Terry Wallace

Just a week before the Christmas holiday, ace Tiger defender Alex Rance - some say the best defender of the past decade - announced his immediate retirement. It came as a shock after he missed the entire 2019 season due to a ruptured ACL in the season opener. Rance was hopeful of returning late in the 2019 season to play in the Grand Final and was event training for two weeks prior, but eventually decided he was not ready.

He said in a statement that he felt the time was right so he could "... put the same time and energy into other areas of my life that need it, and to prioritize the more important things to me, such as my spiritual growth (a devout Jehovah's Witness), my family and friends.”

There are many adjectives one could use to describe Kevin Sheedy - pioneer, ambassador, quirky, madcap, innovator, eccentric, master coach, a legend in his own time. Now the latter is official as Sheedy, already in the Hall of Fame, was elevated to Legend Status. He becomes the 28th Legend.

The 2018 AFL Hall of Fame ceremonies were held on the Tuesday evening after Round 10. Along with Sheedy's elevation, six players were inducted - Terry Wallace, David Neitz, Wayne Johnston, Matthew Scarlett, Mel Whinnen (WA) and Bernie Naylor (WA).

by Lisa Albergp reporting for AFANA from Chicago

 In mid-August, three more veterans announced they would be retiring at the end of the year - Bulldog Robert Murphy, Hawk Josh Gibson and Cat turned Bomber James Kelly. Murphy joins teammate and fellow 300-gamer Matthew Boyd in retiring.

 by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Here are reactions from around the footy world to the replacement players allowed for Essendon, but not for other affected clubs:

Journalist Martin Blake, who has a weekly spot on Kevin Bartlett's show Hungry For Sport, said that since the players had been convicted, there should be no compensation. He accused the AFL of compromising, saying the league didn't want a powerhouse club like Essendon to not be able to field a team. He said the club should just have elevated the rookies.

Former Bulldog and Tiger coach Terry Wallace queried why Port Adelaide weren’t allowed to replace Angus Monfries,

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

Just ahead of Round 12, the AFL held the annual Hall of Fame induction ceremony. Five of the inductees are from the modern era: Brad Johnson, Anthony Koutoufides, Warren Tredrea, Andrew McLeod, and Matthew Richardson. The sixth was the late Ern Henfry who was represented by his son. All of the inductees were team captains during their careers.

by Lisa Albergo reporting for AFANA from Chicago

It is 1981 and a proposition is on the VFL table to relocate the financially strapped club South Melbourne to Sydney. They had previously played a handful of games there but now it would be a permanent move. There was great angst among South fans at the prospect. A "Keep South at South" movement was started and they fought to keep their beloved club in Melbourne. However, it was a case of move or fold and in 1982 the club moved to Sydney. Unlike Gold Coast and Greater Western Sydney today, there was no detailed planning, no draft concessions for the South players who refused to move, little financial backing or publicity to boost their profile once the move was made.

Rick Browner reporting for AFANA from Subiaco Oval

When two AFL teams sitting near the bottom of the ladder are scheduled to meet, anticipation is not high for an exciting spectacle. The Round 10 match between the Fremantle Dockers and the Richmond Tigers was a special game for Terry Wallace. Wallace, the media-besieged Richmond coach, would complete his 500th game 

After a nightmare week in the media spotlight, beleaguered Richmond Tigers coach Terry Wallace found no salvation in Sunday's must win game against the Melbourne Demons. Week-long headlines prophesying Wallace's demise should Richmond fail to produce a winning performance were read by all it seems except the Melbourne football team. Twenty-two players, most in their fledgling years of AFL football, ran on to the MCG in red and black Melbourne guernseys. The youthful Demons came with but one aim - to play the best brand of football they could muster. Not only did they turn a deaf ear to the roars of the Tiger Army, they turned the footy tipping world upside down in a display of character football for which the Tigers had no answers. At last the starved Demons have something to build upon for the future.

Hopes were high that after last week’s spirited performance against Geelong, Richmond could break their winless streak and take the game up to an in-form Western Bulldogs. However there were ominous signs when Richmond players failed to break through the supporters’ club banner when running onto the ground.