All Episodes

August 5, 2025 11 mins

It was an important match for the Warriors - and they lost.

The team went down to the Dolphins 20-18 on the weekend, and now they face a tough match against the Bulldogs.

Former Warrior Motu Tony spoke to D'Arcy Waldegrave on Sportstalk about why he still has hope for the team.

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mark as Played
Transcript

Episode Transcript

Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Dancy Waldergrave
from news Talk zed Be.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
I'll joined now the program by Mottu. Tony, of course
are former Kiwi but now high performance manager at enzid
r L get A, Matu, how are you?

Speaker 3 (00:24):
I'm really well, thanks study and good too. Good to
check and.

Speaker 2 (00:27):
Great to have you on board. Do when we look
at the Warriors team that's coming out today in face
of well, they're under the pump quite frankly after what's
happened over the last couple of weeks, it hasn't got
any easier after the last minute loss over the weekend
and now they face the might of the Bulldogs. We'll
go back before we go forward, Mattu, what happened against

(00:49):
the Dolphins last week? How did these guys manage to
spill that one?

Speaker 4 (00:54):
Yeah, look, the Warriors were you know, were quite unlucky.
I thought, you know, and if anything, you know, the
robber the Green win against them. You know, one week,
you know, they're beating Newcastle at the death for a
special effort from Lequahosima, and then you know, you fast
forward a little bit and they're on the receiving end
of a you know of a special play by the
Dolphins at the end there, So you know, I know

(01:15):
they their form hasn't been you know, great in recent weeks,
but you know, they're still sitting well in the table
fourth and I think if you offer them, you know,
the position they're in now at this time of the year,
at the beginning of the season, they would have you know,
they would have snapped your arm off to take it.
So you know, yes, the reformers in great at the moment,
but they are you know, in a solid position.

Speaker 2 (01:36):
See enough signs against the Dolphins that the slump, let's
call it a slump that they're in right now. They've
not had great results couple of buys as well over
the last six to eight weeks. Do you think that's
turning because they've got real issues with injury. You see
enough when these younger guys coming through to suggest that
it'll be okay. They should be right against the Bulldogs

(01:59):
and maybe then on it.

Speaker 4 (02:00):
Yeah, I think the Warriors, you know, they've shown you know,
throughout the season and you could even say, you know
under you know a lot of the games that you know,
Andrew Webster has led this club that they're resilient.

Speaker 3 (02:13):
They're resilient side.

Speaker 4 (02:14):
You know, they've got a sort of next man up
approach in terms of dealing with injuries. So I think,
you know, going into the Dolphins game in the weekend,
there were probably ten first liners out, so you know,
I think they had a big part.

Speaker 3 (02:26):
To play in it.

Speaker 4 (02:26):
But you know, the young players they've had in their
team this season have really stood up. And you know,
Eddie Roma Toyava was another one, you know that didn't
look out of place in the weekend and he's got
a bright future ahead of them.

Speaker 2 (02:38):
Pressure on these guys, and I might be banging on
a bit too much and I could well be wrong,
being wrong before, mot well be wrong again. But the
mental pressure on some of these younger athletes, especially under
juris under fatigue, there's a lot on the plates of
these guys twenty twenty one, twenty two to actually deal

(02:58):
with that pressure. Do you think they can? When when
you look at the way it unfolded up against the Dolphins,
it suggests to me that maybe it's not a bridge
too far, but it's going to be tough for some
of these younger blokes, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (03:10):
Yeah, it is tough.

Speaker 4 (03:12):
You know, it is tough, you know, to play, you know,
in the grind of the NRL every week, and that's
why you know you'll see Andrew Webster, you know, rotate,
you know some of these young players in and out
of the squad. You know, some of these players have
actually you know, earned the trust of the coach but
also their teammates, like the Metric Waymonga Tennasty Smith is
starting to get you know, regular game time off the bench.

(03:32):
So yes, it is tough, but that's where the presence
of some of these senior players, you know, like the
Mitch Barnett and the Fisher Harris has has helped these
young players. Unfortunately for them, you know, they weren't on
the park in the weekend, but you know, James Fisher,
Harris Chanelle is back this week. You know, Wade Egan
won't be too far away. So you know some of

(03:54):
the experienced players will be doing and that makes the
game and the pressure you know, eases off a little
bit of these young players when they play with these
quality players who was senior and experienced.

