WTF #056 – It begins.

0:00We're all strangers, we realize, we survive, this life is temporary, temporary, our illusion must find, our illusion must find, open up your eyes. It's going to be all right.

1:002006 West Tigers replica home jersey complete with the post one cars logo you'll remember in 07 08 910 11. It just ended up being I think it was probably a real talking rounded bold across the front there. I reckon that might be our best ever jersey, how I might. Very good Jared can't wait. I will be flying Sydney on Saturday morning so that I can mosey on out to like out over and last time I went to like out over we were playing the same team and it was a pretty good day, pretty good night. So hopefully we go repeat of that action. What do you think the odds of that might be slim. We'll talk about it a little bit, make some predictions around what we think might happen. Maybe some bulk predictions done necessarily score predictions, but some thoughts around what might transpire, but all of that in a little while.

2:05First and foremost, I think everybody knows what I'm about to say, but like subscribe to us on YouTube Apple Music and Spotify. Anywhere else that you listen to podcasts, I think we're across most of them these days on the district bit are YouTube interact with us comments ratings. They really, really help us across all those platforms and on social media, we're we're firing up the old junk it again. The season or eight with us and hopefully you like our content, you know, whether it is snippets or clips or whatever we stick together. We try as best as possible to be reasonably engaging and we're appreciative for everything that we get on all of those platforms. So we'll kick straight into the news and there is a little bit. It's really ramped up and I'm not really surprised. You know, we are the we are the darlings of the NRL media world. Before I go into any of that, there's two things that I want to say first and foremost. Thank you to everybody who tuned in last week. Obviously with a buy around one, we had to find something different to talk about. The feedback that we got around Dad's interview was really strong and he refuses to listen to it back because that's not his bag, but he shows me that he very much.

3:06Really really, I said such nice things about him. Yeah, now he just said he just wanted to cringe himself out. It was nothing against us. It was more just his own his own preferences, but there's that and apparel ads that they record out of the cabermata public library. They are called the groin strain. I just wanted to give them a shout out. I was supposed to give them a shout out last week. I'm very, very similar to what we're doing reviewing a lot of, you know, the lower grades and that. So yeah, it just wanted to say thanks for coming up and saying hi and to all our listeners. They do a very, very similar podcast to what we do. So go and check out their stuff there on Apple to find the like as well. And coming out of Southwest Sydney at the cabermata library, I respect it hard. Give us a sec. I think like, you know, we now might be the 11th or 12th best West Tigers podcast. Like it's it's getting it's a crowded market. Speaking of like the crowded market, the reigning defending undisputed number one podcaster and all of West Tigers fandom.

4:14Good old Robbie Robb Bishara. He he chimed in on on the YouTube comments to issue a correction. Zach Bishara is his first cousin's child. But what I will say he did also say he might be biased, but he thinks he's the biggest attacking threat in the saw hat. And you know what, Rob, I think really might agree. Maybe I'll maybe Thomas O'Royan, but look, he's good. Sorry, I completely forgot choice. I met Troy and his son, Jackson there as well, going in them a listen. Anyway, let's get into these. Now, after an entire summer of not hearing a peep out of this column's team that seems to drop things pretty late, not really give us an indication of anything that's going on. We've got a we've got a documentary series, which looks like it might be four parts might end a night might be five parts. And it's getting some interest. It's been picked up by the NRL media cycle for a couple of things, which we'll get to in a little bit.

5:18But Mac, just give me a general thoughts on it and what you've seen and what you sort of thought about it thus far. Yeah, I thought it was good. I've only seen the first episode. I've fortunately been too busy to watch the rest yet. But the first episode was great. I thought, you know, Benji is sincere in what he's saying. Like, you know, I think that the the messages loud and clear. And I think that like the difference I suppose between, you know, we've seen it before, right? Like it, like, Madge was laying down the law in very similar ways. It was echoes of matches that West Tigers are always in a fucking game when Benji was like that West Tigers means something now. Like it was a very similar kind of like immediately made me think of that. But the difference I think is, Benji has the absolute support of all of the senior playing group, which is so important because it means that there's not going to be any influential people in the playing group that are going to particularly, you know,

6:26the culture in response to that, like say, you know, Lachlan Galvin might have or, you know, in the past, somebody like a Robbie Farrer might have, or, you know, if Madge was saying laying down the law of Brisbane, somebody like a pain horse or a respulsion might quietly resent the attitude of, you know, it'll be if anything like, you know, players like some of the young guys might get their nose out of joint about it. But at the end of the day, who gives you shit about that, right? Like that's just, you know, the, the, that's just themselves sorting themselves out, you know, sorting the men from the boys. But it's certainly going to resonate with happy and Jerome and Adam Dewey and, you know, all of the senior players. And look, I think that the proof was somewhat in the pudding in the sense that like it was pretty obvious in the trials that the West Tigers were a different physical presence on the table. Presence on the field than they have been in the past. And I know the trial form was mixed up best based on the round one results.

7:29But I don't think that, you know, we were hallucinating when we saw the Tigers' line speed was different. That contact was different. Their size was different. So it does seem like the, I wouldn't be surprised if, you know, the reason that this documentary's been released is because the club know that the players have actually improved and leaps in business. And they know it in terms of the measurements, right? Like they, they, they've seen at the end of the preseason that, you know, numbers have improved in, in speed drills in weight room and like, you know, Royce Heartband, AKGs down or whatever. That sort of thing, like it can't, it like literally can't not translate into better results. It like literally can't, like if the, if the results across the board improve on a per player basis in terms of all of those metrics, it's literally not possible for the West Tigers not to be better side. So, you know, suddenly the documentary is like, you know, it's not something I would suspect that they would have put together and launched had they been questioning whether the preseason was a good one.

8:39Like if they, if they came into it like, I don't know, like I'm very strongly doubt Benji Marshall would have been like, yeah, yeah, go live. Like, yeah. So in that sense, I like it. I think the, the documentary matches up to the I test thus far and I'm looking forward to watching the rest of the episodes. How did you feel about it? I think you're right in regards to what Marshall says and he's very quick to say and you, and you hear it in a couple of different places and we're not privy to everything, but he says that, you know, while I'm hard on them and I cracked the whip at the same time, you know, when they when they do the right thing I credit them for it and he gets that balance right, but I think we always talk about it. He's passion and he's loved for the club and the batch and the Jersey is why people tend to follow him, you know. We've got this entire generation of players that we now have that idolized Benji Marshall coming through and growing up, you know, we've got the, we've got the only Polynesian coach in the league like these are, these are things that are positives and pros for us. I'm really, really lucky to have him in that sense.

9:49But to see him evolve these past couple of years and really turn into, you know, this great manager and this and this guy where he allows players to express themselves and for family to be first and all the sorts of things, but also, you know, very, very big on, you know, standards and hitting your times and being disciplined or training it's, it's really nice to see him evolve in that sense and really built the balance. I don't think he structures a change too much and you know, I've seen I haven't seen them evolve too much and that's not that that's not a criticism. It's just more that he's he's really worked to get the fundamentals right both in his coaching and and obviously, you know, that that sort of translates translates on the field side. Certainly agree with you, certainly agree with you with what you're saying there and, you know, look, again, it comes from the senior players down and the football department is completely behind him and when all of that is in, you know, sort of unity and feels it feels a similar way. It makes it a whole lot easier for a coach to, you know, really, really drive those standards in the manner in which he is.

