Greg Broughton

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

The AFL Rookie and Preseason drafts were held in the first week of December. Only one player was taken in the preseason draft with Carlton officially selecting Jason Tutt, who quit the Western Bulldogs to join the Blues. Tutt played only seven games in 2014 and a total of 26 with the Dogs in four seasons.

Here is a club by club of the players selected in the Rookie draft. The number in front of the player name is the draft selection. In parentheses are his club, his height and his weight.

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

All clubs submitted their second list lodgements in mid-November indicating changes made since the first list.

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

GWS Giants traded Jack Hombsch and Jake Neade (NT Zone Selection) to Port Adelaide for its Round Two Selection.

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Patersons Stadium

If the Fremantle Dockers had any aspirations of playing Finals football then a win against the Western Bulldogs at home was a must. The Bulldogs remained a mathematical chance to play in the Finals but this Round 15 game was a must-win game in that campaign. Both sides have been well out of form and languishing well down the ladder, but the Dockers went into the round with a one game lead over their rivals with a huge home crowd in attendance to urge them on.

South Australia has the Showdown, Queensland the Clash but the Western Derby is considered one of the most exciting games of the entire season. Unlike other games, it doesn’t matter where the West Coast Eagles or the Fremantle Dockers are on the Ladder. The Derby is guaranteed to be a cracking, hard fought match. For the record, this time the teams were fifth and sixth on the Ladder and 41,000 fans were treated to a classic encounter.

When the bottom team travels to play a team sitting in seventh position on its home turf it is generally a recipe for disaster. The Gold Coast Suns are a developing team with flashes of brilliance and two wins so far in their first season. The Fremantle Dockers wanted to celebrate the occasion of Captain Matthew Pavlich’s 250th game. “Pav” is acknowledged by many as the greatest player in the history of the Fremantle Football Club. Weather conditions were blustery, cold and wet – a rare combination in Perth, but perfect for Aussie Rules football.

Fremantle kept its Finals' hopes intact with a convincing win over the Brisbane Lions at Patersons Stadium in Round 14. The Dockers were without Michael Barlow who pulled up sore after his comeback game last week, but Alex Silvagni was back to add some muscle in defense. Brisbane had been doing well since the return of bruising full forward and captain Jonathon Brown, but had their worries without classy midfielder Drew Banfield in the team.

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.

Fremantle has demolished the North Melbourne Kangaroos in three out of their last four games played, the most recent time by 61 points. North has traveled to Perth twice in the last month to play in very hot conditions.