🗞 'We're tough to beat'

March 14, 2021

G'day sports fans.

Classic quote: "It's a funny kind of month, October. For the really keen cricket fan it's when you discover that your wife left you in May." - Denis Norden

In today's edition of Sport Journal:

🏉 NRL round one

🐴 All-Star mile fall-out

🔥 Kerr on fire

🏉 NRL

📄 Manly coach Des Hasler is reportedly in a stand-off with the club over a contract extension and the Sea Eagles' 46-4 obliteration at the hands of the Roosters on Saturday clearly did not help his cause.

News Corp has reported that Hasler is yet to sign a multimillion-dollar contract extension because icy negotiations over rigid performance clauses are ongoing. (nine)

Knights 32-16 Bulldogs: Saifiti marks milestone with five-star performance (match report)

Broncos 16-24 Eels: Xavier Coates and John Asiata after both taken to hospital. Eels fight back from 16-0 down. (match report)

Warriors 19-6 Titans: Brown wild about 'world class' AFB but worried about Aitken (match report)

Roosters 46-4 Sea Eagles: Morris, Tedesco grab hat-tricks as Roosters rout Manly (match report)

Panthers 24-0 Cowboys: 'We're tough to beat': Panthers confident after Cowboys shutout. (match report)

Raiders 30-12 West Tigers: Green Machine clicks into gear to power past Tigers. (match report)

Dragons 18-32 Sharks: Rivals fire up but Sharks too slick in wet for Dragons. (match report)

🐴 Racing

💰Mugatoo took out a testing All-Star Mile at a soggy Moonee Valley, Krone's hot form continued at Rosehill to claim her first G1.

It's fair to say Lees and connections enjoyed the win too based on this vision of them cheering Mugatoo home (Twitter)

🏠 Former country footy champion Matt Forys and his wife, Amanda, can build their dream home in Shepparton after Mugatoo prevailed in the All-Star Mile.

Forys won $250,000 when Mugatoo crossed the line ahead of Russian Camelot in a thrilling contest.

Forys became the owner ambassador for the Kris Lees-trained Mugatoo after winning a Tabcorp competition.

📺 on Twitter - Mum to the rescue

Rain could halt Kiwi star’s late Slipper charge: The Golden Slipper fate of Kiwi gun Sword Of State will be decided on Monday with Te Akau Racing relying on the weather gods to help determine what path to take with several of its high profile stars this autumn.

A flight has been booked across the Tasman for Sword Of State however trainer Jamie Richards confirmed on Sunday that the talented colt is no guarantee to line up at Rosehill this Saturday.

Richards is concerned about the amount of rain predicted in Sydney this week and is reluctant to send his emerging colt over for the $3.5 million feature to run on a heavy track. (racenet)

🏃🏽 They do it differently in New Zealand.

⚽️ Football

Sydney FC 2-1 Newcastle Jets: 36-year-old central defender Alex Wilkinson's first A-League goal since August 5, 2010, proved to be the winner. (match report)

Melbourne Victory 1-3 Adelaide United: Mauk, Yengi star as Reds seal comeback win over Victory in tense Original Rivalry clash. (match report)

Central Coast Mariners 2-2 Perth Glory: A penalty from Matt Simon in the final minute helped Central Coast Mariners snatch a 2-2 draw at a water-logged Gosford. (match report)

Western United 1-0 Brisbane Roar: Dylan Pierias's header 18 minutes from time, for the club’s first-ever win at AAMI Park. (match report)

FA Women's League Cup Final: Bristol City 0-6 Chelsea. Sam Kerr scores hat-trick for Chelsea.

📄 Manchester United are set to give manager Ole Gunner Solskjaer a new deal, with his current contract due to enter its final year later this month. (Sunday Mirror)

🔁 Ronaldo, who has been linked with a return to Real Madrid, says his focus is on finishing the season strongly with Juventus. (Mail on Sunday)

✍🏼 Man City lead race for Haaland as Man Utd go cold due to agent Raiola involvement (tribalfootball)

🇦🇺 AFL

Debutants galore: Every AFL club’s predicted line-up for Round 1

🤕 St Kilda will be without Max King for the opening round of the season after the young forward suffered a concussion playing golf.

The 20-year-old was struck in the head by a golf ball and in line with the AFL's latest concussion protocols, he must spend 12 days on the sidelines. (AFL)

🙋🏼‍♀️ Super Sunday recap: Freo's miracle comeback, Pies lose top spot: One-stop shop for all the action from round seven of the NAB AFL Women's competition (AFL)

🏉 Rugby

Super Rugby

Rebels survive failing floodlights to down Western Force: The Rebels beat the Western Force 10-7 a low-scoring but highly eventful Super Rugby AU encounter at HBF Park. (match report)

Last-Gasp Petaia try snatches victory for Reds: The Reds avenged their final defeat to the Brumbies last year with a 40-38 victory over the Brumbies in a Super Rugby AU thriller. (match report)

Classy Crusaders add to Chiefs woes with dominant victory: The Crusaders extended their lead at the top of the Super Rugby Aotearoa standings with a 39-17 rout of the Chiefs at ANZ Stadium on Saturday. (match report)

Blues roll over hapless Highlanders: The Blues put together a dominant performance to put away the Highlanders 39-17 in their Super Rugby Aotearoa clash at Eden Park on Sunday. (match report)

6 Nations

Scotland 24-27 Ireland: Johnny Sexton knocked over a late penalty as Ireland survived a surge from Scotland to eke out a hectic victory.

