Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio The
Big League Podcast podcast by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, Warries Halfback to
My Dear, Martin explains the reasons behind his continued success
in the number seven jersey alongside Chanelle Harris Tavita, and
why he felt zero pressure in attempting to rectify one
of the worst losses in franchise history. Michael Burgess and
I will analyze a stellar bounced back performance against the
(00:43):
Boncos and argue whether Shan Johnson will be able to
get back into the side.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
My name is Nathan Limb. Let's go b LB.
Speaker 2 (00:52):
I've been a big supporter and proponent of the Sean
Johnson and Timid and Martin Harves combination. I believe they
are individually the two best and most experienced has at
the club and the Warriors' best hope of winning high
pressure finals games. However, with Johnson now injured for at
least four weeks and their precarious position on the ladder,
(01:14):
they simply do not have the time to wait for
the combination to grow. Once SJ comes back. They need
to win games, and the Tomighto Martin and Chanelle Harris
Devita pairing is doing the job. They were outstanding against
the Broncos. Why well, the truth is Johnson is barely
trained this year due to repeated injuries in practice during
(01:35):
the week. The Warriors have been running Martin at halfback,
even though Johnson's been slotting in on game day. So
when Martin does run the attack on game day, they
look more organized and cohesive. Three games with Martin at
seven and three wins, I can no longer argue with that.
Martin and Harris Devita should be the Warriors half pairing
(01:55):
halves pairing for the remainder of the season. Michael Bergers,
Senior New Zealand Herald Ryder sounds weird saying that, but
agree or disagree?
Speaker 4 (02:05):
Yeah, I'm good throwing me a big one to start,
which is good. This gets straight into it. I disagree.
I don't know if they should be for the remainder
of the season. I think that if the thing is,
we haven't really seen Sean Johnson this year. We haven't
seen what you call Seawan Johnson. We've seen another guy,
(02:27):
a guy that's been injured all the time, hasn't really
got going, hasn't got his confidence, hasn't got physically right,
and that's kind of shown. He still had some decent
games early on, but he's obviously struggled with a struggling team.
And yeah, you make a good point that the case
for Martin and Harris to veat it is pretty compelling,
(02:49):
isn't it, because of what they've done in those games,
Martin against Penrith and then of course Cowboys Dolphins in
the Broncos.
Speaker 3 (02:58):
So it's pretty compelling.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
But if Sean Johnson did get back to full fitness,
got his confidence back, I take your point. It's hard
to do that. You don't want to be, you know,
on a learning curve in games with Martin and Johnson
trying to work together again. But if he came right
towards the end of the season, I'd still want Sean
Johnson on the field. He's the best guy in terms
of playing structure. Martin is very off the cuff, which
(03:22):
is perfect at the moment, but against teams towards in
the finals, you also need that structure. So yeah, I
would like a Johnson Martin. I think a Johnson Martin
combination can still work. But I can certainly see why
if we were out on the street asking people right now,
most people would be agreeing with you, and they'd be
saying that no, this is this is it for Sean
(03:44):
and Mark to Marty and Chanelle are the future for
the rest of the year.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
We'll say Sean Johnson is out for the next three
weeks and they come away with two wins and a loss,
but their attacks look better than it has all season
with Johnson running the cutter. Do you change your winning combination?
Because for me, they don't have the They can't risk
if they've got something that's working with the position there
in at the lane. In the games they've blown the season,
(04:10):
they can't risk changing a winning formula anymore. If Johnson
wasn't injured, I'd want to continue with it. But that's
just where we're at at this point now, because if
they start dropping games again, they're not going to make
the eight.
Speaker 4 (04:23):
It is tight where they are, so that they'd had
a much room for error. Do you change a winning
formula where you are talking about Sean, you're talking about
the basically the daily and half back of the year.
Last year's that's who we're talking about. So should he
get back in the team. I'd say he should, but
it's a big if if they go on a crazy
winning run. Be very hard to change a winning team
(04:44):
and tinkle with a winning formula, as you said, but
they have done it before. They changed the team after
they beat Penrith. They also changed the team after they
beat the Dolphins as senior players came back, So they'd
probably like to find place for Sean.
Speaker 3 (04:58):
But Seawan's also realistic. He's a team.
