The Big Deal Weekly: AFL season build-up, Webster's suspension, Matildas in Adelaide, NRL in Vegas, Aussies on the move in NBA, Goorjian set for Kings, the Caitlin Clark effect & more
Newsletter no.73, 6 March 2024
The AFL season is finally here, but the tribunal was again the talking point this week.
Elsewhere, big teams are landing in big states, while everyone in the NRL wants a piece of the Vegas pie.
All that and more in this week’s wrap.
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WEBSTER COPS SEVEN
Post-recording, St Kilda’s Jimmy Webster copped a seven-game whack for his hit on North Melbourne skipper Jy Simpkin.
The grading from the AFL MRO was careless, severe and high, the same Sam Powell-Pepper was given for his incident with Adelaide’s Mark Keane.
Is the difference between ‘careless’ and ‘intentional’ too much?
TILLIES COME TO ADELAIDE
The Matildas will play a farewell match against China at Adelaide Oval before the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The game is set for Friday, May 31 and will be the first time the Matildas have played in Adelaide since November 2019.
NRL IN VEGAS
The NRL’s trip to Las Vegas was marred by an alleged racial slur.
Roosters prop Spencer Leniu was involved in an altercation with Ezra Mam, with the former describing their on-field incident as ‘just a little bit of banter on the field’.
Latrell Mitchell has called for the NRL to ban Leniu for more than half of the NRL season.
Game-wise, it was a relief for the NRL that Allegiant Stadium is enclosed as heavy winds derailed a lot of plans.
The NRL had to make a call to cancel a tailgate party which was set for the parking lot, with wins up to 111km/h recorded at the nearby airport.
On TV, the start had to be moved from the prized Fox Sports 1 as a college basketball game ran overtime.
The NRL was on Fox Sports 2 until about 18 minutes into the game.
TEAMS BIDDING TO BE ‘AMERICA’S TEAM’
Manly Sea Eagles owner Scott Penn, who is based in New York, is rumoured to be a potential investor amid talk of a semi-professional domestic league in the US.
Penn said he wants the club to “really entrench” themselves in America, and they’d love to be the American Eagles as the ‘home team’ for the Vegas trips.
Sydney Roosters chairman Nick Politis also dubbed his side a natural fit, with their colours - red, white and blue.
THE STATS
More than 40,000 fans attended the first premiership matches in the US - two thirds capacity of Allegiant Stadium.
It was also an incredible TV success, 838,000 viewers on Kayo and Fox for the first game between Manly and South Sydney.
Later, Fox League beat Channel 9 for viewers for the Roosters v Broncos - 786,000 to 784,000.
The US TV ratings are still to be revealed.
PATTY MILLS GOES ON AGAIN, GALLOWAY’S CHANCE
Patty Mills was waived by the Atlanta Hawks but has been given a lifeline with a contender - the Miami Heat.
It was initially feared Mills would have his Olympic campaign derailed after the Hawks axed him.
However, it’s only a short-term contract, keeping the hope he may return to play in the NBL one day.
Meanwhile, Sydney Kings rising star Jaylin Galloway has seen his good form rewarded, signing with Milwaukee on a two-way deal.
Players on a two-way deal earn just under $560,000 USD for season 2023/24, which is than half the rookie minimum.
GOORJIAN TO RETURN TO KINGS
Last week, the Sydney Kings sacked Mahmoud Abdelfattah, only one year into the job.
The defending champs came crashing down after losing to the NZ Breakers in the play-in qualifier.
Brian Goorjian will be confirmed today as the new coach, while his former understudy at Illawarra and their old mentor, Jacob Jackomas, could be set to replace Fleur McIntyre, who will head to the WNBA.
THE CAITLIN CLARK EFFECT
The college basketball phenomenon Caitlin Clark declared for the WNBA Draft and is expecting to Pick 1.
A local reporter for Indianapolis asked her if she enjoyed the basketball environment in Indiana to consider playing for the Fever, who have the prized first pick.
Clark will earn the maximum WNBA salary, first year will be $74,000 USD before rising to $250,000.
However, it’s reported she’s also earning around $900,000 from her name, image and likeness deals with major brands like Nike and Gatorade.
She has some big notable fans - including former WWE star Mick Foley and two-time NBA all-star Victor Oladipo.
PERTH WELCOMING MORE INTERNATIONAL TALENT
WWE’s Elimination Chamber premium live event has been and gone, and now Italian football will be set for Optus Stadium.
Serie A giants AC Milan and AS Roma are set to come down under, following in the foot steps of English Premier League sides Manchester United, Aston Villa, West Ham and Tottenham Hotspur.
Elimination Chamber brought in around 50,000 fans, while Coldplay who performed two exclusive concerts last year welcomed 130,000 across two nights.
Destination WA.
SNOW WORRIES, COBBA
The Young Matildas kicked off their AFC U20 Women’s Asian Cup campaign in Uzbekistan against South Korea and were met with testing conditions.
Snow blanketed the field, and while attempts were made to clear at least parts of the pitch, it was just the sides and sections of the centre circle.
How the game ended 1-1 we’ll never know.
DON’T PLAY SLOW IN LIV
New recruit Adrian Meronk is gonna learn the hard way, potentially.
The Pole was penalised for slow play in Jeddah and handed a one-shot penalty.
It has dropped him from a share of fifth place with Jon Rahm to a share for sixth, and the difference in that is about $250,000 USD.
It’s completely different from the PGA Tour, which hasn’t penalised a player for slow play since 1995.
John Catlin was penalised at the USPGA Championship, however, that major is not run by the PGA Tour.
BARCA’S BIG CHANGE
Barcelona is looking at going out on its own.
The Spanish giant is considering a decision with Nike, its current main kit sponsor, which it has signed with until 2028.
Barca are considering cutting ties with the company and having their own brand of shirts, which is said to be ‘looking like a winner’.
There are also claims Puma are interested, however, club president Joan Laporta has refused to confirm any talks.
If Barca proceeds with its own company, they would be one of the first known elite-level clubs to do so.
RUSSELL WILSON AXED
The Denver Broncos have released former SuperBowl winning quarterback Russell Wilson, and will now taken on an NFL record $85 million USD in dead cap.
Dead cap is the guaranteed portion of the salary, and this hit is the largest in league history, bigger than the previous two records combined.
The cost of Russell Wilson’s two years for the Broncos:
• $124M in salary
• Noah Fant
• Drew Lock
• Shelby Harris
• 2022 1st rd pick (Charles Cross)
• 2022 2nd round pick (Boye Mafe)
• 2022 5th round pick (Tyreke Smith
• 2023 1st round pick (Devon Witherspoon)
• 2023 2nd round pick (Derick Hall)
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