The Warriors are running on a high.
They’re entering Magic Round with a chance to have their best ever eight game start to a season as they take on the North Queensland Cowboys.
NRL Legend and Cowboys icon Johnathan Thurston offers his thoughts on the Warriors’ season thus far and their odds against the Cowboys.
“They’ve had a fair few injuries to overcome, but they’ve got a squad there that keeps doing the job and getting the win.”
“I think the teams will be very wary of the Warriors.”
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB Warriors have enjoyed one of their best ever starts
to an NRL season. Tower a better fact Cakewell here's.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Top tea, top tea.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You think there's gonna be any doubt about that one?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I was in an away and that they don't.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Argue with bed come on his chest, left there and
did it for.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Everyone to see.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
And when last weekend has them five and two heading
into magic Round this weekend, are they taking notice? Across
the Tasman, let's find out. We bring in rugby league
royalty twelve meters out in front, first in the church
from which coat he hits it.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
He's got the.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Fun, he's got the premission.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
He has come from, as I said, a captain of
a legend.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
And probably rugby league.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Immortality, one of the great is to ever play the
game for the Bulldogs, for North Queensland, for Queensland state
of origin, and for the Kangaroos. Jonathan Thurston of course,
who joins us now? Jonathan, thanks for taking the time.
Are you taking notice of the Warriors over on your
side of the Tasman? Are the general rugby league public
taking notice of the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I certainly am. They've had a great start to the
year the Warriors, obviously Vegas. The first game in Vegas
wasn't great, but they've bounced back from Martin. They're playing
some really good football. So they've had a fair few
injuries too to overcome, but they got a squad there
that keeps doing the job and keeps getting the win.
So yeah, I think the teams would be very wary
(01:49):
of the Warriors.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I can to ask you about the halves combo. With
Sean Johnson gone now, of course, Luke metcalf has taken
the seven jumper, Chanelle Harris Tavita has been his halves
partner so far, what have you made of that combination.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Yeah, they're obviously still getting used to each other. We've
got a lot of reps in the preseason, but now
that they're playing together, they're playing some good footing. I
pressed with Metcalfy's at half back. He's been playing really
well and I think both of them compliment each other
really well. So they've got a forward pack that you know,
(02:24):
it can lay a platform and then they can play
off the back of that. So when their forwards are
going well, they're playing on the front foot, and that's
what you want us a half and the evolution and
I suppose the game management and stuff that's what they'll
learn over the next couple of years. But yeah, at
the moment they're going really well.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
How long does it typically take to really feel comfortable
in a halves combination?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Well, if you ask the boys, they'd say pretty much
straight away. But you know, they'll be seeing each other's games.
They'll be watching video of each other's games where they
can improve. They're pretty much the brains of the team.
So they get the boys around the park, can they
try and find out the weaknesses from the other team.
So yeah, they'll form a really good combination. And they
(03:13):
need to do all that video work so they can
execute when they're out on the field.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
We know that on their day, the Warriors can pretty
much beat anybody. But it's consistency, which has been the
thing that they've been searching for for quite some time.
How does a team best achieve consistency across a season
and then continue that on into the finals.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, it doesn't just start on the field. Started training,
It starts with your preparation, starts you know, when you're
at home, resting, all that type of stuff. So when
you're a professional athlete, it's twenty four to seven. That's
what you need to be. And when you're consistent in
your life on and off the field, that's when you're
(03:57):
playing your best football. So when you find that consistency
off the field, it normally transfers to on the field
as well. So how the teams get consistent throughout the year,
but they normally have targets that they want to reach also,
you know on a week to week basis, So you know,
(04:17):
with the defense, they'll have targets that they want to reach,
and if they find out that they find those targets
that they reach, then that creates that consistency week in
week out. So yeah, that's pretty much part of being
a professional athlete.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
That's such an interesting point you make, Jonathan, because that
all feel consistency I don't think has talked about enough.
You know, the recovery, the rest, the right nutrition, looking
after your body, all that sort of thing. Is that
something that that has built over time? Did you have
it immediately in your career?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
In all honesty, no, Yeah, it wasn't until I started
to get into the representative sides and started to see
some of the senior players and how they prepare, you know,
not only on the field, but how they prepare off
the which was really important. You know. It wasn't a
great stretching. I didn't stretch too much, and you know,
(05:13):
seeing how I had to value that part of the
or field stuff. So yeah, you need to value everything
as a professional athlete to get the best out of
not only yourself, but the best out of your team
as well. So everyone needs to be held accountable in
that area, and.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I guess there must be a fair degree of responsibility
on senior players. You know, a guy like James Fisher
Harris for example here at the Warriors, Now does he
have a sort of a responsibility that to model the
way for younger players? They look at him and say, okay,
that's how you do it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yeah. Well he's a premiership player, represented his country, captain
of the Warriors, so he leads by example and when
he talks everyone would listen. So yeah, he's a perfect
example that of what you want as a leader on
and off the field. And I think those young boys
there would be looking at him and seeing how he
(06:07):
prepares and or how he goes about his business to
get the best out of his performance week in week out,
and that's what you want. You want that consistency week
in week out to perform at your best. So it
doesn't just happen on game day, it happens all through
the week.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Are the Warriors aside that rugby league fans will make
a point of watching even if they're not Warriors fans.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Well, I think we've seen that last year or the
year before when they went on that run towards the finals.
