May 9, 2025 • 9 mins
Warriors co-captain Mitch Barnett is giving little weight to his side's equal-best start to an NRL campaign through eight games, ahead of tonight's contest against the Dragons in Wollongong.
The Warriors sit third on the ladder with a record of six wins and two defeats.
But Barnett says the playing group aren't getting ahead of themselves despite the strong start.
NRL Journalist Brad Walter joined D'Arcy Waldegrave to preview the action.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Z'd be good evening, Brad, Good evening, Darsie.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
I'm very well. Watched a cracking old game last night
of the NRL like it had its slow parts, but
at the end was a barn burner and it was
two pretty average teams. Wasn't it that he was taking
on the Dolphins?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, mate, what a finish?
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Hey and yeah hamisode wo il Fido and Josh had Oca.
I don't think well, there's always been debate about who
the fastest player.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
In the NRL is, but I'm giving it a hammer
now after what we saw last night. Stunner.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
And this is the problem with the NRL. I sit
down and go I watch a team minutes, our watch
fifteen minutes, and suddenly, you know, two hours, I have
gone and watched the whole match because it's such a
good watch. Look this weekend, aside, the Warriors are looking
to go four on the bounce. Talking about that first,
what about the other key games? What do you look toward?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Well, mate, the rabbit Os versus Broncos is a is
a real interesting game.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
You know, the two teams that.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Two teams that lost last weekend, But you sort of
feel with you don't know what you're going to get
with either of them, and both of them are capable
of probably of beating just about any team on their day.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Latrell Mitchell back for the for the rabbit Os.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
So the Broncos, Yeah, like they've put in some great
performances this year and they've put in some poor performances
and they've done it in this in the one game
as well. So I'll be still looking for the Broncos
to bounce back. But I'm also thinking, you know, the Rabbits,
they started the season quite well with a lot of
injuries and they still have got a high injury toll,
(01:49):
but just the return of Latrell and also young Jamie
Humphries are half back, could get them back on track.
So that's an interesting game. But the game of the
round is undoubtedly the Raiders and the Bulldogs down in Canberra.
Like they're one and two Bulldogs first, Raider second. Hasn't
happened since nineteen ninety four that those two clubs were
(02:11):
in that position at any stage of a season since
so thirty one years ago, I think, and they played
in the Grand Final that year, so this could be
a precursor to a Bulldog's Raiders Grand Final that which
is a grand If it is the case, it's a
Grand final we weren't expecting at the start of the
(02:34):
season and the fact that these two teams are top
of the table, and I think anybody was expecting that
that would be the case as well. But it's sold
out down in Canberra. Raiders have been in terrific form.
They knocked over the Storm last week and the books
have just continued to build on what they did last year.
So I think that for me, that is the match
of the round. Really looking forward to that game.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
The Bulldogs took on the Broncos and fell apart. What
did the Raiders loan from that? Because that was out
of nowhere. You're a couple of percent off and you
can get run down. I think a lot of people
are shocked by that result, probably more of the Broncos
than anyone.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Yeah, absolutely, And well I think the Bronco showed what
they're capable of in that game, and yeah, the Bulldogs
were a bit off. The Bulldog The Bulldogs have been
hit hard by suspensions. They had a buy last weekend.
They're coming off a buyer so they're fresh, but they
have been hit out by some suspensions, so they're not
going to be at full strength and it's a real
good opportunity for the Raiders to knock them off and maybe,
(03:35):
you know, I suppose you know, maybe the Whorls will
come off or if that's the case for the Bulldogs,
but they're really well coached team. I said that it's
a strong team across the park. Matt Burton's back from suspension,
any team that any team's got Stephen Crichton, and it
is always going to be a threat. So yeah, I
(03:57):
think I don't know, it's just a fascinating game. Because
I said, I don't think anybody thought, well, I think
last year the Bulldogs they made the eighth. It was
their best season probably nearly a decade, and I think
we all thought, okay, they're probably going to improve a
little bit on last year. But the Raiders, they've just
come out of nowhere and they've got a lot of
(04:19):
young kids in that back back line, a lot of
speed that seems to be the key, and they've got
just a hard working forward pack that's really prepared to
get in and you know, go head to head with
every forward pack that they play, and they seem to
really thrive on the sort of the physicality and the
aggression and the confrontation as well, led by Joe Tapenhay
(04:43):
and uh well, Corey horse Berg is out, but they've
got a couple of English players. Mattie Nichols, he was
an unknown. He's come over. He's proved to be a sensation.
