There was no Brett Ratten and no Paddy Ryder but that was no problem for St Kilda, who were without their coach – a COVID protocol absentee – and their gun ruckman, who was suspended earlier this week, and were still able to cope with the challenge of a determined Gold Coast Suns. Brendon Lade took charge of the team […]

BlueBet Stadium: Nathan Cleary celebrated his contract extension by setting up arguably Penrith’s best try of the night during their 40-12 romp over Brisbane – but the pin-up was later placed on report for an awkward tackle on Billy Walters. Cleary, whose future is secure at the foot of the mountains until 2027, was placed on report for a 65th-minute […]

Collingwood coach Craig McRae said his side learned a lot from Thursday night’s seven-point loss to the Brisbane Lions, but lamented the Magpies had suffered another “honourable loss”. “We want to win, let’s face it, honourable losses are one thing, but if you have 22 honourable losses you finish bottom,” McRae said. “We’re here to win and we didn’t get […]

Carlton coach Michael Voss is confident Blues skipper Patrick Cripps will only miss one game with a hamstring injury he sustained against the Gold Coast Suns last Sunday. Cripps was seen running laps at Carlton training on Friday but will miss the Blues’ round five match against the still winless Port Adelaide on Sunday afternoon at the MCG. Patrick Cripps […]

OPINION: It is now almost two years since New Zealand Rugby engaged investment bank Jefferies to run a tender to find the national union a private equity partner. Two years and still an agreement has not been ratified and it’s hard not to wonder now whether this plan to flood the game with US investment firm Silver Lake’s cash is […]

Key posts 6.56pmMedical subs named 6.45pm‘Make them remember you’: Leigh Matthews presents Kai Lohmann with first jumper 6.07pmMihocek and Ginnivan out, leaving Pies searching for ‘creative’ response 6.07pmListen: Real Footy podcast: ‘Back to earth with a thud’ 1 of 1 Medical subs named No late changes for either club and we have the medical subs named with Nakia Cockatoo (Brisbane) […]

Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge says inaccurate goalkicking has been addressed within the team and he expects last year’s grand finalists will begin to turn the tide after a slow start this season. The Bulldogs will enter the Good Friday match against North Melbourne as the second-worst side in the competition for goal accuracy, only converting 40 per cent of […]

The AFL Tribunal has dismissed St Kilda’s attempt to have Paddy Ryder’s hit on Hawk Will Day downgraded, with the key ruckman still banned for two matches. The league’s match review officer charged Ryder with rough conduct and graded the incident as careless, with high-impact and high contact. Ryder made contact with Day’s head with his right shoulder in the […]

Gillon McLachlan’s greatest successes as AFL chief executive were the product of his leadership style, which also was the source of his most obvious failure. On the plus side, McLachlan will be remembered for two major achievements. The first was that he steered the competition and the clubs through the COVID-19 crisis, when the AFL first suspended its (2020) season […]

Gillon McLachlan’s final months in the job will be as important as almost any during his time in charge but having one foot out the door to resignation would not be an impediment to him nailing the critical decisions in football, his predecessor Andrew Demetriou said. “I think if anyone is going to do it he’ll do it, and they […]