Why The Roosters Stumbled, The Panthers Rolled, And Manly Must Respond

A chipped iron, a missing AirPods case, and a national title in flag football set the stage for a fast, candid ride through a wild opening round of footy. We start with a proud weekend on the sideline as the under-17s lift a championship and talk about why flag football’s low barrier to entry is building real pathways toward an Olympic future across Sydney and beyond.

Then the big swings: Zac Lomax to the Western Force and the growing line of NRL stars crossing to rugby union. We get into the money, the timing around a home World Cup cycle, and the tactical puzzle of where players like Lomax and Crichton actually fit. The cross-code movement isn’t just headlines—it’s about roster balance, finishing power, and how the Wallabies rebuild intersects with league depth.

On the paddock, the Warriors punished the Roosters’ right edge while the Rabbitohs turned their left corridor into a scoring lane, with Latrell Mitchell pulling strings. Penrith looked like Penrith—well-drilled, methodical, and ruthless—while the Broncos blinked in key moments. Melbourne shredded the Eels as Harry Grant read the ruck like a roadmap, and the Sharks reminded everyone that tidy systems beat preseason hype as the Titans stumbled. We close the loop with Manly’s golden point heartbreak: ten brilliant minutes at each end, sixty missing in the middle, and what has to change—ruck speed, rotations, edge integrity—for a must-respond clash with the Knights.

We cap it with sharp Round 2 picks: Broncos to bounce, Warriors strong at home, Rabbitohs to stress the Roosters’ edge, Tigers as a live dog, Storm to travel well, Panthers to grind at Bathurst, Manly to steady at Brookie, and Dolphins to out-create the Titans. If you love NRL analysis, code-switch intrigue, and honest breakdowns of tactics and moments that swing games, you’re in the right place. Subscribe, share with a mate who argues at kickoff, and drop your boldest Round 2 upset in the comments—who have we got wrong?

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello and welcome to this week's episode, they've been doing it all day to the Panthers humble last year's premiers. Let's get stuck in. How's your week been, lad? You know I mentioned about a new iron last week. Well, I dropped said iron this week.

SPEAKER_01 0:19

Oh no, mate.

SPEAKER_00 0:20

And I've chipped the end of it, so it scratches the it scratches the the material, so I'm gonna have to go get a new iron again. Mate, that is an absolute clanger. You've had an absolute clanger there. I can't believe it. Like it I I balanced it up, and I thought I balanced it up, and the next thing I know it's on the floor and I heard it chink. I was like, oh, here we go. And all that I saw was dollar signs, and I was like, oh bloody hell, I've got to get a new iron now. So yeah, week's been um do you know what? I even think that happened last Wednesday as well. So after we filmed, so after celebrating a new iron, um, yeah, everything came crashing back to earth. But not too bad. Obviously, we were back at Brookie Brookie on Saturday. Um, we'll get into that in a bit, but the weather wasn't the only thing that dampened spirits. No, it was not on that Saturday, and then yeah, I just had a chilled one Sunday, really. But you had a you had a productive weekend.

SPEAKER_01 1:10

Uh yeah, well, a bit of a calamity in the sense that I I lost my AirPods case. You did? You did. So if you are watching and you stole the AirPod Pro Max case off the 199 with CW on M on it, and then decided to throw it in the river, fuck you. Um just thought I'd get that little message out there. Yep. Um other than that, no, it was good. Uh, I was back out in uh Blacktown. Um I was assisting with the under-17s girls. Um the uh two of the two of the players from the women's state team were were coaching. Flag football here, just to clarify, yeah. Yep. Um fantastic weekend. They ended up being able to lead them to a fantastic victory, which was uh which which which was amazing. Um everyone did incredibly well for over the whole weekend. Uh players turned up, really listened and honed in and settled into a great competition. Uh and the coaches, yeah, they were they were brilliant. Um and was so finally got to finally got to experience what it's like to win a national championship. Uh yeah, more from a background perspective than than than upfront coaching. Um, but no, I was I was so happy for all of them. They were they were brilliant, and it was just a another just a great weekend of flag football.

SPEAKER_00 2:20

And with it coming into the Olympics as well, some potential.

SPEAKER_01 2:22

I know the under-15s were there as well, but you never know, a talent pool of players that well, yeah, it was uh three of the four New South Wales teams made the finals, so that was that was really good. Um so you've you've you've got to you've got to say that the the sport is growing on a on a on a whole um and it's just great to see, and it's it's such an easy sport to set up as well. Like you can very much do a jumpers, jumpers for goal post-esque type with it as well, um, which I think is why it's so popular. Yeah um but no, it's it's it's gonna be great to see where it grows grows, and hopefully, it's something that gets added to to Brisbane 32 as well.

