NewsBite

AFL 2025

Advertisement
Nick Carah (left) with Hawthorn premiership player Jordan Lewis.

AFL hire former real estate boss as new head of football

A former head of Jellis Craig will be appointed the AFL’s general manager of football.

  • Michael Gleeson and Sam McClure

Latest

Is it time to push the AFL season back into October?

You had me at October. Breaking down Eddie McGuire’s AFL grand final plan

Eddie McGuire flagged high-level discussions of an AFL fixture revamp, with State of Origin revived, and the grand final moved to October. There’s a lot to unpack.

  • Michael Gleeson
Harry McKay did not train with Carlton’s main group on Wednesday.

Harry McKay misses Blues training; Yze laments Mansell ban; Goodwin puts heat on Fritsch

After missing the Blues’ latest training session, Harry McKay’s stretch on the sidelines is likely to continue. The Tigers decide not to appeal this week’s trinal verdict, and Simon Goodwin is watching the form of a struggling forward.

  • Andrew Wu and Scott Spits
Port Adelaide’s Miles Bergman, Carlton’s Tom De Koning, North Melbourne’s Luke Davies-Uniacke and Gold Coast’s Matt Rowell are yet to commit to their clubs for 2026.

Inviting drama: Should an AFL captain be meeting a rival coach?

These players are yet to sign on the dotted line, and they’ll be at the centre of trade talk in 2025. And with a club captain among their number, the chase is on.

  • Peter Ryan and Marc McGowan
Jobe Watson on this week’s episode of Unfiltered.

‘I didn’t really want to participate’: Watson explains why he agreed to injecting program

After more than a dozen years, a reflective Jobe Watson is now relaxed enough to discuss why he took part in the club’s controversial supplements program and why he feels the 34 suspended players were hard done by.

  • Jon Pierik
The incident involving O’Connell and Rhyan Mansell.

Tiger’s ban stands; Blue to return from break via VFL; Injury heartbreak for Bombers recruit

Rhyan Mansell’s three-match ban stands; Elijah Hollands is expected to return through the VFL this weekend; and the AFL is “comfortable” in allowing Noah Balta to play before he’s sentenced in court.

  • Jake Niall, Scott Spits and Andrew Wu
Advertisement
Bid for redemption: Banned former Melbourne forward Joel Smith wants another shot at the AFL.

‘I won’t make the same mistake again’: Banned ex-Demon wants shot at AFL redemption

Former Demon Joel Smith has opened up on his four-year ban for cocaine use and trafficking, but insists he is a new man and wants another shot at AFL glory.

  • Jon Pierik
Simon Goodwin and Melbourne face a significant challenge to remedy their midfield woes.

‘We need to fix it’: The key stat that explains Melbourne’s rapid demise

By reputation, Melbourne has one of the most-vaunted on-ball divisions in the AFL. But it’s in that part of the ground where they’re getting smashed, as one key statistical measure shows.

  • Marc McGowan
Zak Butters has not played this season but will be back from his knee injury shortly, and is in high demand for the years ahead.

This Port star is contracted until the end of 2026, but Victorian clubs are already circling

At 24, Zak Butters is coming into the prime of his career. Hawthorn, Richmond, Essendon and Collingwood are among the clubs keen to lure him back home to Victoria.

  • Sam McClure
An artist’s impression of the proposed AFL stadium in Hobart.

Stadium cost blowouts threaten Devil plans; Tigers appeal Mansell ban; Cripps using psychology degree

More concerns are emerging about the planned AFL stadium in Hobart. Richmond’s Rhyan Mansell is heading to the tribunal, and pressure continues to mount on Carlton.

  • Jon Pierik

Original URL: https://www.theage.com.au/topic/afl-2025-6h25