🗞 He has no idea

August 25, 2020

G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: “I’ve been sent off so many times that when I am in the front yard doing the gardening and the postie goes by and blows his whistle, I just get up and go and have a shower” - Noel ‘Ned’ Kelly had ‘colourful’ career, to say the least

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🇦🇺 Latest trade news and previews

🏉 Seibold officially gone and high speed front-rower

⚽️ A-League Semi-Finals

...and much more!

🇦🇺 AFL

Mitch Cleary and Cal Twomey with all the latest trade news.

Thursday Previews

Hawthorn (2.30) v Essendon (1.65): After enduring a number of barren weeks, Hawthorn and Essendon will go in search of a much-needed win when they face off at the Adelaide Oval.

  • Essendon have won 6 of their last 8 matches as favourite by 1-39pts (2.0)

  • Five of Hawthorn's last 6 matches have gone OVER total points line (122.5)

Richmond (1.73) v West Coast Eagles (2.10): West Coast’s six-game run at Optus Stadium has finally come to an end as they now travel back over to Queensland to face the Tigers.

  • Seventeen of West Coast's last 23 interstate matches have gone UNDER total points line (123.5)

  • Jake Aarts has kicked 2+ goals in Richmond's last 3 matches at the Metricon Stadium

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🏉 NRL

Coach departs in second year of five-year contract. After exiting the finals last year with a record-breaking 58-0 loss to the Eels, the Broncos were then beaten 59-0 by the Roosters this year to collect another unwanted record.

The Broncos are in 15th position on the NRL ladder and on course for the worst finish in their 32-year history.

Thursday Preview: Eels (1.42) v Rabbitohs (2.85): Niukore suspended; Johnston out. (match preview)

  • Clint Gurtherson has scored in Parramatta's last two matches against South Sydney (13.0 to score 1st)

  • Parramatta's last 4 matches have gone UNDER total match points (37.5)

🏃🏽‍♂️💨 Defying what any normal 112-kilogram front-rower could do, Josh Papalii reached 31.7km/h in his 60-metre pursuit of Fogarty, according to Telstra Tracker data.

⚽️ Football

Lionel Messi tells Barcelona he wants to leave the club

Lionel Messi has told Barcelona he wants to leave the club after nearly two decades with the Spanish giants. Where he's idolised and has amassed 444 goals in 485 games.

The club confirmed to The Associated Press that the Argentine sent a document expressing his desire to leave.

A quick look at the transfer market favourites to sign him:

  • Man City (3.0)

  • Inter Milan (4.50)

  • PSG (8.0)

  • Newells Old Boys (his youth club) (17.0)

  • To team up with Ronaldo at Juventus (21.0)

⚽️ 👊🏻 Suspended sentence for Manchester United captain

Harry Maguire has been given a suspended sentence of 21 months and 10 days in prison after his trial on the Greek island of Syros.

The England defender, 27, was found guilty of repeated bodily harm, attempted bribery, violence against public employees and insult after arrest on Mykonos.

A-League Semi-Finals

Tonight: Melbourne City (1.98) v Western United (3.65): 5pm AEST (match preview)

Venue: Bankwest Stadium

An all-Melbourne Semi-Final contest which City approach with great confidence after their three league meetings with United throughout the season.

  • Western United are undefeated in their four Hyundai A-League games at Bankwest Stadium (W3, D1).

  • Melbourne City have lost four of their last five finals fixtures in the Hyundai A-League.

Tonight: Sydney FC (1.92) v Perth Glory (3.85): 8.10pm AEST (match preview)

Venue: Bankwest Stadium

Sydney FC have won 12 of their last 14 A-League games against Perth Glory (D1, L1), and have defeated them in both of their previous two post-season encounters in the competition.

