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!
Contenders to Season Enders
The NRL's finals race is reaching fever pitch with just three weeks of regular season action remaining, and we're dissecting all the crucial matchups that are shaping the premiership landscape.
Storm edged Panthers in what might have been a grand final preview, but not without controversy. The talking point came when Harry Grant collided with Moses Leota during a field goal attempt, resulting in a penalty that wiped out the Penrith win. Was it the correct call? We break down why this moment might change how teams defend field goals moving forward.
Sydney Roosters have hit their stride at the perfect time, with their lethal back three of Tedesco, Tupou, and Nawaqanitawase terrorising opposition defenses. Meanwhile, Manly's season effectively ended with a disappointing loss to the Tigers, raising serious questions about coaching and roster management heading into 2025.
We tackle the growing trend of players switching international allegiances, with Payne Haas's announcement that he'll represent Samoa instead of Australia sparking debate about what this means for international rugby league. Should players be allowed to change nations after already representing one country?
In a fun segment, we've assembled our dream rugby league team using only Premier League footballers past and present. From Roy Keane's mongrel at hooker to Cristiano Ronaldo's aerial prowess on the wing, we've crafted a squad that would intimidate any opposition.
The Wallabies provided the sporting shock of the weekend by defeating South Africa at Ellis Park for the first time in 62 years. Does this result suggest the Australian rugby system is in better shape than many critics claimed after the Lions tour?
Join us as we make our predictions for Round 25 and analyze which teams are peaking at the right time as the NRL heads toward finals. Subscribe now to keep up with all our rugby league insights and banter each week!
Welcome to this week's episode of. They've Been Doing it All Day, sir, I am sick to death of the manly sea eagles. Get stuck in. How's your week been, mate? It's been terrible. I have been rough as arseholes this week. I think I said last week that my body was aching Yep, and that was the start of my illness. Since then I've had the flu. I think I've got I conjunct a virus as well. My left eye was. I couldn't open it. A couple of days managed to get some drops in it and, yeah, just been bunged up. So it's been a horrific, horrific weekend, topped off by the absolute dross over the weekend. But what about yourself? How's your week been?
Speaker 2:yeah, not too bad uh, I had quite a chilled one actually at the week and went to um some places in freshy, went to the stowaway. I don't know where three have ever been old mate that we were sat next to.
Speaker 1:I don't know if you remember this when we went to watch the waratahs game okay, can you remember? We sat up in the corner and the giz and exos was from freshy and he was talking to his mate next to him. He said oh, I've got to take you to the Stairway one time, the one that had bags of cash. Yeah, too much cash.
Speaker 2:And then I also went to the Freshie Local, which is Freshwater Brewery's new place in.
Speaker 1:Freshwater the pub, yeah, as in like their shop.
Speaker 2:Unreal little place. It's going to be bouncing in the summer. We went in, I think the owner recognised us from freshwater because we were chatting away.
Speaker 2:I was the first, first one in in the public, outside of the freshwater brewing family, to taste their new american pale ale nice, unreal, great, great little tipple. Um, he then came over with some pastrami. Um was like try this, we're going to do some rubens soon. Incredible, incredible bit of pastrami. And then we ordered um, I know it sounds daft, but bread and butter. So it's warm, warm baguette with whipped butter. It was banging. And then they came over a massive bowl of olives as well that treat like it was, and I was like I'm gonna be back.
Speaker 1:Great little spot well, freshly brewer brewery. If you want to uh chuck some tins our way to sample whilst we're uh doing the podcast, then please feel to feel free to reach out. But we'll have to give that one a go.
Speaker 2:We'll certainly have to give that one a go. And happy hour every day three till six.
Speaker 1:Every day, Every day. Wowzers. Their happy hour on a Friday is pretty good.
Speaker 2:Yeah, four till eight $10 points.
Speaker 1:Yeah, fair enough, but do you know what? Something came up on my TikTok earlier that. I thought I'd chuck in and just ask A bit of a question around this if you were to compete in any sport at the olympics and not finish last, which one would it be? So it's got to be an individual event. I can't be part of a team event and you can spend the whole four-year olympic cycle training for it and is this all I'm doing?
Speaker 2:like I'm? I'm now a sponsored athlete, someone's I'm now a billionaire, or whatever. Someone sponsored me. I don't need to work. All I'm going to do is focus on the Olympics.
Speaker 1:Is that the rule? Whole life dedicated to it Got to be the same age, though you can't like go back in time or anything like that.
Speaker 2:So I've got to be from now, yeah.
Speaker 1:It's a difficult one.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:I think there's some clear and obvious ones that you could probably pick up quite quickly, but you've got to be super skilled at them. So I'm thinking like um shooting yeah archery, those sort of ones that you might not finish last in.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I I reckon, I reckon some sort of 1500 meters, like some for 10, 10k. I just, I, I just reckon there's someone that will be slower than me after four years 28 minutes or something, oh, in fact, even quicker than that 20 minutes. This is this is all I'm doing. I've got I've got a. I'm in a lab like. I've got a team behind me. I'm going to drop to 50 kilos or whatever they are no, I don't know about that um that that's.
