分类： sports

Veteran NRL head coach Ivan Cleary is navigating two major looming storylines simultaneously: a crunch selection dilemma for his in-form Penrith Panthers side amid a tight minor premiership race, and growing speculation linking him to the vacant Australian Kangaroos head coaching job.

With just two rounds remaining in the 2024 NRL regular season, Penrith finds itself deadlocked with the New Zealand Warriors and Sydney Roosters atop the ladder on 38 competition points. A slightly inferior for-and-against record drops the Panthers to second place, but two wins from their remaining fixtures against Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs and Wests Tigers would lock in a second-place finish, guaranteeing two home finals matches to open the post-season.

This tight ladder position rules out the approach Penrith took in last year’s corresponding round 26 clash with the Bulldogs, when the side rested nearly all of its starting 17. This week, the Panthers will already be without starting five-eighth Jack Cogger, who accepted a three-match suspension for a high tackle against the Melbourne Storm. Cogger opted to accept the ban rather than contest the charge at the NRL judiciary, where a prior earlier-season offence would have pushed the potential suspension to four matches had he lost his appeal. “Three weeks is bad enough, but four’s worse,” Cleary told reporters. “Super disappointed with it, to be honest. But ultimately, we didn’t think we could win.”

Cogger’s suspension has thrown a last-minute curveball into Penrith’s finals preparations. Only a few weeks prior, Cogger had reclaimed the starting five-eighth spot from young talent Blaize Talagi over ongoing defensive concerns, and Talagi has since lined up for the club’s reserve grade side. While Talagi offers significant attacking upside, repeated defensive misreads have put his selection in doubt for Friday’s clash. The current frontrunner to partner Nathan Cleary in the halves is Jack Cole, who already stepped into the starting role when Cogger was unavailable in round 23.

Cleary noted that the squad has already addressed Talagi’s defensive gaps, and that the sudden vacancy is just another routine challenge of a long NRL season. “You’d prefer it if you get a little bit more cohesion there, but all the boys that have played there have sort of played enough. It’s just another challenge that you get throughout the season,” he said. “It’s an important position, a big game with top two spots still up for grabs. The team is the most important thing. Whoever fills the job, we have confidence they’ll do it. Injuries and suspensions have hit every side this year, so you just have to be ready for everything, have different contingencies. It’s not all about one guy who starts, there are plenty of other things that you’ve got to work out as well.”

In additional injury news, starting hooker Mitch Kenny remains sidelined with a serious lower-leg injury and will not return this week, though he is on track to record game minutes in the final round of the regular season.

Off the field, Cleary remained tight-lipped when asked about speculation linking him to the Kangaroos head coaching vacancy, which opened after incumbent coach Kevin Walters announced he would step down following the 2024 World Cup to take over at English Super League side St Helens.

Cleary is currently contracted to Penrith through the end of the 2027 NRL season, and recently stepped down from his role as New South Wales Blues head coach, with the NRL locking in Matt King as his replacement several weeks ago. The four-time premiership-winning coach previously served as an assistant coach for the New Zealand Kiwis at the 2013 World Cup, making him a high-profile candidate for the Kangaroos role, alongside Kangaroos legend Cameron Smith.

“If I’ve been linked to it, I’d be very honoured, but it’s not something I’m thinking about because I don’t know what I’ll be doing,” Cleary said. “I’m still coaching in the NRL, it’s a big enough job, plenty to be worrying about anything else, so that’s what I’m doing. I don’t know why I’m being considered because I don’t know much to it.”

