G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: "For 10 years he was the guy to beat and, sadly, a lot of guys did" - Kiwi Golfer Frank Noobilo on Greg Norman.

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

⚽️ Messi's contract makes front page news

🏀 NBA & NBL wrap up

🐴 Watch as Idiot punter avoids horrific race tragedy

...and much more!

🎉 2021 SPORT PREDICTOR COMP

We’ve put together a list of the biggest sporting events in 2021. Get in before the Aussie Open starts 8th February.

If you haven’t already, Enter below, it’s free to play and you could win Sport Journal Merch!

• Enter your email (so we can contact you if you win)

• Name

• Then select you predictions from the list of choices for each event

• Don’t forget to hit submit

It covers all the big sporting events of the year ahead;

• 🎾 Australian Open

• 🏅 Olympics

• 🇦🇺 Grand Finals

• 🏉 Rugby League World Cup

• 🏏 T20 World Cup

Please share with your mates. Just forward this email or copy and paste this link into a WhatsApp group.

🏏 Cricket

Heat storm into Challenger after Heazlett's heroics

Brisbane boys complete remarkable turnaround off the back of lone leftie and Jimmy Peirson, downing the Thunder and booking a date with the Scorchers

The scores: Sydney Thunder 8-158 (Cutting 34*, Billings 34) lost to Brisbane Heat 3-162 (Heazlett 74*, Peirson 43*, Labuschagne 32) by seven wickets with five balls to spare

The heroes: Sam Heazlett and Jimmy Peirson were the Brisbane Heat's ice-men as the club yet again recovered from early setbacks to seal their second rollercoaster run chase in three nights.

Scorchers lose home advantage due to WA lockdown

Thursday's Challenger Final will now be played at Canberra's Manuka Oval after WA Government announced five-day lockdown.

BBL|10 Finals Series

 (all matches will screen on Channel 7, Fox Cricket & Kayo)

The Eliminator: Brisbane Heat (4) bt Adelaide Strikers (5) by six wickets

The Qualifier: Sydney Sixers (1) bt Perth Scorchers (2) by nine wickets

The Knock-Out: Brisbane Heat (4) bt Sydney Thunder (3) by seven wickets

The Challenger: Perth Scorchers (2) v Brisbane Heat. Thurs Feb 4, Manuka Oval, 7:40pm AEDT

The Final: Sydney Sixers v Winner of The Challenger. Sat Feb 6, SCG, 7.40pm AEDT.

At this stage the SCG is set to be at 50% capacity, which is about 19000, for the Big Bash Final.

⚽️ Football

A-League Wrap

Western Sydney Wanderers 1-1 Newcastle Jets: Late O'Donovan penalty secures hard-earned point for Jets against Wanderers. (match report)

Western United FC 0-0 Melbourne Victory: Melbourne Victory held on to record their first ever point against Western United as an absorbing ‘Battle of the Bridge’. (match report)

Macarthur 0-3 Sydney FC: A delightful double to 18-year-old Patrick Wood helped Sydney FC flatten 10-man Macarthur FC. (match report)

Brisbane Roar 3-1 Adelaide United: Dylan Wenzel-Halls scored twice as Brisbane Roar surged top of the A-League. (match report)

Central Coast Mariners 1-2 Wellington Phoenix: Jaushua Sotirio’s late winner completed a smash and grab raid as the Wellington Phoenix escaped with their first win of the season. (match report)

Melbourne City 1-3 Perth Glory: Perth Glory held off the Melbourne City onslaught as Nick D’Agostino’s late header clinched a resolute 3-1 away win. (match report)

Lionel 'Money' Messi

El Mundo's front page today, Leo Messi’s proposed new contract with Barcelona revealed;

• €555,237,619 contract [4 years].

• €138m per season fixed + variables.

• €115,225,000 as ‘renewal fee’ just for accepting the contract.

• €77,929,955 loyalty bonus.

...and he complains they don't buy other world class players 👀

'Astonishing conclusion'

Palmeiras win Copa Libertadores with 99th-minute goal

Substitute Breno Lopes scored a dramatic 99th-minute winner as Palmeiras beat Santos 1-0 in the final of the Copa Libertadores at the Maracana Stadium.

🐴 Racing

Idiot punter avoids horrific race tragedy

Shocking scenes at Trentham in New Zealand over the weekend after a man ran onto the track in front of oncoming horses and riders.

A 24-year-old has been arrested and charged with criminal nuisance.

Watch another angle here.

