Circus

Eleven straight losses doesn’t just cost you games, it melts a club. We get into the Shane Flanagan exit at the St George Illawarra Dragons, what the “mutual agreement” line really means, and why the whole situation feels like a circus from the outside. We also talk about the immediate ripple effects: an interim coach, a new number seven, and whether any of it can spark the kind of short-term bounce teams love to promise themselves. 
 
From there we widen the lens to proper NRL analysis after six rounds, when the competition starts telling the truth. We break down the Penrith Panthers as the benchmark, the value of a winning system versus individual X-factor, and how injuries and conditions can expose even the best sides. We also hit the Broncos’ defensive grit, the Tigers’ attack under pressure, the Warriors building momentum, and Manly’s defensive edge with the excitement and risk of Koula at fullback. 
 
We finish with the teams that worry us most right now, early top four predictions, a quick look at which coaches could feel heat next, and our full Round 8 tips for Anzac weekend, including the Dragons v Roosters clash and a few calls that could make us look silly next week. If you enjoy smart rugby league chat with honest takes, subscribe, share the episode with a mate, and leave a review so more NRL fans can find us.

Transcript

SPEAKER_00 0:00

Hello and welcome to this week's episode they've been doing it all day, sir. When you talk manly with the biggest circuit in the NRL, along come the dragon. Let's get stuck in.

SPEAKER_01 0:13

How was your weekend, good sir?

SPEAKER_00 0:15

Yeah, do you know what? I can't even remember what I did. I'm so tired nowadays. It feels like I don't know, forever ago. What did I get up to? Thursday night, we had a few beers watching the Manly game. Yep. Um Friday, I don't think I did anything. Saturday, I think it was a quiet weekend. That could be a massive light. I could have actually done something, but I genuinely can't remember. I know my son had soccer Saturday morning. Um, we went out for a little celebratory meal buying a house. That's what we did on Saturday. So you went out with my in-laws, brother-in-law, sister-in-law, and just had a little meal. And then yeah, I didn't do much on Sunday. But you had an eventful weekend.

SPEAKER_01 0:48

I did. I went to uh went to a wedding on Friday, which was absolutely beautiful. Um it was up in the Hunter, absolutely stunning, stunning venue. Food was good, wine was incredible. Um, great day out, had a nice little recovery on the Saturday as well. Um couple of bottles of Peroni just to settle the set settle it all back down, and then um my partner very kindly drove back. Oh uh, which was which is quite a windy road up there, you know. Yeah, it reminded me a bit of uh Colin McRae.

SPEAKER_00 1:19

Do you know the only time I've ever been to the Hunter Valley was I was travelling in 2016 in Australia and I was going for a uh Christmas light show. Um good decent drive out there. Got there and it's cancelled because there was a lightning storm in the in the area, so drove straight back. Brilliant. That's my only experience with a hunter. So good to hear that your drive here and back was worth it.

SPEAKER_01 1:43

It was wonderful. Uh very nice drive, other than it being quite windy. Um, and then if you I had a Audi help me asked for a good 20 kilometres when I was driving there. Yeah, a little bit of straight, I just closed, I backed off a little bit and he went flying past. To be fair, the cojones on the on the on the on the man to be driving around what he was around in the speed, fair play to him. Yeah, um, and then girls won the first game of the season. Buzzing on on on Sunday. So that was that was great. Were you back in time for that? Oh, yeah, yeah. Came back Saturday. Came back Saturday. Um so no, that was brilliant. Great to see some of the stuff that we've been practicing actually transpire on the field, which was really good. Um, they worked really hard to get there. It was like we went sort of, I think it was 12 foot four up, I think it was at half time. Um, or maybe even 16-4 at halftime. They then brought it back to 16 all and then Wednesday made it to 16 0. We just went up the the other end and and scored with finish, which was which was brilliant.

SPEAKER_00 2:40

Um, but no, other than that, pretty, pretty, pretty good. Sounds like a good weekend. Well, over the weekend we are uh we got a few more subscribers, which was which was good. So we're one subscriber off of 150. So if you're new around here and watching for the first time, hit that subscribe button, it helps us out, pushes us out to to a new audience. But there's been a few uh few rumblings in the NRL over the weekend, and I think it's uh a decision that shocked no one, yeah, and that is Shane Flanagan been sacked from the dragons. Interestingly, just before I came over here, I watched the um the press conference with the with the new with the interim coach, and he said that after that loss that they had at the weekend, Flano just went in the dressing room and went undone. I can't be bothered with this anymore. So they said it was a mutual agreement. Before I heard what that being said, I was a bit like nah well, he got sacked. But um worst club, worst start in the club's history, 11 straight losses. Like, you don't think of it too much because it's the start of this year, you just think of the seven and oh bounce of last season. Four four from last year. Um disappointing result at the weekend against a rabbit hose, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 3:48

Very much so, very much so. And look, it it's one of the the the really frustrating thing is there's they create like even when we when the when we were down there, don't forget they they had a couple of tries chalked off, yeah. So they they were creating the chances uh and and whatnot. So there's there's a team with with um within them. Um but they just you just can't can't get it over the line, and and they've just let the rabbit hose run away with it at the weekend.

SPEAKER_00 4:18

Um they they it didn't help that Val Holmes was making some business decisions as well.

