Category Archives: AFL

AFL boss Gillon McLachlan admits there are too many gambling ads and hints at tighter restrictions

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The CEO’s comments follow criticism from politicians, players and fans who support a ban on TV and radio adverts

The AFL chief executive, Gillon McLachlan, has admitted there are too many gambling ads associated with the sport and indicated restrictions will be tightened as the federal government considers a broader crackdown.

McLachlan’s comments come after criticism from politicians, researchers, health professionals, players, gambling addicts and fans who now overwhelmingly support a ban on sports gambling ads on television and radio to reduce community harm.

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AFL to stick with gambling ads despite more than 75% of fans supporting bans

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A survey found the number of gambling ads was the top concern among fans, ahead of umpiring and rule changes

A deluge of gambling ads is expected to continue this AFL season despite the promotions becoming the most common fan concern and politicians blasting them as “completely and utterly out of step” with community expectations.

Multiple gambling insiders who wished to remain anonymous have told Guardian Australia the volume of ads will remain steady despite increasing criticism, as the online wagering industry becomes more competitive and companies jostle for market share.

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Landmark class action chases up to $1bn compensation for alleged long-term concussion damage to AFL players

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The action, lodged in the Victorian supreme court against the AFL, alleges loss, pain and suffering to more than 60 former players

Former football players are seeking up to $1bn in compensation in a landmark class action lodged in Victoria against the AFL for the serious damage concussion has allegedly caused them.

The action, lodged by Margalit Injury Lawyers in the supreme court of Victoria, is on behalf of all professional AFL players who sustained concussion-related injuries through head strikes while playing or training between 1985 and 14 March this year.

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AFL partner Crypto.com accused of ‘misleading’ advertising practices in UK

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UK advertising authority’s ruling that crypto exchange breached standards invites scrutiny of its Australian promotions

The AFL’s crypto exchange partner, Crypto.com, has breached UK advertising standards on multiple occasions and been accused of “misleading” and “irresponsible” behaviour.

The UK Advertising Standards Authority (Asa) rulings may invite further scrutiny of Crypto.com promotions in Australia.

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‘It’s awakened a consciousness in me’: Collingwood urges AFL clubs to conduct racism reviews

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Magpies implement 14 recommendations of Do Better review with four in progress as president Jeff Browne says new systems will build inclusive club

Collingwood says it is making strides to remove the stain of racism and wants other AFL teams to learn from its lessons, two years after an external review found systemic racism within the club.

The Do Better report, the result of an independent review in 2020 by the Jumbunna Institute, outlined 18 recommendations for Collingwood to transform its processes, values and culture to become a more inclusive workplace – all of which were adopted by the club.

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Concussion and head trauma in contact sports to be examined by parliamentary inquiry, Greens say

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Lidia Thorpe says Labor and Coalition back hearings while ‘sports organisations need to be transparent about evidence that informs concussion policies’

A federal parliamentary committee will examine concussion and repeated head trauma in contact sports, with the Greens saying they have the support of Labor and the Coalition to establish the inquiry.

The push follows growing concern about chronic traumatic encephalopathy, or CTE, the neurodegenerative disease associated with repeated head trauma and concussion that has been increasingly linked to contact and collision sports.

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More sports could be free to watch on Australian TV as anti-siphoning review kicks off

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Streaming services on standby as review expected to recommend changes to the number of games broadcast on free-to-air television

More elite sports could end up on free-to-air television in Australia and streaming services such as Stan or Kayo could face increased regulation when bidding for broadcast deals, as the federal government looks to modernise rules governing which events can be shown on Foxtel pay TV.

“Every Australian deserves the chance to enjoy live and free coverage of events of national significance, regardless of where they live or what they earn,” the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, said.

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Andrew Thorburn resigns as Essendon CEO after one day over links to controversial church

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Essendon says City on a Hill’s values are in ‘direct contradiction’ with its own, as Daniel Andrews labels its views on homosexuality and abortion ‘appalling’

Andrew Thorburn has resigned as Essendon chief executive 24 hours after being appointed because his links to a church condemning homosexuality and abortion were in “direct contradiction” to the values of the AFL club.

The Bombers announced on Tuesday afternoon that Thorburn, despite not holding the same personal views as the City on the Hill movement for which he is chairman, felt he could not serve in both roles and had offered his resignation.

