WEBVTT - Where to from here… 0:00:12.600 --> 0:00:15.200 Hello, and welcome to the Fox League Podcast. My name 0:00:15.320 --> 0:00:18.840 is Darcy McDonald and joining me in studio today to 0:00:18.920 --> 0:00:22.319 wrap up the regular season and dissect the seasons of 0:00:22.360 --> 0:00:26.200 the bottom nine teams. Two of my Fox Sports Digital colleagues, 0:00:26.480 --> 0:00:29.159 Dan Nuttle and Kyle Robins. Welcome to the. 0:00:29.160 --> 0:00:31.040 Show boys having us on this. 0:00:31.560 --> 0:00:34.879 I'm happy to have you on debutes for both. What 0:00:35.000 --> 0:00:35.520 it's time? 0:00:35.680 --> 0:00:36.080 All right? 0:00:36.440 --> 0:00:38.680 Well, all the talk at the moment is about finals, 0:00:38.680 --> 0:00:42.400 but we can't say goodbye to the bottom teams without 0:00:42.520 --> 0:00:47.080 unpacking their season first, and I guess running our eyes 0:00:47.080 --> 0:00:49.839 over what went wrong for them? What was there? Is 0:00:49.880 --> 0:00:53.120 there a silver lining? Actually? And what does the future 0:00:53.320 --> 0:00:58.320 look like? Yeah, before we get into it though, finals 0:00:58.320 --> 0:01:01.400 came early on the weekend. In the last game of 0:01:01.440 --> 0:01:03.680 the regular season, which was a playing clash between the 0:01:03.760 --> 0:01:07.039 Knights and the Dolphins. Knight's got the win, which means 0:01:07.160 --> 0:01:11.040 Wayne Bennett and his Dolphins finish up again missing finals. 0:01:11.040 --> 0:01:13.559 So even though they finished tenth, we're going to start 0:01:13.600 --> 0:01:15.880 there because I feel like they're still the flavor of 0:01:15.920 --> 0:01:18.800 the week at the moment. Kyle, you've put your eye 0:01:18.840 --> 0:01:21.160 through them. What do you reckon went wrong with the 0:01:21.160 --> 0:01:22.240 Dolphins this season? 0:01:22.560 --> 0:01:25.560 I think the obvious answer is Wayne's moved to the 0:01:25.600 --> 0:01:28.520 Rabbits didn't help. He signed that at the he was 0:01:28.520 --> 0:01:30.440 announced to join the Rabbits at the end of May. 0:01:30.600 --> 0:01:33.760 They played thirteen games after that and lost ten, So 0:01:33.800 --> 0:01:36.360 that's sort of the obvious answer. But I think in 0:01:36.440 --> 0:01:39.200 terms of the playing roster, injuries really killed them. Tom 0:01:39.200 --> 0:01:42.920 Flegler had his nerve, his shoulder nerve injury. He only 0:01:42.959 --> 0:01:45.720 played four games this year. Tom Gilbert's an Origin level middle, 0:01:45.959 --> 0:01:49.000 he didn't play it all this year. Jeremy Marshall King 0:01:49.080 --> 0:01:51.160 missed nearly two months at the back end of the season. 0:01:51.800 --> 0:01:54.640 The Hammer had that origin injury, missed a couple weeks there, 0:01:54.640 --> 0:01:56.320 and then he was out with origins. I think they 0:01:56.360 --> 0:01:58.800 just sort of lost a few key guys to injury, 0:01:58.840 --> 0:02:01.360 Like losing two your best middles injured never really, it 0:02:01.400 --> 0:02:04.880 never helps anyone. Losing your best player Jeremy Marshall King, 0:02:05.000 --> 0:02:07.000 one of their best players at a crucial point of 0:02:07.040 --> 0:02:09.239 the season when the season he's on the line doesn't help. 0:02:09.280 --> 0:02:12.000 And then yeah, the Hammer stuff sort of it wasn't 0:02:12.000 --> 0:02:13.720 a massive injury, but it's sort of enough to sort 0:02:13.720 --> 0:02:15.359 of derail them and put him off. You know, put 0:02:15.400 --> 0:02:16.760 him off the push for the eight. 0:02:16.760 --> 0:02:18.519 And it looked like they'reforewards kind of ran out of 0:02:18.560 --> 0:02:19.800 juice at the end of the season. 