy, B. J., BJ's Clubstats, All new revised edition, B.J. Enterprises: [Adelaide], 1986.
The Official AFL 1998 Footy Album, Sunday Times: Perth, WA, 1998.
Petkovski, Suzi, Drop Punts and Torpedoes: The Best Ever Footy Quotes, Random House Australia: North Sydney, NSW, 2007.
This books remembers all the aspects of AFL that footy fans love - the champions, the coaches, the media, the long goals, the high marks, the wins, the losses, and, of course, the biffo. Suzi Petkovski has collected quotes, commentary and phrases from across all the glory days of AFL and it will come right up to the grand final this year. Publisher’s blurb.
Piesse, Ken, The Complete Guide to Australian Football, Sun: Chippendale, NSW, 1993.
Piesse, Ken, The Complete Guide to Australian Football, Rev. Ed., Ironbark, Pan Macmillan Australia: Sydney, 1995.
Port Adelaide Football Club (SANFL), Coffey's Port Adelaide Football Year Book, McCallum Ltd.: Adelaide.
Power, T. P. & Victorian Football Association, The Footballer: An Annual Record of Football in Victoria, Henriques and Co.: Melbourne, 1875.
This is a very early annual football publication, providing a guide to the current season with some information about the features of the game. The contents include some details of the administrative structure of the VFA, including a list of office bearers and the laws of the game. A list of city, suburban and country clubs in Victoria provides details of club membership numbers, formation dates, team colours, office bearers and team player lists, with brief notes about all players. There are also inter-colonial match reports, review articles, statistics on the previous Melbourne provincial and school football seasons and a short account of the Framlingham Aboriginal football team. Original and photocopied issues are held by the State Library of Victoria for 1875, 1876 and 1879. Issues for 1879 were published by the Victorian Football Association. TH.
Roberts, Michael & Winkler, Michael, The Official AFL Yearbook 2000: All the Season's Stars, Stats and Stories, Viking: Ringwood, Vic., 2000.
Earlier edition published 1999. TH.
Rodgers, Stephen, 100 Years of AFL Players, 3 vols, S. Rodgers: [Camberwell, Vic.], 1996.
Rodgers, Stephen, The Complete Book of VFL Records, S. Rodgers: [Maryborough, Vic.], 1987.
Rodgers, Stephen & Browne, Ashley, Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897-1997, 6th Ed., Viking: Ringwood, Vic., 1998.
A record of every VFL/AFL match played, with quarter-by-quarter scores for every home-and-away and finals match and final ladder placings for each year. Each chapter includes a summary of the season with notes about major developments in the game, significant milestones, changes in grounds and a short account of the Grand Final. First published in 1983 as Tooheys Guide to Every Game Ever Played: VFL Results 1897-1982. TH.
Shop Assistants and Warehouse Employees' Federation of Australia. Victorian Branch., The Shop Assistants' 1959 Football Guide, Victorian Branch of the Shop Assistants' Union: [Melbourne], 1959.
Also published in 1960. TH.
Slattery, Geoff, AFL '96: The Official Guide to Australia's Greatest Game, Hamlyn Australia, a part of Reed Books Australia: Port Melbourne, Vic., 1996.
South Australian National Football League, 2006 SA Football Media Guide, [SANFL]: [Adelaide, SA], 2005.
South Australian National Football League, Record Year Book, Percival Publishing.: Adelaide, SA.
Stoward, John, Australian Rules Football in Tasmania, J. Stoward: Hobart, 2002.
A comprehensive compendium of league premiers, club and league records and individual records for major awards such as league best and fairest winners and highest goal-kickers. Covers all Tasmanian senior, reserve grade and under 18 football competitions. TH.
Sun-Herald (Sydney NSW), The Sun-Herald Ultimate Football Guide 2001: League, Union, AFL, Sun-Herald: Sydney, 2001.
Taylor, Kevin, Footystats 1992: Australian Football League Statistics 1897-1991: A Comprehensive Study of League Football, K. Taylor: [Point Piper, NSW], 1992.
Taylor, Kevin, Footystats: 2000 Edition: Australian Football League Statistics 1897-1999; a Comprehensive Study of League Football, ACP Action: Melbourne, 1999.
