Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to in our old three sixty brought
Speaker 1: to you by maccus Live from downtown Las Vegas, the
Speaker 1: Old Vegas, the amazing Fremont Street, which is buzzing with
Speaker 1: rugby league fans from all across the globe. If you're
Speaker 1: a rugby league fan, well it doesn't get much better
Speaker 1: than this. As you can see, they are streaming through
Speaker 1: and they can't wait. Join to me, Gordy, buzz and
Speaker 1: ready and won a way to kick off season twenty
Speaker 1: twenty five. Then right here in the entertainment capital of
Speaker 1: the world, Las Vegas, and we can't wait.
Speaker 2: We're back again in twenty twenty five Allegiance Stadium. Welcome
Speaker 2: to Rugby League Las Vegas.
Speaker 3: Right here on Fox League.
Speaker 2: All up this Sunday, four matches, Big matches. They're back
Speaker 2: until beginning thirty a m.
Speaker 4: Sydney time.
Speaker 2: Wigan versus Warrington, the reigning English Super League champions up
Speaker 2: against Sam Burgess's wonderful Warrington Wolves.
Speaker 5: How good is that?
Speaker 6: Eleven o'clock Sydney time.
Speaker 2: Ten in Brisbane, Round one of the NRL kicks off
Speaker 2: with the Raiders.
Speaker 7: No, no, no, not those Raiders.
Speaker 2: Ricky's Raiders versus the Warriors Vegos, both led by keywek
Speaker 2: teammates the strong Arm Joseph Tarfany and this big fella
Speaker 2: James Fisher Harris. Then the best women players in the
Speaker 2: world pounce onto the international stage, Australia versus England, the
Speaker 2: Jill Rus and these Lionesses. What a triumph for women's
Speaker 2: game has become. L three thirty and three point thirty.
Speaker 4: We strike up.
Speaker 2: The band for the main event. One hundred and forty
Speaker 2: seven days. That's how long the wait has been. One
Speaker 2: hundred and forty seven days for every team, every player,
Speaker 2: every coach to find the answers to stop a modern
Speaker 2: day sporting joint together. Yes, it's the Penrith Panthers, four
Speaker 2: times straight NRL Premiceship champions up against these Cronulla Sutherland Sharks.
Speaker 2: Here's Magnan Cleary from that stepic Ah, the wonderfully gifted
Speaker 2: Nathan Cleary versus the sheer power and the attitude the
Speaker 2: prize recruit adding Vaniua Blake.
Speaker 8: What a match up.
Speaker 4: What a day in rugby league.
Speaker 6: History to go all the way from Las Vegas, Nevada,
Speaker 6: where the rule is you dream big, can live even bigger.
Speaker 4: The only place.
Speaker 6: You'll see all four.
Speaker 8: Matches live right here, right here.
Speaker 2: That's it right here on false League.
Speaker 1: Yes, since the second year now launching the season for
Speaker 1: the NRAL here in Las Vegas, and it just seems that.
Speaker 9: Gets bigger and better.
Speaker 1: You can hear the fans behind us screaming and cheering.
Speaker 1: They have turned up and I've got goody buzz and ready.
Speaker 1: It's great to see you guys back. It's great to
Speaker 1: have you back in a roll three sixty. But the
Speaker 1: atmosphere it's incredible, isn't It's unbelievable.
Speaker 5: I was so excited.
Speaker 10: I thought it was the best launch ever last year
Speaker 10: and it's the same this year. With the four new teams.
Speaker 10: Are the places buzzing jerseys everywhere?
Speaker 5: Rugby League We're back, buzzy, Oh mate, I love it.
Speaker 8: I've been covering the game for decades.
Speaker 11: To be back here a second year, to hear the
Speaker 11: crowd here, to think fifty thousand people will be at
Speaker 11: that stadium on Sunday back home, and to think that
Speaker 11: fifteen thousand of them will be Americans, which are new
Speaker 11: customers to have great gain. This is huge, mate, and
Speaker 11: it's so exciting.
Speaker 3: Sure is buzz Rude he dead said masters tro bringing
Speaker 3: the Super League teams as well.
Speaker 4: We had all those tourists come over from England last year.
Speaker 3: Those numbers have doubled the women's game as well, expanding
Speaker 3: it to bring that in. We're going to it's a
Speaker 3: four much extravaganza on Saturday here. It'll be unbelievable.
Speaker 9: It's a bit of a free hit, isn't it over
Speaker 9: the other codes?
