G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: “It’s like you’re running a marathon, at pace, while surviving about 20 or 40 small car crashes.” - South Sydney Rabbitohs owner Russell Crowe describes rugby league to an American audience.

🇦🇺 Aussie Sport

🏏 Australia are confident Mitchell Starc will be fit for the Test series after he had six stitches inserted in his bowling finger after slicing it open on his shoe during the first T20I in Sri Lanka. (Cricket)

🏉 Wallabies coach Dave Rennie has confirmed Quade Cooper, Samu Kerevi and Marika Koroibete will be his international selections for next month’s home test series against England.

🏍 Aussie MotoGP star Jack Miller will have a new home for next year. Miller has signed for KTM on a two-year deal. (nine)

🏏 Ricky Ponting will return to the Hobart Hurricanes in an off-field role, being named the club's head of strategy for the next three years

According to a club statement, Ponting's role will see him identify candidates for the now-vacant head coaching position on the men's team, and work on the match and list strategy with whoever is hired as the new coach. (nine)

🐴 After two inconclusive performances, Art Cadeau will get another chance to prove he can extend his brilliance to a mile, this time at his favourite track.

The reigning Kosciuszko winner will line up in Saturday's Furphy Handicap (1600m) at Randwick where he has posted four wins from five starts, including a 1400m victory two weeks ago.

Prior to that, the gelding had missed a place in back-to-back starts over 1600m in the Hawksbury and Scone Cups, although trainer Terry Robinson said he had genuine excuses both times.

"Both times he has raced over a mile it has been on heavy tracks and things didn't work out," Robinson said. (RAS)

🗣New South Wales will speak to the referee's boss about a host of issues in the opening State of Origin clash. (nine)

📺 State of Origin 1 saw a massive national average audience of 2.937 million and is now the highest rating program of the 2022 ratings survey period.

It recorded a live BVOD Audience of 425,000, the highest live BVOD audience of all time, across all broadcasters.

🏆 Sam Kerr won the women's PFA players' player of the year award.

Chelsea's Kerr is the first Australian to win the a senior player award after scoring 20 WSL goals and helping the Blues to the Double.

"It's a massive honour whenever you're voted by your peers. I think that's the highest honour as a player," she said.

🏉 NRL: Cowboy v Dragons (Tonight):

Same game Multi ($41.0)

• Cowboys (-11.5pts)

• Jack de Belin to score a Try Anytime

• Heilum Luki to score a Try Anytime

Jack de Belin has scored a try in each of St. George Illawarra's last two interstate matches.

North Queensland has won six of its last seven matches by a margin of 13+ points.

Heilum Luki has scored a try in each of his last three appearances in the starting lineup.

🇦🇺 AFL: Essendon v Carlton (Tonight)

Same game Multi ($11.0)

• Charlie Curnow 3+ goals

• Under 163.5 total points

• Matthew Kennedy score anytime

• Same Walsh30+ disposals

Six of Essendon's last seven night matches at the MCG have gone UNDER the total match points line.

Sam Walsh has recorded 35+ disposals in four of his last five appearances at the MCG.

Charlie Curnow has kicked 4+ goals in each of Carlton's last three matches in Victoria.

Matthew Kennedy has kicked 1 goal in each of his last three appearances.

Super Rugby Semi-Final (Sunday): Blues v Brumbies: The Brumbies won their last away game against a New Zealand team in Super Rugby competitions (38-28 v Chiefs – 7 May 2022); they will be aiming for back-to-back wins in such fixtures for the first time since May 2013.

🌍 World Sport

🏆 Mo Salah has become the sixth male player to win two PFA player of the year awards, after Mark Hughes, Alan Shearer, Thierry Henry, Gareth Bale and last year's winner Kevin de Bruyne.

Manchester City's Phil Foden, 22, won the young player of the year award for the second consecutive season.

⛳️ The PGA Tour has suspended all of its members who are playing in this week's Saudi-funded LIV Golf Invitational.