A high-stakes public rift has erupted between the leaders of global football’s two most powerful governing bodies, as UEFA President Aleksander Ceferin has publicly demanded FIFA chief Gianni Infantino step down — while explicitly ruling out any personal bid to replace him. The growing crisis at FIFA stems from Infantino’s now-scrapped controversial plan to bring private investment into top FIFA competitions, including the men’s World Cup. The proposal sparked widespread backlash across the global football ecosystem, leaving Infantino facing cascading withdrawals of support from multiple continental confederations and national federations, with UEFA threatening to boycott future FIFA tournaments over the plans. In an interview with *The Rest is Politics* podcast on Monday, the 58-year-old Slovenian UEFA leader laid out his position clearly, confirming he has no ambition to take Infantino’s job. “I’m not interested because of two reasons,” Ceferin explained. “One reason is that I love UEFA and I love working here, and I think that at a certain point… it’s time to also enjoy life a bit. And the second point is, my credibility is much, much higher if I’m not interested in the position.” Ceferin has been one of the most vocal critics of Infantino’s privatization plan since it was unveiled, and he argued on Monday that Infantino’s once unassailable grip on the FIFA presidency is now irrevocably weakened. He laid out two possible outcomes ahead of the next FIFA Congress, scheduled for March 2025 in Morocco: Infantino will either voluntarily step down, or he will face a formal leadership challenge when he runs for re-election. The rift marks a dramatic reversal from 2016, when Infantino, a former UEFA secretary general, won the FIFA presidency following the resignation of disgraced former leader Sepp Blatter with broad backing from European football nations. Ceferin also confirmed that the two leaders have not communicated at all since the controversy over the private investment plan erupted. “There are two options,” Ceferin said of the coming months. “One option is that he realises that he doesn’t have the support, and that’s not only a political support of the ones who vote, but the political support of the football community, the political support of fans, the political support of the players, former players, coaches. And the second option, that he goes to the elections in March, but in that case I think he will have a candidate against him. I don’t know yet who.” Two leading football administrators have emerged as the most likely potential challengers should Infantino follow through on a re-election bid: CONCACAF President Victor Montagliani and Asian Football Confederation (AFC) chief Sheikh Salman bin Ebrahim al-Khalifa. For his part, Infantino has pushed back against the mounting pressure, claiming he continues to hold significant support among the global football community. Over the weekend, he carried on with a scheduled visit to the Dominican Republic for meetings with Caribbean football leaders, despite reports that Montagliani had asked him to avoid the trip, which included a planned appearance at a regional youth tournament. In pre-recorded video remarks released by FIFA on Sunday, Infantino appeared to address the brewing leadership crisis without referencing it directly. “It’s important to engage, to have a dialogue, to express views and opinions,” he said. “A lot has been happening the last few weeks and it’s important that you hear, you listen, and you’re able to also express what your feelings are. So I think overall positive, very, very happy with all the support I get here.” The standoff now sets the stage for a historic showdown over the future of global football governance, just months ahead of FIFA’s key presidential election.

One of Australian Rules Football’s most high-profile annual events will proceed this week with a notable absence: five Sydney Swans players have been formally excluded from the Brownlow Medal ceremony over an ongoing police investigation into alleged sexual misconduct tied to a Melbourne hotel incident.

The five players at the center of the controversy — Isaac Heeney, Chad Warner, Nick Blakey, James Jordon and Riley Bice — were handed club suspensions last week for violating internal team standards, just days after the squad secured a victory against Essendon. The suspensions will remain in place through the end of the current season.

The incident unfolded when the group invited several women back to their rooms at the Pullman East Melbourne hotel following the win, prompting a formal investigation by Victoria Police’s sexual crimes unit into sexual assault allegations. Authorities have not publicly named any of the players as guilty of the alleged offense, only confirming that an active inquiry is underway.

AFL Chief Executive Andrew Dillon publicly addressed the situation for the first time on Monday morning, speaking to reporters at the official launch of the AFL finals series in Melbourne. He confirmed the organization’s decision to bar the five players from the prestigious Brownlow Medal night, a signature event on the Australian football calendar.

“ Invitations for the Brownlow will be going out this week — those players won’t be invited,” Dillon told assembled media. While the players are ineligible to attend the ceremony, they retain their eligibility for end-of-season awards, Dillon clarified. Notably, Warner remains in the running for the League’s Goal of the Year honor, which is traditionally presented during the Brownlow Medal event. Collingwood’s Nick Daicos remains the clear frontrunner to claim this year’s Brownlow Medal, the award recognizing the league’s best and fairest player over the regular season.

Dillon opened the finals launch with a pre-prepared statement emphasizing the league’s commitment to a culture of respect for women. He acknowledged that the high-profile scandal had cast a shadow over the start of the AFL’s championship finals series, but expressed hope that the competition would still unite fans across the country over the coming weeks.

“I think it is a fair statement that it has overshadowed the build-up to finals, but what we have seen is that footy is a place people can come together,” Dillon said. “It’s a really serious matter being investigated by the police. But I think the finals and footy is a way people can come together.”

Over the weekend, Sydney played their first match since the allegations became public, defeating North Melbourne in front of a home crowd at the Sydney Cricket Ground. The Swans finished the regular season second on the overall league ladder, meaning they will host at least two finals matches, kicking off their championship push against premiership favorite Brisbane.

On Sunday, a historic motorsports milestone unfolded in the heart of the U.S. capital, as former U.S. President Donald Trump took center stage for the first-ever street-running IndyCar race in Washington D.C., the Freedom 250 Grand Prix, a centerpiece event marking the 250th anniversary of American independence.