Speaker 1: We've got State of Origin, We've got Grand Finals, and
Speaker 1: now we've got this epic show piece in Vegas. How
Speaker 1: do we compare it to Grand Finals and State of Origins?
Speaker 1: And do we have a free hit on the other codes?
Speaker 1: Considering how much attention the interell has got over the
Speaker 1: past few weeks.
Speaker 11: Well, the traction, the adrenaline, the momentum of this season
Speaker 11: launch I think puts it on par up there with
Speaker 11: events like State of Origin.
Speaker 8: I think it's bigger now than Magic Ground.
Speaker 11: When you think of Orange and Origin during the year
Speaker 11: stops our premiership for about eight weeks, we lose a
Speaker 11: little bit of momentum. What we got out of this
Speaker 11: launch last year and what will happen again is we
Speaker 11: saw the most spectacular start to the season back home
Speaker 11: in Sydney, Brisbane, Melbourne, and I'm sure we'll do it again.
Speaker 10: I don't often get jealous, Graith, but at the ground
Speaker 10: last year I got so jealous envious of all the
Speaker 10: players that were there.
Speaker 5: I think it's a special moment for our game.
Speaker 10: And as I said, like last year Elvis played in
Speaker 10: this town, so to be a rugby league player from
Speaker 10: Townsville or wherever you are to come and play in
Speaker 10: this great city, it's huge.
Speaker 3: It's the halo effect right as well. I mean it's
Speaker 3: not just about this week. It's about the effect that
Speaker 3: I was rolling forward and both said the momentum it
Speaker 3: gives the game. I mean, on my back in Australia,
Speaker 3: I can imagine people are talking rugby league.
Speaker 4: Not just in Queens and not just the news that.
Speaker 3: I'm sure the AFL looks at this and goes, man,
Speaker 3: I wish we could do that.
Speaker 9: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I think it ends the debate around whether it's been
Speaker 1: a success or not. Right Peter Velandi's fox Tel obviously
Speaker 1: with Patrick Elany and what we've been able to do
Speaker 1: to pay fine to make this event such a success. Yeah,
Speaker 1: there's no other answer.
Speaker 8: There were knockers at the start saying the cost.
Speaker 11: Will you know when it was money that could have
Speaker 11: gone to club's, money that could have gone to grassroots. Well,
Speaker 11: you know what the NRL have done so well they
Speaker 11: now have a break even event or might even make
Speaker 11: a small profit. And when I spoke about new customers
Speaker 11: in America around Australia, as you mentioned, Rudi, there is
Speaker 11: no AFL on the cricket's done and dusted and we
Speaker 11: will get really good ratings in the AFL states. I'm
Speaker 11: talking Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne and as a marketing tool you
Speaker 11: just cannot beat that.
Speaker 8: For rugby league.
Speaker 3: It's amazing to think they can break even the second
Speaker 3: year of this. You think about the amount of money
Speaker 3: this costs. I imagine it costs to break even the
Speaker 3: second year. It's an amazing effort by Pete and Andrew.
Speaker 3: Remarkable job by those guys.
Speaker 9: It sure is.
Speaker 1: Last year were in the cold and the wind, and
Speaker 1: we've got a better spot this year at Fremont Street,
Speaker 1: the Old Vegas. As I mentioned at the top of
Speaker 1: the show, what an atmosphere this is. You look behind us,
Speaker 1: you've got the lights, you got the fans, have good effort,
Speaker 1: they're going man behind me this This really is electric.
Speaker 9: It takes you back in time a little, but it is.
Speaker 9: It's the best place made.
Speaker 8: I think I'm the bus made. I think I'm the
Speaker 8: most popular with the partners.
Speaker 5: I don't love me.
Speaker 9: Eye buzz it's your era because this is the old
Speaker 9: Vegas coming.
Speaker 5: Back in the day.
Speaker 8: I think they feel sorry for me.
Speaker 4: Bro We all lovely, you know, the bloke and the pubbo.
Speaker 4: There was a big fan of yours before Buzzer.
Speaker 9: All right, how did we get over here?
Speaker 1: And I want to start with buzz right because we
Speaker 1: got the plane, which was a charter fight by the end,
Speaker 1: old thank you to the n roll and couanas. It
Speaker 1: was incredible. But you wouldn't believe who walked through the
Speaker 1: door first. He had row one seat one, the great
Speaker 1: Buzz Rothfield. He was even ahead of Peter Veland. He's
Speaker 1: on the plane. It was a few rows back. How
Speaker 1: did you pull this off?
