Collingwood AFLW coach Sam Wright will step down after the final-round match against Essendon on Sunday, ending his three-season tenure. The Magpies have won just one of 11 games this season and sit on the bottom of the ladder. Captain Ruby Schleicher has already announced she is leaving the club, and other players are reportedly considering departures. Players and staff are said to be frustrated with list management, development coaching and medical treatment. Wright said he was proud of his time at the club and that Collingwood remains committed to the AFLW program.
The AFL has released its 2027 Gather Round fixtures, with Adelaide and South Australia hosting a weekend of football. The Crows are expected to open proceedings on Friday night and Port Adelaide to close on Sunday afternoon. Some supporters had feared the draw would include weak matches, but the writer argues the league has delivered strong contests. Highlights include Adelaide against Brisbane, Collingwood against Sydney, Carlton against Melbourne, and Port Adelaide against the Western Bulldogs, featuring Zak Butters' return. Only two games were judged less appealing.
AFL Gather Round will return to Adelaide from Thursday, April 8 to Sunday, April 11, 2027. Nine games will be played at Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and Barossa Park. Tickets and prices have not yet been confirmed. Fans can book flights with Qantas, Virgin Australia and Jetstar, and accommodation through All Accor, the AFL's official accommodation partner. A parade through the Adelaide CBD, with 10 players from each club, is a new attraction.
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Brisbane have been given a primetime Thursday night opening match at Gather Round in 2027, against co-hosts Adelaide on April 8. The round closes on Sunday night with Zak Butters facing his former club Port Adelaide, now as a Western Bulldogs player. Brisbane have won all four of their past Gather Round matches, by an average of 38.5 points. Other grudge matches include Rowan Marshall facing former club St Kilda, and Essendon meeting North Melbourne after facing Melbourne in recent years. The round is played across four days in South Australia.
Essendon has decided not to renew AFLW coach Natalie Wood's contract after a one-win season. The club told her of the decision after Sunday's 3.7 (25) to 3.2 (20) loss to Hawthorn. Wood will coach the remaining round against Collingwood at Windy Hill. Essendon chief executive Tim Roberts thanked Wood for setting the club's standards and culture since 2022. The club will now search for a new AFLW coach.
Former AFLW player and coach Lauren Arnell has criticised Collingwood's standard of play after the Magpies failed to kick a goal in a 48-point loss to Port Adelaide. Arnell said coaches have a responsibility to put on a show and grow the game. She rejected the club's stance on an independent review and said the mood among players suggests a wider movement during the coming trade period. Captain Ruby Schleicher is set to leave the club at season's end for West Coast.
The Brisbane Lions are still searching for a replacement for Chris Fagan, who left after leading the club to three straight premierships. Cameron Bruce is widely seen as a favourite, but former Collingwood great Nathan Buckley has said he wants to return to coaching. According to the Herald Sun, Buckley will formally present his case for the role next month. The writer suggests the race is mainly between Buckley and Bruce, with Buckley having previously missed out on roles at Tasmania and Melbourne and pulled out of the North Melbourne process.
St Kilda face intense scrutiny ahead of the 2027 AFL season, despite a relatively quiet offseason. Coach Ross Lyon is on the final year of his contract, and the club's future direction is closely tied to the season's outcome. Commentator Sam Edmund rated the Saints 6.5 out of 10 and described the year as massive, noting they have not won a final since 2020. He called the signing of Jake Stringer a sign of desperation.
Collingwood signed Lachie Neale and Jesse Hogan instead of adding young players during the offseason. The moves address two key issues that have hurt the club over the past couple of seasons. Having finished ninth in 2024 and 2026, fourth in 2025 and first in 2023, the club has been inconsistent. Commentators argue the veteran additions make a premiership push credible in 2027, though much depends on Nick Daicos. With an ageing list, the writer suggests the 2027 season could be a one-year premiership window for the club and coach Craig McRae.
Chef Poh Ling Yeow made a playful jab at Julie Goodwin while giving a mock Gold Logie acceptance speech on Sam Pang Tonight. Host Sam Pang set up the bit, asking Poh to pretend she had won the award he received this year. Co-host Kitty Flanagan presented her with Sam's Gold Logie. In the speech, Poh thanked voters and colleagues, then told Goodwin, who beat her in the 2009 inaugural MasterChef Australia season, to suck it. The crowd laughed throughout, and Poh has been nominated for the Gold Logie twice.
