August 17, 2025 • 32 mins
This week on The Big League Podcast - Warriors centre Adam Pompey touts Taine Tuaupiki's commitment in playing the Dragons despite having a baby that morning.
Newstalk ZB's Nathan Limm and NZ Herald's Michael Burgess analyse an ugly but gritty victory, evaluate why the Warriors' spot in the top four feels so flimsy and look ahead to what surely, SURELY can't be another loss to the Titans.
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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.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Big League Podcast by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, Warriors Center, Adam
Pompey counts taming to Opeeke's commitments and playing the Dragons
despite having a baby. That morning, Michael Burgess and I
analyze an ugly but gritty win, evaluates why their spot
in the top four feels so flimsy, and look ahead
to what surely, surely can't be another loss to the Titans.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
My name is Nathan Limb.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Let's go be LB ugly, frustrating and downright painful to watch.
And no, I'm not talking about your work drinks karaoke.
The Warriors deserve plenty of credit for coming from behind
to beat the Dragons. The two points is all that
matters at this point in the season. I genuinely like
to flush the rest of it down the toilet and
(01:09):
never speak of it again. Thanks to a victory for
the Storm over the Panthers, the Warriors top four hopes
are now back in their own hands. The equation is simple,
beat the Titans, eels and Seagulls, none of whom are
giant slayers, and we can enjoy a final fixture at
Mount Smart. Why then, Michael Burgess, Senior New Zealand Herald Rider,
(01:30):
does that feel so far away and genuinely unlikely?
Speaker 5 (01:34):
Yeah, it's not as straightforward as it sounds, as it's
not as straightforward as we thought it might be a
few weeks ago. But I feel a whole lot better
after Friday. I mean, if Friday didn't happen, if they
lost on Friday, which they could have, was that tide,
we'd be having a very different conversation and would be
feeling pretty pretty sad right now. But back in their
(01:54):
own hands, I think they will beat the Titans this Saturday,
and then the lessonb real momentum. So a lot of
swings still to come, you would think, and some of
the teams that are also fighting for the fourth spot
have tough game as themselves. Fifth of be okay, but
you want to be top four and now thankfully they
(02:15):
have now got a chance. Whereas if Friday had gone
the other way, I think it would have been all over.
So that is a positive. The game wasn't quite as
bad as you were making it out to be and
I feel but this certainly was pretty sloppy, and we'll
get into that a bit later.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Yeah, for sure, we're going to hear from Warriors senter
Adam Pompey next. But first, here are the highlights were
their actual highlights in this game. Warriors fourteen Dragons ten.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
Run the way.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
Flanagan shop of hear us a fairy he schools fast
try for the dragons.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
How they change direction. Here's King Tongia a line up.
Speaker 6 (02:56):
Here I chant a second try for fair eye by
moll Boy. They keep trowing the left hand side. Here's
honoceiver touch on the fen Heck's bet of the first
defender and a second still going. Hot's to put away.
Here's Toy, that's a check.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Here's Harris to get.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Got to the caddyway.
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Polly by boy got the pass away. Here's too old
puppy numbers ning your path. There's a try party scalls
beat us away from the lot of the Warriors.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Here's the last they hit the shots on it art
Yes tire the ta pot tayt scors.
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Clanagan good candle is out of con Yes Warriors survived.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Audio courtesy of Sky Sports.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
The Big League Podcast podcast.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Michael Burgess had a quick one on one with the
Warriors scene to Adam Pompey after the game.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Let's take a listen, ADM.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
There must be a must be a nice feeling, mate.
Speaker 7 (03:57):
Yeah, it's good to be back on the winning circle.
And the boys showed a bit of grit and I'm
wrestling that game, but it just planned that we got over.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Talking about showing great, I mean you really had to
do that hard way. How how tough was that mentally,
and how sort of nervy those last few minutes, especially
towards then it was it was.
Speaker 7 (04:18):
Coming right for us, but we just stayed in it,
thought our way out and just yeah, glad that we've
got two points tonight.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
And tell us about your your match individually. You had
a couple of tough moments at the start where they
got through you, and then you had some redemption in
the second half. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (04:37):
Yeah, first off, I wasn't happy about myself and my performance.
I just stuck at it, stuck out of my game,
and yeah, I'm just glad that you know, I've got
two minute fists tonight, and I know all the boys
are and I had my back on that so yeah
it was good.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
That must be really tough mentally though, because it's a
team sport. But you're thinking, geez, I kind of missed
my man there. You know how hard How do you
sort of dig yourself out of those moments?
Speaker 7 (05:02):
I think just resetting yourself, trying to make sure I
tuckle well when my next tackle is pretty good, you know,
just try to fight my way out of it, and
you know the boys helped me along the way, and
just you know, stay calm and collective.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
So, yeah, can you tell us how your first try
sort of unfolded from your point of view?
Speaker 7 (05:23):
Yeah, I don't know if I just put the ball
down and yeah, I thought it would have got called back,
but yeah, we just played to the whistle.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
And yeah what about the second one. That's a pretty
big moment.
Speaker 7 (05:37):
Yeah, big moment. Just took the short side. And you
look at Q's this week and I thought the team
to a cookie. You showed that and you know, just
one on one and yeah, it's got over the line.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Really smart work from Tanne, isn't it to sort of
do their eyes up, play see the short sight and
go for it.
Speaker 7 (05:54):
Yeah, yeah, you know, you played well for himself tonight.
But and I'm just glad the boys showed for a
grip tonight. And you know, obviously the last couple of
months it hasn't been great for us, but yeah, it's
good to be back in the way in a circle.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
And talking of Tine, it's a pretty amazing effort from
him given his wife gave birth I think early this morning.
He hasn't slept for a couple of days. I mean
that's massive, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (06:19):
Yeah, this we look at being there for you a
little one and he put his hand up tonight and
one of our.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Played tonight, so yeah, credit to him. And just finally, Adam,
how big is this result for the team? As you say,
you've had a tough couple of months, but especially the
last few weeks the pressure has been building. So how
how big is this do you think for the team?
Speaker 7 (06:42):
I think it's a big slipping stone for us. Like
I said before, it's not It wasn't a great couple
of months last but.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
We just stayed in it.
Speaker 7 (06:52):
But yeah, we just had a play our game a
bit more and put a bit more pressure down towards
the end. So no, I'm just grateful for the boys
win tonight and yeah, just celebrate that. This is.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
The big League podcast on the Warriors bandwagon since day one.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
This is the big League podcast.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
But great to hear from Adam Pompey after the game.
Well done to you bergon on getting that interview. It
was revealed after the contest that Taine to Opeekey had
a baby on the morning of the game, and he
still fronted up. Obviously, Adam Pompey, they're talking about it.
That is outrageous and well done to his wife for
leading him play.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
It was crazy, really, I mean, unbelievable scenario. I think
the baby came on the Thursday night, close to midnight.
He didn't sleep at all that night, all through that morning.
Anyone who's who's been through that situation knows what it
can be like. Hadn't slept all that night, didn't sleep
much on the Wednesday night either. They're all in hospital,
(07:58):
of course, and so I think on the Friday morning
he was generally thinking, Okay, I'm not going to play.