Speaker 2 (04:03):
Well some of the young and fighting around as well.
It's great to see I Varmonger back as well. Dimitric
was out. He's got a lot about him and still
years wise, maybe behind it. Do you look into your
cap balls and your near cordo is a lot more
to actually provide that support. We saw what Roger ti
vasas Chick did in the weekend and that sees a
lot about a seniority. But even he couldn't steam there,

(04:25):
could he?

Speaker 4 (04:26):
Yeah, you know, and you know, the Dolphins are a
really good football site.

Speaker 3 (04:30):
You know, I believe that. You know, in the last
few games they've been averaging about.

Speaker 4 (04:34):
Forty points, so you know, they weren't able to get
to that mark because you know, the Warriors were tough
and they were a resilient side defensively. You know, just
unfortunate that you know the score one at the end
of the game gave the Dolphins, you know, the two points.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
But you know, this Warriors team is a resilient bunch.

Speaker 4 (04:49):
These young kids that are coming through are playing tough
and will continue to do so. So, yes, you know,
the recent form hasn't been great, but they're sitting in
fourth position at this time of the year, and you
know you can afford to have you know, a couple
of clips here and there, but Knowing the Warriors, they
wouldn't want to have too many more.

Speaker 2 (05:07):
No, and they could you know what injuries like in
the NRL. You've been there, played that, and that she
can be pretty tough. When you look at the opposition
coming up this week in the Bulldogs, I mean, this
team is fire. How do they pull them down? How
do they stop them?

Speaker 4 (05:21):
Well, I think it's more so much you know, the
Warriors doing what, you know, what works best for them.
You know, when the Warriors are playing well, and you know, yes,
they'll be aware of what Bulldogs can do, but I
think their focus would be, you know, going back to
what works for them. And you know, this year, the Warriors,
you know, we're you know, deep into the season and
there's only two games you know that I've seen where

(05:43):
the Warriors have really let themselves down this year and
that was the Raiders game in Las Vegas, but also
the Melbourne game away from home. So you know, the
Warriors have been quite consistent. And yes, the Bulldogs are
a strong team. But knowing the Warriors, they'll be up
for this game and looking to respond after what's been
a bit of a sketchy you know, three four weeks
for them, form wise.

Speaker 2 (06:03):
And spik headspace. When things like that happen with a team.
And you've been in the nucleus of a number of
teams cross the NRL and of course international football as well,
what's the reset required from the senior players to get
this done?

Speaker 4 (06:18):
Yeah, you know, having been in the situation before, you know,
a long time ago.

Speaker 3 (06:23):
But you know, I just remember, you know.

Speaker 4 (06:25):
When things got tough for a young player, but also
for the team, you know, the senior players would just say,
you know, focus on your role and you know, make
sure that you can prepare and do your role as
best as you can. You know, that's how it does
sound very simple, but that's how they you know, reset
it and go back to what they were doing.

Speaker 3 (06:43):
Well.

Speaker 4 (06:43):
You know, for large parts of the season, it's just
doing their role, everyone contributing in their own way.

Speaker 3 (06:50):
And you know that we usually when you.

Speaker 4 (06:53):
Know, players one to seventeen can do that, the results
take care of themselves.

Speaker 3 (06:57):
And you know, the Warriors have showed that.

Speaker 2 (06:59):
Probably the last thing the Warriors want was to West
Tigers to beat the Bulldogs over the weekend. That's probably
not the best for them. And they been taken the
fourth spot. That's going to be an angry Doggies team.

Speaker 4 (07:10):
Yeah, you know, and you know happy for you know,
our Kiwi's legend, you know head coach Benji Marshall.

Speaker 3 (07:16):
They get that result. But like you said, CD, you.

Speaker 4 (07:19):
Know the Bulldogs are going to have a response, So
you know it's up to the Warriors to mess that
response because you know, the Bulldogs are quality side.

Speaker 3 (07:26):
You know, fantastic players across the park. But you know,
so do the Warriors.

Speaker 4 (07:30):
And the Warriors have proven, you know, they can foot
it with the best and they're going to have to
do it this weekend.

Speaker 2 (07:34):
Strengths for this last team, I don't want to know
punch down because they only just lost and they are
a good team, even though they've lost a couple of
key players. I'll see James Fisher Harris is back in
the reserves. Whether he makes an entry or not, maybe
late after injuries another story. But the puzzles around this side.
What if you liked, if you liked the way Daland
has come back into it, do you enjoy well, I mean,

(07:58):
just tell me what what does it for you in
the side? Marti?

