Buzz Rothfield’s highlights and lowlights from a massive weekend of sport
PHIL ‘Buzz’ Rothfield rates his highlights and lowlights from a massive weekend of sport, including an embarrassing post-NRL grand final moment for ANZ security.
NRL
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A DRAMA-FILLED AFL final, an embarrassing moment for ANZ security and Issac Luke signs a contract for 2019.
HIGHLIGHT
Your columnist is just a casual AFL fan. I’d watch every weekend if they had more games like Saturday’s Collingwood v West Coast Eagles blockbuster grand final. It was the most magnificent edge-of-your-seat sporting contest.
LOWLIGHT I
Roosters supremo Nick Politis locked out of his own dressing room by overzealous ANZ Stadium security guards after the game. In August a star-studded guest list gathered to honour Politis at a private dinner that marked his 25 years as chairman. It was later resolved and Politis was seen celebrating with his team and embracing hero Cooper Cronk.
LOWLIGHT II
The lack of grand final atmosphere around Sydney over the weekend. If you didn’t follow rugby league you wouldn’t have known there was a game on.
SPOTTED
Cronulla Sharks players hired a luxury cruiser for a day out on Sydney Harbour on Saturday. No drama whatsoever with their behaviour but a shock to see former teammate Jack Bird on board.
SPOTTED II
Last year’s NRL grand final referee Matt “Chicken Legs’ Cecchin in Dubbo yesterday, volunteering at the Koori Knockout.
SPOTTED
Former Waverley police detective, man-about-town and now eastern suburbs publican Bobby Tate in his full Roosters kit for the big game.
TAKEN FOR GRANTED
Grant Atkins is generally regarded as the best up-and-coming referee in the game. It’s wrong that he has been overlooked for the Prime Minister’s XIII v PNG game next weekend. The job has gone to Bernard Sutton’s little brother Chris. What a surprise.
LUKE’S SACRIFICE
Veteran hooker Issac Luke has agreed to a one-year contract extension at the New Zealand Warriors on about a third of the money he received in 2016 when he quit the South Sydney Rabbitohs.
REFS’ FOOD DRIVE (with pic)
In a lovely touch in grand final week, the NRL referees not involved in the big game did some great charity work. The full-time squad went out to a factory in Glendenning to package food for Sydney’s homeless.
360 VIEW
Catch you tonight on NRL 360 on Fox Sports with Ben Ikin and Paul Kent for our final show for 2018 and an in-depth analysis of last night’s decider.
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