The Stand-Off S7 E28 - Top Two Spots Locked In

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1:17Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Thank you for joining us tonight on Episode 28 Season 7 of the Standoff for Brad and Ritchie. Here on New Zealand Sports Radio, we're here live on Wednesdays on Facebook and YouTube throughout the season. We're here on the top two lapden, top four lapden and the top eight lapden. Anything now is the order. We also saw Jay Arrow come out to a massive amount of respect and worries when it made me very nervous. How are you and what do you think of the round? I'm good thanks Brad. There were some real nice games in the round. I guess it was a little too close to comfort. It's funny one. I don't know that I've ever supported the Wars who were 46 on the board and you're feeling

2:22a bit funny about it. But yeah, that is what it was. We'll review it. How are you? You had a bit of a sore tooth. I understand but yeah, yeah, but tender, but yeah, always ready to go. May that start a bit. Winning our fantasy comp would have sweetened that a bit. Oh yes, it was very new wrecking. We'll save some of that for when we talk about the Dragon's Game Mate because they decide to rest a lot of the dragons guys and give them limited minutes which made me real nervous about my score. And I picked Capewell over Aaron Clark and Aaron Clark got 50 odd and I think Capewell got like 17. And Kalon Pong got three. Yeah. So, but yeah, thankfully I survived that but we can talk about that in a little bit.

3:27So before we move on, I've been keeping note of our episodes because we always forget the milestones. We're 243. Oh. So, seven to go till 250. So, we're going to happen this year. Yeah. I don't think the finals time or World Cup time. Maybe Torsie into finals or the beginning of the World Cup. Not sure. Oh yeah. I'll keep track of it. So we actually don't say the episode after it was our 200th last week. We've got time to figure out something to do. Yeah. But yeah, while we're here live on Wednesday evenings, APM, you can also catch us show at your convenience on our heart radio or Spotify. Just remember the suits when you're on Sport Radio. As always, we're going to cover everything you need to know on the week that was Rugby League including our top stories of the week. A review of the round 26 matches. We'll then take a look at the ladder, my fantasy championship team and the tipping comp. We'll then answer some questions from you guys as well as questions from Preview for

4:31each other. And then we'll preview the final round, make our picks and look at the worries seen to face mainly. So, remember since the comments and questions throughout the show. And we may as well just jump straight into the new Usman. First one, the Adam Reynolds Saga continues, mate. The Broncos came out after their game last weekend and apologized for prioritising a commercial game day activation over celebrating his career while he was doing a lap of one. He also had a speech that he did and all the media were talking about how he didn't thank match in a speech. He thanked everyone else. After that, he came out on social media and said there was no riff between him and match. Your thoughts on all this crap, man, I know you love the Broncos, so seeing all of this stuff happen. Yeah. Too much negative headlines have come from this club this year, you know.

5:39They need to send some spies over to Cam George and Webby's office, taking notes. Yeah. I know the media has talked about a lot. It's the worst premiership defence in modern day history. It goes into the next one where they have apparently completed their season review. They're be fascinating to see what the review says to see what they think went wrong because unless you panthers, you're not really expected to go back to back, but you're expected to be in the conversation, not in the conversation for potentially being a Walden Spooner. But there are review apparently. There was 14 recommendations for what they need to do for next year and matches job is safe for now. I wonder what the recommendations are. Yeah, it'll be great. They're not at liberty to tell you what.

6:41Thank you, Paik. Take your pick. But yeah, there's definitely something wrong there. Do you think that last year's premiership win is, do you think it's a fluke? I don't think it's fluke. I think it's a fluke. Yeah, given that we've been close to 23, probably not. Yeah, I think I said last a few weeks back that if you look at the 2025 season, they weren't that shit hot until they hit like that last 10 rounds and Reese Walsh found another level and kind of carried the team on his back. And then you go back to that first finals game. They were almost gone. It looked like the Raiders had them and then there was some interesting calls and some miracle moments that got them through. A lot of those games they weren't shit hot within those games. But they'd catch fire later in those games.

7:43They got that comeback King Tag. Yeah. Yeah, I mean, they did have a lot of good their way, but you guess you kind of need to walk away with a total rat. You do. And they had a great grand final. But yeah, there's, I know there's been a lot of talk about Mage. He's a sprinter, not a marathon man. So you kind of get him in. He does you some some good and then you get him out. Maybe that's what they've got here, but it goes back to the thing we say every time we talk about a coach losing their job who takes it, who who was around. But yeah, I assume if their downward trend continues into 2027, I don't expect them to be around long. But yeah. There'll be interesting times they're losing some talent. His job being safe's got to be conditional, right? There's got to be a certain point in the year where they have to have a certain level

8:46of performance, I guess. Yeah, but yeah, that I'm assuming is going to be a big story for us every week next year. Next bit of news, mate, we saw the new kick rule in effect, middle only for half a game because both teams kind of refused to do it in the first half. Ken Munster spoke after the match in the city. He's not a fan of it. And sometimes the NREL needed talk to the players about these changes as they're not robots. I think Ken Mcinnis said something this week along the same lines. Sounds like the NREL are going to use it in two games this week to keep pushing it. What did you think of it? You see where this is going the way. Yeah, it's going to happen. It was almost like a bit of a joke in that game. Both teams was almost like that. There was plenty of opportunities. There was a lot of thrice scored, but they flat out refused to actually use it up until it got to a point where I think they just were in our head.

9:47We might as well do it now. But yeah, you could see from that post-match interview, Ken Munster's feelings and I tend to agree. I think it feels like they make a lot of these rule changes every year. They just go forth with it. Yeah. Blendy still like it. Yeah. I was thinking about it when we were in our game on Sunday and the nights were going bang, bang, bang, bang at the start. I was like, if that rule were actually existed right now, I'd be saying you're kicking the ball. I was like, yeah, I wonder what we're going to do. There are moments, but it takes away from the massive let you need to try to win and then you score a try with like 10 to go and you're like, oh, yeah, this is on.

10:48This is going to be a game. Then the team that just got scored on goes, actually, we're going to, we want you to kick it to us now. We'll play slow down and I think it takes some of the hype out of it. And I guess it could help protect you. In a way, like say you're holding on to a two point lead, you just like, consider to try there's like a minute to go. They need to score again to win. You know, I actually know, give the ball to us and we're going to just do slow hit ups and take 30 seconds to play the ball and take the game out. That would really fills a lot of those types of moments. I'll be completely hypocritical if it's the worries doing that, of course. And it helps the worries get to win. But I feel like how it works now creates so many opportunities for real highlight, real on your seat moments to finish games, which is something you can't just throw away because that stuff that people start talking about a week gets more people interested.

11:50And there'll still be ways to even if it's to bring the scores down and make it a bit more competitive. If the guy that gets scored on gets the ball, there's still a chance that if the defense is good, they only make it 20 metres out from their own set and then the team that had the momentum is right back in there again. I just think that my momentum should be something that's earned rather than just given. If you get in the pump, you have to find a way to turn that momentum. One way or another big defensive plays, something. But having a hand at it just doesn't sit well. Yeah, momentum has to be earned and also needs to be rewarded, I think. But yeah, we said last week, Vlandis is going to Vlandis, mate. He's already been every club by Wayne Bennett didn't want to borrow the ball. All the players are against it and he's still pushing it. So he'll push it until it's an official thing, which I assume by preseason as Simon said,

12:58putting in the regular seasons a bit too far, it should be done in preseason. He wanted to have it in this year's preseason, but all the player teams said no. Yeah, I don't know why them saying no now doesn't have the same effect. I don't get it. I fully expect it to be part of the rules next year. If the Warriors go all the way, I'm sure they're going to make heaps of rules to make sure that doesn't happen again. It's a stretch to it, invent a way to counter what you already created, right? A few times I met with the six against and what not. Now he's trying to invent a way to counter it. Yeah, he's put a bandage on one leg and then realise it didn't work. So he's chopped the leg off. That's what he heard. Yeah, the big schools and all that is from the six against it. He implemented. So yeah, and Simon said the PVR, the dictator of rugby league in Australia is pretty much. But yeah, we'll move on.

14:00There's been a bit of noise that the Raiders have granted permission to Hudson Yang to trail to PNG and speak with the Chiefs. I saw an interview with Hudson Yang where he said, you know, nothing's for sure. He's just interested in what they're providing. They do need forwards, I think. And he will get a lot more money out of them than he will get from anywhere else. So if he is interested and they are interested in giving him some big money, it'd be hard to say no, especially a young guy and like him. He could go there, do a two, three, instant, make that coin and then come back to another club if you wanted to. Set up a taste to edge. I mean, they've got great chances and wingers signed. Yeah. But yeah, be disappointed for the Raiders to lose him, losing public and young out of that Ford pack and horse bra on the day. You know, that's a lot of guys that are there losing their butts.

15:04Yeah, we'll see. I was hoping we'd have a bit more news about it before the show, but still nothing yet. Go flowing on from that though. Billy Slater's spoken about the Chiefs and said he would like to see them target some puppy New Guinea players at some stage. You know, that was kind of the whole thing they were promoting about PNG that they were going to look to try to bring in, get some puppy New Guinea talent up into the NRL levels. I think, you know, I can't even remember his name now. The guy that was with the storm, then he went to the Tigers and went off. No, no, Marcus By will talk about it in a bit because he got himself in a bit of trouble. The center. Yeah. I think he would have been one they would have picked up if he didn't immediately retire. Yeah. So he was going to be a target. And I guess maybe it's a thing of they will get a lot of those guys that are playing in

16:08though like the Queensland Cup and that or the puppy New Guinea team, but they're not in a row level yet. So they'll be in the roster potentially and they'll try to develop them. So by the time all these big names take their money and go because they're not going to stick around, they'll be ready. Maybe. I don't know. Well, see. And next for Newstrand Robertson, he said they'll consider the roosters signing Joey Manu on a short term deal at the end of 2027. So he said he'll be available right from the back end. Yeah. I think yeah, if he decides he wants to have that back end of next year playing NRL, I'm sure many teams would be interested, but roosters are quite familiar to him. So wouldn't surprise me to send back there and they have caps face. So it always do. Yeah, it makes sense.

17:08And talking about your Marcus by stuff, Matt, the Daily Telegraph reported that the chiefs are going hard on Nathan Cleary and will be prepared off on 1.5 milla season. That's the biggest deal in rugby league history, especially tax free. Marcus by who's on the PNG chiefs board. So I also confirmed that they are very interested in Cleary and the club has received a warning from the NRL for this statement under the anti-temporary rules. So he's not off contract, so you know how to say that your team is interested. But it's Nathan Cleary. I think every team is interested. Exactly. But yeah, there was, I didn't add it in here. There was some comments from him this week. Cleary, where he said, you know, the opportunity to be playing harps in the harps with his brother is something that elures him, which leads me more to him staying and extending with the Panthers. Yeah. So which I think would be cool. It would be cool to see them, you know, brothers in the harps, be interesting what that

18:12means for Blaz to Lungy. And where he would potentially go. But yeah, I think Jett and Nathan in the harps would be quite interesting to watch. And I think Peter Wallace taking over that job would be doing everything he can to make sure Cleary stays, because I think I said it to you in real and hammering the weekend. If you can keep Cleary, it sounds, and you've got Isaiah Yo, which I think is just, I don't think it's been confirmed, but it sounds like he's on the verge of extending to make him basically a one club player. You keep Nathan and Isaiah Yo, I think you can build a team around those two. And yeah, they've lost a lot of good talent, but you can build around those two, but you lose Cleary I think it disappears. Every invented that squad many times now, and there's dynasty around those two, you know. Yeah. It's no secret. Look at the list of players that've lost in their amazing players.

