Origin Day Debates

A single pub-style question lit up the comments: where does Luke Brooks actually rank right now, and why do so many fans dismiss him before the debate even starts? We dig into the heat around “names vs form”, why being labelled a halves player can distort the conversation, and what Brooks is really offering Manly at six, especially in defence when teams target his edge.

Then we get properly stuck into the NRL weekend review. We break down Manly’s gritty win over the Titans, why the attack looked conservative, and what injuries and new combos do to timing and shape. We also talk selection pressure and depth, including Clayton Faulalo’s genuine push for a spot, Jason Saab’s aerial questions, and how Taniela Paseka’s power through the middle changes Manly’s identity. From there we zoom out to the bigger comp picture: Dolphins building momentum, Storm leaking points and fading late, Cowboys surging after a rough start, the Rabbitohs getting smashed by injuries, the Warriors quietly stacking wins, and the Dragons shifting focus to recruitment and next season.

With Origin on the doorstep, the weather takes centre stage. We preview State of Origin tactics in the rain, why the first 20 minutes could decide everything, and how Mitch Moses going down reshapes NSW with Ethan Strange stepping in. We finish with our Round 13 tips and a quick rant on scheduling players 48 hours after Origin. If you enjoy smart NRL chat from two armchair fans, subscribe, share the pod, and leave a review so more league tragics find us.

Transcript

SPEAKER_01 0:00

Hello and welcome to another episode of They've Been Doing It All Day to Manly Win Ogly and Origin Start Tomorrow. Let's get stuck in.

SPEAKER_00 0:09

How's your week been, mate?

SPEAKER_01 0:11

Yeah, been really good. Been really good has having to go out in my uh shades and and hat, you know, just trying to hide from the public uh The haters. The haters, you know? The haters. There is there has been a wild, my friend. It's been wild.

SPEAKER_00 0:24

There's been a lot of hate around potentially suggesting Luke Brooks is up there with uh I know being an at being a being in the halves, I think is how people have interpreted it, but the conversation was more around him being specifically at six, which look, we've been having the debate for the past week. I think I'm more I'm more and more leaning towards the fact that um he probably is up there with out and out sixes, but in the halves, I think there might be a few other options that you pick over.

SPEAKER_01 0:55

Yeah, 100%. And and it was it was more that one of those questions that you ask your mate at the pub, isn't it, really? And and very much kicked a debate, which is what we what we love to love to see. It is for it.

SPEAKER_00 1:06

Just two armchair fans sharing our opinions, and that was one of them. But I think one of the things that we spoke about at the game on Saturday night was uh that a lot of people disregard Brooks because of because of his name, because of what's happened at the Tigers previously, because of the success he hasn't had compared to someone mind you, I say this the geezer that's just been called up to the squad because of Moses' injury, Burton. Like, what was I suppose he's in the Penriff system, but what has Burton done? Nothing nothing this year.

SPEAKER_01 1:35

I forgot it was until this weekend, I forgot he was playing. Like it was it was he's had such a quiet season. Uh, and again, I think a lot of the people had had put, and I'd love to see the interaction, had put their choices in uh short just purely over um names and reputations, yeah, like not really looking at it as from a season in form of where you where you would rank them. And and we watched him again on on Saturday, and he's defensively, he's defensively arguably one of the better better ones.

SPEAKER_00 2:06

Um the only thing that we then debated was look, by all accounts, both packs look like they're there to mean business, and they would target, as do most teams when they play manly, they run at Luke Brooks. It's just whether he would be able to keep up the pace and keep up the physicality when it's like the elite of the elite running at you constantly. Like he's for like he puts his body on the line week in, week out for Manly. I think it might just be a different kettle of fish if he was coming up against some angry Queenslanders running at him. But um, yeah, certainly caused a bit of a stir online that one. All for it, all for it. That's what we're here for. That's what we're here to do. And you know what it did? It got us a few more subscribers as well. So to all you new new lot that tuned in, thanks for subscribing. And if you're new around here, hit that subscribe button. We're slowly gathering pace towards 200 subscribers, so it'd be good to hit that before the the the season's out. But um, yeah, it's uh it's upon us, origin. We're going tomorrow. Yes, we are.

SPEAKER_01 3:11

I think um luckily undercover.

