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What’s the difference between kicking a soccer ball and a rugby league ball?

Not that much, in the eyes of Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett, who’s hired former Socceroos coach Graham Arnold.

Arnold has been brought into the Rabbitohs camp ahead of the 2025 NRL season to help improve the goal-kicking of Bennet’s players. It’s not the first time Arnold’s advice has been sought by rugby league goal-kickers — in fact, he helped Manly Sea Eagles star Jamie Lyon drastically improve his conversion success rate ahead of the 2013 Finals series.

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Stat of the day

7:33.12
18-year-old Australian Cameron Myers’ time in the 3000m New Balance Indoor Grand Prix in Boston over the weekend. In doing so, Myers set a new Australian indoor record, beating the time of 7:34.50 run by Craig Mottram at the same event in 2008. Myers, who specialises in middle-distance running, holds six underage Australian records, as well as the under-18 world record for the men’s 1500m.

Quote of the day

"We are heartbroken by the loss of our son, brother and father, Troy this morning. We will miss Troy more than words can express."
A statement from the Selwood family via the AFL regarding the death of former Brisbane Lions player Troy Selwood, aged 40. Selwood played 75 games for the Lions and was the brother of Geelong Cats great Joel. The statement did not disclose any details regarding Selwood’s cause of death.

Random fact of the day

Americans Jack Johnstone and Don Shanahan are credited with the creation of the modern triathlon. The two men first hosted a triathlon event in San Diego in 1974, which saw 46 men and women compete. According to an NPR interview, the order of events of the first triathlon “started with a run, followed by biking. Then they swam, then ran again in bare feet, then swam again, then ran again… The race ended by crawling up a steep dirt bank to the finish.” The triathlon became an Olympic event in 2000.

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In case you missed it…

🏉 Dale Tapping, a senior coach for Essendon in the VFL, has died aged 59. Tapping also served as an assistant coach for Essendon and Brisbane in the AFL. At the beginning of 2023, he was diagnosed with myeloma, an aggressive form of blood cancer. Essendon AFL head coach Brad Scott said: "Dale was an outstanding coach, but his true legacy lies in the profound impact he had on players and staff personally. His dedication to their growth – both on and off the field – along with his genuine love for seeing people succeed, were qualities admired by all.” 

⚽ Mary Fowler has been named in the 23-player Matildas squad set to play in the SheBelieves Cup later this month. Fowler will return from a fatigue break, which saw her sit out the side’s most recent window of international friendlies late last year. The SheBelieves Cup is an invitational tournament hosted by the U.S. The round-robin style tournament will see Australia take Japan, Colombia, and the U.S.

🏄‍♂️ The first World Surf League event of the year, the Pipe Pro in Hawaii, remains on hold as organisers wait for favourable conditions. Since the event window began on 27 January, there has only been one day of competition (last Thursday). There are 10 Australians in action at the event, held at one of the world’s most famous surf breaks, Pipeline. 

🥊 American boxer Claressa Shields has become the sport’s first-ever undisputed women’s heavyweight champion, defeating 42-year-old Danielle Perkins in a unanimous points decision. The 29-year-old’s win extends her professional record to 16-0. To be undisputed, a boxer must simultaneously hold the belts from all four major boxing organisations (IBF, WBA, WBC and WBO). 

🏏 Annabel Sutherland and Travis Head have been awarded Cricket Australia’s top annual awards for women’s and men’s cricket. Sutherland was honoured with the Belinda Clark Award after the 23-year-old recorded two Test centuries and 34 wickets in 33 matches across all formats. Three years after being named the Men's Test Player of the Year, Head won the prestigious Allan Border Medal for the first time after scoring 1,427 runs across all formats during the past 12 months.

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Michael Bevan inducted into Cricket Australia Hall of Fame

Michael Bevan was announced Monday as the 66th inductee into the Cricket Australia Hall of Fame. Bevan was a star of the One-Day format, winning two World Cups and ranked as the world’s top One-Day batsman for three and a half years. Before his induction, the Hall of Fame criterion favoured Test cricketers, but an update ensured Bevan was rightly eligible.

Bevan’s career

Bevan’s international career spanned from 1994 to 2004. He excelled in the One-Day format of the game. Bevan played in 232 ODI matches for Australia and finished his career with an impressive average of 53 runs. The left-handed batsman also played 18 Test matches for Australia but only averaged 29 and was unable to cement his place in the team.

Bevan will forever be in Australia’s collective sporting memory for his heroic innings in a New Year’s Day match against the West Indies in 1996. Chasing 173 runs, Australia’s top order collapsed and lost six wickets for only 38 runs. Bevan remained at the crease, and needing four runs from the final ball of the match, he hit a boundary straight down the ground to secure a last-gasp victory for Australia.

What they said

Bevan told The Sydney Morning Herald: “When I reflect on my career, both ODIs and the longer version, I’m pretty proud of what I achieved.”

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Sam Kerr’s trial for racially abusing a police officer begins

Matildas star Sam Kerr faced court in London yesterday after being charged with racially aggravated abuse of a police officer in January 2023. The 31-year-old has denied any wrongdoing, pleading not guilty to a charge of racially aggravated harassment.

The incident

A night of celebration ended in Kerr and her partner Kristie Mewis crawling out of the broken back window of a taxi following an argument over compensation for vomit in the vehicle.

The cab driver called the police, and instead of taking Kerr and Mewis to their home address, he drove to Twickenham police station as advised by the police phone operator.

At the time, Kerr told officers she and Mewis feared they were being kidnapped after the driver refused to let them out of his cab and proceeded to break the rear window.

Kerr was recorded twice calling police constable Stephen Lovell "f---ing stupid and white," and insisting on going to court rather than pay for the window, leading to her being arrested.

What they said:

Kerr’s lawyer, Grace Forbes said: "Sam Kerr did not feel hostility to the officer because he is white. The words were a comment… about positions of power, about privilege and about how those things might colour perception."

What’s next?

The maximum penalty for racially aggravated abuse is 26 weeks in jail under UK law. The trial will resume today and is expected to finish this week.

Kerr is under contract at Chelsea Football Club in the UK’s Women’s Super League. She is currently rehabilitating from a knee injury that occurred in January 2024 and is expected to return to the field within the next few months.

A message from Deakin University

Whether it’s home or away, follow them through every game

The Sport Science degree at Deakin University provides students with the opportunity to acquire world-class knowledge in exercise physiology, biomechanics, and sport psychology - essential areas that contribute to optimising elite performance.

Gain insight into cutting-edge training techniques, injury prevention strategies, and advanced performance analytics used in global sporting events.

By studying at Deakin, you'll be equipped with the skills and knowledge necessary to support athletes at the highest level, preparing you for a dynamic and rewarding career in the field of sport science.

Looking forward… (All times are AEDT)

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