19:14Yeah. So yeah, we'll see, it sounds very likely that he may go to November 1 though, which I think will make the Panthers nervous, because then people can talk to him, and then those hypothetical monies that we're talking about at the money become reality. And then it's a lot harder to say no to one and a half million dollars a year when it's a real thing on a piece of paper as opposed to a hypothetical and a newspaper. So I'm worried about the hypothetical money mate. I've seen the look on his face on the weekend. Yeah, he wants to come home. Yeah. He's seen his brother now and his dad is he's got a, he's got a fulfil of the family legacy. I'm finished with his business family. Yeah. But yeah, we'll see what happens, hopefully for the Panthers they get the deal across the line for November 1. November 1, World Cup is the World Cup still on November 1.

20:14But I've got the World Cup schedule here. This is great. This is great live. Great live football. You know, November 1 is there's Lebanon, Bruce, France and Tonga, Bruce, Moa and the final two games of the World Cup of all semi-finals. So it would be an interesting time of year because guys like him, if they do go to November 1, they're not really talking are they? Because they'll be focusing on profiting them for the semi-finals. So we'll see. We'll move on before I go into a revolve. Next for the news, Ryan Carr has been officially removed as the coach for Castleford and Super League. Damian Cook has come out in the city, he's going to honour his deal with the club. Sounds like, sounds like that, sorry, our Sloan is still trying to do everything he can to get out of his. So I'm going to say good news, you're not making up stuff on the show well then. Yeah, I'm not smart enough to make stuff up.

21:18And we're doing the show and I've got to do social media stuff for the World Cup. So I've got everything I end out on when everything's played. I was very impressed, you just had that line there. It's in my work bag. It's in my calendar. What a professional make. I've got a next hour spreadsheet on the computer as well. Got all the spot to put all the results and leading trisers for and stuff that I worked on. I see, so I don't worry, please, stupid people know how to make up stuff to restate yourself. Oh, I can spin the arm and I have to. Next for the news, Benji Marshall spoke out about the officials and his sides last saying I've got it the quote here. The level of some of the referring decisions today was honestly outrageous. I thought we caught the raw end of the stick all night. I didn't see any update on if you got fined. I, there were some crazy calls in that game. I thought the drone the way I tried to sell out was rubbish.

22:20You know, but it's we're talking about a lot even from a worse standpoint. As much as the ender, I don't like to admit it where you are on the ladder dictates how some of these calls go. You've seen the benefit of it this year as a genuine top four side of a year. We've had some calls go our way to probably one of them the past and we're seeing teens down the bottom where nothing seems to go the way. It's they wouldn't like to admit it, but they got a level of a frustrating problem in the end arrow like from referees all the way through to the bunker. Yeah, there's been a lot of controversy. Controversies this year. Yeah, which I've got it further down the list. It's not on your notes, but when it because it flows into that the inner route did come out and admit that the bunker made a mistake in the shark's eels game in Edinburgh.

23:20Blake's try should have not been overturned. It's not a week without a bunker apology. Next building is made. The inner row set to review tactics used by the Broncos ground announcer, which was actually former player Alex Glenn. Last round the storm complained mid game as the announcer would scream over the PA system whenever the storm players were attending catch kicks. I don't know if you saw it. It was on all the league shows made. They were showing footage of it. He was like screaming through it as the ball was coming down. The inner row has apparently seen a memo out to all clubs and said that stuff's not on. Don't do that anymore. It kind of feels like the set was a lot. The low point of the Broncos, mate, where they're doing cheek tactics like that to try to get a win. Yeah, mate, what can you do, Australians, mate?

24:20Yeah, since the underarm, I've been six. They invented this stuff. It doesn't happen over here, so I don't understand. But yeah, at least we'll see how the inner row goes around policing it. But I'm sure if everyone knows you're not out of the door now, the opposing team, if it ever happens again, they'll be straight on the phone to the inner air scene that's happening. Yeah, it's just, it's seen like the night to forget for the Broncos, be honest. It started with the Reynolds Crap and then that during the game. Next thing you guys, mate, Wayne Bennett's officially withdrawn his offer to be Maroon's coach saying he wants them to give someone else the job, but he will help them if he can. So I think he's trying to, he's trying to paint them into a corner so Darry's board gets a job, man, I'm sure of it.

25:20It's nepotism at his best. But, yeah, we'll see. I was watching 360 and Dallas is still the opinion that it's going to be Wayne. He doesn't care what Wayne Bennett said. He said it's going to be Wayne Bennett, so we'll see. But yeah, interesting. So many people were not interested in this job right now. Don't blame them. Man, that's, that's hurtful. And then last bit, mate, we've had the first casualty of the inner air media policeman. I don't know if you heard about it. So we talked about it a few weeks ago. The inner air were as part of the new deal. They had to bring in a media cop. These are calling it that was looking at all the people that have clashing jobs. So like Gus called doing media commentary running the Bulldogs.

26:21Brathe Nester player agent, posting in the library 60. Brathe Nester has a board, the NRL, that he is canceling as a accreditation as a player agent and will focus on his media duties. His partner at his sports agency, Fum, will be taking over everything. So he's still involved, but he's not in the capacity where he can be a player agent anymore. Do you kind of wish he remained an agent and gave up the media? Yeah, I would have gone with that for a while. I think the player agent was being where he would be at his best and he could stay off the TV. But then God, who would they get in there to partner, God and tell us? It could end up worse. It could. If he wasn't going to St. Helens, it could have been NRR 360 with Walters and Tellus. Oh, I think that's like riveting TV. But yeah, we'll be interesting to see the whole Gus Guild of the situation, what that does because he's involved in podcasts, I think NRL on 9 and all those things.

27:27And the NRL probably don't want to lose him in that capacity, but he isn't going to give up his Bulldogs, Joey. Different to consider rules for Gus, surely. Yeah. But yeah, so we'll see what happens with Wendt. When we were on the signings, mate, there wasn't too many and then we got two extras today. So official signings, the Cowboys are signing Jo Chan on a two-year deal. I think for both, I think Bateman is leaving the Cowboys, so he will fill in that spot. And Cam McInness has signed a three-year deal to join New York in the Super League. I think that's a good deal for him and some of the young guys at the Sharks will get their opportunity now. I can't remember his name. There was a guy that was basically forced into being a prop this year because Cam McInness came back. He was in my fantasy team for a while. I can't remember right now. Oh, that's right. He was like the next man up, got, looked quite promising and then Cam came back, so he'll

28:32get that opportunity. I'm sure to be third in from now on. Come on, he's good. He is good, yeah. And Raiders have signed Matt Timoco until the end of 2027, but he has a player option for 2028. Not bad for a guy that was basically being offered up in your cut that one a few months ago. That's a great deal for him, especially get that player option on there as well. And then the eels have extended Ronald Volkman until the end of 2028, so they listened to the show, Matt, when we said it would be currently. Great to see him get that sewn up. Been a lot of talking in the media because it's tigers involved about what the farms are going to look like next year with Lua coming in for that holiday. We'll see, I think Volkman will have to be involved in somewhere with how he's playing, but also we'll give him an opportunity to have Lua and Moses to learn off for a year.

29:34It's not bad. Even if you know you're going to have to take a little bit of a backseat for one year and then they'll get given the keys the year after maybe. That might be what they told him when they extended him because there were other clubs that wanted to take him. Yeah, and Paul said fantastic seeing Volkman doing well, proud of him. He's one of the warriors, former players that I don't mind seeing doing well. I was trying the weekend was cracker. Yeah, and then Paul also said Sean Johnson and Cronk could replace Brayton Teller's easily. Yeah, I have a love-hate relationship with Cooper Cronk. I think Cooper Cronk on television is very boring personality-wise. There's probably the puck all in the kettle black with what I put out here. But I think him and Sean are like the very similar. They have such great knowledge and analysis of the game, but Sean has the personality be on TV where I think Cronk sometimes doesn't.

30:37You see it a bit better when he does the show with Maddie Johns. When he's got a Maddie Johns that bounce off. It gives him a bit more life, so maybe Cronk and Mishorn will do that trick. I think he's getting better, honestly. Yeah, it's not even a director or a Seaner, and he's a bit more loose with Sean, Eric. Yeah, so Cooper, I don't think Sean would want to do that show weekend workout. I think he loves what he's getting to do at the moment. But, and Bjorn's asked us a question. We'll put a little star on that and answer it a bit later before we distract ourselves. Bjorn said, do I will be out playing golf and selling Pepsi half the year, so playing a game time for the Valk? Yeah, apparently he's on the verge of signing another food party with the Pupinigny government to be like a tourism advocate as well. He's going to end up owning Pupinigny before his contract is done. I tell you. That is one of the things I'm getting off track again.

31:40That would be interesting if PNG did get Nathan Cleary, because they kind of signed Jerome Leway to be the face of this, right? You get Nathan Cleary, you don't care about Jerome Leway anymore. You've got the Cleary, right? So it would be interesting to see what happened with that dynamic if he took it, because Pepsi is signed him. Would Pepsi really want him if Nathan Cleary's there? You know, but you can't change it. You signed the deal now. But yeah, I still don't have to see Cleary going now. I've completely flipped on that, because I was all all money in on him going to the chiefs. I don't see it either, honestly. And then last signing mate, Worry's announced the extension of tennis style smith until the end of 2030. Great deal. I was very busy at work when it was announced, so I didn't get to do a social media post on it, because the boss was watching me like, or what today. But yeah, I think that's a great deal for the club and for Tanner.

