Pull plug on pokies: AFL chairman Goyder

AFL commision chairman Richard Goyder says he "hates" pokies, and will seek to wean clubs off them.

No-pokies North come up aces

Kanga Tech is a patented system for reducing soft-tissue injuries developed at North Melbourne under high-performance manager Steve Saunders. The Roos swear by it, and are now selling it to the world. Hockey, soccer and basketball clubs are on board, including two in the NBA.

For Bob Murphy, the gig is up

In the super-band of this season's retiring AFL players, Bob Murphy is the singer-songwriter.

Tackling CTE can do your head in

A study has found that all but one of 111 former NFL players showed signs of CTE, a nasty degenerative brain disease caused by repeated hits to the head.

Stevie J and the art of the goal

Someone, perhaps Larry King, once said that sport was the most important unimportant thing. Steve Johnson has spent 17 years making AFL footy look like the least serious serious thing. Even his name says so. He is not Johnson, or Johnno, but Stevie J. A rapper or a clown, but not a footballer.

Red for Danger, but it should be green

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Patty Dangerfield has been punished because of the AFL's mission to organise chaos retrospectively.

Saint Nick hangs up his halo

The incidental perspectives of two other footy lifers act as bearings to get a fix on Nick Riewoldt's exceptional career.

Heads you lose – every time

The fact of Donald Trump suggests we have peaked as species and are on the decline. None the less, wherever we are in 100 years, historians will look back at the last week and scratch the unprotected part of their heads in wonder.

Pies not cooked yet, says Buckley

Coach Nathan Buckley insists Collingwood aren't 'putting the cue in the rack' despite the 24-point loss to Hawthorn all but ending the club's finals hopes.