#42 - The most anticipated debut of 2026 & Junior reps crunch time

Talking through all the junior reps finals this weekend, and all the key talking points in the NRL 

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Transcript

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Ladies and gentlemen, welcome back to the short ball podcast for another week of Pathways action. Got a lot to cover. It is finals time in Maummaninga Cup, in SG Ball, Harold Matthews are getting right down to crunch time for all those competitions. And then obviously New South Wales Cup, Queensland Cup, all these things are really getting into gear now. We've got Origin R 19s, City 18s, all these sorts of things just around the corner as well. So make sure you stay in tune. There's a lot coming up. School boy footy is about to start soon as well. But today we'll be mostly focusing in on the junior reps finals. And then there's a couple of exciting debuts coming up as well in the NRL. I've just got a couple other NRL talking points as well on top of that. But we'll start off as usual with our performances of the week. And we start off with the Pathways player of the round, and that was Alex Conti this week. He had uh two try, two try, six hundred and forty-three run meters, three hundred and eighty-six kicking meters against the Parramatta Reels on Sunday night. I was watching this game live, and geez, the battle between him and Lorenzo Talatena was awesome all game. Um Conti he he set up Logan Spinks for a couple of tries. He put in a couple of kicks at found grass. One of those bounced back and resulted in a try for Milo Setu, who was really awesome in that game as well. Um but yeah, just generally Alex Conti, an awesome game from him. His running game was on. He he made Parramatta look silly on a couple of occasions there, and um he is named in Jersey 23 for the Bulldogs this weekend, and that's no doubt off the back of what was a sensational performance in reserve grade from him. Uh junior reps finals, the performances from the weekend that I wanted to really highlight. Um Cooper Townsend, I thought he was one of the night's best. Statistically, it's popped up 35 tackles, 115 metres, and he had a try as well throughout the game. I thought he was awesome. He put his jersey just kept popping up at different points throughout the course of that game. Um, very noticed him a lot um on both sides of the ball, and obviously he scored a try as well, which helps. Um, but yeah, defensively come up with a few huge stops, and so did um Diesel Hagen next to him. Diesel Hagen and Toby Winter, I thought, had really good games as well. But Diesel Hagen was a guy I wanted to highlight. I thought he was awesome in this game, returning from um, you know, a stinning New South Wales Cup a couple of weeks back as well. And yeah, he he's gone to another level over the last couple of weeks, Diesel Hagen, and I thought he had another really awesome game. Um he did end up, he was in a moon boot on crutches at the end of the game, though, so I think he might be missing this weekend's game, but we'll wait and see on that. Um over to the South vs. Eels SG ball game. I thought the two performances I wanted to highlight here, um, you know, the statistical freak and a guy who came up with a lot of highlight plays in this one was Dane Jennings. He had two line breaks, 188 metres and a try. Um he was good in this game as well, out in that centre position, just looked dangerous whenever he carried the ball. And um Taj Alvarez, I thought he, you know, live watching the game, I thought he was a real difference maker in this side. And um, he looked like he was carving paramatter up pretty much every single time he touched the ball, and he scored an awesome try off the kickoff as well at one point. Um so yeah, Taj Alvarez, he was very good for the South Sydney Rabbit's um over to Howard Matthews, the two in the Roosters Panthers game that I wanted to highlight. Charlie Webb, I thought he was their best on ground, threw a mad cutout ball for their first try. He scored a freakish solo try as well by himself, had a couple of good kicks. His defensive game was good. Um so he was definitely worth highlighting Charlie Webb and uh Marcus Sando, he just continues to do the thing through the middle. 153 meters and 25 tackles in this game. You know, he's just super busy, he puts on big shots, his running game's been awesome. He's gone to another level um in the finals series, averaging about 140 metres a game in the finals. He's averaging 93 meters throughout the course of the regular season. So a a clear and obvious jump up in production and visually as well has just been super impressive. And he's getting these big run meters off very little runs, like he's making a lot of uh post-contact meters. Um, you know, he's bumping off tackles, he he's you know, just really pushing this side forward. Um, I think last week was 11 runs for 137, this week was 13 or 14 runs for 153. Um, so yeah, he's been awesome, and it's the the defensive side of the ball is where these Roosters Fords are really impressive me. I'll talk about them a little bit later, but he's certainly been the leader of that pack. Um in the Knights Eels game, I wanted to highlight a player from each side rather than just the winning side. Most of these first couple of games were pretty dominant from the winners, but I thought um in this game I wanted to highlight Malachi Five A Eli. Uh he didn't have the you know top stats coming up on on New South Wales rugby league, but um he came up with a couple of crucial try savers um in attack, he was everywhere. He he looks like a super dangerous player. He's an age up, his centre pairing Kobe McGorgi, he was really awesome in that game as well. Both of those centers an age up and killed it. Um yeah, and you know, the back rower, Kate McKay, he was awesome as well. But um, we'll talk about those guys a little