You know, up the Wars call was flying over there
in New Zealand and certainly in Australia as well, and
you know a lot of people were talking about the
style of play that the Warriors were playing because entertaining
(06:53):
style of play, and you know they went on that
run towards the finals. So yeah, I think you know,
not only teams but fans do enjoy watching the Warriors.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
They take on your former side the Cowboys tonight and
Magic round. How do you reckon these two match up
against one another.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, it's got to be a tight match there. I
think they're fifth and sixth on the ladder at the moment,
but they're both starting to play some really good footing.
The Cowboys good off to a slow start throughout the
start of the season, but they're four in a row
at the moment, and their defenses improved a lot in
those four games. So the Warriors, they like that entertaining
(07:32):
style of play. They've got some big forwards and when
they lay the platform, Metcalfe and the halves can play
off the back of that. They got some big outside
backs that can bring the ball back with some venom
and get them on the front foot. So yeah, it's
going to be an interesting match between the two teams.
But I'm a Cowboys fan three and three, so I'm
(07:55):
tipping the Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Wouldn't expect anything less from you, JC, wouldn't expect anything les.
What about Magic Round? I mean there's I know a
number of kiwis have gone across to be part of
the weekend. Is it a popular concept over there? A
concept that works well? Magic Round.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I'm staying in the city at the moment and all
I've seen is footy jerseys the last couple of days.
So North Sydney Bears, Newtown Jets, Warriors jerseys. You're seeing
so many jerseys, So yeah, it's a popular concept and
I'm glad it's here at SUNCRB Stadium. I believe that
that's the best stadium to have it at. It's a
(08:33):
great stadium play rugby league, and when it's packed, there's
no better stadium to play out. So yeah, it's a
great concept, it's at the best stadium in the country,
and hopefully it's around for many years.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, let's hope. So, Jonathan, really appreciate you taking the
time to join us across New Zealand today. Apart from
this afternoon, are you up the Wars when they play
somebody else? Apart from the Cowboys? Are you up the Wars?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I am up the Wars. Great to hear.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Thanks for your time this.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Afternoon, mate, no worries, thanks having me.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
No, thanks for joining us. Jonathan Jonathan first and there
the one and only.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
I mean, of course he's going to pick the Cowboys,
isn't He's a Cowboys icon legend. Of course, he's so
deeply invested in that club. Of course he's going to
pick them. What about you, though, where a chance aren't we?
We absolutely have to be a chance against the Cowboys.
They've had a very good run recently, but they lost
their first three games, didn't they the Cowboys, before coming
(09:29):
back to win their next four, including putting fifty on
the Titans a week ago. But the Warriors, you know,
they've started well. They've bounced back from the setback of
the Raiders, the setback of the Melbourne Storm and the
last two times out beating the Broncos, beating the Knights
(09:50):
last week. Look, it hasn't been vintage rugby league, but
the table doesn't lie. And if they were to beat
the Cowboys tonight, which is a distinct possibility, it would
be their best ever eight game start to a season.
Never before have the Warriors won six of their feet
first eight games in any NRL season going all the
way back to the club's inception. So on that stat
(10:13):
alone you have to say that the season could be
shaping up into something pretty special. Of course, we also
have to remember the players who were yet to or
are still to come back into the team. We haven't
seen Dellan why Tennis Lesniak at all this season. He's,
by the sounds of it, not too far away. James
Fisher Harris, of course, we haven't seen him since the
(10:37):
lost to the Storm. He hasn't played the last two games,
Roger to e Varsa Shek. When was the last time
he played. I think it was the win over the Roosters.
Was the last time we saw Roger to e Varsa Shek.
So when those hyphenated surname players come back in, it's
just going to boost us, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on radio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
EDB Warriors have enjoyed one of their best ever starts
to an NRL season. Tower a better fact Cakewell here's.
Speaker 3 (00:21):
Top tea, top tea.
Speaker 1 (00:25):
You think there's gonna be any doubt about that one?
