What’s the Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s sporting predictions for 2019
It has been a huge sporting year and there is plenty more action to come in 2019. Phil Rothfield forsees an NRL shake-up, Swans strife and an unforgettable farewell:
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It has been a huge sporting year and there is plenty more action to come in 2019. Phil Rothfield forsees an NRL shake-up, Swans strife and an unforgettable farewell:
Dragons to go all the way
So, you think we’ve gone mad. Or it’s a typographical error.
That the silly season has left your columnist punch drunk. None of the above.
I genuinely believe St George Illawarra can win the premiership.
No choke.
You look at the manner in which they demolished the Broncos in the first week of the finals at Suncorp Stadium.
You consider their performance against the Rabbitohs the following week. I have no doubts they would have won and gone on to the grand final qualifier if Gareth Widdop and Tariq Sims had stayed on the field. They were also missing Paul Vaughan.
The premiership’s most maligned player, Ben Hunt, had a much better year than the critics suggested. Their roster, across the park, is as strong as anyone’s. And their coach, Paul McGregor, is the most underrated in the competition.
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Storm’s grey clouds
Outside of the 2010 salary cap scandal, Melbourne Storm haven’t missed the finals since 2002. We’re tipping next year they might struggle. Losing both the almost irreplaceable Cooper Cronk and Billy Slater in the last two seasons will leave them short on quality and class. Cameron Smith is one year older and can’t be expected to carry the team on his own.
Good Knights ahead
The Knights and the Cowboys will be the biggest improvers. Newcastle have picked up Dave Klemmer, Tim Glasby and Jesse Ramien. Coach Nathan Brown will be gone by round 10 if they are not in a position to be challenging for the finals. North Queensland, the biggest disappointments of 2018, have added Ben Barba and Josh McGuire. They should have the talent to make the finals.
Grow up and behave
We can only hope the behaviour of players at two particular NRL clubs improves in 2019.
One big name player at an out-of-town club — not all that far north of Sydney — was almost arrested on Boxing Day over an incident with a taxi driver.
Prior to Christmas another few players from a Sydney club behaved like imbeciles at a local watering hole. They thought it was funny to turn on the fire hose and spray each other.
At least one senior player showed some leadership and ordered them off the premises.
This club has had enough drama in recent times without having to deal with yet another off-field issue. And it was certainly the last thing the NRL needed after an off-season of full-on scandal.
Gallen tells all
Colleague Dave Riccio is ghost-writing the memoir of Cronulla Sharks warhorse Paul Gallen to coincide with his retirement at the end of the season. It will be one of the hottest sporting books ever published. Gal will open up on every issue from the peptides scandal to the premiership. They have been working on the book for two years since the Sharks legend held the trophy aloft at ANZ Stadium in 2016.
An NRL revolution
Racing NSW boss Peter V’landys will become Australia’s most powerful sporting administrator when he replaces Peter Beattie as chairman of the independent commission. Beattie has always said he was taking the job on only short term.
He has actually done a great job to boost the commission with the appointments of V’landys, Mark Coyne and Amanda Laing. He has also driven the revival of international football.
Plus he stepped in to take a stand on violence against women when Todd Greenberg remained silent.
How the senior NRL executive reacts to the V’landys appointment will be interesting. He is a tough administrator who demands excellence.
Coming Holmes
Val Holmes to wake up from his NFL dream after a few months.
There are too many players like him in the US who grew up playing the game every day. Here’s the breaking news: He will return home to the Cronulla Sharks in August.
It will be a 10-week deal for $350,000. The NRL allowed Jarryd Hayne to join the Gold Coast after the June 30 deadline and will do the same for Holmes if the Sharks are in finals contention. He’ll then join the Cowboys for 2020.
Matty Johns in tight spot
We’re tipping 2019 will be a tough year for Matty Johns without his Triple M salary, even if he’s on squillions at Fox Sports.
You see, Matty is notoriously tight with his cash.
He was at a pub with Mark Geyer a few years back and ran out of money midway through the afternoon. MG pointed him in the direction of the hotel’s ATM.
“No,” Matty said, “I bank with ANZ.”
He then walked 2km to the nearest ANZ to save the $2 withdrawal fee.
Our court reporter Brenden Hills tells another great story about Johns.
As a young university student living on the Northern Beaches, Hills had a part-time gig as a takeaway food delivery driver. The sort of job where students heavily rely on decent tips.
Most Sunday nights he’d deliver Chinese to the Johns household.
