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As Queensland Maroons head coach Billy Slater prepares to finalize his squad for the 2026 State of Origin series, one of the program’s most storied veterans has opened up about his uncertain future in the representative rugby league arena, delivering a refreshingly grounded perspective on his place in the side’s next chapter.

Former Queensland captain Daly Cherry-Evans, who notched 26 Origin appearances across his career and led the side in the opening game of the 2025 series, has stopped short of formally announcing his retirement from the interstate contest. The 37-year-old Sydney Roosters playmaker, however, has thrown his unwavering support behind incumbent halves pairing Cameron Munster and Tom Dearden, who he says deserve to retain their starting spots for the upcoming series.

Cherry-Evans’s 2025 Origin tenure ended abruptly after Queensland suffered a game one defeat at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, when coach Billy Slater made the blockbuster call to drop the veteran skipper from the side. Dearden was brought into the starting lineup in his place, while Munster was promoted to take over captaincy. The reshuffled pairing went on to lead Queensland to a historic come-from-behind series win, with Dearden claiming the prestigious Wally Lewis Medal as the series’s best player.

Though Cherry-Evans remains technically eligible for selection and has left the door cracked open for a potential surprise recall, he acknowledged that the current pairing deserves first dibs on the roles, even noting that both Munster and Dearden have faced inconsistent form at their respective NRL club sides this season. “I’m never going to be that guy that just comes out and retires, but I’m very comfortable with the side that they picked last year to win the series in the back end,” Cherry-Evans said in a recent interview.

“Tom Dearden and Cam Munster, there’s absolutely no doubt in my mind that they’re Queensland’s best options going forward. If something ever happened moving down the track, you just keep your options open, and it’d be bloody hard to say no to a Queensland jersey again. But I’m quite clear that I’m not their best option right now and I’m OK with that.”

Reflecting on his decorated Origin career, Cherry-Evans said he holds nothing but positive memories of representing his home state, and has fully accepted the current reality of his position in the squad’s pecking order. “It’s really hard to talk about yourself when it comes to what you’ve done. I’m still playing, so I’ve got nothing but great memories of State of Origin. If I got another chance, that’d be great, but if not, that’s also OK,” he said. “I’m going to continue to work really hard on my game and try and get the Roosters to keep winning footy games and have a strong input in that. But where it is right now, I completely understand it and accept it, and that’s OK. If I’m not picked, that’s fine, I’ll be watching at home cheering for Queensland.”

Slater, who played alongside Cherry-Evans for the Maroons during his own playing career, said he has been encouraged by the veteran’s form and mindset following his off-season move from Manly Sea Eagles to the Sydney Roosters, a shift Cherry-Evans said he needed to reignite his love for the game. The Queensland coach added that a Cherry-Evans recall is widely viewed as highly unlikely, with young playmakers Sam Walker of the Roosters and Ezra Mam of the Brisbane Broncos already in contention for a spot in this year’s squad.

“He’s been great. It’s good to see him enjoying his footy. He said he needed a fresh start, and he’s got that,” Slater told reporters at the MCG on Monday. “He’s the oldest player in our game and he’s doing a wonderful job. I’ve spoken to him a couple of times at games, and it’s good to see him putting some games together. It was always going to take some time with Sammy Walker and ‘Chez’ being quite similar players, but they’re making it work. They’ve got a good roster at the Roosters, so the more they play together, the better they’re going to get. That’s dangerous for the rest of the competition.”

When news broke that Marie-Louise Eta would take the helm of Union Berlin’s women’s first team ahead of their 2025-26 top-flight debut, the landmark appointment made headlines across global football. Yet for everyone inside the ambitious German club, the move came as no shock — it was simply the next logical step in Union Berlin’s years-long, industry-leading push to elevate women’s football to full parity with the men’s program.

The race to fill the vacant head coaching position at the St George Illawarra Dragons has taken an unexpected turn, with current South Sydney Rabbitohs assistant Ben Hornby emerging as a top candidate—and drawing glowing endorsements from his current playing group, even as stars push to keep him at Redfern.

