What’s The Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s sporting predictions for 2022
Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield has taken out his crystal ball and compiled his list of storylines to follow in 2022, and he believes the NRL will have a new Dally M king.
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Looking into my crystal ball, I see a No.1 standing on the dais collecting the Dally M Medal in 2022. But he’s not from Manly.
It’s James Tedesco. Teddy grew into a great leader last season and with the Roosters’ returning talent, he will have the support for an even better season.
BEST NEW SIGNING
Cue the music! Up, Up, Cronulla. Craig Fitzgibbon will prove he’s one of the best up-and-coming coaches by taking the Sharks to the eight. They will win in the first week of the finals, too.
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PRESSURE POINT
Bye, bye Michael Maguire. The Wests Tigers will be looking for a new head coach by round eight. They have a bonus by playing Melbourne Storm without Brandon Smith, Cameron Munster and Harry Grant in round one and then a reasonably soft draw in the first eight weeks. It won’t help Madge. He just doesn’t have the roster, especially while Adam Doueihi is out of play. What chance Tim Sheens taking over as caretaker with the support of Benji Marshall and Robbie Farah? I think it’s pretty high.
TEAM TALK
The NRL news will be dominated by talk of an 18th team.
It will be fought out between a second New Zealand side, a fifth Queensland team and Perth, where we haven’t seen a team since the Western Reds folded in 1997 after Super League.
Three years ago, Peter V’landys told this newspaper: “Forget wasting millions in rusted-on AFL states. We must undertake a full analysis (of growth markets) but Perth does not have a huge league audience.
“Then there’s the concern around flying NRL players for five hours when we already hear criticism of player workloads and how taxing the season is on the stars of the game.”
We’re tipping this might change, and the West Australians are a huge chance.
RULING THE ROOST
And the 2022 premiers will be … drum roll, please … the Sydney Roosters. From James Tedesco at the back to Jared Waerea-Hargreaves at the front, Trent Robinson has a team loaded with talent, leadership and toughness. They made the finals with a second-grade roster in 2021, which proves they have stronger depth than their rivals.
WHAM-BAM, THANK YOU SAM
Still, it will be interesting to see how Robinson handles rookie of the year Sam Walker. With Luke Keary back as the top playmaker and Joseph Suaalii fit again, does Joey Manu play five-eighth? It’s great to have options.
BIGGEST IMPROVERS
My mob the Cronulla Sharks. Throw the work ethic of Cameron McInnes, Dale Finucane and Nicho Hynes into any footy club and there’s only one direction it can go.
STORMY DEPARTURE
We’re still to be convinced Brandon Smith wants to be in Melbourne next season. That his crazy podcast comments recently were actually a tactic to get an early release. The very best of sources insist he’s not happy in the southern capital. There is an issue around a phone call he had with chairman Matt Tripp last month after the podcast drama. The Roosters are monitoring the situation.
GRAND TURBO
We know Tommy Trbojevic had an incredible 2021, but it overshadowed the rise of young forwards Haumole Olakau’atu, Taniela Paseka, Josh Schuster, Sean Keppie and Toafofoa Sipley. With Des Hasler spending the summer focusing on defence and fitness, I’m tipping the Sea Eagles to make their mark again. They play Penrith, the Roosters and Souths in the first four weeks, so we will know about them early.
PENNY FOR THEIR THOUGHTS
After their over-the-top grand final celebrations, the sacking of Tyrone May, speculation around contracts and Nathan Cleary’s shoulder, the Panthers face a massive challenge to go back-to-back, but they will be thereabouts.
REELY OVERRATED
Parramatta Eels chairman Sean McElduff thinks general manager of football Mark O’Neill is in the same league as the Storm’s Frank Ponissi. Seriously, this is outrageous. Their recruitment is a disgrace.
GAME OF THE YEAR
Latrell v Joey Manu. Round 3. Homebush. Don’t touch the dial, don’t touch the set …
PLAYER CASH ROW
The biggest stink in the game will be the RLPA v NRL. Clint Newton v Peter V’landys. The players are still on six per cent Covid pay cuts while the clubs are getting record amounts in NRL cash grants. The players are fed-up.
SEE YOU SLATER
The Maroons have brought in Billy Slater and Cam Smith to lead their Origin revival. It won’t help. This is one of the best Blues teams I’ve seen and they are poised for a dynasty under Brad Fittler. Nathan Cleary, Tommy Turbo, Latrell Mitchell, Payne Haas, Cam Murray … what a squad. It will be a Blue-wash.
HOLD THE BONE
Old Dog Phil Gould will oversee a major revival at Canterbury – and will take much of the credit. Of course, many of the new pieces were in place before Gus signed on: Josh Addo-Carr, Matt Burton, Brent Naden, Matt Dufty, Braidon Burns and Tevita Pangai Jr give the Bulldogs firepower they haven’t had in years. Will finish 12th.
DROP THE MIC
Will this be the final year of NRL commentary for Ray “Rabbits” Warren? I’m saying yes. Next year marks his 100th Origin in game one. He’s already on the top of the mountain of TV rugby league commentators with fellow legends Frank Hyde and Rex Mossop. He has provided the soundtrack to history.
RTS STRUGGLES
It’s sad to see him leave the NRL, and he’s a supreme athlete, but Roger Tuivasa-Scheck is hardly a certainty to be playing for the All Blacks against the Wallabies in next year’s Bledisloe Cup. In fact, we wouldn’t be surprised to see him back in the NRL.
