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!
#25 The Sweet Sound of Sport
The sporting calendar has been jam-packed with action across football, rugby, cricket, NRL, and even some juicy F1 rumors that have us questioning the future of Red Bull's dominance.
• Chelsea's Club World Cup victory over PSG was more significant than critics suggest
• British Lions secured a 36-24 win against the Brumbies in Canberra despite not being at their best
• Lions looked much stronger against the ANZ team, showing promise ahead of the first Test in Brisbane
• NRL Round 19 saw Warriors cement their top four position with a win over the Tigers
• Jofra Archer's return bolstered England's bowling attack with one of the deliveries of the year as England claimed a thrilling test victory against India
• Australia bowled out West Indies for just 27 with Mitchell Starc taking 6 wickets for 9 runs
• Rumors suggest Max Verstappen could be heading to Mercedes after being spotted with Toto Wolff
• The hosts debate the most satisfying sounds in sport, from cricket stumps tumbling to the net rippling on a last-minute goal
Follow us on Instagram and TikTok @theyvebeendoingitalldaysir and subscribe to our YouTube channel as we head to Brisbane for the first Lions Test.
Hello and welcome to another episode of. They've Been Doing it All Day, sir. What a big week of sport. And how good is Test Cricket? Let's get stuck in. How's your week been, mate? Yeah, really good. Cheers, lad, really good. Work is getting really busy, which is fantastic. Can only be a good thing, which is only a good sign. I'm absolutely loving it. It can only be a good thing, which is only a good sign. I'm absolutely loving it. Fantastic sort of pace and just chatting absolute waffles to people, which is fantastic. It's kind of what we do here, really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, I'll go from that to this and not really much in between. How about yourself?
Speaker 2:What a busy week it's been. It feels like an eternity ago, because we filmed what last.
Speaker 1:Monday Last Monday yeah.
Speaker 2:And we're now filming on a wednesday, and so much has happened since then a lot of sporting events. We've been down to canberra and back. We're gearing up to go to brisbane, which we're buzzing for.
Speaker 2:But one thing I do want to shout out is, uh, all the new viewers that we've had on the videos over the last couple of weeks, which has been amazing and if you want to help us out a bit more, make sure you click on that subscribe button and follow button just to give us a bit of support. But the numbers of views are slowly increasing.
Speaker 1:And that's what it's all about, isn't it? Exactly that's what it's all about.
Speaker 2:Exactly. We started out thinking we'll just chat, waffle and no one will listen, and now people are tuning in, so it's all been good. But sporting events that have happened over the last week or so and I just want to call out a fairly big event which happened and which is the reason why I'm wearing Depends, on the way you look at it. Well, a lot of people have slagged off the Club World Cup in the fact that it's another tournament that's not needed, but Chelsea did win it.
Speaker 1:Yep fair play.
Speaker 2:And it's rubbed a lot of people up the wrong way. There's a lot of solely Arsenal fans. United fans always out there saying, oh, but it's not a real trophy. But we beat the current reigning European champions. And we didn't just beat them, we absolutely dominated them. Cole Palmer ice cold. João Pedro considering is on the beach what two weeks ago. Something like that. So then, netting three goals in two games and just dinking it over Donnarumma, I think he could be the missing piece of the puzzle.
Speaker 1:Yeah, everything just seems to be gelling at Chelsea, because you've got to be in it to win it and to be played. Psg, as you said in that final, who were there to win, don't get me wrong.
Speaker 2:And look, it's weird, isn't it? It's a great end to the season, of the 24 season 24-25. I think there's something stupid like two and a half weeks off and then they're back into pre-season for the 25-26.
Speaker 1:When does the?
Speaker 2:August. Mid-august, which is nuts, so they've got to go back rest up. And mid-August, which is Jesus nuts, so they've got to go back rest up. And then I think we might have Crystal Palace first game. I know the first four games are against London opposition, but what a turnaround. But who knows? I don't know whether we're going to be favourites to the Premiership or challenge for it, but we've set ourselves up nicely to be up there. But but let's get stuck into this time last week what were we doing?
Speaker 1:we're on the way down to Canberra, you know, in the little chimney swaying from side to side by god. It was cold, it was a freezing cold day out.
Speaker 2:We've mentioned a few times how cold Australia is, and that's just us being in Sydney, but Canberra and the GIO stadium was another level of cold.
Speaker 1:I I was in a lot of layers and I could still feel the cold. But you know what? Love the stadium it was good.
Speaker 2:yeah, it's got that old.
Speaker 1:What did you say when we got there?
Speaker 2:I said it felt like there should be a velodrome inside.
Speaker 1:Which was good, and I think the weather may have affected the game a little bit because there was a little bit of slow starts. Yeah, and they were proper into it as well, the Brumbies fans. They were.
Speaker 2:It feels like. Am I right in saying they're currently Australia's most?
Speaker 1:successful team.
Speaker 2:And you can tell they've got a good fan base because I did read after that as per most of the games that have gone on before the highest attendance they've had in like 12 years. But the fans are proper getting into it and I mean there was a few shots. They've been doing all day flying around. So we've got the right title and logo there, but Lions walk away. 36-24 victors in that game Wasn't the most convincing performances, was it? It was quite slow.
Speaker 1:So it was very similar to all the other performances. It's the chopping change in the squad, poor handling, but there was some sparks of some absolute brilliance there which you could see developing. Um bit of bit of mounting off, bit of argy-bargy, uh, but an all-round. It's the first time I've ever ordered ordered a coffee inside a sporting stadium.
