Speaker 1: Welcome to three sixty really from every angle, joining me
Speaker 1: in the great Gordon tell Us, let's bring the Journal
Speaker 1: Australian James Hooper and Dave Riccio. And it is official.
Speaker 1: Brandon Smith is a bunny. He's leaving the Sydney Roosters
Speaker 1: and it was signed and announced this afternoon.
Speaker 2: Good.
Speaker 3: I think it's a great signing for South Sydney. The
Speaker 3: few just keeps on going on and Wayne will work
Speaker 3: out how to play him. I think Brandon Smith is
Speaker 3: one of those guys that plays a great forty to
Speaker 3: fifty to sixty minutes and Bruce is probably signing for
Speaker 3: like eighty probably in hindsight is probably a mistake, but
Speaker 3: I think you'll be a good signing for South.
Speaker 2: So we've known this is happening and about to be signed.
Speaker 1: It's been spoken about on this show the past few weeks,
Speaker 1: probably three or four weeks.
Speaker 2: Now, How did it all go down?
Speaker 4: Hoops, Wayne and Brandon have been speaking for a number
Speaker 4: of weeks now. They've obviously officially announced it today.
Speaker 5: It's a two year deal. It starts next season.
Speaker 4: But where it all get interesting is whether Souse and
Speaker 4: the Roosters are obviously fierce levels and love to hate
Speaker 4: one another, can somehow negotiate Brandon possibly moving prior to
Speaker 4: June thirty this year. At this point in time, I
Speaker 4: can't say happening. The Roosters were certainly saying a hard
Speaker 4: no today, but that's changed from earlier in the week. Well,
Speaker 4: the Roosters off the back of a good win last week.
Speaker 4: I think they thought we'll hang on. Brandon actually gives
Speaker 4: us quality depth once he comes back in July, so
Speaker 4: we may well need him towards the back end.
Speaker 2: Of the Season's fair enough, Why would you?
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, just quickly before I come to here, Dave,
Speaker 1: if their Roosters are paying some money and he's going
Speaker 1: to their arch enemy who have had a great start
Speaker 1: of the year. The Roosters are short on players a
Speaker 1: little bit this year, and they don't have a hell
Speaker 1: of a lot of depth, losing some senior players.
Speaker 2: In key positions.
Speaker 1: Why would you give him to them and hand them
Speaker 1: some money and so here's some extra strength to your
Speaker 1: forward pack.
Speaker 2: I just can't imagine it happening.
Speaker 6: Yeah. Look, I think there's a couple of layers to it.
Speaker 7: One I reckon both clubs need to see whether they're
Speaker 7: in finals contention at the time of when they would
Speaker 7: consider to let him go prior to June thirty or
Speaker 7: even after. I think they have to wait a little bit.
Speaker 7: Second of that is is what is the financial game?
Speaker 7: What are you taking off your salary cap to let
Speaker 7: Brandon Smith go and be around two.
Speaker 6: Hundred thousand, one hundred and five thousand. It's not that much.
Speaker 7: So what's the appeal from Russ to let him go?
Speaker 7: I say not too much.
Speaker 6: I would hang on to it.
Speaker 2: Okay.
Speaker 1: Brandon broke the news on the Buy Around podcast only hours.
Speaker 8: Ago officially signed with the Bunnies.
Speaker 9: I guess it's been happening behind closed doors for a
Speaker 9: while now, and obviously everyone pretty much knew but didn't know.
Speaker 9: So it's good to finally have it announced and look
Speaker 9: forward to being a Bunny in the next couple of years.
Speaker 8: It seemed very convenient.
Speaker 9: Wayne Bennett actually wanted me back, so it means that
Speaker 9: he's got a lot of interest in me and all
Speaker 9: just kind of the stars just aligned, and just to
Speaker 9: be able to be coached by Wayne Bennett. And I've
Speaker 9: had two amazing coaches in my career so far, and
Speaker 9: Craig and Trent and now I'll get to go to
Speaker 9: another amazing.
Speaker 8: Coach that's probably one of the best ever.
Speaker 9: So conversation with Wayne was very blunt, who was just like,
Speaker 9: I'm going to sign you, like we're going to make
Speaker 9: your bunny sweet. I'm happy at the Roosters for this year,
Speaker 9: like I'm happy to see out the contract. If they
Speaker 9: feel like they have an opportunity to let me go
Speaker 9: and bring a player in that could bring more value
Speaker 9: to some positions that they probably are lacking in value,
Speaker 9: then that's a discussion that I'd have to have with them,
Speaker 9: and that'd have to have with me. But for now,
Speaker 9: if they want me to stay, I'll stay.
Speaker 10: Yeah.
Speaker 1: I think it's a really good signing by the Sasiny
Speaker 1: rabbit Os. Brandon Smith heading to the club now, the
Speaker 1: reason the Rooster's brought him was to play nine and
Speaker 1: they spend a lot of money in doing that. Are
Speaker 1: the Bunnies purchasing him as a nine or a thirteen?
Speaker 4: Well, Wayne's gone on the record today is saying that
Speaker 4: they've bought him as a forward, so probably similar to
Speaker 4: the role that we saw him play in Melbourne. He
Speaker 4: would spend some time at dummy half. He'd also spend
Speaker 4: some time at Locke. I think in the long run,
Speaker 4: though breath to answer your question, I think there's doubt
Speaker 4: that Souths are viewing him as a dummy.