Speaker 4 (05:00):
Man, and if he sees that Demartin, Martin and Chanella
going really well together, they might have there be some
difficult conversations for a couple of weeks. The other thing
is with this crazy sport that we follow, that is
that there's always an injury somewhere. So whether there's an
injury that I opened the door for someone somehow, I
(05:21):
think Sean might be a bit longer, actually than three
more weeks from what I've just what I've heard or
what I've seen.
Speaker 3 (05:27):
But we'll see.
Speaker 4 (05:29):
But it's a really good question to ask, and in
some ways it's a real positive because can you imagine
us having this conversation last year talking about, Gee, should
Sean Johnson be in the team. Last year, you and
I were having kittens on a couple of podcasts because
there were things about, oh, Sean Johnson might be out
(05:50):
this week. He's injured, what are we going to do?
The whole nation, well, the whole league nation was freaking
out before the Newcastle playoff game at home. The whole
week's stories was about Sean Johnson's calf muscle. Would he
be able to run? Because it just felt like the
team was so dependent on him and without him they they.
Speaker 3 (06:09):
Just could not do much.
Speaker 4 (06:11):
And it's turned so much now that we're debating a
whether he should be in the team, but b we're
talking about, Wow, we've got this half combination. He's injured
and they're showing real potential. So there is a real
positive here.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Just to back end this discussion, coach Andrew Webster says,
while there was still while there was ears, he liked
between the Timato Martin and Janelle Harris to Vita combination,
that pair still have room to grow.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
I was happy with him, and I think we need
to stay grounded here. I think those boys would say
that they were wrapped.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
In a lot of things they didn't thinks they want to.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
Improve long We're going to hear from Tmighty and Martin
himself in a second, but first here are the highlights.
Warriors thirty two Broncos sixteen.
Speaker 6 (06:53):
Underway?
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Was Madden getting the match underway? Around seventeen or the
NRL adam for nour Blake Martin again? Mistada his marts in.
Don't be a lot of tap icon stack whatta.
Speaker 6 (07:12):
He sucked him in?
Speaker 1 (07:13):
Somebody move sick as high Motson, who's that?
Speaker 3 (07:18):
That's a prodcast.
Speaker 6 (07:19):
Pirates stands testing.
Speaker 3 (07:21):
The nikets all my records, slodie up to men and
again and that'll be a Brisbane. Try to Marina Sila.
Speaker 6 (07:30):
It's Marana.
Speaker 7 (07:33):
A team Mariner over for a top lots in kicking
on the fourth turn us.
Speaker 8 (07:38):
A sick o?
Speaker 3 (07:40):
Yit he's Willison running side away again.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Let us say get anything down he did?
Speaker 6 (07:46):
You're standing watching kicking for whats and he's.
Speaker 3 (07:49):
On his nack? Who turns about the photo? Okay for
the tried bunny soup.
Speaker 9 (07:57):
He's in six next Bundy Crafts, I've got you try.
Speaker 3 (08:01):
Listen, Hendy. That's gonna get it done here at Milt
Smarts Stadium. Audio cod see if Sky Sports.
Speaker 6 (08:09):
The Big League Podcast podcast.
Speaker 2 (08:11):
Michael Burgers had a few minutes with Too Mighty Martin
and the Changing Sheds after the game.
Speaker 3 (08:16):
Let's take a listen to what did you What did
you think of tonight?
Speaker 9 (08:20):
Yeah?
Speaker 7 (08:20):
Good, good in patches, a lot better than my last week.
But we the well in patches too, But there's obviously
a lot to improve on, but step in the right direction.
Speaker 6 (08:29):
Commit to last week?
Speaker 4 (08:30):
Did you always think there was going to be a
rebound tonight?
Speaker 3 (08:33):
I mean, how were the last seven days?
Speaker 6 (08:35):
Yeah, there was a lot of talk. It's a long week.
Speaker 7 (08:39):
That's try to brush it early, like what happened last
week and then get onto this week.
Speaker 6 (08:43):
But it's always in the in the back of your
mind what happened last week. So there was a little
bit of last week that's still there.
Speaker 7 (08:51):
But to go out the way we did today and
then play well in some patches and defense that we did, yeah,
take a lot of confidence out of it.
Speaker 3 (08:59):
How much pressure were you feeling ahead of the game.
Speaker 6 (09:03):
None? I didn't, Yeah, none, I didn't. I don't feel
we did.
