Aloisi sacked after Chinese title collapse as Strikers steal WBBL thriller and Sandpapergate erupts again

John Aloisi has been dismissed by Chengdu Rongcheng, Adelaide Strikers snatched a last-ball victory in the WBBL, and the dispute over Australia's 2018 ball-tampering scandal intensified as Usman Khawaja and Mitchell Starc publicly defended opposing accounts.

Football: Aloisi pays the price for Chengdu collapse

Former Socceroo John Aloisi has been sacked by Chinese Super League club Chengdu Rongcheng following its extraordinary late-season collapse. Chengdu had been in control of the title race but collected just one point from its final five matches, losing its last four and allowing Dalian Yingbo to draw level and claim the championship on their superior head-to-head record. The club confirmed on Tuesday that Aloisi and his coaching staff would depart, ending the Australian's first season in charge.

The dismissal comes after a particularly painful conclusion to a campaign in which Chengdu had looked set to win its first Chinese Super League title. The club's final-day 3–2 defeat to Shandong Taishan proved decisive, while Dalian secured the points it needed elsewhere. Aloisi had previously enjoyed success in Australia, guiding Western United to the A-League championship, but his first overseas coaching appointment has ended in disappointment.

Socceroos: Popovic leaves door open over Jordan friendly

Tony Popovic has assured players that they will not be punished or overlooked for future Socceroos selection if they choose not to travel to Jordan for next week's friendly. The match has become contentious amid security concerns in the region and questions about its value after the postponement of the Asian Cup. The players' union, Professional Footballers Australia, has said players overwhelmingly want the fixture rescheduled or moved to another location.

Popovic said the safety of players and staff would remain the priority, while insisting that any decision to withdraw would not affect a player's future prospects with the national team. He also clarified that existing absences should not be confused with security-related withdrawals: Alex Robertson pulled out for personal reasons, while Patrick Yazbek is unavailable through injury. Football Australia continues to monitor the situation as the team prepares for its upcoming friendlies against Qatar and Jordan.

Rugby League: Kangaroos and Jillaroos name World Cup final teams

Australia has confirmed its men's and women's line-ups for Sunday's Rugby League World Cup finals against New Zealand at Lang Park. The men's Australian Kangaroos will go into the decider unchanged from the side that defeated Samoa 44–12 in the semi-final, with Latrell Mitchell and Sam Walker named among the reserves.

The bigger selection talking point came in the women's side, where coach Jess Skinner has recalled Jesse Southwell to start at five-eighth. That means Jocelyn Kelleher, who has featured prominently during the tournament, moves to the interchange bench. New Zealand's men's side has also made a notable change, recalling winger Ronaldo Mulitalo from suspension for the final.

Cricket: Khawaja and Starc offer sharply different accounts of Sandpapergate

The release of Usman Khawaja's autobiography has brought the 2018 ball-tampering scandal back into the centre of Australian cricket, with the former batter defending his claims in a televised interview and fast bowler Mitchell Starcpublicly rejecting them. Khawaja has argued that knowledge of the plan to alter the ball extended beyond the three players who were punished, and that the team should have accepted collective responsibility. Speaking on the ABC's 7.30, he denied trying to start a witch-hunt or generate publicity for his book, saying his intention was to tell his version of events and push for accountability.

Starc, speaking at a cricket season launch, maintained that he and the other bowlers did not know a foreign substance had been taken onto the field. He said his recollection remained consistent with the statement made by the bowling group in 2021, when they denied prior knowledge of the scheme. The disagreement has now reached the point where two members of the same Australian team are publicly presenting conflicting recollections of the events.

Cricket Australia has also ruled out reopening its original investigation. Chief executive Todd Greenberg said the new claims contradicted accounts provided by others involved, but that the organisation remained comfortable with the outcome of its inquiry and saw no compelling reason to revisit it. Khawaja acknowledged that the controversy could damage friendships formed during his career, particularly with current captain Pat Cummins, but said he was not seeking to inflame the situation further.

WBBL: Ecclestone wins it at the death for Adelaide

The Adelaide Strikers produced one of the season's most dramatic finishes, beating the Hobart Hurricanes by four wickets at Bellerive Oval after chasing down 139 on the final delivery. Hobart had posted 138, with captain Nicola Carey holding the innings together with an unbeaten 66 from 53 balls. It appeared the Hurricanes might have done enough to defend the total, but Adelaide kept the chase alive through the closing overs.

Needing four runs from the final ball, Adelaide's Sophie Ecclestone found the boundary off Molly Strano to seal the victory. Emma de Broughe's 41 had provided an important foundation, while contributions from Maia Bouchier and Laura Wolvaardt kept the visitors within reach throughout the chase. The result leaves Hobart with five consecutive defeats and its finals prospects in serious trouble, while Adelaide moves to two wins for the season.

WNBL: Amoore leads Perth past Bendigo

The Perth Lynx returned to winning form with a 94–84 victory over the Bendigo Spirit in Perth. Georgia Amoore was the standout performer, finishing with 27 points, six three-pointers and six assists as the Lynx overcame a spirited challenge from a depleted Bendigo line-up. Anneli Maley also made a major contribution with 14 points and 13 rebounds.

Bendigo stayed within striking distance for much of the contest despite travelling with only eight players. Marianna Tolo led the Spirit with 23 points, while Jade Melbourne recorded 21 points and 12 assists. Perth eventually pulled clear in the closing minutes, improving to 3–1 for the season and leaving Bendigo still searching for its first win at 0–5.

Horse Racing: Apprentice jockey Izzy Neale dies aged 22

The Australian racing community is mourning the death of apprentice jockey Izzy Neale, whose family confirmed on Tuesday that she had died from injuries sustained in a fall at Warren in western New South Wales on Sunday. Neale suffered serious head injuries during the Cotton Cup and was airlifted to Dubbo Hospital, where she remained in a critical condition. She was 22.

Neale had ridden 88 winners during her career and was regarded as a promising young rider. Her family said she died surrounded by loved ones and that organ donation would give others the chance of life, offering some comfort amid their loss. The announcement prompted an outpouring of tributes from across the racing industry.

Netball: World Cup organisers target record crowds in Sydney

Organisers of the 2027 Netball World Cup have set an ambitious attendance target as the first batch of tickets goes on sale. The tournament will be held in Sydney from August 25 to September 5 next year, with 64 matches and a goal of attracting 200,000 spectators across the event. Organisers are hoping to build on the legacy of the 2015 tournament, when a crowd of 16,752 watched the final and established a world attendance record for netball.

The event's organisers are aiming to turn that record into another landmark moment for the sport, with the tournament returning to the same city 12 years later. The Diamonds will enter their home World Cup under pressure after a difficult international period, but the prospect of another major tournament on Australian soil is expected to provide a significant boost for the game.