Speaker 1: Half Okay remembers as at the club at the moment,
Speaker 1: had a really has had a really strong start of
Speaker 1: the year. He's great on the weekend against the Dragons.
Speaker 1: Where does that lead him?
Speaker 6: Yeah, you're right, like it certainly raises immediate questions, doesn't it.
Speaker 7: However, took Hoops's point. Wayne has been at pains since
Speaker 7: this story. Broke got pains to declare that Pete Maemozoura's
Speaker 7: is at the starting nine at South and it'll be
Speaker 7: up to Brandon to prove his way into that team.
Speaker 6: I don't think can we not beat around the bullshet
Speaker 6: either here?
Speaker 7: Guys like it there is there are rumblings in and
Speaker 7: around the character of Brandon Smith on and off the field. Now,
Speaker 7: Craig Bellamy let him go, super Coachy didn't.
Speaker 5: Want to let him go. They didn't want to go.
Speaker 5: They did let him go, but they didn't let him.
Speaker 6: Go go and they usually keep who they want to keep.
Speaker 1: Trent Robinson, you think they were happy with the character
Speaker 1: of Smith Melbourn Hoops.
Speaker 4: I think that they believed he value added to their
Speaker 4: team and he'd won premierships with that club and they
Speaker 4: didn't want to let him go. I remember speaking to
Speaker 4: their chairman, Matt Tripp at the time and he said,
Speaker 4: this is war.
Speaker 5: We will not let him go.
Speaker 3: If they didn't have Wishart, they can play those roles
Speaker 3: and Harry Grant they wouldn't have. But they've got Harry Grant.
Speaker 7: Arguably Melbourne usually keep who they want to kick, and
Speaker 7: they kept Harry. Roosters Trent Robinson, Earlie coach has now
Speaker 7: let Brandon go and what an opportunity is for Brandon to.
Speaker 6: Be coached by Wayne Bennett.
Speaker 7: But there are there are questions around whether the vices
Speaker 7: off the field for Brandon staying in Sydney will still
Speaker 7: be a distraction for his football.
Speaker 4: Fanny Coach is going to get that right though, Dave,
Speaker 4: I think it's one and that's not a criticism on
Speaker 4: Robbo whatsoever, But I think, for whatever reason, from an
Speaker 4: outside point of view, it's pretty clear that Brandon has
Speaker 4: struggled to fit into the Rooster's way and the way that.
Speaker 1: If he's to fitting, none of the Roosters but he
Speaker 1: will see us because of Wayne.
Speaker 2: Why is that good?
Speaker 11: I think it's his work.
Speaker 3: I think I think, I think way deep down doesn't
Speaker 3: care what you do away from the field, as long
Speaker 3: as when you come to training you got your footy
Speaker 3: boots on and your teammates want to play with you.
Speaker 11: I played with Health that.
Speaker 3: Was a bit of a rogue and we'd be listening
Speaker 3: to the races and would ask the trainer did the
Speaker 3: horse and race six.
Speaker 11: Win or lose? Right, So I've played with those big characters.
Speaker 3: Wayne's got an ability to make sure that it doesn't
Speaker 3: affect the team, and that's what I mean. So I
Speaker 3: think Wayne's ability to just get Smith. Hey, listen, these
Speaker 3: boys here love you so for the eighty minutes on
Speaker 3: Sunday you play, but when we're here for four hours, mate,
Speaker 3: you'd be one of their best lines.
Speaker 7: The other key point is here is a lot of
Speaker 7: it comes down to how much you're paying your players,
Speaker 7: and what the Rabbits are gaining is a cut price
Speaker 7: player from what he was being paid at the Roosters.
Speaker 7: This deals in and around one point one to one
Speaker 7: point two for two seasons. That would be a good
Speaker 7: deal in most books of.
Speaker 6: Any club in the game. When you're talking about Brander,
Speaker 6: do you.
Speaker 11: Think it's a good sign of breath.
Speaker 2: Yeah, I do.
Speaker 1: I think if they again for me with Brandon, it
Speaker 1: comes down to the right price. And when you you know,
Speaker 1: I was vocal about him not being a nine from
Speaker 1: the start and the russ is paying too much for him,
Speaker 1: like and I got hammered for it for having that
Speaker 1: opinion early doors on the show.
Speaker 5: Do you still believe that, because yeah, he's not a nine.
Speaker 2: I don't think he's I wouldn't say he's he's not
Speaker 2: not a nine.
Speaker 1: Like he can play nine and do it a really
Speaker 1: good job at it, and he'll do a job there
Speaker 1: at Sous, you know, as I said, But I think
Speaker 1: for the money they paid and the ability they thought
Speaker 1: he had as a nine, it just didn't.
Speaker 2: It didn't match up. But didn't a ligne.
