March 2, 2025 • 32 mins
This week on The Big League Podcast - Michael Burgess joins Nick Bewley from Las Vegas to unpack a deflating 30-8 loss to Canberra under the bright lights of Sin City.
The boys discuss what went wrong on the field, with a particular focus on the middle forwards, and if there's greater cause for concern moving forward.
We hear from Roger Tuivasa-Sheck after his NRL return to the wing, and try and make sense of what happened between a working journalist and Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks B. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
The Big League Podcast podcast My News Talks B.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, The Warriors.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
While they've rolled Snake Eyes in us A, Vegas, Michael
Burgess is standing by in sim City after watching Andrew
webs as Men get thoroughly outclassed by the Canberra Raiders.
Great a course for concern or just around one and
Richard Agar did what to a journalist.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
My name's neck Bewley.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Let's go go b lp Oh, welcome back to the
roller coaster ride that is the Warriors. Misplaced optimism maybe
here I was going into my Sunday afternoon viewing with
a bit of hope despite the key losses of some
guys called Johnson, Fanoah, Blake and Harris up against the
(01:04):
canber Raiders side, I personally don't have making the eight
this year.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
They looked a little bit there for the taking.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
But under the bright lights of Las Vegas, the Warriors
barely through a punch, miss tackles, mistakes, a Mitch Barnet
chip kick.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It was all very mediocre.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
And yes it's round one but on Sunday's evidence, we
might be in for a few more lows on that
roller coaster than highs.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
In twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Michael Burgess, Senior Sports right out of the New Zealand Herald.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I want to wash this negativity away. Birds.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We're going to get into the game in a second.
But you were there, You've been on the ground in
Sin City all week. Please enlighten me. How good has
this week been? I mean, you're at the Olympics in
Paris as an example last year. How does the Las
Vegas NRL venture compare.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
It's right up there, it's been. There's been a sensational experience.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
I feel so lucky to have come at the privilege
to be here and be bringing the sports back to
New Zealand. You know, Las Vegas is I've never been
there before. It's a crazy place, obviously, but quite amazing
to be in Las Vegas and you walk up and
down the Las Vegas Strip and you just see league
jerseys everywhere.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
You know, it's just something you.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Never thought you would imagine, particularly all the Warriors jerseys.
There were thousands of Warriors jerseys along with the Canberra
fans of Penrith fans, the Sharks, the people following Wigan,
and then across the week there was just a buzz
around the city the whole time. I'll never forget the
big launch they did at Fremont Street, which is the
(02:40):
old part of Las Vegas, thousands toounds of fans that
the teams walking on to the red carpet with the
music and the bands.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Talking some players afterwards who have been involved in Grand
Final weeks etc.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
They were buzzing too. They said they've never seen him like.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
So there's been all that, and then there's been the
whole curiosity factor with the locals wanting to know about
this rugby game. You guys are here for it's pretty cool,
and the women are playing as well, Wow, how do
they do that?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
So there's so much, so much of that happening.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
And then of course there's Las Vegas, which is probably
the craziest place you've been to.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
So a very memorable week, mate, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Can imagine I was going to ask about that local
factor because there's so many sort of things that determine
whether this is a success right off the field, broadcast numbers,
ticket sales, et cetera, which are a slight improvement on
year one. But you mentioning obviously a lot of Kiwis
and Aussies and even the British getting over there. But
(03:44):
what has been from the people you spoke to there
on the ground from America, Like are they investing in
the game?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
They're curious?
Speaker 5 (03:52):
At least there's curiosity. I mean there's sort of. There's
two parts to it, mate. There's so much going on
in Vegas and so many people here with so many
things to do, and a lot of visitors. Obviously a
lot of people don't even know it's on. But then
a lot of people do. They see you, they hear
your accent, they say, oh, you're here for the rugby
(04:14):
taxi drivers you talk to.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
There were a couple of tax drivers that talk to.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
That remember the Las Vegas sevens and really enjoyed that
and wanted to go. One guy was trying to work
out how to get tickets. Tickets are very cheap, twenty
nine dollars started. It's about two hundred dollars to go
and see the Las Vegas Raiders. So chance to go
to the stadium. But to answer your original question, the
biggest challenge is getting like we'll we'll find out later.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
What the viewing figures are like.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Hopefully improvement on last year in terms of local viewing figures.
But yeah, the biggest challenge I think is getting cut
through and getting locals to go the game, because the
vast majority of people at the game were, of course
the traveling fans, well the Aussi's and Kiwis maybe some
of them of course live here, but the assis Qis
in English, that was the vast majority. So the next
(05:02):
step would be trying to get more locals to the
games to fill the stadium more.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I think that's a real a slow burn.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Just speaking of those Warriors fans that are mix and
mingling around as you sit here and do this podcast
via at a casino bird, what's the general sense now?
Thirty points to eight and we're going to rip into
or rip the band aid off what happened on the field.
But you know, are people going back home now sort
of tail between the legs or at least sort of
(05:33):
big pictures seeing this for what it was a real
experience that are unfortunately not going away with the wind.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
But all the same, everyone's had a good time.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yes, some did it well.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
I mean I saw a lot of them in the
checkout and we're chatting to a few of them. Everyone's
still proudly wearing the Warriors gear, or maybe it's because
that's all the gear they've got, but you know, everyone's
pretty flat because all you want to see is your team.
Is your team give their best and turn up and
(06:05):
whatever happens happens. And obviously the Warriors didn't, which we're
going to get into, but talking to a few fans,
they've had a great week, they really have. Like it's
a long way to come to see a defeat like that,
but they're all saying, what an amazing experience just being
in Vegas for a start, mixing with all the fans,
(06:25):
feeling the buzz, the various events that were on for fans,
and then the highlights of most people seem to be
being at the stadium. You know, it was a hell
of an occasion yesterday. The stadium's amazing in itself, and
just the atmosphere inside the stadium was quite unforgettable.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Well, let's get to it then.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
In terms of first observations you were there, look like
you're up in the clouds Burge. In terms of press
box areas at Allegiance Stadium, very high up. But what
was your immediate afterthought?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Thirty points to eight.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I've got a bunch of notes here, but I mean
thirty one misstackles in the first half, and I think
they allowed the Raiders something like ten off loads in
the first twenty minutes. They were beaten up through the
middle and very hard to build any momentum thereafter. Like,
what was your initial take on what was a pretty
(07:21):
flat performance.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
There was just a bad feeling from the start, you know,
you sometimes get those feelings covering a game. The Raiders
look good the first couple of sets. I'm sure people
remember the Warriors actually had a couple of attacking sets
in decent territory early on and didn't go anywhere. It
didn't do anything. There was no structure to their attack.
(07:43):
The Raiders' defense was all over them, and you're sort
of thinking, oh, okay, And then there was that strange
penalty the chance lookold clocks that his penalty for putting
his foot up as he jumped, and that was a reversal,
and so you just started to think, Okay, this might
not be the night we're expecting. But overall, the biggest
(08:03):
surprise to me was that they barely threw a punch
when it mattered and just just couldn't just couldn't get going,
you know, on such a big occasion, when you got
so much to play for, there were so many players
that just were below their best.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah, I think that's fair, and I'm going to get
into the middle rotations a little bit later. Do want
to bring you an interview first with Roger to Ivasaschek,
and just let's just touch on Roger for a second,
because if we're talking bright spots, I think the argument
is finally or maybe put to bed for at least
a little bit longer around his best position, far more
(08:43):
involved on the wing lead the yardage you know, two
hundred meters plus for Roger and got that try too,
but it felt like a lot sort of fell on
his shoulders, like for the first time, and I've got
those how long birds, you know, Chance Nickel Cookstar running
for less than one hundred meters the yardage for the
back five outside of Roger, it was a real issue.