Hornby’s name rose to the top of candidate lists earlier this week after the Dragons axed incumbent Shane Flanagan on the back of a winless 0-7 start to the 2025 season. Joining Hornby in the running is former Dragons captain Dean Young, who has already been installed as interim head coach for the remainder of the 2025 season. Both men are club legends of the Dragons, having won the 2010 NRL premiership together, with Hornby serving as team captain during that title run.

Since hanging up his boots as a player, the former elite halfback has steadily built his coaching resume, joining the Rabbitohs’ staff back in 2020. His biggest test came in 2024, when South Sydney sacked then-head coach Jason Demetriou mid-season and appointed Hornby as interim leader for 17 matches. Facing a locker room and season on the brink of collapse, Hornby steered the side to a stunning turnaround, including a five-match winning streak that kept the Rabbitohs in finals contention before Wayne Bennett returned to the club as full-time head coach, and Hornby stepped back into his assistant role.

Now, his current players at South Sydney are singing his praises as he considers a move to the Dragons’ top job. Rabbitohs skipper Cameron Murray opened with a tongue-in-cheek jab before doubling down on his full-throated endorsement, telling reporters on Tuesday: “I reckon he’s a shit coach and I reckon he needs to stay here. I haven’t told him that yet, but in all honesty, he had a little stint as head coach here a couple years ago and I couldn’t fault him. It was like he’s been doing it for 20 years. He’s a pretty incredible guy and any club would be lucky to have him as a head coach.”

Murray credited Hornby’s understated, fundamentals-focused approach for turning the 2024 season around, when off-field chaos and on-field struggles threatened to derail the club. “I think his simple approach to coaching is probably what helped us through that time period. He knew, contextually to that period, that simplicity was probably the best thing for us, and he kept it really simple for us. There was a lot of noise on the outside, probably a lot that was going on the inside as well, so his calm, simple approach helped us a lot. It’s probably what he’s learned best from Wayne, the simple fundamentals of what creates good footy teams and just being consistent with that. That’s probably what kept a lid on things back when he took over in ‘24 and probably why we bounced back the way we did.”

Edge forward Tallis Duncan echoed Murray’s praise, highlighting Hornby’s rare ability to break down complex game strategies for players of all positions, even notoriously “football-brained” forwards. “If that’s something that he wants to do, I think he’d be great. I think he’s got all the makings of a head coach and he’s a great person. His footy IQ is probably second to none, he’s pretty intelligent. So I think if that’s something that he wants to do, I think he’d be unreal at it. The way he can break down the game (is terrific). He was obviously such a smart footballer when he played, but I feel like sometimes that wouldn’t translate to explaining it down to probably dumb forwards. But he’s got that ability too, so he can break down the game in a way to make everyone understand it. I think that’s important and he’s pretty clear with his messaging.”

Try-scoring record holder Alex Johnston agreed that a head coaching role is in Hornby’s future, noting the 2024 interim stint tested the coach’s mettle and he passed with flying colors. “His hair probably got grey a lot quicker just those few games,” he joked. “He handled himself really well. I definitely think head coach is where he’s headed. I just don’t know where.”

As the Dragons weigh their decision between two club legends for the permanent 2026 head coaching role, South Sydney’s playing group has made clear they believe Hornby is ready for the top job—they just would rather he take that next step anywhere but away from the Rabbitohs.

AFL community has rallied around Carlton rising star Elijah Hollands after the young player’s recent hospital admission triggered widespread concern for his wellbeing, with his father Ben sharing a heartfelt public message of unconditional support and leading football figures offering messages of solidarity.

Elijah Hollands first experienced a troubling medical incident during Carlton’s match against Collingwood last Thursday, a struggle that quickly unfolded under the glare of public attention. On Monday night, Carlton Football Club issued an official statement confirming the young athlete had been admitted to hospital for care, intensifying worries across the league about his recovery.

In the wake of this difficult stretch for the Hollands family, Ben Hollands turned to Instagram to speak out publicly, sharing a moving portrait of his son alongside an inspiring message that extended beyond his own family to anyone navigating mental or physical healing. “This is my beautiful boy,” Ben wrote. “For anyone in the midst of healing … You are loved. You have a unique and defined purpose. You are seen whole. I know who my son is — and I will lift him up until he is restored in full.”

