We are the Champions

We don't win many, so when we do we are NOT humble. The panel look back at our fantastic win over the very powerful Wests Tigers as well as addressing a few of the rumours around the club at the moment

Episode Transcript

(00:05):
This is the Mad Dragons. We'llget our ladies and gentlemen and welcome to
the Mad Dragons Vodcast. We've takena big step to avoiding the Wooden Spoon,

(00:26):
while at the same time reminding everyoneat exactly why we're in contention for
the wooden Spoon. It was anugly win, a win not to be
celebrated, a win we shouldn't beproud of. But we don't get many.
So we will be celebrating. Wewill be strutting, we will be

(00:48):
popping out our chests because this weekendwe are winners. We may never lose
again. Buck it. Let's playthe team song. Ohn sink oh so
much and watching Oh oh what Saintblow, Oh witness think, ohness,

(01:30):
I think through shine again. Herewe go, roll you reckon. That
will be the last time we hearthat new season made. I hope not

(01:55):
um. Lots of tough games comingup, of course, but have face
and hope that we'll get to hearit again and inspired. Absolutely Hopefully we
get to hear it every week forthe for the rest of the season,
starting with a big win this weekendup against Manly. But all right,

(02:15):
no, no, has man tonight, So we don't get any heroes and
villains, but what we will doso we'll move straight into the Mad Dragons
Vodcast Player of the Year voting,and for the first time in twenty twenty
three, the Mad Dragons Vodcast Playerof the Year is unanimous. Chloe,

(02:35):
does it surprise you that no onehad a different Man of the match in
this game and everyone had Billy Bones. No, I don't think so.
You know, of course it wasn'tBilly Bon. Zach Lomax is clearly that
the man of the match. ButI think like Zach Lomax, Um,
I think Sean and showed up,which is good on him, seeking two

(03:00):
people, so um, good onhim. I thought he did well for
the night. You know. Yeah, well, I mean you obviously had
Lomax as as the best. Wouldtell us to tell us what you liked
about Zack Liimax's performance. I thinklike he was everywhere, and he was
like he was confident through it,like he was running with the two tries,

(03:21):
and yeah, I just thought thathe actually it was just nice to
see him playing well on the field, and the confidence and the speed and
the way he just was everywhere,tackling at the right moment and when the
when it was getting when it waslike two points to go or two minute
or whatever, he was there justin the game and not giving up.
So it was really good to see. Yeah, no, he was in

(03:45):
absolutely everything was was zaklimax and anotherstandout performance. And I'm sure we'll talk
about a few more specific moments aswe go through the show. But second
in the voting was probably not asclear as I ordered would be. I
thought that the top two for thedragons work were pretty obvious to me.
But yeah, he still ended upas the second best according to the panel,

(04:06):
but not many agreed with us.Big tea, why do you think
blocker was our second best? Oh? Just what he did? Or that
all day? Mate? Um,how are you running out there in TV
land? Um? What he didmean seventeen runs, having a fifty five
meters twenty seven tackles, it doesn'treally mean it was all over the field.

(04:27):
He done his work, and hedone what I expected to do,
So I was happy with his ownwith his performance. Yeah, well,
again, it was a tight game, and I think in those sort of
tight, low scoring games, it'sit's the forwards that actually win you that
win you the contest, and Ithought Blocker really rolled up the sleeves,

(04:47):
went forward and played played with somereal aggression. That that that. I
think there's been lacking a little bitin the last last few weeks from Blocker,
but he seemed to get back outthat's somewhere near his best. I
think if on the weekend Blocker Um, Zac Blay, Max Um, they
have been hung out a fair game. Um, but I reckon we went

(05:11):
two or three before the end ofthe year. I hope you're right,
mate, I hope you're right Maxand Ben and now they're saying they're actually
staying for the length of their contract. So Shane Fanigan's worked his magic and
actually got them to stay over here. Yeah, well, what are you
all? I think the jury isout as to whether it's magic. I

(05:34):
think there's a lot of people thatwould have been quite happy for him to
go. Oh for sure, exactlyfor sure. Sure, I understand that.
But he's our captain. We've gotto get beyond him now, well,
we certainly do. It looks likehe is sticking around for the duration.
Uh. In terms of third inthe voting, was actually a three

(05:54):
way tie for third in the voting. So let's have a quick shout about
all three. First of all,and legitimately this time, Billy Burns.
Rob you were the proxy voter forMozzer this week and you gave Burns the
two votes. Did you really thinkhe was the second best player or are
you just stucking up to me lookingfor a promotion to two ice. No,

(06:15):
not at all, mate, Ireally did think he was fantastic.
I mean, I think you'll knowthe tackles that he's made on the only
missed one tackle, even forgetting theRoman. I know Blocker ran a few
meters and all that, but therewas a crucial play with Billy where he
tackled one of the Tigers players andI lost the ball, which to me

(06:35):
was a turning point in the match. And I just thought he was exceptional.
And he's been getting smashed, youknow, a week after week,
and I thought it was a bitof a breakout game for him. He's
been selected now reasonably regularly in firstgrade. Whether you say it's injuries or
whatever, other players but that areout. But I really think Billy's now

(06:58):
stepping up to the mark, andI think he deserved in you being that
top three events without a doubt.So that's that's my feelings on me.
Yeah, no, I thought again, we talked about the tough stuff through
the middle, but it was alsoa very defensive game. It wasn't a
lot of points scored. And yeah, I can't remember a time where we

(07:21):
had our two edge forwards make eightysix tackles or something between them. So
between Billy Burns and Dan Russell,they got through an absolute mountain of work.
I can't remember the last time wehad two second rollers make so many
tackles in a game. And Burnsas work great. Even though he didn't
have have a lot of runs,a lot of run leaders, he was

(07:42):
running a lot of decoy lines andyou know, sort of they sort of
went out the back of him quitea bit during that game, so he
still did a bit of work offensivelywithout necessarily each showing up on the stat
sheet. So I thought it wasit was another pretty good performance from from
Burns. At the next one,Thomas surprised me a bit because while I

(08:03):
thought his effort was better, Ireally didn't think he was was close to
our best three players, but afew people did, including Jesse who had
been hud for one boat that tellus why. Um. Yeah, so
there's been a lot of speculation abouthim least future over the last month,
but um, how his performance forthe club has been affected that. Obviously,

(08:24):
those performances against him the Warriors andthe Shark were well below his expectation.
But yeah, he really stepped upto the market. He set up
a nice try for Zach Lomax earlyin the game. Um, and he
really he looked like he was reallyenjoying his foot ye again and really was
really caring and was doing anything whatwas better for the team. Even in

(08:48):
that team song, like, hedidn't show any signs that he wanted out.
He was singing along and smile,had a big smile on his face
singing with the boys. I don'tknow if it's what that what the chat
had really changed his tune on beingin the club, But yeah, it
was good to see him back performingwell and I'm hopefully he can continue to

(09:09):
do that. Personally, I don'tthink there was ever anything wrong with Ben
Hunt's performances. He had two belowpart performances when he was suffering from the
flu, like he was crook.That was the reason why he didn't perform,
not because he didn't want to bethere, not because he didn't want

(09:30):
to want to put in the effortlike he was. He was very sick
and went out there and did thebest he could for the team in those
two games as well. In thisone, I thought he ran the ball
quite a lot. I didn't thinkhe was all that effective. He put
him one good kick for the Lomaxtribe, but other than that, I
yeah, I didn't think he wasin our best three players. His effort

(09:52):
was certainly higher, but yeah,I thought he was sort of struggling for
timing a little bit and wasn't allthat that that flash. But obviously a
few few other people disagreed with that. I thought his half partner was actually
the better of the two. Ithought Junior Amone was the better and he
was also tied for third in thevoting, and Coco, you had had
Junior for the two votes as thesecond best beyond Lomax. So what did

(10:16):
you like about Junior's performance? UM? I liked about um how is he's
kicking words like and UM. Ijust felt that he was more confident on
the field as well, where hewas setting up plays. Like what Jes
said about Um, he actually saida few tries um and also um,
yeah, he did one line breakto offload three meter kicks, two kicks