Speaker 2:Yeah, um, as well as we, we had a, we had a dry, dry trip, um, big o and farrell on the came off the bench as well, which is good, and then he came. He came and actually he played against the um anz.
Speaker 1:He was just a part of the warm-up in the sorry sorry course he was, course he was because he'd only just flown out on the friday came out against the anz team. Um which nice little segue into it a lot better.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:A lot better.
Speaker 2:And the interesting thing about it was on the Wednesday people were expecting oh, this is like the closest thing you're going to get to the test team. Yeah, Weren't overly impressed by them. And then the team that played ANZ which aren't the best international players because they're not currently representing Australia and New Zealand, but best international players because they're not currently representing Australia and New Zealand but they played at a high level. The pace was quicker, the hits were better, they lasted longer in terms of being able to keep it up for longer, better players coming off the bench, but the Lions just absolutely steamrolled them. Yeah.
Speaker 1:But I think it's very much like a Barbarians team not like the. Barbarians. I doubt they would have taken it seriously.
Speaker 2:I think it would have been a good meet-up.
Speaker 1:A few beers after Probably a few beers during the week as well, of training if you ever hear any barbarian stories of the players joining. But you know what? I think there is a click away from being unstoppable, it's just handling errors. And I wonder if very much the decision-making through these games has been very attacking in the sense let's just try stuff, let's not worry about it, whereas I think when they get into the test I wonder if it would be a lot more conservative in that sense A lot more exit.
Speaker 1:kicking, kicking from deep, maybe a bit of a tactical chess game, yeah, so it'd be quite interesting to see what happens at the Suncorp, but no, really looking forward to it.
Speaker 2:Sent you a post yesterday, didn't I that the Lions have never lost at the Suncorp?
Speaker 1:Hopefully that continues we hope that continues.
Speaker 2:But we travel up on Friday, we're flying up on Friday and then we've got all the festivities of Saturday and we're going to be full test, full kit. It's warmer in Brisbane but we'll see how it goes. How do you reckon it's going to go? What are your thoughts for it?
Speaker 1:I think it'll be a cagey first half. I think it'll be again both teams trying to find their feet, but hopefully in the second half things will click for the Lions and they'll just run away with it. The Australians just got over the line against the Fiji, and you can't disrespect Fiji they're a good nation in their own right but I think that screams a lot and I think they've only had one warm-up game, which may not be the best. Granted. Their Lions' performances haven't been amazing, but at least they've got minutes under their belts, which again you can argue the fact that they've just come off a season, but you know know we'll see.
Speaker 2:I was listening to ronan ogara pull out his predicted uh first test and he went along the lines of um should have our strongest players on the bench to finish the game and he came out with some ridiculous stats, like the way he thinks about the game and the way he analyzes the game.
Speaker 2:He was like usually test games are within two scores, with 12 minutes to go, and that's how you want your best players and I was like pulls out some interesting points, but I've got a feeling that it is going to be a cagey and tight one and it's who has sounds stupid but who can have less errors who can have a crisper game, move the ball quicker, but I hope it's a positive start for the Lions, as we definitely do.
Speaker 1:And you never know, caxton Street might see a few beers after, one or two beers after.
Speaker 2:But we're going up to Queensland and one game that did happen last Wednesday whilst we were in Canberra was Origin Game 3. How much time do we want to spend talking about this? Because the Queensland Maroons ran out 24-12 victors.
Speaker 1:Well done to Queensland.
Speaker 2:Yeah, well done to Queensland. Well done to Billy Slater Dropping Cherry Evans bringing in Dearden Shibasaki Toya. It worked, it worked. I think wea that it worked it worked.
Speaker 1:I think we'll just leave it there. I don't really want to dive into much else now. You know you've got to. I think there's going to be some questions asked amongst it all.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Laurie doesn't scream to be, doesn't scream out to me to be a motivational coach, Whereas Madge had that rocket up the arse mentality, yeah, which I think to be doesn't scream out to me to be a motivational coach, whereas Madge had that rocket up the arse mentality. Yeah which I think they need as a squad. Complacency, I think, still crept in, if I'm being perfectly honest.
Speaker 2:You look at complacency of goal kicking. We'd have won the second game. We'd have won. We'd have blown them away in the first game.
Speaker 1:That's where it was lost, but again as we've said many a times on here, clearly still not setting the origin alight, which is what. I don't know how many origins he's been in, but from what I've seen of him at origin level, he's not lit it up like we know he can.
Speaker 2:If Moses was fit, it'd be interesting. That would have caused a headache, a selection problem for game three, um, but yeah, I just think they that New South Wales took it for granted. Yeah, they know they're the strongest squad and they just roll in with an attitude of like, oh, we're going to beat you anyway.
Speaker 2:Look what we've done in the second half, game two and look, queensland wanted to prove a point. They had a lot to play for and fight for and fair play to them. They were the better team. We were checking the score, we were watching it as we were watching the Lions, and when it went to 20-0, we were like, right, yeah, let's focus on the Lions now. But yeah, the sporting content just carried on, the sporting fixtures just carried on. We'll roll into the round 19 fixtures and we'll kick it off with a team that have been a bit up and down Warriors 34 defeating the Tigers 14. Obviously, metcalf out, tanner Boyd comes in and I watched the highlights actually yesterday I think it was and their ability to move the ball and get it outside was pretty quick and pretty good. But yeah, warriors seem to be cementing themselves in the top four, and that's what they've always been good at.
