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!
Ashes Torture!
The scoreboard said 26–6, but the real story was tempo, chemistry, and a crowd that never tipped the pitch. We dig into how England’s ruck speed, defensive depth, and selection choices handed Australia the angles they wanted—then map a clear route to flip the tone in Game Two. From Reese Walsh’s sharpened decision-making to Angus Crichton’s gut-punch try on fifth tackle, we unpack the moments that swung the match and the adjustments that can still turn a cold, wet northern night into a cauldron.
We also tackle the sport’s bigger horizon. The NRL’s global round—Vegas, London, Dubai, Miami—promises new eyeballs and big tourism dollars, but what does it cost core fans who lose a home game? We debate a smarter rollout and explore how a potential stake in Super League could fuse Australia’s on-field quality with the UK’s terrace culture. Get ready for a vision of double-headers, better venue picks, and atmosphere-first scheduling that grows the game without thinning its soul.
The Pacific Championships brought pure theatre: Samoa pushing New Zealand to the edge, Tonga-Samoa delivering collisions that rattled screens, and refereeing decisions that reignited the fairness debate when a concussed player sits and the tackler stays. We examine what consistency should look like and how Tonga can trouble New Zealand with early line speed and middle dominance. Plus, a rapid-fire tour of roster moves—Turbo’s extension, Manly’s evolving pack, hooker succession puzzles, and league-wide signings that could reshape the top eight.
If you’re into sharp analysis, selection debates, and the future of international rugby league, this one’s for you. Tap follow, share with a mate who bleeds footy, and drop a review telling us the one change you’d make before Game Two.
Hello and welcome to another episode of They've Been Doing It All Day Stop. Let's just hope England turn up in the other ashes. Let's get stuck in. How you been, mate? It's been a while. Yeah, it's it has been actually, hasn't it? Yeah. Since we've been sat sat in these glorious chairs, absolutely chatting waffle to each other. Yeah, I think it's been about been about three weeks, maybe even a month actually.
SPEAKER_01:I don't know.
SPEAKER_02:So it's coming up coming up to a month because of the grand final just after the grand final.
SPEAKER_01:Very true. And I haven't touched a drop of alcohol in that month. In that month. Can't say I feel any better for it because I feel the calories that I um have skipped from drinking, I've just eaten the same calories.
SPEAKER_02:There you go.
SPEAKER_01:And you've not had as much fun. No, but what have you been up to in the last couple of weeks?
SPEAKER_02:God, just coaching, to be honest, mate. Coaching and working. Nothing massive has happened. My partner's middle sister has been up with her little and a little baby. So just had some family time last weekend. Um did uh did some smash burgers on the old on the old web. I fucking love a smash burger. Um and yeah, it was just good.
SPEAKER_01:What about yourself? To be honest, it's about the same. Uh got an eye infection, which I'm currently sporting in my left eye. Um, got a tear duct or a duct that's infected, so eye is a bit swollen, has been a bit swollen. Um, other than that though, cause anything exciting happened? No, not much. I'll tell you what has happened though. From last episode, we have somehow gained a significant number of followers. I think we got 17 from our last episode. So shout out all the new subscribers out there. And it was our most viewed episode last time. Must be the Brisbane supporters just jumping on how much we were glazing Reese Welsh. I'm pretty sure there's gonna be some more of that as we review the first game. But yeah, be sure to hit that subscribe subscribe button, follow along. Um obviously, new season coming up. We're gonna be gonna be excited to get back into that one. But definitely, yeah, a few bit of news coming out since we've um last recorded. Yep. One of the interesting ones, which is uh global round potentially touted for 2027. So Vegas obviously being, I think I heard earlier it's uh contracting until the end of 2028. They're talking about round one games being played in Vegas, Hawaii, the south of France, London, Dubai, Hong Kong, and Miami. Well, what are your thoughts on it?
SPEAKER_02:Well, um you know, I think the more the more you look at sport, the more and more it's going international with these, with these. And there's there's a part of me that doesn't like it because you're taking it away from the fans who have helped build some base.
SPEAKER_01:I heard something earlier that was like, do you know what it's the minority that will say we're losing one home game? Like, but think about growing the global brand.
