G'day sports fans,

World Record: The most professional football teams played for by an individual is 29, by Sebastián Abreu (Uruguay). He has played in a total of 11 countries.

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🏉 All-change at the Broncos & finals line-ups

🇦🇺 Injury list ahead of the finals

🎾 One Aussie remains

...and much more!

🏉 NRL

Kevin Walters signs contract as Broncos head coach

Kevin Walters has finalised his move to join the Brisbane Broncos as their new head coach and has also reportedly agreed to terms for his assistant.

"Kevin Walters will sign his contract tonight that will see him announced tomorrow as the head coach of the Brisbane Broncos for three years," Nine News Queensland reporter Ben Dobbins said on Tuesday night.

The Broncos have been in negotiations with Walters this past week after he and Paul Green were interviewed by the struggling club for the vacant head coach role.

"One term that Kevin Walters insisted [on], [which] was the assistant coach. John Cartwright will come as an assistant coach for Kevin Walters as well.

Until 2030: Broncos unveil mammoth deal to land Bellamy

The Brisbane Broncos have also reportedly tabled Craig Bellamy a ten-year deal to ensure he makes a switch from the Melbourne Storm to take up a coaching director role.

“He would be coaching director until beyond 2030 if he took the deal.

“At this stage he insists he hasn’t signed anything, that is correct but there have been discussion with Matt Tripp (the Storm chairman) that Craig intends to relocate to Brisbane in 2022.”

🇦🇺 AFL

Essendon Bombers make shock move on Richmond defender Bachar Houli

The defender was signed by the Tigers in 2011 after just 26 games with Essendon, and since joining Richmond he's been a key part of the club's extraordinary rise in the AFL, winning two Premiership medals along the way.

At 32, Houli has recently stayed with Richmond on one-year deals, but according to AFL media, Essendon are offering him a longer contract, and as an unrestricted free agent the Bombers wouldn't have to negotiate a trade for the move.

At the Bombers Houli would unite with "close" mate Adam Saad.

🇦🇺 Thursday Preview: Port Adelaide (1.73) v Geelong Cats (2.15)

Set to host a qualifying final for the first time since 2007, Port Adelaide will welcome Geelong to the Adelaide Oval on Thursday evening.

The first 2020 meeting between these teams was lopsided in favour of Geelong, which triumphed 91-31 to mark Port’s heaviest loss of the season.

• Geelong have won 15 of their last 17 against Port (2.15)

• Ollie Wines has recored 20+ disposals in each of Adelaides last 5 matches.

🎾 French Open

Marc Polmans is last Aussie man standing at Roland Garros

Marc Polmans is the unlikely last Australian man standing in Paris after making the most of his 11th-hour main-draw call up to reach the second round of the French Open.

The 23-year-old continued his breakout year on Tuesday with an assured 6-2 6-2 3-6 6-3 defeat of impressive French talent Ugo Humbert, ranked 84 places higher at No.38 in the world.

The win over Humbert guarantees world No.122 Polmans at least $130,000.

(Most) of Favourites progress

👱‍♂️

• Novak Djokovic did not need long to storm past Mikael Ymer of Sweden in straight sets, 6-0 6-2 6-3.

• Spain's 12-time champion Rafael Nadal encountered few problems as he wrapped up a 6-4 6-4 6-2 victory over Belarusian Egor Gerasimov.

• US Open champion Dominic Thiem also moved into the second round with a 6-4 6-3 6-3 win over Croatia's Marin Cilic.

• Russian fourth seed Daniil Medvedev is out after losing to Marton Fucsovics.

👩‍🦳

• Last year's runner-up Marketa Vondrousova is out of the 2020 French Open after losing 6-1 6-2 to Poland's Iga Swiatek in the first round.

• There were wins for third seed Elina Svitolina, fifth seed Kiki Bertens and seventh seed Petra Kvitova.

• Spain's 2016 champion Garbine Muguruza battled through with a 7-5 4-6 8-6 win against Slovenia's Tamara Zidansek.

