October 5, 2024 • 13 mins
The Penrith Panthers are looking to make it four Premiership wins in a row as they take on the Melbourne Storm tonight. Piney catches up with Panthers legend and 2003 NRL Premiership winner Ryan Girdler to preview the Grand Final
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Fine
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Edb our preview of tonight's NRL Grand Final Melbourne Storm
v Penrith Panthers nine point thirty kickoff at a Core Stadium.
Pleasure to welcome in Ryan Girdler, New South Wales, state
of origin and Australia international representative, over two hundred games
for the Penrith Panthers and winner in the side that
(00:32):
picked up the two thousand and three NRL Premiership beating
the Roosters eighteen points to six in the final. Ryan,
thanks for joining us across New Zealand on News Talks
edb Can we start in two thousand and three, Can
you remember your emotions heading into that Grand Final?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Oh? Look, yeah, absolutely. It was the first Grand Final
that the club had been in for some years. Obviously
ninety one was our last premiership before that. So you know,
like at the community, you've just been spoiled, haven't they
the last five or so years on this on this
brilliant run that they've had. But back then, you know,
it was slim pickings for Panthers fans and we kind
(01:08):
of sort of came from nowhere. Finished out of the
eight in two thousand and two and had some sort
of junior pathway development players come through the Luke Lewis's
and the Rudi's and the Waterhouses and the Rodneys, and
then we had a trial game. We played your boys
actually over there and I don't know where it was,
(01:30):
it might have been on the South Island there as
an exhibition game early on in the season. Had a
good result and your guys were sort of obviously in
the Grand Final of the year before, so got a
little bit of confidence out of that. Then went in
and started the season. I went two and thought, here
we go again, and then yeah, just found some form
and then sort of was able to maintain that that
(01:52):
momentum throughout the season and then ended up in you know,
being minor premiers and going into the finals in good
touch and won our major like the first semi against
the Broncos and then beat the you know for Warriors
in the pre limp and we're able to go on
and get the Ruses in the GF. So it was yeah,
it's obviously a while ago, but it was the back
(02:13):
end of my career, so I was old enough to
kind of know how important that experience was and how
rare it was, you know Chief, you know, premiership glory
in a club that wasn't used to having that sort
of success.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And ahead of such a big occasion, Ryan, how did
you and the other players keep the emotions and the
excitement and check? How do you just try and approach
it like any other game if that's possible.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
It was interesting. You know. We had a few guys
like myself that had a fair bit of experience in
bigger games, in origins and Test matches and World Cups,
so we kind of knew what it was about and
what it represented. But as I said, you know, we
had all these young guys coming in that had really
no expectations. We're just going out there bringing lots of
(03:00):
energy and just taking it literally, you know, each week
at the time. So as we got into the finals,
there was still a lot of people, you know, writing
us off. We played a Broncos side in that first
final that had like Talis and Lockier and Sailor and
Webke and Thorn, and it was like, you know, like
we didn't even go into that game as favorite after
(03:21):
being minor premierships, and after winning that, we went straight
through and met your boys again. You know, expectation was, well,
can they continue on this run? And then you know,
we met the Roosters who won the company year before
in the Grand Final, and again all the pressure seemed
to be on them because no one really expected us
to be where we were. So, you know, there was
a couple of the older guys that knew how rare
(03:43):
this opportunity was because you know, I played fourteen years
at the club before we had any sort of success,
so I kind of knew that this was, you know,
an opportunity that need to be taken. But the young
guys probably just thought, well, this is what happens every year.
And Howard was playing, you know, the NRL had the
dream run. So I think it was a combination of
all that allows us to contain all those emotions and
(04:04):
not get overwhelmed. And then I guess it was you know,
all the outside noise about, you know, the Roosters and
the Warriors and these other teams that were going to
beat us and end up not being able to and
and that was kind of like the story of our
run that year.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Well let's bring it to the present day. This is
already by any measure a great Penrith side. What would
a fourth straight title do to further solidify one of
the great NRAL dynasties.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, well, I mean, you know, sometimes you've just got
these these clubs that have these brilliant individual players that
play a lot of origin and rep football and are
just dominant, you know, like as I spoke about that
that that Bronco side in the late nineties early two thousands,
you know, with those names that I just mentioned, you know,
individual wise, and you'd have to say that, you know,
those guys are probably a better side of individuals. And
(04:53):
then you have just this this group at the moment
that are just a great team. You know, like they're
just a fantastic, fantastic team that work really hard and
have found that you don't need to be a whole
team full of individuals stars to have success sustain success.