Speaker 1:All season is very similar to Canberra in the sense that they've got a very fast back line and when that gets moving it's frightening how quick it can get. Had a period of a mid-season stumble, I suppose within a few results didn't go their way, but I think this was one where they they had to take it by the, by the ball, by the horns and put in a shift. Yeah, I think they did that again. A traveling Tigers team it's always difficult to travel over to New Zealand and a team that's on the decline a little bit and it's a bit a bit iffy. Yeah, um, I think.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think it was a result that pretty much everyone saw coming yeah, and leka had a scene who scored the last try and he was fending people off like a huge stiff arm. Um, great rookie season. I think it's between him and uh ko weeks wouldn't be rookie of the season. To be Weeks wouldn't be Rookie of the Season. He'd be most improved, wouldn't he. But he could be up there with a shout of Rookie of the Season, along with Big Marky Mark. You never know if he gets classified as a rookie.
Speaker 1:We'll see. Yeah, it's a bit of a contentious one, isn't it?
Speaker 2:Actually, just thinking about it, halasima had that great try against the Tigers when they played in Campbelltown town as well. When it's pouring down with rain, ripped it along the sidelines. So love's absolutely schooling the tigers, um, but onto the flat track. Bullies that are the melbourne storm. They weren't much of bullies this weekend. This was an away fixture though to be fair, wasn't it?
Speaker 1:so it wasn't at home, but how'd your tip for the nights go? I don't know. I turned off at half time and they were winning, so in my mind they've won. Um, yeah, didn't go well, did it really that second half? Good god, I think the storm showed why they are where they are.
Speaker 2:Their ability under the high ball as well is pretty good like.
Speaker 1:Eli.
Speaker 2:Katoa for a big man. Just gets up there, he's all acquired like. Both of them are great and doing exactly the same thing, just not when their ball goes up, not to the widest man, to the winger, but you want to fire it inside. If you've got someone like that running onto it and they contend on a high up, it's almost unstoppable when you've got a powerhouse like that and and talking about the nice, dom young's got, got a, got a couple as well um a couple of tries in there, which is which is sort of good to see, and he's starting to creep up the ladder in the try elements of it Two this week, one last week maybe.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's good to see because I think he lost a lot of confidence when he was at the Roosters. In that sense and he is a good player I think was the level a bit too high for him at the Roosters.
Speaker 2:Expectation. It's hard to say expectation, but maybe Well, there's a few players that have left, maybe because of the culture at the club, like Brandon Smith as well. Well, people on the outside say that he might not have been the right fit for the club.
Speaker 2:Dom Young might not have been the right fit. But he's back where he made a name for himself, back at Newcastle, and he scored two pretty good tries. And there was one try where he offloaded it from the floor but it got booted backwards by a Melbourne player and I can't remember who it was, ran on and got it down. But some rumours are coming out of Newcastle that Ponga might be off at the end of the season, but not necessarily in league he might. He's been exploring his options to go and play rugby union in new zealand, which is crazy.
Speaker 1:It is um, I don't know where he would slot in, where would you, where would you play him? Because, because you've got to think he'd want to, he'd want to push for what.
Speaker 2:The All Blacks. Could he be a winger? Could he be a fullback? Like? Where would you put him? I don't know if he's in centre.
Speaker 1:I don't think he's got the size to play centre. That's why.
Speaker 2:I'm thinking he's more outside Do you put him in at 10?.
Speaker 1:Maybe, Pull the strings in the game, I'd be protected a bit. Yeah, I don't know. I think it's going to be a bold one. I think it'll be a case of he'll go and play the Chiefs or the Blues, or whatever and then try and build up to that, but it could be a difficult shift for him, if I'm being honest.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and obviously the Knights have got Dylan Brown coming in on an absolute fortune next year, so that could be a potential influence. In fact, the Knights don't want to lose him, but if he wants to go, they're saving a bit of money there. Next game that we're going to tuck into, though Roosters 31, Dragons 24. This was a lot more of a shootout than I anticipated. Back and forth. Yeah, Try for try, bar for bar, band for band. Whatever you want to say, they were going for it and yeah, it was a good game to watch Dragons. If I was a Dragons fan, I think I'd be very frustrated this season a good game to watch it's Dragons.
Speaker 2:if I was a Dragons fan, I think I'd be very frustrated this season because I read it was it said in the game that they're one of the teams that have lost like seven games or something by one to six points or something stupid like that.
Speaker 1:So it's really infuriating because you'd think, with the players that they've brought in and what they had around, they would be a lot stronger, in a better position than they are. But they've just had brain fades and they've just disappeared in moments throughout the season, which has really dented them. I reckon if they'd have made their home ground or they'd have made their home form a lot better and then done away, they would be in a completely different position because they've got the ability there. They've shown in here they're not an awful team.
Speaker 2:They've been hit quite hard by injuries as well, which hasn't supported them. Like the money man being injured for a few games comes back, does his hamstring again. He was their top try scorer. I think Val Holmes might have taken that over now. But uh, one interesting point in the game. Sam walker goes in third man in low tackle on. I think it was david clemmer that he goes in okay gets sent to the sin bin.
Speaker 2:And a point that you mentioned actually is they didn't capitalize when they were a man up the dragons. They actually let the roosters back into the game and leveled it up 18 all, but he went in low, bent his knee back and I don't get the judiciary system in the NRL because he hasn't received anything a fine or a charge, which is which is bonkers, maybe. First game back for Walker. Tiredness went in aiming for the thigh went lower and especially the massive uproar that old Lodgey got after that one on.