SPEAKER_01 4:23

Well when you got your Latrell running at you with a seven, eight metre run-up, like it's fair enough. With Origin round the corner, well, you suppose you want to you want to put your best foot forward, don't you, for Origin. Um, but but no, it's it's like you say, no surprise. Uh hearing Colo Cler Klo Matangy's going there next year as well, isn't he?

SPEAKER_00 4:41

Yeah, he is. He's signed. He came out and said that don't worry, Dragons fans, I'm not gonna neg on my on my agreement, and I'm definitely coming. So there's a few rumors flying around that he wasn't he was gonna back off and not bother coming. But I just from everything that's being said and the press conference yesterday, it feels like it is an actual circus there. Like genuinely, I thought the situation in Manley was a circus, but that seems a lot worse. Like you got Braith and Nasta coming out and saying that the chairman was taking shots at him and about the media. You got um apparently training had to be cancelled or was potentially going to be postponed on Monday because they hadn't decided who the interim was or it hadn't been agreed. Um, they didn't know who it was going to be, and then eventually it got sorted like six hours later.

SPEAKER_01 5:28

Whereas at least with Manny's, it was it was quite it was I I reckon it was done before it was seabold you're gone, four ends in at 9am the next day.

SPEAKER_00 5:36

Um, but one of the things that the uh that was mentioned in this interview with Dean Young, is that his name? Dean Young the new Dean Young, he um said some of the great things about being being a coach is giving people their debut, and one of the first things he did was got the phone call to say that he's gonna be interim, and then it's Cade Reed, isn't it? The young kid that's coming in to start. Yeah, went round his house and told him that he was starting, which means that Kyle Flanagan, bang, immediately done.

SPEAKER_01 6:08

Well, well, that's that's quite uh you you didn't see that at Manley um uh uh any real big changes, but you you it was it was it was coming. Yeah um I remember when we were down at uh down down at the watching the game, my mate texts me that meme of uh of when Turbo went past uh Car um Flanagan and it was the Mark Alone against the 13-year-old. It was it was it was like it was like well done, he's 13. And it was he he changed it brilliantly to well done. It's just Carl Flanagan, and it was it did it did make me chuckle, but that he's he's just not brought anything this season, unfortunately, defensively and and and in attack, and it probably like you say is the right right move.

SPEAKER_00 6:54

It is uh they didn't help they come out against uh on fire Latrell Mitchell. Yeah, that boy was ridiculous. Geezer scored four. Um, like they were in the game, it was tight at half time. I think they were actually winning. Yeah, they were 12, six, six up at half time, and then the rabbit who's just in the second half, sprang away. Latrell Mitchell was like a men against boys out there. Like he was, I think there was four players around him at one time, and he just went over. Um, but the worrying sign for them is that these players that have said they wanted out, like Jaden Sewell already has signed with the Eels. And can I say, by the way, his red card that he got on what was it, Sunday? I can't the ref let the game play on, right? And then it got blown in after, and it might be one of the cleanest shots on the chin I think I've ever seen in my life.

SPEAKER_01 7:42

I don't think anyone's got any questions about that being a red card. That is pure, pure shoulder to chin. Oh, it was bad.

SPEAKER_00 7:48

Um, that is a red card in any sport, so it's on par with like genuinely Sue Lee at origin, but just he didn't leave his feet. But obviously, Suez off next year to the ills, then um you got uh Pacific Keetonga that wants to go's a promising undernight uh under Australian under-20s, like or New South Wales under-20s representative. Val Holmes looks terrible, like you've got Aging um Cook, Governorson. I don't know, it just feels like it doesn't feel like Manly's situation where it feels like Sloan Sloan looks quite worried at the back as well.

SPEAKER_01 8:28

He doesn't he doesn't look um too secure, but you you you've gotta you've got to say, do these boys then start right? Who comes in? Do I change? Is it was because you you can see them there's clearly like you say interior problems for for them to want to leave. So is it because of the change then they're gonna be like right, okay. Um I may I may now still hang out stick around and and see see what happens. Um but flipping onto the onto the rabbit hose, yes, Mitchell had a great game, but I love a comeback story, right? And and Matt Dufty had an absolute game and a half. He did, he's come back, he's not played in what four years, I think it is in in the NRL. Comes back, um replaces uh Jai Gray, who's been in fantastic form this season. Uh there was a couple of worrying signs at the start, but he that man just wanted the ball constantly. He hit 330 metres.

SPEAKER_00 9:25

That's mad. I didn't realise it was that much.

SPEAKER_01 9:27

It was ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 9:28

Jai Gray wouldn't even got that much.

SPEAKER_01 9:29

Nah. Um, and he was he was just he just it was great, he got his he got his try, um, but a hell of a performance, and now he's coming with that. It's it can he can him now maintain it, uh, just for the while while Joe's at and what I do like, and what I've heard a lot of the pundits say is at the left Mitchell at centre, yeah, and I think that's where he's most dangerous.

