That Saints Pod 2025 Episode 17

🎙️ That Saints Pod – Episode 17: “Grand Final Reflections & A New Era Dawns” In Episode 17, Graham, Ste O, Darren, and Ady are joined by special guest Ste B for a jam-packed Saints discussion! The lads break down the Super League Grand Final, sharing their honest season review and thoughts on where Saints go from here. There’s plenty of chat about the appointment of Paul Rowley — what it means for the club, what kind of rugby we can expect, and what fans are hoping to see both on and off the pitch. The team also tackles the ongoing lack of communication from Saints, debating what supporters really need from the club in terms of transparency and engagement. Beyond St Helens, the panel digs into the Ashes series after England’s rough start, previews the next two tests, and gives their takes on Bradford, York, and Toulouse joining Super League 2026. And of course, there’s a reaction to the newly named BrewDog Stadium — a deal that’s already got fans talking! It’s passionate, honest, and full of Saints spirit — the perfect listen for rugby league fans who love a good debate.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:08):
And welcome to That Saints podcast. I'm your host Graham
Canliffe and with me today to chew the Rugby League.
Could are Stay Orford, Steve Beach, all Right Sullivan and
Aaron Rigbys. This evening we're looking at the Grand Final.

(00:29):
Three peaks aren't for some apparently we'll have a look
at the Ashes chest. But let's get the start with
the Saints news. Since the last episode just before after
the defeat in the semi final and when Paul Wallins
was still in charge, we have now had a new
change of coach and Paul with us. Let's start with

(00:49):
the lads and see what they think about the news
on that who Let's kick off.

Speaker 2 (00:53):
With its exactly what I was hoping for, because I
think we've all agreed that we needed, we need a
bit of a long term rebuild more than a couple
of seasons that you know, an Australian then RL coach
might might offer us. So hopefully Roy'll you know, put
some roots down for a while and the last hang

(01:14):
around for a good few years and probably rebuild a
team because it's it's there's a lot of surgery if
you like, required to think to that squad before it
gets back to you know where it was three or
four years ago.

Speaker 1 (01:27):
Well, I think the surgery started, but there's no there's
no we no new green shoots of recovery yet. But
looking at the recruitment, there's also on to stay, not just.

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Like the surgery for the squad, but for the style
of player as well. Yeah, I mean myself, especially all
the trophies we've lifted. But since just in orbit, we've
been poor to watch. But we've we've all witnessed Alford
gives some paintings in the last four seasons when he's
been there and it's a beautiful style.

Speaker 1 (01:57):
But to be fair to you stay and to do lately,
we've you've been saying that for the last four years
that we are not entertaining. And the thing with the
style of play with that Christian Wolf had started was
that if you play that way, you've got to win,
because if you don't win, it's horrible to watch.

Speaker 4 (02:17):
I think it's it's the appointment that we all wanted.
You know, we've all spoke about it, and I know
all the Saints fans have mentioned it as well. He's
the best sort of English coach that is around and
like you mentioned Steve. If you go out and get
an Aussie maximum, you're going to get three years, two years,
because all they're doing is looking to get.

Speaker 3 (02:34):
Unless the ship.

Speaker 4 (02:35):
Well yeah, you know if if they're aft decent and
they win a trophy or too next minute n our
out come knocking the back over. You know, so Australia
and you know Saints are looking again. So I actually
think Paul Rowley he could be here for a good
you know, five six years if if if he if

(02:55):
he if he does well, and that's what we need.
We need some stability and it doesn't matter how well does.
It doesn't matter how well anybody his coach does. They're
not going to get a coach his gig over there.
Best they're going to hold for is maybe some sort
of assistant. But there's gonna be thousands of them queuing
up out of the Queensland Cup for those jobs over there.

Speaker 1 (03:15):
They see it as a stepping stone.

Speaker 3 (03:16):
It that's all it is. I think you've got he's
got kudos to him for the way he dealt with
this season at Salford. The opening game was say Hans, well,
like is he taking there with his team? He's put
out but I don't think anybody could quite understand just
how bad the situation was at Sulford. By the end
of the season, everybody knew how bad the situation was.

(03:39):
I think is He's honesty and his interviews both at
Sulford and since in the last week or two since
is just is he says the right thing. His track
record is right, the troof of being the pudding.

Speaker 1 (03:55):
Soul justice press interviews will be a thousand times better
than what were used to hunting.

Speaker 5 (04:00):
What I can't think when was the last time, When
was the last time we had a coach that wasn't
either an Australian or played for Saints.

Speaker 1 (04:10):
We sat wed No, we've got Mick Potter and them
guys as Bryce Simmons, it was before that Anderson.

Speaker 6 (04:24):
You know, Mick Potter has actually won the dally Am
Trophy twice twice.

Speaker 1 (04:29):
And really coaches.

Speaker 3 (04:34):
Well.

Speaker 7 (04:35):
I think I could players that I was good coaches.
I think that proves.

Speaker 3 (04:38):
Though apart from ellery, you're really going back. You're talking like.

Speaker 1 (04:43):
Web Nathan Brown as well, that we wonder fourteen.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
Yeah, Eric hughs says, I'm not I was going to say,
you're into the edit used Ben and Mike mcclennan. But
I think that it uses probably any he was.

Speaker 7 (04:59):
He was before Sean mc cray, give.

Speaker 4 (05:01):
Me before I was born.

Speaker 3 (05:02):
That was the one that they famously smuggled out the
ground in the wheeling bin when the sacked. What you did?
He edit used was the one.

Speaker 4 (05:19):
I was alive, tell you what you've got warning because
of the conqueror.

Speaker 7 (05:25):
It was there about three or four years. Wasn't as well,
they might not being very good. That's about three or
four years.

Speaker 3 (05:30):
People would say that edit used didn't get enough credit
because that team that Sean McCray won the league with,
it was edit used that and cunning and it was
edit used that got Carlammond and Tommy Martin, Steve Prescott
let it use players. Yeah yeah, but he just similar
to ball Wellings with this squad. He couldn't make it,
didn't what to do.

Speaker 1 (05:50):
But that's that's a key that's a that's a key question.
I think about the Saints at the moment, I think
you've got to be able to have got more out
of this squad that we've got.

Speaker 3 (06:02):
Now.

Speaker 1 (06:03):
I think he's got some great players and we've still
ended up and exactly what we were going to do
exactly how we're going to play and if we know
that the opposition aren't going to spend more than was.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
It the Castleford match that Paul Rowley was the top
line and he said at the time he dissected our
team and.

Speaker 6 (06:25):
Politely as well politely.

Speaker 3 (06:27):
And he give us somebody of our issues and I
was fine that I hadn't heard anybody all season say.

Speaker 2 (06:33):
What he also said was that Paul Wellens didn't know
his best team did and you see a lot of
the tinkering and messed about with the spine that Wells did,
and that was true, wasn't he.

Speaker 4 (06:43):
I think I think well Unlessen, we all love Paul Wells,
there's absolute club legend, you know, and he's always going
to be that club legend. I think he just lost
his way so much as a as a coach or whatever,
because it was as if it was always go back
to what we know. We started throwing the ball around
early on this season and then you know, we put

(07:05):
the lights of George Whitby and there we tried to
do something differently and it didn't quite come off. So
it's like, oh no, I've got to revert back to
what I know.

Speaker 3 (07:13):
You know, went by and the people like that.

Speaker 4 (07:16):
It was flying, but he was fine, and then all
of a sudden backing he got a head knock, which
was the most unfortunate head knock because it meant then
George Whitby did not play for the rest of the season.

Speaker 7 (07:26):
That was bunkers that one.

Speaker 4 (07:28):
But then them sort of decisions don't rest well with
fans because they know how well he's playing, and then
they know it's a load of ball that well he
needs he needs time to develop.

Speaker 2 (07:38):
But to have introduced him and get him established in
the team and then take him out, it was there
for me, especially.

Speaker 4 (07:43):
When you're playing them By, which we know is no
longer at the club.

Speaker 6 (07:47):
Tell you what I was looking.

Speaker 5 (07:49):
I was looking at some early season interviews with really
early ones, and he was on the bout a great
crapp of youngsters, and it's got a regret to see.

Speaker 3 (08:00):
Him come through.

Speaker 6 (08:02):
You give these lads chance, even when there was a chance.

Speaker 1 (08:07):
I thought that was part of his job to actually
bring these lads through, and they would not. We wouldn't
got a shout but for injuries.

Speaker 3 (08:12):
I was going to say, we've said before that Robertson
and Dad know was pure fluke. The only reason they
got in the team was out of absolute desperation. Yeah,
I mean and Robertson came into the squad as a
six and you had to put him as an emergency
center at winging and.

Speaker 1 (08:26):
He did a great job, didn't He's.

Speaker 7 (08:27):
Played there since.

Speaker 3 (08:29):
I think was the other thing you've got with role
he is. And it's something Graham's said for years when
we've spoke about Wellings before he got the job, is
he's got. He's been in different clubs, different countries. He
was a decent player. I don't forget he played international
at nine, So he's got There's a there's a lot
of good are you still see some people on social
media say we should have gone for a nousey. We've

(08:50):
only ever succeeded. I agree with what Steve said about
that this isn't just in all, but it was perfect
timing because of the condition of the squad for a
two years, quick fix and then Wolf came in.

