MENTION “free agency” to any old footy codger at the pub and brace yourself for a wave of beer scented spit through angry false teeth. “Free agency?! I remember when..”

Yes. You do remember when footballers played for a pittance.

THE only saving grace for Essendon in its performance enhancing drug scandal remains a letter from the World Anti-Doping Agency approving use of the anti-obesity drug AOD-9604 shown to the club – but WADA doubts the existence of it. The document, which was allegedly provided by sports scientists Stephen Dank, has yet to be seen in

PUNTERS are surging on the Bombers after their impressive 46-point win over Collingwood on ANZAC Day, but ironically it is all for the wrong reasons. Essendon is now fourth favourite for the wooden spoon according to some markets with the full report from Ziggy Switkowski to be released publicly next week. The findings are expected

MELBOURNE is embroiled in more controversy after a connection with sports scientist Stephen Dank with some of its players last year

ESSENDON coach James Hird has decided to ignore AFL chief Andrew Demetriou’s call for him to consider standing down as coach ahead of tonight’s clash against Fremantle at Patersons Stadium. Earlier today, Demetriou, in an interview with 3AW’s Neil Mitchell, said that he believed Hird should consider standing down pending the investigation, knowing a few

THE Herald Sun has this morning reported that under-fire Essendon coach James Hird will tell anti-doping authorities that he received two injections in March last year and he understood that they were legal amino acids. The report comes the morning after the ABC’s 7.30 program last night that revealed an extensive series of text messages between James

THE idea of a boutique stadium in Melbourne has been hotly debated of late due to the financial demands that come with playing at Etihad Stadium. North Melbourne, the Western Bulldogs and St Kilda have struggled financially with the Etihad deals with new options, including the possibilityof  the AFL buying Etihad Stadium, being thoroughly looked

IN emotional scenes at a Alice Springs court today, former AFL star Liam Jurrah, was found not guilty of assaulting his cousin last year. The verdict has given some hope to re-ignite Jurrah’s AFL career. Jurrah was found not guilty of “unlawfully causing serious harm to his cousin Basil Jurrah” in March last year. The former

IN welcome news regarding the management of head injuries, the AFL has today announced that they will take on board the recommendations of the AFL Medical Officers Association and introduce the use of a concussion substitute for the upcoming season. Under the change a team will be able to use a substitute to replace a player that

THE drama surrounding controversial sports scientist Stephen Dank has expanded and engulfed the NRL’s Cronulla Sharks with news emerging that up to 14 of the club’s players face immediate suspension after being implicated in ASADA’s anti-doping investigations. Indeed it had been reported that the 14 players have been told to accept a six-month suspension or

UPDATE: THE AFL has found Melbourne not guilty of tanking, however it has handed more severe than first thought suspensions to former coach Dean Bailey, now at Adelaide, and former football manager Chris Connolly. Connolly has been suspended until February, 2014 while Bailey has been suspended for the first 16 games of the 2013 season.

JUST imagine if Essendon skipper Jobe Watson was to be stripped of his Brownlow Medal after such a scintillating season last year. The reaction of his father, club champion Tim Watson, said it all this week

ASADA was spotted at Essendon training this morning as the authority continues its overall investigation into the Bombers’ performance enhancing drug scandal. The authority says it was a routine check and was also spotted at the Western Bulldogs training base at Whitten Oval earlier in the morning. Every player was tested during the targeted checks.

THE man at the centre of the Essendon drug scandal – Stephen Dank – says players were informed of the supplements they were having but didn’t believe that he was giving the players anything illegal. ”They were obviously quite happy with what I had discussed with them, and I figured that must have been consistent

AFL CEO Andrew Demetriou is seeking further clarification from the Australian Crime Commission today to notify the the specific club that has one individual involved in performance enhancing drug allegations. He has been told that he can make contact with the club but not about the specific charge it is facing. ACC chief John Lawler

CLUBS are at risk of being penalised with potential bans for two years, being stripped of awards such as Brownlow Medals and having the right to choose players at the next available draft as part of punishment from the AFL under WADA rules if found guilty of administering banned substances. Just a day after ASADA

