A legion of Australians will be competing in the 2025 NCAA National Championship Tournament The basketball world will be turning their attention to college hoops for the NCAA National Championship Tournament and Australians will be at the forefront of both men’s and women’s tournaments A cast of Aussies will be vying for the opportunity to bring a national title to their college program with a strong representation of players from the Centre of Excellence pathway Chyra Evans and Last-Tear Poa have become household names and get their chance to shine in the greatest month of college basketball MARCH MADNESS (DIV 1 – MBB) – Click here for bracket   West Australian Alex Condon will be playing for the championship favourites’ Florida Gators Condon enters the March as a projected first-round NBA draft pick after a stellar sophomore season earning himself All-SEC Third team honours Not far behind him is junior Tyrese Proctor and the powerhouse Duke Blue Devils Proctor will be the starting point guard for a Duke team surrounded with elite level scorers In the ACC Championship game versus Louisville Proctor led the game in scoring with 19 points on 6-12 from the three-point line Not playing on that Louisville team due to an ankle injury was Tasmanian sharpshooter Reyne Smith who enters the tournament as an eight-seed Smith earlier this season broke Louisville’s single game three-point record with 10 triples As always Saint Mary’s continues to feature a strong Australian connection on their roster Josh Dent and Rory Hawke will be looking to take the Gaels to a deep tournament run Riley Parker and the 16th-seeded St Francis fell short to the Alabama St Hornets in the First Four after an All-NEC First Team season MARCH MADNESS – (DIV 1 – WBB) – Click here for bracket    Transferring to Kentucky this season after four stints at Virginia Tech she was named to the All-SEC First Team in the regular season The Ballarat native averaged career highs of 19.1 points and 6.9 assists this season and will be looking to bring Kentucky their first National Championship There are plenty of Aussies playing for high seeds Agnes Emma-Nnpou (TCU) and Lizzy Williamson (NC State) will be entering the tournament as two seeds while Last-Tear Poa at LSU will be seeded third Agnes has the rare opportunity to win a second consecutive title after running the gauntlet with Stanford last year 2022 U18 Asian Cup MVP Isla Juffermans will be competing for seventh-seed Louisville in her freshman season while eighth-seeded Utah boasts talented duo Grace Foster and Chyra Evans with senior Kitty named to the All-Ivy League First Team and Defensive Player of the Year honours after averaging 13.4 points South Australian Kelsey Rees representing Oregon State will have the odds stacked against her entering as a 14 seed with the women’s final scheduled for April 7 and the men’s final set for April 8 Who we are Governance National Teams Events Our Partners Contact Us Play Coach Referee National Champs School Champs State Contacts In the spirit of reconciliation Basketball Australia acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land We pay our respect to their Elders past and present and extend that respect to all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples today Condon has been a revelation for the Gators over the past few months emerging as a likely first round selection at the 2025 NBA Draft in the process Having signed as a Category B rookie for the Collingwood Magpies in the AFL who now seemingly has a future at NBA level The Gators and Cougars did battle in the Championship game, having both finished as the top seed in their respective divisions. The National Tournament was given a shakeup when the Cougars defeated the Duke Blue Devils in the Final Four on Sunday again showing their trademark perimeter defence can deliver on the big stage Houston looked in a strong position in the first half holding the normally dangerous Gators to just 28 points in the first half the Cougars did not take full advantage of their defensive work only mustering a three-point lead at half time the Gators made some adjustments in the second half and looked much more dangerous in the final 20 minutes The game went down to the wire in fitting fashion, with the Cougars clinging on to a one-point lead for much of the second half. It took until the final minute of the game for the Gators to finally take the lead, with Alijah Martin nailing a pair of free throws to put his side up two Houston had the chance to win the match on the final possession but could not get a shot up as Florida won the National Championship for the first time since 2007 It also marked Condon’s strongest performance of the National Tournament having overcome a slight drop in form to have a massive impact on the big stage throwing down a dunk in the first couple of minutes of the match to inject some energy into his side A pair of free throws shortly followed and the Aussie had all four of Florida’s points Although quieter on the offensive end as the half rolled on the Aussie lifted defensively in the second half Condon showed tremendous physicality in the low block in a lift that certainly gave the Gators an edge Left to defend the dangerous J’Wan Roberts one-on-one holding the Cougars big man to eight points on 3/13 shooting from the field Condon had his moment in the sun on the final possession diving on the floor to secure the loose ball after Houston did not put up a shot and securing the National Championship in the process It was the kind of play that was reflective of Condon’s style of play all season long; determined and resulted in the most important play of the game He finished the match with 12 points on 5/9 shooting to go with seven rebounds and four steals in a huge two-way performance under the brightest of lights Having capped off a seriously strong NCAA campaign the NBA seems the next step for the talented Condon CANADIAN Will Riley is an exciting small forward and intriguing NBA Draft prospect showing plenty of ability during his time with Illinois giving his stock a big boost ahead of the intake in June plenty of upside as a shooter and nice skills as a playmaker ONE OF the biggest stars of the 2025 NCAA National Tournament Walter Clayton Jr.‘s March Madness campaign has seen the guard storm up the draft rankings ahead of the 2025 intake in June was the star of the show for the championship-winning Florida Gators proving a matchwinner on the big stage with his […] TWO OF the top prospects ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft VJ Edgecombe and Ace Bailey are hard to split and both have claims as a top-three selection in June With Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper likely to be the top two selections out of this draft class wings Edgecombe and Bailey have been battling […] AUSTRALIAN guard Riley Parker showed plenty during his first season in the NCAAM as a member of the Saint Francis Red Flash throughout the 2024/25 fixture The West Aussie was a revelation for the Red Flash during his junior campaign proving a consistent performer for the team and leading the way as St Francis reached […] AN OLD-FASHIONED big man who offers plenty of production coming from his elite post moves and a great inside scoring game Thomas Sorber can add to an NBA frontcourt when the Draft takes place in a couple of months An excellent paint scorer who can find the bottom of the net with a large array […] A TALENTED big man who brings plenty of height and skill to the frontcourt Danny Wolf has been pushing himself up the draft boards ahead of the 2025 Draft in June and could be an outside chance for a lottery selection UCONN forward Liam McNeeley is an impressive shooter on the wings and will be able to fit into any offensive set up which adds to his value ahead of the 2025 NBA Draft where he looms as a lottery selection The Huskies gun has made a name for himself as a sharpshooter throughout his time […] MAKING the move from Campbell University to the highly regarded Arizona Wildcats Aussie Anthony Dell’Orso still made his mark despite a drop in opportunities as he was a part of the bigger picture After proving an extremely productive offensive option at a smaller school Dell’Orso received plenty of offers from the big programs FORWARD Carter Bryant looms as a first round selection and is pushing lottery territory at the 2025 NBA Draft in June having impressed with the Arizona Wildcats in the NCAA this season A rangy forward who can impact on both ends of the floor Bryant excelled when cutting to the basket showing impressive finishing at […] If you like the content that Rookie Me Central provides and don’t want to miss any of it then sign up to receive our newsletter today then sign up to our subscriber list where you can be emailed out the latest basketball-specific magazines as well as the option to sign up to a monthly newsletter SearchHow Commissioner James Condon was brought to his knees in retirementdeansimpson7Nov 1 could you tell us how you became involved with the recent Awakening Australia event and your role including being the chairman of the Caloundra Pastors Network that’s where I first met Pastor Daniel Hagen from the local Fire Church and received an invitation to be part of Awakening Australia I had attended special church services a few times and they asked me to be part of Awakening’s prayer team Tens of thousands of people attended the event at Brisbane Showgrounds I had never met Ben Fitzgerald (co-founder of Awakening with Daniel) Our prayer team met about four times a day to pray during Awakening We also invited everybody who was already in the showground to come out and join us at the front of the stage to pray before each session started there were as many as 100 people out the front praying before the actual session started always had someone under his stage praying a group of our prayer team went behind the stage and prayed while the event was happening James joins with other Christian leaders to pray for the nation of Australia.There were more than 1000 salvations at Awakening People came to be baptised on the first night of the worship ‘What am I doing here?’ [because] there were so many young people People from all nations and from overseas attended the event The other highlight for me was participating in the national church service on Sunday and having the privilege to pray as part of that service with some of the greats of Christian leadership in Australia The number of people who made it happen just blew me away We had a praise party after the event as we did not want to forget to say thanks to God when we saw answers to prayer What led you to head up the Australia Prays movement I had to appear at the Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse and answer on behalf of The Salvation Army deeply moved by the stories I heard and the way people’s lives had been affected by abuse who was the National Coordinator of the National Day of Prayer and Fasting at the time and suggested to him that there be a time of repentance by the church because of the sins of child sexual abuse while children were in care with the Church – not just The Salvation Army I was joined by the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Canberra I also involved a man who had been involved with The Salvation Army’s boys’ home and was one of the people who testified at the Royal Commission His life had been wonderfully changed and healed by God a Christian high jumper who won silver for Australia at the recent Paris Olympics joins in with the crowd at Awakening Australia.Just before we went into the Great Hall of Parliament House to have the repentance service I felt led to have a foot-washing as part of the act of repentance and wash the feet of a former victim who was in attendance I then got involved with the National Day of Prayer and Fasting and we do more than just one national day of prayer We have the National Day of Prayer on Pentecost Saturday We also call people together to pray when we feel the time is right for whatever it might be such as a national disaster or something significant in our nation politically I have certainly gotten known in the prayer circles across the nation I was asked to be the chairman of the World Prayer Assembly in Perth Australia Prays is about encouraging the Church to come together to pray and we have Christians and churches from every denomination now involved with the National Day of Prayer we mobilise the Body of Christ in Australia to pray fast and intercede for the will and glory of God the Father We have representatives in every state on our national committee You mentioned there are many different denominations and churches involved across Australia Can you speak more about their involvement with Australia Prays The National Day of Prayer usually involves communion with many hundreds of churches involved with the annual event There are approximately 90 locations across Australia right now representing up to 10 different churches that gather together at one physical church who support and are involved with Australia Prays A different domination leads the one-hour slot on the National Day of Prayer we will have a Zoom prayer meeting that is still part of the national event People can go to physical locations or join us online We can have around 500 people on Zoom at any one time We don’t become political because then we immediately ostracise people if we try to become political What drives you to lead prayer for the Australian community I’ve had an impactful journey as far as prayer is concerned in my life The Salvation Army gave me the incredible privilege of attending and studying at Fuller Theological Seminary in Los Angeles who was the church-growth guru of the day and studied under him He took a paradigm shift in his emphasis on teaching and started to teach on prayer and spiritual warfare having been someone who was really impacted by him as a person my own life took a real change at that time in relation to prayer Worship at Awakening Australia was a vibrant, Spirit-led experience.The Bible’s Second Chronicles 7:14 is very much a verse that I’ve taken to heart I committed myself to my own personal prayer retreats and when I was The Salvation Army Commissioner for five and a half years I used to retreat to the Blue Mountains to pray often and still do to this day taking my own personal time with God on a daily basis but then retreating for a day or two to pray and for taking on the chairmanship of Australia Prays Do you believe the Australian Christian community believes in the power of prayer I don’t think they understand fully the incredible potential for prayer and for the God who promises to do the impossible I don’t think they fully understand or tap the potential of that in their lives I know Ben Fitzgerald and Daniel Hagen were just blown away by what God has done with Awakening Australia I encourage people to converse with God as they would with anyone else Many hesitate to pray because they feel unworthy or doubt God ever listens to them People often struggle with unanswered prayers especially waiting and in difficult situations like healing and often say to the men that God answers in three ways – yes The other thing I would say is to seek someone out and talk it through with them And what do you say if prayers are unanswered I just encourage people to keep on praying in faith and waiting to see what God is going to do Unanswered prayers can be an incredibly tricky space to navigate But the first thing that comes to my mind is the verse that says God’s ways are higher than our ways we will never fully understand why a prayer is not answered Commissioners James and Jan Condon at their retirement service in Sydney in 2016.But now and had the most wonderful church secretary named Mary Deas Her husband was not a Christian and a difficult man He was the focus of her prayers for 30 years to find Jesus and I have to become a Christian.” They went off to The Salvation Army church in Maroochydore and knelt down at the front and surrendered his life to God what are the plans for the Australia Prays team We always want to be in that stage in saying I was recently asked to bring together prayer intercessors from all churches across the Sunshine Coast on October 17th to pray for the Sunshine Coast we need to urge other on as far as prayer is concerned in relation to the prayer movement in Australia I have taken on the mantle of bringing everyone together and raising up an army of intercessors across Australia – the Great South Land of the Holy Spirit  Click through the slideshow below for more photos of the Awakening Australia event in Brisbane: The Salvation Army is an international movement Our mission is to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ and to meet human needs in his name with love and without discrimination Search past articles on Others Read past issues of Others Magazine Read past issues of Pipeline Magazine Read past issues of On Fire Magazine Salvos Online is the internal news website of The Salvation Army Australia Territory The website is part of the Internal Communications Department and includes leadership updates Get quick access to your favorite articles Manage alerts on breaking news and favorite drivers Make your voice heard with article commenting cars being filmed for new F1 film APEX starring Brad Pitt Photo by: Simon Galloway / Motorsport Images After months spent following the Formula 1 circus around the world the new F1 movie is coming to theatres this summer producer Jerry Bruckheimer and actor Kerry Condon say moviegoers will be treated to the “most authentic racing movie ever made.”  which stars Brad Pitt and Damson Idris as racers for the APX GP F1 team was produced by Bruckheimer and features Condon as race director for the fictitious team In order to get as close to F1 as possible the production integrated itself with the paddock and Condon even met with F1 insiders to prepare for her role “I spoke to strategists Ruth Buscombe and Bernie Collins, and they kind of helped me baby step it,” she told Motorsport.com during the Miami Grand Prix weekend “Because ultimately there's so much to learn Buscombe and Collins weren’t the only F1 experts to offer their assistance to the production crew, as seven-time world champion Lewis Hamilton was also brought on as a producer for the new film he advised the production team on different aspects of the racing and the way it could be captured on film where Bruckheimer says he was “always available” to the team.  “His advice was so particular,” Bruckheimer explained he was talking about one of the racetracks and he watched the race that we shot and he said when you're going to Turn 4 it's that precise how authentic this movie is This approach to Formula 1 makes the new film the “most authentic racing movie ever made,” Bruckheimer added this open approach to filming over an F1 weekend did come with its challenges and while most of the problems crewed faced could be controlled and navigated with the help of F1 and the teams there was one extra factor that they had no control over: the fans Each sequence shot on a race weekend was in front of thousands of F1 fans who were all clamouring to get a sneak peek at what the hotly-anticipated new movie would entail and this opened the production up to all kinds of spoilers.  because you have thousands of people that are around,” Bruckheimer added From Formula 1 to MotoGP we report straight from the paddock because we love our sport In order to keep delivering our expert journalism we want to give you the opportunity to enjoy an ad-free and tracker-free website and to continue using your adblocker This is probably not the page you’re looking for Add articles to your saved list and come back to them any time Australian basketballer Alex Condon is on the path to the NBA The 211-centimetre West Australian isn’t a lock for this year’s NBA draft but he is on the radar to become a multi-millionaire this year or next as he continues to star for the University of Florida Florida big man Alex Condon throws down a dunk against Alabama.Credit: Getty Images But Condon also has a “good back-up plan” – the Collingwood Football Club The AFL team is first in line for his services should he head back to Australia Condon has football pedigree and sporting genes He is the son of East Perth WAFL premiership player Damien Condon and international swimmer Leah Broderick When the Magpies hosted Condon for a week last winter But the 20-year-old has since powered up the NBA draft standings this college season and continues to improve his shooting and passing game to go with defensive toughness It [Collingwood] is just a good back-up option if it doesn’t work out down the road,” Condon told this masthead from Gainesville Alex Condon of the Florida Gators battles with Johni Broome of the Auburn Tigers.Credit: Getty Images and I don’t see that changing any time soon It’s a very rare thing to have an option like this to play a different sport at a high level.” Condon’s talents showed out when he posted a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds as the Gators beat No.7 Alabama on March 6 He backed that up with 17 points and 15 rebounds against Ole Miss on Sunday (AEDT) Condon had three impressive alley-oop dunks along with plenty of smart so the chances of him joining the Magpies are drifting he’ll stay with Florida next season to focus on the 2026 NBA draft ESPN ranked Condon as a potential pick 16 in February for this year’s draft and more recently forecasted him going at pick 28 but draft expert Jonathan Givony wrote that Condon could be a lottery (top 13) pick in 2026 “It was good to see some recognition for the past year of hard work but it’s not something I’m focusing on right now,” Condon said “It is really important to stay in the present and my present goal is to win a national championship with this team If I go back to school and work on my craft – trusting the process is what I’m on right now.” Condon has been putting his body on the line for his team and also his teeth – he had two of them knocked out against the Georgia Bulldogs late last month Alex Condon is treated by a trainer after having two teeth knocked out against Georiga in February.Credit: Getty Images “I got them knocked back into my mouth a few games ago,” Condon said “I played last game with a metal wire to secure them I’m getting a root canal to fix the teeth and hopefully recover them so I don’t have to get fake teeth when I get older “My mum has been on my case about wearing a mouthguard going forward Condon played Aussie rules and water polo from an early age His football roots are embedded in his sporting persona especially when facing taller or more explosive opponents on the basketball court He left his water polo career as a goalkeeper behind in under-14s but continued playing footy right through to rucking for the WA under-17s in a win over South Australia in 2021. He’s only been playing elite basketball for five or so years, but rapidly rose to the NBA global academy in Canberra and then the Gators “Florida play in a super physical conference I wasn’t scared to crack guys and initiate contact,” Condon said “Almost every game you play is against a team who has a chance to be really good It’s been a great transition from my freshman to my sophomore year I’m more comfortable with the players who might be able to jump higher or shoot better than me I think I have a competitive advantage over them in outworking them or being stronger than them.” Condon spent a week with the Magpies last winter prompting reports he could join the club as a category B rookie should he leave college “I got a tour of the facility and kicked a footy for the first time in a few years,” Condon said “I got to meet all the players and get a vibe of what it is like to be a player at the club “They were very welcoming and have a good thing going on there But a tour with the Australian Boomers in Japan last year made a big impact on Condon’s basketball career setting the stage for his leap forward this season That team also included Sydney Kings forward Alex Toohey, another potential NBA draft pick. “It was a pretty big thing for me and my basketball,” Condon said “Playing with these older guys like Mitch McCarron Mitch Norton and guys like Kyle Bowen – the way they carried themselves prepared for the games and how they compete on and off the court is something I’ve tried to take back with me to the [United] States.” McCarron was impressed with the muscle Condon showed against Japan Australia’s Mitch McCarron drives to the basket against China in 2022.Credit: Getty Images “The biggest thing I noticed right away was the difference in his strength,” McCarron said I’d seen him at some Australian camps before he went to college but his body needed work so he could compete inside “The way he competed physically and went at guys I was surprised how well he held his ground against bigger opponents But I’m not surprised about his play this season.” McCarron has stronger views on Collingwood’s interest in Condon “I don’t want to see him on the AFL field,” McCarron said Condon is blocking out the NBA thoughts and locking in on helping Florida chase the NCAA national title They are ranked fifth in the country going into the SEC conference tournament A long March Madness run could push Condon further up the draft standings “Bloody oath – it’s a great time of year,” Condon said “We are preparing physically and mentally like it is going to be a war in March as you lose a game and you are out “I’ve got some family coming out to watch me play as well and I always play better in front of them.” News, results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday. Sign up for our Sport newsletter The 211-centimetre West Australian isn\\u2019t a lock for this year\\u2019s NBA draft But Condon also has a \\u201Cgood back-up plan\\u201D \\u2013 the Collingwood Football Club \\u201CI am fully focused on my basketball It [Collingwood] is just a good back-up option if it doesn\\u2019t work out down the road,\\u201D Condon told this masthead from Gainesville \\u201CI see footy as a back-up option now and I don\\u2019t see that changing any time soon It\\u2019s a very rare thing to have an option like this to play a different sport at a high level.\\u201D Condon\\u2019s talents showed out when he posted a career-high 27 points and 10 rebounds as the Gators beat No.7 Alabama on March 6 he\\u2019ll stay with Florida next season to focus on the 2026 NBA draft ESPN ranked Condon as a potential pick 16 in February for this year\\u2019s draft \\u201CIt was good to see some recognition for the past year of hard work but it\\u2019s not something I\\u2019m focusing on right now,\\u201D Condon said \\u201CIt is really important to stay in the present \\u201CThat NBA stuff will work itself out If I go back to school and work on my craft \\u2013 trusting the process is what I\\u2019m on right now.\\u201D and also his teeth \\u2013 he had two of them knocked out against the Georgia Bulldogs late last month \\u201CI got them knocked back into my mouth a few games ago,\\u201D Condon said \\u201CI played last game with a metal wire to secure them I\\u2019m getting a root canal to fix the teeth and hopefully recover them so I don\\u2019t have to get fake teeth when I get older \\u201CMy mum has been on my case about wearing a mouthguard going forward He left his water polo career as a goalkeeper behind in under-14s but continued playing footy right through to rucking for the WA under-17s in a win over South Australia in 2021 He\\u2019s only been playing elite basketball for five or so years but rapidly rose to the and then the Gators \\u201CFlorida play in a super physical conference I wasn\\u2019t scared to crack guys and initiate contact,\\u201D Condon said \\u201CAlmost every game you play is against a team who has a chance to be really good It\\u2019s been a great transition from my freshman to my sophomore year I\\u2019m more comfortable with the players who might be able to jump higher or shoot better than me I think I have a competitive advantage over them in outworking them or being stronger than them.