DEEP DIVE into WEEK ONE of the NRL FINALS with Sandor Earl and Reni Maitua

- Just a bloke and a bar. - What is up ladies and gentlemen, welcome to back in my day and don't forget a massive thank you to Great Southern Bank for partnering with the show. Make savings easier with help from Great Southern Bank in their everyday saver account. Check the description for more info. Stay tuned for the segment later in the show. Boys, how you been? - I'm so much more just churning through content and trying to get to the end of the season, get through the World Cup. - I mean, you were churning through some content, some award shows you saw on your Instagram. So they took your Marlow Awards. How was it? - It was a great night. It was a great night. Seriously, and he paid, it was a good cash. - Yeah, well, they must have paid you everything 'cause you were the only host, announcer, and award presenter. (laughing) - He pays well, what can I say? What can I say? - Well, just for our listeners, I actually Google it thinking, here's the, what did you do this? I thought it was so real. (laughing) That's how, if you want to dip the Tozin for AI, there's a trend going around at the moment where you can turn your photos into an 80s photo on chat chat every day. That's a bit of fun. - Okay, there you go. - Give that a try. - So it's the Ciani Tui Marla, Tui Gamaala. - Tui Gamaala, yeah. - I said how you said it on the night. - Oh, well, (laughing) Tui Gamaala. - Tui Gamaala, Tui Gamaala. - Right, right. - Right. - No, fellas, let's go. No, if you go there, I actually got a message from my sister, like, oh, congratulations. And then I took two laughing emojis and she said, oh, it's AI, but if you want to go, check that. - I Googled it. - Yeah, that's it. - Where's the Tui Gamaala wards? I mean, what is it for? - Oh, yeah. - Oh, and I've been invited. - Yeah, I was like, there's I know the Tui Gamaala family and then I see you hosting an awards line and then Volkman's crying. I thought, jeez, I would start a good one. - Yeah, really fun. - Then a message of Volkman. Congratulations, brother. (laughing) - A lot of Volkman, he talk about the, but there's actually a few awards. So if you want to check him out, go to his Instagram page. Ciani Tui Gamaala. - Great, definitely. - On Instagram. - For the boys, that's for sure. Even for me for a second, I was like, hey, I know a sec. Did I, in a, in a stupid doing a host, a host doing a award show. Boys, let's get into it. Finals. Hey, right, oh, fellas, let's get into it. (laughing) Let's preview the, the, the round coming. What's your feeling heading into this? Is it the age, old, ah, fuck. No, no one outside the top four can win it. Is it a bit more open? Is Panthas the team to beat? Where are you feeling? - Bit of everything there can be, to be honest. I think Panthas are the team to beat. - Yep. - I will say if they drop the hammer this weekend, it's going to be pretty hard for anyone to bet against them. But part of me would like to see a bit of a smokey. I know we've spoken about a game that I'm looking at there on Sunday, the Warriors and the Dolphins, potentially getting through, but I don't know. I definitely think the Warriors can make a dent in it. I just struggle to see them getting passed a major semi-final in into the grand final. But yeah, I'm starting to warm to what you've been saying for a Wild Campus. Dolphins could actually make a run and end up there, but yeah. Grand Final without Panthas right now is pretty hard to envision. - Yeah, I look outside of the top four. I'd say the Robert O's could give it a little bit of a shake. I really, I love what the Warriors have done this year. Dolphins, they're the healthiest, probably squatting in the top eight right now. Panthas definitely the favourites, Cronullo and Cowboys for me. Are they just to make up the numbers? - So there was a start released recently. I think it was NREL physio. I think it was in regards to injuries. I think it's like, and look, I don't know this for sure, but I definitely know majority of the years. The Panthas have been the least injured side for like essentially five years in a row. - Now it's. - Jesus, that's underrated. - Well, five or six years, and like it might be four years, but what I'm saying is it's majority, but I think it might actually be, essentially every year that they've been dominant, they've had the least or the, at least the least or the second least amount of injuries. - Why can't believe how that's. - What are they doing? What's. - What insight do we have? Do they do anything different that we know of? Like. - How's it portraying the day before the game, style of training? Do we know what they do? - I don't know. - I don't know too much either. - Do you know about the Oblachs doing weights before a game? - Like a game day? - Game day. - We tried that. - You know, I didn't know for a second back of it, but it was an optional. But it ended up being a pretty solid group, and now you say that because of the connection, they definitely must have picked that up. - Yeah, I know it's a little bit of a segue, but I just found it interesting. - No worries under Ivan Cleary, we did weights before the game. I think. - I think like the day of the game. - Yeah, it's something along those lines, and we'd stay in a hotel or something like that. Yeah, it's so long ago. But honestly. - It makes sense to me. We did it at Penraf, actually. - Yeah, well. - We did at, like, I'm talking, 'cause you know, the gym was at the stadium. We would all go in and do basically a circuit before we ran out onto the field. - Wow, okay. - Like a power pump. - Yeah, right, right. I didn't mind. - I saw a docker recently that the Oblachs players were giving the option, but the majority of the team would do it in the morning. They do, like, quite heavy lifting as well. Have their rest and play that day. - The goal of the other goal, not to get too technical, is the C&S training. So basically, you're priming everything for explosive power speed. So you get everything nearly primed up, and then it should react faster, activate better. And you should be able to be more explosive when you're in a game setting. So that's kind of. - Just never would have thought of doing a weight session on a game day, you know, like, but it makes sense to me. I'm not saying that's a reason why they're not injured, but, you know, that's their medical staff, their CCs, their. - Are they having a contact team? - Non-contacts training. - I think they're contact. I think they're contact. - No, they're full contact. - I believe they're full contact. - I believe they're full contact, yeah. I think they train, like, I can pretty, like, pretty. - You guys were surprised when I told you that all contact on the field is too hand touch for storm, eh? - Yeah, that's a surprise to hell out of me. - Really? - Yeah. - It's a surprise to hell out of me. - It was in a wrestle session. - Okay, everything's too hand touch. - Yeah, that's, well, that's smart. - Yeah, that's really smart. - It was weird at first, but then it does make sense considering the amount of field work that we did. If there was tuckling every time. - Well, even, like, my early days, even with the bump pads, it was full contact. Like, you know, Mark had merely coming out of the line, they're sunny, everyone trying to put a shot on. And then my later days at the dogs with Des in the dojo, I know it's a dojo, but it was full blown, like. - Run it, let me show you your stuff. - And then the opposed sessions were, you'd say body in front, but it was, you put a bit of a show on, right? - And then all of a sudden, it starts, yeah, keeps off. - As you boys know, you've got to give credit to the current, like, sport science and strength conditioning team there because that is a hell of an accolade for them. - Well, didn't the rabbit-os get their head guy recently? - Really? - I'm pretty sure the rabbit-os anyway. All I know is. - The rabbit-os need that. - All I know is, it's genuinely mind-blowing, their ability, it's almost like this secret strength, the fact that. - It is, but it doesn't get spoken about. - No, like, the fact that Isaiah is coming back three or four weeks after a ruptured peck, never been done before, according to General Physio, I'm pretty sure he said that there's no precedent for this. Like, no one's ever really come back with the need surgery or ruptured their peck in three or four weeks, and he's just back. - He got surgery? - No, he's. - No, yeah, yeah. - He did it three or four weeks ago. - So that means you have to be up for 10 weeks. - Have you done your bicep? - Yeah, I know. - That means that he's obviously just gonna cop the, having the deformity in his chest. - Okay, so yeah, so we'll get a quick turnaround. If you don't get surgery, you just have to say, oh, I'm okay with the deformity. - Man, honestly, it's genuinely mind-blowing. If you listen to General Physio's, you know what, I'll get it up so you guys can know what I'm talking about in regards to, he's diagnosed yourself. - So it was definitely ruptured. It wasn't just like a screen. - Okay, here we go. - We've never really seen that before. He suffered the injury against the warriors in round 23, and initially, Penra kept the severity under lock and key. Now, reports are it's a ruptured peck. Usually that'd mean immediate season ending surgery, but he's been able to avoid that and return in just four weeks. How is that possible? The evidence in professional athletes is inexpensive, as it's not something that's really done, and what is out there suggests there could be a strength loss of up to 30 to 40%, bringing him out and across the body. So pretty important for things like tackling, gripping, bending, he's gonna be up against it. Now, you'll ask re-injurious, that's a bit of a funny one, because you can't really read to your tendon that's already completely torn. There could be extra pressure put on other structures around the chest and the shoulder, but really the question here is, function, how