Speaker 1 (09:03):
But our best, our best coaches have had other experience,
they have not just been at the club.

Speaker 3 (09:08):
But I think I think I'm delighted. I'm absolutely delighted.

Speaker 4 (09:13):
I think it's the best it's the best, it's the
best we could vote for.

Speaker 5 (09:16):
And the other thing with him as well, it's going
to be the new experience for him because he's coming
into a squad that is, you know, a healthy squad
to a certainly, he's gonna have a lot of youngsters,
and he's usually usually coming into squads where he has
to build up, doesn't he And he still has to
do that, but there's a lot of the pieces there.

Speaker 3 (09:34):
And the other thing is and always he doesn't have
to take the kits on to wash it after.

Speaker 7 (09:40):
Yet or meat players on the courts of the game.

Speaker 1 (09:44):
But I've been I've been said that he's done what
he's done with solf for this year. He hasn't. No,
he hasn't known what he's squads until the Friday before
a game a name and it's still one game.

Speaker 3 (09:54):
He has already come out of this. I mean a
few statements. You've got all the the stuff that's Man
from Heaven for the fans and stuff about any song.
And I thought when he did the interview on I
t V and he just got his players stop on
his phone, and it's so cynical, sim play what I did,

(10:16):
love what I did love was the interview with my
critics this week, and we've all said it on he said,
I'm not going out to coature team to not get beat.
I'm going to coature team to win. But that's that's
the mental.

Speaker 1 (10:30):
That's what we want, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (10:31):
Crying out for.

Speaker 1 (10:35):
His last day was leaving on a yet plane ironically.

Speaker 8 (10:39):
Ironically, yeah, that's not his second. He should have gone
on the country roadway.

Speaker 1 (10:52):
Just a couple of other things. A centulated before we
be filmed to talk about the The recent match is
ten year dea with brew Dogs a new sponsor, the
end of the face end of the totally Wicked stadium,
which was a god send for me, thank goodness, and
no disrespect to totally Wicked.

Speaker 7 (11:11):
But it's an embarrassing name.

Speaker 1 (11:14):
It's an embarrassing name. It's not a good lie want in.

Speaker 7 (11:19):
That sad blog. Ever, it never go looky no, No.

Speaker 4 (11:22):
I'm one of them responsorship. I mean, if if, if
any company want to come and bring money into it,
no matter what the calls doesn't. It doesn't bother me.
But I know everyone's different.

Speaker 7 (11:34):
You can see what they didn't turn it down. They
count the time at the time.

Speaker 3 (11:38):
I've never referred to that stadium as langtry part totally wicked,
and nor will I brew Dog. It's always just Saints.
I don't well the name of it is just how
much money they put in the bank. But for me,
it's just Saints.

Speaker 5 (11:51):
I think I can say it's Sam Burgess has got
a great sponsor for next season.

Speaker 6 (11:55):
Nothing Now we're talking wicked.

Speaker 1 (11:58):
Have they gone to warrants?

Speaker 6 (12:00):
Is the vape king, isn't he?

Speaker 3 (12:04):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (12:11):
He has the handle his multi thing.

Speaker 9 (12:13):
That's so the.

Speaker 6 (12:14):
People what he's saying.

Speaker 1 (12:15):
But with comes brew Dog coming on broad and a
ten year deal, that's that's gotta be good news for me.

Speaker 3 (12:23):
I believe it's got escalators in it as well, hasn't
he escalators? Which the last one?

Speaker 4 (12:32):
It's all right one, we don't need to walk the second.

Speaker 1 (12:39):
We are talent, you mean improvements and.

Speaker 3 (12:46):
Escalators in the as in the previous stage in naming nights,
wasn't index linked. This one is index linked and performance linked,
as in performance of the product in the stage and
around the stadium. So it seems it seems to be
Sayings have been a lot smarter with this one.

Speaker 4 (13:07):
Well one thing as well, I don't know where they
any unnoticed. But when Liverpool Women played there and again
you know, fair play to the club they got with
Liverpool Women there signed up to a ten year deal,
so all your you know, your food and stuff and
drinks that're going, it's all going through the club and
the hospitality, which is fantastic to see. They couldn't brand

(13:27):
it as a totally wicked stadium because football apparently smoking.
It seeks to be smoking in the.

Speaker 7 (13:33):
Car there one of the games that I'd sell it
steady bout it.

Speaker 4 (13:36):
Yes, every time the women played there, which must have
been covered up. It was all covered up. So it
must have been a nightmare for the club every time,
getting the you know, the cranes out and stuff, covering
up all the tot because even outside totally wicked outside
the stadium it had to be covered up with SATN Stadium.
So I'm wondering whether the club have just gone, do
you know what, let's cut our losses here and let's

(13:58):
try and get another company on board.

Speaker 1 (14:00):
And you know, well, I think that I think the
contract came to and I think the r FL have
moved that way as well. I've been smoking and related in.

Speaker 4 (14:08):
A sort of strange way and said thank you so
much for all the sports over the past. Yes, you know,
because there wasn't. It was a bit strange and how
it came about.

Speaker 3 (14:17):
What surprised me. And I think I think the club,
well we've all bagged the club a lot in the
last twelve months because some of the things they've done,
but I think the stadium deal, the rolling business we
get to see on the recruitment, but I think this
Liverpool women's team deal has never had the credit they
deserved for that because the other thing I'll say as

(14:38):
well is they don't really use.

Speaker 6 (14:40):
It much and they've got a cracking pitch.

Speaker 3 (14:44):
Which is amazing pitch, a Premier League great pitch. But
Liverpool Women the last couple of games I've watched, i've
played an Anfield.

Speaker 4 (14:52):
I think it depends that if it's Man United, Chelsea
is Everton's and sort of ilk of club.

Speaker 1 (14:59):
Field the other games.

Speaker 7 (15:00):
There's been a few gribes about that the big game
is going to hand back to Anfield.

Speaker 3 (15:04):
If they're playing penn Lake Juniors then it will be.

Speaker 1 (15:09):
Well we've got but that doesn't matter to us because
we've got the deal, and we've got the pitch, and
we've got the money.

Speaker 3 (15:14):
So for me, it suits us if they don't use
the because it saves us having stripes and lines in
places shouldn't so.

Speaker 1 (15:19):
Things look help starting touch one to look healthy off
the field of credits NS. Yeah, they've the park, but
having said that, don't don't we aren't there others of
their own misfortunately with the crappy pr that the club
has because because we don't really get them know this
stuff and it's appears and.

Speaker 3 (15:41):
The other thing they've I like the way they've started
pushing for the thirtieth anniversary of ninety six for next season.
Their social media output has started in a much better
vein than it has in recent years.

Speaker 1 (15:55):
Okay, so all the pictures, it's.

Speaker 3 (15:57):
Like Steve Prescotty, you know, it's Tommy, it's like Apollo.
So it's almost as if there's a light.

Speaker 1 (16:06):
Bulb bar, a light bulb run off somewhere.

Speaker 3 (16:08):
And I wondered if they've got to the point where
the just absolutely shipped themselves because of how bad it's good.

Speaker 1 (16:13):
Well, I was just going to come to that because
there's a new season ticket deal with people whose season
tickets are lapsed and would not be eligible for the
members deal. Where you get twenty three or twenty five
renew Yeah, the old price have now been offered the
same deal as the as the members to renew the
season tickets.

Speaker 4 (16:35):
I think three.

Speaker 1 (16:36):
I think it covers. Is it the last Yeah, in
the last three.

Speaker 3 (16:39):
Years, if you've not re I thinks no issue at all.

Speaker 1 (16:43):
I have no issue. I had no issue with it.
But it is that the other side of that particular
coin is that because we know the recruitment is not
going to be great, because it's we've only recruited as
I can, as I know Jacob Host, Shane Wright, I
think it says quite.

Speaker 7 (17:02):
Loudly that they've lost season to get older than that
last I.

Speaker 1 (17:05):
Think it does. It's an admission for help, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (17:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (17:10):
I don't know whether poor ROLLI coming in for me.
If you were to kept Paul wellms on, I would
have been worried about the recruitment. But with Paul Roi
there with a fresh pair of eyes, I won't want
us now to go out and sign a load of players.

Speaker 1 (17:24):
That maybe he didn't want.

Speaker 4 (17:27):
He didn't want to thinking rather because at the end
of the day, we've still got the Pacific Cup happening over.

Speaker 1 (17:34):
In you know, there's still things going on.

Speaker 4 (17:36):
Doesn't got a club for next year.

Speaker 1 (17:38):
I was watching he was tremendous only against I'm watching.

Speaker 4 (17:41):
A Pacific Cup and I'm looking at a lot of
players who are so I'm thinking, you know, because at
the end of the day, you know, we've we've had
the new club's announced now as well, but they're.

Speaker 1 (17:55):
Also there's screaming for players.

