Matt Cooper

Dragons legend Matt Cooper joins the Mad Dragons panel for a chat about his career and how he can help the current Dragons become great again #BringBackCoops 

We follow up this chat with our review of our 1 point loss to Souths in round 2

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:01):
The story telling the Mad Dragon that my mother off
my side, but you were four fans. Certain Nutty is
duxious but full the dragon's pride with the shine to

(00:33):
Tony mar Jess.

Speaker 2 (00:39):
That his group a favorite podcast.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
That's how we kep Dragon stop Matt Dragon's Mad Dragons.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
That's the way came the Mad Dragon Trouble. Dragon Man's up.

Speaker 4 (01:03):
We'll get a Dragons fans and welcome to the Mad
Dragons Podcast, brought to you by Complete Warehouse Solutions. Then
we owned and operated business with more than one hundred
years of combined experience. Jeffney's team are more than pleased
to assist in your Sydney Warehouse refurbishment or fit out
project based on Pomis Driving Lake. Laura get in touch

(01:23):
with the team on four to five, seven, one nine
three zero.

Speaker 5 (01:28):
Now, can we please go back to the preseason and
recapture some of that positivity that surrounded this team. We
seemed willing to ignore the sport limitations, but after back
to back losses, it's all anyone can see.

Speaker 4 (01:44):
But is it all doom and gloom? Is there some positivity?
I think there is. Once again, we lose and some
fans want a changing entire team. But the truth is
we didn't actually do a whole lot wrong. We completed
it over eighty percent, We made over fifty meters percent

(02:04):
of six.

Speaker 2 (02:05):
We had thirteen off loads to one.

Speaker 4 (02:07):
We only missed eighteen tackles the entire game compared to
thirty one, and we.

Speaker 5 (02:12):
Scored five prize to four. We should have won that
game easily.

Speaker 4 (02:18):
Yes, out game management left a lot to be desired,
but credit where it's due.

Speaker 2 (02:22):
And I hate doing this, but South were very resilient.

Speaker 4 (02:26):
They did well to hang in there, and they did
their dole one they didn't deserve. Now, normally at this
point I'd do some sort of clumsy segue into heroes
and villains, but today, as men's been bumped down the order,
as we've got a very special guest on tonight, we've

(02:48):
got Dragons Legend Matt Cooper Coops.

Speaker 2 (02:51):
Welcome mate, Thanks for jordience.

Speaker 6 (02:54):
Ah, my pleasure, my pleasure. That intro was unreal, and
you've lived up to that dragon name.

Speaker 2 (03:04):
It's definitely something a bit different, that's pretty sure.

Speaker 4 (03:08):
Before we get into performing all over the great Man,
let's let's introduce the the rest of the panel.

Speaker 2 (03:15):
We've we've got with us tonight.

Speaker 4 (03:16):
We've got the men like Dragon, Jesse and has Man
who will be firing.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
Some questions at your cops.

Speaker 4 (03:25):
But before we we do get into your own story career.
I know your your first and foremost a massive Dragons fan,
would have been some of your observations through the opening
two rounds.

Speaker 6 (03:39):
Look to me, you know, if you want to look
at the positives first, I think our tacks look are
really good. With Gufferson at the back at pullback, he
brings that passing game that I think we've lacked in
the last few years. We've Sloan at fullback. I didn't.

(04:02):
I don't think Sloan has got that passing game where
he can set up the tries like did yesterday. But
flip it around the negative, it's got to be our defense.
I think defensively we're being poor in these first two games,
which is a shame. You know, We've let twenty eight

(04:24):
points in, twenty five points in. Yeah, we can score
the tries, we just got to We've got to keep
him out.

Speaker 4 (04:34):
Yeah, absolutely, it's something I mean, obviously you were were
famous for your defenseurs and I'm sure there'll be a
few questions from the panel about that.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Now, I am the host, but I've got to tell
you I've got absolutely no idea what's going to happen.

Speaker 4 (04:50):
I don't know what this group of peanutters can ask you,
So I apologize.

Speaker 6 (04:55):
It's called the Mad Dragon for a reason. Mate.

Speaker 4 (05:03):
Well, any Penal member will get a question, and then
maybe we'll do another lap if we've got some time,
and hopefully they're all listening to your answers and the question,
so you don't get the same question twice.

Speaker 2 (05:15):
But I'll start with asman, what's your question for coops?

Speaker 6 (05:20):
Yeah?

Speaker 7 (05:21):
So now keeps you a part of the nine team
that made it to the Semis and went out in
straight sets, but you're also on the twenty ten side
that beat the living daylights out of the Roosters to
get the Dragons only post joint venture Premiership. Now, what
were the takeaways from nine that helped the team go

(05:42):
all the way the following year?

Speaker 6 (05:44):
Okay, good question. So two thousand and nine was you know,
obviously Wayne's first year at the club and pre season
was really tough. We we trained really hard that preseason

(06:06):
and and all the way through the year, we sort
of we didn't have many you know, much time off,
you know, so when we got to the finals, we
were sort of burnt out, and and Wayne and the
coaching staff and our head trainer. That's that's pretty much

(06:29):
what they came up with. That was you know, their
takeaways of that season, and you could see it and
obviously me playing in in that you know, those two
semi finals, we were tired and it was because of
you know, the pre season we've done and obviously the

(06:50):
lack of time off through the year. So Wayne B
and Wayne, you know, the super coach. That next pre
season wasn't as tough. We got you know a lot
of breaks through that season and and as you as
you you know, you're well aware. We we came up

(07:11):
with the goods in twenty ten, which you know was great.
You know, we we were confident. Well look, we're confident
in two thousand and nine, but you know, we just
we're just too tired. Our legs were drained, mentally were trained,
and you know, it was a shame because you know

(07:33):
that was probably one we led away and just like
back in five and six, we probably we could have
got there as well, but we got there in twenty
and ten, so that made up for it.

Speaker 4 (07:48):
Yeah, yeah, certainly put a big smile and a lot
of drag and spaces breaking that one year drought.

Speaker 6 (07:58):
Yes, I was born in seventy nine, so that was
the last time, you know, the Dragons had one. So
that was that was the drought and it was good,
it was it was. It was such a relief winning
that Grand Final because you know, like I said, I

(08:19):
was part of the you know, the five six era
where we you know, we should have won a camp
you know with the plays we had, you know, in
two thousand and five, I think we had nine plays
in the new South Fales team, so you know we
should have won that year. And that's when you know,
we got the you know, the infamous Choker tag and

(08:46):
it wasn't good, you know, being known as chokers.

Speaker 1 (08:50):
You know.

Speaker 6 (08:51):
I remember when after the two thousand and five game,
we are all the Dragons boys who were on the tour,
we jumped on the bus. So I think it was
Stevie Waters he was on the bus and he's like,
oh here they come to Chokers, here they come. So yeah,

(09:15):
twenty ten was a big relief. You know, we you know,
we trained so hard to get there and it was
something special and you know I've got the ring on.
I've got yes for everyone. Ye yeah, it's been in

(09:36):
me safe. It was in me safe for like eight years.
And then I was like, you know, I see all
this the NFL players eight you know, when they commentate,
they're wearing all their rings. And I started wearing the
rings to promotions and you know, speaking gigs and stuff
like that, and seeing how much joy it brought to

(09:58):
the fans when they actually seen the ring. I was like,
it's it's pointless being as safe. I'm going to wear it,
you know, and let the supporters see it, because it
brings a big spile on on the fans' faces when
they see that ring.

Speaker 4 (10:16):
You know, not wrong, but like the ords put a
smile on my dial. And I love I love the
word to use their relief because I remember to the
even ten and that was that was lit of my
overwhelming Americans. It's just so relieved that we finally did it.
And I not taking that game. Was I relaxing and

(10:37):
feeling like we had in the bag.

Speaker 6 (10:40):
Yeah, yeah, we're getting getting back to that year, that
game against the Tigers to get into the Grand Final.
After that game, that that was that was the turning
point after we won that game and we're actually in
Grand Final, we knew we were going to win. We you know,

(11:04):
we were so confident that we're going to win that game.
It was just it was just that that hurdle that
we hadn't crossed to get into the Grand Final. And
once we won that game. I remember as soon as
that that siren went in that West Tigers game in
twenty ten, the relief just went away and we're just

(11:28):
we're so confident going into that game.

Speaker 2 (11:31):
Yeah, yeah, absolutely. All right, Well, I don't know what
fifty questions can I believe it? I will throw over
to did you have for your question?

Speaker 8 (11:40):
Mat?

Speaker 9 (11:41):
I'll see which one I've got.

Speaker 6 (11:42):
Oh, I'm in the background, remember that, Yeah, I do,
I do.

Speaker 9 (11:51):
That's that's Christmas? Remember the Christmas.

Speaker 6 (11:54):
Party for the member Yeah, yeah, that was when and
that was yeah, that was two ten. Yeah, because we're
sponsored by Rebook, I can remember. And the Sunnings too.
I'll still got I've still got them. What's your question, buddy?

Speaker 9 (12:12):
All right? My question? So, yeah, it's regarding that that
famous tackle, that that famous tackle you made on Chris McQueen.
I think it was the Premiership. Yeah, it's still still
got views on highlights reels. Yeah, talk us through that tackle.

(12:33):
Is that probably the most memorable tackle of your career?
Would you say?

Speaker 6 (12:37):
Oh, yeah, for sure. It's It's funny you should mention
that I was. I was at a function on Friday
and someone sent me a text message and it was
that photo. It was a photo of that tackle because
we're playing Souths this week. You know, Yeah, that was

(12:59):
very actual At the time, you know, I I didn't
really know what I've done. I was just you know,
put my body on the line making a tackle as
I as I normally do. And it wasn't until I
actually seen the highlights and hearing the commentators and and

(13:25):
you know when I when I heard and seeing that,
I knew it was something special. You know, it wasn't
it was just for me. It was just you know,
business as usual, you know, putting my body on the
line and you know, making desperate tackles, and you know,

(13:47):
it's something you know, I you know, I was obviously
proud of and you know, obviously your fans enjoy it.
I've shown me girls they you know, they they enjoyed it.
But yeah, everywhere I go, I get that that conversation

(14:09):
comes up. It's I think it's stuck in a lot
of people's memories that tackle.

Speaker 9 (14:15):
Yeah, I remember you. You know, no one would ever
get past you. You were probably the best defensive center
I've ever seen.

Speaker 6 (14:20):
Coups. Yeah, thanks mate, Yeah, I appreciate that. It's it
was something I always prided myself on in the games, was,
you know, my defense, because you know, if you look
at the game, if they don't score, they don't win.

(14:42):
And I think that's lost a bit these days, just
not in the Dragons, but just in NRL in general.
I feel like, you know, the players are like, you know,
if they score, would score again. Where when we played
my era, you know, if they didn't score, they didn't win.

(15:03):
And that's the attitude we had. And yeah, I think
it's lost a little bit in the NRL these days.
You know, the scores are a lot higher. Yeah, it's
it's not uncommon to see a fifty to forty score.
You know, back in back in the day, you know,

(15:26):
if beside put forty on you, even thirty, it was
a flogging. You know. These days, it's just it's a
normal game. So a lot of emphasis is on score
and tries these days rather than you know, saving tries.
So I think we need to get back to that

(15:47):
that attitude. And you know you can you can you
can tell in the game yesterday. You know, it's just
some of the some of the easy tries that they
just let in and that just comes down to effort
and and hunger and you know, just putting your body
on the line. So yeah, I don't think it's a

(16:12):
Dragon's problem. It's just an RL problem.

Speaker 4 (16:17):
Yeah, he certainly saying a lot, a lot more nowadays
we're a team will score thirty and.

Speaker 6 (16:22):
Yeah, yeah, that's right. You know, like yeah, even maybe
yesterday we were up twenty four ten, I think we were,
or you know, especially at wind Stadium, full crowd, it
was disappointing to see you know, the Dragons let you know,

(16:45):
South back in the game and eventually win it.

Speaker 10 (16:50):
Would you think about it if you got offered by
f Mate, I know you got et and at Coronel
when he was coaching there, Man, I look at you,
like eteam two of the best offensive centers. Or you know,
in that period we need to is playing, you were playing,
would you kind of going back to sat George and
helping him out with the defense.

