Geelong Cats board holds crisis meeting over concussion deal
Geelong is about to reply to the AFL's please explain as the Cats brace for a potential massive penalty over the secret concussion deal with Jake Kolodjashnij.
AFL
10th August 2026
AFL Report Card: Game of the year prompts unavoidable question; ‘real concern’ over top contender
Three sets of perfect grades and two fails were assessed from the weekend’s action, as top contenders made statements across the competition.
Adelaide champion in tears after retirement announcement
Adelaide star Taylor Walker breaks down in tears amid retirement announcement.
The two teams with a sneaky chance to snatch a wildcard
We explore the best and worst-case scenarios for all the contenders.
Walker announces retirement after one last shot at AFL premiership
Adelaide Crows great Taylor Walker announces the 2026 AFL season will be his last, saying he hopes to end his career as a premiership winner.
AFLW double-header season opener left fans with 'lots of mixed feelings'
The AFLW opened its 2026 season with a double-header at Docklands Stadium, with fans enjoying the pizzazz of the bigger stadium and being sheltered from the rain, while missing some of the community element of the suburban grounds. .
Blues fans chant for Josh Fraser as final berth looms
Carlton fans chant "we want Josh Fraser" as the club pushes towards finals.
Carlton fans chant 'we want Fraser', talks on coaching future imminent
Carlton fans are chanting Josh Fraser's name and a similar endorsement from the club's hierarchy for the Blues' interim coach to take the reins full-time could follow as soon as this week. .
Bartel calls out Geelong over concussion waiver stance
Jimmy Bartel has not held back on his old side Geelong, following their strong defence of the concussion waiver clause saga.
‘Damage control’: Bosses grilled over scandal of the year; birth of an accidental flag contender — AFL Talking Points
The Geelong concussion contract clause scandal has rocked the AFL, with serious questions being asked of the game’s biggest names.
Caretaker’s most selfless answer yet to biggest AFL coaching question after fans’ telling act
Carlton caretaker coach Josh Fraser has confirmed he will make a call about whether he will throw his hat in the ring for the job permanently this week.
Pies want All-Australian recognition for unheralded defender
Craig McRae says Billy Frampton deserves to be in consideration for All-Australian recognition.
Every club's run home, ranked from hardest to easiest
Check out your club's run of fixtures for the rest of the season.
‘An arrow through the heart’: On a night of carnage, this blow hurt Ross Lyon the most
Carlton beat St Kilda for their 10th win from their past 12 matches as they close in on a wildcard berth, but the Saints’ season is on the brink.
Demons stun Dockers in extraordinary thriller to emerge as a bona fide premiership threat
Most pundits had Melbourne languishing this year but Steven King has reinvigorated the club with a gameplan made for the MCG. Usually at this stage of the AFL season, a team will burst out of the field like the three-time Melbourne Cup winner Makybe Diva and announce themselves as a genuine premiership contender.
9th August 2026
Nas' injury an 'arrow through the heart', Fraser not focused on himself
Ross Lyon rues the loss of Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera with what looks to be a season-ending injury.
‘Haven’t seen scenes like that’: Rare crowd moment proves Blues fans have their man... as star makes reveal
Josh Fraser won’t make his coach call for a few more days, but with each passing week, it’s looking increasingly like a fait accompli that he enters the Carlton process.
Blues march towards September leaving Saints' hopes hanging by a thread
Carlton moves two games clear in 10th spot after its 44-point win over St Kilda.
Every contender’s finals scenarios explained as Pies-Blues wildcard blockbuster looms — The Run Home with 2 games left
The finish line is within sight.
No-one 'close to him': McQualter, McRae praise star, young Pies play on belief
West Coast and Collingwood coaches give Nick Daicos big plaudits, McQualter asks Eagles fans to hang tough.
Saints' main man hobbles off with injury
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera leaves Marvel Stadium with a hamstring injury.