A CAP on the number of interchanges per game is set to be be trialled in this year’s NAB Cup according to the AFL. Under the new rules, clubs will be able to have six players on the interchange with unlimited rotations for Round 1 of the NAB Cup but a limit of 20 interchanges

WE analyse those players at the centre of a drug-taking conspiracy and how a second AFL player reaching three strikes could be imminent

WHILE the AFL has become increasingly conscious of the connection between head trauma and concussion with long-term mental health issues such as depression and dementia, a recent article on the AFL.com.au website about the issue is just flat-out wrong

AUSSIE Rules continues to boom in its home state with a six per cent rise in overall participation over the past year. “AFL Victoria is pleased to see the growth of Australian Football across all forms of the game, with over 241,000 participants now taking part in the game across the State,” AFL Victoria General

THE Adelaide Football Club as well as chief executive Steven Trigg, football operations manager Phil Harper and former football operations manager John Reid, have been found guilty of all charges relating to salary cap and draft conduct breaches relating to hidden clauses in a contract with Kurt Tippett. Along with Tippett and his legal counsel, the

THE AFL has just announced that they will be suspending disgraced forward Kurt Tippett for the first 11 weeks of the 2013 home and away season for his part in the salary cap and draft rort that has engulfed the Adelaide Crows. As well as the suspension Tippett has been fined $50,000 and has a further

 THE AFL Commission will be sitting this Friday to rule on the charges that have been laid as a result of the Kurt Tippett salary cap scandal.  Football Nation takes a look at who did what and what the likely results will be. For the full story we recommend you read Emma Quayle’s excellent article

IN a widening of the investigation of the Adelaide Crows, news has emerged today that the AFL moved to tighten salary-cap loopholes by informing the Carlton Football Club that they will not to approve a new third party arrangement between Chris Judd and club sponsor Visy. As part of the deal that saw Judd move to

FOR the Melbourne Football Club 2009 was a year that they had hoped would be consigned to the dustbin of history, re-appearing only when they needed to look back to see how far they had come

The inaugural free agency has come and gone with ten players successfully taking advantage of the system to change clubs.

Here is the breakdown of who went where and when as well as the compensation picks that were issued by the

RULE changes at the end of an AFL season have become as much a part of off-season talk as overseas trips and trade week – now month – rumours. Fans feel ripped off because they believe the governing body isn’t listening to its loyal customers. Players and coaches get  frustrated as well, as they have

BRENDON Goddard is set  to make a move under the AFL’s new free agency rules, testing the market, picking his new “workplace” and negotiating directly with the Essendon Football Club after 10 years with St Kilda. Goddard, 27, was selected by the Saints with the number one overall selection in the 2002 AFL Draft, and went on to

THROUGHOUT the year Football Nation has run a series of articles on free agency to help bring fans up to speed on what it will mean for the AFL and we present those articles again as part of AFL Free Agency Primer

AFTER the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

AFTER the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

AFTER the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

AFTER the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

AFTER the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

AFTER the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

AFTER four years as CEO of North Melbourne, Eugene Arocca has today resigned the club.

Club president James Brayshaw made the announcement at 1pm today after a hastily called press conference

After the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

After the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

The issue of concussions and brain trauma is certainly right back on the football agenda. A segment on last night’s episode of Four Corners, and airtime on Triple J’s afternoon show Hack suggest that the issue is entering the mainstream discussion.  On Four Corners Professor Jeffrey Rosenfeld suggested that any concussed player – at any level – should

After the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

After the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

IN early March we posted a story reporting on the St Kilda Football Club’s preliminary discussions with the AFL about playing  for premiership points on ANZAC Day in Wellington, New Zealand. Back then the club’s Chief Executive Officer, Michael Nettlefold, had said that “We plan to continue those discussions (with the AFL) over the coming months but

After the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the lead

After the completion of the 2012 AFL season the league will be revolutionised by the introduction of free agency. For eligible players this will give them the ability to leave their current club, bypassing the draft and trade periods, and essentially pick their next employer themselves. For the AFL, this will be an unprecedented change. In the

