The Warriors are determined to fight their way back into the NRL's top four after three losses on the trot.
Their heavy 32-14 defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs in Sydney leaves the team fifth on the ladder - the first time since mid-April that they've been outside of the top four.
FOX sports commentator Jake Duke joined Piney to discuss.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Warriors will end Round twenty three of the NRL
outside the top four after a thirty two to fourteen
defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs in Sydney last night.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Mary to king On for Hayward's aut infronic Galvin's.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
That dollogs caress has done it again, passed to caress
his hands.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Then you take it by a trendis he said?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
He's the hands of a surgeon, the hands of a surgeon. Indeed.
A convincing win by the Bulldogs last night in very
difficult conditions. Jake Duke was on sideline commentary Your bull
Bugger for Fox last night. Have you dried out yet?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Mate? I had to paddle home in my boat, Jase.
It was. It was a tough one on the side
by last night and I got drenched night before in
Newcastle as well, so I'm not having a good run.
But in the studio today for the Fox League, so
thankfully I will stay dry.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Good stuff last night, mate, did the score line reflect
the game?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It's an interesting one, look it was. It can't even
recall because I was just so busy trying to stay
dry in that monsoon or conditions. But look, you just
have to think that the loss of Tomato Martin early
in that game just really threw the Warriors. Obviously he
copped a category one. Ha. So you lose your half
(01:41):
back who's just come in to replace Tanaboid, You've already
lost Luke Metcalf. You know, it's just a lot to
overcome for the Warriors in terms of cohesion in attack,
and Chanelle Harris Savita was out last week, back last night,
and I just think you could see in their attack
last night it was just a bit shot after that,
and in those conditions, the Bulldogs kind of warmed down
(02:04):
and completed really well controlled field position and then they're
a good side and so they just piled on the points.
It's probably, you know, probably not an accurate reflection of
where the two teams are probably at. But the Warrior
is at the moment just kind of in a bit
of a in a bit of a slide, as I said,
with all those injuries and back to back losses at
(02:25):
home and now outside the top four, as you said,
So look it's it's tough, but there's still what four
games to go, so you know, you can you can
write the ship and kind of get things going, but
they just got to keep some players on the field.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well that's it, doesn't it, Jake. You know, injuries have
been an absolute killer. The list was long anyway before
to Mighty Martin went down last night, Like you don't
want to make excuses, right because rugby league is a
game where injuries are effective life. But is it in
some ways an explanation at least for what's going on
at the Warriors right now?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, of course, Like you don't lose quality players like
as I said, look at Luke Metcalfe, a Mitch Barnett, obviously,
James Fisher, Harry Rus has missed some time as well. Like,
you don't lose quality players like that, and you know,
things just work for you. We've seen some teams have
some really bad injury tolls across the season, but I
(03:18):
think the Warriors, of all the teams that were kind
of in that race for the premiership, they've probably been
hit hardest, losing you know, key spine players and rep
forwards and as I said, even back up halves now,
so yeah, they probably had the toughest run the Warriors.
You've got to feel for them because it was shaping
is a really promising season and a kind of real
(03:40):
surprise season when you know, not many people gave him
a chance at the start of the year when they
had guys like Shaw Johnson retire and then Toho Harris
retire on the on the beginning of it, right before
the beginning of the season. So they've done fantastically well,
and as I said, it's not over yet. You've got
to regroup and find your kind of rhythm and how
it looks with those new guys in those new positions
(04:01):
obviously won't help. Now the Tomato mut and he'll be
a Category one, so he'll be ruled out for they're
clash against the Dragons on Friday. I think it is.
So yeah, you've got to got a regroup and maybe
recall Tannaboyd, Chanelle Harris, Tavita there and maybe just get
some direction right now.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
The conditions were terrible, but the Bulldogs were good. Went
they were What did you make of their performance?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, the Bulldogs were really good. I think they've obviously
had a bit of a rocket up them since that
disappointing loss to the Tigers and They said postgame that
there's been a lot of talk about people saying, oh,
the Dogs can't play in the wet, because they've had
a few probably shock upsets losses this season in the wet,
and they got pumped by Brisbane earlier in the year,
and the Dolphins got him in the wet, and then
(04:48):
last week the Tigers got him in the wet. So
I think it was a real concerted effort from them
to kind of come out and play really strong wet
weather football. You could see that they can kind of
control field position really well, completed really high. Matt Burton's
kicking game was unbelievable. That forty twenty. You kicked off
and off low from the twenty and it basically went
out on their ten like it was just one of
(05:10):
the probably the best forty twenties I've ever seen snap decisions.
So they just, yeah, they just controlled everything from the
get go. But as I said, you know, with the Warriors,
I don't think they recovered from the fact that they
lost tomorrow Mornton. As we said, they're not. They haven't
been in good form and that doesn't help when that happened.
