Tino's Deal, Lomax's Court Case, Rule Changes Confirmed & Origin in New Zealand!

Just a bloke and a bar. What is up, ladies and gentlemen, welcome to episode of Packer Upways. Do not forget the season preview, biggest episode of the year is Monday, 3pm. We just recorded yesterday. She was a long haul, but we managed to spend as much time as you could ever want on each team. I hope you guys enjoy it. And don't forget, also on Monday, 6pm, bloke's biggest ever sale. That is right. 60% of everything, 6pm, everything must go. All shirts, $25 and under, all hats, $20 and under, undies, $25 for the pack. And all jerseys will be $50 and under. On top of that, do not forget the Valentine's Day drop is available right now. This Valentine's ditched the overpriced roses and get something your partner really wants. Some of the finest coffee beans on Valentine's morning. That's right. Starting today, we have a limited edition. It's not starting today, sorry, but it started on Monday. We have started our limited edition Grumpy Valentine's Pack. These are going to go fast, so make sure you get yours today. And then Valentine's Day is sorted. Get online at GrumpyCoffee.com.au and get in quick. Just with the bloke sale, I forgot to add, there's going to be items and very, very limited amount of things that have like just been sitting in our warehouse, but have been off the website. OK. For possibly years. So you might find some hectic stuff there. You might find some gold there. Yeah. Because sometimes you leave exercises there. I always, yeah. There's always a size. So we're getting rid of, we're opening up for everything. OK. Tommy Bomb, he's back. How you going, brother? Good, can't be. How are you? I'm feeling good. Not looking good. I was about to say feeling good looking good, but that's actually not the case. I think you look alright. Yeah, it's still a little bit of candle fat on me. Still look like a melted candle. Still a melted butter. Yeah, still melting. Trying to melt the fat, actually. I found a new little, I'm going to reborn fitness, you know, reborn fitness carry myself. Shout out to the boys. And obviously the girls that go there too. It's not an all boys gym. That would be a bit weird. Hmm. I mean, look. I mean, they're right. I mean, there are all girls' gyms just saying, I'll tell you what, I wouldn't want to go to all boys' gym. No, I think it's important to have that energy in life. I feel like I understand all girls' gyms, for sure, I totally get that. All boys' gyms, it's almost like, stop being a weirdo, bro. Yeah, yeah. A bit McGoo. A bit McGoo. Yeah. And I feel like, you know, there's feminine energy. It doesn't need masculine energy, but I do feel like masculine energy needs feminine in a gym. You're dead, right? You're dead, right? Just a balancer out. Valentine's Day sales, have you started planning your Valentine's Day yet? Yeah. I haven't started planning it yet. I tell you what, though, I'm more of a consistent operator. So, you know, like, don't get me wrong, I still, I mark the day that's special, but my real strength is turning up each day, giving an eight out of ten. You know, like so, if the misses, I'm not the kind of player that I'm not a big game player. So, for example, out of four more years gets picked for origin, has a good game. That's not who I am in a relationship. I'm giving you eight out of ten every single week. I'm getting repeat sets, I'm completing high. Yes, every now and then, when the game's on the line, you can give me the ball. However, I don't want the game to get to the point where it is on the line. Yeah, you know what I mean? Just like my last year in class. I don't want it on the line. I want 13 plus staff, squeeze them to death, eight out of ten operator. Yes, I'll acknowledge the day, yes, but I feel like sometimes, if you're going too big on the Valentine's Day's and the birthdays, you're compensating. Just saying. So, give us a few examples of your kicking the corners. Be in a corner, listen, so basically, I work all day, you know, I work all day, get up. If work starts after a certain time, I always get up, get my boy up, my older son, let the wife sleep in, cook him eggs every morning, get him prepared for the day, so that when my wife does wake up, she gets to be asleep in office because she's nursing her newborn. When she does wake up, it's all set to go. That's the one percentage. You know, you don't write home about that stuff, but you do that each day, day in, day out. It builds. And so, you know, is that as flashy as a nice restaurant meal, you know, in Barrangaroo? No, it's not, but I tell you what, a lot of women listening because a lot of women listen to this podcast. Obviously out for a second. There's the thing they go, and I'll take the everyday breakfast made, sun taking care of, hair done. I'll take that any day of the week over one day a year, I get to get a Barrangaroo with a good state. Just saying. Especially, you know, like, just to that point, I mean, you can get a Barrangaroo for a good state. Yeah. Exactly. Well, good state. And it's full sleep of the bloody dinner table. Yeah. And they're embarrassing for everyone. Now, if they pay $4,500 for a state that you pull a wife's full on sleep on, so no one needs that. No one needs that. So, they're the little one percentage. The other ones are always, always, but take care of rain in regards to bathing every night. I put into sleep every night. These are all little one percentage. They don't, they don't take cash out the pocket, they take time and love and care. I love that. That's beautiful. So, you reckon Nathan Cleary's doing the one percentage on the training paddock, you reckon he's not, you know, out there last, all the little stuff that, you know, they're not the big plays. They're the stuff that, they don't get the wraps, they're not going to make the headlines, but that's why one four in a row, baby. Yeah. And I think, you know, those little plays do lead to the big plays, don't they? That's probably where you can get your Mrs. Anne. Let's go to dinner. 'Cause she's just frothing some time without because you've been doing all those fundamentals. But on the flip side of that, you do the one percentage. When you do need to ask her for a favor, like, I need you to have me back, I need you to tie in here, I've been stepped on me inside, you know, chaos called me up, I said, I need you know, in Vegas in a couple of weeks. So you get stepped on the inside. If you haven't done the one percentage and you, if you brung her with you, she can't make that tackle. She's going to say, listen, you don't do the one percentage every single day, now you go on away for two weeks. Whereas, you do the one percentage every single day, she said, of course you'd go away for two weeks to Vegas. Oh, yeah. If you weren't doing those one percentage, you would be in run mass-y like that. Yeah, like that. You're getting dropped. Yeah. Soil and treatments, you know, when you're at dinner, passive aggressive remarks, you know, you know, pretty much just feeling like shit, but you don't really know what's going on. Because women are the, like, they are the queens of controlling the emotional environment of areas. Which is your rock, right? That's your rock. That's your rock. That's your rock. That's your rock. That's your rock. That's the engine room. Yeah. Yeah, that's the engine room. Yeah, yeah, fuck it. I'm straight with you, fuck it into me, life. But I'm getting the job done. I put up a Nigel Plum Related Post the other day and SOWE Communities like Victor Tape or something. One of the tape companies. They went broken 7 A.M. when he retired. That's good rugby league humor that. He gets it. Because you got to be deep in the game. Even the naming of Victor Tape. It wasn't even just tape. It was Victor Tape. And if you know Victor Tape, you're deep in the game then. Yeah, well, that's right. That's very niche. And I always imagine obviously I've seen SOWE on a few parties here in their post retirement. We're keeping touch, close personal friend. I imagine him getting around day to day and his head gear still. That's how I see it. That's how I see it. I don't know how true that is. You don't have to vouch for us. But I imagine he's getting around in. And not any head. It's the it's either the 2010 Dragon's head gear. Yeah. Or it's when he keep the field going to break our hearts. When he was at Penroth. Yeah, okay. The only two head gears he gets around. Is it a pink one there? Is that the pink one? No, it was like a bluey sort of guy. Yeah, the other panthers colors essentially. But I tell you one of the all time head gear calls. And it's been forgotten in the the annals of time. It's a big word. If you read a book, she'll know. Yeah, of course. It is the Reese Walsh decision to lose the head gear. Wow. Yep. You got to remember, Reese Walsh actually used to have a head gear coming through the grades. And I think even when he started playing and he took it off. And what was revealed is one of the hottest faces in rugby league history. Could you argue that the other reason he has one of the hottest faces in rugby league history is because he came to the grades wearing a head gear. That's a good point. That's a good point. It might be the long eyelashes and the dazzling eyes. Yeah. Cute smile. The beautiful skin. Could be those things. But also could be just because he didn't wear a head gear. Do you remember like the head gear at least were back in the 80s. I don't know what the brand was. But like it was like a black one that was like really thick. Oh, I think I've steed it wasn't it? Yeah, I think it was a steed and head gear. Yeah. So like very rarely. Growing up playing footy very rarely you would see a kid getting around in one of those. As long as he's dad's old one. And every single one of them had zero ability. You know what to lead? Zero ability. You know it's so funny about that. So when I was in grey I would have been like 10 or something. Yeah. I got convinced to go play some footies. So I played like I don't know, 10 games where it made South Coast went to state. I because I didn't know anything about footy. I had one of those. This makes this is even worse. So one of those head gears I wore it. But I sprayed it gold because I love the color gold. So I had a gold, steed and head gear like that. And I was just ripping blokes. Oh, you would have rocked up and they would