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Jeff Kennett says Hawthorn racism allegations a ‘bump along the highway’ as WorkSafe investigates claims

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Outgoing president insists AFL club is not in crisis as WorkSafe urges anyone who experienced or witnessed ‘health and safety concerns’ to contact them

Outgoing Hawthorn president Jeff Kennett says the leaking of racism allegations at the AFL club is “unfair” and he hopes the issue can be resolved by the end of the year as WorkSafe Victoria announced it was investigating the claims.

Kennett said on Saturday night the club was not in crisis and he described the serious allegations as a “bump along the highway”. Kennett was speaking at the club’s best and fairest awards function.

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Current cybersecurity laws ‘absolutely useless’, Clare O’Neil says – as it happened

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This blog is now closed

On Optus, Dreyfus describes the incident as a “wake-up call for corporate Australia” and flags changes to the Privacy Act.

Keeping the very personal data of customers who had ceased to be customers years ago. I have yet to hear a reason why that was going on. And Optus failed to keep the information safe.

Companies throughout Australia should stop regarding all of this personal data of Australians as an asset to them, they should think of it as a liability. This is a wake-up call for corporate Australia.

We will look very hard at the settings in the Privacy Act. I may be bringing reforms to the Privacy Act before the end of the year, to try to both toughen penalties and make companies think harder about why they are storing the personal data of Australians.

That report this morning is simply, in in one of newspapers is wrong. Union officials are not excluded. Any third party seeking to adversely affect public decisions making in corrupt way will be subject to investigation by the commission.

The activities set up under this bill for this commission are directed at the public sector in Australia. It’s not directed at private activity. It’s directed at the public sector and is interaction third parties have with public officials, adversely affecting the way they go about their duties in a formal, honest manner.

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Technical glitch: frustrated AFL fans served episodes of Border Security instead of grand final

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Seven West Media says the issue was unique to certain web and mobile platforms for which it does not have broadcast rights

Instead of watching the AFL grand final kick-off on Saturday some frustrated fans found themselves watching episodes of Border Security due to a glitch with Seven’s streaming service.

People who planned to watch the game remotely on 7plus began posting on social media about the technical issue, which saw them served episodes of the popular reality show instead of the game.

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Author of Hawthorn review says alleged mistreatment of Indigenous players ‘like a nightmare’

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Phil Egan says he has not heard anything like those allegations before at a football club and there should now be an audit of all clubs

The author of a damaging review into Hawthorn Football Club that contained allegations of serious mistreatment of First Nations former players has described the findings as “like a nightmare”.

The club engaged consultant Phil Egan, a former Richmond player, to conduct an external review of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people’s experiences with the Hawks. The review will not be publicly released but the ABC has reported some of its findings.

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AFL greats shocked at Hawthorn report into alleged racism

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Luke Hodge, Sam Mitchell and Shaun Burgoyne react to allegations First Nations players were mistreated

Hawthorn greats Sam Mitchell, Luke Hodge and Shaun Burgoyne have expressed shock at allegations First Nations players were mistreated by the club, including distressing claims they were separated from their families.

The ABC on Wednesday reported the contents of a Hawthorn-commissioned review based on interviews with First Nations players, with the ABC’s report including an allegation that Hawthorn pressured one couple to terminate a pregnancy.

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Sydney Swans ready for ‘team of the year’ Geelong in AFL grand final

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  • Swans book place in decider with thrilling win over Collingwood
  • Cats await in Saturday’s premiership decider at MCG

John Longmire always expected his Sydney side to surge back into contention, but the Swans’ coach concedes they will be facing “the best team for the year” in the AFL grand final.

The Swans’ blend of battle-hardened veterans and electrifying young guns have set up a first-ever decider against Geelong just two years after back-to-back bottom-four finishes.

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AFL preliminary final 2022: Sydney Swans beat Collingwood Magpies – as it happened

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Sydney will meet Geelong in the AFL grand final, after the Swans held off a courageous comeback by one point to win a thriller

1st quarter, 10 minutes remaining: Sydney 4.2 (26) to Collingwood 0.0 (0) Swans putting a lot of pressure on Collingwood whenever the Pies have possession, and it’s pressure by Reid on Noble, rushing from standing the mark after giving away a free kick, that forces a kick out on the full on Sydney’s half-back flank. The Swans by contrast are clean with disposal, and a long kick finds Papley on the 50 arc. His set shot goes a long way, straight through.

