Welcome to a Wide World of Sports update. A snapshot of the latest sport stories from the 9News team including:

• Australia bracing for a batter-friendly Perth pitch ahead of Friday’s Ashes opener
• Melbourne Storm backrower Eli Katoa will miss the 2026 NRL season after undergoing brain surgery
• Nick Daicos urging teammates to learn from Collingwood's 2022 preliminary final loss

The biggest sport stories in less than 5 minutes delivered twice a day, with reports from the 9News team across Australia and overseas. Subscribe now to make it part of your daily news diet.