September 9, 2025 • 52 mins
The Finals are here and the boys are fired up! This week, Cooper & Matty break down all four blockbuster matchups — from the Titans upsetting the Knights, to the looming mind games between Madge and Ricky. Warriors fans get a big shout, we debate whether Reece Walsh is actually out, and dissect the X-factors that could swing the series: Jet Cleary, Dylan Edwards, and even The Razzman. Strap in — it’s Finals Week 1 and anything can happen.
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0:00-Titans Beats Knights
2:30-Warriors Fans
5:30-Smoke & Mirrors
10:30-Storm v Bulldogs
21:40-Warriors v Panthers
32:10-Sharks v Roosters
42:00-Raiders v Broncos
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
You know he is scary. Job's it. Apologies about my
Dickhead grandson and by Dickhead's son Matthew, but I really
appreciate it for you to follow. But all the best
of all your old shaggers out there. Good luck boys.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
That's happy, everyone happy.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm happy. I'm happy eras man would still not a lot.
Congratulations on your Titans win the last round, mate.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Oh so good. You've got a tastier nights for putting
up one of the most pathetic performance I've ever seen.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
You're being kind.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
That wasn't pathetic?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Was it sixty six ten? It was in it. We're
in it for a while.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
To lose by sixty to or bottom eight side. That's
not that's not that pathetic.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Nah, you know it's hey, we're just we're just keen
to give other people a bit of paramount. Had want
to comes in eighty six.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
It's member of these where you wish you had a
draft system, like we're actually rewarded for getting Wooden Spoon
because then you could pick the best new talent the
next year.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Where they would actually say were they tanking? Yeah, the
old tanking.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well that's what most teams do in America.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Right in America they do, and they get accused of
in the AFL they do the yeah, the changes. Do
you know? Frank Ponici and Craig Bellamy once went to
the Philadelphia seventy sixers, go and check it. They go
down in fact finding missing missions all the time, go
to Italy or to get American football and stuff. And
they went to what's the seventy six is now? At
that point? The NBA team they were coached by Blake
(01:21):
called Brett Brown, who was an American, but he coached
in Australia the NBL for a long time with like
North Melbourne Giants, so he invited him over. Anyway, what
had happened. They were a struggling team, who wait for this,
we're trying to come last so they could have first
pick in the draft the next year and get Ben Simmons.
(01:41):
They said, it was awful. You walked in. They wouldn't
let Brett Brown, the owners wouldn't let Brett Brown the
coach into the sheds at halftime, So Frank and Baliac
is sitting in there. All the players are just sitting
there despondent. They said it was just an awful place
awful atmosphere right through the organization. Frank said, the billiac
want to get up and do aw do a speech
and get them going.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
They would have been covered in spirit.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
They would have been they would have They finally got
Ben Simmons, but that didn't turn out so well.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, he was good at the start, Ben Simmons, and
then he's kind of dropped.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
A fall away in the NBA Team ras.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Men, NBA Team nine, and I focus more on NRL.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Do you support any other sports?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
No, yeah, but a union. It's about it really.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
If we've known that, that's all right.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I like them all, but you know a sports I'm
a Titans fans. That takes up most of my years.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
There's only so much heartbreak you can do with between
the Wallabies and the Titans. You have a ship life
right now.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I've got six months off so I'm looking forward to
it holiday.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
As our man, Hammy says, Ammy Goodman. He's a Tigers fan.
He said, we're the win or we learn, which means
that he's the Ducks and so you're.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
The most educated both on the Northern Beaches. Hey, a
couple of the big stories out. The first one I
want to bring up he is. Have you seen the
rumors of the Warriors fans what they're planning on doing
this Saturday. Nah, So obviously Penrith they're gonna have to
travel over New Zealand to play against the Warriors. They've
found a Facebook group that is cultivating who are going
to sit outside of the hotel in Auckland setting off
(03:11):
fireworks the night before the game, all night, trying to
keep Penrith fans up, the Penrith team up, try to
put them off their game. And the Panthers have reported
it to the NRL.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Wow, that's well, that's an old that's an old tactic.
Oftentimes sporting teams will do that, particularly World Cups and whatnot.
They'll they'll they'll send brass bands out the front.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I don't even have an issue with it. It's like
it's almost home ground advance.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
It's a free world.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It is a free world. What are they going to do?
Are they going to drinking? Cops get involved?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I don't know, I mean, would the cops be in
their interest to move them on?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I mean, and there's murderers and like abuses out there.
Surely they're spending all their time sitting out the front
of the Panthers Hotel.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Nowhere in about some pesky fans. No, I don't think
it'll worry Penrith that much. They're probably just trying to
keep a bit of a lid on it. But you
know what I mean, I don't like to use that soon.
It is what it is. But it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Keep rocking the free will sometimes, you know. Nineteen seventy eight,
Argentina won the Soccer World Cup, but the whole country
in Argentina was ruled by a military and junta, right,
and so what they did the semi final, I think
it was against It was Peru versus Argentina, and I
think I think it was Peru and the Peruvians were
playing really good anyway, the Peru that the team bus
(04:22):
turned up to pick the Peru team from the hotel
up and it was fifteen minute drive. The driver pretended
he got lost and took two and a half hours
to get to get to the stadium. Little fun and games,
little shenanigans from the hometown.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
When we were in the COVID bubble up at Twin
Waters in Sunshine Coast twenty twenty in the pre limb.
I forgot who we were playing against the storm. It
was someone leading into the week before the Grand final.
Obviously the boys ended up winning it. But at the
resort it was there was a wedding function across the lake,
like at the result we're out there was like a
lake and there was a function center across the thing,
(05:00):
and they'd roped it off because it was COVID. They
couldn't come over to our side. But the music was
that loud until three am. Like half the boys who
were playing the next day were up all night because
of the music. Obviously ended up winning, but the boys,
like at breakfast the next morning, was so grouded off.
Oh they were just angry because obviously the DJ and
shit like, and it wasn't every good DJ. It was
a ship and there was like a guitar player that
(05:21):
was playing for a bit, but it kept everyone up.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
It just sometimes you just got it. As Billyak I
imagine would have said to the term, he just got
to deal with its excuse.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
It is what it is.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
And the other biggest news coming out of this week
is is it all fun and games or smoking mirrors?
Ricky Stewart has said that Josh Papali is in doubt
for the weekend. They've been named as well, but Madge
maguire has also said that Reye wats limped off the field.
What are you thinking?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Well, you got you got the two coaches there, Ricky
and Madge, and they've coached together. I think the two
years ago mad was Ricky's assistant. Well, it was the
last might even love Anyway made two Camebra boys. Ricky
probably arguably the most decorated legend in Raider's history than
(06:10):
mal and Lourie and those guys. Madge none fulfilled talent,
do you know the Madge like Madge was incredibly injury
prone coming through and there was a story that he
was trying to get back on the path, trying to
get back on it. He was really well regarded by
Tim Sheen as the coach. Anyway called Madge over one
day and he said to Madge. It was in the
car park and said to Madge, got some good news
(06:33):
made for your perseverance. You're in first grade this week.
And Madge, when it shoon's in the meat so much
to step back, tripped off the gutter, broke his ankle.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, I remember you were telling.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Still so Madge. So both camera boys and there they're
well versed in ducks and drakes. So yeah, Ricky's come
out and said a big poppers and doubt And then
in turn, of course Madges came out and said, well, Reece,
wats isn't doubt?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
So do you think that they're both lying?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Like? Is that?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Do you think they're both doing it to throw off
a little bit?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I would say that maybe they're just exaggerating because it
creates a bit of a caveat when you're doing it,
like it's just an inconvenience for when you're doing the
cuts for the team. So if you're Ricky there and
you go, now, listen when we play Reecee Walsh and listen,
don't listen to what they're saying. He'll be playing, right,
He'll be in Yeah. Yeah, there's just that little thing
(07:20):
and saying with Pappa, look what Papa does, careful maybe
second stint and boys, don't worry, don't listen to reports
he'll be playing well.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Now, it's always that the big Papa one. You're less
inclined to have like a forward in a lot of
your video session stuff. So that's why I kind of
almost thought maybe Josha Pali is hurt because the ree
Walsh one, Reecee Walsh, is on there. He's the one
that they're looking at the whole time with all their
defense clips. He'll be their head on a plate, which
is the bloke that they'll go after, and all the
(07:49):
video during the week will be how we start Reege Walsh.
So I get to use Reech Walsh as injury, like
you know, it might disrupt their video. But that's why
I kind of thought the Josh Papale one might actually
be real because he's not going to be at the
forefront of all of their videos.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Well that they said, the news reports are and people
that were there witnessed it. They said he rolled on
his ankle, was very hard to watch him or carried off,
not carried off, but assisted off the training field. It's
a really it's an interesting one. I want your take
on a two ras man is that if you're if
you're an opposition team, right, and let's say, for instance,
(08:27):
Reese Walsh's out and new Blokes are playing against the Broncos, right,
you're in the Cambra side, and news comes through on
the Tuesday, Reese Walh's out right. I see. You've just
got to live with that all through the week. You
know that what gives you the biggest kick, or what's
more beneficial to you working it out on the Tuesday,
or all of a sudden pumping yourself up on game
(08:47):
day and half an hour before kickoff the team sheet
comes in, there's no Reese Walsh. You know what I mean.
It's an interesting way because I've been in dressing rooms
sometimes in big games and the team sheet comes through
and then be some key play and it just gives
you on a massive lift. See.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I've been in teams where that's happened as well, when
they've and they've had major outs, and I've always found
that no one really cared that close to kickoff because
everyone's so nervous already that like they didn't really care
who they were playing. I think during the week you'd
rather find out during the week because that's probably the
most you're doing all the video session work and stuff
(09:22):
like that, so you don't want to be in doubt
having to watch two of like say, for example, whoever
would feel Reese Walsh's shoes there? Whoever comes in you
don't want to have to watch still watch all those
Reschwaltz clips and then have to watch the fill in
fullbacks clips as well. Yeah, like that's just annoying. So
you'd rather find out early so that way you can
get your head around it.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Well, I'll tell you one that actually sunk us at Newcastle.
We malmon Ingra had been out for a little stint
for a little while, and it was like we got
the teams coming through through the week and Males still
there for another month and we're got okay, you know
it's still going to be very, very tough. But then
the team she'd come through and Mal's late inclusion, everyone
just went, oh.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, you don't want the reverse. You don't want the
late inclusion coming in of a key player. You'd rather
be out than in Rasban European.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Look, I can't say I've got too much experience in
this department under seventeen's narrow Ana Hawks, but yeah, look
I reckon last minute's better. You don't want to know
what you don't want to know, and then yeah, or you.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Know, just you don't want to know what you don't
want to know what you don't want to know?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
You know I think you've expressed that well, yeah, but
you get on with it.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Just get on with it, like you know, rip the
bandaid off last second, bought on and just get on it.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Well, Giz, you're a poet. It's like a little Benjo
Patterson over there.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Henry Lawson.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
A first game to look at Storm versus the Bulldogs
on Friday night. What's your take on it. Let's we're
going to break up each sort of game into some
different segments. But if you're the coach of both sides,
both sides, how are you seeing the opposition side?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I reckon they'd be both similar. I think they both
have the same mindset. I think you've out of all
the other two. If you had to have a team
or coming up against a team in the top four
week one, I reckon both cameras Arelda and Ballie would
probably take their opposition they've got now because I mean
Melbourne and Melbourne is very difficult, but they've had a
(11:19):
lot of injuries. They've lost two in a row and
the other one on top of that was in round
twenty five. The Bulldogs really took it to the Storm
in the second half and really pinched it. So they
go with a lot of confidence and vice versa. If
there's a side as struggling as much as Storm at
the moment, it's the Bulldogs. So I think both both
(11:41):
coaches will go away with fear degree of confidence.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, I agree. I think of the top four, they're
probably the two out of form teams, given injuries that
the Storm have just had, losing two on the trot
and the Dogs just haven't really been gelling much of
the second part of the year. So yeah, I agree.
I think both sides would be smelling blood and a
bit of a weakness in the opposition.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah, we talked about fom for a second. This is
really interesting. I've never seen I've never seen a Melbourne
Storm struggle so much at the back end of the
competition like this. Usually going to going into the finals
you see them peak and make a big statement. But
this is this is strange, and I must say I've
(12:25):
never looked at Melbourne in the back half of the
season and thought to myself, yep, I can see why
the competition favorites. For me, they've always been they've always
been underpriced two dollars fifty to me. They've never played
apart from a few day games at the start of
the season. To me, they've never played like an out
and out favorite or as clear favorite as they've been
made out to be.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Their second favorite. Now they've gone yet come in and
storm second, followed by Broncos.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
But leading right up to you know, the last weekend's game,
they'll still favorites. I just I didn't quite get it
with the Dogs as far as form is concerned. Really,
this is really interesting. The Galvin at seven, Burton at six,
(13:15):
you know, the reed, Marney Bally Haward, all that stuff.
