Walsh, Haas & The GF Madness — Brisbane’s Big Night! Plus International Selections & R360 👀

The boys break down the Broncos’ Grand Final triumph, Reece Walsh’s rise, Rugby 360’s poaching rumours, the post-game chaos from a wild night in Brisbane, and the latest international squad announcements.

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0:00-What A Year!

3:40-Brisbanes Brroncos

19:00-Reece Walsh

28:00-Tyson Smoothy

30:00-Broncos Shapes

33:30-Payne Haas

35:00-Melbourne Team

41:00-What’s Next For Reece?

43:00-Broncos Club

45:00-Piggy Grant

49:10-Post-Game Shanigans

53:00-R360

55:00-Munster

58:00-Well Done Broncos

1:00:00-International Squads

 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
And okay, you'll be ready to go. We're ready to go.
Grand Final, done and dusted. What what a season means? Oh?

Speaker 2 (00:08):
What a great season of rugby league.

Speaker 1 (00:09):
One of the greatest seasons that I've seen, without a doubt,
the greatest final series I've seen, and one of the
greatest Grand finals.

Speaker 2 (00:15):
Yeah yeah, but the final series has just been amazing,
the best, breaking all the records the AFL.

Speaker 1 (00:22):
Been, some of the games in the finals, some of
the best games I've ever seen.

Speaker 2 (00:26):
Yeah, I mean every every Broncos game was scintillating. Every
single Broncos game. They here's a stat that someone told me,
because they had a punt at the Grand Final on
Melbourne to be leading at halftime by nine plus. Broncos
haven't won a first half in any finals game they've had.

Speaker 1 (00:45):
Right, I'm going to get to that. Oh one second,
I've got some stuff for you. Got to go with
me on it.

Speaker 2 (00:51):
I'll go with you to the depth of hell with legend.

Speaker 1 (00:54):
Geez. That's a change of attitude. Firstly, first, before we
get on all the football stuff, Teddy swim m man,
I'm a believer.

Speaker 2 (01:02):
I'll tell you what. Live at the ground. They pump
the they pump the speakers up loud, and it was amazing.
I was, I was on the edge of my seat
because live you can kind of not get much of
a vibe for it. Sometimes it's but someone with that
sort of vocals, he was blowing that place apart where
he was unbelieved. When he did TNT ac DC, it

(01:23):
was like the whole place was just up on their feet.

Speaker 1 (01:26):
It was gone. It's fantastic to do that, like you know,
how to do that, to pay homage to one of
the country you know, one of the country's greatest.

Speaker 2 (01:37):
It always annoys me how some artists, like obviously their
labels will tell them, I play this song because we're
trying to promote this album. Promote that. You know what's
going to promote your album and get people like you
if you just put in a good performance of people enjoy.

Speaker 1 (01:50):
Play your crowd exactly, play your greatest songs, and that's
what introduces people to your music. From there they discover
all the other stuff.

Speaker 2 (01:56):
Yeah, but like even to do TNT, like it'd be
very people just do their songs out of out of
I suppose to promote themselves. But to chuck in TNT,
that was that was the icing on that man's cake.
Teddy swims, take about.

Speaker 1 (02:09):
Take about? And what a kilt? Enjoy the kilt, by
the way, Yeah, lovely navy blue like checkered kilt.

Speaker 2 (02:16):
I know when he ripped that off, I was worried.
I thought, Teddy, there are kids in the crowd.

Speaker 1 (02:20):
Teddy, look at those calf muscles.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
Holy to Bully. Yeah, he's a Tabully is an excellent condiment.

Speaker 1 (02:28):
Okay, the game, Well, I don't have it on my kebab.
When I have it, I just I don't. I just
find it too.

Speaker 2 (02:35):
I get the light, I get everything on my kebab, now, tomato, onion, everything,
and then I go garlic sauce, barbecue sauce, sometimes even
sweet chilli.

Speaker 1 (02:43):
I find I find the garlic too strong. I go
the tomato, or go the onion. I go everything else.
I don't have the bully Polly, and I have the
barbecue sauce.

Speaker 2 (02:53):
Because I I After the Grand Final, I had a
couple of schooners. And then on the way back, I
was going a kebab and the hours and a lady
was in there and I was asking what she gets
on it? She only gets aoli. And I had some
stern words to it. I took that quite offensive and
did I go over the top and maybe say things
are a little bit disrespectful? Yes, I am so. I
want to apologize to that lady. But you've got to

(03:15):
have barbecue sauce and garlic sauce.

Speaker 1 (03:17):
Of course you do. Of course we'll not garlic sauce.
Barbecue sauce. Barbecue sauce is a one. It's a condiment
that can just just a bit be placed on everything.
Make a bow. Barbecue sauce.

Speaker 2 (03:28):
Tomato sauce has to go on a pie like if
you put barbie pot on Because Harry Grant he puts
barbecue on a pie and I don't like it. No,
I don't like that. Tomato sauce is for your meat pie.
Totally agree, you know what I'm saying.

Speaker 1 (03:40):
Brisbane had one magnificent final series from round from from
the regular round three. They won seven in a row,
most against powerhouse opposition to win the title. And they
were able to sustain a standard of football and keep
making great comebacks. And that is a result and we've
said this before, the old buckets, spear buckets. It was

(04:02):
physical conditioning, hard physical conditioning which fed mental toughness and
without that, they don't win, they can't make comebacks. Okay,
so take a bow, Madge, like feed Inkham, take about
your last couple of years have been remarkable. Let's just
talk about what he dealt with with the and what
he achieved at the Broncos. Firstly, the amount of criticism

(04:23):
that he wore, even before he collected the clipboard, people saying,
oh new South walesman coach and the Broncos give me
a break. The Blakers coached the new South Wales Blues
over my dead body. All that sort of stuff went
on and he was able to wear it and get
through it.

Speaker 2 (04:39):
I wonder I'd love to get I mean, we imagine
there'll be another time where we would get match back
on the potty, but I'd love to understand the year
in comparison to the criticism he copped at the Tigers.
What was the difference? You know, how much pressure did
he feel this year in comparison because he was scrutinized
when he was at the Tigers. Heavily scrutinized a lot

(05:00):
of media attention, which ultimately ended up leaving there. But
I wonder just how much criticism and how much. It
took a toll on him at the Broncos or is
he had enough experience now where that stuff just rolled
off the back.

Speaker 1 (05:14):
He just eat for unfairly. He carries this thing with him.
The people go, oh made he trains them too hard?
Oh it is? You know he he lacks empathy for
his players. He makes them play injured. He no coach,
I don't think, bounces from club to club and has
to put up with that. At the end of the day,
he gets results, correct, that's it. Like at South Sydney.

(05:34):
He was southseitting for a long time and towards the
end both needed to change. Both parties needed to change.
He needed the break, players needed a different system. But
before that made he won their first Grand Finals in
nineteen seventy one. And I know, I certainly know the
set people of sou Sitting. You don't forget that.

Speaker 2 (05:51):
Yeah, But to you who actually deserves a rap too,
because yes, coaches can train people hard, and I think
there's only ever criticism will backlash from it when you
haven't got the playing group who buy in and the
culture that actually just go you know what, Let's just
push through this and we're going to come out the
other side of better side. Shout out to the Broncos

(06:12):
players because could have been very easy for them at
some point to crack the shits and then they wouldn't
be where they are if they hadn't all board in
together and they had some toxic people in there. But
I reckon the turning point for them is and what
has helped madg is Kevy got them to a Grand
Final and twenty twenty three and their leaders, particularly like
Adam Reynolds Ben Hunt who wasn't there, but he's been

(06:32):
desperate to get back to a Grand Final for ten years.
They are so hungry and desperate to win a Grand
Final because they all had something to play for. Yep,
they all were hurting from that twenty twenty three.

Speaker 1 (06:45):
And let me tell you, there were people laying the
bait for the players to bite on you. I mean
laying the bait going make players are off here, players
training to you know. I think at one point they're
coming eleventh and people laying the bait down for the
player going home trained them too hard. Look and the
rumors going around that the players were off him. I
asked one player in confidence, other players off him? I

(07:08):
wanted to know, like are they because I didn't believe it.
The stuff that i'd heard is to players role on board.
He said, nah, plays off him at all, said everyone
believes in what we're doing.

