AFL

Nic Martin at Essendon training earlier this month.

Updated

Essendon’s injury curse continues: Martin to miss 2026 after further knee surgery

The Bombers’ bad luck on the injury front has worsened again. Meanwhile, Brian Cook’s appointment to mentor CEO Paul Guerra comes after a season of huge change at Melbourne.

byMichael Gleeson

Mason Cox’s unlikely AFL journey will continue at Fremantle.

Analysis

The second-chance saloon: How one club’s trash becomes another’s treasure

byMarc McGowan

AFLW North Melbourne player Emma Kearney

‘Tell me to retire’: How a football legend broke her own promise

byHannah Kennelly

Exclusive

AFL’s biggest broadcast partner isn’t happy with its deal – and it’s pulled the plug before

bySam McClure

Zach Merrett’s time as Essendon skipper has ended.

Updated

Essendon avoid a summer of discontent with Merrett’s captaincy call

byMichael Gleeson

Insight & Analysis

Zach Merrett knew leaving Essendon was a long shot, but he tried anyway. He explains why

Merrett’s request to leave Essendon for Hawthorn was the talk of trade period, but a deal didn’t get done. He explains why he’s excited to be back and why he wanted the move in the first place, and gives an answer on the captaincy for 2026.

Michael Gleeson

Sports columnist

From Gold Coast’s golden academy, to the club that didn’t pick at all: Analysing every club’s 2025 draft

All up, 60 footballers found an AFL home in the most compromised national draft in history. We look at each club’s haul and hear from recruiting and list managers to explain their strategies.

Marc McGowan

Sports reporter

AFL’s biggest broadcast partner isn’t happy with its deal – and it’s pulled the plug before

The British sports streaming giant has recently terminated domestic soccer deals in France and Belgium.

Sam McClure

Sports reporter

Latest in AFL

Updated

AFL 2026

Essendon avoid a summer of discontent with Merrett’s captaincy call

Zach Merrett reached his decision to vacate the captaincy in the past few days after meetings with club president Andrew Welsh, CEO Craig Vozzo and senior coach Brad Scott.