September 16, 2025 • 47 mins
The boys are back to break down all the action heading into Week 2 of the NRL Finals. Big talking points, key matchups, and predictions you don’t want to miss. From star playmakers standing tall to which pack wins the battle through the middle – it’s all on the line this weekend.
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0:00-Intro
1:30-Justin Holbrook Knights!
6:45-Nic White
9:30-Bulldogs v Panthers
30:20-Raiders v Sharks
44:00-Backfence Player
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Well should we do it?
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Three?
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Two one? Do you want to get through to one?
That week? One of the finals? Done? RASMI And how
are you brother? How are you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Doing very well? Thank you?
Speaker 1 (00:17):
That's a garage treating your mate. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Look, as you know, a bit of a tumultuous And
the week last week the whole place got flooded.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
And thank you for alerting us about the white ants
to out this neftually there's white ants building mounds.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yeah, and and all that would has absorbed a lot
of that water. So you can't even close the garage
door now, so I must get bloody cold out there,
rose man.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah it sucks.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Hey, hey, hey, it sucks. It's our garage. Don't be grateful.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
It's went free. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Well look I went and I bought myself a hammock
this week, so it happens again. I'll be sweet. I'll
be up, you know, and.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Above a well down the road we've got the MC.
I want to stay there. Don't make a song and
dance about it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
No, I appreciate you, going to thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
No, you have the song wamc Yeah, yeah, stand at Wyam.
Don't make a song.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Like that.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It's yeah, let's get a finals football.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh you silly man. The big story this week Matthew
Justin Holbrook new Newcastle Knights coach.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
We finally found ourselves a coach to the Newcastle Knights.
I like it. It's good appointments.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
You played with Justin Holbrook at Newcastle, right, yep?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I did?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Was that first grade reserve grade?
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I didn't play. I didn't play it one thirty off
in coops. No, but he no, he played with him.
He was Joey's understudy. Like the year we won the
camp and ninety seven Leo Denov was Joey's understudy. So
they needed one and they bought. They brought Titsy Wholebrook
from the Bulldogs. And I know, you know, being a coach.
(01:51):
This is a fairly shallow statement. It doesn't mean he's
going to be a great coach up there. But one
thing about him when he come to the Knights, he
immediately fit in. He immediately was really really popular. Everyone
really liked him, like the fans really liked him. He
was a wholehearted player, never let anyone down, really positive bloke.
So yeah, I'm happy about it. He won't get much
sleep in the next three years, because mate, it's a
(02:13):
monumental job and he's got to have his hands on
most things.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, and I spoke to Sammy Verrals during the week
who had him up at the Gold Coast, and he
had very he very much enjoyed his time owner. Apparently
a very good coach as well.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Well. He won a title or two. It's Saint Helen's
he's sat on there. His win rate was eighty percent there.
Then went to Titans, and you know the Titans that
they'll face with a tough situation, they actually improved that
they well they were nine.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Remember they made the finals and then they would have
made it to the week two of semi finals, but
that last play the senate didn't pass to the winger
and they bombed the try and they didn't get the
verse and the roosters. You remember that Rasmuse were a
Titans man.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, Patrick Krbertt, that one was don't.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Keep your receipts.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Break with the Herbert family. They are latitious.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
But I know Dustin Holdbrook, I'm a I'm a big fan.
I know that hindsight is a you know, is a
great thing. But when you know they signed Daisy was
he was the next big thing. But if I look
back on it, I wish we had a whole Brook
there for them another year.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
And Michael Checker, you were you were talking about him
for the Newcastle job. He's now signed as the assistant
coach for.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
The Rooster's full time assistant at the Rooster.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Because he had done some part time stuff for them
before helping out Trent Robertson there.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
People say he hasn't got a regul league background, but
he played. He played both league and union growing up.
His league play growing up, and he coached Lebanon in
the World Cup. Okay that was short, short stint, but
talking to the Lebanese places, had a very very good
sound knowledge of the game. Brilliant communicator, brilliant man manager.
In these days coops, I mean you've got you've got
two or three assistant coaches. Whatever you may lack, they
(03:55):
can pick up. I mean it's like Billy Ach. Correct
me if I'm wrong, But I've heard Billy Ach say this.
When I worked at the Storm. You had to talk
to like You talked to Billy like about attack and
he goes, mate, I don't care what you do. I'm
just looking after defense. Just make sure that I'm blue derors.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
BELLI barely looks at the attack. And if there's some
stuff that he sees in your attacking game, it's generally
only to do with effort or you know, maybe you're
passing early. When he thinks because you're a little bit tired,
you're trying to distribute some work to someone else, that's
the same time he will sort of pull someone else up.
He only focuses on defense. As a head coach, should
they I always find a lot of assistant coaches who
(04:34):
actually are assistants in the attacking coaching role when they
make the transition to head coach, they actually don't. They
don't do as good a job. Jason Rowles is a
great example. He was every time he's been an assistant
at a coach where he was at. He was at
the Roosters, he was at obviously Melbourne, he's been defensive coach.
(04:55):
Both times. He hasn't even touched the attack. He's been
the defensive coach. And they make it. They make a
really good transition to being a hedge coach. They do
because head coaches need to focus on holding the standards
for effort and defense. They don't even look at the attack.
They recruit someone who is an attacking specialist.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
And the other one is Cameron Sorelda. He was defensive
coach at the Panthers. And so your spot on, your
spot on, And oftentimes I think it's really important when
you get a coaching staff together. Is they talk about
it in NFL, they call it siloing. So if I'm
(05:33):
head coach, coop your defensive coach, and the ras man
is attack coach, you look like an attack coach. Raise men.
So if you attack it So the last thing we
need or the last thing I need from YouTube blokes
is operating is different identities because what happens is like
if our defense is really struggling and our tax going great,
(05:53):
the ras men says to me, well, it's not my fault, mate,
we're attacking great. But what happens a lot of time,
having too much emphasis on attack brings errors, and an
errors impacts defense. So you need to work in a
cohesive manner. And I think a lot of time in
bad clubs, I'd look at their system and mate, and
I'll see it that some clubs all the time. You know,
(06:13):
this is a little insight into fans on what happens
the politics of coaching stuff. I've heard attack coaches bag
the defensive coach and vice versa. Mate, it's not my
fault that we're losing. Look at that and you're going, yeah,
but mate, your attacks, you're making so many errors that
the defense, the defensive coach can't absorb them. So it's
a cohesive unit.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Rubber union doesn't get to start much on this body.
But shout out to Nick White, who was the scrum
half for the Wallabies last week in the in the
Test that they played on Saturday afternoons against Argentina. He's
from the Hunter Valley Hunter Valley Boys, Nick and he played,
he played his last game, he retired And look, I
don't know Nick White that well. I think maybe I've
(06:53):
crossed met him once before, potentially, But I was woken
up in the early hours of Saturday night by Nick
White on the piece facetiming me with a couple of
my mates. So shout out to him. In his words,
he said, I'm the best half that has come out
of the Hunter Valley. So shout out a great career,
(07:13):
but shout out to him. Had a bit of had noise.
The next day he said, sorry, brother, I wasn't trying
to sled you. I was just having a laugh, mate,
And I said, well, you know you're not the greatest
ansorts come out a hunt Valley. There's been three of us.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Yeah true, Nick, Let me just give you a bit
of advice mate, when you're out on the drink and
having a great time, Nicoll, people don't have head noise
the next day. It doesn't matter. I do it all
the time, and I'd take great pride in it. Actually
I were it as a badge of honor you.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
You face on a lot of people should have more
head noise than you.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I never get head noise.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yeah, I think, Coop, you're one to speak as well.
I think every time we've been on the pisce, we
end up calling some of your contacts and nice notably
Justin Olan.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Always just a ol ras Men loves Justin ever literally
ever since I reckon me and he became teammates. Every
time and you have had a beer, yugo ring juzzy.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, he's always he's always up for a chat. He's
a good man. And yeah another one camera munster. Yeah,
we gotta call one New Year's I think.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yeah, because you're from because rasmun is born in Rockampton
as well.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Made you get a round, round, get around, you get around?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, yeah, which is Harry Grant obviously came Monster and
Tim Glasby territory, so he's Tim Glasby's next on the
FaceTime list?
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Is it Glasman? Well, Rasmond of the Glasman and ras
Man your father? Right, he was down Coops to the
final two people to be the boss of the NRL
and Todd Greenburn got it. It was about fifteen years ago. Yeah, yeah,
he nearly got. He was near the head of the NRLs.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Me, thank god that you could have ever.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Thank god. I'll tell you what. And if he's listening,
thank thank bloody thank god because the game it would
have been driven the ground.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
He's a good man sign and he listens to the potty.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Yeah, shout out to him.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
He is one of the best. That's where you get
your sense of humor for from and your great humility
and gorgeous looks. It just looks gorgeous ones.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
All right, let's start at the Sunday game because that's
probably where a lot of the big news is coming
out of the Bulldogs play the Penrith Panthers. Straight off
the top, let's talk about some of the injuries and
potential changes. Stephen Crichton and Marcelo Montoya have been named
on the extended bench for the Bulldogs. I mean, I'm
not sure whether they're going to come back in or not.
(09:32):
I mean, Critter, it would be some effort for him
to come back into that side. Marcello, I'm not sure
where his ankle is at. But what are your thoughts
on that?
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Yeah, Coops, you don't see, it'd be some sort of return.
There's two guys that come to mind in this situation.
One is remember ruben Wicki horrifically doing his ankle and
made basically and like he had like he treated himself
through the week with like harv leaves and stuff like that. Anyway,
(10:02):
he played. He played about a week later and did play.
I don't know if he got through the game though.
The big one was Paddy Richards Paddi Richards in the
Grand Final qualifier for the West Tigers and two thousand
and five, mate, did it really bad as bad as
Steven Crichton's And I remember, mate, there's no way he'll
play that week and he was in doubt even the
(10:22):
day before the game. He was in doubt they didn't
think he was going to play. Did the last training
session played, and of course they scored that amazing try double.
It's scored that amazing trio off Benji, so it can
be done. It's funny to see where Cameron Surroldo may
very well look at this game. If this wasn't an eliminator,
I reckon he wouldn't play. He might try to get
(10:45):
him out there. Given the enormity of this game against
I mean, just for his presence Cooper, He's going to
be He's going to be vital up against his old side,
et cetera, etcetera.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I've seen Marcelo Montoya during the week his mother flew
in to treat his ankle, to give it the old
Fiji and massage. Apparently apparently she's quite the masseuse on it.
And I can say I can't speak for our critter
and the Samoan culture, but living with two Karma Cameth,
the Fiji and King I haven't seen. You know, those
(11:17):
Fijians can recover from injuries like I've never seen.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Really.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I've seen Buller like do five week injuries and be
back in literally a week and a half and he's
of the belief Kava and just his DNA was repairing me.
Me and Harry were like, this man is actually in Adonis.
I've never seen anything like it. So Marcelo might be
right to go.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
He might be and I see kick out. They wanted
to do a scan on him or an X ray
and he said no, he rejected it with his beliefs
on the face. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
And also on the extended bends for Penrith, Mitch Kenny
has been named on that bench. Somerton is still named
at nine, but you'd expect Mitch Kenny to come back in.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
I believe my male is he will play, which.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Is a huge in because you could tell they really
missed him, particularly read their attack on the weekend. Not
that some ofton did a bad job, but you could
see what Mitch Kenny brings to that forward pack. He
gives it to Nathan at the right time. He understands
their system better than anyone.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
He's the king of their defense.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, yeah, this is if.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
He takes part in with the Malees before we believe
he's going to be known. It's the first time all
the year Penwouth have been full strength. Is this the
first time it's all about timing.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Yeah, well that's a good time. Okay, let's this Bulldog's
Pendrith game. Where do you how do you think the
teams and the coaches are going to be approaching this game?
