G'day sports fans,

Classic Quote: "The best ball I've bowled - I've wasted it on Chris Martin, no offence Chris!" - Nathan Lyon remembers the beauty he bowled to the Phantom at the Gabba in 2011-12.

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🏏 Smith concerns

⚽️ City to re-locate

🥊 Fight Night

...and much more!

😳 What the?

Wang Liutai (of course his name is Wang), practices the ancient art of ‘iron crotch’ kung fu, which involves smashing the crotch with a steel-capped log or other heavy objects. Apparently they are finding it more and more difficult to find new recruits.

🏏 Cricket

Steve Smith expected to play first Test despite injury scare

The Australian Test squad has been hit with another injury scare after star batsman Steve Smith withdrew from training due to back soreness.

Smith didn't participate in the team's main training session this afternoon after he was forced to leave the main arena at Adelaide Oval following the team warm-up according to the Sydney Morning Herald. A frustrated Smith was seen shaking his arm 10 minutes after the warm-up.

An Australian spokesman revealed to the Herald that the 31-year-old hurt his back while reaching down for a ball.

However, it's understood Smith will return to batting practice on Wednesday and is still expected to play on Thursday once the first Test against India gets underway.

Green for Go

Cameron Green will make his Test debut against India in Adelaide on Thursday, provided he's recovered from the concussion he suffered last week.

Australian coach Justin Langer confirmed the news on Tuesday morning, clearing the way for Green to become Australia's 459th Test cricketer.

Green has two first-class centuries to his name this season, including one for Australia A against India, but suffered concussion after being struck by the ball when bowling at the SCG on Friday.

"If he's passed fit he'll definitely play," Langer said.

‘True legend’: Australian sports great dies aged 76

Former Australian Test cricketer and SANFL footballer Eric Freeman has passed away aged 76 after suffering a heart attack.

Five-star Siddle skittles Hurricanes

Hobart Hurricanes 146 (19.3 overs): McDermott 46 (33), Ingram 46 (35), Siddle 5-16

Adelaide Strikers 147-7 (18.4 overs): Weatherald 68* (48), Carey 55 (40)

Adelaide Strikers won by five wickets

Peter Siddle's Twenty20-best figures set Adelaide Strikers on the way to a five-wicket win over Hobart Hurricanes in a match where 'X-Factor' substitutes were used for the first time.

⚽️ Football

🗣 Transfer Talk

Arsenal playmaker Mesut Ozil, 32, has not agreed a deal with Turkish side Fenerbahce and is still open to a move to Major League Soccer in the United States. DC United, LA Galaxy and Inter Miami all interested in the German. (ESPN)

Central Coast Mariners defender Ziggy Gordon could be on his way to Western Sydney Wanderers.

Relations between Adelaide United and Western Sydney have soured after the Wanderers’ signing of star midfielder James Troisi for the next two A-League seasons.

Mustafa Amini is returning to Australia after 9 years in Europe. In August this year it was reported he was left broke after a deal with Turkish Club fell through.

🤸🏼‍♂️ Player scores with a somersault throw in the Persian Pro-League

Melbourne City to re-locate

Melbourne City FC announced its relocation to a brand-new elite sporting facility in South East Melbourne after signing a Heads of Agreement with the City of Casey and City of Greater Dandenong.

The new Etihad City Football Academy (CFA) will sit within the 84-hectare Casey Fields Sporting Precinct (Casey Fields), and will feature an elite training tablet pitch, four full-sized floodlit pitches, a two-story elite performance and HQ building and space for a 4000-capacity mini-stadium to be created as part of a future ‘Stage Three’ construction.

The transfer will be staged over a few years for A-League, W-League and the youth academy.

🥋 Bonus: If anyone was wondering what 30-year-old, $50m Chelsea signing Danny Drinkwater is up to nowadays

He's just been sent off for Chelsea's under 23s after being crunched and then snapping a 16-year old.

