Chappy

Chappy is a raw and honest account of a glittering 16-year AFL career that scaled rare heights but included personal trauma as Paul Chapman discovered exactly who he was.

From the angry young man who arrived at Geelong following the tragic accidental death of his brother Glenn in 1998, to the horrors of the Bali massacre four years later, Chapman tells his story with brutal honesty which is the only way he knows.

He didn’t want this book to be a reflection of the 280 games he played with the Cats and the Bombers, claiming he had read too many of those over the journey. Instead he chose to share the reasons behind Geelong’s extraordinary run of success between 2007 and 2011, the coaching philosophies of Mark Thompson and Chris Scott and the personalities of the men he played with.

Paul Chapman had an outstanding junior career before starring as a teen in the TAC Cup. He was drafted by Geelong in 1999, and played three premierships. He was named best and fairest in 2006, won the Norm Smith medal for best on ground in the 2009 AFL Grand Final and was named as an All-Australian 2009—2010. He played his last two seasons for Essendon, ending his career in 2015.

Jon Anderson is a sports journalist at the Herald Sun and a radio commentator for 3AW in Melbourne. He grew up in north-east Victoria on a wheat and sheep farm. He has been a life-long Geelong supporter.

‘Chappy was the first one to welcome me to the club back in October, 2001, and became my mentor and role model … For me it is simple, Paul Chapman is a champion of our game.’ – GARY ABLETT JNR

‘Proud, passionate and born for big moments.’ – CAMERON LING