The players will be removed from the FedEx Cup points list following the end of the Canadian Open on Sunday.

"These players have made their choice for their own financial-based reason," says PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan.

⚽️ Chelsea have told their Belgium striker Romelu Lukaku, 29, he can rejoin Inter Milan on loan if the finances are right for the Premier League side. (Guardian)

⚽️ Benfica's Uruguay forward Darwin Nunez, 22, is hesitant to join Manchester United because they are not in the Champions League next season. (Mirror)

Liverpool have pulled in front of the Red Devils in the race for Nunez.

⚽️ Liverpool turned down a deal worth £30m for Sadio Mane from Bayern Munich.

⚽️ Arsenal forward Alexandre Lacazette has re-signed for Lyon on a free transfer - five years after leaving to join the Gunners for a then club-record AU$82m.

Total prize money for this year's Wimbledon will be a record $71m, tournament organisers have announced.

The winners of the men's and women's singles will each win AU$3.5m, a decrease from AU$4.14m the last time full capacity crowds attended in 2019.

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📺 Live sport 👇🏼

🏒 10:00 - NHL Conference Finals - New York Rangers v Tampa Bay Lightning (ESPN )

🏉 17:05 - Super Rugby Pacific Semi-Final - Crusaders v Chiefs (Stan Sport)

🇦🇺 19:50 - AFL Regular Season - Essendon Bombers v Carlton Blues (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 19:55 - NRL Regular Season - North Queensland Cowboys v St. George Illawarra Dragons (Fox League or Channel 9)

🏏 20:00 - Test Match - England v New Zealand (Fox Cricket )

🏏 23:00 - ODI Series - Pakistan v West Indies (Fox Sports )

🏉 00:00 - Currie Cup Regular Season - Western Province v Sharks (Stan Sport)

SATURDAY

⚾️ 09:05 - MLB Regular Season - New York Yankees v Chicago Cubs (ESPN 2)

🏀 11:00 - NBA Finals - Boston Celtics v Golden State Warriors (ESPN)

🏉 15:00 - NRL Regular Season - Gold Coast Titans v South Sydney Rabbitohs (Fox League)

🇦🇺 16:10 - AFL Regular Season - Fremantle Dockers v Hawthorn (Fox Footy)

🏉 17:05 - Super Rugby Pacific Semi-Final - Blues v Brumbies (GEM or Stan Sport)

🏉 17:30 - NRL Regular Season - Sydney Roosters v Melbourne Storm (Fox League)

🇦🇺 19:25 - AFL Regular Season - Brisbane Lions v St. Kilda Saints (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 19:35 - NRL Regular Season - Brisbane Broncos v Canberra Raiders (Fox League)

🏏 20:00 - Test Match - England v New Zealand (Fox Cricket)

🏉 22:30 - Premiership Rugby Semi-Final - Saracens v Harlequins (Stan Sport)

🏏 23:15 - Test Match - England v New Zealand (Fox Sports)

🏏 23:30 - Twenty20 Series - Sri Lanka v Australia (Fox Cricket)

SUNDAY

🏒 10:00 - NHL Conference Finals - Tampa Bay Lightning v New York Rangers (ESPN 2)

🏉 11:30 - NSW Cup Regular Season - Western Suburbs Magpies v Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles (Fox League)

👊🏻 12:00 - UFC 275 Main Card - Glover Teixeira v Jiri Prochazka (Main Event)

🏉 14:00 - NRL Regular Season - Wests Tigers v Manly Sea Eagles (Fox League)

🇦🇺 15:20 - AFL Regular Season - North Melb. Kangaroos v GWS Giants (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 16:05 - NRL Regular Season - Newcastle Knights v Penrith Panthers (Fox League or Channel 9)

🏉 18:15 - NRL Regular Season - Warriors v Cronulla Sharks (Fox League)

🏏 20:00 - Test Match - England v New Zealand (Fox Cricket)

🏎 21:00 - Formula 1 Azerbaijan - Formula 1 Azerbaijan Race, Round 8 (Fox Sports)