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September 2, 2024 39 mins

This week, the guys unpack Shaun Johnson's final NRL outing - and his last-gasp win over the Sharks last Saturda.

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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcast now on iHeartRadio
The Big League Podcast League podcast News TALKSB.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, The Prince of
Pinrose gets a walk off when we unpacked Sean Johnson's
spellbinding final outing and the NRAL as the Warriors stunned
Cronulla and it's time to pick off the scam that
is the twenty twenty four season Highlights, low lights and
fearless predictions for next year. My name is Nick Bewley.

(00:43):
Let's go b LB. Never have we been more happy
to admit we were wrong. After four straight defeats and
a final match against the top four side on their turf,
it defied logic to see this going any other way,
but Sean Johnson and his final NURL appearance, along with
a cast of co stars, had other ideas. To be honest,

(01:05):
I was just tough to see one last SJ line
break in the assists for Luke Metcalf to score the
warriors first try. Little did we know then we'd get
a second half master class, two more assists, including that
final pass for dw Z's third, and a memorable comeback
when it seems scarcely believable, but that is sewn Johnson right,

(01:25):
he could make the ridiculous look routine. One final entry
into the catalog of clutch moments, a fitting finish to
a career that's been a thrill to witness. Alex Powell
from The New Zealand Herald unpacked that one for me, mate,
I mean, not the fairy tale season, of course, but
a fairy tale finish for Sean Johnson. How good was that?

Speaker 3 (01:48):
Mate? Thanks for having me? First off? It was great.
You know, it was everything that we could have wanted
at this point of the year, with everything basically with
nothing on the line. I thought it was great. I had.
I loved that little passing the torch moment between Johnson Metcalf.
I think that was basically I'm trying to even think.
I'm trying to think, how are we actually say it up? Because,

(02:09):
like you say, the season was gone, there's nothing to
play for, but we all got what we wanted. That's
how I sum it up.

Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, I just I kept catching myself throughout the contest,
especially in that second half. Obviously we're unpacking in greater detail,
but you know, they're twenty two to four down. It
followed a script that we've talked about so many times,
where they they've started well, they've scored the first points,
they've dominated all the key metrics, they haven't been able
to convert that into points. Then their opposition on this case,

(02:35):
the Sharks get a sniff and it's just like a
freight train towards the back end of that second half.
At that point, Alex, how close were you to turning
the TV off? I have to ask, I was very.

Speaker 3 (02:47):
Close, so just to sort of peel the curtain back.
This was also in between me trying to get Oasis tickets,
so I was just down on more than one front.
I think if you'd said you can have one of
two at the moment, you can have tickets or a
Warrior's win, I would have not have gone for the
Warriors win. But in a way, I'm sort of glad
that's the one I got.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
Nice, nice, and then so obviously the Sharks have denied
those last couple try a couple of tries to start
the second half, which were big moments I don't disagree
with either. Court was one of those sort of subjective
I suppose obstruction calls with Niko Heinz denied. But then
the Warriors, you know, they just started to chance their arm,

(03:25):
which is all we've kind of wanted since the season
has been over in terms of playing to get into
the finals, rather the sort of conservative get to your
kick approach. We had a try on one of what's
Ennis Lesnicks tries. I think the kick through was on
tackle three. We had willingness to run from an urn
end that it was great footy to watch and you

(03:47):
couldn't help but feel as much as you bast and
the enjoyment of the moment, you're kind of going like,
where has that been?

Speaker 3 (03:53):
It's a phrase that Stephen Kerney actually used when he
first became coach of the Warriors, warriorball, you know, where
you do stuff that's about outside the box. You'd like
to chance your arm. And I'm glad that we've seen
the Warriors can do it. We know that this is
in their locker. We saw it, you know, on a
ca last year. But this year has been a bit
more methodical and we've seen that they're just up against
clubs who maybe know how to do the ordinary a

(04:16):
bit better. But when the Warriors are playing like that
they're playing with freedom and they're playing with unpredictability. I
think that's when they're really going to catch teams out.

Speaker 2 (04:25):
Yeah, bang on, let's go to the last minute.

Speaker 4 (04:27):
Then.

Speaker 2 (04:27):
Obviously Kronulla did well. They were down a man and
we'll touch on that too, but they scored while having
Kayle in the bench to retake the lead. After the
Warriors had scored three tries on the trot Jack Williams
there interchange prop drop the ball with about ninety seconds
to go. Let's have a listen to Sean Johnson. I'm
sure if you're listening to the Big League podcast you

(04:49):
all know what happened from there. But let's hear from
the man himself unpack that final set, which of course
culminated in DWZ going over in the corner for the
match winner.

Speaker 5 (04:59):
Do I see to walk slid get us in the
right strip, don't deliveryone? Now I'm done, Lad, I'm done.
He's going now, so pretty mu.