(10:39):
and sixty five kicking meters m andninety four all run meters. So I
just thought that he did very wellas well compared to Ben Hunt. So
yeah, I just thought he didof my two oh yeah two yeah,
yeah, No, I thought hethink he had another very solid game.
When he ran it was effective,he set up that that great try for
tires, and I thought he wasquite quite a solid performance. I think

(11:03):
he probably made more tackles in thisgame than he has in his last few
he has. He certainly struggles defensively. He's not a great defender at all,
but I thought his effort in defensewas a lot better than it has
been for most of most of thisseason. So in all sort of areas,
June you really start is starting toget back at his confidence that I

(11:26):
think he's been lacking for most ofthis season. All right, we move
now into some some moments of thematch, But I think before we do
move into some some moments of thematch, Big Team, there is something
that does have Bragging's tongues wagging,and that is the rumor the very strong

(11:48):
rumor that looks highly likely that JadenSullivan has been told that he's free to
leave. No real question other thanto ask, what are your thoughts on
Jaden Sullivan moving on? Yes,they are a wagging, They're they're wagging
pretty long and pretty fast. Um, if that's the way Flannagan wants to

(12:09):
go, you know, like weput so much work in the Sullivan though.
Um, maybe Flanagan can't see him, seen him being a future first
grader and he's told him you canmove on. But and just so seems
to say that Ben Hunt will bestaying and um, we're bringing another back,
halfback somewhere. Yeah. I thinkthat's probably the big question that people

(12:33):
are going to have now, isthat, yeah, we've we've got to
recruit someone. We can't go intothe season with Ben Hunt and Junior Ramona
and that that's that's it. We'vewe've got to we've got to bring in
some and more halves to the club. That's quite surprised today that um mboy
has been announced his leaving. Well, Ben Sullivan's out for the rest of

(12:54):
the year. Um hunts and halfback. Yeah, No, it's it's it's
definitely an interesting one in terms ofhow the team's going to shape up for
the rest of the rest of thisseason. But forget this season. I
think most people are already looking towardsthe next next year and who are the

(13:15):
Dragons going to target? Who arethe Dragon's going to try and bring in?
If that goes down? This year, is gonna be half back?
Well Jack de Bill Jack bird mate, what do you do? But next
year? Yeah, if if,if the rumor is true and some of
him is on his way out,looks like to the West Tigers. Um,

(13:37):
yeah, we're in a bit ofa bit of a pickle, aren't
we. Well. I was hopingyou would say so, I wouldn't have
to, but everyone in the comments, the comments absolutely lighting up Paul Flanagan.
It just seems obvious to everybody,coul Flanagan. He's coming to the
Dragons, everything everything Flannagan is doing. He maybe he doesn't give a shit

(14:00):
about the Dragons. He just wantsto get his son another contract. No,
No, I can see fat YoungFlannigan company as a fourteen maybe,
but not as a seven. Umit's been for years. Yeah, he
can play half, he can playfive, eight, he can play hooker.
He can play a lock at apinch john zone, but he's not

(14:22):
an hour half back. He's nota half back, but he could be
at forty. He actually played acouple of games at nine and he's like,
wells cup, he actually went wellat nine. That's right, that's
right, we would you're bringing mein at fourteen? Yeah, but the
other one going well at nine inNew South Wales. Couple and two different
things. But I've also heard umcha downs in um his name has been

(14:46):
thrown up. I don't know wherehe's gonna fit, but his name has
been thrown up. So yeah,that's that's one we know. We just
need to go back to the hookdays. Are just filling the team with
a four thirty seven year old.Yeah, but yeah, won't worry.
Is there a halfback next year?Who are you going to? Who are
we going to get to back up? Well? Jack Clifford has actually been

(15:11):
linked to a return to the Cowboys. That's why that that's why the tangents
looking at the door. Yeah,not not to the Dragons, No,
exactly right, don't go. You'vegot your hand up there, Yes I
do. I love it. NowI'm a bit angry Okay, guys,
so sorry, I'm I'm not happyabout this little rumor or if it's true.

(15:37):
Now before you start, I'm justgonna go and get another beer and
take up a comfy seat. Okay, this might be three minutes. Okay,
so fuck Okay, he's one oftheir young guys. And yes,
this year he asked all asked you, he asked for a release. However,
we don't. I don't know whatfun Again is thinking about, because

(16:00):
I guarantee you, I think inmy brain and heart that Ben Hunt will
be like, for personal reasons willleave at the end of the year and
go back to Queensland. Yes,thank you, Bensey service. But Sullivan
is a young guy and he's twentyone years old and where and he's a
free to leave. Like I don'tlike that. We've done this to many
other young players and the Dragons shouldsay fob you off, fob them off

(16:23):
and go, you know, Andwhat we're gonna have another thirty four year
old or are they going to begood for the next two years? But
then there's Bud who's twenty one andhe could become a very good seven.
But I'm really really upset about it. So it's not. No, I

(16:44):
don't like it. Colie. Doyou think this is a problem with giving
a coach a three year contract,like he has to have success in the
next three years, Like if wehadn't got Jason Royles on a five year
deal, he had he had thatlonger term focus where he would actually build
the team, whereas Flanagan's got threeyears. He has to get this team
six vessels straight away. He can'tafford to put faith in the young players.

(17:10):
Yeah, I think so, yeah, that's what and that's what also
what I have I hate too becausethat, yeah, he has to he's
he's an assistant coach at Manly,but now he's still trying to work our
team out and it's going to bea roller coach. So yeah, I
think, yeah, it's like,if you don't make us go into top
eight by this day or this year, that's it. And that's that's the
huge like responsibility and target you knowas well. So yeah, I think

(17:33):
it's it's a bit of both.It's like outrageous and yeah, but if
you're a coach and we we asfans, we know we've had a ship
a couple of years, we haven'tWe're fifteenth now, so we want to
go back up to the winning circle, you know, and yeah, but
yeah, I just don't know whatflaning is thinking. Well, Rob,

(17:55):
I'll put it to you some somethings that that Flanagan might be thinking.
So Jaden Sullivan was supposed to takeover next year as as our number one
half back. So with that inmind, his contract next year it is
reportedly going up to five hundred andfifty thousand dollars a year somewhere in that
vicinity. Obviously this guest work fromjournalists and stuff, but he's getting it,

(18:18):
getting a pretty decent upgrade to hiscontract. So it's going to be
on big money for a backup halfback. Is that more the thought process
of Flannagan that it's too much forfor a backup seven? I'd say so
Donnie with the mathematics, Um,yeah, I mean obviously Flanne has decided
that he doesn't see a future partthat that money is going up. Obviously,

(18:41):
if another club comes in they takeit over. I think it's two
years, isn't he's got left?Is that right? Or one year left?
But he's got a couple of yearshe's off contract. The same time
has been hunh yeah, so yeah, so the two years so yeah,
i'd say made you pretty much atthe nile of the head there. M
like what everybody's saying, it isa concern. I look at it from

(19:03):
the other point of view. Thebest halfbacks in the game of all time,
your Jts, Cooper, Cronks andothers, thirty four thirty five,
I think most of them retired.So I worry about Hunt's longevity. I
worried about him, like what yousaid about him getting injured, and it's
a massive risk to take. Andas you were all just saying, now

(19:26):
we're gonna have to get a backup half back because how can we just
rely on a thirty four ye orwhatever. If he gets an injury,
it does a shoulder or something likethat, or a knee or something.
So it's all a bit confusing,to be honest with your Donnie. But
yeah, getting back to Bud,I think that's what it is. But
I think it's a mathematical decision.But I really worry about the future of

(19:47):
that decision, and time will tellin the next couple of seasons. I
don't see Hunna's begging the way up. I see him on the way down
to be honest with you, Idon't rate anyone Walley Lewis or even a
Daily Evans or a player like that. I know, I know he's been
one of our best, but Idon't think he's one of the top half
backs in again, so I quiteworry about Lord Jeff so Jesse. I

(20:11):
mean, could part of the otherthinking be, you know, less around
that sort of financial saving and salarycap management and more around the fact that
that Sullivan he has had that quitea few ham string issues. He's had
a lot of these sort of softtissue injuries that seem to be be plaguing
the early part of his career.And when he has been given an opportunity

(20:33):
in the top grade, he hadn'texactly grabbed it with both ends. It
isn't a case that maybe maybe Finaganjust doesn't think Sullivan's got what it takes
ball. From what I see,I think that he's looking at as a
moment and as he's long term,as he's herds while he's at the club,
and um, if Sullivan finds anotheropportunity to play in the NRL with

(20:57):
any other side, I think he'sI'm letting him take that opportunity. Because
he's not going to wait on anothertwo or three years before he gets he's
shot as a regular first grade halfback or five eighth. UM, he's
far too good for that. Heisn't not going to develop his career by
within away and USA will's cup Um. I think he's looking at it.