UEFA Champions League last-16 draw

The first legs will be spread across two midweeks, taking place mid February.

• Borussia Monchengladbach v Manchester City

• Lazio v Bayern Munich

• Atletico Madrid v Chelsea

• RB Leipzig v Liverpool

• Porto v Juventus

• Barcelona v Paris St-Germain

• Sevilla v Borussia Dortmund

• Atalanta v Real Madrid

🐴 Racing

The Astrologist takes aim at the $1m Magic Millions Cup

In-form galloper The Astrologist won’t be seen in Melbourne again this year with trainer Troy Corstens deciding he will have two runs at the Gold Coast.

Corstens had the last-start Pakenham Gold Bullion winner nominated for two races at Flemington on Saturday but said the horse would not be lining up.

The Astrologist’s main mission is the $1 million Magic Millions Cup (1400m) at the Gold Coast on January 16.

Corstens and his co-trainer and father Leon decided that The Astrologist would benefit from having a run at the Gold Coast circuit and he will head to the $250,000 Magic Millions Rising Stars over 1300m for three and four-year-olds seven days earlier.

“The Astrologist has been galloping the reverse way at Geelong since his Pakenham win. He has taken to the other way of going extremely well,” Corstens said.

Queensland jockey banned for trying to deceive stewards

Jockey Jimmy Orman has been in fine form at a number of tracks in recent times but a trip to Ballina, on November 23 where he rode two winners, has had a sour sequel with the top Brisbane rider receiving a costly one month ban after being found guilty of trying to deceive stewards when weighing in after winning the last race on the card at that meeting.

🏉 NRL

New rules to put heat on forwards, force interchange shuffle

Forwards are going to need to be more mobile and fitter than ever, while teams are likely to carry an extra hooker or playmaker on the interchange to take advantage of next season's rule changes.

NRL coaches, players and trainers are already adjusting their plans for 2021 after the ARL Commission on Friday announced eight new rules largely intended to create more unpredictability and speed up the game by reducing stoppages and keeping the ball in play longer.

If you missed it over the weekend, the changes are:

• the introduction of a two-point field goal for kicks taken from more than 40 metres out;

• six-again to be called for 10-metre infringements;

• penalties for teams if they leave a scrum before a referee calls "break";

• a play-the-ball restart if the ball or player with the ball goes over the sideline;

• The Bunker will now review replays after an on-field referee awards a try but a conversion attempt will not be allowed until it gets the green light;

• injured players will be interchanged if a trainer ask for play to be stopped;

• when a captain's challenge is inconclusive a team will not be docked for an unsuccessful attempt;

• and a handover will be ordered when a player does not make a genuine attempt to play the ball correctly with their foot.

✍🏼 Signings

Jordan Rapana will remain with the Raiders in 2021, after agreeing to a new one-year deal with the club for next season.

The Sydney Roosters announced that Drew Hutchison, Naufahu Whyte and Tuku Hau Tapuha have signed extensions with the Club. (nrl)

🥊 Boxing

Sydney Super Fight

Tim Tszyu can secure a shot at a world title with a win over Kiwi Bowyn Morgan while Mark Hunt and Paul Gallen will face off in a highly anticipated exhibition in the biggest boxing event of the COVID impacted year at Bankwest stadium.

Tszyu's father Kostya claimed the IBF world super-lightweight title against Hugo Pineda at the old Paramatta Stadium almost 25 years ago.

Now Tszyu jnr will fight at the same venue.

📺 From 17:30 - Sydney Super Fight Night - Tim Tszyu v Bowyn Morgan (9pm) (Fox Sports)

MMA legend Hunt and rugby league great Paul Gallen go head to head in the co-main event, with fireworks already taking place at the weigh-in ahead of their fight.

Mark Hunt took a swing at Paul Gallen ahead of their heavyweight clash, in what quickly became a heated pre-fight weigh-in.

