Australia will have two debutants in tomorrow's first Ashes Test at Optus Stadium in Perth. Opener Jake Weatherald, and paceman Brendan Doggett are confirmed starters, with allrounder Beau Webster axed.

The West Coast Eagles selected Victorian teen Willem Duursma with pick number one in the AFL Draft. Duursma is the younger brother of Essendon’s Xavier Duursma.

Roosters recruit Daly Cherry-Evans says he’s excited to begin the next chapter of his career. After 352 games over 15 seasons for Manly, the champion halfback says it feels weird to now be a Rooster.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with Nick Markham for November 20, 2025.

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Scott Boland is excited at the chance to play a key role in Friday’s Ashes series opener against England in Perth. With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood out injured, the 36-year-old will be a key part of the Aussie pace attack.

Chad Warner and Nick Daicos are the latest AFL stars to commit to the State of Origin revival. Warner will play for his Swans coach Dean Cox’s West Australian team, with Daicos to play for Victoria. The game is at Optus Stadium in February.

And despite a dismal run of form, Rugby Australia has ruled out fast-tracking the departure of outgoing head coach Joe Schmidt. RA boss Phil Waugh says Schmidt will remain in charge until July next year as planned, before handing the reins to Reds coach Les Kiss.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with Nick Markham for November 18, 2025.

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Alex Carey is confident Aussie debutant Brendan Doggett can thrive at Test level, in Friday’s Ashes opener against England in Perth. With Pat Cummins and Josh Hazlewood out injured, 31 year-old Doggett will slot into the Aussie pace attack.

ARL Commission boss Peter V’Landys has doubled down on threats to ban players from the NRL for 10 years, if they defect to rebel rugby series R360. Zac Lomax is the latest player to quit the NRL, the now former Eels star is expected to sign with the rebel rugby series.

J Sinner finished the tennis season with back-to-back at the ATP Finals titles. The Italian defeated his great rival Carlos Alcaraz in straight-sets, 7-6 , 7-5. But 2025 belonged to Alcaraz - the Spaniard won 4 of the 6 finals the pair contested, and finished with the year with the world number 1 ranking.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with Nick Markham for November 18, 2025.

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England skipper Ben Stokes has defended his side’s decision to play just one warm-up game before the first Ashes Test on Friday week. The tourists take on their development side the England Lions, in a 3-day game at Lilac Hill from Thursday.

The NRL has released the round one fixture for 2026. The season begins on Sunday March one with the Las Vegas double-header – Bulldogs versus Dragons, then Knights v Cowboys. The Broncos begin their premiership defence against the Panthers the following Friday.

Back in Chelsea’s starting side for the first time since 2023, Sam Kerr scored a double in the Women’s Champions League. The Blues thrashed Austrian side St Polten 6-nil.

Australia’s Alex de Minaur crashed to his second straight defeat at the ATP Finals in Turin, falling in 3-sets to Lorenzo Musetti. De Minaur now needs to win his final group match against Taylor Fritz convincingly, to be any chance of sneaking into the semi-finals.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with Nick Markham for November 12, 2025.

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Pat Cummins is ramping up his recovery the back injury that’ll keep him out of the First Ashes Test. The Australian captain is closing on bowling at full-speed, practicing in the nets at the SCG before New South Wales Sheffield Shield game against Victoria today.

Wallabies lock Will Skelton will miss the final two Tests of the Spring Tour with an ankle injury. James O’Connor has rejoined the squad and could return against Ireland on Sunday morning.

Jannik Sinner’s ATP Finals defence started with a comfortable straight-sets win over Canada’s Felix Auger-Aliassime. The Italian needs to retain his title to have any chance of finishing the year as world number 1 over his great rival, Carlos Alcaraz.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with James Manton for November 11, 2025.

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England champion Joe Root says his focus for the Ashes is on the team, not his personal run tally. The former skipper has never scored an Ashes century in Australia, from 27 attempts. Jake Weatherald made just 23 for Tasmania against South Australia in the Sheffield Shield, in his first hitout since being named in Australia’s 15-man squad.

The AFL has defended its decision to introduce a Wildcard Round from next year. The new finals system will see seventh play tenth, and eighth play ninth in knockout games. Critics say the new system rewards mediocrity, but AFL boss Andrew Dillon disagrees.

Australia’s Alex De Minaur went down in straight-sets to Carlos Alcaraz, in the opening match of the ATP Finals in Turin. De Minaur blew a 5-3 lead in the first set tiebreak, the Spanish superstar fighting back to win 7-6, 6-2.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with Nick Markham for Monday November 10, 2025.

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There was no room for Sam Konstas in Australia’s 15 man squad for the first Ashes Test in Perth on November 21. The uncapped Jake Weatherald looms as a potential opening partner for Usman Kahwaja, after getting the nod ahead of Konstas and Matt Renshaw. Chief Selector George Bailey says the intense scrutiny on 20 year-old Konstas is over the top.

Melbourne Cup winner Jamie Melham’s still coming to terms with the biggest win of her career aboard the Tony and Calvin McEvoy trained ‘Half Yours’. Riding with the spirit of her late grandfather, Melham can't quite believe how perfectly the race panned out.

And the Wallabies will be strengthened by the return of Len Ikitau and Tom Hooper, for Sunday morning’s Test against Italy in Udine. The Azzurri pulled off a famous upset win over the Aussies in 2022.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with Nick Markham for Monday November 05, 2025.

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NRL star Eli Katoa was rushed to the hospital for emergency surgery in Auckland after suffering seizures on the sideline during the game between Tonga and New Zealand in the Pacific Championships. Katoa copped a nasty head knock in the warm-up, then two more during the match, but Tonga coach Kristian Woolf is confident his medical staff did the right thing. Katoa is in a stable condition.

Marnus Labuschagne’s prolific domestic form continued with another century for Queensland against New South Wales in the One-Day Cup. Labuschagne is set to be recalled to the Austalian squad when it’s named later this week for the Ashes opener in Perth.

Star jockey Jamie Melham will ride against husband Ben, in Tuesday’s Melbourne Cup. Jamie’s on the favourite – Caulfield Cup winner Half Yours, while Ben will ride Smokin Romans.

7NEWS Sport Headlines with Nick Markham for Monday November 03, 2025.

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