Speaker 6 (05:08):
Which was a three play sequence where I wanted just
to give my menument around the spots I knew we
could walks.

Speaker 5 (05:13):
He took control of the footy.

Speaker 6 (05:14):
We spoke about fading and certain spots Barney got a
quick play the book and then we just doubled up
on it. And I think that feeling of being in
the zone where you know why you're doing something and
the look you want to create for me to be
able to finish my career on that moment is probably
what I'm so content about. There's probably actually a bit

(05:35):
of talking to like, it wasn't just a one cutout ball.
There's things that lead led into that play to create
that look, and it's just the truth. You know me
and walks ahead embraced before because it was like he
was like, you're crazy man, because he knows exactly what
I said to him, and he went and executed it
and put me in a good spot to come up
about last Pass.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
I just love him unpacking the game like that. I
think we can all agree. He's obviously already started his
own podcast, but he's going to have a big future
in the game and great to hear from him to
post match to say he's real keen to work with
the future Spine players and the key positional areas around
the halves going forward as a sort of a mental
or a coach. That last pass, it's just right on

(06:18):
the money, isn't it. And you think it's you know,
it's corny, it's sort of fairy tale stuff, call it
what you like. But for thirteen seasons and then for
it to come down to that game on the line,
to have that clutch moment, it's just it's so hard
to fathom for me that you know that the NRL
gods or the Rugby League god someone was smiling down

(06:39):
and said, you know what, for your service mate, We're
going to give you this one.

Speaker 3 (06:42):
I don't think Sean Johnson were remembered for that one play.
It'll be you know, it'll be the line breaks, it'll
be the steps, it'll be you know, some of the kickses,
you know, just just all the stuff like that. It
just adds into what Sean Johnson is and that's been
the guy who has been the talisman of this team
for most of those thirteen years. Will forget those years
at the Sharks, but you're right, I'm glad that he

(07:05):
got to end it on a way where he was
the main man.

Speaker 2 (07:08):
Yeah. As I said in the top, a catalog of
clutch moments just before we get to the highlights, courtesy
of our friends at Fox Sports. I did want to
touch on a couple of other players because as I
mentioned so Sean Johnson was front and center, but there
was some really strong co stars, if you will. For me,
the guy who jumped out and I've been a big
fan of him ever since he made his first great
debut last year was tamed to a picky at the

(07:30):
back himself. He had two tryass just super busy. You know,
he's a small guy, but he puts his body on
the line, you know, twenty plus runs and you know
that's his sixth game this season. Unfortunately for me, he's
had a couple of hia's where he's had to go off.
But he's been now involved in the Penrith win earlier

(07:51):
in the campaign, the Cronulla win at the weekend and
way back in Round three when the Warriors hosted the
Raiders down in my neck of the woods in christ Church.
He was the fullback then. So what did you make
a taine? And I guess, more broadly speaking, has he
shown how valuable he could be going forward into twenty
twenty five.

Speaker 3 (08:09):
I like you, I'm a huge entertained to a picky.
That's such a hard job when you know you're not
the main guy, and he still comes in every week
and plays his hard out there, leaves nothing out there.
You mentioned the games he came in full. Let's also
not forget he was going to play that Dolphins game
at Mount Smart as well, but then was withdrawn at
the last minute because his partner went into labor. So
he could have played another one there but didn't. I

(08:32):
don't know what I want for tain to a picky.
I love the fact that the Warriors can call on
a guy like that to step in when they need him,
and there's so much of that of being a guy
who isn't going to play every week, but he's just
so safe when he does. Do you I'll put back
to you, do you think he should stay.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
Stay at the club? Well, I hope he stays at
the club. I think he's got a big part to
play next year. To be perfectly honest, I know you're
probably more on the camp that going into twenty twenty
five they look at Roger at fullback. I'm sort of
the view and I'm probably, you know, perhaps reaching here
after one performance, but I wouldn't mind first round next
year seeing to a picky at one charms in the

(09:12):
centers and Roger on the wing, and that would then
mean Montoya, as much as I love his effort and
hard carries, would make way. But that's a discussion for
another day. But I get the sense that tame to
a picky he is a first grader and for him
to just have to settle for New South Wales Cup

(09:35):
at his age, at twenty five, I think there'll be
another club sniffling in and around if he can't get
regular opportunities. Let's get to the highlights then, courtesy of
Fox Sports. It was a brilliant call, I have to
say from Andrew Voss. It was quite fitting. I thought
that that VOSSI got the final Seawn Johnson game. Here
it is Warrior is thirty Kranulla twenty eight Saturday.

Speaker 7 (09:56):
Super Saturday Night in Cranella and the Warriors first use
Johnson on the flat foot john set it so back
to Mecca.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
That is so good.

