Kangaroos and Jillaroos book World Cup finals, Payne claims Supercars top seed, Kings overturn 21-point deficit

Both the Kangaroos and Jillaroos overcame their respective semi-final opponents to set up blockbuster clashes with New Zealand next weekend. There was also a dramatic conclusion to the Supercars regular season at Sandown, where Matt Payne secured victory and the number-one seed for the Adelaide championship decider. Elsewhere, Sydney Kings produced an extraordinary comeback in the NBL, Cairns Taipans continued Perth's miserable run of form, and the two unbeaten teams in the WBBL both strengthened their positions with convincing victories. The AFLW finals also continued, with Sydney and Hawthorn progressing through their elimination finals.

Rugby League — Kangaroos and Jillaroos set up double World Cup finals against New Zealand

Australia will feature in both the men's and women's Rugby League World Cup finals after the Kangaroos and Jillaroos secured victories in Sunday's semi-final double-header at Allianz Stadium in Sydney. The two results set up a remarkable trans-Tasman double-header next Sunday at Brisbane's Suncorp Stadium, with both Australian teams facing their New Zealand counterparts for the world titles.

Walsh hat-trick headlines dominant Kangaroos performance

The men's side produced its most convincing performance of the tournament, defeating Samoa 44-12 to book a place in the final. After a relatively inconsistent group stage, the defending champions looked considerably more settled against the Samoans, establishing a commanding 26-2 advantage by half-time. Tom Dearden opened the scoring before Jacob Preston, Tom Trbojevic and Bradman Best also crossed during a dominant first-half performance. However, the biggest individual story belonged to fullback Reece Walsh, who scored a magnificent hat-trick.

Walsh was particularly dangerous when supporting the work of five-eighth Cameron Munster, whose combination with Dearden helped Australia repeatedly exploit the Samoan defensive line. Samoa briefly threatened to make a contest of it after the interval, with Stephen Crichton scoring following a Walsh handling error and Izack Tago adding another try. But Australia responded almost immediately, with Walsh completing his hat-trick before winger Jack Bostock crossed late to complete the scoring. Munster contributed six conversions in an outstanding performance with the boot.

The victory was played in front of 41,259 spectators and represents an important statement from Kevin Walters' side ahead of the final. Australia will now meet New Zealand in a rematch of their opening-round encounter, which the Kangaroos won by just two points.

Jillaroos survive enormous Fiji scare

The women's semi-final proved considerably more difficult for Australia, with the Jillaroos eventually overcoming a spirited Fiji Bulikula side 30-14. Fiji, competing in its first-ever Women's Rugby League World Cup semi-final, produced a remarkable opening period and threatened one of the biggest upsets in the tournament's history. Luisa Yaranamua was outstanding for the underdogs, scoring a try and converting it after initially opening the scoring with a penalty goal. The Bulikula raced to an 8-0 lead, with Australia struggling to handle their physical defence and aggressive line speed.

Abbi Church eventually got the Jillaroos on the scoreboard, while Tamika Upton's try brought the match level at 8-8 heading into half-time. Australia gradually asserted its superiority after the interval, with Church proving almost impossible to contain. The winger finished with four tries and 205 running metres, including a spectacular late effort in which she collected a kick and sprinted away from several defenders. Jaime Chapman and Upton also contributed important tries as the Jillaroos eventually established some breathing room. Fiji managed a late consolation through Maria Paseka, but Church's fourth try ensured there would be no dramatic finish.

The performance was an enormous achievement for Fiji, whose tournament debutants pushed the defending champions considerably harder than many expected. For Australia, the victory sets up a fifth consecutive Women's World Cup final against New Zealand. Both finals will take place next Sunday in Brisbane, providing Australian rugby league supporters with an opportunity to see their national teams compete for two major international titles on home soil.

Supercars — Payne wins Sandown finale as Adelaide championship field is confirmed

Matt Payne has secured the number-one seed for the 2026 Supercars championship decider after winning Sunday's second race at the Sandown 500. The Grove Racing driver held off Anton De Pasquale to win the 79-lap contest by just 0.739 seconds, completing an important weekend for the championship leader. Payne started from pole position and managed to maintain his advantage throughout the race, despite considerable pressure from De Pasquale. The Team 18 driver remained within striking distance for much of the contest but was unable to find a way past, ultimately finishing second.

Cooper Murray enjoyed another excellent performance for PremiAir Racing, claiming third place and a significant career milestone with his maiden Supercars podium. The biggest story, however, was the battle for the remaining places in the championship's four-driver Adelaide Grand Final. With Brodie Kostecki having already secured qualification, three places remained available heading into Sunday's race. Payne's victory guaranteed him a position, while Broc Feeney and defending champion Chaz Mostert also survived the elimination round. Mostert produced an important recovery drive, climbing from 11th on the grid to finish fifth and preserve his championship defence. De Pasquale's second-place finish was ultimately insufficient. He missed the final four by just 17 championship points, despite pushing Payne throughout the race. Will Brown and Cam Waters were also eliminated after difficult weekends.