Taylor, Kevin, Main, Jim, & Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Grandstand Footy Book 1996, ABC Books: Sydney, 1996.
A football 'companion' including statistics, round-by-round records, brief club histories, player lists for 1987-1995 and snippets of football trivia. TH.
3LO (Radio Station: Melbourne Vic.), Football Melbourne, 3LO Melbourne, Broadcasting Co. of Australia: Melbourne, 1927.
A pocket size guide for the VFL and VFA season, containing laws of the game, VFL and VFA teams and colours, a brief history of Australian Rules football, ground sizes, records and very brief schools and amateur football sections. Contains a photograph of 3LO broadcaster Rod McGregor Later editions published around 1928,1932, 1933 and 1935. TH.
1928 edition is online via State Library of Victoria.
Victorian Country Football League, List of Affiliated Clubs, The League: Melbourne, 1954.
The Victorian Football Guide for 1892: Containing the Victorian Football Association Fixtures for 1892; Revised Rules of Football; Plan of the Playing Ground; Premiership Records for the Past Season, and Other Important Football Information, The Victorian Cricketing & Sports Co.: Melbourne, 1892.
Editions also published 1893 and 1894.
Victorian Football League, League Football in Victoria, 1978-1979, 3rd Ed., Victorian Football League: Jolimont, Vic, 1979.
Western Australian National Football League, Annual Year Book & Journal, Clifton Publications: Perth [WA], 1959.
Williams, Laurie, Gippsland Football Trivia, L. Williams: [Gippsland, Vic.], 1987.
Young, Ray, Footy Facts 86/87: All-Australian Guide to Aussie Rules 1986-87, Information Australia: Melbourne, 1987.
Young, Ray, Footy Facts: Every Statistic You'll Ever Need to Know, Schwartz & Wilkinson: Melbourne, 1991.
Young, Ray & Pincombe, Dave, Footy Facts. 87/88: All-Australia Guide to Aussie Rules, 1987-88, Information Australia: Melbourne, Vic, 1988.
The A.B.C. Football Guide and Register, Gordon & Gotch: Melbourne.
An annual guide first published in 1886 and similar in content to the earlier, The Footballer: An Annual Record of Football in Victoria, circa 1875-1879 The A.B.C. guide contained fixtures for senior and junior level football, club notes, which later expanded to very short club histories, season reviews, analyses of team performances and the obligatory reproduction of the laws of the game. The State Library of Victoria holds microform copies for most issues published from 1886 to 1895 and some original copies. The Guide was published initially by Gordon and Gotch and then from 1895 by the Melbourne Sports Depot. It is not clear when it ceased publication, but a later production, The Victorian Football Follower, contained advertisements for the A.B.C. Guide in 1908 issues, advising that copies of the A.B.C. Guide could be obtained from the Melbourne Sports Depot in Elizabeth Street, Melbourne. TH.
The Argus and the Australasian Football Guide, The Argus: Melbourne, 1931.
The Argus Football Guide 1937, The Argus & Australasian Ltd.: Melbourne, 1937.
Atkinson, Graeme, Everything You've Ever Wanted to Know About Australian Rules Football, but Couldn't Be Bothered Asking, Five Mile Press: Canterbury, Vic., 1982.
An excellent, imaginative and comprehensive compilation of records, statistics and trivia relating to elite-level competitions in all states and the VFA between the 1850s and the date of publication in 1982. The section titled 'The Good Old Days' has an interesting selection of match reports, old rules, coaching advice and recollections from the early days of football. Useful for trivia buffs and researchers. TH.
Atkinson, Graeme, Hanlon, Michael, 3AW Book of Footy Records: All the Great Players, Matches, Goals, Kicks, Brawls and Sensations from More Than 100 Years of Aussie Rules in Australia, Matchbooks: South Melbourne, 1989.
A comprehensive and fascinating collection of football records, statistics, anecdotes, famous incidents and football innovations. Examines all senior football competitions in Australia, including the VFL, SANFL, WAFL, VFA and senior football in other states, with some notable references to junior competitions. This is one of the better publications of this type, with some black and white pictures included. TH.
Australian Rules Football, Associated Publishers: Adelaide, 1963.
