G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: "The rules of soccer are very simple, basically it is this: if it moves, kick it. If it doesn't move, kick it until it does." - Ian Woosnam

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🇦🇺 30 thousand at the Gabba

🏉 6000 games worth of experience set to retire

🐴 Cox Plate field

...and much more!

🇦🇺 AFL

Everything you need to know about the 2020 Grand Final

The 2020 Toyota AFL Grand Final between Richmond and Geelong starts at 6.30pm AEST (7.30pm AEDT) on Saturday, October 24.

It will be the first night Grand Final and the first time the decider has been held outside of Melbourne, gracing the turf of Brisbane's Gabba.

The game will also be the first all-Victorian Grand Final since 2011, which is also the last time the Cats contested a decider.

Richmond is shooting for a third premiership in four seasons, and its second successive.

The Tigers, as the highest-ranked team, will wear their home guernsey and home shorts, while the Cats will wear their white shorts. (AFL)

🎾 Mega Fan

World Tennis No.1 and mega Richmond fan Ash Barty will present the Tigers with the premiership cup if they are successful on Saturday night.

🗣 The umpiring panel for the 2020 AFL Grand Final

Matt Stevic, Simon Meredith and Craig Fleer have been selected as the field umpires with Robert Findlay named as the emergency. The 2020 Toyota AFL Grand Final will see Stevic officiate his eighth Toyota AFL Grand Final, Meredith his fifth and Fleer his first.

🎟 The Gabba is currently sold out

The AFL has announced that the general public on-sale for the Grand Final. Tickets, via the Ticketmaster platform sold out in just under 20 minutes this morning. The capacity for the Gabba is capped at 30,000.

🏉 NRL

NRL 2020: Retired players, 6000 worth of NRL experience facing uncertain futures

Cameron Smith headlines a list of veterans totalling more than 6000 games worth of experience in the game who are yet to confirm their futures beyond this season. (NRL)

Dear oh Dear!

Dally M Awards descended into a farce as result is leaked online hours before Jack Wighton was crowned the winner.

• NRL star Jack Wighton claimed the coveted Dally M Medal

• Suspense at league's pinnacle awards event spoiled in hours before by leak

• The Daily Telegraph accidentally published the full result on its homepage

• Leading footy analyst said blunder had 'ruined the NRL's big awards night'

A throwback to June this year "The NRL has banned betting on the Dally M awards after two men were charged over an alleged betting scandal". (ABC)

📈Stat attack

Penrith beat Melbourne 21-14 in round six in what was the start of their winning streak. They've gone on to smash their previous club record of nine straight victories. But the Storm have had the wood on the Panthers overall, losing only three games against them since 2006.

🗣 Gerard Sutton to referee Grand Final

Grand final referee Gerard Sutton believes the rule changes this year, with the reduction from two on-field referees to one and the addition of a set restart ruling for minor ruck infringements, have ultimately benefitted both the game and the officials. (NRL)

⚽️ Football

Arnold facing big decision on Socceroos future

Apparently Arnold is fielding a lucrative offer from South Korean club FC Seoul.

And they want to know whether he is going to take up the offer this week - perhaps as soon as Wednesday. Football Federation Australia has been made aware of the approach by Seoul but has not been informed of Arnold's decision.

It is believed Arnold has become frustrated by the lack of international action and the ebbing away of resources as the cash-strapped game looks to tighten its belt amid the coronavirus pandemic.

His biggest issue is thought to be a reluctance to walk out on the Olyroos, whom he led through a tough Asian qualifying group to reach the Olympic Games. (SMH)

🔥Foord on Fire

Caitlin Foord's start to the 2020/21 season with Arsenal Women's FC

• Reading: 🅐🅐

• West Ham: ⚽️

• Bristol City: 🅐 ⚽️

• Chelsea: ⚽️

• Brighton: 🅐

• Tottenham: ⚽️ 🅐 ⚽️

🏅 Ezzeldin Bahader is a Guinness World Record holder after becoming the oldest professional footballer

The 74-year-old who has four children and six grandchildren, signed a contract with Egyptian third division side 6th October Club back in January.

He captained the side in his debut and scored the only goal from the penalty spot.

Top clubs in talks to join new FIFA-backed 'European Premier League'

Manchester United and Liverpool are among the teams involved in talks for the league, which reportedly has a $6 billion backing from JP Morgan and FIFA.