IN THE VERY EARLY stages of Essendon’s first round clash against North Melbourne, Bombers onballer Heath Hocking was concussed by a football kicked into his head. In line with AFL guidelines, he was immediately substituted after showing clear symptoms. After the game, it is understood that, when quizzed by his team mates, he could not recall

LAST night the Gold Coast Suns got thumped by St Kilda. And with the exception of Gary Ablett Jnr, who it would seem has taken the art of fighting for a lost cause to a new level, there was very little in the performance of the Suns upon which any hope could be hung

UPDATE: MELBOURNE has dumped sponsor Energy Watch after distasteful comments by CEO Ben Polis attacking Aborigines, Asians, women, Muslims and Jews on his Facebook page. The club has labelled it as “disgraceful and abhorrent” and it became obvious that an action would formally be taken today. It completes an eventful week at Demon land which has included

THE AFL’s community engagement officer Jason Mifsud was behind the rumour that made Melbourne coach Mark Neeld extremely “angry” yesterday

MATTHEW Scarlett, the 15 year player, veteran of two premiership winning squads and 6-time all Australian, faces a likely suspension after swinging at (and collecting) Fremantle’s Hayden Ballantyne

BEN Cousins, the troubled former AFL star was arrested at  7.15pm last night on drug related charges. Acoording to a Sky News report Cousins has appeared in a West Australian country magistrates court charged with breaching bail conditions in relation to a drugs arrest at Esperance Airport. The Esperance Express wrote that Cousins, 33, has been charged

WHEN the AFL Players Association (AFLPA) announced the agreement that will see the introduction of Free Agency after the 2012 season they said “In a nutshell, Free Agency will provide a player who has played 8 years or more at the one club to negotiate directly with the club of his choice.” With the start

THE story that emerged yesterday began with news of an unnamed recruiter admitting to the AFL that “his club would baulk at picking up an Aboriginal footballer unless he had at least one white parent.”

THE conclusion of the 2012 AFL season will see Free Agency become a part of the off-season for the first time. Football Nation guest writer Alex Kingham looks at the impending changes in player movement

The AFL has just announced that St Kilda will be awarded the victory, and four NAB Cup points, after Essendon was unable to make the game in Wangaratta last night

DAYS after Richmond announced their intention to play a pre-season match in India in 2013, the St Kilda Football Club revealed this afternoon that they have held preliminary discussions with the AFL about playing for premiership points in Wellington, New Zealand

AFTER reports earlier this month from Richmond about their desire to do so, the Tigers now look to be set to playing a pre-season match in India next year

ONLY last year they signed a five year $1.23 billion broadcast agreement, now the future of that deal and the AFL’s ability to make money on broadcasting

Amongst all of the usual pre-season discussion, an issue that is usually embedded in post-season football talk – the contentious priority pick – has returned to the surface of football discussion. Guest Writer Alex Kingham takes us through the debate and controversy

IN RESPONSE to what may or may not be the temporary win by Optus to rebroadcast recorded games to their mobile customers, Telstra yesterday announced their new pricing plan for the upcoming AFL season.  For just $50 football fans will be able to watch every game in every round. The new pricing policy is part

TO GET an insight into the emerging controversy of sticky gloves you need to go back to the NFL in 1980 and one player in particular: Lester Hayes of the Oakland Raiders

Round 1 Saturday, March 24 VENUE EDT LOCAL TIME HOST TV NETWORK GWS GIANTS vs. Sydney Swans ANZ Stadium 7.20pm 7.20pm SEVEN Thursday, March 29 Richmond vs. Carlton MCG 7.40pm 7.40pm SEVEN Friday, March 30 Hawthorn vs. Collingwood MCG 7.50pm 7.50pm SEVEN Saturday, March 31 Melbourne vs. Brisbane Lions MCG 1.40pm 1.40pm FOX Gold Coast

FOLLOW the 2011 AFL Draft LIVE right here at footballnation.com.au from the Sydney Olympic Sports Centre… 1. GWS – Jonathan Patton 2. GWS – Stephen Coniglio 3. GWS – Dom Tyson 4. GWS – Will Hoskin-Elliott 5. GWS – Matthew Buntine 6. Port Adelaide – Chad Wingard 7. GWS – Nick Haynes 8. Brisbane Lions - Billy Longer 9.