\\u201D \\u201CI got a tour of the facility and kicked a footy for the first time in a few years,\\u201D Condon said \\u201CI got to meet all the players and get a vibe of what it is like to be a player at the club \\u201CThey were very welcoming and have a good thing going on there But a tour with the Australian Boomers in Japan last year made a big impact on Condon\\u2019s basketball career \\u201CIt was a pretty big thing for me and my basketball,\\u201D Condon said \\u201CPlaying with these older guys like Mitch McCarron Mitch Norton and guys like Kyle Bowen \\u2013 the way they carried themselves prepared for the games and how they compete on and off the court is something I\\u2019ve tried to take back with me to the [United] States.\\u201D \\u201CThe biggest thing I noticed right away was the difference in his strength,\\u201D McCarron said \\u201CHe is slimmer than your usual big man I\\u2019d seen him at some Australian camps before he went to college \\u201CThe way he competed physically and went at guys But I\\u2019m not surprised about his play this season.\\u201D McCarron has stronger views on Collingwood\\u2019s interest in Condon \\u201CI don\\u2019t want to see him on the AFL field,\\u201D McCarron said \\u201CI want to see him stay on the court.\\u201D \\u201CBloody oath \\u2013 it\\u2019s a great time of year,\\u201D Condon said \\u201CWe are preparing physically and mentally like it is going to be a war in March as you lose a game and you are out \\u201CI\\u2019ve got some family coming out to watch me play as well and I always play better in front of them.\\u201D results and expert analysis from the weekend of sport are sent every Monday Sky Sports F1 pundit David Croft was forced to issue an apology after an A-List guest swore live on air at the Miami Grand Prix COLLINGWOOD faces an intriguing wait for exciting talent Alex Condon whose NBA draft hopes are growing after an exciting stint of basketball in America Condon, as previously revealed by AFL.com.au, has a unique agreement with the Magpies where he has committed to joining the club as a category B rookie while he pursues an NBA career.  The 212cm former West Australian under-18 ruckman can now be listed by the Pies, who have lodged paperwork to officially add him onto their category B list. It is waiting approval from the AFL. But an interesting few months await for Condon and the Pies, with the 20-year-old enjoying a form spike playing for college side the Florida Gators that has put him more on the map as a potential draftee later this year.  Some local recruiting experts have been wowed by Condon's form in his second season at the Gators as a forward, leading to higher draft credentials as clubs consider his talents. If he is to nominate and be selected, it would clearly be a curveball for the Pies who would have to wait until further down the track to get Condon through their doors. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Gators Men's Basketball (@gatorsmbk) Condon spent time with the Magpies in the lead-up to his commitment with them having had other AFL clubs also chasing his signature and also since then as Collingwood looked outside the square for a recruiting edge The Pies have enjoyed success with category B rookies including American Mason Cox and Irishman Marty Clarke Gold Coast Academy’s Usher on her ACL injury rehab battles and best friend Havana Harris incredible misses and more in our look back on the April action of the 2025 Toyota AFL Premiership season Three-time premiership coach Mick Malthouse gives host Bharat Sundaresan the rundown on how Australian football began and how it became such a significant part of Australian culture With a challenging month of away clashes ahead Fremantle needs to find a way to win on the road if it's to seriously contend in 2025 One of footy's famous rivalries will kick off the AFLW season to mark the 10th season of the competition Check out all the action from the state leagues around the country Damian Barrett and Matthew Lloyd with the latest news and opinions from Round 8 Jarrod Berry says he'd love to see Oscar Allen in Brisbane colours as a replacement for the retired Joe Daniher Footy Feed: Sarah Olle and Riley Beveridge with the latest news Check out the Rising Star for AFL’s Round 8 Will a hard tag from Jack Viney be the reason Harley Reid leaves the Eagles Vote now on your favourite marks from Round 8 of the Toyota AFL Premiership Season The Match Review findings for Sunday's round eight games are in In the spirit of reconciliation the AFL acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of country throughout Australia and their connections to land THE BIGGEST success story for Australians heading into the 2025 NBA Draft is Alex Condon, who has firmed his place in draft calculations with a magnificent year as a member of the Florida Gators in the NCAA After signing with the Collingwood Magpies as a category-B rookie in the AFL Condon returned to college basketball for one more season chasing the ultimate prize with his Florida teammates a strong bet given the Gators had a solid core Although Aussie fans would be keeping an eye on Condon throughout the 2024/25 season he was on the national radar by the end of the fixture given how much he had excelled with the Gators in the starting lineup Condon officially entered the 2025 NBA Draft while maintaining his eligibility to return to the NCAA if he looks to seek consecutive titles with Florida although many of his championship teammates may not return with the Aussie playing a central role in Florida’s offence with his passing and interior finishing He can put the ball on the floor if needed while his ability to fake out defenders with pump fake passes completely opens up the offence in halfcourt sets which will be a big bonus in the NBA given the amount of switches he can wrestle and battle with the best of them in the low block and his desire to not be beaten is evident whenever he is caught one out but Condon also has the ability to close out on shooters around the perimeter Although his jumpshot needs a little bit of tidying and he could certainly benefit from putting on a bit of size Condon has shown excellent work ethic throughout his time in the NCAA and his impressive motor should ensure he makes an impact while he works on those two points 0.9 steals and 1.3 blocks on 49.3 per cent shooting from the field with all of those numbers up on his previous campaign with the Gators He was a pillar of consistency for Florida registering double-digits in 19 of his 37 outings this season including a standout performance in enemy territory against Alabama posting 27 points and 10 rebounds on 9/16 shooting from the field including nailing a couple of triples to show his improvement on that front he played an instrumental role for the Gators as they claimed the ultimate prize getting going early and finishing with 12 points and seven rebounds including coming up with the game-sealing steal in the dying seconds of the match In terms of comparisons (stay tuned for a more in depth analysis on this front) the eye test suggests Condon shares similarities with Isaiah Hartenstein impressive passing for their position and can hold their own defensively The latter has built a strong NBA career on the back of this One of Australia’s best draft bets for 2025 Condon looks destined for big things in the NBA and his campaign with the Gators showed he certainly has star potential and a willingness to improve in the future ALTHOUGH it has been tough to get a read on his play but Hugo Gonzalez has been proving himself as a jack of all trades NBA Draft prospect ahead of the 2025 intake and seems a good fit for teams currently in the championship window ALTHOUGH not the flashiest player with the most exciting highlights package the value of Noah Penda as a prospect is immense and there will be plenty of interested teams at the 2025 NBA Draft in June With one of the best brains in the draft class A READY-MADE playmaker and bouncy scoring option Frenchman Nolan Traore will intrigue a number of teams when making their selection at the 2025 NBA Draft in June with Traore standing six-foot-four while playing point guard which should give him an advantage over his […] A VERSATILE prospect who can fill a number of roles on the court Nique Clifford will be an extremely intriguing option for teams at the 2025 NBA Draft later this year in June A six-foot-six wing who essentially does it all Clifford displayed plenty of toughness throughout his time with Colorado State in the NCAA […] The 2025 NBA draft combine kicks off next week in Chicago where the top prospects ahead of June's annual selection event will work out in front of members of all 30 professional basketball franchises The list of 75 players was released on Saturday and included a trio of members of the national-championship-winning Florida basketball program Point guard Walter Clayton Jr.'s name was among those invited to the combine as well as fellow guard Alijah Marton and forward