strong can he get? And that's why this just doesn't happen. If we look at the NFL, for example, over 22 seasons, 258 cases, not one player has avoided surgery for a peck rupture. And in the NRL, there's only really one comparable case, and that was Michael Gordon back in 2017. He came back just seven weeks after tearing his peck, there was a bit of mixed messaging over whether it was a rupture or just a high-grade partial tear. But it was not smooth sailing. He said after every game it would bleed, swell up, and go black and blue. And he wasn't playing in the middle of the field, having to make 40 tackles a game like Yo might have to. Now looking past this season, delayed surgery to repair Yo's peck is an option. Once again, there's not a heap of data here in pride fleets, but in studies on military cases, there have been good outcomes. So Yo still could get back to 100%, but the longer it's left, the more risky it is. Just another case to add to the finals injury folklore. We've got cronk, scapula fracture, Edward's broken foot with these. It's not becoming about whether they can play. It's how much of them sharp on game day. - I want to say that cronk scapula fracture that was offered to Ted. - And just watching him like the way that he did that was unbelievable. There would have been good for him to dive into it, but he probably keeps it like fairly lamonds. My mate tore his quad full rupture of the tendon, but it was the, and he actually goes to see the panorath doctor. You can't get surgery on that rupture tendon. Three weeks later, he's jogging and running. So there's like, there's circumstance. around it. It does seem, but I will say if you're going to back up four, five weeks later, it's not all going to be sweet, but great your teeth. You got a premiership ring on the line. Just a fifth one. I'll get the fifth. Mate, I just can't. I would love to know if there's ever been a team that's been the least injured five out of six years in a row or whatever it is in the history of the game. The mathematical likelihood of that, it's almost impossible to be the least injured five seasons in a row. Makes sense though, because it lines perfectly with the fact that they've won four premierships. Yeah. And usually the team with the least amount of injuries means the premiership, right? Yeah, absolutely. Five, five, six years. That's crazy, bro. How many tackles your reckon rushes are going to make as they owe me? Oh, as many as possible. As many as possible. You know what? I reckon how many times has there been a situation like this, and you truly believe that that's all they're going to do, and it just doesn't happen. It doesn't happen. Blows my mind. You know, I blows my mind when a player is hobbling in a line, and there's no mess happens in the back. But you've got a, you've got a blue shirt out there for the first three tackles. Yeah. And wouldn't there be a court, such and such, she's injured. Go left, go left, go left. Just it. They go straight the other way. Go to the boat who's injured. Remember, remember, Joey, after origin where Thurston was injured? Remember that? Let me go after him. Joey's blown up on, you know, Thurston's shoulder is hanging by a thread, and we didn't go anywhere near him. Yeah, it is, it is crazy these days. If you've got an interplay, how it's not a tack. So it seems ridiculous, but that's what makes Joey great, because Joey would have gone, give me the ball and just, I'm going straight for him. Yeah, straight. You know what else does my, blows my mind is when the team makes a break, and a team is scrambling backing defense, and they're all seen to be going back to one way, and they'll shift the ball that way. Yes, I mean, double down. Double the wrong way. I'm like, hang on a second. The boy to the lead is dead. I'm telling you. The blind time's dead. I'm trying to like cover the open. Back in our day, the blind side was, you, do you remember the sense where it was you would go to a channel and you'd go back, back, back, back, back. Yeah, blind up blind up blind up blind. I reckon that would be great. Oh, mate. It's underrated, blind up blind up. That was fucking scoot city. I'd get me my head up telling you that. Yeah, so what Pender of Dunlite is genuinely mind-blowing like that. It's just to think that they're going into there. If they make the grand final this year, that's six grand finals in seven years. In fairness, I'm out of your fire. Crazy. It's a rabbit nose where I would pick up a bit of that secret sauce. The injuries is probably the biggest thing holding rabbit nose back. But they've had a bunch of injuries this year. That's what's crazy. No, I know they have. That's what I'm saying. If that's the last thing for them to overcome, the roster's not the issue. That's what's mind-blowing to me because that guy would clearly know the system and what is required. There's got to be more to go. It can't just be the gym program. He would know the whole thing. Surely. Surely is the head of strength. It can't compartmentalize any like till. KFC secret sauce. Yeah, you're the strength man. When they go into the gym, that's your domain. Otherwise, you don't have that much force in case. That's fair. It's like a military base. No, it's incredible. It's absolutely incredible. I've said this since they won their fourth premiership, but is that the greatest team of all time? I think it is. Yeah, it is. If you give me a one-off game, maybe I can bring some other team like a 17 storm or something like that, but there's more to footy than just one-off game. You could make and this is errors, but what was it, the same George team? How many calls are there 11? It wasn't even professional, then. I could pick better teams. Oh, yeah, ships, but I can know where they pick a club or a dynasty that they have had there, the greatest dynasty of all time. Think about the Melbourne storm. How crazy their squad was for so many years. Essentially, you could argue that if you want to throw a cronk into a mortality, you could argue they had three immortals, or even GI for, never went back to back. They did it twice. Mental, bro. Yeah, it's insane. Absolutely mental. Okay, south versus the night's boys, how are we feeling? Look, I just think it might be a step too far for Newcastle in terms of their injuries. The amount of players that missing the little browns, the little Lucas, Tramoonies out. Yeah, sci-fi-dee. Sci-fi-dee. Laylua's coming back from a dislocation. Model Laylua is back. Yeah, I just think it might be a just a step too far. South for peaking at the right time, camera money, camera, camera and Murray on the money. Climb at Tony and Cody Walker's playing well. The trellis back. You've got, you've just got enough strike everywhere. Tell us Duncan. I just think it might be a step too far. However, South's weakness. He's through the middle of the field. I think if Kalin Ponga changes his style of footy, because if you notice lately that teams are jamming and he's coming up with a lot of areas out the backing shifts. Yeah. So if I was Kalin, I'd be looking stiffer around the middle of the field. I reckon there's a lot of opportunity for him to pay more like of a Tesco roll. I also like when Kalin works more off the second rower, whether it's an additional pass inside or outside. I reckon that could be the solution. More of it in the front line, is it about the back? Yes. Yes. Just working off the second row as opposed to working out the back of the second row from the half. And he's done it before. See, I've got, like, head to head. I've got the rabbit ace because I just think the injuries I grew, the injuries are too much. I will say every time I've counted the nights out this year, though, they fucking, they do me. They go out and win and play really well. And so I'm not counting them out. I will say marju and young are like the last two wingers this rabbit-o forward pack want to handle, because they're actually like, they're not really that big and aggressive of a forward pack this rabbit-o's pack. They're not necessarily small by any stretch, but rabbit-o's forward pack is not known for suffocating teams with their line defense. And so I just wonder where the marju and young are going to give them a lot of problems coming out of their own end with it just because they're such a fucking big body. There's a front rower. Marju is full of errors. You get him off the problem. You get him off his game early. You get into dumb young early. He goes missing. But if they're on, if they're on, then it's a problem. I'd be taking the shit out of them for the first 20 minutes. If you get an error, the thing that goes down with the ball is also their confidence. Exactly. With the rabbit-o's, I'll back in them head to head, but I can't be confident with them because they're so. When you look at the ladder and see that they finished six, it genuinely blows my mind. I don't think they've played like a six-play side this year. However, they've been gutsy like they've been so gutsy. I don't think Wayne Bennett gets enough credit with how much is wrong this year and the fact that they've come six, when you can sit there, they've had like a massive amount of injuries again. They're on their second or third string half. I mean, they started with Humphries, got to Ward. He got injured. Now they're down to Sullivan. I don't think they get enough credit for how well they've done. Obviously, the gyro situation would be quite emotional as well. They are getting their players back at their right time. One thing I will say, and this might be a bit hyperbolic, but Nights' full strength, I honestly reckon, they could have made a grand final. Nights' full strength. Yeah, I agree. They're doing Lucas Brown. Yeah, I agree. Honestly, I just think they were red hot. There was a period there where teams kryptonite. I would have loved to have seen around that time that you're talking about where a couple of key players started falling. For them to just continue that momentum, would have been interesting