The October 31 edition

Open accessibility guideSkip to sections navigationSkip to contentSkip to footerThe Sydney Morning Herald logoConventional wisdom has always held there are myriad reasons to play team sports. Some, like the physical ones, are obvious: an antidote to our increasingly sedentary lives, and a way to combat the obesity crisis. It gets us outside and in the fresh air, releasing endorphins and improving sleep and mental health. Then there are the less tangible but no less important benefits from being part of a team: working towards shared goals, revelling in the joy of success from a collegiate endeavour, and understanding how to operate within a leadership hierarchy. There can also be a wonderful sense of belonging to a group with a common purpose that exists outside your other worlds. But, as today’s lead story explores, team culture can sometimes warp, and foster deeply problematic behaviour in an atmosphere where success at all costs is the only thing that matters. – Melissa Stevens, editorOther editionsThe October 24 editionLife after an internet pile-on | Things you learn at 60 | The funeral where power, politics and crime came together | A former Spice Girl on memorable advice10 storiesOctober 24, 2026The October 17 editionThe Baby Boomers stuck in a Catch-22 | The stranger-than-fiction life of an author | The court volunteers helping traumatised witnesses | How to write a haiku13 storiesOctober 17, 2026View more editions of Good Weekend