Speaker 2 (07:19):
Yeah, I mean they got and they got some good
cat like even even shouted to Billy Walters right, like
his old man gets sacked and Billy and his old
man are that close. Billy loves that club. He's been
he was a ball boy at that club when Kevy
and Gordie were there. You know, he's got broncos in
his DNA. Could have been very easy for him to
crack the shits, potentially even become a little bit toxic

(07:40):
to that group and start turning people. Boma Respectabilly at
the start of the year, and I don't even know
if he was really he hadn't cemented sort of his
spot in that team yet. But he was so hungry
to prove to match. He was so hungry of trying
to get a premiership with that side, Like they all
had such a strong attitude and you need everyone going
in the same direction to win a camp like it

(08:02):
is that hard to win a premiership in this competition.

Speaker 1 (08:04):
And the proofs in the pudding I'll just run through
some of the stuff here just to consider some of
his achievements here. And one of the things the achieved
was the pressure of power, powerful Queensland, Rubilu Dandies hitting
him with string, strong criticism with his feet. Every time
they lost, how to defeat people come out and Bang
was back on again. You know, they could win three

(08:25):
in a row and all of a sudden they dropped
one or two in a row. Bang at starting again.
So we had to endure that. But injuries to key
men at key times through the season, they're able to
maintain and hold their nerve. He got men like a
Shibasaki Tyson Smoothie, which hasn't been a lot of spoken
about him, playing beyond people and maybe even maybe even
their own expectations. Yeah, and he made tough calls, I mean,

(08:49):
dropping stars like Sell and Koba, you know, and youngsters
like Karaphani and Dean Maron are coming into the side
who not like new of them, but made those two
blokes were just outstanding in yard is what they did.
But crucially Cooper, crucially he got his superstars playing career
best football payinhasse Ca, Tony Stags and of course oh

(09:11):
my god, if there was one bloke I reckon that
would not have liked Madge's methods, like how hard he trained,
and just just probably Madge is just demeanor because somebody
you look at me and Ree, they could not be
more polarized, you know what I mean. Madge is very
conservative sort of guy. Reese's guy. You know, he'll paint
his females all those things. Yet those two blokes. Yet

(09:35):
what he did for Reese Walsh, like got him playing
the best football screen you can see it full time.
You know how much Res appreciated that and the love
he had for me.

Speaker 2 (09:43):
I think the Boys changed Madge too. I think from
the start of the year to that to watching madgine
the sheds after the game, drinking out of the some
of the like stuff they had him doing and in
the press. But they I really think that that group
made Madge realized stuff too. And I think they I
think that group, although they are all polar opposites, I

(10:05):
think they've both been so good for each other.

Speaker 1 (10:07):
Yep.

Speaker 2 (10:08):
And I think Madge has actually gone you know, he's
he's had big personalities before, but I don't think he's
had personality like Rheese Walsh, who is not just a
big figure in the game, but he's a completely polar
opposite personality to what is expected in rugby league. Like
he's himself. He's a rugby league player, but at the
end of the day, like he's he's completely different than

(10:29):
most molds of rugby league players. He's he's who he is.
He loves his social media, loves loves everything.

Speaker 1 (10:34):
And a couple of things happened too through the year,
like you know, the punching in the head, you know
that one punch, there was that, and of course the
toilet thing. A lot of other coaches lost their nerve
a bit on that. They came out and said, look,
I've reprimanded him, My understand his match. Just they couldn't
give a ship. Yeah, they get on with it. Just
get on with it. It is awesome, It is okay,
go with me on this coupe, all right. This has

(10:56):
been crucial through the through the final series, the Broncos
will placed in situations which actually forced them to the
style of football they produce their best. That high octane, expansive,
aggressive football and the sort of football where you're willing
to make errors in the pursuit of points. Now that
they were forced into that situation. Those situations how but

(11:18):
let's talk about let's talk about some of the stuff here.
What forced them to go into that. It was going
into the second half's trailing by significant margins. And what
I mean by that, people, is when you walk into
a dressing room, right and on one side of the
coin you've got a team. Let's talk about Grand Final
night here before we go through the others. Melbourne storm

(11:39):
a leading by ten points. Ten points is well in
mental toughness, because there's one of two things you can do.
One is you can get out there. You can say, hey, listen,
let's continue playing the same football if we've been doing it,
got as ten points clear, Let's put the clearness through
those pass go out and keep right. The second thought is,

(12:04):
boys that towers to lose, let's complete high. Let's kick
long right are We're going to find a way to
victory here, No silly errors. Now, which one should you do?
Which one?

Speaker 2 (12:16):
Which?

Speaker 1 (12:16):
Which of those A or B do you do? To win?
You do a whatever? Take the meal that took you
to the top of the hill. Stay on that meal.
Don't play expensive football. Be willing to take risks back
your defense to defend the errors that you might make
and pursue for points. Keep playing football. But most teams

(12:37):
do B. Most teams get out there and do B.
And if you look through you know that there's been
history grand finals, there's been teams that, oftentimes led by
significant margins, got rand down. Good beat eighty nine Grand Final.
It was balmains at halftime twelve to two over the Raiders.
And second half they get out there and they try
to fend their way to victory. You know, the coach

(12:58):
takes Paul Syrian Rachel Field twenty to go to trial
to tackle their way to victory. They get ran down
in the second half, they score two points. Even our
grand final, we're behind by eight points. I don't know
what happened in the manly shep, but now shed we
had no choice but to play open football. Let's just
get out there and get after him. We're we're chasing points.
We've got to get out. Unless we play aggressive football

(13:19):
a chance our hand, we're not going to win this. Yeah,
second half mainly score no points. We come back and
win the game.

Speaker 2 (13:26):
It's why people, it's why it's so hard for teams
to go back to back because you've got no one
to chase apart from yourself. Like when you it's like
a marathon. It's like when you're down in a game,
you have nothing to lose because you're not the bloke
who's leading. You're not at the front of the pack
when you have something to chase, if you're chasing points
or you're chasing people like next to they were chasing
the Broncos to beat them. They're the standard. You have

(13:48):
something you have a real motivation to get to, whereas
if you're leading, if you're the best team in the
comp there's nothing in front of you. You don't know
what the people behind you were doing. So the only
thing that really is the only thing that sabotage is
you is yourself because you need to be able to
find motivation to get yourself going.

Speaker 1 (14:06):
And I've been in I've been in a couple of
finals series where we were head by sixteen points against
the Roosters in our sheds until it happened in our sheds.
In our sheds, the coach was like, mate, we are
this close to being in a Grand Final. We are
that close. Okay, let's get out there. Let's not do

(14:28):
anything stupid, no silly passes. It not to play two sideways.
There's a nervousness that just ripple through the dressing room. Meanwhile,
Fletch tells me in the other dressing room, their coach,
Graham Murray, the Rooster's coach, pulled a computer out and said,
have a look at this boys. And right on halftime
we scored and our winger Darren Albert went up and

(14:49):
kissed the camera and he said, he's taken the piece
out of you blokes. What are we going to do?
And they just went out there and went full blast. Meanwhile,
we tried to defend our way to victory. So I've
looked through the final series. Right, let's go Raiders first,
first of the finals. They're behind twenty eight to twelve.
See steam points behind, were twenty minutes to go. They've

(15:10):
got no choice. They've got to open up and play football,
which they did. Meanwhile, the Raiders, they suddenly just stopped
playing football to defend their lead. Broncos storm home. Raiders
don't score another point in Let's go to the Penrith game.
Similarly again, Penrith game down fourteen at half time. Now

(15:30):
Penrith after halftime They've got a few opportunities to go
up twenty mil, but the Broncos defend. They're able to
defend that and push them off their line. Suddenly Panthers
tighten up, Broncos go on the offensive and they run
them down. Panthers don't score another point after halftime, and
then the big one again ten points down at half time,
broncoes up the ending in the second half because they've

(15:52):
got no point. They've got there's no other way. They've
got to play that way. Storm create chances in the
second up, but the Broncos high energy attack overwhelms them.
Broncos win. Storm don't score another point after halftime. Wow,
that's that's that. That is purely. That is purely, in

(16:13):
my opinion, that is mental.

Speaker 2 (16:16):
That's mental. And I think the biggest, the biggest point
in that match, which would have I think broke Broncos
mentally was that second that that first set out of
the second half when they come out, Munster puts a
little kick in two com with Cametha he's about to score,
which I think would have been the match, like Blower
would have, just would have just taken it to a

(16:37):
level where Broncos mentally, I don't think would have had
the belief that they still did only been two tries down,
But Reece Walsh comes up with one of the greatest
christ try savers on a bloke thirty kilos bigger just
slips out of to his fingers.