A typical year book which includes features such as 'Football Milestones', 'Giants of the Past', 'State and Club Records', 'Brownlow and Magarey Medalists', as well as season previews, an article about dwindling crowds in South Australia and the story behind Ian Mackay's famous mark taken in the SANFL Grand Final of 1952. TH.
Australian Football League, AFL the Great Australian Game: The Essential Guide to Understanding the AFL Game, AFL: Melbourne, 2001.
Also published in 2000. TH.
Australian Football League, A Guide to Australian Football, Australian Football League: Melbourne, 1997.
Bartlett, Kevin, Kevin Bartlett's Book of Football: Stories, Statistics, Trivia, Five Mile Press: Noble Park, Vic., 1995.
Bartrop, Paul R. & Australia 1788-1988: A Bicentennial History, Scores, Crowds and Records: Statistics on the Victorian Football League since 1945, Historical Statistics Monograph, History Project Incorporated: Kensington, NSW, 1984.
Bartrop, Paul R., Australia 1788-1988: A Bicentennial History, & History Project Incorporated, Scores, Crowds and Records: Statistics on the Victorian Football League since 1945, Historical Statistics Monograph, History Project Incorporated: Kensington, NSW, 1986.
Blair, Peter R., Brownlow Medal Records, Allsport: Toorak, Vic., 1976.
Blair, Peter R., History of the Brownlow Medal: Fairest and Best, Sabey & Associates: Hawthorn, Vic., 1997.
The story of every Brownlow medal winner, with full voting tallies for each season from 1924 to 1996, short articles by Jon Anderson on various aspects of Brownlow history and an introductory chapter about Charles Brownlow. Includes three pages of statistics, as well as black and white pictures of all winners and an index. An earlier edition was published in 1976 with the title Brownlow Medal Records. TH.
Bowen, Nick & Salttery Media Group, Australian Football League Official Fixture Guide 2011, Slattery Media Group: Docklands, Vic., 2010.
Boyle and Scott (Firm), Boyle and Scott's Footballers' Pamphlet for 1891: Containing Revised Rules of Football; Diagram Showing Position of Players on the Field; VFA. Club Fixtures for Season; and Price List of Football Material, etc: Melbourne Pater & Knapton, Printers, 1891.
Campbell, R. H., Football Facts, Speciality Press: Melbourne, 1928.
Canberra Australian National Football League, Handbook 1966, CANFL, Canberra, 1966.
Clement, Dave, Facts and Figures from 100 Years of Australian Rules Football, Printed by Sands & McDougall: Perth, WA, 1967.
Collins, Traven, The Easy A-Z Footy Book: In the Age of the Drop Punt, Bookmen Press: Melbourne, 1994.
A pocket sized dictionary of words and expressions, with brief descriptions of their meanings but no etymological content. TH.
Conway, Sean & Seddon, Ron, Aussie Rules Ok: A Dictionary of Australian Rules Football, Sky Pub.: Padbury, WA, 1989.
Hundreds football words or expressions are explained, ranging from cliches and slang, to more straightforward terms such as 'pass', 'goal', 'boots' and positional terms such as 'Rover' and ‘Rucks’. It includes most terms which are peculiar to Australian Rules football, such as 'behinds', 'ride', 'had the sit', 'crumbs' and 'blind turn'. There are omissions, such as 'white maggots', 'straight down the guts', 'across the face' (of goal) and 'pack'. Some entries are merely popular Australian expressions such as 'Ave a go yer mug'. Lacks etymological content for popular linguistic terms, such as 'barracking' and 'ocker'. Includes a mixture of older and more contemporary terms, including old and new nicknames for VFL, SANFL and WAFL clubs and contains several cartoons and a useful index. TH.
Country Football 95, Eclipse Sports Publishers: Northcote, Vic., 1996.
A comprehensive record of country football in Victoria in 1995, including a short season overview for every league and summaries of all team performances for senior, reserve and under 18 age teams, as well as Grand Final reports and results of all finals series and final ladder positions. 53 leagues are featured in an excellent publication which does not seem to have been published beyond its first edition. TH.
De Lacy, H. A., The Sporting Globe Football Book: Instructive, Informative, Pictorial: A Record of Australian Football, Printed and published by Edgar H. Baillie for the Herald and Weekly Times: Caulfield [Vic.], 1946.
