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
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
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.
Magpies consider young Giant for ruck role
Jake Niall and Michael Gleeson Mindful of the burden on the ageing shoulders of veteran premiership ruck Darren Jolly, Collingwood has shown interest in out of contract Giant Jonathan Giles.
Hitouts to the Max
Jake Niall Since Leigh Brown retired, Collingwood has struggled with second ruck/forward role.
Football
Cats throw debutants into the fire
Jake Niall There's a sense that tomorrow's Geelong-Collingwood clash is no grand final rematch.
Watts moving forward in Demons reshuffle
Jake Niall Melbourne coach Mark Neeld says he intends to play the talented youngster forward.
Hawks stitch up top guns
Jake Niall Not worried about losing important players to rival clubs in first year of free agency system.
Why brown and gold is the new black
Jake Niall Hawthorn has players coming back from injury and is well placed to be the 2012 premier.
Heavy lifting
Jake Niall Magpie Darren Jolly found it tough going in 2011, he's determined it will be different this year.
Buckley and the search for footy utopia
Jake Niall How Collingwood's new coach will differ from the old is one of the most compelling questions of the new AFL season.
Football
BIG JAM for Bucks
Jake Niall Nathan Buckley looks to have inherited a tough job, he'll need all his renowned self-belief.
AFL
Dogs, Demons in hunt for Cloke
Jake Niall Melbourne and the Bulldogs among the clubs to have expressed interest in the key forward.
