G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: The trouble with me is that every match I play against five opponents: umpire, crowd, ball boys, court, and myself. - Goran Ivanisevic

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🇦🇺 Gabba looks set for Grand Final

🏉 Xerri's NRL career is hanging by a thread

🚴🏼‍♂️ Aussie gets a stage win at the Tour de France

...and much more!

🏉 NRL

Benji Marshall to leave Wests Tigers, club moves on — www.nrl.com

The Wests Tigers have officially called time on club icon Benji Marshall.

Icon Benji Marshall has vowed to find a new home in the NRL. Marshall has revealed that he learned of the Wests Tigers’ plans to part ways with him in the newspaper – and that he rang old coach Wayne Bennett for advice over his future.

ICYMI: Bronson Xerri's NRL career is hanging by a thread after confirmation his B sample tested positive to anabolic steroids. All are prohibited by WADA and the NRL'santi-doping policy.

The Cronulla centre has a week to respond to a breach notice handed down by the NRL on Tuesday as he faces a four-year ban from any World Anti-Doping Agency-compliant sport. (abc)

Thursday: Broncos (11.0) v Panthers (1.04): Haas headlines reinforcements; Yeo may miss (match preview). Brisbane have conceded 30 points or more on eight different occasions over their first 16 matches of the season.

• Each of Brisbane's last 7 matches have gone OVER total points line (48.5)

🇦🇺 AFL

After the Covid-19 shutdown and Adelaide going 0-13 we are finally here: Your 2020 AFL Potato of Parity (now out of date)

🤯 Hawthorn 48 (7.6) Adelaide Crows 83 (12.11) - Crows by 35: Finally, a win: Crows break drought, Hawks hit new low. Matthew Nicks enjoys his first win in charge at Adelaide as heat starts to rise on Alastair Clarkson (match report)

West Coast Eagles 60 (9.6) Essendon 45 (6.9) - Eagles by 15: West Coast holds Essendon at bay to boost its hopes of the finals double-chance (match report)

Today: Richmond (1.14) v Fremantle (5.5) Metricon Stadium, 7.10pm (AEST): The young Dockers can be pretty pleased with their season so far but could be set for a reality check when they come up against the new flag favourites in Richmond. Damien Hardwick's side is building week after week and could be set for a big win against Fremantle.

Gabba set to host Queensland AFL grand final unless 11th hour change | 7NEWS.com.au — 7news.com.au

The location could prove a huge advantage for a premiership contender - and the decider will be played at night for the first time in history.

Thursday: Sydney (3.25) v Melbourne (1.33), Cazaly's Stadium, 4:40pm (AEST): A rejuvenated Melbourne is playing for finals, and that should be enough to see them get the job done against the Swans. We've been wrong about the Dees before, and the Swans were excellent at times against the Power last round.

GWS (1.57) v Carlton (2.35), Metricon Stadium, 7:10pm (AEST): After losing to the Pies last week, Carlton's highly unlikely to be playing finals in 2020. With morale having dipped, you would expect the Giants to pounce and follow up their monster win over the Dockers as they close in on a finals berth.

🚴🏼‍♂️ Tour de France

Stage 3 (Monday): Caleb Ewan produced a dazzling sprint finish to win stage three of the Tour de France as Julian Alaphilippe held on to the yellow jersey.

The Australian Lotto Soudal rider timed his sprint perfectly into a strong headwind in Sisteron to squeeze past Peter Sagan and snatch victory from Irishman Sam Bennett.

It is his fourth Tour stage win after three victories on his debut last year.

"The guys did a great job keeping me at the front," said Ewan.

"This is the biggest race in the world and I'm so happy to get another win and prove last year wasn't a fluke. I hope to keep coming back and keep winning."

Stage 4 (last night): Primoz Roglic offered an impressive display of his form to his fellow Tour de France contenders with victory on a summit finish on stage four.

France's Julian Alaphilippe finished fifth to retain the yellow jersey.

Stage 5 (tonight): Unlikely a breakaway can last today. The sprint teams will control the race and hope their leader can hold on during a challenging final 10km.

Riders to watch: Caleb Ewan (Aus/Lotto Soudal) & Sam Bennett (Deceuninck-QuickStep)

⚽️ Football

A-League Transfers

🔁 Perth Glory confirmed the signing of Andrew Nabbout and Nathaniel Atkinson.

27-year-old Socceroos forward Nabbout arrives in the West having scored 31 goals in 108 Hyundai A-League appearances during two spells with Melbourne Victory and one with Newcastle Jets.

Atkinson, has represented his country at both Under-20 and Under-23 level and already played nearly 60 A-League games for Melbourne City.

🔁 Macarthur FC Head Coach, Ante Milicic has bolstered his inaugural playing roster with the acquisition of experienced Socceroo defender Ivan Franjic. (article)

🔁 Arsenal have completed the signing of Brazilian defender Gabriel Magalhaes from Lille for 26m euros (£23.14m).