SPEAKER_02:I completely get that, but and I I think there is a there is a good way of of building that band. Yeah, um, but there is that side of you are it's I know it's only one game, but these are probably fans that have been going for could be 30-40 years who have pumped all that money into the club for then to be just dropped to the hat just to go on a bit of a touristy thing and earn a bit more money. So there's there's there's pros there's pros and cons to it.
SPEAKER_01:I think about Manly though, not last season, the year before, we only got 10 home games out of 12. Actually, yeah, 10 out of 12. One was in Mudgy and one was Magic Round, which 10 home games was alright, but now we've experienced 12 home games. Yeah, it does feel like a significant amount more of football. But saying that, if a game went to Miami, if a game went to Hawaii, if a game went to Dubai, if a game, if Manly are in London round one, the first thing I'm doing is booking my ticket and I'm gonna be there. So I think it'd be a good trip home, I suppose. Exactly. It would entice people to go. And some figures that I heard earlier were that Vegas, although they don't need the money, like bought in 70 million extra US dollars from the that round that was held last year, and the year before, I think it was something a little bit less. But even still, some of the tourism boards out of this could think, oh, we could make a little bit of coin out of this. Um, but with the NRL expecting to or wanting to become a global brand, I definitely think it's a positive move. Um, I'm really excited to see how it's the dragons against bulldogs, isn't it, in Vegas next year. See how many travel for that. And I think if that's a bit well like a well moral barmy army, yeah, if that's a well um attended event and there's a good crowd there, I think there'll be a massive take up for round one the following year. Um, but also I what they were talking about today as well, Peter Velandis and um Andrew Abdo were potentially talking about buying a 33% stake in the uh Super League as well. So it'd be interesting to see whether that would incorporate some of that global round, so whether some there was some fixtures that involved some of the bigger teams from the Super League playing in some of those venues before to try and grow that brand as well.
SPEAKER_02:It'd be interesting if then there would be a case of turning the uh sort of franchise in the clubs and then turning them into a sort of a second grade, I don't know, uh feeder, feeder club, not not getting rid of the clubs completely. Yeah, because you've still got homegrown talent in the UK that needs to be able to progress and and the rugby league system in the in the UK is is in the super league is helping that. Um but I I think if you could somehow mix the two great things of uh of of each side, so you've probably got the quality of rugby league from Australia, just poops the UK, but then if you could then bring the crowds of the UK and that that that um experience and somehow mesh it together, I think it will then make a greater rugby league brand. Yeah. Um, because you you watch one of the things that's been popping up on mine is is a little respect with uh Hall KR. Yeah. Um and it's just it's just a completely different crowd to what it is over here.
SPEAKER_01:So good segue, because I want to talk about the uh crowd at the first Ashes test on um what was it, Saturday but Sunday morning our time. So we'll dive straight in it. Obviously, England get absolutely spanked, Australia 26, England six. There was so much hype coming out of the England camp and like how they were gonna like unexpectedness of what England are gonna bring against Australia. But I think one of the biggest things that contributed towards the almost like let-down feeling was it felt like an exhibition game. Yeah, the crowd were just like silent. I don't know what I don't know if you can relate to this, but when you go along to a sport in fiction that doesn't mean anything, you can just hear the murmur of crowd noise in the background, and there's no like ebbs and flows of when something happens. Almost like when the NFL comes to comes to London and no one really knows who to support or anything like that. I was a bit let down by the crowd.
SPEAKER_02:Also, but it it it a little bit of test cricket as well, as that's a good one. When it just and there's nothing really happening and it's just ticking along. Um, but no, I'd have to agree with you there. The first game, I I thought the crowd would be raw like raush um raucous. Raucus, that's the word, thank you. Uh the crowd would be raucous, but it was just completely the not that. And then I you sit back and you actually look at it, you the first game is in the south of the UK where the sport isn't really that popular, and it and it probably helps the Australians more than um there's probably more Uzzi, like true. Clapham would have been very quiet, uh, been all out of the game.
SPEAKER_01:Um I think I saw earlier that there was the biggest at attended Ashes game, 60,000 people. Yeah, well good turnout.
SPEAKER_02:When Birmingham get this new sports quarter, I think that'd be a great venue for it, 60,000, and then just keep it probably north of the Midlands, yeah, and then do old Dickinson Hill or what Hill Dickinson Stadium, and then possibly go in up into the northeast and and St. James's Park or the stadium alight, and I think that would would help build the atmospheres a hell of a lot better. And and it also means that the the Australians then get a sense of a full-on experience of it, and it it in the crowds are different because everything's built up, but it's then all on you, so it'd be like playing at the Suncorp.
