Speaker 1: Welcome to three sixty.
Speaker 2: Revelate from every angle joining me, dan Ganay, let's bring
Speaker 2: the Journal Australian, Paul Crawley and Dean Richie. We've got
Speaker 2: a massive show on tonight. You are looking sensational. Bit
Speaker 2: of a John Travolta about you tonight.
Speaker 1: Thank you.
Speaker 3: The teal brings out my eyes. I reckon your face
Speaker 3: just went a little bit red. Then no, no, you
Speaker 3: look at my hazel eyes. It's here becomes a crystal.
Speaker 1: Hazel.
Speaker 4: It's it's a a tribute to Riley Smith's head gig.
Speaker 5: There's only very few journals could pull this off.
Speaker 2: Then yeah, all right, let's look at the ins and
Speaker 2: outs around sixties to sports bets of big news.
Speaker 1: Edward's returns a big one for the Panthers.
Speaker 2: Telangi replaces the injured Cole Ilias remains at half, King
Speaker 2: Tongya on the extended bench. For the Dragons, Reynolds is
Speaker 2: named at half despite that hamstring injury, which is a
Speaker 2: bit of a surprise. Townshend dropped, Savala promoted to half
Speaker 2: of the roosters. The Bunnies have got Mitchell n Sullivan
Speaker 2: has then new halves pairing and the Tigers welcome Luye
Speaker 2: back from that one game suspension.
Speaker 1: Will unpack all of that as the show goes on,
Speaker 1: but Robbo.
Speaker 2: Acts as Townsend with six foot four Hugo Savala taking
Speaker 2: the reins.
Speaker 1: Dan, is this the right call?
Speaker 4: Well, they were getting, with all due respect, they weren't
Speaker 4: getting much out of Town's end, so you might as
Speaker 4: well blood the kid and see what he's got to offer.
Speaker 4: Worst case scenario, you're going to get some first grade
Speaker 4: experience into him.
Speaker 1: But the wraps on him are pretty good.
Speaker 4: Fascinating a six foot four half back, and he does
Speaker 4: a lot of this from what we understand, and is
Speaker 4: very good at that, So you had to try something both.
Speaker 4: I mean, they've had one win and it was against Penrith,
Speaker 4: but that was in round two and they haven't fired
Speaker 4: a shot since.
Speaker 1: Yeah, agree, before we get new cars. Just looking at
Speaker 1: this vision, he's sharp.
Speaker 2: I mean, you know, we've only seen him come into
Speaker 2: the first grade squad. I think he's played two games
Speaker 2: and they've used him as a bit of a utility
Speaker 2: back row, even maybe found himself at center at one point.
Speaker 2: But you know, watching him there as a seven, I
Speaker 2: couldn't visualize it because he's so big.
Speaker 1: Six foot four. But he's quite effective.
Speaker 2: He looks really good with the ball in hand, good hands,
Speaker 2: look quick when he when he made that line break.
Speaker 1: Is it the right call?
Speaker 5: I think it had to be done.
Speaker 1: Yeah.
Speaker 6: Look he's a different player to Towns and Townsend kicks.
Speaker 5: He doesn't run.
Speaker 6: This guy runs like he's dangerous.
Speaker 5: He's athletic.
Speaker 6: Look, he's a beautiful athlete and they need to. It's
Speaker 6: great to see the roosters give a kid a go,
Speaker 6: you know, like they I didn't agree with them buying
Speaker 6: Towns and to start with, and they've got their academy there.
Speaker 5: Give them a go.
Speaker 3: He's come through the academy. Buzz brought up the academy
Speaker 3: last night. Just this vision here break. It looks like
Speaker 3: he's happy to dig into the line too.
Speaker 5: Six foot four.
Speaker 1: It's so rare, isn't it.
Speaker 5: And I don't think I've ever come across a half back.
Speaker 5: But you know, he's so tall. Half packs yet.
Speaker 6: But a lot of the halves in the modern game,
Speaker 6: especially the five eight six two, is not uncommon. They'd
Speaker 6: be you could probably name half a dozen.
Speaker 1: Really was going to stop at some point.
Speaker 2: Ready was very passionate about Walker not returning if Rousters
Speaker 2: can't make the finals. This is bubbled away a little
Speaker 2: bit overnight. It was an interesting one that really brought
Speaker 2: up and caught me off guard.
Speaker 1: Dan. I thought, I didn't think I judged the Fighters draw.