Collingwood AFLW captain Ruby Schleicher will leave the club at the end of the season to return to Western Australia. Schleicher made the decision after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in a round 9 loss to St Kilda. The West Coast Eagles have reportedly offered her a four-year contract. Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly said the club was disappointed but respected her decision. Schleicher, a two-time All-Australian, has played 82 games for the Magpies since joining in 2017.
Former Brisbane Lions coach Chris Fagan could reportedly join Collingwood in a future football role. SEN's Sam Edmund said he was hearing the claim but was not reporting it as fact. Edmund said Fagan wants a full-time position rather than one or two days a week. The exact role is not known. Edmund acknowledged the claim was speculation. Fagan, who walked away after winning three straight premierships, is reported to be returning to Melbourne to be closer to family.
A new television comedy, The Sonny Disposition, premieres on Stan on October 19. Created by Carlton comedian Simon Taylor and Josh Samuels, the series satirises podcast fame through an ego-driven podcaster whose ambitions damage his relationship. Taylor said the show was made independently, after a friend left the country and gave him temporary access to a furnished office. The full series was filmed in Collingwood in February, with the creators taking on multiple roles. The series is streaming on Stan and will screen on 9Go and 9Now in November.
Collingwood has signed Lachie Neale and Jesse Hogan this offseason, with both over 30, rather than adding youth to its list. Commentators say the club is topping up with experience as it looks ahead to 2027. Neale is a Brownlow medallist and Hogan a former Coleman Medal winner, filling needs in the midfield and forward line. Whether the approach is the right one will only become clear around the middle of next season.
St Kilda may be moving to sign forward Jake Stringer, according to SEN's Sam Edmund. Three days earlier, Saints general manager of footy Lenny Hayes had said there had been no discussions about Stringer, but Edmund says things have moved quickly. Stringer kicked 48 goals for GWS this season, and the Saints are looking for more veteran forward presence and goals. The deal is not yet finalised.
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North Melbourne thrashed Essendon by 52 points at Windy Hill, winning 12.13 (85) to 5.3 (33). Essendon led at quarter time, but the reigning premiers kicked eight goals to two in the second half. Ash Riddell was prolific with 32 disposals, and Tahlia Randall kicked three goals. North Melbourne's 9-1 record keeps it on track for the minor premiership. Elsewhere, Sydney beat Collingwood 12.8 (80) to 4.5 (29), and GWS beat Hawthorn 7.13 (55) to 7.12 (54).
Keidean Coleman has been traded from Brisbane to Essendon, and he plans to return a call from Bombers legend Michael Long. Coleman said Long called while he was on planes to and from Melbourne, so they did not speak. Coleman said Essendon coach Mark McVeigh told him Long had been trying to reach him. Coleman has managed just 15 senior games in three injury-hit seasons and said he wants more AFL football. West Coast also landed Jack Viney and Trent Rivers from Melbourne in a late trade.
Carlton defender Lachie Cowan has been suspended for the first two home and away matches of 2027 and fined $5,000 after an AFL investigation. The AFL found him guilty of conduct unbecoming over his use of an illicit substance during the off-season. Cowan must also complete further education on illicit substances and their effects. In a statement, he apologised to his family and the club, calling the incident a wake-up call. The AFL's new illicit drugs policy takes effect in January 2027, with all players to be hair tested on their return to training.
The AFLW's second Pride Round weekend features Round 10 matches, with clubs wearing Pride guernseys for home games. GWS non-binary player Tilly Lucas-Rodd will celebrate their 100th game. Lucas-Rodd says the round is a time to use joy and celebration as resistance against rising discrimination. The Friday night opener sees Melbourne play Richmond at IKON Park, with a full Saturday and Sunday program following.
Hawthorn have been named among the premiership contenders after a strong offseason. The club added midfielder Zach Merrett and Gold Coast Suns key forward Ben King, and lost no player of substance. Commentator Jono Baruch says the Hawks should be favourites for 2027 and that anything short of a Grand Final appearance would be a disappointment. Coach Sam Mitchell has yet to lead the club to a Grand Final, so the coming season is seen as a defining one for the team.
