WEBVTT - Finals Week One Takeaways 0:00:03.990 --> 0:00:06.430 Coops, week one, done and dusted. Just loved it. 0:00:06.470 --> 0:00:08.389 I thought there were a couple of, you know, particularly 0:00:08.410 --> 0:00:10.629 the game yesterday, which we'll get onto. I loved it 0:00:10.690 --> 0:00:12.390 so much because it wasn't a perfect game. 0:00:12.770 --> 0:00:14.810 It was a real finals game. So I was just 0:00:14.830 --> 0:00:15.450 hanging in there. 0:00:15.680 --> 0:00:20.430 It was so enthralling. Like, sitting sideline for it. The Roosters, like, 0:00:20.450 --> 0:00:23.320 I'm going to say, like, that was one of their 0:00:23.380 --> 0:00:27.160 better performances of the season. Like, every contact, I think 0:00:27.200 --> 0:00:30.420 the Roosters won the little battle. Like, they were more athletic. 0:00:30.460 --> 0:00:34.830 They were pushing the Panthers back. But just the battle-hardened 0:00:35.159 --> 0:00:37.310 of the Panthers, they're just so resilient. And I think, 0:00:38.110 --> 0:00:41.790 I thought, the far who, why, just the physicality they delivered. 0:00:42.710 --> 0:00:45.470 If they just had been a bit more brave in 0:00:45.510 --> 0:00:48.170 that first 10 minutes after the second half when Nathan 0:00:48.220 --> 0:00:51.370 was off, like, I just, they didn't have to score, right? 0:00:51.409 --> 0:00:53.250 But you need to empty the fuel tank of the 0:00:53.270 --> 0:00:55.870 opposition when they're down to 12. Shift the ball to 0:00:55.970 --> 0:00:59.350 that left-hand side a little bit more. They had Blaise 0:00:59.390 --> 0:01:02.830 De Lange standing there. They just had some inexperience defending 0:01:02.850 --> 0:01:05.280 on the right side for Penrith, and I think the 0:01:05.310 --> 0:01:08.760 Roosters missed an opportunity just to attack that left-hand side 0:01:08.780 --> 0:01:09.280 a little bit more. 0:01:09.300 --> 0:01:11.580 Some huge moments in Week 1 of the finals, but 0:01:11.620 --> 0:01:14.459 Nathan on report, the Simbin, boy, oh, boy, the drama. 0:01:14.520 --> 0:01:15.640 What did you think initially, Coop? 0:01:16.459 --> 0:01:18.960 I agreed with how it all played out. I agree 0:01:18.980 --> 0:01:21.840 with the find. I agree with the sin bin. And 0:01:21.880 --> 0:01:25.120 I agree that Nathan, in a tight game at 12 all, 0:01:25.620 --> 0:01:27.620 was literally going to go for the charge down and 0:01:27.640 --> 0:01:30.370 the try. He's done it before. He looked like he 0:01:30.410 --> 0:01:32.190 was going to do it. It was a big play. 0:01:32.209 --> 0:01:34.750 I liked the mindset, but he just missed it. And 0:01:34.790 --> 0:01:36.270 as soon as he did it, I think he knew. 0:01:36.590 --> 0:01:38.390 We spoke to him after the game, and he actually 0:01:38.430 --> 0:01:41.130 said as much. He said, I saw an opportunity right on. 0:01:41.930 --> 0:01:44.090 Right on half time. And he said, I misjudged it. 0:01:44.209 --> 0:01:45.970 I let my team down. Fletch asked him, he said, 0:01:46.170 --> 0:01:48.640 what was going through your mind when you're sitting off 0:01:48.660 --> 0:01:50.240 that 10 minutes in the dressing room? He said, I 0:01:50.360 --> 0:01:52.440 had a million things going through my mind. He said, 0:01:52.460 --> 0:01:54.400 I just felt such guilt. I felt like I let 0:01:54.420 --> 0:01:55.020 the team down. 0:01:56.160 --> 0:01:56.740 It's really funny. 0:01:56.780 --> 0:01:58.830 And I sit on the show, Coop. I want your 0:01:59.210 --> 0:02:00.570 thoughts on this. We're sort of the same with the 0:02:00.650 --> 0:02:02.450 Isaiah Katoa. You know, he lifted over. 0:02:03.490 --> 0:02:03.590 And. 0:02:05.200 --> 0:02:07.520 At the time, you go, well, that won't be a suspension. However, 0:02:07.540 --> 0:02:09.980 you saw the Latu Fainu one happen, and you just 0:02:10.020 --> 0:02:10.860 don't know. 0:02:10.960 --> 0:02:11.940 I just have a problem. 