0:02:19.560 --> 0:02:21.320 Right older as well, Like you got to remember it's 0:02:21.320 --> 0:02:23.720 a lot of experience, guys. Jesse Grmerch's retiring now, Kenny 0:02:23.760 --> 0:02:26.440 Brommitch's sort of getting on as well. Felice confus he 0:02:26.440 --> 0:02:28.280 has been played in the middle of a bit like yeah, 0:02:28.400 --> 0:02:31.000 like Ray Stones, a good, good, good, reliable player, but 0:02:31.000 --> 0:02:34.440 he's not Fleglor or Tom Gilbert. He's not as punchy 0:02:34.440 --> 0:02:36.440 as those guys. So yeah, it just sort of seems 0:02:36.440 --> 0:02:37.720 like it's sort of got Tom a little bit. 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:39.640 Do you reckon as well? Do you guys reckon that 0:02:39.720 --> 0:02:44.320 Herbie farm Worth didn't quite hit expectations overall. I mean, 0:02:44.320 --> 0:02:46.720 he had some great games, but overall. 0:02:47.000 --> 0:02:50.520 Agree, yeah, he is one of it all proved it 0:02:50.639 --> 0:02:53.560 a bit last year with the Broncos when the Dalyam 0:02:53.639 --> 0:02:54.280 Center of the Year. 0:02:55.520 --> 0:02:57.000 Was he consistent enough for the whole season? I don't 0:02:57.000 --> 0:02:57.240 think so. 0:02:57.320 --> 0:03:00.240 But in saying that he was, you know, he's sort 0:03:00.240 --> 0:03:04.280 of flow. Wasn't that bad either. Is obviously a classy player. Look, 0:03:04.639 --> 0:03:07.000 it's hard to be too critical of the Dolphins second 0:03:07.000 --> 0:03:09.880 season in the league. Did anyone expect them to be 0:03:09.960 --> 0:03:11.840 challenging for a final year two? I don't know, Maybe, 0:03:11.880 --> 0:03:15.160 probably not, but they were sort of right up amongst 0:03:15.200 --> 0:03:17.960 the top four teams there. Obviously they weren't being talked 0:03:18.000 --> 0:03:20.120 on the elk of like Penrith or Melbourne all those 0:03:20.160 --> 0:03:23.000 sort of teams. But they sort of did choke the 0:03:23.040 --> 0:03:25.160 back ends the last back end of this season. To 0:03:25.200 --> 0:03:27.880 miss out, to miss out from where they were, Granted, 0:03:27.919 --> 0:03:29.880 I'll give you that the injuries did play a part, 0:03:30.000 --> 0:03:33.280 but you know, from where they were, I think they'll 0:03:33.360 --> 0:03:34.960 be pretty disappointed they've missed out. 0:03:35.040 --> 0:03:37.480 Yeah, especially after that win over the Broncos, I thought, oh, 0:03:37.480 --> 0:03:40.000 here we go, they're playing finals. 0:03:40.320 --> 0:03:42.480 And then but the weekend, it was just I think 0:03:42.880 --> 0:03:45.600 the refereeing decision on the weekend probably doesn't help them there. 0:03:46.120 --> 0:03:48.360 It's a different game if that gets allowed. But yeah, 0:03:48.400 --> 0:03:51.560 they just looked like they got it out fought by Newcastle. 0:03:51.920 --> 0:03:54.440 But silver lining, there has to be a silver lining. 0:03:54.280 --> 0:03:56.440 Yeah, I think there is. I think the development of 0:03:56.440 --> 0:03:59.440 their young core over the year. I think obviously everyone 0:03:59.520 --> 0:04:02.240 knew what the Hammer was and what Herbie was coming 0:04:02.280 --> 0:04:04.360 into this year. They were sort of really you know, 0:04:04.480 --> 0:04:06.880 top top level guys in their position. But Isaiah Katoa 0:04:06.880 --> 0:04:09.360 obviously spent the last couple of weeks on the bench 0:04:09.360 --> 0:04:11.960 and then out of the side, but for a large 0:04:11.960 --> 0:04:15.440 part of that season or this season, he was probably 0:04:15.480 --> 0:04:18.200 the best young half under twenty three in the comp. 0:04:18.760 --> 0:04:21.000 Max Plath as well, sort of come from nowhere. I 0:04:21.040 --> 0:04:23.600 don't remember Max Plath playing in twenty twenty three. This 0:04:23.720 --> 0:04:26.320 year he was. He was a smoky for Origin at 0:04:26.320 --> 0:04:28.560 one stage, like he was just he's just so gritty 0:04:28.560 --> 0:04:30.680 field in at hooker. Really well, like I think their 0:04:30.720 --> 0:04:33.680 average age is just over twenty two years old. Next 0:04:33.720 --> 0:04:37.360 year they got Finifuyaki