🗞 The Future is Bright

G’day Sports Fans,

🤫 We’ve got a holiday treat for you in Friday’s edition of Sport Journal. Our World famous Wine offer returns with a bang.

We’ve sourced a premium tipple that’s currently $150 at Dan Murphys, for just $55 a pop exclusively for readers of Sport Journal. 🍷

📧 P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

🇦🇺 The Verdict: The AFL tribunal has taken a stand against head-high contact, suspending Essendon forward Peter Wright for four weeks for his high bump on Sydney defender Harry Cunningham.

Wright was referred directly to the tribunal after collecting Cunningham high during the Bombers' 30-point loss to the Swans on Saturday night

Cunningham was subsequently concussed and it is not yet known when the veteran will be able to return.

Max King also endured a disappointing night with the St Kilda spearhead to miss Saturday's clash with Essendon after his one-match ban for a high bump on Collingwood's Finlay Macrae was upheld.

⚽️ The Socceroos delivered a dominant 5-1 victory over Lebanon at Canberra's GIO Stadium on Tuesday night to move another step closer to qualifying for their sixth FIFA World Cup campaign.

In a sign of good things to come for the national team, midfielders Patrick Yazbek and Josh Nisbet made their international debuts for the Socceroos in what was a memorable evening in front of a record crowd in Canberra.

🏏 Perth will host the first Test between Australia and India in November, replacing Brisbane’s Gabba stadium as the traditional opening venue for the international cricket season Down Under.

Cricket Australia officials announced the 2024-25 schedule on Tuesday, confirming the Western Australian capital will kick off the five-Test series against India on November 22.

Adelaide will host the second Border-Gavaskar Trophy Test from December 6 before the series moves to Brisbane on December 14 and to Melbourne and Sydney for the traditional Boxing Day and New Year’s Tests.

🏏 The Test match in the 2025 Women's Ashes in Australia will be a day-night game at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

The pink-ball game, which starts on 30 January, will also end the multi-format series for the first time since it was introduced in 2015.

🐴 The owners of Winx say her first foal bears a striking resemblance to the wonder mare ahead of being sold at Inglis' Easter Yearling Sale in Sydney next week.

The filly by leading stallion Pierro is expected to break sale records and could eclipse a $5 million brother of Black Caviar as the most expensive yearling of all time in this country.

"Very exciting time for all the owners," part-owner Peter Tighe said.

The superstar racehorse, who won 25 Group 1s, foaled in October 2022 but ultimately lost her I Am Invincible foal.

If early looks and behaviours are anything to go by, the beautiful filly has taken after her legendary mother.

🏉 Team lists, updates and injury news for Round 4 of the Premiership.

• Roosters: Sam Walker has been cleared to play after his Cat one HIA was deemed to have been a Cat 2.

• Panthers: A huge blow with Nathan Cleary set to miss four weeks with a hamstring injury.

• Broncos: Injured fullback Reece Walsh (facial fracture) is replaced by Tristan Sailor while skipper Adam Reynolds returns.

• Eels: Blaize Talagi has been thrust into the hot seat at five-eighth following the loss of Mitchell Moses to a fractured foot.

⚽️ Manchester United are targeting Brentford manager Thomas Frank to take over from Erik ten Hag at Old Trafford in the summer, not England boss Gareth Southgate.

🏀 Epic comeback: The Hawks stormed back from a 30-point deficit to beat the Celtics, 120-118, matching the fourth-largest comeback in the last 25 years. Boston had won nine straight (and 20 of 22) entering the night.

🎾 Upsets in Miami: Two of the world's top three women were ousted in the fourth round of the Miami Open. No. 1 Iga Świątek lost to No. 16 Ekaterina Alexandrova and No. 3 Coco Gauff fell to No. 23 Caroline Garcia.

⛳️ The new team golf league (TGL) backed by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy’s TMRW Sports, officially announced its inaugural season launch for the first three Tuesdays of January 2025.

TGL consists of six teams of PGA TOUR superstars competing in a progressive, fast-paced form of team golf within the custom-built SoFi Center.

⚽️ Luton winger Andros Townsend says the uncertainty created by other Premier League teams' points deductions for breaching financial rules "makes a mockery" of the top flight.

Everton have been docked six points - down from 10 after an appeal - while Nottingham Forest have appealed against their own four-point deduction.

Forest's points loss meant they replaced Luton in the relegation zone.

Townsend said clubs battling the drop "don't know what's going to happen".

🎾 Andy Murray says he will be out for "an extended period" following the ankle injury he sustained at the Miami Open.

"I'll be back with one hip and no ankle ligaments when the time is right."

Earlier this year, Murray, who will turn 37 in May, said he is not planning to "play much past this summer" but hopes to compete at another Olympic Games before he retires.

🏈 NFL owners approved a revamp of the kickoff play.

The new alignment rules are designed to reverse more than a decade of declining return rates while also lowering concussion rates.

In essence, the format will move the majority of the kicking and return teams downfield to minimize high-speed collisions.

During the 2024 season, kickers will continue to kick from the 35-yard line, but the other 10 players on the kickoff team will line up at the receiving team's 40-yard line.

🏏 Virat Kohli was named player of the match for his 77 that helped Royal Challengers Bengaluru chase down a tricky target against Punjab Kings and win by four wickets.

“I know my name is just attached to promoting the game in many parts of the world when it comes to T20 cricket, but still got it I guess,”

TODAY

06:45 - Friendly - England v Belgium (Optus Sport 3)
06:45 - UEFA EURO Play-Off Final - Wales v Poland (Optus Sport 4)
06:45 - UEFA EURO Play-Off Final - Ukraine v Iceland (Optus Sport 7)
06:45 - Friendly - Germany v Netherlands (Optus Sport 5)
07:00 - Friendly - France v Chile (Optus Sport 2)
07:30 - Friendly - Spain v Brazil (Optus Sport 1)
10:00 - NHL - New York Rangers v Philadelphia Flyers (ESPN)
10:30 - NBA - Milwaukee Bucks v Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN)
13:00 - NBA - Sacramento Kings v Dallas Mavericks (ESPN)
13:30 - NHL - San Jose Sharks v Dallas Stars (ESPN 2)

THURSDAY

01:00 - Indian Premier League Group Game - Sunrisers Hyderabad v Mumbai Indians (Fox Cricket)
10:30 - NHL - Tampa Bay Lightning v Boston Bruins (ESPN 2)
10:30 - NBA - Philadelphia 76ers v Los Angeles Clippers (ESPN)
13:00 - NBA - Denver Nuggets v Phoenix Suns (ESPN)
19:30 - AFL - Brisbane Lions v Collingwood Magpies (Fox Footy or 7mate)
19:30 - NBL Championship Series - Tasmania JackJumpers v Melbourne United (ESPN)
20:00 - NRL - Sydney Roosters v Penrith Panthers (Fox League or Channel 9)