Speaker 7 (10:08):
The seven of the six r Johnson.

Speaker 2 (10:12):
It's a good a passing of the bed, a.

Speaker 7 (10:15):
Woman, Trindleby's shop to Ronson render for play, then number
seven for Granilla last play swingle.

Speaker 5 (10:27):
Women so cling round.

Speaker 7 (10:30):
And a great fame in New Zealand. Let be leading
scores against the Lais.

Speaker 2 (10:35):
The first one was Wilton.

Speaker 4 (10:37):
This time he goes to the outside and plays the
hero who is just so powerful.

Speaker 7 (10:43):
Eighty four games before the final our last a ruck
Belod broadly passes to stop straight the Londal.

Speaker 5 (10:51):
Juna is on his way, the kid.

Speaker 7 (10:55):
Living his drone in the Cronulla Sharks jersey. He's promptly
dreaded that heine's calling for it.

Speaker 2 (11:04):
He's with it, not for the line, says, but.

Speaker 7 (11:13):
What a hardlight really is getting a four pointers if
you will? Tobby boy deff Reagan now the right side.
Johnson turpicky a tote zalazni Ark to score the nineteen
ninth trime of his career and the fiftieth for the Warriors.

(11:35):
Still a chance with the Warriors midcalv little show chops,
all kicks any here comes down.

Speaker 6 (11:42):
He wins the race and down the.

Speaker 7 (11:44):
Tri Sister Johnson and Delan with Tennis Alesia.

Speaker 5 (11:50):
Brings up the tone.

Speaker 7 (11:52):
One hundred career tries.

Speaker 2 (11:55):
What a special moment.

Speaker 7 (11:57):
Mogan, you walk up, double put Johnson, tour Picky rock down.
It clicks up.

Speaker 4 (12:05):
Tenny's Alesiac was it over the He is such a
physical player here and just hits the lesbiack as he's
slipping from the inside. Had to be made great desperation
from Kennedy, or if some of the others have been
high contact. Oh thoughts on here now we're going, here
we go.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
He's in the middle of that.

Speaker 4 (12:25):
It's drindle drindles throwing the little the little shop pis
Wilton Stone Street, go back to back, So you aren't
into the brief.

Speaker 2 (12:33):
Gone, Kyl, you're right. It pays the.

Speaker 5 (12:36):
Penalty you to slip.

Speaker 2 (12:39):
Eagan Johnson to a.

Speaker 5 (12:41):
Picky said, you got a Nickel Club.

Speaker 7 (12:43):
Star going for the line. The Warriors have got another.
The Warriors maybe riding in a headline. Here hold the
front page. Look MEPCD, look.

Speaker 4 (13:01):
The front.

Speaker 5 (13:03):
This is a stradry front.

Speaker 7 (13:05):
The Warriors plaily fires it across Treadll to Kennedy. They're
playing return and Stone's trade is over. The scores are level,
possibly their last checks. Hagan Newalker Johnson Clutside outside runs

(13:33):
his own screen Riddled, produced directed by Sean Johnson, the
movie His Last Game Wins It for the Warriors.

Speaker 5 (13:46):
Big League Podcast.

Speaker 2 (13:48):
Right, let's get into our season review, and of course
I know Nathan Lemon and Michael Burgess. They started this
podcast last year and they had the you know, the
wonderful year that was where in terms of it sort
of season review that they couldn't They had a top
five each of their moments of the years. Bit of
a to get through five. I think in season twenty

(14:11):
twenty four we've taken the liberty to change it up
a touch and hand out some awards, highlights, low lights, etc.
I mean, if we completely unpacked the season, we'll be
here all day, but where we're going to look at
some of the key parts that stood out for us
in season twenty twenty four. Of course, the Warriors don't
play this week due to a buye, and irrespective of

(14:33):
what happens this weekend, they'll finish thirteenth with a record
of nine wins, a draw and fourteen losses, this of course,
coming after making the preliminary final last year. Let's start
with a grading, Alex, what mark do you give the
Warriors and why so?

Speaker 3 (14:53):
I would go with a D plus. I don't think
other than the Titans away, there's not really been games
where I've been embarrassed for the Warriors. But at the
same time, there hasn't been enough good to overtake the
bad I think they should absolutely finish higher than thirteenth
from what we saw last year and from the players

(15:14):
at their disposal, I think there's been a lot of
mitigation and players being unavailable and some decisions that go
against them, and just moments they were going against them.
So I think a DED not quite a C minus,
but not quite a D. Okay, Yeah, I'll just go
with a firm D.

