AFL 2025: Barrie Robran dies; Dan Houston, Jeremy Howe out with injury for Collingwood Magpies;Cyril Rioli to play for All Stars in Legends match at Marvel Stadium

The legendary Barrie Robran. Credit: The Age archive The chief of his SANFL club North Adelaide, Craig Burton, had no doubt, extending the Robran-Ebert debate to a national one. “We think he’s No.1, the greatest ever footballer,” Burton said. “You’ll get an argument from people in Victoria … but he was definitely right up there.” In 2014, Robran was the first SANFL player to be honoured with a statue at the Adelaide Oval. Robran was an inaugural member of the Australian Football Hall of Fame in 1996 and the first South Australian honoured with Legend status, in 2001. The SANFL didn’t take sides in its tribute, referring to the Roosters great as “among” the state’s players ever. “Barrie was a champion of our game and has left an indelible mark on football in South Australia through his on-field brilliance,” SANFL president Rob Kerin said.

He dominated the SANFL from his debut in 1967 until retirement in 1980, playing 201 games for North Adelaide. He also played 17 state games and captained SA. A seven-time consecutive club best-and-fairest and dual premiership player at North, Robran’s career stalled in 1974 when, playing for SA, he injured a knee in a clash with Victoria’s Leigh Matthews. “As the years have gone by I’ve often thought: ‘Had that have not happened …’,” Robran had said. “It probably cost me about 150 league games here in South Australia because I was 26 when that happened. “My ambition in football was always to play until I was 40 at some appropriate level where I could play and not embarrass myself.”

Bontempelli ‘close’ to re-signing with Bulldogs AAP Western Bulldogs coach Luke Beveridge believes the club and captain Marcus Bontempelli are moving closer to a new deal. Arguably the best player in the AFL, the 29-year-old is off-contract at the end of the season. With just six weeks before the end of the home-and-away campaign, Bulldogs fans have become increasingly anxious about their premiership-winning superstar.

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan at Bulldogs training on Wednesday. Credit: Getty Images While tight-lipped, Beveridge’s response and grin indicated he wasn’t too concerned about Bontempelli potentially seeking a league-shifting move elsewhere. “I think we’re getting close, but that’s all I can really say,” Beveridge said on Wednesday. Beveridge’s remarks came on a day when Jamarra Ugle-Hagan returned to the club after more than a week away spent dealing with a family matter back in his home in western Victoria. Ugle-Hagan trained with the main group as the Dogs prepare for their Friday night blockbuster against the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba.

Bulldogs superstar Marcus Bontempelli is arguably the best player in the AFL. Credit: AFL Photos The 23-year-old hasn’t played a game at any level this season after dealing with mental health and personal issues. “I can’t really give you much other than he’s chipping away, and he’s training when he can,” Beveridge said of Ugle-Hagan. “He’s had some bereavement stuff back with the mob in Framlingham, and he’s working his way back through his fitness levels.” The Bulldogs’ trip to Brisbane shapes as season-defining, as they currently sit a game outside the top-eight after losing to Adelaide last Saturday.

Their record against current top-eight teams this year sits at 1-7, something the Bulldogs are desperate to rectify. They led the reigning premiers by 39 points when they met back in Gather Round in April. But in a dramatic change of events, the Lions found form to produce a 60-point swing and win by 21. Following the defeat to the Crows, criticism came hard for the Bulldogs and their inability to beat the best. Media commentator and former Age columnist Kane Cornes slammed Beveridge, saying “no coach does less with more”.

When questioned about Cornes’ latest swipe, Beveridge asked if any of the journalists present worked with the 300-game Port Adelaide midfielder. “I just feel sorry for you,” Beveridge said, before walking off to laughs because it was the question of the press conference. Beveridge and Cornes have had numerous run-ins over the years, most recently before a game in Geelong earlier this season. Houston out after scans reveal abdominal strain Hannah Kennelly

Collingwood defender Dan Houston will miss the next two games to recover from a mild abdominal strain, while Norm Smith medallist Bobby Hill has also been ruled out of Sunday’s clash with Fremantle. A statement from the Magpies on Wednesday afternoon said Houston had scans this week that confirmed the injury, although he played out the game in the loss to the Suns. Dan Houston Credit: AFL Photos Scans have also confirmed Jeremy Howe suffered an adductor strain during the match against Gold Coast. Howe is also expected to miss two matches. Hill will sit out a fourth-straight match after dealing with personal reasons, and battling with illness last week.

“Hill returned to training over the weekend,” Collingwood’s head of high performance, Jarrod Wade, said. “His focus is on resuming full training before a timeline is placed on his return.” Forward Beau McCreery will return against the Dockers, however, after recovering from a hamstring issue Meanwhile, Billy Frampton has returned to training, following his recovery from a calf injury. The 28-year-old is expected to return next week.

With AAP Rioli answers Legends call Cyril Rioli will pull on the boots again for a match at Marvel Stadium when he plays for the All Stars against Victoria in the return of the Legends match this year. The charity match, held to raise awareness and funds for prostate cancer through the Australian Prostate Centre, returns after six years. The clash honours the legacy of Footscray legend E.J. Whitten, who died from prostate cancer 30 years ago. The match will take place on Thursday, August 28, with Geelong great Gary Ablett jnr to also play for Victoria. Rioli (centre) watched on at TIO Stadium in Darwin as the Suns took on the Hawks. Credit: AFL Photos

Rioli, 35, has kept his distance from the AFL since his shock retirement in 2018 after a glittering 189-game career in which he won four premierships and a Norm Smith Medal. His relationship with his former club was ruptured by the Hawthorn racism scandal. In November last year, the club settled their Federal Court case with Indigenous former players and their families. Hawthorn apologised to Rioli and his wife Shannyn, Jermaine Miller-Lewis, Montanah-Rae Lewis, Carl Peterson and Leon Egan for their experiences at the club, and reached a financial settlement after two days of mediation. In May, Rioli was absent from Hawthorn’s centenary celebration at the MCG. But later that month, during the Sir Doug Nicholls rounds to celebrate First Nations culture, Rioli attended the Hawks’ match against Gold Coast at TIO Stadium as a guest of the Suns, watching his three-time premiership-winning cousin Daniel Rioli play for Gold Coast. Hawthorn didn’t know Cyril was going to be watching his former side until they saw the TV footage that night, with Seven’s cameras capturing a moment between Rioli and his former premiership captain, turned commentator, Luke Hodge.

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