What's their headspace and mindset? Let's talk about Penrith first.
How do you think they're going to be feeling come
up against the Dogs this week? Because I think after
they watched that Melbourne game, dogs were quite out of form,
not really a lot of a lot of errors and
(12:49):
not a lot of stuff was sticking. I'm of the
belief that they'd be quietly confident. You can never be
confident going into a finals game, because I think they'd
be they'd be licking their it's a little bit coops.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
I think they'd be licking their lips. And no matter
who they played, I think that's there might they might
tend to be. I think still they're still my favorites
because just as I said before, it's the first time
they have been a full strength. The halfback is really now,
you know, playing he's hitting top four. His precision last
(13:25):
week and the Wars made the Wars took it to
him last week. The war was in some ways won
the physical battle, but it's just the precision of Penrith
and Nathan that won it. From so look, as I
said before, mate, like if anything, he'll look and I
think that Ivan will look to him and Nathan look
to change a few things up. Given the fact that
(13:46):
Camera Seraldo, he knows their style of football very very
well on how to defend it, I think you'll see
some variations from the Dog's point of view. Hey look, coops,
you know if you're gonna win the comp, you gotta
beat them, all right, And he'll look at this game
Cameras arouldo. One thing about the Bulldogs excuse the pun
but they play great. When the play great when they
play with a great underdog mentality and they're going to
(14:08):
go out there, it's going to be a huge crowd
in their favor. They're going to be up emotionally, they're
going to play with the energy of a side that's
got nothing to lose, and that gives them a punch chance.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Last week against Melbourne, that first twenty minutes they really
give it like they were real physical with Melbourne. They
kick Chase, they were really good with their defense. I
think if they bring that mentality similar to like the
Wise did to Penrith. They'll look really good. But my
big thing is don't try to out Penrith. Penrith and
we said this last week when they're going down to Melbourne,
you're not going to out don't try to play that
(14:38):
same soul and out grind them. I think they need
to have the same I think they need to change
their mentality this week and they're not about trying to
beat Penrith the last ten minutes where you grind them
down over seventy minutes and then you run away with
the game. Because Penrith have done that consistently for five
years and it's going to be a much harder game
trying to beat them at their own game. To you
need to really disrupt them physically early and then they
(15:01):
need to be playing a lot of good football and
need to be really high skilled because if you're just
sitting there dropping people off and trying to wear them
out fitness wise, they're going to get you in the
back end of the game.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Well. And the other thing about like the other thing
they got to do coops, They've got to start like
you said, start well, but if you can pinch a
try early, you know, pincher try Suddenly you find you
might find yourself eight points clear, mate, against a red
hot favorite that just exerts a little bit of pressure.
I go back to the peak years of Melbourne Storm
right and when Cooper was half back of the Krong variety.
(15:33):
But with Cooper, like Cooper was brilliant at organizing team,
but he would have he'd have a GPS in his
brain out how he wanted and thought the game would go.
But I used to see Coop and that changed the
further got in his career. But early to the mid
part of his career, if he was chasing points, he
(15:53):
looked uncomfortable because had you took him away from the
way that he wanted the game to be played. And
I see similar stuff with Nathan. I see Nathan the
way he builds the game. You know it starts getting
those suffocation sets on and repeats it. But suddenly, mate,
if you find yourself early in the contest six or
eight nil down, then you've got to play with a
bit more urgency. So like last week that the Dogs
(16:16):
cannot do what the Warriors did, Warrior's got got a
penalty early, they're in a position for for an attacking
set and maybe pinch a try early to put pressure
on tenor boy doesn't put it out. It doesn't kicks,
it doesn't make touch unforgivable. Every opportunity you get, you've
got to be down that field. You've got to be
(16:37):
given it some. If you're not scoring points, you've got
to get repeat sets. You've got to start, You've got
to burn them out. You've got to do that. And
you said it before about errors, Cooper, the Dog's defense
is actually good. Structurally is good. I thought against the
last week the Storm dominated yard throughout the game, but
the way they defending their own quarter is very very good.
(17:00):
What's killing them are the errors. Now, I'll go out
to Toby Sexton talk about Sexton's inclusion here, Coops, why
this is important And I took exception of it at
the time. Everyone in removing Toby Sexton and bringing in
Lachland Galvin, they kept putting stats out going, oh, look
(17:22):
at this, he's not creating enough linebreak. It says, look
at this, and that's the reason we've moved him on.
And Galvin's going to make us a better attacking team.
Now that might be the case, That might be the
case as far as ability to score pure points, that
might be the case with Galvin, but Sexton was a
far more was a steady, calming influence. And crucially, when
(17:44):
Sexton was in that football side, they made far less errors.
And at the moment for the want to get their
attack on, they are making so many unforced errors. That's
what's killing them. So if they get out there this
week complete up to around ninety percent, get their defense
on as have been doing. Kick well, mate, they've got
to punch his chance.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, let's the three key players. Can we talk about
them for a second, Starting with the Bulldogs. I've got
my three key players this week for the Dogs. I
think Maddy Burton, he's named it. Center's my If Crichton
doesn't play, he'll play left center. Bronson Cherry I believe
he's coming back into the side. He'll play right center.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
But I just think that Dog's left edge, it's their
biggest threat, it's their biggest strength. Kick ol Burton there,
but I think Burdo's got to get a bit more involved,
and I I think he looked when he went to center.
I thought he looked really good. He was running the
foot he put him under a man's pressure Melbourne. But
we said it last week. I think he's got to
(18:43):
bring I think Siro's got to tell him to bring
out the torpedo. I cannot wrap my head. And I
understand that they want to build into this grinding game
like Penrith do. But he has a weapon that no
one else in the NFL has and they're just not
using it.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Well, Koby's one of my three key men. Two. I'll
jump in there for he's one of mine. For the
same reason, Dylan Edwards is suddenly having a bit of
a dip in confidence as far as that high ball
is concerned. He had it a few years ago and
suddenly he's just I can see there's a bit of uncertainty. Well,
Burder mate, there it is like, although you're playing center
in yardage sets, put yourself in position for that last
(19:20):
tackle kick and don't place it fucking whack the thing
towards the stars.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yeah, well, if he did it at origin towards the sun.
When he played origin at center, they did the same thing.
They'd get him to come in field, Nathan a two
passed it to him, he'd whack him up and Klem
was at the back from maroons and they just couldn't
get it on the fall because it's that odd. I
don't know why they're not wanted, whether it's his left
knee problem and he's not able to hit it as far, but.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
No, I think he's got a bit of it. Like
you know, it's like with terms that they want to
place the ball in a place, let's place it.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
There's a time and a place for that cure. Like
maybe the first fifteen to twenty minutes the building of
the game. Sure, don't bring it out. But after that,
when there's a bit of fatigue and you want to
out to like force errors and start to put a
bit of doubt in the back three his mind. He
needs to be pulled into least at least using it
two or three times a game.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
They're not using it at all, Coop, I wouldn't be
placing the ball at all of him anything from fifty
five meters out. Don't place it, jam it, torpedo it, mate.
We need something to win this game. We're not going
to win the game playing percentages. We've got to force
eerrors out of them. We've going to dominate possession. That's
one of the ways we do it.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
My next one is Bill Kickout. I think kickout I
thought he was their biggest attacking threat against Melbourne. I
think he's going to be such a big way that
they're going to want to play against Penrith, particularly getting
it Nathan, making Nathan make a lot of tackles and
he just attracts so many defenders and gets quick play
the balls and she just happens around him. He gets
off loads, he gets quick play the balls. I think
(20:45):
they're going to want to use him for that. And
then my third was kind of Tracy. I think Nathan's
kicking game is so important. You saw him build a
lot of repeat sets last week against the Warriors. Charles
Nikol Klocksdad did a really good job at saving a
lot of tries off grubbers. I think that it's going
to be a big job for Tracy this week in
order to diffuse a lot of their attacking kick threats.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Biggest biggest challenge of Connor Tracy's career because he coming
through it was a half but a little bit of
center like a fullback. Although he's had in months, there's
still a newish position for him, particularly at this level,
so he's going to be subjected to all this array
of attacking kicks from Nathan. He's going to be he's
going to have to handle those giant bombs, those dead
(21:28):
ball bombs that he puts up, and he's going to
be in charge of protecting the forty twenty. He's got
a massive job. My other two is Tobe Sexton for
the reasons we just spoke about, and Liomy kick out
Billy kickout he had last week. He had Jonah Peasant
in front of him. They just didn't do it enough.
Every time they gave him. Every time they opened the
field up to the far touch line to open the
(21:50):
spaces up and got him the ball one on one,
he caused problems. They just didn't do it enough.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
My pen with three, I like it through these ones
a little bit quicker. Moses Lioda yep. I think up front,
particularly with that he was really strong for him upfront
against the Wires last week. And I think there's bulldogs
pack They're not as big as the Wires, so I
think Leodo is going to have a huge impact going
after a lot of their big boys, particularly Maxi King,
Him and Maxi King going at it. My two obvious
(22:17):
reasons Nathan Cleary. He's kicking game proved the difference against
the Warriors last week and I think he's going to
want to play the same game. But I think the
most important player on the field for Penwick this week
is Brian Totter for the reason obviously we know what
he does out of the backfield, his meter oriadge and
all that, but that left edge blaze to lungey Casey
McLain AND's on the wing there. They are relatively new edge.
(22:41):
If I'm an attacking half, particularly in finals this time
of the year, that's the edge you want to set up.
You want to hit Nathan's edge and then you want
to attack that edge because they've leaked a lot of
points this year.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Bizzi.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
They've put Bizza there because he started on the other side.
They've put Bizsi there for his defensive experience to try
to help those two young lads, and I think he's
the most important player defensively for Penrith to help those
boys defensively.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Yeah, I got I've gone. I've got Nathan for all
the reason if he spoke about I've gone, I've gone
a Brian Toto bron to. Given the fact that the
Dogs you can't stop him, You've got to minimize him.
If the dogs can have him, have him run for
less than two hundred meters, they've done outstanding job. And
I'll tell you how I would defend a Bizzer bron
(23:26):
Toto is that I would be the tal malolo rule
that Melbourne did is that mate, he's hit him low
right his post contact meters. He just drives through the
line against position. Mate, chop him down with the league's
tackle from Markert's side on. Yeah, that's what you do.
Stop his momentum immediately.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I agree. He's so hard to tackle if you're trying
to get him up top and wrestle him to the ground,
if you have to sacrifice him, not putting him on
his back in order to save meters, because so many
people go high and they try to wrest them to
the ground, but he just breaks tackles and keeps leg
driving through. You've got your markers. You've got to stress
to your markers in that first aid defender get up
and you've got to dive straight into his leads.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
So true. And my other one, Cooper is Isaiah. Isaiah
are more than any other more than any other player,
even Nathan cleary. He's the decision maker whether the ball
goes north south or east west. And when he's really
got it on, they look fantastic like that. They there,
they win of their games. When he's a little off,
(24:25):
and I've seen it sometimes a little bit off, they
get two past centric and two sideways. So he's a
crucial man.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Okay, how if this next one, I want to ask
the Bulldogs and Panels will start with Bulldogs. If Bulldogs
are to win this game, how do you see them winning?
