分类： sports

With just two rounds remaining in the 2026 AFL home-and-away season, St Kilda Football Club’s slim shot at securing a wildcard finals spot is on life support, forcing senior coach Ross Lyon to step forward and accept full responsibility for the team’s underperformance this year.

Speaking to reporters at a media briefing on Wednesday, the veteran coach addressed the club’s current position: sitting 11th on the league ladder, two full wins behind 10th-placed Carlton, which currently occupies the final wildcard spot. This Saturday, the Saints will face Richmond in a critical clash at the Melbourne Cricket Ground, before closing out their regular season at home against Gold Coast. To keep their finals dreams alive, St Kilda has no margin for error: they must win both of these remaining matches, and they also need Carlton to drop both of their closing games against the Western Bulldogs and ladder-leading Fremantle. Even if everything goes the Saints’ way, their campaign will end; even the best possible outcome leaves them dependent on results they cannot influence, making their finals survival anything but certain.

Lyon pushed back on the narrative that coaching staff and players have been at odds over the team’s form this season. “We don’t say to the players we’re coaching good and you’re playing bad,” he explained. “It’s more like we need to coach you to play better, that’s the space I come from. Ultimately, I take full responsibility for where we are at, I don’t shy away from that. At the end of the day, we just haven’t been able to get across the line in games we have wanted to.” The coach acknowledged incremental progress across the season but admitted the improvement has not been enough to push the club into playoff contention, a gap he owns as the team’s leader.

The Saints’ path was further complicated by a season-ending injury to star midfielder Nasiah Wanganeen-Milera, who sustained a hamstring injury during Sunday’s high-stakes loss to Carlton. Scans completed on Monday confirmed the 2026 campaign is over for the young star. Lyon, however, emphasized that Wanganeen-Milera remains an active leader within the group even as he begins his rehabilitation. “Players are very resilient. They know injuries are part of the business,” Lyon said. “He’s obviously disappointed but we don’t tend to walk around moping because you’ve got to lead and you’ve got to keep your body language strong. They’re very focused, he’ll be right into his rehab and he’ll continue to contribute strongly in the meetings. He’s still leading. He will come back and lead in pre-season.”

BIRMINGHAM – One of the most iconic records in European athletics was matched on Tuesday, as Greek long jump star Miltiadis Tentoglou claimed his fourth consecutive European long jump title, while Tokyo Olympic champion Marcell Jacobs saw his historic 100m three-peat bid derailed by a sudden injury at the championship event.

A two-time reigning Olympic gold medalist, Tentoglou entered the final as the favorite but faced relentless pressure from Swiss contender Simon Ehammer throughout the competition. Battling tricky, unpredictable wind conditions that disrupted the rhythm of most jumpers, the Greek star delivered a clutch performance on his fourth attempt, leaping 8.44 meters to secure the win.

With the victory, Tentoglou matched a long-standing record set by German great Heike Drechsler, who claimed four straight European women’s long jump titles between 1986 and 1998. Reflecting on the grueling competition after the win, Tentoglou called the final one of the most challenging of his entire career.

“This was one of the hardest finals I have ever done,” he told reporters. “I am good in all conditions but this wind was so hard on us long jumpers. Ehammer is a very strong guy and he was kind of OK with it. But for the other jumpers and me, it was incredibly difficult. I had to try so hard for this 8.44m jump. It is nothing for me usually but today it was so hard to do.”

Tentoglou added that the victory holds extra special weight after a tough competitive season, framing the win as a comeback starting point for future gold medal runs. “This is one of my most precious victories because it is also a complex season for me. This is the start of winning golds again,” he said.

Meanwhile, the evening brought disappointment for Italy’s Marcell Jacobs, the defending 100m champion who was heavily favored to clinch a third straight European title and match a historic record only previously achieved by Ukraine’s Valeriy Borzov and Britain’s Linford Christie.

The 31-year-old sprinter got off to a poor start in the final, and appeared to pull a muscle halfway through the race before slowing to a jog to cross the finish line, leaving the track with a visible limp. Speaking after the race, Jacobs confirmed he had felt discomfort in his adductor even before stepping into the starting blocks.

“I think my injury is serious because I felt something before the start when I tried the blocks. Something pulled on my adductor so I know it was serious,” he explained. “In the blocks I tried to push at the limit but at 50m I felt something pull seriously. Now I will try to understand how serious this is and we will see about the rest of the season. I cannot control everything and this is a part of the sport.”

With Jacobs out of contention, British sprinter Jeremiah Azu and Jamaican-born British athlete Zharnel Hughes Glave claimed the top two spots on the podium, with Glave taking gold in 10.09 seconds and Azu securing silver in 10.16 seconds. The win marked back-to-back British 100m titles, following Amy Hunt’s victory in the women’s event on Monday, which Glave described as “total domination” for the British sprint team.

In other championship action, Italy’s Nadia Battocletti continued her stellar medal streak by successfully defending her women’s 5000m title. The 25-year-old made her decisive move with 200 meters remaining in the race, pulling away from the pack to finish in 15:37.84. The win adds to Battocletti’s already impressive collection of accolades, which includes a 5000m/10000m double at the 2022 European Championships, two consecutive European cross-country titles, Olympic and world 10000m silver, and world indoor 3000m gold. Spain’s Marta García took silver, while Italy’s Micol Majori rounded out the podium in third.

