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
Magpie Dwyer may be recruit of the year, says Maxwell
Jake Niall and Emma Quayle Collingwood coach Nathan Buckley praises all 22 of his players after win over Geelong.
Buckley's big gambles produce mixed results
Jake Niall Coach's roulette spins weren't as costly as they threatened to become.
AFL
Collingwood re-signs Elliott, Witts
Jake Niall In a major display of faith, Collingwood has re-signed ruckman Jarrod Witts on a three year contract before he has been selected for a senior game.
Judgment day
Jake Niall The Carlton coach's tactics against the Pies will reveal how he views some of his former players.
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.
Be like Pendles: Malthouse to Gibbs
Jake Niall Carlton's new coach has laid down the gauntlet to Bryce Gibbs.
Why the Dees alone are facing probe
Jake Niall There are three factors that compel the AFL to investigate the allegations of tanking.
Hitouts to the Max
Jake Niall Since Leigh Brown retired, Collingwood has struggled with second ruck/forward role.
Featherweights?
Jake Niall As the season has progressed, the Hawks have moved ahead of the Magpies. Here's why.
Hawks three times better
Jake Niall On the ladder, Hawthorn and Collingwood were only one game apart. In reality, the distance was several goals.
AFL
Backs to the wall, Pies will play it for J-Mac
Jared Lynch and Jake Niall West Coast midfielder Andrew Gaff is expecting the Pies to be at their most formidable in Saturday night's semi-final.
Daisy digs deep and comes up smelling of roses
Jake Niall Dale Thomas hasn't had a flash season. Not given to overstatement, Thomas called his mediocre qualifying final effort against Hawthorn a ''shocker'' and at half-time last night he was still stuck on...
Six-day rule costs Swan two games
Martin Blake and Jake Niall Collingwood's hard-line decision based on a season-long ban on drinking alcohol six days before a game.
Swan, Buckley men on different paths
Jake Niall It is clear that Collingwood's past two Brownlow medallists diverge in their approaches to football.
Jake Niall
Ablett's only win in 2012 may be a Brownlow
Jake Niall No footballer has ever won the Brownlow Medal in a team that hasn't won a single game.
Beams to stay with Pies
Jake Niall Collingwood midfielder has all but agreed to terms on a three-year contract extension.
AFL
Pies lock Ball into new deal
Jake Niall Midfielder will become latest contractual domino to fall into place at Collingwood.
Pies survive fright from plucky Eagles
Jake Niall Collingwood has the great racehorse's knack for finding the a way to win.
Football
Cats throw debutants into the fire
Jake Niall There's a sense that tomorrow's Geelong-Collingwood clash is no grand final rematch.
AFL
Pies maul Cats as Suns shine
Jake Niall Often this season the AFL has seemed to be a two-tiered competition.