SPEAKER_01:That's one thing about Wembley, and you get it most sporting events you go to where the pitch is so far away from the stands, and it's got that couple of metres of like protective barrier, and then the stands go like the lower bowl goes flat out rather than going straight up. I think this weekend's gonna be a whole different ball game. England need to step up their performance. Oh, yeah. Um, it was they were pretty terrible, but we we started off the season by not being big fans of Reese Walsh. Oh, what a boy.
SPEAKER_02:But the geezer I I I want to caveat and say it's not I don't I think it's more that we weren't we were always fans, not fans of oh my god, he's an amazing player.
SPEAKER_01:But we we all we always appreciated him as a player, we gave him a lot of stick, and it's more the off-field antics as well, like just focus on getting better because a lot of stuff's come out, like with Cleary saying he's a completely different player to what he was in 2023, yeah. Earlier got reminded that he was only 21 in that final in 2023, so he's matured a little bit since then. There's still the odd lapse, but what he's started to gain on the field is his ability to break open games more often, magical moments more often. But the biggest difference is defensively, you can read the game so much better now as well.
SPEAKER_02:Like in that final, he was phenomenal in this odd and dive into no man's land in him, which which which he does he does enjoy. Um, which was was in the the the final. Um, but then the you you look at him and he he always has that creativity in him. Yeah I said a lot during the season, he is a step away from creating something magical, literally a a sidestep away, yeah, and everything is now just starting to come to fruition, and it's and it's really starting to show.
SPEAKER_01:One of the things that I thought about this game in England's performance, and this I don't know, like I'm not an expert analysing the game, but looking from like our fan perspective is the defensive side of the ball we just didn't seem coordinated. Like, for example, when Reese Walsh runs out the back and he skips past a few people, the depths at which the defenders were were all completely different. And it Reese Walsh, someone that skilled, that explosive, just picks one of those gaps and goes, see ya, and he's off, and he runs however far down the field. Um, but what highlights it again is when Angus Crichton gets given the ball on fifth tackle just after half time, and he seemingly strolls just like through, and it's almost like a bit of an embarrassment. Like this looked too easy, our forwards didn't seem mobile enough, like and and the the strength in depth didn't seem like it was there compared to the Australians, and the Australians' forward pack is like all right, it's incredible.
SPEAKER_02:You look you I was I was proper really looking forward to it. I was like, This this could be it, right? First home game, get a filled Wembley. Wembley wasn't full and wasn't as rauticus as I thought it would be, and England just didn't turn up. And then when when you combine that with the absolute talent, and I thought Australia just wouldn't show up, I thought they'd be a bit clunky, which at times they were, but I didn't think they would come flying out as quickly as I did. But then you you look at it, and there's clusters of players within that Australian who play with each other who or have uh previously um and have worked together and are at club level and have worked closely either at state as well. So you look at all those different opportunities to build their chemistry in that Australian team, and then when you take a stab point and look at it like that, you're like, ah, yeah, that that that was that result was always gonna be.
SPEAKER_01:Walsh was fantastic in his supporting play when he joined when he like looped around and joined the attacking side. Obviously, he's used to playing with Shibasaki, so they combined a couple of times for um attacking down one edge, then you look at that spine, you've got Harry Grant, Munster, Cleary, and Walsh. It's an absolute joke. They're only gonna get better in the next game, which is worrying.
SPEAKER_02:And and and this is the thing, you've got to you've got to watch the likes of Harry Grant as well. You can't you can't sleep on him in defensively. Yeah, you've seen it all last season, the NRL, that you've you've got to be around. I was expecting a bit more from the likes of Kai Piers Paul, um, the NRL lads, Dom Young.
SPEAKER_01:Um to be honest, I think the NRL lads were the only ones that like stood out. They weren't playing Herbie Farmouth, was I think our best performer, but Kai Piers Paul, a couple of hard runs, decent hits, a bit of RG Bargie at the end as well. I think it was. Yeah, and Dom Young like ran hard. Unfortunately, Isaiah Yo took a shoulder or a back to the chin, which put him out, he's gonna miss the next game. But I think the level, the boys need to step up a bit, and there's got to bring in more of the AJ Brimson's got to come in, he's got to play, Morgan Smithies has got to come in. Um, so I think it's a case of almost like you know, when you're worried about your opponent that you're going up against, oh it's TNRL lads, oh like we can compete, just got just got to be better.
