Martin Blake on Crows - Real Footy - canberratimes.com.au

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.

Quick off the mark: Adelaide players celebrate their 2012 NAB Cup victory.

Early-bird Crows get reward for effort

Martin Blake All clubs have different agendas for the pre-season, writes Martin Blake.

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.

Schoe and tell: Hawks' most relieved man

Martin Blake Arguably the most relieved man at Hawthorn today was Ryan Schoenmakers, the Hawks' centre half-back whose brain-fade late in the final quarter gifted a goal to Adelaide's Jason Porplyzia and almost...

Football

Hawk puts brain fade behind him

Martin Blake Arguably the most relieved man at Hawthorn yesterday was Ryan Schoenmakers, whose brain fade late in the final quarter almost cost his team a spot in the grand final.

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.

Swans set to end Magpies' streak

Martin Blake Everyone falls in love with the qualifying final winners and dumps the losers, but recent history shows that it is not necessarily a good guide to the preliminary finals.

MCG travel bug won't go away

Martin Blake Four Victorian clubs have made the finals and four from outside the game's heartland.

Rocket power

Martin Blake and Jon Pierik Rodney Eade a potential candidate, Scott Burns endorsed as coach-in-waiting after Matthew Primus quits Port Adelaide.

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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.

Pieces of eight proves a flag fantasy

Martin Blake In AFL footy, they don't do an FA Cup-style rags-to-riches thing. No fairytale stories like West Ham's triumph in 1980 from second division.

Forward thinking

Martin Blake Finishers are the must-have item this season, writes Martin Blake.

Star Crow grounded for three matches

Martin Blake Taylor Walker hits a brick wall in the form of the match review panel in his groundbreaking season.

Tiger keeps thoughts on tackle in-school

Martin Blake Steve Morris has been on television more in the past few days than in the rest of his life.

MRP throws the book at big names

Martin Blake Adelaide’s key forward Taylor Walker, St Kilda star Brendon Goddard, Hawthorn defender Brent Guerra, Essendon half-forward Stewart Crameri and Richmond on-baller Daniel Jackson have all incurred the...

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