The race, established by executive order during the Trump administration to mark the nation’s birthday celebration, stretched 147 laps around a 1.7-mile temporary circuit winding past some of the nation’s most iconic landmarks, including the U.S. Capitol, the Washington Monument, and the National Archives, home to the original Declaration of Independence. Open-wheel IndyCar vehicles reached top speeds of nearly 185 miles per hour as they roared through the downtown circuit, creating a one-of-a-kind spectacle for spectators.

Before the green flag dropped, Trump completed a slow ceremonial parade lap around the track in his iconic armored presidential limousine, nicknamed “The Beast”, alongside First Lady Melania Trump. Following the parade lap, the president greeted all 25 competing drivers, including seven winners of the Indianapolis 500, and 89-year-old series owner Roger Penske, who revealed that organizers had been working to bring an IndyCar race to Washington for more than two decades before Trump’s administration moved the project forward.

Trump then took his place at the start-finish line in front of the U.S. Capitol to wave the green flag and officially launch the 250-mile contest. Pre-race festivities also featured ceremonial flyovers by a stealth bomber and the presidential aircraft Air Force One, with temporary air traffic suspensions in place at nearby Reagan National Airport to accommodate the event.

After two hours, 40 minutes, and 42.9548 seconds of competitive racing, American driver Kyle Kirkwood crossed the finish line to claim victory, his seventh career IndyCar win, beating Denmark’s Christian Lundgaard by a margin of 3.09 seconds. Australian driver Will Power secured third place. A late restart nearly derailed Kirkwood’s lead when New Zealand driver Scott McLaughlin crashed attempting an overtake, but Kirkwood avoided incident and held the top spot through to the end.

An emotional Kirkwood called the win a career-defining moment, saying “You can’t even put it into words. This is incredible. I’m almost in tears. This is a big moment for us. A big moment for America.” He added that the win would be a memory he would cherish for life, calling it a “dream come true.”

Third-place finisher Power described the experience of meeting the president and racing in the nation’s capital as surreal. “Shaking President Trump’s hand, it was pretty crazy,” he said. “For me from a small town in Australia to be talking to an American President is surreal… then getting behind the wheel and racing.” After the finish, he noted that Trump remained in attendance watching the final laps, a sign of the race’s engaging energy.

Racing legend Mario Andretti, 86, whose 1969 Indy 500-winning car is housed in the Smithsonian Institution’s national museum, called the event “really amazing”, echoing praise from other attendees. Penske, who led the event’s organization, noted that Trump has long been a fan of motorsports, and the race was conceived as a fitting addition to the nation’s semiquincentennial celebrations. “This is an iconic race,” Penske said.

Organizers confirmed that the $35 million production cost was largely covered by IndyCar and Penske Racing, with a total turnout of 215,000 attendees across two days of events. The race marks another high-profile addition to Trump’s lineup of 250th anniversary events, which also included hosting an Ultimate Fighting Championship bout on the White House South Lawn in June. Trump has also proposed major new capital construction projects in Washington, including an expansion of the White House event space and a new national triumphal arch.

Discussions are already underway to bring the race back to Washington in coming years. Bud Denker, president of Penske and chairman of the Freedom 250, revealed that Trump has expressed a desire to host the race for five additional years, and First Lady Melania Trump has already confirmed her expectations for a 2026 running. “Melania on the way out said, ‘We look forward to seeing you next year,’” Denker said. “The pressure is on. The First Lady is involved.”

Key infrastructure for the race, including track barriers, has already been stored locally near the circuit, meaning the bulk of the capital investment is already complete. Still, Denker noted that organizers will need to secure comparable revenue to this year’s event to make a return feasible, with a final decision expected in the coming weeks after organizational meetings next week.

After 25 weeks of relentless, unpredictable action across the National Rugby League, the competition’s final two weeks are shaping up to be the most dramatic stretch of the entire season, with multiple historic titles up for grabs, long-standing records on the line, and underdog stories that even Hollywood scriptwriters could not invent.

The most jaw-dropping upset of the entire 2026 campaign unfolded at Leichhardt Oval on Sunday, where the Wests Tigers – guided by coach Benji Marshall – snapped their own eight-game losing skid to knock off the Sydney Roosters, who entered the round sitting atop the league table and riding an eight-match winning streak of their own. Heavily favored oddsmakers had marked the Tigers as 24.5-point underdogs, one of the largest margins for an NRL match in recent memory, but the underdogs pulled off a result no one saw coming. Speaking after the match, Marshall called the victory the proudest moment of his coaching career to date.

