Real Footy
The best footy writers from The Age and Sydney Morning Herald bring you the weekly lowdown on all things AFL. If you like the pod, please take the time to rate & review us on Apple, Spotify or wherever you get your pods. We love to hear from you and it makes it easier for the rest of the podcast world to find us. And, why not become a subscriber? Our supporters power our newsrooms and are critical for the sustainability of news coverage. Becoming a subscriber also gets you exclusive behind-the-scenes content and invitations to special events. Click on the links to subscribe https://subscribe.theage.com.au/ or https://subscribe.smh.com.au/
Episodes
This year's trade period moved at a different pace to previous years, but finished with a late rush. Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Sam McClure analyse all the final-day trades and assess the player movement period. From Zak Butters, Zach Merrett, Nick Blakey and Ben King to Toby Greene, Scott Pendlebury and Lachie Neale, a host of big-name players moved clubs. But what will it all mean? Our experts give their opinion.
North Melbourne finally landed a big target on Tuesday when Nick Blakey crossed from Sydney on a multi-million-dollar deal after a tumultuous season. But, with just one day left in the 2026 trade period, Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan say there's more work for the Roos to do. First, they need to secure a key defender, with Adelaide's Nick Murray top of their shopping list, then they need to build a game that allows Blakey to showcase his...
North Melbourne are yet to make a move this trade period, but are juggling lots of possible deals, and now have just two days left to get them done. Although Sydney’s Nick Blakey remains their No.1 target, a deal to deliver him to Arden Street did not progress far on Monday. Michael Gleeson and Peter Ryan suspect that leaves the door ajar for St Kilda to make a late play for the dashing defender and also wonder whether the Sa...
Trade period went into overdrive on Friday, with centrepiece deals delivering Zak Butters to the Western Bulldogs and Ben King to Hawthorn. Five clubs, 20 draft picks and two other players were involved in a convoluted side deal that helped convince Port Adelaide they didn't need to match the Dogs' offer for Butters. Andrew Wu and Sam McClure explain how the side deals work and why footy fans should be cynical about them, but ackno...
The pursuit of Sydney star Nick Blakey took a major twist on day four of the AFL trade period. Sam McClure and Peter Ryan unpick the bold bid from North Melbourne that put them at the front of the queue for the Swan's services.
Can other clubs beat what the Roos have to offer?
Our podcasters also look at the impact of Rowan Marshall landing at Geelong, the multi-club deal brewing behind the scenes to land Zak Butters at the B...
A number of clubs have registered their interest in star Sydney defender Nick Blakey. Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan delve into the emerging suitors and what they can potentially offer for a player at "the peak of his career". Plus, the "good business" from Essendon as Jordan Ridley becomes a Cat, the big deal offered for a one-game player, and your questions answered.
A day after landing Zach Merrett, Hawthorn set their sights on Gold Coast key forward Ben King. Andrew Wu and Michael Gleeson debate how those two gun recruits will elevate the preliminary finalists next year, and why a teenager with one game to his name looms as the key to unlocking the King recruitment. Meanwhile, the Roos have their new coach, Jaymie Graham, and St Kilda’s relationship with ruckman Rowan Marshall turns sou...
There was no mucking around on the first day of the AFL trade period ... well, not as much as usual. Zach Merrett was granted his request and traded to Hawthorn, Scott Pendlebury was officially traded to Gold Coast, uncertainty surrounded the future of Jordan de Goey and North Melbourne prepared to appoint their next senior coach. Sam McClure and Jake Niall unpack it all with an eye on what wheeling and dealing will be done in the ...
A four-minute frenzy flipped the 2026 grand final on its head when the Brisbane Lions surged late to destroy Fremantle’s dreams of a maiden AFL premiership. Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Peter Ryan were among the 100,023 awestruck footy fans who witnessed it. Hours later, they gather in our studio to analyse the pivotal moments, discuss the future of Lions coach Chris Fagan, rate Kylie Minogue’s pre-match show and tel...