Speaker 2:That was where my first thought went to yeah, um, but I it's really, it's a really difficult one to think of it is.
Speaker 1:I mean, I probably would go with archery archery okay the girl that was the that gave the question on tiktok. She said archery, if I mean. I know. I said no team sports, but ones like rowing, the, the eight you could probably hide yourself in and put in a decent effort to get there, but outside of that, like technique's obviously big in rowing.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:But individual sports, I thought, rowing, I thought rowing, maybe cycling. Oh, again some bigger. I ain't going to turn into Chris Hoy in four years. That's a bit well depending on.
Speaker 2:Oh, you've got to be clean, don't you?
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, no, exactly. No enhanced games over here.
Speaker 2:No enhanced games. It's a bit off on the spot. I reckon you know what I'm leaning to it. Do they still do crown green bowls in the Olympics? No, I don't think so.
Speaker 1:I think they went a while ago. That's a shame. Boxing actually maybe Boxing amateur boxing We've got old boxing specialists out there.
Speaker 2:Could probably ask him one time time. I reckon there's a news beck out there, he'll just clean me up in the first in the heavyweight category as well.
Speaker 1:I'll probably get my head knocked off, but you know, one to think of, one to think of. I reckon I'll flip and go shooting old mate off the hip pistol yeah, oh, what is it that meme that went A few ages ago just there?
Speaker 2:Hand in his pocket going bang.
Speaker 1:Turkish guy, weren't it?
Speaker 2:Yeah, shooting an archery like those sorts, I reckon, 10,000 hours worth of practice. I reckon you can get very good quite quickly. And if you've got four years, I reckon by the end of year two you are a sniper If this is all you're doing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, because don't forget that you've got my Call of Duty experience will come into play.
Speaker 2:I reckon I'm going to go shooting.
Speaker 1:Yeah, fair play. Well, before we get tucked into what can only be described as an eventful weekend of the NRL, I just want to shout out all the new subscribers that we've had over the last week or two. We mentioned it last week. I appreciate every single one of you. If you haven't subscribed yet, please feel free to click on the subscribe button. Give us a like, give us a follow. Yes, they're slowly going up.
Speaker 2:That's all that matters.
Speaker 1:Numbers are slowly going up which is good, but let's get tucked into the NRL.
Speaker 2:There's only one place to start, really, and that is Manly's season is done, I'm going to Are you at peace with it? Yeah, I am at peace with it. I had me rant last week. Got it out of my system. If anyone wants to watch it, go watch the 30-minute. To be fair, everything I said was very relevant and showed up again this week and it is exactly the same thing.
Speaker 2:Do you know what? Dc got a lot of hate from this game? He was trying, he was there, he was there was some decision-making. I was like right, you've got another four tackles here. You didn't need to do that when he kicked it right out the back on the door.
Speaker 2:But he was trying to make things happen and just stuff around. Everyone was so flat-footed and that's one thing over the last week I've noticed is Manly's attack. Their halves aren't moving when they receive the ball. They're flat-footed and it can come from the pace of where the ball's coming from. But fair play to the Tigers, they just ripped open, do you know?
Speaker 1:what Dewey I thought had a great game. Dewey had a great game, yeah, and Talon May since he's come back for the Tigers, he's been so well, obviously his brother doing pretty well as well in the front pack, pretty well as well in the front pack. Just they hand it off to him, he sets it up in the middle. But, yeah, absolutely terrible from Manny. And what sums it up is who it was either Brooks or DCE boots the ball and what was it fumbled on? Like the literally 30 centimetres out from the goal line tackle zero and then we go in what penalty.
Speaker 1:Or I can't, from the goal line, tackle zero and then we go in what penalty. I can't remember what it was because it pissed me off that much, but that sums everything up. Again, same as last week standout performer for Kola Tolo, I've got it the other way around Kola.
Speaker 1:But we did exactly the same last week against the Raiders. Quick start, absolute magic bit of individual effort. Gas around the outside. Last week Palmed off seven people. I think there was a stat that Tigers missed eight tackles in the first half and six of them was on that play. And then we don't go to him again, we don't bother throwing the ball to him. We try to do all this sort of stuff that just wasn't going our way. Lost Garrick for the rest of the season, season done, but we've just got to kind of.
Speaker 2:Rebuild, rebuild for next year.
Speaker 1:Rebuild. But the Trebojevic brothers, tom ain't looking at it, jake massive Tom looks injured, he does.
Speaker 2:And I can already see it. Now he's going to come out and say I've had a torn meniscus all season, or something like that.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, what's he done this year? What are the injuries he's had this hamstring?
Speaker 2:Yeah, his hamstring went early.
Speaker 1:And was it his knee as well? Yeah, one of those will be the underlying problem. Did he have a hip as well? Didn't a hip go? I don about earlier. Look at the trajectory of two teams that played each other in the finals last year. You look at the Bulldogs Yep.
Speaker 2:Who Maintained?
Speaker 1:We lost two in the no. We beat in the regular season to get into the final and then we beat them in the final. Yep, don't get me wrong. It's Tolu Kola again that breaks through, runs down the wing and sets that up. But look where they've gone from last year and look what's happened to manly, and there's only one influencing factor, that is, you can say injuries, but every team has had injuries, significant injuries, and that is the people above the players and that is the coaching staff. And sebo just ain't the one. I'll be very, very, very, very, very surprised if he's our coach who's going to be the coaching director.