Speaker 6 (17:10):
Mate, I'd love to. Yeah, I've actually I did speak
to Piano when he first got the job, and you know,
I let him know that, you know, I'm keen if
you know he needs me. So I would love to

(17:32):
get back there because as you know, you know, defense
was a big part of my game, and you know,
I feel I feel like I could help the young
guys out with my experience. And yeah, I actually desperately
want to get back in there. Actually, hopefully hopefully next

(17:57):
year fingers crossed. My fingers crossed. Hopefully I might be
back in there next year or the year after. But yeah,
like I said, I'm keen. I want to get in there.
I want to help those young guys out because edge
of the fence, it's it's not difficult when you know
what you're doing, and if everyone does the same thing

(18:21):
and everyone's talking, you know, it's it's pretty easy. But
these days, like I said, most of the tries are
goored in the corners, and yeah, when I watch games,
I get really frustrated because the defense out wide is

(18:43):
you know, it's not like it used to be. Yeah,
so I'd love to get back you there, boys, you have.

Speaker 2 (18:53):
A bit of a follow up on that.

Speaker 4 (18:54):
A couple of big teams put the question in the
chat a couple of times, asking if you thing anywhere else,
any any junior clubs or are you involved in the
game in some other way?

Speaker 6 (19:08):
Not really, I'm just involved with my daughter. She she
she's she plays under fourteen's tackle. This year I did coach.
I did coach her team three years ago under twelve's
lead tag. We made the Grand Final, but unfortunately we

(19:30):
lost in the Grand Final. But I enjoyed it. I
really did. You know, when I first retired, I didn't
really want to get back into I didn't want to
get back into into footy because I want to be weekends.
I played. I played footy for thirty years straight and

(19:55):
you know I hadn't had a year off and I
want to be weekends. And my girls are any young.
So yeah, I got to spend a lot of time
with my girls when I retired, which was great. But
at the age i'm Matt now, I would really love
to get back into into coaching, especially at the Dragons,

(20:20):
because you know, I feel like I feel like I
could make a difference and yeah, I would love to.

Speaker 2 (20:31):
Awesome, all right, we might have wrong.

Speaker 4 (20:34):
I know you chap the question in there, but we'll
throw if your your official question mate?

Speaker 2 (20:38):
What you got the coach?

Speaker 10 (20:40):
Apologies but I just couldn't help myself. Sorry, good question mate,
Thanks mate. No, I look forward to you, mate, helping
out one day at the Dragons. As a junior player,
did you have a player you looked up to and
like to follow? And then the second part the best
player you play with against when playing for St. George

(21:01):
or obviously right for the Origin as well too.

Speaker 6 (21:06):
Yeah, as a kid, I had a few players that
I looked up to. Probably number one was Brad Fiedler. I.
I love his left foot step and that that was
something I really tried to imitate. And you know that's

(21:27):
where I got my left foot step from was watching Freddie.
I remember, you know, everywhere I'd go, I'd be practicing
the left foot step just like Freddy he was. Yeah,
so he was a big part of my my childhood
and and and also I used to go for the Magpies,

(21:50):
so the Beginners Brothers, you know Ken Beginners, Yeah, Kenny Beginners,
Kenny McGinnis. I used to love watching those guys play. Uh,
that was they were so so talented and yeah, Yeah,
I just I love watching them play. Getting back. What

(22:11):
was the second question? Who was the best.

Speaker 10 (22:13):
Players players against George law any reps as well?

Speaker 6 (22:20):
Yeah, all right, this one's pretty easy. I'd have to
say Joey, Joey John's I got to play with Joey
in Origin and uh In in the Australian team as well.
He was just it was just ahead of his time.

(22:42):
He was, you know, he was just such a freak
when it came to natural ability, knowledge of the game
being being able to no nowhere, where the gaps were,
where the openings were, how to how to draw players

(23:03):
in so they'd make a mistake defensively. You know, he
had everything gone for him. And then once once I
actually played with him and seen him train, it just
made it just made me appreciate the talent he is

(23:26):
even more. And I remember the two thousand and five
Origin series there was one are We're coming into the
decider and Joey was injured and I think we had

(23:47):
we had Trent and Brave and Maaster I think in
the halves and the first couple of days to train
and we just m we were terrible. Our ball were
just was It was shocking. Ricky Stewart was Yeah, I'm
pretty sure it was Ricky. He was coaching. It was terrible.

(24:12):
Our attack was so bad. And then Joey came out
of retirement I think it was I think he retired
from rap footy that year and but he was injured
for the first two games and he came back to training.
I think it was like on the Friday. As soon

(24:34):
as he turned up, we started ballwork and everything just changed.
The whole It just it just went from trash to magic.
You know, it was just he just turned up and
just it was so good. It was like, you know,

(24:55):
he was just such a good player and you know,
he just made the team click. And then we went
out there and we we won the decider which was
up in sun Corps and that was that was the game.
That was the game everyone was talking about last year.
So that was the last game last asider that we won.

(25:16):
New South Wales had one at Suncourt? Was that two
thousand and five game three until last year? Yes, So yeah, yeah,
he was a special player. And yeah, he's just got
he's just got a footy mind. He's just got that

(25:36):
brain of his has always tiken as you as you
know as a commentator. You know, I love listening to
him when he commentates because he knows exactly, you know,
what what plays I think and when they're doing this,
doing that. Yeah, he's a magical player.

Speaker 2 (25:57):
Act.

Speaker 4 (25:59):
Yeah, all right, Well my quisin won't be a little
bit more more controversially, but we'll go to it and
see how we go.

Speaker 6 (26:08):
Yeah, fire away, mate, fire.

Speaker 4 (26:09):
Away twenty ten Premiership reunion and you were a notable
absentee you tweeted about at the time. It's an official
and a player that you've blamed for your non attendance,
and you sort of indicated them that there was a
story to be told and you tell the appropriate time.

(26:30):
How does the appropriate time arrive for you to tell
the tale?

Speaker 6 (26:37):
Not if I want to get back at the dragons. Look,
you know, yeah, when I retired from forty you know,
there was a few promises made to me and they

(26:59):
weren't honored and which you know, led to a falling
out between a certain person and myself, and and and
that was the issue. And then and then there was

(27:22):
a player who actually didn't even play in the Grand Final,
but he was a part of the squad. In twenty ten,
we had a bit of a falling out over something,
which is I don't really want to say. I think
it's not it's not probably appropriate to say and and

(27:47):
name the person because you know, it was in the past.
I let the past be the past. And like I said,
you know, I want to get back into the Dragons
and I want to help out. I want to be
part of that club. It's a special club, especially for me.
You know, I played my whole career there. I sacrificed

(28:09):
a lot for that club. You know, I I pulled
out of Country Representative Representative games so I could play
for the Dragons that weekend, and you know I used
to cop a lot of flak for that off certain

(28:29):
people in the Country Rugby League, but you know I
did it for I did it for the Red v
and so yeah, you know, my heart and soul and
is at the Dragons. So yeah, so I want those Yeah,

(28:52):
the what happened when I retired and the relationships that yeah, yeah,
I just want those mended because like I said, I
want to be I want to I want to get
back to the Dragons because like I said, it's you know,

(29:13):
it was a massive part of my life. And yeah,
I truly want to get back in there and help
these young players. I think I can, and so you know,
I don't. I don't want to bring all that stuff
up because if I do, it's probably going to hurt
my chances of getting back in there. So I'm going

(29:34):
to let by Guns we got by Guns boys.

Speaker 2 (29:39):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (29:41):
Yeah, But but but at the time it was it
affected me really bad because, like I said, I was
promised something and it wasn't delivered and it pretty much
changed my life for for a few years, and and

(30:04):
it sent me down a pretty pretty dark place mentally.
So but you know, I'm I'm great now. I've got
two beautiful daughters and you know, on love and life.
I've got a great company called Crew Capital. Ah. If

(30:29):
if any of the fans out there are looking to
buy property or they need finance, they want to set
it set up a self managed super fun to buy
their buy property. Go to go to the Instagram page
and all the details are there. So that's just a
bit of a plug for me for my business. But yeah, So,

(30:53):
like I said, I'd love to be part of the
Dragons again because you know, a lot of fans. Every
time I see the Dragons, fans just like you said before,
they're like, when you're getting back in the Dragons, we

(31:14):
need you back in the Dragons. We want your back.
Why do you come back and play? You know, these
are the conversations I have daily. It's it's like, it's
not a one off, but this is a it's a
daily thing. When you know, we've got so many fans
out there. I run into a fan every day. So
and they say the same thing.

Speaker 10 (31:33):
So maybe Bloody Dragon's legend.

Speaker 6 (31:40):
Come on, Yeah, I love it, you can do it.
Come yeah.

Speaker 1 (31:45):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (31:46):
Getting getting back to the question you asked to before
about the players I looked up to. Et was one
of those guys I'm good friends with Et. He's a
champion blo Oka and yeah he's he he means a lot,
you know, to the Sharks, and I feel like, you know,

(32:10):
on the e t of the Dragons.

Speaker 4 (32:16):
That's got work into one next question, the two of
the Dragons, because you worked both of the stickiest man
in rugby league.

Speaker 6 (32:24):
Yeah, was actually three times mate, Get it right, mate.
They had they had to like cancel the actual competition
because I kept winning. I think they brought it back.
They brought it back when I retired.

Speaker 10 (32:48):
I'm fifty five years old. My wife you know you're
on tonight. She got excited.

Speaker 2 (32:52):
Mate, you look like you too.

Speaker 6 (32:57):
Coops.

Speaker 9 (32:57):
I was listening to a s N a few weeks
ago go and they were talking about who would be
the best looking gas on the calendar and they and
they said you if there was a retro run, you'd
be the first one on it.

Speaker 6 (33:10):
Thanks, uh.

Speaker 9 (33:15):
Retro because current players current players and then the retired players.

Speaker 6 (33:25):
Nice. That's great. Yeah, it's quite funny. We had a
mean uh, Me and Wendell had a had a when
Wendell came to the club. You know Wendell's he's a
big character. And me and Wendell, Me and Wendell got

(33:46):
got on really well. Will roomies when he came to
the club. So and and he he he won sexiest
man in the league before before before I came into
the into the petition. So uh, we had this running
joke between the tll of us, you know we uh

(34:07):
s m ls s m O brothers. But but I
was three times it was only one time.

Speaker 10 (34:17):
Went back in the back in the Tina Turning Days
Mate with the team was up there, Lurry Daily making
the show Lorry Daily, the.

Speaker 6 (34:26):
Show those short shorts. They need to bring those back
plastic on. Uh.

Speaker 2 (34:42):
I promisedly we wouldn't get you too much longer than
half an hour.

Speaker 6 (34:47):
Yeah, a couple more questions if you yeah, yeah, I'll go.

Speaker 2 (34:53):
Back to the top. We're doing another and go back
to you got another question? Mm hmm.

Speaker 8 (35:03):
I think I.

Speaker 2 (35:05):
Think that's through the an that actually, well, we might
go to Jesse then, because I know Jesse's got about
fifty five of them written.

Speaker 9 (35:15):
Out. So there's first of all, I'm going to go
to one that that's come up a lot. Halftime in
the Grand Final. I was saw this documentary a couple
of years ago. It said Wayne didn't say much at halftime.
He said, you're not playing like the Dragons. What did
he say that really irked you on in that second

(35:37):
half when the Roosters had you down eight six in
the Grand Final?

Speaker 6 (35:41):
All right, I'll put this the rest right. So we
came into halftime and we we as a team were
so confident because the Roosters had had so much possession,
especially on our triline, and we didn't have much more.

(36:03):
We didn't have any good field position, but we knew
we had them and were so confident. But the biggest
thing was you remember our left side, right, our left
side was was the try scoring side.

Speaker 1 (36:22):
You know.

