More Than Just a Game by Jacko George

More Than Just a Game is an incisive and witty debut novel for Jacko George, an unabashed footy fan.

It is a must-read for anyone who has succumbed to the obsessive nature of following a sport; those intrigued by its appeal; and especially the child within us all that fell in love with ‘our game.’

Why does rugby league affect our emotions so much? Why do we feel like the teams we follow belong to us? Which is more enjoyable, belonging to a community with a culture or our team winning?

More Than Just a Game is a collection of short stories that shares the encounters of people who interact with ‘the greatest game of all’ and addresses the side of fandom that can be described in many ways: from fanaticism to  spirituality. 

Mosaically, More Than Just a Game describes a week of struggles experienced by a first-grade club: the captain, the junior star, the club staff, the coach, their opposition, and the written-off journeyman. It explores contemporary themes of masculinity, feminism in sport, toxic behaviour and degrees of power.

‍