Speaker 1:Brandon Smith when it wasn't a hip drop in the slightest. But there was one angle that made it look like a hip drop and you've not really heard much out of this one. I don't know whether it's because we follow Manly pages and obviously it gets put up, but not a peep.
Speaker 2:No strange run, but what it was nice to see was victor radley sealing the win at the end with his scrum.
Speaker 1:cap on yeah I'm running, that's a good decision running over to the camera.
Speaker 2:I can't remember what he said into the camera, but it's tri july, isn't it. But he's had a bit of a rocky time with the old, the old concussions. The old concussions, I mean. The scientific evidence out there says that those scrum hats do nothing for concussions. They're more for cauliflower ears and scratches on the head. They don't actually absorb enough shock to stop a concussion.
Speaker 1:I suppose it's more of a dispersion of it, though as well, instead of it being in a center Well, dive into the science how concussions are caused when the brains rotate side to side yeah, fast movement, so it's the fast movement, so it's regardless, isn't it really so?
Speaker 2:if you've got that on, it's not going to do much. It's like a boxer wearing a head guard, if you catch one on the chin and they whip their head. They're still going to get knocked out. Debate around the old scrum caps. Might don my scrum cap this weekend in Brisbane We'll see what happens yeah might be a good shout, but a team that is coming back into contention.
Speaker 2:A team that is coming back into contention, the Penrith Panthers. I wouldn't say stroll past the Eels, actually I was about to say stroll past. It was an even game at half-time and then they blew away of it in the second half, but 32-10. And Cleary, for the first time, started on the bench, First time in his career.
Speaker 1:I don't think he's well, is he?
Speaker 2:I think he's. He's not named for this week either, is he? I think he's rested. We'll check it in a bit for the line-ups.
Speaker 1:He's injured. He's carrying something I think I know we've just had a go at him about not being origin fit and and not for some weeks. Well, when you're not kicking, when he's got that compression thing on his leg as well, I think he's trying to get through and sometimes, you know, I do like the mentality of trying to win for the team play through injured and to a certain extent it can be a very good mentality to have, but other times it's selfish, because you're then being carried somewhat by the team if you're not being able to put in a 100% performance.
Speaker 1:So you know what? I think it might have been a chat between him and his dad and gone. You know what? You've just played Origin. You don't need a backup, let's rest you.
Speaker 2:Until they go what 10-0 down or whatever it was.
Speaker 1:Oh, actually get warm on them. But you know, a bit like the Storm Knights game, Very end-to-end first half, in that sense Solid from the heels, but then Panthers' class just showed up and ran away with it. And where they've been not great defensively in the past they were better and even their line breaks and long breakaway plays.
Speaker 2:Alamotti had a breakaway, cleary managed to finish, finish one off from a dummy and line break, but the panthers are currently three in a row. They've won three in a row now. Um, what I was going to say about cleary is that they can't rest him too much because they've still got to make the eight. So it'll be interesting to see how they go and manage him between now and when they might confirm themselves in the eight for the end of the season. But they're currently sitting in sixth. Got the Bunnies up this week, so we'll talk about that in a second. But a team that needed to perform and finally got in a win against. Well, the Hammer didn't play, but the Cronulla Sharks beat the Dolphins 24-12. We both went with. This was the opening fixture of the round. Both went with the Dolphins, but I will caveat this if we did say team list hadn't been revealed when we tipped Hammer wasn't playing, do you reckon that would have changed your decision? I'd have still gone with them.
Speaker 1:This is a really frustrating thing, because this then prediction puts you in a knee-jerk reaction of all right, are the Sharks good again?
Speaker 2:Nico Hines had a good game, Like I'll give him credit. He scored twice, I think, but I'm not sure.
Speaker 1:And it's really frustrating because it has shown that when Nico Hines performs he can turn it on and it really helps the team. But because he's been missing for, I'd say, a good 80% of the season, it's really affected them and especially the running that they've had which is seeing them drop out of the four. They've got a lot of making up to be, to be able to be in a class, class eight team.
Speaker 2:I reckon yeah, and they've got the roosters this weekend at shark park again, so it'd be interesting to see both teams well that's what.
Speaker 1:That's what I mean. It's, it's you've seen the roosters limp against the dragons to win and you've seen the shark, and it's a very, it's a very similar fixture to what it was last week against the dolphins. I'm now in two minds on that fixture.
Speaker 2:We'll get to it in a bit, but one bit that I want to call out in this game is, I think, the moment of the game that turned it for the Sharks. The Dolphins were seemingly over the line and about to score and then Karl Rudolph puts in a diving effort to knock the ball. Well, did he get his hands under it or knock it out, force a knock on? But incredible moment that, had that have gone over, I think the Dolphins go on. They had all the momentum at the time. It's an origin play.
Speaker 1:It's an origin play. An origin play. What is an origin play, please?
Speaker 2:define to me. Anyone know out there what is an origin play?
Speaker 1:Just an unreal bit of play.
Speaker 2:It's just unreal. It's just unreal, just unreal, just like going above and beyond.
Speaker 1:But no, that's and that's what you need in games like this is, you know, it's swinging your way when there's plays like that, but yeah, great bit of athleticism.
Speaker 2:I randomly saw something earlier that could relate to this. Actually, in, in order to get luck, you need to apply effort and skill, and if you apply effort and skill at some point where they meet, they will become a bit of luck look at you throwing all the scientific guys well, it's just this theory of what happens. I don't know if it's actually true, but we're turning into a very theoretical podcast here now we are, are we are, We'll be solving world, whatever next world problems.
