Could the return of a Norm Smith Medallist buoy the biggest club in the competition?
Will Brisbane struggle to retain its emerging stars as rivals continue to circle?
All that and more from media buzz.
Nick Foot set to umpire after Butters saga
Nick Foot will umpire this weekend, but not in Port Adelaide's game against Hawthorn.
Foot was involved in a Tribunal hearing with Power star Zak Butters, who was found guilty of umpire abuse and fined $1500.
He will umpire Essendon and Gold Coast on Saturday, and will be eligible to be assigned to Port Adelaide games this season.
Foot also took to Instagram to call out abuse on social media in the aftermath of the Butters Tribunal hearing.
Over the Hill
Collingwood forward Bobby Hill is eyeing an Anzac Day return after a disrupted 10 months dealing with personal issues.
Hill has played half a game of football since Round 15 last year, taking time away from the club before returning a month ago in a bid to make his AFL return.
A Channel Nine report suggested that the Norm Smith Medallist is looking to return against Essendon next week.
#EXCLUSIVE: Wayward Magpie Bobby Hill has pencilled in a date for his long awaited return to football - and it's not too far away. @owenleonard_ #9News pic.twitter.com/LDKRSOAINK
— 9News Melbourne (@9NewsMelb) April 15, 2026
Lions to struggle to retain talent
Veteran Dayne Zorko acknowledged that he won't be on the books when Tasmania comes in, but admitted that Brisbane will struggle to retain all its emerging stars as rivals begin to circle.
"Yeah, I do," Zorko said on The Agenda Setters.
"Obviously I'm not on the books but given Tasmania is coming in, there's going to be a fair bit of money thrown around the next few years.
"I think Logan (Morris) is out at the end of next year, obviously Zac (Bailey) has been a big talking point coming out of contract at the end of 2026.
"It's a difficult period for us coming up keeping them all (the Lions' young stars) but jeez it's exciting being a part of this team at the moment."
🗣️ Dayne Zorko on keeping the Lions' young core together pic.twitter.com/SYeUeyvpiE
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 15, 2026
"But the likes of Will (Ashcroft), Jaspa (Fletcher), Levi (Ashcroft), Darcy Wilmot ... put pen to paper to sign through to close to 2030.
"Hopefully by then player payments have increased and we can hold onto these players.
"It's a difficult period for us coming up keeping them all, but jeez it's exciting being a part of this team at the moment."
AFL backs peculiar Tribunal moment
The league is confident that Tribunal member Jason Johnson handled his minor absence fine as he was moving from his laptop to his phone as he headed toward the car.
The hearing came to a halt when Johnson disconnected from the call, before reappearing in the hearing and taking the call when he was in the car.
It's understood the league admitted it wasn't ideal, but was ticked off.
"They (The AFL) are confident that Jason Johnson handled it fine. They've had a quick word to him but they won't be changing the rules (back to pre-Covid)."
🗣️ Mitch Cleary on Jason Johnson driving his car while officiating the Zak Butters Tribunal https://t.co/2xiGjWsTFl pic.twitter.com/TNOXtOvch9
— 7AFL (@7AFL) April 15, 2026
The forgotten Demon learning new tricks
Melbourne midfielder Jack Viney has been sidelined with an Achilles injury to start the year, and is still a fair way off from returning.
"I'm definitely going through one of the more frustrating periods of my career with injury," Viney said on AFL360.
"It's been a frustrating six months now where I've been struggling to get on the park, but I'm confident we'll get there – it's just taken a bit of time and a lot of patience.
"Never too old to learn some patience.Has a return date been pencilled in for a Collingwood livewire? How will Brisbane keep its emerging stars?
"My back and Achilles is working in tandem a little bit; when one thing gets going the other one with flare up a little bit, so it's a complex situation.
"Probably more likely I would think (to be second half of the year) unless there's a miraculous turnaround."
AFL trade and contract talks
Geelong's Shannon Neale has opened up talks to extend his time at the Cattery, hoping to pen a new deal beyond 2028 per AFL Media.
St Kilda find themselves in a similar boat with Max Hall, is contracted until the end of next year. But after a strong start to the new season, the Saints want him to remain at Moorabbin long term.
The Western Bulldogs have increased its offer to in-form defender Buku Khamis, tabling a three-year extension. Khamis attempted to depart to Carlton last year, but was held to his contract. He is an unrestricted free agent at the end of the year.
Gold Coast's Bodhi Uwland set to pen a four-year extension, taking him to the end of 2030.
