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They've been doing it all day sir!
Two Englishmen in Australia, talking sports and life in a new country
They've been doing it all day sir!
Knife Edge
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One finals weekend can rewrite a whole season, and that’s exactly what happens here. We jump straight into the biggest NRL finals storyline: are the Warriors out of gas, or did the Dolphins just announce themselves as a real premiership threat? We dig into the turning points that decide tight games, especially the choice that always splits fans, taking the two or backing yourself to score.
From there we break down each matchup with honest takes and plenty of detail: the Knights shocking the Rabbitohs and how Dane Gagai gets right under Latrell Mitchell’s skin, why Kalyn Ponga’s influence keeps growing, and the bunker call that still feels like a sliding-doors moment. We also talk finals crowds and venues, because the atmosphere is part of the product and it has been a talking point all weekend.
Then it’s onto Sharks vs Cowboys and what changes when key players are carrying injuries, plus Panthers vs Roosters where the Cleary sin bin sparks the usual debate around “can’t touch the kicker” rules. We give flowers to the standouts like Herbie Farnworth and Dylan Edwards, run quickfire winners and losers, and finish by tipping Roosters vs Sharks and Warriors vs Knights with pressure landing squarely on the main organisers. If you enjoy sharp NRL analysis and finals-footy arguments you can actually have with your mates, subscribe, share the show, and leave a review so more fans can find us.
Hello, welcome to another episode of David Doodle Data. The Warriors are roosted and circling the journey. Have they got one more performance in them? Let's get stuck in.
SPEAKER_01Nice. Have they got one more performance in them? That is the question. How's your week been?
SPEAKER_00Yeah, it's been good, mate. Not too not too bad. Um sliced my finger just before I was going to come over here. So that's down to the nail. I reckon if it was another another millimeter, we wouldn't be recording tonight and I'd be in the Northern Beaches hospital.
SPEAKER_01It was uh take the top off.
SPEAKER_00I I uh took I was I was able to peel the skin back and have a look inside and I was like that's not too that's not too far off that so um what were you doing? Because you're cleaning a bread knife, right? Yeah, I was cleaning a bed bread knife and because we've we've got like the global ones, so they're like a metal uh handle, I was scrubbing it and I just lost grip of it and it just went. Now I've learnt to when you when you clean it to have the blade away, yeah, and not towards.
SPEAKER_01Last time I cut my hand open was on the most lethal is it fruit? Avocado's fruit, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, the most lethal fruit going.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, yeah, it's got a bit. It's it's a seat, it's got a seed in it, so does that mean it's let us know in the comments.
SPEAKER_01Is an avocado a fruit? I can't even bother to think now, but um, yeah, as you do was trying to get the stone out, yeah, was pushing down to and it just slipped and just went straight through my hand. Dangerous things, those old knives. They are, they are, but been up with anything else.
SPEAKER_00Uh had the ferrets awards last Friday, which was a good one. Good, good, good, nice little event. Um, what was that? The clubhouse? No, it was at the Forestville RSL.
SPEAKER_01Oh, yeah, next to um Melbourne. Melwood, yeah, yeah.
SPEAKER_00So popped in there at a few beers, um, then popped around here Saturday, which was which was good.
SPEAKER_01Um watched the footy on Saturday, watched the start of the Warriors game. Yep. Got told uh your partner was getting bored so you had to go. Yeah. Um and then yeah, that was that's probably about it. What about yourself? Quiet one. Uh, don't really think I've been up to much. Actually, it took three hours to clean the inside of the car on Saturday because absolutely filthy popcorn crisps, crumbs in the back of it from the kids. So, yeah, that took absolutely ages to clean. Um, but yeah, not been up to much really just laying low, business and business end of this season. Very much so. As it is, but some breaking news that's that's come out. Oh, Luke Brooks might be being shopped around.
SPEAKER_00I don't like that. I don't like it one bit. I don't like it. It's quite in, it's it's quite interesting how our probably opinion from the start of the season to where he was when he finished changed a little bit. I think the impact he had on the team. I think we we were both very apprehensive, but I think it was as soon as Foggerty got injured, he he really showed the class that he that he has. Um whereas now I I I think he needs to maintain because you you saw last season the only the only player that played well with Foggerty was Falalo when he came came in at six, who I think is a natural six. Walsh doesn't play well with Foggerty, I think, because they're both both sevens. Walsh uh Walsh and Brooks played well against the Panthers. But that's what I was just about to say. When well he played well against the Broncos as well when they played together as well. True, it was two weeks, wasn't it? Because Foggett was out of his um leg. So it's it's a bit of a it's a bit of a worry.