Speaker 2 (15:29):
And of course, you know, context is important, and we're
measuring the warr is this iteration of the warr is
on last year, because you know, if we look back
to how we all felt twelve months ago about the
team going into this season, you know, all the noise
was getting back to a preliminary final, getting inside and

(15:51):
ensconced into the top four, let alone the top eight,
and for the season to fall away as it did
was incredibly disappointing. As you mentioned, injury issues, Tauhu, Harris
Sean Johnson barely fit throughout the course of the season.
I thought way Egan looked pretty banged up from about
round ten or eleven. He had a really strong start

(16:14):
to the year but faded away and hopefully some rest
will be good for him. Heading into season twenty twenty five,
but just the nature of some of the defeats as well.
I know we'll get into low lights shortly, but yeah,
just a lack of evolution to I just felt like
they rested a little bit. I'm hoping things would just

(16:34):
click as it did last year, and as we know
in the NRL being one of the toughest competitions and
sport in the Southern Hemisphere, you just have to continue
to get better. It felt like that sort of second
year syndrome and away, and unfortunately for the Warriors, they'll
look on with envy as a season of what ifs

(16:55):
has gone by. What was your highlight? Then Alex Lea's
get onto a positive note.

Speaker 3 (17:01):
So initially, Nick, you and I talked this morning about
what would do here, and I've had a late change
from my heart of the year. Okay, initially I'd put
Mitch Barnett's origin call up just for what it meant
for him and the way the clubs read that. I've
since changed that to the signing of James Fisher Harris.
That is by far the best I felt this year
in terms of the Warriors.

Speaker 2 (17:20):
I think in many ways, highlighting two individual moments kind
of sums up the collective, you know. I agree those
are both great moments, and the Barnet elevation and eventual
debut for New South Wales was thoroughly deserved. And the
excitement around James Fisher Harris. I remember at the time
thinking when Fish signed for the Warriors, I was like, oh, okay,

(17:44):
the premiership win though for mine is open still and
I felt it was closing on this group losing not
only Sean. We didn't know we were losing Sean at
that point, but we certainly knew that Adam fanoor Blake
was off. Now I'm still excited about Fisher Harris coming
and filling in those shoes from Adam fanol Blake, but
I do have my concerns with Johnson making way around

(18:07):
that half back position. My highlight of the year, I'm
going to go with the game, and I don't even
care if you call it recency bias, but I just
loved Saturday. I loved Sean getting his moment and getting
that comeback went over Cronal something like. I just never
really liked them, and we had that last year, of course,
and we've had it again this year. A shout out
to tell the young guys that came in and topped

(18:30):
Penrith that was bloody cool and magic round. I think
that deserves an honorable mention. But yeah, that that final game.
I know you mentioned before, Alex. You know Sean won't
be remembered just on that, but I think of, you know,
if he was putting together a Greatest Hits album and
it had his first try at Mount Smart and it
had that runaway against the Broncos, and it had that

(18:53):
you know that trice just for Lewis Brown against some
album storm, I think I think there would be somewhere
there in the in the Greatest Hits. So that was
my highlight of the year, right low lights, sadly a
few to pick from. I might go, that's OK, just
to change things up, and you did you did mention
Gold Coast before and feeling embarrassed. This is cheating slightly,

(19:16):
but it's it's a combination of the two games against
the titles. What is it about this bloody Gold Coast
team We just I don't know we take lightly or
what's going on. But if we cast our minds right
back to even when the game was announced, I was
so excited to finally get an Anzac Day game at
Mount Smart. Of course it's become a or it had

(19:36):
become a tradition. The Warriors would face the Melbourne Storm
and pretty much exclusively was held in Melbourne. We finally,
after groundswellow momentum after last season, get a ans auct
Day fixture. It had been a bit of a middling
start of the season by this point. Round eight was
the Anzac Day fixture that they look good. They almost

(19:58):
beat Melbourne Storm. Round two a good one down here
against the Raiders, sort of up and down, but for
them to lose that game on Anzact was just as
a real flat moment. Yes, they had some moments not
long after that that turned things around, but then to
roll and face them again eight weeks later over there

(20:21):
at a point of the season where their campaign was
still very much alive, and for the Warriors to be
beaten sixty six points to six against any opposition, let
alone the Gold Coast Titans, with all due respect, was
deeply embarrassing and upsetting for the Warriors fan base and
just frankly unacceptable. And from there it really felt like

(20:42):
the wheels started to fall off. Yes, they won the
following week, against Brisbane, but it never really felt the
same from there, so that was my low light. It
was the closest. In fact, I think I did walk
away in the seventieth minute of that game and just
said I can't cop this anymore. So yeah, how about you.

Speaker 3 (20:59):
I agree with everything you said on that Titans game.
The record lost as well. Something that was never picked
up by the media was that I also orted Chinese
that night and it took ages to get to livid
and I was just watching as the Warriors they didn't
try out to try So that was a bad night
all around.