32:44I think Tanner, he was one of those guys that we saw as maybe being a bit part player this year, getting a few moments to stay as claim, but he's really cemented himself as a permanent fixture in that proper rotation. Even though we did say last week, or I said last week, that I would be dropping him when Jackson forwards back, which is no, it's poison shallister. You can't pick a good dancer in that scenario, but it also means that, you know, Mitch Barnett has gone next year. You don't need to go and look for a big whopper from another club. You've got Jackson, James, Tanner and Demetrick are your four prox essentially. So yeah, great deal for him. And putting a bit of length on it in case there is a South Island NRR team in the future where he may want to go home. That's a good point. Nathan Cleary's waiting to see if the Warriors will

33:47lose the Grand Final. If we don't win this year, then we'll see him sign off between 28. It's unfilial. I thought that too. I thought if the Warriors can't win the Grand Final, that's a big bow under him saying you could be the first, you know, your dad couldn't do it. He couldn't do it as a player, he couldn't do it as a coach. He was involved in both of the last Grand Finals. You could be the first clear to do it. But if we win it this year, that's taken away. You'd be the second. But yeah, he's going to stay with the Panthers. Any other thoughts on those signings, Matt? I'm just very happy about Tanner, obviously. The more of these youngins we lock in, it's a great core man. It's a great core of young players to take through into the next gen. So happy. Definitely. So we'll go into injuries now, Matt. There was a few big ones. Obviously the biggest ones, Sam Walk from the Roosters, high grades,

34:48so Syndas Mosis injury done for a year. He's had a surgery. I got a common tamarind ourselves with a huge captain. That's not a bad shout. What was he bleeding? Well, yeah, devastating for Sam. It's so in the TABs, the Roosters' pre-missured favourites tank. They were going neck and neck with the Panthers. That's taken a dog now. They got DCE still. So I think that'll still be okay enough to survive. But we'll see. It's making everyone. We've all talked about it. Top four. Who are the Panthers and Warriors we face? Everyone wants to face the Roosters at the moment. I'm a bit nervous facing the Roosters to be honest, because you've got DCE coming and going media. He loves breaking our hearts there. But the dolphins are on the hell of a run, too. But he had big loss for Sam. For the Roosters, then this one got to watch it live.

35:54It was nasty. Francis Manu Leleua. Leleleua. Are you having a good time? I've been practicing. Dislocated elbow, mate. It was ugly, man. Yeah. He didn't look happy until he got the green whistle. And then he was on the happiest guy in the state. After it's with the green whistle. But yeah, Devastate, for him, he was missing us up. He was and I was more concerned about the World Cup, to be honest. So, hopefully, it's not too bad. They still haven't given us official lead time. He may be okay for World Cup, but it looks like a season will be done unless the Knights can hang on and go very deep in finals. Then Isaac Tungo from the Panthers injured his knee. He's out for two to three weeks. So, he's still be clear for finals presuming the Panthers go deep. Phoenix, Krosselon is out for three

36:58weeks also from the Knights. Has had knee surgery. Again, I don't see the Knights lasting that line, but they'll be good for the Kiwis. Yeah. Yeah. Well, they win. They win. Knights win a right without them on the weekend. They did. Yeah. But yeah, you would think that it's probably in our L season done. Yeah. They would, the Knights would have to get to the third week finals to be available. I don't see them getting the third week. It could be wrong, but I'm just looking at the top eight and thinking who would go against who. Oliver Pasco did his shoulder and for the Titans. No word on when he'll be back, but it's a season's done. It's the Titans. They're not playing finals. Yeah. And then from the Cowboys, Murray Tulumgy, he got concussed at training. He needs clients from a specialist to play again this season as it's his third head knock in five months.

38:01So that's probably him done as well. Yeah. And then failed HIAs make Blake Moser from the Broncos. Zach Lava from the Cowboys both. Eleven Day stand downs means Blake Moser is done for the year because Broncos aren't going on. And I couldn't get it confirmed. It sounded like local illegally asked his HIA apparently. No, there's category. I don't. Category one, the moment you look at it, you don't need a test. Yeah, but apparently he passed it. Apparently he passed it, but he injured his ankle. I'm glad he passed it. I'm glad he's, you know, his head's good. I'm going to, I'm going to I wouldn't be able to get someone playing after that. No, yeah. No, he did fail it. I don't know what the media were talking about. He's labeled an injury return with a concussion. So yeah, there's no way he was on another planet.

39:05Moser was, Moser was as well. I think he got his head in the wrong spot again. I think it was the funner. Yeah, which that does flower sintern naughty boy corner mat. Jacob Syfety from the night's grade two reckless high tackle four match ban for a beautiful tackle. I don't understand what was going on. No, he he's one of those cliche nice guy props and he just he saw as soon as he hit him and he knew he was in trouble. He put his hand up. He put his hand up. Little bit up the field from where you sit, right? But he should be what you would have heard that, right? That was yeah. Yeah, it was just a little bit to our left. Yeah, right there. Yeah, terrible. I was surprised it was a red. I was the miss. The miss is is looning better than me make because she's like that looks like he's not coming back. He's like, I'll be yellow. It'll be fine.

40:06But no, then it was the red as I okay, I can see it. It's just the the old mentality mat. And you'll see he was closing close to the each other. If you were the tackles early in the game too, yeah. I think he was just hyped up wanting to make a difference against Alpego, I guess. Yeah, well, yeah, it was just everything that could go wrong did go wrong. You know, just he got it. He got it very wrong. Yeah. Yeah, four weeks. Yeah, I think in this day and age, it's fair. And yeah, Bjorn said it was a send off all day. Yeah, I'm being facetious. It was a send off. He got him. He got him square. So actually, where you would have been situated was right by the tunnel. Yeah. What was the goings on there? Where has he was walking up? I wasn't too bad. I think there was a lot of people happy with it when it happened. But then

41:08when he got the red, I think people were like, he's still got a couple of boosts, but it wasn't anything to measure. Simply because I think it's Jacob Saifati and he was very, you know, a par-g-eric as soon as he did it. Like, I'm trying to, if it was, I'm trying to think of another player. Like Paul Galin. It was Paul Galin that did that, you know, Paul Galin's a bit of a, bit of a flock. I think he would have been getting it going in. And then why I'm not saying he run was applauding him by any means, but yeah, it wasn't too much. I've just seen some great welcomes up that tunnel or? Yeah. But this year they've mainly been saved. All right, and pure said, did you boo bread or save that for your favourite back? Yeah, I don't boo the opposing team, but I do boo red and pop it. So by As Andrew Webster, Selen is post-match last week. I'm an idiot, so we'll move on from there.

42:09We'll save the bumpy bashing for later on in the show. Tom Hazelton from Sharks, Grey 2, Dangerous Contact, he got a one-match fan. And, yeah, I mean, coming, Luke Lillie, one of the most memorable warriors creasible time. Yeah, go, think about it, you got Morgan Ganon and Luke Lillie. Yeah, I think Will from this way is like, said that, despite what happened to Luke, he still played more minutes than Morgan Ganon has and Morgan Ganon's had two games. He'll give more minutes this week. Sean Lane is, no, I'm not. How many? He played mostly game, he'd only played one game and he's trying to get out of here as quickly as possible. But yeah, so that was all the news. We're moving the NRW mate. We're going long again as we do. After next week, we get shorter, less games to review, mate, so it should tighten up a bit.

43:12Disappointing game from the Warriors, mate. But we'll go through how it started. Titans defeated Raiders 26-20, Roussister Fedor Sharks 36-8, Knights defeated Cowboys 40-6, Dragons beat Warriors 20-18, Broncos beat Eels 40-10, and then Tigers fed Bulldogs 44-14. I was need to go to the game early, as you know, as we talked about, had some issues with the old jaw. He was in a lot of pain, so I waited at home watching the LLTV until the pain met, picked in, and got there with like 10 to go and watched them, you know, capitulated at the end. Very disappointing, had to be against the dragons too, mate. It's just not clicking. I don't know what it is. What's been going on? They've got a great Roussister, Millie, they haven't had them from the start, but you know, you had a lot of big boppers out there.

44:14They should have really got this game and they just didn't. I suppose a bit of knowing from a fan point of view, a windier kind of almost secure as a final spot for them, so there was a lot on the line. And yeah, got a big game this week to try to keep in that contention, if it's even possible anymore. You watched the game sitting at home? Yeah, yeah. Yeah, I agree, mate, disappointing. I'm not sure what it is. You completely write some big names on paper there, and there are some good performers, you know, Stacey Walker's, you can't question her for not putting in, and I mean, I don't know what it is, but we're not clicking as a team. You would have thought looking at this fixture on the calendar earlier on, you target that as a decent win, right, with our team on paper, but yeah, looking at the right

45:15seasons, a lot of chopping and changing of where people are selected and playing and... Yeah, and looking at the ladder, dragons are third to last. Yeah, they're teamed right now, so this should have been one they now. Sharks this week are dead last, but, you know, they almost lost to the eels when they didn't want to game yet as well. So nothing's for granted, but the currently seventh is top six that go into the finals, and there's two rounds left. So they are still a chance to make finals, but yeah, they need to pull their finger out. So I'm looking at it, they had the sharks this week, and then the final round, they have the Broncos. So they need, they need to win this week. The knights who are nicking in with them, the knights who have the titans are actually second at the moment, and they're final round, and they have the Bulldogs who are around the same area. So there is a chance that knights

46:20might lose both, and then if the Warriors win one, they get in maybe, but yeah, it's going to be tough. But yeah, this week I just talked about who the Warriors playing, they kicking off this week and round 10 against the sharks, and Cowboys vs. Roosters, knights vs. Bulldogs, dragons vs. Broncos, tigers vs. titans, and raiders vs. eels. So yeah, I will be making sure I go to the game live this week against the sharks, but we'll move on to the boys mate kicking off on Thursday, Storm defeating the Broncos 46-20. Yeah, let's rock and roll through it. Eight tries to four for the storm, Stefano, Big Stefano, Nick Mene, Tyron Wushart, Tuy Malati Brown, he had a hat trick, Tyron Wushart had a second, and Suo Farlongo for the Broncos, Katani Stags, is a reman had two and Ben Hunt.

47:23Yeah, the storm bounced back in a pretty emphatic way. Brisbane had more than enough attacking firepower to make this interesting, but the storm kept finding ways through the Broncos defense and turned the game into a shootout that suited them. Once they got their attack coming, they looked incredibly difficult to contain, and it was a timely reminder that you don't want to meet Melbourne when they're starting to find their groove, and they know they're out of the finals and even nothing to lose. Just two wheels, two pedals, and you. At Bikes Online, we share your passion for everything cycling. Whatever bike you're looking for from mountains to road, either pedal powered or electric, we've got what you want ready for super fast delivery. Quality gear at prices you won't find in your average bike shop. All bikes are pro-built and tuned before shipping to get you riding quickly. If you find a better deal, we'll beat it by 5%. Shop now at BikesOnline.com and ride more for less. Whatever bike you're looking for from mountains to road, either pedal powered

48:28or electric, we've got what you want ready for super fast delivery. Quality gear at prices you won't find in your average bike shop. BikesOnline.com. Ride more for less. Yeah, I thought they were really good. They look to enjoy having their number one spine back in tact. You could tell they benefit from that. Outside of them, Wyshart showed his versatility in playing out in the centres. The Perth Bears. Probably liked the look of him. He's back in some good form and big Tweet Malati Brown. I thought he had probably his best game with the hat trick and just dominating moments as well. It's just the glimpse of what we know they're capable of. They just haven't been able to keep their best players out on the park for long enough and string once together. Yeah, and your thoughts on the Bronx? I think it just felt like a culmination of a really tough

49:33week slash season for the Broncos with everything going on with the Reynolds stuff. Yeah, they just, but in the game just really poor defensively. They did have a few tries to their telly. Ezra or the couple and then being hunting the second half as well, but just never enough quality throughout the game to threaten a win in this one. At home, the home record is abysmal this year. Yeah, I think it's still any two at home, isn't it? Yeah. And I think something like that. Bjorn Set was the best fear of our sins, Brockson's barbecue. Yeah, I think it's probably worse because Reynolds has done so much more for the NRL and I don't think they gave me. They gave someone else a car, but not have. But yeah, the Brisbane will be

50:36disappointed, I guess, to say the least with this one because they showed they could score points, but the defense simply couldn't cope with what Malvin threw at them. Every time they managed to get themselves kind of back into the contest and looked like they were ready to fight back. They storm out another answer and the Broncos needed to find a way to slow storm down, and unfortunately for them they couldn't manage it. Even when Moses Leo got sent off, they managed to get one try, but I still felt even in that 10 minute period, the storms still out their number, which we'll talk about in a couple of games, made about a team playing with least people and still looked dangerous. But Pain House, despite being on the losing side, Top Fantasy was 64 points. I went with Tom Malady Brown, Patrick Rowe, and yeah, another one we put in the corner of Bradwood and know them if he hit him with the car before this game.