SPEAKER_01If if you wanted to lose one of them, you probably you don't want to lose Brooks, I think, is the consensus that I have be interesting to hear well how it materialises because I would have thought Brooke well, this is what I was just saying. I think Brooks stays until the end of his contract, and he's just been although there it does say early release, I think he's just being shipped around for trying to find him a contract for the end of next season. Um, but another big sign-in for Manly, Steve Hansen. Yeah, that's huge. He's he's got a few acronym uh Sir Sir Steve Hansen. Sir Steve Hansen geezer only lost 10 test matches for New Zealand. It's ridiculous. He's I'm hoping he just brings in this high quality performance side of things where he directs the ship. I think he's a great mentor for foreign. If you Kiwi on Kiwi action, I think he's gonna provide him guidance and just elevate the expectation at Manly of what a high performance environment looks like. And it seems like we're cleaning out the dead wood of kind of what's not guided us well in the past, and I think it's that pathways element as well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, and there was a few um shocks on the old release list. I think there was one one uh one or two that was Blake Wilson's gone. Yeah, Blake Wilson. I think I was quite I was quite surprised, but but I suppose he's gonna be looking for first grade NRL starts, yeah, and he was playing a lot in New South Wales Cup, and it was only able to play um in when once there was injuries. Um Nick Led Naz went as well, didn't he? And he made like 100% of tackles every time he came up. That was quite a shock. Um, but yeah, like you say, that there must be some stuff going on on behind the scenes, and there's some signings teed up um to hopefully kick on for next year.
SPEAKER_01Interesting one though, real interesting, and I suppose another interesting interesting one, old Josh Addowr. Have you seen that the sponsor has obviously dropped him for being an idiot? He's gone into rehab as well, he's checked himself into rehab, but the sponsor was Jack Carr's J A C Josh Add O Carr. It just worked out that they were the same initials, so he got sponsored by them. But I mean, considering he got kicked out of the bulldogs for exactly the same thing. Um, Mad Monday must have carried on through till Mad Friday, and he got pulled over. Yeah, I mean, stupid. He's I I wanna like is it how's he how does he recover from this? Will the ills keep him? That's a big question. Uh, but we'll see how that one goes. But what what a finals round, what uh what a great finals round. And before we dive in, hit that subscribe button. Um slowing down on the subscribers, so it'd be nice, it'd be nice if if we get a few more. But what do you think the game of the weekend was?
SPEAKER_00Um I I think it was the Warriors Dolphins. Phenomenal. Um, absolutely. We'll get on to the Dolphins in a bit. Incredible game. I think it was it was a showcase of if what what you can do if you're always in in touch and distance of the opposition, if you're if you're facing a lot of pressure and you're just able to hold the line, so to speak. Um I don't think scoreboard pressure is as big in this in in league as it is in union. Um and Warriors may be kicking themselves a couple of times about going for penalties instead of uh going for the going for the uh six. But look, it was I just I think it was just an incredible game. It was, it was.
SPEAKER_01And the roosters lose out of the two of them. Who are you most concerned about going into the next round? Probably the Warriors.
SPEAKER_00Um, I think their inability to score it was was really really difficult.
SPEAKER_01I think that's the way that's the first's been named this week, wherever he plays or not.
SPEAKER_00That would be huge. I think the Roosters um that was just a very good defensive performance from both teams as well, like both teams that were defensively strong, um, but the Panthers have just had that little bit of class over them.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, the the experience I think got them there. Um but we'll dive into it in a sec. Let's kick it off with let's go in game order. Okay. Rabbit O's Knights. We both tipped the rabbit O's last week, and I did not see this coming. Like, I didn't see the Rabbit O's performing in the way that they did, no, and I didn't see the Knights performing in the way they did. They came out flying, and what I think um highlighted this was Dane Gagai just absolutely shut down Atrell Mitchell. He had everything over him, and that aggro that kicked off, you could just tell he was getting the better of him.
