G'day sports fans, Adam here. I hurt my elbow pretty bad and now it's swollen up like Cameron Munster's eye-bags when he got the call from QLD.

I can't really type but wanted to make sure you got your sports fix this Wednesday morning. (excuse any typos).

I haven't had a chance to check the Melbourne Cup comp, anyone think they may have won? (will have results in Friday's mail).

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🇦🇺 The 12 biggest deals

🏉 Origin preview

🏏 Shane Watson retires

...and much more!

📷 Photo of the day

🇦🇺 AFL

Inside Trading: The 12 biggest deals of this year's Trade Period

These are some of the big-name players expected to find new homes over the next nine days.

The trade period kicks off at 9am AEDT on Wednesday and will run until 7.30pm on November 12.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, the trade period will be conducted virtually, with the AFL Review Centre (ARC) being used as the main hub.

Clubs will negotiate in virtual meetings and trades will be submitted via an online system.

Wantaway Giant and wannabe Cat Jeremy Cameron will take centre stage when the AFL trade period kicks off this morning. (continue to article)

🏉 NRL

State of Origin I: Blues fully fit; Maroons rookie cleared

NSW Blues (1.34) v QLD Maroons (3.30) - Wet weather, strong winds predicted for Origin I - Tuck it under the arm and expect plenty of high balls!

The Blues are aiming to start their own dynasty under Brad Fittler. They can become just the third NSW team to win three consecutive Origin series (after 92-94 and 2003-05).

The great Wayne Bennett is back at the helm of Queensland, taking over from Kevin Walters, who stepped aside after being appointed to coach the Broncos in the NRL, though he will remain involved.

Now as short as $1.34, New South Wales has seen steady support all year to win the series, largely due to Brad Fittler’s enviable list of talent.

If you believe in miracles, Queensland remain the value at $3.30 as Wayne Bennett hopes to pull off what would arguably be one of the greatest upsets of his storied career.

The Blues are stacked from top to bottom with last year’s Wally Lewis Medal winner James Tedesco headlining the long list of mainstays at fullback.

Last week’s Clive Churchill Medal winner Ryan Papenhuyzen has missed out on a spot through a calf injury, but the Blues certainly won’t be lacking speed with last year’s Game 2 hero Josh Addo-Carr earning a start on the wing.

The Blues do have a few new faces returning, the most noteworthy being Daniel Tupou, who will now play his first game with the squad since 2015.

As for Queensland, things are looking a little more shallow in terms of experience.

Wayne Bennett has been forced to get creative naming a handful of newcomers to the side, which could on one hand prove disastrous, or on the other, provide the Maroons the spark they desperately need.

Captain Daly Cherry-Evans is back for another year alongside other familiar faces like Cameron Munster, Dane Gagai and Josh Papalii.

Further down the list, talentedTitans youngster AJ Brimson will play his first Origin game at fullback, joining Xavier Coates, Phillip Sami, Jake Friend, Brenko Lee and Tino Fa’asuamaleaui also on debut.

🐺 ❌ Toronto Wolfpack has failed in their bid to be re-admitted to the Super League after clubs voted against allowing the Wolfpack back into the competition in 2021, putting Sonny Bill Williams’ playing future up in the air. He is open to a return to NRL but after recovering from surgery to ease pain caused by a vertebrae pressing on a nerve in his neck. (NRL)

👋🏼 Rabbitohs release James Roberts: South Sydney have confirmed James Roberts's release from the final year of his contract on compassionate grounds. (NRL)

🎾 Tennis

In case you missed it. Millmania in Kazakhstan! John Millman won the Astana Open for his first ever ATP victory, on Sunday!

⚽️ Football

Jam-packed morning

A rapid start to this year’s Champions League continues on Wednesday (AEDT), as 16 of the 32 teams kicking off match day three of the tournament.