0:02:12.940 --> 0:02:14.710 I don't think there's an understanding at times from the 0:02:14.760 --> 0:02:16.710 referees and match officials, and they've been told to do it. 0:02:16.750 --> 0:02:17.389 It's not their fault. 0:02:17.669 --> 0:02:19.970 Just putting players on a report willy-nilly. Let's just have 0:02:19.990 --> 0:02:22.389 a look at what will pop you on a report. 0:02:22.850 --> 0:02:26.369 So there you've got Nathan Cleary, who's the coolest, calmest 0:02:26.730 --> 0:02:31.600 player in the competition, and he is saying, that report. 0:02:31.440 --> 0:02:34.790 Just hung over his head. It's a very hard thing 0:02:34.830 --> 0:02:36.590 to deal with for the rest of the match. 0:02:36.610 --> 0:02:39.570 Yeah, it is. But I think the players are resilient 0:02:39.590 --> 0:02:42.029 enough to deal with things like that. The one thing 0:02:42.250 --> 0:02:45.549 I thought about that moment is that they didn't have 0:02:45.630 --> 0:02:48.760 to score multiple points and win the game, the Roosters, 0:02:48.780 --> 0:02:50.720 but they had to get in front. When Nathan was 0:02:50.760 --> 0:02:52.459 off the field, they had to get in front. Hugo 0:02:52.480 --> 0:02:56.399 Savala missed that penalty shot before halftime and they didn't 0:02:56.440 --> 0:02:59.070 hit the scoreboard. They kept it 12-4. There was a 0:02:59.110 --> 0:03:01.889 couple of moments defensively they were so good and desperate 0:03:02.250 --> 0:03:05.079 and they kept it at 12-12. Nathan comes back on, 0:03:05.139 --> 0:03:07.700 the machine goes back to work and he kicks a 0:03:07.720 --> 0:03:11.180 field goal. Like the buildup for the game was the matchup, 0:03:11.300 --> 0:03:14.739 Cherry Evans and Cleary. And it's funny how it all 0:03:14.760 --> 0:03:18.970 plays out, right? 12 all, 10 minutes to go. Daly 0:03:19.190 --> 0:03:21.610 does a good kick, but it just goes a bit 0:03:21.650 --> 0:03:23.970 too far. Like he's kicked that from, you know, 40 0:03:23.970 --> 0:03:25.609 in his own line. So he's kicked the ball 60 plus. 0:03:27.080 --> 0:03:29.740 And it just trickles over for a seven tackle set. 0:03:30.440 --> 0:03:33.000 He comes back down the other end. They get a restart. 0:03:33.380 --> 0:03:36.530 Nathan next set. Bang, he had no pressure. Yes, it 0:03:36.550 --> 0:03:38.550 was a quick play of the ball. He's got a 0:03:38.890 --> 0:03:40.730 foot injury too, which I don't think we know the 0:03:40.810 --> 0:03:44.290 extent of. And then Daly just outsmarted himself. He missed 0:03:44.330 --> 0:03:46.300 that one, the one before. He was on the right 0:03:46.340 --> 0:03:48.060 side to play the ball and he thought, oh, you 0:03:48.080 --> 0:03:50.240 know what, the pressure's coming, I'll lay off. He had 0:03:50.280 --> 0:03:52.920 time to kick it that first one. I've been in 0:03:52.960 --> 0:03:56.050 that situation and you just want to bang your head 0:03:56.090 --> 0:03:58.910 against the wall because you just know you missed a moment. 0:03:59.390 --> 0:04:03.210 Like the pandemonium that took place, even to the point 0:04:03.230 --> 0:04:04.860 where you said there was no pressure on Nathan Cleary, 0:04:04.900 --> 0:04:07.400 there was pressure, but unfortunately it was Isaiah Yeo. 0:04:07.440 --> 0:04:08.600 Like Isaiah, it just shows you. 0:04:08.620 --> 0:04:10.200 Just the helter-skelter nature. 