That stunning upset completely upended the race for the minor premiership, opening the door for the New Zealand Warriors to climb into first place. A late match-winning field goal from Luke Hanson sealed a 45-26 victory over South Sydney Rabbitohs – a never-before-seen scoreline in NRL history, dubbed a ‘scorigami’ – and pushed the Warriors to a +295 points differential, just one point clear of the second-placed Penrith Panthers. With only two matches remaining for every side, the race for the top minor premiership spot is now too close to call, guaranteed to go down to the final round.

The fight for the final 2026 finals spots remains alive too, albeit with long odds for the two chasing sides. South Sydney’s loss cleared a path for both the Canterbury Bulldogs and Manly Warringah Sea Eagles to keep their faint finals hopes alive. Canterbury put on their best offensive showing of the season to crush St. George Illawarra Dragons, and now need to take wins over both Penrith and Brisbane Broncos in the final fortnight, coupled with losses from both South Sydney and North Queensland Cowboys, to book their spot. Manly earned a dominant win in Newcastle to keep their faint chances alive, with a superior points differential giving them the slimmest possible shot at a late finals push.

The race for the league’s leading try-scorer has also tightened dramatically in recent weeks, after Panthers winger Tom Jenkins entered the year on a historic pace to break Dave Brown’s 80-plus year record of 38 tries in a single season. But Jenkins has now gone three straight matches without crossing the try line, opening the door for South Sydney’s Alex Johnston – the most prolific finisher in the modern game – to draw level. Johnston has scored tries in six consecutive matches, bringing his total to 28, tied with Jenkins heading into the final two weeks. A strong finish would see Johnston surpass his own personal best of 30 tries, which he set in both the 2021 and 2022 seasons.

One of the NRL’s most iconic historic streaks has come to an end this week, after the Melbourne Storm missed out on qualifying for the finals for the first time since 2011, ending a 15-year consecutive finals run. For context, the streak was so reliably automatic that it drew comparisons to the Undertaker’s legendary 21-match WrestleMania winning streak, which famously ended in 2014.

Another historic milestone wrapped up in Canberra this weekend, but there was no fairytale farewell for Raiders legend Josh Papali’i in his final home game. The defending champion Brisbane Broncos, who have endured a disastrous 2026 campaign, returned to the site of their 2025 upset win over Canberra to pick up just their second victory since Anzac Day. The win ensures Brisbane will avoid the wooden spoon (awarded to the league’s last-place side), which will almost certainly go to the Dragons for the first time in the club’s history.

Finally, the race for the prestigious Dally M Medal – awarded to the league’s best player of the year – is now Nathan Cleary’s to lose. The Penrith Panthers playmaker already led the race after Round 12, holding a three-point advantage over his closest rivals, and led his side to a critical win over Melbourne. Most of Cleary’s top competitors for the award, including Jackson Ford, James Tedesco, Braydon Trindall and Cleary’s own teammate Dylan Edwards, have all missed crucial matches in recent weeks due to injury, leaving Cleary as the overwhelming favorite to claim the sport’s top individual honor.

The newly established Papua New Guinea (PNG) National Rugby League (NRL) expansion franchise the PNG Chiefs continues to build a star-studded roster that could rival even Marvel’s Avengers, securing their seventh high-profile recruit: former Rugby League Golden Boot winner Joseph Manu. The 30-year-old rugby league star has put pen to paper on a two-year contract that will see him join the team ahead of their competitive debut in 2028.

For weeks leading up to the official announcement, club officials teased fans with cryptic hints referencing a “#007 signing”, sparking widespread speculation that the franchise was targeting a top-tier halfback. The reveal of Manu as the mystery recruit has exceeded most expectations, adding another elite talent to a backline already stacked with household names of the sport including Jarome Luai, Zac Lomax, Brian To’o and Alex Johnston. The dual-code star is widely expected to slot into the fullback position for the new franchise.

Manu departs the NRL after a decorated nine-season tenure with the Sydney Roosters, where he claimed back-to-back NRL premiership titles and established himself as one of the league’s most dynamic attacking players. On the international stage, he also built a reputation as a game-changing talent, turning out consistently for New Zealand’s national side. Currently, he is competing in French rugby union with Racing 92, and will transition back to rugby league ahead of his 2028 arrival with the Chiefs. Club officials note that while Manu will need to reacclimate to the nuances of league, his natural talent and proven track record make the transition unlikely to be a significant challenge.

In a statement following the signing, PNG Chiefs Chief Executive Lorna McPherson emphasized what Manu’s addition means for the expansion club’s long-term vision. “Joey is another key signing for us and a further demonstration of the ambition we have for this club in making an impact for the people of Papua New Guinea,” she said. “His connection to the Pacific, his character, experience and standing in the game will have a profound impact on our club. He understands the responsibility that comes with representing something bigger than himself, and we believe he can have a genuine impact on our young players and the next generation of Papua New Guineans who we are proud to represent as a club.”