SPEAKER_00And and and that's the and that's the thing is that we we mentioned before the game last week it would be Mitchell shutting down Ponger, and and that that was going to be a huge part of it. But this this night's team, when they're whenever they've got had their back up against the wall with with losses of players, they've been able to come out and put in performances. And I think that's what we saw at the weekend as well, is is they are not a team to be taken taken for granted. They've got a good good back line with them, they've got a good attack. Um Ponger was class. Ponger isn't been in some ridiculous form, nearly 300 metres. I think he had running. Uh he's he's playing both edges, which is which is incredible to watch, and they're just able to carve teams teams open. Um and I think the rabbitos were just stunned.
SPEAKER_01They were, and they lost uh Cody Walker early on, calf. Like, sad way for him to go. Might I don't know whether he's renewed or not for next year, but um that obviously impacted their their attack. Jamie Humphrey had to come on and play in the halves, yeah. When he usually comes on and plays plays it uh hooker, um, and he sometimes he feels in at 13 as well, I think. At some time, but then Alex Johnson came off the field later. They had two key injuries. Big moment in the game, though. Was it just before half time? Rabbit O scored and it was deemed to be knocked on. Yeah, I don't know about that call. A lot of people are saying it was the right call, but was there enough evidence to overturn it from the bunker? It was try-on field. I don't know whether there was enough evidence to overturn it, which obviously Wayne Bennett comes out, goes mental after as it is. Um disappointing them for the rabbit o zone.
SPEAKER_00I think it is it is, especially with the with the with the the highs that they'll have in going into finals. You you think they're gonna be able to kick on and and go maybe all the way to the semis. Um, but then to to go out in the way they did, very lackluster performance just didn't didn't turn up. Um I don't think the crowd really got behind them. I think I I think it was more Newcastle there than there was shit attendance the whole weekend.
SPEAKER_01I think I saw something that I was the NFL game, 100,000 people were there at Melbourne. They couldn't even scrape together 93,000 in four games, four, yeah, four games, which is which is worrying. Like if you look at the Penrith um who did they play? Roosters game. I think Penrith were in a bit like the fans are in a bit of protest against travelling to the Eels home stadium, like it's not their home ground, yeah. And the Roosters ain't gonna venture out of the eastern suburbs, are they? Like, let's be realistic, like they're not gonna go west, absolute snob. So I think that impacted it because there should have been 45,000 people, 40,000 people at the combank. There should have been 35,000 people at Allianz, and it would have been rockin'. I mean, the Warriors, what was there?
SPEAKER_00That was that was that so I think their official capacity was 25, and they had like someone like 26 in there. And I was like, how's that?
SPEAKER_01Be interesting to see how they go at Eden Park this weekend. That's meant to be. I mean, that can hold 50, I think. Big old ground. Be interesting to see if they packed that out, but um, yeah, and then Cranulla and who did the sharks play? Why can't I? Cowboys. Cowboys, I mean, that's difficult. You got yeah, cowboys coming down from North Greens, and you've got sharks being but there's only 15, 16,000 people there or something.
SPEAKER_00There's only 2,000 more that could be at Shark Park. And this is the thing this is the the comments coming out about Shark Park, and I was reading into it the other day.
SPEAKER_01You can't have a finals game there.
SPEAKER_00No, no, no, no, no. But it's it's the amount of money they've invested in the surrounding area in the luxury apartments and then neglecting the the grounds, so they've only got themselves really to really to blame. Back to Newcastle. How far do you reckon they can go in this? Um you know, you've you've got you can never count them out. Um they've got a they've got a tough week this week against the Warriors away, which is the which which is the thing. I'd have fan I think I would have fancied them more over the Roosters. But you know what? If they if they win this week, you you you wouldn't put them as a dark horse to be in that final. They'd play against the Panthers, wouldn't they? I think so. No, no, they wouldn't.
SPEAKER_01No, yeah, they would they would because they flip this point, they flip, they they switch, but yeah, I I think they're dark horses. They are because the game that we're gonna move on to, the Warriors, Dolphins, the Dolphins are not dark horses. No, they they're contenders. They were dark horses like throughout the season where people like, can they win it? Can they win after that performance against the Warriors? I put their them up there with I think the thing that lets them down is their defence, the defensive side of the ball, but their attack is phenomenal. I think Herbie Farnworth is easily the best player in the competition at the moment.
SPEAKER_00The thing was, I think what what killed them um in this game was was penalties. Like they only conceded the one try against against the Warriors. So their defensive structure was I'd sort of disagree in this game. Their defence was sound, it was just mistakes. Goal on defence. It was mistakes and and and key mistakes in key areas, which as I was saying, that's five opportunities the the Warriors had to possibly go for go for the go for the try. Um, and they they elected the points. And as I've said it right at the start, scoreboard pressure doesn't hurt as much in any.