Speaker 1: I see him more as running forward thirteen. Who can
Speaker 1: you can throw in at nine? Move him to thirteen,
Speaker 1: mix it up, play him off the bench, you know,
Speaker 1: you know, if you get an injury at nine, have
Speaker 1: him at No. One, start him on the bench, bring
Speaker 1: him on if you need him too for Memoizulla or
Speaker 1: if you need him too for Ken Murray, for a
Speaker 1: breather or anyone else in the pack. He can play
Speaker 1: anywhere in the middle like he's a low center of
Speaker 1: gravity with late footwork who's very powerful and very dangerous
Speaker 1: close to line. He can get the quick play of
Speaker 1: the balls for the nine. That's another thing with Brandon
Speaker 1: is he probably strong point isn't identifying rock speed or
Speaker 1: you know, a marker down or you know a lazy
Speaker 1: a defender will be. He's he's just seeing seeing a
Speaker 1: gap and taking it and running hard. You know that
Speaker 1: That's how's his strength, and his strength would be getting
Speaker 1: quick player the balls.
Speaker 2: As I said for the spine. You know, so I
Speaker 2: wouldn't use him as a genuine nine. I never have.
Speaker 3: The energy that he uses in his runs, right, And
Speaker 3: I've played with like Michael Hancocks are saying when they
Speaker 3: go and they use that explosive energy, they run out
Speaker 3: of petrol quicker. But you get someone that goes and
Speaker 3: they pass and they run, they can play eighty minutes.
Speaker 3: I don't want him to play that way. If I
Speaker 3: want him play eighty minutes, well I bought the wrong guy.
Speaker 5: Now he's a bulldog the way and he wanted to run.
Speaker 11: Out of petrol. And when he runs out of petrol,
Speaker 11: you put someone on the finish.
Speaker 1: That's why I think he's a goodbye who's because that's
Speaker 1: if House used him that way, that's exactly what they need.
Speaker 5: I'm with you.
Speaker 4: I think that's a great buyer for Souths and I
Speaker 4: think Wayne can be the coach who flicks the switch
Speaker 4: and gets him back on track. What surprises me is
Speaker 4: the Roosters don't normally make mistakes in the area of
Speaker 4: recruitment and retention, and in this instance, I think history
Speaker 4: shows that they got this one badly wrong and it
Speaker 4: will have a flow on effect.
Speaker 2: Yeah, they didn't get it wrong. I think that'd openly
Speaker 2: admit that would they dave.
Speaker 7: They would, And to the point of which we will
Speaker 7: get to a point through the season where this discussion
Speaker 7: point about letting Brandon go will come up again and
Speaker 7: that will be the indication of Okay, we've heard here.
Speaker 3: May spiry like Roosters fans at home business, why are
Speaker 3: we losing so many players? Well there's another one.
Speaker 1: Right, what about Cody Walker and the Bunnies. He's off contract.
Speaker 1: Are they going to resign him?
Speaker 6: I believe they will break certainly every indication.
Speaker 7: Talking to South's management today, they've indicated that they've already
Speaker 7: kickstarted some initial talks in retaining Cody Walker.
Speaker 6: He'll be thirty six next.
Speaker 7: Year, boys in January next year, but he he is
Speaker 7: not playing like a thirty five thirty six year old.
Speaker 6: He's still commanding the ball and.
Speaker 7: Running that football side with a rookie Jamie Humphries beside him,
Speaker 7: and everything indicates that he will be retained next to
Speaker 7: you on a twelve month deal.
Speaker 1: Twelve month deal, okay, so one year deal. So it's
Speaker 1: similar to the DC situation. Although Cody's happy with the
Speaker 1: twelve months deal. Everything, well, that's just what Sous are
Speaker 1: going to offer.
Speaker 6: That's the minus thing is that that's what they'll put
Speaker 6: forward at that point in time.
Speaker 7: And I reckon what price he's he's seven hundred and
Speaker 7: six to fifty seven hundred for me, okay, yeah.
Speaker 1: And how will that go with Humphreys only on one fifty,
Speaker 1: they'll probably have to upgrade him.
Speaker 2: Ye, died on six. I believe it's sixty seven, yeah, fifty,
Speaker 2: So that's all.
Speaker 6: Well, they've got a jigsaw puzzle hundred percent spot on.
Speaker 7: They've got Jiy Gray in the background too, right, who
Speaker 7: can play in the halves and obviously Humphrey's Humphreys is
Speaker 7: on contract for two seasons this season and next, but
Speaker 7: at some point.
Speaker 6: In well, they haven't gone there yet. Let's just call
Speaker 6: the Jets. It's two games in.
Speaker 7: They know that they're going to have to have a
Speaker 7: look at that contract if he continues to progress the
Speaker 7: way he is.
Speaker 4: It's early doors, Dave, but they might have to make
Speaker 4: a hard call on Lewis Dodd.
Speaker 5: It sounds brutal.
Speaker 4: He hasn't even laced a boot and run out in
Speaker 4: an NRL game, yet they've signed a year deal. Well,
Speaker 4: I think Christian Wolf had some interest in him at
Speaker 4: the Dolphins prior to him signing the Souths. Perhaps they
Speaker 4: try and open that pipeline or if not, But I'm
Speaker 4: just not sure what you do. You're asking the questions
Speaker 4: about how it all fits together. I'm saying, well, if
Speaker 4: you've got a bloke on that amount of money, given
Speaker 4: what we've seen from Humphreys, I know it's only.
