Gods Of Football
Encyclopedia
Gods of Football, part of Naked For A Cause initiative featured some of the sexiest Australian rules football
players and Australian Rugby League
players. The campaign was organized for producing an accompaying nude calendar
to raise money for the McGrath Foundation
, which supports breast cancer
research and cancer awareness. The creative director and the photographer of the project was Pedro Virgil
.
The initiative was launched on the Footy Show
on the 14 August 2008. A first selection players was profiled. Images of each weeks' selection of players were published in Australia's Sunday Telegraph newspaper as well. Forty of Australian rules footballers and Australian Rugby League players were invited to pose naked. The provocative fundraising campaign was highly successful transforming the young sporting athletes into international male calendar celebrities. Although there was some opposition for the explicit nudity, the campaign generated great goodwill as well.
was prepared entitled The Making of the 2009 Calendars, a film by Grant Carroll and released by Naked For A Cause. There was also a special UK release with a different cover.
players were confirmed to take part in consideration for final selection:
Only 24 were chosen eventually, 12 for the rugby calendar and 12 for the Australian rules football edition. All 24 appeared in the special international edition.
Australian rules football
players:
Andrew Welsh (Voted #1), Justin Sherman
(Voted #2), Andrew Walker
(Voted #3), Ryan Houlihan
, Michael Osborne
, Luke Hodge
, Trent Croad
, Chris A. Johnson
, Joel Macdonald
, Jordan Bannister
, Tom Hislop
, Courtney Johns
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
players and Australian Rugby League
Australian Rugby League
The Australian Rugby League is the governing body for the sport of rugby league in Australia. It is made up of state bodies, including the New South Wales Rugby League and the Queensland Rugby League...
players. The campaign was organized for producing an accompaying nude calendar
Nude calendar
Nude calendars are a special type of wall calendars or table calendars. Nude calendars have proliferated in recent decades and some have become greatly anticipated annual traditions...
to raise money for the McGrath Foundation
McGrath Foundation
The McGrath Foundation is a breast cancer support and education charity in Australia, funding McGrath Breast Care Nurses in communities across Australia as well as educating young women to be breast-aware...
, which supports breast cancer
Breast cancer
Breast cancer is cancer originating from breast tissue, most commonly from the inner lining of milk ducts or the lobules that supply the ducts with milk. Cancers originating from ducts are known as ductal carcinomas; those originating from lobules are known as lobular carcinomas...
research and cancer awareness. The creative director and the photographer of the project was Pedro Virgil
Pedro Virgil
Pedro Virgil is an Australian celebrity photographer. His photography is featured in many magazines covers and editorials including: Inside Sport, Men's Health, GQ, Sports Illustrated, GT, DNA Magazine, FHM, Details...
.
The initiative was launched on the Footy Show
The NRL Footy Show
The Footy Show is a Logie Award-winning Australian sports variety television programme, shown on the Nine Network and its affiliates. Following the success of the AFL program of the same name, the Nine Network quickly developed a version for the rugby league market. The rugby league version has...
on the 14 August 2008. A first selection players was profiled. Images of each weeks' selection of players were published in Australia's Sunday Telegraph newspaper as well. Forty of Australian rules footballers and Australian Rugby League players were invited to pose naked. The provocative fundraising campaign was highly successful transforming the young sporting athletes into international male calendar celebrities. Although there was some opposition for the explicit nudity, the campaign generated great goodwill as well.
2009 Calendars
In 2009, three separate calendars were published:- 2009 Rugby League Calendar (16 pages, 12 rugby players)
- 2009 Australian Rules Calendar (16 pages, 12 football players)
- 2009 International Calendar (24 pages, 2 players per month combined edition)
DVD
An accompanying 80-minute DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
was prepared entitled The Making of the 2009 Calendars, a film by Grant Carroll and released by Naked For A Cause. There was also a special UK release with a different cover.
Participants
The following National Rugby LeagueNational Rugby League
The National Rugby League is the top league of professional rugby league football clubs in Australasia. The NRL's main competition, called the Telstra Premiership , is contested by sixteen teams, fifteen of which are based in Australia with one based in New Zealand...
players were confirmed to take part in consideration for final selection:
- Canterbury BulldogsCanterbury BulldogsThe Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Belmore, a suburb in the Canterbury-Bankstown region of Sydney. They compete in the National Rugby League premiership, as well as New South Wales Rugby League junior competitions...
: Michael Sullivan, Daniel HoldsworthDaniel HoldsworthDaniel Holdsworth is an Australian professional rugby league player for the Salford City Reds in the Super League. He was previously with Bulldogs club in the National Rugby League competition and he also previously played for the St George Illawarra Dragons. His position of choice is at...