SPEAKER_01Two games they went 2-0 up. Like two different I think the sharks went 2-0 up, didn't they? And the Warriors went 2-0 up. Interesting. I get it. Like it's if the game ended, then you'd win. Yeah, of course. But then the but if the Queen had a dick, she'd be the king.
SPEAKER_00Exactly, exactly. Um but the the Dolphins in the second half, though, they just came out and they're attacking prowess. And and as I was saying, when you're always in touch with your opposition in tight games like this, if you can then put your foot on the accelerator and the warriors just look done, they look dead.
SPEAKER_01Whenever like we knew that the warrior's edge outside was a weakness because Manly exploited it, and when you've got one of the best centres, and I suppose you look at Jack Bostock as well, he's absolutely carving it up on the wing. You were just worried for them, and there were times when Herbie Farnworth would get the ball, and he like he would even deceive my eyes when the way that he was duke in with his feet, and he got him for that try, and then his assist for the hammer. Obviously, hammer catches it, sees a gap, dukes. I can't remember the name of the geese with the blonde air out of his boots, runs around the outside, looks like he's seamlessly jogging. Then Farnworth draws them all in because he's just that much of a threat and dumps it off over the shoulder. Yeah, that was a turning point. And then you look at even Bostock's try, the last one that kind of like sealed it, put it out of reach, jumps off and just steals it, just goes yoink.
SPEAKER_00No, that's my ball, yeah. Um, so yeah, I reckon after that performance, they're definitely uh they're definitely final bound. Yeah, I they've got a week off. Um they've got a week off and they play either the the Roosters or Sharks, which do you know what is gonna be a better game than it could have been a couple of weeks ago?
SPEAKER_01Well, the Sharks turned them over 66-0, didn't they? So it'll be an interesting one to get back. They so they lose, I know they had was it uh Flegler that went off. Yeah, you got quite a bad concussion, but that's 11 days, he'll be back, he'll be back for that. Um I just don't think like I don't know, like it I don't think the sharks, we'll talk about them in a bit. I don't think the sharks have got what they had in that 66-nil game because they're banged up. Um, and the roosters be interesting to see how they go this week. But the Dolphins, they can beat anyone. Yeah, they can actually beat anyone. Um the big ones about the Warriors.
SPEAKER_00Do you reckon that they can recover from this this is it this is the thing? It's it's when you're the these these finals can can either work in your advantage or to your disadvantage. You you're coming off a tough, really tough game against the a top a better opposition to then go have to go again against a team that's going to be on a high while you're on a low. You've you've got to switch that mentality of right now, we've got to we've got to run these over. Um, and momentum's a killer. If if they if they don't start well and don't start at 100 miles an hour, the knights will will hurt them, especially with how they attack the edges.
SPEAKER_01We say this, it's Warriors the first time they've suffered uh defeat after leading it half time in two years, so it's an interesting one. Um I also think a big thing in this was losing Leka Halasima in the warm up.
SPEAKER_00Like yeah, that's huge. That is huge.
SPEAKER_01He's a devastating, and he's been named this week.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, that would be a late, late fitness test, I reckon. But if it's a hamstring, it's it I don't think it would have recovered. If if it's a if it's an injury to to rule him out of a game, I don't think a week's gonna be enough for it to to recover.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, and you know what? The Dolphins actually turned up and it wasn't like a tight game, as in like they weren't, they didn't fear the Warriors in New Zealand, and this is why I think they got the mentality to go potentially all the way. Um, they just turned up, did their business, played their footy, used their weapons, and they were powerful in the middle as well. They were they it was a it was a solid performance in tough conditions. Um, yeah. I yeah, I mean we'll ask a few more questions later about what what we think will happen, but what a performance. And then Sharks Cowboys, um bit one-sided this one.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I think I don't I don't think there's much really to talk about it. It was it was a game that we expected the result to go, to be honest.
SPEAKER_01Um at one point I did think the cowboys were gonna fight their way back into it. Like Tao Malona was running the ball well.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, he he he he he's had a he's had a great season though, hasn't he? He's been really good. But I think like we've like we said last week, the brutal the ball bringing Trindle back back in.
