Category: Author – Greg Blood
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – John Curtin
By Greg Blood JOHN CURTIN – AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 14th Prime Minister – 1941-1945 John Curtin was prime minister for the majority of World War II and believed that the continuation of sport was important as long as it did not unduly impact on the war effort. Curtin had a strong connection to sport as…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – William Hughes
By Greg Blood WILLIAM MORRIS HUGHES Australian Socialist League (1891), Labor (to 1916), National Labor (1916–17), Nationalist (1917–29) Independent (1929), Australian (1929–31), United Australia (1931–44), Independent (1944–45) 7th Prime Minister – 1915-1923 William ‘Billy’ Hughes was prime minister during World War I and strongly advocated for sportsmen to enlist particularly after significant deaths, injuries and…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Alfred Deakin
By Greg Blood ALFRED DEAKIN PROTECTIONIST / LIBERAL PARTY 2nd Prime Minister: 1903-1904, 1905-1908, 1909-1910 Alfred Deakin understood the importance of exercise and as prime minister was a regular cyclist. Through his published newspaper articles, he understood the importance of sport in the new nation through the lens of character development, physical fitness and links…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Joseph Cook
By Greg Blood SIR JOSEPH COOK, GCMG LIBERAL PARTY 6th Prime Minister: 1913-1914 Joseph Cook was prime minister for just over a year and had a limited impact on sport in Australia. Cook viewed the participation at the Olympic Games as a way of promoting Australia’s identity internationally. Like his predecessors, he observed that sport…
australiansportreflections
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Notable Australian Sporting Deaths in 2026 – Updated 24 July 2026
List of notable Australian sportspeople that died in 2026. These people have contributed significantly to their sport and Australian sport in playing, coaching, administration or media roles. List will be updated during 2026 when deaths become known. Sport Australia Hall of Fame (SAHOF) members – Garry Daly OAM Administration Athletics Australian Football Basketball Cricket Football Hockey Horse…
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – James Scullin
By Greg Blood JAMES HENRY SCULLIN AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY 9th Prime Minister – 1929-1932 James “Jim’ Scullin had an interest in sport particularly Australian football, cricket and lawn bowls but it was more limited than several of the early prime ministers including Edmund Barton, George Reid and Stanley Bruce. He supported the Richmond Football Club that…
australiansportreflections
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Australian Sports Books & Films 2026
– Updated 8 July 2026 By Greg Blood List of books and films covering Australian sport in 2026 that tell the story of specific sports, athletes, teams, events and issues. Includes books by Australian authors/editors published overseas. Links to publisher website where available. Updated during 2026. Athletics Australian Football Cricket Cycling Issues in Sport Rugby…
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Forging Champions : a review
By Greg Blood The recent documentary Forging Champions has shone a light on several outstanding Australian athletes assisted by the Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) that have had significant success on the world sporting stage. This review examines themes, messages and omissions from the documentary. I had a small involvement at the early stages of…
australiansportreflections
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Vale Jim Ferguson (1940-2026) – Australian Sports Commission’s Longest Serving Chief Executive Officer (1990-2000)
By Greg Blood Jim Ferguson played a significant role in the development of the Australian sport system in the lead up to the 2000 Sydney Olympic and Paralympic Games. He was the Chief Executive Officer of the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) from June 1990 to December 2000. Prior to his appointment to the ASC, Ferguson…
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Australian Prime Ministers and Sport Series – Edmund Barton
By Greg Blood EDMUND BARTON PROTECTIONIST PARTY 1st Prime Minister: 1901-1903 Edmund Barton, Australia’s first prime minister, had a significant connection with sport as a cricketer and rower and then as an administrator in cricket and rugby union. His involvement in sport occurred when sport in the New South Wales colony was becoming more organised and…
australiansportreflections