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About Jake Niall
About Jake Niall
Jake Niall is a senior sports writer at The Age, specialising in AFL football. He joined The Age in 1998, having previously worked as a sports writer on The Sunday Age. He writes a compelling blend of news, feature articles and regular columns during the football season. Niall has also worked as a freelance reporter in the United States and was a regular contributor to The Age from Los Angeles, covering diverse areas like politics, earthquakes, celebrity trials and American sport. Jake ghost wrote the autobiography (Collingwood and Me) of champion Collingwood footballer Peter Daicos.
McNamee pays price for a club divided
Sacking recalls Malcolm Blight's abrupt departure from the Saints.
Hawks, Cats to fill the 'G
Hawthorn and Geelong could be heading for the season's biggest attendance, with the AFL now selling standing-room and restricted-viewing seats for Friday night's match at the MCG.
Gibbs a winner among losers and looks the goods
Carlton's Bryce Gibbs may have lost the war but he certainly won his battle.
Question of the power or the glory
Carlton might throw its money at a power forward, but is an elite midfielder a wiser investment towards winning a flag?
Blues eye share of coast gold
Carlton has had discussions with the AFL about playing a game on the Gold Coast in 2009.
AFL needs to abandon the 'round-15 raffle'
For all the incessant moaning about the injustices of the AFL's rigged schedule, I've never seen a team win or lose a premiership as a result of its home-and-away draw.
Crawford to limp out the season
Hawthorn is expected to play Shane Crawford only sparingly for the remainder of the 2008 season, as the sore veteran limps towards his 300th game.
Name not enough to keep Melbourne safe
Jim Stynes can't ensure the survival of the Melbourne Football Club
via a heritage listing.
Courage under fire
Raph Clarke is not making excuses for his form in 2008. But there are thing happening in his life beyond footy that must be having an impact.
Magpies fail on the board but revive Shaw thing
If he wasn't tagged and scragged, Heath Shaw was dragged so far away from the play in recent weeks that he was rendered invisible.
Rise and fall of Saint Nick
St Kilda coach Ross Lyon's hardline decision to drop key pair Nick
Dal Santo and Stephen Milne was based upon "honouring" the values
of the playing group.
Good judges consider the case for the defence
Losing a shoot-out against Essendon earlier this season forced Carlton to rethink its approach to the game.
Coast in bid for 20 of top 24
The Gold Coast consortium has requested that it be given 20 of the first 24 picks in the draft the year before it enters the competition.
Geelong keeps options open for wandering Ablett
The door remains open for Nathan Ablett to return to Geelong even next year.
Port writes manual, 'Playing Cats for Dummies'
Port Adelaide has now provided the competition with the perfect template. For the second time in nine months, Port has shown everyone how not to beat Geelong.
Collingwood v Carlton: a cold war
In the past 12 months, the off-field skirmishes between Collingwood and Carlton have added a new dimension to the tense conflict that already exists on the field.
The dream is over
St Kilda's window of opportunity has closed and it's time to start rebuilding but, while Nick Riewoldt needs a new lease of life, Justin Koschitzke might need a new destination.
Jake Niall on Melbourne
There isn't much Melbourne can do about 2008, except treat this year as a developmental one - err on the side of youth and fast-track the kids.
AFL to step up drug detection
The AFL is set to ramp up its performance-enhancing drug detection regime, by introducing advanced new testing methods.
Steadfast Swans
Sydney's style of play doesn't set pulses racing but it produces
results.
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