SPEAKER_00 3:13

Luckily undercover. That's what I was about to say. As the rain kind of sounds outside the window there, I think it could be a wet one, but we'll get on to that in a bit. Let's look at what happened over the last week. Only five fixtures, and something that Luke Keary said on the buy round, which I think is very relevant. This is the first week in which it feels like most games were pretty close at half time. There was no like blowout scores, which was pretty good. And what I noticed as well when I was putting together this run sheet earlier is that apart from Manly, every team that won scored 30 points. So there's four 30-point score lines as the winning score. But let's kick it off with Manley. We were there Saturday night. Um it was a it was a tough watch. It was an ugly way.

SPEAKER_01 3:56

It it was but that's what great teams do, is they win a win ugly, they win ugly.

SPEAKER_00 4:01

They cut off how Arsenal won the league. They won ugly, they absolutely won ugly.

SPEAKER_01 4:06

Right. You you you break it down. I think Manley were very conservative in their attack. Um, they didn't want to try anything too out the norm, they look a little bit confused, and when you lose the likes of Cola, Howati, and uh Oli Kawatu all in the same breath, it does it does impact the attack in that side of things. Uh defensively, honestly, there was periods during the game where I didn't think the Titans were gonna score.

SPEAKER_00 4:29

Yeah, I actually thought we were gonna hold them to zero, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 4:32

So did I, and then it was just a a a couple of breaks and they ended up they ended up scoring. Um, but yeah, it would I was a bit disappointed that I don't think Fogerty's 100%. No, they were playing a lot through the uh the left-hand side and not really when when you saw you had Blake Wilson and Felady on on the on the left, and that was the preferred side where the then had uh Fogerty, Sherub, um uh Garrick and Saab, you'd think that would be the attire the side that they were attacking to, but they just they just stayed away from it, which which I supp is a little bit worrying in actually where is Foggerty in in his in his groin recovery.

SPEAKER_00 5:10

Yeah, I'm a bit surprised that we went complete uh well, not that they're rookies, but to a new combination. I thought it might be a mixture of experience and is youth the word? Are they both yeah? I suppose youth, inexperience, experience and inexperience. And I thought I don't know, Garrick might flip wing to play centre with Wilson outside and then fellow D players with Saab on the outside just to have a bit of a mix up. But talking about emergence of like players coming through, one player that I think is at risk of losing his spot is Jason Saab because he's not been as productive as you'd hope for a man his size under the high ball, but also Clayton Falala, where does he fit in this team when Tommy Turbo is back?

SPEAKER_01 5:58

You gotta say he probably he probably goes back down to New South Wales Cup, unfortunately. Well he can't uh I know this is the thing, you could have him on the bench, but you've got that you've got the centres in Garrick and in Kohler, you've got the wingers in in Saab and Habawate. I don't think they're gonna move away from Saab. Um but even like Farlalo does look like a better option on the wing.

SPEAKER_00 6:19

Um what was he last year? The top try scorer in New South Wales Cup and like the best finisher in the New South W South Wales Cup as well. He can play the I he can play any of those any of those spots, winger, centre, and as he's proving it fullback now. I just Saab's got to prove himself over the next couple of weeks because when Turbo comes back, which apparently has been extended extended, yeah. Round 16, we have a bye, and then he's meant to be back. Faulalo could find himself starting starting on that wing. It's it's an interesting one.

SPEAKER_01 6:49

Um I think it would be it'll show what Foreign's mentally thinking as a coach if he does pull the trigger on Saab because you you see he he's to be fair to him, he's pulled down two brilliant kick uh goal line dropouts over the last couple of weeks.

SPEAKER_00 7:04

He's been physical, his physicality and in attack and defence has gone up.

SPEAKER_01 7:08

But every time the ball goes through his corner, I think there was one kick Fogerty, he should have with a playery size and his caliber, he should be coming down with. But every time there is an attack into the corner, into him, it just he just it just doesn't work off. It's like when we were down at the Dragons, he decided to bat the ball back to Garrick instead of if he caught it, and all he needed to do was flop to the floor and he would have scored. So I just don't think he's that much of an aerial threat. And then if you don't utilise his height and his speed, what what's the point of even being there?

