With football increasing, or argumentatively starting, its presence on the international stage, and with the AFL looking to grow the game off Australia’s shores, is a team representing the rest of the world the way to go?

The coaches of the AFL’s top three draft picks have refused to put pressure on their new recruits to play in 2009, despite their clubs’ desperate need for the trio to be up and running as soon as possible.

Finding a long-term replacement for retiring legend David Neitz sealed Melbourne’s decision to make key forward Jack Watts the No.1 pick at this year’s AFL national draft.

The closest Ben Cousins came to the 2008 AFL national draft was his photo on a large banner hanging from the wall, recalling past glories.

Tom Hislop would want to make the most of this AFL second chance. The 20-year-old former Essendon midfielder was the first delisted player named on Saturday in the national draft.

Brisbane Lions football manager Graeme Allan said he was “shocked” to be able to snap up highly-fancied WA midfielder Daniel Rich with their first round selection in the AFL National Draft on Saturday.

Essendon have signed their first international AFL rookie, putting Irish teenager Michael Quinn on their list.

An article in The Advertiser by Rebecca Wilson has caused quite a storm in Adelaide having labelled the Reds ACL defeat as “humiliating” and leaving “soccer in crisis.” Rather, the Reds ACL journey should be seen as an opportunity for the game to grow and does not represent its death knell.

Much has been said, both positive and negative, about the AFL International Rules series against the Irish GAA teams. However, if ever two codes could run a ‘compromise’ rules game, it would be the two rugby codes.

Sydney Swans coach Paul Roos says he is waiting to hear from Barry Hall about any possible move to boxing.

The AFL today sent a discussion paper to the 16 clubs, seeking feedback on a number of topics relating to the laws of the game.

It is often said that “imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.” And certainly in sports, despite each game bleating about its unique virtues, in many parts of their setup they clamber over each other to mimic areas of perceived strength.

The global finance crisis should be ringing alarm bells loud and clear as the AFL pushes on with its fanciful plans to base the competition’s 18th team in western Sydney. The league’s strategy is centred on being able to get a hefty increase in payments for television rights when they come up for renewal in [...]

Has any club benefited from the AFL’s socialist draft system more than Carlton? Cheat the salary cap, stuff the list with overpaid ageing stars and suffer years of on-field ineptitude as a result.

One of the big weeks of the AFL season, which has fans on the edge of their seats, happens after the Grand Final has been played and won. The AFL trade period kicked off this week very slowly with both representatives from the Lions and Adelaide commenting on how quiet the first couple of days [...]

If AFL Trade Week was a Shakespeare play it would be called Much Ado About Nothing because, while a lot of hype and speculation is generated, not much usually ever happens. And everything which does happen always seems to take place five minutes before the trade deadline.

Chris Judd’s not available, but recruiting conservatism is. They’re the two compelling factors which should make clubs tread carefully in AFL trade week, which starts tomorrow.

With Channel 7 running the show, sadly there is no Robert Walls. Off the bat the sight of an ageing Ian Moss tells you what to expect from the pre-game entertainment: loosely defined ‘rockers’ past their prime. Are you hyped yet? Me neither.

Shane Crawford’s recovery from a knee injury will determine whether the Hawthorn star plays on in 2009 in pursuit of back-to-back AFL premierships.

Hawthorn’s young outfit slayed the AFL giant at the MCG today and in the process defied conventional wisdom on how quickly a club can climb from ground zero to the top of the mountain.
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