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I see them, I see them getting off to really
fast art. Well, we're talking about getting an early lead,
applying applying scoreboard pressure and then mate, just eliminate urrus
at the end of the if they win the game,
we get to the end of the game, I look
at the statue and I go, mate, what about that
any made two errors in the whole game. That's what
(25:02):
they've got to do to give themselves a chance. They've
got to kick well, put in the corners. They've got
to attack Penrith with their energy. And the other thing
with the football coop, it's imperative. They've got to get
forward early. They've got to get forward. If if Bronson
Cherry is a big inn. He's a great he's a
great yard. He so one of the best in the competition.
(25:22):
If if he and Jacob kraz can get forward in
early tackles, then that allows their smaller fast to pack
the ball play a little bit, you know, and they
can cause a lot of problems there and on with you.
It's attacking that right head. You know. Last week we
saw Broncos applied a lot of pressure to and and
(25:42):
to the and of the Raiders young guys, the young
guys in the side, blokes who had been outstanding all
season for the Raiders, when the pressure really got on,
they tightened up. They've got to do that with Blaze.
They've got to go a Blaze a lot. This is
his biggest chance.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
I think that's the Bulldogs. That's where they've got to attack.
I think you'll see them that right edge of I
believe it's Galvin Preston, it'll be Bronson Cherry if crit
is not there, and then I don't know who's on
that right wing, but they're they're the four that are
going to have to attack that and particularly that space
between Casey McLain and Blaze to lunging attacking and putting
(26:18):
pressure in between there, because if those two lose confidence,
it's going to put so much pressure on Bizia and
the back roller on that side as well. Ye who wins.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Coops, it's it's it's I give I give the dogs
a punches chance. But I gave for Penrith simply because Cooper.
Number one is because they've got a pretty decent seven.
But the other one is the Panthers need to do
We'll put it this way. They don't need to have
a lot of things. They don't need luck or a
(26:50):
lot of things to go their way to win. To
win football, big football games, they've got the template. They
know how to do it if they can just they've
got those suffocation sets that they just apply and they
just meant a lot of positions doing it that way.
But if the Panthers you own a big games. If
the Panthers just defend well, really strong in the yardage
and regularly get Nathan into attack positions, I don't know
(27:11):
who beats them.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Yeah, I agree, I've got Panoth as well. I think
watching what Nathan did with his kicking game last week,
and at this time of the year, you just know
they're not going to beat themselves throughout the year, they
beat themselves a hell of a lot of times. I
think they've got this finals experience and they've got all
their troops back, They've got the best half back, probably
best player in the world. I think they are not
(27:34):
going to beat themselves. And I don't know if I
think for Bulldogs to beat them, they're going to have
they'd want parents to be a little bit.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Off and Coops. The big home crowd for the Bulldogs
seventy thousand plus, which you will be ninety pm Bulldogs fans,
they'll relish that. They'll just they'll revel'll be out there.
I'll love the atmosphere. No, no, Coops. We're still working
out we're talking about doing outside broadcasts outside.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
The ground because we're going to do it. Last last
week in camera, a lot of our listeners got in
touch because we shouted out they're doing an outside broadcast
and they were looking for you.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Yeah, well what happens, Coops. It was logistics what happened.
We wanted to actually be able to get in to
the ground do some interviews and stuff like that, but
there were logistics reasons why we couldn't do it. As
far as TV rights and whatnot, So it got shelved.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
On race Man who wins?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Just quickly my camera's gone, so sorry to all the viewers.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
That's all right.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I'll just leave you on Coop for the time being.
I've gone a different flavor, flavor Saver. Flavor Saver. I
think a couple of crucial mistakes last week by the
Wise I think cost them McLean and scored off the
back of that. I like the way the Doggies play.
Think in front of that crowd, they'll be like, they'll
be up for the moment. So I'm going for the
(28:48):
Underdoggies does too, Dogies, we can use that one as
a buddy doggie style.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
You've always been a dog you man, absolutely as opposed
to a reverse cowgirl. That's take. I was just watching
World War Z before. What a wonderful movie. Brad Pitt,
And there's a scene in the movie where he goes
to this guy because Israel built the wall to stop
the zombies going in, and he said, how did you know?
(29:15):
And he said, well, word comes through from India that
there's a zombie thing happening. He went, yeah, well, why
did you believe that? He said, because we do what
we do now we have ten guys in the room,
and nine of them's job was to say that's ridiculous,
and there's one that's got to have account of you
and try to talk him into it. He said, oh,
it was the count of you, and you ras Man
are the count of you.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
So if they win standing up for the Doggies fans
when anyone else will.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
One of the great one of the great anal.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Analogies, mate, comparing you to Brad Pitt and comparing the
game on Sunday to World Wars.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
My favorite scene in that is when Brad Pitt looks
across and he sees all the zombies running past that
sick kid, and he realizes that if you infect yourself
with some sort of like the only cure for the
zombiess so they don't infect you as you did. We'll
google that flash if the only cur is to be
(30:08):
sick because the zombies they don't want to touch sick blood.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
Very interesting collective beggars can't be choosing, can they.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
That's what I thought at one point zombies. He would
have thought zombies would be such picky assholes. Friday night game, Yes,
Friday Night, it's actually for foot it's actually Saturday this game. Sorry, Yeah,
that's right, Canberra week after Friday. Yeah, yeah, Canberra versus
the Sharks. Let's talk about. Look, Canberra is completely unchanged.
I thought maybe they may have had a couple of
(30:37):
injuries given the extent of that ninety minute battle they
have with the Broncos. Sharks are unchanged except Tom Hazelton
has been named on the extended bench. I'm not sure
whether he comes back in or not. Hazel maybe come
onto the bench for him, be a little good inclusion
because Hazel and I can find the white line mate.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
He and were steady on there, mate they Yeah, Hazel's mate,
Nichols he just made always gets across.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
There are some good tri scoring front rowers in the
modern game at the moment, and a lot of them unathletic.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
But Adam fanil Blake he's another one. Ad He's very athletic.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Yeah, what do you put yourself? Let's start with the
Sharks for a second. If you're the Sharks, great Fitzgibbon
and the team, how do you think they're going to
how do you think they're feeling coming up against the
minor premiers Raiders this week? Because I believe off the
back of that Broncos game, that crucial ninety five minute
game into a six day turnaround where they play Sunday
(31:35):
into a Saturday game. I am confident. I'm taking a
lot of confidence into this game. Shark's playing a good style,
and I think if there's a time to go after
the minor premiers, it's probably now.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Well a lot of the times what you do coop
when when you'd play, we certainly do it with a
Knights back in our day when we played. If you
played a semi semi final on one day, the next day,
you all gather together as a team to watch who's
going to play next week? Yeah? Yeah, mate. They would
have been sitting there in double extra time or in
the golden point just going yeah, how maybe not like that,
(32:11):
but mate, how good is this? Just keep burning each
other out, So they would be they'd be going to
a lot of confidence.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Because physically it's it's obviously this time of the year,
that physical game, because that was outside of the ninety
five minutes, it was a battle like. It was a
high intense eighty minutes.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Full stop day football. See.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
But I think the emotional dam like those Raiders boys
you know. They they were very they were They had
some controversial calls against them in a heartbreaking up and
down roller coaster game. They've got a lot to leave
behind them and move on to the next week in
only six days. Yeah, they would have been stewing for
a couple of days after that game gone bloody, helt like,
(32:50):
pissed off about some of the ref calls, pissed off
about some of the other scenarios in the game. It
takes a lot to drop all of that, leave that
at the door and go, guys. We got a job
in six days to keep our season alive, to make
it to a prelimp final.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Yeah, it does. It's been a both of their sides
are coming from such a different mindset, like the Sharks are.
The Sharks are surging. Sharks are playing their best football,
they have for years best under Crow fitz Gibbon. They're
playing great football. Mate, They're in a roll. They've won
eight from their last nine. They've just they've just had
a big win over the Roosters, mate, They've just sat
(33:25):
and watched the Raiders put himselves through hell then, you know,
and for the last hurdle there against the Broncos, they're
going to mate. They'll go down there super confident. The Raiders,
on the other hand, they're going to put themselves back
together a little bit, but they've got the right coach
to do it.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
How do you think the Raiders will see this game then,
because they've played the Sharks once this year. It was
a tight game in round five, twenty four to twenty.
They beat them. The Raiders, they scored a try in
the seventy eighth minute, actually pinch it to win. How
do you think they are viewing the Sharks because they
are flying at the moment show.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
I don't think Ricky will put much emphasis on the Sharks.
I think he'll spend all these energies on his own side.
Like if you watch him last week, and we spoke
about this in the review, if the Raiders had just
kept playing football, didn't tighten up like what they're doing.
They just look at the rear vision American Mate, the
Broncos are coming. When it went when it was twenty
(34:20):
six fourteen, I think it was twenty eight to twelve
or twenty eighth when they were within twelve points, I
don't know if who was commentat was a Dangana in
the country, but he went, oh, mate, this game is
not over yet. Well, there was no about nine minutes
to go, Like, really, they should have been able to
They should have hang on and if and when, I'm
(34:42):
sorry I've used the wrong termy hang on is not
the right word. They should have kept playing. That's been
one of the great things about the Raiders this year.
Come hello, high water. Regardless of the circumstance, they've played
their football. I think Ricky will go away, what's that
game and say, hey, boys, look at that. If we
just kept playing foota ball, we win, maybe even comfortably.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, and I agree. It was twenty eight to twelve
with fifteen minutes to go. I think in that game,
any any side would go we've blown a sixteen point
lead in fifteen minutes, despite of you know, the Hudson
Young Resold situation before that, despite any of the penalties
that led up to that moment that people are sort
of blowing up about. That doesn't matter. They're still up
(35:22):
by sixteen points for fifteen to go. That the stuff
that happened before that had no impact on how they
should have handled that fifteen minute scenario. And you practice
that all the time of training fifteen minute scenario. How
do we ice teams out? How do we put the
pressure on them, turn them over in the corner, keep playing.
But they just they didn't handle that scenario.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Broncos were eleven at one point and that's where the
raid is. You just go, mate, let's just go for
these blakes. Let's say the raid like if you look
at kaya weeks, try just for just for a half time,
he comes off his right foot and just waltz us
through because the Raiders forwards were out on their feet.
I'm sorry, the Broncos forwards right on their feet. So
boys like Ricky will show them in the video and say,
(36:02):
have a look at them. They were gone. Mate, we
beat ourselves. Come on, let's get out this week. We've
been the best. We've been the best side all season.
You don't turn into a bad side overnight just by
one loss. Let's get out there and game. Yeah, they'll
be they'll be really confident.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Yeah, I'm keen to see how they approach his game.
Three key players. Let's start with the Sharks boys. Who
who's your top.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Three trendle Yep is one for obvious reasons, like last
week he played I think probably the great best games
ever played in in our role player. Yeah, he was superb.
The past selection was was tip top really good. He's
he's he's really important. He and Nico and Blake Brawley
are found. They've found combination which.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
I'll jump into you because he's mine as well. Tricky
Tricky Trendle obviously played great last week, but I think
he's my most important player because the edge that he's
attacking this week is that Raiders right edge. Yeah, Reese
Walsh put a clinic on against last week. All the pressure,
all the clips that FITZI be showing that edge this
week is that's the side they want to attack too.
(37:07):
That's the side who's going to be low on confidence.
They're at the young edge. The other side has been
defending quite well for the Raiders. That is the key
weakness at the moment. And Tricky is a big Tricky
has been awesome with the footio and him and Malatalo
have been deadly together. I think that those two were
really important, well.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Probably for me, the most vital men for the Raiders.
