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The English Premier League kicked off over the weekend, and in today’s newsletter, we’ll brief you on the five players and one coach who will be flying the Aussie flag in the competition this year. While not all of them have songs sung about them by Robbie Williams (yet), we’re sure they will represent Australia well on one of the biggest stages of world football.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Stat of the day

4
The number of seconds between the first and second-placed riders in the Tour de France Femmes. Polish cyclist Kasia Niewiadoma beat The Netherlands’ Demi Vollering by the narrowest-ever margin of victory in either the men’s or women’s Tour.

Quote of the day

“It is deeply disappointing that the 2026-27 Gabba Test has become a casualty of the uncertainty around the infrastructure planning and development ahead of the 2032 Olympic preparations”.
Queensland Cricket has announced there won’t be an international men’s Test at Brisbane stadium ‘The Gabba’ in the 2026-27 season — the first time since the 1970s. The Qld State Government had announced plans to rebuild the Gabba ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics and Paralympics, but scrapped them earlier this year.

Random fact of the day

The lowest-scoring NRL game ever was between the Newtown Jets and St George Dragons in Round 8, 1973. The Jets won 1-0.

I’ve got 1 minute

The AFL announced it will hold its first-ever national Draft Combine for women’s teams in October, marking a major development for the code. Here’s what that means, and what it will look like for the next generation of AFLW stars.

What’s a Draft Combine?

Prospective players of a sporting code can be invited to participate in a Draft Combine, where they complete challenges in front of representatives from professional teams. These representatives can include scouts and coaches who might recruit the participants for their teams in the coming season.

The AFLW’s national Draft Combine will involve interviews and a series of physical tests like vertical and running jumps, 20m sprints, agility tests and time trials.

Draft combines can be major events — over five million people watched televised coverage of the NFL Draft Combine in the U.S. this year.

Previous AFLW Draft Combines

Until this year, AFLW Draft Combines were held in state-based groups, mainly because players wanted to be recruited by clubs close to where they lived due to the sport’s lack of funding and low salaries. However, AFLW General Manager Emma Moore said the code made the shift to a national Combine system after “almost 70% of draft nominees [in 2023] elected to enter the national draft pool, meaning they could be drafted by any club and not just their home-state clubs”.

The AFLW Draft Combine will take place in Melbourne between October 4-6, the same weekend as the men’s event.

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One of the world’s biggest sporting leagues kicked off its new season over the weekend — the English Premier League (EPL). Five Australian players - and one notable Australian coach - will participate in the competition this year. Here’s a rundown of who they are and what to look out for in their seasons. 

Coach: Ange Postecoglou (Tottenham Hotspur)

Regarded as one of the world’s best football coaches (he came fifth in FIFA’s Best Coach of 2023 rankings), Postecoglou will coach Tottenham Hotspur for a second season, once again hoping to win the club’s first trophy since 2008. “Aussie Ange” led his side to a strong start to last season before a mid-season dip in form saw them finish fifth.

Speaking ahead of his side’s first game tomorrow, Postecoglou told the UK’s Sky Sports: “Usually in my second season I win things. That's the whole idea. The first year is about establishing principles and creating a foundation. Hopefully, the second year is going on to win things. Of course, it's easier said than done, particularly in the Premier League and the competition we're in.”

Tottenham play Leicester City at 5am AEST tomorrow.

Player 1: Joe Gauci (Aston Villa)

The former Adelaide United goalkeeper was signed by Aston Villa at the beginning of the year and will play in the top English league for the first time. This year, the 24-year-old has played two games for the Socceroos, not conceding a goal in either game. Over the weekend, Aston Villa beat West Ham 2-1. Gauci remained on the bench as the preferred replacement to first-choice keeper Emiliano Martínez, who’s been the goalie for Argentina’s national team since 2021.

Player 2: Cameron Burgess (Ipswich Town)

Burgess is part of the Ipswich Town side that will play in the EPL for the first time in 22 years. He’s played at the club since 2021 as a defender and has faced a series of setbacks, including a serious face injury. In an interview with the Socceroos on Instagram, Burgess said one of the highlights of his career was the team’s promotion to the EPL, including a singalong led by Ed Sheeran, who owns 1.4% of the club after investing last week. Burgess didn’t take the field in his side’s 2-0 loss to Liverpool over the weekend but is expected to feature throughout the year.

Player 3: Massimo Luongo (Ipswich Town)

Alongside Burgess will be Massimo Luongo, who has played for a number of UK and Scottish clubs since 2011. The Sydney-born 31-year-old has also played 45 games for the Socceroos, scoring six goals, but announced his retirement from international football in January this year, citing growing injury concerns. He’s been at Ipswich since the middle of the 2022/23 season. The same month as he announced his retirement from international football, he signed a one-year extension to his contract at Ipswich and played 65 minutes over the weekend in the loss to Liverpool.

Player 4: Cameron Peupion (Brighton & Hove Albion FC)

At just 21, Peupion is at the beginning of his European football career and has shown promising signs. He’s played at Brighton for the past three seasons, mainly featuring in their Premier League 2 (PL2) side for under-21s. In April 2023, Peupion was named the PL2 Player of the Month after scoring six goals in five matches. Peupion wasn’t included in Brighton’s side for their 3-0 win over Everton on the weekend but will be hoping for a Premier League berth this season. 

Player 5: Garang Kuol (Newcastle United FC)

The 19-year-old’s first game for Newcastle was an exhibition match against Tottenham in his home state of Victoria this year. Kuol has struggled to get consistent game time for the various sides he’s been part of since first signing with Newcastle in 2022, who have loaned him out to Scottish club Heart of Midlothian and Dutch side FC Volendam. This season, he’s back at Newcastle and will be looking to make his Premier League debut.

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From plate to podium: Nutrition for young athletes

Peak performance isn't just about rigorous training, physical skills and genetics – it’s also about nutrition.

Whether you’re chasing gold or just looking to optimise your health, Dr Dominique Condo, a researcher and lecturer from Deakin’s School of Exercise and Nutrition Sciences, says that “proper nutrition is key.”

Nutrition has the power to make or break your athletic performance, and according to Dr. Condo, there are three key ingredients for a winning plate:

1. A balanced diet

Young athletes need a well-balanced diet that is rich in carbohydrates for slow-burning energy, proteins for muscle repair and growth, and fats for overall health. Picture a colourful plate full of fruits and veggies!

2. Hydrate

Unfortunately, the ‘eight glasses of water a day’ trick might not cut it! “It’s important to understand the demands of the sport and individual factors, including thirst, that may impact hydration needs,” Dr Condo said. Proper hydration depends on factors like body size, climate, activity level and overall health.

3. Meal timings

“Meal timing is just as important as what the meal is made of,” Dr Condo advises. “Eating a nutritious meal 2-3 hours pre-exercise or competition will allow for the food to be digested and able to be used as energy.”

Think beyond the field. Study sport at Deakin.

Looking back…

Looking forward…(All times are AEST)

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