SPEAKER_01He looked banged up though. That at the end of the game, his shoulder was like halfway down, he could barely lift his arm, and now he's got to go and put a shift in next week. Yeah, I think next week might be one step too far.
SPEAKER_00One game too far for him for for him, for the sharks.
SPEAKER_01I don't know, but for him, he's gotta go through all of that again. Like obviously, he's probably needled up to the eyeballs, but couldn't feel it.
SPEAKER_00He's got to do it another three times if I want to win it.
SPEAKER_01But yeah, he's now got to take him back, he's got to go and think, I've got to go through that again. I've got uh everything that I experienced last week, I've now got to experience again, and it's an even bigger stage, it's even more important. Like, I don't know, I just think it might be one step too far for him. But Heinz's kicking was terrible.
SPEAKER_00I know from going on this 30, I was just about to say that going on this 30-point or 30 conversions in a row run to having kicking less than 50% in this game, uh, leaving six uh six points out there.
SPEAKER_01I just remembered something as well. What cost what 100% what cost the cowboys this game kicking the high ball like Scotty Drinkwater was terrible under the high ball, couldn't catch a cold, but yeah, there were two that were ridiculously hard to catch, and he caught both of them.
SPEAKER_00Ball, yeah.
SPEAKER_01But it was his errors, that's what that's what messed them up. Like any momentum that they wanted to have, they lost straight away. Yeah, um, but yeah, sharks power on cowboys out, so rabbiters and cowboys bite the dust. Um and the last game of the round, this was an absolute barnstormer. Like it wasn't as good as the Warriors Dolphins game, but this was a you didn't know which way it was gonna go. Absolutely not, and there was some contrast, there's some big controversy in this one. Um Cleary.
SPEAKER_00Um yeah, it it's we are now in the day and age where you can't touch the you can't touch the kicker. So it is, I reckon it is a Sinbin in. Um I think he's he's done he's done the time on the field for it because it's it's not that much of a dangerous it's not a dangerous incident the way that it happened. He just ran through his leg as a few.
SPEAKER_01I think it was Trey Trey Mooney earlier in the year for Newcastle ran into Tanner Boyd and actually injured him, like ran into his he got two games for it. Yeah. Last year was against Walsh exactly, barely touched him grand.
SPEAKER_00Did God just got a grand so it's like I think he did his time during the game. And if if they had ended up losing this and then him not getting suspended, I don't think people would have been uh been too much if they'd have lost the game within that 10-minute period, so to speak.
SPEAKER_01And I that was a point that I was gonna make. Like we talk about the roosters not being in a good run of form, lost what was it, four and about or something they've lost now. They couldn't score against the 12 men of the Panthers without the orchestra of the of the band. You know what I mean? Like the master of the ship, he wasn't there. One player in this game though that was phenomenal, Dylan Edwards. Geezer is just solid.
SPEAKER_00He's he's had quite a quiet season, though, hasn't he? He's he's not he's not been injured for a bit of a he has been injured, but he's not set the world alight with with his performances. But yeah, I completely agree in this one. He's he just he he was just back to the Dylan Edwards of of that four-peat with with the Panthers. He was just being out, he was there covering everything, he was coming out of his own end, he was running hard.
SPEAKER_01Um I tell you, talking about running hard, one player that did have a really good game, Blow Salani. Like, he was considering you up and down season, he's been dropped. Yeah, he was running hard. Casey McLean and him were something to he had a he had a point to prove, really, didn't he? He did, and you look at this Roosters team. Like, I saw that I don't know if you've seen the argument before, or not like argument, a bit of a heated discussion between Brayfin Astor and Brent Reed on 360. I kind of agree with Brent Reed on this. That all the the Roosters scored from an interception, yeah. And then they scored Savala goes over, like they didn't do anything against the Panthers, but tight game, they defended really, really well.
SPEAKER_00That's that's the big thing you've got to put into it is that they they kept the Panthers to to 19 points, um, which is no no easy no easy feat. Um but like you say, it's fair enough if you can if you're stopping the points, but if you can't go up the other end and and score them yourself, then there's there's no point in putting all that hard work in. Yeah, they've talked about Sam Walker potentially being back. Yeah, I've I've I've I've heard this. There's a bit of a push and and stuff, but again, it's risk versus reward in in over short term and and long term. Is he is he gonna do himself more harm? If he comes back this week, to if they do end up losing and causing himself a load of bother to go, and you know what, I'll just come back next season, fighting fit, and going again.