04:55 - UEFA Champions Lge:

Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Monchengladbach (Optus Sport 3) & Lokomotiv Moscow v Atletico Madrid (Optus Sport 2)

07:00 - UEFA Champions Lge:

Atalanta (3.30) v Liverpool (2.18) on Optus Sport 2 - Salah, Mané & Jota expected to lead the line against free-flowing Atalanta.

• Jota (7.0) to continue his steak and score first.

• Over 2.5 goals have been scored in Atalanta's last six Champions League matches.

• Under 2.5 goals have been scored in Liverpool's last six Champions League matches.

FC Midtjylland v Ajax Amsterdam (Optus Sport 5)

Porto v Olympique de Marseille (Optus Sport 6)

Manchester City (1.20) v Olympiacos FC (13.0) on Optus Sport 3 -

• Over 2.5 goals have been scored in Man City's last six Champions League matches.

• Man City have won five of their last six matches in Europe.

• (1.95) Man City to win to nil

Real Madrid (1.89) v Inter Milan (3.9) (Optus Sport 1)

• Real haven’t won their last four Champions League games

• Inter have lost one of their last eight European games

• Inter double chance (win/draw 2.10)

Red Bull Salzburg v Bayern Munich (Optus Sport 4)

🤯 Lionel Messi has now gone five league games without a goal or assist. The first time since 2006/07.

🇦🇺 Aussie teen Robertson makes history

Rising star Alex Robertson has become one of only four Australians to win the FA Youth Cup after his Manchester City side claimed a 3-2 win against Chelsea on Tuesday (TWG)

🐴 Racing

Mighty McNeil steals the Cup with daring ride

Twilight Payment became the first all-the-way winner of the Melbourne Cup since Might And Power more than two decades ago when he led home an international trifecta in the great race on Tuesday.

Irish stayer Twilight Payment maintained a brutal gallop for a famous win in front of Flemington’s cavernous, empty grandstands.

Jockey Jye McNeil was riding in the race that stops the nation for the first time, and his daring catch-me-if-you-can tactics on Twilight Payment will go down in Melbourne Cup folklore just like Jim Cassidy’s memorable effort on Might And Power in 1997.

Winning owner Lloyd Williams, 80, took time out from modest celebrations at his Mornington Peninsula property to sympathise with the owners of the English Derby winner, who was catastrophically injured in the home straight.

“I am completely saddened by what happened to Anthony Van Dyck,” Williams said.

“Those boys (owners), the Magniers, (trainer) Aidan O’Brien and the Coolmore operation are great sportspeople.

“I’ve been very close to Aidan for two decades. I feel very, very sad about it.”

• Prince of Arran ($9.50) running his third successive minor placing in the Cup, charging home late to be beaten a half-length into third.

• Eight-year-old Twilight Payment joined Catalogue (1938) and Toryboy (1865) as the oldest winners of the Melbourne Cup.

• The huge betting plunge (me included) on Surprise Baby came unstuck when the $6 favourite ran only 13th.

• Runner-up Kerrin McEvoy has been fined $50,000 and suspended for the next 13 meetings for overuse of the whip in Tuesday’s race.

🏉 Rugby

Inspecting the last 50 matches since the Wallabies held the Bledisloe — www.theroar.com.au

It’s been an almighty age since the Wallabies held the Bledisloe Cup. Embarrassingly long. Against one other team (albeit, a very good one), the task is to win more games than you lose. A task that eludes the Wallabies. More often than not, it’s not even really that close. After the weekend’s performance – a […]

Calls for Rugby Australia to make all players abroad eligible for Wallabies

Critics say the All Blacks humbling makes it clear Dave Rennie does not have sufficient domestic talent at his disposal.

When the ‘golden Wallabies’ won the Bledisloe Cup five years in a row from 1998 to 2002, coaches Rod Macqueen and Eddie Jones had access to all of Australia’s leading players. The only notable faces absent during this period were the great centre pairing of Tim Horan and Jason Little, though they were at the end of their careers.

