🗞 It’s all come down to this!

G'day sports fans,

“put your Maroons jersey on”, “you don’t need to be a baker to know bread taste good” - Joey to Matty Johns clash in a fiery chat about State of Origin on their podcast.

🇦🇺 Aussie Sport

🏉 It was an error-plagued night for the Sky Blues at CommBank Stadium, going down 18-10 to the Maroons in the Women’s State of Origin series opener after NSW co-captain Isabelle Kelly was taken to hospital with a throat injury. (Report)

🇦🇺 Melbourne will have to reinvigorate its season against Carlton minus two injured stars on Friday night, while the Blues have made five forced changes for the critical clash at the MCG.

In other round 12 team news, Gold Coast youngster Mac Andrew has copped a second club suspension inside six months and will miss playing Adelaide on Saturday night. (TEAMS)

🏉 St George-Illawarra Dragons chief executive Ryan Webb believes Jason Ryles' sensational rejection of the head coaching role isn't the "end of the world", and could yet prove a "blessing in disguise".

🥊 Aussie world champion Tim Tszyu (22-0-0, 16 KOs) has insisted he’ll be ready to fight in 17 days’ time despite a dog bite that cut so deep, fat was exposed in his arm.

“It was just a bit of fat (that was visible), just a bit of blood... I was hanging the two pieces of meat together.” 🤢

⚽️ A-LEAGUE GRAND FINAL - It’s all come down to this!

This Saturday night at Commbank Stadium Melbourne City will “host” The Central Coast Mariners in what should be a really strong contest.

Both sides have had incredible campaigns this season and have been favourites to make the Grand Final for a large chunk of the year.

City finished once again on top of the ladder with a 16-7-3 record and 55 points and the Mariners were the closest to them in second place with a record of 13-5-8 and 44 points.

Not only were they the top two sides on the ladder, both their strikers have finished first & second in the goal scoring tally.

J-Mac remains as good as ever, he’s slotted 24 past the keeper on the year but my new favourite Socceroo Jason “The CumDog” Cummings was next best with 17.

Melbourne City has won each of its last 11 A-League home matches against Central Coast and while technically it’s not a “home” game.

💰 SGM: City H2H, McLaren Anytime Goalscorer, Cummings Anytime Goalscorer ($7.30 with Dabble)

🏉 Quade Cooper's feel good return to the rugby field has been marred by the theft of more than $1900 from his hotel room.

The Wallabies star continued his encouraging comeback from a ruptured Achilles tendon with an eye-catching performance for the Eddie Jones-coached Barbarians in London at the weekend.

Cooper, 35, was a standout in the 48-42 win over Steve Hansen's World XV at Twickenham, firming up his Rugby World Cup selection claims as the countdown to the tournament hits 100 days.

🎾 Argentine Tomas Martin Etcheverry took out the 18th seed Alex de Minaur (AUS) in straight sets 6-3, 7-6, 6-3 to advance to the third round of a grand slam for the first time.

🏉 All the late mail, team changes and news for Round 14 of the 2023 NRL Telstra Premiership. (NRL)

• Wests Tigers: Api Koroisau remains on track to back up just 48 hours after Origin I.

• Dolphins: Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow and Tom Gilbert have been rested.

• Titans: The Titans expect both David Fifita and Tino Fa'asuamaleaui to back up.

• Rabbitohs: Forwards Cameron Murray and Jai Arrow have been named to back up.

🇦🇺 Nat Fyfe is likely to spend the rest of his career in Fremantle after the two-time Brownlow Medallist penned a two-year extension with the only AFL club he's ever known.

The 31-year-old has played 214 games at the club and said he couldn't imagine "going to play footy anywhere else" after re-committing to the Dockers.

Fyfe's deal ends months of speculation linking him away from Fremantle, despite his manager Jason Dover assuring fans the former captain was committed to extending his stay.

🐴 Fireburn's trainer Gary Portelli says he must accept the umpire's decision but feels the issue with his scratched Queensland Oaks favourite is that the filly has a "weird gait".

The dual Group 1 winner was a clear $3.50 favourite to become the first Golden Slipper winner to win an Oaks at three since Miss Finland achieved the feat in 2006.

Queensland Racing Integrity Commission vets deemed the filly to be lame on Thursday and ordered her scratching at 12.49pm.

But Portelli feels the issue with Fireburn is that she has a "weird gait".

"They wouldn't accept what we said, even though my vets said this is the way she is," Portelli said.

🌎 World Sport

⚽️ Lionel Messi will play his final game for Paris St-Germain against Clermont on Saturday, says manager Christophe Galtier.

A move to MLS has also been mooted - however it currently seems like Messi will be next big star bound for the Middle East.

⛳️ Rory McIlroy said Wednesday that LIV Golf star Brooks Koepka has earned the right to a place on the United States’ Ryder Cup team following his PGA Championship triumph.