10:50You know, you hear in the other episodes and, you know, throughout that bloats are improving their times, quick hours. I think it was Teno Tabana who was sent back, you're going to off fake on, Benji says it improved his time by two and a half minutes away after. So even if they boy, yeah, so even if initially they worked hard because they want to be there and they understand the opportunity that, you know, that's in their hands. So that's a credit to them. Hopefully, we see that work and application. You know, that they've done through the summer that Jerome referenced in his press conference earlier in the week, come out the wash, but the biggest thing that impressed me most out of it was Kipis Paul. Just just obviously like episodes two and three, he takes the like episode two, there's an entire sort of scene on him and then episode three like he talks a lot in the army camp. I'm just stunned by his maturity and how well spoken he is like, he's 25 years old, he speaks so well, like obviously, you know, I don't, I don't, you know, play in an RL setup.

11:51I'm not around the boys all the time, you know, I'm not going down a concord to us to what you go and watch every post session, it's, but I'm, you know, just his communication of feel, you know, his desire to be a leader to bring this, you know, international pedigree to the club. And yeah, there's been question months about his abilities at Newcastle, but he seems to have taken this opportunity with both hands, says how much he loves the culture and how much he wants to buy in and win with these bikes. And you know, what, what more could you ask? I loved the fact that he said like I pride myself on my offload, you know, and in all those types of things and that, you know, he wants to play for a goal like Benji, like, you can already hear it that, you know, and we haven't seen Kai in a tiger's jersey yet. But I think there's going to be a lot of second phase around him and we'll talk about it a little bit more in the preview, but he has impressed me far and away in terms of this entire documentary. And you don't read into heaps of stuff, but just he's just really surprised me with how mature and well spoken he is. Wonderful. Well, I haven't seen second, got third episode yet. So like that sounds great, because I've certainly been highly intrigued by what Kai could bring to the side.

13:01Wonderful. The other thing, there's a couple of things that came out today we're recording on Thursday for reference is that the biggest one is that the tigers are looking to extend both. Masi Makasini and Sam Wella Fainu. They're looking at twin five year deals at three milla piece. So that's six K a year average. People tell who actually he broke coverage on the seoni fine and contract negotiations. He actually covered this story. So that's an interesting link to be sure where that's coming from. But the former CEO, the club, the great Shane Richardson was actually quoted within the story. So talking about two of them, he said they are as good as it gets. Sam Wella is a true superstar. I think he's worth at least 750k season. Thanks for each other trying to sign it for 150k less a year. And then as Makasini has always been a freak. So I came with a great attitude and he's only going to get better in those kids of the future of the club. He said that he doesn't believe that they want to go anywhere else, which is good and.

14:02A couple of quotes around Bangi, which I think, you know, he worked to shut down, you know, all the pressure that don't hear Masi at the moment, plus all this chat about rugby union that's going on at the moment and said that. Yeah, Masi is really important to us and will prioritize whatever we need to do to make sure that he stays here. So, you know, all good quotes and, you know, for all intents and purposes, but there's a lot of play out. Sam Wella, let's easy, easy one. Let's get him out of the way early. I think that 600k with his trajectory, I think he's going to explode this word this year. 600k for five years would be phenomenal for the club. I wouldn't be surprised if there's ratchets in there. So that way when the cab rises with Perth and PNG, he probably continues to go up in salary. If he's at that percentage of the cap, I'm pretty happy. Like 600k, I think is is is very, very good business for a guy like Sam Wella and where I think he's headed. I think he's worse, okay. But I think he's probably worth 650 to 680 at the moment and that could go up. So, look, if they can get a thumb for under 650 and I'll be stoked if it was five years, I think I think that's really good business. What do you think?

15:09I don't think either of them will sign these deals. If I was their manager, I would advise them not to, especially Marcy, but like Sam, even Sam Wella, maybe with the ratchets, but like if it's just like averaging out to 600k over five years, I don't think that's good business for Sam Wella. It's obviously a risk both ways, right. Like is obviously, you know, if we're locking down for five years and then suddenly he has an injury or regresses or something like that, that's nice for him to have that like surety in the back of his mind, but I'm not sure if it's likely to happen, right. Like I'm pretty like like you, I'm relatively confident Sam Wella's value will greatly exceed, okay. Within say the next 24 months. So from that perspective, I'd be surprised, I'm surprised that they've gone in so hard. In terms of like the length, it's very like the West Tigers, like they're not. When was the last time the Tigers laid down a five year was

16:12blue, right. But like generally, it's very rare for galvania, but like it's generally very rare for the Tigers to offer five year deals. Usually you see these sort of, I mean, especially when their extensions that are like a little bit ahead of schedule, usually see such as a two to three years at a time, I suspect what will happen is that I suspect this will end up being like Sam Wella will be like, I don't want to extend for five to me. I'll be three. I suspect that's what'll end up happening. I also, I mean, on Marcy, did you have something you wanted to say first before I go on to Marcy? Yeah, give me just give me a sec. No, I agree with you. I think you're about right. I'll be interested to see how what they do. But you are saying that the managers prefer length of the deal because it's security right as opposed to the girth of the 12 month wage. So I'm curious to see how they go about it. And you're seeing Perth offer long term deals, you know, we're less cash. And that's what's luring players over there. So security is absolutely.

17:24You know, Sam Wella loves the club. You know, they might say, look, if you take 600, then, you know, we can afford to pay more for Latu and Cione. You know, there might be a caveat of menace getting a train of trial. I don't know. The negotiations are going to be interesting. Will Sam Wella stay without a shadow over there. But what is the contract look like I'm not too sure. I don't need to talk us a lot, but pay. It's just whether or not he's manager who I don't know. I don't know who it is at the moment because Mario Tartag's got a suspension. It's just, yeah, it's just working out what's best for club and what's best for player. It's going to be very, very interesting. You can start on here, Marcy. Mario Tartag is still his agent. Mario Tartag. Yeah, with that, with that question. With Marcy, I don't actually like that. We're trying to extend it. I don't like it. I think it's too early. I think I would have not even like touched this unless he asked. If he asked different, but like I would not have poked this bet until the offseason because there is a very good chance, very good chance that Marcy just says I don't want to extend right now.

18:33And if he does, the narrative is going to be terrible. It's going to be a terrible narrative. You know what the media blows up these things like for the Tigers, like if Marcy, which is 100% within his rights to do. Decides, no, I don't want to, I don't want to right now. I'd rather play out this season. I love the club. We can definitely talk in the offseason. If he does that, everyone's going to be like, he's gone. He's gone to rugby. It's going to suck the air out of the momentum. Given that they have gone off and done it, I really don't like the contract that they've offered him because he there's no way in the world he's going to sign it. Like if you're his agent, are you wetting him to the NRL for the next five years on SK, like forget about the West Tigers. Like in two years time at his trajectory, he's going to be worth $2 million a year to a French rugby club. This is a this is a poorly thought through strategic move by the West Tigers in my view. I would not have let that sleeping dog lie.