Speaker 3 (00:28):
I was in an away and that they don't.
Speaker 2 (00:30):
Argue with bed come on his chest, left there and
did it for.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Everyone to see.
Speaker 2 (00:35):
And when last weekend has them five and two heading
into magic Round this weekend, are they taking notice? Across
the Tasman, let's find out. We bring in rugby league
royalty twelve meters out in front, first in the church
from which coat he hits it.
Speaker 1 (00:52):
He's got the.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Fun, he's got the premission.
Speaker 2 (00:57):
He has come from, as I said, a captain of
a legend.
Speaker 3 (01:02):
And probably rugby league.
Speaker 2 (01:04):
Immortality, one of the great is to ever play the
game for the Bulldogs, for North Queensland, for Queensland state
of origin, and for the Kangaroos. Jonathan Thurston of course,
who joins us now? Jonathan, thanks for taking the time.
Are you taking notice of the Warriors over on your
side of the Tasman? Are the general rugby league public
taking notice of the Warriors.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
I certainly am. They've had a great start to the
year the Warriors, obviously Vegas. The first game in Vegas
wasn't great, but they've bounced back from Martin. They're playing
some really good football. So they've had a fair few
injuries too to overcome, but they got a squad there
that keeps doing the job and keeps getting the win.
So yeah, I think the teams would be very wary
(01:49):
of the Warriors.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
I can to ask you about the halves combo. With
Sean Johnson gone now, of course, Luke metcalf has taken
the seven jumper, Chanelle Harris Tavita has been his halves
partner so far, what have you made of that combination.
Speaker 3 (02:02):
Yeah, they're obviously still getting used to each other. We've
got a lot of reps in the preseason, but now
that they're playing together, they're playing some good footing. I
pressed with Metcalfy's at half back. He's been playing really
well and I think both of them compliment each other
really well. So they've got a forward pack that you know,
(02:24):
it can lay a platform and then they can play
off the back of that. So when their forwards are
going well, they're playing on the front foot, and that's
what you want us a half and the evolution and
I suppose the game management and stuff that's what they'll
learn over the next couple of years. But yeah, at
the moment they're going really well.
Speaker 2 (02:43):
How long does it typically take to really feel comfortable
in a halves combination?
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Well, if you ask the boys, they'd say pretty much
straight away. But you know, they'll be seeing each other's games.
They'll be watching video of each other's games where they
can improve. They're pretty much the brains of the team.
So they get the boys around the park, can they
try and find out the weaknesses from the other team.
So yeah, they'll form a really good combination. And they
(03:13):
need to do all that video work so they can
execute when they're out on the field.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
We know that on their day, the Warriors can pretty
much beat anybody. But it's consistency, which has been the
thing that they've been searching for for quite some time.
How does a team best achieve consistency across a season
and then continue that on into the finals.
Speaker 3 (03:35):
Yeah, it doesn't just start on the field. Started training,
It starts with your preparation, starts you know, when you're
at home, resting, all that type of stuff. So when
you're a professional athlete, it's twenty four to seven. That's
what you need to be. And when you're consistent in
your life on and off the field, that's when you're
(03:57):
playing your best football. So when you find that consistency
off the field, it normally transfers to on the field
as well. So how the teams get consistent throughout the year,
but they normally have targets that they want to reach also,
you know on a week to week basis, So you know,
(04:17):
with the defense, they'll have targets that they want to reach,
and if they find out that they find those targets
that they reach, then that creates that consistency week in
week out. So yeah, that's pretty much part of being
a professional athlete.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
That's such an interesting point you make, Jonathan, because that
all feel consistency I don't think has talked about enough.
You know, the recovery, the rest, the right nutrition, looking
after your body, all that sort of thing. Is that
something that that has built over time? Did you have
it immediately in your career?
Speaker 3 (04:52):
In all honesty, no, Yeah, it wasn't until I started
to get into the representative sides and started to see
some of the senior players and how they prepare, you know,
not only on the field, but how they prepare off
the which was really important. You know. It wasn't a
great stretching. I didn't stretch too much, and you know,
(05:13):
seeing how I had to value that part of the
or field stuff. So yeah, you need to value everything
as a professional athlete to get the best out of
not only yourself, but the best out of your team
as well. So everyone needs to be held accountable in
that area, and.
Speaker 2 (05:30):
I guess there must be a fair degree of responsibility
on senior players. You know, a guy like James Fisher
Harris for example here at the Warriors, Now does he
have a sort of a responsibility that to model the
way for younger players? They look at him and say, okay,
that's how you do it.
