WEBVTT - #17: Buzz's Long Feud with Warren Ryan, Cricket Australia Woes & Origin Selections Thoughts 0:00:00.120 --> 0:00:02.560 Hi everyone, and welcome to Off the Record, the sports 0:00:02.600 --> 0:00:06.040 podcast of breaking news, hard opinion and a little bit 0:00:06.040 --> 0:00:08.399 of gibber. I'm Andrew Websterit from The Australia. I'm joined 0:00:08.400 --> 0:00:12.920 by my partner in crime, journalistic crime, Phil Rothfield from 0:00:12.960 --> 0:00:14.160 the Daily Telegraph. 0:00:15.040 --> 0:00:18.040 Webby, how are you great to be here? Weather's crap 0:00:18.120 --> 0:00:21.880 but you surviving the big wet? Yes, I am good. 0:00:22.560 --> 0:00:24.600 I'm glad. So coming up on that a little bit 0:00:24.600 --> 0:00:27.200 of gibber. We need a gibber made it because I 0:00:27.240 --> 0:00:30.120 think there's a lot more gibber than you're prepared to 0:00:30.200 --> 0:00:33.120 concede in your little ape and it needs a fresher 0:00:34.040 --> 0:00:39.360 what do you mean? Probably forty GiB a little bit. Anyway, 0:00:39.520 --> 0:00:40.800 we'll work on that for the next roek. 0:00:42.920 --> 0:00:45.520 Coming up on the show today, we've got some news 0:00:45.520 --> 0:00:49.200 on who's going to coach Australia now the brad fieldler 0:00:49.240 --> 0:00:51.040 has pulled the plug. We're going to talk about the 0:00:51.040 --> 0:00:53.120 big state of origin decided next week, and Buzz talks 0:00:53.120 --> 0:00:58.400 about his spectacular fallout with an iconic rugby league figure, 0:00:58.520 --> 0:00:59.920 Warren the wok rhyme. 0:01:00.840 --> 0:01:03.680 Yeah, that'll be good. I'm looking forward to that. But 0:01:04.080 --> 0:01:06.640 it was a long feud that I'm sure it was. 0:01:06.720 --> 0:01:10.160 He can find a feud, yes. 0:01:10.640 --> 0:01:14.319 So can you. Anyway, anyway, let's let's get in. 0:01:14.400 --> 0:01:18.360 Before we do, let's talk about the big subscription you 0:01:18.400 --> 0:01:21.040 can get with Code Sport. You get an annual subscription 0:01:21.120 --> 0:01:24.959 to Australia's best sports website for just forty nine dollars 0:01:25.000 --> 0:01:27.800 that features Australia's best sports journalism the Code Sports app. 0:01:28.440 --> 0:01:31.800 You can go to Code sports dot com dot Au, Forward, 0:01:31.800 --> 0:01:34.800 slash o tr to get the special discount. Now, before 0:01:34.840 --> 0:01:41.720 we get into this week's potty, I got a request 0:01:41.880 --> 0:01:47.000 from one of our loyal listeners, Joel By Instagram and 0:01:47.040 --> 0:01:49.240 I'm going to read out his message and this is. 0:01:49.360 --> 0:01:53.680 Word for words, So go ahead. Hold on Webby. 0:01:54.040 --> 0:01:56.280 Love all the work that you do as a journal 0:01:56.520 --> 0:02:00.200 every week on on Morning Glory, which I do with 0:02:00.360 --> 0:02:04.840 Matt John's on on s E and every Friday. It's 0:02:04.880 --> 0:02:07.480 become our favorite thing of the week. I also love 0:02:07.520 --> 0:02:10.320 the Off the Record podcast with that old so and 0:02:10.400 --> 0:02:14.520 so Buzz, who I author also think hang on and Finished, 0:02:14.800 --> 0:02:18.320 who I also think is an absolute champion. You go 0:02:18.600 --> 0:02:22.040 dot dot dot But for the love of us listeners, 0:02:22.040 --> 0:02:24.720 can you please tell Buzz to push that microphone away 0:02:24.720 --> 0:02:27.840 from his mouth and stop either chewing on cob stoppers 0:02:27.960 --> 0:02:30.600 or his false teeth. I had to turn off last 0:02:30.600 --> 0:02:31.519 week's episode. 0:02:32.720 --> 0:02:34.639 Must be the gum must be. It must be the 0:02:34.720 --> 0:02:39.240 Nicorettes perennial. We need Nicorette to sponsor this show. We should, 0:02:39.480 --> 0:02:42.440 we should. I'll do my best. I'll do my best. 0:02:42.440 --> 0:02:43.079 Give him a call. 0:02:43.560 --> 0:02:43.919 How much? 0:02:43.919 --> 0:02:45.840 How much Nicorettes? How many Nicorettes would you have a 0:02:45.840 --> 0:02:46.680 board over the years. 