Across Victoria this weekend, 78,000 community footballers and netballers from nearly 300 clubs will play their matches wearing yellow armbands.

That’s because this weekend marks the seventh annual Pat Cronin Foundation Round, ten years on from Pat's death after he was struck from behind on a night out with friends. The Foundation, set up by his family, has spent the past decade working with schools, clubs and leagues to end the coward punch.

This year's Round is the biggest yet, and will showcase community sport as a vehicle for cultural change. As Foundation director and Pat's father Matt Cronin put it: "Violence has no place in our society, let alone on the sporting field."

🏉 NSW have taken a 1-0 series lead in Women's State of Origin, edging Queensland 11-6 in Newcastle on Thursday night. The result is the Blues' first ever win at the venue, after losses there in 2024 and 2025. NSW halfback Jesse Southwell slotted a field goal with eight minutes remaining to break a 6-6 deadlock, before setting up centre Jess Sergis for a try on the final play. NSW now need only one more win to retain the shield, with Game II in Brisbane on 14 May.

🏉 Collingwood and Hawthorn played out a 93-93 draw at the MCG on Thursday night, the first stalemate between the clubs in 174 meetings dating back to 1925. Hawthorn’s Dylan Moore kicked the equaliser on the final siren after Magpies skipper Darcy Moore conceded a free kick for a high tackle. Collingwood’s Jamie Elliott had kicked three goals earlier to put his side in a winning position. The result is the AFL's first draw since North Melbourne and Brisbane drew in May last year. Draws have averaged about one or two per season over the past decade. 

🏉 The NRL’s Melbourne Storm have revealed that head coach Craig Bellamy has been diagnosed with a neurodegenerative disorder. The club said in a statement that specialists do not expect the condition, which has not been specifically disclosed, to interfere with the 66-year-old's coaching duties in the short term. Bellamy took charge at the Storm in 2003 and recently extended his deal through to 2028. Melbourne sits 16th on the NRL ladder ahead of their round 9 clash with the Dolphins, with two wins from eight matches.

🏏 Queensland Cricket has backed New South Wales in rejecting Cricket Australia's (CA) plan to sell off stakes in the eight Big Bash League franchises. The proposal would have allowed private investors to buy up to 49% of each team, with some valued as high as $200 million. Victoria, Western Australia and Tasmania supported the sell-off, while South Australia backed a hybrid model. CA chief executive Todd Greenberg said: "We now have to reassess what comes next." He added that the governing body is now exploring a staggered model in which some states bring in private capital and others join later.

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Talking points: The NSW Waratahs host the Western Force tonight at Allianz Stadium. The Waratahs look to bounce back after their 35-20 loss to the Crusaders last week, while the Force arrive with confidence following their 31-26 win over the same opponent the week before. Joseph Sua'ali'i returns for the Waratahs and will line up opposite Zac Lomax, his former Origin teammate who returns to Sydney for the first time as a rugby union player since switching codes earlier this year. The 26-year-old signed a two-year deal with the Force and Rugby Australia in March after a NSW Supreme Court ruling barred him from returning to the NRL until 2028. Waratahs coach Dan McKellar has spoken about the need for settled combinations as his side try to stay in the finals race, with the Waratahs sitting eighth on the ladder and the Force in tenth. The Force have named an unchanged side for the second straight week.

How to watch: The match kicks off at 7:35pm tonight (AEST). You can watch it on Stan Sport.

Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.

Talking points: The A-League Women semi-finals kick off this weekend. Each semi-final is played across two matches, with the team that scores more goals across both progressing to the grand final. Melbourne Victory host Melbourne City in a derby at AAMI Park at 5pm (AEST) on Saturday, before Wellington Phoenix travel to Brisbane to face the Roar at Spencer Park at 5pm (AEST) on Sunday. City enters as league favourites after finishing the season on top of the ladder for the third year in a row. Victory comes into Saturday’s match with some form of their own after upsetting Canberra United 3-1 in last week’s elimination final. They are hoping to make amends after losing last year’s grand final to the Central Coast Mariners. The other semi-final features two clubs ending long droughts. Brisbane are in the finals for the first time in five years, with a sold-out crowd expected at Spencer Park. Wellington are in their first-ever finals series since joining the competition in 2021. 

How to watch: Live on Paramount+ and 10 Drama.

Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.

Talking points: Formula One returns this weekend after a five-week break, with the Miami Grand Prix the first race since the Japanese Grand Prix on 29 March. Two races, in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia, were cancelled due to the Iran war. Racing also returns with a tweaked rulebook. The FIA, the sport's governing body,  has agreed to changes targeting "superclipping" – the new phenomenon of cars losing power on straights as energy is redirected to the battery under F1's hybrid regulations, which were brought in at the beginning of the season. Australian McLaren driver Oscar Piastri (21 points) sits sixth in the drivers' championship after finishing second to Mercedes rookie Kimi Antonelli (72 points) in Japan. Antonelli leads the championship ahead of teammate George Russell (63 points) and Ferrari’s Charles Leclerc (49 points). McLaren’s defending champion, Lando Norris, sits fifth on 25 points, while four-time world champion Max Verstappen (12 points) has had a frustrating start to the season and sits ninth. 

How to watch: The race begins at 6am (AEST) on Monday. You can watch it live on Foxtel and Kayo.

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