AFL
- AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan says a deal is “98 per cent” done for AFL games to be played at the new Perth Stadium next year and could be finalised as early as today.
- AFL top boss Gillon McLachlan has all but ruled out a derby opening the first AFL game to be played at Perth Stadium in 2018.
- The AFL may consider moving Geelong’s round 21 clash with Richmond from Simonds Stadium to the MCG if the form of both teams continues over the next 10 weeks.
- Tasmanians may never know how much the state’s partnership with North Melbourne costs. For the second straight year, Premier, and Sport and Recreation Minister, Will Hodgman refused to disclose the financial costs of the deal during Budget Estimates.
- West Coast and Fremantle could get to stage their own club openings at the new Perth Stadium in round one next year after AFL chief executive Gillon McLachlan said he was leaning away from a western derby being the first major football event at the new stadium.
- Darebin Council to blacklist sporting clubs and groups with poker machine links
- Sydney Swans have announced a two-year extension of their long-standing partnership with global banking group Citi. The agreement, which began in 2005, will see the company continue as the Australian rules football club’s major partner and membership partner until the end of 2019. As part of the deal, Citi’s logo will adorn the back of the team’s playing guernseys, while the bank’s branding will appear on fan clappers.
NRL
- Paul kent writes that the NRL’s spending statement raises more questions than answers in players’ wage war
- QRL holds key to ARLC constitution change as clubs fear John Grant could rise again
- John Grant met with club representatives on Tuesday in an attempt to repair severed relations and reassure the 16 teams the NRL’s cash crisis won’t result in them missing out on the funds promised last December.
- The Rugby League Players Association is unlikely to back down in its fight to secure 29 per cent of the game’s revenue in pay negotiations with the NRL.
- NSW Blues to split with VB after seven years as State of Origin sponsor
- Pay dispute talks between NRL and RLPA set to continue despite two days of intense negotiation