to see where they were going. I'm not sure what you're saying. Would they be the team that I would pick to make the GF, not necessarily, but they would be in the "can they make the GF?" For example, I need to see what the shark is like with Trindle, but I actually don't think anyone in the top four can make the GF at the moment until I see sharks with Trindle. It's really for me in the top four there. I feel like they're really the only. It may be the rabbit eyes of the guy on the run, but really, it's a top four for me. They're the only teams that will make the grand final. All that I think will make the final. Yeah, you're right. However, watching the Nights closely this year, I wanted to see what type of attack they had, they play a really patient, chop the tree down, kind of start through the middle of the third, so they'll play through off the Nights, they'll get a pass, they'll drop someone under, drop someone under, and before they pull teams apart on the edge, so I think they could be a real danger for sharks. If they can't control the ball, their completion is down. Newcastle can give them a good run, and especially through the middle of the third one. I agree with that. I think, you know, if the wingers have no errors, they got a good completion rate. They make it gritty, and they take away some of the confidence that key players like Latreau, like Cody Walker, and they don't let them score and, you know, get chirping that first 20, 30 minutes, then Newcastle will have every chance. Yeah, I agree. I'll backrab it. I think you guys said they're peaking at the right time. Yeah, okay. For me, match of the round, Warriors vs Dolphins. Boys, I want the Warriors to go on and win it. That's my team in this final series is the Wars. However, that edge defense has been so poor recently, and I think that Dolphins get the job done. I'm picking the Dolphins head dead. Yeah, I'm actually on the Dolphins as well. Unfortunately, I look, the Warriors strengths of their forward pack. Wade Egan holds the key to this side. All right, his deception out of nine. He holds the opposition defenders accountable, the markers, ABC defenders. He gives his halfbacks. The reason why they've been able to have five or six halves come into this squad is because of Wade Egan, because he gives them time. However, like you, on the other side of the ball, their edge defense is really poor. You've got hecker, he's really young, and laytower, you're young. They don't seem to be on the same page when it comes to defending. In different parts of the field, we spoke about this earlier, they might jam. The only time you really need to jam, when you've. feel like you're under pressure on the trial, everyone makes a decision, we just got a jam. I'm worried about a team as so good in attack like the dolphins, again, to team like the Warriors, like pulling them apart, you're constantly pulling them apart with tall men. I love the Warriors, so Warriors fans take it easy, I'm going for you, but I don't think you're going to be in it. I think dolphins just have too much strike this week. And you don't want to write side that's struggling in defense against the dolphins and guys like, how am I going to be in Selwyn? Who's going to be in Selwyn and Hammer Rock will be right around that left side right side. As well like both sides. Yeah. I hope I'm wrong though, like I don't know, Warriors fans, you know, they'll be quite passionate and I want the Warriors to end. I really do. Cracking games. I'm not counting the Warriors out in regards to saying they're not premiership threats, they are premiership threats and I think that they might need a little bit to kick up the bum. I just, I get the last two weeks, I'm hoping that they were just looking at a going look where in the top two we're all good and they just took their foot off the pedal a little bit. The only problem is when you actually go and watch those games, well, when you go watch a manly game at least, their forwards did their job, which was camped manly down their end. Their forwards did everything right. It was the edges that just could not defend now. Granted, they've got Kurt Kate Water come back in, which will shore up an edge massively. They'll help you. So I almost feel like if the wires do lose, it'll just be a good kick up the bum to just go, oh fuck, all right boys, maybe we got a little bit, you know, we were so consistent for so long. We got a little bit complacent. If the wires do lose, I think they're side of the semi-final runs pretty good as well. It's not as hard as the other side and it's, I mean, the short, like the war is up against the, the rabbit os sharks, cowboys or knights. The war is should fucking, yeah, surely, then you get to a pre limb and then, yeah, then anything's, anything can happen. I still think the war is can make a grand final, absolutely no doubt in my mind. I'm sure. I just think they need a, probably a little kick up their butt because they, they've, the only time you jam when they're coming out of their end is if you have a system that is built for that. Like we have designed, we have told our players, we're actually trying to suffocate this team, keep me near. But if you go back and watch some of those things, I know, I know, because it's too risky, it's too risky. It's not a thing. But if you go back and watch some of those line breaks, like it was, honestly, it was like lazy decision making. You're just going to fuck it. I'm going to jam because I don't want to have to, I want to just say I got my men, don't worry about the guy outside me. Yeah. Definitely change, bro, but if you, as a fellow winger, if I was to jam in the oppositions, say 60, 70 meters, and I didn't pull it off, I would just be so embarrassed walking off the field of the end of the game, knowing that I'm going to get fed. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. There's no chance. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I'm trying to move their big forward pack, even though the forward pack is quite mobile. If they can play the warrior style, foodie, man, I honestly think like, look, it would have been good to have Tana Boyd or Metcalf, but outside of the, the Panthers, I don't see teams going with that warrior's forward pack. And even the Panthers, they, when they're playing warrior style, foodie, they actually couldn't go with the warrior's forward pack either. So if they can make teams play their style of foodie, they're probably, they're probably the best at it. They're probably the best at it. The other reason why I think the sharks are the one team outside the fall that might be able to make the green final is out of the bottom four of the top eight. They played the best footie for the longest during the season. It's just going to be bad for the game. - The COVID fake crowd. - Yeah, fake crowd. - Bring back the crowd, bring it back. - You might fake people in the crowd that had like, - Yeah, they cut out. - Yeah, it was so weird when they would play the like cheering. - But like, what crazy to me is like, all right, I'm with you mate. Like let's say we sell in extra $5,000 tickets. Each ticket is what, $40? - For that game, yes. - $40, so what, $7,000 times, $5,000 for? - $9,000. - What? $5,000 sort of 20, so you're looking at what? $200,000? - Yeah. - What am I looking at, $2,000,000? - $2,000,000. - So $5,000, yeah. Yeah, you're looking at $200,000. - Yeah. - Yeah. - That's $200,000 for the game to look like that. You go to Shark Park and it doesn't matter that there's only 12 to 15,000 people there, it's rocking. The atmosphere is hectic. - Yeah, yeah. - So what are we doing? - I don't get, it just, it doesn't make any sense. - You gotta back and support the sharks in that way with the situation that they're in. As you said, small clubs, small fan base. - And the thing that frustrates me is the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. Like sharks are a small tiny club, and the reason they don't have a big stadium is because they're a small tiny club. You know why the roosters have a stadium and they got that all built and they could push that along? It's because they're a massive club with massive backers. The richer get richer, the poorer get poorer. It doesn't make any sense. And also Rugby League was supposed to be a blue collar sport. Like that is a part of our DNA is a game. That's the size that the stadium is. I can play it there. There's history at this point. - But when you put a number on it for like two, three hundred grand, that doesn't make sense. - Mate, the Warriors South 300 grand merchant at Nihaua. Like, you'd sell that to 100 grand in the alcohol at Shark Park with the Pact House. - Take a cut in all these, say listen, we'll have it at Shark Park, but Nihaua, did you go to give us 10% of everything? - Yeah, yeah, why not? - I can't get it. Okay, and I get the argument, people will be putting in the comment section is the corporate, you know, that will make extra money. But it's like, okay, let's chuck an extra fucking, even an extra 300 grand on top of that from all corporate and that. - That's still, is that half, like half a million dollars is worth robbing them of the thing. - Well, I'll tell you what, we're charged by half a million dollars for a final zone? - Yes. - Yes they would. - Yes they would. - And I hate Shark Park. I think it's the, I think it's the pits, but to not play the game there, even if it was against a sitting team, I get it, because you can't, you get a huge crowd, but it's against the cowboys. - What's the latest chat on their stadium with that? - The Warriors South. - I think, yeah, it gets delayed. It's such a weird, I think they own it, but they're supposed to be some developers that was, they promised they would, they're they're they're they're point bank accounts. - They're best. - Or something, I don't find it, no. Panthers versus Roosters boys. For me right now, if I'm the Roosters, if I'm Trent Robinson, I am saying this is our grand final. - Yep. - This is our grand final. If