(09:04):
So it just felt like they really struggled to get
into the game. And then from there are really inexperienced
halves jew Of Chanelle, Harris, Devita and Luke Metcalfe. We're
always on the back foot and that's a hard ask
for any half back or any halves peering lead alone
ones who are just finding their footing in first grade.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
Yeah you will, let's face it, I mean the Ford
the Fords are dominated. They were beating up most of
the night, so no platform for the halves. And then,
as you say, the back five struggled as well. Fogg
at his kicking games exceptional. He just pinned them and
pinned them. And then the camp chase was amazing. When
the Warriors came up with a good kick, which they
did sometimes invariably it'd be a break on the second
(09:42):
tackle or something and that would release, it would release
all the pressure.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
You're right about Roger, he had a real go. He
looked definitely suits and more that center.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
There are a couple of times looking down being there
live and seeing them out in their left wing away
from the play and thinking hmm, it would be nice
to have more involved.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
But overall I agree he was a bright spot.
Speaker 5 (10:03):
He'd be one of the few that could hold his
head high.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Well, let's hear from him now.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Roger to Ivasa Chik post match with Michael Burgess.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
The League Podcast.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
That must be very tough to take. But what did
you think of tonight?
Speaker 7 (10:17):
Yeah, that's I'm just really gutted for our fans and
our people that made the trip here, and I felt
like we really did the most to sort of get
this going.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
And there's such a good.
Speaker 8 (10:26):
Atmosphere for our people in the.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
Chartered flight and everone paid so much great to be here,
and just disappointed that we couldn't give you something to
celebrate to life, you know, other than being in Vegas.
Speaker 5 (10:36):
It felt like the team struggled to get momentum throughout
most of the match with his raiders kept finding ways
to give them MENTU.
Speaker 7 (10:44):
Yeah, that's true. We you know, we don't get the
first run of the ball.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
You don't think of the first try. But we were
real calm about it.
Speaker 7 (10:50):
We're like, that's all right, boys, we just stick at it.
You know, we'll catch him during during the arm ressot
and our game will be a right. And yeah, then
they just they got a few offloads of momentum, a
few drives from from our own bad process, and yeah,
I think, yeah, a lot of it. They just they
jump an opportunity and the momentum ability within it.
Speaker 8 (11:08):
The message at halftime, what was Andrew saying?
Speaker 4 (11:11):
What were the players saying?
Speaker 7 (11:13):
The coach was you kept the simple Andrew keept it
real simple. About half time he said, boys, we just
need to stick your tackles checked into the ground. Reset
one player at the time, And that was his message,
one player at the time. And yeah, the off loads
got off and their hookah is pretty nippy, you know,
got momentum for him and the o backs and the
OB's just followed.
Speaker 8 (11:32):
On top of that. So yeah, it was top apart
from the what happened in the game. How was the
occasion for you? What did you think of the occasion
being in the stadium with all these fans, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
It was surreal. You know.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
The only way I can sort of explain to the
boys was the feeling of their twenty thirty petogram bunglege.
Speaker 8 (11:50):
You know, that was the only way I could sort
of compare that.
Speaker 7 (11:54):
You just can't hear the cause you can't hear what
you're trying to tell each other.
Speaker 8 (11:58):
The crowd is so loud.
Speaker 7 (12:00):
There's a lot of like fireworks going off and smoke
and this, and yeah, there's a lot of the lights everywhere,
so That's that's why I felt old about tonight.
Speaker 8 (12:08):
And how has if you look back now, how has
the week been in Vegas? I mean it's such an
unusual place to be preparing for a Okay, yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
That's it been. Yeah, it's been good.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
The boys done really well to get out and see Vegas,
and we enjoyed ourselves. But I thought we locked them
really well during training time, and yeah, we were really
confident commenters game and yeah, I just yeah again disappointed
didn't result in the way that we wanted it.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
And how hard has it been this week with all
the distractions, all the extra promotions, all the things have
done in Vegas a different situation.
Speaker 4 (12:40):
How hard is it?
Speaker 7 (12:42):
It's been?
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It's been all right for me.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
You know, I'm not much of a gambler myself. I
don't really go and even pass through, so it's easy
for me to lock my stuff in the room and
just relaxed. But I'm just I'm just happy for the boys.
You know, they never get to experience us ever in
the lifetime. So I've just I thought, we don't like
I see it back at training and thought we done
really well.
Speaker 8 (12:59):
We locked them, just instill a show on the field,
and what did you do during the week Roger on
say Wednesday, Thursday, Friday to kill time?
Speaker 4 (13:06):
What were you doing to sort of you know, we
willion one day offering much so to take go look.
Speaker 7 (13:13):
Around a few shops, look a few hotels, different hotels,
is a palace and just yes, see what what people see.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
In the tourism of Vegas.
Speaker 7 (13:21):
Probably the biggest one was trying to find some actual
Barista coffee that was being change for doing We're trying
to find a real coffee.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
So yeah, this is.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
The Big League podcast on the Warriors bandwagon since day one,
The Big League Podcast on the Warriors band Wagon since
day one.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Bitch I really wanted to get into the middle rotations
because I know, when you're there and you're live, and
you've got a match report to file and there's everything
going on in and around the stadium, you know, it
can be a little bit trickier to unpack absolutely everything.
But one of the key observations for mine, I personally
I always like to have the TV on the game
and then another screen or a device, you know, just
(14:04):
seeing what the general read of conversation I was like online,
particularly on Twitter from the Warriors fan base and I
wasn't alone and being finding the whole middle or the
use of the Ford's very curious. So that started an
hour before kickoff. They make the late change Aaron Clark
initially named that Locke goes back to the bench, Mitchell
(14:26):
Barnett moves from prop to Locke, and Jackson Ford off
the interchange to start from there.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Ford ends up playing the first fifty one minutes.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
We saw early on with how easily the Raiders were
able to keep the ball alive and off load and
make good yardage through Hawsbury and Tarpani and PAPAALII that
you know, they couldn't get that ascendancy through the middle
with Barnett and Fisher Harrison particular. So then they came
off because they've been doing a pretty big first twenty
to twenty three minutes and they're both off at the
(14:57):
same time. That then leads to a middle of Dylan Walker,
Jackson Ford and Aaron Clark for twenty five minutes. And
I don't know, I just looked at that use of
the middle all the while not getting the same punch
either from the edge forwards too, and Kirk cape Pole
and Marta near Corde and felt, you know, when the
(15:20):
Raiders had already put a pretty big couple of punches
together in that first twenty minutes, that I have to
question that Andrew Webster's use of the middle, And not
only that, then you're of his in chase story. And
not only that, then you've got these youngsters who are
showing so much promise and we're all excited about being
there on the interchange and Dimitric Vayamonga and Lekahalasima, and
(15:44):
they've given garbage garbage minutes late in the second half
and the game's completely gone. Did you get a sense there, like,
were you surprised yourself that Jackson Ford ended up starting
in the middle, because this is a guy who was
on the edge last year in terms of a starting edge.
It just seemed like Webster didn't get it right and
(16:05):
maybe overthought the use of his interchange.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
This was just going to say, exactly, you're analysis a
spot on. He definitely overthought it. You know Ford came
in when did he come in? I think June last
year he started being used as a middle, but as
a starting prop really in round one, like, all I
can think is that he's thinking, okay, Barnett and fishieras
off at the same time. Wants Clark to come on
and bride some punch because Clark is he can do that.