have eyeballed your in your gold, steed and head gear. And they would have gone, mate, this bloke. Who is this guy? Defender. And then you've just gasped them all. Yeah, just absolutely. And so the gold head gear. I think it was because of the whole Renault thing. So I've told the story before, but you know, grandfather sitting in his knee watching Renault. And I was just big. That was the only connection after I believe it was obviously steed Renault. So that was that was in grade six. And I remember after that, like I get it come down. It was actually narraying Reese Walsh's club. They tried to get me to go down and play. They're like, mate, you've got to come down and play club footy with a suburb of our. And I was like, nah, stuff that. So then I obviously stayed with soccer. But yeah, gold head gear spayed it myself too, mate. I remember back in the day, it used to be cool to have like the wider shoes possible. Yeah. And so I used to have this like basically used to like paint the shoes because like I couldn't just buy new shoes all the time. So it's like what it needs that anytime they got dirt. I was just like paint with this like I don't know shoe white paint or whatever. Yeah. And it got to the point where like they were like three years old, just cracked this shit. But that was really probably. I had a story that Robbie Farrah had white boots coming through. And like he would have debuted what 2002 2003. And Tim Sheen's day boot him. But he said, you know, that's where those white boots. You have to wear black boots. Yeah. So he didn't want to break in new shoes. So he got his white boots. And I'm pretty sure he just called it. I mean, but the textile. No way. And so if you look on these in her old debut, those are colored in black boots. Yeah. He was just sharpied. It was either spray paint or sharpie, but I'd like to think it was a sharpie. Yeah. Well, I was so desperate for when I was obviously playing soccer on up. I was so desperate for white shoes. And you know, we didn't have any money because I would always use, I was always gets hand me down from my older brother. Yeah. I found and it was, I think his name was Rivaldo. He played for Brazil. And he had these like white Mizuno's. I remember we went, we for some reason, we were just like down at the soccer field training, whatever. And for some reason, someone had thrown out white Mizuno's. And you could barely get him in Australia. They were like these Hector boots. They were size too small. But I was so desperate. I got him out of the bin and I started wearing them for the rest of the season. Far out. Good for wind. Great for wind. I mean, they killed my feet. They were literally too small. But I still wore them. So you're a bit of an op shop guy. I'm going to get the job done guy. Doesn't matter where it comes from. I'm just getting it done. I'm placing it at Metro vibe though. You know those guys that go into like an op shop and come out with like a really nice design. What happened to the Metro sexual? Let's bring it back. Let's bring the Metro sexual back. Because it used to be like a compliment. Just Mizuno's and a sweater. And a dream. And a pink single or something. Yeah. I think first I started disin him. Oh, did he? Yeah. I'm not heat up people on that. Oh, that was like 10 years ago. Yeah. But I do know back in the day. It used to be like almost like compliment. Like it's new age. Metro sexual guy that takes care of himself. So I take it bring it back just want to be a sensitive new age physique model. It's all I want. Can you be a sensitive new age guy? I try to be. Yeah. I think you try to open the heart a bit. Yeah. You have to. You have to. However, there's different ways you can do that. It might be through music taste. It might be through movies. But I like what you said before about the fundamentals just day to day. Yeah. You know what I mean? One percent is. Yeah. I just, I think you've got a fine way. So I think you're right. Masculine energy needs feminine energy. Yeah. Probably a lot more than feminine energy needs. Masculine energy. Yeah. As Kelly Clarkson speaks about in a song. What doesn't kill you most stronger? Shout out to her. I'm sure she's listening. That's good. Confirm black text. I just looked it up then. Excellent. There you go. That's great. That's great. That's great. Be like. Alrighty guys. There is just so many updates with the Zach Loma situation. So let's just get into it. How? I'm going to have to read all this to you guys because it is. It's while. Okay. This is condensed. Okay. Zach Lomax, this is all reportedly, reportedly attempted to back clip on his decision to leave Para as the decision was rebuffed by the suspicious eels. Again, this is reported guys. After Storm Majority owner Matt Trip blasted Para for their handling on the signing saga. A fresh report emerged saying that Lomax's agents raised the prospect of the test start coming back to Para after his plan moved to R360 fell through. Eels lawyer Arthur Moses also claimed that Lomax had entered into a contract with the Storm, which had been lodged in the annual contracting portal prior to talks being held with the Eels over his future. Quote, "parameter were clearly trying." This is from Trip. Quote, "parameter were clearly trying to free up cap space to get Jonah Peasant, which they did by moving on Zach. This is Matt Trip, the owner of the Storm." Quote, "I engage with Zach over the two weeks leading up to Christmas. And it wasn't until the new year that he agreed that if Para would release him, he would come to Melbourne. But only after trying to do the right thing by asking Para if they take him back." Quote, "This is from Matt Trip still. It's just not right. Every time we've made them an offer to resolve this matter, they've leaked it to the press and grandstanded by trying to make out we were being unreasonable. I think it's pretty unfair." Okay, there's that. Nine newspapers reported that Lomax Handlers raised the prospect of him returning to the club that had only just released him in November last year. The Eels had no appetite to welcome Lomax back so soon after requesting a release. Privately suspecting it was a cynical play that could be raised, should the matter end up in court as it is now has. Inform sources also stated the prospect of the storm taking another paramatter player, Ryan Madison, in addition to Lomax, was also floated. The parties haven't struck an agreement. Speaking at the Supreme Court on Friday, Arthur Moses, who is the lawyer for Eels, the barrister acting for the Eels, stated there was contact between Lomax's lawyer and three different clubs, Raiders, Storm and Perth Bears. Raiders CEO responded, "That's absolute bullshit. Nobody has spoken about him. He's never been mentioned." Raiders CEO Don Furnett told Sydney Morning Herald, "We haven't got any space in the cup and we're not looking for outside backs. I don't know how they can make that up. That's a lie. Rubbish. Absolutely 100%. Factually incorrect. Wow, we will. So much going on. Obviously we've spoken about the start of this quite a while ago now, so we've given our opinion on that. Let's start with the mat trip article. I was really surprised that he came out and even did the interview. I don't know what he was going to gain by doing it. Obviously it's good to always have transparency. I get all that. But I just respectfully strongly disagree with a lot of the stuff that he was bringing up. Now we haven't got it here, but can you please find it? Didn't Brayton ask to also put up any story that the peasant thing happened after the low max thing? I'll get it up, but yes, effectively. Yeah, I think it's ridiculous. I think Brayton put it up, you know, the idea that it happened after the doughnut thing happened after anyway. But obviously, I don't know, there'd be people in the football department at Melbourne, absolutely cringing Hurricane because like anyone that actually knows and has followed the game would understand that there is zero chance that Paramata. We're going to let go of representative outside back who was arguably their best player, if not one of them last year. One year into a four-year deal to get a guy who is a reserve grade half with a lot of potential who was coming there for 12 months that was never going to happen. It just doesn't have any legs. I think I get what you're saying about coming out transparency and controlling the narrative, but it's just the worst narrative. I can't understand as well. This idea that I guess they're being unfairly maligned in it all when it's like, look, there's not a single soul in Rugby League that begrudges Melbourne storm inquiring and trying to go after Melbourne's exact low max. Of course not. I just think it's like, you know, when I know some storm fans disagree with this, so I respect your opinion, but I just can't get around the fact the only reason they're in court is because the pressure being mounted from the Melbourne storm. If the Melbourne storm came out and said, guys, we've made our offer, we're distancing ourselves from it. You know, if you don't want to release them from that, okay, we walk away. The only reason they're in court is because they're trying to stop him from signing a contract with the Melbourne storm, at least right now to my understanding. And so I'm just, I'm surprised at the amount of pressure the storm are. So anyway, so Trip has come out and said that the problem now for the Melbourne storm and look, they're ruthless. This is what, you know, part of the reason why they're so great and why I respect them so much. I mean, if anyone's listening to this podcast for these, all these years, I always talk about how great the storm are. And I still believe they're the greatest sporting organization this country, at least in my lifetime, we've seen. I just think they're so incredible. However, the precedent now is set that essentially, especially with metric coming out, if they're, if Trip didn't come out, you could kind of shimmy around this a little bit, but he's come out and said they've made a reasonable offer and it's unfair what's happening. So essentially going forward, any player that wants to leave the Melbourne storm, regardless of how good that, whether it's international origin, you only have to offer them 200K and they should release that player immediately. On principle, yeah, like that's a crazy precedent to set. On top