🗞 Nice Work If You Can Get It

G’day Sports Fans,

🗣️ Classic quote: "It's tough to get out of bed to do roadwork at 5am when you're sleeping in silk pyjamas." - Marvin Hagler (Middleweight Champion)

📧 P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

🇦🇺 AUSSIE SPORTS NEWS
 

🎾 Top-ranked Aussie Alex de Minaur has copped a potentially tricky opening round clash with former world No.3 Milos Raonic at the Australian Open.

Australia’s Ajla Tomljanovic cops Croatia’s Petra Martic in her opening match and would face either fellow Aussie Kim Birrell or No.11 seed Jelena Ostapenko in Round 2.

Carlos Alcaraz will face wily veteran Richard Gasquet in the first round while Djokovic will face a qualifier or lucky loser.

Meanwhile a blockbuster Round 1 looms in the women’s draw with slam finalists squaring off and a tricky return for Naomi Osaka.

The former Australian Open champion faces No.16 seed Caroline Garcia in her return to Melbourne Park.

🏏 Jake Weatherald came in as an injury replacement for Chris Lynn and proceeded to play arguably the best knock of BBL13 to guide the Strikers to a big win over the Hurricanes. 

Weatherald blasted nine fours and five towering sixes in his 80 not out off just 32 balls including a six to win the game with 4.1 overs to spare.

📺 beIN SPORTS announced a partnership with Amazon which will give Prime Video customers in Australia access to European club football competitions, ATP and WTA tennis, Premier League club channels and more!

👨🏼‍🍳 Min Woo Lee has signed a clothing deal with Lululemon, the first deal the brand has made with a Men’s PGA Tour pro. #Limhimcook.

Pre-Season Injuries / Absentees

🏉 The Dragons are reportedly set to cut new recruit Ronald Volkman from the squad after a routine medical exam revealed he needs season-ending shoulder surgery.

The day went from bad to worse for the Dragons, with Corey Allen suffering a suspected ACL injury at training. If a complete tear confirmed would be facing likely reconstruction surgery and 6-9 months recovery time.

🏉 Eels up-and-comer Richard Penisini will miss the entire 2024 season after suffering an ACL injury.

It’s a devastating blow for the 18-year-old, who played SG Ball, Jersey Flegg and also made his New South Wales Cup debut last season.

The club also gave an update on Ryan Matterson (quad) and Wiremu Greig (quad). Matterson has returned to full training, while Greig will do so too in the coming weeks.

Meanwhile, Clint Gutherson (knee), Junior Paulo (toe), Makahesi Makatoa (pectoral) and Daejarn Asi (finger) are all expected to be fit for Round 1.

🇦🇺 Melbourne superstar Clayton Oliver has been given extended leave from the club and did not return for pre-season training for personal reasons.

The midfielder battled a hamstring injury throughout the 2023 season and was in dispute with club over how it was treated.

“Clayton has personal issues that he has been dealing with. Clayton has been working extremely closely with his personal medical team, and with the support of key club staff, in order to manage these challenges,” Demons General Manager of AFL Performance Alan Richardson said.

🎾 John Millman has choked back tears thanking his loyal fans after the self-confessed tennis "battler" played the final match of his storied 18-year professional career.

The one-time US Open quarter-finalist and fan favourite lost 6-4 6-3 to Slovakia's Alex Molcan in the second round of Australian Open qualifying on Thursday.

The defeat denied the 34-year-old a chance to bow out on one of Melbourne Park's show courts during the Open proper - but Millman was typically OK with finishing up on humble court No.3.

🎾 Australian wildcard Dane Sweeny [think of Golf’s Cam Smith playing Tennis] is one win away from a maiden grand slam appearance after he toppled his seeded Italian opponent in straight sets in qualifying at Melbourne Park.

Sweeny won the first set in a dogged 85-minute bout before he stormed home to defeat world no. 119 Luca Nardi 7-6 (7-2), 6-2 in the second round of the play-in tournament.

🌎 WORLD SPORTS NEWS

⚽️ Real Madrid are assessing the prospect of signing Manchester City and Norway striker Erling Haaland, 23, because of concerns about whether France forward Kylian Mbappe, 25, will leave Paris St-Germain to join them.

⛳️ Rory McIlroy says a "world tour" is his "dream scenario" amid ongoing talks aimed at ending the split that has dominated men's golf in recent years.

Golf's future remains uncertain with merger talks between the PGA Tour and the Public Investment Fund, which bankrolls LIV Golf, ongoing.

McIlroy says he would like to see a global tour with more events in Australia, South Africa and Japan.

🐯 Seeing Tiger Woods hit driver from his knees 250 yards gives me hope he will win again.

🏈 Following the news of Coach Pete Carroll leaving as head coach of the Seattle Seahawks.