(21:21):
Maybe it's good for development of hiscareer to pursue a career UM and who
knows. Um if if the time'sright, say in a couple of years,
when Ben Hunt does decide to hangup the boots, we might bring
But if that goes, if thathappens, but we'll see what happens there.
But yeah, it could that couldbe another option as well. That's
what I've heard a few people sayas well, Big Big two. I

(21:51):
suppose one of the things Shane Flanaganhas pointed out is that he's free to
look elsewhere. But there there's stillevery chance he's at the draft aagons still
next next season. If if Jayden'ssupped like Jaden Sullivan, you know he's
reportedly on that's for the five hundredand fifty thousand years. Do you think
another club he's going to be willingto take over that contract of an um

(22:15):
unproven seven that's got got the injuryissues. He does well, he could
would be willing to take that rising. It could say to flann Against I'm
staying um. I don't care whereI player, I'm staying um. But
yeah, another club, I don'tthink they pick him up the five hundred
thousand. If they're going to pickhim up, well man, the West

(22:36):
Tigers won't give him a fair bitof that five hundred thousand. Um,
They've got to be a bit ofcap running around. Hopefully two clubs it's
got a bit more for him andhe gets five hundred and sixty and with
Scott three. Uh, but yeah, I don't think anyone's going to pick
him up five hundred whatever. It'sfive hundred yees, So I just have

(22:56):
there's a bit more for him.Yeah, I personally, I think this
is a a dreadful decision. Ithink it's absolutely horrendous and it's it's a
terrible misstep from from Shane Flooding.And I think that in ten fifteen years
time, if this, if thisdoes happen, if this does occur,

(23:17):
I think that I think we willlook back on this in ten fifteen years
time the same way we currently lookback on the Bulldogs deciding to prioritize Brent
Show and instead of Jonathan Thurston.We're going to look back on this moment
and say we prioritize a half fortwo years over a guy for the next
ten, Like he could go tothe Tigers with their young up and comers

(23:41):
with Benji Marshall as a coach.He's gonna let this kid play what he
sees. He's gonna let him dowhat he does best, read the field.
I've got a huge opinion of JadenSullivan, and I think this is
going to be an absolutely diabolical decisionand just going to be great for Sullivan's
career to go and work. Ijust say this probably a scheme between Sullivan

(24:07):
and Fannigan. Fegan said to Sullivanlistening, man, you're not going to
get the next two years at theDragons, why didn't you go somewhere else,
learn your trade a bit more,go and learn another system, and
they come back in two years tillwould love to have you back. That's
what I was saying. I don'tthink that happens so much like if you
go somewhere else and has success,he'll stay there. I'm just I'm just

(24:32):
joking. Yeah, all right,let's let's actually get into the game on
Thursday. And I had to getthat one out of the late. But
because I know a lot of peopleare pretty fired up about that one,
we'd normally do that a fee abit later in the show. But we'll
get into the game from Thursday androb Let's kick it off with kick off
the chat with a bit of anegative for months with for months that we've

(24:56):
spoken about our right side defend.But on Thursday night the Tigers attack the
other side of the field and itlooked like we had similar issues on that
side. Again rather Lower getting allthe blame. But was it all his
fault? I mean, I don'tthink so. I going back to what

(25:18):
I talked to about, I thoughtthe game was the low end of the
NRL, both teams being where theyare, plenty of tries and obviously miss
taggles. You can say Rave mighthave come in of it as well too,
and it should have stayed back out, But I don't know. I

(25:42):
put it down to without pinpointing individualplayers that I think when Flanne comes in,
it goes back into well what arewe doing with their defensive structure.
What are we going to do toimprove that? Right across the park,
right end, left side. That'swhat I'm looking forward to, maybe not
just pinpointing what happened in this game, but what's going to happen in the

(26:04):
future. How are we going toimprove it? And I'm having we'll get
that with final because supposedly he's meetingdefensive minded. So yeah, I'm obviously
being young, was Hook. Yeah, I know, I know, mate,
I know, but we can onlylive in hope, Mate, to
be honest with you, but yeah, I don't know. It just seems
to be an issue. I don'tknow with the team obviously, with the

(26:29):
defense. So something's got to bedone. But at the moment we've got
an interim cage. So yeah,so it's difficult. I mean, are
we still back in the hook Hookstays with the defense the way you know
why the structure is, it seemsto be well then Wolfs the defensive coach
has been all years, so he'sstill there. Yeah, So I mean

(26:51):
it seems to be until he untilhe completely you know, fix up the
structure across the board, We're justnot going to improve me unfortunately in shifting
players, around or bringing player inor or whatever, or doing what hook
did, which was pretty pretty outof mad shifting. Lamax, you know

(27:12):
it was Sully, So I don'tknow until the whole thing Bloody has a
clean up. Don't seem it's drasticallyimproving, to be honest with you.
Yeah, I mean everyone's saying,just get the wingers to stay on their
men. If the wingers stay ontheir end, the other two that are
unmarked go through and score tries itall day every day. That's right.

(27:36):
The wingers are getting blamed, butthey're quite often left with three on one
situations like the first try. Lomaxprobably read it right. He jammed in
on Papali, but the past fromDane Laurie actually went behind him, but
still it was Dan Russell turned eachshoulders in. Dan Hunt jammed in,
which left Rubber lower with that threeon one situation he jammed in as well.

(28:02):
It's it's it's a terrible defensive structurewere utilize that regularly leaves us with
three on one for our wingers,and our coaching staff have just done nothing
to address it. Rather, Lacertainly not blameless, and I think if
he was actually looking at the ifhe was looking at the ball, he
probably takes an intercept from from thatone. It was a poor pass from

(28:22):
Laurie that ended up the to Thryassist because Brotherla was looking at the man,
not looking at the ball. Thenof course a pretty piercefeak effort from
from Sloan. Defensively, he justisn't up to our old standard in defense,
and that's just something he's got togot to work on. And I'm
not sure how he's going to goin improving in that area, but I

(28:45):
know he's working hard on it.But it was pretty poor again for that
first try. The other two triesthat the Tiger scored when we were down
to twelve men, but I thinkit's hard in both of them to work
out what was going through rather head. In one, he was about forty
meters infield trying to put a shoton the first receiver and the other regemding

(29:07):
on the center that was clearly covered. He didn't need to come in at
all. We were short one man, but it's hard to justify the decisions
or rather made on those two tries. So he was he certainly wasn't that
great defensively in this particular game.But again it's not entirely his fault for
all three of those tries, andour defensive system need to complete overhaul.

(29:30):
As you said, Robin Jesse,I've mentioned tyroll Sloan with some ordinary defense,
but it was a real Rocks andDiamond showing from him. He looked
creative and dangerous at times. Hescored a great try for flick pass from
a Marnae and then the next setI think he dropped an inside pass from

(29:52):
from Lomax that might have put himaway. He got Sinbin, is he
ever going to be an sistant atR or fullback or is he always going
to be hitting mess and we justhave to accept the good with the bad.
Well, it's really hard to puta finger on that. Um.
Yes, he's got some moments inhis game. He's got that X factor
at least speed, and he canscore tries like like some others can't.