Speaker 6 (36:22):
We had Darius boyd Out in the back, me and
Brett Marris between between the three of us or Benny
Crage hitting that lead. We just played that wedge play.
We'd score all the time, and that was our you
know that that was our bread and butter, you know,

(36:44):
for nine, twenty ten, even twenty eleven. And if we
did it properly, we pretty much scored every time. And
what the Roosters did in that first half is they
stack their right side, so they put an extra player

(37:04):
on our left side. So every time we got the ball,
we got shut down because they had an extra player.
So I came into halftime and I said to Wayne,
I said, Wayne, they're stuck in there outside and he goes, yeah,
I can see it, Matt from upstairs. So what what
what did we do? In the second half? We go

(37:26):
right Jason knighton Nightingale scored two three tries, Gas scored
a try, you know, so that was that was pretty
much all Wayne said. He was just like, poise, they're
stuck in the left side, let's attacked. Attack the right
and and just do what do what we normally do.

(37:50):
And but he didn't need to say much because we
were so confident. We were We knew we were only
to two points down and we had had the ball,
they'd had all the ball on our try line. And
you know, once we got to that point where you know,
there was only seven minutes ago and there was no

(38:12):
way they could win, that was the best seven minutes
of my life, just knowing that, that was just knowing
that we couldn't couldn't get b and it was It
was such a good feeling. And you know, I know
all the fans loved it because when we got back

(38:34):
to Cogra that night, jeez, it was a celebration. It
was a celebration because, like you said, it was a
drought thirty one years. It's a long time, especially for
a club like the Red V. So yeah, you know,
it's a big club and there want we want to

(38:59):
get back there. And I think the new CEO is
going to do a great job. I'm excited to see
to see what he brings uh to the club. So yeah,
I think that I think we've got good things coming.

(39:21):
You know, obviously we haven't started well this year. But uh,
I think we're just lacking a few a few players
up front for pack wise and mate, you know, maybe
a star player. So I think next year we need
to get that check book out and h and sign

(39:45):
sign a couple of you know, two big players. I
think that that's what we need because we're need.

Speaker 4 (39:53):
To get the check board, deck book out and sign
they the game.

Speaker 6 (40:00):
Yes, we should, definitely, definitely should.

Speaker 4 (40:06):
I used to have a saying I used to lock
you in twenty ten about that left side in attack.
I'd say it all the time, just because you know
it's come and doesn't mean you can stop it.

Speaker 2 (40:17):
The amount of time everyone knew everyone was coming.

Speaker 6 (40:21):
Yeah, I'll tell you. I'll tell you a good story.
So we're playing Brisbane at wind Stadium and we put
on the play. We put our standard play on and
I scored, and I'm walking back after I score, and
I bump into Hodgo and like me and I Joe,

(40:45):
we're good friends, you know we were. He never sledged me,
I never sledged him. We're good friends. On the field.
He came up to me and he goes a few keeps,
he goes. All we did all week was defend that
one play all week That's all we did, and it's

(41:09):
got you go. So like you said that that was
just that play was unstoppable because you know, if every
player did their role properly. You know, we had Benny Hornby,
who who was great at holding you know, his defender.

(41:30):
Then we had Benny Cray hitting that lead, and then
we had Darius Boyd who came out the back. And
Darius was so good at picking who he should pass to,
either me or Brett so or dummy and gung himself.
So he was such a good talent. And that's why

(41:52):
I say this year with Guffo, our attack is going
to be a lot better because he's got a great
passing game and he can pick and choose who to
pass to properly, you know, like you've seen on the weekend.
You know, Gefo set up two tries because he you know,
he got the ball and he knew who to pass
to who was in space. So you know, that reminded

(42:17):
me of of you know, our left side back into
you know two nine eleven underway with Darius Boyd. So
that's why I was I'm quite excited about our attack.
But like I said, I think our defense needs to
tighten up. And so yeah.

Speaker 2 (42:41):
Bro, did you ever have another question for coach?

Speaker 10 (42:44):
Just create coops was at two thousand, So Georgia the
worry you started?

Speaker 2 (42:47):
Mate, I can't remember off the top of my Yeah.

Speaker 10 (42:50):
Yeah, so he saw the lives of Mundane and Blacklock
and all that to go from that, so it must
have been, say, bloody exciting mate.

Speaker 2 (42:59):
You know back in that period, likely.

Speaker 10 (43:01):
Talking home home crowds sold out back flips for flips,
god knows what.

Speaker 6 (43:06):
Yeah, yeah, awesome stuff.

Speaker 1 (43:09):
It was.

Speaker 2 (43:11):
In Australia.

Speaker 6 (43:13):
Yeah, yeah, I debuted in front of one hundred and
ten thousand, that was my debut round one and two thousand,
so that's unbelievable. Yeah, and and it was it was fitting.
We played the Sharks and Et was playing. That was
his last year I've got to play against Et. Yeah,

(43:37):
that was that was something special for me. Debut and
round one two thousand Olympic Stadium because they still had
the those two big platforms of the stadium which which

(43:57):
held and the extra twenty thousand people. So yeah, it
was it was a massive crowd, but yeah, it was.
It was great to play with Chock, you know, was
he free? Yeah, he was mate. Yeah, he was.

Speaker 9 (44:18):
He was.

Speaker 6 (44:19):
He was such a talent. And me Chock we're really
good friends. We still are. You know. We we got
on so well because you know, I spent that whole
pre season, you know, training with Chock and and we
sort of you know, when we when we do drills.

(44:43):
When you had to partner up with someone, you know,
it was always me Chock together. Yeah. We we just
had we had a lot of things in common. Uh yeah.
We like the same music, uh uh, and a couple
of other things. And so yeah, we go really well.
And I remember that. I remember the day, the day

(45:09):
before he retired to go to boxing. We're both injured
that year, in two thousand and yeah, two thousand, we're
both injured. I think it was round maybe fifteen, because
I'd played ten straight games and then I got injured
and I was out for the whole year, and me

(45:31):
and Chuck were in rehab. We're in the gym and
we're just training, doing our rehab, and we're sitting down
stretching and Chuck said to me, he goes, ah, I'm
over this shit. And I'm like, what do you mean.
He goes, I've just had enough. I've had enough. I said,
what are you going to do. He's like, oh, I'm
going to have box, And you know, I didn't really

(45:54):
take him seriously, you know. I thought he was just
knocking out, yeah, just being Chuck, you know. And then
the next day, the very next day, did turn up
the train and Coach got us into the sheds and said, boys,
trucks were tired. He's going the boxing. And that was it.

(46:17):
And I was at his first fight. I was probably
I was probably at his first ten fights actually, yeah, yeah,
just because we're you know, such good mates, and he
don't he don't really well out of boxing. Yeah, he
was a talent. He was a talented guy. Man, he was.

(46:38):
He was so good. He he was funny to a
funny guy. And you know, a lot of people, you know,
criticize him because of the stuff he says in the media,
but that's just that's just him drawing the crowd. That's
not the real Chock. That's not the real Chuck. Chuck

(46:59):
is the Chuck you see on TV or the headlines
you read about him. That's just that's just the build
up attention. He's he's a champion, better sometimes than Laurie
Dalley and Bradfield.

Speaker 2 (47:12):
Good stats. Go, Yeah, looks like origin, right.

Speaker 6 (47:19):
I think he only played one origin, Yeah, one origin.

Speaker 2 (47:22):
Yeah, he was.

Speaker 6 (47:26):
Especially especially that you know ninety nine, like he was
on fire, that he was, he was so good. Yeah,
And it was a shame. It was a shame because
you know, a lot of people blame Chock for that
loss because he he dropped the ball over the line.

(47:47):
But you know, I disagree with that. You know, I
don't think that was you know, Chock's fault.

Speaker 2 (47:57):
Adah. Should we should have kept the lead.

Speaker 6 (48:01):
One hundred percent, like like like yesterday, you know, we
we should have protected the lead, and especially especially in
the Grand Final.

Speaker 4 (48:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (48:12):
So yeah, I was a bit that was a bit
upset for Chop over that. And we copped it down
in Melbourne. I remember that year two thousand we got
seventy two ten talking about big scores. It was that
it was at the mcg and and Chuck came out

(48:37):
and said something outlandish in the in the in the media.

Speaker 9 (48:43):
I forget what he said about Melbourne not deserving premiers
or something.

Speaker 6 (48:49):
Yeah, it was something funny nothing, Yeah, that's it. And
then mate, it was I just remember I remember the
bus ride from the stadium back to the hotel. Ah,
it was no one spoke, it was it was, it was,

(49:12):
it was. It was David Waite and Andrew Farrer. But
David Waite was he was like the head coach, ye
and Andrew Farrell was sort of more of an assistant.
And then and then David Waite left after I think

(49:34):
it was two thousand and one. I think Andrew far
coach two thousand and one, two thousand and two, and
then Brown in two thousand and three. And you know,
I've got to give a lot of credit to Nathan
Brown from my career because those those first two years,

(49:58):
you know, I was playing, you know, the first year,
I was playing wing, center, second row, you know, just
wherever they needed me. And then I was pretty much
injured for most of two thousand and one, and then
two thousand and two I played on the wing pretty
much the whole season. And then Nathan Brown got the

(50:20):
coaching job and poor Timo done his name. So Timo
was out for the year, and Brownie came to me
in pre season and he said to me, there's a
left center spot there for you if you want it.
So I trained my ass off and I got the

(50:41):
I got the nod at left center, the number four jersey,
and that was it. I never I never got dropped.
Next year, I remember Origin the next year.

Speaker 10 (50:55):
Yeah, did you remember a runner for His name is
Justin Bailey.

Speaker 2 (50:58):
That's John Bailey Son.

Speaker 6 (51:00):
He was a runner for you, for you guys, Justin Bailey.

Speaker 2 (51:02):
Yeah, yeah, was best mates of Joining Bailey, so that's
just yeah, yeah, yeah, I was.

Speaker 6 (51:11):
He was a champion. It was it was good mates
for Brownie. Yeah, it was. I really I already liked him.
It was a great boat champion.

Speaker 2 (51:23):
Yeah, good time to Brownie's facial Tony was it was it?

Speaker 1 (51:34):
It was.

Speaker 6 (51:35):
It was Lance Thompson, Trent Barrett and Brett Furman. It
was the from that was funny. That was look about.

Speaker 9 (51:50):
Yeah, it's mainly, wasn't it.

Speaker 6 (51:53):
Yeah it was that wind Stadium. I remember. I remember
the game, yeah, because I remember I remember the sheds
after it. It was quite funny.

Speaker 2 (52:07):
Around the world, in the UK everywhere.

Speaker 6 (52:10):
Yeah, uh yeah. I look. I felt sorry for Brownie
because I feel like he was he was put in
that position too early because he was coaching guys he
played with, and it's like that's hard, you know, even me,
like I played with Brownie in two thousand because but

(52:32):
you know, he had to retire after two thousand because
of his neck. And you know, but you had, you know,
guys like Lance Thompson there. Yeah, all these guys that
spent like Trent, guys that you know, Brownie had played
with for a long time. And then he's you know,

(52:53):
he's the head coach. So it was quite tough for him.
And you know even though yeah, and he got he
got thrown into the walls. You know, I think he
handled himself really well.

Speaker 2 (53:05):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (53:06):
You know, we almost got there in two thousand and five.
You know, we should have won that year, same as
two thousand and six. Yeah, it was I've got to
give a lot of credit to Brownie. It was there
was a guy that put me at left center and
I never looked back.

Speaker 2 (53:26):
Brownie's long hair back in the day, mate, remember.

Speaker 6 (53:28):
His long mate. Yeah, and he had this he had
this dreep jeep Wrangler, right, it was like a drop
drop top convertible and he used to drive it. It
was it was red, flashy red jeep. He used to
cruise around in the shire with his hair filing out
of the back. Was like, yeah, he hated that he

(53:59):
hated it. He hated losing his hair, as as people do,
but especially Brownie because he loved his hair.

Speaker 4 (54:12):
You sort of you sort of mentioned before about being
good mate with Hodjo and I know away from footy
you're you're a bit of a fan of boxing and
UFC and jumped in the ring against Todd Jo. Tell
us about that experience and is it tough and you
might do again in the future where you're scorned because
the judges ripped you off.