Andrew Webster was trd to think about what do I
do here? Didn't have any options obviously because they're already
missing so many other outside backs. But as Tane told
us around lunchtime. His wife said, look, you always want
to play in a row.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
Just go.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
I'll be okay, my family's here with me. Just go
and play. Went and played. Must have been exhausted, but
the adrenaline gone through it. So I think he inspired
his teammates. Really, Nathan, I really think, I really think
his his actions helped to inspire them. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I cannot imagine not sleeping and then playing an NRL
fixture after that night. Coach Andrew Webster after the game
said to a peak he had rather an eventful day.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
Tane was nearly no player. He's just had a baby,
he said, no sleep. So I thought it was.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Impressive and you couldn't blame him if he hadn't played
that game. I mean, it would have been a conundrum
for the Warriors who had down enough players as it is.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
Did you sleep on the nights you had kids?
Speaker 5 (09:01):
But no, I didn't. And that's the thing, Like, it's crazy.
It's a crazy time. You don't get much sleep the
few nights before. It's your wife, mate, I don't know
why we're talking about us as and the men, you know,
it's mainly your wife's not getting asleep. Obviously, and then
the nights after it, the first few nights the babies around,
(09:22):
the baby's not sleeping much at all, waking up all
the time. So and there's then there's so much on
your mind mentally, you know, there's a lot to go
through as a family. So brilliant effort. And he had
a really good game again, which we'll get into, some
really nice touches on attack, some really important and aventures defensively,
(09:42):
so he continues to really show why he's so highly
regarded by Andrew Webster.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Right, let's go through this game in a little bit
more detail. Firstly, here's Webster's overall reaction. He says, it
was far from perfect, but they showed heart, an.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Amazing amount of effort and scramble and working hard for
each other and finding a way. I think when you're
not playing your best football, your first win isn't going
to be a twenty point victory. It's going to be
a hard and that's what they come up with tonight.
He is right there.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
No one was expecting a clinical, flawless display for them
to whip the dragons by twenty A lot of people
were tipping the Dragons to win, given they just come
off wins over the Raiders and the Sharks. It was
always going to be a tough night for the Warriors,
and you're right, Look, I probably maybe I did them
a bit harsh in that opener, but I really just
didn't enjoy the game.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
That was what was behind that.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
But they showed a huge amount of great to get
through it, and while it wasn't a visual spectacle, they
should take a lot of pride in the way they
got through.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
The spirit. You're exactly right, the spirit they showed to
keep going because one of the hardest things in sport
is being under pressure and knowing the players aren't stupid.
They knew they had to win, just like we did.
They knew if they didn't beat the Dragons, this season
was really in the shit, So they knew it. They
were fully aware of the consequences, which puts a lot
of pressure on They also knew they hadn't been playing
(11:04):
well individually collectively, not feeling that confident. They weren't clicking,
and that continued in the first half. I think they
made seven errors in the first half. And when you're
making eras like that in the league, you make an
era at so costly so mentally psychologically, it's so hard
to keep going when you're just dropping the ball inviting pressure.
I think the Warriors didn't get a touch in the
(11:28):
dragons twenty meter area for the first twenty five minutes.
That's hard work, man, so to get through all that
and then to come back and come over the top
of the Dragons with twenty minutes to go, okay. The
Dragons losing three places to concussion was also a massive factor,
so the Warriors were fortunately, but they still showed great
(11:49):
heart and resilience to come back in the last twenty
minutes finish the game like they did and get the
win they desperately needed. So plenty of positives I think
from a very ugly win.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
We talked about the eras seven in the first half.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
For me, you have to point the finger at certain
players and moments coming off a sort of a result
in a game like that, and for me, James Fisher
Harris probably had his worst game of the season. He
had some really good runs. There was no issue with
the effort levels at all. He was charging onto the
ball really, you know, pushing that Dragon's defensive line. But
(12:27):
a few discipline issues sort of creeping in from the captain.
He had, you know, an incorrect play the ball in
the first half, and in the very next set was
penalized for lifting the leg of a Dragons player in
the tackle. He had a blatant knock on under very
little pressure from the defensive line in the second half
when the Warriors were hot on attack inside the Dragons twenty.
(12:48):
It was slightly disappointed, just given he's obviously the skipper.
You want the skipper to be leading from the front.
I'm not saying that he was trying to do any
of this at all. It was simple mistakes, but that's
the sort of thing that you need your big players
to stand up and those sort of games and those
sort of moments.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
Yeah, fair enough, fair enough. He's not above criticism, and
you're pretty much bang on. He had a disappointing game
by his standards with some of those errors, as a
few other players did. The good thing is he kept going.
He kept going, he kept making yards, he kept making
important tackles, he did a lot of good defending and
he'll also he won't play that poorly again as some
(13:27):
of the others. I think we're going to bring up
Jackson Ford a couple of handling eras in the second half.
But there's a simple reason why he makes those mistakes.
Most of the time. It's because he's absolutely stuffed. Like
it's sometimes I feel like Andrew Webster keeps him on
too long. I think he played sixty minutes straight or
something crazy. But they need him out there because he
works so hard and no one else can quite do
(13:49):
what he does, so it's kind of a catch. Twenty
two Lekahalesima is another one who I can remember, I
think three handling errors. He won't do that again this season,
you'd think. So put that all together, really really hard
to keep going as a team, but they found a way,
and I think the crucial part was they kept defending
(14:10):
well because tendil down after what was it, tendil down
after about twenty minutes. To not concede another point after
that was pretty crucial.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Yeah, Webster talked about those eras after the game.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Killing ourselves, making it hard for ourselves all the time,
and then when we do get it right, we look
really good.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Fisher Harris admits they were far from perfect, but says
their mentality was just to grind it out to the end.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
There were some du times there but I felt even
the young boys just stepping up doing their job.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
For to the end, all the dragon side of things,
Damien Kirk and Clink Guthinson need to shut up. They
would not stop talking to the referee, especially in that
second half. I saw you got frustrated enough to tweet
about it.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Michael Bergers. Yeah, yeah, I know, and I probably shouldn't
be doing that in the middle of the game, but
it did seem like they just were just in the
refs here the whole time. To be fair, they must
have been frustrated. You lose three fords in the first
half hours, so you got one forward, so you had
Gutherson at times Locke, I think Cook was playing prop,
probably the smallest ever prop in the history of the NRL.
(15:14):
And there was that obstruction call that for Pompey's first try,
which I actually thought was fine thought. I thought it
was good that the referee didn't fall for the defender
making trying to make the most of it, make a
meal of it. But you know I've seen those given
as well, so yeah, they it is nice. It's nice
Guthason because he's such an annoying player when he's on
(15:37):
the opposition, but the Dragons. The Dragons, it was a
courageous effort. Man, it was a courageous effort to lose
three forwards that they did. It's remarkable, really, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
We've got to give them claudits for the way they
carried themselves during the game, other than the gaping now
we had to get into. Unfortunately, the Warriors is going
to lose another player, and it's not to injury this time.
Jackson Ford we spoke about. He's going to miss the
regular seat the rest of the regular season. Burge, I
cannot believe it. Three match ban with an early guilty
plea for a crusher tackle on Corey Allen twenty three
(16:12):
minutes into the game. I'm going to be honest, I
don't even specifically remember this. But another player goes down.
Jackson Ford's been coming in obviously starting at prop. Now,
given the personnel that Warriors have out, another one bites
the dust, does Tom Aley come in now?
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Possibly? And I'd like to see Tom. I'd like to
see Tom get a chance. I'm quite a fan of Tom.
I think I've talked him a few times. And because
you just got that point of different slightly different body shape,
bigger body. I think he might do a job. So
let's see. He hasn't played all season, which is crazy.
