THE player who unintentionally created the NRL’s greatest coaching shake-up is now struggling to justify why there was such a frenzy for his signature. Buzz Rothfield looks at the mystery of Nathan Cleary. LIVE BLOG 1:30PM
WONDERFUL send-off, Jack Bird back at Cronulla and Phil Gould still at it — check out the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another memorable weekend in sport.
AFTER one of the worst years of NRL refereeing in history, the game’s two most senior officials have disappeared for a week in the United States.
IF Andrew Fifita and Josh Dugan want to carry on like knuckleheads, they can expect me to expose them every time. And their feral behaviour is just making things worse for the club that pay their wages, writes PHIL ROTHFIELD.
GRAND final week is a huge event for the rugby league media and it’s just as much a battle as on the field, as the SMH found out this week.
BUZZ runs the rule over all 34 players in Sunday’s grand final and nominates his pick for the Clive Churchill Medal — and it’s not GI.
THE South Sydney Rabbitohs look certain to dominate tonight’s Dally M awards – and they’ve dominated Buzz’s team of the year.
LUCKY the AFL chose this year’s grand final not to raise their ticket prices for the first time in 20 years unlike the NRL, writes Phil Rothfield.
BUZZ: You often wonder if Anthony Minichiello wasn’t Anthony Minichiello whether he’d be wearing the Roosters No. 1 jersey against South Sydney.
WHAT’s the Buzz: Melbourne fullback Billy Slater will miss the Four Nations, while the Storm will bypass the Dally Ms altogether.
IT was the night that was a major embarrassment for rugby league. At one of the greatest finals ever, the stadium was more than half empty.
PHIL Rothfield went to the footy with NRL CEO Dave Smith on Friday night. He found out plenty – and he’s changed his views on Smith.
Original URL: https://www.couriermail.com.au/sport/nrl/opinion/phil-rothfield/page/110