we can knock these guys off here, we basically increase our likelihood of winning this comp by, and I know that sounds like an obvious thing to say, but Panthers are their kryptonite, the Roosters. And I know they beat them the last time they played, but you know, that's one game in like 15 games or something like that. - Roosters are the dolphin, my version of the dolphins for you, I still think that there's every chance that they can be in a grand final. - 342, I'm actually like, I would have Penraeth as quite strong favorites, but I think 342 for the Roosters actually pretty good. I look, I'm Penraeth head dead for sure. The best big game team I've ever seen in my entire life, it's the greatest team I've ever seen, the greatest club we've ever seen in regards to success in a row. However, as I said, if I'm the Roosters, this is the ambush. This is where the ambush happens. - They lost, they've won 14 in the last 15 games in September, not until they got. - Only Rabados and Broncos have beaten them in finals for you. - Really? - Rabados once, and then they beat the Rabados in the grand final in Broncos last year. - 2020. - Since 2020. - It's incredible. I mean, look, you got Teddy there, you got DCA, Robson, you got Strike everywhere. Crite and comes back, Radley's back. The Harves pairing. Now, I've got a bit of a different taking this. I actually feel like this is more of a suited semi-final Roosters team. I love Sam Walker, don't get me wrong. But Savala and DCE are gonna play a more. - Can they play differently when Walker's not there? - Yeah, definitely. - Also about Bimal Traditionals. - Bimal Traditionals. - Bimal Traditionals, let's play more square, let's like get into a bit of an arborist with them. - And with those ins back in the Ford Park, yeah. So I feel like Savala is gonna, like, if they win, I think Savala would be man of the match. - Okay. - That's how highly I rate him. Maybe he's a big boy. He's got great skill, runs deep into the line. However, Penrath, you know, like, they're just Penrath. - No. - Any week to say have, and if you call it a weakness, he's going around the center. - And he's probably defensively great. He's just attacking wide. - Yeah, I'm just saying, like, if that's one deficiency they have, he's gonna. - And it's not even like, if that's not even knocking him as a player, like, he's just going for the round where I'll go off the cuff. I'll go, I'll back the roosters. - Okay. I think I tend, like, look, I don't know, I don't know if better is the right word, but it's, if I'm trying to create a game plan for DCE is a seven, and DCE is actually not, he's not like I've a Kronk, but he's definitely more conservative in San Walker. It actually is going to be quite easy for Trent Robinson to create that game plan. Just, you know, win the rock, and just kick really well, get into the grind. I will say as well with Hugo Savala, you lose, obviously you lose the Flair San Walker has, and there's pretty much no seven in the comp that has his Flair, but he's not definitely not spot, you know, you're not set up like down there going, 'cause if you set up like down, they're getting jammed. So that is a positive for them that, you know, the last time they played, it was actually, and San Walker actually played well the last time they played Panthers, but it was actually DCE that led them to the victory, the last time they played against the Panthers, and it was a very traditional old school game. And so that actually plays in the roosters favor. I mean, what an opportunity for DCE either. - A massive opportunity. And I think it's the opportunity he needs. - Yeah, well, look, I'll put it this way, and I've said this for a while though, but like if DCE didn't have origin, his career and how people thought of him would be so much different, so much different. Not because he individually he plays Paulier Club, not at all, he plays really good individually at club, but because since he signed that long term deal, essentially mainly haven't been successful. So, but because he kept going to origin and proving here, in a good side, this is what I do. People went, well, okay, he's clearly not the problem. And I think that for DCE, if he can go deep here to a grand final, it will just completely squash the doubters of, you know, he is as good as we think he is. He just needed a roster around him that could help him do what he did. And mainly a club that hasn't necessarily been run well for quite a while, didn't put the pieces around him that he needed to get the job done, you know, with Mealy. - Well, there was a lot of doubt around signing in with the father and Walker in the house. It just proves their point why they signed out there. Now that Sam Walker's out, he's there. By some of they played Penrith, they held him out for 24 tackles, right, Penrith? They held Penrith out for 24 tackles. They go up the other end of the field. DCE comes off and drives 40, scores a try. They didn't expect him to run the ball. He has around the ball a year. Then again, the second half, he scores another try. It's up 12-6, you know, this is his moment. And this is the reason why they have signed him and he's proven that he was probably the right man for the job to teach guys like Sabahla and Sam Walker, going into the future, how to play the half's role. - I got to say, like, I said this at the start a few weeks ago, but gunned ahead when he signed, I would have said it's the wrong thing. - Oh, yeah, me too, yeah. - They have gotten this so unbelievably right. It's actually ridiculous. - It's crazy. - Like, it's actually absurd how well and how smart the decision was to get DCE to the club because we're still sitting here saying that there are premiership threat. There is no way in hell if he wasn't at the club would be saying there are premiership threat. There is no way in hell. On top of that, to beat the Penrith Panthers, so before he arrived, they just couldn't beat the Panthers. Essentially, like, you know, they might have jagged one game or something here or there, but in the last like 15 outings or whatever, the Panthers are fucking tout 'em up. They finally beat Panthers. Essentially, both missing about the same amount of people, so in equal game, they finally beat Panthers and guess who's the guy that got them to beat Panthers? It's DCE. It's honestly, like, if they go on to win this, it'll be one of, it'll be similar ish to the Cronk signing of one of the great signings all time. Not in regards to his DCE is good as Cronk, but in regards to making a huge call that not a lot of people agreed with that comes true and wins them and gives them success. I think even if they don't win this year and they win next year and Walker gets the Clive, like Walker has had a year of invaluable knowledge thrown out of DCE this year. Absolutely. Absolutely. I've always said that. It's not just what he brings on the field. It's the day-to-day conversations around the training paddock in the dressing room, go off a coffee. It's that conversation that he'd be having with, not just these halves, just with the players around him giving them sort of knowledge and confidence about their team. You look at how young the Roo society toy are, Fiketty. There's just so many young players in that squad and you've got someone like DCE. He's been around for nearly 400 games. His knowledge is invaluable and that's why they did get it so right. And I was against it as well. Yeah, crazy. Just such a good, I mean, this is why they've got, you know, board a lot, not even board a lot. They've got business geniuses on their board and this is why they just went to pull the right reign. So I think personally this year has helped, not that DCE gives a shit about legacy, but I think it's helped his legacy quite a lot. I think that if he stayed at Manley, you know, maybe they scrape into the aid and whatever. I think if you weren't a fan of DCE before then, him staying at Manley. probably wouldn't have convinced you. I think going to the Roosters, there are some people out there go, you know what, like DC is actually probably better than I've given him credit for in regards to maybe it wasn't him as the reason why they weren't going deep into finals at least. I will say, Ren, I've been very impressed with your stats this year. Oh, really? You do feel like a Polynesian David Middleton. Very impressed. I do like to have a look at the stats here and there. Just like, yeah, I don't look all the stats. No, no section, nothing. What would be the Samoa name for David Middleton? Fella, Fella for the surfer. Oh, that's your new name now. Okay, Kate Toa, in the Dolphins, this is all proudly brought to you by Lickaland. And this is our legendary moment. Whatever the reason, whatever the occasion, Lickaland will bring the drinks, choose to drink wise. As we're the warms up, and we start getting into finals for you, Lickaland has you covered. Isaiah Katoa says the Dolphins roster has made a pact to not chase the money and stick together. Quote, when you look at the pen, at what Penreth was able to build over there for years, that is what we are striving for here. 21 players are either off contract or can talk November one, which is on the high side. These players include Lemuelu, Farmworth, Bostok, Finu Fuyaki, Cabo, Flegla and Nafahu. I mean, I love this chat. I love that it's out in the open. It's not like an unspoken pact where it's kind of like we kind of agree that we're going to take under. I love the fact that it's literally being made public now. Hopefully there's no market value offers from other clubs. Oh, don't get into that. Don't get into that. Hey, I tell you what that pact means, absolutely fucking zero. Because we all made a pact too. And if I can one jump, then the next one jump. Dolphins jumps, so they'd be saying pact. I don't believe that for a second kid, look after yourself. Well, there you go, Rudy, Rudy, my tour is set up. No, because it still pisses me off that we've made a pact as well back in the day. What can you