Kostecki storms into Supercars finale, Demons produce AFLW comeback as Heat and Renegades claim WBBL victories

Australian sport delivered a busy Saturday, with Brodie Kostecki securing his place in the Supercars championship decider after a dramatic Sandown 500 victory, Melbourne producing a remarkable comeback in the AFLW finals and two WBBL matches delivering contrasting stories of individual brilliance and late resistance. There was plenty happening across the basketball courts too, with Melbourne United recording a commanding NBL victory over Brisbane and Adelaide handing Illawarra a heavy defeat. In football, Perth Glory and Melbourne City both collected important victories, while the Australian Championship continued to produce intriguing contests outside the traditional professional leagues.

Supercars — Kostecki wins Sandown thriller to book Adelaide Grand Final place

Brodie Kostecki has become the first driver to secure a place in the 2026 Supercars championship decider after winning Saturday's opening 250-kilometre race at the Sandown 500. The Dick Johnson Racing driver produced an outstanding performance to take his ninth victory of the season, overcoming a difficult battle with championship contenders Will Brown and Cam Waters before pulling away during the closing stages. Kostecki eventually crossed the line 5.3 seconds ahead of championship leader Matt Payne, with Waters completing the podium.

The race had initially appeared to be Payne's to lose. Starting from pole position, the Penrite Racing driver established a comfortable advantage and looked capable of controlling proceedings. However, the complexion of the contest changed dramatically on lap 13 when Aaron Cameron's Blanchard Racing Team Mustang erupted into flames near Turn 4. Cameron managed to pull the burning car safely off the circuit and escape unharmed, but the resulting safety car brought forward the compulsory pit stops and completely reshuffled the running order. Payne lost the lead during the stops, while Kostecki emerged in contention alongside Brown.

The two drivers subsequently engaged in an intense battle, with Kostecki eventually making his decisive move on lap 36. Brown attempted to fight back but locked his rear wheels and spun, dropping to the back of the field. Kostecki then took the lead from Waters on lap 43 and gradually established an advantage that Payne was unable to overcome. The result guarantees Kostecki a place in the Adelaide Grand Final, where the championship will ultimately be decided. Payne remains in control of the standings, holding a 42-point advantage over Kostecki, but Sunday's second Sandown race will determine the remaining three automatic qualifiers. There was further disappointment for Triple Eight's Brown, who finished 20th after his spin and a subsequent penalty. Broc Feeney also endured a difficult afternoon, finishing 11th.

AFLW — Demons produce stunning comeback as North Melbourne cruise into preliminary final

The AFLW finals series opened with two compelling qualifying finals at IKON Park, with Melbourne and North Melbourne both securing preliminary final places. The biggest story belonged to Melbourne Demons, who overturned a substantial deficit to defeat Geelong 8.8 (56) to 8.4 (52) in a remarkable finish. The Geelong Cats appeared firmly in control for much of the contest, opening up a 28-point advantage during the third quarter. Georgie Prespakis was particularly influential during the opening half, helping Geelong establish control around the stoppages and create repeated scoring opportunities.

However, Melbourne gradually worked its way back into the contest through Liv Purcell and Tyla Hanks, with the Demons beginning to win more of the midfield battle. Alyssa Bannan helped spark the final-quarter revival, while veteran Paxy Paxman produced the decisive moment by snapping a goal to put Melbourne in front. Geelong still had one final opportunity to steal the victory. Chloe Scheer marked inside scoring range with approximately 15 seconds remaining, but her set shot drifted wide, allowing Melbourne to escape with a four-point victory. The result sends the Demons directly into the preliminary finals and gives them a week to recover before their next match.

Kangaroos overpower Carlton

The day's other qualifying final was considerably less competitive, with North Melbourne producing a dominant 49-13 victory over Carlton. The North Melbourne Kangaroos were held goalless during the opening quarter but completely took control in the second, kicking four goals to establish a commanding advantage. They eventually finished with seven individual goalkickers, demonstrating the attacking depth that has made them such a formidable opponent throughout the competition.

The 36-point victory moves North Melbourne one step closer to a third consecutive AFLW premiership and extends its remarkable run of consecutive preliminary final appearances to five. There was one concern for the Kangaroos, however, with forward Alice O'Loughlin leaving the field during the final quarter with a knee injury. Carlton will now host the winner of Sunday's elimination final between Gold Coast and Hawthorn, while Geelong will face the winner of Sydney and the Western Bulldogs.