An early football publication with a range of feature articles, instructional pieces and a guide for football fans, in a structure common to early football books. Contents include articles on how to play the game written by coaches and star players of the era, statistics, records, fixtures, ground details, team colours, a chronology of the game and some articles on the history of the game. Contains some coverage of interstate football and an article by Haydn Bunton comparing football in the different states. Also published in 1948 and released in 1953 and 1954 as The Sporting Globe Football Annual: Informative Pictorial Record of Australian Football. TH.
Denham, Greg & Bond, Graeme, Football Year 95: A Record of the 1995 Australian Football League Season, Pagemasters: Carlton, Vic., 1995.
Also published in 1996. TH.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy. Volume One: Encyclopedia of Australian Football Clubs, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2008.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy's SA Football Companion, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2008.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy's Tasmanian Football Companion, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2009.
Devaney, John, Full Points Footy's WA Football Companion, Full Points Publications: [Lincoln, England], 2008.
Donnelly, Jack, Football Guide 1947, W.R. Rolph: Launceston, 1947.
Review of Australian Triennial Carnivals, complete with records and detailed scores of all games played since 1908; records, scores and interesting facts associated with all State premiership and intrastate games; TFL, NTFA, NWFU, Huon Association, VFL, VFA. and SA League roster match results in 1946; careers and photographs of great players and teams. Publisher’s blurb.
Downes, Stephen, Ross, John, & Hutchinson, Garrie, The Whole Australian Football Catalogue: The A-Z of All Things AFL, HarperSports: Sydney, 2001.
An encyclopedia of VFL/AFL football with occasional references to non-Victorian personalities and topics. There are entries for significant players, coaches, administrators, media personalities, teams, incidents, football terminology, grounds, tactics, skills, records and awards, footy politics and issues and the organisation of the game. The entries range from a few sentences to almost a page and several black and white images supplement the text. TH.
Dunstan, Keith & Hook, Jeff, Footy, an Aussie Rules Dictionary, Sun Books: Melbourne, 1983.
A satirical A to Z look at Australian Rules Football. It is written by Ketih Dunstan, author, journalist and founder of the Anti-Football League - a charity organisation that pretends there are better things to do on Saturday afternoons. TH.
ESPA Savings Bank, Football, History, Rules Records, Facts, Fixtures, The Bank: Melbourne, 1963.
A 30 page booklet with VFL and VFA fixtures, statistics and records, a historical overview of the game, ‘hints for juniors’ and the laws of the game. Authorised by the Australian National Football Council. Also published in 1962. TH.
Eagleson, Robert D., McKie, Ian, & University of Sydney. Australian Language Research Centre, The Terminology of Australian National Football, Sydney University Australian Language Research Centre Occasional Paper, 3 vols, Australian Language Research Centre, University of Sydney: [Sydney], 1968.
An academic study by the Australian Language Research Centre Project, based at Sydney University, which used Australian Rules football as a case study to investigate the development of the English language in Australia and its connection with social activity. Part of the project was the compilation of a glossary of football and the identification of regional variations in terminology. Published in three parts as part of a series of Occasional Papers. TH.
Ferguson, Ian & Kingsbury, Brad, 'Chewy on Ya Boot!': Aussie Footy Dictionary, Brolga: Melbourne, 2006.
Fiddian, Marc, Ladders without Snakes, Raccoon Tail Books: Forest Hill, Vic., 2009.
Fine, Mark & Browne, Ashley, The Book of Footy Lists, Slattery Media Group: Docklands, Vic., 2011.
Football Digest: The Story of Post-War League Football, 1946-1961, Platypus Press: [Melbourne], 1962.
A general reference book which includes complete statistics for 'post war' football between 1946 and 1961. Other sections include club profiles, star player profiles for 1961, coaching notes by Melbourne star Brian Dixon and an overview of the growth of the game during this period. The statistics section includes a record of 'sharp shooting' teams and some black and white pictures are reproduced. TH.
Footy Facts 2007, Forrester Systems: Bentleigh, Vic.
Football Victoria, Australian Football: Our Game: A Reference Guide to the Development of Australian Football in Victoria, Football Victoria: Jolimont, Vic., 2005.
