Hepp to it: Bomber declares he's ready for captaincy

Despite being banned from the game for a year, Dyson Heppell has learned plenty. Now, he's even more qualified to take over as Essendon captain should the opportunity arise.

Collingwood make a play for Hawthorn's Graham Wright

Collingwood has made a play for Hawthorn's highly regarded list manager Graham Wright in its search for a new head of football.

Cats back in the black with $2.3m profit

Having recorded consecutive net losses in 2014 and 2015, Geelong have reversed their off-field fortunes with a $2.3m profit in 2016.

Petrie gets a lifeline from West Coast

Drew Petrie will move to Perth and play for a 17th season after being drafted onto the West Coast rookie list on Monday.

Xavier Richards 'disappointed' as career takes swan dive

Left without an AFL club for 2017 despite playing in a grand final last month, Xavier Richards was left "disappointed" but at peace according to his manager.

Sam Fisher joins Sydney Swans as a Category B Rookie

Canberra product Sam Fisher has joined the Sydney Swans as a category B rookie.

Meet West Coast Eagles top draft pick Daniel Venables

West Coast's first draft pick has drawn comparisons with Patrick Dangerfield. So why wasn't he a top 10 pick and why were draft experts surprised when the Eagles swooped on him at pick 13?

AFL throws out Dank appeal, ASADA goes whack

• UPDATED

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.

Live: AFL rookie draft

It's the last-chance saloon for prospective AFL players as clubs make their rookie selections.

Ex-Magpie legend shocked by North's bid on his son

Ex-Magpies skipper, now a coach with the Kangaroos, says he was unprepared for the club's bid for his son in Friday night's draft.

Names to watch in the rookie draft

Emma Quayle runs the rule over the unlucky prospects overlooked in last week's national draft.

Ablett sends message to Gold Coast teammates

Gary Ablett's term as Gold Coast captain is all but over as reports emerge of trouble with his family in Geelong.

Moore thinks 2017 Pies forwards will have something to Crow about

Young Collingwood forward Darcy Moore hopes an "eclectic" forward set up in 2017 will have the Pies looking like the semi-finalist Adelaide Crows.

Sandringham Dragons' stellar night in the national draft

Five of the top 11 draft picks this year played for the Sandringham Dragons, with several others hoping to be picked up in Monday's rookie draft.

How'd you go in the draft? Club-by-club analysis

Emma Quayle runs the rule over each AFL club's new cohort of young talent.

Petrevski-Seton ready to heat up Blues' midfield

Having spent the past fortnight installing solar panels, Carlton's top draft pick Sam Petrevski-Seton will now look to add some electricity to a midfield recruiting chief Steve Silvagni says has craved speed.

Cats, Crows to snare sons of guns in rookie draft

Geelong and Adelaide are set to secure respective father-son prospects Sam Simpson and Ben Jarman at Monday's AFL rookie draft.

AFL dream far from over for Canberra prospects

Canberra's AFL prospects Sam Fisher, Lucas Meline and Jordan Harper were over looked during Friday's national draft but their journey to the big time is far from done.

After Goodes, is it all the bad and the ugly?

Adam Goodes didn't so much retire from the AFL as he did dissolve inside the public debate he stimulated around racism.

Bombers cash in on number one pick

Essendon has not wasted time in cashing in on its number one draft pick, on Saturday encouraging fans to bid for hats bearing the 18-year-old's autograph.

Hawks' Mitchell Lewis selection stuns draft

Quirks, whispers, bits and pieces from the backrooms and sidelines of the national draft.

I was shaking: No.1 pick tells of 'massive relief' to be a Bomber

Essendon won over Andy McGrath with a club tour, but he says had no idea if they really wanted him until they called his name.

Draft 2016: 'Bit of Wanganeen' in new Bomber Andy McGrath

Essendon thrilled with a No.1 draft choice with speed, agility and the ability to change the direction of a game - lIke the ir '93 Brownlow medallist.

As it happened: AFL national draft 2016 live

Join us for rolling coverage as the best young footy prospects in the land launch their playing destinies.

New dawns at the draft for Bombers and Suns

Something strange happens to the No.1 draft pick between the last slow, painful rounds of the season and draft night.

Every pick of the 2016 AFL draft

How the national draft unfolded, name by name, club by club, round by round.

Bombers take Andrew McGrath number one

Essendon kept the suspense to the last minute, refusing to declare their hand even to the player they eventually chose, before finally calling out the name of Andrew McGrath with their first No.1 pick in an AFL draft.

'Good luck!': Matthew Pavlich's letter to the 2016 AFL draft class

Recently retired Fremantle champion and AFL Players' Association president Matthew Pavlich has penned a powerful and compelling open letter to the 2016 AFL draft class.

Dank won't explain his lack of explanation

Stephen Dank would not explain why he he failed to provide any paperwork to the AFL anti-doping appeal board before his deadline on Friday, but remained insistent the panel would eventually hear his case.

Dons manage Bellchambers' knee issue

Essendon say they expect Tom Bellchambers to be back in full training before the Christmas break as they manage a knee issue the ruckman is experiencing.

Clarkson's bold moves toy with Hawks' culture

Alastair Clarkson's extraordinary legacy to the game of Australian rules football is unquestioned and according to his current contract at Hawthorn will continue at this level for at least another three years.

Cooney defends Ablett over delayed return to training

Brownlow Medallist Adam Cooney has leapt to the defence of Gary Ablett, declaring the champion midfielder was entitled to begin his pre-season training later than his Gold Coast teammates.

AFL 101: Examining West Coast and Fremantle's draft prospects

Our crack (pot) panel runs the rule over West Coast and Fremantle's draft prospects, while we also look at the experts' predictions.

Dockers in strife: Michael Johnson charged, Harley Bennell injures calf

Fremantle's key defender Michael Johnson has been charged with assault occasioning bodily harm.

Who got Lade? Port did

Brendon Lade is returning to Port Adelaide after seven years as an assistant coach at AFL rivals Richmond.

Dogs won't be hoodoo gurus

The Western Bulldogs won't look back at their painful history of preliminary final losses in the lead up to their Saturday night clash with GWS Giants.

Hogan departure won't be 'catastrophic': Schwarz

Melbourne great David Schwarz says the potential defection of Jesse Hogan would not be "as catastrophic" now as it would have been last year.

Football romance, or the road to the future?

There’s two very contrasting narratives developing heading into the penultimate weekend of the AFL season. And sentimentally, they’re at opposite ends of the spectrum.

Chris Judd: It's time to deny the top four clubs access to free agents

The thing that AFL fans love about the game is risk and the unknown outcome accompanying it: the risk players take when they commit to a physical contest, when they launch three deep in a pack to stand on someone's shoulders in a marking contest, when they have a shot from the boundary. All are weekly features on highlights reels.