Speaker 5: I'll go as a knockout read.
Speaker 4: But it is fascinating that James de Desco has come
Speaker 4: out and said if he's ready for he'll be ready
Speaker 4: for round twelve, which I think is far earlier than
Speaker 4: what the people around Sam Walker thinking he may where
Speaker 4: he may be actually ready and firing. So I don't
Speaker 4: know if there's misinformation going on here, but that would
Speaker 4: be nine twelve months, sorry twelve. Round twelve would be
Speaker 4: nine min which is the usual ACL injury delay.
Speaker 1: It is now ready. Didn't just pluck that from the
Speaker 1: air last night. If he did, he's lost the plot.
Speaker 2: But he's gotten that information from somewhere and there are
Speaker 2: some people maybe that believe that he needs a little longer.
Speaker 6: Well, I think it's what Dan just said. I think
Speaker 6: when Teddy said that on TV, he said that they
Speaker 6: were looking at round twelve, which is the nine month mark,
Speaker 6: and if you look at the Roosters, all their players
Speaker 6: that have come back in recent times is around that
Speaker 6: nine month mark. But there is a concern with younger players,
Speaker 6: especially that they have been given twelve months and because Sam,
Speaker 6: I guess he's at that tender point in his career,
Speaker 6: there is a bit of a school of thought that
Speaker 6: they'd like to see him come back and help the
Speaker 6: team into the finals, not necessarily carry him into the finals.
Speaker 6: But it all comes down to the doctor break, like
Speaker 6: if the doctor passes him clear to play, It's like
Speaker 6: you said last night, he's a paid footballer.
Speaker 1: That's what he gets paid to do it.
Speaker 2: Yeah, and that's what you have doctors and medical staff
Speaker 2: for to bring them back at the right time to
Speaker 2: protect the player. I don't even know why anyone would
Speaker 2: be concerned of rushing him back. They're going to rushing
Speaker 2: back now and bringing back when it's time. And if
Speaker 2: it's time and they can make the finals and they're
Speaker 2: on the edge of the eight, why would you let
Speaker 2: him have the rest of the year off.
Speaker 5: I never that's where rest of the year was in
Speaker 5: the conversation.
Speaker 1: That's what you get paid to do is played rugby league.
Speaker 5: Nine hundred thousand dollars a year player.
Speaker 3: He's clearly an elite player if he's ready by a
Speaker 3: round twelve. I can't see the logic in saying you're fit,
Speaker 3: you're ready, you're hungry to play, you haven't played for
Speaker 3: a long time, but we're going to keep on the
Speaker 3: sidelines half a year would cost him four hundred and
Speaker 3: fifty thousand to have a player sitting in the grands.
Speaker 5: Then it doesn't.
Speaker 6: The other side of the coin, though, dog, is that
Speaker 6: you guys know better than me. But with acls you
Speaker 6: can get pass fit to play. But there's always that
Speaker 6: chance in the background, and giving what is he.
Speaker 3: Twenty one to twenty two years of age with fourteen
Speaker 3: years of football ahead of him, you'd want to make
Speaker 3: sure that you're making the right But I understand that.
Speaker 2: But how many guys you see come back from an
Speaker 2: ACL and just do their ACL straight away?
Speaker 1: These days?
Speaker 5: Not often. It's not like it used to be.
Speaker 1: It's just not the way it is. So where's already
Speaker 1: getting this from?
Speaker 5: I don't know, you'd have to ask him.
Speaker 4: I think he's working off the premise and the doctor
Speaker 4: or the pyramis that he's not going to be ready
Speaker 4: by round towrs. When he said when he made his
Speaker 4: suggestion resting.
Speaker 1: For the year he's talking round twenty.
Speaker 4: Don't play for the last four or five.
Speaker 1: The Mickos, they're not going to make the finals. There
Speaker 1: you go.
Speaker 4: I'm looking at the drawer here, so let's see with
Speaker 4: our round twelve. They've got Brisbane this week, they'll probably lose.
Speaker 4: Then the next three Penrith who they beat, Dragons on
Speaker 4: Enzac Day winnable, Dolphins at home winnable.
Speaker 1: They could be three and seventy.
Speaker 2: This is where you know last night I just couldn't
Speaker 2: believe it because they got okay. So South City right
Speaker 2: now top four, looking like premiership contenders. We're arguing over
Speaker 2: a forward pass that possibly the Rusters could have won
Speaker 2: that game, but he's putting a red line through them
Speaker 2: after last night, after the last week's game.