Speaker 7 (09:07):
I found if we've done our job and we did well.
I felt like you could tell from the start.
Speaker 6 (09:14):
Our very few set like we're here we've been in
in we are last week when we've come to bat.
Speaker 7 (09:20):
I felt like that Patches in there in that first
half we defended, forced a lot of errors.
Speaker 6 (09:27):
I think they only school from a kick, which is
which is good. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (09:32):
Once once you get a lot of boys start feeling
what the defense is then and he start getting some tries.
Speaker 6 (09:35):
So yeah, we get a lot of confidence.
Speaker 8 (09:38):
Out of how we did, and Patches, you must be
very happy as well with the work from from you
and Shanel. Yeah, a lot of that comes from the
back of our defense, Like I said, forcing trunovers, then
getting a few errors and us capitalizing on the errors.
Speaker 6 (09:53):
And then the more the more you get to play
with each.
Speaker 7 (09:56):
Other, fascinate each other's combinations, it just gets a lot better.
I thought Sitting played well to night defense and offense
and also kicking someone.
Speaker 6 (10:04):
Here.
Speaker 7 (10:04):
We just improve on that for next week and look
towards the bootom.
Speaker 4 (10:08):
In the games you have played together, do you do
you feel like you're sort of in the zone as
at number seven this year, you're sort of seeing things
early and making the right choices, and it's it's.
Speaker 3 (10:18):
Coming kind of it's coming well to you. It's coming naturally.
Speaker 6 (10:22):
Yeah, there's a lot.
Speaker 7 (10:23):
There's a lot of stuff I still need to improve on,
Like I see afterwards and I can tell now what
I missed a few things.
Speaker 6 (10:30):
But it just comes with playing the position. You get
a lot more confidence out of playing it. There's so
many reps you can do at training.
Speaker 7 (10:37):
Until you get on the field and get a feel
for the game, it's it changes a little bit.
Speaker 6 (10:40):
So it's good having a left food kick.
Speaker 7 (10:43):
Out like Sinew can kick it to the left corner.
I kick to the right corner and then it just
flows from there. And I thought today and patches were
really good. But there's also a lot of in patches
where I need to improve where it won't take much,
but yeah, I need to improve.
Speaker 4 (10:59):
And the vibe in here at the moment, talking to
the coach, talking to the players, it seems to be
sort of dissatisfied, but no one's getting carried away and
there's a lot a lot of work to do.
Speaker 3 (11:08):
That kind of sum up how you're feeling.
Speaker 6 (11:10):
Yeah, it's only one game with him. Yeah, it's hard
to say. We haven't wrapped many wins up on the wall.
Speaker 7 (11:16):
If you see there's one, two, three, four or five
sexes of our seventh wins, so happy with it, but
also there's a lot to improve, so I think we're
looking more towards what needs to be improved and and
how we do that. So it's yeah, it's good. We're
excited for the challenge. It's obviously it's good to get
that week out of the way because it's a long
(11:36):
week coming off that Titans game.
Speaker 6 (11:38):
To get it when we're happy in.
Speaker 4 (11:40):
That combination you've got going with Dylan Walker. The way
you two are combining, it seems to be just going
so well. How has that started? And why do you
think it's going so well? To be honest, I think
a little bit of that.
Speaker 7 (11:53):
Just comes from, like off the field, like a lot
of the plays sometimes I'm calling them as he's catching it,
and it's just sort of we're sort of displaying what's
in front. And Walks is real good at being able
to change something on the runway. That's where he's been
really good, Like his organizing with the middles and his
league speed around the middle, like he can play through,
how he can ball playing. He tried a little kick
(12:17):
today which was the right option he just needed to execute,
which yeah, he's he's a footy player where he just
think he can see things that and he backs himself.
Speaker 6 (12:25):
So that's all we need at the moment.
Speaker 7 (12:26):
Just if you see something, back yourself and if it
doesn't come off, we just back our defense.
Speaker 3 (12:31):
This is the Big League Podcast.
Speaker 1 (12:36):
This is coming the Big League Podcast on the Warriors
Band Wagons.
Speaker 3 (12:41):
It's day one, Urge.