Speaker 1 (16:50):
Incredible, incredible to talk about Walsh's performance. You know, there
is a thing they call recency bias, where you know,
each year this we see a great Grand Final. That
is that the greatest Grand Final of all time? You
know might happen next to you again. But coops, Reese
Walsh is the new Grand Final King. That is the
best performance I've ever seen a Grand from mate.

Speaker 2 (17:11):
You think of Nathan Cleary a couple of years ago
against the Broncos. That was a great clutch. I think
that's the greatest clutch performance under pressure in a time
when they need it. Unbelievable. But Reese Walsh's Grand Final
performance that is the best I've ever seen. And people
saying the stats a try three try assist those stats
on the stats book, they're unbelievable of themselves. You get
me out of the match in any game if you

(17:32):
put those stats up. But what he did with the
three try savers those three trial. I was in the
Melbourne sheds after the game talking to some of the
people in there, some of the coaches, and they were like,
he saved three tries, three clean tries, two that were
certain tries if he wasn't there with two is one
and then Ryan Pappenhausen's won off the scrum if he's

(17:53):
not there, like they they're over untouched. And then that
other play with two minutes ago, Ellie Cottowa goes through
and perhaps has scored that try in countless games. His
whole career is one of the greatest supporting fullbacks. He's quick.
No one really mows him down while she head fakes,
Ellie balks him and then just has a huge gamble
and just smokes paps.

Speaker 1 (18:15):
He bullshited Ellie very beautifully.

Speaker 2 (18:17):
And another thing you see, and that the only reason
I say that one wasn't a certain try is because
one of the great pictures the Broncos line, particularly pain Hass,
pain hass, after playing huge minutes being had a massive year.
I reckon even if while she doesn't do that, I
think pain gets him. You can see pain coming from

(18:39):
a mile. He instinctually just starts heading back in case
they make a line break, which is amazing instincts for
a front rower. And he was mumm back and I
reckon he gets him as well. But plays like that
are what wins grand finals. The tries you save are
what wins Grand finals.

Speaker 1 (18:54):
And for people there like for Reese, what he did there.
When you're bull should player act like you in to
go to and then skip to the sport player? There
is a there is just a micro there's just a
tiny little opening for you. And that tiny opening is
when the player with the ball in his hands at're
bullshitting just glances to throw the pass. That is that

(19:15):
micro second that you need to go and then release.
And he did it just perfectly.

Speaker 2 (19:20):
But that's his instincts. Like I got another great example
on some of his foot instincts, that stuff that you
cannot coach a footballer. That stuff that like when you
see players take these amazing instinctual intercepts, like that stuff
that is just naturally ingrained and from playing in the backyard,
from playing footy locally when you're a kid. While she

(19:41):
has some of the greatest football instincts, which is it's
not in any coaching system. Coaches actually don't want you
to do that. Like imagine his box and when he
reviews it, he would look at it and go, in
our system, I don't want my players actually gambling and
doing that because you always want to hold until the
balls out of their hand. But while she takes a gamble,

(20:02):
and if that doesn't come off, he probably gets sprayed
by his coach for doing that because it's not in
their system. But when it comes off, it's an instinct
that you want your players to back because that's that's
something you cannot coach and it's something that the opposition
aren't expecting him to do.

Speaker 1 (20:16):
Great great players put more to the point, great leaders
in life know where to break the rules. Yeah, they
know you just can't. There's there's two types of players
coop who get a who get a coach sacked? Right?
Two types of players. The first one is the player
who does nothing that the coach wants. Everything the coach

(20:37):
tells him to do, he doesn't do. That gets the
coach sacked. But the other one who gets coach sacked
is the one that only does what the coach tells
him to do. Yeah, the other ones get sacked. And
that's where coaches some coaches don't understand, don't micro coach
someone sometimes, don't get a player just because it doesn't
come off. Don't pull him back, because these guys can
come up with a situation and win and win the game.

(20:58):
I remember we're playing the Broncos one day and Joey
got the ball, put his hand around the back of
Alfie and just threw it over the two people and
we got it in scored, and the coach, David Wait went,
what a play? What were you thinking? Like? What did
you see? And Joey goes, I don't know, I just
I don't know. It just it just happened, and he goes, no, no, no,
But when you got what what happened? Why did you

(21:21):
go round out to Delf just I don't know. I
just I don't know. I just did it. And the
coach found that hard to believe. But that's that's all
great players do, and.

Speaker 2 (21:30):
Coaches want to understand because they want to teach other
players like they want to be able to go, how
do I get that out of some of the other
players that I know have that ability? But how do
I encourage that? That stuff is just that? And that's
why a bloke like Joey who a bloke like Cameron Munster.
Some of these guys, they actually find it very hard

(21:51):
if you're a young player in that squad and you
go up two months or say, oh, what were you
seeing there? What we're seeing now? I was very much
like that because I love to understand the game. I
love to understand what he was thinking, so I could
write it down, I could implement it, I could try
to adapt that into other aspects of the game, because
I wasn't someone that could just do something frequently without
even knowing what it was, and here we go, I
don't know, here we go, I don't know. I just

(22:13):
I saw he was tired, and then my instincts just
took over. Like it's almost like autopilot. So they've been
playing footy for so long in the backyard that they
just their brain. It's like they just shut off and
they're just like completely an autopilot and they just do
things that other people can't.

Speaker 1 (22:29):
They just back their instincts. A lot of people have
got this going into the game with that, you know,
playing a lot of football. We play a lot of
football as a kid mate. A lot of people could
carry those natural instincts into their careers, but at the
top level they won't use them. They choke on a
little bit where those guys Blacelott, Munster and Reese Walsh
trust their natural instincts and I'd just keep going with it.

(22:51):
Reese Wash Coup, did you think that the Melbourne would
be able to shut him down? Because if there's one
team of the competition that's proven, I reckon the last
ten to fifteen years they were able to shut down
players on a red hot run, it's Melbourne. I think
about Jared Haynes in two thousand and nine. They're able
to do it. Ben Barber Benny Barber twenty twelve, and
I thought in myself, Man, if this is a side that

(23:11):
can shut Rees down, it's Melbourne. But the fact that
you're on the biggest stage against Melbourne makes it even
more freaking.

Speaker 2 (23:19):
And I know from being their first hand on Grand
Final week how much work they put into the key player.
I know how much video, how much the boys were
drilled in into how to shut down Rees Walz. They
would have been looking at Gainst when he hasn't played
his best, where he makes his errors. I know they
would have had such a big plan, But Reese is

(23:40):
that instinctually good and they were getting him quick play
the balls and at the right time when Melbourne a
little bit fatigued, he just could not be stopped like
he's so strong. The best part about Brisbane is and
I'm going to talk about Melbourne in a second as well,
but Brisbane are so good off the cuff at lib
and it's what Melbourne. They have a better ability than

(24:04):
Melbourne in that sense. Melbourne well drilled, detailed. They scored
off some really nice, well executed shapes. But look at
all a Brisbane tries. They come off quick play the
balls and then their ability to add lib and just
get the ball to the space to the right man
and do it. The best thing I saw at the
game and I saw this I was watching this live.

(24:25):
They had this big ship. This is when Reese whal scored,
had this big shift to the right hand side ready
Tyson Smoothie gets it. The a defender comes off a
bit sideways to put pressure on him. He plays inside
to Kobe Heathering to a quick play the ball for
him and then they still had the same shape ready
to go on the right side. Smoothie was calling it
literally as Smoothie passed inside of Kobe Heatherington Reesewols was

(24:48):
watching the ruck, knowing it was going to be quick.
He just leaves that edge and just starts swings about
thirty meters, comes over to the left hand side overcalls
it to Corey Paiks to give it to him. Just
Chargers uses his gord given athletic ability, speed and power
inside it beats Trentleyero beats Alec McDonald. I think it

(25:09):
was fens Off, Ryan Papenhausen and scores writer. I thought
when I watched that live, I thought that was nearly
one of the greatest like tries, that is, like based
off the cuff. His reaction straight away go boom, and
then to not even think and just go and react
and get the footy and go under the post. I
was I was blinding.

Speaker 1 (25:27):
And the people he beat too along the way coups
and and I didn't realize until I watched the game
on second look where he came from. I thought he
must have been sitting behind the ruck. And when k
when Tyson's move, did a little clever little ball on
the inside to put the dent in the line, I
thought he was just coming from behind the behind the run.
Then as you said, he came swinging from the open

(25:48):
side and around. Have that to have that instinct and
or is it vision to go that's where the space
is going to be? Is freaking It is a mixture instinct,
but it's also football education as well.

