MCG will play host to Sunday’s
Round 19 AFL game between Richmond Tigers and
Hawthorn Hawks. The game kicks off at 1:10 pm with Hawthorn Hawks heading into the game as favourites with the bookmakers. Continue reading for our in-depth preview of the Richmond Tigers vs.
Hawthorn Hawks
game and give you our free tips and bets.

When: Sunday July 19, 2026 at 1:10 pm

Where: MCG

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Richmond Tigers vs Hawthorn Hawks Odds

Richmond Tigers vs Hawthorn Hawks Preview

Hawthorn will look to maintain its push towards the top four when it meets Richmond at the MCG in a clash that pits one of the competition’s form sides against a rebuilding Tigers outfit. The Hawks returned to form with an emphatic win over Carlton last week, boosted by the return of experienced defender Jarman Impey, while Nick Watson and Josh Weddle add further depth at an important stage of the season.

Richmond has shown encouraging signs despite another difficult campaign, but recent history favours Hawthorn, which has won the last three meetings by an average margin of more than 50 points. With the Hawks continuing to build momentum and their attacking weapons beginning to click, they will be confident of extending that record and strengthening their finals position.

Rory McIlroy unloaded one of his biggest shots of the day on Saturday at The Open during the press conference.

McIlroy, 37, unloaded on Bryson DeChambeau when asked about his conduct on Friday after the 32-year-old was assessed a two-stroke penalty after a lengthy and heated interaction with rules officials well after the round.

“I won’t pretend to be up here and defend Bryson,” McIlroy told reporters after shooting a 1-under 69 in the third round. “I’m not particularly fond of him. I think a lot of it is performative. I think a lot of it’s for attention.”

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(Left) Rory McIlroy watches his shot from the ninth tee during the second round of The Open Championship golf tournament at Royal Birkdale in Southport, England. July 17, 2026. (Right) Bryson DeChambeau looks on from the first green during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament in Southampton, New York, on June 18, 2026. (Bill Streicher/Imagn Images; Bill Streicher/Imagn Images)

“To hold the tournament hostage like that,” McIlroy continued, “and to have all of us — players, volunteers, everyone — waiting on him to depart, I didn’t feel like it was a great look.”

The reigning two-time Masters champion said he had no doubts that DeChambeau improved the line for his backswing; and that his actions “didn’t seem right.”

“I think there’s no doubt that he improved the line of his backswing,” McIlroy said. “Again, it’s like, whether it was careless or whether it was intentional, I don’t think it matters. Hopefully it was careless, but I think the two-shot penalty was justified, for sure.”

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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his tee shot on the 7th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf championships at Royal Birkdale golf club in Southport, England, Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Peter Morrison/AP)

Other golfers were a little more sympathetic to DeChambeau, as former Open champion Xander Schauffele called the situation unfortunate.

“He said he didn’t do it intentionally, and it’s unfortunate that he got penalized because he was playing incredibly well and obviously he’s still playing incredibly well,” Schauffele said, “so he’s obviously going to have something to prove these next two days.”

DeChambeau responded to the two-stroke penalty with a solid third round, as he went 1-under par to finish the day at 6-under for the tournament. He is four strokes off of Sam Burns, who leads at 10-under for the tournament after shooting 5-under par on Saturday.

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Bryson DeChambeau of the United States speaks to a rules office before playing his shot on the 18th hole during the third day of the British Open Golf Championship at Royal Birkdale Golf Club in Southport, England, on Saturday, July 18, 2026. (Peter Morrison/AP)

If DeChambeau falls within two strokes of the winner on Sunday, the discourse over his two-stroke penalty will not dissipate anytime soon.

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McIlroy is tied for 30th at 2-under par for the tournament, and would need an excellent round and a lot of help to get himself into contention on Sunday.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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The Chicago Blackhawks have locked in their franchise cornerstone for the near future. On Saturday, the Blackhawks announced that star center Connor Bedard has signed a five-year contract worth $75 million.

Bedard’s $15 million average annual value makes him the third-highest paid player in the NHL for the 2026-27 season. Only Minnesota Wild winger Kirill Kaprizov ($17 million) and the newly-signed Anaheim Ducks center Leo Carlsson ($18 million) are ahead of him.

