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Michael Warner is an award-winning investigative journalist with Melbourne’s Herald Sun newspaper, and also CODE Sports, and author of the best-selling book, The Boys’ Club, the inside story behind the power and politics of the Australian Football League. In 2022, he won the Walkley Award for sports reporting, the Melbourne Press Club Gold Quill and was named the Harry Gordon Australian Sports Journalist of the Year.

Michael Warner

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Victoria

GOLD COAST, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 19: Eddie McGuire attends the 62nd TV Week Logie Awards on June 19, 2022 in Gold Coast, Australia. (Photo by Chris Hyde/Getty Images)

Eddie McGuire’s new role with ‘Channel Copycat’

The media mogul is taking on two new footy shows at Channel 7, just months after labelling the network “Channel Copycat” after it poached his stars from Footy Classified.

OPINIONAFL

MELBOURNE. 30/04/2023. AFL. AFL Press conference announcing Andrew Dillon as the incoming CEO at there end of this years AFL season . Andrew Dillon with AFL commission chairman Richard Goyder and current AFL CEO Gillon McLachlan . Pic: Michael Klein

Warner: Fair-minded Aussies know AFL’s wokeness reeks of hypocrisy

The AFL’s bosses have tied themselves in knots conforming to identity politics, moral grandstanding and radical left ideology, writes Michael Warner. It’s clear a majority of fans have come to resent it.

AFL

PERTH. 26/09/2021. The day after the AFL Grand Final. Melbourne players are presented to the fans in Forrest Chase, Perth. Melbourne legend Garry Lyon and CEO Gary Pert . Photo by Michael Klein

‘I made a mistake’: Dees great apologises to former president

With the long-running Melbourne boardroom war over, club great Garry Lyon has apologised to Glen Bartlett for a series of critical comments he made at the height of the saga.

Hawthorn

Hawks legend returns to make run for club board

After saving the club from a merger with Melbourne in the 1990s, a Hawthorn legend has re-emerged to make a run for a spot on the board following the end of the damaging racism saga.

Victoria

An 8000-seat roofed stadium and return of the Kooyong Classic is being pushed at Melbourne’s trouble-plagued Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

Bold plan for 8000-seat roofed stadium to revitalise Kooyong

An 8000-seat roofed stadium and return of the Kooyong Classic is being pushed to revitalise the troubled-plagued Kooyong Lawn Tennis Club.

AFL

Peter Lawrence (left), Jo McCoy and Tony Pagone part of the

Demons ticket forces contested board election

As many as 10 would-be board members are fighting for four spots in the Demons’ elections next month, with a former Federal Court judge running on a ‘red and blue’ ticket.

ExclusiveVictoria

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - AUGUST 23: Collingwood CEO Craig Kelly looks on after the round 24 AFL match between Melbourne Demons and Collingwood Magpies at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on August 23, 2024, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Darrian Traynor/Getty Images)

Pies quietly settle racism lawsuit

Collingwood has settled a wrongful dismissal claim brought by a former First Nations strategist who accused club CEO Craig Kelly of a series of racial slurs and attacks.

AFL

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 07: Geoff Freeman, Vice Chairman of the Demons (left) and Glen Bartlett, Chairman of the Demons celebrate after the clubs first finals win in 12 years during the 2018 AFL First Elimination Final match between the Melbourne Demons and the Geelong Cats at the Melbourne Cricket Ground on September 07, 2018 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Adam Trafford/AFL Media/Getty Images)

Warner: Bartlett the man the AFL, Demons couldn’t break

Former Melbourne president Glen Bartlett took on the AFL — and won. MICHAEL WARNER examines how Bartlett emerged victorious from years of legal drama.

Victoria

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 15: Joel Smith of the Demons is dejected after the Demons were defeated by the Blues during the AFL First Semi Final match between Melbourne Demons and Carlton Blues at Melbourne Cricket Ground, on September 15, 2023, in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Dees players caught up in Smith drugs drama to avoid penalties

Ex-teammates of banned AFL player Joel Smith will not be penalised, the AFL has confirmed. It comes after Smith learned his fate.

AFL

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - September 1, 2023. AFLW . Melbourne president Kate Roffey and CEO Gary Pert before the round 1 match between Melbourne and Collingwood at Ikon Park in Melbourne, Australia. Photo by Michael Klein.

Warner: Pert’s exit signals Dees’ cleansing of boardroom debacle

Gary Pert says he’s leaving the Dees on his terms. Kate Roffey said the same. But Melbourne fans aren’t stupid, it’s clear the cleansing of the Dees’ board debacle is on, writes Michael Warner.

Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/journalists/michael-warner/page/4