Speaker 8: I don't know. I don't know.
Speaker 11: I think the NRL were determined to ensure that I
Speaker 11: give a reasonably positive even cover. We're over here, so
Speaker 11: if anything goes wrong at the stadium on Sunday, I'll
Speaker 11: be very reluctant about it.
Speaker 1: You were sitting near the pilot. Now already was sitting
Speaker 1: near the toilet.
Speaker 3: At the toilet were fifty nine cabat my next door.
Speaker 4: But I was on the aisle, so I it was convenient. Convenient, Yeah,
Speaker 4: very convenient.
Speaker 5: All right, did you find that jacket and the overhead?
Speaker 9: Let's let's stick with it.
Speaker 7: This is what's going on.
Speaker 4: This was my big occasion jacket on big occasions.
Speaker 9: Magic round in.
Speaker 4: Vegas, Baby brings out your eyes. God, he's got the
Speaker 4: gangs to look going.
Speaker 1: Peggy miners over here. What have you been getting up
Speaker 1: to in Vegas? I know we've had some fun. We've
Speaker 1: only been here for just over twenty four hours. But
Speaker 1: any of the exciting bus I'll come to you first.
Speaker 5: Mate.
Speaker 11: We're actually working journalists. We worked for the day. Go
Speaker 11: out here, we mate, you know what. We've got laptops
Speaker 11: and keyboards and we actually were really fast.
Speaker 9: Story okay, I don't believe.
Speaker 8: A holiday and we prepare for this great show. In
Speaker 8: between assignments.
Speaker 11: We've managed to find nice restaurants and a couple of
Speaker 11: nice bars.
Speaker 9: I'll tell you who's found some nice restaurants.
Speaker 1: Reeved up a little bit off over the off season.
Speaker 8: Well.
Speaker 4: To be fair. I had my phone in my wallet,
Speaker 4: my pocket.
Speaker 3: It's at least nine pounds at least, so it's miss misguided.
Speaker 9: You've brought a few pair of shoes while you here
Speaker 9: as well.
Speaker 4: Eight pairs of shoes, very cheap, broth. It's a great
Speaker 4: DJ to DJ Medusa, who j Okay.
Speaker 7: So very popular with the key.
Speaker 11: That's exciting anyway. I was just saying, breath, it's ribbon
Speaker 11: in TV listening to.
Speaker 1: A let's get to let's get to some breaking news
Speaker 1: because the fans are screaming at me here. So obviously
Speaker 1: the Raiders got themselves in a little bit of trouble
Speaker 1: earlier on in the week. Was it a big deal
Speaker 1: or was it a storm in a teacup. I'm going
Speaker 1: to go to the journos who apparently have been working
Speaker 1: hard over here the last couple of days.
Speaker 11: Well, Jason King, the boss of the integrity unit, arrived
Speaker 11: today and they will have a look into it. Look,
Speaker 11: there was no police call, there was no damage to
Speaker 11: the hotel. It didn't happen in front of any members
Speaker 11: of the public. I think Camber handled it magnificently in
Speaker 11: getting the players.
Speaker 8: To appear for a press conference. Explain their actions.
Speaker 11: It wasn't a brilliant start of the week on a
Speaker 11: scandal meter.
Speaker 8: I'd probably.
Speaker 3: What they blew out of proportion because they had the
Speaker 3: inflatable baseball bat and security thought that was obviously not
Speaker 3: an inflatable basement bat, and that sort of escalated the situation.
Speaker 3: But you know, I think when they get home, they're
Speaker 3: probably just slatten the wrist. But I think that's about
Speaker 3: all warrants.
Speaker 8: I can say something if.
Speaker 11: Yeah, this is the baseball bat, the blow up baseball bat?
Speaker 9: Is that actually? Now?
Speaker 11: I don't need to Hudson Young in the foyer at
Speaker 11: the Hilton Resorts well and he said, mate, they give
Speaker 11: you such a hard time. I want to give you
Speaker 11: this to whack them. If there's any d that's going
Speaker 11: to do that's coming home to Sydney, it'll be at
Speaker 11: our Tarman and I'll whack you until there's any round.
Speaker 5: Do you think that's going to be Gordy?
Speaker 9: Yeah, Gordy's really scared of you. Buzz, especially what kind
Speaker 9: of crowd.
