分类： sports

AFL side Essendon’s senior coach Brad Scott has opened up about the team’s recent selection calls, revealing that dropping underperforming key defender Ben McKay to the reserves has yielded exactly the positive results the coaching staff was hoping for, while stopping short of locking in an immediate return to the senior squad.

McKay was a notable exclusion from the Essendon lineup that faced GWS last Saturday, a match the Bombers ended up losing by a narrow margin. The omission marked the 26-year-old’s first appearance in the state-level Victorian Football League (VFL) in seven years, coming after a prolonged stretch of underwhelming form in the team’s defensive line. The defender’s struggles were thrust into the public spotlight recently when a leaked opposition scouting whiteboard from the Brisbane Lions notably had no entry listed under McKay’s strengths.

Speaking to media ahead of this weekend’s round of matches, Scott explained that the decision to send McKay to the VFL was designed to take pressure off the out-of-form player, and the early results have been encouraging. “We felt it was best for Ben to go back and regain some form and belief in the VFL, and he played very well,” Scott said. “This just released the shackles for him and freed him up to go and do what he does best, focus on his strengths, and he’s handled that very well.”

Beyond his own solid performance, Scott added that McKay also stepped into a leadership role for younger developing players during his VFL run, marking a clear positive step forward in his recovery of form. With key players Nick Bryan and Mason Redman returning from injury to boost the Bombers’ selection flexibility, Scott said the club would now weigh what outcome would work best for both McKay and the senior squad. While McKay has made clear his eagerness to earn an immediate recall to the AFL side, Scott noted no final decision has been made. “He wants to get back into the senior team as soon as possible, and, as we always do and as every team does, we’ll do what’s best for him and the team,” Scott added.

The Essendon coach also addressed ongoing off-season speculation surrounding star midfielder Zach Merrett, whose attempted trade to Hawthorn fell through during last year’s trade period. Merrett drew fresh attention last week when he declined to publicly confirm his long-term commitment to the club, but Scott moved quickly to shut down any uncertainty around the 28-year-old’s future.

Scott, who speaks to Merrett on a daily basis, reaffirmed that the midfielder remains fully committed to seeing out his existing contract at Essendon. Merrett signed a four-year contract extension with the Bombers four years ago, leaving him with two full seasons remaining on his current deal. “I’m more focused on action and he’s delivered in spades in terms of what I knew he would this year, right from the start of pre-season, right through to now,” Scott said. “He’s fully invested in trying to make this team as good as it can possibly be, and we’re focused on right now and what we need him to do for the team. The commitment is really clear.”

In a groundbreaking example of cross-sport knowledge sharing, an eight-person high-performance delegation from New Zealand Cricket has spent an entire week embedded within Victoria’s elite Australian Rules football and cricket systems, capping off the study tour with an in-depth deep dive into one of the AFL’s most modern training hubs.

Led by two of New Zealand cricket’s most respected figures — former Black Caps head coach Gary Stead and current national high-performance director Dave Keelty — the group kicked off their visit this week with a stop at Cricket Victoria’s renowned Junction Oval, before shifting focus to Hawthorn Football Club’s cutting-edge Kennedy Community Centre in Dingley for multiple days of immersive learning.

Stead, who stepped down as New Zealand’s men’s national cricket coach last year on a historic high, is now working as a high-performance strategy consultant after a decorated tenure that included leading the Black Caps to the inaugural ICC World Test Championship title in 2021, followed by a landmark 3-0 Test series whitewash over India on home soil that cemented his legacy as one of the country’s greatest ever cricket coaches.

During their time at Hawthorn, the New Zealand delegation gained exclusive behind-the-scenes access to every layer of the AFL club’s operations: they sat in on senior strategy meetings, observed first-team training sessions, studied Sam Mitchell’s game planning framework as head coach, and examined the off-field operational structures that power the club’s new facility. A key takeaway that has impressed the visiting group is the remarkably smooth and efficient flow of Hawthorn’s internal strategy meetings, a benchmark they hope to adapt for New Zealand Cricket.