HAWTHORN has moved on but haven’t forgotten the painful preliminary final loss to Collingwood last season. Jarryd Roughead was still limping and the only listed player not training in its first day back on the track entering the new season. He is battling an Achilles injury and not due back until mid-season. ”Collingwood have been the

THE Western Bulldogs have re-signed six players today including youngster Luke Dahlhaus. Dahlhaus and forward Matthew Panos have been upgraded to the senior list. Liam Jones, Christian Howard, Dylan Addison and Lukas Markovic have also re-signed with the club. “This is an extremely positive outcome for our club and completes the  re-signings of our remaining

THE Australian team headed by coach Rodney Eade is hopeful it can show more fight leading into the second test of the International Rules Series against Ireland. It was crushed by 44-points to the Irish on Friday night and face a massive challenge with an under-manned team that is already digging deep for personnel. Eade

FORMER Essendon coach Matthew Knights has been appointed the new Geelong VFL coach following the promotion of Dale Amos to assistant coach at the Cattery. Knights’ appointment is a shock signing for the VFL as the coaching merry go round hits fever pitch. The Cats are rapt to snare Knights as a development coach. “Matthew

Check out the delistings at your club so far over the off-season… Adelaide: Jake von Bertouch, Chris Schmidt, Lachlan Roach, Will Young, James Craig, James Sellar & Myke Cook Brisbane: Xavier Clarke, Matt Austin, Bart McCulloch, Albert Proud, Brendan Fevola & Broc McCauley Carlton: Mark Austin, Jaryd Cachia, Wayde Twomey, Joe Dare & Setanta O’hAilpin

EXCLUSIVE FORMER Western Bulldogs champion midfielder Scott West has signed as the new Werribee coach in a major signing today.  Werribee President John Nicol said he was excited that a Bulldogs champ is at the helm. “Scott is someone I have admired for his ability on the field, his work rate and commitment and his preparation.

WE review all of the trades that happened in 2011 Trade Week in the AFL which ended on Monday. ADELAIDE IN: Luke Brown (Norwood/GWS), Josh Jenkins (Ess), Lewis Johnston (Syd), Tom Lynch (SK), Brad Crouch (mini-draft), picks 27, 41, 46, 64.  OUT: Tony Armstrong (Syd), Jack Gunston (Haw), Ivan Maric (Rich), picks 10, 24, 31,

FN’s roving draft reporter BENNY TAYLOR caught up with likely top five AFL draft prospect Dom Tyson ahead of a massive, career defining month. With the 2011 AFL draft just around the corner, one name you will be hearing plenty of in the coming weeks is Dom Tyson. The 18 year old has just come off

FORMER Collingwood coach Mick Malthouse has kept the door ajar to return to coaching as soon as 2013 despite insisting previously that he was never to coach again. The Herald Sun’s Mike Sheahan has previously reported that Malthouse was never to coach again last week but now Malthouse is claiming that he would still look

ST KILDA has snared Northern Bullants goalsneak Ahmed Saad and gun Port Magpies forward Terry Milera as part of an exchange of picks with Greater Western Sydney today. Saad, who was featured on Football Nation’s The F Word last month, is regarded as one of the best players in the VFL and was a certainty to

OUT-going Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett wants his players to remember the painful preliminary final loss to Collingwood and bring it into next season. “Make sure something stays in your gut over the next few months. It’s a little lump, mines still fairly large,” Kennett said in his parting message. “However good we are and however

FORMER AFL coach Gary Ayres was informed over the weekend that he was no longer in the race for the St Kilda coaching position despite being within the final six. It is likely that one of Scott Watters, Robert Harvey or Ken Hinkley will be handed the job in the coming days. Ayres, who coached