0:04:10.400 --> 0:04:14.110 And he's sort of... Isaiah just wandering around literally tripped him. 0:04:16.610 --> 0:04:19.790 Just to give some insight, the fatigue, the intensity, you 0:04:19.850 --> 0:04:23.990 work to those positions. It's like clockwork. Isaiah and Nathan, 0:04:24.050 --> 0:04:27.050 even their heads are spinning. I think Daly's head was 0:04:27.070 --> 0:04:29.469 spinning thinking, I'm in the right spot here, but they're 0:04:29.490 --> 0:04:32.550 going to pressure me. He just hesitated. He was going 0:04:32.570 --> 0:04:35.250 to pass it off, realise he had time, and then 0:04:35.290 --> 0:04:36.710 the play of the ball was on the wrong side 0:04:36.770 --> 0:04:37.770 and he just snapped it. 0:04:38.790 --> 0:04:39.210 We've said this. 0:04:39.570 --> 0:04:42.690 Before on this podcast numerous times, in big games, the 0:04:42.750 --> 0:04:46.950 lost art of emotion. Players have to elevate themselves emotionally 0:04:47.250 --> 0:04:50.050 and inspire their sides. There were two examples on the 0:04:50.089 --> 0:04:51.710 weekend in this game was Liam Martin. 0:04:52.270 --> 0:04:53.750 Mate. That first try. 0:04:54.040 --> 0:04:56.300 Mate, how he gets himself up for the contest. It's 0:04:56.339 --> 0:04:57.240 just enormous. 0:04:57.260 --> 0:05:00.320 And even in halftime, Spencer Lenu and him, they are mates. 0:05:00.400 --> 0:05:05.360 I assume they're mates, but he is a beast. There's 0:05:05.380 --> 0:05:07.620 some bigger names that have been a part of the 0:05:07.660 --> 0:05:10.469 dynasty of the Penrith Panthers, but When there's a big 0:05:10.589 --> 0:05:14.669 moment and someone needs physical presence, it's Liam Martin they 0:05:14.710 --> 0:05:15.130 turn to. 0:05:15.410 --> 0:05:18.040 Yeah. Interesting. With him being off contract, you know, P & 0:05:17.920 --> 0:05:18.360 G stuff. 0:05:18.380 --> 0:05:20.640 The catch, the athleticism. Like, for him to catch that. 0:05:20.660 --> 0:05:23.039 There was also the short restart in the second half 0:05:23.080 --> 0:05:25.839 when the game was there in the balance. He took 0:05:25.880 --> 0:05:28.800 this thing like he's been practising. That's what it's shown. 0:05:28.960 --> 0:05:31.849 Mark, I want to net to what I say. Mate, he's– 0:05:32.050 --> 0:05:33.570 you talk about a bloke who's got the ability to 0:05:33.589 --> 0:05:36.650 do the freakish. It's unbelievable because the first 20 minutes 0:05:36.670 --> 0:05:39.320 it was all Penrith. And to be only 6-0 down, 0:05:39.380 --> 0:05:41.820 Robbo would take that. But then all of a sudden, 0:05:41.920 --> 0:05:43.120 as it does a lot of times, the game just 0:05:43.140 --> 0:05:46.979 totally switched. And as you said, 12-6. And then Penrith 0:05:47.000 --> 0:05:48.680 got themselves back into it. But it was a great 0:05:48.720 --> 0:05:50.160 game of football. And at the end of the day, 0:05:50.220 --> 0:05:51.420 the difference was Dylan Edwards. 0:05:51.779 --> 0:05:54.460 He was the best player on the field. And he's 0:05:54.500 --> 0:05:58.470 won a Clive Churchill. He's had some terrific games. But 0:05:58.670 --> 0:06:02.230 I think that's his best career game. And that, like, 0:06:02.730 --> 0:06:06.630 I'm talking some really elite performances, but he would dominate. Like, 0:06:06.650 --> 0:06:09.690 the footwork here, like, just to get through at different stages. 0:06:09.870 --> 0:06:11.510 Look at that moment. Him and Tedesco. 0:06:11.650 --> 0:06:15.710 Yeah, one-on-one. Like, he got left out of the New 0:06:15.740 --> 0:06:18.540 South Wales side. Tedesco deserved his spot. But if you 0:06:18.580 --> 0:06:20.380 were picking the Australian team right. 0:06:20.200 --> 0:06:22.300 Now, who's your fullback? Oh, he's the man. 0:06:22.800 --> 0:06:23.120 He's the man. 0:06:23.140 --> 0:06:25.160 Edwards is your fullback. Yeah, he's your fullback. 0:06:25.820 --> 0:06:28.020 I know there's a lot of people played out this year, 0:06:28.040 --> 0:06:31.560 but You're picking a side tomorrow. It's Edwards and then 0:06:31.580 --> 0:06:33.170 Tedesco and Walsh are next year down. 0:06:33.310 --> 0:06:36.409 Yeah, I think Tedesco and Edwards will go on the 0:06:36.430 --> 0:06:39.550 World Cup. But if you're starting your team right now, 0:06:39.570 --> 0:06:41.070 I think Edwards is your fullback. 