AFL

Bad newsWhat does Buddy injury mean for Swans’ Daniher chase?

The ripple effect of Lance Franklin’s latest devastating injury could continue into 2021 and beyond if the AFL continues its hardball stance over no salary cap relief for the Swans.

Ben Horne

STAY QUIETDogs, Pies want cardboard cutout fans at games

Western Bulldogs and Collingwood have found a way to have fans at games from Round 2 but not in the flesh. Meanwhile, a health expert has urged AFL fans to rethink how they support their teams when crowds return.

Nick D'Urbano

Media fightPR agents or journos? Eddie stoush heats up again

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire is in the middle of two stoushes with fellow media personalities, with one journalist threatening to quit and McGuire pointing out one big issue with “young journos”.

Scott Gullan

SACKED podcastThe sledge that almost made Cloke quit footy

Travis Cloke has revealed he almost quit the AFL during his only season with the Western Bulldogs after he was sledged by an opponent during a game. He reveals the reason he never exposed the player behind the taunts.

Jon Ralph and Glenn McFarlane

Court caseAFL gives DeGoey free rein until hearing

The AFL will not sanction Collingwood star Jordan De Goey before he faces court over another traffic-related incident. Magpies coach Nathan Buckley saw the lighter side of his forward’s indiscretion as he talked up his return to training.

Lauren Wood, Rebekah Cavanagh, Genevieve Alison and Dan Batten

Michael BarlowMichael Barlow: The stars behind the stars

We tend to focus on the stars — the likes of Nat Fyfe and Dustin Martin but there’s another category of player who is just as crucial when it comes to creating a culture of sustained success.

Michael Barlow

WA Footy 101WA Footy 101: Brown’s era of Mal-practice

Ever ready to provide a provocative line for the media, or launch an idea or scheme to promote the game or himself, Brown is one of the rarest of beasts — a genuinely larger- than-life character.

John Townsend

EXCLUSIVEChapman could continue as Crows chairman

Adelaide Crows chairman Rob Chapman has been asked to stay in the role by the club for another year despite planning to step down at the end of the AFL season.

Richard Earle

HERE TO STAY?TV chiefs weigh in on future of shorter quarters

The future of shorter AFL quarters will figure in negotiations over the next broadcast deal, with TV bosses to have an important say on whether the time limit stays at 16 minutes beyond 2020.

Michael Warner

Hobbled HamlingHamling under the knife again

Fremantle could be without their two most experienced tall defenders for a chunk of the restarted AFL season a Joel Hamling is sent for further arthroscopic surgery on his injured ankle.

Mark Duffield

IT’S BACKSANFL confirms Adelaide Oval return

Adelaide Oval will be the home of SANFL football for the opening fortnight of the new season, which the state league announced would start at the end of next month.

Warren Partland

Rich LionsHungry Lions await Dockers at the Gabba

It will be 83 days since the Lions’ opening round 28-point loss to Hawthorn but veteran Daniel Rich says the upset still motivates the young group, a reminder that nothing comes easy in the AFL.

Josh Garlepp

Party songMotorbike to ‘Baby Shark’: Charlie’s new goal celebration

COVID-19 has changed the AFL in a lot of ways, but this could be the strangest. With no crowds at the Gabba, Lions players have selected songs to play after their goals. And some of the choices are ... unexpected.

Greg Davis

BRUTALWhat AFL list cuts would mean for draft night

Dane Swan was pick 58 in 2001, but savage list cuts could slash the AFL draft in half with fewer than 50 players picked each year. One AFL champion says that’s a disaster for footy hopefuls.

Chris Cavanagh

AnalysisMark Duffield: Why Buddy deal was a big winner

For those who say it is either a premiership or bust the following indicates how narrow the margin is between calling the Franklin deal a win or loss.

Mark Duffield

Decision loomingCall on WA coach requests expected ‘within days’

The Eagles and Dockers have argued any players left in WA would require attention from extra football staff, and stressed their requests are not about gaining a competitive advantage.

Shayne Hope

Franklin updateFranklin out for at least two months

Sydney star Lance Franklin is looking at possibly more than two months on the sidelines after a scan on his latest hamstring injury.

Adrian Warren

Salary capCap squeeze could put these players up for grabs

Superstars on big contracts and new draft picks are likely safe from coming AFL list cuts, which leaves footy’s ‘middle class’ up in the air — and vulnerable to poaching. Should your club target these players?

Jon Ralph

Race against timeJLo: Don’t rule Sturt out of round two yet

Speaking to reporters yesterday, Longmuir confirmed the round one rising star nominee was in doubt due to a back complaint, however he’s since moved to play down its severity.

Bonnie Raynor

Main attractionFilming underway for Amazon’s AFL series

Now West Coast superstar Nic Naitanui knows how Michael Jordan felt during The Last Dance.

Jordan McArdle

Bigger bench?Bigger bench call set to come only days from round two

Normally capped at four interchange players, several vocal coaches have led calls for that limit to be increased to six.

Shayne Hope

Trade Review‘Told you so brigade’ wrong to call Buddy deal a bust

Lance Franklin is owed $1.4m this year, $1.5m next year and around $900,000 the year after. What does that mean for Sydney if he is now injury-prone? Jon Ralph says it doesn’t matter.

Jon Ralph

New rulesAFL ponders rare in-season rule change

Shorter quarters are locked in all the way to the Grand Final and the AFL is considering one more major change before the season restarts. Get the latest from a big competition committee meeting.

Jon Ralph