SPEAKER_02:So to be fair, you look at it, it was England's first test loss since the 2022 semi-final. Yeah, so there's there's a lot that this team can demolish teams. I think in that World Cup they put 60 pass Samoa. Um yeah, but then they lost in the semi-finals. Yeah, they did, but they still put 60 pass Samoa. That's not the point I was making. Um and and that there is the quality there, obviously, not knowing too much about the rugby league and not watching off of it. I know there was a lot of hype around Mikey Lewis um playing in at seven for for England and didn't really grasp grasp the game, but then you you're looking at the game and trying to compare to the opposition number, and you're coming up against Nathan Cleary, he's arguably the best seven to do it. So you you can't really compare, but you you do need to just find your own ident identity when you're coming up like again like against a team like this, yeah, and be able to gel together and and build for build from that. Um but yeah, they need to they need to step it up.
SPEAKER_01:And Jack Wellsby is at fullback was apparently he's got a lot of talent, and this is where like us not watching the Super League, I suppose, not coming from a background of watching the sport before we came over here, he's one that's got potential talent and has been touted as NRL prospect from that display at the weekend. I mean, getting caught on your own try-line, not knowing whether to come forward or go back or realise it's fifth tackle. Well, it's not a great first impression if you're trying to put in a bit of an interview or showreel for the NRL, he's got to have a good game. But does Farmworth go to fullback? That's like some talk that's spoken about it'll be interesting. But you look at I I flip it to Australia. Adokarr didn't have a great game, like he was dropped the ball a few times. Yeah, uh, Huddy Young in the first half dropped the ball a few times as well.
SPEAKER_02:So he had a great defensive game, though, didn't he?
SPEAKER_01:He did, he did. I think he made the most tackles in the game. But you if they start to click, it could be a difficult day. This is why the crowd have got to get behind. Yeah, gotta make it uncomfortable, gotta make it horrible. And I feel like this Hill Dickinson or whatever the whatever the stadium's called. What's the Dickinson Hill, Hill Dickinson? It's got some court vibes about it. Yeah, it's steep, it could be acoustic. I think there's a proper opportunity. Is it too?
SPEAKER_02:Oh no, that's Liverpool, New South Wales. I'm trying to I'm I was trying to get uh the weather up and I wanted to, I went, I wanted to cold. I want it, I want it cold, raining. Yeah, crowd, crowd behind yeah, it's raining. It's raining on it's this Saturday, the second game, isn't it?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, Saturday. Clocks have got so is it late or is it 1.30 in the morning?
SPEAKER_02:No, not too sure, but it's Saturday. But in Liverpool, where the ground is Saturday, rain. Love it. That's that's what it's gonna be. It's gonna be cold, it's gonna be 11 degrees. The hostility of the crowd Charles is gonna get behind it. This is what's gonna be England are just gonna come out firing.
SPEAKER_01:Well, one thing they need to do actually is the speed of the ruck needs to be faster. That was one thing that was terrible. And Grant Atkinson is the ref this Saturday, so he's gonna be NF. Whereas I don't know the name of the ref, but it was a British guy, slow, slow ruck play. That's gonna change. I think there'll be a few penalties blown early against England if they don't speed things up. So in the rain, in the wet, you never know. Anything can happen. Yeah, well, talking of anything can happen. Thunder and lightning happens quite often in Australian sports fixtures, it appears. Uh, the Pacific Championships obviously has um taken place over the last couple of weekends. First up, New Zealand beat Samoa 24-18.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, well, but this one I I New Zealand ended up running away with it at the start, didn't they? And they were they were quite a bit ahead. And Samoa came into it. And I you look at these island island teams, and and they've had a slow like Tonga had this this week, we'll get into it, had a bit of a slow start. But you know what? It's it's starting to open up a lot more competitive rugby league, international rugby league. I know the there's a lot of the the players who have defected to their family, um and even more apparently, like even Big Tino went through uh I think it was Tonga's starting eleven. There was one actually born in Tonga, um starting 13, sorry. Um, which you know what, fair play, they want to represent their culture, but it it's just quite an interesting how it is.