SPEAKER_00 2:59

100%. Well, if there's any budding athletes out there that potentially want to make a way to try and get into an Olympic squad or two, make sure you check out Let's Play. Let's play Let's Play.

SPEAKER_01 3:09

Let's play all over all over Sydney. Um they're doing competitions down in the Shire. Uh Wagger has got one.

SPEAKER_00 3:15

Um or even American Football Australia website will have all the information on there. But getting into it. Yeah, cross codes. Go from rugby or or footy over to Flag. Yep. But talking of individuals that have crossed codes, uh confirmed yesterday. Mr. Lomax heading to the Western Force.

SPEAKER_01 3:32

It's quite interesting he's gone there. I wonder if it's the only team that had the cap space to afford him.

SPEAKER_00 3:38

He's obviously getting heavily funded by rugby Australia. There's no way that they're going to be able to pay out everything. Again, though, two-year contract conveniently to the end of the 207 season, World Cup in Australia. Apparently, he's always wanted to represent the Wallabies, which is a bit of a kick in the nuts to league. But you've got to see it as a celebration for league when you've got Angus Crichton going over there, you got Sualey, who was obviously um transferred over earlier. You've now got Lomax, and who else has gone over? I'm probably forgetting someone here, but a large number of league players going over to represent and the bulk of the Australian squad go into the World Cup. Yep. Isn't Big Marky Mark's going back as well? Of course. How can I forget Big Marky Mark? So he's going to be there. So just power at the back coming from league and finishes. I suppose really good finishes.

SPEAKER_01 4:25

There's a very there's a good, there's a good, there's a good back line. Well, where do you play Angus Crian? Where do you play him?

SPEAKER_00 4:30

I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 4:31

Is he a centre? Is he a back row? Does he have an engine to play a centre centre?

SPEAKER_00 4:36

He's not big enough to play anywhere near the forwards in in union, I don't think. But centre, I'd say probably be the better position for him.

SPEAKER_01 4:46

Maybe inside centre.

SPEAKER_00 4:47

Yeah, and then you just like think of the two best finishers in the league last year. They were Noanga and Nita Wase and Lomax. And now they're both going playing union and hopefully playing England in the quarterfinal hit the World Cup. But after England's performance in the Six Nations, who knows what is going to happen? And I just heard on the radio on the drive over here that Will Warbrick is um confirmed to be going to the Warriors in 2027. So Storm losing a winger. Yeah. Um they tried to get Lomax. You never know. Maybe they're freeing up space for him to come back and come over in if after the rugby rugby union world cup. We shall see. Um, any other any other interesting things that have happened over the weekend in the sporting world? Do do do do do I oh F1, I suppose. F1, oh good old Oscar. We're doing this at the start instead of. I know, but all that I was thinking about was Australian wise and sport, and then it and then it reminded that the F1 Grand Prix.

SPEAKER_01 5:41

Big Oscar Priestry crashed on the warm-up lap, which he did. Which is wild. Um how's that your home Grand Prix? It crashed on the like starting on pole as well. Uh but no, it was a good it was a good race. Um, India won the Cricket World Cup. Um, I think that's about the the biggest roundup that we can probably do to at this moment in time.

SPEAKER_00 6:02

Exactly. But let's get stuck into the round one fixtures, and I think there is a great place to start because not only it relates to Manly, but it relates to um poor performances that we potentially witnessed last year. Um DC's debut. Jesus. And look, I'll be honest, didn't see it coming, didn't see the Warriors sticking on no what was it 40 to 18. 42-18. Don't get me wrong, there were points in the game where Billy Smith was absolutely carving it up and just running through, but the roosters were just so poor defensively, so bad.

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Like they they were leaking all over the place. And well, this is this is the thing. You look then look back at Manley's Manley's defensive structure for sort of last year. Um, and you've you you then got to think is how many times did Alakawatu take DC out of trouble um with him just sort of missing a tackle and and gold good old turnstile arms. He he just didn't want to look any a part of it.

SPEAKER_00 6:58

You I remember you messaged me in one of the tries, I can't remember what it was. Said DC made a business decision.

SPEAKER_01 7:03

Yeah, it was one of the it was one of the ones close to the the end of the first half. Um, it was like a little kick over, uh, it's then been bumped back, and then they've they've run an inside line and DC was just having none of it. And I was like, that's he's made a very big business decision there to stay out of it.

SPEAKER_00 7:18

Yeah, he's saved himself.