AFLW’s good old familiarity hits the big stage in women’s and men’s double-header
Footy forged in the suburbs was called in from the cold at Marvel Stadium as Carlton held off St Kilda in season opener. From a distance, everything looks a little different. The AFL’s foray into double-headers seemed, from a distance, to be heavily accompanied by caveats.
Ross says Nas injury an ‘arrow through the heart’ in huge blow to finals hopes
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon says Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera’s hamstring injury is an “arrow to the heart” as the club braces to be without the superstar for the remainder of the season.
Saints superstar suffers likely season-ending injury blow
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera's season could be over after the midfielder suffered a left hamstring injury early in the Saints' clash with Carlton.
Kolodjashnij told me about his ‘tough conversations’. His case reveals much bigger issues
Without revealing the waiver or the significance of his discussions, he told me at the end of 2024 he had carefully considered his decision to play on.
Blues start AFLW season with 26-point win over Saints
Carlton has held off a St Kilda fightback to claim the opening win of the new AFLW season by 26 points in an entertaining game that made a case for more double header fixtures.
Coaches weigh in on contentious goal, Rowell's 'video-game numbers' outing
Damien Hardwick and Adam Kingsley give their thoughts on Bailey Humphrey's controversial goal that proved pivotal in the Suns' two-point win.
September calling? Pies lock in top-10 spot with win over Eagles
Collingwood holds off a determined West Coast to make sure its season extends past round 24.
Nine things we learned: The Blues can't possibly look past Josh Fraser now
Alex Pearce may well be Fremantle's most important player, the Hawks continue to fail against the best teams plus more lessons from round 22.
‘Incompetent or deceitful’: Geelong Hall-of-Famer questions club’s concussion waiver
The Cats’ board will meet early on Monday to discuss its response to the controversy, including the AFL’s request for an explanation of why the document Jake Kolodjashnij signed was not tabled.
‘We want Fraser!’ Blues put ‘one foot’ in finals as Nas cruelled in Saints disaster
Carlton has taken another big step towards finals footy by overwhelming an injury-hit St Kilda at Marvel Stadium on Sunday night, 16.10 (106) to 8.14 (62).
Cal-culations: Bevo's middle of the road Bulldogs, more change coming at Bombers
In Cal-culations, Callum Twomey looks at what's hurting the Western Bulldogs, judgement day coming for the Cats and more.
MATCH REVIEW: Port veteran learns fate for bump, Demons star fined for staging
The Match Review Officer's findings are in from the Saturday games in round 22.
Carlton close on stunning AFL top 10 finish; Rowell dominant as Suns snap streak; Blues hold sway in AFLW opener
Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera suffered a likely season-ending left hamstring injury in St Kilda’s 44-point loss to Carlton on a crushing night for the Saints’ AFL wildcard hopes. In a double blow for St Kilda, the Blues claimed the opening win of the new AFLW season by 26 points.
Blues survive scare! Statement win launches AFLW season in double-header
A fast-starting Blues have survived a brave St Kilda fightback in a 26-point win to kick off the AFLW season.
Rowell's incredible game ends Suns' streak, Giants' wildcard chances dealt huge blow
The Suns have overcome the Giants in wet conditions in Canberra.
‘Powerful’ Pies avoid disaster and lock in finals footy as Reid struck in epic Daicos battle
Collingwood has clinched a finals berth after surviving West Coast 17.15 (117) to 15.8 (98) at Optus Stadium on Sunday afternoon.
‘Not a lot’: Cats in ‘crisis’ talks as club calls meeting with likely AFL penalty revealed
Geelong is reportedly facing a six-figure fine for breaching league rules with its now-infamous concussion clause on defender Jake Kolodjashnij’s contract.
Blues plant one foot in the AFL finals as Saints lose star to hamstring
Carlton plants one foot in the AFL finals series with a statement victory over the Saints at Docklands.
Giant disaster! GWS finals hopes all but dashed in stunner as Suns snap dire skid
Gold Coast has remarkably snapped its 10-game losing streak, and in the process put one nail in the coffin of the Giants’ finals hopes.