(30:17):
But yeah, his defense really letshim down, like when they put that
in the other night later in thegame and he was in the field of
flaming ran back in goal and I'mgoing to line drop out of it,
like even the commented over in thenine commentary team, what's he thinking?
Now weird. Um. Yeah,well I don't know why you do that.

(30:37):
Yeah, there's still a lot he'sgot to work on. But Flanna
did say one of the things hewas working on that he will be keeping
tired or slow training that he'd nevergot before. So it's a big summer
coming up for him. So hopefullyI'm plan get him to that new level
and show him with the um getinto the level we want to see him
at. Get his defense in order, and because if that's if he can

(31:03):
get that in order, he canbe he can be up there with the
best Eneral Bullbacks if in the nextfew years, if you can get that
part of his game right, becausewe know what he can do with attack,
but yeah, defense, he reallyneeds to get work on that be
timing in the off season. Yeah, I think he's a player that's got

(31:23):
got so much raw ability and talentand and it's funny sort of looking at
the Mad Dragons vodcast Player of theYear votes and how how many times he
actually has got votes from from thepanel, because there are games where he's
fantastic and he's in our best threeplayers on a semi regular basis, but

(31:44):
then he's in our worst three playerson a semi regular basis as well,
So he's at that frustrating stage ofhis career. And yeah, I think
the question mark is he always goingto be that enigmatic player that has the
occasional good game or if he candevelop into a consistent NRL player. Um,

(32:07):
yeah, I don't know. Ithink the jury's out and hopefully shann
Flannagan can can be true to hisword. I think we thought similar things
when when Hook came in, thathe was going to get get training that
he hadn't had before and was goingto get you an experienced coach that knew
what he was doing. And Idon't know that didn't work out, and

(32:29):
I'm not sure that that Flanno willbe able to get to get much better
out of him. Jesse, youhad something else to add, Yeah,
some people have actually pointed out tobe like, do you look at the
other young fullbacks in the game.You look like Rhys Waltz, the Hammer,
Um, Jaden Campbell. They've allshowed why they are good NRLL fullbacks.

(32:51):
They're only young as well. Um, how would could you compare any
of those three or any other youngfullback in the game. The tyre would
would you would you say tyrols inthat pass yet, Well, I don't
know. I think you know,ja Jaden Campbell and Will Kennedy and Reese
Walsh are similar types of players.Actually, in Tyrol signs probably better than

(33:15):
all of them defensively, which isironic because if you were to ask people
who's the best of them defensively orthe worst of them defensively, I reckon
every Dragon's fan to tell your Tyrolslone is the worst. But I don't
think he is. I think allall of those players are very very very
average defensively, and no one talksabout it because they're so so good in

(33:36):
attack, but they're consistently good inattack, and I don't think Tyrol Stone
is as consistently good in attack asas CAUs like like Campbell, like Reese
Walsh, and certainly not Will Kennedy, Who's who's very consistent in that area.
That big team. We've been therebefore. But Damian Starks said,
what are your thoughts on MOMX?Yeah, there's a viewer question about that

(34:00):
a little bit later on, Sowe'll get to it, Damian, we'll
get to it. But I didsee that come up in the chat and
I thought, I yep, Ididn't want to skip ahead in the agenda,
but stick around exactly, Stay tuned, stay tuned. We'll get to

(34:21):
it. You just have to haveto keep watching, and we will.
We'll chat about that a bit lateron. But staying with the game for
Thursday night, Chloe, for theopening half an hour, we probably looked
a better team and in control ofthe contest. We hadn't blown him out
of the water, that's for sure, but we looked in control until Sloane

(34:43):
got sin Mint. We sort ofspoke about that the sin been a little
bit already, but but what wereyour thoughts on the actual sin minning itself.
I thought it was ridiculous. Iwas like, really, he's getting
sin min for that, But Ido understand that people do hold on for
too long, but like so timesthe rest to give him a warning or
something, but like, yeah,I just thought it really ridiculous, like

(35:04):
for that, you know what youknow, But yeah, that's what I
thought was just ridiculous. Yeah,I've got to say, like it's one
of the things in the game thatdoes frustrate me because it was one hundred
percent of professional foul like that deservesthe Sindianni. The problem with it is
that it happened Oregon ten times overthe course of this weekend, where a

(35:30):
team early in the tackle count afteran error lies on the tackle although they're
intentionally offside down in in that redsoone. These are all professional fouls.
It happens all the time in thegame, and it should be a Sindian.
I've actually got no problem with thatbeing a Sindian. The problem is
the consistency. The only team,the only the only time it's happened this

(35:52):
year, like this happens Oregon tentimes every single weekend. This same profession
nor foul gets committed ten times everysingle weekend. The only time it's ever
been a sinbin was this game rightnow against the Dragons. Absolute bullshit.
It's it is a professional foul,but you can't pick and choose when when

(36:14):
it's a sinbin and when it's not. So yeah, I think it was
very, very frustrating to see thatthe only time they actually enforce it as
a professional foul is against the Dragons, and and it hurts us. Jesse,
what do you think it's down toeach referee, Because I'm not you

(36:35):
don't get the same referee. I'mdoing each game every week, like each
referee has a different opinion on whata professional foul is or if they if
they them there's a sin bin oreven a send off in some cases.
But um, yeah, not eachnot, each referee has is going to
have a different the same interpretation oneach rule. Agains it's not been Gumming's

(36:58):
first game of the year, isn'tNo, No, he's seen this same
thing happened, and he hasn't hasn'tdetermined if it's seen been at any other
stage of the season when and Iguarantee you it happens. It happens all
the time. In a lot ofgames where there is a knock on and
the player intentionally lies on the tackleto allow the defensive line to get set,

(37:20):
they're going to give away. They'rehappy to give away six again because
it's already the zero tackle anyway,who cares, Let's get the let's give
our defense a chance to get set, so they intentionally give away. Yeah,
they intentionally give away that six again, and it is that that is
a professional foul. Most of thetime the referee says six again and gives
an extra zero tackle. But yeah, for whatever reason. On this particular

(37:44):
occasion, though, the referee thought, I've had enough. I've seen this
all year. I'm going to putsomeone in the sinbin for it. And
is he going to do it nextgame? Is he going to do it
for the rest of this season?Is he going to get in trouble for
it from the referee bosses because noone else is doing it? I don't
know, So, yeah, it'sit's a it's a frustrating one when I

(38:06):
think it's the correct decision, butthere's no consistency from the referees and it
just hurts the Dragons and we're theonly ones to get punished for him.
But big team, the good teamswill occasionally grow a leg and play better
with a man in the sin bin. But we lose one of the bin,
that looks like we've lost three orfour players. As the Tiger scored

(38:29):
a couple of tries and ended upgoing to halftime with with a lead,
how are you feeling about our chancesat half time? I said we made
that was sitting with me. Isaid when when when Slain got sent off?
And I said we'll trail at halftime here? Yes we won't.
And I said we will and yeah, we trail at halftime, and you

(38:52):
cou couldn't believe what I said,And I said, but I think we'll
get it. I think we'll getthem. I thought we'll get them,
so at half time we'd get them. So and apparently we missed twenty two
tackles in the first half and sixin the second, so that wasn't a
bad effort. Well there, Yeah, so it was pretty pretty good defensively

(39:13):
in that in that second forty wedid actually normally do it the other way
around and we get tired. That'sright, Actually, great, great Greek
fagan. I'll stay stick with you, big big Teaker's Greek Greek fagan.
She's put a comment something that Idon't have it in the agenda, so
I'll stick with you for the question. Um, And it was one that

(39:35):
I that I certainly noticed Ben Huntputting a kick in in the first half
and got taken out late. Itlooked pretty obvious to me, and I
thought I kept I kept waiting forthe whistle of the referee and nothing happened.
What were your thoughts, Well,it was obvious. I see late
tackles on kickers when the ball isstill on the kicker's foot. Um,
so that was late every day ofthe week, but appar not for the

(40:00):
Dragons. Yeah, I couldn't believedthat wasn't That wasn't the penalty it was.
There was a lot of decisions thatcould have gone fifty fifty but we
never got any of them. Wasthat was that one? So it happened?
Was it late in the late inthe first half? And I might
be misremembering Thursdays a long time ago, I remember, but there were there