Speaker 2:He's going to be promoting jobs for the boys.
Speaker 1:Absolute jobs for the boys. And then you have to look above that then, like Mastrov and even the owners above that, he's never in the country is he?
Speaker 1:No, he's American. But look well, I'm going to take my boy to his first game this weekend. Weekend it's meant to be pissing down with rain on the hill. See how it goes. But look what we're predicting later, but it in the words of what's his name? Uh, castillo, castillo. It's not looking good. Bruv, no, anyway, on to two teams that um are potential. Yeah, premiership candidates kicked it off on thursday night. A lot of controversy surrounding this game Storm 22, panthers 18. What are your thoughts on Leota and his block on Harry Grant?
Speaker 2:Well, this is what I thought about the other. I messaged you straight after. So if, if Cleary decided to run with the ball, would Harry Grant have been done for a tackle off the ball? Yeah, because done for a tackle off the ball? Yeah, because if you watch what Grant does, it's a tackle in motion. He wraps Leoa, so surely that's a tackle off the ball because you can't get done for obstruction because he's not run anywhere, he's just stood still. Yeah, he has taken a step to the left, but not too soon you slow anything down.
Speaker 1:We've said this so many times. He could have taken the most minimal step to left-hand side, and on slow motion.
Speaker 2:Could have been a fart.
Speaker 1:Exactly, he looks like he's intentionally doing it.
Speaker 2:Yeah, but you know what. You play to the rules, it is what it is and you can't block a field goal.
Speaker 1:I think I said this to her. I posted something on Instagram, I commented on something underneath and someone responded saying the rules are the rules, and that I responded saying are the rules are the rules, and that I'm not disagreeing with. Yeah, leota is in front of him, he is, but one grant isn't running to block the ball. He's running around, leota he could.
Speaker 2:He could have gone up to leo's right and he could have gone underneath him.
Speaker 1:Yeah for sure. But then you look what, what a team's going to do now. As soon as someone goes for a field goal, they're going to look for the nearest person to them and run directly at that. And someone commented, commented underneath, and highlighted that Mitch Kenny tried to do it when Munster had the field goal to try and win it down the other end. So I think they're setting themselves up for a.
Speaker 2:The only way you'll stop it is if you start penalising people for diving and play acting. But then that's down to the ref's interpretation of what's happened and you then can't slow it down. You've got to then watch it in in full, full motion, um and and you've got it. You've got to see if there is any play acting involved, because that was a great sell by harry grant. But other than, that storm impressed me in this game they didn't, they didn't.
Speaker 1:I kind of walked away from it thinking well, two factors on this. On this One, xavier Coates is unstoppable. How do you stop him? Brian Toto, I think, was having nightmares the day before the game and then didn't know what to do. During the game, the height difference and probably origin got in his head as well, like giving away the penalty during origin.
Speaker 2:To be fair, there's no way he's defending against Coates. I'm sorry Coates has got a massive vert over him, against, against coats. I'm sorry he's. He's got the coat. Coats has got a massive vert over him and the only other thing you could do is possibly put thomas jenkins over that side and put him against him. But even then coats has just got such a such a frame over over them that he's unstoppable near yeah, for me coming away from this game, though, I feel penrith will be like we can do this yeah we didn't lose.
Speaker 1:We didn't lose this game off the back of a poor performance. We lost this game on an error of judgment and two being well. Two errors of judgment One, lyoto being in the wrong place and two, just being so eager to get out and block Munster's kick that it just left Grant to dive through the middle in which Storm have played their hand.
Speaker 1:I would do play Storm aren't going to be able to use that trick again because marker's going to stay square and they're going to send people to block it from either side. So look, they've taken away a weapon in their arsenal. But if I was Penrith I'd be like we ain't scared of no one. If Storm meant to be the favourites, then we're also there as well.
Speaker 2:I we're also there as well. I agree with that. You can also add in Blaise Talangi's interception in that way. Then Coates ran up the end and scored.
Speaker 1:What a tackle.
Speaker 2:That nearly was to stop that as well.
Speaker 1:Finish from Xavier Coates Did someone tackle him? They didn't.
Speaker 2:He dived around the outside, wasn't it McLean who came across?
Speaker 1:Someone. It was incredible because I remember thinking that two weeks of absolutely insane stops both on Xavier Coates as well, actually. But a team that's hit form and I think you cannot rule them out from anywhere, and that is the Sydney Roosters defeating the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs 32-12. And Sam Walker has justified kind of his money really.
Speaker 2:And then you look at do they need DCE?
Speaker 1:I don't think they do.
Speaker 2:No, I think they're in trouble as well, and this is why DCE might have been trying to go out his way to, because it's surely not to get Manly into the finals last week. It was just trying to showcase his contract, but this is the one that I think we separated. I think you went dogs and I went roosters, and I'm so happy that they were able to justify that performance.
Speaker 1:Their back three are arguably the best unit in the league Tupou's having a season, tedesco's having an absolute season of it.
