🗞 Fought Back the Tears

G’day Sports Fans,

☕️ A quick run-through the headlines in the World of Sport:

• Maxwell takes a break

• Manu to Japan

• NBA In-Play Tournament schedule

• Kelly Slater bows out

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🇦🇺 Brisbane Lions goal sneak Charlie Cameron has had his one-week suspension downgraded at the Tribunal, for his sling tackle against Melbourne defender Jake Lever during the Lions' 22-point win last Thursday night at the MCG.

The verdict leaves Cameron free to face the Cats at the Gabba on Saturday night, where he will get to continue his streak of 123 consecutive games.

🏏 All-rounder Glenn Maxwell has opted to take an indefinite mental and physical health break during the Indian Premier League.

Maxwell, 35, only scored 32 runs in Royal Challengers Bengaluru's first six games and asked the management to be left out of Monday's 25-run defeat by Sunrisers Hyderabad.

He also took a break to protect to his mental health in 2019.

"For me, personally, it was a pretty easy decision," said Maxwell.

"I went to [captain] Faf du Plessis and the coaches after the last game and said I felt it was probably time we tried someone else.

"I have been in this situation in the past where you can keep playing and get yourself deeper into a hole."

🏏 Former Australia batter Michael Slater has been refused bail and remanded in custody over domestic violence charges.

Slater, 54, reportedly collapsed after being denied bail by a Queensland court and had to be helped to his feet by prison officers before being led away.

He faces 19 charges relating to alleged offences between 5 December 2023 and 12 April.

His next court appearance is scheduled for 31 May.

🏉 Joey Manu has confirmed he will leave the Sydney Roosters at the end of 2024.

The superstar centre and two-time premiership winner has signed with Japanese rugby union club Toyota Verblitz, ending a successful tenure at Bondi.

"I have cherished my time playing rugby league for the Roosters, so it's been a tough decision to leave the club and NRL," he said.

"I will always be grateful to wear the Roosters jersey and to everyone who has supported me and provided me with some incredible opportunities.

"While I'm excited to embrace the challenge of playing rugby in Japan, right now I am focused on finishing this year strongly and performing at my very best for the Roosters."

🏉 Official team lists, updates and injury news for Round 7 (NRL.com)

Roosters: Skipper James Tedesco returns from concussion so Joey Manu goes back to the centres and Joseph-Aukuso Suaalii to the wing.

Dolphins: The loss of Hamiso Tabuai-Fidow to a hamstring injury sees Trai Fuller come in at fullback.

Panthers: Nathan Cleary remains sidelined with a hamstring injury so Brad Schneider again calls the shots alongside Jarome Luai.

Sea Eagles: Four significant injury returns for coach Anthony Seibold - Matt Lodge, Reuben Garrick, Nathan Brown & Winger Jason Saab.

🏏 icymi: Pat Cummins became the first Australian since 2012 to be named Wisden's leading cricketer in the world.

Other Aussies honoured by the publication were Travis Head, for the year's best performance in Test matches [163 off 174 v India], and Usman Khawaja, Mitchell Starc and Ashleigh Gardner, who were among the almanac's five cricketers of the year.

Cummins led his country to success in both the World Test Championship and 50-over World Cup. He succeeded Ben Stokes, who has landed the prestigious title three times in the last four years. The last Australian to garner the accolade was Michael Clarke.

🏀 After seventh months and a dramatic final day, the NBA's regular season is over and all eyes turn to the play-offs.

Twelve teams have booked their spots, but the final four places will be settled by the play-in tournament, which starts on Tuesday (local) and features the likes of LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers and Steph Curry's Golden State Warriors.

Which teams have secured a spot in the NBA play-offs?

Eastern Conference: Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Milwaukee Bucks, Cleveland Cavaliers, Orlando Magic and Indiana Pacers.

Western Conference: Oklahoma City Thunder, Denver Nuggets (defending champions), Minnesota Timberwolves, Los Angeles Clippers, Dallas Mavericks and Phoenix Suns.

The play-in tournament runs from Tuesday to Friday (all local), before the play-offs get under way on 20 April.

In each conference, the teams that finished the regular season between seventh and 10th place will compete for two additional play-off spots.

The team that finished seventh will face the side that finished eighth, while ninth plays 10th.

The winners of the seventh-eighth match will gain a play-off spot as the seventh seed. The losers will face the winner of the ninth-10th match and the winner of that match will take the eighth seed.

Eastern conference:

• 7th/8th: Miami Heat v Philadelphia 76ers

• 9th/10th: Atlanta Hawks v Chicago Bulls

Western conference:

• 7th/8th: Los Angeles Lakers v New Orleans Pelicans

• 9th/10th: Golden State Warriors v Sacramento Kings

While the play-in tournament consists of single games, play-off rounds are decided by a best-of-seven series.

In each conference, the match-ups are decided by seedings.