SPEAKER_01 7:20

But well, this is this is what Manley we we probably last year, and and the the the thing we'll we'll discuss about it later, but it's good to see that his kicking hasn't improved either with the with the with the territorial kicks, um which I think the roosters are going to be sort of finding out with that. And he's he's not in a number seven jersey, he's in the number six, he's not doing the kick out, he's he's he's very much is is this a season too many?

SPEAKER_00 7:45

It's early days, it is very early days. Round one what didn't help the roosters is losing Spencer Lenue just before the game and Robert Toyer as well. They're two like physical individuals that could have ruffled a few feathers and and strengthened up the side, but they've got a tasty, tasty fixture against the rabbit o's coming up this week. I know, and I mean we can move on to this game as well. The rabbit o's looked hot hot.

SPEAKER_01 8:09

I know, I I I felt I felt so annoyed with myself watching this because I I I I the the first two tips. So the New Zealand, I was sat here in this position last week going, it's in New Zealand. Warriors tend to do really well in NZ. And I was like, right, I've got to pick them, and I was like, no, roosters can't do it. So I ended up going the roosters, it got stuffed, and then on this one, I was like, I'm I'm backing the rabbit hose to do a little bit better than the Dolphins this this this season, but I didn't I didn't back myself in what I believed.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

It was an offensive masterclass. I think like there was points coming from all over the place, and that left edge of of the rabbit hose is pretty scary. Like for Fita just running through the middle, and then you got Latrell Mitchell outside that, Alex Johnson outside that, and it's gonna take some stopping. And this is the thing, it was the rooster's right edge, which DCE's playing on, which was a calamity.

SPEAKER_01 9:01

So, this if if if anyone's a better man, I reckon you'd lump on Mitchell for Fita and Johnson all to score next week.

SPEAKER_00 9:08

Well, I was a bit disappointed with Mitchell when he's got Johnson on the outside of him and he doesn't pass to him to level the record to then hopefully go and break it against the Roosters next week. Because obviously there's a bit of history between Mitchell and the Roosters, and he's probably thinking, oh, we'll save it to next week. But if he'd have only needed one, it would have been closer. But the thing that's got me thinking about these two games is the Dolphins and the Roosters are very much after round one have shown the same thing. Yeah, offensively, they both got huge potential. Like the Roosters didn't unlock it because maybe missing a few parts, but where they where they lack is just defensively. Like you look at this Dolphins giving up 40 points, and last year I was listening to, I'm gonna go on off on a caveat here. Luke Keary is such a good analyst of the game. Like, I was listening to the by round podcast earlier, and he has he has added something to that. Like his just the way he talks about the game and like his knowledge and the way he communicates is so good, and he raised a very valid point that at the end of last year, yes, the Dolphins had injuries, but it was between the Roosters, Manly, and the Dolphins to who's fighting out for that third, that eighth spot. Roosters put 60 points on them, Manly put 60 points near enough 58 points on them, and they've started this year conceding 40. And if they don't sort out the defensive side of the ball, it's not gonna be a great four prediction is looking like ridiculous at the moment, but yeah, what a fixture that is this week. Um, rabbit's against Roosters. Um, I'm tempted to go to it, you know. It's Friday night. Where? I think is it the Allianz? Uh the um yeah, Allianz, sorry, I was thinking of core in my head, but it's it's Allianz. We'll see. We'll see what happens Friday night. Um Panthers. My word. I do I I I'm sitting here, yeah, pretty, pretty happy because I've said they're just I think I said in our Aladdin predictions that they're gonna turn up, they're gonna fire out the gates early in that game, and then they did, and they're looking hot, back hot again.

SPEAKER_01 11:04

Yeah, they are, they just look well, they look well structured and well-oiled. I think this is what they're they were missing a little bit last season, is they had though those sort of uh peaks and and and troves of of a season, um, and they they had the instability, but where now they just look back to their well-oiled machine. Um, you could have argued that just having the the the the loss of Jerome Lewis last season may have upset the apple cart. Um but but now with everything and then and how it's going when Blaze Talangi's starting to find his feet. Maybe that's one of the reasons why they're they're they're now starting to just look like the the the Panthers of old because they've now got that more stability in the halves.

