Buzz’s highlights and lowlights: Ex-NRL player facing a significant suspension for shocking high shot
Former Manly Sea Eagles centre Alfred Smalley is facing a significant suspension for a shocking high-shot that knocked out Warriors star Taine Tuaupiki. WATCH the footage in Buzz’s highlights and lowlights.
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A Parramatta Eels NSW Cup player is facing a significant suspension for a shocking high-shot that knocked out Warriors star Taine Tuaupiki in NSW Cup on Saturday.
The tackle by Eels and former Manly Sea Eagles centre Alfred Smalley in the final minute of the game was, in my opinion, a tackle made with reckless intent. He was sent off.
Fortunately, Tuaupiki recovered sufficiently to board the plane home to Auckland on Saturday night.
Parramatta Eels NSW Cup coach and club legend Nathan Cayless phoned in last night to defend his player.
“There was no intent. It’s definitely not a dog shot,” Cayless said, “He doesn’t go out there to intentionally hurt anyone. It was a hard tackle. He’s made a decision to go in hard. There was no swinging arm. He said to me after the game it was head-to-head contact.
“Alfred is a very decent person. He came to us at 120kg and worked hard to lose more than 25 kilos in three months to get to where he is this year.
“He’s actually not that far off the NRL squad.”
Watch the shocking hit in the player above.
Absolute dog shot here to the head of Taine Tuaupiki in NSW Cup. ZERO leeway for this in our game. 10 seconds to go in the match, down by 22 points, and you fly inside two of your own defenders to try and take a guys head off. Justifiably sent off in the game but should get more. pic.twitter.com/aT7Z2m1ZM9
— Sam Hewat (@samhewat) June 14, 2025
THE SIN CITY KENNEL
The phenomenal support for the Canterbury Bulldogs continues with their fans taking the lead in the rush for tickets to Las Vegas 2026.
Bulldogs fanatics have purchased 38 per cent of the total tickets sold to the four NRL Clubs for March next year in the season-opener.
Cowboy’s fans have bought 23 per cent, the Dragons supporters 21 per cent and Knights fans 18 per cent.
It comes with the Bulldogs averaging 34,628 for their six home games this season – second only to the Brisbane Broncos.
They have broken two all-time NRL crowd records with Accor Stadium attendances of 65,305 on Easter Monday and 59,878 against the Parramatta Eels last weekend.
The decision to bring UK Clubs Hull KR and Leeds Rhinos to Las Vegas is also a successful one, with more than 6000 tickets so far coming out of the UK.
All 20,000 tickets have already been sold for the event.
Limited seats also remain on the charter flights travelling from Newcastle, Townsville and Sydney travelling direct to Las Vegas, through NRL Travel and TripADeal.
FOX OVERHAUL
Fox Sports are planning a match-day roster overhaul to cover for Yvonne Sampson, who is soon to sign off on hosting duties to give birth to her second child.
NRL 360 host Braith Anasta will move from Sunday Ticket to host the flagship Super Saturday show to cover for Vonny.
The popular Lara Pitt will be in the chair on Fridays for the 6pm and 8pm games.
And on Sunday Ticket, Jake Duke has been promoted to hosting duties while Jess Yates will continue as host of Thursday night footy.
Vonny is due to give birth next month. Our best wishes to both her and hubby/handbag Chris O’Keefe.
HIGHLIGHT
A coach in his first season of NRL could have panicked and lost his nerve after losing the first four games of the season. Not cool, calm and collected Kristian Woolf, who has somehow turned the Dolphins into the most feared attacking machine in the competition. They have now scored 158 points in their last three games against the Cowboys, Dragons and Bulldogs. The Dolphins now have the second best four-and-against behind Storm. They are looking like good things to be playing finals football, a massive achievement in their third season of NRL.
LOWLIGHT
Without wanting to sound like a broken record, your columnist is finding it increasingly difficult to watch and enjoy rugby league during State of Origin while the superstars are away. Lucky we had a choice over the weekend … and I actually watched the cricket finals at Lord’s.
LOWLIGHT II
A monumental blunder by Australia’s cricket selectors in choosing Marnus Labuschagne and/or Cameron Green ahead of excitement machine Sam Konstas for the world championship final. Slammin’ Sam could well have made the difference.
SHOOSH
All this talk about Adam Reynolds taking a $1 million sacrifice to reject the Wests Tigers for the Broncos is almost laughable. Everyone knows he’s been guaranteed a job for life in Brisbane in the coaching business. Reyno is playing the long game. At 34 he might be getting on in footy years but he could coach at the club for two decades. He’s head-coach material down the track for sure and will make millions more in the long term.
FORM FARCE
How are you supposed to work out NRL form if you’re a punter? Manly flog the Broncos in Round 13. The Broncos flog the Titans in round 14. And then the Titans flog Manly in Round 15. Picking a winner is harder than winning Lotto.
SPOTTED
A couple of old NRL CEOs appear to be enjoying life after rugby league. It’s Venues NSW chairman David Gallop next to Rolling Stones legend Mick Jagger and Cricket CEO Todd Greenberg with music icon Sir Tim Rice at Lord’s over the weekend.
SPOTTED
The inaugural Parramatta Eels Foundation’s Legends Long Lunch on Friday raised significant funds for community footy programs. Just about all the old superstars were there including Peter Sterling, Steve Ella, Peter Wynn, Nathan Hindmarsh and Nathan Cayless. Coach Jason Ryles even auctioned off a game-day experience for two fans to watch a game from his coaching box.
SPOTTED
Manly might be struggling on the field but at least their owner, Rick Penn, is being recognised off it. Penn was awarded an AM for his services to bowel cancer research and many other charities in the King’s Birthday honours. This guy is a terrific fella and the recognition is richly deserved.
Catch you on NRL 360 on Fox League at 6.30pm with Braith Anasta, Gorden Tallis and Brent Read to discuss all things rugby league. Special guest is Souths chief executive Blake Solly to discuss the Rabbitohs’ campaign to move to Allianz Stadium.
Originally published as Buzz’s highlights and lowlights: Ex-NRL player facing a significant suspension for shocking high shot
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