The Aporia · ‘Need some experience’: AFL confirms assistance package for Essendon

Peter Ryan

35 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 That was the stage I wondered whether I would get back.”

2026-11-03 · assertive framing · Ethan Brown reconsidered riding after his brush with death. Now he’s a Melbourne Cup champion

🔮 It is also the most recent horse he rode around the two miles at Flemington, where he will race That ride happened way back in April 2002 when Maher was a tearaway jumps jockey who had moved from Warrnambool to live at the end of the Flemington straight with a bunch of other aspiring jockeys. Maher finished fourth on Electric Turban midway through his career in the saddle that was never going to go far given his size.

2026-11-02 · assertive framing · He used to ride bulls. Now he takes calls from the King and has seven Cup runners

🔮 “I know how determined he will be to get back there.

2026-11-02 · assertive framing · ‘Jockeys are made of different stuff’: Support flows for injured hoop’s miracle Melbourne Cup bid

🔮 The stewards had to make the decision three days out from the race due to the need to lock in the field of 24 at 4.30pm on Saturday, despite the fact the horse may have made the necessary improvement in the remaining two days to take his place.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · ‘I don’t feel that’s good enough’: International manager hits out Melbourne Cup technology

🔮 Melbourne Cup day will mark 12 months since champion jockey Blake Shinn fell from talented mare She’s Got Pizzazz as she thundered down the straight an hour after the Cup had been run and won and snapped the tibia and fibula on his left leg.

2026-10-30 · assertive framing · Hyperventilating on the track after a horrific fall: Inside the miracle recovery of a champion jockey

🔮 He not only gained a golden ticket but denied the Irish trainer a chance to have a sixth runner in the great race. Alongside Point of Law, Maher has Saint George, Juja Kibo, Middle Earth, Mr Monaco, Shockletz, Royal Supremacy and Zahrann sitting inside the top 24 in the order of entry while a ninth entrant Kings Valley is battling for a start. The previous record was when Robert Hickmott saddled up six runners for owner Lloyd Williams in 2013. O’Brien will race last year’s runner-up Goodie Two Shoes as well as Defiantly, Sons and Lovers, Trustyourinstinct and James J Braddock. It means the master trainers from opposite sides of the world are likely to saddle up half the field and have the top six fancied runners in the race.

2026-10-26 · assertive framing · Record-breaking trainer’s warning for punters on Melbourne Cup favourite

🔮 The Joseph O’Brien-trained Small Fry chased hard but could not bridge the gap and finished second, meaning his start on the first Tuesday in November is not guaranteed.

2026-10-21 · assertive framing · The king’s former horse just won the Geelong Cup. Next stop Flemington

🔮 Reigning Open champion Ryan Fox will attempt to become the first Kiwi to win the Australian Open after confirming he will join US Masters champion Rory McIlroy at Kingston Heath in December.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · Look away now Royal Melbourne members, Fox prefers Kingston Heath, too

🔮 McNeil, who won the 2020 Melbourne Cup on Twilight Payment, will miss Tuesday’s Kyneton Cup meeting.

2026-10-19 · assertive framing · Jye McNeil to ride in Geelong Cup as he awaits date for Caulfield Cup fall inquiry

🔮 Both jockeys involved in the fall during Saturday’s Caulfield Cup that led to the death of Australasian Oaks winner Ohope Wins will be released from hospital on Sunday morning.

2026-10-17 · assertive framing · Good news for jockeys amid fallout from horror Caulfield Cup fall

Also by Peter Ryan

Ethan Brown reconsidered riding after his brush with death. Now he’s a Melbourne Cup champion

2026-11-03 · The Sydney Morning Herald

He used to ride bulls. Now he takes calls from the King and has seven Cup runners

2026-11-02 · The Sydney Morning Herald

‘Jockeys are made of different stuff’: Support flows for injured hoop’s miracle Melbourne Cup bid

2026-11-02 · The Sydney Morning Herald

‘I don’t feel that’s good enough’: International manager hits out Melbourne Cup technology

2026-11-01 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 35 articles by Peter Ryan →

Marc McGowan

26 article(s) here · 1 carrying a prediction

🔮 “I will say one thing, though: it is very annoying to play against you.

2026-11-01 · assertive framing · ‘Very annoying to play against’: Demon loses Vienna final to Alcaraz, but Turin hopes still alive

🔮 And he wouldn’t have it any other way.

2026-10-31 · assertive framing · This tennis player shares his name with an Australian basketball great and just matched Lendl

🔮 The Sandringham Dragons forward – often likened to Sydney star Tom Papley – is also one of the most coveted and gifted young footballers in next month’s AFL draft, with a chance to be a top-five selection and who will certainly be taken inside the top 10.

