Robert Walls in 2012: Malthouse a big risk as Blues err in axing Ratten

Former Age columnist Robert Walls made the call back in August 2012. "Buyer beware, Blues".

Howe the greatest 'hanger' does it

Rohan Connolly   It's a big call, but we reckon Melbourne's Jeremy Howe might just be the greatest high-flyer the game of Australian football has ever seen.

Up high, down low ... Brownlow?

Greg Baum   Lachie Hunter didn't really have a prayer. With minutes to play and the Western Bulldogs/Fremantle match in the balance, he'd made a strong lead to a Easton Wood's kick-in.

Cumby, the footballer who first showed there's life after 40

Peter Hanlon   Dustin Fletcher is about to become the second 40-year-old to play AFL/VFL football, but he'll never top the story of Vic Cumberland.

Dustin Fletcher: the 10 best performances

Rohan Connolly   In Saturday night's annual Dreamtime clash, 40-year-old Dustin Fletcher becomes just the third man to play 400 games alongside Michael Tuck and Kevin Bartlett.

Tuck welcomes Fletcher into 400 club

Hawthorn legend Michael Tuck says Dustin Fletcher's upcoming 400-game milestone is a testament to the veteran Bomber's love of Australia's indigenous football code.

Judd thinks more clearly than AFL

Tim Lane   Chris Judd's public commentary is not unlike his shooting for goal: sparingly exercised, performed without affectation, and pretty effective at hitting the target.

Why the Essendon 34 ended up on a journey to CAS

As a purely national code, why did the AFL come under the umbrella of WADA and its rules?

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Jeremy Cameron is the pride of Dartmoor

Peter Hanlon   The young Giant's star continues to rise, and back in Dartmoor the locals are counting every goal.

Inside story of anti-doping tribunal hearing

Whatever the Essendon players took in 2012, they took the points when they were cleared by the AFL anti-doping tribunal. Here's what happened inside the courtroom.

Too big even for City Hall

You can't fight City Hall, they said. You won't stop the AFL from having its way. And so it proved. First, the AFL conspired (legally) with ASADA to bring charges against Essendon ....

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Judd agrees to unconventional request

Scott Spits   You could have easily joked about Chris Judd happily giving up his Carlton jumper after the Blues' loss to Geelong.

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VIDEOS

Footy Fix: AFL round eight tips

Rohan Connolly previews the weekend's AFL action, including the grand final rematch between reigning premiers Hawthorn and Sydney at the MCG on Saturday night.

Front and Centre: How low can the Blues go?

Rohan Connolly and Daniel Cherny review all the weekend AFL action, including Carlton's thrashing at the hands of the GWS Giants.

Sheedy urges night grand final trial

Kevin Sheedy urges the AFL to consider playing a grand final under lights, believing it "might be something sensational".

The accidental footballer

Leon Baker was never one to bask in the limelight and still considers himself an "accidental footballer".

Footballer of the Year: Round 7

Round seven votes for the Age Footballer of the Year award for the 2015 premiership season.

AFL season 2015: The right stuff

In of Hawthorn's second consecutive premiership last year, there's another football maxim that might need some re-writing.

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The legend of Leon Baker

Rohan Connolly   The dual premiership player is a famous grand final figure, yet one whose story has rarely been told.

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Priddis proves the power of humility

Peter Hanlon   Nowhere in a blocked-out calendar do the howls of "look at me" echo louder than the Brownlow.

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