say about that? We didn't say any names. No, just, you all make a pact and then someone leads and then someone takes off and then you go, all right, yeah, and then just run with it. That's how much there was over to you. Oh, you know, so I try to make a pact. I try to make a pact with Lockhear. You're talking to fuck off. I say, let's make a pact. You take a bit less. I'll get more fuck off with that. I thought you were going to say. Maybe you're going to clip that one up either. I thought you were going to say Lockhear, you know, I'll take, you know what? I'll take 30 grand. Yeah, you said a 60 if you see if you can just stay on. I can just pay my rent. Look, it is a feat every now and then. It is a tough one, because there would have been a million times. You're right, Rene, where that has happened. Oh, I need it as possible in the interim. No, but I will say Penrith, like Storm, they did it. They took less, some of those boys. And I know people bring up the salary cap drama ages ago. But by the end of their careers, they were bikes taken less, Penrith, Panthers players have taken less. Like I said, you could get probably 1.5 in it during his prime. Nathan Cleary, he moved to a million, I think, two years ago. He could probably get 1.7 at another club. Yeah. Lea Martin, you know, close to a meal. Mm-hmm. Dylan Edwards could get over a meal. You know what I mean? Like, oh, look, it sounds great. Like, what is it? Like, it sounds good to say we're going to make a pact where we stick together, fans, members stick with us. Doesn't happen. But do you don't think it's ever happened before? No. I know the Broncos used to do it. And I, like, genuinely, you can ask them. And maybe you made it different. Obviously, Penrith have done it. Yeah. So that's the obvious one, right? But they've. Like, I hope he doesn't mind, but, like, Sammy Thite took on this for ages. Mine's a reputation of the Broncos. It was also layered with Broncos. The status is no. No, we're going to do this, but I'm going to get this eventually type scenario. 20 years ago was the long time ago. There's different ways. Yeah, no, you're right. Making a pact. No, no, no. And it's also a different generation. It's a different generation, I get. But to my understanding, the senior players during the early 2000s were openly taking less to keep other players there. To my understanding, maybe they kept telling me that, so I kept taking them. And I was the only fucking. We didn't see those brown paper bags coming true. I didn't see them, I didn't see them. Don't know what you're talking about. No, no, no. Look, I like to. I like to be, um, maybe I'm naive, but I like to. I like the romance. Yeah, yeah, I do. It's very romantic, so I agreed. And the thing is, though, what I will say, you know, maybe you believe the pact, maybe not believe the pact, they actually do have a squad right now that can go on and do something great. That's why they should do it now. They should do it now. That's a wild one, though, no. Yeah, it is. 21 players. Yeah. Jesus. Like, it's going to take. It's going to take farm worth taking a cut while stock taking a cut. How do you end up with 21 players off-contractors and half-credits? Credits had 15, like. That's a lot as well. Jesus. Like, for example, Isaiah, he's probably. He's probably taking a cut himself right now. Yeah, he is. Sure, but like. Why would they get rid of Nicarama? You know what's crazy? That's, um, glad you blow that up. Well, I'll stay in his e. No, Kobo loves it. He loves it. I'm glad you brought that up. Is there a chance the Nicarama, Nicarama, moving on is connected to monster? It's a monster going to. Well, because I'm with you. That's a great one. I love it. Heald is Cody Nicarama. What am I inside George Williams? Well, he was signed ages ago. That's only probably. He was signed ages ago. But surely, like. I don't know. Look, I'd. Well, explain that. Okay, so Cody Nicarama, I'm with you. How do you move a guy on? That's got you as a premiership threat right now. Gun, gun. Also, I've seen your player. Done, like, I know, you've done a lot of money. Done more in the NRL than George Williams. Anyway, so there's that. But monster has been offered. Essentially, he's been low-bored by the storm. I understand why they did it. They need to upgrade Harry Grant, who's been onunders for quite a while. He's been part of the pack. He didn't know he was on the part of the pack, Harry Grant. And so, monster, it's like, where does he land? And it's like, I was thinking about last night and I was like, hang on a sec. They've moved Nicarama on. That makes absolutely no sense. And a few weeks ago, or maybe even a month or two ago, Hush and Wolfs were saying, it's not a money thing in regards to Cody Nicarama or like, you know. No, sorry, signing George Williams doesn't make it so they were kind of forward-cut. Nicarama was something like that. And so, I just wonder whether they're trying to set up, okay. You know, monster, there's been some whispers he's been linked to clubs for quite a while. He was linked to the Dolven's initially when they first started. Yeah, of course. Yeah, that's right. He was. Are they setting up? But someone wasn't. No, he wasn't the table. He was done. He was done. Him and Wayne had a four, yeah. Did you go back a year or a two? Well, they're good now, but. Camera monster. They, Perth, are getting that deal done for any amount of money. Now, it's starting to get to the point where it's like, "Oh, monster's monster." But like, it's just like. But that's no winner on the decline. He's a little bit old, but. Nicarama part of the pact. Well, I'm not sure. He's the first to fall. This was. This quite was before Nicarama left. He's romance novels. I just think. To choose your adventure. Well, I just think. Monster at the Dolphins has to do way less. Like, he's not even. Because he's a little bit older. He's not even the main man. Because he told us the main man. I think it'd be sick to see Monster. Just science. I don't mind it. I don't mind it, either. I don't mind it. It gets to go high. If he wants to go back to Queensland, it makes a whole heap of sense. And he's marked a value of 750 now, because the storm said so. What's your reckon. Your reckon monsters are stormed to offer him 750 because of Dolphins. No, I think. Look, I know storm fans don't like hearing this, and they pisses him off, but this is just my opinion. I don't think the storm. Like, they offered him that out of respect to say we offered him something. I don't think they ever thought he was going to take 750 to stay. But do you reckon there's some sort of like triangle going on here where the Dolphins kind of formed more than 750. So, Monster has gone to the storm and said, "Can you make my mark a value of 750?" So, they have 750 and B back in Queensland. You know what, I wouldn't put a past. That's why they're there, the Broncos, I reckon. But the Broncos, where's he playing? If Dolphins offer him 750, Matty, what happens? He's just 23, I don't want to. Like, I'm not going back in there. He's had a bad year. I understand he hasn't been great. But mate, he's fucking played some good footy before this year. Yeah, we'll see you next year. I know there's whispers about Ezra Leven, I get it, I get it. I hate to say it for you, but I believe it would be a good move for Ezra to take a fresh start somewhere else. Me too. I think he's best football would be somewhere else. Yeah, it does seem like him and Matty just, whatever reason they just don't know. A fresh start and all the shit that happened to him, it's like. He's so talented, he's such a great footballer, bad. I think he just needs a fresh start. Hmm, that's fair. Like, I obviously want whatever best for Ezra. But I just. I just would sting if we lose Hass, and then we also lose Ezra. Yeah, because they don't gel with the coat. I know. It's that little fucking good play. What a playery. Like, I can't conform to that hole. We lost Kobe back, we did this. Sometimes players just don't. He just had a great debut, he had one game. A great. He has been talented for ages. He was the captain of the unruly team's points and thought. He's been Kirby that stupid. To let it keep going. They did, they went in and saw him peasant, and they spaced them in their seats. They might have saw something that they had to see something. And they were rolling. The peasant was early. He was early. Are they wrong off one game? Who were. Like, okay, listen, it's not just one game. It's the greatest debut of all time. Okay, one, yeah. We'll see if we can back it up. Tell me, someone else that's done that on their debut. And also, the current under 19. He was the under 19's captain. Like, it's. And also, it's not necessarily like me saying, "Oh, he is locked in to be a fucking gun forever." Sounds a bit like peasant's journey at the start as well. - Wasn't he? - He was there. Peasant was not close to that debut. Let's be honest. That was a brilliant debut. Wasn't a good debut. Peasant's solid, and he's got a lot of potential. And I'm super excited for him to come to the club. Look, if, if. Kobe Black saw his contract out, and then, for whatever reason, this year, when he did get his opportunity, he didn't go great, okay, I get that, but to move him on a year early. So what you're saying is, Brisbane are the biggest basket case in this whole competition. I don't know. Seriously, are they not? They're most powerful club in the NRL. Right now, they lose the best front rower, they lose the best rookie, they lose potentially, Ezra, like, don't even make the eight. They're coached in the first five rounds next year. So I'm saying, well, you're sort of supporting what I'm saying, is that? Well, I mean, not to that extent. Well, I know you've paid for them and you want to support them and blah, blah, blah, blah. So you're saying they're more of a basket case than say the Tigers. Well, they're on par. I don't know about that. Not to throw stats around. This year, let's say, roughly, they had a headline about 