bit later. And the other guy that I wanted to highlight from that game was Jake Capavilla. I thought he had his best game for the Paramount Areas this year in the big moment. Um, you know, I sort of mentioned him the last couple of weeks as he he was really looking like he was improving and playing really good footage towards the back end of the year. He's an age up, so he's another guy that's going to return next year in Howard Matthews. Uh, and in this game he had 144 metres, a line breaker, try assist. He just was really, really good both sides of the ball, Jay Capavilla. Um, very very very much impressed me. Um, and over the last sort of the second half of the year, he's been really good for Parramatta. So um one to follow there in Howard Matthews next year. Alright, let's get into it. Um, we'll start off with a brief preview of the Maumaninga Cup finals, and obviously I don't um follow Maumeninga Cup nearly as closely as what I do with SG Ball and Howard Matthews. I follow those comms, watch every single game, every single week, and um whereas Mount Meninga, I sort of just watch the games that I can. Um, but I'll try and highlight a few players that are up there to watch in these final series, and obviously I will be covering these finals, um, particularly when SG Ball and Howard Matthews finishes. I'll I'll turn my focus to covering them in full. But um we'll start off with the Blackhawks and the Burley Bears. So obviously, Broncos feeder club in the Burley Bears, even though they're on the Gold Coast. Um, and the Townsville Blackhawks, who are the Cowboys feeder club, they've got a couple of NRLQ Cowboys stars coming back into this one. Um, guys like Tys Lateo, Talon Toa, and um Archie Meserutz, he played uh NRLQ over the last couple of weeks as well. He was really awesome in week two. Um he was one of the best players on the field that day, and he put up huge numbers as well from a you know run meters and a line breaks sort of perspective. But um yeah, Talon Toa, he's gonna be you know the guy to watch in this game. Um he he's been carving up NRLQ every single game that he's played, and uh big body, he runs a tough line. He's had a he had a really good combination with Javon Andrews going over the last couple of years. They'll both at the Titans, and then you know, Toa's obviously moved up to the Cowboys, Javon's moved down to the Tigers, and um it hasn't slowed either of them down quite clearly. Javon's been killing it, New South Wales Cup and Talon Toa, he's been killing it at NRL Q, and he I have no doubt that he'll probably make a step up to Queensland Cup at some point in the near future as well. But for the moment, he's you know, stepping back down a level. You see these guys that go up to Jersey Flag will go up to New South Wales Cup and they come back to their own age group, and that it's like they're a different player. Um, so I'm very keen to see how Talon Toa goes here in this final, and you know, running off Taj Lateo, they're starting to form a pretty good combination. Um, you know, him, you know, Tower and Zach Hurdigan were mostly combining in the NRL Q week one, and then Xavier Helia was sort of down there, but um, you know, Lateo, Tyson Walker as well, they can play those those halves, Taj Lateo and um Tyson Walker. It's a very good uh halves combination there, and yeah, they've got the cattle certainly around them to make it work. I think the Bears, they've got a pretty strong forward pack to Marcy Vitae, uh, I think is off to the rabbitos next year. Um you know uh you know, other 13, they got Ronan Biford there. Um I'll just get up their team list here so I'm not just talking utter nonsense. Um, but yeah, their forward pack is super impressive when you watch them. Um Tavake Taolo. Um, you know, some of these guys uh have been doing really good things. Lenox Wyapu off the um bench as well, he's been really good. Um he's caught my eye. Cooper Murphy through the middle. He was Kibra captain last year when they won Schoolboys, and he's a captain this side as well. Quality player, and he comes up with clutch plays a lot of the time in Kibra's finals run. He came up with a few really big moments um on their way to the national final. So um he's certainly a guy to watch out for there. Um and Israel Lataki out wide, he was another one a part of that Kibra side in Jersey number four out in the centers. He's high, he's a high upside center, very tall, um, aerial threats, moves quite well. So um he's one that I'm keen to see how he goes in this finals game as well. The other game is the game, I I haven't followed these two sides as much. Obviously, I've seen a little bit of the Blackhawks and the Bears. Um, I always sort of follow the Bears closely. I did play a season up there for the Burley Bears, but um the McKay Cutters and Tweed Seagulls is the next game, and haven't followed these two sides as much, particularly more so the Cutters. I cannot remember a game that I've watched of them this season, but for the Seagulls, um I wanted to highlight uh a couple of their forwards. Jai Billish at number nine, uh, I think he's a very, very talented guy. I think he was unlucky not to be an Australian schoolboy last year. He's a captain of this side. I think I'm expecting pretty huge things from him. Josiah Faroso, um, he's a guy that I've followed over the last couple of years as well. I think he's uh shown a lot uh whenever I've watched him, um, especially for the Tweed Seagulls, you know, in Cyril Connell and Mia Maninga Cup, he was playing last year as well. I think he played at Palm Beeped Corumban um for schoolboy footy as well, as with uh Kalani Partu, he's shown a little bit um as well. Um and then the the 12 and the 13, I can't say I've seen a lot of Jet Flatley, but he was a country representative, um country 18s last year. Um I think he played he might have played New South Wales 17s actually. Um but he has yeah, he is a rep um