It’s one of the biggest weekends on the rugby league calendar, with hordes of NRL fans swarming Brisbane for Magic Round.
But for the Warriors, the weekend has been overshadowed by news of halfback specialist Luke Metcalf’s split from the team.
The 27 year old had previously committed to the Warriors until 2028, but has now reportedly signed a contract with the St George Illawarra Dragons.
NRL legend Braith Anasta told Piney when he first heard the rumours, he couldn’t quite understand it.
He thought Metcalf and Tanah Boyd would be partners in crime in the halves, and was surprised Metcalf seemingly didn’t entertain it.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
So as we come to you live from Brisbane for
Magic Round, leading us off today. As a former NRL
premiership winning five eighth, he played nearly three hundred first
class first grade games rather in a decade and a
half long career with the Bulldogs, the Roosters and the
West Tigers. Hugely important part of the two thousand and
four premiership winning Canterbury Bulldogs side. He also represented New
(00:36):
South Wales and state of origin and played four Tests
for Australia. Since his playing retirement, he's become a very
prominent rugby league commentator and media personality and his host
of Fox League's NRL three sixty, which we love of
course in New Zealand. I'm talking of course about braith
A NaSTA. He's got a pretty busy weekend, but he
(00:58):
made time for us.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I went to Braitha Nasta's hotel and we sat in
the lobby and chewed the fat about all sorts of things.
I asked Breatha NaSTA, first of all, just how good
Magic round us?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
It's the best.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
The vibe here is pretty electric and everyone's starting to
roll in the last couple of days and it's it's
starting to fire up for a big weekend, right.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
I want to getraight to the Luke Metcalf stuff, because
that's what we're all interested in across New Zealand. What
if he made of this whole thing. Let's before we
break it down, and specifically, what if he made of
the whole thing?
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Very shocked, like many others in the in our game are,
and I'm assuming all across New Zealand would feel the
same way. So when I first heard it, I couldn't
really believe it. I knew there were murmurs, you know,
working in my industry, you hear the rumors, and I
heard he was unsettled about a month ago.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I couldn't quite understand it, to be honest with you.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
We may go into more depth about it, but my
first thoughts were, you know, a tenant boy's been killing it.
He's going great, he deserves his upgrade extension. And then
I thought that Metcalf would be his partner in crime
in the haarves, So I didn't think it was a
big deal, and I thought that combination could work.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So I was surprised that he didn't entertain.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
It was that look Metcalf saying, I don't want to
play six. I want to play seven only. And is
he entitled to make that call.
Speaker 5 (02:12):
He's entitled to it. As I said before, I'm a
little surprised by it. I don't know the intricate details,
but you know, from what I've heard and just looking
from the outside in, you know, they loved him in
New Zealand. I spoke to Kem George, you know, not
about the actual details, but he was disappointed the way
that it's all panned out. They would have wanted him
to play five eight. He's played twenty one games at
(02:34):
five eight for the Warriors. I don't see him as
a traditional seven. I could see him playing six. So again,
I don't know the actual details, but I'm assuming that
they've asked him, you know, can you play six ten
or boil or play seven? We think it can work,
and he's just flat out said no. And that's and
again that's that's me just assuming that's happened, because I
(02:56):
couldn't think of any other reason why he'd leave.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
He loves the place.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
He's the pin up boy there, almost the face of
the New Zealand Warriors, and he had a bright future
there and I thought they could form, as I said,
a formidable combo. So that's the any way I can
assume it's happened, because you know, he didn't get the seven,
and they would have been offering him the six. They
would have warranted him to stay because they had Harris
t v to talking to other clubs and a possibility
moving on next year. So if you join the Dots,
(03:22):
you know, he's just not happy. His agent's probably had
sourced other opportunities and got him obviously a good paypacket
at the Dragons and other options there, so you know
he's entitled to it.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I wish him all the very best.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
I just I wish he would have just gave it
a crack in the hears with Tenner.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
We all wish that. And there was a couple of
games that they did his hand me.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
But like last year, he was playing so well at
seven before you know the knee injury. I don't know,
I mean, do you reckon they would have gone okay,
six seven? The two of them mat and he can
play sex, can't he make up?
