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Every AFL club's best draftee and breakout prospects
TOP HEADLINES
AFL
PRESEASON
AFL preseason: Stocks up, stocks down
The AAMI Community Series is done and dusted, so it's time to see whose stocks are up and whose are down heading into the 2021 AFL season.
ESPN
Round Table: Was the Zac Williams ban too lenient?
With the 2021 AFL season just around the corner, our experts tackle some of the burning questions ahead of Round 1, including whether Zac Williams' ban was fair, and which teams need reassessing after preseason.
PODCAST: We're back for 2021! First thing; grilling Champion Data
In the first episode of 2021 the team challenge Champion Data's 'elite' Mason Cox status, before analysing the pre-season.
Why we mustn't form hasty opinions on the new 'man on the mark' rule
AFLW
ROUND 6
Injury concerns for Blues in AFLW win
Carlton star Madison Prespakis had an injury scare on return from suspension as the Blues gave their AFLW finals hopes a boost with a comfortable 33-point win over Geelong.
Robert Cianflone/Getty Images
Unbeaten Magpies send AFLW flag warning
Collingwood survived their sternest test of the AFLW season so far and maintained their perfect record with a tough 36-point win over the Western Bulldogs.
Bowers, Houghton star as Freo thump Eagles
Star Fremantle midfielder Kiara Bowers has continued her western derby dominance as Gemma Houghton booted five goals to help lift their side to a 67-point AFLW win over West Coast.
AFL
ROUND TABLE
Round Table: Who will be the biggest risers and sliders in 2021?
The 2021 AFL season is just around the corner and our experts tackle some of the big questions including which teams will rise and slide the most, Bruce McAvaney's legacy and the contentious Round 1 fixture.
Round Table: What impact will the new 'stand' rule have?
With the 2021 AFL season not too far away, our experts tackle some of the big questions including the impact of a controversial new rule, the hardest team to predict heading into 2021 and candidates to be the recruit of the year.
AFL
MUST-WATCH PLAYERS FOR 2021
ESPN's Top 20 Must-Watch Players: 10-1
Who are the players we can't wait to watch this year? Whether they be established stars, guns returning from injury, traded players or top draftees, we've compiled a list of our 20 must-watch players. Here, we unveil the top 10.
ESPN
ESPN's Top 20 Must-Watch Players: 20-11
Who are the players we can't wait to watch this year? Whether they be established stars, guns returning from injury, traded players or top draftees, we've compiled a list of our 20 must-watch players. Here, we unveil those ranked 20-11.
Inside the evolving culture of death threats in the AFL
AFL
2020 DRAFT
AFL Draft 2020: Every club's draft haul rated
ESPN's AFL draft expert Chris Doerre analyses each teams performance at the 2020 AFL Draft and grades how each team fared.
Michael Willson/AFL Photos via Getty Images
You're drafted! Now what? How players prepare for AFL life
Once a player's name gets read out on draft night, it's a whirlwind journey from that moment on. Suns player Ben Ainsworth lifts the lid on what just happens behind the scenes after getting drafted.
Ranking every No. 1 AFL draft pick since 2000
Top Headlines
- Albert Perez/Getty Images
Who has gone where? The latest AFL free agency and trade news
With the 2020 premiership run and won, the footy world has turned its attention to the offseason. With news constantly breaking about players seeking new homes, here's your one-stop-shop of all the latest confirmed news.
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- Bradley Kanaris/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
Pass or fail? Every AFL club's make or break assessed
With every team done and dusted for 2020, let's revisit the preseason pass marks awarded for each club to see who passed and who failed in 2020.
- ESPN
'That ripped our hearts out': An oral history of Essendon's 2000 season
It is 20 years since Essendon went on a destructive 24-1 run to claim their 16th premiership. ESPN's Justin Robertson tracked down 20 key figures, including players, coaches and fitness staff to put together an oral history of that season. This is Part 1.
- Mike Owen/AFL Photos/Getty Images
AFL Draft Power Rankings: Key forwards jostling for No. 1 rank
Despite little live action to assess, ESPN.com.au draft expert Chris Doerre has revealed his latest Power Rankings ahead of the 2020 AFL Draft.
- Darrian Traynor/Getty Images
How three 2019 losses spooked Simon Goodwin and the Demons
Melbourne's decline from the heights of 2018 can be traced back to their first three games of 2019, after which Simon Goodwin dramatically changed the Demons' game-style, writes Niall Seewang
- Graham Denholm/Getty Images
List manipulation is here to stay, so get used to it
This extraordinary season may have some long-lasting silver linings, such as the maturing of attitudes towards traditionally prickly topics like list management, Rohan Connolly writes.
- James Black/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The seven-footer eyeing a place in the AFL
Seven-footer and college basketballer Mate Colina is hoping to become the tallest AFL player to play in the league. His journey onto Richmond's list is fascinating, writes Olgun Uluc.
- Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
Behind the COVID curveballs faced by recruiters ahead of the AFL Draft
North Melbourne have one of this year's strongest draft hands despite some massive COVID-19 curveballs. Head of player personnel Scott Clayton talks to ESPN about how they're negotiating the most speculative draft ever.
- Daniel Kalisz/Getty Images
What to make of the Swans' rocky 2020, and what comes next
The win-loss column is ugly but Jude Bolton digs a little deeper to assess Sydney's 2020 campaign, and the list management decisions to come in the off-season.
- Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
List managers, players, boards, HQ: How coaches juggle the whole-club puzzle
Coaching is one of footy's mysterious arts, but ESPN is lifting the lid in an exclusive three-part series. This is Part 3, delving into the whole-club puzzle - from the coaches, to admin, to list management.
- Mark Brake/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
2020 AFL Draft: Who's still playing, top prospects, clubs holding the aces
Clubs and prospects alike are still preparing for the draft despite a lack of action on the field - here's everything you need to know about the current state of play.
- Paul Kane/Getty Images
Why the holding the ball rule is against the spirit of the game
It's great to have football back, but the current adjudication of the holding the ball rule needs some serious work, writes Jude Bolton.
- Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
Why trading Angus Brayshaw could fix Melbourne's midfield
Melbourne's midfield woes are personified by Angus Brayshaw, who is fantastic in the contest but sloppy on the outside. That's why they should consider putting his name on the trade table to target Lachie Whitfield, writes Niall Seewang.
- Daniel Pockett/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
Forget tweaks, the AFL needs radical change
Amid growing concern for the state of the game in 2020, the AFL is in drastic need of rule changes, writes Rohan Connolly.
- Mark Dadswell/Getty Images
An oral history of Lance Franklin's 2010 AFL Goal of the Year
10 years ago, then-Hawthorn star Lance Franklin's legend reached another level after two incredible back-to-back goals against Essendon at the MCG. Here's how it unfolded, from the perspective of those closest to him.
- Matt King/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
Do young footy fans actually care about the state of the game?
The state of the modern game has been one of the biggest talking points in 2020, but do young fans actually mind the new-look AFL?
- Michael Dodge/Getty Image
Land of Opportunity or American Dream? AFL's U.S. conundrum
For a league that has long pined for exposure and relevance overseas, the AFL could be presented with a golden opportunity to make a mark in the U.S. -- if they're brave enough to do so, writes Niall Seewang.
- Photo by Fairfax Media via Getty Images
Starting the AFL from scratch: What would footy look like?
What would happen if the AFL as we knew it died, and we were given another chance to establish the competition? ESPN.com.au canvasses several opinions looking at teams, finals, the fixture, salary cap, stadia, AFLW and more.
- Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
AFL Draft Power Rankings: The top 20 prospects for 2020
Despite no live action to assess, ESPN.com.au draft expert Chris Doerre has revealed his first Power Rankings of the 2020 draft, having scrutinised the prospects' 2019 seasons closely.
- Jaap Arriens/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Captains Confidential: Worst change rooms, feral fans, burner accounts
From the worst locker rooms in the league to the best theme songs and social media burner accounts, we spoke to several AFL captains for the first edition of AFL Confidential.
- Quinn Rooney/Getty Images
ESPN's Top 20 Must-Watch Players: 10-1
Who are the players we can't wait to watch in action this season? Whether they be stars of the competition, guns returning from injury, traded players or top draftees, we've compiled a list of our 20 must-watch players. Here, we unveil those ranked 10-1.
- Jono Searle/AFL Photos/via Getty Images
The biggest question marks for every AFL team heading into 2020
Now that all the trades are done and dusted, our AFL experts discuss the biggest question marks hanging over each club heading into 2020.
- Photo by Michael Dodge/Getty Images
Tasmania's AFL push: The burning questions
For decades, Tasmania has craved a standalone AFL team without getting the green light. But a fresh push is gathering momentum. Here's all you need to know.
- Dylan Burns/AFL Photos via Getty Images
AFL 2020: Our way-too-early predictions
Who can spoil Richmond's party next year, or will the Tigers prevail again? And who will be the big risers and sliders? Let's take an early stab at how things will stack up next year with our way-too-early ladder predictions for 2020.
- ESPN
Listen to the ESPN Footy Podcast
Join Matt Walsh, Jake Michaels and Christian Joly from Champion Data for some of the best analysis and insight on the ESPN Footy Podcast.
- Dylan Burns/AFL Photos/Getty Images
Metres gained: Breaking down the AFL's most misunderstood statistic
'Metres gained' has become the sexy statistic that's synonymous with modern footy, but what does it mean and just how valuable is it? ESPN and Champion Data have joined forces to break down everything metres gained and explain what it all means.
- ESPN
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