They've got the secret, you know. They obviously each year
for me, the surprise is the fact that they've already
(05:15):
got two or three rings and they find a way
to have more desire than everyone else that's chasing them,
and they they're the hunted every year, and they seem
to kind of like it. They seem to continually outwork
other teams and the model that they've used to had
all that success, which is really hard to maintain, which
is the standards in which they keep the training and
in their preparation. They've just got those sort of characteristics
(05:40):
individually that you know, just put them in that position
every year and they just find a way continually even after,
you know, losing the quality of players. And everyone mentions
the kickours and the corus ours and the critons, but
you know they're losing guys at pathways as well. You've
got guys that haven't played a lot of first grade,
like the lockforward that went over to Paramatta this year
(06:04):
and end up playing Origin, you know, like he came
out of the system, you know. So and then there's
the Cape Wells and the other guys that people forget
about that you see what sort of impact he had
when he left the Broncos as well. So it's just
an incredible story in history. Given a cap in place,
(06:25):
you'd have to credit the whole organization for recruitment and
retention and the whole other side of the business that
a lot of people don't really think about. But the
whole club has just done a wonderful job and given
that community so much joy over the last five or
six years. I've just love watching it.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
The Clearies coach, Ivan, playmaker, Nathan, such an important player,
such an important coach. Are you able to articulate Ryan,
how integral the Clearies are to this club?
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Well, I think what people really respect like they know
that they're not being a juniors. Although you know, Nathan's
been a fair bit of time out there, because Ivan's
been out there, and obviously I haven't spent a lot
of time over your way as well, and Nathan was
over there, So I feel like, you know, what the
people really respect is how they've embraced the community and
how even though they might live there or you know,
(07:16):
they might have spent a lot of time out there
in the past, like while they're out there, they've really
embraced their connection with the community and with the people
out there, and I think that's been really why the
fans have responded. And then obviously on the back of
their success, you know, it's easy, as you know, to
be a supporter when you know things are going well,
it's easy to you know, spend your heart earned when
(07:38):
you're going down there on a Sunday or a Saturday
night and you know that the team's going to make
you and your family feel good and there's going to
be plenty to celebrate. So yeah, I just think and
people respect it. You know, it's a hard working community.
People respect hard work and they see the hard work
that those guys put in to be able to maintain
the levels that they do and for long distance and
(08:00):
long periods of time. So they just fit in in
so many different ways. They seem very humble.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
The way that they communicate through the media to their
fans is always I believe, done in a manner in
which the fans respect it. And even though they can
have a little bit of swagger and they can be
a little bit cocky on the field, you know, they've
they've been in the last five Grand Finals, so they're
(08:26):
walking the walk, they're talking the talk, and the people
out there just love them.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Let's talk about the Melbourne Storm. Then, how do you
write their chances of stopping this Panthers machine tonight?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Yeah, Look, you know, I think they are a really
good chance. I thought the Broncos were a really good
chance last year and they did go really close. And
you know, I think the Melbourne storm go in in
probably better form. Their finals forms probably been a little
bit better than Penis. You know, they've got you know,
their key personnel in those key positions are all in
(08:56):
great form that they've got a really the way that
they play really threatened Penrith defensively, you know, with running
halves and a fullback that has so much variation and
speak to his game as well, and probably the most
creative dummy half in the league. So they're certainly going
to be a handful for Penrath. And this kind of
(09:19):
like to me, looks more like an origin than it
does like an NRL game. When you've got you know,
all these key players and all these representative players from
both teams that have had so much success at all
different levels. They go out and usually it's one in
a couple of moments because they both have the same
sort of attributes. They play at high intensity for long
(09:40):
periods of time, which is I think what sort of
stood them above from everyone else in the competition this year.
You know, people teams just couldn't go with them. They
would just literally get them in the cycle and just
like you know, just burn them out and you know,
just be relentless and other sides just couldn't go with
them for long periods, and these two sides are the
(10:01):
best of that. So if they both go out there
with that mentality, which I'd imagine they will, it's going
to come down hopefully not referee decisions, but big moments
owned by you guys like Clearing and Munster and Grant
and Edwards and Yo. So it's a top of a coin.
