G'day Sports Fans,

Classic Quote: "The hardest part about the whole affair was that it took me a month to get the fake tan off my hand." - Simon Katich recalls the time he grabbed Michael Clarke by the throat in the Australian dressing room in Sydney in 2009

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🏏 Big Bash is underway & Boxing Day test crowd increased

⚽️ Countdown tot he A-League

🇦🇺 Twenty-minute quarters, floating fixture to return

...and much more!

🏏 Cricket

Hobart Hurricanes beat Sydney Sixers in opening game

• Hobart Hurricanes 178-8: David 58 (33), Christian 3-36, Dwarshuis 3-38

• Sydney Sixers 162-6: Vince 67 (41), Faulkner 2-22

Hobart Hurricanes won by 16 runs.

James Vince hit a fluent 67 off 41 balls in the Sixers' pursuit of 179, but his departure sparked a collapse of five wickets for 37 runs.

🏟 Boxing Day Test capacity increased to 30,000 per day

The crowd capacity for the Boxing Day Test is set to be capped at 30,000 per day, up from the original number of 25,000.

The decision to increase the crowd capacity by 5000 has been endorsed by Victoria's Chief Health Officer Brett Sutton, according to The Age.

The news follows a huge turnaround in Victoria's battle with COVID-19, with the state registering zero new cases of community transmission each day for more than a month.

Tickets for the general public will go on sale at 3pm AEDT on Today.

⚽️ Football

🏟 The prospective ownership group in advanced talks with the Newcastle Jets, who are several million dollars in debt, have pulled out of the running. After the Club were unable to produce books for the last two years.

It appears other A-League club owners will have to bankroll the club until new owners are found, as high level officials see the Hunter region as a football hotbed and a vital market for A-League and W-League, and the Jets as a team with enormous potential that can be realised with the right ownership. (SMH)

🙋🏼‍♀️ Caitlin Foord has been named in the Guardian's Top 100 women footballers of the year for the first time ever, coming in at 51! The Top 10 are still to be announced.

❤️ Italy World Cup-winning legend Paolo Rossi has died aged 64. Still the only player to win the Ballon d'Or, WC Golden Ball, WC Golden Boot, World Cup in the same year (1982).

UEFA Champions League

An Incident that took place in Paris as Istanbul Basaksehir and PSG players left the pitch after allegations of racism were made against a match official. The match was abandoned and replayed the next day - PSG came through 5-1, thanks to a Neymar hat trick.

The line-up for the Champions League last 16 is complete with Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester City joining champions Bayern Munich and 12 other teams from across Europe in the knockout stage.

The trio all won their respective groups to progress, with Manchester United the only side from the Premier League to suffer an early exit.

Seeded: Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Borussia Dortmund, Juventus, Liverpool, Manchester City, Paris St-Germain, Real Madrid.

Unseeded: Atalanta, Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, Borussia Monchengladbach, Lazio, Porto, RB Leipzig, Sevilla.

The draw takes place on 15th Dec (AEDT)

🇦🇺 AFL

Jamarra Ugle-Hagan becomes the first Indigenous player selected at No.1 in 21 years.

Every Pick: Find out who's just been added to an AFL list.

More names have been added to club lists through the NAB AFL Pre-Season and Rookie Draft. Check it out.

Jamarra moves in with the Bont, Phillips still in shock, Finlay's snub — www.afl.com.au

The AFL's newest players speak to the media after the 2020 NAB AFL Draft

Twenty-minute quarters, floating fixture to return to AFL in season 2021

Two of the AFL's hottest debates of the year are now settled ahead of season 2021 after the governing body announced 20-minute quarters and a floating fixture would return.

The AFL will release the timeslots of only the first six rounds of next season by the end of this month, including the traditional Anzac Day blockbuster between Collingwood and Essendon at the MCG.

The rest of the season's match-ups will also be determined in December, although rounds seven to 23 won't include the dates, time slots and choice of TV broadcaster. (nine)

🐴 Racing

Classique Legend draws inside for Hong Kong International Sprint

The barrier draw has been conducted for the Group 1 LONGINES Hong Kong International Sprint (1200m) which will be run on Sunday at Sha Tin.