Speaker 1: I know you mentioned it earlier, a little bit buzz,
Speaker 1: but what kind of crowd are we expecting for the
Speaker 1: big weekend of footall.
Speaker 3: I think at the moment's on target. Fav with forty
Speaker 3: five thousand, I think they're hoping for over fifty. I
Speaker 3: think they're a good chance of getting their break. So
Speaker 3: I mean again, that's remarkable. Over forty five thousand at
Speaker 3: a Legion stadium for a quarters at a rugby league games.
Speaker 3: And as we said, you know, so many tickets looks
Speaker 3: like the break even. So it's a great result for
Speaker 3: the code.
Speaker 9: So be more than last year.
Speaker 5: Buzz.
Speaker 11: Yeah, there will be probably an extra ten thousand people
Speaker 11: are seventeen thousand here from Australia, four thousand New Zealand,
Speaker 11: nine thousand from the UK and as I said, our
Speaker 11: best result fifteen thousand Americans and they track ticket sales.
Speaker 8: Sales have come from every state in America.
Speaker 9: That's the big thing is the Americans, because that's what
Speaker 9: we want.
Speaker 1: But but Goudy, you know, even walking the streets around
Speaker 1: Vegas as we have done the last couple of days,
Speaker 1: there are a lot of fans, a lot of jerseys,
Speaker 1: and everyone's really happy and looking forward to the game.
Speaker 10: You've noticed it, right, yeah, absolutely, you know, Well, we're
Speaker 10: in the hotel.
Speaker 5: There's a lot of Warriors fans.
Speaker 10: I've bumped into so many Kiwis and then the English
Speaker 10: last year. But it is because you're walking along and
Speaker 10: you see someone in a jersey and they've got American accent,
Speaker 10: that stuff like.
Speaker 5: That's the pleasing part for me, just meeting all.
Speaker 1: The American fans, which fans have we got the most
Speaker 1: of here, can we Warriors, Raiders, lots of Panthers, They're
Speaker 1: everywhere the camera Dramma, I think he takes the cakes.
Speaker 1: I'm going to go for the Riders. Let's get down
Speaker 1: of the fans. Because Lara Pitt is standing by in
Speaker 1: and a must.
Speaker 9: I am brace.
Speaker 12: Don't be jealous, but this is the place to be.
Speaker 12: Down on ground level at Fremont Street. We have taken
Speaker 12: over downtown Las Vegas.
Speaker 8: Fox League all week long.
Speaker 12: Plenty of eyeballs, plenty of interest in the greatest game
Speaker 12: of all and I have to tell you this is
Speaker 12: the place to be because more than twenty four million
Speaker 12: visitors they come through Fremont Street each and every year.
Speaker 12: This is the very first street that ever was in
Speaker 12: Las Vegas. And all these hotels, all these casinos around us,
Speaker 12: they were the very first of their kind in sim
Speaker 12: city over a century ago. It's had a revamp. It's
Speaker 12: had a rebuild. It is now known as the Fremont
Speaker 12: Street Experience. And I can tell you our fans they
Speaker 12: are soaking up every mile up the wires right behind me.
Speaker 12: I have to tell you all the fans are supported
Speaker 12: right across our game, not just the teams that are
Speaker 12: here this weekend.
Speaker 8: I have to the biggest support I've.
Speaker 12: Noticed is coming from the Wigan Warriors.
Speaker 8: They maybe not here right now, but earlier.
Speaker 12: Today at the season launch, their chants were allowed that
Speaker 12: they were proud and they are going to provide an
Speaker 12: enormous atmosphere to kick off game day at Allegiance Stadium.
Speaker 12: Speaking of fans, I think we've tracked down the number
Speaker 12: one supporter for Crinola Sharks. He happens to be a
Speaker 12: legend of our great game and he's a recent Hall
Speaker 12: of Famer for Crnolla. We have got the great Andrew
Speaker 12: eddinghousen Et. We are soaking this all up. How do
Speaker 12: you feel about this, knowing that your beloved Sharks are
Speaker 12: a part of year two of this enormous expedition.
Speaker 7: Yeah, it's amazing. As soon as the Sharky's names came
Speaker 7: out of the four teams, I went, I've got to
Speaker 7: be there. You know, it's a piece of history. You
Speaker 7: can see everybody here, so many people have gathered. It's
Speaker 7: just great to walk around. You almost go fifty meters
Speaker 7: and you're talking to another fan of the great game
Speaker 7: rugby league, so very special.
