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Was Essendon's decision to trade pick 9 shrewd or a monumental blunder?
Essendon appeared to make a major error in judgement by shipping pick No. 9 on opening night of the AFL Draft, but was the decision more calculated?
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What they said: How the top 10 draftees reacted
The first night of the draft is over, and more than 25 young men have found a new home in the AFL. Here's what the top 10 had to say about making the lead into the AFL.
TOP HEADLINES
POWER SURGE
Power are sending a clear message to the AFLW
Port Adelaide have made AFLW history, the biggest ever comeback from a three-quarter time deficit to win, and sealed themselves a place in their first ever preliminary final.
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FINALS
Port stun Hawks in one-point AFLW semifinal thriller
Port Adelaide have come from 22 points down to produce a famous one-point victory over Hawthorn in a pulsating AFLW semi-final for the ages.
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Crows trounce Dockers, storm into AFLW prelim
Adelaide have advanced to their fifth successive AFLW preliminary final after thrashing Fremantle by 37 points in the first semifinal.
THE GAMES YOU CAN'T MISS
AFL 2025 fixture: five must-watch games in the first month
The 2025 AFL fixture has been released. So, to whet your appetite for the upcoming season, we've picked out the five must-watch games from the opening month.
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ANALYSING THE HAWKS
Is the rise of the Hawks just luck of the draw or another redemption story?
Talk around the Hawks' rise through the ranks this year has been tempered with by the supposed difficulty of their draw. So, with the need to 'do it the hard way' to make the Grand Final, are they really contenders, or pretenders, asks Sarah Burt.
Photo by Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
ESPN AFL
2024 AFL Phantom Draft: Every pick in the first two rounds
AFLW
'We need to do more': Tanya Hosch on building pathways for Indigenous players in AFLW
As Indigenous numbers in the AFLW fall, Tanya Hosch highlights the need for culturally responsive pathways to empower aspiring players.
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Every AFLW side's Indigenous Round guernsey for 2024
Top Headlines
- Harassment charge dropped against ex-AFL player
- How Toce's impact helped Tigers land Lalor
- Kangaroos regain skipper Kearney for AFLW prelim
- Top pick Sam Lalor keen on Dusty's No. 4 jumper
- Hawks, Indigenous players settle court case
- AFL releases 2025 fixture; Hawks in prime time
- Kangaroos to play 'home' games in WA
- Lions' Dawes cleared, free for AFLW prelim
- Lions, QLD cricket plea for new Brisbane stadium
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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.
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Expert tips, best tips for week 3 of the AFLW finals
Week 3 of the AFLW finals series is almost upon us! Our footy experts put their tips in for some huge clashes on the horizon.
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Pass or fail: How every club fared with their pass marks in 2024
Before the 2024 AFL season kicked off, ESPN's footy writers put their heads together to come up with every club's pass mark for the upcoming year. How did your team fare?
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Listen to the ESPN Footy Podcast
Join ESPN's footy team for some of the best AFL and AFLW analysis and insight on the ESPN Footy Podcast.
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AFL trade and free agency grades - Every club's report card from a wild 2024 transfer period
And just like that the 2024 AFL trade and free agency period is over. Some teams improved, some stagnated, and others, well, got worse. Here's how every team fared over the last two weeks:
