They've been doing it all day sir!
Two Englishmen in Australia, talking sports and life in a new country
They've been doing it all day sir!
EP#20: The Mental Health Game
We discuss the major shifts in the Queensland Maroons team with Daly Cherry-Evans dropped ahead of Origin Game 2 and analyze whether Billy Slater is making the right call with five player changes.
• The importance of mental health awareness during Men's Mental Health Month
• Reece Walsh returns for the Broncos, showing brilliant attack but still raising defensive questions
• The Dolphins emerge as potential dark horses after scoring 100 points in just two games
• Three teams pulling away from the pack: Raiders, Bulldogs, and Warriors establishing themselves as the real deal
• Adam O'Brien's controversial comments about Newcastle fans after their victory over Manly
• Manly's second-half collapse against Newcastle and the tactical failures that led to their defeat
• Predictions for a reduced Round 15 schedule with several teams missing Origin players
• Lachie Galvin's immediate impact at the Bulldogs after his mid-season switch from the Tigers
If you're struggling with mental health issues, remember you're not alone. Reach out to friends, family, or professional services like ruok.org.au - it's important to speak up before things get too severe.
Hello and welcome to this week's episode of. They've Been Doing it All Day, sir, I'm Ben and I'm Chris. Some big changes for the Maroons ahead of Game 2, and my word, it is difficult being a manly supporter. Let's get stuck in.
Speaker 2:How was your long weekend, lad?
Speaker 1:Yeah, not too bad. Actually. Do you know one thing that as a British man in Australia that people comment on quite a lot when I say it's freezing over here and they go oh, you should be used to it by now. Um, I don't care what anyone says.
Speaker 2:In the depths of the winter, australia, I swear, is colder than england yeah, um, I think you made a good point about it, though the other week that you never have any reprieve from it yeah you are just constantly in the cold. Um, you get back like it's freezing outside, you go, you go into a house. It's freezing, it's freezing in the flat. You just never escape it.
Speaker 1:The houses aren't designed for it. There's no insulation. There's no. I mean, understandably, in the summer you don't want insulation, but there's no escaping. You're under the duvet and blanket in the evening and you get up to go to the toilet and you're just freezing cold instantly. And look, it's nine degrees. It's not freezing, but comparatively, to like the weather outside, like it's even when it's windy breezy, there's just no escape from it.
Speaker 2:I remember when I was in a previous previous job and I'd be starting work at six o'clock in the morning and I'd be working from home in our flat I can see my own breath in front of me, like it's that. That's how cold it was in the flat. You try and get a cheap heater, but it just doesn't do anything. I genuinely thought when I moved over here I'd never have to wear a hoodie again, never a coat. Didn't even bother looking at packing them. But by God, was I wrong?
Speaker 1:I know, and got a few jumpers on. Now Get a few hoodies out. I've got a thick jacket as well that I had to wear over the weekend. So it was my son's birthday. We had a little party on Sunday down at the park and, yeah, freezing, cold wind was blowing. I think I came back with more redder cheeks than I would have if I was out in the sun for ages from the wind. But big milestone that we hit, this is the 20th episode that we're doing so we've been at it for 20 weeks now, which is good, nice to see. The views and likes are rolling in, so make sure you like and subscribe to to keep following along. But um, yeah, how was your long weekend?
Speaker 2:yeah, pretty chill, to be honest. Uh partner was down in adelaide on a for her sister's baby shower yeah I just spent most of the weekend making a curry at different stages, so marinated the culinary skills of chris marinated the chicken on friday, let it sit. Cooked it on sunday, then let it sit, so we then had it on Monday Next day. Flavours infusion made some garlic naan breads as well. Went down an absolute treat.
Speaker 1:Curries are one of the. Well, there's quite a lot of things but any kind of meat base, I suppose. But curry is one of the best things to eat the day after a few days where they've just allowed the spices to soak in.
Speaker 2:A lot of spice food, so if you ever make a chili, con carne, that's always unreal the next day. Yeah, like fajita mix is always unreal the next day um.
Speaker 1:The only issue is your clothes.
Speaker 2:Stink of it that is also true, like every door is. It was shut when I was making the was, when I was cooking the curry, just to make sure it didn't seep into the clothing. Um, but now, other than that, pretty, pretty quiet one, yeah, decent.
Speaker 1:Well, let's get stuck into it. Got a lot to get through. Let's kick off with our performance of the round.
Speaker 2:Um, who you gone with this week as your performance, I've got the dolphins um, they just looked on fire and we've discussed them previously about them being a sleeping giant, um, and you've mentioned a number of times about them being how much the floods at the start of the season did affect them and the travel that they did have to go through, but, by God, they look sharp.
Speaker 1:Herbie Farnworth looks on another planet at the moment.
Speaker 2:And to do it against that Dragons team as well, who we have been saying. I've been on the up and they've looked a lot stronger team, and then they've come up against them. Katoa had an absolutely incredible, credible game as well, um, and then they've come up against the dolphins team. That's made the dragons look like wooden spooners yeah, you said dragons, you meant the.
Speaker 1:Uh sorry, you said dolphins. You meant dragons for the wooden spooners oh yeah, sorry, I do yes yes.
Speaker 2:I do. It makes the Djeranians look like wooden spooners.
Speaker 1:But mine I've gone with Mr Milestone man himself. Josh Papali, canberra Raiders, highest most appearances, and then, to top off his performance as well, gets two tries. And then part of me thinks this was so disrespectful allowing him to take the kick, but do you know what? In a milestone game, they're winning it by a significant margin, allowing him to take the conversion, and he slotted it.
Speaker 2:Yeah with that. If he'd have just trickled it along the floor and he would have got nowhere near, I would have gone there. That's a bit disrespectful yeah, true he stands up and he slots it, and it wasn't the first time, I think he's done it. I think they were said in commentary he was owned for over two in in conversion, so it wasn't the first time, I think he's done it. I think they said in commentary he was 0-2 in conversions, so it wasn't the first time he tried to kick one.
Speaker 1:He must have practiced it then he must have been given the heads up like look, you might get a conversion here if you don't score. But to score, two tries, convert and I think what is it? 316, 317 appearances or something like that. He's made this incredible career. Who knows what's next for him? His contract's up at the end of the year. Um, probably go over and some cash in the super league or something, and then then come back. But who have you gone for for flop of the round?