• A slightly rusty, Serena Williams began her quest for a 24th Grand Slam singles title with a hard-fought win over Kristie Ahn 7-6 (7-3), 6-0.

⚽️ Football

A-League Roundup

• Ajdin Hrustic joined Frankfurt

• Dylan Fox likely to join Kerala or NorthEast United

• Jay Barnett signed 2-year extension with Victory

• Aaron Anderson & Birkan Kirdar signed 1-year extensions with Victory

• Tony Gustavsson appointed Matildas coach

• Steve Kean set to become assistant at Victory

• Xanthi FC failed an attempt to sign Paul Izzo

• Scott Neville is in talks with East Bengal

• Newcastle kits revealed

• Adelaide away & City kits to be revealed today

Matildas' Carpenter scores first Lyon goal

Matildas defender Ellie Carpenter has scored her first goal for her French club while Hayley Raso helped Everton knock Sam Kerr's Chelsea out of the FA Cup.

Matildas young gun Ellie Carpenter has scored her first goal for European Champions, Olympique Lyonnais, helping the French powerhouse to a 2-1 victory over Bordeaux.

Former US assistant coach Tony Gustavsson unveiled as new Matildas boss

The FFA’s three-month search for the next Matildas coach has come to an end, with former US women’s national team assistant coach Tony Gustavsson was unveiled on Tuesday night.

Gustavsson spent five years as former US coach Jill Ellis’ number two, winning the 2015 and 2019 World Cups, and steps into the Matildas role at a pivotal time for Australian football.

Australia is set to play in four major tournaments in the next four years, including two Olympic Games, the 2022 Asian Cup and the biggest of them all: the 2023 World Cup on home soil.

🇺🇸 USA

Stanley Cup: Tampa Bay Lightning beat Dallas Stars to be crowned NHL champions

The Tampa Bay Lightning won the Stanley Cup for the first time since 2004 with a 4-2 series win over the Dallas Stars.

Braydon Point and Blake Coleman's goals clinched a 2-0 win for the Lightning in game six of the best-of-seven series.

Following the coronavirus lockdown, the NHL's final 130 games were played in bio-secure bubbles in Toronto and Edmonton in Canada.

"It takes a lot to be in a bubble for 80 days or whatever long it was," said Lightning defenceman Victor Hedman.

"But it's all worth it now, we're coming home with the cup."

🏀 NBA Finals

Thursday 11:00 - NBA Finals - Los Angeles Lakers v Miami Heat (ESPN 1)

2020 NBA Finals Preview: LeBron faces former squad, rebuilt in his wake | NBA.com — www.nba.com

The coincidence of this series is quite delicious and will own the intrigue and conversation until the ball goes up Wednesday in Game 1. LeBron James will be playing against the team he helped win a

🏈 Can anyone stop the Chiefs?

Patrick Mahomes (31/42, 385 yards, 5 total TDs) put on a show, as the Chiefs dismantled the Ravens, 34-20, snapping Baltimore's 14-game regular-season winning streak while extending their own streak to 12 (including playoffs).

• Stats: Mahomes is now 10-0 in September during his career, with 32 passing TDs and zero interceptions.

• Lamar Jackson has four career regular-season losses. Three are against Mahomes.

🏉 Rugby

Rugby Australia, NZR relationship at its 'lowest ebb': McLennan — www.rugby.com.au

On the eve of the opening Bledisloe Cup Test of the year, Rugby Australia Chairman Hamish McLennan says relations with New Zealand Rugby are at its "lowest ebb" and has called for "respect" to be shown between the two proud rugby nations.

Kearney to Western Force

Ireland's most decorated player, Rob Kearney has confirmed his stellar career will have a Super Rugby swan-song, the former Ireland full-back joining Western Force just five days after he announced his 11-year stint at Leinster was finally over.

🏏 Cricket

Australia set to be in two places at once with twin tours pencilled in at same time

Australia’s men’s cricket team could be in action in two places at once this summer, with a white-ball tour of New Zealand pencilled in at the same time as a Test series in South Africa.