51:36It's a big boy. Yeah, with them too. Big STB. I'm going to call them. It's got that hyphenated last name. We'll look good in our colours with the last name too. Yeah, I'm sure there's a ruin there. We took Warbrook, but this guy's got the double-barrowed last name. Right, yeah, fantastic game from them. You don't want to play them when they've got nothing to lose. They're a dangerous site. Going on to Friday, Cee Ghouls, another impressive win, mate, defeating the Dragon's 40-14. Yeah, running up form just in time to play us. Nine tries to two. Four, Manley, Liho Hauppawari had two. Jason Sab had two. Ruben Garrick, on me, Turbo, Josh Felidi, Platon Farlalo, and Helmoli Ollukwatu, and for the Dragons, Tyroslo and Moses Sully. Yeah, Manley made this game look far more comfortable than it probably

52:42needed to be. They were in control of the contest for massive periods. You took the two tries with the dragons that was basically in almost the final 10 minutes. I think like Final 12 minutes they actually got on. They just kept the dragons at arms length while the attack continued to find opportunities whenever they got into dangerous territory. I think the impressive part was the consistency. They didn't give the dragons much of a sniff and never allowed the game to become a scrap. That the dragons won't because the dragons rely on that footpack and getting in their duty. And Bjorn is reading my notes. Bjorn said Manley looked dangerous, very worried about their backs next week. Yeah, I was going to be a very tough final match for the Warriors this week. Up against Manley. I was kind of lucky in my lips about playing Manley about three weeks ago. But yeah, now I'm not too sure. Your thoughts on Manley?

53:47Yeah, great attacking display from them. Pretty much I reckon result sewn up by half time. And then they went on with the job well in the second half. They did concede those couple late ones, but that was pretty much a consolation try. A consolation try stuff. Yeah, when you think Fosball, just when you think Fosball did, they find it a week straight before playing us a great timing. Manley, thanks very much. I guess no coincidence though that upturned in form, coinciding with Tommy being back and he's just when he's on the field, I guess, you know, happy in that team. Yeah, Devley, before I ask you about the dragons, got a comment saying, only six weeks out to the right believe World Cup in keen on some Kiwi's chat. Yeah, yeah, we our show will continue through the World Cup. I can't remember from the last World Cup, if we reviewed every game, I think we reviewed the big games, we went over the points,

54:50but we loved it. Yeah, the big Boppa games. We haven't discussed what we're going to do there, but yeah, the show will be still going every Wednesday during the World Cup, we will go over the World Cup games. And it will be Kiwi's heavy. Yeah, it will be Kiwi's heavy because of the bias. But your thoughts on the dragons? Yeah, I was just a poor night, I guess, showing that there wouldn't Spurnas for a reason, just defensively struggled all night to contain Manley's weapons in front of the four points faithful. Yeah, that was short and sweet, Matt, because 44, 10 there wouldn't Spurnas made it where you give them their time. I love talking about them being this bad. The dragons simply just couldn't stay with Manley. They struggled to create enough attack and pressure on their own, and once the Sequel started getting on top, the defense began to open up. Conceiting 44 points tells a massive story, but I think the biggest concern was how little they were able to change from momentum.

55:54Once they started going wrong, it did show how important those young forwards are as they saw limited minutes this week in the dragon, but punished for it. Don't know why you would do it. You don't have a chance of finals. You're not resting players. I think they could have made a real fist of this game if you had your heinous churrets in the catchments. Yeah, like they normally are. So you're not the finals, mate? Yeah, just preparing them. I don't know if he got a tap on the shoulder from Walters saying that I want those guys in the kangaroos. Don't get them hurt. I don't know. Who's to say, but Jamal Foggedy top scored with 79 points, but I went with Tommy Turbo. Not the best game from Tommy, mate, but the reason I'm giving it is he had a horrible night catch and bonds, mate. And there was one moment he had dropped a couple, then he caught one and he did a fist pump after he caught it while he was still in play wrapping. It just tickled me, mate.

56:55So I'm giving it to Tommy Turbo. I think it's no coincidence that his return is kind of linked up with the Seagulls bounce back into form. I agree completely with that. And I said it in my notes, but I wrote his name down accidentally. I didn't mean to put him. I think I was going to have Molly, but yeah, sorry. Yeah, I agree though. He's the, yeah, no coincidence, right? Couple of weeks he's been back and they're just falseballed again. Yeah, we've got a question. I should have saved it, but I've still got Bjorns for later. But are we worried about the amount of injuries in the house we've had this year that we've only got three half signs for next season within our out experience. CHT, Tme, Montana, Boyd, coming off the ACL plus Tme is going to the open market coming over him. He was going to open market, but he ain't going nowhere. You can't, you can't pick him like you can here over an hour. And I think he

57:56even said there was like a guy going around saying like, what would you give up for the worries when the grand final this year? He was asked would he give up hunting and he said he'd give up deer hunting but he wouldn't give up pick hunting. So I, I know I see he might go to market, but I think he's happy to stay here. He's basically said he's happy to just keep doing one year deals if that's the case. I would be worried normally, but not with how we've got his structure. It feels like he can put anyone in there. And I'm sure there's, you've got Jail and A. I know everyone keeps forgetting about him. As a half because he's, he's carving as a center at the moment, but he was sewing him like as a half. I think he'll be involved in that process as a half. And there's some of those younger kids that will get, get time. So I'm not too worried. If you would go pick hunting and be a G. Yeah.

59:00I think he'll be, they'll keep him. He doesn't seem to be a guy that's looking for a million dollar payday. He seemed very happy with his role at the club. I guess the difference would be if the worry is when a G.F. with him is the seven, that may change things because there may be other teams that go actually. You might be happy there, but we'll sign you with a massive deal and how you can, we're flying in New Zealand, go pick hunting. I mean, the depth is always one or two injuries away from being a worry, especially when next year we're going to lose Metcalf and Jack Cleary and guys like that. And how has that been prone to injuries? I'm less worried if Egan stays injury free next year like he has this year because I think he's one of the big reasons why it's met at least who's pulled on that seven and six jumper. Yeah, he's running the cutter a lot

1:00:01of the times. Yeah, cheeky segue into gambling responsibly. Two weeks ago I put money on Egan to be the Clive Tutual Weather list because it was paying crazy odds at the time. The favorite in the Warriors to be the Clive Tutual Medalist is Luke Meckup. He's the favorite. It's him then team but yeah, I think Egan's like fourth favorite from the Warriors side of things, but I was sorting it all that that's a juicy one I'm going to throw a little bit on that. I think if we win a grand final it's got to be one of our forwards one in that medal. Yeah, I feel like Egan's been getting a lot of talent. But yeah, it's a year and yeah, I don't know. But yeah, yeah, and then at the comments we started the season with Meckup still recovering from injury and team M breaking his leg. So Tana will still be recovering started next season. If one of team M will see you see you injured then the Lennate is I think that's what it's going to be

1:01:04if that's the case. I know Tana Boy is pushing to be in contact by Christmas because he wants to hit the ground running but yeah, we'll see. We'll move on. We're getting side-tracked again, apologies. Final game on Friday, Panthers to Finn the Bulldogs 2014. Yeah, three tries to two for the Panthers Liam Martin times two, Casey McLean for the doggies Matt Borden and Jacob Preston. Yeah, Penner, I've got the job done against the Bulldogs side that's made plenty of teams uncomfortable this year. This was less about blowing Canary away and more about Penner knowing exactly window attack. They didn't need to turn the game into a track meet. They've picked the moments to fender the Bulldogs strengths and did enough to keep them at a safe distance. A few questionable calls in there that I didn't understand. But yeah, Panthers at this time of year, if it's by one pointer, if it's by a hundred, they'll just beat you. That's just what they

1:02:06do at this time of year. I was hoping the Bulldogs would help us out. I guess the way they did was by trying to keep the margin a little bit down, but your thoughts on the Panthers? Yeah, not too dissimilar from yours. It was just a classic sort of Penner, a graph D1 completed at 93%. So they gave the dogs very little for free. Whilst probably not at their brilliant attacking best, you're right, they did get some calls and they kept the scoreboard to can over with penalty goals. And that was more than enough to put the lights out on the dog season. Yeah, and your thoughts on the doggy's? I thought they were in the fight. It took a slight deficit on the scoreboard into the break, but they were right in their throwing punches. But yeah, just as I mentioned, I just think the Panthers sort of completed sets so high and sort of just did that until the Bulldogs couldn't sort of keep

1:03:17up with it, I guess. And they uplasted the dogs, but yeah, it's been a lot of a season of a lot of what-ifs for the dogs, you know. I know we've seen some great ones from them, including beating Penner at the early in the year, including beating us. But yeah, it's just where's that been all year. Yeah. It just shows how good they could be if they had a half. But yeah, they'll be disappointed here. There's no shame in losing the Penner's when they make you work. When you make them work for it, I thought the Bulldogs did compete hard and stayed within striking distance, but they struggled to generate enough attacking opportunities, talking about no like Stephen Cried and they're probably the worst game I've seen from him in quite some time. And they couldn't really put the Panthers under any serious pressure. They needed something special later in the game and just couldn't find it. Yeah, Cried and there was just so many opportunities where either he took the wrong option or

