New head of elite football Graham Annesley wants to make sure games are free flowing next season, and he?s going to deliver a mandate to Bernard Sutton that will allow that to happen.

Craig Foster has withdrawn his candidacy for the Football Federation Australia board at the 11th hour, announcing he does not have ?the necessary stakeholder support to succeed?.

After a shaky beginning, Russell Wilson got hot in the fourth quarter, Bobby Wagner and Seattle?s defence stymied Aaron Rodgers and the Seahawks stayed in the middle of the NFC playoff race.

The fog surrounding Australia?s next Test squad has started to clear after its hopefuls had a day of mixed fortunes in the Sheffield Shield.

Entering the season, this matchup between the Golden State Warriors and the Houston Rockets was billed as a battle of the top of the West.

The AFL has made key changes to the Australian Rules Hall of Fame criteria, paving the way for the first woman to be inducted.

Draymond Green didn?t just call Kevin Durant a b**ch. He basically played chicken with the two-time Finals MVP?s upcoming free agency.

His team may coming under-fire following a hugely disappointing season, but Wallabies coach Michael Cheika maintains he wouldn?t want any other job.

Moises Henriques has announced himself as a late contender for Test selection after posting a mammoth total against Queensland on Friday.

The Melbourne Rebels believe a season out of Super Rugby has been a good thing for their star recruit Quade Cooper.

Steve Smith and David Warner will be able to use next year?s Indian Premier League to prepare for the Cricket World Cup after being welcomed back by their respective franchises.

Liverpool legend Dietmar Hamann believes Australia is doing the right thing by giving Tim Cahill a playing send-off ? but wasn?t in support of England?s decision to hand one to Wayne Rooney.

?He?s got ambition and talent. It?s hard to find a player with talent that still works so hard but that?s Kang-in. Those of us that know him have no doubt that he?ll go all the way.?

On his darkest days, prodigious cricket talent Moises Henriques would hide from his friends and weep into his hands for hours.

While Graham Arnold continues to be coy about who will wear the captain?s armband, the Socceroos coach has promised pace and creativity up front ? and also a glimpse of Australia?s Scottish-born winger.

Former Chiefs prop Ben Tameifuna looks to have claimed the mantle of heaviest man in Test rugby, weighing in at 153kg ahead of Tonga?s clash against Wales this weekend.

When you think of bubbly and funny characters in the AFL, you can?t go far past Richmond?s 2017 draftee Jack Higgins.

The Dragons have cleared reports young gun Matt Dufty is on his way out of the club, with recruitment boss Ian Millward breaking his silence on the matter.

South African captain Faf du Plessis says Australia?s in-your-face style is their strength and should not be sacrificed despite the fallout over the ball tampering controversy.

American Matt Kuchar has lived up to his billing as the highest-ranked player at the Australian Open by taking a share of the clubhouse lead midway through the second round.

The VAR will be in use for the Socceroos? friendly match against South Korea in Brisbane on Saturday night following the announcement that the technology will be introduced from the quarter-final stage of next year?s Asian Cup.

VAR will be used in the Premier League next season ? but its introduction is a headache for both Manchester United and Liverpool.

Former Wallabies coach Alan Jones has savaged the current Australian team ? calling them the worst outfit since 1958 and suggesting a radical new coaching staff to succeed Michael Cheika.

Daniel Ricciardo is showing no signs of regretting his decision to leave Red Bull at the end of the season after insisting he is confident his bad luck will ?dissolve? at Renault.

The NRL looks set to introduce a sin-bin shot clock.

Breakout NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes has been given quite the incentive to set a league record this year.

It?s all kicking off at Bayern Munich ? James Rodriguez is out for the season, they?re close to bringing in one of the Premier League?s hottest talents and they?re leading the race to sign Zinedine Zidane.

Aaron Hall is desperate to taste on-field success with North Melbourne and it will be even better if he can prove a few people wrong on the way to the finals.

The exhibition series between the Australian Boomers and Team USA is nearly sold out.

Everyone knows about the top prospects ahead of next week?s AFL draft.

A rarely used and bizarre cricket law has robbed Sri Lanka of five runs in a comical sequence of events in Kandy.

Under fire Wallabies forwards coach Simon Raiwalui insists he feels no extra pressure for improved results.

IN A previous working life, Emma Quayle would?ve respectfully picked apart why the Giants had lost several key players so quickly.

