'… the strange thing that happened was I realised sport wasn’t my life. I realised that I had an abundance of sporting talent, but I took it for granted because it meant more to my fans than me.'
Against the backdrop of community football, the heir to a sweeping family fortune and the
son of a prominent bikie gang leader forge an unlikely brotherhood. With their families locked in a long and bitter feud, the football prodigies push each other – and the game – to new heights.
But in the brutal world of sporting competition, friendship and rivalry can quickly become indistinguishable.
When jealousy and ambition spark a devastating on-field accident, their bond is instantly shattered. As anger and guilt take hold, the sportsmen are confronted with the truth that friendship can be forged and fractured by the same forces: ambition, pride and a desperate need for validation. It isn’t just about who’s the better footballer; it is a deeper battle against the lives their fathers have planned for them.
To salvage what remains of their friendship, they must face a final test of forgiveness – one that may cost them everything.
In the high-stakes world of Australian Rules Football, the price for being the best is high. When all hope seems shattered, can meaning be found again?
Aussie Tales, Humour, AFL Fiction, Coming of Age, Friendship, Socioeconomic Divide, Competition, Sporting Rivalry, Sacrifice, Loyalty, Family, Brotherhood
About The Author
David Ryan caught the Aussie Rules bug the day he was handed his first footy. He grew up barracking for the South Adelaide Panthers where his uncles starred in the club’s glory days and where premierships have been scarce since. Later, inspired by his hero Doug Wage, he switched to the Geelong Cats. Years on, thanks to his wife’s role on the Cats’ Board, he has gained rare, behind-the-scenes insight into one of the game’s most
successful clubs.
That lifelong passion led him to undertake a Doctor of Philosophy, exploring the connection between football and community in Victoria. In his 75th year, he completed his thesis, ‘Be a Good Sport’, and received his PhD from Deakin University’s Vice-Chancellor and Chancellor—both proud Cats supporters. Fittingly, it was also the year the Cats claimed their tenth Premiership Cup.
The concept for David’s second novel The Medal originated while undertaking an Oxford University course in Advanced Creative Writing. His debut novel, The Butterfly’s Daughter, follows the multi-generational fallout of a single life-changing decision made under Nazi rule in 1940s Amsterdam.
He has an outstandingly successful wife and three extraordinary children—two of whom are lifelong Cats tragics, proudly following in their dad’s footsteps.
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