SPEAKER_00 11:44

Dylan Edwards looked good as well. They didn't even have Liam Martin playing, right? Which is which is mad. Um, and he's an absolute hit in machine to come back. Um, defensively, they look solid, Lyota looked good. Uh I think like they're just well drilled, like you say, and they've got power. Toto looked good, running the ball hard. Cleary just looks like he's controlling the ship. It's slightly worrying for the Broncos. There were points in that game though when I think if the Broncos would have scored, or if they hadn't have made the errors that they had made, we'd have been looking at a closer game. I still think the Panthers would have won. But um, there was like forward passes, there was drop balls, the weather conditions maybe in fact no, that hadn't been impacted by weather that game. It was a Sunday game, I think. But it was just one of those ones where it's back-to-back games that the Broncos haven't put in good performances. Yeah. And I know he won a premiership last year, and but give it a couple of weeks if this continues that when are they gonna when are they gonna still start calling for Madge?

SPEAKER_01 12:44

That's that but that's the thing, that's how quickly things can turn on on you in in in that sense. And if they don't if they don't start putting in championship winning performances three, four rounds in, uh does he does he then get shown the door? Um it's too early to tell. Oh no, 100% it is.

SPEAKER_00 13:03

And they can they last season they became massively strong towards the back end of the season.

SPEAKER_01 13:07

That's where they really kind of but if they if they if they then do and Siebold maybe gets given the boot at the same time, wouldn't be mad at it.

SPEAKER_00 13:15

I wouldn't be mad at it either.

SPEAKER_01 13:16

Wouldn't be mad at it.

SPEAKER_00 13:18

Um it's an interesting one because we know the potential that they've got, and it's just a case of when are they going to unlock that potential. Like Reese Walsh is like he was back to kind of old ways a bit, and he just wasn't showing and he's a bit of a grub as well. Like he just gets under your skin. Like I was I forgot to say this about the trail Mitchell. There's one thing I don't really like about his game. Some people say it is a good thing, but just the way he does needless stuff to try and wind people up. I think if he removed that from the game, he'd be like a phenomenal, phenomenal um person for young athletes to look up to about the way you carry yourself. At the moment, I'm not too sure, he's still incredible. But yeah, of course. Um, yeah, the the Broncos, I just think have got a bit of soul searching to do over the next few weeks and make sure that it doesn't compile. Um but a team that did look bad, and they it's real this one really caught me by surprise was the eels, they go 4-0 up after what?

SPEAKER_01 14:15

I I was messaging you the winning the comp. Yeah, winning the full thing.

SPEAKER_00 14:20

Um and then they get 50 stuck on them, 52 unanswered points, 52 unanswered points, and look, you can't take it away from the storm. I I hope they don't continue in this vein because I said they were might have a little bit of a season to fall off. You can't you can't Harry Gron is so good at just reading at the bottom of the rut, going, You're out of position, you're out of position, you're over there, you're where I'm meant to be. See you later. And he ran, he just picked the ball up and ran through them. Couple of sidesteps, and he's in. He is another level.

SPEAKER_01 14:53

He's so good from the base of the rocket. And and that's that's what you want from Union though, because if if if if you if your hooker can notice something and add an extra 10-20 metres, like why wouldn't why wouldn't you do that? And he's an absolute, he's an absolute deviant at it. Um, and he's such a he's such a good player. Like, it's it's it's it's it it is it is ridiculous um in in that sense. And and the the storm just went about business as they normally do. Flat track bullies at home.

SPEAKER_00 15:20

Um got it'd be interesting to see how they go away from home.

SPEAKER_01 15:23

Yeah, yeah, got got going about their their sort of business. I thought I I very much thought, here we go, your your predictions on uh your predictions on on the go here in the sense of them not doing very well, but they just they just clicked and just kept just just dismantled the eels.

SPEAKER_00 15:40

They got the dragons this week away from home.

SPEAKER_01 15:42

I mean it's it's I think that's that's another 50 points, I reckon. It could be, it could be. But didn't they didn't they draw didn't didn't they do this last season? Oh they started really well, I think. I'm sure last season they they put 50 past someone and then went and lost at the Dragons.

SPEAKER_00 15:55

It was that game that was pouring down with rain, they couldn't catch a high ball or whatever, and it was just mistake after mistake. But weather's meant to be alright this weekend. Pretty sure it's meant to be warm um and the storm.

SPEAKER_01 16:07

So they they put so I think this is correct. Yeah, last year they beat the Eagles 56-18, then beat the Panthers 30-24, and then lost to the lost to the dragons 14-8.

SPEAKER_00 16:20

Yeah, it was a real tight one. It was uh it was a um Cog Rover, wasn't it? Yeah, yeah. So we'll see, we'll see how that one goes. But if the weather's alright and it's not windy, it could be another 50 points.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

Oh, it could be.