While what you were just talking about there is Jamal Foggery, right,
So if I'm FITZI I'm saying just tricky boys. Just
keep going at him, keep going mate, like because last
week when when the Broncos just kept going at him
and creating things in and around him, I think that
(37:46):
really affected his composure and attack. And he's the most
important bloke with the attack. They've got a ruffle his
feathers to affect the Raider's composure. So yeah, trendle. Secondly,
Ronaldo Malatalo may love that bloke, just love his atitude.
The way you plays. He brings the vibe, he brings
the menace. Swagger, swagger, mate, He'll be out there, he'll
be sledging and going. So Ronaldo is mine. My second
(38:09):
one and third one is Adam Fanil Blake. Again almost
the same as last week, but Filla Blake is just
a phenomenon.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
Big job for him this week too. That Raiders pack
is huge. That Raiders pack is huge, and they are
firing at the moment. Tarpani and Papoli up front, Hawsebrot Locke.
He's Adam is the bloke who can really enforce those
like He's he's so dominant, he's he's got so much
leg speed. He's the one who can really give it
to him. My other two for Sharks were Blake Brayley.
(38:37):
I think he's scooping gear along with him and Tricky.
I think he's so deadly in the middle, similar to
Tommy Starling, how they play very nippy, very crafty around
the rock. He can cause a lot of disruption. And
then my third, same as you, Adam Vanil Blake.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Yeah, Raiders, I've gone most important Jamal Foggery. Last week
they lost, they lost their composure. A lot of the
young guys tightened up a little. But that's his domain.
He's got to have that composure in and in extra
time a golden point when they'll search him for that
big play where they was searching for the field gold.
They just lost their composure. Again, that's that's Jamals. That
(39:14):
that's his that's his domain. He's got to get that right.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
The other one Josh Papalee, Big Papa. The reason why,
the reason why Billy took him into Origin camp for
that last game was he needed something special. Took him
in for his presence and his leadership. So you know
he's a big one for him. And the third one
is Ethan Strange. We talked about Ronaldo brings the vibe.
I reckon, Ethan Strange brings us the energy and the vibe.
(39:39):
And I thought with Ethan last week, I thought he
was excellent in the first sixty six minutes. I reckon.
When I reckon, he was a little bit symbolic of
how they stopped playing. He sort of went into your
shell a little bit. Mate. If I'd be saying to Ethan, hey,
brother mate, you've been outstanding this year, mate, and I
need you even in the type moments I'll accept in
(39:59):
their I need you to keep playing football. And b Ethan.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Strange my three for Raiders Hudson Young. I thought he
was their best player last week on the field. I
think he's he's the real leader for that left edge
as well. And I think he brings out the best
in Ethan Strange because he's so skillful. How do you
used to play a bit in the halves growing up
as well, so he kind of got a halves mentality
at different times. You can see that when he brings
(40:23):
out his little sort, kicking.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
Out another better half that came out of Hunter Valley
than Nick White.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
Shout out of you.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Nick.
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Who Number two for me is Kayle Weeks. I think
he's provides so much X factor for him, But I
think he's going to be the most important player on
the field because he'd be kicking himself a little bit
last week with whilst she kicking two forty twenties on him. Yep,
you know a lot of the time that's the fullbacks
role to get those back three working together to shut
down those threats. And I have no doubt Trindle and
(40:51):
Nico they like going for that early kick, that early
forty twenty, so I think they'll be reviewing and seeing
some opportunities around that this week. And then my number three,
Josh Papali as well. I think you know, with we
spoke about Faniel Blake on the other side, Papaly in Tarpani,
they'll be looking at Fanil Blake and Rudolph who were
instrumental last week, and they're going to want to really
(41:11):
give it to those Blakes this week if they're to win.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
What's the verdict who wins it?
Speaker 3 (41:16):
I'm going the Sharkies. I've got the sharks and thoughts
I said, well, I said it in the preview for
last week's game with Broncos Raiders. I said, whoever wins
this game is going to go to the Grand Final.
Whoever loses it are going to be so physically damaged
after what I thought was going to be a really
physical game that I thought they were going to beat.
(41:37):
I'm just sticking with my guns with that. I think.
I think Sharkis are looking really fresh at the moment.
They're going on a They've got a long They've got
a seven day turnaround. Raider's got a six day turnaround
on the back of a hard game. I think the
Sharkis are full of confidence, and I think they're going
to get it done.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
I'm going to gather Raiders Raiders given the fact that,
like I said before, they've been the best season, all
best team all year, I reckon, excuse me, I'm back
and thank you, thanks and thank you Rasmond, and I'm
back in them to learn the lessons from last week.
I'm back in the fact that they can sit down
(42:12):
in the video session, right, I'd be really disappointed. But
one of the things that can pull them together and
get themselves back together again is looking at the video
and saying, hey, we beat ourselves. Correct, we just if
we kept doing what we've done through the year and
kept playing football under pressure, we win the football game
and The other thing is make Canberra playing the Raiders
at home at night. I think is as tough as
(42:36):
beating the Melbourne Storm at home at night back in
their peak. Yars Rasmund, what do you think?
Speaker 2 (42:43):
Right? Just quickly before I give you my verdict. I
noticed on the comments last week someone called you up
for saying Papali and it said, it's actually Papa to
give you credit for, you know, always adapting and evolving,
learning every day. You're not You're not a perfect person.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
At least as opposed to the old man man.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
I'm going the milk because everyone loves some milk and
they're everyone second favorite team, so they're going to bounce back.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
Do you know the old camera milk they used to have.
There used to be a camera. Miok brought thing out
called Camera Lime. It was lime flavored milk which was delicious.
So you'd walk in the sheds before the game, and
you know, like like before the games, you wouldn't you
wouldn't have breakfast because you're nervous. But when you're get
in the sheds, it's an now full kickoff. Suddenly you're
starve and hungry and they just have a crate of
this delicious lime flavored milk. There it was the lime milk. Good.
(43:35):
It was delicious, it was fantastic.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
I couldn't help me because I wouldn't have thought that
milk and lime would go together.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Oh yeah, I made have one. I'll make one for you,
a lime spider lime flavor. Yes, milk is awesome. How
good is it? What a what a drink?
Speaker 3 (43:49):
A couple of alcoholics in the room, that's right, A few,
don't say A couple of the three of us? Three
is a crowd? Can we do our back fence player
of the round? Who last week? Do you remember who
you predicted last week? Because I said Reese Walsh and
I think while she got the player of the round,
I can't remember who you and Rasmin said.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
I said the mule, which you know, depending on who
you're going for.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
Yeah, I don't. I think dad, Yours wasn't, very wasn't.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
I can't remember what yours was. But who do you
think for this round? This can be across all the games.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
All the games. You go first, you go in mind.
I've got.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I think, I mean, I think that the back fans
player the round. I got to give it to Nathan Cleary.
I think he's going to build from last week with
his kicking game, and I think he's going to really
dominate that arena this week.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Okay, what about this one? And even though one back
in the Panthers and I think the Panthers win Sotilly
to Bana.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
You love him.
Speaker 1 (44:50):
I love him as a player. He's like he's arguably
he's in the top three byes of the season. His
impact when he comes on the bench is enormous. He
actually wouldn't surp.
Speaker 3 (45:00):
He starts, well, we'll get him on the pod because
he's in that. He released that rap song as well
with last year with Joey mahn Who do you remember that?
Rose Remember the what's that? Joey Marno, Joseph Sual still
Tub and see Wai Wang.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
I wonder they had a rap ground. If we got together,
we could do it. Maybe a cover of Grand Master
Flash and the Furious Fire The Message.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
What was their band?
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Yeah, I've heard the song wasn't bad.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
It's actually pretty good. Yeah, we've played it a couple
of times at PRIs rose Man and we always we
go out with a really good vibe. RaSE Man, your
back fence player, the round.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
I think if Canberra had won that game, we'd probably
be talking a lot more about tom Starling. I think
I think Tommy Starling is going to They're going to
get the win and he'll be the hero.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
That was my player last week. It was Tommy Starling.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (45:49):
I got off to a flyer too.
Speaker 3 (45:50):
Yeah, he did go off to a fly Okay, here
it is. It's called our debut album. It's called off Season.
But there dream Yours I think that's what it was called.
Speaker 1 (46:02):
If you want to play a little bit, put a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
We rocked the party.
Speaker 3 (46:06):
We rocked the party.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
I mean, I don't know for copyright reasons, if we
can even play it.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
You can play, you can. I believe you can play
fifteenty seconds.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
All right, let me play a little bit of that list.
Fifteen seconds, dish.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
They always play about fifteenty seconds.
Speaker 3 (46:20):
Okay. The band's called dream Yours. I love it on
What's Over somebody can.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
The reason I found that is because I had it
on my YouTube recent searches in the weekend. Why I
think we looked up the other weekend that's when you
drank creepy of you.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
A couple of videots. You are, Yeah, we are.
Speaker 3 (46:39):
It is.
Speaker 1 (46:40):
That's the Telly. More than just a good footballer and
a pretty face can sing?
Speaker 3 (46:49):
I know, Well that's more rapping, I would say, than singing.
Speaker 1 (46:53):
Isn't rapping and singing the same thing?
Speaker 3 (46:55):
Ra's man last call is rapping and singing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Man, I think No, definitely not.
Speaker 3 (47:01):
Okay, my bad enjoy sleeping in the cold tonight.
Well should we do it?
Speaker 2 (00:00):
Three?
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Two one? Do you want to get through to one?
That week? One of the finals? Done? RASMI And how
are you brother? How are you doing?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Doing very well? Thank you?
Speaker 1 (00:17):
That's a garage treating your mate. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:19):
Look, as you know, a bit of a tumultuous And
the week last week the whole place got flooded.
Speaker 1 (00:26):
And thank you for alerting us about the white ants
to out this neftually there's white ants building mounds.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
Yeah, and and all that would has absorbed a lot
of that water. So you can't even close the garage
door now, so I must get bloody cold out there,
rose man.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Yeah it sucks.
Speaker 1 (00:41):
Hey, hey, hey, it sucks. It's our garage. Don't be grateful.
Speaker 3 (00:45):
It's went free. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:46):
Well look I went and I bought myself a hammock
this week, so it happens again. I'll be sweet. I'll
be up, you know, and.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
Above a well down the road we've got the MC.
I want to stay there. Don't make a song and
dance about it.
Speaker 2 (00:58):
No, I appreciate you, going to thank you so much.
Speaker 1 (01:00):
No, you have the song wamc Yeah, yeah, stand at Wyam.
Don't make a song.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
Like that.
Speaker 1 (01:08):
It's yeah, let's get a finals football.
Speaker 3 (01:12):
Oh you silly man. The big story this week Matthew
Justin Holbrook new Newcastle Knights coach.
Speaker 1 (01:19):
We finally found ourselves a coach to the Newcastle Knights.
I like it. It's good appointments.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
You played with Justin Holbrook at Newcastle, right, yep?
Speaker 1 (01:27):
I did?
Speaker 3 (01:28):
Was that first grade reserve grade?
Speaker 1 (01:30):
I didn't play. I didn't play it one thirty off
in coops. No, but he no, he played with him.
He was Joey's understudy. Like the year we won the
camp and ninety seven Leo Denov was Joey's understudy. So
they needed one and they bought. They brought Titsy Wholebrook
from the Bulldogs. And I know, you know, being a coach.