The women’s 100m hurdles delivered a nail-biting finish, with Dutch star Nadine Visser edging out Poland’s Pia Skrzyszowska by a fraction of a second to claim gold in 12.68 seconds, the result confirmed only after a photo finish. France’s Laetitia Bapte took bronze, beating out reigning world champion Ditaji Kambundji of Switzerland.

In the men’s hammer throw, Hungary’s Bence Halasz, an Olympic silver medalist, broke Poland’s streak of dominance in the event to clinch his first major global gold medal with a world-leading throw of 84.25 meters. The win marks Halasz’s first major gold after seven previous close calls on the international stage. Germany’s Merlin Hummel took silver, while Ukraine’s Mykhaylo Kokhan secured bronze.

In a lopsided international rugby tour match played in wet, slippery conditions in Durban on Tuesday, New Zealand’s national men’s side the All Blacks secured a dominant 54-0 victory over the South African Sharks, but the talking point of the fixture centered on a heartfelt cultural gesture from a former All Blacks legend rather than the final scoreline.

Forty-four-year-old Ma’a Nonu, a two-time Rugby World Cup winner with New Zealand who joined the Sharks just last month in a player-mentor role, stepped forward to deliver a solo response haka after the All Blacks completed their traditional pre-match haka. In post-match comments to reporters, All Blacks head coach Dave Rennie revealed that his camp was fully aware of Nonu’s plan before kickoff, after the veteran center reached out directly to New Zealand’s defensive coach Tana Umaga to clarify the respectful, appropriate way to carry out his response.

Nonu’s unexpected appearance on the match day squad came amid a wave of call-ups to the South African Springboks national side and multiple injury crises for the Sharks, leading Sharks coach JP Pietersen to name the veteran as a substitute. Nonu entered the game off the bench in the 62nd minute, when the Sharks already trailed 35-0, and played nearly 20 minutes in the one-sided contest.

Speaking to SuperSport TV after the match, Nonu framed the gesture as a tribute to the team he spent nearly 100 caps playing for. “It was such a privilege and an honour, to do the Haka, showing my respect on behalf of my family to the team I love,” he said. “It was great to see the New Zealand boys. The All Blacks opened up in the last 30 minutes and I was chasing my tail. Credit to them, they are improving, and all the best to the brothers for the next game.”

Pietersen praised Nonu’s impact on the Sharks squad both on and off the pitch, noting that the veteran has become a key resource for young backs developing their game. “Ma’a has been good for the guys, especially the backs. He is a great addition off the field, helping the youngsters prepare, warm up and get their mindset right,” Pietersen said, adding that Nonu had felt nervous about performing the solo haka before the match.

Beyond the viral cultural moment, the result marked the second consecutive win for the All Blacks on their South African tour, which kicked off last Friday. The All Blacks crossed for eight tries total in the cold, wet conditions, with play slowed early on by a string of New Zealand penalties that allowed the Sharks to control possession for the opening stages of the match. Rennie commended his side’s second-half adjustment, which saw the team improve its discipline and use tactical kicking to open up space in the Sharks defense.

“Conditions made it challenging to shift a lot of ball, but it was a really solid defensive effort,” Rennie said. “The last 40 minutes were very positive. I thought we kicked really well, our kicks in the central area of the field found a lot of space. Our option taking was pretty good. We gave away a lot of early penalties, so we struggled to get our hands on the ball. In the second half we were a lot more clinical and kicked really well. The response after our chat at half-time was good to see, because every penalty we concede is a chance for the opposition to slow the game down.”
New Zealand inside centre Jordie Barrett, who earned man of the match honors after scoring one try and creating several more with pinpoint cross-field kicks, echoed Rennie’s assessment of the win. “It was a pretty greasy surface and there was lots of water underfoot. So we are pretty proud that we backed our skills and got ascendancy after a tight first half,” Barrett said. “We need to tidy up our discipline and we let the Sharks into our 22 in the first 10 minutes. So the second half was about minimising those entries.”

The future of star Canberra Raiders prop Corey Horsburgh at the club has been thrown deeper into uncertainty after coach Ricky Stuart made his dissatisfaction clear by dropping the forward from the team’s latest squad. The axing comes directly after a high-stakes clash against the Newcastle Knights, where a rash “brain explosion” from Horsburgh cost the Raiders any chance of qualifying for this season’s finals.

During the match, the fiery forward was sin-binned for slapping Knights winger Dane Gagai. The penalty that followed gifted Newcastle two easy points directly in front of the posts, ending Canberra’s slim hopes of sneaking into the semi-finals. Stuart did not hold back his criticism in his post-match press conference, and this week he followed through with disciplinary action by leaving Horsburgh out of the matchday squad. With Simi Sasagi sidelined by injury, Savelio Tamale has been recalled to the centres to fill the gap in the Raiders lineup.