Speaker 5: Early doors, but he looks.
Speaker 2: Want God.
Speaker 5: Well, it depends what shakes he has.
Speaker 6: He has to shouting cup, that's his only chance.
Speaker 1: He can't play reserve grade Super League reserve grade NURL
Speaker 1: and then have an NL club cod He's it's not
Speaker 1: going to happen.
Speaker 7: The only only chance breath is if South chip in significantly.
Speaker 7: They may have to with heops, you can't have a
Speaker 7: six hundred thousand dollars reserve greater on your books, but
Speaker 7: maybe you can have a three hundred thousand and you
Speaker 7: tip in three undred.
Speaker 1: Okay, what about Latrell Mitchell really good news here for
Speaker 1: him and the fans, looking super fit and maybe an
Speaker 1: early return.
Speaker 5: Yeah, the Ferrari was out of the garage training today.
Speaker 4: Have a look at him. He looks a million bucks Latrell.
Speaker 4: So he's obviously recovering well from that hamstring issue. I
Speaker 4: think he's got one date circled on the calendar break
Speaker 4: that's round five, the Nemesis game against the Sydney Roosters.
Speaker 5: Isn't that early round?
Speaker 2: Yeah? Well, look he looks like that's good.
Speaker 1: He's a head of schedule because I thought it was
Speaker 1: going to be seven or eight weeks initially.
Speaker 5: I think his rehabs been sensational.
Speaker 2: After early.
Speaker 4: They might yeah, maybe they put a little bit of
Speaker 4: mayonnaise on the early prognas in terms of how long
Speaker 4: he might have been out for. But I'll tell you what,
Speaker 4: I'd be awesome to see.
Speaker 5: Him back for that rend. It doesn't look he does.
Speaker 5: He looks cherry right.
Speaker 1: And I think the inspiration too for him now is
Speaker 1: the start that the House have had without him and
Speaker 1: Kem Murray there, you know, would have kept him up
Speaker 1: high and training hard and impeak fitness and ready to
Speaker 1: come back at the right time. It's going to be
Speaker 1: a huge inclusion for the House when he does come back.
Speaker 2: Now.
Speaker 1: Taken on the Sharks, the Sharks have been in the
Speaker 1: Wars a little bit, a bit of a tough recovery
Speaker 1: after Vegas.
Speaker 7: Yeah, Broth, Well, certainly they've had the most tumultuous return
Speaker 7: from Las Vegas. They've had the most amount of travel.
Speaker 7: They're the only team from the Vegas sides to go
Speaker 7: on an away trip. And the most significant one is
Speaker 7: the humidity in the heat up to Townsville, and it's
Speaker 7: it's completely exhausted them on two fronts, one of which
Speaker 7: is what I said, the weather in Townsville, but also
Speaker 7: to ten players got wiped out on the flight home,
Speaker 7: five with COVID and five with influent influenza.
Speaker 6: A The majority of that squad that beat the Cowboys
Speaker 6: were crookeds. Rookwood going into the game.
Speaker 11: Is that all he had.
Speaker 2: As a result.
Speaker 7: As a result, Fellows that they're they're at a real
Speaker 7: scale back preparation and of which tomorrow will probably be
Speaker 7: their biggest session in about two weeks.
Speaker 6: Finally getting some fitness back into the term.
Speaker 3: It didn't affect their performance in Towns and I I
Speaker 3: was hot and it was going to be a drink break,
Speaker 3: really good.
Speaker 2: Flat.
Speaker 3: Yeah, but most sides are flat when they come back
Speaker 3: shock in history and the short history. I've gone to Vegas,
Speaker 3: most of them come back a little bit there and
Speaker 3: they still got it done.
Speaker 2: The job.
Speaker 1: Ship sick shark, Sorry where you front. You have some
Speaker 1: sad some sad news today bands to try celebrations.
Speaker 2: Is no more of this, is no more of this.
Speaker 2: It's done.
Speaker 1: After a couple of rounds the Bulldogs game and then
Speaker 1: against the Bunnies, he was on fire.
Speaker 2: What's happened to here? This is this has been absolutely squashed.
Speaker 7: I'm not a fan of it, simply because Christian seems
Speaker 7: to be producing the party antics while scoring a trial.
Speaker 6: Yet the Dragons aren't getting the job done on the
Speaker 6: school board in.
Speaker 7: The end result, and Flora is going to have a
Speaker 7: little chat to him about maybe reeling it in and
Speaker 7: pouring his energy into the team as opposed to the
Speaker 7: fans in the crowd.
Speaker 5: What's the reasoning behind it? Like he's off contract at
Speaker 5: the end of the year.
Speaker 4: Are we not on big coin or are we angling
Speaker 4: for a bumped up deal or is he just living
Speaker 4: in the moment.
Speaker 5: And enjoying it and letting it rain on.
Speaker 3: I don't like log if he scores an eighty meter
Speaker 3: try to win the game, knock yourself out.
Speaker 6: Naked Blacklock style.
Speaker 11: I don't care what you do.
Speaker 3: The backflip's fantastic, but they were getting beaten by the
Speaker 3: Dogs way eighting points. I think you did it, so
Speaker 3: it all depends when and where you do it. I
Speaker 3: like try celebrate our game. Celebrates is around where he
Speaker 3: raise money, so I like it then, but not everything.