Speaker 4 (17:57):
Yes, so I think there's a lot of players out there.
It's still up for grabs. So I'd rather poor Roleie
just come up and say, you know, I think we
let's see what we've got and let's see what we
need because for me, well, we are lacking a prop forward.

Speaker 7 (18:11):
We need to I think we need to go next year.

Speaker 3 (18:15):
And I think fortunately that those positions the the issues.
He's got massive issues to sort with what we've got,
but they had all spine issues. I personally think we've
got the tools, we just need them in the right places.
The other positions, as you say, prop and I think
we could probably do with the center.

Speaker 1 (18:35):
I think I think if you're with the center, if
you're going to use Robertson in the right in the
right way, I think he probably shouldn't be using center.
He shove his hands on the ball a lot more.

Speaker 3 (18:42):
Well, that's and I think, I mean for the last
three months of the season. Sam Tompkins was apoplectic. Same,
what what are you doing with him? Robertson playing in
the center of people are so you see them. Positions
then are pretty safe. And we've got Jacobos coming in.
Who's a unit? But the safe best for the like
we keep seeing the one. I keep banging all about this.

Speaker 5 (19:03):
WILLI talow lad Yeah, Tommy Tommy, Tommy Talo's perfect?

Speaker 3 (19:08):
Who has got when you? I mean he's played eighty
three games, has going forty three tries, he's only just
turned twenty five. Yeah, Indian, But he wants to come
over now. I don't know for what reason is behind that?
His partner I'm not sure.

Speaker 1 (19:27):
Was hen here?

Speaker 3 (19:29):
Was it?

Speaker 7 (19:29):
Did that play? When he's when? Will he was here?

Speaker 3 (19:31):
I'm not sure?

Speaker 1 (19:33):
And I think he was born here.

Speaker 3 (19:35):
Actually, I'm not sure.

Speaker 4 (19:36):
I'm not got missus over here as well. He can
get him over if you want to.

Speaker 3 (19:41):
Yeah, yeah, but that complicates the spine issue, does coming
the positions that you prop and your forwards and your
centers and things that they're safe to for us to
just go out and sign them was if he was
to throw like another fall back on another six or

(20:01):
another seven, but a position that I think we're really
undervaluing it at the minute. We've lost Marg's. I think
we've desperately need to start looking long term for the
proper nine.

Speaker 1 (20:11):
I like Das Clark, it's thirty four.

Speaker 3 (20:13):
And I like Jake Burns, but Daz Clark's getting on
and Jake Burns ain't quite good enough.

Speaker 1 (20:22):
For two years now. He had a year to go, and.

Speaker 3 (20:26):
Which I'm alright with because he's still got a bit
of juice in his tank. But that position is so
big We're not going to replace Morgan Knowles. I think
there's a shelt for Mattie Lee's having a stab, But
with that shorter forwards, how can you take Mattie Leeds?
And I mean, okay, I don't at thirteen.

Speaker 7 (20:43):
It's an extra propersity, so yeah, why not?

Speaker 3 (20:45):
Yeah, I don't think that's what. I don't think wingy Oh.

Speaker 7 (20:49):
I'm not saying about any of our props, to be honest,
even Lee's.

Speaker 3 (20:51):
No, I don't think Wingfield is the solution because apart
from his injury issues. He's never impressed me. He's never
done anything, a bit like George Delay and he's never
done it. That's maybe think he's a good player. Yeah,
he's not a chance.

Speaker 6 (21:05):
And then he's been injured as well, so he's not
been able.

Speaker 1 (21:08):
To get He never gets once he gets if he
ever gets a run within two or three games, he's
out to get injured, which is I think initially originally.

Speaker 4 (21:19):
All going.

Speaker 3 (21:21):
But you see, I had this debate on social media.

Speaker 7 (21:23):
I think you could see more in him in the
game winfield, and.

Speaker 3 (21:25):
That's exactly what I said. We knew Johnny low Match
was a great player, he just had his issues wingfield.
We've not seen anything and.

Speaker 2 (21:34):
I wouldn't have kept him, but they might be that
needs mostly can't recruit, you can't buy.

Speaker 1 (21:42):
The big problem that with with a nine has been
exposed by our season because some of the passing from
dummy half when when Clark wasn't there has been erratic
to say that, yeah, and it's been erratic, and that
just kills you stone dead on attack because the catching

(22:02):
the ball above the shoulders round the bag and the
gong is gone and then the defense is up and
you might you have the best centers and wingers in
the world. They're not going to get the ball, are they.
It's and it's it's not anyway.

Speaker 7 (22:16):
Yeah, your point.

Speaker 4 (22:20):
Interesting to see what happens with the recruitment.

Speaker 1 (22:22):
Well, at the moment, we've had extensions announced for Clark,
Cowen and Wingfield, and then we've shined Shane right on
a Preebie and Jacob host host host from the Rabbit Hoes.

Speaker 4 (22:33):
You think about that, we've only actually gained one player.

Speaker 1 (22:37):
Exactly right for a couple of well, and we released twelve.

Speaker 2 (22:41):
It is interesting because his it's garay As. What about
doing a half minutes that we know about?

Speaker 1 (22:45):
Yeah, so what's that?

Speaker 7 (22:46):
What's that? Based on.

Speaker 3 (22:50):
All the physical attributes, that's for sure.

Speaker 7 (22:53):
I think they must like him.

Speaker 3 (22:55):
I think the hosts again, social media fans underwhelmed, putting
it mildly, but he's been getting some slagging off from
our own fans saying he's only played he's been nine
years and he's only played under nineteen matches.

Speaker 1 (23:13):
As we speak, Darren's looking at me with some some
agent news.

Speaker 4 (23:17):
Yeah, we've got some breaking news from the Saints fantastic
media platform. Saint Matt Whitley has agreed the new three
year contract to keep him. It's boy your club until
the end of the twenty twenty eight season.

Speaker 3 (23:32):
He does.

Speaker 4 (23:33):
I think he's twenty eight.

Speaker 1 (23:34):
I think that's quite a long contract and normally normally
players get two years, don't they own an extension? But
three years is if he's used correctly, which is always
the problem with the arguments about Matt Whitley. He's not battering,
He's not a batching round. He is a line runner,
isn't he for me in the sort of mold of

(23:55):
like Farrell at Wigan is a better sort of a
better a rugby league player then a battering ram So
I think I'm not donnappy with that. I think role
he will get the best out of him.

Speaker 3 (24:05):
Then I think yeah, and I think for all this
style of play, hopefully it's that sort of nature to
forward that forward that you want just going on touching
on the wingy thing is contract. I believe that is
heavily linked.

Speaker 1 (24:18):
To performances and appearances.

Speaker 3 (24:20):
Appearances, so so I don't know if they'll do that
thing where if he plays fifty matches he triggers a
fifty grand bonus, So he plays forty.

Speaker 7 (24:33):
It would take Hi about five years play fifty matches.

Speaker 1 (24:38):
He's got a ten year deal like brew Dog as
he because he's only playing fifty games. Yeah, I don't
know what he's been unlucky because he soon has a
lot of injuries. When he gets a couple of games
under his belt, he's out again. And I think he's
one of them lads with a shoulder problem. Is it
with Wingfield?

Speaker 4 (24:54):
I think it's everything in it. Issues have a engineered
as well.

Speaker 3 (25:00):
It was the kid that was a well beat but
injuries crip came through.

Speaker 1 (25:05):
There was another kid who was playing thirteen as well.
He was thing, I tell you what he's doing the
juniors now, isn't he Gary Wheeler?

Speaker 4 (25:16):
I remember him playing against Wigan away and the absolutely
ripped Wigan apart.

Speaker 1 (25:23):
And they knocked him out, didn't there We knew and
someone I was the Oddy lad, I remember it.

Speaker 4 (25:28):
Someone went for him and they absolutely cleaned him out
and then that was that. Then started another role a
on of injuries for the lad And I felt so
sorry for Gary Wheeler because he was, like he said
state he was he was a talented kid. He was
really talented kid.

Speaker 1 (25:42):
Yeah, it was it McGuinness, the young the lad he
was a thirteen and he and he got injured and
and just couldn't get couldn't get a game?

Speaker 3 (25:50):
Could he.

Speaker 7 (25:52):
Be sent off?

Speaker 3 (25:53):
Mame? So who does that league now waiting to be renewed?
It seems like this arting from the lower ones to
the big names in these renewal.

Speaker 1 (26:06):
Have the they did the younger lads earlier? They did
the younger lads earlier in the season.

Speaker 7 (26:13):
Announced the middle of the season.

Speaker 1 (26:17):
That salo season tickets, aren't it.

Speaker 4 (26:19):
I don't think he's actually officially been announced. I think
those rumors that he was extended, but I might be wrong,
but I.

Speaker 3 (26:26):
Think it's It would appear to me that they're starting
with the lower rants players if you will.

Speaker 1 (26:33):
Well, they did all the young lads early in the
season with four year deals, haven't they.

Speaker 3 (26:37):
If you think of the order that this was gone
in and then it's gone through Wingfield to Clark.

