One of the AFL’s oldest traditions is about to disappear. The league has confirmed the centre bounce, which has been used at the start of every quarter and to restart games after a goal, will be scrapped from the 2026 season. Instead, the umpire will simply throw the ball up as they have done in the AFLW since it began in 2017.

According to a statement from the AFL, the change is being made for the following reasons:

While the league anticipates it will produce a cleaner, fairer, and more consistent contest for the ball, some are opposed to the change.

Footballing great James Hird told AFL Trade Radio: "I think it is a bad decision re the centre bounce, it just favours the tallest guy in the ruck. You want guys [umpires] with craft. I am disappointed it is gone."

8
The number of titles that Spanish tennis player Carlos Alcaraz has now won this season after defeating Taylor Fritz in the final of the Japan Open. Alcaraz beat Fritz in straight sets (6-4, 6-4) to claim his 67th match victory of the season. The world number one said: “It’s been my best season so far without a doubt. Eight titles, 10 finals. That shows how hard I’ve worked just to be able to experience these moments and accomplish my goals.”

"We have the best players in the world, we have the best fans in the world, but right now we have the worst leadership in the world."
U.S. women’s basketball star and Minnesota Lynx forward Napheesa Collier in a statement directed at the WNBA, the U.S. professional women’s basketball league. Collier, who is vice-president of the WNBA’s players union, accused the league’s commissioner, Cathy Engelbert, of ignoring player concerns around pay and officiating. Engelbert said she was disheartened by Collier’s comments, “but even when our perspectives differ, my commitment to the players and to this work will not waver.” The WNBA Finals will begin on Saturday (AEST) between the Phoenix Mercury and Las Vegas Aces.

Over the weekend Egyptian strong man Ashraf Mahrous set a world record for the heaviest ship pulled using one’s teeth. With a rope attaching the ship to his mouthguard, Mahrous first pulled one ship weighing 700 tonnes and then two ships together with a combined weight of 1,150 tonnes.

🏉 The teams have been announced for Sunday’s NRL and NRLW Grand Finals. For the NRL final, Pat Carrigan returns from suspension to start for the Brisbane Broncos. Broncos coach Michael Maguire has kept veteran playmaker Ben Hunt in the halves and Ezra Mam on the bench, while the Melbourne Storm has named an unchanged line-up from their preliminary final win over Cronulla. In the NRLW, the Broncos are unchanged for their decider against the Sydney Roosters. Sydney will be boosted by the return of winger Taina Naividi and second row Aliyah Nasio, who is back after serving a one-game suspension.

⚽ The governing body for football in Europe, UEFA, has paused a potential ban on Israel after Donald Trump announced a new Middle East peace plan. A ban would have forced Israeli clubs like Maccabi Tel Aviv out of European competitions and sidelined the national teams from Euro qualifiers, disrupting fixtures across the continent. UEFA had faced pressure after a UN report accused Israel of genocide in Gaza, but decided not to act while peace negotiations are in play. Leaders from Europe and the Middle East have backed Trump’s proposal, though sanctions remain on the table if talks collapse.

🏟️ Australian para-athlete Vanessa Low has won her fourth long jump world title at the World Para Athletics Championships in Delhi. Her leap of 5.49 metres was enough for gold. It’s Australia’s second gold medal at this year’s world championships after James Turner’s 400m T36 victory the night before. It marks Low’s third world title in the green and gold after she won her first while representing Germany. It capped a strong day for the Aussies, with Chad Perris winning silver in the men’s 100m T13, Mali Lovell claiming silver in the women’s 100m T36, and Jaryd Clifford also collecting a bronze in the men’s 1500m T13.

Game day, weekend getaway, or long-haul adventure – Samsonite’s got you (and your gear) covered

Samsonite has dropped fresh new arrivals that blend durability with style – Think the sleek Upscape set for maximum packing power, the eco-friendly Proxis™ Circular made from bio-circular materials, and the iconic C-Lite in a limited-edition Colourburst finish.

With lightweight designs, shock-absorbing wheels, and interiors crafted from recycled materials, these suitcases are built to go the distance. Whether you’re heading interstate for sport or flying further afield, Samsonite makes travel smooth, smart, and seriously stylish.

The NRL and NRLW’s Dally M Awards ceremony is set to take place tonight. The annual celebration of rugby league’s top performers closes out the season as the count for the men’s and women’s best and fairest medals is revealed alongside honours for coach, rookie, and team of the year.

Voting is done weekly by two independent judges who each award points to three standout players in every match on a 3-2-1 basis. The voting results are made public until the midway point of the season. After that, the results of the voting go underground. 

Last year, Storm playmaker Jahrome Hughes won the men’s award, and Roosters star forward Olivia Kernick took home the women’s award. 

In the women’s race, Roosters centre Isabelle Kelly is well placed to claim the game’s highest individual honour after she led the voting by six points at the halfway point. Kelly could become the third Rooster in four years to win the award. Newcastle Knights playmaker Jesse Southwell and Broncos winger Julia Robinson also loom as potential candidates to win the award. 

On the men’s side, Warriors half Luke Metcalf led when voting went silent, but Roosters veteran James Tedesco is the overwhelming favourite to take out the award after a dazzling season. Tedesco would join an exclusive list of two-time winners after he won the Dally M medal in 2019. Young Dolphins playmaker Isaiya Katoa and Sharks fullback Will Kennedy are also within striking distance.

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The women’s cricket World Cup got underway last night with India defeating Sri Lanka by 59 runs in the Indian city of Guwahati. Here’s what you need to know before Australia opens their campaign tonight. 

Australia will begin its One-Day International (ODI) World Cup defence tonight against New Zealand in the Indian city of Indore. Alyssa Healy is the captain of a squad that is chasing a record eighth title and hoping to become the first team since 1988 to win back-to-back One-Day World Cups. 

The Aussies have already been hit with a setback, with Grace Harris ruled out through a calf injury and replaced by Heather Graham. On the brighter side, Sophie Molineux returns from knee surgery, while Phoebe Litchfield and Georgia Voll are among five players featuring in a World Cup squad for the first time.

While Australia are the top-ranked team in the world and reigning champions, they’re set to come up against some fierce competition. England, India, and New Zealand are all strong contenders to win this year’s trophy. 

Australia has had a mixed run of form in the lead-up. In their final warm-up match before the tournament, they were beaten by world number three England. Last month, they played world number two India in a three-match series and won 2-1.

Since the tournament was first held in 1973, only three countries have lifted the trophy: Australia (7 times), England (4 times), and New Zealand (once). As co-hosts of the tournament, India will be desperate to win their first ODI World Cup title. 

The tournament is a One-Day tournament. That means that in every match, both teams are given 50 overs (one over is six balls) to score as many runs as possible.

Eight teams will contest the tournament: Australia, England, New Zealand, South Africa, Sri Lanka, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan. Each nation plays every other side once in the group stage, with the top four teams advancing to the semi-finals on 29 and 30 October. The final will be staged on 2 November in either Mumbai, India or Colombo, Sri Lanka. 

Due to geopolitical tension between Pakistan and India, the Pakistani team will play all of its matches in Sri Lanka, including finals if they make it to that stage. 

The International Cricket Council has lifted the prize pool to more than $AU21 million, almost four times higher than the last World Cup in 2022. The winners will take home close to $7 million, with the runners-up receiving more than $3 million.

Australian fans can watch every match live and free on Prime Video. First ball will be at 7.30pm (AEST) until daylight savings begins on 5 October, when start times shift to 8.30pm (AEDT).