AFL Fans Association

13/04/2026

AFL Brownlow medal favourite Zak Butters has been sent directly to the AFL Tribunal after being reported last night for his alleged ‘dissenting’ comments to an AFL umpire.

The tribunal will hear the case — with the report alleging Butters asked him “how much are they paying you?”

Zak Butters believes the umpire misheard or misunderstood his comment on Sunday – but the AFL umpire is standing by his version of events. Butters made clear words he said to the effect of “why are you paying that” or “where did they pluck that one from”. But the umpire’s version of events is that Butters made a much stronger statement that questioned his integrity as an umpire.

Meanwhile, fans have questioned why the same umpire is allowed to work for betting company Sportsbet that operates in AFL markets while officiating football games.

Full news article link in comments including AFL news last year approving the umpire’s alternative employment.

13/04/2026

Port Adelaide captain Zak Butters’ abuse accusation drama has become even murkier with news emerging about an umpire’s microphone.

The Power captain immediately after the game declared he will “fight to the hills” any charge brought against him for abusive language, having been reported in his side’s 14-point loss to St Kilda on Sunday night.

After Saints forward Mitchito Owens was awarded a contentious free kick, Butters appeared to ask umpire Nick Foot why the free kick had been awarded.

Foot didn’t hesitate in paying a 50m penalty against Butters for his words, stunning both he and nearby teammate Ollie Wines as Owens strolled into an open goal to push the margin out to 31 points.

As Butters and Wines jogged back to the middle for the next centre bounce, Foot ran past Butters and informed him he was on report.

Broadcast cameras captured Butters’ shocked reaction.

The case took another twist on Monday when football journalist Tom Morris reported there was no umpire microphone audio recorded.

Footy commentators Kane Cornes and David King on Monday said Foot should apologise to Butters if he mistakenly interpreted Butters’ comments as a form of abuse.

Full news article link in comments (extracts above for fans).

12/04/2026

12/04/2026

Gather around Enzo at Gather Round while he leads the Crows victory song 🤗

Well done young man. A special moment and memory indeed. ❤️

Full video link of Crows supporter Enzo with his teammates on Thursday night in comments.

12/04/2026

Premier’s post ignites fierce debate as image proves AFL has left NRL behind

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas has inadvertently ignited a war of words between AFL and NRL fans.

As the AFL’s Gather Round continues to take over the city of Adelaide, Malinauskas was keen to highlight the true beauty of the festival of footy.

He took to X and posted three images which included Adelaide Oval, Norwood Oval and Barossa Park. The caption simply read: “3 venues. 9 AFL matches. One state - South Australia.”

Whether he meant to go fishing or not, NRL fans took the bait hook, line and sinker as they hit back and stated why Magic Round was the better of the two events.

Mark Gottlieb wrote in response: “1 venue. 8 NRL matches. One state - Queensland.”

AAP’s Scott Bailey added: “This is not a knock on the AFL, but for the life of me I can’t wrap my head around Gather Round being at different stadiums. The best bit of Magic Round is you can get a bunch of mates together, and watch everyone’s team play over the course of three days.”

Countless AFL fans however said the NRL’s Magic Round had nothing on the spectacle that was Gather Round and it’s beauty of playing games around the city and not confining it all into one venue.

So what do Aussie rules footy fans think?

Footy at diverse stadiums all over a city, during school holidays or all teams at the one location NRL style?

Full news article link in comments (extracts for fans above).

11/04/2026

Fan footage of a possible mark of the year by high jumping Kangaroo Cooper Trembath.

Full video of mark in comments.

📸

11/04/2026

Bomber fans will be happy with the win despite watching (possibly from Adelaide’s ‘windy’ hill) the banner get a battering.

Full video link in comments.

11/04/2026

AFL players’ kids running out onto the ground with the team is nothing new.

But what about a player’s son running out with a rival team in their rival colours? And what if that player is the club’s all-time leading goalkicker — and is still playing?

That’s what happened on Friday night when the son of Adelaide legend and former captain Taylor Walker ran out in Collingwood colours alongside Magpies superstar Nick Daicos.