Whether Webster wants to bring him now, I don't know,
but he's he's gone well for reserve grade. But Jackson,
(16:52):
Jackson will leave a hole. He's actually quite underrated. He's
been as I talked about before, He's been making gazillion
tackles a game, a lot more hit ups, a lot
more effective in his hit ups than he should be
given his size. He's become very important. It was funny
because me and the other journalists from stuff Rand in
New Zealand, everyone was sitting a rund afterwards, and we're
(17:13):
sitting after the game, think, oh great, we'd forgotten to
ask websit had any injuries, but we thought there weren't
any injuries. This is fantastic, first time in weeks no injuries,
and then you get hit with this news. So there
is a casualty. But I like the fact that it's
Trumans for a crusher, that's what it should be. I
just hope that they're consistent so that any other crushes
that happened from now on with other teams, because for example,
(17:35):
the storms seem to do a crusher a couple of
times a game that needs to get the same punishment.
Let's hope they're consistent.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I did want to just mention to Chanelle Harris Tavita,
who I thought had a couple of big moments. Obviously
scored the opening try from the Warriors off the back
of some great work from Hala Sima and Roger twey
vasishek to keep the ball in play, but he also
made a couple of key spot tackles as well, which
not only got the crowd and his teammates hyped up
and into the game, it also was we're pretty key
for the Warriors that those points in the defense and
(18:04):
the contest when the Dragons were hot on the attack.
What did you think of his performance and were there
any other Warriors place that stood out to you?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Bude, I'm glad you brought it up. Nathan. You went
out the game, of course, because you're actually working on
something else that on Friday night. But being at the game,
as I talked about before, the first twenty five minutes,
was so frustrating. The Warriors couldn't get anything going, didn't
have any attacking sets. It was all defense or grind
in the middle and Chanell hit Kyle Flanagan. This is
(18:32):
about twenty seventh minute I think smashed him. The Dragon's
half back ball comes loose, knock on and that got
the whole stadium going. It woke everyone up, and it
definitely got his teammates going. And from then on that
was a bit of that was an impetus so little
moments that two matches, and of course he scored about
(18:53):
five minutes after that. He's always in the right place
at the right time. Like he has had some poor
games lately, but he's such a competitor you can't doubt
that some big tackles crucial try backing up and that'll
give him a lot of confidence. I guess the other
guy to pick out. There's a few, actually I thought
just quickly, I thought chance. But had his best game
at the center of the of the two or three
he's played, got a bit more involved offensively. Good and
(19:17):
tame were mentioned. I've got to mention. You've got to
mention Adam Pompey just quickly as well, because how tough
does it make when you, I mean, you play rugby,
when you've when you missed your man for two tries
and you miss your man for two tries in the NRL,
the whole the whole country is watching. It's on TV,
and they can see it's your fault, cleanness, and you've
(19:38):
got to dig yourself out of it. And he does,
He don't himself out of it and then gets gets
two tries in the second half, So hats off to him.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I think I never missed my man, bitch. I wouldn't
know different.
Speaker 5 (19:48):
Different when you're once you Where were you?
Speaker 4 (19:52):
I was a flanker.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Oh yeah, okay, you've got guys around to cover you.
But different time. And then and then the other one,
which feels like it's something stuck on rotation. But Roger,
who mentioned the last three or four weeks, he's just
it is.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
He the Warrior's most consistent performer.
Speaker 8 (20:11):
Has been as much I think he is since this
in this phase with a faded since June, he's just
kept on keeping on and he's really found himself on
the wing, found himself on the wing, and he's found
himself in this new NRL era because this is only
his second season back, so he's setting he's setting a
(20:31):
really good standard.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
And I've got a feeling that his other teammates have
been impressed by that and they'll start to come up
to his level. If they do, then the team starts
to go. Well a Big League podcast.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
But the Warriors face the Titans on the Gold Coast
on Saturday night. Why are we playing the Titans again?
Are you taking them?
Speaker 5 (20:54):
What is this draw?
Speaker 4 (20:55):
We played them like a week ago.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
The Titans are dead last on the ladder with five
wins and sixteen losses. They're coming off a fifty four
to twenty two hiding at the hands of the Sharks
in Coronella. The last win came just over three weeks
ago against Ah the Warriors up by ten, dominating. The
Warriors conceived four straight tries and blow it in that game.
(21:19):
The right edge, defense, hill, discipline and eras got the
Titans into the game when the Warriors had made a
great start. Among others, the Titans are missing Judjo Forfitza
and Carter Gordon Burge. Why are we playing the Titans again?
And are we going to lose again?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Yeah, you love the scheduling, but it's actually quite a
good time to be playing them because they're at a
lower again. They came in to the last game struggling
and turn the season around by beating the Warriors, and
then they came bloody close. They were super lucky not
to be Penrith. So they had two really good weeks
and then a terrible game against the Sharks where they
fell apart in the second half, conceded as gazillion tries.
(22:02):
So they'll be hurting. There is the bounce back factor
and it is dangerous. And I don't want to be
the idiot journalist again that says that writes off the Titans,
which I've done about the last seven times they've played them,
when they've beaten the Warriors six times. I don't want
to be that guy again. But here I go again.
Oh yeah, here I go, Here I go. So you've
got to be wary of the Titans, but surely this
(22:25):
time because I feel like pressure is off of but
everyone's expecting the Titans to win. So the Warriors will
come as underdogs. Number one, Number two, the Gold Coast Titans.
The crowd have surely given up on them, so there'll
be more Warriors fans than Titans fans there by quite
a bit, so that'll help. And number three, that was
the kind of loss that is hard to recover from
(22:46):
When you concede fifty four points.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
The Big League Podcast for the biggest league fans, The
Big League Podcast on the Warriors Badwagon since day.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Just quickly, Birch. The Warriors women have gone down to
the Raiders. They had two players sent off early in
the contest twenty first and twenty fourth minutes for dangerous tackles,
but showed plenty of heart to lose twenty to sixteen.
I think Matt Keino Gray and Taysha Ichinasio were the
two players sent off for dangerous tackles. Mikayla Break also
(23:26):
and Warriors Women's News is out for the season and
she is having a baby, so congratulations to her. Quick
word on that and the Warriors women's performance, Burde.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
It was remarkable. It was absolutely crazy. I mean, they
went down to eleven players. When does that happen? Hardly
ever in my history of covering the game. Hardly ever.
They got into eleven players in the first half and
they're already down a lot on the scoreboard. Come back
from I think twenty to four down to twenty sixteen.
It could a style on the game. How do you
(23:58):
do that with eleven players? You got a two person
over it the whole second half. Remarkable performance. So there
will take some real positives from that. Crazy tackles from
the players, especially the first one. I mean, I don't
know what what the what he's thinking about lifting was
a horrible tackle. I hope someone can show us some
videos or some really bad tackles in the past in
(24:20):
the NRL. Really glad that they were sent off because
both those just those kind of tackles don't belong in
the sport. And let's hope they learned from that.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah, one hundred percent, just a bit of a brain explosion.
I think the first one. The second one was a
little bit more unlucky that the hip drop tackle definitely
definitely wasn't intentional. But yeah, I think there's the bones
of a very very good rugby league side here if
they can with eleven players get that sort of result.