Ahead of his first appearance in the square circle in 20 years, the UFC legend weighed in at 127.14kg while Gallen came in nearly 25kg lighter at 103.66kg.

But before the pair could face-off, the Super Samoan lunged at Cronulla Sharks great, shoving him into the advertising backdrop behind him.

Both men were promptly separated before Hunt came rushing back in with a wild left jab that narrowly missed Gallen amid the sea of arms pulling the two apart. (nine)

⛹🏻‍♀️ Netball

The West Coast Fever fined

The West Coast Fever has been fined and stripped of premiership points for the 2021 Super Netball season after being found to have breached the salary cap in 2018 and 2019.

Key points:

• The club was almost 25 per cent above the salary cap in 2019

• It has been fined $300,000 with half of that suspended

• Super Netball said the Fever fully co-operated with the investigation

The Fever will lose 12 premiership points next year, which is the equivalent of three games.

Talbot Awarded WNBL MVP

Adelaide Lightning Captain Steph Talbot was the standout for the club at the end of season awards yesterday at The Ville Resort in Townsville. The 26-year-old WNBA/International star forward, won the prestigious Suzy Batkovic Medal for the league’s most valuable player and took out the Robyn Maher Defensive player of the year title, and was named in the All-WNBL First Team for the 2020 season.

📺 Semi-finals Tonight

• 18:00 - UC Capitals v Melbourne Boomers (Fox Sports More)

• 20:15 - Southside Flyers v Townsville Fire (Fox Sports More)

🎯 Darts

PDC World Darts Championship

Reigning champion Peter Wright (7.0) is there to defend his PDC World Darts Championship trophy.

No fans but the competition with a global draw and $4m of prize money up for grabs still promises to sparkle.

Favourite and three-time champion Van Gerwen (3.60), fresh from his Players Championship Finals win over Mervyn King in November, has also not had a successful year by his standards.

The form player, Gerwyn Price (2nd favourite 6.5) has enjoyed a fair amount of success running up to the tournament, having won the World Series of Darts in September, World Grand Prix in October and World Cup of Darts with Wales in November.

📺 23:30 - PDC World Championship, Rounds 1&2, Day 2 (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 AFL

Collingwood president Eddie McGuire vows to step down at end of 2021 AFL season

The controversial Collingwood president, Eddie McGuire, has announced he will step down from the role at the end of 2021 despite being re-elected for a three-year term earlier this year.

A tearful McGuire announced during a fan forum on Monday night that he would step down at the end of next year’s AFL season.

The Magpies boss and AFL commentator has survived numerous scandals during his time in the role.

McGuire’s position had come under increased scrutiny in recent weeks following the Magpies’ messy trade period during which they shed a host of stars for mostly bargain-basement prices due to salary cap issues.

The biggest move was that of gun midfielder Adam Treloar to the Western Bulldogs with Collingwood reportedly set to supplement $1.5m of his new contract over the next five years.

Market for his successor: Mark Korda (3.0), Alex Waislitz (5.0), Craig Kelly (17.0).

🏉 Rugby

Wallabies to face Wales, Fiji at 2023 RWC

History will repeat at the 2023 Rugby World Cup for Australia, who will face Wales and Fiji in their pool for the third-straight tournament after receiving a favourable draw.

The Wallabies, ranked sixth in the world and quarter-final casualties at last year's World Cup in Japan, could have been lumped in a pool with New Zealand, England or holders South Africa for the Paris showpiece.

Instead they'll face the lower-ranked Wales (ninth) for the fourth time in five tournaments and Fiji (11th), as well as two other yet to qualify nations.Wales beat the Wallabies in Japan but have struggled since reaching the final four of that tournament, losing seven of their past nine Tests.

But Wallabies coach Dave Rennie, who has overseen one win, three draws and two losses since replacing Michael Cheika after the World Cup, knows there is "so much water under the bridge" until 2023.

Michael Hooper has been awarded the John Eales Medal for 2020 taking out the player-led vote with 91 points.

