Skip to main content
  • AFL
  • AFLW
AFL Play AFL Play
  • Adelaide Crows Adelaide Crows
  • Brisbane Brisbane
  • Carlton Carlton
  • Collingwood Collingwood
  • Essendon Essendon
  • Fremantle Fremantle
  • Geelong Geelong
  • Gold Coast SUNS Gold Coast SUNS
  • GWS GIANTS GWS GIANTS
  • Hawthorn Hawthorn
  • Melbourne Melbourne
  • North Melbourne North Melbourne
  • Port Adelaide Port Adelaide
  • Richmond Richmond
  • St Kilda St Kilda
  • Sydney Swans Sydney Swans
  • West Coast Eagles West Coast Eagles
  • Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs

More from Telstra

Australia's best network.

  • AFL Tipping
  • AFL Fantasy
  • Telstra
  • My Telstra
  • Foxtel From Telstra
AFL Logo
    • News
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Photos
    • From The Vault
    • Fixture
    • Ladder
    • Team Lineups
    • Broadcast Guide
    • Injury List
    • Match Videos
    • Players
    • AFL Stats
    • Team Rankings
    • Premiership Winners
    • Brownlow Medal
    • Leaders & Awards
  • Gather Round
    • Buy Tickets
    • On-Sale Dates
    • FAQ
    • Venues
    • Membership
    • Play AFL Fantasy
    • Fantasy Hub
    • Play AFLW Fantasy
  • Tipping
    • The AFL Store
    • Official Memorabilia
AFL Logo
  • Video
  • Match Centre
  • Ladder
  • Stats
    • News
    • Videos
    • Podcasts
    • Photos
    • From The Vault
    • Fixture
    • Ladder
    • Team Lineups
    • Broadcast Guide
    • Injury List
    • Match Videos
    • Players
    • AFL Stats
    • Team Rankings
    • Premiership Winners
    • Brownlow Medal
    • Leaders & Awards
  • Gather Round
    • Buy Tickets
    • On-Sale Dates
    • FAQ
    • Venues
    • Membership
    • Play AFL Fantasy
    • Fantasy Hub
    • Play AFLW Fantasy
  • Tipping
    • The AFL Store
    • Official Memorabilia
  • VFL/VFLW
  • AFLW
  • PLAY AFL
  • From The Vault
  • About AFL
  • State League
  • VFL/VFLW hub
  • Indigenous AFL
  • 2025 Finals Hub
  • Trade
  • Draft
  • Toyota AFL Club Help
  • Competitions & Promotions
  • Concussion
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • AFL Mint
  • Marvel Stadium
  • AFL Policies
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
    • Adelaide Crows Adelaide Crows
    • Brisbane Brisbane
    • Carlton Carlton
    • Collingwood Collingwood
    • Essendon Essendon
    • Fremantle Fremantle
    • Geelong Geelong
    • Gold Coast SUNS Gold Coast SUNS
    • GWS GIANTS GWS GIANTS
    • Hawthorn Hawthorn
    • Melbourne Melbourne
    • North Melbourne North Melbourne
    • Port Adelaide Port Adelaide
    • Richmond Richmond
    • St Kilda St Kilda
    • Sydney Swans Sydney Swans
    • West Coast Eagles West Coast Eagles
    • Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs
  • VFL/VFLW
  • AFLW
  • PLAY AFL
  • From The Vault
  • About AFL
  • State League
  • VFL/VFLW hub
  • Indigenous AFL
  • 2025 Finals Hub
  • Trade
  • Draft
  • Toyota AFL Club Help
  • Competitions & Promotions
  • Concussion
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • AFL Mint
  • Marvel Stadium
  • AFL Policies
  • Annual Reports
  • Careers
  • Contact Us
    • Adelaide Crows Adelaide Crows
    • Brisbane Brisbane
    • Carlton Carlton
    • Collingwood Collingwood
    • Essendon Essendon
    • Fremantle Fremantle
    • Geelong Geelong
    • Gold Coast SUNS Gold Coast SUNS
    • GWS GIANTS GWS GIANTS
    • Hawthorn Hawthorn
    • Melbourne Melbourne
    • North Melbourne North Melbourne
    • Port Adelaide Port Adelaide
    • Richmond Richmond
    • St Kilda St Kilda
    • Sydney Swans Sydney Swans
    • West Coast Eagles West Coast Eagles
    • Western Bulldogs Western Bulldogs

