Weekend Express
The quotes, stats and storylines to sport around Australia this weekend
FOOTBALL
A-League
Melbourne City showed no signs of fatigue on Wednesday evening after playing their second game in four days. They recorded a 4-0 win over Brisbane in their re-scheduled match against Roar, but will need to back up once more on the weekend with a road trip to Wellington to play the Phoenix. There is a week break after this weekend’s matches, which will give the City players a much needed break.
Holly McNamara continued her incredible form with an 11th goal from 14 games since her return from an ACL injury.
Friday night will see a standalone Sydney Derby between the Sky Blues and Wanderers at Marconi Stadium. Despite occupying spots towards the bottom of the table, there will still be plenty of pride on the line. Sydney have won consecutive games, while Wanderers will be hoping to avenge the loss to their archrivals from earlier in the season.
There are several matches with top six repercussions, including second placed Melbourne Victory hosting third placed Adelaide. Victory have a game in hand after having a match postponed, and can keep the pressure on City at the top with a win. Adelaide on the other hand could overtake Victory into second spot if they can collect the three points.
On Sunday evening, Central Coast Mariners (5th) host Brisbane Roar (6th). Mariners could jump to fourth or put a sizeable gap between themselves and sixth spot with a win, while Brisbane would love a win to stay in sixth.
RUGBY UNION
Super W
While many of the national Rugby Sevens squad have re-joined that team to compete at this weekend’s iconic Hong Kong Sevens, a couple have stayed behind to play more 15 a side Rugby in their push for a World Cup spot later this year.
Superstar Charlotte Caslick will once again play fullback for QLD Reds in their crucial clash with Western Force at Ballymore.
Meanwhile winger Bienne Terita will line up for ACT Brumbies for the first time this season. Terita has played limited time this Sevens season due to injuries, but with experience playing for the Wallaroos previously (including 2022 World Cup), should slot back into the 15 a side game with no issues.
Waratahs head to Canberra to play the Brumbies, and can seal top spot with a win, while the Reds clash with Western Force should be a fascinating game. Depending on the result in the other game, the winner of the game in Brisbane could finish first or second.
ATHLETICS
Maurie Plant Meet
One of the biggest events on the Australian Athletics calendar happens on Saturday with the Maurie Plant Meet. While a lot of the hype is around a few of the male athletes, there will be no shortage of big name women in action for the sold out meet, and some come into the event in incredible form.
The Javelin competition features Olympians Kelsey-Lee Barber and Mackenzie Little, while Aussie US college star Lianna Davidson will compete after unleashing the second biggest throw by anyone in 2025 just last week at the SEC College event.
Also in field events, fresh from Indoor World Champs silver, Eleanor Patterson will take on rising star Izzy Louison-Roe in High Jump, while Olympian and college Hammer Thrower Steph Ratcliffe will compete on home soil for the first time up in three years. She is a genuine chance to do something special, having just won the Yellow Jacket Invitational last week.
The 200m race will see 2024 breakout star Torrie Lewis back in action in her favourite event, but she’ll face stiff competition from Mia Gross, whose personal best is 0.07 faster than the 100m national record holder, while Kristie Edwards also comes into the meet in good form after winning the sprint event in Sydney.
The showdown between Paralympic teammates Mali Lovell and Rhiannon Clarke should also be a race worth watching. These two seem to break national records in their classifications just about every time they race!
There are also two amazing middle distance fields assembled.
Having claimed the National title a couple of weeks ago in Sydney, Georgia Griffiths will line up in the 3000m against half marathon Australian record holder Izzi Batt-Doyle, Olympians Cara Feain-Ryan and Rose Davies and many more.
Meanwhile the 1500m field is headed by 800m Olympic semi finalist Claudia Hollingsworth and Paris teammates Linden Hall and Abbey Caldwell. A hometown girl, Hollingsworth told HER WAY she’s looking forward to another chance to compete this weekend, and told HER WAY she’lL use Saturday’s race to make a decision about whether she focusses on the 800m or 1500m at Nationals:
“I’ve still got to choose which event I’m going to do. Maurie Plant will sort of cement that in my brain.”
BASKETBALL
NBL1
The nation-wide NBL1 league gets underway on the weekend across all five conferences - North, East, South, Central and West.