0:02:46.919 --> 0:02:51.320 Oh, it's nearly his dearest buddy cigarette, is it? Yes, 0:02:52.400 --> 0:02:57.520 I'll get him cheap at chemists. Do you buy the sponsor? 0:02:57.600 --> 0:03:01.440 Do you buy him in bulk? I do? Oh? 0:03:02.080 --> 0:03:07.080 All right, Oh good, you're right anyway, Joel, thank you 0:03:07.120 --> 0:03:10.919 so much for that that message that you've sent via Instagram. 0:03:10.919 --> 0:03:13.880 I'll try and get buzz to it's not your false teeth. 0:03:13.720 --> 0:03:16.240 Is No, it's definitely not. I do have false teeth? 0:03:16.720 --> 0:03:19.720 How many I should take them out for one episode? 0:03:21.919 --> 0:03:23.720 It sounds like Joel and his wife would like you 0:03:23.800 --> 0:03:26.519 to do it, all right, let's have Let's get to 0:03:26.639 --> 0:03:28.320 champs and chumps. Who's your champus? 0:03:28.440 --> 0:03:32.760 Made? My champ is Women's Rugby League the NRLWS starts 0:03:32.800 --> 0:03:37.480 this week it's now a twelve team competition and it 0:03:37.640 --> 0:03:40.440 started in two thy eighteen, so this is the seventh 0:03:40.480 --> 0:03:44.800 season with just four teams. It is the fastest growing 0:03:44.920 --> 0:03:48.520 area of rugby league. I rang Dave Trodden this morning 0:03:48.680 --> 0:03:52.320 to get some figures on participation in twenty twenty one, 0:03:52.520 --> 0:03:57.560 four years ago, twenty three thousand participants. Twenty twenty five 0:03:58.440 --> 0:04:04.120 thirty three thousand and five hundred. That's up forty five. Now. 0:04:04.120 --> 0:04:09.119 What you can't measure is the increasing skill level and 0:04:09.440 --> 0:04:12.160 that is why I've fallen in love with that game 0:04:12.440 --> 0:04:16.120 and we've just had a great origin series. Those girls 0:04:16.120 --> 0:04:21.200 are such special athletes, but they're skillful too, Wibby and 0:04:21.320 --> 0:04:24.520 they throw the footy round beautifully. They're very well coached 0:04:26.920 --> 0:04:30.320 and those games we're getting a million viewers on Channel 0:04:30.400 --> 0:04:35.000 nine and that's more than a Thursday Friday night club game. 0:04:36.200 --> 0:04:39.919 They're off the charts, they're figures, and that they've gone 0:04:39.960 --> 0:04:45.120 to twelve teams, that the competition's longer now. These petition 0:04:45.960 --> 0:04:49.039 participation numbers are going to grow and grow and grow, 0:04:50.120 --> 0:04:56.359 and I think at some stage they'll be nearly Australia 0:04:56.480 --> 0:05:01.159 up there with Australia's best female athletes and sport. I 0:05:01.200 --> 0:05:04.359 think it's a far superior game to AFL with women. 0:05:04.560 --> 0:05:08.480 I think they're definitely winning the battle NRL against AFL 0:05:08.520 --> 0:05:11.719 and rugby union. Really who've got the lure of the Olympics. 0:05:11.720 --> 0:05:14.640 But the way that they the way the NRLW has 0:05:14.720 --> 0:05:16.320 kicked on in the last few years, You're right at 0:05:16.320 --> 0:05:19.200 the skill level, they're just their their physicality like they 0:05:19.240 --> 0:05:19.599 rip in. 0:05:20.279 --> 0:05:22.560 Well, you think all that long ago and a lot 0:05:22.600 --> 0:05:25.160 of little girls wanted to play rugby league, but when 0:05:25.160 --> 0:05:27.440 they got to twelve or third and they weren't allowed to, 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:29.720 it just stopped and they could go and play os, 0:05:29.800 --> 0:05:34.240 tag or touch. Now they actually have a pathway junior reps, 0:05:34.320 --> 0:05:37.440 you know, from Tasha Goal through to the Harvey Normal 0:05:37.520 --> 0:05:42.680 Women's camp and then the NRLW. I'll tell you in 0:05:42.800 --> 0:05:45.719 ten years he is going to be just monstrous. 