May 25, 2025 • 43 mins
The boys break down the team lists for Origin 1 and preview this week’s blockbuster clash.
They dive into each side’s strengths, weaknesses, and key matchups to watch.
Plenty of NRL headlines to kick things off — Galvin to the Dogs, Cheese to Souths, and Madge to the Broncos.
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0:00-Madge & The Broncos
3:45-Katoa
5:00-Cheese & The Rabbits
6:45-Galvin & The Bulldogs
10:30-Dom Young & The Knights
13:30-State of Origin
29:00-Team Lists
40:00-Predictions
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Sorry, brother, Just sorry, brother, It's just.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Fiddling around there. I never knew that Frank Sinatra That's
life that David Lee Roth did a version of it.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Who cares?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I care obviously brought it up.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
That's live, that's and I know you've had a big night.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Well I had to do it. Get up and charity do.
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Charity Dodd do you You're on a freaking moon late
late night, early morning, late night, early morning.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
What were you doing up?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Where were you? Burly Billy Heads, belly Bears, the.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Burly Bears an excellent club up there.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yes, and q r L also made of mind Damien Driscoll,
he runs the club up there there.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Last night it was good. Bennie Iken was there. First
time to see Bennie oakon for a long time. Madge
Megre on stage.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Match McGuire, Well, well we're going to talk about some
When do we start? Now we started, Yeah, we've started.
The mics are on in Tapman, Yeah, in Chapman. We
have what you say is howards Marge, Michael maguire. A
lot of a lot of press at the moment, with
a lot of pressure from the from the Broncos. Reese
wallash boxing his mate, lots of different stuff. How was Madge?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
It is okay? Now, he's pretty good. I mean, he's
been through it all before, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
And at the end of the day, the broncos of
five and five, like, you know, it's it's a it's
a I think because they won that first round so
convincingly and just absolutely expectation went through the roof through
the roof and they've got a lot of stuff they
got to adjust, but they'll get there. I think the
thing that and I didn't go into a deep with Madge,
but what'd been disappointing is you know, and it happens
(01:39):
when you lose, people start to come out and say,
oh mate, some of the players are unhappy and all
the rest of it. So you know what, winning solves everything,
winning does. It's winning solves everything. Once you get back
to winning ways that all the all that sort of
noise and the criticism and all that starts to die.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
But he's been through before. He was pretty good match, yeah,
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yeah, what what's did he seem like it was bothering
him or anything like, just because a lot of people
a lot of the time people go, oh, you know,
when players are criticized, people go, you got to remember,
who's a twenty two year old boy. A lot of
that stuff people forget sometimes coaches they might be a
bit older in experience, but doesn't mean they are oblivious
(02:20):
but to feelings, yes.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I don't oblivious to feelings is the right term. But yes,
they're human, they are they are human. Mate, know, he's
pretty good.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Actually, as I said before, he's been it through before.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I've seen Madge Madge is not the sort of guy.
Look when Madge Madge could win twenty games in a
row and when you speak to him like his head
is going to fall off anyway.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Is that type of guy.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
He's an intense guy, you know, that's what he is
a coach, but made he's good.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Like I'm not saying like they're not they're not going off.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
A clear or anything like that, but they're going through
a bad patch of form at the moment.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
They're trying to work things out. He'll get through it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I think most clubs are going pretty sh inconsistent this year,
like it's the it's thee apart from Bulldogs really a
lot of Canberra probably, but well, a lot of clubs
are so inconsistent.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I mean the Bulldogs the other night, Friday night. Yeah,
get flowers out of the Dolphins. That's right, you know
what I mean?
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Like it's his Dolphins were good by the.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Way, Dolphins were good, but they've had an inconsistent year too. Azayakatawa,
you love him, mate, You need you need to stop
him settling. You love him so much. I'm actually I
love it.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I love him as a player. I just think he's very,
very special.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
He's a good player.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Twenty one years of age, something like that. And when
you talk about the best half backs in the game,
the best, the elite halfbacks in the game, the very best,
the Krem della crem, the cream of the crop.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And the crop of the cream, which he's got to
be in that.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Something right, And we're going to unpack it. This is
going to we're going to unpack a lot of state
of origin. I hate that word unpacked. Say we're going
to go through We're going to go through a lot
of state of origin. Just because you don't like something
doesn't mean everyone else has to follow you, by the way.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But Isaia Katawa, let's say Mitch and Nathan Cleary both
got long term injuries, game two whatever game. Do you
think he'd be ready for State of Oder?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Yes, yes, I do. I do.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
He's just so composed. Every time I see him, he
just gets better. He's playmaking the other night. The first
half he controlled the game with his kicking in the
wet conditions. Second half he control the game with his
guidance and his clever ball playing. Just dominated. So yeah,
and it's funny, isn't it, because you think about when
you think about the state of origin, he's.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Not a name that comes to mind. No, not really,
but yeah, he's eligible.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
He represents Tonga, but there are two nations, so he
can play State of origin football. And I reckon, I
reckon Laurie should bring him. You know they have the
extended squad. Bring him to the extended squad.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, I've got to apologize to people too. I am really,
I am really young.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Overs catching up with old mates last.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Night, and hey, you know what, like we said about
coaches a humans, you're a human too. Like I know
you're you're a media icon and as your legend, but
is that fair thing to say. That's a fair thing
to say, But that doesn't mean you're not human. Either
you're allowed to have down days, right.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Honest, it's down day. I'm just saying that my energy
levels a little low and I'm a little cloudy. I've
got these glasses on at the moment just to sort
of shield my eyes a little bit.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah. Another shout out Brandon Smith. Yeah, cheesel has he's
been at the Rabbit Hoz. I saw Latrol Mitchell during
the week and asked him how Cheese is going. He said,
he's fitting in like a glove, very easy, very likely
to get along with. Says he's really happy at the moment.
You spoke to Cheese as well. During the week.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
I text Cheese and I said, great to see in
the Cardinal of Myrtle and he that's the colors of
Sesiny cardinal cardinal and Myrtle. Oh right, your brother played
for the Mighty Bunnies and you don't even know their
colors cardinals.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
So you're going red and green, don't you? Green? It's
so what cardinal of Myrtle?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Is that the old school way of saying red and green?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yeah, it's a slightly it's not a pure red. It's
a different, isn't it. Jack? That's right? Yeah? JACKO help
us out.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Nice work there, Cooper. It's a softer red and a
softer green, mate, Yes, you know there it is, Yeah,
with lighter undertones. I didn't want people to turn off, right, Well,
that's that's hand. You can tell that Wayne Bennet's going
to get the best.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Well, I text Jesus and make Gracie and the Cardinal
Myrtle and he can said, mate, I love Wayne as
we just come back with That's all he said. And
that's people. There's some coaches they just get the best
out of players. Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bennett mate, like Brent,
he's the type of guy that will thrive under those
those those type of coaches.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Yeah, and Lucky Galvin that's another big news at the moment,
saying that he might leave potentially immediately, right.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
It was going to be before June thirty.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yeah, so is do you think that's a if I'm
the Bulldogs, I feel like it's a weird bye. Why
I look at how good they're going this year, Toby
Sexton and and I think they are a great pairing.
They're both young. Like you leave those two there together
for a five year period, They're only going to get
better now they're going to get Lachlan Galvin, who, in
(07:10):
my opinion, is just a younger He is a younger
version of Matt Burton with how he plays. I think
they're different. Well, I think their strength of the exact same.
They're running totally different. What do you think football?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
It's a tricky one for a tricky one for Gus
and Cameron Sorelda with the Dogs because it's really important.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
You've got to shore up at the future of your club,
you know, and your future roster. But at the same
time they're flying, you know, they're they're at the moment,
and you don't want who You don't basically want to
plan to the future and hurt the present.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
But this is it's what you've got to do.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
And Galvin is looks to me as though, I feel
good accounts him as like a once in a generation
type player that's sort of talent. And so I know
it's hard and might disrupt things a little bit, But
as far as the futures concern you, if you've got there,
if you've if you have the chance to sign Lockie,
(08:07):
you've just got to sign him. Where they play him,
I think they will play him.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
We'll put it this way.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
I think the next eighteen months for Lockie that he
will be in the halves, he'll be.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
A six coups. But long term I see him as
the thirteen.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
But the question I wanted to ask you, because you
said you think they're different players, they both play as
a five eight, as a running five eight. How do
you think that dynamic good work down Matt Burton Ulockey
govern as halves.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
They wouldn't play together.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I don't think they played.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Together in the halves similar.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
No, because neither of them are pure seven that it would.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I still maintain you do need someone who's a pure
seven or more of a natural seven than those two blokes.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Burton for me is.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
He's a six slash three slash one, possibly possibly thirteen,
but I see him in an outside back slash six.
I see Locky Galvin as a six slash thirteen. He's
a play through the line type player. He's going to
be when he when he pops and starts to fill out,
and he's going to be robust shortball playing handful. But
(09:15):
I don't neither of them are sevens, and this is
going to be This is why it's going to be
interesting if they do Land Galvin. It seem very interesting
what they do with Sexton because they haven't signed Toby yet,
because and I'm looking at and thinking, okay, how can
you fit them all in? But I think to bring
the Locke into that squad and get rid of I
(09:35):
think get rid of Tab Sexton would be a mistake.
I still think you need that pure seven. I don't
see Maddy Burton and I don't see Lockey Galvin. We're
in a seven comfortably.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah, No, I agree. A lot of the reports have
been Burton playing one this week that has come out
saying that Burton to one and Galvin and Sexton is
the combination, which I mean could potentially work. I think
kind of Tracey's content, he fits into them mold very well.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
So this is what we're talking about when you bring
a bring a player in the level, just that subtle
disruption that happens like suddenly, like Toby Sexton.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I've been looking at Toby in the last six weeks ago,
what's going through his head? Everyone's still to.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Be a Galvin going there and he not being re
signed and being on the outer, And I think what's
going through Toby's head? And he's been able to compartmentalized
and actually do really good.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
But yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
But I mean I think they've become the favorites to
sign Galvin. I mean it's always been Paramatter, Paramatter or
the Dogs. Conspiracy went around last conspiracy theory last week
that the Roosters were in for Galvin. But that would
that would be an all time out of left field,
even by the Roosters standards to do that. I think
it's either going to be Paramoun or the Bulldogs. I
(10:47):
think you've got the Bulldogs.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Okay. And the last sort of story that's floating around.
Trent Robinson went whack on the Newcastle Knights last week
about the Dom Young situation. What are you hearing about
Dom Young? Do you think you'll go this year?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
He'll be there in two weeks two weeks Castle. I
think he.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
The Knights. The Rooster's played the Knights in a couple
of weeks time. My understanding is Dom will be a
Rooster when that game's taple. He might not be on
the field. It might have been in the first grade side,
but he will be a Rooster up until full time.
