G'day sports fans,

Classic quote: "I bowl so slowly that if I don't like a ball I can run after it and bring it back" - James M. Barrie

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🇦🇺 It's back!

🏉 Classic interview

💰 'Money' Gronkowski

🇦🇺 AFL

Nothing tops the excitement of Round 1 as all 18 clubs officially set their sights on that one special day in September.

This year’s opening game should have a familiar feel to it as fans are finally welcomed back to the MCG for the traditional clash between Richmond and Carlton, followed by what is arguably the game of the round on Friday between Collingwood and the Dogs.

Who's struggling, who's a test? Check out the players from your club who are a little sore (round one injury list)

Thursday: Richmond (1.33) v Carlton (3.40): Footy returns to the MCG for the first time in 256 days when Richmond hosts Carlton in the traditional season opener.

After claiming back-to-back flags last year with a Grand Final win over Geelong, the Tigers head into 2021 the firm Premiership favourites with Damien Hardwick retaining much of the same roster that has seen Richmond dominate over the last four seasons.

Carlton, on the other hand, will be looking to make their first finals appearance since 2013 after showing steady signs of improvement under David Teague.

While a top eight spot is a realistic goal this year for the Blues, it’s hard to ignore the fact the Tigers have won 10 straight over Carlton dating back to 2013.

The Blues gave Richmond a scare in the first half of last year’s season-opener before falling away in the fourth term to lose by 24.

• Richmond has won nine of its last 10 matches against Carlton by a margin of 1-39 points.

• Nine of Carlton's last 10 Round 1 matches have gone OVER the total match points line.

🤝 Reigning premiers Richmond have been given a huge boost ahead of their season opener, announcing an extension to coach Damien Hardwick's contract until the end of 2024.

The 48-year-old joined the Tigers in 2010, and has led them to three premierships in the past four seasons.

It will extend Hardwick's time with the club to 15 seasons as a leader, further increasing his position as the longest-tenured coach in Richmond's history.

✍🏼 Fremantle have signed Heath Chapman until at least 2024!

🥊 Australian boxer Michael Zerafa has called out Richmond superstar Dustin Martin for a charity boxing bout, declaring there's "a bit of beef" between the pair. (nine)

🏉 NRL

Thursday Preview: Eels (2.70) v Storm (1.46): Niukore back from ban; Storm unchanged (match preview). Contrasting wins last week, who will go two from two?

• Blake Ferguson has been the first try-scorer in each of his last two appearances at Bankwest Stadium.

• Ryan Papenhuyzen has scored at least one try in seven of his last eight appearances with Melbourne as a favourite.

🗣 ’It’s a two-way street’: Payten says Taumalolo can be ‘honest with me too’. Cowboys coach Todd Payten has said his public questioning of Jason Taumalolo’s efforts against the Panthers forms part of a two-way street between him and his group. (Fox)

❌ The NRL has issued an apology to Eels star Junior Paulo after the game's social media account tweeted a photo of the prop with a caption that included a gorilla emoji. (nine)

🐇 South Sydney Rabbitohs have made a big change to their squad from last week by dropping veteran winger Josh Mansour. (nine)

🏏 Cricket

💯 Harris tons up in rain-marred Shield clash: Incumbent Test opener was in imperious touch on way to unbeaten 113, but only 54.2 overs possible on second day of Queensland-Victoria encounter. Only 54.2 overs were possible across the first two sessions. (cricket)

Match report: Stumps: Victoria are 7-219

🌏 International T20: Jos Buttler's brutal hitting (83 from 52 balls) trumped the genius of Virat Kohli in England's eight-wicket defeat of India in the third Twenty20 in Ahmedabad. England moved 2-1 up with two matches to play.

⚽️ Football

👴🏼 Sweden's record goalscorer Zlatan Ibrahimovic has been recalled to the national team. The 39-year-old scored 62 goals in 116 internationals before quitting in 2016.

🇭🇷 Kristian and Gabriel Popovic are training with Croatian first-tier side NK Lokomotiva.

🐐 Messi matched Xavi's all-time appearance record in the Barcelona shirt, a career which includes winning 34 trophies and now scoring 661 goals since he made his debut in 2004, with 27 so far this season

🐴 Racing

👋🏼 Tom Dabernig will end his training partnership with cousin Ben Hayes at the end of the season. (racing)

🙋🏻‍♀️ Rachael Blackmore made racing history yesterday, as she became the first female jockey to win the Champion Hurdle at the Cheltenham Festival with victory on Honeysuckle.

🏉 Rugby

✍🏼 The big spending Western Force have pulled off another recruitment coup by beating the NSW Waratahs and Melbourne Rebels to the signature of Wallabies lock Izack Rodda. (nine)

😆 Rugby star Max Lahiff had fans in absolute stitches with his hilarious and “utterly mad” interview which has gone viral.

🌏 ROW

🥊 Fury and Joshua set for the biggest unification fight in heavyweight history: The world's two best heavyweights, Tyson Fury and Anthony Joshua, are set to meet after months of negotiations. The first will likely be in June or July followed by the rematch in November or December.

💰 Winning at life. In less than a week, Gronkowski sold a collection of NFT trading cards featuring himself for more than $1.6 million and signed a one-year/$10M contract with the Bucs.

🏀 LeBron James' best moments from the Los Angeles Lakers' 128-97 win over the Golden State Warriors as the NBA superstar recorded the 98th triple-double of his career.