y

'You don't have to be a superstar rider': Equestrians encouraged to compete online

As coronavirus puts the brakes on many public events, equestrian competitions move with the times — and go online.




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NRL says letter shows it can restart in May despite scepticism from health authorities

Rugby league's governing body says a letter sent by NSW Police Commissioner Mick Fuller shows there is nothing to "preclude the commencement of the modified NRL competition" in May, despite health authorities being wary about relaxing restrictions too soon.




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Five sisters, one dream: Meet regional Victoria's 'unique' football-playing quintet

Five sisters make up a quarter of their tiny town's under-16s Aussie Rules team. They can't compete right now, but they are all determined to break into the professional ranks one day.



  • Sport
  • Community and Society

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Footy clubs warned to keep players' welfare in mind as self-isolation drags on

Experts urge AFL and NRL clubs not to underestimate the potential effects of isolation on players, as the rugby league players' union calls for their mental health to be prioritised during the coronavirus shutdown.




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Tributes flow for former Richmond premiership player Michael Bowden

Former Richmond Tigers premiership player Michael Bowden is remembered as a fierce footballer, inspiring educator and compassionate family man after his death from motor neurone disease at the age of 73.



  • Sport
  • Community and Society
  • Australian Football League

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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.




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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.




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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.




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'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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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

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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




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'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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




y

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.




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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.




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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.




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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.




y

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.




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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.




y

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.




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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.




y

'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.




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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".




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Formula 1 season may resume in Austria in July without spectators

The French Grand Prix cancelled its race scheduled for June 28 rather than postponing it, making July 5 the targeted start date at the Austrian GP in Spielberg.




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Peter V'landys's hyper-aggressive approach to restarting the NRL could end in boom or bust

Flattering comparisons with other leading sports officials have also helped elevate the ARL chairman's current status as the can-do man of Australian sport, but as Richard Hinds asks, is he about to make a huge mistake?




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Germany's Bundesliga plans its return from lockdown as football world watches

The Bundesliga could be the first top-flight football competition in the world to return from an enforced break due to coronavirus, and may become a test case for how other leagues approach a return to normality.




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Dennis Rodman explodes onto scene as Jordan gets first chip in Netflix documentary series

The latest instalment of The Last Dance shows us the Michael Jordan we know and love, as well as some outlandish antics from Dennis Rodman, including a team-sanctioned mid-season trip to Las Vegas.




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NRL announces 20-round season, grand final to be played in late October

The NRL is hoping to complete 20 rounds of its premiership season and hold the grand final on October 25, as it looks to rebound from the coronavirus crisis.




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Players who breached social-distancing rules put NRL restart at risk, Federal Sport Minister says

Federal Minister Richard Colbeck says he hopes sport halted by the coronavirus pandemic can get started again, but warns NRL players' misbehaviour threatens a return of play.




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AFL players in 'shock' over 20-week isolation hub proposal

AFL players are stunned by the league's worst-case scenario for completing the season — that they could have to spend up to 20 weeks in isolation without their families.




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Bryce Cotton walks out on Perth Wildcats after NBL imposes coronavirus pay cuts

Perth Wildcats star Bryce Cotton has walked out on the final year of his contract with the club, citing unforeseen circumstances, after the NBL announced big pay cuts in response to the COVID-19 crisis.




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'Keep a bit of match fitness': Origin star calls for young NRL guns to head home

Former Maroon Dallas Johnson says some fledgling NRL players at the Titans, Broncos and Cowboys should consider playing for their junior clubs this season.




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NRL season restart under a cloud as players raise pay concerns

The resumption of the NRL season on May 28 remains in doubt, with the players seeking answers over pay and other conditions only days out from their planned return to training.




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'Here we are now, entertain us': Fans demanding players hurry up and get back to work are the ones being selfish

The cries of football fans demanding players return to the field under any circumstances have become shrill as the craving for lockdown distraction turns from stoical whimsy to rank desperation, writes Richard Hinds.




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Bring your A game: Calls for cricket to relive a blast from the past

With uncertainty surrounding the men's T20 World Cup and Indian tour, former players have expressed interest in revisiting one of cricket's most famous experiments — Australia v Australia A.