More than 151,000 people registered for tickets to Australia's first NFL regular-season game, which will take place on 11 September at the MCG.

This morning, most of them were disappointed. General sale opened at 10am, and within half an hour, the only seats left were restricted-view options north of $560.

It begs the question, what interest does the TDA Sport audience have in the event?

37
The number of years between the University of Michigan’s first and second NCAA men's basketball national championships. Michigan defeated the University of Connecticut 69-63 on Monday (local time) to secure its first title since 1989. Guard Elliot Cadeau was named the tournament’s most outstanding player after scoring 19 points in the final. In the women's championship a day earlier, UCLA beat South Carolina 79-51 to claim the program's first ever title.

"This is my last chance. I'm going to retire from the national team after this World Cup tournament, because it's time to finally open up space for the next generation."
Socceroos striker Mitch Duke has told AAP he plans to retire from international football after the 2026 FIFA World Cup, regardless of whether or not he is selected in coach Tony Popovic's squad. The 35-year-old has 50 caps and 13 goals for Australia, but has not been selected since October 2025. He last featured in the 2-1 win over Saudi Arabia that sealed World Cup qualification in June, and was omitted more recently in friendlies against the Cameroon national football team and the Curaçao national football team. Duke responded with two goals and an assist in Macarthur FC's 3-2 win over A-League Men leaders Newcastle Jets last week. The Socceroos will reconvene in May for a friendly against Mexico ahead of the World Cup in June.

Polish 15-year-old Michal Szubarczyk has become the youngest player to win a match at the World Snooker Championship, beating former women's world champion Onyee Ng 10-7 in qualifying on Monday. He has been a professional since March 2025.

⚽ Arsenal and Bayern Munich have both claimed away wins in the first legs of their Champions League quarter-finals overnight. Arsenal beat Sporting CP 1-0 in Lisbon with Kai Havertz scoring in stoppage time. In Madrid, Bayern defeated Real Madrid 2-1. Harry Kane and Luis Díaz scored either side of half-time, before Kylian Mbappé pulled one back late. Kane's goal – 20 seconds into the second half – was his 49th of the season, while goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made nine saves.  The remaining first legs will be played on Thursday morning, with Barcelona hosting Atlético Madrid and reigning champions Paris Saint-Germain facing Liverpool. 

🏉 The NRL has issued a formal warning to Parramatta captain Mitch Moses after repeated physical contact with referee Peter Gough during the Eels’ 22-20 golden-point loss to the Wests Tigers on Easter Monday. The NRL’s Match Review Committee found the halfback made light, non-aggressive contact on multiple occasions. Moses was not fined or suspended. Meanwhile, Wests Tigers winger Luke Laulilii has been banned for one match for the mid-air tackle that left Eels winger Bailey Simonsson with a dislocated ankle in the same game.

🏉 Carlton forward Will Hayward will miss the club’s Gather Round match against Adelaide after the AFL Tribunal upheld his one match suspension. It comes after the Blues forward faced the tribunal on Tuesday night, where he pleaded not guilty to intentionally striking North Melbourne’s George Wardlaw in Carlton’s nailbiter 96-86 loss last week. The Tribunal disagreed with Carlton’s argument that the contact should be graded careless, finding the swinging arm to Wardlaw’s midriff was “intentional”. Asked in cross-examination if he would repeat the action, Hayward said: “Yes.” The original ban stands, meaning Hayward is unavailable to play on Thursday.

Trail running and hiking season is here

And AllTrails Plus is 50% off an annual membership right now. Get offline maps so you're never caught without signal mid-run, wrong turn alerts, and 3D trail previews to plan your route before you commit.

Plus live share, so someone always knows where you are on the trail. Half the price, all the features. No excuses not to get out there this April.

Former Australian Test cricketer David Warner has been charged with drink driving in Sydney. 

Police have not named Warner, but his identity has been widely reported.

Warner was arrested after returning a positive roadside breath test in Sydney’s east. A second test at Maroubra Police Station allegedly showed a reading of 0.104, which is more than twice the legal limit in NSW. This means he is alleged to have been driving with a with mid range prescribed concentration of alcohol – a blood alcohol reading between 0.08 and less than 0.15.

Warner retired from representing Australia in international cricket in 2024 and now captains the Karachi Kings in the Pakistan Super League. Their next match is scheduled for 9 April.

NSW Police told The Daily Aus: “Officers attached to Traffic and Highway Patrol Command approached the vehicle and subjected the driver - a 39-year-old man - to roadside testing which returned a positive result.”

Warner is set to appear in court on 7 May. He has not publicly commented on the allegation.

Reporting by Pavitra Ravi.

Enjoying the newsletter?

If you are, why not share the love with your friends? We’d love your help in getting the word out there.

Send them this link to sign up.

The NRL has 17 teams today. By 2028, that will grow to 19 – and this week, a push has emerged in Queensland to make it 20.

The Ipswich Jets, in partnership with Sydney's Newtown Jets, are leading the charge. Bid chairman Steve Johnson told AAP the club has secured $42.5 million in government funding to upgrade North Ipswich Reserve, with construction underway.

The team would play home games at Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane and use Newtown's Henson Park for matches in Sydney. Johnson said a major U.S. investment group has also pledged more than $50 million if the bid is successful. 

Ipswich's previous failed bid in 2021, which lost out to the Redcliffe Dolphins' $100 million asset base, was partly because the NRL didn’t have confidence in the bid’s financial stability. Johnson has since said that is no longer a concern. 

Ipswich, about 40 kilometres south-west of Brisbane, sits within one of Australia’s fastest-growing regions. Its population is projected to nearly double to 700,000 by 2046, and while it has strong rugby league roots, it doesn’t have a top-flight team. 

Queensland Rugby League boss Ben Ikin told AAP: "We absolutely back another team in Queensland."

He also pointed to the AFL's growing presence in the state as a reason for the expansion, adding: "Under the game's current leadership, growth is on the agenda because there are more participants, viewers and investments than ever."

Another key driver is the AFL’s aggressive push into Queensland. In 2024, it announced a $1 billion, 10-year plan to double participation, targeting Queensland and NSW. The Brisbane Lions – back-to-back premiers – are now based in Springfield, in the heart of the western corridor. SEN commentator Pat Welsh made a similar argument this week, saying the NRL cannot afford to lose ground in  Queensland. 

New NRL teams are approved by the Australian Rugby League Commission, which assesses bids based on financial backing, government support and strategic value. There is no fixed timeline. 

The Dolphins entered in 2023, the Perth Bears will join in 2027, and a Papua New Guinea side is set to follow in 2028. More teams means more games for broadcasters, with the NRL's current $2 billion deal with Nine and Fox Sports expiring after the 2027 season. 

 Australian Rugby League Commission chairman Peter V'landys has said the next broadcast deal will be record-breaking.

Ikin suggested expansion may not stop at 20, pointing to a renewed bid from central Queensland around Rockhampton. 

Other markets in the mix include a second New Zealand team alongside the Warriors and a team from Adelaide.