0:06:41.089 --> 0:06:45.570 He's an incredible player. Warriors up against the Dolphins. Oh, mate, 0:06:45.589 --> 0:06:48.170 that's it, the Dolphins. Middle of the year, they get 0:06:48.190 --> 0:06:51.810 beat by 50 points from Fosball. Then they get 66-0 0:06:51.830 --> 0:06:58.000 put on them. And then the 66-0 loss has changed everything. 0:06:58.730 --> 0:07:00.590 Eight in a row now, I think it is, and 0:07:00.650 --> 0:07:02.750 they're just defences picked up. You know, they were under 0:07:02.770 --> 0:07:04.870 the pump so much, Coop. This is why they're such 0:07:04.910 --> 0:07:08.849 a dangerous side is that, you know, the Warriors are 0:07:08.950 --> 0:07:10.370 all over the top of them. They're under the pump 0:07:10.390 --> 0:07:13.110 with the six agains and the penalties, but just one moment. 0:07:13.230 --> 0:07:13.450 Yeah. 0:07:13.750 --> 0:07:16.120 That one moment that Hammer's got the ability, well, a 0:07:16.140 --> 0:07:17.920 number of those guys got the ability to do it. 0:07:17.920 --> 0:07:19.720 I think there's a couple of things that got them 0:07:19.800 --> 0:07:24.120 to that point, right? Like this effort here from Hammer, 0:07:24.140 --> 0:07:27.410 so WI, Fido and Farmworth, like, it just sparked them 0:07:27.470 --> 0:07:30.670 into Dolphins football. Like it's one play, one run. Like 0:07:30.690 --> 0:07:32.990 that is exceptional in a big game to be able 0:07:33.010 --> 0:07:36.910 to do that. But the buildup to that moment, they 0:07:36.930 --> 0:07:40.840 were just so resilient. The scoreboard was close enough for 0:07:40.880 --> 0:07:45.100 them to spark their attack. And the Warriors for me 0:07:46.120 --> 0:07:49.140 played like they had the weight of a nation on them. 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:51.580 They played like they were a little bit nervous, a 0:07:51.580 --> 0:07:55.470 little bit conservative. They took five penalty goals. And you 0:07:55.490 --> 0:07:57.330 could argue that it was probably the right call, but 0:07:57.570 --> 0:08:00.510 in hindsight, probably needed to go over that scoreboard a 0:08:00.530 --> 0:08:01.110 little bit, right? 0:08:01.130 --> 0:08:03.060 Five penalty goals in this day and age. I can't 0:08:03.100 --> 0:08:05.600 remember a rugby league game, the last that had five 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:06.160 penalty goals. 0:08:06.180 --> 0:08:08.820 And the other thing that was crucial in the second half, 0:08:10.160 --> 0:08:13.180 their halves kicking game. So they kicked the ball 10 0:08:13.180 --> 0:08:15.670 metres on average, less than what the Dolphins did in 0:08:15.690 --> 0:08:19.620 the second half. You do that 10 times, that's 100 metres. 0:08:19.920 --> 0:08:23.260 That is the Bozstock try. So, you know, Harris Tevita, 0:08:23.280 --> 0:08:26.480 you know, Tamate Martin, they just didn't get enough punch 0:08:26.520 --> 0:08:28.790 with their long kicking game because they caught the ball 0:08:28.810 --> 0:08:30.970 on the 20, the next kick is caught on the 30, 0:08:30.970 --> 0:08:33.630 the next one's on their 40. All of a sudden, 0:08:33.950 --> 0:08:37.110 Bozstock catches the ball and wriggles over and scores a try, right? 0:08:37.150 --> 0:08:39.920 So there's one thing that they'll need to improve is 0:08:39.940 --> 0:08:42.109 that their last play didn't... kick in if they're coming 0:08:42.130 --> 0:08:44.890 out on their own. We talk about how does a 0:08:44.950 --> 0:08:48.979 halfback influence their team in a ding-dong battle like that? 0:08:49.700 --> 0:08:54.620 Zayacartel's temperament played a huge part in... there were dolphins 0:08:54.740 --> 0:08:57.600 just hanging in there. He didn't look for a shortcut. 