of all that, we've already spoken about the fact that Josh had a car wanted to leave, they made him stay for an extra year. I think even Riles, when he left the club, he wasn't allowed to recruit any storm players for 12 months. On top of all that, when Dave Donahee went to the Broncos as CEO, he resigned from the storm, went to the Broncos. The storm threatened legal action and were trying to enforce a six month non-compete clause and say you couldn't start working the Broncos for six more months. Like, again, like I know the storm probably don't give a shit about how they look or whatever, they're about winning premierships, which is okay fair enough. Like, at the end of the day, that's what they're here to do. But I just think they've kind of like backed themselves into a call. Like, I do think there are some storm fans out there that are sitting there probably begrudgingly saying, "Geez, if any player wants to leave our club now, like, if we want it, don't want to be seen as hypocrites. We essentially have to let them go as soon as they want to leave if we get 200K or less." Like, what if a middle of the road player wants to leave? You can offer them 50K. Yeah, I also think that at some point throughout this process, they're either acted based on, in fact, they believed to be true that weren't or that there was more to it that they didn't understand because as you alluded to before, you end up in court because obviously they've taken steps as if Zuck is going to be playing for them or that's going to happen. That's what an injunction is. In immediate court order saying, "You cannot go and train for that club." Yeah, so he's obviously taking the steps which they're alleging in court at the moment, like you said, that there's a contract registered on that portal. I think that's the only reason why you end up there and they probably should have gone through the process because, like, as we've spoken about before, Zuck's got other options to play. Super rugby contracts that were being flown about, he could walk in overseas and play Union or League. It's not a matter of his hands are tied here. It's obviously a very specific thing that he wants to play for the Melbourne Storm, but I think I still, the more this goes on the more respect paramatter because it's like, I think it is reasonable that they hold this out for as long as they want to. I just can't believe this is the thanks the yields get, these weird implications of trying to be set up. For example, the yarn about Lomax wanting to go back to the yields, spare me the bullshit. Spare me the bullshit. Even if he had a change of heart after leaving and came back and said, "I wanted to come back to the yields." Why should the yields ever have to take him back? He literally asked for a release. So now the yields are getting painted as bad club because they won't take Lomax back. Even though they've used his contract money, they've got Brian Kelly to the club. Now, granted he's not on the same amount of money, but that spot's being taken. Brian Kelly and also Bailey Simonson wasn't released. So the outside backs are sorted now. Why should the yields be even, why should it even be spoken about taking Zuck Lomax back? It's a bizarre argument to make as if, well, you didn't want to take him back, so we should have him. It's like, no, no, no. He chose to leave. If this idea that they're in the wrong, because they want to take him back, therefore everyone else should be able to free to play somewhere else, it makes zero sense whatsoever. I don't even get that argument. Yeah, I'm with you to be honest, because I think what's funny about this is you take the mat trip thing, all the innuendo, all the bullshit. They're trying really hard to paint Paramatter a certain way. It's not going to work. The longer this goes on, the more that Zuck's personal brand gets damaged, the more that the stormer implicated in it. I think Parra has been consistent with their stance from the start, from the start. It is not moved. They said, you know, they outlined who they would consider to make this happen. Stormway willing to come to the party, which is their right. They're allowed to do that. They haven't changed. They agreed to terms of Zuck at the time. And they're saying, well, it's reasonable for us, because in an ideal world, they probably don't have to move in all this noise. And I've even been guilty of forgetting this. The yields aren't saying you can't play again. They're saying, we will let you play again. We just want something reasonable for it. 100%. They're even saying, we will let you play in the NREL again. So they're not even going a flat no. No, you saw on that contract, you're not playing in the NREL. They're literally going, okay, you want to play NREL, we just want something reasonable for it. I just, I cannot believe that, like, there's so many, I know, like, maybe they're wider or it's probably don't know this, but I promise you, there's so much unwritten rules in regards to the way clubs deal with each other. Like, okay, you help us here. We'll help you there. And I feel like this scenario has almost just completely blown it out of the water. Yeah, and I think, you know, in an ideal world, they probably would have ended up in that down to send the leverage that they have with the Zackler marks right now in terms of, you know, if they had to lose zack, which obviously at a certain point last year, whether it was when he was asking mid year or whenever it eventually waited. They were like, we're going to lose zack. They're in a position where that's happened with lost zack. But we can potentially get someone else, you know, that's going to better our chances. I think that's more than reasonable. Like all power is asking is. Zackler marks going to the storm. It only improves their chances of winning a comp. All we ask is that we get something in return that does the same for us. It's so reasonable. And also, you can remember like, I know a lot of people don't see yields as a premiership threat right now. But really, regardless of who you've got ranked where in the premiership, you're basically asking the eels. So they've both got the same goal, which is winner comp. You're asking the eels to go, here's this weapon for you guys to achieve the goal that we want to achieve. And you lost the grand final last year, like you were two on one away from winning the comp. He's zackler marks like obviously not. And also, why would you help the team that pretty much cost you the greatest grand final run of all time in 2009, because they were cheating. I never thought of that. That's why I just for the life of me, I just don't understand this crazy pressure from the storm to make this happen. I feel like, I just feel like they still could have got what they want, which is low max to the club without this much pressure being applied. They're about to be in court and get subpoenaed. Do you understand how much stuff is going to get leaked of conversations into the meat? Do you understand how messy this is going to get? Like, when you get subpoenaed, you essentially have to give them, like, or everything. And then they ask for essentially, like, obviously not a load, but like, this is going to get so messy because there might be an email that says talking about low max and then there's two paragraphs about all this other shit. That's probably going to have to get submitted because it has low max in the whole email and it'll become public knowledge. Yeah, I mean, yeah, I think surely they pull out before that happens. How does this play out? Because like, you're saying, well, they could get low max to the club, but like, I don't think without going into court, they could. And I think what's happened here is maybe they came in thinking. And like, again, I don't know. I'm just trying to put the pieces together, but maybe they thought given that, you know, roles, there's a relationship there, maybe for 200, 300 grand. Like, we can we can make this happen and like, the eels of stood firm and then maybe they expected them to want it. But that's what's crazy about that is like, you took at least reportedly. The guy that you think is going to work with you, you told him he can't recruit any storm players for 12 months. I know it's double standard. But then you're going to ask him to say, mate, give us like, I understand what you're saying in regards to this. No way they're going to get low max without the court case. Yeah. But it's like. They're not going to get him anyway. You know what I'm saying? Like, I reckon they've walked down a road that they thought it would be resolved a lot quicker than this. There's been some friction. And now it's at a point where they're so far in like, from their point of view, maybe it only makes sense to go all the way. And yeah, they end up with low max or you don't like, the damage has been done essentially. So maybe they feel like the damage of, you know, the way people think about it. That's why when this all happened, I said, as soon as the court case was going to get announced or whatever, I would have pulled back with the storm. I said it when it all came down. I was like, yeah, pull away from it. It's not worth the reputation. Cause like, okay, let's say you're a manager, you've got a young superstar at the Melbourne storm. And for whatever reason, things aren't going well. Imagine the negative sentiment you could drum up about the storm to get your player out of the club now. Yeah, like you could honestly make that you could make it so you could make it an absolute circus out of the club until you get that player out now because it is. It is, it's so salacious, the headlines that would be around, let's say next year that the young rising star wants to leave. Imagine how salacious the headlines would be. Imagine how he clicks it would get that a young guy wants to leave the Melbourne storm now. Yeah, I also like, as we've spoken about, I find it goes without saying that low max is such a weapon. He's a phenomenal player. What gap is he going to feel that's worth this much trouble? Is there been, I don't understand, like they've got coats, they've got war breakdown there. Well, I guess, I guess he's just left. But even like, so long as we've been waiting in the wings for a while now, you're a lot of good players. And as we spoke about before, I know that low max walks into their team straight away, of course. But for