representative level player. Jet Flatly has made um you know rep sides down here in New South Wales and um Fletro Doherty at lock, he was a CCC captain last year in school boys. Um he's been up the knights, he now moves up to Tweed Seagulls. I haven't followed his progress that much this year, but uh another talented player there. Um but yeah, that should be that's gonna be one that I'll probably keep a closer eye on and do in more of a review sense because I haven't seen too much of these players. Um we'll move on to SG Ball. The first game on the weekend is Seagulls vs. Knights. That's 130 at Henson Park. Don't get me started on the fact that we've got games at different locations and there's only one game at Henson Park and then three on a Licard at the same time. It is as annoying as. It's the one game this weekend that I can't confidently pick. Um, you know, some of these Howard Matthews games I've spoken about how um tight Howard Matthews and how open of a competition it is, but I can go into these games and I think I know what's gonna happen, or I I feel like I can see what's going to happen. Two very clearly different styles of footy. But the Sea Eagles and Knights matchup, I just cannot get a read on it. The Knights, their forward pack's been awesome. But then I looked at the way Manley played against South Sydney Rabbitors, and if they replicate that, they should be able to win. But then, you know, was that game a one-off? I don't know. But then you look at the star power on both sides, it's Toby Winter versus you know Anatoni Large and Ashton Large, and then will Diesel Hagen play, don't think so, because he got injured, but like there is just so much going on. Chase Butler at the uh in Jersey 7 for for the Newcastle Knights has been one of the premier players in this competition. I just cannot get a true read on it. Um, I just think the way that the Newcastle Knights forward pack has been playing in the in this back half of the year, and I gave him a good rap a couple of weeks ago, and I'm I'm probably gonna give him a rap again. Cooper Townsend, I mentioned him through 13, he's been awesome since grabbing that jersey. Caleb McCrae, damaging back rower, damaging middle, doesn't matter where you play him, he he's a threat whenever he gets the ball. He's been chewing up big meters, um, you know, especially towards the back end of the year while he was playing prop. He was putting up huge meters week on week. Bo Hill, he had one of his best games in finals week one. He was awesome there. It's a very I feel confident, and because the Knights, you know, the last couple of weeks, there's been the sample size there of their playing really good footy. Manly have sort of had on and off weeks, and you know, they got pumped by the Rabbidoes in week six or week five, whatever it was, but then they came out and played nearly the perfect game and beat the Rabbido's comfortably. The score said 36-30 in the end, but like they were up big. Um, you know, their forward pack, Matthew Payne, Freddie Benson Spark started off awesome as Seen Said. Um, he he had an awesome stint off the bench as well in that game. Um, you know, the back row was Sifer Oldfield's back. Um Bo McKee, he he's playing good footy, particularly on the attacking side of the ball. He's running some very good lines, and um you know, him and on Antonio Large have a really good combination going very, very tricky game to to look at and analyse. Um it is a good matchup, though. I uh any result wouldn't overly shock me. Um the Knights just did a similar thing last year in Howard Matthews, where they finished off the season really strong and then they just went all the way through the finals. And but last year it was probably a little bit easier to pick for them because they just kept finding a way to win week after week after week after week, and it was just like, oh yeah, this team's coming. Whereas like I don't know if I get the same vibe from them this year, but like with with the way their forward pack is playing, yeah, I I kind of do, and Chase Butler's doing some awesome things off the back of it, and it is a little bit of deja vu, but then I look at the matchup across the park and like it is different class in terms of the large brothers there. And um, I'm very keen to see Sifer Oldfield back because his last game before he was away was a great game, both sides of the ball, and defensively in particular, he he's really stood up. Um, but yeah, keen to see how that matchup goes. I'm not gonna pick anyone because whoever I pick the opposite will win. Um, or maybe I do pick someone. I think knights. Um if I had to pick someone, I'm probably going with the Knights, just just because I get that deja vu from last year. Um, Roosters vs. Rabidos, this could be the game of the season. Um, as we speak or as I speak, you will all know come tomorrow, but there is um suspension looming for Cardamarico. Um, I believe he's meant to be having a hearing today. Um they put an appeal, there's been a whole you know, bunch of things going on. Um, but yeah, hearing today or tonight might be on as we s as I speak. Um so I will update on Instagram if that goes through, but that is a huge out. And looking at um I was earlier today um given the opportunity to analyse and look at a heap of data and a heap of video across the junior reps and across NRL. I it was like a pig in shit there because I was just oh loving every minute of it being able to click up and see missed tackles and analyse each sort of miss tackle and analyse all these different shapes that are being run for tries, and that all just unreal. But um yeah, where was I going with that? Uh was I still talking about Marico got a little bit sidetracked there, but um yeah, he he had a crusher tackle against a storm a couple of weeks ago and um in week one of the finals, and uh it looked not ideal. Um, so he could be out with that, so a number of changes to