Earlier in the week I asked if any of you had some fond memories of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.

I enjoyed this response from Peter: 

“We were walking from the stadium to the train station and there was a guy standing at the entry to a bridge yelling out ‘Froggy, Froggy, Froggy, Oui, Oui, Oui’ (with a strong french accent) - which the passing crowd thought was delightful.”

6
The number of times that the Geelong Cats have beaten the Hawthorn Hawks in their past seven encounters. The two sides will meet in the weekend’s first AFL preliminary final on Friday at 7:40pm at the MCG. In the Hawks favour, they have not lost to the Cats in the four sudden death finals matches they have played against each other since 1963. The other preliminary final will be played between Collingwood and the Brisbane Lions on Saturday at 5:15pm, also at the MCG. The winners of both matches will contest the grand final on 27 September. 

“We’re confident that he’s going to partake in the Ashes, so I think to sensationalise that he’s not would be an overreaction.”
Australian Test cricket coach Andrew McDonald speaking to radio station SEN regarding the injury status of team captain Pat Cummins. The fast bowler has a lumbar bone stress issue in his back which was picked up in a routine scan following Australia’s victorious Test series against the West Indies in July. Meanwhile, young batter Sam Konstas has impressed with a century for Australia A against India A as he makes his case for Ashes selection. The Ashes, a five-Test series played every two years against England, is set to begin 21 November.

Earlier this month, British ultra-athlete Ross Edgely became the first person to swim the entire 1000-mile coastline of Iceland. Edgely completed the titanic feat in 116 days.

🏟️ The Tasmanian Planning Commission (TPC) has recommended the proposed Macquarie Point stadium in Hobart not proceed. The stadium is a condition of support the Tasmania Devils’ entry into the AFL and AFLW in 2028. . According to a report delivered by the TPC, the stadium project would see the government take on $1 billion in debt (which would rise to $1.8 billion over a decade) and be forced to raise taxes by $50 million per year for the next 30 years. The state’s premier Jeremy Rockliff said: "We vehemently disagree with the economic analysis. It's been massively underestimated in terms of the social and economic value of this project.” 

⚽ Melbourne City fell 2-0 at home to Sanfrecce Hiroshima in their AFC Champions League Elite (ACLE) opener. City held their own in the first half and went into the break level, but  conceded in the 51st minute from a penalty after goalkeeper Patrick Beach rushed out of goal and fouled an attacking player. Sanfrecce doubled their lead late via a header from Nakajima Yotaro. Melbourne City’s new signing Takeshi Kanamori impressed on debut, while Beach made several strong saves to keep City in it. City’s next ACLE fixture will be in Japan against Vissel Kobe on Wednesday, 1 October.

⚽ Spanish football club Real Madrid is the first to record 200 wins in the UEFA Champions League after its 2-1 victory over France’s Marseille overnight. The 15-time champions, in their first match under new manager Xabi Alonso, came back from a one-goal deficit courtesy of two penalties from Kylian Mbappé on the first matchday of this season’s Champions League. The first round of matches continues tomorrow morning (AEST). 

Did you know: your immune system plays a crucial role in sports 

Whether you’re out on the field or training for a final, putting your immune health first will make all the difference. 

A balanced diet, regular exercise, and a consistent sleep schedule play an important role in keeping your immune system in check. But for those wanting an extra top up, Blackmores’ Immune Rapi-Melts are the perfect solution.

Designed to support immune system health and relieve fatigue when dietary intake is inadequate, these melt on your tongue supplements are perfect for on-the-go moments. 

Always read the label and follow the directions for use. 

Last night in Tokyo, Jess Hull became the first Australian ever to win a medal in the 1500m at an athletics world championship. Tonight, Gout Gout will will make his senior world championships debut. Here’s what you need to know. 

Hull held on in a hotly contested race for the medals to finish third in the women’s 1500m. For the majority of the race, Hull shadowed two-time Olympic champion, Faith Kipyegon, before the Kenyan took off down the final straight to claim her fourth world championship title. 

The Aussie was then locked into a battle with Kenya’s Dorcus Ewoi and Nelly Chepchirchir. Ewoi finished second in a personal best time of 3:54.92 and Hull came in third at 3:55.16, pipping Chepchirchir by 0.09 seconds.

Hull told the ABC: "That bronze is something I'm really, really proud of… It's definitely been different this year, to see myself as a medallist and to just embrace this position, and to come back and to get on the podium again, it's been really hard and it's been a lot of steps forward that I've had to make."

Meanwhile, in the heats of the men’s 800m, two-time Olympian Peter Bol missed out on a place in the semi-final after finishing fourth in his heat by 0.02 of a second. It marks a tough result for Bol, who set an Australian record in the event just last month. 

Gout will be in action tonight as the youngest athlete competing in the men’s 200m. He will race in the fifth heat at 9:43pm. The 17-year-old is hoping to become the first Australian man to make the 200m final since 2005.

Gout, whose personal best is 20.02 seconds, told Australian Athletics: “There’s that sub-20 I’m aiming for, so obviously when I get that, I’ll break the [Australian] record as well but really I’m aiming to run faster than I ever have, and just go out there and have fun with it.”

Meanwhile, in the women’s 200m heats, 21-year-old Torrie Lewis will take to the track after setting an Australian record in the women’s 100m earlier this week. This time, Lewis will be hoping to make the event final after being knocked out in the semi-final of the 100m. Lewis is in heat six at 9:05pm (AEST)

You can watch the athletics world championships from 8:05pm tonight (AEST) on SBS and Channel 9. 

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The 2025/26 season of the NBL is set to tip off tomorrow night when the Tasmania JackJumpers host Melbourne United in the season opener. 

Here’s what to know.

League CEO David Stevenson told TDA Sport that fans can expect the “most unprecedented level of players” in NBL history.

As a testament to the level of players in the league, 22 players with NBA experience are suiting up, including three-time NBA champion JaVale McGee for Tasmania and Boomers star Jack McVeigh with the Cairns Taipans. 

There are also several marquee players who will begin this season with a new club. Five-time NBL MVP Bryce Cotton has moved to Adelaide while Aussie NBA champion Matthew Dellavedova and last year’s NBL MVP runner-up Kendric Davis are both now with the Sydney Kings.

The NBL sold out 55 games last season (more than one in three) and, Stevenson believes that number can climb higher. 

The season opener between Tasmania and Melbourne United will be a showcase of two heavily revamped rosters. Melbourne United will be hungry to get their season off to a strong start after they went down to the Illawarra Hawks in the 2025 NBL Finals. United, alongside the Sydney Kings, are tipped as two of the league’s frontrunners for the 2026 championship. 

All eyes will also be on the first NBL in-season tournament, the Ignite Cup, which features 21 Wednesday night games and a February final. As well as being part of a separate trophy campaign, the Ignite Cup fixtures will contribute to every team’s standing on the regular season ladder. The tournament has been introduced to boost fan engagement through the regular season.

This season brings another milestone. For the first time ever, an NBA team will play in Australia when the New Orleans Pelicans take on Melbourne United and South East Melbourne Phoenix on 3 and 5 October, respectively.

Stevenson called it a “historic moment” and a huge sign of confidence in the NBL’s growth.

The league’s reputation as a pathway to the NBA continues to grow. In total, thirty-nine players have made the jump from the NBL to the NBA. 

Prospects Dash Daniels and Karim Lopez are playing this season in the NBL and are tipped as top-seven picks for next year’s NBA Draft. Following the trail of Josh Giddey, their progress this season will be closely tracked by scouts and fans alike.

You can watch the NBL on ESPN . Some matches this season will be broadcast by Channel 10.