2008 NRL season Telegraph awards

[Berkeley_Eagle]

Looking back at the 2008 NRL season
| October 04, 2008
http://www.news.com.au/dailytelegraph/sport/nrl/story/0,26799,24443077-5006066,00.html

AFTER a tumultuous Centenary year for the NRL, Grand Final weekend has arrived and with it the annual Daily Telegraph rugby league awards for season 2008.                              Headed up by Executive Sports Editor Phil Rothfield, our team of league writers present their best, worst and ugliest moments of 2008.

Phil Rothfield
Highlight: The Warriors-Storm semi-final with Michael Witt's last-minute try (although he almost blew it) takes some beating. It was rugby league at its very best.
Lowlight: The negative, agenda-driven league coverage in the Fairfax media and on Channel 9 news.
Best player: Billy Slater. I wasn't lucky enough to see Clive Churchill, but this guy is as brilliant as any fullback in recent times.
Biggest flop: Khoder Nasser's attempt at being a player agent. He took Sonny Bill Williams away from the greatest game of all and turned him into the most unpopular sportsman since Anthony Mundine.
                          Biggest clown: In an award normally reserved for Denis Fitzgerald, Storm CEO Brian Waldron wins hands down for his gibbering spray at the NRL and judiciary.
Best blow-up: Nathan Brown's verbal attack on the Melbourne Storm's unsavoury tactics. It should have been said five years ago.
2009 tip: The Sharks to win the comp, Paul Gallen to win the Dally M and Ricky Stuart coach-of-the-year.

Paul Kent
Highlight: \"I nearly asked him for his autograph.\" Nothing summed up Canberra's humble run into the playoffs more than skipper Alan Tongue's feelings about sharing a cab with Australian skipper Darren Lockyer to the NRL Finals Captains' Call.
Lowlight: A piece of glass. A naked eye. Nothing in recent years has damaged the game like Greg Bird's alleged incident and charge.
Best player: Billy Slater. Bashed in Origin I, some coaches believed this revealed the way to play Slater. They soon got their receipt for that.
Biggest flop (team or individual): Bulldogs, but with excuses. Crippling injury and then right in the middle of that there came The Walkout.
Biggest clowns: The Bulldogs on Mad Monday. They kept quiet but said it all with their French theme.
Best blow-up: A personal favourite was a good ol' fashioned footy blue, the Melbourne-Dragons stink. Does that make me a neanderthal? Grunt.
2009 tip: St George Illawarra.

Dean Ritchie
Highlight: Greg Inglis turning his back on Khoder Nasser and French rugby union. He showed loyalty toward the game he adores.
Lowlight: How can we go past the dishonourable and disgusting exit of Sonny Bill Williams.
Best player: Billy Slater. Used to be a pretty boy. Not any more. Tough, durable, exhilarating.
Biggest flop (team or individual): Difficult to top Parramatta. I tipped them to win the title yet they couldn't even make the final eight.
Biggest clown: Cowboys chairman Laurence Lancini after sacking coach Graham Murray for under-achieving. The Cowboys then flourished - winning two of the next 14 games. Well done Laurie.
Best blow-up: Craig Bellamy just last week over Cam Smith's suspension. It was emotional and raw but management - or the board - should have stopped him.
2009 tip: The Bulldogs to return to the finals with Brett Kimmorley to be the buy of the year.

Josh Massoud
Highlight: Rooster Willie Mason's glare that silenced 36,000 Bulldogs fans after he scored the opening try in the round 4 grudge match.
Lowlight: The Eels-Cowboys snoozefest in round 20 that illustrated how boring rugby league became this season, particularly during Origin.
Best player: Kurt Gidley. His superb effort to play two positions in a single game - hooker and fullback - against Penrith was astounding.
Biggest flop: Mercurial at club level, Craig Bellamy failed to reproduce as NSW coach. He was hailed as our saviour but ended the series with another loss and no guarantees about returning next year.
Biggest clown: Denis Fitzgerald. I get a chuckle out of Denis's bravado, but his calls for the salary cap to be cut amid a player exodus to England and French rugby should have been delivered at the nearest comedy club.
Best blow-up: The Bellamy-Waldron double act will scoop the pool, but ex-Dragons coach Nathan Brown deserves special mention for his unprovoked spray about the Storm's \"bully tactics\". Every team has stood up to them since.
2009 tip: Newcastle.

Steve Mascord
Highlight: Mark Gasnier's try off Greg Inglis's tap-back in the Centenary Test. A once-in-a-century try for a once-in-a-century season.
Lowlight: Do the initials S and B and W mean anything?
Best player: Billy Slater gave every indication of what was ahead with two tries against Manly in a pre-season match at Gosford. He scored two in the next game, too, against Halifax - and kept scoring 'em.
Biggest flop (team or individual): Sorry, but \"Team\" ANZ Stadium. The crowds might be only marginally down this year - but does anyone dare count the EMPTY seats at NRL games in 2008? ANZ and the clubs are doing what is best for them - the NRL now has to make it best for clubs not to play so many games there.
Biggest clown: Reg Reagan. The biggest, best and most bellicose.
Best blow-up: The name of this category suggests blow-ups are good. The stink between the Storm and the judiciary has certainly not been that - but it's been the most remarkable.
2009 tip: Melbourne. They'll be a top side for the forseeable future.

James Phelps
Highlight: My brother Cameron Phelps' last game for the Bulldogs. It was an emotional night to say the least. I will never forget his teary walk around ANZ Stadium.
Lowlight: The injury that ended Danny Buderus's NRL career. He deserved better. Pamela Anderson's appearance at a Rabbitohs match also rates a mention.
Best player: The Beast. Love your work Manu.
Biggest flop (team or individual): Sonny Bill Williams. When the going gets tough, Sonny gets going.
Biggest clown: NRL funnyman Brett Finch. His attempt to hijack the Polynesian photo at the NRL fan day was one of the best. \"Keep it real bros\", he declared as he was ejected by photographer Col Whelan.
Best blow-up: In the name of the father. Brett Finch's attack on Immortal Bob Fulton who had earlier criticised his dad Robert.
2009 tip: The Bulldogs. And Pam to join the Rabbitohs' coaching staff.

Rebecca Wilson
Highlight: The Storm/Warriors semi-final, closely followed by the Broncos/Storm thriller.
Lowlight: SBW's dishonesty in walking out on the Dogs.
Best player: Billy Slater. He's an excitement machine and should have won the Dally M.
Biggest flop: The Cowboys. Everyone was tipping them to make the finals but they showed nothing.
Biggest clown: Storm boss Brian Waldron's handling of the Cameron Smith suspension was an embarrassment for the game.
Biggest blow-up: David Gallop and Phil Gould on Triple MMM.
2009 tip: Titans to win the comp.