It was a loss, but it was a close loss,
(24:52):
so a massive props to them. And as they gel
more as a units and those players sort of get
more used to the sport itself, they are going to
be a very very big threat in this competition. Now,
if we switch over to quick fire predictions, you definitely
wanted me to just keep tabs on what the results
were last week, because we disagreed on four or five
of them, and I was feeling very confident Burge after
(25:15):
the Storm beat the Panthers, because that was one nill
to me. But in the long run, you have come right.
I picked five out of eight of the games in
the round gone. You picked seven out of eight. So
that Storm game is the only one you got wrong.
And you're looking very smug right now.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
Well, so that means from Thursday night onwards, I got
the Thursday night game wrong and then when one hundred percent,
I don't know if anyone's ever done that in the
history of enterol tipping.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
I think they hadn't know.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
There's big Sydney guys. I don't know that was And
this is not easy comped to tip at the moment.
So you're very proud of myself and I'm very proud
that you're very lucky you can continue to learn from
from listening to my predictions. And yeah, here we go. No,
it was it was good. It was good that we
had some different different ones and it's still the bloody
(26:05):
hardest thing to predict in the world.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
So here we go again, did very well to pick
up the Bunnies, Tigers, and Cowboys results at the end
there we disagreed on all of those. But we'll get
into quick fire prediction for this round because I'm going
to hit back here, like I don't I don't see
much chance of me losing this week. We're going to
start off with Bunnies versus the Dragons.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Burge.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Really hard to call this actually, because the Dragon's played
well despite what happened to them. They will be missing,
you think, though, the three Cancuss players, which is a big,
a big hole. Plus they've had the trip the short
turn around. The Rabbit's taking a lot of heart from
their second win in a row, gutsy winning gains eels.
So I'll go with the Rabbits here.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Oh, I'm going to back the Dragons. They've they went
far off obviously. They lost three players with concussion in
that Warriors game, which geez, that really ever happens. They
were all knocked out cold too, weren't they. Before that,
They'd racked up wins over the Sharks and the Raiders.
So I'm going to back the Dragons here to beat
the Bunnies Panthers versus the Raiders. We are getting from
(27:07):
heavyweight classes at the back end of the season.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
It's crazy, mate, and we've got more to come. So
the whole Warriors nation will be backing the Raiders because
of course that keeps the Panthers away from the from
catching the Warriors. Really close, really tough to call this
one again. Raiders coming off the bye, there'll be refreshed
Panthers off at a really tough, really amazing game against
(27:32):
Melviourn probably the game, probably the match of the season,
that game against the Storm. I will go with the
Panthers again, but it will be super close.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
I'm going to agree with you that the Panthers will
bounce back here Storm Bulldogs the other top what is it?
It's not quite there's the other top four clash. Really,
I was thinking Panthers as top four. This top five
is just so competitive. It is a Storm Bulldogs. Yeah,
what a massive Friday night to have those two games.
I'll go with the Storm at home. They will take
(28:03):
so much belief at all what they did come in
to Convet Stadium beating Penrith. So I'll go for the
Storm to beat the Bulldogs, who of course lost to
the Roosters on the weekend, so they'll be hurting a
bit too. They got pounded by the Roosters twenty points
thirty two twelve. I'm really not convinced the Bulldogs are
any good bird Well.
Speaker 5 (28:22):
I have been saying for a while, Nathan, haven't I
that I feel like they're The latter position has been
better than what they are. You know, for a long
time they were winning the comp or second. I think
they're a good team, but they're not. They're not a
team that I would fear in the playoffs compared to
Penrith or the Storm or even the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
I'm going to agree with you and go for the
Storm there. Seagulls versus the Dolphins. Seagulls man losing to
the Tigers twenty six twelve.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
Yeah, the Tigers have been going better but the Seagulls.
But man, they're in a mess. It's a really sad
way for Daily Chirbans to wind up his career. I mean,
they'll be desperate to bounce back. But I thought the
Dolphins played really well against the Broncos. They fell away
in the second half, but I will go with the
Dolphins here. Visitors to inflict more misery on Manly. I
(29:14):
agree with you.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Here we go Birds, Titans, Warriors on the Gold Coast
to the Titans do it again.
Speaker 5 (29:20):
No, no, they don't. The Warriors just need to start well.
If they can start well, stand to throw it in
the match, they'll go on with it. The danger is
the Titans starting well again, and the Titans have got
so much confidence when they play the Warriors. They always
save their best for the Warriors. But this one will
be different. This one will be different. I cannot bring
(29:42):
myself to imagine that the Titans will beat the Warriors
for the seventh time in eight games. It cannot happen.
It will not happen.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
It's funny because the Warriors started really well against Titans
last game, then they do not play well for the
rest of it. So I am going to agree with
you and say, surely, surely it cannot happen again.
Speaker 4 (30:01):
Please.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I don't know what this podcast is going to look
like next week if the Warriors lose to the Titans again.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
Eels versus the Roosters.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
It was were quite good against the Rabbits and we're
a bit of lucky. They had a lot of chances
to win it late Rabbit's hung on great defense. But
the Roosters are coming there. The Rooster is definitely coming.
They they look like a top eight team. They look
for their team that's going to end up in the
mix and then they'll be dangerous. Look like the Roosters
that we've known over the last few years, so they
(30:31):
should be too good for Paramattic.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Yet they're surging up the ladder of the Roosters.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
They sit eighth down twenty eight points, going to back
them to beat the Eels. Knights versus the Broncos.
Speaker 5 (30:44):
Man, how sorry are the Knights? Like? What did they
concede against the Countos? Was it thirty eight points to
four or something crazy? That's that exactly. They're in a
really sorry state, far out of to mess up there,
real shame for such a proud club. It won't get
me better. The Broncos are on a roll as well,
(31:04):
and they'll be far too good for the Knights.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Tigers versus the Cowboys. How much disagreement so far this week?
Speaker 4 (31:10):
Bird, No, there's not.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
I'll go with the home team here only because they're
at home and you're coming with a really good one,
But so are the Cowboys, So I reckon This game
is a true fifty to fifty core because the Cowboys
have the better They've got the better roster. Definitely. The
Tiger's just got some momentum and they're playing at home.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Should be a fairly good game. I'm going to agree
with you on that. The Cowboys I'm going to pick
to round out Week twenty five of the NRRAL. Thank
you Michael Burgers for your time your wisdom inside on
the podcast this week. We will be back next Monday
to survey what please hopefully is a win over the Titans,
(31:49):
keeping that top four finish inside the Warriors hands. Please
follow and rate the podcast. My name is Nathan Limb.
Have a fantastic week.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio The.
Speaker 2 (00:18):
Big League Podcast by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, Warriors Center, Adam
Pompey counts taming to Opeeke's commitments and playing the Dragons
despite having a baby. That morning, Michael Burgess and I
analyze an ugly but gritty win, evaluates why their spot
in the top four feels so flimsy, and look ahead
to what surely, surely can't be another loss to the Titans.
Speaker 4 (00:46):
My name is Nathan Limb.
Speaker 3 (00:48):
Let's go be LB ugly, frustrating and downright painful to watch.
And no, I'm not talking about your work drinks karaoke.
The Warriors deserve plenty of credit for coming from behind
to beat the Dragons. The two points is all that
matters at this point in the season. I genuinely like
to flush the rest of it down the toilet and
(01:09):
never speak of it again. Thanks to a victory for
the Storm over the Panthers, the Warriors top four hopes
are now back in their own hands. The equation is simple,
beat the Titans, eels and Seagulls, none of whom are
giant slayers, and we can enjoy a final fixture at
Mount Smart. Why then, Michael Burgess, Senior New Zealand Herald Rider,
(01:30):
does that feel so far away and genuinely unlikely?
