sports and games

'A bit ambitious': Sports Minister waters down NRL's restart hopes

The NRL is leading the charge to get sport restarted, planning games by late next month — but Australia's Federal Sports Minister is urging all codes to have patience amid the coronavirus pandemic.




sports and games

NRL appears to put financial concerns ahead of need for coronavirus caution

You might forgive the ARLC chairman his belligerence if the cost of careless statements and premature season recommencement dates could not now literally be measured in human lives, writes Richard Hinds.




sports and games

Fan-free T20 World Cup beyond belief: Allan Border

The former Australian skipper says he thinks the Twenty20 World Cup in Australia will be postponed if fans aren't allowed to attend matches because of the COVID-19 pandemic.




sports and games

Georgie did laps on her rowing machine. She inadvertently broke a world record

When Georgie Rowe hopped on her indoor rowing machine, she had no intention of breaking a world record. But she has just overtaken an Olympic gold medallist.




sports and games

Tour de France teams preparing for August start as coronavirus delays race

Cycling's most famous event may still go ahead this year, despite the French Government banning mass gatherings in the country until at least the middle of July.




sports and games

Facing months on the road, Warriors fume over NRL's silence about season restart

The NRL is committed to resuming the premiership season on May 28, but the New Zealand-based Warriors claim they have been left in the dark about the league's plans for their move back to Australia.




sports and games

Women's team sport has come so far in Australia but will coronavirus halt its momentum?

Australia's four football codes make a big show of investing in their women's teams and competitions, but their commitment to the cause is under the spotlight amid the coronavirus pandemic, writes Amanda Shalala.




sports and games

'We need big changes': McLaren boss says virus is final wake-up call for unhealthy F1

A leading voice in Formula One warns there is a serious threat of losing teams if big changes are not made to the competition.




sports and games

Doctor who supplied peptides to disgraced sports scientist Stephen Dank has licence revoked

Alicia Meneghetti met Stephen Dank in 2014 when the sports scientist was at the centre of Essendon's infamous supplements program and serving a lifetime ban.



  • Law
  • Crime and Justice
  • Sport
  • Community and Society
  • Drugs and Substance Abuse
  • Doping in Sports
  • Doctors and Medical Professionals
  • Medical Ethics
  • Courts and Trials

sports and games

Coronavirus shutdown provides an opportunity to challenge sport's conventional wisdom

With major sporting competitions on hold because of coronavirus, now is the time to reassess how we approach the sport-lifestyle balance of professional athletes and even how they are recruited, writes Richard Hinds.




sports and games

Having Friday night footy withdrawal? You're not alone. Players like Josh Jenkins are just like you

The blare of the footy siren on Friday nights brings a thrill at the end of the working week for AFL fans. But many supporters and players alike are struggling in its absence and finding there's no cure for the Friday night footy blues.




sports and games

The NRL wants to return next month, but it faces several challenges before that can happen

The NRL has a number of crucial questions it must answer if it wants to restart its premiership season on May 28 as planned following the coronavirus-forced suspension of the competition, writes David Mark.




sports and games

Western Bulldog Lachie Hunter fined for breaching coronavirus restrictions over drink-driving incident

The AFL club says it is investigating after its vice-captain allegedly crashed into parked cars while driving drunk in Melbourne's south overnight.




sports and games

Adelaide Crows forward Tyson Stengle reported for drink driving in unregistered car

Young Adelaide Crows forward Tyson Stengle has been reported for drink driving after he recorded a blood alcohol reading of 0.125. He is the second AFL player to be caught up in a drink driving offence in the last 24 hours.




sports and games

Team's dream of footy's longest winning streak sidelined for now

Nestled deep in the rugby league heartland of central Queensland, the Yeppoon Swans A-grade side is hot on the heels of a 44-year-old Australian record for the most consecutive wins in Aussie Rules.




sports and games

Kookaburras captain Aran Zalewski grateful for anonymity after Nat Fyfe spotlight

When he went surfing with his old school buddy Nat Fyfe in Margaret River last week, Kookaburras co-captain Aran Zalewski had no idea he'd be thrust into the media spotlight — and it has made him appreciate his anonymity.