Speaker 6 (54:34):
Look to be honest, like that that fight it was
it was three two minute rounds, like the rounds go
like that, and we're wearing eighteen outs gloves, you know,
like it was fighting with Yeah, it was you know,
I you know, I love the sport. You know, I

(54:56):
love you know obviously m m A in the UFC.
You know I was. I've been a massive fan of
the USC for a long time. You know. I'm good
friends with Dana White, have been for ten years, good
mates with you know Volco Alexander Volkanowski, you know, trained

(55:17):
with him, you know, you know when he was before
he joined the UFC. And you know, I've been lucky
enough to meet a lot of great fighters, especially in
Vegas and stuff like that, because you know, every time

(55:37):
I text day enough for a ticket, it's always front row.
I remember me first UFC I went to in Vegas.
It was twenty fifteen. It was Connor McGregor versus Alta
for the Championship, and I had front row seats and
I was sitting next to Anthony Ketis and Oscar Delaware.

(56:00):
It was yeah. And then and then Dana White. He
took me backstage to the VP section. And then about
ten minutes later, he yells out, coops, do you want
to come to the press conference? And I'm like, yeah,
of course. So me and Dana walking down the corridor
and he goes, I just got to get Someone knocks

(56:20):
on the door. That's Connor McGregor. He walks out with
his belt, he's got his suit on. He's looking sharp
as I'm walking on, like the shoulder, the shoulder walking
down the corrador to the press.

Speaker 10 (56:33):
Oh.

Speaker 6 (56:33):
Mate, it was. It was a great experience. And and yeah,
so I've been, I've been. I've been really blessed with
having that relationship with Dana White. And you know, I've
been to some really good fights over the years in Vegas.
Here in Australia. You know, I'm looking forward to Alex

(56:56):
frighton in April, he fighting for the title again. You know,
it could be it could be his last fight. You know,
I've got a feeling he might retire after this this fight.
But I hope he goes out of winner. He's a
champion guy. He's down on earth and yeah. So but

(57:19):
getting back to boxing, mate, I would love to have
another fight. You know that that fight with Ojo, you know,
that was my first fight, you know, and usually guys
with their first fight, they'll fight, you know, just some
bumb you know, just to get the wind. I didn't
want to do that, you know, I wanted to fight
someone that actually had had experience, you know. Hoo. He'd

(57:43):
had eight professional fights. You know, he fought Goal twice.
So you know a lot of the guys that were
there that night were, you know, really really impressed with
the way I went for my first fight.

Speaker 1 (58:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (58:01):
I'd love to get back in in in the ring
and have a fight. I've been calling Gall out for
but I called him out to have an mm A
fight about five years ago that he but he kept

(58:21):
dodging me.

Speaker 2 (58:24):
Yeah, you're looking if you look into your second fight
to be against the bomb. I think will put his
hand up.

Speaker 6 (58:33):
That's that's a dead Halsh mate.

Speaker 9 (58:38):
Sny Bill wants to get in the ring. Forget with Gal.
The headline has been through the week.

Speaker 6 (58:42):
But of rounds, yeah, see two minute rounds. It's like
I said when I fought Joe, it was two minute rounds.
It goes like that. Yeah, and and like I said,
you can see the gloves hanging up there. They're the
actual they're the gloves are used and like the pillows.

(59:05):
So I'd love that, you know, an eight round fight,
eight three minute round fight with you know, fourteen ounce
gloves or twelve ounce clubs whatever. Yeah, I'd love that.
Number five. But yeah, yep, But we want to get

(59:27):
back into the dragons. That's what that's the number one.
You get back. Let's get back. Let's get back in
the dragons. That's let's get me to start.

Speaker 2 (59:37):
That social media campaign, the catchy hattag or something.

Speaker 6 (59:42):
Yeah, rae, we'll get the Well. Have to get the
Red v Army to make up some signs.

Speaker 2 (59:53):
That's it.

Speaker 6 (59:54):
There's one. There's one for the Red Red Vy Army. Yeah,
bring back.

Speaker 4 (01:00:00):
CBS have to take have to bring back coupes. Sir,
all right, Matt Cooper, you are a man that is
simply built different. You're deboot in a local derby in
front of one hundred thousand people, make your state of
origin deboot in a decider in front of eighty two
and a half thousand people. You played and won in

(01:00:23):
a Grand final, breaking a thirty one year droughts again
eighty two and a half thousand people, use superhuman strength
in the Tackle of the Century on Chris McQueen bought professionally.

Speaker 2 (01:00:36):
Appeared on multiple reality TV shows.

Speaker 4 (01:00:40):
You're just constantly taking yourself out of your comfort zone
and no matter what you do, you seem to be
amazing at it. Still only forty five and a massive
lot of challenges in front of you. Hopefully we do
get your back to the Dragons. But thank you very
much for joining us on the Mad Dragons podcast.

Speaker 6 (01:00:59):
Dragons guys played for Australia, left for Australia as well,
played for Australia, played for the All Stars and I've
got the most tries for the Dragons ever. Ones that
may get beat. I appreciate it great. Thanks good stuff, guys, Thanks.

Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
Love it, love it. Thank you very much for coming on.
I am absolutely humbled.

Speaker 4 (01:01:29):
And yeah great, great to have a chat with you
and look back on what was was a fantastic career
and hopefully a big, big coaching career coming.

Speaker 2 (01:01:39):
Up as well.

Speaker 6 (01:01:40):
Thanks Chap, I really appreciate it. Thanks guys, So good bye, guys.

Speaker 2 (01:01:48):
Well we will.

Speaker 4 (01:01:49):
You're on the Mad Dragons podcast, brought to you by
a complete where our pollutions. That will continue with the
show and we'll go into what is our sort of
normal segment that we go into pretty early, and.

Speaker 6 (01:02:02):
That is this one.

Speaker 2 (01:02:06):
It's down to get myself, you want to lock down
doing out front.

Speaker 3 (01:02:10):
Nor like any tell us down down Demra.

Speaker 7 (01:02:25):
Hero Check with Coop said, it feels like it's going
to be a bit of a bit of a down
after that. Anyway, Heroes and Villains for round two, Oh no,
we suck again. Looks like it's going to be a long,

(01:02:47):
long year based off the first two performances, predictions about
us getting the spoon may not be too far off
the mark, another need blown forwards not doing their job again,
Casey doing Casey things in the bunker read into that
what you will, and a bench rotation which reminded me
of Anthony Griffin on his worst days, which is pretty

(01:03:09):
much all the time. Now, I reckon the heat might
have got to old old Flano in that regard. It
was good to see blocker Getter run, even though it
was a very short, very short stint which I went
on a thirty degree day like that, that was the
rotation was just absolutely insane. It was good to see

(01:03:31):
Sloane you get a couple of tries off the wing
that will definitely help his confidence. But in terms of
heroes this week, I've got to go with Toby Catchman
and Jack Devellan, who tackled their absolute asses off, making
ninety tackles and missing just two between them. Now, a

(01:03:54):
couple of bright sparks on what you'd have to call
a pretty dark day. Now, I have called Casey Badger
out yet again, but surprisingly she's not getting the villain
this week. That's got to go to the dickhead fan
who decided to throw some abuse an eight year old. Now,
as I said last week, after the pie bullshit, there's

(01:04:15):
no place for that shit in the game. Pull your
head in your anchor back to you, Donnie.

Speaker 4 (01:04:23):
Yeah, fantastic might absolutely spot on. I don't know what
the hell's going on with our fans at the minute.
But there's a few bad eggs that are that are
certainly making us look bad. And you know of orders
have said said regularly, that's not what dragon fans are like,
that's not what Dragons fans are about. And twice in

(01:04:43):
two weeks we've got a couple of individuals that you
get headlines for all the wrong reasons.

Speaker 3 (01:04:51):
I don't understand it.

Speaker 4 (01:04:52):
I don't understand why anyone would be abusing an eight
year old for any reason unless it's your kid. You
shouldn't be shouldn't be getting involved in that at all.
But I think a very worthy villain.

Speaker 2 (01:05:08):
Mad Dragon's vodcast Player of the Year trying to.

Speaker 4 (01:05:10):
Shorten up this show, so we'll we'll skip that, but
we will post a put a post up about the
Mad Dragons Podcast Player of the Year vote some stage tomorrow.

Speaker 2 (01:05:23):
So we go straight into Mad Moments of the match.

Speaker 4 (01:05:25):
You're on the Mad Dragons Podcast, brought to you by
Complete Warehouse Solutions, and I'll go to you rob a
few changes to the team list on Tuesday.

Speaker 2 (01:05:34):
Let's start with the one a lot.

Speaker 4 (01:05:36):
Of people kind of expected to actually happen on Tuesday
with Sloan replaced replacing PENI was this the right move
and do you expect Feni to be considered for the
next game.

Speaker 10 (01:05:48):
No, I think it was the right move, I think,
and I got absolutely smashed by the Bulldogs.

Speaker 4 (01:05:56):
Hasman's gone. I was going to say, I was going
to out goodbye to and he's had to drop off.

Speaker 2 (01:06:02):
Just the story was left for the.

Speaker 6 (01:06:03):
Rest of it.

Speaker 2 (01:06:03):
Go ahead, Yeah, man, he got Pepper smashed in the
Bulldogs game.

Speaker 10 (01:06:09):
I think Tyrrel Slain was always sort of coming back
from injury and was going to get pretty much the
first crack ct I always thought would be one of
the wingers and Tyrrel Slam would get first crack.

Speaker 2 (01:06:22):
On yellow wing.

Speaker 10 (01:06:24):
So yeah, So obviously Slayn scored two tries in the
last game. Yet the tries we're finishing tries. You know,
one was was decent with paced obviously, one was just
pretty much over the line from Suli. You could have
probably scored himself. But I think Slain, you know, probably
deserves to be in against Melbourne without a doubt. You know,

(01:06:46):
he did the right things on the wing so far.
But yeah, for Maddie, I don't know if you'll get
another crack mate.

Speaker 2 (01:06:56):
At this stage.

Speaker 4 (01:06:59):
The name might come up again a little bit later on,
so we'll move on the other. The other change was
Lake luring into the starting team with Toby Kaufman dropping
back to the bench.

Speaker 2 (01:07:09):
Jesse, how what were your thoughts on on this late change?

Speaker 9 (01:07:14):
It was a it was a big question mark on it.
Toby Caushman was arguably our best forward in the game
against the Dogs last week, playing seventy minutes, forty seven tackles. Yeah,
and then blocker only lasted the twenty minutes. He never
got back on. Toby just looked better when he ran,
and he he was running with Avengers Blake and it

(01:07:40):
was very warm conditions there, and yeah, and it just
looked better when Toby was on the field. He just
ran with a vengeance and he showed why he's Yeah,
I don't get why he started out of Toby Kousman.
I don't understand that.

Speaker 4 (01:07:59):
So I think people think, oh, if he started, then
that means Blake Laurie is the better play Blake Laurie
was always only playing twenty minutes.

Speaker 2 (01:08:06):
That was his role.

Speaker 4 (01:08:07):
He was playing twenty minutes, whether it's off the bench
or starting, he was only playing twenty minutes. For whatever reason,
Flano decided that Blake Laurry's best twenty minutes is going
to be in that.

Speaker 5 (01:08:18):
Opening twenty minutes of the game. I think Blocker did
a fine job. Everyond's given him shit, but he was
on for eighteen minutes. It wasn't quite twenty eighteen minutes.

Speaker 4 (01:08:27):
In eighteen minutes, he made twenty tackles, he had five runs,
He ran for almost fifty meters, like he did the
job that Flano gave him to do. Whether there's somebody
else that is possibly better at doing that twenty minute job,
whether it was a good coaching decision from Flanno to
have a guy only playing twenty minutes in a game

(01:08:50):
where it's thirty five degree, I think the question marks
Flanner for Blake Laurie. I think Laurie he did exactly
the job that the coach ask him to do. And
I don't understand why, once again he's copied so much
shit for He went out there and he did the job.

Speaker 6 (01:09:09):
All right.

Speaker 4 (01:09:10):
Talking about it being a hot day in Woollongong rob
the early going, both teams were pretty much perfect, but
Stout they did just need to get the better of
the physical physical exchanges.

Speaker 2 (01:09:21):
A lot of fans put this solely down.

Speaker 4 (01:09:23):
To our boards, but but are there other things you
think we could do as a unit to allow us
to get up over the advantage a line a little
bit easier early in games because we struggled in both
our first two.

