Monday Buzz: Latrell Mitchell Dally M favourite; weekend highlights, lowlights

Could Panthers coach Ivan Cleary welcome a former Cronulla forward to the club in future? Plus, Dally M favouritism in Buzz’s highlights and lowlights.

Latrell Mitchell looks in top form ahead of the 2021 season. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty

Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield runs the rule over the weekend’s NRL trial action in his highlights and lowlights column.

HIGHLIGHT

Latrell Mitchell’s stunning performance in the Charity Shield. Should be favourite with the bookies for the Dally M Awards. If he stays healthy but doesn’t play State of Origin this year, there needs to be an inquiry.

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Latrell Mitchell looks in top form ahead of the 2021 season. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty

LOWLIGHT

It was only a trial match but St George Illawarra’s performance, especially their defence, was just dreadful. They are paying around $4 to win the wooden spoon but should be shorter. Souths have been backed from $2.45 into $2.10 to beat the Storm in round one.

The Dragons were embarrassed in the Charity Shield. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty

SHOOSH

Which former Cronulla forward is in talks with Penrith about joining them this season.

SPOTTED

Former Parramatta star Kaysa Pritchard driving a crane on the building site for the new Allianz Stadium at Moore Park. Pritchard was forced into retirement in 2019 after a series of bad injuries. Under the Eels’ education and welfare program, he trained as a crane operator while he was still playing to prepare for life after footy.

SPOTTED

A couple of old St George Dragons warhorses Steve Edge and Bruce Starkey on a brisk morning walk in Mudgee. Starkey, 67, looks almost fit enough to be playing and would probably do a better job than half their forward pack on Saturday night.

Matt Cecchin is handy on the mic. Picture: Matt Taylor

SPOTTED

Fox Sports star Yvonne Sampson comforting her husband, Channel 9 reporter and St George Illawarra tragic Chris O’Keefe, as the Rabbitohs kept piling on the tries in Mudgee.

SPOTTED

St George Illawarra stars playing cricket in the carpark of their hotel in Mudgee. Lucky they are footballers because there wasn’t a lot of skill on show with the bat or ball.

MC REFEREE

Matt Cecchin might have found a career post refereeing. The whistleblower with the initials “MC” was the MC at the Col Pearce medal last week. Cecchin was so entertaining NRL CEO Andrew Abdo has suggested his hospitality staff consider using Cecchin to MC corporate suites. Gerry Sutton won the Col Pearce Medal and Ben Cummins was named the referees’ referee of the year.

BREKKY RADIO

Catch you Monday morning at 8.10am on the Big Sports Breakfast on Sky Sports Radio with Laurie Daley, Michael Clarke and Gerard Middleton to discuss all the latest from a full weekend of NRL trials.

Originally published as Monday Buzz: Latrell Mitchell Dally M favourite; weekend highlights, lowlights