Melbourne and Carlton close the Wildcard Round after arriving through sharply contrasting final-round performances.

When: Saturday August 29, 2026 at 7:35 pm

Where: MCG

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Melbourne Demons vs Carlton Blues Odds

Melbourne Demons vs Carlton Blues Preview

The Demons surrendered their top-four opportunity in a 108-87 loss to the Western Bulldogs, despite Max Gawn compiling 28 disposals, 59 hitouts, 10 clearances and 10 score involvements. Injuries to Jake Lever and Matthew Jefferson may also leave Melbourne short of key-position options. Carlton surged into the finals by beating minor premier Fremantle 119-82, driven by five goals from Francis Evans and influential midfield displays from Jagga Smith and Sam Walsh. Carlton edged Melbourne 73-71 in their 2023 semi-final, although the Demons overturned a 43-point deficit to win their Round 3 meeting this season. The Blues’ current momentum and greater scoring depth make them the stronger selection.

Even the playing surfaces at NFL stadiums need a moment to get into regular-season form.

The Buffalo Bills are planning to replace the grass surface at Highmark Stadium before their home opener against the Detroit Lions in Week 2.

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The Buffalo News was the first to report the team’s groundskeeping plans. USA TODAY Sports has reached out to the Bills for confirmation.

The 2026 season will mark the first time the Bills are playing their home games on a grass surface – and not artificial turf – since 1972. During the entire, 53-year period in which they were tenants of Ralph Wilson Stadium, the Bills played on synthetic material. But Buffalo’s new grass field had a shaky debut when the Bills played their first preseason game of the year on Aug. 15.

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

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A first look at the new Highmark Stadium, home of the Buffalo Bills, Josh Allen

BILLS STADIUM: Thurman Thomas weighs in on Highmark Stadium uproar

On one play, backup quarterback Kyle Allen scrambled out of the pocket then took a hit as he slid down on the new grass field. During the play, The Athletic’s Tim Graham reported, a “massive clump” of grass was ripped out of the ground after the tackle.

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Starting quarterback Josh Allen was joined by teammates DJ Moore, Dion Dawkins and Spencer Brown in trying to stomp the displaced grass back into the divot after the play, Graham reported.

The Bills did not make any notable changes to the surface before their next home game: a preseason finale against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Instead, they waited until after the preseason to re-sod the field and get it prepared for Buffalo’s regular season home opener in Week 2.

The Bills will play the Texans in Houston to begin the season on Sept. 13 before returning home to face the Lions in a “Thursday Night Football” matchup on Sept. 17, where the new field of grass in the new stadium will make its debut.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Bills’ new stadium facing another hurdle ahead of home opener

Anthony Cacace will make the first defence of his WBA super-featherweight world title against Nick Ball at The 02 in Belfast on 19 December.

The 37-year-old from Belfast won the title in March with a points victory of James ‘Jazza’ Dickens in Dublin and will face another Liverpool native in former featherweight champion Ball.

Cacace’s last fight in his home city occurred in May 2023 with a defence of the IBO belt against Damian Wrzesinski on the undercard of Luis Alberto Lopez’s featherweight title victory over Michael Conlan.

Since then, he has won and then relinquished the IBF title before becoming a two-time champion at the weight with victory over Dickens which saw his record improve to 25 wins with one loss.

“Nick’s a great fighter, ex-world champion, so I expect a good scrap. He’s a hard man, so let’s do it,” Cacace told DAZN.

“I’ll fight with him, I’ll box him – whatever way he wants, so we’ll see what happens on the night. I’m really looking forward to it.

“Belfast around Christmas time is going to be jumping, so I’m looking forward to it.”

Ball is coming off his first career defeat when stopped in the final round by Brandon Figueroa in a defence of the WBA featherweight title in February.

The Liverpudlian won the title in 2024 with a points verdict over Raymond Ford, three months after his first bid for world honours ended in a draw against then-WBC champion Rey Vargas.

He fought on the same Belfast card as Cacace in 2023 when stopping Ludumo Lamati, who suffered a stroke in the ring but has since recovered, and is relishing the chance to become a two-weight champion.

“It’s a massive opportunity at a new weight,” said Ball, whose record is 23-1-1.

“He’s a solid champion, so it’s going to be a good fight. I’ll be coming, he’ll be coming, so it’s going to be a good one.”

Daniel Dubois will defend his WBO heavyweight world title against former champion Fabio Wardley in a highly anticipated rematch on 17 October at London’s O2 Arena.

Londoner Dubois, 28, dethroned Wardley with an 11th-round stoppage in a thrilling all-British showdown in Manchester in May to become a two-time world champion.

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It was announced during Saturday’s undercard of Moses Itauma’s IBF heavyweight world title fight with Filip Hrgovic, with Dubois and Wardley facing off in the ring.

Dubois said he is predicting a “dominant victory” before adding: “Let’s get it on. It’s just a war.

“When you get in the water, you’re going to get wet. We will see. Give me some of that face-to-face – boy.”

