G'day Sports Fans,

"We have been lacking that with the Wallabies for our first 20 minutes, so if we can bring that up and shut the Pommies up, we'll do a good job," - Wallabies winger Suliasi Vunivalu, ahead of the series decider.

🇦🇺 Aussie Sport

🏉 ICYMI: The Wests Tigers dropped a bombshell in appointing Benji Marshall as an assistant coach on a five-year deal that will see him take over from Tim Sheens as head coach in 2025.

The Tigers confirmed in a club statement that Tim Sheens will coach the club for the next two seasons, with Marshall and Robbie Farah as his assistants, before the former takes over the top job in 2025.

🏉 State of Origin Game 3 has smashed all records achieving the highest ever Live BVOD

Audience against all networks with 463,000, up +74% YoY. This equates to 56.5 million minutes

(+92% YoY) and 1.2 million stream starts (+73% YoY).

• State of Origin Game 3 was the highest rating match since Game 1 2019 with a Total TV audience of 3.048 million viewers

🏀 Australia have gone 2-0 in the Asia Cup group stage after cruising past Saudi Arabia in Jakarta.

The Boomers trailed early on Thursday afternoon and were even three points behind at quarter time, but blew their opponents away with a 24-7 second term, eventually winning 76-52.

🏎 Daniel Ricciardo says he is committed to Formula 1 and determined to stay with McLaren to the end of his contract next year.

The Australian, 33, is contracted to McLaren until the end of 2023

💉 The AFL has ended its compulsory COVID-19 vaccine mandate and will instead "strongly encourage" players to receive the jab. (ESPN)

⚽️ A trialist scored (Joe Knowles) and two young substitutes sparkled as Brisbane Roar went down swinging in a 2-1 loss to Premier League outfit Leeds United at CBUS Super Stadium.

“Brisbane Roar can be hugely pleased with their performance,” McDonald said on full-time

⚽️ After defeating Liverpool 4-0 at Thailand's Rajamangala Stadium, United flew into Melbourne on Wednesday for the next leg of their pre-season tour; set to face off with reigning Australia Cup champions Victory on Friday evening and Premier League foes Crystal Palace the following Tuesday, both at the venerable Melbourne Cricket Ground.

🇦🇺 The Swans are confident an agreement will be reached with Lance Franklin despite reports that contract talks have stalled. (nine)

🏏 Despite turning 38 just days before this summer's BBL kicks off, the veteran, O'Keefe is coming out of retirement and looking forward to his 12th season with the Sixers.

🏀 Having played just one NBA season, Australia's Josh Giddey is already one of the league's most valuable assets.

Giddey was one of 64 players to be named by The Ringer's Bill Simmons on his annual trade value list, with the Aussie coming in at No.51 in a tier labelled 'The Upside Gang'.

NRL Late Mail: Round 18 - Which Origin stars will back up? (NRL)

TEAMS: Tigers swing axe, mixed news for Dogs, Nic Nat out. Check out the teams' line-ups for round 18 (AFL)

🌍 World Sport

⛳️ American Cameron Young (-8) set an imposing clubhouse target on day one of the 150th Open Championship as Rory McIlroy’s (-6) delayed return to St Andrews proved well worth the wait.

The four-time major winner admitted this week therefore felt like the title defence he never had and he got off to a brilliant start, holing from 55 feet for birdie on the first and making seven in total in his 66.

⛳️ Two Aussies currently sit inside the Top 10, Aussie Cameron Smith in a great position (-5) & Brad Kennedy is at (-4).

⚽️ Manchester United are in advanced discussions with Ajax over defender Lisandro Martinez, and a deal could be concluded as early as the weekend.

⚽️ Manchester United's Portugal forward Cristiano Ronaldo, 37, has received an offer of 300m euros to play for two seasons for a club in Saudi Arabia. (via AS - in Spanish)

🏉 Four big series', four big deciders: Amid all the drama, debate and exploding outrage about the state of the game - or at least the way in which it is being officiated right now - never before in the professional era have we seen a slate of July Test series so keenly contested across the world.

Peter O’Mahoney took his chance to spray Sam Cane in the Second Test, with a quality sledge, “who do you think you are?”, you're just a ‘s*** Richie McCaw’.

🏀 Denver Nuggets guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope has agreed on a two-year, $30 million extension his agent, Klutch Sports CEO Rich Paul, told ESPN on Wednesday night.

👊🏻 Conor McGregor "hasn't lost a beat" and is "looking great" as he continues his recovery from injury, says his coach John Kavanagh.

