The Raiders have withdrawn their four-year, $4.4 million contract offer to Hudson Young. The PNG Chiefs have offered him a tax-free deal of $900,000 a season, which is financially better. The Chiefs said they could not fit him under their salary cap at the $1.1 million a season figure set by the NRL. The Raiders had wanted to sign Young long term and felt they had to act before the November 1 deadline, when players with expiring contracts can negotiate with rival clubs.
Orlando Magic players Paolo Banchero and Jalen Suggs will miss several weeks due to ankle and knee injuries. Anthony Black, a key player, is expected to take on a larger role in their absence. Black has shown improvement in recent games, scoring 18 points in a win over the Knicks. His performance could impact his future contract negotiations as a restricted free agent.
The Sydney Roosters have withdrawn their contract extension offer to halfback Sam Walker after the two sides could not agree on terms. Walker is contracted to the club for 2027. The 24-year-old, who won an NRL premiership with the Roosters this year, had said he wanted to stay. He also made his State of Origin debut for Queensland and his Australian debut in a win over Fiji. If talks do not resume, Walker will be one of the most sought-after halfbacks in the game from November 1.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
The Sydney Roosters have withdrawn their contract extension offer to off-contract halfback Sam Walker after the two sides failed to agree on terms. The club said the parties could not reach an agreement despite months of talks. Walker is free to speak with NRL rivals from Sunday. The move follows the Canberra Raiders withdrawing their offer to Hudson Young earlier on Monday. Walker remains contracted to the Roosters for 2027.
The Canberra Raiders have withdrawn their contract extension offer to forward Hudson Young, who is recovering from a ruptured Achilles tendon. The four-year deal was believed to be worth $1.1 million a season, the largest in club history. Young will now become a free agent on Sunday, November 1, and the PNG Chiefs are heavily tipped to sign him from 2028. The club said it had made its decision after talks with board members and senior management. Young has played 155 matches for Canberra since his 2019 NRL debut and remains contracted to the club for 2027.
England's all-time leading Test wicket-taker Jimmy Anderson will leave Lancashire, the county that has been his home for 25 years, after it chose not to renew his contract. The 44-year-old said he was disappointed and that the decision was not his to make. Lancashire's incoming director of cricket, Paul Farbrace, said the club needs to rebuild its squad to push for promotion from Division Two of the County Championship. Anderson took 50 wickets this season, but Lancashire finished seventh of eight teams in the division.
The Canberra Raiders have offered Hudson Young a four-year deal worth $4.4 million to keep him beyond next season. The PNG Chiefs have countered with a smaller deal worth $950,000 from 2028, but a tax break for players could leave Young with more take-home pay in PNG. The Raiders want the Chiefs to count their $1.1 million-per-season offer against the Chiefs' salary cap, which PNG has rejected. The NRL has backed the Raiders, but Young's manager and the Players Association have disputed this, and the matter is under review. The Raiders want Young's decision by 1 November.
Newcastle Knights centre Bradman Best has criticised former recruitment boss Peter O'Sullivan, who has moved to the Broncos. Best said some Knights players were upset with O'Sullivan over contracts, but that he hopes his own deal can now be settled. The off-contract star is set to test the open market on November 1, despite reportedly being offered a deal worth upwards of $4 million to stay. Best said he needs to put his family first in his decision. His international debut against Fiji is on Sunday night in Brisbane.
Gold Coast Titans forward Cooper Bai has been given permission to explore his options with the PNG Chiefs, who are keen to sign him. His father, Marcus Bai, says the two have moved past a rift caused when Cooper turned down a Melbourne Storm deal last year to stay at the Titans. Marcus said Cooper had shown maturity by asking the Titans for permission to visit the Chiefs. Cooper is 19 and has played two Tests for Papua New Guinea. The Chiefs will enter the NRL in 2028, and contracting opens on November 1.
