Buzz's top 50 NRL moments revealed

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FROM drug dramas, to Barba battles, to Origin biff, Phil "Buzz" Rothfield reveals the top 50 moments of the NRL season.

Today we unveil 25-1. Check out 26-50 here.

1. DRUG DRAMA
ASADA headlines dominate the season. More than 30 players are called to interviews. The Sharks sack four staff members and suspend coach Shane Flanagan. Chairman Damian Irvine is forced to quit and Canberra winger Sandor Earl becomes the first player to get an infraction notice.

Blake Ferguson and Sandor Earl both feature prominently in our top 50 moments. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: DailyTelegraph

2. BARBA BANISHED
Dally M champion Ben Barba is stood down by the Bulldogs for apparent alcohol and gambling issues. A shocking photo later emerges of his partner Ainslie Currie, indicating domestic violence. He quits the Bulldogs for the Broncos.

Ben Barba limps off in his last game for the Bulldogs. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: DailyTelegraph

3. THE CHAMPS
The Roosters win an epic grand final over Manly 26-18 at ANZ Stadium, recovering from a 10-point second-half deficit, inspired by the magnificent skill of Sonny Bill Williams. They were the best team all year, and despite questionable refereeing, the Roosters deserved the premiership.

Roosters captain Anthony Minichiello celebrates with teammates at full-time after winning the 2013 NRL grand final match against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at ANZ Stadium. Picture: Mark Metcalfe/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

4. SBW COMEBACK
No player dominated the headlines as much as Sonny Bill Williams in his return to the NRL. On and off the field, the Roosters benefitted, winning the minor premiership and substantially increasing crowds, merchandise and membership.

Sonny Bill Williams thanks the fans during the Roosters' fan day at Moore Park on Monday. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: News Limited

5. BENCHY MARSHALL
Wests Tigers coach Mick Potter makes the bravest selection move in years, dumping superstar Benji Marshall to the bench mid-season. Their relationship never recovers and Benji decides to walk out on the NRL to join the Auckland Blues in rugby union.

Benji Marshall looks on after the Tigers concede a try. Photo by Matt King/Getty Images Source: DailyTelegraph

6. ORIGIN BIFFO
Blues skipper Paul Gallen belts Nate Myles with a series of blows in Origin I. With no on-field action taken at the time, the NRL introduces a no-punching edict in the toughest crackdown on violence in the history of the game. In the very next Origin match, four players are sin-binned for fighting.

Paul Gallen and Nate Myles go at it in Origin I. Source: Getty Images

7. COWBOYS CRUELTY
For the second season in a row, Johnathan Thurston's Cowboys are bounced out of the finals by a refereeing error. Replays showed Sharks winger Beau Ryan scored on the 7th tackle. The refs were sacked.

Johnathan Thurston screams in frustration against the Sharks. Picture Gregg Porteous Source: DailyTelegraph

8. BETTING BAN
Outrage over Tom Waterhouse's appearances on Channel Nine's rugby league coverage forces the government to step in and ban his live promotion of betting during games, much to the relief of viewers who had been regularly jamming the network's switchboard with complaints.

Tom Waterhouse. Source: News Limited

9. RICKY QUITS
Former Test and Origin coach Ricky Stuart walks out on the Parramatta Eels after the club's back-to-back wooden spoons. Just 12 months into a big-money three-year deal, Stuart accepts an offer to take over from Dave Furner.

Parramatta Eels coach Ricky Stuart has resigned as coach to head to the Canberra Raiders. Source: News Limited

10. PEE FOR PACKER
Warriors forward Russell Packer becomes an infamous world-wide Your Tube figure after urinating on the field during a game against the Broncos. The 23-year-old is sent packing, to sign a four-year contract with the Newcastle Knights.

Warriors forward Russell Packer appears to urinate on the field in the match at Suncorp Stadium against the Broncos. Picture: Sports Fox Source: FOX SPORTS

11. PHOTO FOOLERY
Raiders stars Josh Dugan and Blake Ferguson pose for a rooftop selfie drinking pineapple Breezers while on the Canberra injured list. The Raiders sack Dugan. He turns to labouring before signing with St George Illawarra, from where he make the NSW State of Origin team.

Josh Dugan (front) and Blake Ferguson in a picture Dugan posted on Twitter. Source: Twitter

12. HIGH FLYER
At the time it was described as the try of the decade. Wests Tigers rookie winger David Nofoaluma's spectacular touchdown against Manly was so remarkable it was even shown on television networks in the United States. He was awarded the Dally M Try of the Year.

