
Esava’s eight prompts Vic Country call
“ALL CLEAR” were two words prolific with the umpires at Queen Elizabeth Oval on Sunday when Cobram tall Esava Ratugolea booted a bag of eight goals. Not since Steele Sidebottom back in the 2010 Grand Final had a Bushranger reached the double figures mark and at three quarter time when Ratugolea had seven goals straight, it looked […]

Pioneers eye off finals after promising start
FOR the first time in a long time, Bendigo Pioneers are earning respect in the TAC Cup according to midfielder Darby Henderson. Having played less finals series than any other team, the Pioneers are proving they are more than making up the numbers in 2016, having amassed three wins from nine games, in what is one […]

Metro win thriller over arch rivals Country
Vic Metro claimed their first win over cross state rivals Vic Country for the first time since 2013, with a thrilling come from behind victory at Simonds Stadium on Monday. Trailing by 20-points at three-quarter time, Metro kicked the first four goals to hit the front, before a late fightback from Country gave them the […]

Bottom agers grasp opportunity
With the Under 18 Championship getting underway last weekend, spots in the TAC Cup teas have come about. This means it is a great opportunity for some of the bottom agers to get some experience playing a TAC Cup before they may get some consistent game time next year. It was evident to see that […]

15 Division Two names to watch out for in 2017
The Division Two state carnival wrapped up a fortnight ago with NSW/ACT running away as winners. With clubs having the ability to trade future draft picks, Matthew Grundy casts his eye over 15 of the top talent to watch out for next year from the Division Two states. NSW/ACT Charlie Spargo Inside Midfielder/Small Forward (Murray Bushrangers/NSW-ACT) 25/11/1999 […]

Matt Balmer’s June Power Rankings
In an AFL Draft Central feature, AFL Draft analyst Matt Balmer will update his Power Rankings on the first Monday of every month. The Division One Championships begun on the weekend and make sure you keep checking AFL Draft Central for all the news from the matches. It is just under 172 days until the draft kicks off in Sydney and […]

Rippon for the picking
It is 6:30 am. It is cold. The city of Ballarat is quiet in preparation of the day ahead, while the clouds above have promised to hold off a little longer before their ritual interruption begins. Athletes are not supposed to be up at this time. For them, this is a time of rest from […]

Draft night: How the new bidding system works
By now most ardent footy fans would be across the new father son and academy bidding system that will have its inauguration at the upcoming AFL Draft. For those still unaware, the system ensures that while not strictly on the open market, clubs will now need to pay market value for players. It ensures that […]

Luke Partington: Resilience through adversity
Ordinarily, for a young, aspiring league footballer, a year in which you have been selected as one of the best underage players in the country would be one to celebrate. January saw Luke Partington travel to the US as part of the NAB AFL Academy, for a 10-day training camp, alongside other draft hopefuls and […]

The curious case of Charlie Curnow
Charlie Curnow is going to cause some serious headaches for recruiters come draft day. The 191 centimetre forward/midfielder missed the entirety of the Under 18s National Championships with a knee problem, but has returned to the TAC Cup in solid form. Curnow is a strong chance to bolt into the top five, according to several of […]