all this trouble, all this damage to bring, I just, I don't know, like, I would say, if they had the exact same team as last year, I could say, well, yeah, there is absolutely an argument. He is worth 12 points. Or at least, he's worth six points in a green fine. Of course, yeah. But I understand what you're saying in regards to like, with all the players they've lost, is this enough to take that extra step? I think the storm are probably just looking at it like we get the best, whatever the best players are to get to this club, we're going to do whatever we can do to do that, I don't think. For sure, but just to walk it out one step further to like, I would get it if he was committed to going there for six, six years. And maybe his sentiment has changed, but given he was willing to go to R360, if that does end up getting off the ground, well, he might be there for two years. I mean, the contract, the contract that he reportedly or allegedly may have signed with RC60, that actually might still be valid when it comes to fall. Yeah, I mean, so with that in play, that's more where I'm coming from, where I'm saying, is it worth the trouble? Because no, no, brain, I think a bit like the Galvan situation last year, obviously a lot of mess, quite, quite intense. If you're going to end up with someone who's going to be your half for the next 15 years, potentially, then probably worth the trouble, I get it. I don't think this falls in that category. So it's a bit hard to follow. And every time that something like the match, everything happens, it's just getting deeper and deeper and deeper. I don't see how this plays out. I think I don't see the yields moving. Well, that's the thing like not all the storm we talk about, maybe they're already pot committed. I know who's definitely pot committed to the yields. There's no way they're going to do all this hard work and then go, "Okay, if it's 300K, you can have him." They can't roll over now. They can't roll over now. That's what I mean. They would get hammered by their fans. They just deserve so much credit. I just cannot believe we're talking about a guy that was pretty keen to leave the game, which is totally fine, get your money made, fuck, all good. Like, "Okay, yeah, I don't like this." As I've said from the beginning, the first breaking of contract, it's like, "Okay, fair enough. We're all young and we're all. " It's fine. I'm sure there are things you could say that the dragons didn't work out from the dragons perspective as well. So I'm okay with that. But then one year into a new four-year deal, it's like, geez, that's hard to swallow. I don't agree with it. However, do I understand why he would do it with that much money on the line? Yeah, okay, that's fine too. I watched a stream, actually, with Terrell May, The Curse Brothers, I think it was the other night. And he was saying, he said pretty much, of course I'd take the money, but I would finish my contract first. So I think a lot of people do feel that way. As I said, first one, I can be like, "Yep, we all learn, we live and we learn, break the contract. Okay, fine." But then to, basically, because the only way, the real concern about the initial, sorry, the eel's contract break is like for him to get a release in his first year, means that at some point halfway-ish through the year, he was already looking to go somewhere else. Yeah. And so, anyway, so I can understand that to a degree, I don't agree with it, but it's like, "All right, okay, it's a lot of money, so all right, sweet." Okay. But then for us as a game, to be going through this, to get that, to get this whole situation that we have to go through to get Zach Lemax back into the game, I just think like, geez, you know, six months ago, we had Landy saying, "You're banned for 10 years if you even speak to them." Yeah, even from the Melbourne standpoint of you, too, I'd love to know how far the conversation has got. So you've just made a grand final, granted you've lost a couple players. Have they gone to Stefano and, like, the other boys, Howard, and who was the third one? I think they wanted coats, but I like nothing. No, no, no, no, no, no. Have they gone to those three boys, though, or maybe one of them or two of them? Have they gone to Howard, think, "Hey, what are you reckon?" 'Cause if they have, I'm sitting there, if I'm here, I'm going to fuck you. Like, we just made a grand final. Yeah, absolutely. I'm moving to this guy, like, even just the knock-on effect of that, just the subtle things. If it eventualises to nothing, it's a massive play, and, like, yeah, that's not going to do anything good for your club, especially if you can't sit there and go, "Well, at least we got him." Yeah. Which I don't think, personally, I don't think they're going to get there, so. Yeah. Or, like, if the yields are literally going, "We want a player no matter what," it's just like. I don't think they're going to get him, because, like, if you coat, why would you. If you're any of those players, why would you go, leave this door? There's no way I'm leaving Melbourne from any of those guys. You'd be insane, so. And you'd be offended if they asked, and you'd be a little bit off at our account. You'd be massively offered if they asked. You'd be like, "We've just made a GF, and those three players are some of our best players. The final was great. Coats, incredible. You know, how is his young gun coming through? They've been super patient with him as well, so. Yeah. I get why they're trying to. I just think they've handled this incorrectly. And they're a club that usually handles things, honestly. Like, for example, the situation with Josh had a car when he wanted to release in the hell of it for a year. I was like, "Okay, like, I respect that from the storm. They've been very clear with him." "Okay, you can leave a year early, but you've got to be here for another year until we can get someone else to sort it out." I was like, "Okay, that's a well-run club that's going to stand and be clear with things. But I just, I think they've just been handled this." That's also reasonable. Which I think the storm of being unreasonable here, in my opinion. Like, Paramata saying, "We'll have you for him to play if we get someone who's worth our while." That is a reasonable stance. The Josh had a car one when they said, "No, you have to wait a year." That's reasonable. That's reasonable. Yeah, I get it. Ideally, he probably moves straight up here. But he obviously respected that. Maybe he was down there the whole year pissed off or a bit annoyed, not ideal. But I think most people would look at that situation and go, "The storm's actually in the right there." Even if they've done a situation like, "It's very pedantic. It's pedantic." But you know what? If they had enforced it, I would have been like, "Okay, we can't start for six months. The problem is now, is they just have, they can never do that again. They can never ever, any player wants to leave that club. The headlines are going. We already know what the headlines are going to be. And the difference is, no matter how hard I try that, even with the Dynahee situation, I can look at it and I can get it. No matter how I try and spin the thing, like what Matt Tripp said, how Melbourne have operated, I can't understand it as reasonable. I just can't come to that conclusion. I just think they should have. At the very least, if you want to go to court, sweet, the very least they should have just stayed quiet, in my opinion, not set a word on it, complete blanket ban on the conversation. Because now it's just. Yeah, it really has those, you know, that conversation, you know, with, I think it was Code Sports he did it with or whatever, that if you're a girl? Yeah, with Brent Read. Code Sports. Like, "Geez, if you're trying. If you've got a young gun at the storm that's not getting a crack or it's not working, you just take this interview straight in and go, "Boys." Oh. What's this? Bring on round one. Yeah, it's great drama. I'll tell you what, ratings, ratings, ratings, baby. Well, same before, before you came in. Like, I don't. For the ill sack, I don't want him to go to Melbourne unless they get something to return. But what I do want to see is if he does go there, I want to see him play round one. Well, yeah, if you're looking at purely from a selfish, consumer perspective, like, and you. Let's say you take out all the moral, all the ethical. Whatever, whatever. Of course, you want that game. Maybe frigging hype out. Oh, yeah. And it's just a matter of, like, whether you believe that trumps all the other stuff. I think that even without, like, the way I say it playing out, round one is just not playing for either of them, obviously. I still think it's going to be a massive game in terms of, like. Oh, what a. It's going to be a lot of mullets, like. Yeah. I already have a bit of a rivalry, like, because of everything that's happened in the past. This will not be forgotten. Don't wait. This will not be for a long time. Like. Yeah. I just applaud the eels. I applaud them. I did like, um, the rate of CEO, just like, cutting straight to it. Oh, boy. This is absolute bullshit. No one's spoken about him. He's never been mentioned. I will say in the eels lawyer's defense, um, he said. He actually did say. And maybe the article says more. There was contact between Lomax's lawyer and three different clubs. Like, that might. So that might have just been to some random at the club. Not official capacity, you know what I'm saying? Yeah. Yeah, it's just Donnie Furnag getting in front of it. But I love it. I love that. Great stuff from the rate of CEO. That's. I love that shit. Just coming out and going, "Borm." 'Cause like. Similar as to the comments around separating yourself from this. That's what the rate has done. They've gone, "We don't want to be anywhere near this shit." And I think that him being this forceful with his words and. And clear. This is a. That's a good. Um. That's a good play from the CEO. It's a really good play because now that completely. Completely wipes out any connection of Raiders and Lomax. 