SPEAKER_00 9:49

It is. I don't like yeah, there was the shots taken at him by Paul Kent, I think, about not being fit, not being this, not being that to play at fullback, and I do somewhat agree with it, right? Like I think he is more dangerous in a centre position where he's got one job, yeah, and that is to lock down one side of the one side of the field and then just truck anyone in his way. And when he gets the ball at pace or when he needs to produce some magic, he can do it. But it's an interesting one for the dragons because I feel that a lot of this stems from getting rid of Lomax, yeah, like he was always a worry, like no matter who was kicking the ball up in the corner or anything, he was always a worry, and they got rid of him or he for his toys out the pram, but there was no authority to go no, you're staying, and then also getting rid of um Ben Hunt as well. Although Flanagan wanted him gone, it's like he would have provided that leadership and maturity to a team that have lost their way. But yeah, do we think we're gonna see an immediate bounce back for this weekend against the Roosters?

SPEAKER_01 10:51

I don't know. It's it's it's one of those that you do want that sort of fairy tale of they get their first win and Shane Flanagan is there pulling his hair out and coming up against the Roosters team is still just very hit and missing. They are. Um but it it's if if the dragons end up starting like they do, but being able to maintain that, I reckon the Roosters will struggle. It'll be interesting to see. It's big ifs and buts.

SPEAKER_00 11:18

It is, but let's have a go, let's look through their fixtures from now until the I'm gonna go to the end of the season. Okay, and let's see if we can see where their next victory is coming from. So this week they got the Roosters. Yeah. I don't think they win that if I'm honest. Then they got a guaranteed two points against the bye. They got the Knights, can't see them. Maybe if the Knights if see how they're lining up. Panthers, no, Warriors, no, Broncos, no, sharks, no. You never know.

SPEAKER_01 11:46

You never know.

SPEAKER_00 11:46

Some of it's around origin, some of it is around origin, but I still wouldn't. So the Panthers, I wouldn't see them, and Broncos Broncos are down to like bare bones at this point.

SPEAKER_01 11:55

They might still perform it, extremely still performing.

SPEAKER_00 11:57

Then they've got another bye. Then they play the Knights, we'll see. Raiders, no, Tigers, no, then another bye, Warriors, no. The genuine first game that I think. So we're talking one, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten, eleven, twelve, thirteen in 14 game weeks time is the is the Titans. Yeah, that is with their only option at the moment, I think, where they can go, we're not the underdog in this. Even though at the moment, like, don't get me wrong, they can turn it around, but it goes Titans, Dolphins, we'll see how they go. So, but I'm gonna say no to that. Sharks, no, tigers, no, bulldogs, no, manly, no, eels, no. I think there's a possibility that they only finish with one victory at the end of the season.

SPEAKER_01 12:41

That's that's that's a bold claim.

SPEAKER_00 12:43

They re so the odds of them actually not winning a game have been slashed from like $21 to $12 or something like that. Oh wow, that is that is so it's not only me that thinks that they're not gonna win a game. But look, interesting to see what's gonna happen, see how they bounce back this weekend, new number seven in, um, see how they go against the roosters.

SPEAKER_01 13:01

Yeah, but let's talk about who we think might have like we're getting to the point in the season where um you're starting to see because because what my dad always says, um, especially about football, is you can never judge a team until like six games in. Six games is always that magic, magic number, and we're around that now. Um, and and you can start seeing where teams are are gonna be. Um but yeah, it's it's we're getting to that point, like you say.

SPEAKER_00 13:28

So, who do you think then going through some of the games over the weekend, we'll look at some teams and discuss like where they where we think they're at? And let's start. There's only one place that I feel we can start because this team, you're right there to slip up last week against the Bulldogs, and yeah, right, they only won in golden point against the the Dolphins. But Panthers seem to be the team to beat at the moment, they seem to be the ones that are charging on to the title. Uh, I this Dolphins game, I was like 18-nil up. Do you know what? I'm going to bed. Yeah. I'm going to bed. Can't be bothered with the rest of this. And then I check on NRL.com and I see it's 22 all. Yes. And I couldn't believe it. But Milky Jenkins again, another double. Another double. What's he on? He's on for 54 tries or something this year, if it carry on, carries on. But here's a question for you take him out of the Penriff system. How does he do?

SPEAKER_01 14:22

I don't think he does as well. Don't get me wrong, he's he's he's scored some good tries in not the easiest positions, but I don't think he has that X factor, he's not an X factor winger. He's not your Xavier Coates, he's not your Zach Lomax.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

Although that leap that he went up for, I look, there's a film called White Men Can't Jump, right? And I he is the milkiest. He is the whitest of white men, and I did not expect him to leap as high as he did.

SPEAKER_01 14:51

Um when you're when you're on form and everything goes your way, doesn't it? I I don't think he converts as much as he he does. Yeah. Um I do think he is a product of a fantastic system and he fits into that system well, hence why he's doing so well. Yeah, but uh you can say that a lot about a lot of the Penrith players, and you've we've seen it. Like Nathan Cleary goated as one of the uh as one of the best times to play the game.

SPEAKER_00 15:16

Sticker in original blue jumper on him, and he's questionable, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 15:19

Especially in the in the arena, and and this is something that we've we've constantly talked about. And so I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna lean more to know on that.