Speaker 1 (26:43):
To be fair to the club, what we don't know
is what increases and incremental they gave to players when
we will win everything so that that bangs you right
up against salary cap. So until half a dozen leaves
you can't do anything about it. So to be fair
that that's the other side of the coin of the
complaints about recruitments, and maybe recruitment has been on the

(27:06):
cheap because we've done that over the last four or
five years.

Speaker 3 (27:09):
Latest recruitments unlike the Lomacs and ones, I'm not. I'm
a lot more comfortable with these we read these retentions. Yeah,
a lot more comfortable then. And I've still got no
issue even though we need for with the ones that
we've let go.

Speaker 1 (27:28):
So on that side, it's okay. It's what's coming in
that's the potential problem that if if we get the
first couple of weeks, if we get a couple of
injuries to the in the pack, we are in big
trouble then, aren't we.

Speaker 4 (27:41):
But maybe there's cap space there for Pole to work with.

Speaker 1 (27:44):
But it's what available, Yeah, it's what it's available. Because
at the moment we have to remember that in Australia
they're getting is it Perth coming in? Not Perth is
coming in Perth And there are two other teams coming
into the NRL as well. I think this rumored in
the next two or three years, So they'll be booting
now in Australia for the next pn PND team and

(28:05):
another one is yeah.

Speaker 3 (28:07):
So honest and we're going to touch on it in
a bit. But if there's anything this actually series will do,
it will make the Ausies changed the mind about taking players.

Speaker 6 (28:19):
New league thing? Was it on three sixty or something?

Speaker 7 (28:23):
Isn't it sally funded that?

Speaker 1 (28:25):
I think it's Audi funded. Yeah, it's a Kerry Packer
type thing, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (28:29):
Yeah it's Mike Tindle who's doing it. But what the
n r L have said is any player signs for
the three sixty is going to get a lifetime ban
from the n r L. Can't plans, have said they
will never come back to the n r L.

Speaker 9 (28:44):
Might come here there, roll out the red carpets.

Speaker 7 (28:53):
Coming.

Speaker 3 (28:54):
I don't follow cricket at all, not but I think
the Indian Cricket suddenly the i P I pl and
outrageous amounts of money.

Speaker 1 (29:04):
Well the World Cricket fed into that because they allowed
him a month to.

Speaker 3 (29:08):
Do it hasn't been as bigger. I think there was
expected a much bigger take up for this three sixty.

Speaker 1 (29:15):
Were they going to?

Speaker 3 (29:15):
Where are they going to?

Speaker 1 (29:16):
Where they planning on playing in Australia.

Speaker 3 (29:19):
No said about Salad.

Speaker 7 (29:22):
I don't know where it is, but I know it's
Sally funded because it's gonna be playing.

Speaker 3 (29:26):
But I know Mike is the one that.

Speaker 2 (29:28):
It's across both calls, isn't it. There's union players that
are being off of deals as well.

Speaker 1 (29:34):
Think if it's Saldi funded, come over to buy the
super league in league and and start and bringing.

Speaker 3 (29:41):
Us the club owners wouldn't allow it because the dinosaurs
and self centered and greedy.

Speaker 7 (29:46):
There is a moral question there, I would argue there is.

Speaker 1 (29:48):
Yeah, it's the old sports washing thing, isn't it.

Speaker 3 (29:50):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (29:54):
And in the seamless link about International Rugby League, why
don't we have a look at the asses that will
see us well Wembley and I see as you start
for the Aussies for me, they shouldn't. We shouldn't have
took it to Wembley to start with for me, but
we did, and we got twenty six sixty feet. I

(30:17):
dread to say that it was almost inevitable that it
would happen, But I think it was our own fault.
I think we took we took let's score, Let's score
flattered them. I flattered us. I think, yeah, I thought
we had enough chances to have made that tighter game.
We just kept dropping the ball and.

Speaker 3 (30:35):
I think the only reason we had chances is because
in the first half an hour they dropped it as
often as we did.

Speaker 1 (30:41):
M hm.

Speaker 3 (30:42):
As the Aussie player said after the game, Wembley is
the easy game, because virtually every one of them said
when you want them to I play and watch thing.
That will be a different story when we're up north.

Speaker 4 (30:54):
Yeah, yeah, will Do you know why, because you've got
fans that are passionate and I was idiots. Next week
it will be shouting and balling forward, get all that
sort of stuff will be coming out, which he didn't convicts.

Speaker 6 (31:11):
Not only that the stadiums would on top of it.

Speaker 4 (31:15):
Well, exactly for me, we're too scared of the Aussies.
All we give him too much respect. The players give
him too much respect, and the bloody referee laying Moore
in the middle. He couldn't make up of the decision
and every time he did make a decision he had
about ten going down his ear and then he went right,
it's your ball then, and it's just like, stop giving

(31:36):
him respect.

Speaker 3 (31:37):
I was going to say, I think the best we
looked against him was when we got a bit pissed
off and got a bit aggressive with him. But that's
what that's what we need to do last fifteen minutes.
But under night about it was just it was almost
if we were just standing back and admiring them and
they've got a lot to admire.

Speaker 7 (31:54):
But didn't out. One of their players accused the players
are just trying to hit them and hurt them. He said,
they've just tried the badgers.

Speaker 1 (32:06):
That's what they do, only do, isn't it.

Speaker 7 (32:07):
But that's what that's a little of that in the game, isn't.

Speaker 4 (32:09):
The run through and scored twice? That crating and one try.
I mean it was two Saints players which are at fault.
Walmsley missed the tackle. He looks well out off the pace.
Then Wellsby, I mean love Wellesby to bit, but he
just stood off, stood off and we I don't know

(32:30):
whether it The only thing you can think of their
in a positional player is if Wellesby is waiting for
the past, so he's got chance to get to the
other player because he's thinking, don't I think it was
Dom Young might have been coming off the wing and
he's Wellsby is probably thinking Dom Young is going to
have him there and I'll have the inside player. But again, communication,
unless you're in that position that Wellsby is in, you

(32:51):
don't know what's going on.

Speaker 6 (32:52):
It's a similar sort of thing with the past from
from Wellsby to Dom Young. Yeah, I mean that that
pass he's been throwing that that I felt.

Speaker 1 (33:00):
Yeah, that looked to me like I think it's great,
but Young just that looks to me like a move
off the training ground where Young sweeps in, gets the
ball on the line and scores a try and Young
forgot where he was where he was supposed to be
in that move.

Speaker 3 (33:15):
I was reading a great thing on Fox and RL
and it was Brad Fittler and he was on about
Wellesby and that try of Clayton's and he said, we
all know Jack Wellsby is a real rugby player, he said,
but that's school boy. Yeah, that's international level.

Speaker 1 (33:32):
He's as big as crit and he should have just
tackled crighton. That's all he gotta do. It's all he
can do.

Speaker 3 (33:37):
I think.

Speaker 7 (33:37):
I think, I think once more missus that tackle. It's
very hard to stop him there.

Speaker 4 (33:41):
It's very hard to stop him. That That's what I'm
thinking for Wellesby there is he looking at the inside
player because the ultimately he's the last man and he's
got a wingering censer coming in and potentially the wingering sense.
I've watched that one teen times, the reply you can sit.
I'm sure Dom Young that was coming in and he

(34:01):
had a chance of sackling him. Players that had a
chance of sackling him after warms they had and none
of them did it. So is that a miscommunication or
what what?

Speaker 3 (34:10):
I don't know this see this might come into what
you're you were saying about the standing off, and because
that was the exact same off virtually off the kickoff
in the second half when Reese Walsh has took the
ball and you've had Mikey Lewis as they stood there
an arms lengths like you and me are here, dad,
and just looked at me.

Speaker 7 (34:30):
He's overchased him and left the big and.

Speaker 3 (34:32):
Then you had Making coming in from the side. Making
could have cleaned him out and he just didn't. He
just stood off him almost as if to say they
were almost if they were frightened. Well, that's the halfway.

Speaker 4 (34:46):
That's the think about respect. We're giving him so much respect.
It should be like a bang, we're going to have you.
You're you're over in our country. But again, Rugby League,
the RFL, they picked Wembley, and they understand why had
the picked Wembley because it's the nostalgic thing of let's
play at Wembley, let's get sixty thousand or whatever.

Speaker 1 (35:06):
But the end he gets two thousand and even, don't
you but the stadiums.

Speaker 4 (35:09):
And BBC I tweeted like five days before the game
and said, please, please please don't commentate pitch side with
an empty stand behind you. What did he do? Think
they did? They commentated empty. If you would have done
it from your side, at least it would have looked for.
But the point is the stadium is not full and
you've not got the passionate fans on top of it.

Speaker 1 (35:31):
That's why Sky at Saints go to the other side
to look back at the south stand.

Speaker 5 (35:36):
Yeah, when it started, just came out onto the pitch.
There was no proper like the normal sort of parade
and the two teams coming out, and.

Speaker 4 (35:50):
That's what.

Speaker 5 (35:52):
Being That's how that should have been organized. They should
have been allowed.

Speaker 3 (35:55):
To do, you know what.

Speaker 4 (35:56):
It probably was organized, but they're that arrogant. You know
that the only team that Bloody put off a World Cup,
aren't they for a year because they can't be asked playing.