At full time, the thing that I've heard is that
he will be the Knights the week after that, so
(11:27):
it's Roosters versus Knights.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Take it as given. The next day he'll be the Knights.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
It's been a weird, weird relationship. I think Don played
very well last year. Obviously for whatever reason, you know,
he was dropped this year. They didn't think he was
playing that well. Do you think it'll be a goodbye
for the Knights going back then.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Phil Burbon, you think it'd be a good r Yeah, goodbye,
very very good.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, it works, it works well. He gives them a
lot of punch coming out of hit. Him and Shill
has been been He's good player, Shiller. But that one
two combination of Greg marzou and and Dom Young coming
out of trouble, that one two punch is very very
good and you know, in some sort of finish it
but in his big personality up there like it was
(12:07):
a big loss for the club, Like.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
My I reckon.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
The best image I've seen of the Newcastle Knights in
the last twenty years is that Canberra game.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It's a final game.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
When he's running down that right hand touch line, crowd
we're just going man, that was it was just some
great shots. Yeah, yeah, it's there's some cult heroes like
he reminds you of like a like a Wendell Sailor
for the Broncos, Adam McDougal for Newcastle, that real fan favorite.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
People get around him. Ye, So good to see Dom young.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
If he goes back there, and he'll be back there,
it'll be good to welcome back to the bosom of
the Novocastrian bosom.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yes, Novocastrians.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
I ran into I was going through the airport and
the Swans were there and ran into Isaac Heney, old Navacastrian,
fellow Nevocastrian.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
How was he?
Speaker 2 (12:52):
He was good before I met I met Lucky at
a Melbourne carp Isaac, you're a now. I met Isaac
a couple of years ago at the at the Melbourne Cup.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Good to see him today.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
It's good mate, like good looking for twenty nine. He's
played a long time. He's twenty nine because he was
the Arabay League player coming through. He's from black Hill.
Black Hill is it's it's probably fifteen minutes from from Newcastle.
It's near s it's sort of in between near Maitland
and Rutherford and Hexham around that area. So he's a
black Hill boy. Parents still still live up that way.
(13:30):
So he's a good player, Jesus, good player, good looking too, good,
good strapping young lad. He's a good looking chap and
we know he loves the podcast. Shout out, share, Isaac.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Lucky, whatever you want to call him. All right, State
of Origin before we go through the teams, Matthew, you
played three Start of Origin games?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Four?
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Do you play four? How many you win?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Ah? I forget none?
Speaker 3 (13:49):
No no, no, yeah, that's all right. You and Craig
Bellamy got a very similar wind the dry Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
What about your first Origin experience? What was that like?
What a lot of the boys who are in there
now a lot of debutantes who are going to be playing,
what's it experience like as a first Origin cooper?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I reckon when you're playing Origin, form is really important,
but also not just form, but I reckon the type
of game you play leading into that origin.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Game is really important.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And what I mean by that is until you played
the State of Origin, you've never experienced like pacing intensity
like it to get there, like it's man, it's it's
just full on coop.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
And so what happened to me.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
My five there was the Aril Super League split right,
and they were telling me that if the Super League players.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Weren't going to be selected to the injury and I
were going to do the halves. About about six weeks out.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
From Origin, I did mynee, did a PCL and a
medial and was out for like five six weeks. And
my game that I came back, I came back against
the Warriors the week before the Origin, and I was rusty.
But basically I never realized how rust I was because
(15:00):
we beat them by fifty points. We put the cluess
through the Warriors. It was one of the best wins
to that point in the club's history. We just rolled
through them, and you know, and when you're swimming, you
know along in the in the slip stream, and it's
like things are just working out for you, and you
actually don't realize a lot like that. Easy wins probably
covered up for me how rusty I was and how
(15:22):
much I.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Needed a little bit more of a hit out.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Anyway, so we get there and we sit down, we
go it was myself and Andrew. We're a mum and
dad's house, and we had no idea we're going to
be picked or not. All they said that was there
was going to be a press conference and it led
the six o'clock news. Channel nine News started the six
o'clock news. But okay, let's go straight to ROL headquarters
(15:45):
for the route. They're going to announce the state of
origin side. Now, we were told that if the Super
League players were going to be named, then Ricky and
Laurie were going to be the halves. If they weren't
going to be named, then Andrew and I are going
to be the halves. Now, as they're about to read
out the first name. If they were going to read
out Brett Mullins at fullback, it meant all the Super
League players were going to be in. If they read
(16:06):
out Tim Brasher, it meant it was no Super League
RL players.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So we're sitting in front of the in front of
the box, can Arthur's and John Quayle go through the
ringing roll blah blah blah blah blah, and we come
on just fucking say the side played the side yeah
about five minutes ago. Okay, now the announcement of the side,
and Ken Arthsen goes, okay, new, So while state of
origin side number one, you ain't gone wait wait wait,
(16:32):
Tim Brasher, which so.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
They didn't ring your prior, they didn't tea you up.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
No, Wow, that's bizarre right now.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
I think what it was, Coop. They didn't want to
cook because the Super League war. They didn't want to
let it to get out. I think they weren't going
to select. So it was a complete surprise. Yeah, and
then Gus rang and I spoke to Gus. We went
down into the camp and that first camp and.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
I tear Coop.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You talk about not regrets, but you know, you learn
your lesson that that week. It was a ten day
build up into the game, and every single day they
had me and Joey doing media because you brothers, the
Blues Marketers and all that stuff. We had to come
out to Newcastle and shoot an ad for Reom hot
Water or I had. By the time the game come around,
I was exhausted. I felt like, yeah, I was just I.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Was spent And they do a good job. Now obviously
I was in there a lot last week Monday and Tuesday.
It's heavy media for the boys, like they're doing so
much Channel nine Fox or like you know, your Ko's sport,
like a lot of different brands and stuff, and then
kind of come come training time Wednesday, most of the
media is all done, so they kind of protect them
(17:37):
from it. You have a week of unlike of all prep,
which is good, but I imagine back in those days they
would have just been every day there would have been
something ng a skelter.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
It was.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Yeah, so we got that first game Coop and they
beat us to nil. Well, yeah, so you go from
a game you've beat the Warriors by fifty points at
home and then a dry Sunday afternoon and then you're
playing a night game State of Origin, slippery conditions.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
It was just so nil.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
So just a penalty penalty goal. Wow, is that the
lowest score ever in severn in history? It's probably right.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I think definitely it was a nil. And it's funny.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
I went through a few I played the third game
that series, and that's where I started at the handle
of how you prepare for those games, because and from
that first game, I learned a lot about preparation when
you played, not so much for the Origin because I
only played a couple more, but playing for the Australian
so i'd gone away in World Cups. Learned how to
prepare in the fact that whatever you did, whatever I
(18:31):
did to prepare when I played for Newcastle. I did
the same from then on for the Rep teams, going, yeah,
you do your extras and everything like that. But it's
funny with State of Origin Coup the game, the last
State of Origan game. I played my fourth State of
Origin game, fourth and final. I wasn't named in the side.
I played the first game in ninety eight and then
(18:52):
I played. He played about ten minutes off the bench
in game one and I made way. Laso came in
for me and if you're going to get replaced by
some one, then Laza's pretty good blade pretty good.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Anyway, so games game three, I'm not named and it
was split round for.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Us at Newcastle.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
So's it was Wednesday night game and so it was
on Tuesday night. A few of the boys said, what
are you doing? Are we going to go and get.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
A meal and have a few beers.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
So when I had a time meal and we're having
a few beers, how about six or seven beers.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Go home that night?
Speaker 2 (19:23):
And need I get a call ten thirty that night
with Lorry Day and Joey, I said, mate.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Turves is Turves was really crooked? Was hooker?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
He's really really crook made if he's crooked in the morning,
can't play mate. We're just gonna let you know, mate,
get yourself ready because we're going to put your name
up hook and.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
I'm thinking of himself. Oh fuck honight, because I was pissed.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Yeah, yeah, I had like a massive food, like a
green curry, a red curry and a dozen beers.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
My belly good.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Green curry so good with a coconut rice.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Gorgeous anyway, Coop. So I get up in the morning
and I'm thinking off.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
It's Tubs like you had toughers. Wake up in the morning,
get a call from Joey. Hey, mate, Tommy's going to
call you.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Mate.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
I think Turbs is out, like, oh fuck, okay, no worries.
So I'm trying to sweat off his hangover. Then Tommy
rings me and goes, hey, Skippy, how a you going.
Joey was Joey and he called me skippy for whatever reason. Skippy, Mate,
Tubs is out, Maye, you're in. I want You've got
to be down here within an hour, I said Tommy Newcastle.
(20:31):
He goes, mate, I don't care. I knew you, okay,
I knew you by twelve thirty. It was like ten o'clock.
I need you by twelve thirty. If you know you're
by twelve thirty, mate, I'm going to find you. I'm
not even the fucking side right So anyway, So anyway
they went. So Jeff Carr calls me that the manager
and goes, mate, gets a Newcastle airport. Be on my airport, mate,
there's playing there this ticket and get down here. Gets
(20:53):
straight and yet no problem. So I get to the
airport a bit after eleven eleven thirty flight John's They go, okay,
just checking here. Oh no, there's no there's nothing here. Okay,
So I ring Tommy, Hey Tommy, mate, where are you?
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Where the fuck are you? Mate? I'm still in Newcastle Airport?
What the fucking doing there? I said, I'm about to
get on the fly. But there's mate, there's there's no
ticket for me. I don't give a fuck, mate, Just
buy a ticket. We'll sorw it that.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Yeah, No, got to buy a ticket. So the plane's full.
Oh fuck, call Tommy, Hey, Tommy, make the planes full.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
I don't give a fuck. I don't give a fuck.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Skippy you and I down here by twelve thirty, mate,
I'm gonna fucking find you just get and I'm I'm okay,
and I'm standing there and I think, fucking am I
going to get down?
Speaker 1 (21:37):
The pilot comes past and goes, Mattie, here you're going.
I said, oh, you're right. He is a problem here.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
And I said, fun, you wouldn't believe it. I just
got named in the Origin side. I've got to be
down there within an hour. And there's no suits on
the plane. He goes, oh fuck, okay, okay, okay, okay,
just walk with me, walk down anyway.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
They get me on the plane. I've got no ticket
or anything.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
And I sit on the floor in the cop pit
between the two pilots.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
That has to be illegal, right, What times you get
down there?
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Got down there?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Arrived at twelve fifteen, jumped in the cab, went straight
to the hotel. It was fifteen minutes late. And he
fined me five hundred bucks.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
How much did you get paid for Origin back in
those days?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
You've got three grand?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Three grand? Okay, so still pretty good, right, like three
greend Jesus, Jesus, that's tough.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
You know what.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
I used to love. You spark my memory before when
you sit down as a kid and watch as they
announced the side. They've got to bring that back right now.
They just posted on sort of their Instagram on social media,
it comes out, but they got to do the live
announcement again. I think it was I remember as one
of my favorite memories of the State of Origin who
sided During the week, you'd all write your team list
and you'd sit down there as a family and you'd
(22:49):
have your one to seventeen and see if it matched
up as the same as they'd announce it.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
I think I think there's got to be something where
they bring it back social media, like it just pops
up on your Instagram or something.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Now, well, I've always said on State of Origin Knight,
I reckon they should.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
They should bring more theater to it.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I reckon they should turn the lights off in the stadium,
because these days the lights in the stadium come back
on about five minutes. I dim the lights in the
stadium and introduced the players one by one.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Yeah, yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Would be it'd be crazy.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
I used to love the junior club thing too, with
the boys that turn around cross their arms, the coup
of John's, nar ain a Hawk's Hardboard, Devil's and Avalon
Bulldogs because I played for three clubs. Did jors you did,
I've got the I've got a few of the teams
before we actually go off. I wanted to ask you
being dropped in state of Origin. Yeah, you got dropped obviously.
