Jake Niall

Jake Niall is a senior sports writer at The Age, specialising in AFL football. Jake joined The Age in 1998, having previously worked as a sports writer on The Sunday Age. He writes a blend of news, feature articles and a weekly column during the football season. Before joining The Sunday Age, Jake was a freelance reporter in the US and a regular contributor to The Sunday Age and The Age from Los Angeles, covering diverse areas like politics, earthquakes, celebrity trials and American sport. Jake ghost wrote the autobiography (‘Collingwood and Me’, 1991) of champion Collingwood footballer Peter Daicos. While he writes primarily about the AFL, he spends the month of January covering tennis, especially the Australian Open. In 2008, Jake won the Melbourne Press Club Quill Awards' Best Sports Story in any medium for his profile piece on David Schwarz.

The Demons leave the field after their 148-point loss to Essendon.

Sacked, with six months of cash

Jake Niall Cameron Schwab will receive a six-month payout from his three-year contract.

Judgment day

Jake Niall The Carlton coach's tactics against the Pies will reveal how he views some of his former players.

No tanks, but a flogging for the Demons

Jake Niall The question will be asked again in the coming days of why the Demons are so dismal.

Dees coach asks for patience during second rebuild

Jake Niall and Rohan Connolly Mark Neeld pledges to keep turning players over until he finds those who are ''up for the fight''.

AFL

AFL warms to longer player break

Jake Niall Seasoned players appear certain to be given a longer break of perhaps a month in the off season, with AFL boss Andrew Demetriou indicating his support - and that of many within the game - for the...

AFL

Demetriou warns on drugs

Jake Niall AFL boss Andrew Demetriou is directly warning players of the dangers of dabbling in drugs that are not approved for human use, in addition to the established bogies of performance-enhancing, illicit...

AFL

Is the game running away from Hawthorn?

Jake Niall Hawks' failure to beat Cats continues distinct pattern from 2012 preliminary and grand finals.

AFL

The problem with Collingwood

Jake Niall Forward pressure and goals - Collingwood needs more of both if it is to go all the way in 2013.

Only Buddy offer is from Hawks

Jake Niall Hawthorn remains the only club to have made Lance Franklin a contract offer for 2014 and beyond.

Jake Niall

Tigers avoid an opening disaster

Jake Niall Thursday night's outcome wasn't a case of paradise lost for Carlton, rather, a catastrophe averted for Richmond.

'Lazy' players led to loss: Malthouse

Jake Niall Mick Malthouse singled out his 'lazy players' inability to use the interchange bench as a key failing in the Blues' five point loss.

AFL

Well tuned Tigers hit winning note

Jake Niall There were many times when the Richmond crowd were thinking 'it's happening again'.

Tigers right to fear false dawns

Jake Niall In 1982, Richmond and Carlton played in a seminal grand final in which the winner confirmed its powerhouse stature, and the loser began 30 years in exile from finals street.

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AFL

Lake, West in doubt for blockbuster

Jake Niall Hawthorn undecided on picking prize recruit Brian Lake for game against Geelong.

Fairytale for Blue unlikely

Jake Niall and Michael Gleeson Troy Chaplin only newcomer certain to play for Richmond against the Blues.

AFL

Unleash the mongrel

Jake Niall Mick Malthouse and his Blues need to be more ruthless if they are to mix it with the game's heavy hitters.

AFL

Proving a legend's worth

Jake Niall David Parkin had blundered, by his own typically candid admission, when he dumped a short kid he considered too fat, slow and 'not good enough' from Carlton in the early '80s.

AFL

Mitchell wanted two-year deal

Jake Niall SAM MITCHELL has admitted he would have liked to sign on with the Hawks for two seasons, rather than the one year that he accepted when he signed his latest contract.