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I do because I don't think Metcalf is a traditional seven.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
He started at six. He's played a bit of both.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
If you look at ten and Boyd, he's not an
overly dominating half. So it's not like Metcalf wouldn't have
got enough touches or still had an influence on his
gap on the games for the Warriors. And you know,
as I said, I just see him as one of
the halves in our comp that can play both positions,
and tenor would have been accommodating to that. And I
don't need tenors on a huge deal compared to other
(04:18):
halves in the competition, so there was still money in
the cap.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
And you know, I truly believe the Warrior is still
wanting him.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
I just I think this is a loop Metcalf decision,
and you know, again it's pretty it shocks me, you know,
but again, he's got every right if he wants to
play seven, he thinks he's a seven and he's not
a six or anything else, then you know, I can
I suppose that's that's that's up to him.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
So what now then, Graith, because he's with the Warriors
for the rest of this season as I understand it,
and we'll go to the Dragons from twenty seven onwards.
So how does Andrew Webster deal with that challenge of
having Luke Metcalfe and his squad?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Does he play and does he put him in a
reserve grade? What do you predict?
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Well? I love Andrew Webster and Cam George and I
think they're doing an amazing job and I actually applaud
them for handling this situation as they have. If anyone's
going to get him or do the right thing by
the team, here's going to be whereby I think, yeah,
he's going to be heavily involved in this campaign.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
He has to be.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
You know, you'd be stupid not to. You've got a
high quality player. You've got a chance to win the premiership.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
You know.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
I think obviously Tenor Boyd and Harris Taviti get the
first shot. I'd be playing him because he's coming back
from acl and I think he may have come back
a little early because he looked a bit rusty that
first game. He did come back and I thought maybe
he was underdone. But now getting fully fit, he's had
the week off and I understand he had the week
off this week to clear his head make the decision
(05:35):
to move on. So once he gets that behind him.
Bring him into the team is fourteen. You can't change
your winning half to combination. There's pressure on those guys
now to deliver though, and the luxury they have now
is Metcalfs there on standby and he can still have
an impact him off the bench.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
How do to reckon the Warriors are going?
Speaker 4 (05:52):
I think they're doing really well.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
I just love the way they've been trending now for
a long time, I really do. Their form has only
got better over the years. As I said, I love
their leadership and their coach, you know, and he got
such a young, exciting team that they can really you know,
score points at any time. But their defense is holding up,
you can till they love each other. They're playing for
each other and that's what you want out of any
(06:15):
any team. And they're doing they're doing themselves in New
Zealand proud. And you know, everyone over here in Australia
has taken notice.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
When fan see you at Magic Ground have already seen
You're swamped by a couple here in the hotel for
you this morning. What is it they usually want to
talk to you about? Is it the Bulldogs days or
is it current stuff? What do they mainly talk to
you about.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
It's pretty crazy because our show and three sixty we
talk about everything, so everything is you know, like obviously
you get.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
The roosters and bulldogs.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Fans come up to me, but honestly, like because we
talk about the big issues and the drama every week
and who's going where and what happened there, and so
they just grabbed me, and honestly, I could be I
get stuck with every second fan for about ten or
fifteen minutes. It feels like I'm on the show again.