SPEAKER_00 16:32

Um before we get on to Manly, we'll leave that to last game to have an opinion on. Um the Gold Coast Titans and the Cradola Sharks. Uh, I'm disappointed with the Titans.

SPEAKER_01 16:43

And this is why I know, I thought you would be.

SPEAKER_00 16:45

You look at pre-season, and they were you it just goes to show you cannot take anything from preseason. They would perform well, they look like they have got things in order. The sharks dominated them from the first minute. Like they scored after what in the first minute. It was in the first, and it was relentless from then, and they just kept the good thing. The good thing about this is, and Jesse Ramion, who was very good, reports that he could be he could be coming to Manley next year. So it's um one of those things where you're like, hang on, we're losing Garrick, but we get that.

SPEAKER_01 17:23

So I'm not too mad at them at that.

SPEAKER_00 17:24

Not too mad at that. I think it's him and I mean Manly and the Storm or something, or I can't remember who it was. Two teams that are after him, so that'd be a good one. But as you mentioned last week, sharks at home just doing sharks' things.

SPEAKER_01 17:37

They're just they're just clinical. Um, and and this is what a team, and and that's why I was saying I said very much at the start, they they're now cemented themselves as a continuous top six team because of what they do, they have got that in their locker where they're just so professional about their business, just crack on about it, but then they'll have games where they're just so disconnected from each other that they look like they've playing for together for the first times, and it all it all it all pivots on how Nico Hines can play.

SPEAKER_00 18:05

Yeah, I agree.

SPEAKER_01 18:06

Um he had a good game, solid game in this in this one, just went about the business.

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Adam Fanurblake, 200 metres as well. Like Geezer just eats up meters, giving the ball, he'll win the rut, be falling forward. Um he's he's a good player, um, and he needs to stay fit for sure for them to do well. But if they continue as they go, then I mean look, no discredit to the Titans, it is only the Titans, but we had higher hopes for them this season. Again, it just being round one. Um it'd be interesting to see how the Sharks do next round and then how how the Titans bounce back.

SPEAKER_01 18:45

Yeah, yeah, of course. And and I I I just I I unfortunately I'm um I just don't think there's much much in them. Um I think Big Tino maybe regretted his decision for staying because I I don't know whether they're they're gonna be any in any shape to to challenge anything at this moment in time, especially if they continue like that.

SPEAKER_00 19:04

They've got the Dolphins next week as well, so it's not it's not an easy one. Although leaky defence from the from the Dolphins.

SPEAKER_01 19:10

I think the Titans don't really have anything to attack at the moment.

SPEAKER_00 19:13

Not at the moment, they've got to unlock some weapons, they've got to unlock their speed. Um, it seems like they've got to settle in and gel in together, but um let's get on to Manly. The Manly Seagulls lose out in a golden point somewhat thriller. Great, great first 10 minutes, great last 10 minutes, terrible 60 minutes in between. Dreadful, absolutely dreadful.

SPEAKER_01 19:36

Um I just I just can't put my my uh my finger on it. Um you you can if you want to be a real pessimist about it and look at it and you could go, Manly should have come away with a lot more points with the amount of attacking they had down in raiders half in that first 10 minutes, and they didn't really take advantage of advantage of it, but then you can then flip the switch and go raiders were doing well to stop momentum, and how they didn't get someone in the bin very early on, I I I do not know with the with the continuous penalties and stuff.

SPEAKER_00 20:05

Um Tarpanay didn't get put in the bin for lifting whose leg up, someone's leg up. And yeah, it looked like you if you yeah, that surprised me a little bit, but I mean you can't we can't complain, they didn't touch the ball for 15 minutes. They didn't, they didn't. Um but it should have been eight should have been a lot more, it shouldn't have been 14. Like we got a penalty, yeah, great, kicked it through, but should have scored.

SPEAKER_01 20:27

Yeah, um, and and that's the only thing you can take away. And then that 60 minutes in bit in between, it was like, did Manley have the ball? Um just there was nothing, no intact and attempts, players looked lost, players looked unfit, they they look the slow, they looked slow, their defensive structure was all over the place, and that was really worrying because of how quickly the raiders could just nip through and score. Um it it it it goes all the way to them scoring the golden point as well. There was no pressure on it. Like I was I was shocked.

SPEAKER_00 21:02

I think like I don't think there's not a lot of people in the stadium, and I think he even came out after and said, Um, I didn't think I was gonna kick it, but saw setting up for the kicker kick into the corner, saw that basically no one was rushing the kicker and just dinked it over. Like, even everyone in the ground was a bit like, Oh, oh, is it has it gone over?