While all games are streamed on the league’s app and website, there are several Games of the Week on Kayo each week representing all of the conferences. There are a number of WNBL players aligned to clubs around the country (see story earlier this week), however some may not join their sides immediately.
This week’s Games of the Week include -
East: UC Capitals’ Nicole Munger once again lines up for defending East champs Newcastle when they play Sydney Comets, who will feature Sydney Flames’ Piper Anderson.
South: Plenty of big names in this one. Opal and Southside star Maddy Rocci plus recent Gangurru Issie Bourne will suit up for Keilor Thunder against Diamond Valley, featuring WNBL breakthrough player of the year Abbey Ellis.
Central: All eyes will be on 2006 World Champion and AFLW legend Erin Phillips when she plays for Woodville.
Full list of games, times and venues are at the NBL1 site.
WATER POLO
Australian League, Brisbane
While the regular season is over, Griffith Uni QLD Thunder will host a couple of final games this weekend against Drummoyne which were postponed due to Tropical Cyclone Alfred at The Valley Pool. It’s a final chance for the Brisbane home crowd to see the top of the table Thunder before the finals in Sydney next weekend.
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
Futures Tournament, Coolangatta
Having won silver at last week’s National Champs, Lizzie Alchin/Georgia Johnson will be looking to return to the top of the podium this weekend.
Jas Fleming and Stefie Fejes is another local duo to watch out for, while last week’s Nationals winners - America’s Chacon sisters - are in good form.
CYCLING
Track Nationals, Brisbane
It’s been an incredible week of racing already at the Anna Meares Velodrome in Brisbane, and there’s more ahead over the weekend.
Events still to come include the Elite Women’s Time Trial, Elite Keirin, Elite Points Race, Elite Scratch Race and Team Pursuit. Alessia McCaig, having already defended her Sprint title, will be looking to go back-to-back in the Time Trial and Keirin.
In Para racing, the Sprint categories will take place across the weekend.
ROWING
National Titles, Tasmania
Much like the cycling, Australia’s best rowers have been in action all week, and the National titles reach their conclusion on the weekend. There are a huge number of club, youth age and school aged events on, particularly on Sunday.
In the elite and para categories, finals still to come include:
Open Eights, Double Scull, Coxless Four, Lightweight Double Scull, Lightweight Quadruple Scull, Quadruple Scull, Quad Scull Sprint.
Para Single Scull, Coxless Pair, Mixed Double Scull, Mixed Coxed Four.
CRICKET
Australia A v England A, Sydney
The second and third T20s between Australia A and England A take place on Friday and Sunday at Sydney’s Hurstville Oval.
Australia will be looking to bounce back after England won the first match on Wednesday. The Australia A side is stacked with talented players who are knocking on the door to get a chance in the seemingly invincible senior team. Tahlia Wilson, Anika Learoyd and Courtney Webb are coming off incredible WNCL seasons, Tess Flintoff, Heather Graham and Lauren Cheatle have been around the senior team over the past few years, while Rhys McKenna is an exciting big hitter who is worth getting along to see.
England A’s side is also exciting - Issy Wong was a cult hero with the Sydney Thunder a few years ago with both bat and ball, Bess Heath has previously played with Brisbane Heat in WBBL, and 21 year old Grace Scrivens is a dynamic left hand batter who is already been mentioned as a future captain.
Blind Blast, Melbourne
Fresh from a National Women’s Team selection camp in Adelaide, some of Australia’s best women’s vision impaired players join four mixed gender teams in Melbourne for the first ever Blind Blast competition.
Women’s multi sport star Courtney Webeck will captain the Storm side. Others include Sherrie Harris, Nicole Muir and Tess Whelan (Victory), Phoebe Buck, Julie Neumann, Britnee Watson (Hawks), Jen Parry, Julie Henderson-Cavallo, Adeline Rose (Stars) as part of the tournament to be played at Hawkner Park in South Yarra.
SURF LIFESAVING
National Titles, Gold Coast
Surf Lifesaving clubs from around the country descend on the Gold Coast’s Kirra Beach for eight days of competition at the national titles, starting on Sunday with the Nippers. HER WAY will preview the Opens events next week, with the stars of Ironwoman and Surf Lifesaving in action.