NRL star Jarryd Hayne has reportedly become unreachable following reports the out-of-contract star is the subject of a sexual assault complaint.

Penrith have set their sights on locking New Zealand Test forward James Fisher-Harris in long-term after releasing Trent Merrin to the English Super League.

To borrow a prime ministerial phrase, Mathew Leckie is excited about the ?fair dinkum? energy an Australian coaching the Socceroos brings.

Triple Eight Race Engineering has revealed an all-star line-up for the Bathurst 12 Hour with Supercars stars Craig Lowndes, Jamie Whincup and Shane van Gisbergen teaming up.

The FFA has announced a three-year partnership with Commonwealth Government and John Moriarty Football that shapes as a huge boost to indigenous participation in the sport.

The Broncos are reportedly set to move on two of their most loyal servants in Josh McGuire and Alex Glenn to build their pack around a plethora of young stars.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was warned ?not to faint? before he was presented with N?Golo Kante?s agents? fees.

GRAHAM Annesley?s task to fix the NRL referees has already begun with the new head of football operations urging Matt Cecchin to backflip on joining the Super League.

Retired Australian quick Mitchell Johnson has reignited an old feud with polarising Indian skipper Virat Kohli with one brutal and hilarious tweet.

Departing MotoGP rider Scott Redding has fired shots at the series, saying his won?t miss the ?atmosphere? or ?the general attitude? around the paddock.

Manchester United flop Alexis Sanchez is at his lowest ebb since joining the club.

TALK about making an excellent first impression.

The Roosters are resigned to losing their premiership prop Dylan Napa to the Bulldogs in time for the 2019 season.

For the first time since the 2015 Asian Cup final, the Socceroos will take on South Korea in a friendly.

When Melbourne City entered the W-League in 2015, few felt the impact more than Melbourne Victory.

It was the young guns that shined for the Three Lions in Wayne Rooney?s farewell, while Belgium proved once again why they?re a force to be reckoned with.

You couldn?t write a script to make this weekend?s Kennard?s Hire Rally Australia any more exciting than it is already.

The future of 10-time NBA All-Star Carmelo Anthony is unclear after the Houston Rockets reportedly made the call to move on from the forward.

Roger Federer gained sweet revenge over Kevin Anderson at the ATP Finals on Thursday, staying on course for his 100th title with a 6-4, 6-3 win as both players progressed to the last four.

ST KILDA is reportedly considering a bold pick swap that could allow Gold Coast to recruit the top three South Australian prospects of this year?s draft, according to Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy.

India captain Virat Kohli said he wants a sledge-free tour of Australia but is ready to fight fire with fire on the landmark series.

English Super League side Hull KR have signed centre Kane Linnett on a three-year deal from NRL club North Queensland Cowboys.

If you?ve watched Sam Walsh play over recent years, you can understand why he looms as the hot Pick 1 favourite for next week?s AFL national draft.

Miami Heat centre Hassan Whiteside had a brand-spanking-new $50,000 assault rifle stolen from his $400,000 Rolls Royce after he left the car unlocked in the parking lot of the gun store where he made the purchase.

Video Assistant Referees (VAR) are set to be used in the Premier League next season after clubs agreed ?in principle? to their introduction.

Glenn Maxwell and Aaron Finch are among more than $6.5 million worth of Australian talent cut from Indian Premier League teams.

The upcoming vows were only part of the news to friends of former Cowboys linebacker Jeff Rohrer.

Collecting a Shield-high 24 wickets at 13 across the first three Sheffield Shield games of the season would normally be enough to warrant a spot in the XI for the first Test of the season.

Spain passed up the chance to seal progress to the Nations League finals as they were beaten 3-2 by Croatia on Thursday, undone by a 93rd-minute winner from Tin Jedvaj.

Five-time Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton has been forced to clarify his comments about India being a ?poor place?.

What a way to send the old boy off.

UFC bombshell Paige VanZant says she can see herself changing the octagon for the wrestling ring one day and has already met with WWE?s Stephanie McMahon.

Men?s Tour chief Chris Kermode has rejected suggestions of an ATP ?land grab? when launching a new $US15 million ($A21 million) team competition to start in Australia in January 2020.

Golden State Warriors star Draymond Green said Friday (AEDT) he had settled his differences with teammate Kevin Durant and warned that the NBA champions would not ?crumble? over their recent locker-room strife.