Since then the exodus overseas has increased dramatically and shows no signs of abating. The Wallabies would be a significantly stronger team with the likes of Rory Arnold, Adam Coleman, Samu Kerevi, Sean McMahon and Will Skelton.

What do you think about this?

⛳️ Golf

The Houston Open

The Houston Open marks the final event ahead of next week’s Masters in what is shaping up to be one of the strangest tournaments in recent memory.

Memorial Park hasn’t hosted a PGA Tour event since 1963, which makes betting enormously difficult with no course history or the usual facts and figures to go on.

What this year’s event will provide, however, is a decent form guide heading into Augusta with several big names like Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka and Adam Scott all in attendance.

Venue: Memorial Park Golf Course, Houston, Texas

Course Details: Par 72, 7,432

Originally designed by John Bredemus, Memorial Park, a municipal parkland course, was completely reworked last year by Tom Doak, who was assisted by Brooks Koepka.

On Koepka's advice, bunkers were reduced from 54 to 20 and many were replaced by steep slopes covered in short grass.

Last 3 winners:

• 2019 - Lanto Griffin -14 (51.0) 

• 2018 - Ian Poulter -19 150.0 (101.0)

• 2017 - Russell Henley -20 (51.0)

I like Tyrell Hatton here (although he's short) at 18.0, and I'd rather he went straight to the Masters.

🏏 Cricket

Boxing Day Test to go ahead

Cricket could still face a logistic nightmare to pull off the Boxing Day Test, if the borders to Victoria are not opened.

Staging the marquee Test at the MCG is no longer an issue now that Melbourne has come out the other side of its COVID hell, but cricket’s travelling circus must then be able to secure safe passage north into NSW and Queensland for the rest of the crackerjack Indian series to be completed as scheduled.

Cricket Australia has received positive indications that make them hopeful borders to Victoria will start opening up leading into Christmas – with NSW Premier Gladys Berejiklian suggesting the gates may be thrown open to Melbourne in a fortnight. (DT)

Shane Watson retires

Shane Watson has announced his retirement from all forms of cricket. On Tuesday, a few days after his team, Chennai Super Kings (CSK), played their last match of IPL 2020, he confirmed that he was bringing the curtain down on 20 years of professional cricket.

The 39-year-old will hang up his boots after an illustrious career during which he won two ICC Men’s Cricket World Cups and two ICC Champions Trophy titles.

⛹🏻‍♀️ Netball

Australian superstar Madi Browne signs for Leeds Rhinos Netball!

Leeds Rhinos newly formed Vitality Netball Superleague team announced its biggest signing yet, as former Australian Diamond, Madi Browne, 32, has confirmed she will be making the move from the Collingwood Magpies, to compete on British soil from 2021, in a two year deal.

🇺🇸 USA

NFL Power Rankings, Week 9: Seahawks leapfrog Ravens and Packers — www.nfl.com

Four of the top-10 teams in Dan Hanzus' NFL Power Rankings lost in Week 8. What does the league hierarchy look like in the wake of another wild Sunday? Check out the updated pecking order, 1-32.

NFL trade deadline tracker: Latest rumors, news, updates for 2020 deadline day | Sporting News — www.sportingnews.com

The 2020 NFL trade deadline is at 4 p.m. ET on Tuesday, Nov. 3. We'll track the latest deals, news and rumors as teams around football look to add or subtract key pieces for playoff runs or tanking.