Speaker 2:And Big Marky Mark.
Speaker 1:And Big Marky Mark is just an anomaly that's come out of nowhere.
Speaker 2:I reckon that's the best back three combination in the league.
Speaker 1:They're all big as well. They're big wingers, strong runners. Usually you have a smaller fullback, maybe some lanky wingers, but they're just all powerhouses.
Speaker 2:And.
Speaker 1:Tupou is arguably as good as Coates in the air. I wouldn't say he's as good a finisher all round, but he is certainly under the high ball, big finisher all round, but he is certainly um under the high ball. Yeah, big, big, big threat. But um, I think this highlights a bit of a bit of a concern for the bulldogs in the fact that they come up a team against a team that is just relentless and stays on the front foot, doesn't think, oh no, we've got to do this, that and the other, and just attacks, attacks their weaknesses and they put them away. So let's see, let's see what happens with the Bulldogs moving forward. But this is the one that got me Broncos 38, dolphins 28.
Speaker 1:I looked back at our tips last week and I was so on the fence with this one and I went with the Dolphins. But what a comeback from the Broncos.
Speaker 2:It was an on-the-fence performance as well, you know, Broncos. Yeah, they just turned it on.
Speaker 1:Reece Walsh. When he turns it on, he's a game winner, yeah, and the turning point by a mile was Dolphins scored just after halftime and you think, ah, they're two scores up, they're going to run away with this. Now reese walsh bashes out 40, 20. They then go three tries in seven minutes and they look to completely different teams and the dolphins didn't know what to do and the broncos have that in them.
Speaker 2:They have that quick back-to-back scoring in them and it's not the first time they've done this season, and that's the wave that teams need to watch out for is is. I think the broncos are the most dangerous after they've just scored because they, they, they are looking to go again very, very quickly. Um, and they're not. They're not afraid of trying stuff either, like they, they will whip it out and won't do hit ups straight off the back line. So but um, again, it's been there in inconsistency all season. I think the top eight has now been decided. I think the Roosters are going to nip into that final.
Speaker 1:They're in the driving seat for that one.
Speaker 2:That final spot and unfortunately, I think the Dolphins are just going to finish outside it. They're still four points behind the Sharks and Broncos. Three games to go. I don't see it really changing from here.
Speaker 1:No, I think it is, unless there's an absolute massive surprise. I mean, the Tigers can still get in the eight, but I don't think that's going to happen. But, like you say, the inconsistencies with the Broncos you don't know what we're going to get in finals. You don't know what you're going to get week to week from.
Speaker 2:Yeah, and the thing is, if they had been consistent this year they would have been the four, like quite comfortably.
Speaker 1:Yeah, a couple of big injuries, but didn't seem to impact them in the weekend, but it'll be interesting to see how they go up against a stronger team. Not saying the Dolphins aren't strong, but they didn't have Kafusi and they did love someone else as well, so it'd be interesting to see. But after the game there was Payne Haas was interviewed and he had announced that he was defecting to Samoa. Yeah, what are your thoughts on the eligibility rules of kind of everything that's coming out Like Big T? No, he's not going to be playing for Australia, but then saying this England have got. I think it was. Billy Smith from the Roosters said he's going to play for England, and a few others Campbell, was it from the Titans?
Speaker 2:Or was it Brimson one of them? I don't mind the eligibility rules of your grandparents, etc. I really like that. I just don't think international sport should be treated like club sport and you'd be able to chop and change between. So I don't really like it. I think as soon as you represent a nation in a competitive game, that's your nation for the rest of your time at international sport.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree with that one. It'll be interesting to see it's going to develop international rugby for sure, because it's going to make the international competition a lot stronger. It'll be interesting to see how everyone goes at the World Cup. In what is it next year? 26?.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So I think there could be a Pacific Island team that wins that. But I even read earlier that Val Holmes was on the verge of playing for the Cook Islands, but he decided to choose Australia. So next up, we got the Sharks stuck on an absolute score against the Titans. Titans actually came out of this and led. At one point I thought, oh no, here we go, here's the Sharks we know. But I think to me, I don't think we've learned anything new from the Sharks.
Speaker 1:They've stuck 50 points on a team that are going to be spooners and I don't think they're going to trouble the finals. I think, they could be out early.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I agree. I think they've got it in them to if they consist at their best, they've got it in them to go deep. But, I just think them and the Broncos have been so inconsistent this season that I just don't see them going deep into the finals, especially if they come up against, you know, one of your Panthers or Raiders. I just don't see them getting past there.
Speaker 1:to be honest, they're going to have if they finish outside the top four, which is highly likely, they're going to have a tough draw against either. Well, I mean, it could be the Warriors, you never know, they might slip out the four, but it's going to be one of the Panthers, Broncos, Roosters or Warriors.
Speaker 2:I don't put them favourites against any of those.
Speaker 1:But talking of the Warriors, absolute low quality game against the Dragons, I struggled, struggled watching this one on Friday night. Yeah, warriors defeat the Dragons 14-10. Dragons were 10-0 up at one point as well.