0:05:45.760 --> 0:05:49.839 It's a juggernaut like yourself. Okay, my champ. Now look, 0:05:49.880 --> 0:05:56.880 this name isn't synonymous with the sports fan. It's it's 0:05:57.040 --> 0:06:00.000 my old mate, Ian Fooj, the executive sports that are 0:06:00.080 --> 0:06:01.279 of the Sydney Morning Herald. 0:06:02.120 --> 0:06:02.640 Great Man. 0:06:02.760 --> 0:06:04.960 He is a great man, Fuji and he finishes up 0:06:04.960 --> 0:06:09.120 on Friday. After twenty six years of the Herald and 0:06:09.160 --> 0:06:14.040 fifteen as the sports editor. He's not just a sports editor. 0:06:14.120 --> 0:06:16.880 He's probably one of my best mates and like a 0:06:16.880 --> 0:06:18.599 big brother in many ways. He got me back to 0:06:18.640 --> 0:06:23.480 the Herald in twenty thirteen to work under him, and 0:06:23.600 --> 0:06:25.560 that was after the death of our great mate Rod Allen, 0:06:25.560 --> 0:06:28.040 who was a sports editor of The Herald at the time, 0:06:28.120 --> 0:06:31.320 and he just sorry, he just moved on as sports editor. 0:06:32.360 --> 0:06:35.000 But Rod's death sort of convinced me I wanted to 0:06:35.000 --> 0:06:38.120 go and work for Ian again. You'd moved on as 0:06:38.200 --> 0:06:40.800 sports editor at the at the Telegraph, so that was 0:06:40.839 --> 0:06:47.240 also a factor. But he's an incredible man. He rebuilt 0:06:47.279 --> 0:06:51.400 that section so many times after redundancy, after redundancy, he 0:06:51.440 --> 0:06:56.080 identified talent like Tom Deson, like Michael Chamis, like Michael Carrianas. 0:06:56.560 --> 0:07:00.200 And he also backed me. So it's his last it's 0:07:00.240 --> 0:07:02.520 his last day on Friday. 0:07:03.640 --> 0:07:04.280 This is funny. 0:07:04.560 --> 0:07:07.800 So you know where he We hatched the idea of 0:07:07.839 --> 0:07:11.000 me going back to the Herald in twenty thirteen a 0:07:11.080 --> 0:07:15.520 lady boy bar in Coast Smooi in Thailand. We both 0:07:15.560 --> 0:07:18.760 happen to be in Coasta on holidays at the same time. 0:07:18.800 --> 0:07:21.680 I was on the choir, were that. 0:07:23.760 --> 0:07:27.120 I was at the Telegraph and i'd left. I was 0:07:27.120 --> 0:07:29.840 on holidays in Coasta Movie on my own on the 0:07:30.000 --> 0:07:32.520 quiet side of the island. He said come over to me, 0:07:33.280 --> 0:07:34.840 and I'd said, he goes, have you ever been to 0:07:34.880 --> 0:07:36.840 a Lady boy bar? And I said, no, I haven't 0:07:36.880 --> 0:07:43.360 been there before telling this story. He's partnered up with you, 0:07:43.720 --> 0:07:48.960 a beautiful, beautiful woman called Demand. But so so we 0:07:49.000 --> 0:07:52.320 went there. It's my first time there and we didn't 0:07:52.320 --> 0:07:54.480 talk about shop. I was like, just who would have 0:07:54.520 --> 0:07:56.960 thought the best looking women in the world would time in. 0:08:00.120 --> 0:08:00.480 Anyway? 0:08:00.520 --> 0:08:03.400 On that note, well done, Foods. You've been an absolute 0:08:03.440 --> 0:08:05.400 legend of Australian sports journalism. 0:08:05.640 --> 0:08:08.920 Never been particularly close to him, but have admired him 0:08:08.960 --> 0:08:12.240 from a distance and the quality of his journalism and 0:08:12.280 --> 0:08:14.400 the fact, you said, the talent of the people he 0:08:14.520 --> 0:08:17.560 hires and then he sees stories through to the end 0:08:17.640 --> 0:08:22.920 of publication. And I bumped into it. Functions very pleasant dude, 0:08:22.960 --> 0:08:26.239 and yeah, great career. He likes you too. Oh that's good. 0:08:26.240 --> 0:08:30.800 He respects you enormously. Who's your chump? My chump is 0:08:30.840 --> 0:08:34.440 your mate? One of your mates? Who's my mate? Shane Richardson, 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:37.679 Chief Executive Officer, West Tigers. 