come. Um, you know, with the roosters. I'm actually spewing, I completely lost my train of thought there. I know that's gonna piss a couple of people off that are listening, but um yeah, I think uh Rex Bathingswaite maybe to six, Alan Akapati to full back. Uh I know they've got Keanu Anatalia Chusis in that setup as well, who can play six. Um other potential options, not too sure on. Um, but keen to see what they do there. Um, yeah, this this will be the game of the season, I think. Um Rabid Ozel, far too clinical last week against the Parramatta Reels. Every single time they got an attacking opportunity, they just took it defensively, they were really good. Um and I'm sure they'll come at this a hundred percent. Um and then for the roosters, like geez, they were clinical. Um week one against the storm. I think they got the loss that they needed out of the way, and uh, as I've said, they're a very, very, very strong side. And um, I've re-gathered my thought about Mariko. Um, his tackle efficiency, it's such a big loss because his tackle efficiency is like 93%. He's only had like nine misses or something like that. And um yeah, his his missed tackles aren't really all that bad either. So his defensive on the defensive side of the ball, it's a huge loss, but then just his impact on the attacking side of the ball as well. Um, so yeah, um keen to see how they go if they are missing him. Um, I'm acting as if they are missing him because their team list doesn't have him there. Um, but he could ultimately come back into it if his hearing is successful. Um, yeah, I'm very keen to see this lock match up between Caleb Cresswell and Eddie Kayless. Now, Eddie Kalis has been the best lock in the competition uh so far this season. He's done it with you know probably the best pack in the comp. I highlighted, you know, Liam Bell, James Finnegan, and Eddie Kayless. I highlighted them the other week because they were leading the line speed and leading the kick chase and just putting in effort on effort on effort um throughout the course of that storm game, and they were really the the difference um in the end. And Eddie Kalis, he had a blinder, so did James Finnegan, but um, I'm keen to see how this matchup goes between Kayless and Creswell because Creswell killed it last week. He had a try, he's been in awesome form, um Caleb Creswell. I really like him. Uh I think I mentioned it last week or maybe the week before. Um, I might have been on a QA even. Noticed him in the preseason trolls, thought he played really well there, and he's just continued to sort of tick away and play very good footy for the Rabbit O's through the middle there. And um, I think he's found a home at lock, sort of that sort of Bailey Haywood mould from when he was coming on at lock at the Bulldogs. Maybe they just look similar, I don't know. Um, if that's what I'm getting it from. But um yeah, he he sort of I think he's got a uh a ball playing background, whether he was in the halves or whatever, but yeah, very tough through the middle. Uh moves well, he's got good pre-line. Um, and yeah, I think he's he's on the up, he's ascending at the moment is is Caleb Creswell. And uh yeah, this is gonna be a top matchup between these two locks. Uh, think that's gonna be the one to watch there. Um, another one that could be out for this game, or is out rather, I should say, is Dean Tower. Um he's named in the lineup at the moment, but he suffered a pretty nasty injury last week. Uh he came off with his arm sort of in that you know makeshift jersey sling. Um I think that's a dislocated elbow, uh, from what I've been told. Um I've also been told he'd done a hamstring throughout the game as well, but um he'll he'll be out for a couple of weeks at least. Um so yeah, this is gonna be, you know, albeit injury affected and suspension affected, if Mariko doesn't get off, it's gonna be a cracking game. Um anything else to mention from that um just apart from the fact, you know, Rabateau's are the undefeated minor premiers, and the Roosters are the you know the hype team, the the team with all these superstars throughout it. They lost one game against a storm and then they bounced back by absolutely obliterating the storm the very next week. 56-6. They get the week off. It's just yeah, I'll be keen to see how much of a difference Catamarico being out makes this side. I think the Roosters still win, um, but it it certainly throws a spatter into the works. Uh, that suspension. Howard Matthews, Steelers versus Roosters the first game. The Roosters, they won their last matchup against the Steelers um in pretty comfortable fashion, I must say, because through the middle part of the game, I think Caleb Zara scored to set one up where he had a I think he had like three line breaks um between the 20th and 30th minute and really put the Steelers to bed early. Um, you know, their forwards are hitting elite form at the right time. The Sydney Roosters, uh, Cooper Tesseriero, I've highlighted him so much this year, and I feel like I've said that name so many times, but for good reason, um defensively, he he's an absolute menace. Um, he he he's about it, Cooper Tesseriero, and so is Marcus Sando, who I highlighted earlier in this podcast. Um, you know, Caleb Zara's been doing some really good work through the middle, makes it heap but heap of tackles, very busy. Uh, he's running games electric, you know, one of the leading tri scorers out of dummy half. I think he is the leading tri scorer out of. Dummy half this season. Um, yeah, it's gonna be a cracking matchup here. The Steelers looking to bounce back, they were great against Newcastle in week one, they've gotten the week off. Um, you know, Asher Chapman, he's you know in um great form at the moment. He's playing six, they got you know guns in key positions, Oliver Burton out the back, Rylan Coelho. He's really impressed me as well. At number nine so far this season, their