While Joe Gorman's "Heartland" is an interesting read, it fails in its quest for how "rugby league explains Queensland". It is more a history of the game and administration of rugby league in Queensland from the birth of State of Origin to the 2015 NRL Grand Final.

There is no doubt that this is an interesting story, but it doesn't explain Queensland. Apart from a very brief and shallow foray into Queensland politics, and some consideration of the place of Indigenous people in the sport and society more generally, there is no explanation of Queensland. The Indigenous discussion exposes Queensland's big contradiction, and Gorman could have gone deeper and harder in analysing this. Generally, I think I expected something more.

Two of the three Queensland National Rugby League teams, Brisbane and North Queensland, are discussed at some length, but there are only comments in passing about the third club, Gold Coast Titans. Perhaps that particular team doesn't quite fit the narrative of Queensland as the overachieving ever-underdog.

All in all, this book is fine addition to a library of rugby league or Australian sport in general. ( )