coming down from the Cowboys. He'll 0:04:37.400 --> 0:04:39.320 be really good on an edge for him. Whether he 0:04:39.360 --> 0:04:41.479 starts or off the bench, it remains to be seen, 0:04:41.520 --> 0:04:43.640 but he'll be good. Then you've got avarill On, Jake 0:04:43.680 --> 0:04:47.320 Bostock also under Jack Bostock, also under twenty five. Connolly 0:04:47.360 --> 0:04:50.360 Lemowelo's twenty six, but he's only played about sixty odd games, 0:04:50.360 --> 0:04:52.880 so there's just a nice young foundation for them to 0:04:52.880 --> 0:04:53.480 build off of. 0:04:54.520 --> 0:04:57.280 Yeah, next year, well then looking ahead, future looks pretty bright. 0:04:57.320 --> 0:04:59.960 I mean new coaching as well, because of Wayne Bennet, 0:05:00.160 --> 0:05:02.720 but you'd imagine Christian Wolf has had a pretty damn 0:05:02.760 --> 0:05:03.880 good apprenticeship underway. 0:05:03.960 --> 0:05:06.200 Yeah, I think of all the people to follow Wayne Bennett, 0:05:06.920 --> 0:05:08.760 you know, obviously it's that Wayne Bennett curse that they 0:05:08.800 --> 0:05:10.400 thought of never do well. But I think Christian will 0:05:10.440 --> 0:05:12.360 was probably the most qualified person to take over from 0:05:12.400 --> 0:05:15.800 Wayn Bennett in a coaching role, and he does have Yeah, 0:05:15.839 --> 0:05:18.039 he does have plenty piece of work with Flegler might 0:05:18.080 --> 0:05:18.800 be back next year. 0:05:19.040 --> 0:05:22.279 Flegil will be back next year. So Tom Gilbert. 0:05:22.360 --> 0:05:25.000 Another way, Yeah, Tom Gilbert definitely coming back. But Tom 0:05:25.000 --> 0:05:28.600 Flegler going under the knife and yeah, it's kind of scary, 0:05:28.680 --> 0:05:30.560 but so we'll wish him all the very best. But 0:05:31.360 --> 0:05:34.239 Camber Raiders, as the ladder would have it, they actually 0:05:34.320 --> 0:05:37.919 finished ninth and I don't know, if there was a 0:05:37.960 --> 0:05:40.520 wild card round, I would have loved to have seen 0:05:40.560 --> 0:05:43.080 the Raiders, you know, I don't know. I feel like 0:05:43.120 --> 0:05:46.320 they could have done something to mix up the finals, 0:05:46.320 --> 0:05:49.279 but dan ultimately they miss out. What went wrong with 0:05:49.320 --> 0:05:50.200 it for them this year. 0:05:50.440 --> 0:05:52.560 Yeah, Look, I think the big flashpoint of the season 0:05:52.600 --> 0:05:56.760 for Canberra was an injury Jamal Foggerty round seven against 0:05:56.760 --> 0:06:00.120 the Broncos. It was they were traveling pretty nicely at 0:06:00.120 --> 0:06:03.640 that stage and well four and two entering around seven, 0:06:03.640 --> 0:06:06.400 Bronco sort of beat him quite easily, gave him a 0:06:06.400 --> 0:06:09.640 little bit of reality check, and Foggetty was injured I 0:06:09.640 --> 0:06:12.839 think early in that second half. He came off with 0:06:12.839 --> 0:06:14.960 with an injury. He missed a substantial part of the 0:06:15.000 --> 0:06:17.640 season with him in the lineup. They won eight, lost 0:06:17.680 --> 0:06:21.680 six Without him, they lost six one four, So obviously, 0:06:22.279 --> 0:06:24.400 you know there was some good wins while he wasn't there. 0:06:24.400 --> 0:06:27.880 But they missed his leadership, they missed his direction. He's 0:06:27.920 --> 0:06:29.520 one of the best kicking half backs in the game 0:06:29.560 --> 0:06:32.400 general field kicking, I mean, and yeah. 0:06:32.200 --> 0:06:34.080 They just they did miss it. 0:06:34.440 --> 0:06:37.039 That sort of his injury, I guess were for silver 0:06:37.080 --> 0:06:39.240 lining for that injury was Ko Weeks coming to the 0:06:39.279 --> 0:06:43.200 side in the halves originally, then they moved to fullback, 0:06:43.240 --> 0:06:46.200 and I thought he was a revelation at fullback, but 0:06:46.240 --> 0:06:47.920 he played well in the halves when needed to. But 0:06:47.960 --> 0:06:50.440 look