Speaker 1: I think it doesn't make sense.
Speaker 6: In fairness with Sous on the on the weekend or
Speaker 6: Friday night or whenever the game was, they were missing
Speaker 6: a few.
Speaker 5: Roosters should have won that game. Roosters should have won
Speaker 5: that game.
Speaker 6: The fact that Sous came back from losing both halves
Speaker 6: and a winger and finishing with one player on the
Speaker 6: bench is what made that such an incredible win. I
Speaker 6: think the game was there for the Roosters to win,
Speaker 6: and they blew it. They did it the week earlier too,
Speaker 6: you know they threw it away.
Speaker 3: Why we what's just we don't debate this issue because
Speaker 3: clearly it is an issue. But the Roosters are the
Speaker 3: most professional club in rugby league and their medical staff
Speaker 3: among the most professional we have in rugby league. They
Speaker 3: will know exactly when Sam Walker is ready to come back,
Speaker 3: and to suggest that they would bring him back early,
Speaker 3: it's just.
Speaker 5: Absurd, I think what it is.
Speaker 3: Sorry, but even to your point, Cross, I know what
Speaker 3: you're saying, but it's horses for courses. Each player will
Speaker 3: mend at their own individual speech.
Speaker 2: I agree totally with you, and I'm on the exact
Speaker 2: same page that The only thing I look at here
Speaker 2: is that there must be noise coming out of the
Speaker 2: Walker camp. In my opinion, maybe I could be wrong,
Speaker 2: but you want Saam Walker to want to play the
Speaker 2: year and come back when the Roosters want him to play,
Speaker 2: so that he's at his best and he's happy. You
Speaker 2: don't want them not wanting him to come back when
Speaker 2: he should and having the rest of the season off
Speaker 2: like it just didn't make sense for to make.
Speaker 5: Season what ready said.
Speaker 6: Yeah, that's outrageous, okay, because.
Speaker 5: You work to a timeline.
Speaker 6: He did it towards the end of last season, was
Speaker 6: at the end of August. I think he is when
Speaker 6: he did his knee, So you know, like that, they
Speaker 6: worked to a timeline. And as I had it pointed
Speaker 6: out to me by Brian Seni, the NRL physio, in
Speaker 6: recent times, all the roosters have come back in that
Speaker 6: nine month period. Previously they used to bring him back earlier,
Speaker 6: but for the younger players it is twelve months. And
Speaker 6: I think the Roosters even have that as a policy.
Speaker 3: If you're saying, well you just suggested then that it
Speaker 3: could be coming from.
Speaker 1: The Walker camp, well who else does it?
Speaker 3: The point I'm making is if you are correct, and
Speaker 3: I don't know whether you are or not, but if
Speaker 3: you are in fact right, then is Sam m talking
Speaker 3: to those in the cab That's what That's what I'm saying.
Speaker 3: Is it Sam who is behind the scenes suggesting that
Speaker 3: he'd got to sit.
Speaker 1: Out the end? I don't think that.
Speaker 5: I can't believe he would not want.
Speaker 1: To play it.
Speaker 2: I'm just saying I don't believe that Ree's a great reporter,
Speaker 2: but he had a howl last night, and I don't
Speaker 2: know where he's got it from, but if you you
Speaker 2: know I it's not a hell of though. If he's
Speaker 2: getting that information from inside the Walker can it didn't
Speaker 2: make he did not respect though.
Speaker 3: I think that people close to players often do have
Speaker 3: different views, and you always put your own ahead of
Speaker 3: the rest, don't you like, And if they're coming back
Speaker 3: from it a significant injury in front of the team,
Speaker 3: I don't think Sam Walker is putting himself.
Speaker 5: In front of the team.
Speaker 4: Did you just say that they have a policy in
Speaker 4: the roosters if it's.
Speaker 6: A younger, that they have a policy with younger players
Speaker 6: that it's twelve months, like I'm talking eighteen year olds.
Speaker 6: That's all I was going to say, they're talking juniors
Speaker 6: or we talk.
Speaker 5: But it was in twenty three, wasn't it. He did
Speaker 5: is in twenty three and he was out.
Speaker 4: For truth about ACL's break. As you would know is
Speaker 4: the player is never as good for the first few weeks,
Speaker 4: first few months after it's usually the So if he
Speaker 4: came back, let's say round twelve, round thirteen, got through
Speaker 4: this season where they're probably not going to make finals.