Bill Belichick and the New England Patriots are expected to part ways after a remarkable 24 seasons together, ending an unmatched run in NFL history that included six Super Bowl titles, league sources told ESPN.

Meanwhile, Nick Saban, one of college football's coaching greats who won seven national championships and turned Alabama back into a national powerhouse that included six of those titles, announced his retirement Wednesday after 17 seasons in Tuscaloosa.

🏀 Victor Wembanyama looked like the biggest playmaker in the world, setting up teammates with slick passes on the break and in the post.

The 7-foot-3 French rookie phenom had 16 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists for his first NBA triple-double, leading the San Antonio Spurs to a 130-108 victory over the Detroit Pistons.

🏏 Tom Curran’s controversial Big Bash League campaign is over, with the Sydney Sixers all-rounder ruled out of the remainder of the T20 tournament due to a knee injury. Good work if you can get it; $100k per wicket, $50k per run.

📺 LIVE SPORTS ON TV

TODAY

11:00 - NHL - New York Islanders v Toronto Maple Leafs (ESPN 2)

11:00 - PGA TOUR - Sony Open in Hawaii, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

11:30  - NBA - Milwaukee Bucks v Boston Celtics (ESPN)

13:30 - Men's NCAA - Santa Clara Broncos v Gonzaga Bulldogs (ESPN)

14:00 - NBA - Los Angeles Lakers v Phoenix Suns (ESPN)

14:00 - Men's Super Smash - Northern Brave v Auckland Aces (Fox Cricket)

15:00 - Men's NCAA - Oregon State Beavers v Stanford Cardinal (ESPN 2)

17:10 - T20 Series - New Zealand v Pakistan (Fox Sports)

17:30  - NBL - New Zealand Breakers v Melbourne United (ESPN)

17:30 - A-League Men -  Macarthur FC Bulls v Western United FC (Paramount+)

19:15 - Big Bash League - Sydney Sixers v Sydney Thunder (Fox Cricket or Channel 7)

19:30 - NBL - Tasmania JackJumpers v Illawarra Hawks (ESPN)

20:15 - A-League Men - Melbourne City v Western Sydney Wanderers (Paramount+)

SATURDAY

00:30 - SA20 - Paarl Royals v Pretoria Capitals (Fox Cricket)

11:00 - PGA TOUR -  Sony Open in Hawaii, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

11:30 - NBA - Philadelphia 76ers v Sacramento Kings (ESPN)

12:00 - NHL - Minnesota Wild v Philadelphia Flyers (ESPN 2)

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

14:00 - Men's Super Smash - Wellington Firebirds v Central Stags (Fox Sports)

16:15 - Big Bash League - Perth Scorchers v Brisbane Heat (Fox Cricket)

17:15 - A-League Men - Central Coast Mariners v Melbourne Victory (10 Bold or Paramount+)

17:30 - NBL - Cairns Taipans v Adelaide 36ers (ESPN)

19:30 - Big Bash League - Melbourne Renegades v Melbourne Stars (Fox Cricket)

20:00 - NBL - Perth Wildcats v South East Melbourne Phoenix (ESPN)

20:00 - A-League Men - Adelaide United v Sydney FC (10 Bold or Paramount+)

22:30 - Asian Cup - Australia v India (Channel 10 or Paramount+)

22:30 - SA20 - Joburg Super Kings v MI Cape Town (Fox Sports)

23:00 - SA20 - Joburg Super Kings v MI Cape Town (Fox Cricket)

23:30 - Premier League - Chelsea v Fulham (Optus Sport 1)

SUNDAY

02:30 - SA20 - Sunrisers Eastern Cape v Durban Super Giants (Fox Cricket)

04:30 - Premier League - Newcastle United v Manchester City (Optus Sport 1)

04:30  - Spanish La Liga - Athletic Club v Real Sociedad (Optus Sport 2)

05:00  - NHL - Washington Capitals v New York Rangers (ESPN 2)

08:30  - AFC Wild - Houston Texans v Cleveland Browns (7mate, ESPN)

10:30 - Men's Super Smash - Auckland Aces v Otago Volts (Fox Cricket)

11:00 - PGA TOUR - Sony Open in Hawaii, Round 3 (Fox Sports)

12:00  - AFC Wild -  Kansas City Chiefs v Miami Dolphins (7mate, ESPN)

14:00 - NBL - Brisbane Bullets v Illawarra Hawks (10 Peach, ESPN 2)

16:00 - NBL - Sydney Kings v New Zealand Breakers (10 Peach, ESPN 2)

17:10 - T20 Series - New Zealand v Pakistan (Fox Sports)

19:15 - Big Bash League - Sydney Thunder v Adelaide Strikers (Fox Cricket or Channel 7)

19:45 - A-League Men - Brisbane Roar v Newcastle Jets (Paramount+)

19:45 - A-League Men - Perth Glory v Wellington Phoenix (Paramount+)