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- 🗞 Players love this place
🗞 Players love this place
G'day,
Classic quote: "This is a really lovely horse, I once rode her mother" - Ted Walsh (racing commentator).
In today's edition of Sport Journal:
⚽️ Majority stake in Perth Glory sold
⛳️ New Golf League proposal
💲 US sports franchises rocket in value
⚽️ Football
Perth Glory to be sold to UK-based cryptocurrency group
A-League deal subject to approval from FFA
London Football Exchange hope to acquire other clubs
A "very emotional" Perth Glory owner Tony Sage says he is close to finalising a deal to sell the majority of his stake in the A-League club to a London-based cryptocurrency group, but has assured fans the club's name, colours and "heritage" will be retained.
Sage has previously said the firm would be buying an 80% stake in the club while he would retain the other 20% and stay on as chairman.
The sale is subject to FFA approval but LFE founder Jim Aylward said it was the first step in the company’s ambitions to acquire at least seven professional football clubs around the globe.
According to their website, The London Football Exchange is the world's first football club stock exchange that will allow fans, traders and investors to acquire shares.(ABC)
Matildas draw with China in Olympics qualifier
Matildas star Emily van Egmond has struck an added-time screamer to salvage a 1-1 draw in their Olympic qualifying clash with China in Sydney.
When the Steel Roses broke the deadlock in the 86th minute through Tang Jiali, Australia was staring down the barrel of a shock loss.
But fresh off a maiden international hat-trick in Monday's 6-0 rout of Thailand, Van Egmond came to Australia's rescue by blasting a 20-yard belter into the top left corner in the second minute of injury time.
It means the Matildas finish above China on goal difference in Group B, thus avoiding a dangerous home-and-away play-off against world number 20 South Korea.
They next face Vietnam in a home-and-away play-off for a spot at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics (ABC)
A-League Previews
Adelaide United's three-match winning stretch was brought to a crashing halt last week and the Reds aim to get their Finals Series bid back on track against the Central Coast Mariners. (match preview)
Wellington Phoenix will want to prove their Distance Derby loss to Perth Glory was a mere blip when they take on Hyundai A-League high-flyers Melbourne City at Eden Park in Auckland. (match preview)
Carl Robinson will take charge of his first match in charge of Newcastle Jets when they head to Bankwest Stadium to take on Western Sydney Wanderers on Saturday night. (match preview)
There should be some added spice to Western United FC’s home clash with Brisbane Roar in Ballarat on Sunday in the final match of Round 19. (match preview)
🏉 NRL
We keep hearing that an NRL team won’t be a success in Perth.
Certainly those are the views of ARL Commission boss Peter V’landys:
There are worries about the welfare of players due to five-hour flight times to Western Australia.
As V'landys said last year: “Perth does not have a huge [rugby] league audience.”
which was particularly striking was V’landys’ suggestion that the game should: “Forget wasting millions in rusted-on AFL states.” (Foxsports)
Also read: 'Players love the place': Perth businessman heads new bid for NRL team in west (smh)
Knightmare! Newcastle plot to pinch Tyson Frizell leaves Dragons fans in tears
The Newcastle Knights are attempting to land the signature of NSW and Australian backrower Tyson Frizell on a three-year deal for 2021 and beyond.
The Knights have met with Frizell’s camp and discussed tabling a three-year offer to try and convince the champion forward to leave St George Illawarra.
The Dragons are still very much at the negotiating table and intend to try and retain Frizell in the Red V.
St George Illawarra have also officially tabled Frizell an offer.
Since joining the Dragons in 2013 from Cronulla, he has become one of the best back-rowers in the Telstra Premiership, playing 14 Tests for the Kangaroos and 11 Origins for NSW.
He recently told NRL.com that the "sooner I can get [negotiations] out of the way the better it is for myself and for the club as well".
Folau primed for Super League debut
Ex-Wallaby Israel Folau is ready to make his Super League debut next Saturday after being included in the Catalan Dragons’ 21-man squad to face Castleford.