Speaker 1: Let's let's be honest, then they won't be out of
Speaker 1: the running by a round twelve.
Speaker 5: They can make final, okay, regardless, And.
Speaker 4: What I'm saying is you get maybe and maybe you're right,
Speaker 4: but regardless, through these few months and then by the
Speaker 4: time we get the round one next year, he's got
Speaker 4: the confidence back, he's got he's got some strength back
Speaker 4: in the leg, match fitness back in the leg, and
Speaker 4: now then he should be firing.
Speaker 2: On the great point you made that I didn't get
Speaker 2: to last night. That has been overlooked. If he comes
Speaker 2: back and even if he plays the last five games,
Speaker 2: it's going to benefit him next year. Then he then
Speaker 2: he actually flies into the offseason, which you want as
Speaker 2: your key playmaker, arguably the best player in that team,
Speaker 2: and then he's flying round one.
Speaker 1: You know that's what you want. It's mayor set back
Speaker 1: if you just say, oh, you have the year off, mate,
Speaker 1: we'll see you in the pay.
Speaker 3: A fit elite player to sit in the grandstands.
Speaker 1: I agree now there.
Speaker 2: Recruitment was questioned last night by the panel. You mentioned
Speaker 2: it earlier. Crause Clint's Emmett was I don't know.
Speaker 1: We wasn't like ga. I think he stepped aside.
Speaker 2: Today his father is unfortunately sick, so he's moved back
Speaker 2: to North Queensland.
Speaker 5: Once you take in all this, oh look, I think
Speaker 5: that's a separate issue.
Speaker 6: If there is family concerns and the health of his
Speaker 6: father and he's made a decision to go back to
Speaker 6: the Cowboys.
Speaker 5: You know, good luck to him. I think that there's
Speaker 5: no question in the world.
Speaker 6: Also, though in the last two years there's been a
Speaker 6: lot of questionable decisions come out of the Roosters, take
Speaker 6: your pick on how many. And one of the things
Speaker 6: that probably as an outsider looking in, I would love
Speaker 6: to see them, and I said a moment ago, with
Speaker 6: this young halfback coming in this weekend, I'd love to
Speaker 6: see them start trusting all the good kids that they
Speaker 6: bring through that club, like they've sold it to us,
Speaker 6: Like Nick went over there with Robbo and they had
Speaker 6: to look at the Barcelona set up and they wanted
Speaker 6: to do it themselves.
Speaker 5: We'll start trusting these do you.
Speaker 2: Think, like if they're making a play dcly, which allegedly
Speaker 2: they are, you don't think they put enough trust in
Speaker 2: their own No, I don't.
Speaker 6: They've developed these kids to come and do a job,
Speaker 6: and it's the same as Sandard Smith. You know what
Speaker 6: you're saying, you haven't coached them to do the job
Speaker 6: because when they brought them into the system, they thought
Speaker 6: they were going to.
Speaker 5: Be the players.
Speaker 6: And now you're saying, okay, we're going to bring a
Speaker 6: thirty seven year old half back in for two more years,
Speaker 6: like when Penrith did it with Nathan Cleary and Lewai.
Speaker 3: They brought those guys through what was at nine aeen
Speaker 3: twenty year olds and they had a tough season first up.
Speaker 6: After that they've gone through and played in five Grand finals,
Speaker 6: won four premierships. Melbourne Storm. Look what the Melbourne Storm
Speaker 6: have done. They go and buy thirty seven year old halfbacks.
Speaker 6: They got Jerome Hughes as a young bloke that had
Speaker 6: had to go at the Gold Coast, had a game
Speaker 6: at the Cowboys, came as a fallback and Craig Bill
Speaker 6: and he developed him into a half pack. They did
Speaker 6: the same as Monster he came as a young man.
Speaker 3: I'd love to see the Roosters trust their coaching to
Speaker 3: bring through the talent that they buy.
Speaker 1: I agree to a certain degree, but you know with DCE,
Speaker 1: these kids aren't quite ready.
Speaker 2: The right you bring DCE he can help that academy.
Speaker 2: He can help that academy. He can help these kids
Speaker 2: get better and learn from him. He can be like
Speaker 2: a mentor and they and in that process they could
Speaker 2: possibly fight for premission.