19:38Look at even the roosters man. The roosters acknowledge mark no one need to say is just going to go because like there are very few things that the rugby, rugby code can offer that our code can't and one of them is World Cup, right? A genuine World Cup that puts you on the world stage, right? Like if the roosters have already copped us the tip that it's just like a mug's game trying to like actually lock people down and compete with that opportunity, we should be taking the lead on that. Like Marcy Nelly got signed by the bloody Panasonic Wild Nights when he was before you had a debut, like rugby are going to unload the kit and caboodle out the kid that everybody calls John Alombo clone. Like are you kidding me? This is just silly. Yeah, I tend to agree and I think that yeah, 600 K they're going to be really negotiating in 12 months anyway. He hasn't he played one game of competitive first grade. Now I know obviously the trials, he's you know, he's body of work in the lower grades.

20:43There's so much to like, but the thing is is that that's not that much of an upgrade anyway. He's on he's on a bit of 450 K dishy. I think next year goes up by about 100 K to 550. He's not going to take 600 K. No, and further, I think we need to prepare for the fact that he's going to go to rugby and you're similar to what you say without a shadow of a doubt. He could walk in it. You know what? He could probably play for the wall of his tomorrow. He's most likely. Yeah, he most likely play for the all blacks if he was eligible like he is that good. Yes, that's right. We are we are so so lucky that he opted to stay with us ahead of a homeworld cup because I guarantee you that you know that I mean rugby, rugby Australia went very, very hard at here. You know, the bond that he has with Benji Marshall and he's playing group in the and the senior leadership of the Tigers cannot be

21:45understated. He loves this club. Do not get it twisted, but he won't stop for five years. There is no chance. But the problem is is that yes, there, November one is in the revision mirror. I understand why they want to prioritize these two. Absolutely. I think it's I think it's wise to do that. One, it shouldn't have broken ground and two. You're right. This this may get to a story that just doesn't work for us. The ideal for me with Hamassie is that you probably do put some clauses in the deal around origin selection test selection. Namely, the kangaroos. I think you're I think you're walking to the Tonga side for this year's World Cup. But have those in the deal, allow him to trigger those. And obviously the bonus was kick in it because that's that's the type of play he is. But 600K. He's not going to be worth that 18 months. It's just not going to be the case. Look, ideally, you probably get into it with the end of 2030, maybe 2020. I'm with an option. And then I think he goes and plays Ra Ra for a little while. I'm I'm aware of that. Look, I love the kid. I've seen him come through. I know the talent we have on our hands. But as you say, he's not going to sign a fall. It's just not going to happen.

22:49This is something that like, you know, if if the NRL is serious about like, you know, not losing these crosscode type players, like we're talking like it's an absolute formality. Like the NRL can't compete when international rugby contracts come knocking. Like maybe it's time that you know, I'll start considering having NRL level contracts to counter this, especially when they're trying to build the game in the USA and stuff like that. Like they need if they if they're serious, they need to start thinking about like international style contracts, you know, like core contracts like the Australian cricket team have with certain players and things like that. Otherwise, yeah, this is just going to continue to happen. And like we're fortunate that, you know, rugby only really can come knocking for the absolute superstars. But rugby 360 is something of a I wouldn't say necessarily a threat, but it's a little bit of a signal across the bow, right? Like it's not that difficult for rugby to strategize and create something that may start, you know,

23:58seeming more attractive to more of the like middle to upper quadrant talent that are fully, especially with the, you know, the way that the Saudis and that are, you know, trying to get involved with like Western sport and stuff like that, like L.I.B. and things like that, like to get more involved with UFC. So yeah, I would I would be looking at the NRL and going, why aren't you trying to, you know, create a strategic alliance with, you know, entities like that. If you're also trying to go into Vegas, like, you know, I saw Dana White was talking about the NRL, Dana White of the USC was talking about the NRL and he was talking about how, you know, they need to continue to like, you know, come back to Vegas and make it a thing and they should make it their biggest thing. You know, they should talk they should we should be doing origin there and all this and that and it's like sure, but at a certain point it has to become something that's real, like, you know what I mean, like at certain point they need to start talking about like something that's actually a Vegas or US based league, whether it's a shortened season, like a, like a superstar end of year thing or maybe they have like a World Cup every year, there or something like that.

25:10Just something that like takes it to that next level, because obviously the long term agenda here is for them to have an NRL US on NRL on on international television, right. Like I think that that's, you know, what the land is has in mind for maybe 2035 2040, you have to build towards that, but like if they're going to let rugby continue to own that the international word of rugby, right. If they're going to allow them to continue to own that and they're going to allow them to continue to let build up all these sort of lucrative partnerships. Well, they're just they're just not going to compete. And I think I think even rugby fans mostly would acknowledge the fact that rugby league as a spectator sport is going to be easier for the US market to understand because it's simpler. It's not as chaotic. It's a little bit more like well than the union is like like I don't quite quite think that the NRL are taking the big swipes that they should be taking when it comes to this kind of thing in my opinion.

26:15You asked me last week if I'm a fan of Vegas and I am a fan of Vegas, and I know a lot of, you know, legies, traditionalists think don't like that sort of share. Ah, it's rubbish. We should be like eight sides. So all of a base out of Sydney. I'm the opposite. Well, I'm one of them. I'm anti Vegas. Why? Because they don't care who the US they're going to make them care. They don't give a shit. But all their sports realistically, all of them are so American centric. Yeah, like like basketball is not, you know, in a national basketball, the NBA has so many different rules. It's it's very American. Yeah, the NBA is the NBA baseball is baseball like it's all these such intricate sports that have been iron on and attached to the head to their culture and in their customs for so long.

27:17And I agree with you, we need a diverse of vibe. We're in the wrong market. Now, I, you know, I think that we need to go to yes, the Saudis of the play, go there Europe and South Africa and these places, that's where I, that's where I think the, you know, the money is. I don't think the US care. It's like, it's like fucking Oasis and Robbie Williams and the stone roses. They are icons in England. But over in the US, they just don't work. So and sometimes it just doesn't happen. And I think that rugby league is an export is a little bit like that. Like, we're on Fox Sports 2 over there. They don't give a fuck. I know they don't. I agree with you. But like, that doesn't mean that they won't like I think that's where we disagree. I understand your perspective. And I think like you make valid points, right? Like all of the biggest sports in America are American sports. And you see that this week alone, like with the world baseball classic America doesn't give a crap about international baseball, even like American baseball is like the world to them.

28:19So the idea of bringing some sport that they're relatively unfamiliar with and trying to infiltrate that market is, is challenging. But I do think that if any sport in the world has the potential to do it, it would be rugby league. Because it actually hits a few, it hits a few key points. One is that it's actually already a little bit of a deviation of a traditional sport that's actually widely played in the US. The US have like a, you know, a pretty strong university rugby culture. And obviously that's, it's much of a hopskip and a jump for them to be able to like play league at like a sub professional level. And obviously you've got Canada there that also play rugby. But they think I think the way to do it would be to like iterate the game again as in give them an American version of the sport. Potentially even renamed version of the sport. And you wouldn't, you wouldn't, I wouldn't do that. This is just me completely ideating off the cuff. I wouldn't necessarily do that as the NRL. I'd be like selling the license to, you know, the sport or potentially, you know, like creating some sort of strategic partnership or alliance with like an actual US based entity that actually like presents it as a new sport.

