A mind-bending test

G’day sports fans,

“I must be going to hell because it's a sin to look this good.” - Usman Khawaja at the Cricket Australia Awards.

 🇦🇺 AUSSIE SPORT

🇦🇺 The AFL has released its official pre-season round schedule, as well as details for separate ‘match simulation’ hit-outs that will take place the preceding week. (AFL)

The Western Bulldogs and Giants have opted not to participate in the extra match simulation round. Instead, they’ll have intra-club hit-outs as part of their respective community camps.

UNOFFICIAL MATCH SIMULATIONS (all times AEDT)

Thursday February 23

• Geelong v Hawthorn, GMHBA Stadium, 4pm

• Gold Coast v Essendon, Austworld Oval (Carrara), 5pm

Friday February 24

• North Melbourne v Richmond, Arden St, 10am

• Carlton v Collingwood, Ikon Park, 11am

• Sydney v Brisbane, Tramway Oval (Moore Park), 12pm

• St Kilda v Melbourne, RSEA Park, 4pm

• Fremantle v Adelaide, Victor George Kailis Oval (Cockburn), 6.30pm

• West Coast v Port Adelaide, Mineral Resources Park (Perth) 7.40pm

🏉 Taking over after one of the least successful international seasons in Wallabies history, new coach Eddie Jones declared he’s “not the messiah” but has set the lofty goal of winning this year’s World Cup in France.

“We’ve got to win the World Cup. If we win, it changes things for rugby in Australia.”

⚽️ Following high demand for tickets, Matildas' opening 2023 Women's World Cup game against Republic of Ireland has been moved from the Sydney Football Stadium, which has a capacity of 42,500 to Stadium Australia (83,500)

🏉 The Sharks have copped a significant blow with reports rising star Kade Dykes has suffered a suspected torn ACL. It comes just hours after fellow No. 1 Lachie Miller was released. (Fox)

🏈 Former AFL player Arryn Siposs has declared he’s “ready to go” for the Philadelphia Eagles in the Super Bowl after overcoming an ankle injury.

❤️ Former Australian Winter Olympic bobsledder Duncan Pugh has died suddenly at the age of 48 after suffering a brain aneurysm last week.

Pugh, who represented Australia at the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, suffered a bleed on the brain in his hometown of Perth.

🏀 Injured Illawarra import Justin Robinson will return to the NBL court next season, after agreeing to re-sign with the Hawks for NBL24.

Robinson formed an imposing star trio with Sam Froling and Tyler Harvey for Illawarra during the Hungry Jack's NBL Blitz – where he averaged 17 points and six assists per game – but unfortunately suffered a season-ending knee injury in the side’s first game of the season. (NBL)

🏉 Sea Eagles superstar Tom Trbojevic says he’s on track for a Round 1 return after spending the past couple of weeks in America getting his body right after years of injury setbacks.

Trbojevic landed in Sydney after spending time with renowned reconditioning specialist Bill Knowles to work on his body after re-injuring his hamstring in December, having missed most of 2022 with a shoulder injury.

 🇦🇺 WORLD SPORT

🔁 EPL Transfer Deadline Day (5 hours to go):

It was being reported that Harry Souttar would become the latest Australian to join the Premier League, signing a deal reportedly worth $26 million with champions Leicester City - according to The Telegraph. It’s gone a bit quiet since.

Arsenal agreed a £12m deal with Chelsea to sign Italy midfielder Jorginho (31).

Bayern Munich completed a loan deal for Manchester City full-back Joao Cancelo (w/ option to buy).

World Cup 2022 Best Young Player - Enzo Fernandez could still sign for Chelsea for Premier League record (£105.6m).

Manchester United are in talks with Bayern Munich over a loan deal for Marcel Sabitzer.

Southampton have agreed to sign Rennes winger Kamaldeen Sulemana. He was recorded running at 35.7kph (22.2mph) during the World Cup, the quickest of any player.

