Good evening!

In the U.S, Google searches for Buffalo wings and seven-layer dip have spiked dramatically. That can only mean one thing — the Super Bowl is rapidly approaching.

On Monday at 10:30am (AEDT), the Philadelphia Eagles will seek to stop the Kansas City Chiefs from winning a third straight Super Bowl.

An integral part of the Eagles Super Bowl campaign will be Australian Jordan Mailata. After losing to the Chiefs two years ago in the Super Bowl, the 203cm, 166kg offensive lineman is seeking to become the first Australian to win the title match.

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Stat of the day

$US17 million ($AU27 million)
The amount of money Japanese baseball star Shohei Ohtani’s former translator, Ippei Mizuhara, has been ordered to pay back to Ohtani. Mizuhara was found guilty of stealing the sum from Ohtani to pay back gambling debts and will serve five years in prison. Ohtani, who helped the LA Dodgers to a World Series victory last year, worked with Mizuhara as his translator when he moved to the U.S. to play baseball in 2018.

Quote of the day

"The ARLC acknowledges and thanks Brad for his extensive efforts in coaching and elevating the Jillaroos to the position they are in as the number-one ranked team in the world and World Cup champions."
A statement released by the NRL announcing Brad Donald’s resignation as Jillaroos coach. Jess Skinner has been named as the interim coach ahead of the side’s match against England in the NRL’s Las Vegas showcase on 1 March.

Random fact of the day

The records set by U.S. athlete Florence Griffith-Joyner (aka Flo-Jo) in the women’s 100m and 200m sprint in 1988 have yet to be beaten. Flo-Jo was known for both her athletic prowess and her looks on the track, including long, colourful acrylic nails and one-legged jumpsuits.   

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In case you missed it…

🏉 Wallabies coach Joe Schmidt will step down following the 2025 Rugby Championship. Schmidt, who has transformed the team since taking over from Eddie Jones, extended his contract past the British and Irish Lions Tour in July and will oversee the Wallabies until early October. Rugby Australia boss Phil Waugh said: "Joe expressed to us that he was enjoying his work with the Wallabies while also making clear his need to spend more time at home with his family." Schmidt’s wife and son both live in New Zealand.

🏃‍♂️ The 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will feature a one-mile event as part of the athletics program for the first time since 1966. World Athletics president Sebastian Coe said: "The magic of the mile continues to resonate with sports fans.” Coe twice broke the record in the mile race in two World Athletics events in 1981. 

⛵ The third event of the SailGP season will begin on Sydney Harbour tomorrow, with 12 national teams expected to battle it out. The Australian team, fresh off a thrilling victory in Auckland last month, will be looking to win the Sydney event for the second consecutive year. Led by captain and driver Tom Slingsby, Australia sits third on the leaderboard, one point behind competition leaders Great Britain and New Zealand.

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Hockeyroos and Kookaburras return to action in FIH Pro League

Australia’s national hockey teams are back in action for the first time in 2025. Both sides - the Hockeyroos and the Kookaburras - are competing in the FIH Pro League in Sydney.

Hockeyroos

The Hockeyroos have had a dream start to 2025, winning both of their matches so far. On Wednesday the Aussies beat Spain 4-1. Yesterday, they prevailed in a tense penalty shootout against China.

Over the weekend, they will play both sides again, with a match against Spain on Saturday and China on Sunday.

Kookaburras

The Kookaburras went down to Spain 2-1 on Wednesday but came back with a statement win yesterday against the Netherlands. In a rematch of the quarter-final at the Paris Olympics, the Aussies beat the eventual gold-medallists 4-2.

As with the women, the men will play the same two fixtures over the weekend, facing Spain on Saturday and the Dutch on Sunday.

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Super Bowl LIX preview: what you need to know ahead of Monday’s match

The Kansas City Chiefs will return to the NFL’s biggest stage on Monday (AEDT) to attempt a third consecutive Super Bowl title. The only thing standing in their way is a highly talented and motivated Philadelphia Eagles team.

Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs are playing in their fifth Super Bowl in the past six years. The weight of their experience in the setting makes them slight favourites. Led by quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs are poised to become the only team to achieve a Super Bowl three-peat. Mahomes, who has a 3-1 record in the league’s title match, was named MVP each time the Chiefs won. The Chiefs have not looked as dominant this season as in past years, but they have found a way to win, mainly through the brilliance of Mahomes.

Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles are out for revenge after losing to the Chiefs at the 2023 Super Bowl LVII. Their biggest offensive weapon is running back Saquon Barkley, who has had a historic season. Barkley is 30 yards away from breaking the all-time single-season record for combined rushing yards in the regular season and playoffs, was not in the Eagles lineup the last time they were at the Super Bowl and could prove the difference.

MVP

Barkley has already picked up an honour, being named the NFL’s Offensive Player of the Year at a pre-Super Bowl awards ceremony. Barkley was beaten by Buffalo Bills quarterback Josh Allen for the overall MVP award. Allen beat out a crowded field including fellow QBs Lamar Jackson (Baltimore Ravens), Joe Burrow (Cincinnati Bengals), and Jared Goff (Detroit Lions).

Half-time show

The half-time show this year will be headlined by rapper Kendrick Lamar, accompanied by SZA. The match will also feature plenty of famous faces, including Chiefs tight end Travis Kelce’s partner Taylor Swift (heard of her?), and reportedly President Donald Trump If Trump does go, he’ll be the first President to go to the Super Bowl while in office.

How to watch

You can watch the Super Bowl on Foxtel or Kayo. The match will start at 10:30am.

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 back…

Looking forward… (All times are AEDT)

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