29:34That's like a base rugby. And I think that it's been ever since like a new sport into the US market that actually like captivated the attention of America. It's a market that's big. It's growing. It's where all the money is. I think it would be achievable. But yes, I do get your point in the sense that where I think we agree is that the current strategic direction is not going to achieve what they think that it's going to achieve. I think we agree on. Oh, yeah, we are an absolute alignment there. Look, the NLS has picked up, but a lot of that, you know, he's really held up by a lot of the mind. That's important. Yeah. We're without a doubt. But yeah, I agree with you. Like, you know, they need to come at it from a different angle. I just think that we're on freemont street. Yeah, that's king. Just don't he's best engine impression weary. We know how to throw a party. The arrow. They know all about us. I know when we come to town. Fuck yeah, go to the bullocks of cowboys and the nice. They don't give a shit. I don't give you shit.

30:35No, anyway, whatever life goes on. All of this to say, yes, the NRL needs to whip out a war chest, whether or not it's backed by private investment or otherwise to keep plays like a Marcy Makacini in the league. That's correct. Yeah. Let's move on. Jareem Buller. I think this is an Isaac Moses false flag. It's the same as the dragons want. Keep it eye out for any false flags. These next few weeks across the world. There is one of them happening right now in the southwest of Sydney, Isaac Moses. He's flying one. I don't know if this is true. Of course, the dragons will watch. It's Jareem Buller going to go to the dragon. It's got a fucking doubt it. Do you think of this any hole? Do you think any of these shit holes wait? I mean, you know that we've said it. Everybody that listens to us. Jareem from our understanding is agree to terms. Things can change. They can change. They can change quickly. But that's the last thing I heard. Do you really think that Jareem Buller is going to go to the fucking dragons?

31:38I don't know. I don't particularly care to be honest. I like Jareem. If he goes, if he stays, I'm kind of over that sort of shit to be honest. I think actually giving it oxygen is actually part of why Isaac Moses and his ilk keep doing this shit. Because you talk about it. You talk about it. You talk about it. It becomes like the media narrative, which starts with fans talking about it and then events then next minute and all three 60 and talking about it. And then next minute, the players are talking about it. And then suddenly Jareem Buller's gone, maybe I do want to go to the dragons because God damn, I'm sick of hearing about my own contract coming to that me through the media. And Isaac Moses has gotten these way by playing narrative engineer. It's kind of the reason why one of the reasons why I made a podcast Jareem, because when we started this podcast, it was to try to counter narrative a lot of the crap.

32:41That's why it's called West Tigers faithful. And to some extent, like at times, we've probably carried on a bit the way that we probably intended not to when we created the podcast and in the spirit of it. If Jareem Buller does leave the West Tigers, it won't set us back is my prediction. That is my, that is how I feel. I don't think that if Jareem Buller left the West Tigers, it would be a setback. I don't think it would even be a minor setback. I honestly don't. I think Jareem Buller is good to great talent. He has a high ceiling. Don't necessarily think that we have, like Jack Attard and Logan Duninger and that a great young talents completely unproven. So I'm not saying this from the perspective of like we've laid next man ups right there. I know we're losing Luke Lollalee. I still don't think it would be a setback. I think this club has developed enough resilience and has enough strong playing group that, you know, if we needed to go to market to join Kaffir back off another club or manufacture an option, we would be fine. That's my position.

33:49Very good. I'll live it at that. Okay. Team years, West Tigers are playing the Cowboys Saturday 3 p.m. We open our account for the first time. We've been winning it very, very long time. There's a lot of optimism and hope this year. And I think that it is warranted. We spoke last week that we both got many eight of the week prior, but I'll run you through our team and then we'll preview this match off the back of it. Can I make a request? Can you do the team list as though you're Benji Marshall reading the team list of the boys in the dressing room? Oh, boy, sir. We've got the list here. So 22 men scored now. I think a bit more than what I was last year, but I don't know. I don't know how to say to his A. He's just, he's no one's coming. Oh, I can't. Pretty simple, right? We just got to do our job. These fans talk is cheap. Talk is cheap. It's time. You know what? Let's get it done.

34:55We're back, Jareem. Wingers Tito and Luke, obviously star out. Santa's tail and tail and you'll be on the right edge. You know that, eh? Yeah, sweet. Sweet. Mussy. Yeah, bro. On the left. Harves, Roaming, Captain, ads. Adam Dewey for those who don't know. Uh, for real. Good to see you out of hospital, bro. You're fucking dirty prick. Take a fucking shower. Golden staff. Did you not learn when Jerome had boils, bro? Fuck. Epi. Other co-captain. You're fucking old. For Noah. I don't know why you named in the 10, but put up or shut up. Samuel Kauai. Good to have you, bro. And, uh, and, and, and, and twilight, twilight, lock. Um, jock. Good work on the trials, bro. Always rated. Yeah, always, always. Yeah, Jersey 14. Johnny, um, Bunty is, is Mrs. Scornback, the artier. Oh, I had a kid. You're back.

36:01Just don't let me down defensively because fuck. Royce. You know, fuck it. Look like a totally different bloke 16. Red, 17, Tristan, 18, and, uh, Jarrah. A lot of how you hamstrings are going to be. Come captain's run, bro, about treasurer 19. Mav. I know you're going to Perth, but, uh, 20. Suka. Oh, fuck off. Two back rolls on the extended bench. I don't know what the fuck I did that. And, uh, and he. Good, Abby, bro. Keep from forming. I was. Yeah. Good work. I'm planned completely, completely put on the spot. That was, uh, that was bold. That was bold. Hey, I mean, interesting, you know, like we've been talking in the pre about, you know, whether Jarrah, whatever, get his wing spot back, if Marcy got named there. And, hey, look, Marcy's got the sound spot. So now the question must be, will Star ever get his spot back?

37:02Because, uh, well, or Jarrah, because Luke, I'll leave look great in the pre as well. So very interesting that those two boys are going to get the first, first run, because if both of them play well, I don't think Star and Jarrah, are like necessarily, um, you know, gonna, you know, demand to replace either of them. They're positive at a yardage, first and foremost. I agree with you. This could be a tough one for a star fit. He, he, he was the one I think in this back one most under pressure. Beyond Jarrah, if you kind of sort of thought after trials that Jarrah was not going to get back there after he sort of fell away, but legally, injuries to these two might actually cost them their spots. The biggest question for me is just defensively. That right edge. Now, it looks really good from a defensive perspective. You've got two big bodies in coin, a D, both good communicators, both move well. You've got Talon, who is an absolute dog defensively. And you've obviously got Tito on his right, who, you know, you just hope that he can make his one on one.