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Yeah. Well he's a premiership player, represented his country, captain
of the Warriors, so he leads by example and when
he talks everyone would listen. So yeah, he's a perfect
example that of what you want as a leader on
and off the field. And I think those young boys
there would be looking at him and seeing how he
(06:07):
prepares and or how he goes about his business to
get the best out of his performance week in week out,
and that's what you want. You want that consistency week
in week out to perform at your best. So it
doesn't just happen on game day, it happens all through
the week.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Are the Warriors aside that rugby league fans will make
a point of watching even if they're not Warriors fans.
Speaker 3 (06:31):
Well, I think we've seen that last year or the
year before when they went on that run towards the finals.
You know, up the Wars call was flying over there
in New Zealand and certainly in Australia as well, and
you know a lot of people were talking about the
style of play that the Warriors were playing because entertaining
(06:53):
style of play, and you know they went on that
run towards the finals. So yeah, I think you know,
not only teams but fans do enjoy watching the Warriors.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
They take on your former side the Cowboys tonight and
Magic round. How do you reckon these two match up
against one another.
Speaker 3 (07:09):
Yes, it's got to be a tight match there. I
think they're fifth and sixth on the ladder at the moment,
but they're both starting to play some really good footing.
The Cowboys good off to a slow start throughout the
start of the season, but they're four in a row
at the moment, and their defenses improved a lot in
those four games. So the Warriors, they like that entertaining
(07:32):
style of play. They've got some big forwards and when
they lay the platform, Metcalfe and the halves can play
off the back of that. They got some big outside
backs that can bring the ball back with some venom
and get them on the front foot. So yeah, it's
going to be an interesting match between the two teams.
But I'm a Cowboys fan three and three, so I'm
(07:55):
tipping the Cowboys.
Speaker 2 (07:57):
Wouldn't expect anything less from you, JC, wouldn't expect anything les.
What about Magic Round? I mean there's I know a
number of kiwis have gone across to be part of
the weekend. Is it a popular concept over there? A
concept that works well? Magic Round.
Speaker 3 (08:12):
I'm staying in the city at the moment and all
I've seen is footy jerseys the last couple of days.
So North Sydney Bears, Newtown Jets, Warriors jerseys. You're seeing
so many jerseys, So yeah, it's a popular concept and
I'm glad it's here at SUNCRB Stadium. I believe that
that's the best stadium to have it at. It's a
(08:33):
great stadium play rugby league, and when it's packed, there's
no better stadium to play out. So yeah, it's a
great concept, it's at the best stadium in the country,
and hopefully it's around for many years.
Speaker 2 (08:46):
Yeah, let's hope. So, Jonathan, really appreciate you taking the
time to join us across New Zealand today. Apart from
this afternoon, are you up the Wars when they play
somebody else? Apart from the Cowboys? Are you up the Wars?
Speaker 3 (08:57):
I am up the Wars. Great to hear.
Speaker 2 (09:01):
Thanks for your time this.
Speaker 3 (09:02):
Afternoon, mate, no worries, thanks having me.
Speaker 2 (09:04):
No, thanks for joining us. Jonathan Jonathan first and there
the one and only.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (09:08):
I mean, of course he's going to pick the Cowboys,
isn't He's a Cowboys icon legend. Of course, he's so
deeply invested in that club. Of course he's going to
pick them. What about you, though, where a chance aren't we?
We absolutely have to be a chance against the Cowboys.
They've had a very good run recently, but they lost
their first three games, didn't they the Cowboys, before coming
(09:29):
back to win their next four, including putting fifty on
the Titans a week ago. But the Warriors, you know,
they've started well. They've bounced back from the setback of
the Raiders, the setback of the Melbourne Storm and the
last two times out beating the Broncos, beating the Knights
(09:50):
last week. Look, it hasn't been vintage rugby league, but
the table doesn't lie. And if they were to beat
the Cowboys tonight, which is a distinct possibility, it would
be their best ever eight game start to a season.
Never before have the Warriors won six of their feet
first eight games in any NRL season going all the
way back to the club's inception. So on that stat
(10:13):
alone you have to say that the season could be
shaping up into something pretty special. Of course, we also
have to remember the players who were yet to or
are still to come back into the team. We haven't
seen Dellan why Tennis Lesniak at all this season. He's,
by the sounds of it, not too far away. James
Fisher Harris, of course, we haven't seen him since the
(10:37):
lost to the Storm. He hasn't played the last two games,
Roger to e Varsa Shek. When was the last time
he played. I think it was the win over the Roosters.
Was the last time we saw Roger to e Varsa Shek.
So when those hyphenated surname players come back in, it's
just going to boost us, isn't it.
Speaker 1 (10:58):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on radio.
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