Where will Australia’s most valuable colt surface next?

Co-trainer Michael Hawkes wouldn‘t rule out heading to Melbourne with Ole Kirk for the Group 1 C F Orr Stakes on Saturday with the stable also set to nominate their gun colt for the Eskimo Prince Stakes in Sydney. (racenet)

❄️ Winter World Cup

Aussie bobsled pilot Bree Walker Bree Walker wins gold!

Walker swept the field at the World Cup in Austria, resetting her own track record!

An Aussie dominating a winter sport, you love to see it!

🎾 Tennis

Australian Open crowd caps revealed

After spending at least two weeks mostly shut up in hotel rooms, the international players made to quarantine ahead of the Australia Open have taken to social media as they celebrated their newfound freedom.

As the players are finally being released from their hotels, Victoria's Chief Health Officer on Saturday gave approval for between 25,000 to 30,000 people a day to attend the event in Melbourne next month. (abc)

Key points:

• A total of 390,000 people will attend Melbourne Park over the course of the event

• Tennis Australia CEO Craig Tiley compared quarantine with other training interruptions, like inclement weather

• The State Government says "rigorous" infection control and prevention measures will be enforced.

Aussie Dasha books showdown with Serena

Australia’s Daria Gavrilova booked a showdown with Serena Williams, to be played on Show Court 1 on Monday afternoon, after beating Viktoria Kuzmova 6-2 6-0.

The tournament is one of two WTA events being played concurrently at Melbourne Park as players prepare for the Australian Open Grand Slam starting on February 8.

Rafael Nadal raring to go

Nadal pronounced himself fit and ready to produce some magic to entertain “suffering” tennis fans around the world as they cope with the coronavirus pandemic.

The Spanish great, who can move past the injured Roger Federer’s 20 Grand Slam titles with victory at the Australian Open beginning February 8, kicks off his season representing Spain at the ATP Cup from Tuesday.

He will take to the courts of Melbourne Park after completing 14 days of quarantine in Adelaide, where he was allowed to train for up to five hours a day before an exhibition on Friday against US Open champion Dominic Thiem.

🏀 NBL

On Friday night, the Melbourne Phoenix edged out Perth Wildcats 90-89.

The Cairns Taipans put themselves in position to respond how they hoped but Nathan Sobey just wouldn’t be denied before Vic Law put the finish on a 105-103 overtime win for the Brisbane Bullets. (match report)

NBL basketball returned to Victoria and Melbourne United pulled out their best shooting to beat out a brave South East Melbourne Phoenix at Bendigo Stadium on Sunday.

United rookie Jack White (career-high 22 points) and guard Shea Ili (14 points) made some big outside shots before Boomers duo Chris Goulding (19 points) and Jock Landale (16 points) made sure of the 96-90 win in the tight final term. (match report)

The game between the Perth Wildcats, and the SKY Sport New Zealand Breakers in Round 4, at RAC Arena has been postponed.

The Breakers were unable to travel from Adelaide after a number of their travelling party reported being unwell.

🏉 NRL

🇦🇺 AFL

AFLW Post Round One Discussion Thread

Highlights:

• Carlton AFLW show solidarity with the men as the annual R1 sacrifice

• Awkward dinner in the Burke household on Friday night, as Alicia Burke gets bragging rights over her dad.

• Gold Coast and 50m penalties. Is there a more iconic duo?

• Erin Phillips still GOAT.

• North play 3 quarters against nobody, and one quarter of competitive footy against Geelong.

• Richmond continue searching for a win.

• Freo get Nam flashbacks as a game is overshadowed by lockdown.

LOL of the Week: One team this week led AFLW fans to question what would happen to a teams percentage if the opposition in Round 1 went scoreless. That's right; our first LOL of the Week is the Geelong Cats for their three quarter scoreless effort, leading into the 4th biggest losing margin in AFLW history. (Reddit)

WA Lockdown

Due to WA lockdown for the next five days West Coast Eagles and Freo Dockers players can only train one hour per day, and only with one other person.

🏉 Rugby

Rugby Australia offers to replace South Africa as hosts

Rugby Australia has offered to host this summer's British and Irish Lions series against South Africa.

The Lions are due to visit South Africa in July and August with a three-Test series against the world champions.

But issues around Covid-19, including the emergence of a new variant in South Africa, has led to uncertainty over the viability of the tour.

"We're here to help," Rugby Australia chairman Hamish McLennan told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"What we learnt from the Tri Nations last year and the tennis that's happening now is that Australia can successfully stage global tournaments in a Covid world.

