Stefano joins bench in Blues only change
NRL: Storm enforcer Stefano Utoikamanu is the only change to the Blues game one lineup after Barnett suffered an ACL injury.
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News.com.au
37 minutes ago
- News.com.au
AFLW introduces future pick trading, pre-season draft, as part of 2025 rule changes
AFLW clubs will soon be able to trade future picks as part of the evolution of player movement ticked off by the AFL Commission on Wednesday. Following consultation with clubs, a pre-season draft will also be introduced, along with a handful of rule changes and interpretations. Previously, AFLW clubs have been handicapped by the ability to only trade picks in the upcoming draft. Just last year, Paige Scott was forced to delist themselves and nominate for the draft when the forward's trade from Essendon to Richmond fell through. Now, with the introduction of future pick trading, clubs will have the flexibility to trade their future first round selection or their future second round selection, but not both. Clubs must also ensure they maintain a presence in the first round for at least two years across a five-year period, unless otherwise approved, to aid list regeneration. Board approval will also be required in the exchange of first round picks. A pre-season draft will also replace the supplementary selection period next year, giving clubs the chance to cover list gaps from the off-season. 'Following the transition to a National Draft last season, these changes are further recognition of the greater sophistication that is being established in the AFLW competition and specifically within player movement,' AFL Executive General Manager of Football Operations Laura Kane said. 'Introducing future pick trading means creating more trade collateral and levers for clubs to pull, giving them greater ability to make list management decisions and in turn, more opportunity for player movement.' The AFL Commission has also approved one rule change aimed at reducing congestion. Where a stoppage occurs within 10m of the boundary between the 50m arcs, the ball up will occur 10m inside the boundary. 'Data shows us that secondary stoppage rates are higher when the ball up is close to the boundary and scoring rates are lower, so the introduction of the on-field rule change is aimed at opening up space around stoppages close to the boundary line where the stoppage is denser,' Kane said. In further changes aimed at reducing density, three further umpiring interpretations will be introduced in 2025: • Ruck Nomination: Once a ruck nomination has been received from each team, the umpire will restart play, regardless of whether the nominated players are in the area to contest the ball up or throw in. • No Genuine Attempt: Umpires will be stricter on players who do not make a genuine attempt to dispose of the ball when tackled legally with no prior opportunity. • Dive/Drag: Umpires will be stricter on players who dive on or drag the ball in and do not immediately knock the ball clear when tackled legally.
News.com.au
37 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Aussie quicks enact revenge in World Test Championship final as tricky Lord's wicket causes major headaches
Kagiso Rabada added his name to the Lord's Honours Board for a second time before Australia's world-class pace attack dismantled the South African top order as Pat Cummins' men seized control of the World Test Championship final. Fourteen wickets fell as the bowlers dominated an eventful opening day at the Home of Cricket, with South Africa reeling at 4-43 after Starc, Cummins and Josh Hazlewood wreaked havoc late in the evening session. The Proteas are trailing by 169 runs at stumps with skipper Temba Bavuma (3*) and fellow batter David Bedingham (8*) unbeaten in the middle with plenty to do. Earlier, the reigning champions were bowled out for 212 after Bavuma elected to bowl first in hopes of exposing the opposition's unsettled top order under grey skies, a brave call that quickly paid dividends when Australia collapsed to 4-67. Rabada claimed 5-51 from 15.4 overs, his 17th five-wicket haul in Tests, while Australian vice-captain Steve Smith and all-rounder Beau Webster notched fifties in a 79-run partnership to rebuild the innings. Having recently served a one-month suspension for recreational drug use, Rabada tormented Australia's top order in a probing opening spell of 2-9 from six overs, relentlessly threatening off stump with the shiny, wobbly Dukes. Watch Kagiso Rabada's two early wickets in the video player at the top of the page. The watchful Usman Khawaja survived 30 minutes in challenging conditions without troubling the scorers before departing for a 20-ball duck, edging towards the slips cordon where David Bedingham swallowed a regulation chance. Three deliveries later, Rabada accounted for the returning Cameron Green, batting at No. 3 for the first time in Tests, with a fuller delivery that kissed the outside edge and settled in Aiden Markram's hands at second slip. Newborn opener Marnus Labuschagne, potentially fighting for his Test career, added 30 for the third wicket alongside Smith before falling victim to Jansen for 17, fending in the channel and tickling behind to gloveman Kyle Verreynne. On what proved the final delivery before lunch, the dangerous Travis Head strangled a wayward delivery from Jansen down the leg side, with Verreynne holding onto a one-handed chance low to his right. The South Australian's head dropped in disbelief