🗞 History three-peats itself

The Wallabies did what they had to do to keep their World Cup hopes alive, defeating Portugal 34-14 in Saint Etienne.

Author

Sport Journal
October 01, 2023

G'day sports fans,

🤔 Brain teaser: The Clive Churchill Medal has been awarded to the best on ground during the NRL Grand Final since 1986, with the recipient generally coming from the winning side.

However, there have been just four occasions in the 34-year history of the medal that the award has gone to a player on the losing side.

Can you name them?

Clue: half of them played for the Raiders.

Answers below.

🏉 The Panthers pulled off the biggest comeback in NRL grand final history to beat the Broncos 26-24 and become the first team in 40 years to win three straight premierships.

Penrith trailed 24-8 after 58 minutes before Clive Churchill Medal winner Nathan Cleary delivered a masterclass to almost single-handedly drag his side to the title on Sunday night.

Cleary booted a crucial 40-20 and then helped set up the first two tries before scoring the match-winner himself in the 77th minute at Accor Stadium in Sydney.

A special mention to Ezra Mam, who just two years ago was part of a half time dance group, who tore Penrith apart in the second half completing an incredible hat trick putting his side within a whisker of winning.

Ezra was part of the Wagga TSI Dance Group.

“It doesn’t even feel real, it feels like a dream,” Cleary, who capped his night by becoming just the third player to win the Clive Churchill Medal for a second time, joining Brad Clyde and Billy Slater in that exclusive club.

“That is the best performance I’ve seen from a halfback in a grand final,” Andrew Johns said.

🏉 The Wallabies did what they had to do to keep their World Cup hopes alive, defeating Portugal 34-14 in Saint Etienne.

They now need 'Os Lobos' to defeat Fiji by eight points or more next Monday (AEDT) to qualify for the quarter-finals.

The win was built off a strong first half thanks to three tries in the space of seven minutes.

Fraser McReight's try sealed the win after the break, although Portugal never stopped applying pressure on Eddie Jones' side.

Marika Koroibete got a well deserved try late as the Australians finish their group stages action on a high.

👶🏻 'Best day of my life just got a little bit better': Pies coach Craig McRae revealed his daughter's birth hours before flag.

His wife gave birth to their daughter Maggie on Saturday morning at 7.45am, hours before McRae and his Magpies went on to win an instant classic grand final over Brisbane by just four points.

From Sport Journal: Thank you to everyone that took the time to place their votes on the Grand Final results. Quite surprisingly, only around 20% of you thought the two favourites (Penrith and Collingwood) would get the job done.

From your replies the head was ruling the heart and you had dreams of going to “Brisneyland” as reader Andrew put it 🤣

🏆 The Newcastle Knights defeated the Gold Coast Titans in a thrilling encounter to clinch the 2023 NRLW premiership.

In gruelling conditions of 36-degree heat and a gusty wind across Accor Stadium, Dally M star Tamika Upton was the difference maker in a 24-18 win to clinch back-to-back titles.

🏉 Souths Sydney ensured the New South Wales dominance of the NRL State Championship continued after posting a 42-22 win against Brisbane Tigers.

🐴 Champion jockey Blake Shinn has endorsed Queensland raider Antino's Group 1 Toorak Handicap credentials after a workmanlike Group 3 Sandown Stakes triumph on Sunday.

Shinn gave Antino, trained by Tony Gollan, every opportunity to mow down Here To Shock at Sandown and the five-year-old gelding accepted the challenge as a $1.60 favourite.

"He really tries hard, when I had Here To Shock in front of me he really pinned his ears back and it's not an easy horse to get past," - Shinn said.

⛳️ Captain Luke Donald endured a "rollercoaster of emotions" as Europe regained the Ryder Cup in dramatic fashion in Rome.

With Europe needing four points from Sunday's 12 singles matches to beat the United States, Tommy Fleetwood won the 11th game to pass the 14½ required.

And with hundreds of fans crammed round the edge of the 18th green, Ireland's Shane Lowry wrapped up a 16½-11½ win.

It stretches Europe's unbeaten home record beyond 30 years and also means the past five Ryder Cups have been won by the home side.

US captain Zach Johnson said: "Europe and Luke played great and earned it" before shouldering the blame for their defeat, conceding he had "made some poor decisions".

Patrick Cantlay’s caddie Joe LaCava had been at the centre of an ugly confrontation with McIlroy on the course and in the car park.

⚽️ Arsenal, Chelsea and Tottenham have expressed an interest in 22-year-old Feyenoord and Mexico striker Santiago Gimenez.

🏀 The Portland Trail Blazers have agreed to trade All-Star guard Jrue Holiday to the Boston Celtics, elevating the Eastern Conference arms race.

The Celtics are sending center Robert Williams III, guard Malcolm Brogdon, a 2024 first-round pick via Golden State and a 2029 first-round pick to the Blazers, sources said.

⚽️ EPL: Ten-man Nottingham Forest fought back from a goal down to draw 1-1 with Brentford as Nicolas Dominguez's first goal earned the hosts a point.

🏈 The Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off this year's NFL international series with a comfortable 23-7 win over the Atlanta Falcons at Wembley.

🐴 Ace Impact won the Qatar Prix de l'Arc de Triomphe to give trainer Jean-Claude Rouget and jockey Cristian Demuro their second victory in four years.

Frankie Dettori, a record-six-time winner in Paris, came 13th on Free Wind in his 34th and final outing in the race before retirement later this year. It was Frankie’s last ever French meeting.

"I'm bowing out with with a smile on my face," said Dettori.

🤔 Clive Churchill Medal quiz: Bradley Clyde (Raiders) in 1991, Brad Mackay (St George) in 1993, Daly Cherry-Evans (Manly) in 2013, and Jack Wighton (Canberra Raiders) in 2019.

note: One of the retrospective Clive Churchill Medal winners - 1967 – Les Johns – Canterbury Lost to Souths (Retrospectively Awarded)

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