with Weeks and Ethan Strange there, and that Adam 0:06:50.480 --> 0:06:52.680 Cook came in as well and played well. But you 0:06:52.720 --> 0:06:56.359 know they aren't here, aren't the veteran president that Jamal 0:06:56.400 --> 0:07:00.159 Foggetty is and I think that really cost him in 0:07:00.160 --> 0:07:02.200 that middle stages there when they probably lost some games 0:07:02.200 --> 0:07:04.359 where they should have won and had that happend they 0:07:04.360 --> 0:07:07.560 won those games, they sitting seventh or six. So that's 0:07:07.600 --> 0:07:10.640 probably the big attorney point for me for the Raiders, 0:07:10.640 --> 0:07:12.240 was that injury to Foggty. 0:07:11.880 --> 0:07:14.600 Silver lining though or a few Yeah, I think so. 0:07:14.880 --> 0:07:18.600 Like, I didn't have high hopes for the Raiders this 0:07:18.640 --> 0:07:21.440 season in terms of like, I thought they'd be quite decent, 0:07:21.480 --> 0:07:23.880 but you know, finished eleven, twelve, thirteenth. I didn't think 0:07:23.880 --> 0:07:25.280 they'd be still on the knocking on the door of 0:07:25.280 --> 0:07:27.640 an eight at the end of the season. But the 0:07:27.800 --> 0:07:30.600 young guns we saw, as I mentioned Ethan Strange like, 0:07:30.760 --> 0:07:33.800 he has been one of the top rookies this season. 0:07:33.800 --> 0:07:35.280 He might win a Rookie of the Year based on 0:07:35.280 --> 0:07:38.960 a fact lockm. Galvin and Max Plath suspended so he 0:07:39.280 --> 0:07:42.120 rules them out. But yeah, he'd be a worthy winner. 0:07:42.120 --> 0:07:45.119 He was fantastic at the start of the season. Ricky 0:07:45.120 --> 0:07:47.200 obviously gave him a break and gave him a game 0:07:47.200 --> 0:07:49.200 off sort of at the back end there and explained 0:07:49.200 --> 0:07:51.320 that you know, a young kid having to the riggers 0:07:51.360 --> 0:07:54.240 of his first down or l season. Basically playing in 0:07:54.360 --> 0:07:56.920 a position like five eighth, get top, a lot of contact, 0:07:57.000 --> 0:07:58.400 run a lot of ball, make a lot of tackles 0:07:58.440 --> 0:08:03.280 and yeah, big future headfeeth and strange. Kayle Weeks is 0:08:03.280 --> 0:08:05.640 another one came from Manley that's seems proven to be 0:08:05.680 --> 0:08:07.000 a really good pick up. 0:08:07.600 --> 0:08:09.840 He was from the arter at Many too, made a 0:08:09.880 --> 0:08:11.880 move to kind of save not save his career, but. 0:08:11.840 --> 0:08:14.320 I guess, and he was quite highly regarded as a 0:08:14.360 --> 0:08:18.400 young stuff just didn't sort of get the I guess 0:08:18.440 --> 0:08:20.520 put the games together. I guess at the Seagulls whether 0:08:20.560 --> 0:08:23.200 that be is behind some stars there, but it's come 0:08:23.240 --> 0:08:27.040 to Canberra, he's been able to flourish and he was 0:08:27.080 --> 0:08:29.200 fantastic at fullback, so I think that he's probably their 0:08:29.200 --> 0:08:30.080 fullback going forward. 0:08:30.240 --> 0:08:32.160 Yeah wow, because of course Jordan up and heading over 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:34.640 to the UK. But yeah, looking ahead, it seems like 0:08:34.720 --> 0:08:37.160 Ricky is really investing in youth because they've got another 0:08:37.200 --> 0:08:40.360 young guy Savellio to Marlay coming down from the Dragons 0:08:40.360 --> 0:08:40.840 and he. 0:08:40.760 --> 0:08:42.440 Is debut against them last year. 0:08:42.400 --> 0:08:45.520 Years ye as well Chevy Stewart. Like they've got some 0:08:45.760 --> 0:08:49.600 talon Savage. I think they're young, Yeah, a young guy 0:08:49.640 --> 0:08:51.920 old Patty one. I think Jersey Flegg player of the 0:08:52.000 --> 0:08:54.199 year for the competition. He was from the Raiders. Adam 0:08:54.280 --> 0:08:57.360 Cook was cut Player of the year. So they've got 0:08:57.440 --> 0:08:58.280 the building. 