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
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.
AFL
State of mind gives Pies the wood over Swans
Martin Blake Collingwood's streak over Sydney looms large, writes Martin Blake.
AFL
Swans keep rolling along
Martin Blake For Carlton, the Waite-ing was over. Jarrad Waite made his return to a navy blue guernsey. But the waiting for a finals berth and a recovering from this cursed season is effectively over, and that...
One Dog no match for Swans
Martin Blake This is a tale of team versus individual. Almost inevitably, the former wins. It is simple mathematics.
Swans declaw Cats
Martin Blake Geelong's malaise is back, although the dreaded premiership hangover may be a way off yet.
Goodes played on: umpires' boss
Martin Blake AFL umpiring department gives tick to one of two controversial decisions in Sydney-Geelong game.
Swans just keep on winning
Martin Blake, Sydney Sydney keeps on winning, relentlessly and impressively. You have to hand it to the top-of-the-table Swans.
Hunt to change tackling style after two-match ban
Martin Blake Geelong acknowledges that Josh Hunt needs to change the way he tackles.
Football
Winderlich back as Bombers test the best
Martin Blake Winless Essendon picks its strongest possible squad for tomorrow's NAB Cup match against Sydney.
AFL
Tonight's NAB Cup games
Martin Blake A preview of tonight's NAB Cup matches, Essendon vs Sydney and Collingwood vs Adelaide.
Bumper is bumped out
Martin Blake Greater Western Sydney veteran James McDonald accepts two-match suspension.
Swan delivers the Goodes again
Martin Blake, Launceston Adam Goodes comes to Sydney's aid in his record-seting 304th game.
Sydney bridges gap
Martin Blake Alastair Clarkson talks up Swans' premiership credentials after Hawthorn's second-half collapse.
AFL
Tigers get Goodes news with star out
Martin Blake Richmond has just won the footballing equivalent of the lottery.
AFL
Goodes out for six weeks
Martin Blake Sydney has suffered a crushing blow with the news that dual Brownlow medallist Adam Goodes will miss about six weeks with a torn quadricep muscle in his left leg.
Football
Bombers fall short as Swans soar
Martin Blake The AFL's surprise new ladder-leader, Sydney, beat Essendon by four points in one of the games of the season.