The cross-code connection that made the visit possible was forged by Hawthorn assistant coach David McKay, who completed a professional development stint across the Tasman Sea in New Zealand during the AFL off-season, laying the groundwork for the knowledge exchange.

The study tour comes as New Zealand’s men’s Test cricket team prepares for a busy end to 2024, with a scheduled Test tour of England followed by a four-match Test series against Australia on home soil. For many members of the visiting delegation, the week of learning will end with a new experience: their first ever live AFL match, where they will watch Hawthorn take on Melbourne at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground this Saturday.

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, a new analysis from leading climate researchers has delivered a stark warning: climate change has significantly elevated the threat of dangerous extreme heat across the North American host region, putting one in four of the tournament’s 104 total matches at risk of searing, potentially unsafe conditions.

The study, conducted by World Weather Attribution (WWA), an international network of climate science experts, found that the current heat risk profile is far more severe than when the U.S. last hosted the World Cup in 1994. The 2026 tournament, set to run from June 11 to July 19 across 16 venues in the U.S., Mexico and Canada, has already prompted FIFA to introduce mandatory cooling breaks in each half of play, a policy directly responding to growing heat concerns.

WWA’s analysis uses the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index, a comprehensive metric that accounts for heat, humidity, wind, and sun exposure to measure how well the human body can cool itself. Researchers estimate 26 matches could see WBGT levels reach at least 26°C – a threshold where international footballers’ union FIFPRO identifies heat strain as a meaningful risk to athlete health, justifying mandatory cooling breaks. By comparison, only 21 matches were projected to hit this same threshold during the 1994 U.S. World Cup.

Of the 26 high-risk matches, 17 are scheduled for stadiums with installed cooling systems that reduce danger for both players and spectators. That leaves nine high-risk matches hosted at uncooled venues. Five matches across the tournament are projected to hit 28°C WBGT or higher – a level FIFPRO says warrants delaying or postponing matches until conditions become safer. That number is nearly double the projected count for 1994, making the current heat threat far more pressing.

Crucially, the risk does not only apply to competing athletes, who have constant access to on-site medical teams. Fans, many of whom will gather for hours in unshaded outdoor areas around stadiums, face even greater potential harm, noted Friederike Otto, WWA co-founder and climate science professor at Imperial College London.

Just three host venues – located in Dallas, Houston and Atlanta – are equipped with full air conditioning. More than a third of matches with a 1-in-10 chance of exceeding 26°C WBGT will be held at venues without any cooling infrastructure.

Even the 2026 World Cup final, one of the most watched global sporting events of the decade, faces non-negligible risk. Scheduled for July 19 at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium, the match has a 1-in-8 chance of hitting the 26°C WBGT threshold, and a 2.7% probability of reaching the 28°C cancellation-level mark, according to WWA’s projections.

Otto emphasized that the final’s measurable heat risk should serve as a clear wake-up call for FIFA and tournament organizers to strengthen preparations for extreme heat, to protect the health of both athletes and the hundreds of thousands of fans expected to attend the historic 2026 tournament.

For the first time in eight years, a sports team from North Korea is set to cross the border into neighboring South Korea this weekend, marking a rare moment of people-to-people exchange between the two divided nations at a time of high geopolitical tension.

Naegohyang Women’s FC, the top-flight women’s football champion from Pyongyang, will arrive in South Korea on Sunday ahead of their Asian Champions League semi-final clash against South Korea’s Suwon FC Women, scheduled for Wednesday at Suwon Sports Complex, just 30 kilometers south of the capital Seoul. This landmark trip comes against a decades-long backdrop of fractured inter-Korean relations: the two Koreas have remained technically at war since the 1950-1953 Korean War ended in an armistice rather than a permanent peace treaty, and ties have nosedived since 2019 when US-North Korean nuclear negotiations collapsed, leading Pyongyang to formally declare itself an irreversible nuclear-armed state.

This is not the first time sports has served as a diplomatic icebreaker between the two nations. Back in 2018, North Korea’s participation in the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics hosted by the South triggered a brief thaw in relations, with Pyongyang sending athletes, a high-profile delegation, and a popular all-female cheering squad. The two sides even made history by fielding a unified women’s ice hockey team for the Games. But after the 2019 breakdown of nuclear talks, cooperation has stalled, making this trip all the more unusual.