But it's great. But everyone's really in a good mood
up here. Everyone's excited and I love Beanie.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Just to take your back briefly at that O four
side and your time when you were you were basically
the main man and the teams you played, and did
you embrace that pressure. Was that something you enjoyed being
that being the one who could pull the strings and
ready make a difference.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
Yeah, I loved it, Like it was kind of give
me the games on the line, give me the ball.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
You know that that was kind.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Of how I grew up and how I sort of
transitioned in the first grade. I love the big games,
the big moments. You know, you you come up trump
sometimes if you fail at other times, but you kind
of you know, as you get older, you wear the
scars and you learn from it and you try and
be the best player that you can. But I like
games like this bagic round. I didn't get to play,
(07:44):
but you know, it reminds me of going to an
Origin or you know, Grand Final semifinals.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
It's a it's a it's different.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
You know, you've got bigger crowds, more parochial, and you know,
you know everyone's watching, so you want to play the
best that you possibly can, and it's a good opportunity
to show.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
What you got.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Of course, we love to rub the union in New
Zealand and at the end of I think O four
there was a bit of talk that you might might
go to Universe. Was that ever a possibility? Did you
ever genuinely entertain that?
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
I was a tragic union supporter and player.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I played as much union as I did league.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I was on the cuss of playing Australian schoolboys rugby
union and then I made this astral the League team,
so I couldn't play in it.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
But no, I took it serious.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
You know, you see a lot of these guys talk
about rugby, but mine was genuine because I know the
game well. I loved it just as much as I
love league, and I nearly went to the Warrior TAJU
and Mackenzie was a coach back then.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
But there was just a high risk.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
There was high risk and it was going to be
a bit of a long journey because I was solidified
in rugby league and I was playing Origin and all that.
It was at the time for a young bloke it
was probably too much to take on. But you know,
I often think about whether what would have happened, you
know that what is?
Speaker 4 (08:55):
But I ended up all right where I was so
all right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Just to finish.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Then it feels like, I mean this is probably biased,
but Bronco's Warriors feels like the game of the weekend.
I don't know what you think that it's going to
be magnificently on Sunday, So what decides that game?
Speaker 5 (09:06):
I don't think it's bias at all, to be honest,
it is, you know, you know, I mean, see how
Stolphin is going to be a cracker and I've got
them to probably on path this weekend.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
But decide that game? I think, well, the.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
Warriors have been so consistent, right their defense has been
holding up.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
It's a bit ironic, but you look at the halves
and that's what it's probably going to come down. It
is creating opportunities because you know, if you look at
the Broncos, they don't have a shortage of that. You know,
they've got Reynolds and Walsh and Ezra mem and so
they're going to come up with points. So the Warriors,
it's probably starving them with points. The Broncos their defense
holding up as it has been, but it's creating enough
(09:46):
opportunities to outscore the Broncos is probably going to be
the big thing. And the Warriors have had no issue
in doing that. But up against the Broncos, whose defense
has been really good, maybe until late, they've been pretty
good majority of this year.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
So that's their main challenge.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
That is the very familiar voice to rugby league fans
of Braith and Astor, who I spoke to yesterday at
his hotel.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
What a champion of a man.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
You know, he's pretty famous in Australia, particularly in rugby
league country. Breath then Asta and as soon as he
came into the hotel for you there were you know,
two or three people who saw him and wanted to
get you know, a photograph and a and a chat
and talk of rugby league with him, and he was
very very generous with his time. Obviously you could tell
there he he loves the game of rugby league and
(10:32):
is a very prominent and pretty credible voice in the
game as well. I saw him there at at Magic
Around last night. They've got their work cut out, They've
got to do eight games across the weekend, but there
he was doing all his preps. Oh yeah, breath and asta.
Great to get the chance to chat to him on
on weekend sport. I want to chat to you about
the Luke Metcalfe situation. This has been playing out over
(10:54):
the last few days and thankfully it hasn't dragged on.
It hasn't been allowed to drag on if you're just
coming out from under a rock or you're not familiar
with what has gone on here. Luke metcalf earlier in
the week, through his representatives, presumably told the Warriors that
he would like to explore options away from the Warriors
(11:15):
for his immediate future or his short term future. Presumably
the Warriors granted him permission to chat to other clubs,
and obviously, with a player of Luke Metcalf's capability and ability,
they started to line up. So Luke Metcalf will leave
the Warriors at the end of this season and take
(11:36):
up a playing contract with the Dragons. So that's how
it's all played out. Now, A big part of me says,
why don't we have contracts in the first place If
a player can just if he's not happy about something,
and we'll get to that in the moment, just go
to the club management say look, I want to break
my contract. I want to get out of this contract.