Beyond his support for Elijah, Ben also offered guidance to others standing beside loved ones facing hardship, urging: “For those supporting someone who is struggling: encourage them, affirm them, and love them. Go to them, remind them of who they truly are.”

Western Bulldogs head coach Luke Beveridge became one of the most prominent voices in the AFL to extend well wishes to Hollands this Thursday, while also opening up about the growing pressures that modern football players face from public criticism. Beveridge noted that the scrutiny modern athletes endure is far more intense than in previous eras, with contemporary commentary and speculation increasingly taking on personal, unkind tones that lack empathy.

“I have got no doubt what our players are exposed to, have to deal with and have to manage from a critique point of view is a lot more challenging than it ever has been,” Beveridge told reporters. “It seems to be some of the assessment and innuendos are a lot more personal than it ever has been. Everyone is trying to work out what that means, there seems to be no conscience in a lot of it.”

Beveridge added that it would be inappropriate for outsiders to speculate on the details of Hollands’ situation, emphasizing that no one outside the Carlton setup can fully understand the severity of what the club and the Hollands family are navigating. He extended empathy to every person connected to Carlton Football Club, not just the young injured player, noting that the incident has been traumatic and confronting for everyone involved.

“It’s just a hugely challenging situation and I feel for them, everyone feels for Elijah and his family. But I feel for everyone who’s involved in the Blues,” he said. “You talk about trauma and things that are confronting, and it’s been confronting. Everyone at that football club needs support to help them through it, definitely Elijah … hopefully he’s going to be OK but I just hope everyone who works at the Carlton Football Club are fine as well.”

In a decisive move responding to weeks of fierce backlash from top drivers including four-time world champion Max Verstappen, Formula One governing bodies and team principals have unanimously agreed to targeted rule changes that will take effect as early as next month’s Miami Grand Prix. The 2025 season’s sweeping regulatory overhaul, which introduced a revised hybrid power unit system with strict battery management requirements, sparked unprecedented public criticism that even put Verstappen’s long-term future in the sport in question.

Under the original rules, drivers were forced to conserve battery charge throughout qualifying laps, forcing them to lift off the throttle and slow down artificially to manage energy reserves, while a manual boost button granted extra power for overtaking maneuvers. After the Chinese Grand Prix, Verstappen delivered a scathing rebuke of the new racing format, calling it “a joke” and hinting he would step away from F1 when his current contract ends in 2027 if meaningful adjustments were not made. The Red Bull driver’s criticism was echoed by multiple other competitors on the grid, while fans across the globe voiced frustration that the regulations had diluted the on-track spectacle that defines top-tier open-wheel racing.

Held via online call on Monday, the meeting brought together Formula One management, the Fédération Internationale de l’Automobile (FIA), and all team principals to hash out adjustments. Stakeholders finalised a set of targeted tweaks that will roll out for the Miami Grand Prix scheduled for May 3. This race will mark the end of a five-week enforced break in the 2025 calendar, which came after the cancellation of the opening Bahrain and Saudi Arabian rounds due to ongoing armed conflict in the Middle East.

The most impactful changes center on the hybrid power system that drew the most driver complaints. Energy harvesting capacity, which controls how much kinetic energy drivers can recover to charge the on-board battery during a race, will be lowered from eight megajoules to seven megajoules. Meanwhile, the maximum power output of the hybrid power unit will be increased from 250 kilowatts to 350 kilowatts. The FIA says the combination of these two adjustments will allow drivers to push at full speed for longer stretches during qualifying sessions, eliminating the need for artificial slowing to save battery.

A second key change addresses safety concerns related to the boost button, which came under scrutiny after British rookie Ollie Bearman’s high-speed crash during the most recent round in Japan. Investigators partially attributed the incident to dangerous differences in closing speeds caused by drivers activating their boost buttons at different times. Going forward, the maximum power output from the boost button will be capped at 150 kilowatts, a change the FIA says will “limit sudden performance differentials” that create unsafe on-track conditions.