Straight away.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
We've been looking over the last month or so at
the pack, behind the Warriors closing and on the top four.
As we sit here today, Jake, they're on thirty points.
The Roosters, who are ninth, are on twenty six. The
Warriors couldn't fall out of the top eight, could they?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Look, obviously, it's possible. It is a bit of a
log gem there and some of those teams like Cronulla
and stuff still got to buy to come and we
saw last night the Roosters really put a really big
advantage in therefore and against beating the Dolphins. Wife, I
think it was sixty odd by the end. At the end,
I didn't catch the end of the score. But yeah,
(06:05):
there is some teams right, they're in that pack. But
you look at Brisbane now that their injuries as well,
considering Ezra man gorne So and Cobbo injured and then
Adam Reynolds as well, so they've got some injury concerns.
As I said, the Sharks in and there'sabouts and they've
got to buy it the sleeve. They've got a bit
of a softer run home. The Dragons have put two
(06:26):
together that most people probably think they're out of contention,
but if they keep winning they're still technically alive. And
then the Dolphins, like after last night's lost, where does
that leave them? So it's a bit of a mixed
back in that kind of chasing pack behind the wise.
And I think it's just probably a few teams. You
just who's going to get it right over the next
three or four weeks.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
That's indeed, And as you say, it feels like the
top fourth the top four now I don't know, Raiders, storm, Dogs, Panthers.
That seems like that is the top four with the
others now scrapping away. So Dragons, as you say, coming
to go medium ount smart on Friday night, How would
you be structuring the week if you're Andrew Webster.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Oh, look, I think first of all, you've got to,
you know, just on your halves straight away. They've obviously
got a bit of a quick turnaround, got to get
home today and then play Friday, so I imagine they
won't train too much, probably only one field session, one
major one and a captain's run. So yeah, you've just
got to settle on your halves. I think it'd be
(07:23):
interesting to see what they go with Wade egan Is.
Andrew Webster said last week that the you know, it's
wear and tear on that shoulder. It's not like something
he needs surgery on. He just is a guy that
makes forty tackles a game. So he's had the ac
joint issues. So he said, it's kind of a week
to week prospects, So see what happens there. But young
(07:44):
Sam Healy played well and then obviously James Fisher Harris
was back last night. Having him back for another week
probably a big boost. But yeah, it's interesting to see
what they do with the halves. I think you've probably
got to recall Tannaboyd and just go from there.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Again, the Panthers are going to win this again, or
they're going to win it again.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
They are right, it's a very very real possibility. Look,
as you said, they're into the top four now and
I don't see them kind of relinquishing that spot. Although
I do think they do have some hard games. I
think they've got to play Canberra and I think they've
got to play Melbourne. I could be wrong about that,
but I think they do have two hard games and
(08:28):
they run home.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You know you did, you did right both of those
ye yep? And the Bulldogs and the Bulldogs Bulldogs. Yeah,
so there you go.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Yes, So they've got some hard games, so you never know.
But as I said, the guys high and them kind
of keep falling away a little bit with the teams
kind of chasing that pack. And obviously the Broncos have
got injuries now and the Warriors got injuries, so there
is still an opportunity to grab that full spot back
because Penders will have some tough games and who knows
(08:55):
what kind of effect that has on them, you know,
like they're battling that hard to make the four, they've
got to play some tough teams. Will that affect them
come finals? Because you know a lot of these guys
have had big seasons already, they've played Origin and now
they've had to fight so hard and win nine or
ten straight. I think it's nine straight to get to
this point. Now they've got to stay there. Then you've
(09:18):
got to play finals. Like by the time penderth get
to a Grand Final, it's going to be probably fifteen
sixteen weeks of hard football where they've been up. So
it's a big ask and I think that's where you know,
this will be the test of their they you know,
they've passed the test many times of their championship medal,
but this is another one, right can you win it?
(09:40):
When things haven't gone your way and you've had to
just keep winning NonStop all the way through. You haven't
had the option to rest players like they've had in
previous years. You haven't had the chance to kind of
have things your own way. But you know, champion team
finds finds a way to do it. So who knows.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Intriguing final month of the regular season and coming before
the finals. Jake, enjoy the warmth and comfort of the
Fox studio this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Mate.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Thanks for your time that day on ZB.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I certainly will thanks, Jakes, appreciate it now.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
I appreciate your time, Jake. Jake Juke there familiar voice
to rugby league audiences on this side of the Tasman
part of the Fox Sport team sidelined there last night.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk sed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalks ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
The Warriors will end Round twenty three of the NRL
outside the top four after a thirty two to fourteen
defeat at the hands of the Bulldogs in Sydney last night.