0:08:57.960 --> 0:09:00.920 Block is good. Yea. They want the one Premiership can 0:09:01.200 --> 0:09:01.800 New Sales Cup. 0:09:01.880 --> 0:09:04.520 No, they just lost the Sticky Bears, but they were 0:09:05.480 --> 0:09:07.280 i'd say form team of copetition. 0:09:07.480 --> 0:09:11.200 Yeah, yeah, So obviously Trey Moon is another impressive forward. 0:09:11.280 --> 0:09:13.040 I think he had some really good games this year 0:09:13.080 --> 0:09:14.920 and sort of I think when he gets some more 0:09:14.920 --> 0:09:17.920 minutes into his legs at for NROL level, he'll be 0:09:17.960 --> 0:09:20.920 a really good player. So yeah, plenty of like about 0:09:20.920 --> 0:09:23.480 Camber and I think they've done well. Ruce's PENRITHI win 0:09:23.520 --> 0:09:26.600 at the un Panthers a little bit depleted, but to 0:09:26.640 --> 0:09:28.600 beat those sides at the end of the season sort 0:09:28.600 --> 0:09:30.679 of had as they preparing for a finals campaign as 0:09:30.720 --> 0:09:32.800 a big tip of the cap to him. So player 0:09:32.840 --> 0:09:35.120 looked forward for as for as a camera Fana. 0:09:35.360 --> 0:09:37.079 They always get their recruitment right as well. 0:09:38.760 --> 0:09:43.120 Yes, another UK sign they get them right. 0:09:43.160 --> 0:09:48.960 A Dragons, God, they're frustrating. Finished eleventh and I went 0:09:49.080 --> 0:09:51.000 back and I thought about what went wrong with them 0:09:51.040 --> 0:09:53.720 and there were so many so many bits and pieces 0:09:53.760 --> 0:09:57.000 like they were consistently inconsistent. But I also went all 0:09:57.040 --> 0:09:59.480 the way back to December last year when Talatate online 0:09:59.559 --> 0:10:01.439 was de red, just said for that off field incident. 0:10:01.640 --> 0:10:04.360 And you have to remember when Shane Flanning and arrived 0:10:04.360 --> 0:10:06.520 to the club, he probably thought my halves are going 0:10:06.600 --> 0:10:10.520 to be Talatale, Moan and Ben Hunt. When he was deregistered, 0:10:10.520 --> 0:10:12.840 he's then had to shuffle a few deck chairs. Incomes 0:10:12.920 --> 0:10:15.079 Kyle Flannagan, who I would have thought was going to 0:10:15.160 --> 0:10:18.920 probably be the bench utility. He starts at five eighth, 0:10:18.920 --> 0:10:20.880 and then of course they had the Ronald Wolkman incident, 0:10:20.920 --> 0:10:23.000 so they had they lacked depth and they had to 0:10:23.040 --> 0:10:27.280 scramble so that, you know, we can't disregard that, as 0:10:27.280 --> 0:10:30.840 I mentioned, consistently inconsistent. I mean, they went down to Melbourne, 0:10:31.840 --> 0:10:35.120 beat Melbourne in Melbourne, but then they just get spanked 0:10:35.160 --> 0:10:37.760 by the Eels in a must win game. They were 0:10:37.760 --> 0:10:40.960 in the box seat, the box seat to make the 0:10:41.000 --> 0:10:44.800 eight and they fumbled the bag big time like it 0:10:44.840 --> 0:10:47.800 was just and but it kind of leads into my 0:10:47.880 --> 0:10:50.280 silver lining for them. I mentioned it. You know they 0:10:50.320 --> 0:10:52.880 broke that twenty five year who do to be beating 0:10:52.920 --> 0:10:54.760 the storm in down in Melbourne, and the storm was 0:10:54.800 --> 0:10:57.040 pretty much full strength as well, Like that's a major 0:10:57.120 --> 0:11:00.840 flex and they looked like dead set finals contenders there. 0:11:01.760 --> 0:11:06.000 Zach Lomac's form on the wing was outstanding. You know, 0:11:06.160 --> 0:11:07.360 sucks that he's leaving, but. 0:11:07.679 --> 0:11:10.600 Arguably one of the stories of the year just in 0:11:10.679 --> 0:11:15.640 terms of the srutiny, the scrutiny I guess, I guess 0:11:15.640 --> 0:11:17.280 for lack of a better word, at the start of 0:11:17.320 --> 0:11:18.920 the season when he was moved and it was sort 0:11:18.920 --> 0:11:21.520 of like, you know, his Lomax, he sort of doesn't 0:11:21.520 --> 0:11:22.960 want to really want to be playing on the wing, 0:11:23.160 --> 0:11:26.120 and the decisions you know, sort of led him to 0:11:26.120 --> 0:11:29.040 getting his first Origin, Yeah, deb and he's he started 0:11:29.040 --> 0:11:32.559 in Origin, so yeah, quite remarkable and obviously the move 0:11:32.640 --> 0:11:35.400 to the Eels in years sort of added uce to that. 0:11:35.480 --> 0:11:38.960 But yeah, a great like a great turnaround for his career. 