Lloyd weighs in on Cats' concussion saga
Matthew Lloyd has his say on Geelong's concussion contract saga.
Final teams in for crucial Saints v Blues clash at Marvel. LIVE from 7.20pm AEST
Follow all the action from Sunday's round 22 games.
‘Don’t tell Roo!’ Legend jabs back as Crows gun’s ‘unbelievable’ night eclipses 26-year record
Adelaide have one man to thank for their crucial nine-point win over Richmond.
Key Crows set to return, Nicks says 'ugly' win 'a good sign'
Adelaide had some nervous moments in its narrow win over Richmond.
Saints skipper on Spud's Game, captaincy and the Liverpool link to his mysterious injury
Jack Sinclair won't play in the annual Spud's Game this year but he'll be honouring Danny Frawley's legacy nonetheless.
Only way is up: Leader confident Eagles are taking big steps forwards
Everyone wants instant results but Liam Baker says 'there's no question' West Coast is improving.
Three months after Frawley’s death, Loewe suffered another personal heartbreak
St Kilda great Stewart Loewe remembers his late, great mate Danny Frawley and shares his own grief ahead of Spud’s Game.
‘We couldn’t get over that’: The AFLW norm baffling this Irish import
Carlton’s Erone Fitzpatrick talks pop anthems, line dancing and why the AFL trade period is “strange” for Irish players.
8th August 2026
Crows survive Tigers scare to stay in top four hunt
Adelaide edged Richmond in a gritty arm-wrestle in the wet.
Scott says he kept 'at arm's length' from Cats' concussion waiver
The Geelong coach says he doesn't have enough information to comment on this week's revelations.
Power optimistic over midfielder's knee injury, Swans star 'pulled up well'
Josh Carr provided an update on the knee injury suffered by gun Power midfielder Jason Horne-Francis.
‘It’s not 1980’: Scott breaks silence on Cats concussion saga with blunt revelation
Geelong coach Chris Scott has revealed he was kept “at arm’s length” from the club’s controversial concussion waiver for Jake Kolodjashnij, declaring “the coach doesn’t run everything these days”.
‘Far from impressive’ Crows saved by star’s record; horror errors that cost ‘gallant’ Tigers — 3-2-1
Adelaide and a dominant Izak Rankine have survived an almighty scare from an inspired Richmond outfit to edge past the Tigers and keep top four hopes alive with two rounds remaining before finals.
‘Faceless’ foes to face off as Carlton and St Kilda scrap for wildcard spot
There are five former Blues on St Kilda’s list, but any animosity that existed between the two clubs recently appears to have dissipated as they head into their biggest clash for more than 50 years.
Ollie, Ollie, Ollie! Star Cats duo run riot in cruisy win amid big injury scare… and touchy backdrop
Geelong’s pair of Ollies ran riot early to set the tone for a cruisy, comprehensive Cats victory over Essendon on Saturday that kept the club’s top-four hopes alive on a weekend where results have gone against it.
Curnow unstoppable as Swans power past Port Adelaide
After a slow start, five goals from Coleman Medal leader Charlie Curnow helped propel the Swans to a thumping victory at the SCG.
Pair of Ollies push Cats into top six with win over improved Bombers
Geelong proved too strong for a plucky Essendon side.
Scintillating Swans move clear in second with Power thrashing
The Swans have cruised to a convincing win over the Power.
Won’t back down: Petty’s last laugh at Voss in Dees’ statement win; Bailey Smith shrugs off scandal as Cats cruise
Earlier this year, Patrick Voss taunted Harrison Petty. On Saturday, Petty and the Demons had the last laugh.
Around the state leagues: Weitering is back, Cochrane fires, Saint flies on return
Check out all the best players from this weekend's VFL, SANFL and WAFL action.
Dockers missed rested captain in final clutch moments, Dees full of belief
A lack of experience in close games is just one of the reasons Fremantle struggled against Melbourne, according to coach Justin Longmuir.
