Monday Buzz: Phil Rothfield reveals his highlights and lowlights from the week in sport

From $17 to $2.75 - the NRL has a new TAB wooden spoon favourite. PHIL ROTHFIELD reveals the incredible three-week fall from grace in his weekend highlights and lowlights.

Isaiya Katoa. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The NRL has a new TAB wooden spoon favourite.

The Gold Coast Titans have been sensationally backed into $2.75 following Saturday’s shocker against the Bulldogs and losing Tino Fa’asuamaleaui for the season with an ACL.

They were $17 just three weeks ago.

“They’ve been heavily backed overnight,” said the TAB’s Rohan Welsh.

The Titans have lost their two games 60-4 to St George-Illawarra and the Bulldogs.

The Dragons have eased to second favourites at $3.75 with the Wests Tigers at $4.

DOLPHINS’ $2M SIGNING COUP

The Dolphins have pulled off a major coup by extending boom halfback Isaiya Katoa in a $2m deal.

The 20-year-old playmaker was under contract until the end of next year but has extended to 2028.

The Dolphins were determined to take the highly regarded former Penrith junior off the market, knowing rival clubs would have pounced if he became a free agent.

There is a desperate depth shortage in quality halves in the NRL.

You look at the Titans and Tanah Boyd against the Bulldogs. The poor bugger had an absolute shocker.

Isaiya Katoa will remain at the Dolphins until the end of 2028. Picture: Bradley Kanaris/Getty Images

The struggles Souths are having with Lachlan Ilias and Dean Hawkins.

Newcastle has dumped Jackson Hastings after two games.

What do the Dragons do when Ben Hunt moves on?

And at the Bulldogs, I’m not sure Drew Hutchison is a long-term option.

Not everyone can have a Nathan Cleary, Daly Cherry-Evans, Jahrome Hughes or Mitchell Moses.

The great ones are hard to get, hence the Dolphins’ move.

WOLVES WON’T LET SAM GO

The boss of English club Warrington insists Sam Burgess won’t be returning home any time soon to save the South Sydney Rabbitohs if Jason Demetriou gets fired.

Karl Fitzpatrick has heard all the rumours from the north of England about old super-coach Wayne Bennett and Burgess forming a coaching combination to lift the Rabbitohs out of their crisis.

“There’s no chance of us releasing Sam early,” Fitzpatrick said, “Sam’s a man of integrity and wouldn’t go back on his word. He’s got a two-year deal.”

Burgess has won six of his first seven games at Warrington and has them on top of the UK Super League ladder.

Could Sam Burgess and Wayne Bennett form a coaching dream team at South Sydney? Picture: Frank Redward

“He’s doing a great job and I can understand there might be some interest,” Fitzpatrick said.

“The lads love him. He’s a players’ coach. He’s very calm and considerate.

“I think he’s got a very successful coaching career ahead of him.”

We spoke to Burgess himself in England on Saturday night about Souths’ situation but he declined to comment on the record.

Everyone at Souths is now ducking for cover.

Russell Crowe replied to an email from Budapest where he is filming his latest movie.

“It’s not appropriate for me to engage in this kind of interview at this point,” he said, “Thank you for the opportunity.”

HIGHLIGHT

Another sellout crowd in Christchurch for the Raiders-Warriors game. Surely, a second New Zealand team is a far safer and more attractive option than PNG.

LOWLIGHT

The Reece Walsh-Taylan May head collision that left the game’s No.1 pin-up player with a facial fracture and stitches. If that style of tackle is deemed legal, they need to change the rules.

SPOTTED

NRL star-turned-boxer Curtis Scott at De La Salle junior footy club on Saturday, volunteering on the barbecue and helping out with the coaching of the under-8s. Scott has served a 12-month community service order for domestic violence but the NRL won’t allow him back. At the same time, it has cleared Michael Jennings, despite a sexual assault, and the fact he has not followed a court order to pay $500,000 to his victim.

Curtis Scott at De La Salle football club.

Curtis Scott in the canteen.

SHOOSH

Which celebrity is campaigning hard to replace former PM Scott Morrison as the Sharks’ No.1 ticketholder.

Scott Morrison was the Sharks’ No.1 ticket holder. Picture: Phil Hillyard

SHOOSH

Every club will make recruitment errors. The Sharks appear to have made a bad one by preferring Matt Moylan and Braydon Trindall to the brilliant Luke Metcalf when he was off contract 18 months ago.

TIME OUT

Lots of questions are being asked about why Jason Demetriou used his best front-rower Tom Burgess for only 25 minutes against the Roosters. Poor Cameron Murray is trying his heart out but is wasted having to make 52 tackles and hard yards in the middle.

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