To pull off the unprecedented visit, organizers and South Korean authorities have navigated a complex web of logistics, legal constraints, and security protocols. A 39-person delegation, including 27 players and 12 coaching and administrative staff, will travel to South Korea via air from Beijing. Both squads will stay at the same hotel in Suwon, but local media reports confirm their dining areas and movement routes will be strictly separated, making unplanned interactions between players from the two sides unlikely. The match will be held at the 12,000-capacity Suwon Sports Complex, with no North Korean fans able to cross the border due to long-standing travel restrictions.

South Korean law adds another layer of complexity to the event. Under South Korea’s National Security Act, public display of the North Korean flag or playing of the North Korean national anthem is generally considered illegal, and separate inter-Korean exchange regulations require South Korean citizens to obtain government approval before any contact with North Koreans. However, South Korean officials confirmed the entire visit has been pre-approved by the Unification Ministry, meaning informal exchanges such as simple greetings between players and fans will not be treated as a criminal offense. Additionally, as the Asian Champions League is a club-level competition, no national symbols or anthems will be featured during the match, eliminating a potential legal flashpoint.

For North Korea, this match carries more than just athletic significance, analysts say. “Under Kim Jong Un, sports are viewed not simply as entertainment, but as a measure of national capability,” explained Lim Eul-chul, a North Korea studies expert at South Korea’s Kyungnam University. Lim added that Pyongyang is likely aiming to demonstrate what it frames as its overwhelming sporting superiority over the South, using the high-profile match as a platform to project strength to its rival.

North Korea has long been a powerhouse in women’s football, particularly at the youth level, where the country has claimed multiple FIFA World Cup titles in recent years. Founded in 2012 and based in Pyongyang, Naegohyang is one of the country’s fastest-rising women’s football sides. The club claimed the North Korean national league title in the 2021-2022 season after upsetting traditional powerhouse April 25 Sports Club, and already holds a 3-0 victory over Suwon FC from their group stage meeting in the 2023 Champions League.

Despite ongoing tensions, South Korean authorities and civic groups are framing the match as an opportunity for constructive exchange. The Unification Ministry has allocated 300 million won (approximately $200,000) to support South Korean civic groups organizing cheering for both teams, covering ticket costs, supplies, and banners. Organizers expect around 2,500 spectators to attend the match. While civic groups will have broad discretion over their chants, the government has issued soft guidelines to avoid provocative content given the special nature of the event.

Civic organizers emphasized the unique value of the cross-border exchange. “We see it as a rare and meaningful exchange between young South and North Koreans,” said Hong Sang-young, secretary general of the Korean Sharing Movement, a prominent inter-Korean exchange NGO. “Political slogans or messages could cause misunderstandings, so we intend to focus on football itself and on supporting young people from both Koreas sharing the same space.”

One of the National Basketball League’s most decorated superstars will finally get his chance to represent Australia on the global stage, with Bryce Cotton’s long-awaited Boomers debut set to take place in Perth – the city where he built his legendary domestic legacy. The American-born guard, who recently earned Australian citizenship, will pull on the iconic green and gold jersey for the first time at the upcoming FIBA World Cup Asian qualifiers, where the Boomers will face off against Guam on July 3 and the Philippines three days later at Perth’s RAC Arena.

Cotton first arrived in Australia in January 2017, relocating from his birth state of Arizona to join the Perth Wildcats. His impact on the league was immediate and transformative: in his debut NBL season, he led the Wildcats to a championship title and claimed the Grand Final Most Valuable Player award to kick off a historic career. Over the following years, the dynamic playmaker has cemented his status as one of the greatest players in NBL history, currently sitting just one MVP award away from matching Andrew Gaze’s all-time record of seven league MVPs.

