Live updates: State of Origin I, Queensland Maroons vs NSW Blues in Brisbane
Queensland and New South Wales renew hostilities at Lang Park in State of Origin game one of this year's State of Origin series.
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News.com.au
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- News.com.au
On The Punt: Flemington best bets for Saturday June 7, 2025
News Corp form analyst Chris Vernuccio takes a look at the Flemington meeting on Saturday. â– â– â– â– â– BEST BET JIMMY THE BEAR (Race 5 No.3): Jimmy The Bear is backing up after winning last week over 1400m at Caulfield when second-up. The six-year-old gelding has come back in great order after resuming with a second behind War Machine and he is capable of holding his form. He has won four time at 1600m. NEXT BEST SOFT LOVE (Race 4 No.4): Soft Love won her first starts this prep before suffering her first loss when she stepped up to stakes grade in the Denise's Joy Stakes at Scone. She was only beaten 1¼ lengths in a bunched finish and will find this easier. AHHA AHHA (Race 6 No.9): Progressive filly Ahha Ahha steps up against the boys after a dominant three-length win in a Benchmark 78 fillies race at Sandown last time out, which followed a close third behind potential star Madiyya at Caulfield. She looks ready for 1600m.
ABC News
38 minutes ago
- ABC News
Football Australia facing integrity probe amid match-fixing allegations
Football Australia is being investigated over its ability to protect the sport's integrity as it grapples with the A-League's second match-fixing scandal in 12 months. ABC Investigations can reveal the Victorian Gambling and Casino Control Commission will launch a 'suitability review' of Football Australia that will examine the governing body's integrity measures, as well as the range of betting markets it allows on soccer games in Australia. The revelations of the probe come after Victoria Police this week charged 25-year-old Western United player Riku Danzaki with 10 match-fixing charges for allegedly intentionally receiving yellow cards during A-League matches in April and May. In May last year, NSW Police charged Macarthur FC players Ulises Davila, Kearyn Bacchus and Clayton Lewis with match-fixing offences also allegedly involving yellow cards. The VGCCC says the latest match-fixing allegations involving the Western United player were "concerning." "The VGCCC will conduct a suitability review of FA in the 2025–26 financial year to assess its ability to ensure the integrity of its events," the regulator said in statement. "This will include looking at the activities FA allows betting on, such as yellow cards. "The scope of the FA review is yet to be finalised but will focus on the legislated integrity requirements of sports controlling bodies." In a statement, Football Australia said the VGCCC informed it of the review in April. "Football Australia welcomes the opportunity to continue to refine our vigilance against integrity threats," it said. "Football Australia subscribes to continual vigilance in our standards to meet this challenge, but it's something that all Australian and international sports, regulators and government agencies must do together, as this stain isn't unique to footy players. "The job on integrity is never complete as offenders are becoming more and more sophisticated." Under Victoria's gambling laws, Football Australia is a designated "sports controlling body", which gives it the responsibility to oversee integrity of soccer and the power to negotiate with betting companies about the range of events on which they can offer bets. It also enables Football Australia to earn a portion of the revenue of gambling on soccer games – including bets on the number of yellow cards in a match. Football Australia has similar powers and responsibilities under New South Wales gambling laws. In 2023, Four Corners revealed Football Australia was allowing bookmakers to offer bets on all levels of the sport – from international games to amateur suburban matches. Most other major sporting bodies, such as the AFL and NRL, only allow betting on first and second-tier professional competitions. While the VGCCC has not disclosed the terms of reference for its inquiry, Melbourne University sports law expert Jack Anderson said it would likely focus on the range of gambling Football Australia allows on all levels of professional and amateur soccer in the country. "Probably what [the regulator] is doing is saying, yes, we have agreed that Football Australia can allow a range of bets on football. But are some of these bets presenting such a risk that they should be struck off and not offered?" he said. Professor Anderson said soccer governing bodies and authorities around the world are grappling with rising instances of alleged match fixing involving yellow cards, which is one of the few elements of play in the sport that can be influenced by a single player. "It's very discrete, in that a player can effect the foul that generates the yellow card. And they can do it almost to the minute, or to a particular time in the game." Brazilian midfielder Lucas Paqueta, who plays with English Premier League side West Ham United, is facing a possible lifetime ban after the UK Football Association charged him with allegedly intentionally receiving yellow cards as part of a spot-fixing operation. Paqueta has denied any wrongdoing.