SPEAKER_00 15:27

Yeah, Panthers lost uh Mitch Kenny as well. Um, broke his leg from a hip drop. Nicarima, it was one of those ones that he didn't, he's not intentionally done it, he's got dragged along, so he's gonna be out. I don't know whether it's season ending, I think it's might be 12 weeks, but decent little little break, especially being that far away from home in Darwin as well, having to go to hospital and get it. He would have introduced that game whistle, he would have done, but uh Lusic comes in who performed really well the other week, so it's like they've got the backup there. Um but I don't know, Panthers just seem to me like they're they're the team that are on the charge at the moment. There are sort of some chinks starting to show in their armour, they've come closer to the pack, like those first five rounds, they were unstoppable. I was like, well, we might as well give them the title now. Slight little, I think a bit bit of ego, maybe against the Bulldogs, thinking we're just gonna roll over. And then I personally think the conditions in Darwin just took the heat, sapped it out of everyone. Um if you lose a man for injury as well, you've lost one interchange. Um, so I don't know, but Dolphins did well to come back into it. But the uh Broncos and Tigers, next two teams over the weekend that I think will roll out of the weekend like both happy with the result.

SPEAKER_01 16:44

I would be the Bron Broncos, I think it just shows they were incredibly defensive, incredibly incredible, incredible in that defensive uh performance with who they've got as well. It was increased incredible to watch. If I'm a if I'm a Tigers fan, there is a there is a skepticism and there is a little bit of worry that will probably creep in. With the amount of ball they had, they looked lost. There was times when they were 10 metres out, Tyrell May was receiving the ball standing too. He was on a charge as well, and and it just looked a little bit broken. And with the amount of possession they had, they should have been able to carve up the Broncos. So they this is for the when I was sat watching the game, for me it was is this an incredible defensive performance, or is this the Tigers showing that they are vulnerable? Um they've played that they've played one other really top team at the moment in the Warriors and beat them 32.

SPEAKER_00 17:43

It's a game that Louis come back as well in.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Like, does his dancing around and theatrics and trickery cause a bit of the other team that they've you can say are on a bit of a pant that they lost to was the rabbitos, yeah. So out of three three games well, to be fair, they put 42 past the nights, but out of three games against sort of the teams that are emerging as as top teams, they've lost two and won one. This I I'm just being a little bit of a pessimist with here.

SPEAKER_00 18:14

I think look, what didn't help them is Maccassini dropped two arrows, which includes he holds them more possession than potentially getting them into better attacking positions. But I do think, like with Louai being out for the last how many weeks, it's been three. Yeah, Madden just provided that stability of ball through hands, little dummy here, rather than running around all over the place. I just think they've got to get used to him again into that system, and then the kype is paused. Like I said, he was running with with an absolute agenda to run through. I think Payne Halsey try and get him something on him, but also Talon May coming back is a big one for them in the centers.

SPEAKER_01 18:53

Ah, he he had a good game, he yeah, he he had a very good game, he was trying to do everything, and again, this is this is it. I think they could have too many that were just trying to prove a point and a little bit of game management as well crept in. It's like it was 21-20. I think they were about 15-20 metres out, and they went they went for it on fifth tackle instead of going right. Let's let's go for the point here.

SPEAKER_00 19:16

Oh, yeah, because then you've got the experience of Adam Reynolds, the other side that's just gone seven minutes to go, or if it was, let's just get the one in front.

SPEAKER_01 19:22

Let's say I'm I'm five metres out, I'm not missing this.

SPEAKER_00 19:25

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 19:26

So, yeah, there's there's there's a little things that I I I sort of saw that I wouldn't say uh red like alerts, but things that they need to to deal with to help them maintain in their season.

SPEAKER_00 19:38

Big talking point from the game though, big pain house out for six to eight weeks, MCL, which means he misses Origin. Patty Carrigan's still out for one round, um, and then also oh, what's the name of their other problem? I've forgotten his name, but he um had a blood clot in his lung, so uh he's out as well. But interestingly, saw a stat, like everyone's moaning about the injuries. We'll talk about Turbo in a bit. There's been a few ankle injuries, been a few um knee injuries. Injuries are actually down for the season compared to the past two seasons. So the six again rule, people talking about fatigue, people talk I like I'm starting to not like this new six again rule, and that's a conversation maybe we can have further down the road, but it um isn't having an impact on player fatigue and injuries, which is good. But another team that is starting to look good is the Warriors, they just continue. Like I know it's it's they cleaned the Titans, didn't they? Like we could talk talk about the Titans and they absolutely tore them apart in the first half, but at home they look like a different beast.

SPEAKER_01 20:38

They are, they are. They're they've they've gone along sort of nicely, other than the sort of the back-to-back losses to Tigers and Sharks. They've come back with an absolute drum into the storm and then a good enough performance against the Titans.

SPEAKER_00 20:53

Yeah, interesting one from this game, actually, that I was speaking about earlier with a colleague. So, a bit of a situational one. Two of Arsenek kicked the ball through, yeah, and it bounced out, went out the back. But um, Keanu Kinney was standing on the back of the goal and Mitch Barnett came through, shoved him in the back, right? Got a penalty. So, this is where the kicking in league just confuses me. So, if the ball would have gone out, seven tackle set starting on the 20, right? But because they got the penalty, they got a penalty from the goal line, kicked it to the 20, right? So why they've actually just given them they've lost the tackle for the same thing. Why not boot it as far as you can go? Because you would have made at least, let's say, eight, nine metres on that zero tackle from the seven tackle set.

SPEAKER_01 21:40

Try and at least clear it past thirty.