forward pack has been solid. Denim Barter out on the left edge. I think he's had some really good performances. He was good again against the Newcastle Knights. Um, but yeah, um I'm keen to see how the Roosters perform in this game because they've gone back to back weeks of just bullying their opposition in terms of you know the their physicality and their presence. Um, you know, I was speaking with someone the other day, and we're going, you know, the draw is super important, and also you know, the physicality and the strength of your forward pack, and we've seen it with the Warriors the last two seasons. When the Bulldogs won it, they had, you know, the likes of Sessia Alatini through um, you know, their back row, very strong physical presence. Uh, other teams that have won it, uh the Magpies, they were a little bit of uh, you know, they were just a freakish team that had seven players or six players rather debut from that side. Lachlan Galvin out wide, big, strong physical, um, number 12 he was at the time, and Kitlao Lilly through the middle. Um, who else did they have there? Um, they had some big boys through the middle as well. Um, so yeah, and then Manley the year before that. Oh, I'm just thinking back to Howard Matthews' sides that I've seen win the comp. Manly before that, Samuela Fainu was in that lineup as well. Um, they were a very big, strong physical side, and you know, all the boys that were from Guilford um going across to that side, and um, they've sort of had the wood. That that that deserves a deep dive of its own that year where you had, you know, Latu Fainu, Samuela Fainu, Lehi Obawadi, all them boys in the Manley Howard Matthews side, and um the Eels Howard Matthews side was Miles Martin, Ethan Sanders, um, you know, all these other guys as well, Charlie Guimer. It was pretty much like seven, six or seven um boys from Hills Bulls that were in the Eels side, and you know, five or six that were from um Manley that were in the Guilford side. Guildford beat Eels Bulls that year, and um, and then Manley beat Parramatta in the finals as well, and sort of had a bit of the wood on them. Lartoo Faniverse Ethan Sanders that year. So um that deserves a deep dive on its own, though. I might go back and look at some of the best um you know, Howard Matthews and SG Ball sides. I was speaking about that 2023 Eels SG Ball side, that was an elite team. Um, but yeah, now I'm just reminiscing a little bit. Um, so yeah, I think the Roosters, the the form that they're carrying, as I just said, the physicality in their pack. I thought it was going to be either the Panthers or Roosters that won the comp going into last week. I think the winner of that game was gonna go on and do it because the Roosters are peaking at the right time. They've been the most visually impressive team over the last four weeks, and the Panthers, I thought they were the most stacked team and thought they were the most physically dominant team, um, you know, missing Charlie Joureb, which is huge, but they were still probably the best team list and still very physical, you know. Cordella Rama up front, he's one of those guys that wins your Howard Matthews competitions. Um, but yeah, the Roosters they get the job done there, so I'm gonna follow them now. I think they're the team to beat at the moment, um, even though they're the lowest seeded team in the final still. So uh that will certainly go down interestingly. Um I might do a matchup to watch as well, just off the top of my head, what is gonna be the key matchup? I think the halves, I want to see Asher Chapman versus Samuel Large in the sixth jersey, or Asher Chapman versus Charlie Webb in terms of you know the the star power top of the line Howard Matthews players, they're they're the two that's the matchup to watch in this game. Um Asher Chapman's obviously been killing at Charlie Webb, he was the player of the match last week. He was probably been the Rooster's best this year. Uh defensive side of the ball here, he hits and sticks. Um and then on the attacking side of the ball, he's obviously a bit of a freak. So um, and then Asher Chapman, I've spoken enough about him. Um he was in my team of the year, very versatile player, creative, good running game, all those sorts of things. So that's the one. And Samuel Large as well, he deserves his wraps. He he's an age up, he he's he's gonna be a gun as well. Um he'll be one of the premier players in Howard Matthews next year as well. Just he's he's ball playing, he sets up a lot of tries, um, and his defensive side of the ball as well. That's a good thing that the Roosters have, is both of their halves are very good defensively. Um, Rabidos versus Knights. Um, yeah, I've put a matchup here already, and it's the best matchup of the day. Left edge knights, Riley Rostran versus right edge South Peyton Tattoo. Wow. Um, player of the year versus I think Riley Rostran was second in my player of the year vote. Uh he's been awesome. I was analysing earlier today the Knights left edge and how many of their tries are actually scored through that side, and it is an overwhelming amount. You got Rostran and Caden McKay and and Malachi Fave Eli, all these guys on the left edge that are absolute guns. Nate Vincent out wide scored a heap of tries as well. Um, just being on the receiving end of some of those guys. And um, yeah, uh a lot of the attacks are going to go through Rostran and Makai again in this game. And um Tato's got a got a huge job on his hands here, and um, you know, as as do the back rowers, I think it's um Jaden Bishop, I think, is named to be out there again. I need to get the team list up and have them in front of me before I start talking about these games, but I don't do that because I am slow. Here we go, rabbido's versus knights. Um, yeah, it will be Jaden Bishop out on that edge for um Peyton Total. So they've got a huge job in their hands to shut down the Knights