⚽ Friendly Start To Football Feast

Good morning, it's Wednesday, 11 May

🔊 Sport Today Podcast

This morning, Martin Gabor and Lucy Watkin are at the mic.

Today's listen time: 10 minutes.

Listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify

📺 What we're watching

🥊 7.00pm - King of the Castle Boxing - Paul Gallen v Kris Terzievski - Newcastle Entertainment Centre, Newcastle - Main Event

🏀 7.30pm - NBL Grand Final Game 3 - Kings v JackJumpers - Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney - Foxtel, Kayo

⚽ 5.15am (Thu) - EPL - Wolves v Manchester City - Molineux Stadium, Wolverhampton - Optus Sport

All times are in AEST

⚽ Nothing friendly about World Cup warm-up

The Socceroos have locked in an entree before next month’s main meal. Just quietly, we’re all hoping there’ll be some dessert at the end of the year.

Golden points: Things are starting to heat up for the Socceroos. They’ll play Jordan just days before their World Cup qualifier against the United Arab Emirates.

• This will be a handy hit-out for the players because it’ll help them get used to the conditions in Qatar. It helps that the Aussies beat Jordan 1-0 twice during qualifying.

• But they didn’t win all their games, and that’s why they’re in this position. They finished 3rd in Group B so they have to beat the UAE in a sudden-death game to advance.

• If they win that one then they’ll play Peru on 7 June. The winner makes it through to the FIFA World Cup in Qatar later this year. The Socceroos have qualified for every tournament since 2006.

Key click: Make sure you read this to find out exactly when and where the Socceroos are in action over the next few weeks. These games are kinda crucial.

Watch it: Get in the mood with some highlights from the last time we played Jordan.

🏄‍♀️ Wildcard comes up trumps for Fitzgibbons

Just when Aussie surfer Sally Fitzgibbons thought her surfing season was done she's been given a lifeline.

Golden points: Fitzgibbons was in tears last week when she was cut from the World Surf League for the rest of the season. But she’s gained a wildcard and that iconic smile is back.

• Don’t stress if you don’t about this rule because it’s fresh off the press. The WSL brought it in this year and it meant surfers in the bottom half of the men’s and women’s standings were cut.

• Fitzgibbons was 15th after she was knocked out of the Margaret River Pro and that sent her to the challenger series.

• But she’s back in! Well, kinda. She’s got a wildcard for the first 5 events of 2023 and she’s gonna be a reserve for the rest of 2022 in case someone pulls out.

What are the chances… we see Owen Wright next year? He was also cut last week but he hasn’t been given a wildcard. He says he’s weighing up his future.

🏉 NSW feeling the Blues after double injury blow

He’s got the most iconic hair in the NRL and the numbers say he’s the best player in the world right now. But Ryan Papenhuyzen won’t make his State of Origin debut in 4 weeks.

Golden points: The Melbourne Storm fullback is out for 4-6 weeks after he tore his hamstring and hurt the posterior cruciate ligament in his knee last week.

• You can’t be serious. This is the 3rd year in a row that injuries have stopped him from making his NSW debut.

• We don’t know if he would’ve been picked, but the numbers definitely helped his case. Papenhuyzen leads the league in tries and points, and he’s also on top of Dally M voting in 2022.

• Someone check on NSW coach Brad Fittler because there’s more bad news for the Blues. South Sydney skipper Cam Murray had scans on his neck and could be out for a month. That hurts.

What’s next: Both men will miss Magic Round in Brisbane this weekend. That’s bad news for the Storm because they play Penrith in what will be the game of the season. The State of Origin series opener is on 8 June.

Watch it: That’s it, here are Papenhuyzen’s highlights from 2020 when he helped Melbourne win the comp.

🥊 Gallen lets his gloves do the talking 

Paul Gallen famously wore the No.13 jersey throughout his NRL career, but there’ll be nothing PG13 about his fight with Kris Terziewski tonight.

Golden points: Fair to say these 2 guys don’t like each other. That’s why the rest of us are so pumped to see them fight at the King of the Castle card.