2026-10-27 · assertive framing · Lippy, annoying and with star potential: The ‘next Tom Papley’ set to shake up the AFL

🔮 Next month’s draft marks the first time since that 2016 edition that Essendon will have the No.1 pick, which they have privately committed to using on Port Adelaide’s academy prodigy Dougie Cochrane.

2026-10-25 · assertive framing · Essendon in the Drever’s seat once the No.1 pick is slotted away

🔮 Wil Malady will be drafted into the AFL next month.

2026-10-20 · assertive framing · ‘Spelling mistakes everywhere’: How an email from the heart got this AFL prospect a scholarship

🔮 “Cody’s the ultimate competitor, and you see him before games for Vic Country, and he’s just looking like he could kill someone,” said Geelong Falcons forward Jack Pickett.

2026-10-18 · assertive framing · Who the players rate as the cream of the crop in this year’s AFL draft

🔮 The Demons are the sole club to have picked at least twice in the first round of the AFL draft in each of the past three years, and will take picks four and 14 into next month’s draft after more savvy trading in the past fortnight.

2026-10-15 · assertive framing · Seven flag stars have left the Demons in the past year. But their list guru says they’re ‘ahead of the curve’

🔮 Bringing in readymade talent is worth far more than picks to the Hawks, given where they are – and even then, they didn’t give much up – so this was a ragingly successful fortnight. Western Bulldogs In: Jordon Butts (Ade/free agency), Zak Butters (PA/free agency), Finn Maginness (Haw/trade), Hudson O’Keeffe (Carl/trade), picks 42, 53, 83, 89, R2 2027 (PA), R3 2027 (Mel), R4 2027 (PA), R2 2028 (PA), R3 2028 (PA), R3 2028 (GC), R4 2028 (Melb) Out: Picks 14 and 33, R3 2027 (GC), R1 2028 (WB) Draft picks: 42, 53, 55, 83, 89, 91, 109 Trade rating: 9.5/10 The Bulldogs could hardly be happier.

2026-10-14 · assertive framing · Contending, rebuilding or stuck in limbo: What AFL trade period says about your team’s flag hopes

🔮 North also swung and missed on the likes of Isaac Heeney (in 2016), Josh Kelly (2017 and 2021), Jordan De Goey (2018) and Andrew Gaff (2018) despite their willingness to give them all at least, and in some cases more than, $1 million annually on long-term deals.

2026-10-13 · assertive framing · Ruthless Roos leap towards relevance with Blakey blockbuster

🔮 Hawk forwards Aidan Schubert and Sam Butler will become Gold Coast players as early as Monday as the Suns bolster their forward line following the loss of Ben King to Hawthorn.

2026-10-11 · mixed framing · Suns to land Hawks forward pair in wake of King deal as trade period reaches final stretch

Also by Marc McGowan

‘Very annoying to play against’: Demon loses Vienna final to Alcaraz, but Turin hopes still alive

2026-11-01 · The Sydney Morning Herald

This tennis player shares his name with an Australian basketball great and just matched Lendl

2026-10-31 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Lippy, annoying and with star potential: The ‘next Tom Papley’ set to shake up the AFL

2026-10-27 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Essendon in the Drever’s seat once the No.1 pick is slotted away

2026-10-25 · The Sydney Morning Herald

Nothing else under this byline is closely related to this article, so these are simply their most recent.

All 26 articles by Marc McGowan →

Essendon will have two extra rookie list spots next season after asking the AFL for help four months ago, but missed out on a draft pick request and soft cap relief. asserted

Essendon → have → request

The Bombers, who sacked coach Brad Scott in May and have hired ex-player Mark McVeigh to lead their next era, were hoping for an end-of-first-round selection to help supercharge their rebuild. uncertain

who → sack → rebuild

They won only two matches this year after a 6-17 record in 2025, when they suffered through a lengthy injury list. asserted

they → win → list

The AFL will review this decision at the end of next year, after which it could recommend similar support for Essendon in 2028 and 2029. uncertain

it → review → 2028

Speaking on SEN on Tuesday, AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon said Greg Swann, Tom Harley and others at league headquarters had worked closely with the Bombers and decided this was the most appropriate assistance package for their situation. asserted

this → speak → situation

“What they need is some more experience there, so they’ll have two additional rookie spots, which they can [use to] add experienced players onto their list,” Dillon said. asserted

Dillon → need → list

“Essendon asked for it, and we feel that they do need that. asserted

they → ask → that

They have to continue to replenish through the draft, but they also ... had players leave over the past couple of years, and I think they need some experience around them as well.” asserted

they → have → them

Swann said in a statement announcing the Bombers’ assistance package that it was important to strive towards having a “competitively balanced competition” where fans felt their team could “win on any given day”. uncertain

team → say → day

Essendon’s assistance is not at the same level as recent recipients West Coast, North Melbourne and Gold Coast, although they endured a longer period at the bottom of the ladder. asserted

they → endure → ladder

‘Need some experience’: AFL confirms assistance package for Essendon

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