sports and games

Chance for AFLW and other women's leagues to reboot after COVID-19

Women's sport, like most things, will look different post COVID-19 — but that isn't necessarily a negative, writes Kim Encel.




sports and games

Cost-free appeals for athletes as coronavirus drives big sports to new tribunal

Australia's elite sportspeople wronged by dud selection calls or dodgy doping violations are set to chase justice in a new legal arena.




sports and games

Queensland open to NRL restart talks but Premier wants to hear from league

Annastacia Palaszczuk softens her stance on the NRL's attempt to restart the competition during the coronavirus pandemic, but says the league is yet to submit any plan.




sports and games

NRL chief executive Todd Greenberg steps down

Todd Greenberg resigns with immediate effect after four years leading the NRL, in a decision the sporting body says was mutually agreed.




sports and games

NRL warned May 28 return date for season is 'very ambitious'

The league wants its competition back up and running next month after being shut down by coronavirus, but a global sporting group says the NRL cannot focus on financial concerns at the expense of player safety.




sports and games

Are car rallies possible in the age of social distancing? Targa Australia thinks so

There might be no crowds at the start and finish lines, and drivers would get Zoom briefings, but Targa Australia says it hopes to still deliver its Far North Queensland tarmac rally in September if some restrictions are lifted.




sports and games

AFL, NRL need a united front to get footy started again

Gillon McLachlan and Peter V'landys may be in charge of two rival football codes, but it would be wise for them to work together to make sure both their games get back on the field this year, writes Richard Hinds.




sports and games

Mal Meninga accuses NRL of using former CEO Todd Greenberg as scapegoat

The rugby league immortal defends Todd Greenberg, who has fallen on his sword, calling on the league to share the blame for the poor financial state it finds itself in during the coronavirus pandemic.




sports and games

SANFL sticking to May 31 kick-off but doesn't rule out earlier start

The SANFL sidesteps speculation it could resume games earlier than planned, despite South Australia recording zero new cases of coronavirus over three consecutive days.




sports and games

Carlton young gun Sam Walsh urges AFL not to raise its draft age

One of the AFL's rising stars wants the league to ignore calls to raise the minimum draft age from 18, as he worries young players may "lose their way" if it is changed.



  • Australian Football League
  • Sport

sports and games

A 10-week AFL season? Patrick Dangerfield says it's a realistic option

The Geelong star and AFL Players' Association president says cramming 16 rounds into 10 weeks is not ideal, but it may be the model the league has to adopt to get the 2020 season completed after the coronavirus shutdown.




sports and games

Regions could be lifeline for NRL strategy to restart season

A plan being hatched inside the walls of rugby league headquarters could see Mudgee host games in a modified NRL competition.




sports and games

Western Bulldogs player Lachie Hunter suspended over alleged drink-driving crash

Lachie Hunter is suspended for four games, gives up his vice-captaincy of the Western Bulldogs and is fined by the club over a drink-driving incident that saw four parked cars damaged in Melbourne last week.




sports and games

Jordan told us we'll think he's a 'horrible guy' in his new documentary, but Scottie Pippen's come off worse so far

After a concerted effort from #NBATwitter to bump up the release date of the Michael Jordan documentary The Last Dance, the first two episodes hit Netflix ahead of time on Monday night and we're already hooked.




sports and games

Australia's Olympics boss says Gold Coast key to Queensland bid

The head of the Australian Olympic Committee says the Gold Coast has a key role to play in south-east Queensland's 2032 bid.




sports and games

Rugby Australia wants to meet ex-Wallabies skippers after receiving no-confidence letter

Rugby Australia is prepared to hold crisis talks with a group of disgruntled retired Wallabies captains, who have penned a letter to the governing body claiming the game has "lost its way", while demanding a change in leadership.




sports and games

NFL draft broadcast set to be technological high-wire act during COVID-19 lockdown

It's usually a glamorous event in front of a packed arena, but this year's NFL draft will be broadcast from nearly 200 locations to sports-starved fans.