Speaker 2 (26:02):
Yeah, it's your IQ. The only other player who I
saw that was the best at it as well, Tom Troyvich.
Turbo used to be able to just even before the
player had been tackled. He would know when it was
He was able to predict when it was going to
be a really quick play the ball, and he'd know
exactly where to be to get the space and used
to see it twenty twenty one he did it. But

(26:24):
even in twenty twenty three when I was there, he
was doing it, particularly at training, where he would just
be on the end of shape, on the end of shape,
see something, scrap everything, he'd overcall and he would just
get right foot on the adline and just it' alwa
just charged straight over the top of a fatiguing defender.
And Turbo's big, He's bigger than whal She in that sense,
he could actually run over the top of someone. That's

(26:46):
what made Walsh. She's so much more impressive because he
went straight through the middle beat about three.

Speaker 1 (26:50):
Blokes and how many times we said in the podcast
in the modern game with the six again rules and
the fatigue in the middle, that's where the space is
straight over the event behind the rucks, particularly for those
quick blokes like Turbo and Blokesteal, smaller blokes, you know
that we're seeing in the game now, like you know,
even like having a Trey Fuller's an example, right, And
I'm not comparing Trey Fuller to Reese Walsh, but Trey's

(27:13):
got the ability to do remarkable things and he knows
where the space is behind the ruck That's where the space.

Speaker 2 (27:19):
It is starting to reward instinctual players the game, which
is what you want because Trey Fuller and debuted for
he debuted like older than most, but he was doing
that stuff in the Queensland Cup for years where the
ruckie is quite quick and it rewards instinctual players, and
it's good to see him starting to get Like the
game six again, it is starting to bring smaller and

(27:40):
less people who are just educated on shape.

Speaker 1 (27:43):
That's bringing the stars to the four. That's why these
that's why the game is so good it coops Tea,
what was Tea? What was crucial in what Reee did
the other night and the Broncos winning the competition at
the back end of the regular season, when Adam Reynolds
wasn't there, Reese Walsh you could see he just went, well,
you know what, if I'm not going to do it,

(28:04):
that's not going to happen. And you start to see
him play on that sweep shape. You see him playing
a lot more first receiver, second receiver's just all over
the place. And you know he when you said just
before about you know the Broncos, the Broncos having the
ability to just play more off the cuff and willing
to take errors. That's Broncos football from the moment they
come into the competition nineteen eighty eight. That's what the

(28:26):
Broncos have been about, and that's they've rediscovered the Broncos DNA.
Reece Walsh has taken him back there. And another reason
that was so vital that period that rene was off
at the back end of the year was it's not
forget the other night. Reno and Ben Hunt didn't finish
the game. So Reese literally as he did at the
back end of the year. He had to carry the

(28:46):
team on his back and was able to do it.

Speaker 2 (28:48):
And we spoke about the depth in that squad. The
depth was never been more tested than Sunday Night Ezra Man.
I thought Ezra Man was unbelievable and again energy not
what he did the footy, even it was some of
his kick chases, like chasing some of the kicks, and
then his defense like Ezra can whack. Ezra is a
really strong defender. And then even having someone like Tyan

(29:11):
Tyson Smoothie who ended up coming on when Benny Hunt
got knocked out. But his creativity, like he's going to
the Super League next year, which I thought was he
I thought when he originally signed he was way too
good to be going to the Super League. Now it's
cemented like he's a Premiership player.

Speaker 1 (29:29):
I think entice him not to go. Oh, you know
what you just did then, Kurt, you actually said Tyson
like Mike Tyson, you went tython.

Speaker 2 (29:36):
Tathan, you didn't.

Speaker 1 (29:38):
Hey, Just quickly before we move on the Broncos winning
well dounder Jack Johns. It was brought to our at
Tension from a podcast listener, Jack Johns at the start
of the year predicted the Broncos against the Storm the
Grand Final repeat of two thousand and six, and he
predicted that the Broncos would win. Take about jack.

Speaker 3 (29:56):
Thanks to mego yeah, actually yeah, I predicted the I
said repeat after round one we did our predictions that I.

Speaker 4 (30:02):
Had an exact repeat of the two thousand and six
Grand Final.

Speaker 1 (30:06):
It's a bit.

Speaker 3 (30:06):
I was a bit tested, tested a bit through the year.
I don't think that was going to happen, but yeah,
did you.

Speaker 5 (30:12):
Son of a bit?

Speaker 1 (30:12):
His son of again, I wish I put money on it.
I should have done it.

Speaker 2 (30:16):
I wish I put money on it.

Speaker 1 (30:17):
Yeah you know what? Oh yeah, okay, this is bad.
I've got two betting accounts, right, so one of the
betting accounts at start of the year when we had that,
you know, when Madge got the job, after we had
that discussion with him here on the podcast. I thought
Madge going there something about him with the moment. He's
not a bit of a hot streak. So why to
crack at the Broncos at eight to one? I guess what,

(30:37):
I forgot my password on the other betting Oh I'm
trying to work out how.

Speaker 2 (30:42):
You should be able to ring them up. In the
modern technology, there's like forget your.

Speaker 1 (30:46):
Password, it's all sitting there.

Speaker 4 (30:48):
Yeah, hopeless.

Speaker 2 (30:49):
I saw a bloke he can't get into his crypto
account and he has about he has like one hundred
million or something in that imagine.

Speaker 3 (30:55):
I heard about the boat that's got the he lost
his he lost his hard drive, been searching for like
ten years for his old hard drive that had like
a thousand bitcoin on it.

Speaker 2 (31:05):
Yeah, I think that's what I'm thinking about. Actually, did
you live with that?

Speaker 3 (31:08):
He bought the dump that he's rubbish went to. He
bought it so he could go and search it for years.

Speaker 5 (31:14):
And still that's do me back on the game for
one set because we're just talking about Sorry Jack, I'll
just turned it down.

Speaker 1 (31:22):
So it made his short stint, got his win, got
he's wrap.

Speaker 2 (31:26):
He's out short stint straight in ten minutes off the bench.
But we talked about the ad lip of the Broncos,
the ad lib Footye, how good they are at doing
that off the cuff. I thought Melbourne did their strengths
actually really well as well, particularly that first half. You
look at all their tries. Their tries come off some
really well executed shapes. Yeah, some shapes that they knew
were going to come off. A nice little deaf kick

(31:47):
for Eli Katowa, but they brought the line up, nice
kick for him.

Speaker 1 (31:51):
He was good.

Speaker 2 (31:52):
I thought Ellie wins Clive Churchill if storm winds.

Speaker 1 (31:55):
I thought, I still think it's Reese. I still think Reese.
But yeah, I think if you remove Urice Walsh from
and they win the Melbourne Storm, then yeah, I think
Ellie gets it and by far their best mate.

Speaker 2 (32:08):
It was unbelieving that first try that they set up.
It was a really nice shift and they found Ellie.
He sort of did a little wrap around to I
think it was hugey tipped onto perhaps when Nick Meane
scored as well, a nice little weaving try. But all
of their shapes were so well executed, so well detailed,
and that the third try he set up one for
will Warbrick where they did a little shape. It's the

(32:30):
old Sam Thiday and State of Origin shape where Jerome
Hughes passes it. Well, it was back in the day.
It was Cooper Crunk to Sam Thriday back inside to
Billy Slater. Yep, that was the shape they were trying
to set up for the outside insight. They team's identity.
Teams defend that enough. They identified it, so the half
rather than go to Elli, stayed on the full back.
Ellie identified that and just zinged it straight out to

(32:51):
Will Warbrick, knowing that the other two were tight, and
then that that is a hard pass and a hard
thing to identify for a back row. Off not mean
lot of back We used to actually try to do
that shape with Felice back in the day, but like Felice,
couldn't couldn't execute it. Hopeless pass. No, but it is
so hard for a back rower who's built like they typically,

(33:13):
they're not built with a vision of halves. They're bigger
and they punch holes. Ellie has got so many strings
to his bow, it's ridiculous.

Speaker 1 (33:20):
Before we talk more about Melbourne, Coop and talk about
after the game she went in the sheds and whatnot.
Pat Carrigan hasn't been spoken of a billy at all.
His fresh legs, full lungs after missing the week before,
he was he was fantastic mate, He he was, he
was one. He was one of the very best on
the fields. That was pain and pain just mate. It's

(33:41):
really funny. It shows you how busted he was, right Coop,
how busted he was. He was replaced at the twenty
sixth minute mart which is it's rare got him off
and he went back on the fifty fifth minute and
was unbelievable. Second stint, but that's a fair stint for Pain.
That just shows me of how how he's been carrying injuries,

(34:01):
the load he's been carrying, and that Madge recognized that
and just reduced his minutes for more impact.

