It is popular with amateur theatre groups and secondary school students, having been in the senior English syllabi for four Australian states for many years.
The plot revolves around six central characters: Geoff Hayward – a new recruit with a huge reputation lured to the club with big money in an attempt to haul the team up the ladder.
Holden's credo is honesty and discipline, but the team has struggled to find success under his coaching and he knows that he is under pressure to avoid the sack.
When Hayward demands an extra AU$10,000 to join the club, Parker puts up the money himself.
Jock Riley – ex-champion player from an earlier era, the successful coaching predecessor to Laurie and now an influential committeeman.
Gerry Cooper – a new breed administrator recently hired to drag the club into a more professional era.
Gerry sees the club as a business, his appointment as merely a job and eschews emotion in his decision making.
In 1968 Williamson wrote an anti Vietnam War play "Good Old Collingwood Forever".
[5] A film version was produced in 1980, written by David Williamson, directed by Bruce Beresford and starring John Howard, Jack Thompson, Graham Kennedy and Frank Wilson.