Speaker 2:um. So I originally went for clayton falalo on this until we had a little conversation beforehand and you said take off your maroon tinted glasses with it a little bit. Um, the reason why I was going for it? Because one of the Newcastle Knights tries. He just stood on a high ball and just didn't compete. You get told at a very early age in any sport you're playing in the back three, you need to be competing. But I then took my maroon tinted glasses off and to the flip side of my performance of the round, my flop of the round of the Dragons, purely because of what I previously said. They've been on the up.
Speaker 2:They have looked like a solid defensively team as well as a solid team, and we've Christian Tubolato back as well.
Speaker 1:He did go off injured though, so I think he's re-aggravated that hamstring injury.
Speaker 2:Which is a shame. But like I said that, that was a spoon, spoon worthy performance by them they didn't look great.
Speaker 1:They didn't look great at all. Um, I've actually gone, not necessarily with a player or a team, I've gone with a coach, uh, adam O'Brien, like yes, the Newcastle Knights were victorious, they came back and they beat the Manly Seagulls. But for me, coming out after a game and saying that your fans don't know footy is very condescending. And then he tried to retract on it like the next day. But for a man that's significantly under pressure to come out and say that about your home fans and then try and claw some kind of respect back, I think he is walking a very tight, tight rope. Um, there's no way that he's going to get the support of the fans should his neck be on the line which all right, they've beaten Manly and we'll cover that in a minute but um, yeah, I think it's a very stupid choice of words.
Speaker 1:Defense mode maybe, but um, as a head coach, you've really got to think about how you're building. But yeah, I think it's a very stupid choice of words. Defense mode maybe, but as a head coach, you've really got to think about how you're building relationships with the fans and trying to build their trust, and that certainly isn't a way of going about it, but yeah, mine's Adam O'Brien. I probably could have picked Manley, to be honest.
Speaker 2:But again maroon tinted glasses around.
Speaker 1:Was it that bad? I'm not too sure, maybe just a lapse of concentration. But let's kick off with some fixtures. We're going to go straight into the Broncos-Titans game because Reece Walsh coming back. What were your opinions of?
Speaker 2:that, I think on his day he's arguably one of the best attacking fullbacks in the league. Yeah.
Speaker 2:Defensively. Still some very big question marks around him. Personally there was a couple of. I think that was one of the Titans. He didn't have to do much defensively, but there was one Titans try where again, he overran the ball and they were able just to stroll past him and he just wasn't anywhere to be seen. It's not the first time it's happened to him. We've discussed previously about him shying away from high kicks and little things like that. I just was having a thought about this whether they could add some sort of rotation into their defense where they have Cobbo drop back.
Speaker 1:Well, he wasn't even on there Exactly.
Speaker 2:He wasn't even in there.
Speaker 1:And the guy that came on scored what two tries as well.
Speaker 2:So, unless they have one of their wingers, drop back into that full-back position during the defensive sets and then let Walsh join from full-back, because he does add so much more in the attack, his pace.
Speaker 1:He does.
Speaker 2:And his step, his step is so good.
Speaker 1:Hell of a step, hell of a step on him, and the way he just cut through that line during the sidestep and then he goes down with his knee again and you're like oh no, is he? Is he in trouble here seemingly, then sprints after the ball, scores two tries after that. So yeah, broncos walking away 44-14 victors in in that game in the Queensland derby. But one of the things that, one of the reasons why we wanted to touch on this game first as well. How fresh did the Brisbane Broncos look in that jersey.
Speaker 2:I love a blackout jersey. I think it's some of the best, best things in sport is a proper blackout jersey looks so good. We discussed that it would have been unreal if they were told to wear black boots as well, just like the All Blacks do during the World Cup.
Speaker 1:I think a lot. Do you know what I know? After you said that, I looked. A lot of them did, and it was Adam Reynolds, again, who was playing his 300th game, like fair play. Tip your hat to that.
Speaker 2:He was wearing white boots, I think Ezra Mann may have had a different Was wearing pink boots, but if they would have all worn black? That reckon it adds an intimidation factor as well. I reckon.
Speaker 1:I definitely think it g'd them up for this round. Like all right, adam reynolds also had his 300th game, as I mentioned, but for the fact it was a special commemorative jersey for men's mental health I think it just added a little bit of extra to kind of what the point that they wanted to prove as well, and it looks so clean.
Speaker 1:If you come up against any team wearing black that it's always in like all black. It's intimidating. But the reason why we're going to talk about this it's men's mental health week. Uh, I think it's actually men's mental health month, but yeah, the 9th to the 15th of june and just some stats on this that 43 percent of men will experience anxiety or depression at some stage in their lives and every nine every day nine people die of suicide in australia, of which seven are men. Um, I think men are doing a better job of talking about how they're feeling, but there's still a bit of a stigma around kind of men's mental health and talking about it. So I thought it'd be a good opportunity now to kind of talk about maybe our struggles or things that we thought about, um, with regards to moving australia. So, yeah, how, how have you been since moving to Australia in a new country?
Speaker 2:Genuinely, like on a general consensus, like pretty decent it's. Always when you mentioned about discussing this, I had to think about it and the aspects that you miss. And it's quite strange because you go from a hub of, for example, myself, I was playing american football, I was playing rugby, so I was seeing my mate. Like a tuesday we had rugby training like a load of my mates. We'd then go to pub for a few pints. After then, on sort of a saturday, american football started creeping it'd be very similar basis.
Speaker 2:we're just going to the rugby with my mates. I had family quite close by. You have all that and then it's gone, it's gone. Yeah. I had my family close up in Birmingham as well, which was really easy to go see them if I wanted to. And then you move to the other side of the world and then you're just here by yourself.
Speaker 2:It is difficult and you have to throw yourself into things and it can be. Sometimes you are sat there going, oh God, what have I done? But you just have to throw yourself into stuff. I was so lucky my partner's family were there to help and were fantastic in it, sort of accepting me here and things like that, but you do have your little wobbles about it but, you can just crack on, and over time it just seems easier. What about yourself?