Speaker 10 (01:09:38):
Absolutely, Mate, I think across the board as a unit,
I think there's only sort of x amount of plays.
Tavie Cowsem has mentioned Gatho plays like that who play
with intensity, you know what I mean, from the opening
minute and to the eightieth minute. So for me, fortunately,

(01:10:00):
I thought there was players that just for whatever reason,
we're in and out of the game, and you got
to be in there for eighty minutes. And Mate, we
had this game won several times in the game, we
could have gone on with it. But as a combined unit,
we need to play like that. So these individuals like Tabe, Couchman,

(01:10:23):
Gufa or whatever, we need to all of us need
to be like that.

Speaker 1 (01:10:27):
Mate.

Speaker 10 (01:10:27):
The top team is Melbourne and the Sharks and all that.
As a combined unit they play like that, mate, with
intensity for the whole eighty minutes. So I don't know,
I've still got questions with flane with that with the
inconsistency coming back again, mate, you know what I mean. So,
and we've got some experienced players there, like you said, Domini,
I mean in our back line, you know, vale homes.

Speaker 2 (01:10:50):
And stuff like that, So I don't get it.

Speaker 10 (01:10:53):
I would have thought and even in our thowards, Mateloch
and you know, plays like that Jaden Sewer should have
got you a lot for a match like this, mate,
you know what I mean, for the eighty minutes. So
it's just disappointing because we should have closed this game out.
We should have won well, mate, and Gary.

Speaker 4 (01:11:14):
Because last he's saying no forwards had played twenty minutes.
Daniel s Lucaafeta last week for the Bulldogs, started the game,
played the first twenty minutes, didn't come back on. He
did exactly the same thing for the Bulldogs that Oregon
CANFUSSI for the Sharks dead All last year, started the game,
played the first twenty minutes, that doesn't come back on.
That's about all he plays. There are teams that have

(01:11:35):
forwards that only play twenty minutes.

Speaker 2 (01:11:37):
That is their role in the hide now and that aside,
that's not Blake Laurie's choice. Blake Laurie is more than capable.

Speaker 4 (01:11:45):
Of having a second again playing forty minutes. He's done
his entire career. He played somewhere between forty and fifty
minutes pretty much his entire entire one hundred and fifty
game careers. But it's not Blake Laurie's choice that he
only played twenty minutes. Put the job the coach asked
him to ask him to do the job that Shane
Flanagan asked Blake Laurie to play, and that's that's what

(01:12:09):
he did. He went out and did play that role.
I'd be a lot more unhappy with with m Ray Guhler,
who played forty five minutes and made three meters more
than Blake Laurie did. He's a guy that I think,
in the first two games of this season simply hasn't
stepped up. He's not doing the job that we need

(01:12:29):
him to do. He's out our die. He's the big
guy that's both to be actually making a dent in
the line. So from me, m Ray Gouler deserves a
lot more criticism than Blake Laurie.

Speaker 10 (01:12:39):
Huts and I'll be taking out girl straight away and
putting Flamer in.

Speaker 2 (01:12:42):
If Thomas. You know, I'm not I'm not impressed with you.
I know he's played, I was, I was in the
trials made for the first two games of the regular season.
He's been dreadful. It's way too pedestrian to me.

Speaker 6 (01:12:55):
Mate.

Speaker 9 (01:12:55):
Yeah, he didn't play a lot of minutes.

Speaker 2 (01:12:57):
No, he played. He played Flota forty three, forty four minutes.

Speaker 9 (01:13:01):
Yeah, he didn't do much.

Speaker 2 (01:13:02):
No, Toby kowsh was miles ahead, miles ahead.

Speaker 9 (01:13:09):
RFM didn't get many minutes either.

Speaker 2 (01:13:11):
We didn't have any minutes in his first game. We
do have a question of that a little bit later.
Big team, We'll get to that one. South eventually turned
this physical dominance into points. With that, Jie Gray awarded
a penalty try. Jesse thoughts on this decision.

Speaker 9 (01:13:27):
I don't think it was a penalty try. Everyone at
the ground said it was not a penalty try. You
couldn't guarantee that Jie Gray was going to score there.

Speaker 4 (01:13:36):
That's not what the rules, sands Jesse. Guarantee is not
in the rules. That is something that was made up
by commentators ten years ago.

Speaker 2 (01:13:43):
It's never been in the rules.

Speaker 9 (01:13:46):
You can't say you would have scored either.

Speaker 6 (01:13:48):
He was leading the race.

Speaker 4 (01:13:49):
If he wasn't impeeded, he would have got to the
wall first, And if he wasn't impeeded, he probably picks
it up and scored. In the opinion of the referee scores,
that's that's one hundred percent penalty try. That's more of
a penalty t y, I think than the one last
week that we.

Speaker 9 (01:14:02):
You ask everyone at the ground, they couldn't believe it.

Speaker 2 (01:14:05):
Oh well, are any of them dragons fans? By kids?

Speaker 9 (01:14:10):
There were? There are actually a few media that said
that too, and they're they're wrong.

Speaker 2 (01:14:14):
That was a penalty try. I agree the dragon soon,
but I agree, yeah.

Speaker 9 (01:14:22):
Ibed the leg of him. But yeah, I don't know,
you don't.

Speaker 4 (01:14:26):
I mean, if if it's you could make the argument
that Tyron Sloan, maybe he's full of ports and gets
across in front of him and prevents that from being
a try. But if it's not a penalty try, it's
ten in the bing. So is that that we might
We might have conceded four fries with that. Yeah, But

(01:14:50):
for me, for me, that was that was a penalty try,
and I think it was the right decision.

Speaker 2 (01:14:53):
I didn't like it.

Speaker 4 (01:14:55):
I might have been yelling and screaming about it at
the time and not agreeing with it. But in the
cold light of day, I think we watched it. I
think it was the right decision, all right.

Speaker 9 (01:15:09):
Sorry, I said there was a lot to be desired,
some wakeful decisions by the referees yesterday.

Speaker 4 (01:15:15):
Yeah, Well, we can't always blame the refs. I think
in any game we're as close. Though you find one
decision that they got wrong and you blame that, and
we would have won if wasn't for that decision and
his papers over track cracks. And you never have to
actually analyze your own team and be critical of them,
and don't have to hold anybody accountable but the referee.
But because I asked Rob about flying before, I will

(01:15:38):
stick with you, Jess, because the next question is about TYRONL.

Speaker 2 (01:15:40):
Sloan coming into the.

Speaker 4 (01:15:42):
Team, and he was you'll find this out tomorrow, but
you'll find it out right now. The Mad Dragon's vodcast
Men of the Match was Tyroll Sloan scored a double,
But talk us through his performance overall and why you
think that the panel gave be more voted than anyone else.

Speaker 9 (01:16:02):
I think he looked great on the wing. He looked
really right, at home. Guffe was talking to him to
where he needed to be and that was good. And yeah,
he looked like he was He made an impact every
time he got the ball, made twenty or thirty meters
every time he ran maybe more, and got a well
deserved double. He played quite great and I think, yeah,

(01:16:23):
I'm looking forward to see him get better and and
improve on that and as the year goes on, because
he looked great on the wing, and if we can
keep that combination between him and Guffo going, we're going
to be a threat down that side. I don't think
Tony Saijoctor agreed, so he said, WGF, you have to
be joking.

Speaker 4 (01:16:44):
I personally didn't have Tyrol signing his mom out on Matt,
but I did think he had a very good game.
What's of question marked about him defensively, and I think
that he defensively stood up.

Speaker 2 (01:16:55):
There was certainly no errors down down his side of
the field.

Speaker 4 (01:16:58):
He made a couple of long breaks, he looked constantly dangerous.

Speaker 2 (01:17:02):
I think he had had a very good game a
few as well. Yeah, I think defensively he that was
the big question mark on him.

Speaker 1 (01:17:11):
For me, and.

Speaker 2 (01:17:14):
Surely could have scored it, and I love slay Man.
I want him to be.

Speaker 4 (01:17:19):
Yeah, the commentator said, surely could have scored it, but
there was cover offense coming and I had to beat.

Speaker 2 (01:17:25):
That cover.

Speaker 9 (01:17:28):
The problem most of the game.

Speaker 10 (01:17:30):
So I don't know, if you watch it closely what
you said before, Donnie tab Cousman and jv B, if
they didn't make those tackles that they did and the
mistackles that they too, Mate, I would have lost by
more instead of winning by the more. I can't see

(01:17:52):
how slain chappolla a sure but not three points, you
know what I mean.

Speaker 6 (01:18:00):
I'm not I'm not.

Speaker 2 (01:18:00):
I'm not giving anybody a hard time at all.

Speaker 4 (01:18:02):
So for me, I think I think the three two
ones are really difficult this week in in that everyone
that I thought deserved votes also had moments where just
horrible moments where you're like, well, I can't possibly give
them votes now.

Speaker 2 (01:18:16):
Like Guthison was outstanding.

Speaker 4 (01:18:19):
I think he set three tries up, he set up
a few line breaks where he was constantly dangerous. I
think Guthuson was probably our best player, and everything good
we did was around Gatho.

Speaker 9 (01:18:30):
But he was yelling all afternoon.

Speaker 4 (01:18:32):
He well, I mean what about the Peter Marmozellas try
where Mama's he wasn't even looking.

Speaker 6 (01:18:40):
It's like, that's.

Speaker 4 (01:18:42):
Horrible, that's completely unacceptable, and it's well, you know, I
want to give him three v.

Speaker 2 (01:18:51):
That was hopeless.

Speaker 4 (01:18:54):
Jayden Sewell, Jayden Sewell was much again again, the Cody
Walker try still was.

Speaker 2 (01:19:01):
It was Siwer and Ilias again that sort of let
them through. So again there were.

Speaker 4 (01:19:05):
People you talk about Togy Koufman, but then he has
two two eras too simple drop balls that put us
under pressure.

Speaker 6 (01:19:16):
Again.

Speaker 4 (01:19:16):
There were there was, there were there was moments that
every good player where where it was bad moments as well.
So it was difficult to down players that didn't make
any mistakes. And I think Torol Sloan is one of
those that certainly didn't didn't make any mistakes that stood
out for me and I think deserves to be in
amongst the three two ones.

Speaker 2 (01:19:37):
And overall, I think there was four people that did
give him man in.

Speaker 6 (01:19:40):
The match.

Speaker 4 (01:19:42):
On the of our eleven judges, and he ended up
with with one more vote than than gother. All right,
then the next one, Rob is about the dragons conceding
a couple of soft fries with that be a bit
of lack of concentration close to the line. How would

(01:20:03):
you go about fixing these sorts of lapses?

Speaker 6 (01:20:06):
Man?

Speaker 10 (01:20:06):
I mean, your defense on your goal line is paramount.
You know, it's gotta be like the fucking Great Wall
of China or whatever you want to call it. You
just can't let a little a little guy. And I mean,
I know these little guys can be bloody good.

Speaker 6 (01:20:19):
You know.

Speaker 10 (01:20:20):
Obviously the hook of the Souse and Joey Gray were
just talking about bloody and lucy. But I mean, when
you go line, you don't want to just dive over.
It was almost like he was diving into a pool,
you know.

Speaker 6 (01:20:34):
Yeah, And it's just a joke.

Speaker 10 (01:20:36):
We shouldn't be concerning tries like that, you know what
I mean? And that and that, you know, people were
saying that Vow missing a couple of goals or whatever,
but that that try was just so pissed poor. So
I mean, if they you score that try, bloody well
on in the game, so you can get you can
make excuses up for everywhere you want to look at it,
Vow missing goals but whatever, But we should not conceive

(01:20:57):
try try line that was just way too easy, way
too easy, and that reminded me of Hook States, if
you remember.

Speaker 2 (01:21:06):
The same sort of bloody ship again.

Speaker 4 (01:21:11):
Yeah, well get Gary's he's Arry Kislowski in the comments.
He's just had a big crack at at michelnilias album
path left. But Gary doesn't know right from left because
then he corrects himself and says it was right, not left.

Speaker 2 (01:21:27):
So yeah, we all make the Staith, Garrett, we all
make the Staith, even Michelannilias.