'Cause that's the last thing you want as a club right now is to be connected to the situation. There's something about. There's something about a CEO saying the word bullshit as well. There's carries so much weight, you know what I mean? If I told you I had this bullshit, you'd be like, "Yeah, whatever." I. I love Donnie Furnag. I think he's got a big role in the game. Obviously, I mean, just with these little drivers. Like, didn't he. Didn't he, like, blast the draw because it favors the Broncos? Yeah, I love that. And then the back and forth between the bus going into the. The. You know. The Canberra Stadium against the Broncos last year. Look, I love what the Raiders are doing. I'm such a fan of the whole setup. And like. I probably disagree with Ricky Stewart in his press conferences more than I agree with him. I still love him. I still love it. Like, you can disagree with someone and still be like, "Man, he's alleging I'd love him in my club." He's the number one coach I'm shooting into after a game. Yeah, 100%. So, yeah, I just think that's really good leadership from the Raiders. We don't want a bar of this. Don't drag us into this stuff. The problem is. That's what Sopin is doing. And that would be interesting. Because even if I find a few more clubs I reckon that. Well, if Fern has come out really hard and gone, "Bullshit, no way." There's no trail. At least fucking emails come out. Oh, I doubt it. He would have checked the way. There's these two smart of an operator. Yeah, we. Yeah, I'm sure he is. But I reckon with. If there's Sopin, I think. Because what will happen is the manager will get Sopin, I think you'll be. We're all going to be shocked at some of the conversations that have been had. And I think there's a lot of clubs out there going, "Fuck, Sopin, this fucking court case." Because like, you know, if we're being fed income, like any. You take out, you know, whether you, you know, how much weight you hold of the breaking of contract with Zonelat as our climax. There's plenty of clubs that would have just been like, "What's the go?" You know, "What's going on with, with Lomax?" You know, he's open to coming in this club. You know, but the problem is it's like, it's a discreet inquiry. You don't want it to be like official because then, as we've spoken about, with if you were asked to leave the storming replacement for Zak Lomax, similar to that, if you were at a club and you found out through these subpoenaed emails that, and you're an outside back coming through, and then you found out that your club's been pursuing Zak Lomax. You'd be like, "Oh, fuck an L." Yeah, and also like, you know, all these people that come out and go, "Oh, I like contracts, aren't worth anything." But it's only because most of the time people get away with bullshit like this. And I think every time that something like this happens, it reinforces the idea that, "Fuck, if you sign something, follow through." Or at least really consider that's what you're agreeing to. Because I think, yeah, I hate that. I read an article this morning that was talking about the Lomax situation and talking about, "Is it really worth what it used to be?" And it's like, "You can't fucking come from that argument." Because. Yeah, like, as I said, even, you know, in other situations, like, I get that initial one of a breaking contract. You know, I mean, like, young things can change, clubs can treat you poorly. I think the difference with the Lomax one where you can't really compare it is just how quickly this is all happening. Like, this is not the same as all this other stuff. Like, you can even, you know, I know people try to refer it to the Lomax Galvan situation. They're not the same, like, they're not the same. Like, yes, obviously, you know, the Galvan, when he said, "I'm not taking any office from you, I'm going to be moving on." And then, you know, whoever you want to blame in that situation, yeah, fair enough. But, do we. Are we all really sitting here saying the Bulldogs would have put. The Bulldogs, not the management. The Bulldogs would have put so much pressure on the situation that we'd be in court right now. Like, for example, when Zach Lomax wanted to leave the Dragons, and he came to the Eels, "Do you reckon the Eels would have gone so far as to be in court right now?" I don't think so. I don't think so. Now, if you want to talk about, you know, all the allegations in regards to how Galvan was treated, like, that's not from a club, though. That was his internal team, whatever. That's a different conversation to be had. Just a question and forgive my lack of legal knowledge. But, since par are the ones that brought Melbourne to court, if that happened. No, Melbourne are not having been brought to court. Zach Lomax, and his management have been brought to court. Okay. So, in that case, once that happened, the storm could have been, like, stepped away. Absolutely. Like, the storm, even now, storm have no. There's no legal entanglement, at least. Am I understanding? It's about to get to that. Yeah, because what could happen is, is when they get to the peanut, and there's evidence of, you know, let's say they did lodge a contract on late December or January, and the eels go, "He didn't come to us before that." You've lodged. You've literally. You're in breach of your contract right now. Then all of a sudden, it's like, "Okay, the storm were aware, and then they all get dragged in." But right now, the storm could walk away with no. I'm assuming pretty much with no. In saying that when a subpoena happens, you probably still would get the emails that have happened. I mean, they certainly haven't. They certainly haven't backed down anyway, but. I'm just wondering if their own hands are tired. It's quoted saying. He's coming on the front. He's on the front, of course. These saying eels are being unfair. Give us low max right now. Yeah, no, it's madness. It's madness. And again, I applaud the eels. That's another crazy thing I was thinking about as well. The fact that the owner came out, and he's still going, "Give us him right now after the eels have said no." Crazy that hasn't worked by the way, Matt. Crazy. But look, you know, as I said, I'm a massive fan of the storm, and I get. I disagree with what Matt Trip is saying. But like, if you're talking about what his role is, it is to get the best place to the club, essentially, I guess, any way you can within reason. So I guess I can. I don't agree with it, but I can understand what his main priority is right now. Yes, I just think he's Mr. Mark, though. Don't bring in Jonah to it. That's just not. It's the worst take. It's the worst take. I just don't like the whole thing. I just don't like it. So even if you look at it from a perspective, I've like, you know, his role is not to care about what we all think about. Of course not. He obviously does the best place to the club possible, and however he does that within reason is to do it. Yeah. But yeah, I'm with you, mate. I disagree with everything in that. And I think what he's done has actually had the complete reverse effect. We would have been better to say quite. The storm would have been better to speak completely silent. Completely silent. And then the reason, like, in that situation you just say, "Solent," is you give yourself wiggle room in the future to kind of repaint history a little bit. Like, let's say they don't get in, and we're a year down the track, and then you have to be about to say, "Oh, no, we never put any pressure. We put our offering." Yeah. And then Zach Lomax was just really keen to come. And then all of a sudden. Oh, that makes sense. You know, that makes sense, okay? So you guys were kind of a bit unfairly maligned. Like, you know, we were all sitting here saying you were putting pressure on it, but clearly you weren't. You've just come out a year later and said you haven't. We've come out with this. It's like, no, this is basically openly admitting their putting pressure on them. I'm sorry. That's the situation. It's drama. It's rugby league, baby. It's rugby league. It's back. It's drama. And it's not ending anytime soon. I don't believe. No. No, I don't think so. We'll probably be here next week talking about it again tonight. Yeah. We'll try. What I will say is we'll try as hard as we can. Unless there's updates or whatever. We'll probably just try to leave it. Yeah. Like, the human side. I know I'm going to sound like a bit of a. a softy here. Like. You metro that, so that's fine. Oh, I metro sexual. Yeah, I metro sexual. We'll metro, like, new age metro. Like. I just wish Lomax wasn't in this situation. Like, I know he created himself or whatever, but he's such a gun. I want him back in the game. I want Lomax playing. Like, we are a better game with him in it. It's just. Yeah, we all agree on that. I think everyone would agree that, you know, we'd rather see him playing. It's just how it all happened. It's not great. It's a shame more than anything. Like, it's just disappointing. Okay, Titans has. Atena has waved his clauses and will remain at the Titans till the end of 2030. And then another huge signing drop. I can't believe this. Kupert Buyer signed a two-year extension. They now also have Campbell to 2021. Keni's 2030, Brimson's 2030, Firmah, 2029. Like. Look, I'm not going to say it's the greatest month. or two months in Titans history, but like. What? When you can pair of. Like, they were on the canvas four months ago. I think it's. I mean, if you add in. So, Maddie Johns joins. Gordon Tellers joins. Then they re-signed Tino. They re-signed Kupert Buyer. They re-signed Keni. Well, they re-signed Keni. Well, I'm going back to like when they started. They got like all the guns, like Preston Keni. Well, Scotty Prince to the club. Brad Meyers. And the rest of them. Mark Minichello. Like, they were pretty buddy good early in the early days. They had a prelimin' there. So good. Yeah, 2010. Yeah. But, you know, all things considered like. What a turnaround in such a short time. Like, it has been. Like, I cannot. Listen, I would have gone, okay. Let's say Tino goes, okay, I'll stay for 2008 or something. I'd go, "All right. Yeah, that's pretty good. Pretty good." But, go on. No. Basically, Tino's saying publicly, "I'm in for my career." Like, "I am in for my whole career, and I'm here. I'm basically going to spend my entire career trying to win a pre-minship with his club." Huge week for Matt Rodgers. Huge week for Matt Rodgers. Huge win for Rodgers. He's convinced that he put pressure on them. They've got. They both signed. He hasn't been signed. This isn't just coming out there. You know, the rat. Yeah. So, like, look. You know, I spoke a little bit about this