Sport to Australians is like a religion, something that’s worshipped every weekend without fail. Americans have had no issues in 2020 to wake-up at 3:00 am watching guys that resemble line-backers crash into each other in football stadiums around Australia.
You may not get the rules but you get its better than second division Belarusian soccer. Aussies walked an inch taller knowing that in the early parts of the pandemic, they were doing their part to keep North Americans entertained. This week a couple of village idiots screwed that up.
Club Statement on Tevita Pangai Jnrhttps://t.co/yM0uqwCLKA pic.twitter.com/cBowxoG2dc
— Brisbane Broncos (@brisbanebroncos) August 9, 2020
The National Rugby League (NRL) has been rocked this week with several high-profile players and officials breaking the COVID-19 hub, designed to keep the competition running in 2020. The NRL’s “Project Apollo” had more than a few problems.
The NRL’s version of Bill Belichick, South Sydney coach Wayne Bennett was caught breaching COVID-19 guidelines as Sydney begins to enter a second wave of the pandemic. Bennett was one of the main architects of the NRL’s competition restart guidelines and claimed he didn’t know the rules.
St George Illawarra forward Paul Vaughn was fined $10,000 USD for dining at a restaurant and Broncos coach Anthony Seibold and three Broncos officials, including club great Alfie Langer, joined him on the sidelines for similar biosecurity breaches.
While you may think it’s not an MLB size SNAFU the size of the Marlins, it pretty close.
One of the most promising forwards in the game, Tevita Pangai Jr is set to have his contract cancelled over a COVI-19 hub breach. Only 12 months ago, Pangai Jr signed a $1.3 million USD contract extension with the Brisbane Broncos. Resulting in their other star forward David Fifita walking into the arms of the Gold Coast Titans for next season.
Pangai Jr was caught out at the opening of a local barbershop by Queensland Police, all happening after several other staff and players had been caught out over the weekend. The Broncos wrecking ball has missed 36 percent of Brisbane’s game in the last 18 months. What makes matters worse for the Broncos is that Pangai Jr was caught last week personally shopping himself to other teams, including Brisbane rivals the Sydney City Roosters.
Numerous media reports have claimed that Pangai Jr is set to be fired, forcing the Broncos to issue a statement claiming that the investigation is still ongoing. It’s likely though that we won’t see the young forward again until next season.
NRL bosses will be hoping for now, Project Apollo refires and North America goes back to joining in the late-night games.
NRL Wooden Spoon Odds
Canterbury Bulldogs -2.30
Brisbane Broncos – 3.00
North Queensland Cowboys – 5.00
Gold Coast Titans – 9.00
New Zealand Warriors – 26.00
St George Illawarra Dragons – 41.00
Odds Courtesy of Sportsbet