(23:41):
Do you get teed up when you get dropped or
do they just drop you, like do you just when
they read the next thing and they say, oh, you know,
and you just notice online that you're not in the side.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
The first time I got dropped, Robert Finch. Finch he
was my old coach, but he was bore manager at
the Knights at that point, and he just walked in
and there were.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
The four of us.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
That was Chief self, Joey, Adam Muir one of the
other boys. Anyway, we walk in raw standing together and
he goes, hey, boys, I've just got the team for
game two. We went yep, sweet, and he looked at
Chief and went yep, sweet Joey, yes sweet Hertzy yes
sweet mate, and looked at me. He just looked at me,
(24:19):
and I looked at him and he just went, sorry, mate.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Oh that's right down disappointing. Were you like, did you
ride that? Did that like her?
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Or I did hurt. Yeah, yeah, it did hurt. It's embarrassing.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
So was that that that story with Tommy Dynacas. Was
that your last Origin?
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Last origin? And you know what, Coops, that was the
best Origin I'd ever played. And it says a lot
about mindset about you know, like they say might ever
matter and the mental is more important than physical. That
is evidence of it, mate, because that was, in theory,
the worst possible preparation I could have had. Went out
(24:56):
there nightfall, had a big, big merle, had a bet
a dozen beers, wake up, hangover day of the game,
had to fly down there. You sit on the floor
on an airplane between the between the pilots and the
cockpit to get down there and play. But I just
didn't think about it. I just went there and did
it and it was the best. It was the best
Origin game I played.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
It's funny, right, like so many players. Camraen Mauster is
a good example of him. You could tell him on
the Monday, and he's someone who doesn't really over He's
a he's a thinker, but he doesn't overthink. So the
best thing for him he just gets out there. He
could think all week, but when he gets out there
everything flushes off him. Yeah, yeah, a blot like I
would have I would have loved to have found out
almost in the warm up, like someone goes down and
(25:36):
they go you're in, so you don't have any time
to think. I remember Darren Shannig at the Melbourne stormp
people might remember him. He played a bit of first grade.
He found out like in the he was eighteenth me
and someone went down the warm up. He debuted at
Canberra Goo Stadium and he was like he's he was
a big overthinker, and it was you played outstanding. He
played good off the bench. But that sort you can
see why coaches protect players sometimes by waiting right up
(25:58):
until the game day to let him know that they're
going to debut. Yep, protect them from themselves.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
That that is true, coops.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
That's true.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I mean, and we're talking about like the mental being
more important than the physical. If someone was telling me recently,
Lebron James about four or five years ago, he just
made the decision, you know what, I'm just gonna I'm
actually going to enjoy my life like apparently he was
having he'd have a bottle of red every night. Really,
Lebron James yep, and just played because he's just done.
It's done it for so long.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Well, there's there's rumors, there's rooms that go around that
ray Stone has like a has a drink of like
rum or something. The night before game has about six
rumbows would not surprise. I don't. I don't know if
that's one hundred percent true, but there's a rumor going around.
The boys up there say maybe he has a drink
that he looks like a tough homebreak he does know
it's scary day.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Well, yeah, I've made stories about blokes back in the day,
like your pop. When your pop went from when he
was he was only young. He went from Curry to
cessnot in the competition, your pop mate Pop was renowned
as one of the best young players in the whole
Newcastle coming through in the seventies, like he was gunna
(27:09):
play your Pop And I think he was just about
the youngest bloke evident. A debut for the Curry Curry
Bulldogs in first grade. Right he's about seventeen now. Curry
Curry is a very famous club. I mean it's produced
most Rugby League nationals of like any town in Australia.
Incredible heritage, and your pop was like, you know, made
one of their best unions coming through. In fact, the
(27:32):
reason why Pop went from Curry to Cesnot is because
they bought a guy in his position called Johnny Raper
I mortal. They bought Johnny Raper to Curry Curry and
he went, oh, well, okay, that he's going to take
my spot. So he was a third and he went
to he went to Cesnot and and when Dad went
to Sesnot, he said the first game he played, he
was like, the players went, okay, what we're going to do.
(27:54):
We're going to meet at the Wentworth Hotel pub at
on the main street there, which was a bit of
a walk, a bit probably five minute walk to the
ground we're going to meet. We meet there before lunchtime
for the game, and then we head to the game,
like okay, nowhere is when Dad turned up, they.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Were drinking middies.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
But the day of the game, day of the game,
they were drinking. This is this is early seventies, he said.
The players were all at the bar, had three or
four medies and then walked to the game and played.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
I Love I Love the old school. Even that like
makes me, you know, blokes like Johnny Raper, who are
playing essentially now we look at it like bush footy,
but back then it's like you could be playing that
footy and get picked for state of origin and stuff,
right yep, Like it's it's bizarre how you didn't actually
need to be at like an NRL club to be
playing state of Origin.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Jake Juke's Jake Jake's uncle who might be his grandfather,
Phil Duke. He played State of Origin outam Maury.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I think it was more.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
He's playing more in Bubering.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
He's got picked Deep played for country for Country first
and got picked. And the other guy was a guy
at in Newcastle called Rex right. Rex played hooker for
North's Newcastle, had a good game for Country first and
got picked for state of origin. Wow, so it used
to happen.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Yeah, it's weird, Okay, teamless, So we go through there.
We'll read it out one to seventeen. Dylan Edwards, Bryan
Stephen Crichton, Latroll, Mitchell, Zach Lomax, Mitchell Moses, Nathan Cleary, forwards,
Mitch Barnett, Rhees, Robson, payinhass Liam Martin, Angus Crichton, Isaiah
the Bench, Connor Watson, Spencer, Lanu Hudson, Young, Max King
(29:27):
and our Man Stretch Stretch Armstrong Campbell Graham eighteenth man
A good side. What were your thoughts when the first
and no Ouse to side?
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Beautiful, beautifully balanced side. It's a great side. I really
like it. There might have been a change here or there,
but mate, I look at that side and I just
it just gives me supreme confidence. Do you think there'll
be any funny game, like anyone who won't start or
anything like that. I don't think so. It's not Lorie's
style and it's not belly Ache style. I think they've
(29:54):
got their team. They're not going to try to play
mind games with Coensland or without their players. There's the
side they'll got out there.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
And I will say it is belly X style. Billy
does that a lot. Yeap used to love a mind game.
I'll name you at when you're in COVID. When they
moved it from like you had to name it an
eighteen or a nineteen to twenty one because people could
go down. He's like, I'll name you at twenty one
this week so they don't think you're playing. He do
that so much with boys. He did it with Harry
when they played when they lost to the Sharks, so
(30:22):
he named Harry at twenty one so that they would
prepare Sharks coach would have to prepare for two players.
So he does it so the opposition coaches have to
cut footage for multiple different places.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yeah, the opposition coach.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Yes, a bitch.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
He loves it.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
I think he actually he actually overthinks it. Sometimes. He
did something with Tyron we shot one time. I'm trying
to remember what it was.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
I remembering me and goes Billy. Hik's taking mind games
to a whole new level. To the point it was
also it was nearly mind gaming wishy. She was like,
am I playing? Because he had no idea.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
He was actually, don't if I'm playing this week?
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Oh that's good.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Queensland side Caleb Ponger, Xavier Coach and Valentine Holmes on
the wing, Robert Toya, Hamaso, Tabio, Fido Munster, Cherry Evans,
mofod Awaker, Tino in the front row with Harry Grant,
our Man, Reuben Coottter, Jeremiah na I back row, Patrick
Carrigan at Locke the bench, Tom did and Lindsay Collins
both firm Trentleero debutante and eighteenth killer Kurt Man. It's
(31:22):
a bloody good side too. They had a lot of
injuries to do.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Great sides, ye, two great sides. You can see with
out side. I can see the formula they're going at
and how they'll play with Coeensland. I don't see the formula.
I don't know how they're going to play, which is
actually perfect for them. They'll play Monsta ball, which is
like unorthodox. I mean, you've got the thing about it
is like you got Monster and Kalin there, Harry and DC.
(31:50):
If he's if he can hit top four, that's a
that's a that's a very very strong spine.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
All the money is with New South Wales, right and
I think and I think given a lot of rugby
league is covered in New South Wales by the media,
so you know, all the all the chat has been
and this happens every year New South Wales get all
the media, we hypermnt we go we're gonna win, We're
gonna win, We're gonna win. No one talks about Queensland
at all, and then they go out and they shock
us a little bit. All the money's been in New
(32:17):
South Wales. But you look at that spine with Kaylon
Ponger and Camera Munster out there alone. There are two
blokes that if they go out there and play a
ten out of ten, nine out of ten, which they're
so capable of doing, they can win the game on
their own. That's what probably we don't have in the spine.
And like they've two x factors that can win a
game on single handly.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Let's get let's get straight to the mood of the
Sandwich year, right, let's talk about let's let's go dilly dell,
Let's talk about who we think will win and why.
For me, I'm really bullish on New South Wales. I've
got supreme confidence and I don't I don't say that,
you know, being a New South waleshman and being biased anyway,
shape or form, because there's plenty of times there that
I have tipped coinsland. Right when it comes to talking
(32:59):
about Origin, watch it, like I'll be honest with you, right,
Like I remember Madge Madge last year, he spoke to
me leaning into the series, he said, oh, Maddie, you
know we're going to try to get some people who
are former Blues players to come in to Campbell the
rest of it, I said, Madge, I'll just stop you there, mate.
I said, Look, I am not an ultra passionate Blues man.
(33:23):
I'm just not you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
And you know like.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
And say that what you will, but I just can't.
I can't lie. I'm not going to get here and
just go mate. I'm not going to absolutely tear myself
apart and agonize if they get beat first and foremost want.
I watched the game as a lover of the sport,
and I admire the players. But I'm not going to
sit here straight away and just go mate. I'm going
to be blue, blue blue because of the fact that I.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Played for you. It's it's not how it's not how
I work.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
I hate I hate that. I hate watching the coverage.
And you've got two Blues there too, Moro owns there
and they both only it's very it's just bias opinion.
I think it's a It's a beautiful thing where you
just as you just look at the game itself, you
look at the players and just be completely objective if
you if you just because you played for the Blues
doesn't mean you can't say I think Queen's and can
win this series. Can't do that, That's right, But there's
(34:13):
so many there's so many objective people because they because
they are Blue through and through, and some of them
might even be employed by the Blues, so they're still
like they have to.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
But I'll see it is Coode. That's it's way it
is with football clubs as well. Like you know, Blake
asked me, and I think I've said this before the podcast.
He said, Mate, still love the nights. You know what,
It's hard football clubs change. It's not the same club
that when you were there. You know what do I
love mate? I loved I love them, the teammates. I
(34:43):
love Pool on the Jersey, I love the city, I
love the fans. The club's different. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's
just it's just it's different. It's like it is now,
like you know, like I I yeah, so when I
when when I when I look at the state of Origin,
look at a game, I I look at it objectively
and gay right, who I think is going to win?
