Monday Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s highlights and lowlights

Adam Reynolds was hoped to be Brisbane’s saviour next season - but it’s already hit a major hurdle. PHIL ROTHFIELD’S highlights and lowlights.

Counting down the days. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

Sport’s Editor-at-Large Phil Rothfield has all the best gossip from NRL land in his Monday Buzz column.

HIGHLIGHT

Escaping from lockdown and getting our lives back. A beer, a long lunch and the races.

LOWLIGHT

Another 150 days to wait until the NRL 2022 kick-off on Thursday, March 10. Friday nights and weekends aren’t the same without the footy.

Catch all the ICC T20 World Cup action live & exclusive to Fox Cricket, available on Kayo. New to Kayo? Start your free trial today >

Counting down the days. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty

SHOOSH

Which Wests Tigers players are blowing up deluxe about halfback Luke Brooks being named as the club’s player of the year? They all thought – and we agree – that Adam Doueihi was clearly the more deserving of the award. The judges were Michael Maguire, Adam Hartigan and Danny Stapleton. Doueihi finished eighth in the Dally M Awards with 20 points.

SHOOSH

The NRL’s announcement of a $50 million profit despite the enormous costs of relocating the teams to south-east Queensland has not gone unnoticed with the players and the RLPA. While the clubs have been getting extra funding from the NRL, the players are still on reduced salaries.

SPOTTED

The building of Manly’s new high-performance centre and northern-end grandstand is well under way at Brookvale Oval. Even better news is that the cow paddock of a playing surface is being re-turfed.

A first look at Brookvale Oval’s facelift.

SPOTTED

Premiership winning Panthers Brian To’o and Stephen Crichton at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast on Friday, proudly wearing their premiership rings.

REYNOLDS’ SCARE

Adam Reynolds has thrown a scare into the Brisbane Broncos camp after suffering a shoulder injury in the grand final. He is heading off this week for an MRI scan.