G'day sports fans,

🤯 Did you know?

NFL average length of game: 3 hours and 12 minutes

• Actual minutes of play: 11 minutes

MLB average length of game: 3 hours and 5 minutes

• Actual minutes of play: 18 minutes

Meaning over 90% of time spent watching an NFL or MLB game is without live action.

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🇦🇺 40 man All-Australian squad announced

🏉 Dolphins launch NRL bid

🇺🇸 Top plays in US sport

...and much more!

🇦🇺 AFL

The AFL has released the 40-man All-Australian squad

Geelong and Port Adelaide dominate the 2020 AFL All-Australian squad (5 players each), while 24 players across the competition are in line to receive their maiden blazers when the final team is announced on Thursday night.

Patrick Dangerfield is aiming to become just the sixth player to be selected in eight separate All-Australian sides.

He would join illustrious company in Gary Ablett snr, Gary Ablett jnr, Lance Franklin, Robert Harvey and Mark Ricciuto in becoming an eight-time All-Australian.

A total of 15 sides have been represented in the 40-man squad, with Adelaide, Gold Coast and North Melbourne the only teams not to have a single player named.

First qualifying final (Thursday); Port Adelaide (1.92) v Geelong Cats (1.88): The Cats and Power last met in Round 12 when Geelong recorded an emphatic 60-point victory at Metricon Stadium.

However, this will be a far tougher assignment against the Power at home after they won the minor premiership with 14 victories from their 17 matches played.

The winner of the qualifying final will automatically secure themselves a spot in one of two preliminary finals, the loser will play the winner of the elimination final between West Coast and Collingwood.

🏉 NRL

Round 20 - Round 20 - Mass changes made — www.nrl.com

With the top eight decided and the first week of finals matchups all but locked in, a number of coaches have made mass changes for the final regular-season round of the Telstra Premiership, but several key stars return.

Thursday Preview: Broncos (2.05) v Cowboys (1.77): Haas back, Staggs at 6; McGuire returns (match preview). It’s set to be a derby perhaps lacking the lustre compared to some of their past battles in recent years, however, intensity will be high as the Brisbane Broncos look to avoid their first wooden spoon in club history.

• 📈 Kotoni Staggs (Brisbane Broncos) has scored at least one try in his last 3 matches at Suncorp Stadium.

Redcliffe Dolphins have launched bid to become the NRL's newest franchise

The Dolphins NRL bid has been declared "NRL-ready" by club chairman Bob Jones as the powerhouse organisation took the next step towards becoming the second elite Brisbane team.

The official opening on Tuesday of the northern grandstand of Dolphin Stadium on Redcliffe, which Jones called the "final piece of our infrastructure puzzle", cost $6.5 million thanks to funding from the Federal Government and Moreton Bay Regional Council.

The Dolphins' own assets are valued over $100 million, including an 11-hectare site on which the completed home ground stadium will seat 10,000 people. There is room for an extra 1500 standing-room patrons.

However, they intend to play most of their games out of Suncorp Stadium. (NRL)

⚽️ Football

Sure, the A-league is exciting but you don't see a parrot landing on Adam Le Fondre's head!

📈 STAT: We mentioned it was goals galore on Monday but with Gabriel Jesus’ last minute goal against Wolves, this Premier League match-week just gone was the highest-scoring of all time, with 44 goals.

🔁 Transfer Talk

Liverpool and Real Madrid will both try to sign France striker Kylian Mbappe, 21, from Paris St-Germain next summer. (L'Equipe - in French)

Everton want £80m for striker Dominic Calvert-Lewin, with Manchester United chasing the 23-year-old. (Sun)

Uruguay striker Luis Suarez, 33, has agreed to terminate his contract with Barcelona in order to move to Atletico Madrid. (RMC - via Mail) 

- This is after his attempt to gain an Italian passport by taking language exam, fell flat. He was accused of cheating the exam with his teacher even saying "he barely speaks a word". Investigations are ongoing (Fox)

🐴 Racing

Behemoth gains entry into The Everest

Emerging star sprinter Behemoth has gained a spot in this years $15m Everest at Randwick.

South Australia will be represented by two horses in Australia’s richest race the $15m Everest at Randwick on October 17th with Behemoth the latest horse to gain a slot in the race.

Behemoth has won back to back Group One sprints in Melbourne and has secured The Star Casino’s slot in the rich race.

Behemoth's was previously priced as high as (26.0), has since been clipped into (13.0).

⛳️ Golf

Bryson DeChambeau: A Major transformation

Bryson DeChambeau’s U.S. Open victory at Winged Foot will be looked upon not just as career-defining, but as the moment that rendered his unapologetic one-man pursuit of changing the game impossible to ignore. (article)

🎾 Tennis

Novak Djokovic won his fifth Italian Open title, defeating Diego Schwartzman 7-5, 6-3 in front of 1,000 fans for his 36th Masters titles (most all-time). Next up: The French Open begins Sunday.