And I've said before me and Joey fell out is
(35:05):
the fact that in that series, without being a smart
ass on new Coins, then we're going to win that series.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
I just knew.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
I looked at the side they picked, the dynamic of
the side and everything else that's going to win this series.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I see nothing but New South Wales.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Why is that.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Quality of the side, quality of the individuals in the side,
but also the dynamic of the side. It just fits
perfectly the Rubik's cube. It works. And the reason is
Coops is if we can just if we can just
do one thing, New south Wales, if New South Wales
can consistently get Nathan Cleary into position for attacking kicks
(35:43):
consistently through the game, we'll win. Because his kicking game
that produces points and it builds pressure and not position.
Give him enough, give him enough attacking kicks. It is basically,
give him ten attacking kicks. You're back into probably pick
up three or four, four or five repeat sets, a
couple and a couple of tries from his attacking kicks.
(36:05):
So what New South Wales has to do now, don't
be too fancy, don't worry about doing this and blah
blah blah at the very at the brass tacks. The
bottom line is we just got to win the yardage game,
win the yardish game, get Nathan in the position for
attacking kicks at the end of every set of six
and we win the football game. We can do that regularly, okay,
(36:25):
or consistently with Nathan, put him in that position, we win, okay.
So that's that's the first thing. That's what we have
to do to win the football game. What gives me
confidence that we're going to put him in a position
all the time for attacking kicks regularly is the fact
that you look at our yardage men. Now I'm not
talking about the forwards right, I'm not even talking about
pay Hash he like pain is almost the icing on
(36:47):
the cake. Look at our back three, our back three,
the combination is Edwards, Zac Loomax. You do not get
a better yardish combination than those three blokes. When the
wrestles on, I reckon, our forwards won't even need to
handle handle the football.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
They will go.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It'll be you know, it'll be Edwards to Zak Loomax,
maybe to again or Edwards again kick out of trouble
and the way they go, Now, that will reduce, that'll
take so much stress off our forwards, our big guys,
and again it will just put us into position constantly
for attacking kicks.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Yeah, I'm with you. I had New South Wales when
a game one up at some uncle. That's that is
the defining factor, I think. Yeah, But they have our
back three will if like on paper, does a way
better job in terms of workload and how they're going
to carry the football back. Kalin's not a known sort
of kick returner for that sense. His presence is his
(37:41):
X factor with the footy, which is going to be
his sort of game breaker. But I think our back
three is going to just relieve so much pressure on
the forward.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
On our back three, what's going to be really crucial
coups for Zach Zaklomax. Zach sometimes can be he has
I'll watch him and this is perfectly normal. Most of
his focuses on attack, he's carrying the football and stuff.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
He works his ass off.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
But occasionally I see him he switches off in defense,
you know, like he's almost exaes okay, you know all
the work he does and defensively, Billy will go at
Zach consistently. They will just go at him, going and
going que because what happens some signs with Zack when
he loses focus in defense, he disconnects himself from his
center and he tucks too much. And I think my
(38:28):
daughter was game won last year, or it might have
been the series before. Billy just kept going there through
Hammer and they just kept finding him out. They'll go
there again. They'll send Kalin around there on. They sweep
shapes going at him. So Zach's just gonna be on
his game.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
And this is going to sound a little technical for
people something. I'll try to explain it as best as
I can here. There was a game last year when
it might have been Zachlomax's first game because he chases
kicks a lot, and they kick for him, try to
use him in that sense. When it is time to defend,
he probably tries to get his breath back a little bit. Yeah,
that's it, and I knew that chatting to a few
of the queens Land boys. They had a bit of
(39:02):
a plan around because Billy's quite good as a fullback.
He knows that how to exploit the back three in
terms of trying to kick forty twenties and trying to
find space with a kicking game so they can't catch
it on the fall. And they knowing that Zak Lomax
does a lot of work with his kick chase. He
probably doesn't think about getting back to shut down forty
(39:22):
twenty opportunities Dally Cherry Evans. They identified that and there
was a four tackle where he went and kick to
forty twenty yep, because they knew he'd just kick chased
a few. He was tired. So I have no doubt
that they'll be they'll be looking to exploit that again
this year.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
Zach will have I reckon probably in the mid twenties.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
As far as carries, he'll work his ass off, but
it's just so vitally important that mate, when he gets
back to his edge defensively doesn't switch off. They will
just go at him, go at him, go at him relentlessly.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
So what do we think? What do you reckon?
Speaker 3 (39:55):
I've got you so well as twenty to eight, en,
do you what have you got? What's just God?
Speaker 2 (39:59):
I've gone, I've got South Wales twenty six twelve. You've
got them comfortably. I'm bullish, I'm really bullish.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
I've never seen you this confident because I'm a bit
worried about Queensland. I think they like fire in their
belly and I think that you know how much that
Jersey means to them, and each player has such a
point to prove. Munster wasn't there last year. Terry's got
a lot of stuff going on that he wants to shut.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
A lot of people up.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
Harry's Harry's Harry. Can I ask you just two more points?
I want to bring up to you who spined your
rate as better? Like if you if you had to,
if you were coaching a team. Let's say you were
coaching not so well as quens and you were coaching
Act and Act said, you get to pick the spine
of Queensland on New so Wales. Who you're picking, because
(40:42):
in my opinion, I'm picking Queensland. That's spine.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
I like New South Wales, you like New so Cleary.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
I think the one thing for me, the one thing
that for me that ticks it over is Harry. I
think everyone else is kind of pretty even sure, and
then Harry. Harry is Harry in my opinion, He's just
out and out the best hooker in it, like by
a country mile in the NROL.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
H I agree, I agree, but I just love Cleary.
It's Clear's time, Yeah, it's clear his time.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Last thing I want to ask you the big match
up Robert Toyer versus Latrell Mitchell. Robert Toyer, shout out
to him. Ten games. He's been picked in the centers
by Billy Slater. He's probably going to be This is
probably the biggest moment of his career so far, easily
coming up against probably the most damaging center in the NRL,
Latrell Mitchell. How do you see that matchup going?
Speaker 1 (41:28):
Well, Robert to to ten games, hell of a footballer.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
And the fact that Billy's picked him says he's ready, Pip,
is he ready to get well?
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Billy picked him.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
Billy's so thorough he doesn't pick someone that's not ready. Yeah,
he's ready to go.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Coops. It's a little bit like a lot of the
presence of Latrell.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
I liken it to a young boxer stepping into the
ring with Muhammad Ali, you know what I mean. When
he's out there, Robert, he'll stand opposite in a look
against Latrell, and I was just like, that's one of
those You don't get a lot of those one on
one ins a lot in the game these days, but center,
as you do, you just know you're in that ten
meter corridor for the whole game just steering at each other,
(42:08):
and there'd be times that he be looking across gun.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
That's fucking Latroll Mitchell.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Oh yeah, and Latrell mate Latrell early in the game,
will try to get an early carry and just you know,
like try to break his.
Speaker 1 (42:19):
Confidence a little bit.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
It's just important, Like Vittoya, He's just got to get
up again Latrell's face, but it's going to be. It's
a great clash. And that's the other thing gives me
great confidence. Cop Latroll, Mitchell, Stephen Crichton, It's June Miles Malmaninger.
I mean those two blokes on the when you look
at those blokes on the team sheet, I just again
it's not one on paper, victory is on grasp, but
they just got great presence.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
It's a great it's a great side.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Oh bloody, it's a it's a cool moment in my opinion,
like not since probably twenty eighteen, I believe it was
when it's like Latrell Mitchell up against Will Chambers, who
was kind of the best. It was almost like a
passing of the baton on when Latrell started to sort
of dominate in the NFL, particularly at original level. He
was a real handful. Gave gave Chambers a rough night
(43:03):
a couple of times, but Chambers at that time was
just enging at the end of his career and he
was one of the best players in the NRL. Now
it's like it feels a very similar kind of matchup.
You've got the older ball against the young up and
karma Robert Toyer.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Well Cooper a little bit scratch you mate.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
I know I was watching you the whole time, looking
at the time, just wanting to wrap up.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
You enjoyed it. I'll enjoyed the Origin.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Twenty six twelve New South Wales first try scorer Zach
Lomax off a kick from Nathan Cleary, Man of the
match Nathan Cleary.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
You so w I was twenty eighteen Nathan Cleary, man
of the match, first try scorer. In my opinion, he's
a bit of value for you. Angus Crichton, Oh like us.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Good
Sorry, brother, Just sorry, brother, It's just.
Speaker 2 (00:02):
Fiddling around there. I never knew that Frank Sinatra That's
life that David Lee Roth did a version of it.
Speaker 3 (00:10):
Who cares?
Speaker 1 (00:12):
I care obviously brought it up.
Speaker 3 (00:13):
That's live, that's and I know you've had a big night.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
Well I had to do it. Get up and charity do.
That's what it is.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Charity Dodd do you You're on a freaking moon late
late night, early morning, late night, early morning.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
What were you doing up?
Speaker 1 (00:33):
Where were you? Burly Billy Heads, belly Bears, the.
Speaker 3 (00:37):
Burly Bears an excellent club up there.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yes, and q r L also made of mind Damien Driscoll,
he runs the club up there there.
Speaker 1 (00:45):
Last night it was good. Bennie Iken was there. First
time to see Bennie oakon for a long time. Madge
Megre on stage.
Speaker 3 (00:50):
Match McGuire, Well, well we're going to talk about some
When do we start? Now we started, Yeah, we've started.
The mics are on in Tapman, Yeah, in Chapman. We
have what you say is howards Marge, Michael maguire. A
lot of a lot of press at the moment, with
a lot of pressure from the from the Broncos. Reese
wallash boxing his mate, lots of different stuff. How was Madge?
Speaker 1 (01:12):
It is okay? Now, he's pretty good. I mean, he's
been through it all before, you know.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
And at the end of the day, the broncos of
five and five, like, you know, it's it's a it's
a I think because they won that first round so
convincingly and just absolutely expectation went through the roof through
the roof and they've got a lot of stuff they
got to adjust, but they'll get there. I think the
thing that and I didn't go into a deep with Madge,
but what'd been disappointing is you know, and it happens
(01:39):
when you lose, people start to come out and say,
oh mate, some of the players are unhappy and all
the rest of it. So you know what, winning solves everything,
winning does. It's winning solves everything. Once you get back
to winning ways that all the all that sort of
noise and the criticism and all that starts to die.
Speaker 1 (01:56):
Now.
Speaker 2 (01:56):
But he's been through before. He was pretty good match, yeah,
pretty good.
Speaker 3 (01:59):
Yeah, what what's did he seem like it was bothering
him or anything like, just because a lot of people
a lot of the time people go, oh, you know,
when players are criticized, people go, you got to remember,
who's a twenty two year old boy. A lot of
that stuff people forget sometimes coaches they might be a
bit older in experience, but doesn't mean they are oblivious
(02:20):
but to feelings, yes.
Speaker 2 (02:22):
I don't oblivious to feelings is the right term. But yes,
they're human, they are they are human. Mate, know, he's
pretty good.
Speaker 1 (02:31):
Actually, as I said before, he's been it through before.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I've seen Madge Madge is not the sort of guy.
Look when Madge Madge could win twenty games in a
row and when you speak to him like his head
is going to fall off anyway.
Speaker 1 (02:43):
Is that type of guy.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
He's an intense guy, you know, that's what he is
a coach, but made he's good.