1:04:21just didn't work, you know, how many kicks he kicked that just went too deep and he's not a he's not a fight that it's not his fault he's doing what his coach is telling him to do. But yeah, they need a proper six and seven, I think if they want to get there because they got everything else. But yeah, Jacob Preston, 80 points in fantasy mate from the losing side, but I went with Liam Martin, got that double was just very physical all night and yeah, when he's at that kind of mood, it's very hard to stop him. Yeah, he's your plan. He's called the double, played like a maniac. Yeah, that's when you're likely a man. Yeah, and Bjorn said, um, Panthers seem to be, I know we beat them, but they just look that little bit better when they want to. Yeah, it's, um, you have regular season Panthers and your finals Panthers. They're two completely different outfits. You know, I harp on it every season. You know, that year they won the Grand Final and looked amazing,

1:05:24they lost the Tigers in the Riftless season and a big strength Panthers outfit. Um, they just, they're just so entwined with finals that, you know, when push comes to shove, they just know what to do. Um, so yeah, they're definitely, I think the D team, uh, that are most, uh, the most, uh, odds on to win the whole thing. Um, I, I'd love to see us face them in the final. I think we could give them a run for their money, but yeah, you get them in Grand Final mode and they're, they're just a class above everyone unfortunately. But yeah, um, they will change, they'll change in a couple weeks, hopefully. Uh, first camera said day, rabbits to fin the Titans 42-22. Eight tries to four for the rabbits, Camari had two, Keon, Kalua, Matangi, you and Aiken, they've fed a tell us Duncan had two and Aj, of course, for the Titans, Big Tino, Faso, Malawi, Oliver Pesco,

1:06:27Siali, Fiamani and Aj, Brimson. Yeah, uh, Selbst, um, finishing the season with plenty of attacking confidence, that's for sure. They're a Riftless against the Titans and once they start of finding holes, they didn't lead up. Um, what I liked was their willingness to keep playing positive football rather than become conservative once they had to lead. They keep stretching the Titans and were rewarded with another Big Attack performance. Um, the start of the match with Jariah was amazing. And I was worried that it was going to disrupt them, like the, the emotions of it and the stop start nature, um, but it gave them a massive boost and, um, you know, we get to see that again this week against the roosters and I think it might give them that extra bit they need, um, to get across the line against the roosters too, but yeah, very impressive from the rabbits. Um, yeah, they're, they're informing at the right time again, uh, your thoughts on the rabbits. Uh, they put on an attacking display of note, uh, in that first half and

1:07:30they took the Titans to the cleanest for that, for a 28-6-half time lead. Um, and then finished the game with three more tries in the second half and put nine clean line breaks. Uh, yeah, just looked deadly as you said. Um, and a really great result and a big match for their, for their brother Jariah. So yeah, it was, let's start that match was real, you know, it was real feel good and emotional, not feel good. Yeah, you feel terrible for Jari, but, you know, you feel great that they allow them to do that and Jariah look like he's loving it, you know, um, having some fun with that. So for them to go out and put on a performance for it, like you said, um, a performance to match that was, that was great. Yeah, and you thought on the Titans. They, they showed some attacking spark in the second half, dotting down for three tries in the

1:08:30second half, but I guess just classic Gold Coast Titans defense was on display throughout this game, you know, very, yeah, I'm not going to sit here and say terrible. It was poor defense, but we've seen the rabbit. I was put a lot of points past us and we're going into that game. I think we'd had one of the best defensive records in the comp. So they, they know how to pick out holes and they know how to create overlaps down that left side and yeah, tough night, tough night at the office for Titans, but yeah, the rabbits are seem to be in that mood right now. Yeah, um, you know, Titans, they did, it's, you said it, the cliche of the Titans, but they scored 22 points. It's great for them, but they can't stop, um, conceding them. So the attack is there. It's just yeah, the problem is they simply couldn't keep their rabbits out, which, um, you know, there's no, as you just said, easy as it didn't done anyway, um, every time

1:09:31they managed to score in that second half and get them chance getting back into the contests, the rabbits answered, um, back, you know, they scored what in the 47, then 53rd minute, um, and then, um, you know, uh, the 71st minute, but then there was three tries and 10 minutes from the rabbits at the end. So there was chances, but, you know, they just got to work super hard on the defense. That's their problem. They can score points from anywhere, um, they just need to learn how to stop them, but they're losing Philip Sami, who's the guy that scores a lot of their points, um, they're willing to let it. It was AJ, wasn't it? Is it AJ that they were letting said could go? So there are some key players that have been helping their attack that might be going to. So, yeah. Who knows, uh, Cam Murray, top scored fantasy with 107 points and who's, uh, I went with this well, um, great effort off the bench, Matt, um, made a real impact. But, um, yeah, double try, um, just wasn't there,

1:10:36he's really found some form, uh, late in the season. And yeah, he probably was best on ground. My pick wasn't best on ground, probably not going to pull daily in points with many people, but I went with David's for feeder. For, um, that moment in the 20th minute, the, the, the try, the long ranger, um, kind of try, like, probably not many people in the game can score, but it's one he can and yeah, it was sort of back to old David for feeding, you know? Yeah, for feeder of old. Yeah, great to watch. Yeah. Then we go to next game, which was probably one of the more anticipated games of the round, uh, Dolphins to find the roosters 2612. Five tries to two for the Fins, maybe fun with Selon Cobbow with two Max Plath and J.M.K. for the roosters, Rob Toyer and Celici Fakiri. Yeah, um, Dolphins picked up another impressive scalp here and this one was particularly telling

1:11:41because the roosters have been one of the better sites, you know, uh, this season, um, and there was so much on the line, uh, they didn't need to turn the match into a shootout instead they were able to frustrate the roosters and make their opportunities count. Um, it's a really good example of the Dolphins showing what they can do to win different types of games and defensively, which has been their weakness this year, holding a teen like the roosters to two tries is a massive confidence boost to getting in the finals. Um, that was always the thing we talked about saying they can put 40 points on you but they're going to concede 30. Um, so to see that, um, you know, Marke, I needed Marke, Marke from my multi mate but they kept him completely quiet. Um, to you, really good to see from the Dolphins and make me really worried about them come finals time but your thoughts on the, on the Dolphins? Yeah, well, it was a bit of a statement wasn't it? They conceded early but then went on to score the next four, announced it, which kept off the dominant first half, second half

1:12:46they had to do it the hard way. Um, and that's where they had to dig their heels and defensively like you said, Brad, one stage being down to 11 men. So, um, to show that what a true we haven't seen from them is just showing a different string to their bow, which, which makes them a more worrying outfit I think heading close to the finals. Yeah, and your thoughts on the roosters? Um, yeah, tough night, tough nights to turn up looking a little flat, you know, they with sort of top spots on the line, um, they looked a little mesmerised at times by the Dolphins playmakers, you know, Izzy and, um, Cody and Egrima. Um, and the space that those playmakers gave that, you know, the big weapons, the, the cobbos and the herbys, um, they just, they just, they just seem to struggle with that roosters whilst not being able to get off their attack, which they were unknown for, you know, they look clunky with ball and, and losing Sam Walker

1:13:50just makes the loss hurt that much more, you know, it's, it's very impactful for the tail end of the season. Yeah, um, yeah, it was a frustrating afternoon for the roosters. They never really got their attack firing. It's been too much time trying to manifest opportunities rather than create them naturally, which only got worse when Sam Walker left the field. Um, Dolphins is a plenty of credit, as you said, you know, playing, um, with 11-minute one point, um, but the roosters, uh, will know their well below their best. Um, to our point simply wasn't enough to put genuine pressure on the Dolphins, and, you know, I'm sure they've taken a lot of lessons, uh, for finals. Um, and, um, yeah, Bjorns asked, can the Dolphins be the first team to, uh, for the take, uh, can see 50 or 60 and win the con? Would like it just so we don't have to hear that stat anymore. I think they genuinely could, but I don't want it to happen this year because I want the worst thing that it's gonna be.

1:14:53But yeah, I think with how they are, they generally could be a team that would beat that stat, um, because they're being very impressive. Um, Ruby Farmworth top scored with 71 points of fantasy, but I went with Selwyn Cobbow. Got a nice double. I keep asking them to get more tries, because I need them to get up that fucked trisco real I love this for my prediction, but, um, I thought, and I think even the commentary and the guys after Matt even said it, like the changing Cobbow since leaving the Broncos and coming to the Dolphins is really, um, he's really got his groove back, um, so to speak. So yeah, I thought it was a massive game for him. I agree. I went with him too. I just, he was so impressive and has been throughout the whole year, even if he doesn't get that prediction correct for us Brad. Um, either way, I'm just so impressed the ways come back this year. Yeah. And there's only so many times we can give her be player at the day. Well, move on to the final game on Saturday. Cowboys fin the Tigers 2014.

1:15:56Yeah, full tries to two for the Cowboys. I'm just ahead to Helm Luki and Jackson Perdue for the Tigers, Joral Scouts and and Junior Tupo. Yeah, Cowboys are exactly what they needed to do against the Tigers here. They didn't get dragon into a wild attack in contest. Um, and instead, kick the game on their terms, uh, had a better help from the rest. I think with some of those calls though, um, the defense, their defense gave Wess, uh, very little to work with. And once the Cowboys established a lead, they were able to manage the game without giving the Tigers an avenue back. A usual win is the head towards the business end of the season. Um, you know, keeping them. I don't know if they were already secured in the top eight because the boggies lost at this point or if they needed this win to make sure it for a fact, but um, yeah, who would have thought at this time of year we would talk about them being a finals team. Um, I definitely didn't have it on my cards.

1:16:57Um, are your thoughts on the Cowboys? Yeah, they did face a tough first half. Um, they turned the screws in the second half, you know, they took the opportunities. The better of the two teams, I think they got the better before battle which helped. Um, but yeah, they were the more clinical side and to lock up a lock up final spot, whether with a week left is yeah, like you say, it's, it's massive. We, we both predicted the top eight in firing during the season this year and, uh, I think they're locked in the final spot. Yeah, exactly. And the lock in the final spot, they had had a couple of bad results throughout the year. A couple of big losses, but I think even to finish top eight is, I think better than what a lot of people would have predicted. Yeah. Uh, and your thoughts on the Tigers.