To be fair, I really have no idea who's going
to get the job done, but I think it's going
to be one hell of a content.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, look, I totally agree. Just to finish Ryan, it
always felt like we were heading for a storm Panther's
Grand Final. Even from a long way out during the
regular season, these two felt like they were the best
two teams by some distance. Has that taken away any
of the jeopardy, any of the excitement, the interest in
the regular season in the final series?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Oh? Look, I think the anl if you look at
the numbers, you know the gate that you know, bums
on seats and also through their broadcasters, you know the
game has just gone to another level. I think, you know,
with how they're the administration, the permission to paker, the
last couple of years has been exceptional, and yeah, you know,
it's it's more popular than ever over here. Obviously, no
(11:04):
one really mentions the Wallabies anymore because of you know,
where they're at in their cycle of development. So and
the AFL has sort of finished last week, So yeah,
I think the r l's and r L is more
popular than ever. With different social media platforms and so
many different broadcasts, there's so much information, you know, coming
out about the game and the players. You know, there's
(11:26):
lots of characters in the game at the moment, and yeah,
I think there's a lot of interest. As you said,
this has been the game that I think everyone's been
waiting to see, especially since probably you know, later around
in the competition. I think any everyone forecasted this Grand
Final at the beginning, you know, when the finals started,
and I think it would have been disappointing to see
(11:47):
anyone else get there. So there's yeah, even though Penrith
have sort of had that run, and I think people appreciate,
you know, when they're alive to witness greatness and that's
what they're seeing and they might might be another fifty
years before we see another team go through like a
cycle like this, so I think everyone's just enjoying it.
(12:09):
You know, it's hard not to respect and an honor
what they've done as a footy club. And obviously everyone likes,
you know, some of those Melbourne guys. There's a lot
of characters in their side and they're well respected for
what they do on a weekly basis. So yeah, I
think there's a hell of a lot of interest in
(12:30):
this game on the weekend, and I don't think too
many people will be too worried about which way the
result goes either. As long as it's a good contest
and the players decide who gets the cup, I think
everyone I'll be happy.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, I think you're probably right. Ryan. Hey, great to
get your expertise and your memories as well. Thanks mate,
Ryan Girdler Premiership winner with Penrith in two thousand and
three over two hundred games for the Panthers Panthers Storm tonight.
I don't think there's any way separating these two. You
can make arguments for both sides, you can look at
the odds that have the Storm slightly favored, but really
(13:04):
it's just a clash of two absolute powerhouses of modern
day rugby league going out at tonight from nine point thirty.
Let's just hope that the contest lives up to all
of the hype Tonight
Speaker 1 (13:16):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport Podcast with Jason Fine
from News Talks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
Edb our preview of tonight's NRL Grand Final Melbourne Storm
v Penrith Panthers nine point thirty kickoff at a Core Stadium.
Pleasure to welcome in Ryan Girdler, New South Wales, state
of origin and Australia international representative, over two hundred games
for the Penrith Panthers and winner in the side that
(00:32):
picked up the two thousand and three NRL Premiership beating
the Roosters eighteen points to six in the final. Ryan,
thanks for joining us across New Zealand on News Talks
edb Can we start in two thousand and three, Can
you remember your emotions heading into that Grand Final?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
Oh? Look, yeah, absolutely. It was the first Grand Final
that the club had been in for some years. Obviously
ninety one was our last premiership before that. So you know,
like at the community, you've just been spoiled, haven't they
the last five or so years on this on this
brilliant run that they've had. But back then, you know,
it was slim pickings for Panthers fans and we kind
(01:08):
of sort of came from nowhere. Finished out of the
eight in two thousand and two and had some sort
of junior pathway development players come through the Luke Lewis's
and the Rudi's and the Waterhouses and the Rodneys, and
then we had a trial game. We played your boys
actually over there and I don't know where it was,
(01:30):
it might have been on the South Island there as
an exhibition game early on in the season. Had a
good result and your guys were sort of obviously in
the Grand Final of the year before, so got a
little bit of confidence out of that. Then went in
and started the season. I went two and thought, here
we go again, and then yeah, just found some form
and then sort of was able to maintain that that
(01:52):
momentum throughout the season and then ended up in you know,
being minor premiers and going into the finals in good
touch and won our major like the first semi against
the Broncos and then beat the you know for Warriors
in the pre limp and we're able to go on
and get the Ruses in the GF. So it was yeah,
it's obviously a while ago, but it was the back
(02:13):
end of my career, so I was old enough to
kind of know how important that experience was and how
rare it was, you know Chief, you know, premiership glory
in a club that wasn't used to having that sort
of success.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
And ahead of such a big occasion, Ryan, how did
you and the other players keep the emotions and the
excitement and check? How do you just try and approach
it like any other game if that's possible.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
It was interesting. You know. We had a few guys
like myself that had a fair bit of experience in
bigger games, in origins and Test matches and World Cups,
so we kind of knew what it was about and
what it represented. But as I said, you know, we
had all these young guys coming in that had really
no expectations. We're just going out there bringing lots of
(03:00):
energy and just taking it literally, you know, each week
at the time. So as we got into the finals,
there was still a lot of people, you know, writing
us off. We played a Broncos side in that first
final that had like Talis and Lockier and Sailor and
Webke and Thorn, and it was like, you know, like
we didn't even go into that game as favorite after
(03:21):
being minor premierships, and after winning that, we went straight
through and met your boys again. You know, expectation was, well,
can they continue on this run? And then you know,
we met the Roosters who won the company year before
in the Grand Final, and again all the pressure seemed
to be on them because no one really expected us
to be where we were. So, you know, there was
a couple of the older guys that knew how rare
(03:43):
this opportunity was because you know, I played fourteen years
at the club before we had any sort of success,
so I kind of knew that this was, you know,
an opportunity that need to be taken. But the young
guys probably just thought, well, this is what happens every year.
