🗞 Lost Its Meaning

G’day Sports Fans,

🗣️ Classic quote: “During my 18 years I came to bat almost 10,000 times. I struck out about 1,700 times and walked maybe 1,800 times. You figure a ballplayer will average about 500 at-bats a season. That means I played sever years without ever hitting the ball.” — Mickey Mantle

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🇦🇺 AUSSIE SPORTS NEWS
 

🇦🇺 West Coast is on the search for a new list manager with long-time recruiter Rohan O’Brien stepping down after 33 years at the club.

O’Brien has been part of the Eagles’ staff for many years and took the list boss role in 2021 but now joins CEO Trevor Nisbett in leaving the club, as the wooden spooners swing changes called for by many observers.

O’Brien was the key decision-maker behind West Coast trading down from Pick 2 in 2022, as well as holding onto Pick 1 and nabbing Harley Reid this year.

🏉 Rugby league icon Greg Alexander says the Golden Boot award has "lost its meaning" after Payne Haas was nominated despite playing just two Tests for the Kangaroos.

Haas joined English halfback Harry Smith and Kiwis internationals James Fisher-Harris and Joseph Tapine as the four nominees.

The Broncos star's two appearances for Australia came during the Pacific Championships, with one of them the 30-0 drubbing at the hands of the Kiwis in the final.

👕 Cricket Australia (CA) has received a swift and brutal response to the launch of its new national team kits for the summer.

Toyota has upgraded its sponsorship deal to become the major sponsor for the men’s teams, sitting alongside other CA sponsors that include Asics, HCLTech and Commonwealth Bank.

“Can we get uniforms with bigger sponsorship logos please? Maybe the players could get big Toyota insignia tattooed on their faces?” - On Twitter.

🏟️ The AFL, Brisbane Lions and Queensland Cricket have been told they will have to pay for construction of a new 20,000-seat stadium at the RNA Showgrounds for when the Gabba is unavailable due to redevelopment ahead of the Olympics.

The day after Test star Usman Khawaja expressed fears Queensland Cricket would “go broke” due to the costs of the relocation, the state body and Cricket Australia released a joint statement saying they felt let down by a lack of consultation over the plan.

🤕 The Gold Coast Titans' pre-season has been dealt a major blow with star backrower David Fifita requiring surgery on an injured pectoral muscle.

The club announced on Tuesday evening that Fifita would go under the knife after suffering a "partial tear" during a pre-season training session.

Despite the setback, Fifita is expected to be fit for the start of the 2024 NRL season. (Full Casualty Ward)

⛳️ When the group in front are playing way too slow, so you go and have a word ⬇️

🐴 We're already four months into the Australian racing season — and have just emerged from the lucrative spring carnival — so which trainers and jockeys are dominating the prizemoney earnings?

Unsurprisingly, Chris Waller, Ciaron Maher, and David Eustace are number 1 and 2 in the training ranks, both with more than $2 million in earnings from their 10 percent slice of prizemoney.

Because of his win in The Everest with Think About It, Joe Pride sits third with healthy earnings of more than $1.4 million.

In the jockey ranks, J-Mac has had a stellar start to the season with seven Group 1 winners and almost $1 million from his 5 percent share of prize money since August 1.

Mark Zahra has plenty of cash to spend on his upcoming Christmas break, with more than $600,000 earnings from winning the Caulfield and Melbourne Cups on Without A Fight.

Nash Rawiller and Sam Clipperton, who rode Think About It to win The Everest, have both earned more than $500,000 since August 1.

🌎 WORLD SPORTS NEWS

The NBA's inaugural in-season tournament has reached the knockout rounds, which will culminate in one team hoisting the NBA Cup and each of its players walking away with US$500k in prize money.

After all 30 teams were split into six groups and played four group stage games across November, eight qualified for the quarterfinals.

The Indiana Pacers beat the visiting Boston Celtics 122-112 on Monday night (US) to clinch a berth in the semifinals, while the New Orleans Pelicans also booked their spot in the semis with a 127-117 win at the Sacramento Kings.

Wednesday (AEDT) will see the Milwaukee Bucks host the New York Knicks, followed by the Phoenix Suns playing at the Los Angeles Lakers. Both contests are rematches from the group stage.

