G'day sports fans,

🎉🍷 50 not out: We were contacted by a SJ reader and wine distributer a while ago, looking to offer readers a deal on some top-rated wine.

With our 50th edition of Sport Journal being sent out this week, we figured it was perfect timing.

It's a $100 a bottle Shiraz (rated 95pts by James Halliday) for $33 a bottle & FREE shipping anywhere in Australia.

If you are super-keen REPLY to this mail and I'll give you the details and put you at the top of the list.

We'll let you know how you can get your hands on it later in the week.

If the world really is going to hell in a handbasket, now is not the time to be drinking cheap plonk!

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🤒 Cornoavirus impacts all aspects of sport

🏉 NRL Round 1

⚽️ A-League round up

Meanwhile in Australia

"When the world is on lock down and the sports are taken away from us, this is how we keep ourselves amused here in Australia". (watch on Twitter) 🤣

🏉 NRL

Ennis questions Latrell benching, Holbrook’s headache: NRL Round 1 talking points

The NRL is officially back.

Round 1 gave us plenty to talk about amid the coronavirus crisis, but on the field we saw big hits, old boys turning back the clock and new combinations tested out.

Here’s some of the biggest talking points out of the opening round of 2020. (continue reading)

Round 1 round up:

Eels 8-2 Bulldogs: (match report) Parramatta's current cohort have been hailed as likely as any to end the club's 34-year premiership drought, and they've started with an Eighties-esque 8-2 grinding down of arch-rivals Canterbury.

Raiders 24-6 Titans: (match report) A Jack Wighton first-half double has helped the Canberra Raiders secure a first-up win over the Gold Coast Titans 24-6 at GIO Stadium.

Cowboys 21-28 Broncos: (match report) David Fifita dazzled and new fullback Jamayne Isaako stood tall as the Broncos crashed North Queensland’s stadium-opening party with a 28-21 win at Queensland Country Bank Stadium on Friday night.

Knights 20-0 Warriors: (match report) New Newcastle head coach Adam O’Brien enjoyed a winning start to his NRL career as the Knights shut out the Warriors 20-0 at a wet, wind-lashed McDonald Jones Stadium on Saturday.

Rabbitohs 22-18 Sharks: (match report) Two tries by Sharks winger Sione Katoa in a three-minute burst was still not enough to wrestle a win from South Sydney on Saturday night at ANZ Stadium.

Panthers 20-14 Roosters: (match report) Viliame Kikau returned from a shoulder injury in the second half to score a barnstorming try, propelling Penrith to a stunning 20-14 win over the Roosters at Panthers Stadium on Saturday night.

Sea Eagles 4-18 Storm: (match report) Three Jahrome Hughes kicks in as many minutes put the boot into a desperate Manly defence to keep the Storm's phenomenal 18-game round one winning streak alive.

Dragons 14-24 Wests Tigers: (match report) Luciano Leilua celebrated his WIN Stadium return by scoring the match-winning try against his old St George Illawarra teammates but Benji Marshall was the star, winding back the clock to orchestrate a stunning 24-14 victory.

NRL would have ‘three months before the game would be broke’: Paul Kent

The NRL’s coronavirus crisis is deepening by the hour after the game’s highest profile player Cameron Smith slammed competition for continuing to play despite the health concerns.

But rugby league journalist Paul Kent has revealed the dire nature of the NRL’s predicament with only “three months” runway if the game stopped playing.

It’s been a crazy first weekend of the competition after major sporting leagues from around the world either suspended or cancelled events and competitions.

On Sunday, ARLC chairman Peter V’landys and NRL CEO Todd Greenberg fronted the media.

V’landys admitted the NRL would not survive long without games being played without financial assistance from the government if the sport was suspended.

The NRL admitted all options are on the table, including isolating players and staff and suspending the season entirely.

“If it’s a total closure, we haven’t got long at all,” V’landys said. “If it’s one where we can continue to play the game with no spectators, that gives us a much greater flexibility to survive. (ABC)

⚽️ Football

Coronavirus: Gremio players wear masks in on-field protest before Sao Luiz game

Players from Brazilian club Gremio took to the field wearing masks on Sunday in protest at having to play a football match as fears over coronavirus grow in the South American nation.