(40:22):
were should have got a penalty andinstead of getting a penalty, the Tigers
went up the other end and scoredif But yeah, the tackle was later.
I remember the tackle because I said, again sitting there with me,
mate, I'm saying that was late. That was late, and it was
going off my face. Um,And I said common as you're a painter,

(40:45):
So yeah, he used nice language. Yeah, it's still still before
nine thirty. So BG all right, um, rob second half was it
was. It was a bit ofa grind, but the try that that

(41:07):
ultimately won us the game. Abit of utter brilliance from Zachlimax. Talk
us through the try as you sawit, but mate, unbelievable, um
hunt to slain. Really nothing happeninggets to Zach absolutely had pressure on him.
Um, he literally had a playeron him, forced him off,

(41:31):
did a part, did a dida one eighty um and turned and ran
and obviously the past to rather unbelievableand rather on my leg as well too.
But Zach's determination, passion, power, strength, pride, everything you
want to throw at him. Abit like the men behind him, Mundine,

(41:52):
he was hated but loves you couldmake something from nothing X factor.
Well, Zach was our expector,mate. Um, yeah, if it
wasn't a hum, I don't thinkwe would have won the game, to
be honest with you. So goalkicking and that and that trice that caps
off a wing first, mate,and what a superb way to do it
in full marks to Zach, Absolutelybrilliant. Yeah, I thought he was

(42:15):
already the best player on the fieldbefore that moment. And just like I've
watched that try or I can aboutfifty times since since it happened. And
the way he just debat what threeor four players all on the same blade
of grass, just looking for thatopportunity and then saw it got between defenders,

(42:36):
flick around in the corner. Absolutelyunbelievable. I mean this not I
don't think there's any players in thecompetition that could could do that could pull
that pull, that sort of tryout. And we see Zach WiMAX at
his absolute best. I think he'sthe best center in the world at his
best, and he showed showed thatsort of ability. And if he's being

(42:58):
our best player the last last twogames, if he can continue this sort
of form for another sort of sixmonths into into next year, we might
see him in a sky blue jerseynext year. Because he's he's absolutely unstoppable
when he's at his best, andwe've seen a couple of really good performances
from him consistency years now. Thekey he's at that age where he's a

(43:20):
bit more mature and hopefully he cancontinue to perform at a really high level.
All Right, we moved now intosome questions from fans and Jesse.
The first one from Bob Campbell.He says Flannigan has confirmed that Ben Hunt
will be staying at the Dragons nextyear and beyond. He wants to know
who you think should be his harvestpartner. And for now, let's assume

(43:45):
Sullivan is staying at the moment,I did have to think he's going to
go with our junior at six hundredseven, and I think Sullivan were used
as a full team. Obviously Middleshould be the starting nine at this stage,
do side dummy half and then Ithink Sulim will be us as a
dummy half, as a dummy halfrole and coming form the harder case they

(44:08):
injuries too, Junior or Ben Hunt, I think, yeah, I think
that we're used in that number aboardeenrole and give takes some pressure off little
give him a spell as well.Yeah, I've always thought that Junior Amona
is the better six. I thinkhe's the guy that better compliments Jaden Sullivan.

(44:30):
But I think the caveat to thatis that Junior has to be in
form. He hasn't been in greatform this season. His last couple of
games, I think he started toget back to the form we saw at
the back end of last year.Obviously, he's had a few things on
his mind coming into the start ofthis season and hasn't quite been at his
best. But I think Junior complimentsat Ben Hunt's game a bit better than

(44:52):
than Jaden Sullivan does. So asas a six, I think Junior is
the better option. I think whenJayden plays it's at six. He gets
forced out of his comfort zone anddoesn't get the opportunity to play his natural
game, which he has as aseven and a organizing seven. He's a
genuine seven, and I see somany people saying he's not a game manager,

(45:15):
and I can understand those that havethat have only seen him play NRL
footy that would say that, ButI've seen him manage games and control where
he hands over the ball and bea game manager at lower levels he is.
He's a genuine seven. He hasn'tshown that at NA level at all,

(45:35):
and I'd agree with people that wouldwould make that comment. But I
think Jaden Sullivan's a genuine seven andnot a not a six, and that's
that. That's why I think I'dgo with with Junior. He answered a
Bob's question. Chloe rob Bell wantsto know if Lomax should play fullback for
the rest of this year and ifhe does, what happens to Sloane um.

(45:59):
I think it's a good idea.I think maybe Slone and Lomax could
maybe swap and just see how thatworks out. It can't hurt we are
not going to the finals, sosee how we go with that. Maybe
Sloan, I don't know, Maybesomeone needs a different um, maybe a
different position to see where he canbe in the team, because yet like
being in one, he's not reallydefending the line very well. But you

(46:22):
know, I would like to seeZach be a one and maybe change change
it over Sloan before and Lomax beone. Yeah, why not, Let's
see how it goes. Big take. You wanted to answer this question a
bit earlier, so I'll chuck itto you as well. What are your
thoughts on Lomax going to fullback?Well, he's played. He played fullback

(46:42):
in the camera game and he didn'tlook too bad. I don't think he
was quite exact fit for it,but I think he could play fullback.
And we thought a couple of yearsago he could play fullback, and that
didn't work because somebody got injured inthe centers and to come in and filling
at fullback and he had to goback to the center. So maybe try
it again, see how it goesfor the rest of the year. Yeah,

(47:07):
I sort of worry about about TyrolSloane. I think Zach Loimax would
be a great, great fullback.I've I've always thought that he's got the
skill set to be a quality fullback. He's a decent ball player. He's
played a bit of six in Spinny'stime. He's a big body that's going
to bring the ball back hard.He's obviously pretty good against the high ball.

(47:30):
He's dangerous, I think in termsof a guy that floats around the
field. So when when you don'tknow where Zach Loomax is going to show
up, I think he becomes evenmore dangerous than a guy where you know
he's going to be on that sideof the thought, that side of the
park all the time. So Ithink it's something that could certainly work.
I think he would have a bitto learn in terms of positional play and

(47:52):
positional play defensively as well. Sowhile he might be a better defender than
Tyrol Sloane, how is he goingto be in the rights spot to be
able to try and stop those trials. It's going to be a steep learning
curd for him. And when heplays in the centers, Yeah, who's
who comes into play in the centers. You've got to run more kilometers than

(48:16):
anybody else on the field. Offullback, so well, he's doing that
at the moment of the last twoweeks's he's the fittest blake in the team.
I think, like I think,if anyone can play fullback in the
team, it's probably going to beZach Lomax because he's work right, he's
outstanding and he wouldn't blow out acan or when he comes off the field
like he's he's an unbelievable shape.Yeah, I wouldn't want to see you

(48:40):
have a run there, but notthe expensive Yeah, I think. I
just don't think we've got anyone toreplace him in the centers. And again
that points to our our lack ofdepth. And while I think fullback is
is a more important position, youcan't exactly swap Tirol Sloan into the centers,

(49:04):
Tral Sloan onto the wing. Whatare you're gonna have Sloan and Maddie
Fenoi defending together. Yeah, that'llbe fun. Yeah, but you have
you can all say La trilled thathe swapped sides of the field when he's
playing center. Um, he goeson left or right, right to left
and all over the field anyway ifhe can, if he can manage it,
why not let him play everywhere.Yeah, it's an interesting one.

