The Boy from Boomerang Crescent
- Downloads：3530
- Type：Epub+TxT+PDF+Mobi
- Create Date：2022-08-18 04:52:32
- Update Date：2025-09-06
- Status：finish
- Author：Eddie Betts
- ISBN：1761102397
- Environment：PC/Android/iPhone/iPad/Kindle
- Download
Summary
It’s a long， hard road from the Nullarbor to the MCG。
How does a self-described ‘skinny Aboriginal kid’ overcome a legacy of family tragedy to become an AFL legend？ One thing’s for sure: it’s not easy。 But then， there’s always been something special about Eddie Betts。
Betts grew up in Port Lincoln and Kalgoorlie， in environments where the destructive legacies of colonialism – racism， police targeting of Aboriginal people， drug and alcohol misuse， family violence – were sadly normalised。 His childhood was defined by family closeness as well as family strife， plus a wonderful freedom that he and his cousins exploited to the full – for better and for worse。
When he made the decision to take his talents across the Nullarbor to Melbourne to chase his footballing dreams – homesickness be damned – everything changed。 Over the ensuing years， Betts became a true giant of the sport: 350-plus games， 600-plus goals， multiple All-Australian nods and Goal of the Year awards， and a league-wide popularity rarely seen in the hyper-tribal AFL。
Along the way， he battled his demons before his turbulent youth settled into responsible maturity。 Today， the man the Melbourne tabloids once dubbed ‘bad boy Betts’ is a dedicated husband and father， a respected community leader and an increasingly outspoken social activist。
Sometimes funny， sometimes tragic and always honest – often laceratingly so – The Boy from Boomerang Crescent is the inspirational life story of a champion， in his own words。 Whether he’s narrating one of his trademark gravity-defying goals from the pocket， the discrimination he’s faced as an Aboriginal person or the birth of his first child， Betts’s voice – intelligent， soulful， unpretentious – rings through on every page。
The very human story behind the plaudits is one that will surprise， move and inspire。
Cover image © Kristina Wild
How does a self-described ‘skinny Aboriginal kid’ overcome a legacy of family tragedy to become an AFL legend？ One thing’s for sure: it’s not easy。 But then， there’s always been something special about Eddie Betts。
Betts grew up in Port Lincoln and Kalgoorlie， in environments where the destructive legacies of colonialism – racism， police targeting of Aboriginal people， drug and alcohol misuse， family violence – were sadly normalised。 His childhood was defined by family closeness as well as family strife， plus a wonderful freedom that he and his cousins exploited to the full – for better and for worse。
When he made the decision to take his talents across the Nullarbor to Melbourne to chase his footballing dreams – homesickness be damned – everything changed。 Over the ensuing years， Betts became a true giant of the sport: 350-plus games， 600-plus goals， multiple All-Australian nods and Goal of the Year awards， and a league-wide popularity rarely seen in the hyper-tribal AFL。
Along the way， he battled his demons before his turbulent youth settled into responsible maturity。 Today， the man the Melbourne tabloids once dubbed ‘bad boy Betts’ is a dedicated husband and father， a respected community leader and an increasingly outspoken social activist。
Sometimes funny， sometimes tragic and always honest – often laceratingly so – The Boy from Boomerang Crescent is the inspirational life story of a champion， in his own words。 Whether he’s narrating one of his trademark gravity-defying goals from the pocket， the discrimination he’s faced as an Aboriginal person or the birth of his first child， Betts’s voice – intelligent， soulful， unpretentious – rings through on every page。
The very human story behind the plaudits is one that will surprise， move and inspire。
Cover image © Kristina Wild
Reviews
Jay Dwight
，
I'm not an AFL fan， but after hearing Eddie speak at a conference， hearing him give snippets of the racism he has faced even recently （and tales I later found not to be in the book） yet all delivered with a smile and positivity and a desire to continue to work for the betterment of his people， I felt compelled to read Eddie's story。A book I read within a day。 I couldn't put it down。 A tale told with honesty， with heart。 A good coverage of his early life， his football career and his family - and I'm not an AFL fan， but after hearing Eddie speak at a conference， hearing him give snippets of the racism he has faced even recently （and tales I later found not to be in the book） yet all delivered with a smile and positivity and a desire to continue to work for the betterment of his people， I felt compelled to read Eddie's story。A book I read within a day。 I couldn't put it down。 A tale told with honesty， with heart。 A good coverage of his early life， his football career and his family - and the difficulties the indigenous face both in the sporting world and outside it。 。。。more
Sheryn Smith
，
A beautiful heart and soul。 Love the man， love the book。 Thank you Eddie Betts。
Lauren
，
Such an incredible autobiography， finished in one night （couldn’t put the book down！）。 Gives an amazing perspective into the challenges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples face in modern day Australia through the highlights of Eddie Betts’ life。 I loved how Eddie Betts wanted to focus on how important his culture is to him and what the meaning of family is。 A lot to take from this book and AFL should take a lot of Eddie’s experiences into thought。
Fraizer
，
king
Julie Garner
，