Speaker 1 (02:48):
Like I'm not saying like they're not they're not going off.
Speaker 2 (02:51):
A clear or anything like that, but they're going through
a bad patch of form at the moment.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
They're trying to work things out. He'll get through it.
Speaker 2 (02:57):
Well.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
I think most clubs are going pretty sh inconsistent this year,
like it's the it's thee apart from Bulldogs really a
lot of Canberra probably, but well, a lot of clubs
are so inconsistent.
Speaker 2 (03:08):
I mean the Bulldogs the other night, Friday night. Yeah,
get flowers out of the Dolphins. That's right, you know
what I mean?
Speaker 1 (03:13):
Like it's his Dolphins were good by the.
Speaker 3 (03:15):
Way, Dolphins were good, but they've had an inconsistent year too. Azayakatawa,
you love him, mate, You need you need to stop
him settling. You love him so much. I'm actually I
love it.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
I love him as a player. I just think he's very,
very special.
Speaker 3 (03:28):
He's a good player.
Speaker 2 (03:29):
Twenty one years of age, something like that. And when
you talk about the best half backs in the game,
the best, the elite halfbacks in the game, the very best,
the Krem della crem, the cream of the crop.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
And the crop of the cream, which he's got to
be in that.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Something right, And we're going to unpack it. This is
going to we're going to unpack a lot of state
of origin. I hate that word unpacked. Say we're going
to go through We're going to go through a lot
of state of origin. Just because you don't like something
doesn't mean everyone else has to follow you, by the way.
Speaker 1 (03:51):
That's right.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
But Isaia Katawa, let's say Mitch and Nathan Cleary both
got long term injuries, game two whatever game. Do you
think he'd be ready for State of Oder?
Speaker 1 (04:02):
Yes, yes, I do. I do.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
He's just so composed. Every time I see him, he
just gets better. He's playmaking the other night. The first
half he controlled the game with his kicking in the
wet conditions. Second half he control the game with his
guidance and his clever ball playing. Just dominated. So yeah,
and it's funny, isn't it, because you think about when
you think about the state of origin, he's.
Speaker 1 (04:25):
Not a name that comes to mind. No, not really,
but yeah, he's eligible.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
He represents Tonga, but there are two nations, so he
can play State of origin football. And I reckon, I
reckon Laurie should bring him. You know they have the
extended squad. Bring him to the extended squad.
Speaker 1 (04:40):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (04:41):
Yeah, I've got to apologize to people too. I am really,
I am really young.
Speaker 1 (04:46):
Overs catching up with old mates last.
Speaker 3 (04:49):
Night, and hey, you know what, like we said about
coaches a humans, you're a human too. Like I know
you're you're a media icon and as your legend, but
is that fair thing to say. That's a fair thing
to say, But that doesn't mean you're not human. Either
you're allowed to have down days, right.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Honest, it's down day. I'm just saying that my energy
levels a little low and I'm a little cloudy. I've
got these glasses on at the moment just to sort
of shield my eyes a little bit.
Speaker 3 (05:15):
Yeah. Another shout out Brandon Smith. Yeah, cheesel has he's
been at the Rabbit Hoz. I saw Latrol Mitchell during
the week and asked him how Cheese is going. He said,
he's fitting in like a glove, very easy, very likely
to get along with. Says he's really happy at the moment.
You spoke to Cheese as well. During the week.
Speaker 2 (05:33):
I text Cheese and I said, great to see in
the Cardinal of Myrtle and he that's the colors of
Sesiny cardinal cardinal and Myrtle. Oh right, your brother played
for the Mighty Bunnies and you don't even know their
colors cardinals.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
So you're going red and green, don't you? Green? It's
so what cardinal of Myrtle?
Speaker 3 (05:55):
Is that the old school way of saying red and green?
Speaker 1 (05:57):
Yeah, it's a slightly it's not a pure red. It's
a different, isn't it. Jack? That's right? Yeah? JACKO help
us out.
Speaker 3 (06:05):
Nice work there, Cooper. It's a softer red and a
softer green, mate, Yes, you know there it is, Yeah,
with lighter undertones. I didn't want people to turn off, right, Well,
that's that's hand. You can tell that Wayne Bennet's going
to get the best.
Speaker 2 (06:20):
Well, I text Jesus and make Gracie and the Cardinal
Myrtle and he can said, mate, I love Wayne as
we just come back with That's all he said. And
that's people. There's some coaches they just get the best
out of players. Craig Bellamy, Wayne Bennett mate, like Brent,
he's the type of guy that will thrive under those
those those type of coaches.
Speaker 3 (06:39):
Yeah, and Lucky Galvin that's another big news at the moment,
saying that he might leave potentially immediately, right.
Speaker 1 (06:47):
It was going to be before June thirty.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Yeah, so is do you think that's a if I'm
the Bulldogs, I feel like it's a weird bye. Why
I look at how good they're going this year, Toby
Sexton and and I think they are a great pairing.
They're both young. Like you leave those two there together
for a five year period, They're only going to get
better now they're going to get Lachlan Galvin, who, in
(07:10):
my opinion, is just a younger He is a younger
version of Matt Burton with how he plays. I think
they're different. Well, I think their strength of the exact same.
They're running totally different. What do you think football?
Speaker 1 (07:23):
It's a tricky one for a tricky one for Gus
and Cameron Sorelda with the Dogs because it's really important.
Speaker 2 (07:30):
You've got to shore up at the future of your club,
you know, and your future roster. But at the same
time they're flying, you know, they're they're at the moment,
and you don't want who You don't basically want to
plan to the future and hurt the present.
Speaker 1 (07:43):
But this is it's what you've got to do.
Speaker 2 (07:46):
And Galvin is looks to me as though, I feel
good accounts him as like a once in a generation
type player that's sort of talent. And so I know
it's hard and might disrupt things a little bit, But
as far as the futures concern you, if you've got there,
if you've if you have the chance to sign Lockie,
(08:07):
you've just got to sign him. Where they play him,
I think they will play him.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
We'll put it this way.
Speaker 2 (08:13):
I think the next eighteen months for Lockie that he
will be in the halves, he'll be.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
A six coups. But long term I see him as
the thirteen.
Speaker 3 (08:20):
But the question I wanted to ask you, because you
said you think they're different players, they both play as
a five eight, as a running five eight. How do
you think that dynamic good work down Matt Burton Ulockey
govern as halves.
Speaker 1 (08:31):
They wouldn't play together.
Speaker 3 (08:32):
I don't think they played.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Together in the halves similar.
Speaker 1 (08:37):
No, because neither of them are pure seven that it would.
Speaker 2 (08:41):
I still maintain you do need someone who's a pure
seven or more of a natural seven than those two blokes.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Burton for me is.
Speaker 2 (08:52):
He's a six slash three slash one, possibly possibly thirteen,
but I see him in an outside back slash six.
I see Locky Galvin as a six slash thirteen. He's
a play through the line type player. He's going to
be when he when he pops and starts to fill out,
and he's going to be robust shortball playing handful. But
(09:15):
I don't neither of them are sevens, and this is
going to be This is why it's going to be
interesting if they do Land Galvin. It seem very interesting
what they do with Sexton because they haven't signed Toby yet,
because and I'm looking at and thinking, okay, how can
you fit them all in? But I think to bring
the Locke into that squad and get rid of I
(09:35):
think get rid of Tab Sexton would be a mistake.
I still think you need that pure seven. I don't
see Maddy Burton and I don't see Lockey Galvin. We're
in a seven comfortably.
Speaker 3 (09:46):
Yeah, No, I agree. A lot of the reports have
been Burton playing one this week that has come out
saying that Burton to one and Galvin and Sexton is
the combination, which I mean could potentially work. I think
kind of Tracey's content, he fits into them mold very well.
Speaker 2 (10:02):
So this is what we're talking about when you bring
a bring a player in the level, just that subtle
disruption that happens like suddenly, like Toby Sexton.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
I've been looking at Toby in the last six weeks ago,
what's going through his head? Everyone's still to.
Speaker 2 (10:15):
Be a Galvin going there and he not being re
signed and being on the outer, And I think what's
going through Toby's head? And he's been able to compartmentalized
and actually do really good.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
But yeah, it's interesting.
Speaker 2 (10:26):
But I mean I think they've become the favorites to
sign Galvin. I mean it's always been Paramatter, Paramatter or
the Dogs. Conspiracy went around last conspiracy theory last week
that the Roosters were in for Galvin. But that would
that would be an all time out of left field,
even by the Roosters standards to do that. I think
it's either going to be Paramoun or the Bulldogs. I
(10:47):
think you've got the Bulldogs.
Speaker 3 (10:48):
Okay. And the last sort of story that's floating around.
Trent Robinson went whack on the Newcastle Knights last week
about the Dom Young situation. What are you hearing about
Dom Young? Do you think you'll go this year?
Speaker 1 (11:00):
He'll be there in two weeks two weeks Castle. I
think he.
Speaker 2 (11:06):
The Knights. The Rooster's played the Knights in a couple
of weeks time. My understanding is Dom will be a
Rooster when that game's taple. He might not be on
the field. It might have been in the first grade side,
but he will be a Rooster up until full time.
At full time, the thing that I've heard is that
he will be the Knights the week after that, so
(11:27):
it's Roosters versus Knights.
Speaker 1 (11:28):
Take it as given. The next day he'll be the Knights.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
It's been a weird, weird relationship. I think Don played
very well last year. Obviously for whatever reason, you know,
he was dropped this year. They didn't think he was
playing that well. Do you think it'll be a goodbye
for the Knights going back then.
Speaker 1 (11:43):
Phil Burbon, you think it'd be a good r Yeah, goodbye,
very very good.
Speaker 2 (11:47):
Yeah, it works, it works well. He gives them a
lot of punch coming out of hit. Him and Shill
has been been He's good player, Shiller. But that one
two combination of Greg marzou and and Dom Young coming
out of trouble, that one two punch is very very
good and you know, in some sort of finish it
but in his big personality up there like it was
(12:07):
a big loss for the club, Like.
Speaker 1 (12:09):
My I reckon.
Speaker 2 (12:10):
The best image I've seen of the Newcastle Knights in
the last twenty years is that Canberra game.
Speaker 3 (12:16):
It's a final game.
Speaker 2 (12:17):
When he's running down that right hand touch line, crowd
we're just going man, that was it was just some
great shots. Yeah, yeah, it's there's some cult heroes like
he reminds you of like a like a Wendell Sailor
for the Broncos, Adam McDougal for Newcastle, that real fan favorite.
Speaker 3 (12:32):
People get around him. Ye, So good to see Dom young.
Speaker 2 (12:34):
If he goes back there, and he'll be back there,
it'll be good to welcome back to the bosom of
the Novocastrian bosom.
Speaker 1 (12:40):
Yes, Novocastrians.
Speaker 2 (12:42):
I ran into I was going through the airport and
the Swans were there and ran into Isaac Heney, old Navacastrian,
fellow Nevocastrian.
Speaker 3 (12:51):
How was he?
Speaker 2 (12:52):
He was good before I met I met Lucky at
a Melbourne carp Isaac, you're a now. I met Isaac
a couple of years ago at the at the Melbourne Cup.