So yeah, they're a really exciting team. Has had a
young back line with lots of speed, Exavier Savage, Ko Weeks,
Ethan Strange. Really yeah, just good to watch. And I said,
(05:07):
a big crowd, full house down in Canberra, it's going
to be game worth watching.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
That's the Saturday afternoon match.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, Nights Feed Titans thirteen sixteenth, that's starting shortly. I
have little or no interest in that one. I think
the Cowboys Panthers. The Cowboys will be licking their wounds.
The Panthers are actually looking up. Finally, you've got Storm
taking on West Tiger's that's fourth B eighth. That could
be interested. And then Sharks and Seagulls seventh v six.
(05:33):
I like that on Sunday. But before all of that,
the game that New Zealand fans are concentrating on Warriors,
sitting in third place, looking to chuck out four consecutive
consecutive victories up against the Dragons. Not an easy task
and Wollongong. But this team shown the Warrior is that
they can actually pluck these things out, can they.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Well that's one thing they've shown this year, isn't they
know how to win? They win in the close games.
They're winning games that they would have lost in the past.
And what a difference it makes on the table when
you can you know, you can you can win a
golden point game by kicking a fifty meter penalty goal,
or you can hang in the way they did last week.
(06:16):
You know, they came out of the box against the Cowboys.
I think they were leading thirty to twelve, and then
the Cowboys came back at them, and you know, and
it was thirty to twenty four, and they just hung
in there. They would looked like they were gone and
out on their feet, and the Cowboys really sense that.
And they had some injuries out wide, which is really
(06:37):
I think the Cowboys targeted that. They lost rock o'berry
and they had to move kerk Capele out of the centers,
but Ed Cossi was out on the wing and he
had a busted shoulder. Said they were really really struggling
on the edges there, and they said the Cowboys took
advantage that they scored three tries in eight minutes in
the second midway through the second half to bring it
back to thirty twenty four. And you thought the here
(07:01):
the Cowboys are going to roll over the top of
the Warriors, because.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
They just looked like they were gone. But they managed
to like just.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Dig in, hang in there, showed some real defensive resolve
and desperation when they needed to because obviously the two
points was at stake in the game that they thought
they were going to win. They set young Sam Healy
came on made his debut. I think he played the
last fourteen minutes just basically came on to bring a
bit of energy. He's a half back turned hooker, but
(07:28):
he was playing lock in the middle of the field
and yeah, like and I think he made twelve tackles
in fourteen minutes out there, but he also nearly scored
a try. I thought I was never seen him play before.
I thought he was really yeah, like he thought he
added some spark and probably bilt the energy at the
right time. If it was a great move by Andrew
(07:49):
Webster to bring him on when he did, because he
said he was called in late to make his debut,
sat on the bench for sixty six minutes, so he
actually wondered whether he was going to get on it
all and then you know, came on playing out of position,
but just brought a bit of energy that may have
been enough to like just you know, turn things around
and help them hang in there and get their win.
(08:11):
So those are really gutsy win the fact just they
have won games in different different different ways. You know,
they won comfortably against Newcastle down in down in christ Church,
so yeah, each of their wins has been different. But
they've managed to find a way to win all of
those games and that's what's been really impressive.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
And they're not at full strength.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
They haven't been at full strength, you know, probably in
most of those games. Have had some injuries, is especially
in their outside back, so you know that's you know
that that also shows that I suppose the depth of
the squad and the quality of some of the younger
players in.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Order to do Vasti shik and the reserves and of
course in the comeback Doland, what's a leash? And what
a headache for Webster, What a good headache to have.
And on that one, Brad Walter, we think for your
time and your expertise. Have a cracking weekend, my friend.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Same to you, Darcy, looking forward to the footy.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
they'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Wildergrave
from News Talk.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Z'd be good evening, Brad, Good evening, Darsie.