on the season preview. It'll come out Monday. But, you know, I understand he's already in a million dollars. That's like, come on, mate. He's got a million dollars. It's not necessarily like showing loyalty in the sense he's taking no money for what he's doing. But, it's all relatively. So, he could get a million dollars essentially at any club. I think that. I think essentially any club would pay a million dollars for Tino. Yeah, he's market value is a million. Yeah, easily. So, like, for him to stay essentially his whole career at the Tottenham's, like, that is loyalty. That's loyalty. No, it's not the same loyalty as like, you know, you've got no house and you've got no money, but you give your shirt off your back to someone else because he's your mate. It's a little bit different. However, it still is loyalty. Yeah, relative to the situation. It is still loyalty. And I think, you know, we've just sat here for 30 minutes talking about, you know, all the negatives in regards to players and clubs and everything like this. This is one of those moments where I really do hope the wider community appreciates. We always, how much do we sit here demanding in comments sections? Old school and B. Old school and traditional and show loyalty. And remember where you came from and all that kind of stuff. And we've got a gun player doing it with a team that, like, there is really no evidence. Well, it might be now because of all these people on board. But the last since professional sport has been on the goal coast, they've never won a competition. This guy's going to commit his entire career to winning the first competition for a goal coast side. That's amazing. Yeah, I think to, it speaks to how much they've brought in a honey in his first little stint at the club. And also, you know, Cooper re-signing as well. If he hadn't offered on the table from Melbourne, let's just put it this way. He was heavily chased by the roosters. Yep. Okay. And other teams that have topped here. So, normally, even the way we were speaking about it, say last week, where the vibe was, fuck, hopefully they kept one of them. Yeah. You know, I mean, that was sort of the vibe. It's like, well, it's one of the other because one of them's probably going to leave. Yep. So it's actually just secure both is in two days. So look side, yeah. Literally. And I was just speaking to Matthew, also known as Mattie John. MJ. And he said that they had a list of some of the young guys coming through that they wanted to re-sign. Like at the stuff that this is ideal. If we get all these boys, we'll be super happy. They've essentially signed nearly all of them. Nearly all of them, which is like, again, you're going to remember we're like, the goal has tightens at the end of last year. It was disaster areas. Oh, true disaster areas. I mean, they came 15. Oh, it's 16. 6 seconds. They came second last. Second last. 16. So, incredible get. It seems like there's something exciting happening up there. I don't want to jump the gun. I've been excited before. Obviously, it's not going to happen this year. But if they can just sort their defense out, maybe they see it mid table. So that's the difference. I have been excited for the times and for a particular season. Like you're the same. We're all the same. But it's not about it this time. It's a bit different this time. It's, I'm excited for the times over the next five years. Yeah, the future. And it's based on substance. Like even last time they played finals in 21. And we just held on against them. Yeah, yeah. Yeah. Passable gate. But we like even at that point in time, they played finals. It was whisper about for feeder. It wasn't like you were looking at them saying they're building something really special here. Yeah. This is probably the first time ever. Even when you were saying when they started initially in 2010. That's some success made that prelim again against us. And came off second best. But it was a lot of old guys towards the back end of their career doing good things. And Rapunzel. And you say asked you're talking about the Rooster State. What, why does this say on your jerseys where we're here to win premierships? Why doesn't say that? Yeah, yeah. Like your current jersey. Just to, just to make it very clear. But like your current, like currently. Yeah. It should say we're here to make one prelim in six years. You could, you could say that based on where a future is to clap. And anywhere else will come forward. So that's what's kind of alluding to like it. You're really in the premiership business last few years. And the premiership business mate and that, you know that. We go on out of business because. Hey. Okay. You guys had won in what? 16 years or something. Hey, yeah. And the good is your last game, mate. And the good is your last game. Unfortunately, there's only one winner in that conversation. And it's you. That's fine. But look. I, I'm okay with only seeing three premierships thus far. Back to back. Yeah. You guys might do it this year. If you're lucky. But like you guys have essentially doubled the salary cap. So like there is that. There is that. But that's your problem. You're half the Queensland origin team. Whatever. Not anymore. We used to. Back in the day. Yeah, we just battlers, mate. Go a few origin players here or there. Fifth. Like a football player. You're paying house. He's a battler. Carrying him a battler. He's okay. I mean, paying house. One of the great players. You show well. You show well. Good stock. But yeah. I think. I think we'll go closest either of us. Yeah. Okay. I do as well. To be honest. Yeah. If we can find our balance. I mean. I say I'm not. I say I'm not every russians channel last one of these hours. Who's won more premises into you 2000 Broncos or russians? Okay. We're going to throw it. So Broncos 2000. Russians 2002. And then. Russians 2006. No use of one. No. Russians. On a three and three. 0 to 1890. And then you've got 2000 2006. And then. Yeah. It's even three. Three and three. So you've got about 13. Oh, sorry. We win. Okay. Yeah. Okay. Well, we've never. We've never cheated. We've never cheated. Okay. We stay in three in the rule. That's allegedly. Yeah. Early 2000 saying I'm different. Sorry, got there. Cowboys. No evidence. We've also never had the. The Premiership's chat on our jersey before static. So adding for me. Obviously. Is that the first year you've had we're in the business of premises? Would it say we play for premises? Yeah. We play for premises. Is that the first year you've had that on your jersey? I believe so. I've never noticed it. I think it is the third. I've never heard that before. Yeah. So I think it's almost like they're just saying, hey, like we've had a few years off. Uh-oh. Here we come. That could be curse areas, though, too. Yeah. I don't know. I don't know. I'm confident. We'll see. I want Gassie Crete to be sent out a winner again, sir. Gassie Crete. That's what I call him. Gassie Crete. Gassie Crete. You know, I'm told about that. That's good. Gassie Crete. My boy, I say for sure. It's so unnecessary. It's calling Gassie Crete. There's a few gussys that I'm close to personal friends with. Guss called. Guss Cratten. A few others. Not important. But yeah, Gassie Crete. I want to see him go out of the winner. What do you mean? What do you mean? What do you mean? Oh, fuck. Gassie Crete. That is fucked. That's my boy. If you don't make the A, what happens? Okay. Outside of that though, I don't know. I think there would be mass changes. It's going to say, you know, there'd be rides. But you guys don't give a shit enough to ride. No. I can't. There'd be about 10 people there. I can't. I don't care that much. Right if there's 10 people there. I'll just send legion. It would be human. It would be human. It would be human. I'd be human from a distance. I'd be watching Netflix going. I wish we made the A, but I wouldn't be at the protest. But I don't think we'll have to worry about that to be fair. Okay, you don't have to worry about it. What would you do honestly? Would you reckon there would be changes up top? You didn't make a date this year? Yeah, I do. Okay. I don't know about like, if it would be Robo, that would be the change. But yeah. At what point do you draw a line in the sand? Okay. But then again, I don't know. I always go on about this. You see clubs that suck coaches. Who you second them for? Yeah. How many examples can you name in the last 20 years where a team has sacked a coach for someone who's clearly better? That's great. It's given all contract. Ooh. Actually, tell me, doesn't it? That would be interesting. He seems like he's going to be all in it. Yeah, I think so too. But you know, if I'm the. The rooster's, you know? I want to know where Fitz is living. If he's living down the show, he's probably all in. If he's still getting down from our way. Yeah. And it's going to be 27. He'll get off an extension there. Yeah. I mean, they should already stand in to be honest. Yeah. What he's done at Sharks is incredible. Have you heard the yarn about him rolling on jujitsu mats? Yeah. And going back. Because he doesn't want to be. Doesn't want to send them out without, you know. He feels guilty. He wants to feel the hurt. Do you roll an hour before training when you coach? When I can. Yeah. Normally it's just me, like, not with an opponent. So, a bit different. A bit of like Tai Chi or something like that. Underfeeling. In the park. Yeah. Okay. Don't mind that. And you know, we were talking at times. Yeah. And you look great stuff in the time. Great stuff. And we get onto that. I don't know. Tai Chi. Maybe Tino. Go on a club or something like that. Um. Anyway. Whatever. Always time to talk about the roosters. You and our rules. Look. I'm just glad they didn't do the kickoff one. Yeah. The bench, I think, is going to change so much about the game. I think people are underestimating the impact that's going to have. You really will choose differently how you do the game. To the kickoff. I want to know why the coaches are so vocal about wanting to change it. Like Wayne Bennett is all over the news today. Well, no. The coaches are against it. It's only Wayne Bennett that's keen. I think I read that like nine coaches wanted it. Oh. Well, they got. I thought they got majority voted against. Maybe really. I thought the article. I thought the article was like, no, the coaches and clubs were all