Author: Australian Associated Press

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Dolphins players pull out of NRL clash to stay in Brisbane as Tropical Cyclone Alfred nears

  • Kodi Nikorima and Mark Nicholls withdraw to stay close to family
  • Kenny Bromwich also pulls out from facing Rabbitohs in Sydney

Dolphins duo Kodi Nikorima and Mark Nicholls have withdrawn from the clash with South Sydney as Cyclone Alfred makes a beeline for the southern Queensland coast.

Kenny Bromwich, who was slated to be 18th man, has also pulled out of Friday night’s clash in Sydney. Sean O’Sullivan comes into the side to replace Nikorima while prop Josh Kerr is on the bench in place of Nicholls.

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Australia’s semi-final hopes against India depend on spin battle, says Smith

  • Captain believes key is how batters take on ‘middle overs’
  • Australia still to decide how many spinners to include

White-ball cricket is often about the powerplay at the start of an innings and the death overs at the end, but the Australia captain Steve Smith believes it is the overs in the middle that will decide the Champions Trophy semi-final against India on Tuesday.

Australia go into the Dubai lair that dry pitches and expat fans have turned into a home from home for India with Rohit Sharma’s team seeking to snare them in a web of spin. India used four spinners in their last match against New Zealand, the quartet taking nine wickets, five going to the recalled Varun Chakravarthy.

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Canberra Raiders wallop New Zealand Warriors in NRL season opener in Las Vegas

  • Raiders 30-8 Warriors
  • Green Machine put rivals on notice with five-try demolition

Life without Jarome Luai and James Fisher-Harris is off to a great start for defending premiers Penrith, who wrapped up the NRL’s second Las Vegas visit with a thrilling 28-22 win over Cronulla.

The Panthers had their wobbles at Allegiant Stadium on Sunday (AEDT) as they took their first steps without Luai and Fisher-Harris - undoubtedly the two most important players they have lost in five years as NRL heavyweights.

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Nathan Cleary condemns ‘sad’ Matildas criticism amid flying visit with Mary Fowler

  • Panthers star backs partner’s team after Marty Sheargold’s comments
  • Penrith face Cronulla Sharks in NRL gala in Las Vegas on Saturday

Nathan Cleary says it’s “sad” Mary Fowler’s Matildas are still targeted with “unnecessary” trolling after a radio host was widely condemned for on-air comments about Australia’s women’s football team.

Marty Sheargold and Triple M mutually agreed to part ways earlier this week after a tirade during which he likened the Matildas to “year 10 girls” and said he would rather “hammer a nail through the head of [his] penis” than watch their Asian Cup campaign.

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NRL defends its invite to Donald Trump in Las Vegas after charity backlash

  • White Ribbon ends affiliation after league’s ‘tone deaf’ offer
  • Andrew Abdo insists NRL remains committed to inclusion

The NRL has defended the decision to invite Donald Trump to its Las Vegas fixtures after an anti-domestic violence charity severed ties with the league over what it called a “tone deaf” offer.

White Ribbon penned a letter to the NRL this week that ended a partnership dating back to 2008, citing the league’s decision to associate with “well-known perpetrators of abuse and violence against women”.

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Matt Kuhnemann ‘never doubted’ his bowling action before being cleared by ICC

  • Spinner was reported for having a suspect action in Sri Lanka Tests
  • 28-year-old looms as critical to Australia’s hopes in India in 2027

Matt Kuhnemann has declared he never doubted the legality of his own action, after Australia’s new spin sensation was cleared to continue bowling by the ICC.

Kuhnemann’s two-and-a-half-week ordeal was finally put to bed on Wednesday night, when the ICC informed him he had passed tests on his action. The news came after Kuhnemann had been reported for having a suspect action during Australia’s triumph in Sri Lanka, where he was the leading wicket-taker.

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Jillaroos recall Olivia Kernick for Las Vegas Test against ‘extremely aggressive’ England

  • Dally M Medallist named in interim coach Jess Skinner’s starting side
  • Australia face Lionesses in historic women’s rugby league international

Olivia Kernick has won back her Jillaroos jersey, after the Dally M Medallist was called back into Australia’s back row for their Las Vegas Test against England. Controversially axed from the squad for the Pacific Championships last year despite being the NRLW’s best player, Kernick has been listed to start in the US.