1st quarter, 13 minutes remaining: Sydney 3.1 (19) to Collingwood 0.0 (0) Heeney has been prominent early, but a kick slews off the outside of his boot as he tries to pump it inside 50. The Pies escape trouble for a time, but get back into trouble as Hickey gets a 50-metre penalty at half-back when the player on the mark doesn’t move back. Hickey bombs it to the goalsquare, Franklin brings it to ground, and Ryan Clarke is there front and centre to snap it home.

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Brisbane stun Melbourne with second-half comeback in dramatic AFL final

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  • Lions beat reigning premier Demons 14.8 (92) to 11.13 (79)
  • Brisbane head back to MCG for preliminary final with Geelong

Eric Hipwood kicked four goals to help Brisbane bury their MCG hoodoo with a thrilling AFL semifinal comeback win over bogey side Melbourne. The Lions rallied from 28 points down late in the second quarter, kicking 11 goals to five after half-time to snatch a 14.8 (92) to 11.13 (79) victory in front of 62,162 fans.

The see-sawing affair continued a bumper finals series after a thrilling opening week. It was Brisbane’s first win at the MCG since 2014, ending an 11-match losing streak, and came after four straight defeats to the Demons by an average of 44 points over the last two years.

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AFL semi-finals 2022: Brisbane Lions defeat Melbourne by 13 points – as it happened

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  • Brisbane knock out premiers in upset at the MCG
  • Melbourne 11.13 (79) defeated by Brisbane Lions 14.8 (92)

A busy start for Petracca. Three touches in the first three minutes. Remember that he’s playing tonight with a fracture in his leg; the fitness test will come in time.

1st quarter (18:50 remaining) Melbourne 0.1 (1) vs Brisbane 0.0 (0) Luke Jackson deep into the AFL Members pocket gets a left boot on a snap and it snaked around like a Damien Fleming outswinger all the way to the goal mouth but is touched on the line. That would have been a brilliant goal from the big man to start this final.

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Labor welcomes AFL deal with Seven and Foxtel but says it will scrutinise anti-siphoning sports laws

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Fans upset after Foxtel and Kayo awarded exclusive rights to Saturday games for first eight rounds in Melbourne

The Albanese government has welcomed the AFL’s historic broadcast deal with Seven and Foxtel and noted it won’t reduce the number of free-to-air games, while still reiterating concerns about popular sports being locked behind paywalls.

In a statement on Wednesday, the communications minister, Michelle Rowland, noted fans’ concerns about changes to free-to-air coverage of AFL games under the deal.

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Geelong edge out Collingwood as week one of AFL finals delivers another classic

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  • Cats beat Magpies 11.12 (78) to 10.12 (72) in pulsating match
  • Geelong kick four of the last five goals to earn a week off

Geelong exorcised their first-week AFL finals demons with an epic six-point win over Collingwood at the MCG on Saturday. The Cats were behind at every change in a pulsating qualifying final, but kicked four of the last five goals to win 11.12 (78) to 10.12 (72) in front of 91,525 fans.

It continues a bumper start to the finals series, following Brisbane’s last-gasp win over Richmond and Sydney’s upset of reigning premiers Melbourne.

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Sydney stun reigning premiers Melbourne in AFL finals upset

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  • Swans beat Demons 14.7 (91) to 10.9 (69) at MCG
  • Sydney earn week off before hosting preliminary final

The Sydney Swans surged through to their first AFL preliminary final since 2016 after shocking reigning premiers Melbourne by 22 points. In the first final at the MCG since the 2019 decider, the Swans ruined Melbourne’s coming home party with some scintillating run-and-gun football to dismantle the Demons’ much-vaunted defence.

Melbourne entered the qualifying final as hot favourites after humiliating the Brisbane Lions in the final round of the home-and-away season but the Swans completely outclassed the Demons after half-time in front of 78,377 fans. Sydney’s 14.7 (91) to 10.9 (69) win means they now have a week off and will host a preliminary final at the SCG on 14 or 15 September to be in reach of their first flag since 2012.

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