
Big Dog, tenacious Rooster headline huge SANFLW off-season moves
SOUTH Australia most talented female footballers are back in preseason training ready for a huge 2023, with some quality players already seeking different pastures be it through a chance in scenery or zoning. Though there are no trades like at the elite level, former Bulldog Isabelle Starmer has become a Rooster, while North Adelaide premiership […]

2023 AFL Academy squad announced
THE AFL has announced its National Academy intake for 2023, with the 30-player squad showcasing just why next year’s crop is tipped to produce somewhat of a super draft. Headlining the cohort is Harley Reid, the Bendigo Pioneers utility widely considered to be the class’ number one prospect. >> SCROLL to see the full AFL […]

AFLW Season 7 Glass Half Full/Empty: GWS
IN a new approach to the AFL Women’s end of season reviews, Rookie Me Central casts both a glass half full and half empty lens over each side’s campaigns. Next up in the series is GWS, who gave the AFLW world glimpses of their true potential in Season 7. GLASS HALF FULL Emerging young talent […]

Marquee Matchups: Bailey Humphrey vs. Reuben Ginbey
THIS year’s National Championships were the first full instalment since 2019, meaning the nation’s best Under 18 draft hopefuls finally got the chance to test their mettle against each other once again. With that came a number of mouthwatering contests between players vying for similar spots on draft boards, amid the pinnacle of their top-age […]

AFLW Season 7 Finals preview: Brisbane vs Adelaide (Preliminary Final 1)
BRISBANE and Adelaide are familiar foes on the big stage, but for the Season 7 edition, it comes a week earlier than the big dance. Both have won flags against each other, but now only one can advance to the decider to play the winner of either Melbourne or North Melbourne.

AFLW Season 7 Glass Half Full/Empty: Fremantle
IN a new approach to the AFL Women’s end of season reviews, Rookie Me Central casts both a glass half full and half empty lens over each side’s campaigns. Next up in the series is Fremantle, who endured a frustrating Season 7 with untimely injuries to key players, and the eventual departure of coach Trent […]

AFL Draft | Prospects exit the injury ward in leaps and bounds
INJURIES have consistently played a role in the stories of many budding AFL Draft prospects over the years, and continue to do so in 2022. Coming off consecutive Covid-interrupted campaigns, athletes pressing their claims for the elite level have played the most football of their fledgling careers since 2019. Not necessarily as a result, but […]

South Australia names 2023 U16 Girls Academy
JUST a day after announcing its 2023 Under 18 Girls Academy, South Australia has gone further into the future by naming its Under 16 Academy. Boasting a total of 48 players – six from each of the eight South Australian National Football League (SANFL) clubs – there are seven Under 18 members who are still […]

AFLW Season 7 Glass Half Full/Empty: St Kilda
IN a new approach to the AFL Women’s end of season reviews, Rookie Me Central casts both a glass half full and half empty lens over each side’s campaigns. Next up in the series it is St Kilda, who produced some promising early-season form before petering out of the top eight race. GLASS HALF FULL […]

Wait not Long now for Noah’s dream
BENDIGO Pioneers and Geelong Grammar midfielder Noah Long is grateful for the injury that ruled him out for a few months this year. It might seem a strange way to put it, but for the 177cm, 73kg talent, maximising his time of the sidelines to learn a new position, and a new perspective, helped him […]