Anzac Day lived up to the occasion with Collingwood and Essendon playing out an 85-85 draw at the MCG. The Bombers felt like the better team across the afternoon, but the Magpies remained in striking distance. Both teams would be feeling like they should have come away with the four points, but the Dons would likely take more confidence away from the performance. See our grades for every player on Anzac Day! Essendon Kyle Langford - A- If he slots that last goal, he finishes with five and an Anzac Day Medal. He misses and we finish in a draw. Still had an excellent afternoon. Nic Martin - A- K ..read more

Champion Data expert analyst Daniel Hoyne thinks that Richmond defender Daniel Rioli could be the missing link for the Gold Coast Suns. Reports last week emerged from 10 News Queensland that Rioli caught up with his former coach Damien Hardwick during Richmond’s bye week while in the Sunshine State. While no trade rumours have really emerged from there, that meeting caused Hoyne to ponder what Rioli would look like playing for his former coach again but in Suns colours. Given that the Suns are poor offensively in 2024, Hoyne thinks that Rioli could be a perfect addition for the improving ..read more

The AFL has made the bold move to outright ban skinfold testing for under-18 players in pathway programs. The league previously banned player weights from being made public knowledge earlier this year, and the skinfold test ban is another move to protect players concerned about their body weight. AFL club bosses were told of the move without consultation earlier this week as underage players will no longer have their body fat measured prior to drafts. Port Adelaide great Kane Cornes didn’t think that skinfold testing was an issue as a draftee given that those testing didn’t shame players but t ..read more

Back for another year, the SEN.com.au team gives you an insight into how every game will play out across the weekend. Labelling something a ‘certainty’ in any sport is fraught with danger. But we’ll attempt to find some anyway. Here is what we consider certainties for the Round 7 Anzac Day clashes between Essendon and Collingwood as well as GWS versus Brisbane. Essendon v Collingwood De Goey 25+ disposals Collingwood star Jordan De Goey has found some serious form in the last two weeks. The midfielder received 19 coaches votes for his performances in Collingwood’s last two games as he has pick ..read more

Former Collingwood midfielder Brodie Holland has reflected on his favourite Anzac Day game story. Holland played in five Anzac Day games across his career in the black and white, but his favourite story was when he was still on the club’s list but was in the grandstand as an onlooker in 2008. That year the Pies would win the big game 154-81 and it was Paul Medhurst who starred, kicking six goals to go with eight marks and 17 disposals. Speaking to Medhurst before the game, the small forward told Holland he was certain he was going to win the medal after dreaming about it the night before. Whil ..read more

Former Adelaide and Geelong forward Josh Jenkins thinks that Melbourne is facing the same issues that they did in 2022 and 2023. While the Dees are now 5-2 after beating Richmond 42-85 in the Anzac Eve clash, Jenkins thinks that their forward line is still a big concern as they’ve only passed triple figures once this year. The Demons kicked just three goals to half-time last night and Jenkins believes that they simply lack natural forwards. He thinks that they’ll keep playing similarly as they have done in the last two seasons - where albeit they finished top four - due to a lack of a potent f ..read more

Brad Johnson has named his rolling All-Australian team following Round 6. The six-time All-Australian and Western Bulldogs champion will be updating his side weekly, adding and dropping players as he sees fit. After making two changes following Round 5, Johnson made four changes after Round 6. He also named his team on Wednesday night prior to the Richmond v Melbourne Anzac Day eve clash. Any performances in that game will be considered in next week's updated team. See his updated team below: FB: Nick Vlastuin (RIC) / Alex Pearce (FRE) / Jeremy McGovern (WCE) HB: Nic Martin (ESS) / Nick Blakey ..read more

Melbourne have run over the top of Richmond to win 42-85 in Wednesday night’s Anzac Eve clash at the MCG. With both sides coming off the bye, the first half was a bit of a tug-of-war as neither team could get ahead as Richmond entered the main break one point ahead. The early going was plagued by skill issues as both teams sat back and defended well, while a lack of overall stoppages didn’t allow Melbourne’s midfield to really get into the game. Things changed early in the second half though, as Melbourne got the ball deep inside 50 and set up a wall of defence behind that to kick the first fo ..read more

Former Collingwood midfielder Brodie Holland can’t believe how quickly No. 1 pick Harley Reid has adapted to life at AFL level. The young Eagle has starred in his last two games, helping himself to 27 disposals, seven clearances and a goal against Richmond before turning it on in the Derby against Fremantle with three goals, 19 disposals and another seven clearances. Reid’s emergence has coincided with West Coast’s improvement as the side now sit 2-4 in 2024. In 2022 and 2023 they won two and three games in each season respectively. Holland described Reid as a weapon and even compared him to W ..read more

The teams are officially in for the Round 7 Anzac Day clashes between Essendon and Collingwood as well as GWS and Brisbane. The traditional clash between the Dons and Pies is the early game and Essendon have dropped Elijah Tsatas for the returning Peter Wright, while Collingwood have dropped last week’s sub Reef McInnes for fellow forward Harvey Harrison. The Giants then host the Lions in Brisbane and the home team has brought in Darcy Jones for the suspended Toby Greene, while the visitors have brought in Darcy Fort and Conor McKenna for Jarryd Lyons and the concussed Darcy Fort. Check out th ..read more