Monday Buzz: Phil Rothfield reveals his weekend highlights and lowlights

Josh Addo-Carr is well on his way towards being crowned the player of the World Cup, but has he caught the attention of NSW coach Brad Fittler? Buzz’s highlights and lowlights.

Josh Addo-Carr. Picture: Alex Livesey/Getty

Phil Rothfield reveals his highlights and lowlights from a monster weekend of sport in his column, Monday Buzz.

HIGHLIGHT

Does Joey Manu now have a case to be recognised as the world’s best player? He carried the Kiwis to victory over Fiji with 304 metres and 11 tackle busts. We can’t wait to watch him against James Tedesco in next weekend’s semi-final.

HIGHLIGHT II

Boxing warhorse Mark Hunt, at 48 years of age, used all his combat sport experience to knockout Sonny Bill Williams in a stunning upset on Saturday night.

Mark Hunt turned back the clock against Sonny Bill Williams. Picture: Mark Evans/Getty

LOWLIGHT

The end of Sonny Bill Williams; sadly without the fight we all wanted to see against Paul Gallen. Still the great man will always be remembered as a champion in rugby league and union, so good that if he’d stayed in the NRL he could possibly have been an immortal.

BULLDOGS COUP

The Canterbury Bulldogs have signed old rugby league warhorse James Graham to work in commercial and community areas of the football club. He will also help out coach Cameron Ciraldo with the mentoring of younger players.

Graham played six seasons and 135 games at the Dogs before signing at St George Illawarra. He had a job at the Dragons but was surprisingly let go towards the end of the season. He is such an impressive figure in the media in roles at Fox Sports and Triple M radio.

James Graham will return to the Bulldogs. Picture: Brendon Thorne/Getty

SHOOSH

Which boxing guru won a fortune by backing Mark Hunt at $8 to knockout Sonny Bill Williams.

SPOTTED

A couple of high profile Roosters at the Sonny Bill Williams v Mark Hunt fight on Saturday night – chairman Nick Politis and front-rower Matt Lodge.

BIG BREKKY

Catch you this morning on Sky Sports Radio in the Big Sports Breakfast with Laurie Daley, Michael Clarke and Gerard Middleton to discuss all the big rugby league stories.

FREDDY WON’T DANCE THE FOX-TROT

So what does Freddy Fittler think of Josh Addo-Carr’s World Cup form?

We contacted the NSW Blues coach after the Fox’s slashing five-try performance against Lebanon in the World Cup quarter-final.

It took him to 11 tries for the tournament from three games.

I texted Freddy on Saturday morning after the game and it went like this.

Buzz: “Freddy have you got 2 secs to chat about Josh Addo-Carr please.”

About half an hour later …

Josh Addo-Carr is on track to win player of the tournament. Picture: Alex Livesey/Getty

Freddy: “Haven’t watched the game as yet. What an enormous effort. He has had a fantastic World Cup. I love watching Josh in full flight. He can take our game to another level.”

I then asked the obvious question.

Buzz: “Should you have picked him this year and will you next year.”

We got a wishy-washy reply.

Freddy: “Origin was 5 months ago and Origin 2023 is seven months away.”

Buzz: “Fair enough, cheers.”

Good on Freddy for at least getting back to us.

No doubt he’s watched a replay by now and seen another phenomenal performance from the Canterbury Bulldogs superstar against Lebanon.

In fairness scoring a stack of tries against World Cup minnows is a lot different to Origin, the toughest footy that there is.

It is very easy to be smart after the event but back in June I wrote on many occasions that Addo-Carr should have been in the NSW side.

Obviously Panthers star Brian To’o deserved one spot but Addo-Carr, in your columnist’s humble opinion, should have been chosen ahead of Roosters winger Daniel Tupou.

Tupou does a fine job but doesn’t have X-factor.

Addo-Carr is not just a great winger but a wonderful character.

His teammates love him.

He can lighten up tense situations in rep camps better than anyone in the game.

He’s always happy and always cracking jokes. He makes people laugh.

On game day it’s a different story.

He turns up ready to play and hopefully next year it will be for the NSW Blues.