Speaker 4 (01:21:33):
At Jeff we led fourteen twelve and a half time
at the break, How how are you?

Speaker 2 (01:21:40):
How are you feeling? What were your thoughts?

Speaker 9 (01:21:42):
I was nervous. It was a it was a scrappy
game at that point of the game. It could have
still gone either way. Knowing how Wayne Bennett teams are,
I thought it was going to be an arm wrestle
to continue on in that second half, and we just
had to be on I'm about to be better defensively.
We were going to win that game.

Speaker 2 (01:22:11):
Jess, Donny frozen there back again.

Speaker 9 (01:22:19):
You've warmed up, you've warmed up.

Speaker 2 (01:22:22):
Yeah, it was the signal I've got at the moment.
It's not great, but we'll go along.

Speaker 4 (01:22:28):
I didn't hear a lot of your answer. But alfter
half time we grabbed a couple of tries at blew
out to twenty four to twelve, lead role and well
and truly in control. So we heard from duty in
terms of what he was he was feeling at fourteen twelve,
twenty four.

Speaker 2 (01:22:44):
To twelve after a couple of tries after the break,
What your thoughts, you know, sort of one, two or two?
Got that try and got that.

Speaker 10 (01:22:51):
I sent you a message before that, right, And I said, Patrie,
I forgot you a cricket commentating the great Donny Bill
doing cricket, rugby, league everything, commentating.

Speaker 2 (01:23:00):
On the airplane mode. I didn't say anything.

Speaker 10 (01:23:02):
Yeah, so mate, I thought, hallelu your brother.

Speaker 2 (01:23:06):
We're ahead.

Speaker 10 (01:23:07):
Let's keep going, you know, or let's defend the lead.
But let's just keep going, you know, like maybe score
another try, but for God's sake, defend, defend the league.

Speaker 2 (01:23:16):
I mean, Jess, it's a good lead.

Speaker 9 (01:23:18):
Right, it's a good lead. They had enough lead to
win the Melbourne Cup.

Speaker 10 (01:23:21):
Run part of a cent and I said to you, Donnie,
back in with hook and everybody just walked a hard time.

Speaker 2 (01:23:28):
But there was games when we could have closed the
match out and won the game. But we didn't.

Speaker 10 (01:23:33):
And mate, obviously history's history. But ah, mate, so disappointing
because I thought we.

Speaker 2 (01:23:40):
Were Yeah, well, I'm going to say it. When I
was walking the game, I got to that twenty four
to twelve lead, and we just we just walked in charge.

Speaker 4 (01:23:48):
We looked in control of the game. She out flading.
You know, they had a couple of injuries. They already
had had a raft of players out. I thought, from there,
we just go on, we go on with it, and
we went win it easy.

Speaker 9 (01:24:02):
We went they were down with the fifteen players.

Speaker 2 (01:24:07):
Happened, Yeah, I said.

Speaker 4 (01:24:10):
Jeff, I had a couple of injuries during the game,
as well as the raft players they already had out.

Speaker 2 (01:24:16):
From there, I thought, we go on with it and
we win it easy. Absolutely.

Speaker 6 (01:24:21):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (01:24:22):
Inconsistency in one last season.

Speaker 9 (01:24:26):
Field goal, Well we'll.

Speaker 2 (01:24:28):
Get to that.

Speaker 4 (01:24:28):
Well, let's let's let's talk about val Holmes first. Jeff,
val Holmes, you kicked Pauli in both our first two games.
Do you know if Darryl Halligan is helping with his
goal kicking?

Speaker 9 (01:24:41):
I have no idea. I have no idea, but he's not.
He's definitely not shown the form he had last year
when he was leading points score on the NRL.

Speaker 2 (01:24:50):
I mean say that because Daryl Halligan was helping.

Speaker 10 (01:24:52):
That may even a Graham Mardle mate else he's.

Speaker 9 (01:24:59):
He was he was he was trying to curve them
in instead of like like j T used to do.
He was allowing too much for the win. There wasn't breeze.
There wasn't a breeze at Windstadium yesterday, so I don't
know what he was trying. He was going either two
wide or too too far left. He just he couldn't
get his range. The only ones he did get was
the ones right in front. So he's really got to

(01:25:21):
work on that kicking, on that goal kicking because when
when the type games come, you've got to nail those conversions.
I've had a lot of d M saying or Lomax
for to kick those. Lomax has gone move on from him.

Speaker 2 (01:25:36):
Now do you remember a few years ago Max would
have got those when said the yips he.

Speaker 10 (01:25:41):
Was snapping at the ball, he was slicing.

Speaker 2 (01:25:43):
I was watching with Cord. He would going to the
ball and he snapped at it, you know what I mean.
So he had a bit of the yips, you know,
but he didn't.

Speaker 4 (01:25:51):
He didn't have the yips that he had Darryl Allig
and was completely wanted him to completely change his goal
kicking technique.

Speaker 2 (01:25:57):
So that's what I didn't know that yes, changed everything.

Speaker 4 (01:26:02):
Daryl Alligan was still adamant that if he had stuck
with it then he would have been a been a
coal goalkicker than he used right now, but he basically
threw it all out and went back to the way
that he used to kick.

Speaker 2 (01:26:12):
I remember stepping at the ball man.

Speaker 4 (01:26:16):
It wasn't wasn't pretty, and yeah, val looks looks to
have been a similar aim at the moment, but I'm
sorry he probably mon miss for the next next five.

Speaker 9 (01:26:24):
The reason we lost the game though, people people crucifying,
and that's the reason we lost the game. That's not
the reason we lost the game.

Speaker 2 (01:26:32):
Again.

Speaker 4 (01:26:32):
If he kicks all these goals, we're up thirty to
twelve and probably give up from there. So you know,
it's it's a big but we still won five thrives before.
If we kicked one goal then.

Speaker 2 (01:26:44):
They don't even go for that field goal. Who knows
what happens from there.

Speaker 4 (01:26:47):
But it certainly as a massive factor as you said,
in close games, if you're not kicking kicking those goals, cruc,
then you lose. You know, that was actually the reason
we lose. Mathematic leap you do the mast our loans
admitters were exactly the reason why we lost the game.

Speaker 2 (01:27:05):
But we shouldn't have put ourselves.

Speaker 6 (01:27:06):
In that position.

Speaker 9 (01:27:08):
That's what I mean, like that our defense should have
baptist to win that. Yeah, as Planner said, poor mismanagement
from the team. We couldn't close it out.

Speaker 4 (01:27:22):
Yeah, roll so without a host of players lost players
throughout the game with the heat. Were you surprised that
it was it was up that wilted or are there
issues without without preparation that have been exposed by some
sort of lack of conditioning.

Speaker 10 (01:27:43):
Yeah, man, I didn't get it, mate, Yeah, I thought
that fitness was you know, ahead the first year again
the second year.

Speaker 2 (01:27:54):
I just don't know. I don't get it. Some of
our bigger is not fit enough.

Speaker 1 (01:28:02):
I don't know.

Speaker 2 (01:28:03):
It is a concern. I need to be honest with you.

Speaker 10 (01:28:07):
So yeah, moving forward, it is a bit of a concern, mate,
certainly if we fell away.

Speaker 4 (01:28:14):
Yeah, well, I don't I don't mother. He wanted to
talk about the Bield goal and lack of pressure on
Jamie Humphreys. But first of all, I want to go
back to you, Jess, for the question that you asked
that the set before Sow kicked their field goal, we
were in the right territory to take our own shot,
but never seemed to even consider it.

Speaker 6 (01:28:35):
Why.

Speaker 9 (01:28:35):
I don't know that that's there. Vale would have been
because Vale is a good goal kicker field goal kicker
as well.

Speaker 2 (01:28:43):
I've never two point on half time, didn't he?

Speaker 9 (01:28:46):
So he did, yes, but he was way off. But yeah,
he's kicked many two point field goals in his career.
So I don't think I've ever seen Kyle Flanning or
a locklw this kick one in there in our oal career.
So yeah, that's just due to lack of game management.
I don't know why Val Holmes didn't go hunting for
the ball either. I mean, and with four minutes to

(01:29:07):
go they give it to Cookie and the center's on
the last tackle, what are you going to do with it?
That was poor? That was absolutely pissed poor.

Speaker 2 (01:29:14):
It's pathetic. Yeah, absolutely, Okay, Now the.

Speaker 4 (01:29:23):
South field goal came to Mother was adamant that there
should have made some pressure on Jamie Humphries. Yet all
the time in the world, why wasn't there any pressure
on Humphreys to kick.

Speaker 2 (01:29:34):
That left barter?

Speaker 10 (01:29:36):
To be fair, the dreams, I think it was a
bit of a shock if you if you looked at him,
he was pretty much forty five degrees, so you're not
certain he's going to take a field goal right then
and there, you know what I mean. So so yeah,
I mean, maybe I've got the red eye and the
wide eye going or whatever. I get where muzz is
coming from. But he was sort of side on and

(01:29:57):
then snapped it side on, and he flustered.

Speaker 1 (01:30:00):
You know what I mean.

Speaker 10 (01:30:03):
You see the world's biggest bloody half pick. He looks
like a bloody body builder.

Speaker 2 (01:30:08):
He's got them.

Speaker 10 (01:30:09):
He's got some big knives, didn't he Jesus his chest
and his childers.

Speaker 9 (01:30:14):
The Dragons just gave up on the play. They thought
there was an error and they We've said this many
times in the past, the whistle. They weren't playing to
the whistle. They thought there was a mistake. They gave
up on the play. And then Humphrey's had all the
time of the world no pressure on him, easily kicked
it never looked like missing.

Speaker 4 (01:30:30):
It said, but I don't I don't think that was
a set plane for a south so that the ball
was supposed to go to Cody Walker.

Speaker 2 (01:30:37):
Yeah, Walker was just Walker was just no, it was Walker.
The ball was supposed to go to Walker.

Speaker 4 (01:30:44):
The ball bounced over Walker's shoulder and bounced and then
Humphreys picked it up. So everybody was zeroed in on
Walker's trincle pressure on that kick. But Walker wasn't going
for a field goal. He was just going to bomb
to a corner. Weren't even setting up for a field goal.
And when it bounced it roll Humphrey's picked it up
and thought, well why not, and he himself it was

(01:31:06):
like Jason Ryles's field goal attempt back in the day.

Speaker 2 (01:31:08):
You've got the ball and schools the level, and he thought,
what I'd have a.

Speaker 4 (01:31:11):
Cam a crack, But unlike Ryle's and unfortunately Humphrey He's
actually kicked it. The Yeah, we've got one question that
comes through from a fan. I probably should have had
in the agenda, but kind of rushed it. Focusing on
the Matt Cooper interview from from Justin Melton Guess talking
about about Cole Flanagan as saying, laugh here he did

(01:31:34):
some kicking in general play, but now it seems to
be all all Ilius Gillius.

Speaker 2 (01:31:40):
Is the only one doing any kicking again. Why why
is is this that.

Speaker 4 (01:31:47):
Something that shaged planning in his coaching that's had to
do or does Kyle just not want to kick?

Speaker 9 (01:31:52):
I don't know. Yeah, I agree he did not go
looking for the ball once. Is he scared of kicking?

Speaker 6 (01:31:57):
Is it?

Speaker 9 (01:31:58):
Is it something he's not confident in doing. I think
Lilius has a hunt two point oh. All he does
is bomb. All he does is bomb.

Speaker 4 (01:32:08):
Well, I mean, is it hunt two point zero or
is it? Is it all shame Flanagan? Is it shamee
Flanagan telling his heart this is how I want you
to kick. Because you've got two players doing the same thing.
You've got to find the common denominator. Maybe it's not
like that's not doing that at the Broncos.

Speaker 9 (01:32:26):
That's playing. What he's strength is he's running.

Speaker 4 (01:32:29):
He's playing, he's playing the way that he's coach wanting
to play. Maybe he was playing the way he coach wanted.