This year’s The Everest winner will start from barrier one in the $HK 22 million sprint feature.

Classique Legend is the $2 favourite to win his first start outside Australia, ahead of the John Size-trained Hot King Prawn, a $4 chance which will start from barrier 5.

The two Japanese raiders Danon Smash and Tower Of London are next in betting, sharing the third line at $10 and they were handed no favours in the barrier draw, allocated barriers 14 and 12 respectively.

The Hong Kong International Sprint will be run as Race 5 on Sunday at 5.40pm (AEDT).

🏉 NRL

NRL holds talks over buying huge stake in English Super League

Britain’s Sky News reports NRL CEO Andrew Abdo and Super League CEO Robert Elstone have held early talks over the last few days, however at this stage no agreement has been made.

An insider told Sky News the NRL is seeking a 50% stake worth around £75 million ($A135 million). (Fox)

🏟 The 2021 All Stars game will be held on February 20th in Townsville.

✍🏼 Wests Tigers confirmed that Head Coach Michael Maguire has extended his contract with the club - only the second coach in Wests Tigers 21-year history to secure a contract extension.

✍🏼 Hopoate joins Raiders - U21s Harry Rushton and Albert Hopoate have joined the squad this week for their first pre-seasons with the club.

✍🏼 Broncos coach Kevin Walters has landed his first significant re-signing with prop Thomas Flegler knocking back rival approaches to stay at Red Hill.

✍🏼 Tedesco re-signs with Roosters - Record line-breaker (193 in 2020) and fullback James Tedesco has re-committed to the Club for a further three years.

🏉 Rugby

Salakaia-Loto handed four-week ban

He was red carded after his hit on Pumas back-rower Santiago Grondona, leaving the Wallabies with 14 players for the final 20 minutes of the 16-16 draw.

He fronted a SANZAAR hearing on Monday night

Salakaia-Loto's guilty plea saved him a further two matches on the sideline.

His ban will take in the first two rounds of the Queensland Reds' Super Rugby AU campaign.

🥊 Boxing

Paul Gallen has labelled Mark Hunt's famed knockout power as overrated and a thing of the past as he prepares to "punch the shit out of him" in next week's Sydney Superfight.

The Bankwest Stadium bout shapes as a classic contrast of Hunt's heavy punching versus Gallen's noted stamina but the former NRL star questioned that narrative.

Journalists winced as Hunt pounded the pads at a sweaty Bondi Boxing Club on Thursday.

But Gallen watched on unimpressed before producing some evidence to back up his spicy claims. (nine)

Heavyweight Title Bout

Anthony Joshua's long awaited world heavyweight title fight against Kubrat Pulev takes place at Wembley Arena on Sunday (AEDT).

Out of the ring for 371 days, Joshua will be keen to put on a show for his 1,000 fans allowed to attend.

Gut feeling is a Joshua win, in the 9th round (16.0)

This should set up a 2-bout showdown with Tyson Fury.

🏄🏻‍♂️Surfing

❤️ Surfer dies following Maui Pro shark attack

A 56-year-old male recreational surfer has died following a shark attack which occurred moments before the Roxy Pro in Maui was scheduled to get underway.

Aussie surf stars Tyler Wright and Sally Fitzgibbons had their semi-final at the World Surf League's Roxy Pro in Hawaii postponed on Wednesday after a shark attacked a local surfer three hours before the start of the event.

The surfer suffered injuries to his leg and required CPR on shore before being rushed to hospital.

The World Surf League on Thursday revealed the male surfer, who was left in a critical condition, succumbed to his injuries and passed away in hospital.