Speaker 2 (34:07):
I like that, and I've always been a believer in
even what the Gold Coast do with like Tino Fasti.
The I don't want to say the worst clubs, but
the clubs who are very reliant on one or two,
like big name forwards, they play them for too long
and they're become ineffective. I think this year Madg has
been really good for Pain in Like, Mate, I don't

(34:30):
need seventy eighty minutes out of you. I'm going to
cut your time back to say, you know, max sixty minutes.
But what you're going to do in that sixty minutes
for me is you're going to be as fresh as
possible and you're going to be high energy. And I
want more impact from you rather than just a consistent
port Gallon performance, because Gal will get out of there.
He'd make fifty or sixty tackles and he would grind

(34:52):
out like as much work as possible, like in the
modern game. And when you have those big power athletes
like Tino, like Pain, I don't think you eat him
for even if they can, you don't need him for
that long.

Speaker 1 (35:02):
Coop hats off to blokes who make fifty and sixty
chatholate games that they are incredible, but then they're not
explosive players. Yeah, and like paying second stints this year
have been monumental. Been one of the secrets, one of
their secret sources made him coming off. I thought he
was fantastic and I thought, Zavie Wilson, hasn't he been

(35:23):
a fine Yeah, I thought, I thought, coming back from
his injury, he's been fantastic and.

Speaker 2 (35:27):
He's been awesome, and he's making his Kiwi's debut as well.
It could have been in that New Zealand side, so
I shout out to him.

Speaker 1 (35:33):
We're going to talk about the other at football in
a second. But Coop had with the boys in the
sheds after the game.

Speaker 2 (35:38):
It was it was it was sad, like I was
in there last year as well, had a arm but
last year, I think, you know, getting beat by Penrith.
This year really hurt, like to go back to back losses.
And I've been in the I've been a part of
playing squads in twenty eighteen against the Roosters when we
got beat and that was. When you're in a playing squad,

(36:01):
it's it's hard to gauge like losses suck because you're
training all year to get to this moment, you know,
all the work that people got into. And then I've
been a part of winning ones as well, But I
actually found this one the hardest one because when you're
not in the playing squad and you see how gut
wrenching the boys are hurting, like what do you say?

(36:21):
Like it was, it was actually really tough in it,
and it was the boys were I haven't seen the
boys that shattered in a while, Like it was. It
was very sad vibes in there. I actually found like
I did find it hard to talk to a few
of the boys straight after, just because like you don't
know whether you want to lift the spirits up or
you don't know whether you want to just keep them, like,

(36:42):
just talk to them about how shit the feeling is.

Speaker 1 (36:45):
Well. I was in the I was doing a little
bit of halves coaching of the Melbourne Storm. Was in
the sheds aft think I'd be forty nil by manly.
What was that? Probably a little somber, Yeah, I imagine
fair to say they're just sort of hiding in the
corner a little bit avoiding belly ache. Yeah, yeah, how
were they because oftentimes players are absolutely heartbroken and the

(37:07):
heartbreak doesn't go away, it just gets it just getting
gets numbed when you start to have a few beers.
How were they back to the hotel having a few drinks?

Speaker 2 (37:14):
Like still still pretty sad, Like I wouldn't say that,
like we went overly hard, Like I sort of just
sat there and I just said to when you are
ready to go to bed, I'll sit here and drink
with his too. He's ready to go to bed. Really,
because there was they had a little bit of a
post GF a vent on with a lot of the
friends and family and sponsors and whatnot. But I mean

(37:36):
it was very much like throughout there'd be there'd be
there'd be half an hour spurts of like you know,
having a laugh, having a laugh, and then the next
half an hour one of the boys go we lost that,
man like, and then they relive those moments back over
in your head. I do not miss that feeling of
like you're reliving one or two movements where you think,
oh I could have done that, or like oh we
had them here but we didn't do that, like yeah,

(37:59):
so yeah, like to lose it. I was in the
uber home, I was, I was sitting there and I
was thinking, we don't reward like, we don't really reward
silver medals in in team sports, like in teen sports.
We don't like either your win or you're like basically
your wooden spoon, like it doesn't really matter.

Speaker 1 (38:16):
In fact, they hit sometimes they get more maligned than
the teams who lose the qualifiers.

Speaker 2 (38:22):
Well, I was thinking, like, would you rather than get
beat in a prelim because you still had a great
year than getting beat a grand final? Like not many
people can say they've played in two Grand finals. I
know they've gone back to back losses, but like the
hurt and the heartache, like there is there is not
much There is not much reward for getting there and

(38:42):
getting silver anymore, like.

Speaker 1 (38:44):
Those of the week itself, leading in I mean, it's
a great week, leading in all ccelerations. But you're right
how it finishes, like I imagine, it tends to be
the thing you remember, like.

Speaker 2 (38:51):
Heindi, Hendy played in one or two Grand finals. I
played in two, and I'd like, I wonder in hindsight,
like it must be. I was actually feeling a honding
because I was going, everyone takes a piece out of
hand if you not winning one. But seeing the boys
after that game lose to lose to like it must
be tough. I wonder if Hendi ever wishes like he

(39:12):
just didn't make one full start.

Speaker 1 (39:13):
Heindi says all the time, says to Flitch and I
and he said, I'm not kidding, he said, I actually
just I can't stand ground. Final day, he said, when
they hand out the trophy at the end, he said,
I leave the room anyway. Fletch, a bloke Fletcher a
made of Fletchers, took a photo at a pub where
it was pumping and as they were giving the traphic,
he took a photo of Heindi, HENDI looks so sad.

Speaker 2 (39:36):
Oh I looked so sad.

Speaker 1 (39:38):
All these people are jumping around having a great time
for he's just sitting there.

Speaker 2 (39:42):
It's funny the person smoke packets postgame, like we jumped up.
We jumped on like a bus back to the hotel,
and some of the Broncos families were walking to the
but like their buses was picking up from the same spot,
which like timing wasn't perfect at that time. But I
was walking back with Billy's brothers, Jet and Harry Harry,
and because I played with Billy so I know the

(40:02):
family quite well, and I'm walking back and Harry was
that excited baite. Harry was screaming and he's walking surrounded
by like fifty of the Melbourne Storm friends and family,
and he's going, we did it, Coops, we did it.
And I'm going don't say we did it, because I'm
going back to.

Speaker 1 (40:21):
The Melbourne going, oh god.

Speaker 2 (40:24):
I remember Harry's mother and dad were looking back on
who's this one cup and I was like, that's not me,
it's Harry. But yeah, like I can't imagine the celebrations
that they're having up there at the moment.

Speaker 1 (40:35):
Deserve what what? What a year for prisoner sporting teams
and the AFL? What else was there? There was something
else as well. They wont Someone pointed them all out
to me. It's just you remember Bulldog reached in the
middle of the year. They won the Origin as well
and Bulldog of the Year just coming. What a terrible
what a terrible year for sporting teams just went boom

(40:55):
boom boom boom boom.

Speaker 2 (40:56):
Yeah, Queen he goes in Queensland Cowboys. Yeah he started
rat like hammering all the Queensland and.

Speaker 1 (41:01):
Yeah, Bullog's curse, the Bullogrichy curse.

Speaker 2 (41:05):
Yeah, yeah, I know the Queensland side. Instead of tell
you what I think, it'd be a great time, to
a great week to be a Queenslander up there. It'd
be fun. I can't imagine Reecee Walsh because he was
a star before, right like while she was a big
star before. Obviously people loved him, not just for his
football ability, but like his swagger, his energy, his good

(41:27):
looking young blokes. A lot of a lot of girls
love him. So he's had a big following on social
media and whatnot. But up there now, after that performance,
the best game he's ever played, he will never buy
a beer in Queensland again. I will guarantee that.

Speaker 1 (41:41):
What he's in for this next twelve months, Like I mean,
it was rees Mania anywhere it went anyway, Like you
know when they went to Newcastle for that week on
every training session the ground so they went was just
they packed sold out nights fans just to suit most
of them. See Reese Walsh And so what's going to
be next year? Like, because he's just gone to another
straight fear again. I can't wait to see the reaction

(42:02):
he gets in England. He will make a big splash
over there.