The 24-year-old is one of two new faces to the Australian side that beat New Zealand in last year’s Pacific Championships final, replacing the unavailable Millie Elliott. Quincy Dodd has also been called onto the bench, in place of fellow hooker Keeley Davis.

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Raiders’ Hudson Young and Morgan Smithies apologise for Las Vegas altercation ahead of NRL opener

  • Two players and toy baseball bat involved in hotel incident
  • Duo set to be named to face New Zealand Warriors on Sunday

The NRL has been dealt its first off-field behavioural issue in Las Vegas, with Canberra forwards Morgan Smithies and Hudson Young forced into explaining their actions after clashing on the opening night of the Raiders’ camp.

The two players fronted the media on Monday (Tuesday AEDT) to apologise after becoming involved in an altercation with each other after a night out, when a hotel mix up left one of them without a room.

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Dragons heap more misery on Rabbitohs to regain NRL Charity Shield

  • St George Illawarra defeat South Sydney 46-26 in Mudgee
  • Sione Finau helped from field after starring with four tries

St George Illawarra have claimed a 46-26 Charity Shield victory to leave South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett with more questions than answers as he attempts to save the Rabbitohs’ NRL season before it has begun.

After a week in which Cameron Murray was ruled out for the rest of the year and Latrell Mitchell was sidelined for the first six weeks of the season, Jamie Humphreys emerged as a beacon of light for the Rabbitohs on Saturday.

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NRL announces $62.3m surplus as rugby league stakes ‘indisputable’ claim to be No 1 sport

  • Record revenue, crowds and viewing figures announced at AGM
  • Game ‘never been stronger’ financially, says Peter V’landys

The NRL has lauded the 2024 season as the most lucrative and successful in rugby league’s 117-year history in Australia.

Boasting record revenue, crowds and viewing figures, the NRL says rugby league is now the most popular sport in Australia and the Pacific.

Attendances – total: $4.79m - up 3.8%

TV viewership – total: $200.5m - up 8.6%

Participation – total: $1.03m - up 20.6%

Asset value – total: $322.4m - up 24%

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A-Leagues boss Nick Garcia departs in shock mid-season leadership shake-up

  • Stephen Conroy tightens grip on Australian Professional Leagues
  • APL hopes to stabilise domestic competitions take another hit

A-Leagues commissioner Nick Garcia has departed his role in a shock mid-season leadership change at Australian football’s struggling domestic competitions.

Garcia’s departure was confirmed on Thursday, with Australian Professional Leagues chairman Stephen Conroy announced as executive chairman.

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Matt Kuhnemann awaits fate on bowling action after undergoing ICC testing

  • ICC experts run rule of Australia spinner in Brisbane
  • 28-year-old reported during Sri Lanka Test series

Matt Kuhnemann is expected to learn his fate by the end of next week, after being put through intensive tests on his bowling action in Brisbane over the weekend. Just a week after being reported during Australia’s 2-0 Test series win in Sri Lanka, Kuhnemann has now completed tests on his suspect action.

The 28-year-old was put through his paces during a session that lasted more than one hour in Brisbane, asked to bowl at a similar speed and with similar revolutions to what he did in Galle.

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AFL State of Origin games could return in 2026, Andrew Dillon says

  • Andrew Dillon buoyed by success of Indigenous All Stars game
  • Representative fixtures forecast to become regular feature

AFL chief executive Andrew Dillon has flagged the possible return of state of origin amid a “groundswell” of support for the concept, as the league weighs up the future of representative football.

Buoyed by the success of last weekend’s Indigenous All Stars exhibition, Dillon on Wednesday forecast representative fixtures becoming a regular feature on the AFL calendar for years to come.

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Macarthur captain Valere Germain quits A-League over poor refereeing standards

  • Striker expected to swap Australia for Japan after terminating contract
  • Frenchman was facing FA hearing over alleged lewd gesture to official

Macarthur’s bid for an A-League Men finals berth has been dealt a hammer blow, with captain Valere Germain citing Australian refereeing standards as reason to terminate his contract.

Bulls officials confirmed to AAP that Germain’s request has been granted, with the 34-year-old forward expected to take up a contract offer in Japan.

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