Speaker 1 (00:14):
How are you.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
I'm very well. Watched a cracking old game last night
of the NRL like it had its slow parts, but
at the end was a barn burner and it was
two pretty average teams. Wasn't it that he was taking
on the Dolphins?
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Well, mate, what a finish?
Speaker 4 (00:29):
Hey and yeah hamisode wo il Fido and Josh had Oca.
I don't think well, there's always been debate about who
the fastest player.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
In the NRL is, but I'm giving it a hammer
now after what we saw last night. Stunner.
Speaker 3 (00:46):
And this is the problem with the NRL. I sit
down and go I watch a team minutes, our watch
fifteen minutes, and suddenly, you know, two hours, I have
gone and watched the whole match because it's such a
good watch. Look this weekend, aside, the Warriors are looking
to go four on the bounce. Talking about that first,
what about the other key games? What do you look toward?
Speaker 4 (01:06):
Well, mate, the rabbit Os versus Broncos is a is
a real interesting game.
Speaker 2 (01:12):
You know, the two teams that.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
Two teams that lost last weekend, But you sort of
feel with you don't know what you're going to get
with either of them, and both of them are capable
of probably of beating just about any team on their day.
Speaker 2 (01:26):
Latrell Mitchell back for the for the rabbit Os.
Speaker 4 (01:29):
So the Broncos, Yeah, like they've put in some great
performances this year and they've put in some poor performances
and they've done it in this in the one game
as well. So I'll be still looking for the Broncos
to bounce back. But I'm also thinking, you know, the Rabbits,
they started the season quite well with a lot of
injuries and they still have got a high injury toll,
(01:49):
but just the return of Latrell and also young Jamie
Humphries are half back, could get them back on track.
So that's an interesting game. But the game of the
round is undoubtedly the Raiders and the Bulldogs down in Canberra.
Like they're one and two Bulldogs first, Raider second. Hasn't
happened since nineteen ninety four that those two clubs were
(02:11):
in that position at any stage of a season since
so thirty one years ago, I think, and they played
in the Grand Final that year, so this could be
a precursor to a Bulldog's Raiders Grand Final that which
is a grand If it is the case, it's a
Grand final we weren't expecting at the start of the
(02:34):
season and the fact that these two teams are top
of the table, and I think anybody was expecting that
that would be the case as well. But it's sold
out down in Canberra. Raiders have been in terrific form.
They knocked over the Storm last week and the books
have just continued to build on what they did last year.
So I think that for me, that is the match
of the round. Really looking forward to that game.
Speaker 3 (02:56):
The Bulldogs took on the Broncos and fell apart. What
did the Raiders loan from that? Because that was out
of nowhere. You're a couple of percent off and you
can get run down. I think a lot of people
are shocked by that result, probably more of the Broncos
than anyone.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Yeah, absolutely, And well I think the Bronco showed what
they're capable of in that game, and yeah, the Bulldogs
were a bit off. The Bulldog The Bulldogs have been
hit hard by suspensions. They had a buy last weekend.
They're coming off a buyer so they're fresh, but they
have been hit out by some suspensions, so they're not
going to be at full strength and it's a real
good opportunity for the Raiders to knock them off and maybe,
(03:35):
you know, I suppose you know, maybe the Whorls will
come off or if that's the case for the Bulldogs,
but they're really well coached team. I said that it's
a strong team across the park. Matt Burton's back from suspension,
any team that any team's got Stephen Crichton, and it
is always going to be a threat. So yeah, I
(03:57):
think I don't know, it's just a fascinating game. Because
I said, I don't think anybody thought, well, I think
last year the Bulldogs they made the eighth. It was
their best season probably nearly a decade, and I think
we all thought, okay, they're probably going to improve a
little bit on last year. But the Raiders, they've just
come out of nowhere and they've got a lot of
(04:19):
young kids in that back back line, a lot of
speed that seems to be the key, and they've got
just a hard working forward pack that's really prepared to
get in and you know, go head to head with
every forward pack that they play, and they seem to
really thrive on the sort of the physicality and the
aggression and the confrontation as well, led by Joe Tapenhay
(04:43):
and uh well, Corey horse Berg is out, but they've
got a couple of English players. Mattie Nichols, he was
an unknown. He's come over. He's proved to be a sensation.
