🗞 Storming Home

G’day Sports Fans,

📺 A Bumper weekend of sport lies ahead, plan when you might be able to squeeze some quality family time with our TV guide.

📧 P.S. First time reading? Subscribe here for free.

🏉 Brisbane overcame the loss of captain and star playmaker Adam Reynolds (64th min) to defeat South Sydney 28-18 in a razzle dazzle display before 35,507 fans at Suncorp Stadium.

With Reece Walsh outpointing (12-10) Latrell Mitchell in the battle of the superstar fullbacks, the Broncos stormed home in the second half after the Rabbitohs had equalled the scores at 12-12 in the 45th minute.

🇦🇺 In an action-packed game at a packed MCG on Thursday night, Carlton clinched a hard-fought five-point victory over a resilient but short-handed Richmond team.

Despite trailing by eight points at the final break, the Blues rallied with relentless attacks early in the last quarter, securing their flawless start to the season with a 12.14 (86) to 12.9 (81) win.

🚑 Twenty-year-old Richmond defender Josh Gibcus suffered a suspected torn ACL when he soared high to spoil a ball, with his foot appearing to plant in the turf, and was stretchered off the field.

🏏 Will Pucovski will no longer be joining English county side Leicestershire as he recovers from another concussion.

He had been due to link up with the Foxes for the first five rounds of the 2024 season.

But the 26-year-old was hit on the helmet during Victoria's Sheffield Shield match with Tasmania earlier this month and will now remain in Australia.

⚽️ The A-League's new expansion side will be known simply as Auckland FC, donning an "electric blue" and black kit and with the nickname of the Black Knights.

When the club join in the A-League Men 2024-25 season, and the A-League Women the year after, they'll do so with a kit resembling that of iconic Italian club Internazionale: black and blue vertical stripes.

Auckland FC was chosen from a shortlist revealed by the NZ Herald, including the Auckland Volcanoes and Black Knights FC.

Owner Bill Foley owns several clubs across a number of sports, including AFC Bournemouth in the Premier League and the Vegas Golden Knights in the NHL.

🐴 Sydney's champion jockey James McDonald believes he's still on the horse to beat in the $5 million TAB Golden Slipper despite losing the ride on favourite Storm Boy.

McDonald stays on the Chris Waller-trained Switzerland ($8.0) after owners Coolmore confirmed jockeys for their unbeaten colts in the world's richest juvenile race.

English superstar Ryan Moore will return to Sydney to ride Storm Boy ($3.0) in the rich Rosehill race on Saturday week.

Moore won the Golden Slipper for Coolmore on Shinzo last year.

⚽️ Joshua Cavallo, Australia's first active male professional footballer to come out as gay, said he is engaged following an on-pitch proposal to his partner at Adelaide United's home ground.

Cavallo, thanked the A-league club for helping him set up the surprise in a post on X.

❤️ Australian boxing great Jeff Fenech has undergone emergency open heart surgery in a Sydney hospital on Thursday after having privately battled an aggressive infection for almost two weeks.

🇦🇺Fremantle coach Justin Longmuir has signed a one-year contract extension tying him to the club until at least the end of the 2025 season. (Fox)

⚽️ Paris St-Germain are preparing an AU$150m bid for Manchester United's 26-year-old England forward Marcus Rashford and would be willing to pay him AU$1m a week. An alternative could be Liverpool’s Luis Diaz.

🥊 Fifty-Seven year old Mike Tyson has begun training for his upcoming “boxing match” against YouTuber turned boxer Jake Paul.

🏉 Six Nations Finale: The 2024 Six Nations comes to a thrilling conclusion on Sunday morning, with four teams mathematically in the running for the title.

The action gets underway with what is effectively the Wooden Spoon playoff as Wales and Italy clash in Cardiff before Ireland host Scotland as the action concludes in Lyon with Le Crunch as France and England lock horns.

Win and Ireland are back-to-back Champions - Due to the bonus point situation… if Ireland avoid a massive loss to Scotland they still win the Championship having one less win that England (should they beat France).

⛳️ Rory McIlroy is concerned that "fans are losing interest" in watching golf because of the current fragmented nature of the men's professional game. Reports are TV viewing figures are down as much as 30%.

The financial pull of LIV Golf has attracted dozens of players to move from the PGA Tour to the fledgling Saudi Arabian-funded circuit.

The split means several of the world's best are not competing at this week's Players Championship in Florida.

"Everyone needs to put their feelings and egos aside and figure out a solution where we can bring all the best players back together week in week out."

McIlroy currently leads the first round at -7 with Xander Schauffele. Aussie Jason Day is just two behind at -5. And, Kiwi Ryan Fox did this earlier on the famous 17th ⬇️

🐴 Trainer Willie Mullins claimed a historic 100th Cheltenham Festival victory as his son Patrick won the Champion Bumper on Jasmin De Vaux.