38:03But that looks a whole lot sturdier. So left edge now that becomes a bit of a problem. Hey, I'm RC for all this talent. Obviously, he's still learning how to defend in first grade. And, you know, Santa is his best position without a doubt, but it's getting used to that. And obviously, there are some concerns with Luke defensively. And I've got no doubt that they will try to probe there. I think it's Chester Tau Lungy. And I think Sam McIntyre's on that left edge. So it's not a premier left edge by any stretch. Tau Lungy can play, but obviously Scott Drinkwater, you know, sort of playing Deku in the line and playing nice and square. I fear there might be some point points leaked there, but it's all on Jarrah to get that right, isn't it? So how are you feeling about that edge defensively? I don't know, like Jerry's out. We'll see. I think that... Are you sure Tau Lungy's going to play on the right? Is that like definite? Not confirmed, confirmed, but Pamela Waley, the telegraph journalist who was down at the training on Tuesday, said that Tau Lungy was on the right.

39:04Okay, yep, that's good enough for me. A little bit surprised by a couple of other decisions. Surprise, Charlie Murray didn't get anywhere in the 22. That surprised me. Surprise, Bunti R4. Didn't get anywhere in the 22. I haven't a kid. Benji said before when we wrote out the team list. At a kid's name? His name didn't use that while it's cut, but... Yeah, I've... Maybe it's a prep thing. Maybe it's just not going to be back in time to prep probably for... Yeah, yeah. Okay, well that makes sense then. But yeah, Charlie, I thought... I think he was pretty hard. Frankly, I think that there definitely should have been a spot for him. I mean, I guess like you look at the bench and you got C1A, Roy C, good old Alex, Mav, Tony. I mean, Charlie had to be number 23. But... Yeah. Yeah. I thought he had played himself above... At least above Tony, if not Mav and Alex in the...

40:08Death Sharp. Maybe Charlie's still on a train and try and can't play to around 11 or something. No, development deal. So he's eligible. I think it's... I don't know. I think that he was probably in direct competition with C5 for that 17 jersey. That sort of middle-edge, small forward, hybrid, I guess. I'm just speculating. What do you think about the Joc in 14? I mean, that's a signal to me that Joc's probably going to be permanently on the bench. This year in NRL, I wonder whether some of the things that we were talking about potentially actually bringing Joc on to play in the halves and pushing Adam to 13 is actually on the cards. Because no number 14 jersey doesn't look like a... It doesn't look like an emergency sub jersey. It looks more like a core playing group jersey to me. Yeah. I actually don't agree interestingly for a couple of reasons. One, LaTool comeback, I think you'll take that jersey. Two, I think that...

41:08I think that Marshall is going to be really reluctant to use his inner changes beyond his middle rotation. I think Cuypius Paul might play and reduce minutes this week because of this calf issue. But I think that he will try and get 80 out of his back rollers. And as time wears on, we thup, he chorus out. He tends to play him for more minutes as the season rolls on. I think that Tristan hope is more likely to get on the field in a perfect world than what Joc is. That's what I think. They might look, let's say that, you know, we're chasing points. God forbid. But let's say that we're chasing points with 15 to go and we're down by a few tries. I think you might see Joc in the injector then. Am I expecting to see Joc minute 38, you know, minute 48, 50. I'm not. I think again, Joc Tristan and Jeral are simply there for color. And I do think the Tristan hope is way more likely to get on the field than what Joc is.

42:10I reckon we do totally disagree. Because I reckon not only do I reckon that Joc's going to come on the field. I reckon Joc's going to come on the field pretty early in the game. I reckon that Benji's playing ducks and drakes. I genuinely reckon that based on the all of the chatter out of camp. And based on how he looked in the preseason games. I genuinely reckon that Benji Marshall is almost convinced in giving Joc mountain the 7 Jersey. And I think that what he's going to do is I think that he's going to pull the pull the the rain that I'm talking about in like the 20th minute. And it'll be Joc. It'll be up to him to look as good as he did in the preseason. He'll get like one chance at it. And if he carves, he'll be this the 7 next week. That's my prediction. That's what I think will happen. I think I know that like the bench numbers, you know,

43:12theoretically shouldn't mean anything, but they always do. They just always do like they don't put somebody in the 14. Who's like, you know, not actually like if he was just there as like a backup plan player. He would be in the 18 and the 19, not the 14. It's just it's I know it's not like, you know, a law that they have to do that. But it's just what they would be doing. Like I just I have no doubt in my mind that he's actually part of the actual structure of the side. I would be stunned. I don't necessarily think that necessarily rules out what you're saying about Tristan Hope being the case. I think they're completely two different things like the truth be told like so many times last year. We ended up not using all of our subs, leaving an extra sub there. Like actually, you know, subbing out, you know, the dummy half and the half, right? Like that's not necessarily like going to make it problematic for our middle rotation. Because like when you sub, jock on you push out into 13.

44:15You're actually making a middle sub, not a, you know, not a half sub, right? So like it doesn't necessarily like cost you a middle rotation. It just becomes part of a middle rotation. It's a big call out of Santa. That's genuinely what I think is going to happen because I genuinely think jock madden. I know I know that Benji Marshall is a smart coach. He's very, and he's very bold coach. And jock madden deserves to have a chance based on his form and based on how he played in the preseason. That's the reality. And I think Benji Marshall will would agree with that. Now, if Adam, if Adam Dewey, like just literally just slays it, like if we're just killing it. It's right. That won't happen. If he's, I think it's, I think it's totally fair what you saying. Jock had a great preseason. Shot the lights out. We look really steady with him. And in a lot of ways, there is a really strong advocate for dominant on ball seven. You know, it just gets us to our points on the field and kicks well.

45:15And I think that's, that's a really, really important thing to note. But I do believe that in regards to Adam Dewey at seven, I think that he will be playing there for the entire 80 minutes. And the reason I say that is, you know, he's been entrusted with, you know, working with this right edge all summer, working with Jerome Luay as a combination. I think that second phase is going to be such a big part of what we do. And having that running threat. How many times do you see Adam Dewey stand and attack on offload the ball? And it results in points that happens pretty often doesn't bring that. And I think that second phase is going to be so important for us this year with these new rules. And the playing group that we possess in the left edge. Look, if job comes on and he starts playing seven in a perfect world. And Adam stays on the field and moves to 13 or the back row of the centers. I'm all for it. Absolutely. I just don't know if we'll see it. I'll be, I'll be sure if we do like I said, go on.

46:16Here's a thought. Remember in the first trial, when they dropped Heath base and out of the side from fall back and put him on the bench. And then he came on real early in the game and played that roving middle roll. And they actually played with three halves. Yes. Doesn't that doesn't that sort of signal that that's actually part of their game plan? Okay, playing devil's advocate. Yeah. Okay, maybe it does. But did you see it in the first half of the pen roof match in that draw? No, but in the first half of the pen roof match, they obviously they they had the like. Do we place the first half? Jock plays second half straight through like strategy 100% clear in the clear. I reckon that the devil is in the detail of what Alex 12 and there was another player who also singled out. Jock two players have both come out and said Jock was so good all off season. For Jock to demonstrate that he was that good all off season means that he was he was featured.

