🗞 Setting the Tone

G'day sports fans,

Hump day, let’s get it: “Winning isn’t everything, but it beats anything that comes in second.” — Paul “Bear” Bryant.

🏀 The Boomers' basketball World Cup campaign is back on track, Xavier Cooks setting the tone in a 109-89 defeat of Japan that sealed their path to the second round.

A shock loss to Germany on Sunday meant the world No.3 had to beat the hosts in Okinawa to avoid dropping into the classification for places 17 and below.

Reigning NBL MVP Cooks ensured that was never likely, dominating around the rim with 24 points and 14 rebounds off the bench as the Boomers notched their highest-ever World Cup total.

If New Zealand lose to Greece on Wednesday it will also mean Australia secures qualification for next year's Olympics as the highest-finishing Oceania team.

⚽️ Western Sydney Wanderers booked their place in the Quarter Finals of the Australia Cup with an emphatic 5-1 win over Adelaide United. (keepup)

🏉 Judiciary recap: Sydney Roosters forward Jared Waerea-Hargreaves [Swysh] and Canberra's Corey Horsburgh have been hit with monster bans after failing in their bids to challenge judiciary charges.

Waerea-Hargreaves has been suspended for seven matches on two charges and will not play again until next season, while Horsburgh's [Swysh] season is over unless the Raiders make the grand final.

🎶 Robbie Williams singing 'I'M LOVING BIG ANGE INSTEAD' 🤣 (Twitter)

🎾 Aussies at the US Open: Alex De Minaur’s opening match gets underway at 06:10 AEST. Thanasi Kokkinakis is currently 2-1 down to Y. Hsu of Taipei.

• Women’s Qualifier Olivia Gadecki went down 2-1 to Russian Mirra Andreeva.

• Jason Kubler went out (walkerover), & Aleksander Vukic lost in 3 sets to Zverev.

• Chris O’Connell however did progress, beating fellow Aussie Max Purcell in 4 sets.

🏉 The NRL has congratulated Belinda Sharpe and Kasey Badger, who will make officiating history in Round 27 as the first females to referee in the NRL under the single referee system.

🇦🇺 Less than a week after their season came to a close, the Western Bulldogs have commenced their list clean out, starting with injured utility Mitch Hannan.

As per reports from the Kennel on Tuesday evening, the 29-year-old was told he would not be offered a contract for the 2024 season.

🏉 Official team lists, updates and injury news for Round 27 (Team Lists)

• Broncos: Reece Walsh, Herbie Farnworth, Selwyn Cobbo, Ezra Mam, Billy Walters, Payne Haas and Kurt Capewell are all being rested.

• Storm: Craig Bellamy is resting Nick Meaney, Marion Seve, Xavier Coates, Cameron Munster, Christian Welch, Nelson Asofa-Solomona.

• Rabbitohs: With Latrell Mitchell suspended, Blake Taaffe is set to play fullback.

• Panthers: Dylan Edwards, Sunia Turuva, Mitch Kenny and Scott Sorensen are all back on deck

🇦🇺 Sydney have re-signed key forward Hayden McLean on a four-year deal, tying him to the AFL club until the end of 2027.

The retirements of veteran forward Lance Franklin and ruckman Tom Hickey meant Sydney were desperate to re-sign Victorian McLean. (Zero Hanger)

⚽️ Saudi Arabia is planning on crashing Europe’s top soccer competition in its latest effort to increase its sports presence and relevance.

The Saudi Pro League is exploring ways to gain a spot in the UEFA Champions League, according to one of the SPL’s top executives. The SPL currently competes in the Asian Football Confederation Champions League, where it has four entrants this year.

🎾 Novak Djokovic has reclaimed the #1 ranking over Carlos Alcaraz and will begin his 390th week as #1 at the conclusion of the US Open.

Stefanos Tsitsipas also eased through into the second round of the US Open.

On the Women’s side; Both Caroline Wozniacki, and Coco Gauff cruised through. According to IBM AI draw Analysis Coco Gauff has the most favourable draw in the Woman’s singles.

🏀 Bronny James is doing 'extremely well' after going into cardiac arrest last month, according to Andy Enfield, his coach at USC, adding 'everybody is hopeful that Bronny will return to the court.'

⚽️ Talking of Baby Goats - Lionel Messi's eldest son, Thiago, has joined Inter Miami's U-12 academy team. The 10-year-old previously play for youth academies at PSG and Barcelona.

⚽️ Saudi side Al-Ittihad are ready to test Liverpool's resolve with a AU$260m bid for Mohamed Salah, despite the Reds insisting the 31-year-old Egypt forward is not for sale.

🏎️ Charles Leclerc has shared his eagerness to get behind the wheel of Ferrari’s next Formula 1 challenger after a particularly challenging weekend for the team at the Dutch Grand Prix.

“Next year’s car will not be an evolution of this year’s car like this year’s car has been compared to last year’s car, but it will be a brand-new car – different chassis with different design, different rear end to allow our aero [department] to better develop the car to achieve their targets.”

🏉 New Zealand lock Scott Barrett will face no further sanction after his red card in the record 35-7 loss to South Africa.

TODAY

12:10 - MLB - Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks (ESPN)

17:05 - NPC - Auckland Rugby v Manawatu (Stan Sport)

18:00 - Men's Basketball World Cup - South Sudan v Serbia (ESPN 2)

18:40 - Men's Basketball World Cup - United States v Jordan(ESPN)

19:00 - Awards Ceremony - AFL Awards (Fox Footy)

19:30 - ODI Cricket Asia Cup - Pakistan v Nepal (Fox Cricket)

21:30 - Men's Basketball World Cup - Slovenia v Cape Verde (ESPN 2)

22:40 - Men's Basketball World Cup - Greece v New Zealand (ESPN)

THURSDAY

02:00 - T20 Series - South Africa v Australia (Fox Cricket)

03:00 - T20 Series - England v New Zealand (Fox Sports)

09:00 - CPLT20 - Barbados Royals v Trinbago Knight Riders (Fox Cricket)

12:10 - MLB - Los Angeles Dodgers v Arizona Diamondbacks (ESPN)

19:30 - ODI Asia Cup - Sri Lanka v Bangladesh (Fox Cricket)

19:50 - NRL - Brisbane Broncos v Melbourne Storm (Fox League or Channel 9)