Gabbe, Belinda & Deakin University, School of Human Movement, Tackling Australian Football Injuries: A Review of the Literature, Research Report / Deakin University, School of Human Movement, Deakin University, School of Human Movement: [Burwood, Vic.], 1998.
Gleeson, Michael, AFL 2002: The Official Yearbook, Harper Collins: Sydney, 2002.
Gleeson, Michael, Diary of a Season: AFL 03: Every Team, Every Game, Every Issue, HarperSports: Pymble., NSW, 2003.
Hanna, Glynis & Footscray Institute of Technology Library, Australian Football Literature 1960-1980, Footscray Institute of Technology Library: [Footscray, Vic.], 1981.
Harms, John, Daffey, Paul, & Malarkey Publications., The Footy Almanac 2010, Viking: Camberwell, Vic., 2010.
First published in 2007? Annual publication. Also online. TH.
Harris, Jim & Bergin, Brian, Aussie Rules Dictionary, Rigby: Adelaide, 1983.
Hayman, Dion, Russo, Steve, & South Australian National Football League, The Complete Book of SANFL Records, D. Hayman: Prospect, SA, 1990.
Hibberd, Jack and Hutchinson, Garrie, The Barracker's Bible: A Dictionary of Sporting Slang, McPhee Gribble: Melbourne, 1983.
This dictionary was styled as a ‘glossary of sporting terms, jargon and slang that enjoy currency in Australia' and includes a great number of Aussie Rules terms, as well as prominent terms used in various codes of football played throughout the nation. Each term is identified by an abbreviated code, such as 'AR' for Australian Rules football. Some archaic words are included, with most terms in common use at the time of publication. Helpfully, this dictionary provides examples of word usage with various quotations or sentences, providing guidance on the meaning or context of football slang. This volume also includes comical illustrations by Noel Counihan and Barry Dickens. TH.
Hogan, Tim & Australian Society for Sports History, Reading the Game: An Annotated Guide to the Literature and Films of Australian Rules Football, ASSH Studies, Australian Society for Sports History: Melbourne, 2005.
Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim, The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: Every Adelaide AFL Player Ever (and All Other AFL Clubs), The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: Club Editions, BAS Publishing: Melbourne, 2004.
Club editions for all AFL clubs for this standard reference work. TH.
Holmesby, Russell & Main, Jim, The Encyclopedia of AFL Footballers: Every AFL/VFL Player since 1897, 5th Ed., Crown Content: Melbourne, Victoria, 2003.
An invaluable record of every VFL/AFL player since the inception of the league in 1897. Each entry contains a brief summary of the player's career, including the number of games played for all clubs, goals scored and list of major achievements and awards. Most players with more than a handful of games contain a brief written record of their career, while more prominent, infamous, or colourful players receive longer entries. Recent editions have given larger entries for current and more famous players. More recognition has also been given to players who played a handful of VFL/AFL games but were particularly prominent in other states, such as Western Australian great Jack Sheedy. First published in 1992 with multiple subsequent editions. TH.
Hunt, Paula & Manton, Glenn, Mongrel Punts and Hard Ball Gets: An A-Z of Footy Speak, Red Dog: Fitzroy, Vic., 2006.
Hunt, Rex, Rex Hunt Presents the Football Bible 94, Crossbow Publishing: Jolimont, Vic. Moss Vale, NSW, 1993.
Hutchinson, Col, Lovett, Michael, & Sinclair, Cameron, AFL Record 2005 Guide to Season: The Official Statistical History of the AFL - a Publication of the Australian Football League, Australian Football League Publishing/Geoff Slattery Publishing Pty Ltd: [Sydney], 2005.
Jervis, Bob & Agars, Merv, The South Australian Football Year Book, Printers' Associates: Adelaide, SA.
Junior Football Council of Victoria, Handbook 1978, Supreme: North Melbourne, Vic., 1978.
Laidlaw, Robert, Platten, John, Cornwall, Peter, & Jarman, Andrew, Platts' and Jars' SA Footy Year Book 2000, Evanston Gardens Robert Laidlaw, 2000.
Limb, Ivon & Pagoda, Charles, Footy's No Joke: A Humorous, Satirical Explanation of the Aussie Rules Idiom, IGL Enterprises: Adelaide, 1986.
Lines, Peter, Encyclopedia of South Australian Country Football Clubs, Peter Lines: Cowell, SA., 2008.