(01:51):
This is a fairly shallow statement. It doesn't mean he's
going to be a great coach up there. But one
thing about him when he come to the Knights, he
immediately fit in. He immediately was really really popular. Everyone
really liked him, like the fans really liked him. He
was a wholehearted player, never let anyone down, really positive bloke.
So yeah, I'm happy about it. He won't get much
sleep in the next three years, because mate, it's a
(02:13):
monumental job and he's got to have his hands on
most things.
Speaker 3 (02:17):
Yeah, and I spoke to Sammy Verrals during the week
who had him up at the Gold Coast, and he
had very he very much enjoyed his time owner. Apparently
a very good coach as well.
Speaker 1 (02:26):
Well. He won a title or two. It's Saint Helen's
he's sat on there. His win rate was eighty percent there.
Then went to Titans, and you know the Titans that
they'll face with a tough situation, they actually improved that
they well they were nine.
Speaker 3 (02:40):
Remember they made the finals and then they would have
made it to the week two of semi finals, but
that last play the senate didn't pass to the winger
and they bombed the try and they didn't get the
verse and the roosters. You remember that Rasmuse were a
Titans man.
Speaker 2 (02:55):
Yeah, Patrick Krbertt, that one was don't.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Keep your receipts.
Speaker 1 (02:59):
Break with the Herbert family. They are latitious.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
But I know Dustin Holdbrook, I'm a I'm a big fan.
I know that hindsight is a you know, is a
great thing. But when you know they signed Daisy was
he was the next big thing. But if I look
back on it, I wish we had a whole Brook
there for them another year.
Speaker 3 (03:19):
And Michael Checker, you were you were talking about him
for the Newcastle job. He's now signed as the assistant
coach for.
Speaker 1 (03:25):
The Rooster's full time assistant at the Rooster.
Speaker 3 (03:27):
Because he had done some part time stuff for them
before helping out Trent Robertson there.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
People say he hasn't got a regul league background, but
he played. He played both league and union growing up.
His league play growing up, and he coached Lebanon in
the World Cup. Okay that was short, short stint, but
talking to the Lebanese places, had a very very good
sound knowledge of the game. Brilliant communicator, brilliant man manager.
In these days coops, I mean you've got you've got
two or three assistant coaches. Whatever you may lack, they
(03:55):
can pick up. I mean it's like Billy Ach. Correct
me if I'm wrong, But I've heard Billy Ach say this.
When I worked at the Storm. You had to talk
to like You talked to Billy like about attack and
he goes, mate, I don't care what you do. I'm
just looking after defense. Just make sure that I'm blue derors.
Speaker 2 (04:09):
Yeah.
Speaker 3 (04:10):
BELLI barely looks at the attack. And if there's some
stuff that he sees in your attacking game, it's generally
only to do with effort or you know, maybe you're
passing early. When he thinks because you're a little bit tired,
you're trying to distribute some work to someone else, that's
the same time he will sort of pull someone else up.
He only focuses on defense. As a head coach, should
they I always find a lot of assistant coaches who
(04:34):
actually are assistants in the attacking coaching role when they
make the transition to head coach, they actually don't. They
don't do as good a job. Jason Rowles is a
great example. He was every time he's been an assistant
at a coach where he was at. He was at
the Roosters, he was at obviously Melbourne, he's been defensive coach.
(04:55):
Both times. He hasn't even touched the attack. He's been
the defensive coach. And they make it. They make a
really good transition to being a hedge coach. They do
because head coaches need to focus on holding the standards
for effort and defense. They don't even look at the attack.
They recruit someone who is an attacking specialist.
Speaker 1 (05:12):
And the other one is Cameron Sorelda. He was defensive
coach at the Panthers. And so your spot on, your
spot on, And oftentimes I think it's really important when
you get a coaching staff together. Is they talk about
it in NFL, they call it siloing. So if I'm
(05:33):
head coach, coop your defensive coach, and the ras man
is attack coach, you look like an attack coach. Raise men.
So if you attack it So the last thing we
need or the last thing I need from YouTube blokes
is operating is different identities because what happens is like
if our defense is really struggling and our tax going great,
(05:53):
the ras men says to me, well, it's not my fault, mate,
we're attacking great. But what happens a lot of time,
having too much emphasis on attack brings errors, and an
errors impacts defense. So you need to work in a
cohesive manner. And I think a lot of time in
bad clubs, I'd look at their system and mate, and
I'll see it that some clubs all the time. You know,
(06:13):
this is a little insight into fans on what happens
the politics of coaching stuff. I've heard attack coaches bag
the defensive coach and vice versa. Mate, it's not my
fault that we're losing. Look at that and you're going, yeah,
but mate, your attacks, you're making so many errors that
the defense, the defensive coach can't absorb them. So it's
a cohesive unit.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Rubber union doesn't get to start much on this body.
But shout out to Nick White, who was the scrum
half for the Wallabies last week in the in the
Test that they played on Saturday afternoons against Argentina. He's
from the Hunter Valley Hunter Valley Boys, Nick and he played,
he played his last game, he retired And look, I
don't know Nick White that well. I think maybe I've
(06:53):
crossed met him once before, potentially, But I was woken
up in the early hours of Saturday night by Nick
White on the piece facetiming me with a couple of
my mates. So shout out to him. In his words,
he said, I'm the best half that has come out
of the Hunter Valley. So shout out a great career,
(07:13):
but shout out to him. Had a bit of had noise.
The next day he said, sorry, brother, I wasn't trying
to sled you. I was just having a laugh, mate,
And I said, well, you know you're not the greatest
ansorts come out a hunt Valley. There's been three of us.
Speaker 1 (07:24):
Yeah true, Nick, Let me just give you a bit
of advice mate, when you're out on the drink and
having a great time, Nicoll, people don't have head noise
the next day. It doesn't matter. I do it all
the time, and I'd take great pride in it. Actually
I were it as a badge of honor you.
Speaker 3 (07:38):
You face on a lot of people should have more
head noise than you.
Speaker 1 (07:41):
I never get head noise.
Speaker 2 (07:43):
Yeah, I think, Coop, you're one to speak as well.
I think every time we've been on the pisce, we
end up calling some of your contacts and nice notably
Justin Olan.
Speaker 3 (07:52):
Always just a ol ras Men loves Justin ever literally
ever since I reckon me and he became teammates. Every
time and you have had a beer, yugo ring juzzy.
Speaker 2 (08:03):
Yeah, he's always he's always up for a chat. He's
a good man. And yeah another one camera munster. Yeah,
we gotta call one New Year's I think.
Speaker 3 (08:11):
Yeah, because you're from because rasmun is born in Rockampton
as well.
Speaker 1 (08:14):
Made you get a round, round, get around, you get around?
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Yeah, yeah, which is Harry Grant obviously came Monster and
Tim Glasby territory, so he's Tim Glasby's next on the
FaceTime list?
Speaker 1 (08:26):
Is it Glasman? Well, Rasmond of the Glasman and ras
Man your father? Right, he was down Coops to the
final two people to be the boss of the NRL
and Todd Greenburn got it. It was about fifteen years ago. Yeah, yeah,
he nearly got. He was near the head of the NRLs.
Speaker 2 (08:45):
Me, thank god that you could have ever.
Speaker 3 (08:49):
Thank god. I'll tell you what. And if he's listening,
thank thank bloody thank god because the game it would
have been driven the ground.
Speaker 1 (08:57):
He's a good man sign and he listens to the potty.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Yeah, shout out to him.
Speaker 1 (09:01):
He is one of the best. That's where you get
your sense of humor for from and your great humility
and gorgeous looks. It just looks gorgeous ones.
Speaker 3 (09:12):
All right, let's start at the Sunday game because that's
probably where a lot of the big news is coming
out of the Bulldogs play the Penrith Panthers. Straight off
the top, let's talk about some of the injuries and
potential changes. Stephen Crichton and Marcelo Montoya have been named
on the extended bench for the Bulldogs. I mean, I'm
not sure whether they're going to come back in or not.
(09:32):
I mean, Critter, it would be some effort for him
to come back into that side. Marcello, I'm not sure
where his ankle is at. But what are your thoughts
on that?
Speaker 1 (09:40):
Yeah, Coops, you don't see, it'd be some sort of return.
There's two guys that come to mind in this situation.
One is remember ruben Wicki horrifically doing his ankle and
made basically and like he had like he treated himself
through the week with like harv leaves and stuff like that. Anyway,
(10:02):
he played. He played about a week later and did play.
I don't know if he got through the game though.
The big one was Paddy Richards Paddi Richards in the
Grand Final qualifier for the West Tigers and two thousand
and five, mate, did it really bad as bad as
Steven Crichton's And I remember, mate, there's no way he'll
play that week and he was in doubt even the
(10:22):
day before the game. He was in doubt they didn't
think he was going to play. Did the last training
session played, and of course they scored that amazing try double.
It's scored that amazing trio off Benji, so it can
be done. It's funny to see where Cameron Surroldo may
very well look at this game. If this wasn't an eliminator,
I reckon he wouldn't play. He might try to get
(10:45):
him out there. Given the enormity of this game against
I mean, just for his presence Cooper, He's going to
be He's going to be vital up against his old side,
et cetera, etcetera.
Speaker 3 (10:56):
I've seen Marcelo Montoya during the week his mother flew
in to treat his ankle, to give it the old
Fiji and massage. Apparently apparently she's quite the masseuse on it.
And I can say I can't speak for our critter
and the Samoan culture, but living with two Karma Cameth,
the Fiji and King I haven't seen. You know, those
(11:17):
Fijians can recover from injuries like I've never seen.
Speaker 1 (11:20):
Really.
Speaker 3 (11:21):
I've seen Buller like do five week injuries and be
back in literally a week and a half and he's
of the belief Kava and just his DNA was repairing me.
Me and Harry were like, this man is actually in Adonis.
I've never seen anything like it. So Marcelo might be
right to go.
Speaker 1 (11:38):
He might be and I see kick out. They wanted
to do a scan on him or an X ray
and he said no, he rejected it with his beliefs
on the face. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Speaker 3 (11:47):
And also on the extended bends for Penrith, Mitch Kenny
has been named on that bench. Somerton is still named
at nine, but you'd expect Mitch Kenny to come back in.
Speaker 1 (11:57):
I believe my male is he will play, which.
Speaker 3 (12:00):
Is a huge in because you could tell they really
missed him, particularly read their attack on the weekend. Not
that some ofton did a bad job, but you could
see what Mitch Kenny brings to that forward pack. He
gives it to Nathan at the right time. He understands
their system better than anyone.
Speaker 1 (12:14):
He's the king of their defense.
Speaker 3 (12:15):
Yeah, yeah, this is if.
Speaker 1 (12:17):
He takes part in with the Malees before we believe
he's going to be known. It's the first time all
the year Penwouth have been full strength. Is this the
first time it's all about timing.
Speaker 3 (12:27):
Yeah, well that's a good time. Okay, let's this Bulldog's
Pendrith game. Where do you how do you think the
teams and the coaches are going to be approaching this game?
What's their headspace and mindset? Let's talk about Penrith first.
How do you think they're going to be feeling come
up against the Dogs this week? Because I think after
they watched that Melbourne game, dogs were quite out of form,
not really a lot of a lot of errors and
(12:49):
not a lot of stuff was sticking. I'm of the
belief that they'd be quietly confident. You can never be
confident going into a finals game, because I think they'd
be they'd be licking their it's a little bit coops.