COLLINGWOOD coach Mick Malthouse last night addressed his players and the Magpie faithful for one last time at the club’s best and fairest in which Scott Pendlebury upstaged Brownlow Medal winner Dane Swan to win. ”I sincerely wish you, Nathan (Buckley), all the very best for the future,” Malthouse said. “From being a passenger to

WE continue the trade week preview which begins on Monday between all competing clubs. Who will pinch the best experienced guns? We assess the options candidly on Football Nation…keep up to date with the latest trades with us this week. GREATER WESTERN SYDNEY: Draft picks to offer: 1, 2, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11, 13, 15,

WHO will your club trade from Monday? Who will they pick up? BRENT DIAMOND assesses the options club-by-club in our special trade week preview in part one. Part Two to follow. ADELAIDE: Draft picks to offer: 10, 32, 50, 68, 86. Likely to receive: Jordan Lisle and Xavier Ellis (Hawthorn) – likely to be involved in

PORT Melbourne premiership players believe coach Gary Ayres is in career-best form at the helm and are backing the former Geelong and Adelaide coach to revive his AFL coaching career at St Kilda. Ayres, who took the Borough to a history-making VFL flag on the back of 21 consecutive wins, wins, is believed to be a strong candidate for the Saints position as

GREATER Western Sydney coach Kevin Sheedy admits he is interested in snaring retired Western Bulldogs forward Barry Hall if he wanted to play on. “I would always contemplate listening to Barry Hall if he is seriously considering playing again,” Sheedy said on Radio SEN. “I’ve admired the fellow from a distance for a very long

FN reporter BRENT DIAMOND analyses the key players in today’s AFL grand final between Geelong and Collingwood at the MCG. KEY PLAYERS TO WATCH Travis Cloke (Collingwood) – Perhaps the most influential forward in the game. If Cloke is on, usually the Pies are the leaders. He has strong hands, takes the game on and

FN’s roving reporter DANIEL PAPROTH previews all the action for tomorrow’s AFL grand final between Collingwood and Geelong at the MCG. He also reveals his tip.  AFL Grand Final, Collingwood vs Geelong, Saturday 2:30, MCG The last Saturday in September has become the first Saturday in October and it is the grand final clash we

COLLINGWOOD midfielder Scott Pendlebury has rocketed into second favourite for the Brownlow Medal behind Chris Judd after a surge of late money for the premiership star tonight. Pendlebury is at $4.50 behind Judd at $2.20 to take home Charlie tonight. Adam Goodes is third favourite at $4.75 according to Sportsbet. Hawthorn midfielder Sam Mitchell is

COLLINGWOOD assistant coach Tarkyn Lockyer says a grand final berth for back-up ruckman Cameron Wood would be a “just reward” given his rapid improvement this season. Wood, who was an emergency for Friday night’s preliminary final clash, looms as a possible inclusion for next week’s grand final if the Pies’ no.1 ruckman Darren Jolly doesn’t

HAWTHORN may have been the loser in Friday night’s qualifying final but its players believe that it is only the beginning of its premiership assault. The Hawks were shattered by a three-point loss to the Pies in that they led from start to mid-way through the final term before the Pies snatched the lead once

MELBOURNE would be licking its lips at the performance of father-son prospect Jack Viney, who won the medal for best on ground in the Oakleigh Chargers’ eight-point loss to the Sandringham Dragons in the TAC Cup grand final at Etihad Stadium yesterday. Viney, who has a body ideal for AFL, had accrued 11 disposals in

PORT Melbourne capped off a perfect undefeated season to win its first flag in 29 years after a dominant 56-point win over Williamstown in the VFL grand final at Etihad Stadium yesterday. It was Port coach Gary Ayres’ first coaching premiership after winning five flags as a Hawthorn player. He rates it  ”pretty high” among

FN’s roving reporter DANIEL PAPROTH previews all the action in preliminary final week of the AFL and reveals who may be battling it out for the premiership next week. First Preliminary Final, Collingwood vs Hawthorn, Friday7:45pm, MCG Rumours of an undignified exit for Hawthorn appear to have been exaggerated, following their dismantling ofSydneylast week. The

