NRL 2021: Buzz Rothfield’s mid-season awards, best players, buys, rookie

Nathan Cleary is clearly the best but the two spots below him have undergone a major transformation. Here are Buzz Rothfield’s half-year awards for the greatest game of all.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - MAY 22: Victor Radley of the Roosters is sent to the sin bin by referee Peter Gough as James Tedesco looks on during the round 11 NRL match between the Sydney Roosters and the Brisbane Broncos at Sydney Cricket Ground, on May 22, 2021, in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Matt King/Getty Images)

Rugby league never sleeps. We have outrage, scandal and controversy every day, every round, every season. High shots and high drama. As many feuds as football games.

We also have the most extraordinary and toughest athletes on the planet. Here are our half-year awards on the greatest game of all.

NO, NO, NO, NO, NO

Love them or hate them, State of Origin footy without Gus Gould, Fatty Vautin and all their madness in Townsville just won’t be the same.

Channel 9 wants a younger, more contemporary look (lucky it doesn’t apply at The Daily Telegraph).

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Origin just won’t be the same without Gus and Fatty on commentary.

Give me Fatty any day of the week over King Wally or Johnathan Thurston. And Gus … if he’s not a better analyst than Peter Sterling, I’ll give the game away.

These are interesting times at Channel 9. Gus used to have enormous sway at the network because he was so tight with previous CEOs Hugh Marks and David Gyngell. He even once wrote James Packer’s speeches when he owned Nine.

We’re not sure where Gus sits with the new boss, Mike Sneesby.

Sneesby is locked into heavy negotiations with the NRL for a new broadcast deal. (There is good mail Channel 10 badly wants the rights.)

The NRL, like any organisation, wants its game to be delivered in a positive light.

That’s something Nine can’t guarantee with its “almost” always independent Gus, who has been particularly harsh on independent commission chairman Peter V’landys in recent times.

Nathan Cleary is the best player in the NRL right now. Picture: Getty Images.

BEST PLAYER

At the start of the year in the NRL top 50, we had 1. Nathan Cleary, 2. Cameron Munster and 3. James Tedesco.

We’ve still got Cleary on top because he’s been sensational every game, every round.

If this keeps going we’ll be talking about him down the track in the same league as Thurston or Andrew Johns. Seriously, he’s that great.

However, we have a new man at No.2, Manly’s superstar fullback Tom Trbojevic. This guy is the best ever advertisement for getting off the drink. He hasn’t touched a drop since doing his hammy on the late-night sprint down the Manly esplanade against Harry. (Oops, almost forget that it was actually in the shower.)

And third … a new face, Penrith Panthers front-row enforcer and wrecking ball James Fisher-Harris.

Isaiah Papali'i has had a career best year at Parramatta and is the buy of the year for 2021 so far. Picture: Getty Images.

BEST BUYS

Hard to go past Isaiah Papali’i at Parramatta. How did the sharpest recruitment man in the business, the Warriors’ Peter O’Sullivan, let this player go? Sully at least made up for it with the signing of Reece Walsh, another rising superstar who escaped from the awful mess that is the Broncos. Dane Laurie has also been exceptional for the Wests Tigers.

WORST BUYS

I hate writing this one because some players find it difficult to adjust in new surroundings.

You also need to consider that someone like Kyle Flanagan at the Bulldogs, who signed for the Roosters, has had such little talent to help out. Two other Bulldogs, Jack Hetherington and Corey Allan, have done bugger all, too. In this category, you can also throw in Josh Mansour at the Rabbitohs and Kane Evans at the New Zealand Warriors.

BEST ROOKIE

This is shaping up as a Walsh, Sam Walker quinella. Both are exceptional 18-year-olds who have overcome the nerves, the scrutiny and the best NRL lines of defence.

Manly’s Josh Schuster has also been exceptional, while there could be a charge later in the year from boom Roosters centre Joseph Suaalii.

