🗞 Rising Star

August 18, 2020

G'day sports fans,

As the NBA play-offs are underway, a classic quote: "Fans never fall asleep at our games, because they're afraid they might get hit by a pass."—George Raveling (College coach)

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🇦🇺 Lynch the goose

🏉 Proctor found guilty of biting

🏀 NBA play-offs are underway

...and much more.

These mildly witty emails don’t write themselves.

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🇦🇺 AFL

David Schwarz has teed off on Richmond star Tom Lynch for acting like a "goose" following some niggle. Lynch has been charged twice for the incident.

The Premiership profile

The measure analyses teams in 5 key statistical categories.

In the last three seasons, the premier has always met the premiership profile, while five of the six Grand Finalists have met it.

If they rank in the top five in the AFL in that area, they tick that box. If you have three or more ticks, you fit the profile.

The stats are:

✅ Points from turnover differential (how much you score from turnovers compared to your opponent);

✅ Points from forward half (how much you score from chains that start in the forward half);

✅ Points from back half (how much you score from chains that start in the back half);

✅ Opposition scores per inside 50 (how inefficient opponents are when they go inside 50 against you);

✅ Post-clearance contested possession differential (how many contested possessions you win outside of stoppages compared to your opponent).

To date; neither of the top 2 fit the profile, in fact only - West Coast, Geelong and Richmond are currently ticking the right boxes to win the flag. (Fox)

🏉 NRL

Gold Coast Titans captain suspended for four matches. He will return for the final two rounds of the regular season against Manly Sea Eagles and Newcastle Knights.

🏉 Thursday Preview: Eels (1.60) v Storm (2.35): Vunivalu, Finucane out for Melbourne (match preview)

  • Melbourne are a lone point behind first-placed Penrith, waiting to overtake them if they slip up with six games left.

  • Parramatta must win if they want to stay in the contest for the JJ Giltinan Shield.

Wests Tigers Life Member Chris Lawrence has announced his retirement from the NRL with his 15-year career set to come to an end at the conclusion of the 2020 season. He retires as one of 3 players who have represented the West Tigers in 250 games and is currently the clubs joint top try-scorer.

Official team lists, updates and injury news for the 15th round of the 2020 Telstra Premiership season.

⚽️ Football

Sydney FC Academy star Cameron Peupion set for Premier League

Sydney FC Academy star Cameron Peupion has joined Socceroos Mat Ryan and Aaron Mooy to become the third Australian playing at English Premier League club Brighton & Hove Albion.

The 17-year old has completed his move to the Seagulls having undergone a medical and agreed professional terms with the English south coast club.

In paying Sydney FC nearly $300,000 in mandatory training compensation fees, the Seagulls are making a significant investment in the young Australian who has signed a multi-year deal. (SMH)

Western United’s talismanic captain Alessandro Diamanti has claimed the Alex Tobin Award

The prestigious award is handed out to the A-League’s Player of the Year, with Fox Sport’s team of experts assigning 3,2, and 1 point(s) for each game of the regular season.

The Italian veteran has claimed 25 points from 24 games this season – handing him an unassailable lead in the standings ahead of Wednesday night’s final game of the regular season. (Fox)

⚽️A-League Today: Western United v Melbourne City FC: (match preview) Two of the A-League’s most dangerous marksmen, Jamie Maclaren (T1st 20 goals) and Besart Berisha (3rd 18 goals), go in hunt of the Hyundai A-League Golden Boot in the final match of the 2019/20 campaign.

🇪🇸 Ronald Koeman will be the new manager of Barcelona, says club president Josep Maria Bartomeu.

The 57-year-old, who is currently in charge of the Netherlands, is set to join the La Liga runners-up this week. Koeman won 4 titles and a European cup with Barcelona between 1989-95 as a player.

⛳️ Golf

The Northern Trust is a nomadic event but this year it takes in a familiar venue - TPC Boston in Massachusetts, where the Dell International was held 2003-2018.

Looking at tournament and course form - Bryson DeChambeau (13.0) immediately jumps out.

  • Last 3 winners of Northern Trust Open: 2019 - Patrick Reed -16, 2018 - Bryson DeChambeau -18, 2017 - Dustin Johnson -13.

  • Last 3 winners at this venue (Dell): 2018 - Bryson DeChambeau -16, 2017 - Justin Thomas -17, 2016 - Rory McIlroy -15.