Speaker 2 (42:06):
I not not that I worry for him or anything,
but I hope he's. I hope he's because a lot
of people will start just just suckling at the teat
of Reese Walsh. I really hope that he gets because
the only other comparison I can give to that sort
of stardom was Cameron Munster twenty twenty gf into probably
the greatest Origin performance series ever. Coops and Money. Money

(42:29):
really struggled the next year. He enjoyed himself over the
off season, but he really struggled. I think mentally really
struggled the next year as well. Given he's like his
profile went through the roof, flow absolutely through. He still
gets brought beers over there from his twenty twenty COVID
performance and.

Speaker 1 (42:43):
I think even but I think money would say, I reckon,
it's only about half what Ree is going to get.
Oh yeah, I think about half who I compare it to.
I think what's waiting for him this year as far
as national stardom probably warning.

Speaker 2 (43:00):
Yeah, you know what I mean, it's gone past regular
because Nathan Clear has been huge profile as well, But
this is another level again because there's.

Speaker 1 (43:08):
More than football. That's his swagger and attitude, that's his
rock star looks, all those things people just love. But yeah,
your spot on. I think the Broncos be there now,
going right up. We're going to just put some things
in place because this is going to start to get
fucking crazy.

Speaker 2 (43:22):
Well, I reckon it's more his manager, because I think
Broncos are going to want to They're going to want
to cash in on whilst she's brand a little bit.
I think it needs to be a little bit of
like he needs to get looked after by his management
and like helping him with the right direction. But also
like if I'm him, you'd want him almost bumping blokes
like Munster and be like mate, like a bit of

(43:43):
advice from leaders have been there in that similar position before.

Speaker 1 (43:46):
But for the Broncos, it's about like every way, every
away game, like getting off the bus. It's like it's
sports version of boodle mania. So Jack, oh, Jack, I.

Speaker 3 (43:56):
Was just going to say too, did you see that
when the stock market opened on Monday or Tuesday? I
can't tell because of the long weekend, but see the
Broncos share price went up by fifty cents incredible after
the win.

Speaker 1 (44:09):
So it's it's worth one hundred and eighty million now.

Speaker 5 (44:12):
The club, it was, yeah, well they're they're they're the
biggest brand in NRL. They've got like they smash everyone
out of the water in terms of members, like out
of the game.

Speaker 2 (44:21):
I can't. I was doing some stuff out there with
JARCHI pregame interview on some of the punters. Mate struggled
to find a storm supporter in Manly yesterday. Yeah, Mate,
I went in Manly yesterday to catch up with mate.
Poor old Harry Grant, even through his in the depths
of his heartache, he sent me a text early in
the morning, Mum and Dad are going over to Manly tomorrow.

(44:43):
Would you like to catch up with him and absolutely Gasi,
the Pig and Margie. So we went in there and
as I text text the pig of course that's his nickname,
his dad. Yeah, but he is an In fact, ap.

Speaker 1 (44:57):
Pig was there with with his brother mate. What about
how they talk to each other. So Pig's here with
his Harry's uncle, who's his brother. They just one They've
only got one name for each other's cocked.

Speaker 4 (45:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 1 (45:10):
Do you want to be cockhead? You sweet cocked? What
did you drink godhead? Yeah, mate, I'll just get us
some mid strengths, cockhead, and he came back and cocked.
There was no miad strengths. I've got your light cock it.
I don't drink a lot.

Speaker 2 (45:20):
But it's not just them, mate, because I spun this yard.
Remember when me and Harry were up to port earlier
in the year to see his grand pig, to see
Pig's dad, Harry's grandpa. It's they go up there once
year playing the Cockhead Cup, which is a golf day
that they all do up there. But the brothers everyone,
He's got a brother whose name monkey unless his nickname.
Obviously they got pig Monkey, they got Billy John, and

(45:41):
they got George and every they all talked to each
other's game cockhead, Hey, coh.

Speaker 1 (45:45):
See someone took a sign to the game Harry's mates
when you put your hand up if you think Harry
is a.

Speaker 2 (45:49):
Cocka mate they do that every big game. Harry's in.
That guy and his name's Nell aka the Tadpole. He
the Tadpole makes a sign in his Iride first Origin
series he said Harry's a wanker, and then the following
Origin series made another sign that said Harry is still
a wanker. Like my favorite ever sign is Sammi Verrel's debut.

(46:14):
All the boys from Avalon went up and they had
a sign and said sam Verels likes Blue car Keys
but like a play on words of Boka keys and
they but they put it on the coverage. They put
it on the because obviously they came am and didn't
know what they were like getting at, and it was like,
there it is, look at Sammy Belle's friends have found

(46:36):
me out there advertising the Blue car kis.

Speaker 1 (46:41):
Oh merely yesterday made Broncos fans people traveling over to
New Zealand for the game as well. Yeah, kiwis everywhere,
but Broncos fans.

Speaker 2 (46:52):
Yeah, because they were saying about a Sydney team, I
wonder what it's going.

Speaker 1 (46:54):
To be like. It's awesome.

Speaker 2 (46:55):
Who made the game has not been stronger in everywhere.

Speaker 1 (46:58):
And big thank you to the Whollow Sport Boys, to Jacko.
Me and Jack went to the Stain. We did a
bit of stuff there with the Hallow Sports Boys, Tommy
and Eddie fantastic.

Speaker 4 (47:06):
There was a live crew down there. There are their listeners.

Speaker 1 (47:09):
I was.

Speaker 4 (47:10):
I was in there in the lineup beforehand.

Speaker 3 (47:11):
As it was getting started, and Ge Whizz was about
two hundred and eighty of them just ready to go.

Speaker 4 (47:16):
I reckon. I would have hated to be in the stain.

Speaker 3 (47:19):
Beyond six o'clock because it was three beers and they
were all lathered up at three o'clock.

Speaker 1 (47:24):
Painters they called punters and dribblers and dribblers. It would
have been dribbling.

Speaker 2 (47:29):
I'll tell you what. Like with that late Grand Final.
I got out to there, I got out of the stadium.
I did be out there for three point thirty. People
were that maggot. I have not seen so many drunk
people in one place. I was going, the game's got
to be earlier because some people would not have seen.
I promise you now, some people would not have made
it to seven thirty eight o'clock with how I saw
them patrolling around a Core stadium at three point thirty.

(47:51):
There were people that were literally getting carried.

Speaker 1 (47:53):
Yeah, but keeps now. I think you want the broncost
to go back to Brisbane that night, like in the
height of the and amonium. You want them to be
able to jumple a plane quickly get back and get
to Brisbane Airport where they'd just be tens of thousands
a bit.

Speaker 2 (48:06):
Imagine that's what you were a love like you guys
jump straight on the bus went back to Newcastle. When
we went in twenty twenty, we couldn't go anywhere. But
what was sick was we had a charter flight. Then
we had to get back to the accommodation anyway because
you had to isolate and whatnot back then. But being blind,
everyone's got their rings on carrying the trophy onto the
charter flight with all the friends and family, like there

(48:28):
is something special about that. Having to travel the next
morning when like the adrenaline starts to kick out.

Speaker 1 (48:34):
Of the systems make places so hung over it.

Speaker 2 (48:38):
I saw about seven thirty in the morning the Broncos
boys got back to their hotel, had to pack and
then go on their flight back to Brizzi, and there
was that like reporters out the front, like mate, what
are you feeling? And I felt for the boys because
like you could tell the had just started getting sucked
out of them and like the adrenaline body would have
started feeling. The body was a bit soret what they've
just been through too.

Speaker 1 (48:58):
I mean, you get the physical punishment taking a throw
on loudmouth soup in yourself.

Speaker 2 (49:02):
Yeah, oh man, I've got some stuff for you. Actually,
because I've got here, I want to there's a couple
I want to show you first all the picture. Now,
I don't know if you've seen this or not, but
the funny thing about this is, obviously, while she they've
leant right into the toilet water stuff. Obviously it's performance
enhancing in their eyes. But what I love about what

(49:23):
match did they brought a toilet? They brought a toilet
mug into the sheds after the game and Madge and
while she was sculling for Rex's out of it, which
I thought was funny. But the best part about it
is while she would have had to have packed that mug,
hoping that they'd won so he could do that before

(49:44):
we gain.

Speaker 1 (49:45):
Yeah, certainly so if they got beat and he would
have pulled him out, he wouldn't have.

Speaker 2 (49:48):
You couldn't. You couldn't have been caught on photo drinking
out of it.

Speaker 1 (49:52):
If he certainly must have had a good feeling about
the game.