SPEAKER_00 21:42

And they've actually made a negative amount of yards. I just I didn't get it. It blew me away when I done it. I don't know whether it's like heat the moment or whether they didn't think it through, but it's just like you've just lost yourself a tackle there. Silly decision. Um, but yeah, Warriors, I think they're gonna be there or thereabouts end of the year, see how they go. They're ups and downs. Let's get on to the people what did I start this section off with? Talking about teams that have kind of gained a bit of legitimacy or starting to prove themselves. Let's talk about Manley's rising stock here.

SPEAKER_01 22:12

This this game was such a uh talking about the Broncos defensive performance. This was a solid defensive performance. It was. Um something they got again. You go you can go back to um you can go back to the weather affecting the game up in Darwin. You can you can tell the boys were were were not in a good way during this mistakes. You could like both teams dropping the ball so much, like there must have been a fair bit of moisture on that ball. Um but Kohler pulling off two tri-saving tackles.

SPEAKER_00 22:44

I'm gonna say that already. It's up there with contender attack of the season. That second one was just he absolutely bodied him into it's like he hit a brick wall and then just carried him over the line as well.

SPEAKER_01 22:55

It was like it was the aggressor as well, which was which is the which is the main thing.

SPEAKER_00 22:59

Um I don't think turbo makes that tackle.

SPEAKER_01 23:01

I don't either. I don't think turbo makes that tackle, which is bonkers, which is bonkers from a turbo's a couple of years ago. But Kohler now going to fullback, only thing I worry about is a bit of an air raid. That's the only thing I worry about. Everything else, he's exciting, like so much more ball in his hands, he's gonna be able to carve something up left and right. Like before Seabal got sacked, he was probably one of the only bright sparks within that team.

SPEAKER_00 23:25

Can you remember this play from last year against the Panthers? I don't know whether you're there for it, or whether you're aware.

SPEAKER_01 23:29

Yeah, Panthers away.

SPEAKER_00 23:30

Where it came back underneath from the centre. We're gonna be seeing that week in week out now. He's gonna be looping underneath just off a ball dropped off.

SPEAKER_01 23:37

I think they tried it in one of the other games this year, but it didn't come off. Um he's gonna be an exciting to watch defensively. Uh, it is again a bit shaky when when Jake seems to go off, the middle just seems to to to just disintegrate, which is a bit of a worry. Um, but but no, it's it's it's positive, it's positive signs.

SPEAKER_00 23:58

Foggity and Brooks are starting to look better together as well. And do you know what? It was great that when Foggetty think that ball through, just picks it up, offloads it to Brooks, and he's there. So they're starting to click again. Foggity had serious kicking meters, high ball. Seems like the pre the kick pressure's a bit better. Yeah, um, obviously the conditions. But I read something the other day that Joey Walsh, Australia, rugby Australia are sniffing around in because of like Zach Lomax scoring his first try. So it'd be interesting to see if anything materializes from that and also if he's rushed then into getting more NRL minutes. Um, but one of the big things I'm starting to think though is are we getting a bit ahead of ourselves? Probably, yeah. We've beaten a Dolphin side that we thought were going to be great and they weren't. We've then struggled somewhat against the Dragons, who are terrible, and then we've towed up a Cowboys side who I don't know why. They yeah, they had four wins in a row prior to that, but um they weren't tipped to do much this season, so I don't know. Does it feel like we're getting a bit ahead of ourselves? 100%.

SPEAKER_01 24:58

But what's that's that's what sport's for? Are you supposed to enjoy the good times?

SPEAKER_00 25:01

It is, it is indeed, and this week we're off to what is it, Fospines Park. There we go.

SPEAKER_01 25:05

Fospines Park, love it.

SPEAKER_00 25:06

But another team that do you know what? Storm are on an absolute downfall at the moment. We'll talk about them in a sec, but the Raiders, they I think they just out-muscled, just turned them over. Come from behind win. Um that moment in the first half where they're leading the game, and what is it, Hawsborough has the ball, goes over, plays the ball, and just shouts something at the ref. Can't even remember what it was. Like, probably like what the fuck was that or something like that, and then bang, turns it and they score two tries within. If that would have cost them the game, I reckon Sticky Ricky is absolutely losing his shit more than he did. He just had a little quiet word with him at half time. But if they would have lost that game, I think he would have absolutely lost it.

SPEAKER_01 25:45

But he's always got that about him though, Osborough, isn't he? It's it's it's it's there, it's it's showing he needs to cut that out. And ref's ref sort of picked it up and went, No, no, no, thank you.

SPEAKER_00 25:55

So no, but great win for them. But I think the focus more on this one is about the storm, which we'll get on in a minute. But did not see that this next result come in. Eels absolutely turning over the bulldogs. Where has that come from?

SPEAKER_01 26:08

I think this show I think this says more about the bulldogs than the eels. I think that I don't think the bulldogs are in a very good place at the moment.

SPEAKER_00 26:14

They're not. I saw some stats uh that the Bulldogs, which I'll get onto in a bit, they have got the third best defence in the league, but their attack is woeful. It's only the dragons that are worse than them.

SPEAKER_01 26:26

No point keeping out the points if you can't score them yourself.

SPEAKER_00 26:28

Yeah, and I think like they've conceded 131, but have only scored 121 or something like that. No, I remember early on in the season we're talking about, I think four games in, it was only 15 a game that they scored, but they're not in a good place. But the Eels were on fire in this one. Mitch Moses' kicking game was sensational.