Eastern Conference: Boston Celtics (1) v 8th Seed; NY Knicks (2) v 7th Seed; Milwaukee Bucks (3) v Indiana Pacers (6); Cleveland Cavaliers (4) v Orlando Magic (5)

Western Conference: Oklahoma City Thunder (1) v 8th Seed; Denver Nuggets (2) v 7th Seed; Minnesota Timberwolves (3) v Phoenix Suns (6); LA Clippers (4) v Dallas Mavericks (5)

The first round is followed by the conference semi-finals, then the conference finals, with the winners of each conference meeting in the NBA Finals.

The opening game of the NBA Finals takes place on 6 June.

⛹🏻‍♀️ WNBA Draft: Australia's Nyadiew Puoch (12th), Isobel Borlase (20th) and Jaz Shelley (29th) were all selected in the 2024 WNBA draft.

College superstar Caitlin Clark was unsurprisingly the first pick, going to the Indiana Fever.

🏎️ The fifth race of the season, and the first sprint weekend of the year, arrives at the Shanghai International Circuit for the Chinese Grand Prix from 19-21 April (local).

Max Verstappen cruised to a comfortable victory in the Japanese Grand Prix, leading team-mate Sergio Perez to a Red Bull one-two.

The Dutchman secured his third victory in four races this season, while Carlos Sainz passed Ferrari team-mate Charles Leclerc late on to secure the final podium place.

🏄🏻‍♂️ Surfing legend Kelly Slater has fought back tears after being knocked out of the Margaret River Pro, which could effectively end his career.

The 11-time world champion was chaired up the steps after being eliminated in the round of 32 by world number one Griffin Colapinto in small surf off the West Australian coast.

Slater has applied for a wildcard into August's Fiji Pro, which he may well get, but was clearly reckoning with the end of a professional surfing career lasting more than three decades as he spoke after only managing a two-wave score of 6.17, losing to Colapinto's 11.87.

"It's almost hit me; it's right there bubbling," the 52-year-old said.

⚽️ Manchester City have opened talks with Wolves over the possible signing of Algeria wing-back Rayan Ait-Nouri, 22.

🤿 French diver Alexis Jandard slipped during the inauguration of an Olympic aquatics centre north of Paris, his awkward moment on the board caught on camera.

Laughing off the incident later on social media, the 26-year-old thanked people for their support, saying: “For your information, my back is fine, but my ego…”

🥊 Deontay Wilder says he is "90%" sure a fight with Anthony Joshua will happen in the future.

The American heavyweight faces Zhilei Zhang on 1 June, six months on from his shock defeat by Joseph Parker.

The loss to Parker derailed a planned fight against Joshua, but Wilder says the long-awaited bout can still happen.

Wilder will fight Zhang as part of the five-versus-five Matchroom Promotions v Queensberry Promotions card on 1 June in Saudi Arabia.

The heavyweight contest was the surprise addition as Wilder signed a one-fight deal with Matchroom to be part of the event.

Zhang, 40, also comes into the fight off the back of a defeat by Parker, and both men would face an uphill battle to a world title shot with another loss.

⛳️ According to rumours reported by City A.M. (UK), Rory Mcllroy is allegedly joining LIV Golf for US$850 million plus an ownership stake in the league…People close to McIlroy say it’s fake news.

⚽️ Last minute. His team down 1-0. Ante Budimir 1 goal behind in the golden boot race. He steps up to take the penalty...

TODAY 

05:00 - UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final - Barcelona v Paris Saint-Germain (Stan Sport)
05:00 - UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final - Borussia Dortmund v Atletico Madrid (Stan Sport)
09:00 - NHL - Philadelphia Flyers v Washington Capitals (ESPN 2)
09:30 - NBA Play-In Game (7v8) - New Orleans Pelicans v Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN)
11:40 - MLB - Arizona Diamondbacks v Chicago Cubs (ESPN 2)
12:00 - NBA Play-In Game (9v10) - Sacramento Kings v Golden State Warriors (ESPN)
00:00 - Indian Premier League Group Game - Gujarat Titans v Delhi Capitals (Fox Cricket)

THURSDAY

05:00 - UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final - Manchester City v Real Madrid (Stan Sport)
05:00 - UEFA Champions League Quarter-Final - Bayern Munich v Arsenal (Stan Sport)
05:10 - MLB - Los Angeles Dodgers v Washington Nationals (ESPN 2)
09:00 - NHL - New York Islanders v Pittsburgh Penguins (ESPN 2)
09:00 - NBA Play-In Game (7v8) - Philadelphia 76ers v Miami Heat (ESPN)
11:30 - NHL - Dallas Stars v St. Louis Blues (ESPN 2)
11:30 - NBA Play-In Game (9v10) - Chicago Bulls v Atlanta Hawks (ESPN)
19:30 - AFL - St. Kilda Saints v Western Bulldogs (Fox Footy or 7mate)
19:50 - NRL - Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm (Fox League or Channel 9)