Speaker 3 (36:04):
You know, you know my views about the arrogance of
the Aussies. I completely agree with you there. But what
I will say another thing that I thought watching that
match is it wasn't spectacular, but to watch a one
six seven and nine laying harmony like that without any
one of them doing apart from Reese Walsh to be fair,

(36:24):
and I thought those two defensive reads that he made
when twice he was faced with a two on one
on his todd and twice he psached out two players
two internatal, he made them do what he wanted them
to do. The positioning he put himself in dictated to
our players, oh right, well we're going to do that.
He just completely outpsyched him in a split second. It's

(36:47):
just levels apart, but the spine of that, and then
when you look at it from a saint's perspective of
what we've been suffering, but it was just sublime. You know,
Harry Grant and Cambon, I mean they didn't do anything,
They just do everything right. Six seven and nine didn't
do anything spectacular, but like you say, it was like

(37:07):
it was just a high level and it was monotonously
every single time they consist in to what And that
was the first game we played as well.

Speaker 6 (37:16):
So wanting that I colors done.

Speaker 5 (37:18):
Going back to the referee was it was in the
first half there was a penalty against Australia.

Speaker 6 (37:25):
I think it was the fullback.

Speaker 1 (37:27):
Walsh got up, Bateman pushed him down and obviously did
the referee decision.

Speaker 5 (37:35):
We went to Jack Smith and he said, oh yeah,
he was inter interfered with by Bateman.

Speaker 6 (37:40):
I thought, how many times last season didn't see that league?

Speaker 1 (37:44):
Yea and nothing and nothing.

Speaker 2 (37:46):
We weren't playing real very that's the thing the same exactly,
and Jack Smith, you watch next season.

Speaker 6 (37:53):
I'll go up to Jack Smith and they had said,
oh no, you play that well.

Speaker 3 (37:58):
That's say that same fox and that was slaughtering Wellsby
and the players who we did picking We did the lakes.
Why doesn't Morgan Smith's play wasn't some playing which are
all very valid things. Why are we Why have we
got Alex Warms or yard. They also were as critical

(38:20):
of William Moore.

Speaker 1 (38:21):
They didn't we didn't like it either.

Speaker 3 (38:25):
When you read what they've said, it's it's the brother.
So the blog the coach is Kevin Walters is the brother?
Is it herod?

Speaker 7 (38:34):
There's a couple of brothers.

Speaker 3 (38:35):
Stephen kerried ye, so it was one of the other
Walters And they were saying that as pathetic of referee
and display.

Speaker 4 (38:42):
Well, I think that they like they're They said, God
help England in the second test because it's a nausey
ref isn't it.

Speaker 3 (38:50):
That was the idea that helped the pond.

Speaker 4 (38:53):
So God help the Pods in the next one because
they've had you know, I don't know. I thought Liam
Moore had a poor game because I think every fifty
to fifty went their way.

Speaker 3 (39:03):
Yeah, and you know a gig over there.

Speaker 4 (39:05):
I don't know, but that's this is the issue.

Speaker 1 (39:07):
We've got a blank forward past for the first referees.

Speaker 4 (39:11):
We've got New Zealand referees, we've got papping, new Guinea referees.
Bring referees, we've got some own referees.

Speaker 6 (39:16):
Bring them bloody over.

Speaker 4 (39:17):
Let's have a neutral reference. Let's not have either an
English or Ossie ref because if it's English, they give
everything to Australia's and if the Australian they give everything to.

Speaker 2 (39:27):
Those games, they couldn't even do that for the Grand
final referee the Grand final more.

Speaker 1 (39:34):
Yeah, those those games in international games at the weekend
with some and Fiji they all add and they all
had independent referees and they.

Speaker 4 (39:43):
Get them over here and like.

Speaker 2 (39:44):
But if you're the more and that's the jeation, you
can't because if you give calls England where people say
you're buys the Australias, where they'll say you'll have a compensation.

Speaker 4 (39:52):
Correct, So don't put them in that position. It is
what I'm saying.

Speaker 3 (39:58):
Farm Worth was good.

Speaker 6 (40:00):
Yeah, yeah, he's a good player, compensating for.

Speaker 1 (40:06):
I thought what Michela was flattered to deceive because his
kicking game went to crap.

Speaker 3 (40:10):
And when we spoke on the last thing, we mentioned
if Alice Smith can do nothing, the one thing he
can do kick, yeah, that would have been quite it
would have been. Yeah.

Speaker 4 (40:23):
I think.

Speaker 7 (40:25):
They're going to bring him in and it could be
fascinating to watch him player.

Speaker 1 (40:29):
Bring him. I'd bring I'd bring him in. I'd bring
him in for Williams.

Speaker 3 (40:34):
Saying what changes would we make here? Then?

Speaker 1 (40:36):
What that brings Smith is in for Bateman. Yeah, yeah,
put it I've been bringing. Yeah, I dropped Jack because
he's not been great, got me great as he came
back from being injured.

Speaker 3 (40:48):
Because I'd make more changes than Warms.

Speaker 4 (40:51):
I don't know who we've got him reserve for a prop.

Speaker 7 (40:54):
But the right when they that have.

Speaker 1 (41:02):
Is Nick Nicholas is not on the squad? Is he
the injured Nicholson? And he had a great season Cameron, but.

Speaker 2 (41:07):
I think he had a chat with Sean White end
of the season and said he hasn't didn't feel like
he was fit because he missed some games and the
chunk of time and then he came back to three
games at the end and then.

Speaker 3 (41:18):
Yeah.

Speaker 7 (41:19):
But I mean, I think it's on the title to
be honest, Green whoever you put in, yeah it is.

Speaker 1 (41:25):
It is against that Aussie saide because that's far fabulous side.

Speaker 6 (41:28):
If you spin this whole.

Speaker 5 (41:29):
Thing on there and Super League and you would created
to soccer what you want to call it.

Speaker 6 (41:37):
If Indian football team don't jump out of the team
played Australian the.

Speaker 5 (41:45):
Football team three times in the Nasal series, you would
expect England football team to win because.

Speaker 1 (41:50):
Of yeah, they're playing facilities and play.

Speaker 2 (41:54):
They're playing the number one sport. We're playing that number
four or five sports. They've been in football.

Speaker 3 (41:58):
But round the comparison I have off news when people
say that was better than super League is English and
Scottish football.

Speaker 1 (42:06):
Yeah, that's it, that's it.

Speaker 3 (42:08):
Premiership. Yeah, and then you look at Scotland and well,
let's be realistic, range and cells that could do well
stay in the Premiership.

Speaker 7 (42:14):
Yeah, but you know what it comes down to funding
in the.

Speaker 3 (42:17):
End of the money, which the rugby league.

Speaker 1 (42:20):
But we're playing against a billion dollar sports.

Speaker 4 (42:22):
Yeah, Rugby League World Cup Final. A few years ago
we were we were uncle tap away from winning that, so.

Speaker 3 (42:28):
We're often that far off.

Speaker 1 (42:30):
We've often said that if we can the best thirteen best.

Speaker 3 (42:33):
Seventeen men fit I mean, I mean and we're moving
had teams that had like Peacocks.

Speaker 7 (42:39):
School, Yeah, with the coach who's got more than grids
or determination.

Speaker 3 (42:48):
Yeah, I think is credited.

Speaker 7 (42:51):
I say they tried to claim that only only we
have grit determinations and.

Speaker 3 (42:55):
Don't have that. And I'll tell you what is another
thing that when you read the pressure from down Under
is the way he was tub thumping before the game
on about his passion. They've used that as a motivator.
They just think he's an allogant, ignorant buffood, and I
tend to agree with him. He is as thick as
black smooth and he absolutely is, absolutely is right. But

(43:22):
could have just going back to Jack getting dropped from
a selfish Saints saturn, I think that as a reality check,
as a mental mentality reset, as an ego check, I
think the best thing from a Saint's point of view personally,
and we said it Saints. He's never looked fit since

(43:42):
he came back from injury. If he gets dropped, it's Jack.
He's gonna sunk, He's going to stop, he's gonna he's
gonna have.

Speaker 1 (43:49):
A mad He'll come back.

Speaker 3 (43:52):
Let him do that at the England camp. And then
if he misses them two games which he doesn't deserve
to be playing, then he comes back, he recovers his
fitness properly, and then goes into our pre season with
a fresh mindset, because, let's be honest, before his injury
last season, the only game Saints one was because of
Jack Wellsby. He was like a one man team at

(44:13):
times at the start last season. But he's never come
back properly.

Speaker 1 (44:17):
He came back to early, didn't he.

Speaker 3 (44:21):
Prognosis was what Grand Final?

Speaker 1 (44:23):
It was sixteen weeks they.

Speaker 7 (44:24):
Said playoffs in their list and initially the next minute
is back.

Speaker 3 (44:28):
Like six weeks a month and then disrupted. They disrupted
a team that was half decent. No it wasn't after
it was ship but Sailor was doing half decent to
fall back. But I think all those things, but let
him do it now at the England camp because if
he comes back and then it's Paul Rowley that's got

(44:49):
to say, do you know what, Jack, I'm gonna have
to sit because you're not playing whatever that. I don't
want that to happen in the Saints camp. I want that.
I want Jack to have that time.