Speaker 2:But I think that the Sharks are one of those teams. If they scrape through into the eight, they're. If they, when they come up against the top four side, they're going to get turned over but we'll see Could eat my words on that one yeah, very much, so Very very much so, but another team that is hitting form and on a bit of a run Right at the right time.
Speaker 2:The Brisbane Broncos defeat the Gold Coast Titans 26-14 in what was a Queensland derby. And look, the Titans at one point looked like they might come back into it when Jojo Fofito strolls over twice. But then the Broncos go down the other end and seal it. It's okay, boys, you can stop that now. Big Desi Hasler Apparently there's.
Speaker 1:He's going to retire.
Speaker 2:He's going to retire. But then you hear the other things that go on around. Oh, there's these clauses in his contract that if they don't make the eight then he can't renew his contract next year. Just jack it in, man.
Speaker 1:Who in that's backroom staff, when you know what we're gonna make the eight and and if you don't take us there, you're, you're not getting a new contract. Got back yourself, yeah, but how like it's, it's, it's mental I suppose it's a, it's a performance clause.
Speaker 2:I mean, yeah, now you, now you've raised that, though Like did they think hang on? This is a way that we, if things aren't going great, we can get rid of him yeah we can get rid of him and not have to pay him out. So who knows? But it's definitely. They're looking favourites for the wooden spoon and if they do like, are they in trouble of losing some of their bigger names.
Speaker 2:Yeah, most of bigger names, of course they are heard something and saw something the big Tino might be being shopped about yeah, I think he could go to the Broncos.
Speaker 1:If they get rid of Payne Haas, why wouldn't they go straight in for Tino that's? That's a suitable substitution in my opinion yeah, kieran Foran obviously retiring Foran obviously retiring as well. Foran's retiring Again. Looking back to that first season, we were watching 23,. I think he had a few appearances when Manly beat Melbourne and Saab scored that I think he was playing at six.
Speaker 2:And then he may have gone up to the Titans year after. I'm not too sure.
Speaker 1:But yeah, this is the issue with when you are on a losing streak. Yes, the salary cap does sort of even things out, but if teams are losing big players, they want to bring in big players to replace and you go feed them from the bottom because no one wants to sound a losing side.
Speaker 2:David Fafita said he wanted out earlier in the year as well, and apparently he approached the Bunnies and was like get me over there. So look whoever they bring in as coach might be able to change it. This is assuming that Hazlitt is going to go, but I'd be worried as a Titans fan that there's not going to be much success for years to come. A great point was raised earlier the Gold Coast is also like a holiday destination. Players go there, maybe as a bit of a Retiring home.
Speaker 1:It's like the Miami of Australia.
Speaker 2:Or the North London, the Arsenal of Australia where Chelsea seem to send all their retirees, it's the Saudi league of the NRL. Yeah, but final game of the season wasn't Season Final game of the season't season final game of the season. We're finishing the season already. Final game of the week wasn't the most inspiring one from either of these first half. The Bulldogs scored 12 and the Cowboys scored 8, and it remained that way for the rest of the game. Um Galvin wasn't named in the squad. For me, that is. That is what has caused the problems with the Bulldogs. His signing has upset the apple cart.
Speaker 1:And, yeah, trying to shoehorn him into a winning team is a bit. It's starting to rear its ugly head. But then you go back and you go I've signed a big money sign and you can't leave him on the bench. And you've taken him away from the Tigers and you can't. His whole mantra was I'm going to go and play for a better team, I'm going to be in a better squad, and then you can't then go stick him in the New South Wales Cup, because then the questions start coming in why didn't you? It's a dilemma that the dogs are going to have to figure out, because if they're going to want to be serious Premier League winners this year, Premiership winners they're going to have to settle whatever's happening. Get players that are wanting to play and all pulling in the right direction and going yeah, all we need now is the best, what? Three months out of you to get us to the top, and then we can sort out your differences.
Speaker 2:Interesting Looking at the odds for favourites to win it. The Storm are favourites at $2.70. I don't think they've moved. No, the Bulldogs were our favourites. At one point actually they crept up in the money, but the Raiders and Bulldogs are now $6 to win it, then closely followed by the Broncos and Panthers.
Speaker 2:Panthers have snuck back in. That is $7.50., then the rest blow out. I mean the Warriors are $26. So, oh, the Sharks are $26. Tell you what? Get on, manly at 41. You never know what could happen there, fucking can't know. But well, talking of Manly, great win this week against the Bayh two points.
Speaker 2:Getting back of the net up to seventh in the ladder, yep seventh in the ladder and easy fixture this week against the Storm. So on that note let's get into round 20. The tips up first, thursday night, 7.50 at the Suncorp. Are they playing at the Suncorp on the Thursday and then Union on the Saturday? Yeah, have we checked the?
Speaker 1:weather forecast. It's going to be dry. No, it's going to be fine. It's going to be fine. Okay, they do it all the time. They take some batter, these pitches, take some batter yeah, but they're terrible.
Speaker 2:And if you've got the world of Rugby Union looking at the first test and the pitch is absolutely horrendous, then who knows? But anyway kicking, but anyway kicking us off on the Thursday night, 7.50 at the Suncorp. We've got the Dolphins at $1.54 against the North Queensland Cowboys at $2.50.
Speaker 1:Ooh, big hammers back, which is huge. Yeah, I like the Dolphins. I think old Tommy Dearden will have to string in a hell of a performance to bring this Cowboys team up to the Dolphins level, but I'm going to go for the Dolphins in this one.