Speaker 2: Gets the crowd up and about and all that.
Speaker 1: But you're right, it was it eighteen points behind when
Speaker 1: he did it against the Dogs, but against sous it
Speaker 1: got him to a twelve point lead and then they
Speaker 1: got beat And I think Wayne said something in the
Speaker 1: press conference like they thought they'd had it won, So it's.
Speaker 2: Not a good look if you don't go on and
Speaker 2: back you've got to back it. If you come up
Speaker 2: with this, you've got to back it up.
Speaker 7: Perception in our games or everything, and it's and the
Speaker 7: perception of this is is you're partying and having too
Speaker 7: much of a good time within yourself, clearly and not
Speaker 7: getting the job done.
Speaker 6: That's what coaches don't like it. Craig Bellamy was huge
Speaker 6: on it. He used a real Josh Hadoka and all
Speaker 6: the time about it.
Speaker 4: So does that mean all other post trial celebrations for
Speaker 4: the Dragons because we're soon a few others.
Speaker 11: I don't know what the margin.
Speaker 6: I don't know what the margin needs to be that
Speaker 6: they're allowed to celebrate.
Speaker 2: So yeah, can you do the Cradle or the Cradle
Speaker 2: might still be playing it anyway?
Speaker 3: News Okay, now after this game, Yeah, that's not as
Speaker 3: good as I'd rather shame with them.
Speaker 2: They had to buy and said it's going to be
Speaker 2: brutal this week. Was it brutal?
Speaker 7: My understanding is I think the emotion of that press
Speaker 7: conference was high, clearly, but he has just maintained the
Speaker 7: same schedule, so he hasn't ripped them. Ted and and
Speaker 7: knowing it's only round two, round two and and he's
Speaker 7: they've maintained the same schedule, a couple of days off
Speaker 7: straight after the game, and they trained, they trained today.
Speaker 1: Interesting, you pulled the handbrake all right, Eels bosses his
Speaker 1: boss Lee's fans puzzled after they had a little quiz
Speaker 1: with bulldog Richie in the paper today.
Speaker 2: I believe it quiz.
Speaker 5: I love a bulldog. Quiz No credit the bulldog.
Speaker 4: He's put some hard questions to the paramount of Boss
Speaker 4: Jim Sarnton as credit to Jim as well.
Speaker 5: He's fronted up and answered the.
Speaker 4: I wouldn't say mates break, but where okay, pretty strong
Speaker 4: against the Eels and some of their decisions last year,
Speaker 4: and I stand by that. I think it's been vindicated
Speaker 4: and the results happening a couple of rounds. But in
Speaker 4: this instance they're obviously back to the war given there
Speaker 4: h and two and he has fronted up and answered
Speaker 4: the majority of the questions, but there were a couple.
Speaker 5: This was a little bit surprising.
Speaker 4: That he declined to comment on so was losing by
Speaker 4: such a big margin to West Tigers, who have collected
Speaker 4: the past three wooden spoons. Acceptable, declined to comment. It
Speaker 4: would appear the thirty nine year weight will continue in
Speaker 4: terms of a premiership. Decline to comment. Interview concluded, So
Speaker 4: is that normal when you're talking to a CEO.
Speaker 11: That's got to keep the fans positive.
Speaker 4: Some people, yeah, times bosses, bosses will say no comment.
Speaker 4: But I think in this instance you're probably better often
Speaker 4: with the benefit of hindsight, just answer those questions.
Speaker 5: They're not that difficult. He hasn't got out of that
Speaker 5: much of a barrel.
Speaker 1: So you're probably better off just playing it straight back
Speaker 1: than saying, declimb the comment correct.
Speaker 4: I think he probably got a bit of back room advice.
Speaker 4: They obviously had a bit of a round table meeting
Speaker 4: about questions, and I'd say they've had a little bit
Speaker 4: of loose carry.
Speaker 2: There create a sense of paranoia.
Speaker 4: Does it create a sense of paranoia, Well, it hasn't
Speaker 4: been a great start, Broth. They've obviously they were diabolical
Speaker 4: against the Tigers. I think we can all forgive them
Speaker 4: what happened against the Melbourne Storm. Plenty of sides would
Speaker 4: have got carved up that particular day, but against the Tigers,
Speaker 4: what could go wrong did go wrong, and it's hard
Speaker 4: to see facing Canterbury this week, even without Matt Burton
Speaker 4: and Villiamy kick out. How the Eels can quickly flick
Speaker 4: a switch and turn this around. I think they're in
Speaker 4: for a hard year.
Speaker 1: Could they do a roosters on the Panthers? Could they
Speaker 1: Could they really turn this that?
Speaker 5: I'm not saying that at this point.
Speaker 6: Well, Dean Hawkins comes in and gets his chance in
Speaker 6: the halves with.
Speaker 7: With obviously Dylan Brown, I've got Nickels at the moment,
Speaker 7: Gordy so that they're dealing with those Josh had o'ca
Speaker 7: guys named in the reserves. He'll come in, he'll come in,
Speaker 7: he'll play. That'll be his first game in the Blue
Speaker 7: and Gold. So look, stranger things have happened. Break I expect.