(49:29):
I think people they want to seehow zac climax will go there. I
don't think we're going to see itfor the rest of this year. I
don't necessarily think that it's going tobe something that Flanning and seriously going to
went entertained at this this stage.But it is something that Dragon's fans are
talking about at the moment. Soyeah, well, I don't know that

(49:51):
we'll ever get the answer. It'sall going to be hypothetical. I think
I'll stay with you, big Tea. Because there was another question we had
from a guy with the name ofTonio wing to Saints. He should support
turnout on Thursday and night. TheNFL should get rid of Thursday night footing.
I don't know whether you agree withthat, man. I totally agree

(50:15):
with that. Man. I don'tlike though football, especially at the boutique
grounds. But willing Gong is sucha difficult place to get to coming from
Sydney. Um, you're leaving,you're leaving women going at ten o'clock going
back to Sydney. Um you homeat twelve thirty. Um, you're gonna
go for work. So people goI'm not going. Um it's past ninth

(50:37):
thirty early and the kids are goingto go to school as well. That's
why kids are going to go toschool. So Thursday night families aren't going
to go to the game. Um. I was up there on one Thursday
night and I thought, very verypoor crowd. Um. I think it
was eight eight thousand and seven thousandand something. Seven thousands. Yeah,
it just over seven thousand, um. But yeah, no, it might

(51:01):
work for teams like penri If itmight work the teams like Brisbane, it
might work because everybody lives in andaround the Penriveria that go to the game.
I mean, so it won't workfor the Tigers. Thursday night games
we shouldn't play them. Yeah.Plus it was a pretty shitty game as

(51:22):
well, so that's that's why thecrowd cries may be down. It's probably
the only only game we're actually achance of winning. I would have thought
Dragons fans would have been there withbelt to be there. Work. I'm
going to the footy to what teamwin a game. Everyone was off watching

(51:43):
the Matilda's playoff Fursday. Who werethey? Yeah they got a lucky one,
neill win. They gotta win that'sthat's that's all the man. It's
good ones. Hopefully they can goall the way in the Women's World Cup.
But play playing the final congre arethey yes? Oh, wouldn't have

(52:05):
wouldn't never clue. I surprised tosee Australia attending the reaging. I thought
they were a lot of higher.Actually they beat the Irish first. They're
playing Algeria next, Lgeria, Nigeria. All over. Well, we we're
going to change your name with theWomen's World Cup show. We know it

(52:28):
all, we know all about itall right? Um yeah, I think
he terms of Thursday and foot,I think Thursday foot is four TV.
I don't think it's four crowns.And as as someone from from Western Australia
that doesn't get to go to games, I love Thursday night footy. I
love it. It's one of oneof the only only only games I always

(52:52):
get to watch. I always getto watch the Thursday night game. The
Friday night I'm calling women's rugby leagueover here and went in Australia, so
I don't get to see the Fridaynight game Sat day I'm out of the
all day at local footy as well, Sunday. I've got kids sports,
so I hardly get to see anyof the games on Sunday. Thursday Night
footy is the only footy night everysingle week I get to see it.

(53:15):
So what I love Thursday Night footy. They should have Wednesday Night footy.
They should have Monday Night footing,Tuesday and forty two midwek footy is the
best because I'm not busy with withkids, sport and and all those other
things that you've got going on onthe weekend. I am flat out on
the weekend. So it's well,that's fair enough. It works for me.

(53:35):
It works for me, It worksfor a lot of people. And
yeah, I understand that people loveyou know, I love love getting a
live sport too, and I lovegetting down to get down to the games
and a big crowd. There's nothingbetter than a big crowd when you when
you're live at the game. ButI think from the NRL's perspective, you
know, are they going to worryabout trying to get another five, six

(53:57):
seven thousand at Wollongong or are theygoing to worry about the two hundred thousand
people that are watching a two athome? So yeah, yeah, the
primetime TV they make ratings and Channelnine and Fox. Yeah, yeah,
yeah, it's it's something that peoplethat like to go to games that they

(54:21):
don't like. They're not gonna likeThursday night footy or Monday footy when when
we used to have that. ButI think it's a that's a TV time
slot. It's not necessarily built forcrowds, but hopefully we don't get too
many of them. I guess allright, we'll move into some lower grade
stuff. And I know the newSouth Bis Cup fields have finally been released,

(54:44):
but I haven't had a chance toput together the highlights for that one.
So we'll just have a have abit of a look at the Jersey
Fleet game, which was a massivegame for for the Dragons fifth versus six.
It's a top five system in theJersey fled so I'm told it's been
top five, and then it wastop six, and now I'm told it's

(55:07):
definitely top five this year. Sowe're currently sitting in sixth taking on the
fifth place Melbourne Storm in this game. So let's have a bit of a
look at how this one went.First of all, Web Spring down on
the sideline replacing Cooper Roberts, who'sout injured with a shoulder injury, zipped
through there and this is a beautifulback line move comes from Ashton Ward out

(55:31):
to Jacob Webster. He gives itthe liking King Togia and Harry Rudd hitting
a great line to go through andscore that try. Benny Rumble here gets
to the outside, gets the wingerinterested and puts Campbell Watches away. Then
he sort of backs up on theinside and I don't think he knew the
four team was there. He almostblows this one, but does end up

(55:52):
getting across the line to score.This is a pretty good try as well,
so like King Togia once again settingthis up with a great faceball,
but Jacob Webster, first of all, they cannot get him to the ground
and that's what actually creates the opportunity, but cuts out two men to go
to Tamrouki Harremia to Kerre to scorethat one. Tayan Jaltason he bursts through

(56:15):
the middle, great run from dummyhalf and Ben Rumble gets a double for
US to lead twenty two points tofourteen. It got back to a four
point ball game going down to thelast couple of minutes and we go across
trying to seal the game, butthe Storm defense gets across there to cut
him off and watch Declan Purcell pulldown the pen, so the Melbourne Storm

(56:37):
to score the match winner. Soa good win for the Dragons. They're
in the Jersey flag now as Isee the new South Wales Cup. I
haven't been able to put together thehighlights video for that one yet, but
I will in the next day ortwo. But in that one we led
twenty six points to ten against thetop of the table North Sydney Bears.

(57:00):
It tries to Ryan Couchman. Hepicked up a drop bomb to score his
try. Savelio Tomorlea pounced on aloose ball and sprinted forty meters to score.
Haley Finnell died over from dummy halfand then early in the second half
Nick Sagranis powered onto a short ballfrom Paul Turner into a hole and then
desperately fought to get the ball down. That got us at twenty six ten

(57:22):
lead, but we really ran outa puff as the Bears scored four unanswered
tries at the back end for usto lose thirty points to twenty six and
really put out our season on lifesupport in the reserve grade competition. I
think we need to win every singlegame from here on to be a chance
of playing finals and maybe even thenhave a few results go our way.

(57:46):
All right. So the other thingthat happened on the weekend nrl W the
Dragons went down to the Nights inround one and we're doing the three two
ones again for in ROLLW this yearas well for for something brand new.
First time we've done it for anhour old W. But the player voted
by the panel as our best wasfullback Teagan Berry. Jesse You went Berry

(58:09):
as our best? That us whyum? Obviously of all her two tries
were great to watch, even gota post trie celebration which every player has
been getting him amongst getting in andamongst and even preparing a rehearsal for it.
But yeah, her first trial wasvery good and then obviously her second

(58:29):
one when she came off a deflectionof a kick from Jesse South. Yes
she ran the legs. I feelthere was no catching up despite the best
efforts of them. Yes, beenClydesdale, but yeah, it was her
first game at fullback to at theNRLW level, and I thought she handled
it well. Obviously, this stilla little bit to work on. Jamie

(58:50):
Soward alluded in the press conference shestill has a little bit to work on
it. From from that first outing, she's going to take it like a
storm and she was fantastic. I'mexcited to see what season holds were at
fallback. Um, yeah, we'retalking about about that press conference. Might
in the news section, but that'sthat. There's definitely a story in that

(59:14):
as well. But we'll come backto that one as we stick with the
r old w Chloe's second best fromthe panel was Bobby Law. Tell me
what impressed you about that Law's performance? Um, I just asked how she
played on the field. Um,I actually was watching two games at once.
I was trying to pay attention tothat this game and that game.
So and I thought she did reallywell. Um she did one hundred and

(59:36):
thirty eight running meters, sixty sevenpost contact meters, five tackle breaks,
one line break, and I thought, I've thought like she did really well
for the Dragons. So is thoughwe lost, I thought the girl did
really well. And I would notrun it them at all, No way,
I'd run the other way. Let'stoff we get there the benchmark team