Spurs star Jan Vertonghen’s house raided by machete-wielding thugs – while wife and kids were home

Four men armed with machetes broke into Jan Vertonghen’s house while he was away for Tottenham’s game against RB Leipzig.

The defender’s wife Sophie De Vries and his two young children were at home.

The group carried out a search and fled with electronic items (Fox)

In December burglars broke into the London home of Crystal Palace defender, Mamadou Sakho, reportedly stealing valuables worth more than £500,000.

Arsenal footballers Mesut Ozil and Sead Kolasinac were attacked by carjackers in July 2019, while Liverpool forward Sadio Mane had his house burgled while he was playing in a Champions League tie.

A-League round up:

Brisbane Roar 1-0 Central Coast Mariners: (match report) Brisbane Roar moved into fourth on the Hyundai A-League table with a 1-0 win over Central Coast Mariners at Suncorp Stadium on Friday night.

Sydney FC 0-0 Perth Glory: (match report) Perth Glory have put a halt to a two-match losing run after battling with league-leaders Sydney FC to a 0-0 draw on Saturday afternoon.

Melbourne City 1-1 Western Sydney Wanderers: (match report) Jamie Maclaren netted his first goal in 4 games but it wasn’t enough as Melbourne City settled for a draw.

Wellington Phoenix 3-0 Melbourne Victory: (match report) Wellington Phoenix have made it a club record equalling four wins on the bounce after running riot over Melbourne Victory in a 3-0 win on Sunday afternoon.

Adelaide United 0-3 Newcastle Jets: (match report) Newcastle Jets have extended their unbeaten run to six games after clinically dispatching Adelaide United 3-0 on Sunday evening.

Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison’s Sunday afternoon announcement of strict border restrictions has pushed the A-League to the brink of suspension.

The competition was already set to go behind closed doors from Monday when the government’s restrictions on mass gatherings come into place.

But PM Morrison’s announcement that all overseas arrivals into Australia (beginning midnight Sunday evening) would be forced to self-isolate for 14 days places even more pressure on competition organisers to postpone or cancel the remainder of the season.

Wellington is set to arrive in Australia on Tuesday, meaning the entire travelling group will be forced to self-isolate for 14 days.

That could force the postponement of four A-League matches.

Zion Wlliamson to cover the Pelicans' arena staff salaries for the next 30 days

The rookie said the donation was inspired by his mother and will cover all the Smoothie King Center workers for the 30 days while the NBA season is suspended.

Spencer Dinwiddie’s radical plan to save 2020 NBA season from coronavirus widely supported.

The NBA suspended the season on Thursday to try to protect players, personnel and fans from the COVID-19 pandemic.

With no sign of the league returning any time soon, Dinwiddie on Sunday took to Twitter to unveil a radical plan to turn the rest of the season into a knockout tournament, similar to the NCAA Tournament or grand slam tennis events.

His proposal calls for teams to be seeded 1-30 based purely on their win/loss record.

Dinwiddie’s plan essentially keeps all 30 teams’ championship hopes alive — even the deplorable Golden State Warriors, who have just 15 wins from 65 games this season.

— The bottom four teams playing a three-game series wildcard weekend that would cut the field from 30 teams to 28.

— The top four teams (currently the Bucks, Raptors, Lakers and Clippers) get a first round bye.

— The first round (involving teams seeded 5-28) played across a five-game series cuts the total field to 16 teams (including the four teams given a first round bye).

— All remaining rounds are played as best-of-seven series — including the Finals series. (Fox)

🇦🇺 AFL

AFL Statement - NAB AFL Women's / Toyota AFL Premiership season update

Australian Football League Chief Executive Officer Gillon McLachlan today said the NAB AFL Women’s and Toyota AFL Premiership season will continue however no fans will be permitted to attend matches for the foreseeable future.

The 2020 Toyota AFL Premiership season will begin Thursday night at the MCG.

