When a player flinches on the footy field,there’s nowhere to hide. But the old-school approach of humiliation has reached its use-by date.
Pressure is building on Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge,and despite public denials from both the club and coach,it is clear the relationship is strained and change is needed.
The Suns,with their riches of young talent and growing superstars,are on the brink of a meteoric rise. This is a warning to all:prepare yourselves,for the Suns are ready to unleash a new era of dominance in the AFL.
Despite attempts to downplay the issues,the reports of illicit drug use and disharmony caused by footy trips should be ringing alarm bells for the AFL and its players’ association.
Every year at every AFL club,a player will start the season not knowing they are about to leave the game. Few get to leave the sport in control of their exit. The likes of Shane Crawford and Joel Selwood are the exceptions to the norm.
Just before Christmas,I received an unexpected offer:an invitation to join a high-profile boxing event in Adelaide during the week of the AFL’s Gather Round. This is why I accepted.
Premierships are hard to win. Back-to-back flags are even harder. To avoid being brought down,Collingwood need much more than luck,talent and strategy. They must evolve,innovate and adapt.
The AFL’s relentless pursuit of safety and the mounting legal cases threaten to strip the very essence of the game.
Alastair Clarkson’s magic touch waned at Hawthorn,and his maiden year at North Melbourne was a mess. While some have low expectations of the Roos,he should be aiming for nine wins in 2024.
Ageism in the AFL has favoured younger coaches,but Chris Fagan has defied so many preconceptions,particularly the notion that an older coach cannot relate to today’s players.
How do Carlton again win the unwinnable game? There is a way. In games with high stakes,the Lions have revealed a soft underbelly.