Speaker 2:They were they were and I think they're quite lucky. Now the Warriors I don't think they're going to finish in the four.
Speaker 1:No, they haven't found their magic since Metcalfe has gone. They've kind of lost that.
Speaker 2:They're limping towards the finals and look, the Sharks are on an automatic buy this week, so they're on the verge. They'll get two points and then that will put them up above the Warriors. So if the Warriors don't beat the Titans, but the Warriors have got the Titans Sort of game though the Titans could cause an upset, so I'm not convinced the Warriors are going to finish in the four now. It's sort of worrying times for them.
Speaker 1:Yeah, dragons are on a rebuild for next season. Their season. They can't make it into the eight, but I think they look promising for next year. They've got some good young forwards that are coming through. Yeah, and one to potentially watch out for next year. Not saying they're going to be competition favourites, but I think they could cause some damage next year. But a game that I thought the Eels were gonna absolutely blow the rabbit.
Speaker 1:I was away and rabbit has ended up walking away 20 points to 16 victors in this one, wayne Bennett goes back to back two wins and old mate Jai Gray at the back had an absolute field day, he was everywhere great big fan of Jai Gray, yeah, big, big, big fan, I've said, said it sort of all season.
Speaker 2:um, he's, he's a player that you can't sleep on and I think there was a period of play where he made a tackle, made two tackles in a row and then he was sweeping that fullback to then clean up a grub of kick through and just epitomise his work ethic. He's just an absolute dog when he needs to be.
Speaker 1:Yeah, with Mitchell being named, not named because of what? Was it back spasms quad, something like that? I can't remember what it was.
Speaker 1:I reckon Jai Gray should play fullback remainder of the season and then Mitchell come in play in the centres, but Eels didn't look great. They're limping home to the end of the season. They're not guaranteed to get the spoon, but I think that it's pretty much certain that it's going to be the Titans, so there's no real pressure on them. I think they just look forward to next season and, like you say, could be a dark horse next year. We'll see how it materializes. But last game of the weekend boy, this was. I got this so wrong. This is boring, but the Cowboys absolutely blew the Knights away and I saw a stat that the Knights have the most scoreless first halves in a season ever. That is bad. They made so many mistakes. They were dropping balls over the line. All right, drink water, I've got a fist, I've knocked the ball out, but the passing was terrible. They were knocking on. They just look so average. They've got a coach that needs them to win in order to survive.
Speaker 1:Putting performances in like that ain't gonna ain't gonna fill the owners with confidence to get rid of Adam O'Brien, but yeah, cowboys run away of it. And talking of coaches that need a team to perform to survive, todd Payton's one of them. Stick 38 points on the Knights.
Speaker 2:They're going into absolutely nothing. Seasons, these three, anyone under the Dolphins really? Because the Dolphins are going to be fighting until the end. So, from the 10th down, everyone's sort of limping to the end of the season, which is a bit of a shame. You'd want to be more of the season which is a bit of a shame.
Speaker 2:You'd want a bit more of a competition, but Manly got in the Warriors Dolphins and Dragons Dragons last three games of the season. Yeah, just from a Manly point of view, I just don't see a lot happening there, to be honest.
Speaker 1:No, but look, I think, like you said, we've solidified some teams in the top eight. It's mainly going to stay as it is. We've got three rounds left in the season. There could be some surprises in there, but it's only really the Dolphins that can make it into the eight. I can't see Manny doing it unless they absolutely turn it around. But let's get on to round 25. So there are going to be some somewhat dead rubber fixtures, but it's always interesting to see kind of how they go, just to see who can put strong performances in at the end of the season. And first off, thursday night, we're out at everyone's favourite venue. We're at the Accor Stadium for the Rabbitohs at $1.85 against the Dragons $2.
Speaker 2:That is going to be a. I'm just having a quick look at $1.85 against the Dragons $2. That is going to be a.
Speaker 1:I'm just having a quick look at the time A wet Thursday night out at the Accor.
Speaker 2:I'm going to go on Big Money Man's back. I'm going to go for the Dragons in this one. I'm going to go for the Dragons.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I think they've done enough over recent weeks to get a victory over the Rabbitohs. Um, the Trail Mitchell's not back, no, so Keon Kalua-Matangi is, though that's a big inclusion for them, but I think the Dragons are going to finish the season stronger and they're going to get a victory over the Rabbitohs and then is this a grand final preview our up in Mudgee we've got the Pembroke Panthers at $1.60 against the Canberra Raiders at $2.36 if the Raiders want to cement themselves as a favourite for the Premiership. I'm not just talking about minor Premiership.
Speaker 1:I'm talking about winning the whole comp. They need to win this game. Do I think they're going to win this game? No, I think they're going to win this game no Okay. I think the Pembroke Panthers are going to win this. Isaiah Yeo has been named on the extended bench, so he can potentially be brought in, but see how, again, like the four, is not locked for the Panthers, they need to win this as well to prove their money. If they win this, I'd say do you know what?
Speaker 2:Stick the panthers storm guaranteed final um. But yeah, I'm gonna go for the pembroke panthers in this one. I think I'm gonna, I think I'm gonna join you, mate, I think I'm gonna join you with the panthers um. As much as I love watching the raiders this year, I just I just can't see them getting past this. Panthers momentum at the moment yeah, and the worst thing team to play against is an angry. Panthers momentum at the moment yeah, and the worst team to play against is an angry.