before he begrudgingly trudged off. As the clouds parted and the sun emerged after the break, Smith launched into a counterattack and brought up his half-century in 76 deliveries with a full-blooded cut stroke. South Africa's bowlers were considerably less disciplined in the afternoon session, often dropping short and angling down the leg side, while Wiaan Mulder was plagued by multiple front-foot no-balls. Webster was gifted an extra life on 8 after the Proteas neglected to review a plumb LBW chance from Rabada, with three red lights appearing on ball-tracking. To rub salt into the wounds, the Tasmanian benefited from Umpire's Call following an earlier LBW appeal, while Bavuma comically reviewed a delivery that missed the front pad altogether and struck the middle of Webster's bat. Part-time spinner Aiden Markram, who only boasts three Test scalps, was thrown the Dukes ball so the strike bowlers could switch ends — which proved an inadvertent masterstroke from Bavuma. Attempting to flash through the covers, Smith instead edged towards slip where Jansen held onto a juggling chance on the third attempt, with the Australian departing for 66. Wicketkeeper Alex Carey was left red-faced after botching a reverse sweep immediately after the tea interval, bowled by spinner Keshav Maharaj and throwing his wicket away for 23. The reckless dismissal exposed Australia's tail and prompted a collapse of 5-20 in 34 balls, with Rabada and Jansen ripping through the lower order. Rabada knocked over Cummins with a peach that crashed into the top of off stump before Webster departed for a career-best 72, wafting at a wide delivery and nicking towards the slips cordon. 'I thought all of us started extremely well (with the ball),' Rabada said during the innings break. 'I am just the one who got the rewards today.' Starc only needed six deliveries to unearth the first breakthrough of South Africa's innings, with opener Markram chopping back onto his stumps for a duck. The left-armed quick should have also accounted for Wiaan Mulder caught behind in the fifth over, only for Carey to inexplicably put down an absolute sitter with the gloves. Starc's disappointment was short-lived, however, with the speedster accounting for Proteas opener Ryan Rickelton a few minutes later for 16 courtesy of a sharp catch from Khawaja at first slip. Bavuma, who needed 31 balls to get off the mark, survived a marginal LBW appeal before Cummins knocked over Mulder with a full delivery that crashed into middle stump – much to Carey's relief. With less than ten minutes remaining in the day, Hazlewood ensured the Australians had the ascendancy at stumps by beating Tristan Stubbs' inside edge and toppling the young gun for 2. Australia, boasting one of the greatest bowling attacks of the modern era, is competing to become the first nation to win consecutive World Test Championship titles, while the Proteas will be desperate to lift their first major trophy since the 1998 ICC Knockout, a 27-year drought headlined by plenty of World Cup heartbreak. South Africa topped the World Test Championship standings with eight victories in 12 matches, including seven wins in a row ahead of this week's marquee fixture. The World Test Championship final resumes on Thursday at 7.30pm AEST.
News.com.au
37 minutes ago
- News.com.au
Cricket world fumes at World Test Championship final ‘disaster' as 14 wickets fall at Lord's on Day 1
Cricket fans have been left with a sour taste in their mouths as Day 1 of the highly-anticipated World Test Championship (WTC) final was punctuated by a bowler-friendly pitch with runs hard to come by. Australia was sent in to bat and quickly found themselves back in the dressing room, dismissed for just 212, as controversial South African quick Kagiso Rabada took 5/51. But at stumps South Africa was undoubtedly worse off, slumping to 4/43 in reply, trailing by 169 runs, as Mitchell Starc finished the day with figures of 2/10 in seven overs as the ball swung and bounced unpredictably. The trickle of runs made Beau Webster's 72 and Steve Smith's 66 have put the Aussies in the box seat after just a single day, as they were the only batters all day to score more than 23 runs. 'Starcy had the ball on a string,' Webster told the BBC at the close of Day 1. 'It's tricky for a batsman. Our bowling attack's been so strong. We know if we don't quite get it down with the bat, our bowlers will get it down. Outstanding effort from the boys.' However, the way the wickets are flowing the Test could be over on Day 2 or 3, much to the anger of the cricketing world, who torched the Lord's pitch. '14 wickets on Day 1 of a WTC, complete disaster. They really mucked this one up,' one fan wrote on X. 'Should have had a pitch that had gripping session by session play for a WTC Final, this is poor advert for red ball cricket,' another noted. 'This Lord's Pitch is just like Southampton 2021 WTC Final pitch. There will be movement on all days, it's pretty much bowler friendly,' a third said. 'Unfit pitch, Day 1 ruined,' a fourth added. But not all batsmen had a day to forget at Lord's with Smitch once again looking at home on the iconic English wicket. The best Test batsman of his generation scored a crucial 66 after an early Aussie collapse to take his personal tally at the home of cricket to 591 runs. It took him past legendary names like Don Bradman (551), Garry Sobers (571), and another Australian, Warren Bardsley (575), who has held the record for the most runs at Lord's by a touring player since 1926.