Speaker 1:Do you know what? When I put in let's have a conversation about this I thought I don't know what to talk about, what to open up about, but this is something I potentially have struggled with throughout my life. There is a case of different points and they do say like our mental health doesn't discriminate from anyone, and stuff like that. But one of the biggest initial struggles I had was coming back from injury, like injuring, blowing out my ACL and being away from sport like some, even though we were only playing at an amateur level something that you dedicate so much of your time to and that you were kind of injured. I was injured for an extended period of time. I got really down during my recovery from that to a point where I went to see the specialist who sorted my knee out, who reconstructed my knee, and he was like I'll rank yourself on a well-being scale of zero to a hundred, and I think I put something like 12 and he was like, oh, rank yourself on a wellbeing scale of zero to 100. And I think I put something like 12. And he was like okay, we need to address this. Why are you feeling like that? And I didn't feel like I was making the recovery that I should, with the support that I had. So he then changed up my rehab and stuff like that. But then I got better, improved both physically and mentally. I felt like that strength, I could have confidence in my leg again.
Speaker 1:But the second time I then felt it was giving up sport, like realizing, like I'm a bit older than you, so I'm at the point in which my body has given up and I've um, I don't want to use the word retired, but retired from playing competitive sport and uh, yeah, that having a sense of purpose, like I've gone from being surrounded by mates where I've been going to war, going to battle, like you call it, whatever you want, but to all of a sudden having nothing. And um, yeah, I felt like I lost my sense of purpose when it come to my identity in term, like in in relation to. I used to be really strong, really physical, used to be able to take my aggression out on people, go out on the field and kind of hit people and stuff like that. And then all of a sudden it's like what do I do? I feel like I'm I'm getting weaker, I feel like I've got no purpose, no sense of identity.
Speaker 1:And then couple that on top of moving to australia, like I really I didn't really struggle when I came over, but it was a case of um sense of purpose in life, like I didn't know. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know, um, whether I was in the right career, whether I was enjoying what I was doing, what I wanted to move on to, like all that sort of stuff. So it's certainly something that I've had to focus on and I can feel myself sometimes slipping into worries because of having a family and stuff like that. But we have our little socials, we go out, we've got mates that we chat rubbish with and kind of build the social stuff like that.
Speaker 1:But it's difficult, it is a challenge and it's one of those ones where you've got to speak up, Otherwise you just end up eating yourself. I've got a really supportive partner Like I can chat to her about things. I try and take my mind off things by going to the gym. I find if I'm not active as well, I really get in my own head. But yeah, I faced some challenges with that and it's definitely an ongoing I wouldn't say battle, because I don't feel like I'm in a position where I don't know, like there's no.
Speaker 1:what was it?
Speaker 1:I said earlier, like mental health doesn't discriminate, but it's always important that you're able to have conversations, I think an important thing to point out is there are websites out there, there are services out there, like ruokorgau on, where people can go to get help and I'll happily admit, like I have spoken to people before like professional help around this. So it's important to speak out but linking I know I've gone off on a tangent there and kind of rambled for a bit but bringing it back to the Broncos jersey, I think it's done massive things to highlight that it's important for men to speak up not just athletes but any men in life and really feel confident and comfortable that you're in a supportive space with mates and stuff like that where you can speak up. So I don't know If anyone wants to reach out, wants to just chat rubbish to random strangers and see if we can help out in any way, shape or form, just send us a message because it's important that you speak up before.
Speaker 2:And one of the things as well is that what I've found is because sometimes people don't speak to their friends about it. They don't understand how common it actually is, so you feel like you sat there by yourself and you're the only one going through it. But if you just had a conversation with someone you'd understand have a conversation with one of your mates. You'd understand. They've probably gone through something extremely similar.
Speaker 2:And you're not alone when it comes to this sort of thing. I think that's one of the big things is people and men in general just need to understand is that they're not alone going through these sort of things. As you say, there is help and you probably are surrounded by people who have gone through it. So, just as you say, before it gets too severe, always just try and have those conversations do.
Speaker 1:I remember a situation when I was younger and this is mad and it's just. I don't know why this is just coming to my head, but I was on a train going to work and, like I, I would just say they're like, yeah, I've suffered bouts of like depression or been being low as I'd say, but the anxiety side of things I've never really thought of. And you like, there's sometimes when I'm in crowded situations and I'm warming up, I've got to escape, like, and I didn't realize what it was.
Speaker 1:Like I remember being on a train going into London in a confined packed space and I couldn't escape the heat and I was just like getting more and more anxious, more and more anxious, more and more anxious, because train cancellations in London are frequent and I was like I've got to escape from this train and this overwhelming feeling inside me was like I've got to get off and I started shaking started and I didn't know what it was at the time and like when you reflect back on it and like you see some of the stuff that I've read up about, I was like, wow, that might have been like an anxiety attack yeah or something like that.
Speaker 1:so I mean talking about things has massively helped yeah that's good. So anyone out there that needs to chat or anything, just reach out to a mate, reach out to someone and go for a beer is probably the best way. Go for a beer, have a chat and move on with things. But yeah, well, I felt like we got a bit.
Speaker 2:No, it's what? Yeah, it does feel like a bit of a sort of a Humber, sort of more of a Somba. Somba yeah, sorry thank you. Somba start to our new, usually Upbeat podcast.
Speaker 1:It's important to talk about it is important.
Speaker 2:It's an important topic and that's why we're doing this. We said from the start it was about sort of trying to connect with people, not just from a sporting point of view, but for for anyone who's moved country, it's, it's hopefully they, they feel a bit of sort of similarity in it and go oh, actually again, I wasn't the only person that went through it yeah, well, I don't want to make it a jovial thing, but talking of experiences that could potentially lead you to not feeling too great.
Speaker 1:We took the two-hour trip on Thursday night to the Macdonald Jones Stadium. Yes, yes we did my word. I wish we didn't, but anyway, I digress. So, manly, what was it 26-20? Newcastle Knights beat the Manly. What was it 26-20? Newcastle Knights beat the Manly Seagulls 26 points to 20. Manly, seemingly 26-22.
Speaker 2:26-22.
Speaker 1:Manly, seemingly cruising at half time. Where did it go wrong?
Speaker 2:I think it was so. We had a very in-depth conversation on the two hour drive home about it.
Speaker 1:We also stopped at some random McDonald's in a place. What was it called? Morissette or something?
Speaker 2:like that Really interesting Bit of a rogue area, and I think it was one of those where we're on the sort of the lull of fuck's sake, lost again from a winning position, because it's not the first time it's happened.