Israel Folau will have a Tongan jersey waiting for him if he restrains himself from "crazy" social media posts and returns to peak form, according to another controversial rugby league star, Andrew Fifita. (ABC)
🇺🇸 USA
American sports team's value rocket
The average NBA franchise is now valued at $2.12 billion, per Forbes — a figure that has grown 476% in the past decade.
Why it matters: Thanks to the NBA's international growth and the $24 billion TV deal it signed with ESPN and Turner in 2014, team values have grown at a much faster rate than the other three major U.S. sports leagues.
NBA: 476% growth
MLB: 262% growth
NHL: 192% growth
NFL: 179% growth
Most valuable teams: The Knicks ($4.6 billion) grabbed the top spot for the fifth straight year, followed by the Lakers ($4.4 billion) and Warriors ($4.3 billion). Among all American sports, only the Cowboys ($5.5 billion) and Yankees ($4.6 billion) can rival them. (Axios)
QB who threw 30 interceptions last year just got eye surgery.
In an off-season update that sounds like a joke, Jameis Winston, the quarterback responsible for the most interceptions in the NFL in 2019, has undergone LASIK surgery.
Winston, who has struggled with nearsightedness throughout his career, seemingly decided now was the time to fix the longstanding issue as his NFL future remains a mystery.
After throwing a league-high 30 interceptions for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last season, Winston “didn’t want to count out any options that he had that could possibly help him with the game he loves so much”, his publicist told (ESPN)
🏉 Rugby
Awful ‘aquatic style’ Kiwi rugby jerseys savaged by media and fans
The environmentally friendly sentiment behind New Zealand’s ‘alternate’ Super Rugby strips is great. The problem? They don’t look too good.
The Waratahs have won the last five matches against the Rebels in Melbourne and the Rebels have not won in these matches at home since 2013. Despite the stats, the Waratahs are (-4) on the handicap. Predicted points difference on 'extra time media' model Rebels (1 by point) (Extratime)
Brumbies v Highlanders
The Brumbies have played the Highlanders 23 times in Super rugby since 1996 and the Brumbies have won 12 matches, lost 11 times and drawn none.
The average score when the Brumbies play the Highlanders in Canberra is : Brumbies 31 Highlanders 20.
The Highlanders have won the last two matches against the Brumbies in Canberra and the home side have not won in the city in these matches since 2015. The Brumbies are (-5) on the handicap.
Predicted points difference on 'extra time media' model Brumbies (5)
Jaguares v Reds
The Jaguares 2 wins out of 3 matches gives them a record of winning 67% of their matches against the Reds regardless of venue.
The average score when the Jaguares play the Reds in Buenos Aires is : Jaguares 14 Reds 13.
Both teams have won one and lost one in Buenos Aires but the Reds won the last match so the Jaguares have not won at home in these matches since 2017. The Jaguares are (-12) on the handicap.
Predicted points difference on 'extra time media' model Jaguares (18)
⛳️ Golf
Former world number one Tiger Woods has been approached by the organisers of the Premier Golf League - a proposed competition to rival the PGA Tour.
The grand prix-style, 18-event world tour would feature 48 top players and have a huge prize-fund.
"My team's aware of it and have delved into the details of it," said the 15-time major winner.
"There's a lot of information that we're still looking at and whether it's a reality or not." (BBC)
🎾 Tennis
Sinner Shines For First Top 10 Win In Rotterdam
Jannik Sinner struck 27 winners and closed out his first Top 10 victory in style on Thursday at the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament. The 18-year-old wild card overcame World No. 10 and 2017 runner-up David Goffin 7-6(7), 7-5 and will next play Pablo Carreno Busta of Spain in the quarter-finals at the Rotterdam Ahoy.