The four championship contenders are now confirmed:

• Matt Payne: Grove Racing.

• Brodie Kostecki: Dick Johnson Racing.

• Broc Feeney: Triple Eight.

• Chaz Mostert: Team 18.

  
  

Payne will carry a 30-point advantage over Kostecki into the Adelaide Grand Final, scheduled for November 26-29.

AFLW — Swans and Hawks advance as Bulldogs and Suns eliminated

Sydney overpower Bulldogs in wet-weather contest

The Sydney Swans secured a convincing 46-17 victory over the Western Bulldogs at Henson Park. Conditions deteriorated considerably throughout the contest, with torrential rain arriving during the third quarter and making clean possession increasingly difficult. Sydney adapted better to the conditions and gradually established control through its defensive pressure and contested-ball work. Chloe Molloy was once again central to the Swans' performance.

The league's leading goalkicker was surprisingly deployed in defence for portions of the match, where she produced an outstanding performance featuring 12 intercepts and 14 contested possessions. Molloy also contributed a goal as Sydney restricted the Bulldogs to just two majors. The Swans eventually secured a 29-point victory and will now travel to face Geelong in next weekend's semi-finals.

Hawthorn secure first-ever AFLW finals victory

Hawthorn have finally broken their AFLW finals hoodoo, defeating Gold Coast 57-39 at People First Stadium. The Hawks entered half-time trailing by three points but produced a dominant third quarter to turn the match in their favour. They kicked five goals to two after the main break, with Eliza West particularly influential around the stoppages. West finished with 29 disposals and a goal, while Laura Stone contributed 21 possessions and two goals.

The victory is a significant milestone for Hawthorn, which had previously suffered consecutive straight-sets exits in the 2024 and 2025 finals series. They will now face Carlton in next Saturday's semi-final. Gold Coast's campaign is over, although the club will also be concerned about a late knee injury suffered by young player Ava Usher.

Cricket — Sixers and Scorchers maintain unbeaten WBBL starts

Gardner and Perry power Sixers past Thunder

The Sydney Sixers have continued their outstanding start to the competition, defeating cross-town rivals Sydney Thunder by nine runs under the Duckworth-Lewis-Stern method in a rain-affected Sydney derby. The match was reduced to 16 overs per side at North Sydney Oval, but that proved more than enough time for Ashleigh Gardner to produce one of the innings of the tournament. Gardner smashed an unbeaten 64 from just 25 deliveries, including five fours and five sixes.

Her half-century arrived in only 18 balls, equalling the second-fastest fifty in WBBL history.

She received excellent support from Ellyse Perry, who finished unbeaten on 59 from 41 deliveries. The pair combined to propel the Sixers to 2-162, an imposing total in a shortened contest. Thunder's chase was considerably more competitive than the final margin suggests.

Laura Harris produced a remarkable burst of power hitting, scoring 35 from just 10 balls, while Nadine de Klerk contributed 30. However, teenage Sixers bowler Caoimhe Bray was instrumental in preventing the Thunder from completing the chase.

Bray finished with 4-28, but her most memorable contribution came in the field. In one of the more extraordinary catches of the tournament, the 17-year-old leapt beyond the boundary rope to catch a ball that appeared destined to clear the fence, throwing it back into play before teammate Lauren Cheatle completed the dismissal. The Sixers eventually dismissed the Thunder for 158, securing their fourth consecutive victory. Sydney now sit alongside Perth as the competition's two undefeated teams.

Devine destroys Stars as Scorchers cruise to victory

The Perth Scorchers maintained their unbeaten record with a comprehensive six-wicket victory over Melbourne Stars at North Sydney Oval. After being sent in to bat, the Stars posted 136-6, with captain Meg Lanning top-scoring with 56 from 46 deliveries. Perth's bowling attack generally kept the scoring under control, although the Stars managed to accelerate during the closing overs. The Scorchers' response was dominated by Sophie Devine, who produced an explosive innings of 55 from just 24 deliveries.

The New Zealand all-rounder reached her half-century in only 21 balls, recording the fastest fifty of her WBBL career. Beth Mooney also contributed 28 from 24 deliveries as Perth raced towards the target. The Scorchers eventually reached 137-4 in just 15 overs, completing the chase with five overs remaining. It was another impressive performance from a Perth side that has looked increasingly dangerous throughout the opening rounds. Both the Scorchers and Sixers now boast four victories from four matches, establishing an early gap between themselves and the chasing pack.