So yeah, they're a really exciting team. Has had a
young back line with lots of speed, Exavier Savage, Ko Weeks,
Ethan Strange. Really yeah, just good to watch. And I said,
(05:07):
a big crowd, full house down in Canberra, it's going
to be game worth watching.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
That's the Saturday afternoon match.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
Yeah, Nights Feed Titans thirteen sixteenth, that's starting shortly. I
have little or no interest in that one. I think
the Cowboys Panthers. The Cowboys will be licking their wounds.
The Panthers are actually looking up. Finally, you've got Storm
taking on West Tiger's that's fourth B eighth. That could
be interested. And then Sharks and Seagulls seventh v six.
(05:33):
I like that on Sunday. But before all of that,
the game that New Zealand fans are concentrating on Warriors,
sitting in third place, looking to chuck out four consecutive
consecutive victories up against the Dragons. Not an easy task
and Wollongong. But this team shown the Warrior is that
they can actually pluck these things out, can they.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Well that's one thing they've shown this year, isn't they
know how to win? They win in the close games.
They're winning games that they would have lost in the past.
And what a difference it makes on the table when
you can you know, you can you can win a
golden point game by kicking a fifty meter penalty goal,
or you can hang in the way they did last week.
(06:16):
You know, they came out of the box against the Cowboys.
I think they were leading thirty to twelve, and then
the Cowboys came back at them, and you know, and
it was thirty to twenty four, and they just hung
in there. They would looked like they were gone and
out on their feet, and the Cowboys really sense that.
And they had some injuries out wide, which is really
(06:37):
I think the Cowboys targeted that. They lost rock o'berry
and they had to move kerk Capele out of the centers,
but Ed Cossi was out on the wing and he
had a busted shoulder. Said they were really really struggling
on the edges there, and they said the Cowboys took
advantage that they scored three tries in eight minutes in
the second midway through the second half to bring it
back to thirty twenty four. And you thought the here
(07:01):
the Cowboys are going to roll over the top of
the Warriors, because.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
They just looked like they were gone. But they managed
to like just.
Speaker 4 (07:06):
Dig in, hang in there, showed some real defensive resolve
and desperation when they needed to because obviously the two
points was at stake in the game that they thought
they were going to win. They set young Sam Healy
came on made his debut. I think he played the
last fourteen minutes just basically came on to bring a
bit of energy. He's a half back turned hooker, but
(07:28):
he was playing lock in the middle of the field
and yeah, like and I think he made twelve tackles
in fourteen minutes out there, but he also nearly scored
a try. I thought I was never seen him play before.
I thought he was really yeah, like he thought he
added some spark and probably bilt the energy at the
right time. If it was a great move by Andrew
(07:49):
Webster to bring him on when he did, because he
said he was called in late to make his debut,
sat on the bench for sixty six minutes, so he
actually wondered whether he was going to get on it
all and then you know, came on playing out of position,
but just brought a bit of energy that may have
been enough to like just you know, turn things around
and help them hang in there and get their win.
(08:11):
So those are really gutsy win the fact just they
have won games in different different different ways. You know,
they won comfortably against Newcastle down in down in christ Church,
so yeah, each of their wins has been different. But
they've managed to find a way to win all of
those games and that's what's been really impressive.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
And they're not at full strength.
Speaker 4 (08:29):
They haven't been at full strength, you know, probably in
most of those games. Have had some injuries, is especially
in their outside back, so you know that's you know
that that also shows that I suppose the depth of
the squad and the quality of some of the younger
players in.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
Order to do Vasti shik and the reserves and of
course in the comeback Doland, what's a leash? And what
a headache for Webster, What a good headache to have.
And on that one, Brad Walter, we think for your
time and your expertise. Have a cracking weekend, my friend.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Same to you, Darcy, looking forward to the footy.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
they'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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