"I feel great, especially now in this moment," said Sinner. "It was not easy playing against him. He is very solid, so you sometimes go for a winner, or change the rhythm. It feels like a normal victory, [but] sometimes you play [matches] better than others. It’s all about improving and testing where you are [as a player]."
Elsewhere, Andrey Rublev extended his excellent start to the 2020 ATP Tour season by recording his 13th win in 14 matches. The seventh-seeded Russian improved to 3-0 in his ATP Head2Head against Alexander Bublik with a 7-5, 6-3 win over 80 minutes, which included winning five straight games from 4-5 in the first set to a 2-0 lead in the second set.
🏏 Cricket
Three beach properties and $18m in savings: Michael Clarke’s shock divorce revealed
Former Australian cricket captain Michael Clarke and wife Kyly are getting divorced after more than seven years of marriage.
The couple have agreed on a financial settlement and on arrangements to co- parent their four-year-old daughter Kelsey Lee, The Australian reports.
“After living apart for some time, we have made the difficult decision to separate as a couple, amicably,” they told the newspaper in a joint statement.
Australia v India, T20 tri-series: Hosts win final by 11 runs
T20 tri-series final, Junction Oval, Melbourne
Australia 155-6 (20 overs): Mooney 71*, Sharma 2-30, Gayakwad 2-32
India 144 (20 overs): Mandhana 66, Jonassen 5-12, Vlaeminck 2-32Australia won by 11 runs
Beth Mooney hit an unbeaten 71 from 54 balls before Rachael Haynes made 18 off seven balls to help the hosts to 155-6.
Smriti Mandhana replied with 66 from just 37 balls as India moved to within 41 runs of victory with 35 balls and seven wickets remaining.
But Jess Jonassen claimed 5-12 as India collapsed to 144 all out, losing their last seven wickets for just 29 runs.
Back on Monday!
📺 Weekend Sport
Friday:
🏌🏻♂️ PGA Tour - Genesis Open, Round 1 (6am)
🎯 PDC Premier League Darts, Round 2 (6am)
🏉 Super League - Wigan Warriors v Toronto Wolfpack (6:45am)
🏀 NBA Regular Season (from 11am)
🏏 Sheffield Shield Group Games - Southern Redbacks v Western Australia & Queensland Bulls v Tasmania Tigers (11am)
🚘 NASCAR Daytona Duel 1 (11am)
🏉 Super W - Rebels v NSW Waratahs (4:35pm)
🏉 Super Rugby - Blues v Crusaders (5pm)
🏉 NRL Nines, Day 1 (7:05pm)
🏉 Super Rugby - Rebels v Waratahs (7:15pm)
⚽️ A-League - Adelaide United v Central Coast Mariners (7:30pm)
🐴 Open Pacers - NZ Breeders Stakes (7:37pm)
🇦🇺 AFLW - Western Bulldogs v Melbourne Demons (7:40pm)
Saturday:
🏌🏻♂️ PGA Tour - Genesis Open, Round 2 (6am)
🏄🏻♂️ Australian Board-riders Battle, Newcastle Beach, Day 1 (7:45am)
🏀 NBA All Star Week - NBA All Star Week (11am)
🏉 NRL Nines, Day 2 (1:20pm)
🐴 Black Caviar Lightning Stakes - Group 1 (4:10pm)
⚽️ A-League - Wellington Phoenix v Melbourne City (5pm)
⚽️ W-League - Sydney FC Women v W. Syd. Wanderers Women (5pm)
🏉 Super Rugby - Hurricanes v Sharks (5:05pm)
🏀 NBL - Brisbane Bullets v Cairns Taipans (5:30pm)
🇦🇺 AFLW - West Coast Eagles v Fremantle Dockers (7:10pm)
🏉 Super Rugby - Brumbies v Highlanders (7:15pm)
⚽️ A-League - Western Sydney Wanderers v Newcastle Jets (7:30pm)
🚘 Asian Le Mans Series, Round 3 (8pm)
🏅 Greyhounds Group 1's - The Meadows, (VIC) (8pm)