Demons coach’s classy tribute to sacked predecessor after MCG ‘statement’
Ecstatic Melbourne coach Steven King has paid a classy tribute to his predecessor Simon Goodwin, claiming the drought-breaking premiership coach laid the perfect platform for the Demons to add layers to their blueprint.
Dees stun flag-favourite Dockers in high-scoring shootout
Melbourne has delivered a shock scalp of Fremantle.
Huge praise for Demons star after trade ‘rumour’ as Freo stunned to turn flag race on its head
Melbourne has powered past Fremantle in a game of the year thriller at the MCG to claim a massive scalp and keep its top four dream alive.
‘We’ve got to own that as a footy club’: Yze’s brutal reality for the Tigers hits hard
Izak Rankine put on a match-winning performance to get the Crows over the line on Saturday night. He also broke one of Mark Ricciuto’s records in the process.
‘Frustrating’: Cats star’s big injury scare in dominant Dons bloodbath — LIVE AFL
Geelong are eyeing off a return to the top six - and potentially even higher - as their soft run home begins against Essendon at GMHBA Stadium. Live updates below!.
‘Don’t think I’ve seen…’: Scary Swans surge in finals statement as hurt star sweats scans
Sydney has one foot in a home qualifying final after destroying Port Adelaide 26.11 (167) to 10.10 (70) at the SCG on Saturday.
Crows get home after almighty Tigers scare in the wet
Izak Rankine stars as Adelaide manages to get the job done against Richmond in torrential rain at Adelaide Oval. .
Geelong in crisis as AFL chief addresses ‘complex’ concussion saga that ex-Cats president says ‘went too far’
The AFL is still seeking answers from Geelong for the “very complex” Jake Kolodjashnij situation before it can reach conclusions including a potential sanction.
AFL chair apologises for his part in Cats concussion contract saga
AFL Commission chairman Craig Drummond issues a statement apologising for his part in the Jake Kolodjashnij concussion contract saga.
AFL boss Craig Drummond apologises over Geelong concussion waiver: ‘The club went too far’
The AFL Commission chair and former Geelong president, Craig Drummond, has apologised for “the mistakes made in this very complex situation” over the secret concussion deal the Cats made with player Jake Kolodjashnij.
Final teams locked in for Demons-Dockers clash. LIVE from 1.15pm AEST
Follow all the action from Saturday's round 22 games.
‘It’s not 1980 – the coach doesn’t run everything these days’: Scott speaks on concussion scandal
Earlier, Craig Drummond, who was Geelong’s president when the waiver was signed, said he wouldn’t be involved in any future deliberations by the AFL over the deal.
'I apologise for the mistakes made': AFL Chair concedes Kolodjashnij waiver went 'too far'
AFL Chair Craig Drummond releases a statement about the waiver signed by Geelong defender Jake Kolodjashnij.
‘We can play to a higher level’: Mitchell says Hawks are ‘better’ than Lions mauling
Sam Mitchell is adamant his Hawks are “better” than their 67-point loss to Brisbane suggests, and has challenged his team to prove it against Collingwood next Saturday night at the MCG.
AFL issues Cats a 'please explain' over defender's concussion contract
Geelong is finally issued a 'please explain' over its controversial concussion contract with premiership defender Jake Kolodjashnij.
Hird’s marathon Bombers pitch; Lions GM’s key hint on ‘pretty keen’ star - AFL Daily
James Hird has done all he can to convince Essendon’s coaching selection panel that he is the right man for the job.
Why greats can't wait to share Origin passion with SA's next generation
The return of state v state football to South Australia has stirred old passions in some of the game's most famous names.
The Cats are not the cultural beacon they once claimed to be
At last, the chairman of Geelong has called the club’s handling of Jake Kolodjashnij’s contract “a fail”. But the AFL’s response was equally poor.
Grief-stricken mother of star footballer reveals AFL executive phone call
West Coast Eagles star Adam Hunter's grieving mother Joanne Brown says AFL executive Laura Kane reached out to her, but the phone call was "too little, too late".