Cricket — Heat win again as O'Neill rescues Brisbane against Hurricanes

Brisbane Heat have continued their resurgence in the Women's Big Bash League, defeating Hobart Hurricanes by four wickets at Allan Border Field to secure consecutive victories. The Heat's bowling attack did most of the early damage, restricting Hobart to 9-116 from its 20 overs. Nineteen-year-old Lily Bassingthwaighte was particularly impressive, claiming 3-16, including the early dismissals of Lizelle Lee, Kate Pelle and Chamari Athapaththu. Hobart struggled at 3-14 during the opening stages before Rachel Trenaman, Heather Graham and Maddy Green helped stabilise the innings.

However, the Hurricanes never managed to establish a substantial partnership, leaving Brisbane with a relatively modest target. The Heat initially looked comfortable during their chase, with Grace Harris scoring 24 and Yastika Bhatia contributing 22. A middle-order collapse then threatened to undo the good work, with Brisbane slipping to 6-89 and suddenly facing an uncomfortable finish. Annie O'Neill ultimately provided the necessary composure, remaining unbeaten on 32 from 28 deliveries to guide Brisbane home alongside Sianna Ginger. The Heat reached 119-6 in 18.2 overs, completing the victory with 10 balls remaining. The result represents Brisbane's second consecutive win after a difficult start to the campaign, while the defending champions from Hobart remain without a victory.

Wareham and Webb power Renegades past Strikers

Melbourne Renegades produced one of their strongest batting performances in recent WBBL history, defeating Adelaide Strikers by 36 runs at Junction Oval. The Renegades posted an imposing 3-188 after a remarkable late acceleration led by Georgia Wareham and Courtney Webb. Hayley Matthews initially provided the platform with 49 from 32 deliveries, but the innings really took off during an unbroken partnership between Wareham and Webb. Wareham was particularly destructive, finishing unbeaten on 73 from just 31 balls, while Webb contributed 52 not out from 42 deliveries. Their fourth-wicket partnership produced 109 runs, helping Melbourne register its best WBBL total in five years.

Adelaide's response began positively, with Maia Bouchier scoring 54 from 38 deliveries. However, the Strikers gradually lost momentum as the required run rate increased. The decisive moment came during Tayla Vlaeminck's 17th over, when the returning fast bowler produced a double-wicket maiden that effectively ended Adelaide's hopes. The Strikers eventually finished on 8-152, leaving the Renegades comfortable winners. For Wareham, the performance was a career-best WBBL innings and another reminder of her value as an all-rounder.

NBL — United dismantle Bullets as Adelaide hand Hawks heavy defeat

Melbourne United have extended their winning streak to four matches after producing a commanding 120-92 victory over Brisbane Bullets at John Cain Arena. United's imports once again proved too much for the opposition, with Cole Anthony and Josh Oduro combining for an extraordinary 60 points. Anthony led all scorers with 32 points and six assists, converting 13 of his 14 field-goal attempts. Oduro was equally impressive, recording 28 points and 14 rebounds as Melbourne consistently exploited its advantage around the basket.

United established control early, taking a 12-point lead into the first break before extending the margin to 23 during the second quarter. Brisbane managed to remain competitive during the third period, reducing the deficit to 10 points at one stage, but Melbourne's superior depth eventually proved decisive. The home side produced a devastating 37-19 final quarter to complete the 28-point victory. Tom Wilson also made an important contribution off the bench, scoring 13 points without missing a field goal.

For Brisbane, Lat Mayen led the way with 15 points, while Mitch Norton and Nate Hinton both contributed 13. The result gives Melbourne four consecutive victories and strengthens its position among the competition's leading teams.

Adelaide overpower Illawarra in heated contest

The Adelaide 36ers have returned to winning form in emphatic fashion, defeating the Illawarra Hawks 106-78 at the Adelaide Entertainment Centre. Zylan Cheatham was the standout performer, recording the first triple-double of the NBL season with 21 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists. Bryce Cotton also delivered an outstanding performance, scoring 22 points, including 17 during a dominant third quarter. Adelaide entered half-time with a 49-37 advantage before completely taking control after the interval. The 36ers scored 36 points in the third quarter, extending their lead to 25 and effectively putting the contest beyond reach.

Nick Rakocevic also impressed with 20 points and 16 rebounds, giving Adelaide a substantial advantage inside. The match became increasingly heated during the final quarter, with an altercation involving Makur Maker and Rakocevic eventually spilling towards the Illawarra bench. Maker was ejected following the incident, while Adelaide continued to extend its advantage. The 36ers will be pleased with the response after their recent defeat to Brisbane, while the Hawks will be disappointed with the manner in which the contest slipped away.