20 rounds of the season. Do you reckon they'll go higher than that next year in terms of controversy? It's been bad. I'm not going to lie. It's been bad. I wouldn't say that the biggest basket case in the NRL, they're definitely, I agree, it's been terrible. I can't put them above the Tigers, but they're not far. But they're second. They just want to call. They're second. Stop it. What do you mean? Stop it. Of course, they want to call, but then they just like, they've reached Walsh when I'm calling. Oh, go ahead. Walsh, you're on the girl. Yeah. Is it another romance novel? It's Romeo and Juliet, but we know what happens at the end of that story. It's not your idea to make a joke and relax. They get a love for the puzzling of the world. But I do want to make it all clear about COVID-19. I'm not sitting here saying he's fucking the next Alfie laying up. We don't know that yet. But he was contracted to the club this year. And he would have gotten some of you. Sorry? Why didn't they play him when they were struggling so much? Brisbane Kobe. No, he left last year. Okay, last year. But he left the year early. They moved him on. Okay. They moved him on. You basically said see you later. Basket case. I agree. It's a bad decision. I agree. Again, I'm just saying with how hard it is to find good sevens. And you've got a guy that's the under 19s, Marones captain. You've developed him since he was 14 years old and basically came out quoted and said, look under Kevin, I felt I've got a lot of communication and what I need to work on. Under match, I got very mixed messaging, different like what I needed to do. Then they went out and signed Pezza and I basically was it. That was done. I will say. I do think it is crazy considering, you know, you've got the Reynolds, you've got an aging Ben Hunt, etc. But when they did sign Pezza, it was a very different perception around him. I think when he started playing for Paramatter and ultimately got. And I've said this since it's not me just saying it now. They're thinking they got even. Even when that was all happening, I personally felt that it was a bit out of whack in regards to what Pezza had done in first grade so far. I didn't agree that he was guaranteed this next big superstar. And on this show, we spoke about how like, is he that far ahead of Kobe Black that she would move Kobe Black on for us? So like, I know. I never agreed with this idea that he was the next like, we'd seen enough to know whether he's next superstar. I want to be clear. That doesn't, we don't know. We don't know. We don't know. He can go to Brisbane and he can fucking rip and we can all sit here and say it was the greatest decision all time. But right now, I would have loved to see Kobe Black at the very least state the club for this 27 season, while Pezza isn't here yet. And then we make the decision of what's happening with Black. Well, Maddie Ballon might be able to get the most out of him. That's in. At the Broncos. Oh, that is so far ahead of me. You know what? Just quickly on Kobe Black, that skill level that he showed. I've never. To be fair, I'd never heard of him. I don't follow the younger grades, but that skill level and what he was able to do in that game, I don't understand. He's obviously highly regarded there. I don't know if he was. He was supposed to be after Reynolds the next seven. That was that simple. I know it's the Cowboys bad defense. Tell me another seven that has done that against the Cowboys. Was there something else to the Pezza signing? Wasn't there movement movement movement? So he went to Eels? Yeah, but then Pezza went to the Broncos. Something else, there was triggers off the back of the back of that wasn't there? Wasn't there like transfers? Yeah, you're right. There was. I'm trying to think what it was. Yeah, I don't know. All I know is, yeah, they signed Pezza and Duffy as well from the Cowboys. And yeah, Kobe, Kobe was gone. You need to apply for GM or something. I will say. I want to be clear though. I need to give credit to the Raiders as well, because there's no, we don't know whether it was the Raiders Ricky Stuart who has a history of developing Haas really well that took him to the next level. It could have been Raiders system that brought this out of Kobe, like even more than what we'd already seen. That wasn't what all my point was earlier. I don't believe there was just like signs that he was going to have that kind of debut for Brisbane to let him go, right? Man, he's been pretty highly out of roll. Okay, I get that. I surely imagine all the power brokers or the people in charge of Brisbane aren't that stupid. But they might have said, "Look, these kids great." But he's probably going to go. It's like Thurston that would- We just lost Payne Haas. Yeah, no, but Thurston, Cameron Smith wasn't one of the Broncos. Yeah, I'm not saying it's a perfect record. And I'm not saying it matches the only Broncos coach that he's ever done. It's been a history of players that have left clubs and shined at different levels. The difference with the Kobe, like one was he was contracted in our top squad. Can Smith never was, you know, months to never was, Sam Walker as well. I'm willing to pass that one because he was only with the system from 14 to 17. The dear to one, like I actually am happy that Deed had moved on because he deserved better. Like he proved that this wasn't the right system for him and the club was in the wrong spot. This one's just different for me because he was in the system. Everyone that had watched him play knew that he had this talent, not best debut ever, talent. And he, and what I don't get is Pez it doesn't arrive to 28. So why did he need to move on for the 27 season? I don't understand it. It had no, it had no salo cap ramifications. We could have used him this year. Duffy got quite a lot of games this year. Black could have got some games. And then why, and you know, what's thinking holding back a camera as well, you know, like he would. And that's, so some people try to say, oh, he left because he wasn't going to get a crack at the Broncos. Why would he go to a club that has a younger seven that's that's ahead of him and wait East and body's time and reserve grade the entire year. If he isn't the type of like the Toyota sit and wait. He would have been appealing for his decision. Yeah, of course. That a great chair. Yeah, absolutely. Yeah, yeah, yeah. And I like, I think, I think I want to be clear too is like Ricky Stewart's ability to develop young hours. It's like, so I won't say it's as good as Penrith. But like it's one of the best in the competition. It's one of the best in the country. Kobe was getting frustrated at a camera in camera. I know that he wanted to play first grade. Sticky, time to perfect. Yeah, time to perfectly. Is your debut. Yeah, best debut ever. Unbelievable. Right. And that's the reason why he would have just thought, you know, I made the right decision to come to this club because of someone like Ricky sure. Yeah. And so I want to be really clear that like I'm not saying that Broncos are responsible for the debut at all. Like the latest system is fucking unbelievable. And I don't know what they do. Good point. Do you go strange 13? Do you think of it? I would like to see stranger 13. I'd stay with the sanders and strange in halves for the first five to ten rounds. See how that develops because I think sanders is he went through the furnace this year. He learned how he learned to learn. I'm happy with sanders. I thought he was quite poor. Really? I thought he was solid for the first half of the year as a young kid. But he had to learn the game. And I think he's got to be far better off for it. Yeah. I thought he's beautiful. I'm not saying he's a bad footballer. He just didn't know how to manage a first grade side. The I thought his forwards were letting him down at the start of the year. I thought he was not getting anywhere near the role the role that he needed and any game where he's forwards won the battle. He was gunned. Yeah. And so I was actually pretty happy with his year relative to his age and how much and first grade he's laid. I think. But he will be better for it. You're right. Why are you better for it? Okay. Let's make a pact, boys. I'm not sure. If you had offered more from Fox, you'd be allowed to take it. You don't have to take it. You're any with Fox? Yeah. I'll broken the pact. It's all powered by lontel.net.au/blok. You need internet. Head to that website. Put in your code. Seven days free trial. You don't need a credit card. Don't need a contract. Trust me. Just one phone call. You'll be shocked at how quickly you're not sitting on there for 30 minutes going. Oh my god. This can take forever. Like when I called them, it was just, and obviously it's going to vary a little bit for everyone. But for me, it was like literally two or three minutes out. Like, all right, what's your address? What's this? What's that? Yep. Boom, boom, boom. It was done. So they're the best in the biz guys. Give them a trial. You will not regret it. And also powered by Ashley Mazda. If you need a card, get to Ashley Mazda. And also give Luke your follow. Well, they're saying to score a one. Give him a message. He's the best in the biz. He was a treatment. The ears have signed Lewai Sua for next year. They've reportedly closed the signing spinoff in next year. They also have to rub them best at re-sign involvement. How, where do you feel? What do you feel about the ears at the moment? They don't have the roster. But I love their style. I love the way they play. I really enjoy the way roles. The way they attack is without breaking it down too much. There is a team in there. There is a good for the team. They just down on troops. Injury free. They're a top eight side next year, no? They still, yeah. Possibly. Yeah. T-During on it. But they're their style of attack is I really love when they put it together. Yeah. They just can't defend errors. Bees Brabman. Best would be a mad get for the eels. How likely is