Speaker 12: You've absolutely been mobbed since you've been here, signing autographs,
Speaker 12: getting photos. What have you taken from seeing the fans
Speaker 12: and where they've come from, of the conversations you've had
Speaker 12: so far.
Speaker 7: Yeah, the great thing is from there all over the world,
Speaker 7: so Australia, New Zealand, of course England, and you bump
Speaker 7: into some Americans as well, all ready to cheer for
Speaker 7: their team, which is fantastic. And you know, I just
Speaker 7: love the whole atmosphere here. As soon as I got
Speaker 7: off the plane, it was just a buzz and it's
Speaker 7: just continued all the way through and this place is amazing.
Speaker 12: Cronulla.
Speaker 9: They have been in America for a few days.
Speaker 12: They went to la but they've entrenched themselves in Las Vegas.
Speaker 12: You've been in the inner sanctum of the Sharks. What
Speaker 12: have they been up to? What have you been up
Speaker 12: to since you touched down?
Speaker 7: Yeah, FITZI the coach is really happy with the boys.
Speaker 7: He said yesterday they just upped the end of themselves.
Speaker 7: They were really in high spirits and you know it's
Speaker 7: great to see. You know, these games, even for those guys,
Speaker 7: could be a once in a lifetime event, so really
Speaker 7: important for them to get out here. It's the first
Speaker 7: game of the season. They're playing the Panthers, which you know,
Speaker 7: what a team they've been so, you know, but these
Speaker 7: are the teams you really, you know, as professional footy player,
Speaker 7: these are the teams you want to play against. You
Speaker 7: don't want to play the weaker teams. You want to
Speaker 7: play the best. You know. I think the Sharkis are
Speaker 7: going to be.
Speaker 12: Up for it now, Rugby League. This is a bold
Speaker 12: move coming to America. But you were here some years
Speaker 12: ago in nineteen eighty seven when they came here for
Speaker 12: the State of Origin exhibition game.
Speaker 8: What was that like?
Speaker 12: How did the Americans at the time, do you remember
Speaker 12: received our great game?
Speaker 7: Well, nineteen eighty seven, that was a long time ago.
Speaker 7: But and then I thought, wow, this, you know, they're
Speaker 7: going to love our game. It's super super action, super tough.
Speaker 7: You don't wear helmets, and you know, it's just amazing
Speaker 7: how the Americans really love those combat sports. You know,
Speaker 7: I think rugby league is a perfect game for them.
Speaker 7: Over here, you've got little guys like Alfie Langer, and
Speaker 7: you've got the big guys like the Melman Ingers who
Speaker 7: played in that match in Gene Miles, with so many
Speaker 7: great players, so it'll be you know, I'll be very
Speaker 7: interested to see how the Americans accept the game. And
Speaker 7: I remember when we were there in eighty back in
Speaker 7: eighty seven, you know, we'd do a knock on and
Speaker 7: there was a guy in the microphone and go, hey,
Speaker 7: that's a knock on, and they'd explain the whole rules
Speaker 7: and you know, right through the whole match. So we
Speaker 7: ended up having around probably fifteen thousand people at the
Speaker 7: ground and they held us up. We're just about to
Speaker 7: walk out, and the crowd was really thin, and they said, look,
Speaker 7: all the crowd's just turned up now at eight o'clock.
Speaker 7: So we waited half an hour and the place was full.
Speaker 7: So it was really good and they had it was
Speaker 7: a great experience. I think the Blues won that game,
Speaker 7: which was a good one as well. But you know,
Speaker 7: it's going to be a fantastic Saturday. So many great
Speaker 7: teams and it's really good to have that mix.
Speaker 12: We've got a few days until kickoff at a Legiance Stadium.
Speaker 12: I know you're going to soak up all the Las
Speaker 12: Vegas has to offer. Eat, Thanks so much for joining us,
Speaker 12: and enjoy the spectacle.
Speaker 8: On the weekend.
Speaker 7: Yeah, I can't wait.
Speaker 8: Great.
Speaker 12: There are plenty of legends in town and we will
Speaker 12: patch up with more of them in the build up
Speaker 12: to Saturday.
Speaker 9: Peggy Lahs amazing as always.
Speaker 1: Now we're going to cover the Women's and Super League
Speaker 1: throughout the week, but let's get to the NRL with
Speaker 1: the sports Bet team list the pedwith Panthers taking.
Speaker 9: On the Cronulla Sharks. And here they are.
