Matthew Ridge has approached 'Take No Prisoners' the way he approaches everything in life: he's put his heart and soul into it. Typically, the former Manly champion wanted this book to be different to all others about sportspeople. He's achieved that by being incredibly honest, revealing a life story that is the stuff of good fiction. Page after page the personal revelations mount up alongside his enthralling and often-startling experiences as a young All Black and rugby league star in the gruelling Australian competition. Together, these elements give an unprecedented insight into one of rugby league's most successful and enigmatic characters.
Raised mainly by his grandparents, Ridge had an unorthodox, yet affectionate, upbringing. But he very nearly went right off the rails in his teens, ending up in court charged with aggravated robbery. His comeback from that bleak period is an extraordinary tale of triumph.
Always controversial, the trademark Ridge swagger is evident as he reveals what really went on behind all those headlines about Super League, shock wins over Australia and life-threatening injuries. But along the way, the Kiwi captain probably reveals more about what was actually going on behind the swagger.
'Take No Prisoners' is not just a sports book. It's a guided tour through the life of one of Australasia's most fascinating sports stars.