Speaker 2 (12:43):
A great chat there with Tomdi and Martin. He's got
to be the most relaxed person I've ever met in
my life. My goal is to be for one day
as relaxed as Timid and Martin is all the time,
and I just don't think it's going to happen.
Speaker 3 (12:58):
He is he is.
Speaker 4 (12:59):
He's a super laid back guy. Every time I talk
to him, I think, Gee, how does this guy balance this?
Playing an NRL all the focus on him. He's got
a young child at home, He's got so much going on.
I think it might be fishing. I think every time
I talk to him, I think, Gee, maybe I need
to start going fishing. I never been into fishing, but
he loves fishing. Maybe that's his his tonic, Maybe that's
(13:22):
his secret.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I'm not sure.
Speaker 4 (13:26):
Well, the rest of us are rushing around and so chill.
But yeah, the point he made about when I asked
him how much pressure is feeling. You know, he's got
to come and run the show, main playmaker. They've got
to win the game. No, not really, No, I was okay.
I mean maybe he's the kind of guy that can
just compartmentalize his life so he just focuses when he
needs to, right, I'm switching on now for the game,
(13:46):
and then I'm switching off. I really like his attitude
and his mindset because he if you don't let the
pressure get to you that you've got to play better.
Speaker 3 (13:53):
Right, Well, that temperament surely helps him on the field.
Speaker 2 (13:57):
I mean, I don't know how you go into an
NRL game off the back of probably the worst loss
in franchise history. You're stepping up into that crucial role,
and you just are so nonchalant, and you can hear it,
even when you hear little snippets of him interacting with
teammates like Dylan Walker on the field, like he's just
so composed and nothing seems to rattle him. And actually,
(14:18):
that is kind of the person that you want in
one of those key roles for your team in terms
of because he will just calm everyone else down. It
just doesn't feel the pressure, even when his teammates maybe
are a little bit rattled. And we've seen at times
during the year we have seen like on field arguments
between players. Just having a guy like him steering the
ship surely helps to calm everyone else down.
Speaker 4 (14:38):
He's a very positive guy, and you see that he's
very positive. And the other thing that players and the
coach talks about, he's a really it's a really big competitor.
So he's one of the most competitive guys, which is interesting.
You talked about how relaxed he is, but he's also
super competitive at training in games, really wants to win.
It sort of shows through how he plays, so I
(15:01):
guess players want to follow him, you know.
Speaker 3 (15:05):
And so far, so good. He's turning into.
Speaker 4 (15:09):
Just a fantastic decision, a fantastic recruit, isn't he Because
when the Warriors signed him, there were questions it was
this really good idea, he said, those issues with his
brain bleed, et cetera, et cetera. You know what's going
on here, But it's turned into a bit of a
master stroke.
Speaker 2 (15:25):
All right, Michael Burgess, Let's go through this game in
a little bit more detail. Firstly, coach Andrew Webster sees
his players offered a strong response to last weekend's humiliating
sixty point loss to the Titans.
Speaker 5 (15:38):
The way they've still had that feeling of that embarrassment
from last week and want to make that right, but
not letting that define them all week. I think it
was really important that we put it behind us without
walking past them. And then all of a sudden you
go from getting absolutely smashed to rocking up looking confident.
Speaker 2 (15:54):
What a start the Warriors. We've seen them start like
this at times through this year. The storm one is
the one that stands out the most. They couldn't capitalize
on that, But this time the Warriors could have scored
a lot more than three tries to start this game.
They probably a couple of opportunities and Brisbane Beay had
the ball. They seemed to be camped in their own
twenty meters at times. I mean the pressure that the Warriors.
(16:17):
I know Brisbane were missing key players, but I was
really surprised.
Speaker 4 (16:21):
It was remarkable and Brisbane showed a lot of resilience.
They like you say, they could have probably conceded five tries.
They defended so well, because I can't remember an onsought
of that. The Warriors just had so much ball. There
were repeat sets, there were penalties, there were Broncos errors.
It was a great start, as you say, they probably
should have had a couple more tries, but and so
(16:42):
then there was that Nervey feeling when the Broncos came back,
got a relatively soft try and could have had another
one before halftime. But the standard was set from the
first moment of the game. The Warriors first set on
set their night. They rolled fifty odd meters and that
was better than any six tackle sequence they'd had the
whole weekend, the whole game against the Titans. So you
(17:05):
could see, right they hear they head at prove a point.