Alex Condon Another Gator — guard Will Richard — was not selected to attend the main event, but did get the call from the NBA G League Elite Camp which takes place just before the start of the main combine he could be picked to join the other three at the mandatory NBA draft combine 4.2 assists and 3.7 rebounds per game during the 2024-25 campaign he earned First-Team All-SEC and All-American honors while being anointed Most Outstanding Player in the 2025 Final Four for his title-winning heroics "Clayton is a fearless, uber-confident shot-maker who just carried his club to a national championship. The stakes and the spotlight clearly don't bother him, and when he really has it rolling, neither does the defensive pressure he faces," Bleacher Report's Zach Buckley notes since he's already 22 and functions mostly as a 6'3" scoring guard But for a team with win-now intentions and a need for additional shot-making.. his production and skill could trump those concerns." the Aussie played in 74 total games while starting exactly half of them (37) He played in all 36 games and earned SEC All-Freshman honors two seasons ago, totaling 277 points, 229 rebounds and a team-leading 45 blocked shots. Condon was the first Gator in program history to make his first career start in the NCAA Tournament against the Colorado Buffaloes in 2024 the multi-talented forward averaged 10.6 points and 7.5 rebounds per game while cementing his status as a starter in Florida's rotation during the 2024-25 campaign He was recognized as the SEC Player of the Week three times and was named third-team All-SEC Martin was a very productive member of the roster during his lone season in Gainesville averaging a career-high 14.4 points per game along with 4.5 rebounds with 82 assists He started 36 of his 38 appearances with the Orange and Blue and his 546 points rank 17th in Florida history in a single season and the third-most by a transfer His efforts helped him become the first player to start in a Final Four for two different teams "Alijah Martin has not drawn widespread NBA draft praise, largely because of his 6-foot-2 frame as an off-ball guard. However, there is so much to like about his ability to compete on both ends that he should draw second-round interest and at least get the opportunity to play for a two-way deal this offseason," Fletcher's assessment begins "Despite lacking the size needed to score and guard at a high level standing well shorter than many of the matchups he could face in the NBA there is a special tenacity present throughout his college career which promises to translate into a reliable bench role which could keep him on a roster with hopes of development." "The 2025 NBA draft combine will take place from May 11-18 at Wintrust Arena and the Marriott Marquis in Chicago Illinois," according to the official website "As set forth in the Collective Bargaining Agreement all invited players are required to attend and participate in the NBA Draft Combine The NBA may excuse an invited player’s attendance or participation at the Draft Combine and require the player to complete Draft Combine activities at a later date." Follow us @GatorsWire on X, formerly known as Twitter, as well as Bluesky, and like our page on Facebook to follow ongoing coverage of Florida Gators news The future of accused double murderer and former police officer Beau Lamarre-Condon may depend on a psychiatric report set to be released in the coming weeks Lamarre-Condon is alleged to have shot Jesse Baird and partner with his service weapon at a Paddington house on 19 February last year before attempting to dispose of their bodies He is charged with two counts of domestic violence-related murder The former police officer’s lawyer told the Downing Centre Local Court on Thursday that his client was seen by a forensic psychologist The findings of the report will be reviewed by Lamarre-Condon’s Legal Aid team until 30 April when they will discuss the next steps with prosectors Forensic mental health reports allow lawyers to assess whether the accused was suffering from severe psychological impairment preventing them from being held “criminally responsible” for their actions If lawyers were to find Lamarre-Condon was not “criminally responsible” his care would be passed over to the forensic mental health system which is able to release people once specialists have decided they are not a threat to the public He is yet to enter pleas in court, with a previous lawyer, John Walford, telling media in June that the accused may rely on mental health grounds as his defence Police allege that the murders were premeditated, following months of “predatory behaviour” towards Baird including breaking into his home and damaging his car Baird’s and Davies’ remains were found last year on 27 February at a rural property in Bungonia The murders of Luke and Jesse shocked the Australian queer community, and were felt especially hard in Sydney NSW Police were uninvited from marching in the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras last year, with the Board deciding it could “add to the distress within our communities”. A decision was later reached that Police could march in the parade Lamarre-Condon will return to court on May 20 AUSSIE big man Alex Condon has continued his charge up the NBA Draft rankings with a huge performance on Thursday in the NCAAM leading the Florida Gators to a five-point win over the Alabama Crimson Tide Condon posted a huge double-double of 27 points and 10 rebounds in what is his best performance at College level and continues his breakout campaign that has seen him shot up the draft board in recent months The Perth native has been one of the biggest draft risers of the 2025 class and is now looming as a first round selection based on his recent production and tremendous skillset Condon has now cemented himself as one of the best exports out of Australia and will be more than likely heading to the NBA in June Condon and the Gators travelled to enemy territory to take on the Crimson Tide at Coleman Coliseum on Thursday morning in what would be a big test for Florida and its ability to win on the road The Gators and Crimson Tide are ranked fifth and seventh respectively so it was shaping as a crucial contest for both sides and their National Championship aspirations with a back and forth affair seeing the Gators take a one-point lead into the break Both sides lifted their offensive intensity and output in the second half but it was Florida that jumped out to an early lead Despite a spirited comeback from the Crimson Tide the Gators were composed at the free throw line and did enough to get the job done Condon was undoubtedly the star of the show for the Gators delivering a statement performance that could prove vital come draft time His ankle injury is no longer proving an issue as perfectly demonstrated by an early dunk in transition gliding to the basket and throwing down the slam to help inject some energy into the Gators Condon’s ability to score at all three levels makes him such a dangerous threat with quick cuts out to the three-point line often leaving his opponent dazed and Condon made the Crimson Tide pay for leaving him open around the perimeter knocking down a pair of triples from a standing start One of his most unique strengths for his size is his passing and vision and although he only recorded the one assist there were several occasions against Alabama where Condon made picture perfect passes to a cutting teammate that completely opened up the offensive possession for his side One of his biggest highlights came at the end of the first half where he caught a leading pass in transition used his pivot foot to perfection by faking and getting his opponent in the air before finishing through contact for an and-one It was the perfect demonstration of his size The shift in his role of late has been incredibly evident and it is obvious that much of Florida’s offence runs through him with the Gators taking full advantage of his skillset and ability to create for himself and others He also showed his feel for the game on the defensive end with a big block at the start of the second half that sent the ball out of bounds It was the catalyst for Florida’s match-winning run and helped give his team the intensity it needed to jump out to a hefty lead Finishing the match with 27 points on 9/16 shooting and 10 rebounds with five coming on the offensive end it was the kind of breakout performance that NBA scouts will have surely noticed from Condon and will undoubtedly move him further up the draft rankings MOST athletes grow up dreaming of one day playing their favourite sport professionally he had to make a choice – pursue an NBA career or an AFL career Condon currently plays college basketball for the Florida Gators under head coach Todd Golden and is touted as a talented big man capable of defending as well as averaging 7.7 points and 6.4 rebounds per game as a freshman last year Condon played in 36 games in his first NCAA season and came into year two set to take over the starting centre position The 212cm (6’11) Western Australian talent hopes to improve his shooting percentages and bump up his averages into double-double territory Having grown up playing Australian Rules Football providing a rim running ability that creates alley-oop opportunities and allows him to chase down rebounds and block shots He averaged 1.5 blocks per contest in 2023-24 and will look to increase that again this season.  