At the moment into the future, who knows. In the
final series it might click and it might work Coops.
But at this moment it's not working and they're playing
clanking football. I tell you what I do this week
because Bronze and Cherry's out, Yeah, he's out, he's out right.
(13:35):
I would actually, I would have serious consideration if on
Cameron Seraldo, I'd put Matt Burton to left center and
I'd go tab Sexton to seven. I'd go lock on
Galvin six. It Coop the Bulldogs. When I look at
all the other spines in the competition, mate, I can say, yeah,
that guy's the boss. I can clearly see that. I
look at the Bulldogs, I just don't know. I don't
(13:58):
know who runs the shower. Yeah, and I think your
attacks just not firing at the moment, And that's what
I would That's that's definitely what I would do. Well.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
I think there's I think this is the game where
you'll see a lot of late inclusions in Sexton is
in the twenty one, so he can still come in.
I wouldn't be surprised if that happens as well, and
vice versa. On the storm, Jack howis in the twenty
one squad is not named in the side, but I
wouldn't be surprised if he comes into center as well.
I'd actually be really surprised if he gets left out.
(14:31):
But I and I also wouldn't be surprised if they
swap Wishart and Pezzitt in that side as well, bringing
in Pezzitt on the starting lineups for his versatility on
the back.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
There's a whisper gun around that pezzle will start and
wishy on the bench. So Yeah, it's interesting because that's
where the dogs will go. If Jonah's going to be
on the edge, that's where they'll send their traffic.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Yeah, and with the back roll as of Villi Army
kick out and Jacob Preston. I think that's where you'll
see a lot of I think I think the halves
for Melbourne have got a big job to contain them anyway,
whether whether Peasant starts or not, I think that's where
they're going to send a lot of their traffic.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
It's a big one. It's a big one as well.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Now let's talk about the key clash. Where do you
think this game is going to be won? Because for me,
I see it. I see this a real forwards battle.
I see when Melbourne, particularly Harry Grant coming back in,
I think their attack since Tach has been out has
been really poor off the back of their forwards, probably
not going forward. He does a good job of bringing
them on, getting a lot of roux speed quick play
(15:30):
the balls, which then brings their running threats of Wish,
Shart and Munster who like playing off quick play the
balls into it. So I think that's how they're going
to want to play their game, and same with the Bulldogs.
That's how they like to play. They like to get
a lot of rouxbeed played quick and then off the
back of quick play the balls they find their key
centers in Critter and what was Bronson Cherry before.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, it's hard. You know, Cooper's the real main class
in this I think is going to be the Dog's
middle defense against Harry. That's what's going to be if Melbourne,
if Melbourne can start to roll through the Rucks, Harry's
Harry is their most important player. I know. And it
says because you've got Munster in the side, right, but
Harry is the most important player. And there's a couple
(16:11):
of reasons why. Coop is that. I thought when they
lost Jerome, firstly for that stint with his shoulder, I
thought that the way they scaled everything back and just
started to play tighter of Harry, I thought it really
worked frohim. You'll see at that point their defense got
better because I'm making few errors with their attack. So
I think you'll see I think you'll see a lot
(16:32):
of that. Yeah, I think that's where I think that's
where it'll be. One When the when the Bulldogs really
pinched it against the Storm a few weeks ago, it
was built on the fact that they muscled up in
defense in the first half. The Dogs in that game
were so obsessed with what they're trying to do with
the football. I come up with theirrors and Melbourne was
sort of pretty comfortable and how they were playing, but no,
(16:54):
I don't know what it was. Might have been twelve
points split, ten points split halftime, but the second half
mate the dogs in the they nearly pinched it, and
it was off the fact that they've channeled all their
energy into the defense. They really went at Melbourne their defense.
They kicked well, they chased hard, and that almost got
the result. And so I think it's going to be
I think this game be very much built. This game
(17:15):
in particularly very much built. Who's going to be the
best in defense and who will make the least amount
of errors. Melbourne, in my opinion, coup have got to
do less with the football. It really surprised me last
week that it's the first time I've seen Melbourne tried
to basically football their way out of trouble, try to
football their way into form, and they were passing in
(17:36):
the line. They were really clunky. If on the Melbourne Storm,
you can afford to really simplify your attack and you
can afford to play conservative because guess what, at the
end of the set of six, you can just knock
the ball up to will Wardbrick or knock it up
to Xavier Coats and that's what a weapon. So why
force the ball throughout the set?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I think, And I think this is where Finals footy
really favors aside like Melbourn and sides that have really
good kick threats, because the bigger the game, the simpler
you should play, and the narrow the more narrow your
focus should be. There's nothing wrong with just getting just going,
like the big shifts and big players. The best stuff
happens when and Penrith is so good at the finals
(18:15):
as well, just getting through a set and then putting
a good attack and kick in for your best kick target.
And the best part about Melbourne is will Warbrick, Ellie Kattowa,
Xavier Coats, three of the best in the air. So
I think that's where you'll see a lot of Melbourne'.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Attack just quickly because the side has just come to you.
Just saying Monsters named at six months as at six Okay,
let's talk about X factor coop X factor for me
in this is what Melbourne do with their starting lineup
as far as Monster's concerned and Matt Burton's kicking going.
This is going to be interesting. Nick Moonie is named
(18:52):
back fullback, Yeah, okay, And there's a little bit of
talk that Monster. There's been a little discussion about Monster
go make the full back and then bringing the combination
of wish Art and pezz It. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I don't think they're going to do definitely locked in.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Yeah right, Well, that's going to be a big That'll
be a big matchup. Like the kicking of Matt Burton
is going to be viol if Burton, I don't know
why Burton a lot of times sometimes I know it
can be a difficult kick. But if I'm Maddie Burton
anytime I'm fifty five meters out in that last tackle,
I just go for the torpie. I just I just
nail it as high and as hard as I can.
(19:28):
And if he can, if he can regularly do those
and force arrows off Meeni or kick really long the
big kick chase and attack Melbourne their defense, that's a
that's a big factor oftentimes when the Bulldogs are flying
at the start of the year they were doing they'll
probably doing less with the football, but his long kicks
had him dominate in field position, so I think his
(19:49):
kicking game, the pressure Melbourne can put on him, how
Mini handles those high kicks, How will the Dogs chase
those long kicks. I think it's the biggest, the big
X factor.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And the X factor for Melbourne that I had down.
We just spoke about Harry Grant for a while. We
know why his X factors in, but I had the
same one for Bulldogs. I think Matt Burton has got
a weapon that he just does not use enough. And
I think if you're going to go down to Melbourne
and try to outgrind them, I don't think that's going
to be Bulldogs game. I don't think they can outgrind
(20:22):
the sides like Melbourne and Penrith. I think you've got
to use the weapons that you have. And I think
if Matt Burton's every time he gets past that fifty,
if he's not bringing out that torpye and trying to
force errors out of that back three of coach Meeni
and Will Wollbrig, I think it'll be a big mistake
for them not to.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Use it big time. If I'm Cameron Soeralda, I'm saying
Burder don't worry about placing the ball. I just want
you to hit the ball. Just bang it, mate, because
if you nail it, it's the fullbacks worst nightmare. So
who do you think?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
I've got Melbourne? I've got Melbourne. I think they've just
got I think they'll get it done against What do
you reckon?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, I'm going to go Melbourne, but I think it's
going to be I think it will be so tight
and an upset would not surprise me. I'll go Melbourne.
I'll go Melbourne by two points. I think. I think
it's going to be really, really really tight. This will
this will be the I think, uh, the hardest fought
match of week one of the finals. What are you thinking?
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Yeah, I've got Melbourne winning this one. Well, I think well,
I think.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Put a line through them.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
The back to back losses for Melbourne coming into this
first week of finals. You're sorry that the worst time
to be versing the Melbourne storm.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Yeah, it's pretty It's going to be interesting that everyone.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Goes Melbourne don't lose too in a row, and then
they lose to They definitely don't lose three.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
It's been an unusual season for Melbourne. They haven't played
their best in night football and so it's been an
unusual year. What's next?
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Next game? Warrior is v pan juicy? What do you
think coaches? If you're the coaches, what do you think
they thinking about? How do they view these games? I
look at Penrith if I'm Penrith a part of that club,
I think if there's anyone in the top eight you
want to play Week one of finals, it's I think,
I hate to say it, but it's got to be
the wise I think there. You look at the injury
(22:16):
toll they've had through the year and then their form.
They just got beat by Manly at home at Brookvale
Oval last week. I think they'd be really maybe yeah
happy going to this game. I think Worries would be
quite worried to come in. Penrith are that unpredictable in
finals football? That I know they've been inconsistent all year,
(22:37):
But I think the team you don't want to play
outside that is Penrith, and then I think Penrith would
want to play Worries.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
I think Penrith would be super confident no matter who
they played this week, and that's why to me, I
still I still have no winning the competition doesn't matter
who you played. Like if I ask you this week
Penrithal penrithal, you know, or Melbourne penrith If I ask
you penrith versus Raiders. You know what I mean. It's hard,
(23:04):
So think of it like this. Yeah, they'll look at
that and say, right, oh, that's the game. We're very
likely most nearly everyone will have us. Everyone probably have it.
We're going to win. But you know, this is a
final series and it's not just about winning this game.
So they've got to travel in New Zealand, got to
go over there. It's going to be it's going to
be cold, it's gonna be wet, it's gonna be slippery.
(23:25):
So it's going to be it's going to be a
tight game. You're gonna have a really hostile home crowd
and you're gonna have an energized opposition who are very
very physical and who go into it with no concerns
because what they're going to make. No one's given us
a chance, mate, And what you just what is symbolic
of the reception they're going to get is the fact
that what the fans are planning over there with the hotel,
(23:47):
it's going to be from the moment they get off
the plane, they're going to make the Warriors fans, all
the Kiwi are going to be indling. This is going
to be a really hard trip. And and the other
thing about Penrith is this in those slippery conditions, if
Penrith have any type of kryptonite, it is wet slippery conditions.
Because what happens sometimes they get their past selections slightly wrong,
(24:08):
or they become past centric and they start to just
push the ball a little bit two sideways. I go
back to the game World Club Chunnli's the lost against Wigan,
they lost one against St. Helen's, and games they've lost
through the year, oftentimes it's been wet fields at Combag
Stadium where they've just they just haven't been able to
get their game on because of the conditions. Well, it's
(24:29):
going to be like that New Zealand. So they've got
they've got the best player in the game with the
best kicking game, but nothing's a guarantee.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
And his little brother's over there at the Warriors, so
he's fine.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I think I believe he's at training playing Nathan Cleary.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Yes, yeah, correct, Jet Cleary over there. He's showing them
an inside into Nathan's mind. I have no doubt they'd
be picking the shit out of his brain. I remember
when I was at Manly and we come up against Melbourne,
it was like tell us everything you know about everyone.
I can only imagine what Jet is copying this week
from the coaching staff and all the boys wanting a
(25:05):
bit of an inside Ivan and Nathan, what do you
think about the key class? Where do you think this
is going to be?
Speaker 1 (25:11):
One couple of key classes? Coop, a couple of keick
the one that I'm looking forward to, of course, you
got Nathan against their creative players, and the one I'm
looking forward Moses Leota against James Fisher Harris, the two
big alphas going to each other, former teammates, great great
friends they will just if you're a if you love
(25:32):
your eighties rugby league where there was a good old
fashioned softening up period. So like ras Man Jack Coops,
what used to happen in the eighties and even in
the early nineties, There used to be a twenty minute
period called the softening up period, and it was basically
where the referee would put his whistle away and just
let the big blokes just tear the shit out of
each other. And like get after each other, headbutting, scrumps,
(25:54):
everything like that. This I reckon the first twenty minutes
between these two alphas, it'll be like the old softening
up period. And to win finals games, there's lots of
little battles to win the big war, right, and this
is going to be one of them. If James Fisher
har Harris gets out there and just starts tearing into
Moses and wins that battle, the battle of physicality, mate,
(26:15):
that's that's that'll give the Warriors an enormous lyft Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I agree, and I think it is going to be
a bit of a and the first time. This is
the first time the Warriors have really had an experienced
finals leader in their side in a long time, like
there hasn't been many of them that have gone into
finals footage. Jamesons Harris is probably more experienced than anyone
in the NRL with finals football, so it'd be interesting
to see how he gets them up for the game.
(26:40):
But it'll be a real forwards battle because even Hallasima
comes into the starting lineup, Kate Well has gone to
the centers and near Korra is the other back row,
so Wade Egan comes back into the side.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
So it's a strong team mate Charms at the back.
It's just the big thing is the creative coup. The
creatives of the concern chances are Runner like you know,
he's a little bit like Dylan Edwards. You've got great
work ethic and you've got Wade Egan, who's he's going
to be their chief playmaker because you've got Chanelle, Harris
Taveta and Tanner Boyd. Neither of those blokes handy players.
