Buzz highlights and lowlights: George Piggins’ emotional South Sydney return
George Piggins returned to Erskineville Oval after a rough trot with his health and South Sydney hooker Peter Mamouzelos wasn’t about to miss a rare opportunity with the legend.
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SPOTTED
South Sydney rookie Peter Mamouzelos has revealed how he couldn’t resist the chance to chat with George Piggins when he spotted the Rabbitohs legend at Erskineville Oval last weekend.
Piggins, who actually played on the ground in the old days as a 12-year-old, was there last Saturday afternoon watching Rabbitohs trials and looking fighting fit after a rough period with his health.
Mamouzelos, the back-up hooker to Damien Cook, had to seize the opportunity.
“I obviously know his story, how much he means to Souths. I saw him in the grandstands and had to get a photo with him, I thought it was a pretty good moment,” Mamouzelos told colleague Matthew McInerney in Cairns this week.
Ashed if Piggins had passed on any advice, Mamouzelos said “Nah, not really.
“He was actually telling me more about old stories, what footy was like back in the day – it was a lot rougher.
“It was pretty cool to meet a legend like George Piggins.”
HIGHLIGHT
A fantastic crowd of 26,755 in atrocious weather conditions at CommBank Stadium for the All Stars and the passion and pride of the pre-game rituals that made it the most special night for rugby league.
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LOWLIGHT
The Greg Inglis suggestion that an indigenous team should compete at the World Cup. This is not on. The Kangaroos jersey is not about the colour of your skin. Like a baggy green cap, it is a treasured reward for the best players in Australia.
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Wonderful to see hall of famers Jeff Fenech and his old master trainer Johnny Lewis working together to help Australia’s outstanding young boxers Harry Garside and Hass Hamdan in a spa at Bondi boxing club on Friday.
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Coaching veterans and now footy general managers Tim Sheens and Phil Gould in deep conversation at Leichhardt Oval at the junior reps on Saturday afternoon.
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It could only happen in the A-League … they had sprinklers on at Kogarah Oval before the Sydney FC v Western United game on Saturday despite afternoon thunderstorms and 5.2 millimetres of rain.
SPOTTED
Sydney Roosters boss Nick Politis and Sydney Cricket Ground chairman Tony Shepherd having dinner in Los Angeles before Super Bowl, no doubt discussing the outrage around the snubbing of Arthur Beetson in the naming of grandstands at the new Sydney Football Stadium. Also former NSW blues team mates Robbie Farah and Boyd Cordner were in LA ahead of the big game.
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Melbourne Storm forward Brandon Smith grabbing a KFC meal with his mates on Bourke Street in Melbourne on Friday.
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Channel 9 CEO Mike Sneesby in the ARLC suite at the All Stars on Saturday night. The event’s founding father Preston Campbell was also a guest of the commission.
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Originally published as Buzz highlights and lowlights: George Piggins’ emotional South Sydney return
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