In the Gators’ opening match of the basketball season and after a tough first half in which Condon’s side trailed by as many as 16 points There were impressive performances across the board from Florida’s senior starting guards as Will Richard and Alijah Martin combined for 67 points and 16 rebounds Condon spent much of the game in foul trouble five rebounds and a blocked shot in just 22 minutes showing a glimpse of what sort of bigger numbers will be possible with more court time.  As the Gators turn their attention to Jacksonville on Friday Jacksonville out-rebounded its opening night opponents 51-34 the emerging Australian star could look to have a big game noting that his opponents boast just one player over 6’9 Alex Condon is also set to sign with the Collingwood Magpies as a category B rookie on a multi-year deal The catch here is that he will be paid outside of the cap by Collingwood and will only return to Australia to play AFL if he is not selected in the 2025 NBA Draft While this could serve as motivation for Condon knowing a guaranteed AFL contract is your backup may hinder the output of his sophomore college season extremely hard working and the lure of an NBA career would be motivation enough to want to have as successful a season as possible at Florida.  The dual sport athlete grew up playing water polo as well as football where he spent time with Claremont in Western Australia before being part of the Under 18’s National Championships in 2021 Condon was regarded as a mobile ruckman whose most impressive attribute was his athleticism providing run in transition and away from stoppage Condon has spent three years unregistered from Australian Rules football allowing him to sign as a Cat-B rookie with the Magpies After walking away from football after the 2021 season Condon spent time with the Australian National Under 18s side the focus remains on anchoring the Gators to the promised land after they bowed out in the opening match of March Madness last season going down by two points to the University of Colorado Condon was thrust back into the starting line-up for this do-or-die matchup but it set Condon up to have a successful sophomore season and gave him the momentum to keep hold of the starting centre position.  Florida remains in a good space as a team with a healthy mix of youth and athleticism and anchored by the Australian Condon look set to compete when it matters in March once again It’s hard to believe the experience gained from last season’s early knockout won’t help Condon and the Gators to go further this time around as he vies for his NBA dream at season’s end Magistrate calls legal representation change ‘regrettable’ as the 29-year-old faces two counts related to deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies A former Sydney police officer accused of killing two men with his service weapon will be back in court in two weeks, after his lawyer was replaced by legal aid. Beau Lamarre-Condon, 29, is accused of murdering the TV presenter Jesse Baird – whom he had reportedly previously dated – along with Baird’s partner, Luke Davies, in February. In court on Tuesday, Lamarre-Condon’s lawyer John Walford withdrew from the case. Guardian Australia understands Lamarre-Condon applied for, and was granted, public funding for his case: he will be represented by Legal Aid NSW. Read moreLamarre-Condon appeared in court by video link from prison He did not speak except to say “thanks” to the magistrate He was removed from the screen before his matter was dealt with in court The magistrate said it was “regrettable that legal representation is changing at this late stage” and emphasised to his new counsel the need to avoid any further delays Sign up for Guardian Australia’s breaking news email Police have alleged Lamarre-Condon shot Baird and Davies with his NSW police handgun inside Baird’s Paddington home sometime on 19 February before dumping their bodies, wrapped in surfboard bags, on a rural property in Bungonia, about 200km south-west of Sydney Police alleged the attack was premeditated and followed a months-long campaign of “predatory behaviour” targeting Baird with whom Lamarre-Condon had had an “on-and-off-again relationship” Lamarre-Condon was arrested after presenting to Bondi police station The bodies of Baird and Davies were found on 27 February Lamarre-Condon has been in custody since his arrest and has been sacked by the NSW police force He faces two charges of domestic violence-related murder as well as a third charge of aggravated break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence Police first became concerned for the welfare of Baird and Davies in late February when a council worker found bloodied clothing and personal possessions – including keys and credit cards – in a skip bin in Cronulla Free newsletterGet the most important news as it breaks The pair had last been seen at a pre-Mardi Gras party That concern escalated when police found blood in Baird’s share house in Paddington Police have alleged at least one bullet casing was found at the scene which was ballistically linked to a police-issue handgun issued to Lamarre-Condon Lamarre-Condon’s new defence had sought an adjournment for five months to have a forensic psychiatrist’s assessment made and to assess fully the brief of evidence But the long delay was opposed by prosecutors who argued it could be done more quickly The magistrate granted the two-week adjournment Lamarre-Condon remains on remand at Long Bay jail in Sydney Ex-senior constable is accused of murdering Jesse Baird and Luke Davies with his service weapon The court case of a former police officer accused of killing a Sydney couple has been delayed for nearly three months to give his new taxpayer-funded defence more time to prepare was charged with double murder after police found the bodies of Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies Lamarre-Condon’s high-profile defence lawyer John Walford was replaced by Legal Aid representation in early November the ex-officer’s lawyer submitted a 50-page-long affidavit in Sydney’s Downing Centre’s local court “There’s a very lengthy affidavit with annexures that have been tendered,” magistrate David Covington said “It explains the reasons as to why such an adjournment is required but in essence, the matter has only quite recently been to Legal Aid after a senior public defender was allocated.” Covington said expert reports were required and were not available. Prosecutors initially opposed an application for an adjournment in early November after Lamarre-Condon’s lawyers said they could not get the accused murderer assessed by a forensic psychiatrist until 2025. They claimed it was not clear all efforts had been made to find a specialist. But prosecutors did not oppose Tuesday’s application and the magistrate granted the adjournment until 4 February. Lamarre-Condon, who is in custody, is alleged to have shot the men with his service weapon at Baird’s inner-city home before attempting to dispose of their bodies. Police allege the attack was premeditated after a months-long campaign of “predatory behaviour” targeting Baird, who Lamarre-Condon briefly dated and who was in a new relationship with Davies. Read moreThe former senior constable is facing two counts of domestic violence-related murder and one count of break and enter with intent to commit an indictable offence Suspicions were raised after possessions belonging to the men were found in a skip bin in the southern Sydney suburb of Cronulla leading police to Baird’s blood-smeared share house in Paddington The couple’s bodies were found on 27 February inside surfboard bags at the fence line of a rural property in Bungonia Lamarre-Condon was sacked by the New South Wales police force in mid-March He joined the force in 2019 and previously ran a celebrity blog posing in photos with dozens of A-listers including Taylor Swift Lamarre-Condon is charged with the domestic violence-related murders of former TV presenter Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies in Sydney An ex-police officer charged with the alleged domestic violence-related murders of two men in Sydney will soon lodge a plea to the charges levelled against him has been accused of fatally shooting the Qantas flight attendant Luke Davies Police allege the 19 February attack in inner-city Sydney was premeditated after a months-long campaign of “predatory behaviour” targeting Baird whom he briefly dated has been charged with two counts of domestic violence-related murder and one count of breaking and entering with intent to commit an indictable offence His lawyer John Walford appeared briefly at Sydney’s Downing Centre local court on Tuesday when he said pleas would be entered the next time the case was before a magistrate. “We’re in the last throes of finalising instructions,” he told the magistrate Theo Tsavdaridis. Walford, when pressed by the magistrate, declined to say whether his client would deny the charges and face trial or admit the crimes and go to sentence. Lamarre-Condon’s case is due back in court on 5 November. He was placed into custody after his arrest