Speaker 3 (00:23):
Mary to king On for Hayward's aut infronic Galvin's.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
That dollogs caress has done it again, passed to caress
his hands.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Then you take it by a trendis he said?
Speaker 2 (00:42):
He's the hands of a surgeon, the hands of a surgeon. Indeed.
A convincing win by the Bulldogs last night in very
difficult conditions. Jake Duke was on sideline commentary Your bull
Bugger for Fox last night. Have you dried out yet?
Speaker 3 (00:57):
Mate? I had to paddle home in my boat, Jase.
It was. It was a tough one on the side
by last night and I got drenched night before in
Newcastle as well, so I'm not having a good run.
But in the studio today for the Fox League, so
thankfully I will stay dry.
Speaker 2 (01:14):
Good stuff last night, mate, did the score line reflect
the game?
Speaker 3 (01:19):
It's an interesting one, look it was. It can't even
recall because I was just so busy trying to stay
dry in that monsoon or conditions. But look, you just
have to think that the loss of Tomato Martin early
in that game just really threw the Warriors. Obviously he
copped a category one. Ha. So you lose your half
(01:41):
back who's just come in to replace Tanaboid, You've already
lost Luke Metcalf. You know, it's just a lot to
overcome for the Warriors in terms of cohesion in attack,
and Chanelle Harris Savita was out last week, back last night,
and I just think you could see in their attack
last night it was just a bit shot after that,
and in those conditions, the Bulldogs kind of warmed down
(02:04):
and completed really well controlled field position and then they're
a good side and so they just piled on the points.
It's probably, you know, probably not an accurate reflection of
where the two teams are probably at. But the Warrior
is at the moment just kind of in a bit
of a in a bit of a slide, as I said,
with all those injuries and back to back losses at
(02:25):
home and now outside the top four, as you said,
So look it's it's tough, but there's still what four
games to go, so you know, you can you can
write the ship and kind of get things going, but
they just got to keep some players on the field.
Speaker 2 (02:38):
Well that's it, doesn't it, Jake. You know, injuries have
been an absolute killer. The list was long anyway before
to Mighty Martin went down last night, Like you don't
want to make excuses, right because rugby league is a
game where injuries are effective life. But is it in
some ways an explanation at least for what's going on
at the Warriors right now?
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Yeah, of course, Like you don't lose quality players like
as I said, look at Luke Metcalfe, a Mitch Barnett, obviously,
James Fisher, Harry Rus has missed some time as well. Like,
you don't lose quality players like that, and you know,
things just work for you. We've seen some teams have
some really bad injury tolls across the season, but I
(03:18):
think the Warriors, of all the teams that were kind
of in that race for the premiership, they've probably been
hit hardest, losing you know, key spine players and rep
forwards and as I said, even back up halves now,
so yeah, they probably had the toughest run the Warriors.
You've got to feel for them because it was shaping
is a really promising season and a kind of real
(03:40):
surprise season when you know, not many people gave him
a chance at the start of the year when they
had guys like Shaw Johnson retire and then Toho Harris
retire on the on the beginning of it, right before
the beginning of the season. So they've done fantastically well,
and as I said, it's not over yet. You've got
to regroup and find your kind of rhythm and how
it looks with those new guys in those new positions
(04:01):
obviously won't help. Now the Tomato mut and he'll be
a Category one, so he'll be ruled out for they're
clash against the Dragons on Friday. I think it is.
So yeah, you've got to got a regroup and maybe
recall Tannaboyd, Chanelle Harris, Tavita there and maybe just get
some direction right now.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
The conditions were terrible, but the Bulldogs were good. Went
they were What did you make of their performance?
Speaker 3 (04:27):
Yeah, the Bulldogs were really good. I think they've obviously
had a bit of a rocket up them since that
disappointing loss to the Tigers and They said postgame that
there's been a lot of talk about people saying, oh,
the Dogs can't play in the wet, because they've had
a few probably shock upsets losses this season in the wet,
and they got pumped by Brisbane earlier in the year,
and the Dolphins got him in the wet, and then
(04:48):
last week the Tigers got him in the wet. So
I think it was a real concerted effort from them
to kind of come out and play really strong wet
weather football. You could see that they can kind of
control field position really well, completed really high. Matt Burton's
kicking game was unbelievable. That forty twenty. You kicked off
and off low from the twenty and it basically went
out on their ten like it was just one of
(05:10):
the probably the best forty twenties I've ever seen snap decisions.
So they just, yeah, they just controlled everything from the
get go. But as I said, you know, with the Warriors,
I don't think they recovered from the fact that they
lost tomorrow Mornton. As we said, they're not. They haven't
been in good form and that doesn't help when that happened.
Straight away.
Speaker 2 (05:29):
We've been looking over the last month or so at
the pack, behind the Warriors closing and on the top four.