  • No sixth-place finisher (Perth) has ever lifted the A-League Championship

  • Sydney FC are seeking to write their own legacy and become the first A-League club to claim five Championships

⛹🏻‍♀️ Super Netball

Result: West Coast Fever 71-57 Collingwood Magpies: Powered by a 62 point performance from Jhaniele Fowler and a huge defensive game from Courtney Bruce, the West Coast Fever have beaten the Collingwood Magpies by 14 points. (match report)

Result: Giants Netball 66-65 Queensland Firebirds: A last second Caitlin Bassett goal lifted GIANTS Netball over the Queensland Firebirds by one goal in Tuesday night thiller.

Today (5pm AEST): NSW Swifts v Sunshine Coast Lightning: These two teams are so evenly matched, it’s almost a coin flip to say who will win. It’s been a grind for both sides so far this season and neither have been putting their opponents to the sword. Expect a close one.

Today (7:30pm AEST): Adelaide Thunderbirds vs Melbourne Vixens: The Vixens have looked pretty much faultless so far at the top of the ladder. (5W 1L). However, that one defeat was at the hands of tonight's opponents. Can the Thunderbirds pull off another shock?

🐴 Racing

🥊 Boxing

'A f---ing joke': Jeff Fenech lays into Horn's 'idiot' trainer ahead of Tszyu super-fight

Both Horn and Tszyu cleared the scales on Tuesday afternoon giving the green light to the all-Australian battle for supremacy, but it wasn't without its controversy.

Horn went missing when it came time for him to step onto the scales prompting a frantic few minutes for Rushton and his camp.

"Anyone seen Jeff?" announcer Andy Raymond asked, while Tszyu waited on his own on stage after making weight. "Wake up, Jeff."

He was reportedly spending his final few minutes in the sauna when Rushton called him to the scales, claiming it was the "easiest" he's ever made weight.

Australian boxing legend Jeff Fenech of Horne's trainer: "I don't say this in a disrespectful way, but in a real honest way: he has no idea.

"He holds the pads, and Jeff Horn doesn't even hit them … I watched it a couple of weeks ago, and I was like, 'Is this a f---ing joke?' He's not even hitting the pads. He's hitting him on the arms, on the forearms, on the chest; it's just crazy."

Jeff Horn and Tim Tszyu will finally get in the ring on Wednesday night (AEST) to decide who the No. 1 man in Australian boxing truly is.

🌎 International

🏏 England v Pakistan: Match drawn

England 583-8 dec; Crawley 267, Buttler 152, Pakistan 273 & 187-4

Jimmy Anderson became the quickest fast-bowler to reached the milestone of 600 test wickets; it only took him six more balls than spinner Muralitharan (33,717), Shane Warne took (34,919) to reach 600 test wickets.

Speaking of Warne, this is gold from the sky sports comms!

🏀 👀 Lebron watch: To add on to LeBron's resume, he has become the first and only player to put up 7,000 playoff points, a perfect Kobe tribute after being the only to score 6,000. Michael Jordan is next on the list with 5987.

🚘 Indy 500: Takuma Sato wins race, Fernando Alonso finishes 21st

Japanese ex-Formula 1 driver Takuma Sato won the Indianapolis 500 as Fernando Alonso's hopes faded not long after half distance.

Alonso was 15th when he lost a lap to a car problem with 75 laps to go. The double world champion, who returns to F1 in 2021, finished 21st.

🃏 A new record for the sale of a trading card

A rare Mike Trout autographed rookie card sold for $3.94 million this past weekend, setting a new record for the sale of a trading card. The sale is the latest example of the rising popularity — and price — of trading cards.

The Trout card was previously purchased in 2018 on eBay for $400,000 by Dave Oancea, a Las Vegas-based sports betting consultant. profit

📺 Live sport

Today

🏀 06:00 (TBC) NBA Playoffs - Denver Nuggets v Utah Jazz

🏏 07:30 - Caribbean Premier League - Jamaica Tallawahs v Guyana Amazon Warriors (Fox Cricket)

⛳️ 08:00 - PGA Tour Champions, Charles Schwab Series (Fox Sports)

⚾️ 08:40 - MLB - Tampa Bay Rays v Baltimore Orioles (Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 09:30 - MLS - Philadelphia Union v New York Red Bulls (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 10:00 - MLS - Montreal Impact v Vancouver Whitecaps (BeIN Sports 2)