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📺 ICYMI: BONUS

📺 Live sport 👇🏼

🏀 06:00 - NBA Summer League - San Antonio Spurs v Atlanta Hawks (ESPN)

⛳️ 08:00 - PGA TOUR - Barracuda Championship, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

🏀 08:00 - NBA Summer League - Charlotte Hornets v Chicago Bulls (ESPN)

⚾️ 09:15 - MLB - St. Louis Cardinals v Los Angeles Dodgers (ESPN 2)

🏀 10:00 - NBA Summer League - Milwaukee Bucks v Dallas Mavericks (ESPN)

🏀 12:00 - NBA Summer League - Minnesota Timberwolves v Brooklyn Nets (ESPN)

⛳️ 15:30 - The Open Championship, Round 2 (Fox Sports)

🏉 18:00 - NRL - North Queensland Cowboys v Cronulla Sharks (Fox League)

🇦🇺 19:50 - AFL - Western Bulldogs v St. Kilda Saints (Fox Footy or 7mate)

🏉 19:55 - NRL - Parramatta Eels v Warriors (Fox League or Channel 9)

⚽️ 20:05 - Friendly Match - Manchester United v Melbourne Victory (Paramount+ or Channel 10)

SATURDAY

🏀 07:00 - NBA Summer League - Utah Jazz v Los Angeles Clippers (ESPN)

🏀 09:00 - NBA Summer League - Golden State Warriors v Oklahoma City Thunder (ESPN)

⚾️ 09:05 - MLB - New York Yankees v Boston Red Sox (ESPN 2)

🏉 10:00 - Pacific Nations Cup - Tonga v Australia A (Stan Sport)

🏀 11:00 - NBA Summer League - Washington Wizards v Indiana Pacers (ESPN)

🏉 12:40 - NSW Cup - Blacktown Workers Sea Eagles v Newcastle Knights NSW Cup (Fox League)

🏀 13:00 - NBA Summer League - New Orleans Pelicans v Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN)

🏉 13:30 - Pacific Nations Cup - Fiji v Samoa (Stan Sport)

🇦🇺 13:45 - AFL - GWS Giants v Brisbane Lions (Fox Sports or Channel 7)

🇦🇺 13:45 - AFL - Adelaide Crows v Collingwood Magpies (Fox Footy)

🏉 14:05 - Shute Shield - Randwick Rugby v West Harbour Pirates (Stan Sport)

🏉 15:00 - NRL - Sydney Roosters v St. George Illawarra Dragons (Fox League)

🏉 15:00 - Shute Shield Regular Season - (Stan Sport) 

• Sydney University Rugby v Warringah Rugby 

• Northern Suburbs Rugby v Eastwood Rugby

• Gordon Rugby v Southern Districts Rugby

• Western Sydney Two Blues v Eastern Suburbs Rugby 

• Manly Rugby v Newcastle Wildfires 

🇦🇺 16:35 - AFL - North Melb. Kangaroos v Richmond Tigers (Fox Footy)

🏏 17:05 - Test Match - New Zealand v Ireland (Stan Sport)

🏉 17:30 - NRL - Manly Sea Eagles v Newcastle Knights (Fox League)

⛳️ 19:00 - The Open Championship, Round 3 (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 19:25 - AFL - Carlton Blues v Geelong Cats (Fox Footy)

🇦🇺 19:30 - AFL - Fremantle Dockers v Sydney Swans (Fox Sports or Channel 7)

🏉 19:35 - NRL - Gold Coast Titans v Brisbane Broncos (Fox League)

🏏 19:55 - Test Match - Australia v England (Stan Sport or Channel 9)

🏏 20:00 - T20 Blast Semi-Final - Yorkshire Vikings v Lancashire Lightning (Fox Cricket)

🏀 20:30 - Men's Asia Cup Group Game - Australia v Indonesia (ESPN)

🏏 23:30 - T20 Blast Semi-Final - Hampshire Hawks v Somerset (Fox Cricket)

SUNDAY

🏀 08:00 - The Basketball Tournament (ESPN 2)

🏉 13:00 - NSW Cup - Western Suburbs Magpies v Penrith Panthers NSW Cup (Fox League)

🇦🇺 13:10 - AFL - Hawthorn v West Coast Eagles (Fox Footy)

🏉 14:00 - NRL - Wests Tigers v Penrith Panthers (Fox League)

⚽️ 14:35 - Queensland Champions Cup - Aston Villa v Leeds United (Channel 10 or Paramount+)

🇦🇺 15:20 - AFL - Melbourne Demons v Port Adelaide Power (Fox Sports or 7mate)

🏉 16:05 - NRL - Melbourne Storm v Canberra Raiders (Fox League or Channel 9)

🇦🇺 16:40 - AFL - Essendon Bombers v Gold Coast Suns (Fox Footy)

⛳️ 18:00 - The Open Championship, Round 4 (Fox Sports)

🏉 18:15 - NRL - Canterbury Bulldogs v South Sydney Rabbitohs (Fox League)

🏏 20:00 - ODI Series - England v India (Fox Cricket)