FIFITA SAGA ASKS ANOTHER QUESTION

It is not the biggest issue considering what is now happening to Andrew and David Fifita with indisputable evidence surfacing they verbally assaulted a junior league official in Penrith on the weekend. But considering the current climate, it makes you wonder why The Footy Show thinks so highly off them.

The brothers have been regulars on the show in recent times which highlights the lack of media-savvy players we have in the NRL. Apart from a bellowing laugh, which gets quite painful rather quickly, the pair don’t bring that much to the table. We need players trained for the media from S.G Ball onwards. Otherwise we’re going to keep seeing the likes of Andrew and David on our television screens. We’re better than that.

 
BENJI IN LINE FOR EUROPEAN TOUR

With Golden Boot winner Shaun Johnson out for five months, legendary Kiwi playmaker Benji Marshall must tour with New Zealand at the end of the year.

Whatever problems coach Stephen Kearney has, he will now be forced to select Marshall who has been tremendous for St George Illawarra since returning from rugby union.

Another that should be there is Roosters prop Jared Waerea-Hargreaves. What a player.

 
NO END IN SIGHT FOR HAPLESS TIGERS

I was there on Saturday calling the Wests Tigers VB NSW Cup clash with Penrith for The81stMinute and can report that the club’s problems don’t end with the first grade team. While the NRL team lost to the Roosters on Friday, the VB NSW Cup team went down in a whimper against the classy Panthers. Kurtis Rowe was the only shining light for the home side and deserves a run in the top team considering their current plight.

The Tigers can escape the NRL wooden spoon but it’s up to coach Jason Taylor to mix it up and admit his game plan isn’t working for this team.

Bringing in some fresh blood and letting James Tedesco, Luke Brooks, Manaia Cherrington and Mitch Moses off the leash would be a good start.

 
INTERESTING COMMENTS FROM SENATOR LAZARUS

Glenn Lazarus was a guest on Triple M’s NRL coverage on Sunday and said he didn’t think the Brisbane Broncos could win the 2015 premiership because he didn’t think Ben Hunt and Anthony Milford were up to it.

I suspect Wayne Bennett would have loved this and will no doubt share the interview with his young halves combination.

 
CHANGING THE VIDEO REFEREE FOR THE BETTER

Everyone has an opinion on what way we should go with the video referee.

I’m not disputing the video referee’s importance but do they need such a physical presence on our television screens?

Let the referee award the try on-field, the video referee then has a twenty second window to review the try, if there is a problem, the decision is changed. If it’s sweet, no dramas, we move on. That also means we don’t have to sit through five minutes of replays for the most obvious of decisions.

 
MAGIC BELMORE

Less is more for Canterbury and their returns to Belmore Oval and it will be an annual event for years to come no doubt.

Now we’re all scrambling for the next historic return.

Could the Wests Tigers play at Lidcombe Oval?

I’ve thrown this idea out before but what about Souths playing in the Bears strip at North Sydney Oval?

North Sydney is the Rabbitohs’ feeder club so it makes sense.

@CurtisWoodward1