(16:31):
But round one against the Raiders' pack that is bigger
than your pack, you start with your best possible pack,
you know, you start with the best team. You have
Clark starting, you really get things going, and who knows,
maybe the Warriors get a couple of early tries as well,
and then you got the platform to bring on the
young guys.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
He'll tell us later. I'm sure he didn't want to
bring on the young guys when the game.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
Is in such a you know, it's say twenty two
to sixth He wanted to stick with his experience. But
but you know, those guys have got some real, some
real upside about them. So it was it was just confusing,
and it actually contributed to the problem.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (17:11):
The Warriors never looked like they never looked convincing up
the middle.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Really no, because I look at these first half stats
and I know, you know, run meters don't tell the
complete picture. But just as an example, halftime sixteen points
to four, as mentioned, Jackson Ford's played the entire half
the run meter discrepancy nine hundred and twenty one for Canberra,
seven hundred and twenty three for the Warriors, four line
(17:36):
breaks to one thirty one missed tackles, and you look
at that second try in particular that Xavier Savage ends
up scoring in the right wing corner, and like Jackson,
I can't remember exactly when it was twenty six twenty
seven minutes and Jackson Ford's absolutely gas to the point
he's just made it a second f at tackle and
he turns his back on the marker. Tom Stalin can't
(17:57):
believe his luck. Wade Egans caught in two minds and
runs the best part of thirty meters untouched. Next phase
Raiders score, and I just think I'm not pointing the
finger purely at jackson Ford, you know, if he's told
start the game like, he's not going to say no sir.
But it was just a curious one and one I
didn't really see coming from the trials either. And then
(18:19):
you've got to think, like what must bunti er Foller
or Tom Harley be thinking if they can't even get
a crack in into this first grade team when they
could have provided perhaps a bit more impetus upfront, So
it's one of a few questions, and I suppose it
leads me on to the next point.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Birds around the halves, rightly or wrongly.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
You talk a lot about the number seven jersey, and
it was the first time in first grade for Luke
Metcalf wearing a seven jersey, which is a very different
position as.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
We know to five eighth.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
But I actually felt a little bit sorry for him
because he's so far on the back foot and he's
starting to chance his arm. His confidence took early throwing
that into set pass and it just looked a little
bit at sea. But if anything, for me anyway, at
least early on, it was a byproduct of what was
happening in the middle.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
That's fair cool.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
I mean we won't better judge him for a few weeks,
you know, let's see those games at Mount Smart and
more a more normal setting. I mean, you're right, playing
in this occasion debut on a field that's a bit
narrower as well five meters an hourrow, which which does
make a difference.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
He kicked quite well, his organization was okay. There is
that fear, isn't there that we all have that Willie
still have his running game in this position.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
It wasn't much evidence of that last night. That might
take a few weeks for him to get used to it.
He deserves a chance to show what he can do.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
But a very very difficult night for him, and you
know he'll regret some of the things, some options he took.
And you know the question goes on.
Speaker 5 (19:48):
I mean, Metcuff and Harris Deavida, the best combination does
Martin fitd In there somewhere?
Speaker 4 (19:55):
It's quite a jigsaw puzzle because.
Speaker 5 (19:57):
None of them are the complete half yet you know
they've all got different strengths and how you find that
best recipe is the real challenge for Webster.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
He'll stick with He'll stick with what he's bought for
for a few weeks.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Definitely, that's another question, and I'd say we're discussing for
quite a while.
Speaker 4 (20:14):
They'll have scenario. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
I'll leave you to keep your power to dry a
little bit with Nathan in the coming weeks and months.
But just on the middle too. I don't know if
you're busy doing your post match thing with Andrew Webster
and co. Just to add insult to injury, Adam fanol
Blake and the Cronulla Jersey just casually carrying four Penrith
Panthers players over the line to score a try. I'm
not gonna lie burge that one hurt and probably just
(20:39):
sums up again. Like as much as we've all talked
about James Fisher Harris and his impact and his leadership,
it's not like for like Fanoa, Blake is elked maybe
even the top prop in the game in terms of
that late footwork, that ability to bend a defensive line
and score tries as well for a front rower. I
(20:59):
thought it was pretty telling the difference in what Fanora
Blake brings on the field versus a Fisher Harris again
round one. But when I was glad stuff at that
second game and saw for all Black carry four Panthers
players over the line of score, I was like, man,
that hurts.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Yeah, I mean, I just have one observation. I guess
because I was I was writing up some reaction stories.
But I look up from my laptop and he actually
got driven back early on the game by a couple
of pen withth players driven back sort of five or
so meters on about the second tackle deep in his
own territory, gets up and then on the fourth tackle,
takes another hit up and carries about fifteen meters post
(21:38):
contact and you're like, yeah, that's it, and that's what
he can do.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
He is a special player. There's no one else quite
like him, and he's going to be missed.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
The Big League Podcast for the biggest league fans, Big Hits,
The Big League Podcast.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Listening to The Big League Podcast, Nick Bewley Michael Burgess
live from Las Vegas, Burgs just may about his worse
for the Warriors. News breaks three or four hours after
full time via Channel nine's Wide World of Sports that
Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar was involved in a physical
(22:18):
confrontation at Allegiance Stadium at halftime of the Warriors Raiders
match with a British journalist. Now, the report goes on
to say that there has been a history between this
unnamed journalist who works for The Guardian and Richard Agar
from his time working in the Super League. As we
(22:38):
record right now, our understanding is that the NRL's Integrity
Unit are looking into it, and no doubt there'll be
comment to follow from Warrior's CEO Cameron George. But just
your initial thoughts, Verge like, it's not a great look
is it.
Speaker 5 (22:54):
That's a terrible look. I didn't see anything. The press
box is quite big. I was right down in the
front row. But I will say one thing. It was
a strange setting because the coaches had to come up
and lift and walk past the press are to get
to their coaches box, which doesn't normally happen in our
(23:15):
ground normally obviously, so obviously someone's seen something. Sorry, someone's
seen someone, and the incident has happened from there. I
can confirm that happened. I verified it. It definitely happened.
It was a strange night last night. This news broke
at about eleven PM or eleven thirty. Wasn't really the
(23:37):
time to be making phone calls, but I did try.
But yeah, it definitely happened, and there will be you'd
think repercussions, the NRL looking into it. I mean, in
my time, you know, there has been incidents of coaches
confronting journalists, and certainly back in the eighties and nineties
(24:00):
it did used to happen.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
But this one is, Yeah, it's a it's a terrible look,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
That certainly is.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
And not only that, Burge and we can get into
big picture stuff the team of down sixteen to four.
Just just to let something like that, you know, whether
it's an old grudge or it's not, or a comment
or whatever from whoever, let it get to you to
the point that there's some form of you know, alleged
physical act at a journalist. It's just it's not on
(24:34):
and on that big picture stuff. And I don't like
here at Newstalks, you'd be for the best part of
two days, we're running stories about the canber Raiders and
Hudson Young and Morgan Smithi's and having a scrap with
an inflatable baseball bat in a Las Vegas hotel and
getting kicked out, and you're thinking, gee, rugby league just
really knows how to rugby league, like, irrespective of where
it is, you know. And it was a bit of
(24:56):
a beat up, but you know, all it was good
copy for a day or two. But then you think
about something like this and I just yeah, I shake
my head.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
You make a good point, like if this whatever happened,
if it happened back at the hotel, you know, four
or four hours after the game and people had a
couple of beers.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
You know, these things happened.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
But to happen at halftime, in the middle of a
round one that's super important and as you say, the
team were behind. It's happened at that stage. It's really weird.
And it happened in a in a journalist work area.