Speaker 1: The Panthers four premierships in a row, will be clear
Speaker 1: favorites to take on the Sharks.
Speaker 9: How do we see this one?
Speaker 1: Will the Panthers continue on their winning ways? Can they
Speaker 1: go five premierships in a row? And can they beat
Speaker 1: the Sharks this weekend?
Speaker 7: Oh?
Speaker 11: Look, I've got no doubt they've got the trend to
Speaker 11: win five premierships. Whether this time of the year they're
Speaker 11: ready to go again. A little bit worried about the
Speaker 11: trial they had a trial. I think it was against
Speaker 11: Manly that they canceled. I thank Cleary and Dill and Edwoods.
Speaker 11: Their two champions haven't played yet and I think Cronulla
Speaker 11: probably going into it, probably.
Speaker 9: About the trials buzz. I'm not worried about that at all.
Speaker 1: Now the big one for me is Luyne Fisher Harris leaving. Okay,
Speaker 1: every time Penrith lose players, it doesn't seem to matter.
Speaker 1: They've got such a great system. Their culture is amazing.
Speaker 1: It's the next man up mentality. Good, he'll come to you.
Speaker 1: Are you worried about those two players not being a
Speaker 1: part of his squad this year?
Speaker 10: I looked the two massive losses, but they've got Blaze
Speaker 10: to Lungey and what do you think of him going
Speaker 10: to play in the sixth roll? So yeah, they lose one,
Speaker 10: but they get another young, exciting kid and there's Nathan
Speaker 10: Cleary and we saw when Cleary's at Isaiah Yo.
Speaker 5: Takes the rein. So I still think they've got enough there.
Speaker 1: Just be Blaze to Lungey. He was the Australian school
Speaker 1: Boys five eight, so right. You know when you look
Speaker 1: at austrans school boys five eight, they're there apparent they're
Speaker 1: the next in line.
Speaker 9: I know he's only young. He's got a great build
Speaker 9: for a five eight.
Speaker 1: He's electric, got good footwork, great speed and power running
Speaker 1: over tome t to boy bits just here.
Speaker 9: He may not be quite ready, but I.
Speaker 1: Feel like in that system he will be soon. But really,
Speaker 1: are you hearing other reports coming out of Penrith.
Speaker 7: Well, I think the issue.
Speaker 3: Was how to show the riconstructs of the offseason, so
Speaker 3: it wasn't with the team all the time on the park.
Speaker 3: I just don't think he's as a dancers. Maybe they
Speaker 3: thought he would be. Does he need to be all
Speaker 3: knowledge the house? And look, they're very compident he will
Speaker 3: get there eventually, but for the time being, they believe
Speaker 3: Jack Cole is the right guy to play five eight beside,
Speaker 3: don't think Cleary, but you know, Blazers on the long
Speaker 3: term deal there, and he's what I think, he's nineteen,
Speaker 3: he's got time on his side. Yeah.
Speaker 11: Look, they've got the most stunning production line of talent
Speaker 11: in Reserve.
Speaker 8: Great they played Reserve.
Speaker 11: All the boys were already in New Zealand and they
Speaker 11: put thirty eight points on Mantling the trial game.
Speaker 8: It's so as you just say, it's only a trial game.
Speaker 4: But what that.
Speaker 11: Showed you is they have a nursery like no other club.
Speaker 4: Keep losing. The people they lose.
Speaker 8: They have made they have for the last four years.
Speaker 3: They've also for me, this is the biggest year they've
Speaker 3: losing Leui and Fisher Harris.
Speaker 4: They're huge holes.
Speaker 9: And they haven't So do you have them as favorites
Speaker 9: this year?
Speaker 5: No, they're not favorites.
Speaker 9: No you say that with confidence, Yeah they're not.
Speaker 5: No way they know.
Speaker 9: Any favorites were nowhere.
Speaker 3: Melbourne Colvin Storms be clear favorites with the Connor because
Speaker 3: they've actually got stronger from last year.
Speaker 4: Pend have actually got weaker, and.
Speaker 3: I know they've compensated for it before, but those two,
Speaker 3: the two players they've lost, they haven't really replaced them.
Speaker 4: You can say that's one.
Speaker 11: You could have said that about crit You should have
Speaker 11: said it about kick Out. You could have said it
Speaker 11: about any of the champions who have left that club.
Speaker 8: They keep on doing it.