I don't want to play here anymore. I want to leave. However,
if we put that to one side, I think the
(11:58):
last thing you want as a malicious complier in any
form of employment, you don't want somebody there who really
doesn't want to be there. However, you signed contracts for
a reason, both players and clubs do, but it seems
as though they're often not necessarily as watertight as perhaps
clubs or players would have you believe. Be that as
(12:19):
it may, how much of a surprise was this to you,
Because I must admit it was a massive surprise to
me when I heard this being talked about in the
early part.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Of the week.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
I just assumed Luke Metcalf would want to return from
injury and make his way back into the side when
he was fit again. There was no inkling at all,
and not that there would have been necessarily, but there
was no inkling at all that he was agitating to
play in the seven jersey and the seven jersey only.
(12:52):
But that's clearly what's happened here. Luke Metcalf has decided
that he only wants to play halfback and it appears
as though if he can't do it at the Warriors,
then he wants it to do it somewhere else. A
big part of me, as I say, says, you know
what value is there in a contract? But if Luke
(13:12):
Metcalf is so driven to play number seven somewhere that
he wants to change club in order to do it,
then you know that's a pretty big call, isn't it.
And it raises the next question, and this is the
one I'd be keen to rarely hear from you on
how does Andrew Webster use Luke Metcalf for the rest
(13:32):
of this season? What do you predict for Luke Metcalf's
involvement for the rest of this current season. He has
committed to the Warriors until the end of this season,
the twenty twenty sixth season, and then he will depart.
So what does Andrew Webster do in terms of selecting
Luke Metcalf to start matches, to be involved in matches,
(13:56):
or to not be involved in matches, as the case
may be. I actually think it's it's fairly simple. Andrew
Webster uses Luke Metcaf if and when he needs him.
Tanner Boyd is the half back, Chanell Harris Tavita is
five eighth, and I would love to have seen the
(14:17):
Tanner Boyd Luke Metcalf combo and what it would have
looked like. We got a small taste of it earlier
on in the season, and we may again get the
chance to see it depending on injuries and things like that.
But I don't think you bring Luke Metcalf into the
side unless you have to. The future halves combo provided
(14:42):
Harris DaVita stays with the club is Chanell Harris Tavita
and Tanner Boyd. That is the future halves combo. And
a big part of me says, why would you continue
to develop Luke Metcalf as a player when he's leaving
at the end of the season. But he is still
(15:03):
a very very good rugby league player. Maybe he wears fourteen,
as Braithannasta suggested there, maybe you have him there to
provide impact as and when needed, because there is no
doubt he is a superb player who could make a
big impact on this team this season. I've seen people
say he shouldn't be picked, he should play in reserve grade.
(15:25):
He should not be picked to play for the Warriors
again this season. He should play in reserve grade, see
out his contract and from there.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
He can go. I have the opposite view.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
I think he should be used, but I don't think
you'd be rushing him back into the side. I think
you treat him like any other player, any other player
that is in the team, use him to try and
win the Warriors a premiership. How much irony would there
be if the Warriors do finally win the thing and
(16:00):
Luke Metcalf plays a part of it and he's gone
to the Dragons.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason, Listen live to
news Talks at b weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio,
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
So as we come to you live from Brisbane for
Magic Round, leading us off today. As a former NRL
premiership winning five eighth, he played nearly three hundred first
class first grade games rather in a decade and a
half long career with the Bulldogs, the Roosters and the
West Tigers. Hugely important part of the two thousand and
four premiership winning Canterbury Bulldogs side. He also represented New
(00:36):
South Wales and state of origin and played four Tests
for Australia. Since his playing retirement, he's become a very
prominent rugby league commentator and media personality and his host
of Fox League's NRL three sixty, which we love of
course in New Zealand. I'm talking of course about braith
A NaSTA. He's got a pretty busy weekend, but he
(00:58):
made time for us.