0:08:37.720 --> 0:08:39.080 Well we're not on at the moment. We've had a 0:08:39.080 --> 0:08:40.160 bit of a blues so have you. 0:08:40.320 --> 0:08:43.760 Yeah, well that's so good. For the life of me, 0:08:44.800 --> 0:08:50.400 I cannot work out why he has left. Let Talent 0:08:50.520 --> 0:08:53.520 de Silver leave that club eight months out from his contract, 0:08:54.240 --> 0:08:56.520 same as they did with Lochlann Galvin. There was a 0:08:56.559 --> 0:08:58.959 legal matter there so they had to let Galvin go. 0:09:00.040 --> 0:09:04.560 Ti Kaman who went. Sean Blull went really good kid 0:09:04.640 --> 0:09:10.120 on the Tony large half back, outstanding rugby league rugby 0:09:10.200 --> 0:09:15.920 union half has gone to Manly. So I this club 0:09:16.520 --> 0:09:19.840 has lost their last six games, the one win off 0:09:19.920 --> 0:09:23.040 the bottom of the ladder and this is the second 0:09:23.120 --> 0:09:27.960 gun kid they've let go prematurely because this kid didn't 0:09:27.960 --> 0:09:30.040 want to play behind Appy Corus out but he was 0:09:30.160 --> 0:09:33.760 under contract. And as I've been trying to exit the blue 0:09:33.800 --> 0:09:36.320 with Brent rudabad on three six the other night, I 0:09:36.360 --> 0:09:38.800 tried to explain him what happens if happy falls, what 0:09:38.800 --> 0:09:40.559 if he does in a cl what if he's out 0:09:40.600 --> 0:09:43.959 for eight weeks with another injury. You don't let them 0:09:44.000 --> 0:09:46.959 walk out. There's a lot of kids playing second grade. 0:09:47.040 --> 0:09:47.720 It's like Cobbo. 0:09:48.320 --> 0:09:50.520 Yeah, but the Broncos won't let Cobbo go. I know, 0:09:50.960 --> 0:09:53.560 you know, because you know why the Broncos won't let 0:09:53.600 --> 0:09:55.200 them go, because they think they're going to go deep 0:09:55.200 --> 0:10:00.280 into the finals and injuries they'll use it. I wanted 0:10:00.320 --> 0:10:03.199 to alloy a wooden spoon and Rich has let their 0:10:03.200 --> 0:10:06.520 two best young players go. It's outrageous. I think it's buzz. 0:10:06.520 --> 0:10:09.920 It's systematic of like you know, Rich has a great 0:10:09.920 --> 0:10:11.760 hand and been in the business for a long time. 0:10:11.800 --> 0:10:14.679 But it's not whether it's his fold or the club's 0:10:14.679 --> 0:10:17.839 fault or Benji Marshall's fault. But you know that's two big, 0:10:18.720 --> 0:10:19.439 big name. 0:10:19.400 --> 0:10:21.120 Two of the best kids in rugby league. 0:10:20.880 --> 0:10:22.800 Young kids coming through. That's right. 0:10:22.920 --> 0:10:25.440 And you know what the successful clubs like the Roosters 0:10:25.640 --> 0:10:28.760 and the Canterbury Bulldogs are doing. They're stop piling juniors. 0:10:28.800 --> 0:10:31.840 They've opened academies. Gus is great at it. You signed 0:10:31.880 --> 0:10:34.679 the best kids from every week. He's pinched a couple 0:10:34.720 --> 0:10:38.439 out of the Woollongong's George's Nursery. Look at the Rooster's 0:10:38.520 --> 0:10:43.840 academy opposite and you know what. These kids aren't guaranteed 0:10:43.840 --> 0:10:45.680 to play first grade. They've got a lot of but 0:10:45.880 --> 0:10:48.960 they've got an atmosphere there. They've got great coaching there. 0:10:48.960 --> 0:10:52.480 They've got legends the roosters like Cordon of friand Orbison. 0:10:52.880 --> 0:10:56.920 You got to learn from Maris and what's doing with 0:10:56.960 --> 0:10:57.840 the West Tigers. 0:10:57.880 --> 0:10:58.600 They're at the door. 0:10:59.320 --> 0:11:02.640 It's not good, rich O, you're my chump. Fire up, 0:11:02.720 --> 0:11:06.040 rich Oh you know who my chump is? Gay for it? 0:11:06.559 --> 0:11:10.480 Your great mates at Venues New South Wales? Did they 0:11:10.520 --> 0:11:14.360 certainly they built? Did they build more park on a swamp? So? 0:11:14.360 --> 0:11:19.240 So the SDG finished. No, But I want to say 0:11:19.520 --> 0:11:22.720 you'll never ever I will never spend the New Year's 0:11:22.760 --> 0:11:25.920 Test with you ever again? Why because they are you? 0:11:26.320 --> 0:11:29.280 Well, I can't be bought Phil, That's the difference between 0:11:29.280 --> 0:11:30.479 you and I. 0:11:30.640 --> 0:11:31.560 It's the best ticket. 