Detroit Lions tight end Sam LaPorta has expressed frustration over not yet receiving a long-term contract extension. Speaking on the Pardon My Take podcast, he said he may play for another team if his time with the Lions ends. LaPorta is in the final year of his rookie deal and has no fifth-year option, so he is set to become a free agent in 2027. The Lions could use the franchise tag to keep him, but no deal has been reached. LaPorta has 27 catches for 316 yards and three touchdowns in five games this season.
Luka Doncic has said he hopes to retire as a Los Angeles Laker, though he acknowledged that the NBA business is unpredictable. Speaking ahead of the 2026-27 season opener, the six-time All-Star said he feels comfortable with the team. Doncic was traded from the Dallas Mavericks to the Lakers in a 2025 deal and is under contract through the 2028-29 season. His final year is a player option worth $57.4 million, which would make him a free agent after 2027-28 if he declines it.
Wests Tigers have signed star back rower Samuela Fainu to a two-year contract extension that keeps him at the club until at least the end of 2029. The 22-year-old has become one of the club's most important forwards, and head coach Benji Marshall saw securing him as critical. The new deal takes him off the market on November 1, out of reach of rivals including the PNG Chiefs. Code Sports reports the contract is worth around $800,000 a season, with ratchet clauses that could lift it past $1 million from 2028.
Heidelberg United have confirmed John Anastasiadis will stay on as head coach for the 2027 season, extending his time at the NPL Victoria club into a fourth year. Last year he led the club to the NPL Victoria championship, beating Dandenong City 2-1 in the grand final. The side also reached the Australia Cup final, eliminating three A-League clubs on the way, before losing 3-1 to Newcastle Jets after extra time. Anastasiadis was also named NPL Victoria Coach of the Year for 2025.
LeBron James has announced an endorsement deal with Polymarket, a leading prediction market, while beginning his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers. The partnership has drawn scrutiny because many people link prediction markets to sports gambling. James will focus on football rather than basketball, according to Polymarket. He is reportedly receiving $15 million a year from the deal, far more than his two-season contract with the 76ers, which is worth $8 million in total. The NBA has no rule against such partnerships, unlike the NFL and PGA Tour.
Collingwood AFLW captain Ruby Schleicher will leave the club at the end of the season to return to Western Australia. Schleicher made the decision after suffering a season-ending shoulder injury in a round 9 loss to St Kilda. The West Coast Eagles have reportedly offered her a four-year contract. Collingwood chief executive Craig Kelly said the club was disappointed but respected her decision. Schleicher, a two-time All-Australian, has played 82 games for the Magpies since joining in 2017.
AU Now app
Your suburb’s news, alerts and Shorts — in one app
Alerts, Shorts and your saved stories — free on Google Play.
Veteran Parramatta prop Junior Paulo has officially re-signed with the Eels for 2027, ending a move to the Perth Bears that had seemed likely in August. The 32-year-old reportedly changed his mind over a $900,000 asking price. Paulo has played 280 NRL matches for the Eels and Raiders and 11 State of Origin games for NSW. Eels football boss Mark O'Neill called retaining him a significant outcome, praising his role as a mentor and culture driver. Paulo will line up alongside new recruit Spencer Leniu in the front row.
Werribee has re-signed four players for next year's Victorian Football League season. Ryan Eyers, Jake Smith, Jack Riding and Jaelen Pavlidis have all signed new contracts with the Tigers. Eyers, a reliable defender, played all 18 home-and-away games this year and earned state team selection. Smith, the club's first third-generation player, posted career-best averages in disposals and marks after a move to the outside midfield. Riding, who earned his first VFL team of the year selection, and Pavlidis, who played all 20 games, have also committed to the club.
Independent member Kristie Johnston has called on the government to release the updated cost of the AFL stadium now that the contract competition is over. She says the figure must be made public without delay.
Joe Buck has reportedly signed a six-year ESPN extension worth around $108 million, while Troy Aikman has yet to sign a new deal. Aikman's five-year, $90 million contract ends after the Super Bowl in February. Front Office Sports reports the pair had an argument before a Week 6 broadcast, which de-escalated. ESPN declined to comment, and neither Buck nor Aikman has confirmed the tension. Aikman could be among several NFL broadcasters who change networks after the 2026 season.