(27:13):
Neither of them they were primary ball players. So that's
what puts enormous pressure on Egan and what heard him
last week, the fact that he was out. But if
you draw form, drawing formed through that for just wait
for a second here, like Manly. Manly beat him in
twenty seven to twenty six last week in Manly away
from home. They did that without They did that without
(27:34):
Wade Egan, their most important player with the football and
Manly play their very best football when there's no pressure
on Manley just got out there, threw the ball around
twenty seven to twenty six. Do you know when you
draw a line through that without their most important player,
it's not it's not a bad performance.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
You also talk about Yeah, you talk about how important
Wade Egan is for Panoris. Mitch Kenney is out massive.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Well, he's their chief in defense. Is he out? Yeah,
he's out. Ye, look someone to come to his handy player.
But mate, Mitch Kennys is like a built of concrete.
He's just he's an old fashioned dog of war. Shit
he is too.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Wow, Mitchell Kenny, he's out. You know what else is
a tough call. They've dropped Tommy Jenkins for paul A
la Motti.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Is really surprised one.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I thought, when you look at a side that's been
quite inconsistent and players that haven't played their best footy
at Pendre, Tommy Jenkins has been probably, if not their
most consistent all year.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It's one thing that does Ivan is not afraid. He's
pretty ruthless making tough decisions. Zach Hosking a couple of
years ago where Zach was one of their best forwards
all through the back end of the season and then
got changed for Luke Garana on Grand Final week. Yeah,
that's it's a big call. It's a it's a huge call.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Milky. They brought him into in the Bloody Blues camp
this year, Milk.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
He was been a playing awesome X factor and he
McClain made a great combination out and the left.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
My two X factors for this game. Obviously for Penrith
speaks for himself. Nathan Cleary, I think he's kind of
the key for bringing out their best football. He brings
out the best in Blaze to Lungey. Blaze's running games elite,
but when Nathan plays straight and opens the game up
for him, that's where you see Blaze really coming to
his own. Same with Dylan Edwards. So I think you
(29:24):
know Nathan Clear's kicking game is going to be so
important in finals and his X factor out there for
the Warriors. This is not a usual one, but I
think he is so important for the Warriors attack and
he disrupts teams so well. Aaron Clark, he's their lock.
He's a former Titan ras man. I'm aware, but sure
(29:45):
you are put your pants back on. But Aaron Clark,
Aaron Clark has played, He's been such a good bye
for him. He's similar to I would say what Brandon
Smith has been doing for the rabbit O's the last
few weeks. When he's out there, he brings such an energy.
He's the link man, particularly without Metcalf. Now he's the
link man between getting the ball out to the edges
(30:07):
and the halves. He's been really good at that. But
also his leg speed is so good and he's so
good at finding a quick playable through the middle. So
I think he's going to be such a big X
factor for their attack.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
My X factor in this game, I only got one
X factor can go either way with the side is
Dylan Edwards. Dylan Edwards, I think in the last five
years has been consistently probably in the top five or
top ten players in the game. He's been that good.
But the last month I've just seen some unusual things
come into his game that aren't like Dylan errors at
(30:43):
really vital times. But the other one was the ball
is the ball in the air, the high ball. He's
looked really uncomfortable with it at times, like really uneasy
under it. And at first I put it down to fatigue.
I thought, you know, he's played a lot of football,
he's tied, that's the reason to come up with these errors.
But I think it's a dip in confidence. I think
he's had a little bit of a dip in confidence.
(31:05):
And so if I'm if I'm Andrew Webster, I'm telling
my halves again some of the Burton situation. Anything from
halfway on, mate, just put it high. We're going to test.
We're going to test Dylan's nerve. On the flip side
of that, Dylan could be the reason why Dylan could
actually just destroy him with his yardage game. He's just relentless.
So Dylan, Dylan Edwards and his performance is a big
(31:26):
X factory the way who wins. Look, I'm going to
go Penrith. I don't think they'll have it all their
own way. I think it was really hartful game. But
Penrith they will go into suffocation made. It'll be simplify
strong yardage. It'll be Dylan Edwards on one, one of
the outside backs onto Dylan Edwards on three one forward,
kick the ball along, chase like maniacs, defend like killers.
(31:49):
They just suffocate the opposition.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
I'm I think they're so experienced in finals. They've got
the best player in the world out there to guide
him around. I've got Pendrith comfortably, but I hope I'm
wrong because I would love to see the Wise win.
I think it'd be so good for Rabby League RAS.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I also have Penrith, but I hope that Nathan Cleary
packs his noise canceling headphones because I can't wait to
see those those fireworks go off.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
If you wonder then.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
And if there's any noise canceling headphones that want to
send us some stuff phrases looking.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
For freebie Yeah, yeah, well they call him the rasmn seriously.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Next game on the Saturday as well, Sharks first roosters.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Both coaches, both coaches will like the Well look at this,
I think, by the way, I think this is the
hardest game to pick. I think both coaches, they both
know each other very very well. In fact, all of
these games, it's unusual. Madge has been Ricky's assistant, know
each other well, Fitzi has been Robber's assistant, Andrew Webster
(32:48):
has been Ivan's assistant. And then the other game.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Siraldo and Belly ate nothing to do with it, nothing
to do with each other. Two excellent coaches, yeah, but
two terrific people.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Yeah. Both these coaches know each other very well, each
other's methods, they know what to expect. So I would
say both coaches, as far as this matchup that concerned,
wud be pretty comfortable. Yeah, both pretty confident.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
I think talk about form for a sec. What do
you think, because I know Rooster's just slipped into the eight,
But I think with how they've been playing, particularly James Tedesco,
I think they're really dangerous in this. They remind they
actually remind me of that two thousand and nine paramount
at Eels Side where they had Jared Haynes coming in
(33:28):
and he was the best player in the world. I
see Tedesco back to that individual form and a lot
of people, probably like everyone saying is the favorite in
the Dali m and a lot of people probably the
focus hasn't been on him as much, probably because he
hasn't been the origin fullback state of origin fullbacks since
he lost that position. But he's playing as good as
he's ever played.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Yeah, I totally agree. It's the best he's ever played
in my opinion. He's passed selection. He's footwork, he's rapid
feet through the middle, he's leadership, he's been outstanding.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
And I think the sharkis the last month. They're back
to playing that footy that they were playing in twenty
twenty one, where they were really playing fast and creating
so many good they were really creative with the football
to the bloke.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Who will talk about the bloke who's triggered that in
a second. But it's interesting, coop since these two have
had the buy. So round eighteen the Sharks have had
the buy. They've gone a run since then. They've won
seven of their last eight, including a thirty one eighteen
win over the Chuuks at home. At the same time,
(34:31):
the Roosters since round seventeen, they've won seven from ten,
but they've beaten some heavyweights, so both teams in good form.
It's all about timing. I reckon. At the moment, the
Sharks are playing I think the best football have all season. Hugemate.
We talked about great clashes in this game as a
few coup the yardage fight between two different sets of
(34:55):
people will be tremendous. The Roosters forwards are second to
nobody at the moment the way they're playing with their
physicality and they go forward, but they're up against the
Sharks who their yard is going to be led by
and Mulitalo. They're going to lead it for Jesse, Jeff Jesse,
Raymond Kaleiro will kick in, but they're back men. They
(35:17):
will lead. They will lead the yardist for the Sharks,
and I reckon when they play their best football is
when they when those four men do that.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Oh yeah, I think outside of Penrith, that's that that
back three, what they do for the side, they're the best,
they're the next best into it and they're so when
they're on. They're so good at doing it. Particularly Ronaldo
is such a handful out of that backfield. But then
you also look at that the back three of the
Chucks are very similar. Not in the sense of how
(35:47):
much work they do out of the backfield. Dangel Tubo
is very good at it, He's done it for a
long time, but how pivotal they are to their attack,
particularly with the kicking threats of Mark Namangan and Danna
Tuba man like, they they are so pivotal to the
Chooki's attack.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Cart like they'll target him a little bit of the
ball in the air. Ronaldo has got a great loop
he'll handle, but that's going to be it'll be huge. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
I think Tupo is on Katoa, so I think that's
that's probably the side that they will kick too, because
then I believe Ronaldo's on the left with Mark Nawang.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
But Mark knowingen, I know someone I was just talking
to Joel Cane about he will he knows somebody who
backed him at started the year to be leading tri
scorer at one hundred and twenty five to one.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
He won twenty four tries, twenty three appearances.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Yeah, wow, Stutman, Statman rabbit.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
You know what Marky, Mark's also got in him. Jeez,
he's got an error in him when he when they
put the high ball. So I have no doubt as
well that Trindle on the left and Nietzsche and Nietzsche
Nicholas Hines will be They'll be bombing with with Ronaldo
coming through, put a lot of pressure on.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Geez good great clash of the spine. Will Kennedy Bred Trindle,
Nico and Blake Bray against Teddy, Sammy Walker, Hugo Savala
and Connor's coming off the bench there.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Connor's starting kind of starting.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Sorry to a big, big final series for Sammy. Sammy
Walker hasn't hasn't like coming off a knee reconstruction. Hasn't
he had a return?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Oh yeah, he's been unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
He's been one of the best players in the competition
back end.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I know, and I think it's big for him and
SVA because you look at and the rumors of Cherry
Evans going there next year. If like Savala and Sammy would,
if they put their best foot forward, like puts him
in good stead for next year. Because Savala, if he
has to move on, I have no doubt clubs will
(37:41):
be knocking on the door to try to get it.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
Savala is a very very good player.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
He's a very good, very solid.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Half, very very good mate, very He's got very strong fundamentals.
He's catch, he's pass, he's straight and he's kick. In
those vital areas he is. He's eight out of ten
or better. The key man in here in both is
Blake Brailey. Blake Brayley has been arguably the best player
in the competition. I think in the last about six weeks.
(38:08):
You contest that with Tenesco a little bit probably, but
he will he's the best. He's played by a mile.
He's really fulfilled that potential people have been talking about.
And Coop. The big thing here is the fact that
like Nicko's playing great football as well. Because of the
fact that Brayley he's running the ball. The Shark's attack
comes to life when Brayley scoops and goes, don't just
(38:31):
feed off the ground, be a moving dummy half. Very similar.
He and Nicko are operating in combination, very similar the
way Damian Cook and Cody Walkey used to in the
fact that the best stuff from Cody come about when Blake,
when Cookie would scoop the ball and go, and Cody
straight away would be on the front foot, right, and
when you're a high alert, when you've got a dummy half,
(38:52):
that the moment there's a bit of momentum, he might
just take off. You can't sit back. You need to
get on the front foot and play forwards. And that's
what suits nick That's.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
What's been good. Yeah, well I had Nicko was my
keif as my ex factor for the game given what
him and Brayley have started to cook up. Because Niko's
at this year seven tries twenty try sists I believe,
but majority of those have been in the second half
of the year. He started the year as more of
the controller of the team, and then they sort of
shifted and now you see Niko getting back to his
(39:22):
good footy because Blake Bayle is running, which then brings
Nicko's running gaming because when Hooker takes off, you've got
to punch holes and you've got to be your running threat.
And when Nicko's are running threat, you see how much
he's creating for other people twenty Triasis throughout the years,
which have all come in this back end of the year.
So I think he's the X factor for the Sharks
and then obviously for the Chuckies speech for himself. James Tedesco,
(39:43):
They've got they've got such a big job, particularly in
the middle to try to contain. Yeah, James Tedesco huge.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
It isn't funny with Nico and Sam Walker to the
vital playmakers. Like with Niko, whatever Niko's thinking and feeling,
you can see that clear on his face. We know
sensitive dude, and he's been down. Sam Walker would make
an incredible poker player because he's just almost stonefaced. You
don't know what he's thinking, like, he's just okay, my
(40:09):
X factor. Adam Vanila Blake. This is why they bought
Adam and Adam vanil Blake. Sometimes he well not, sometimes
he is. He's probably a victim of his own standards
and expectations people have on because if you ask mate,
(40:29):
has he been a good side Adam Vanil Blake. People
do this basically go yeah, yeah, yep, he has been.
But if Adam Vanilla Blake his last his name was,
you know, Charlie Jones. How's Charlie Jones gone this year?
You would say, mate, he is unbelievable because it's just
what you expect from Adam Vaniel Blake. Mate, here's the
(40:49):
big dog in this game, here's the alpha. This is
what the Sharks are bought him for. I forget what's
happened in all the other rounds. This is why they've
bought him. They have brought him to the club to
win these games. He's my X factor who wins.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Okay, you wanted me to go first, go for I've
got the chucks. Now. This was hard to pick, but
most of my decisions have come off the back of
kicking game and who I think is gonna sort of
dominate that area. You know, obviously Penrith and then Melbourne
with their kick threats. I think Roosters kick threats are
so good in finals. When you play simple, the most
important thing is where you turn opposition over and then
(41:25):
the people who have the ability to get you the
ball back or score tries off kicks. So I think
now I'm going need to say and Daniel Tupau and
even when they kick shorter for Angus Crichton and Billy Smith,
I think they're going to be really hard to contain
in that sense. I got chookies.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
Even in the finals game, Shark Parks a very hard
place to win. I'm just going on, guat Phil, I
think the Sharks win by eight. Well, Ram rasmund.