The first meeting lived up to its billing, with two of the division’s biggest punchers producing a dramatic fight that showcased the power of both men.

Wardley dropped Dubois twice early in the contest, but a bloodied Wardley absorbed heavy punishment before the referee stopped the bout.

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It was the first defeat of the 31-year-old’s professional career in his 22nd bout.

“It didn’t take long at all [to agree]. The O2 is like a home away from home for me,” Fabio Wardley said on DAZN.

“Looking forward to getting straight back into it. Going to be a rematch and going to be revenge.

“We came into the fight with all the confidence in the world, but adjustments needed to be made.”

The Ipswich fighter’s rise through the sport has been remarkable. Having only taken up boxing at the age of 19, he progressed through the unlicensed white-collar scene before reaching the top of the heavyweight division.

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Dubois, meanwhile, has experienced the full spectrum of boxing’s highs and lows.

The 26-fight veteran has suffered three defeats during his career but rebuilt himself to claim world honours twice, with his victory over Wardley marking the latest chapter in his comeback story.

The winner of the rematch could be in line for a blockbuster fight next summer against fellow Briton Itauma, provided the heavyweight prospect secures a world title of his own.

The winner of the contest between Itauma and Hrgovic will be required to face mandatory challenger Frank Sanchez.

Should Itauma – who is aiming to become the second-youngest heavyweight world champion in history after Mike Tyson – come through both fights, promoter Frank Warren has suggested a potential Wembley Stadium clash with the winner of Dubois-Wardley II next summer.

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The heavyweight division remains fragmented following Oleksandr Usyk’s decision to vacate his titles. Russian Murat Gassiev currently holds the WBA belt, while Germany’s Agit Kabayel is the WBC champion.

More boxing from the BBC

Alex Eala fires a return to Iva Jovic during the Stars of the Open event. —PHOTO FROM KEATS LONDON

Andy Roddick was playing fellow legend Roger Federer in a special fan event as a drum-up to the US Open when he looked at the stands and saw Alex Eala sitting there.

“I saw [you] and I said [to myself], ‘If I had her groundstrokes, I would win this set,’” Roddick told Eala during a live recording of his popular podcast, “Served.”

Eala, laughing, shot back: “If I had your serve, I would win [a lot].”

The exchange between the rising star from the Philippines and the well-loved American legend was a snapshot of how comfortable Eala has grown with her skyrocketing fame—and how expertly she’s been navigating through it despite her relative youth.

“[E]verything that has been coming my way is continuously uncharted territory for me. So, I’m experiencing a lot of things for the first time,” Eala told Roddick during the show. “And … it’s been a journey to learn my relationship with the fame, … the exposure. I understand the importance of what I represent, who I represent, what values I carry on court [and] the culture I carry on court. But at the same time, it was important for me to understand that it’s the culture that’s important, and it’s what I represent that’s important, and it’s not so much just me as an individual.”

“I think a reason also why I have such a big following is because people see themselves in me. So, I’m representing those people, and it’s not really just me on the stage.”

Her comfort level and her maturity when it comes to handling that fame will be important as she kicks off her US Open bid on Monday, when she battles Mary Stoiana (11 p.m., Manila time).

Eala has kept herself busy in the days leading to that matchup, playing mixed doubles with Felix Auger-Aliassime and then headlining another US Open fan-favorite event, the Stars of the Open exhibition. All her appearances, even during the Roddick podcast, proved the strength of her drawing power.

And in New York, that power will get amplified. The US Open site in the Flushing Meadows is about a 15- to 20-minute train ride from Woodside, which has a strong Filipino presence. Queens itself is home to a huge number of immigrants from the Philippines, guaranteeing jam-packed arenas for Eala’s matches.

That kind of spotlight heat could make a normal 21-year-old wilt.

But time and again, Eala has proven she is no ordinary 21-year-old.

“I think I’ve experienced so much growth in the past year and so many milestones in my career,” the world No. 18 said during the pretournament press conference. “I think there are so many lessons in particular in terms of … work ethic, obviously being in this environment a lot more.”

And while people have recognized the things she has done for tennis, not just for the Philippines but for the sport in general with the new audiences she has been drawing in, Eala brushed off the suggestion.

“[E]very single WTA player and every single ATP player has contributed to the world of tennis and its history just by being here and by putting in the work every single day,” Eala said. “So although there are certain things like the media and the things that you mentioned that make me stand out, I think that I’m a drop in the ocean when it comes to these things. And the more I’m on tour, the more I learn about the history. Of course, this year, having had the pleasure to play doubles twice with Venus, I’ve learned a lot about her mentality on court, but also things about how she championed equal prize money with her sister and things like that.”

“And maybe the regular player on tour who’s not so exposed [in] the media, what they’ve had to work towards and what they’ve had to work through to get to where they are now is so inspiring in itself. So there are so many stories behind the scenes that you might not even realize. So that really keeps me humble.”

