🗞 Kicking a Pillow

G'day Sports fans,

🎉 This is the 50th Edition of Sport Journal.

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I genuinely believe we're building something here, buckle up!

Ok, enough of the soppy stuff, who wants to see Matty Johns throw-up in a plane? 🙋🏼‍♂️

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🏉 Taumalolo the machine

⚽️ A re-jigged A-League weekend

🏎 F1 to help in supply of ventilators

🏉 NRL

Disgraceful Bulldogs taught a lesson by metre-eater Taumalolo and his Cowboys

“He is a machine” | NRL YouTube

Last night's game at ANZ Stadium may not have taught us much but it confirmed two things - Jason Taumalolo is a freak of nature, and the Bulldogs aren't great.

Taumalolo absolutely steamrolled the Bulldogs with some serious power running.

Andrew Johns labelled Taumalolo as a “machine” after watching him bulldoze the Bulldogs, declaring him the most dominant forward the game’s ever seen.

“He is a machine,” he said.

“I don’t think we’ve seen a more devastating forward. This bloke is on another level.”

This weekend's NRL:

Dragons ($2.40) v Panthers ($1.55): (full preview) The Dragons have it all to do coming off a dispiriting round one loss as they prepare to welcome a Panthers side on a high after their impressive win over the defending premiers.

Broncos ($1.95) v Rabbitohs ($1.85): (full preview) It's Anthony Seibold's dynamic forwards against Wayne Bennett's all-star backline in the latest instalment of a burgeoning rivalry between Brisbane and South Sydney.

Warriors ($4.40) v Raiders ($1.20): (full preview) The Warriors "host" the Raiders on the Gold Coast having made the selfless decision to base themselves in Australia for at least a week after New Zealand imposed border restrictions amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Roosters ($1.50) v Sea Eagles ($2.55):

Sharks ($2.65) v Storm ($1.47): (full preview) The heat always goes up a notch when Cronulla and Melbourne meet these days, with their rivalry stemming from the Sharks' epic 2016 grand final win.

West Tigers ($1.90) v Knights ($1.90): (full preview) The Tigers got their 2020 campaign off on the right foot with a 24-14 road win over the Dragons, while the Knights opened their season with a 20-0 home victory over the Warriors.

Titans ($3.00) v Eels ($1.38): (full preview) It's only round two but the Titans have to make a statement on home turf after going down to the Raiders last week.

Who are your Banker picks for Round 2?

ICYMI: Matty vomits, Burgess passes out on Matty Johns Show

Matty Johns and Sam Burgess’ limits were tested in a new segment called Kleptomania on Sunday Night with Matty Johns. (Watch on YouTube)

🇦🇺 AFL

Fast-starting Tigers shake off brave Blues in eerie opener

Richmond opened the 2020 season with a comfortable win over Carlton. The reigning premiers did enough throughout a rampant start to the game to hold off Carlton's brave late surge.

“The game in the first half was so ordinary, you couldn’t get excited even if there was 100,000 at the game,” Fox Footyhost Eddie McGuire said.

“It was like they were kicking a pillow.”

This weekend's AFL:

Western Bulldogs ($1.85) v Collingwood ($1.95): Western Bulldogs high-flyer Aaron Naughton has been cleared to face fellow premiership hopeful Collingwood in their season-opener at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.

Essendon ($1.45) v Fremantle ($2.75): The Dockers had a 2019 season to forget – except for Nat Fyfe collecting his second Brownlow Medal, that is. If nothing else, keep an eye on this match for new talent in both ranks.

Adelaide Crows ($1.70) v Sydney Swans ($2.15): What a few years ago would have been a blockbuster start to AFL round 1 is now little more than an afterthought – Sydney is expected to linger around the bottom of the table all year, while Adelaide will be very lucky to scrape into the top eight.

Gold Coast Suns ($2.55) v Port Adelaide ($1.52): The Suns have taken to the new year with abandon, delivering quality performances in preseason games. The Power, on the other hand, will be rapt with their AFL round 1 opponents and will expect to get the win.

GWS Giants ($1.53) v Geelong Cats ($2.50): This is a meeting of the two clubs who believe they should’ve been lifting the premiership trophy last year. GWS have plenty to atone for, while Geelong will be out to prove last year’s minor premiership was no fluke.

North Melbourne ($2.00) v St Kilda ($1.80): It’s tough to say whether either club will steal a place in the top eight come the end of the season, but this will certainly be an intriguing fixture to appease supporters.

Hawthorn ($2.05) v Brisbane Lions ($1.75): The Lions have a lot to be proud of for what they accomplished last season. Early on last season Hawthorn couldn’t hold it together, but in the run-in they picked up six wins from their final eight games. So which version of the Hawks will show up on Sunday?

West Coast Eagles ($1.30) v Melbourne ($3.50): Eagle Tim Kelly will be eager to show that the six-year, $5 million contract he signed was warranted. Melbourne didn’t fare as well in the trade period, but they did add Ed Langdon and Adam Tomlinson to their roster to shore up their depth, if nothing else.

⚽️ Football

A-League

Newcastle Jets v Wellington Phoenix & Melbourne Victory v Brisbane are postponed. It leaves us with the three games this weekend:

Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne City: (full preview) Melbourne City have lost only one of their last 13 A-League matches against Central Coast Mariners, winning nine and drawing three. Although the one lossThat one loss was the corresponding fixture last season.

Western Sydney Wanderers v Sydney FC: (full preview) Sydney FC have won their last 4 away matches on the spin and start quickly. No team has scored more (seven) in the opening 15 minutes of games this A-League season.