Speaker 1:Heads were fully gone and we were few, the lull of ah, fuck's sake, lost again from a winning position because it's not the first time it's happened this.
Speaker 2:This Heads were fully gone and we and we were few, and again I was just like I just realised how much I love but hate going to away games because I'm just surrounded by fans who home fans and it just does my head in. It's regardless, and it does my head in, but sitting back a little bit, taking the maroon glasses off again and analysing it from a perspective of losing your full back to a HIA within five, ten minutes or however early it was. I watched that back yesterday.
Speaker 1:It's an accident, it's fully an accident. But it didn't help that he had whoever it was diving on top of him. As they both dive for the ball, he he smacked his head on the floor.
Speaker 2:I think he went onto the ball at the wrong angle as well, he sort of died, but anyway I digress. But then having a second rower play centre for the rest of the game, it's always going to open up and we've said Ben is a second rower in his own right. Yeah. But as soon as he gets moved to centre, his pace just really lets him down.
Speaker 1:Showed against the, the knights one thing I didn't get is tommy talal. Like I've watched it back, how did he show signs after they scored over in the corner? I think it was gaga that scored over in the corner and he apparently received a boot to the chin. From what I saw, he showed no signs of any.
Speaker 2:Could just be. It's just surely head contact it was independent doctor.
Speaker 1:That called him off, and then that leads to Corey Waddell having to go to the other centre and you're left with Two second row as a centre. Yeah, Two second row slash prop centres and I just I don't know, I question. It's an independent doctor so you can't throw too much in there. But whatever happened at half time, whatever Seabold was saying, but then this is where you can flip it back.
Speaker 2:I was saying you're going to struggle with having a second rower at centre, but we were doing extremely well with a second rower at centre. We were 16-0 up. We were attacking their left edge and ripping them open to bits if Saab was playing.
Speaker 2:We said if Saab was playing he would have had a couple of tries because there was a lot of time. Falalo was getting free, but he just didn't have the pace to get away. And second half they've come out. To be fair to the Knights, they've obviously assessed the situation. I think they changed over their edges as well and changed over their wingers and their different matchups and they just dominated.
Speaker 1:They did this thing as well. I noticed because we were quite high up, we could see. But whenever we were whipping the ball out left, whenever the second receiver got it whether it was DC or Brooks they just shot their edge man in and it seems it's like we then went oh, what do we do? We can't get the ball out wide as quick as we want. And they slowed things down. We just looked a different team in the second half yeah, and we don't.
Speaker 2:Sipley was brilliant coming off the bench thought he was.
Speaker 2:He's the only one that really had an impact in gaining meters. But yeah, again they were. There was just no adjustment to what was happening and that comes from a coach. I'm sorry, but you've got a coach up in a box in a high position seeing the exact same things we were seeing. I said, within 5 minutes of the second half kicking off, they're going to be attacking Ben Cervojevic this whole half. But there was no adjustment, there was no additional help. I'm not a master of the game.
Speaker 1:I think even Garrick.
Speaker 1:So when Talal went off, garrick went over to the wing and even then they were just flipping it out wide, gassing them down the sideline, and we had no response to stop them. And look, we're not an influence. So I don't think we're a big enough reputation to be saying stuff and influence anything. But I, we put a tiktok out after the game. That said seabold out, and it went down like a lot of people interacted and engaged with it. But it's getting to the point now and I'm not one to advocate for coaches being fired and stuff like that it was very reactionary what was said, but it gets to a point where it what? Like where is plan b? Like what, what are we doing when we find ourselves in these situations? There's been many a time this season. Dragons this is an example like, yeah, we just can't find a plan b. If plan a doesn't work, yeah, paramount another one, um, but it's just difficult we're what six and seven now?
Speaker 1:uh, we've got the titans this weekend. It'll be interesting if plan A doesn't work. Yeah, parramatta, another one, but it's just difficult. We're what? Six and seven now? We've got the Titans this weekend. It'll be interesting.
Speaker 2:Yeah, you can look back at it. If the ball bounces one more meter to the right, DC gets a 40-20. He then also kicks one out on the full, which is unlike him. So it's again. I think it was a little bit more of a leakage from last, the week before, where I said he was trying too hard yeah, and.
Speaker 2:I think he knew his maroons jersey was on the line and again just trying to make things happen that weren't there, um, but we attacking wise. To go from what happened against the broncos to to what happened this, I yeah losing Hoppawattie was yeah it was a massive big loss.
Speaker 1:But we'll talk about the game coming up this weekend in a bit. But what a great segue talking about DCE, because Origin teams have been selected and Daily Cherry Evans has not been picked. It's interesting. Queensland have all the time in the past been saying you can't be dropping your captain when.
Speaker 1:Jakeake traboyevich got dropped. You can't. We wear it. We set, we're set with our team. We don't have much change and they've what changed? Five, five players for game two. Um, but what I some I had listened to a few podcasts earlier and they were talking about it was james Graham talking about. If DC knew that he was going to be dropped for game two, he likely wouldn't have played for played Origin this year, hindsight's 20-20, but he has massively missed out the opportunity to go off on a high like I don't think what he's done in the Origin arena will ever disappear, like in terms of people remember that, but for him to leave on such a sour note, yeah, I think he's gonna, yeah, maybe regret it well, the thing is as well.
Speaker 2:He wasn't the only maroon in game, one that had a shocking performance, like there's a bloke next to him called camera monster, who's supposed to be creative as well and did did absolutely nothing harry grant had an absolute harry one of the worst, worst games I think I've seen from him, he's still starting. Yeah. So I think he's been made a scapegoat and I've seen a lot of the Maroons propaganda coming out saying, oh we remember the last time we were the shittest team in origin and we win it, and things like that.
Speaker 1:It's playing nicely into their hands. Oh, massively. It is playing nicely because Billy Slater's had to make. He didn't have to, but he feels like he's been forced to make some changes. If they don't work, he is under severe pressure because they're 2-0 down and they potentially could be battered. But if it works he looks like an absolute hero. So he's rolling some big dice here. What's your thoughts on Ezra Mann being picked?
Speaker 2:We've discussed it previously. I don't think he should be playing this year. I think he should have had a year ban. So that's my opinion on it. I don't think he should have been anywhere near Origen. Yeah, it's very hard to but also, you can't comment because you've never stepped on the field.
Speaker 1:Oh, this is a very valid point.