0:11:39.000 --> 0:11:41.800 But it also feeds into that looking ahead the future, 0:11:42.320 --> 0:11:45.559 it looks bright because it's clear shamefuland against the right 0:11:45.600 --> 0:11:47.560 man for the job. He went all in on that 0:11:47.640 --> 0:11:49.959 decision to move Zach Lomax to the wing. It was 0:11:50.000 --> 0:11:53.240 a master stroke. You know, he's brought in guys like 0:11:53.320 --> 0:11:56.000 Damian Cook and Valentine Holmes for next year and they're winners, 0:11:56.000 --> 0:12:00.520 their representative players and then but you know what the 0:12:00.559 --> 0:12:03.240 big question mark for me, and I've had this all season, 0:12:04.120 --> 0:12:06.520 Tyrel Stone at fullback. I rate him, I love him. 0:12:06.559 --> 0:12:09.040 I think he's such an exciting player, but I think 0:12:09.080 --> 0:12:11.839 they need somebody else. They're challenging him for that number 0:12:11.840 --> 0:12:14.439 one Jersey because they didn't have it this year. Back 0:12:14.480 --> 0:12:16.640 in New South Wales Cup, they were switching and like 0:12:16.840 --> 0:12:18.880 they were moving through fullbacks, like there was no Tomorrow 0:12:18.920 --> 0:12:22.360 whoever put their played fullback. Yeah, that Sabelli, Tomarle. That 0:12:22.600 --> 0:12:24.800 like in Kingtoggy, whoever would put their hand up to 0:12:24.800 --> 0:12:27.640 play fullback played fullbacks. They didn't have a genuine number one. 0:12:28.559 --> 0:12:31.640 And I think had there been a genuine number one 0:12:31.640 --> 0:12:33.480 that was challenging him, I don't know, it might have 0:12:33.520 --> 0:12:35.040 brought out the best in him, because we saw when 0:12:35.040 --> 0:12:38.400 he was dropped he came back firing. And maybe having 0:12:38.520 --> 0:12:40.840 Valentine Holmes at the club might. 0:12:40.920 --> 0:12:44.160 Iron sharpens iron Mal Holmes a great fullback in his 0:12:44.240 --> 0:12:48.360 own right. You know, Filane's made no reservations about Sloan's 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:51.160 sort of defensive deficiencies, like, yeah, maybe Valholmes is the 0:12:51.200 --> 0:12:52.320 man to come in there and sort of give him 0:12:52.360 --> 0:12:54.760 those little one percent point is that someone only someone 0:12:54.760 --> 0:12:56.679 who's played fullback at a high clip before can give 0:12:56.720 --> 0:13:00.120 him because Tyrrel Slane, I think he's a fullback or 0:13:00.120 --> 0:13:01.959 he's nothing, you know what I mean. He's not like 0:13:02.440 --> 0:13:04.160 you'd be wasting him on the wing. And I don't 0:13:04.160 --> 0:13:06.520 think he's a center, like he's a fullback or he's nothing. 0:13:06.520 --> 0:13:09.240 And I think getting him right is just such a 0:13:09.240 --> 0:13:11.840 big step, Like if they can nail the defensive side 0:13:11.840 --> 0:13:13.640 of things and just get his up, like get him 0:13:14.160 --> 0:13:16.719 primed for a big year, it'll go massive towards what 0:13:16.760 --> 0:13:17.560 they do next year. 0:13:18.200 --> 0:13:19.679 He's he's fantastic. 0:13:19.920 --> 0:13:22.520 The thing with Sloan is the difference between his best 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:26.959 and his worst is quite considerable. And you know the 0:13:27.400 --> 0:13:30.080 area is that of his game, which is probably you know, 0:13:30.160 --> 0:13:31.920 aren't too red hot at the moment or you know, 0:13:32.120 --> 0:13:34.560 definitely was the fact of him getting dropped this season 0:13:34.679 --> 0:13:35.640 was his defense. 