SPEAKER_01 21:24

But but but that's the thing, and that's that intensity level that we were just talking about. The only one that had the game awareness was was Jake Tavrojevich. Everyone else had their back to it, and he's lost a step.

SPEAKER_00 21:33

Like, look, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna discredit him as an NRL athlete, but I don't know whether the head knocks have taken their toll. There's a level of confidence or a level of I'm not sure, but it just seemed like he was a step off the pace, even when it came to running the ball, like it didn't feel with a lot of our middles and this is the thing I don't get, and we're getting to the team for this week in a bit, but we've got some Hard pacey runners in our forwards on the bench. And it seems like we take a long time to bring them on, or bring them on after a point where it's like too late for an injection. And it felt like that in the second half. Like I know Takiaho got his injury, so there's the arguments are why didn't Joey Walsh come on? And it's because of that. But it just it's the forwards that we lost it. We were getting dominated in the ruck. Like we weren't getting quick ball like they were off the floor. Um, and that when they scored back to back as well, it's because of that they were able to pick the ball, run. We weren't getting they were getting penalty six again. And I think there needs to be a look and go, right, how can we be better defensively? Because in attack, like we have some serious weapons. Turbo, do you know what I love? His um his try, the opening, was it he score first? The opening try where he looked like the turbo from a couple of years ago, where he's showing outside, showing outside, and then went bang. Like in that big body, big frame just cutting through.

SPEAKER_01 22:58

Confidence is there, and and and that's a you could tell by the way he was going into sets as well, like starting titles. He's he's looking like a fresh turbo. It's just can he start? Can he is he gonna still maintain it sort of 10 games in?

SPEAKER_00 23:12

I saw someone's Instagram earlier though that came up with a very valid point. There are so many more players in the NRL, big name players, that have played less games than Tom Troboyovic over the last three years, but Turbo seems to get the agenda against him that he's always injured. Like there are some some huge, I can't remember like Tino's played more games than Tino's played more games than David Fafita. Um, he's played more games than it's gonna annoy me the list because I actually just saw it earlier. Um, but he has actually played a lot more games than a lot more people, so he's not as injury prone.

SPEAKER_01 23:42

No, no, I it's it's I'm not talking about it, it's his intensity, didn't he? You you see it it drop it drops.

SPEAKER_00 23:50

As soon as he gets a niggle, yeah, that's when and that's why probably he's played the games, yeah, but because he's had that niggle before it doesn't have the impact that he does like when he's like like now. Whether it's hamstring, whether it's peck, whether it's shoulder, whether it's knee, whether it's whatever it is, that dents his confidence to be able to attack the line like he did, yep, and go, I'm getting this. Even Tolu Cola, I could talk about this geezer all day. The geezer is animal, um, but even that supporting run from there, like he took it to the outside, drew players to the outside, and then Fogerty on the inside. Glad that he managed to get a try on his debut against his old team. But um, disappointing finish, very disappointing. One thing, look, let's look at the positives from it, let's take some positives from it. Last year's minor premiers, yep, they weren't really missing too many people. Um, we were still in the game, yeah. Like, even though we had a terrible 60 minutes, uh, and we managed to this is one thing that we couldn't do last year. When we were down, we were done. Yes. And nice little voice break there, as I said that. When we were down, we're done. Whereas some some actual fight and an actual ability to get back in the game. And let's talk about one thing that did impress me. Jamal Foggett is kicking. Oh, I've never seen a ball go so high at Four Pines Park, and it was swirling around.

SPEAKER_01 25:09

It KOEs didn't know what day it was. It was beautiful, it was a thing of beauty, beauty, and it just came out with his off his boots so easy.

SPEAKER_00 25:18

And I remember looking at it going, That's my word, that is staying up fake. But even then, like I know I've just said it as a positive, the rush to get down there took forever to get to get to him. But KO Weeks drops it, and I think they scored from that.

SPEAKER_01 25:34

I think there was a knock on where he may have, yeah. There was one.

SPEAKER_00 25:38

He dropped a ball at one point, and then they managed to break away and take it down the other end and score. So I don't know. I'm I'm still excited for the season. I look, I still think there's enough promise. If we sure shore a few things up, yeah, I'm confident that we can cause some teams some trouble.

SPEAKER_01 25:52

Um just need to do it against the Knights this weekend.

SPEAKER_00 25:54

Oh, it almost it almost feels like a must-win fixture already, week two into the season, and that is the scariest thing going. But let's get into uh round two, one round down, twenty six to go. How good footy every weekend until October, so absolutely buzzing. But we kick it off on the Thursday night at the Suncourt. We've got the Broncos on Thursday night at$1.26 against the Parramatta Eels at$3.90.

