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West Coast is officially through the dark, dark trough
The Eagles -- yes, West Coast! -- are hitting a number of key premiership metrics and it's clear the worst is behind them. Plus, Port's under the blowtorch, why fuel prices could affect Gather Round, and footy's most common first name.
Photo by Sarah Reed/AFL Photos via Getty Images
How Swans plan to keep Warner out of WA
West Coast's glut of A-grade young talent has turned last year's wooden spooners into a destination club again, but Sydney coach Dean Cox has a simple plan to ensure the rising Eagles don't nab Chad Warner.
TOP HEADLINES
ROUND 4
SUNDAY'S GAMES
AFL tiers: Can anyone catch Gold Coast, Bulldogs?
There are two early flag favourites, but alarm bells are ringing for a couple of would-be contenders. Plus, is it time to revisit the tarps? We've ranked every AFL team in our April tiers.
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Petracca 'shame' as Demons eye red-hot Suns
Melbourne wingman Ed Langdon says it's a pity Christian Petracca will be missing from what had been billed as a 'grudge match' with his former club when Gold Coast return to the MCG.
GOOD FRIDAY FOOTY
Another Carlton collapse: Blues overrun by North as horror show continues
Carlton coach Michael Voss faces another week under an intense blowtorch as he desperately searches for solutions to the horror run of second-half meltdowns that continue to haunt his AFL side.
MAGPIES HUMBLED
No Nick, no Collingwood? Pies weakness exposed in Gabba smashing
If Collingwood don't get their very best names on the park for the vast bulk of this season, they're not going to be playing much part in the pointy end of it.
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Lions vs Magpies
Brisbane crush Nick Daicos-less Collingwood for second win
The banged-up Brisbane Lions have notched back-to-back AFL wins, Collingwood jolted in a 54-point loss that began with the late scratching of Nick Daicos.
RED TIME
FULL EPISODE OUT NOW
📺 WATCH: The last four premiership teams have THIS in common 👀
This week on Red Time, JB and Coxy question whether the 'traditional' rebuild is dead, and ask just how hard it really is to play four full quarters of footy. The boys also dive into the AFL’s score review process and how it can be fixed. Plus, the game’s best rivalry, what do they make of St Kilda’s Gather Round guernsey, and plenty more!
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Is Josh Treacy the best full forward in the AFL?
1:15
EVERY TEAM RANKED
AFL tiers: Two clear flag favourites, but who has 'alarm bells ringing'?
There are two early flag favourites, but alarm bells are ringing for a couple of would-be contenders. Plus, is it time to revisit the tarps? We've ranked every AFL team in our April tiers.
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FOOTY'S HOTTEST TOPICS
Why it's all up from here for the Eagles; Port (almost!) escaped criticism
The Eagles -- yes, West Coast! -- are hitting a number of key premiership metrics and it's clear the worst is behind them. Plus, Port's under the blowtorch, why fuel prices could affect Gather Round, and footy's most common first name.
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ESPN AFL
Rolling All-Australian: Pickett rewarded after magical display
Top Headlines
- Former skipper: Blues would be 'silly' to axe Voss
- 'Desperate' Dockers hold off fast-finishing Crows
- Reports: AFL cracking down on contact training
- 'Exposed' Magpies lick wounds, wait on Daicos
- Collard to face AFL tribunal for alleged slur
- The 'freak athlete' leaving teammates in awe
- It's dangerous: Dogs on alert for struggling Dons
- 'I'm comfortable': AFL boss on blood-smear ban
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Keep up to date with the latest news from across the sporting world. Be it at home or abroad, we've got it covered in our weekly newsletters.
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Expert tips, best tips for Round 4 of the AFL
Who should you be tipping in Round 4 of the 2026 AFL season? Our footy experts have put their heads together to help you out. So open your ESPN Footytips app, take notes, and get ahead of the game!
- ESPN
Listen to our AFL podcast - the ESPN Footy Podcast with Champion Data
Join ESPN's footy team for some of the best AFL analysis and insight on the ESPN Footy Podcast.
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ESPN's Brownlow Medal predictor and tracker - every vote for 2026
The Brownlow Medal is the highest individual honour in the AFL. In 2026, ESPN is giving you an advantage with our one-of-a-kind predictor.
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We're misty-optically: Paying tribute to Dennis Cometti, a footy commentary icon
It's inevitably the witticisms which first spring first to mind when think of Dennis Cometti, but, more broadly, he was Australian football's greatest ever caller and will be sorely missed, writes Rohan Connolly.
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The 50 best AFL players heading into season 2026
It's that time of year when ESPN's Jake Michaels counts down his 50 best players in the AFL. Spoiler alert: two-time Brownlow medalist Patrick Cripps has made the cut.
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Hold your horses: AFL's Origin revival was real, but its long-term future is not
AFL Origin's return was a clear success, but one brilliant night is not enough to prove it's truly back for good.
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Ranking every AFL after-the-siren winning goal since 2000
Since the turn of the millennium, there have been 32 after-the-siren goals kicked which have won the game. We've ranked them -- taking into account shot difficulty, context of the match, conditions, and more to determine which clutch kick rules them all.
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AFL player record holders, statistical leaders, and more
Who has played the most AFL games? Who has kicked the most AFL goals? Here are the league leaders in history for all the stats that matter.