Football — Perth and Melbourne City collect important A-League victories

Kucharski double inspires Glory

Perth Glory have continued their improving form with a 2-1 victory over Newcastle Jets at HBF Park. Jaiden Kucharski was the difference between the sides, scoring twice to give Perth its second consecutive victory. The 24-year-old opened the scoring six minutes before half-time with a powerful long-range effort that gave Newcastle goalkeeper James Delianov little chance. He then doubled the advantage just three minutes after the restart, cutting inside before producing another excellent finish from outside the penalty area. Newcastle struggled to find a response until the closing stages, when substitute Nikolaos Vergos pulled one back in the 90th minute. However, Perth held on to secure all three points and move into the top four. The result represents another encouraging performance for Adam Griffiths' side, which has now collected back-to-back victories after its disappointing opening to the season.

City overcome Wanderers despite late pressure

Melbourne City have also recorded consecutive A-League Men victories, defeating Western Sydney Wanderers 2-1 at AAMI Park. Brazilian midfielder Matheus Rossetto enjoyed an excellent debut, opening the scoring inside four minutes with an early strike. The Wanderers responded just before half-time through Nicolas Milanović, who brought the visitors level after a promising attacking passage. Andrew Nabbout restored City's advantage in the 62nd minute, finishing a move created by Julio Cascante. City's task became considerably more difficult shortly afterwards when Awer Mabil was sent off for violent conduct. The home side were forced to defend their advantage with 10 men for the remaining 25 minutes, but produced a disciplined performance to secure the victory.

Elsewhere, Auckland FC and Wellington Phoenix played out a 0-0 draw in their New Zealand derby. Auckland enjoyed more possession and created the better opportunities, but Wellington's defensive organisation proved difficult to break down.

A-League Women — Roar end Victory's unbeaten start

There was also plenty happening in the women's competition, with Brisbane Roar producing an impressive 2-0 victory over Melbourne Victory. Murphy Agnew opened the scoring in the 36th minute before turning provider for Maja Markovski, who headed home in first-half stoppage time. Victory pushed hard after the interval but were unable to find a way past Brisbane goalkeeper Chloe Lincoln, who made five saves. The result ends Victory's unbeaten start to the season.

Canberra United also secured an important away victory, defeating Perth Glory 1-0 through an Emily Condon goal in the 55th minute. The result ended Perth's unbeaten start and its run of more than 300 minutes without conceding. Meanwhile, Central Coast Mariners and Newcastle Jets shared the points in a 1-1 F3 Derby draw. Skye Halmarick gave the Mariners an early lead before Tamar Levin equalised for Newcastle in the second half.

Football — Australian Championship produces busy round of results

The Australian Championship continued on Saturday with four matches across the national competition, providing another opportunity for clubs outside the A-League to make their mark. Wests APIA recorded one of the more significant results, defeating Broadmeadow Magic 2-1 to move to the top of their group. M. Walters opened the scoring in the 29th minute before Broadmeadow equalised through R. Smith shortly after half-time. J. Segreto ultimately secured the victory for Wests APIA with a 74th-minute goal.

Bayswater City also produced an impressive performance, defeating Marconi Stallions 4-1 away from home. Preston Lions claimed a valuable 2-1 victory over Wollongong Wolves, scoring twice in the final 12 minutes to overturn the home side's advantage. The day's remaining contest between South Melbourne and Sutherland Sharks finished goalless after 90 minutes. South Melbourne subsequently prevailed 6-5 in the penalty shootout.

Tennis — Hijikata's extraordinary Paris run ends in quarter-final heartbreak

Australian tennis player Rinky Hijikata has fallen just short of a place in the Paris Masters semi-finals, losing a dramatic three-set encounter against Frenchman Luca Van Assche. The 25-year-old was defeated 6-4, 6-7 (4-7), 7-5 after a match lasting approximately two hours and 45 minutes. Hijikata had looked capable of producing another major upset, recovering from the opening-set loss before taking the second set in a tiebreak. He then made an excellent start to the deciding set, establishing a 2-0 advantage and putting the Frenchman under considerable pressure.

However, Van Assche gradually worked his way back into the contest, using his defensive consistency to force Hijikata into increasingly difficult situations. The Frenchman eventually secured the decisive break and held his nerve to close out the match. Despite the defeat, it has been an outstanding week for Hijikata. His victory over 24-time Grand Slam champion Novak Djokovic earlier in the tournament attracted considerable attention, while subsequent wins helped him reach his first ATP Masters 1000 quarter-final. The run will also have significant benefits for his ranking, with Hijikata set to enter the world's top 60 and become Australia's second-ranked men's player behind Alex de Minaur. For a player who has spent much of his career outside the sport's highest profile, the Paris campaign represents an important breakthrough.