In Kentucky’s victory over St. John’s, Mark Pope subtly disproved Rick Pitino.Mark Pope made a clear statement after Kentucky’s victory over St. John’s, and it landed squarely on a narrative Rick Pitino has long promoted. There was no overt statement or postgame dig. Pope guided the Wildcats through a game that required more than just skill with astute adjustments, perseverance, and a sense of the moment, quietly changing the perception of what detractors believed Kentucky was still incapable of. It was the kind of reaction that doesn’t instantly make headlines but, when you consider how it transpired, strikes a deep chord with BBN.

Kentucky’s victory over St. John’s did not feel like a referendum in the loud, declarative way college basketball often delivers them. There was no chest-thumping, no pointed quote designed to …

In Kentucky’s victory over St. John’s, Mark Pope subtly disproved Rick Pitino.Mark Pope made a clear statement after Kentucky’s victory over St. John’s, and it landed squarely on a narrative Rick Pitino has long promoted. There was no overt statement or postgame dig. Pope guided the Wildcats through a game that required more than just skill with astute adjustments, perseverance, and a sense of the moment, quietly changing the perception of what detractors believed Kentucky was still incapable of. It was the kind of reaction that doesn’t instantly make headlines but, when you consider how it transpired, strikes a deep chord with BBN. Read More

HAMISH STEWART RE-SIGNS WITH DRAGONS UNTIL END OF 2029 St George Illawarra Dragons Fri 31 Oct 2025, 05:57 PM The Dragons are proud to announce that Hamish Stewart has signed a three-year extension with the club. The deal will keep the 21-year-old at the Red V until at least the end of the 2029 season. A Gerringong Lions junior and Dragons Academy graduate, Stewart progressed through the club’s pathways system with Illawarra spending two seasons playing Harold Matthews Cup and two seasons in SG Ball before making the jump up to Jersey Flegg level in 2023. “I’m really happy to be re-signing here at the Dragons – the club I grew up supporting. It’s home for me and making my NRL debut here was a dream come true. He was rewarded with an NRL debut in the side’s season opener this year against Canterbury and went on to appear in 19 games as a rookie averaging 60 run metres and totalling 532 tackles at over 93 per cent efficiency as he took home the club’s NRL Emerging Talent Award. “We’ve been really pleased with Hamish’s progression over the past few seasons, and we’re excited to have locked him down long-term,” Head Coach Shane Flanagan said. “Since coming up into our NRL squad, the thing that’s stood out most is his work ethic. He’s a really good trainer and has all the necessary traits to grow into a leader for our club. He’s fit, athletic, and skilful and made some real strides this year as a player. He’s a local junior who’s come through our system here and loves the club, so we’re really excited to be able to keep him here.” Stewart added: “I’m really happy to be re-signing here at the Dragons – the club I grew up supporting. It’s home for me and making my NRL debut here was a dream come true. Knowing I’ll be here for the next few years is unreal and I’m excited to see what we can achieve over the coming years with the squad that we have.”

The St George Illawarra Dragons have secured an important piece of their future, announcing that young forward Hamish Stewart has committed to the club long-term after signing a three-year contract …

HAMISH STEWART RE-SIGNS WITH DRAGONS UNTIL END OF 2029 St George Illawarra Dragons Fri 31 Oct 2025, 05:57 PM The Dragons are proud to announce that Hamish Stewart has signed a three-year extension with the club. The deal will keep the 21-year-old at the Red V until at least the end of the 2029 season. A Gerringong Lions junior and Dragons Academy graduate, Stewart progressed through the club’s pathways system with Illawarra spending two seasons playing Harold Matthews Cup and two seasons in SG Ball before making the jump up to Jersey Flegg level in 2023. “I’m really happy to be re-signing here at the Dragons – the club I grew up supporting. It’s home for me and making my NRL debut here was a dream come true. He was rewarded with an NRL debut in the side’s season opener this year against Canterbury and went on to appear in 19 games as a rookie averaging 60 run metres and totalling 532 tackles at over 93 per cent efficiency as he took home the club’s NRL Emerging Talent Award. “We’ve been really pleased with Hamish’s progression over the past few seasons, and we’re excited to have locked him down long-term,” Head Coach Shane Flanagan said. “Since coming up into our NRL squad, the thing that’s stood out most is his work ethic. He’s a really good trainer and has all the necessary traits to grow into a leader for our club. He’s fit, athletic, and skilful and made some real strides this year as a player. He’s a local junior who’s come through our system here and loves the club, so we’re really excited to be able to keep him here.” Stewart added: “I’m really happy to be re-signing here at the Dragons – the club I grew up supporting. It’s home for me and making my NRL debut here was a dream come true. Knowing I’ll be here for the next few years is unreal and I’m excited to see what we can achieve over the coming years with the squad that we have.” Read More