Speaker 3 (41:48):
I was pretty bullish on the Roosters before this conversation,
but now I'm starting to turn yes for Asmah I
reckon I could see Mola Tala given it to him. Yeah,
all the Roosters fans giving him a finger.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
So I'll go the SHARKI nice, Rasman, what kind of
thing like the finger cord?
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Any of them?
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Okay, Now we go into the last game, and probably
my favorite one for the round, Sunday Afternoon Raiders versus
Broncos one v.
Speaker 3 (42:15):
Four. I mean, it's the game of the round.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
I think it's a great game.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
It's got to be the game of the round. Both
they're both the sides that I think coming into this
time of the year, they're probably the most inform sides.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Two of the super clubs in the nineties that unfortunately
never had the opportunity to play each other in a
Grand Final due to various injuries. These two sides played
each other in the first week of the Finals in
ninety ninety five, when both had iconic lineups. It was
one of the best finals games of all time. It
was played in Brisbane Raiders beat on twelve eight and
it was such a fierce game that both sides never
(42:49):
made the Grand Final. Both sides basically fell apart from
injuries for the rest of the final series. This will
be a beauty. I think both coaches were like the matchup.
I think Magicle like the matchup because he's going to
play a team will who wants to play the type
of game the Brisbane want to play. They want to
open the field up the Raiders, so to the Broncos,
(43:13):
they want to do this. It's just going to be
a matter of who executes the best. Some great match.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
I'll tell you what. This game has the ability as
well to because I actually really like the Broncos to
win the camp I think if they can get through
this round, I think whoever gets through this game is
going to make it to the Grand Final because we
don't talk about how important the week off is at
this time of the year as if and you wouldn't,
you wouldn't probably notice as much. But sixty percent of
(43:43):
the boys out on that field are playing busted. They've
got a shoulder that they're needling up, they've got something
that is just a body part that's just that sore.
That week off becomes so pivotal. And I think this
game is going to be such a high intensity game
and physical that whoever doesn't win it is going to
have a really hard pick. Yeah, they're going to be
(44:04):
hard to pick themselves up and get up for the
next week.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Do they does the loser of this game? Do they
play the winner of Sharks and Roosters? I think they do.
I think it's outside of the draw. I think pen yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
Yeah, there it is.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Yeah. Yeah. Far as big matchups right across the park,
you've got you know, Kyle Weeks up against Roos, but they,
of course you make go head to hear. But they
play this identical style of the game. Mate, it's it's
the forward battle, mate, Joe Tarpani and big part of
Josh pab paying hass and Patty Carrigan. That's going to
(44:40):
be that's going to be Fierce's.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
And you know what another the Battle of the Center's
Catoni Staggs and Gami ship Asaki has come back into
the side up against Matt Tomoko and Sebastian Chris, who
very They've been very underrated this year. They're both strong
individual centers coming up against the powerhouses of Shibasaki and
as well. I think there's so many good individual matchups
(45:03):
in this game that it's it's just shaping up to
be such a blockbas Star.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Do you know what my X factor is coop in
this game? My X factor player, I'll give you three guesses.
Speaker 2 (45:13):
I would say, what side of the is this X
factor for the whole game?
Speaker 1 (45:18):
Yeah, I'm going to get one man.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
I'm going to say Ethan Strange incorrect, Taire Weeks incorrect.
So now I'm thinking Hudson incorrect.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
Tom Starling? Is it the Stalin Starling? Because in the
middle of the field, mate, it's the land of the Giants, right,
and that there's great opportunity through the middle of the
field with those big guys for a small, fast, creative
dummy half and starlo Is certainly one of those. I
watched him through the year. At times he causes problems
(45:50):
to those those bigger sides. Broncos can be a little
bit vulnerable through the middle of the field. And if
if Raiders start to get the ascendancy are going to role,
you'll see Staralo really start to cut him up. Oh
and Paddy will come on late in the game. But
I think Stalow Tommy Starling is my X factor in
this game.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Well, I look at the two spines. It's as good
as a spine match up as as you get in
this final series. You know, Kyle Weeks, Ethan Strange, Jamal Foggerty,
Tommy Starling up against Reese Wash, Billy Walter's, Ben Hunt,
Corey Pakes. Yeah, still missing obviously Adam Reynolds and Ezra Man.
But my X factors, I've got my Raiders as Ethan Strange.
(46:29):
I think he's got.
Speaker 1 (46:30):
The ability to you know what you did that You
just went to your left foot then left as soon
as I think left hand carry left foot.
Speaker 2 (46:36):
Oh, he's so he's so good to watch. He's he
he's literally Jack Whiteon like the way he's sort of
come into that six and owned it. He's this the
exact sort of player that Jack Whiton was at the
Raiders when he was got that Clive Church and metal.
He's left hand, he's that strong, and he's just a
running threat to have.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
A massive game. Coops was that two weeks ago? That
game the two week got to wrap up the Tigers? Tigers,
I reckon he would have been dirty on himself with
that performance. He wasn't quite himself. They played good, but
come up with a couple of Vera's and I just
watched him at full time and I went, oh, man,
I could just tell he was filthy on himself. And
for that reason, I thought, I wonder if Ricky well
(47:17):
play him next week. But Ricky's just held him back. Mate,
he'd be stilling on that performance for two weeks. He'll
explode out of the ship.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
And then my other X factor for the Broncos is
Reese Walsh. I think Reese is going to be the
most him. I think he's going to be the most
important player on the score line of this game. I
think with the people that are out of this Broncos side,
they've we saw it last week against Melbourne. They reverted
back to a really simple style of football. Stay through
(47:45):
the middle. When Billy or Benny Hunt get it, they
just dropped their back rollers off. Make them work, make
them work, and then they find Reese Walsh tackle three,
tackle four to use his speed on an edge. I
think if he's on that, it brings the whole Broncos
side alive. If he's struggles with consistency sometimes there's a
little bit rocks and diamonds people say, But if he
(48:06):
creates more diamonds than rocks, I think he's going to
be the most important player on the field.
Speaker 1 (48:09):
Two blowsin have a lot of pressure on him because
of Kyle Weeks and Reese Walsh is going to be
Jamal Foggety and Bennie Hunt. What both sides will do
is they'll work, in my opinion, they'll work past the
scrumb line to an edge to open the field up,
and they'll try to isolate these two players on Benny
Hunt and Jamal and if they get a little bit
of space, they won't be able to put it with them.
(48:30):
And I think I and would not surprise me if
in the second half, if they can regularly do that,
you might actually see both sides change their defensive technique
and start defending outside in.
Speaker 2 (48:40):
Well, that's the only way to stop those they're so quick.
Speaker 1 (48:43):
Got to cramp them.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
And then it brings it. When that happens, it brings
in their back rollers, blokes like Jordan Ricky and Hudson Young.
You'll see them start to change their line. When the
Senate goes out to jam the fullback, they kick out
and that little over his line.
Speaker 1 (48:57):
It was, you know, funny, It's funny. Ke're just saying that.
If playing against the Broncos and they work past the
scrumline to that far roots, I'd actually tell my blace
to compress the line a little bit and go up
and just move like that, you know what I mean, Like,
don't present, don't present white holes like you know, if you,
if you, if you're a little bit tighter than with
Bennie Hunt. It's a very fine line for Rus to
(49:18):
try to do a show and go and get through
that line as opposed to really isolating him. But I'll
ask you this question, Coop, he's something for you, right
if Adam Reynolds would have been available and he come
into the side and do you pick him? Yeah, and
you pick him right? He goes in Who do you
play six? Who do you play nine? I'd be tempted
(49:39):
to keep Billy Wallers at six and play Benny Hunt
at nine because I think I think Billy has been
fantastic in six. He's not trying to finesse the football around,
he just runs the ball, and he's a strong defender
on the edge. I would have I would have I
considered that.
Speaker 2 (49:54):
I would like that either I would do I would
I would keep Reynolds and Billy, but I would either
put I reckon. I'd rather put Benny Hunt at fourteen,
let Corey Paks take the first twenty minutes out because
Benny Hunt. Benny Hunt offers way more in attack when
there's fatigue out in the field. So that's what I do.
But to be fair, and this is a hot take,
(50:15):
but I like the combination of Hunt and Billy together
rather than Reno with those guys because I think they
are forced to play so much more simple because they
don't have Renaut's brain out there, so it actually helps,
not helps. Similar when Jerome Hughes went down, they were
forced to play a different style that actually has made
(50:36):
them way more as a team because they rely so
much on Reno and his creativity isn't funny.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Sometimes you just aside does not look as strong on paper,
but the change of formula just works. Interesting one coops
who wins? I'm going to get Look, I'm going to
gather raiders, going to gather raiders down there. It's gonna mate,
but I'll go the Raiders. I'll go the Raiders by
(51:02):
four points. There you go, and letting people know too,
we're doing our Sunday Night with Maddie John Show live
from Canberra with the ground.
Speaker 2 (51:10):
We've got a lot of Camebra listeners, so if you're
heading down to the game, free.
Speaker 1 (51:14):
Come and say, hey, y'all, what do you think I
got Broncos.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
I think Broncos. I think they're going to get it done.
I think with how how good they played against Melbourne
last week, I think they finally found their blueprint and
I'd be surprised if they sort of try to venture
outside that just quickly.
Speaker 1 (51:32):
Who's the player of Week one of the finals? Who
do you think will be the player?
Speaker 2 (51:38):
That is a great question, that's great.
Speaker 1 (51:40):
I'm going to go Harry g Oh your dog.
Speaker 2 (51:43):
I'm going to go Reese Walsh. I think while she plays,
I reckon. He plays his best game of the.
Speaker 1 (51:48):
Year, wins. Who wins? Turned up there? Turned the ras
Men up? Ras Man who wins? Camber and Jesus hit
the wall.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
That's an idiot. Broncos Verus Raiders. Who wins? And who's
your player the round? Broncos win.
Speaker 3 (52:07):
Ten in a good game there, but the player round
is going to be our mate, Zach Cosking.
Speaker 2 (52:13):
So oh, the Mule, he's met me all, he's he
come to the Remember last year the race we went
to the races and we brought the ras Man. I'll
tell you right now. Mule loves the ras Man and
then ras Man loves the mules.
Speaker 3 (52:24):
So yeah, let's get it going.
Speaker 2 (52:26):
And he's ranger. Remember Jack, he's been ringing us all
the time. You're saying, we have to have another day
at the racers with the ras Man because he just
you were on that day though all were you were on.
You had that much energy. You're that fun ras
Speaker 1 (52:41):
Ras Man loves the rare Razzie Jack cheers, boys,
You know he is scary. Job's it. Apologies about my
Dickhead grandson and by Dickhead's son Matthew, but I really
appreciate it for you to follow. But all the best
of all your old shaggers out there. Good luck boys.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
That's happy, everyone happy.
Speaker 1 (00:16):
I'm happy. I'm happy eras man would still not a lot.
Congratulations on your Titans win the last round, mate.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Oh so good. You've got a tastier nights for putting
up one of the most pathetic performance I've ever seen.
Speaker 1 (00:28):
You're being kind.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
That wasn't pathetic?
Speaker 1 (00:31):
Was it sixty six ten? It was in it. We're
in it for a while.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
To lose by sixty to or bottom eight side. That's
not that's not that pathetic.
Speaker 1 (00:39):
Nah, you know it's hey, we're just we're just keen
to give other people a bit of paramount. Had want
to comes in eighty six.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
It's member of these where you wish you had a
draft system, like we're actually rewarded for getting Wooden Spoon
because then you could pick the best new talent the
next year.
Speaker 1 (00:54):
Where they would actually say were they tanking? Yeah, the
old tanking.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
Well that's what most teams do in America.
Speaker 1 (00:59):
Right in America they do, and they get accused of
in the AFL they do the yeah, the changes. Do
you know? Frank Ponici and Craig Bellamy once went to
the Philadelphia seventy sixers, go and check it. They go
down in fact finding missing missions all the time, go
to Italy or to get American football and stuff. And
they went to what's the seventy six is now? At
that point? The NBA team they were coached by Blake
(01:21):
called Brett Brown, who was an American, but he coached
in Australia the NBL for a long time with like
North Melbourne Giants, so he invited him over. Anyway, what
had happened. They were a struggling team, who wait for this,
we're trying to come last so they could have first
pick in the draft the next year and get Ben Simmons.