It were just whether they could could keep going because
they've had these hot starts against it. It smart against
the against the Sharks, against the Titans, and against the Storm.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
So that was the thing. Could they nail this one.
Here's Webster summing up the performance.
Speaker 5 (17:23):
Just overall, until we put there our energy into the
right things, which was the fence and going after the opposition,
I think it's pretty clear we still weren't the smartest
at times, like we made it hard on ourselves.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
He touched on the defense there defensively. I mean, obviously
they looked like a completely different outfit. It's pleasing, but
also sort of exacerbates how disappointing the Titan's loss was
because their attitude was just on a different planet it was.
Speaker 4 (17:50):
I mean, they were really pretty hungry. There were still
a few moments where they couldn't defend an error, couldn't
defend things on their line that they'll want to approval
on that. And that's why Webster Wasn't you notice this
tone of voice. He wasn't doing cartwheels about this performance.
He does not want to get carried away because I
think the fans, the media, even the team have got
carried away in the past this season and then there's
(18:11):
been a let down following. So he's a bit wary
about that. But yeah, it was much improved. I mean,
let's hope, Nath that the Titans game we look back
on it, it's just an extremely bad, extremely bad day
at the office. Let's hope it was just this crazy
blip where everything that could go on wrong went wrong
and not you know, something that we're going to be
(18:33):
talking about at the end of the season. About you know,
five ways the Warriors went downhill in twenty twenty four.
Let's hope it is a just a one crazy day.
Speaker 2 (18:44):
Well what frustrated me after that Titans game, and we
won't label this too much, but the fact that they
conceded sixty six points and then so much of the
talk afterwards was about Sean Johnson's kicking. Like, to me,
it's like returning home to find your houses on fire
and saying, oh shoot, I forgot to put the bins out,
Like there's a bigger issue here than Seawan Johnson's kicking.
(19:06):
And I just hated how much crap he copped after that.
He went up on Instagram. Did you see the Instagram
post he put up talking about the hate he received
after that game?
Speaker 1 (19:15):
No?
Speaker 4 (19:15):
No, but it doesn't surprise me, and it is quite amazing.
Andrew Webster talked about this last week, as did some
of the players. There's just a crazy focus on him
no matter what. So when they win, he maybe sometimes
gets too much credit, although last year is amazing, and
then when they have a bad day, it's just all
(19:37):
about Sean.
Speaker 3 (19:39):
I don't really get it.
Speaker 4 (19:40):
I don't know why there's still that hatred out there
because he you know, what he did last year was
incredible and I would have thought that would have killed
off all of that. So yeah, I mean it's just
it's pretty crazy.
Speaker 2 (19:53):
Post contact meters was a big highlight. Six hundred and
fifteen for the Warriors compared to just three hundred and
twenty seven for the Broncos, So that again exemplifies how
much more resilient they were on defense. But Mitch Barnett,
Dylan Walker, Kirk cape Pole all with huge games. It
really shows what a difference having Barnett and Capewell back
in that side. Obviously missed in the Titans game, but
(20:15):
just having their presence on the field and what they're
able to do in contact.
Speaker 4 (20:19):
Barnett was amazing. Yeah, he's still on track to be
Player of the Year. He's having a remarkable season. He's
sort of the guy they looked to. And then Walker's
got this really special connection with Tomty and just play
so well. They play so well together. He made some
big runs of course, to lead to give them empetus
towards tries, which really highlights what a mistake it was
(20:40):
to put him in the second row against the Titans,
because he just didn't didn't suit the second row at all.
Speaker 3 (20:47):
Adam was good as well. We can't forget Adam.
Speaker 4 (20:49):
I thought he was excellent after being pretty anonymous against
the Titans. So all the Fords stood up, which of
course is the platform, and a lot of the backs,
where Roger I thought had one of those better games
this season, chance was back into it.
Speaker 3 (21:02):
Dellen made a really good return.
Speaker 4 (21:04):
There was a lot to like, but we have to
let's not forget and I thought to Marty made a
good point when I spoke to him, he said, look,
the Broncos were missing a few players, you know. To
Marty said this, he said, if Adam Reynolds was there tonight,
he would have made a difference with something. So we've
got to keep that in mind. I think the Brisbane
(21:25):
had seven on the field at Mount Smart from the
from the seventeen that played in the prelim final last year.
