Some dreams are universal. Others, like pulling on a costume and dancing in front of a footy crowd for a living, are a little more niche.

The NRL’s Brisbane Broncos released a statement on Wednesday warning fans about a scam circulating on social media that offers the chance to audition to become the club's mascot.

The club has said it has nothing to do with them and that Queensland Police are aware.

Consider my trip to Queensland cancelled. 

P.S. I’ll be away for the next week or so and leaving you in the talented hands of Pav. Say hi when she lands in your inbox tomorrow!

6 
The number of matches Newcastle Knights player Asu Kepaoa will miss for using a homophobic slur in a NSW Cup reserve-grade game against St George Illawarra. The 26-year-old pleaded guilty to a contrary conduct charge at the NSWRL judiciary and apologised. The last on-field case in Australian rugby league involved Bulldogs winger Marcelo Montoya, who was given a four-match suspension for the same offence in 2022.

“Of course [I apologised]. That was one of the first things I had to do as captain.”
England cricket captain Ben Stokes speaking to the media before his side’s third and final Test against New Zealand, which begins today at Trent Bridge with the series level at 1-1. Stokes and teammate Gus Atkinson missed the second Test after breaching the team curfew during a night out following England's win in the first Test. The episode also drew a written warning from the England and Wales Cricket Board.

Earlier this month, Polish freediver Mateusz Malina set a world record by swimming 252 metres underwater with no fins, all on a single breath. That is more than five lengths of an Olympic pool without surfacing once. It’s the fifth time Malina has broken the record, which he has held since 2014.

🎾 Three Australian men are one win away from the Wimbledon main draw and set to play qualifying deciders tonight from 8pm (AEST). Tristan Schoolkate ended the singles career of retiring British player Daniel Evans, winning in straight sets. Nottingham Open champion Christopher O'Connell beat fellow Aussie Bernard Tomic, and Dane Sweeny advanced when his opponent retired. There was no such luck for the women, with Emerson Jones and Storm Hunter both losing in the second round of qualifying. Five women and seven men are already set to represent Australia in the singles main draw.

🏉 Sydney Swans midfielder Errol Gulden returns tonight for the first time since round one of the AFL season, when he dislocated his shoulder and needed a reconstruction. The two-time All-Australian will come straight into the Swans side as they take on reigning premiers the Brisbane Lions at the Gabba. Coach Dean Cox said: “I have no doubt Errol's ready to perform.” Sydney sits second on the ladder, having won 12 of 14 matches, while the Lions are eighth with eight wins and six losses. In round one, the Swans beat the Lions 104-60. 

⛳ Tiger Woods made a public appearance for the first time in nearly three months to help unveil a major revamp of the PGA Tour. His absence had followed an arrest on a drink-driving charge in March and a period in rehabilitation. The changes will see the tour split into two levels from 2028: a top-tier Championship Series and a feeder Challenger Series, with players moving up and down between them. The 15-time major champion was part of the group that drew up the plan. He said: “We have to look forward and beyond today and over the horizon to set up the PGA Tour and our sport for the future generations of players and fans.”

Claude, the AI for scientific discovery

Researchers at Australia's Garvan Institute are partnering with Claude to do what wasn't possible before: analyse genomic data at massive scale to understand how our genes cause rare diseases, and accelerate treatments to cure them. When science and AI come together, the future of human health gets a little brighter.

Three groups wrapped up today, and there was a big first among them. 

In Group A, Mexico made it three wins from three with a 3-0 defeat of Czechia to top the group, but South Africa stole the headlines, upsetting South Korea 1-0 to reach the World Cup knockout stage for the first time. South Korea slip to third in the group and must wait to learn if they qualify as one of the best third-placed teams, while Czechia finish bottom and goes out.

In Group B, Switzerland won the group after a 2-1 win over Canada, who advanced in second. Bosnia and Herzegovina beat Qatar 3-1 to finish third and look set to go through as the best third-placed team, while Qatar are eliminated. South Africa and Canada will meet in the Round of 32.

In Group C, Brazil topped the group with a 3-0 win over Scotland, lit up by a Vinícius Júnior double and Neymar's first appearance in almost three years. Morocco beat Haiti 4-2 to take second, while Scotland finished third and will need other results to fall their way to stay in contention. Haiti lost all three matches and are out.

The final group games in Groups D, E, and F are scheduled for tomorrow, with knockout spots on the line. 

In Group D, Australia's place in the Round of 32 is on the line against Paraguay (read more in today’s 2-minute section), while group winners and co-hosts the U.S. take on already-eliminated Türkiye. 

In Group E, Ecuador must beat already-qualified Germany to keep their hopes alive, while Côte d’Ivoire can secure second and a guaranteed spot in the knockout stages with a win over tournament debutants Curaçao. 

Then, in Group F, Sweden and Japan will play off for a guaranteed place in the Round of 32, while the Netherlands look set to top the group as they face Tunisia, who are out of contention after two losses. 

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The Socceroos play their final Group D match against Paraguay at 12pm (AEST) tomorrow. 

So far, a 2-0 win over Türkiye and a 2-0 loss to the U.S. leave them second in the group, level on points with Paraguay.

Here’s what’s at stake.

A win or a draw in San Francisco would see Australia finish second in the group and advance to the Round of 32. The top two teams in each group automatically secure a spot in the Round of 32, while only the top eight of the 12 third-placed teams will go through.

The Socceroos cannot finish at the top of the group. The U.S. hold a head-to-head advantage over Australia after winning in Seattle, and a rule change this year separates teams level on points by head-to-head record first, instead of goal difference.

Second place would see Australia play a Round of 32 match against the runner-up in Group G on 4 July. Group G consists of Belgium, Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand, and any of those teams could finish second. 

A defeat would not necessarily mean the end for Australia either, but it means they would likely face a tougher opponent in the Round of 32.

Australia will be without right-back Jacob Italiano, who started in the first two matches but picked up a groin injury in training and is set to miss the rest of the World Cup. Winger Mathew Leckie is also out with a hamstring problem, leaving Socceroos coach Tony Popovic two regulars short and needing to rebuild his right flank.

The team will also have to be cautious, as defenders Jordan Bos, Harry Souttar, and Alessandro Circati are each a yellow card away from a suspension that would carry into the knockouts.

Paraguay will be without playmaker Miguel Almirón, who was sent off against Türkiye for covering his mouth in a confrontation. FIFA introduced the rule before the tournament to prevent players from hiding abusive or discriminatory comments from officials and broadcasters.

Paraguay beat Türkiye 1-0 in that match, following a 4-1 loss to the U.S, and will likely need to win here to be sure of going through.

This is the sixth meeting between the sides and the first at a World Cup, with Australia yet to lose to Paraguay.