• There’s a fair bit on the line here. Gallen is looking to win the Australian and Australasian heavyweight titles, but a loss could end his boxing career.

• We should be in for a beauty if the past few days are anything to go by. Gallen walked out of a press conference because he was sick of doing all the promo work, and then Terziewski fired back that it was cringeworthy.

• There’s a lot to look forward to with Nikita Tszyu and Olympian Harry Garside also in action.

Key click: Here’s everything you need to know about tonight’s card in Newcastle.

Watch it: You’ll need to splash some cash because the fight is on Main Event. The undercard starts at 7.00pm (AEST).

⚽ Manchester City land Haaland

Manchester City already has Sterling. Now they have Erling. It means the rest of the English Premier League better be scared.

Golden points: To put it simply, Erling Haaland is really, really good at football. So are Manchester City, and the Norwegian striker will join them next season once they finalise terms.

• That’s a massive deal. City leads the EPL with 89 goals this season and they’ve done it without a recognised striker. They’ve been trying to replace Sergio Aguero since he left last year.

• They wanted Harry Kane but he was too expensive. Now they get Haaland instead. He’s not cheap. He’ll reportedly earn about $620,000 a week for the next 5 seasons.

• But he’s worth it. He’s scored 85 goals in 88 games for Borussia Dortmund and is only 21yo.

What’s next: Haaland has been brought in to help them win the UEFA Champions League. It’s the one major trophy that has eluded them, but his arrival could change that.

👀 Quick singles

⚽ The Socceroos aren’t the only team getting ready for some big games next month. The Matildas will play Spain for the first time in a friendly on 26 June (AEST).

🏈 The rich keep on getting richer in the States. NFL legend Tom Brady has signed a 10-year deal to join Fox Sports as their lead analyst once he properly retires from the league. The deal is worth about $540 million.

🏉 There was a massive upset in the women’s rugby union Test last night on the Gold Coast. The Wallaroos were beaten 12-10 by Japan after fullback Lori Cramer missed a late penalty goal that would’ve won them the game.

⚽ Brisbane Roar fans have something to cheer about heading into the off-season. Their team beat Sydney FC 3-1 in the final game of the regular season, but both sides missed the playoffs.

⛳ Two of golf’s biggest names are likely to play at next week’s PGA Championship. Both Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson have been included in the official field for the year’s 2nd major.

🏀 Steph Curry has added another record to his ever-growing list of shooting accolades. He became the first player to sink 500 3-pointers in the playoffs during Golden State’s win over Memphis yesterday.

🏉 Child sex abuse survivor Adam Kneale is suing the Western Bulldogs AFL club. Kneale is seeking damages in the Supreme Court of Victoria after he was abused by a club patron in the 1980s.

⚽️ European football fans are in luck. The UEFA Champions League will expand from 32 to 36 teams and 6 to 8 rounds in 2024.

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🙃 Left of field...

This is a story about PC going mad. Political correctness? No, no, no. We’re talking about golfer Parker Coody.

Golden points: Hitting a hole-in-one is every golfer’s dream, but not many can say they’ve hit one. Well, Coody can boast that he hit two… in the same round.

• Talk about doing it under pressure. This wasn’t just any round of golf. This was at a local qualifying event for the US Open.

• He desperately needed them as well. He could’ve easily found himself in a playoff but instead aced the 8th and 17th holes to finish 2nd.

• You’d think that would make Parker the best golfer in his family. He’s got a bit of work to do because his grandfather won the Masters in 1971.

They said it: “That was nuts.” - Sadly, there is no video but he looked pretty chuffed.

📽 The highlight reel

There isn't a bigger name in baseball right now than Shohei Ohtani. He can do just about everything, and he added a new milestone to his CV yesterday when he hit his first professional grand slam.

📸 Photo finish

Matildas captain and Chelsea superstar Sam Kerr keeps her latest Women's Super League trophy next to the coffee pods.

🏃‍♀️ The finish line

🏆 Today's trivia answer

Wright beat Gabriel Medina to win bronze.