SPEAKER_00 7:35

Yeah, and at present you very rarely see him make an out and out line break. Like off his line breaks usually come from Kohler does. Yeah, his line breaks usually come from offloads or they come from broken plays, whether or sorry, spreading it wide to get out there, and it's one of those ones where he's got to be in the game more. Like, as good as um Foggity's been for Manley, and his kicking game, long kicking game has been good. Yeah, the accuracy on some of his high balls to put them right in the corner. Just isn't it sometimes where you sit where we sit, like we're right on the triline down uh the Pitwater Road end, you can see they're a bit too shallow, they're not going into those attacking spots. So look, as we mentioned, Foggity's whether he's 100% with his groin or not, but then why don't you just chuck Joey Walsh in?

SPEAKER_01 8:20

Yeah, yeah, that's fair. And then next next season, you've got you've got a you've got a big, big dilemma because with Garrett going, um do you play Falala or do you play Felletti? Like look to be fair, he he tanked the try, but he was he was having one hell of a first start.

SPEAKER_00 8:37

He was that tackle that he made on um who was the winger that broke away. I can't remember his name, but it was literally it was clear, and then he's just sprinted, made the tackle on him, got up, and then I think we got a penalty out of it.

SPEAKER_01 8:48

I think he got another he made the tackle again. Like he defensively sound, ran the ball hard, earned some hard meters, uh, made the error, like missed another goal with the try. Big error. That was a big error, and that could have cost the game for Manley. But you know what? He's another talent in there, and he's he's he's he had there's only so much time he can play New South Wales Cup, and it's the same with Blake Wilson. Like Blake We're not gonna be able to hold on to all of these players, and that's the thing, it's like it's it's just down then down to the management to be able to make the decisions on who they keep and who they get rid of.

SPEAKER_00 9:18

One player that is having a bang banging season as well so far is Taniela Poseca, like the power that he brings in the in the front, he's starting to make like just carry bodies off of him for like five metres, which is what we've been missing. It's a shame that well, when he's when he's coupled up with Ola Kawaii, there's two people that just carry people when when they've got the ball. Let's just hope that lack of uh backup and depth, uh obviously with a few injuries and the size of of backup as well doesn't cost us. But let's take our manly tinted glasses off for a second because with them on, we're winning the comp. Yeah, we're 100% winning the comp. But how far do you reckon Manly can go with everyone fit?

SPEAKER_01 10:00

Uh everyone fit, top four, and then in the final. I I I I think don't get me wrong, the Warriors are good. Um the Panthers you we you watched them, they're they're they're there, they're they're beatable. Um I I reckon this team could the Roosters again uh not are getting the wins but not doing it convincingly.

SPEAKER_00 10:23

Stat earlier defensively, the Roosters are given up like 23 points something points.

SPEAKER_01 10:27

Where is Manly Arn?

SPEAKER_00 10:28

13.75 just behind Panthers.

SPEAKER_01 10:31

So it's it's uh you reck you you would you would think now with this momentum top four. Personally, as a fan, knowing what a season could throw at you, I'd be very happy with top eight, considering where we were at the start at the start of the season, and if we make it to the final even better.

SPEAKER_00 10:46

Do you know where I reckon we might finish in that fifth and sixth spot? So we play a home pre-what is it, home, whatever that first round is, and if we win that, we're away to one of the big boys, big boys. Um, but it'd be great if you finished top four, and obviously at the start of the season, it looked like we weren't gonna make anything, so any top eight finish, and I was thinking, do you know what? My flight to Florida the day after the grand final is gonna be gonna be easy because I'll just go and watch it, my team won't be in it. But now I'm worried that we're actually gonna be on it until about four o'clock in the morning. But anyway, um let's move on to the Canberra Dolphins game. Dolphins got this one done, but I tell you what, they are looking like they're running running some form four on the bounce, got to start taking them seriously. A few origin players as well missing. Um it's one of those ones where if they can keep everyone fit, if they can start stringing things together, I I believe they're a similar sort of team to Manley.

SPEAKER_01 11:43

Yeah, and and you you do you do look at this this game and you you can sit here and go how much of how much of it was raiders shooting themselves in the foot. Like the last couple of minutes, Corey or Cory Osborough drops an elbow when it's just not needed when they're on their defensive set.

