🗞 For Life

NRL News

👀 SOI Watch: Superstar hooker Harry Grant missed Tuesday's first training run due to illness.

He was a notable absentee as media arrived at Red Hill to view the 2024 squad together for the first time.

✍🏼 Maroons fullback Reece Walsh has announced he wants to stay at the Brisbane Broncos for life, with the fullback confident contract negotiations will be sorted soon before he officially becomes a free agent on November 1.

🏉 TEAMS: State of Origin is here and so the NRL begins its truncated rounds, with seven teams enjoying a bye this weekend. (NRL.com)

Eels: A huge boost for the Eels with skipper Clint Gutherson (knee) and halfback Mitch Moses (foot) both named.

Roosters: Junior Pauga joins the backline to fill the void left by Joseph Sua'ali'i, who makes his Origin debut for the Blues.

Cowboys: Mass changes for Todd Payten with Val Holmes, Murray Taulagi, Jeremiah Nanai, Reece Robson, Tom Dearden and Reuben Cotter all on Maroons Origin duty. 

AFL News  

📋 The AFL conducted a comprehensive competitive balance review, seeking input from all 18 clubs on various issues.

The aim is to address concerns impacting clubs and the fairness of the league. Despite the mammoth task, the review is progressing steadily, with initial findings expected soon.

While most clubs participated fully, Carlton and Melbourne declined.

9News reached out to Clubs to ask what their priorities are: Collingwood advocates for shorter game times to protect players, while Adelaide prioritizes a national reserves competition. Essendon calls for a review of the northern academies and NGA systems. Fremantle questions the AFL's scheduling decisions, and Gold Coast supports retaining academy list rules for northern clubs.

🙋🏼‍♂️ The order for the 2024 AFL Mid-season Rookie Draft has been locked in, with North Melbourne shaping to select Tasmanian young gun Geordie Payne with the opening pick.

The winless Kangaroos Payne, who has moved from halfback to a midfield/forward role in the Coates Talent League in 2024, kicking 12 goals in five games while averaging 22 disposals and 13 contested possessions. (AFL.com)

🍽️ A private lunch with West Coast rising star Harley Reid and his No.9 predecessor Nic Naitanui has sold for an eye-watering $110k at auction.

Incredibly, the bidding war for the lunch with Reid and Naitanui took 27 rounds to settle on its final six-figure total.

🔁 Former Carlton star Brendan Fevola has dropped a Dustin Martin bombshell declaring the Richmond goliath will retire as soon as he reaches his 300 game milestone and potentially move to the Gold Coast in 2025. 

Martin, 32, is in the final year of a mega seven-year contract at Punt Road and has been linked to both a move away, possibly to the Suns, as well as pulling the pin entirely.

Aussie News

🏏 Former Australia Test opener Joe Burns will represent Italy in their bid to reach the 2026 T20 World Cup in tribute to his late brother.

Burns, whose brother Dominic passed away in February this year, played 23 Tests for Australia between 2014 and 2020.

"This isn't just a number and this isn't just a jersey," Burns wrote on Instagram, together with a picture of an Italian team top with the number 85 on it.

"This is for the people who I know will be looking down proudly from above.

Burns is eligible to represent Italy through his mother's heritage.

🎾 Australian Max Purcell added to Australia's disappointing start at Roland-Garros, losing a five-set thriller to German qualifier Henri Squire in the first round. Despite a remarkable comeback, Purcell squandered six match points, including a crucial one after serving underarm, in the 2-6, 2-6, 6-3, 6-4, 7-6(10) defeat.

His loss compounded Australia's winless streak at the tournament, which now stands at 0-6.

⚽️ Bayern Munich-bound Nestory Irankunda is set to make his Socceroos debut after being added to the squad for World Cup qualifiers next month.

Just days ago, 18-year-old Irankunda said if he did not make a Socceroos squad soon he would seriously consider switching allegiances to Tanzania or Burundi.

Australia's men's team takes on Bangladesh away on June 6 and faces Palestine in Perth on June 11.

🎾 Rafael Nadal says it would not be a "good idea" to play Wimbledon as he targets this year's Olympics instead.

After losing in the French Open first round on Monday, the 37-year-old Spaniard said returning to Roland Garros at the Paris 2024 Games is now his "main goal".

Wimbledon, where Nadal won in 2008 and 2010, starts on 1 July. 

The Olympic tennis tournament begins on 27 July.

🏀 Throwback: Surely play of the decade…

⚽️ Manchester United have spoken to ex-Brighton boss Roberto de Zerbi over the possibility of succeeding Erik ten Hag as manager.

⚽️ Cristiano Ronaldo said "I don’t follow the records, the records follow me" after setting a new record for goals scored in a Saudi Pro League season.

The Portugal forward, 39, scored twice in Al-Nassr's 4-2 win against Al-Ittihad to reach 35.

Ronaldo has now scored 765 goals in a 22-year career which has also included spells with Sporting Lisbon, Manchester United, Real Madrid and Juventus.

🏏 Apparently the BCCI received over 3,000 applications for India’s Head Coach post - Narendra Modi, Amit Shah, Sachin Tendulkar, MS Dhoni were some of the names used by fake applicants. (Indian Express).

Apparently Gautam Gambhir's appointment as India's Head Coach is a done deal.

🏀 icymi: The Boston Celtics will play in the NBA Finals after wrapping up a clean sweep in their Eastern Conference semi-final series against the Indiana Pacers.

Jaylen Brown found Derrick White to score a decisive three-pointer with 45 seconds left to play and seal a 105-102 win for the Celtics.

It is the second time in three seasons they have reached the NBA Finals.

🥊 Mike Tyson is "doing great" following a reported health scare the former heavyweight champion had on a flight from Miami to Los Angeles on Sunday.

According to a report by In Touch Weekly, Tyson -- who is scheduled to face Jake Paul in a boxing match July 20 -- had a medical issue that required paramedics to board the plane upon landing and assist.

"Thankfully Mr. Tyson is doing great," Tyson's representatives said

SHARE SPORT JOURNAL

The best thing you can do to help us grow, is share Sport Journal with your friends & colleagues, even that bloke at the pub…

📲 Share it with the group chat via WhatsApp HERE

🧑🏻‍💻 Share the link with a friend to sign up HERE