SPEAKER_01:Um someone came out the other day and said though there's now like five teams that could potentially win the World Cup, which is good for the sport.
SPEAKER_02:Well, that's the thing, is that the World Cup is it's 27, is it?
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, end of no end of next year, 2026.
SPEAKER_02:So if these players have a few camps together and are built are able to build together, like you you you you couldn't you wouldn't be surprised if a if a tonga or a came out and actually won the thing because you look at that team and you're like, Jesus Christ.
SPEAKER_01:You look at the game against New Zealand, they lost 24-18, but they could have won it. There was a there was I can't remember who bulleted the pass into Mariner's chest. But if he catches that when it's 18-all, they go on and win that game. There's no doubt about it. Like they go down the other end, he so Mariner drops that ball, go down the other end, Dylan Brown jumps up in the air, catches it, goes over, and New Zealand go on to win the game. So Samoa should be sitting here two from two, but they they didn't. But this next game, my word, Tonga against Samoa. It was actual warfare, like on the field from the opening couple of hit-ups, it was a joke. Just just pure aggression. It was, and Tolucola got absolutely nailed at the start, and like he went down, he was down for a bit and he was grabbing his knee. And I'm like, oh no, not his MCL, not he's not out, but then he stayed on for the whole game and uh ended up scoring. What a boy. But some controversy in this game, two potential sin bins that should have happened for Samoa. The first one was um Francis Molo just took Atoya Kamano's head off. How he's not gone to the bin for that, I do not know.
SPEAKER_02:You've got to I I don't know if there's a bit of uh I'm trying I'm trying to think of an excuse here, but I'm I'm I'm failing. Unless there's a little bit of leniency because it's an international, right? It's not NRL, but even still, yeah, the force that these hit each other, that could have caused some serious damage.
SPEAKER_01:I think it's a bit unfair, and this will be something that has to be looked at and is mentioned all the time in the fact that a Toyokamano goes off, ruled out, ruled out of next week, category one, but yet Molo is able to play the rest of the game. This hit happened after three minutes. Yeah. So he's got 77 minutes left of the game that he could potentially play when Atoyokamano's out for the whole game and then out next week as well. So I don't know whether there's gonna there should be some kind of well, if you lose a player, then does that player have to come off? I I don't know.
SPEAKER_02:There's got to be something where well no, because it you you can then you're getting into the territory of accidental contact then. So what happens then if someone is falling and there's mitigating circumstances and it's not uh not meant on purpose, like there's there's a difference between probably this hit and if someone is falling and you you sort of you hit them, and then if they go to the wheel, the punishment should be that they go to the bin.
SPEAKER_01:Like that is in theory the call should have been he should have gone to the bin. So but I don't know, like do they lose an interchange? Do they there's got there's got to be something where the they outweigh, and I know a lot of people are saying it, but yeah, the other one as well where Samoa should have had someone go to the bin was um when Sonny Luke just goes through, chips the ball over Roger Tua Sashek, and he holds his hands up but continues to then body check.
SPEAKER_02:How he how he does it guys well goes back to the um in into the uh into the England Australia game. Reese Walsh holding down uh her. How there wasn't a penalty there as well. So it seems to be something that's uh sneaking into the game.
SPEAKER_01:Um you watch her, there'll be week round one of the NRL where the refs will be calling absolutely everyone, everyone will be moaning.
SPEAKER_03:It's gonna be five on five.
SPEAKER_01:Game's gone soft, like we're calling too much, and we'll be back to square one. Same same rotation, get to get to origin. It is same thing will happen again. But one of the biggest hits I think I've seen all season in this game. We talk about Sonny Luke, poor Geezer, I think, is still buried under the turf at the Sun Court. And Junior Paolo is a fridge. That man is a running fridge freezer. He's enormous, and like it's almost like he got caught off guard and then was like, oh no, I've got to reach my arm out, but it's just caught him so sweet.
SPEAKER_02:Beautiful timing, timing perfection. Like you could watch that in slow motion with a handzimmer score behind it, and it would be poetry.