Speaker 2: I expect the bounce back. It's going to be hard.
Speaker 2: I just think, you know, a few injuries. I think
Speaker 2: they'll fight.
Speaker 1: I'll fight hard this week and I do expect them
Speaker 1: to be better than last week. I don't expect them
Speaker 1: to win though. But anyway, Rickyo, what have you got
Speaker 1: Davon Galvin? I know again Lollinoi's around his contract. Have
Speaker 1: we got an update on that?
Speaker 7: Look, no firm update but what I will say is
Speaker 7: that there's so much speculation and scrutiny around this young fella,
Speaker 7: and in regards to his future at the West Tigers.
Speaker 7: Knowing on the back of what happened with Dylan Brown
Speaker 7: ten year deal, thirteen million, now suddenly Lucky Galvin's going
Speaker 7: to be the next millionaire.
Speaker 6: For me, I don't think the decision will be about money,
Speaker 6: like to the nth degree. Of course, it's a fact
Speaker 6: that no doubt.
Speaker 7: But what I do believe is this will come down
Speaker 7: to Benji Marshall's coaching and what Locke Galvin believes.
Speaker 6: Will I develop under Benji Marshall?
Speaker 2: Is that my question mark from Lockey in his management.
Speaker 7: I firmly believe Lockie would be mad if he isn't
Speaker 7: asking that question, how.
Speaker 6: Will I develop?
Speaker 2: You're saying to us that it's not about money, to
Speaker 2: be about his development. So is that the concern?
Speaker 5: He's already on a strong jectory.
Speaker 4: He's only had one season last year, and what we've
Speaker 4: seen from him in the opening couple of games, he's
Speaker 4: on the upward right and it's and it's a rapid ascension.
Speaker 4: So I tend to think, are we sure this isn't
Speaker 4: the agent playing games and looking to try and agitate
Speaker 4: to possibly shift him somewhere else By suggesting it's all
Speaker 4: about coaching, because.
Speaker 6: I think it's so, let me flip it the other way.
Speaker 7: How many coaches, sorry, how many players signed with another
Speaker 7: club because they want to be coached by a particular coach?
Speaker 3: We saw, We saw Stefano. He went from the Tigers
Speaker 3: to Melbourne because it's Melbourne or Penrith or Wayne. Maybe maybe,
Speaker 3: but that's.
Speaker 6: What I'm saying. I believe the kid. So is he
Speaker 6: going to want to go to a club that he
Speaker 6: knows he's going to get quality?
Speaker 2: Is he waiting to see how Benji coaches him this year?
Speaker 6: Are you telling me that I'm asking Benji's coaching.
Speaker 7: He's been coaching the last year and a But it's
Speaker 7: an open and shutcase of what type of coach Benji is.
Speaker 6: No, it's not. He's still he hasn't proved himself.
Speaker 3: Yeah, but the sound of the player, to improve yourself,
Speaker 3: no doubt. Break all your coaches. What do they teach
Speaker 3: you about playing five? They're so different, They're all very different.
Speaker 3: They're different coaches. I'm serious, Like Wayne, the first time
Speaker 3: I played with him, the master, the master coach, and
Speaker 3: I was like nervous, I said, Wayne, what do you
Speaker 3: want me to do?
Speaker 11: Play football? Your dickhead?
Speaker 2: Right.
Speaker 11: They didn't say anything for the rest of the year.
Speaker 2: How confusing is that I got to say, I smell
Speaker 2: a rat.
Speaker 1: I think this is a great ploy by management to
Speaker 1: deflect from the money and now I have another bit
Speaker 1: of ammunition and just sort of deflect from the real
Speaker 1: situation here. Because if he was happy and confident in
Speaker 1: the coach, you know he's heading for quite a while now.
Speaker 2: He would know that. He would know that.
Speaker 3: I had to call bullshit on it, because you learn
Speaker 3: more from your teammates. So he's playing with Lowell, that's
Speaker 3: one four coms. He's got bullet, that's one of the
Speaker 3: most exciting young players, and you got happy chorus.
Speaker 2: So that's he's waiting to see if the coach gets better.
Speaker 3: As you know, because you learn from your players and
Speaker 3: you sit there and yet training and they tip you.
Speaker 11: And like when I played with Joel.
Speaker 6: That the building a roster around building.
Speaker 5: There's no doubt. I think there's no question.
Speaker 4: The West Tigers Shane Richardson will sharpen the pencil and
Speaker 4: he will go in. If I'm here, I'm going to
Speaker 4: five year deal and I'm straight away just making an
Speaker 4: average at one point two years, so it's six million
Speaker 4: over five years. Just try and blow everybody else out
Speaker 4: of the water.
Speaker 2: And got that.
Speaker 6: So if he knocks that back locker Galvin.
Speaker 2: Clearly, I feel like he knows something we don't know.
Speaker 2: I feel like, you know he's going to market.
Speaker 6: I've always felt like he's going to market.
Speaker 2: Have you spoken to his management?
Speaker 6: I was shocked at he re signed last time round.
Speaker 1: Okay, exactly because of information you've been told, exactly information
Speaker 1: you've been not at all.
