While Melbourne prepares itself for that last frenetic Saturday in September, Chubb uses all his old football contacts to track down his man. The question, of course, is not if he will find him in time, but does Moomba want to be found? Is his disappearance a stunt, or perhaps a political statement? Wearne makes full use of this idea as Chubb weaves a passage through the pack, unearthing a whole host of wonderfully eccentric types, some of whom even non-football followers may recognise: J.J. Hobson, head-kicking president of Carlton, and a beer baron; Danny Gallagher, a Harley-riding rap singer and media star with blond tips who used to wear number twenty-three for Hawthorn – and so on. All that’s missing is Eddie McGuire. It’s a lot of fun, a hoot in fact, and the finale, involving the occupation of the MCG on Grand Final Eve, is way over the top. My only complaint about Kicking in Danger is that Wearne has not been well-served by his publisher in the editorial department – the book is absolutely full of mistakes.