SPEAKER_00 11:58

It was one of those ones where though like he had his forearm in his head. It was it was a questionable call, but I suppose rules are rules.

SPEAKER_01 12:04

It's it's like they're they were making key key errors, and it was a neck-to-neck, neck and neck game, uh, and the dolphins just uh stuck out of it. But it was it was a very poor second half compared to how that first half was. Yeah, it was it it was a bit of a bit of a dampener um with with how the the game ended up finishing. Um but you know, yeah, that they they're they're hitting form, they're they're grinding out the wins, and and again, they're one of the teams that are gonna be up there fighting, fighting in and amongst it.

SPEAKER_00 12:32

Yeah, and then the next game up that we'll talk about Bulldogs 30, Storm 20. These are two teams that one of them I think will make the final. I don't think finals, sorry, I don't think both of them will. And I think it's gonna be the storm that might miss out. They just seem to have fallen this habit of collapsing in the second half um and just not being able to string things together. They were what were they up at half time?

SPEAKER_01 12:56

Like, I think they were 20, was it 2018 or something?

SPEAKER_00 13:00

Something stupid, and the dogs came back in the second half and just absolutely obliterated. 18-6 they were up. 18-6. So Sherry was on fire as well. Like, he was running hard, he was he was made some huge tackles as well on the sideline. Um but just defensively, the storm look all over the place.

SPEAKER_01 13:17

They are shocking, like Bellamy must be pulling his hair out. Like, it's it's it's to see a team like the storm look like a park team at times defensively and and and with holes leaking all over the place. It's it's it's quite a quite a downfall for them from where they were last season.

SPEAKER_00 13:35

And you think they're gonna be without likely without Munster and Grant for every origin. Every origin. So there's the engine room kind of gone. Hughes can't do it on his own. Um be interesting to see yeah, how they go through this origin period, and I think they're one of the ones that could be most affected by origin, which you think year on year, okay, they're losing a lot of players, but I don't know. Um, I can't see them stringing together enough win wins from now until the end of the season in order to make it.

SPEAKER_01 14:07

No, they've got the third, they've got uh from just what I'm looking at the ladder in, I think I've got it right, they've got the third worst defence uh in the comp. Um conceded 314 points so far, but then they've scored 296, so they've only got a difference of 18. Um so when they've won, they've ended up winning big. Yeah, and it's but that they are leaking, leaking points all over the place. And I I I don't know what what is going to happen for them to sort of turn it around. Maybe after their bye, they they do, but yeah, it's not looking great.

SPEAKER_00 14:38

It's not looking great, but a team that has turned it round, the North Queensland Cowboys. I remember at the start of the season it was like Todd Payton could be the next one, yeah, next one fired, and there we go, they've won another game. Cowboys 30, rabbitho's 18. Um, it was I think they were just so much better than the rabbithoes. The rabbithoes have been impacted by injury, they've obviously lost Mitchell for Fita. Uh, who else is out? A number of a number of players are out, um, but they were just lackluster, so it doesn't seem like they've got anything going forward. I think Alex Johnson was even limping at one point, like he's clearly not fully fit. I just worry for them, like they've started out the season so well, and everyone was flying out their blocks, didn't they? Absolutely flying. Like, there was like, are are they serious contenders? And it takes one or two injuries. Um, and it seems like they're gonna maybe struggle to make the eight. Like, we're nearly reaching the halfway point of the season. But um, Jake Clifford was solid for the Cowboys, brilliant. He was moving it around the park. Um, his kicking game was on point 40-20 at one point as well. He's looking good, but one player for the rabbit o's um Pennettini. Yeah, what a great debut to two tries, and then you thought he was gonna break away and get the third, and it was like he'd been shot by a sniper.

SPEAKER_01 16:00

Yeah, that's I've been there, I've been there. That's that's that's a big injury as well. Like the way he he pulled up with that, like that's that's a full-on big tail. I I haven't read into what he he's got, but that's that looked that looked big.

SPEAKER_00 16:12

It did, and it was one of the I know we're like a similar sort of athlete, me and Pennettini, like same same body shape, like same explosiveness, same speed. So genetic makeup as well, really genetics, just literally the same as him. Um, I have torn my hamstring like that as well, but I think mine was due to my fibres not being able to even move that fast.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

It's getting up to the bar too quickly. That was a woman.