1:17:59It's, it's, I think made more disappointing after what we saw from them against the roosters the week before, you know, that's what they're capable of. Um, yeah, they were putting up a fight and leading narrowly at the break. Just, I guess too many areas and some key defensive misses found them chasing the game in the last quarter. Uh, and that's when you saw their fight dissipate, but, uh, and you, that early fight go away, but, uh, yeah, frustrating into the game, frustrating season. I guess all around for the Tigers. Yeah. Now, we want to say also some seeing Jason Tomlall will play so well again, Dan Boykin. Yeah. Yeah. He's, he's well back the clock, which was great to see for the Cowboys, but yeah, for the Tigers, um, after the high of knocking over the roosters last week, um, this was a reminder of how difficult it is to produce that sort of performance every week. Uh, Tiger struggled to create the same attacking spark and couldn't

1:19:00put enough pressure on the Cowboys. They competed, but they never really looked like taking control of the game, which kind of the DNA, uh, for at least the back, uh, the, well, three quarters of the season, I'll say at least the first quarter they looked, they looked the business, but, um, yeah, just kind of wilting out again. Um, Terrell May, uh, continuing the trend of top fantasy score being from the losing side. He had 68 points. I went with Tommy Chester, Matt, uh, got a double and he completely biased here. He's kind of been the lifeline and backbone of my fantasy team this year. And, and the troubling center spot where it's always hard to find a good player. He's been solid every, every week. Um, so yeah, I'm showing him some love, um, as he helped me win my championship. I went with him as well. I just think he's, there's so much potential there with him. He's already looks to be an attacking powerhouse. You know, a lot of pace, runs hard. Um, he's got

1:20:03special moments in him. So, um, yeah, like the look of him. All right. Now I want to, the first game on Sunday, mate. Sunday afternoon game for the first time in a long time. Where is the Fin the night's 4632? Um, eight to six. Uh, for the wise Jacob Laban had two, Wade Egan, Aaron Clark, Demi Vomonga, Adelaide Tawa, Adam Pompey and Luffy Campereira, four the night's Fletcher hunt had two. Uh, Francis Manu Lela-Lua, Jermaine McEwan and Greg, Greg Mazur, you can bugger right off. I tell you that much. Um, yeah. Um, two for Greg Mazur. Very impressive. What an athlete. Yeah. Um, well, if you wanted a reminder of that, the Warriors can school points if you had forgot to know the past couple of weeks. Uh, this was it. Uh, despite not playing well, um,

1:21:06putting 46 points on, uh, how massive for taking performance. But the frustrating part is that they made their life so much harder for themselves than they needed to. Allow Newcastle to hit the ground running, you know, what was it like, 16? No. Um, yeah. At the beginning, um, and the attack was a little bit at times when they did get back into it. Particularly when the Warriors got the ball moving, but defensively there was still some things to clean up. Uh, we talked about it before we jumped on. It kind of goes into what Bjorn's question is later. Um, the, just the defensive structure seen, all that, um, odds and ends this week. Potentially due to the, the halves that had come in and I said to you, was it that the, the second row was didn't trust the half they had, which meant the center didn't trust there. And then it like went out and out and out. Um, I'm not sure. I'm not in there. Um, and yeah, Mazur's first try was definitely some tinny ass thing. Wouldn't see that try happen ever again. Yeah. Oh, swearing. Yeah. I hope he didn't forget his lotto get because

1:22:12yeah, that was so lucky. Um, and then Bruins said, I think eight out of five times the night's went around us when we're down to 12. Yeah. Um, there was, uh, I keep, I keep, uh, plug in the mate. This worries life. When they had, they mentioned it on Tuesday. So I'm just completely stealing it from Fondzine right now. But they interviewed, um, even last year, the before-side and they talked to them about that game of the sharks where they had to mend down and he said like, you're absolutely in your head as a fan watching you go, you just go out wide because they've got a man but, um, out, but you have to keep going up through the middle. And, um, since Dylan's been going, which is crazy, um, because we always come, criticize them. Yeah. That each defense has fallen apart. Um, Pompies out there and doesn't know what he's doing. Um, yeah, it's just, yeah, a mess. And as a concern, because you know, um, final's time, teams are going to do that. They're going to go,

1:23:12we, we probably can't compete with them up the middle, but we've shown even on the back foot, if you spin it wide, there's going to be an opportunity. Um, but, um, yeah, at this stage of the season though, um, they have to clean up that defensive stuff. Um, but I happily take a 46 point performance with the expectation that the kinks are going to be aligned out by the time finals come around. And, um, Bjorn said, uh, love the four pms, ls 2p and kickoff time reminded me of the 12 2p and kickoff's back in the day. I actually said that to the Mrs. Matt. We're sitting there and she's like, she had, she's not used to Sunday 40 and I said like, that's always the two. Yeah, I said back in the day back when, uh, Rich and I were just little kids going to these games, uh, little like 20 year olds. It was always a Sunday afternoon. Made it awesome because I was still playing at the time as well. So I could get my game done on a sad day and still go over the game. Uh, retired because they started playing on sad days and I couldn't, uh, came too stressful trying to get from a game in the wake at her all the way up to Mount Smart. But, um,

1:24:17um, yeah, I love the four pms kickoff, um, on a Sunday. But yeah, your thoughts on the worries, me. It was a funny one. I think it's saying to you before we came on, like, I don't ever remember feeling a bit funny after a 46 point, uh, when we were put 46 points on the board, but it was just a weirdo game, you know, they always are when there's like, I see it, I nearly send off. It changes the whole feeling of the game. Um, uh, the way for me was we were still, up until that point where we were getting dominated anyway, you know, um, they were getting a lot of, they were getting a lot of tack off with their edges, um, Manu Le Loa, McEwan, um, Fletcher Hunt, Sniffing around there, uh, around the middle to the second rose and getting a lot of benefit and poke a lot of holes through. Um, I guess it wasn't until that send off,

1:25:18or we started to get a bit of a sendency back and get our attack off. Um, and we had a lot of moments that were great to watch and encouraging, um, lot of nice tries. Uh, Laban looks better and better all the time. Uh, Egan always just been fantastic all year. Um, but yeah, I guess once Luke Loughleley, Loughleley went off, which was very sad for him. I think that's where the edges went to water again. You know, I was excited to see what would happen with Luke out there, but then it became a shift pompier to a wing again and it's, yeah, we were talking about it before coming on tonight. It's just seemed like there was no trust there of the inside man and all of our wings and centers were held bent on jamming. I think definitely AKP and Aile Atawa were very guilty of it. Just a lot of Russian in China, do a big hit, shoulder charge

1:26:21and kill the play did there, but the nice and two craftier of an attacking team to, you know, and they just adjusted and held on space outside, outside the jam. So like the comments are pointed out, it was very plain to see. So, please to get the win and lock up the top, a top two spot, but, um, yeah, definitely work on. Yeah, and before I say about the Newcastle, Bjorns asked if we win the comp, will you guys do the Nick Show of Blunt here, worked on the weekend? Matt, I'm too old to do my bleaching anymore. All right, I'll probably still be pissed by the time we say comes round if we win the crew. I'll be, I'll be celebrating. I'll get tattooed if we win the grand final. There you go. Well, see, I've already got one. I've already got a Warriors tattooed. In another way. I got them before they were cool, man. I got them in the real shit.

1:27:25Right, your thoughts on Newcastle? Yeah, very brave. They've got a lot of praise for how brave they were and they found a lot of space and they looked like they look like the team with one extra player, somehow for a big period to that. They did have a bit of luck, you know, like it was pointed out in the comments earlier, one of Mars use tries with the with the Falcon Off tour, Peaky bouncing off someone's foot straight back into his hands on the burst. Would never see that again in your lifetime. But then a second one is just pure athletic freak running over a small fallback. You know, there's a couple of moments there. You take them away and maybe it takes a bit of spark away from the Knights, but they threw a lot of punches and we're up until right towards the end of the game. We're right in it. You know, took a lot of persistence from us to put the lights out on them.

1:28:30But I think they'll take a lot of confidence out of that. Go in and to finals the Knights, you know, they'll take a lot of heart and I'm not sure who they're match-up against. Sure, they'll give them a good shake over it is. Yeah, Newcastle was a deep credit for refusing to disappear from the game despite being reduced to 12 men, you know. I'm scoring 32 points against the Warriors side. In the current form, the Warriors Aaron is nothing to sneeze at and shows the worst capable Megan and Contest of it. And an impressive start. Scoring 32 points when K-On Ponga had probably one of his worst games of the year as well as a Master of Credit, you know, some of the guys they lean on weren't there. Francis going off early as well, which probably hurt them more than losing Jacob to be fair. But yeah, unfortunately they despite that lead and then that comeback later on, they didn't

1:29:37uh couldn't keep the Warriors attack under control. So every time they gave themselves a chance of getting back in after they lost that lead, the Warriors found another way to respond. But yeah, thought it was a very impressive performance by the Knights. Be hard to take that loss as a team and a fan of the Knights, I think, but you'd be proud as a Knights fan going that we know over there they had some odds stacked against them and they looked like they'd be the side for a lot of that match. But yeah, Jacob Leibin, Top Fantasy was 77 points and he's away with, got a double. I'm still not sold on the here, but I thought he was great out there. He's really come into his own this year. We always knew he had the qualities to be a good player, but he's got to a point where he's pushed Leica into the center roll because you can't put Leica in the second row because he's there.

1:30:40Like being another target for the real target. Yeah, your target, which is good. Oh, good. But yeah, thought it was a great showing from him. Me too. Went with him as well. Yeah, I, yeah. He makes some stand out. That's for sure. But so does his performance and he is. He's a great aerial target. It's really nice having weapons both side of the field for that. Gives us so many options and how many times this year if we scored tries off Chanel bombs because we've got Leica's and Leibin's out there. But yeah. He's still so young too. Like a lot of our 40 years future so far. We're even saying that about young. The backline going off topic. They same to a picky was the oldest member of the backline until obviously Pompey came on. Grandpa came in off the bench.

1:31:43But yeah, he was the oldest because all the others are just babies too. So it was a incredibly young backline. Which is I guess another confident thing for the future except three of those young ones aren't going to be there next year. Enhance and query and La Leile but yeah. It's a get out of jail game. Hopefully that's the wake up call. The worries need. I like them getting wake up calls without losing. But to show that you know, everyone even Australia are talking us up at the moment. So I don't know if maybe it was a bit of our shit don't stink. Moment mentally. Especially with going into the game essentially knowing you've got a top two spot already locked in. That's a chance that that maybe misses with your mentally as well. It sounds like RTS talked on Sean's show. Sounds like the next day we'll be kind of kicked all of that should out of their heads anyway.

1:32:48But yeah, we'll see if the attitudes are a bit more aligned this week. It makes a lot more sense how edge defense when you look on paper. When you say that Brad, average age of our backline in this game and having a Hanson and a Cleary and a Tour of Peaky. Impact that chance has another fence. You know, he's a renowned defender, big or physically great defensive communicator. And a gallon, you add a gallon back in and a tomato martin. That's a lot of experience. Then that edge defense we saw makes a lot more sense. Yeah, I think we'll talk about it soon in team naming. But I think chance getting the full backs quite telling. And I think that's second Marju try. Or you could even say, I think the first one you give him a pass, but that second one, where he just ran over to a Peaky, I think we still looks at that and goes, if that's chance, chances got a decent chance of, you know,

1:33:50if not stopping them, slowing them down so someone else can cover a baby. But it is, this is Cleary Marju as well. So I don't know, we will discuss that a bit later. We'll go into the final game on Sunday and final game of the round. Eels to Fiend the Sharks 3818. Yeah, it's extra to three. For the Eels, upper twidel, Wilpen Seni, Mitch Moses, Ronald Volkman, and two late, two, Telen De Silva and for the Sharks, Sionic Artoia had two and Blake Braille. Yeah, this was probably the result of the round that caught me most by surprise. Parameter didn't just beat Cranella, they dominated them. They clearly found something and that worked and kept going back to it. While their own defense didn't have to prevent the Sharks from tuning it into it, a contest, it was just a really encouraging performance from the Eels.