We're working in this area. It's for workspace, so you know, yeah, yeah,
(25:39):
there's going to be more to come.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Put that way.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Certainly is and just on that sort of security experiences
and that you wouldn't have caught this. We had the
Fox Sports broadcast back here in New Zealand and as
we had her were the callers was Dan Ganain, Maddie
John's and Braith and Asta and they for at least
I think almost the entire first half, they kept having
some bloke who, as it turns out I had to
get this all verified, but it was doctor Lance O'Sullivan
(26:05):
I believe his name is the New Zealander of the Year,
trying to make sure that the broadcast was on him
when he proposed to his now fiance. It just seemed
like there was a lot happening in and around the
press area that wasn't wasn't what you're usually accustomed to
in Australia and or New.
Speaker 4 (26:24):
Zealand hovering behind the studio the whole time. Yeah, I
know it was.
Speaker 5 (26:30):
I mean the staff, the standing staff are fantastic. There
was staff everywhere, so I was quite surprised about that aspect.
I agree, because in the other areas there was staff everywhere.
There's even you go up in the lift, as you say,
I was up very high, lucky, I'm I'm not actually
not great with heights, so but I was up very high.
But you go up in the lift and there's someone
sitting in the lift, the lift operator the whole time,
(26:51):
pushing the button for you and just having a chat.
So you the staff were exceptional, but that part of
it was strange. I agree, mate, Right.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Let's rip and there's no teamless Tuesday issues that I
feel like it's worth, at least at least at this
point in time to rip into you. I'll let Nathan
Limb come off the back fence next week ahead of
Round two for the Warriors, but there is of course
six games that are still part of Round one or
Round one b if you want to.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Call it that.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
After the Raiders beat the Warriors and Penrith beats Cranullah
to get into this week, so I'm going to fill
in for Nate fire and some quick fire predictions of these.
Of the six games slate this weekends, burj are starting
Thursday night, the Sydney Rooster is hosting the Michael McGuire
coached Brisbane Broncos.
Speaker 6 (27:37):
What say you?
Speaker 5 (27:38):
This could be the match of the round. Couldn't a
fantastic matchup. I know Nathan went off the back fence
last week. He's tipping the Broncos to be minor Premiers,
which is really ballsy. But I do think there will
be a big move. I've got a lot of face McGuire,
and I think you can turn around the talent in
that team.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
I think they might start with a win in Sydney.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yeah, I completely agree. I think they're going to be
a big mover.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
I think, at least in theory, the Ben Hunts Adam
Reynolds Harves combination can work. As we all know, McGuire's
very renowned for a brutal preseasons and getting players into
line from the jumps. So and I just look at
that restless team without Sam Walker, no Joey Marnu this year.
I know Joseph Sualey. I think they're going to just
(28:24):
come back at touch. So yeah, Broncos for mine, Tigers Knights.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
I'll go to Tigers here.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
I don't think they're going to have an amazing season,
but like last season, I think they could be better
in the first half of the year in the second.
So that whole round one buzz being at home, et cetera,
et cetera, might be enough in a close one, but
don't don't put your house on them.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
No, I find this one really hard to pick, and
I'm just going to be the contrarian and go the
Knights and just think maybe Kaylen Ponger does Kaylyn Ponger
things single handedly to get them across the line.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Looking forward to this one.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Wayne Bennett back as rabbit O's coach and his first
road trip. Great work from the NRL schedulers is back
to Redcliffe. It's the Dolphins and the Bunnies.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
I love the way they set up these matchups, all
these talking points, but I don't love the way in
Aral is so hard to tip. I haven't missed this,
haven't missed this bloody weekly quandary because this is another
one where it's sort of toss a coin like the
Dolphins will have plenty to play for and they were
good last year. I thought, But the Rabbits, you know,
(29:39):
the Wayne Bennett magic touch. Will that make the difference?
I think it might. I think they could ease this one.
The Rabbits. They're not great travelers typically, but they do
have a lot of support in Queensland.
Speaker 4 (29:53):
So yeah, I'll go with the Rabbits here.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Yeah, I'm just gonna lean the rabbit o's although, yeah,
losing Cam Murray to an Archilles and Latrell Mitchell for
at least the first month, they're their two best players,
so there is an opportune there for the Dolphins under
Christian Worlph to get off to a good start. The
Dragons plenty of recruitment by Shane Flanagan, Damien Cook, fount
(30:18):
On Holmes, Clint Gutthison to name a few.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
They host the Bulldogs.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
This is another one far out.
Speaker 5 (30:26):
Yeah, like the Dragons, you'd think will be big improvers
this year. I actually like I like the recruits and
I think, you know, they had the basis of a
decent team last year without many names, so they're obviously better.
But then the Bulldogs were the team that everyone got
really excited about and you think they'll continue to improve.
I'll go to the Bulldogs here in another close one.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Yeah, I think it's going to be close to I'm
going to disagree and say that the Dragons get off
to a good start. See Eagles Cowboys an ultimate game.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Definitely, the Eagles are I think Manly always got at home.
They always start well.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
A few questions over the squad coming into the season, definitely,
But the Cowboys it's round one, they're going to go early,
but they're traditionally not not great terriblers.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
I just think that the Seagulls at home for this one.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
I am with you there on the Manly train. And
to round things out.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
For many pre season predictors, it's theirs to lose, apparently,
but there's a pretty good reason.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
The Melbourne Storm hosting the Paramount of Earls.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Yeah, I mean they're probably probably my minor premiers at
the moment, and I don't know when they last lost
the round when you match, you were probably in primary,
you know that long ago, I believe.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I believe it was the early two thousands actually Birch,
which I almost out of primary into intermediate.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
But yeah, crazy, you're a young man, mate, you're a
young man. Take it as a cold. I'll go with
the storm.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
I just think they are so hard to beat at home.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
It takes a very special team to beat them at home,
and they're always so good when they start the year.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, bang on.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Not going to mess with a round prediction against a
team coach by Craig Balamy.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
That'll di us, folks.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
For what has been episode two of the Big League
podcast this year, Michael burgers So travels back to the
comforts of Mount Smarts next week, and no doubt, we
hope at least Nathan Linn will have recovered from his
Tom solitis by then and can be back in this year.
But please do follow, rate, subscribe the podcast and we
(32:36):
will catch you back for plenty more discussion around the
NRL and in particular, the Warriors next week.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks B. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio,
The Big League Podcast podcast My News Talks B.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, The Warriors.
Speaker 3 (00:26):
While they've rolled Snake Eyes in us A, Vegas, Michael
Burgess is standing by in sim City after watching Andrew
webs as Men get thoroughly outclassed by the Canberra Raiders.
Great a course for concern or just around one and
Richard Agar did what to a journalist.
Speaker 2 (00:42):
My name's neck Bewley.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
Let's go go b lp Oh, welcome back to the
roller coaster ride that is the Warriors. Misplaced optimism maybe
here I was going into my Sunday afternoon viewing with
a bit of hope despite the key losses of some
guys called Johnson, Fanoah, Blake and Harris up against the
(01:04):
canber Raiders side, I personally don't have making the eight
this year.
Speaker 2 (01:07):
They looked a little bit there for the taking.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
But under the bright lights of Las Vegas, the Warriors
barely through a punch, miss tackles, mistakes, a Mitch Barnet
chip kick.
Speaker 2 (01:19):
It was all very mediocre.
Speaker 3 (01:22):
And yes it's round one but on Sunday's evidence, we
might be in for a few more lows on that
roller coaster than highs.
Speaker 2 (01:30):
In twenty twenty five.
Speaker 3 (01:32):
Michael Burgess, Senior Sports right out of the New Zealand Herald.
Speaker 2 (01:35):
I want to wash this negativity away. Birds.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
We're going to get into the game in a second.
But you were there, You've been on the ground in
Sin City all week. Please enlighten me. How good has
this week been? I mean, you're at the Olympics in
Paris as an example last year. How does the Las
Vegas NRL venture compare.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
It's right up there, it's been. There's been a sensational experience.