Speaker 7: I feel as though the kid wants to be coached
Speaker 7: by an elite coach right now, Benjim.
Speaker 3: Years old, nineteen, Yeah, okay, a lead coach just so
Speaker 3: Monster hey or Penrith.
Speaker 11: Or Belly yeah, or maybe so he's going to knock
Speaker 11: Cameron Monster out of position.
Speaker 6: I don't know. Let's see, let's see how.
Speaker 1: I just don't think it's good for the Tigers because
Speaker 1: on the upward trajectory.
Speaker 3: Great stuffing, the bottom sides get up breath Stefano left, right,
Speaker 3: So how did these lesser clubs?
Speaker 11: They can't be feeder clubs with the big clubs.
Speaker 5: Any you make a great point and the other thing
Speaker 5: you've got Lachland.
Speaker 2: Govern get another contract.
Speaker 6: I'm start of the year.
Speaker 2: This is going to drag one.
Speaker 1: We're talking about it now and we both all of
Speaker 1: us believe here that he's going to go to market.
Speaker 2: This is going to be spoke.
Speaker 5: It will definitely go to market. I'm saying.
Speaker 4: If the Tigers go to he and Talon to Silver
Speaker 4: who are both locals, juniors, the future of the club,
Speaker 4: and they put an offer they want to Harold Matt's
Speaker 4: premiership back in twenty twenty two together with West Smagpies.
Speaker 4: If they go and put together a monster deal to
Speaker 4: try and lock them up, They've got until November one
Speaker 4: to try and sort this out, get it done and
Speaker 4: solidify the future of the Gold.
Speaker 2: Now.
Speaker 5: I'll bet your rich I is working on it. I
Speaker 5: can guarantee you he will be working over time.
Speaker 1: This is the closer way, you know, if they do it,
Speaker 1: If they put it on the table and offer that
Speaker 1: you cannot refuse, and you're happy at the club, and
Speaker 1: you win a few games and you got the spine
Speaker 1: they got there at the moment, and then I think essentially,
Speaker 1: Lochlan will go, you know what, I love it here.
Speaker 2: Let's do this.
Speaker 1: You know, I don't want these dragging now. I don't
Speaker 1: want these impact in my teammates. I don't want these
Speaker 1: impact in our season and a chance of.
Speaker 2: Making the top eight. Let's get this done with it.
Speaker 1: You know, if I'm sacrificing one hundred a year, but
Speaker 1: I'm happy here with my development and Benji and the
Speaker 1: money that.
Speaker 2: You're offering me. Let's go. That's what they should do.
Speaker 2: That all right? The wait is almost over.
Speaker 1: The Grand Final rematch between the Panthers and the Storm
Speaker 1: is less than twenty four hours away.
Speaker 10: Thursday night Live on Fox League Best is the Best?
Speaker 2: Hey, guys, where you go?
Speaker 6: Where you got to bake?
Speaker 10: Melbourne Storm and the Penrith Panthers.
Speaker 2: Here we go.
Speaker 10: Do you know last year's Grand finalists back at it
Speaker 10: right here, right now, chasing five straight premierships. That's right,
Speaker 10: five straight. So Craig Billamy Storm the favorites to stop
Speaker 10: the run of this champion side just doesn't get.
Speaker 2: Any better than this. That is stupidous.
Speaker 10: Fully fit Ryan Pappenhausen, Cameron Munster, Daly and medalist Jerome Hughes,
Speaker 10: good night, the best player of his generation, Nathan Cleary,
Speaker 10: Golden Boot winner, Isaiah.
Speaker 5: Yes, somebody stop it.
Speaker 10: Thursday Night Live on Fox League must see Blockbuster Storm
Speaker 10: and the Panthers.
Speaker 2: W a game.
Speaker 1: It sets up to be the Melbourne Storm taking on
Speaker 1: the penwith Panthers the pan Panthers looking to bounce back
Speaker 1: after that lost last week. Now, Hoops, you've had the
Speaker 1: calculator out, you've had the rugby league players annually out,
Speaker 1: You've done a bit of a buzz on us today.
Speaker 2: You've got some numbers and some stats and take it away.
Speaker 2: Just have a look. You take it away for us.
Speaker 5: Well, I was listening to your.
Speaker 4: Bikes last night about Penrith and are there a couple
Speaker 4: of little chinks in the armor or some cranks cracks
Speaker 4: in the windscreen. And you're talking about the players that
Speaker 4: they've lost over the course the last twelve months. But
Speaker 4: if you go back to when they won that initial premiership,
Speaker 4: the first of four, you've got Matt Burton, kick Out, Crichton, Spencer, Enya,
Speaker 4: Jack Cooger, Happy corus Our, Lewis Taruvera, Kirk Capewell, James Fisher,
Speaker 4: Harris In total, there's thirteen hundred and twenty three games
Speaker 4: of NRL experience, eighty six finals games and twenty four
Speaker 4: premierships combined, so it's a hell of a lot of experience.
Speaker 4: I still expect that Penrith, with nine thousand local juniors
Speaker 4: and the way they've got the pathways set up, be
Speaker 4: a top four side every day of the week this year.
Speaker 4: But I do think that they are more vulnerable than
Speaker 4: they've ever been because of the amount of depth that
Speaker 4: they have had to continually shed in the salary cap
Speaker 4: of era.
