AFL

Rohan Connolly

Rohan Connolly, a senior football writer for The Age and radio broadcaster with sports radio station 1116 SEN, has been covering the game since 1983. A multi-AFL Media Association award-winner known for his passion and love of the game, he analyses the AFL for the newspaper and contributes a blog and weekly video, "Footy Fix", for The Age's football website, Real Footy.

No show: Stephen Dank did not appear at his scheduled hearing.

AFL throws out Dank appeal, ASADA goes whack

ASADA has taken aim at disgraced sports scientist Stephen Dank after his appeal against a lifetime ban from sport was formally thrown out by the AFL Appeal Board on Monday.

David Myers: "I watched a couple of games early in the season and just found it really difficult."

'Weird' year for Bomber Myers, on many fronts

For Essendon midfielder and leader David Myers, a 12-month suspension over the supplements saga has not only proved a blessing in disguise, but offered a brighter perspective on life as a professional footballer.

One more year: Youngsters Dylan Buckley (left) and Nick Graham (right, with Patrick Cripps)  need to prove themselves to ...

Blues keep heat on young pair

Carlton has challenged Dylan Buckley and Nick Graham to make good on their youthful promise, the pair set to play on only one-year contract deals in 2017.

Marcus Bontempelli gets a handball away in traffic against the Lions.

Drafting to stay ahead of the game's curve

As the AFL national draft nears, will clubs look more towards players with less immediately obvious attributes as they chase the game's developmental curve? It seems to have worked for the Western Bulldogs.

Jobe Watson will be leading the Bombers' charge in 2017.

Best to worse: your club's draw

The AFL fixture is important, but our tried and trusted ranking formula also shows a tough draw needn't be a killer blow to teams' hopes in 2017.