SPEAKER_01 26:44

I'll have to hold back as well. Like Adukar had a game, like he was bodying everyone into the fucking into the touch. So uh I was listening to this mainly on my on my way back from the game on Sunday. Um, and it just everything that the Eels did was just was just brilliant.

SPEAKER_00 27:01

Um considering how many injuries they've got as well. Yeah, they got a few more. Um, I think uh Volkman is gone, he had either jaw or head injury. Um, so we'll go on to the tips in a minute because obviously they're coming up against the Mighty Manly Seagulls this weekend at Fospines Park. But yeah, I couldn't believe that performance. It's almost like Mitch Moses had the ref in his back pocket as well. I don't know if you've seen this, but this is this is what I talk about.

SPEAKER_01 27:26

Like captains need to be able to do this, yeah. And one of the things that I always pride myself on whenever I was a captain of a team was I would be so friendly, I would be constantly in the ears of referees having conversations, and it just works so much better. You need to be able to build relationships with referees as a captain because things will go your way, and when you're and there's no point screaming and shouting at the referees, it's it's having little conversations. And we gave them a little bit of water at the end of the yeah, you saw after we got the penalty, it was like, There you go.

SPEAKER_00 27:56

I love it.

SPEAKER_01 27:57

That's what it's all about. Get them, ask them when there's a when there's a stoppage, when there's sir, do you want some more? It's it's I remember there was there was once um we were I was playing a game of rugby, this was before we moved over, and like we were full of there were some old boys in there who were dirty as as out, and the ref was just constantly on us, and their captain was losing it, and we get put we both get pulled in, and he's like, Chris, I've had a word like need to need to pull it stop it. He's like, Yeah, their old boys are stamping on us, and I was like, No, they're not, they're just finding their foot, and you can it's have you seen how muddy it is on here? And sir, I'm so sorry for that. I do apologise on the behalf of my team.

SPEAKER_00 28:34

Little did they know there was stud marks all down there.

SPEAKER_01 28:37

There were dirty, dirty, dirty players. Um, but it's just being able to build a rapport with the refs, and I think that is that's something that Turbo misses. Well, Jake's captain this weekend, Jake. We'll be interested to see how Jake goes about it. Um, but that's that's the biggest thing I think for for captains.

SPEAKER_00 28:55

They need to have that rapport and it seemed like for me, Moses didn't have that um fed up feel about him. No, it looked yeah, it was a good performance, and they got they got um behind him. But last team that I think is starting to prove themselves a bit more, those roosters. They've it was a very back and forward game, but they just in the second half managed to peel away. Um Savala in the centres looked not too bad. Big long schlanky centre that can run through, run onto a ball. Um but I just think they're so unpredictable. The Cherry Evans experiment is kind of going alright. It's not really well like. Would do the Roosters look any different to what they did last year? Not really, no. And this is the thing like they've brought him in to add some experience, and they had Sandon Smith, who was obviously on the opposite side of the ball in this game, who played alright. I just don't think Cherry Evans is offering that much at the moment. Like as the season goes on, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 29:56

You'll start seeing that coming through.

SPEAKER_00 29:57

Could be a different story. Um, and the Knights, they'll be disappointed with this one. But one, I think they've got to wait till Ponga comes back when they're at full. Like it was Dylan Brown's first game back.

SPEAKER_01 30:05

Of course, also I don't think is Brendan was Brendan best thing in the so he's he's still to come back. True. Um, old Dominion had a bit of a quiet game as well, yeah. Which was maybe coming up against the old boy, like the team that he didn't quite gel at. But also he's he's coming up against uh two wingers who cancel him out.

SPEAKER_00 30:23

Yeah, I think they're the I think they're the best wing combination in the game.

SPEAKER_01 30:26

Yeah, um they've got the best back three. I say that they've got the best back three combination.

SPEAKER_00 30:30

The size of the them as well, like they're enormous, they're thick bodied, they're just big individuals.

SPEAKER_01 30:35

And you've got Teddy there who's just orchestrating it. It's it's it it it I I think is the it is the best back three combination in the league.

SPEAKER_00 30:42

Yeah, I agree, I agree. But on the flip of that, so we've got some teams that did impress, and we got some teams that didn't impress. Like you said, we're six games through the season, we're nearly a quarter of the games that you actually play through the season. Um, and there are some teams that are appearing not so good, not so good, teams that we might be a bit concerned. The storm, the first one. I can't believe that they've lost five games in a row. And I read something actually earlier that Munster, I think it was Munster, has reached out to Isaiah Yo to ask how Panthers address their form last year because he doesn't ever want to lose five in a row again in his career.

SPEAKER_01 31:22

I don't like how that's been leaked.

SPEAKER_00 31:24

Yeah, it's interesting because it's Queens who's leaked Queensland, New South Wales, Storm Panthers. Like there's a lot of rivalry there. Who's leaked that though?

SPEAKER_01 31:31

I don't know if that's coming from one of the you know journos nowadays, they just get in any business.