Speaker 3 (00:58):
Yesterday.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
I went to Braitha Nasta's hotel and we sat in
the lobby and chewed the fat about all sorts of things.
I asked Breatha NaSTA, first of all, just how good
Magic round us?
Speaker 4 (01:09):
It's the best.
Speaker 5 (01:10):
The vibe here is pretty electric and everyone's starting to
roll in the last couple of days and it's it's
starting to fire up for a big weekend, right.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
I want to getraight to the Luke Metcalf stuff, because
that's what we're all interested in across New Zealand. What
if he made of this whole thing. Let's before we
break it down, and specifically, what if he made of
the whole thing?
Speaker 5 (01:26):
Very shocked, like many others in the in our game are,
and I'm assuming all across New Zealand would feel the
same way. So when I first heard it, I couldn't
really believe it. I knew there were murmurs, you know,
working in my industry, you hear the rumors, and I
heard he was unsettled about a month ago.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
I couldn't quite understand it, to be honest with you.
Speaker 5 (01:46):
We may go into more depth about it, but my
first thoughts were, you know, a tenant boy's been killing it.
He's going great, he deserves his upgrade extension. And then
I thought that Metcalf would be his partner in crime
in the haarves, So I didn't think it was a
big deal, and I thought that combination could work.
Speaker 4 (02:03):
So I was surprised that he didn't entertain.
Speaker 2 (02:05):
It was that look Metcalf saying, I don't want to
play six. I want to play seven only. And is
he entitled to make that call.
Speaker 5 (02:12):
He's entitled to it. As I said before, I'm a
little surprised by it. I don't know the intricate details,
but you know, from what I've heard and just looking
from the outside in, you know, they loved him in
New Zealand. I spoke to Kem George, you know, not
about the actual details, but he was disappointed the way
that it's all panned out. They would have wanted him
to play five eight. He's played twenty one games at
(02:34):
five eight for the Warriors. I don't see him as
a traditional seven. I could see him playing six. So again,
I don't know the actual details, but I'm assuming that
they've asked him, you know, can you play six ten
or boil or play seven? We think it can work,
and he's just flat out said no. And that's and
again that's that's me just assuming that's happened, because I
(02:56):
couldn't think of any other reason why he'd leave.
Speaker 4 (02:59):
He loves the place.
Speaker 5 (03:01):
He's the pin up boy there, almost the face of
the New Zealand Warriors, and he had a bright future
there and I thought they could form, as I said,
a formidable combo. So that's the any way I can
assume it's happened, because you know, he didn't get the seven,
and they would have been offering him the six. They
would have warranted him to stay because they had Harris
t v to talking to other clubs and a possibility
moving on next year. So if you join the Dots,
(03:22):
you know, he's just not happy. His agent's probably had
sourced other opportunities and got him obviously a good paypacket
at the Dragons and other options there, so you know
he's entitled to it.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I wish him all the very best.
Speaker 5 (03:34):
I just I wish he would have just gave it
a crack in the hears with Tenner.
Speaker 3 (03:38):
We all wish that. And there was a couple of
games that they did his hand me.
Speaker 2 (03:40):
But like last year, he was playing so well at
seven before you know the knee injury. I don't know,
I mean, do you reckon they would have gone okay,
six seven? The two of them mat and he can
play sex, can't he make up?
Speaker 5 (03:50):
I do because I don't think Metcalf is a traditional seven.
Speaker 4 (03:54):
He started at six. He's played a bit of both.
Speaker 5 (03:57):
If you look at ten and Boyd, he's not an
overly dominating half. So it's not like Metcalf wouldn't have
got enough touches or still had an influence on his
gap on the games for the Warriors. And you know,
as I said, I just see him as one of
the halves in our comp that can play both positions,
and tenor would have been accommodating to that. And I
don't need tenors on a huge deal compared to other
(04:18):
halves in the competition, so there was still money in
the cap.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
And you know, I truly believe the Warrior is still
wanting him.