More than a dozen teams from England, France, Germany, Italy and Spain are in negotiations about becoming founder members of the competition. (Sky News reports)

🐴 Racing

Final field 2020 Cox Plate

The final field has been declared for the 2020 Cox Plate after the annual Breakfast with the Best session at Moonee Valley and connections of three-year-old Grandslam were relieved when their $200,000 late entry fee was accepted and the colt snuck into the field for Saturday’s $5m race.

However the shock came for favourite backers when Russian Camelot ended up with the outside gate and his hold on favouritism is now tenuous while it was a surprise to connections of imported galloper Buckhurst that he was made emergency instead of Grandslam. (racenet)

Saturday, October 24 - TAB prices

1 - Kolding (10) C Waller J McDonald 59kg - $17

2 - Humidor (14) C Waller C Williams 59kg - $26

3 - Fierce Impact (12) M Smith L Currie 59kg - $26

4 - Master Of Wine (1) M, W and J Hawkes M Rodd 59kg - $26

5 - Mugatoo (9) K Lees J Allen 59kg - $26

6 - Aspetar (3) R Charlton D Lane 59kg - $13

7 - Sir Dragonet (7) C Maher & D Eustace G Boss 59kg - $9

8 - Magic Wand (4) A O’Brien M Zahra 57kg - $21

9 - Arcadia Queen (8) G & A Williams W Pike 57kg - $5

10 - Nettoyer (13) W Roche B Egan 57kg - $201

11 - Russian Camelot (15) D O’Brien D Oliver 56.5kg - $4

12 - Armory (6) A O’Brien B Melham 56.5kg - $6

13 - Probabeel (2) J Richards K McEvoy 55.5kg - $13

14 - Grandslam (5) C Maher & D Eustace J McNeil 49.5kg - $26

15 (em) - Buckhurst (11) J O’Brien J Kah 59kg - $26

🏉 Rugby

To'omua set for long time on the sidelines

The Wallabies will be without star playmaker Matt To’omua for next Saturday’s third Bledisloe Cup encounter and the remainder of the Rugby Championship, reports The Sydney Morning Herald .

To’omua broke down with a groin injury late in the first half of Sunday’s match against the All Blacks.

Reports are, he is now set to be sidelined for the remainder of the year. (Fox)

Rennie’s three most obvious options appear to be handing Hunter Paisami the No.12 jersey with Jordan Petaia starting at outside centre, replacing To’omua with debutant Irae Simone, or pushing James O’Connor to 12 with Noah Lolesio debuting at five-eighth.

The Wallabies will wear their Indigenous jersey twice during the 2020 Test season, including against the All Blacks in Bledisloe III in Sydney on October 31.

It will be just the second time the Wallabies have worn the jersey - deigned by Dennis Golding, a Kamilaroi/Gamilaraay artist from Redfern in Sydney - on Australian soil.

⛳️ Golf

ZOZO Championship

The PGA Tour heads west to California at Sherwood. The course will play as a par 72, measuring 7,073 yards and be played on bentgrass greens this week. The tournament is another no-cut event.

It's a mark of how much of a non-factor he's been throughout 2020, that 2019 Masters champion Tiger Woods can be backed at 33/1 to defend his title in the Zozo Championship - and yet he demands consideration now that the event has been redirected to Sherwood Country Club.

This short, turning, tricky golf course hosted Tiger's World Challenge from 2000 to 2013, and the star attraction won it five times.

🇦🇺 Cameron Smith could play a part, following a frustrating share of 11th last week. Smith broke 70 on Thursday, Saturday and Sunday, and started well on Friday, only to collapse to a round of 74 which ultimately may have cost him a place.

Overall though the evidence is mounting that he's close to his early-season best, which saw him win the Sony Open.

🇺🇸 USA

🏈 NFL

Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs bounced back from their loss to the Las Vegas Raiders by beating the Buffalo Bills 26-17 on Monday.

Quarterback Kyler Murray and Christian Kirk combine for two touchdowns as the Arizona Cardinals thrash the Dallas Cowboys 38-10.

⚾️ Everything you need to know about 2020 MLB World Series

The Los Angeles Dodgers and the Tampa Bay Rays will meet this year. Both teams hail from cities that have already celebrated championships this year (LA won the NBA Championship, Tampa Bay the Stanley Cup)

The whole series will take place at at the Texas Rangers' new Globe Life Field in Arlington.