It's in court, there's too many. You know, some players
are left and all that. But when you talk about Paynehaspat, Carrigan,
Reese w Wash, Adam Reynolds, it's a different Broncos team.
So I think that's partly why Andrew Webbs is not
getting carried away. Really good performance, but a lot more
(21:46):
still to do.
Speaker 2 (21:47):
Yeah, the Broncos, well this season has taken an absolute
dive thinking to their fourth straight loss, but coach Kevin
Walters isn't too worried because he believes Auckland's a tough
place to earn points.
Speaker 5 (21:58):
Pretty hostile environment for a lot of these guys who
haven't played there.
Speaker 7 (22:01):
We've got a huge injury crisis at the club, lost
too more tonight, so there's lots of things that sort
of went against us.
Speaker 3 (22:07):
But I don't like sort of make and too many excuses.
I don't like making excuses. But here's four excuses.
Speaker 4 (22:13):
Well, they were I mean to have a guy break
his arm in the first ten minutes, to lose another guy,
so they're playing with the two men interchange. They've already left,
as I mentioned, some of their big guns at home,
which was their choice but probably right because you can't
expect them to fly to Auckland after an Origin game
in Melbourn.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
Da Da da da da. So it's a tough time
for the Broncos.
Speaker 4 (22:31):
It's a bit like what the Warriors were going through
about two months ago when they seemed to be getting
two injuries every week. And that's another bonus out of
Saturday was that there were no injuries as far as
we know, so it felt like everything kind of went
to script for a change. And we haven't even talked
about two of those tries in the second half. I
(22:51):
thought the last three tries, they're all excellent in their
own way. You had Roger running off Tomorday with a
beautifully time grubber that we just haven't seen much of
that this year and just so well timed that the
defenders couldn't get near it on the fourth tackle. And
then the Dallen try with a perfect kick and Dallan
had what twenty meters It was like he was a
(23:13):
you know, on a runway.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
The way he took off. Just beautiful, just beautiful.
Speaker 2 (23:19):
Big League podcast, Right, It does get tougher for the Warriors.
They visit the Bulldogs on Saturday, who are stringing wins
together for the first time in what a decade. The
Bulldogs upset now now, oh, I can't resist. The Bulldogs
upset the Sharks though in Golden Point last round fifteen fourteen,
Matt Burdon slotting the field goal. They set fifth on
(23:43):
the ladder with eight wins, seven losses. Who would have
thought Kurt Man was suspension, Jacob Preston and Daniel Suluka
for Fitta with injuries, but all are expected back this week. Burge,
what are the Bulldogs doing so well this year that
they weren't doing well before Josh Curran.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Got to be him?
Speaker 4 (24:04):
Yeah, well, I know he's one of your favorite players
and he's been going really well.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
You know, he's a dynamic runner on the edge.
Speaker 4 (24:12):
Obviously, they're defending a lot better than they were, but
I just can see a real connection that you couldn't
see last year. They look like, you know, they look
like a bunch of individuals, I guess the best way
to sum it up, whereas it's a cliche, but they
really look like a team. They've won a lot of games,
but even some of the games have lost have been close,
so they're really in the game and that that makes
(24:33):
you play a lot better.
Speaker 3 (24:34):
And I'm pretty sure their home record this year is
seven and zero.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
I'm pretty sure they've got one hundred percent record at home,
which makes the thought of going there, you know, pretty daunting.
As well, the Warriors don't have an amazing record when
they play the Broncos in Sydney. I still remember some
listeners remember too. In twenty eighteen under Stephen Kearney, the
(25:00):
Warriors were having a fantastic season, of course, with a
big run in the top eight, right up near the
top four x and they went to Sydney and won
there with about three rounds to go, and they lost
to a really unheralded Bulldogs team lost that game, and
that was the difference really in the end between the
finished eighth and if they'd won that game against the Bulldogs,
(25:22):
they would have finished fourth, third, fifth. So so yeah,
it's been it's been tough in the past. It will
be very tough. But they're going there with confidence, they're
going there on a bit of a high, so obviously
they'll give them really good go wonn't they.
Speaker 3 (25:37):
Yeah, Well, just.