Speaker 5 (04:24):
I just I think this is a loop Metcalf decision,
and you know, again it's pretty it shocks me, you know,
but again, he's got every right if he wants to
play seven, he thinks he's a seven and he's not
a six or anything else, then you know, I can
I suppose that's that's that's up to him.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
So what now then, Graith, because he's with the Warriors
for the rest of this season as I understand it,
and we'll go to the Dragons from twenty seven onwards.
So how does Andrew Webster deal with that challenge of
having Luke Metcalfe and his squad?
Speaker 3 (04:51):
Does he play and does he put him in a
reserve grade? What do you predict?
Speaker 5 (04:54):
Well? I love Andrew Webster and Cam George and I
think they're doing an amazing job and I actually applaud
them for handling this situation as they have. If anyone's
going to get him or do the right thing by
the team, here's going to be whereby I think, yeah,
he's going to be heavily involved in this campaign.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
He has to be.
Speaker 5 (05:09):
You know, you'd be stupid not to. You've got a
high quality player. You've got a chance to win the premiership.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
You know.
Speaker 5 (05:15):
I think obviously Tenor Boyd and Harris Taviti get the
first shot. I'd be playing him because he's coming back
from acl and I think he may have come back
a little early because he looked a bit rusty that
first game. He did come back and I thought maybe
he was underdone. But now getting fully fit, he's had
the week off and I understand he had the week
off this week to clear his head make the decision
(05:35):
to move on. So once he gets that behind him.
Bring him into the team is fourteen. You can't change
your winning half to combination. There's pressure on those guys
now to deliver though, and the luxury they have now
is Metcalfs there on standby and he can still have
an impact him off the bench.
Speaker 3 (05:50):
How do to reckon the Warriors are going?
Speaker 4 (05:52):
I think they're doing really well.
Speaker 5 (05:53):
I just love the way they've been trending now for
a long time, I really do. Their form has only
got better over the years. As I said, I love
their leadership and their coach, you know, and he got
such a young, exciting team that they can really you know,
score points at any time. But their defense is holding up,
you can till they love each other. They're playing for
each other and that's what you want out of any
(06:15):
any team. And they're doing they're doing themselves in New
Zealand proud. And you know, everyone over here in Australia
has taken notice.
Speaker 2 (06:21):
When fan see you at Magic Ground have already seen
You're swamped by a couple here in the hotel for
you this morning. What is it they usually want to
talk to you about? Is it the Bulldogs days or
is it current stuff? What do they mainly talk to
you about.
Speaker 5 (06:34):
It's pretty crazy because our show and three sixty we
talk about everything, so everything is you know, like obviously
you get.
Speaker 4 (06:42):
The roosters and bulldogs.
Speaker 5 (06:43):
Fans come up to me, but honestly, like because we
talk about the big issues and the drama every week
and who's going where and what happened there, and so
they just grabbed me, and honestly, I could be I
get stuck with every second fan for about ten or
fifteen minutes. It feels like I'm on the show again.
But it's great. But everyone's really in a good mood
up here. Everyone's excited and I love Beanie.
Speaker 2 (07:06):
Just to take your back briefly at that O four
side and your time when you were you were basically
the main man and the teams you played, and did
you embrace that pressure. Was that something you enjoyed being
that being the one who could pull the strings and
ready make a difference.
Speaker 5 (07:17):
Yeah, I loved it, Like it was kind of give
me the games on the line, give me the ball.
Speaker 4 (07:21):
You know that that was kind.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
Of how I grew up and how I sort of
transitioned in the first grade. I love the big games,
the big moments. You know, you you come up trump
sometimes if you fail at other times, but you kind
of you know, as you get older, you wear the
scars and you learn from it and you try and
be the best player that you can. But I like
games like this bagic round. I didn't get to play,
(07:44):
but you know, it reminds me of going to an
Origin or you know, Grand Final semifinals.
