Phil Rothfield's top 50 moments of the 2013 NRL season - part one (26-50)
VIDEO: FROM ASADA scandals, to boardroom stoushes, to great on-field moments, Phil Rothfield reveals his top 50 moments of 2013.
FROM ASADA scandals, to boardroom stoushes, to incredible on-field moments, Daily Telegraph Sports Editor-at-large Phil Rothfield reveals his top 50 moments of 2013.
Today we unveil 26-50, with the top 25 to be revealed on Thursday.
Check out the video above and tell us below what you think will be number one...
26. STAR IS BORN
Teenager Luke Brooks makes an absolutely stunning first grade debut, appropriately at the SCG, the game’s old headquarters. The 18-year-old engineered a 34-18 victory over struggling St George Illawarra, scoring a try and setting up two.
27. SBW BLINDER
In a round 26 thriller, the Roosters go into battle with arch rivals South Sydney for the minor premiership. Champion second rower Sonny Bill Williams destroys the Rabbitohs with a mighty performance to secure bragging rights for the finals.
28. ROOKIE’S REWARD
First season mentor Trent Robinson wins the Dally M Coach of the Year award after steering the Roosters to the minor premiership, blending in new signings Sonny Bill Williams, Michael Jennings and James Maloney. The trio combined brilliantly from the opening rounds of the competition.
29. OLDCASTLE
Super coach Wayne Bennett signs veteran halfback Craig Gower to complete his retirement village in Newcastle. Gower makes a solid contribution in the oldest side in the premiership as the Knights storm home to finish one win off the Grand Final.
30. WET AND WILD
In shocking conditions at Leichhardt Oval, Blake Ayshford finishes off a length-of-the-field movement against Melbourne Storm to slide over in the corner. It was magnificent ball movement and handling in the atrocious conditions.
31. MORE MAROON
Queensland wins its eighth straight Origin series, recovering from a loss to NSW in game one at ANZ Stadium. The Blues try valiantly under new coach Laurie Daley, but yet again the Maroons have too much class for a NSW side minus skipper Paul Gallen in the deciding match.
32. BYE BYE BLAKE
The NRL sacks Blake Ferguson from the NSW State of Origin team and suspends the centre from club football after he was charged with indecent assault. The Raiders later tear up his contract when he fails to return to training.
33. TIGER TROUBLE
Chief executive Steve Humphreys is shown the door at Wests Tigers after a tumultuous period that involved the sacking of Tim Sheens and the loss of star players including Beau Ryan and Andrew Fifita to the Cronulla Sharks.
34. MEDAL MADNESS
The Clive Churchill Medal goes to a player from the losing side - Manly halfback Daly Cherry-Evans. He played a great game for the losing side, but the award should have gone to either five-eighth James Maloney or hooker Jake Friend, who produced blinders in the premiership winning team.
35. UNSTOPPABLE GI
Champion fullback Greg Inglis almost single-handedly destroys the Wests Tigers with four tries in a humiliating 54-10 victory. Inglis was unstoppable every time he touched the football.
36. COFFS DEBACLE
In a move to promote country football, the NRL takes City-Country to Coffs Harbour. Hopelessly over-priced tickets resulted in a crowd of only 4,635 to watch a lacklustre game. It was the lowest turnout for the match since 1987 and the first time in three years the NRL had not sold out a representative fixture.
37. FINALS BRUTALITY
The Roosters beat Manly 4-0 in the opening round of the finals in a throwback to old days when defence dominated the big end-of-season games. Somehow both teams recovered from the toughest game of the year to make the Grand Final.
38. SLAMMIN SAM
All eyes were on the battle between Sam Burgess and Sonny Bill Williams in the first round of the premiership. Burgess took the round one honours by steamrolling SBW with one powerful charge. Sonny Bill squared up in round 26.
39. DOG DEPARTS
Canterbury’s highly rated CEO Todd Greenberg switches to the NRL in a senior management role as Head of Football to help out CEO Dave Smith with his obvious lack of rugby league knowledge. He is immediately embroiled in a Ben Barba cover-up controversy.
40. TRY TIME
Storm centre Will Chambers scores a remarkable try after youngster Mahe Fonua threw the ball back into play while in mid-air against the Raiders at Canberra Stadium. It brought back memories of Mark Gasnier’s SCG try in the Centenary Test.
41. EAGLES AT WAR
Manly’s boardroom brawling spills into court, with Peter ‘Zorba’ Peters seeking and being granted an interim AVO against another director, Darrell Williams, following allegations the former fullback had threatened physical violence.
42. PARRALYSED
Ken Edwards quits less than a year into his role as chief executive of the Parramatta Eels over a disagreement with the board over the future direction of the club. The Eels plummet towards the wooden spoon for the second year running.
43. SNAKE BITE
Former NRL bad boy Anthony Watts is handed an eight-match ban for biting an opponent's penis during a local rugby league final on the Gold Coast. Watts earlier played at the Roosters, Sharks and Cowboys.
44. FAN FRENZY
In a disappointing year that saw crowds fall, the NRL celebrates the biggest ever stand-alone regular season attendance of 59,708 in the Roosters-Souths round 26 game at ANZ Stadium. It surpassed the 58,593 set in 1993 between the Broncos and Dragons.
45. POINTS GALORE
Warriors halfback Shaun Johnson scores 26 points from three tries and seven goals in a one-man round 25 demolition of the Canberra Raiders in Auckland. It was the most points by a player in any game this season.
46. GOLDEN MOMENT
In a year of few highlights for St George Illawarra, Test winger Brett Morris scores a try in golden point to beat the South Sydney Rabbitohs in a thriller at ANZ Stadium. It was a try that probably saved coach Steve Price’s job.
47. PROP STARS
A front rower hasn’t topped a club’s season try-scoring list since Peter Tunks at the Bulldogs in the 80’s. Giant prop Andrew Fifita did it for the Sharks this year, including spectacular efforts against the Dragons in Wollongong and Manly in the semi-final at Allainz.
48. MILFORD WANTS OUT
In a blow for the struggling Canberra Raiders and new coach Ricky Stuart’s hopes of resurrecting the team, boom rookie Anthony Milford announces he wants to quit the club and join the Broncos to spend more time in Brisbane with his family and sick father.
49. YOUNG GUN
South Sydney front rower George Burgess is named Dally M Rookie of the Year after a number of barnstorming performances in the Rabbitohs’ pack. He beats a top field for the award, including Canberra Raiders utility star Anthony Milford.
50. WELCOME BACK
After 12 years in country rugby league exile, the mighty Moree Boomerangs celebrate their return to Group 19 football with an emotion-charged Grand Final victory over Gwyder in Moree, showing off all their legendary skill in a spectacular exhibition of attacking football.
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