Speaker 2:Panthers, I agree Especially off the back of that win.
Speaker 1:What a Friday night. By the way, I've just looked at the next fixture and we have the Melbourne Storm at $1.48 against the Canterbury Bankstown Bulldogs at $2.67. That means we have, I would argue, the top four teams in the competition. Warriors are on the slide. We've mentioned this the top four teams in the competition playing on Friday night. Where are you going with this one?
Speaker 2:I'm going to go with Storm, storm at home. I like the Dogs. Dogs have been strong this year, but I just don't see them being able to quiet down Coates. Who's he going to be against? Is he going to be against Carras?
Speaker 1:He's basically two-poached. Yeah, and they had trouble stopping him last week.
Speaker 2:Yeah, exactly Just going to be aerial threats and I just, yeah, I just can't see him. Munster's actually out. That's quite a big one.
Speaker 1:Is he? No, he's playing at fullback.
Speaker 2:Yeah, he is Sorry.
Speaker 1:Because Pappenhausen's still injured.
Speaker 2:But he's still not in his. Yeah, but to be fair, that didn't really do much. So yeah, I'm going to go for the Storm.
Speaker 1:I'm going to join you on that one. I think the Storm at home. Get this one done against the Bulldogs.
Speaker 2:And then we're at Four Pines Park. Come on, manly, manly, manly $1.89 against the Dolphins at $1.95.
Speaker 1:Where's your money going? Where is my money going? Where is my money going, do you know what? Because it's at home. It says ground conditions are going to be good. It says the weather's going to be fine. I don't know how much I agree with that.
Speaker 2:I don't believe that one bit.
Speaker 1:With that weather being fine. I like that. Tommy Talal is starting Obviously Garrick's out shoulder done for the season. I worry about our forward pack. I worry that the Dolphins have got a better forward pack, but the boys at Brookie are going to get it done and the Manly Seagulls are going to win. You're going to tip the Dolphins.
Speaker 2:No, I never tip against Manly. I said at the start of the year I'm never going to do it, but I'm going to go. Manly, it's going to be a Hoppawattie and Kola absolute masterclass.
Speaker 1:If Kola can run through a team I, if Kola can run through a team, I reckon the Dolphins he could do some damage.
Speaker 2:This is going to be the get the boys a contract game for them too. It's going to be an incredible game and I can't wait for it.
Speaker 1:Fair enough. And then the 5.30 kickoff on the Saturday. We've got at the Seabus Super. We've got the Titans $2.52 against the Warriors $1.53.
Speaker 2:You've got to go the Warriors on this. I think it's going to be a scrappy Warriors win. I'm going to go for the upset. I'm going to go for the Titans.
Speaker 1:Titans at home. I just reckon after last week they're going to want to bounce back against Spankton. They're going to beat a limping Warriors team.
Speaker 2:And then we're over at the Combank for the 7.35 kickoff, with the Parramatta Eagles at $3.30 and the Sydney Roosters at $1.33.
Speaker 1:I can't see anything other than the Sydney Roosters putting on an absolute masterclass, and I'd even say Tedesco Tupou and Nwangene Tawase are going to get each score in this. So I'm going for the Sydney Roosters and I'm going for the Sydney Roosters big as well.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I'm going to go for the Roosters, quite big, I think they're going to put on an absolute barnstormer.
Speaker 1:Then we go up to Newcastle McDonnell Jones Stadium. The Knights Newcastle Knights at $3.66 against the Brisbane Broncos at $1.29. That is short.
Speaker 2:I'm going to go Broncos. I think this could be an absolute drumming yeah. But the thing is, whenever I go, I think the Broncos are going to be unreal. They play shit, which is what I'm a little bit worried about, but I just can't see. I just don't think the Knights have got an attack to break down the Broncos.
Speaker 1:Nah, can't see it happening myself. I reckon the Broncos win it and they win it pretty comfortably.
Speaker 2:And then actually, oh you know what, If those results go that way, the old Knights could be close. Oh, Points difference Knights minus 186, Titans minus 187.
Speaker 1:So if the Titans win and the Knights lose?
Speaker 2:I think the Titans go above the Knights. And the Knights could be in the spoon contenders.
Speaker 1:Wowzers.
Speaker 2:And then, finally, we're at Leichhardt Oval with the West Tigers at $1.64 and then Cowboys at $2.27.
Speaker 1:If my memory serves me correct, last time these two teams played at Leichhardt, Tigers put 60-odd on the Cowboys. I don't quite think it's going to be 60-odd this time, but I am going to go for the West Tigers to win this game, yeah, so I'm going to go for the Tigers as well.
Speaker 1:Let's see how it goes. There could be some strange old performances, though, this week, considering some teams are out of it, but there's some teams trying to avoid the wooden spoon. But one sport that was back, or one league that was back this weekend, was the English Premier League, and we're going to link. We're going to link the English Premier.