0:08:57.880 --> 0:09:00.710 He didn't chip and chase. He didn't go for the 0:09:00.900 --> 0:09:04.209 big play. All he did was, okay, high percentage kick 0:09:04.230 --> 0:09:06.830 to the corner. Okay, hammer quartered on the 30. High 0:09:06.850 --> 0:09:08.990 percentage kick to the corner. Oh, hammer quartered on the 40. Hey, 0:09:09.290 --> 0:09:12.090 keep going here. Keep playing, keep completing our sets. And 0:09:12.170 --> 0:09:14.530 all of a sudden, the fatigue sets into the Warriors 0:09:14.950 --> 0:09:16.790 And how it goes like that. Like, no one really 0:09:16.890 --> 0:09:19.530 picks up on that stuff. It's a bit like Nathan. Yes. Like, 0:09:19.580 --> 0:09:24.240 he did something similar in the 12-all battle with the Roosters, 0:09:24.600 --> 0:09:25.939 and the Roosters' errors cost them. 0:09:26.160 --> 0:09:30.080 Yeah, Katoa's composure in his first finals game was amazing. 0:09:30.280 --> 0:09:33.320 Not one highlight real moment at all. Nothing you're looking at, oh, 0:09:33.340 --> 0:09:35.819 let's force, let's look at that. It was just so consistent, 0:09:35.920 --> 0:09:39.580 so much poise, 18 kicks for 600 metres. And like 0:09:39.600 --> 0:09:43.179 you said, Coop, it shows so much maturity in For him, 0:09:43.220 --> 0:09:44.520 and the other bloke I want to give a rap to, 0:09:44.559 --> 0:09:47.400 he was Kurt Donahue, is in a game where it's 0:09:47.470 --> 0:09:50.030 just a gridlock and you're just doing that, it's just 0:09:50.090 --> 0:09:51.550 right out, who's going to blink first? 0:09:51.770 --> 0:09:52.830 Who's going to hold their nerve? 0:09:53.830 --> 0:09:55.869 A lot of young players, the mistake they made in 0:09:55.910 --> 0:09:59.170 young teams, inexperienced sides of that level, is they try to, 0:09:59.190 --> 0:10:01.059 they lose their nerve. and they try to break out 0:10:01.340 --> 0:10:03.540 with a big play. And eventually that's the thing most 0:10:03.580 --> 0:10:05.740 times it costs them, where they were just happy to 0:10:05.760 --> 0:10:08.860 stay in it. And the reason I nominate Donahue is 0:10:08.880 --> 0:10:10.830 if you go back and watch Kurt Donahue's game, Kurt 0:10:10.850 --> 0:10:13.929 Donahue is such a beautiful ball player. He's their Isaiah 0:10:13.950 --> 0:10:16.069 when he comes on the field. But he got on there, 0:10:16.130 --> 0:10:19.180 he recognised the circumstances of what the game was. and 0:10:19.240 --> 0:10:21.520 never forced the pass. I think he might have passed 0:10:21.540 --> 0:10:23.700 the ball maybe once or twice in the whole time 0:10:23.720 --> 0:10:24.160 he was on there. 0:10:24.280 --> 0:10:26.890 He was just running, showing, running the football. 0:10:26.910 --> 0:10:31.770 Yeah. So Flegler goes off. They bring on Kurt Donahue. 0:10:31.910 --> 0:10:33.590 I'm like, geez, that's a big call to bring on 0:10:33.650 --> 0:10:37.900 Kurt in the middle. And you spoke about his composure. Defensively, like, 0:10:38.100 --> 0:10:40.760 he was whacking guys. And there was a couple of moments, 0:10:40.860 --> 0:10:43.760 go watch it closely, like he was pushing James Fisher 0:10:43.780 --> 0:10:46.870 Harris around. Like he was pushing some of the big 0:10:47.010 --> 0:10:49.190 alpha males of the Warriors, like getting in their face. 0:10:49.210 --> 0:10:51.770 I'm like, geez, that's dangerous. But he never took a 0:10:51.809 --> 0:10:54.730 backward step, running from dummy half, understanding what the team 0:10:55.150 --> 0:10:57.969 needs at the time. He's quickly becoming a favourite of 0:10:57.990 --> 0:10:59.910 this show because he's putting it together. 0:11:00.429 --> 0:11:02.429 He's a great player. And Newcastle boy, I heard a 0:11:02.429 --> 0:11:03.550 great story about him the other day. 0:11:03.590 --> 0:11:04.650 That's probably why he's a good player. 0:11:04.670 --> 0:11:05.290 He's a great player. 0:11:05.350 --> 0:11:07.430 That's why he's great. Not just a good player, he's 0:11:07.450 --> 0:11:13.520 a great player. Is like that Newcastle... Domestic competition is 0:11:13.570 --> 0:11:15.890 a tough one, Newcastle Rugby League. A lot of tough, 0:11:15.929 --> 0:11:20.809 experienced blokes. Blokes just coming back from the NRL. And, mate, 0:11:20.850 --> 0:11:24.170 he played first grade in that competition when he was 16. Like, 0:11:24.190 --> 0:11:27.030 you know, he didn't quite break into the night system. 