Kalani Going: NSW Warriors Starting lock ahead of their clash against the Burleigh Bears

Last weekend the NSW Warriors ended their campaign in dominant fashion, defeating the NSW Dragons 30 - 12 and claiming the NSW Cup.  

That victory earned them one more week, as they’re set to take on the champions of the Queensland competition, the Burleigh Bears, to kick off rugby league's grand final Sunday at Accor Stadium. 

Kalani Going is the starting lock for the NSW Warriors, and he spoke with D'Arcy to preview the massive game they have coming up on Sunday. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldgrave from News Talk SEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:11):
But up here and now we go to Klaney going,
he's the new South Wales state champion. I know it
sounds very very odd, but the New South Balls Cup Warriors,
they dominated the Dragons thirty twelve they won the New
South Wales Cup. I thought that was the end of
the line, to be honest, So that was a reason

(00:33):
to celebrate and I think I'm alone with this one.
As it turns out. Another week they're going to take
on the champions of the Queensland competition, Burly Bears, and
that starts off a grand final Sunday at of Course Stadium.
Clannie going starting Locke for the New South Wales Warriors.
That sounds so strange. They was named the team of
the year the competition as well, and he joins the

(00:55):
show to preview what is going to be a massive game. Hey,
Kerlannie's going, yeah, pretty good. What about yourself? You've got
to a very panicle. I mean, like your one New
South Wales Cup last week. Now you get to take
the whole shooting match. What's the energy like within the side.

Speaker 3 (01:13):
Yeah, it's pretty good buzz. Obviously getting the win on
the weekend was a great way to end off that
part of the season and then you know, looking to
sort of get the cherry on top heading into this weekend.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
I'd suggest that the crowd will be right against you
because what Brisbane are playing in the final, the women
from the Broncos are playing in the final, and of
course the team you're playing from Queensland as well, so
she's going to be a bit on the other side
the crowd.

Speaker 3 (01:39):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, Well our games a lot earlier than
you know, obviously the next two, so we're not too
sure how much people are going to be there, if
there's anyone. So we're just focusing on ourselves and trying
to get the job done and we'll sort of let
that speak for itself here.

Speaker 2 (01:57):
So your role, captaining, captaining the team, what do you
see is your primary role out there?

Speaker 3 (02:02):
Just trying to you know, lead from the front, do
and you know, sort of direct the boys around in
a way sort of like you know, and yeah, that's
pretty much it. I sort of let channel boys sort
of take over and drive us around the footy park
and I sort of just try and help them out
where I can.

Speaker 2 (02:20):
You're a vocal kind of skipper, do you get stuck.

Speaker 3 (02:22):
In or yeah? I feel like when I need to,
I'll try get vocal. But we've got a lot of
young boys and we've got a good mix. We've got
some old boys too, so they make my job a
lot easier. And so yeah, like I said, I just
try to leave with my actions and hopefully that sort
of does all the talking.

Speaker 2 (02:39):
You're not supposed to say. Oh you're supposed to say
experienced and mature, right, Yeah, yeah, sa same. I'm glad
use it not me. Yeah, you must be feeling really
good about the season to dominate right the way through
here to win the gong at the end, and you
pick yourself up a spot in the New south West

(03:00):
Cup Team of the Year locking I mean again another
big arts for you on what you've achieved so far.

Speaker 3 (03:06):
Yeah, yeah, you know, obviously that's pretty cool to get
the mentioned in that Team of the Year, but I
think winning the New SOFLS Cup on the weekend sort
of takes the cake really for me. That's that's sort
of what you play for to try and win a
camp and for us to get it done for the club,
for the first time. That's sort of the highlight of
the year for me. So it's been a.

Speaker 2 (03:29):
Year kind of go and joining us. Have you got
enough in the team to get it done again though,
because you say that was your big match, that was
the pinnacle. Have you got enough gas to do it
all over again.

Speaker 3 (03:39):
Yeah, like it's it's it's going to be some of
the boys last game for the club. You know, you've
got Bunty who's a club legend. It's his last game
in Mario's colors. So we're definitely we're definitely going to
get up for it and you know, try to send
them off on a on a high. So yeah, we're
looking forward to the challenge. We know the beer is
going to be great, and yeah we'll try and bring

(04:02):
the trophy home. Yeah.

Speaker 2 (04:04):
Super exciting for the fact that a lot of the
guys that run on this team, they've proven their worth
at the next level up, but they're still coming back
down and doing what they do best at that level.
So that experience that goes between two teams, i'd say
helpful for both teams. Although I'm saying that some of
your big forwards are a little gas because it's been

(04:24):
a hell of a season for some of those fellas,
isn't it.

Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, definitely. You know, I think the culture at the
club's a big reason why we're doing well, especially in
our Cup team. The culture and connection is probably the
best I've experienced, and it makes it that much easier
for boys that are going up to NRL and having
a drop back. It's making it a lot easier for

(04:47):
them to come back because they want to play for us,
and I think that's a big part of why we've
been so good this year. As the culture and connection
that's pretty great.

Speaker 2 (04:56):
Well, come to the end of the season. This is
elgan well for the club itself. It says a lot
about being backed New South Wales Cup. That's massive for
the side to have that engage.

Speaker 3 (05:06):
Yeah, definitely. You know, it's our third year back into
back into the camp and to sort of pick up
and win the camp after three years, I think has
been a great achievement for the club. And you know
we've got Harold Mattz boys. They've won it twice in
a row. So I think the club's heading in a great,
great direction and I'm pretty exciting to see where they

(05:27):
can where they can head in the future.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Hey, I think I've sold you short. I thought you
were like named as the Lock of the Sea. You
got the Player of the Year, didn't you in the
New South Wales Cup.

Speaker 3 (05:39):
Oh yeah, yeah, yeah I got I got that probably
about a month ago. Yeah, that was a great achievement,
but I think still nothing beats winning the camp, especially
for the first time for the club. That sort of
takes the cake for me. That's a great achievement for
myself and the club. To get that trophy, especially with
the group of boys that we've done it with. A
lot of us have been playing together for a while,

(05:59):
and to lift that trophy up with a bunch of
my mates and to send Bunty off like that, I
think that's sort of that takes the cake for me
for the year.

Speaker 1 (06:08):
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