Speaker 2:I've never stepped on the field.
Speaker 1:I've never played the game. I've never stepped on the field.
Speaker 2:I've never played the game. I've also never had a criminal conviction against me either.
Speaker 1:So it's very hard as a state to respect their decisions of who they've picked, when they're picking someone that morally I know you can't like morals and values and stuff you can't judge someone on that. But they've got to have a word with themselves Like what are they? What's the message they're sending to young kids? And I know he comes out and he says oh, I've served my time. If you've got any problems, take it up with the courts or whatever, but the NRL have got to be looking at it and going we've done something wrong here.
Speaker 1:But the only change for New South Wales, obviously. Mitch Barnett injured.
Speaker 2:Max King goes straight into the starting spot and then stefano toya kamano comes in. We thought, we thought that was going to be the way around. Um, I, I did say sort of, I don't know whether, because he seemed very nervous and he, he that may have possibly um suaded um lorry in his, his, his decision of whether to start him or not, but obviously he's shown enough and he had a solid performance when he came on.
Speaker 1:And he had a great game at the weekend as well.
Speaker 2:He's a really good player and Koloa Matangi coming in is just very much a straight swap, I think, for Aldo Kawatu. In that sense, I think it's a team that can do damage, and what I would like to see from this game is a lot more creative intent from New South Wales.
Speaker 1:I think it'll be an open Look. Realistically, our next week's episode the episode before Origin 2, is not going to be released before the Wednesday, so it'd be sensible to talk about the game a little bit now. I reckon Queensland have to attack and they have to go for it. So that could potentially open them up, and I reckon this could lead to a high scoring game either way.
Speaker 1:If Queensland get it right, there's an opportunity that they could challenge this New South Wales team. But how good New South Wales were defensively last time. Stephen Crichton is an animal.
Speaker 2:So you look at, I think, the center's place such a pivotal position in in that origin and you had a trial Mitchell and Steven Crichton hit everything and be able to flow brilliantly in defense in every, every responsibility and get up against Robert Toya and Val Holmes.
Speaker 2:You're like Matt. If you go through it man for man, I am. I can see him attacking Xavier Coates and Toho again aerially, because if you don't, you're stupid. But it's if Munster or Deirdre and whoever's kicking has got the accuracy to be able to bring Coates into the game. Yeah, because that's what I would be that's what I'd be doing.
Speaker 1:Well, Deirdre doesn't. So it'll be interesting to see how they go, but if you had to put like after teams have been picked and you can see the starting lineups, what are your?
Speaker 2:I'm not just hoping, but I think it'll be a New South Wales win. I just their strength just across the field, everywhere. And again I'll go back to the mentality of the squad it's a dog mentality.
Speaker 1:They're building something Like this could be a team don. It's a dog mentality.
Speaker 2:They're building something Like this could be a team that don't want to shoot themselves in the foot. It could be a two three year squad with slight additions, if you keep core players. Yeah, which is what every great origin team needs to have, is you need to have a core number of players to then be able to build off that.
Speaker 1:But no, I'm really excited to see see what can see, what can transpire yeah, I reckon new south wales get it done and I think they do it quite comfortably as well. I think it's going to be an open game. Uh, queensland are going to have to attack and I think new south wales are going to pick that apart and take them to the cleaners, um. So yeah, but we're going to do it slightly different this week. Looking at looking at the games and fixtures in terms of reviewing them, we're going to have more of a discussion around how the Warriors, raiders and Bulldogs are pulling away from everyone. They are the real deal.
Speaker 2:They're in their own little league of their own at the moment. And we've mentioned the storm. Oh sorry, no, you didn't mention Melbourne, did you? We mentioned about the storm. Oh sorry, no, you didn't mention Melbourne, did you? We mentioned about the storm there. They're there, but they're not quite where these other three teams are.
Speaker 1:They're quite inconsistent and even at the weekend Execution they looked like they were going to blow away of it early on. And then all of a sudden, what were they? 10-0 up or something like that, 12 nil up at one point. The cowboys just get a try, they get a bit, and you're like, oh, are the storm going to hold on, are they? They're a bit rattled, I mean. They ended up winning 38 14. But it feels to me that, yeah, there's highs and lows of win within a game. You're going to have to ride the rough with this move and kind of there's going to be points where you're under pressure. But to me the storm aren't consistent enough in games where you're like they've looked solid and they've absolutely blown them away. So I think the top four as it is now, with we've got the Bulldogs out top, although I don't like the table with the like should really be Raiders, yeah so the Raiders and Bulldogs at the top, Then we've got the Warriors in third Storm in fourth.
Speaker 1:I think that's going to be the top four that finish the season.
Speaker 2:But then you can quickly go on. Consistency with the Storm. I messaged you. Raiders didn't play for the first 20 minutes against the Rabbitohs. And it showed they played for 60 minutes and then blew them away yeah and it was for that 60 minutes. The, the rabbit hoes just didn't didn't have an answer it was the relentless mentality of the raiders.
Speaker 1:they were just constantly piling pressure on, piling pressure on, and I think I remember seeing, actually, like tom starlin was just pointing at people, like he was pointing at people, like we're attacking there, we're attacking there, then you just offload into the big bodies in the middle and they're just wearing them out, and eventually that took its toll. They have lost Tamale, though, for three months.
Speaker 1:He dislocated his kneecap and he's got to have surgery to hold it back into place. So he's out, they reckon, three to five months. They're hoping that he's going to be back for the rest of the season, but even when he went off, they looked pretty comfortable. Ethan Strange, what a boy as well. What a performance from him. They just look good all round. They're a well-rounded team who are just dogs. They get work done, they get work rate, they get through it, and this scoreline was. I mean, they blew him away 36-12 in the end.
Speaker 2:I think it reflected the you look at the game as a whole. I think it very much reflected it If the Raiders had just nipped to win. I think, you could have felt very harsh on the Rabbitohs, but the Rabbitohs just didn't have anything.
Speaker 1:They didn't, and the other team that fits in the top three, the Warriors. One of my concerns about them was I've always been concerned about points that they can put on teams. Last week they played the rabbiters and stuck 30 odd on them. This week they've stuck the sharks and put 40 on them. I I've been doubtful of whether they've been able to do it. We both have but now they've, now they've shown it. I'm like you, like we've got to start taking them seriously Defensively solid.