SPEAKER_01Do you reckon if DCE hits that field goal, do you reckon it changes the outcome of the game? I don't know.
SPEAKER_00I think I don't, I don't think so. I don't well like you say, pressure's a pressure's an interesting thing.
SPEAKER_01If pressure can burst a steel pipe, imagine what it can do to a man.
SPEAKER_00Exactly. And all the all the old cliches are coming out in this episode, aren't they? Like with the repeat of them. Um with the way that the Panthers play, I think they would have been able to still go over it. Do you reckon the favourites? Still the favourites? I don't know. It's getting it's getting close. It's getting closer now. They are good though. Like, yeah, they are really good.
SPEAKER_01I do look, I do. I know everyone's like, oh, you're just supporting a team that's won it all. But like I do like them.
SPEAKER_00I do it's like the it's it's go going back to the old Stevie Hanson, it is like watching that all backs team. It's just they they turn up, they're professional in what they do to get the job done.
SPEAKER_01People hate them because they're successful, yeah. That's exactly what it is. But you can't argue, like, and I'll give them credit, their kit looks fresh as well. The old rollback collared number, it looks least love a collared jersey. Oh, it's class. Um, how concerned Cleary's foot it come out that he's got like a little stress, bone stress problem.
SPEAKER_00I read what is it, the uh NRL physio. As to be fair, as someone who has recently not too long ago gone through this, it is agonizing. I could not put any weight on my foot, but also I didn't have all of the you're gonna you didn't get you're not gonna have injections. I was just about I was just about to say I did not have all of the magic, magic injections that these players will be privy to.
SPEAKER_01I know, so I reckon he'll be I reckon he'll be alright. He's got a week's week's rest, and then back into it, yeah, they'll jab him up. Um, it's just whether it impacts his performance if he like thinks can I step off of it.
SPEAKER_00Also he's kicking as well, yeah.
SPEAKER_01Because who would kick? Would it be Edwards? Alamotti.
SPEAKER_00Alamotti, yeah, if he's on the field, if he's playing, yeah, exactly.
SPEAKER_01Um, but yeah, let's uh go through some winners and losers of of this week. So quick fire questions, best team performance dolphins, dolphins by mile, best individual performance. I think it's between two people, three people.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna go for the Englishman, Herbie.
SPEAKER_01I'm gonna agree with you.
SPEAKER_00I think Herbie final is fantastic, even though Dylan Edwards could be quite close there, or Caitlin Pong.
SPEAKER_01I think those are three that you could choose in that. And look, I'll give a special shout out as well to Isaiah Yo, how he's playing with a ruptured peck and gets through it.
SPEAKER_00Fair play to man.
SPEAKER_01I barely walk after stubbing my toes, so geezer's absolutely phenomenal. Um, biggest finals disappointment bunnies in particular. I'm gonna pick out Lutrell Mitchell, yeah, like disappeared, disappeared, got absolutely bossed up by Dane Gagai, and then just went into his shell and I tried to give it the bigger and didn't work, and I don't know, just yeah, but most controversial moment, didn't there was a few.
SPEAKER_00Um I'm gonna go for the old uh I can't remember who it was, the old knock on try. For who? Oh, was it um we just talked about it?
SPEAKER_01Oh, the rabbit is one, yeah. Alex Johnson, yeah, yeah, when he knocked it and then dropped it and then kicked it. Yeah, I agree. I I do think a bit as well the cleary, the aftermath of the cleary, like everyone saying uh you should be banned, all this sort of stuff, but um most vulnerable remaining team, most vulnerable, yeah.
SPEAKER_00Um they're an absolute predator in the ocean, but not out here. I think it's the sharks.
SPEAKER_01I reckon the roosters roosters, I reckon the roosters are vulnerable. Um and then from the performances at the weekend, a player that you'd want with the game on the line.
SPEAKER_00Oh, that is do you know what? With the form he's in at the moment, I I'd say Ponga.
SPEAKER_01That's a good shout. It's a good shout.
SPEAKER_00I like you can always go for the old old Nathan Cleary, but I wanted to you just think outside the box a little bit.
SPEAKER_01Think outside the box. I can't I can't picture beyond I can't picture beyond Nathan Cleary. Um nah, to be fair, uh, I'll give Isaiah Yo his props. I he would lead from the front 100%. Um so yeah, I'll give him that, but A team winning it.
