Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson. Photosport
Here's the stories that intrigued you the most in 2018 from the Herald's sport section.
10) Anatomy of a breakup - How the Warriors and Shaun Johnson fell out of love
The Warriors' eight-year love affair with Shaun Johnson came to a dramatic end when the club granted the superstar halfback an immediate release from the final year of his contract.
David Skipwith reveals the events that led to the falling out between the club and its once favourite son.
9) The truth about the horse that died at Flemington Racecourse
Margaret was furious.
A horse had died in the Melbourne Cup after being whipped to death — well at least that's how she saw it — and she was in a right old state.
8) What was she thinking? Aussie kicks away chance at gold as NZ win extra-time thriller
There was heartbreak for the Australian womens sevens side after losing to New Zealand in extra-time in the Commonwealth Games gold medal match but even more so for Cassie Staples who kicked the ball out thinking her side had won in regulation.
Australia came back from 12-0 down at halftime to lock the scores up at 12-12 in the closing stages with a conversion close to the posts. However Aussie player Emma Sykes missed the conversion which would have given the hosts a 14-12 lead.
Teammate Staples must have assumed the kick went over, or was given the wrong instructions from a teammate, because when Australia stole possession from New Zealand with time up on the clock she decided to kick the ball out instead of launch an attack.
The look on her face said it all as she realised her mistake and that the match would go to extra-time. In a thrilling extra stanza, New Zealand secured the victory when Kelly Brazier scored a 80m try.
7) Joseph Parker's earnings for fight with Anthony Joshua revealed
Joseph Parker earned less than $12.5million from his heavyweight unification title defeat to Anthony Joshua, according to promoter Eddie Hearn.
The Kiwi boxer lost his WBO title after a unanimous decision loss to Joshua in Cardiff on April 1.
Joshua's promoter Hearn took to Twitter to set the record straight after reports that Parker's earnings was at the $25m mark.
6) Cameron Bancroft's text message 'reveals his true character'
A text message Cameron Bancroft sent after being caught ball tampering in the third cricket test between Australia and South Africa in Cape Town has - at least for some of his countrymen - added weight to the belief he's made of the right stuff.
5) David Warner and Steve Smith's investment properties left in ruin
Disgraced cricketers Steve Smith and David Warner have left their multimillion-dollar property empires to rot, as pictures in April revealed the shambolic state some of their houses are in.
The pair were both handed 12 month bans by Cricket Australia for their role in the ball tampering incident in South Africa last month.
Both cricketers have built up their portfolios in recent years and own a string of properties worth more than $18 million ($18.9M), reported News.com.au.
4) French ice dancer's horror after X-rated slip
Of all the places you'd want to experience a wardrobe disaster, an international sporting event would have to be the last.
Ice dancer Gabriella Papadakis revealed a little more than she would have liked as she leaned back in the final stage of her performance with partner Guillaume Cizeron. The incident, which was televised across the world, saw a breast pop out of Papadakis' top before the French star readjusted and completed the routine.
3) Uproar over polarising men's 100m final
The men's 100m final at the Commonwealth Games was a nightmare career-low for Jamaican track star Yohan Blake.
A photo from the tight finish in the blue riband event has led many commentators to declare it should have been much worse for the second fastest man of all time.
2) Larry Nassar eviscerated by judge after stating he cannot sit through victim statements
Day three of the Larry Nassar sentencing kicked off on a strange note when the disgraced doctor submitting a letter to the court.
The Daily Mail reports Nassar wrote that Judge Rosemarie Aquilina was conducting a "four-day media circus" for her own gain, and claimed that "listening to impact statements is detrimental to his mental health".
She responded:"I didn't orchestrate this, you did...you may find it harsh that you are here listening. But nothing is as harsh than what your victims endured for thousands of hours at your hands. Spending four or five days listening to them is significantly minor considering the hours of pleasure you've had at their expense and ruining their lives."
1) Live updates: Joseph Parker v Anthony Joshua
New Zealand-Samoan heavyweight boxer Joseph Parker lost his WBO Heavyweight belt to British boxer Anthony Joshua by unanimous decision on April 1.
Joshua controlled the fight from start to finish, directing Parker around the canvas. The Brit's height and reach advantage led to the undoing of the Kiwi late in the fight.
It was Joshua's jab that did the damage, amounting him valuable points from the fight's beginning. Parker was the first person to get into the ring with Joshua and last the 12 rounds.
Even at age 38, the world No 55 is a huge drawcard for the Auckland tournament.