🎾 Alexander Zverev will not face disciplinary action following an investigation into allegations of domestic abuse.

An investigation found there was "insufficient evidence" to substantiate claims made by the German's former girlfriend Olya Sharypova.

⛳️ The AT&T Pebble Beach National is the annual pro-am staged over the three courses. The top-60 and ties fight out the finish at Pebble Beach course on Sunday.

The host course, Pebble Beach, needs no introduction to most keen golf fans. This iconic seaside links has hosted the US Open six times. 

It is not unusual for 18 holes to take almost six hours to complete as the likes of Bill Murray strut their stuff for the benefit of the TV cameras. Look out, too for former Real Madrid and Wales footballer Gareth Bale.

The last seven winning scores have been between -17 & -19.

• Favourite: Matthew Fitzpatrick - certainly has the game to win here.

• Great Name: Garrik Higgo - hits the ball sweetly, and could contend at a big price.

• Searching for form: Seamus Power, made for this event but not showing his 2022 form yet.

🏀 LeBron James is on the verge of passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar to become the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Abdul-Jabbar has been atop the career points list since April 5, 1984.

• At his career scoring average of 27.2 points per game, James would need five games to break the mark, putting him on track to do it Feb. 9 against the Milwaukee Bucks.

• At his 2022-23 scoring average of 30.2 points per game, he would do it Feb. 7 against the Oklahoma City Thunder.

🏃🏽‍♂️ Introducing: The Tunnel Ultra - is a race like no other. It's easy to find longer events. But nowhere else can you take part in a race so twisted that you spend more than two days in darkness doing a one-mile shuttle run 200 times, or so punishing that one runner went temporarily blind - then thanked the race organiser for the privilege.

No outside support is permitted, headphones are banned and runners are not allowed to run side by side. Oh, and there is a strict time limit of 55 hours.

The Tunnel website describes it as "a mind-bending test of extreme endurance and sensory deprivation". It is more health warning than marketing slogan.

📺️ Sports TV Guide

TODAY

🏀 05:00 - EuroLeague - Olimpia Milan v Saski Baskonia (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 07:00 - Carabao Cup Semi-Final - Newcastle United v Southampton (beIN SPORTS 1)

🏀 07:00 - EuroLeague - Virtus Bologna Basketball v Crvena zvezda Basketball (Fox Sports)

🏒 11:00 - NHL - Carolina Hurricanes v Los Angeles Kings (ESPN 2)

🏀 11:30 - NBA - New York Knicks v Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN)

🏀 13:30 - Men's NCAA - Ole Miss Rebels v Kentucky Wildcats (ESPN 2)

🏀 14:00 - NBA - Denver Nuggets v New Orleans Pelicans (ESPN)

🏏 22:00 - ODI Series - South Africa v England (Fox Cricket)

THURSDAY

🏏 00:30 - T20 Series - India v New Zealand (Fox Sports)

🏀 04:30 - EuroLeague - Anadolu Efes v Zalgiris Kaunas (Fox Sports)

🏀 06:45 - EuroLeague - Real Madrid Basketball v Panathinaikos BC (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Real Betis v Barcelona (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - France Ligue 1 - Lens v OGC Nice (beIN SPORTS 2)

⚽️ 07:00 - Carabao Cup Semi-Final - Manchester United v Nottingham Forest (beIN SPORTS 1)

🏀 11:30 - NBA - Boston Celtics v Brooklyn Nets (ESPN)

🏒 11:30 - NHL - Toronto Maple Leafs v Boston Bruins (ESPN 2)

🏀 14:00 - NBA - Phoenix Suns v Atlanta Hawks (ESPN)

🏏 19:15 - Big Bash League Challenger - Sydney Sixers v Brisbane Heat (Fox Cricket or Channel 7)

🏀 19:30 - NBL - Illawarra Hawks v New Zealand Breakers (ESPN)