0:11:31.840 --> 0:11:33.840 As long as I can get some Oasis tickets, that's. 0:11:35.400 --> 0:11:35.840 Go on. 0:11:36.280 --> 0:11:40.280 So the Segs come under fire for the playing surface 0:11:41.160 --> 0:11:44.480 after that match between the Swans and the Western Bulldogs. 0:11:45.640 --> 0:11:49.120 Swan's chairman Andrew Priddam called it unacceptable. Other said it's 0:11:49.120 --> 0:11:51.599 the worst they've played on. Others they've said it's dangerous. 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:55.280 Venues to South Wales say it's never recovered from the 0:11:55.320 --> 0:11:59.360 Andre Bicelli concert earlier this year. That's not good enough 0:11:59.400 --> 0:12:01.560 if you're going to those events and you still need 0:12:01.600 --> 0:12:03.400 to make sure the playing surface is up to it. 0:12:03.640 --> 0:12:07.600 That's both well SCG and Aliant Stadium. They've got some 0:12:07.600 --> 0:12:10.400 real questions that need to be answered about their drainage 0:12:10.400 --> 0:12:12.520 systems or whatever the hell is going on there. But 0:12:13.200 --> 0:12:15.720 David Gallup needs to take control, and I'm calling him 0:12:15.760 --> 0:12:17.240 out here on our podcast. 0:12:16.880 --> 0:12:21.560 DG Man, I'm sure he will carry Matha's in charge 0:12:21.600 --> 0:12:25.600 of it, isn't she She's the CEO. Yes, she's the CEO. 0:12:25.840 --> 0:12:28.160 What I have learned will be as soon as the 0:12:28.240 --> 0:12:32.160 league finals are over, they're going to dig up the 0:12:32.640 --> 0:12:36.720 Football Stadium or Alliance and they're going to go down 0:12:36.800 --> 0:12:39.800 and look at the drainage and have engineers there. Yeah, 0:12:39.920 --> 0:12:41.920 it's what it's going to do. It's going to affect 0:12:41.960 --> 0:12:44.360 Sydney FC with the soccer. They're going to be off 0:12:44.400 --> 0:12:47.360 the ground there for probably six weeks. Well, I don't 0:12:47.360 --> 0:12:48.960 want to say it, but I wrote it two weeks 0:12:48.960 --> 0:12:52.360 ago I did. Yeah, Sydney FC, it might be twelve weeks. 0:12:52.559 --> 0:12:54.880 Yeah, they've been told the might be two sets of 0:12:55.000 --> 0:12:55.640 six weeks. 0:12:55.720 --> 0:12:55.920 Yeah. 0:12:56.000 --> 0:13:00.320 Wow, yeah, but that's a big impact on this season. Well, 0:13:00.520 --> 0:13:02.120 thank you so much for reading my copy. 0:13:02.200 --> 0:13:05.400 Yeah, well now you're you're behind the pay well it's 0:13:05.480 --> 0:13:08.000 very expensive the Australian. They've got an end of your 0:13:08.040 --> 0:13:11.560 financial sale and I just missed it too, So there 0:13:11.559 --> 0:13:11.880 you go. 0:13:11.960 --> 0:13:15.280 Hey, but I buy I buy a Telegraph subscription to 0:13:15.320 --> 0:13:17.680 read you Yeah, yeah, good on and Brent Reid and 0:13:17.720 --> 0:13:21.479 Michael Carriana's at the risk of putting my cred. 0:13:21.240 --> 0:13:23.400 Team of cad. I buy her to read her good 0:13:24.000 --> 0:13:29.920 bulldog Bulldog of course read Thomas Racing Ray. Yeah, Chris, 0:13:30.000 --> 0:13:35.800 risk of putting my cricket ticket at risk. It's just 0:13:35.840 --> 0:13:38.600 not good enough. Stadium that costs the best part of 0:13:38.600 --> 0:13:43.719 a billion dollars. Can't cope with You know this. 0:13:44.160 --> 0:13:45.680 Do you? You know what I'm saying, Like if you 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:48.880 if you're going to a concert in April, shouldn't be 0:13:48.920 --> 0:13:52.840 affecting your AFL fictions in late June. That's just not 0:13:52.880 --> 0:13:53.400 good enough. 