Speaker 5 (01:59):
I feel so lucky to have come at the privilege
to be here and be bringing the sports back to
New Zealand. You know, Las Vegas is I've never been
there before. It's a crazy place, obviously, but quite amazing
to be in Las Vegas and you walk up and
down the Las Vegas Strip and you just see league
jerseys everywhere.
Speaker 4 (02:17):
You know, it's just something you.
Speaker 5 (02:19):
Never thought you would imagine, particularly all the Warriors jerseys.
There were thousands of Warriors jerseys along with the Canberra
fans of Penrith fans, the Sharks, the people following Wigan,
and then across the week there was just a buzz
around the city the whole time. I'll never forget the
big launch they did at Fremont Street, which is the
(02:40):
old part of Las Vegas, thousands toounds of fans that
the teams walking on to the red carpet with the
music and the bands.
Speaker 4 (02:49):
I mean.
Speaker 5 (02:50):
Talking some players afterwards who have been involved in Grand
Final weeks etc.
Speaker 4 (02:55):
They were buzzing too. They said they've never seen him like.
Speaker 5 (02:57):
So there's been all that, and then there's been the
whole curiosity factor with the locals wanting to know about
this rugby game. You guys are here for it's pretty cool,
and the women are playing as well, Wow, how do
they do that?
Speaker 4 (03:11):
So there's so much, so much of that happening.
Speaker 5 (03:14):
And then of course there's Las Vegas, which is probably
the craziest place you've been to.
Speaker 4 (03:20):
So a very memorable week, mate, Yeah, I.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Can imagine I was going to ask about that local
factor because there's so many sort of things that determine
whether this is a success right off the field, broadcast numbers,
ticket sales, et cetera, which are a slight improvement on
year one. But you mentioning obviously a lot of Kiwis
and Aussies and even the British getting over there. But
(03:44):
what has been from the people you spoke to there
on the ground from America, Like are they investing in
the game?
Speaker 2 (03:51):
They're curious?
Speaker 5 (03:52):
At least there's curiosity. I mean there's sort of. There's
two parts to it, mate. There's so much going on
in Vegas and so many people here with so many
things to do, and a lot of visitors. Obviously a
lot of people don't even know it's on. But then
a lot of people do. They see you, they hear
your accent, they say, oh, you're here for the rugby
(04:14):
taxi drivers you talk to.
Speaker 4 (04:15):
There were a couple of tax drivers that talk to.
Speaker 5 (04:16):
That remember the Las Vegas sevens and really enjoyed that
and wanted to go. One guy was trying to work
out how to get tickets. Tickets are very cheap, twenty
nine dollars started. It's about two hundred dollars to go
and see the Las Vegas Raiders. So chance to go
to the stadium. But to answer your original question, the
biggest challenge is getting like we'll we'll find out later.
Speaker 4 (04:40):
What the viewing figures are like.
Speaker 5 (04:41):
Hopefully improvement on last year in terms of local viewing figures.
But yeah, the biggest challenge I think is getting cut
through and getting locals to go the game, because the
vast majority of people at the game were, of course
the traveling fans, well the Aussi's and Kiwis maybe some
of them of course live here, but the assis Qis
in English, that was the vast majority. So the next
(05:02):
step would be trying to get more locals to the
games to fill the stadium more.
Speaker 4 (05:08):
I think that's a real a slow burn.
Speaker 3 (05:13):
Just speaking of those Warriors fans that are mix and
mingling around as you sit here and do this podcast
via at a casino bird, what's the general sense now?
Thirty points to eight and we're going to rip into
or rip the band aid off what happened on the field.
But you know, are people going back home now sort
of tail between the legs or at least sort of
(05:33):
big pictures seeing this for what it was a real
experience that are unfortunately not going away with the wind.
Speaker 2 (05:41):
But all the same, everyone's had a good time.
Speaker 4 (05:43):
Yes, some did it well.
Speaker 5 (05:44):
I mean I saw a lot of them in the
checkout and we're chatting to a few of them. Everyone's
still proudly wearing the Warriors gear, or maybe it's because
that's all the gear they've got, but you know, everyone's
pretty flat because all you want to see is your team.
Is your team give their best and turn up and
(06:05):
whatever happens happens. And obviously the Warriors didn't, which we're
going to get into, but talking to a few fans,
they've had a great week, they really have. Like it's
a long way to come to see a defeat like that,
but they're all saying, what an amazing experience just being
in Vegas for a start, mixing with all the fans,
(06:25):
feeling the buzz, the various events that were on for fans,
and then the highlights of most people seem to be
being at the stadium. You know, it was a hell
of an occasion yesterday. The stadium's amazing in itself, and
just the atmosphere inside the stadium was quite unforgettable.
Speaker 2 (06:44):
Well, let's get to it then.
Speaker 3 (06:45):
In terms of first observations you were there, look like
you're up in the clouds Burge. In terms of press
box areas at Allegiance Stadium, very high up. But what
was your immediate afterthought?
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Thirty points to eight.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
I've got a bunch of notes here, but I mean
thirty one misstackles in the first half, and I think
they allowed the Raiders something like ten off loads in
the first twenty minutes. They were beaten up through the
middle and very hard to build any momentum thereafter. Like,
what was your initial take on what was a pretty
(07:21):
flat performance.
Speaker 5 (07:22):
There was just a bad feeling from the start, you know,
you sometimes get those feelings covering a game. The Raiders
look good the first couple of sets. I'm sure people
remember the Warriors actually had a couple of attacking sets
in decent territory early on and didn't go anywhere. It
didn't do anything. There was no structure to their attack.
(07:43):
The Raiders' defense was all over them, and you're sort
of thinking, oh, okay, And then there was that strange
penalty the chance lookold clocks that his penalty for putting
his foot up as he jumped, and that was a reversal,
and so you just started to think, Okay, this might
not be the night we're expecting. But overall, the biggest
(08:03):
surprise to me was that they barely threw a punch
when it mattered and just just couldn't just couldn't get going,
you know, on such a big occasion, when you got
so much to play for, there were so many players
that just were below their best.
Speaker 3 (08:22):
Yeah, I think that's fair, and I'm going to get
into the middle rotations a little bit later. Do want
to bring you an interview first with Roger to Ivasaschek,
and just let's just touch on Roger for a second,
because if we're talking bright spots, I think the argument
is finally or maybe put to bed for at least
a little bit longer around his best position, far more
(08:43):
involved on the wing lead the yardage you know, two
hundred meters plus for Roger and got that try too,
but it felt like a lot sort of fell on
his shoulders, like for the first time, and I've got
those how long birds, you know, Chance Nickel Cookstar running
for less than one hundred meters the yardage for the
back five outside of Roger, it was a real issue.
(09:04):
So it just felt like they really struggled to get
into the game. And then from there are really inexperienced
halves jew Of Chanelle, Harris, Devita and Luke Metcalfe. We're
always on the back foot and that's a hard ask
for any half back or any halves peering lead alone
ones who are just finding their footing in first grade.
Speaker 5 (09:21):
Yeah you will, let's face it, I mean the Ford
the Fords are dominated. They were beating up most of
the night, so no platform for the halves. And then,
as you say, the back five struggled as well. Fogg
at his kicking games exceptional. He just pinned them and
pinned them. And then the camp chase was amazing. When
the Warriors came up with a good kick, which they
did sometimes invariably it'd be a break on the second
(09:42):
tackle or something and that would release, it would release
all the pressure.
Speaker 4 (09:47):
You're right about Roger, he had a real go. He
looked definitely suits and more that center.
Speaker 5 (09:52):
There are a couple of times looking down being there
live and seeing them out in their left wing away
from the play and thinking hmm, it would be nice
to have more involved.