essentially against it except for a few. Yeah. Like clubs that struggled last year, I imagine would have been saying, yeah, maybe. I just think, like, why do we spoke about the biological anyway? I mean, it wouldn't make any difference. Yeah, just. You just bury him in their corner regardless. Yeah. And look, the only difference is obviously we've spoken about it about it. 20 meter thing. Get six again. Blah, blah, blah. Yeah. I like the idea of if there's a knock on in goal. There's not a seven tackle set. Yeah, I like that. I mean, it's a little rule, but that makes sense to me. You want people trying to attack score tries without that being the penalty. And then also the other thing with the bench. Not made of it and you said, well, it's Cup Coach now. Oh, absolutely not. How do you plan for, like, say, like a fluff Savala? Are you planning that he's going to play? Also known as Hugo Savala. Sorry, yeah, if you're not close, personal friends. It's Hugo Savala. Yeah. But how are you going to plan for that? Yeah. Are you going into your week as a Cup Coach going? He'll be, he'll be our half. And then you adjust if you need to. And to be clear, guys, like Cup is essentially always just waiting on what the end of it. And all at any point a team just goes, this is what we're doing. Deal with it, right? And that's already the case. Yeah. So you're throwing the fact now that you're going to have a half sitting on the bench where he's a genuine chance of playing. Yeah. And if he does, like, sort of an article today about it. Yeah, it's going to be hard to back up or it's going to get harder to back up. That would just be so hard to plan for. Yeah, absolutely. And like, also, as even as a first grade coach, like, do you pull your young half out? See him on the bench for six weeks in a row? Then he's not getting reps under his belt. His fitness won't be there. His timing won't be there. Okay. Then do you put a rookie there? But then there's an injury like it's. Yeah. I think it's going to be the impact going to be hectic. I reckon. And also to do it this close to the season. You have no time to think about it. No testing of it or anything. Do you think the coaches would have known earlier? Do you think the clubs would have known earlier? I think it's just coming out. Not that much earlier, really. Oh, maybe a week. What do you got there, Matties? So six coaches voted for it. 11 against it. So it was majority. But the six that voted were the big dogs. Wayne Bennett, Ivan Cleary, Ricky Stewart, Bellamy, and Trent Robinson. So that's why I'm trying to say, like, why do they. What's their reasoning for wanting the rule to change? Just about a barrier team in their own corner. Yeah, probably a barrier team in their corner. Like giving the better teams more option will make them probably better. Yeah, like. I mean, imagine, yeah, up against like a shit club, you get up six nil quick. Respectfully, obviously, saying shit club. Like I'm sure you're a great club. But then they do a short kickoff to try and get some momentum back or something, or again, it goes wrong. Or they choose to receive. And it's like, yes, wait. We'll just kick long. Very in the corner again. Make your way ahead of your own. It's a win-win for the good clubs. Yeah, I don't. If you don't have the energy and the muscle to defend the set after they've just scored, how are you going to have the energy and muscle to break out of your own in when they've just scored? Yeah. It's a complete distraction of like. It actually used to such a non-event, so like defensive side. Again, the only thing I can think of, let's just say the timing of the 20 instead of the 40 is super interesting that they try to put those two rules throughout the same time. Because that just suggests to me that, let's just say there'll be a subconscious feel of like, okay, this team's under the pump. Like, okay, put it this way. Let's say you get scored against, you're asked to get the ball kicked off to you. If I'm a team trying to hold you in your own end, I'm going to be shooting off of the line. If you're shooting up off the line, higher chances of getting a six again against you. Yeah. And I think there's already a lack of transparency around accountability with the six against, obviously. I mean, we don't know as fans, maybe they are going through every single one with the referees, but still, even as fans, you just don't know what gets. I mean, I just think the biggest tell of the subconscious kind of mindset, I guess. And when I say subconscious, it's not intentional, but just game two of the last two already. No, no. Like, it's, it's glaringly obvious that there is like a, almost a sense of, I don't even know. It's such a smart rule to succeed again, too, from a NRL point of view, because by the time you start blowing up, play still moving. Yeah, you know, with the penalty play stops, they're kicking for touch. You see, there is a fan and go, "Oh, what was that for?" And then, like, kick on. Whereas, you have to hear what was that for a moment. And then, like, play case moving. So, you forget about it pretty quickly. And it would be clear, like, I liked the six again rule, because I got rid of a lot of the wrestlers. Like, it changed the game for good, but I just felt last week, at least the last couple of years, I felt that we got in such a good spot. The game was in such a good spot. And maybe it will stay in that spot, but I just don't know why we needed to change all this stuff. I would have made less six against, not more. Yeah. Because 2021, obviously, you had triaths. It was like a triaths case, yeah. It was too much. Yeah. But then, like, we found such a happy medium, last few weeks, last few years, where it's not just a wrestle fest. It's not just constant tries and just a touch football. I don't see why they. And I think that's what's made for the landies and Abdo is so good at their job too, is that they are always looking for ways to innovate. But last three years, we've had arguably two of the greatest grandfathers you've ever seen. Oh, no. So, it's just like two out of three. And then, what was the other one? Penaroth. Penaroth Melbourne was a bit boring. That's boring, but that's what it's called. Yeah, but it was a different kind of. Maybe like purest sort of froth game. Exactly, yeah. It was a grind fest. Because that's the type of fully-played teams they are. And that speaks to. We've found that spot that. You look at the last few years, like the Broncos Storm game. You wouldn't look at it. It was a tough game. It wasn't a grind fest. I would still try a squad line-bratch through the middle and it was a great game. It was a great game. Common denominator is, obviously, Broncos. Yeah, completely. Actually, what do you know of them? 2024 game. Absolute grind. I know. And the great grandfathers. Yeah, you guys have had a few good grandfathers. It's just so squirrely. A bit of time between them, but that's fine. But look, I think that 2024 completely opposite game. And, you know, people still frothed it. It wasn't either trials, it wasn't either moments, but it was just a defensive battle. So it's good that you're in a position you can get both. It's like, no, don't fuck with the game, guys. All right. All right. All this brought to you by Ashley Mazda by any six, three, or six, five, Rasty Mazda. But X rental sale. And one lucky person will be gifted a truly unique experience a day at the footy in a corporate suite with X and RL players. Alex Clandral, you know, you're in myself hosted by Le Camila, the Carmen. 2024 CX 5G 20 max is three, two, one, eight, four, four. Sorry, three, two, eight, four, four. But didn't need discount. Is this a discount of prices? I've got it. So the CX three S is 26 500. And the CX five S is 31 500. Wow. There you go. There you go. Also, don't forget code sports $49 for the you go to lontel.com.edu/blok. And lontel internet the best in all the land. We've got lontel. I go home every day. I got the best. It's friggin' sickest internet ever. I haven't had any dramas. But if you have dramas, you call them boom. They take care of you. Lontel.com.edu/blok. Get $25 credit. Seven hours free trial. No contracts. No credit card. Give it a try. There you go. And then go from there. Master, thank you for the lontel for supporting the platform. Boys New Zealand origin, 2027, thoughts. Game two. Yep. Yeah. Yeah. I think I would have thought they would have gone after game one to get it over. I think it's cool we're going over there. I think it's exciting. But like probably would have made it. It'll be interesting if it's the decide. It's obviously going to potentially be a deciding game for the series. Or it will be to have it over there. I thought game one given that you guaranteed another game with an outcome would have been optimal. But I think it's good to go over there probably around a good time. Yeah. I mean, game two has historically been, certainly in recent years, has been the neutral ground. So it doesn't make sense. But I see your point. Even though I wouldn't have had it in Perth and other neutral grounds. It is interesting. Wouldn't you do it game one when it doesn't really matter? Yeah. Opposite going in. And game one. TV ratings wise is usually the biggest. So it's usually the most hype for it. I like that. I've always loved it. It's a neutral ground. It makes no sense to me that tour at Queensland, one of New South Wales, vice versa. Yeah. I like it. It's musical and deserve it. Yeah. If you had asked me a few years ago, would we like come on? It's state of origin. It's an Australian thing. I've absolutely come around though. I think that not all the time. But it's the crown in our duel. It's the duel in our crown. And if we want to continue to grow the game. Going to New Zealand and think of all the young kids that get to experience it and just go. Holy. I'm not sitting here saying it's as good as a World Cup. All Blacks game. But it's much better than a normal NRL game. So we've got some young guy. He's 13 years old or 12 years old. He's a freak. He loves the All Blacks. But he goes to the state of origin game and goes all way out. Now I know, as a Kiwi, he doesn't get an opportunity. But it's still a connection to the game. It's still a connection to rugby league. So, yeah, I think that initially the traditionalist in me was like keep it in Australia. But now I'm like, no, we've got to grow the game. We've