(01:41):
They said, it was awful. You walked in. They wouldn't
let Brett Brown, the owners wouldn't let Brett Brown the
coach into the sheds at halftime, So Frank and Baliac
is sitting in there. All the players are just sitting
there despondent. They said it was just an awful place
awful atmosphere right through the organization. Frank said, the billiac
want to get up and do aw do a speech
and get them going.
Speaker 2 (02:02):
They would have been covered in spirit.
Speaker 1 (02:03):
They would have been they would have They finally got
Ben Simmons, but that didn't turn out so well.
Speaker 2 (02:08):
Well, he was good at the start, Ben Simmons, and
then he's kind of dropped.
Speaker 1 (02:11):
A fall away in the NBA Team ras.
Speaker 3 (02:13):
Men, NBA Team nine, and I focus more on NRL.
Speaker 2 (02:17):
Do you support any other sports?
Speaker 3 (02:19):
No, yeah, but a union. It's about it really.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
If we've known that, that's all right.
Speaker 3 (02:25):
I like them all, but you know a sports I'm
a Titans fans. That takes up most of my years.
Speaker 1 (02:30):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (02:31):
There's only so much heartbreak you can do with between
the Wallabies and the Titans. You have a ship life
right now.
Speaker 3 (02:36):
I've got six months off so I'm looking forward to
it holiday.
Speaker 1 (02:39):
As our man, Hammy says, Ammy Goodman. He's a Tigers fan.
He said, we're the win or we learn, which means
that he's the Ducks and so you're.
Speaker 2 (02:49):
The most educated both on the Northern Beaches. Hey, a
couple of the big stories out. The first one I
want to bring up he is. Have you seen the
rumors of the Warriors fans what they're planning on doing
this Saturday. Nah, So obviously Penrith they're gonna have to
travel over New Zealand to play against the Warriors. They've
found a Facebook group that is cultivating who are going
to sit outside of the hotel in Auckland setting off
(03:11):
fireworks the night before the game, all night, trying to
keep Penrith fans up, the Penrith team up, try to
put them off their game. And the Panthers have reported
it to the NRL.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
Wow, that's well, that's an old that's an old tactic.
Oftentimes sporting teams will do that, particularly World Cups and whatnot.
They'll they'll they'll send brass bands out the front.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
I don't even have an issue with it. It's like
it's almost home ground advance.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
It's a free world.
Speaker 2 (03:34):
It is a free world. What are they going to do?
Are they going to drinking? Cops get involved?
Speaker 1 (03:39):
I don't know, I mean, would the cops be in
their interest to move them on?
Speaker 3 (03:43):
Well?
Speaker 2 (03:43):
I mean, and there's murderers and like abuses out there.
Surely they're spending all their time sitting out the front
of the Panthers Hotel.
Speaker 1 (03:50):
Nowhere in about some pesky fans. No, I don't think
it'll worry Penrith that much. They're probably just trying to
keep a bit of a lid on it. But you
know what I mean, I don't like to use that soon.
It is what it is. But it is what it is.
Speaker 2 (04:00):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (04:00):
Keep rocking the free will sometimes, you know. Nineteen seventy eight,
Argentina won the Soccer World Cup, but the whole country
in Argentina was ruled by a military and junta, right,
and so what they did the semi final, I think
it was against It was Peru versus Argentina, and I
think I think it was Peru and the Peruvians were
playing really good anyway, the Peru that the team bus
(04:22):
turned up to pick the Peru team from the hotel
up and it was fifteen minute drive. The driver pretended
he got lost and took two and a half hours
to get to get to the stadium. Little fun and games,
little shenanigans from the hometown.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:38):
When we were in the COVID bubble up at Twin
Waters in Sunshine Coast twenty twenty in the pre limb.
I forgot who we were playing against the storm. It
was someone leading into the week before the Grand final.
Obviously the boys ended up winning it. But at the
resort it was there was a wedding function across the lake,
like at the result we're out there was like a
lake and there was a function center across the thing,
(05:00):
and they'd roped it off because it was COVID. They
couldn't come over to our side. But the music was
that loud until three am. Like half the boys who
were playing the next day were up all night because
of the music. Obviously ended up winning, but the boys,
like at breakfast the next morning, was so grouded off.
Oh they were just angry because obviously the DJ and
shit like, and it wasn't every good DJ. It was
a ship and there was like a guitar player that
(05:21):
was playing for a bit, but it kept everyone up.
Speaker 1 (05:25):
It just sometimes you just got it. As Billyak I
imagine would have said to the term, he just got
to deal with its excuse.
Speaker 2 (05:31):
It is what it is.
Speaker 1 (05:32):
It is what it is.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
And the other biggest news coming out of this week
is is it all fun and games or smoking mirrors?
Ricky Stewart has said that Josh Papali is in doubt
for the weekend. They've been named as well, but Madge
maguire has also said that Reye wats limped off the field.
What are you thinking?
Speaker 1 (05:50):
Well, you got you got the two coaches there, Ricky
and Madge, and they've coached together. I think the two
years ago mad was Ricky's assistant. Well, it was the
last might even love Anyway made two Camebra boys. Ricky
probably arguably the most decorated legend in Raider's history than
(06:10):
mal and Lourie and those guys. Madge none fulfilled talent,
do you know the Madge like Madge was incredibly injury
prone coming through and there was a story that he
was trying to get back on the path, trying to
get back on it. He was really well regarded by
Tim Sheen as the coach. Anyway called Madge over one
day and he said to Madge. It was in the
car park and said to Madge, got some good news
(06:33):
made for your perseverance. You're in first grade this week.
And Madge, when it shoon's in the meat so much
to step back, tripped off the gutter, broke his ankle.
Speaker 2 (06:40):
Yeah, I remember you were telling.
Speaker 1 (06:42):
Still so Madge. So both camera boys and there they're
well versed in ducks and drakes. So yeah, Ricky's come
out and said a big poppers and doubt And then
in turn, of course Madges came out and said, well, Reece,
wats isn't doubt?
Speaker 2 (06:54):
So do you think that they're both lying?
Speaker 3 (06:57):
Like? Is that?
Speaker 2 (06:57):
Do you think they're both doing it to throw off
a little bit?
Speaker 1 (07:00):
I would say that maybe they're just exaggerating because it
creates a bit of a caveat when you're doing it,
like it's just an inconvenience for when you're doing the
cuts for the team. So if you're Ricky there and
you go, now, listen when we play Reecee Walsh and listen,
don't listen to what they're saying. He'll be playing, right,
He'll be in Yeah. Yeah, there's just that little thing
(07:20):
and saying with Pappa, look what Papa does, careful maybe
second stint and boys, don't worry, don't listen to reports
he'll be playing well.
Speaker 2 (07:27):
Now, it's always that the big Papa one. You're less
inclined to have like a forward in a lot of
your video session stuff. So that's why I kind of
almost thought maybe Josha Pali is hurt because the ree
Walsh one, Reecee Walsh, is on there. He's the one
that they're looking at the whole time with all their
defense clips. He'll be their head on a plate, which
is the bloke that they'll go after, and all the
(07:49):
video during the week will be how we start Reege Walsh.
So I get to use Reech Walsh as injury, like
you know, it might disrupt their video. But that's why
I kind of thought the Josh Papale one might actually
be real because he's not going to be at the
forefront of all of their videos.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Well that they said, the news reports are and people
that were there witnessed it. They said he rolled on
his ankle, was very hard to watch him or carried off,
not carried off, but assisted off the training field. It's
a really it's an interesting one. I want your take
on a two ras man is that if you're if
you're an opposition team, right, and let's say, for instance,
(08:27):
Reese Walsh's out and new Blokes are playing against the Broncos, right,
you're in the Cambra side, and news comes through on
the Tuesday, Reese Walh's out right. I see. You've just
got to live with that all through the week. You
know that what gives you the biggest kick, or what's
more beneficial to you working it out on the Tuesday,
or all of a sudden pumping yourself up on game
(08:47):
day and half an hour before kickoff the team sheet
comes in, there's no Reese Walsh. You know what I mean.
It's an interesting way because I've been in dressing rooms
sometimes in big games and the team sheet comes through
and then be some key play and it just gives
you on a massive lift. See.
Speaker 2 (09:00):
I've been in teams where that's happened as well, when
they've and they've had major outs, and I've always found
that no one really cared that close to kickoff because
everyone's so nervous already that like they didn't really care
who they were playing. I think during the week you'd
rather find out during the week because that's probably the
most you're doing all the video session work and stuff
(09:22):
like that, so you don't want to be in doubt
having to watch two of like say, for example, whoever
would feel Reese Walsh's shoes there? Whoever comes in you
don't want to have to watch still watch all those
Reschwaltz clips and then have to watch the fill in
fullbacks clips as well. Yeah, like that's just annoying. So
you'd rather find out early so that way you can
get your head around it.
Speaker 1 (09:41):
Well, I'll tell you one that actually sunk us at Newcastle.
We malmon Ingra had been out for a little stint
for a little while, and it was like we got
the teams coming through through the week and Males still
there for another month and we're got okay, you know
it's still going to be very, very tough. But then
the team she'd come through and Mal's late inclusion, everyone
just went, oh.
Speaker 2 (10:00):
Yeah, you don't want the reverse. You don't want the
late inclusion coming in of a key player. You'd rather
be out than in Rasban European.
Speaker 3 (10:09):
Look, I can't say I've got too much experience in
this department under seventeen's narrow Ana Hawks, but yeah, look
I reckon last minute's better. You don't want to know
what you don't want to know, and then yeah, or you.
Speaker 2 (10:22):
Know, just you don't want to know what you don't
want to know what you don't want to know?
Speaker 1 (10:25):
You know I think you've expressed that well, yeah, but
you get on with it.
Speaker 3 (10:30):
Just get on with it, like you know, rip the
bandaid off last second, bought on and just get on it.
Speaker 2 (10:34):
Well, Giz, you're a poet. It's like a little Benjo
Patterson over there.
Speaker 1 (10:37):
Henry Lawson.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
A first game to look at Storm versus the Bulldogs
on Friday night. What's your take on it. Let's we're
going to break up each sort of game into some
different segments. But if you're the coach of both sides,
both sides, how are you seeing the opposition side?
Speaker 1 (10:58):
I reckon they'd be both similar. I think they both
have the same mindset. I think you've out of all
the other two. If you had to have a team
or coming up against a team in the top four
week one, I reckon both cameras Arelda and Ballie would
probably take their opposition they've got now because I mean
Melbourne and Melbourne is very difficult, but they've had a
(11:19):
lot of injuries. They've lost two in a row and
the other one on top of that was in round
twenty five. The Bulldogs really took it to the Storm
in the second half and really pinched it. So they
go with a lot of confidence and vice versa. If
there's a side as struggling as much as Storm at
the moment, it's the Bulldogs. So I think both both
(11:41):
coaches will go away with fear degree of confidence.
Speaker 2 (11:43):
Yeah, I agree. I think of the top four, they're
probably the two out of form teams, given injuries that
the Storm have just had, losing two on the trot
and the Dogs just haven't really been gelling much of
the second part of the year. So yeah, I agree.
I think both sides would be smelling blood and a
bit of a weakness in the opposition.
Speaker 1 (12:03):
Yeah, we talked about fom for a second. This is
really interesting. I've never seen I've never seen a Melbourne
Storm struggle so much at the back end of the
competition like this. Usually going to going into the finals
you see them peak and make a big statement. But
this is this is strange, and I must say I've
(12:25):
never looked at Melbourne in the back half of the
season and thought to myself, yep, I can see why
the competition favorites. For me, they've always been they've always
been underpriced two dollars fifty to me. They've never played
apart from a few day games at the start of
the season. To me, they've never played like an out
and out favorite or as clear favorite as they've been
made out to be.
Speaker 2 (12:46):
Their second favorite. Now they've gone yet come in and
storm second, followed by Broncos.
Speaker 1 (12:52):
But leading right up to you know, the last weekend's game,
they'll still favorites. I just I didn't quite get it
with the Dogs as far as form is concerned. Really,
this is really interesting. The Galvin at seven, Burton at six,
(13:15):
you know, the reed, Marney Bally Haward, all that stuff.
At the moment into the future, who knows. In the
final series it might click and it might work Coops.
But at this moment it's not working and they're playing
clanking football. I tell you what I do this week
because Bronze and Cherry's out, Yeah, he's out, he's out right.
(13:35):
I would actually, I would have serious consideration if on
Cameron Seraldo, I'd put Matt Burton to left center and
I'd go tab Sexton to seven. I'd go lock on
Galvin six. It Coop the Bulldogs. When I look at
all the other spines in the competition, mate, I can say, yeah,
that guy's the boss. I can clearly see that. I
look at the Bulldogs, I just don't know. I don't
(13:58):
know who runs the shower. Yeah, and I think your
attacks just not firing at the moment, And that's what
I would That's that's definitely what I would do. Well.