"Whoever dreamt any trainer, never mind me, could do it," said a delighted Mullins after securing his sixth victory of the 2024 Festival.

icymi: 🏀 The Sacramento Kings survived a late LeBron James surge to secure a 120-107 win over the Los Angeles Lakers.

James, who scored nine of his 18 points in the final quarter, was unable to prevent the Kings moving three games ahead of the Lakers in the Western Conference play-off race.

TODAY

10:30 - NBA - Boston Celtics v Phoenix Suns (ESPN)
13:00 - NBA - Oklahoma City Thunder v Dallas Mavericks (ESPN)
17:05 - Super Rugby Pacific - Crusaders v Hurricanes (Stan Sport)
18:00 - NRL - Cronulla Sharks v Canterbury Bulldogs (Fox League)
19:35 - Super Rugby Pacific - Rebels v Queensland Reds (Stan Sport)
19:40 - AFL - Collingwood Magpies v Sydney Swans (Fox Footy, Channel 7)
20:00 - NRL - Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels (Fox League, Channel 9)
22:00 - Super Rugby Pacific - Western Force v Moana Pasifika (Stan Sport)

SATURDAY 

03:00 - Pakistan Super League Eliminator - Islamabad United v Quetta Gladiators (Fox Sports More)
04:00 - PGA TOUR - THE PLAYERS Championship, Round 2 (Fox Sports)
10:00 - NBA - Charlotte Hornets v Phoenix Suns (ESPN)
12:30 - NBA - Utah Jazz v Atlanta Hawks (ESPN)
12:30 - Men's Conference Tournaments - ACC Tournament, Semi-Finals (ESPN 2)
12:40 - NSW Cup Regular Season - Canberra Raiders NSW Cup v Wentworthville Magpies (Fox League)
13:45 - AFL - Essendon Bombers v Hawthorn (Fox Footy)
14:35 - Super Rugby Pacific - Highlanders v Brumbies (Stan Sport)
15:00 - NRL - Canberra Raiders v Wests Tigers (Fox League)
15:30 - A-League Men Regular Season - Wellington Phoenix v Sydney FC (Paramount+)
16:00 - A-League Men Regular Season - Brisbane Roar v Macarthur FC Bulls (Paramount+)
16:00 - PGA Tour of Australasia - The National Tournament, Round 3 (Fox Sports)
16:30 - Australian Club Championship - Brothers Rugby v Randwick Rugby (Stan Sport)
16:35 - AFL - GWS Giants v North Melb. Kangaroos (Fox Footy, 7mate)
17:30 - NRL - North Queensland Cowboys v Newcastle Knights (Fox League)
17:30 - Super Rugby Pacific - Chiefs v Fijian Drua (Stan Sport)
19:30 - AFL - Geelong Cats v St. Kilda Saints (Fox Footy, 7mate)
19:35 - NRL - Melbourne Storm v Warriors (Fox League)
19:35 - Super Rugby Pacific - NSW Waratahs v Blues (GEM, Stan Sport)
19:45 - A-League Men Regular Season - Perth Glory v Western Sydney Wanderers (10 Bold, Paramount+)
20:10 - AFL - Gold Coast Suns v Adelaide Crows (Fox Sports)
23:15 - FA Cup Quarter-Final - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Coventry City (Paramount+)

SUNDAY

01:15 - Six Nations - Wales v Italy (Stan Sport)
02:15 - Spanish La Liga - Osasuna v Real Madrid (Optus Sport 2)
03:00 - Pakistan Super League - Pakistan Super League Eliminator (Fox Sports)
03:45 - Six Nations - Ireland v Scotland (Stan Sport)
04:30 - Premier League - Fulham v Tottenham (Optus Sport 1)
04:30 - Spanish La Liga - Getafe v Girona (Optus Sport 2)
04:30 - FA Cup Quarter-Final - Manchester City v Newcastle United (Paramount+)
05:00 - PGA TOUR - THE PLAYERS Championship, Round 3 (Fox Sports)
07:00 - Six Nations - France v England (Stan Sport)
13:00 - AFL - Melbourne Demons v Western Bulldogs (Fox Footy)
13:00 - Men's Conference Tournaments - Big West Tournament, Final (ESPN 2)
14:00 - PGA Tour of Australasia - The National Tournament, Round 4 (Fox Sports)
14:30 - Men's Conference Tournaments - WAC Tournament, Final (ESPN 2)
16:00 - AFL - Port Adelaide Power v West Coast Eagles (Fox Footy)
16:00 - NBL Championship Series - Melbourne United v Tasmania JackJumpers (10 Peach, ESPN)
16:05 - NRL - Manly Sea Eagles v Sydney Roosters (Channel 9, Fox League)
18:15 - NRL - Dolphins v St. George Illawarra Dragons (Fox League)
18:50 - AFL - Fremantle Dockers v Brisbane Lions (Fox Footy)
23:45 - FA Cup Quarter-Final - Chelsea v Leicester City (Paramount+)