Speaker 2 (25:38):
Confirming what you said before, I've just double chick. Yes,
they are unbeaten at home this year and that actually
includes a preseason victory of the Melbourne Storm. We'll take that.
Will take from that what you will. But you mentioned before,
no injuries that we know of so far from the game.
But Roger twy Vasischek obviously has returned from a hamstring injury.
He talked about it after the game. Is he still
(25:59):
managing this? This is what he said after the game.
Speaker 6 (26:00):
It's going to be ongoing.
Speaker 9 (26:02):
I think what's the major sort of factor is my
age and trying to keep up with a lot of
these boys in the game. So and know, I've got
to manage everything like twenty one year old anymore. So
I got to make sure I just do what I can,
not try.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
And do everything. What do we take from that?
Speaker 4 (26:16):
Yeah, I was a bit surprised because I asked him
because I'd seen that. You would have noticed too, the
massive strapping on his Yeah, it was on his thigh.
So I asked him and he said, yeah, I've got
to manage it or et cetera, et cetera. So I
guess he's got to be careful, probably careful with training,
make sure it warms up really well, because you know
what hamstrings are like, even US weekend Warriors. It's not
(26:38):
nice when you've got something you think, oh, that's a
bit tight, and then it can just go at any time.
So it's got to be careful because he's such an
explosive player. But they need him, and obviously they are
happy that it's not just going to go but I
did hear at the time when he did it. I
think if you remember Webster saying, it was a more
more serious hamstring than you know normal, Like some of them,
(27:00):
what you get you back in three weeks or four,
and he took about six weeks. So we have to
keep an eye on that and just hope that he
doesn't fall over again, because I think if he gets
a few games, I thought there was one of his
better games at center this season. I know he's played
a lot, you know, he's played fall back, and he's
had a game on the wing, but I thought that
was one of his better ones in that area of
(27:21):
the back line.
Speaker 3 (27:22):
So if he can stay on the field and get
some confidence, that's kind of what we've all been hoping for.
Speaker 2 (27:29):
Ali Lautawa a chance to return also this week after
breaking his ankle a few weeks ago.
Speaker 1 (27:38):
The Big League Podcast on the Warriors, Bad Wagons since
day one. The Big League Podcast for the biggest league fans.
Speaker 2 (27:50):
Okay Birds quick fire predictions to round out episode fifty.
Congratulations by the way, Episode fifty of The Big League
Podcast been going for a year and a half.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
Now you're on seventy tips for the year.
Speaker 2 (28:01):
I am on sixty five both appalling efforts Eels versus Rabbidos.
Speaker 4 (28:08):
This Rabbits toss the coin. I'm going to go with
the Eels. I thought they were really unlucky against the Knights.
I felt for them. I think they were winning with
what three minutes to go in Newcastle, so yeah, that
was that was tough. I think they'll they'll bounce back.
Although the rabbit O's are obviously a different rabbit as
to what we saw a few weeks ago there, they're
(28:29):
definitely also back to their best. So but I'll go
to the Eels here.
Speaker 2 (28:34):
Rabbito's coming off the bibe, but you're right, they're back
apparently trail in origin as well.
Speaker 3 (28:40):
How good?
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Yeah, Southwest, we do get that Decider Birge, which I
know you wanted and I obviously wanted to as a
Blues fan. So that's going to be Titanic at sun
Corp Stadium.
Speaker 4 (28:49):
I wanted to Decider, but with a caveat that as
long as Queensland win it. So I hope pants, I
hope that's been Queensland and mud they're gone. I was
feeling over, I was feeling really happy for Michael maguire.
And this is great, this is what I wanted. But
then at the end, I was like, shit, but what
if they win the whole series? That won't be good
at all. But now and you said, I look really good.
They looked that Ford just looked, just looked brutal. But
(29:12):
you know they just got a roll on. It's so
hard to defend with repeat sets and all that, So
Queen's don't to be all right.
Speaker 3 (29:18):
Sharks Titans, Sharks. I like the I like the Sharks.
Speaker 4 (29:22):
Here, very very tough result for them against the Bulldogs,
and I'm sure they'll they'll bounce back, but they had
been getting the wobbles a bit this season. The Titans
are tricky, but yeah, the Sharks and Crenella should be
should be too good.
Speaker 3 (29:34):
They had a fiery encounter with the Bulldogs.