Speaker 10 (01:32:34):
In it's going to be catching instructions. Do your right
because Hunt's gone now and obviously he was domineering. He
pretty much ran the show. But now we got Ilias
and we got Floody good. So to me, that's a
direct instruction from Flanne that Ilius will run the show
like run with the kicks and all that. And yeah,

(01:32:56):
so I don't think it's Carl not wanting to having
get you Jesse. I don't think it's Calmer wanting to
do it. I think it's fun as instructions. And yeah,
you know what, I didn't like Hunt because he wanted
to leave our dragons, but freaking hell, man playmaker Elie's

(01:33:17):
kicking game is just a lot left of his man.

Speaker 9 (01:33:22):
Fans. Yeah, I've had a lot of message from South fans.
He said, I told you he's.

Speaker 6 (01:33:27):
Going to be like that.

Speaker 2 (01:33:29):
Well, to be fair, I told you he was going
to be like that too.

Speaker 9 (01:33:33):
But no one laugh.

Speaker 2 (01:33:36):
But reason recoup. Good great comment here.

Speaker 4 (01:33:40):
Successful teams have several confident kickers rather than relying on one.
You look at most teams and it's not it's not
a single person that does all the kicking.

Speaker 2 (01:33:50):
Yes, they might be a dominant kicker, but.

Speaker 4 (01:33:52):
The five eight will be putting in half a dozen
kicks and the half back will be putting in ten.

Speaker 2 (01:33:57):
So it's well, there might be a dominant kicker.

Speaker 4 (01:33:59):
There's that there's multiple options that most teams have and
a variety of different kicks as well, whereas the Dragons
only only seem to have one type of kick, one
way of kickings, and they'll see you.

Speaker 9 (01:34:15):
Well, what do you take on him singling out ilious
yesterday after the game.

Speaker 2 (01:34:20):
Well, he's taken that back. He has apologized for that.
He was again when that's the problem with postmatch press conferences.

Speaker 4 (01:34:26):
You chuck a coaching into that situation where his emotions
are heightened. I think you would spot on, But I
don't think it's the right thing for a coach to
be doing this early in the season, throwing your half
back under the bus. Again, Blacklanmilius has been made the
scapegoat a few times before. I don't know that we've

(01:34:50):
got too many other better options. So we've got to
stick with him. We've got to try and build up
his confidence, not built breaking down and tear him apart.

Speaker 2 (01:34:59):
So I don't know that it was the right thing
for planning to do. I got to respect you, Donnie.

Speaker 10 (01:35:04):
You picked it, you did say, at the worst, the
reserve grade halves, I means and funny and I mean
playing in as long as he's playing really good footy,
the top top game or whatever, you know, you can
pass for first grade. But mate, when they're not playing
ilase and playing in at their top footy, maybe they're not.

(01:35:27):
They're not freaking first grade players, you know what I mean.
I mean, look across the competition, the five eighths in
the in the in the half backs. Mate, they I
don't know if even though these boys would be picked
at five eight or half back in any of the
other teams.

Speaker 2 (01:35:41):
Wan to be honest with you, I mean, let's be honest.

Speaker 9 (01:35:45):
I just want to say. I just want to say
a little fan who I met the other night, Hello,
have you watching Parker and Brook? Good to meet you,
and we'll line up to get you on the show.
Why night, Why don't we don't he We'll make that arrangement.

Speaker 4 (01:36:01):
Absolutely, always happy to have rugby League room is the
pen facing all the stuff that they're they're doing, so
following along as well and great that you you've got
to got to lead a mad dragon's lockcast. Then I
know we've got a few in the comments, but you
don't see too many in real life. I think, yeah, yeah,

(01:36:23):
I will certainly make you feel feel good to pumped
up your ties a bit yess.

Speaker 9 (01:36:27):
Yeah, and he was very excited too, So yeah, we
look forward to having you on the show. And I
think he's only six years old. He's scored eighty nine
tries in two years, so that's from well.

Speaker 4 (01:36:43):
I don't think I scored eighty nine tries in my career,
so he's doing doing fantastically well.

Speaker 2 (01:36:48):
All right, doubt lower grades. You're on the Mad Dragon.

Speaker 1 (01:36:56):
Again.

Speaker 9 (01:36:56):
Don't he come on?

Speaker 6 (01:36:57):
Warm up.

Speaker 2 (01:37:00):
In the heater?

Speaker 1 (01:37:00):
On?

Speaker 9 (01:37:00):
Donnie do a fire up video? That a fire up?

Speaker 6 (01:37:09):
Come on, fire up?

Speaker 10 (01:37:11):
If everybody's there before he comes back on? Did anybody
watch the game day video.

Speaker 3 (01:37:15):
With the pipe?

Speaker 2 (01:37:16):
My wife was shot there he is that word while
you're off to use your game day video. My wife
was shocked.

Speaker 10 (01:37:27):
She said, he's just smashed the pine into his face.

Speaker 9 (01:37:34):
Yeah, everyone got a pip win stadium yesterday.

Speaker 4 (01:37:40):
It was with a d piss take that one yet today,
But it was good fun. I'd always like to try
and make people laugh from from down to John.

Speaker 2 (01:37:50):
I think sometimes we all.

Speaker 4 (01:37:51):
Take ourselves a little bit too seriously, but my braids
that will be reviewed and previewing their own separate mini shows.
Hopefully I get a chance to actually do it this week.
I haven't done it for the last couple of weeks,
but both their Fleag and New South Walest cup Side
got good wins over over South's. Well, I mean a
lot of people have pad left. Bring in all the
New Southwest cup Side. They actually weren't very good, Jesse.

Speaker 9 (01:38:14):
Ben No, they they won in the end, but like
birth grade and they nearly lost.

Speaker 2 (01:38:23):
It, but well they completed it.

Speaker 4 (01:38:26):
They completed it about sixty percent. They were not good
and still one like thirty.

Speaker 2 (01:38:30):
To twelve or something thirty eighteen.

Speaker 1 (01:38:34):
It was.

Speaker 2 (01:38:34):
It was a pretty comfortable win. Ben Rumble scored scored
a few tries but also had five errands.

Speaker 9 (01:38:39):
That's trick.

Speaker 2 (01:38:40):
Well, I mean he had five heroes. It was real
rocks and diamonds.

Speaker 4 (01:38:43):
He dropped about three or four catchers bombs and you know,
he had a host of mistakes, but also scored three
tries and made a few breaks and it looked very dangerous.

Speaker 9 (01:38:54):
So was quite sharp too. I liked what he did.

Speaker 2 (01:39:00):
He built into that game that short ballly through for
Dylan Egan. That was an absolute beauty and Dylan Egan
was sent safe. We played the played the eighty minutes.

Speaker 4 (01:39:09):
Started in the middle of the field, moved to an
edge later in the game, popped the tackle count.

Speaker 2 (01:39:14):
He is, he is one player that I think is
one hundred percent already.

Speaker 4 (01:39:18):
There's a few of the others I think need a
bit more work and a bit more time and cup.

Speaker 2 (01:39:22):
Dylan Egan for me is one that is he's ready
for the characters talking about which one Megan and the
other big unit straight in so he's talking about lock o'tona.

Speaker 10 (01:39:41):
I assume to be fair to be their boys. I mean,
come on, South said, so many players out in first grade, right, So.

Speaker 4 (01:39:49):
Yeah, the reserve great team ship, the reserve great team,
wouldn't wouldn't beat.

Speaker 2 (01:39:53):
One wild I get. I get people sort of jump.

Speaker 10 (01:39:57):
We had a we lost the game was very other players,
but come on, we should have won that game three
or four times in the match.

Speaker 9 (01:40:05):
You should have won it well pretty much a full
strength too.

Speaker 6 (01:40:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 10 (01:40:09):
So I mean, at the end of the day, I
don't think it's it's diabolical to try and bring in
low grade players at the moment.

Speaker 2 (01:40:16):
But then again, we're playing Melbourne in a couple of weeks,
so well, yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:40:20):
I think there's there's a few positions that need to
be fixed. Yes, there's only a few positions that need
to be fixed. But I don't know that we've necessarily
got the players to fix those particular positions.

Speaker 2 (01:40:36):
I think that the spot where we're actually okay.

Speaker 1 (01:40:41):
You know.

Speaker 2 (01:40:42):
I know a lot of people are talking about the
young forwards, but I think they still made a little
wire longer.

Speaker 9 (01:40:48):
I want to point out too, when we lost Moses
Silly with that rid blow yesterday, we still lack a
utility on the bench.

Speaker 1 (01:40:54):
I mean.

Speaker 9 (01:40:56):
People said, oh, Damien played center for New South Wales. Ye, yes, yeah,
and how did that turn out?

Speaker 4 (01:41:04):
But he's also played he played center quite a few
times last year for the South. He's played fullback. He
was in the News Cup Team of the Year when
he was a fullback, and so it was a long
time ago. It was a long time ago.

Speaker 9 (01:41:18):
But we like the utility we do.

Speaker 2 (01:41:22):
The utility.

Speaker 4 (01:41:25):
You're not gonna have you not to have Jacob little
Gangion cook Anty utility in your side.

Speaker 2 (01:41:29):
That's just not gonna happen. And that's what I was
thing happened.

Speaker 10 (01:41:32):
Little killed Little killed it when he came out against
the dogs. But I thought Little against uh, you know,
in this last game, he wasn't used expectively well, but
also I.

Speaker 6 (01:41:44):
Thought he was.

Speaker 2 (01:41:45):
He was ordinary effectively, he was just ordinary.

Speaker 9 (01:41:50):
He was on his hands still heavily strapped, His hands
still heavily strapped, must still still be having an effect
on him.

Speaker 6 (01:41:58):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (01:41:59):
Yeah, Again, a lot of people saying that Little's got
to start and Cook's Cook's got to go.

Speaker 2 (01:42:05):
But I thought Jacob Fiddle was pretty average.

Speaker 8 (01:42:09):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:42:10):
I thought he was in for a better game than
what he had.

Speaker 4 (01:42:15):
Yeah, and he got got got a little bit longer,
got slight in a longer time than he got in
the first week. Yeah, I still like to see that
that one two punch used a little bit better. I'd
like to see, you know, maybe Little come on after
thirty minutes, not fifty minutes, that last ten minutes for half.

(01:42:35):
I think he could cause some some real problems and
then Cook can come on as a running forward later on.

Speaker 2 (01:42:40):
But that obviously got a spanner throat in the works.

Speaker 4 (01:42:43):
With Suli going down, we had to had to plug
that gap and decided to go with Cook and cook
cook when.

Speaker 2 (01:42:50):
Okay out there, but he's not.

Speaker 9 (01:42:54):
He's frozen again.

Speaker 10 (01:43:01):
Well, while while Donnie's frozen, does claimer start on the
bench Jesse against Melbourne?

Speaker 2 (01:43:07):
Obviously he can.

Speaker 9 (01:43:08):
Play, he's got to get his less up first. He
hasn't played it. He hasn't played any or anything.

Speaker 2 (01:43:14):
Not even the bench spot. You don't think.

Speaker 9 (01:43:18):
I think he comes into the seventeen. Whether or not
he starts, I don't know, but he's this up first. Yeah, yeah,
we're just talking about clamber Donny.

Speaker 2 (01:43:27):
Okay, well that was probably next on the left. Let's
try on rough for something. The rest of this agenda
and news and rumors Mikaylie Robert Laa learned to South
but at this stage he will be back for the
Dragons in twenty twenty six. Thoughts on this mode wrong.

Speaker 10 (01:43:43):
You know, I love ref I really do, but I
think he sort of passed his best at the Dragons.
I don't know, it's it's become a bit stale. I mean,
I feel sorry for the guy. I mean, he got
put on the other wing that he's that he's not,
he's not common to play, you know, all that sort
of stuff's happened to him the last couple of years.

(01:44:03):
But you know, Donnie CT is a fricking beast, and
I think Slave's here to stay as well too. Yes,
I just don't see rav Billion in our top three
or four choices.

Speaker 11 (01:44:18):
Yeah, I don't think.

Speaker 2 (01:44:20):
I don't think there's a spot for him to come
back to.

Speaker 4 (01:44:23):
No, there's not. That you talk about your CT and
and bline forget that he doesn't have a spot in reserve,
Gray picked ahead of him.

Speaker 2 (01:44:32):
I'm trying to be nice to him. There is there
is not a spot in reserve great for Mikaylee.