0:13:35.679 --> 0:13:36.480 And that's just effort. 0:13:36.640 --> 0:13:39.160 Yeah really, which seems like an easy fix, right. 0:13:39.120 --> 0:13:41.720 Yeah, And I think if anyone can fix it, it's 0:13:41.760 --> 0:13:43.240 funny again, I know he's been there for a season 0:13:43.360 --> 0:13:47.000 or reading. But yeah, I think Sloan, Yeah, I think 0:13:47.040 --> 0:13:49.040 the best team is Sloan at fallback. Next year this 0:13:49.080 --> 0:13:51.440 is Sloan at fullback and Val in the centers. 0:13:51.520 --> 0:13:53.679 Yeah, it's worth noting as well. Corey Allen comes back 0:13:53.679 --> 0:13:55.800 from an ACL injury, but you know that's a tough 0:13:55.800 --> 0:13:58.199 injury to return from. And then Cody Ramsey his future 0:13:58.280 --> 0:14:00.280 is still up in the air. But you know what 0:14:00.559 --> 0:14:02.480 I said, the Dragons fumbled the bag, but now my 0:14:02.600 --> 0:14:04.640 expectations are for them. I think they have to play 0:14:04.679 --> 0:14:08.920 finals next year. Kyle the Broncos one of the stories 0:14:08.920 --> 0:14:11.160 of the season that fun not in a good way 0:14:11.240 --> 0:14:14.920 for Brisbane fans. Everyone thought that it would be a 0:14:14.920 --> 0:14:16.439 Grand Final rematch this year. 0:14:17.240 --> 0:14:18.000 It just wasn't. 0:14:18.120 --> 0:14:20.600 It just wasn't their year and the Broncos thought they 0:14:20.600 --> 0:14:22.960 were gonna before that. 0:14:24.240 --> 0:14:27.720 Yeah, well, there's plenty that I had for what went wrong. 0:14:27.760 --> 0:14:30.360 So there's the Grand Final hangover, there's the external noise 0:14:30.360 --> 0:14:32.560 and expectations that come with making a Grand Final, and 0:14:32.600 --> 0:14:35.800 not just making a Grand Final, but going within whiskers 0:14:35.840 --> 0:14:38.280 of winning one like it was in twenty twenty two. 0:14:38.320 --> 0:14:41.440 Grand Final twenty twenty three not great. See I was 0:14:41.480 --> 0:14:43.760 in twenty twenty one Grand Final. Even there, they were 0:14:43.920 --> 0:14:46.000 really close to twenty in that game. Not as close as Brisbane, 0:14:46.000 --> 0:14:48.160 but really close to twenty in that game twenty twenty two. 0:14:48.160 --> 0:14:51.720 We all sort of know how that went. That I got. 0:14:51.720 --> 0:14:54.000 The injuries to Reynolds and Walsh were massive. I think 0:14:54.040 --> 0:14:56.640 the injury to Reynolds bigger than the injury to Welsh 0:14:56.680 --> 0:14:59.480 per se, because the drop off between Reynolds and Jock 0:14:59.560 --> 0:15:03.400 Madden is larger than the drop off between Reese Walsh 0:15:03.520 --> 0:15:08.680 and Tristan Sailor. Yeah, questionable pre season roster moves. They 0:15:08.720 --> 0:15:10.920 obviously let go of Tom Flegler, they let go of 0:15:11.000 --> 0:15:13.600 Herbie Fineworth, and the big one for me is they 0:15:13.680 --> 0:15:14.840 let go of Kurk caate. 0:15:14.680 --> 0:15:16.800 Well and they didn't replace them. They promoted from with. 0:15:16.840 --> 0:15:19.000 Him, promoted from with him, which is which is fair enough. 0:15:19.040 --> 0:15:21.280 I think it's it's, you know, that's a good strategy 0:15:21.280 --> 0:15:23.560 to have. I think the cap Well one it came 0:15:24.160 --> 0:15:27.400 early in December, but I think December then you go 0:15:27.440 --> 0:15:30.560 into Christmas. They've got a whole new left edge essentially 0:15:30.600 --> 0:15:33.360 because it's gone Selwynkobe has been moved to left center. 