🇺🇸 USA

🏀 Anthony Davis scores a buzzer-beating three-pointer

Which gives LA Lakers a 105-103 win over the Denver Nuggets, doubling their lead to 2-0 in the Western Conference finals on Sunday.

Game Three is today from 11am (AEST)

⚾️ Ronald Acuna Jr. makes an incredible catch

Helping Atlanta Braves win 5-4 over the Miami Miami Marlins.

🏈 Las Vegas Raiders christen 'Death Star' stadium with victory over New Orleans Saints

Raiders beat the New Orleans Saints 34-24 in the first game at their new home in Las Vegas.

• $2 billion project

• $750m in taxpayer funds (via a hotel tax)

• 0 fans

🏏 IPL

Royals v Super Kings - Royals win by 16 runs

The Royals were at their imperious best, with some classy batting from Steve Smith (69 off 47 balls) and Jofra Archer hitting 27 from 8 just balls.

They finished their innings at 216/7 after 20 overs, setting a 217-run target for CSK. Sam Curran (who was incorrectly given out before being called back by the third umpire) was the leading bowler for CSK, with three wickets.

📺 Live sport

⚽️ 05:15 - Carabao Cup R3 - Luton Town v Manchester United (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores Group Game - Barcelona Sporting Club v Flamengo (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores Group Game - Club Atletico Tigre v Bolivar (BeIN Sports 3)

⚾️ 08:37 - MLB Regular Season - Toronto Blue Jays v New York Yankees (ESPN 2 Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores Group Game - LDU Quito v Sao Paulo (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores Group Game - Deportivo Binacional v River Plate (BeIN Sports 2)

🏀 11:00 - NBA Conference Finals - Denver Nuggets v Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN 1)

⚾️ 11:40 - MLB Regular Season - Los Angeles Dodgers v Oakland Athletics (ESPN 2)

⚾️ 11:45 - MLB Regular Season - San Francisco Giants v Colorado Rockies (Sky Sports 3)

🎾 18:00 - WTA Internationaux de Strasbourg, Round 2 (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 19:30 - J1 League - Consadole Sapporo v Kashiwa Reysol (Optus Sport)

⚽️ 20:00 - J1 League - Gamba Osaka v Nagoya Grampus (Optus Sport)

⚽️ 20:30 - J1 League - Shimizu S-Pulse v Urawa Red Diamonds (Optus Sport)

⚽️ 20:30 - J1 League - Yokohama F. Marinos v Vegalta Sendai (Optus Sport)

🏑 23:30 - Women's Pro League Group Game - Germany v Belgium (Fox Sports More)

Thursday

🏏 00:00 - Indian Premier League Group Game - Kolkata Knight Riders v Mumbai Indians (Fox Cricket)

🏑 02:00 - Men's Pro League Group Game - Germany v Belgium (Fox Sports More)

🏏 03:00 - Women's ODI Series - England v West Indies (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 04:45 - Carabao Cup R3 - Fleetwood Town v Everton (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 04:45 - Carabao Cup R3 - Chelsea v Barnsley (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 04:45 - Carabao Cup R3 - Leicester City v Arsenal (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 05:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Play-off - Molde FK v Ferencvaros (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 05:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Play-off - KAA Gent v Dynamo Kyiv (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 05:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Play-off - Olympiacos FC v AC Omonia (Optus Sport 1)

⚾️ 08:10 - MLB Regular Season - Cleveland Indians v Chicago White Sox (Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores Group Game - Defensa y Justicia v Club Olimpia (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 10:00 - MLS Regular Season - Inter Miami CF v New York Red Bulls (BeIN Sports 3)

🏒10:00 - NHL Stanley Cup Finals - Dallas Stars v Tampa Bay Lightning (ESPN 2)

10:30 - NBA Conference Finals - Miami Heat v Boston Celtics (ESPN 1)

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores Group Game - Club Guarani v Palmeiras (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores Group Game - SC Internacional v Gremio (BeIN Sports 2)

11:40 - MLB Regular Season - Los Angeles Dodgers v Oakland Athletics (Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 12:00 - MLS Regular Season - Portland Timbers v Seattle Sounders (BeIN Sports 3)

🎾 18:00 - WTA Internationaux de Strasbourg, Quarter-Finals (BeIN Sports 3)

🏉 19:50 - NRL Regular Season - Brisbane Broncos v North Queensland Cowboys (Fox League or Nine)

⛳️ 22:00 - European Tour, Irish Open, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

🚴🏼‍♂️ 22:00 - Road World Championships, Women's Team Time Trial (Fox Sports)