McLennan says profits from the tour would be split between the Lions and South Africa, with Rugby Australia covering their costs.

What a way to Win/Lose a match. This from the French Pro D2

🇺🇸 USA

🏀 NBA Wrap

Damian Lillard hit two late three-pointers, including one on the buzzer, to give the Portland Trail Blazers a 123-122 NBA win over the Chicago Bulls.

Elsewhere, Anthony Davis marked his return from a quad injury with 27 points and 14 rebounds as the Los Angeles Lakers survived a late rally to beat the Boston Celtics 96-95.

After 10 games out because of Covid-19 protocols, Jimmy Butler scored 30 points - passing 10,000 in his career - to help the Miami Heat defeat the Sacramento Kings 105-104.

The Houston Rockets came through 126-112 over the New Orleans Pelicans,while the Charlotte Hornets were 126-114 winners over the Milwaukee Bucks and the Phoenix Suns beat the Dallas Mavericks 111-105.

The Memphis Grizzlies, after having 5 games postponed, pulled away late to beat the San Antonio Spurs 129-112.

🏈 Lions to trade Matthew Stafford to Rams for Jared Goff, two firsts

The Detroit Lions have agreed to trade Matthew Stafford to the Los Angeles Rams in exchange for Jared Goff, two first-round picks and a third-round pick, a source confirmed to The Athletic on Saturday night.

The blockbuster swap of former No. 1 overall picks cannot be completed until March 17, when the new league year opens and trades can become official.

🗞 We'll be back on Wednesday!

📺 Live sport

MONDAY

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - Roma v Hellas Verona (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - France Ligue 1 - Nantes v AS Monaco (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Barcelona v Athletic Club Bilbao (BeIN Sports 2)

🏀 07:30 - NBA - Denver Nuggets v Utah Jazz (Sky Sports 2)

🏀 11:00 - NBA - Washington Wizards v Brooklyn Nets (SBS Viceland or Sky Sports 2)

🎾 11:00 - ATP Great Ocean Road Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 11:00 - ATP Murray River Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 11:00 - WTA Gippsland Trophy, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 11:00 - WTA Yarra Valley Classic, Round 1 (9Go!)

⛷ 12:30 - X Games, Winter X Games, Day 3 (ESPN 1)

🏒 13:00 - NHL - Edmonton Oilers v Ottawa Senators (ESPN 2)

🎾 18:00 - WTA Yarra Valley Classic, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 18:00 - WTA Gippsland Trophy, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 18:00 - ATP Murray River Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 18:00 - ATP Great Ocean Road Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🏏23:00 - T10 League Group Game (Fox Cricket)

TUESDAY

⚽️ 06:45 - English Championship - Watford v Queens Park Rangers (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Real Betis v Osasuna (BeIN Sports 1)

🎾 10:00 - ATP Cup - Serbia v Canada (GEM or Nine)

🎾 10:00 - ATP Cup - Austria v Italy (GEM or Nine)

🎾 11:00 - ATP Great Ocean Road Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 11:00 - ATP Murray River Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🏒 11:00 - NHL - New York Rangers v Pittsburgh Penguins (ESPN 1)

🎾 11:00 - WTA Yarra Valley Classic, Round 2, Day 3 (9Go!)

🎾 11:00 - WTA Gippsland Trophy, Round 2, Day 3 (9Go!)

🏀 11:00 - NCAA Men's - Miami Hurricanes v Duke Blue Devils (ESPN 2)

🏀 11:30 - NBA - Atlanta Hawks v Los Angeles Lakers (SBS Viceland)

🏀 12:30 - NBA - Dallas Mavericks v Phoenix Suns (Sky Sports 2)

⛵️ 13:00 - America's Cup, The Prada Cup Semi-Finals, Race 7 (Fox Sports More)

🏀 13:00 - NCAA Men's - Texas Tech Red Raiders v Oklahoma Sooners (ESPN 2)

🎾 17:30 - ATP Cup - Spain v Australia (GEM)

🎾 17:30 - ATP Cup - Russia v Argentina (GEM)

🎾 18:00 - WTA Gippsland Trophy, Round 2 (9Go!)

🎾 18:00 - WTA Yarra Valley Classic, Round 2 (9Go!)

🎾 18:00 - ATP Murray River Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🎾 18:00 - ATP Great Ocean Road Open, Round 1 (9Go!)

🏏 23:00 - T10 League Group Game (Fox Cricket)