Speaker 3 (08:01):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (08:02):
What I you know, what I like about the side
is that you know, I've got a real good sort
of football system in terms of you know, at the moment,
they've just got so many players out. You know, I
think I refer to ten first line players out. But
usually when these players or the majority of these players
are back in the side, you know, they've got a
real good system that's not over dependent on you know,

(08:23):
a single player or you know, two players, and each
man does their job, which you know, creates some opportunities
for everyone across the park, you know. And that's what
I like about this team is that they they managed
to find ways to win games. But they're also a
tough defensive team. And you know, I think, as showed
in the weekend, that you can attack poorly and still

(08:45):
be in with a chance to win a game, but
you can't defend poorly and win a game. And that's
what the Warriors have done, you know, the majority of
the season is they've defended really well.

Speaker 2 (08:54):
The scandal, if you could call it that, out of
that game sadly for the Warriors, more sadly for Jacob
Laban looks like he's out for the rest of the
season six weeks with that leg injury. Felice Cavusi is
getting a two week ban for that tackle? Is that
fear and right? Should he be punished in a different

(09:15):
way more associated with the with the injury or can
you not marry those two things? What is to happen
here or what should have happened?

Speaker 3 (09:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (09:24):
I think that, you know, the lawmakers of the game
will need to have a look at that. And you know, Fluff,
he's a quality player that's done, you know, performed at
the highest level for a long long time, and you
can you know he's an aggressive player, but I wouldn't
class him as a dirty player. So you know, obviously
that tackle you know, was not within the law of
the game and has resulted in Jacob's injury. But the

(09:45):
lawmakers of the game will need to have a closer
look at that.

Speaker 3 (09:48):
Matin.

Speaker 2 (09:49):
Do you think in a situation like he's out for
six weeks so the guy he made the tackle he
goes for six weeks too? Or is that too simple?

Speaker 3 (09:56):
Yeah? I think that's too simple.

Speaker 4 (09:57):
And you know, you know, no rugby league player, you know,
in the professional ranks goes out there to you know,
deliberately hurt players. You know, a tackle that you know
was not executed right and executed poorly which has resulted
in a you know, an injury for for Jacob who's
a fantastic young player. But you know, the the lawmakers

(10:18):
of the game will need to look at that because
they've done really well in policing uh these dangerous tackles.
It's such as the you know, these tackles that where
there's unnecessary pressure placed on the lower limbs. So you know,
the lawmakers will will need to determine how they can
stamp that out of the game.

Speaker 2 (10:36):
Andrew Webster playing the last thing. Martertonian thinks, as always
for your time, ANDREWBBS has been pretty vocal and his
complaints there. It's just not happy with that process and
what happened. Is he right to come out and have
a bit of a bit of a moan about this.
I moan it was horrible, But should he.

Speaker 4 (10:54):
Yeah, I think Andrew Webster as well within his rights
to you know, to to have a complaint I guess,
or you know, issue with the tackle because you know he's.

Speaker 3 (11:03):
Lost a quality young player, you know as a result. Ol.

Speaker 4 (11:06):
So you know, and every sort of player that takes
the field, no matter what sort of level you play
it in the senior senior football. You know, you know
there's a chance of injury, but this case was unfortunate
that you know, it was a poorly executed tackle, so
you know, definitely the coaches well within his rights to
take heed with, you know, with that tackle.

Speaker 1 (11:27):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
Advertise With Us

Popular Podcasts

24/7 News: The Latest
Crime Junkie

Crime Junkie

Does hearing about a true crime case always leave you scouring the internet for the truth behind the story? Dive into your next mystery with Crime Junkie. Every Monday, join your host Ashley Flowers as she unravels all the details of infamous and underreported true crime cases with her best friend Brit Prawat. From cold cases to missing persons and heroes in our community who seek justice, Crime Junkie is your destination for theories and stories you won’t hear anywhere else. Whether you're a seasoned true crime enthusiast or new to the genre, you'll find yourself on the edge of your seat awaiting a new episode every Monday. If you can never get enough true crime... Congratulations, you’ve found your people. Follow to join a community of Crime Junkies! Crime Junkie is presented by audiochuck Media Company.

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show

The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show. Clay Travis and Buck Sexton tackle the biggest stories in news, politics and current events with intelligence and humor. From the border crisis, to the madness of cancel culture and far-left missteps, Clay and Buck guide listeners through the latest headlines and hot topics with fun and entertaining conversations and opinions.

Music, radio and podcasts, all free. Listen online or download the iHeart App.

Connect

© 2025 iHeartMedia, Inc.