Speaker 2:Do you know what? I've got a sneaky feeling. I've just got this feeling that the Cowboys are going to do it Okay, I believe. Yeah, they're not going to be happy. Bulldogs are a great outfit. Right Defensively they're very good. The Dolphins showed against the Sharks that they can have lapses in them. I just reckon I've got this vibe that the Cowboys are going to get this done. $2.50, let me lump on that.
Speaker 1:I love it, I love it. And then we've got the six o'clock kickoff on Friday at Shark Park.
Speaker 2:We've got the Canula this is a difficult one to call. Stone Street is apparently back. Has he been? Is he on the extended bench? Yeah, so he probably won't play. He's coming back from a foot injury, I believe, and Chad Townsend is back in for the roost. He's been exiled for a while because Hugo Savala injured his shoulder, I believe. So their big boot is out there. But who wins this? If you want big things to happen, you give the ball to Big Marky Mark. I reckon he's going to have a ball game and the Sydney Roosters win this. Where are you going?
Speaker 1:I'm weighing up the team lists and going through. I just think there's a lot more spark that can happen from the Roosters and the Sharks. I think you've got Tedesco over Kennedy. You've got Tupou over Katoa just. You've got a big market-market. Go over Molotalo.
Speaker 2:Molotalo's gone missing, the last few weeks he tried his little flick pass back on the inside as well, which nearly worked a wonder at the weekend. You've got old Bobby.
Speaker 1:Toyer and Billy Smith in this and I just I like their back line. A lot more depends on how Chad Towns Nice one.
Speaker 2:Then over to the Combank. We go on the Friday night 8pm kick-off the Penrith Panthers at $1.37 against the South Sydney Rabbitohs at $3.12.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm going to go for the Panthers on this one. I think they're going to blow the Rabbitohs away. I think this could be a 13+. It could be a 13++.
Speaker 2:They've got their origin stars that were arrested, the rabbit holes away. I think this could be a 13 plus. It could be a 13 plus plus. They've got so their origin stars that were arrested. Brian Toto is back in, dylan Edwards is back in. See, yo and Cleary are out. I thought I saw that they were being arrested, but I Panthers, panthers. I can't maybe it won't be 13 plus plus. Like Panthers, I can't. Maybe it won't be 13 plus plus, like I said, but the Panthers will get this one done.
Speaker 1:Yeah, yeah, definitely, definitely. And then we're at the Geostadium on the Saturday we know it well. We know it well great coffee 3 o'clock kickoff. It's the Canberra Raiders at $1.19 versus the Parramatta Eels at $75.
Speaker 2:Surely, surely, surely. Canberra Raiders, just blow them out of the water.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm going to go Raiders, and don't call me.
Speaker 2:Shirley. The Eels haven't got anyone back. The same team that put out a performance last week. The one thing I will say is Zach Lomax dropped an absolute sitter over on the wing.
Speaker 2:I think he pictured that the ball was in his hands before he even got in week. The one thing I will say zach lomax dropped an absolute sitter over on the wing, like I think he pictured that the ball was in his hands before he even got got in. Um, and that would have changed the game. Eels could have come back into it, but it's against the panthers. But for me, the raiders are a cut above. Yeah, the eels at the moment, and I'm tipping the canberra raiders yeah, I'm gonna join you there.
Speaker 1:I I reckon, if you're going to put a lump on, I think it could be a 1-12 for the Raiders. I think they're still a little bit sluggish, but I still think I can't see them losing, to be honest, and then the 5.30pm kick-off game.
Speaker 2:on a Saturday we got the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs at $1.32 against the St George Illawarra Dragons at $3.40.
Speaker 1:Lucky Galvin's starting as well.
Speaker 2:Is it upsetting Like is it going to cause a problem?
Speaker 1:Do you know what?
Speaker 2:No, you're not, You're not, you're not.
Speaker 1:This is difficult. This is difficult. I'm going to go the dogs, but I think it's going to be a very close game. I think this could be a 20, 24, 22. I think it's going to be very, very close.
Speaker 2:It's the battle of the flying Vs as well, isn't it? They've both got Vs in there In their jumpers. I can't see past the Bulldogs. Yeah, I just believe they're too good for them. Like, their defence is solid, it will be close. Don't think it'll be a high scoring affair.
Speaker 1:Nah.
Speaker 2:But I reckon the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs get this one done.
Speaker 1:Yep, yep. And then 7.35 game's been cancelled, so we don't have to talk about it now. So 7.35 on's been cancelled, so we don't have to talk about it now 7.35 on the Saturday Amy Park, melbourne Storm at $1.32 against the Manly Seagulls at $3.42. We will be sat in the Suncorp minding our own business, not even knowing this game exists.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I didn't even realise there was a game on it. You know what I mean. It's that kind of vibe Storm at home exists. Yeah, I didn't even realize there was a game on it, you know, I mean, it's that kind of vibe um storm at home are lethal. Yeah, they are a different beast at home. Monster's back coats is back. They're pretty much at full strength, apart from far longo um not being in, whereas manly I just don't think we've got enough. I hate to say it, although let's look at the positives on this. Every time I have tipped against Manly, they have won. So I'm going to go for the Melbourne Storm.
Speaker 1:I'm going to go for Manly and this is going to be Tom Travojevic's standout game of the season. Can you imagine I'm going to go for two tries for Tommy Boy? Lehigh Hapawate is going to light up Cam Munster on just a massive blitz tackle out of nowhere. Dce is going to be like Munster mate. This is why I should have stayed in Origin and put on an absolute masterclass. Matt Lodge is going to Run through everyone Just run through everyone.