Speaker 1 (13:06):
Good to see him today.
Speaker 2 (13:07):
It's good mate, like good looking for twenty nine. He's
played a long time. He's twenty nine because he was
the Arabay League player coming through. He's from black Hill.
Black Hill is it's it's probably fifteen minutes from from Newcastle.
It's near s it's sort of in between near Maitland
and Rutherford and Hexham around that area. So he's a
black Hill boy. Parents still still live up that way.
(13:30):
So he's a good player, Jesus, good player, good looking too, good,
good strapping young lad. He's a good looking chap and
we know he loves the podcast. Shout out, share, Isaac.
Speaker 3 (13:39):
Lucky, whatever you want to call him. All right, State
of Origin before we go through the teams, Matthew, you
played three Start of Origin games?
Speaker 1 (13:45):
Four?
Speaker 3 (13:46):
Do you play four? How many you win?
Speaker 1 (13:48):
Ah? I forget none?
Speaker 3 (13:49):
No no, no, yeah, that's all right. You and Craig
Bellamy got a very similar wind the dry Yeah.
Speaker 1 (13:54):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (13:55):
What about your first Origin experience? What was that like?
What a lot of the boys who are in there
now a lot of debutantes who are going to be playing,
what's it experience like as a first Origin cooper?
Speaker 2 (14:03):
I reckon when you're playing Origin, form is really important,
but also not just form, but I reckon the type
of game you play leading into that origin.
Speaker 1 (14:13):
Game is really important.
Speaker 2 (14:14):
And what I mean by that is until you played
the State of Origin, you've never experienced like pacing intensity
like it to get there, like it's man, it's it's
just full on coop.
Speaker 1 (14:24):
And so what happened to me.
Speaker 2 (14:26):
My five there was the Aril Super League split right,
and they were telling me that if the Super League players.
Speaker 1 (14:34):
Weren't going to be selected to the injury and I
were going to do the halves. About about six weeks out.
Speaker 2 (14:39):
From Origin, I did mynee, did a PCL and a
medial and was out for like five six weeks. And
my game that I came back, I came back against
the Warriors the week before the Origin, and I was rusty.
But basically I never realized how rust I was because
(15:00):
we beat them by fifty points. We put the cluess
through the Warriors. It was one of the best wins
to that point in the club's history. We just rolled
through them, and you know, and when you're swimming, you
know along in the in the slip stream, and it's
like things are just working out for you, and you
actually don't realize a lot like that. Easy wins probably
covered up for me how rusty I was and how
(15:22):
much I.
Speaker 1 (15:23):
Needed a little bit more of a hit out.
Speaker 2 (15:24):
Anyway, so we get there and we sit down, we
go it was myself and Andrew. We're a mum and
dad's house, and we had no idea we're going to
be picked or not. All they said that was there
was going to be a press conference and it led
the six o'clock news. Channel nine News started the six
o'clock news. But okay, let's go straight to ROL headquarters
(15:45):
for the route. They're going to announce the state of
origin side. Now, we were told that if the Super
League players were going to be named, then Ricky and
Laurie were going to be the halves. If they weren't
going to be named, then Andrew and I are going
to be the halves. Now, as they're about to read
out the first name. If they were going to read
out Brett Mullins at fullback, it meant all the Super
League players were going to be in. If they read
(16:06):
out Tim Brasher, it meant it was no Super League
RL players.
Speaker 1 (16:11):
Right.
Speaker 2 (16:11):
So we're sitting in front of the in front of
the box, can Arthur's and John Quayle go through the
ringing roll blah blah blah blah blah, and we come
on just fucking say the side played the side yeah
about five minutes ago. Okay, now the announcement of the side,
and Ken Arthsen goes, okay, new, So while state of
origin side number one, you ain't gone wait wait wait,
(16:32):
Tim Brasher, which so.
Speaker 3 (16:34):
They didn't ring your prior, they didn't tea you up.
Speaker 1 (16:36):
No, Wow, that's bizarre right now.
Speaker 2 (16:39):
I think what it was, Coop. They didn't want to
cook because the Super League war. They didn't want to
let it to get out. I think they weren't going
to select. So it was a complete surprise. Yeah, and
then Gus rang and I spoke to Gus. We went
down into the camp and that first camp and.
Speaker 1 (16:53):
I tear Coop.
Speaker 2 (16:55):
You talk about not regrets, but you know, you learn
your lesson that that week. It was a ten day
build up into the game, and every single day they
had me and Joey doing media because you brothers, the
Blues Marketers and all that stuff. We had to come
out to Newcastle and shoot an ad for Reom hot
Water or I had. By the time the game come around,
I was exhausted. I felt like, yeah, I was just I.
Speaker 3 (17:17):
Was spent And they do a good job. Now obviously
I was in there a lot last week Monday and Tuesday.
It's heavy media for the boys, like they're doing so
much Channel nine Fox or like you know, your Ko's sport,
like a lot of different brands and stuff, and then
kind of come come training time Wednesday, most of the
media is all done, so they kind of protect them
(17:37):
from it. You have a week of unlike of all prep,
which is good, but I imagine back in those days they
would have just been every day there would have been
something ng a skelter.
Speaker 1 (17:45):
It was.
Speaker 2 (17:45):
Yeah, so we got that first game Coop and they
beat us to nil. Well, yeah, so you go from
a game you've beat the Warriors by fifty points at
home and then a dry Sunday afternoon and then you're
playing a night game State of Origin, slippery conditions.
Speaker 1 (17:59):
It was just so nil.
Speaker 3 (18:00):
So just a penalty penalty goal. Wow, is that the
lowest score ever in severn in history? It's probably right.
Speaker 1 (18:06):
I think definitely it was a nil. And it's funny.
Speaker 2 (18:10):
I went through a few I played the third game
that series, and that's where I started at the handle
of how you prepare for those games, because and from
that first game, I learned a lot about preparation when
you played, not so much for the Origin because I
only played a couple more, but playing for the Australian
so i'd gone away in World Cups. Learned how to
prepare in the fact that whatever you did, whatever I
(18:31):
did to prepare when I played for Newcastle. I did
the same from then on for the Rep teams, going, yeah,
you do your extras and everything like that. But it's
funny with State of Origin Coup the game, the last
State of Origan game. I played my fourth State of
Origin game, fourth and final. I wasn't named in the side.
I played the first game in ninety eight and then
(18:52):
I played. He played about ten minutes off the bench
in game one and I made way. Laso came in
for me and if you're going to get replaced by
some one, then Laza's pretty good blade pretty good.
Speaker 1 (19:01):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
Anyway, so games game three, I'm not named and it
was split round for.
Speaker 1 (19:06):
Us at Newcastle.
Speaker 2 (19:07):
So's it was Wednesday night game and so it was
on Tuesday night. A few of the boys said, what
are you doing? Are we going to go and get.
Speaker 1 (19:17):
A meal and have a few beers.
Speaker 2 (19:18):
So when I had a time meal and we're having
a few beers, how about six or seven beers.
Speaker 1 (19:22):
Go home that night?
Speaker 2 (19:23):
And need I get a call ten thirty that night
with Lorry Day and Joey, I said, mate.
Speaker 1 (19:29):
Turves is Turves was really crooked? Was hooker?
Speaker 2 (19:33):
He's really really crook made if he's crooked in the morning,
can't play mate. We're just gonna let you know, mate,
get yourself ready because we're going to put your name
up hook and.
Speaker 1 (19:41):
I'm thinking of himself. Oh fuck honight, because I was pissed.
Speaker 2 (19:44):
Yeah, yeah, I had like a massive food, like a
green curry, a red curry and a dozen beers.
Speaker 1 (19:51):
My belly good.
Speaker 3 (19:52):
Green curry so good with a coconut rice.
Speaker 1 (19:55):
Gorgeous anyway, Coop. So I get up in the morning
and I'm thinking off.
Speaker 2 (20:00):
It's Tubs like you had toughers. Wake up in the morning,
get a call from Joey. Hey, mate, Tommy's going to
call you.
Speaker 1 (20:09):
Mate.
Speaker 2 (20:09):
I think Turbs is out, like, oh fuck, okay, no worries.
So I'm trying to sweat off his hangover. Then Tommy
rings me and goes, hey, Skippy, how a you going.
Joey was Joey and he called me skippy for whatever reason. Skippy, Mate,
Tubs is out, Maye, you're in. I want You've got
to be down here within an hour, I said Tommy Newcastle.
(20:31):
He goes, mate, I don't care. I knew you, okay,
I knew you by twelve thirty. It was like ten o'clock.
I need you by twelve thirty. If you know you're
by twelve thirty, mate, I'm going to find you. I'm
not even the fucking side right So anyway, So anyway
they went. So Jeff Carr calls me that the manager
and goes, mate, gets a Newcastle airport. Be on my airport, mate,
there's playing there this ticket and get down here. Gets
(20:53):
straight and yet no problem. So I get to the
airport a bit after eleven eleven thirty flight John's They go, okay,
just checking here. Oh no, there's no there's nothing here. Okay,
So I ring Tommy, Hey Tommy, mate, where are you?
Speaker 1 (21:09):
Where the fuck are you? Mate? I'm still in Newcastle Airport?
What the fucking doing there? I said, I'm about to
get on the fly. But there's mate, there's there's no
ticket for me. I don't give a fuck, mate, Just
buy a ticket. We'll sorw it that.
Speaker 2 (21:20):
Yeah, No, got to buy a ticket. So the plane's full.
Oh fuck, call Tommy, Hey, Tommy, make the planes full.
Speaker 1 (21:26):
I don't give a fuck. I don't give a fuck.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
Skippy you and I down here by twelve thirty, mate,
I'm gonna fucking find you just get and I'm I'm okay,
and I'm standing there and I think, fucking am I
going to get down?
Speaker 1 (21:37):
The pilot comes past and goes, Mattie, here you're going.
I said, oh, you're right. He is a problem here.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
And I said, fun, you wouldn't believe it. I just
got named in the Origin side. I've got to be
down there within an hour. And there's no suits on
the plane. He goes, oh fuck, okay, okay, okay, okay,
just walk with me, walk down anyway.
Speaker 1 (21:57):
They get me on the plane. I've got no ticket
or anything.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
And I sit on the floor in the cop pit
between the two pilots.
Speaker 3 (22:04):
That has to be illegal, right, What times you get
down there?
Speaker 1 (22:07):
Got down there?
Speaker 2 (22:08):
Arrived at twelve fifteen, jumped in the cab, went straight
to the hotel. It was fifteen minutes late. And he
fined me five hundred bucks.
Speaker 3 (22:18):
How much did you get paid for Origin back in
those days?
Speaker 1 (22:21):
You've got three grand?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
Three grand? Okay, so still pretty good, right, like three
greend Jesus, Jesus, that's tough.
Speaker 1 (22:27):
You know what.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
I used to love. You spark my memory before when
you sit down as a kid and watch as they
announced the side. They've got to bring that back right now.
They just posted on sort of their Instagram on social media,
it comes out, but they got to do the live
announcement again. I think it was I remember as one
of my favorite memories of the State of Origin who
sided During the week, you'd all write your team list
and you'd sit down there as a family and you'd
(22:49):
have your one to seventeen and see if it matched
up as the same as they'd announce it.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (22:53):
I think I think there's got to be something where
they bring it back social media, like it just pops
up on your Instagram or something.