Speaker 2 (45:00):
I think that'd been the best thing for him if
you could guarantee that he'll get another shot out of
actually a series. But with the way international rugby is,
who knows when they'll come back again. The point if
we don't compete, especially in our lifetimes.

Speaker 1 (45:14):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (45:14):
Yeah, for the players because he did something before the game.
I think they were interviewing maybe Jamie Pacark, John Wilkin,
Sam Burgess, and none of them players had had a
chance to play in an ASHES game.

Speaker 7 (45:29):
Because it's been twenty three years, isn't it years?

Speaker 4 (45:32):
Absolutely disgusting that them players have players there never got
that chance.

Speaker 3 (45:38):
That's they've said about the adagant sothern because as far
as they're concerned, nothing's bigger than states of origin. That's
all they're interested in. The Only reason now, I think, cynical,
super cynical, maybe that they are showing more interesting super
League and ours is because they want some sort of
added stepping stone to America.

Speaker 4 (45:58):
Yeah, of course.

Speaker 1 (45:59):
Yeah.

Speaker 3 (46:00):
And and I honestly think and I think the main
driver behind that, right they're wrong there is in London
because they just see Australia haven't got a city that
even scratches the surface of London. And when you go
to America, the main city and you're the bother, it
is London.

Speaker 1 (46:16):
What's the first point to call, isn't it?

Speaker 3 (46:18):
Yeah? And it's only the lands and the n r
L is only about themselves and.

Speaker 1 (46:22):
And the stepping stone to America. Super cynical, maybe it is,
But they're not gonna They can't compete with the NFL,
can they.

Speaker 2 (46:32):
But they've got an NFL mentality And he's right, I'm
more bothered about making money out there on League than
worrying about the World game.

Speaker 1 (46:38):
Oh yeah, yeah, that's a given.

Speaker 6 (46:40):
Yeah that should it really have been Great Britain.

Speaker 3 (46:44):
Now that was the other thing again when we talk
about these Australian players after the game, they kept mistakingly
calling it.

Speaker 2 (46:53):
They kept Great Britain and that's what they used to
made a major difference players. I was going to say
there would have been one single difference to that team
from a brand standard.

Speaker 3 (47:05):
I agree with that. Maybe it's just because five.

Speaker 4 (47:09):
Do you know what I think. I think what they're
trying to do with the Great Britain England, I think
they're trying to develop the home nations aren't because Whales
and Italy and Scotland they're all like games, aren't this
this weekend just gone? So I think from an international
point of view, I think what they're trying to do
is they trying to develop them teams, which it's not
happening because they're they're not throwing enough money enough.

Speaker 3 (47:32):
From an international point of view, we haven't got enough players.
They want to stop trying to copy up Union, and
what we have got that Union haven't got is the
strength of the Pacific Islands.

Speaker 2 (47:41):
Well, we're a bit in limbi, I think, because if
you play the Horn Nations, we're too strong for them,
beat them by forty fifty points. If you play the
Pacific Nations and some members of the Nations, we can't
compete with them.

Speaker 3 (47:53):
But it was a great Britain And I know you've
got the logistics side of me. But for rugby league,
when you look at some more Cook Islands, Tonga, so
rugby union, the strength is you've got obviously the big
Australian New Zal.

Speaker 7 (48:09):
The European Argentina.

Speaker 3 (48:11):
Teams and Japan.

Speaker 9 (48:12):
Yeah, I'll give you something now, do you know that
game Saturday on BBC But it wasn't on BBC Wells,
It wasn't on BBC.

Speaker 1 (48:22):
Wells really it was.

Speaker 6 (48:24):
It was I think it was on Channel because it
was BBC. Basically. That's what I'm saying is if it
had been had more chance of them.

Speaker 7 (48:36):
I mean they were showing reruns of Jonathan Davis' prize.

Speaker 1 (48:41):
Because he went from fifty years ago.

Speaker 6 (48:45):
Have you got the text back from in here?

Speaker 2 (48:46):
That's a great So also that tells you a lot
about that the team five players in the team from
to quote Eddie, that ship says team.

Speaker 3 (48:57):
It's right. I would have only pick once.

Speaker 1 (49:00):
We've not had any form this year's any Morgan, any Morgan.

Speaker 3 (49:05):
Game.

Speaker 1 (49:06):
I didn't think he did a lot of tackling, but
that was about it. Yeah.

Speaker 3 (49:09):
That points back to the coach, don't Yeah, I mean
those comments before the match of when he's asked about Jacob.
I don't need to see super dream Team. I don't
need to see Man of Steel. I know a good
player and I know an international player, and nobody can
tell me.

Speaker 7 (49:24):
I don't know what it's picked.

Speaker 6 (49:25):
He said.

Speaker 7 (49:26):
Now every whether where he consis it or no?

Speaker 2 (49:28):
You can't as the head coach, admit that you don't
know how Man of Steel is calculating awarded or they
vote for the Supling Dream Team.

Speaker 7 (49:37):
That's the lack of lack of knowledge and the lack
of depth to your work.

Speaker 3 (49:44):
Look at me, I'm left field kind of I'm the
old man sorts of things, you know what I mean?

Speaker 1 (49:55):
Away, So can we win on Saturday?

Speaker 7 (49:57):
I don't think so.

Speaker 4 (49:59):
I think I our only chances if the crowd Everton
intimidate like they've never been intimidated, because get Australian players
are not used to the crowd on top of them.
And one thing without Everton Stadium, I've never been, but
I believe it's steep and you are on top of
the players. So one, we need every single England player

(50:20):
to have an absolute worldier of a game. I just
don't think it's going to happen. And we need some
physical aggression to from.

Speaker 3 (50:31):
That.

Speaker 4 (50:31):
Give it them, and we need the fans to be
absolutely on top of them and cheering every single thing
that happens, like mistake and going forward pass and everything
like that. Like that, well, there was a few, to
be fair, there was a few that went missing.

Speaker 3 (50:47):
But I think we're going to be out of our
skin and they're going to have to be if not.

Speaker 2 (50:54):
Also if we do get a faster rock because the referee,
we could be bothered there, I think as well.

Speaker 3 (50:58):
But I think used to they're going to have to
click for a ten minute spell.

Speaker 1 (51:05):
We can put twenty points on you there, cant they.

Speaker 3 (51:07):
Click for a ten minute spell when you've got a
winger like that, well, a fall back like that. Wingers
like they've got lightning.

Speaker 7 (51:16):
Where they're bringing Harry Smith to get more control.

Speaker 3 (51:19):
But we do that.

Speaker 7 (51:19):
You sacrifice X factor as they call it.

Speaker 1 (51:22):
Williams got a bit of X factor, But I don't
think it had a great game. It's different, different, could
be a different story. And Williams dropped the ball on
their line on the first tackle and that.

Speaker 3 (51:35):
Comes they throws. Positional advantages came from the mistakes that
they made at the start, because they made a few
mistakes they did. They made some one characteristic mistakes that
you weren't expecting. I would expect this second Test to
be a much better standard of game.

Speaker 1 (51:51):
Yes, it was a bit scrappy, wasn't it that one?

Speaker 3 (51:53):
Yeah, I think the England lads are going to have
I mean it's they've gotten into nothing. Now go for
it as I have and go facts have been humiliated
will make him step up.

Speaker 7 (52:05):
I don't think they a massive score. I just don't
think they're gonna get in the ability.

Speaker 2 (52:08):
Watching Saints, you know they won't conceived a load of points,
but you also know they're going to win because he's
going on points.

Speaker 3 (52:14):
Want just want someone that's easy on the eye or
good entertaining.

Speaker 1 (52:18):
Yeah, okay, fair enough making from the starts. Yeah, I
like him. Havard was okay, I thought as well.

Speaker 5 (52:24):
Because I didn't think he had the impact that he
has for Wakefield, and he obviously starts for Weightfield.

Speaker 6 (52:32):
I think that's probably the best thing from from that
point of view because I do like him.

Speaker 7 (52:37):
Somebody says on social media that making players eighty minutes weightfield.

Speaker 3 (52:42):
Can do that. I'll tell you what, though, I don't
think Matty Lee's is big enough as a starting.

Speaker 7 (52:47):
Propping super league manywhere near my England team.

Speaker 3 (52:50):
But but I mean, I don't dislike Matty's as a
plot forward against Australia is But doesn't it just shows
is that is that really the best we've got in.

Speaker 1 (53:02):
Proper?

Speaker 7 (53:04):
Might mean that the other point, there's nobody obviously that's
better than them.

Speaker 6 (53:07):
It's just and he's Warms be good because he's a
good prop forward, because.

Speaker 1 (53:14):
He's massive, awkward, he's effective, effect is effective.

Speaker 7 (53:19):
But how he does it is You're right.

Speaker 3 (53:22):
Warms trying to tackle him like trying to tackle claps
in scaffolding.

Speaker 1 (53:29):
One of the things the world.

