Wins have been few and far between for the Richmond Tigers and West Coast Eagles in recent seasons.

That's why when they play each other on Sunday at the MCG, both teams (and their fans) will sense a particularly ripe opportunity to salvage a win.

It's not quite a 'wooden spoon playoff', because Essendon (17th) are wedged between the Eagles (16th) and the Tigers (18th) on the ladder.

While the result matters, Richmond is also dedicating the match to raising funds for the Alannah & Madeline Foundation, which has worked to keep children safe from violence for more than 25 years. Donations from Sunday's match will help provide Buddy Bags for children entering emergency care after escaping violence.

You can learn more or donate to the foundation ahead of Sunday’s match here!

🏉 The Sydney Roosters defeated the North Queensland Cowboys 82-12 in Townsville on Thursday night, becoming the first rugby league team to score more than 80 points in Australia’s top league since 1935. Roosters playmaker Sam Walker starred with three tries and 12 conversions for a total of 36 points. Cowboys coach Todd Payten said: “As coach of this club, it’s one of our darkest days, if not the darkest day, and I would like to apologise to our members and fans.”

🏉 In the AFL, the Geelong Cats downed Collingwood 97-72 at the MCG after kicking five of the opening six goals. Geelong winger Ollie Dempsey was best on ground for the Cats with 29 disposals and two goals. The result sees the Cats move into fifth on the AFL ladder while the Magpies have slipped to ninth. Tonight, premiership favourites the Fremantle Dockers will host the eighth-placed Western Bulldogs in Perth. 

⚽ The Union of European Football Associations (UEFA) will boycott FIFA competitions if President Gianni Infantino goes ahead with his plans to sell off parts of the World Cup. Under Infantino’s proposal, a new company could take control of FIFA's top men's and women's World Cups, expanding both tournaments or staging them more often. The plans were first reported by The Times reporter Martyn Ziegler. Investor discussions also involved figures close to U.S. President Donald Trump. UEFA confirmed it won’t participate in FIFA competitions unless Infantino’s plan is dropped, and the North American soccer body CONCACAF and UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham have also rejected the idea. Football nations have until mid‑September to approve the proposal. Infantino previously spent 15 years at UEFA and served as the General Secretary from 2009 until he was elected FIFA president in 2016. 

👑 Aussie middle-distance athlete Rose Davies has become the first woman to win the 5000m and 10,000m at the same Commonwealth Games, outsprinting fellow Aussie Jess Hull in the final of the 5000m to win gold. Afterwards, the 26-year-old said, “I can’t believe it! Having Jess on your shoulder with 100m to go is scary but I honestly just blacked out and was running as hard as I could.” It’s the first time since 1974 that two Australians have finished in the gold and silver medal positions of an athletics race at the Commonwealth Games. Australia’s track cycling team also added to the tally with three golds on their first night of competition. 

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Talking points: The NRLW Magic Round heads to Wagga Wagga this weekend, with all 12 teams converging on the town for six games across Saturday and Sunday. Round 5 opens with the Cronulla Sharks (9th) taking on the Wests Tigers (8th) and will finish with Sunday’s clash between the Parramatta Eels (11th) and Newcastle Knights (5th). Last year’s grand finalists, the Brisbane Broncos (1st) and Sydney Roosters (2nd) are both unbeaten after four matches and will put their perfect records on the line against the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs (7th) and the St. George Illawarra Dragons (10th), respectively. The match of the round could come on Sunday when the New Zealand Warriors (4th) and Gold Coast Titans (3rd) meet in a clash between two top-four sides with aspirations of winning their club’s first premiership.

How to watch: You can watch the NRLW on Channel 9, Kayo, and Foxtel. The Sharks and Tigers will kick off at 11:35am on Saturday.

Talking points: The New South Wales Waratahs host the Auckland Blues in the second-ever Women’s Super Rugby Champions Final, chasing redemption after last year’s 36-5 loss in Auckland. Waratahs head coach Mike Ruthven has promoted Waratahs Player of the Year Amelia Whitaker to the starting side, replacing Desiree Miller after her calf injury. Lock Leilani Nathan is set for her 25th appearance, while the Blues arrive as Aupiki champions despite a run of injuries forcing multiple changes. Both sides enter off title wins, setting up a trans‑Tasman showdown.

How to watch: The final kicks off at 5:30pm on Saturday. You can watch it live on Stan Sport. To our Sydneysiders, you can also catch the action at Leichardt Oval. See you there! 

Talking points: The final weekend of the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow is here with several more opportunities for Aussies to add to their gold medal tally. On Saturday morning, Lachlan Kennedy will race the final of the men’s 200m (6:25am) followed shortly after by Torrie Lewis in the final of the women’s 200m (6:46am). Both set national records and won medals in their respective 100m events. The Diamonds, Australia’s netball team, will continue their campaign to win back-to-back Commonwealth gold medals when they take on Jamaica in the semi-final on Saturday night (10pm). The final athletics sessions on Saturday and Sunday mornings (AEST) will feature several Aussie stars in action. On the field, Nina Kennedy and Kurtis Marschall will both look to defend their CommGames pole vault titles. On the track, 2022 silver medallist Peter Bol will race the men’s 800m, rising star Cam Myers will take on Scotland’s world record holder Josh Kerr in the men’s mile, and Jess Hull will lead Australia’s contingent in the final event of the meet, the women’s mile. 

How to watch: You can watch the Commonwealth Games on Channel 7 and 7Plus.

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