Monday Buzz: Weekend highlights, lowlights

Fanatical Knights fans show their pride, the appalling treatment of Steve Smith and referee issues resurface. Check out the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another memorable weekend in sport.

Social media erupted over this incident involving Cam Murray.

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• CASUALTY WARD: Huge boost for star Rabbitoh

• TROUBLES: How Young gun fought back from drugs ban

Check out the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another memorable weekend in sport.

HIGHLIGHT I

The crowd/atmosphere at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle on Friday night. Your columnist sat with Knights members. There is not a more passionate or fanatical supporter base anywhere in the country.

A Knights fan flies a flag in support at McDonald Jones Stadium in Newcastle. Picture: AAP

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HIGHLIGHT II

Steve Smith’s magnificent century in the World Cup warm-up game against the Poms on Saturday night in England. In five knocks, he now averages 131.33 since returning to the Australian team.

LOWLIGHT I

The chants of “cheat” when he walked out to bat and the booing when Steve Smith got to 50 and 100 in Southampton.

LOWLIGHT II

The Penrith Panthers v Parramatta Eels on Thursday night at Bankwest Stadium. Probably the worst game of football I’ve seen in 10 years. An absolute bludger of a game.

SPOTTED I

League immortal Bob Fulton, Ian Schubert, Royce Ayliffe and Jack Elsegood fishing for barramundi in the Northern Territory last week.

Penrith’s win over Parramatta was a weekend lowlight for Buzz. Picture: Cameron Spencer

SPOTTED II

Former Blues State of Origin forward Paul Sironen at Shelly Beach in Manly last week.

SPOTTED III

Cooper Cronk and his wife Tara Rushton enjoying a rare footy season weekend break in Noosa on the Sunshine Coast.

SHOOSH

Which halfback is pricing himself out of the market by asking for $1 million a year when his contract runs out at the end of the season.

360 VIEW

Catch you on NRL 360 on Monday night on Fox Sports at the new kick-off time of 7.30pm with Ben Ikin and Paul Kent to discuss the NSW and QLD Origin teams and other big NRL issues. There will be live crosses to Origin coaches Freddie Fittler and Kevin Walters.

Social media erupted over this incident involving Cam Murray.

REFEREE STRUGGLES RESURFACE

This is the image that shows why rugby league fans are outraged by the refereeing standards and inconsistency in the NRL.

At the time of the incident in Saturday night’s Rabbitohs v Wests Tigers game, Souths led the penalty count 9-2. The Wests Tigers were still in the game with 27 minutes to go.

The NRL’s pin-up boy referee Gerard Sutton is looking directly at the play-the-ball.

Souths lock Cameron Murray is clearly obstructing the Wests Tigers dummy-half yet nothing happens. And they wonder why social media goes into meltdown.

You can’t referee one side and not the other. All we want is consistency.

Same in Newcastle with Ben Cummins. What a disgraceful decision not to sin-bin Jared Waerea-Hargreaves for knocking Kalyn Ponga out of the game.

For 11 rounds I’ve tried to remain positive and write nothing about the refereeing standards.

The NRL thinks the problem will go away because Graham Annesley is being open and transparent at his weekly media briefings. The problem is that he is now sounding like a broken record.

It’s OK to admit your mistakes but it’s more important to act on them and fix the problems.

Knights coach Nathan Brown has had a pleasing past month. Picture: Darren Pateman

BROWN SILENCES CRITICS AS KNIGHTS HIT TOP FOUR

Five weeks ago Nathan Brown was ‘gone’ as coach of the Newcastle Knights.

After three straight wooden spoons and a 38-14 defeat to the Titans (their fifth loss in six games) the Knights coach needed a ScoMo-type miracle to survive.

They have since won five straight and averaged 34 points per game.

This has been the most remarkable form turnaround.

To pump the premiers 38-12 in front of a home crowd of almost 26,000 is an indication the Knights could be a top-four side this year which would guarantee Brown’s long-term future.

The comeback has coincided with halfback Mitchell Pearce producing five straight blinders. He has been backed from $100 after six rounds to his current price of $6 to win the Dally M.

Cooper Cronk was rested for the clash against the Knights. Picture: Brett Costello

ROBBO’S CALL TO REST CRONK

Trent Robinson was criticised in some quarters for resting halfback Cooper Cronk in last Friday night’s loss to the Newcastle Knights.

Once Luke Keary left the field heavily concussed the defending premiers were without their hooker Jake Friend and both halves from last year’s grand final.

Brock Lamb had a tough night against his old club and Latrell Mitchell looked out of place at five-eighth. Robinson defended the decision after the game.

He rested Cronk because he wants him fit during Origin while big guns Boyd Cordner, James Tedesco and Mitchell are away on rep duty. The Roosters play Canterbury and Wests Tigers without their Origin stars.

Originally published as Monday Buzz: Weekend highlights, lowlights