🗞 Dare to Dream It

July 11, 2021

G'day sports fans,

"It took me a long time to verbalise, to dare to dream it and say it." - Ashleigh Barty on realising her dream of winning a Wimbledon title.

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

✈️ On the move to Queensland

🏆 Messi breaks hoodoo

🎾 Barty realises dream

🇦🇺 AFL

A-grade stunners as contenders rise into top 8 mix, but flag fancies flop: Report Card

🧮 Mathematics says Richmond is still alive in 2021, but footy logic says otherwise, writes Damian Barrett (AFL)

🦢 St Kilda great Leigh Montagna believes the Sydney Swans should believe in their premiership chances after defeating the Western Bulldog by 19 points on Sunday. (Fox)

🙋🏻‍♂️ Collingwood interim coach Robert Harvey celebrated his first win after taking charge three weeks ago but was quick to deflect any reflection on his individual achievement to the work of his team. (Colingwood)

🏉 NRL

Twelve NRL clubs will relocate to south-east Queensland, by on Wednesday as NSW battles a growing outbreak of COVID-19 in the state.

The teams will be there for at least a month, to keep the 2021 competition alive with CEO Andrew Abdo indicating they may remain there for the rest of the season.

"NSW and ACT Teams will relocate to dedicated hubs by Wednesday and play home matches out of either Suncorp Stadium, Cbus Stadium or Sunshine Coast Stadium. All Queensland based clubs, along with the Melbourne Storm will continue to be based and play home games out of their current home cities," the NRL statement read.

Blues v Maroons: Finucane gets a start; Arrow banned for breach: NSW are chasing their first State of Origin clean sweep since the 2000 series but will have to do so with a new halves combination and another change in the front row. (NRL)

And they'll have to do it by winning three games in Queensland for the first time in Origin history after the game was relocated from Newcastle to the Gold Coast due to the worsening COVID situation in Sydney.

📈 Stat: Queensland has only managed a single line break per match so far this series while the Blues have accumulated 17.

⚽️ Football

Lionel Messi ended his wait for a first major international title as Argentina beat Brazil in the Copa America final in Rio's Maracana stadium.

Messi, 34, dropped to the ground in joy at the full-time whistle and was swiftly mobbed by his team-mates, before being hurled in the air in celebration, as he finally claimed top-level honours with his country in his 10th major tournament.

Angel di Maria proved the matchwinner with his superb lob, after taking down Rodrigo de Paul's lofted pass.

"The happiness is immense," said Messi after the game as he also praised the attitude of the Argentina squad. "Many times I dreamed of this.

England fans got ready for the Euro Finals the only way they knew how - Partying All Night And Setting Off Fireworks Outside Italy's Hotel At 2am

England lead 1-0 at half time, after a classy finish from Shawberto Carlos.

🌍 World Sport

Ashleigh Barty won her maiden Wimbledon title, beating Karolina Pliskova to become the first Australian women's champion for 41 years.

One of the first things she said was that she hoped her idol Evonne Goolagong Cawley would feel proud of her.

It turns out Goolagong Cawley was not only proud, but even more emotional than when she won the title herself.

"Everybody reacts differently when they win Wimbledon for the first time. It didn't hit me until later, because you turn numb. You're in shock, just as Ash was," the seven-time Grand Slam champion said in a video released by Tennis Australia.

🏆 Novak Djokovic won his sixth Wimbledon title to equal Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal's record of 20 men's Grand Slam victories after fighting back to beat Italy's Matteo Berrettini.

The 34-year-old Serb won 6-7 (4-7) 6-4 6-4 6-3 in front of a passionate and vocal 15,000 crowd on Centre Court.

Seventh seed Berrettini, 25, received loud backing but could not maintain his advantage in his first major final.

😷 South Africa captain Siya Kolisi has tested positive for Covid-19, two weeks before the first Test against the British and Irish Lions.

😷 Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama has withdrawn from next week's Open Championship after testing positive for coronavirus.

👊🏻 Conor McGregor was sensationally defeated for the second time in two fights after breaking his leg at UFC 264 on Saturday night in Las Vegas.

The Irishman, 32, was stopped after the first round against former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier.

Replays showed his ankle rolling over as he stepped backwards seconds before the end of the round and the fight was stopped by doctors, handing Poirier a second straight win in their trilogy.

"This is not over," McGregor said.

Conor McGregor was set to undergo surgery Sunday morning to repair a broken tibia.

🚴🏼‍♀️ America's Sepp Kuss attacked on the final climb to breakaway and win stage 15 of the Tour de France, as Tadej Pogacar increased his overall lead to + 5mins 18secs.

Kuss went clear of the leading breakaway group on the ride up the Col de Beixalis with 19km remaining of the 191.3km stage to Andorre-La-Vieille.

Anna van der Breggen clinched her fourth Giro d'Italia Donne after finishing fourth on the final stage.

👊🏻 Aussie, Tai Tuivasa walked out to the Spice Girls, knocked out Greg Hardy in the first round, climbed to the top of the cage and did a shoey. What an absolute legend!

🏉 Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has backed his team to bounce back from last week's "substandard" display against France, and now he's urging his players to back their attack.

Powerhouse prop Taniela Tupou has been promoted to start in place of Allan Alaalatoa in the only change to the side for Tuesday's second Test against France in Melbourne. (rugby)

Wallabies Team to play France:

1. James Slipper (101 Tests)

2. Brandon Paenga-Amosa (10 Tests)

3. Taniela Tupou (26 Tests)

4. Matt Philip (10 Tests)

5. Lukhan Salakaia-Loto (26 Tests)

6. Rob Valetini (5 Tests)

7. Michael Hooper (c) (106 Tests)

8. Harry Wilson (7 Tests)

9. Jake Gordon (6 Tests)

10. Noah Lolesio (3 Tests)

11. Marika Koroibete (35 Tests)

12. Matt To’omua (55 Tests)

13. Hunter Paisami (7 Tests)

14. Tom Wright (4 Tests)

15. Tom Banks (12 Tests)

🐴 Racing

Racing NSW chief steward Marc Van Gestel remains confident Sydney jockeys won’t breach coronavirus protocols, unlike rugby league players.

Racing was the only show in town last year when the pandemic locked virtually everyone down and Wednesday’s Canterbury meeting is not in doubt.

“Racing has been able to adapt in this pandemic to ensure the show can go on,” Van Gestel said.

“I can only talk about racing but racing has a very solid framework in terms of integrity and adherence to the rules that dates back many years.

“Participants are issued with a license and I think they see that as a privilege and realise the industry is there for their prosperity and if it doesn’t continue it effects their livelihood.” (racenet)

📺 Bonus

📺 Live sport 👇🏼

08:00 - WNBA - Seattle Storm v Phoenix Mercury (SBS on Demand or SBS Viceland)

10:00 - NBA Finals - Milwaukee Bucks v Phoenix Suns (ESPN 1)

19:40 - AFL - West Coast Eagles v North Melb. Kangaroos (Fox Footy)

TUESDAY

10:00 - Major League Baseball - MLB Home Run Derby (ESPN 2)

10:00 - Men's Exhibition Match - United States v Australia (ESPN 1)

19:00 - ATP Nordea Open (BeIN Sports 2)

19:00 - ATP Hamburg European Open, Round 1, Day 2 (BeIN Sports 1)

19:45 - ODI SeriesIreland v South Africa (Fox Cricket)

20:00 - Test MatchAustralia v France (GEM or Stan Sport)

20:30 - Tour de France, Stage 16 (SBS)