attack, but as do the Knights defense on that side of the ball, um, they've got a huge job to shut down Totaro. He's his performance against the Panthers in week one in extra time was sensational. And then you look at the left side of the field, Charlie Bade Up, he's probably been their best player um in terms of you know finals week one. I thought he was the man of the match round nine. He was a um Harold Matthews player of the round for mine. He's had some unbelievable performances to end this season off, and I think he's going to continue that form because you've got two guys here for the rabbitos. It's the best halves pairing in the comp. I'll just come out and say that. Charlie Bait up and Peyton Tadar, they're just on the up. Um, and then you know, you got this back line of the Knights, which is awesome. Then you got this forward pack for the Rabbidos that have highlighted all year, very big and physical. And you know, I was talking before about physicality and your size in Howard Matthews and how much that helps you win comps. Rabidados have got that formula as well. And I just think elite halves, elite forward pack, I'm very, very confident on the rabbites at the moment in Howard Matthews. I think they'll go through to the grand final. Um, yeah, I think it'll be a Rabidos versus Roosters Howard Matthews grand final, which um I'm sure will be completely civil. Um, and fans who have would otherwise pay zero attention to Howard Matthews won't make a big deal of it. But um, yeah, that should be um an awesome matchup. And you've got Roosters versus Rabidos and the SG Ball prelim finals as well. So those two clubs are in an awesome spot. And the Newcastle Knights are in an awesome spot as well. They've got, you know, all four of their junior rep sides in the finals. Lisa Fiola and Tasha Gala there as well. Uh, they've got some super exciting talent in those two teams. They've got some super exciting talent in the Howard Matthews and SG ball that are coming through at the moment. And yeah, I'm very keen to see how this game goes, but I am just siding with that size and physicality through the middle. Um the Knights forward pack is very good as well. Like I've already highlighted um Caden McKay out in the back row, but he's not the only one. Oliver Lawrence, he's been awesome this year, as with Hayden Schell. I think he's a guy that um probably flying a little bit under the radar, but I think he's done a lot of really good things through the middle. I think he's a bit of a goer at 13 is Hayden Shell. He's caught my eye a couple of times this year, and um, I'm keen to see how they match up to this Rabidos forward pack. But like if this was an NR if this was two NRL teams coming into a matchup against each other, I think most people would look at it and go, okay, forward pack, halves, you side with the Rabidos here. And um, you know, the Knights, their back five's awesome, um, their halves are good. Briley Rosh's obviously one of the premier players in the comp. He'll do a lot with this side, this left edge will do a lot. Um, Oliver Lawrence, Hayden Shell, as I just mentioned, they'll they'll you know control try and control the middle. But yeah, it's gonna be a task, and it's gonna be a great um game to see who sort of comes out on top, especially that um knight's left edge versus rabidau's right edge. I'm super keen to see how that unfolds. Uh let's move on. NRL debuts is my next talking point. Um, probably the most anticipated debut of the season. Dragons halfback Cade Reid. He's a guy that I've watched for a while. Um, obviously, through you know, Harold Matthews, and then he had an awesome year at the Australian Schoolboys Carnival. Uh, you know, he's and played with the Steelers. He he was the half partner to liking King Tonga in SG ball, and then the next year he took over that um Steelers SG ball side, had an awesome year. I think he ended up second in my player at the year vote. He's then gone on now to kill it at NRL trials, and he's been the form one of the form halfbacks in New South Wales Cup this year as well. Is he ready? Nobody knows. There is not one soul that could give you the answer to whether or not he is ready. But what I do know, and what Dean Young has said to echo my sentiments, and like the rant that I went on a couple of weeks ago was he is putting in elite performances in New South Wales Cup. He is becoming your best option to be the halfback, and he will give you an attacking spark that unfortunately hasn't been there for the Dragons. Okay, defensively, Cole Flanagan's better. That's obvious. Um, I do like the fact that Dean Young stuck with Cole Flanagan in the side off the bench at 14. I think he can give you valuable reps at hooker. Um, but you know, one of these guys, Atkinson or Flanagan, probably had to be replaced by Cade Reed for the sheer fact that in attack it's just not working. I think I heard a stat the other day, Cole Flanagan has one try assist, and Daniel Atkinson has three try assists or something like that, or it might even be linebreak assists, but they they just have not been creatively good enough. And one thing that Cade Reed, I can guarantee you, he will do is he will be trying things and he will create attack. Let's bring up his stats from um New South Wales Cup this season, because it's been good, and he's had a lot of moments, um, a lot of games where he's been the best player on the park by far, just by sheer virtue of how much he's creating with his attack. So two tries, two force dropouts, 250 average kick meters. His kicking game is good as well. That's the other thing. Uh obviously Atkinson's gonna do most of the kicking. Dean Young's taking that pressure off Cade Reed, which I respect. Uh, but Cade Reed's short kicking game will play a factor in this game. Five try assists in four games, three line break assists. Um his tackle efficiency is at about 80%. But as I was saying, defensive things is