SPEAKER_01 26:24

Uh, I'm gonna go for the Broncos on this one. There, uh I think there's enough enough holes in the Eels defence for for the Broncos to actually kick start their season. Um, and I wouldn't be surprised if it's a good 30-40 point drumming.

SPEAKER_00 26:39

Yeah, I agree with you on this one. I can't see the Broncos going back to back against this Eels side. Now, don't get me wrong, Adokars back. Yeah, so that could make a it could solidify maybe defensively on the wing, but not enough, I don't think Broncos have got too much, surely they they romp this.

SPEAKER_01 26:58

And then we're back over in New Zealand for the first game on the Friday, 13th of March. We've got the New Zealand Warriors at a dollar eighty-one against the Raiders at$2.04.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

Nuts. Warriors are the favourites. Yeah, very surprised at that. Um this is a tough one to call. This is a tough one to call. It's gonna be a close game. I'm gonna go with the Raiders to get an uh an away away victory.

SPEAKER_01 27:25

I'm gonna go with what I should have probably done last week and go with my gut. Warriors in New Zealand are a different force.

SPEAKER_00 27:32

I'm gonna go the Warriors. Fair enough. Then we go to the Allianz on Friday the 13th. Could it be unlucky for the Roosters? This is what what we're thinking. Roosters are the favourites at$1.83 against the Rabbit O's at$2.01.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

Uh I reckon the Rabbit O's are just gonna pile down that left edge of theirs and score a lot of points. Um I think it it's not gonna be as one uh one-sided affair, um, but I do think rabbit O's are just gonna are gonna just nip it and come out on top.

SPEAKER_00 28:05

Robert Toyer is back in, so whatever injury he's had, he's he's now back in. I yeah, I reckon I reckon the rabbit o's have got the comp on notice a little bit in terms of unsurprise, oh sorry, um a bit of a surprise package. Just all depends how they go with their fitness, their injuries. Yep. But I reckon the roosters get this one done. Uh sorry, the rabbit o's get this one done.

SPEAKER_01 28:33

Ooh. Uh, and then it's the first game of the Saturday, the three o'clock kickoff, the West Tigers, their first game of the season, uh, at$1.51 against the North Queensland Cowboys at$2.49.

SPEAKER_00 28:48

It's a difficult one, this one. Like, yeah, we don't we've got no data on the Tigers. We don't know what they're what they're like, how they're gonna perform. Um they're in their new home kit as well, which might and it's it like heart, so the crowd is gonna be absolutely ged up for this one. I think haven't there been absolutely massive scores when these two have played out and wasn't there an epic comeback last year from the Tigers as well? I don't know. This has got potential if it continues in that vein. Didn't the Cowboys beat him like 60 something the year before? And then last year it was like there was that try towards the end where it's pass inside, Lou I cut round, pass again, phenomenal finish of the game, and they came back. I reckon the tigers get this one done.

SPEAKER_01 29:36

I I'm I'm gonna agree with you there, and I do think it's gonna be the Tigers. Have you have you looked at their team? It looks good, like that's that's a it's not a bad team, like, especially with Kyus Paul in there within the second row. I I think he adds a little bit more there. They've got Tylan May as well as Tyrell May. Yeah, like they've got the May brothers in there, Jerome Law just does his thing. You've got to be a big thing.

SPEAKER_00 30:00

Macassini doing his I'm looking forward to seeing him play an NRL game and run some people over.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

You look at every time you look at their team, the Tigers team, like they should be a little bit better when they are, but I think this is a good build on from last year, so I'm I'm gonna go I'm gonna go for the Tigers as well.

SPEAKER_00 30:21

And then we're heading down to the gong where we've got the St. George Illawarro Dragons at$3.16 against the Melbourne Storm at$1.38.

SPEAKER_01 30:30

I think I will be going for the Melbourne Storm. Um, I don't think the curse of last season is really gonna show its head. Um, and I think the storm get the get the job done.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

Yeah, um Alec McDonald's out because he got knocked out against the Eels. I mean, this is a separate conversation, but I don't know what the geezer could have done differently to avoid that tackle. Um so they've only got one one loss. Storm. Yep. 40 plus.

SPEAKER_01 31:00

Yeah, it's gonna be it's gonna be a bit an absolute battering. Um, and then we're out in Bathurst. Oh at Carrington Park with the Penrith Panthers at a dollar thirty-three against the Cronulla Sharks at$3.36. This is wild that the Sharks are so long. That could be worth a little that's that's a that's worth any uh an early$5, early in the week, five dollars that is.