SPEAKER_01:You could, and he's like proper horizontal as well, and he hits the turf back first. You know, you've hit someone proper hard when like the middle of their spine just hits the turf first. It was phenomenal, but like the story of this game for me was Samoa just came out absolutely fine. But I think I Samoa Tonga is the the pinnacle game I feel of the Pacific Championships. Yeah, it feels a bit unfair that Samoa played New Zealand first, they got like a bit of a prep, a bit of warm-up. Maybe it should have been Samoa Tonga the first game of the tournament, and then they both play New Zealand after that. But look, what does Tonga need to beat New Zealand? I think it is by 17 points next week. Can they do it? I don't think so because imagine what the scenes would be if it was Samoa against Tonga out at Conbay.
SPEAKER_02:That would be raucous.
SPEAKER_01:Another I saw earlier as well that this fixture, the one up at Suncourt, was the highest attended Pacific Championship game as well. That's awesome. Just a tick over 40,000. Uh but I think it was a great game. Unfortunately, the old 90-minute the 90-minute um delay through lightning, which we experienced the Sydney Lightning for the Lions fixture. Ours was only 40 minutes, so this was nice. Apparently, there was actual talks of it being called off as well. So, real close, real close. Um, but yeah, it's uh tough one for Tonga.
SPEAKER_02:You should see the two lineups as well. Like Tonga's lineup for for Saturday or Sunday whenever when they're playing Leah Hopawata, Daniel Tupo, Tolakola. You look at Paul Alan.
SPEAKER_01:Oh, he's playing, which is good.
SPEAKER_02:That means he's not injured, but then you look over the other side, and it's uh Sarko, Sebastian Chris on the wing, Casey McLean in the centres. He had a he had a game, Nickel Crock stand-up fullback. God James Fisher Harris versus Adnan Fanua Blake in the forwards.
SPEAKER_01:Oh it's gonna be it's gonna be another physical one, and Tonga are gonna have to turn up like Samoa, did I think they're gonna have to rattle some feathers early.
SPEAKER_03:Um, Jason Turmalolo's been named as Billy Twelve Trees is uh playing at uh at Hooker for New Zealand on Phoenix Crossland.
SPEAKER_01:It's um they're gonna have to ruffle some feathers, I think they're gonna have to come out physical and give them a big one. But been some big signings. There has been for from a manly point of view. Still don't know where DCE's going. Uh couldn't get us. Nah, well, today Sandon Smith signed for the Newcastle Knights. So you'd assume that that is freeing up space for DC to go there, join Savala and is it Kiri? No, Walker, Sam Walker, yeah. Keep saying Kiri, even though the geezer's gone to Catalans and now quit and now is an assistant coach somewhere else. Um, but yeah, so I would expect that to be named or announced in the in the next couple of days. But one thing that was confirmed today, I got my email in my inbox that said I got the notification as well. Turbo extends for one more year. So he's here to the end of 2027. Got my little Swish personalized message as well. Do you see that?
SPEAKER_02:Yep, I know, I don't know.
SPEAKER_01:So did you get the text from the club that says uh join your new Swish.
SPEAKER_02:Oh no, I haven't I haven't joined it yet. I got that today.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, so basically it's just Turbo filming on the phone, just saying welcome. I'm I'm sorry, I'm I'm back for 2027.
SPEAKER_02:So it would have been awesome if you went through every member and did and said everyone's name.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, but um yeah, so Turbo confirmed. And then this one I don't get. We've signed Blake Wilson from the Bulldogs, another outside back or back.
SPEAKER_02:I I think this is Tommy Talau's replacement, like for like. Yeah, but you can play him anywhere through that. You um you don't know what's happening with I think the big one is is probably Ruben Garrick. I think there's there's been rumours around his I reckon Cola's more important than Garrick. No, no, no, the more leaving. I don't think color will go anywhere.
SPEAKER_01:I think November 1st, he's uh There's not been a November 1st, he's available to leave 2027, so he's got one year left on his contract. He is the person that I'd be going.
SPEAKER_02:I'd throw be throwing money at him.
SPEAKER_01:Exactly. Whereas Garrick is a bit bit older, like don't get me wrong.
SPEAKER_02:Oh god.
SPEAKER_01:It's been though he's done very good and he's like his kicking is is pretty good. But we've got Jamal Fogerty who's come in. Yep. So Wilson, who's come in, that could be a replacement for that. So we've got the kicking covered, we've got the attack covered. Defensively, Garrick neither here nor there.
SPEAKER_02:So no, I I hadn't realised Kohler was up at in November 1st. They need to unless he's not saying sign anything at once. This is an audition to other clubs.