Speaker 2:I think, as you say, the close games they were winning their points difference now is going to be completely different to what it was. I think it was plus one or two the other week. Now, if I quickly look, it's 35. Yeah, Within two weeks it's just shot up it's 33 more point difference.
Speaker 1:Look, it's 35. Yeah, within two weeks.
Speaker 2:It's just shot up, it's 33 more point difference, Even though it's still not as big as the ones around it. They are now showing what they can do in the comp and they are a seriously scary team.
Speaker 1:All their attacking threats are starting to click. All right, they might be hitting form mid-season, but if they can carry this towards the end of the season, be interested to see how they're performing at the back end. But you've got to start taking them seriously. And then, on the flip of that, like the Sharks were looking good at the start of the season and then all of a sudden they've just fallen off and it's the same old Sharks, like same old sharks. You just they go for a patch of looking good, looking bad.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, look, I think they'll make the eight, but I don't think they're going to be causing anyone troubles when it comes to I mean you watch, they'll play manly in the in the finals or something, and then well, manly have to get there first well, yeah, but to me sharks ain't really on it. But if we're talking about teams, that are you mentioned them earlier. You touched on kind of the performance of the round the dolphins, dark horses massively.
Speaker 2:I was having a chat with, uh, one of our friends a few weeks ago and he was like oh, who outside the the eight would you, would you say, are going to be in there, and I was, I was like a paramatter, I've got a good chance. I I still think there is something they're building. But the Dolphins was also another team that I brought up and when they're again, they're just attacking a 10 and they're just a different team to who they were four or five games previous. Yeah.
Speaker 2:And they're really starting to show and starting to click and you get excited watching them. You're like fuck, this is unreal.
Speaker 1:And Katoa. I think he's starting to really find his feet now within this squad. He's been with them for three years. He's the system that Christian Wolff was brought in. He's starting to kind of get everything clicking into gear. But another person well, they've got so many people that stand out. Herbie Farnworth has scored seven games in a row or something like that. But Bostock on the wing the way he jumped up for that ball over, I don't even know who it was, I can't remember, but he's literally floated in midair, used his knee. It's like a mark in AFL. I don't know much about AFL, but one thing I do know is they use the knees in the back to get up. He's caught that and he's like floated in the air and then gone down and scored and they've absolutely torn them apart. Yeah, I think the Dolphins are one of those dark horses that I do. You know what? They could cause some trouble.
Speaker 2:They could finish like just outside the four.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then you wouldn't want to get them in a one-off. No, because they've what the last, what's their last two scores been? They put 56 on the Dragons this week and then last week they put oh, they were on a buy last week they gave them. The week before they stuck 44 on the Bulldogs, so they scored 100 points in two games and 44 on the Bulldogs as well.
Speaker 1:Like granted, they lost their origin players, but still that's no mean feat, considering they've got. I feel the Bulldogs have got one of the best defences in the league.
Speaker 2:Yeah, yeah, completely agree, it's going to be, and the league is so tight at the moment as well. You've got the Titans and the Eels bottom on 10 points, four points just outside the eight.
Speaker 1:It's bonkers how tight this competition is.
Speaker 2:And my mate has been banging on about the Panthers and he's been weekly updating me. Oh, panthers are just two points away from seventh now and I'm just like, yes, I know.
Speaker 1:but what did you think of their performance against the Tigers? Obviously, they knocked them over 18-10, but what were your thoughts on it?
Speaker 2:not convincing again they're winning ugly games, and a sign of a fantastic team is they win ugly at times and they just get the wins.
Speaker 1:I just, I thought the Tigers got the better of them for a significant portion of the game again, like the eels the week before. Yeah, again like the Eels the week before.
Speaker 2:Yeah, they just didn't have the clinical enough finishes in them to beat them.
Speaker 1:It wasn't 18-10. Was it Mitch Kenny who made the?
Speaker 2:Scotty.
Speaker 1:Sorensen made a tackle. Sorry, it was Scotty Sorensen or Mitch Kenny that made the last ditch tackle. It was 18-14 on the goal line at the end. I mean I've seen videos and some people are saying it should have been a hip drop. But his hip doesn't go near his body it goes. How else is he meant to tackle? But he scores that on fifth like fifth. It's great effort from him tracking, running back after a kick.
Speaker 2:But they score that and they lose the game. But now they're losing all of their origin players again. They're on a bye, which I suppose is quite lucky. So they're going to get two points, so they're going to be on the verge of top eight anyway.
Speaker 1:I think the next Origin game they come up against the Warriors.
Speaker 2:Actually they can't get top eight because Broncos are on the buy and Dolphins are playing the Cowboys.
Speaker 1:So after this week they won't be in the eight.
Speaker 2:No, but there'll be a point below it. Yeah. Well, depending on what Dolphins-Cowboys is, but that's oh, actually no, they could actually be. I'm just trying I do apologise, I'm trying to figure. No, if they win they'll get two points. If Cowboys lose, they're going to be in the eight, which is mental, and we've said that there's got to be a lot of things to go the. Panthers' way. I want to. I want to sit on my stool and go. No chance for the.
Speaker 1:Panthers. They're going to sneak in, aren't they?
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:They're going to sneak in, but my personal feeling, if they make it in in the eight, it's not going to be the top four. I don't think they've got enough to make the top four. So it's going to be an away fixture again. Well, it might be. Is it home the way that? The fifth versus eighth works anyway when they play someone in the top four.
Speaker 1:If they win that game, I think they're going to come unstuck there because they're going to come up against a team that's got real good attack against their weaker defensive side of the ball. Tiger's real unlucky. They've just signed Taylor and May, so they've got the two May brothers playing alongside each other. I thought they looked good. I thought Jerome Luai was on a mission and he rattled. Cleary a couple of times.
Speaker 2:He also got done for kicking hitting Blaise Talang. You couldn't that tackle timed?
Speaker 1:more brilliantly Was never, never a penalty.
Speaker 2:So what the refs need to come out of that and say is you can't touch a kicker.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because Kikau done it as well for the Bulldogs.
Speaker 2:And he got put in the bin.
Speaker 1:He got put in the bin because he attacked the leg, but what's he meant to do? He's not aiming for the leg when he's going for it, he's aiming past the body and Moses stuck his leg out and I know they're protecting the kicker's leg. But it's true what you say you just can't chase down a kick.