Speaker 5 (21:14):
My low light.

Speaker 3 (21:15):
I've actually gone aback a bit earlier, so to round
seven when they traveled away to Saint George.

Speaker 2 (21:20):
To face Dragons week before the end zecdote, yep, exactly.

Speaker 3 (21:23):
Week before there was the same week they signed James
Fish Harris and you used the phrase the wheels fell off,
and that's the exact same prase I've used for this one.
So basically for context, the Warriors opened the season with
two losses against the Sharks in the Storm. They then
won three on the bounce against was it the Raiders,
the Knights, and gil who is it now? On they
smashed outs. They then drew with Manly and I was like, okay, well,

(21:43):
you know, you take a draw and those Then they
went to Saint George and they were played off the park. Now,
that game triggered a formtch losing run, which I don't
think the Warriors came back from. When they took the
field against the Dragons that night, they were seventh on
the ladder. They were never in the top eight again
after that. The way they played I think was really
when there was just no coming back from that, and

(22:05):
known they had moments where you think, yep, this is it.
They make a run for here were on and then
it never happened. So that Dragon's game for me was
where it was the beginning of the end basically for
twenty twenty four.

Speaker 2 (22:17):
I don't disagree with any of that, and it's bringing
aboaut some memories of that day too. That yeah, I
don't want to recall on, Well, don't recall on with
any fondness. All right, let's get back to a bit
more of a positive. Then we'll mix things up a touch.
What was who's your player of the year. I feel
like this is relatively obvious and I think we're unanimous here,
but you go first.

Speaker 3 (22:38):
I think everyone's unanimous here, including the club. The Simon
mannoring medallist will announce it. How the Simon mannoring medalist
here on the Big League Podcast look out that this
is not an exclusive. I'm I believe will be Mitch Barnett.
I don't think anyone else comes close to what Mitch
Barnett's done this year. He's led the team both as
captain and just as a senior player. There was a

(23:01):
point in the year where Mitch Barnett was the most
expensive player and er off fantasy. And I know that's
never how we should judge it, but I mean, if
you said that coming into the start of the year,
even when you know back when Barnett signed for the club,
then this guy will be the best player in the league,
you'd have all left. There was a great video the
Warriors did before Round one last year where all the
new players got their jerseys presented to them, and Barnet
had just come from the Knights where he was told

(23:22):
he wasn't wanted. And you know Round one twenty twenty
three was against the Knights, so that was a nice
little coincidence for him. And he said as he got
the Jersey. A lot of people were asking him if
he wanted to prove the Knights wrong, and he didn't
want to do that. What he wanted to do was
he wanted to prove.

Speaker 2 (23:35):
The Warriors right.

Speaker 3 (23:36):
Yeah, and that has stood by me or stood with
me ever since. Just the amount of respect I've had
much Bunnett and he just gets better and better. Origin
kept it all off, you know, come out well because
the Warriors don't have Origin players because a we don't
really get the top end Australian players coming here. We
might every now and then Fluke one, which is like
what's happened here?

Speaker 2 (23:53):
Well, I think Barney he was the first for New
South Wales at least where he'd made his debut while
playing for the Warriors. So of you know, in the
past we've had players and sort of more thinking along
the Queensland lines you Lilliman's or your Price or more
recently in the capable yeah, where they've already made an
Origin debut. But for him to on Warriors form into

(24:15):
the Origin arena, I think just typifies how good he was.
And yeah, he had an outstanding season and he can
hold his head really just on. I guess that conversation
around him joining the club, like it's easy to forget
too that he joined on the premise that Nathan Brown
was going to be his coach, who'd worked with at Newcastle,
and you know a guy like that could have easily gone,

(24:35):
oh well, like I've come over here and now you
guys have binned off Brown and who's this Andrew Webster Feller.
But he bought him to the idea and he's still
here now and he's going to have a big part
to play in the next couple of years. Longside James
Fisher Harris, who or what surprised you most in twenty
twenty four. This canna be good or bad. So I've

(24:56):
gone for a good one and it's Tomighty Martin. You know,
Tomighty Martin's had a strange career. I was a huge
fan of him at the Cowboys. They obviously backed him
to be the man that replaced Jonathan Thurston and then
of course he had that brain bleed and to get
the game away, came back after three years out, went
to the Broncos and played fullback and ended up coming
to the Warriors as sort of an exchange for an
unofficial exchange for Reese Walsh, but the way he's played

(25:20):
in Seawan Johnson's absences here, so he's had sixteen triasis
in sixteen games. I think most of those came in
about a three or four game stretch when Shawn Johnson
was out. I've never seen to Mighty Martin as sort
of a sitting halfback at a game managing halfback like
Sean Johnson was, but when he has played there, it's
absolutely looked like the best position for him. And he's