The seven-try hammering of Italy (7-48) and England defeating France means Wayne Pivac's Wales, travel to face Les Bleus with the Grand Slam on the line next week.

England went go toe to toe with France in a frenzied, open, attacking first half before grinding their way to victory, ensured the hosts a 23-20 victory.

🌎 World Sport

⛳️ Lee Westwood will go head-to-head with Bryson DeChambeau once again going into the Players Championship final round.

Westwood, chasing a first PGA Tour title in 11 years, moved to 13 under par with a bogey-free four-under 68.

DeChambeau, who edged Westwood to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational last week, shot a 67 to finish on 11 under on a scintillating day at TPC Sawgrass.

Justin Thomas had set the clubhouse lead at 10 under par with a superb 64.

Leaderboard: -13 L Westwood (Eng); -11 B DeChambeau (US); -10 J Thomas (US), D Ghim (US); -9 P Casey (Eng), J Rahm (Spa), B Harman (US).

🥊 ‘One of the greatest’: Boxing world grieves as legend dies at 66: The boxing world is in mourning after one of the all-time greats, Marvelous Marvin, passed away unexpectedly.

“Marvelous” Marvin Hagler fought from 1973 to 1987 and delivered some of the epic bouts in a golden era of the sport, finishing with a record of 62-3 with two drawn and 52 knockouts.

🏀 Australian basketball's next big thing is set to jump from the NBL to the NBA: In his debut season in the NBL, teenage talent Josh Giddey is showing why NBA clubs are so interested in the exciting Melbourne-born point guard. (ABC)

🎙 Legendary Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker has died at the age of 97: Walker commentated on his first grand prix for the BBC at Silverstone in 1949 and became a full-time F1 commentator in 1978.

He became synonymous with F1 through his commentary, before retiring in 2001.

🏈 Buccaneers, QB Tom Brady agree to one-year contract extension: Cam Newton and the New England Patriots stole the NFL headlines for all of an hour before Tom Brady decided to snatch them away.

Brady agreed terms with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on a creative contract extension. A four-year contract (all the rage in a pandemic-fueled salary cap crunch) includes three voidable years, essentially locking him in for only an extra year.

Back on Wednesday!

📺 Live sport

TODAY

⚽️ 06:45 - Italian Serie A - Milan v Napoli (BeIN Sports 2)

⚽️ 07:00 - France Ligue 1 - Paris Saint-Germain v Nantes (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Sevilla v Real Betis (BeIN Sports 3)

🏀 07:00 - NBA - Golden State Warriors v Utah Jazz (Sky Sports 2)

🏀 09:30 - NBA - Philadelphia 76ers v San Antonio Spurs (Sky Sports 2)

🏒 10:00 - NHL - Ottawa Senators v Toronto Maple Leafs (ESPN 2)

🏀 12:00 - NBA - New Orleans Pelicans v Los Angeles Clippers (ESPN 1)

⛵️ 14:00 - America's Cup Match, Races 7 & 8 (Fox Sports)

🇦🇺 17:10 - AFLW - West Coast Eagles Women v Geelong Cats Women (Fox Footy)

⚽️ 19:05 - A-League - Western Sydney Wanderers v Wellington Phoenix (Fox Sports)

🎾 21:00 - ATP Dubai Championships, Round 1 (BeIN Sports 1)

TUESDAY

🎾 02:00 - ATP Dubai Championships, Round 1 (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Premier League - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Liverpool (Optus Sport 1)

⚽️ 07:00 - Spanish La Liga - Barcelona v Huesca (BeIN Sports 2)

🏒 10:00 - NHL - Pittsburgh Penguins v Boston Bruins (ESPN 2)

🎾 11:00 - ATP Abierto Mexicano Telcel, Round 1 (BeIN Sports 1)

🏀 11:00 - NBA - Brooklyn Nets v New York Knicks (ESPN 1)

🏀 13:30 - NBA - Golden State Warriors v Los Angeles Lakers (ESPN 1)

🎾 21:00 - ATP Dubai Championships, Round 1 (BeIN Sports 1)

⚽️ 21:35 - W-League - Perth Glory Women v Melbourne Victory Women (Kayo Sports)

🎾 23:00 - WTA St. Petersburg Trophy, Round 1 (BeIN Sports 2)