Speaker 5: We question that can happen. No question, that can happen.
Speaker 3: I would rather look at the Penrith system where they've
Speaker 3: bred their own.
Speaker 6: To do it, and you know, like the Ethan Stranger,
Speaker 6: they did and it worked, it did. But Ethan Stranger
Speaker 6: is another one.
Speaker 1: Do you reckon?
Speaker 3: If Ethan's Strange was at the Roosters and hadn't gone
Speaker 3: to Cambrust, he would have got the opportunity.
Speaker 1: Definitely, really, I don't I don't think he would have
Speaker 1: got the play first.
Speaker 5: Here is quick, no way quick?
Speaker 1: You mean let you finish?
Speaker 3: Yeah, I truly think that sometimes the Roosters are on
Speaker 3: the side of caution instead of giving these young I
Speaker 3: think we're giving the roosters a bit of a hard
Speaker 3: time over this academy or lack of who's coming through.
Speaker 5: They've got some good kids coming through.
Speaker 6: And yet in these in these price.
Speaker 3: Jumped on at the moment a broad Brandon Smith over
Speaker 3: over the top of guys that they had there.
Speaker 5: But that's just and now they've gone and got Rhys Robson.
Speaker 5: But that's what clubs do. They buy all the players.
Speaker 6: They don't. Penrith don't do that. Dog Melbourne haven't done
Speaker 6: that Like Melbourne this year I would. I would go
Speaker 6: as far as to say, I'd say Stefano is really
Speaker 6: the only marquee type signing that I can remember Melbourne making.
Speaker 6: But again, Dan, they're they're they're they're bringing these players
Speaker 6: through as as young guys and they're develop into the superstars.
Speaker 5: Robson's pretty good signing though. Robson's a great signing.
Speaker 3: Robson's a great signing, but again they're bringing him over
Speaker 3: the top of the guys they have there.
Speaker 5: I spoke to of a CEO last week.
Speaker 3: I won't mention who it is because I don't want it, okay,
Speaker 3: but he said to me that we're not going to
Speaker 3: resign a key player because the kids underneath get restless.
Speaker 3: If it's one more year, they'll want to go. So
Speaker 3: that just shows you the new age kid though, doesn't want.
Speaker 5: To do the hard work.
Speaker 3: Sorry I'll rephrase that, doesn't want to wait breath like
Speaker 3: previous players had waited. They want everything now and if
Speaker 3: that player was to be resigned, there'd be a surge
Speaker 3: toward the.
Speaker 2: Except that's why the Bulldogs pulled out of DC, because
Speaker 2: that's kind of their sister theory at the moment their ethos. Okay,
Speaker 2: lockey Ilias survives. Will Flanno stay patient?
Speaker 1: Boys?
Speaker 5: I think it's their best option. It was Jesus.
Speaker 6: I felt for him on the weekend in a golden
Speaker 6: point and the game there to be won, and after
Speaker 6: what had happened, like he'd come back and had a
Speaker 6: good game against the Storm, but against sous where they
Speaker 6: dropped that twelve point lead and he caught the roast
Speaker 6: from Flenno at at the postmatch pressure and then he's
Speaker 6: put that kick out and then Lomax has come back
Speaker 6: from that and won the game. He must have been
Speaker 6: half broken, but but I keep going back to the
Speaker 6: point he's coming back from a broken leg. The club
Speaker 6: bought him because they obviously believe he's the best they got.
Speaker 6: Now they got two promising young guys in New South
Speaker 6: Wales coup, but they obviously didn't think that they were ready.
Speaker 6: I'd give him, I'd give him at least ten rounds.
Speaker 2: He's got to be a stick he's got to be
Speaker 2: better now. The weekend was a big miss from him.
Speaker 2: You know, he had the opportunity there to I said,
Speaker 2: or put his team in a better position.
Speaker 1: He went for a forty twenty. He got it wrong.
Speaker 1: You just can't do that.
Speaker 2: And this game here, obviously, we saw the backlash from that,
Speaker 2: and you know it knocked him around a little bit.
Speaker 2: Come back on the weekend, had his opportunity, and you know,
Speaker 2: I felt sick for him, I really did, because it
Speaker 2: was like living a nightmare.
Speaker 1: Obviously, I'm passionate about him. I look after him, but
Speaker 1: you know, he has got to be better. You know,
Speaker 1: I don't think.