The Wallabies captain wins back the award from Marika Koroibete who won it in 2019, making it the third time the Australian captain had won the prestigious award which is voted by all Wallabies players after the conclusion of each game in the 2020 season.

🇺🇸 USA

NBA predictions - MVP, ROY, champs and the future for LeBron, Giannis Antetokounmpo and James Harden — www.espn.com.au

The experts on the ESPN Forecast panel make their predictions heading into the 2020-21 season.

The Experts on ESPN have spoken:

Who will win the NBA championship?

1. Los Angeles Lakers: 132 points (86% first-place votes)

2. Milwaukee Bucks: 50 points (7% first-place votes)

3. LA Clippers: 30 points (7% first-place votes)

📺 Live sport 👇🏼

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - Benevento Calcio v Lazio (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Manchester City v West Bromwich Albion (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - English Championship - Watford v Brentford (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 08:00 - Spanish La Liga - Real Madrid v Athletic Club Bilbao (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Libertadores Quarter-Final - Palmeiras v Club Libertad (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Sudamericana Quarter-Final - CD Universidad Catolica v Velez Sarsfield (BeIN Sports 2)

🏀 13:00 - NCAA - Houston Cougars v UCF Knights (ESPN 2)

🥊 17:30 - Sydney Super Fight - Tim Tszyu v Bowyn Morgan (Fox Sports)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 18:00 - WNBL Minor Semi-Final - UC Capitals v Melbourne Boomers (Fox Sports More)

🥊 19:00 - Sydney Super Fight - Tim Tszyu v Bowyn Morgan (Main Event)

🏏 19:15 - Big Bash League Group Game - Perth Scorchers v Melbourne Stars (Fox Cricket or 7)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 20:15 - WNBL Major Semi-Final - Southside Flyers v Townsville Fire (Fox Sports More)

⚽️ 21:00 - J1 League - Yokohama FC v Gamba Osaka (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 21:00 - J1 League - Kawasaki Frontale v Urawa Red Diamonds (Optus Sport 1)

🎯 23:30 - PDC World Championship, Rounds 1&2, Day 2 (Fox Sports)

THURSDAY

⚽️ 01:00 - Indian Super League - ATK Mohun Bagan v FC Goa (Fox Sports More)

⚽️ 04:30 - German Bundesliga - Schalke 04 v SC Freiburg (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 04:30 - English Championship - Derby County v Swansea City (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 04:30 - Italian Serie A - Juventus v Atalanta (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 05:00 - Premier League - Arsenal v Southampton (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 05:00Premier League - Leicester City v Everton (Optus Sport 4)

⚽️ 05:00 - Premier League - Leeds United v Newcastle United (Optus Sport 3)

🎯 06:00 - PDC World Championship, Round 1, Night 2 (Fox Sports)

🎮 06:30 - F1 Esports Pro Series (Fox Sports)

🏀 06:30 - EuroLeague - Olympiacos Basketball v Valencia Basketball (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - Inter Milan v Napoli (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - West Ham United v Crystal Palace (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Liverpool v Tottenham (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Fulham v Brighton & Hove Albion (Optus Sport 4)

⚽️ 07:00 - English Championship - Reading v Norwich City (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Barcelona v Real Sociedad (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 09:15 - Copa Libertadores Quarter-Final - Santos FC v Gremio (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 09:15 - Copa Sudamericana Quarter-Final - Defensa y Justicia v Esporte Clube Bahia (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Libertadores Quarter-Final - Racing Club de Avellaneda v Boca Juniors (BeIN Sports 1)

🏀 13:00 - NCAA Men's - Notre Dame Fighting Irish v Duke Blue Devils (ESPN 1)

🏏 15:00 - Test Match - Australia v India (7, 7mate, Fox Cricket)

🐕 21:07 - Group 1, Hobart Thousand (Sky Racing 1)

🎯 23:30 - PDC World Championship, Rounds 1&2 (Fox Sports)