“It keeps me motivated to work harder and … stay among these incredible people.” INQ

Suncorp Stadium will play host to Thursday’s
Round 26 NRL game between Brisbane Broncos and
Melbourne Storm. The game kicks off at 7:50 pm with Melbourne Storm heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Brisbane Broncos vs.
Melbourne Storm
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Thursday August 27, 2026 at 7:50 pm

Where: Suncorp Stadium

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Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm Odds

Brisbane Broncos vs Melbourne Storm Preview

Brisbane returns to Suncorp Stadium after a spirited 34-30 upset of Canberra, but its home record remains a concern after eight consecutive defeats at the venue. Melbourne’s 22-14 loss to Penrith ended its finals hopes, giving this rematch of last year’s grand final an unfamiliar late-season setting. Jahrome Hughes returns from a hamstring injury, allowing the Storm to shift Tyran Wishart into the centres, while Brisbane has retained the group that beat the Raiders. Adam Reynolds remains unavailable for a farewell appearance. The Broncos won the Round 3 meeting 18-14 and have shown they can disrupt Melbourne through the middle, yet the return of Hughes alongside Cameron Munster and Harry Grant should restore enough organisation for the Storm to finish the stronger side.

NEW YORK (AP) — Novak Djokovic never likes to get eliminated early in a tournament. In this case, he is looking on the bright side.

The 39-year-old who holds the record with 24 Grand Slam titles goes into the U.S. Open fresh off losing his first match at the Cincinnati Open earlier this month. That was his first action since Wimbledon, but he is at peace with the outcome.

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“It gave me time to be preparing for U.S. Open in a most adequate way,” Djokovic said Saturday. “I had almost few weeks, actually two weeks, to really train and get my body and mind into the right state, prepared for what’s coming up.”

Seeded fourth, Djokovic begins his quest for a 25th Grand Slam championship — and fifth in Flushing Meadows — against 48th-ranked Mariano Navone on Sunday night inside Arthur Ashe Stadium. Despite being a sizable favorite, he is not looking past Navone.

“Let’s see how it goes,” Djokovic said. “The opening matches are always for me, particularly in the last few years, quite challenging. So, hopefully I can overcome the first hurdle and build from there.”

Djokovic has played in just 16 tournaments this year, the fewest of anyone ranked in the top 95 on the ATP Tour. He reached the semifinals at Wimbledon before losing to Jannik Sinner, was out in the round of 32 at the French Open and made it to the Australian Open final, where he lost to Carlos Alcaraz.

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This will be Djokovic’s 20th appearance in the U.S. Open as he joins Jimmy Connors, Andre Agassi and Feliciano Lopez as the only players to hit that milestone in men’s singles.

“I’m very proud of that,” Djokovic said. “Obviously, longevity was always one of the goals when I was younger: trying to have long career, trying to have more shots at Grand Slam and stay healthy long enough so that I can perform for as many years as possible.”

The only one he has missed since debuting in 2005 was 2017 because of a right elbow injury. He won it in 2011, ’15, ’18 and most recently in ’23.

Djokovic played his first U.S. Open match — a five-set marathon — against Gael Monfils, who is planning to retire but is also in the field at least one more time.

“Here we are 20 years later,” Djokovic said. “We’re both still grinding and representing the older generation.”

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See AP’s full tennis coverage here

Martin Demichelis could scarcely have asked for a better introduction to competitive football at the Red Bull Arena. The new RB Leipzig head coach celebrated his first Bundesliga match on home soil with an emphatic 3-0 victory over Borussia Mönchengladbach.

For Demichelis, however, the occasion carried significance beyond the result. The former Bayern Munich defender has repeatedly spoken of what it means to him to return to Germany as the Bundesliga’s first Argentine head coach, and Saturday’s reception from the Leipzig supporters clearly left its mark.

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Demichelis thanked both the home crowd and those working around the team after the victory, while admitting that the experience had left him emotional. The 45-year-old nevertheless quickly turned his attention back toward the work ahead, stressing that one successful afternoon represented only the beginning of a much longer assignment.

Demichelis thanks Leipzig fans for an “unforgettable day”

“First of all, I just want to say that I’ll never forget this day,” Demichelis remarked in his opening statement. “I already noted in my first press conference that it’s an absolute dream for me to be a Bundesliga head coach. Thanks to the choreography from our fans in our stadium, I won’t forget this day. It was a great performance from our team. Three points. Three goals.”

“In the final analysis, everything went super,” Demichelis continued. “Accordingly, I’m very happy. A big compliment to the lads and the [club] staff. They’ve all done quite a lot in recent days. What else can I say other than ‘Thank you very much’!”

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“Simply awesome,” Demichelis answered in response to a later general question about his first competitive match in the Red Bull Arena. “Everything was just awesome. That’s why I said at the beginning [of the press conference] that I wouldn’t forget this [day]. I was very emotional at one point because, as I’ve noted before, it’s not easy being the first Argentine head coach in the Bundesliga.”

“I’m very happy and proud,” Demichelis continued. “But it will still be a difficult task to put together a good season. It’s my responsibility to do my best in the role every day. For me, the work remains a ‘one day at a time’ assignment.”

GGFN | Peter Weis