The Dees and Lions will renew their rivalry on Sunday with a second premiership flag of 2022 up for grabsHere we are then. After plenty of twists and turns throughout the season, both on and off field, two teams remain and will face off on Sunday in the second AFLW grand final of the year. Brisbane and Melbourne were only separated by 0.3% at the top of the ladder at the end of the home-and-away season, so perhaps it is only fitting they’re the last two standing.On Friday night, at their home away from home on the Gold Coast, Brisbane did what they’ve done all season – they piled on the goals. After an arm wrestle in the first few...
Three-match series starts in Adelaide on Thursday and is a rare chance to test 50-over tactics before World Cup next yearLike many a distressed film protagonist, you could fall to your knees and lash the heavens with the eternal question: why? When you look at this week’s 50-over international series between Australia and England, with the first match in Adelaide coming four days after England sealed a 20-over World Cup title in Melbourne, it is puzzling to see the supposed pinnacle of one format followed by the pedestrian in a slightly different variation. Australia did need to play a series against England for Super League points, to qualify for the next 50-over World Cup – but that series happened back...
Club loyalties will be temporarily shelved as a record-equalling eight players from one rugby league club prepare to meet in the deciderWhen Australia and Samoa walk onto the Old Trafford pitch this weekend with both the Paul Barrière Trophy and rugby league greatness on the line, there is unlikely to be a prouder cadre than the Penrith Panthers front office. After claiming back-to-back NRL premierships and sending a record 19 players to the World Cup, a magnificent year for the Panthers will be capped when eight of their players likely square off in the decider. Among those eight will be a remarkable five members of the Penrith backline that defeated Parramatta in the NRL grand final – not inclusive of...
Dave Rennie made 12 changes from the narrow loss in France but the head coach would have expected more from his sideDave Rennie embarked on this five Test European tour with some key questions that needed answering. One, perhaps the most important one, concerned the depth of his squad. Winning would always be a key performance indicator, but bolstering a team capable of mixing it with the best at next year’s World Cup would always loom largest in the Wallabies coach’s in-tray.They were second best for much of their match against Italy in Florence and rightly ended on the losing side. Debutant Ben Donaldson, who had only been on the pitch for five minutes, had the chance to change the...
The elimination finals went down to the wire and two more top quality games are expected this weekend, although not everyone will be able to watch liveTickets to the game at Richmond’s Swinburne Centre, which has a capacity of 2,500, sold out in nine minutes on Monday. The decision to host the match there was backed by the AFL due to higher-ranked Richmond’s preference, but has angered many fans of a sport fighting for growth. Continue reading...