G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: "A very small crowd here today. I can count the people on the one hand. Can't be more than 30" - Michael Abrahamson

🗞 Breaking News

World in mourning as Queen Elizabeth II dies aged 96 ending the longest-reigning monarch in the world's 70-year tenure | Obituary — www.9news.com.au

Queen Elizabeth II has died, aged 96, peacefully at her Balmoral home, Buckingham Palace has announced.

Charles, who will be known as King Charles III, issued a statement saying the death of his "beloved mother" was a "moment of the greatest sadness for me and all members of my family."

🇦🇺 Aussie Sport

🏏 New Zealand's horror record in Australia continued, with a collapse in Cairns consigning them to another ODI defeat, with their winless run dating back to 2009.

Despite the failures of Australia's top order, most notably Aaron Finch, the hosts managed to put a respectable score on the board and secure a 113-run win, the Kiwis all out for 82.

Australia now has an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series, having taken the first match on Tuesday.

The only negative was Aaron Finch's disastrous continuing with the Australian skipper dismissed for a duck.

🎾 The total of Nick Kyrgios' fines in New York for offences including spitting, swearing, and smashing two racquets was US$32,500.

✍🏼 The Dragons are close to announcing their first signing for 2023 - talented Tigers hooker Jacob Liddle.

🐴 The Makybe Diva Stakes is the first Group 1 of the Melbourne Spring Racing Carnival on Saturday, and this year’s edition looks one of the best. 

What the field lacks in size, it more than makes up for in quality, with last-start Memsie Stakes runner-up I’m Thunderstruck headlining the market ahead of proven Group 1 winners Cascadian, Mo’unga, and Alligator Blood. 

All bar two have come through the Memsie, while She’s Ideel is set to take on the boys and fly the flag for Ciaron Maher and David Eustace. 

📺 STATION ONE update: Liam says that after his previous jump out he was a bit off his food, and after a scan, it showed some minor issues, which have now been fixed with medication.

Station One is now in terrific order again now and wil be looking for an outing next week. More news as we have it... exciting.

🏉 Bumper Finals Previews 🇦🇺

🏉 Panthers (1.40) v (2.95): Cleary back at the helm; Same 17 for Arthur: The Panthers were beaten just four times all season on their way to claiming the minor premiership, and the Eels own two of those victories over Ivan Cleary's men - winning 22-20 in Round 9 and 34-10 in Round 20.

🏉 Storm (1.40) v Raiders (2.95): Hughes returns; Star duo rested and ready: A fascinating 5th v 8th clash, given these clubs’ recent history. Canberra has won its last four at AAMI Park – including a stirring 2019 qualifying final upset and a thrilling 20-16 victory in Round 18 this year that snapped a five-match losing streak against Melbourne.

🏉 Sharks (1.70) v Cowboys (2.15): Talakai named to play; Hess back from his ban: The Nicho Hynes-led Sharks have lost just one of their last 12 games, powering to second spot with four straight 16-plus wins over also-rans the Tigers, Sea Eagles, Bulldogs, and Knights.

The third-placed Cowboys have a psychological hurdle to overcome here: their 38-8 win last week over a Penrith side missing 14 first-choice players ended a run of four straight losses against Top 8 opposition.

🏉 Roosters (1.60) v Rabbitohs (2.35): Manu out, Radley in; Cook, Graham return: Sydney Roosters claimed rivalry bragging rights and a psychological edge with a 26-16 win over South Sydney in last Friday’s Allianz Stadium reopening, ensuring the 6 v 7 sudden-death rematch would be played at the same venue.

Murray is named but will go through concussion protocols, while hooker Cook returns with Peter Mamouzelos dropping out. Campbell Graham’s return pushes Jaxson Paulo out of the Rabbitohs line-up.

🇦🇺 Demons (1.32) v Lions (3.45): (preview) Melbourne and Brisbane will square off in a semi-final on Friday night. The Demons are coming off a qualifying final loss to Sydney, while the Lions found some form and shook the finals monkey off their backs with a nail-biting elimination final win over Richmond.

Melbourne will start warm favourites after two thumping victories earlier in the season - by 64 and 58 points, respectively.

🇦🇺 Magpies (1.57) v Dockers (2.40): (preview) It took a long time for Fremantle to switch on against the Bulldogs in its elimination final but when they finally did after being 41 points down during the second quarter kicking 10 of the last 11 goals to win by 13 points on their home deck.

Meanwhile, the Magpies were involved in an epic Qualifying final against the Cats and came up a goal short. That indeed looks the better form line going into this match.

