A Wins, A Win

AUSSIE SPORTS
Final Drive

🏎️ Daniel Ricciardo says he has "a good idea" that he might have driven his last race in Formula 1.

The Australian, who has won eight races in a career that dates back to 2011, is tipped to be replaced at Red Bull’s RB team before the next race in Austin, Texas, by reserve driver Liam Lawson.

Asked if setting fastest lap at the Singapore Grand Prix, which he finished last, was a final hurrah, Ricciardo told BBC Radio 5 Live: “Possibly, possibly, yeah. So if it is, I guess a nice way to say adios.”

He added: “I am not too sure what the plan is, but I mean, look, I’ve obviously got a good idea.”

Ricciardo setting fastest lap generated some controversy because it took the point for it away from McLaren’s Lando Norris, who won the race and is in a title battle with Red Bull’s Max Verstappen.

It did not help RB in the championship because a driver only earns the point for fastest lap if he finishes in the top 10.

🏏 Australia toppled trans-Tasman rivals New Zealand by 29 runs at Great Barrier Reef Arena on Sunday evening to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the bilateral T20 series.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat first, Australia was bowled out for 142 in 19.3 overs, with White Ferns leg-spinner Amelia Kerr claiming career-best figures of 4-20. Kerr ripped through the middle order to spark a horror collapse of 7-28 from 26 deliveries, with Australia’s tail failing to wag.

However, New Zealand’s batters struggled to find the boundary rope during the timid run chase, crawling towards 7-113 despite some sloppy fielding from the Australians. 

“A win’s a win,” Australian all-rounder Annabel Sutherland shrugged after the match.

🇦🇺 The 2024 AFL Grand Final is locked in, with the Sydney Swans to face the Brisbane Lions after a stunning thrillride at the MCG on Saturday. 

Remarkably it will be a 125-year rematch (of sorts), as the last time the Swans and Lions faced off for the flag was the 1899 VFL Grand Final, back when both clubs were based in Victoria as South Melbourne and Fitzroy respectively.

⚽️ Tony Popovic has won the race to take over as Socceroos coach.

According to The Sydney Morning Herald, the 51-year-old will replace Graham Arnold in the role, with an announcement expected from Football Australia this week.

🏉 Reece Walsh has reportedly shaken hands on a $5 million contract extension with the Broncos. 

The star fullback’s contract saga has dragged on for 12 months, but the Broncos have reportedly sealed a deal that has raised eyebrows. 

It is a coup for the Broncos to pull it off before the November 1 deadline that would have allowed rival clubs to begin negotiating with Walsh. 

NRL legend Andrew Johns described the deal as a “steal” for the Broncos. 

As first reported by The Courier Mail, Walsh has signed with the Broncos through to the end of the 2029 season. 

Heading into the 2025 season on an underpriced salary of $600,000, Walsh’s new deal will be worth $4.4 million ($1.1m per season) across the final four years of the extension.

It makes Walsh the highest-paid player in the history of the club — but the livewire 22-year-old could easily have got more. 

It was reported as early as March that Walsh’s camp were asking for a $6 million deal — and the Broncos were preparing to meet the asking price.

WORLD NEWS
Last Gasp

EPL WRAP: John Stones scrambled home an equaliser seconds from time amid chaos and controversy to deny Arsenal a famous victory against Manchester City at Etihad Stadium.

Arsenal had mounted a magnificent rearguard action following the first half-dismissal of Leandro Trossard - and stood moments away from arguably the finest moment in manager Mikel Arteta's reign - until substitute Stones forced in following a well-worked short corner at the end of seven minutes of added time.

There will be pride as well as pain for the Gunners, who went behind early on to Erling Haaland’s 100th goal for Manchester City but turned a thrilling encounter on its head to lead before the interval.

In moments of huge significance, City lost talisman Rodri with a knee injury after 21 minutes, manager Pep Guardiola's mood worsening even further when Arsenal defender Riccardo Calafiori swept home an angled finish high past Ederson seconds later.

One player and both managers were sent off as Brighton and Nottingham Forest maintained their unbeaten Premier League records in an entertaining 2-2 draw.

🏎️ McLaren’s Lando Norris dominated the Singapore Grand Prix to take a further chunk out of Max Verstappen’s advantage in the championship.

Verstappen, who finished a distant second in his Red Bull, is now 52 points ahead of the Briton with a maximum of 180 available over the remaining six races.

But Norris was deprived of an extra point by Daniel Ricciardo, after Red Bull’s junior team RB fitted soft tyres with a lap to go so the Australian could take the fastest lap from the Briton on the final tour.

Despite Norris’ imperious win, the average points gain by which he needs to eat into Verstappen’s lead still went up slightly to 8.7 a race.

Norris’ McLaren team-mate Oscar Piastri finished third from fifth on the grid, passing both Mercedes drivers on track after a later pit stop.

⛳️ America's Billy Horschel held his nerve to beat Rory McIlroy in a thrilling play-off and clinch the BMW PGA Championship title.

Horschel, McIlroy and Thriston Lawrence entered a three-way play-off at Wentworth in Surrey after ending their final rounds on 20 under par.

A bogey from Lawrence on the first hole made it a two-horse race and Horschel wrapped up victory with an eagle.

"I'm thrilled and excited for the way I played," Horschel said.

🎾 World number three Carlos Alcaraz has criticised the congested tennis calendar, saying "they are going to kill us in some way".

The 21-year-old spoke about the issue after beating American Ben Shelton in the Laver Cup, which is the Spaniard's 14th tournament of the year.

Alcaraz has claimed two Grand Slams this year, winning the French Open and Wimbledon, while he also earned a silver medal at the Olympics in Paris this summer.

He suffered a shock second-round loss to Dutchman Botic van de Zandschulp at the US Open in August, losing in straight sets.

"Probably they are going to kill us in some way," said Alcaraz.

"Right now a lot of good players are going to miss a lot of tournaments because of that [injury]."

🏏 Ravichandran Ashwin claimed six wickets after a first-innings century with the bat to inspire India to a 280-run thrashing of Bangladesh in the first Test on Sunday.

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