Follow us on social media

  • Facebook
  • X
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
Featured Columnist Damian Barrett
Damian Barrett is AFL Media's chief correspondent and an award-winning journalist widely acknowledged as being the best newsbreaker in the AFL.
Why not follow? @barrettdamian

BARRETT: Bombers keep failing Merrett. No wonder he still wants out

Essendon's start to 2026 shows its return to glory is too far away to convince Zach Merrett to stay, writes Damian Barrett

Read Now
 

Read More Damo

  1. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF there's one thing Damo wishes would cease immediately … THEN

    Sliding Doors is in full swing for 2026 .. and Damo's got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  2. Opinion
    Opinion

    BARRETT: Bombers keep failing Merrett. No wonder he still wants out

    Essendon's start to 2026 shows its return to glory is too far away to convince Zach Merrett to stay, writes Damian Barrett

    AFL
    AFL
  3. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF Zach Merrett needs to do one thing this season … THEN

    Sliding Doors is in full swing for 2026 .. and Damo's got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  4. Opinion
    Opinion

    BARRETT: The blame game for the Demons bust-up will never truly be resolved

    The extraordinary trade period that saw two all-time greats leave Melbourne could still end up a win-win for all parties, writes Damian Barrett

    AFL
    AFL
  5. Docherty withdrawn from Blues function after stinging criticism

    Sam Docherty will no longer appear at a Carlton function on Thursday night

    AFL
    AFL
  6. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF the Blues were 22 points up in the third quarter … THEN

    Sliding Doors is in full swing for 2026 .. and Damo's got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  7. Opinion
    Opinion

    BARRETT: Why Saints v Pies is so much more than just another game

    Two clubs with very different stories will collide in an Opening Round blockbuster, writes Damian Barrett

    AFL
    AFL
  8. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF the Crows' narrative was that 2025 was a success ... THEN

    Sliding Doors is back for 2026 .. and Damo's got a full head of steam after a long, hot summer

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion

Access All Areas

  • 22:40

    AAA: 'Sloppy' Cats a shadow of '22, 'scary' contender, box-office Crows

    Damian Barrett, Matthew Lloyd and Nat Edwards discuss a big weekend of storylines in Access All Areas

    AFL
    AFL
  • 02:13

    Why a 'good old fashioned spray' is needed at Geelong

    Matthew Lloyd shows where the Cats are 'not working hard enough', thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • 00:42

    Big man stands tall and 'saves' the Blues

    Nat Edwards, Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett focus on a key Blue who was crucial in the closing moments against the Cats, thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • 01:06

    The six seconds which cost Freo

    Did the Dockers shoot themselves in the foot? Access All Areas show the moment that Freo would perhaps like back, thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • 19:37

    AAA: 'Major' Buddy issue for Swans, dull Dogs are 'spooked', Cats exposed

    Damian Barrett, Matthew Lloyd and Nat Edwards discuss a big weekend of storylines in Access All Areas

    AFL
    AFL
  • 02:07

    What's Ben McKay worth, will Tigers or Blues finish higher, pass mark for Eagles

    Nat Edwards, Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett give us their 'Quick Gives', thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • 01:39

    Bombers are finally a happy team

    Nat Edwards, Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett discuss whether we are about to see a revitalised Essendon, thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • 00:30

    Blues debutant tames two Tigers

    This impressive effort by Oliver Hollands catches the attention of Nat Edwards, Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett, thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • 01:23

    Bold calls: An old champ and a season debutant to be All-Aus

    Nat Edwards, Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett make some bold predictions ahead of the season, thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • Captain courageous shines on and off the field

    Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett discuss Joel Selwood's incredible Grand Final day, thanks to Crypto.com

    AFL
    AFL
  • 01:40

    Scott's eerie preseason prediction comes to fruition

    Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett look back at a Chris Scott interview from February that illustrates how everything went to plan for Geelong

    AFL
    AFL
  • 17:17

    The unheralded Cat nobody can stop, 'shell-shocked' Swans' anthem nerves

    Matthew Lloyd and Damian Barrett discuss all the big talking points from Geelong's Grand Final victory

    AFL
    AFL

AFL Daily

Return of the Pride

Return of the Pride tracks the incredible rise of the Brisbane Lions from the depths of despair in the mid-2010s as players left the club en masse, to the rapid rise in the 2020s to become a powerhouse of the competition culminating in back-to-back premierships.

View All Episodes

Return of the Pride tracks the incredible rise of the Brisbane Lions from the depths of despair in the mid-2010s as players left the club en masse, to the rapid rise in the 2020s to become a powerhouse of the competition culminating in back-to-back premierships.

View All Episodes

Sliding Doors

  1. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF there's one thing Damo wishes would cease immediately … THEN

    Sliding Doors is in full swing for 2026 .. and Damo's got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  2. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF Zach Merrett needs to do one thing this season … THEN

    Sliding Doors is in full swing for 2026 .. and Damo's got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  3. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF the Blues were 22 points up in the third quarter … THEN

    Sliding Doors is in full swing for 2026 .. and Damo's got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  4. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF the Crows' narrative was that 2025 was a success ... THEN

    Sliding Doors is back for 2026 .. and Damo's got a full head of steam after a long, hot summer

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  5. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF the Cats have historically been the trade masters ... THEN

    The Trade Period is over but Sliding Doors is in top form ... and Damo's got plenty to say

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  6. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF you're a movie buff and love Tarantino and Hitchcock ... THEN

    The off-season's here and Sliding Doors is in top form ... and Damo's got plenty to say

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  7. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF landing Zach Merrett would be a massive coup for the Hawks … THEN

    The off-season's here and Sliding Doors is in top form ... and Damo's got plenty to say

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  8. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF Mullin on McCluggage was game-changing in the QF ... THEN

    Sliding Doors is at the pointy end of the 2025 season .. and Damo's still got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  9. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF Damo was in control of the desired exit of big Charlie ... THEN

    Sliding Doors is at the pointy end of the 2025 season .. and Damo's still got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  10. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF the Suns sledged Will Ashcroft about his Norm Smith Medal ... THEN

    Sliding Doors is at the pointy end of the 2025 season .. and Damo's still got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  11. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF the Swans really, really, really want Charlie Curnow ... THEN

    Sliding Doors is at the pointy end of the 2025 season .. and Damo's still got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion
  12. Opinion
    Opinion

    IF it was Plugger in the '90s and Buddy in the '10s ... THEN

    Sliding Doors is at the pointy end of the 2025 season .. and Damo's still got plenty on his mind

    AFL
    AFL
    opinion

Naming Rights Partner

  • Logo of partner Toyota

Major Partners

  • Logo of partner McDonalds
  • Logo of partner Telstra footer
  • Logo of partner Carlton Draught
  • Logo of partner Nab
View All Partners

Download the Official AFL App

  • Download on the app store
  • Google play logo Google play
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Youtube
  • Instagram
  • TikTok
Page Top
AFL Logo
  • © 2026 AFL
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Collection Statement
  • More AFL
  • About AFL
  • Mental Health & Wellbeing
  • Toyota AFL Club Help
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Contact Us
  • Get Involved
  • Play.AFL
  • Coach.AFL
  • Umpire.AFL
  • Schools.AFL
  • AFL Membership

Acknowledgement of Country

In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land, sea and community. We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today.

Created by Telstra
  • Contact Us
  • Terms and Conditions
  • Privacy Policy
  • Copyright & Trademark
  • Online Security
Why not share?
Share this Stream
Loading Gallery
Why not share?
Share This Article

Up Next

Learn more about AFL iD