SPEAKER_00 31:26

That is, that could be a tasty one to get some cash back. Um in saying that I think the Panthers are gonna win.

SPEAKER_01 31:32

Yeah, I've I I think the Panthers very very much impressed me last week, and I think they just get the job, they get over to Bathurst, get the job done, get out back, but get back down to Penrith.

SPEAKER_00 31:44

Sunday back at Brookie. Back at Brookie. The$1.57 Manley Sea Eagles against the$2.41 Newcastle Knights.

SPEAKER_01 31:59

It's nice to see Kobe Heverton in the starting lineup. It is. Um still a bit disappointed that Simone Lafari, is it? LaFaye?

SPEAKER_02 32:08

LaFari?

SPEAKER_00 32:09

La uh Lafay? Lafayette, Lafay, I don't know, we'll have to figure that one out.

SPEAKER_01 32:17

He's a big man. He is, he's a huge human being. So sorry for butching that. He's uh he is uh he's in there. Paul Bryan's on the bench as well. I think Paul Bryan and Ethan Bollimore are very similar in what they they they do when they what when they come on.

SPEAKER_00 32:30

Paul Bryan's first NRL appearance last year was for the an only NRL appearance was for the Newcastle Knights against the Penrith Panthers, and he injured his shoulder very quickly. I think believing his like first tackle or something like that, or first run of the ball.

SPEAKER_01 32:44

Um but from what I've seen in him in preseason, it was quite quite impressive. Um so yeah, hopefully Joey Walsh. Laffey.

SPEAKER_00 32:52

I knew it'd come to me.

SPEAKER_01 32:54

Um hopefully Joey Walsh gets a minutes in the under his belt, and Corey Badell stays in the reserves.

SPEAKER_00 33:01

Yep. Um my thoughts are that I worry about Nathan Brown when he comes on.

SPEAKER_01 33:08

Okay.

SPEAKER_00 33:08

Like I like I do like back fence Brownie, I do like the aggression he brings, but um in the preseason against who do we play in that second game? Against the Rabbit Hoes, gave away uh high number of penalties Saturday, yeah, high number of penalties. Um, so I'm hoping that when he comes on he keeps it clean. If he comes on, keeps it clean, which I'm sure he will in the rotation. Um but it's a must-win game. Like it's mad to say there's two games into the year, but it's got to be the Manley Seagulls, and it's got to be Manley 13 plus.

SPEAKER_01 33:44

Yeah. And then we finish the week up at the Suncorp Stadium uh with the Dolphins at$1.37 against the Gold Coast Titans at$3.11.

SPEAKER_00 33:58

Dolphins. Dolphins, yeah. Dolphins, I I've just they're back to back in the at the Sun Corp. They're not gonna they scored 30 points last week. Yeah. Against a rabbit was team that's pretty good, and they just conceded 40. I can't see the Titans scoring 40. I can see them scoring 30. Especially the fact that they're just so creative in the middle as well. They've got so many weapons that it's like Katoa. There was one play that he did last week where he dummied to throw it out wide, cut inside, run past two people, dummied again, and then looped over the top. Some of the things this kid does are ridiculous, and I just don't think the Titans are gonna be able to handle it. It's gonna be 40, 40 points. I agree. I agree. So there we go. Um, if you haven't done so already, hit that subscribe button. And also in the description, there is our tipping comp, which we've we've got four people in there. Love that. I'm currently sitting second, I think, out of four. So click on the link in the description and join the tipping comp. Also hit that subscribe button, that like button. I think we've got two more subscribers from last week as well. So thank you. Awesome. Thank you to you two people that have subscribed. So up to 138. Oh, which is good, which is good. Incredible. I know we're getting there, we're getting there slowly. Dizzy numbers, indeed. Um, but yeah, what's what I Sunday, isn't it? Probably won't have a few beers at the end.

SPEAKER_01 35:18

I'll probably I'll be very quiet at this one.

SPEAKER_00 35:20

Yeah, after last Saturday as well. Probably had I had a kebab at like one o'clock in the morning as well. I didn't wasn't feeling that. I didn't.

SPEAKER_01 35:26

I just I was drowning with sorrow because I lost my headphone case.

SPEAKER_00 35:30

Yeah, which you found in uh Manly in the Harbour. So there we go. But that's it. That's it for another week. It is um thank you for tuning in for this week's episode. Uh, we're looking forward to hopefully celebrating a Manly victory next week. Fingers crossed. And uh yeah, we'll catch you in the next one. Sayinara.