Not all stakeholders are pushing for dramatic, wholesale changes to the rulebook, however. Mercedes team principal Toto Wolff, whose drivers Kimi Antonelli and George Russell have gotten off to a strong start to the 2025 season with Antonelli holding a nine-point lead over Russell in the driver standings after three completed races, advocated for incremental, careful adjustments rather than sweeping overhauls.

Speaking ahead of Monday’s vote, Wolff noted that ongoing discussions between drivers, the FIA, F1 management and team principals had remained constructive, with all parties aligned on the core goal of improving the racing product. “It’s how can we improve the product, make it out-and-out racing, and look at what can improve in terms of safety, but act with a scalpel and not with a baseball bat,” Wolff said. He added that the sport would benefit from testing small adjustments after just three completed races, rather than making rash, far-reaching changes that could create new unforeseen problems. “We are custodians of the sport and we have many hundreds of thousands of fans that love F1,” he said. “In order to protect this huge opportunity that the sport gives us, we shouldn’t badmouth in public our own sport.”

Further negotiations and reviews of the 2025 rules are scheduled to take place after the Miami Grand Prix as stakeholders continue to refine the regulations for future races.

As the Canterbury Bulldogs enter a critical off-season period that will force the club’s leadership to make several high-stakes decisions about player contracts, 33-year-old utility Kurt Mann has left no ambiguity about his next goal: he wants to extend his tenure at the Belmore-based club beyond the 2026 NRL season. A well-traveled veteran closing out a 13-year top-flight career that has included stints at the Melbourne Storm, St George Illawarra Dragons, and Newcastle Knights before joining the Bulldogs, Mann has established a reputation as one of the league’s most versatile and reliable role players — a trait that has already drawn quiet interest from other Sydney-based clubs should a new deal with the Bulldogs not come to fruition. A move to a Western Australian franchise has been ruled out as a potential option for the experienced playmaker. Mann’s current contract, a one-year extension signed in March 2025, is set to expire at the end of the upcoming season, leaving his playing future after that point still unconfirmed. In a recent press interview, the veteran opened up about his approach to contract talks and his desire to remain in blue and white. “I haven’t really looked into it too much,” Mann said. “I’m 33 this year, so I’m sort of just playing it by ear and really focusing on how I’m playing at the moment. The rest of that will take care of itself. I’d love to stay at the Dogs, or if that doesn’t eventuate then I don’t know how many more years I’ve got left in me at the moment. I’m really enjoying playing footy at the moment and I’m still loving it. I’m still competing, so I’m still really enjoying it.” Mann’s on-field form this season has backed up his claim that he still has plenty to offer at the top level, with a recent standout play against the Parramatta Eels — where he outran young Eels fullback Joash Papalii to secure a kick — serving as proof he can still match the pace of the league’s younger generation. Now, Mann and the Bulldogs are looking to rebound from an unexpected upset loss to the Eels this weekend, when they face off against an injury-depleted Brisbane Broncos squad on Friday night. Beyond his club commitments, Mann is also quietly gunning for a second call-up to Queensland’s State of Origin side, after a dream debut run in 2024 helped the Maroons pull off a stunning series comeback from a 1-0 deficit to claim the Origin shield. Mann came off the interchange bench in games two and three of last year’s series, and the introduction of new expanded six-man benches for 2025 makes his versatility as a utility an even more ideal fit for the Maroons’ game plan. He already met with Queensland head coach Billy Slater earlier this year at a Maroons training camp, and remains a leading contender to retain his spot in the squad when selections are announced. “He keeps his cards pretty close to his chest until it gets pretty close to selection time, so you never hear too much from him until then,” Mann said of Slater. “Any time you get the chance to pull on the Maroons jersey, you grab it with both hands. It’s something you dream of as a little kid and you get to represent your family, your community where you’re from, and everyone in Queensland. It’s a lifetime memory I’ll have now. I thought all that sort of stuff was past me at my age, and to get the call-up was definitely a dream come true.”

