Premiership winner Braith Anasta and veteran journalist Phil Rothfield have locked horns over a Wests Tigers story in one of the most heated debates in NRL 360 history.
Anasta took exception to being named in a story that Rothfield wrote quoting ex-Tigers recruitment manager Scott Fulton.
Fulton came under attack from NRL 360 host Anasta on the show last week regarding recruitment and the mess that is the Tigers’ current squad.
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Fulton then returned serve via Rothfield in The Daily Telegraph and claimed every player he brought to the club was approved by coach Benji Marshall.
Here is an excerpt of their fiery debate (with the full exchange in the video player above).
Braith: Scott Fulton, he said it’s not his fault, the mess, it’s Benji’s.
Rothfield: He was very firm that he did not sign one player that Benji didn’t sign off on. He did go to Benji and the retention committee with Josh Schuster and Benji said no and he dropped off.
Anasta: I don’t think we were blaming him for everything, if I remember correctly.
Rothfield: You were a bit grumpy last week.
Anasta: Let me talk, you’ve had your say, Buzz. Can I have an opinion if that’s ok. What I said was that he made some poor decisions and you turned it into it was all his fault. Nobody said it was all his fault… (but) he can’t wipe his hands and say it’s all Benji’s fault.
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Rothfield: He was getting blamed by people like you.
Anasta: I can see you curling up in ball because you’re wrong.
Rothfield: No don’t start that, please don’t start that and don’t say I’m curling up in a ball, I’m very, very firm about this.
Anasta: Well you are now, you’ve got your shoulders up.
Rothfield: He did not make those decisions as you suggested on the show last week. Benji signed off on them.
Anasta: I spoke to Benji at the time, at the time I spoke to Benji it was a very different conversation to what you’ve had to Scott, a very, very different conversation.
I can start naming and saying things but I don’t want to go there, Buzz.
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Rothfield: Come on, Braith, we’re not here to attack him.
Anasta: You started it, Buddy.
Rothfield: No you started it last week. I gave him a say, which is fair. I allowed him to tell his story. Now if that’s doing him a favour, I don’t know what you’re talking about.
Anasta: You’re trying to defend him, there’s nothing to defend.
Rothfield: How am I trying to defend him? He rang me, I turned my tape recorder on and said take me through each signing. I wasn’t doing him a favour but I think he deserves a voice because everyone at the Wests Tigers is trying to blame him.
Source Agencies