📺 Live sport

TODAY

⚽️ 07:00 - UEFA Europa League Group Stage;

• Ludogorets v LASK Linz (Optus Sport 4)

• Tottenham v Royal Antwerp (Optus Sport 1)

• Celtic v Lille OSC (Optus Sport 3)

• AC Sparta Praha v Milan (Optus Sport 6)

• Leicester City v AEK Athens (Optus Sport 2)

🏀 07:00 - EuroLeague - Real Madrid Basketball v BC Zenit St. Petersburg (Fox Sports)

🏏 09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v West Indies (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 09:15 - Copa Sudamericana Quarter-Final - Club Atletico Lanus v Independiente (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Libertadores Quarter-Final - River Plate v Club Nacional de Football (BeIN Sports 1)

🏈 12:20 - NFL - Los Angeles Rams v New England Patriots (ESPN 1)

🏏 14:30 - Three-Day Tour Match, Australia A v India (Fox Sports)

⛳️ 18:00 - DP World Tour Championship, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 18:05 - WNBL - Melbourne Boomers v Bendigo Spirit (Kayo Sports)

🥊 19:00 - Featherweight - Brock Jarvis v Mark Schleibs (Fox Sports More)

🏏 19:15 - Big Bash League Group Game - Melbourne Stars v Brisbane Heat (Fox Cricket or 7)

🏎 20:00 - Formula 1 UAE Practice 1, Round 17 (Fox Sports)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 20:05 - WNBL Regular Season - Townsville Fire v Adelaide Lightning (Kayo Sports)

SATURDAY

🏎 00:00 - Formula 1 UAE Practice 2, Round 17 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 01:00 - Indian Super League - ATK Mohun Bagan v Hyderabad FC (Kayo Sports)

⛳️ 03:00 - PGA Tour, QBE Shootout, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

🏉 04:00 - Currie Cup Regular Season - Western Province v Pumas (Fox Sports)

🏉 04:30 - Champions Cup Group Game - Northampton Saints v Bordeaux Begles (BeIN Sports 3)

🏉 04:30 - Challenge Cup Group Game - Stade Francais Paris v Benetton Rugby (BeIN Sports 2)

⛳️ 05:00 - Major, US Women's Open, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🏄🏻‍♂️ 06:00 - Men's Billabong Pipe Masters, Day 4, Round 1 (Fox Sports or Kayo Sports)

06:00 - Women's Maui Pro, Day 8, Round 1 (Fox Sports or Kayo Sports)

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - Sassuolo v Benevento Calcio (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Leeds United v West Ham United (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Real Valladolid v Osasuna (BeIN Sports 2)

🏉 07:00 - Champions Cup Group Game - Ulster Rugby v Toulouse Rugby (BeIN Sports 3)

🏏 09:00 - Test Match, New Zealand v West Indies (Fox Cricket)

🏈 11:00 - NCAA Regular Season - Arizona Wildcats v Arizona State Sun Devils (ESPN 1)

🏀 11:00 - NCAA Men's Regular Season - Kansas Jayhawks v Omaha Mavericks (ESPN 2)

🏏 14:30 - Three-Day Tour Match - Australia A v India (Fox Sports)

🏀 14:30 - NBA Pre Season - Portland Trail Blazers v Sacramento Kings (ESPN 1)

🏏 15:15 - Test Match - New Zealand v West Indies (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 16:00 - J1 League - Cerezo Osaka v Kashiwa Reysol (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 16:00 - J1 League - Sagan Tosu v Kawasaki Frontale (Optus Sport 2)

🏏 16:05 - Big Bash League Group Game - Melbourne Stars v Sydney Thunder (Fox Cricket)

🐴 17:00 - Group 2, Villiers Stakes (Sky Racing 1 or Sky Thoroughbred Central)

⛳️ 18:00 - DP World Tour Championship, Round 3 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 18:00 - J1 League - Kashima Antlers v Shimizu S-Pulse (Optus Sport 3)

🐎 19:12 - Group 3 Pacers Cub Premium Beverages Christmas Gift Final (Sky Racing 1)

🏏 19:15 - Big Bash League Group Game - Melbourne Renegades v Perth Scorchers (Fox Cricket)

🏎 21:00 - Formula 1 UAE Practice 3 (Fox Sports)

🐎 22:12 - Pacing Gold Grand Circuit Blacks A Fake Queensland C'ship, 2,680m (Sky Racing 1)

⚽️ 23:30 - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Aston Villa (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 23:30 - English Championship - Cardiff City v Swansea City (BeIN Sports 2)