Rugby league fans, players and pundits are once again debating the consistency of officiating in the National Rugby League (NRL), after a contentious last-minute decision by the league’s video review system, the Bunker, triggered an official clarification on high contact rules that many are calling a potential defining moment for future officiating.

The controversy unfolded during a tight clash between the Melbourne Storm and Canberra Raiders on Friday night. With just 66 seconds left on the clock, the Storm trailed by four points and held attacking position when winger Will Warbrick was struck across the face by Raiders halfback Ethan Sanders. No penalty was called by on-field officials, and Melbourne opted to use their captain’s challenge to overturn the call.

However, Bunker official Liam Kennedy upheld the on-field decision, concluding the contact to Warbrick’s head was only incidental and dismissing the challenge. The ruling immediately sparked outrage, particularly when observers drew comparisons to a nearly identical incident just days earlier on Easter Monday, when Parramatta Eels captain Mitchell Moses secured a match-changing penalty after a successful challenge for a similar high contact.

This inconsistent application of the high contact rule is far from an isolated case this season. Earlier in the year, Sydney Roosters captain James Tedesco successfully challenged for a penalty after a glancing high contact from Cronulla Sharks playmaker Braydon Trindall, resulting in a penalty that many argued was disproportionate given the minimal contact. Even more notably, two years ago, a high contact penalty against former Dolphins captain Jesse Bromwich for a hit on Manly Warringah Sea Eagles star Tom Trbojevic drew widespread public criticism over inconsistent officiating standards.

Beyond the Warbrick incident, a second controversial call marred the closing stages of the Storm-Raiders clash. Melbourne fullback Sua Fa’alogo was forced off the field for a mandatory head injury assessment after a high hit from Raiders forward Hudson Young, yet Young was permitted to remain on the pitch for the rest of the match. The NRL later acknowledged that the officiating team made an error in not sin-binning Young, a mistake that cost the Storm a critical one-player advantage as they pushed for a game-winning try. Young was ultimately handed a two-match suspension for the hit.

In response to the widespread backlash over the Warbrick decision, NRL officials have formally confirmed that Bunker officials retain discretionary authority to judge whether high contact warrants a penalty. Many in the rugby league community now view this clarification as a potential line-in-the-sand moment for officiating, setting a clear precedent that not all contact to the head will automatically result in a penalty. Supporters and players alike have stressed that their core demand moving forward is not stricter or more lenient calling, but consistent application of the rules, with officials weighing the force of contact rather than just penalizing every incidental touch to the head.

The Western Bulldogs are facing a race against time to get two of their key stars, captain Marcus Bontempelli and veteran big man Rory Lobb, over the fitness line for their high-stakes Thursday night clash against the Sydney Swans, head coach Luke Beveridge has confirmed.

With less than 48 hours until the first bounce, Beveridge revealed the club will give both Bontempelli, who is managing a knee complaint, and Lobb, who is carrying a hamstring knock, every possible minute to prove their match readiness, with the team list not due to be submitted until Wednesday. The coach emphasized that the club’s priority will always be player long-term health over short-term results, confirming no star will be risked if there is any chance of their existing soreness worsening into a more serious injury.

“We’ll give him right up until the death,” Beveridge told reporters of Bontempelli’s fitness timeline, noting the team’s tight fixture schedule that has included two back-to-back six-day turnarounds between matches. “There’s a couple of boys who are sore and ultimately they’ll play if there is no risk that they’ll injure what they’re sore with anymore. But if there’s any concern they’ll be impeded or in discomfort that might turn into an injury, they won’t play. We won’t take any risk.”

As of Tuesday training sessions, Bontempelli was moving better than Lobb during on-field run-throughs, but both remain in doubt for the encounter. A loss of Lobb would put particular pressure on the Bulldogs’ defensive unit, which is already reeling after season-ending injury to young key position player Sam Darcy, who suffered a ruptured ACL last week.