Wests Tigers David Nofoaluma scores an incredible try during a round 20 game against Manly at Campbelltown Stadium. Picture: Brett Costello Source: DailyTelegraph

13. AWESOME FOURSOME
Sam, 24, Luke, 26, and 21-year-old twins George and Tom - weighing a combined 460 kilograms - are named in the Rabbitohs side to play the Tigers. It was the first time in 103 years that four brothers played together at the top level of rugby league.

The Burgess brothers with Mum Julie after the Wests Tigers v South Sydney Rabbitohs game at Allianz Stadium, Sydney. Source: News Limited

14. CAPITAL PUNISHMENT
Dave Furner is sacked by the Canberra Raiders, the first coach in the club's history to lose his job mid-contract. Furner's unwavering support for troubled Origin player Blake Ferguson is blamed for him losing the support of senior players.

Former Canberra Raiders coach David Furner. Source: News Limited

15. HENRY SACKED
Just a few months after extending coach Neil Henry's contract, the Cowboys' board sack him following a loss to the Broncos at home. The players react by going on an unbeaten run to the finals.

Henry will head south and join the Titans in 2014. Source: Getty Images

16. JAW BREAKER
Former Kangaroos front rower Kade Snowden cops a seven-week suspension for breaking the jaw of Cowboys hooker Ray Thompson with a shoulder charge that went wrong in Townsville. Snowden is forced out of the Knights' finals campaign.

Kade Snowden breaks Ray Thompson's jaw with a shoulder charge. Source: Getty Images

17. SORRY SANDOW
Chris Sandow's future and $550,000-a-year contract at the Parramatta Eels is thrown into doubt when the halfback is dropped to NSW Cup and then admitted to a rehabilitation clinic that specialises in gambling and alcohol problems.

Chris Sandow playing for Wentworthville after he was dumped from Parramatta's first grade side. Picture: Peter Kelly Source: DailyTelegraph

18. TAN OF THE MATCH
Serial rugby league streaker Wati Holmwood, wearing nothing but joggers and covered in spray tan, interrupts Origin at ANZ Stadium with an 80 metre dash. He is arrested and sentenced to three months jail, later reduced to two months on appeal.

Wati Holmwood makes his dash into infamy. Picture: Brett Costello Source: News Limited

19. TOOVEY'S RAGE
Geoff Toovey cops a $10,000 fine for slamming the referees after Manly's controversial Friday night loss to Souths at Bluetongue Stadium. It's probably the best spray since Bob Fulton declared he wanted to run Bill Harrigan over with a cement truck.

Manly Sea Eagles coach Geoff Toovey speaks to the media during a press conference. Source: News Limited

20. NICE GUY GOES
The rugby league world mourns the loss of former Blues State of Origin coach Graham Murray in late July. He passed away far too early from a heart attack at age of 58. A who's who of rugby league attends his funeral in Brisbane.

Graham Murray will be remembered as one of rugby league's gentlemen. Picture: Darren Hilder Source: Townsville Bulletin

21. TOP DOG
Former New Zealand netball boss Raelene Castle replaces Todd Greenberg as chief executive of the Canterbury Bulldogs, the first woman since Super League to land the top job at an NRL club.

New Canterbury Bulldogs chief executive Raelene Castle at Belmore Oval. Source: News Limited

22. DRIVING SHAME
Origin front rower James Tamou's career goes off the rails when he is caught for unlicensed high-range drink driving in Townsville. A suspension rules him out of the second State of Origin game. He is disqualified from driving for 15 months.

James Tamou in action against the Titans. Photo by Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images Source: Getty Images

23. LOW BLOW
In one of the lowest acts of the year, Sam Burgess puts a squirrel grip on Storm centre Will Chambers, forcing the NRL to step in and suspend the Great Britain forward for two matches.

Sam Burgess allegedly performed a "squirrel grip" on Will Chambers. Source: Getty Images

24. MANNAH TRAGEDY
Parramatta and former Sharks forward Johnny Mannah dies after a relapse of Hodgkin's lymphoma. He had shown remarkable bravery in fighting the disease over a number of years. His brother, Eels prop Tim Mannah, was at his bedside in St Vincent's hospital when he passed away.

Tim Mannah carries Jon Mannah's casket from the Faith Baptist Church in Regents Park. Picture: Tim Hunter Source: The Daily Telegraph

25. SUPER COOPER
Storm's superstar halfback Cooper Cronk wins the Dally M award in one of the closest finishes in years. Three players tie for second - Todd Carney, Johnathan Thurston and Daly Cherry-Evans.

Dally M Player of the Year Cooper Cronk surrounded by the Team of the Year at The Star. Picture: Gregg Porteous Source: DailyTelegraph

 

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