that bro? It's a tough one because they're talking a million bucks and like okay if you can give me brother my best plan you know 20 plus games a year at his best yeah no way I take it but the problem is is that you know he can he can he's got an empty mind he's that body he's that like he's very very muscle dense he's very explosive those guys get injured if you even give me 20 rounds I'll pay you a million dollars 100% every day yeah but and look it's not like he's injury injury prone in the sense of like if you go and look at his average I think it's like 17 to 18 games a year it's pretty close it's pretty close so that's what I mean that's why it's a hard one for me it's not it's not as cut and dry as there is because he gets these like little legally injuries kind of regularly you actually think he's injured more than he is right so Matty could you get up what he's last few years are and so you think oh he's been injured for quite a while but when you go look at our games play and also then also you think all sometimes he's a bit quiet but you actually look at he's like average meters and like average twice is actually fucking really good so like if you said to me like I just think if you're going to pay someone a million bucks they need to be durable yeah and I and I know that you know there are some plays that are not durable getting paid that but I just think that in today's day game durability is almost one of the most fucking valuable assets to agree he had one year he played 25 games but no others above 18 yeah so yeah what are you averaging about 18 then yeah they're all between 14 and 18 yeah probably on the higher end actually probably like 17 18 yeah yeah so you're there so it's a tough one like I kind of get it if they do because he is a top tier center that probably doesn't get the raps he deserves yeah but at the same time it's like fuck you don't want to get in there and he's got a he has a bunch of soft tissues every two or three weeks yeah because that's the last thing they need they're dealing with that Mitchell Moses at the moment like yeah now I know he ended up playing much more footy this year but around obviously at the start of the year and around Roger and he struggled a little bit so it's a tough one with the with the brub and best I will say Sam Ronnie is fucking gun what do you move him to the wing do you got been seen on the other side yeah they put him on the wing brub and best they've seen money honestly Sam Ronnie's nearly they play the year for me seriously a human involvement in Williams those three they don't want top three from the US this year do you know who Williams is who did you win it uh Jack Williams yeah yeah yeah but I thought I thought Sam Ronnie was out standing here oh Jack Williams and Brian Kelly combined one right what a what a call for me at the start of the year yes I said Brian Kelly was gonna surprise like you know come down people yeah he had a rough start and then he got better when they move into the wing yeah you came mad wow Brian Kelly good good buddy oh it's so talented bro fucking so talent Brian Kelly um okay kind of Watson guys as I'll probably brought to you by great southern bank um let shells hit on Toby Rodwell was not the only one of great of the great southern moments of the round it was one of the great southern moments of the year kind of Watson is the one who threw Toby Rodwell the hospital pass I felt that bad and I told him that's that's that him straight I told him that straight away honestly I just wanted the next five minutes of the game to be over I wanted to go in and check whether he was all good I was like can this game end get me off the field so I can speak within trust me I haven't heard the end of it I was bagging myself the trail hit him that hard and he's a big body flying in but Toby's a tough kid credit to Toby's he wore it that's the way Toby plays he's not afraid to take the ball in the line he gets smashed in on a training all the time I said to Toby mate in the offseason any restaurant and Sydney you want to go in my shirt or you can eat crayon plaza mate I've got it for him unfortunately for Toby the tackle will probably be in the Charles career highlights and unfortunately for me it's going to be in Toby's welcome to first grade moments all because of my one passes what do we think at the moment but also what are our favorite big hits of all time well I mean it first in the comes to mind is matter multiple matter hits it's a good buffet at the crown I will say you're not bad mate I'll just go to the most expensive joint just to sting him yeah ground you're going to find some no no real something I don't think the past is at the ground it is true mate thoughts on the shop boys in the situation did you do you like me where when you started seeing comments about or probably we did that to like a rookie and he's smaller than him I was like I want to see all those cards like what the fuck are we talking about all of a sudden there's a size in age restriction on who you can shot I think a trail being the the heater has something to do with everyone's always got something to say yeah a hundred percent I agree with that that's yeah that's I just the trail yeah whoever made their day boo and was had like wraps on them they'll get you going after him yeah you're trying to rip their head off there's literally a son of respect be honest because it is it literally is a great way to put it and he stood over him after a great hit if he had to pick him up they would have called him a cat you can't win yeah far right well I'll be just like I'll be telling that story for years they all got flown to one of the trail absolutely absolutely that time I got him it's the trail Mitchell who what's the biggest hit you remember SBW Joe Clinton oh yeah all time the hair really helps sell it to you didn't that water fly on everywhere a slow-mo of that far out well wants me to mean my heyday I think I put a shot on John Monney Ham once that was good the job well I honestly I reckon speaking of the Raiders Miller had some well before the new rules came in I knocked he'd be out he's lost again oh no the madcut one of the great like made one of the greatest blokes you have made nice sky in the world yeah cleaved him straight on the chin mate he could party back into the holy fuck he could party I didn't call him madcut for nothing I can hand on heart like literally hand on heart say I've never shot it in my life yeah you know it's someone no mate don't be one I just got to be body in front that was a toilet but he knocked Josh yeah yeah but that was yeah that's it no that's two weeks that's through weeks to four on Munster was good yeah that was a good shit the game on the map for a few months yeah that was a great shot all righty whatever the goal you're working towards great Southern Bank can help you take control and make progress with great great savings rates and tools designed to help you along the way make your next savings goal a little easier with help from the every day save up from great Southern Bank visit great Southern Bank dot com slash shavings for more info general information only consider whether it's right for you read the TMD on the great Southern Banks website before making the decision ad paid for by great Southern Bank AF SL 2 3 8 3 1 7 and also don't forget brought you by Nord VPN go to Nord VPN dot com slash bloke in a bar our link will also give you four extra months on the two-year plan and there's no risk with Nord's 30 day money back guarantee the link is in the podcast episode description box already boys lastly the intervals on the verge of buying a soup league the annuals on the verge of selling our 57 million dollar rescue package to save the soup league I love how it's ownership bro we'll see I think I love how it's how it's worded like it's not worded as in their buying it it's worded as in their saving it according to code sports pit of landies will hold a phone hook up with English bosses on Thursday night you reckon they face time what do you reckon they use them you want to answer 57 million dollar dear what on just on the blower I'm cool around no time difference who's getting up early you reckon they pay away they'll pay for you they can landy says I'm a tax guy I'm just Texas I don't like it I'm a tax guy I'm a phone call you really you guys I'm a tax guy because I if you ring me and you you you ask me like one question that could just be through a text yeah yeah yeah yeah that's usually that answer okay so according petal vanes will hold a phone hook up English bosses Thursday night important deals in a landmark deal English rugby league commercial RLC is set to accept the annuals offer with an estimate worth estimated total of 57 million over 5 years after more than a year of high-power negotiations what a low power negotiations bro it can't be 100% ownership for 57 million I think it just be it'll be ownership where they have the say I reckon so like whether it's set up in a board or or percentage owners like if you own up more than 50% you have to say or it's set up a voting system where it's like if you've got more votes it represents the annual first significant expansion driving into the Northern hemisphere and of land is well planned to make rugby league a world game well play sources say at least 10 of the super league 14 clubs are supportive minerals financial package with several influential English bosses urging RFL to accept the deal I want to say if this all goes through like our game is in the craziest good space that I've ever set like I genuinely cannot believe we're sitting here that we own a league in another country yeah look you got to give uh. valandis his flowers you know there's plenty of things we can say about uh. some of the implementations that might be perceived as a little bit off the cuff but the way that he has commercially progress the game whether it's the new deal or something like this I mean you got to you got to pay respect to it because yeah ultimately