Speaker 5 (01:34):
Yeah, it's not as straightforward as it sounds, as it's
not as straightforward as we thought it might be a
few weeks ago. But I feel a whole lot better
after Friday. I mean, if Friday didn't happen, if they
lost on Friday, which they could have, was that tide,
we'd be having a very different conversation and would be
feeling pretty pretty sad right now. But back in their
(01:54):
own hands, I think they will beat the Titans this Saturday,
and then the lessonb real momentum. So a lot of
swings still to come, you would think, and some of
the teams that are also fighting for the fourth spot
have tough game as themselves. Fifth of be okay, but
you want to be top four and now thankfully they
(02:15):
have now got a chance. Whereas if Friday had gone
the other way, I think it would have been all over.
So that is a positive. The game wasn't quite as
bad as you were making it out to be and
I feel but this certainly was pretty sloppy, and we'll
get into that a bit later.
Speaker 3 (02:30):
Yeah, for sure, we're going to hear from Warriors senter
Adam Pompey next. But first, here are the highlights were
their actual highlights in this game. Warriors fourteen Dragons ten.
Speaker 5 (02:44):
Run the way.
Speaker 6 (02:45):
Flanagan shop of hear us a fairy he schools fast
try for the dragons.
Speaker 4 (02:53):
How they change direction. Here's King Tongia a line up.
Speaker 6 (02:56):
Here I chant a second try for fair eye by
moll Boy. They keep trowing the left hand side. Here's
honoceiver touch on the fen Heck's bet of the first
defender and a second still going. Hot's to put away.
Here's Toy, that's a check.
Speaker 4 (03:12):
Here's Harris to get.
Speaker 5 (03:13):
Got to the caddyway.
Speaker 6 (03:15):
Polly by boy got the pass away. Here's too old
puppy numbers ning your path. There's a try party scalls
beat us away from the lot of the Warriors.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
Here's the last they hit the shots on it art
Yes tire the ta pot tayt scors.
Speaker 6 (03:36):
Clanagan good candle is out of con Yes Warriors survived.
Speaker 4 (03:42):
Audio courtesy of Sky Sports.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
The Big League Podcast podcast.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
Michael Burgess had a quick one on one with the
Warriors scene to Adam Pompey after the game.
Speaker 4 (03:52):
Let's take a listen, ADM.
Speaker 5 (03:54):
There must be a must be a nice feeling, mate.
Speaker 7 (03:57):
Yeah, it's good to be back on the winning circle.
And the boys showed a bit of grit and I'm
wrestling that game, but it just planned that we got over.
Speaker 5 (04:07):
Talking about showing great, I mean you really had to
do that hard way. How how tough was that mentally,
and how sort of nervy those last few minutes, especially
towards then it was it was.
Speaker 7 (04:18):
Coming right for us, but we just stayed in it,
thought our way out and just yeah, glad that we've
got two points tonight.
Speaker 5 (04:26):
And tell us about your your match individually. You had
a couple of tough moments at the start where they
got through you, and then you had some redemption in
the second half. Yeah.
Speaker 7 (04:37):
Yeah, first off, I wasn't happy about myself and my performance.
I just stuck at it, stuck out of my game,
and yeah, I'm just glad that you know, I've got
two minute fists tonight, and I know all the boys
are and I had my back on that so yeah
it was good.
Speaker 5 (04:52):
That must be really tough mentally though, because it's a
team sport. But you're thinking, geez, I kind of missed
my man there. You know how hard How do you
sort of dig yourself out of those moments?
Speaker 7 (05:02):
I think just resetting yourself, trying to make sure I
tuckle well when my next tackle is pretty good, you know,
just try to fight my way out of it, and
you know the boys helped me along the way, and
just you know, stay calm and collective.
Speaker 5 (05:16):
So, yeah, can you tell us how your first try
sort of unfolded from your point of view?
Speaker 7 (05:23):
Yeah, I don't know if I just put the ball
down and yeah, I thought it would have got called back,
but yeah, we just played to the whistle.
Speaker 5 (05:32):
And yeah what about the second one. That's a pretty
big moment.
Speaker 7 (05:37):
Yeah, big moment. Just took the short side. And you
look at Q's this week and I thought the team
to a cookie. You showed that and you know, just
one on one and yeah, it's got over the line.
Speaker 5 (05:49):
Really smart work from Tanne, isn't it to sort of
do their eyes up, play see the short sight and
go for it.
Speaker 7 (05:54):
Yeah, yeah, you know, you played well for himself tonight.
But and I'm just glad the boys showed for a
grip tonight. And you know, obviously the last couple of
months it hasn't been great for us, but yeah, it's
good to be back in the way in a circle.
Speaker 5 (06:09):
And talking of Tine, it's a pretty amazing effort from
him given his wife gave birth I think early this morning.
He hasn't slept for a couple of days. I mean
that's massive, isn't it.
Speaker 7 (06:19):
Yeah, this we look at being there for you a
little one and he put his hand up tonight and
one of our.
Speaker 5 (06:25):
Played tonight, so yeah, credit to him. And just finally, Adam,
how big is this result for the team? As you say,
you've had a tough couple of months, but especially the
last few weeks the pressure has been building. So how
how big is this do you think for the team?
Speaker 7 (06:42):
I think it's a big slipping stone for us. Like
I said before, it's not It wasn't a great couple
of months last but.
Speaker 5 (06:51):
We just stayed in it.
Speaker 7 (06:52):
But yeah, we just had a play our game a
bit more and put a bit more pressure down towards
the end. So no, I'm just grateful for the boys
win tonight and yeah, just celebrate that. This is.
Speaker 1 (07:09):
The big League podcast on the Warriors bandwagon since day one.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
This is the big League podcast.
Speaker 3 (07:18):
But great to hear from Adam Pompey after the game.
Well done to you bergon on getting that interview. It
was revealed after the contest that Taine to Opeekey had
a baby on the morning of the game, and he
still fronted up. Obviously, Adam Pompey, they're talking about it.
That is outrageous and well done to his wife for
leading him play.
Speaker 5 (07:38):
It was crazy, really, I mean, unbelievable scenario. I think
the baby came on the Thursday night, close to midnight.
He didn't sleep at all that night, all through that morning.
Anyone who's who's been through that situation knows what it
can be like. Hadn't slept all that night, didn't sleep
much on the Wednesday night either. They're all in hospital,
(07:58):
of course, and so I think on the Friday morning
he was generally thinking, Okay, I'm not going to play.
Andrew Webster was trd to think about what do I
do here? Didn't have any options obviously because they're already
missing so many other outside backs. But as Tane told
us around lunchtime. His wife said, look, you always want
to play in a row.
Speaker 7 (08:17):
Just go.
Speaker 5 (08:17):
I'll be okay, my family's here with me. Just go
and play. Went and played. Must have been exhausted, but
the adrenaline gone through it. So I think he inspired
his teammates. Really, Nathan, I really think, I really think
his his actions helped to inspire them. Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I cannot imagine not sleeping and then playing an NRL
fixture after that night. Coach Andrew Webster after the game
said to a peak he had rather an eventful day.
Speaker 5 (08:42):
Tane was nearly no player. He's just had a baby,
he said, no sleep. So I thought it was.
Speaker 3 (08:47):
Impressive and you couldn't blame him if he hadn't played
that game. I mean, it would have been a conundrum
for the Warriors who had down enough players as it is.
