Monday Buzz: Highlights, lowlights from the weekend’s NRL action
As Cronulla were rolled by Canterbury after sacking coach John Morris, Phil Rothfield had one person on his mind. BUZZ’S HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS.
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Five-eighth Matt Moylan is fighting to save his career at the Cronulla Sharks.
The mail is strong that new coach Craig Fitzgibbon’s preferred choice as his halves combination next year is Adam Reynolds in the number seven jersey with Kiwi Shaun Johnson at five-eighth.
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The Sharks are hopeful of convincing Reynolds to sign a three-year contract.
The South Sydney skipper is expected to decide in the next fortnight. He is a close friend of Cameron McInnes, another new signing, from their time together at the Rabbitohs.
This would leave 29-year-old Moylan as the odd man out. The former Panthers star has been restricted with injuries and has played only 25 games in the last three years at the Sharks.
It’s not a lot of football for a player on $800,000-a-season.
Moylan is no longer considered as a fullback because of his hamstring problems which lowers his value on the open market.
Fitzgibbon is not commenting publicly on his recruitment plans but his priority, according to sources, is securing lock Toby Rudolf on a long-term contract.
HIGHLIGHT
The ANZAC Day atmosphere, emotion and respect at the Sydney Cricket Ground for the traditional Roosters-Dragons blockbuster in what has become the best day on the rugby league calendar.
LOWLIGHT
The Cronulla board’s decision to sack John Morris has had such a negative and demoralising effect on the team. Fancy getting rolled by the Bulldogs. I felt like sending a text message to chief executive Dino Mezzatesta “thanks for ruining our season,” but didn’t.
SPOTTED
Axed coach John Morris watching the Cronulla Sharks’ shock loss to the Canterbury Bulldogs from Kingscliff Bowling club with his family.
SPOTTED
Foxtel chief executive Patrick Delany and Fox Sports presenter Megan Barnard as doubles partners in a staff tennis tournament. Our mail is that Delany is a much better yachtsmen than tennis player.
SPOTTED
Highly regarded Penrith Panthers assistant coach Cameron Ciraldo with suspended Canterbury Bulldogs front-rower Jack Hetherington at the Paul Gallen-Lucas Browne fight.
SPOTTED
Cricket royalty - Ian Chappell, Brian Taber, Bob Cowper, David Sincock - at the Bellevue Hotel in Woollahra on Saturday for a celebration of the life of the great Graeme Watson.
SHOOSH
Rugby union continues to struggle as a TV sport. The Waratahs v Rebels on Saturday night had a metro audience of 53,000 on Gem. It was beaten by 130 other broadcasts for the day on free to air television. Nine is not yet revealing its numbers on Stan, but if that is the appetite for free rugby, surely there can’t be too many paying for it.
360 VIEW
Catch you Monday on NRL 360 at 6.30pm on Fox League with Ben Ikin, Paul Kent and James Hooper to discuss all the biggest issues from round seven of the competition.
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