And Howard was playing, you know, the NRL had the
dream run. So I think it was a combination of
all that allows us to contain all those emotions and
(04:04):
not get overwhelmed. And then I guess it was you know,
all the outside noise about, you know, the Roosters and
the Warriors and these other teams that were going to
beat us and end up not being able to and
and that was kind of like the story of our
run that year.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Well let's bring it to the present day. This is
already by any measure a great Penrith side. What would
a fourth straight title do to further solidify one of
the great NRAL dynasties.
Speaker 3 (04:30):
Yeah, well, I mean, you know, sometimes you've just got
these these clubs that have these brilliant individual players that
play a lot of origin and rep football and are
just dominant, you know, like as I spoke about that
that that Bronco side in the late nineties early two thousands,
you know, with those names that I just mentioned, you know,
individual wise, and you'd have to say that, you know,
those guys are probably a better side of individuals. And
(04:53):
then you have just this this group at the moment
that are just a great team. You know, like they're
just a fantastic, fantastic team that work really hard and
have found that you don't need to be a whole
team full of individuals stars to have success sustain success.
They've got the secret, you know. They obviously each year
for me, the surprise is the fact that they've already
(05:15):
got two or three rings and they find a way
to have more desire than everyone else that's chasing them,
and they they're the hunted every year, and they seem
to kind of like it. They seem to continually outwork
other teams and the model that they've used to had
all that success, which is really hard to maintain, which
is the standards in which they keep the training and
in their preparation. They've just got those sort of characteristics
(05:40):
individually that you know, just put them in that position
every year and they just find a way continually even after,
you know, losing the quality of players. And everyone mentions
the kickours and the corus ours and the critons, but
you know they're losing guys at pathways as well. You've
got guys that haven't played a lot of first grade,
like the lockforward that went over to Paramatta this year
(06:04):
and end up playing Origin, you know, like he came
out of the system, you know. So and then there's
the Cape Wells and the other guys that people forget
about that you see what sort of impact he had
when he left the Broncos as well. So it's just
an incredible story in history. Given a cap in place,
(06:25):
you'd have to credit the whole organization for recruitment and
retention and the whole other side of the business that
a lot of people don't really think about. But the
whole club has just done a wonderful job and given
that community so much joy over the last five or
six years. I've just love watching it.
Speaker 2 (06:41):
The Clearies coach, Ivan, playmaker, Nathan, such an important player,
such an important coach. Are you able to articulate Ryan,
how integral the Clearies are to this club?
Speaker 3 (06:53):
Well, I think what people really respect like they know
that they're not being a juniors. Although you know, Nathan's
been a fair bit of time out there, because Ivan's
been out there, and obviously I haven't spent a lot
of time over your way as well, and Nathan was
over there, So I feel like, you know, what the
people really respect is how they've embraced the community and
how even though they might live there or you know,
(07:16):
they might have spent a lot of time out there
in the past, like while they're out there, they've really
embraced their connection with the community and with the people
out there, and I think that's been really why the
fans have responded. And then obviously on the back of
their success, you know, it's easy, as you know, to
be a supporter when you know things are going well,
it's easy to you know, spend your heart earned when
(07:38):
you're going down there on a Sunday or a Saturday
night and you know that the team's going to make
you and your family feel good and there's going to
be plenty to celebrate. So yeah, I just think and
people respect it. You know, it's a hard working community.
People respect hard work and they see the hard work
that those guys put in to be able to maintain
the levels that they do and for long distance and
(08:00):
long periods of time. So they just fit in in
so many different ways. They seem very humble.
