Monday Buzz: Weekend highlights, lowlights
The face of Fox Sports back on the radio, former NRL stars giving back to the community and more — check out the talking points from another big weekend in sport.
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Check out the highlights, lowlights and talking points from another big weekend in sport.
HIGHLIGHT
Watching the beast David Fifita carve up Australia’s rivals at the World Nines at Bankwest Stadium over the weekend. Now that Paul Gallen has retired, this guy is my new favourite NRL player. He is an extraordinary talent.
More Monday Buzz: Rabbitohs in $3.6 million bind over Sam Burgess
HIGHLIGHT II
The safe return of Jeff Fenech from Thailand, seated next to his doctor in business class, to walk his daughter down the aisle at St Marys Cathedral on Saturday.
LOWLIGHT
The Wallabies being outperformed, outclassed and out-coached by our own Eddie Jones at the World Cup, flogged 40-16 in the quarter-final. And the hide of Michael Cheika to complain about the obvious question over his future at the post-game press conference.
SHOOSH
There is very strong mail that the face of Fox Sports, Matty Johns, is interested in joining the Big Sports Breakfast radio show next year alongside Laurie Daley, a man he admires greatly. Johns has had a year off radio since quitting the Triple M Grill team but has freshened up and is apparently keen to have another crack. He would replace veteran Terry Kennedy, who stood down last week after 18 solid years.
SPOTTED
Melbourne Cup-winning jockey Michelle Payne meeting superstar singer Kelly Rowland in the director’s suite at the Everest on Saturday — and Peter V’landys photo-bombing in the background. Your columnist also had a chat to Rowland, and we can confirm she’s an avid reader of our Saint, Sinner, Shoosh column.
SPOTTED II
Old NRL stars Jamie Lyon and Todd Carney giving back to the community by playing in the Byron Bay Rugby Sevens all-stars team over the weekend.
SPOTTED III
Racing glamour girl and Sky news journo Julie Snook chatting to Michael Clarke’s lovely wife Kyly at the races on Saturday.
DEBUNKED
Kyle Feldt’s last try in the World Nines final against New Zealand should end arguments about the NRL scrapping the bunker. He not only lost possession but the ball was put down short of the line. It could have cost the Kiwis the game.
LEAGUE STARS SHOW CHARITABLE SIDE
Sam Burgess and Braith Anasta have helped raise $215,000 for the Sydney Children’s Hospital. Burgess might have a bad shoulder but he turned up for the Coogee Bay Hotel charity day, hosted by the hotel owner Chris Cheung. Timmy Gilbert and Dimi Papadatos, the promising young golfer who Anasta manages, were also there to help raise the money.
SYDNEY CLUBS HAVE NO GROUNDS FOR CONCERN
The survival of Sydney’s nine NRL clubs can be assured.
Our report over the weekend that incoming commission chairman Peter V’landys and chief executive Todd Greenberg were involved in a secret bid to build three mini-stadiums in the suburbs of Sydney instead of the ANZ Stadium redevelopment proves that. They understand the game in Sydney is all about suburban tribalism.
Long term we need to have more venues like Bankwest Stadium instead of empty seats at the bigger venues.
It helps that NSW Treasurer Dominic Perrottet, tipped to be the next Premier, is a mad Wests Tigers fan. He knows the beauty and importance of venues like Leichhardt Oval and Campbelltown.
The government has done the right thing by pressing ahead with the ANZ Stadium redevelopment.
We need the best major event stadium for State of Origin, grand finals, Socceroos blockbusters and concerts.
The big mistake was spending so much money at Allianz Stadium, which is far too big for its three major tenants but too small for major events.
The government could have saved $350 million by building a replica of Bankwest Stadium in Moore Park for the Roosters, Waratahs and Sydney FC.
That’s a 30,000-seat venue for clubs that average only 15,000 fans each week. Instead, the government has paid $750 million for a 45,000-seater.
This is the most terrible waste of taxpayers’ money (30,000 empty seats each week) to allow minister Stuart Ayres to keep on side his powerful mates on the SCG Trust and their elite members.
Manly fans could have got their desperately needed new stadium at Brookvale if the government had taken the smaller and better option at Allianz Stadium.
At least we know that V’landys and Greenberg won’t give up on it. They will continue the campaign for their fans to get the facilities they want.