Speaker 4 (08:59):
Did you sleep on the nights you had kids?
Speaker 5 (09:01):
But no, I didn't. And that's the thing, Like, it's crazy.
It's a crazy time. You don't get much sleep the
few nights before. It's your wife, mate, I don't know
why we're talking about us as and the men, you know,
it's mainly your wife's not getting asleep. Obviously, and then
the nights after it, the first few nights the babies around,
(09:22):
the baby's not sleeping much at all, waking up all
the time. So and there's then there's so much on
your mind mentally, you know, there's a lot to go
through as a family. So brilliant effort. And he had
a really good game again, which we'll get into, some
really nice touches on attack, some really important and aventures defensively,
(09:42):
so he continues to really show why he's so highly
regarded by Andrew Webster.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
Right, let's go through this game in a little bit
more detail. Firstly, here's Webster's overall reaction. He says, it
was far from perfect, but they showed heart, an.
Speaker 5 (09:57):
Amazing amount of effort and scramble and working hard for
each other and finding a way. I think when you're
not playing your best football, your first win isn't going
to be a twenty point victory. It's going to be
a hard and that's what they come up with tonight.
He is right there.
Speaker 3 (10:10):
No one was expecting a clinical, flawless display for them
to whip the dragons by twenty A lot of people
were tipping the Dragons to win, given they just come
off wins over the Raiders and the Sharks. It was
always going to be a tough night for the Warriors,
and you're right, Look, I probably maybe I did them
a bit harsh in that opener, but I really just
didn't enjoy the game.
Speaker 4 (10:30):
That was what was behind that.
Speaker 3 (10:32):
But they showed a huge amount of great to get
through it, and while it wasn't a visual spectacle, they
should take a lot of pride in the way they
got through.
Speaker 5 (10:42):
The spirit. You're exactly right, the spirit they showed to
keep going because one of the hardest things in sport
is being under pressure and knowing the players aren't stupid.
They knew they had to win, just like we did.
They knew if they didn't beat the Dragons, this season
was really in the shit, So they knew it. They
were fully aware of the consequences, which puts a lot
of pressure on They also knew they hadn't been playing
(11:04):
well individually collectively, not feeling that confident. They weren't clicking,
and that continued in the first half. I think they
made seven errors in the first half. And when you're
making eras like that in the league, you make an
era at so costly so mentally psychologically, it's so hard
to keep going when you're just dropping the ball inviting pressure.
I think the Warriors didn't get a touch in the
(11:28):
dragons twenty meter area for the first twenty five minutes.
That's hard work, man, so to get through all that
and then to come back and come over the top
of the Dragons with twenty minutes to go, okay. The
Dragons losing three places to concussion was also a massive factor,
so the Warriors were fortunately, but they still showed great
(11:49):
heart and resilience to come back in the last twenty
minutes finish the game like they did and get the
win they desperately needed. So plenty of positives I think
from a very ugly win.
Speaker 4 (12:02):
We talked about the eras seven in the first half.
Speaker 3 (12:05):
For me, you have to point the finger at certain
players and moments coming off a sort of a result
in a game like that, and for me, James Fisher
Harris probably had his worst game of the season. He
had some really good runs. There was no issue with
the effort levels at all. He was charging onto the
ball really, you know, pushing that Dragon's defensive line. But
(12:27):
a few discipline issues sort of creeping in from the captain.
He had, you know, an incorrect play the ball in
the first half, and in the very next set was
penalized for lifting the leg of a Dragons player in
the tackle. He had a blatant knock on under very
little pressure from the defensive line in the second half
when the Warriors were hot on attack inside the Dragons twenty.
(12:48):
It was slightly disappointed, just given he's obviously the skipper.
You want the skipper to be leading from the front.
I'm not saying that he was trying to do any
of this at all. It was simple mistakes, but that's
the sort of thing that you need your big players
to stand up and those sort of games and those
sort of moments.
Speaker 5 (13:03):
Yeah, fair enough, fair enough. He's not above criticism, and
you're pretty much bang on. He had a disappointing game
by his standards with some of those errors, as a
few other players did. The good thing is he kept going.
He kept going, he kept making yards, he kept making
important tackles, he did a lot of good defending and
he'll also he won't play that poorly again as some
(13:27):
of the others. I think we're going to bring up
Jackson Ford a couple of handling eras in the second half.
But there's a simple reason why he makes those mistakes.
Most of the time. It's because he's absolutely stuffed. Like
it's sometimes I feel like Andrew Webster keeps him on
too long. I think he played sixty minutes straight or
something crazy. But they need him out there because he
works so hard and no one else can quite do
(13:49):
what he does, so it's kind of a catch. Twenty
two Lekahalesima is another one who I can remember, I
think three handling errors. He won't do that again this season,
you'd think. So put that all together, really really hard
to keep going as a team, but they found a way,
and I think the crucial part was they kept defending
(14:10):
well because tendil down after what was it, tendil down
after about twenty minutes. To not concede another point after
that was pretty crucial.
Speaker 4 (14:20):
Yeah, Webster talked about those eras after the game.
Speaker 5 (14:23):
Killing ourselves, making it hard for ourselves all the time,
and then when we do get it right, we look
really good.
Speaker 3 (14:28):
Fisher Harris admits they were far from perfect, but says
their mentality was just to grind it out to the end.
Speaker 5 (14:33):
There were some du times there but I felt even
the young boys just stepping up doing their job.
Speaker 3 (14:38):
For to the end, all the dragon side of things,
Damien Kirk and Clink Guthinson need to shut up. They
would not stop talking to the referee, especially in that
second half. I saw you got frustrated enough to tweet
about it.
Speaker 5 (14:51):
Michael Bergers. Yeah, yeah, I know, and I probably shouldn't
be doing that in the middle of the game, but
it did seem like they just were just in the
refs here the whole time. To be fair, they must
have been frustrated. You lose three fords in the first
half hours, so you got one forward, so you had
Gutherson at times Locke, I think Cook was playing prop,
probably the smallest ever prop in the history of the NRL.
(15:14):
And there was that obstruction call that for Pompey's first try,
which I actually thought was fine thought. I thought it
was good that the referee didn't fall for the defender
making trying to make the most of it, make a
meal of it. But you know I've seen those given
as well, so yeah, they it is nice. It's nice
Guthason because he's such an annoying player when he's on
(15:37):
the opposition, but the Dragons. The Dragons, it was a
courageous effort. Man, it was a courageous effort to lose
three forwards that they did. It's remarkable, really, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (15:48):
We've got to give them claudits for the way they
carried themselves during the game, other than the gaping now
we had to get into. Unfortunately, the Warriors is going
to lose another player, and it's not to injury this time.
Jackson Ford we spoke about. He's going to miss the
regular seat the rest of the regular season. Burge, I
cannot believe it. Three match ban with an early guilty
plea for a crusher tackle on Corey Allen twenty three
(16:12):
minutes into the game. I'm going to be honest, I
don't even specifically remember this. But another player goes down.
Jackson Ford's been coming in obviously starting at prop. Now,
given the personnel that Warriors have out, another one bites
the dust, does Tom Aley come in now?
Speaker 5 (16:29):
Possibly? And I'd like to see Tom. I'd like to
see Tom get a chance. I'm quite a fan of Tom.
I think I've talked him a few times. And because
you just got that point of different slightly different body shape,
bigger body. I think he might do a job. So
let's see. He hasn't played all season, which is crazy.
