Author: Australian Associated Press

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Carlton and AFL throw support behind Elijah Hollands after ‘mental health episode’

  • Blues player displayed erratic behaviour in game against Magpies

  • Coach Michael Voss said 23-year-old was left ‘shattered’ by his performance

The AFL has joined Carlton in supporting a “shattered” Elijah Hollands after the Blues utility suffered a mental health episode during a close loss to Collingwood.

Hollands initially ended Thursday night’s 13.10 (88) to 12.11 (83) defeat at the MCG without registering a statistic, despite playing 75% of the match across the first three quarters.

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St Kilda’s Lance Collard given lengthy ban by AFL for homophobic slur

  • AFL tribunal hands out seven-week ban to Saints player

  • Collard denied using slur though he had admitted using it in 2024

St Kilda forward Lance Collard has been banned for seven weeks by the AFL tribunal for directing a homophobic slur towards an opponent.

The penalty, which includes a further two-week ban suspended until the end of the 2027 season, was announced at a sanctions hearing on Tuesday afternoon.

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Australia crash out of BJK Cup after Britain secure 3-0 upset with doubles win

  • Burrage and Dart overcome Hunter and Perez 6-3, 6-4

  • Australia to miss BJK Cup finals for second straight year

Australian team captain Sam Stosur’s fears of a “funky” upset have been realised as an understrength Great Britain sent Australia crashing out of Billie Jean King Cup contention.

After the visitors claimed both opening-day singles matches at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena, new British doubles pairing Jodie Burrage and Harriet Dart completed a 3-0 rout in the best-of-five qualifying tie on Saturday. Their 6-3, 6-4 win over Storm Hunter and Ellen Perez gave Great Britain an unassailable lead, sending last year’s semi-finalists into to September’s finals in China. It is the second straight year Australia have missed the eight-nation finals.

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St Kilda player Lance Collard found guilty by AFL of using homophobic slur

  • Sanction still to be determined after two-day tribunal hearing

  • 21-year-old previously suspended for ‘highly offensive’ abuse in 2024

St Kilda forward Lance Collard has been found guilty of using a homophobic slur against an opponent, leaving his AFL career hanging in the balance.

Collard had rejected suggestions he called his Frankston opponent a “f*****” during a VFL match last month.

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Australia on brink of BJK Cup exit after British teenager Mika Stojsavljevic stuns Gibson

  • 17-year-old defeats in-form Australian 7-6(4), 7-5 in qualifier

  • Harriet Dart beats Kimberly Birrell 4-6, 6-3, 6-3 in Melbourne

Australia’s quest to win a place in the Billie Jean King Cup Finals is off to the worst possible start, losing both opening-day singles matches, with spearhead Talia Gibson falling to British teen Mika Stojsavljevic.

Gibson was expected to get the tie at Melbourne’s John Cain Arena off to a flying start on Friday, but she was a shock loser 7-6 (7-4) 7-5 against the lowly ranked 17-year-old.

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Jason Day hits out at ‘selfish’ Tiger Woods after DUI charge

  • Australian golfer saddened by his ‘hero’ facing struggle with addiction

  • Five-time Masters champion to miss first major after car crash and arrest

Australian ace Jason Day has expressed sadness at Tiger Woods’ plight but taken issue with the golf great’s “selfish” judgement for driving under the influence.

Woods has reportedly checked himself into rehab in Switzerland after being arrested and charged on 27 March after crashing his car near his home on Jupiter Island in Florida.

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AFL player Tristan Xerri banned for three games for ‘disgraceful’ blood smear

  • Kangaroos star sanctioned for wiping blood on opponent’s face

  • Xerri admits incident during Essendon game was a ‘brain fade’

North Melbourne star Tristan Xerri would have risked a heftier AFL ban had he not shown remorse for wiping blood on the face of Essendon captain Andrew McGrath.

Xerri will miss North’s next three games after he pleaded guilty to his serious misconduct charge.

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Kylie Minogue to perform at AFL grand final: ‘as a Melburnian, I’m so excited’

After years of trying, the AFL has locked in Minogue as pre-game entertainment for 2026 event

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.

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‘A shithouse stadium’: NRL coach left needing stitches to hand after glass shatters at Canberra stadium

  • 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.

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Former Australian tennis No 1 Marinko Matosevic handed four-year ban for doping offences

  • 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.

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Fans storm field as South Sydney veteran Alex Johnston breaks NRL try-scoring record

  • 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.

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Australian cyclist Michael Matthews breaks both wrists in horror training crash

  • 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.

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Bulldogs’ Stephen Crichton kicks golden-point winner in final seconds to beat Dragons

  • 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.

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Australian teenager Daniel Bennie scores stunning first goal for English club from long range

  • 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.

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Goalkeeper hauled off at half-time as howler sparks A-League rout before coach resigns

  • 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.

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