SPEAKER_00 16:34

But as I put my foot down, honestly, it felt like it ripped my like between my arse cheek and or the muscle in my arse cheek and the muscle at the back of my leg, it just went ping, and I tried to take a step after, and it was impossible. So, how he actually then tried to run again after that, fair play to him. But two tries, uh but it's another injury for the rabbit hose, so it looks like they've got a good player coming through. The backup to the back of to the to the yeah, it's yeah, but um cowboys on for the top eight. Um, but the team you mentioned earlier, the Warriors up the Waz. Up the Wars just getting things done annoyingly, would have gone five for five tips if it weren't for the bloody storm. But um the big injury from this is Rob Roger Two of Artashek, ACL likely NRL NRL career done. Where's he going? Wakefield, is he going Wakefield or is where is he going?

SPEAKER_01 17:24

Yeah, I I don't know.

SPEAKER_00 17:26

He's going somewhere in the in the Super League next year, but they continue to look good. I do know what though, when the dragons went over early, I was like, here we go. There's a bit of an upset on the cards here. Um but they just then cried they've done that a few times this season.

SPEAKER_01 17:43

Um they've they've had a they've shot out the blocks um looking looking good, and then they just haven't been able to maintain it. Um but the thing is what one of the things that they uh they I reckon that you could just write off this season now for them, yeah um, whether they're gonna win a game. But one thing you've got to keep an eye on is what they're building for next season. Yes, like they're they're going about their business, and and I think people are forgetting who they're signing. So they've signed Kahlow Matangi, which is a huge signing from the rabbit.

SPEAKER_00 18:11

Shane Fanagan surely would have had something to do with that as well.

SPEAKER_01 18:14

Um you've got Luke Metcalf signed for them as well. Big. You've got old Danny Drinkwater.

SPEAKER_00 18:19

Danny Danny Drinkwater, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 18:21

Danny Drinkwater, he's uh no longer doing his building career. He's uh he's he's uh he's moved to he's he's moving to the rabbit uh uh to the dragons. Um but yeah, you've you've got Drinkwater joining. Um they'll still have Val Holmes, they'll still have Gufferson as well. It's the the thing for me is uh there are they a couple of signings away from being a team to watch for next year, or do they have too much heavy like weight there? Yeah, um, which is gonna pull them down.

SPEAKER_00 18:51

I think it all depends on who comes in as as coach. Um, it'd be interesting to see how Young does for the remainder of the season, whether he gets the gig full time, be interesting to see. But um the how the dragons are performing at the moment reminds me of how you know Derby County's infamous what is it, 11 points in a 38-game Premier League season. In the NRL, one of the worst records I believe is the Newcastle Knights in 2016. They won one game and drew one. Can we see the Dragons beating that? Uh yeah. I I I it's gonna be the close games against the Titans. They played the Titans twice, Tigers are on a bit of a downward trend at the moment. I think they play them twice.

SPEAKER_01 19:39

And it also depends on what happens at the back end of the season, who they're coming to at the back end of the season, because if they're playing against top eight teams who have already cemented their position in there, then there may be a little bit of um that they're coming up against their New South Wales Cup, like a second string team. But other than that, it's it's just not looking one one thing you gotta say is that their their defence is starting to shear up a little bit. Yeah, uh, it's not leaking your 50s every game, it's it's starting to come down a little bit, but um not by not by too much though.

SPEAKER_00 20:09

No, indeed. And like heavy in the origin period at the moment, they don't really lose any players. But be interesting to see how the next four weeks go because although we talk about the impact of origin on players that are missing, yeah, it's also like the backing up the week after. For example, Manley playing on Friday, Origin on Wednesday, that's Ole Kawatu and Cola that we've lost for, although they've been named on the extended bench. I'm guessing that depends on how many minutes and how they come up. But it's one of those ones of like we look our attack look flat without Okawatu. So I don't know, it'll be interesting to see how Origin the Origin period pans out, but let's get into it. So we're recording this on Tuesday, yeah. It'll go out tomorrow morning, so it's the day of origin when this goes out. Excited for the game?