Speaker 2 (14:09):
I think there's I think this is the game where
you'll see a lot of late inclusions in Sexton is
in the twenty one, so he can still come in.
I wouldn't be surprised if that happens as well, and
vice versa. On the storm, Jack howis in the twenty
one squad is not named in the side, but I
wouldn't be surprised if he comes into center as well.
I'd actually be really surprised if he gets left out.
(14:31):
But I and I also wouldn't be surprised if they
swap Wishart and Pezzitt in that side as well, bringing
in Pezzitt on the starting lineups for his versatility on
the back.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
There's a whisper gun around that pezzle will start and
wishy on the bench. So Yeah, it's interesting because that's
where the dogs will go. If Jonah's going to be
on the edge, that's where they'll send their traffic.
Speaker 2 (14:54):
Yeah, and with the back roll as of Villi Army
kick out and Jacob Preston. I think that's where you'll
see a lot of I think I think the halves
for Melbourne have got a big job to contain them anyway,
whether whether Peasant starts or not, I think that's where
they're going to send a lot of their traffic.
Speaker 1 (15:07):
It's a big one. It's a big one as well.
Speaker 2 (15:09):
Now let's talk about the key clash. Where do you
think this game is going to be won? Because for me,
I see it. I see this a real forwards battle.
I see when Melbourne, particularly Harry Grant coming back in,
I think their attack since Tach has been out has
been really poor off the back of their forwards, probably
not going forward. He does a good job of bringing
them on, getting a lot of roux speed quick play
(15:30):
the balls, which then brings their running threats of Wish,
Shart and Munster who like playing off quick play the
balls into it. So I think that's how they're going
to want to play their game, and same with the Bulldogs.
That's how they like to play. They like to get
a lot of rouxbeed played quick and then off the
back of quick play the balls they find their key
centers in Critter and what was Bronson Cherry before.
Speaker 1 (15:50):
Yeah, it's hard. You know, Cooper's the real main class
in this I think is going to be the Dog's
middle defense against Harry. That's what's going to be if Melbourne,
if Melbourne can start to roll through the Rucks, Harry's
Harry is their most important player. I know. And it
says because you've got Munster in the side, right, but
Harry is the most important player. And there's a couple
(16:11):
of reasons why. Coop is that. I thought when they
lost Jerome, firstly for that stint with his shoulder, I
thought that the way they scaled everything back and just
started to play tighter of Harry, I thought it really
worked frohim. You'll see at that point their defense got
better because I'm making few errors with their attack. So
I think you'll see I think you'll see a lot
(16:32):
of that. Yeah, I think that's where I think that's
where it'll be. One When the when the Bulldogs really
pinched it against the Storm a few weeks ago, it
was built on the fact that they muscled up in
defense in the first half. The Dogs in that game
were so obsessed with what they're trying to do with
the football. I come up with theirrors and Melbourne was
sort of pretty comfortable and how they were playing, but no,
(16:54):
I don't know what it was. Might have been twelve
points split, ten points split halftime, but the second half
mate the dogs in the they nearly pinched it, and
it was off the fact that they've channeled all their
energy into the defense. They really went at Melbourne their defense.
They kicked well, they chased hard, and that almost got
the result. And so I think it's going to be
I think this game be very much built. This game
(17:15):
in particularly very much built. Who's going to be the
best in defense and who will make the least amount
of errors. Melbourne, in my opinion, coup have got to
do less with the football. It really surprised me last
week that it's the first time I've seen Melbourne tried
to basically football their way out of trouble, try to
football their way into form, and they were passing in
(17:36):
the line. They were really clunky. If on the Melbourne Storm,
you can afford to really simplify your attack and you
can afford to play conservative because guess what, at the
end of the set of six, you can just knock
the ball up to will Wardbrick or knock it up
to Xavier Coats and that's what a weapon. So why
force the ball throughout the set?
Speaker 2 (17:55):
I think, And I think this is where Finals footy
really favors aside like Melbourn and sides that have really
good kick threats, because the bigger the game, the simpler
you should play, and the narrow the more narrow your
focus should be. There's nothing wrong with just getting just going,
like the big shifts and big players. The best stuff
happens when and Penrith is so good at the finals
(18:15):
as well, just getting through a set and then putting
a good attack and kick in for your best kick target.
And the best part about Melbourne is will Warbrick, Ellie Kattowa,
Xavier Coats, three of the best in the air. So
I think that's where you'll see a lot of Melbourne'.
Speaker 1 (18:30):
Attack just quickly because the side has just come to you.
Just saying Monsters named at six months as at six Okay,
let's talk about X factor coop X factor for me
in this is what Melbourne do with their starting lineup
as far as Monster's concerned and Matt Burton's kicking going.
This is going to be interesting. Nick Moonie is named
(18:52):
back fullback, Yeah, okay, And there's a little bit of
talk that Monster. There's been a little discussion about Monster
go make the full back and then bringing the combination
of wish Art and pezz It. I don't know.
Speaker 2 (19:04):
I don't think they're going to do definitely locked in.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Yeah right, Well, that's going to be a big That'll
be a big matchup. Like the kicking of Matt Burton
is going to be viol if Burton, I don't know
why Burton a lot of times sometimes I know it
can be a difficult kick. But if I'm Maddie Burton
anytime I'm fifty five meters out in that last tackle,
I just go for the torpie. I just I just
nail it as high and as hard as I can.
(19:28):
And if he can, if he can regularly do those
and force arrows off Meeni or kick really long the
big kick chase and attack Melbourne their defense, that's a
that's a big factor oftentimes when the Bulldogs are flying
at the start of the year they were doing they'll
probably doing less with the football, but his long kicks
had him dominate in field position, so I think his
(19:49):
kicking game, the pressure Melbourne can put on him, how
Mini handles those high kicks, How will the Dogs chase
those long kicks. I think it's the biggest, the big
X factor.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
And the X factor for Melbourne that I had down.
We just spoke about Harry Grant for a while. We
know why his X factors in, but I had the
same one for Bulldogs. I think Matt Burton has got
a weapon that he just does not use enough. And
I think if you're going to go down to Melbourne
and try to outgrind them, I don't think that's going
to be Bulldogs game. I don't think they can outgrind
(20:22):
the sides like Melbourne and Penrith. I think you've got
to use the weapons that you have. And I think
if Matt Burton's every time he gets past that fifty,
if he's not bringing out that torpye and trying to
force errors out of that back three of coach Meeni
and Will Wollbrig, I think it'll be a big mistake
for them not to.
Speaker 1 (20:40):
Use it big time. If I'm Cameron Soeralda, I'm saying
Burder don't worry about placing the ball. I just want
you to hit the ball. Just bang it, mate, because
if you nail it, it's the fullbacks worst nightmare. So
who do you think?
Speaker 2 (20:55):
I've got Melbourne? I've got Melbourne. I think they've just
got I think they'll get it done against What do
you reckon?
Speaker 1 (21:01):
Yeah, I'm going to go Melbourne, but I think it's
going to be I think it will be so tight
and an upset would not surprise me. I'll go Melbourne.
I'll go Melbourne by two points. I think. I think
it's going to be really, really really tight. This will
this will be the I think, uh, the hardest fought
match of week one of the finals. What are you thinking?
Speaker 3 (21:23):
Yeah, I've got Melbourne winning this one. Well, I think well,
I think.
Speaker 2 (21:30):
Put a line through them.
Speaker 3 (21:31):
The back to back losses for Melbourne coming into this
first week of finals. You're sorry that the worst time
to be versing the Melbourne storm.
Speaker 1 (21:38):
Yeah, it's pretty It's going to be interesting that everyone.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Goes Melbourne don't lose too in a row, and then
they lose to They definitely don't lose three.
Speaker 1 (21:48):
It's been an unusual season for Melbourne. They haven't played
their best in night football and so it's been an
unusual year. What's next?
Speaker 2 (21:54):
Next game? Warrior is v pan juicy? What do you
think coaches? If you're the coaches, what do you think
they thinking about? How do they view these games? I
look at Penrith if I'm Penrith a part of that club,
I think if there's anyone in the top eight you
want to play Week one of finals, it's I think,
I hate to say it, but it's got to be
the wise I think there. You look at the injury
(22:16):
toll they've had through the year and then their form.
They just got beat by Manly at home at Brookvale
Oval last week. I think they'd be really maybe yeah
happy going to this game. I think Worries would be
quite worried to come in. Penrith are that unpredictable in
finals football? That I know they've been inconsistent all year,
(22:37):
But I think the team you don't want to play
outside that is Penrith, and then I think Penrith would
want to play Worries.
Speaker 1 (22:42):
I think Penrith would be super confident no matter who
they played this week, and that's why to me, I
still I still have no winning the competition doesn't matter
who you played. Like if I ask you this week
Penrithal penrithal, you know, or Melbourne penrith If I ask
you penrith versus Raiders. You know what I mean. It's hard,
(23:04):
So think of it like this. Yeah, they'll look at
that and say, right, oh, that's the game. We're very
likely most nearly everyone will have us. Everyone probably have it.
We're going to win. But you know, this is a
final series and it's not just about winning this game.
So they've got to travel in New Zealand, got to
go over there. It's going to be it's going to
be cold, it's gonna be wet, it's gonna be slippery.
(23:25):
So it's going to be it's going to be a
tight game. You're gonna have a really hostile home crowd
and you're gonna have an energized opposition who are very
very physical and who go into it with no concerns
because what they're going to make. No one's given us
a chance, mate, And what you just what is symbolic
of the reception they're going to get is the fact
that what the fans are planning over there with the hotel,
(23:47):
it's going to be from the moment they get off
the plane, they're going to make the Warriors fans, all
the Kiwi are going to be indling. This is going
to be a really hard trip. And and the other
thing about Penrith is this in those slippery conditions, if
Penrith have any type of kryptonite, it is wet slippery conditions.
Because what happens sometimes they get their past selections slightly wrong,
(24:08):
or they become past centric and they start to just
push the ball a little bit two sideways. I go
back to the game World Club Chunnli's the lost against Wigan,
they lost one against St. Helen's, and games they've lost
through the year, oftentimes it's been wet fields at Combag
Stadium where they've just they just haven't been able to
get their game on because of the conditions. Well, it's
(24:29):
going to be like that New Zealand. So they've got
they've got the best player in the game with the
best kicking game, but nothing's a guarantee.
Speaker 2 (24:37):
And his little brother's over there at the Warriors, so
he's fine.
Speaker 1 (24:40):
I think I believe he's at training playing Nathan Cleary.
Speaker 2 (24:44):
Yes, yeah, correct, Jet Cleary over there. He's showing them
an inside into Nathan's mind. I have no doubt they'd
be picking the shit out of his brain. I remember
when I was at Manly and we come up against Melbourne,
it was like tell us everything you know about everyone.
I can only imagine what Jet is copying this week
from the coaching staff and all the boys wanting a
(25:05):
bit of an inside Ivan and Nathan, what do you
think about the key class? Where do you think this
is going to be?
Speaker 1 (25:11):
One couple of key classes? Coop, a couple of keick
the one that I'm looking forward to, of course, you
got Nathan against their creative players, and the one I'm
looking forward Moses Leota against James Fisher Harris, the two
big alphas going to each other, former teammates, great great
friends they will just if you're a if you love
(25:32):
your eighties rugby league where there was a good old
fashioned softening up period. So like ras Man Jack Coops,
what used to happen in the eighties and even in
the early nineties, There used to be a twenty minute
period called the softening up period, and it was basically
where the referee would put his whistle away and just
let the big blokes just tear the shit out of
each other. And like get after each other, headbutting, scrumps,
(25:54):
everything like that. This I reckon the first twenty minutes
between these two alphas, it'll be like the old softening
up period. And to win finals games, there's lots of
little battles to win the big war, right, and this
is going to be one of them. If James Fisher
har Harris gets out there and just starts tearing into
Moses and wins that battle, the battle of physicality, mate,
(26:15):
that's that's that'll give the Warriors an enormous lyft Yeah.
Speaker 2 (26:19):
I agree, and I think it is going to be
a bit of a and the first time. This is
the first time the Warriors have really had an experienced
finals leader in their side in a long time, like
there hasn't been many of them that have gone into
finals footage. Jamesons Harris is probably more experienced than anyone
in the NRL with finals football, so it'd be interesting
to see how he gets them up for the game.
(26:40):
But it'll be a real forwards battle because even Hallasima
comes into the starting lineup, Kate Well has gone to
the centers and near Korra is the other back row,
so Wade Egan comes back into the side.
Speaker 1 (26:52):
So it's a strong team mate Charms at the back.
It's just the big thing is the creative coup. The
creatives of the concern chances are Runner like you know,
he's a little bit like Dylan Edwards. You've got great
work ethic and you've got Wade Egan, who's he's going
to be their chief playmaker because you've got Chanelle, Harris
Taveta and Tanner Boyd. Neither of those blokes handy players.
