Legendary sports journalist Phil ‘Buzz’ Rothfield has retired, ending a 50-year stint with News Corp Australia covering events across the globe, with a focus on rugby league.
Rothfield began his time as a journalist in 1976, quickly becoming one of Australia’s best news-breakers and a dominant voice across the country’s media landscape.
Alongside covering rugby league, Rothfield also was the Olympics editor for News Corp in the 2000 Olympic Games and attended multiple Super Bowls and football World Cups.
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Rothfield has previously held positions as Sunday Telegraph deputy editor, executive sports editor of The Daily Telegraph and Sunday Telegraph before becoming the sports editor-at-large over the last decade.
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He frequently appeared on Fox League’s NRL360, while his “What’s the Buzz” column has remained the most popular piece in Australian media for over 30 years.
“Half a century covering rugby league, and the madness that comes with it, is long enough for anyone,” Buzz said to The Daily Telegraph.
“It’s been the greatest job in the world and there are so many people I’ll make time to thank personally over the next few months – colleagues and contacts alike.
“It has been an absolute privilege, but after 50 years of working weekends, it’s time to enjoy life without the stress and responsibility that comes with the job.
“I’m looking forward to just being a fan for the first time in my adult life… Rugby league is, without doubt, the greatest game of all. And will continue to be.”
Meanwhile, Daily Telegraph Editor Ben English paid tribute to a giant of Australian sports media.
“Phil Rothfield has always been one of the greats – in journalism, in rugby league and as an eternally larger-than-life presence in The Daily Telegraph’s office.
“Our newsroom will be much the poorer for the retirement of Buzz, who led generations of reporters by example and by exemplary mentoring.
“There is not a member of our staff, me very much included, who has not benefited over the decades from Buzz’s input.”
RABBITOHS’ TRADEMARK MOVE
The Rabbitohs have made a peculiar business move, filing a trademark application for the cultural phenomenon that is ‘Random Souths guy’.
It has become a hilarious piece of NRL folklore, with fans pictured across the globe in their South Sydney jerseys — which represents a unique marketing opportunity.
According to the SMH, the Rabbitohs have seized it with both hands, hoping to own the piece of “intellectual property” in a bid to protect it.
“We know from the photos we see on social media and the things that people send us that our fans are very proud to wear the jersey at any sporting and entertainment event that they can,” South Sydney chief executive Blake Solly said.
“Over the weekend I had people sending me photos from the tennis, the Big Bash final, of Rabbitohs fans in their jerseys.
“So the Random Souths Guy is just that, it’s a phenomenon that’s unique to our club and in some ways unique to Australian sport.
“We’ve been on a journey since 2018 to own as much of our intellectual property as we can get.
“The NRL acknowledged back in 2018 that the clubs were the owners of their logos and their intellectual property, and since then we have been ensuring that the club’s ownership of intellectual property is protected for our members, fans and commercial partners.
“We feel that’s really important for now and the future. It’s something that American and European sporting clubs have been doing for many years and it’s something we wanted to follow to make sure that the club is protected.”
The Rabbitohs have no immediate plans to create commercial revenue from the trademark application, with it being filed only for protection for their goods and services.
A ‘Random Souths guy’ has been spotted at a New York Yankees baseball clash, while a photo was also captured Mexico’s Chichén Itzá of a fan sporting the famous jersey.
“It’s always good to see a Random Souths Guy or Souths Girl at a Super Bowl, it gives us a giggle,” Solly said.
“I reckon the best one we were sent was a Random Souths Fan proposing at the Christ the Redeemer statue at Brazil in their Souths jersey.”
DOGS YOUNG GUN’S SHOCK BLOW
Canterbury Bulldogs fans will have to wait to watch Mitchell Woods in action with the young halfback suffering another injury setback
.A two-time Under-19s NSW Blues representative, Woods was meant to be one of the many new faces on show during the upcoming NRL Pre-Season Challenge before the side heads to Las Vegas.
However, he has been ruled out of next week’s clash and is in doubt for the start of the season.
“Unfortunately Mitchell picked another injury this week. Nothing major,” Bulldogs GM of Football Phil Gould said on X (formerly known as Twitter).
“Just set him back a couple of weeks. All part of the journey with young players.”
This comes as Gould confirmed Jacob Preston won’t be named for next weekend, while Finau Latu, Fletcher Baker and Justin Matamua will all play in the first trial against the Cowboys.
Woods isn’t the only highly-touted youngster to pick up an injury ahead of the upcoming NRL Pre-Season Challenge, with Melbourne Storm rookie Jai Bowden undergoing surgery after suffering an injury to his right arm.
A member of last year’s Under-19s Queensland side, the dummy-half was set to earn game time during the pre-season with the Storm as he continues to learn under Harry Grant.
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