SUNDAY

🏎 00:00 - Formula 1 UAE Qualifying (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 00:00 - Spanish La Liga - Valencia v Athletic Club Bilbao (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 01:00 - Indian Super League - Odisha FC v FC Goa (Kayo Sports)

🏉 01:30 - Currie Cup - Free State Cheetahs v Golden Lions (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 02:00 - Premier League - Newcastle United v West Bromwich Albion (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 02:00 - English Championship - Blackburn Rovers v Norwich City (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 02:15 - Spanish La Liga - Getafe v Sevilla (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 04:00 - Italian Serie A - Torino v Udinese (BeIN Sports 2)

🏉 04:00 - Currie Cup - Sharks v Blue Bulls (Fox Sports)

🏈 04:00 - NCAA - Arkansas Razorbacks v Alabama Crimson Tide (ESPN 1)

🏈 04:00 - NCAA - West Virginia Mountaineers v Oklahoma Sooners (ESPN 2)

⚽️ 04:30 - German Bundesliga - FC Union Berlin v Bayern Munich (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 04:30 - Premier League - Manchester United v Manchester City (Optus Sport 1)

🏌🏼‍♀️ 05:00 - Major, US Women's Open, Round 3 (Fox Sports)

🥊 05:00 - Heavyweight Title - Anthony Joshua v Kubrat Pulev (DAZN)

⛳️ 05:00 - PGA Tour, QBE Shootout, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🏄🏻‍♂️ 06:00 - Men's Billabong Pipe Masters, Day 5 (Fox Sports)

🏄🏻‍♀️ 06:00 - Women's Maui Pro, Day 9 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - Lazio v Hellas Verona (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Everton v Chelsea (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Real Madrid v Atletico Madrid (BeIN Sports 1)

🏈 07:30 - NCAA - Penn State Nittany Lions v Michigan State Spartans (ESPN 1)

🏈 07:30 - NCAA - Miami Hurricanes v North Carolina Tar Heels (ESPN 2)

🏏 09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v West Indies (Fox Cricket)

🏈 11:30 - NCAA Regular Season - UCLA Bruins v USC Trojans (ESPN 2)

👊🏻 12:00 - UFC 256 Prelims (ESPN 1)

⚽️ 12:30 - MLS Cup - Columbus Crew v Seattle Sounders (Kayo Sports)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 13:05 - WNBL Regular Season - Townsville Fire v Melbourne Boomers (Fox Sports)

🏏 13:30 - Test Match - New Zealand v West Indies (Fox Sports)

👊🏻 14:00 - UFC 256 Main Card - Deiveson Figueiredo v Brandon Moreno (Main Event)

🏈 14:00 - NCAA - BYU Cougars v San Diego State Aztecs (ESPN 1)

🏏 14:15 - Big Bash League Group Game - Adelaide Strikers v Hobart Hurricanes (7, Fox Cricket)

🏏 14:30 - Three-Day Tour Match - Australia A v India (Fox Sports)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 15:05 - WNBL Regular Season - UC Capitals v Southside Flyers (ABC, Fox Sports)

🐴 16:40 - Group 1, Hong Kong Vase (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 17:00 - WNBL Regular Season - Sydney Uni. Flames v Adelaide Lightning (Kayo Sports)

🐴 17:20 - Group 1, Hong Kong Sprint, 1,200m (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

⛳️ 17:30 - DP World Tour Championship, Round 4 (Fox Sports)

🐴 17:40 - Group 1, Hanshin Juvenile Fillies (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🐴 18:30 - Group 1, Hong Kong Mile, 1,600m (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🐴 19:10 - Group 1, Hong Kong Cup, 2,000m (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🏏 19:15 - Big Bash League Group GameSydney Sixers v Melbourne Renegades (Fox Cricket or 7)

⚽️ 22:30 - Italian Serie A - Cagliari Calcio v Inter Milan (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 22:30 - Indian Super League - NorthEast United v Chennaiyin FC (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 23:00 - Scottish Premiership - Dundee United v Rangers (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 23:00 - Premier League - Southampton v Sheffield United (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 23:30 - FA Women's Super League - Reading Women v Manchester United Women (Optus Sport 2)