Tony Kemp Podcast: Storm smack Warriors to stay top of NRL ladder, Richie Blackmore features

Tony Kemp and Martin Devlin present episode 14 of the Tony Kemp Podcast. Every Monday during the 2024 NRL season, Kemp - the former Warriors coach and Kiwis representative - is joined by Devlin, renowned New Zealand sports broadcaster and now host of It's Only Sport on The Platform. Together, they recap all the main talking points in rugby league's biggest club competition.

First off, Kempy and Marty recap the action from round 15 of the NRL season, which featured a number of surprise results, including the Dolphins surviving a Cronulla Sharks fightback to win 30-28, the South Sydney Rabbitohs making it three in a row with a 22-12 victory over the Brisbane Broncos, and the Wests Tigers breaking their nine-game losing run with an 18-10 win over the Gold Coast Titans. The Melbourne Storm remain top of the table thanks to their impressive win over the Warriors, with the Penrith Panthers in second, the Sharks in third and Dolphins fourth. The Sydney Roosters, Canterbury Bulldogs, Canberra Raiders and Manly Sea Eagles make up the teams sitting 5-8.

Then, it's Up The Wahs - a segment that Kempy and Marty dedicate solely to chatting about the Warriors. This week's edition focuses on the Warriors' heavy 38-24 defeat at the hands of the Storm in Auckland, which ended a three-game winning run for the Mount Smart club. The boys question how the Warriors let slip a commanding 14-0 lead early on, whether or not Shaun Johnson should be dropped after an underwhelming performance, and more.

Next, it's He's A Ledge, and this week it's a New Zealand rugby league favourite in the form of Richie Blackmore who features on the podcast. The outside back represented the Kiwis on 25 occasions, and played his club footy for the likes of the Warriors, Castleford and Leeds. Kempy and Marty chat with Blackmore about memories from the famous 1991 trans-Tasman test win over Australia in Melbourne, how Blackmore's career started, and much more.

Then, Kempy and Marty go head-to-head debating a number of NRL topics, including if the Roosters are still a premiership contender, and what the new Warriors halves combination should be if coach Andrew Webster elects to change it. And to finish things off, Kempy lists his five best teams in the NRL right now on TK's Top 5.