Daicos — not his own dad — is Louis Walker’s favourite player, and the pair struck up a heartwarming friendship last year when the Collingwood midfielder gifted his No.1 fan a personalised Magpies jumper with ‘Walker’ and the number 35 on the back.

Wearing his special jumper ahead of Collingwood’s Gather Round clash with Fremantle, Walker was waiting for his hero at the top of the race when the Magpies players emerged onto Adelaide Oval.

“I have just been told that’s Tex Walker’s son is running out with Collingwood. Surely not!” James Brayshaw said on commentary for Channel 7.

“How does that happen? His old man is a legend of the Adelaide Crows!”

Collingwood premiership player Dale Thomas loved it.

“Nick Daicos, his favourite player. ‘Stuff you, Dad; couldn’t care how many goals you’ve kicked, don’t care you’re a club champion — Nick Daicos, I love him’,” Thomas said.

“And well done to Tex and the family for embracing it too.”

Full news article link and Facebook video in comments (extracts above for fans)

10/04/2026

NO GOAL SONGS AT RICHMOND

Richmond have opted against blasting music after goals - keeping it simple with just the crowd noise.

Other clubs (like the Lions with Take Me Home, Country Roads for Charlie Cameron) go the opposite way.

We have had a number of messages from concerned fans about the background noise and being distracted from the game, while we understand others quite enjoy the experience and atmosphere.

What do fans prefer?

Is there a compromise that could work or are your views firm?

📸 The Quarterly

10/04/2026

The annual festival of football that began back in 2023 has become a part of the fabric in Adelaide and footy fans don’t want it going anywhere.

With contract negotiations ongoing between the league and South Australia, news.com.au hit the ground and asked the game’s biggest stakeholder … the fans.

And more than 60% of 8,000+ fans polled by the AFL Fans Association agree Adelaide is best placed to host Gather Round.

Lovers of the game have rolled in from all over the country to converge on this usually quiet city to soak up as much footy action as a human can ingest in 96 hours.

South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas is pushing the league to lock in a long term deal to keep the event in the City of Churches and fans are echoing a similar sentiment.

Attending their first Gather Round having flown in from Western Australia, Fremantle fans Kath and Graeme hope it remains where it is.

“Unless Sydney take it off them I hope it stays here. It’s pretty popular and there is a lot of stuff around and lots of events going on,” Kath said.

Michelle, a Collingwood fan from Melbourne, said: “I think Adelaide is the perfect spot for it. It’s great seeing fans all over the city wearing footy gear and it’s just a great weekend.”

Scott, a Carlton fan, added: “Keep it in Adelaide, they turn it on and make it a great fan spectacle.”

Full news article link in comments (extracts above).

10/04/2026

What else is for sale?

Should the AFL sell advertising on the back of fans’ shirts??

The AFL has held conversations about selling hosting rights to the new wildcard finals games, reports the ABC and Midweek Tackle’s Corbin Middlemas.

For the first time this year, 10 teams will qualify for the post-season with 7th facing 10th and 8th battling 9th, the two ‘wildcard’ winners then advancing into the usual top-eight bracket.

The league has confirmed the wildcard games officially count as finals but according to Middlemas, from 2027 they could be sold off to the highest bidder.

Preliminary conversations have reportedly taken place between the AFL and the cashed-up WA government about the state buying hosting rights, regardless of who qualifies.

It would effectively guarantee at least one non-WA team would ‘host’ a final at Perth’s Optus Stadium, unless Fremantle and West Coast finished 7th and 8th (and would’ve hosted those games anyway).

Finals games are not always played at a team’s home ground - Grand Finals are locked in at the MCG, and other finals are played at the largest ground in the team’s home state - but both of those inequalities are based on the premise of allowing as many fans into the games as possible.

The wildcard finals were criticised by Geelong coach Chris Scott on Fox Footy earlier this week, who told AFL 360: “I tend to think they just made it up. Just threw in a couple more finals for no good reason except cash.”

The concept has also been criticised with the four wildcard teams needing to win five consecutive finals to claim the premiership, an implausible figure.

Full Fox Footy news article link in comments (extracts above).

📸 ABC