With no shortage of quality rookies to debut in 2021, with Reece Walsh, Sam Walker, Josh Schuster and Joseph Suaalii battling it out. Picture: Getty Images.

TOUGHEST MAN

Have a look at Dale Finucane’s melon. This photo says it all. Most humans in this condition are sitting in a hospital emergency ward. He’s doing just another post-game interview. “I feel dreadful,’’ he said, flashing a grin. What a player.

Dale Finucane is as tough as they come. Picture: Fox Sports

MOST INCONSISTENCY

The refs win this one every year, although they are only doing as instructed by the NRL. In round one, Jesse Ramien was correctly sin-binned for foul play after whacking Matt Dufty in the head.

A week later, Storm forward Felise Kaufusi knocked out Ryan Matterson with a blatant forearm to the head yet stayed on the field.

Dylan Brown kneed Drew Hutchison in the back and put him into the back of an ambulance and off to hospital. He was not even put on report until 15 minutes later after the halftime break.

BEST INNOVATION

The V’landys move to get rid of high tackles. This was long overdue for the protection of our players. It is so important for the long-term future of the game.

The high-tackle crackdown was long overdue... but the timing was terrible. Picture: Getty Images.

WORST TIMING

Introducing the crackdown 48 hours before Magic Round ruined the weekend for 130,000 fans who turned up over three days at Suncorp. The NRL has at least admitted it went in too hard.

FOX IN THE HOUSE

Melbourne Storm winger Josh Addo-Carr rewrites the record books with six slashing tries in a thumping 50-nil victory over an understrength South Sydney in round nine.

DATTITTTT! Josh Addo-Carr becomes the first player since 1950 to score six tries in a game 🦊#NRLSouthsStormpic.twitter.com/aQErej2Gjk

— NRL (@NRL) May 7, 2021

BEST GAME

The most remarkable golden-point finish your old columnist has ever seen in round five.

Tom Burgess charges over in the 82nd minute for a Rabbitohs victory over Wests Tigers – then Luke Brooks picks up the loose ball and sprints the length of the field to touch down at the other end. Gerry Sutton rules try to the Wests Tigers. The bunker goes the other way and gives it to the Rabbitohs.

LOWEST ACTS

The Tyrell Fuimaono high shot on Ryan Papenhuyzen in Magic Round that put the Storm superstar on a stretcher and out of the game indefinitely. Storm star Kaufusi knocked out defenceless Parramatta forward Matterson with an elbow to the head in round two.

BEST IDEA

Former Dragons coach Paul McGregor says any player kicked out of rugby league under the NRL’s no-fault stand-down policy should have his contract reduced to the minimum wage of $78,000. Under this scenario, St George Illawarra would have had $600,000 to spend in the cap to cover for Jack de Belin. However, if the player is later found not guilty, the club pays him what he was originally owed.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT 1

Players holding the back of their heads and feigning injuries to milk penalties from accidental crusher tackles. It is a disgraceful blight on the game.

BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT 2

The Canberra Faders were supposed to be a top-four side. They’ve had so many issues with George Williams quitting with mental health, Josh Hodgson bagging the club for the way it happened, Joe Tapine’s wife criticising Rick Stuart and Josh Papalii taking a weekend off, telling my old mate Christian Nicolussi: “Footy isn’t the most important thing for me right now and I need to mentally freshen up.”

SADDEST STORIES

The passing of legends Tommy Raudonikis and Bob Fulton. They had one particular thing in common – the most competitive spirit and winning attitude of any league players in history.

MOST DEVASTATION

The wonderful career of winger Brett Morris sadly ended in round 8 with an ACL injury against the Knights as Fox Sports cameras revealed all the high emotion and tears in the Roosters’ sheds.

NICEST STORY

Brad Arthur’s son Jake debuts in round 10 against the Warriors. To watch the coach punch the air when Jake scored towards the end was the Magic Round highlight.