0:13:53.880 --> 0:13:57.040 And and you know what the Victorians look at and 0:13:57.240 --> 0:14:00.920 it for anything all the time to spashydn't they do. 0:14:01.240 --> 0:14:04.880 They don't like us. And even if there's a tiny 0:14:04.960 --> 0:14:09.000 pot of turf missing, they'll turn it into a scanned 0:14:09.040 --> 0:14:13.560 or massive story. Yeah, and that's what's happened here. What 0:14:13.559 --> 0:14:17.240 are you jibbering about? You know, they don't cop us. 0:14:17.160 --> 0:14:19.400 There, No, they don't copy you though. 0:14:19.440 --> 0:14:22.400 They don't like your journalists love me. They love me. 0:14:22.480 --> 0:14:27.240 I'm I'm, I'm. You know it is funny though, like 0:14:27.320 --> 0:14:30.000 Melbourne sports journals do not like Sydney sports journals do 0:14:30.040 --> 0:14:30.440 they No? 0:14:30.760 --> 0:14:33.000 No, they're very rude towards us. Yes they are. 0:14:33.080 --> 0:14:35.520 Yeah, and they get preoccupied by us and we don't 0:14:35.560 --> 0:14:39.280 actually give a ship what they do because they're very soft. Okay, 0:14:41.920 --> 0:14:45.640 you heard it here first, unless, of course it doesn't happen. 0:14:46.040 --> 0:14:48.360 So Brad Fidler, we all thought he was going to 0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:49.040 get the job. 0:14:49.120 --> 0:14:54.720 I blame you for this. Well, exclusive on this podcast 0:14:54.760 --> 0:14:58.040 three weeks ago. He was the man they wanted. 0:14:58.120 --> 0:15:01.160 And see, I reckon this is the problem because not 0:15:01.320 --> 0:15:04.680 just you writing it, but there was so much. Everyone 0:15:04.760 --> 0:15:06.760 just assumed that Freddy was going to have the job. 0:15:07.320 --> 0:15:09.240 I don't think they talked to Freddy enough about him 0:15:09.280 --> 0:15:10.800 having the job, so I don't think that was. 0:15:11.480 --> 0:15:13.760 I doubled down on it and I wrote it again 0:15:13.800 --> 0:15:15.920 on Sunday and watched the bars that he was going 0:15:15.960 --> 0:15:17.960 to coach Australia, and I'll tell you why I did. 0:15:19.320 --> 0:15:23.920 Last Thursday, Tristan Hay, who as you know, was malmon 0:15:24.040 --> 0:15:28.280 Inger's tour manager for anything Australia did christ and Hay 0:15:28.520 --> 0:15:32.160 looked after it and did all the logistics manage everything. 0:15:32.560 --> 0:15:35.840 He's been meeting with Freddy. He went to Freddy's house, Yeah, 0:15:35.880 --> 0:15:38.880 and they had a meeting and they were planning the tour. 0:15:40.080 --> 0:15:42.480 So I thought, well, that's enough for me to run 0:15:42.520 --> 0:15:44.960 with it. That's a good sign. So over the weekend 0:15:45.000 --> 0:15:48.400 Freddy had a change of heart and said I actually 0:15:48.440 --> 0:15:50.880 heard him last night. Was really interesting that he's put 0:15:50.920 --> 0:15:55.680 his commentary before anything. And I like the fact that 0:15:55.840 --> 0:16:01.960 he said he has to have some sharp opinions on 0:16:02.000 --> 0:16:04.440 some of these players he might have to pick, yeah, 0:16:04.720 --> 0:16:08.000 and he didn't want to offend anyone. But the story 0:16:08.240 --> 0:16:12.440 now is that I'm told that Wayne Bennett is back 0:16:12.480 --> 0:16:17.680 in the picture. Reason being there's a rule in place 0:16:17.880 --> 0:16:21.760 that a club coach, a state coach cannot take on 0:16:21.800 --> 0:16:26.320 the Kangaroos job. Whereby, however, as a one off, I 0:16:26.320 --> 0:16:29.480 think Peter Velandi's Andrew Abdoll and the key people on 0:16:29.520 --> 0:16:34.800 the commission will make an exception and a point Wayne 0:16:34.880 --> 0:16:38.400 as a sort of an emergency solution for this kangaroo tour, 0:16:39.160 --> 0:16:42.360 then offer the job in a malmon Inger type role 