Former Canterbury Bulldogs, Sydney Roosters and Wests Tigers player, as well as current player manager and Fox Sports host Braith Anasta has become involved in a spat on social media with a super fan on Tuesday afternoon over the Rugby League World Cup.
Sydney Roosters life member Alan Katzmann took to Twitter on Monday evening to call out NRL 360 panellists Braith Anasta, Paul Kent, James Hooper and Phil Rothfield for laughing about a number of the competing nations at this year's Rugby League World Cup.
I hope @FOXNRL bosses are proud of their NRL360 panelists laughing about a number of competing nations at this years rugby league world cup, whilst within the same program talking up their exclusive coverage of the competition. Just disgraceful; cheap shots for the peanut gallery pic.twitter.com/O2zFkFP7Gv
— Alan Katzmann (@Katzo60) September 12, 2022
Fox Sports have the exclusive TV rights to the tournament in Australia, and while the growth of the international game has continued in recent times, an expansion to 16 teams this year will see Jamaica and Greece make their tournament debuts.
Braith Anasta fired back on Tuesday afternoon, telling Katzmann to "loosen up" via his Instagram story with a screenshot of the tweet.
Anasta also labelled Katzmann a "Derek" and said that he "deserves an uppercut". The NRL 360 host then also suggested he would see Alan at the Australia and Jamaica World Cup final - something that is an impossibility given Australia are in Group B, and Jamaica in Group C, meaning the two teams would be on the same side of the draw for quarter-final or semi-final action, should they qualify for that stage of the tournament.
So, those of us that support the growth of rugby league internationally, and take umbrage at league 'experts' ridiculing a number of participating nations at this years World Cup, for cheap laughs, are 'dereks'. I prefer not to denigrate the World Cup, or its participants, Braith pic.twitter.com/fnwtc4msjJ
— Alan Katzmann (@Katzo60) September 13, 2022
Anasta wasn't ready to stop there though, screenshotting Katzmann's second Tweet and taking to his Instagram story again.
I may not have a life as a rugby league 'expert' and player manager with plenty of time for editing instagram attacks on 61 year old retirees who just want the World Cup to be a success and would have hoped that the those at the host broadcaster shared those sentiments, but... pic.twitter.com/jygJnlQj5b
— Alan Katzmann (@Katzo60) September 13, 2022
Alongside his duties as the host of NRL 360 and on the commentary team during weekends, Anasta also serves as a player manager where he has come under fire for detailing instances of Cameron Munster's contract negotiations on the show.
Anasta played 288 NRL games, 10 State of Origins and 4 Tests for Australia.
The Rugby League World Cup kicks off on October 15.