Speaker 1:And then old mate Ethan Bullymore is going to come off the bench on his 100th game and just score tries galore. I'm going. Manly 32, Storm 10.
Speaker 2:Just remember when we played them at Brookie and we had far too many beers to drown, drown our sorrows. We were absolutely battered. But anyway, on to Sunday. Now this has massive implications. This game At 2 pm at Leichhardt Oval, we have the West Tigers at $1.54 against the Gold Coast Titans at $2.50. This is a battle for the spoon.
Speaker 1:It is. And I think the Tigers are just. They love a Leichhardt game, they do. I'm going to think the Tigers are just. They love a like-heart game, they do. I'm going to go the Tigers on this. Unfortunately, can't really see much from the Titans, if I'm being perfectly honest.
Speaker 2:Titans have only had four wins all season.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:And I don't think the fifth is going to come against the Tigers. I wouldn't be surprised if it does, but I don't think it's going to, so I am going to be tipping the West Tigers in this one unreal.
Speaker 1:And then we've got the last game on the Sunday, which another ground we've been to and we know what we're at John O'Joe Stadium. Newcastle Knights $2.79 against the New Zealand Warriors at $1.45.
Speaker 2:Warriors travelling Warriors, travelling Warriors, travelling Warriors travelling. Tantor Piki was pretty good at a fullback for the Warriors in the game. Big DWZ was great. Adam Pompey bowled over as well. I think RTS was good. Harris Tavita was incredible. Tanner Boyd was good as well. I think that is far too much for the Newcastle Knights. It's going to be closer than a blowout because I believe the Knights are on the up. There's no doubt about it. Defensively they're very good. Offensively they're not looking great, but with Dom Young they're improving. Going to be a tight game, but up in the wars Wars, up Up in the wars, up in the wars Warriors.
Speaker 1:I'm going to whoop the wars with you, but then if anyone wants a little flutter, I'll probably put on a Dom Young two tries again.
Speaker 2:Yeah, not too bad. Well, big weekend of rugby league fixtures in the NRL. Looking forward to them, we're trying to watch as many as we can whilst we're up in Brisbane but if I'm honest, I don't think we're going to be watching much.
Speaker 1:We're trying to catch up on the highlights. We'll see if there's anything on in the pubs and the tellies.
Speaker 2:I'm pretty sure, I'm pretty sure there will be. But on to another sport that is twists and turns all over the England-India third test. How mad is it that after the first innings both finished on exactly 387, one innings shootout, yep, and what an innings it was.
Speaker 1:I text you and when England need about 250 here to comfortably win, they post 193 on a pitch that was doing all sorts All sorts hooping. It was all over the place.
Speaker 2:It's a hooping and hollering.
Speaker 1:Zach Crawley getting stuck in against the Indians playing a lovely being. A bit of drama on the last couple of overs.
Speaker 2:Time wasting fingers. Do you know?
Speaker 1:what they had a taste of their own medicine.
Speaker 2:They did.
Speaker 1:The Indian team would love a time waste. Yeah Gil got a 15-minute massage in the previous innings and they've only got themselves to blame in that sense. And if they wanted a longer I heard it earlier on another podcast, which I agree with if they wanted more time at them, they should have hurried themselves up. They shouldn't have been time wasted when they're batting. So a bit of their own medicine there.
Speaker 2:One key moment was Stokes' run out of?
Speaker 1:was it Pant that he ran out?
Speaker 2:Yeah, that was a pivotal moment as well as the time. Like they should oh sorry, india should have gone more attacking when, in their first innings, to really try and ramp it up, but my word like stayed up to watch the last, what was it? Five wickets needed.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I watched for about an hour or so after lunch.
Speaker 2:Because American Football Training started again, hasn't it yeah. And flag football's back, so you were involved in that. But I was keeping you updated and I'll tell you what Joffrey Archer's ball to remove pant. It's one of the best of the year so far.
Speaker 2:Absolute delivery Off stump tumbling ball to remove pant, what it's one of the best of the year so far absolute delivery off stump tumbling. And I text you said I don't think there's a better sound in sport. Or it's up there with one of the greatest sounds in sport of the kind of footsteps of running in that scuffle that you hear of the studs or the spikes on the on the wicket. Yeah, that silence where they're in the air ball hitting turf ball hitting stump, stump, stump tumbling, crowd going mental. Can you think of another sound that's up there, would you say, in sport?
Speaker 1:The one that you said is quite good, so I'll leave that to you to go through.
Speaker 2:The other one, but before I say my other one, you got one, anyone that you can think of.
Speaker 1:Sounds in sport. You know it's just trying to think of other sports. I reckon one you can say in rugby is possibly when it comes to like a last minute conversion.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:And it's just quiet.
Speaker 2:The silence of an arena.
Speaker 1:Yeah, the silence of it. And then it's boot, hip ball.
Speaker 2:You can really hear like leather.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Oh well, they're not leather boots anymore, but the-. You can hear the connection.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's just like and then you see the flags go up and then everyone goes. Yeah, so with what you're going to say, to be honest, One more that I've just thought of actually whilst I was speaking. I don't know whether it was going to be the same one, but darts, oh, like a On a nine darter.
Speaker 2:Yeah, do you know what it's going to annoy me? Why can't I think of the two players that are playing Michael Smith and Michael Van Vert-Gerwin when it was absolutely unreal and I'll give you that. Actually, the darts, the sound of the crowd is incredible.
Speaker 1:Especially on a non-dart, it's like, especially when they're down to the last three.
