AFL
SportAustralian Associated PressSuns have to get better says coach Dew
Gold Coast coach Stuart Dew has warned his team that another sloppy performance like the display against Carlton would struggle to beat any AFL team, let alone a red-hot Western Bulldogs.The Suns slipped to a 1-3 record on Saturday after the 11-point loss to the Blues with Dew lamenting his team's poor decision-making and error rate.
SportAustralian Associated PressChanges on cards for flat AFL Magpies
The selection axe looms at Collingwood with coach Nathan Buckley demanding change after the Magpies' flat start to the AFL season.Collingwood were inconsistent across the opening three rounds but a largely listless performance in Saturday night's loss to injury-ravaged GWS saw them slip to 1-3.
SportAustralian Associated PressTeague wants Blues to fill the 'G vs Port
Carlton coach David Teague wants Blues fans to fill the MCG for next weekend's AFL clash against Port Adelaide.The Blues made it two wins in a row on Saturday as they outlasted Gold Coast in a scrappy 11-point win at Metricon Stadium.
SportAustralian Associated PressBlues edge Suns in scrappy AFL win
Carlton have outlasted a sloppy Gold Coast to claim a scrappy 9.11 (59) AFL win at Metricon Stadium on Saturday.
SportAustralian Associated PressCameron lauds gutsy Giants after AFL win
Coach Leon Cameron has hailed GWS' character in bouncing back from a rough start to the AFL season to grind out a 30-point win over Collingwood.Stand-in captain Toby Greene booted five goals to inspire the injury-hit Giants to a superb 14.
SportAustralian Associated PressNo excuses for Eagles fadeout: Simpson
West Coast coach Adam Simpson insists there are no excuses for the Eagles' dramatic second-half capitulation to St Kilda.The Eagles seemed to be cruising to their third victory of the AFL season on Saturday when they led by 33 points midway through the third term at Marvel Stadium.
SportAustralian Associated PressDees midfielders ready for Cats' hard tag
Melbourne are prepared for Geelong to send tagger Mark O'Connor to gun midfielder Clayton Oliver as they attempt to go 4-0 and achieve their best start to the AFL season since 1994.The Irishman did a stellar job on Brisbane's Lachie Neale, then Hawthorn's Tom Mitchell in consecutive weeks, while Oliver was held to 23 touches by GWS' Matt De Boer.
SportAustralian Associated PressSaints' AFL comeback stuns West Coast
St Kilda have overturned a 33-point deficit midway through the third quarter to stun West Coast by 20 points in a rousing AFL comeback at Marvel Stadium.Coming off the most embarrassing defeat in Brett Ratten's tenure as coach, the Saints produced a scintillating turnaround to boot the last eight goals on Saturday and storm over the top of the tired Eagles.
SportAustralian Associated PressLions tame Magpies, reach AFLW grand final
Brisbane coach Craig Starcevich is hoping it will be a case of third time lucky when his Lions tackle the Adelaide Crows in the AFLW grand final next weekend.The Lions qualified for the decider with a tense four-point win over Collingwood in hot conditions at the Gabba.
SportAustralian Associated PressKangaroos need to build resilience: Noble
North Melbourne coach David Noble has urged the Kangaroos to develop more resilience as they chase a rare AFL win on Sunday.The cellar-dwellers will host Adelaide at Marvel Stadium, nine days after a humiliating 128-point defeat at the hands of the Western Bulldogs in their marquee Good Friday game.
SportAustralian Associated PressFagan says Lions have held up well
At first glance, a 1-3 start to the AFL season by the Brisbane Lions doesn't make pretty reading for last year's preliminary finalists.But coach Chris Fagan insists there's no need to hit the panic button.
SportAustralian Associated PressBulldogs extend their AFL winning run
Tim English was the star turn in a three-pronged tall forward set-up as the Western Bulldogs continued their unbeaten start to the AFL season with a 19-point win over the Brisbane Lions at Mars Stadium.A cold and windy Ballarat day was hardly tailor-made for marking forwards, but English (three goals and nine marks), Aaron Naughton (two goals and eight marks) and Josh Bruce (one goal) still combined for the bulk of the Bulldogs' tally in the 10.
