Latest news with #BraithAnasta
News.com.au
14 hours ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
NRL greats stunned by NRL's most vicious fan as club's ‘pathetic' act called out
Forget Payne Haas and Liam Martin – the most feared man in the NRL is an apprentice carpenter turned social media sensation. Jean-Claude Bitar, 25, might not even play in the NRL, but has them running scared thanks to a series of social media videos that have gone viral. Declared the 'funniest man on the net at the moment' by Bulldogs legend Reni Maitua after taking down Dragon's father and son Shane and Kyle Flanagan in an X-rated rant that has been viewed almost 500,000 times, Bitar's hard hitting commentary has attracted the attention of rugby league heavyweights, including NRL 360 host Braith Anasta, who has hailed him as 'ruthless.' 'If that were you or one of your mates he was talking about, you'd want to kill him,' Anasta said. 'Can you imagine watching that if you were Shane or Kyle? Oh my God. But as ruthless as he is and sometimes over the top, he is also creative. I couldn't wait to see what he did after the Sharks (v Dragons) game last week. But could you imagine seeing that if you were following him and you were the player?'. Fresh from taking aim at State of Origin referee Ashley Klein following NSW's failed comeback against Queensland in another video that has stormed the net, Bitar revealed he has been blocked from viewing the St George Illawarra website and their social media accounts after being critical of the club. 'I went to look at the team list about six weeks ago and I couldn't find it,' Bitar told 'I thought maybe there was a glitch. Then I went to TikTok and Facebook, and I realised I was blocked on all accounts. I could not believe they were blocking a supporter because he is speaking the thoughts of every fan.' Being blocked did not deter the carpenter from Belfield. 'Na, I made a video straight away saying they were pathetic and it was one of my biggest hits.' A host of NRL players have personally contacted Bitar. Some tell him they love his work. Others tell him to stop. 'The first person to contact me was Blake Lawrie's brother,' he said. 'I was giving it to him a bit, and then I remember his brother reached out to me and said: 'you have got to stop making these videos. You're gonna get yourself in big trouble.' 'But I didn't stop. Not when I knew the players were actually watching my videos.' Most of his videos are about St George Illawarra given Bitar is a 'die hard' Dragons fan who has supported the club since he could walk – and was even in their junior development squad. 'Most of the players are fans,' Bitar said. 'They come up to me at games and recite my jokes'. Filming his first NRL post in February, Bitar's videos have gone viral, and he has now posted more than 150. 'They are all pretty big at the moment,' he said. 'Right now, there's the Origin one that's going around, that's got 300,000 views. I think my biggest is one about my reaction to a game that got almost half a million.' And in a warning to the NRL's underperforming and out-of-form, Bitar declared he has just begun. 'Regardless of whether they block me, I'm gonna keep going with the videos. 'People are enjoying it. I'm enjoying it. I'm doing this for fun. I'm a footy fanatic and I have the right to express my views. I'm just saying what everyone is thinking,' he said.
News.com.au
a day ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
NSW in CRISIS 'How did Queensland win?'
NRL: Braith Anasta, Gorden Tallis, Buzz Rothfield and James Hooper broke down the Maroons incredible win in Origin game two.
News.com.au
4 days ago
- Sport
- News.com.au
‘Have they got cold feet?': Bombshell DCE rumours revealed as big Roosters issue emerges
Doubts have been raised over the Roosters' bid to sign Daly Cherry-Evans after the Manly skipper's form slump this season and reports they have gone cold on the axed Maroons star. FOX LEAGUE, available on Kayo Sports, is the only place to watch every game of every round in the 2025 NRL Telstra Premiership, LIVE with no ad-breaks during play. New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited-time offer > The Roosters were believed to have struck a deal with Cherry-Evans for 2026 and potentially 2027, but the 36-year-old's form has led to reports the club may be having second thoughts. NRL 360 host Braith Anasta said the deal was the 'elephant in the room' and questioned whether the Roosters had gotten 'cold feet'. Fox League's James Hooper revealed discussions between both parties had 'gone quiet'. 'I don't think there has been any contract signed,' he said on NRL 360 on Monday. 'I am certain that there has been some talks take place and I think it has gone a little bit quiet in recent times.' Hooper, however, said he expected the Roosters to honour an agreement that may have been reached. 'Nick Politis is a man of integrity and a man of his word,' he said. 'I think if he has verbally spoken to Daly and they have done any sort of deal, he will honour that.' 'The Roosters have got Toby Rodwell underneath Sam Walker, who will be a star of the future. 'I think they think adding Daly Cherry-Evans into their roster for one or two years, can help educate the crop of young halves that they have there at the moment and benefit Sam Walker.' Anasta then cautioned the Roosters over agreeing to a two-year deal for Cherry-Evans. 'I think it would be a good decision still if it is one year, two years I don't think so,' Anasta said. 'What if Daly will only take it if it is two years?' Hooper interjected. 'That's the issue,' Anasta replied. 'We have heard at different stages it is one year and it is two years. I think that is a big difference with where Daly is at right now, not just in terms of age but his form, two years is a big risk at that money. 'One year, you get the benefit of an experienced player, who just walks straight into the team and makes them a premiership threat. 'He can teach those younger kids and they can learn from him and be their mentor, but two years you are probably going to lose a couple of players. 'That's a long time for him. So that to me either makes the deal a good one or a bad one is the time that he signs there.' After Manly's last to the Titans on Friday night, Cherry-Evans was asked to respond to a rumour doing the rounds that his deal with the Roosters could collapse amid his poor on-field form, but the veteran didn't give much away in response. 'I sort of don't understand that stuff - I stay out of it,' he said. 'All I can do is control my footy at Manly and speculation will be speculation. 'But obviously we've just lost a couple in a row so it would be silly for me to be worrying about stuff like that.'
