Yesterday, I asked you who the best contender for the Tasmania Devils coaching job was. It turns out the TDA Sport audience is aligned with the club’s board, because Ken Hinkley, who was named as head coach yesterday, was also your preferred candidate.

It wasn’t overly convincing though; former Swans coach John Longmire, who had been in the running for the job, had two fewer votes in our poll.

This response from a reader named RJ may have helped win me over: “Tasmania are outsiders. The Devils will be a cult... and no better cult leader than Ken (The Emperor) Hinkley.”

Two million
The estimated size of the crowd that greeted Spain’s men’s football team in Madrid on Monday after they returned home from winning the World Cup final. Spain's players paraded the trophy through the centre of the city a day after their 1-0 win over Argentina. It is Spain's second title after winning their first in 2010. With the women's team having won in 2023, Spain are also the first country to hold both World Cups simultaneously.

"Do I want to be in future talking about the MCG, the SCG, Marvel Stadium? Absolutely I do, and we will get there. We will get there. But for now, our priority is making sure that we have a packed-out full stadium, and we are going to get that with North Sydney Oval."
AFLW boss Laura Kane defending the decision not to move the sold-out Australia v Ireland exhibition match on 1 August from North Sydney Oval to a larger venue, such as the Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG). North Sydney Oval holds about 10,000 people, compared with the SCG’s capacity of 48,000. The SCG is available that weekend, and some players have questioned the venue choice. Essendon captain Bonnie Toogood said: “Why not make it more accessible to more people?” Kane said ticketing data did not support using a larger stadium, adding: “When it [the data] tells us that we can fill the SCG, we'll play there.”

Spanish cyclist Miguel Induráin is the only rider to win the Tour de France five years in a row, winning every edition from 1991 to 1995. Three other riders, Jacques Anquetil, Bernard Hinault, and Eddy Merckx, have also won cycling's biggest race five times, but none managed it in consecutive years.

⚽ Kevin Keegan, the only British player to win the Ballon d'Or twice, has died aged 75. The forward took European football's top prize in 1978 and 1979 at Hamburg, having earlier won three league titles and the 1977 European Cup with Liverpool. He captained England, later managed them, and as Newcastle United manager narrowly missed the 1995-96 Premier League title. He had been treated for cancer since January. Former Newcastle star Alan Shearer wrote on X: "My Hero. My manager. My friend. Sleep easy Boss."

🏉 Dean Young will take the St George Illawarra head coaching job on a full-time basis, signing until the end of 2028. The former Dragon, who helped the club lift the 2010 premiership, had been interim coach since April, when the club sacked previous coach Shane Flanagan following a run of early-season losses. The 42-year-old edged out former teammate Ben Hornby for the job. Chief executive Tim Watsford said: "We would like to be in a position that we are hopefully playing finals in 2027."

🏉 Adelaide Crows forward Darcy Fogarty will miss three games after losing his Tribunal challenge against a striking ban. Fogarty was cited for a swinging arm that concussed Sydney Swans defender Harry Cunningham during the Crows' 16-point win at the SCG last Friday. The AFL Tribunal rejected Adelaide's argument that the act was a tackle, not a strike. His suspension starts on Thursday when the fifth-placed Crows will host eighth-placed Collingwood at Adelaide Oval.

Booking your flights and accommodation separately for every trip can feel like assembling a puzzle.

That's where Virgin Australia Holidays comes in. Book your flights and hotel together in one transaction, with sales now live to Bali, Brisbane, Cairns and more. Think return flights from Melbourne to Bali plus 4 nights' accommodation from $655pp.

Velocity members also earn double Status Credits on every holiday package booked before 27 July, on top of up to 4.5 Points per $1 spent.

The Northern Territory's push to land the AFL's 20th team has won the backing of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, who said he would "love to see a team here in the Territory".

Here's what to know.

Background

The league has wanted an even 20 sides for a while, and the Territory has pushed its way into the conversation. Western Australia and the ACT are the other main contenders. Tasmania is already locked in as the 19th team from 2028.

Ahead of Sir Doug Nicholls Round in May, Gold Coast player Joel Jeffrey, who identifies as First Nations, said a Darwin-based team would strengthen Indigenous pathways and boost representation at the top level.

There are 62 First Nations players in the AFL in 2026, down from a record 87 in 2020.

Why now?

Albanese visited the NT on Sunday for the Tiwi Islands grand final, becoming the first sitting PM to attend the match.

He said: "We'll engage constructively with the AFL... The Northern Territory has a great history of producing great footballers."

He did not specify whether the government would help fund an NT team, saying he didn't "run the AFL" but that submissions were "welcome".

The Federal Government has already financially backed Papua New Guinea's entry into the NRL.

Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.

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FIFA is investigating a fight that broke out between Argentina and Spain’s players at the World Cup final.

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 to win their second men’s World Cup.

It’s the second investigation the Argentine team faces from this tournament, after players held up a political banner on the pitch following their defeat of England.

Here’s what to know.

Spain beat Argentina 1-0 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, with Ferran Torres scoring the only goal in the 106th minute.

It was Spain’s second men’s World Cup title, after their 2010 win, and denied Argentina back-to-back titles following their 2022 triumph.

Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernández was sent off late in normal time after receiving a second yellow card.

The incident under investigation broke out at full-time during Spain’s celebrations.

Video captured Argentina midfielder Leandro Paredes with a hand at the throat of Spain defender Eric García, then pushing over Spain midfielder Gavi.

Argentina defender Nahuel Molina also confronted Spain captain Rodri, and Argentina assistant coach Roberto Ayala appeared to land a blow on Spain midfielder Dani Olmo.

Paredes was reported to have initially been shown a red card but it is not on the official record, leaving Fernández as the only player formally sent off.

Both Paredes and Molina could still face bans.

FIFA said it had appointed a prosecutor to examine possible breaches of its disciplinary code.

It is the second FIFA investigation involving Argentina from this World Cup.

After beating England in the semifinals, several Argentina players held up a banner reading “Las Malvinas son Argentinas” (The Falklands are Argentine).

The South Atlantic islands are controlled by Britain but claimed by Argentina. Argentina invaded them in 1982 before British forces regained control following a short war. Residents of the Falklands overwhelmingly voted to remain a UK territory in a 2013 referendum.

FIFA bans political messaging inside stadiums.

The UK Government called for the team to be sanctioned over the incident.

No timeline has been set for either case.