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This is Defector, a new sports blog and media company. We made this place together, we own it together, we run it together. Without access, without favor, without discretion, and without interference.

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Defector

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Rafaela Bassili

Nicolas Cage on a beach holding a surfboard.

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Arts And Culture

‘The Surfer’ Mostly Sputters And Flails

Vivian Blaxell grew up in rural Australia and co-founded Tiresias House, Australia’s first shelter and resource centre for and by trans people. Her essay &#8220;Nuclear Cats&#8221; was shortlisted for the 2021 Melbourne Prize for Literature. She lives in Naarm/Melbourne, VIC, Australia.

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Vivian Blaxell

Coke Sign at corner of William Street and Kings Cross, Sydney

GET THE FUCK OFF THIS CORNER

Book Excerpts That Don't Suck

“Get The Fuck Off This Corner. It’s Mine.”

Abigail Segel is a writer based in Montreal.

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Abigail Segel

USA's forward #9 Ally Sentnor celebrates scoring her team's first goal during the SheBelieves Cup football match between USA and Japan at Snapdragon Stadium in San Diego, California, on February 26, 2025.

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Soccer

Emma Hayes Shows Us The USWNT She Believes In

Owen Lewis is a former Defector intern and co-founded the website <a href="http://popcorntennis.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=http://popcorntennis.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726234676777000&amp;usg=AOvVaw0PFWw6PL-FUqaCMME5TLqP">popcorntennis.com</a>. He wrote 63,000 words about the Novak Djokovic-Rafael Nadal rivalry that can be accessed for free at <a href="https://thegoldenrivalry.substack.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener" data-saferedirecturl="https://www.google.com/url?q=https://thegoldenrivalry.substack.com&amp;source=gmail&amp;ust=1726234676777000&amp;usg=AOvVaw2OjAHpo4PVIhkx8Xd21lRJ">thegoldenrivalry.substack.com</a>.

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Owen Lewis

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Life Lessons

I Don’t Ever Want My Favorite Things To Change

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Kelsey McKinney

Vincent Namatjira (Western Aranda people) with Vincent Namatjira: Australia in colour, installation view

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Australian Billionaire Not Rich Enough To Control Art

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Soraya Roberts

Madeleine Sami as Eddie Redcliffe in Deadloch

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Australians Just Have More Fun (On TV)

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Ray Ratto

Sam Kerr of Australia scores the teams first goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Semi Final match between Australia and England at Stadium Australia on August 16, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Australia v England Semi Final – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023

Sam Kerr Struck, But England Squeezed

Australia and France women's national team players react to Australia's win in the 2023 World Cup quarterfinal.

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The Matildas Turned My Hair White And They Haven’t Even Faced England Yet

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Luis Paez-Pumar

Caitlin Foord of Australia celebrates after scoring her team's first goal with teammates during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Round of 16 match between Australia and Denmark at Stadium Australia on August 7, 2023 in Sydney, Australia.

Australia v Denmark: Round of 16 – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023

Root, Root, Root For The Host Team

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Billy Haisley

Mary Fowler of Australia celebrates after scoring a goal with her teammates that was later cancelled as a result of VAR consultation during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 Group B match between Canada and Australia at Melbourne Rectangular Stadium in Melbourne, Australia on July 31, 2023.

Canada v Australia – FIFA Women’s World Cup

Canada And Spain Ate Shit And Deserved It

Asisat Oshoala of Nigeria celebrates with teammates after scoring her team's third goal during the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia &amp; New Zealand 2023 Group B match between Australia and Nigeria at Brisbane Stadium on July 27, 2023 in Brisbane, Australia.

Australia v Nigeria: Group B – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023

Nigeria Was Ready For Its Moment

Alanna Kennedy of Australia celebrates the team's 1-0 victory in the FIFA Women's World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023 Group B match between Australia and Ireland at Stadium Australia on July 20, 2023 in Sydney / Gadigal, Australia.

Australia v Ireland: Group B – FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia & New Zealand 2023

Australia Beat Ireland And Bought Time

Mary Fowler of the Matildas celebrates scoring a goal with Sam Kerr of the Matildas during the Women's International Friendly match between the Australia Matildas and Brazil at CommBank Stadium on October 23, 2021 in Sydney, Australia

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The Matildas Have Australia’s Hopes On Their Shoulders

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Typing

Sabrina Imbler

A dung-rolling weevil in the genus Tentegia props up a piece of marsupial dung

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Creaturefector

Rookie Dung-Roller Is Learning On The Job

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Lauren Theisen

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Music

Save The Music You Like

An illustration of the absolute unit of a wombat, the extinct Ramsayia, standing next to a puny modern wombat.

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This Ancient Wombat Was An Absolute Unit

A dejected Joachim Andersen of Denmark at full time after being knocked out the FIFA World Cup in the group stages during the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Group D match between Australia and Denmark at Al Janoub Stadium on November 30, 2022 in Al Wakrah, Qatar

Australia v Denmark: Group D – FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022

Denmark Was Something Rotten

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Patrick Redford

SOCCER: OCT 11 FIFA World Cup Qualifier – Japan at Australia

Australia Has One Cool Old Guy And One Cool Young Guy

Dejected Peru players support each other after being defeated by Australia in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Playoff match between Australia Socceroos and Peru at Ahmad Bin Ali Stadium on June 13, 2022 in Doha, Qatar.

Australia v Peru – 2022 FIFA World Cup Playoff

This Is Why No One Should Play Soccer In Qatar During The Summer

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Tom Ley

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Defector Up All Night

The Sports Lowlight Of The Day Is This Dancing Aussie Keeper

Columnist. Author of many <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Drew-Magary/e/B001JS8R52/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_book_1">fine works of literature</a>, including Point B. Handsomest man in the world.

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Drew Magary

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Elder Wisdom

My Weird Australia Thing

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Albert Burneko

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Media Meltdowns

The Blog Of The Year Is This Deranged Book Excerpt

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Zillowing Out

A $900,000 (Maybe?) Home That Someone Loved Very Much

Novak Djokovic of Serbia is seen during a practice session ahead of the 2022 Australian Open at Melbourne Park on January 12, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia.

2022 Australian Open: Previews

Tennis

Novak Djokovic’s Australian Adventure Has Ended For Good

Members of the local Serbian community gather for a vigil outside a hotel where Serbia's tennis champion Novak Djokovic is reported to be staying in Melbourne on January 6, 2022, after Australia said it had cancelled Djokovic's entry visa after having failed to "provide appropriate evidence" of double vaccination or a medical exemption. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) (Photo by WILLIAM WEST/AFP via Getty Images)

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Detained Novak Djokovic Is Jesus And Spartacus All Rolled Into One, According To Novak Djokovic’s Father

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