0:16:42.440 --> 0:16:47.200 for three or four years next year for what will 0:16:47.280 --> 0:16:49.880 be a World Cup. But we need to make a 0:16:49.880 --> 0:16:53.240 decision quick. Camera. Smith's really funny. He was one hundred 0:16:53.240 --> 0:16:55.160 percent forty last night. He sat back and said, you, 0:16:55.280 --> 0:16:58.000 I mean, but they've got my phone number. Why doesn't 0:16:58.000 --> 0:17:00.360 he pick the phone up? See too big to do that? 0:17:00.400 --> 0:17:02.360 And wring themselves and say I'll have a way. 0:17:03.120 --> 0:17:06.160 Why can't he might have restrictions on his phone? 0:17:07.760 --> 0:17:10.400 People, NL know as well you can't. 0:17:10.480 --> 0:17:12.359 He can take calls, he just can't send. 0:17:12.080 --> 0:17:14.879 Call you know as well as I do. He is 0:17:14.920 --> 0:17:19.240 the hardest man on this planet to Contactry. 0:17:18.640 --> 0:17:21.800 Writing his book, Craig on his book. 0:17:21.600 --> 0:17:23.960 Craig Bell used to say, I can't find him. 0:17:25.440 --> 0:17:27.360 I couldn't get him. I couldn't get him for half 0:17:27.400 --> 0:17:29.480 a book. But then I got him, and then we 0:17:29.600 --> 0:17:30.679 finally got I used. 0:17:30.560 --> 0:17:32.440 To get the ships that he never rang back. And 0:17:32.600 --> 0:17:35.479 don't take it personally, buzz. It's all they told me. 0:17:36.080 --> 0:17:38.560 So if the NRL want to go to the trouble 0:17:38.600 --> 0:17:43.520 of sending out a search party or throw it, I. 0:17:43.440 --> 0:17:46.760 Said all along that I think Bennett. Bennett in that 0:17:47.680 --> 0:17:51.399 for this series against England, it's a big it's hard. 0:17:51.480 --> 0:17:53.919 It's like people will roll their eyes. It's hard to 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:56.159 take away a touring team. You've got to know what 0:17:56.200 --> 0:17:56.560 you're doing. 0:17:56.640 --> 0:17:59.280 We didn't say this three weeks ago when I revealed 0:17:59.280 --> 0:18:02.280 Freddie was the job. I was saying before that. I 0:18:02.359 --> 0:18:06.760 was saying, Bennett, you said the Sydney Football Stadium or 0:18:07.720 --> 0:18:09.919 I did. Mate. This is a rapper throm for you 0:18:10.040 --> 0:18:11.040 this podcast today. 0:18:11.040 --> 0:18:14.800 I'm not wrapping myself. I'm spitting facts. You should try 0:18:14.800 --> 0:18:18.520 it sometimes, I said Bennett. And take Cameron Smith as 0:18:18.520 --> 0:18:20.679 an assistant coach and then he could take over as 0:18:20.680 --> 0:18:22.440 Australian coach for the World Cup next year. 0:18:25.359 --> 0:18:27.879 The NRL for solving all their problems, Well I do 0:18:27.960 --> 0:18:30.880 you know that idea? Yeah? I do. And look Wayne, 0:18:31.200 --> 0:18:33.800 it's a short tour. I know it's three tests about 0:18:33.800 --> 0:18:36.000 a month and Wayne could afford the time off at 0:18:36.119 --> 0:18:40.560 South be perfect for it. Do it on his head. Yeah, 0:18:40.720 --> 0:18:43.960 And I think a Kangaroo tour, the reinvention of the 0:18:44.080 --> 0:18:48.200 Kangaroo tours is such a prestige job. Like there was 0:18:48.240 --> 0:18:51.080 some at the NRL saying, oh look brat Arthur's already 0:18:51.119 --> 0:18:53.639 over there. We could get Brad no, thank you. You 0:18:53.680 --> 0:18:54.680 know it's going to be tough though. 0:18:54.720 --> 0:18:58.400 It's a tough job because Australia, because of because players 0:18:58.440 --> 0:19:01.440 like Tino and pay They're all going to start going 0:19:01.480 --> 0:19:04.480 back to the other countries that they're eligible for. I 0:19:04.480 --> 0:19:08.520 think it's a it's a tricky one, big, big, big 0:19:08.560 --> 0:19:11.159 game at Wembley, big crowd, like the pressure is going 0:19:11.240 --> 0:19:11.560 to be on. 0:19:11.720 --> 0:19:16.879 So so the first Whinney Bennett you heard, unless it 0:19:16.880 --> 0:19:19.320 doesn't happen. Yeah, you two are back. 0:19:19.720 --> 0:19:20.240 We're talking. 