Speaker 2 (22:59):
Now, well, I've always said on State of Origin Knight,
I reckon they should.
Speaker 1 (23:04):
They should bring more theater to it.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
I reckon they should turn the lights off in the stadium,
because these days the lights in the stadium come back
on about five minutes. I dim the lights in the
stadium and introduced the players one by one.
Speaker 3 (23:17):
Yeah, yeah, that.
Speaker 1 (23:18):
Would be it'd be crazy.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
I used to love the junior club thing too, with
the boys that turn around cross their arms, the coup
of John's, nar ain a Hawk's Hardboard, Devil's and Avalon
Bulldogs because I played for three clubs. Did jors you did,
I've got the I've got a few of the teams
before we actually go off. I wanted to ask you
being dropped in state of Origin. Yeah, you got dropped obviously.
(23:41):
Do you get teed up when you get dropped or
do they just drop you, like do you just when
they read the next thing and they say, oh, you know,
and you just notice online that you're not in the side.
Speaker 2 (23:49):
The first time I got dropped, Robert Finch. Finch he
was my old coach, but he was bore manager at
the Knights at that point, and he just walked in
and there were.
Speaker 1 (23:58):
The four of us.
Speaker 2 (23:59):
That was Chief self, Joey, Adam Muir one of the
other boys. Anyway, we walk in raw standing together and
he goes, hey, boys, I've just got the team for
game two. We went yep, sweet, and he looked at
Chief and went yep, sweet Joey, yes sweet Hertzy yes
sweet mate, and looked at me. He just looked at me,
(24:19):
and I looked at him and he just went, sorry, mate.
Speaker 3 (24:22):
Oh that's right down disappointing. Were you like, did you
ride that? Did that like her?
Speaker 1 (24:28):
Or I did hurt. Yeah, yeah, it did hurt. It's embarrassing.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
So was that that that story with Tommy Dynacas. Was
that your last Origin?
Speaker 1 (24:35):
Yeah?
Speaker 2 (24:35):
Last origin? And you know what, Coops, that was the
best Origin I'd ever played. And it says a lot
about mindset about you know, like they say might ever
matter and the mental is more important than physical. That
is evidence of it, mate, because that was, in theory,
the worst possible preparation I could have had. Went out
(24:56):
there nightfall, had a big, big merle, had a bet
a dozen beers, wake up, hangover day of the game,
had to fly down there. You sit on the floor
on an airplane between the between the pilots and the
cockpit to get down there and play. But I just
didn't think about it. I just went there and did
it and it was the best. It was the best
Origin game I played.
Speaker 3 (25:16):
It's funny, right, like so many players. Camraen Mauster is
a good example of him. You could tell him on
the Monday, and he's someone who doesn't really over He's
a he's a thinker, but he doesn't overthink. So the
best thing for him he just gets out there. He
could think all week, but when he gets out there
everything flushes off him. Yeah, yeah, a blot like I
would have I would have loved to have found out
almost in the warm up, like someone goes down and
(25:36):
they go you're in, so you don't have any time
to think. I remember Darren Shannig at the Melbourne stormp
people might remember him. He played a bit of first grade.
He found out like in the he was eighteenth me
and someone went down the warm up. He debuted at
Canberra Goo Stadium and he was like he's he was
a big overthinker, and it was you played outstanding. He
played good off the bench. But that sort you can
see why coaches protect players sometimes by waiting right up
(25:58):
until the game day to let him know that they're
going to debut. Yep, protect them from themselves.
Speaker 1 (26:03):
That that is true, coops.
Speaker 3 (26:05):
That's true.
Speaker 2 (26:05):
I mean, and we're talking about like the mental being
more important than the physical. If someone was telling me recently,
Lebron James about four or five years ago, he just
made the decision, you know what, I'm just gonna I'm
actually going to enjoy my life like apparently he was
having he'd have a bottle of red every night. Really,
Lebron James yep, and just played because he's just done.
It's done it for so long.
Speaker 3 (26:26):
Well, there's there's rumors, there's rooms that go around that
ray Stone has like a has a drink of like
rum or something. The night before game has about six
rumbows would not surprise. I don't. I don't know if
that's one hundred percent true, but there's a rumor going around.
The boys up there say maybe he has a drink
that he looks like a tough homebreak he does know
it's scary day.
Speaker 2 (26:47):
Well, yeah, I've made stories about blokes back in the day,
like your pop. When your pop went from when he
was he was only young. He went from Curry to
cessnot in the competition, your pop mate Pop was renowned
as one of the best young players in the whole
Newcastle coming through in the seventies, like he was gunna
(27:09):
play your Pop And I think he was just about
the youngest bloke evident. A debut for the Curry Curry
Bulldogs in first grade. Right he's about seventeen now. Curry
Curry is a very famous club. I mean it's produced
most Rugby League nationals of like any town in Australia.
Incredible heritage, and your pop was like, you know, made
one of their best unions coming through. In fact, the
(27:32):
reason why Pop went from Curry to Cesnot is because
they bought a guy in his position called Johnny Raper
I mortal. They bought Johnny Raper to Curry Curry and
he went, oh, well, okay, that he's going to take
my spot. So he was a third and he went
to he went to Cesnot and and when Dad went
to Sesnot, he said the first game he played, he
was like, the players went, okay, what we're going to do.
(27:54):
We're going to meet at the Wentworth Hotel pub at
on the main street there, which was a bit of
a walk, a bit probably five minute walk to the
ground we're going to meet. We meet there before lunchtime
for the game, and then we head to the game,
like okay, nowhere is when Dad turned up, they.
Speaker 1 (28:08):
Were drinking middies.
Speaker 2 (28:09):
But the day of the game, day of the game,
they were drinking. This is this is early seventies, he said.
The players were all at the bar, had three or
four medies and then walked to the game and played.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
I Love I Love the old school. Even that like
makes me, you know, blokes like Johnny Raper, who are
playing essentially now we look at it like bush footy,
but back then it's like you could be playing that
footy and get picked for state of origin and stuff,
right yep, Like it's it's bizarre how you didn't actually
need to be at like an NRL club to be
playing state of Origin.
Speaker 2 (28:40):
Jake Juke's Jake Jake's uncle who might be his grandfather,
Phil Duke. He played State of Origin outam Maury.
Speaker 3 (28:50):
I think it was more.
Speaker 1 (28:51):
He's playing more in Bubering.
Speaker 2 (28:52):
He's got picked Deep played for country for Country first
and got picked. And the other guy was a guy
at in Newcastle called Rex right. Rex played hooker for
North's Newcastle, had a good game for Country first and
got picked for state of origin. Wow, so it used
to happen.
Speaker 3 (29:07):
Yeah, it's weird, Okay, teamless, So we go through there.
We'll read it out one to seventeen. Dylan Edwards, Bryan
Stephen Crichton, Latroll, Mitchell, Zach Lomax, Mitchell Moses, Nathan Cleary, forwards,
Mitch Barnett, Rhees, Robson, payinhass Liam Martin, Angus Crichton, Isaiah
the Bench, Connor Watson, Spencer, Lanu Hudson, Young, Max King
(29:27):
and our Man Stretch Stretch Armstrong Campbell Graham eighteenth man
A good side. What were your thoughts when the first
and no Ouse to side?
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Beautiful, beautifully balanced side. It's a great side. I really
like it. There might have been a change here or there,
but mate, I look at that side and I just
it just gives me supreme confidence. Do you think there'll
be any funny game, like anyone who won't start or
anything like that. I don't think so. It's not Lorie's
style and it's not belly Ache style. I think they've
(29:54):
got their team. They're not going to try to play
mind games with Coensland or without their players. There's the
side they'll got out there.
Speaker 3 (30:01):
And I will say it is belly X style. Billy
does that a lot. Yeap used to love a mind game.
I'll name you at when you're in COVID. When they
moved it from like you had to name it an
eighteen or a nineteen to twenty one because people could
go down. He's like, I'll name you at twenty one
this week so they don't think you're playing. He do
that so much with boys. He did it with Harry
when they played when they lost to the Sharks, so
(30:22):
he named Harry at twenty one so that they would
prepare Sharks coach would have to prepare for two players.
So he does it so the opposition coaches have to
cut footage for multiple different places.
Speaker 1 (30:33):
Yeah, the opposition coach.
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Yes, a bitch.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
He loves it.
Speaker 3 (30:37):
I think he actually he actually overthinks it. Sometimes. He
did something with Tyron we shot one time. I'm trying
to remember what it was.
Speaker 4 (30:44):
I remembering me and goes Billy. Hik's taking mind games
to a whole new level. To the point it was
also it was nearly mind gaming wishy. She was like,
am I playing? Because he had no idea.
Speaker 3 (30:55):
He was actually, don't if I'm playing this week?
Speaker 1 (30:56):
Oh that's good.
Speaker 3 (30:57):
Queensland side Caleb Ponger, Xavier Coach and Valentine Holmes on
the wing, Robert Toya, Hamaso, Tabio, Fido Munster, Cherry Evans,
mofod Awaker, Tino in the front row with Harry Grant,
our Man, Reuben Coottter, Jeremiah na I back row, Patrick
Carrigan at Locke the bench, Tom did and Lindsay Collins
both firm Trentleero debutante and eighteenth killer Kurt Man. It's
(31:22):
a bloody good side too. They had a lot of
injuries to do.
Speaker 2 (31:24):
Great sides, ye, two great sides. You can see with
out side. I can see the formula they're going at
and how they'll play with Coeensland. I don't see the formula.
I don't know how they're going to play, which is
actually perfect for them. They'll play Monsta ball, which is
like unorthodox. I mean, you've got the thing about it
is like you got Monster and Kalin there, Harry and DC.
(31:50):
If he's if he can hit top four, that's a
that's a that's a very very strong spine.
Speaker 3 (31:56):
All the money is with New South Wales, right and
I think and I think given a lot of rugby
league is covered in New South Wales by the media,
so you know, all the all the chat has been
and this happens every year New South Wales get all
the media, we hypermnt we go we're gonna win, We're
gonna win, We're gonna win. No one talks about Queensland
at all, and then they go out and they shock
us a little bit. All the money's been in New
(32:17):
South Wales. But you look at that spine with Kaylon
Ponger and Camera Munster out there alone. There are two
blokes that if they go out there and play a
ten out of ten, nine out of ten, which they're
so capable of doing, they can win the game on
their own. That's what probably we don't have in the spine.
And like they've two x factors that can win a
game on single handly.
Speaker 2 (32:37):
Let's get let's get straight to the mood of the
Sandwich year, right, let's talk about let's let's go dilly dell,
Let's talk about who we think will win and why.
For me, I'm really bullish on New South Wales. I've
got supreme confidence and I don't I don't say that,
you know, being a New South waleshman and being biased anyway,
shape or form, because there's plenty of times there that
I have tipped coinsland. Right when it comes to talking
(32:59):
about Origin, watch it, like I'll be honest with you, right,
Like I remember Madge Madge last year, he spoke to
me leaning into the series, he said, oh, Maddie, you
know we're going to try to get some people who
are former Blues players to come in to Campbell the
rest of it, I said, Madge, I'll just stop you there, mate.
I said, Look, I am not an ultra passionate Blues man.
