Category: Behind the News
Behind the News
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Shut up haters, Nick Daicos really is that good
He's humble, respectful, hardworking and, at just 23, already one of the most decorated players in the AFL. Yet somehow, the more extraordinary Nick Daicos becomes, the more vitriol he cops, writes Rohan Connolly.
Behind the News
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Can the Fremantle Dockers afford to lose or not?
There are games in which only one team really has something to gain. Then there are games in which one team simply can't win. Fremantle's trip to the MCG, to play Melbourne on Saturday, is somehow both, writes Rohan Connolly.
Behind the News
Latest
‘Caretaker curse’? No, Carlton, Fraser’s the real deal
AFL clubs, including Carlton, might still be wary of appointing a caretaker to a full-time role after some recent misfires. But what Josh Fraser is doing at the Blues is different, and real, writes Rohan Connolly.
Remarkable Cats keep clinging on
Geelong looked shot to ribbons only a month ago. But the remarkable Cats just keep finding a way, even with injuries, writes Rohan Connolly.
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In hard times, it always helps to have some heritage
A difficult weekend for northern expansion clubs Gold Coast and GWS is another reminder that the next AFL cab off the rank will have some natural advantages the Suns and Giants don’t, says Rohan Connolly.
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Pies mightn’t be premiers, but can still cause problems
If you’re another club with genuine flag aspirations, Collingwood won’t be appearing anywhere on your September wish list, as Craig McRae has his side in the enviable position of always competing, writes Rohan Connolly.
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Winmar ruling is right, but raises more questions
It’s hard to argue against the removal of Nicky Winmar from the Australian Football Hall of Fame, says Rohan Connolly. But by making membership conditional on conduct, the AFL has opened itself to questions about consistency.
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Are the Saints sneaking into the September mix?
It’s been an up and down season for St Kilda, but finally, there are some visible signs of improvement. Can the Saints keep the momentum going now? Rohan Connolly looks at what’s required.
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AFL’s wildcard experiment has cheapened the season
The AFL wildcard round might keep more clubs in finals contention. But it’s also helping make an already-lengthy home-and-away season a tiresome slog which now matters less, says Rohan Connolly.
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World Cup a reminder that AFL needs inclusion
The World Cup serves as a timely reminder that if AFL wants to thrive for another century, it must become a game that more Australians feel belongs to them, writes Rohan Connolly.
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‘It’s all of ours’: Time Essendon put club, not egos, first
Essendon supporters have been incredibly loyal, but their patience is wearing thin with a club where personal agendas and self-interest seem to rule, and fans run a distant last, says Rohan Connolly.
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The best version of Fremantle we’ve seen. Here’s why
The 2026 version of Fremantle is the best in the club’s near 32-year history, and, Rohan Connolly argues, it’s one that can absolutely win the premiership.
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The footballer who became a nation’s inspiration
For those of us old enough to have witnessed his professional sporting career, there are three distinct phases to the Neale Daniher story, writes Rohan Connolly.
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Brisbane struggling, but writing Lions off is crazy
Despite a horror fortnight and some glaring defensive issues, Brisbane’s recent history suggests writing off the two-time reigning premier in May could be a massive mistake, says Rohan Connolly.
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Free-wheeling Dees the perfect elixir for footy’s ills
Melbourne’s fast, free-flowing game and sense of fun out on the field is infectious on either side of the fence, writes Rohan Connolly. And it really is good for football.
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Statement time. Cats still have what it takes
Geelong needed to fire a shot against Brisbane lest a monkey on the back become something larger, and the Cats did that and then some, writes Rohan Connolly.
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Premiership hopes shot, Pies can indulge Pendles
Collingwood’s long-effective bubble of self-belief looks to have finally been punctured, writes Rohan Connolly. So the Pies might as well ride Scott Pendlebury’s AFL games record for all it’s worth.
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Fremantle Dockers: This time it’s for real
If Fremantle end up creating some history in 2026, a moment midway through the last quarter of Thursday night’s thriller against Hawthorn will be seen as pivotal, says Rohan Connolly.
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‘Whiteboardgate’ another bit of media ‘wankery’
There’s an almost voyeuristic interest in getting a rare look inside the famed ‘four walls’ of a footy club, but the media-driven thirst for clicks blew the Brisbane whiteboard saga out of proportion, writes Rohan Connolly.
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AFL’s biggest battle is integrity versus money
The battle lines are being drawn between those who value the AFL competition’s integrity and those for whom commercial concerns are a bigger priority, and that should worry the league, says Rohan Connolly.
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Once again, Essendon’s big problem is its leaders
Essendon’s paucity of on-field leadership is hardly a revelation, but appeared more stark than ever on Anzac Day, and that’s not a good sign for a side with so much raw, young talent needing nurturing, says Rohan Connolly.
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They’re at it again: Cats doing what they do best
The footy world has been taken by the Demons this year, and praised North and the Suns like shiny new toys. Don’t be surprised, though, says Rohan Connolly, if the September perennials slip under the radar yet again.
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Come on Ross, it’s just a presser, not a war zone!
Most AFL press conference questions are asked in good faith by good journos. Rohan Connolly isn’t sure why Ross Lyon needs to ‘win’ them, but says it’s St Kilda fans who end up getting short-changed.
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