Speaker 2 (08:06):
You know.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
The way that they communicate through the media to their
fans is always I believe, done in a manner in
which the fans respect it. And even though they can
have a little bit of swagger and they can be
a little bit cocky on the field, you know, they've
they've been in the last five Grand Finals, so they're
(08:26):
walking the walk, they're talking the talk, and the people
out there just love them.
Speaker 2 (08:30):
Let's talk about the Melbourne Storm. Then, how do you
write their chances of stopping this Panthers machine tonight?
Speaker 3 (08:35):
Yeah, Look, you know, I think they are a really
good chance. I thought the Broncos were a really good
chance last year and they did go really close. And
you know, I think the Melbourne storm go in in
probably better form. Their finals forms probably been a little
bit better than Penis. You know, they've got you know,
their key personnel in those key positions are all in
(08:56):
great form that they've got a really the way that
they play really threatened Penrith defensively, you know, with running
halves and a fullback that has so much variation and
speak to his game as well, and probably the most
creative dummy half in the league. So they're certainly going
to be a handful for Penrath. And this kind of
(09:19):
like to me, looks more like an origin than it
does like an NRL game. When you've got you know,
all these key players and all these representative players from
both teams that have had so much success at all
different levels. They go out and usually it's one in
a couple of moments because they both have the same
sort of attributes. They play at high intensity for long
(09:40):
periods of time, which is I think what sort of
stood them above from everyone else in the competition this year.
You know, people teams just couldn't go with them. They
would just literally get them in the cycle and just
like you know, just burn them out and you know,
just be relentless and other sides just couldn't go with
them for long periods, and these two sides are the
(10:01):
best of that. So if they both go out there
with that mentality, which I'd imagine they will, it's going
to come down hopefully not referee decisions, but big moments
owned by you guys like Clearing and Munster and Grant
and Edwards and Yo. So it's a top of a coin.
To be fair, I really have no idea who's going
to get the job done, but I think it's going
to be one hell of a content.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Yeah, look, I totally agree. Just to finish Ryan, it
always felt like we were heading for a storm Panther's
Grand Final. Even from a long way out during the
regular season, these two felt like they were the best
two teams by some distance. Has that taken away any
of the jeopardy, any of the excitement, the interest in
the regular season in the final series?
Speaker 3 (10:42):
Oh? Look, I think the anl if you look at
the numbers, you know the gate that you know, bums
on seats and also through their broadcasters, you know the
game has just gone to another level. I think, you know,
with how they're the administration, the permission to paker, the
last couple of years has been exceptional, and yeah, you know,
it's it's more popular than ever over here. Obviously, no
(11:04):
one really mentions the Wallabies anymore because of you know,
where they're at in their cycle of development. So and
the AFL has sort of finished last week, So yeah,
I think the r l's and r L is more
popular than ever. With different social media platforms and so
many different broadcasts, there's so much information, you know, coming
out about the game and the players. You know, there's
(11:26):
lots of characters in the game at the moment, and yeah,
I think there's a lot of interest. As you said,
this has been the game that I think everyone's been
waiting to see, especially since probably you know, later around
in the competition. I think any everyone forecasted this Grand
Final at the beginning, you know, when the finals started,
and I think it would have been disappointing to see
(11:47):
anyone else get there. So there's yeah, even though Penrith
have sort of had that run, and I think people appreciate,
you know, when they're alive to witness greatness and that's
what they're seeing and they might might be another fifty
years before we see another team go through like a
cycle like this, so I think everyone's just enjoying it.
(12:09):
You know, it's hard not to respect and an honor
what they've done as a footy club. And obviously everyone likes,
you know, some of those Melbourne guys. There's a lot
of characters in their side and they're well respected for
what they do on a weekly basis. So yeah, I
think there's a hell of a lot of interest in
(12:30):
this game on the weekend, and I don't think too
many people will be too worried about which way the
result goes either. As long as it's a good contest
and the players decide who gets the cup, I think
everyone I'll be happy.
Speaker 2 (12:41):
Yeah, I think you're probably right. Ryan. Hey, great to
get your expertise and your memories as well. Thanks mate,
Ryan Girdler Premiership winner with Penrith in two thousand and
three over two hundred games for the Panthers Panthers Storm tonight.
I don't think there's any way separating these two. You
can make arguments for both sides, you can look at
the odds that have the Storm slightly favored, but really
(13:04):
it's just a clash of two absolute powerhouses of modern
day rugby league going out at tonight from nine point thirty.
Let's just hope that the contest lives up to all
of the hype Tonight
Speaker 1 (13:16):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, Listen live
to News Talk set B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
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The official podcast of comedian Joe Rogan.
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