Thoroughly Unhelpful History of Australian Sport

When it comes to sport, Australians are mad. Completely, irrationally insane. It’s the closest thing we have to a culture. From Don Bradman’s singular focus to Steven Bradbury’s heroic not falling over, sport has shaped our sense of self.

But how did we get here? Part history, part social commentary and a lot of nonsense, Titus O’Reily, Australia’s least insightful sports writer, explains.

Covering Australian Rules, League, Union, soccer, cricket, the Olympics and much more, Titus tackles the big topics, like:

· How not to cheat the salary cap
· The importance of kicking people in the shins
· The many shortcomings of the English

Titus takes you through the characters, the pub meetings, the endless acronyms, the corruption and the alarming number of footballers caught urinating in public.

Sport is important – gloriously stupid, but important. To understand Australia you must understand its sporting history. With this guide you sort of, kind of, will.

''An indispensable voice for serious fans, who need to be reminded to take sport a little less seriously.'' Inside Sport

''An enjoyable romp through our nation’s great and not-so-great sports moments . . . between the laughs lies an insightful study of everything from cricket to Quidditch.'' Herald Sun