As we tick into the final weeks 2024, the New Year’s celebrations are just around the corner. There is still plenty to look forward to in the Land Down Under this summer, especially with a mouth-watering cricket season looming on the horizon.
Throughout the next few months, the Aussies will welcome the touring Indians to complete a newly revamped five-test series to determine the resting place of the Border–Gavaskar trophy. Throughout the last ten series, the Men in Blue have clung onto the lucrative prize, famously defeating the Baggy Greens in their backyard in 2018 before repeating those heroics in extraordinary circumstances three years later. They will be aiming to make it a three-peat of victories on Australian soil over the festive period and in the new year.
While the upcoming clashes are sure to whet the appetite, this year has already provided plenty of iconic moments for Australian sports fanatics. Let’s take a look at the best of them.
Penrith Claim Fourth Straight Premiership Title
The Penrith Panthers have been the dominant force in the NRL in recent seasons. Heading into the 2024 campaign, they had reeled off three straight premiership titles, becoming the first team since the 1980s Parramatta Eels to achieve such a feat. Now, they had ambitions of extending their reign of terror, as well as cashing in on their newfound popularity.
The Western Sydney outfit has played at Penrith Park ever since the first-ever Newtown Jets game back in 1967. Next term however they will temporarily head to the home of their rival Parramatta Eels while refurbishment works take place on their long-term home. The Panthers will expand the capacity of their beloved stadium while beginning a long overdue upgrade of the ground’s facilities.
While the 2024 season may well be the last at Penrith Park in a short while, the Panthers bowed out from the ground in perfect style as they romped to a fourth straight NRL premiership crown, and they did so against the odds. It looked as though the Melbourne Storm were the team to beat after topping the regular season standings and becoming minor premiers, losing just five games all year long. They romped to the Grand Final at a canter and were favored to end Penrith’s storied reign, but Nathan Cleary and Co. had other ideas.
They clinched their fourth consecutive NRL Premiership by defeating the Melbourne Storm 14-6 in a gripping grand final at Sydney’s Accor Stadium. This victory secured their place in history, making them the first team since the St George Dragons of the 1950s and 1960s to complete the four-peat. The aforementioned Cleary is often hailed as the ‘prince of Penrith’ and rightfully so.
HE missed the latter stages of the regular season but returned in the playoffs to play a pivotal role in leading his team to glory. Despite his exploits, Liam Martin walked away with the Clive Churchill Medal, awarded to the Grand Final’s best performer. But neither of them will be worried about individual honours too much and instead opted to celebrate a fourth successive championship together. Can they make it five next term?
WWE Descends Upon Perth. WWE has long been popular in Australia, with superstars such as John Cena, The Rock, and Stone Cold Steve Austin all being beloved figures in the Land Down Under. In modern times, the sport has evolved, and Australia has its superstars to shout about in the form of Rhea Ripley and Grayson Waller. The former of that duo is arguably the finest women’s wrestler on the planet at present, while the latter certainly has the gift of the gab and is aiming to replicate his compatriot’s success.
With Ripley and Waller leading the charge, WWE headed to Australia this year to put on one of its Premium Live Events in the country for the first time. The recent construction of the Optus Stadium in Perth has seen more and more international companies head down under, with flights to Western Australia some four hours shorter than the ones to Sydney and Melbourne.
The event was named Elimination Chamber, and Australia’s own Ripley headlines the card for the first time. The Adelaide-born star faced off against Nia Jax – who was also born in the country before migrating to America – to defend her Women’s World Championship. Ultimately, she was successful, defeating The Irresistible Force after delivering a massive Riptide. Elsewhere on the card, there were performances from superstars such as Cody Rhodes, Seth Rollins, and Becky Lynch, and there are hopes that the company will return to the country shortly.
Volkanovski Loses Featherweight Championship
In the world of mixed martial arts, Australia’s Alexander Volkanovski faced a major setback in 2024. Renowned for his dominance in the Featherweight division, The Great lost his championship title earlier this year to Georgian-Spanish slugger Ilia Topuria. The Volk has embarked on a record-breaking reign consisting of five title defenses, rising to the summit of the sports pound-for-pound rankings.
Unfortunately for him, the emergence of the Topuria was too much to handle. The up- and-coming lion secured a shocking second-round knockout victory against the Aussie native, before successfully defending the championship in October against Volkanovski’s former foe Max Holloway. Now, Volk is aiming to secure a rematch with arguably the UFC’s new biggest star.