, Nick YoungquestNick YoungquestNick Youngquest is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Castleford Tigers club of Europe's Super League. He previously played for Crusaders RL, Gateshead Thunder, Cronulla-Sutherland Sharks, St George Illawarra Dragons, Penrith Panthers and Bulldogs... - South Sydney RabbitohsSouth Sydney RabbitohsThe South Sydney Rabbitohs are an Australian professional rugby league football team based in Redfern, a suburb of South-central Sydney, New South Wales. They participate in the National Rugby League premiership and are one of nine existing teams from the state capital...
: Shannon HegartyShannon HegartyShannon Hegarty is an Australian rugby league footballer for the Jacksonville Axemen of the USA Rugby League... - North Sydney BearsNorth Sydney BearsThe North Sydney Bears are an Australian rugby league football club based in North Sydney, New South Wales. They currently compete in the New South Wales Cup, having exited the National Rugby League following the 1999 NRL season after 92 years of top-grade competition. The Bears are based on...
: Nathaniel BarnesNathaniel BarnesNathaniel Barnes is a Liberian politician and member of the Liberian Destiny Party .-Early life and Educational Achievements:...
, Luke Grant - Sydney RoostersSydney RoostersThe Sydney Roosters are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the Eastern Suburbs of Sydney. The club competes in the National Rugby League and is one of the oldest and most successful clubs in Australian rugby league history, having won twelve New South Wales Rugby League...
: Shaun Kenny-DowallShaun Kenny-DowallShaun Kenny-Dowall is a professional rugby league footballer for the Sydney Roosters in the National Rugby League competition. He primarily plays in the centres.-Early years:...
, David ShillingtonDavid ShillingtonDavid Shillington is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who currently plays for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League...
, Sandor EarlSandor EarlSandor "Princess" Earl is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Penrith Panthers in the NRL. He primarily plays on the wing.-Early years:...
, Dominique PeyrouxDominique PeyrouxDominique Peyroux is a professional rugby league footballer currently dual-registered with the Tweed Heads Seagulls in the Queensland Cup via the Gold Coast Titans in the National Rugby League and Toyota Cup competitions in Australasia. He primarily plays at centre but has been known to convert to... - Wests TigersWests TigersThe Wests Tigers are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Sydney's mid-western suburbs. They have competed in the National Rugby League since they were formed at the end of the 1999 season as a joint-venture club between the Balmain Tigers and the Western Suburbs...
: Beau RyanBeau RyanBeau Ryan is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League. He plays primarily in the backs....
, Dene HalatauDene HalatauDene Halatau is a professional rugby league footballer for the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs of the National Rugby League . A New Zealand international representative forward, he previously played club football for the Wests Tigers, with whom he won the 2005 NRL Premiership.-Bipgraphy:Halatau is...
, Chris LawrenceChris Lawrence (rugby league)Chris Lawrence is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League...
, Chris HeighingtonChris HeighingtonChris Heighington is an Australian born England international rugby league footballer for the Wests Tigers of the National Rugby League . A Country NSW representative lock forward, he has also been selected to represent England at international level... - Manly Sea Eagles: David WilliamsDavid Williams (rugby league)David Williams is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles of the National Rugby League. He plays on the wing and can also play in the centres...
, Anthony WatmoughAnthony WatmoughAnthony Watmough is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles club of the National Rugby League...
, Chris Stolk, Matt BallinMatt BallinMatthew Ballin is a professional rugby league player who currently plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League . He primarily plays at hooker.-Early years:...
, Brett StewartBrett StewartBrett Stewart is an Australian professional rugby league footballer who plays for the Manly-Warringah Sea Eagles in the National Rugby League. He is an Australian international and New South Wales State of Origin representative fullback known for pace and his prolific try-scoring... - St. George Illawarra Dragons: Matt Cooper, Stuart WebbStuart WebbStuart Webb is a former professional rugby league player for the St George Illawarra Dragons in the Australian National Rugby League competition. He previously played for the Sydney Roosters and the South Sydney Rabbitohs. His position of choice is at hooker...
- Gold Coast TitansGold Coast TitansGold Coast Titans are an Australian professional rugby league football club, based in the Gold Coast, Queensland. The club competes in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership. It is the newest of the sixteen clubs in the league, having commenced its...
: Daniel ConnDaniel ConnDaniel William Conn is an Australian model and rugby league player for the Sydney Roosters club in the National Rugby League...
