Sport

AFL

Zak Butters will be a restricted free agent in 2026 with any offer to prise him out of Port Adelaide needing to be massive

Money Talks

AFL 2024

Big-money plays: The AFL change to stoke the trade fire

Giving clubs the capacity to trade picks two years into the future would increase the likelihood of big names moving clubs according to industry insiders.

40 minutes ago
by Peter Ryan

West Coast coach Adam Simpson has been in the gun recently.

Analysis

AFL 2024

Simpson’s end at West Coast looks likely, despite million-dollar payout

by Jake Niall

Sydney’s Isaac Heeney’s one-game ban was upheld.

AFL Briefing

AFL 2024

Heeney ban upheld as Cripps calls for review of Brownlow eligibility; Gawn ‘can’t walk’ but sets bold target for return

by Jonathan Drennan, Peter Ryan and Danny Russell

New allegations of drug use in the AFL have been aired by MP Andrew WIlkie.

Drugs in sport

Wilkie doubles down on blackmail claim by AFL player’s family

by Danny Russell

Heavy knock: Mitch Lewis leaves the field.

AFL Briefing

AFL 2024

Lewis ruptures ACL; Stringer helps Stewart recapture his form; Gawn out at least a fortnight

by Peter Ryan and Andrew Stafford

Insight & Analysis

A knee-jerk reaction is no answer to a backhander

Isaac Heeney’s suspension has once again prompted calls for a loosening of the criteria for Brownlow Medal eligibility. Those calls should be resisted.

Greg Baum

Sports columnist

Booed, under-paid and over-scrutinised: Who’d be an AFL coach?

The AFL must end the conversation about improving the lot of coaches, and act. Watching Ken Hinkley after last Sunday’s game should have proved another wake-up call.

Caroline Wilson

Football columnist for The Age

Is Darcy Moore really playing ‘awful’ footy? Cornes and McClure go head-to-head

The two footy media heavyweights who don’t shirk the big issues are refusing to back down on Collingwood captain Darcy Moore. Here, they both make their case.

Sam McClure and Kane Cornes

Latest in AFL

Swans star Isaac Heeney is now ineligible for the Brownlow Medal

Sydney Swans

Swans to fight Heeney ban as Brownlow winner calls for change

Isaac Heeney will face a nervous wait ahead of the AFL Tribunal after being suspended for one week for striking St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster.

by Peter Ryan and Jonathan Drennan

Nate Caddy must play every week when fit.

Analysis

AFL 2024

Big-moment Bomber must keep playing; Swans’ stumbles change flag race

This week in key take-aways: examining whether the Pies trust their depth players, opportunity for change at Carlton, another false dawn for Suns and a selection squeeze at Essendon.