Lovett, Michael, AFL Record Season Guide 2011: The Official Statistical History of the AFL, Slattery Media Group: Melbourne, 2011.
A comprehensive guide to the AFL 2011 season with an exhaustive statistical history of the VFL/AFL competition. This is a publication which has greatly expanded since its first publication in 1996 and includes a detailed summary of the previous season, a preview of the forthcoming season, a guide to all current clubs, players, coaching and support staff, league officials and grounds, very short player profiles for all current players and a full record of the player draft since its inception. Also includes laws of the game, draft and salary cap regulations. Preceded by the smaller, but similar annual AFL Media Guide published between 1992 and 1995 and the Official VFL Year Books published throughout the 1980s. Includes black and white photographs and an index. TH.
Lovett, Michael & Australian Football League, AFL Finals '99: The Official Finals Statistical History of the AFL, Australian Football League: [Melbourne], 1999.
Main, Jim & Dunn, John, Footy Annual, Lansdowne Press: Melbourne, 1967.
A detailed record of club and league statistics and player awards in the VFL competition. Includes a chronological history of Australian Rules football, Australian championship details, some records from the VFA and interstate competitions and various statistical oddities. This publication aimed to be the Wisden of Australian football and mirrored that publication by including a selection of the 'Five Footballers of the Year'. TH.
Main, Jim & Piesse, Ken, Holden Football Handbook: Celebrating 125 Years of Football, Wedneil: Melbourne, 1983.
Contains profiles and statistics for all VFL clubs and includes photographs of most regular senior players and coaches for all clubs. There are brief summaries of Brownlow medallists and the top twenty players who didn't win the Brownlow. TH.
Main, Jim & Piesse, Ken, The A to Z of Football, Wedneil Publications: Melbourne, 1982.
McDonald, John, Bond, Graeme, Football Year 94: A Record of the 1994 Australian Football League Season, 4th Ed., Pagemasters: Richmond, Vic., 1994.
First published in 1991. Annual publication. TH.
Mid Gippsland Football League, Mid Gippsland Fl Results, 1935 to 1988: Seniors, The League: [Gippsland, Vic.], 1988.
Mundy, B. J., BJ's Clubstats, All new revised edition, B.J. Enterprises: [Adelaide], 1986.
The Official AFL 1998 Footy Album, Sunday Times: Perth, WA, 1998.
Petkovski, Suzi, Drop Punts and Torpedoes: The Best Ever Footy Quotes, Random House Australia: North Sydney, NSW, 2007.
This books remembers all the aspects of AFL that footy fans love - the champions, the coaches, the media, the long goals, the high marks, the wins, the losses, and, of course, the biffo. Suzi Petkovski has collected quotes, commentary and phrases from across all the glory days of AFL and it will come right up to the grand final this year. Publisher’s blurb.
Piesse, Ken, The Complete Guide to Australian Football, Sun: Chippendale, NSW, 1993.
Piesse, Ken, The Complete Guide to Australian Football, Rev. Ed., Ironbark, Pan Macmillan Australia: Sydney, 1995.
Port Adelaide Football Club (SANFL), Coffey's Port Adelaide Football Year Book, McCallum Ltd.: Adelaide.
Power, T. P. & Victorian Football Association, The Footballer: An Annual Record of Football in Victoria, Henriques and Co.: Melbourne, 1875.
This is a very early annual football publication, providing a guide to the current season with some information about the features of the game. The contents include some details of the administrative structure of the VFA, including a list of office bearers and the laws of the game. A list of city, suburban and country clubs in Victoria provides details of club membership numbers, formation dates, team colours, office bearers and team player lists, with brief notes about all players. There are also inter-colonial match reports, review articles, statistics on the previous Melbourne provincial and school football seasons and a short account of the Framlingham Aboriginal football team. Original and photocopied issues are held by the State Library of Victoria for 1875, 1876 and 1879. Issues for 1879 were published by the Victorian Football Association. TH.
Roberts, Michael & Winkler, Michael, The Official AFL Yearbook 2000: All the Season's Stars, Stats and Stories, Viking: Ringwood, Vic., 2000.
Earlier edition published 1999. TH.