got to continue to grow the game. So I don't like it. I do agree with your point. Should be game one rather than game two. It being a decider like potentially. I don't like that necessarily just because. I don't know. I feel like there is one bit where I'm still hanging on to the traditionalist in me. It is like a decider should be in Australia. That's the traditional part of me. I love what you just said then though. I think we underestimate a lot. Obviously going over to Vegas last few years and trying to capture that new market. New Zealand often in rugby league we talk about it as an existing market, which it kind of is. But there's so much more to capture there from the rugby union schools and the rugby union fan base. So I think in that sense it's a really, really good move from the NRL to do it. Because I think we've all often floated the idea of having a second side over there. There's still so much more. There'd be a lot of kids over there who are still a little bit ignorant to what rugby league is. And it's the perfect way to sort of bring them in where. I think we're going to see a massive return on. I think as well. Obviously the all blacks will never go anywhere. It's the all blacks. But you're getting union when it's obviously the world cup year. But let's just say local union. It's not necessarily that strong right now. It's not like it's the bastion of. Like if you had to go on 20 years ago, you're probably almost like bounce off the local community. Whereas at the moment like rugby union locally, like super rugby in Australia and all that. It's nowhere near as a well-funded and secure as it used to be. So you're almost coming in at a relatively good time. I know it's a world cup year, so that doesn't help. But if you're going to jag a couple of guys that are younger, they're like, you know what? There's only five places per squad in New Zealand that I can go and play professional rugby. However, in a rally, if I keep pursuing it, I can move to Australia. And there's all these different clubs, all these different pathways. It says a lot too that in a world cup year in New Zealand, we'll be willing to pay. Pretty significant money for an origin. Very interesting. True. Let's preview quickly before we wrap up guys. Let's just have a chat about the trial. It was versus Bulldogs. Some guys to look at Mason Barber for me to look at this trial this weekend. I cannot wait to see him play Gran Turis. He's behind Scott Drinkwater. It's going to be very hard for him with Perdu and Drinkwater at the club to get an opportunity. However, whoever knows, like if Perdu stays at six and Drinker gets injured, Mason Barber might be the next up. But he's a guy to watch for me. I think the probably the biggest watch, though, is just Jackson Perdu in the sixth row. Like, it's season to flying. Obviously, the defences is the main focus for the Cowboys. However, if he doesn't click at six, I just don't see them doing anything really this year if he doesn't click at six. And it makes sense, given his off contract, clearly that's where he wants to play a release. He wants to play in the spine. If he was contracted for another few years and there was no real risk of him leaving, I would have, and I initially was, team, just leave him at center for another year. But now that this has happened, I'm glad he's at six and I'm very, very excited to see what happens because he's free. You've got to keep him. You've got it like if. Dude, you almost go as far as putting him at frigging seven for a 12-month period. If you've got, let's say you had Bid and Locked up for a long-term deal, and Perdu was like, "I want to play seven just to get him to sign the long-term contract." That's how much you need to keep a guy like Perdu at the club. Yeah, there's already a lot of stuff going on at the moment, so I think if he comes out and he kills it this way, it takes a lot of pressure off him. Massive pressure. Because he's just such a key part of the roster. 100%. Like yarn to fuck. I mean, he was playing Santa last year. Holy shit. Good to see you, Hill and Luke, you back as well. Absolutely. I was hoping you could finish the year. Absolutely, yarn. Hopefully you killed it. That's more depth for the Queensland board pack. Which you know. You just need it, sir. Yeah. Tina. Flagler's back now, too. That's awesome. I'm so happy he's back for his hook. Yeah. I don't have to think about it for two years for Origin. Yeah, yeah. But again, yeah. Stoke's all a joke. Gladys back. Stoke's back, did you say? Obviously. Okay. For the doggies. Interestingly, relatively. Or like essentially French first graders playing in this game. And so, I guess are they going to probably have a hit out? They have a rest next week, wouldn't they? Before they head out to Vegas? Yeah. They wouldn't be playing essentially going into this without a proper hit out in first grade. So I know they do their scrimmages and that. Look at what happened last year. Just give me a moment. Well, I think so. If you look at. I think a lot of these other guys teams are playing. Pretty much first grade teams. Okay. So last year. The Raiders and the Sharks both went to Vegas, right? And they played their full teams in the second week of preseason. So the dog is another week. Oh, apologies. According to what happened last year. I'm not sure when they're going. But if that's anything to go by, they'll play their team next week. Okay. Fair enough. You know what I'm looking at this. It's actually. It's the the nights that are almost full strength. Almost full strength. Not full full strength. But yeah, okay. So they got another week. Okay. Fair enough. Okay. Some other guys to look at. I mean. For the. For the Bulldogs. Really interested to see. Jordan Chan at Comtong. Because he is the really the only out and out nine at the club. Now Bailey Hay would did a bloody good job. I'm not sitting here saying that he's going to get his job tomorrow. But let's say, I don't know. Bailey Hay would suit. He's always staying that first 13 or first 17 because he's so good. And he's I like him as a utility or 13. But let's just say at 90 struggles a little bit. Who knows. Chan Comtong could be the next guy up for him. I know Turfans air as well. Chan Comtong is still relatively young as a nine. So he's interesting, especially because he's come from. A team that isn't exactly like four footers. And he hasn't been there. They're about the last few years. So. Yeah, he's a big watch. Yeah, massive wraps on him coming through. So yeah, he's an interesting one to watch. New club. Like. For now, so looking in. Looks like a strong environment at the moment. So. Look boy. Look boy. Hop boy. He's another guy to watch. Okay. The nights. I mean, it's a train mooney watch, isn't it? It's it really is the train mooney watch because he's going to be the core of that forward pack. You could say Jermaine McQueen as well. But I'm just I'm focusing in on. San and Smith at seven. Obviously to see how he goes. But also train mooney. That's that's a key watch. But we'll see how this one, you know, works out. The problem is is that. No matter how well San and Smith goes. The next trial they have, they're going to have to fit in. Dylan Brown in some way. Yeah. So he could kill it. Yeah. But they may still want to keep Fletcher sharp at six no matter what. So. The halves one's an interesting one though. Yeah. Because I think. Yeah. Do they. Do they have to play Brown at seven by default based on how big. Price tag is like. Surely not. I think the more the more pressure is. They want to play sharp in the halves. I think that's putting more pressure on it. Because like in reality, I would be putting Fletcher sharp on the wing. Just say, mate, I just need you to buy one year. You could play a lot of fullback this year, which I think is his best position. I just don't know why you would move. Brown from six to seven. San and Smith from seven to nine. Sharp from wing to six. Just to accommodate a young guy who's bloody good and was great last year. No denying that at all. But it's just like. There's so many people playing out of position to accommodate a young guy that was good. It's not like. It's not Nathan Cleary or like Cooper Krump at this stage of their career or whatever. I don't take a while to blossom. You've also got Phoenix there too. Is there something wrong with the name? Some science that you're moving a guy that he plays for his country in that position. I think it makes given that KP does get injured and even like, you know, if he was to end up playing four-day in an origin or something or something happened in race and he played fullback. There's a good chance that he won't be there at different points this year, just based on form. It makes sense to have Fletcher in the outside backs and then you can slot him in there without having to stuff around your halves too much. Yeah. Now in regards to the dragons. Look, I know he'd probably be really young, but interested to see Cade Reed because like we've done the preview and a bit of a spoiler alert. That's the depth of the halves of the dragons is a bit of a question for me. If one of them goes down, they really are. Yeah, it's going to be tough. So this Cade Reed guy, I haven't watched him play it. It's going to be interesting to see him play. But the Couchman Brothers, Helen Gahoo, those three boys. So Couchman, Toby Couchman, Ryan Couchman and Helen Gahoo. Really keen to see them play because they are essentially, you know, in four or five years we could be looking at that lineup starting for the club. So you're looking at the future right there. Yeah, there's definitely like this game. It's going to be interesting. Like they're not full strength, full strength. But those are two bloody good full packs going to each other as the first trial week of the year. Yeah, good to see those young boys back. Yeah, the dragons like, I don't, I'm not sure about him this year, but with those young forwards another year after this year, then they get key on. Yeah, 2027 is going to be interesting one. Alrighty, that is us done and dusted for the week. Thanks Tommy Bon for joining us, mate. Give him a follow on Instagram. Tommy Yega. Anything else going on boys? Nothing else? Nothing. No, I just can't have the fully back. Alrighty, done and dusted. As usual, we'll go fuck ourselves. Thank you. 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