an eye test. I don't think he's been too bad. Um, I don't think he's you know missing his assignments all that often, uh, but he is a bit of a smaller body, so he's gonna have that low tackle efficiency. Um 73 average run meters. He has had those games where he's gone big though. Um so let's have a look game by game. So played the full 80 and three. So he he only played two minutes against the Bulldogs in week one, too. So this is pretty much three full games that he's played, Cade Reed. Um, the ELS game I thought he was the best on ground, and it was his kicking game. That was the the focal point, 412 kick meters. He had two tri assists in that game. Um, and his running game, there was a game against uh the Marley Seagles, where it was probably his best game in New South Wales Cup, 118 total running meters, he had 124 the week before. Um, you know, he he's sort of coming up with that four missed tackles a game in you know his his three full games. That's fine, like I said. Um, you know, but every single game in New South Wales Cup where he's played the full game, two try he's had at least a try assist. That game against the Bears that he had, um, force dropout, two try assists, two line breaks, three tackle breaks, uh, you know, 19 tackles, 124 metres. He is right up there with some of the most exciting halfbacks coming through the grades at the moment. Um, you know, there's so many guys, and I highlighted it countlessly last year. This age group of halves was so stacked. Mitch Woods and Toby Rodwell were the New South Wales 19's halves. Below them, the guys that miss the side, Cade Reid, Joey Walsh, Lorenzo, Tellatana, absolute freaks. Alex Conti as well, who I just highlighted for his huge performances in New South Wales Cup. Like, there is Matthew Humphreys as well. He's in that age group. He's playing New South Wales Cup and going pretty good. Like, they're all in very, very good spots. Um, yeah, and Javon Andrews is a part of that age group as well. Kobe Black, like, this is a stacked age group for halves. Kobe Black, he had an awesome game. I'll pivot to that in New South Wales Cup on the weekend. Him and Owen Paddy were unreal. Uh, they carved them up. Ethan Alea, I thought, was good out of the back as well. Chevy Stewart had an awesome game. Uh, yeah, that Raiders, New South Wales Cup side, much sort of maligned. 0-6. They got their first win 48-12, and I thought those young players really stood up. And Owen Paddy's been killing it in New South Wales Cup. He's been their best player week on week. Uh, and Kobe Black, you know, I had a conversation with someone the other day. Oh, they're they're 0-6. Kobe Black's not going that good. Ethan Sanders is a long-term seven. Wouldn't be so sure about that because Kobe Black's played some good footy there. He hasn't had, you know, the massive games and they haven't been winning, but he's played some good footy. If the forward pack starts to roll, which they haven't this year, but they did on the weekend. I thought Roman Tuemau, he's a young player there. He had a good game for the Raiders on the weekend as well. Um, let's have a look at some of the other forwards who really um lifted their level on the weekend because they got a really young forward pack. Jake Clydesdale, he was huge in this game. Vena Batugi Case, um, you know, Jordan Utah, it's a very young Malachi Smith was playing lock. Such a young forward pack, Jesse Millen off the bench, Samuel Hyne off the bench, Sean Packer, Kane Anderson, like those two guys aren't even forwards. But it's just, you know, once they get that forward pack rolling, I think Kobe Black's going to put him some huge performances. He has had some hit and miss games for the most part. He's played some pretty good footy when he's had the opportunity to. Uh you look back at that manly game a couple of the clutch tries to Kane Anderson, um, you know, to tie the game or to have the chance to tie the game. He then missed the kick, whatever. Um, but yeah, I think it's not as clear-cut or set in stone that Ethan Sanders is the guy there. Um, I think Kobe Black is playing some really good footy. I think he's the long-term seven at the club. If you ask me to give an opinion, you know, Ethan Sanders is doing some good things. Uh, the last couple weeks have been better. I'm just not completely sold, especially, you know, creatively. I don't know if him and Ethan Strange have meshed all that well. Um, Ethan Strange has been playing some really good footy over the last couple of weeks, but um, I don't think anything's solidified there. And like I've said from the start, I think Kobe Black is gonna be, you know, a very good first grader for a long time. I think he's a long-term guy. Um, and you know, it is gonna be an interesting battle to see how that plays out. I'm not completely discounting Ethan Sanders, um, but yeah, I think Kobe Black's a guy that you you just need to pay attention to. Um I just don't completely forget him. Yeah, look at this, most fantasy points, Kobe Black. I like how we're doing fantasy points from, and you do you see the fantasy points for SG Ball and Howard Matthews and all that, it's always interesting to look at. Um, but yeah, five runs, 90 metres, two line breaks, try assist. Uh, he he he was awesome, especially with his running game. Um, but yeah, he's a good player, Kobe Black. Look at his defense too, 22 tackles, only two missed. Um, his defence was very good to the eye. Um, yeah, he's he's a player. Um, and I've maintained that uh he was my first pick in my draft last year. I'd do a draft every year um on November 1st. Just highlight some of the young guys coming through, and he was my first pick there. I think he's going to be a very talented player for a while. Um, other talking points. I mentioned it a couple of weeks ago. What I want in my New South Wales uh centres or New South Wales outside backs, I want speed, because you cannot beat