🏀 11:00 - NBA Playoffs - Los Angeles Clippers v Dallas Mavericks (ESPN 1)

⚾️ 11:45 - MLB - San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Dodgers (Sky Sports 3)

⚽️ 17:00 - A-League Semi-Final - Melbourne City v Western United FC (Fox Sports More)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 17:00 - Super Netball - NSW Swifts v Sunshine Coast Lightning (Telstra TV)

🥊 19:00 - Junior Middleweight - Jeff Horn v Tim Tszyu (Kayo Sports or Main Event or Fox Sports)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 19:30 - Super Netball - Adelaide Thunderbirds v Melbourne Vixens (Telstra TV)

⚽️ 20:00 - J1 League - Vissel Kobe v Kawasaki Frontale (Optus Sport 2) 

⚽️ 20:00 - K League 1 - Seongnam FC v Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 20:10 - A-League Semi-Final - Sydney FC v Perth Glory (Fox Sports More)

⚽️ 20:30 - J1 League - Yokohama F. Marinos v Consadole Sapporo (Optus Sport 3)

Thursday

🏏 00:00 - Caribbean Premier League - St. Lucia Zouks v Trinbago Knight Riders (Fox Cricket)

🎾 01:00 - WTA Tour Premier 5, WTA Western & Southern Open, Quarter-Finals, Day 5 (BeIN Sports 3)

🏉 03:00 - English P'ship - Leicester Tigers v London Irish (Fox Sports More)

🏉 03:00 - English P'ship - Saracens v Gloucester Rugby (Fox Sports)

🏉 03:00 - English P'ship - Worcester Warriors v Harlequins (Fox Sports)

🎾 03:00 - ATP Masters 1000, ATP Western & Southern Open, Quarter-Finals, Day 5 (ESPN 2)

🎯 03:30 - Premier League Darts (Fox Sports)

🏀 03:30 - NBA Playoffs - Indiana Pacers v Miami Heat (Sky Sports 2)

🏉 04:45 - English P'ship - Northampton Saints v Bath Rugby (Fox Sports More) 

🏀 06:00 - NBA Playoffs - Milwaukee Bucks v Orlando Magic (Sky Sports 2)

🏏 07:30 - Caribbean Premier League - Barbados Tridents v Jamaica Tallawahs (Fox Cricket)

⛳️ 08:00 - PGA Tour Champions, Charles Schwab Series (Fox Sports)

⚾️ 08:05 - MLB - Washington Nationals v Philadelphia Phillies (Sky Sports 3)

🏀 08:30 - NBA Playoffs - Houston Rockets v Oklahoma City Thunder (ESPN 1)

🏀 10:00 - WNBA - Los Angeles Sparks v Minnesota Lynx (SBS Viceland)

⚽️ 10:00 - MLS - Inter Miami CF v Atlanta United (BeIN Sports 1)

🏀 11:00 - NBA Playoffs - Los Angeles Lakers v Portland Trail Blazers (ESPN 1)

⚽️ 11:30 - MLS - Real Salt Lake v Los Angeles FC (BeIN Sports 2)

⚾️ 11:40 - MLB - Arizona Diamondbacks v Colorado Rockies (Sky Sports 3)

⚾️ 11:45 - MLB - San Francisco Giants v Los Angeles Dodgers (ESPN 2)

⚽️ 12:30 - MLS - San Jose Earthquakes v Portland Timbers (BeIN Sports 3) 

⚽️ 13:00 - MLS - LA Galaxy v Seattle Sounders (BeIN Sports 1)

🇦🇺 16:40 - AFL - Hawthorn Hawks v Essendon Bombers (Fox Footy)

🇦🇺 19:10 - AFL - Richmond Tigers v West Coast Eagles (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 19:50 - NRL - Parramatta Eels v South Sydney Rabbitohs (Fox League or Nine)

⛳️ 21:00 - European Tour, UK Championship (Fox Sports)