Speaker 2 (49:55):
It was so because that you must be confident to
do that. Shand Or in twenty twenty did that. Brought
he bought all the goggles. You know how everyone wears
the goggles now and smokes our cigars like the NBA.
Shandor bored all of that, but he wasn't playing, and
he didn't tell anyone he'd done it. He bought it
all and had it in the sheds ready in case
we'd won. If we'd lost, it probably would have just

(50:16):
burnt it like I never want a big caught with it.

Speaker 1 (50:18):
In the eighty nine Grand Final, Kerry Hemsley was there.
Big front rail used used to be a bike. He
used to ride Harley Davison's everywhere he played. He played
the first half and got replaced at halftime. He's watching
the game in the stands by that stage. Had the
shower he's ready to go. We're ten minutes ago. He goes, mate,
this is in the bag. It might have been less
five minutes ago. This is in the bag. So he

(50:39):
went up to the dressing room and brought down the
champagne ready and then Canberra scored.

Speaker 2 (50:45):
No way, mate, who am I thinking about right now?
Fletch no, no, no, somebody see me. Thid I was
out doing a talk at the locker room, which is
the pub across from a call before the game. Were
doing like a Q and a thing. Right before the
Grand Final, Sammy Thoide said in that twenty twenty three

(51:06):
GF when they got beat he was up in the
corporates and then he went, you know, I'm going down
to the sheds now and I have a beer in
the sheds for the end of the game. He went
down with that fifteen twenty minutes to go and missed
all the Nathan clearage, try, try, try, and then when
they come back in obviously like obviously he realized before
they come back in because he would have heard the heartbreak.

(51:27):
But he went down and was sitting in the shed
sinking beers and just didn't realize that they just had
formed this massive company because you look back, Ezra men
scored three tries. They were like three or four tries ahead.

Speaker 1 (51:39):
Mate. One of the greatest stories of all time, Jacktas
alluded to Fletcher tells, was when Fletcher was captain of
Souths and would have been two thousand and three, two
thousand and two or something. Anyway, Paul Ammick is the
coach of South and they'd been having a horrid run
and they're playing Broncos at home. Broncos are attacking their
line with like thirty seconds to go. Anyway, Broncos come
up with an error. Anyway, both Wayne and Lane Mack

(52:02):
go well, game's over and they go. Both of them
hop in the lift. Meanwhile, there's both of them hop
in the lift. Paul Stringer takes a ball up from
South Gordon gets a one on one, stool throws out
the wing and they score. Right. Paul lang Mack and
Wayne are in the lift going down. They've seen none
of it right and Wayne Wayne goes, are good on

(52:25):
your lingers and he's go mate, Wayne, thanks very much mate. Anyway,
they go down and lame Mack goes down into the sheds.
He can hear all the noise from the crowd, but
he doesn't know. He just thinks they're all celebrating. He
Fletch said, they go up the race, right, and as
he's going up the race, Wayne's there and he go here,
good on your Fletch, and he he thinks that Wayne

(52:48):
knows they've lost. He goes fuck off. Its still being
smart ass, right, So Wayne is oblivious to the fact
as well. Mate. Fletch goes up, turns, goes in the
south dressing room and laying is in there with Champagne gains. Yeah,
fucking beauty. They had to break the news that beg beaten.

Speaker 2 (53:07):
Ah, that is all the time, that would be you CBS.

Speaker 1 (53:12):
Okay, can I ask you some just things before we
finish up things? I don't know if whether he can answer,
but these are really big things, Peraps are three sixty.
I get the feeling. I just get the gut. Philly's
on his way out of Melbourne. What do you think
that's a good question.

Speaker 4 (53:29):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (53:29):
I don't really, It's hard. It's hard to know with
Paps because he is like, uh, he's quite like different
in that sense where he could sort of like be
interested by Rubby. Through sixty he went to Oakhill College
and rugby background as well. It's hard to get a gauge,
like I really actually struggle to get a gauge because
I I wouldn't be surprised if you did, though, and

(53:50):
you do get that sort of They've always had like
a bit of a relationship where you go like bits
and pieces where he's been hurt and that's sometimes they've
they've looked to offload him in different times.

Speaker 1 (54:00):
I look that that does look like a bit of
a difficult relationship at times, perhaps in the storm. There's
been periods that you know, there was times that I
remember they offered him around that time and no one
took him. And then he had periods where he was
injured and they wanted him to get back on the
field but he couldn't. So there's there's been times have
been a little problematic.

Speaker 2 (54:19):
If I had to put money on it, I would
I'd probably go, Yeah, I think I reckon. That's just
that's just my instinct.

Speaker 1 (54:25):
Okay, if he announces he's going to go and it
doesn't start till next October, do you think the Melbourne
storm will keep him there or do you think so
far along a girl will go in and they'll make
you free to go. I would say, don't want to
lose Sewer as well.

Speaker 2 (54:38):
Yeah, I think they've got Sower anyway locked up for
a little bit.

Speaker 1 (54:41):
So I.

Speaker 2 (54:44):
I reckon he go. I reckon he go, but because
I think I think Rugby want him to go. Now,
that's what I think the same thing with Lomax. They're
saying if he's well, I'm pretty sure he's already basically done.
I think if he goes, they're wanting him to play
rugby for that six months, either in Japan or France
and then get that instinct back because you've got to
learn the gap like. They don't want it to come
over without any sort of rugby base. So I think

(55:07):
that the players that Rugby three sixty who want to buy,
I imagine that they're going to want to get out
straight away.

Speaker 1 (55:12):
Okay, who are going to put your money on? With Munster?
There's talked or the Wallaby's looking at him, but I
just can't see that. Okay, but Wallaby's Perth stay at Melbourne.
What do you think with Munster? It sounds like Perth
Perth will come in big for him.

Speaker 2 (55:30):
Yeah, I wouldn't be surprised I think Melbourne. I reckon,
I think he'll stay. If you asked me like six
months ago, I would have I think Melbourne, and I
think I think they need to figure out what they're
going to do with Papenhausen first, because if papenhous and
if perhaps is like if Perhaps says, oh, look I
want to go to rugby, which if they're going to

(55:50):
throw a lot of money a perhaps, I wouldn't be
surprised if he does, because like he has had some
lingering injuries around, but they could potentially shift Monster to
full back and open it up for Pezzant and Hughsey
in the Hearts. So that's what makes me think they
want to. They want to. They want to sort Peraps
out first. In terms of what he wants to.

Speaker 1 (56:08):
Do, I don't know. I think at this point in
his career and he's had sort of hip injuries in
that I don't know if he could play for that
long term. But anyway, Nelson, Okay, Nelson, do you think
he's about to leave Melbourne because there's lots of reports
that he's created the storm is over. Have you heard anything?

Speaker 2 (56:26):
No, I haven't heard anything.

Speaker 6 (56:27):
I haven't really heard anything about any of those boys,
they're pretty they're pretty good at keeping it like in
how people think, like boys in the locker room going like,
you know, talking about contract stuff.

Speaker 2 (56:38):
No one actually ever does. Like it's such a surprise
to even the playing group when a boy goes, you know,
I'm actually signing here, I'm signing that, because no one
really has the balls to ask people up front, like
are you are you thinking about going to union? Because
it's awkward, but I reckon Nelson will go. I think
Nelson will go, yeah, Yeah, they've had I think this
year's just been a bit of a weird like it's

(56:59):
he's always they've always had a bit of a relationship
where he's almost started in reserve grade, but then like
by the end of the year has really come good
and they've mended that relationship. But I feel like it hasn't.
It hasn't this year given the suspension. I think if
he'd come back in this that side and then hadn't
got suspended and was really impactful in their final series,

(57:19):
I would have said yes.

Speaker 1 (57:20):
But I think I think his sheer size, which was
his greatest advantage under these new rules, it has become
a disadvantage for him. Yea, that ability to get down
against those smaller blokes and make those tackles. He's just
clipping everyone high and yeah, some of that it's just
body position for him. He's find it hard to get
in the proper tackle position.

Speaker 2 (57:39):
Yeah, it's hard because the game is so quick now too.
You don't have that much time to actually react with
your defense like you you can't. Sometimes it's hard for
him to actually even get down quick enough to hit them.
So it is it has been quite tough for him.

Speaker 1 (57:51):
Any final words on the Grand Final. I just want
to do a big chip well only once again to
the Brisbane.

Speaker 2 (57:55):
I want to a video.

Speaker 1 (57:57):
It's been oh okay the video just it's been a
long time between the from the Golden years but all
under the Broncos you got back there well under Magic,
good stuff. Shout out to him what he got for
you saw this.

