Ralph: Clubs need to ‘move with the times’ and end Mad Mondays
Six players and an umpire have been suspended across two post-season celebrations for offensive costumes in the past month. JON RALPH writes clubs and the AFL needs to ban them.
Jon Ralph
Draft vs talent: Will Pies or Blues’ philosophy be proven right?
Arch rivals Carlton and Collingwood have adopted different strategies in their search for their next premiership. Which path will prove successful? JON RALPH examines the question.
Ralph: Dusty doesn’t owe cynical Tigers fans a thing
If Dustin Martin does move to the Suns, he’s not Dusty the Deserter, he doesn’t owe the Tiger army anything, writes Jon Ralph. But there’s a key question the legend must answer.
Why Bombers, Lions, Saints can’t match it with the best
Every club needs a player – ideally several – who can take a game by the scruff of the neck and drag his team over the line. JON RALPH writes the clubs without one are stuck in the wilderness.
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Ralph: Confusion? The AFL’s tackle crackdown is working
The leave-the-game-aloners will argue that tackling will soon be a lost art, but with the concussion rate still high, it is clear the AFL must continue its crackdown to protect the head, writes JON RALPH.
$6m man? Why Hawks mega bid for Battle makes sense
Hawthorn’s huge offer to lure Josh Battle from St Kilda isn’t just about shoring up its backline. As JON RALPH explains, there’s another key to why the Hawks could offer close to $1m a year.
Ranked: AFL’s 15 biggest games in the ‘blockbuster-isation’ of footy
Gone are the days of the traditional afternoon slots, here is the blockbuster-isation of football. JON RALPH ranks the AFL’s 15 best blockbuster fixtures in a new era of sports attendance.
Hird, Gawn, Ricciuto: Every club’s most influential figure this century
Max Gawn arrived to the Dees when they were a mess and since, he’s lifted them to heights not seen for decades. JON RALPH lists the most influential people at every AFL club since 2000.
The 10 big calls of Adem Yze’s tenure and Ralphy’s response
Times are changing at Tigerland, long gone are the once dominant Tigers as they descend down the AFL hierarchy, so where do they go from here? JON RALPH answers the key questions they face.
Ralph: End of ‘Buddy Era’ gives Swans best premiership hope
The Swans are flying high, and while they would love a prime Lance Franklin, it’s become clear his retirement has helped create the most complete side in the AFL, writes JON RALPH.
Why aren’t we talking about Essendon’s ‘piss take’?
Not long before Brad Scott gave Sam Draper another earbashing for his ‘disrespectful’ comments, the digital team was fully taking the piss. JON RALPH asks, can the industry have it both ways?
38 touches, 15 marks: The free agent too good for VFL
He was unlucky to be dropped after round 1 and can’t fight his way back into the AFL despite dominating performances at VFL level. Could this free agent be gettable for your team in 2025?
The price Tigers could put on head of perfect role model
Richmond loves Liam Baker. And the Tigers will believe Baker loves them enough to stay. But what if the lure of home is too strong? JON RALPH assesses the trade situation.
Ralph: Ratbags, scallywags and horror reality of AFL’s dirty secret
What if a player’s sample is negative and the drugs they took are not revealed by an ‘off the book’ test? The answer is the most jaw-dropping aspect of the drugs bombshell, writes JON RALPH.
Original URL: https://www.heraldsun.com.au/sport/afl/expert-opinion/jon-ralph