Speaker 1:League and the NRL, and we decided that we are going to come up with our own starting 13 of former, past and or present Premier League players. And how we're going to do this. We're each going to select a front rower, second rower, center winger, and then we're going to bring some players to the table to decide who's going to play. Our nine, six, seven and one, yep. So who you gone first for your front rower.
Speaker 2:I've gone for a center back. Who was the?
Speaker 1:longest in the shower renowned.
Speaker 2:Yes, I heard he was very much the longest in the shower. He was guaranteed a mistake pretty much every game, but he was an absolute unit and that was big, tight as bramble. It's not a bad one. I reckon that boy is going to come off the back fence hard and he's going to run the ball hard every time.
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's a good pick, very good pick. And to pair him with an absolute nutter, like, by all accounts, would fight absolutely anyone, just didn't give a shit about anyone and that is big duncan ferguson. Played forever and, uh, absolutely lunatic out there. Few, few scraps, few fights and people definitely wouldn't get on. Yeah, the wrong side of him, but who's your second rower?
Speaker 2:so I've gone for a big sub, a, uh, an absolute hero of birmingham city, standing at six foot seven. Uh, nikola zigich, I reckon with his size. Uh, he would open up, he would open, he's not. He's not quickest.
Speaker 1:You don't have to be the quickest at second row, do you reckon you could drop one on the inside to him and he'd do a bit of damage and he's just going to be flying through and I just think he'll be a solid second row. Similar sort of vibe. I've gone for mine. I've gone for Nemanja Matic. Gone those Eastern European vibes again. And the fact that tall, big geezer can finish. I reckon in a past life you might have also done murdered someone maybe, but um a serbian partnership serbian partnership in the middle.
Speaker 1:Second rowers nemanja, matich and nikola zigic centers though oh, there's some tasty people here you've gone with as one of your centers.
Speaker 2:I have gone for Diego Casta what? A geezer the elephant man, absolute physical nightmare of a centre. And he was just so good and he out-muscled all the centre-backs.
Speaker 1:To partner that centre. I've gone with someone that's got absolute pace but is an absolute unit as well. Played for Wolves. Played for Barcelona. Who else did he play for? Fulham? Played for.
Speaker 2:Fulham. He's currently at Fulham.
Speaker 1:I think Adama Traore the most Vaseline or baby-oiled-up arms on a pitch that you've seen.
Speaker 2:But I reckon give him the ball and he would absolutely annihilate some people absolutely annihilate some people, so yeah, who have you gone with at hooker?
Speaker 1:at hooker, we're going to ignore the wingers. Oh sorry, I've jumped. Fully ahead, then fully ahead, talking a pace actually from adama triore.
Speaker 2:These two, these two are very quick, wingers very quick, and I I like how the partnership has arisen from it as well, because they are both athletic as out as well. Yeah, so I've gone for gareth bale pure speed, uh, absolute, incredible athleticism. He's welsh, I've got, so what reckon he's got a bit of rugby blood in him somewhere.
Speaker 1:Um, I just, I just think he'd be very much like xavier coates in the air yeah you'd just be kicking to both wingers, to be honest yeah, I've gone for cristiano ronaldo purely for the fact the guy can leap 10 miles in the air. Great finisher, like we're talking about. I know two completely different sports. If you want someone to finish, a chance that man can do it. So I've gone for, yeah, cristiano Ronaldo. In at nine. Then, sorry, I jumped ahead earlier. In at nine. Who have we gone with?
Speaker 2:So this was a little bit of a toss-up for me, because my nine could have been my seven as well, and I've gone for Roy Keane. He is an absolute mongrel.
Speaker 1:He's an absolute.
Speaker 2:He'll hit hard from what you want from your hooker. He's able to pass. He's got a decent pass on him. He'll be able to control, troll the game as well yeah um, and I just I just think he'd be a solid hooker.
Speaker 1:Bit of mongrel about him sort of similar who I've, who I've gone with um, wayne rooney, bit of a dog, absolute dog, bit of a unit, and um can pass as well, like his distribution can do it. So out of those who do you reckon you'd go with, it's a difficult one if you had to start someone out of those two oh, I think I'd go Keane.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I think he's just got a bit mind you. I was thinking Rooney for front row oh, yeah, I get what you mean.
Speaker 1:um well, yeah, alright, I'll agree with you on that one. Roy Keane, and then at 13, which is an interesting one connection between the forwards and back, I've gone with because he got the nickname Fat Frank. I reckon he'd be a good. His distribution is second to none, drives forward pretty well. So I reckon he'd take on a line and, yeah, he can pass it. He can give a good offload when he needs to. He can also finish when he needs to as well. So I've gone with big Frankie Lampard.
Speaker 2:I've got a great Barclays Premier League name for 13. Big Papa Boobadio.
Speaker 1:Do you know what? That is a great shot. That is a shout and a half the wardrobe.
Speaker 2:The wardrobe. Absolute force in midfield. Big could pass the ball, could hit a shot as well on his day. Yeah, and I think he'd just be a good link. He'll carry the ball hard, so he's not just going to be that link, but he'll get some hard metres as well.
Speaker 1:Yeah, do you know what? I'd select him just purely for hardness. Played for Portsmouth, didn't he? Yeah, pompey.