47:22Right. He would have had to have been featured a lot in order for them to actually have that impression. So I would look, we'll say there's no there's no point continuing to talk about. But we'll say I feel like this might be Benji Marshall's first Sheen's moment where he's like boxing. I would be intrigued to see it. Don't get me wrong. Very, very intrigued. Just in terms of what this side looks like now, obviously. Hey, I'm asked you make a scene and we spoke about him from a defensive perspective. But everybody's loading up on him to score. I actually think that it's loudly. That's going to benefit. It's it's Hey, I'm asked his ability to absorb contact and throw the ball out of the back. That's where I think that there'll be points. I'm very excited to see Jerome. Lui, Kipis Paul goes with our side. Sam while I find who I think he's going to explode this year, as I said. It's a real May. I'm very intrigued about have not seen him at all this summer. So, you know, how he goes coming out of hospital with an infection. But also being out of the line light a little bit on.

48:24I'm very intrigued. And obviously Roy's heart, you know, looking like a totally different bloke. So there's a lot to, to, you know, look at and assess anything before we start touching on the cowboys. And talking through their sort of strengths and weaknesses, mate. All right. The cowboys. Well, Scott dream water. He's at the back. The spot of room. Carly's injury on the wings up. Braden burns a Murray town long. He the former getting off of the judiciary and getting his charge down graded. Jackson Poodoo and Tom Chester. Other centers. The Harves. I think they're wearing the wrong jerseys. Jake Clifford and Tom Didan. The front row. Colin S. Reed. Marnie. Jason Salmolo. The back row here. I'm lucky. He's back. He's a very good player. He's got the Australian international. Their six man bench looks like Sonny Luke. Hi. A Donald Griffin name and Matt Lodge. William Sutton. Who's another filming rooster. I think you actually played a bit of 40 with Keith Mason and anything. Kenny Jersey 19. Twenty twenty one twenty two are Robert Darby. Harrison Edwards. Caitlin Lars. Bit of a really interesting one there for the cowboys.

49:26Obviously they've gone to Vegas. They had that, you know, sort of weird week off while everybody else playing their round one. They're back now. They're on the road again. It's, I think it's fair to say that they had a pretty poor showing in Vegas. The, the, the tries that they score were scored were, you know, they, they targeted. Fletcher sharp at that point when he done his PCL and, and Bradman Bess was sort of flying into the line to try and try and sort of save points. Yeah, there, there wasn't a lot to like, but that's also the worry. You, you, you've all know he's got to be where the wounded beast. And they've got a really good record of light card on the patent. He just, he seems to understand how to, you know, channel the energy correctly for them to continue to make upsets. Scott Drinkwater goes without saying it's just under hooks. You know, take his arms away from him and bashing. You know, we've got, we've got some really physical backrollers and some really physical centers that can hurt him. Make sure it happens. Like honestly, rib cartridges are so painful that even despite the needle.

50:30Um, you know, if we, if we really let him know early, I think we'll go into his shell further. I think he's an aerial weakness under the high ball dream ball are providing that he's fit. I'm ready to go because obviously against the panthers, he had some issues under the high ball himself. Um, I can seem still on the ball off him a little bit. Um, and then obviously that the try the Bradman Bess scored were San and Smith. I've a bit of second phase through the ball inside to Colin Palmer who then threw the ball outside the Bradman Bess showed. How weak they are defending second phase, particularly down their right edge, our left edge, where Purdue and, and burns it. So look, same as last, last year, where, you know, we were so heartbroken. He is beatable, genuinely beatable. It is just about ensuring that we deal with momentum swings, particularly with these new rules. How do you say the cowboys? Yeah, I think the cowboys are pretty similar to the cowboys of last year. Like on the, on the main, I think they're a med table side, probably slightly on the outside of the eight, but not too far on the outside of the eight.

51:34Dangerous enough where they could certainly just torch a side that's not like a very like on their best, you know, probably will struggle all year with like the truly elite sides. I don't see the cowboys troubling, you know, the likes of the storm or, you know, all of the sides that are going to be competitive. They've just got too much, they've just got too much fruit, fragility in terms of just general quality, I think. I don't quite know what's wrong with them though, because like on paper, they're a strong side. And that's what's scary, I guess I'm thinking that look prior to watching the rest of the round one games last week, I would have picked the Tigers quite confidently. Just on the trial form, right, because the Tigers played those trials, especially the second one in a style that looked more like a semi finals level team looked like, you know, they were doing the, they were doing everything right.

52:36It was like, there was no glaring moment where it was just like, oh, the Tigers of older back once did it look like I was watching the 2023 or 2024 West Tigers, right? Like defensively strong, line speed strong, resilient, strong defending on our line, you know, even when they scored tries, like we didn't, they didn't go bang, bang, bang, right? Like which is typical of the Tigers, no customary tried just before half time in actuality was the other way around, no customary tried just before full time. In fact, it was, you know, so like if you just take it on trial form, I think we're going to pace them. But like it's, it's the problem is if the Cowboys do get a sniff, if the Cowboys do, you know, get the rub of the green early, get a couple quick sets of six repeat sets, you know, we can't, we can't like put them away quickly, are we going to be able to like grind them down from behind.

53:39Or are they going to get their backs up in a week and a sort of just like a little bit like what happened to the Titans, that's my fear, like I'm really worried because the Titans look really good in the trials too. But the way that the way new rules seem to be working is like I'd start to put their foot down like it's real hard, right? And it can get out of hand real quickly. Hopefully that the like fitness levels of the fitness level of the sides and all the work in the off season means that the Tigers will be able to wrestle back momentum swings. So yeah, it's an intriguing contest, but mate, like it's a tough one to it's a tough one to confidently assess. Because mostly because both sides are a mystery. I think like after this week, we'll know a lot more about both sides. We'll know a lot more, we'll like we'll know if the Tigers trial form was real and we'll also know, you know, whether the Cowboys are the same Cowboys or a worse side. I'd be surprised if the Cowboys are actually like surprisingly like a good side.

54:41I think that the chance there's a chance that the Cowboys might actually be like on the slide. You called out the one player. I'm really like curious to watch, which is Lukey. I think Lukey had a blinder in the first round in Vegas. And I think that like he's look he looks like he's gone up another level and he's that he's a dangerous type for a side like ours. Like, you know, loves his second phase, try scoring wide running like he's a he is a sort of player that would face if the Cowboys got momentum. And he could certainly feed the likes of Deidon and drink water off the back of his his efforts. But yeah, we'll see. We will in terms of where I think this game goes. I think you're right. Momentum is going to swing like a gate. I think that both teams with the attacking ingenuity that they possess obviously Deidon and and drink water cut us to shreds last year. And it will be remiss of us not to talk about that. But also, you know, the firepower that we have on both edges, I think there's going to be a lot of points scored.