0:11:27.090 --> 0:11:28.030 He was a late developer. 0:11:28.070 --> 0:11:30.690 He was playing first grade in that competition at 16. Mate, 0:11:31.130 --> 0:11:33.939 that's a tough competition. Just before we leave on the wires, 0:11:34.120 --> 0:11:38.380 I mentioned before, Coop, isn't it funny, right, that fine 0:11:38.480 --> 0:11:41.780 line between fanatical support and how that turns into pressure? 0:11:41.800 --> 0:11:41.920 Yeah. 0:11:42.410 --> 0:11:46.250 And the example I will give, it's not exactly the same, 0:11:46.290 --> 0:11:50.030 but similar. With State of Origin 3, when they're up there, 0:11:50.050 --> 0:11:52.240 the Queenslanders, and look, you know, we know what's about 0:11:52.260 --> 0:11:54.880 to happen. They're playing at home, big celebration. New South Wales, 0:11:55.080 --> 0:11:57.520 wrong selections, everything wrong. But as the week went on, 0:11:57.920 --> 0:12:00.380 slowly the pressure went on the Queensland side. I reckon 0:12:00.420 --> 0:12:01.500 the same happened with the Warriors. 0:12:01.540 --> 0:12:03.860 We look at the Warriors, two best players, Fisher Harris, 0:12:04.020 --> 0:12:08.550 been there, done that before, too picky, excitement, brave, courageous. 0:12:09.210 --> 0:12:12.069 And I think... Aaron Clarke missed the mark a little bit. 0:12:12.360 --> 0:12:16.160 Wade Egan missed it. The Harves definitely missed it. Yeah, 0:12:16.179 --> 0:12:18.479 so I think they played a little bit within themselves, 0:12:18.940 --> 0:12:22.550 bit conservative. And if there's been some games that meant 0:12:22.610 --> 0:12:25.930 something this year for the Warriors, like was it minor 0:12:25.970 --> 0:12:29.679 premiership game? Didn't play great, but got the victory. And 0:12:29.740 --> 0:12:31.900 this one here. I think going to Eden Park is 0:12:32.860 --> 0:12:34.380 going to be a reset because if they go out 0:12:34.420 --> 0:12:37.949 straight sets, that's a huge miss from Andrew Webster on that. 0:12:37.970 --> 0:12:40.410 So I think that Eden Park is a bit like, hey, 0:12:40.429 --> 0:12:42.410 we need to get back to Warriors football. And I 0:12:42.690 --> 0:12:44.390 think it's a good decision moving to Eden Park. 0:12:44.470 --> 0:12:46.780 Can they still win the comp? Can they... If they 0:12:46.820 --> 0:12:49.620 beat the Knights, can they go through Penrith then? The 0:12:49.640 --> 0:12:51.310 side of the draw is Penrith, isn't it? 0:12:51.360 --> 0:12:55.150 Yeah, yeah, yeah. So they have. They have beaten Penrith. 0:12:55.170 --> 0:12:59.630 But I think they need a huge shot of enthusiasm 0:12:59.710 --> 0:13:01.650 and energy to get their football back against this one 0:13:01.670 --> 0:13:04.770 because I give the Knights every chance. I do give 0:13:04.820 --> 0:13:06.480 the Knights every chance. 0:13:07.140 --> 0:13:09.179 They were sensational. Knights versus South. 0:13:09.220 --> 0:13:12.540 What an atmosphere at the Sydney Football Stadium or Allianz Stadium. 0:13:12.600 --> 0:13:13.040 It's still. 0:13:13.780 --> 0:13:15.140 Like, you know, when you're growing up and you see 0:13:15.160 --> 0:13:17.469 the big, all through the, you know, the late 80s 0:13:17.490 --> 0:13:20.110 into the 90s, all that semifinal weekend that was always there, 0:13:20.130 --> 0:13:24.950 it's just something special. And, Coop, you said before, the 0:13:24.990 --> 0:13:26.670 Knights were going to be a really tough side to 0:13:26.720 --> 0:13:28.660 run in week one of the finals, given their last 0:13:28.740 --> 0:13:29.780 round was going to be a buy. 0:13:29.880 --> 0:13:31.600 Yes, they've been smashed by injuries and like. 0:13:31.960 --> 0:13:34.620 But they're a really fast team. They play great attack 0:13:34.660 --> 0:13:37.449 and football when they're fresh. And if you watch that game, Coops, 0:13:37.620 --> 0:13:42.050 you watch 20 minutes in, um, the Knights' ball movement 0:13:42.220 --> 0:13:45.540 and how they were using the skill to run Souths around. 