On Tuesday, New Zealand Cricket announced a five-match Twenty20 series against Australia from February 22 to March 7.

Australia is also currently scheduled to take on South Africa in a three-Test series in February-March, as per the Future Tours Programme.

That opens the possibility of two different Australian teams playing Test and Twenty20 cricket in two countries in the same period, with Tim Paine leading the red-ball team in South Africa and Aaron Finch the T20 side. (FOX)

Ellyse Perry injures hamstring again, forcing her out of New Zealand ODI series

Star all-rounder Ellyse Perry will miss the rest of Australia's Twenty20 and one-day international series against New Zealand after reinjuring her right hamstring.

It is the same hamstring Perry tore during the Women's T20 World Cup earlier this year, which required surgery and a six-month lay-off.

She missed the first two T20s of the current series against New Zealand (Australia lead 2-0), as well as the upcoming three-match ODI series. (ABC)

📺 Live sport

Wednesday

⚽️ 05:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Play-off - Dynamo Kyiv v KAA Gent (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 05:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Play-off - Ferencvaros v Molde FK (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 05:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Play-off - AC Omonia v Olympiacos FC (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 05:30 - Spanish La Liga - Getafe v Real Betis (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores - Gremio v CD Universidad Catolica (BeIN Sports 1 or BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores - Clube Atletico Paranaense v Jorge Wilstermann (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores - America de Cali v SC Internacional (BeIN Sports 2)

🏏 13:45 - Women's Twenty20 Series - Australia v New Zealand (7mate or Fox Cricket)

🎾 18:50 - French Open, Round 2, Day 4 - Part 1 (Fox Sports More)

🚴🏻‍♂️19:00 - La Flèche Wallonne, Classic, 202km (SBS Viceland)

⚽️ 20:00 - J1 League - Yokohama F. Marinos v Sagan Tosu (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 20:30 - J1 League - Urawa Red Diamonds v FC Tokyo (Optus Sport 2)

🎾 22:30 - French Open, Round 2, Day 4 - Part 2 (Fox Sports More or SBS)

🚴🏼‍♂️ 23:00 - UCI Men's World Tour, Binckbank Tour, Stage 2, 11km - ITT (Eurosport 1)

Thursday

🏏 00:00 - Indian Premier League - Rajasthan Royals v Kolkata Knight Riders (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 02:00 - Italian Serie A - Benevento Calcio v Inter Milan (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 02:00 - Italian Serie A - Udinese v Spezia Calcio (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 02:30 - Carabao Cup R4 - Newport County v Newcastle United (BeIN Sports 2)

🏏 03:30 - Women's ODI Series - England v West Indies (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 04:00 - Carabao Cup R4 - Burnley v Manchester City (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 04:45 - Carabao Cup R4 - Everton v West Ham United (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 04:45 - Carabao Cup R4 - Brighton & Hove Albion v Manchester United (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores - Palmeiras v Bolivar (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 08:15 - Copa Libertadores - Club Nacional de Football v Racing Club de Avellaneda (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 10:30 - Copa Libertadores - Flamengo v Independiente del Valle (BeIN Sports 1 or BeIN Sports 2)

🏀 11:00 - NBA Finals - Los Angeles Lakers v Miami Heat (ESPN 1)

🐴 18:00 (TBC) - Listed Race - Hannans Handicap, 1,400m - Quality, 3YO & Up (Sky Racing 1)

🎾 18:50 - French Open, Round 2, Day 5 - Part 1 (Fox Sports More)

🇦🇺 19:40 - AFL Qualifying Final - Port Adelaide Power v Geelong Cats (Fox Footy or 7mate)

⛳️ 20:30 - European Tour, Scottish Open, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

🎾 22:00 - French Open, Round 2, Day 5 (Fox Sports More or SBS)

🚴🏻‍♂️ 23:00 - UCI Men's World Tour, Binckbank Tour, Stage 3, 165.7km (Eurosport 1)