SPEAKER_01 20:55

Um I was until it started hammering down the last couple of days, yeah. Um, which I think is gonna take a massive sting out of the game. Um I don't think the footwork is gonna be as quick as you would you would like. There's gonna be a shit ton of rain tomorrow as well, so that pitch is gonna be wet and boggy. If it's raining during the game, it just also spoils it because tactics change, the free flow and passing isn't as isn't as open, it's more up your jump a rugby. Um, and I think these these both of these teams have got backs that could can open up with full speed. Um, but I think the the surface and the weather is gonna put a bit of a sting into that. Um but saying that I could be sat in that we could be sat in next week and it'd be in a 40-30.

SPEAKER_00 21:38

Yeah, I do think the weather will play a part, but I I've got a feeling that New South Wales' game plan with the players that they've picked and the way that they want to go about things, like they've gone for a big forward pack, like an attacking forward pack of Fanua Blake, Barnett up front, Hudson Young, and the big man Ola Kawaii with Yo. Potentially there was some something I heard earlier, he might. Be going in to play in the front row and then Cam Murray come and play in a 13. Doesn't mean I mean it's not that it's not the worst, but like you look at Queens Anne's pack. I would take New South Wales second rowers every day of the week over them. Front row, Flegler, and Big Tino.

SPEAKER_01 22:19

It's going to be one of those ones as to I think who gets Yeah, that's that's where it's gonna be that's where it's gonna be one, I think.

SPEAKER_00 22:26

It is, but the rain, I believe, would suit New South Wales tactics. I feel like we're picking Ponger at fullback, they're looking to move the ball, be creative, whip it around. But then you say this, like Jojo for Fita for the Titans, hasn't really done much on the wing. So it'd be interesting to see how he goes as a debutant up against Uzi up against Toto, and I think Cola's up against Selwyn Cobo. So it's interesting. Like it doesn't feel like there's this is gonna sound I don't know, it doesn't feel like there's the high quality wingers. Not that I'm taking any anything away from Tolu Cola, by the way, because he is high quality, but you know, when you have like Coates, Lomax, yeah, Coates versus Low Max, like that.

SPEAKER_01 23:08

That was that's that's huge. You've got then got Brian Toto and who else was playing on the wing for Queensland last year? Um it might have been Cobbo, actually. I can't remember. No, I don't think you what I don't think he played Origin last year because he was he was out of sorts at the Broncos, wasn't he?

SPEAKER_00 23:21

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 23:22

Um let me let's have a quick look at the suit, see if we can get the quick because there was the sort there was the coats up against Toto, wasn't there?

SPEAKER_00 23:28

The penalty try last year that was given.

SPEAKER_01 23:31

Val Holmes and the Hammer was playing uh in the in the centres. Um so yeah, it was it was the Xavier coat side of things. Like you you do you are missing that X factor a little bit.

SPEAKER_00 23:42

But can you let's talk about X factor missing? Can you imagine if it's Payne Harson for Noah Blake in the middle? Yeah, geez.

SPEAKER_01 23:48

That's that's a that's a naughty, that's a naughty front row right there.

SPEAKER_00 23:52

That would have been absolutely ridiculous. But Thomas Flegler obviously coming back from a what this I I think he's got nothing to lose going out there. Like when he was playing, what was it, he was out for two years with his shoulder or neck or pinch nerve, may have never thought that he had another chance in this arena again. I actually reckon he's gonna come out and potentially be an absolute destroying wrecking ball. I think he's gonna hit everything that moves, I think he's gonna want to prove a point as well. Um, so I think it's gonna be a real physical game in the wet.

SPEAKER_01 24:23

Yep.

SPEAKER_00 24:23

I've got a feeling it's gonna be low scoring. Yeah, I don't think it's gonna be I don't think it's gonna be huge.

SPEAKER_01 24:28

But one of the things that I I think you can say is like Ethan Strange coming coming in for um Mitch Moses, I nearly called him Victor Moses. I'm going I'm going with the old Barclays players is yeah, um no, with uh with Ethan, um with Ethan's Ethan Strange, I think he's very much gonna be that you I I I feel like for Origin, you need your Batman and your Robin. Yeah, you need your you need your supporting player to be able to look after the the the halve and if you've got two two chiefs. No, because then it can disrupt the attack and there could be a bit of a distort in the in in that and too much of wanting to demand the ball. Whereas if you have a a someone like Strange who can just go about the business on the on the left, can be come in as a get get Cleary to play both sides, him coming at a first receiver every now and then, I think that could really really work well.

