Overseas Aussies and big decisions from league officials headline this week’s Wednesday Sports Round-up.
Aaron Mooy joins Celtic
Socceroos midfielder Aaron Mooy has signed a one-year contract with Celtic, coached by fellow Australian Ange Postecoglou. The 31-year-old joined the Scottish football giants on a free transfer and is eyeing regular gametime in a bid to prepare for the World Cup in November.
Mooy says he’s looking forward to linking up with his former national team coach in Postecoglou once more.
“Ange was my coach for about three years in the national team, so I know the standards he wants, and I’m looking forward to working with him again,” Mooy told the Celtic website.
Mooy’s signing comes after Socceroos teammate Tom Rogic departed the club following their successful season where they lifted the Scottish Premiership.
NBL schedule Christmas Day blockbuster
The NBL are set to create sporting history, by having the first sporting fixture on Christmas Day in Australia.
The Sydney Kings will host Melbourne United on Christmas Night, with King’s co-owner Paul Smith telling Fox Sports the match could help those who feel a bit left out on the nation-wide holiday.
“We are a changing society. Christmas isn’t a holy event for all of us, and it can be a lonely day for a lot of people,” Smith said.
“So, to be able to come out to a world-class venue for a world-class game of hoops, or just watching the Sydney Kings at home on television, it’s a game changer.”
Liam Jones seeking AFL return as AFL lifts vaccine mandate
Former Carlton defender Liam Jones has reportedly met with the Western Bulldogs to rejuvenate his AFL career after he stepped away from the game due to vaccine mandates last year. With the AFL lifting the requirement to be vaccinated in order to play last week, 31-one-year-old Jones is seemingly now on the radar of the club where he began his AFL career in 2009.
The Herald Sun reports that Jones, along with his partner, met with Western Bulldogs officials and football boss Chris Grant yesterday. This comes after reports he also met with Essendon list manager Adrian Dodoro last week.
Carlton, who have all but ruled out re-drafting Jones, will seek compensation for losing Jones to the vaccine mandates last year.
Isaac Cooper banished from swim-camp and Commonwealth Games
Australian swimmer Isaac Cooper has been sent home from the swim team’s pre-Commonwealth Games camp in France for disciplinary reasons. The 18-year-old will miss the upcoming Games as a result of misusing medication.
Swimming Australia released a statement this morning following their decision.
“Cooper has been sent home from the Dolphins training camp following some wellbeing challenges, including the use of medication,” the statement said.
Cooper was looming as a chance for a medal in the Commonwealth Games, after breaking an eight-year record in the 17yrs age-category 100m backstroke at the 2021 Australian Age Championships.
Sam Kerr appears on cover of FIFA 23
Matilda’s superstar Sam Kerr has become the first woman to appear on the global FIFA video game cover. Kerr was the top scorer in the Women’s Super League last season, scoring 20 goals in 20 matches for Chelsea in what was a title-winning season for the Blues.
The Australian skipper will join Kylian Mbappé as the two cover stars for the upcoming game of the massively popular franchise that has sold over 325 million copies to football fans over its almost 30-year run.
Photo: by Guduru Ajay bhargav available HERE and used under a creative commons attribution. The image has not been modified