SPEAKER_00 31:36

Um, but yeah, Storm, very, very interesting. Uh, but the other team that I think are also on the struggle are the Bulldogs. I tip them, I tip the Storm and Bulldogs seventh and eighth, and I just I just had a feeling that the Bulldogs wouldn't be able to keep up their form of last year. Um the Galvin experiment, I don't know whether it's working. Like he is a talented young individual, but I mean maybe too young to have taken the reins, and like Toby Sexting probably could have stayed around for a year or year or two more just to allow him to get more minutes, more feel of the system. But their attack is awful, yeah. Their attack is absolutely terrible. Um, as well, who knows what's going on behind the scenes with what's going on with Bronson Sherry because at the weekend he was probably the best player on the park for the Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_01 32:23

Easily, easily. Um, and when when you when you shut down the little pop-off to Preston from uh Galvin, it they just don't seem to have anything else.

SPEAKER_00 32:31

And if the Bulldogs didn't score those last what was it, I think it was back and forward in the last 10 minutes, they could have got blown away in this one. But um Cowboys again, another team that started to show some promise, but they've just lost it.

SPEAKER_01 32:47

Yeah, I don't know. Again, is it one of those that Manly just had a strong defensive performance and error's shot them in the foot and they will come good? They're they're on the border for me, they're they're on the border of having a really bad season or having a decent season. And it's uh it's it's a bit they they need to do.

SPEAKER_00 33:03

We shut Jason Tamalolo up, actually. We shut them forwards up. Um, and he's been carving up over the last few weeks. Yeah, has it is that one of those things where he's not able to sustain it for week on week on week? But it's interesting to see how that one goes. Um, and then last team that we haven't really said a little bit about, but Titans that I it's hit and miss. I don't know whether they're sp they're too good for spoon. The spoon.

SPEAKER_01 33:27

Is there gonna be just something that they they just spark and then absolutely fly out of nowhere?

SPEAKER_00 33:33

Good late surge against it shows though they're late surge against the Warriors, they've got the ability in there. I think one of them they just they went back-to-back tries as well, and long-range efforts, they've got speed, they've got pace, they've got some creativity in there. Maybe it will click, but quarterway through the season, who do we think's gonna make the top four?

SPEAKER_01 33:52

Um, I'm gonna go for Panthers and Waz, yeah, are gonna be in there. I think depending on what happens with injuries, I don't think you can count the Broncos out. I think they're gonna have a late surge and sneak in. And then it could be it could be your roosters, could be uh the tigers, could be uh your manly like out of nowhere. Sharks, I just I I think their inconsistency kills them. Yeah. Um but I'm gonna I'll I'll go with I'll go with the I'm I'm gonna go with the bunnies. Did I have already said the bunnies?

SPEAKER_00 34:34

No, you haven't. That's an interesting one actually. I'm gonna go Panthers, I think Panthers, Warriors, I think Warriors don't finish second, though, I think they finish fourth. Um it's difficult. There's no one else that's really standing out from those. I reckon the sharks do sneak in the first place.

SPEAKER_01 34:51

There's a pack there's a pack starting a form.

SPEAKER_00 34:53

I'm gonna put it out there that I reckon the tigers might sneak in. They might just make the four, it all depends how they go. If they lose any players to Origin, which Louai will probably go does now that Payne Huss is out, does Terrell Mago. Yeah, don't know, it'd be interesting to see, but here's another one as well. Then next coach in the firing line for this for the season, whose head's on the chopping block next.

SPEAKER_01 35:22

I don't know actually. There's not there's not anyone that's really Todd Payton a little bit. Could it could it be could be Bells?

SPEAKER_00 35:31

Oh I was I don't think he'll get he'll never get sacked, he'll never get fired, but I think it might be a it's my time to leave the game and leave a head coaching role at the end of the season and he might become like a head of football director of football somewhere. Um the other one that I was thinking as well, if it doesn't go too well, Trent Robinson could potentially because he's in a lot of risks being taken with signing DC, and if it doesn't pay off, like if they don't get to the I'm guessing grand final's the aim for them, then who knows? But let's get into tips for round eight. We're into the Anzac weekend round, long weekend, absolutely buzzing, can't wait. We've got a big one on Saturday as well. Looking forward to yeah, celebrating, having a few beers on that one. But kicks off on Thursday night at Lycart Oval. I'm sure it will be pumping on Thursday night, the $1.57 West Tigers against the $2.41 Canberra Raiders.

SPEAKER_01 36:26

Um, I don't think this is gonna be a blowout. I think it's gonna be quite a close game. Um, but I do think the Tigers in front of their Lycart Oval will will just get over the get over the line.

SPEAKER_00 36:38

I'm gonna go the opposite. Yeah, you're gonna go Raiders. I'm gonna go for the Raiders. I think the Raiders are on a bit of a bounce. They've had a couple of tough games that they've pulled through, um, and I think the Raiders are gonna get this one done.

SPEAKER_01 36:49

And then we are into the first game on the Friday, six o'clock kickoff at the Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville. We've got the Cowboys at $2.12 against the Sharks at $1.73.

SPEAKER_00 37:02

Jeremiah Nanoy's back for this one. Uh Reed Marnie's back for this one.

SPEAKER_01 37:10

Sharks have just come off the bye.

SPEAKER_00 37:11

Sharks have just come off the bye. I think the sharks are gonna win this. I'm gonna go two away wins to kick off the kick off the round. You got tough one.

