Rohan Connolly is one of the AFL’s most experienced and respected journalists, passionate about football, and with a 35-year track record of observing it at close quarters in print, online, and on radio and TV.

And he’s on a mission to cut through the petty politics and celebrity sideshows to talk to you about the thing that matters most – the actual game. That’s what Footyology is about. The big stories. But with the focus always upon how they impact on the real point of it all, the clubs, teams, players and coaches that inspire such fervour in us all.

 

 

RoCo’s obsession with football began at the age of five, when he’d churn out match reports while listening to “The Captain and The Major” on 3KZ, or “Harry and Tommy” on 3AW. He grew up on the terraces at Windy Hill, and in the outer at long-lost suburban grounds like Victoria Park, Moorabbin and the Junction Oval.

It was that fanaticism which underpinned his single-mindedness to become a football journalist, realised at the age of 18 when he started work at the old Sun News-Pictorial, now known as the Herald-Sun.

That’s been his go ever since. In 1987, he moved across town to The Age, where he worked for 30 years until June 2017, racking up a slew of Australian Football Media Association awards.

But Connolly has also always embraced and been heavily involved in the electronic media as well.

He began appearing on 3AW in 1996 as part of their match previews and match coverage as boundary rider, and since 2012 has been an integral part of the 1116 SEN team, appearing on a number of weekly programs, part of the Friday night and Sunday football commentary teams, and filling in as host on Kevin Bartlett’s “”Hungry For Sport” show.

He was part of the birth of pay television in Australia from 1996 as part of the Optus Vision C7 football coverage on shows like Football Feedback, has appeared many times as a guest on Channel 7’s coverage over the years, and in 2017 joined the much-loved Marngrook Footy Show as a member to analyse the news of the week and present the popular nostalgia segment “Rounds Of Our Lives”.

Beyond football, he’s a lover of all sport, mainly cricket and soccer, is passionate about music, hardcore bands like Rage Against The Machine a specialty, has some strong views on politics and is very active (some would say too much) on social media, where you can usually find him sparring with anyone up for a stoush.

RoCo is a passionate, heart-on-sleeve sort of guy. He hopes that comes across in his work, and most importantly, on this site. Because we know that’s how much YOU love your footy, too!

If you want football analysed, scrutinised, romanticised and on occasion satirised, you’ve come to the right place. We hope you enjoy the ride.

Here’s why you should read Footyology…

“Rohan Connolly has always shown his great love and knowledge of footy in his many writings over the years , I’m glad that passion and game analysis will continue on his Footyology web site.”
LEIGH MATTHEWS (AFL Legend of the Game)

“Rohan Connolly is one of football’s best writers with an intricate knowledge of the game that makes his work compelling, interesting and provocative. His great sense of the game’s history gives him great credibility. He has forthright views that are balanced and educational for the reader. I recommend anyone who loves Australian rules footy to read his body of work, hard news stories, colour stories and opinion pieces.”
KEVIN BARTLETT (AFL Legend of the Game)

“I have great admiration for Rohan’s knowledge of the game and in particular his appreciation of its history. When things do happen in football, he is all over the context and back story, which makes him always worth listening to and reading. He has a particular way of analysing the game which for a football person of 40 years in the game always makes sense, and is distinctly different from others. That’s pretty rare.”
MICK MALTHOUSE (AFL games coached record holder)

“Connolly’s articles reflect a terrific understanding of the game. His ability to transfer his thoughts and observations to an article makes for quality reading, even if, speaking as a coach, sometimes uncomfortably challenging!”
ALAN RICHARDSON (St Kilda coach)

“Rohan Connolly is a rare commodity, a thinking football journalist. He has a great knowledge of the game, and is always analysing it with fantastic passion. He always probes for reasons things happen and solutions, and is never mundane.”
RODNEY EADE (former AFL coach)

“I always enjoy reading and listening to Rohan’s analysis of the game. While the politics and off-field drama appeal to many, Rohan’s focus is the on-field. From a purist’s perspective, that is always the most engaging.”
CHRIS SCOTT (Geelong coach)

“Rohan writes about our game with passion and skill. He sticks his chin out. I like that. Footyology is the kind of place where I would like to hang out”
BOB MURPHY (former Western Bulldogs Captain)

Here’s why you should read Footyology…

“Rohan Connolly has always shown his great love and knowledge of footy in his many writings over the years , I’m glad that passion and game analysis will continue on his Footyology web site.”
LEIGH MATTHEWS (AFL Legend of the Game)

“Rohan Connolly is one of football’s best writers with an intricate knowledge of the game that makes his work compelling, interesting and provocative. His great sense of the game’s history gives him great credibility. He has forthright views that are balanced and educational for the reader. I recommend anyone who loves Australian rules footy to read his body of work, hard news stories, colour stories and opinion pieces.”
KEVIN BARTLETT (AFL Legend of the Game)

“I have great admiration for Rohan’s knowledge of the game and in particular his appreciation of its history. When things do happen in football, he is all over the context and back story, which makes him always worth listening to and reading. He has a particular way of analysing the game which for a football person of 40 years in the game always makes sense, and is distinctly different from others. That’s pretty rare.”
MICK MALTHOUSE (AFL games coached record holder)

“Connolly’s articles reflect a terrific understanding of the game. His ability to transfer his thoughts and observations to an article makes for quality reading, even if, speaking as a coach, sometimes uncomfortably challenging!”
ALAN RICHARDSON (St Kilda coach)

“Rohan Connolly is a rare commodity, a thinking football journalist. He has a great knowledge of the game, and is always analysing it with fantastic passion. He always probes for reasons things happen and solutions, and is never mundane.”
RODNEY EADE (Gold Coast coach)

“I always enjoy reading and listening to Rohan’s analysis of the game. While the politics and off-field drama appeal to many, Rohan’s focus is the on-field. From a purist’s perspective, that is always the most engaging.”
CHRIS SCOTT (Geelong coach)

“Rohan writes about our game with passion and skill. He sticks his chin out. I like that. Footyology is the kind of place where I would like to hang out”
BOB MURPHY (Western Bulldogs Captain)