From the experts

The low down from those in the know

Brutal off-season training has Port primed for big 2010

Troy Chaplin

By Troy Chaplin February 10th 2010 (3 hours ago)

It has been an exhaustive three months, but we are finally here. Although the pre-season seems long and extremely tough, football is upon us in just a matter of time.

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Five things to look out for this AFL pre-season

Ben Somerford

By Ben Somerford February 10th 2010 (3 hours ago)

The long wait ends this Friday night when AFL footy returns with the NAB Cup kicking off in Perth. But after a dramatic off-season the new campaign will enjoy plenty of subplots to keep everybody interested and the pre-season competition will present us with our first insights into it all.

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Port, Magpies merger thrown out by SANFL clubs

By AAP - February 10th 2010 (2 hours ago)

Port Adelaide’s proposed merger with their debt-stricken local affiliate club the Port Adelaide Magpies is all but dead after the SANFL directors voted unanimously against the move.

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Lovett’s time at St Kilda is over before it began

Justin Rodski

By Justin Rodski February 9th 2010

Essendon's Andrew Lovett celebrates a goal during the AFL Round 17 match between the Essendon Bombers and the Richmond Tigers at the MCG.

St Kilda’s relationship with Andrew Lovett is surely now untenable. The club quickly distanced itself from the fallen star suspending him indefinitely while police investigate an alleged sexual assault on Christmas Eve last year. But what if Police never end up laying any charges?

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American colleges could be AFL’s next frontier

Michael DiFabrizio

By Michael DiFabrizio February 9th 2010

Kevin Sheedy is always keen on making headlines and last week was no different, suggesting that his Greater Western Sydney club will look to California to find playing talent.

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Stokes out for three months

By Roger Vaughan - February 9th 2010

Mathew Stokes’ AFL career is on hold for at least the next three months as the Geelong forward faces his cocaine charges.

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More AFL
American colleges could be AFL’s next frontier
Port, Magpies merger thrown out by SANFL clubs
Five things to look out for this AFL pre-season

AFL boundary umpires able to award frees

By Roger Vaughan - February 9th 2010

Boundary umpires will have limited power to pay free kicks in the NAB Cup as the AFL tries to crack down on holding at stoppages. It is the most striking of four rule changes that the league will introduce for this year’s pre-season competition.

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In wake of Stokes drama, AFL backs illicit drugs policy

By Roger Vaughan - February 9th 2010

The AFL have strongly defended their illicit drugs policy in the wake of Mathew Stokes’ criminal charges. Geelong have stood down the premiership forward until round eight of the AFL premiership after he was charged last week with cocaine possession and trafficking.

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Stokes suspended by AFL until round eight

By AAP - February 8th 2010

Geelong have suspended Mathew Stokes until round eight of the AFL season and fined him $5000 after the forward was charged last week with possession and trafficking of cocaine.

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Barry Hall shows it all in Western Bulldogs debut

By Guy Hand - February 7th 2010

New recruit Barry Hall kicked two goals and kept his aggression controlled in an impressive debut for his new AFL club Western Bulldogs on Saturday.

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More AFL
American colleges could be AFL’s next frontier
Port, Magpies merger thrown out by SANFL clubs
Five things to look out for this AFL pre-season

Gary Ablett Jr looks to be heading to a warmer place

Luke D'Anello

By Luke D'Anello February 6th 2010

The pieces of the jigsaw seem to falling into their perfect positions, and each day it seems more likely that Geelong’s Gary Ablett Jr will move to the AFL’s new Gold Coast team. Consider this: his father, Gary Ablett Sr, one of the greatest players of all time, has moved to the Gold Coast.

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Jolly puts a smile on coach’s face

By Melissa Woods - February 6th 2010 - (0)

Fearless predictions for the 2010 AFL season

By Michael DiFabrizio - February 5th 2010 - (24)

Stamping out staging presents another issue

By Justin Rodski - February 5th 2010 - (4)

Naitanui all at sea when pushed forward

By Justin Chadwick - February 5th 2010 - (0)
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They should create an AFL State Premiership

By Redb February 9th 2010

In two years, with the introduction of Gold Coast and Western Sydney, the AFL will have two teams in every mainland state. It is likely that it will be the only code to achieve this in the next five or ten years.

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AFL’s illegal drugs policy not working

By jimbo February 8th 2010

The recent revelation about Geelong playmaker Matthew Stokes’ alleged involvement in supplying cocaine, highlights yet another problem with the AFL’s drug policy and the ‘three strikes and you are out’ system.

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Should a man’s game also be played by girls

By Michael C February 6th 2010

In Thursday’s Melbourne Herald Sun, there was a curious little article heralding what appears to be October 2009 ABS survey stats that suggest that more boys are now playing Australian Football.

