Good evening!

It’s been a tough year to be a sculptor of sports statues (Or a sports star, depending on how you look at it).

The latest statue to come under fire is one of English football captain Harry Kane in London. Before Kane, it was basketball player Dwyane Wade and football legend Cristiano Ronaldo.

Some critics are suggesting that society’s sculpting capabilities will never be the same after peaking at the time of the Roman Empire.

I’ll leave it to you to see if you can interpret which sports star is which. And if it’s easy, maybe they aren’t so bad?

I’ve got 10 seconds

Stat of the day

6
The number of goals scored by Australia’s ParaMatildas in the International Federation of Cerebral Palsy Football World Cup Final. The ParaMatildas came back from two goals down to beat the U.S. 6-2 and become the first Australian team to win a world title in football. The Australian team is ranked number one in the world for CP Football, which includes athletes with cerebral palsy or an acquired brain injury.

Quote of the day

"The titles and numbers are there so people probably know that, but the way I would like to be remembered is being a good person from a small village in Mallorca where I had the luck to have my uncle as a tennis coach. I had a great family who supported me in every moment. I was a kid who followed their dreams, worked as hard as possible to be where I am today. At the end of the day, a lot of people try their best every single day, but I'm very lucky to have the life I have to live because of tennis."
Rafael Nadal speaking on-court after his final match in the Davis Cup quarter-final between the Netherlands and Spain, which saw Spain eliminated. The 38-year-old Spaniard retires with 22 grand slam victories to his name, including 14 French Opens, four U.S. Opens, two Wimbledon crowns and two Australian Open titles. A two-time Olympic gold medalist, ‘the King of Clay’ held a world no.1 ranking for 209 weeks and spent a record 912 consecutive weeks inside the Top 10.

Random fact of the day

In 2023, Michaela Werner became the first woman to swim 101 underwater laps of a 25m pool in under an hour. The 43-year-old was allowed to come up for a breath for no more than ten seconds at the end of each lap. Of the hour, she spent 42 minutes underwater.

I’ve got 30 seconds

In case you missed it…

🎾 Slovakia’s women’s tennis team stunned Great Britain to advance to the final of the Billie Jean King Cup. Tereza Mihaliková and Viktória Hrunčková won the doubles decider in straight sets, defeating Heather Watson and Olivia Nicholls 6-2 6-2. In the final, Slovakia will meet four-time champions Italy, led by world number four Jasmine Paolini. Slovakia have not made the final since winning the title in 2002. 

🎾 Alex de Minaur has confirmed his availability for the Davis Cup ahead of Australia’s quarter-final matchup against the U.S. The Australian team will also feature Jordan Thompson, Thanasi Kokkinakis, Matt Ebden, and Alexei Popyrin, who have all had breakout years on tour. Australia were runners-up in 2023, losing to Italy in the final. Australia’s quarter-final is on Thursday in Málaga, Spain. The Davis Cup is being broadcast on Channel 9.

🏀 In the NBA, the Cleveland Cavaliers’ perfect start to the season has come to an end at the hands of the Boston Celtics. After remaining undefeated for the first 15 games of the season, the Cavaliers were beaten 120-117. Celtics forward Jayson Tatum starred for the defending champions with 33 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists. 

⚽ Football manager Pep Guardiola has reportedly agreed to a one-year extension of his contract with Premier League club Manchester City. Since starting with Man City in 2016, the Spaniard has guided the club to six Premier League titles and its first Champions League title in 2023. An official announcement from the club is anticipated soon.

I’ve got 1 minute

Socceroos claim last-gasp draw against Bahrain in World Cup Qualifier

The Socceroos have kept World Cup qualification hopes alive by drawing with Bahrain 2-2.

What happened

Striker Kusini Yengi kicked off scoring for Australia within the first minute.

Bahrain wasn’t able to respond until deep into the second half, with Mahdi Abduljabbar launching a shot from over 40 metres out. The strike caught Socceroos goalie Mat Ryan out of position and sailed into the back of the net.

Less than three minutes later, Abduljabbar scored again to give the home side the lead.

Ten minutes of stoppage time was allocated after the 90th minute. Yengi capitalised on a scramble within the box and nudged the ball past Bahrain’s goalkeeper to bring the scores equal, salvaging a draw and a crucial point for Australia.

World Cup Qualification

The Socceroos are playing in Group C of the third round of World Cup Qualification. Following last night’s draw, they are sitting in second place on seven points. Group leaders Japan are on 10 points. The bottom four teams in the group (Indonesia, Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, and China) are all on six points. Teams are awarded three points for a win and one point for a draw.

Four games remain in this round of qualification, to be played in March and June 2025.

The Socceroos’ fastest route to the World Cup is to finish in the top two of Group C.

If they finish third or fourth, they will have to go through another round of qualification. If they finish in the bottom two, their hopes of playing in the 2026 World Cup will be dashed.

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I’ve got 2 minutes

The national AFL Draft begins tonight - here’s what you need to know

The AFL Draft will take place over the next two nights at Marvel Stadium in Melbourne. Over seven rounds, 90 players will be selected by the 18 clubs in the competition.

How does it work?

The first round of this year’s draft will feature 23 picks.

Players in the draft are typically school-leavers who are making a bid to play in the AFL. The draft is typically done in reverse order of last year’s table. For example, the Richmond Tigers, who finished at the bottom of the table in 2024, will have the number-one pick in this year’s draft. It is done this way so that the weaker teams in the competition are given an opportunity to strengthen their side, keeping the AFL as competitive as possible from year to year.

Changes to the draft order

There are a few reasons why changes may be made to the draft order. The AFL awards compensation picks to clubs who have lost players during the transfer period. The value of these picks is determined by the quality of the players who have transferred away. When a compensation pick is awarded, it shifts the draft order.

The order of the draft can also shift for other reasons, such as when clubs match bids on sons of past players. If an eligible draft pick’s father played 100 or more games for a club, the club has a right to pick them — however, the club in question must sacrifice some draft picks to do so. This year, it’s expected that the Brisbane Lions will make a bid for Levi Ashcroft, whose father, Marcus, won three premierships with the club.

Storylines

Richmond has a significant opportunity to rebuild its side with eight of the twenty-four picks in the first round of the draft. Midfielder Sam Lalor has been touted as the player who Richmond will pick first. However, Victorians Finn O’Sullivan and Jagga Smith and South Australian Sid Draper will also be highly sought after.

How to watch

The draft will begin at 7:00pm AEDT tonight. You can watch the AFL Draft on Foxtel or Kayo.

A deep dive powered by Deakin University

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 forward…(All times are AEDT)

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