(27:13):
Neither of them they were primary ball players. So that's
what puts enormous pressure on Egan and what heard him
last week, the fact that he was out. But if
you draw form, drawing formed through that for just wait
for a second here, like Manly. Manly beat him in
twenty seven to twenty six last week in Manly away
from home. They did that without They did that without
(27:34):
Wade Egan, their most important player with the football and
Manly play their very best football when there's no pressure
on Manley just got out there, threw the ball around
twenty seven to twenty six. Do you know when you
draw a line through that without their most important player,
it's not it's not a bad performance.
Speaker 3 (27:53):
You also talk about Yeah, you talk about how important
Wade Egan is for Panoris. Mitch Kenney is out massive.
Speaker 1 (28:01):
Well, he's their chief in defense. Is he out? Yeah,
he's out. Ye, look someone to come to his handy player.
But mate, Mitch Kennys is like a built of concrete.
He's just he's an old fashioned dog of war. Shit
he is too.
Speaker 2 (28:16):
Wow, Mitchell Kenny, he's out. You know what else is
a tough call. They've dropped Tommy Jenkins for paul A
la Motti.
Speaker 1 (28:23):
Is really surprised one.
Speaker 2 (28:24):
I thought, when you look at a side that's been
quite inconsistent and players that haven't played their best footy
at Pendre, Tommy Jenkins has been probably, if not their
most consistent all year.
Speaker 1 (28:34):
It's one thing that does Ivan is not afraid. He's
pretty ruthless making tough decisions. Zach Hosking a couple of
years ago where Zach was one of their best forwards
all through the back end of the season and then
got changed for Luke Garana on Grand Final week. Yeah,
that's it's a big call. It's a it's a huge call.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
Milky. They brought him into in the Bloody Blues camp
this year, Milk.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
He was been a playing awesome X factor and he
McClain made a great combination out and the left.
Speaker 2 (29:02):
My two X factors for this game. Obviously for Penrith
speaks for himself. Nathan Cleary, I think he's kind of
the key for bringing out their best football. He brings
out the best in Blaze to Lungey. Blaze's running games elite,
but when Nathan plays straight and opens the game up
for him, that's where you see Blaze really coming to
his own. Same with Dylan Edwards. So I think you
(29:24):
know Nathan Clear's kicking game is going to be so
important in finals and his X factor out there for
the Warriors. This is not a usual one, but I
think he is so important for the Warriors attack and
he disrupts teams so well. Aaron Clark, he's their lock.
He's a former Titan ras man. I'm aware, but sure
(29:45):
you are put your pants back on. But Aaron Clark,
Aaron Clark has played, He's been such a good bye
for him. He's similar to I would say what Brandon
Smith has been doing for the rabbit O's the last
few weeks. When he's out there, he brings such an energy.
He's the link man, particularly without Metcalf. Now he's the
link man between getting the ball out to the edges
(30:07):
and the halves. He's been really good at that. But
also his leg speed is so good and he's so
good at finding a quick playable through the middle. So
I think he's going to be such a big X
factor for their attack.
Speaker 1 (30:19):
My X factor in this game, I only got one
X factor can go either way with the side is
Dylan Edwards. Dylan Edwards, I think in the last five
years has been consistently probably in the top five or
top ten players in the game. He's been that good.
But the last month I've just seen some unusual things
come into his game that aren't like Dylan errors at
(30:43):
really vital times. But the other one was the ball
is the ball in the air, the high ball. He's
looked really uncomfortable with it at times, like really uneasy
under it. And at first I put it down to fatigue.
I thought, you know, he's played a lot of football,
he's tied, that's the reason to come up with these errors.
But I think it's a dip in confidence. I think
he's had a little bit of a dip in confidence.
(31:05):
And so if I'm if I'm Andrew Webster, I'm telling
my halves again some of the Burton situation. Anything from
halfway on, mate, just put it high. We're going to test.
We're going to test Dylan's nerve. On the flip side
of that, Dylan could be the reason why Dylan could
actually just destroy him with his yardage game. He's just relentless.
So Dylan, Dylan Edwards and his performance is a big
(31:26):
X factory the way who wins. Look, I'm going to
go Penrith. I don't think they'll have it all their
own way. I think it was really hartful game. But
Penrith they will go into suffocation made. It'll be simplify
strong yardage. It'll be Dylan Edwards on one, one of
the outside backs onto Dylan Edwards on three one forward,
kick the ball along, chase like maniacs, defend like killers.
(31:49):
They just suffocate the opposition.
Speaker 2 (31:51):
I'm I think they're so experienced in finals. They've got
the best player in the world out there to guide
him around. I've got Pendrith comfortably, but I hope I'm
wrong because I would love to see the Wise win.
I think it'd be so good for Rabby League RAS.
Speaker 3 (32:05):
I also have Penrith, but I hope that Nathan Cleary
packs his noise canceling headphones because I can't wait to
see those those fireworks go off.
Speaker 1 (32:13):
If you wonder then.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
And if there's any noise canceling headphones that want to
send us some stuff phrases looking.
Speaker 1 (32:18):
For freebie Yeah, yeah, well they call him the rasmn seriously.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
Next game on the Saturday as well, Sharks first roosters.
Speaker 1 (32:26):
Both coaches, both coaches will like the Well look at this,
I think, by the way, I think this is the
hardest game to pick. I think both coaches, they both
know each other very very well. In fact, all of
these games, it's unusual. Madge has been Ricky's assistant, know
each other well, Fitzi has been Robber's assistant, Andrew Webster
(32:48):
has been Ivan's assistant. And then the other game.
Speaker 2 (32:51):
Siraldo and Belly ate nothing to do with it, nothing
to do with each other. Two excellent coaches, yeah, but
two terrific people.
Speaker 1 (32:57):
Yeah. Both these coaches know each other very well, each
other's methods, they know what to expect. So I would
say both coaches, as far as this matchup that concerned,
wud be pretty comfortable. Yeah, both pretty confident.
Speaker 2 (33:07):
I think talk about form for a sec. What do
you think, because I know Rooster's just slipped into the eight,
But I think with how they've been playing, particularly James Tedesco,
I think they're really dangerous in this. They remind they
actually remind me of that two thousand and nine paramount
at Eels Side where they had Jared Haynes coming in
(33:28):
and he was the best player in the world. I
see Tedesco back to that individual form and a lot
of people, probably like everyone saying is the favorite in
the Dali m and a lot of people probably the
focus hasn't been on him as much, probably because he
hasn't been the origin fullback state of origin fullbacks since
he lost that position. But he's playing as good as
he's ever played.
Speaker 1 (33:46):
Yeah, I totally agree. It's the best he's ever played
in my opinion. He's passed selection. He's footwork, he's rapid
feet through the middle, he's leadership, he's been outstanding.
Speaker 2 (33:56):
And I think the sharkis the last month. They're back
to playing that footy that they were playing in twenty
twenty one, where they were really playing fast and creating
so many good they were really creative with the football
to the bloke.
Speaker 1 (34:09):
Who will talk about the bloke who's triggered that in
a second. But it's interesting, coop since these two have
had the buy. So round eighteen the Sharks have had
the buy. They've gone a run since then. They've won
seven of their last eight, including a thirty one eighteen
win over the Chuuks at home. At the same time,
(34:31):
the Roosters since round seventeen, they've won seven from ten,
but they've beaten some heavyweights, so both teams in good form.
It's all about timing. I reckon. At the moment, the
Sharks are playing I think the best football have all season. Hugemate.
We talked about great clashes in this game as a
few coup the yardage fight between two different sets of
(34:55):
people will be tremendous. The Roosters forwards are second to
nobody at the moment the way they're playing with their
physicality and they go forward, but they're up against the
Sharks who their yard is going to be led by
and Mulitalo. They're going to lead it for Jesse, Jeff Jesse,
Raymond Kaleiro will kick in, but they're back men. They
(35:17):
will lead. They will lead the yardist for the Sharks,
and I reckon when they play their best football is
when they when those four men do that.
Speaker 2 (35:25):
Oh yeah, I think outside of Penrith, that's that that
back three, what they do for the side, they're the best,
they're the next best into it and they're so when
they're on. They're so good at doing it. Particularly Ronaldo
is such a handful out of that backfield. But then
you also look at that the back three of the
Chucks are very similar. Not in the sense of how
(35:47):
much work they do out of the backfield. Dangel Tubo
is very good at it, He's done it for a
long time, but how pivotal they are to their attack,
particularly with the kicking threats of Mark Namangan and Danna
Tuba man like, they they are so pivotal to the
Chooki's attack.
Speaker 1 (36:03):
Cart like they'll target him a little bit of the
ball in the air. Ronaldo has got a great loop
he'll handle, but that's going to be it'll be huge. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (36:11):
I think Tupo is on Katoa, so I think that's
that's probably the side that they will kick too, because
then I believe Ronaldo's on the left with Mark Nawang.
Speaker 1 (36:20):
But Mark knowingen, I know someone I was just talking
to Joel Cane about he will he knows somebody who
backed him at started the year to be leading tri
scorer at one hundred and twenty five to one.
Speaker 3 (36:31):
He won twenty four tries, twenty three appearances.
Speaker 1 (36:33):
Yeah, wow, Stutman, Statman rabbit.
Speaker 2 (36:37):
You know what Marky, Mark's also got in him. Jeez,
he's got an error in him when he when they
put the high ball. So I have no doubt as
well that Trindle on the left and Nietzsche and Nietzsche
Nicholas Hines will be They'll be bombing with with Ronaldo
coming through, put a lot of pressure on.
Speaker 1 (36:53):
Geez good great clash of the spine. Will Kennedy Bred Trindle,
Nico and Blake Bray against Teddy, Sammy Walker, Hugo Savala
and Connor's coming off the bench there.
Speaker 2 (37:06):
Connor's starting kind of starting.
Speaker 1 (37:07):
Sorry to a big, big final series for Sammy. Sammy
Walker hasn't hasn't like coming off a knee reconstruction. Hasn't
he had a return?
Speaker 2 (37:16):
Oh yeah, he's been unbelievable.
Speaker 1 (37:17):
He's been one of the best players in the competition
back end.
Speaker 2 (37:19):
I know, and I think it's big for him and
SVA because you look at and the rumors of Cherry
Evans going there next year. If like Savala and Sammy would,
if they put their best foot forward, like puts him
in good stead for next year. Because Savala, if he
has to move on, I have no doubt clubs will
(37:41):
be knocking on the door to try to get it.
Speaker 1 (37:43):
Savala is a very very good player.
Speaker 2 (37:45):
He's a very good, very solid.
Speaker 1 (37:47):
Half, very very good mate, very He's got very strong fundamentals.
He's catch, he's pass, he's straight and he's kick. In
those vital areas he is. He's eight out of ten
or better. The key man in here in both is
Blake Brailey. Blake Brayley has been arguably the best player
in the competition. I think in the last about six weeks.
(38:08):
You contest that with Tenesco a little bit probably, but
he will he's the best. He's played by a mile.
He's really fulfilled that potential people have been talking about.
And Coop. The big thing here is the fact that
like Nicko's playing great football as well. Because of the
fact that Brayley he's running the ball. The Shark's attack
comes to life when Brayley scoops and goes, don't just
(38:31):
feed off the ground, be a moving dummy half. Very similar.
He and Nicko are operating in combination, very similar the
way Damian Cook and Cody Walkey used to in the
fact that the best stuff from Cody come about when Blake,
when Cookie would scoop the ball and go, and Cody
straight away would be on the front foot, right, and
when you're a high alert, when you've got a dummy half,
(38:52):
that the moment there's a bit of momentum, he might
just take off. You can't sit back. You need to
get on the front foot and play forwards. And that's
what suits nick That's.
Speaker 2 (39:00):
What's been good. Yeah, well I had Nicko was my
keif as my ex factor for the game given what
him and Brayley have started to cook up. Because Niko's
at this year seven tries twenty try sists I believe,
but majority of those have been in the second half
of the year. He started the year as more of
the controller of the team, and then they sort of
shifted and now you see Niko getting back to his
(39:22):
good footy because Blake Bayle is running, which then brings
Nicko's running gaming because when Hooker takes off, you've got
to punch holes and you've got to be your running threat.
And when Nicko's are running threat, you see how much
he's creating for other people twenty Triasis throughout the years,
which have all come in this back end of the year.
So I think he's the X factor for the Sharks
and then obviously for the Chuckies speech for himself. James Tedesco,
(39:43):
They've got they've got such a big job, particularly in
the middle to try to contain. Yeah, James Tedesco huge.