Speaker 2: I don't think you'll have ten rounds, you know, I
Speaker 2: think it's the next two or three weeks. You know.
Speaker 1: Really, so the.
Speaker 3: Option there is it is it Flanner comes in and
Speaker 3: moves him, he goes half back, and then they bring
Speaker 3: the young guy.
Speaker 1: I don't know, but I don't there's some raps on him.
Speaker 4: Problem breath is when a team loses by twelve, it's
Speaker 4: usually the organizer of the gets play. You can't blow
Speaker 4: a twelve point leader, and unfortunately for the Dragons have
Speaker 4: done it twice.
Speaker 5: I'm worried though and breath you're the bloke to Anthei.
Speaker 3: Is Lachlan Ilius becoming the punching bag?
Speaker 1: It just seems to be.
Speaker 5: Yes.
Speaker 3: I know he's got some flaws in his game. I
Speaker 3: get it, and we all see it. But it just
Speaker 3: seems to be a bloke that is targeted with each loss.
Speaker 5: Let's just blame Lochlanillius. It was a bit like Mitchell
Speaker 5: Pierce at the Roosters.
Speaker 1: Mitchell Pierce put up.
Speaker 3: With more than anyone in the current era when it
Speaker 3: came to criticism. Now, I'm not comparing the two as players.
Speaker 3: I'm just saying, is Illius being unfairly targeted?
Speaker 1: Wek I'm a truth to that, but that comes with
Speaker 1: the terror and you need to handle that.
Speaker 6: But other players play poorly and they don't seem because
Speaker 6: it's the number.
Speaker 5: It's the seven jumper.
Speaker 6: I remember interviewing Braith when he was a kid and
Speaker 6: you were nineteen twenty, and that you were carrying that
Speaker 6: responsibility as a young man, you know, straight into first grade,
Speaker 6: straight up. He was carrying all the young guys have
Speaker 6: to do with dog and if he's.
Speaker 3: Going to kick out on the film performer, you don't
Speaker 3: have to talk about that incident. I'm saying, excuse, I'm
Speaker 3: just saying, sometimes, whether it be inadvertently or accidentally, some
Speaker 3: players just seem.
Speaker 5: To have a target on the pad in that game.
Speaker 3: Just quietly too shot that even even Tyrrel Sloane has
Speaker 3: has got another game because I thought I thought he
Speaker 3: was another guy on the weekend that made some some
Speaker 3: of his runs, you know, a winger.
Speaker 1: And we's the seven. The seven has to win that game.
Speaker 4: You're up twenty to eight two weeks ago, this week
Speaker 4: twelve on Souse.
Speaker 1: You've got to win that game. Win the game. Just
Speaker 1: not come up with an error like that, you know
Speaker 1: what I mean? You just he kicks. All he had
Speaker 1: to do is kick it along into the corner, try and.
Speaker 2: Win the field position and possession and then get yourself
Speaker 2: in a position to win. He eliminated all that with
Speaker 2: poor execution. And as the key seven, you can't you
Speaker 2: can't do that.
Speaker 6: It happened, it doesn't and and now it's it's his
Speaker 6: chance and he has to bounce from it, that's what
Speaker 6: And he's got what you say.
Speaker 3: Two or three weeks you know, I think, really to
Speaker 3: bounce back, and that's what he has to do otherwise, Dog,
Speaker 3: he doesn't deserve his spot in the two. But they
Speaker 3: have bought him in the offseason, right, you can't buy a.
Speaker 5: High profile player.
Speaker 3: And he was at Soucid because he was in a
Speaker 3: gun side there and then just ditch him. Flannel's got
Speaker 3: to show a bit of patience, and Flannel will years,
Speaker 3: and I think he is.
Speaker 5: We're only five games in, you know.
Speaker 3: I think there's got to be some time for this
Speaker 3: kid to learn his trade at a new club, and
Speaker 3: he had a broken leader.
Speaker 1: They only lost those two games one point.
Speaker 5: This is the argument I'm fighting for it. So if
Speaker 5: we put all together, we're having.
Speaker 2: The team is this close, they could be easily two
Speaker 2: wins and they just haven't, which.
Speaker 5: Is not too bad either.
Speaker 3: And they and they and they beat the Storm and
Speaker 3: and when you look through that Dragon's roster and stack
Speaker 3: it up against some of the other teams in the competition,
Speaker 3: it's not really a fair.
Speaker 1: Po I agree with you a lot on that.
