After years of trying, the AFL has locked in Minogue as pre-game entertainment for 2026 event
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Calls for Australian musicians to perform at the AFL grand final have been answered with pop royalty Kylie Minogue named as this year’s headline act.
The Melbourne-born singer says she is excited to return home for the pre-game show at the MCG in September.
Continue reading...Visiting Bulldogs coach Cameron Ciraldo sustains deep gash
Calls intensify for ageing GIO Stadium to undergo refurbishment
Canterbury coach Cameron Ciraldo has joined growing calls for Canberra’s GIO Stadium to undergo a face lift after revealing he would need stitches after glass shattered on him in the ageing arena.
While the visiting coach was left with a deep gash in his hand, Raiders boss Ricky Stuart also weighed in, calling his side’s home arena a “shithouse stadium” and claiming authorities didn’t care about the state of the 1970s-built venue.
Continue reading...40-year-old committed five anti-doping rule violations
Matosevic, now a coach, critical of ITIA’s investigative practices
Six weeks after branding the International Tennis Integrity Agency “corrupt”, one-time Australian No 1 Marinko Matosevic has been handed a four-year ban for multiple doping offences.
An independent tribunal determined that Matosevic committed five anti-doping rule violations between 2018 and 2020, including use of a prohibited method through blood doping and facilitating another player to blood dope, providing advice to others on how to avoid positive tests, and use and possession of the prohibited substance clenbuterol.
Continue reading...Wild celebrations during game despite threat of fines
Winger scores 213th try of his career against Roosters
Thousands of fans have stormed onto the field at Allianz Stadium to celebrate South Sydney veteran Alex Johnston breaking the NRL’s try-scoring record.
The winger entered the history books when a break down the left edge put him over for his 213th career try, and his second in Friday’s clash with bitter rivals Sydney Roosters.
Continue reading...Jayco AlUla rider’s spring classics campaign ruined by injury
35-year-old returning to racing after break due to pulmonary embolism
Australian cycling ace Michael Matthews has broken both wrists in a training crash and been ruled out of racing for the forseeable future.
Matthews’ season on the World Tour started with victory in the Gran Premio de Castellon in Spain in late January – the 44th win of his decorated 17-year career.
Continue reading...Canterbury defeats St George Illawarra 15-14 in Las Vegas
Knights beat Cowboys 28-18 in NRL opener at Allegiant Stadium
Canterbury skipper Stephen Crichton stood up like only he can to land a field goal with six seconds of golden point remaining to sink a gallant St George Illawarra 15-14.
A record Las Vegas crowd of 45,719 got their first taste of golden point and it took 89 minutes and 54 seconds of a cracking, old-fashioned arm wrestle to split the teams.
Continue reading...Former Perth Glory winger blasts debut goal for Queens Park Rangers
‘It’s the best feeling in the world,’ 19-year-old says
A stunning first goal in the English Championship by Australian youth international Daniel Bennie has helped Queens Park Rangers to a vital win in their push for a Premier League return.
Bennie, a former Perth Glory winger who helped Australia’s Young Socceroos to U20 Asian Cup glory in February 2025, blasted home a shot from outside the box in the 84th minute to see off fellow promotion hopefuls Hull City 3-1 on Saturday.
Continue reading...Wellington’s Josh Oluwayemi heads into his own goal from outside box
Auckland FC’s 5-0 win prompts Giancarlo Italiano to resign
A comical own goal from Wellington goalkeeper Josh Oluwayemi sparked a 5-0 thrashing by Auckland FC, prompting coach Giancarlo Italiano to dramatically announce his resignation in the post-match press conference.
Oluwayemi’s 24th-minute howler looks destined to be a permanent feature on goalkeeper gaffe compilations after the Phoenix No 1 completely misjudged a Jake Girdwood-Reich clearance at Sky Stadium in Wellington on Saturday.
Continue reading...Premiership-winning Canterbury winger hit in stomach and leg in Greenacre shooting
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Former NRL star Matt Utai is in hospital fighting for his life after being shot multiple times on his front lawn, in what police are treating as an ambush attack with no clear motive.
The 2004 premiership-winning Canterbury winger was left with serious leg wounds after the attack in Greenacre, in western Sydney, at about 6am on Tuesday.
Continue reading...Stunning ton by Pathum Nissanka seals hosts’ run chase
Australia need Ireland to beat Zimbabwe on Tuesday
Australia could be out of the T20 World Cup before they even play their final first round group match after a stunning fightback by Sri Lanka in Pallekele.
Returning captain Mitch Marsh and a revived Travis Head looked to have set Australia on course for a victory that would have kept their tournament hopes alive as they smashed a century-plus opening stand at more than two-runs-a-ball.
Continue reading...Australian produces some fine tennis to win Rotterdam Open
First indoor title comes after 6-3, 6-2 win over Felix Auger-Aliassime
Alex de Minaur sealed a landmark week by delivering a masterful performance to defeat the red-hot Felix Auger-Aliassime and finally land one of the biggest titles of his career at the Rotterdam Open.
The Australian produced some of his finest tennis on Sunday (Monday AEDT) to crush the Canadian world No 6, who had won the Montpellier Open just a week earlier and whose service had been seemingly unbreakable.
Continue reading...Nathan Ellis and Adam Zampa rout opponents in 67-run win
Skipper pulled out injured 30 minutes before start of play
Adam Zampa and Nathan Ellis combined for eight wickets as Australia overcame the shock pre-match loss of skipper Mitch Marsh to post a crushing 67-run victory over Ireland in their T20 World Cup opener in Colombo.
Marsh was officially ruled out just 30 minutes before Wednesday night’s toss after scans revealed he was suffering internal testicular bleeding from a blow he suffered at training earlier in the week.
Continue reading...Captain sidelined out by testicular injury in the nets
Champion batter rushed to Sri Lanka as squad cover
Steve Smith has answered a last-minute SOS and could make a shock appearance at the T20 World Cup following a testicular injury to skipper Mitch Marsh.
Marsh has been ruled out of Australia’s T20 World Cup opener against Ireland in Colombo after sustaining a direct hit to the box at training earlier this week.
Continue reading...Mitch Marsh’s team spun to record-breaking 111-run loss in Lahore
Usman Tariq hits back at Cameron Green over throwing allegation
Australia have been handed the worst possible conclusion to their World Cup warmup, suffering their heaviest T20 international defeat in a third successive morale-sapping capitulation to Pakistan.
Still wounded from a 90-run defeat 24 hours earlier at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium – their worst loss to Pakistan – it only got even more dire for Mitch Marsh’s side on Sunday as they were spun to a record-breaking 111-run loss on the same ground.
Continue reading...Pakistan 198-5; Australia 108 (15.4 overs) | Pakistan win by 90 runs
Australia lose series with 11 days to go before T20 World Cup begins
World Cup-bound Australia have been given a hiding in Lahore, bamboozled by Pakistan’s spinners as they crumbled to a 90-run defeat and a T20I series capitulation.
Just hours after their squad for the World Cup in India and Sri Lanka was announced, Mitch Marsh’s side, featuring nine World Cup players and looking desperately in need of their absent big guns, simply could not cope with the hosts’ five-pronged spin attack on Saturday.
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