BIG DREAD VEE
Dragons fans, please blame the crystal ball and not your correspondent. I see a four-way battle for the wooden spoon between the Tigers, Cowboys, Warriors – and, yes, the Dragons. Anthony Griffin hasn’t really improved his team and the lack of resolve over the past few years makes you wonder where this proud club is heading.
OUR BEST BUD
We know Swans superstar Buddy Franklin will become the sixth player to break the 1000-goal mark. But I’m tipping the big fella will break the mark in round 1. In fact, he will finish the year by passing ‘God’ Gary Ablett Sr and back up in 2023 for one final year at the Swans.
SWANS TO THE FOUR
Blessed with outstanding young talent, and leaders Josh Kennedy and Luke Parker showing no signs of slowing down, the Sydney Swans will surpass last season’s efforts and confirm their position as Sydney’s top AFL club.
HANGING UP THE GLOVES
Aussie wicketkeeper Tim Paine will sadly announce his retirement from Test cricket after a successful Ashes defence campaign under Pat Cummins.
PULLING UP STUMPS
After an interesting 12 months, Justin Langer will end his time as national cricket coach and return to the Big Bash with the Perth Scorchers.
EIGHTH WONDER OF THE WORLD
Champion Steph Gilmore almost took the world title this year, but we reckon Steph will get the fairytale crown in 2022 to surpass Layne Beachley with her eighth title.
GOLDEN DAYS ARE HERE AGAIN
Australia will power past 1000 gold medals in Commonwealth Games history and I’m tipping the team will even threaten the record single Games haul of 87 gold set in 1994 at Victoria, Canada. To do it in England will make it all the more sweet.
THE GOLDEN TOUCH
Emma McKeon will shatter the record for most gold medals at an individual Commonwealth Games, jointly shared by legends Susie O’Neill (1998) and Ian Thorpe (2002).
THE SON ALSO RISES
Tim Tszyu will claim the WBO junior middleweight world title when he finally stands across the ring from Argentina’s Brian Castano to secure his place alongside dad Kostya as a giant of boxing.
KEVIN 007
Now that he has a halfback in Adam Reynolds to lead a star pack around the park, Kevin Walters will finally see some green shoots at the Broncos. Payne Haas, Kotoni Staggs, Reynolds and Kurt Capewell is a fair base to build from.
SOCCEROOS MISS OUT
Mark Bosnich is probably right. Graham Arnold won’t make it to Qatar for the World Cup with the Socceroos. We simply aren’t good enough. The curse will be broken and the England soccer team will reach the World Cup final for the first time since 1966. A tournament played between November and December will have a strange feeling – so why not a Pommy uprising?
A SEPTEMBER BELLYACHE
The off-field white powder scandal involving Cameron Munster and Brandon Smith highlighted the difference between this era of Storm champions compared with the Billy Slater, Cooper Cronk and Cam Smith years. With home games again, they will make the four but fall short when the footy gets serious.
JUST ADD WATER
This might sound strange considering Emma McKeon is her own personal gold mine, but Australia’s best swimmer is probably Ariarne Titmus. She will challenge Katie Ledecky’s world record in the 400m freestyle in Birmingham.
BOL AND THE BEAUTIFUL
There are few more popular track and field athletes than 800m runner Peter Bol, who calls Australia home after coming from Sudan. Maybe I’m still caught up in his brave run at the Tokyo Olympics, but I think Bol will defy the Kenyans and win a medal at the Commonwealth Games.
ROGER AND OUT
It will be a sad day, but after all these years Father Time has caught up with Roger Federer. A last Wimbledon appearance would be the perfect way for a true giant of sport to take his final bow. No one deserves to go out on the big stage more than Federer.
TO TRELL AND BACK
Latrell Mitchell will be stung by watching his Rabbitohs play so bravely in the grand final, only to lose to Penrith. Mitchell will always play close to the edge, but he will pull his head in a bit and have one of the best seasons of his career.
POINT OF ORDER
In fact, with Adam Reynolds now at the Broncos – I still can’t believe it – Mitchell will take over the goalkicking at Souths and finish as the season’s leading pointscorer.
SUMMER BARTY
After years of trying, Ash Barty will become the first Australian female since Wendy Turnbull in 1980 to make the women’s final at our grand slam.
LORD OF THE TRIES
Watch new signing Xavier Coates emerge into the new Greg Inglis and Israel Folau under Craig Bellamy’s coaching at the Storm. Coates will be a superstar and top the tryscoring list in 2022, preventing a hat-trick of titles for Souths’ Alex Johnston.
AUSSIE HORSE POWER
Young gun Rohan Browning beat racehorse Lost And Running over 100m – and he will make the Commonwealth Games 100m final to cement his status as one of the world’s rising sprinters. And he’s a Shire boy, too!
BEST SUMMER READS
You can’t stop the sun from shining: Sonny Bill Williams (with Alan Duff)
Blood, Sweat & Steel: Curtis McGrath (with James Phelps)
Spirit of the Red V: A century of Dragons rugby league: Geoff Armstrong
Plum: Brendan Cowell
Spudd: The Mark Carroll Story: Mark Carroll (with Adam Hawse)
2021 Official Rugby League Annual: David Middleton
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Originally published as What’s The Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s sporting predictions for 2022
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