Whether Webster wants to bring him now, I don't know,
but he's he's gone well for reserve grade. But Jackson,
(16:52):
Jackson will leave a hole. He's actually quite underrated. He's
been as I talked about before, He's been making gazillion
tackles a game, a lot more hit ups, a lot
more effective in his hit ups than he should be
given his size. He's become very important. It was funny
because me and the other journalists from stuff Rand in
New Zealand, everyone was sitting a rund afterwards, and we're
(17:13):
sitting after the game, think, oh great, we'd forgotten to
ask websit had any injuries, but we thought there weren't
any injuries. This is fantastic, first time in weeks no injuries,
and then you get hit with this news. So there
is a casualty. But I like the fact that it's
Trumans for a crusher, that's what it should be. I
just hope that they're consistent so that any other crushes
that happened from now on with other teams, because for example,
(17:35):
the storms seem to do a crusher a couple of
times a game that needs to get the same punishment.
Let's hope they're consistent.
Speaker 3 (17:42):
I did want to just mention to Chanelle Harris Tavita,
who I thought had a couple of big moments. Obviously
scored the opening try from the Warriors off the back
of some great work from Hala Sima and Roger twey
vasishek to keep the ball in play, but he also
made a couple of key spot tackles as well, which
not only got the crowd and his teammates hyped up
and into the game, it also was we're pretty key
for the Warriors that those points in the defense and
(18:04):
the contest when the Dragons were hot on the attack.
What did you think of his performance and were there
any other Warriors place that stood out to you?
Speaker 5 (18:10):
Bude, I'm glad you brought it up. Nathan. You went
out the game, of course, because you're actually working on
something else that on Friday night. But being at the game,
as I talked about before, the first twenty five minutes,
was so frustrating. The Warriors couldn't get anything going, didn't
have any attacking sets. It was all defense or grind
in the middle and Chanell hit Kyle Flanagan. This is
(18:32):
about twenty seventh minute I think smashed him. The Dragon's
half back ball comes loose, knock on and that got
the whole stadium going. It woke everyone up, and it
definitely got his teammates going. And from then on that
was a bit of that was an impetus so little
moments that two matches, and of course he scored about
(18:53):
five minutes after that. He's always in the right place
at the right time. Like he has had some poor
games lately, but he's such a competitor you can't doubt
that some big tackles crucial try backing up and that'll
give him a lot of confidence. I guess the other
guy to pick out. There's a few, actually I thought
just quickly, I thought chance. But had his best game
at the center of the of the two or three
he's played, got a bit more involved offensively. Good and
(19:17):
tame were mentioned. I've got to mention. You've got to
mention Adam Pompey just quickly as well, because how tough
does it make when you, I mean, you play rugby,
when you've when you missed your man for two tries
and you miss your man for two tries in the NRL,
the whole the whole country is watching. It's on TV,
and they can see it's your fault, cleanness, and you've
(19:38):
got to dig yourself out of it. And he does,
He don't himself out of it and then gets gets
two tries in the second half, So hats off to him.
Speaker 4 (19:44):
I think I never missed my man, bitch. I wouldn't
know different.
Speaker 5 (19:48):
Different when you're once you Where were you?
Speaker 4 (19:52):
I was a flanker.
Speaker 5 (19:54):
Oh yeah, okay, you've got guys around to cover you.
But different time. And then and then the other one,
which feels like it's something stuck on rotation. But Roger,
who mentioned the last three or four weeks, he's just
it is.
Speaker 4 (20:08):
He the Warrior's most consistent performer.
Speaker 8 (20:11):
Has been as much I think he is since this
in this phase with a faded since June, he's just
kept on keeping on and he's really found himself on
the wing, found himself on the wing, and he's found
himself in this new NRL era because this is only
his second season back, so he's setting he's setting a
(20:31):
really good standard.
Speaker 5 (20:32):
And I've got a feeling that his other teammates have
been impressed by that and they'll start to come up
to his level. If they do, then the team starts
to go. Well a Big League podcast.
Speaker 3 (20:46):
But the Warriors face the Titans on the Gold Coast
on Saturday night. Why are we playing the Titans again?
Are you taking them?
Speaker 5 (20:54):
What is this draw?
Speaker 4 (20:55):
We played them like a week ago.
Speaker 3 (20:57):
The Titans are dead last on the ladder with five
wins and sixteen losses. They're coming off a fifty four
to twenty two hiding at the hands of the Sharks
in Coronella. The last win came just over three weeks
ago against Ah the Warriors up by ten, dominating. The
Warriors conceived four straight tries and blow it in that game.
(21:19):
The right edge, defense, hill, discipline and eras got the
Titans into the game when the Warriors had made a
great start. Among others, the Titans are missing Judjo Forfitza
and Carter Gordon Burge. Why are we playing the Titans again?
And are we going to lose again?
Speaker 5 (21:38):
Yeah, you love the scheduling, but it's actually quite a
good time to be playing them because they're at a
lower again. They came in to the last game struggling
and turn the season around by beating the Warriors, and
then they came bloody close. They were super lucky not
to be Penrith. So they had two really good weeks
and then a terrible game against the Sharks where they
fell apart in the second half, conceded as gazillion tries.
(22:02):
So they'll be hurting. There is the bounce back factor
and it is dangerous. And I don't want to be
the idiot journalist again that says that writes off the Titans,
which I've done about the last seven times they've played them,
when they've beaten the Warriors six times. I don't want
to be that guy again. But here I go again.
Oh yeah, here I go, Here I go. So you've
got to be wary of the Titans, but surely this
(22:25):
time because I feel like pressure is off of but
everyone's expecting the Titans to win. So the Warriors will
come as underdogs. Number one, Number two, the Gold Coast Titans.
The crowd have surely given up on them, so there'll
be more Warriors fans than Titans fans there by quite
a bit, so that'll help. And number three, that was
the kind of loss that is hard to recover from
(22:46):
When you concede fifty four points.
Speaker 2 (22:49):
The Big League Podcast for the biggest league fans, The
Big League Podcast on the Warriors Badwagon since day.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
Just quickly, Birch. The Warriors women have gone down to
the Raiders. They had two players sent off early in
the contest twenty first and twenty fourth minutes for dangerous tackles,
but showed plenty of heart to lose twenty to sixteen.
I think Matt Keino Gray and Taysha Ichinasio were the
two players sent off for dangerous tackles. Mikayla Break also
(23:26):
and Warriors Women's News is out for the season and
she is having a baby, so congratulations to her. Quick
word on that and the Warriors women's performance, Burde.
Speaker 5 (23:38):
It was remarkable. It was absolutely crazy. I mean, they
went down to eleven players. When does that happen? Hardly
ever in my history of covering the game. Hardly ever.
They got into eleven players in the first half and
they're already down a lot on the scoreboard. Come back
from I think twenty to four down to twenty sixteen.
It could a style on the game. How do you
(23:58):
do that with eleven players? You got a two person
over it the whole second half. Remarkable performance. So there
will take some real positives from that. Crazy tackles from
the players, especially the first one. I mean, I don't
know what what the what he's thinking about lifting was
a horrible tackle. I hope someone can show us some
videos or some really bad tackles in the past in
(24:20):
the NRL. Really glad that they were sent off because
both those just those kind of tackles don't belong in
the sport. And let's hope they learned from that.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
Yeah, one hundred percent, just a bit of a brain explosion.