The sudden demotion has fueled widespread speculation that Horsburgh will leave the Canberra club at the end of the current season. Following the Knights defeat, Stuart pulled no punches when addressing the incident. “It should have been 26-all, and there’s a brain explosion when we got a penalty,” Stuart told reporters. “It was a fucking brain explosion and (we) lost the opportunity. We lost the start of the season because we were self-entitled and undisciplined and we lost the opportunity to still then continue and try to make the semis. It wasn’t everybody’s fault. There are 16 other blokes there that made a massive effort. There’s one shit bloody decision that has cost us.”

Beyond the Raiders drama, the latest NRL team selections brought mixed injury and availability updates for some of the league’s biggest stars across the competition. For the Sydney Roosters, star fullback James Tedesco is set to return to the field this week after missing last round’s victory over the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs, a major boost for the club’s push up the ladder.

Penrith Panthers, currently fighting for the top spot on the ladder, have listed Dylan Edwards, who replaced Tedesco in the NSW State of Origin side this year, on their extended reserves bench. Edwards has missed the last two matches with a shoulder injury, and his potential return comes as Panthers lose starting lock Isaah Yeo to injury, forcing Lindsay Smith into the starting lineup. Liam Henry has been promoted to the front row, with Edwards set to replace Jaxen Edgar if he passes his final fitness clearance.

Manly Warringah Sea Eagles faced a major setback despite widespread speculation that star fullback Tom Trbojevic would make his return from a hamstring injury for Friday’s must-win clash against the Dolphins. Trbojevic has remained sidelined with the ongoing hamstring issue, though the Sea Eagles did receive one positive injury update, with winger Clayton Faulalo set to make his return from his own hamstring problem.

South Sydney Rabbitohs have landed a huge boost ahead of their blockbuster clash against the Bulldogs, with star winger Campbell Graham returning to the matchday squad after recovering from a calf strain. The Rabbitohs will be without starting halfback Ashton Ward, however, who is out with a hamstring injury, opening the door for a rare starting spot for Jayden Sullivan. For the Bulldogs, the same injury has ruled out enforcer Sitili Tupouniua for an extended period on the sidelines.

Elsewhere, Cronulla Sharks will be without both Jesse Ramien (injury) and suspended prop Addin Fonua-Blake for their clash against Canberra, with Mawene Hiroti tapped to replace Ramien in the starting lineup. Brisbane Broncos will again be without halfback Adam Reynolds, who continues his recovery from a concussion, while the Dolphins have lost bench utility Kurt Donoghoe to a thumb injury. The Knights have received a major boost with key players Bradman Best and Phoenix Crossland named as inclusions for their upcoming clash. For the Parramatta Eels, starting fullback Isaiah Iongi will miss the rest of the season with a knee injury, replaced in the lineup by Apa Twidle.

A public spat has erupted between two Australian Football League (AFL) leaders across Bass Strait, after Geelong Cats chief executive Steve Hocking launched a playful but pointed jab at expansion club Tasmania Devils over the latter’s salary cap arrangements, prompting a sharp rebuttal from Devils head coach Ken Hinkley.

The conflict traces back to last week, when the Devils poached Nigel Lappin, Geelong’s highly regarded player development guru, away from the Victorian-based club. Hocking, who has already faced public scrutiny in recent days over the ongoing Jake Kolodjashnij concussion waiver controversy, faced questions about Lappin’s departure during an interview on Melbourne radio station K-Rock.

During the interview, Hocking framed Geelong as unable to compete to retain the respected development coach, throwing in a veiled dig at the expansion club’s soft salary cap rules. “I’m not sure there is any soft cap in Tassie, so good on him, it’s a great opportunity,” Hocking said.

Hinkley, a former Geelong player and colleague of Hocking’s, hit back at the claims during his own appearance on SEN Radio Tuesday, pushing back firmly against the insinuation that the Devils broke league rules to sign Lappin. “He can be sure of one thing that we have rules to abide by, so there’s nothing to worry about there, Steve,” Hinkley said.

The Devils coach did acknowledge that the AFL’s expansion framework grants the new franchise temporary concessions as it builds out its operations ahead of its entry into the elite competition in 2028. Hinkley confirmed that Tasmania does hold a “little leg-up in the short-term”, explaining that the league has put in place specific provisions to support the relocation of key staff over the next 18 months as the club gets off the ground. He added that every AFL club holds autonomy to allocate its soft cap spending to priorities that fit its unique needs, and for a start-up expansion side like the Devils, investing in high-quality player development is an obvious strategic priority.

Crucially, Hinkley rejected Hocking’s implicit suggestion that the Devils overpaid to land Lappin, noting that the entire AFL community already recognizes Lappin as one of the top development specialists in the competition. “That’s not to say that we’re certainly overpaying Nigel Lappin. It’s been acknowledged by the rest of the competition that Nigel is one of the absolute best in development,” Hinkley said. “So if you’re prioritising development, which we will be, it makes sense to invest in that area.”

The temporary soft cap concessions for Tasmania will expire in 2028, when the Devils join the AFL competition and their annual soft cap will be adjusted to match the same cap limit applied to every other existing club in the league.