Speaker 7 (53:33):
If he if he defended him now though you can
rely on him to drop the ball more.

Speaker 3 (53:36):
Yeah, was half decent? Was Tom Johnson? Yeah?

Speaker 2 (53:41):
Yeah?

Speaker 1 (53:41):
Well Dom Young and Don Young and Don Young was Okay.

Speaker 7 (53:44):
There's been a few calls for Burgess to come in
the halls and give us a bit.

Speaker 1 (53:48):
More, A little bit more talking talking to Burgess, the
Grand final, the Grand final, little bit more tries, I
believe it, tries from Joe Burgess, just we we've not
had a show since the Grand Final. But wasn't it
great to see Okay, four to six Cup final for

(54:08):
us all.

Speaker 3 (54:09):
Going into it, I said, and I was short before.
I wanted Wigging to win, but I didn't realize until you're.

Speaker 7 (54:15):
All right, That's what I said at the time.

Speaker 1 (54:18):
He has been, he has been.

Speaker 7 (54:21):
I did get, I did get I'm in the anyone
but Wigging society, okay, are to be fair.

Speaker 3 (54:28):
Farl dropped that ball and.

Speaker 7 (54:31):
He missed that tackle on Lewis.

Speaker 3 (54:33):
I couldn't believe. I was sounded like I had a
bit of me only checkers.

Speaker 7 (54:38):
When it came to cou couldn't support them the biggest.

Speaker 4 (54:42):
Thing for me, right, So obviously made up that Wigan
got beat because I did think, okay, I've been the
best team all year, but you know it's another team
on the trophy. For years about the Castleford knocking f

(55:02):
C or K one League yeah, they finished top of
the treating they never got a shot. So there's been
all these other teams and thank god all KR have
done it this year. Not only that it was and
it was a treble, but not only that as well,

(55:23):
if Wigan would have won the Grand Final next season,
Saints is four in a row and all that what
they will under going to beat or equal three? Call
that three three? Only two pete now, isn't it might?
But you know for play to our KR, I think
they've been the best team all year and they deserved it.

Speaker 6 (55:48):
They probably could have given.

Speaker 1 (55:51):
Crucial points in the game. Was a was foul play
from O'Neill got himself and then I don't.

Speaker 7 (55:57):
Get him at all. I think he's terrible him is
the liability?

Speaker 3 (56:00):
Know what was you know what was nice and the
kind of soppy way is to see the way those
okay our.

Speaker 1 (56:06):
Fans were buzzing, give them, Yeah, no problem like that.

Speaker 3 (56:10):
When we won that, when we beat Wantington Sheffield in
ninety six to win the league, when Wembley, that feeling.

Speaker 7 (56:16):
Of when you haven't won something that for a long time.

Speaker 2 (56:19):
Then to do that Challenge Cup that same year was
amazing because we hadn't win it in my lifetime, so
that Brad.

Speaker 3 (56:24):
The game and see them the buzzing of those fans.
That genuine I thought, And then listening to Mikey Lewis
after the game, you know what, you're a kid who
he was a boll The fellow who owns the club
was a ball boy at the club. You know what,
You're a scruffy bunch, but on.

Speaker 7 (56:42):
That school you're not wigging.

Speaker 6 (56:44):
So yeah.

Speaker 1 (56:46):
Yet apparently heard a rumor that Chess Chess Litton was
recommended for us to sign by Paul at some point,
and and then we didn't go for.

Speaker 7 (56:55):
Him, which is uh, I tell you what to be
useful now, and they mind you had.

Speaker 1 (56:58):
One or two workers at the time.

Speaker 3 (56:59):
I was.

Speaker 6 (57:02):
Robbie good, replacements are good. That's the type of what
you need to It was good to come.

Speaker 3 (57:07):
Off to be somebody.

Speaker 4 (57:10):
Really dynamic, isn't I think I still think we should
have gone for Cruise when he was available, because I
really like and we needed a hook at the time.
But obviously Wiggans Wiggans got that got that sign John.

Speaker 7 (57:25):
About that it's worse than useles him. But I thought
the absolute grub. I just absolutely Sean when.

Speaker 1 (57:39):
Behavior, Yeah, was delighted. I'm glad delighted for Jill Burgess
is do.

Speaker 3 (57:46):
You know what?

Speaker 4 (57:48):
Give Wiggans some respects? And I know it's all Mighty
Peak because it's all his ethos, isn't it. But the
Wigan players stood there and the applauded that the okay
r and and that must have hurted because my pete
made made them do it. They've been changing room would
have been showered on the coach. But that must have

(58:09):
because I saw a picture of Wigan teams stopped there
watching that and it was like from and I thought,
that's the motivation. That is the motivation for them next year.

Speaker 3 (58:18):
But it does the same thing. I went to the
women's Yeah, that team a massive representation from that wigging
men's team is that every Wiggins women's match, it just
seems to be the China culture collected.

Speaker 1 (58:34):
I agree, and we should have been doing that, but
that's that's maybe indicative of the way our season has
been that our lads weren't there.

Speaker 6 (58:42):
They're not exploited.

Speaker 1 (58:49):
So after the Grand Final, the announcements were made for
the for the teams that were coming into Super League
officially for next season. And York to lose and Branford
we're all moving.

Speaker 4 (59:00):
Up, have gone to and then a.

Speaker 1 (59:10):
Bed and breakfast in Battley. I might give a miss,
but interestingly they've gone about it differently. To lose, are
not making any major signings. They're going what they've got.
York as of today have signed Paul Vaughan, Matty Foster
and extinct Josh Griffin, John Benison and Justin Sangari and

(59:32):
a lad called Jordan Lip from the Aussies. But I'm
not Richard Richard, but that was a rumored, wasn't he
To lose of no major additions. Bradford have signed Andy
Akers and Rowan Mills officially now and they said eight
or nine to arrivals in the next two weeks.

Speaker 2 (59:50):
I think lose the squad, have to lose strengthen the squad.
They're gonna get seriously battered every week and it's gonna
look terrible. It's going to demonstrate why in opinion anyway anyway,
which to fourteen teams, we haven't got enough players the
fourteen teams.

Speaker 3 (01:00:04):
I think that's that is the massive danger and what's
done my head and a bit is I was wanting
London to losing York purely because for a start of
pictures of regulation size, but first how do they get in?
Then the pictures and that stay. That stay is the

(01:00:27):
same now as it was the last time Saints went there.
It's absolutely fact it's worse because it must be worse.
They have the multi racing cars going round and the
speedway speedway, they fling all that on in the shade
all over it. I mean I went so I went
up there, do you know I follow a.

Speaker 1 (01:00:42):
Lot of the grave in the gravel.

Speaker 3 (01:00:44):
Yeah, all over the place. The places have done and
I've thought London have put a lot of things that
I was shocked that London didn't get in with I
was too slimy gas and with Darren Lockyer and the
rest of them.

Speaker 1 (01:01:00):
I don't know how Bradley gets into that stadium because
there's no cover is there, There's nothing, It's nothing.

Speaker 4 (01:01:05):
But the away unless they drastically improved the away stand
or the waist standing area. It was slaggy wrote off.

Speaker 7 (01:01:17):
If you look at the gradings on their tenth.

Speaker 3 (01:01:21):
What I was going to say is one of the
big areas that Bradford fell down on the gradings was
because of the condition of sections of the stadium, so
they've shut them sections. So now they've got extra points
because those sections no longer part of the stadium, so
you've got swathes of it that's all like fenced off
and shut. But because it's fenced off and shut, it

(01:01:41):
can't be classed under the IMG ratings as I failed
because it's not technically part of the stadium. To disgrace
it's a Nigel.

Speaker 1 (01:01:49):
Discuss sounds sounds like a complete scam to me that.

Speaker 4 (01:01:51):
I think what's going to happen next season when the
away fans go there. You know they've got like that
shack in the corner which was the scoreboard. I think
the away fans will be in front of that, and
I think the own fans will be in the seated
stand and underneath the cameras where the cameras are les. Yeah,
well you know what for all the the stadium leads

(01:02:13):
away and it's still a ship all. They've not changed it.

Speaker 6 (01:02:17):
They were playing the final match ready, so that I
mean all the fans have got to stand in the red.

Speaker 4 (01:02:24):
They're probably be giving the golden ticket with the padded seats.

Speaker 6 (01:02:29):
Do they still have the Richard dun car park on
the other side of the.

Speaker 3 (01:02:34):
That sports center.

Speaker 6 (01:02:36):
That was the only good thing about it.

Speaker 1 (01:02:38):
There was a candy car park across the road.

Speaker 3 (01:02:40):
Yeah, yeah, the ark and to loser to weekend games.

Speaker 1 (01:02:46):
And to lose is a beautiful place to go for
a weekend.

Speaker 3 (01:02:53):
It was like back to my daddys as a continental
truck driver loses a big city.

Speaker 1 (01:02:58):
It's a big city.

Speaker 3 (01:03:00):
Take the third or fourth biggest city.

Speaker 1 (01:03:01):
It's a huge and which would river it is was
a huge river runs right through the middle. It's got
a fantastic town or square, loads of bars and restaurants, everything.
It's proper.

