The Lions kick the last four goals of the decider to break the Dockers’ hearts and snatch a third straight flag at the MCG

Lachie Neale is one Brisbane player who should be arriving at the MCG with a huge smile on his face after the dual Brownlow medallist had a one-match ban overturned on appeal on Thursday night.

The former Dockers midfielder is thought to be playing his 186th and final game for the Lions today, with a move to the Magpies reportedly on the cards. But some of our From the Pocket subscribers were keen to question whether he should be playing at all today.

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Evonne Goolagong Cawley Day is a welcome initiative but meaningful change will only come with a structural approach

The riverside walk to the Australian Open courts is a scenic joy for the sporting pilgrim. Rowing crews train up and down the water, framed by the city’s sun-flecked skyline. The Melbourne Cricket Ground floodlights signal distantly ahead. Beneath the feet of the crowds hurrying to ticket barriers, the concrete path transforms into an artwork: a twisting confluence of eels honouring their Yarra River migration, which once provided abundant food for the Wurundjeri people.

On Wednesday the celebration of country continued inside the precinct. This was Evonne Goolagong Cawley Day, when the tournament celebrates First Nations people and culture. A packed schedule of entertainment included a smoking ceremony on the steps of Margaret Court Arena, a Q&A with Cathy Freeman, and a performance from the Coodjinburra pop star Budjerah. There were taster sessions and weaving workshops, and all the ball kids were from tennis programmes for Indigenous peoples.