Real Footy newsletter
News, results and analysis of the weekend’s big games.
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Good Weekend Talks
In-depth conversations with the people fascinating Australians right now.
Allan says rail loop a ‘must have’, despite question mark over billions in funding
The comments came after Infrastructure Australia said no further federal funding should be committed to SRL East until it was re-costed and more details were provided.
The dangerous message Trump has sent extremist groups with Capitol riots pardon
Not content with being released from prison, Proud Boys leader Enrique Tarrio and others charged over the January 6 riots are determined to prove they are the victims.
Analysis
Federal budget
How Anthony Albanese is taking a leaf from Scott Morrison’s playbook
The prime minister is looking to an unlikely source to take on Opposition Leader Peter Dutton.
Opinion
AFL 2025
Bombers fans left the ’G asking the same question they’ve been asking for over a decade
Essendon gave up 25 goals to the Crows, lost by 10 goals and were defensively weak. Again.
Michael Gleeson
Sports columnist
Analysis
Formula 1
‘The hairpin of my life’: Five key moments from Piastri’s China win
A week after failing to snap Australia’s hoodoo of no local driver finishing on the Albert Park podium, Oscar Piastri was utterly dominant in victory in Shanghai.
Matthew Clayton
Bali boat tragedy victim remembered for her ‘passion and kindness’
Anna Blight, who is believed to have become trapped under a capsized tour vessel, has been remembered for her “generosity and integrity” and as a true friend.
Exclusive
Healthcare
This STI reared its head after 25 years and is killing Victorian babies
A resurgence of congenital syphilis in Victoria after a 25-year hiatus has prompted an overhaul of screening for pregnant women.
Common household item increasingly setting garbage trucks alight
Victoria’s fire service is responding to almost one fire each day caused by this item. There are fears the trend will worsen.
Tourist detentions at the US border: What international visitors should know
Incidents of travellers being denied entry into the US in recent weeks have sparked concern over what to expect at airports and other border crossings.
Updated
Pope Francis
Pope Francis appears in public for the first time since life-threatening pneumonia
The 88-year-old pontiff will require at least two months of rest, rehabilitation and convalescence at the Vatican, his doctors say.
Explainer
History
What lies at the very bottom of the ocean is now in reach
There are 8000 shipwrecks off Australia alone, many more still to be found. Yet stunning discoveries still happen. What does it take to find these ghostly vessels?
Opinion
Social media
According to these influencers, people like me are the problem with Australia
I told myself these attitudes were outdated and were bound to become less common with each new generation. These videos show that clearly, I was wrong.
Zoya Patel
Writer
Exclusive
Federal budget
Budget to reveal tax burden at its lowest since pandemic
Jim Chalmers will use his budget speech to assure Australians they will see a turnaround in living standards as wages increase at a faster rate than inflation.
Military veterans ditch the khaki for a parade of a different kind
A veterans’ march, but not as we know it, was held among Sunday joggers along Melbourne’s Tan.
How Meta tried to silence a tell-all book and failed
The social media giant has been growing increasingly intolerant of employee critics and leakers. But its attempts to stop the latest whistleblower are not working.
Updated
NBL
Beaten Dellavedova’s amazing gesture as Hawks crowned NBL champions
The Illawarra Hawks beat Melbourne Utd 114-104 in Wollongong in the decisive fifth match to clinch an epic victory, but there was another twist to come.
Editor's Picks
Opinion
Teals
Teals must come clean before the election. Voters have a right to know
George Brandis
Former high commissioner to the UK and federal attorney-general
Just in
Victoria
Toddler dies in drowning at rural Victorian property
The child was found unresponsive in a dam on a property in the state’s north.
Ordered on an app, packed in a brown paper bag: School’s secret to $6 canteen lunch
This rare parent-run canteen is so old-school that students get something with their lunch that money can’t buy: a note from their mum.
Exclusive
City life
Why Suburban Rail Loop works are making some residents nauseous
Since mid-February, locals have observed an odd feeling of pressure in their ears, along with spells of dizziness, which was being caused by something many initially couldn’t identify.
This once sleepy Surf Coast town is booming. But how big should it get?
Winchelsea’s population is increasing at a great rate, but it is not without growing pains.
Minister defends rail loop after calls for ‘exit strategy’
In a testy press conference, Harriet Shing stood by the Allan government’s $35 billion estimate for SRL East – the first stage of the train line between Cheltenham and Box Hill.