ABC News
an hour ago
- ABC News
Cronulla Sharks to debut historic Pasifika jersey in game against the Warriors this weekend
This evening the Cronulla Sharks NRL team will debut their historic 'Tangata Moana' Pasifika jersey when they run out against the Warriors at home, honouring and acknowledging the Sharks Pasifika players who have laid down the foundation for the players today and for those who will continue to be leaders. The jersey design and concept had been driven by the club's Pasifika and Maori NRL players - KL Iro (Cook Islands), Braden Hamlin-Uele, Ronaldo Mulitalo and Oregon Kaufusi (Samoan), Addin Fonua-Blake, Sione Katoa, Siosifa Talakai and Chris Vea'ila (Tongan) and Briton Nikora, Mawene Hiroti, Tuku Hau Tapuha and Niwai and Hohepa Puru (Maori). The jersey itself 'Tagata Moana' honours the strength, resilience and legacy of Pasifika people. Cronulla Sharks prop and Tonga Rugby League co-captain Addin Fonua Blake says that these qualities show up in the Pasifika community here in Australia. Cronulla Sharks prop Addin Fonua-Blake is also Tonga Rugby League's co-captain. ( Supplied: Cronulla Sharks ) "Obviously moving countries, working so hard to provide for their families and for their children for a better opportunity in their upbringing," he said. "So you know, they're very resilient people, obviously get knocked about a lot but the determination to keep working hard for their families, it's a strong pillar." Sharks Centre KL Iro agreed, pointing out that most Cook Islanders live abroad but as a nation they're strong and when they go home, everyone's just family. "I think there's 200,000 that live in Australia or New Zealand or everywhere else and there's only 16 or 18 thousand back home," he said. "We've always been a voyaging country but we're proud to be Cook Islanders." Renowned Pasifika artists Allen Vili and Katrina Iosia from the Katal Creative Studio in New Zealand and with Samoan/Maori and Niuean heritage respectively, are behind bringing the designs to life on the jerseys incorporating symbols and patterns from the Pacific. Now that Pacific representation in the NRL is over 50 per cent, fellow Sharks Centre Siosifa Talakai says it's special to have pacific culture represented on the jersey because growing up there weren't many Pacific Islanders in the game. "There wasn't much representation when we were younger in the NRL, but now to have our culture on a jersey, yeah that's something special to all of us," he said "It makes it that much more special that we're going to run out in it come Saturday night." Siosifa Talakai says it'll be special running out wearing the Pasifika jersey. ( Supplied: Cronulla Sharks ) Some of the patterns on the jerseys have special meaning to the players and are patterns that they also have inked on their own bodies. Iro says the Cook Islands designs used on the jerseys are designs he has tattooed and asked to have included on the jersey, the main one being the Tiki Tiki Tangata. "It represents our people holding hands, I've got it tatted on my back as well as the spearhead pattern which represents our warriors as well," he said "It's pretty special to actually see it on our jersey, I don't think an actual Cook Islands design in itself has been on a (NRL) jersey before." This round also doubles as the 'Sharks have heart' round in celebration of the community coming together as one and will be a memorable round for Iro with at least 75 people coming from Rarotonga to watch the game including his father, former Cook Islands and Kiwi international Kevin Iro. The senior Iro is in town coaching the Arorangi Bears Under 13s team, a club that the younger Iro grew up playing for in Rarotonga. KL Iro heads over the try line to score for the Cronulla Sharks. ( Supplied: Cronulla Sharks ) The team played the Kurnell Stingrays last night with cultural performances and a BBQ to celebrate the unity between the clubs after the game. KL who has just recently decided to go by his unofficial birth name which are the initials of his father Kevin Leslie, has fond memories growing up in Rarotonga and is one of only two Cook Islanders who grew up in the Cooks to have made it to the NRL. "Hopefully I can be a role model to younger kids looking up to me, and they can know that it's possible and they can know that they can get here as well," he said. One memory in particular stands out when his father used to coach the Titikaveka Bulldogs and would make the team train longer if they couldn't beat a young KL. "When I was a little kid, I used to be really fit, just a little crazy fella and I used to join the fitness drills with the adults," he laughed. "I think my Dad used to give them a challenge, if I beat them, then they'll keep going so yeah, it's pretty funny. With his father and a big group of Cook Islanders watching on tomorrow, KL and the rest of his Pasifika Sharks team mates will be hoping to emulate the strength, resilience and legacy that their jerseys represent.
