Dylan Roberton

Just two weeks before the 2021 season proper is due to commence, Saint Dylan Roberton, 29, has announced his retirement on the advice of his doctors. In 2018, Roberton collapsed during a game against Geelong, it was discovered he had a heart irregularity. He was cleared to play for 2019, but suffered another incident during the preseason and sat out all of 2019. He made it back for the opening round last season, but then the pandemic hit and he missed the rest of the year. In mid-January, he took a break from the club to consider his future.

St Kilda defender Dylan Roberton is taking some time away from the game to contemplate his career. Robertton, 29, collapsed during a game against Geelong in 2018 due to a heart condition. He returned for the 2019 preseason but suffered another incident during a game and sat out the entire season. He came back for the first round of the 2020 season but again missed the rest of the year.

Welcome to the first AFANA AFL Power Poll for 2019, and what a crazy couple of rounds of footy we have witnessed to kick off the season! If what we have seen so far is any indication, Aussie rules football fans are in for a crazy ride in 2019. Nothing should surprise us given the last three premiers have come from 8th, 13th and 6th on the ladder in the year prior to taking out the big one. 

Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Dustin Fletcher (ESS) has played in 219 career wins for Essendon. The Bombers' next win with him in the side will put him equal with Craig Bradley (CARL), Gordon Coventry (COL) and Leigh Matthews (HAW) in fifth place for most wins in League history. Ahead of them are Michael Tuck (302 wins from 426 games), Kevin Bartlett (260 wins from 403 games), Bruce Doull (238 wins from 356 games) and Simon Madden (223 wins from 378 games).

Fremantle’s hopes of playing Finals may have been washed away after their loss to Hawthorn in a torrential rain-soaked Round 19 game. A crowd of over 30,000 fans braved the weather to watch a one sided contest that, in reality, was decided in the first quarter of the match. There was an air of anticipation before the game as last time the two teams met, Fremantle outplayed the Hawks until a spirited fight back saw the Hawks victorious. Coming into the match, Hawthorn was on Final Four pace, having won nine out of their last 11 games.

In a season-defining win, the Richmond Tigers have come of age, defeating one of the most talented and improved sides in the AFL, the Fremantle Dockers, and recording their third victory in a row. After many seasons at the bottom of the Ladder, the young Richmond side has shown that it is heading in the right direction and that it may well upset other stronger and more experienced teams on the road to improvement.