Monday Buzz: Weekend highlights, lowlights, talking points
THE other side of Andrew Fifita, my dud call on Cronulla’s most underrated player and a barely believable display of selfishness.
Phil Rothfield
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HIGHLIGHT
Adam Reynolds’ extraordinary confidence and composure to kick three field goals from three attempts with South Sydney’s season on the line in a sudden-death semi-final. And special mention to Damien Cook for the crisp passes on each occasion out of dummy-half.
HIGHLIGHT II
And in breaking news: Rugby league is the greatest game of all. Two magnificent semi-final contests. 160 gripping minutes of football. Edge-of-your-seat, heart-stopping contests.
MORE BUZZ: Penrith vision just fool’s Gould
LOWLIGHT
The fact Gareth Widdop wasn’t out there for St George-Illawarra. He would surely have kicked deep on the fifth tackle of that fatal last set that cost the Dragons victory.
LOWLIGHT II
South Sydney Rabbitohs forward Angus Crichton and that terrible haircut. Sack the barber for goodness sake.
WHAT’S THE BUZZ: Pub’s historic Mad Monday ban
LOWLIGHT III
Israel Folau’s shocking selfishness in bombing what would have been a match-winning try for the Wallabies against the Pumas, our first loss to Argentina since 1983 and one that puts more pressure on coach Michael Cheika.
SPOTTED
Renowned journalist Hedley Thomas, of Teachers Pet podcast fame, doing selfies in the director’s suite at Royal Randwick on Saturday, almost stealing the show from mighty mare Winx.
SPOTTED
Knights coach Nathan Brown and the NRL’s soon-to-be-departing Head of Football Brian Canavan having a coffee and a chat in Cronulla on Sunday.
SPOTTED
Retired celebrity agent John Fordham celebrating his 74th birthday on Sunday with a bottle of Grange Hermitage at 10.30am with his son Ben of 2GB and Today Show fame.
SUTTON CAN’T REFEREE DECIDER
Two weeks of finals football have shown us one thing — that Gerard Sutton can’t referee the grand final. His 73rd minute penalty of Saints hooker Cameron McInnes for unintentionally passing from dummy-half into a Souths player was almost a game-deciding blunder. Ashley Klein is clearly the form referee.
360 VISION
Catch you NRL 360 tonight on Fox Sports with Ben Ikin and Paul Kent to discuss two finals thrillers and next weekend’s grand final qualifiers. Controversy Corner has also been moved to 8pm tonight.
OTHER SIDE OF ANDREW FIFITA
THERE are two Andrew Fifitas.
One can be a ratbag. The other is the most generous and caring man you would ever want to meet.
On Friday night we saw a beautiful, kind and gentle side of the Cronulla Sharks front-rower.
Ryder Gerkens is eight. He is suffering from leukaemia. Fifita is Ryder’s favourite player because he lives on a farm near Hay, not far from where the Sharks star played his junior football.
On Friday night, Fifita dedicated the Sharks’ win to Ryder and donated his $1000 man-of-the-match award to Ronald McDonald House, where Ryder’s parents are staying while he has treatment at Sydney Children’s Hospital.
Fifita first met Ryder at the Sharks’ last home game three weeks ago. He gave him his boots then visited him in hospital. It’s been a huge boost for the struggling family.
“I don’t care what anyone says about Andrew,” Ryder’s dad Chris told me yesterday, “he has been so fantastic to our little boy and he’s one of the nicest blokes I’ve ever met.
“He’s never in a rush to get away from you. Just a lovely fella.”
MY WRONG CALL ON CHAD
In this sports writing business we often make predictions/comments that can come back to haunt you. Six weeks ago I criticised Sharks halfback Chad Townsend after a loss to the Broncos and questioned his position in first grade.
I even texted coach Shane Flanagan and said: “About time you pick your son” (Kyle Flanagan at halfback). I was wrong. Again.
A bit like tipping the Warriors to run 16th and the Cowboys to win the comp back in February.
Townsend’s performance against the Panthers on Friday night at Allianz was the best of his career. He is a premiership winning halfback yet very much an underrated player.
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