THE THEME FOR this year’s Sir Doug Nicholls Round is ‘Strengthened by First Nations. Moments. Connections. Stories’. The ongoing theme provides an opportunity for the AFL, clubs and players to showcase defining moments, people, and stories that celebrate the sporting...
THERE IS A particular kind of language that follows Aboriginal footballers around. Silky. Explosive. Magical. Instinctive. Tales of athleticism born of primordial genetic inheritance; of resilience instilled by deep-time connection to Country. The compliments come...
THERE’S A LINE in one of C. S. Lewis’ ‘Narnia’ books that goes like this: “If you had felt yourself sufficient, it would have been a proof that you were not”. The idea is simple: those quickest to volunteer for responsibility often overestimate their readiness, while...
SCOTT PENDLEBURY IS navigating traffic in Melbourne’s St Kilda when Men’s Health catches up with him. It’s a glorious 31 degrees in mid-February and Pendlebury has been up since the crack of dawn to do some coaching, before returning to his home in Sandringham, to...
BY THE TIME the final siren sounds at the MCG to end the 2025 AFL Grand Final, the result hasn’t been in doubt for some time. A third-quarter surge saw the Brisbane Lions run out to a comfortable 47-point victory over Geelong, but that doesn’t make the roar any less...
The Sir Doug Nicholls Round kicks off on Thursday in a celebration that recognises the contribution of the AFL’s First Nations players
First Nations AFL players have long been celebrated for their skill, athleticism and flair. Ahead of the Sir Doug Nicholls Round, Men's Health looks at how a new generation of Indigenous stars in Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, Toby Bedford and Latrelle Pickett are making their names in ways that reshape perceptions and strengthen the league as a whole
Jordan Dawson didn’t put his hand up to become the Adelaide Crows’ captain. In fact, he didn’t think he was ready for the position. But under his leadership, the Crows have grown from a rebuilding side to minor premiers and genuine contenders. In the process, Dawson has become something rarer than a star: a standard
Collingwood’s veteran superstar is closing in on the AFL record for games played. But the ultimate team player has eyes on a bigger prize
At just 21, Will Ashcroft has already had a career’s worth of highs and lows. But as Brisbane chase history, the Lions’ midfield star believes his best is yet to come
No sport gets you in better physical shape quicker and more efficiently than AFL. Here's why
We sat down with Richmond young gun Sam Lalor to take stock of his rookie season and understand why he guarantees he’ll never have another wardrobe malfunction
Since becoming captain at North Melbourne, Jy Simpkin has transitioned from a roaming midfielder to a half-forward flank, revamped his mental strategy and gone to great lengths to become a better leader. None of it has brought the Kangaroos much closer to playing finals footy. What it has done is instil a sense of hunger at the club, make Simpkin a better man and, for the first time in his career, give him reason to believe his all-consuming pursuit of glory will soon pay off
At AFL Awards night, the Geelong Cats superstar lifted the lid on his time spent in a mental facility while recovering from a torn ACL
The Sydney Swans' season may be all but over, but Brodie Grundy is still giving 100 per cent every week
The retired footballer opens up about his struggles with mental health throughout his AFL career, what he would tell his younger self to do differently, and why he’s getting behind the Family Roast
After a quiet 2023 the Sydney Swans forward is fresh off his first full preseason in a decade. As he tells Men’s Health, now is the time for he and his teammates to fill the void left by you know who and make a premiership run. For Heeney, that could mean making the leap from star to superstar.