“Not once did he give me anything, not a penny,” Hills said, “In the end I started knocking off his complimentary prawn chips.”
The perfect magic act
For all the terrible publicity in recent weeks relating to the treatment of women, there is hope in 2019. We need more young role models in the game like Wests Tigers player Josh Aloiai. Here is a 23-year-old footballer, hardly the biggest name in the NRL, but a wonderful ambassador for the club and the game. A guy who lost his dad at just 14 years of age. He now talks to youngsters in the community about coping with grief. Please read this lovely letter from Feel The Magic.
Bennett’s bust up
The 25-year friendship of Darren Lockyer and Wayne Bennett is destroyed. They haven’t spoken since Bennett was given his marching order from the Broncos. The super coach is filthy the Broncos legend was involved in his dismissal.
Scott’s new gig
It’s not all bad news for Wayne Bennett’s old coaching staff at the Brisbane Broncos. Scott Barker, who was paid out when Anthony Seibold brought in his own staff, has got himself a new gig at the NRL. He replaces the recently departed Luke Gooden as general manager of football integration and innovation.
Goodbye to the queen of turf
It is sure to be one of the most emotional days in Australia’s sporting history.
When mighty mare Winx is expected to run her last race in the Queen Elizabeth Stakes at Roy Randwick on April 13.There is nothing else for her to prove.
Trainer Chris Waller, the owners and jockey Hugh Bowman want to ensure she retires on a winning note. The super horse turns eight next year. She has won $22,934,925 in prizemoney. The TAB has paid out more than $100 million on winning tickets. Plus a never to be challenged 29-straight wins and all up 22 Group 1 victories.
An autumn to remember
So who will replace Winx as the biggest drawcard in Australian racing.
There’s a nag called The Autumn Sun. He’s another Chris Waller horse, owned by John Messara.
This one is good enough to win the Cox Plate and come home to Sydney the following weekend for the Golden Eagle. He is a four-year-old flying machine.
Smith to ease back in
Tim Paine will become a permanent fixture as Australian cricket captain, even with Steve Smith back in the side. His wicket-keeping is as magnificent as his leadership. Smith will ease back without the pressure and grind of media conferences and the responsibility of the entire side.
Richie’s tour de force
After crashing out of the Tour de France two years in a row, Richie Porte finally puts it all together and becomes the second Aussie after Cadel Evans to win cycling’s top prize.
Longmire needs Buddy
The heat ramps up on Sydney Swans coach John Longmire as his superstar forward Lance Franklin turns 32 and embarks on the fifth year of his nine-year, $10 million deal. The TAB have given the Swans little hope next season, putting them on the 10th line of betting at $21 to win the flag.
Cheika gets the chop
The Wallabies to bomb out in the quarter-finals of the rugby World Cup. Finally Michael Cheika gets the chop. And Raelene Castle goes with him. We’re not so sure Alan Jones will still be at 2GB to applaud the decision.
No Ayres or grace
The new Western Sydney Stadium opens on Easter Monday with the Eels-Tigers blockbuster. PL promotion contenders Leeds will play the Wanderers on July 20. The architect of the best new sporting facility in Sydney, Stuart Ayres, won’t be part of the official opening ceremony. The Sports minister will lose his seat of Penrith at the March state election.
Roosters lose fans
The Sydney Roosters suffer a huge decline in home attendances with the move to the Sydney Cricket Ground. Fans will complain they are too far away from the action. Even Angus Crichton’s bad haircuts will look almost normal from the Brewongle Stand.
Warner back a winner
The Australian cricket team wins the World Cup in England. Steve Smith and Dave Warner make successful comebacks from Sandpapergate. Smith, playing under one-day specialist captain Aaron Finch, becomes an even better player.
Big brekky decision
A huge decision for Sky Sports Radio on the future of Big Sports Breakfast co-host Terry ‘TK’ Kennedy. His show finished the year with a ratings nosedive, overtaken by Macquarie Sports Radio newbies Mark Levy and Mark Riddell after less than a year behind the microphones.
Terminator, too
Remember the name Ariarne Titmus. The Tasmanian teenager they call the Terminator is Australia’s hottest swimming prospect in the lead-up to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Titmus set her first world record at the long course World championship in Budapest earlier this month in the 400m freestyle.
Summer reading
The best books to read over the summer holidays. Johnathan Thurston, Luke Lewis, David Middleton’s Big League annual and Warnie’s biography.
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Originally published as What’s the Buzz: Phil Rothfield’s sporting predictions for 2019
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