Speaker 2 (58:10):
But the boys like while she and all that went
like Instagram live, TikTok live after the game and they
were like, that's dangerous. I love it, but I reckon
that's that funny because it's so good for the fans
like who were sitting at home drunk, just like they
were messaging all the boys going, look, take your shirts off.
But there's some funny there's a there's just a funny
thing where they went after Buzz roll feel quite heavily.

Speaker 5 (58:31):
So I wasn't sure if you'd seen it yet. So
I wanted to just play one of my favorite partner. Okay,
Jordan Ricky just kept going.

Speaker 7 (58:51):
Anyone got Jordan Ricky's had a few goes a Buzz. Yes,
I've heard Buzz talk about it. But Buzz understands buzzes
and old journey mate. He's pretty thick and he knows
that if you're going to have a shot one way,
it's a boomerang, it's going to come back.

Speaker 1 (59:03):
Yeah. I don't think he has a big problem with
it at all.

Speaker 2 (59:05):
It is I can't wait for them to get in
to say it like it would be so funny when
they get I wonder what Buzz did. I wonder if
he did he have an article about them or something.

Speaker 1 (59:13):
I think it was about how through the year. You
know he's saying about Madge, saying about you know, he
trained him too hard and he's over the top, and
you know Madge was critical. I'm sorry, Buzz was really
critical of Madge of some of the training, the fact
you took them on a boat cruise, all those things.
I think he wrung Madge and I think Madge basically
told Buzz to get fucked and sort of things escalated

(59:36):
from there.

Speaker 2 (59:36):
I wonder if anyone gave him Madge's number. I reckon
someone would have said. I wonder, because, like I remember
when we were on Monday celebrations after the camp, we
were prank calling so many people, like just so many,
not like journals, but like other head coaches and ship like.
We just ring them and be like and they knew
it was us because I could hear the music and

(59:57):
shit in the background. They didn't, no one really cared.
They thought it was funny, but we just like spray them.
And then I wonder if I wouldn't be surprised if
some of those Bronx boys got Mago and then just
started to prank call them.

Speaker 1 (01:00:06):
But it wouldn't surprise me. The Australian cyber his name,
I tear what how good is the the postseason rep
stuff gonna be h It's gonna be good. In a
second show, talk about the summer on the Tonga sides.
But the Australians had great Spine selections, Nathan Cleary, Munster,
Mitch Moses, Tommy did and how he grant, Blake Browley
on deboo, Well done Blake, Dylan Edwards, Reese Walsh, my

(01:00:30):
God Megastar and Ethan Strange on aboo first call up
Rep Football World Underweath and well done Mark. Now I'm
going to say as well, they've picked him, you know,
well under Kevy's picking him to Shibasaki. What a turnaround
the career. Jacob Preston, Klum and Tonguey has picked as
well from debutants. Good on your boys.

Speaker 2 (01:00:49):
Yeah, think it's a good one. And they're saying that
because I believe they haven't confirmed it yet, but Xavier
Coats and Zachlomax were picked, but apparently they're both out
with some sort of injury, so they're saying Bradman Best
and josh Ada Carr will come in, which that's awesome,
great for the Fox. Oh the friend of the Potty.

Speaker 5 (01:01:08):
But he's gotten back to remember he said a few
weeks back when we had him on, he said, I'd
love to get back to that rapp arena.

Speaker 2 (01:01:13):
So if that is the case, shout out to him
because that's.

Speaker 1 (01:01:16):
Sick, looked at the Kiwi side, goes for that, saying
you don't need to run through the Kuwi side. It's fantastic.
I look at the national rankings. Australia's number one, mate,
We're not number one. Kuhi is the number one. Well
Key is number one.

Speaker 2 (01:01:27):
Man Husey's buster. He's got to get a shoulder surgery.
But shout out to Kieran Foran who has He's done
about three retirement speeches. Now he's backcording back out of retirement. Sorry,
put up a picture before in this same and he
goes when your country calls you go, oh goodness.

Speaker 1 (01:01:45):
I'll read out a few names from firstly somehow and
what a test match this is going to be twenty
sixth of October, sun called Stadium Toma versus Somemo So
Summer Mariatta a young guy who gets his start from
the Aiders Blais to Lungey, Brian Toto, Dean Marin, Isaac Tungo,
your own Lui, Josh Papal Junior Bola married to Lungey Paynehasse,

(01:02:09):
Roger Toulvasushik, Simmy Sosagi tailor may teroror may That's just
some of the names in there.

Speaker 2 (01:02:15):
That's that's as good as side of smow as ever had.
But not just big names, like they're all in great
forms right, Like you've got those Raiders players, they've all
they probably should have made a Grand Final this year.
And then you've got some of those some of those
like Bizer and.

Speaker 1 (01:02:28):
Have listened to this, have listened tongue and if there
was a World Cup tomorrow, mate, I'd have a splash
on some on tong to win it. Listen with Paul Alamodi,
Adam Vanila, Blake, who's skipper walled under him, Mofoda Waker, Leahalissima,
Lehi Hoppawadi, Ellie Katowa, Isaiah Katowa. And the jewel the crown,

(01:02:50):
the jewel in the crown, I should say, from the
Sharky's police Cafusi Tolukla man Isaiah Yongi Well, Pini, Jason Tamalano,
Robert Toya, Daniel Tupo, Big Stefano gets to start, Dimitric
Wayanger and and sorry, Dimitric Vaimonga and Siwa wog my god,

(01:03:15):
I'll tell you what a squat tend to think.

Speaker 2 (01:03:17):
Ham can't play because of his shoulder too like that's
that would be the great that's the best forward pack,
like that is one of the best forward packs. And
they've always lacked creativity in the spine. But now you've
got young blokes like Katowa Lehi Hopwadi who were just
setting the world on fire at the moment, any young
as well. It's I wonder how they fit them both in.

Speaker 1 (01:03:39):
Yeah, I don't know. They've got to have him in there,
but I think probably i'd say young ear be full back.
I'd say LeHo go on the wing. But but Isaiahkatoa,
and he's the one. Like they've Tonga have had great
backs and they've had great forwards, but they've needed that
spine to be right now, this bloke that's crazy, this
bloke who is going to end up as one of
the greatest players of all time. He's going to wing

(01:04:01):
mate with him steering the side. They are going to
win a World Cup in his time there.

Speaker 2 (01:04:06):
I'm exited. I'm actually very very excited to watch that
tongue and somehow were playing against each other. Yep, that'd
be I'll tell you right now that if people should
get their tickets to that, because the atmosphere I was
at that test last year where Tonga is and Australia
played out of Combank and I haven't felt atmosphere like it,
and that was just from the Tonguan fans. None of

(01:04:28):
the Aussies were really insane anything. So Tonga and Sama
are at either ends of the stadium, that'll be as
good as rugby league atmosphere, if not atmosphere in the
world as you have ever seen. I'm that excited. I
could swear and.

Speaker 1 (01:04:40):
Go on good, just do it.

Speaker 2 (01:04:42):
Go fuck yourself, mate, Dad.

Speaker 1 (01:04:45):
And as I said before, mate the coup week side,
it goes without yes saying it's fantastic to him. Stacey
Jones too well under stage coach and the team. Finally
he weld unto all the clubs, the coaches weld under
all the fans. This, in my opinion, has been the
greatest seasonal football I've ever seen. The players have just
been outstanding. It's been just been a joy to watch

(01:05:09):
and makes you proud to be a rugby league men.

Speaker 5 (01:05:11):
And shout out to all our back fences, all of
our back fancs who listen each week to the Backstage
the Family podcast. Everything we love your your contribution does
not go unnoticed.

Speaker 1 (01:05:21):
And we've got some big ones coming up. We've got
Jason Rowles coming up the Ryles files.

Speaker 2 (01:05:25):
We've got Dylan Walker, amongst many more guys that shrap yourself.

Speaker 1 (01:05:28):
In mate, And I'll tell you what we'll get Madge
to in the next couple of weeks. You want to
get Madge as well, we'll land Madge.

Speaker 2 (01:05:34):
All right, we'll see if we.

Speaker 1 (01:05:35):
We'll get him.

Speaker 4 (01:05:36):
Do't worry you, reckon.

Speaker 1 (01:05:37):
We'll get him. We'll get him.

Speaker 2 (01:05:38):
We'll get him, and if we don't, what do we do.

Speaker 1 (01:05:41):
We'll call free sacking.

Speaker 2 (01:05:43):
If we don't, we'll turn on him and we'll start
bagging him just like buzz.

Speaker 1 (01:05:46):
We will have you good ones. Thanks jack O.