0:19:20.440 --> 0:19:21.840 Yeah, good good. 0:19:22.359 --> 0:19:24.160 I'm not like you. I can Bury Hatchets. 0:19:24.800 --> 0:19:26.760 I was fine but Wayne for a long time when 0:19:26.760 --> 0:19:28.440 he was in Sydney and he got the ships, so 0:19:28.640 --> 0:19:32.000 I covered his exit from Newcastle. He left him with 0:19:32.040 --> 0:19:35.960 three wooden spoons and I was writing that and he 0:19:36.000 --> 0:19:37.760 bowled out on them with a year ago on his 0:19:37.800 --> 0:19:44.080 contract where he did loves positive media. He does meet 0:19:44.119 --> 0:19:47.280 him too. Did some good, some of it not so good. 0:19:48.400 --> 0:19:50.280 It's funny that one that was your best book. 0:19:50.359 --> 0:19:54.080 That was one of my longest books. News of the Week, 0:19:55.040 --> 0:20:00.880 State of Origin, Decider a Core Stadium next Wednesday, Their Voice. 0:20:01.040 --> 0:20:04.680 Yes, that very good, sell out crowd. 0:20:04.600 --> 0:20:07.320 So Queensland have made you wouldn't have thought. You thought 0:20:07.320 --> 0:20:09.000 it was the other way around. About who one game too. 0:20:09.080 --> 0:20:12.080 Queensland made all the changes, some of them Force obviously 0:20:12.840 --> 0:20:16.280 Hammer in for Ponger at fullback, Shabaski into the centers 0:20:16.320 --> 0:20:20.840 and Papa Ley for Fodor Waker. What are you and 0:20:20.880 --> 0:20:25.680 New Southwester unchanged? Should Billy Slater have picked at Recee Walsh? 0:20:26.119 --> 0:20:30.480 I think absolutely should have, and as a New South 0:20:30.480 --> 0:20:33.320 Wales fan, I'm so happy he hasn't because if you 0:20:33.359 --> 0:20:35.720 add Walsh at fullback and then you had the Hammer 0:20:35.760 --> 0:20:39.560 and the Sanders, it's two X factor players. Very hard 0:20:39.600 --> 0:20:43.040 to plan any defense about it. You've really got to 0:20:43.040 --> 0:20:46.200 get your numbers and have that straight line. But they've 0:20:46.200 --> 0:20:49.120 both got so much speed, they've both got so much 0:20:49.280 --> 0:20:57.000 unpredictability about them. They're both just class attacking weapons. And 0:20:57.280 --> 0:20:59.360 I think Billy Slade has led us off here. He's 0:20:59.400 --> 0:21:03.000 now got two center's playing the two games experienced between them. 0:21:03.040 --> 0:21:07.760 They're against Latrelle, they're against Stephen Crighton who both won premierships, 0:21:07.800 --> 0:21:10.720 and I expect New South Wales to win because but 0:21:10.880 --> 0:21:13.399 I would fear them a lot more Queensland if Walsh 0:21:13.480 --> 0:21:13.879 was playing. 0:21:14.040 --> 0:21:16.280 I don't like it when we agree, but I'm with you, 0:21:17.320 --> 0:21:19.560 you know, I know he's well. Billy said it's got 0:21:19.560 --> 0:21:23.680 nothing to do with his knee. But of them the 0:21:23.720 --> 0:21:26.440 same opinion, I'm Stundard's. Of Reese Welsh, I just think 0:21:26.480 --> 0:21:29.560 he's more you know, he's more dangerous when he's when 0:21:29.560 --> 0:21:32.920 he's uh, when he's in that Queensland team. I mean sorry, 0:21:33.040 --> 0:21:35.560 Queensland are more dangerous when he's in that team. Well, 0:21:35.880 --> 0:21:38.920 to get infinitely more, well, you've got to get danderous. 0:21:38.680 --> 0:21:40.960 Try as close as you can to get your best 0:21:41.000 --> 0:21:45.240 seven name footballers in. You look at Reese Walsh's form 0:21:45.280 --> 0:21:51.400 and the Broncos resurgence in this competition coincides with Walsh 0:21:51.480 --> 0:21:54.160 coming back for the Titans game and then again to buy, 0:21:54.280 --> 0:21:57.960 then again last weekend, and even though he's heavily strapped, 0:21:58.080 --> 0:21:59.960 he's playing fantastic, isn't he. 0:22:00.440 --> 0:22:03.359