Speaker 4 (07:49):
It's a it's a it's different.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
You know, you've got bigger crowds, more parochial, and you know,
you know everyone's watching, so you want to play the
best that you possibly can, and it's a good opportunity
to show.
Speaker 4 (07:59):
What you got.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Of course, we love to rub the union in New
Zealand and at the end of I think O four
there was a bit of talk that you might might
go to Universe. Was that ever a possibility? Did you
ever genuinely entertain that?
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 5 (08:10):
I was a tragic union supporter and player.
Speaker 4 (08:13):
I played as much union as I did league.
Speaker 5 (08:15):
I was on the cuss of playing Australian schoolboys rugby
union and then I made this astral the League team,
so I couldn't play in it.
Speaker 4 (08:22):
But no, I took it serious.
Speaker 5 (08:24):
You know, you see a lot of these guys talk
about rugby, but mine was genuine because I know the
game well. I loved it just as much as I
love league, and I nearly went to the Warrior TAJU
and Mackenzie was a coach back then.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
But there was just a high risk.
Speaker 5 (08:38):
There was high risk and it was going to be
a bit of a long journey because I was solidified
in rugby league and I was playing Origin and all that.
It was at the time for a young bloke it
was probably too much to take on. But you know,
I often think about whether what would have happened, you
know that what is?
Speaker 4 (08:55):
But I ended up all right where I was so
all right.
Speaker 3 (08:57):
Just to finish.
Speaker 2 (08:57):
Then it feels like, I mean this is probably biased,
but Bronco's Warriors feels like the game of the weekend.
I don't know what you think that it's going to
be magnificently on Sunday, So what decides that game?
Speaker 5 (09:06):
I don't think it's bias at all, to be honest,
it is, you know, you know, I mean, see how
Stolphin is going to be a cracker and I've got
them to probably on path this weekend.
Speaker 4 (09:15):
But decide that game? I think, well, the.
Speaker 5 (09:18):
Warriors have been so consistent, right their defense has been
holding up.
Speaker 4 (09:22):
You know.
Speaker 5 (09:24):
It's a bit ironic, but you look at the halves
and that's what it's probably going to come down. It
is creating opportunities because you know, if you look at
the Broncos, they don't have a shortage of that. You know,
they've got Reynolds and Walsh and Ezra mem and so
they're going to come up with points. So the Warriors,
it's probably starving them with points. The Broncos their defense
holding up as it has been, but it's creating enough
(09:46):
opportunities to outscore the Broncos is probably going to be
the big thing. And the Warriors have had no issue
in doing that. But up against the Broncos, whose defense
has been really good, maybe until late, they've been pretty
good majority of this year.
Speaker 4 (09:59):
So that's their main challenge.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
That is the very familiar voice to rugby league fans
of Braith and Astor, who I spoke to yesterday at
his hotel.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
What a champion of a man.
Speaker 2 (10:10):
You know, he's pretty famous in Australia, particularly in rugby
league country. Breath then Asta and as soon as he
came into the hotel for you there were you know,
two or three people who saw him and wanted to
get you know, a photograph and a and a chat
and talk of rugby league with him, and he was
very very generous with his time. Obviously you could tell
there he he loves the game of rugby league and
(10:32):
is a very prominent and pretty credible voice in the
game as well. I saw him there at at Magic
Around last night. They've got their work cut out, They've
got to do eight games across the weekend, but there
he was doing all his preps. Oh yeah, breath and asta.
Great to get the chance to chat to him on
on weekend sport. I want to chat to you about
the Luke Metcalfe situation. This has been playing out over
(10:54):
the last few days and thankfully it hasn't dragged on.
