NRL 2022: Buzz Rothfield’s highlights & lowlights for Round 25
Phil Gould has his sights set on a key Rabbitoh, while the Rugby League World Cup is creating headaches for NRL clubs — check out PHIL ROTHFIELD’S highlights and lowlights found 25.
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The upcoming Rugby League World Cup is creating headaches for NRL clubs as they commence planning for the 2023 season.
The Collective Bargaining Agreement between the clubs and the RLPA entitles players to between six to eight weeks annual leave each year.
This is not normally a problem, but with so many players representing their countries in the World Cup, clubs will see their stars trickle back from the UK at varying times depending on how deep they progress into the tournament that runs until mid-November, before they can resume their annual leave.
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NRL teams competing in the last couple of weeks of the finals series will be even more impacted as their players will not be able to take much leave before joining their World Cup squads.
Throw in the Christmas break for good measure and the disrupted preparation could see a raft of upsets early in the 2023 season until players settle back into the regular weekly grind of the premiership.
HIGHLIGHT
Getting a six-month break from the New Zealand Warriors, Gold Coast Titans, Wests Tigers, Newcastle Knights and a couple of other ordinary teams who have been so uncompetitive this year.
I’m looking forward to having a six-month break from @NZWarriors & @GCTitans#NRLWarriorsTitans
— BUZZ ROTHFIELD (@BuzzRothfield) September 3, 2022
LOWLIGHT
The Broncos. A shocking capitulation at the back end of the season, losing five of their last six games including very winnable matches against teams outside the top eight, the Wests Tigers and St George Illawarra.
SHOOSH
We keep hearing South Sydney and NSW Origin head of high-performance Travis Touma has been approached by Phil Gould to take over at the Canterbury Bulldogs.
SPOTTED
Isaiya Katoa put in a man-of-the-match performance for a massively under-strength Penrith in their 22-14 NSW Cup major semi-final win over North Sydney on Saturday.
The Panthers haven’t considered the 18-year-old half for reserve grade or Jersey Flegg this year since he signed with NRL expansion side the Dolphins on a massive three-year deal.
With Penrith’s reserve grade team missing a dozen players after NRL coach Ivan Cleary rested a host of first graders against North Queensland, Katoa starred in a massive effort from the Panthers to beat the highly rated Bears.
Katoa showed the Dolphins what they were getting when he scored a try and dominated against a Bears side that was expected to stroll through the Panthers.
SPOTTED
Boxer George Kambosos at Allianz Stadium on Friday night meeting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his partner Jodie Haydon
SPOTTED
Roosters chairman Nick Politis taking the Sydney Roosters’ Jersey Flegg team to lunch at Bar Reggio in Darlinghurst on Saturday afternoon.
SPOTTED
Peter V’landys regularly hosts Sydney’s most connected business types and politicians in his Racing NSW suite at Randwick. On Saturday his guests even included the Ukrainian ambassador to Australia, Vasyl Myroshnychenko.
SPOTTED
Friday night was a significant milestone for NRL ground manager Peter Denny at Allianz Stadium. Denny was also in charge for the very first NRL game when the old Allianz Stadium first opened back in 1988.
360 VIEW
Catch you on NRL 360 on Fox League at 6.30pm with Braith Ansata, Paul Kent, James Hooper and Cooper Cronk to discuss all the issues in the build-up to the finals. And don’t forget NRL 360 will run for four nights during the finals series.
FINALS DARK HORSE?
No-one rates the Cronulla Sharks as a genuine premiership threat – especially TAB punters.
Despite the fact they finished in the top four, the Sharks are holding just four per cent of the bets on the premiership market.
The Panthers are holding 36 per cent of the money and Melbourne Storm next at 16 per cent.
CHOOK COMES HOME TO ROOST
Former Great Britain Test captain Phil Clarke travelled 17,000 kilometres from the north of England to attend the opening of Allianz Stadium on Friday night with the Sydney Roosters.
Clarke had two seasons with the Roosters (1995 and 1996) before a neck injury in a game against the Cowboys in Townsville ended his career.
“I will always be in debt to the Roosters for the way they looked after me when I got hurt,” Clarke said, “That’s why I’ve come all this way for the game. It’s such an important night for the club.”
Bombshell Ponga to Roosters link confirmed
They may have locked down Dylan Brown on a huge ten-year deal, but it has been confirmed the Roosters are in for Kalyn Ponga.
Manly prepare to draw up final contracts for Tom and Jake
Sea Eagles stalwarts Jake and Tom Trbojevic play their 155th game as a duo for Manly tonight with the club making moves to keep the duo at Brookvale for life.