I'd add Patrick Reed (31.0) to your shortlist, won the tournament last year and very consistent so far this year. He threw in a sneaky (-7) in the 4th round at the weekend.

🇦🇺 Australian Interest: You could make a case for both Jason Day (21.0) who finished up 4th in the PGA making it 4 top 10's in a row. While Adam Scott (40.0) is one of only 4 players who has made the Fedex finals with under 10 starts.

📺 on Twitter

👋🏼 A quick shout out to the Sport Journal Club members golf punt over the weekend. So, so close to a (569.0) double. Managed a 2nd and 2 x 3rds from the 4 picks. profit.

🐴 We're also getting great info. from our trainers and Everest race contacts.

⚽️ Join a syndicate going for $1m jackpots

If you want to get involved, hit here or the button at the bottom of the email.

🌎 International

Elina Svitolina letting off steam. Twitter: Gael Monfils

🏀 NBA Play-offs: Luka Doncic sets NBA playoff debut record but describes his performance as 'terrible'

Doncic scored a game-high 42 points - the most by any player in a playoff debut in NBA history - along with nine assists and seven rebounds while shooting 13-of-21 from the field but could not prevent the Mavericks from falling to a 118-110 defeat in their Western Conference first-round series opener.

🏀 LeBron James ready for 'toughest' postseason of his career

LeBron James is taking nothing for granted when his No 1 seeded Los Angeles Lakers take on the eighth-seeded Portland Trail Blazers in Game 1 of their first-round playoff series this morning.

"I don't take anything for granted, especially being in the NBA on my 17th season," James said. "I don't go into any season saying, 'okay, playoffs, playoffs, championship, championship'. I am all about the process.

James described preparing for a playoff campaign inside the NBA's bubble as 'the toughest one' of his career.

👋🏼 Back on Friday!

📺 Live sport

Wednesday

🏏 07:30 - Caribbean Premier League - Barbados Tridents v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (Fox Cricket or Kayo Sports)

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

🏀 09:00 - WNBA - Indiana Fever v Connecticut Sun (SBS Viceland)

⚾️ 09:05 - MLB - New York Yankees v Tampa Bay Rays (ESPN 2 or Kayo Sports)

⚾️ 10:15 - MLB Regular SeasonChicago Cubs v St. Louis CardinalsSky Sports 3

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

⛹🏻‍♀️ 17:00 - Super Netball - Collingwood Magpies Netball v Adelaide Thunderbirds (Telstra TV)

⚽️ 19:30 - A-League - Western United FC v Melbourne City (Fox Sports More or Kayo Sports)

⛹🏻‍♀️ 19:30 - Super Netball - Sunshine Coast Lightning v Giants Netball (Telstra TV)

⚽️ 20:00 - J1 League - Kawasaki Frontale v Cerezo Osaka (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 20:00 - J1 League - Shimizu S-Pulse v Yokohama F. Marinos (Optus Sport 2)

⚽️ 20:00 - J1 League - Sanfrecce Hiroshima v FC Tokyo (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 20:30 - J1 League - Consadole Sapporo v Oita Trinita (Optus Sport 4)

Thursday

⛳️ 06:00 - PGA Tour Champions - Charles Schwab Series, Round 1 (Fox Sports or Kayo Sports)

🏏 07:30 - Caribbean Premier League - Guyana Amazon Warriors v St Kitts & Nevis Patriots (Fox Cricket or Kayo Sports)

🏀 08:30 - NBA Playoffs - Boston Celtics v Philadelphia 76ers (ESPN 1 or Kayo Sports)

🏀 09:00 - WNBA - Atlanta Dream v Washington Mystics (SBS Viceland)

⚾️ 09:10 - MLB - Atlanta Braves v Washington Nationals (ESPN 2 or Kayo Sports or Sky Sports 3)

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

⚾️ 11:40 - MLB - Seattle Mariners v Los Angeles Dodgers (Sky Sports 3)

🏌🏼‍♀️ 19:30 - Major, Women's British Open, Round 1 (Fox Sports or Kayo Sports)

🏉 19:50 - NRL - Parramatta Eels v Melbourne Storm (Fox League or Kayo Sports or Nine)

⛳️ 22:30 - European Tour, Wales Open, Round 1 (Fox Sports or Kayo Sports)