speed, and I want a great defender. There's a guy who's ticking both of those boxes that nobody is talking about, or if they do talk about him, it's like, oh, and what about this guy as well? Or it's you know something along those lines. I think Tolitau Cola, I I'd pick him on the wing. You got you don't move critter from centres. I've seen a lot of people, well, not a lot of people, but some people are uh um you know, sort of playing around with him going to the wing, and Latrell Mitchell he has to be the centre. You've seen what he did to Val Holmes on the weekend, he's a superstar. You don't change that as critter and Trell, and those two were some of our best last year. Then Brian Tott is obviously the other winger. Now, to replace Zach Lomax, Josh Adokarr, good defender, quick as, or Toloto Cola, quick as, great defender. I think he can play wing. I think he can play anywhere in the back five, really. He can play fullback centre's wing. I think he's going to show over the next couple of weeks that he is a class fullback. I don't think fullback's his best position. Um he played really well against the Cowboys, obviously. Um he's coming up with he's just a guy over the last 18 months who's been really slept on as one of the class outside backs. So he was Manley's player of the year last year. I thought he had an unbelievable season there. You know, he obviously had some outstanding games. He was scoring a couple of tries and and carving people up, but I just don't think people give him the respect that he deserves, Tolucoa. Um so if I was making my origin team, I would have him there. Obviously, you know, you've got these names like Jacob Kuraz and Mark Noanga Nitawase and all these guys, and you know, I I just don't quite trust it. Um, you know, and especially, you know, for me, I I've said it, I want the speed and I want the um defensive capabilities. Mark Noanga Nitawase probably has neither of those. He he's quick, but he's not rapid, um, and his defensive capabilities aren't all there, and he makes a lot of errors, and then Jacob Kuraz, I I think there's a little bit of a false economy there in terms of his um, you know, his uh run meters and offloads and all these sorts of things, and you know, he's not all that quick. He does make a couple of errors from a from a few silly offloads. He's you know right up there, obviously, and I I'm just talking about from a perspective of who do I want in my wing position, I think call is the top seed, to be completely honest. And I think Josh Adokar is the second seed, and I don't hear enough people talking about those two guys for that option. So um, yeah, I I think very, very underrated. Um, and then I was talking about a halfback class that is very stacked earlier with Cade Reed, Lorenzo Tellatina, all these guys that are in the under-20s age group at the moment, um, which makes them 06. There's another class of halfbacks coming through that are the 08 class, you know, your Marikos, your butlers, and and all these guys, and um you're doing some really good things in SG Ball. You know, most NRL fans wouldn't have heard of them yet, whatever. Um, but they are of it's another very good halfbacks class coming through. I think the best one may not be from Australia. Um, I've wanted to talk about this for a little bit of time now. Um he he was featured down here carving up the New South Wales under 17s last year. That's Ewan Irwin from the Warrington Wolves. He's been playing reserves up there. He's played a couple of Super League games already at just 18 years of age, um, and only freshly 18, too. That 2008 class of of halfbacks is strong. I think he's uh he's a genuine problem um up in England. I think he's a guy that's going to be good enough to come to the NRL if he wants to. Obviously, English halfbacks don't work out a lot, uh, but I think he's a he's a pretty special player up there. I'm very keen to see how his career develops. Um, because I I think there's a couple of really good young players up in uh England at the moment. Obviously, you've got the guys that you know NRL fans will who are aware of, you know, Junior and Sembra's and and all them sort of guys. Uh I think there's two kids at uh Warrington who could be genuine stars in the outside backs in Kai Taylor Ray, who I've mentioned uh a fair bit, and you and Irwin. Just keep an eye out for that name. Um, but other than that, we'll we'll wrap it up here. Um, you know, got so much on um coming up. Very keen to see how the finals play out, very keen to see how all of these things that we've talked about played out. Cade Reed's debut, super highly anticipated. I'm excited to see how he goes. Unfortunately, I'll be at the junior reps, so I won't be able to watch it live. Uh, but I'll certainly be trying to watch it back because I'm gonna be very keen to see how he goes. But other than that, thanks for listening for another week. Um, I've got some hoodie designs and a quarter zip design coming. Um, I obviously just I made some last year that were just you know for myself and family and friends to wear, um and you know, just to promote within my own content and all that sort of stuff. But um, I've made a few. I'm gonna give away a couple, so follow my Instagram for all those sorts of things. Um, and if there is enough interest. In them, I will probably will put them on sale. I've had a couple of people message me um over the last 12 months about you know merchandise and all that sort of stuff. Something that not overly um you know moves me or or you know, I'm not really all that keen on on putting it out there. But um if it does come to fruition and if there is a fair bit of interest, I'll 100% put it out there. But um for now, just making a couple of designs, I'll put them up on my Instagram, um, do a couple of giveaways and all that. So make sure you're following there for all that stuff. Thanks for listening for another week. See you on the next one.