Speaker 3: More this year because it's just I mean, Louie has
Speaker 3: been such a fixture in that team, it's such an
Speaker 3: important part of that team. And James Fisher Harris in
Speaker 3: the similar position in terms of his authority and and
Speaker 3: I'm trying to say, is his impact on the team.
Speaker 3: That's you can replace them on the field. It's hard
Speaker 3: to replace those guys off the field as well.
Speaker 10: That's it's still an international forward pack.
Speaker 3: I'm not saying it's not a good forward pack, Cordy,
Speaker 3: I'm just saying it's not nowhere knew it as good
Speaker 3: as a ward when James fish House was in it,
Speaker 3: and Luis was the bigger one for me because yeah,
Speaker 3: as I said, they brought him Blaze to Langa. They
Speaker 3: obviously feel he's not ready. Let put Jack Cole and
Speaker 3: then Jack Cole. Whatld you respect that Jack Cole? He's
Speaker 3: not Jack Jerome Leuill. So I don't for me, they're
Speaker 3: not favorites. Come on, don't think they should be. Family
Speaker 3: is probably in the crowd. He's a great kid. It's
Speaker 3: going to be a superstar one day, to be a
Speaker 3: star one day.
Speaker 7: Been spent the week the crowds building.
Speaker 9: All right, let's move over to the Sharks now.
Speaker 1: I mean I think Peter have deserved to be favorites still,
Speaker 1: if you if you ask me with the cop yeah
Speaker 1: I do, I do. I think you know. I don't
Speaker 1: disagree with a lot of what you're saying. And Melbourne
Speaker 1: didn't even look like we're in that Grand final. They've
Speaker 1: got some work to do, They've got some players they've
Speaker 1: picked up. It's going to be it's been going to
Speaker 1: be fascinating to see how it unfolds. What also is
Speaker 1: going to be fascinating is how Buzz and Sharks go
Speaker 1: this year. They get They get so close every year
Speaker 1: and they just can't get it done. Buzz, tell me
Speaker 1: can they get done? And why is it any different
Speaker 1: this year to the past few seasons.
Speaker 11: Well, I think they're a contender against again Brath. I
Speaker 11: think they're a definite contender. Consistency wise and playing finals football.
Speaker 11: They're up there with Melbourne, Storm and Penrith. They can't
Speaker 11: deliver though in the crunch games.
Speaker 8: What will make it?
Speaker 11: I don't know, Gordy, they just don't you say you
Speaker 11: don't know.
Speaker 5: I think I.
Speaker 11: Think they've liked the next factor and I think that
Speaker 11: X factor is Adam Vanilla Blake. Okay, we don't have
Speaker 11: any current origin players at Granala.
Speaker 8: Okay, so that's why I talk about no. I think
Speaker 8: you think.
Speaker 1: That Adam Vanilla Blake is going to take them from
Speaker 1: a semi final semi finals to a premiership winning.
Speaker 11: Yeah, because on the bat of what he will do
Speaker 11: in the middle of the football field propinish games I finished.
Speaker 11: I was just going to say, on the back of
Speaker 11: what fanwah Blake will the dominance in the middle. Their
Speaker 11: halves Trindle and Hines, who are in very good shape.
Speaker 11: They've got a good back five. You have seen their
Speaker 11: wing three quarters was one that.
Speaker 3: One Gordy Hey, he's still had Allen Langer playing with
Speaker 3: him football.
Speaker 5: Yeah, but they didn't win until Laso went there.
Speaker 3: I think ultimately this team, the Coroneller's hopes rest on
Speaker 3: Niko Wines.
Speaker 4: I think it's the same over year. With Niko Nick
Speaker 4: stands up in the finals, there are chances of winning.
Speaker 5: It final series. Managing managing the noise, I reckon it
Speaker 5: does affect him. I think you just got to guard
Speaker 5: and plays.
Speaker 1: So what does Nico do this year to make sure
Speaker 1: that things change from the past couple of years.
Speaker 5: I think he's got to play his natural game.
Speaker 10: I think he's got to stop worrying about trying to
Speaker 10: be perfect and just play footy. Every footy player makes
Speaker 10: a mistake. I think he plays a bit nervous.
Speaker 11: I sometimes think the media, and I'm guilty to a
Speaker 11: little bit harsh on Niko. He was playing well enough
Speaker 11: for the first dozen rounds of last year, his calmp
Speaker 11: to walk into that New South Wales state of origin.
Speaker 11: Then he got dropped Smiley, he was sent off, et cetera.