NBL — Kings recover from 21-point deficit as Taipans inflict fourth straight Wildcats defeat

Kings turn disastrous opening into 11-point victory

The Sydney Kings have reclaimed top spot on the NBL ladder after defeating South East Melbourne Phoenix 110-99 at Afterpay Arena. The result looked extremely unlikely during the opening stages. The Phoenix came out firing, scoring 21 of the first 23 points and establishing a remarkable 30-9 advantage midway through the opening quarter. Their perimeter shooting was particularly impressive, with seven three-pointers finding the target during the opening five minutes. However, Sydney gradually found its rhythm and completely transformed the contest.

The Kings outscored the Phoenix 45-21 over the remainder of the first half, turning their 21-point deficit into a three-point half-time lead. They continued their momentum after the interval, extending their advantage to 17 points late in the third quarter. South East Melbourne made one final attempt to recover, reducing the margin to four points with five minutes remaining. However, Sydney responded with an eight-point run to regain control and eventually secure an 11-point victory.

Kendric Davis led the Kings with 28 points and nine assists, while Torrey Craig added 23 points. Xavier Cooks also produced an important contribution with 15 points and 14 rebounds. For the Phoenix, Nathan Sobey was outstanding despite the defeat, finishing with 33 points. The victory moves Sydney back into first place, while the Phoenix will be disappointed after failing to maintain their extraordinary opening momentum.

McVeigh leads Cairns to important road victory

The Cairns Taipans have recorded an important 100-92 victory over Perth Wildcats at RAC Arena, extending the home side's losing streak to four matches. Jack McVeigh was virtually unstoppable, producing an outstanding performance featuring 36 points, eight three-pointers, six rebounds and four assists. The Australian international was particularly effective during the first half, scoring 23 points as Cairns established a five-point advantage. Jaylon Brown provided excellent support with 22 points, while veteran guard Shaun Bruce contributed 14. Cairns gradually extended its advantage after half-time, eventually leading by as many as 13 points. Perth made several attempts to get back into the contest, reducing the deficit to five points during the closing stages, but the Taipans repeatedly found important baskets whenever the home side threatened.

Elijah Pepper led Perth with 26 points, while Kristian Doolittle added 20. The result improves Cairns to 7-6 for the season, while Perth drops to 5-6 after suffering four consecutive defeats. There was also further disciplinary news from the competition, with Nick Rakocevic, Makur Maker and Will Hickey referred to the NBL Game Review Panel following the altercation that marred Saturday's Adelaide-Illawarra match.

Football — Roar steal dramatic late victory over Macarthur

Brisbane Roar have maintained their unbeaten start to the A-League Men season after defeating Macarthur FC 2-1 in a dramatic finish at Campbelltown Sports Stadium. The match appeared destined for a draw before Justin Vidic produced a late winner in stoppage time. Brisbane had taken the lead shortly after half-time through Sabit Ngor, who capitalised on a defensive opportunity to put the visitors ahead. Macarthur responded in the 64th minute when Apostolos Stamatelopoulos converted after Musa Toure helped create the opportunity. Both sides subsequently pushed for a winner, but it was Brisbane that found the decisive breakthrough.

Vidic received the ball inside the penalty area and created enough space to produce an angled finish past goalkeeper Alex Robinson. The goal was initially ruled offside before a VAR review overturned the decision, allowing Brisbane to celebrate an important three points. The victory moves the Roar into third position, with the Queenslanders remaining one of only two unbeaten sides in the competition. Macarthur, meanwhile, have suffered their first defeat of the campaign. The contest also produced an alarming incident involving Brisbane defender Milorad Stajic. After suffering a head knock during the first half, Stajic returned to the field despite medical staff apparently intending to keep him off following their assessment.

He was subsequently involved in a confrontation with Macarthur captain Liam Rose before being substituted. The incident prompted considerable confusion among players and coaching staff, with questions likely to be asked about the handling of concussion protocols. It was an otherwise important afternoon for Brisbane, who continue to demonstrate an ability to find late goals under coach Michael Valkanis.

Football — Late drama in Australian Championship as Avondale and Lions claim victories

The Australian Championship continued on Sunday with two group-stage matches, producing contrasting victories for Avondale and Queensland Lions. Avondale recorded a dramatic 2-1 victory over Adelaide City, recovering from a second-half deficit through a late double from Jaushua Sotirio. Adelaide City had taken the lead through Daniele Bressan in the 66th minute and appeared on course for an important away victory. However, Sotirio converted a penalty in the 87th minute before finding the winner in stoppage time to complete a remarkable turnaround.

The other match saw Queensland Lions produce an impressive 4-2 away victory over South Hobart. The visitors established a commanding four-goal advantage through Liam Ponting, Godfrey Debele, Alex Fiechtner and Rahmat Akbari. South Hobart managed two late consolation goals, but the damage had already been done. The results provide important momentum for both Queensland Lions and Avondale as the competition's group-stage battles continue.