Speaker 4 (10:00):
But overall I agree he was a bright spot.
Speaker 5 (10:03):
He'd be one of the few that could hold his
head high.
Speaker 2 (10:07):
Well, let's hear from him now.
Speaker 3 (10:08):
Roger to Ivasa Chik post match with Michael Burgess.
Speaker 6 (10:11):
The League Podcast.
Speaker 4 (10:14):
That must be very tough to take. But what did
you think of tonight?
Speaker 7 (10:17):
Yeah, that's I'm just really gutted for our fans and
our people that made the trip here, and I felt
like we really did the most to sort of get
this going.
Speaker 4 (10:25):
And there's such a good.
Speaker 8 (10:26):
Atmosphere for our people in the.
Speaker 7 (10:28):
Chartered flight and everone paid so much great to be here,
and just disappointed that we couldn't give you something to
celebrate to life, you know, other than being in Vegas.
Speaker 5 (10:36):
It felt like the team struggled to get momentum throughout
most of the match with his raiders kept finding ways
to give them MENTU.
Speaker 7 (10:44):
Yeah, that's true. We you know, we don't get the
first run of the ball.
Speaker 4 (10:48):
You don't think of the first try. But we were
real calm about it.
Speaker 7 (10:50):
We're like, that's all right, boys, we just stick at it.
You know, we'll catch him during during the arm ressot
and our game will be a right. And yeah, then
they just they got a few offloads of momentum, a
few drives from from our own bad process, and yeah,
I think, yeah, a lot of it. They just they
jump an opportunity and the momentum ability within it.
Speaker 8 (11:08):
The message at halftime, what was Andrew saying?
Speaker 4 (11:11):
What were the players saying?
Speaker 7 (11:13):
The coach was you kept the simple Andrew keept it
real simple. About half time he said, boys, we just
need to stick your tackles checked into the ground. Reset
one player at the time, And that was his message,
one player at the time. And yeah, the off loads
got off and their hookah is pretty nippy, you know,
got momentum for him and the o backs and the
OB's just followed.
Speaker 8 (11:32):
On top of that. So yeah, it was top apart
from the what happened in the game. How was the
occasion for you? What did you think of the occasion
being in the stadium with all these fans, Yeah, it was.
Speaker 3 (11:43):
It was surreal. You know.
Speaker 7 (11:44):
The only way I can sort of explain to the
boys was the feeling of their twenty thirty petogram bunglege.
Speaker 8 (11:50):
You know, that was the only way I could sort
of compare that.
Speaker 7 (11:54):
You just can't hear the cause you can't hear what
you're trying to tell each other.
Speaker 8 (11:58):
The crowd is so loud.
Speaker 7 (12:00):
There's a lot of like fireworks going off and smoke
and this, and yeah, there's a lot of the lights everywhere,
so That's that's why I felt old about tonight.
Speaker 8 (12:08):
And how has if you look back now, how has
the week been in Vegas? I mean it's such an
unusual place to be preparing for a Okay, yeah.
Speaker 4 (12:17):
That's it been. Yeah, it's been good.
Speaker 7 (12:19):
The boys done really well to get out and see Vegas,
and we enjoyed ourselves. But I thought we locked them
really well during training time, and yeah, we were really
confident commenters game and yeah, I just yeah again disappointed
didn't result in the way that we wanted it.
Speaker 5 (12:32):
And how hard has it been this week with all
the distractions, all the extra promotions, all the things have
done in Vegas a different situation.
Speaker 4 (12:40):
How hard is it?
Speaker 7 (12:42):
It's been?
Speaker 4 (12:42):
It's been all right for me.
Speaker 7 (12:43):
You know, I'm not much of a gambler myself. I
don't really go and even pass through, so it's easy
for me to lock my stuff in the room and
just relaxed. But I'm just I'm just happy for the boys.
You know, they never get to experience us ever in
the lifetime. So I've just I thought, we don't like
I see it back at training and thought we done
really well.
Speaker 8 (12:59):
We locked them, just instill a show on the field,
and what did you do during the week Roger on
say Wednesday, Thursday, Friday to kill time?
Speaker 4 (13:06):
What were you doing to sort of you know, we
willion one day offering much so to take go look.
Speaker 7 (13:13):
Around a few shops, look a few hotels, different hotels,
is a palace and just yes, see what what people see.
Speaker 4 (13:18):
In the tourism of Vegas.
Speaker 7 (13:21):
Probably the biggest one was trying to find some actual
Barista coffee that was being change for doing We're trying
to find a real coffee.
Speaker 2 (13:27):
So yeah, this is.
Speaker 6 (13:30):
The Big League podcast on the Warriors bandwagon since day one,
The Big League Podcast on the Warriors band Wagon since
day one.
Speaker 3 (13:44):
Bitch I really wanted to get into the middle rotations
because I know, when you're there and you're live, and
you've got a match report to file and there's everything
going on in and around the stadium, you know, it
can be a little bit trickier to unpack absolutely everything.
But one of the key observations for mine, I personally
I always like to have the TV on the game
and then another screen or a device, you know, just
(14:04):
seeing what the general read of conversation I was like online,
particularly on Twitter from the Warriors fan base and I
wasn't alone and being finding the whole middle or the
use of the Ford's very curious. So that started an
hour before kickoff. They make the late change Aaron Clark
initially named that Locke goes back to the bench, Mitchell
(14:26):
Barnett moves from prop to Locke, and Jackson Ford off
the interchange to start from there.
Speaker 2 (14:32):
Ford ends up playing the first fifty one minutes.
Speaker 3 (14:36):
We saw early on with how easily the Raiders were
able to keep the ball alive and off load and
make good yardage through Hawsbury and Tarpani and PAPAALII that
you know, they couldn't get that ascendancy through the middle
with Barnett and Fisher Harrison particular. So then they came
off because they've been doing a pretty big first twenty
to twenty three minutes and they're both off at the
(14:57):
same time. That then leads to a middle of Dylan Walker,
Jackson Ford and Aaron Clark for twenty five minutes. And
I don't know, I just looked at that use of
the middle all the while not getting the same punch
either from the edge forwards too, and Kirk cape Pole
and Marta near Corde and felt, you know, when the
(15:20):
Raiders had already put a pretty big couple of punches
together in that first twenty minutes, that I have to
question that Andrew Webster's use of the middle, And not
only that, then you're of his in chase story. And
not only that, then you've got these youngsters who are
showing so much promise and we're all excited about being
there on the interchange and Dimitric Vayamonga and Lekahalasima, and
(15:44):
they've given garbage garbage minutes late in the second half
and the game's completely gone. Did you get a sense there, like,
were you surprised yourself that Jackson Ford ended up starting
in the middle, because this is a guy who was
on the edge last year in terms of a starting edge.
It just seemed like Webster didn't get it right and
(16:05):
maybe overthought the use of his interchange.
Speaker 5 (16:09):
This was just going to say, exactly, you're analysis a
spot on. He definitely overthought it. You know Ford came
in when did he come in? I think June last
year he started being used as a middle, but as
a starting prop really in round one, like, all I
can think is that he's thinking, okay, Barnett and fishieras
off at the same time. Wants Clark to come on
and bride some punch because Clark is he can do that.
(16:31):
But round one against the Raiders' pack that is bigger
than your pack, you start with your best possible pack,
you know, you start with the best team. You have
Clark starting, you really get things going, and who knows,
maybe the Warriors get a couple of early tries as well,
and then you got the platform to bring on the
young guys.
Speaker 4 (16:51):
He'll tell us later. I'm sure he didn't want to
bring on the young guys when the game.
Speaker 5 (16:55):
Is in such a you know, it's say twenty two
to sixth He wanted to stick with his experience. But
but you know, those guys have got some real, some
real upside about them. So it was it was just confusing,
and it actually contributed to the problem.