Speaker 11: Then he busted his what was it cindersmosis or ankle
Speaker 11: and misstate weeks then came back.
Speaker 9: Isn't the media.
Speaker 1: Are you part of the media, buzzer, be part of
Speaker 1: the media, or yeah, you're talking about the media.
Speaker 11: Yeah, Well, I said, I'm guilty, charge brave, we're all
Speaker 11: killing bag Niko, And you know what it's not about,
Speaker 11: but it is.
Speaker 8: It's criticism. It's fair criticism.
Speaker 1: I'm having I'm just playing with the buzz It's the
Speaker 1: first episode back.
Speaker 11: I'm going to get the baseball bat.
Speaker 3: Bagging Nico to say he will ultimately decide whether when
Speaker 3: a comp or not. It's actually praising him, saying Nico
Speaker 3: is such a good player and he has such an
Speaker 3: impact on that footage scene and Adam Thiel Blake will
Speaker 3: help him immensely, but ultimately maybe Nico to stand up
Speaker 3: with it matters.
Speaker 5: Yeah, and I thought Drindle was great.
Speaker 10: You know, the back end of the year, I thought
Speaker 10: it was absolutely fantastic.
Speaker 5: Took a bit of.
Speaker 10: When the they want to play better than what they
Speaker 10: did last year.
Speaker 5: Yeah, but they are consistent and they defend well and
Speaker 5: they get to it.
Speaker 10: But there's something lacking, and I thought they will lie
Speaker 10: on where They've got Aidan Fanil Blake there.
Speaker 5: But it's whether Nico Hines can take the great game
Speaker 5: by the scruff of the neck.
Speaker 9: Can you believe there's just four blakes? You just are
Speaker 9: sitting here talking.
Speaker 8: I can't.
Speaker 5: How good is it?
Speaker 9: It's unbelieving.
Speaker 1: Now let's talk about the Summer of love buzz already.
Speaker 9: Whoever the feuds of last year?
Speaker 1: Have they fizzled or because I'm hearing rumors that you
Speaker 1: two have been working the room a bit and declare
Speaker 1: what feuds over?
Speaker 5: Let's what I do.
Speaker 11: And you know I have a history of falling out
Speaker 11: with various people during the season because so I'd like
Speaker 11: to tell us us see it. And I normally spend
Speaker 11: the off season patching up old friendships. And yeah, I
Speaker 11: had that beautiful Well, let's start with this great rich
Speaker 11: out the Tigers.
Speaker 8: He gave it to us, gave it.
Speaker 9: Yeah, I went out now.
Speaker 8: I went out the concordinate a cup of two with it.
Speaker 8: Do you know what? I went out there.
Speaker 11: Because I think the West Tigers are going places this
Speaker 11: year and I want to.
Speaker 8: Have to tell me where do you think that?
Speaker 9: All I want to know is who paid for the
Speaker 9: cup of coffee?
Speaker 5: Rich?
Speaker 9: Of course, what do.
Speaker 1: You want me to fight with everyone in the garden.
Speaker 1: I just agree with you for the first of course
Speaker 1: I do. Now I'm working on this show. I'll tell
Speaker 1: you that for the first time a long time, I
Speaker 1: really agree that the Tigers are going to improve a lot.
Speaker 1: I think they're bore. Well, Benji, ready your feud? What
Speaker 1: have you patched over in the office.
Speaker 3: We bumped into each other at their hip launch. I've
Speaker 3: spund a robbing about eighteen months chat about ten minute chairs.
Speaker 7: It was pleasant?
Speaker 4: Pleasant?
Speaker 5: Was it in Vegas?
Speaker 7: He wouldn't shake your hand?
Speaker 4: Is speaking of Vegas?
Speaker 8: You know?
Speaker 3: Isn't break Blake Sully? That's extend the hand of friendship
Speaker 3: and maybe.
Speaker 11: Come on, you gotta you gotta bury the hatchet, make
Speaker 11: you gotta.
Speaker 5: What about you?
Speaker 11: I don't have one about you and Madge, but you've
Speaker 11: given it to when you always have because keV your
Speaker 11: best mate.
Speaker 8: I just can't head Tigertown.
Speaker 9: It's been fun, but we're going to get to a
Speaker 9: break after.
Speaker 1: We're going to have two of the heaviest hitters in
Speaker 1: our game, Peter Balany's the Mosque of the n r
Speaker 1: L and Patrick Delaney, the CEO of the Foxtel group
Speaker 1: stick Around Lay