Speaker 2: In a fresh Headache from our Menja mso Tabio i
Speaker 2: FD has opened up about the possibility of switching his
Speaker 2: allegiance to.
Speaker 7: I think, yeah, just a big, big part of it
Speaker 7: just representing my dad's side. I know I've already done
Speaker 7: it one son, but yeah, it'll be pretty special to
Speaker 7: do it again. But yeah, in the near future, see
Speaker 7: see what happens.
Speaker 2: Smart and Jeremi and I been playing for small Pretty
Speaker 2: cool to playoff on that stage as well.
Speaker 7: Yeah, obviously I played up played up North with them
Speaker 7: and they're They're two blokes that I get along well
Speaker 7: with and pretty cool thing to do, I think, especially
Speaker 7: for a nation luck some more, it's it's pretty cool
Speaker 7: how many someone's do play in the NROL, And yeah,
Speaker 7: it's a pretty pretty special team to have if they
Speaker 7: if they do pull it together, it would be a
Speaker 7: special team.
Speaker 1: Sam, I have some extraordinary talent in our game, the hammer.
Speaker 1: You know, he didn't say that he's going to play
Speaker 1: for SAMO.
Speaker 2: I think he kind of said if he doesn't make
Speaker 2: the Australian team he would play for them, or Am
Speaker 2: I getting that?
Speaker 1: I think it was a bit more direct, you do.
Speaker 4: I think apparently the club clarified and said if he's
Speaker 4: not picked for Australia, yes he'll go.
Speaker 5: To some Okay, Okay, so that's fair enough.
Speaker 1: What's wrong with it?
Speaker 5: Nothing wrong with that?
Speaker 6: I thought I thought it was the other way around,
Speaker 6: and he was another one that was likely to choose
Speaker 6: Samoa ahead of Australia, which if that was the case
Speaker 6: for me, we're reaching Chrisi's point because and again if
Speaker 6: Hammer said it the other way, well mate, he's entitled
Speaker 6: to do that, and they're all entitled to make their
Speaker 6: own choice for that matter. But what I'm saying from
Speaker 6: an Australian perspective, we can't continue to believe that Tonga
Speaker 6: and Samoa are Tier two nations when they're going to
Speaker 6: field the teams that they've got teams of superstars and
Speaker 6: it's got nothing to do with the pathways because they'll
Speaker 6: never have the pathways in their country that will match
Speaker 6: up against what Australia and everyone.
Speaker 2: Okay, now, during the day a few of us went
Speaker 2: to the lab and we've come up with the potential
Speaker 2: Samoan team.
Speaker 1: Now I have a look at this one through to
Speaker 1: eighteen even nineteen.
Speaker 4: It is on the look Josh Propali in that seventy
Speaker 4: you can't get Josh Propali's.
Speaker 5: True, that's not te regard.
Speaker 6: And this is this, this is a decision that the
Speaker 6: NRL is going to have to be tough on because
Speaker 6: Origin is the big fish in this too, and it's
Speaker 6: the cash cow, it's the it's it's the history of
Speaker 6: our game.
Speaker 5: Girls.
Speaker 1: Money is always going to win.
Speaker 4: And they all protect Origin before they worry about the
Speaker 4: sanctity of Test football.
Speaker 5: But how do you protect Origin rather you separate rules.
Speaker 5: You're wrong, You're.
Speaker 6: Wrong, mate, because the problem at the moment is not
Speaker 6: what it's it's the history of Origin and the players
Speaker 6: that are coming through. If if there's people in they're
Speaker 6: entitled to do it, but they continue to play for Samoa,
Speaker 6: well then the Australian will the rules have to change.
Speaker 6: And once you once you have major declaration to one
Speaker 6: of these nations, which should be Tier one, from that
Speaker 6: moment on, you shouldn't be playing origon you shouldn't be
Speaker 6: playing Origin.
Speaker 1: This is where I disagree with you.
Speaker 4: Tabi Fudo born in Kennes, raised in Kens played for
Speaker 4: the Kens King He's a Queenslander and I'm happy for.
Speaker 3: Usually sits in that seat. And you listen to Gordon
Speaker 3: talk about this with passion, Brian, he says it all
Speaker 3: the time.
Speaker 4: Obviously I don't have the credibility of Gordon Tallis. But
Speaker 4: Brian Tottle born in Sydney raised it in St Mary's.
