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.
AFL
The life of Brian: Hawks have seen a different Lake
Jake Niall Old Dog Brian Lake is learning new tricks as a Hawk, but the evolution is not without its risks.
Blues find winning form
Jake Niall Carlton gets second win of the season, withstanding a belated challenge from Adelaide.
AFL
Swans paid $1.75m more than have-nots
Jake Niall Sydney paid $1.75million-plus more to its players than three of the competition's most challenged clubs.
AFL
Best in the nest
Jake Niall Fans may fancy the Hawks, Pies, Swans and Crows, but it's the Eagles who could take flight this season.
Football
Help for weak clubs must be spread: Cook
Jake Niall The Cats have backed the notion of giving more to the financially weaker clubs.
Dee great escape
Jake Niall The AFL has been pragmatic with its sanctions on the Demons for tanking. As it usually is.
Tippett gets his Sydney wish
Jake Niall AFL tells Brisbane and GWS that they have no room in salary caps to accommodate forward.
Cricket - dropped, kicked
Jake Niall Football remaining in the headlines beyond grand final day is proving detrimental to summer sport.
AFL
Tippett may miss half a season over cap breach
Emma Quayle and Jake Niall Crows appear certain to be ruled out of the first two rounds of the 2013 draft.
Adelaide not feeling blue after winning a lenient penalty
Jake Niall In comparison to what happened to the last club to be convicted of salary cap rorts, Adelaide has been treated leniently by the AFL.
The feather wait
Jake Niall With the Crows' draft penalties taking time to hurt, where are the more immediate punishments?
Paying the price
Jake Niall Now the shoe's on the other foot and the Hawks are grand final losers, expect a robust response.
AFL
Cap filler: Sydney get nod on Tippett
Jake Niall KURT TIPPETT'S path to Sydney in Tuesday's pre-season draft is assured after the AFL informed the Brisbane Lions and Greater Western Sydney that those clubs did not have sufficient room in their...
Tippett defiant as Crows cop it sweet
Emma Quayle and Jake Niall Kurt Tippett remains determined to clear his name at Friday's AFL Commission hearing.
Tippett faces hefty stint on sidelines following breach
Emma Quayle, Jake Niall KURT TIPPETT is facing up to half a season out of the game after negotiations with the AFL neared completion on the eve of the commission's special hearing into Adelaide's salary cap misdemeanours.
AFL
GWS makes Giant move in the Tippett saga
Michael Gleeson and Jake Niall Greater Western Sydney explores possibility of recruiting Kurt Tippett.
GWS, Suns show interest in Crow
Jake Niall Greater Western Sydney interested in Kurt Tippett if he enters the draft.
Frenzy was all tip and very little iceberg
Jake Niall How many of the players who've just changed clubs represent big deals?
The new deal
Jake Niall The AFL has worked hard to try to even up the competition, but may have to tinker some more.
Giants get serious in their pursuit of Tippett
Michael Gleeson, Jake Niall Greater Western Sydney is planning to meet Kurt Tippett next week, as the club explores the possibility of moving some of Israel Folau's marketing millions over to the controversial former Adelaide...