SPEAKER_00It's still not wait, you want to be res it like calculated, and it's still not outside the Panthers, but I think the Dolphins could do them do them a bit of damage in the final. I think that could be the final two with the Knights, maybe, maybe, maybe sneaking in there.
SPEAKER_01Fight to put my house on it. Um you've got to back the Panthers.
SPEAKER_00Yeah, I can't, you can't like the Dolphins were good, but it's they weren't good enough for me to go. Oh my god, this this team could run up. If they'd have put 50 past the uh Warriors, I might be saying something different.
SPEAKER_01Yeah, but uh let's get into the final what's this round called? Is it the prelim finals or is it the prelim? What is it? Is it the semi-final? No, is it no isn't because that isn't that no that's that's the prelim next week's the prelim. I don't know, I don't know. It's ah random one. This one's on Saturday, on Friday night. You're gonna watch the Sydney Swans, like they're in the basically the other thing. I've never watched an AFL game, but it's them against uh shit. I don't even know. Fremantle, I think. So East West, East West might have a little tune in uh see how it goes, but anyway, Saturday, like we didn't we ain't even got a weeknight game. Nah, we ain't got a weeknight game until next season. It's all ending. How disappointing is this? But uh Saturday night, 7.50 at the Allianz. Hopefully, it's a bit busier than it was this week. Sydney Roosters, $1.44 against the Crenella Sharks, $2.81. Angus Crichton back in.
SPEAKER_00He's yeah, he's been has he been named, yeah, on the bench, 17. He has oh that could be a big late fitness test as well to bring in. Um this is a tough one. It is, it is, and I think just because they've got they'll have home advantage, I think roosters may just nip over.
SPEAKER_01I I I loved the way that um Katoa played, yeah, and I love the way that Mulatalo played as well, those two are just like different gravy on the outside, and they're gonna be up in up in Mark Nawanganitawase's face. I'll tell you who did have a good game for the Roosters actually, Robert Toyer. I'll give him credit. Yeah, um, Daniel Tupot is a bit quiet. I think the sharks, I've I've got a feeling the roosters go back to back, okay, and they're out.
SPEAKER_00Okay, and then we go to the Sunday, the 20th of September. The five past four kickoff at Eden Park in Auckland. We've got the Warriors at $1.52 against the Knights at $2.57.
SPEAKER_01Some real interesting players named in this one. I get it, like I get it. It's last game of the season, potentially. You've got to put everything on the line. DWZ, Watteny Zelezniak is back from a broken collarbone. I know he's he's in the reserves, so he's gonna be a late fitness test. He mentioned late fitness test, late fitness test hamstring that Jackson Ford is out with possible syndic injury, came back for one game, was done. But the b for the Knights, Dylan Lucas. I read he snapped his fib and Tib dislocated his ankle 59 days ago, and he's been named on it. What I heard on the radio though is um uh that Adam O'Brien was saying he wasn't too confident, like the way he was speaking about him playing wasn't as if he was ready, it's just he's been named just in case. Uh Jesus. But I actually think the Warriors go back to back as well. I'm gonna pick the Newcastle Knights to win this.
SPEAKER_00I'm gonna join you. I'm gonna I'm gonna back the dark horses. I'm gonna back the dark horses. It could be a as much as as we've we've backed the Warriors all season. I just this attack is is dangerous.
SPEAKER_01It feels like it happens every year, right? Like the Warriors look promising, something happens like whether it's DWZ snapping his collarbone or whether it was uh Metcalf injury last year that upset Tanner Boyd, obviously, is out as well. But I just see yep, I just see the Knights winning it.
SPEAKER_00I'll have to join him.
SPEAKER_01Who do you think's the player that's under the most pressure in the in the finals?
SPEAKER_00In the in this round, yeah. Um, I would say uh you gotta throw a bit of pressure on DCE. I was thinking exactly the same thing. You gotta throw some pressure on him. Yeah, went to the roosters for a premiership last season in the uh in the odd NRL. Uh and he's gonna it's it's all gonna go to him to to drag him through against the sharks.
SPEAKER_01It is, I think it's on DCE, and he's got to guide that guide that ship. He's got Savala next to him, um, huge weight on his shoulders, and I yeah, no one else. I think he's yeah, big pressure on him. But that's it. Week one of the finals done. Dolphin. Definitely belong in this in this stage, see how they go next week. But if you haven't already, hit that subscribe button and we'll catch you in the next one. See you next week.