0:15:33.480 --> 0:15:35.720 Brendan Piter Kruisman move to left edge back row. That's 0:15:35.760 --> 0:15:38.000 just not not so much with the ball, but without 0:15:38.040 --> 0:15:39.720 the ball defending you just got to get all your 0:15:39.760 --> 0:15:41.400 timings right and stuff like that. I think that really 0:15:41.400 --> 0:15:45.440 probably derailed them. Origin was one that was touted, but 0:15:45.600 --> 0:15:47.240 they had Origin last year and they got through it 0:15:47.240 --> 0:15:48.440 and they went to the Grand Final, so I'm not 0:15:48.480 --> 0:15:51.240 really sort of using that one. Yeah, there's questions always 0:15:51.240 --> 0:15:54.120 about Kevy's coaching mobility, and none more so than sort 0:15:54.120 --> 0:15:57.040 of the last week or so. You've got to remember 0:15:57.040 --> 0:15:59.240 the Selwyn Cobbe is saying Kevy's not a good coach 0:16:00.040 --> 0:16:01.880 ice and Gamble saying Adam Reynolds is the go to 0:16:02.120 --> 0:16:05.880 at the club for footy and you know the team 0:16:05.920 --> 0:16:08.040 or footage during his time at the Broncos. There's questions 0:16:08.080 --> 0:16:11.880 about the players attitude, defensive issues in the latter parts 0:16:11.880 --> 0:16:14.400 of the season. The game against the Dogs, they got 0:16:14.480 --> 0:16:16.840 ripped part on the edges. The Dogs just ship the 0:16:16.880 --> 0:16:22.480 Dog's smaller pack Brisbane big pack, Painhass, Corey Jensen Pack, Harrigan, 0:16:22.520 --> 0:16:25.160 They've got a big boys mobile boys. The Dogs went 0:16:25.240 --> 0:16:28.120 side to side, got holes on the edges and then 0:16:28.440 --> 0:16:30.320 a couple of weeks later it was the middle. The 0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:32.960 Dolphins got punched you through the middle and Melbourne got 0:16:32.960 --> 0:16:34.880 punched through the middle. Melbourne had lucky outside, but they've 0:16:34.920 --> 0:16:35.880 got punch you through the middle. 0:16:35.880 --> 0:16:38.280 Like there's that. Harry Grand tried that he just show 0:16:38.400 --> 0:16:38.840 straight through. 0:16:39.080 --> 0:16:41.160 They didn't adjust on the run to in both of 0:16:41.160 --> 0:16:45.080 those games. Tough one silver lining is there. 0:16:44.960 --> 0:16:49.080 Any It's hard because it was such a spectacular failure, 0:16:49.200 --> 0:16:52.240 failure of a season. But I sort of think the 0:16:52.280 --> 0:16:55.040 silver lining is that they have everything that needs to 0:16:55.040 --> 0:16:57.320 be that they need to succeed in the club. 0:16:57.440 --> 0:16:58.040 That's a good point. 0:16:58.120 --> 0:17:00.520 You know, they still have Adam Reynolds. Race shall be 0:17:01.080 --> 0:17:03.800 better next year. They still have you know, Catani Stags 0:17:03.800 --> 0:17:04.960 on his day is one of the best centers. 0:17:04.960 --> 0:17:05.560 Cell and Cobo. 0:17:05.920 --> 0:17:08.120 You know, if he has a non disrupted campaign, he'll 0:17:08.119 --> 0:17:11.840 be a really good center as well. Carrigan Harsen make 0:17:11.880 --> 0:17:15.240 got two better middles. Ezra Man's really good on his day. 0:17:15.280 --> 0:17:17.280 And I also like what I saw from like Blake 0:17:17.320 --> 0:17:20.280 Moser and Xavier Willison's a couple of young guys mos in. 0:17:20.200 --> 0:17:21.480 Particular back half the season. 0:17:21.520 --> 0:17:23.679 Tough gig to come and sort of come off the 0:17:23.680 --> 0:17:25.560 bench and a team that was really struggling, but you know, 0:17:25.600 --> 0:17:27.320 he's got a lot of creativity out of the Rock that. 0:17:27.280 --> 0:17:28.080 I thought was quite nice. 0:17:28.080 --> 0:17:30.840 And Willison sort of yeah, he had his Yeah, he 0:17:30.880 --> 0:17:32.560 had his moments, but it's really tough. 0:17:32.359 --> 0:17:33.160 One for the promise. 0:17:33.440 --> 0:17:35.320 So looking ahead then, I'm going to put it to 0:17:35.359 --> 0:17:37.840 both of you. Do they play finals next year? 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:39.800 Yeah? Yeah, they. 0:17:42.440 --> 0:17:45.600 Paint ass, Well, you touched on it. Cole paint ass, Kyle, sorry, 0:17:45.600 --> 0:17:48.879 paint ass. Adam Reynolds and Reese Walsh. I think they 0:17:48.920 --> 0:17:52.320