Getting behind the ball

by LES EVERETT

IT has been a year for footy gatherings in WA and the heavy hitters, past greats, former officials, bit players and decision makers were out in force again on Wednesday at Subiaco Oval.

Behind The Play launch: Author Tony Barker. Well satisfied. Photos by Les Everett

The throng included one person who admitted to not being much of an Australian rules football enthusiast.

The odd man out was Tony Barker author of Behind The Play...A History of Football in Western Australia from 1868.

Barker's book was launched by Premier Geoff Gallop who said football had always played an important role in linking neighbourhoods and communities and was a pursuit that deserved to be taken seriously.

The premier said the book was bound to create discussion and noted readers will learn perhaps for the first time about who was shafting whom in recent behind the scenes footy developments: "Some of those people are in this room today," he said.

The author said he had tried to put all sides of the arguments where possible: "I haven't tried to do a hatchet job," Barker told the gathering, "football like any sport is full of controversy."

Barker said he expected most readers to go first to the photographs and then to the statistics in the book. However the Herald observed that most buyers at the launch checked the index to see if they'd rated a mention.

Barker is an honorary research fellow at UWA, his previous works include a history of WA cricket.

Behind The Play...A History of Football in Western Australia from 1868 by Anthony I Barker is published by the West Australian Football Commission.

From the Fremantle Herald.

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