Phil Rothfield reveals his highlights and lowlights from the weekend in sport | Monday Buzz

The master of deflection has done it again, with Wayne Bennett’s attack on NRL refereeing shifting focus off his work for both the Dolphins and Rabbitohs. Plus, why Kevin Walters was right to rest players and more highlights and lowlights from the weekend of sport.

Wayne Bennett has deflected once again. Picture: NRL Photos

Kevin Walters did the right thing by resting his State of Origin players from the Warriors game despite returning home from New Zealand without the competition points.

The benefits from resting Reece Walsh, Payne Haas and Patrick Carrigan far outweigh the result.

I spoke to NRL physio Brien Seeney about this over the weekend.

“It’s always a balance between the value these star players can add to the team and the injury risk of playing two games in four to five days,” he says.

“One of the most significant predictors of injury risk is a sudden spike in running load, and that’s the position players are put in when backing up from Origin.

“Especially after not playing a game for 10 days while in camp, two games then within a few days is a fair spike.”

He uses Xavier Coates, who did his hamstring on Saturday night, as an example.

“Coates will now miss several weeks after backing up from Origin,” Seeney said.

“For the Broncos specifically, it was a pretty easy decision to rest their Origin stars – the international flight just adds to the already less than ideal preparation.

“Both Walsh and Haas have dealt with recurring knee issues in the past two months as well.

“We’ve seen teams like the Broncos struggle without injured stars this season, and while they faced one game without them this weekend, the last thing they needed was Walsh, Haas or Carrigan missing 6-8 weeks over the back end of the season.”

His comments make a lot of sense.

Kevin Walters did the right thing. Picture: Liam Kidston

The Broncos need to win six of their remaining nine games to make the finals with 32 competition points.

Four of those nine games are against sides higher on the ladder – the Panthers next week, the Storm, Dolphins and Bulldogs.

They also have the Dragons (without their Origin players), Titans, Knights (away with Origin players backing up), Cowboys and Eels.

HIGHLIGHT

The miraculous Bryce Cartwright flick pass to Junior Paulo for an Eels try in Newcastle. You can have no emotional investment in the game yet still jump out of your lounge chair and just cheer. It was beautiful rugby league skill at its very finest.

LOWLIGHT

Corey Horsburgh is likely to face headbutt and punching charges from the Raiders NSW Cup game after being sent off against the Warriors on Saturday. This is a former Origin player on big money who has played only two NRL games this year and is desperately needed to help the Raiders out of an alarming form slump. He is a goose.

SHOOSH

Wayne Bennett will do anything to shift the focus off him trying to work for two clubs (the Dolphins and Rabbitohs) at once. His attack on the NRL over the standards of refereeing was surely a manoeuvre to swing the media debate away from his double dipping.

SPOTTED

The AFL is making a squillion out of player fines this year for various on field indiscretions. They have collected no less than $263,250. One player, Port Adelaide’s Zak Butters, has been hit with $14,375 worth of fines already this year. He makes Jared Waerea-Hargreaves seem like an angel.

SPOTTED

Johnathan Thurston’s 2015 grand final boots on sale on Facebook NRL memorabilia Sell & Swap. JT gave the boots to six-year-old boy, Cori Roberts, in the locker room after the game. Cori’s dad says online: “Open to offers – just seeing what’s out there.”

Interesting because in a story that was published at the time, his dad was quoted as saying: “Cori wouldn’t be parting with the boots, even though they would be worth a small fortune. He’s sleeping with them every night.”

JT gave his 2015 grand final boots to six-year-old Cori Roberts.

Johnathan Thurston's 2015 grand final boots are up for sale on Facebook.

SPOTTED

The depth of the NSW State of Origin talent is growing all the time. Knights centre Bradman Best ran 336 metres against the Eels, had six tackle busts, three line breaks and two tries but can’t get anywhere near the Blues side while Stephen Crichton and Latrell Mitchell are on fire.

360 VIEW

Catch you on NRL 360 on Fox League at 6.30pm with Braith Anasta, Gordie Tallis and Brent Read to discuss all the major rugby league issues after another dramatic round of footy.

Originally published as Phil Rothfield reveals his highlights and lowlights from the weekend in sport | Monday Buzz