🗞 We've got more fans than you

G’day Sports Fans,

🗣️ Midweek Motivation: “It's a funny thing, the more I practice the luckier I get.” - Arnold Palmer.

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

❤️ Wally Lewis has revealed his "diary is his best friend" as the rugby league legend, battling short-term memory loss, took his fight against chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) to Parliament House.

The man dubbed "the King" led a delegation of around 20 people to the nation's capital, advocating for funding for CTE education, support and awareness to be included in May's federal budget.

🇦🇺 Swans president Andrew Pridham believes Sydney has more fans than Collingwood as the Harbour city prepares to capitalise on the AFL's new 'opening round' coming to town.

"It depends on how you want to measure it, obviously. There are plenty of ways to measure these things but the Sydney Swans have two million fans. That's more than any other club in Australia — there's no NRL club, there's no AFL club with that many fans.

"We have got more fans than Collingwood. Collingwood only has 1.3 million and we have two million fans."

Last year, Collingwood led the league's 2023 membership tallies with a record-breaking 106,470 members.

While Sydney experienced double-digit growth in membership numbers year on year, the club still lagged in 10th place with 65,332 members.

WEEK ONE - TEAM NEWS

Mitch Kenny will miss the Panthers’ season opener against the Storm after being suspended for a “couple Boxing Day lines” social media post.

Jason Demetriou’s Rabbitohs have received a huge boost after star playmaker Cody Walker passed a secret fitness test. 

Meanwhile, star recruit Herbie Farnworth has sent a scare around the Dolphins camp after limping off the training paddock.

The Sea Eagles will kick the season off in Las Vegas, wheeling out several big guns at Allegiant Stadium. Tom Trbojevic, Daly Cherry-Evans and Jake Trbojevic were all put on ice in the pre-season, hoping to be fit and firing for Round 1.

Roosters: Brandon Smith wears the No.9 and Sam Walker’s form will ensure he gets a long-term crack at five-eighth this year.

Ryan Papenhuyzen (Storm) is back and he passed with flying colours in the pre-season challenge.

The Broncos have left veteran Corey Oates out of their 17, with young gun Deine Mariner on the wing.

💰 The Australian Government and Rugby Australia are combining to pump $14.2 million into Pacific rugby over the next four years in an announcement that is likely to raise some eyebrows in Melbourne.

As the cash strapped Rebels fight for a future in Super Rugby Pacific beyond this season, RA released details of the new 'Australian-Pacific Rugby Union Partnership' on Tuesday.

Funded through the government's PacificAus Sports program, the partnership is designed to "create pathways to increase Pacific representation in elite rugby and strengthen Pacific national teams."

🏀 We are heading into the business end of NBL24. With our top six locked in and the post-season tipping on tonight, here's a reminder of how the Finals format works. (YouTube)

🇦🇺 Clayton Oliver won’t feature at AFL level in Melbourne’s last tune-up for Opening Round – and will instead play in the VFL game – as the Demons and Blues announced their squads for tonight’s AAMI Community Series game.

In addition to Oliver, Harrison Petty, Lachie Hunter and recruit Shane McAdam are also absent for the Demons.

For Carlton, Zac Williams, like Oliver, will also play in the VFL as he ramps back up from an ACL injury, while Sam Walsh, Jacob Weitering and Jack Martin, also missing for Michael Voss’ side. 

🏏 Namibia’s Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton has set a new world record with the fastest ever T20I century, taking just 33 balls to reach triple figures and fire his nation to victory over Nepal.

🏎️ Liberty Media (F1 owner) is considering purchasing the commercial rights to the MotoGP championship in a deal that could see world’s biggest two- and four-wheel racing series linked.

🏀 New-look Clippers: The Clippers are rebranding for the 2024-25 season, and they're fully embracing the nautical history of their name with a new logo featuring a "Clipper" naval ship.

⛳️ Rory won The Match: Rory McIlroy won the ninth edition of The Match, claiming 10 skins in the four-person competition. Lexi Thompson came in second with two skins.

⚽️ Chelsea hope to sell defender Trevoh Chalobah, 24, and Albania forward Armando Broja, with the futures of England midfielder Conor Gallagher, 24, and Spain left-back Marc Cucurella, 25, also in doubt as they look to make major changes this summer.

🐴 Reigning Champion Hurdle winner Constitution Hill is a doubt for next month's Cheltenham Festival after a below-par workout at Kempton Park.

The seven-year-old was an odds-on favourite to retain his title but bookmakers have suspended the market.

🏏 New Zealand pace bowler Neil Wagner fought back tears as he announced his retirement from international cricket.

Wagner is the Kiwis' fifth-highest Test wicket-taker, with 260 wickets at an average of 27.57.

⚽️ icymi: Everton's penalty for breaching Premier League financial rules has been reduced from 10 points to six after an appeal.

The reduction lifts them from 17th to 15th, although the club is facing another possible points deduction.

🏈 Chicago Bears GM Ryan Poles addressed a question regarding QB Justin Fields’ future by heavily hinting that they would be willing to move Fields in a timely manner.

Adam Schefter of ESPN also mentioned that Poles said earlier Fields should move before free agency begins if the Bears decide to go in a different direction. Teams can officially sign free agents on March 13th.

⛳️ Shoutout to PGA ROOKIE Jake Knapp who ran out of money trying to qualify for the PGA Tour, so he spent 9 months working as a bouncer at a nightclub to keep his dream alive. Now, just 2 years later, he won the PGA Tour's Mexico Open, taking home $1.45 million… and he’s going to the Masters.

TODAY 

07:00 - FA Cup Fifth Round Proper - Luton Town v Manchester City [Paramount+]

11:00 - Men's NCAA - Mississippi State Bulldogs v Kentucky Wildcats [ESPN 2]

11:30 - NBA - Boston Celtics v Philadelphia 76ers [ESPN]

13:00 - Men's NCAA - Texas Tech Red Raiders v Texas Longhorns [ESPN 2]

14:00 - NBA - Oklahoma City Thunder v Houston Rockets [ESPN]

17:30 - NBL Seeding Qualifier - Tasmania JackJumpers v Illawarra Hawks [ESPN]

18:40 - AFL Community Series - Carlton Blues v Melbourne Demons [Fox Footy]

19:30 - NBL Play-In Qualifier - Sydney Kings v New Zealand Breakers [ESPN]

20:00 - AFC Women's Olympic Qualifying - Australia v Uzbekistan [Paramount+ (Channel 10)]

THURSDAY

01:00 - Pakistan Super League - Karachi Kings v Islamabad United [Fox Sports More]

06:30 - FA Cup Fifth Round Proper - Chelsea v Leeds United [Paramount+]

06:45 - FA Cup Fifth Round Proper - Nottingham Forest v Manchester United [Paramount+]

06:45 - FA Cup Fifth Round Proper - Wolverhampton Wanderers v Brighton & Hove Albion [Paramount+]

07:00 - FA Cup Fifth Round Proper - Liverpool v Southampton [Paramount+]

09:00 - Test Match - New Zealand v Australia [Fox Cricket]

11:30 - NBA - Indiana Pacers v New Orleans Pelicans [ESPN]

12:30 - NHL - Edmonton Oilers v St. Louis Blues [ESPN 2]

14:00 - NBA - Los Angeles Clippers v Los Angeles Lakers [ESPN]

16:10 - AFL Community Series - Sydney Swans v Brisbane Lions [Fox Footy]

19:10 - AFL Community Series - GWS Giants v Gold Coast Suns [Fox Footy]