It's bets of 7 games in nine days. Game 1 is today at 11am.

Who to support?

If you enjoy suffering, root for the Los Angeles Dodgers. This will be their third time in the World Series in four years, and they haven't won the whole thing since 1988.

To add to their suffering, Dodgers fans have to live with the knowledge that the team that beat them in the 2017 World Series, the Houston Astros, were cheating that season

If you enjoy underdogs, then root for the Tampa Bay Rays. Yes, they had the best record in the American League. But they are in the World Series for only the second time in franchise history.

🗞 Back with a Bumper Finals Edition on Friday!

📺 Live sport

⚽️ 06:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Group Stage;

• Paris Saint-Germain v Manchester United (Optus Sport 1)

• Barcelona v Ferencvaros (Optus Sport 3)

• Lazio v Borussia Dortmund (Optus Sport 5)

• Chelsea v Sevilla (Optus Sport 2)

• Stade Rennais v FC Krasnodar (Optus Sport 6)

⚽️ 09:15 - Copa Libertadores - Santos FC v Defensa y Justicia (BeIN Sports 2)

🏏 11:00 - Sheffield Shield - Western Australia v New South Wales Blues (Kayo Sports)

⚾️ 11:09 - World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Tampa Bay Rays (ESPN 1)

🏏 11:30 - Sheffield Shield - South Australia Redbacks v Tasmania Tigers (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Libertadores - Sao Paulo v Deportivo Binacional (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Libertadores - River Plate v LDU Quito (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Libertadores - Penarol v Clube Atletico Paranaense (BeIN Sports 1)

🐴 15:20 - Listed Race, Geelong Classic, 2,200m - SW, 3YO (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🐴 16:00 - Group 3, Geelong Cup, 2,400m - HCP (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🐴 16:40 - Listed Race, Black Pearl Stakes, 1,200m - SW+P, 3YO & Up, F&M (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🎾 21:00 - WTA Ostrava Open, Round 2, Day 3 (BeIN Sports 3)

🚴🏼‍♂️ 21:25 - UCI Giro d'Italia, Stage 17, 203km (Eurosport 1)

⚽️ 21:30 - J1 League - Yokohama F. Marinos v Nagoya Grampus (Optus Sport 1)

🎳 23:00 - Weber Cup, Day 3 (Fox Sports)

Thursday

🚴🏼‍♂️ 00:05 - Vuelta a Espana, Stage 2, 151.6 km (SBS Viceland)

🏏 01:00 - Indian Premier League - Kolkata Knight Riders v Royal Challengers Bangalore (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 03:55 - UEFA Champions Lge - Real Madrid v Shakhtar Donetsk (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 03:55 - UEFA Champions Lge - Red Bull Salzburg v Lokomotiv Moscow (Optus Sport 3)

🎳 04:00 - Weber Cup, Night 3 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 05:45English ChampionshipSheffield Wednesday v Brentford (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 06:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Group Stage;

• FC Midtjylland v Atalanta (Optus Sport 5)

• Ajax Amsterdam v Liverpool (Optus Sport 1)

• Manchester City v Porto (Optus Sport 2)

• Olympiacos FC v Olympique de Marseille (Optus Sport 6)

• Inter Milan v Borussia Monchengladbach (Optus Sport 4)

• Bayern Munich v Atletico Madrid (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 09:15 - Copa Libertadores - Racing Club de Avellaneda v Estudiantes Merida (BeIN Sports 2)

🏏 11:00 - Sheffield Shield - Western Australia v New South Wales Blues (Kayo Sports)

⚾️ 11:08 - World Series - Los Angeles Dodgers v Tampa Bay Rays (ESPN 1)

🏏 11:30 - Sheffield Shield - South Australia Redbacks v Tasmania Tigers (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Libertadores - Palmeiras v Club Atletico Tigre (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 11:30Copa Libertadores - Flamengo v Atletico Junior (BeIN Sports 2)

🥊 19:00 - Cruiserweight Title - Jai Opetaia v Benjamin Kelleher (Fox Sports)

🎾 21:00 (TBC) - ATP European Open, Round 2, Day 4

🎾 21:00 - WTA Ostrava Open, Round 2, Day 4 (BeIN Sports 3)

🚴🏼‍♂️ 21:25 - Giro d'Italia, Stage 18, 207km (Eurosport 1)

⛳️ 21:30 - European Tour, Italian Open, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

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