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AFL 2024

November 2024

John Longmire at his press conference to announce he was quitting as Swans coach, effective immediately.

How Longmire called time on Sydney Swans

Over lunch of salmon and white beans, the coach told the club chairman and CEO he was ending his tenure early. His legacy goes far beyond four grand final defeats.

  • Zoe Samios
The top three picks of this year’s draft: Jagga Smith (No.3), Lalor (No.1), and Finn O’Sullivan (No.2).

Five things to know about the AFL draft

Getting to choose first from the best new AFL players is no guarantee of success. But it can’t hurt. Here’s a breakdown of the AFL draft.

  • Updated
  • Zoe Samios
Sydney’s Tom Harley and Superhero’s John Winters celebrate the new partnership.

Superannuation start-up pays big for Swans, Hawks footy sponsorships

Superhero’s deals with the clubs come as the prudential watchdog cracks down on such spending by super funds.

  • Hannah Wootton

October 2024

Anthony Albanese and Peter V’landys inside the NRL chairman’s suite at the first State of Origin game last year..

NRL, AFL personally lobbied Anthony Albanese against gambling ad ban

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and NRL chairman Peter V’landys have been singing from the same songbook when it comes to gambling advertising. New details suggest why.

  • Ronald Mizen
Carl Peterson during his last season with the Hawks.

Hawks’ racism defence claims footballer ‘appeared drunk’

The AFL has lodged its court defence in the long-running saga of discrimination allegations against former senior figures Alastair Clarkson, Chris Fagan and Jason Burt.

  • William Ton
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Collingwood, Carlton, Brisbane and Penrith in action.

$145m: The most valuable AFL and NRL teams revealed

An inaugural list that rates the most valuable club trademarks in the two most popular football codes are out, with an ASX-listed giant leading rugby league.

  • Zoe Samios and Sam Buckingham-Jones
Ivan and Nathan Cleary after winning their fourth premiership.

Abdo says NRL’s our ‘most watched’ sport. Is he right?

Sunday’s clash between the Penrith Panthers and Melbourne Storm had fewer viewers than the AFL the week before. In other ways, though, the NRL is winning.

  • Sam Buckingham-Jones
The Panthers, led by Nathan Cleary,  are chasing a fourth successive NRL title on Sunday.

Why just three teams keep winning the NRL title

Just three teams have won the NRL since 2018, but the AFL premiership has been shared between six clubs in that time. Here’s why.

  • Zoe Samios

September 2024

Brisbane’s Eric Hipwood, Kai Lohmann and Callum Ah Chee embrace during the AFL grand final.

AFL grand final audience climbs to 4m

The clash between the Brisbane Lions and Sydney Swans was the most watched for the AFL since 2021.

  • Zoe Samios
Jodie Haydon and Anthony Albanese take pride of place next to Andrew Dillon at the commissioner’s lunch in the Olympic Room at the MCG on Saturday.

Albo keeps it in the family at the AFL commissioner’s lunch

You can’t buy a ticket to Aussie rules’ most exclusive grand final function, so there are few better tests of relevance than trying to score an invitation.

  • Myriam Robin
Left: Fitzroy’s Alastair Lynch flies high over Ben Buckley (left) as John Longmire watches on. Right: Sydney’s Isaac Heeney launches over GWS defender Jack Buckley.

The remarkable history in Heeney’s magic mark

Hard lessons learned through elite sporting administration taught these two Australian business partners invaluable lessons for navigating the corporate sector.

  • Tom Rabe
Andrew Dillon.

AFL boss warns against reform that would eradicate local bookies

In a wide-ranging interview, the AFL boss says he is also considering other marquee events to grow the sport.

  • Zoe Samios
Richard Goyder.

Richard Goyder on his biggest mistake at Qantas

The recently departed Qantas chairman admits he made some mistakes but says people forget how the pandemic changed the game.

  • Patrick Durkin
AFL President Richard Goyder with the 2024 AFL Premiership Cup.

Tasmanian team may not be the last as AFL eyes growth in ACT and NT

The AFL’s expansion plans are on a roll, with record crowds, booming memberships and the first non-Victorian grand final in 18 years.

  • Patrick Durkin and Gus McCubbing

Cripps, again. But Brownlow standouts may not be who you think

Carlton’s Patrick Cripps blew the competition out of the water at AFL’s highest individual accolade. Here’s a closer look at the history of Australian rules’ highest honour reveals a startling fact about this year’s finalists.

  • Zoe Samios
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AirTrunk founder and Swans supporter Robin Khuda, will be travelling to MCG for the Grand Final.

This billionaire has an AFL grand final ticket. Good luck to the rest

For the first time since 2006 two non-Victorian teams will contest the AFL Grand Final at the MCG, and flights and accommodation are as much of a battle as tickets.

  • Patrick Durkin
Reigning premier Collingwood has the biggest membership in 2024.

By the numbers: What the membership data says about your AFL club

The AFL has announced a record club membership of 1.3 million – boosted by 241,410 new fans. How does it compare with 2021?

  • Zoe Samios
Sydney’s Isaac Heeney celebrates a goal against GWS in the qualifying final at the SCG.

AFL more important to Khuda than data centres, Swans chairman suspects

Andrew Pridham is vice chairman of asset manager MA Financial and chairman of Sydney Swans. AirTrunk founder Robin Khuda texts him before games.

  • Sally Patten
AFL CEO Andrew Dillon.

AFL increases soft salary caps for men’s and women’s competitions

The male ceiling will lift by $700,000 by the 2027 season while the AFLW equivalent will rise $300,000 amid other changes.

  • Anna Harrington
The SCG’s members stands are increasingly packed.

‘Had to pay with Qantas points’: The Sydney struggle for Swans tickets

Some SCG members missed out on tickets to the Swans’ AFL preliminary final on Friday, as Sydneysiders flock to see the high-flying team.

  • Maxim Shanahan

Original URL: https://www.afr.com/topic/afl-2024-6gat