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Four Points

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Carlton’s Nic Newman after the Blues’ loss to Collingwood.

If Carlton can fix these two problems, they can still win the flag

Carlton slumped from fourth to eighth in a bad weekend for the navy blue faithful, but they are still closer to success than Mitch McGovern’s kick was to scoring.

  • Peter Ryan

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Zach Merrett was well held against the Demons, with drastic results for Essendon,

The worries for Essendon heading to September

In Four Points this week: the loss to Melbourne highlighted areas of concern for the Bombers, who flattered to deceive against the Pies. Plus, Collingwood’s draft gamble looks like coming unstuck and Carlton must move to a one-ruck system.

  • Michael Gleeson
Isaac Heeney is in trouble for this incident with Jimmy Webster.

Heeney didn’t mean to hit Saint high. It should still be graded intentional

In Four Points this week: when to worry after a shock defeat, and when to stay calm; a Brownlow favourite should be out of contention; Jack Lukosius embodies the Suns’ road woes; and the Tigers become the frontrunners for the top pick in the draft.

  • Michael Gleeson
Twin brothers Ben and Max King find their teams heading in different directions approaching the halfway point of the 2024 season.

Footy’s great science experiment: Why Saints’ woes are not Max King’s fault

Max and Ben King might be identical twins, but the teams they play for look to be heading in opposite directions.

  • Michael Gleeson
Zach Merrett.

How the Bombers became a team of Merrett

Essendon are back after learning to play like Zach, how veteran’s move has turned Melbourne around, Hawkins left hungry again, and don’t argue with this comparison.

  • Michael Gleeson
Carlton captain Patrick Cripps has a word with the umpire on Saturday afternoon.

Why it’s time the AFL pushed back on this forgotten rule

Push has come to shove for footy’s forgotten rule; a Giants star has become a modern-day great after crossing to Geelong; and Carlton ruckman’s comeback is anything but the pits.

  • Michael Gleeson
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Toby Greene was offered a one-match suspension after this clash with Carlton’s Jordan Boyd.

Why footy’s bravest act needs to be flipped on its head

Jordan Boyd should not be penalised for the collision with Toby Greene, of course. But the game needs to stop praising that type of bravery and start discouraging it.

  • Michael Gleeson
Hawthorn coach Sam Mitchell during the loss to Gold Coast.

Four Points: Reality bites as Hawks sink to 54-year low; Bevo’s Bulldogs out of tune

The Hawks haven’t started a season this badly since 1970, and if they lose to the Kangaroos this week, the heat will turn right up, while at the Bulldogs, Luke Beveridge is experimenting with new material, but diehard fans are not convinced.

  • Peter Ryan
The new AFL broadcast rights deal will lead to changes for some viewers from 2025.

Priced out: In ‘footy country’, you’ll struggle to watch a game on TV at the pub

This, we are regularly assured by AFL ads, was not just a country footy town – we were in footy country. That’s true, unless the game you wanted to watch in Stawell happened to be on pay TV.

  • Michael Gleeson
How can the Lions turn their form around after three losses to start the season?

Four Points: The real reasons the Lions are battling, and has the penny dropped for Essendon?

The Lions are 0-3 with two losses at home but the fallout from an end-of-season trip to the US is not the reason for their struggles.

  • Peter Ryan

Original URL: https://www.smh.com.au/topic/four-points-6gng