🗞️ No Bears Allowed

AUSSIE SPORTS
Two from Two

🏏 Megan Schutt claimed 3-3 as Australia brushed aside New Zealand with a dominant bowling display to move top of Group A at the Women's T20 World Cup.

Both sides had won their opening match and the Kiwis had a glimmer of hope on a slow pitch in Sharjah after they restricted the defending champions to 148-8.

However Schutt finished with scarcely-believable figures (3 wickets for 3 runs off 3.2 overs), while all-rounder Annabel Sutherland blew away the middle order en route to 3-21.

Australia are top of Group A on four points, with New Zealand two points behind in third.

Australia next face Pakistan in Dubai on Friday, with New Zealand playing Sri Lanka in Sharjah on Saturday.

🏏 Boy-giant Cameron Green is under an injury cloud heading into the Test series against India, with the star all-rounder dealing with a back issue.

According to a report from The Age, the 25-year-old isn't expected to bowl in the Border-Gavaskar Trophy this summer due to the injury.

Cricket Australia are expected to address the problem this week after Green felt discomfort in his back and travelled home from the tour of England following scans.

Green was deemed unavailable for the start of the Sheffield Shield season, which kicked off on Tuesday, and isn't expected to feature for Western Australia in round two either.

🏏 One to watch: Less than a week after celebrating his 19th birthday, teenager Sam Konstas belted a century against South Australia on the opening day of the domestic campaign.

Opening the batting for NSW in just his fifth appearance in first-class cricket, Konstas finished with 152 from 241 deliveries, hitting 13 fours and four sixes.

⚽️ Nashville SC's Patrick Yazbek has been called up to replace Massimo Luongo after the Ipswich Town star was forced to withdraw from Australia's AFC World Cup qualifiers against China and Japan due to an ankle injury.

🏉 Wests Tigers have gazumped rugby union for the signing of star teenager Heamasi Makasini days after he featured in the Australian under 18s rugby win over New Zealand.

The 17-year-old centre and Newington College student has signed a three-year deal with the NRL club.

He was named the Harold Matthews Cup player of the year in 2024, scoring 92 points and finishing as the leading try scorer with 10 tries from as many games.

NRL NEWS
No Bears

🏟️ The NRL has knocked back a bid from the Western Bears to join the competition, with expansion plans now set to move in a fresh direction.

According to a report from The Sydney Morning Herald, league officials are internally "fuming" over a low-ball business proposal from the consortium behind the bid.

After negotiations fell through, the NRL are now hoping to work directly with the West Australian government to find a new ownership group.

The issues came down to licencing fees and the inclusion of Sydney Kings owner Paul Smith and former NRL executive Paul Kind negotiations.

🏆 The reigning premiers the Penrith Panthers are abandoning next year’s World Club Challenge due to concerns about player burnout and welfare. 

With several Panthers named for off-season international commitments, and the club set to head over to Las Vegas to open the 2025 NRL season, Panthers management have informed the NRL there is “no way in the world” they can sandwich the World Club Challenge between those commitments. 

AFL NEWS
Guess Who’s Back

John Worsfold will return to West Coast next season as the club's head of football.

The premiership-winning coach and captain left the Eagles more than a decade ago, spending time at Essendon before moving into the corporate world.

But in a huge boost for the franchise, Worsfold is back on deck heading into season 2025 and will oversee coaching structure and development, performance and culture.

WORLD NEWS
Jet Boot

🏀 The annual NBA.com survey of all 30 of the league's general managers has overwhelmingly tapped the Boston Celtics as its pick to repeat as NBA champions.

The survey, conducted at the start of each season and polling all 30 front offices across the association, saw 83% of the vote come in for Boston -- which, if it wins the title, would be the first repeat NBA champion since the Golden State Warriors in 2017 and '18.

The only other teams to receive a vote were the Oklahoma City Thunder, who got 13% of the vote, and last year's Western Conference champions, the Dallas Mavericks, who received a single vote.

🏈 Bin fire of a franchise: The New York Jets fired coach Robert Saleh on Tuesday amid the team's 2-3 start to the season, owner Woody Johnson announced.

Defensive coordinator Jeff Ulbrich will be the interim head coach.

🥅 TWO penalties given for players PICKING UP the ball, in the same game, in the first half, at the weekend 👇🏻

⚽️ Real Madrid had planned to sign England right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, 25, on a free transfer next summer when his contract with Liverpool expires, but might move for him in January after Spain defender Dani Carvajal, 32, sustained a serious knee injury.

🤵🏻‍♂️ Sleeping on the sofa: A groom-to-be has recovered after being tackled by his best man on the pitch at a rugby union match during his stag do.

The second half of the match between Newcastle Falcons and Leicester Tigers was delayed after medics from both teams were called to his aid.

The 44-year-old from Leicester, who was dressed as Princess Jasmine from Aladdin at the time, was carried off the pitch on a stretcher after a heavy tackle by his best man.

⚽️ Spain World Cup winner Andres Iniesta has retired from playing at the age of 40.

Iniesta is widely regarded as one of the greatest players in history.

He earned 131 caps for his country, scoring the winning goal in the 2010 Fifa World Cup final and winning the European Championship in 2008 and 2012.

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