Lachie Neale’s future hangs in the balance, creating selection quandaries for Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan ahead of the grand final against Fremantle. Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan ruminate over the options facing both teams, the vital statistics and match-ups that will shape the game. Will the Lions go back-to-back-to-back or will Fremantle’s purple reign at the MCG? Our tipsters have opposing views on how the game will...
Free kicks cost Hawthorn in the closing stages of Saturday night’s pulsating preliminary final against the Brisbane Lions. Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Caroline Wilson rank the game among the best they’ve seen, but say the Hawks only have themselves to blame for the heartbreaking loss. They also discuss the heated scenes post-match before turning their eye to the Lions and their bid for a slice of history against Fre...
Sydney and Hawthorn are well rested and sitting pretty for the AFL preliminary finals, but Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan question whether the week off and hosting rights are the advantage they’re made out to be. Could Fremantle and the Brisbane Lions both pull off an interstate raid, and who will be the main challengers to Nick Daicos for the Brownlow Medal on Monday night? Our tipsters give you all their best predictions.
Geelong lost their semi-final to Fremantle then had the biggest fish of the trade period jump off their hook when Zak Butters declared he wanted to join the Western Bulldogs. Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Caroline Wilson discuss how the Dogs won Butters’ affections, how they’ll now get the deal done and what he’ll mean for their future. Plus, they assess the weekend’s semi-finals and look ahead to this wee...
Our master tipster Andrew Wu makes a huge call ahead of the clash between Fremantle and Geelong. Before flying to Perth to cover the game, Wu tells Peter Ryan why he thinks the first semi-final will be the pivotal match of this year’s finals series. The Brisbane Lions versus Adelaide match also gets close scrutiny as our tipsters search for winners at the pointy end of the AFL season.
Sydney are into a preliminary final after a mighty win over the Brisbane Lions, but still face months of uncertainty off the field. North Melbourne’s cold-blooded sacking of coach Alastair Clarkson leaves the legendary coach with deep wounds, and the Hawks ambush Fremantle in front of their adoring, but tense, home-town fans. When Michael Gleeson, Caroline Wilson and Jake Niall cast their eyes over all the news in the AFL it&...
The “real finals” start now according to our resident tipping experts, Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan. Fremantle will be warm favourites at home to Hawthorn, but will they be able to handle the pressure of expectation from their parochial fans? Geelong face the buoyant Blues, who’ve had the wood on them of late. The depleted Swans host the Lions, and Adelaide coach Matthew Nicks is also under the pump as his team takes ...
Pressure mounts on the depleted Swans on and off the field ahead of their qualifying final against the Brisbane Lions. Scott Pendlebury walks out on the heartbroken Magpies after 442 games to become a Sun, the Bulldogs breathe a sigh of relief and Carlton's Josh Fraser juggernaut rolls on. September is almost here and it's all happening in the AFL. Luckily, we've got Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall and Caroline Wilson to make sense of ...
The wildcard finals pit the Western Bulldogs versus Collingwood and Melbourne against Carlton. Andrew Wu and Peter Ryan run their discerning eye over both games. After sitting atop our tipping contest all season, they suddenly find themselves in fierce disagreement on both games. It’s sudden-death time on the field and high-risk strategies off it, as our experts debate who will win and why, while also vying for tipping suprem...
It's a shameful time for the Sydney Swans. Michael Gleeson says the latitude given to their players has been an open secret among rival clubs, while Caroline Wilson and Peter Ryan say the Swans have lost the moral superiority they once carried because of the behaviour of five players at East Melbourne's Pullman Hotel. The Swans are also set to lose a key off-field figure, with Mark McVeigh poised to become Essendon coach, beat...
The Swans are in turmoil and North Melbourne are finishing the season strongly. Collingwood’s kids have delivered, but can they take it up to the mighty Brisbane Lions? Fremantle have nothing to play for, and a number of clubs are looking to give their battered stars a rest before the wildcard games and finals. It’s the final round of the home and away season, and while the AFL’s top 10 might be locked in, AFL tip...
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