sports and games

'There's no reason not to resume': NRL says it has government approval for May 28 restart

NRL clubs will be able to resume training from May 4 as the competition charges towards its planned restart three weeks later.




sports and games

Raelene Castle safe for now but Rugby Australia won't rule out discussing her future as CEO

Raelene Castle's position as Rugby Australia chief executive is not under review in the wake of the no-confidence letter issued by a group of former Wallabies captains, but the governing body can't guarantee it won't hold discussions down the track.




sports and games

Queensland NRL teams could soon follow other clubs to begin training for season reboot

Queensland health authorities will consider giving the state's NRL teams the nod to bypass coronavirus restrictions and resume training as the code prepares to restart the season on May 28.




sports and games

AFL 'looking at every possibility' for quarantine hubs as states line up to play host

The idea of the AFL setting up quarantine hubs so it can restart its season is gathering support, with the league looking at every state as a contender to be a host.




sports and games

How to invent a sport you're naturally good at

Don't let all this extra time at home get in the way of your long-cherished athletic goals. Here's how you can emerge from social distancing the proud champion of a sport you've just invented.




sports and games

Raelene Castle announces she will step down as Rugby Australia chief executive

Raelene Castle says "the sport is bigger than any one individual", resigning after the Rugby Australia board told her it wanted "clear air" without her as chief executive.




sports and games

Coronavirus upended the AFL and NRL coaching world, leaving many facing uncertain futures

Assistant coaches are among those doing it tough in Australia's football codes during the coronavirus shutdown, as they learn to adapt to a challenging environment, writes Richard Hinds.




sports and games

How Australians in shutdown suddenly became a Belarusian soccer club's number one fans

Despairing the lack of sport around the globe, Adelaide man Shane Robinson and his mates stumbled upon a Belarus football team, FK Slutsk. Little did they know that just weeks later they would be helping the struggling club to survive.




sports and games

Rugby Australia slams Raelene Castle's critics after she stepped down as CEO

Rugby Australia chairman Paul McLean defends Raelene Castle's tenure as chief executive, as he calls out the bullying she received from "faceless people" during her time in the job.




sports and games

Scott Morrison says we're now in the third phase of the coronavirus pandemic

While the latest coronavirus update from the Prime Minister and Chief Medical Officer looked promising for ways we can start to shift back to normal life, they say it's still too early to start lifting baseline restrictions.




sports and games

NRL set for May 28 restart after reaching agreement with broadcasters

NRL television broadcasters Channel Nine and Foxtel agree to recognise May 28 as the competition recommencement date following extensive meetings, according to chairman Peter V'landys.




sports and games

As online betting booms, even old-school bookmakers are keeping pace

With their jobs under significant threat and online wagering taking hold, the coronavirus crisis is causing traditional rails bookmakers to re-imagine their future.




sports and games

Brydi, 9, completes world-renowned road race after transformation from three years ago

A smiling, happy Brydi Saul is on a mission to get to the Paralympics. But rewind three years, and it was a very different story.




sports and games

Calls for change as coronavirus leaves A-League in crisis

Foxtel has effectively walked away from the A-League halfway through a six-year deal leaving the future of soccer in doubt. Player salaries will likely have to be cut if the game is to return to TV screens and there are calls for change in the way the sport is run in Australia.




sports and games

Changing the way we view sport could lead to more inclusivity, say experts

Imagine an Australia where every sporting club in the country had players with autism and intellectual disability playing on teams, serving on committees, and helping run events.




sports and games

'None of them are going to starve': Dominic Thiem doesn't want to fund struggling tennis players

The men's world number three has earned more than $37 million during his career, but he says he is not willing to contribute money to a planned relief program to help tennis professionals doing it tough during the coronavirus shutdown.




sports and games

NRL players fined $1,000 for camping trip amid coronavirus lockdown

NRL players Latrell Mitchell and Josh Addo-Carr have been fined $1,000 each for breaching the state's coronavirus distancing lockdown during a weekend away, as the NRL describes the getaway as "unacceptable".