Speaker 6 (17:10):
Yep.
Speaker 4 (17:11):
The Warriors never looked like they never looked convincing up
the middle.
Speaker 3 (17:15):
Really no, because I look at these first half stats
and I know, you know, run meters don't tell the
complete picture. But just as an example, halftime sixteen points
to four, as mentioned, Jackson Ford's played the entire half
the run meter discrepancy nine hundred and twenty one for Canberra,
seven hundred and twenty three for the Warriors, four line
(17:36):
breaks to one thirty one missed tackles, and you look
at that second try in particular that Xavier Savage ends
up scoring in the right wing corner, and like Jackson,
I can't remember exactly when it was twenty six twenty
seven minutes and Jackson Ford's absolutely gas to the point
he's just made it a second f at tackle and
he turns his back on the marker. Tom Stalin can't
(17:57):
believe his luck. Wade Egans caught in two minds and
runs the best part of thirty meters untouched. Next phase
Raiders score, and I just think I'm not pointing the
finger purely at jackson Ford, you know, if he's told
start the game like, he's not going to say no sir.
But it was just a curious one and one I
didn't really see coming from the trials either. And then
(18:19):
you've got to think, like what must bunti er Foller
or Tom Harley be thinking if they can't even get
a crack in into this first grade team when they
could have provided perhaps a bit more impetus upfront, So
it's one of a few questions, and I suppose it
leads me on to the next point.
Speaker 2 (18:35):
Birds around the halves, rightly or wrongly.
Speaker 3 (18:38):
You talk a lot about the number seven jersey, and
it was the first time in first grade for Luke
Metcalf wearing a seven jersey, which is a very different
position as.
Speaker 2 (18:49):
We know to five eighth.
Speaker 3 (18:50):
But I actually felt a little bit sorry for him
because he's so far on the back foot and he's
starting to chance his arm. His confidence took early throwing
that into set pass and it just looked a little
bit at sea. But if anything, for me anyway, at
least early on, it was a byproduct of what was
happening in the middle.
Speaker 4 (19:09):
That's fair cool.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
I mean we won't better judge him for a few weeks,
you know, let's see those games at Mount Smart and
more a more normal setting. I mean, you're right, playing
in this occasion debut on a field that's a bit
narrower as well five meters an hourrow, which which does
make a difference.
Speaker 4 (19:24):
He kicked quite well, his organization was okay. There is
that fear, isn't there that we all have that Willie
still have his running game in this position.
Speaker 5 (19:33):
It wasn't much evidence of that last night. That might
take a few weeks for him to get used to it.
He deserves a chance to show what he can do.
Speaker 4 (19:41):
But a very very difficult night for him, and you
know he'll regret some of the things, some options he took.
And you know the question goes on.
Speaker 5 (19:48):
I mean, Metcuff and Harris Deavida, the best combination does
Martin fitd In there somewhere?
Speaker 4 (19:55):
It's quite a jigsaw puzzle because.
Speaker 5 (19:57):
None of them are the complete half yet you know
they've all got different strengths and how you find that
best recipe is the real challenge for Webster.
Speaker 4 (20:06):
He'll stick with He'll stick with what he's bought for
for a few weeks.
Speaker 5 (20:09):
Definitely, that's another question, and I'd say we're discussing for
quite a while.
Speaker 4 (20:14):
They'll have scenario. Yeah.
Speaker 3 (20:16):
I'll leave you to keep your power to dry a
little bit with Nathan in the coming weeks and months.
But just on the middle too. I don't know if
you're busy doing your post match thing with Andrew Webster
and co. Just to add insult to injury, Adam fanol
Blake and the Cronulla Jersey just casually carrying four Penrith
Panthers players over the line to score a try. I'm
not gonna lie burge that one hurt and probably just
(20:39):
sums up again. Like as much as we've all talked
about James Fisher Harris and his impact and his leadership,
it's not like for like Fanoa, Blake is elked maybe
even the top prop in the game in terms of
that late footwork, that ability to bend a defensive line
and score tries as well for a front rower. I
(20:59):
thought it was pretty telling the difference in what Fanora
Blake brings on the field versus a Fisher Harris again
round one. But when I was glad stuff at that
second game and saw for all Black carry four Panthers
players over the line of score, I was like, man,
that hurts.
Speaker 5 (21:16):
Yeah, I mean, I just have one observation. I guess
because I was I was writing up some reaction stories.
But I look up from my laptop and he actually
got driven back early on the game by a couple
of pen withth players driven back sort of five or
so meters on about the second tackle deep in his
own territory, gets up and then on the fourth tackle,
takes another hit up and carries about fifteen meters post
(21:38):
contact and you're like, yeah, that's it, and that's what
he can do.
Speaker 4 (21:40):
He is a special player. There's no one else quite
like him, and he's going to be missed.
Speaker 6 (21:47):
The Big League Podcast for the biggest league fans, Big Hits,
The Big League Podcast.
Speaker 3 (21:57):
Listening to The Big League Podcast, Nick Bewley Michael Burgess
live from Las Vegas, Burgs just may about his worse
for the Warriors. News breaks three or four hours after
full time via Channel nine's Wide World of Sports that
Warriors assistant coach Richard Agar was involved in a physical
(22:18):
confrontation at Allegiance Stadium at halftime of the Warriors Raiders
match with a British journalist. Now, the report goes on
to say that there has been a history between this
unnamed journalist who works for The Guardian and Richard Agar
from his time working in the Super League. As we
(22:38):
record right now, our understanding is that the NRL's Integrity
Unit are looking into it, and no doubt there'll be
comment to follow from Warrior's CEO Cameron George. But just
your initial thoughts, Verge like, it's not a great look
is it.
Speaker 5 (22:54):
That's a terrible look. I didn't see anything. The press
box is quite big. I was right down in the
front row. But I will say one thing. It was
a strange setting because the coaches had to come up
and lift and walk past the press are to get
to their coaches box, which doesn't normally happen in our
(23:15):
ground normally obviously, so obviously someone's seen something. Sorry, someone's
seen someone, and the incident has happened from there. I
can confirm that happened. I verified it. It definitely happened.
It was a strange night last night. This news broke
at about eleven PM or eleven thirty. Wasn't really the
(23:37):
time to be making phone calls, but I did try.
But yeah, it definitely happened, and there will be you'd
think repercussions, the NRL looking into it. I mean, in
my time, you know, there has been incidents of coaches
confronting journalists, and certainly back in the eighties and nineties
(24:00):
it did used to happen.
Speaker 4 (24:01):
But this one is, Yeah, it's a it's a terrible look,
isn't it.
Speaker 2 (24:07):
That certainly is.
Speaker 3 (24:08):
And not only that, Burge and we can get into
big picture stuff the team of down sixteen to four.
Just just to let something like that, you know, whether
it's an old grudge or it's not, or a comment
or whatever from whoever, let it get to you to
the point that there's some form of you know, alleged
physical act at a journalist. It's just it's not on
(24:34):
and on that big picture stuff. And I don't like
here at Newstalks, you'd be for the best part of
two days, we're running stories about the canber Raiders and
Hudson Young and Morgan Smithi's and having a scrap with
an inflatable baseball bat in a Las Vegas hotel and
getting kicked out, and you're thinking, gee, rugby league just
really knows how to rugby league, like, irrespective of where
it is, you know. And it was a bit of
(24:56):
a beat up, but you know, all it was good
copy for a day or two. But then you think
about something like this and I just yeah, I shake
my head.
Speaker 5 (25:05):
You make a good point, like if this whatever happened,
if it happened back at the hotel, you know, four
or four hours after the game and people had a
couple of beers.