Speaker 1: This makes their full premierships even more special when it
Speaker 1: when you see it like this, you've done a great job.
Speaker 6: The way.
Speaker 2: From the producer buzz will be messaging and be feelthy,
Speaker 2: but it is. It is eye opening and it's very
Speaker 2: special that Pei considered.
Speaker 1: We're not just talking we're talking high quality here, high
Speaker 1: quality players like top eschelon elite that would strolling and
Speaker 1: have stroll into any other side which had done a
Speaker 1: good job.
Speaker 2: Well.
Speaker 3: I thought when those three went to the Bulldogs they
Speaker 3: would have suffer, right, and then they lost them to
Speaker 3: the Tigers and the Roosters and now for the world.
Speaker 1: But Hoops has said he's concerned. I am a little
Speaker 1: concerned this year for the like more more than others. Right, Like,
Speaker 1: we've all got it pretty wrong. I don't think any
Speaker 1: of us thought they'd fall off a cliff and they didn't.
Speaker 2: But to win Fauna.
Speaker 3: Production believable, the production line their kids won't come through,
Speaker 3: are pretty much ready to step up with Cleary and
Speaker 3: Yo and I don't know the experience they have there
Speaker 3: and how many premierships they've still got there, but they
Speaker 3: just seem to get the job done. And yeah, they
Speaker 3: had a hiccup, but they've had a hiccup nearly every
Speaker 3: year at the beginning, and then by the time they
Speaker 3: get it to the end of the year, they improve and.
Speaker 2: Buy this team.
Speaker 4: No, they developed it every day of the week. That's
Speaker 4: why you have to tip your hat and be so
Speaker 4: super impressed with the dynasty that they have been able
Speaker 4: to create. I think the other issue that they've got
Speaker 4: is while ever they've got Cleary, Dylan Edwards, Martin, Mitch Kenny,
Speaker 4: all those solidified champion Premiership winning players there, they're going
Speaker 4: to be a damn good side. But we saw with
Speaker 4: Edwards picking up the groin injury, we saw with Nathan
Speaker 4: last year he only played fourteen games. If any of
Speaker 4: those key position blokes because of all the football at
Speaker 4: elite level that they have played over the LUs four
Speaker 4: or five years, pick up any niggles or anything, that's
Speaker 4: where it could become about it.
Speaker 1: It takes us back also to the fact that they
Speaker 1: have produced all these players and they have had to
Speaker 1: lose all these players because of the CAP.
Speaker 2: Now is the CAP doing its job?
Speaker 1: And should teams, even though they have won four in
Speaker 1: a row, should they be rewarded for developing these guys
Speaker 1: and getting to the point that they have.
Speaker 4: I think the fact that they have one for in
Speaker 4: a row and you look at that list and all
Speaker 4: the players, elite players, representative players who are on it,
Speaker 4: it shows that the CAP is clearly working and they're
Speaker 4: the flagship of how to make it fly the best
Speaker 4: possible way. Should they get some sort of compensation because
Speaker 4: of all the players that they have A.
Speaker 2: Question?
Speaker 4: It's always a dangerous once you start to talk about that,
Speaker 4: But I do feel as they for the development clubs,
Speaker 4: you can understand why they feel as though they do
Speaker 4: deserve some.
Speaker 2: Sort of rule.
Speaker 7: I certainly hear everything you're saying, and I don't disagree
Speaker 7: the to all this, and Gordy called up a bit
Speaker 7: of a hiccup to start the season.
Speaker 6: As bad as they were, as uncharacteristic the.
Speaker 7: Errors from Martin and Dylan Edwards and looking a bit
Speaker 7: clunky with Nathan in the hars, but they still almost
Speaker 7: won the game.
Speaker 11: They played for the first final player last ten.
Speaker 7: Yeah, the final player. They nearly win the game. And
Speaker 7: you know, I'm not in a position to write them off.
Speaker 6: To ship like it's just.
Speaker 5: I said, they're top four side every day of the war.
Speaker 1: If it's going to happen this year, if they're not
Speaker 1: going to win and they're going to kind of you know,
Speaker 1: maybe he hit a bit of a war.
Speaker 2: I think this year is the year. I actually think
Speaker 2: we'll get a really good.
Speaker 1: Indication when they play Melbourne where they're huge, you know
Speaker 1: where they're really and if they do bounce back and
Speaker 1: do what they usually do. Now, boys, your key player
Speaker 1: matchups brought to you by Ossie Broadband for this week.
Speaker 4: You got I'm going the Grand Final rematch tomorrow night
Speaker 4: and it's still the best players in the game. Nathan
Speaker 4: Cleary in the reigning dally M medalist, Jerome Hughes it.
Speaker 6: Really impressed by seeing in Smith.
Speaker 7: Guys, I just thought it was almost a game of
Speaker 7: his career last weekend against the Panthers, up against Luke Metcalf,
Speaker 7: now who's just hit the ground running post Vegas. That
Speaker 7: was an awesome performance last week Metcalf for Smith, awesome work.
Speaker 2: They think you Hoops sucked.
Speaker 1: Next, it's The Legends Agenda with Justin Hodges and James Groen.