Rodgers, Stephen, 100 Years of AFL Players, 3 vols, S. Rodgers: [Camberwell, Vic.], 1996.
Rodgers, Stephen, The Complete Book of VFL Records, S. Rodgers: [Maryborough, Vic.], 1987.
Rodgers, Stephen & Browne, Ashley, Every Game Ever Played: VFL/AFL Results 1897-1997, 6th Ed., Viking: Ringwood, Vic., 1998.
A record of every VFL/AFL match played, with quarter-by-quarter scores for every home-and-away and finals match and final ladder placings for each year. Each chapter includes a summary of the season with notes about major developments in the game, significant milestones, changes in grounds and a short account of the Grand Final. First published in 1983 as Tooheys Guide to Every Game Ever Played: VFL Results 1897-1982. TH.
Shop Assistants and Warehouse Employees' Federation of Australia. Victorian Branch., The Shop Assistants' 1959 Football Guide, Victorian Branch of the Shop Assistants' Union: [Melbourne], 1959.
Also published in 1960. TH.
Slattery, Geoff, AFL '96: The Official Guide to Australia's Greatest Game, Hamlyn Australia, a part of Reed Books Australia: Port Melbourne, Vic., 1996.
South Australian National Football League, 2006 SA Football Media Guide, [SANFL]: [Adelaide, SA], 2005.
South Australian National Football League, Record Year Book, Percival Publishing.: Adelaide, SA.
Stoward, John, Australian Rules Football in Tasmania, J. Stoward: Hobart, 2002.
A comprehensive compendium of league premiers, club and league records and individual records for major awards such as league best and fairest winners and highest goal-kickers. Covers all Tasmanian senior, reserve grade and under 18 football competitions. TH.
Sun-Herald (Sydney NSW), The Sun-Herald Ultimate Football Guide 2001: League, Union, AFL, Sun-Herald: Sydney, 2001.
Taylor, Kevin, Footystats 1992: Australian Football League Statistics 1897-1991: A Comprehensive Study of League Football, K. Taylor: [Point Piper, NSW], 1992.
Taylor, Kevin, Footystats: 2000 Edition: Australian Football League Statistics 1897-1999; a Comprehensive Study of League Football, ACP Action: Melbourne, 1999.
Taylor, Kevin, Main, Jim, & Australian Broadcasting Corporation, ABC Grandstand Footy Book 1996, ABC Books: Sydney, 1996.
A football 'companion' including statistics, round-by-round records, brief club histories, player lists for 1987-1995 and snippets of football trivia. TH.
3LO (Radio Station: Melbourne Vic.), Football Melbourne, 3LO Melbourne, Broadcasting Co. of Australia: Melbourne, 1927.
A pocket size guide for the VFL and VFA season, containing laws of the game, VFL and VFA teams and colours, a brief history of Australian Rules football, ground sizes, records and very brief schools and amateur football sections. Contains a photograph of 3LO broadcaster Rod McGregor Later editions published around 1928,1932, 1933 and 1935. TH.
1928 edition is online via State Library of Victoria.
Victorian Country Football League, List of Affiliated Clubs, The League: Melbourne, 1954.
The Victorian Football Guide for 1892: Containing the Victorian Football Association Fixtures for 1892; Revised Rules of Football; Plan of the Playing Ground; Premiership Records for the Past Season, and Other Important Football Information, The Victorian Cricketing & Sports Co.: Melbourne, 1892.
Editions also published 1893 and 1894.
Victorian Football League, League Football in Victoria, 1978-1979, 3rd Ed., Victorian Football League: Jolimont, Vic, 1979.
Western Australian National Football League, Annual Year Book & Journal, Clifton Publications: Perth [WA], 1959.
Williams, Laurie, Gippsland Football Trivia, L. Williams: [Gippsland, Vic.], 1987.
Young, Ray, Footy Facts 86/87: All-Australian Guide to Aussie Rules 1986-87, Information Australia: Melbourne, 1987.
Young, Ray, Footy Facts: Every Statistic You'll Ever Need to Know, Schwartz & Wilkinson: Melbourne, 1991.
Young, Ray & Pincombe, Dave, Footy Facts. 87/88: All-Australia Guide to Aussie Rules, 1987-88, Information Australia: Melbourne, Vic, 1988.