Country footy is inherently generous, says photographer Cory White, summing up his impressions of his roving assignment. “The game is played with such proximity, such intimacy and with such raw emotion that it’s impossible not to feel ‘part of something’ when you are at a game.”

White wants his photographs to serve as a celebration of sports and recreation in a regional setting. “It’s a pat on the back to the folks who make every weekend game or weekday training happen,” he says.

“I wanted to make a fly-on-the-wall document that makes people smile. I hope the book reads as a warm and positive batch of authentic moments that players, coaches, volunteers and spectators can connect with.”

Sideline sympathy: First quarter leg injury, Cavendish, Victoria.

One for All: Tiwi Bombers’ halftime huddle, Darwin, NT.

Newborn hope: A player cradles his son after a painful grand final loss in Kalgoorlie, WA.

Go the pies: Post-game sustenance, Dunkeld, Victoria.

Rock-solid: Diorites fan, Kalgoorlie, WA. The Diorites, also known as the Mines Rovers, play in the Goldfields Football League.

Brothers in arms: Siblings compete for the ball in Cairns, Queensland.

Back chat: Spectators avoid a wet-season downpour in Darwin, NT.

Footy Country, by Cory White (Hardie Grant Books, hardback, $65), is out August 19.

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