Penrith No 7 confirms successful surgery on compound fracture
He says Knights’ Phoenix Crossland not to blame for tackle
Nathan Cleary has told fans “I’ll be back” in a social media post from his hospital bed after the Penrith star underwent emergency surgery on a horrific ankle injury.
Cleary was rushed to hospital in Penrith’s season-ending 22-14 loss to Newcastle on Sunday, after suffering a compound fracture and ankle dislocation.
Continue reading...Newcastle defeat Penrith 22-14 in preliminary final
Phoenix Crossland sent off for hip-drop tackle on Cleary
Newcastle are through to their first grand final in 25 years after holding on to beat Penrith 22-14 with 12 men, after Panthers star Nathan Cleary sufffered an ankle fracture in a hip-drop tackle.
On an afternoon of high drama at Accor Stadium, Newcastle hooker Phoenix Crossland was sent off for the tackle that left Cleary with a compound fracture and dislocation of the ankle late in the first half.
Continue reading...The union-bound winger runs in two tries at Suncorp
Returning Sam Walker orchestrates 36-20 win
Sydney Roosters are through to their first NRL grand final in seven years after Mark Nawaqanitawase’s genius and a miracle Sam Walker injury comeback inspired a 36-20 demolition of the Dolphins.
The Roosters shot out to a 16-0 lead inside 27 minutes in front of a sold-out preliminary final crowd of 52,286 at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.
Continue reading...South Africa 297-8; Australia 230 | South Africa win by 67 runs
Captain’s blistering 60 not enough to topple hosts in Durban
Mitch Marsh could not hide his dismay at how Australia capitulated tamely in their opening ODI in South Africa, succumbing to a 67-run defeat after a succession of cheap dismissals in a sorry run chase at Durban.
Stand-in skipper Marsh himself seemed to have laid the foundations for victory with his blistering opening knock of 60, but after he had perished needlessly to the spinning wiles of Kehav Maharaj, none of his team could cement the partnerships to get them anywhere near the hosts’ 298-run target.
Continue reading...Dual Brownlow medal winner to play in match against Fremantle
Striking charge on Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan downgraded
Ultimate guide to the flag decider between Fremantle and Brisbane
Star Brisbane midfielder Lachie Neale has been cleared to play in the AFL grand final after overturning his one-game suspension at the appeals board.
The dual Brownlow medal winner will feature in the premiership decider against Fremantle – his former club – at the MCG on Saturday after having a striking charge on Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan downgraded.
Continue reading...Dual Brownlow medallist guilty of intentional striking
Plea of ‘exceptional circumstances’ rejected by tribunal
Brisbane will head to the AFL appeals board in a desperate bid to free suspended star Lachie Neale for the grand final.
Neale remains banned for the premiership decider against Fremantle after failing to argue his way out of a one-match suspension for a gut punch on Hawthorn’s Jack Ginnivan.
Continue reading...Heeney, Warner, Blakey, Jordon and Bice attend exit meetings
The five have not been to Swans HQ since August suspension
Sydney’s five suspended players have offered an apology to teammates and colleagues after ending their weeks-long exile from the AFL club.
Swans vice-captain Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice on Wednesday appeared at Sydney’ base at Moore Park for the first time since being banned for breaching club standards in August.
Continue reading...Midfielder beats previous record of 45 votes
Marcus Bontempelli and Bailey Smith are runners-up
Collingwood superstar Nick Daicos has finally claimed his first Brownlow Medal in a runaway victory with a record-breaking 47 votes.
The 23-year-old surged to a perfect nine votes from his first three games, led from round 11, then registered six consecutive best-on-ground performances to seal victory by round 21.
Continue reading...Ashley Klein targeted after Warriors’ season ended by Knights
Official had to be protected by security on way off pitch in Auckland
The NRL has threatened to ban fans who peppered referee Ashley Klein with projectiles, with the integrity unit investigating the aftermath of the Eden Park clash.
Vision from after full-time in Newcastle’s 12-10 win over the Warriors on Sunday showed Klein being hit with a raft of bottles, cups and rubbish as he walked from the field.
Continue reading...World No 9 returns to form in 6-3, 6-3 win against Kamil Majchrzak
Max Purcell and Rinky Hijikata click in doubles as Australia progress
Alex de Minaur has returned to form to seal Australia’s Davis Cup progression, with the hosts beating Poland 3-1 in Brisbane also thanks to some earlier doubles brilliance.
The world No 9 found top gear on Sunday at Pat Rafter Arena, beating Kamil Majchrzak 6-3, 6-3 to clinch a 3-1 result that sends Australia into the Cup’s penultimate round next year.
Continue reading...Lions defeat Hawks 20.11 (131) to 19.8 (122) in AFL preliminary final
Reigning premiers to meet Fremantle in 2026 grand final at the MCG
Brisbane will face Fremantle for a shot at a premiership “three-peat” after surviving an almighty last-quarter fightback from Hawthorn to win an all-time great AFL preliminary final by nine points.
A controversial holding-the-ball decision against Hawks defender Jarman Impey gave Hugh McCluggage a free kick and he kicked the match-deciding goal with 18 seconds left.
Continue reading...World No 9 beats Maks Kasnikowski 6-3, 6-0 in World Group I tie
James Duckworth loses to Kamil Majchrzak 2-6, 6-3, 6-3 in Brisbane
Alex de Minaur has taken his frustrations out in a Davis Cup thumping to put Australia up 1-0 in their must-win Brisbane tie against Poland, before Kamil Majchrzak edged James Duckworth in a tense two-hour affair.
The world No 9, keen to rediscover his mojo after a disappointing second-round US Open loss, lit up Pat Rafter Arena on Saturday afternoon with a dominant 6-3 6-0 defeat of world No 231 Maks Kasnikowski.
Continue reading...Australia (win by 84 runs) 356-6; Zimbabwe 272 all out
Home side favourites to complete clean sweep on Sunday
Opening batter Travis Head smashed a 75-ball hundred as he led Australia to a series-clinching 84-run victory in the second cricket ODI against Zimbabwe on Friday.
Head’s swashbuckling 112 off 84 balls was well supported by captain Mitchell Marsh’s 53, his 21st ODI half century, and Cooper Connolly’s 78, his third successive 50-plus score in the format, in Australia’s sizeable total of 356-6.
Continue reading...The Lions defeat the Crows by 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91) in AFL semi-final
Reigning premiers to meet Hawks in preliminary final at the MCG
Seven scintillating minutes set the tone as Brisbane kept their AFL three-peat hopes alive with a 53-point defeat of Adelaide at the Gabba.
The Lions, chasing a third straight premiership, will face Hawthorn in an MCG preliminary final after a rollicking 21.18 (144) to 13.13 (91) Saturday night semi-final triumph.
Continue reading...Luke Sayers says he accepts Cate Sayers did not post photo of his genitals as she says settlement closes ‘painful and difficult chapter’
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The embattled former AFL club president Luke Sayers has apologised to his former wife for the harm he caused as her defamation case over a lewd photo settled.
Lawyers for Sayers, the immediate past president of the Carlton football club, read out the apology in the Victorian supreme court on Friday after indicating the settlement.
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