55:47I know that the Tigers are putting a lot of stock in their defense and their fitness, but I just sing with these new rules. Unfortunately, you know, when you get these sort of really crafty attacking players that can pick apart over laps and execute, then you're going to see games blow out. We've got us winning, but I don't think we'll make it easy for ourselves. I mean, there'll be some, you know, some, some howlers both in attacking defensively, which is typical of a team playing their first game of the season. And I think it'll go right down to the death. I think it'll be closer than what summer predicting. I think we'll win. I think we'll win by about four points in a high scoring affair. I think that you think that the Cowboys are going to put a few tries on past us to do. Yeah, do. I mean, that's been the tip, right? Like Cowboys, especially Cowboys, Tigers, but just Cowboys games in general, like it was always like that, like 32, 28 last year. But I don't, I don't see that happening because I think that the Tigers are a much improved side defensively, especially like because of our fitness, because of our commitment, because of our line speed, I'm going with the trial form.

56:56I do think we're going to win and win well. I think that we will probably look pretty clunky. I suspect that it'll like be in the first 20 to 25 will probably look like the better side, but like go into the 20th or 25th minute or so, like maybe like on level pegging with them or even down a try when we should look like the better side, right? And then I see us actually like just getting over the top of them as the game goes on because we've got more fitness, playing at home. And I think we'll run away with it in the second half. I think we'll probably score three or four unanswered late in the game and probably win something in the vicinity of like 30 to 12 or 30 to 10. That's my tip. I love to say about fingers crossed. All right, let's fly through pathways. We've got two sides named for the first time in stake up in Jersey Flagon. I'll give you the cup, teen list. All back Jack Ardard, the wingers, Solomon, a Securro and Father Tino Tavana, the center's Heath Mason, quite interestingly and Patrick Herbert.

58:02Ard's J. Bon Andrew and Madison Massie, the front row Buntia Fire, who we spoke about before will be starting for us. Just Sessie Lennon, starting nine, Maverick guy, starting prop. The back road Tony Suka, a lot of luck and brought a low who had a great preseason in Charlie Murray. The bench, Ben Stavanovich is back at the club. 15 is Yeti Semuelu, who looked like Buntia Fire, but he's not Buntia Fire. He, he looks like a good prospect from Paramata. Fuck, our whole who's been around for a little while now makes Jersey 17 and Luke Jack rounds out the fetch. Jersey 17. They're playing a very, very weak North Sydney Bears side. I expect him to win and win well and I think this is going to be a good year for our cup boys. You see who's number 17 for the Bears? Yes, Mr. Johansson. He was, he was running around for the Magpies in the first Magpies draw. So that was, that was a, that was a sudden exit. Bit of a jump. Yeah, I, I, I, I surprised by the side named primarily because of who wasn't named.

59:08I see that the Tigers have decided to start the year playing all of the, all of the young guys in the grades they're eligible for. They could very easily have had Jared Haywood playing nine in New South Wales Cup and I thought they were gonna. They could very easily have had, you know, Phoenix and Christian playing in New South Wales Cup and I thought they were gonna. It's good though. It shows that they're confident in their top squad. It shows that they're not needing to rush them. It shows that they're wanting them to, you know, build their confidence throughout the season. It's the, the behavior of equality. It's a bit, it's a behavior of a quality side to do what they've done here. So I like the decision, not even though I'm surprised that they made it. I'm not saying that I wish they hadn't. And it does give chances to some players who I thought might have got, like, you know, ended up having to spend time in right Eastwood that probably were too good for the grade and like, you know, guys like Josessie and guys like, you know, the bloody tattooers and things like that.

1:00:08Yeah. I think that they'll flog him. I think Charlie Murray is gonna, Charlie Murray is gonna have one hell of a season, man. Like, in that grade, he's gonna tear him to shreds on form. And interesting to see how, you know, Jack Arthard goes in his first real hit out with the club against his, sorry, not against his old club. Yeah. Think it's Crosswear, right, Bob? Yeah, I agree. I think it'll be a bit of a drumming, but we'll see. Josie Flegge, West Tigers faithful favorite Logan Brooks. It says Brooks on the team sheet. Is it fullback? A wing is another West Tigers faithful favorite, Wilk Rake and Jack Nicholas on the wings. The Sennis Xavier Tauai Fyinga, who was probably by our main SG balls player, best player last year and Max Tiltua, who we absolutely loved in the trials are in the Sennis. The Harves Heath Pritchard and Bayley Smith, who we've picked up from the South Sydney Ravados. The front row Archie Duncomme, Jared Haywood, who we spoke about earlier, who he's captain in the side. It's Johnny Lola here. Well, I don't know, but I'm keen to watch the back row. It's a good one.

1:01:08Mitch Tauai, Tua Boran, La Pepa, and Jeremiah Liyada Gaga. The bench, Jericho Tullesau, Harry Delaney, who was the captain last year. He starts in the bench this year. The great man, DSM Denzel, Shafthausen Meenor, and Luani to a Fua, who people remember his brother Marvoni. He's in Jersey 17. Shane Sultana is the coach. That's why I'm very, very high on this side. There's a lot of cut-level talent that's in this team. I expect them to start very, very well against the siltales at my cart on Sunday at 3 o'clock. Shane Sultana just makes players better. They come back fit-art. They understand game plans, and they develop. For guys like Brooks and Haywood, but also guys like, guys that I kind of expected to really kick on. So a guy like Denzel, Shafthausen Meenor, a guy like Archie Duncomme, who we love. He's the perfect coach at this time for them, for them to really develop and it will shine. But this is a really good side. It's just a little bit smaller than the forwards,

1:02:09but I'm excited to see how they handle their first with him out. Yeah, sorry. Correct myself. Tartu is around the flag side, not the New South Wales Cup side. I'm an idiot. I didn't think that was still eligible. So that's good for them, but they're still at that age. Yeah, when they, when the side first got named the tailfying, it wasn't actually named. It was blanks. Good to see him in the side. I was wondering where he was. Didn't feature really all preseason in any, any games that we saw. Strong side. I'm not familiar with Bailey Smith. Do you know much about him? No, I know that he was picked up from South, but I don't. I know specifics, but that's interesting to watch. You know, we brought guys down like Max Liles, who have done a great job in that flag side. You know, I'm hoping for a similar career in the 21s for Bailey, but we're going to find out. Make that's for sure. Big shout out to Arch, name to start. It's big for him because he's still pretty young. I think he was SG Bull eligible last year.

1:03:09So this is his first true flag eligibility, eligibility year. I like it. There's a lot of guys that have sort of come into this side. Like Learty Gargo and Laupepa, who have been like real good in the lower grades in the ball and the maths, but never like the standouts of their sides. And to see them continue to persevere and just push again and again and again, come back in another offseason and another offseason and stick with the club and stick with the plan and just just, you know, really just trying to toil their way through the grades is again, something you see happen at really good clubs. So I really liked that. Yeah, I mean, the silk towels actually put up a good fight last week against a good side bot. So maybe the silk towels are a bit aside than we're used to seeing from the old silky burrows, but yeah, we'll see. I think it's a very strong flag side that we've got though, assuming that the seven is a decent player.

