Martin Blake
Martin Blake has been a senior writer for The Age since 1986 and has covered numerous AFL seasons, three cricket World Cups and various Australian cricket tours overseas, two Olympic Games, three Commonwealth Games, and a plethora of other major sports events including the British Open Championship and the US Masters. He covers all sports with an emphasis on Australian football and golf.
AFL
Reward at last for Dons' skipper
Martin Blake Jobe Watson caps off his third consecutive outstanding year with the game's most prestigious and famous individual honour.
Martin Blake
Preliminary discussions: Part three
Martin Blake Travis Cloke is the one. He has a history of troubling Sydney and is key to the Pie's chances.
Football
Oh brother, a family's dilemma
Martin Blake For the Reid family of Bright, it will inevitably be a bitter-sweet preliminary final day.
Bloodlines run deep: Bolton set for his 300th game
Martin Blake I GUESS Jude was always going to be tough. He had to be. Growing up with two sporty elder brothers, their grand finals and Test matches in the Ballarat backyard were brutal.
Football
Hawks haunted by grand Swan
Martin Blake Next Saturday, former Hawk Josh Kennedy presents arguably the biggest single threat to Hawthorn's quest for an 11th premiership.
Hawk Smith is an up-and-comer
Martin Blake Isaac Smith is determined to go with the flow in his first experience of grand final week.
AFL
AFL moves to allay fears weather will stop grand final parade
Martin Blake and Daniel Mackney Tomorrow's grand final parade will be cancelled if Melbourne's forecast bad weather is too inclement, AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou has admitted.
AFL moving on grand final twilight game
Martin Blake The AFL continues to warm to the idea of a twilight grand final.
Football
Malceski's snap is one for the ages
Martin Blake Sydney half-back Nick Malceski took centre stage in the final act of the classic.
Dawes finds an opening as Magpies bolster ruck
Martin Blake Collingwood has made a last-ditch punt on Chris Dawes for the qualifying final against Hawthorn at the MCG tonight after the out-of-form ruck-forward was dropped for the last round of the...
AFL
Dawes finds an opening as Pies bolster ruck
Martin Blake Collingwood has made a last-ditch punt on Chris Dawes for the qualifying final.
AFL
Clash of the big birds guaranteed titanic
Martin Blake For reasons that are not all that clear, Sydney has a problem with the Adelaide Crows.
Shock as All-Australian squad named
Martin Blake Hawthorn defender Josh Gibson and Western Bulldogs skipper Matthew Boyd are among the unlucky players who missed out on All-Australian squad selection yesterday.
From Scarlett to purple
Martin Blake Fremantle pulls off the most momentous win of its 18-year history in the AFL.
AFL
Saints, Swans to play on Anzac Day in NZ
Martin Blake St Kilda and Sydney will play the first AFL match for premiership points outside Australia in New Zealand on Anzac Day in 2013.
AFL
St Kilda, Sydney in Anzac Day clash in NZ
Martin Blake AFL admits success or failure of St Kilda's Wellington venture could determine whether the league tries to put a team in New Zealand.
Lyon gets quick results with Freo
Martin Blake Ross Lyon and Fremantle are working well together, writes Martin Blake.
AFL
Communication poor on suspensions: Demetriou
Martin Blake Andrew Demetriou admits that the AFL's match review panel and judiciary system is imperfect, but insists that it is better than the old system.
Bulldog Minson offered a week
Martin Blake Western Bulldogs' season of woe is made worse with ruckman Will Minson being offered a one-match suspension for stomping by the AFL's match review panel.
Hayes cleared by MRP
Martin Blake Lenny Hayes' reprieve by match review panel proves that not all head-high contact draw sanction.