News.com.au
09-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
QLD loyalty called out over DCE axeing
NRL: Braith Anasta and Buzz Rothfield have called out Queensland's "loyalty" culture after the dropping of captain Daly Cherry-Evans.
News.com.au
08-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
NRL SuperCoach live scores and analysis: Lachlan Galvin debuts for Bulldogs against Parramatta Eels
Hey, Lachlan Galvin, here's the recipe for success to be an elite Canterbury half, from a premiership-winning one. 'When you're a Bulldog, it's a team first mentality … care about each other and prioritise the guy next to you more so than yourself. You'd do anything for the guy next to you.' That's the advice from Braith Anasta, who played five-eighth in Canterbury's last premiership-winning team in 2004, to former Tiger-turned-Bulldog Galvin. It was the mantra an 18-year-old Anasta adopted when he arrived in Belmore in 2000, which led him to a drought breaking grand final in the halves for the Dogs four years later. Now the fresh faced 19-year-old Galvin has the chance to do the same. 'For Lachie, if he buys into the culture and buys into the systematic way in which they're playing, doesn't try and overcomplicate things and really believes in the process and the coach, who's doing incredible things, then he won't have a problem,' he said. 'He'll fit in like a glove.' Anasta is glad Ciraldo has chosen to 'rip the band-aid off' and name Galvin straight for the King's Birthday clash on Fox League and Kayo against the Eels, the side the youngster ironically almost signed for. Parramatta will be out to show Galvin what he missed out on, the chance to play with one of the game's best playmakers in Mitchell Moses. But at Canterbury Anasta says Galvin will have the opportunity to make the No.7 jersey his own. 'They'd see him moving into the seven and Burton six, less disruption, and then kind of teaching Lachie the ways, the systems, the defensive patterns and getting his style more and getting it wrapped around his head,' Anasta said. But as much as the ex-Canterbury playmaker is thrilled by Galvin's arrival, the NRL 360 host can't help but put himself in the shoes of current halfback Toby Sexton who would feel been hard done by. 'He doesn't really deserve to be in this situation given how well he's played this year and where the dogs are coming. 'I feel sorry for him, but it's also a good opportunity and challenge for him at the same time.' Anasta, also a player agent to several halfbacks, says the highs for Galvin and lows of Sexton is just the reality of the rollercoaster that is rugby league. 'I've got Cameron Munster who's flying and playing Origin and playing great for Melbourne, and then I've got poor Lachie (Ilias) who's in a tough situation there with the Dragons trying to fight his way back in the first grade,' Anasta said. 'I know how emotionally tough it can be and the challenge that does present to these guys, so that's why I can really relate to Toby but at the same time I can relate to Lachie (Galvin) as well, a great opportunity, he's a young gun, he burst onto the scene, got all the clubs after him. He can go wherever he wants and he deserves that because he's put himself in that position.' Despite the Bulldogs and the Eels sitting at complete opposite ends of the ladder and Parramatta desperate for a win, Anasta says there's more riding on the game for the competition leaders. 'If the Dogs do come out now and lose one, two in a row, then the drums will start beating and we've all seen the external pressures of the media and fans and they don't want that,' he said. 'They want to come out, put a good performance in, get the win and they can move on from everything even quicker. It'd be probably a relief for them given the attention that this has received.'