Off-contract NRL star Jarryd Hayne is reportedly being investigated by the NSW Sex Crimes Squad after an alleged sexual assault on NRL grand final night this year.

A reality TV star named Dog the Bounty Hunter has dramatically rescued Tiger Woods? ex-lover from an alleged Las Vegas sex and drugs den.

It?s just as well Martin Boyle has been practising Australia?s national anthem, because the Scottish-born winger is in line to make his Socceroos debut on Saturday night.

It was the highest of highs in Athens back in 2004 for Australian Olympic diver Chantelle Newbery as she claimed the gold medal in the 10m platform event.

Andrew Forrest?s new look Rapid Rugby competition has been conditionally sanctioned by the World Rugby Council and its dates are set to clash with the more established Super Rugby tournament.

Wallabies coach Michael Cheika has hedged his bets while making sweeping changes to the team to play Italy, with many senior players retained in a lineup featuring wingers at opposite ends of the experience spectrum.

Under-siege Wallabies coach Michael Cheika is safe from the axe, Rugby Australia chief Raelene Castle said despite admitting ?universal frustration? at the team?s dire run of results.

They might have lost 10 of their past 13 Tests, but under-siege Wallabies coach Michael Cheika should stick to the plan for Sunday?s (1am AEDT) Test against Italy and rotate the team.

Adelaide skipper Taylor Walker has been granted personal leave as he and his partner Ellie Brown mourn the loss of their unborn baby.

The biggest ever season of the Big Bash League is rapidly approaching, and with just a few weeks remaining, the squads are starting to take shape.

With the Asian Cup just two months away, Mark Milligan has emerged as the frontrunner to take over the Socceroos captaincy for the tournament.

The VAR system will be used at next year?s Asian Cup after a referees? committee approved its use from the quarter-final stage.

Ian Healy says the Australian cricket team?s dire plight reminds him of the dark days of the 1980s.

There were a bunch of questions going into Jimmy Butler?s much-anticipated debut for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Today was one of those weird days on the NBA schedule.

LeBron James has been good this season. Comes with the territory of being the best player in the league.

The AFL has given the green light for Shane Mumford and Zac Clarke to join GWS and Essendon as rookies.

Justin Langer has revealed he is ?confused? by the ongoing public criticism of veteran batsman Shaun Marsh.

Trent Merrin has cut ties with Penrith effective immediately and accepted a four-year deal with Super League outfit Leeds.

Fringe Test player Joe Burns should be reconsidered for Australia?s opening positions or forgotten altogether, according to Ian Healy.

AFLW players on a minimum wage will have their salary bumped up by almost $5000 under the first Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) for the women?s game.

Usain Bolt will give himself until the end of the month to decide whether to continue pursuing a career in professional football.

Brisbane legend Justin Hodges believes a spot in the centres is Jack Bird?s best way to find his feet following a long injury lay-off, but he wouldn?t be surprised to see him switch roles again at times in 2019.

GWS Giants co-captain Phil Davis hopes the departure of some established stars will give his AFL club the extra financial muscle needed to keep elite midfielders Josh Kelly and Stephen Coniglio.

Brisbane enforcer Josh McGuire is reportedly set for a shock multimillion-dollar switch to North Queensland.

A player once dubbed as ?mediocre? by Justin Langer could be the answer to the Australia coach?s opening conundrum.

The All Blacks have made just one injury enforced change to their starting team for Sunday?s (6am AEDT) blockbuster Test against Ireland, with Ryan Crotty coming in for Sonny Bill Williams at inside centre.

ONLY the three national selectors know how much weight will be put on the upcoming round of Sheffield Shield games compared to the previous two.

After enduring some tough times, everything is finally falling into place for Awer Mabil.

St Kilda recruit Dan Hannebery has echoed the sentiments of his former football boss at Sydney Tom Harley, saying he?d be in favour of a radical overhaul of the Grand Final format.

The Roosters have come out on top in the recruitment stakes, after foxsports.com.au took a closer inspection at the incoming players for each club ahead of the 2019 season.

Test greats Tana Umaga and Brian O?Driscoll have buried one of rugby?s biggest hatchets.

Brownlow Medallist Gerard Healy has urged Carlton to play boom recruit Mitch McGovern in defence, with an expert AFL analyst suggesting the Blues must learn from Collingwood?s early use of Jeremy Howe.