Speaker 4: He's a New South Welshman. They all are damned they
Speaker 4: are New South Welshman and queens The problem.
Speaker 6: The problem is long term Origin will die if you
Speaker 6: don't protect it. It will because it will no longer
Speaker 6: be that made against mentality.
Speaker 5: Ask your question, do we think that all the money.
Speaker 4: In the world to do with Australia, with picking between
Speaker 4: Australia and some so've we've used examples of players who
Speaker 4: still want to and be honest, I want to get
Speaker 4: the money to play for New South Wales and Queensland,
Speaker 4: but also want to play for some more or Tonga.
Speaker 1: But what's the problem.
Speaker 5: He's the latest problem. I heard last week it was mentioned.
Speaker 6: Along the grapevine that there may be a push in
Speaker 6: the next CBA to double the payments and make Origin
Speaker 6: worth two hundred.
Speaker 5: Thousand should be it's worth one hundred million dollars.
Speaker 4: It's worth one hundred million dollars and the players are
Speaker 4: getting three percent.
Speaker 3: Listen, three per players are well imbursed to play rugby
Speaker 3: league origin. They initially played state of Origin. It was
Speaker 3: a couple of thousand dollars, two hundred thousand dollars.
Speaker 5: It was different than the black and white they are bringing.
Speaker 1: All the NRL does is boast one hundred million.
Speaker 5: Dollars go and sell that they're getting.
Speaker 1: They're the ones getting bashed up. They're putting on the show.
Speaker 4: They're getting three and a half million, they're getting thirty
Speaker 4: grand a game and.
Speaker 6: One hundred grand for the series mate. They're talking about
Speaker 6: bringing it up to two.
Speaker 3: Well they're saying one hundred and they're talking about putting
Speaker 3: it up to two hundred grand.
Speaker 5: Anyway, Well, that.
Speaker 3: Was nice before, But I can I ask a question
Speaker 3: because that list were just flashed up there.
Speaker 5: Well, I'm trying to get in before that list we
Speaker 5: flashed up.
Speaker 3: Is that indicator to nivus in some small way that
Speaker 3: playing for Australia isn't as high a priority as it
Speaker 3: once was.
Speaker 5: Is it not quite as attractive?
Speaker 3: In the old days, we would cut off a right
Speaker 3: or left arm to play for your country. These people
Speaker 3: are now saying we don't want to play for the Kangaroos,
Speaker 3: we want to go elsewhere.
Speaker 5: And I love the Kangaroos and I love the jump
Speaker 5: and what it represents. I'm not saying it's fand I'm
Speaker 5: not saying it's bad.
Speaker 3: I'm just saying though, suddenly it seems to be that
Speaker 3: the king or his jumper doesn't much.
Speaker 2: It's a concerns, but so many players are looking to
Speaker 2: go to flat you know.
Speaker 1: I mean Kaylen was an example the back end of
Speaker 1: last year. You know, he didn't even tell Mew that
Speaker 1: he wasn't well.
Speaker 5: That was insulting.
Speaker 1: But they're not trying to have a crak Kaitlin.
Speaker 2: It was just My point is that that that there
Speaker 2: is even at the back because there's so much rugby
Speaker 2: league played now too, and you've got a long season.
Speaker 1: It's harder, it's faster.
Speaker 2: The players at at the back end of the year
Speaker 2: have nearly had enough and it's like, you know, they
Speaker 2: shouldn't even be questioning whether they want to play for
Speaker 2: Australia or not, and they are not. Only are they
Speaker 2: questioning if they want to play for them and then
Speaker 2: deciding to go elsewhere. It's not I don't I don't
Speaker 2: have an issue with it, but it could be a problem.
Speaker 3: Form like mal last week he wake up to a
Speaker 3: headline that paying Hears wants to go and then Tino
Speaker 3: wanted to go two days later. Will always be strong
Speaker 3: Australia because of the depth in our country, but it
Speaker 3: seems to me each year it's eroding the honor of
Speaker 3: playing for the Kangaroos.
Speaker 2: All right, stick around journals can't wait for this week
Speaker 2: The Masters is on.
Speaker 1: It's a on us and the only.
Speaker 2: Place to see all the action live in Australia is
Speaker 2: on Fox Sports. Catch Round one live from ten thirty
Speaker 2: pm Thursday night on Channel five oh three.
Speaker 5: This golf course just si Dominion Stone.
Speaker 1: That is just awesome. You can't make it up.