(59:57):
like they were the previous last year. Yeah. And you know, while
the Dragons might have lost ninety percentof their squad, that the Knights,
I think they had were ten oreleven players from the Grand Finals, so
they're largely still the same squad thatwon the Grand Final last year. That
they haven't changed all that much whenyou compare it to them. How much
of the Dragons have changed. Yeah, exactly So. Yeah, And I

(01:00:22):
thought Bobby Law, particularly in thefirst half, every time she got the
ball, she looked deadly dangerous.She looked like she was going to create
something every time she touched the ball. In terms of teagin Barry, I
thought it was a stellar performance fromher. I thought outstanding for first game
at fullback, to be running overtwo hundred meters in that game, scoring

(01:00:45):
a couple of tries. I thought, again, she was fantastic. But
third in the voting was actually theplayout I had as the player of the
match, and that was Dragons trunkRia Angelina Tiaklanga Katoa. I know that
Barry did a lot of the highlightreal stuff, but I thought Jack Katoa
was very, very impressive through themiddle of the stiff stiff Nights out front

(01:01:08):
row. They were they were atough team to get through, and I
thought she really rolled up the sleevesand and bashed through the middle. She
was very impressive, created a platformfor us to wo work from. I
thought she did the tough stuff,and I add her as our best and
I thought our lock forward young eighteenyear old was actually probably right up there

(01:01:30):
as well. So at twenty ashow she was Alexei's twiny a was also
great for the Dragons through the middleof the field as a as a young
player running for one hundred and twentysix meters or something made plenty of tackles.
So as in terms of young youngplayers on de Boot, I thought
her performance was pretty solid as well. Jamie Soward actually said that he actually

(01:01:53):
thought he was at our best.She was our best player. Who's that?
Jamie Soward said, Alexe best playalexis Yeah. I had her a
second, so I only had oneone point for the flash. I thought
the two through the middle that thatreally set the platform for us. Did

(01:02:15):
a great job. Jesse. Ournext opponent is that the paramount of reels
who were thumped by the West Tigers. Is this an early season battle to
avoid the spurn or are you expectingboth of these teams will improve as the
season progresses. I think the seat, I think we'll improve, both teams
will improve. It was the firstreal top tunity if they got playing in

(01:02:38):
this high quality game. I've saidthat that trial a couple of weeks ago,
but this is what's their first properhit out. And then the Eels
will late today they were brave fora big chunk of that game, and
then lessay they actually lost two ofour former dragons in the captains and Elc
Albert and Rachel Pearson. And youtake a year half back and you keith

(01:03:00):
out of any side that will struggleand there I expect Paramatta to get back
to improve next week if they doget Albert and Pierced back. But m
yeah, it's going to be abig crowd of win Stadium, hopefully on
Saturday. It's a doubleheader, sothere's a big crowd on Saturday, more
to get behind our girls and hopefullyI'm build off that what we did yesterday

(01:03:24):
and get the two points right.Um, just trying to rub up the
agenda now because Big Teas had hadto leave, So he's dropped off.
So we're gonna have to recycle someof his questions to some of the remaining
panel members. But move now intosome forced and unforced changes for the Dragons,

(01:03:50):
Quid Rob no one facing suspension,but fine for both Jack de Bellon
and Maddie Fine, I what areyour thoughts on both these players being charged?
Um mate? I guess just thecharge. Um happy there's no suspension?
Um Yeah, And I guess justmove on. Um Just obviously,

(01:04:13):
I didn't think there was much muchin it, you know what I mean.
But I'm just happy that there's nosuspension. So I've got I've got
a very different attitude you. Ithink the Jack de Bellum won no worries
like it was it was an awkwardsort of tackle. He he did grab
whole of the arm and put itinto an awkward position, and you know

(01:04:35):
he didn't do any damage. Sofair enough, COPPI fine and move on
that Phenee. There was nothing wrongwith that tackle. Like he did not
hit him in the head. Andand you see Buller gets hit, lies
on the ground, looks around,goes, oh it's a referee looking oh
my head, Like he didn't gethit in the fucking head? How is

(01:04:57):
that? How does he get afine? Why does magic I have to
pay a fine for a good tackle? Absolute bullshit, absolute bullshit. Unfortunately
made it happens, and blog I'mjust happy to move on, bloody MRC.
Yeah it sucks, but no,look at all right, I'll skipping

(01:05:18):
Big Tea. I'll go to youJesse with the first Big Teas questions.
Mikaa looked to have hurt himself andwere struggling to walk at times, but
did finish out the game. Ifhe was to miss the clash with miss
the clash with many, who wouldyou like to see as the option to

(01:05:40):
replace him? He's been playing itvery would would in reserve read the last
few weeks, can score a try. It's got some speed on him.
I think if rather is I'm deemedunfit to play against Manly next week,
I would think the only thing nowwill make his enter Ol debut. Yeah,
going to be interesting. He certainlylooked to be on one leg and

(01:06:01):
then all of a sudden got theball in a script try scoring opportunity and
yeah it been looked fine, Soit's hard to know, but it didn't
didn't look right and it might bea chance of not being named on Tuesday,
but we'll have to wait and see. And I agree with you,
I think it's probably got to be. See ony thing how that comes in.

(01:06:23):
I don't think they could go withwith with Max Fein. I I'm
convinced that that Max's is actually playinginjured and has been most of the season.
To our MOGA's out injured, sohe's not an option. So yeah,
we're running run low on troops.It's it's probably it's probably got to
be it's either him or Alex Lotreally jesse Um. Ryan Carr actually also

(01:06:47):
said in that two people actually askedhim, why did you take rather off?
He said, oh, you wantedto? He didn't really want to
take him off. He bought runoff the pain and left him out there
and that was the reasoning behind whyhe didn't get hooked when he was seen
to be struggling to run. It'snot the first time Ryan car has done

(01:07:11):
that with a player that wasn't inhis plan to replace. And they've been
struggling with injury and he's left himout there. Jack Bird in that that
game where he returned from injury,he got hurt early in that contest and
played the full eady minutes. Nevershould have been out there for the full
Lady was not right. He missedI think the next next three or four
weeks after that game. And yeah, I think once again it's a case

(01:07:35):
of Ryan carving very very green asa coach. I know a lot of
people like the way that he talks, but I don't. I don't think
he's doing a great jobs as acoach. I don't. I think he's
made a couple of these decisions nowthat are pretty poor, to be honest.
So I think this was another onerather should have been taken off and

(01:07:57):
he was clearly struggling out there andshouldn't stayed on for the rest of that
game, but he did. Heend up scoring a try, so maybe
maybe somewhat justified in that decision.But if he if he doesn't play this
week, then he's left him outthere and made his injury worse by keeping
him on the field for longer thanhe should have. And yeah, I
think there's there's a duty of carethere. And yeah, I don't know.

(01:08:18):
I think he probably should have comeoff and got checked properly, But
yeah, in any case, itis what it is at Chloe. I
could put this in to force changesor into news, but we'll check.
We'll chuck it in here with Mosesand by officially released by the Dragons immediately

(01:08:40):
to Saint Helen's Who do you seeas the best option to come into the
fourteen role for the Dragons for theremainder of this season? There's obviously there's
a few options that you know,We've got Jack Bird, Zach Herring,
Harley finn Out, Connor Mullison.Who do you see it's the best fit

(01:09:00):
for the Dragons at Fort Uh?Well, Jack Bird is he seems to
be injured or something. He's justhe seems a bit off at the moment
um. I don't know what's goingon with him. Maybe maybe Um one
of the younger ones like Um Finnow he might have a chance as fourteen.
We've got to get these young guys. Paul Turner's probably the other one

(01:09:23):
that could play that role. I'veheard Paul Turner's very good. I've heard
some good things about him as well, So he could go in there too.
Anyone that's willing to play for therest of the season. But you
know, six games left, yes, thank you. Jesse oh my goodness,
six games. You know this rolecoaster crazy? Yeah, yeah,

(01:09:45):
I think Well, I think PaulTurner probably seems the most logical option given
he is in the top thirty.Obviously, Jack Birds fairly versatile. He
can play pretty much in any position, so they might just decide to go
with keep Jack Bird on the benchesas a fourteen and and you know,
play play three other forwards. Sohaving a guy that can players with running

(01:10:08):
forward might be the way they decidedto go to be an interesting one.
I think for Team West Tuesday,to see who is wearing that fourteen now
that we know it's definitely not goingto be motors by Jesse, that young
Jesse for one minute, that NickNick story, I don't know how Yeah,

(01:10:29):
he's not really a fourteen. He'she's a he's a forward, he's
a second roller. We still needone. Sorry. All I was going
to say is he might even gothe option of four forwards. He could
go down that road as well.Oh well, you'd imagine Jack Bird's going
to be in the seven games somewhere, So yeah, that would effectively be

(01:10:55):
a four forward option with with Birdas that as the nominated fourteen. That
if we do get it injury inthe outside backs, then Bird comes on
and and plays there and fills in. But yeah, I think that's that
seems more more likely than not havingJack Bird and just having four Howards.

