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Craig O'DonoghueSports Journalist

Craig O'Donoghue is part of The West Australian's sports writing team. He joined The West Australian in 2000 and spent 2013-14 working in the Melbourne bureau. He now focuses on AFL and basketball.

Email Craig O'DonoghueX @Craig_ODonoghue
Bailey Smith ran rampant on his Geelong debut.

AFLVideoCommentsDockers cop reality check from hell with thumping defeat

Fremantle’s season of hope has begun with despair following a massive loss to Geelong at GMHBA Stadium despite an incredible third term from debutant Murphy Reid.

Craig O'Donoghue

Fremantle players must go out of their way to get the ball into Nathan O’Driscoll’s hands in their forward half during Hayden Young’s absence.

analysis
analysis
AFLCommentsPremium
analysis
Identified! Freo’s go-to man for inside 50s with Young out

Fremantle players must go out of their way to get the ball into one Docker’s hands in their forward half during Hayden Young’s absence and it’s not who you might expect, writes Craig O’Donoghue.

Craig O'Donoghue

Luke Jackson

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
AFLVideoCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
Dockers reveal why Jackson isn’t No.1 ruck without Darcy

Fremantle have named Luke Jackson in the forward line and Liam Reidy in the ruck in the absence of Sean Darcy against Geelong. Dockers CEO Simon Garlick explains why.

Craig O'Donoghue

West Coast forward Matt Owies.

AFLCommentsPremiumThe forward vision McQualter sold Owies to get him to Eagles

Matt Owies kicked more than 30 goals for Carlton last season and when new Eagles coach Andrew McQualter explained his game plan to the forward, he realised his strengths would slot in perfectly at West Coast.

Craig O'Donoghue

Murphy Reid will make his debut.

AFLCommentsPremiumThe incredible stat Fremantle must defy to beat Geelong

Fremantle have high expectations this season but they’ve picked the least experienced team in the AFL this round and victory over Geelong at the Cattery would be defy all sorts of history.

Craig O'Donoghue

Geelong captain Patrick Dangerfield.

AFLCommentsPremiumDanger Signs? Pat playing forward has Cats feeling pumped

Geelong star Patrick Dangerfield has spent his career tearing teams apart in the midfield while harbouring ambitions to play as a forward. Now he’s going to get his wish and it’ll start against Freo.

Craig O'Donoghue

Fremantle’s Nathan O’Driscoll barely played last season due to injury but his efforts at Peel Thunder, combined with what he’s done over the summer have convinced a former teammate he is set to star in 2025.

The West Australian exclusive
The West Australian exclusive
AFLCommentsPremium
The West Australian exclusive
‘He’s an absolute gun’: The Docker tipped to explode in 2025

Former Fremantle defender and Peel Thunder premiership player Nathan Wilson has declared which Docker is set for a breakout season in purple.

Craig O'Donoghue

Geelong coach Chris Scott.

AFLVideoCommentsAFL superstars ‘should be paid more’, says Cats coach

Geelong coach Chris Scott believes the best players in the AFL are being underpaid and it makes no sense that administrators are earning more than the stars of the competition.

Craig O'Donoghue

West Coast training ahead of their round one clash.

AFLVideoCommentsPremiumBig numbers on track at West Coast as round one closes in

West Coast have trained ahead of their round one clash with Gold Coast with coach Andrew McQualter preparing to pick his first team since joining the Eagles. Here’s what we saw...

Craig O'Donoghue

Luke Ryan celebrates Freo’s most recent win in Geelong in 2023.

AFLCommentsPremiumNot scaredy cats! Why Freo’s had so much success in Geelong

As Freo face the big trip to GMHBA Stadium for their season opener, a Geelong premiership player has opened up on how the Dockers take a vastly different approach to most teams when they head to the venue.

Craig O'Donoghue

West Coast are retuning key to key traditions.

opinion
opinion
AFLVideoCommentsPremium
opinion
Never mess with tradition: Songs, banners and jumpers matter

West Coast have been returning key traditions that it took away such as the song and the banner, and that is the perfect reminder to all sports that the things fans truly love genuinely matter.

Craig O'Donoghue

Darcy Jones is ready for a big year.

AFLVideoPremiumWhitfield’s summer lessons have WA’s Jones ready to shine

WA’s Darcy Jones had an exciting debut season for GWS and he’s done everything possible to be ready for more focus this season, including spending summer training on a dual All-Australian.

Craig O'Donoghue

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