As of Saturday, March 14, AFL and AFLW matches will now only host players, coaches, essential club officials, umpires, AFL match day officials, essential broadcast teams, media and required venue staff with no supporters permitted to attend.

Tigers suspend VFL program because of coronavirus crisis

Richmond has temporarily suspended its VFL program and won't train or play any practice matches because of the coronavirus crisis.

The Tigers' VFL operations manager, Anthony Fagan, informed their VFL playing group of the decision.

Richmond's call also places in jeopardy the start of the VFL season, which was due to begin on April 3, with a match between Collingwood's reserves and Hawthorn's state league affiliate Box Hill.

The logic is AFL-listed players involved in any capacity in the VFL program are exposed to people outside their own highly monitored and medically focused work environments.

Richmond, like all AFL clubs, is in the process of implementing significant changes to its program to decrease the likelihood of players contracting COVID-19. (AFL.com)

IT IS the business end of the NAB AFL Women's competition and the race for finals is heating up.

Fremantle remained unbeaten after coming from behind against the Western Bulldogs on Sunday in an instant classic which had the highest aggregate score in AFLW history.

Greater Western Sydney then all but guaranteed a historic finals berth against Adelaide before Gold Coast won its clash against fellow expansion club West Coast.

On Saturday, Carlton overran rivals Melbourne by 16 points at Traeger Park in Alice Springs to steal a crucial march in the race for finals.

The Blues held the Demons to just three behinds after half-time, moving to second place on the Conference B table.

Collingwood also proved its premiership credentials thanks to a 29-point demolition of Brisbane at Hickey Park.

The day's other game saw St Kilda keep fellow newcomers Richmond goalless, cruising to a 39-point victory at RSEA Park on the back of Caitlin Greiser's three majors.

On Friday night, North Melbourne showed its class against Geelong, which lost star Nina Morrison to her second ACL rupture. (AFL.com)

🏉 Rugby

The immediate future of the 2020 Vodacom Super Rugby season has been thrown into doubt.

This comes shortly after the New Zealand government issued a directive that any travellers returning to the country need to self-isolate for 14 days.

‘Sanzaar will issue a statement on the full impact of the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and its impact on Super Rugby 2020 once the Executive Committee has determined an appropriate course of action and all stakeholders have been informed.’

Week 6 Review

Reds 41-17 Bulls: Everything seemed to be going awry for the Reds, finding themselves down 0-17. However, the Reds demonstrated fighting qualities through skipper and flanker Liam Wright who called for a penalty kick to the corner and then scored the try from the resulting lineout maul.

In the second half, the Bulls lacked the staying power as flanker Lukhan Salakaia-Loto scored early and then hooker Alex Mali on the flank pulled in a long pass to score the fourth. Two late tries to forwards Harry Hoopert and Taniela Tupou secured a deserved home win for Brad Thorn's men.

Brumbies 47-14 Waratahs: Taking down big brother neighbours the Waratahs by such an emphatic margin. With five wins from six games, the Brumbies have enjoyed their best start to a season since 2004. With Solomone Kata and Tom Wright scoring two tries apiece, first five-eighth Noah Lolesio playing so well and Tom Banks putting his hand up for the Wallabies fullback position, the side is on a high.

We'll be back on Wednesday!

📺 Live sport

Monday

⚽️ 00:00 - Turkish Super Lig - Trabzonspor v Istanbul Basaksehir (BeIN Sports 1)

🏏 01:00 - Pakistan Super League - Quetta Gladiators v Karachi Kings (BeIN Sports 3)

🏉 02:30 - Super League - Castleford Tigers v St Helens

⚽️ 03:00 - Turkish Super Lig - Galatasaray v Besiktas (BeIN Sports 1)

Tuesday

⚽️ 04:00 - Turkish Super Lig - Antalyaspor v Sivasspor (BeIN Sports 1)

11:00 - Group 1, Golden Slipper Stakes Barrier Draw (Sky Thoroughbred Central)

🏏 11:00 - Sheffield Shield - Southern Redbacks v Queensland Bulls

🏏 13:30 - Sheffield Shield - Western Australia v New South Wales Blues