, Kayne LawtonKayne LawtonKayne Lawton is an Australian Rugby League Player for the Gold Coast Titans in the NRL.He made his NRL debut in Round 20, 2009.-External links:*... - Melbourne StormMelbourne StormThe Melbourne Storm are an Australian professional rugby league club based in the city of Melbourne. They are the first fully professional rugby league team based in the Australian rules football-dominated state of Victoria....
: Will ChambersWill ChambersWill Chambers is an Australian rugby union footballer. He played in the Super 15 for the Queensland Reds and is currently playing for Irish province Munster in the RaboDirect Pro12, as of September 2011....
, Brett WhiteBrett WhiteBrett White is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Canberra Raiders, and formally of the Melbourne Storm of the NRL...
, Dallas JohnsonDallas JohnsonDallas Johnson is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the North Queensland Cowboys in the National Rugby League and formerly the Melbourne Storm and Catalans Dragons. He plays primarily as a lock forward.Between 2007 and 2009, Johnson played in four consecutive NRL grand finals... - Canberra RaidersCanberra RaidersThe Canberra Raiders are an Australian professional rugby league football club based in the national capital city of Canberra, Australian Capital Territory. They have competed in Australasia's elite rugby league competition, the National Rugby League premiership since 1982...
: Justin CarneyJustin CarneyJustin Carney is an Australian rugby league player with the Sydney Roosters. He plays in the centres or as a winger and has represented the New South Wales Schoolboys. Carney scored two tries on debut in a 34–16 win over the Brisbane Broncos...
, Tom Learoyd-LahrsTom Learoyd-LahrsTom Learoyd-Lahrs is an Australian professional rugby league footballer for the Canberra Raiders of the National Rugby League competition...
, Brett KellyBrett Kelly (rugby league)Brett Kelly born in Australia is a rugby league player for SO Avignon in the Elite One Championship. He previously played with the Canberra Raiders in the NRL.Brett Kelly's position of choice is as a centre....
Only 24 were chosen eventually, 12 for the rugby calendar and 12 for the Australian rules football edition. All 24 appeared in the special international edition.
Australian rules football
Australian rules football
Australian rules football, officially known as Australian football, also called football, Aussie rules or footy is a sport played between two teams of 22 players on either...
players:
Andrew Welsh (Voted #1), Justin Sherman
Justin Sherman
Justin Sherman is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League for the Western Bulldogs.He was recruited as the number 45 draft pick in the 2004 AFL Draft from Clarence...
(Voted #2), Andrew Walker
Andrew Walker (footballer)
Andrew "Tex" Walker is a professional Australian rules footballer playing with Carlton Football Club in the Australian Football League .-Early life:...
(Voted #3), Ryan Houlihan
Ryan Houlihan
Ryan Houlihan is a former Australian rules footballer who played 12 seasons and 201 games for the Carlton Football Club from 2000 to 2011.-Background:...
, Michael Osborne
Michael Osborne
Michael Osborne is an Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League . He is a medium size midfielder capable of winning the ball in contests and using it well, especially by foot....
, Luke Hodge
Luke Hodge
Luke Hodge is a professional Australian rules footballer with the Hawthorn Football Club in the Australian Football League...
, Trent Croad
Trent Croad
Trent Eric Croad is a former professional Australian rules footballer who played in the Australian Football League .During his 222 game AFL career, he achieved some of the Australian Football League's highest honours including an AFL premiership medallion, All-Australian selection, representing...
, Chris A. Johnson
Chris A. Johnson
Chris Johnson is an Australian rules footballer in the Australian Football League . The son of Melbourne Demons star Alan Johnson, Johnson was recruited by the Demons under the father-son rule. Johnson, a running defender, was recruited from East Fremantle, at with the 36th selection in the 2003...
, Joel Macdonald
Joel Macdonald
Joel Macdonald is an Australian rules footballer currently playing for the Melbourne Football Club in the Australian Football League , having previously played for the Brisbane Lions.-Football career:...
, Jordan Bannister
Jordan Bannister
Jordan Bannister is an Australian rules football umpire and former player who played for Carlton and Essendon in the Australian Football League.He made his debut for the Essendon Football Club in Round 12, 2001 against Adelaide...
, Tom Hislop
Tom Hislop
Tom Hislop is an Australian rules footballer who played for Essendon and Richmond in the Australian Football League.He was drafted by the Essendon Football Club in 2006 at pick 20 and had shown some promise....
, Courtney Johns
Courtney Johns
Courtney Johns is an Australian rules football player in the Australian Football League. Wearing the number 21 Guernsey, he plays full-forward and occasional back, seen as a power forward due to his strong build, height, ability to take a strong mark and inflict damage.-Early career and...