Speaker 1:And Fulham yeah when I was down in Portsmouth at university saw him out on a night out at Bar Blue down in Southsea. But yeah, six and seven. So I'll say my combination is six and seven, you say yours, and then we'll decide who we're going to go with there. So I've gone with two absolute worldies David Beckham as my six, just because I don't know like not, I don't want him controlling the team, just because of the maybe intelligence side of things in terms of being able to dominate people around. But then the general I've got in at 7 is Kevin De Bruyne.
Speaker 2:He is just a magic man that I think would, yeah, have a game plan and execute it perfectly so at my 6, I'm going to say this and people are going to be like well, who are you going to have that for? And the reason for it is because during the 2009-2010 season, he had more passes completed passes than Chavi and Iniesta, and that was one, Barry Ferguson.
Speaker 1:I can't get behind it. Yeah, I know.
Speaker 2:But he's old, reliable.
Speaker 1:He's old reliable.
Speaker 2:I've looked for a bit of mongrel in a lot of my players and he's definitely got that. Um, he's old, reliable, complete a pass he's. He doesn't need to think that much. He's. You're not looking for him to open up teams, you just think he's there to to bring something to an attack, because then next to him the magician is luca modric luca modric, I can get behind barry ferguson, I can't.
Speaker 1:There's some bias a hundred percent coming in for barry ferguson massively, um, and that's.
Speaker 2:You could say the same about nemanja madic as well. Um, yeah, but well, yeah, massively zigich um. But now luuka Modric. I think he's massively underrated as a general in midfield, and how he can open up teams showed it a little bit later in his career in Madrid, but at Tottenham he was arguably the best player on the field.
Speaker 1:I reckon I'd stick Modric at 6 and I'd go Kevin Dubois at 7. I think that would tear most teams apart. And then at fullback, who have you gone with? We've got two different choices. Both Arsenal legends to a certain extent One of Chelsea legends. I've gone.
Speaker 2:Big Patty Vieira, yeah, big Patrick Vieira, big athletic, safe under a high ball, will be able to hit the gaps and I reckon he could link up play as well when he needs to.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I don't mind it. I went along. I think I thought of him or another like Claude McAlealy was another one I thought of at fullback, actually just central defensive midfielder that just bosses everyone about, and then I was like do you know what, though, if you want someone that can just assist everywhere and do everything, it's got to be Cesc Fabregas. Got the most assists in a Premier League season, can finish as well, so I've gone for Cesc Fabregas at fullback, but out of those two it's tough. You've got two completely different choices. Where are you going if you had to pick one?
Speaker 2:I'd just love big Patty V powerful, powerful team.
Speaker 1:you've gone with there, Powerful team. But yeah, if you've got any suggestions of who you might put from the EPL past present players, stick them in the comments below. But one little bit that we're going to finish up on. We said the Lions tour was done and dusted last week Can't.
Speaker 2:And then the Wallabies go and shock, shock South Africa, not just in South Africa.
Speaker 1:At a place they haven't won at for 62 years.
Speaker 2:At Ellis Park, at altitude, south Africa don't lose at altitude, no. And they got humbled. They did by the Wallabies.
Speaker 1:So Ali got his first try in the Wallabies colours as well.
Speaker 2:And if the Wallabies can back this up, yeah, I think it shows that the Wallabies colours as well and if the Wallabies can back this up, I think it shows that the Wallabies are back and this Lions victory looks better than was actually a lot better than the plaudits made out, and I think the Wallabies will feel very hard done by with the way some pundits were going on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I agree. All the talk coming out was that Lions shouldn't tour Australia again. Australia rugby's in the mud and all the talk coming out was that our Lions shouldn't tour Australia again. Australia rugby's in the mud and they're going to turn over the world champions, who are now ranked third in the world. New Zealand, with their victory over the Pumas, jumped to the number one ranked team in the world, but they've got to back it up. Do they play again this weekend? I think it is this weekend.
Speaker 2:Is it this weekend? Let me just quickly fact check that.
Speaker 1:It'll be interesting to see how they go, because they might have lost one or two to injury.
Speaker 2:I think older Harry Wilson is Is it Harry Wilson.
Speaker 1:Yeah, did you see him try and stop and get the ball?
Speaker 2:down for his second try. He was not. You could see he was in trouble then.
Speaker 1:But I didn't think he was going to stop before he ran out the end. Yeah, it's this weekend.
Speaker 2:This weekend.
Speaker 1:So we'll see how that goes. I do think South Africans are going to come back and they're going to come back with an absolute bang.
Speaker 2:But as I said earlier, an angry Penrith team is a horrible team to play, but an angry South African team who has had I reckon they might run an 8-0. Razzy Erasmus ran up their arse all week.
Speaker 1:I reckon they might run an 8-0 on the bench. I don't know whether it's legal, but I reckon they're going to have an extra forward that they can bring on just and stick them at bloody I don't know 10 or something like that just to run through people. But yeah, absolute spanner in the works lion's not too bad, but that's another episode in the books. Thank you for tuning in, listening, like, subscribe, comment and we'll catch you in the next one. Thanks for watching.