look the super league I'm not going to say to reflection of what they're doing but it is kind of on the decline in comparison to where the NRL's gone. So if we can come in and have an impact on how they operate and how they do business, it's got to be a good thing. - So Eric and the four clubs that aren't supportive are Wigan, Warrington, St. Helens, and Leeds. - 'Cause they're big clubs. - You gotta think, he's gotta have a little deal up his sleeve that is the trigger for him wanting to do this. I don't know, maybe it's TV or something like that, but it'd be TV rights for sure. I think it's, man, if they do it, like to think that we've got a super league opening that we own, we truly start. And I honestly, if I'm fair, Dean, I didn't think I'd ever see the day where we're truly getting to the point where we may become bigger than NRL. Like I didn't ever think we'd, I thought we were so far behind them. - We got to protect this with everything. - Honestly, we were that far, we were actually because of the, we had no money. - Yeah, NRL, like the Kate Kenneth's in that day. They absolutely. - We, like if you go listen to Vlandee's interview with Mark Borers, which is his incredible interviewer Borers, he says that like we genuinely, in three months, would have been bust. - Really? - Yeah, we were 20 years behind the NRL. But that was when the NRL were just fucking rubbing us. - And so like, I just never thought we'd catch up. I just always thought the AFL would keep that, look like a 10-year, 15-year gap between us and them, they owned a stadium. They had all this kind of weight in the negotiation room. They had been in more states than us. But to think out that like we'll have an international league ownership. And I'm not saying we're bigger than AFL, just yet it's conflicting depends what you like. If you like tendencies, then that's their bigger. If you like viewership, we're bigger. I know that they actually do reach. We actually do average watch time, which is more accurate, no one uses reach. - What's your take on the chat around, Vlandee's becoming the, the commish. The big don't. - No, it would be crazy to lose it. Whatever you want. - That's the NRL. - No, yeah. - And I haven't agreed with everything Vlandee's done, but genuinely whatever he wants. - Just stay away from the rule changes, Pete. And we're good. - I just want to go back to last year. I thought last year was a fucking great balance between everything. - It was amazing. - Mate. - Don't be upset. - Don't be upset. - Did you just storm, man? - Yeah, when we had Kobe Blacken, we'd have the privilege of it. - Jesus Christ. - Yeah, well, what was better? What was there? - So do you reckon, is it any world where they move it to the winter? So that there's footy on permanently. And also, NRL players can go over and have a few games in the Super League here and there. - Oh, wait, so explain that. - So at the moment, I think we cross over as leagues. - Yeah, they play as their seller. - Yeah, so they start a week or so early. - Their winter is diabolical. - They play games over Christmas and stuff. - They still do? - Whoa, they were when I was there. - Yeah, I think they've changed. I think it used to be a winter comm and now they've changed. - Yeah, so I think that, yeah, back in the day I was a winter comp. So I wonder whether he's looking to go winter comp so they can send stars over there and to pay them a Mozart to have, you know, think about how sick that'd be if you had, well, eight footy all year round, but B, you could see players go over there. - I just want business move, but winter over there is. - Yeah, but you know what, to be fair, like the stadiums they have now, the pitches they have now, or the heating they have on the grass. - Yeah, just saw cow paddocks now. - Yeah. - There's some woods for stadiums. - We'll say it's gonna, if they do buy it, I am maybe we're just like being too crazy here, but like I am intrigued does, if Nathan Cleary does want to move over there to be next week's partner, does this ever, does the NRL ever say listen, go over there and we'll line your pockets a little bit just to pump up the super league. You've just purchased it. Here's an extra two or three mill on top of the mill. - Thanks Freak. - Thanks Freak. - Bound. - Now what do we do? - It's a 10 million dollar deal. - And then the Panthers offer him 12 million a year and so that's his mark about, yes, to stay. (laughing) - Oh, how good. Yeah, we'll continue ambitious and I like it. Super league is dying over there and I'd hate to see go. - Yeah, we have to protect a secondary comp. - We have to protect. We rugby league was created. How does food, you know, like the north of England, this is where a game came from. Came from this guy and helped him out. - And I think also like, really, if it dies. - Yes, you don't know the history of rugby league. - You don't know that? - You hit me with it. - It's a breakaway from rugby union. - Hit me. - So rugby union was only a rich man's game. - Yes. - So if you were a blue collar person, you weren't allowed to play. - Why'd you point to me when you said that? - Blue collar, 'cause you said blue collar before. So in Huddersfield, there was a place called the Georgia's pub that was at the Georgia's pub. That a median said we're gonna make it break away Lee. Third in a side for the blue collar workup. In the late 1890s, early 1890s, and then it made its way to Australia in '99. - Wow. - Yeah, Huddersfield. - And I think it was based around the fact that the union, they didn't get paid. It was like, it was something that was almost like a privilege to play for free or something like. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - But the problem was, it was like, well, you can afford to do that. You're fucking rich. Like, I gotta go. And so that's why Lee broke up. I think you actually, in Ireland, Gaelic football, no one gets amateur, it's pure amateur. And you're actually not allowed to get paid. - And it's a huge war. - And it's huge, which is fucking outrageous at night. - I was at Docker on Netflix about, it's like the late 1800s when they're playing soccer. And it's like, it sends it around the first ever professional football player and how everyone's like, wow, what a disgrace. It's like playing football. - You should be doing this for free. - Yeah. - And what, for example, the Gaelic football, I know fans would enjoy it 'cause it keeps the passion of like, you're playing for you from and whatever, and money doesn't dictate where you land. The problem with that is, someone's making money, and it's not you. - Yeah, yeah, yeah. - Like people say, oh, they don't get paid. Someone's getting fucking paid. - 100%. - And it's not the people in the field. - That's right. - They got like a 400,000 stadium to the final. - Well, that's how, - And the players aren't getting paid for the 100 world. - To my understanding. Now, maybe it's changed. - It's just worse than college football. - But that's how, that's how legal and professional. So legal wasn't professional for like a hundred years. And then the Australian side said, we want a clip of the tickets that are getting sold. And so that was the beginning of professional rugby league where the Australian side started getting a percentage of the ticket sold. So like, man, we're the fucking man attraction. So it wasn't like we would, it wasn't like the likes were given all this investment and like I started the league or whatever. It was generally a slow build of like the people, like the game grew, the people came, sort of a clip of the tickets. And then it obviously slowly grew. But like, I mean, even rugby league wasn't fully professional until fucking late, late '90s, early 2000s, really. Like, so I'd say I watch a docker race and then when the, we got, we used to get flunked by the French and league. - Thank you for that. - What? - Yeah, this was like when would have been around World War One? - And then, and then Hitler, this is actually league he did a documentary on this. Hitler got rid of league and installed union there. - What? - Yeah, it's a league, go to the league he did the docker. And it was the Germans basically pushed league, rugby league out and, 'cause rugby there used to be huge in France. Huge. - I think, I think it was France that I was talking about. - That's my knowledge of rugby league history. - Look, I have to get factures going on. - I don't know what the rabbit knows. - I know how to rugby league. - They did, mate. - That's where I was. - Son of a bird trove, we were not in a way. Now yeah, France, like, 1951. - Oh, it's a 50s, sorry. - Yeah, the 50s there. - They toured from Queensland. - Constantly beaten Australia. - And pumped up. - Pumped us, yeah. Sorry, 50s, there you go. - Is it true about the, the German, Germans pushed it in? - Yeah, I'm gonna have to look. - Yeah, a little bit further. - There was at least one, there's at least one country where the Germans pushed it out. I don't know which one was. Is there a league, you know what I'm saying? - There's another story that, in Greece apparently, rugby league was or is banned, and the players had to train at night, so they wouldn't get arrested and stuff. - It's crazy. - Wow. That's crazy. - Wow. - All righty. - Oh, sorry. - The pact is in huge danger. The article just dropped that Hemi, so Tabiwafido is asking for $1.4 million off dolphins. - Oh no. - There it is. - There's the wolf packers. (laughing) - The old school of dolphins. - 1.4, I mean, I'm assuming that's under the new cap. - With ratchet. - Is just what code sports said. Obviously he didn't say this. - Yeah. - I guess the pack mate. - No, don't, don't be so negative mate. You got no quiet. You got no quiet. He could just be a beat up mate. - The old packers. - Oh, packers. He's got old packers. Carry packers. Carry packers. (laughing) - All right, give the great sand ore follow. Give it a follow. The podcast, BTFU, and we'll go fuck ourselves. 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