🗞️ A little bit Squeaky

AUSSIE SPORTS
Opportunity Missed

🎾 Alex de Minaur’s late charge to qualify for his maiden appearance at the Nitto ATP Finals is picking up serious pace at the Rolex Paris Masters.

The ninth seed rallied to defeat Jack Draper 5-7, 6-2, 6-3, snapping the Briton’s red-hot seven-match winning streak. With the triumph, De Minaur climbed inside the qualification spots in the PIF ATP Live Race To Turin, passing Andrey Rublev to eighth.

De Minaur now trails sixth-placed Novak Djokovic by 165 points, with fellow Turin hopefuls Grigor Dimitrov (10th) and Stefanos Tsitsipas (11th) still alive in Paris.

Earlier, Jordan Thompson edged past wild card Adrian Mannarino 7-5, 7-6(5) to reach his maiden quarter-final at an ATP Masters 1000. With his two-hour, 20-minute triumph, the Australian is up to a career-high of No. 26 in the PIF ATP Live Rankings.

“…it got a little bit squeaky at the end there, but I did well to turn it around. I found some of my best points and managed to sneak out of the tie-break.”

The pair are bidding to become first Australian at Nitto ATP Finals since Hewitt in 2004.

⛳️ Last year’s champion, the wonderfully named Campbell Phoenix (Aus) shot an opening -6 (66) to co-lead the QLD PGA CHampionship after round one, with Cameron ‘Cammy’ Smith just one shot behind -5. If you’re a fan of great names in sport, may I highlight Aussie youngster, and future champion Smylie Elvis (Aus) who sits just off the lead at -3.

🏏 Australian Test contenders Sam Konstas (🦆), Cameron Bancroft (🦆) and Marcus Harris (17) squandered golden opportunities to bolster their claims for selection against India on Thursday, departing for meagre totals in the Australia A match in Mackay.

🙋🏼‍♀️ Australia rugby sevens star Maddison Levi has quashed suggestions she was eyeing a switch to the NRLW next year, with the 22-year-old reiterating her ambitions to feature in next year's Women's Rugby World Cup as well as leaving her "name" on the sevens game.

"…NRLW was definitely on the sights in a couple of years' time or whenever that time is, but right now I'm obviously signed till 2026 and we haven't won a gold medal with the Olympics yet, so I'm definitely not stepping away from this sport.”

🏀 Jacob Chance has been temporarily appointed Boomers head coach for Australia's first matches since the Paris Olympics.

The Melbourne United assistant will oversee fixtures against Thailand and South Korea in the second round of qualifiers for the 2025 Asia Cup, in Thailand on November 21 and 24

As Basketball Australia continues its search for Brian Goorjian's full-time replacement, 31-year-old Chance has been promoted from his role as the Boomers' head of video and analytics.

⚽️ Australian football is moving a step closer to a fully-fledged national second tier after a start date and competition format was finally released.

Football Australia confirmed on Thursday that the long-awaited tournament will feature 16 clubs and will kick off in October 2025.

In a structure akin to Europe's old Champions League format, teams will be split across four groups of four and play home-and-away group fixtures.

The top two sides will advance to a knockout stage that culminates in a final in early December.

NRL NEWS
Major Coup

❌ Josh Addo-Carr has been sacked by NRL club Canterbury with immediate effect after failing roadside (and secondary) drugs test last month.

Addo-Carr's fate was sealed on Thursday when the Australian Test winger was forced to front the Bulldogs board of directors and explain why he shouldn't have his contract torn up.

"While the NRL Integrity Unit has completed its investigation and imposed a four-match suspension, the club views the combination of the failed drug test and subsequent lack of transparency as serious breaches of Josh's contractual obligations and our club's standards."

In axing Addo-Carr, Canterbury will clear close to $500,000 from their salary cap at a time when the NRL's transfer market is set to kick into overdrive.

Addo-Carr will likely have several suitors but may not command the top dollar he earned when he was lured to Belmore from Melbourne in 2021.

✍🏼 Reece Walsh has inked a long-term deal with Brisbane reportedly worth $5 million, the most lucrative in Broncos history, and is set to remain in the Queensland capital until the end of 2029.

The 22-year-old added four years to his current deal, which was set to expire at the end of the 2025 season.

It's a major coup for the Broncos early in Michael Maguire's reign as coach following Kevin Walters' sacking.

🏉 The Sydney Roosters have dropped a bombshell by telling prop Terrell May he has permission to leave the NRL club, just six months after re-signing the Samoan international on a two-year deal.

AFL NEWS
Drama Continues

👋🏼 The Demons' year of drama has continued with reports the club's CEO Gary Pert has resigned.

The Age reports the Melbourne boss told the club of his departure on Thursday morning, but will stay on until Christmas.

The news comes as the club will hand down the findings of two separate reviews into its operations today.

🏎️ F1 Preview: An action-packed race in Mexico City has breathed life back into the drivers’ world championship, with Max Verstappen‘s lead over Lando Norris now cut to 47 points heading into the 2024 Sao Paulo Grand Prix.

The McLaren driver has an extra opportunity to move closer to the title in Brazil, as it’s a sprint weekend, with an extra eight points on offer to the winner of Saturday’s shorter race, but he’ll need to find a way to escape the aggressive manoeuvres of Max Verstappen, which have stymied his progress in the past two grands prix.

It may be easier said than done given that the Interlagos circuit has been a crucible of controversy in previous years, fuelled by long flat-out sections to set up a pass; corners that invite bold moves; and tight infield switchbacks that are perilous to drivers running side by side.

This year, you can add to that the close competitive order and the continuing fight for the championship, as well as the prospect of wet weather shaking up the competitive order

⚾️ icymi: The Los Angeles Dodgers clinched the 2024 World Series after recovering from 5-0 down to beat the New York Yankees 7-6 at Yankee Stadium and seal a 4-1 series victory.

Freddie Freeman set the course in the Los Angeles Dodgers' run to the championship with a historic homer - and kept right on swatting his way to World Series MVP.

🇦🇷 Atlético Mineiro will return to Buenos Aires to play in the 2024 Copa Libertadores final after a second leg 0-0 draw means they have defeated River Plate 3-0 on aggregate in the semi finals, all amidst an unbelievable atmosphere. ⬇️

⚽️ EPL Whispers: Ruben Amorim (who is expected to join in mid November) has already discussed his transfer plans with the Manchester United hierarchy and does not see winger Antony, midfielders Casemiro and Christian Eriksen or defender Victor Lindelof as part of his plans.

🏉 The Northern Hemisphere Autumn Internationals begin (Sunday 2:10am AEST) with England v New Zealand, followed by Scotland v Fiji.

Beauden Barrett has been picked ahead of Damian McKenzie at fly-half for NZ.

Off-field news: To cut down on the off-field antics the French Rugby Federation (FFR) has banned players from drinking alcohol during national team gatherings.

New Zealand No.9 Cam Roigard, (will almost certainly snag a try) has recalled his horrific knee injury.. “… when I was on the ground, I could see my kneecap was not where it was supposed to be.” 🤢

While non-playing England prop Joe Marler has been criticised after posting that the haka "needs binning”.

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