The unexpected day jobs of Australia's female footballers
The dual lives that female athletes have to balance to play at an elite level and have a career is often forgotten.
With a little bravery and big swings, women’s sport can enjoy more magical crowd moments
The AFLW could borrow some of the gumption from a North American ice hockey league to grow Australian rules football’s elite women’s competition. In Australia, it is called the Matildas effect. Elsewhere, it has increasingly become known by a different name: business as usual.
Amid a week of sex and drug allegations, Pocock summed up Albanese’s gambling plan with one word
Independent senator says it is a ‘tragedy’ that PM is standing in the way of strong public and bipartisan support for tougher laws.
Mitchell bullish despite being 'outclassed', 'special' Lohmann earns high praise
Sam Mitchell says his side 'is better than that' after the Hawks' hefty loss to Brisbane and is backing his side to bounce back.
7th August 2026
‘Smashed, outplayed, outhunted’: Lions put the Hawks, and the rest of the AFL, on notice
Two best mates putting on an absolute clinic. Was there any better way for the Brisbane Lions to reaffirm their premiership credentials?.
Lohmann and Morris lead Lions' fierce response against humbled Hawks
Brisbane records a 67-point win over Hawthorn to return to the top four.
‘Back to flag best’: Lions smash Hawks in epic statement, big call on AFL’s ‘most valuable prospect’ — 3-2-1
What premiership doubts? Brisbane has bounced back in a 67-point domination of Hawthorn and big statement to the rest of the competition.
‘Prove it’: Sam Mitchell urges outclassed Hawks to bounce back after Lions lesson
The reigning premiers put themselves in prime position to secure another top-four finish, while the Hawks face some serious doubts about their ability to contend.
Geelong’s Jake Kolodjashnij outs himself as AFL player who signed concussion waiver
The AFL player with concussion issues who waived his right to sue Geelong has gone public to defend his club and the process that led to him continuing his career in a twist to the scandal that has engulfed the competition.
Final teams in as Lions tackle Hawks in HUGE Friday night clash. LIVE from 7.40pm AEST
Follow all the action from Friday night's clash between Brisbane and Hawthorn at the Gabba.
Ruthless Lions send ominous warning to AFL rivals by dismantling Hawks
Brisbane shows the rest of the competition why it has won the last two premierships by dominating Hawthorn at the Gabba.
Kolodjashnij comes forward as Cats player involved in secret concussion deal saga as club issued ‘please explain’
Jake Kolodjashnij has come forward as the player involved in Geelong’s secret concussion waiver saga as the club was issued a “please explain” by the AFL for its handling of the process.
Cat at centre of concussion deal speaks, Geelong issued with 'please explain'
Veteran defender issues statement after Cats CEO addresses AFL's request for more information over concussion waiver.
‘My private medical information has been made public’: Cat at centre of concussion scandal speaks out
The AFL is taking further steps to probe the Geelong concussion contract incident after copping significant backlash for failing to sanction the club.
TEAMS: Saints make Nas call, boost for Giants, Pies swing five changes
The teams for Sunday's round 22 matches are in.
Hird, McVeigh make final presentations as Bombers close in on their new coach
James Hird and former teammate Mark McVeigh have met with the Bombers’ coaching selection panel as the club looks to wrap up interviews with the four contenders for the role.
AFL’s tepid response to Geelong’s secret waiver neglects the true cost of concussion
The Cats’ deal with a player raised uncomfortable, existential questions.
Behind the Lens: The special bond that brings 'pure joy' to this die-hard Demon
Narelle Antonie is a fixture at the Chelsea Heights Football Club, where the players have embraced one of their biggest fans.
Hard truths: How beers with ‘Dimma’ helped skipper grow as team’s season nosedived
Noah Anderson is widely admired for his football ability, but he has learnt that being skipper is not all beer and skittles as the Suns faced a few reality checks after starting the season with high hopes.
Greene light: Skipper to return for Giants' wildcard push
Adam Kingsley has revealed that one of his stars is set to return for their crucial clash against Gold Coast in Canberra.