Speaker 2 (29:37):
I saw Nicko Hines obviously obviously the Sharks missed out
on their field goal attempt and then Matt Burton slotted
it for the Bulldogs. Nickerhmes coppying a bit of heat
from fans as well. But I will agree with you
that the Sharks bounce back. Broncos Panthers in Brisbane. Oh,
I don't know, both coming off losses.
Speaker 3 (29:53):
I don't know.
Speaker 4 (29:55):
You think the Broncos will be desperate and they will
have some of their players back, obviously, their origin boys back,
including Reese Walsh, payinghas Carrigan. So I will go with
the Broncos just because they can't afford to go to
go five in a row and they can't afford to
lose at home, surely, but it'll be tight going to
(30:17):
back the Panthers here. Bulldogs Warriors. Yeah, this is a
really hard one. The Bulldogs, as we said, unbeaten at home,
been going so well. They've got some really dangerous players
in the back line, some good, really hard working pack
with some big bodies as well, so it'll be very
tough for the Warriors, but they they are due to
(30:39):
play well in Sydney, it's been a while. I think
it'll suit them playing in the afternoon, although that was
my great theory for the Titans match and look where
that ended up. So but yeah, it's a three o'clock
game in Sydney, which won't be as hot as the
Gold Coast. And I also like the fact that, if
I'm not mistaken, the game is at a Core Stadium,
which is the big stadium they use for the Grand
(31:00):
Final venue.
Speaker 3 (31:02):
So I think that kind of works.
Speaker 4 (31:03):
In the warriors phase because it's not exactly an intimidating atmosphere.
They'll have thirty thousand people there, but it's a big,
big stadium, it's not it won't be hostile. They'll be
a few key Wei was there. So adding all that together,
I can see a warriors are warriors when here. And
obviously we've got to be optimistic after what they did
against the Broncos, surely they've got to get this done. Tigers, Storm, Storm,
(31:26):
Storm just keep on rolling. They just they're really good
Nunderstan anything else.
Speaker 2 (31:32):
It's great analysis, Cowboys, Is that really the best you've got?
The Storm are really I don't think you need they're
really good.
Speaker 4 (31:40):
Is that the best you've got out? Is this really
expert analysis? I'll go for a smoky here. I will
go for the Cowboys at home. They've been up and down,
but it is a it is a tough trip. The
Seagles will have their origin boys back, but that would
have taken a bit out of them. So my theory
is that North Queensland will will get this job done.
(32:02):
Otherwise they're in a bit of a hole as well.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
This season.
Speaker 2 (32:07):
Well, see North Queens got the job done against the
Panthers obviously just gone in the round. But I'm going
to go for the Seagles here because they're coming off
the bike and you're right, they're getting those origin players back,
so I think they should get the job done.
Speaker 4 (32:21):
Roosters versus the Dragons Rooster Dragons, Yeah, it's got to
be the Bondlow Boys here. I would have thought Dragons
coming in some form. Again, impressive over the Dolphins, who
quite often struggle in Sydney. But yeah, the Roosters on paper,
they've just got a much better roster and surely that
they will be the way it goes. Although the Dragons
do have a good four pack so you can never
count them out. But Roosters for me.
Speaker 3 (32:43):
And finally, Raiders versus the Knights.
Speaker 4 (32:45):
Yeah, the poorer Raiders. I thought they gave a really
impressive account. Impressive impressive account of themselves against the storm,
so the gutsy if the storm had to really work
for that. So the Raiders they're still got they've still
got hopes this year. They're still you know, they're just
such a I guess the hot and cold team. When
they're hot, they're really really good. I think they will
(33:08):
be too good for the nights. The Nights are more
of a tradesman type team begetting the job done. But yeah,
I'll bet the raiders here in Canberra.
Speaker 2 (33:18):
I'm gonna a lot of disagreements this week, but this
could be the rounds where I pull it back and
go ahead.
Speaker 3 (33:22):
But please follow and rate the podcast.
Speaker 2 (33:25):
Thank you Michael Burgas for your time, your wisdom, and
you're inside episode fifty. If the Big League Podcast will
be back, yeah, incredible. We'll be back next Monday.
Speaker 3 (33:32):
My name is Nathan. Let's give ourselves a pen on
the back. Have a great week.
Speaker 1 (33:40):
For more from News Talks d B, listen live on
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