SPEAKER_01 37:27

I'm gonna go cowboys. I'm gonna go two home wins. I just to be different.

SPEAKER_00 37:31

Yeah, fair enough.

SPEAKER_01 37:32

To be different.

SPEAKER_00 37:32

And then the 8 p.m. kickoff. We're at the Sun Court. We've got the Broncos, $2.48 against the Bulldogs, $1.54. There's got who's out in this one? There's gotta be a few people. Oh, of course. Paynehouse. Painhouse. Corey Jensen, why can I think of his name? It was the geese that had the blood clot on his lung. I don't think the I think this is tighter than these odds.

SPEAKER_01 37:51

Just because the dogs aren't scoring and the Broncos can defend. I I'm gonna go Broncos.

SPEAKER_00 37:57

I'm gonna join you because I think the Broncos have been playing with a depleted squad and they've been playing all right. Yeah. Whereas the Bulldogs just look, I don't know, a bit all over. He does, it's just whether he's groin, ham showing, or whatever makes makes it through.

SPEAKER_01 38:13

Yeah. Um, and then we're on to the first kickoff on the Saturday at the Allianz Stadium in Sydney, but it's a home game for the Dragons. But this is the Anzac Day one. This is the Anzac day. Um we've got the Dragons at $4.95 against the Roosters at $1.18.

SPEAKER_00 38:30

Is there going to be a bounce back? No. The Sydney Roosters are winning this game. Do you know what? Nah. Don't say it. I am.

SPEAKER_01 38:42

I think it's good. There's gonna be a resurgence. There's gonna be some bounce back ability. There's gonna be bounce back and it to do it against the team. If there was gonna be a team to do it against, I think the Roosters is probably one of those teams. Fair enough. I'm gonna probably be sat here next week with an egg on my face. But do you know what? I'm gonna go rogue and I'm gonna go for the dragons.

SPEAKER_00 39:00

Fair play. Heard it here first. And then we head over to the Henry Stadium in Wellington. We got the Warriors at $1.52 against the Dolphins, $2.60. Warriors and NZ Warriors. Yeah, but it's not in Auckland. Is the is the crowd gonna be up as much? Like, are we they're gonna be up in the Wars? Are they gonna be going mental? The Wars will be up. Yeah, I think they are. I think the Warriors win this one. And then we're at the what a weird kickoff time.

SPEAKER_01 39:25

Um is it because it's four o'clock on the DYRSL by this point?

SPEAKER_00 39:29

I think we might be, hopefully.

SPEAKER_01 39:31

Um we're gonna be regardless. The 8-10 kickoff on the Saturday is aim is at Amy Park. Yep. Uh, with the storm at $1.63 against the Rabbit O's at $2.28.

SPEAKER_00 39:42

Give me the South Sydney Rabbi Rabbios, Rabbit O's at $2.28. They are winning this game. The Melbourne Storm are getting turned over. Yeah, I'm gonna back, I'm gonna go with you on that one. I've gone aggressive on that, and that could backfire big time. I could end up having no correctings this week. I know. And then Sunday, the first game on the Sunday, the McDonald McDonnell Jones Stadium up in Newcastle, the $3.78 Newcastle Knights against the $1.27 Penrith Panthers. Panthers. It's gotta be. Is there any changes? No, obviously Mitch Kenny out. Um Casey McLean's back in. Yeah, Panthers Panthers steamroll this one. I reckon they stick 40 on them.

SPEAKER_01 40:24

And then to finish off the weekend, the five past four kickoff at Foz Pines Park.

SPEAKER_00 40:31

Yeah, buddy.

SPEAKER_01 40:32

You've got the $1.43 Manley Seagulls against the $2.84 Parramatta Reels.

SPEAKER_00 40:39

Oh, this like I'm annoyed. I'm annoyed because the Eels performed so well last week. Manly are winning this game, they're winning it 13 plus. Fozz is gonna get an absolute reception when his name's read out pre-game. Boys are gonna be pumped, Kohler might even get a hat trick, Saab might even score. Generally reckon we're gonna pump 45 on him and we're gonna destroy the Paramount Eels.

SPEAKER_01 41:05

Yeah, I'm gonna go Manley as well.

SPEAKER_00 41:08

That's good, that's good. Uh we touched on this last week to finish off as well. Arsenal appear that they are absolutely how was the bottle ometer? It is full and they are fully rattled as well. Arsenal supporters are fully rattled. Fully heads gone. Fully heads gone, but they've who's City play Crystal Palace, I think, either tomorrow. Burnley. Burnley, sorry, either tomorrow or the day after. If they win that, they go top of the league. Five games to go. I'll tell you what, Arsenal fans are absolute arseholes, but anyway.

SPEAKER_01 41:35

Yeah, yeah, and and that Champions League semi-final against Athletic is gonna be an absolute snore fest as well.

SPEAKER_00 41:41

Two teams that park the bus. It's gonna be what 180 plus 30, 210 minutes of boring football. It's gonna be nil-nil, and then we're probably gonna end up with like 11-10 penalty shooter or something. Yeah, it's gonna be a stinker, but let's see if we're gonna end up with egg on our face with some of our tips. Ah, I can't wait. Next week, we're back in rookie on Sunday button for that one. But thank you for tuning in for this episode, and we'll catch you in the next one. Go on, the drink.