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Stokes’s stupidity is no worse than others

By glocko87 February 5th 2010

Geelong star Matthew Stokes has been charged with drug trafficking, after allegedly purchasing a gram of cocaine for a friend who was visiting from out of town. So what punishment is suitable for the AFL to bring down should he be found guilty?

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The AFL World Team is finally taking shape

By Michael C February 2nd 2010

Kevin Sheedy has come good on his promise to look far and wide for talent, with the signing of a South African recruit.

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Will Jonathon Brown be singing My Fevola?

By Redb January 23rd 2010

The 2010 AFL season is only two months away. The early talk has been of how two significant new partnerships are going to work.

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How strong is Sydney’s sporting pulse?

By Mad Mex January 21st 2010

I preface what I am about to write with the fact that I am a Victorian who has resided in Sydney for the last four years.

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Non-Australian expats growing the AFL game

By Michael C January 7th 2010

For many people – and fairly so – the traditional view of Australian Football ‘clubs’ outside of Australia was of beer swilling ex-pat Aussies getting together for a social kick and a more social after match.

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Who will be the big improvers in 2010?

By subrasub December 28th 2009

The article by Michael DiFabrizio on the strong sense of anticipation for the beginning of the new AFL decade raises an interesting topic – who will be the big improvers in 2010 and how will the ladder shape up?

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Who should be in the team of the decade?

By subrasub December 27th 2009

Another team of the decade debate, but a very intriguing one. Who were the best players during the AFL decade just past?

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Tim Boyle, a warrior from a family of couldabeens

By Michael C December 24th 2009

Tim Boyle retired this year, having played only 31 games for Hawthorn in a career interrupted by injuries, including a broken leg, a broken pelvis and ruptured knee ligaments.

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AFL recruitment looking outside the square

By Michael C December 19th 2009

Those followers of the international growth of Australian Football, despite and often in spite of the (lack of) efforts of the AFL; were pleased recently when the AFL announced that in next year’s National Under 16s Championships, a ‘World XVIII’ would participate in Division 2.

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Putting pride back into North Melbourne jumper

By Michael C December 18th 2009

Josh Gibson of North Melbourne and Jack Riewoldt of Richmond(L) react after a draw in the AFL Round 16 match between the Richmond Tigers and the North Melbourne Kangaroos at the MCG. Slattery Images

As a North Melbourne supporter, we’ve seen the best of times, we’ve seen the worst of times. Just ten years ago, we won our fourth premiership, the second in four seasons. Alas, not as North Melbourne, but as the ‘Kangaroos’.

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Comfortable Jeans still wearing well

By Jeff Dowsing December 16th 2009

Having frustrated journalists and would-be biographers for years, Allan Jeans is now more than willing to share his opinions on football and reflect on his remarkable coaching career.

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Demetriou ridiculed for the good of his sport

By apaway December 12th 2009

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou addresses the media during an AFL Media Conference at AFL House, Melbourne. Slattery Images

I was in Melbourne this week when AFL chief Andrew Demetriou launched his anti-World Cup campaign to the astonishment of most. I suspect had I been in London, or Barcelona, or Istanbul, or Rio or Buenos Aires, I wouldn’t have heard about it at all.

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Rid sports of Intermittent Explosive behaviour

By Jeff Dowsing December 12th 2009

It’s hard to fathom what compels healthy young people, fortunate enough to be engaged in competitive recreational pursuits, to commit deliberate acts of brutality.

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The MCG is the house that AFL paid for

By Michael C December 4th 2009

(L-R) Josh Fraser of Collingwood, Joel Selwood of Geelong, Travis Cloke of Collingwood, Harry Taylor of Carlton, Joel Corey of Geelong, Shannon Cox of Collingwood, Gary Ablett of Geeong & Martin Clarke of Collingwood in action during the AFL Round 03 match between the Geelong Cats and the Collingwood Magpies at the MCG. Slattery Images

The Melbourne Cricket Ground, the paddock that grew. It’s iconic of both Melbourne and Australia, from hosting the US Army in WWII, to setting baseball and rugby attendance records at various times.

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State of Origin was initially AFL’s idea

By Jason Cave December 2nd 2009 - (85)

The real Crawford Report exposed!

By Redb December 1st 2009 - (83)

Have Carlton recruited too many midfielders?

By Luke D'Anello December 1st 2009 - (15)

The ACT continues to produce AFL talent

By Pippinu November 29th 2009 - (48)

Making the case against free agency. For now!

By Matthew Stephen November 26th 2009 - (21)

Could the AFL catch a cold from the draft?

By Redb November 24th 2009 - (68)

Attention mothers of Sydney: AFL

By Michael C Jordan November 23rd 2009 - (44)

AFL’s lack of international competition hurting the game

By jono52795 November 20th 2009 - (256)

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