Buzz’s Las Vegas highlights and lowlights: NRL assistant coach grabbed journalist ‘by throat’ at Allegiant Stadium

An Allegiant Stadium press box incident involving a high-profile assistant coach and a UK journalist is being investigated by the NRL. Phil Rothfield’s Las Vegas highlights and lowlights.

Buzz will never complain about food and beverage prices at NRL venue after braving Allegiant Stadium’s menu. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty

• You can STILL pick a gun SuperCoach side

A press box incident involving a New Zealand Warriors assistant coach and a UK journalist is being investigated by the NRL.

The journalist from The Guardian claims he was grabbed by the throat and verbally abused by assistant coach Richard Agar as the Warriors coaching staff walked through the press box at halftime to get the lifts down to the Allegiant Stadium dressingrooms.

The journalist has asked not to be identified but will report the alleged incident to the NRL.

A witness has backed up his story.

We checked what the Guardian journalist may have written to upset Agar. Turns out in 2022 he wrote that Agar should be sacked as coach of Leeds in the UK Super League.

When contacted by this masthead, Warriors boss Cameron George said “I’ll speak to Richard and I’ll speak to the NRL to find out exactly what happened and we’ll take it from there.”

This masthead has approached Agar and the NRL for comment.

HIGHLIGHT

The UK Super League game might have been a blowout but the Wigan and Warrington fans made more noise than the four NRL clubs combined. They sang, they sledged and they chanted from the moment they arrived in Vegas.

LOWLIGHT

Talk about the outrageous Vegas prices. When Fox Sports EP Joe Bromham attempted to print the game-day run sheets in his MGM Casino lobby, he was politely informed the charge would be $995 USD!!! No kidding. $1603 in Aussie dollars. Not surprisingly the Fox League team decided they’d try their luck somewhere else.

COST BLOWOUT

I’ll never again complain about prices at NRL venues. Not when Allegiant Stadium charged:

• US $15.99 or AUD $25.76 for a Premium draft beer

• US $7.99 or AUD $12.87 for a bottle of Coca Cola

• US $16.99 or AUD $27.37 for a sub sandwich

• US $9.99 or AUD $16.09 for a foot-long hotdog

• US $14.99 or AUD $24.15 for a popcorn

Buzz will never complain about food and beverage prices at NRL venue after braving Allegiant Stadium’s menu. Picture: Ethan Miller/Getty

The ‘Reg Reagans’ hit Allegiant Stadium with their KB Largers. Picture: Jonathan Ng

OUCH

When Wigan winger Abbas Miski scored his incredible acrobatic try in the UK Super League game it came at a price. The poor old photographer in the corner had his camera smashed. Cost of the damage? $10,000.

SPOTTED

Even a couple of old North Sydney Bears tragics are here in Las Vegas – Andrew Desmond from Neutral Bay and his son Patrick from Sacramento in California.

Bears tragics Patrick and Andrew Desmond.

SPOTTED

A bus full of NRL executives and corporate guests were given a police escort to the stadium.

SPOTTED

Fox Sports boss Steve Crawley and his commentators Michael Ennis and Greg Alexander posing with the Raiders’ three Super Bowl trophies at Allegiant Stadium.

Fox League's Michael Ennis, Steve Crawley and Greg Alexander with the Raiders' Super Bowl trophies.

SPOTTED

Johnny Tuivasa-Sheck. The fleet-footed father of former Dally M winner Roger showed he’s still got it even in his late 50s with two runaway tries in last week’s Eastern Suburbs Touch grand finals at Queens Park. Unfortunately he was sin-binned for giving his chasers the bird while scoring a length-of-the -field intercept try. Tuivasa-Sheck’s team went down 5-4.

Roger Tuivasa-Sheck (R) with his father Johnny at the 2018 Dally M Awards. Picture: Brett Costello

SHOOSH I

Which player manager was blind drunk at a casino bar on the night before the game.

SHOOSH I

The rumour will not go away that South Sydney Rabbitohs coach Wayne Bennett is keen to get unwanted Rooster Brandon Smith to the South Sydney Rabbitohs next year provided his comeback is successful after knee surgery.

SHOOSH II

After years of on and off negotiations for a Paul Gallen v Sonny Bill Williams grudge fight, we’re hearing that the pair are close to reaching an agreement for a mid-year bout. It would be shown as a pay-per-view event on Stan with Nine entertainment, who employ both of them. Gallen is now 43 and SBW, 39. The old Sharks warhorse, who loves his cash, is so keen to knock him out that he’d nearly step into the ring for free.

360 VIEW

Catch you on NRL 360 with Braith Anasta, Gordie Tallis and Brent Read at 6.30pm Monday for one last episode out of Las Vegas to discuss all the issues from an extraordinary day of rugby league.

Originally published as Buzz’s Las Vegas highlights and lowlights: NRL assistant coach grabbed journalist ‘by throat’ at Allegiant Stadium