SPEAKER_00 25:15

Player the balls off the bottom of the rock as well in the rain, I think, are gonna be important. He's pretty good at them. The only thing that I think lets it down losing Moses' kicking game. Yeah, that's it. We genuinely don't have like Cleary's a good kicker, but he's nowhere near Moses.

SPEAKER_01 25:26

Moses is ridiculous.

SPEAKER_00 25:27

And can you imagine the wet ball in this weather would have been causing all sorts of trouble? Like, no matter who you've got under that in the back or coming off the wing, it's gonna be difficult to catch. So it is disappointing losing Moses, but strange brings something else, and with such a late change as well, how will Queensland change their game plan to identify that? So it'll be really interesting to see how the first like 20 minutes go. It'd be interesting to see how the referees go as well, if they're gonna referee it like an origin game. But if you notice during during like league matches, they're actually I don't think they're given as many six agains as as they have been previously. It has slowed down, but we said this. Remember on Saturday, it was like the ball hadn't gone out, or there was no penalties in the first 15 minutes, I think it was, and everyone was just knackered. So it'd be interesting to see how that um that pans out. But what whoever loses, selections are going to be questioned. And I do think the two boys at the back, Ponger and Tedesco, whoever's on the losing team, it'll be then okay. Well, why'd Edwards not playing? Why is Walsh not playing? Yeah. So it'd be interesting to see how that one goes over that. But um what do you reckon? I mean, obviously New South Wales.

SPEAKER_01 26:38

But I think it'll be a cagey win. I think it could be like an 18, 18, 16, 18, 12. Uh, can't see it being uh, like you say, a massive affair. I think the first 10, 10, 15 minutes will be a lot of a lot of contact up in the middles. It'll then start being getting spread out a little bit. Uh, I think mistakes will come into it. It'll be I think it'll be individual tries that win this, like some in origin plays, as everyone likes to say. I think there'll be some origin plays in this game, which will which will win it. Uh, but I bat the boys in blues to get it done.

SPEAKER_00 27:08

Yeah, I'm gonna go New South Wales. I think, like I said, low scoring game. I even reckon it could be like 12-8, 12-10, something like that. Um, don't think it'll be high scoring, but I do reckon Olakuatuatu might be getting his name on the on the score sheet tomorrow. Can you imagine? Can you imagine Olaquatu, Cola, both tri scorers, cleary with the conversions, 12-10, New South Wales win. Do you know? I might lump on. I just saw something about sports better trying to entice me into lump on. But talking of lumping on, let's get into uh round 13. Unlucky for some. Hopefully, it's unlucky for the Crenelo Sharks because Friday night, 8 p.m., we're making our way down to the Ocean Protect Stadium. Any suggestions of where to park, by the way? Stick it in the comments below because it looks like an absolute nightmare. Um, we got the Crenella Sharks at $1.87 against the Manley Seagulls at $1.98.

SPEAKER_01 28:03

Uh, I'm gonna go for Manly. Uh, the Manly winning this. I do worry about our attack, um, but that could change depending if Cola comes independently for Alaquatu. If they're if they've got a lot of second rows, because they I think they may be interchangeable in in origin. So I think Alaquatu may only play 40 to 60 minutes, maybe. Um, but we'll see what goes from that. But I do back them. The sharks have lost Nico Hines, which even though he's been a bit inconsistent, it it is it is uh it is still a big loss. Um, but I back the boys to to make the trip down and and um make the win. But saying that they've they've named uh Fenewa Blake uh in there, so that would be interesting to see if he actually does play.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

So 48 hours after Origin they're playing, which is uh they I don't think any team should be scheduled to play on the Friday. On the Friday, it should be a full fixture super Saturday, super Sunday. Yeah, it should be four four games each. Oh, in fact, no, there's less, there's only six games or something this weekend. It should be three and three, just to give every player a bit of a rest. Um I genuinely think either team can win this. I'm gonna tip Manly because we're on such run of form, but it wouldn't surprise me if we lose a close one in this. But I'm gonna go with the Manley Sea Eagles.