(25:40):
obviously he's played He's played alongside Johnson, he's played alongside
Jonathan Thurston, he's played alongside Michael Morgan, and he's never
been sort of the guy. He's always been the support act.
But when we saw him as the main man, I
think that absolutely took him to a new level. And
I have no doubts next year about who's going to
wear number seven. First up, It's going to be to
Mighty Martin. Wow, wow, wow, Do you not think No,

(26:04):
I'm not a line there. I agree with what you're saying,
but I thought that the fade and form and towards
the back end of the season made it pretty easy.
Of Course, they're always going to bring Shan Johnson back,
but I don't. I only think there's probably one safe
spot in that back line for twenty twenty five at
the moment, and that's what's in is listening. Wow. Anyway,

(26:27):
that's maybe a conversation Nathan and Burge can get us
back in for some hot takes in twenty twenty five.
My surprise, and I sort of touched on it before.

Speaker 5 (26:35):
It was.

Speaker 2 (26:37):
When they were at full strength, which was few and
far between, but even when those senior players were there
and playing and available, it was that lack of evolution
with ball in hand and that conservative nature that I
was quite surprised by. And I'm sure there's a lot
of layers in context as to why they constantly would

(27:00):
choose that fifth tackle, conservative keck option or always use
the right edge for shape and trying to get what
Ten's leasing out was so effective in twenty twenty three.
But just a couple of stats that jumped off the page,
and it's not they're not big numbers, but they sort
of show a little bit where the Warriors sort of
dipped attack wise. Anyway, one hundred and eleven tries they

(27:21):
scored in twenty twenty three ninety this year, and the
Warriors had the second best or going into Obviously there's
still all the other sixteen clubs still have this week
ind to play, but the Warriors as things stand have
the second best completion rate of any team at eighty
two percent. And for mine, it's that conservative nature of

(27:42):
trying to not chance your arm that we just saw
when we were so good against Cronulla that ultimately I
think is proved the bit of their undoing and I
hope that they can find the balance right. It needs
to be closer to what you termed earlier as Warrior ball,
or even back in the day where Ali Lawatiti was
throwing it around like a Harlem globe trotter like. I
just don't think they got that right, and that was

(28:04):
a surprise to me. I thought that they'd elevate their
attack to another level and if anything, it went backwards.
One last individual one, what was your who was your
young player of the year.

Speaker 3 (28:18):
I've gone for Ali Latawa handful of appearances, but every
time he plays he just looks incredible.

Speaker 2 (28:24):
How good was he on Saturday?

Speaker 3 (28:26):
He just gets better and better, like ever since he
played one game last year and didn't look out of
place for a minute. And that was a way to
the Raiders, which for me was one of their best
wins of twenty twenty three. This year has not been
as easy's and injuries. He's been concussed, but I think
if he's not in the conversation to be a starting
center next year, they've got rocks in their heads.

Speaker 2 (28:43):
Just got some stats.

Speaker 3 (28:44):
See average one hundred and twenty six running meters per
game from center. You know that's not getting the ball
every set, but you just can't stop him. Three tries
to assists in six games, seven line breaks. He has
to be in there next year.

Speaker 2 (28:58):
Putting Nico Hines on his back side on Saturday too,
got a lot of enjoyment out of that, but not
nothing against Heines. I like him as a player, but
it was just a bollocking run. Yeah. I'm almost wanting
to agree, but just for the sake of changing things up,
I'm going to go with Lequahala Seema, who's still well.
He's got a lot of rugby league ahead of him,
but I got his first taste of first grade, some

(29:19):
real nice flashes of what he could be, whether it's
through the middle or out on the edge. He's been
carving up a new South Wales Cup. I think he
was born in two thousand and five, which makes him
either I think he's nineteen. I know that's crazy to
say out Louday, I think he's nineteen later this, Yes,
there's a long way to go, but you can tell
if he's already at that point in time where they're going,

(29:39):
you know what, We're happy to give you some minutes here.
In first grade he came up with some real eye
catching if it's his first run in first grade, he
ran over the top of a bulldog's middle. I was
just like, yeah, there's something about this kid, and we're
going to see lecque halo seema a lot, hopefully in
a warrior's jersey. They need a time down long term, right.

(30:00):
Last one is with a view to season twenty twenty five,
what is your fearless prediction? And we will come back
to this of course, right.

Speaker 3 (30:11):
So this is actually quite a negative one. I think
we're going to see the end of to Harris next year.
Injuries have continued to hit him. His contract up at
the end of the next year. They've got younger players
coming through. I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the
captaincy given to a Barnett or a James Fish Harris,
like what they did when Roger Tavasashak came and they
took it off Simon Mannering. So I know, like we

(30:33):
should never be into sort of hear say stuff, but
my chiropractor goes to the same gym as tour Who
in the off season. It just says that he does
not look like he moves painfree.