Perth Glory v Western United: (full preview) Goalkeeper Liam Reddy will become just the fourth player to reach the 300-game mark in the Hyundai A-League. Western United FC have won their last two Hyundai A-League games in succession – scoring 11 goals in the process.

Record numbers turn to Football Manager:

With the majority of top-level sport either postponed or cancelled because of the coronavirus outbreak, fans - and even professional clubs - have turned to a familiar source for entertainment: Football Manager.

At one moment on Sunday, the football management simulation was being played online by almost 90,000 users around the world, its record number of streams.

🐴 Racing

Victoria has split its jockey ranks, top hoops isolated & banned from track work & jump-outs

Racenet revealed on Thursday that Victorian jockeys would be split into two groups with the top hoops in Melbourne to be isolated and banned from riding at trackwork and jumpouts.

It was proposed the top 25 jockeys - classed as Category 1 jockeys - would be totally separated from the next tier of jockeys on the premiership list because of measures in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.

The drastic new measures will not apply until after the races on Saturday. (Racenet)

Can Minhaaj remain unbeaten in the Slipper?

Unbeaten filly Minhaaj made trainer David Hayes ‘stand up and take notice’ right away and come 4.30pm Saturday afternoon the rest of the Australian racing could be following suit.

A stroke of fortune for connections has provided Lindsay Park's daughter of Exceed And Excel with her chance on the big stage in Saturday’s $3.5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill.

Minhaaj had been the second emergency when the final field was declared on Tuesday but had earned a place in the Group I by Thursday morning. (Racenet)

🏉 Rugby

Byron Kelleher has been identified as the All Black arrested for assault.

Kelleher is facing charges of assault and wilful damage.

He had applied for permanent name suppression earlier this year arguing that publicity around the case would adversely impact his ability to earn income but the application has been successfully challenged.

According to stuff.co.nz, Kelleher was involved in a minor altercation with his fiancee's ex-partner in September 2019 after he had been drinking alcohol.

It is alleged Kelleher caused damage to the man's property.

The incident in September isn't Kelleher's first brush with the law:

  • 2009 - following a brawl that occurred in Toulouse after a collision while driving drunk.

  • 2013 - for "driving while intoxicated" in Bordeaux.

  • 2017 - Found guilty of domestic violence in France. (RugbyPass)

🏎 F1

Coronavirus: Formula 1 teams are to help in supply of ventilators

Formula 1 teams are working with government and health authorities to increase the supply of ventilators during the coronavirus crisis.

Ventilators are a device used to help supply more air to patients with breathing difficulties, one of the effects of severe coronavirus symptoms.

F1 said the aim was to "provide as much help and assistance as we can."

Several teams have applied-technologies divisions that could directly feed into the national production capacity of ventilators in the UK and Italy, particularly McLaren, Red Bull, Williams, Mercedes, and Ferrari. (BBC)

We'll be back on Monday!!

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📺 Live sport

Friday

⚽️ 17:30 - A-League - Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne City (Fox Sports)

🏉 18:00 - NRL - St George Illawarra Dragons v Penrith Panthers (Fox League)

⚽️ 19:30 - A-League - Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 19:50 - AFL - Western Bulldogs v Collingwood Magpies (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 20:05 - NRL - Brisbane Broncos v South Sydney Rabbitohs (Fox League or Nine)

🐴 20:30 - Group 1, William Reid Stakes (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🐴 21:00 - Group 2, Sunline Stakes, 1,600m (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

Saturday

🇦🇺 13:45 - AFL - Essendon Bombers v Fremantle DockersFox Footy (504 or 258HD)

🐴 14:25 - Group 1, Ranvet Stakes, 2,000m (Sky Racing 1 or Sky Thoroughbred Central or 7)

🏉 15:00 - NRL - Warriors v Canberra Raiders (Fox League)

🐴 15:05 - Group 1, George Ryder Stakes, 1,500m (Sky Racing 1 or Sky Thoroughbred Central or 7)

⚽️ 15:30 - W-League Grand Final - Melbourne City Women v Sydney FC Women (ABC or Fox Sports)

🐴 15:45 - Group 1Rosehill Guineas, 2,000m (Sky Racing 1 or Sky Thoroughbred Central or 7)

🐴 16:30 - Group 1, Golden Slipper Stakes, 1,200m (Sky Racing 1 or Sky Thoroughbred Central or 7)

🇦🇺 16:35 - AFL - Adelaide Crows v Sydney Swans (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🐴 17:10 - Horse Racing, Group 1The Galaxy, 1,100m (Sky Racing 1 or Sky Thoroughbred Central or 7)

🏉 17:30 - NRL - Sydney Roosters v Manly Sea Eagles (Fox League)

🇦🇺 19:25 - AFL - GWS Giants v Geelong Cats (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🇦🇺 19:25 - AFL - Gold Coast Suns v Port Adelaide Power (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 19:30 - A-League - Western Sydney Wanderers v Sydney FC (Fox Sports)

🏉 19:35 - NRL - Cronulla Sharks v Melbourne Storm (Fox League)

Sunday

🇦🇺 13:10 - AFL - North Melb. Kangaroos v St Kilda Saints (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 15:20 - AFL - Hawthorn Hawks v Brisbane Lions (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 16:05 - NRL - Wests Tigers v Newcastle Knights (Fox League or Nine)

🏉 18:15 - NRL - Gold Coast Titans v Parramatta Eels (Fox League)

🇦🇺18:20 - AFL - West Coast Eagles v Melbourne Demons (Fox Footy)

🐴 19:05 (TBC)Group 1, Hong Kong Derby, 2,000m (Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)