Author(s): Cheryl Critchley

Sport | General

Aussie Rules is our unofficial religion. As any true fan will tell you, winning is not a matter of life and death. It's much more important than that. Despite all that is thrown at them as footy becomes more corporate and sterile, its fans are among the most dedicated in the world. Our Footy tells of some of the football treasures who are the heart and soul of our game, not the business types in their comfy seats and silver service who turn the Grand Final into just another corporate event. Real fans help around the club, volunteer for time-consuming tasks like run-through making, turn up every week no matter what, and always stay until the end when their side is losing. Cheryl Critchley tells of individual fans and their dedication to their club, the changing nature of corporate AFL and how this affects the fans, her memories of football over the years, her Herald Sun articles that have caused a stir - in particular with Eddie McGuire, and where to from here.