Port Adelaide’s Willie Rioli granted leave in wake of post outlining ‘hatred’ for Hawthorn

Port Adelaide forward Willie Rioli has been granted leave following the furore around his social media post that expressed hatred for AFL rivals Hawthorn.Rioli did not attend Tuesday morning’s light training session at Alberton, and club officials have confirmed he has been granted leave.It is unclear how long he will be away from Port, but a club spokesman told AAP it is not expected to be long-term. The official said the club would give him all the time he needs.Rioli was racially abused after expressing hatred for Hawthorn in a now-deleted social media post

JD Vance fumbles Ohio State’s national title trophy during White House visit

JD Vance, the man entrusted as America’s back-up in times of emergency, may not be the safest pair of hands if Monday’s events are anything to go by. The vice-president ended the Ohio State football team’s visit to the White House by fumbling the team’s national championship trophy.After laudatory speeches by Donald Trump, Buckeyes coach Ryan Day and Vance on the South Lawn, the Vance – an Ohio State graduate – tried to lift the trophy. He didn’t appear to realize that the top of the trophy is detachable from its base. After a moment of struggle, the vice-president lost his grip on the two pieces

Rory McIlroy steps into league of his own with magical Masters triumph | Ewan Murray

Nick Faldo has more majors and Seve Ballesteros was a majestic shotmaker but the career grand slam is pricelessIn Northern Ireland, debate is already raging as to whether Rory McIlroy has presented himself as the country’s greatest ever sportsperson. The answer is surely obvious. Step aside, George Best. McIlroy’s Masters triumph may even force Sports Personality of the Year to afford due recognition to golf. It is only April but it feels highly unlikely the scene immediately after McIlroy claimed the Masters on Sunday will be matched

County cricket: Warwickshire win nail-biter, Sussex end top-tier drought – as it happened

A bum-clencher at Chester-le-Street was won by one wicket, just after 10 past six, when Warwickshire’s No 10 Ethan Bamber flambéd a six. The momentum had swung like a revolving door all day but a century from Ed Barnard, fifties from Alex Davies and Kai Smith and the dead-eye of the tail saw the visitors through against Durham.Sussex celebrated their first Division One win since 2015 after Somerset were finally dismissed at Hove. Some outstanding bowling by Jaydon Seales removed the dangerous James Rew and Kasey Aldridge early, and he returned to pluck out Migael Pretorius’ leg stump for 59. Tom Abell provided the Somerset scaffolding, but once he was out for 96 it was only a matter of time, despite a sudden attack of butterfingers in the field

Phoenix Suns fire Mike Budenholzer after single, disastrous season

Mike Budenholzer is the latest NBA coach to be fired as the Phoenix Suns announced they are parting ways with him after just one season in charge.The team announced Budenholzer’s departure in a short, terse statement on Monday. “Competing at the highest level remains our goal, and we failed to meet expectations this season,” the statement said. “Our fans deserve better. Change is needed

Grace of Masters nearly man Justin Rose enhanced McIlroy’s historic win | Andy Bull

The 44-year-old handled another Augusta near miss with class and his place in Europe’s Ryder Cup team looks assuredThere was one very happy man at Augusta on Monday morning, and there were 52 all in a stew, turning over thoughts of what went right and what went wrong, that short putt on the 6th, that wayward chip on 12, that sliced drive on 15, or whatever it was that cost them their shot at winning the 2025 Masters.While Rory McIlroy can enjoy what was, everyone else in the field is wondering what might have been. Justin Rose will feel it most. Rose, the antagonist in Rory’s story, scored 65, 71, 75, 66 – the last of them, he said, “a bogey away from being the greatest round I’ve ever played”.The second shots in the playoff summed it up