🏀 Australian basketball star Jack White has the chance to be part of unique NBA history.

White’s Denver Nuggets will set out to win their first championship when they face off with the Miami Heat in the NBA Finals, kicking off in Denver today at 10.30am (AEST).

🎾 So what exactly was that metal-looking object about the size of a bottle cap that was taped to Novak Djokovic's chest at Roland-Garros?

He was asked about it. He didn't give a straight answer.

During the changeover between the end of the first set and the start of the second during the 22-time grand slam champion's 7-6 (2), 6-0, 6-3 victory over Marton Fucsovics, Djokovic removed his polo shirt and swapped it for another.

⚽️ Manchester United have reportedly been in contact with Atalanta and Frankfurt over the possibility of signing Rasmus Hojlund and Randal Kolo Muani.

🏈 LSU (Louisiana State University) American Football Team now has air-conditioned helmets. The battery-powered system has a 5-hour lifespan before needing to be charged, and it lasts up to 4 years. (Twitter)

🏏 The “Night Hawk” Stuart Broad doing the business against the powerhouse of International Cricket.. Ireland in the a warm up for the Ashes.

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📺 Live Sport TV Guide

TODAY

10:10- MLB - Houston Astros v Los Angeles Angels (ESPN 2)

10:30- NBA Finals - Denver Nuggets v Miami Heat (ESPN)

17:05- Super Rugby Pacific - Blues v Highlanders (Stan Sport)

19:35- Super Rugby Pacific - Brumbies v Rebels (Stan Sport)

19:50- AFL - Melbourne Demons v Carlton Blues (Fox Footy or 7mate)

20:00- Test Match - England v Ireland (Fox Cricket)

20:00- NRL - Wests Tigers v Canberra Raiders (Fox League or Channel 9)

23:00- Currie Cup - Griquas v Western Province (Stan Sport)

SATURDAY

01:05- Currie Cup - Blue Bulls v Griffons (Stan Sport)

03:45- T20 Blast - Gloucestershire v Surrey (Fox Cricket)

04:00- PGA TOUR - The Memorial Tournament, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

09:10- MLB - New York Mets v Toronto Blue Jays (ESPN)

12:40- NSW Cup - North Sydney Bears v Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles (Fox League)

13:45- AFL - Port Adelaide Power v Hawthorn (Fox Footy)

14:35- Super Rugby Pacific - Fijian Drua v Queensland Reds (Stan Sport)

15:00- NRL - Warriors v Dolphins (Fox League)

15:05- Shute Shield Regular Season (Stan Sport)

16:35- AFL - West Coast Eagles v Collingwood Magpies (Fox Footy)

17:05- Super Rugby Pacific - Hurricanes v Crusaders (Stan Sport)

17:30- NRL - Gold Coast Titans v South Sydney Rabbitohs (Fox League)

19:25- AFL - Western Bulldogs v Geelong Cats (Fox Footy)

19:30- AFL - Gold Coast Suns v Adelaide Crows (Fox Sports)

19:35- Super Rugby Pacific - NSW Waratahs v Moana Pasifika (GEM or Stan Sport)

19:35- NRL - Cronulla Sharks v Brisbane Broncos (Fox League)

19:45- A-League Men Grand Final - Melbourne City v Central Coast Mariners (Paramount+ or Channel 10)

20:00- Test Match - England v Ireland (Fox Cricket)

22:00- Super Rugby Pacific - Western Force v Chiefs (Stan Sport)

00:00- FA Cup Final - Manchester City v Manchester United (Paramount+)

SUNDAY

01:00- Currie Cup - Pumas v Free State Cheetahs (Stan Sport)

02:30- PGA TOUR - The Memorial Tournament, Round 3 (Fox Sports)

03:05- Currie Cup - Sharks v Golden Lions (Stan Sport)

04:00- T20 Blast Group Game - Hampshire Hawks v Sussex Sharks (Fox Cricket)

10:00- NHL Stanley Cup Finals - Vegas Golden Knights v Florida Panthers (ESPN )

11:30- NSW Cup - Sydney Roosters NSW Cup v Canterbury Bulldogs NSW Cup (Fox League)

13:10- AFL - GWS Giants v Richmond Tigers (Fox Footy or Channel 7)

14:00- NRL - Sydney Roosters v Canterbury Bulldogs (Fox League)

16:05- NRL - North Queensland Cowboys v Melbourne Storm (Fox League or Channel 9)

16:40- AFL - Essendon Bombers v North Melb. Kangaroos (Fox Footy)

18:15- NRL - Penrith Panthers v St. George Illawarra Dragons (Fox League)

20:00- Test Match - England v Ireland (Fox Cricket)

23:00- Formula 1 Spain Race, Round 8 (Fox Sports)