SPEAKER_01:Who knows? But it was put up that he's the number one targeted center that's coming up November 1. So Manly need to need to get some money on the table, but we've definitely started to reinforce the old forward pack. Yep. Kobe Hetrington, the premiership winning uh prop, signed uh for two years, three years, and then Taki Aha apparently has signed another year, which I'll make another year. Which is good, and then today David Fafita has apparently signed with the Rabbit O's to join. So, therefore, the knock-on effect of this is that Francis uh not Francis, is it Francis? Yeah, Francis Mo that's Molo. Moale, David Moale, that's it. I'm gonna get there in the end. He um is signed from 2027, but will be able to join from 2026, which then has a knock-on impact. Back fence brownie, back fence brownie. There's there's no more leaning on the back fence, running, charging with everything, a bit of late footwork, and then trying to get through, which will be a shame. I think he's been a good servant.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, definitely.
SPEAKER_01:Definitely see him go. Shame to see him go, but I think with Bully Moore, Heatherington, Taki Aho, Posecca.
SPEAKER_02:Posecca's gonna be like a new sign-in.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we that that's four decent props, you know. Well, and then Novale as well.
SPEAKER_02:Also, it frees up it frees up Heavington, frees up frees up Jake to play prop as well, with Heatherington coming in because he can play he's 13. Yeah, Locke, you said prop. No, no, Jake, Jake can move to prop.
SPEAKER_01:Oh what? So Heaverington can go there, yeah. Yeah, sorry, sorry, sorry.
SPEAKER_02:So so I what I imagine is the starting unless we sign another um hooker, but I don't think we are the so I think the starting pack will be Biseka, Jake, uh Simkin at nine, uh Olakawatu and probably probably Ben Trovoyovich.
SPEAKER_01:We've got Widell and Troboyovic. I think we need to strengthen. Yeah, we need another or Navale.
SPEAKER_02:I didn't think moving out to second row, and then Heatherington. Yeah.
SPEAKER_01:Heatherington at uh at luck. Um Jake coming off the bench, Bullimore coming off the bench. Like there's there's up there's options up front. I just think we need where a hooker because Croker hasn't been announced for every talks.
SPEAKER_02:I think what I've seen is he's gonna end up medically returned.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, talks of medically retiring, Jake's and then Simpkins are starting hooker, but then who backs him up be interesting. But Josh Allah gone medically retired. Shame to see him go, he was good, saw his gum shield get smashed out of his mouth at uh in Parramatta, which wasn't great, and then the shoulder injuries kind of started after that. But it's been a busy, busy offseason for Manley so far. Um, already excited for 2026. Can't wait for the season to start already. Get us I am looking forward to it. Get us to Four Pines Park. But um other notable signings around the league, there's the old Jonah Pezit saga. So he's uh signed with the Broncos for 2027, yeah. And then he's been fished out to the Eels for a little year-long tipple. Is it the Eels winning the comp next year? They might be, you know, like they're they're strengthening because they got they'll have him and Moses in the middle. Yeah, Lomax if he goes to R360, which I think I'd uh it feels like that's dead in the water. I don't know, like with that 10-year ban announcement.
SPEAKER_02:Yeah, I've not hit heard much more, to be honest.
SPEAKER_01:Nah, so Lomax, those Eels they signed a front row. Oh, Jack De Bellin has gone from the the Dragons as well. There, Paolo at an absolute doing business. You never know. Who is it? Oh, there could be the like Sunderland in the in the Premier League, just sneaking sneaking. Sneaking wins all over the place, sneaking wins all over the gaff. But yeah, it's It's been busy, busy off season. Um, already looking forward to the season starting. Now the membership stuff's starting to come through. We're getting a membership back and everything. It'll go from there.
SPEAKER_02:Uh, any other major sporting stuff, bit of cricket, England just rained off all over the rained off and then lost to New Zealand in uh one day and beat New Zealand in 2020. But nah, other than that.
SPEAKER_01:Yeah, we've got the cricket ashes coming up, and that's all that matters. But that's it. Seems like a little intermittent episode episode for the rugby league ashes. Yeah. For the fans. Indeed. But if you're new around here, subscribe, hit that like button. All helps us along. We're so close to 100 subscribers as well. We're just a few away. So if you're watching and you're not subscribed, please click that button. But thank you for joining us for this week's episode, and we'll catch you in the next one. Go on, England.