AFL 2025
Analysis
Kick along: Why Saints can set lofty goals after edging Cats
The Cats have led the league in scoring for the past two seasons, while the Saints’ issues in front of goal have been well documented. But last night, it was the Saints who reignited finals’ aspirations.
The ‘inexcusable’ aspect of the Bombers’ 61-point hammering by the Crows
In Brad Scott’s first two years at Essendon, their fans spent much of those seasons teased by the prospect of a finals appearance. In his third, they should be under no such illusion.
Politics
The billions in electoral sweeteners in Victoria in this week’s federal budget
Jim Chalmers will present his fourth budget on Tuesday night. Here’s what we already know will be in the pre-election fiscal blueprint.
Business
The well-intentioned but misinformed policy that’s straight out of a dystopian tale
Housing affordability and the cost of living are playing a big part in the decision to have children, but other forces are at play too.
Opinion
Work/life balance
How’s your work-life imbalance? This ‘loopy’ office show is uncannily gratifying
Julia Baird
Journalist, broadcaster, historian and author
World
Heathrow warned a decade ago about weakness of single grid connection
As Heathrow’s operations began to return to normal, its chief executive blamed the external power failure and said similar disruptions could happen at other airports.
Opinion
Teals must come clean before the election. Voters have a right to know
George Brandis
Former high commissioner to the UK and federal attorney-general
Explore
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Property
Melbourne suburbs where home sellers are slashing prices the most
Houses in these affluent neighbourhoods are selling at close to 10 per cent under the market top as vendors face a reality check.
Architect’s Flemington home sells for $1.95m with ‘knockout punch’ bid
A couple who had just returned from a conference in Italy bought a turnkey, architecturally designed home in Flemington for $1.95 million with a dramatic final bid.
Good Food
Lifestyle
Dreading work on Monday? There’s a name for that
The Sunday Scaries are a common anxiety that disrupts sleep, but with the right strategies, they can be managed for a calmer, more refreshed start to the week.
Opinion
Sunday Life
The secret habit that gives me a ‘fleeting thrill’
Kerri Sackville
Columnist and author
Culture
‘Ugly truths’: Why Marlee Silva is tackling rugby league and family violence
The Wide World of Sports reporter hopes her documentary Skin in the Game can drive a change in attitudes towards women during an epidemic of gendered violence.
Traveller
Drivedrive
From Our Partners
Sport
Opinion
AFL 2025
Get defensive: The glass-half-empty view of the Bombers
Essendon gave up 25 goals to the Crows, lost by 10 goals and were defensively weak. Again. The same old problems re-emerged. Is there a glass-half-full way of looking at it?
Michael Gleeson
Sports columnist
As it happened: Sweet glory for Oscar Piastri in Shanghai as he brushes aside Albert Park heartbreak
Oscar Piastri started from pole position in his first grand prix since his heartbreak at Albert Park and drove a near-faultless race en route to victory.
Analysis
Formula 1
‘The hairpin of my life’: Five key moments from Piastri’s China win
A week after failing to snap Australia’s hoodoo of no local driver finishing on the Albert Park podium, Oscar Piastri was utterly dominant in victory in Shanghai.
Matthew Clayton
‘If you can’t use it, it’s useless’: Why Sam Darcy is football’s next big thing
Paul Salmon was “a novelty act” when he burst on the scene as a 206cm key forward in 1983. He says Bulldogs tall Sam Darcy is not just dangerous because he is tall – he is an exceptional talent.
Updated
AFL 2025
How Roos torched Dees in 11 minutes; Reid set for scrutiny after flipping the bird; Swans sink Dockers in thriller
North Melbourne blew a great opportunity in round one but they did not make the same mistake a week later. Meanwhile, Harley Reid could face AFL scrutiny for a gesture towards the crowd, and Patrick Dangerfield is free to play in round three.
Aussies star with gold, silver at world championships
In Paris last year, Australian high jumpers Nicola Olyslagers and Eleanor Patterson shared the podium with Olympic silver and bronze. Six months later, the two women have gone one better.
Updated
NBL
Beaten Dellavedova’s amazing gesture as Hawks crowned NBL champions
The Illawarra Hawks beat Melbourne Utd 114-104 in Wollongong in the decisive fifth match to clinch an epic victory, but there was another twist to come.
Have Your Say
‘Does it have to be so public?’ Kuhnemann saga may end shaming for bowlers
Matt Kuhnemann’s public shaming after the Sri Lanka tour may lead to a change in how cricket tackles the process of testing bowling actions.