🔁 Sevilla have re-signed Croatia midfielder Ivan Rakitic from Barcelona. The 32-year-old, who was at Sevilla for 3 years before joining Barca in 2014, won 13 trophies at the Nou Camp, including four La Liga titles and one Champions League crown.

Messi news: His father and advisor Jorge is expected to meet with Barcelona representatives on Thursday. Potential presidential candidate Victor Font says "departure must be as friendly as possible" and hopes for future role for Messi at Barcelona.

Lyon Ladies Make It Five-In-A-Row With Champions League Triumph

Quelle surprise. Lyon confirmed, as if there was ever any doubt, that they are the dominant force in women’s football by lifting their fifth consecutive Champions League, and seventh in the past ten seasons. This fifth European success on the trot equals the record set in the men’s game by Alfredo Di Stefano’s great Real Madrid side of the 1950s. Esteemed company indeed.

⛳️ Golf

BMW Championship

In the final round of the 2020 BMW Championship, Jon Rahm (-4) jumped up the leaderboard and defeated Dustin Johnson in a playoff after a clutch birdie putt.

Tour Championship Preview

World No 1 Johnson, 36, will have an advantage at East Lake Golf Club in Georgia, US - because he will start the tournament already two shots ahead.

That is how PGA Tour bosses have decided the season-ender will play out so it remains dramatic down to the final putt - in theory.

Johnson (2.75) will start the tournament on 10 under as a reward for finishing top of the season-long FedEx Cup rankings.

Purse: AU$20.2m to the winner. If you made it this far in the Fedex finals, you're looking at AU$530,000 for coming in last place.

🎾 US Open

A vast feeling of emptiness: What it's like at a nondescript US Open — www.tennis.com

Fourth seed Naomi Osaka overcame a scare to beat fellow Japanese player Misaki Doi in three sets and avoid a major shock in the US Open first round.

Osaka, who won the first of her two Grand Slams at Flushing Meadows in 2018, wobbled in the second set before recovering for a 6-2 5-7 6-2 victory.

Elsewhere, teenager Coco Gauff's hopes of another Grand Slam run were ended by 31st seed Anastasija Sevastova.

But top seed Karolina Pliskova and sixth seed Petra Kvitova advanced.

Today's key matches:

Women's: A. Kahn v S. Williams (3)

Men's: D. Thiem (2) v J. Munar

Back on Friday to preview a huge weekend of Sport!

📺 Live sport

Wednesday

🏏 07:30- Caribbean Premier League - Guyana Amazon Warriors v Barbados Tridents (Fox Cricket)

🏀 07:30 - NBA Conference Semifinals - Toronto Raptors v Boston Celtics (ESPN 1)

⚾️ 09:05 - MLB - Pittsburgh Pirates v Chicago Cubs (Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 10:00 - MLS - Toronto FC v Montreal Impact (BeIN Sports 1)

🏀 10:30 - NBA Playoffs - Denver Nuggets v Utah Jazz (ESPN 1)

⚾️ 11:40 - MLB - Seattle Mariners v Oakland Athletics (Sky Sports 3)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 17:00 - Super Netball - Adelaide Thunderbirds v Sunshine Coast Lightning (Telstra TV)

🇦🇺 19:10 - AFL - Richmond Tigers v Fremantle Dockers (Fox Footy)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 19:30 - Super Netball - Queensland Firebirds v West Coast Fever (Telstra TV)

🚴🏼‍♂️ 21:30 - Tour de France, Stage 5, 183 km (SBS)

Thursday

🏏 07:30 - Caribbean Premier League - St. Lucia Zouks v Guyana Amazon Warriors (Fox Cricket)

🏀 08:30 - NBA Conference Semifinals - Milwaukee Bucks v Miami Heat (ESPN 1)

⚾️ 08:40 - MLB - Miami Marlins v Toronto Blue Jays (Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 09:00 - MLS - Atlanta United v Inter Miami CF (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 09:30 - MLS - Columbus Crew v Philadelphia Union (BeIN Sports 3)

🏀 10:00 - WNBA - Los Angeles Sparks v Dallas Wings (SBS Viceland)

⚽️ 10:00 -MLS - New England Revolution v New York City FC (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 11:30 - MLS - Real Salt Lake v Seattle Sounders (BeIN Sports 3)

⚾️ 11:40 - MLB - Los Angeles Angels v San Diego Padres (Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 12:30 - MLS - Los Angeles FC v San Jose Earthquakes (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 12:30 - MLS - Portland Timbers v LA Galaxy (BeIN Sports 1)

🇦🇺 16:40 - AFL - Sydney Swans v Melbourne Demons (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🇦🇺 19:10 - AFL - GWS Giants v Carlton Blues (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 19:50 - NRL - Brisbane Broncos v Penrith Panthers (Fox Footy or nine)

⛳️ 20:00 - European Tour, Andalucia Masters (Fox Sports)

🚴🏼‍♂️ 21:30 - Tour de France, Stage 6 (SBS)

🏉 23:30 - Super League - Salford Red Devils v Castleford Tigers (Fox League)

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