Speaker 1 (13:01):
I think they'd be licking their lips. And no matter
who they played, I think that's there might they might
tend to be. I think still they're still my favorites
because just as I said before, it's the first time
they have been a full strength. The halfback is really now,
you know, playing he's hitting top four. His precision last
(13:25):
week and the Wars made the Wars took it to
him last week. The war was in some ways won
the physical battle, but it's just the precision of Penrith
and Nathan that won it. From so look, as I
said before, mate, like if anything, he'll look and I
think that Ivan will look to him and Nathan look
to change a few things up. Given the fact that
(13:46):
Camera Seraldo, he knows their style of football very very
well on how to defend it, I think you'll see
some variations from the Dog's point of view. Hey look, coops,
you know if you're gonna win the comp, you gotta
beat them, all right, And he'll look at this game
Cameras arouldo. One thing about the Bulldogs excuse the pun
but they play great. When the play great when they
play with a great underdog mentality and they're going to
(14:08):
go out there, it's going to be a huge crowd
in their favor. They're going to be up emotionally, they're
going to play with the energy of a side that's
got nothing to lose, and that gives them a punch chance.
Speaker 3 (14:18):
Last week against Melbourne, that first twenty minutes they really
give it like they were real physical with Melbourne. They
kick Chase, they were really good with their defense. I
think if they bring that mentality similar to like the
Wise did to Penrith. They'll look really good. But my
big thing is don't try to out Penrith. Penrith and
we said this last week when they're going down to Melbourne,
you're not going to out don't try to play that
(14:38):
same soul and out grind them. I think they need
to have the same I think they need to change
their mentality this week and they're not about trying to
beat Penrith the last ten minutes where you grind them
down over seventy minutes and then you run away with
the game. Because Penrith have done that consistently for five
years and it's going to be a much harder game
trying to beat them at their own game. To you
need to really disrupt them physically early and then they
(15:01):
need to be playing a lot of good football and
need to be really high skilled because if you're just
sitting there dropping people off and trying to wear them
out fitness wise, they're going to get you in the
back end of the game.
Speaker 1 (15:11):
Well. And the other thing about like the other thing
they got to do coops, They've got to start like
you said, start well, but if you can pinch a
try early, you know, pincher try Suddenly you find you
might find yourself eight points clear, mate, against a red
hot favorite that just exerts a little bit of pressure.
I go back to the peak years of Melbourne Storm
right and when Cooper was half back of the Krong variety.
(15:33):
But with Cooper, like Cooper was brilliant at organizing team,
but he would have he'd have a GPS in his
brain out how he wanted and thought the game would go.
But I used to see Coop and that changed the
further got in his career. But early to the mid
part of his career, if he was chasing points, he
(15:53):
looked uncomfortable because had you took him away from the
way that he wanted the game to be played. And
I see similar stuff with Nathan. I see Nathan the
way he builds the game. You know it starts getting
those suffocation sets on and repeats it. But suddenly, mate,
if you find yourself early in the contest six or
eight nil down, then you've got to play with a
bit more urgency. So like last week that the Dogs
(16:16):
cannot do what the Warriors did, Warrior's got got a
penalty early, they're in a position for for an attacking
set and maybe pinch a try early to put pressure
on tenor boy doesn't put it out. It doesn't kicks,
it doesn't make touch unforgivable. Every opportunity you get, you've
got to be down that field. You've got to be
(16:37):
given it some. If you're not scoring points, you've got
to get repeat sets. You've got to start, You've got
to burn them out. You've got to do that. And
you said it before about errors, Cooper, the Dog's defense
is actually good. Structurally is good. I thought against the
last week the Storm dominated yard throughout the game, but
the way they defending their own quarter is very very good.
(17:00):
What's killing them are the errors. Now, I'll go out
to Toby Sexton talk about Sexton's inclusion here, Coops, why
this is important And I took exception of it at
the time. Everyone in removing Toby Sexton and bringing in
Lachland Galvin, they kept putting stats out going, oh, look
(17:22):
at this, he's not creating enough linebreak. It says, look
at this, and that's the reason we've moved him on.
And Galvin's going to make us a better attacking team.
Now that might be the case, That might be the
case as far as ability to score pure points, that
might be the case with Galvin, but Sexton was a
far more was a steady, calming influence. And crucially, when
(17:44):
Sexton was in that football side, they made far less errors.
And at the moment for the want to get their
attack on, they are making so many unforced errors. That's
what's killing them. So if they get out there this
week complete up to around ninety percent, get their defense
on as have been doing. Kick well, mate, they've got
to punch his chance.
Speaker 3 (18:04):
Yeah, let's the three key players. Can we talk about
them for a second, Starting with the Bulldogs. I've got
my three key players this week for the Dogs. I
think Maddy Burton, he's named it. Center's my If Crichton
doesn't play, he'll play left center. Bronson Cherry I believe
he's coming back into the side. He'll play right center.
Speaker 1 (18:22):
Yep.
Speaker 3 (18:23):
But I just think that Dog's left edge, it's their
biggest threat, it's their biggest strength. Kick ol Burton there,
but I think Burdo's got to get a bit more involved,
and I I think he looked when he went to center.
I thought he looked really good. He was running the
foot he put him under a man's pressure Melbourne. But
we said it last week. I think he's got to
(18:43):
bring I think Siro's got to tell him to bring
out the torpedo. I cannot wrap my head. And I
understand that they want to build into this grinding game
like Penrith do. But he has a weapon that no
one else in the NFL has and they're just not
using it.
Speaker 1 (18:57):
Well, Koby's one of my three key men. Two. I'll
jump in there for he's one of mine. For the
same reason, Dylan Edwards is suddenly having a bit of
a dip in confidence as far as that high ball
is concerned. He had it a few years ago and
suddenly he's just I can see there's a bit of uncertainty. Well,
Burder mate, there it is like, although you're playing center
in yardage sets, put yourself in position for that last
(19:20):
tackle kick and don't place it fucking whack the thing
towards the stars.
Speaker 3 (19:25):
Yeah, well, if he did it at origin towards the sun.
When he played origin at center, they did the same thing.
They'd get him to come in field, Nathan a two
passed it to him, he'd whack him up and Klem
was at the back from maroons and they just couldn't
get it on the fall because it's that odd. I
don't know why they're not wanted, whether it's his left
knee problem and he's not able to hit it as far, but.
Speaker 1 (19:45):
No, I think he's got a bit of it. Like
you know, it's like with terms that they want to
place the ball in a place, let's place it.
Speaker 3 (19:51):
There's a time and a place for that cure. Like
maybe the first fifteen to twenty minutes the building of
the game. Sure, don't bring it out. But after that,
when there's a bit of fatigue and you want to
out to like force errors and start to put a
bit of doubt in the back three his mind. He
needs to be pulled into least at least using it
two or three times a game.
Speaker 1 (20:08):
They're not using it at all, Coop, I wouldn't be
placing the ball at all of him anything from fifty
five meters out. Don't place it, jam it, torpedo it, mate.
We need something to win this game. We're not going
to win the game playing percentages. We've got to force
eerrors out of them. We've going to dominate possession. That's
one of the ways we do it.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
My next one is Bill Kickout. I think kickout I
thought he was their biggest attacking threat against Melbourne. I
think he's going to be such a big way that
they're going to want to play against Penrith, particularly getting
it Nathan, making Nathan make a lot of tackles and
he just attracts so many defenders and gets quick play
the balls and she just happens around him. He gets
off loads, he gets quick play the balls. I think
(20:45):
they're going to want to use him for that. And
then my third was kind of Tracy. I think Nathan's
kicking game is so important. You saw him build a
lot of repeat sets last week against the Warriors. Charles
Nikol Klocksdad did a really good job at saving a
lot of tries off grubbers. I think that it's going
to be a big job for Tracy this week in
order to diffuse a lot of their attacking kick threats.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Biggest biggest challenge of Connor Tracy's career because he coming
through it was a half but a little bit of
center like a fullback. Although he's had in months, there's
still a newish position for him, particularly at this level,
so he's going to be subjected to all this array
of attacking kicks from Nathan. He's going to be he's
going to have to handle those giant bombs, those dead
(21:28):
ball bombs that he puts up, and he's going to
be in charge of protecting the forty twenty. He's got
a massive job. My other two is Tobe Sexton for
the reasons we just spoke about, and Liomy kick out
Billy kickout he had last week. He had Jonah Peasant
in front of him. They just didn't do it enough.
Every time they gave him. Every time they opened the
field up to the far touch line to open the
(21:50):
spaces up and got him the ball one on one,
he caused problems. They just didn't do it enough.
Speaker 3 (21:55):
My pen with three, I like it through these ones
a little bit quicker. Moses Lioda yep. I think up front,
particularly with that he was really strong for him upfront
against the Wires last week. And I think there's bulldogs
pack They're not as big as the Wires, so I
think Leodo is going to have a huge impact going
after a lot of their big boys, particularly Maxi King,
Him and Maxi King going at it. My two obvious
(22:17):
reasons Nathan Cleary. He's kicking game proved the difference against
the Warriors last week and I think he's going to
want to play the same game. But I think the
most important player on the field for Penwick this week
is Brian Totter for the reason obviously we know what
he does out of the backfield, his meter oriadge and
all that, but that left edge blaze to lungey Casey
McLain AND's on the wing there. They are relatively new edge.
(22:41):
If I'm an attacking half, particularly in finals this time
of the year, that's the edge you want to set up.
You want to hit Nathan's edge and then you want
to attack that edge because they've leaked a lot of
points this year.
Speaker 1 (22:51):
Bizzi.
Speaker 3 (22:52):
They've put Bizza there because he started on the other side.
They've put Bizsi there for his defensive experience to try
to help those two young lads, and I think he's
the most important player defensively for Penrith to help those
boys defensively.
Speaker 1 (23:05):
Yeah, I got I've gone. I've got Nathan for all
the reason if he spoke about I've gone, I've gone
a Brian Toto bron to. Given the fact that the
Dogs you can't stop him, You've got to minimize him.
If the dogs can have him, have him run for
less than two hundred meters, they've done outstanding job. And
I'll tell you how I would defend a Bizzer bron
(23:26):
Toto is that I would be the tal malolo rule
that Melbourne did is that mate, he's hit him low
right his post contact meters. He just drives through the
line against position. Mate, chop him down with the league's
tackle from Markert's side on. Yeah, that's what you do.
Stop his momentum immediately.
Speaker 3 (23:43):
I agree. He's so hard to tackle if you're trying
to get him up top and wrestle him to the ground,
if you have to sacrifice him, not putting him on
his back in order to save meters, because so many
people go high and they try to wrest them to
the ground, but he just breaks tackles and keeps leg
driving through. You've got your markers. You've got to stress
to your markers in that first aid defender get up
and you've got to dive straight into his leads.
Speaker 1 (24:03):
So true. And my other one, Cooper is Isaiah. Isaiah
are more than any other more than any other player,
even Nathan cleary. He's the decision maker whether the ball
goes north south or east west. And when he's really
got it on, they look fantastic like that. They there,
they win of their games. When he's a little off,
(24:25):
and I've seen it sometimes a little bit off, they
get two past centric and two sideways. So he's a
crucial man.
Speaker 3 (24:31):
Okay, how if this next one, I want to ask
the Bulldogs and Panels will start with Bulldogs. If Bulldogs
are to win this game, how do you see them winning?