Speaker 1 (39:48):
It isn't funny with Nico and Sam Walker to the
vital playmakers. Like with Niko, whatever Niko's thinking and feeling,
you can see that clear on his face. We know
sensitive dude, and he's been down. Sam Walker would make
an incredible poker player because he's just almost stonefaced. You
don't know what he's thinking, like, he's just okay, my
(40:09):
X factor. Adam Vanila Blake. This is why they bought
Adam and Adam vanil Blake. Sometimes he well not, sometimes
he is. He's probably a victim of his own standards
and expectations people have on because if you ask mate,
(40:29):
has he been a good side Adam Vanil Blake. People
do this basically go yeah, yeah, yep, he has been.
But if Adam Vanilla Blake his last his name was,
you know, Charlie Jones. How's Charlie Jones gone this year?
You would say, mate, he is unbelievable because it's just
what you expect from Adam Vaniel Blake. Mate, here's the
(40:49):
big dog in this game, here's the alpha. This is
what the Sharks are bought him for. I forget what's
happened in all the other rounds. This is why they've
bought him. They have brought him to the club to
win these games. He's my X factor who wins.
Speaker 2 (41:02):
Okay, you wanted me to go first, go for I've
got the chucks. Now. This was hard to pick, but
most of my decisions have come off the back of
kicking game and who I think is gonna sort of
dominate that area. You know, obviously Penrith and then Melbourne
with their kick threats. I think Roosters kick threats are
so good in finals. When you play simple, the most
important thing is where you turn opposition over and then
(41:25):
the people who have the ability to get you the
ball back or score tries off kicks. So I think
now I'm going need to say and Daniel Tupau and
even when they kick shorter for Angus Crichton and Billy Smith,
I think they're going to be really hard to contain
in that sense. I got chookies.
Speaker 1 (41:39):
Even in the finals game, Shark Parks a very hard
place to win. I'm just going on, guat Phil, I
think the Sharks win by eight. Well, Ram rasmund.
Speaker 3 (41:48):
I was pretty bullish on the Roosters before this conversation,
but now I'm starting to turn yes for Asmah I
reckon I could see Mola Tala given it to him. Yeah,
all the Roosters fans giving him a finger.
Speaker 2 (41:58):
So I'll go the SHARKI nice, Rasman, what kind of
thing like the finger cord?
Speaker 3 (42:06):
Any of them?
Speaker 2 (42:07):
Okay, Now we go into the last game, and probably
my favorite one for the round, Sunday Afternoon Raiders versus
Broncos one v.
Speaker 3 (42:15):
Four. I mean, it's the game of the round.
Speaker 1 (42:18):
I think it's a great game.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
It's got to be the game of the round. Both
they're both the sides that I think coming into this
time of the year, they're probably the most inform sides.
Speaker 1 (42:27):
Two of the super clubs in the nineties that unfortunately
never had the opportunity to play each other in a
Grand Final due to various injuries. These two sides played
each other in the first week of the Finals in
ninety ninety five, when both had iconic lineups. It was
one of the best finals games of all time. It
was played in Brisbane Raiders beat on twelve eight and
it was such a fierce game that both sides never
(42:49):
made the Grand Final. Both sides basically fell apart from
injuries for the rest of the final series. This will
be a beauty. I think both coaches were like the matchup.
I think Magicle like the matchup because he's going to
play a team will who wants to play the type
of game the Brisbane want to play. They want to
open the field up the Raiders, so to the Broncos,
(43:13):
they want to do this. It's just going to be
a matter of who executes the best. Some great match.
Speaker 2 (43:20):
I'll tell you what. This game has the ability as
well to because I actually really like the Broncos to
win the camp I think if they can get through
this round, I think whoever gets through this game is
going to make it to the Grand Final because we
don't talk about how important the week off is at
this time of the year as if and you wouldn't,
you wouldn't probably notice as much. But sixty percent of
(43:43):
the boys out on that field are playing busted. They've
got a shoulder that they're needling up, they've got something
that is just a body part that's just that sore.
That week off becomes so pivotal. And I think this
game is going to be such a high intensity game
and physical that whoever doesn't win it is going to
have a really hard pick. Yeah, they're going to be
(44:04):
hard to pick themselves up and get up for the
next week.
Speaker 1 (44:07):
Do they does the loser of this game? Do they
play the winner of Sharks and Roosters? I think they do.
I think it's outside of the draw. I think pen yeah, okay.
Speaker 2 (44:16):
Yeah, there it is.
Speaker 1 (44:17):
Yeah. Yeah. Far as big matchups right across the park,
you've got you know, Kyle Weeks up against Roos, but they,
of course you make go head to hear. But they
play this identical style of the game. Mate, it's it's
the forward battle, mate, Joe Tarpani and big part of
Josh pab paying hass and Patty Carrigan. That's going to
(44:40):
be that's going to be Fierce's.
Speaker 2 (44:43):
And you know what another the Battle of the Center's
Catoni Staggs and Gami ship Asaki has come back into
the side up against Matt Tomoko and Sebastian Chris, who
very They've been very underrated this year. They're both strong
individual centers coming up against the powerhouses of Shibasaki and
as well. I think there's so many good individual matchups
(45:03):
in this game that it's it's just shaping up to
be such a blockbas Star.
Speaker 1 (45:07):
Do you know what my X factor is coop in
this game? My X factor player, I'll give you three guesses.
Speaker 2 (45:13):
I would say, what side of the is this X
factor for the whole game?
Speaker 1 (45:18):
Yeah, I'm going to get one man.
Speaker 2 (45:20):
I'm going to say Ethan Strange incorrect, Taire Weeks incorrect.
So now I'm thinking Hudson incorrect.
Speaker 1 (45:29):
Tom Starling? Is it the Stalin Starling? Because in the
middle of the field, mate, it's the land of the Giants, right,
and that there's great opportunity through the middle of the
field with those big guys for a small, fast, creative
dummy half and starlo Is certainly one of those. I
watched him through the year. At times he causes problems
(45:50):
to those those bigger sides. Broncos can be a little
bit vulnerable through the middle of the field. And if
if Raiders start to get the ascendancy are going to role,
you'll see Staralo really start to cut him up. Oh
and Paddy will come on late in the game. But
I think Stalow Tommy Starling is my X factor in
this game.
Speaker 2 (46:08):
Well, I look at the two spines. It's as good
as a spine match up as as you get in
this final series. You know, Kyle Weeks, Ethan Strange, Jamal Foggerty,
Tommy Starling up against Reese Wash, Billy Walter's, Ben Hunt,
Corey Pakes. Yeah, still missing obviously Adam Reynolds and Ezra Man.
But my X factors, I've got my Raiders as Ethan Strange.
(46:29):
I think he's got.
Speaker 1 (46:30):
The ability to you know what you did that You
just went to your left foot then left as soon
as I think left hand carry left foot.
Speaker 2 (46:36):
Oh, he's so he's so good to watch. He's he
he's literally Jack Whiteon like the way he's sort of
come into that six and owned it. He's this the
exact sort of player that Jack Whiton was at the
Raiders when he was got that Clive Church and metal.
He's left hand, he's that strong, and he's just a
running threat to have.
Speaker 1 (46:55):
A massive game. Coops was that two weeks ago? That
game the two week got to wrap up the Tigers? Tigers,
I reckon he would have been dirty on himself with
that performance. He wasn't quite himself. They played good, but
come up with a couple of Vera's and I just
watched him at full time and I went, oh, man,
I could just tell he was filthy on himself. And
for that reason, I thought, I wonder if Ricky well
(47:17):
play him next week. But Ricky's just held him back. Mate,
he'd be stilling on that performance for two weeks. He'll
explode out of the ship.
Speaker 2 (47:24):
And then my other X factor for the Broncos is
Reese Walsh. I think Reese is going to be the
most him. I think he's going to be the most
important player on the score line of this game. I
think with the people that are out of this Broncos side,
they've we saw it last week against Melbourne. They reverted
back to a really simple style of football. Stay through
(47:45):
the middle. When Billy or Benny Hunt get it, they
just dropped their back rollers off. Make them work, make
them work, and then they find Reese Walsh tackle three,
tackle four to use his speed on an edge. I
think if he's on that, it brings the whole Broncos
side alive. If he's struggles with consistency sometimes there's a
little bit rocks and diamonds people say, But if he
(48:06):
creates more diamonds than rocks, I think he's going to
be the most important player on the field.
Speaker 1 (48:09):
Two blowsin have a lot of pressure on him because
of Kyle Weeks and Reese Walsh is going to be
Jamal Foggety and Bennie Hunt. What both sides will do
is they'll work, in my opinion, they'll work past the
scrumb line to an edge to open the field up,
and they'll try to isolate these two players on Benny
Hunt and Jamal and if they get a little bit
of space, they won't be able to put it with them.
(48:30):
And I think I and would not surprise me if
in the second half, if they can regularly do that,
you might actually see both sides change their defensive technique
and start defending outside in.
Speaker 2 (48:40):
Well, that's the only way to stop those they're so quick.
Speaker 1 (48:43):
Got to cramp them.
Speaker 2 (48:44):
And then it brings it. When that happens, it brings
in their back rollers, blokes like Jordan Ricky and Hudson Young.
You'll see them start to change their line. When the
Senate goes out to jam the fullback, they kick out
and that little over his line.
Speaker 1 (48:57):
It was, you know, funny, It's funny. Ke're just saying that.
If playing against the Broncos and they work past the
scrumline to that far roots, I'd actually tell my blace
to compress the line a little bit and go up
and just move like that, you know what I mean, Like,
don't present, don't present white holes like you know, if you,
if you, if you're a little bit tighter than with
Bennie Hunt. It's a very fine line for Rus to
(49:18):
try to do a show and go and get through
that line as opposed to really isolating him. But I'll
ask you this question, Coop, he's something for you, right
if Adam Reynolds would have been available and he come
into the side and do you pick him? Yeah, and
you pick him right? He goes in Who do you
play six? Who do you play nine? I'd be tempted
(49:39):
to keep Billy Wallers at six and play Benny Hunt
at nine because I think I think Billy has been
fantastic in six. He's not trying to finesse the football around,
he just runs the ball, and he's a strong defender
on the edge. I would have I would have I
considered that.
Speaker 2 (49:54):
I would like that either I would do I would
I would keep Reynolds and Billy, but I would either
put I reckon. I'd rather put Benny Hunt at fourteen,
let Corey Paks take the first twenty minutes out because
Benny Hunt. Benny Hunt offers way more in attack when
there's fatigue out in the field. So that's what I do.
But to be fair, and this is a hot take,
(50:15):
but I like the combination of Hunt and Billy together
rather than Reno with those guys because I think they
are forced to play so much more simple because they
don't have Renaut's brain out there, so it actually helps,
not helps. Similar when Jerome Hughes went down, they were
forced to play a different style that actually has made
(50:36):
them way more as a team because they rely so
much on Reno and his creativity isn't funny.
Speaker 1 (50:42):
Sometimes you just aside does not look as strong on paper,
but the change of formula just works. Interesting one coops
who wins? I'm going to get Look, I'm going to
gather raiders, going to gather raiders down there. It's gonna mate,
but I'll go the Raiders. I'll go the Raiders by
(51:02):
four points. There you go, and letting people know too,
we're doing our Sunday Night with Maddie John Show live
from Canberra with the ground.
Speaker 2 (51:10):
We've got a lot of Camebra listeners, so if you're
heading down to the game, free.
Speaker 1 (51:14):
Come and say, hey, y'all, what do you think I
got Broncos.
Speaker 2 (51:18):
I think Broncos. I think they're going to get it done.
I think with how how good they played against Melbourne
last week, I think they finally found their blueprint and
I'd be surprised if they sort of try to venture
outside that just quickly.
Speaker 1 (51:32):
Who's the player of Week one of the finals? Who
do you think will be the player?
Speaker 2 (51:38):
That is a great question, that's great.
Speaker 1 (51:40):
I'm going to go Harry g Oh your dog.
Speaker 2 (51:43):
I'm going to go Reese Walsh. I think while she plays,
I reckon. He plays his best game of the.
Speaker 1 (51:48):
Year, wins. Who wins? Turned up there? Turned the ras
Men up? Ras Man who wins? Camber and Jesus hit
the wall.
Speaker 2 (52:00):
That's an idiot. Broncos Verus Raiders. Who wins? And who's
your player the round? Broncos win.
Speaker 3 (52:07):
Ten in a good game there, but the player round
is going to be our mate, Zach Cosking.
Speaker 2 (52:13):
So oh, the Mule, he's met me all, he's he
come to the Remember last year the race we went
to the races and we brought the ras Man. I'll
tell you right now. Mule loves the ras Man and
then ras Man loves the mules.
Speaker 3 (52:24):
So yeah, let's get it going.
Speaker 2 (52:26):
And he's ranger. Remember Jack, he's been ringing us all
the time. You're saying, we have to have another day
at the racers with the ras Man because he just
you were on that day though all were you were on.
You had that much energy. You're that fun ras
Speaker 1 (52:41):
Ras Man loves the rare Razzie Jack cheers, boys,
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