Beveridge said Lobb responded well to initial treatment after his knock, and remains on track to push for selection. “He got a knock but he looks like he’s moving. There’s a couple of days to go and we don’t need to name a team until tomorrow. He’ll go to the line I think,” the coach said. He added that the club has adjusted its selection procedures this week to accommodate the injury delays: with VFL affiliate Footscray playing on Friday, the Bulldogs will be able to bring three emergency players to Thursday night’s fixture, creating flexibility for late selection changes if needed.

Off the field, there is positive news around Darcy, who attended the club’s Whitten Oval base on Tuesday just days after scans confirmed his ACL rupture, which will rule him out of action for roughly 12 months. Beveridge said the young forward-key defender is in excellent spirits despite the devastating season-ending setback, with surgery scheduled for later this week once initial swelling subsides.

“Darcy is a great character, as you know, so he’ll come back and be a player that will continue to improve and grow,” Beveridge said. “We’re going to miss him for a little while, but we’ve got to deal with that and others need to step up to fill the gap he leaves behind.”

The club is also taking a cautious approach with hard-nosed midfielder Tom Liberatore, who sustained his fifth concussion in four seasons during last weekend’s match. Liberatore has pulled up well from the incident, reporting no lingering symptoms including headaches or sleep disruption, but remains in the league’s concussion protocols. Beveridge confirmed the club will not rush Liberatore’s return, even if that means sidelining him for additional matches beyond this week.

“We’re pretty conservative looking after our players who have had a head knock or two,” Beveridge said. “if there’s any sign that Tom needs a bit longer, I am sure our medical crew won’t let him play. He seems to be OK, but he hasn’t been to any specialist concussion panel yet for full clearance.”

Amid the raft of injury concerns, the Bulldogs have a potential boost on the way: veteran midfielder Adam Treloar is poised to return to the senior side after a strong performance in the VFL last weekend, where he collected 41 disposals. Treloar has missed the last several weeks with his own injury setback, and will only be selected if he gets through his final two training sessions without issue. If he passes that test, he will make an immediate return to the senior line-up for the Sydney clash.

AFL superstar Nick Daicos of Collingwood has cemented his status as one of the league’s most dynamic young talents after a match-winning standout performance against Carlton, and he’s now pushing to retain his flexible dual-position role that draws direct advice from his football royalty father Peter Daicos.

In a tense Thursday night clash, Daicos turned the tide of the game in a spectacular final-quarter comeback that lifted the Magpies to a narrow five-point win over the Blues. While primarily a starting midfielder, Daicos spent stretches of the decisive final term resting inside Collingwood’s 50-metre arc as a forward, a tactical shift that paid immediate dividends for his side. He notched one goal from his own boot as a midfielder, and played a critical role in setting up two more majors to spark the Magpies’ late comeback.

For Daicos, experimenting with the forward role is more than just a tactical adjustment: it’s a chance to put guidance from his father, legendary AFL forward Peter Daicos, into real-game practice. “I love playing up forward and I think it gives us a different look as a team,” Daicos told reporters post-game. “It also allows more players to roll through the midfield for us. We’ve got so many strong midfielders. Being a dynamic team, players switching positions, it works in our favour and whatever the coach thinks, wherever he thinks my best position, I’m happy to play.”

The young star added that he has learned the nuances of forward play directly from his father’s decades of experience in the league. “I get a lot of forward craft from Dad and I love it. I think anytime I watch his highlights, he was an amazing forward with such good craft. Anytime he gives me footy advice in general I love listening because I think he’s one of the smartest football people I’ve come across. I am very lucky to have him in my corner.”

Collingwood’s comeback relied on a seven-goal final quarter that overcame a sluggish start in front of goal that had left the side trailing heading into the final break. Daicos acknowledged that while the team’s ability to deliver under pressure is a major strength, the playing group will review why their attacking momentum has failed to materialize earlier in recent matches.

“Absolutely, that’s something we’ll definitely look through today, is how do you find that balance of trying to attack,” Daicos said. “We don’t want to be down heading into the last quarter … we want to be proactive with it, come out this week in the first quarter and kick seven goals. We’ll work out the mental side of things and why that is happening, but the ability to kick seven goals (in a quarter) when the game is on the line is also a strength as well.”