Speaker 2 (30:44):
Look, I think they did this sensible thing in terms
of not playing him for the back end of the
season to at least give him a chance. It seems
everywhere on like you say, in and around the traps
wiries forumsly like online that you know, this fear is
he might have not even get to the start line
in twenty twenty five. But I'm sure they'll put every
effort there. But yeah, it wouldn't shock me if that

(31:06):
comes to pass. A fearless prediction. And this is real
negative Nancy pessimistic areas. But I just have great concerns
around I know you're a lot more optimistic around tomorrow
Martin at half back, but I just don't out of
what they've got with Martin and Metcalf and Harris Tavita.

(31:27):
I just can't see a half back or a halves
peering taking the club back to at least where they
were or near where they were in twenty twenty three.
So my fearless prediction is the Warriors won't make the
APE next year. And I'm already of the view, which
is just the way my brain works. But I'm more
excited about twenty twenty six than i am twenty twenty five.

(31:49):
I'm always happy to be proven wrong when I'm negative
about these things, but that's just how I feel at
this point in time. And contextualizing that too with when
you look at some of these other clubs who are
just so well set for the here and now, and
a team you know, for example, like South Sydney will
bounce back, I just, yeah, I think it might get
I'm not necessarily going to say it might get uglier

(32:09):
before it gets better, but we might be in a
bit of a holding pattern while we balance what's a
roster with some older players with someone who are just
starting to taste first grade l Big Hits, Big.

Speaker 5 (32:24):
Moments, the Big League Podcast.

Speaker 2 (32:27):
Well, goodness, gracious me, it was a tough old week
for tipping. I was saved by Sunday's games, I was
one for six going and uh it was just the
Panthers at that point. And then Newcastle got the job
over Gold Coast and my smoking of the week came
in the Raiders beat the Roosters in a real testing affair. Gee,

(32:51):
I've seen see Brandon Smith and Sam Walker season ending
knee injures, Victor Radley out verbal barbs, exchange between Trent
Robinson and Elliot Whitehead. There was a bit bit doing
in that game. It wasn't too much better for you either, Alex,
you're one out of the box. Came in the Eels
beating the Dragon. But like me, it was pretty lean,

(33:11):
wasn't it.

Speaker 3 (33:12):
Yeah, not a good week. And there were so many
results that you sat there as they came and went, oh,
this will come back to buy me on the podcast.
Isn't it there?

Speaker 7 (33:18):
What I mean?

Speaker 2 (33:20):
I feel yeah, like the Dolphins being a you know,
running out of steam. They just absolutely rolled through the
Broncos and now very much alive in the in the
top eight picture. Let's look at the final round. Plenty
to play for a lot of teams live for that
eighth spot. The Broncos are not one of them. And
they'll open things up against the Melbourne Storm home US

(33:40):
and Mett Alex. We weren't to know at the time
of recording that Craig Balamy was going to say, oh,
let's rest a dozen players, so there was a little
caveat around that prediction.

Speaker 3 (33:50):
Right absolutely, Like like you say, the Cowboys did so
well to get up and beat them, but I think
I'm going to tip the Storm this week. The Broncos
just looked horrendous. I don't know if you saw Kevin
Walter's press conference after Saturday.

Speaker 2 (34:01):
I didn't catch it. No, what did you say?

Speaker 3 (34:03):
Oh, he just looks like a man beaten? Yeah, you
know all those those like Australian based enter our journalists
are just root clos Like you know, when the coach
starts asking questions back to the journalists, you know, what
war would you do? And the journals we're having none
of it. You know who They're just going No, I'm
not the coke. I love that yeah, Storm as well.

Speaker 2 (34:22):
I think the cues and the rack for the Broncos
and those guys at the Storm rested last week were
now wanting to be hit the ground running ahead of
what will be a one V four game for them
next week the Battle for the Wooden Spoon Friday Night,
West Tigers Parramatta Eels. He doubling down here on the Eels, Alex. Yeah,
same reason, guys looking to prove themselves for next year.

(34:44):
New coach coming in. Great went over the Dragons, that
could have ended their season. But yeah, go with the Ears.
See they looked like were they up like forty four
to twelve or something and they just forgot how to
play rugby league for it. But they got a little
bit diicy, but they got the job done against St. George. Yeah,
flip a coin. I'm going to go. I love Benji Marshall,

(35:04):
so I'll tip the Tigers, Ah Rabbits roosters roosters with
all these injuries.