(01:11:17):
All right, Rob, Not sureexactly how true this is, but I've
heard it several times over the lastfew weeks, and that's harm will be
returning to the Dragons. What areyour thoughts on that? Um, I
don't think it will happen, Donnie, obviously previous player of ours. Um,

(01:11:38):
they're not a bad player. Anythingwon't that. But I don't know.
I'm not a great believer in bringingback players like that particular player back
to our club. I think weneed to. I think you need to
get stronger players, better players ifwe're can attract them. If I can
attract him, well, he's startingfor Souse, who are a pretty strong
team. So I didn't want betterplayers. There are better players out there.

(01:12:04):
Um, But that's just my pointof view. Mate. Um,
But I mean, this is thisis why I keep hearing. I am
almost certain it's going to happen.Yeah, I like I've heard it,
heard it three or four times nowfrom different sources, and none of them
over leavaliable. But it's it's somany different people saying it you start to

(01:12:25):
put it together and go, well, is this actually happening that it sounds
it's starting to sound like it's upmore and more plausible with you know,
and he was a player I wasliked. I don't know that he's necessarily
the kind of player that we're lookingfor. He's again a bit of an
undersized prop. He was always anundersized prop. But he's got got good

(01:12:46):
leg drive, he's got fast feet, he's doing a job for Souse.
I think he's a good player,but I don't think he's necessarily what we
need. But yeah, I wouldn'thate it, but I wouldn't wouldn't love
it either, but it would alwaysbe nice. I think to get us
and George Dragons Junior back at theclub as well, so many of them.

(01:13:11):
I would have thought big boppers isthe way to go, that's what
we need, that can offload.I seeing week in week out for Nora
Blake Payne has well a lot ofmoney. I know, I get it,
but I'll stay to stay with youon another name, but another big
bopper. He's a big human.And Raymond for Taler Mariner is reportedly Dragons

(01:13:35):
bound as well. Would you liker if Emma in the Red V Yeah,
I mean that's a possibility as welltoo, with size and say,
I mean I would have thought fromwhat Flanna's trying to do. He's trying
to strengthen the middle forwards, iswhat I believe. But I mean,
obviously the props, you know,something that we really do need, I

(01:13:56):
mean against Blake, Laurie and butyeah, we just need some big bodies.
I think that I'm made a bitof a difference to our pack.
I mean, I was sorry togo off, but I was listening to
a great player tonight on the ManyJohn Show if everybody remembers Phil Blake and
Blake he was saying how important itis to have some great falls. He's

(01:14:20):
especially big props that are rolling forward. So yeah, so mate, I
can't say no, but I'm notsure. I mean, I've been reading
Jesse, you can back this up. But is it truth? He's been
offered to the Dragons. It's justbeen linked at this stage. I haven't

(01:14:42):
heard much more, but the Dogsare told he's free to leave. Yeah,
I don't know, mate, butobviously we need some big boppers,
That's what I think. So Idon't even know what his best position is
because he comes through as a secondrole. The last few weeks of Cantery's
playing in the front row. Yeah, well he's played a bit a bit

(01:15:03):
of second row lock prop everywhere aCannabury. But yeah. Another another rumor
is another Cannaby player in Ryan Suttonmight be coming to the Dragons. Chloe.
Are we only looking at Bulldogs forwardsor do what the team to have
forwards as well? It seems likeit that's the Bulldogs forwards did something we

(01:15:26):
need to do well. Last lastoffseason. We got all their players from
the Tigers because they sucked. Andthis offseason we're going to look at only
Bulldogs because they also sucked. Weonly look at other teams that sucked,
just like we do. And that'show we're planning on improving. What about
Tigers then they suck too, Well, we can go back to the Tigers

(01:15:48):
for a second year in our ownDo they have any off contract forwards?
Well, these two players are likeRaymond for Tyler. Marra and Sutton are
both contracted until the end of twentytwenty five. The contracted long term with
the Bulldogs. So is that notAgain, I don't know how much,

(01:16:09):
how much you believe, Yeah,I think Jesse's just making it up.
What's happening with Luke Thompson. Isthat is the truth in that one?
Well we spoke about that last weekand I think I don't know whether there's
truth in it. I think fightingagainst definitely talking doing Yeah, but again
the Bulldogs forward, Yeah, they'rethe only ones we're talking to him.

(01:16:30):
He doesn't want to go in aweek, he said, Tom suddenly doesn't
want to go back to weeks,So yeah, I think Tom Thompson is
certainly the highest quality of the Bulldogsforwards that we've spoken about there. I
think Raymond for Time, Aaron Aarand Ryan Sutton. I'd go no thank
you to both of them, ifI'm quite honest, And yeah, I

(01:16:53):
just wouldn't want them there. Jessechanging tact a little bit, something completely
different, not so much news asit is no news. Jamie Sward waited
around for an hour after the NRLWgame and there was not a single journalist
there for the postmatch press conference,and only after the Dragons complained to the

(01:17:15):
NRL did Jake Duke come off hissideline duties for Fox to come in and
ask Sward a couple of questions aboutthe game. What were your thoughts on
this, man, I think that'sthat's disgracel from the media or for how
hard is it to a range ofpast master pet Croft was at the game
obviously, I don't really know whythey wouldn't have that arranged. They even

(01:17:39):
said they had interviews for the nightscaterographers. They had all media outlets there
for him, but it was itwas a local Newcastle media there to interview
him, not so much the nationalnews broadcasters. But he definitely got a
got his press conference before before Sourds, which Jamie thought was odd because usually

(01:18:00):
it's the I think the losing teamor the visiting team that goes first.
But yeah, I don't really knowhow it works. But he got his
and Soud waited around in the inthe I don't know where that what they
called us, I think in thesheds or something for the the press conference,
and yeah, no one showed up, and I thought that's pretty um
disrespectful from the media and to nothave anyone there and leaves Sound waiting around

(01:18:24):
for that long and he had togo with his team. That's pretty ordinary.
Yeah. Yeah, the media wantsto complain that the players aren't allowed
to talk to them, and youknow, the media blackout and then they
show complete disrespect when you know thatthere is a game that's happened and people
want to actually you know, talkto them and and provide them information and

(01:18:46):
answer to their questions and promote thewomen's game, whether they've missed out on
the the NRLW, they've missed outon this season launch has been sort of
pretty underwhelming sort of art to theseason. Media was I haven't had a
lot of coverage and and he's anopportunity where you actually get an opportunity to
speak and promote this game and noone there to do it. It was

(01:19:11):
it was very very disrespectful, Ithought, Yeah, definitely, and especially
that you can't talk to the playerseither. At least you get some point
of view from what Sward says thatwhat he s thoughts on the game were,
um, what he needs to doto next week, what he needs
to do to improve the team,um, and what were we lost the

(01:19:35):
game and when we went well?Because that's what you need to hear to
see what the best parts of thegames were all right, well we might
leave it there. It's we'll wrapit up once again. I'd like to
thank everyone who has tuned in fortonight's show. We are the Kings of
the World once more, Long byit continue. Will be back on Tuesday

(01:20:00):
to tell you all how we're goingto make it two in a row by
clipping the wings of the seagulls.So come on, dragons, fans,
Fire up, Fire up,