Michael Chammas, the club’s general manager of football, echoed that excitement, praising Manu’s unique skill set and leadership qualities. “We’re thrilled to add Joey to our squad moving forward,” Chammas said. “He is a world-class footballer with versatility across several positions and can change a game in a single moment with the skills he possesses. His experience and demonstrated success at the highest level will be a great benefit to our team and we can’t wait to see him have a significant impact in the Chiefs jersey.”

The signing of Manu caps off a months-long recruitment spree that has seen the upstart franchise assemble one of the most talented starting rosters in recent expansion history, cementing its status as one of the most anticipated new entries to the NRL in decades.

The new Premier League season got off to a thrilling start, with two of English football’s most iconic clubs launching their post-departure eras in dramatic fashion on opening weekend. Enzo Maresca, stepping into the huge shoes left by Pep Guardiola at Manchester City, secured a heart-stopping 2-1 victory over Bournemouth in his first match in charge, while new Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola grabbed a last-minute 2-2 draw against Newcastle United that saved him from a disappointing debut defeat.

Guardiola, who delivered 20 major trophies including six Premier League titles across a trophy-laden 10-year tenure at the Etihad Stadium, set the bar for his successor incredibly high. In a neat parallel, Guardiola’s own reign at City began with a tight late victory over Sunderland back in 2016, and Maresca will be hoping his opening narrow win signals the start of an equally dominant stint at the club.

Questions had already been swirling around City’s title credentials this season after a flat 3-0 defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield the previous weekend, and those concerns looked set to be validated for most of their opening fixture. Bournemouth drew first blood through Marcus Tavernier’s first-half strike, and City struggled for attacking invention and defensive cohesion for long stretches of the 90 minutes. But a substitutions masterstroke from Maresca turned the game on its head: French attacking midfielder Rayan Cherki, brought off the bench, provided assists for both of City’s late goals. Center-back Marc Guehi nodded home the equalizer with just six minutes left to play, before Josko Gvardiol slotted home the winning goal in stoppage time to hand Maresca a dream debut.

Speaking after the match, Maresca heaped praise on Cherki’s match-changing impact, noting: “The impact was unbelievable, he is that kind of player. I like Rayan, I told him also after the game, but sometimes when you plan a game and you already have four out of 11 players who arrived late (from holidays), if you go with one more maybe the difference is too big.”

Over at St James’ Park, Iraola’s first game in charge of Liverpool also ended in stopp-time drama, though the result was far less decisive. The Spanish manager took over the Reds after Arne Slot’s off-season sacking, with the club undergoing a major overhaul this summer: star forward Mohamed Salah departed for Trabzonspor, and a new ownership consortium fronted by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos has injected significant investment to rebuild the squad.

Liverpool’s new era got off to a rocky start, as Newcastle exposed the same defensive vulnerabilities that cost Slot his job last season. Anthony Elanga put the Magpies ahead in the first half, and though Cody Gakpo leveled the score shortly after halftime, Joe Willock – netting his first Premier League goal since 2024 – restored Newcastle’s lead late on. But with the last kick of the game, after Newcastle’s Lewis Hall fouled Liverpool substitute Victor Munoz in the box, Dominik Szoboszlai kept his cool to convert the stoppage-time penalty, securing a dramatic point for Iraola’s side. While the Reds can take encouragement from their never-say-die attitude to rescue the draw, the unconvincing performance will leave new manager with plenty of areas to address.

Elsewhere on opening weekend, Brighton & Hove Albion ran riot against a depleted Aston Villa side, running out 4-0 winners at the Amex Stadium. Unai Emery’s Villa have seen a mass exodus of key players this off-season, and the side was missing star striker Ollie Watkins and first-choice goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez – both linked with imminent exits, following already confirmed departures of Ezri Konsa, Youri Tielemans, Lucas Digne and Morgan Rogers. Left without a single recognized senior striker in the matchday squad, Villa were outclassed from the first whistle.

A calamitous own goal from Manchester United loanee Victor Lindelof got the Seagulls off to a flying start, followed by a close-range finish from Maxim De Cuyper that put Brighton 2-0 up inside the opening half-hour. Brighton’s Jack Hinshelwood put the result beyond any doubt with two goals in the space of just two minutes before halftime, and Villa’s miserable afternoon got even worse when new midfield signing Joao Gomes was sent off on his league debut just before the break, leaving Emery’s side to play more than 45 minutes with 10 men.