Speaker 4 (25:17):
You know, these things happened.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
But to happen at halftime, in the middle of a
round one that's super important and as you say, the
team were behind. It's happened at that stage. It's really weird.
And it happened in a in a journalist work area.
We're working in this area. It's for workspace, so you know, yeah, yeah,
(25:39):
there's going to be more to come.
Speaker 4 (25:40):
Put that way.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Certainly is and just on that sort of security experiences
and that you wouldn't have caught this. We had the
Fox Sports broadcast back here in New Zealand and as
we had her were the callers was Dan Ganain, Maddie
John's and Braith and Asta and they for at least
I think almost the entire first half, they kept having
some bloke who, as it turns out I had to
get this all verified, but it was doctor Lance O'Sullivan
(26:05):
I believe his name is the New Zealander of the Year,
trying to make sure that the broadcast was on him
when he proposed to his now fiance. It just seemed
like there was a lot happening in and around the
press area that wasn't wasn't what you're usually accustomed to
in Australia and or New.
Speaker 4 (26:24):
Zealand hovering behind the studio the whole time. Yeah, I
know it was.
Speaker 5 (26:30):
I mean the staff, the standing staff are fantastic. There
was staff everywhere, so I was quite surprised about that aspect.
I agree, because in the other areas there was staff everywhere.
There's even you go up in the lift, as you say,
I was up very high, lucky, I'm I'm not actually
not great with heights, so but I was up very high.
But you go up in the lift and there's someone
sitting in the lift, the lift operator the whole time,
(26:51):
pushing the button for you and just having a chat.
So you the staff were exceptional, but that part of
it was strange. I agree, mate, Right.
Speaker 3 (26:57):
Let's rip and there's no teamless Tuesday issues that I
feel like it's worth, at least at least at this
point in time to rip into you. I'll let Nathan
Limb come off the back fence next week ahead of
Round two for the Warriors, but there is of course
six games that are still part of Round one or
Round one b if you want to.
Speaker 4 (27:15):
Call it that.
Speaker 3 (27:16):
After the Raiders beat the Warriors and Penrith beats Cranullah
to get into this week, so I'm going to fill
in for Nate fire and some quick fire predictions of these.
Of the six games slate this weekends, burj are starting
Thursday night, the Sydney Rooster is hosting the Michael McGuire
coached Brisbane Broncos.
Speaker 6 (27:37):
What say you?
Speaker 5 (27:38):
This could be the match of the round. Couldn't a
fantastic matchup. I know Nathan went off the back fence
last week. He's tipping the Broncos to be minor Premiers,
which is really ballsy. But I do think there will
be a big move. I've got a lot of face McGuire,
and I think you can turn around the talent in
that team.
Speaker 4 (27:55):
I think they might start with a win in Sydney.
Speaker 2 (27:58):
Yeah, I completely agree. I think they're going to be
a big mover.
Speaker 3 (28:01):
I think, at least in theory, the Ben Hunts Adam
Reynolds Harves combination can work. As we all know, McGuire's
very renowned for a brutal preseasons and getting players into
line from the jumps. So and I just look at
that restless team without Sam Walker, no Joey Marnu this year.
I know Joseph Sualey. I think they're going to just
(28:24):
come back at touch. So yeah, Broncos for mine, Tigers Knights.
Speaker 4 (28:32):
I'll go to Tigers here.
Speaker 5 (28:34):
I don't think they're going to have an amazing season,
but like last season, I think they could be better
in the first half of the year in the second.
So that whole round one buzz being at home, et cetera,
et cetera, might be enough in a close one, but
don't don't put your house on them.
Speaker 3 (28:51):
No, I find this one really hard to pick, and
I'm just going to be the contrarian and go the
Knights and just think maybe Kaylen Ponger does Kaylyn Ponger
things single handedly to get them across the line.
Speaker 2 (29:04):
Looking forward to this one.
Speaker 3 (29:06):
Wayne Bennett back as rabbit O's coach and his first
road trip. Great work from the NRL schedulers is back
to Redcliffe. It's the Dolphins and the Bunnies.
Speaker 4 (29:18):
Yeah.
Speaker 5 (29:18):
I love the way they set up these matchups, all
these talking points, but I don't love the way in
Aral is so hard to tip. I haven't missed this,
haven't missed this bloody weekly quandary because this is another
one where it's sort of toss a coin like the
Dolphins will have plenty to play for and they were
good last year. I thought, But the Rabbits, you know,
(29:39):
the Wayne Bennett magic touch. Will that make the difference?
I think it might. I think they could ease this one.
The Rabbits. They're not great travelers typically, but they do
have a lot of support in Queensland.
Speaker 4 (29:53):
So yeah, I'll go with the Rabbits here.
Speaker 3 (29:56):
Yeah, I'm just gonna lean the rabbit o's although, yeah,
losing Cam Murray to an Archilles and Latrell Mitchell for
at least the first month, they're their two best players,
so there is an opportune there for the Dolphins under
Christian Worlph to get off to a good start. The
Dragons plenty of recruitment by Shane Flanagan, Damien Cook, fount
(30:18):
On Holmes, Clint Gutthison to name a few.
Speaker 2 (30:21):
They host the Bulldogs.
Speaker 4 (30:24):
This is another one far out.
Speaker 5 (30:26):
Yeah, like the Dragons, you'd think will be big improvers
this year. I actually like I like the recruits and
I think, you know, they had the basis of a
decent team last year without many names, so they're obviously better.
But then the Bulldogs were the team that everyone got
really excited about and you think they'll continue to improve.
I'll go to the Bulldogs here in another close one.
Speaker 3 (30:47):
Yeah, I think it's going to be close to I'm
going to disagree and say that the Dragons get off
to a good start. See Eagles Cowboys an ultimate game.
Speaker 4 (30:57):
Definitely, the Eagles are I think Manly always got at home.
They always start well.
Speaker 5 (31:03):
A few questions over the squad coming into the season, definitely,
But the Cowboys it's round one, they're going to go early,
but they're traditionally not not great terriblers.
Speaker 4 (31:13):
I just think that the Seagulls at home for this one.
Speaker 2 (31:17):
I am with you there on the Manly train. And
to round things out.
Speaker 3 (31:22):
For many pre season predictors, it's theirs to lose, apparently,
but there's a pretty good reason.
Speaker 2 (31:29):
The Melbourne Storm hosting the Paramount of Earls.
Speaker 5 (31:32):
Yeah, I mean they're probably probably my minor premiers at
the moment, and I don't know when they last lost
the round when you match, you were probably in primary,
you know that long ago, I believe.
Speaker 3 (31:44):
I believe it was the early two thousands actually Birch,
which I almost out of primary into intermediate.
Speaker 4 (31:49):
But yeah, crazy, you're a young man, mate, you're a
young man. Take it as a cold. I'll go with
the storm.
Speaker 6 (31:57):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (31:57):
I just think they are so hard to beat at home.
Speaker 5 (31:59):
It takes a very special team to beat them at home,
and they're always so good when they start the year.
Speaker 2 (32:05):
Yeah, bang on.
Speaker 3 (32:06):
Not going to mess with a round prediction against a
team coach by Craig Balamy.
Speaker 2 (32:11):
That'll di us, folks.
Speaker 3 (32:13):
For what has been episode two of the Big League
podcast this year, Michael burgers So travels back to the
comforts of Mount Smarts next week, and no doubt, we
hope at least Nathan Linn will have recovered from his
Tom solitis by then and can be back in this year.
But please do follow, rate, subscribe the podcast and we
(32:36):
will catch you back for plenty more discussion around the
NRL and in particular, the Warriors next week.
Speaker 1 (32:47):
For more from News Talk sed B, listen live on
air or online and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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