Speaker 1 (24:41):
I see them, I see them getting off to really
fast art. Well, we're talking about getting an early lead,
applying applying scoreboard pressure and then mate, just eliminate urrus
at the end of the if they win the game,
we get to the end of the game, I look
at the statue and I go, mate, what about that
any made two errors in the whole game. That's what
(25:02):
they've got to do to give themselves a chance. They've
got to kick well, put in the corners. They've got
to attack Penrith with their energy. And the other thing
with the football coop, it's imperative. They've got to get
forward early. They've got to get forward. If if Bronson
Cherry is a big inn. He's a great he's a
great yard. He so one of the best in the competition.
(25:22):
If if he and Jacob kraz can get forward in
early tackles, then that allows their smaller fast to pack
the ball play a little bit, you know, and they
can cause a lot of problems there and on with you.
It's attacking that right head. You know. Last week we
saw Broncos applied a lot of pressure to and and
(25:42):
to the and of the Raiders young guys, the young
guys in the side, blokes who had been outstanding all
season for the Raiders, when the pressure really got on,
they tightened up. They've got to do that with Blaze.
They've got to go a Blaze a lot. This is
his biggest chance.
Speaker 3 (25:56):
I think that's the Bulldogs. That's where they've got to attack.
I think you'll see them that right edge of I
believe it's Galvin Preston, it'll be Bronson Cherry if crit
is not there, and then I don't know who's on
that right wing, but they're they're the four that are
going to have to attack that and particularly that space
between Casey McLain and Blaze to lunging attacking and putting
(26:18):
pressure in between there, because if those two lose confidence,
it's going to put so much pressure on Bizia and
the back roller on that side as well. Ye who wins.
Speaker 1 (26:27):
Coops, it's it's it's I give I give the dogs
a punches chance. But I gave for Penrith simply because Cooper.
Number one is because they've got a pretty decent seven.
But the other one is the Panthers need to do
We'll put it this way. They don't need to have
a lot of things. They don't need luck or a
(26:50):
lot of things to go their way to win. To
win football, big football games, they've got the template. They
know how to do it if they can just they've
got those suffocation sets that they just apply and they
just meant a lot of positions doing it that way.
But if the Panthers you own a big games. If
the Panthers just defend well, really strong in the yardage
and regularly get Nathan into attack positions, I don't know
(27:11):
who beats them.
Speaker 3 (27:12):
Yeah, I agree, I've got Panoth as well. I think
watching what Nathan did with his kicking game last week,
and at this time of the year, you just know
they're not going to beat themselves throughout the year, they
beat themselves a hell of a lot of times. I
think they've got this finals experience and they've got all
their troops back, They've got the best half back, probably
best player in the world. I think they are not
(27:34):
going to beat themselves. And I don't know if I
think for Bulldogs to beat them, they're going to have
they'd want parents to be a little bit.
Speaker 1 (27:40):
Off and Coops. The big home crowd for the Bulldogs
seventy thousand plus, which you will be ninety pm Bulldogs fans,
they'll relish that. They'll just they'll revel'll be out there.
I'll love the atmosphere. No, no, Coops. We're still working
out we're talking about doing outside broadcasts outside.
Speaker 3 (27:59):
The ground because we're going to do it. Last last
week in camera, a lot of our listeners got in
touch because we shouted out they're doing an outside broadcast
and they were looking for you.
Speaker 1 (28:07):
Yeah, well what happens, Coops. It was logistics what happened.
We wanted to actually be able to get in to
the ground do some interviews and stuff like that, but
there were logistics reasons why we couldn't do it. As
far as TV rights and whatnot, So it got shelved.
Speaker 3 (28:21):
On race Man who wins?
Speaker 2 (28:24):
Just quickly my camera's gone, so sorry to all the viewers.
Speaker 3 (28:27):
That's all right.
Speaker 2 (28:27):
I'll just leave you on Coop for the time being.
I've gone a different flavor, flavor Saver. Flavor Saver. I
think a couple of crucial mistakes last week by the
Wise I think cost them McLean and scored off the
back of that. I like the way the Doggies play.
Think in front of that crowd, they'll be like, they'll
be up for the moment. So I'm going for the
(28:48):
Underdoggies does too, Dogies, we can use that one as
a buddy doggie style.
Speaker 1 (28:54):
You've always been a dog you man, absolutely as opposed
to a reverse cowgirl. That's take. I was just watching
World War Z before. What a wonderful movie. Brad Pitt,
And there's a scene in the movie where he goes
to this guy because Israel built the wall to stop
the zombies going in, and he said, how did you know?
(29:15):
And he said, well, word comes through from India that
there's a zombie thing happening. He went, yeah, well, why
did you believe that? He said, because we do what
we do now we have ten guys in the room,
and nine of them's job was to say that's ridiculous,
and there's one that's got to have account of you
and try to talk him into it. He said, oh,
it was the count of you, and you ras Man
are the count of you.
Speaker 2 (29:35):
So if they win standing up for the Doggies fans
when anyone else will.
Speaker 3 (29:39):
One of the great one of the great anal.
Speaker 1 (29:42):
Analogies, mate, comparing you to Brad Pitt and comparing the
game on Sunday to World Wars.
Speaker 3 (29:48):
My favorite scene in that is when Brad Pitt looks
across and he sees all the zombies running past that
sick kid, and he realizes that if you infect yourself
with some sort of like the only cure for the
zombiess so they don't infect you as you did. We'll
google that flash if the only cur is to be
(30:08):
sick because the zombies they don't want to touch sick blood.
Speaker 1 (30:12):
Very interesting collective beggars can't be choosing, can they.
Speaker 3 (30:15):
That's what I thought at one point zombies. He would
have thought zombies would be such picky assholes. Friday night game, Yes,
Friday Night, it's actually for foot it's actually Saturday this game. Sorry, Yeah,
that's right, Canberra week after Friday. Yeah, yeah, Canberra versus
the Sharks. Let's talk about. Look, Canberra is completely unchanged.
I thought maybe they may have had a couple of
(30:37):
injuries given the extent of that ninety minute battle they
have with the Broncos. Sharks are unchanged except Tom Hazelton
has been named on the extended bench. I'm not sure
whether he comes back in or not. Hazel maybe come
onto the bench for him, be a little good inclusion
because Hazel and I can find the white line mate.
Speaker 1 (30:55):
He and were steady on there, mate they Yeah, Hazel's mate,
Nichols he just made always gets across.
Speaker 3 (31:04):
There are some good tri scoring front rowers in the
modern game at the moment, and a lot of them unathletic.
Speaker 1 (31:11):
But Adam fanil Blake he's another one. Ad He's very athletic.
Speaker 3 (31:15):
Yeah, what do you put yourself? Let's start with the
Sharks for a second. If you're the Sharks, great Fitzgibbon
and the team, how do you think they're going to
how do you think they're feeling coming up against the
minor premiers Raiders this week? Because I believe off the
back of that Broncos game, that crucial ninety five minute
game into a six day turnaround where they play Sunday
(31:35):
into a Saturday game. I am confident. I'm taking a
lot of confidence into this game. Shark's playing a good style,
and I think if there's a time to go after
the minor premiers, it's probably now.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
Well a lot of the times what you do coop
when when you'd play, we certainly do it with a
Knights back in our day when we played. If you
played a semi semi final on one day, the next day,
you all gather together as a team to watch who's
going to play next week? Yeah? Yeah, mate. They would
have been sitting there in double extra time or in
the golden point just going yeah, how maybe not like that,
(32:11):
but mate, how good is this? Just keep burning each
other out, So they would be they'd be going to
a lot of confidence.
Speaker 3 (32:18):
Because physically it's it's obviously this time of the year,
that physical game, because that was outside of the ninety
five minutes, it was a battle like. It was a
high intense eighty minutes.
Speaker 1 (32:28):
Full stop day football. See.
Speaker 3 (32:30):
But I think the emotional dam like those Raiders boys
you know. They they were very they were They had
some controversial calls against them in a heartbreaking up and
down roller coaster game. They've got a lot to leave
behind them and move on to the next week in
only six days. Yeah, they would have been stewing for
a couple of days after that game gone bloody, helt like,
(32:50):
pissed off about some of the ref calls, pissed off
about some of the other scenarios in the game. It
takes a lot to drop all of that, leave that
at the door and go, guys. We got a job
in six days to keep our season alive, to make
it to a prelimp final.
Speaker 1 (33:04):
Yeah, it does. It's been a both of their sides
are coming from such a different mindset, like the Sharks are.
The Sharks are surging. Sharks are playing their best football,
they have for years best under Crow fitz Gibbon. They're
playing great football. Mate, They're in a roll. They've won
eight from their last nine. They've just they've just had
a big win over the Roosters, mate, They've just sat
(33:25):
and watched the Raiders put himselves through hell then, you know,
and for the last hurdle there against the Broncos, they're
going to mate. They'll go down there super confident. The Raiders,
on the other hand, they're going to put themselves back
together a little bit, but they've got the right coach
to do it.
Speaker 3 (33:42):
How do you think the Raiders will see this game then,
because they've played the Sharks once this year. It was
a tight game in round five, twenty four to twenty.
They beat them. The Raiders, they scored a try in
the seventy eighth minute, actually pinch it to win. How
do you think they are viewing the Sharks because they
are flying at the moment show.
Speaker 1 (33:58):
I don't think Ricky will put much emphasis on the Sharks.
I think he'll spend all these energies on his own side.
Like if you watch him last week, and we spoke
about this in the review, if the Raiders had just
kept playing football, didn't tighten up like what they're doing.
They just look at the rear vision American Mate, the
Broncos are coming. When it went when it was twenty
(34:20):
six fourteen, I think it was twenty eight to twelve
or twenty eighth when they were within twelve points, I
don't know if who was commentat was a Dangana in
the country, but he went, oh, mate, this game is
not over yet. Well, there was no about nine minutes
to go, Like, really, they should have been able to
They should have hang on and if and when, I'm
(34:42):
sorry I've used the wrong termy hang on is not
the right word. They should have kept playing. That's been
one of the great things about the Raiders this year.
Come hello, high water. Regardless of the circumstance, they've played
their football. I think Ricky will go away, what's that
game and say, hey, boys, look at that. If we
just kept playing foota ball, we win, maybe even comfortably.
Speaker 3 (35:02):
Yeah, and I agree. It was twenty eight to twelve
with fifteen minutes to go. I think in that game,
any any side would go we've blown a sixteen point
lead in fifteen minutes, despite of you know, the Hudson
Young Resold situation before that, despite any of the penalties
that led up to that moment that people are sort
of blowing up about. That doesn't matter. They're still up
(35:22):
by sixteen points for fifteen to go. That the stuff
that happened before that had no impact on how they
should have handled that fifteen minute scenario. And you practice
that all the time of training fifteen minute scenario. How
do we ice teams out? How do we put the
pressure on them, turn them over in the corner, keep playing.
But they just they didn't handle that scenario.
Speaker 1 (35:41):
Broncos were eleven at one point and that's where the
raid is. You just go, mate, let's just go for
these blakes. Let's say the raid like if you look
at kaya weeks, try just for just for a half time,
he comes off his right foot and just waltz us
through because the Raiders forwards were out on their feet.
I'm sorry, the Broncos forwards right on their feet. So
boys like Ricky will show them in the video and say,
(36:02):
have a look at them. They were gone. Mate, we
beat ourselves. Come on, let's get out this week. We've
been the best. We've been the best side all season.
You don't turn into a bad side overnight just by
one loss. Let's get out there and game. Yeah, they'll
be they'll be really confident.
Speaker 3 (36:18):
Yeah, I'm keen to see how they approach his game.
Three key players. Let's start with the Sharks boys. Who
who's your top.
Speaker 1 (36:25):
Three trendle Yep is one for obvious reasons, like last
week he played I think probably the great best games
ever played in in our role player. Yeah, he was superb.