I think the first one. The second one was a
little bit more unlucky that the hip drop tackle definitely
definitely wasn't intentional. But yeah, I think there's the bones
of a very very good rugby league side here if
they can with eleven players get that sort of result.
It was a loss, but it was a close loss,
(24:52):
so a massive props to them. And as they gel
more as a units and those players sort of get
more used to the sport itself, they are going to
be a very very big threat in this competition. Now,
if we switch over to quick fire predictions, you definitely
wanted me to just keep tabs on what the results
were last week, because we disagreed on four or five
of them, and I was feeling very confident Burge after
(25:15):
the Storm beat the Panthers, because that was one nill
to me. But in the long run, you have come right.
I picked five out of eight of the games in
the round gone. You picked seven out of eight. So
that Storm game is the only one you got wrong.
And you're looking very smug right now.
Speaker 5 (25:31):
Well, so that means from Thursday night onwards, I got
the Thursday night game wrong and then when one hundred percent,
I don't know if anyone's ever done that in the
history of enterol tipping.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
I think they hadn't know.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
I don't know.
Speaker 5 (25:44):
There's big Sydney guys. I don't know that was And
this is not easy comped to tip at the moment.
So you're very proud of myself and I'm very proud
that you're very lucky you can continue to learn from
from listening to my predictions. And yeah, here we go. No,
it was it was good. It was good that we
had some different different ones and it's still the bloody
(26:05):
hardest thing to predict in the world.
Speaker 3 (26:07):
So here we go again, did very well to pick
up the Bunnies, Tigers, and Cowboys results at the end
there we disagreed on all of those. But we'll get
into quick fire prediction for this round because I'm going
to hit back here, like I don't I don't see
much chance of me losing this week. We're going to
start off with Bunnies versus the Dragons.
Speaker 4 (26:25):
Burge.
Speaker 5 (26:26):
Really hard to call this actually, because the Dragon's played
well despite what happened to them. They will be missing,
you think, though, the three Cancuss players, which is a big,
a big hole. Plus they've had the trip the short
turn around. The Rabbit's taking a lot of heart from
their second win in a row, gutsy winning gains eels.
So I'll go with the Rabbits here.
Speaker 3 (26:45):
Oh, I'm going to back the Dragons. They've they went
far off obviously. They lost three players with concussion in
that Warriors game, which geez, that really ever happens. They
were all knocked out cold too, weren't they. Before that,
They'd racked up wins over the Sharks and the Raiders.
So I'm going to back the Dragons here to beat
the Bunnies Panthers versus the Raiders. We are getting from
(27:07):
heavyweight classes at the back end of the season.
Speaker 5 (27:09):
It's crazy, mate, and we've got more to come. So
the whole Warriors nation will be backing the Raiders because
of course that keeps the Panthers away from the from
catching the Warriors. Really close, really tough to call this
one again. Raiders coming off the bye, there'll be refreshed
Panthers off at a really tough, really amazing game against
(27:32):
Melviourn probably the game, probably the match of the season,
that game against the Storm. I will go with the
Panthers again, but it will be super close.
Speaker 3 (27:41):
I'm going to agree with you that the Panthers will
bounce back here Storm Bulldogs the other top what is it?
It's not quite there's the other top four clash. Really,
I was thinking Panthers as top four. This top five
is just so competitive. It is a Storm Bulldogs. Yeah,
what a massive Friday night to have those two games.
I'll go with the Storm at home. They will take
(28:03):
so much belief at all what they did come in
to Convet Stadium beating Penrith. So I'll go for the
Storm to beat the Bulldogs, who of course lost to
the Roosters on the weekend, so they'll be hurting a
bit too. They got pounded by the Roosters twenty points
thirty two twelve. I'm really not convinced the Bulldogs are
any good bird Well.
Speaker 5 (28:22):
I have been saying for a while, Nathan, haven't I
that I feel like they're The latter position has been
better than what they are. You know, for a long
time they were winning the comp or second. I think
they're a good team, but they're not. They're not a
team that I would fear in the playoffs compared to
Penrith or the Storm or even the Raiders.
Speaker 3 (28:43):
I'm going to agree with you and go for the
Storm there. Seagulls versus the Dolphins. Seagulls man losing to
the Tigers twenty six twelve.
Speaker 5 (28:53):
Yeah, the Tigers have been going better but the Seagulls.
But man, they're in a mess. It's a really sad
way for Daily Chirbans to wind up his career. I mean,
they'll be desperate to bounce back. But I thought the
Dolphins played really well against the Broncos. They fell away
in the second half, but I will go with the
Dolphins here. Visitors to inflict more misery on Manly. I
(29:14):
agree with you.
Speaker 3 (29:14):
Here we go Birds, Titans, Warriors on the Gold Coast
to the Titans do it again.
Speaker 5 (29:20):
No, no, they don't. The Warriors just need to start well.
If they can start well, stand to throw it in
the match, they'll go on with it. The danger is
the Titans starting well again, and the Titans have got
so much confidence when they play the Warriors. They always
save their best for the Warriors. But this one will
be different. This one will be different. I cannot bring
(29:42):
myself to imagine that the Titans will beat the Warriors
for the seventh time in eight games. It cannot happen.
It will not happen.
Speaker 3 (29:49):
It's funny because the Warriors started really well against Titans
last game, then they do not play well for the
rest of it. So I am going to agree with
you and say, surely, surely it cannot happen again.
Speaker 4 (30:01):
Please.
Speaker 3 (30:03):
I don't know what this podcast is going to look
like next week if the Warriors lose to the Titans again.
Speaker 4 (30:08):
Eels versus the Roosters.
Speaker 5 (30:11):
It was were quite good against the Rabbits and we're
a bit of lucky. They had a lot of chances
to win it late Rabbit's hung on great defense. But
the Roosters are coming there. The Rooster is definitely coming.
They they look like a top eight team. They look
for their team that's going to end up in the
mix and then they'll be dangerous. Look like the Roosters
that we've known over the last few years, so they
(30:31):
should be too good for Paramattic.
Speaker 4 (30:33):
Yet they're surging up the ladder of the Roosters.
Speaker 3 (30:35):
They sit eighth down twenty eight points, going to back
them to beat the Eels. Knights versus the Broncos.
Speaker 5 (30:44):
Man, how sorry are the Knights? Like? What did they
concede against the Countos? Was it thirty eight points to
four or something crazy? That's that exactly. They're in a
really sorry state, far out of to mess up there,
real shame for such a proud club. It won't get
me better. The Broncos are on a roll as well,
(31:04):
and they'll be far too good for the Knights.
Speaker 3 (31:07):
Tigers versus the Cowboys. How much disagreement so far this week?
Speaker 4 (31:10):
Bird, No, there's not.
Speaker 5 (31:12):
I'll go with the home team here only because they're
at home and you're coming with a really good one,
But so are the Cowboys, So I reckon This game
is a true fifty to fifty core because the Cowboys
have the better They've got the better roster. Definitely. The
Tiger's just got some momentum and they're playing at home.
Speaker 3 (31:28):
Should be a fairly good game. I'm going to agree
with you on that. The Cowboys I'm going to pick
to round out Week twenty five of the NRRAL. Thank
you Michael Burgers for your time your wisdom inside on
the podcast this week. We will be back next Monday
to survey what please hopefully is a win over the Titans,
(31:49):
keeping that top four finish inside the Warriors hands. Please
follow and rate the podcast. My name is Nathan Limb.
Have a fantastic week.
Speaker 1 (32:02):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
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