and did not appear in court on Tuesday either in person or by video link from prison. He allegedly shot Baird and Davies with his NSW police service weapon at Baird’s Paddington home. A triple-zero call was made from Davies’ mobile phone four minutes after neighbours heard gunshots at the house, police have said. A patrol car was later sent searching for the source of the call, which was disconnected before anyone spoke. The men’s bodies were found on 27 February inside surfboard bags at the fence line of a rural property in Bungonia, near Goulburn, about 200km south-west of Sydney. Suspicion the duo were dead was sparked after possessions belonging to the men were found in a skip bin in the southern Sydney suburb of Cronulla – leading police to Baird’s blood-smeared share house. Lamarre-Condon joined the NSW police force in 2019 and previously ran a celebrity blog, posing in photos with dozens of A-listers including Taylor Swift, Selena Gomez, Katy Perry, Miley Cyrus and Harry Styles. He was sacked from the force in mid-March. HomeTributes & FuneralsDeath NoticesCONDON It is with heavy hearts that we announce the death of our dear Mum Funeral service to be held at 3 Stebbings Ln JD wrote about something in his newsletter Tuesday and it has been rolling around in my head ever since he started writing it A couple of things have happened here at The Pillar over the last month-and-a-half and while I don’t think there is explicit causality between them The biggest story we’ve been covering during this time — and for us the biggest story to come out of the Vatican in some time — has been the Príncipi case or what could really be called the Peña Parra case since it is now principally about how the pope’s chief of staff tried to reinstate a twice-convicted and laicized sexual abuser of minors I am not going to rehearse the details again. If you’re reading this email, you’re the kind of reader who has already read our summary of why it matters. it was to report the stories that we could see mattered and which no one else could or would touch pretty much the week the McCarrick scandal broke I spent my first year in journalism wondering how how something as big as McCarrick could play out in plain sight for so long and go unchallenged as a canon lawyer with a few years of practice in abuse cases under my belt I wondered how the basic legal mechanisms of reporting and justice could have failed so spectacularly for so long The answers to both those questions became apparent to me in relatively short order The legal processes failed because McCarrick was — for many many years — too big to fail in the ecclesiastical world too well-financed to be held to account by ordinary means And he was so influential as a tribal figurehead and source to so many people in the Catholic world that he could count on any rumor about his crimes being dismissed as just that: rumor McCarrick could also rely on a knowledge gap in the Catholic press when it came to how abusers operate and how the Church’s legal system is meant to work which would prevent people from understanding what was in front of their noses —and make them willing to take any explanation offered to them All this came to mind when, amidst the deafening silence surrounding the Príncipi affair, JD wrote about an oft-styled senior and respected figure in Catholic media’s analysis of the case — so far as I am aware practically the only analysis of the case not published at The Pillar You can read JD’s reaction to that here reading John Allen Jr.’s analysis brought everything I thought and wondered and learned during the McCarrick saga sharply back into focus who said upfront that he declined to investigate McCarrick because “If you go after somebody like this as a source,” and “if I tried to interview every one of these [bishops] every time I heard something salacious that is all I’d be doing and I’d be out of business in a heartbeat.” His analysis of the Príncipi/Peña Parra affair is that it’s basically a backroom curial politics story having had access to some of the documention reasonable people can disagree about whether a priest groping the genitals of teenage boys — legal minors — under the guise of prayer is evidence of sexual abuse post-Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors world If there is one thing Pope Francis has stressed it’s that “zero-tolerance” is meant to be a reality in the Church and all those laws and processes he has enacted are intended to be followed there are still some people in the Church who never got the memo as the unfolding of the Príncipi case shows others got the message and have been subverting it ever since to understand much of this you need to understand what the Church’s laws and processes on sexual abuse actually say and how they work an understanding of the DDF’s exclusive authority over abuse of minors cases helps you understand a lot about the Príncipi case when the accusation is “just” questionable groping they routinely send those cases where they belong The DDF only accepts cases where the alleged acts of abuse of the minor are of the most unambiguously sexual and direct order — and they have jurisprudence defining what that means in forensic detail and a responsible one would wonder if there’s more to the story than a curated version seemingly handed to you by those defending an illegal intervention on a convicted abuser’s behalf the abuse of power and the kind of closed clericalist networks which protected McCarrick would look at a failed and obviously illegal — in the literal technical sense — attempt by the pope’s closest collaborator to reinstate a laicized abuser and see something more urgent and problematic than a “turf war.” a lot of people in the Church adopted the policy of “zero-tolerance” and a lot of people said “never again.” We’ve come far enough from McCarrick to begin to see the difference — if we want to see it And from Day 1 we made it our business to report what we see Which brings me back to John Allen and his comments in the Vatican’s McCarrick Report “If I tried to interview every one of these guys [bishops] every time I heard something salacious, that is all I’d be doing and I’d be out of business in a heartbeat” — that’s what he told them Since we started reporting on the Príncipi case, our paying subscribers are down — we’ve lost revenue, noticeably. Reporting the things we know matter, giving them the attention they deserve and refusing to let them go or to be fobbed off with answers designed to distract might indeed be bad business We at The Pillar do not care if it loses us money We do not care if it makes us unpopular in the Vatican press office Client-state Catholic media which turns away from abuse of power and excuses and minimizes abuse of minors is no service to the truth That’s a thing to which we said “never again.” We do not care if doing Catholic journalism our way eventually puts us under because we set out to it this way and no other and we will see it stand or fall on that alone That’s a choice everyone reading this can make for themselves Upgrade your subscription Give a gift subscription And for those of you who have stood with us thus far, thank you. Thank you all and each. We’re going to keep going, together.  ReplyShare272 more comments...LatestNo posts while I don\u2019t think there is explicit causality between them The biggest story we\u2019ve been covering during this time \u2014 and for us the biggest story to come out of the Vatican in some time \u2014 has been the Pr\u00EDncipi case or what could really be called the Pe\u00F1a Parra case since it is now principally about how the pope\u2019s chief of staff tried to reinstate a twice-convicted and laicized sexual abuser of minors.  I am not going to rehearse the details again. If you\u2019re reading this email, you\u2019re the kind of reader who has already read our summary of why it matters. and which no one else could or would touch.  The legal processes failed because McCarrick was \u2014 for many many years \u2014 too big to fail in the ecclesiastical world.  and how the Church\u2019s legal system is meant to work which would prevent people from understanding what was in front of their noses \u2014and make them willing to take any explanation offered to them All this came to mind when, amidst the deafening silence surrounding the Pr\u00EDncipi affair, JD wrote about an oft-styled senior and respected figure in Catholic media\u2019s analysis of the case \u2014 so far as I am aware practically the only analysis of the case not published at The Pillar You can read JD\u2019s reaction to that here reading John Allen Jr.\u2019s analysis brought everything I thought and wondered and learned during the McCarrick saga sharply back into focus.  who said upfront that he declined to investigate McCarrick because \u201CIf you go after somebody like this as a source,\u201D and \u201Cif I tried to interview every one of these [bishops] every time I heard something salacious that is all I\u2019d be doing and I\u2019d be out of business in a heartbeat.\u201D His analysis of the Pr\u00EDncipi/Pe\u00F1a Parra affair is that it\u2019s basically a backroom curial politics story reasonable people can disagree about whether a priest groping the genitals of teenage boys \u2014 legal minors \u2014 under the guise of prayer is evidence of sexual abuse or just \u201Cterrible judgment.