Jeff Kennett's ominous warning: free agency will be a free-for-all

Having made his objections to the AFL's free-agency experiment clear to the league's executive on Monday, Hawthorn's combative president Jeff Kennett yesterday posted a letter on the Hawks' website in which he details his fears about a system that will help players with eight years service either trade clubs, or make more money by staying put.

Sneaky AFL acts shamelessly

THE ATMOSPHERE of duplicity and mistrust that now haunts the AFL competition on the eve of the 2010 season will damage the game €” not irrevocably and not necessarily over the long term €” but the game's governors should be aware that once a principle is removed, it is difficult to replace.

Exclusion burden hurts pokie addicts

PROBLEM gamblers hoping to ban themselves from hundreds of Victorian poker machine venues could be forced to join three exclusion programs.

Constantine Refuses To Budge Over Refusal To Employ Service Payments

NEWCASTLE Jets owner Con Constantine remains adamant he will not consider using service agreements to top up player wages, despite losing five members of last season's championship-winning team to rival A-League outfits.

Revealed: The 100 Most Violent Pubs And Clubs

TWO Sydney pubs named hotel of the year over the past three years have also topped a police list of the 100 most violent pubs and clubs in the state.

Affordable Service Is Vital

THE LICENSEE RESMI Dema, licensee of the Glasshouse Tavern on Crown St, has added his voice to the growing calls for a permanent late-night bus service from Wollongong's CBD.

Clubs Get Green Light For Outdoor Pokies

THE State Government has reneged on a promise to stop clubs putting poker machines in outdoor smoking areas.

Afl To Consider Players' Proposal To Relax Rules Over Movement Between Clubs

SENIOR AFL players want more ability to change clubs outside the draft system - despite the chaos such transfers have created in the NRL.

Clubs Will Queue For Departing Daniher, Say Axed Coach's Fans

PAST players and administrators have heaped praise on Neale Daniher and expect other AFL clubs in the market for a senior coach to be lining up for his services.

Clubs Eager To Respond To Patrons' New Needs

REGISTERED clubs in the Hunter have always embraced change.

Golf Day A Fair Way To Help Rescue Helicopter, Surf Clubs

HUNTER Surf Lifesaving and the Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service will benefit from a charity day at Belmont on Monday, November 27.

Taking Children To Heart

Kiwanis troopers like Ken Archer are distinguished by their service to our nation's youth, writes Tess Campbell.

Show Us More Cash, Clubs Tell Commission

THE short version of what happened late yesterday when the AFL sat down with the 16 club presidents and offered them an extra $1 million a year over five years is that most clubs examined the fine print and didn't like what they saw.

Clubs Face Their Fears At Summit

THE Australian rugby summit at the end of the month is shaping as a robust affair, with Sydney clubs convinced the ARU will enter discussions with a plan already in place for a third-tier competition that does not provide the involvement they seek.

True Service Clubs Veteran

Ethel Merle (Peggy) Synold, deceased, Late of Nowra, NSW

A-league Clubs Need World Cup Bail-out

FOOTBALL Federation Australia may consider digging into its World Cup windfall to subsidise the heavy first-season losses of the A-League clubs.