In a statement following the announcement, an energized Cotton opened up about what the opportunity to represent Australia means to him and his family, emphasizing how deeply the nation has welcomed him since his arrival. “Representing the Australian men’s national basketball team for the first time is something I don’t take lightly,” Cotton said. “Coming from where I come from, this opportunity means a lot to me and my family. Australia has embraced me from day one, and I’m grateful for the chance to wear the green and gold alongside a great group of guys. I’m excited, motivated, and ready to give everything I have for the country.”

Basketball Australia’s general manager of high performance Jason Smith echoed Cotton’s enthusiasm, highlighting that the star guard is a natural fit for the Boomers program both on and off the court. “We’re excited to see what Bryce looks like as part of the Boomers program,” Smith said. “We feel like he’s a great cultural fit, and obviously, he has a dynamic playmaking ability, which has been on display with his performances at the elite level over the last decade. We think he’ll suit the physicality of the international format, and the July window in Perth will give us a solid look at how he integrates into the FIBA game.”

For Perth basketball fans, the upcoming qualifiers will hold extra significance, bringing one of the city’s most beloved sporting icons back home to play on his home court for the first time in a Boomers uniform, as he begins a new chapter of his already storied Australian basketball career.

The sudden mid-season departure of Carlton head coach Michael Voss has sent shockwaves through Australian rules football, triggering widespread industry disruption that veteran North Melbourne coach Alastair Clarkson has labeled deeply concerning and destabilizing for the entire competition.

Voss stepped down from his role with the Blues with immediate effect last Friday, a move that quickly ignited rampant rumors across the league. The discussion has centered primarily on who will fill Carlton’s vacant head coaching position, with most league figures openly speculating about untried assistant coaches across the competition being linked to the role. Clarkson, however, has opted to step back from the hype, arguing that the constant speculation places unfair pressure on clubs, coaches and their families across the sport.

“As fellow coaches, we just don’t like what it does to the industry when a coach departs mid-season,” Clarkson told reporters. “It’s not just bad for the coach himself and his family – it creates uncertainty for the entire club that loses a leader. This situation creates a ripple effect that extends all the way through the competition. We’re already seeing it in the constant questions about which assistant coaches could be in the running for the opening.”

Clarkson pushed back on suggestions that his own assistant coaches at North Melbourne would be early candidates for the Carlton job, while acknowledging that his coaching staff’s strong work would likely go underappreciated until the Kangaroos climb the league ladder. “We’ve got some great assistant coaches at this footy club,” he said. “Unfortunately, the reality right now is that their excellent work isn’t going to get the full recognition it deserves until our team starts climbing up the competition standings. Once that happens, I have no doubt our assistants will be in very high demand for top roles.”

Beyond coaching speculation, Clarkson also addressed rampant rumors that North Melbourne would make a move for star Carlton defender Jacob Weitering if he chooses to seek a trade in the upcoming player transfer window. He argued that this sort of cross-league rumor-mongering is exactly the harmful fallout that makes mid-season coaching exits so disruptive for the entire sport.

“Same sort of thing with all the list management talk that’s popping up everywhere – that’s why this whole situation is sort of disturbing for everyone in the industry,” Clarkson explained. “When a change like this happens at one club, it generates endless noise around player movement and instability that spreads to every corner of the league. It hits the affected club hardest, obviously, but the ripple effect that touches players and coaches across every side is just an unfortunate downside of how our industry works now. You can’t avoid it entirely, but we just want to let all the dust settle and see what unfolds over the next six weeks before making any moves.”

In other North Melbourne list management news, Clarkson confirmed that the club’s contract team has already begun work on locking in emerging tough midfielder George Wardlaw to a new deal. The head coach expressed full confidence that the young talent will re-sign with the Kangaroos, saying he sees Wardlaw as a core part of the club’s long-term future.

“I don’t have all the details on contract negotiations right now,” Clarkson said with a laugh. “But what I do know is that George is a fantastic young player, and we’ve been thrilled with everything he’s contributed to this club so far. He still has so much room to grow and so much more to give to this team, and we’re really excited to watch him develop. His contract situation will work itself out – his management team and our list management staff will sort through the details in good time. I don’t think he’s going anywhere, and I don’t see him wanting to leave this club any time soon.”