1:34:50It would have been up and down on them this year. They were showing some qualities and then falling back. Just a nice performance all around. And, you know, Millie, the Sharks are falling off a cliff right now, but there's still, you know, a couple of weeks ago, they were still being talked up as a premiership threat. So to get a win like this over them is a massive wrap as you're looking at winding down for the season. But your thoughts for the Eels? Yeah, I was just happy for them that they finally put it all together. And I think this is probably the most complete they've looked in the match this year. I think it's probably easy to say, Brad. Yeah, they flew out of the blocks and had to fight through some Sharks resistance throughout the middle period of the game, but they managed to get a grip on the game again and telling the

1:35:50silver put the game out of reach for the Sharks, you know, with some nice impact towards the end. He played 80 minutes, so I mean, that's great motor there to be gotten down to ice in the last five minutes. Yeah, great win. Awesome result playing spoilers there. One of the big teams. Yeah, and you thought on the Sharks? It's just a really poor game from a team that was battling for a top four spot. I know they're missing troops and Trindle in particular knows, you know, has been, Trindle's been one of their main players this year. But defensively, they struggled. I don't think Trindle's going to help them a lot there. You know, they defensively, they were really poor. Clunky with ball in hand definitely would help them there, but yeah, I guess I guess when it all got too much and it's seen one or two, too many errors and then it's in been poor,

1:36:54poor fit, skippin, put his fist through a computer monitor, you know, which was probably a pretty fitting because this, this loss will likely really hurt their chances as you know, I think it will see them finish outside the four and this historically teams don't do it from there. Yeah, I don't know what's happened to this team you predicted was going to be in the grand final map. They were looking good a few weeks ago. But yeah, the Sharks would be looking at this one wondering how it got away from them so badly and what the hell happened to them in the past few weeks. Managing only 18 points and never seen Kebawar matching parameters attacking output. Once theals got momentum, the Sharks couldn't find a way to get back into it and their defense was repeatedly exposed. After some strong performances recently before the Trindle injury, it's been just a massive step backwards. We talked about it all year that they're a very scary team when Trindle was out there playing out Trindle likes to play and it also opens up Niko to do

1:37:58what he does best and it makes them very dangerous. But once Trindle's out of the picture, it all capitulates. So yeah, they'll be very happy. Apparently he will be back a weekend of finals so that could be just the boost they need at the right time. But yeah, they were a genuine top four side I thought up until a couple of weeks ago and they've just completely, you know, it's their own fault. And then even how you give them that AFB try that they should have got, it's still a dominating game in my opinion. So yeah, Mitch Moses, top fantasy with 80 points and he said why we went as well, he got a nice try. But yeah, he was heavily involved and basically everything. So I gave it to him. I would tell him silver, double at the end, lovely game up, was still dangerous right there at the end, lovely tries. So yeah, it's because you're old and you only

1:39:02remember the last thing that's breathing in your voice. I can't remember what happened in the first half, half. So that was the round mate. We'll go into the ladder. You had top eight last year of time to name. Yeah, I was worried that I wasn't going to get a worries in first place and it was going to be you that got it. But we kept it. But at one point, you know, it's so much easier. Yeah, it's so much easier. I'm sure it was so much better for you at home. Because when the game's on, they usually give you that live ladder when it's stuff like this. So you can see when we're tracking. When you're live at the game, you don't have that. And as you know, man, man, are not good, bad fellows. So I was sitting there trying to count. And I thought when the game was over, I thought we'd cut it and we were sick in place. And then it wasn't like I had a home that I looked at the ladder and saw we got that one extra point. So I was happy. But yeah, worries are still first. Panthers are second, both on 40 points. That points are

1:40:04for each other. And then dolphins moved up to third. Roosters are down to fourth. Sharks, despite that last state fifth, rabbits moved up to sixth. Nights are down to seventh. And cowboys remained on eight and secured their top eight and final spot. You want to give us the teams that will not be playing finals this year? I will. Yeah. So these teams will all finish outside the eight just depends on the order. So mainly in ninth, Bulldogs and tenth, storm 11th, Raiders 12, eels 13, Tigers 14, Broncos 15, Titan 16, Dragons locked in for the spoon. Yeah, I'm looking at it. It's got a set for Manley. There's still too many points out. Now, but positive points to French were plus 100 and the cowboys above the negative 64. What could have been there? Yeah. But then you look, there's them in the storm. The only ones with

1:41:05positive points to French in the bottom nine. And you only won negative. But there was last year before, they were like two or three teams with negative points to French on the top eight for finals. So it's better to see it that way. But yeah, nice to see it locked up. Well, we have the latter for one more with next week where we show where we're unfinished. We'll go into the tipping comp mat around 26. A lot of jokers use this around too. Oh yeah. Because everyone had them. Did you use yours already? I used to. I would. Yeah. So the year, me, Envy Sporce fans, Simon, the boy from S&B and Roscoe all used our jokers. I was feeling confident in this round ended up only getting six, which wasn't ideal. Bloody sharks. I think that means you're just going to finish below me. Isn't that your last one in it? Yeah. Yeah, I got no more jokers left to me. But

1:42:09Evelin is top. The Uker seconds. You are third. Envy Sporce and fourth. On fifth, Simon is sixth. I think Simon's still got another joker to go. He got it all. Yeah. He could this round using the joker could go all in and end up taking it all out. The boy from S&B is seven. Roscoe was eight. Emma is nine. Bjorn's gone up to 10th. Your boy, Matt, even because you just continue to capitulate, Matt, he's down in the room. You're thinking the joint out. I'll tell him one time. ACT Hellcat is 12. Miss Hammer 13. Princess K. Hill 14 and Punisher 15. So you'd be interesting final round. We'll see. See how we go. Go on a fantasy, mate. The winner, catch. Yeah. It would have been very boring if it wasn't one of us winning. Only the only final I made it to and all the leagues were one. Fairytale story, Matt.

1:43:12To get into the grand final, I had to beat the minor premieres. I did it and then I was going up against second place in the final and I managed it. It was close. I think they got 835 and I got 856 because it was a terrible round for me. Hey, Misture got me 28. Coucher and got me 34. Ponger got me 5. Niko got me 37. Thankfully, there was a couple in there. They got me some big scores to help me out. From now on, there's no more fantasy chat for the rest of the season because it's all over and done with. You're mates that you got in. They might probably never want to come back. No, they want to do it for money next year, Game Boy, responsibly. They want to do it for money next year. But well done, great. Well done. I'm happy to take people's money.

1:44:12But yeah, so that is it. We'll go into questions now. We'll start with Bjorn's question, mate. So Bjorn said, our defence is our biggest area we need to improve on to get our first comp. Let him know what points over the last few weeks. Yeah, you go first, mate. I know we've got it in us because I've seen us defend well this year. I know our defence was rated highly up until maybe I'm not sure what it's sitting at now, but if you go back before the last couple of weeks, we'll be considered high. Our defence had been forming well for the majority of the year. I agree that if we defend the way we have over the past two weeks, that'll be our undoing. So it's definitely one of our biggest concerns here. And just by the way, Webby was talking in some of the media. I'm pretty sure it's hot on his agenda as well.

1:45:13Yeah, well, you look, I'm looking now around 20. We can see the 12 to the dragons, then next round 18 to the doggies, then six to the titans, 12 to the panthers, six to the Broncos. Then we lead in 26th and then through rabbits and 32 against the knights. So it is going back up. It's no coincidence that it's also Wendell and left, which is the owner of all of this. And Chans as well. Yeah, much more lined to Fender Dallin that I've criticised a lot last year about his defence. Has really worked on it, and it's either worked on it or they've found a way to get their communication up. Since he's gone down, it's kind of unravelled a bit. But I think with Chans back this week, Chans, I think Chans's strength when you compare him to Tane is he's really good at setting up that defensive line. From back, I don't know if maybe Tane isn't as confident as to set the defence. You see him when you're watching it live,

1:46:16you do see him there, but when you're watching it live from the stadium, when Chans is there, you can actually hear him. But yeah, so we'll see this week, I guess. They're against a team that are no slouches in the attack department. So Alain Bals might still be on if it's another 40 to 30 type score line. I don't know, but yeah, that is the defence is their witness right now, which I get. And they have Patelpops in New Zealand, right? He who is there for the Patelpop line of the 90s? You should have seen me when I have my long hair back in the day, Matt. But yeah, that is my concern as the defence, but I think Chans coming back, I think having Chanel and Tomati and the Harbs again will help with well. And then it's Dallin returns. Dallin, I saw a video of him doing a harker in the changing rooms

1:47:20forward to meet Trick and he looked completely fine with his shoulder and collarbone. He was moving both arms. So I think if he returns as well, I think everything more kind of be fine. But yeah, that's it for me. But you want to, I'll give him my question first, Matt, because it does go correlate with what we were recently talking about. Which was the letter. I'll bring up the letter again. Looking at the letter, which final side not in the top four, do you think has got the best shot of going all the way? I don't think any of them ever shot of going all the way about. Do you want me to entertain you? I think attacking wise, the bunnies are looking pretty good. If you've asked me a couple of weeks ago, I definitely would have said the sharks, but when they were going good, they were sitting in the fall. Yeah, the sharks worry me because they're beating us twice already this year, you see. So

1:48:21they're worrying me less without trend or I see the bunnies having a lot of attacking upside. I see the nights having a lot of attacking upside. I don't see it being any possibility for the cowboys. I don't see it being a possibility for anyone from 5th rate. If I'm being honest, Brad, but yeah, if there's anyone at the moment, off the last two games, probably rabbits the way they've attacked, I don't know, but yeah, it's not happening. I'm the same. I don't think it's likely, but if there is one, I'd go rabbits. The trials back now, they've got some momentum. They're the ones that could, but yeah, at the moment, I think it's a four horse race. Yeah, but potentially even three. Yeah. Yeah, and your question to me, mate. My question to you, Brad. I don't know if we've discussed

1:49:21this like that. We're cool. Where does this Warriors team, as it sits today, 26 rank for you or mangale against L, much loved era from 2002, 2003? We did kind of touch on it because I mentioned that I was working on something when I was meant to be working. I've got like an ex-house spreadsheet that I haven't finished yet. Yeah. Got away. I had the 2002 Grand Final 17, the 2011-17, and then what out best 17 this year would be if we made the Grand Final. And I think this team on paper is better than both of those. Overall, I think there's bits like, if you could cherryback from 2011 and 2002's Grand Final teams to pull in, Clinton Torpes coming into the centres. You know,

