THE Melbourne Cup delivers for punters, the Panthers steal a Bunnies flyer and is Hayne next to return? It’s all in WHAT’S THE BUZZ.

SAINT

AUSTRALIAN racing has never had as many queens of the turf. First we had Gai Waterhouse, then Black Caviar and now Michelle Payne. Go you good things!

SINNER

JASON Taylor’s complete arrogance in the wake of a damning report into player-welfare issues at Wests Tigers. Seriously, this guy needs to be more aware of what is happening in his own backyard before it costs him his job.

WHAT’S THE BUZZ: NRL COO kicks up a Cup stink

SHOOSH

WHICH couple was thrown out of Randwick racecourse on Tuesday afternoon for having sex in the men’s toilets?

SHOOSH II

WHICH senior casino executive won $500,000 on the Melbourne quadrella on Cup day?

RICHO HELPS OUT

SOUTHS boss John Lee has admitted the NRL’s $700,000-a-year head of strategy Shane Richardson helped the Rabbitohs get Sam Burgess back to rugby league. Some clubs are not happy about it.

NFL GETS IN NRL’S WAY

THE NFL is causing the NRL problems with the first-round draw of the 2016 season. The New Zealand Warriors had been tentatively scheduled a round-one home game to open the season, but it clashes with two NFL exhibition matches in Auckland and Wellington. The club has asked for an away game to dodge all the NFL hype that could affect crowd numbers.

media_camera Australian captain Steve Smith is always well prepared.

SMITH WON’T BE CAUGHT OUT

CRICKET captain Steve Smith will never run out of batting gloves during a Test match. His teammates have revealed Smith keeps more than 20 pairs in his kit bag.

SPOTTED

BLUES Origin skipper Paul Gallen on a long overdue holiday in Singapore with wife, Anne.

NICK LOOKS AFTER HIS OWN

YOU’VE got to admire how Roosters supremo Nick Politis cares for anyone who has worn the tricolours. Old glamour boy Russell Fairfax is now employed part-time in a role to keep an eye on the welfare of ex-players. It is a wonderful initiative that other clubs should be doing, too.

DARRYL’S BIG SURPRISE

THE “Big Marn” Darryl Brohman threw a 60th birthday party for his beautiful wife, “Darling’’, at his luxury South Cronulla home on Saturday. Bev’s two daughters flew in from overseas as a surprise.

ZORBA RELISHES NEW ROLE

Peter ‘Zorba’ Peters has quit as a board member at the Manly Sea Eagles to take on a paid consultancy role with the football club in media and sales.

“I’m really look forward to working with Bozo (Bob Fulton) and Trent (Barrett) in the rebuilding of the club,” the veteran official said.

“The battle of the board room is over and the district club is now irrelevant.

“I’ve done my bit on the board but feel I’ve got more to offer with the media and sponsorship at this great club.”

media_camera Will Jarryd Hayne decide his NFL journey is at an end?

IS HAYNE NEXT TO RETURN?

Sam Burgess’ return to the NRL has opened the door for Roosters boss Nick Politis to sign former Parramatta Eels superstar Jarryd Hayne.

If Souths can get Burgess under the cap, surely the Roosters can do the same with Hayne. They’ve lost James Maloney, Roger Tuivasa Sheck, Sonny Bill Williams and Anthony Minichiello in the last year.

Hayne won’t know until August next year if he gets another start in the NFL. It’s a long time to be sitting around waiting without getting tempted to play NRL again.

GUS GETS FLYER FROM BUNNIES

The Rabbitohs have lost outstanding young forward Chris Grevsmuhl to the Penrith Panthers. Gus Gould has signed the 22-year-old tearaway many regard him as a future representative player.

Souths extended Grevsmuhl’s contract only a couple of months ago but have now agreed to release him for 2017. It helps find the money for Sam Burgess.

The Panthers are going to have an awesome back-row with Tyrone Peachey, Trent Merrin and Grevsmuhl.

‘YOU COACH, I’LL PICK THE TEAM'

Gus Gould AM has no interest in coaching the Kangaroos despite his impressive Origin and premiership record and the fact the NRL is looking for a non-club coach.

And how do we know? Because we asked him via a text message exchange on Friday.

Buzz: Hi. You ever given thought to coaching the Kangaroos? I could help you pick the team.

Gus: You coach and I’ll pick the team.

Buzz: I was being serious about you coaching.

Gus: No, I have no interest thanks.

Mal Meninga remains a red hot favourite for the position, as long as he quits the Maroons job.

media_camera Steph Sneddon sold a $100 trifecta ticket for the Cup, which made $434,000.

ONCE-A-YEAR PUNTER COLLECTS MOTZA

This is the lady who helped a once-a-year TAB punter when $434,000 on the Melbourne Cup.

Not only did Steph Sneddon sell the winning $100 trifecta ticket to the lucky punter but she also suggested one of the winning numbers.

The punter, a middle-aged woman, walked into the Chatswood TAB at 2pm on Tuesday, just an hour before the race.

She had chosen 8 Max Dynamite and 19 Prince of Penzance but asked for advice for a third selection. Steph said she liked 2 Criterion. An hour later her selections filled the first three placings.

When the customer returned she scanned the ticket and had no idea how much she had won.

Steph wrote $434,083 on a piece of paper, not wanting to alert other punters

The customer was in complete shock and asked if she was serious. Steph had to step out from behind the counter and put a hand on her shoulder.

“It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person, she was just so humble.” Steph said.

“We were so happy for her.”

SHARKS’ BAIT FOR SAM

It’s a little known fact that the Cronulla Sharks went awfully close to signing Sam Burgess before he agreed to return to the Rabbitohs. The Sharks made one of the richest offers in rugby league history to the champion front-rower.

Negotiations were carried out by a board member in top secrecy with Burgess’ agent in the UK. Eventually Russell Crowe stepped in plus the fact Souths had a legal agreement where they get first option if he returned to the NRL.

STARS TURN OUT FOR KURT

There was a lovely touch at the fundraiser last week for paralysed footy player Kurt Drysdale. Wendell Sailor’s wife Tara won first prize in the main raffle — $5000 cash. She immediately donated it back to Drysdale, reducing the youngster in his wheelchair to tears. It’s great to see so many footy types supporting the boy who faces such a tough future.