“Connor has continuously defied our expectations since being drafted, and has quickly established himself as an elite player in the NHL,” Blackhawks general manager Kyle Davidson said in a statement. “He utilizes all aspects of his game to not only be a constant threat, but to make the players around him better every time he steps on the ice. Connor’s strong work ethic and determination to always improve his game has set an extraordinary standard for our young core, and we’re excited for the incredible impact he’ll have in this next chapter of Blackhawks hockey.”

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft, Bedard has already displayed elite offensive upside, even if his overall game still has work to do. Last season, Bedard posted a career high 75 points in 69 games. In 219 NHL games, Bedard has totaled 75 goals and 128 assists.

The biggest issues for Bedard are durability concerns — he’s played fewer than 70 games in two of three seasons and will miss the first month of the upcoming season with a shoulder injury — and subpar defense. The defense is a common problem for young centers and should improve in the coming years, but Bedard has now suffered multiple shoulder injuries in his career.

With Bedard’s long-term contract finalized, both he and the Blackhawks will try to take the next step toward greatness. For the player, that means refining his game in order to become the $15 million man most believe him to be. For the team, that means surrounding Bedard with an adequate supporting cast for the first time in his career.

The next step for Bedard

First and foremost, Bedard needs to get healthy and stay healthy. After missing 13 games with a shoulder injury last year, Bedard suffered another injury that required surgery to fix, and he will miss roughly a dozen games out of the gate in 2026-27. Those issues may delay his jump into the NHL’s elite tier of players.

Once back at full strength, Bedard will have to show improvement defensively. He oozes offensive ability, but if Bedard is going to be a true No. 1 franchise center, he has to thrive at both ends of the ice. With Bedard on the ice at five-on-five last season, Chicago surrendered 3.60 xGA/60, per Natural Stat Trick. That was the second-worst number on the team with rookie Anton Frondell bringing up the rear.

That doesn’t necessarily mean Bedard was the Blackhawks’ worst defensive player, but it does mean he often struggled when going up against the opposing team’s best players. Stars — especially those raking in $15 million per season — are expected to drive play for their team regardless of circumstance. Bedard didn’t do that last season.

Bedard also needs to show more growth in the face-off circle. To his credit, Bedard has already done that, going from 38.9% as a rookie to 47.1% last season. Still, Chicago would probably like to see Bedard closer to 50%, especially with him taking key draws in big moments. Maybe that number keeps rising as Bedard gets strong and adds more tricks in the dot.

If Bedard can round out his game without the puck, $15 million per season will be a very fair deal, especially as salaries explode across the league.

The next step for the Blackhawks

We’ve already seen what can happen when a restricted free agent has all the leverage in contract negotiations. The Ducks were essentially backed into a $90 million contract after the Philadelphia Flyers signed Carlsson to a massive offer sheet.

That risk was there for Bedard too, which is why Davidson deserves some credit for signing him at a more reasonable cap hit. Bedard still has work to do in order to reach that price point, but his ceiling is worth at least $15 million per season.

The Blackhawks can help their young star by putting more NHL-caliber players around him. Chicago tore it down to the studs in hopes of landing Bedard in the 2023 draft, and while that plan worked, it also created a roster full of holes around the No. 1overall pick. Over the last three seasons, Bedard has had little help.

Chicago already improved its defense this offseason when it acquired Bowen Byram from the Buffalo Sabres. Say what you will about the acquisition cost or his $75 contract extension, but Byram inarguably makes Chicago better on the blue line. That unit still needs work, but it’s a step in the right direction.

The real issue is finding Bedard a quality running mate at the top of the lineup. Outside of Bedard, only one other player topped 50 points in 2025-26, and it was 31-year-old Tyler Bertuzzi. Chicago still has $14.1 million in cap space with which to add some firepower, but some upgrades will have to come internally.

It’s conceivable that the Blackhawks’ lineup will include seven players selected inside the top 50 picks of the last five drafts.

That’s an exciting proposition, and fans have reasons to be optimistic about the future. That said, none of those players have really established themselves as future stars, outside of Bedard. Frondell, Nazar and Rinzel seem like the best bets to get there soon, but that’s based more on projection than anything tangible.

The first month of the season should be an excellent barometer for the Blackhawks as they assess those players. Bedard will be out of the lineup, and it’ll be interesting to see who sinks and who swims until he returns. Once Chicago establishes exactly what it has in its young nucleus, Davidson can then go out and aggressively address needs via trades and free agency.

