Thermostats and saunas become secret weapons as Australian athletes brace themselves for the unusual conditions of a midnight marathon at the World Athletics Championships in Doha next month.

Steve Smith is ruled out of the third Ashes Test at Headingley after failing to recover in time from the concussion he sustained at Lord's.

Newcastle Knights coach Nathan Brown to leave the NRL club after four seasons.

Ross Lyon was a brilliant coach, the best in Fremantle's history. But after four dismal seasons and with membership numbers sliding, the Dockers board finally had enough, writes Clint Thomas.

The North Queensland Cowboys prop Matt Scott — who is due to retire at the end of the season — is in a Brisbane hospital after suffering a mild stroke on Sunday.

After an underwhelming season, the Fremantle Dockers sack their coach of eight years Ross Lyon and chief executive Steve Rosich will also depart in an attempt to revive the club's flagging fortunes.

Rugby league player Jack de Belin will stand trial on sexual assault charges in March next year, just two weeks before the start of the 2020 NRL season.

Despite being struck on the neck by a bouncer in the second Ashes Test, Steve Smith was given the green light to bat on, in a move brain injury charity Headway says was "incredibly dangerous".