Since Round 10 the Magpies have only lost to the two preliminary finalists, Sydney and Geelong. When they last played Fremantle, they defeated them by 36 points on their home deck.

With all of the Finals action and the first week of the NFL, we haven't let our Boffins out of their bunker all week.

They've come up with some stats-backed beauties for the weekend, including;

• NRL try-scorer multi ($29.0)

• Under & Overs Multi in the NRL ($12.0),

• 2+ goal scorer banker double in the AFL ($3.0),

• NFL multi that we're very sweet on ($24.0)

• and a special enhanced odds rocket SGM in the Fulham v Chelsea game ($10.0).

👉🏻 Get involved here.

🌍 World Sport

⚽️ Chelsea have appointed Graham Potter as their new manager following the sacking of Thomas Tuchel.

Potter has left fellow Premier League club Brighton to take up the role and has signed a five-year deal with the Blues.

The 47-year-old said he was "incredibly proud and excited to represent Chelsea".

⚽️ Manchester United are ready to open talks with English striker Marcus Rashford, 24, over a new contract after his impressive start to the season. (Sun)

👊🏻 Veteran Nate Diaz is just hours away from making with will most likely be his final walk to the Octagon when he steps into the main event spotlight at UFC 279 on Saturday night. Meeting him inside of the cage will be undefeated Swedish star Khamzat Chimaev.

🏎 Mercedes driver Lewis Hamilton will start the Italian Grand Prix at the back because of a grid penalty for using too many engine parts.

The seven-time champion has been given his fourth power unit of the season - one more than is permitted.

🤦🏻‍♂️Watch Atletico Amazonese's Julio Campos score a ridiculous own goal in the state championship final. They were already losing 3-1 in the 89th minute. That's one way of asking for a transfer, or, he backed 4-1 as the final score.

🥃 Atlanta United and U.S. international defender Miles Robinson was arrested Saturday after refusing to pay $5 for a shot he picked off a service tray.

On that note, anyone thinking of sneaking in some beers into the World Cup - alcohol is strictly restricted in Qatar - drinking in public can lead to fines of up to 3,000 riyal (AU$1,000) or prison sentences up to six months.

🏈 College Football: Dabo Swinney has led his Clemson team to two FBS National Championships. Turning the Tigers into a perennial contender.

Now, after 13 successful seasons, Swinney has signed another 10-year, $115 million contract extension.

🏈 Almost seven months after the Los Angeles Rams won the Super Bowl in their home of SoFi Stadium, a new NFL season gets underway this morning.

Since a ball was thrown in anger, we have seen one of the more eventful offseasons in recent memory with several players traded and plenty of big money deals handed out.

With 272 regular season games on the schedule, plus another 13 playoff contests culminating in Super Bowl LVII in Glendale, Arizona.

SuperBowl market:

• Buffalo Bills $7.0

• Tampa Bay Buccaneers $8.0

• Kansas City Chief $11.0

• Value: LAs Vegas Raiders $34.0

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BACK ON MONDAY!

📺 Live sport 👇🏼

TODAY

🏏 09:00 - CPLT20 - St. Lucia Kings v Barbados Royals (Fox Cricket)

🏈 10:20 - NFL - Los Angeles Rams v Buffalo Bills (ESPN)

🏉 16:45 - Sevens - Men's Sevens World Cup, Day 1 (beIN SPORTS 1)

🏉 17:05 - NPC - Waikato v Auckland Rugby (Stan Sport)

🏉 19:50 - NRL Qualifying Final - Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels (Fox League or Channel 9)

🇦🇺 19:50 - AFL Semi-Final - Melbourne Demons v Brisbane Lions (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏏20:00 - Test Match - England v South Africa (Fox Cricket)

SATURDAY

⚽️ 04:30 - German Bundesliga - Werder Bremen v Augsburg (beIN SPORTS 2)

🏉 04:45 - Premiership Rugby - Bristol Bears v Bath Rugby (Stan Sport)

🏉 04:45 - Premiership Rugby - Sale Sharks v Northampton Saints (Stan Sport)

🏉 05:00 - Super League Eliminator - Catalans Dragons v Leeds Rhinos (Fox League)

⚽️ 05:00 - English Championship - Burnley v Norwich City (beIN SPORTS 3)

⚽️ 05:00 - France Ligue 1 - Lens v Troyes AC (beIN SPORTS 1)

⚾️ 09:00 - Major League Baseball - MLB Strike Zone (ESPN)

🏉 12:05 - NPC - Hawke's Bay v Southland (Stan Sport)