It hasn't been allowed to drag on if you're just
coming out from under a rock or you're not familiar
with what has gone on here. Luke metcalf earlier in
the week, through his representatives, presumably told the Warriors that
he would like to explore options away from the Warriors
(11:15):
for his immediate future or his short term future. Presumably
the Warriors granted him permission to chat to other clubs,
and obviously, with a player of Luke Metcalf's capability and ability,
they started to line up. So Luke Metcalf will leave
the Warriors at the end of this season and take
(11:36):
up a playing contract with the Dragons. So that's how
it's all played out. Now, A big part of me says,
why don't we have contracts in the first place If
a player can just if he's not happy about something,
and we'll get to that in the moment, just go
to the club management say look, I want to break
my contract. I want to get out of this contract.
I don't want to play here anymore. I want to leave. However,
if we put that to one side, I think the
(11:58):
last thing you want as a malicious complier in any
form of employment, you don't want somebody there who really
doesn't want to be there. However, you signed contracts for
a reason, both players and clubs do, but it seems
as though they're often not necessarily as watertight as perhaps
clubs or players would have you believe. Be that as
(12:19):
it may, how much of a surprise was this to you,
Because I must admit it was a massive surprise to
me when I heard this being talked about in the
early part.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
Of the week.
Speaker 2 (12:30):
I just assumed Luke Metcalf would want to return from
injury and make his way back into the side when
he was fit again. There was no inkling at all,
and not that there would have been necessarily, but there
was no inkling at all that he was agitating to
play in the seven jersey and the seven jersey only.
(12:52):
But that's clearly what's happened here. Luke Metcalf has decided
that he only wants to play halfback and it appears
as though if he can't do it at the Warriors,
then he wants it to do it somewhere else. A
big part of me, as I say, says, you know
what value is there in a contract? But if Luke
(13:12):
Metcalf is so driven to play number seven somewhere that
he wants to change club in order to do it,
then you know that's a pretty big call, isn't it.
And it raises the next question, and this is the
one I'd be keen to rarely hear from you on
how does Andrew Webster use Luke Metcalf for the rest
(13:32):
of this season? What do you predict for Luke Metcalf's
involvement for the rest of this current season. He has
committed to the Warriors until the end of this season,
the twenty twenty sixth season, and then he will depart.
So what does Andrew Webster do in terms of selecting
Luke Metcalf to start matches, to be involved in matches,
(13:56):
or to not be involved in matches, as the case
may be. I actually think it's it's fairly simple. Andrew
Webster uses Luke Metcaf if and when he needs him.
Tanner Boyd is the half back, Chanell Harris Tavita is
five eighth, and I would love to have seen the
(14:17):
Tanner Boyd Luke Metcalf combo and what it would have
looked like. We got a small taste of it earlier
on in the season, and we may again get the
chance to see it depending on injuries and things like that.
But I don't think you bring Luke Metcalf into the
side unless you have to. The future halves combo provided
(14:42):
Harris DaVita stays with the club is Chanell Harris Tavita
and Tanner Boyd. That is the future halves combo. And
a big part of me says, why would you continue
to develop Luke Metcalf as a player when he's leaving
at the end of the season. But he is still
(15:03):
a very very good rugby league player. Maybe he wears fourteen,
as Braithannasta suggested there, maybe you have him there to
provide impact as and when needed, because there is no
doubt he is a superb player who could make a
big impact on this team this season. I've seen people
say he shouldn't be picked, he should play in reserve grade.
(15:25):
He should not be picked to play for the Warriors
again this season. He should play in reserve grade, see
out his contract and from there.
Speaker 3 (15:36):
He can go. I have the opposite view.
Speaker 2 (15:39):
I think he should be used, but I don't think
you'd be rushing him back into the side. I think
you treat him like any other player, any other player
that is in the team, use him to try and
win the Warriors a premiership. How much irony would there
be if the Warriors do finally win the thing and
(16:00):
Luke Metcalf plays a part of it and he's gone
to the Dragons.
Speaker 1 (16:04):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason, Listen live to
news Talks at b weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio,
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