Speaker 2:Put it in black and white, because if you slow that down, luai hits him as he kicks the ball, which is perfect time.
Speaker 1:Second perfect tackle Unreal.
Speaker 2:So the ruling just needs to be better. And then we didn't really discuss about the Bulldog's eels. Actually we sort of quickly yeah, we went over that one, over that. But going back to the kick-out and just the dogs in general and Mr Galvin coming on, it was written in the stars right A couple of things that were written in the stars this weekend Josh Papaliti scoring on that appearance and Lock scoring um.
Speaker 1:He had a decent game. I thought, and, like you look at him after the game and you look at him during the celebrations, you can tell he's been there what? Eight days, ten days, and he's loving it already. He's um. He looks like he well, he looks like he feels, like he knows he's made the right decision, um, and I think, being surrounded by people like steven crichton, he's only gonna.
Speaker 2:and and one of one of my mates messaged me about him and he was like, oh, he's going to watch it, he's going to go to the dogs and he's going to flop. And I replied back to him if he's going to flop at the dogs, he was always going to flop as a player because, if he goes to the dogs, it's not going to be because of the coaching.
Speaker 2:It's not going to be because of the coaching. It's not going to be for the people around him the reason why he drops as a player. It would be down to his own mental and physical ability which will flop him as a player, and he would have done that wherever he went.
Speaker 2:Whereas I just with everything around him. Now we said at the start of the season at the Tigers, with the likes of Jerome Lui around him, he would just progress as a player, he would grow. But now he's gone into this dogs team who are just every one of them just looks like they're fighting for the person next to them. I think he's only going to grow higher.
Speaker 1:I agree and it'd be interesting. It seems like Reid Marnie's off. He was the one that came off the field when he went off. Did Sexton go to hooker or did Burton go to hooker? I'm not too sure. I think it might have been Burton. Burton might have been this weekend.
Speaker 2:Burton's 18th man for origin.
Speaker 1:So it's going to be Sexton and Galvin, starting in the middle. It'll be interesting to see how they go, looking forward to it because Sexton, I feel, had a real good game.
Speaker 2:So Galvin's at 6, sexton at 7 against a depleted Rabbit Oats team as well it'll be interesting to see how they go.
Speaker 1:But before we look ahead to the fixtures, one thing I wanted to touch on about the Tigers. They're now they've lost the last four games and their fixtures coming up. They're now only favourites on paper when they play, when they play the Titans twice. So are they safe from the wooden spoon?
Speaker 2:with how close that the league is probably not it's going to be a close one it's. It's like. Our opinion a couple of weeks ago was yeah, they're safe as houses and because of it, you, you, you're looking at it and it's changing so quickly, um, depending on what the Titans do and and who they're playing this weekend.
Speaker 1:If they get two points this week, I think I'm hanging up my manly boots, In fact. No, I'm not going to say that.
Speaker 2:Go support the Newtown Jets yeah we'll see what happens.
Speaker 1:But look, tigers aren't safe. I don't think anyone's safe from getting a spoon. Manly are, four points off the bottom. Never won a spoon in their history.
Speaker 2:Manly are spoon Never won a spoon in their history. Manliest spoon contenders as well, because four points off you throw anyone. Up to the Dolphins. 7th to 17th, everyone's a spoon contender. It's absolutely mad how close this competition is. It's crazy.
Speaker 1:But looking forward to round 15, how the weeks are absolutely flying by Unbelievable. I was thinking about this as well. Next week, you might do a little mid-season review as well, because there's only five fixtures to look over this week, so maybe give everyone a little bit of review of how they've gone. Not quite mid season, just past mid-season.
Speaker 2:Yeah, Might as well do the old ABCD yeah the old report card. The school report card nine the gcse's the exams in the uk.
Speaker 1:I think that'll confuse. Oh, we could do a one to ten, I suppose. No, we'll figure it out. But let's look at um thursday night we're at shark park. We got the dollar 30 sharks against the three dollar 50 dragons. What do you reckon?
Speaker 2:um two teams are off heavy losses yeah, I suppose Dragons will be losing Val home. Sharks, I don't think lose anyone, do they no?
Speaker 1:I'm going to go for the oh KL Eero's out because he tore his pec. Yeah, but other than that, and then Stone Street, obviously they've lost. Is Molotalo back in, molotalo's back in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm going to go for the Sharks in this one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm going to go for the Sharks in this one. Yeah, I agree, Sharks can't go back to bank stinkers like they did last year. They got battered by the Warriors, but the Warriors are a tidy outfit. I will up the wires. Fair play to them. So I'm going to join you with that one in going for the Cronulla Sharks.
Speaker 2:And then we move to Friday. No, don't. We've got the Gold Coast Titans at $3.62 against the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles at $1.29, up at the Seabus Super Stadium.
Speaker 1:I can't believe Manly are so short in this. That's my initial reflection.
Speaker 2:I suppose with Saab and Turbo back.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I mean, look, they've lost Big Tino. Mo Fodoweka is out as well. Hoppawattie is our only out. We've got Saab back, trubojevic back. My big concern, though, tachiaro is back in the forwards.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm worried about the forwards as well, I am worried about our forwards.
Speaker 1:Like Sipley has a great game, I I'm worried about the forwards as well. I am worried about our forwards.
Speaker 2:Like Sipley has a great game, I felt, I felt against the Knights. Lodge at Parramatta was the only player that came on and put in hard yards, so we've had a massive discussion about it. I don't know what. I'd love to know what Seabold's seeing that we aren't seeing.
Speaker 1:There's a reason why he's our head coach but still.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but for us to get an understanding of the game, it'd be interesting to know what is his thought process.
Speaker 1:I don't know. Is he trying to go over nimble and this is me just surmising but is he trying to go over nimble pack because of the speed that the Titans have got? I don't know. Is he trying to be more mobile? Because the Titans do have a bit of speed in Camparera, brimson, sami. So I don't know. I'm not sure. Look, I'm going to pick the Seagulls. I do think we have the ability to beat the Titans. I'm worried it's going to be tighter than it needs to be. Saab needs to show up. Turbo needs to show up. Kola needs to continue what he's doing. He's having a good season so far, but we need to be better under the high ball. That's what we need to do. So I'm going Sea Eagles in this one.
Speaker 2:Okay.
