🗞 An Australian prodigy

AUSSIE SPORTS
Serious Competition

🏃🏽‍♀️ The Sydney Marathon could become the seventh race in the World Marathon Majors elite series.

There will be 25,000 runners taking to the course, starting at North Sydney Oval, on Sunday.

A decision will be made in October as to whether Sydney will join New York, London, Boston, Chicago, Berlin and Tokyo in the Major series.

Good luck to any Sport Journal readers running on Sunday 👏🏻

🏉 The Wallabies will offer serious competition to the British and Irish Lions next summer, says Rugby Australia chief executive Phil Waugh.

Australia suffered the heaviest defeat in their 125-year Test history on Saturday when they were swept aside 67-27 by Argentina.

It was their third defeat from four games in this year's Rugby Championship and follows a miserable pool-stage exit at last year's Rugby World Cup.

"You can see the progress is there," Waugh told the Sydney Morning Herald, external when asked about the team's trajectory before the Lions' arrival Down Under in June.

"It is not nearly where we need it to be, but if we keep progressing at the speed with which we have moved things in the last six months, then there is plenty of time."

In related news; Joseph Suaali'i has confirmed he will embark on the Wallabies' Spring Tour, which begins with a Test against England at Twickenham on November 10, opening the door for a Test debut just over a month after the NRL grand final.

🥵 Heat Concerns: There will be no 3 p.m. A-League Women games between December and March, with the majority starting at 5 p.m. or later, to protect players from taking the field in extreme heat, the Australian Professional Leagues confirmed on Thursday.

🎾 Davis Cup: Australia swept Czech Republic 3-0. Thanasi Kokkinakis made it 2 from 2 for his singles matches, beating Jakub Mensik two sets to one. Alexei Popyrin had to win just one game to win his when his opponent retired. In the mixed doubles round robin Matthew Ebden & Max Purcell dropped just six games on their way to victory (6-4, 6-2)

Australia now face Spain on Sunday in their final group match.

⛳️ An Australian prodigy, compared to Cam Smith and inspired by Ben Hogan, will debut on the PGA Tour this Friday morning AEST at the Silverado Resort in California.

Jeffrey Guan, will compete in this week’s PGA Napa Valley tournament, featuring top talent like compatriot Min Woo Lee.

The New South Welshman, who showed great promise as a teenager, joins Adam Scott, Ryan Ruffles, and Kiwi Grant Waite as the only players to successfully defend the Australian Boys’ Amateur title, winning by four shots in 2022.

🐴 For the first time this season, Group 1 racing returns to Flemington and we are set for another stunning edition of the Makybe Diva Stakes!

Just eight horses will contest the $750k, but what this field lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in quality, with the likes of Mr Brightside, Pride Of Jenni and Pinstriped to be joined by Antino, Via Sistina and Warmonger, and the Makybe Diva Stakes really could prove to be one of the Spring Carnival’s best races.

NRL NEWS
Man of the People

🎟️ Ahead of the Bulldogs elimination final showdown with Manly on Sunday afternoon, retired enforcer James Graham has revealed he spent $10,000 on tickets to give away to Bulldogs supporters looking to attend the game. (the bye round podcast).

🗣️ Immortal Andrew Johns believes Dragons captain and half Ben Hunt won’t play another game for St George Illawarra after he was slapped down in the club’s end of season review.

A SMH report says Hunt, whose contract is worth over $1 million a season, was told “his performances – including his defence, kicking game and leadership – when his team’s finals hopes hung in the balance were not befitting of his standing in the side”.

🙋🏼‍♀️ The Wests Tigers snapped a 14-match NRLW losing streak, defeating the Dragons 16-14 in wet and windy conditions at Leichhardt Oval last night.

MATCH PREVIEWS
Friday Night Lights

🏉 Panthers (1.40) v Roosters (2.90) The winner will secure the first spot in the preliminary finals.

After some late-season hiccups, the Panthers finished with back-to-back victories to lock in a home final, while the Roosters limped into third place with several key injuries threatening to derail their finals campaign.

These two sides last met in a finals match during 2020, playing out a thriller which saw Penrith prevail 29-28 at this venue. Halfback Nathan Cleary is back in the fold for the Panthers. The Roosters welcome back a host of starters including wingers Daniel Tupou and Dominic Young, alongside forwards Lindsay Collins and Nat Butcher.

• Penrith has won each of its last nine matches against Sydney.

• Brian To'o has been the first try-scorer in each of Penrith's last two finals matches at BlueBet Stadium (7.75)

• Sitili Tupouniua has scored at least one try in four of Sydney's last five matches (4.25)

🇦🇺 Port Adelaide (2.30) v Hawthorn (1.60) with a place in the preliminary finals on the line.

Port Adelaide could hardly have been more disappointing during last Thursday’s qualifying final against Geelong, falling 138-54. It's difficult to know how Port will respond against a rampaging Hawthorn side which humbled the Western Bulldogs 99-62 during last Friday’s elimination final. 

Port Adelaide was one of the three teams to have defeated Hawthorn during their miraculous run of 14 wins in 17, winning 80-79 at the Adelaide Oval. That result marked the Power’s fourth win from five against the Hawks.

• Hawthorn has covered the line in each of its last eight matches as a favourite. (-8.5)

• Nick Watson has kicked 3+ goals in each of Hawthorn's last three matches.

• Travis Boak has recorded 23+ disposals in each of his last eight home appearances against Hawthorn.

AFL NEWS
Port’s Big Call

👋🏼 Brisbane Lions midfielder Jarryd Lyons will retire at the end of the season. Lyons, 32, has made 102 AFL appearances since joining the Lions from the Gold Coast Suns ahead of the 2019 season.

However, he has only made three senior appearances this season, having spent most of the year in the club’s VFL team.

📄 Port Adelaide forward Jed McEntee will be dropped for his side’s semi-final against Hawthorn. While rebounding defender Ryan Burton has been ruled out of tonight’s match against his former side due to injury.

WORLD NEWS
Arteta For Life

🏎️ McLaren are to prioritise Lando Norris over Aussie team-mate Oscar Piastri in their bid to win both Formula 1 world championships this year.

But team principal Andrea Stella said any actions taken to back Norris in the drivers' title chase would happen only within the team's principles of sportsmanship and fairness.

"The overall concept is we are incredibly determined to win, but we want to win in the right way."

Norris heads into this weekend's Azerbaijan Grand Prix 62 points behind Red Bull's Max Verstappen in the drivers' championship with a maximum of 232 still available.

Piastri is in fourth place in the championship, 106 points behind Verstappen.

“It still needs some more discussion,” Piastri said. “I think the main point is that it’s not purely going to be me pulling over for Lando every single race because that’s how none of us, including Lando, want to go racing.

⚽️ Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has signed a new three-year contract with the club.

The Spaniard was set to be out of contract at the end of the season but has now committed to a deal until 2027, prior to Sunday's north London derby at Tottenham.

"I feel extremely proud, very excited and am looking forward to what is coming next," said Arteta.

🎸 Oasis guitarist Noel Gallagher says it was a "proper honour" to design Manchester City's new fourth kit, which was inspired by his band's 1994 debut album Definitely Maybe.

"I think it's unique, but it's definitely striking and I think it looks great," he added.

🎾 Rafael Nadal has pulled out of this month's Laver Cup, saying he believes there are "other players who can help the team deliver the win" for Team Europe.

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