Speaker 3 (01:03:11):
The recruit that's so disappointing.

Speaker 2 (01:03:14):
That is the system allows it eddy disappointing unless they
change it again, which you were saying before that they've
they've been talking about again.

Speaker 3 (01:03:23):
The one thing I can't get away from whether the
recruits know up to them, but they are the champions.
They won it. They want it for me, That on
itself that they want it. If you're allowing them into
a competition that's got promotion, relegation and they win right.

Speaker 4 (01:03:35):
Well, we saw them in London, didn't we Because they
got promoted, they didn't have time to recruit anyone.

Speaker 6 (01:03:42):
Unless you take the gamble.

Speaker 5 (01:03:46):
Gamble to basically signed stuper League players Championship.

Speaker 1 (01:03:53):
They get the benefit of that.

Speaker 4 (01:03:57):
In the other side, yeah, now they're absolutely.

Speaker 3 (01:04:01):
See the one pleased with the way London has set
themselves up because I think, well, even if they don't
win it, next to you, I think.

Speaker 1 (01:04:09):
They'll confirmed that they're staying and they put the investment
in here.

Speaker 3 (01:04:14):
And they could end up with some series. And again
it's the London thing in it.

Speaker 4 (01:04:19):
It's just well, yeah he said only downlock it. There's
hundred thousand expats from Australia and New Zealand over living
in London. So if he can tap into a quarter
of quarter that to come and support a London based
team which is going to be heavily like like we've said,
Australian biased or base or whatever, fair place to him,

(01:04:40):
they can fill that wimbled.

Speaker 7 (01:04:47):
I don't think you will.

Speaker 3 (01:04:48):
For the record, I don't think.

Speaker 4 (01:04:51):
Do you know what fair place to him? Because he's
the first person since Richard Branson to have her go
so have a go with it and to really put
some money into it and fund it.

Speaker 1 (01:04:59):
So mm hmmm, well we'll seeing maybe more developments in
the next couple of weeks.

Speaker 6 (01:05:03):
With that I just did.

Speaker 7 (01:05:05):
We've had this London so many times, so many fell.

Speaker 3 (01:05:08):
The difference for me this time is the first thing
they've got to do is stake in that stadium, in
that same place. And the last relative success they had
for me was when he was at the Stoopy. Demographic
in that earlier of the stoop is even less.

Speaker 1 (01:05:28):
What's the word.

Speaker 7 (01:05:32):
Diverse?

Speaker 3 (01:05:33):
I don't want to know. I don't want to say
minted at.

Speaker 1 (01:05:37):
It's possibly the wrong the wrong area for rugby league potentially.

Speaker 6 (01:05:40):
Yeah, where they are.

Speaker 3 (01:05:41):
Now in wind Is, Yeah. Yeah, so you've got if
any if you need, people that have got are not
going to battery, they don't have some live spoke. How
much is that twenty five quid? That's cheap that four
of U one hundred quid. You're going into different parts
of London and they're going to we're not spending under
bound on going to rugby match. We've got no food

(01:06:02):
in the cupboard. Yeah, but around that earlier were Wimbledon
Is and plow Lane and Richmond and they've got that
right if they need to stay there. It's a sporting
earlier obviously, and they seem to have good people in it.
But if it doesn't work, like ste said, it's that
many it takes.

Speaker 1 (01:06:21):
The investment is it's not going to work if you're
doing it for a year. You've got to do it
for five years and commit to it. And if they
do it fine, get.

Speaker 6 (01:06:29):
Aussie investors to make it work. Then you are struggling
because they just look at you know how they have
grown the.

Speaker 3 (01:06:38):
Sport from the eighties.

Speaker 6 (01:06:39):
The Teama turned up his.

Speaker 7 (01:06:40):
Blasting at you and a worthy that noted Wigan fantag.

Speaker 6 (01:06:44):
Yeah as well.

Speaker 1 (01:06:47):
I mean I feel sorry for that guy who's kept
that guy that kept that guy kept it going for
twenty years, didn't he what was he near the business?
And what was his name? He owned and ran London?
He funded David and funded it for twenty years. Paps
off to him and he kept it going. If it works,
fine because it'll be down to him.

Speaker 6 (01:07:05):
And the sponsored by brew Dog.

Speaker 1 (01:07:09):
Right, Okay, I.

Speaker 4 (01:07:12):
Don't know what that sus, but yeah, we've we've covered.

Speaker 1 (01:07:19):
We've covered the world of rugby league. There thinking and
I went after.

Speaker 5 (01:07:25):
Yourself going on about the match day experience has been
absolutely wonful.

Speaker 6 (01:07:30):
The bar not even being normal after games and things.

Speaker 1 (01:07:33):
Yeah, that's crazy.

Speaker 4 (01:07:34):
That is.

Speaker 3 (01:07:38):
When they said that the rebranding this Red v Caffee thing,
But they've said that it's going to be open for
the fans after the game as well.

Speaker 7 (01:07:46):
At the momentosphre doesn't it happen and noticed?

Speaker 3 (01:07:50):
And it's terrible on social media. There's something going on
pretty much every day at that stage of this week
that the Lakes of Us could just walk up there
and go and do different things. When you have a
look on the website every day this week, there's where
you don't need to be part of a special group
or a business this or accompany that. But that bar
has been the most underutilized thing.

Speaker 4 (01:08:10):
Well, when they first open it up in the stadium,
I used to go to the Red v BA from
the mid dinner because they only work around the corner.
And I used to go and support the club and think, right,
I'll have a panini in a coke or whatever it
was and go and sit there. And there used to
be like thirty odd people in the time, twenty odd people.
And obviously that was opening as a bar. It was

(01:08:30):
open every day. I was every day from sort of
like to three o'clock or coffee. Yes, so people could
go Bucks. Yes, Starbucks. They need to redo that and
try it again.

Speaker 1 (01:08:45):
Well, they need to make petrol. People know it and
they've gone.

Speaker 4 (01:08:48):
If people, you know, the Superstar next door, I'm sure
a lot of fans will go. Do you know I
should we go to the coffee next door?

Speaker 3 (01:08:55):
You know I would? I would rather than go to
a Starbucks or or what ever that sort of establishment
or for about tweets, that would be the first place,
and a lot of fans. You can do it. I
did it. It's but I'm more at Everton. So you
can pull up midweek. But in Everton go up on
the escalators and there's a big restaurant and it's full menu,

(01:09:17):
full drinks, and you can sit and the window one
ends up the river.

Speaker 1 (01:09:20):
To the public and everything can go on for the
walk and.

Speaker 3 (01:09:22):
Have a look at the picture and all the rest
of it. And that is that's open from nine to
five every day of the week and anybody can go in.

Speaker 4 (01:09:31):
But this is what this is what we've been talking
about all year, getting getting the fans on board with
not it's not only we're coming watching again, it's the
whole week of we want to be a part of
what's going on. We want to fund what's going on.
And especially now you've got glass Futures over the road,
which employ you know, hundreds of people. We've now got
the development which has just been pasted opposite glass futures,

(01:09:53):
which are a lot more industrial units.

Speaker 6 (01:09:57):
The way, it's like.

Speaker 1 (01:09:58):
A research scientific research instinct, is it.

Speaker 3 (01:10:03):
Pilks also put some money in.

Speaker 4 (01:10:06):
Yeah, so it's so it's it's like a basically research
center because welcome to the Renewables podcast. Because glasses one cyclable,
the basically researching how they can reutilize more glass products
within the the you know, the world, so that it's
more bottles. Yeah, so let's go back to milk. Bottles,

(01:10:29):
not at that one.

Speaker 1 (01:10:30):
Not gonna throw away cardboard, yeah, but milk.

Speaker 6 (01:10:37):
That's definitely three months ago. I was going on early
one morning.

Speaker 3 (01:10:42):
Now there's the difference. I see the way out to work.

Speaker 4 (01:10:52):
That's because he is one.

Speaker 3 (01:10:57):
After.

Speaker 1 (01:10:57):
But again communication because I'm not a where that that's
that's available for lunch and dinner and whatever.

Speaker 4 (01:11:03):
It's not been graying for the past couple of years.
When they first opened the stadium, it certainly was because
I was one of the people who go on. I'm
not saying every day because I can't really afford it,
but you know, certainly once a week I'll go, do
you know, I'll go and have a If you think.

Speaker 3 (01:11:20):
The amount of coffee shops in the town, oh yeah,
making money, people can afford coffee shops and you only
need to tap into a small percentage of that that
have got the Saints and interesting.

Speaker 1 (01:11:32):
Well the thing is, and the price of a cup
of coffee, I wouldn't go and get one, but I
would go if it was Saints doing it because I
put you know, I'd still do the Saints TV and
pay for that, pay for me season ticket, use the
shop whenever I can. But if I could use there,
I still do that. Yeah, exactly. Okay, Well, thank you
very much to thanks thanks to no problem man, Thanks

(01:11:54):
no problem. And we'll see it again for the end
of the year show after the last test and will
we'll we'll hoover up all the all the rubbish that
happened since then.

Speaker 3 (01:12:04):
Can I