📺 Live sport

🚴🏼‍♂️ 00:40 - Vuelta a Espana, Stage 13, 33.7 km - ITT (SBS Viceland)

🏏 01:00 - Indian Premier League - Sunrisers Hyderabad v Mumbai Indians (Fox Cricket)

⚽️ 04:55 - UEFA Champions Lge:

• Shakhtar Donetsk v Borussia Monchengladbach (Optus Sport 3)

• Lokomotiv Moscow v Atletico Madrid (Optus Sport 2)

🎱 05:45 - Champion of Champions, Group Stage, Night 2 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 06:45 - English Championship - Blackburn Rovers v Middlesbrough (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 07:00 - UEFA Champions Lge:

• Atalanta v Liverpool (Optus Sport 2)

• FC Midtjylland v Ajax Amsterdam (Optus Sport 5)

• Porto v Olympique de Marseille (Optus Sport 6)

• Manchester City v Olympiacos FC (Optus Sport 3)

• Real Madrid v Inter Milan (Optus Sport 1)

• Red Bull Salzburg v Bayern Munich (Optus Sport 4)

🏏 14:30 - Women's Big Bash League - Perth Scorchers Women v Sydney Thunder Women (Fox Cricket)

🏏 19:05 - Women's Big Bash League - Brisbane Heat Women v Sydney Sixers Women (Fox Cricket)

🏉 20:10 - State of Origin - Queensland Origin v New South Wales Origin (Nine)

🎾 21:00 - ATP Paris Masters, Round 2 (ESPN 2)

🎱 23:45 - Champion of Champions, Group Stage (Fox Sports)

THURSDAY

🚴🏼‍♂️ 00:40 - Vuelta a Espana, Stage 14 (SBS Viceland)

🏑 01:30 - Women's Pro League Group Game - Belgium v Netherlands (Fox Sports More)

⛳️ 02:00 - Ladies European Tour, Dubai Moonlight Classic, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

⚽️ 03:00 - Italian Serie A - Genoa v Torino (BeIN Sports 1)

🏑 04:00 - Men's Pro League Group Game - Belgium v Netherlands (Fox Sports More)

⚽️ 04:55 - UEFA Champions Lge Group Stage:

• Istanbul Basaksehir v Manchester United (Optus Sport 2)

• Zenit Saint Petersburg v Lazio (Optus Sport 3)

🎱 05:45 - Champion of Champions, Group Stage, Night 3 (Fox Sports)

🎮 06:30 - Motorsport, F1 Esports Pro Series, Round 5 (Fox Sports)

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

⚽️ 07:00 - UEFA Champions Lge Group Stage:

• Chelsea v Stade Rennais (Optus Sport 1)

• Ferencvaros v Juventus (Optus Sport 2)

• Barcelona v Dynamo Kyiv (Optus Sport 4)

• Club Brugge v Borussia Dortmund (Optus Sport 5)

• Sevilla v FC Krasnodar (Optus Sport 6)

• RB Leipzig v Paris Saint-Germain (Optus Sport 3)

⚽️ 09:15 - Copa Sudamericana Stage 2 - Sao Paulo v Club Atletico Lanus (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 09:15 - Copa Sudamericana Stage 2 - Defensa y Justicia v Sportivo Luqueno (BeIN Sports 1)

🏈 11:00 - NCAA - Central Michigan Chippewas v Ohio Bobcats (ESPN 2)

⚽️ 11:30 - Copa Sudamericana Stage 2 - Penarol v Velez Sarsfield (BeIN Sports 2)

🐴 13:55 - Listed RaceCentury Stakes (10 or Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🐴 14:00 (TBC) - Listed Race, Ladies Day Cup (Sky Racing 1)

⚽️ 14:00 - MLS - Portland Timbers v Colorado Rapids (BeIN Sports 3)

⚽️ 15:00 - MLS - LA Galaxy v Seattle Sounders (BeIN Sports 1)

🐴 17:10 - Group 1, VRC Oaks (10 or Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🐴 17:50 - Listed Race, Red Roses Stakes (10 or Racing.com or Sky Racing 1)

🏊🏼‍♂️ 20:00 - International Swimming League (BeIN Sports 3)

⛳️ 20:30 - European Tour, Cyprus Classic, Round 1 (Fox Sports)

🎾21:00 - ATP Paris Masters, Round 3 (ESPN 2)

🎱 23:45 - Champion of Champions, Group Stage (Fox Sports)