ALL eyes will be on Hawthorn forward Lance Franklin tomorrow when he rejoins his team-mates for training after another health scare – this time gastro just a week after a knee injury. The Hawks have said that Franklin is a certain starter for Friday night’s preliminary final against Collingwood after the Hawks advanced with a

THIS week’s grand final edition of The F Word features the press conferences of the TAC Cup and VFL grand finals from Etihad Stadium. It will feature coaches and captains of the competing teams as well as a five-minute bumper preview show with The Sunday Age’s Brent Diamond, Sunday Herald Sun’s Howard Leigh and VFL

THE AFL coaching merry go round has continued with Geelong assistant Brenton Sanderson named as the new Adelaide coach today. In Monday’s other big announcement, Essendon assistant Brendan McCartney was named the new coach of the Western Bulldogs – pulling off the surprise of the day – as he won the position ahead of highly-rated

CARLTON midfielder Jordan Russell is one of several stars that could attract interest from rival clubs after falling out of favour at the selection table in the latter part of the season. The 24-year-old, despite being contracted, has been linked to a move to Greater Western Sydney after playing just one AFL match – against

FN’s roving reporter DANIEL PAPROTH previews all the action in the semi-finals of the AFL and predicts who can advance to next week’s preliminary finals against Geelong and Collingwood. First Semi Final, Hawthorn vs Sydney, 7:45 Friday, MCG Geelong’s relatively comfortable defeat of Hawthorn last week, followed by Sydney’s stirring win over St Kilda, has

ROSS Lyon has quit as coach of St Kilda and has accepted a five year deal with Fremantle after Mark Harvey was controversially sacked today. A press conference will be held at Fremantle tomorrow to confirm the appointment. St Kilda confirmed in a press release tonight that Lyon has departed. “The St Kilda Football Club

IN the wake of losing Lance Franklin for at least a week with a knee strain, North Ballarat premiership coach Gerard FitzGerald has labelled one of his former guns – Hawthorn’s Isaac Smith – as a September specialist. Smith is aiming to be part of a third consecutive premiership team after being involved in a

PORT Melbourne coach Gary Ayres has implored AFL clubs to continue to look closely at VFL draft prospects after he was named as VFL Coach of the Year on Monday night. “You’d like to think that recruiters do their work and take it very seriously,” Ayres said. “You’ve seen in previous years Robin Nahas, Michael

PORT Melbourne midfielder Shane Valenti was a surprise runaway winner of his second consecutive J.J Liston Trophy Medal for the VFL’s best and fairest last night. The former Melbourne-listed player, who was a joint winner with Greater Western Sydney rookie Stephen Clifton (North Ballarat) last season, has almost certainly enhanced his chances of being plucked

TOM Scully has officially signed with Greater Western Sydney after months of speculation that he was tied to the new club. The Demons N0.1 draft pick spent the weekend touring the clubs’ facilities but despite being linked to the club for the entire season, he insisted that he still hadn’t made his mind up until

CARLTON forward Jarrad Waite’s season appears all but over after being a late withdrawal from the Northern Bullants’ VFL clash yesterday. Waite was selected to make a last-ditch bid to return in the VFL from a hip complaint that has sidelined him since Round 16 but couldn’t pass a final fitness test. While the Blues

FN’s roving reporter DANIEL PAPROTH previews all the action in week one of the AFL finals exclusive to footballnation.com.au Second Qualifying Final, Geelong vs Hawthorn, Friday 7:45, MCG Tantalising clash between two of the heavyweights of the past few years. Both sides will head into the game with confidence, though fans may have different ideas.

IN the third edition of The F Word, our expert panel previews the JJ Liston Trophy to be held on Monday night, The Fothergill-Round Medal and of course the VFL finals in semi-finals week. We speak to Northern Bullants’ gun and AFL draft prospect Ahmed Saad, who reveals a players’ perspective of the changing of