0:13:45.900 --> 0:13:48.950 Mate, now Souths look really tired. after 20 minutes. 0:13:49.190 --> 0:13:51.290 Yep, they did. If you look in the lead-up to 0:13:51.309 --> 0:13:53.680 the thing, you and I both thought South Sydney, they 0:13:53.700 --> 0:13:57.060 were just playing better and Wayne Bennett had them primed. 0:13:57.900 --> 0:14:00.420 South Sydney didn't have a buy. They played 11 straight 0:14:00.460 --> 0:14:04.130 games leading into that. Newcastle Knights had the buy and 0:14:04.150 --> 0:14:07.689 these highlights are showing that they were adventurous in Newcastle. 0:14:07.710 --> 0:14:10.130 They moved the ball in the first 20 minutes, got 0:14:10.170 --> 0:14:12.859 it to Gagai, got it to their edges and And 0:14:12.880 --> 0:14:15.459 then after 20 minutes, the fatigue set in for South Sydney. 0:14:15.740 --> 0:14:18.140 And then they used their back rolls up, just punched 0:14:18.200 --> 0:14:21.420 holes through them. South Sydney, for me, some of the 0:14:21.460 --> 0:14:26.010 best players, they weren't fit enough. They weren't fit enough. 0:14:26.050 --> 0:14:29.070 They could not go. Punch for punch, play for play 0:14:29.330 --> 0:14:32.730 with the Newcastle Knights. It was a masterclass of a 0:14:32.770 --> 0:14:36.120 game plan from Justin Holbrook. Move the ball around, keep 0:14:36.150 --> 0:14:38.760 the ball in play, and when they get fatigued, use 0:14:38.780 --> 0:14:39.700 your back rolls. 0:14:39.720 --> 0:14:41.920 It's interesting what's the way that, like, they've come into 0:14:41.960 --> 0:14:45.400 this competition, the Knights this year, and Justin Holbrook's had 0:14:45.420 --> 0:14:47.250 a look and said, you know, they've lost Leo Thompson, 0:14:47.260 --> 0:14:49.270 they're a little bit light on for middles. Then we've 0:14:49.310 --> 0:14:51.830 had the injury to Trey Mooney. The injury out of 0:14:51.850 --> 0:14:53.430 the suspension to Jacob Seifu, you say. 0:14:53.350 --> 0:14:54.490 They really are short with the middles. 0:14:55.080 --> 0:14:58.060 But the way he's designed and adjusted their game, they're 0:14:58.100 --> 0:15:03.760 similar to– remember the Ben Barber-inspired Bulldog sides? Remember those 0:15:03.800 --> 0:15:06.160 years where he won Indalian medals and they made this amazing. 0:15:06.080 --> 0:15:08.640 James Graham was ball-playing a lot, creating him in a couple– yeah. 0:15:08.680 --> 0:15:11.120 And they just weren't getting bogged down in the middle 0:15:11.140 --> 0:15:13.320 of the field. They were just sort of hitting an edge, 0:15:13.920 --> 0:15:17.200 knock one up, bypass the edge again and just making. 0:15:16.920 --> 0:15:19.240 Metres through ball movement. Very similar. 0:15:19.660 --> 0:15:20.980 And we have said this a number of times on 0:15:21.000 --> 0:15:25.010 this show. Like, Caelan Ponga is a great leader. There 0:15:25.030 --> 0:15:27.900 were some question marks about the leadership capabilities of Kalen 0:15:27.940 --> 0:15:31.960 as a young kid. But right now, he is absolutely 0:15:32.160 --> 0:15:35.460 a great player and a great leader. He is first receiver, 0:15:35.500 --> 0:15:39.230 second receiver. He is encouraging his teammates. And if they 0:15:39.950 --> 0:15:43.570 lacked a little bit of belief, losing those players' suspensions, injuries, 0:15:44.090 --> 0:15:47.090 they got it through Kalen's presence. Yeah. Like, he was 0:15:47.130 --> 0:15:49.370 just fast. He was at them all the time. 0:15:50.470 --> 0:15:53.720 And you talk about good leadership, Coop. Dane Gagai. 