FIFA’s Head of Global Football Development, Arsene Wenger, has said the governing body will review the hydration breaks introduced at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after receiving mixed reactions from fans and football officials.

Speaking on Saturday, a day before the World Cup final between Spain and Argentina, Wenger admitted that not everyone supported the new rule.

“Sometimes people didn’t like it and we have to analyse after the World Cup what the impact was,” Wenger said.

For the 2026 tournament, FIFA introduced three-minute hydration breaks in the middle of each half for every match, regardless of the weather. The breaks were used even in cool conditions and in stadiums with closed roofs.

FIFA said the decision was made to protect players’ health and welfare. However, some critics believed the breaks also created more opportunities for television advertising.

Wenger said the breaks did not appear to affect match results but stressed that FIFA would listen to feedback from football fans before making a decision for future tournaments.

“In many games, especially when the stadium was covered, people were not happy with it, but at the start of the competition it was decided to do it for everybody,” he said.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente supported the hydration breaks, saying they helped players recover during matches played in hot conditions.

Wenger also defended FIFA’s decision to expand the World Cup from 32 to 48 teams. He said the move gave more countries the chance to compete on the biggest stage and described the new format as a success.

“It was questioned before it started, but I am convinced it was the right decision and it was a great success,” Wenger said.

First Published: Jul 19 2026 | 1:28 AM IST

Michael Olise’s FIFA World Cup 2026 campaign got off to a bang, with five assists in his first four games. It seemed to be a matter of time before Brazil icon Pele’s record of the most assists in a single World Cup (six) would be beaten. However, Olise hasn’t managed an assist in each of France’s last three games. 

However, if he does get an assist today, he will match Pele’s record. Two assists, and he will be in a league of his own!

Luke Littler admitted he had been annoyed after beginning the defence of his Betfred World Matchplay title with a 10-6 victory over Niko Springer.

World number one Littler roared out of the first-round blocks in Blackpool to take a 2-0 lead, but then lost three consecutive legs to trail at the first break.

“It felt good, felt very nice. First five legs was OK but when I came back on after the break I felt very good,” Littler told Sky Sports after recording a match average of 109.53.

“It was a bit annoying not being in the lead, but Niko played his part. I found another gear and finished it off.”

World champion Littler went into overdrive at the start of the second mini-session, producing 10 and 11-dart legs to stun his German opponent.

But Springer, ranked 43 in the world, then went out on 114 and 100 to level at 5-5.

There was no stopping Littler after that with three more 11-dart legs and an average of 124.39 in the final six legs.

Littler – who quipped ‘I’ll be the next England manager” after seeing a fan in the Winter Gardens crowd holding up a card asking him to do Thomas Tuchel’s job – said: “I couldn’t tell myself to play better because I was playing some really good stuff.

“But I had a little look at the board there and from leg 11 onwards I was on 120 average.

“It goes to show how well I am coming on stage after a break. If I can be better.

“I’ll be happier and as always sharpen up on those doubles. I want to win every major this year.”

Ninth seed Stephen Bunting survived three match darts to beat Niels Zonneveld 13-12 in an overtime thriller.

Bunting instantly broke the Dutch left-hander’s throw and a 121 finish in the second leg suggested it might be an easy night for the Liverpudlian.

Matchplay debutant Zonneveld missed four darts at double 11 to break back and ‘The Bullet’ broke again, taking out the bull for an 8-5 lead.

However, that was the signal for a Zonneveld surge: two 10-dart legs and a 164 finish squaring the contest in remarkable fashion.

Zonneveld won a fourth straight leg to lead for the first time, but missed three match darts for an 11-9 victory and Bunting ensured extra time with a 118 checkout.

Four shared legs meant a sudden death decider and Zonneveld stumbled to allow Bunting to nail a match-winning double 16 at the fourth attempt.

Bunting will meet Josh Rock in round two after the Northern Irishman breezed past Luke Woodhouse 10-4.

Rock, a semi-finalist in Blackpool 12 months ago, was always in command as Woodhouse missed 20 darts at doubles.

Minnesota Vikings training camp is about a week away, when rookies report to Eagan, and the big summer party officially gets underway. In the backdrop, as always, we tracked the team’s main rumors, a saga that never ends because of constant speculation about the purple team.

