The highly anticipated Ashes was quickly torn apart by Travis Head’s cameo at the top of the order that has since turned into a much longer stay. The NRL grand final was another scene for an all-time breathtaking display, as the Broncos joined the AFL’s Lions in making Brisbane the epicentre of Australian sport. Here are our writers’ sporting highlights of 2025.
Reece Lightning strikes down the Storm
It will be a long time before there is an NRL finals campaign like that of Brisbane in 2025. From an unlikely victory over minor premiers Canberra in golden point, through the dramatic second-half turnaround to end Penrith’s dynasty, to the ultimate destination on grand final day.
Brisbane’s fightback over favourites Melbourne to win the Broncos’ first NRL premiership in 19 years was improbable by itself, but for it to cap off a snowballing run of finals comebacks was fairytale material.
Central to it all was Reece Walsh, the electric yet unpredictable fullback who until those few weeks in spring was more potential than proof.
Fans thought they had already seen the greatest grand final performance possible. Two years ago Nathan Cleary single-handedly wrested the premiership trophy from the hands of Walsh and his teammates with 14 of rugby league’s finest minutes.
But against the Storm, Walsh was everywhere. His brilliant first-half try, three try assists and defensive deeds marked a display few would disagree was the best ever – and in a contest not decided until the final minute. Then Melbourne leaked through the Brisbane line, threatening to snatch victory with a two-on-one. There again was Walsh, Reece Lightning, the Southport plumber. King Walshy, proclaimed on this day. Jack Snape
Sprinters surge on to global stage
There is the curiously familiar running stride and mesmerising smile. The viral videos and celebratory selfies. The sold-out athletics meets that live up to the hype.
The rapid rise of teenage sensation Gout Gout has brought Australian eyeballs back to the track. It has quickly sparked the imagination for what might be possible for homegrown sprinters at the Brisbane Olympics in 2032.
The sprint prodigy, who turned 18 this week, continued to break records and soon outgrew junior events this year. He completed high school and at the same time found time to train with sprint royalty and formally announce himself to the world. A 200m semi-final berth in his first senior world championships in Tokyo confirmed Gout’s place as athletics’ – and, arguably, Australian sport’s – breakout star.
Then there is Lachlan Kennedy, who upstaged Gout in his pet event over 200m at a meet in Melbourne early in the year. The 22-year-old sprinter had earlier won silver over 60m at the world indoors, and later became only the second Australian to run a legal 100m in under 10s. Kennedy missed the world championships due to a back injury, but looms as Gout’s greatest rival on home turf as the duo appear set to push each other further – and faster – for years to come.
Australia’s fastest woman, Torrie Lewis, also stepped up on a global stage. The 20-year-old broke her own 100m national record and set a 200m personal best when reaching the semi-finals in both events at the world championships.
Gout is undeniably the shooting star of Australian athletics. But he is far from alone. Martin Pegan
Lions roar as modern dynasty beckons
I don’t know a lot about hip-hop but when Snoop Dogg walked out on the MCG with a golden microphone and a marching band, I suspected it would be an AFL grand final to remember.
Geelong were favourites to win. They hadn’t lost since July and convincingly beat Brisbane three weeks earlier. The Cats’ skill, experience and polish would surely overcome the younger Lions. The first half was neck and neck. But then Jeremy Cameron broke his arm in a clash with teammate Patrick Dangerfield. The Lions got stronger as the game went on, running the Cats into the ground to claim back-to-back premierships. A modern Brisbane dynasty beckons.
Like many Melburnians, I watched the game on TV with friends, including an avid Lions fan, Tash, who grew up in Brisbane supporting the Bears before they merged with Fitzroy in 1996. “Some of my first childhood memories are watching the Bears play at the Gabba and marvelling at how giant the players seemed from the grassy sidelines,” she says.
“My family were lucky enough to see the Lions win their first grand final at the MCG in 2001. So when the siren sounded this year, more than 20 years later, even though we weren’t there, that was special.” Rick Goodman
Travball beats England at their own game
Had Usman Khawaja not holed out on 82 and missed out on completing the ultimate revenge ton in Adelaide, this entry might look a bit different. As it is, nothing on the cricket pitch, or arguably on any sporting field in 2025, compared with Travis Head’s barnstorming, series-defining century in Perth.
England’s Bazballers arrived in Australia espousing their great entertainment project, and the swashbuckling but surely now doomed philosophy played its part in an enthralling day and a half of cricket before Head came to the crease for a second time. By then, 30 wickets had already fallen, and just 468 runs scored.
With England arguably on top in the helter-skelter match and sensing blood, Head, either bravely or stupidly, put his hand up to open in the absence of the injured Usman Khawaja. But with the pressure on, the moustachioed man from the northern suburbs of Adelaide made light of it, and quickly justified his decision.
No fear, no hesitation, Head took the game to England, smashing everything the tourists threw at him to all parts of the ground – fittingly by the end, his wagon wheel resembled an exploding firework. The way the packed house saluted their latest hero, both on reaching the milestone and then as he eventually departed for 123, spoke to the magnitude of his thrilling knock.
Head had taken on England at their own game and won. Travball was born and the tone for the rest of the series had been set. Mike Hytner
Mitch Brown’s bravery offers a turning point
A dark on-field moment was followed by a hopeful one away from the action that helped reveal the highs and lows that sport can bring us, far beyond the wins and losses.
While the football world waited with impatience for the AFL to hand down its sanction to Adelaide’s Izak Rankine for using a homophobic slur during a game, I, like many others, became increasingly furious. First, that the incident happened, that its awfulness was compounded by the league’s lumbering response, and that so many in footy still don’t – or won’t – see the problem.
Then, a week later, Mitch Brown became the first AFL player, past or present, to come out publicly as bisexual, and the experience was the polar opposite to what had come before. The former West Coast player told his story and footy’s carefully constructed wall of indifference came crashing down.
While Brown shared some of the horrible things he witnessed as an AFL player, his message was resoundingly hopeful. In the context of Rankine’s slur and the surrounding vitriol of the preceding week, Brown’s courage was immeasurable, and so too was the joy and strength he allowed others to take from his words.
I wish this wasn’t a moment of such significance. But because of the culture of homophobia in men’s footy, it is. Brown’s decision – and bravery – to speak publicly may be the turning point that the sport so desperately needed. Jo Khan