🏉 14:35 - NPC - North Harbour v Bay of Plenty (Stan Sport)

🚘 14:40 - Auckland SuperSprint - Auckland SuperSprint Race 1, Round 10 (Fox Sports)

🏉 16:15 - Sevens - Men's Sevens World Cup, Day 2 (beIN SPORTS 1)

🏉 17:05 - NPC - Counties Manukau v Manawatu (Stan Sport)

🏉 17:40 - NRL Elimination Final - Melbourne Storm v Canberra Raiders (Fox League or Channel 9)

🇦🇺 19:25 - AFL Semi-Final - Collingwood Magpies v Fremantle Dockers (Fox Footy or 7mate)

⚽️ 19:30 - J1 League - Kawasaki Frontale v Sanfrecce Hiroshima (Optus Sport 1)

🏉 19:50 - NRL Qualifying Final - Cronulla Sharks v North Queensland Cowboys (Fox League or Channel 9)

🏏 20:00 - Test Match - England v South Africa (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 21:00 - Scottish Premiership - Aberdeen v Rangers (beIN SPORTS 2)

⚽️ 21:30 - Premier League - Fulham v Chelsea (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 22:00 - Spanish La Liga - Rayo Vallecano v Valencia (Optus Sport 2)

🚴🏻 22:15 - Vuelta a Espana, Stage 20, 181km (SBS)

⚽️ 23:30 - German Bundesliga - RB Leipzig v Borussia Dortmund (beIN SPORTS 3)

⚽️ 00:00 - Premier League - (Optus Sport)

• Leicester City v Aston Villa 

• Liverpool v Wolverhampton Wanderers 

• Southampton v Brentford 

• Bournemouth v Brighton & Hove Albion 

🏏 00:00 - CPLT20 - Jamaica Tallawahs v Trinbago Knight Riders (Fox Sports)

🏉 00:00 - Premiership Rugby - (Stan Sport)

• Exeter Chiefs v Leicester Tigers

• London Irish v Worcester Warriors

• Newcastle Falcons v Harlequins

SUNDAY

⚽️ 02:00 - Italian Serie A - Inter Milan v Torino (beIN SPORTS 3)

⚽️ 02:30 - Premier League - Manchester City v Tottenham (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 02:30 - Spanish La Liga - Cadiz CF v Barcelona (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 04:45 - Italian Serie A - Sampdoria v Milan (beIN SPORTS 3)

⚽️ 05:00 - Spanish La Liga - Atletico Madrid v Celta Vigo (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 05:00 - France Ligue 1 - Olympique de Marseille v Lille OSC (beIN SPORTS 2)

🏏 09:00 - CPLT20 - St. Lucia Kings v Guyana Amazon Warriors (Fox Cricket)

🚘 10:55 - Auckland SuperSprint Race 2, Round 10 (Fox Sports)

🏉 11:00 - QLD Hostplus Cup Semi-Final (Fox League)

👊🏻 12:00 - UFC 279 Main Card - Khamzat Chimaev v Nate Diaz (Main Event)

🏉 12:05 - NPC - Tasman Mako v Taranaki (Stan Sport)

🏉 12:05 - NPC - Wellington Rugby v Otago (Stan Sport)

🚘 14:10 - Auckland SuperSprint Race 3, Round 10 (Fox Sports)

🏏 14:20 - ODI Series - Australia v New Zealand (Fox Cricket)

🏉 14:35 - NPC - Canterbury Rugby v Northland (Stan Sport)

🏉 16:05 - NRL Elimination Final - Sydney Roosters v South Sydney Rabbitohs (Fox League or Channel 9)

🏉 16:30 - Sevens - Men's Sevens World Cup, Day 3 (beIN SPORTS 1)

🏏 20:00 - Test Match - England v South Africa (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 20:30 - Italian Serie A - Atalanta v U.S. Cremonese (beIN SPORTS 2)

⚽️ 22:00 - Spanish La Liga - Real Madrid v RCD Mallorca (Optus Sport 2)

🏏 22:10 - Test Match - England v South Africa (Fox Cricket)

🏎 23:00 - Formula 1 Italy Race, Round 16 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 23:00 - Premier League - West Ham United v Newcastle United (Optus Sport 4)

⚽️ 23:00 - Premier League - Arsenal v Everton (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 23:00 - Italian Serie A - Bologna v Fiorentina (beIN SPORTS 2)

⚽️ 23:30 - German Bundesliga - FC Koln v FC Union Berlin (beIN SPORTS 3)