(33:23):
I'm just not you know what I mean.
Speaker 1 (33:24):
And you know like.
Speaker 2 (33:27):
And say that what you will, but I just can't.
I can't lie. I'm not going to get here and
just go mate. I'm not going to absolutely tear myself
apart and agonize if they get beat first and foremost want.
I watched the game as a lover of the sport,
and I admire the players. But I'm not going to
sit here straight away and just go mate. I'm going
to be blue, blue blue because of the fact that I.
Speaker 1 (33:49):
Played for you. It's it's not how it's not how
I work.
Speaker 3 (33:52):
I hate I hate that. I hate watching the coverage.
And you've got two Blues there too, Moro owns there
and they both only it's very it's just bias opinion.
I think it's a It's a beautiful thing where you
just as you just look at the game itself, you
look at the players and just be completely objective if
you if you just because you played for the Blues
doesn't mean you can't say I think Queen's and can
win this series. Can't do that, That's right, But there's
(34:13):
so many there's so many objective people because they because
they are Blue through and through, and some of them
might even be employed by the Blues, so they're still
like they have to.
Speaker 2 (34:22):
But I'll see it is Coode. That's it's way it
is with football clubs as well. Like you know, Blake
asked me, and I think I've said this before the podcast.
He said, Mate, still love the nights. You know what,
It's hard football clubs change. It's not the same club
that when you were there. You know what do I
love mate? I loved I love them, the teammates. I
(34:43):
love Pool on the Jersey, I love the city, I
love the fans. The club's different. Yeah, yeah, yeah, it's
just it's just it's different. It's like it is now,
like you know, like I I yeah, so when I
when when I when I look at the state of Origin,
look at a game, I I look at it objectively
and gay right, who I think is going to win?
And I've said before me and Joey fell out is
(35:05):
the fact that in that series, without being a smart
ass on new Coins, then we're going to win that series.
Speaker 1 (35:10):
I just knew.
Speaker 2 (35:11):
I looked at the side they picked, the dynamic of
the side and everything else that's going to win this series.
Speaker 1 (35:15):
I see nothing but New South Wales.
Speaker 3 (35:17):
Why is that.
Speaker 2 (35:21):
Quality of the side, quality of the individuals in the side,
but also the dynamic of the side. It just fits
perfectly the Rubik's cube. It works. And the reason is
Coops is if we can just if we can just
do one thing, New south Wales, if New South Wales
can consistently get Nathan Cleary into position for attacking kicks
(35:43):
consistently through the game, we'll win. Because his kicking game
that produces points and it builds pressure and not position.
Give him enough, give him enough attacking kicks. It is basically,
give him ten attacking kicks. You're back into probably pick
up three or four, four or five repeat sets, a
couple and a couple of tries from his attacking kicks.
(36:05):
So what New South Wales has to do now, don't
be too fancy, don't worry about doing this and blah
blah blah at the very at the brass tacks. The
bottom line is we just got to win the yardage game,
win the yardish game, get Nathan in the position for
attacking kicks at the end of every set of six
and we win the football game. We can do that regularly, okay,
(36:25):
or consistently with Nathan, put him in that position, we win, okay.
So that's that's the first thing. That's what we have
to do to win the football game. What gives me
confidence that we're going to put him in a position
all the time for attacking kicks regularly is the fact
that you look at our yardage men. Now I'm not
talking about the forwards right, I'm not even talking about
pay Hash he like pain is almost the icing on
(36:47):
the cake. Look at our back three, our back three,
the combination is Edwards, Zac Loomax. You do not get
a better yardish combination than those three blokes. When the
wrestles on, I reckon, our forwards won't even need to
handle handle the football.
Speaker 1 (37:04):
They will go.
Speaker 2 (37:05):
It'll be you know, it'll be Edwards to Zak Loomax,
maybe to again or Edwards again kick out of trouble
and the way they go, Now, that will reduce, that'll
take so much stress off our forwards, our big guys,
and again it will just put us into position constantly
for attacking kicks.
Speaker 3 (37:21):
Yeah, I'm with you. I had New South Wales when
a game one up at some uncle. That's that is
the defining factor, I think. Yeah, But they have our
back three will if like on paper, does a way
better job in terms of workload and how they're going
to carry the football back. Kalin's not a known sort
of kick returner for that sense. His presence is his
(37:41):
X factor with the footy, which is going to be
his sort of game breaker. But I think our back
three is going to just relieve so much pressure on
the forward.
Speaker 2 (37:49):
On our back three, what's going to be really crucial
coups for Zach Zaklomax. Zach sometimes can be he has
I'll watch him and this is perfectly normal. Most of
his focuses on attack, he's carrying the football and stuff.
Speaker 1 (38:03):
He works his ass off.
Speaker 2 (38:05):
But occasionally I see him he switches off in defense,
you know, like he's almost exaes okay, you know all
the work he does and defensively, Billy will go at
Zach consistently. They will just go at him, going and
going que because what happens some signs with Zack when
he loses focus in defense, he disconnects himself from his
center and he tucks too much. And I think my
(38:28):
daughter was game won last year, or it might have
been the series before. Billy just kept going there through
Hammer and they just kept finding him out. They'll go
there again. They'll send Kalin around there on. They sweep
shapes going at him. So Zach's just gonna be on
his game.
Speaker 3 (38:41):
And this is going to sound a little technical for
people something. I'll try to explain it as best as
I can here. There was a game last year when
it might have been Zachlomax's first game because he chases
kicks a lot, and they kick for him, try to
use him in that sense. When it is time to defend,
he probably tries to get his breath back a little bit. Yeah,
that's it, and I knew that chatting to a few
of the queens Land boys. They had a bit of
(39:02):
a plan around because Billy's quite good as a fullback.
He knows that how to exploit the back three in
terms of trying to kick forty twenties and trying to
find space with a kicking game so they can't catch
it on the fall. And they knowing that Zak Lomax
does a lot of work with his kick chase. He
probably doesn't think about getting back to shut down forty
(39:22):
twenty opportunities Dally Cherry Evans. They identified that and there
was a four tackle where he went and kick to
forty twenty yep, because they knew he'd just kick chased
a few. He was tired. So I have no doubt
that they'll be they'll be looking to exploit that again
this year.
Speaker 1 (39:37):
Zach will have I reckon probably in the mid twenties.
Speaker 2 (39:41):
As far as carries, he'll work his ass off, but
it's just so vitally important that mate, when he gets
back to his edge defensively doesn't switch off. They will
just go at him, go at him, go at him relentlessly.
Speaker 1 (39:53):
So what do we think? What do you reckon?
Speaker 3 (39:55):
I've got you so well as twenty to eight, en,
do you what have you got? What's just God?
Speaker 2 (39:59):
I've gone, I've got South Wales twenty six twelve. You've
got them comfortably. I'm bullish, I'm really bullish.
Speaker 3 (40:06):
I've never seen you this confident because I'm a bit
worried about Queensland. I think they like fire in their
belly and I think that you know how much that
Jersey means to them, and each player has such a
point to prove. Munster wasn't there last year. Terry's got
a lot of stuff going on that he wants to shut.
Speaker 1 (40:21):
A lot of people up.
Speaker 3 (40:22):
Harry's Harry's Harry. Can I ask you just two more points?
I want to bring up to you who spined your
rate as better? Like if you if you had to,
if you were coaching a team. Let's say you were
coaching not so well as quens and you were coaching
Act and Act said, you get to pick the spine
of Queensland on New so Wales. Who you're picking, because
(40:42):
in my opinion, I'm picking Queensland. That's spine.
Speaker 1 (40:46):
I like New South Wales, you like New so Cleary.
Speaker 3 (40:50):
I think the one thing for me, the one thing
that for me that ticks it over is Harry. I
think everyone else is kind of pretty even sure, and
then Harry. Harry is Harry in my opinion, He's just
out and out the best hooker in it, like by
a country mile in the NROL.
Speaker 2 (41:03):
H I agree, I agree, but I just love Cleary.
It's Clear's time, Yeah, it's clear his time.
Speaker 3 (41:09):
Last thing I want to ask you the big match
up Robert Toyer versus Latrell Mitchell. Robert Toyer, shout out
to him. Ten games. He's been picked in the centers
by Billy Slater. He's probably going to be This is
probably the biggest moment of his career so far, easily
coming up against probably the most damaging center in the NRL,
Latrell Mitchell. How do you see that matchup going?
Speaker 1 (41:28):
Well, Robert to to ten games, hell of a footballer.
Speaker 2 (41:31):
And the fact that Billy's picked him says he's ready, Pip,
is he ready to get well?
Speaker 1 (41:36):
Billy picked him.
Speaker 2 (41:37):
Billy's so thorough he doesn't pick someone that's not ready. Yeah,
he's ready to go.
Speaker 1 (41:42):
Coops. It's a little bit like a lot of the
presence of Latrell.
Speaker 2 (41:47):
I liken it to a young boxer stepping into the
ring with Muhammad Ali, you know what I mean. When
he's out there, Robert, he'll stand opposite in a look
against Latrell, and I was just like, that's one of
those You don't get a lot of those one on
one ins a lot in the game these days, but center,
as you do, you just know you're in that ten
meter corridor for the whole game just steering at each other,
(42:08):
and there'd be times that he be looking across gun.
Speaker 1 (42:10):
That's fucking Latroll Mitchell.
Speaker 2 (42:11):
Oh yeah, and Latrell mate Latrell early in the game,
will try to get an early carry and just you know,
like try to break his.
Speaker 1 (42:19):
Confidence a little bit.
Speaker 2 (42:19):
It's just important, Like Vittoya, He's just got to get
up again Latrell's face, but it's going to be. It's
a great clash. And that's the other thing gives me
great confidence. Cop Latroll, Mitchell, Stephen Crichton, It's June Miles Malmaninger.
I mean those two blokes on the when you look
at those blokes on the team sheet, I just again
it's not one on paper, victory is on grasp, but
they just got great presence.
Speaker 1 (42:41):
It's a great it's a great side.
Speaker 3 (42:42):
Oh bloody, it's a it's a cool moment in my opinion,
like not since probably twenty eighteen, I believe it was
when it's like Latrell Mitchell up against Will Chambers, who
was kind of the best. It was almost like a
passing of the baton on when Latrell started to sort
of dominate in the NFL, particularly at original level. He
was a real handful. Gave gave Chambers a rough night
(43:03):
a couple of times, but Chambers at that time was
just enging at the end of his career and he
was one of the best players in the NRL. Now
it's like it feels a very similar kind of matchup.
You've got the older ball against the young up and
karma Robert Toyer.
Speaker 1 (43:16):
Well Cooper a little bit scratch you mate.
Speaker 3 (43:19):
I know I was watching you the whole time, looking
at the time, just wanting to wrap up.
Speaker 1 (43:23):
You enjoyed it. I'll enjoyed the Origin.
Speaker 2 (43:26):
Twenty six twelve New South Wales first try scorer Zach
Lomax off a kick from Nathan Cleary, Man of the
match Nathan Cleary.
Speaker 3 (43:34):
You so w I was twenty eighteen Nathan Cleary, man
of the match, first try scorer. In my opinion, he's
a bit of value for you. Angus Crichton, Oh like us.
Speaker 1 (43:45):
Good
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