The semifinals will take place on Friday(AEDT) at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas, followed by the championship game on Saturday.

⚽️ Sheffield United have sacked Paul Heckingbottom and appointed former manager Chris Wilder as his replacement, the club's owner Prince Abdullah has confirmed.

🚭 Former England goalkeeper David James is concerned snus is "detrimental" to players' performances because of his own experience of using the product.

Snus is a tobacco product in a sachet that is placed under the lip and releases nicotine into the bloodstream.

In March, the Professional Footballers' Association (PFA) said a growing number of players are using snus, with some receiving help for addiction.

"This is only a personal opinion because I'm not a scientist, I feel it has a detrimental effect on performance, similar to me smoking when I was actually capable of doing a lot more."

"The reasons why players do it is because of the pressures of football and life. It really starts to get to people, so they need that stimulus," - West Ham’s Michail Antonio.

📺 The Premier League has agreed a new record AU$12.9Bn domestic television deal for Sky and TNT to show up to 270 live games a season.

⛳️ PGA Tour superstar Tiger Woods caused quite a stir among the LIV Golf world when he climbed 430 spots in the Official World Golf Ranking for an 18th-place finish at the Hero World Challenge on Sunday, even though he hosted the event, there was no cut, and there were only 20 competitors. Rumours rumble on regarding Jon Rahm’s muted move to LIV for a reportedly $600m.

🎾 Rafael Nadal has lower expectations for when he returns to the tour in January after a year out.

Nadal announced Friday that he will play at the Brisbane International in Australia in January. The 37-year-old Spaniard has not appeared on tour since this January, when he hurt his hip flexor during a loss in the second round of the Australian Open. He wound up having arthroscopic surgery in June in Barcelona.

🏆 Dominating: A football club named in honour of Turkmenistan’s authoritarian leader has been crowned league champions in the isolated Central Asian country, after winning every one of their matches.

Arkadag FC won 20 out of 20 league matches, scoring 70 goals and conceding just 14 after signing the country’s best players. Altyn Asyr in second place are trailing by 30 points.

📺 LIVE SPORTS ON TV

TODAY

06:30 -Premier League- Wolverhampton Wanderers v Burnley (Optus Sport 2)

07:15 -Premier League- Luton Town v Arsenal (Optus Sport 3)

10:30 -Four-Day Tour Match- Prime Minister's XI v Pakistan (Fox Cricket)

10:30 -Men's NCAA - Illinois Fighting Illini v Florida Atlantic Owls (ESPN 2)

11:30 -In-Season Tournament Quarter-Final- Milwaukee Bucks v New York Knicks (ESPN)

13:00 -Men's NCAA - Connecticut Huskies v North Carolina Tar Heels (ESPN 2)

14:00 -In-Season Tournament Quarter-Final- Los Angeles Lakers v Phoenix Suns (ESPN)

14:00 -Women's Friendly- Canada v Australia (Channel 10 or Paramount+)

22:30 -T10 League - Chennai Braves v New York Strikers (Fox Cricket)

THURSDAY

03:30 -T10 League - Delhi Bulls v Northern Warriors (Fox Sports)

06:30 -Premier League- Fulham v Nottingham Forest (Optus Sport 5)

06:30 -Premier League- Crystal Palace v Bournemouth (Optus Sport 6)

06:30 -Premier League- Sheffield United v Liverpool (Optus Sport 2)

07:15 -Premier League- Aston Villa v Manchester City (Optus Sport 3)

07:15 -Premier League- Manchester United v Chelsea (Optus Sport 4)

10:30 -Four-Day Tour Match- Prime Minister's XI v Pakistan (Fox Cricket)

11:00 -NHL - Florida Panthers v Dallas Stars (ESPN 2)

11:30 -NBA - Minnesota Timberwolves v San Antonio Spurs (ESPN)

13:30 -NHL - Edmonton Oilers v Carolina Hurricanes (ESPN 2)

14:00 -NBA - Los Angeles Clippers v Denver Nuggets (ESPN)

19:15 -Big Bash League - Brisbane Heat v Melbourne Stars (Fox Cricket or Channel 7)

19:30 -NBL - Cairns Taipans v Sydney Kings (ESPN)

22:30 -T10 League - Chennai Braves v Bangla Tigers (Fox Cricket)