Speaker 4 (01:44:38):
Yeah, but at this stage, unless we can find another
club to take him for twenty twenty six, he's going
to be in our top thirty for twenty twenty six.

Speaker 2 (01:44:46):
He's got a contract. He's going to be playing somewhere.

Speaker 4 (01:44:49):
He's more most likely going to be back.

Speaker 2 (01:44:52):
At the Dragons and Reserve Great.

Speaker 4 (01:44:55):
Well, not even not even in reserve right to be
playing in the local Little Warrior comp change the player,
the high fate player in the local Little Waricon just
basically no no change in the Frank Milo situation. How
long do you expect this to drag on?

Speaker 6 (01:45:12):
For?

Speaker 9 (01:45:13):
It could take months. Flano doesn't even know how long
it's going to take.

Speaker 2 (01:45:18):
Ye, he dog have questions all together. It's nothing to do,
nothing at.

Speaker 8 (01:45:23):
All to do with it.

Speaker 9 (01:45:23):
It doesn't it's it's management. And then it's at the
NRL thing. Yeah, it could take months. It's a it's
a very technical and legal thing because he still has
a contract and how they I've never heard like the
way it's going on. I've never actually seen it anything

(01:45:44):
like it. But yeah, I don't know, I don't know
when it comes around. Hopefully maybe the club hasn't given
up on turning him changing his mind and hopefully he
can come back and play. Hopefully that can happen. But well,
if they unless they come to resolve soon, it's going
to drag out for months, could take up till June

(01:46:06):
even more.

Speaker 2 (01:46:08):
Ye, Jesse, you wanted out. Apparently the story gays you
went to Fin in his office and said on on.

Speaker 10 (01:46:13):
Out that afternoon, if you believe the story, And he
goes to training with his brother Michael, and he drove
home and he pissed off.

Speaker 4 (01:46:20):
So we've heard that part of the story quickteen, that's
not new.

Speaker 9 (01:46:29):
You don't know what what it's for. Like apparently coaching
staff member of the coaching staff said something to him
that meet him quite upset. But it's a really technical issue.
It's a yeah, you don't really know the full story. No,
when we'll ever know it, John.

Speaker 4 (01:46:44):
Mullo, Maloga paid one hundred and seventy thousand in December.
So with the Dragons, are we meanything. That's one of
the big sticking points John, is that the Dragons actually
gone to price Mallock. The Dragons want Malo to pay.

Speaker 2 (01:46:59):
That back that They're like, they're they have they have
paid in that in advance for his salary, and he
is now not playing.

Speaker 4 (01:47:08):
So the Dragons are saying, well, you can't leave to
go to another club until you play us that back.

Speaker 2 (01:47:13):
And so that's that's one of the sticking points.

Speaker 6 (01:47:15):
There's a few.

Speaker 2 (01:47:15):
Conditions that the Dragons are putting on it. The Dragons
are playing hardball.

Speaker 4 (01:47:19):
And basically, yeah, well, I mean I'm quite happy for
the club not to be not to be a doormat,
you know, not not to allow Frank Malo to walk
all over him, and you know, just wipe their hands
and say, oh no, well yeah, we just want to
get rid of you, so we'll do We'll bend over
backwards and give you everything you want because you're chucking

(01:47:41):
your toys out of the cold.

Speaker 2 (01:47:42):
I'm quite happy for the Dragons to dig their hills
in a little bit here.

Speaker 6 (01:47:46):
Season.

Speaker 2 (01:47:48):
I don't want there's there's there's zero chances have been
paying back in the team mate.

Speaker 4 (01:47:54):
It's it's just negotiating how he leaves and under what
circumstances and what the Dragons get for it. All right,
some some forced and unforced changes, rob most of Souley
suffered a rib injury a while.

Speaker 2 (01:48:07):
A lot of light of this before that.

Speaker 4 (01:48:09):
The lack of depth when it comes to genuine NRL
quality centers. So who will it be that comes into
replace Suley if he is unavailable for.

Speaker 2 (01:48:17):
The Melbourne game?

Speaker 10 (01:48:19):
Well, mate, to be honestly, I've really got no idea mate,
to be honest with you, mate, does he does he
pull Corey Allen into the team play center because obviously
Corey Allen's got that experience, first grade experience and played
for Queensland in.

Speaker 2 (01:48:35):
The origin or one of the younger boys. I mean,
you were joking before, Jesse Damian Cook, but I think
that'll happen.

Speaker 9 (01:48:43):
But i'd only see had a choice yesterday.

Speaker 2 (01:48:48):
Yeah, Corey Allen coming in, you know, and I mean
I don't know we I think Corey Allen's been the
most likely.

Speaker 4 (01:48:55):
He didn't play the news World Cup game because he
was suspended, but I think it was a one week suspension,
so I think he will be available.

Speaker 2 (01:49:04):
Most likely. Matt Feni is probably the other one from Lawson.

Speaker 4 (01:49:10):
He's been playing okay in New South past clus in
the centers. Hayden Buchanan played really well in the centers.
I actually think it was his best New South Wales
Cup game on the weekend, and defensively he was rock solid.
That's been again my big thing with him is he
he wasn't ready in defense.

Speaker 2 (01:49:28):
No he's not. They need, they think to get people
dispen face, and I don't think they get it.

Speaker 4 (01:49:32):
Dylan Eagan actually played in the centers during the Trolls
for the Dragons, so they might.

Speaker 2 (01:49:38):
I don't think they name him the starting center though,
like all.

Speaker 9 (01:49:42):
The players, and Matt would be another option we'd probably consider.

Speaker 2 (01:49:46):
Well I did. I did say Matt Feni. That was
the second one that I said. I think he would
be the If it's not Corey Allen, it'll be Matt
Theene I reckon I.

Speaker 10 (01:49:56):
Watched his reserve grade game against the and he actually
wasn't too bad with Slane to be honest with you.

Speaker 2 (01:50:04):
He was getting Poornis to slay on the wings.

Speaker 10 (01:50:06):
So I know if they counts or anything, but you're
probably gonna tell me they won't play together in the
in the first grade team, but when they work surely
in flytory Allen I think may. I mean he's placed
State of origon for Queensland in regular first grade, so again.

Speaker 4 (01:50:25):
That was a long time ago when he's That's why
I played. Frank molin is a former State of Origin players.

Speaker 10 (01:50:32):
But funny seems to pick the experience the you know,
I mean the older players whatever, that's what he likes
to do.

Speaker 4 (01:50:39):
Yeah, do you know where you guys got with the
David Klemer chap will be a vailable for selection against Melbourne.

Speaker 2 (01:50:45):
I hum, he comes straight into the seven A and
what what what will his role be?

Speaker 9 (01:50:50):
I don't really know yet. I mean, he hasn't played
any trials, he doesn't have any match fitness. I didn't
play in New Sols Cup for the Magpies either, so
I think he'll come out of the phrase somewhere, whether
it's starting whether it's on the bench, I'm not too sure,
but he will make an impact. He probably start training

(01:51:11):
with the side tomorrow and I'll say he'll come into
the seventeen somewhere. I'm not sure whether it'll start or
come off the bench. You'll feature.

Speaker 4 (01:51:21):
We saw on the weekend. It doesn't really matter whether
you start or come off the bench. You can you
can still play big minutes coming off the bench. Code
Kobe count From played sixty minutes off the bench. We've
seen Jack de Bellen.

Speaker 6 (01:51:31):
Do that as well, so.

Speaker 4 (01:51:33):
I think his big frame, he might very well start
and you get through that first twenty minutes and then
come back on for a second stint a bit later.

Speaker 2 (01:51:41):
But we'll see. We'll see what Planno wants to do.

Speaker 4 (01:51:45):
He doesn't always run that sort of bench rotation that
way all the fans wanting to.

Speaker 2 (01:51:50):
But we'll see how it goes.

Speaker 4 (01:51:52):
Rob tol Eisenhoop is yet to play a game at
any level in twenty twenty five, and while there were
originally reports of the concussion suffered at training, there's been
no update on eisen who since I mean, I'll throw
the question to you, but does anybody know what's going
on with Tommy.

Speaker 2 (01:52:08):
I have no idea in Mat.

Speaker 10 (01:52:10):
I know he's liked by Flanne obviously, so disappointing with
Ryan cows from being out to me, he would get
that spot every day of the week. So but I
know he's much loved by Flanney, so if his name
was in the seventeen, I wouldn't be shocked. Mat after
having two losses on the truck, well, not.

Speaker 6 (01:52:31):
That, not that much.

Speaker 2 (01:52:32):
I feel like what's happening with his injury.

Speaker 9 (01:52:37):
On NL.

Speaker 2 (01:52:38):
I'velearned some rumors that he might never play again. I
don't know where that's coming from or but like, yeah,
he playing again. I got it here, Jesse.

Speaker 10 (01:52:50):
I was meant to read the team less right casual
ward from last week. Can I sell a calf round
four Ryan Cousch in ACL season? So there's no Eisenho's right, Jesse,
So no.

Speaker 1 (01:53:01):
No idea.

Speaker 2 (01:53:02):
Man.

Speaker 9 (01:53:02):
I had seen there at the game yesterday, but did
you can't really say you see if he's got an injury.
I couldn't only see him.

Speaker 4 (01:53:12):
I know originally it was listed as it can coin
if it's if it's a long turn, can something that's
going and he's actually proving to be a significant issue
in his life, and is there a possibility that he
might he may announce the injury related retirement.

Speaker 2 (01:53:30):
I see, hope not.

Speaker 9 (01:53:33):
I should away. They shouldn't Round four, Round four.

Speaker 2 (01:53:37):
I think he's supposed to be background four or five.

Speaker 10 (01:53:39):
So don'ny it happened to the rooster play. It was
a rooster player that was the second round that had
all those.

Speaker 2 (01:53:48):
Yeah, yeah, the about three or.

Speaker 6 (01:53:52):
Four of them.

Speaker 9 (01:53:53):
Bradley is the latest one.

Speaker 10 (01:53:55):
Yeah, So you're right, don'ny. They can retire because it's obviously.

Speaker 4 (01:53:58):
Well you like again again again were We're like, this
is a speculation, Like I don't know anything, and obviously
neither do either Jesse or Role. So it'd be lovely
to get some sort of update from the club and
what's going on with Tommy is and who's the fact
that he hasn't played a game at any level and
that he isn't listened in the casual people. What's what's

(01:54:18):
going on with him? He's still in our top thirty,
so we'd like to know what's happened.

Speaker 2 (01:54:27):
Having a nice meat pie and I like another meat pie.

Speaker 12 (01:54:31):
Go and have dinner somewhere with the's having Tolly Toy
Angel it is with tomato sauce.

Speaker 4 (01:54:42):
Well, it was one of the one of the criticisms
I got from my video was that I didn't have
tomato sauce on the pie.

Speaker 10 (01:54:47):
So yeah, when it's all the piles, chilies, everything, tuber.

Speaker 2 (01:54:59):
Staying for a the mate fames everything. Well, I've got
to go to dinner. So we'll wrap it up.

Speaker 4 (01:55:11):
Thank you once again to Matt Cooper, and we'll likely
close up the show with some some Matt Cooper highlights
on YouTube. No Tuesday or Sunday shows this week with
the buy we will enjoy the week off and and
get ready for a battle against Goliath in a fortnight
You up, Come on, Dragons fans, Fine.

Speaker 3 (01:55:53):
Here's truck.

Speaker 10 (01:55:56):
Try time again the Dragons.

Speaker 3 (01:56:07):
Guy again today to keep the.

Speaker 4 (01:57:22):
James like that like cripple the slices through ours is
a white he gets a dry cripple.

Speaker 3 (01:57:31):
Look at trouble Accused's time.

Speaker 11 (02:00:31):
That tells a hussy. That's tell tales out there.

Speaker 8 (02:00:56):
That you don't You and the NP crew will deliver
very past it knocked up again all the press with
the Red Beyond Objects, the Bad Jagon Podcast us issue,
the Coverado ree navigating why stand rabbit holes in the
land of being whip me and so I can't speak.

(02:01:18):
The tailors are SUPs Entry The Bad Dagon podcast from
God by a tame