SportAustralian Associated PressCrows fly past Demons to AFLW grand final
Adelaide will attempt to win their third AFLW premiership in five years without inspirational skipper Chelsea Randall.The Crows progressed to the season finale with an 18-point preliminary final win over Melbourne at Adelaide Oval on Saturday, but the victory was soured by a head injury to Randall.
SportAustralian Associated PressHawks rest Shaun Burgoyne against Dockers
Hawthorn have handed veteran Shaun Burgoyne a rest for Sunday's AFL clash with Fremantle in Perth, while the Dockers have loaded up their forward line.Burgoyne has been listed as an emergency for the match, but is still theoretically a chance to play as the medical sub.
SportAustralian Associated PressTigers coach dodges AFL flashpoints
Coach Damien Hardwick says it's futile buying into controversial flashpoints in Richmond's two-point AFL loss to Port Adelaide.Port's Robbie Gray threaded a match-winning set-shot with minutes remaining at Adelaide Oval on Friday night.
SportAustralian Associated PressPort Adelaide pip Richmond in AFL thriller
Port Adelaide great Robbie Gray has coolly slotted a clutch set-shot to give the Power a nerve-jangling two-point AFL win over Richmond.Gray's 45-metre match-winner from a tight angle ensured Port held off the Tigers for an 11.
SportAustralian Associated PressCrows' Sloane out with serious eye issue
Fearless Adelaide skipper Rory Sloane is to undergo surgery to fix a serious eye issue.The 31-year-old has been ruled out of the Crows' AFL clash with North Melbourne on Sunday and will miss up to four weeks.
SportAustralian Associated PressBulldogs' Dunkley reveals vicious trolling
Western Bulldogs midfielder Josh Dunkley has revealed a disgruntled supporter sent him directions to go jump off a bridge following an AFL defeat three years ago.In a shocking insight into the vicious abuse AFL players receive online, Dunkley said he opened up a message in 2018 which put him at "rock bottom".
SportAustralian Associated PressDockers in backflip as Treacy selected
Fremantle rookie Josh Treacy called a meeting with coach Justin Longmuir on Friday morning for a heart-to-heart chat, and he walked out as a soon-to-be AFL debutant.Treacy was locked in to make his AFL debut in round one before a WAFL suspension during a practice match scuppered those plans.
SportAustralian Associated PressEagles superboot Hurn looks good for 2022
West Coast coach Adam Simpson reckons Shannon Hurn is in All-Australian form, with the record-breaking defender a strong chance to play on next AFL season.Hurn was below his best last year, raising questions about his future.
SportAustralian Associated PressGreene to lead young Giants in MCG return
Leon Cameron views a return to the MCG for the first time since their 2019 grand-final loss as a "great moment, great opportunity" for his struggling GWS side.The coach insists they won't let bulk injuries to key players destroy their season.
SportAustralian Associated PressEagle Shuey undergoes hamstring surgery
West Coast Eagles captain Luke Shuey faces an extended period on the AFL sidelines after undergoing surgery on his damaged left hamstring tendon.Shuey has suffered a spate of hamstring injuries over the past year, with his latest setback occurring in last week's 37-point win over Port Adelaide.
SportAustralian Associated PressBulldogs temper expectations for Bruce
Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge claims it would be "outrageous" if Josh Bruce is able to bag another monster AFL goal-haul.The left-footed forward became the first AFL player to kick 10 goals in a game since Ben Brown in 2019 when he tore apart a hapless North Melbourne defence on Good Friday.
SportAustralian Associated PressSuns don't want AFL's 'almost' label
Touk Miller has had enough of Gold Coast earning plaudits as an AFL "almost" team.Last weekend's effort against Adelaide is exactly the type of game the Suns need to start winning in the midfielder's opinion if they are fair dinkum about progressing into a top-eight contender.
SportAustralian Associated PressScience, gut feel behind Buddy selections
The Swans are using a mixture of science and gut feel to determine how often Lance Franklin will play, as the superstar forward closes in on the AFL's most coveted statistic.Franklin kicked three goals in Sydney's win over Essendon on Thursday, lifting him to 950, just 20 behind Jack Titus who is sixth on the all-time goalkicking list.
