Happy Thursday!

Let’s get to know each other a little better. My winter sport of choice is undoubtedly AFL - I am a die-hard Sydney Swans fan, and have been since I can remember.

Some of my happiest memories are the afternoons I spent watching the Swans play at the SCG. Corny, but true.

Tonight, the Swans play the Western Bulldogs in the first game of Round 11 of the AFL. Because it’s being played in Melbourne, and I’m in Sydney, you’ll find me on my couch, politely addressing the television with a slightly elevated volume.

I’ve got 10 seconds

Quote of the day

"I'm willing to dance with the devil a little bit to maybe get that magic moment, and I think that mindset is what keeps me pretty calm and comfortable and eager to give this wave a good go." 21-year-old Australian surfer Molly Picklum, speaking before competing at the Tahiti Open. It’s known as one of the most dangerous surf spots in the world. 

Stat of the day

259
The number of AFL matches Ken Hinkley, coach of Port Adelaide Power, will have coached after his team’s match on Saturday against North Melbourne. It means Hinkley sets the record for the most games coached without appearing in a Grand Final in the history of the AFL.

Random fact of the day

The men’s long jump record hasn’t been broken since 1991 - more than three decades ago. Before that, it was last broken in 1968. The record is currently held by U.S. jumper Mike Powell, who jumped 8.95m in Tokyo in 1991.

I’ve got 1 minute

Have you heard of Gabriela Ruffels?

The 24-year-old Australian is currently the number one ranked ‘rookie’ (a player in her first season) in world golf. Here’s what you need to know.

Not always a golfer

Ruffels emerged on the Australian sport scene at just twelve, but it wasn’t in golf. Instead, it was in tennis. She was the under-12s Australian champion. Both her parents and brother were professional tennis players.

But in 2014, at age 14, she got “burnt out from the sport” and switched to golf in 2015.

Climbing up the golf rankings

After a number of years learning her new sport and completing university in the U.S, Ruffels became a professional golfer in 2021. She is currently ranked 43 in the world and has finished third in both of her last two tournaments.

The U.S. Open

Next week, the U.S. Open, one of the five major championships in women’s golf, will kick off.

Ruffels is seen as one of the biggest threats in the tournament and told AAP this week that she likes “the bigger stage.” She’ll have to beat the world number one, Nelly Korda, who has won six of her last seven tournaments.

I’ve got 2 minutes

Australia could become a regular host for the American National Football League (NFL) in a bid to make the U.S. game more global.

Why would NFL games be played outside the U.S?

It’s all about the NFL becoming a popular sport worldwide, building strong fan communities and international television audiences, and scouting for global talent to one day play in the NFL. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell said: “Becoming a global sport is a major strategic priority for the league”.

Last December, team owners voted to hold up to eight NFL matches outside the U.S.

It’s not quite an ‘international sport’ just yet - of the 272 games in a regular season, the eight games make up 2.9% of the season. However, it’s an increase from the five games held overseas in 2023, and the first time team owners have agreed this is a key strategic goal. It’s something the NFL has thought about for a long time - the first regular season NFL game to be held outside the U.S. was in Mexico City in 2005, and there have been a total of 50 since then.

This season, there will be games in London, São Paulo and Munich.

Australia next?

NFL International Affairs head Peter O’Reilly this week said Australia “is among a set” of markets the NFL is scoping out for a future game. It followed a story by Nine reporter Tom Morris that the Melbourne Cricket Ground and Victorian State Government had entered into early discussions with the NFL about hosting a game.

Yesterday, NSW entered the race, with Venues NSW Chairman David Gallop telling the Sydney Morning Herald he wants to see the game in Sydney.

NFL in Australia

There is already an NFL presence in Australia. In 2022, the NFL opened a local office in Australia to coordinate talent scouting after a number of Australian players had successful NFL careers, and an ‘NFL Academy’ will open on the Gold Coast in September.

Two teams — the LA Rams and the Philadelphia Eagles — have ‘global market rights’ in Australia, which means they have the official rights to grow the NFL in Australia.

Due to these rights, it’s likely Australia would host either a Rams or Eagles game if there were to be an international regular season match. Australian Jordan Mailata plays for the Eagles, providing extra incentive for local audiences.

There is some bad news, though. O’Reilly also said “when you start to talk about Asia, Pacific and Australia, you talk about distance and logistics and the football component of that”, with lengthy travel time for players during a season acting as a potential disincentive.

A decision is likely to be made before the end of the year.

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Looking back…

Looking forward…

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