Category: Sports

West Coast could continue to experiment with playing out-of-sorts co-captain Oscar Allen in defence despite a difficult return to the AFL. Coach Andrew McQualter also indicated Hawthorn’s decision to throw former Eagle Tom Barrass forward late in their 50-point defeat had raised eyebrows. Key forward Oscar Allen, in his first clash with Hawthorn since his highly-publicised meeting with their coach Sam Mitchell, started down back at Marvel Stadium on return from being managed. But he was outpointed by Mabior Chol, who took nine marks and kicked three goals. “First full game back for a while,” McQualter said of Allen. “I ... Read more

They say Round 7 is when the ladder has begun to take its proper shape – but I bet whoever came up with that didn’t know Opening Round was coming. 16 teams have now played seven games – Gold Coast and Essendon are, of course, stuck on six – and we’re starting to learn who’s hot and who’s not. Collingwood? Hot. Gold Coast? Hot enough to kick ten goals in a row after giving Sydney a start. The Bulldogs? Definitely hot, with or without Sam Darcy. West Coast? Not. St Kilda? Rapidly cooling. Adelaide? Not cold just yet, but looking ... Read more

A Set small text size A Set the default text size A Set large text size A Tribunal date is looming for North Melbourne’s Paul Curtis, after the goalsneak was given a three-match ban for a dangerous tackle on Port Adelaide’s Josh Sinn. Curtis tackled Sinn from behind in the second quarter of the Kangaroos’ loss to the Power on Saturday, with Sinn shunted forward on impact with his head striking the ground. The Power were awarded a free kick for a dangerous tackle, with Sinn quickly heading off and subbed out of the game after entering concussion protocols. The ... Read more

All eyes were on Lachie Galvin in his return to first grade on Sunday but his contract circus was forgotten for 89 minutes as Wests Tigers pulled off an improbable extra-time win via an Adam Doueihi penalty goal. In the game of the season, Cronulla fought back from 18-6 down before stuffing up several chances at a match-winning field goal. Each team did likewise in the first period of extra time before Sharks prop Tom Hazelton gave away a stripping penalty late in extra time right in front of the posts and Doueihi booted the Steeden into a strong wind ... Read more

Penrith’s chances of turning their season around have taken a heavy hit with Kiwi forward Scott Sorensen banned for 2-3 matches for a shoulder charge in Saturday night’s loss to Manly. Sorensen whacked opposing forward Nathan Brown with a deliberate hit from a kick restart that saw him sin-binned. He will be out for the next two rounds or potentially three games if he risks challenging the grade-two offence at the judiciary. However, both the sin-bin and the subsequent suspension have proved controversial, with former great Andrew Johns questioning what Sorensen was meant to do. “Nathan Brown is about 100 ... Read more

A Set small text size A Set the default text size A Set large text size The Broncos could be without Adam Reynolds for their Magic Round blockbuster against Penrith with the premiers missing second-rower Scott Sorensen. Reynolds is hopeful of shaking off the shoulder injury he suffered early in last Thursday’s win over Canterbury before aggravating it late in the contest. He played through a staph infection in his leg to inspire a 42-18 win over Canterbury even though he was sure earlier in the day if he would play after a dizzy spell. But he sought treatment and ... Read more

A Set small text size A Set the default text size A Set large text size Crystal Palace are getting another shot at winning the FA Cup — and won’t have to meet Manchester United in the final this time. Palace beat Aston Villa 3-0 at Wembley Stadium on Saturday to advance to the May 17 title match back at the home of English soccer. It will be the south London club’s third appearance in the final, after 1990 and 2016. On both occasions, Palace were beaten by United. Eberechi Eze smashed home a shot from the edge of the ... Read more

A Set small text size A Set the default text size A Set large text size Anthony Seibold feels the NRL should consider reviewing its crackdown on illegal shots as rival coach Ivan Cleary agrees referees have over-corrected in their officiating of the game. A staggering eight players went on report during Manly’s 26-10 defeat of Penrith on Saturday night, when 16 penalties were blown in total. Penrith’s Scott Sorensen and Manly prop Siua Taukeiaho became the 11th and 12th players sin-binned for illegal hits across the first six games of round eight. But Sorensen’s shoulder charge on Nathan Brown ... Read more

A Set small text size A Set the default text size A Set large text size While Alex de Minaur looks more comfortable and impressive on the clay with every passing match, the great Novak Djokovic seems to be losing his magical powers on the red stuff.  For while Australia’s No.1 kicked off his Madrid Open quest with a clinical 6-2 6-3 victory over Italian Lorenzo Sonego on Saturday, all the talk at the Caja Magica surrounded another dismal first-round defeat for Djokovic, whose quest for 100 titles took another savage hit.  Australia’s No.1 de Minaur made just nine unforced ... Read more

Back in March, Port Adelaide lost to Essendon in a match I thought would be unbeatable as the worst 2025 had to offer. The Power’s narrow win over North Melbourne on Saturday wasn’t quite as bad, primarily because this match at least had the benefit of a tight, thrilling finish and a Jason Horne-Francis-inspired biff that made it comfortably more watchable. But the skill level from both sides was abysmal, the defending never better than okay and frequently disastrous, and the amount of butchering that went on in front of goal would put an abbatoir out of business. This was ... Read more