0:15:54.080 --> 0:15:54.170 Yeah. 0:15:54.890 --> 0:15:57.510 It's just, mate, I said on the show last night, 0:15:58.930 --> 0:16:01.790 for what Gagai has done, given for the Knights over 0:16:01.810 --> 0:16:03.820 a long period of time, was there initially through those 0:16:03.860 --> 0:16:06.840 really tough times. During those tough times, he was clearly 0:16:06.880 --> 0:16:10.620 the best player. Always, like, showed up, always gave everything. 0:16:10.960 --> 0:16:12.720 Went to South for a couple of years and then 0:16:12.760 --> 0:16:13.780 returned to Newcastle. 0:16:13.900 --> 0:16:14.239 It's just. 0:16:14.620 --> 0:16:16.500 And, you know, to him, he's gone out in that game. 0:16:16.520 --> 0:16:18.480 He's gone right on up against Luttrell. They're great mates. 0:16:18.920 --> 0:16:21.260 And he knows, like, Luttrell is the bloke who gives 0:16:21.320 --> 0:16:23.680 South the swagger and the confidence. And he's just gone, 0:16:23.700 --> 0:16:24.360 I'm going after him. 0:16:24.460 --> 0:16:26.440 He went after the big dog. Yep. And he won 0:16:26.460 --> 0:16:26.880 that battle. 0:16:27.100 --> 0:16:27.720 Yeah. 0:16:27.880 --> 0:16:30.040 As you said, great mates, a lot of respect. But 0:16:30.500 --> 0:16:32.220 when it comes down to finals, either you or me, 0:16:32.660 --> 0:16:37.080 and Gagai was great. Like he physically, and after this happened, 0:16:37.280 --> 0:16:39.720 go back and watch it. Who took the hit up? Yeah, 0:16:39.840 --> 0:16:41.150 that was awesome. Gagai, who did he run at? 0:16:41.500 --> 0:16:41.920 Luttrell. 0:16:42.230 --> 0:16:45.450 Yeah. Like it's like that shot there, like that's a 0:16:45.510 --> 0:16:46.190 great performance. 0:16:46.230 --> 0:16:48.950 Yeah, it's a great Tom Donagher story. I think it's 0:16:49.210 --> 0:16:51.950 the 1981 semifinal where it's Broadhurst versus Bowdoin. 0:16:52.890 --> 0:16:56.370 And as the fight breaks up a little bit, they've 0:16:56.390 --> 0:17:00.270 sort of, oh, here we go. Scotty's found this. Unbelievable, mate. 0:17:00.830 --> 0:17:03.530 So as this fight breaks up a little bit later 0:17:03.570 --> 0:17:06.330 in the game, the referee realises he's just lost control 0:17:06.350 --> 0:17:06.950 of the contest. 0:17:06.990 --> 0:17:07.629 And there's Tommy. 0:17:08.369 --> 0:17:10.169 And on the other side was a couple of the 0:17:10.190 --> 0:17:12.609 blokes who Tommy used to play with at West, Les Boyd. 0:17:13.560 --> 0:17:16.840 And he and Les got into it. Look at this. 0:17:17.100 --> 0:17:19.740 And Tommy's like, mate, so what they did, they got 0:17:19.780 --> 0:17:23.560 the penalty. Newtown kicked into touch. Tommy takes the net. 0:17:23.660 --> 0:17:26.260 He takes the hit up off the tap like Gagai. 0:17:26.590 --> 0:17:29.370 But instead of running, you know, carrying the ball into Les, 0:17:29.630 --> 0:17:31.410 he actually takes two or three steps, throws the ball 0:17:31.450 --> 0:17:34.160 over his head and just nails Les with the right hand. 0:17:34.700 --> 0:17:38.310 And that was, I mean, of course, a completely different era, 0:17:38.510 --> 0:17:40.690 but it was his way of inspiring his team. 0:17:40.710 --> 0:17:43.229 And it's almost a bit symbolic what Arthur Beaton did 0:17:43.250 --> 0:17:44.450 to Cronin in Origin. 0:17:44.570 --> 0:17:45.129 That's right. 0:17:45.150 --> 0:17:49.520 That created mate versus mate, state versus state. And there's 0:17:49.560 --> 0:17:53.960 no doubt that Gagai definitely had that as a plan to, 0:17:54.380 --> 0:17:57.020 I need to win this physical battle against Luttrell, and 0:17:57.040 --> 0:17:57.340 he did it. 0:17:57.600 --> 0:18:02.640 Coop, when edgeback rowers have great seasons, More often than not, 0:18:02.700 --> 0:18:04.400 it means the playmakers. 0:18:03.920 --> 0:18:06.760 Have had great seasons. Both of them, they sort. 0:18:06.640 --> 0:18:09.960