This week involves adding a new cornerback, the 1st-Round rookie’s forecast, and the skipper.

A Busy Rumor Week Hits Every Part of the Roster

Rumor: The Vikings should investigate a trade for Kansas City Chiefs CB Kristian Fulton.

Bleacher Report’s Moe Moton came up with the theory, writing this week, “Minnesota Vikings: Trade a late 2027 pick for Kansas City Chiefs CB Kristian Fulton. Aside from Byron Murphy Jr., the Vikings’ cornerback group is highly questionable with Isaiah Rodgers and James Pierre in line for big roles.”

“Rodgers had a decent 2025 campaign, allowing an 88.2 passer rating in coverage. Pierre only has 13 career starts. Minnesota should add veteran insurance to cover the boundary when Murphy lines up in the slot.”

Fulton entered the NFL as a 2nd-round pick in 2020, following Justin Jefferson. He caught the Vikings’ attention during the mock draft stage. But Minnesota ultimately selected Jeff Gladney in the 1st Round instead.

“Fulton could be serviceable in that role. Last year, he only appeared in eight games but allowed a solid 81.7 passer rating in coverage,” Moton continued.

“The 27-year-old may be behind L’Jarius Sneed and Nohl Williams on the Chiefs’ depth chart. With 53 career starts, Fulton could take on a prominent role on the perimeter in nickel packages or provide quality depth.”

The Vikings are probably all set at cornerback: Byron Murphy Jr., Isaiah Rodgers, James Pierre, and rookie Charles Demmings. But if the franchise prefers extreme depth — all the way down to CB5 — sending a late-rounder to Kansas City for Fulton isn’t the worst idea ever.

Rumor: Caleb Banks will be a bust in 2026.

The same guy from BR dropped the bust label this week and opined, “According to The Athletic’s Dane Brugler, Caleb Banks broke his foot at the NFL Scouting Combine and was expected to be out until June.”

“ESPN’s Pete Thamel reported that teams received a letter with confirmation of that recovery timeline. The Minnesota Vikings selected Banks with the No. 18 overall pick in the draft, and he’s yet to participate in practice.”

It’s worth noting that Moton found a bust for every NFL team, so it’s not like Banks was specifically singled out.

Moton continued, “Head coach Kevin O’Connell expects the 6’6″, 327-pound defensive tackle to be ready for training camp (h/t ESPN’s Kevin Seifert). Even if Banks is on the practice field in a couple of weeks, the Vikings probably won’t ramp him up to full speed right away.”

“After missing spring practices, the rookie first-rounder may see limited reps, which may delay his start to the season and push for a prominent role on the defensive line.”

Banks absolutely cannot be a bust; the Vikings have a horrid draft record over the last four years and cannot afford another miss.

Rumor: Kevin O’Connell is a surprise hot-seat candidate this season.

On a list that included Detroit Lions boss Dan Campbell, SB Nation‘s Bill Williamson noted, “O’Connell’s situation is similar to Campbell’s. He is considered an excellent coach and he won the NFL Coach of the Year award in 2024, but if he fails to lead the Vikings to the playoffs for a second straight year, there could be consequences, especially if the quarterback situation is a mess again.”

“He was hired partly because of his prowess as a quarterback whisperer. If progress isn’t made, he could be in trouble. Remember, new Minnesota general manager Nolan Teasley doesn’t have ties to O’Connell, so he must prove himself in 2026.”

David Canales Carolina Panthers), DeMeco Ryans (Houston Texans), and Dan Quinn (Washington Commanders) also made the cut for fringe hot-seat contenders.

There’s a clear solution for O’Connell: to achieve success in a playoff game. This would be a significant advancement for O’Connell, who has made the playoffs twice — first in his debut season and then in 2024. It is now time to progress further. Winning a single playoff game could greatly affect perceptions of O’Connell’s future, signaling growth and progress. For example, Mike Zimmer’s prolonged stay as the Vikings’ head coach, which lasted two more seasons after 2019, came after the team won a playoff game.

That’s the crucial next step for O’Connell.

While the 40-year-old may not face immediate pressure as he begins 2026, a failure to secure a playoff spot or a notable loss in the Wildcard Round could lead to discussions about his job security, as Williamson points out.

Dustin Baker is a novelist and political scientist. His second novel, The Invaders , is out now. So is … More about Dustin Baker