1:50:25Manoring from playing 11. Sean Johnson from 2011 as well. There are plays you pull from that, but I think overall structure wise, I think this is the better team, but you know that, that, yeah, and Bjorn saying, I'll pack in our bench as the best we've ever had in my opinion. I think that's way, I think we've got one, if not, the best one of the best forward packs in the comp right now. And that bench, I think, is actually the best bench as well. So I think this is one of the best teams we've ever had in the history, but you know, that 2002 tell 2003 squad has got so many players. Like, Clinton Torpe met first non-forward to being my favourite warrior in the club. He broke the mould. I loved will be. Mark Tukki was there as said, Massive Fan, I know he's got a nice relationship with Roon Hammer and I said like, that boggles my mind that I was such a star-struck little kid

1:51:30back then seeing him. I've seen him at games because he comes all the time. I'm still too shinin' barris to go say hello because he was like the bees in the East for me and then going a little bit later and there's the greatest warrior that he'll have lived, Pellie Cena. You're still getting mentions, mate. Did you see him get taught? That fans pick it. Yeah, it fills my heart with joy when people talk about him. But yeah, I think this team overall, adding in the storyline of the adversity with all the different harbs and stuff, you go back to those two years if we lost three or four halves and those years would be in that situation where we are now with those teams. I don't think we would be. I take it a step further in. Yeah, I agree with you and then say other moments throughout the year to the breaking of the storm drought, Indigenous round. There's been so many moments like

1:52:35that and so many firsts we've been knocking off that just make this one feel really special. There's just that one more to knock off. But even if we don't, I think, provided we put up a good fight in the finals, it's got to be right up there with 2002-2003, doesn't it? I think 2002-2003, we had up there with the best pack as well. Yeah, no doubt. Yeah, Lourtiti, Campion, Tsusu, Villa the Gorilla. We had so many, but yeah, I think now is undoubtedly the best pack in the comp, not arguably, undoubtedly the best bench in the comp. Yeah, and before we go on, Bjorn said, I can't see any other team in the comp who could play their top four halves out of the store play. So yeah, it's, and I'm actually liking, I know there's been a bit of a flag on social media about

1:53:37the media and Aussie finally giving the worries some air time, but I'm actually liking that they're all on that same bandwagon as well saying like, this isn't what you see in the interrupt. Even the Panthers, you know, the Panthers, they can go okay when like Nathan's off an origin duty, but if Nathan, if the next one after Nathan's out as well and you got like the third or fourth string half and their roster, you're basically going on with the Panthers are gone. And that's, you know, the Panthers are the Kringle crop, they're the standard we all live by. So that's, yeah, I think it's been a tremendous story and it doesn't, doesn't get talked about too much, but yeah, it is starting to get some credit, especially when they're talking about Andrew Websters, he comes to the year at the Delliums and things like that saying like, what he's built, he's built a way where you can replace your, your irreplaceable players,

1:54:40which doesn't normally work. But yeah, we'll move on to the final round of the NRMate, starting as always with the Warriors. So Saturday at five o'clock Warriors vs Seagulls at Go Media Stadium, do you want to give us the team? I suppose we should put it up. Yes, please. I could probably rattle off the top of my head, but yeah, easier to read. Fullback, chance, Niko Kluxdar, Wings, Adam Pompey and Luffy Campereira, Centres Aliletto, Lekha Halasima, the halves, Chanel Harris-Tavira and Tomati Martin, name to make a return. Front row, Fischer Harris-Smitch-Barnett, Sam Healey, Wade Egan getting a bit of rest, well-earned. Sikkim Rho, Eddie Edimir, Toyava, gets a start and Jackie Blabin, Lock Aaron Clark, Interchange Macchia Tafur,

1:55:46Tannist-Alsmith, Demi Vyemonga, Morgan Ganon, Tantua Peaky, Kaelis Fatialluffa, and the extended Jett Cleary, Jaila Naine, Hazen Mellus. Yeah, you happy enough with that team? I've got a few question marks on it, but I'll go with you first. It doesn't matter as much given we've locked up top two, so we could have rested many more than this and been fine. But yeah, it's a couple of areas it's a bit. I would have kept Tain in there and then brought Chan's in and not have Pompey on the wing. Personally, that's the way I personal preference. I'm not Libby, he's the he's a superstar coach, not me, but that's the way I would have gone. I'm happy for Eddie to get a look in as a starter. I think he's earned an opportunity there.

1:56:51Morgan Ganon on the bench, he had a little mess with that. But yeah, I think it's a good enough so to do a job if we turn up. Yeah, and Bjorn said you guys surprised that they didn't rest more this weekend. So if you mentioned earlier, I joined late. Yeah, we didn't mention earlier. I am surprised. I said in my review because I'm always a staunch believer if you don't rest. You get a rest after you win the trophy, mate. So I was like, let's see, everyone start. But after that, you know, got my head out of my ass, I was like, I at the backs, I'm not changing like Chanel and Tomati have been off. You need to get them back in football finals and how the defence was in the edges in that last week. You don't give those guys a rest. They need to work on that communication in case that's that team we had those backs we had last week is what we haven't finals, which looks like we're getting. So I don't know if that's why Ponpies been picked going, there might be a chance with Ponpies back on the wing. We need to get

1:57:55those communications in check. But James, Mitch, Egan, Capewale, Eryn, like basically most of those older guys in the pack I would have been resting because we need them at tip-top shape. So I was surprised, Eryn, I can see plan, but I was surprised to see fish. I thought fish would probably have them the week off, but I'm happy enough whether it's just the Ponpies situation. I don't like Tain not being there. One, he's Albez Golkiger and two, yeah, I think he would be a bit of suit on the wing then Ponpies, but that's just me and I, as we know, I've got an anti-Ponpies reputation already and he's done his best to ruin all the good favour he'd done. Like we're in the beginning of this year with me. It's not even about being anti-Adam Ponpies for me. I just

1:58:58don't view him as a winger other than his height and maybe having a height, at least having the height there for aerial challenges, but other than that I don't see him as a winger and he doesn't have the pace for it and he's just one reason. It's not always his fault and Webby made the comment. He didn't get let hang out to dry many times the other way by sides. I agree, but for whatever reason when those are our outsides they don't seem to, yeah, it just doesn't seem to gel and I know in the weekend a lot of it is having rookie halves playing as well. So the trust on your insides is starting from right in there. Yeah, I just don't see him as a winger. I'm sorry, Webby, I'm not a hater, I love you, but yeah, centre or nothing for me. And Bjorn Sedrew, you have the CEO and CFO of the anti-Ponpies fan club.

2:00:01Yeah, yeah, no, and I've met the guys, he's one of the nicest guys you could ever meet, but if you gave guys positions in first grade because they're nice, there'd be a whole lot of different rosters and all the assholes that actually are really good in this wouldn't be there. You're going to have a respulsion team if you're a Broncos because there's a prick and you'd have someone like Jesse Arthur's as you fall back because he's a nice guy. That's not how you pick a team. It's a different way, I think it's just purely, Ponpie is going to be the outside back cover on the bench in the finals. They need to get the jelling of him on the wing because that's obviously where he'd probably end up. They're not going to make him in the forebacks, maybe a centre goes down, he goes into centre, but Odds are, he'd be on the wing. So give him this game, the centres that are going to be

2:01:07final centres in Ali and Lecker are there, get that communication going. That's all I can see outside in, I feel for Tane. I feel like Tane is getting rested as well even though the Warriors said it's not a rest because he's the outside back cover on the bench who ideally doesn't get used. So it's effectively resting but not resting unless something happens and at the moment with injuries you'd be more confident with Tane being the one you bring on than a Haines Mellers or a Jail and Aine I guess. So that's what I'm putting it down to. This is as much as we be stood out for Pompey. I'm sure there was a harsher conversations behind closed doors as well but Webby isn't going to shoot talkers players in the media. That's not how he is. So I'm sure he's had conversations with Pompey and say like you're an experienced guy, we need you to step up. You're starting this week, I need to see this, this and this. That's all

2:02:10speculation on my part but that's how I see it I guess. But we're ready off Seagulls, mate. Tom DeVoevich at Fallback, Jason Sabin, Leahy Hopperwadi on the wings, Josh Fletey and Rubin Garrick and Centres, Clayton Falaal and Jamal Foggedy in the Harbs. Simeon, Layafi, Brandon Wakeham and Nathan Brown in the front row, Ola Kowatu and Ben Trevoire at Sekner, Jake Trevoire at Slock. Jake Sumpkin, Nicholas Linnas, Corey Woodau, Caleb Navale, Onitoi Laj and Fletcher Baker Beach. That's a very good bandly side. I'm still back in the warriors here despite the people out. But I wouldn't be surprised to see Manny walk away with it. But I think in front of that home crowd, I'm getting ready for finals knowing they've got a point to prove after last week. The warriors will come out fire and I'm picking us homegrown advantage point to

2:03:17prove hoping the travel gets to Manny. Nice. So we'll move on to the rest of the round, round 27. We can off on Thursday night with the Bulldogs first Broncos. Who are you going with? Dogs. Dogs. I'm going with dogs as well. First game on Friday we have Titans and Dolphins. I'm going with dolphins. Very easy call there. Then Seeking Game of Friday, Rabbits, Roosters, I'm going rabbits. I'll give you a chance. I'll go the other way. I'll throw you a bone. The first game on Saturday we warriors, Seagulls, we both gone warriors. Seeking Game on Saturday, Cowboys Raiders, I've gone Cowboys. Yeah. Yeah, I'm going to go Cowboys to. That's a tough pick,

2:04:20right? Yeah. The final game said they shark storm, I've gone with storm. Storm, yeah, form, form choice. Forming no trend or no win for sharks. Then Sunday we've got dragons, eels, I've gone with eels. Eels. And then final game of the round, we will know we know the warriors sit later wise. Panthers, first tigers. I've gone with Panthers. I'm going to say Panthers, yeah. Yeah. So yeah, that's the round. We'll get to see, yeah, as we say, we'll already be set up, great position for the Panthers to be in. Cleary might decide that first place is out of reach and he rests all his big names and brings in those guys from the extent of bench maybe. Or he goes all out like he has already named to get that number one spot. He'll also know where, who are we playing? If he's first or if he's second because of the roosters, dolphins,

2:05:23scenario. So it's a great position to get last game. Hold on, I'm pushing the wrong screen. Anything else you want to add before we're there on going? We're heading two hours too often now. We're going to get a phone call from Paul. We are. No, I'm good, man. I'm good. All right. So I'm ladies and gentlemen, thank you for joining us tonight on the standoff at Braden Ritchie. For your weekly update on Rigby League, tune in to our show next Wednesday at 8pm here on Facebook or YouTube. For your convenience on iHeartRadio and Spotify, just remember to search and Zell and Sport Radio. We'll be getting ready for finals next week, maybe looking forward to it. I'm not used to that while we're doing this show, but I know. But yeah, thank you all again for listening and good night. Premier hosts on Verbo deliver quality vacation rental stays with fast responses and clear instructions. Oh, I had a question. Our host replied super quick. Premier move. Wish I had a

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