Welcome to Arden

This is Arden — a blog about Australian rules football.

I’ve been meaning to write about footy for a while now. Not the hot takes and trade rumours you’ll find elsewhere, but the stories that sit underneath the game. The history of clubs that no longer exist. The grounds where football was played before anyone thought to charge admission. The state leagues that once drew bigger crowds than the national competition does today.

What to expect

The plan is broad and will evolve over time:

• History — the VFL-to-AFL transition, the clubs that were lost along the way, the moments that shaped the game
• Playing grounds — current and former venues, from the MCG to suburban ovals that hosted finals a century ago
• The national league — AFL and AFLW commentary, analysis, and the occasional opinion
• State and territory leagues — the VFL, SANFL, WAFL, QAFL, NTFL, Tasmania’s regional Premier Leagues, and more
• General observations — whatever else comes to mind on a Saturday afternoon

Why “Arden”?

Arden Street Oval in North Melbourne — one of the oldest football grounds in the world, home to North Melbourne from 1882. Not every post will be about North, but the name felt right for a site about footy history and culture.

More to come.