Blues put silver lining on cup campaign
Hang the cliches, this time the premiership quarter actually was the third and led to Carlton defeating the Brisbane Lions by 25 points at Telstra Dome. Full report

Blues take a sober approach to season
Carlton drank Telstra Dome dry of one liquid substance at a private function after it became pre-season premier on Saturday night. Not beer, nor bubbles, but water. Full report

Thornton leads from the back
Carlton's Bret Thornton reckons no one at the club will be getting carried away with its pre-season success. Full report

Didak eyes start in round one
Collingwood's All-Australian forward Alan Didak is nearing a return, with the club confirming that, barring a setback, he was close to playing in round one. Full report

Yze responds to coach's challenge
Melbourne's Adem Yze has bolstered his chances of becoming the most durable player in AFL history after successfully responding to a challenge from his coach. Full report

Fletcher holds off over key report
The toxicology report that can clear Chad Fletcher's name is no closer to being produced. Full report

Big things predicted for Blues
Carlton claims its second pre-season title in three years, beating the Brisbane Lions by 25 points. Full report

Chapman's return lifts Cats
Geelong coach Mark Thompson had three causes for satisfaction after yesterday's practice match against Melbourne at Skilled Stadium. Full report

Tardy Dons overrun Hawks
If the footballers did not always live up to the "major event" billing at Cranbourne's Casey Fields, the umpires did. Full report

Grant, Skipper limp off in Dogs' win over Eagles
Veteran Western Bulldog Chris Grant limps from the field with a groin injury only four minutes into his team's 20-point victory over West Coast. Full report

GREG BAUM
Reasons to smile for Carlton, Lions
Winner and loser can both look forward to the challenge of the real season. Full report

Ricciuto return up in the air, Craig admits
Adelaide coach Neil Craig concedes he doesn't know when inspirational captain Mark Ricciuto will play again. Full report

Drug publicity 'harms' footy
The publicity and debate over illicit drugs in the AFL is harming football's image but an inquiry would be a "knee-jerk reaction," the AFL players' association says. Full report

Roos rally behind Thompson
The Kangaroos vow to stand behind Nathan Thompson, who had surgery last night to repair the knee he injured in Friday's practice match. Full report

Hodge adds to Hawks' worries
Hawthorn, already missing Shane Crawford and Campbell Brown through suspension for round one, now faces the possibility of being without star midfielder Luke Hodge. Full report

Ricciuto return up in the air, Craig admits
Adelaide coach Neil Craig concedes he doesn't know when inspirational captain Mark Ricciuto will play again. Full report

Big Baz up and running early
Barry Hall is ready to put last year's grand final disappointment behind him, reports Richard Hinds. Full report

Interstate rivals muscle in on Swans to pick up talent
Clubs from around Australia swoop on Sydney's grassroots football scene, believing that the Swans have created an opening for rivals to slip under their guard. Full report

Williams hails Port's fighting win
Port Adelaide coach praised his side for surviving a great test as it withstood a second-half comeback from Sydney to beat the Swans by five points on Friday night. Full report

Polak finds his passion
Dockers discard Graham Polak believes he is ready to show he has earned another chance in the AFL. Michael Gleeson reports. Full report

Several reports as Dons down Hawks
Several players face an anxious next couple of days after being reported in Essendon's win over Hawthorn in a practice match in Melbourne's south-east. Full report

Knee injury ends Kanga star's season
The Kangaroos' season was delivered a terrible blow yesterday when key forward Nathan Thompson sustained a season-ending knee injury. Full report

Mooney dominant for Geelong
Cameron Mooney slots four second-half goals as Geelong rounds off its pre-season with a 25-point victory over Melbourne. Full report

TIM ***
Victorian sides fishing in overcrowded waters
The draft does not account for the fact most footballers prefer to play at home. Full report

Love, tears, and fond memories farewell Ron Evans
More than 1000 people crammed into St Paul's Cathedral yesterday to honour the late Ron Evans in a moving, often uplifting and at times plain funny funeral service. Full report

Laidley hits back at Carey
Kangaroos coach Dean Laidley held crisis talks with senior club management after Wayne Carey's extraordinary call for him to be replaced. Full report

Careful Matthews omits Bradshaw
Having overcome a hamstring injury, Daniel Bradshaw was named in the Lions' original squad, and was keen to play, but the coach had other ideas. Full report

Brown sparks Tigers to win
A promising return to form by Nathan Brown was the key to Richmond's seven-point win over Collingwood in a practice match in Mildura yesterday. Full report

Evans met his own test of leadership
As a leader, Ron Evans was little known, but his influence on the world of football was great. Full report

ROHAN CONNOLLY
Pre-season comp still provides form guide
The cynics who argue the NAB Cup should be scrapped are wrong Full report

Swans look ahead after loss
The official practice matches are behind them, but coach Paul Roos believes the next two weeks are critical for Sydney's round one clash with West Coast. Full report

Matthews queries contract delays of stars
Star players such as West Coast's Chris Judd risk losing respect in their industry by holding out on re-signing contracts, according to Leigh Matthews. Full report

Carr reported in Freo's win
Fremantle may have wrecked what was otherwise an outstanding final hitout for the main season when Matthew Carr was reported for striking Adelaide's Nathan Bassett at AAMI Stadium last night. Full report

Demons head to China to recruit members
A delegation from the Demons will visit China this year in search of sponsors as Victoria's impoverished clubs try to close the gap between the rich and the poor. Full report

Former Roo great Carey calls for Laidley to go
Dean Laidley's tenure as Kangaroos coach was under intensifying pressure last night as one of the towering figures of the club called for him to be replaced. Full report

Eagles boss backtracks over Fletcher collapse
West Coast chairman Dalton Gooding now admits he "did not know" why midfielder Chad Fletcher was put in hospital on an end-of-season trip. Full report