1:04:12The six and the seven is probably the question mark, right? But everywhere else we look pretty dang strong to me. Tend to agree with you mate, expecting a win there and a reasonably successful season. Before, like once Shane came in as coach, they were second on form. Obviously, Mr. Finals, they had a loss that they couldn't afford to have, but he was amazing last year once he got in and started steering the ship. And I think that the side will only get better. I think a guy like Christian Azzy will walk into that side pretty soon, the way he's playing it will get to that. But yeah, very, very high on flag this year as well. All right. Is she ball? Wes got a win in the wet. I watched this game. I stuck around for the reindeer lay. It took forever. And it was very much a tale of two halves. It was arguably win, but it was good to see. I thought the forward pack played really well as a unit as you have to win the wet. See it's our mate was the pick of the bunch. I thought Peter saw I had a good game. Christian talked about more. Obviously, it's called the try.

1:05:12And Aaron pay was really good at the back. I went against Manley this week. We'll have them in contention for the eight after a very slow start. So I'm hoping that they can put it together. Manley were hopeless last week against South. And we were much better. And especially with Phoenix. God, no, Christian talk about more and see it's our mate. Have a junior remaining in the side. Glassy, glassy. I thought did some really good things. I'm just happy to see Adam. The parties, Benning. I think slowly starting to really put it together. And I'm very happy about that. Gibbon is one of my draft picks. And and James Lanyon. Obviously just going from strength to strength obviously started in lorry daily cuff this year, but. He's is cruising now a year on. He's a player that the club must absolutely retain and with Joseph. You know staying around on it, I think it's a two year extension. I'm not exactly sure on what the contract looks like, be easier to wrap up than usual as it is for the Tigers trying to wrap up deals. Bound Main SG bought a loss to the storm in a pretty high scoring affair, it didn't start

1:06:14really well, Bound Main, and then sort of fall away for whatever reason, which hurts, but there's still some classy players getting about there. There were two tries scored down the left edge of the hooker scored one, and then the second one, early card up scored, really nicely worked short side from Christian Azzy, and then some quick answer from ViBound, early scored in the corner, really good finish. Some poor defense that sort of saw Melbourne key clear on a couple of occasions, try for Scram, hooker, burrow and over, you know, those ones hurt, but who am I photo, I think his name is, who is the front rower, head gear, scored one try with some beautiful slider hand from Christian Azzy to sort of for a gap to sort of poor open, but going over, look at the eye lights, and they lost, but fuck, he's got an unreal front row of his try. Really athletic, he just steamed on to the 40, it was great to see, so I think that might be Balmain season done, unfortunately, with about all weeks to go, but life goes on, and again, there's some promise there, particularly with Christian and obviously Black Van Dre, who they're missing at the moment, really missing, but, you know, we'll just continue

1:07:16to monitor them as the year goes on, their counterparts, Balmain, Harold Matthews, it was a narrow loss, and it's disappointing because they're up 16-6, through some really nice work from there. Wingers, James Kurt, kick target in the air, they kicked for him twice and came up trumps, and then, see, only Maya, I think his name is, he finished off a good day up for the wingers. It was a great pass from Tommy Ariane down a short side, unlocked him, great cut out, and he's around the fullback, so they're up 16-6, and then Stokey, I think his name is the Melbourne fullback, he's quick and strong, he's one for your Black books, he burn us through the middle, and then they scored another really nice try, I must have been with their six sort of shipping and re-gathering before some, you know, really nice hands, quick exchanges of passing. So they had their opportunities, Balmain, and unfortunately just didn't take him, and air was a crucial time, unfortunately, you know, they sit here losing 18-6, sorry, 18-6 16, so, anyway, another one, the whole monitor as time goes on, but again, some really

1:08:17good players, particularly Tommy Ariane, I think he's, I think he's, I think he's the real deal. Where's Harold Matts? I was disappointed, really disappointed, given the state of the air season, it was in the balance, had a great winning last week, it gets Balmain, and you know, sort of thought that they, you know, take charge, they started slow, and they clawed it back, after months and hope the weighty got sent off, but in the end just, I thought Illivora's middles, it was a real mismatch there in sort of the, in terms of size and athleticism, there's a couple of boys there that look really good, we've obviously got some great plays in our forward, but I just felt like there were a bit out gun there, I was, I was like, I was dealt with strong again, and some really beautiful touches, set ups and tries, just standing tackles, which is just amazing for a kiddie's size. He's actually, for those of you who really want to follow or do follow the pathways closely, you'll know, like don't follow the short ball on Instagram, but runs a podcast, he does all the lower grades, and you know, he's always got guys and he's a little blackboard, but he runs a player of the year comp, gives three to ones off every game, I was like, I was dealt with, despite the fact that we've won one game all year, he's third in the

1:09:20player of the year, the player of the year awards, which speaks to his quality, like he's being noticed, you know, across the entire league for his talents, and you know, it's not just us that saying it, there's a lot of people that think he is, and again, just he's running threat and his ability to ballplay really nicely, and he did some really good things, but unfortunately, it just wasn't a bit, but I was actually, I had a good game, some really good moments with the boot, two kick in for the side one, no one from the left corner for off our first try, and the front rower, it's who I say, Nate, Nate Uffey, he did some really good things defensively, so that was good to see as well. Lorry Daly Cup, Nandry Jones Cup, they both won their games, which is great, they both got a week off before their semis at the oaks on the 21st, so all eyes on that for those boys, both squads full streamed again. Josh Valor, I think scored 20 points on his own for Lorry Daly Cup, and Dan Amstagalis scored another try, I think I believe for Franger Jones Cup. So a couple of guys that we keep an eye on, that are doing good things, but Mac, I think it's time we've stopped the clock and we call it right there. I know that

1:10:22obviously you've got a trip down the city to make for this wonderful football team of ours, and I'm sure you've got a million other things on as you always tell me. So do you want to have the last word and we'll get out of here? Yeah, I don't know whether you mentioned it, but LDC and AJ are now in the semis this weekend, so both the both the sides made it to the semis, which is fantastic. I think that the LDC and Andrew Johns Cup just do like two games and then a GF, don't they? I don't think they have a top five. I could be wrong. Yeah, you're right. And it looks to me like the both games are at the same ground, so would you believe that the Tigers both? Yeah, they are. They're like one after the other on a Saturday morning at where the hill is the Oaks? That's my area. It's out the back of Camden. There you go. Start the morning out the back of Camden from 9 a.m. Get out there and check

1:11:25out. You get a double header of MacArthur West Tigers action in semi-final football before you get to see a West Tigers game this year. Do you have a quick question? Do you know where Riley Wheatman is? I did not. That one might be one for a friend and be a different one. Yeah, right. Yeah, because I don't know, we extended Riley in the offseason, and I was certainly expecting him to end up in the in the flag side, so interesting omission, but I suppose it is a pretty strong flag side, so maybe he's just going to be running around for right eastward to start the season. Looking forward to Saturday, good episode, nice and truncated. West Tigers faithful. Mac and Rudy, we gone. Bye-bye. Strangers, as you can hear, has been revamped. The pre-salt link for the single release will be in the description. I know a lot of you love the track. Ajay has done a cracker job on Ajay and Justin. This is it. Good luck to all West Tigers affiliated teams this weekend. Hopefully

1:12:27we have our first official win cast of 2020's Great U-Wall Cup next week. Sayers. Gonna be all right.