\u201D  it\u2019s that \u201Czero-tolerance\u201D is meant to be a reality in the Church and all those laws and processes he has enacted are intended to be followed.  as the unfolding of the Pr\u00EDncipi case shows to understand much of this you need to understand what the Church\u2019s laws and processes on sexual abuse actually say and how they work.  an understanding of the DDF\u2019s exclusive authority over abuse of minors cases helps you understand a lot about the Pr\u00EDncipi case.  The DDF doesn\u2019t claim competence in cases when the accusation is \u201Cjust\u201D questionable groping.  not \u2014 never \u2014 the Secretariat of State and direct order \u2014 and they have jurisprudence defining what that means in forensic detail and a responsible one would wonder if there\u2019s more to the story than a curated version seemingly handed to you by those defending an illegal intervention on a convicted abuser\u2019s behalf would look at a failed and obviously illegal \u2014 in the literal technical sense \u2014 attempt by the pope\u2019s closest collaborator to reinstate a laicized abuser and see something more urgent and problematic than a \u201Cturf war.\u201D a lot of people in the Church adopted the policy of \u201Czero-tolerance\u201D and a lot of people said \u201Cnever again.\u201D We\u2019ve come far enough from McCarrick to begin to see the difference \u2014 if we want to see it Which brings me back to John Allen and his comments in the Vatican\u2019s McCarrick Report \u201CIf I tried to interview every one of these guys [bishops] every time I heard something salacious, that is all I\u2019d be doing and I\u2019d be out of business in a heartbeat\u201D \u2014 that\u2019s what he told them Since we started reporting on the Pr\u00EDncipi case, our paying subscribers are down \u2014 we\u2019ve lost revenue, noticeably. Reporting the things we know matter, giving them the attention they deserve and refusing to let them go or to be fobbed off with answers designed to distract might indeed be bad business.  Maybe it\u2019s a terminal mistake to make But here\u2019s what I do know: I don\u2019t care.  That\u2019s a thing to which we said \u201Cnever again.\u201D That\u2019s a choice everyone reading this can make for themselves Subscribe now Upgrade your subscription Give a gift subscription And for those of you who have stood with us thus far Aussie NCAA champion Alex Condon is set to turn his back on an AFL powerhouse with sights set on the NBA dream after taking out the US national college title Please call us on 1800 070 535 and we’ll help resolve the issue or try again later Fund Australia’s home of LGBTQ+ journalism Former NSW Police officer Beaumont Lamarre-Condon, charged with the alleged murder of couple Luke Davies and Jesse Baird has changed his legal representation to taxpayer-funded Legal Aid defence appeared in Sydney Downing Centre’s Local Court to face charges for the alleged double murder of Jesse Baird and his partner Luke Davies As per 9 News the court was told Lamarre-Condon would no longer be represented by lawyer John Walford and will now instead be defended by  Legal Aid In addition to the change in lawyers, Magistrate Clare Farnan also heard a request for adjournment until early next year, so a forensic psychiatrist to assess the accused’s mental state noting the strain this may have on further proceedings “We have a forensic psychiatrist who has indicated they can assess the accused early next year we expect that assessment will occur in February or March.” The requests come from Lamarre-Condon’s new team of lawyers The proposal for the ‘lengthy adjournment’ has been opposed by Crown prosecutors who are ‘not clear on all efforts being made to find a psychiatrist’ Farnan instead opted to adjourn the case for two weeks adding it was “regrettable that legal representation is changing at this stage in the proceedings” According to NSW Police, the attack was allegedly premeditated following months of “predatory behaviour” from Lamarre-Condon towards Baird he should have the same rights as any defendant Editorial Submissions and Enquirieseditor@starobserver.com.au Advertising and Salessales@starobserver.com.au Accountsaccounts@starobserver.com.au Alex Condon is hoping to add his name to the Australian basketball history books as he and Florida take on Houston for the NCAA national championship has quickly shot up draft boards in his first year of college hoops a starter for the team that has enjoyed a dominant season will Condon become the latest Aussie to win March Madness Condon will become one of six Australians to win March Madness Justin Brown was the first Aussie to claim college basketball's top honour with the UConn big man part of the 1999 title squad - although he red-shirted the season whose LSU team claimed the championship in 2023 *Louisville's title was later vacated due to NCAA rules violations who has a keen interest in the intersection of sports and popular culture after the Australian left his Sweet 16 game midway through the first half with an ankle injury hurt the same ankle that he injured previously in the season as his Gators attempt to move on in the NCAA Tournament against Maryland Condon's injury could see the number one seed upset well before they planned on bowing out Alex Condon retruned midway through the second half of Florida's clash against Maryland after he was forced to exit with injury during the first half Friday limping off the floor after injuring his right ankle early in the game Alex Condon limps off the floor with an injury Florida off to a great start with an 18-9 lead The Australian was immediately X-rayed and missed the remainder of the first half but was seen on the sidelines to begin the second half in an attempt to return Alex Condon warming up for Florida after halftime doesn't look like he is going back in to start the second half though they will next take on the winner of Texas Tech and Arkansas in the Elite Eight According to Sportsbet Florida are the second-most likely team to claim the title If you purchase a product or register for an account through one of the links on our site, we may receive compensation. Learn more > Jed is a writer and social media producer, who has a keen interest in the intersection of sports and popular culture, especially basketball.  Photo: AP PHOTONBA prospect Alex Condon has become the first Australian basketballer to play in and win the US national college championship All articles from our website & appThe digital version of Today's PaperBreaking news alerts direct to your inboxInteractive Crosswords Sudoku and TriviaAll articles from the other regional websites in your areaContinueCondon's Florida Gators defeated the Houston Cougars 65-63 in a nail-biter in San Antonio on Monday (Tuesday AEST) to claim their first March Madness title since 2007 The 210cm giant became the highest-scoring Australian in a national championship final Condon (21) looks to pass the ball in the NCAA final in San Antonio (AP PHOTO)His coach Todd Golden also became the youngest coach to win the championship since 1983 "We did what we did all year - we stayed the course," said Golden we made plays when we needed it the most." Florida overcame a 12-point second-half deficit capitalising on Houston's low field-goal percentage (34.8 per cent) and high foul count (19) Houston's Emanuel Sharp leapt to make a three but Walter Clayton Jr outstretched his arms and the Cougar let go of the ball "I just dived on it and hearing the buzzer go It was a great defensive play by Walt (Clayton Jr)," the 20-year-old said "We got in a huddle at one point and said 'We're good "We have elite confidence in those situations I think we had nine stops towards the end of the game Three successful free throws in the final 46 seconds saw the Gators overturn Houston's lead to win 11 assists) and Denzel Aberdeen (seven points) all starred alongside the West Australian for Florida Houston's LJ Cryer finished with 19 points but it was not enough as the Cougars' 42-year national championship drought continues The last time an Australian appeared in the national championship was in 2004 when Luke Schenscher's Georgia Tech lost to Connecticut 82-73 Andrew Gaze was the first Australian to play in the March Madness final in 1989 After producing a memorable defensive performance against Michigan his Seton Hall side went down 80-79 in overtime Cairns Taipans' Kody Stattmann was the last Australian to win the national championship in 2019 after Mangok Mathiang won the vacated title in 2013 Today's top stories curated by our news team Grab a quick bite of today's latest news from around the region and the nation Catch up on the news of the day and unwind with great reading for your evening Get the editor's insights: what's happening & why it matters tips & travel writing to transport you around the globe Your weekday morning newsletter on national affairs Your essential national news digest: all the big issues on Wednesday and great reading every Saturday Let the ACM network's editors and journalists bring you news and views from all over reviews and expert insights every Thursday from CarExpert Your digital replica of Today's Paper Test your skills with interactive crosswords