Speaker 1:What are you going?
Speaker 2:I'm going to go. Manly, I'm not picking anyone else.
Speaker 1:Pretty straightforward on that one. But for up next we've got the annoyingly victors against the Manly Sea Eagless we've got the newcastle knights two dollars 93, against the sydney roosters a dollar 41. This one's at the mcdonald jones stadium, back-to-back home games for the knights. Uh, how do you see this one panning out um?
Speaker 2:you just look at that back line Desco Tupou, billy Smith, big Mark Dom Young, hugo Savala and he's back Sam Walker is back. Sam Walker is back. I just think that's such a good back line to have Forwards. I think, even though the Roosters have lost forwards because of origin, I think there's some names to be able to go up against. They've got some big boys Piers Paul is probably the big shout out from the Knights pack to go up against the Roosters, but I'll go.
Speaker 1:I'm going to go for the Roosters in this one yeah, the way Manly dismantled the Regis Newcastle in the first half last week. The roosters haven't got a capitulation in them like man. I know they haven't had the greatest seasons but I can't see the roosters falling apart. Yesterday they did against the bulldogs. The bulldogs came back, but we're talking about apples and oranges here. Like the knights and bulldogs are two completely different teams. I know jackson hastings is back for newcastle knights bit of controversial pass for him and he's been selected so he's going to have a point to prove. But for me the knights without ponga. Um, he scored his first try. I didn't realize this.
Speaker 1:The try that he scored at the weekend was his first try of the season okay, absolute nightmare anyway yeah, but I'm gonna, I'm gonna go for, I'm gonna go for these sydney roosters in this one yeah, and the second game on saturday.
Speaker 2:We're heading up north, north, um. We've got the Cowboys at $2.55, playing the Dolphins at $1.52 at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. Which way are you going?
Speaker 1:Dolphins. I can't see past the Dolphins after the points they've put on the last few weeks. Cowboys have lost Jeremiah and I Bateman's I think he's injured or he got, I don't know. He got suspended for a high shot. Reece Robinson's out, cotter's out, dearden's out. They've lost a lot of their decent players. For me, dolphins and I think they do this quite comfortably as well- yeah, you, you look at where your creativity comes from your team.
Speaker 2:Yes, the Dolphins have lost the hammer, but they've still got Nicorima and Katoa in that creative halves position, who have just been instrumental in this Dolphins Resurgence, resurgence, yep. So I'm going to join you with the Dolphins on that one.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and then the final game of the weekend. We've got the South Sydney Rabbitohs $2.63 against the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs, $1.49. This one's out at the Accor. Don't quite think they're going to get the $65,000 that they got in the reverse fixture earlier this year or the fixture on Monday against the Eels. Who do you see winning this one?
Speaker 2:The Dogs lost to the Dolphins in the last one, didn't?
Speaker 1:it Was that the origin game, this one could be closer than.
Speaker 2:It could be a lot closer because you still have your likes of Alex John. You've got your Coloma Tangers. It can still play.
Speaker 1:Jack White and I don't think played last week, but he's definitely back this week.
Speaker 2:I'm going to go for the Dogs. I thought you were going to go for the Rabbiters for a second. I nearly did, I nearly did, I nearly did, but lucky it got. I think, with Galvin coming in as his first start, I don't think it's too bad of a team to come up against than a Latrell Mitchell-less rabbit-o's. So I'm going to go for the dogs on this one.
Speaker 1:I look at this dogs front forward pack Curran, marnie Saluka Fafita, who's a big boy. At the weekend he runs hard. Kikau, jacob Preston and Bailey Haywood for me that's too much for the Rabbitohs and, like you said, galvin Sexton, they're going to want to show that they can combine together. Still got Coraz on the wing. Sherry's playing well. Connor Tracy played his 100th game at the weekend and had a good game at fullback. Yeah, for me, bulldogs, get this one done. So let's see how we go. Only five fixtures this weekend, but some tasty matchups ahead of Origin. And then we got the cricket. Yeah.
Speaker 1:England against the West Indies White ball resurgence Harry Brook absolutely dominating the white ball game. England are 5-0 so far 5-0.
Speaker 2:How good is that.
Speaker 1:Under his captaincy. Now to me we're only touching on this briefly, but it feels like Joss Butler now he's had the pressure taken off of him, of the captaincy. He's absolutely flying. In the last two games against the West Indies he scored 96 and 47. Mm-hmm.
Speaker 2:He's looked. I saw a stat the other day about the ramp shot and I think he's played since I think it was like 2022 or something like that in all formats. I think he's played 259 ramp shots and the next person near him was Ben Duckett on 160. Wowzers.
Speaker 1:It's almost worth sticking a geezer on the boundary Just putting everyone in there send your slips back to the boundary.
Speaker 2:But no, it's been good. I think white ball cricket in England, as we discussed, was in a bit of a slump. Got Harry Brooks in as his captain. Don't know whether he's actually doing much to anything tactically at the moment, I think the batting has really set the west, and the west indies are on a team to turn your nose about, and the white ball they are.
Speaker 1:Did you see their last, powerful, last three overs in that second game? They stuck on like 50 odd runs in those last three overs and england got to change chase down 196.
Speaker 2:West indies put 196 in 20 overs. England put on 199 in 18 yeah like it's the batting and it's just the confidence within that and and you, you can put similarities between butler and root.
Speaker 1:When root lost a change to stokes's captain, he had a bit more of resurgent in form and I I do think it massively helps yeah, I agree, and like Liam Dawson comes back out of after three years out of the international game, takes four for 20, it's nice to see another spinner come in, like Adil Rashid was getting slapped around all over the place as well. In in a few, in a few patches, in in the game, the second game, but the I think there's only three that are being played and then we move on to the series against.
Speaker 1:India which will be a real good warm-up for the Ashes. But things are looking good. England cricket it'll be good to see how we go against India, but was there any Formula One this weekend?
Speaker 2:No, no Formula One this weekend.
Speaker 1:No Formula One this weekend, so we can't beat up on Max Verstappen and his terrible decisions. It's just a matter of shame. But yeah, that's the end of another episode. Remember, it's always good to speak up, so speak to your mates if you ever feel that you need to Reach out to us, if you ever want to chat to some absolute randomers. But yeah, been a jam-packed one. Look forward to Origin next week and we'll catch you in the next.