The past selection was was tip top really good. He's
he's he's really important. He and Nico and Blake Brawley
are found. They've found combination which.
Speaker 3 (36:44):
I'll jump into you because he's mine as well. Tricky
Tricky Trendle obviously played great last week, but I think
he's my most important player because the edge that he's
attacking this week is that Raiders right edge. Yeah, Reese
Walsh put a clinic on against last week. All the pressure,
all the clips that FITZI be showing that edge this
week is that's the side they want to attack too.
(37:07):
That's the side who's going to be low on confidence.
They're at the young edge. The other side has been
defending quite well for the Raiders. That is the key
weakness at the moment. And Tricky is a big Tricky
has been awesome with the footio and him and Malatalo
have been deadly together. I think that those two were
really important, well.
Speaker 1 (37:24):
Probably for me, the most vital men for the Raiders.
While what you were just talking about there is Jamal Foggery, right,
So if I'm FITZI I'm saying just tricky boys. Just
keep going at him, keep going mate, like because last
week when when the Broncos just kept going at him
and creating things in and around him, I think that
(37:46):
really affected his composure and attack. And he's the most
important bloke with the attack. They've got a ruffle his
feathers to affect the Raider's composure. So yeah, trendle. Secondly,
Ronaldo Malatalo may love that bloke, just love his atitude.
The way you plays. He brings the vibe, he brings
the menace. Swagger, swagger, mate, He'll be out there, he'll
be sledging and going. So Ronaldo is mine. My second
(38:09):
one and third one is Adam Fanil Blake. Again almost
the same as last week, but Filla Blake is just
a phenomenon.
Speaker 3 (38:15):
Big job for him this week too. That Raiders pack
is huge. That Raiders pack is huge, and they are
firing at the moment. Tarpani and Papoli up front, Hawsebrot Locke.
He's Adam is the bloke who can really enforce those
like He's he's so dominant, he's he's got so much
leg speed. He's the one who can really give it
to him. My other two for Sharks were Blake Brayley.
(38:37):
I think he's scooping gear along with him and Tricky.
I think he's so deadly in the middle, similar to
Tommy Starling, how they play very nippy, very crafty around
the rock. He can cause a lot of disruption. And
then my third, same as you, Adam Vanil Blake.
Speaker 1 (38:50):
Yeah, Raiders, I've gone most important Jamal Foggery. Last week
they lost, they lost their composure. A lot of the
young guys tightened up a little. But that's his domain.
He's got to have that composure in and in extra
time a golden point when they'll search him for that
big play where they was searching for the field gold.
They just lost their composure. Again, that's that's Jamals. That
(39:14):
that's his that's his domain. He's got to get that right.
Speaker 2 (39:17):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (39:17):
The other one Josh Papalee, Big Papa. The reason why,
the reason why Billy took him into Origin camp for
that last game was he needed something special. Took him
in for his presence and his leadership. So you know
he's a big one for him. And the third one
is Ethan Strange. We talked about Ronaldo brings the vibe.
I reckon, Ethan Strange brings us the energy and the vibe.
(39:39):
And I thought with Ethan last week, I thought he
was excellent in the first sixty six minutes. I reckon.
When I reckon, he was a little bit symbolic of
how they stopped playing. He sort of went into your
shell a little bit. Mate. If I'd be saying to Ethan, hey,
brother mate, you've been outstanding this year, mate, and I
need you even in the type moments I'll accept in
(39:59):
their I need you to keep playing football. And b Ethan.
Speaker 3 (40:02):
Strange my three for Raiders Hudson Young. I thought he
was their best player last week on the field. I
think he's he's the real leader for that left edge
as well. And I think he brings out the best
in Ethan Strange because he's so skillful. How do you
used to play a bit in the halves growing up
as well, so he kind of got a halves mentality
at different times. You can see that when he brings
(40:23):
out his little sort, kicking.
Speaker 1 (40:24):
Out another better half that came out of Hunter Valley
than Nick White.
Speaker 3 (40:29):
Shout out of you.
Speaker 2 (40:30):
Nick.
Speaker 3 (40:30):
Who Number two for me is Kayle Weeks. I think
he's provides so much X factor for him, But I
think he's going to be the most important player on
the field because he'd be kicking himself a little bit
last week with whilst she kicking two forty twenties on him. Yep,
you know a lot of the time that's the fullbacks
role to get those back three working together to shut
down those threats. And I have no doubt Trindle and
(40:51):
Nico they like going for that early kick, that early
forty twenty, so I think they'll be reviewing and seeing
some opportunities around that this week. And then my number three,
Josh Papali as well. I think you know, with we
spoke about Faniel Blake on the other side, Papaly in Tarpani,
they'll be looking at Fanil Blake and Rudolph who were
instrumental last week, and they're going to want to really
(41:11):
give it to those Blakes this week if they're to win.
Speaker 1 (41:14):
What's the verdict who wins it?
Speaker 3 (41:16):
I'm going the Sharkies. I've got the sharks and thoughts
I said, well, I said it in the preview for
last week's game with Broncos Raiders. I said, whoever wins
this game is going to go to the Grand Final.
Whoever loses it are going to be so physically damaged
after what I thought was going to be a really
physical game that I thought they were going to beat.
(41:37):
I'm just sticking with my guns with that. I think.
I think Sharkis are looking really fresh at the moment.
They're going on a They've got a long They've got
a seven day turnaround. Raider's got a six day turnaround
on the back of a hard game. I think the
Sharkis are full of confidence, and I think they're going
to get it done.
Speaker 1 (41:52):
I'm going to gather Raiders Raiders given the fact that,
like I said before, they've been the best season, all
best team all year, I reckon, excuse me, I'm back
and thank you, thanks and thank you Rasmond, and I'm
back in them to learn the lessons from last week.
I'm back in the fact that they can sit down
(42:12):
in the video session, right, I'd be really disappointed. But
one of the things that can pull them together and
get themselves back together again is looking at the video
and saying, hey, we beat ourselves. Correct, we just if
we kept doing what we've done through the year and
kept playing football under pressure, we win the football game
and The other thing is make Canberra playing the Raiders
at home at night. I think is as tough as
(42:36):
beating the Melbourne Storm at home at night back in
their peak. Yars Rasmund, what do you think?
Speaker 2 (42:43):
Right? Just quickly before I give you my verdict. I
noticed on the comments last week someone called you up
for saying Papali and it said, it's actually Papa to
give you credit for, you know, always adapting and evolving,
learning every day. You're not You're not a perfect person.
Speaker 1 (43:00):
At least as opposed to the old man man.
Speaker 2 (43:05):
I'm going the milk because everyone loves some milk and
they're everyone second favorite team, so they're going to bounce back.
Speaker 1 (43:12):
Do you know the old camera milk they used to have.
There used to be a camera. Miok brought thing out
called Camera Lime. It was lime flavored milk which was delicious.
So you'd walk in the sheds before the game, and
you know, like like before the games, you wouldn't you
wouldn't have breakfast because you're nervous. But when you're get
in the sheds, it's an now full kickoff. Suddenly you're
starve and hungry and they just have a crate of
this delicious lime flavored milk. There it was the lime milk. Good.
(43:35):
It was delicious, it was fantastic.
Speaker 3 (43:37):
I couldn't help me because I wouldn't have thought that
milk and lime would go together.
Speaker 1 (43:41):
Oh yeah, I made have one. I'll make one for you,
a lime spider lime flavor. Yes, milk is awesome. How
good is it? What a what a drink?
Speaker 3 (43:49):
A couple of alcoholics in the room, that's right, A few,
don't say A couple of the three of us? Three
is a crowd? Can we do our back fence player
of the round? Who last week? Do you remember who
you predicted last week? Because I said Reese Walsh and
I think while she got the player of the round,
I can't remember who you and Rasmin said.
Speaker 2 (44:09):
I said the mule, which you know, depending on who
you're going for.
Speaker 3 (44:12):
Yeah, I don't. I think dad, Yours wasn't, very wasn't.
Speaker 1 (44:16):
Yeah, I don't know.
Speaker 3 (44:19):
I can't remember what yours was. But who do you
think for this round? This can be across all the games.
Speaker 1 (44:24):
All the games. You go first, you go in mind.
I've got.
Speaker 3 (44:29):
I think, I mean, I think that the back fans
player the round. I got to give it to Nathan Cleary.
I think he's going to build from last week with
his kicking game, and I think he's going to really
dominate that arena this week.
Speaker 1 (44:42):
Okay, what about this one? And even though one back
in the Panthers and I think the Panthers win Sotilly
to Bana.
Speaker 3 (44:49):
You love him.
Speaker 1 (44:50):
I love him as a player. He's like he's arguably
he's in the top three byes of the season. His
impact when he comes on the bench is enormous. He
actually wouldn't surp.
Speaker 3 (45:00):
He starts, well, we'll get him on the pod because
he's in that. He released that rap song as well
with last year with Joey mahn Who do you remember that?
Rose Remember the what's that? Joey Marno, Joseph Sual still
Tub and see Wai Wang.
Speaker 1 (45:14):
I wonder they had a rap ground. If we got together,
we could do it. Maybe a cover of Grand Master
Flash and the Furious Fire The Message.
Speaker 3 (45:20):
What was their band?
Speaker 1 (45:24):
Yeah, I've heard the song wasn't bad.
Speaker 3 (45:27):
It's actually pretty good. Yeah, we've played it a couple
of times at PRIs rose Man and we always we
go out with a really good vibe. RaSE Man, your
back fence player, the round.
Speaker 2 (45:36):
I think if Canberra had won that game, we'd probably
be talking a lot more about tom Starling. I think
I think Tommy Starling is going to They're going to
get the win and he'll be the hero.
Speaker 1 (45:46):
That was my player last week. It was Tommy Starling.
Speaker 3 (45:48):
That's right.
Speaker 1 (45:49):
I got off to a flyer too.
Speaker 3 (45:50):
Yeah, he did go off to a fly Okay, here
it is. It's called our debut album. It's called off Season.
But there dream Yours I think that's what it was called.
Speaker 1 (46:02):
If you want to play a little bit, put a
little bit.
Speaker 2 (46:05):
We rocked the party.
Speaker 3 (46:06):
We rocked the party.
Speaker 1 (46:08):
I love that.
Speaker 3 (46:09):
I mean, I don't know for copyright reasons, if we
can even play it.
Speaker 1 (46:12):
You can play, you can. I believe you can play
fifteenty seconds.
Speaker 3 (46:15):
All right, let me play a little bit of that list.
Fifteen seconds, dish.
Speaker 1 (46:18):
They always play about fifteenty seconds.
Speaker 3 (46:20):
Okay. The band's called dream Yours. I love it on
What's Over somebody can.
Speaker 2 (46:25):
The reason I found that is because I had it
on my YouTube recent searches in the weekend. Why I
think we looked up the other weekend that's when you
drank creepy of you.
Speaker 1 (46:33):
A couple of videots. You are, Yeah, we are.
Speaker 3 (46:39):
It is.
Speaker 1 (46:40):
That's the Telly. More than just a good footballer and
a pretty face can sing?
Speaker 3 (46:49):
I know, Well that's more rapping, I would say, than singing.
Speaker 1 (46:53):
Isn't rapping and singing the same thing?
Speaker 3 (46:55):
Ra's man last call is rapping and singing the same thing.
Speaker 2 (46:58):
Man, I think No, definitely not.
Speaker 3 (47:01):
Okay, my bad enjoy sleeping in the cold tonight.
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