Speaker 3 (35:13):
Yeah, like you said Walker, I don't think Walker is
definitely out for the season, but Brandon Smith and Victor
Radley are. I don't see how they come back. Throwing
to the fact that the Rabbit O's is a local rivalry,
so they will be pumped to try and finish their season.

Speaker 2 (35:26):
Well, yeah, these two hate each other. I'm going to
go with South Sidney as well. Just inflicting a bit
of damage even though well about a week to ten
days ago. I thought the Roosters they were my Premiership favorites.
But I think if Walker is out and I know
they can shift Kerry and do some things. They got depth,
but Smith as well. That's a big blows Dragons Raiders.

Speaker 3 (35:49):
I mean, I'd like to think the Dragons, like you said,
they scored a lot of points very quickly to finish
that Els game just wasn't enough. Look, I've got a
good record of going against the Raiders with these so
I'm going to keep that for another week.

Speaker 2 (36:02):
I'm going to stick with what's been a good thing
for me, the Great Machine. After last week beating the Roosters,
they're not completely done that they've had. Some crazy things
would need to occur, particularly in this last game of
the regular season. That both these teams, in fact, their
points difference differentials are shocking, so they're going to need
a bit to go their way. Two teams that are

(36:22):
safely ensconced in the eights, the Bulldogs and the Cowboys.

Speaker 3 (36:26):
I didn't like the Bulldogs last week, but I think
they'll still get up.

Speaker 2 (36:30):
Agreed and doubly agreed. We both tipped them and they
were turned up by the Manly Seagulls. But perhaps it's
one of those ones where a good time to have
a loss and reset and perhaps look at some things
that have been papered over. So I think the Bulldogs
are particularly at home where they have a really strong record,
will get the job done. Panthers Titans. Panthers don't need

(36:53):
don't it's quick fire predictions for a reason. We don't
need to get into that one. Manly Sharks Sharks interesting.
Keen to hear your thoughts on that just quickly.

Speaker 3 (37:02):
Do we know what Tom Taboovich's prognosis is.

Speaker 2 (37:04):
I think they were thinking he'd be at least a
week and particularly given that they can't get into the
top four, that they would give them some time heading
into finals, whereas Cronulla after that loss of the Warriors,
still have the potential of finishing in the top four.

Speaker 3 (37:21):
Yeah. I mean you'd think Manly be used to playing
without Tom tavoybitch by now. But I think it is
a huge loss. Sharks have a point to prove. They
shouldn't have lost that game last week and they'll know it.

Speaker 2 (37:31):
No, I agree with that what you're saying. I'm going
to go with Cronulla as well, particularly if they're all
without Manly, without Tommy Turbo and to round things out,
this is the one really that should determine who gets
that eighth spot, Newcastle and the Dolphins.

Speaker 3 (37:45):
Is it fins up, Alex, No, Look, I'm going with
the Knights. Andy McDonald's friend of the podcast, the producer
of Week in Sport with Jason Pine is a huge
Knights fan. I'm on this for you, Andy.

Speaker 2 (37:55):
I'm with you, mate. I do like Andy McDonald, but
I'm going to go fins up when they're with ball
in hand and they got guys like the Hammer and
Herbie Farnworth and they Wayne Bennett's really changed things up,
hasn't he. He drops Young Katawa, the Halfbacker's gone pretty
well with Jake Averillo's and the halfs. But yeah, I'd
love to see the Dolphins in year two. That'll be

(38:18):
a great success story for expansion to see them playing
finals football. Rodio. I think that about wraps us up
for season twenty twenty four, at least from a NRL standpoint.
We'll have a word to our big boss Nathan Lynn
once he's back from his European travels and see if
we can get some big league podcast action in the

(38:39):
international season when the Kiwis and Kiwi fans open their
Pacific Championship campaigns. But thanks so much for everyone tuning
in across the course of the season. We will be
back in due course and we hope we'll be bringing
you a lot more positivity out of the Warriors, particularly
in season twenty twenty five. But my thanks to you

(39:00):
Alex for stepping in. I think we've done okay, haven't
we for a couple of guys off the bench pretty much,
you know, Jazz Tavanga areas just up up the guts.

Speaker 3 (39:08):
I'd say we're the Chanelle Harris Devita and to Mighty
Martin to Berg and Nathan being Shawn Johnson, Luke Metcalfe.

Speaker 2 (39:14):
Yeah, I'll allow that. I'll allow that so long as
I'm Chanel.

Speaker 3 (39:19):
Yeah, all right, sweet up, it's mine.

Speaker 2 (39:21):
Appreciate it's on though, mate, And thanks again for all
those who have listened to keep us subscribed. And once
we have new episodes coming into wherever you your podcasts,
you will see them first thing

Speaker 1 (39:37):
For more from News Talks B listen live on air
or online and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio,
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