Monday Buzz: Weekend highlights, lowlights

MONDAY BUZZ: Phil Rothfield’s highlights, lowlights and talking points — including a new nominee for the NRL’s most undderated player.

Anthony Don on the charge for the Titans.

THE highlights, lowlights and talking points from another big weekend in sport — including a new nominee for the NRL’s most undderated player.

HIGHLIGHT

Manly’s remarkable golden point victory over the Canberra Raiders in a 84-minute edge-of-your-seat thriller. The Sea Eagles showed amazing courage and class to come from behind against a bigger and more powerful side.

MORE MONDAY BUZZ: Head office to blame for contract farce

Manly's Dylan Walker celebrates after kicking the winning goal against Canberra. Picture: Kym Smith

HIGHLIGHT II

The GWS Giants’ thumping win over cross-town rivals the Swans to confirm their standing as Sydney’s premier AFL team. The boys from Sydney’s west are now $4.75 favourites with corporate bookmakers to win the AFL flag.

LOWLIGHT I

I’m still feeling sick in the stomach from watching the poor South Sydney Rabbitohs getting robbed against the Brisbane Broncos on Friday night. Middle-of-the-road clubs like Souths need a decent bounce of the ball.

Sam Burgess questions the referee during South Sydney’s loss to Brisbane. Picture: Mark Evans

LOWLIGHT II

Under most circumstance a referee who performed as poorly as Ashley Klein in the Rabbitohs game would be dropped to NSW Cup. Not this guy. He’s the senior reviewer inside the bunker for tomorrow’s Melbourne Storm-Warriors game. What a joke.

SHOOSH

Which rugby league media personality won $30,000 in an all-up bet on two long-priced horses at Townsville races on Friday afternoon?

SPOTTED

NRL boss Todd Greenberg at the Oatley Hotel on Sunday night celebrating his son Cooper’s 18th birthday with family and friends.

SPOTTED II

Blues coach Laurie Daley and State of Origin captain-in-waiting Boyd Cordner having a coffee at the Courtyard Café in Coogee.

SORRY JENNY

In The Sunday Telegraph we revealed how appallingly girls touch players were being treated by the Cronulla junior rugby league. The blame was inadvertently directed at Jenny McNamara, who sent the email to the parents that the competition had been postponed.

Jenny is a really hard working official. She was just the messenger, passing on a decision made by junior league secretary Nathan Waugh. I’m sorry Jenny.

Kyle Flanagan has impressed for the Sharks under-20s. Picture: Gregg Porteous

SHIRE TALENT

Shane Flanagan’s son Kyle, the Sharks’ Holden Cup halfback, continues to impress. He is the top pointscorer this season in Holden Cup and scored 20 against the Titans on Saturday night from a try and eight goals.

TUNE IN

Catch you Monday night on NRL 360 with Ben Ikin and Paul Kent to discuss the big issues from round eight.

BULLDOGS HAVE NO PLANS TO CUT GRAHAM

SKIPPER James Graham is unlikely to be released by Canterbury despite recent media speculation to the contrary.

The Bulldogs have to create enough space in next year’s salary cap to accommodate Wests Tigers skipper Aaron Woods and Warriors five-eighth Kieran Foran. Unless the English front-rower asks for a release, coach Des Hasler has no plans to cut him.

Four others are in the firing line — fullback Will Hopoate, hooker Michael Lichaa (both off contract) plus Greg Eastwood and Aiden Tolman.

Bulldogs skipper James Graham chats to Tigers captain Aaron Woods after Sunday’s match. Picture: Gregg Porteous

It would be common sense for the club to also try to offload halfback Moses Mbye but rival clubs are scared off by the ridiculously high $700,000-a-year the Bulldogs are paying him.

Don’t be surprised if both Tolman and Eastwood end up at the Newcastle Knights.

Talks are already in progress with Knights coach Nathan Brown, who needs to secure some experienced big boppers to help convince a quality playmaker to join the club.

So far they’ve been knocked back by Jack Bird and Foran, who were both concerned about the lack of quality forwards.

PLACID PANTHERS

Penrith’s premiership campaign has gone from serious to critical after Saturday’s loss to the Parramatta Eels at ANZ Stadium.

Interestingly, the Panthers had a better completion rate over the 80 minutes.

Their problem is an obvious one — too many missed tackles in the forwards. Trent Merrin missed five. Corey Harawira-Naera missed five and Peter Wallace four.

Anthony Don on the charge for the Titans.

DON IS GOOD

I’ve always thought Roosters utility Mitch Aubusson was the most underrated player in rugby league.

Then I saw Gold Coast winger Anthony Don carve up the Cronulla Sharks on Saturday night.

He is a super player.