Highlights, lowlights: Chad Townsend’s three-match ban for hit on Kalyn Ponga was soft

Chad Townsend may be done for the season if the Sharks don’t make the finals. He’s lucky his suspension for a shoulder charge on Kalyn Ponga doesn’t include games next year. Check out PHIL ROTHFIELD’S Round 17 wrap here.

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIA - SEPTEMBER 05: Former Ausralian Netball player Vicki Wilson is seen chatting with former NRL Brisbane Broncos Coach Anthony Seibold during the round ten Super Netball match between the NSW Swifts and the Queensland Firebirds at Nissan Arena on September 05, 2020 in Brisbane, Australia. (Photo by Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images)

From Sonny Bill Williams returning to another cheap shot on Kalyn Ponga, it has been an up and down round of the NRL.

Phil Rothfield looks at the highlights and lowlights of Round 17.

HIGHLIGHT

The Sonny Bill Williams comeback on Saturday night in the Roosters-Raiders grand final replay was in the top 10 rating rugby league broadcasts this year. That’s without counting Kayo and Foxtel Go figures that come out on Monday.

LOWLIGHT

Chad Townsend’s ugly shot on Knights superstar Kalyn Ponga on Friday night in Newcastle. He’s lucky he’s getting away with a three-week suspension.

Former Australian Netball player Vicki Wilson is seen chatting with former NRL Brisbane Broncos Coach Anthony Seibold at the NSW Swifts and Queensland Firebird match. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

SHOOSH

The Anthony Seibold dossier from cyber security experts in Europe has been passed on to the integrity unit but contains no names of any significance in the NRL. Seibold told your columnist on Friday he did not know any of the people named in the report who are alleged to have spread the scurrilous rumours. One person however has links to NRL types.

NO THREAT

Ray Hadley isn’t too concerned the Matty Johns’ radio comeback on Fridays on 1170 SEN. “If Mathews Johns gets within 10 percentage points of my show I’ll retire,” Hadley told me.

BLUE SHOT

Wests Tigers winger David Nofoaluma has got to be in contention to play State of Origin for the NSW Blues this year. Last season it was Josh Addo-Carr and Blake Ferguson on flanks. Nofoaluma has possibly been the form winger in the competition in a struggling team.

Karl Stefanovic and turf king Graeme Colless.

SPOTTED

We’ve seen Channel Nine star Karl Stefanovic in the director’s suite at Randwick many times demolishing seafood spreads, boutique beer and expensive champagne with heavyweights from the big end of town. On Saturday Stefanovic became a man of the people, making the long trek to Hawkesbury races to spend the afternoon on the punt, cans and party pies with his mate, turf king Graeme Colless.

SPOTTED

St George Illawarra Dragons star Corey Norman picking up a coffee at the Laneway café in Lilli Pilli.

360 VIEW

Catch you on NRL 360 tonight on Fox Sports at 6.30pm with Ben Ikin, Paul Kent and James Hooper to discuss all the biggest issues out of round 17 of the competition.