As we sit here today, Jake, they're on thirty points.
The Roosters, who are ninth, are on twenty six. The
Warriors couldn't fall out of the top eight, could they?
Speaker 3 (05:45):
Look, obviously, it's possible. It is a bit of a
log gem there and some of those teams like Cronulla
and stuff still got to buy to come and we
saw last night the Roosters really put a really big
advantage in therefore and against beating the Dolphins. Wife, I
think it was sixty odd by the end. At the end,
I didn't catch the end of the score. But yeah,
(06:05):
there is some teams right, they're in that pack. But
you look at Brisbane now that their injuries as well,
considering Ezra man gorne So and Cobbo injured and then
Adam Reynolds as well, so they've got some injury concerns.
As I said, the Sharks in and there'sabouts and they've
got to buy it the sleeve. They've got a bit
of a softer run home. The Dragons have put two
(06:26):
together that most people probably think they're out of contention,
but if they keep winning they're still technically alive. And
then the Dolphins, like after last night's lost, where does
that leave them? So it's a bit of a mixed
back in that kind of chasing pack behind the wise.
And I think it's just probably a few teams. You
just who's going to get it right over the next
three or four weeks.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
That's indeed, And as you say, it feels like the
top fourth the top four now I don't know, Raiders, storm, Dogs, Panthers.
That seems like that is the top four with the
others now scrapping away. So Dragons, as you say, coming
to go medium ount smart on Friday night, How would
you be structuring the week if you're Andrew Webster.
Speaker 3 (07:03):
Oh, look, I think first of all, you've got to,
you know, just on your halves straight away. They've obviously
got a bit of a quick turnaround, got to get
home today and then play Friday, so I imagine they
won't train too much, probably only one field session, one
major one and a captain's run. So yeah, you've just
got to settle on your halves. I think it'd be
(07:23):
interesting to see what they go with Wade egan Is.
Andrew Webster said last week that the you know, it's
wear and tear on that shoulder. It's not like something
he needs surgery on. He just is a guy that
makes forty tackles a game. So he's had the ac
joint issues. So he said, it's kind of a week
to week prospects, So see what happens there. But young
(07:44):
Sam Healy played well and then obviously James Fisher Harris
was back last night. Having him back for another week
probably a big boost. But yeah, it's interesting to see
what they do with the halves. I think you've probably
got to recall Tannaboyd and just go from there.
Speaker 2 (08:02):
Again, the Panthers are going to win this again, or
they're going to win it again.
Speaker 3 (08:06):
They are right, it's a very very real possibility. Look,
as you said, they're into the top four now and
I don't see them kind of relinquishing that spot. Although
I do think they do have some hard games. I
think they've got to play Canberra and I think they've
got to play Melbourne. I could be wrong about that,
but I think they do have two hard games and
(08:28):
they run home.
Speaker 2 (08:28):
You know you did, you did right both of those
ye yep? And the Bulldogs and the Bulldogs Bulldogs. Yeah,
so there you go.
Speaker 3 (08:34):
Yes, So they've got some hard games, so you never know.
But as I said, the guys high and them kind
of keep falling away a little bit with the teams
kind of chasing that pack. And obviously the Broncos have
got injuries now and the Warriors got injuries, so there
is still an opportunity to grab that full spot back
because Penders will have some tough games and who knows
(08:55):
what kind of effect that has on them, you know,
like they're battling that hard to make the four, they've
got to play some tough teams. Will that affect them
come finals? Because you know a lot of these guys
have had big seasons already, they've played Origin and now
they've had to fight so hard and win nine or
ten straight. I think it's nine straight to get to
this point. Now they've got to stay there. Then you've
(09:18):
got to play finals. Like by the time penderth get
to a Grand Final, it's going to be probably fifteen
sixteen weeks of hard football where they've been up. So
it's a big ask and I think that's where you know,
this will be the test of their they you know,
they've passed the test many times of their championship medal,
but this is another one, right can you win it?
(09:40):
When things haven't gone your way and you've had to
just keep winning NonStop all the way through. You haven't
had the option to rest players like they've had in
previous years. You haven't had the chance to kind of
have things your own way. But you know, champion team
finds finds a way to do it. So who knows.
Speaker 2 (09:58):
Intriguing final month of the regular season and coming before
the finals. Jake, enjoy the warmth and comfort of the
Fox studio this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (10:05):
Mate.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Thanks for your time that day on ZB.
Speaker 3 (10:07):
I certainly will thanks, Jakes, appreciate it now.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
I appreciate your time, Jake. Jake Juke there familiar voice
to rugby league audiences on this side of the Tasman
part of the Fox Sport team sidelined there last night.
Speaker 1 (10:18):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk sed B weekends from midday or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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