NRL 2020: How Sonny Bill Williams is spending isolation before joining Roosters
Monday Buzz can reveal a investors are trying to buy a $600 million share of the NRL. Plus how Sonny Bill Williams is spending his time in isolation, and John Morris’ beautiful gesture to debutants. ROUND 12 HIGHLIGHTS, LOWLIGHTS.
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Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield has all the gossip from another week in the NRL with his weekend highlights and lowlights.
HIGHLIGHT
The Penrith Panthers and their adventurous style of attacking football is just beautiful to watch. They are without doubt the team to beat.
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HIGHLIGHT II
Manly skipper Daly Cherry-Evans somehow found the strength to hold up Billy Kikau to save a try at Brookvale Oval on Saturday night despite a 30kg weight difference. It’s a shame his other teammates didn’t show the same commitment in defence.
LOWLIGHT
Channel 9’s Brad Fittler bagging his own network’s VB hard-earned player award that keeps going to footballers on losing sides. On Friday night, Broncos lock Patrick Carrigan got the award against Cronulla. Payne Haas won it in a game the Broncos lost by 40. “We need to look at the formula and tweak it,” Freddy said. “We keep praising people we want to run at.”
SHOOSH
We keep hearing rumours of unrest at St George Illawarra and that a number of players are losing faith and questioning coach Paul McGregor and his tactics. To chuck away a 16-nil lead and fold like they did against South Sydney would suggest there are major issues.
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CENTRE OF EXCELLENCE
Rugby league hasn’t had a better crop of centres for a long time, especially if you include Tom Trbojevic and Jack Wighton, who play there in Origin. Let’s go through them … Kotoni Staggs, Stephen Crichton, Bradman Best, Zac Lomax, Campbell Graham, Jarrod Croker, Josh Morris and even Eels pair Waqa Blake and Michael Jennings.
FAMILY OVER SECRECY
Most coaches try to keep their team changes secret until an hour before the game. Not the Sharks’ John Morris. He wanted to get the parents of debutants Braydon Trindall and Jackson Ferris tickets to Friday night’s game in Brisbane. So the Sharks rang the Broncos to sort out the tickets. No doubt the information was passed on to the Broncos’ coaching staff.
MULTI JACKPOT
It really was a Super Saturday for one lucky punter who won $198,000 on a multi from a $500 bet. The punter had $500 at $397.37 on 21-30 points Roosters v Titans ($8.50), 51-60 points Manly v Penrith ($8.50) and 21-30 points North Queensland v Canberra ($5.50).
360 VIEW
Catch you tonight on NRL 360 on Fox Sports at 6.30pm with Ben Ikin, Paul Kent and James Hooper to discuss another great round of rugby league.
NRL CASH WINDFALL
A private equity group that is trying to buy a 20 per cent share of the NRL will offer the 16 clubs a one-off payment of $20 million to get their support.
On top of that, the NRL administration would get $300 million to strategically invest and put the game in a position of strength like never before.
Sounds almost too good to be true.
Businessman and Melbourne Storm chairman Matt Tripp is in talks with the independent commission and private investors in the UK to form a partnership.
The NRL has been recently valued at around $3 billion.
The investment group under that valuation would pay $600 million for a 20 per cent share.
The cash-strapped clubs would get half as an incentive to support the idea.
Most clubs have been briefed on the proposal and are keen to get more detail.
If invested properly, a one-off $20 million payment would put struggling clubs in a far better position to survive long term — especially during the uncertainty of COVID-19.
Poker machine funding is dying.
Licensed clubs that were once handing out $7 million grants to prop up their footy teams can no longer afford to do it.
It will be interesting to see how this one plays out. The independent commission is wary about giving up a share of the game. But the clubs have never had an offer like this one.
They get an annual grant of $13 million from the NRL but $10 million goes to the players.
It will take 14 of the 16 clubs to vote in favour of it.
SONNY’S DADDY DAY CARE
This is Sonny Bill Williams’ biggest challenge …
Not getting his body ready to play NRL for the Sydney Roosters but entertaining four children under the age of six for a fortnight in isolation.
The superstar forward is locked in a three-bedroom apartment with his wife Alana and the kids after returning from Manchester on Thursday night.
The balcony overlooking Sydney Tower with glimpses of the harbour is their only fresh air.
While sports science staff were busy setting up a home gym for SBW’s training, officials went shopping for toys for the children.
The family arrived at their Meriton apartment on Pitt Street to find more toys than on a Christmas morning.
Not that SBW and his family celebrate Christmas as devout Muslims.
Still the champion forward could not have been more impressed by the gesture from the Roosters.
He is working around the clock in a home gym to prepare for his NRL comeback and communicating with fitness trainers via Zoom hook-ups. He has not played since February.
Footage of training and team moves are sent via email.
Having the kids entertained obviously helps with the toys and TV shows.
Groceries, coffees and nappies are delivered daily.
“He really appreciates the fact the Roosters and Nick Politis have gone to so much trouble,” said his manager Khoder Nasser, “It makes life so much easier for them.
“It’s another reason why he loves the Roosters.”
Originally published as NRL 2020: How Sonny Bill Williams is spending isolation before joining Roosters