Has the AFL’s era of the big-name saviour coach officially come to an end?

The Sydney Morning Herald - Sep 18, 2026

Alastair Clarkson was not the first premiership coach to arrive at a new club as a messiah and leave as a cautionary tale. But there is every indication that he will be the last for some time.

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S. Korea beats Malaysia to begin women's basketball tournament

Sep 18, 2026

S. Korea beats Malaysia to begin women's basketball tournament

NAGOYA, Japan — South Korea overcame early shooting woes to defeat Malaysia 106-40 to start its women's basketball competition at the Aichi-Nagoya Asian Games in Japan on Friday. Guard Lee So-hee led all players with 21 points and four steals, while forward Choi I-saem contributed 19 points and seven rebounds in the team's first Group C game at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya, central Japan. Six South Korean players scored in double figures. South Korea will next play Mongolia at 1 p.m. Monday and then Chinese Taipei at 4 p.m. Tuesday. All basketball games during the Asian Games will be played at Aichi International Arena. Coached by Park Soo-ho, South Korea is trying to improve on the bronze medal it won at the 2023 Asiad. In 2018, the joint South Korea-North Korea team grabbed silver behind China. South Korea's last gold in women's hoops came in 2014 on its home soil of Incheon. South Korea is carrying 11 players in Nagoya, one fewer than the maximum, after its star center Park Ji-su was ruled out with an ankle injury on Monday and the national federation chose not to name her rep

Veteran basketball forward says team overcame challenges in opening victory

Sep 18, 2026

Veteran basketball forward says team overcame challenges in opening victory

NAGOYA, Japan — From playing through jet lag to taking shots at an unfamiliar court, Korea dealt with challenges as it began the women's basketball tournament at the Asian Games against Malaysia on Friday. Veteran forward Choi I-saem, the team's oldest player at 32, said she and her teammates refused to make excuses and tackled those issues head-on, which is why they were able to come away with a 106-40 victory at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. The final score belied some early shooting problems for Korea, which missed its first nine field goal attempts and went 1-of-14 out of the gate. It was Choi's three-pointer with 3:58 left in the opening quarter that gave Korea a 9-8 lead, and Korea never trailed the rest of the way. "We struggled early on, but we talked a lot about tightening things up on the defensive end after the first half," Choi said. "In upcoming games, we want to play at a faster pace and play even stronger defense." Choi, who finished with 19 points, seven rebounds and two steals, attributed the first-quarter shooting problems to the players' unfamiliarity, saying

Women's basketball coach says team in good shape despite missing stars

Sep 18, 2026

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NAGOYA, Japan — Korea head coach Park Soo-ho said Friday his women's national basketball team will be just fine at the Asian Games in Japan despite missing two of its biggest stars. Park made the claim after Korea routed Malaysia 106-40 to begin Group C play at Aichi International Arena in Nagoya. Park brought a team of 11 players, one shy of the maximum, with star center Park Ji-su ruled out with an ankle injury. The national team had been holding out hope that the former Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) player would recover in time, but when that did not happen, the Korea Basketball Association chose not to name her replacement. Park Ji-hyun, a current WNBA player, also did not join the national team due to her commitment with the Los Angeles Sparks. Coach Park insisted the rest of the team will be in good shape without those stars because they have already played enough games and had enough practices in their absences. "Of course, they could have really helped us here," said the coach. "But during our preparations for the Asian Games, we made sure we would not be too re

Baseball team lands in Nagoya with eyes set on 5th straight gold

Sep 18, 2026

Baseball team lands in Nagoya with eyes set on 5th straight gold

NAGOYA, Japan — The national baseball team arrived in the main Asian Games host city of Nagoya on Friday, three days before starting its quest for Korea's fifth consecutive gold medal. Manager Ryu Ji-hyun and his players arrived at Chubu Centrair International Airport in Tokoname, some 30 kilometers south of Nagoya, just before 1 p.m. Friday. Made up of stars from the top domestic league, the Korea Baseball Organization (KBO), Korea is widely considered a strong gold medal contender. "Representing the country carries a lot of weight and responsibility," Ryu told reporters at the airport. "Our process has been smooth and I think the outcome will be good, too. I arrived here with a mix of excitement and nerves. After seeing cheerful looks on the faces of my players, I am feeling optimistic." Korea will begin its Group B action against Chinese Taipei at 6:30 p.m. Monday at Okazaki Chuo Sogo Park Baseball Stadium in Okazaki, some 50 kilometers southeast of Nagoya. The next game is against Hong Kong at 6:30 p.m. next Tuesday at Toyohashi Municipal Baseball Stadium in Toyohashi, about 85 km

Officials defend using temporary containers, cruise ship as lodging at Asian Games

Sep 18, 2026

Officials defend using temporary containers, cruise ship as lodging at Asian Games

NAGOYA, Japan — The Olympic Council of Asia (OCA) is attempting to quell complaints about lodging for athletes and officials at the Asian Games, which includes the use of converted wooden containers. The OCA said Friday that all “17,000-plus athletes and officials” that registered by the entry deadline in July have been provided “games-appropriate accommodation.” The games open officially on Saturday and run through Oct. 4 in and around the central city of Nagoya, and feature at least 11,000 athletes, more than the Summer Olympics. They showcase 43 sports and 45 countries and regions. Japanese officials decided against building a dedicated athletes villages and opted for accommodations on a cruise ship, in hotel rooms and in temporary wood containers. Several countries have complained openly about the lodging, some basketball players have said the beds are too short, and hundreds of athletes had to be evacuated last week after heavy rainfall in the region. “We don’t want to leave a white elephant after the games here," Tayyab Ikram, deputy chairman of the Olympic Council of

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