Speaker 2:Just the crowd. Everyone's just going absolutely mental. But the other one that I thought of while sitting here because we're in a studio that has a boxing podcast, the sound of a punch connected with a chin that knocks someone out, although brutal, although, like I, of a punch connecting with a chin that knocks someone out, although brutal, although, like I think is, is a great sound, leather on chin. But one of the best ones is if you're in the stadium as well and you've been to a soccer game, like football game, you know this sound. Break away. Crowded, cheering, silence. Hear the connection of the ball ball hits the back of the net.
Speaker 1:Crowd go mental like it is. I don't think there's anything better than that. To be honest, it's one of the ball ball hits the back of the net. Crowd go mental. I don't think there's anything better than that, to be honest.
Speaker 2:It's one of the best sounds up there, but we went off on a bit of a tangent there talking about Geoffrey. Archer and the cricket. Cricket, cricket, anyway, the cricket. What do you think of Archer being back in the line-up Just bringing something else?
Speaker 1:doesn't it? I think so. One of the things you got to look at is his pace. He was quick at times, like he's bowled his quickest ever over in test cricket, which is brilliant, but his pace then was similar to what cast was at times yeah but I think it's because of how smooth his action is and the whip he gets on the ball and the bounce which really starts batsman.
Speaker 2:Um, but he's so good, he's such an asset it is, and if we can manage to get him out here Kass out here, wood out here I think there's a chance that we could potentially do something in the ashes. But talking of good bowlers and ashes performance, australia bowled the West Indies out for 27,. And this is how ridiculous Mitchell Stark is. Scotty Boland gets a hat-trick.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:Like all right, it's the tail-enders, but Mitchell Stark rips through their top order and I'm so used to reading wickets and figures of nine runs for six wickets. But out here it's six wickets for nine runs. Like how do Australians do it? I find it a bit. It's a bit weird, but figures like that absolutely tore through the West Indies. He's such a good bowler, he's with a pink ball, so where do we? Adelaide, I think, will play with a pink ball.
Speaker 1:It's where you get the English conditions you get the swing element of it, the day night test. So I think we'll have to be up in the series before we go before we go to Adelaide, so good they start in Perth, which is a fast track but the thing is, you look at the, you look at the evolution from what I was watching Test cricket they had Brett Lee, pure pace right armour then they had Mitchell Johnson left armour pure pace.
Speaker 2:Then they progressed dharma pure pace then the, then the progress, to mitchell stark like yeah, that is that.
Speaker 1:That is ridiculous and in the the fast like genuine fast bowler evolution um whereas we've had a period of archer.
Speaker 2:When he came on the scene would great, would then a gap, no real consistency between them and we're trying to find our feet, but hopefully this Ashes series. We're obviously finishing our two tests against India to prepare for the Ashes. Australia aren't playing a test match between now and the start of the Ashes, so be interested to see how they go.
Speaker 1:Their top order not good it's going to come down to the England batting versus Australia bowling, as I said.
Speaker 2:I believe so, and let's hope we're not seeing rory burns step across his stump and get bowled first ball at the mcg, thankfully. But on to the f1, because I don't know if you've seen these rumors. There was uh, big max verstappen stepping out of a private jet with toto wolf, apparently done deal to mercedes, it'd be it's, it's, it's a great, it's a great move.
Speaker 1:It's a great move um old whining verstappen, um, with mercedes just moving to another great car. I think they'll, they'll, it'll be if they, with everything that's going on at red bull, I think you're going to see the demise of red bull for a few years and then you're going to see a mclaren mercedes shootout I forgot about that old Horner getting the boot as well.
Speaker 2:That was big news, happened last Wednesday um and yeah have you seen his package, you see the video, the picture that got sent around no oh, you don't want to see it either, mate. It's absolutely scandalous how.
Speaker 1:I think, I think I think that got sent out the first time it came out, because it was oh no no, that's what I mean. It was the first time when he was doing a bit of inappropriate texting.
Speaker 2:Anyway, what Jerry Halliwell saw in it.
Speaker 1:I don't know money, yeah, very true but yeah, I think it's a great move. I don't know what they're going to do. I don't know whether this is going to be a case of Russell's going to bring from Antonelli, because if you see the documentary on Netflix, my partner was watching it. They've put a lot of time into Antonelli.
Speaker 2:Interesting.
Speaker 1:A bit like Hamilton was when he joined Aaron, so I think it could be Russell getting the boot and him having to find somewhere else, which apparently he's now taken Mercedes out of his Instagram bio and just put Formula 1 drivers. So you don't know. Bit of drama, bit of drama it's all unfolding bit of drama there for Drive for Survive and it's all for Netflix.
Speaker 1:I'm telling you, it's all for Netflix of course it is, but you know what people will watch it and they'll get money from it, but it'll be be interesting is there a race this weekend? I don't like always saying that because we always end.
Speaker 2:It'll be interesting to see yeah, is there a race this weekend?
Speaker 1:no, I think they're on the summer break at the moment, and they're travelling.
Speaker 2:This is the biggest distance between races, or something like that they've got to get all the gear, but yeah, it'll be one to watch because I'm sure it'll come out soon. I'm sure it'll come out in the wash soon, but that was a lot of sport to get through we spoke about a lot of things there. Um, but follow us along on socials, because this week we are going up to brisbane. Yeah, I'm not sure what we're going to do, but we'll, uh, keep people updated so be sure to follow.
Speaker 2:They've been doing it all day, sir, on instagram, tiktok um. Give us a like and subscribe on youtube. But thanks for tuning into this week's episode and we'll catch you in the next one. Good night, bye.