SPEAKER_01 29:21

Okay, and then we that takes us into the Saturday um with the three o'clock kickoff at the McDonnell Jones Stadium. We've got the Knights at $1.22 against the Parramatta Eels at $4.35.

SPEAKER_00 29:33

I mean they've lost uh main man, Mitch Moses. I saw some uh little Instagram posts earlier that literally before four Origins, he's got injuries that have kept him out for a minimum of three weeks. So Eels fans have got to be hating it when he gets selected for Origin. I believe the Knights win this.

SPEAKER_01 29:51

Yeah, I'm gonna join you there. I'm gonna back back the Knights.

SPEAKER_00 29:54

And then the evening kickoff, five. Oh, there's three games on the Saturday, so it's not just it's not the evening kickoff, it's the 5.30 pm kickoff. We've got the West Tigers at $1.56 against the Canterbury Banks Town Bulldogs at $2.44 at the Combank.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

At the Combank. Uh Buller is back, Happy Coruscal is back. Um, I'm gonna I'm gonna tip the West Tigers the next one.

SPEAKER_00 30:19

Yeah, they've got a fair few players back from this. Um dogs did look good though. The dogs did look good against the storm. I'm gonna go for the Bulldogs. I think they're gonna back up their um win last week. And I I reckon Tigers need to do a bit more, so I'm gonna go for the Bulldogs.

SPEAKER_01 30:43

Oh, interesting. Uh, then we fly down to Melbourne uh at Amy Park. We've got the Melbourne Storm at $2.04 against the Sydney Roosters at $1.81. That must be the highest odds the Storm have had at Amy Park since we've been doing this.

SPEAKER_00 30:56

Maybe. In fact, yeah, definitely. Um in if the Roosters want to prove their premiership contenders, they've got to go down there and win. There's no doubt about it. Um Storm will have a few players back. I I reckon Roosters, Roosters win this game.

SPEAKER_01 31:14

Yeah, I'm gonna I'm gonna back you up there. I'm gonna go for the Roosters as well. I just think they've got it in them to make the win.

SPEAKER_00 31:22

Then Sunday, we're at the Suncorp, the Brisbane Broncos at $1.11 against the St George Illawarra Dragons at $6.70. Broncos. Yeah, don't think we have to say much about that. I think the Broncos are gonna win that one.

SPEAKER_01 31:35

Uh that takes us to the five past four kickoff at the Geo Stadium in Canberra with the $1.70 Raiders against the $2.15 Cowboys.

SPEAKER_00 31:46

This will be interesting. This will be interesting. This one thing it's got the makings of a of a solid game. Um Barnstormer. Absolutely, it could be a Barnstormer, also could be a quiet one. Depends what the weather's saying down in Canberra, actually. But I reckon the Canberra Raiders win this one.

SPEAKER_01 32:06

Yeah, I do as well. I think the additions having back the the big boys of of Hoodie Young, uh Sebastian Chris is back, Ethan Strange. I think that like you could tell they were just a couple of players away from doing the Dolphins.

SPEAKER_00 32:19

They're playing Sunday as well, so they've got a couple days, a couple more days rest.

SPEAKER_01 32:22

So I'm gonna go for the Raiders in that one as well. Join him.

SPEAKER_00 32:25

Last game of the weekend, the 6.15 kickoff is the Penrith Panthers at $1.64 against the New Zealand Warriors at $2.26 at the combank as well. Could be fully chopped up by then.

SPEAKER_01 32:41

First versus second. Hmm. Do you know what? I'm gonna I'm gonna up the wires. I'm gonna back the wires in this.

SPEAKER_00 32:51

I'm not. I'm gonna go with the Penrith Panthers at home. Um is it really home? Well, it is because I don't know, I've just got this feeling that the Warriors aren't gonna travel well. So I'm gonna go with the Panthers. And it turns out there's actually seven fixtures this weekend, so it's quite impossible to do four on one day and then three on the other. Maybe after Origin they should schedule some games on the Monday or something. I don't know, it might just make sense. A little Monday night footy. But that's it. There we go. We'll be at Origin tomorrow. Um, looking forward to it. Don't know how wet we're gonna get because obviously we're under cover, but it's more to travel there and travel back. I'm not looking forward to this. Hope we stay dry. But thanks for tuning in, and we will catch you in the next one. See you later.