Dual AFLW premiership player and sports physiotherapist Libby Birch uses skills from both her professions to analyse some of the biggest injuries in football and how they will impact players and clubs. I had the best seat in the house on Friday night – riding the MCG boundary. Unfortunately, I witnessed injury carnage as the Cats and Pies played a […]

All going to plan, Haumole Olakau’atu is half a dozen or so Big Macs away from a NSW State of Origin jersey. Blues coach Brad Fittler has long been a fan of both players in winning teams and the Manly man mountain, who has gone to another level in the Sea Eagles’ unbeaten start under Anthony Seibold. Olakau’atu says he […]

Key points Every AFL club activated their substitute at some stage during their round one match. Only six of the substitutions were made due to a game-ending injury. The rule meant coaches could pick players they knew could not play a full match. The first real taste of the AFL’s tactical substitute’s return did not pave the way for more […]

First published in The Age on March 22, 1983 Lions on parade Fitzroy Football Club returned to its old home in Brunswick Street, Fitzroy, last night with a 30-piece brass band playing in the rain. The Lions’ old warrior Kevin Murray led players and supporters on a march up Brunswick Street along the tramline to the ground. Lions’ old warrior […]

Melbourne face a potential halves crisis, with Jahrome Hughes at risk of joining Cameron Munster on the NRL sidelines after being charged over late contact. Hughes is the only player facing a ban out of Saturday’s NRL matches, with six other players able to escape with a fine. The Storm halfback earned the ire of the match review panel for […]

Essendon supporters have had little to smile about for a while now. Their summer did not exactly provide reassurance. There were simmering feuds, misguided appointments and outlandish statements from people who should know better. Alwyn Davey junior’s first goal was an early highlight on a memorable day for the Bombers against Hawthorn.Credit:Getty Images But all was forgotten in one hour […]

When you are a 10-year-old boy, you are not supposed to be an inspiration to a grown man. However, Nicholas Tadros is no ordinary kid. His toughness and resilience in the most awful of circumstances has made him just that for Penrith’s Jarome Luai – his hero. Nicholas is the boy who lost his mum and was seriously injured in […]

Melbourne’s midfield magicians Christian Petracca and Clayton Oliver reprised an old trick to sink a familiar foe who should have known better. After paying the ultimate price on grand final day two years ago, the Western Bulldogs were punished again on Saturday night as the Demons bolted away in the second half to open their season with an ominous 50-point […]

Joey Manu will miss one match for a high shot on Isaiah Tass, while Sydney Roosters teammate Fletcher Baker can escape with a fine for a similar high shot on Campbell Graham. The match review committee on Saturday morning also issued fines for South Sydney pair Michael Chee Kam and Cody Walker following Friday night’s blockbuster derby, which the Roosters […]

If the AFL season can be thought of as a series of increasingly pointed questions, Collingwood had more answers this introductory night in a thoroughly gripping game of footy. But there are many pages to be turned yet, though not Collingwood’s Jeremy Howe, whose crash-landing from a typical leap early in the third quarter caused him such a gruesome injury […]