WEBVTT - Round 27 Takeaways 0:00:04.000 --> 0:00:07.280 Righto, Coops. Premiership season done and dusted. We've moved to 0:00:07.320 --> 0:00:07.860 the finals. 0:00:08.500 --> 0:00:09.040 Well done, mate. 0:00:09.060 --> 0:00:09.480 We made it. 0:00:10.640 --> 0:00:13.670 You just got there. I did. How are you feeling today? 0:00:13.690 --> 0:00:14.570 I had a Saturday night. 0:00:14.610 --> 0:00:14.950 You good? 0:00:15.110 --> 0:00:16.470 Went to the Happy Mondays. It was awesome. 0:00:16.770 --> 0:00:17.030 Yeah. 0:00:17.050 --> 0:00:19.810 It wasn't that popular when I got home. The sun 0:00:19.850 --> 0:00:20.630 was just rising. 0:00:20.850 --> 0:00:22.050 Got home on Father's Day. 0:00:22.070 --> 0:00:25.479 Yeah, I just said, mate, the Uber driver got lost. Mate, 0:00:26.480 --> 0:00:30.979 it's interesting because we acknowledge the Roosters with the injury 0:00:31.000 --> 0:00:33.470 and they've lost a few in a row, but It's 0:00:33.490 --> 0:00:36.430 a really tricky sort of end of the season. You've 0:00:36.610 --> 0:00:40.900 got the Waz, the Panthers and the Dolphins. Which one 0:00:40.920 --> 0:00:43.900 do you think enters the final in the best form? 0:00:45.479 --> 0:00:48.360 I think over the last, call it six weeks, I 0:00:48.360 --> 0:00:50.120 think they've all sort of faced each other. 0:00:50.140 --> 0:00:51.950 They've all won. They've all had little wins. 0:00:52.550 --> 0:00:56.930 Yeah. I like the Waz with the momentum, but they 0:00:56.970 --> 0:01:00.370 haven't played their best football. I think Penrith dropped a 0:01:00.410 --> 0:01:03.610 couple of games, call it a month ago, but their 0:01:03.650 --> 0:01:05.470 game is in very good shape. 0:01:05.490 --> 0:01:06.330 You can see it tightening. 0:01:06.390 --> 0:01:08.290 Yeah, the way they went. 0:01:08.209 --> 0:01:11.600 After the Tigers yesterday, like it was, the Tigers could 0:01:11.620 --> 0:01:16.060 have been anyone and they were just priming themselves for September. 0:01:16.080 --> 0:01:18.160 The way they played, they were just a jersey. 0:01:18.180 --> 0:01:21.960 Precision, right? Just the skill level right across the field. 0:01:22.330 --> 0:01:24.750 I mean, the ball goes to Milky Jenkins, who checks, goes, 0:01:24.770 --> 0:01:27.149 there's nothing on terms around, throws a 30-minute pass back 0:01:27.170 --> 0:01:27.570 into the middle. 0:01:27.890 --> 0:01:32.800 But every set after points, power, power, kick. Nathan was 0:01:32.920 --> 0:01:35.640 torturing with the torpedo. So they're in good nick. So 0:01:36.000 --> 0:01:37.860 if you ask me the question, I think Penrith are 0:01:37.880 --> 0:01:39.200 in the best form. 0:01:39.970 --> 0:01:43.010 But you're right. The reason it's tricky, Coop, is because, 0:01:43.030 --> 0:01:44.850 I mean, if you look at the Warriors as an example, 0:01:45.790 --> 0:01:47.130 you know this a lot more than I do and 0:01:49.170 --> 0:01:51.350 people out there, and the fact that with the Melbourne storm, 0:01:51.370 --> 0:01:54.950 you guys would so often, most years, have the minor 0:01:54.970 --> 0:01:57.890 premiership wrapped up about six weeks out. And so that 0:01:57.930 --> 0:02:00.310 last six weeks, you're almost treading water. And I thought 0:02:00.330 --> 0:02:02.170 the same with the Warriors last week. I actually thought 0:02:02.190 --> 0:02:06.390 the Warriors' win over Manly was an outstanding win when 0:02:06.410 --> 0:02:09.350 you look at the circumstances. They're locked into a top-two spot. 0:02:09.750 --> 0:02:13.090 They go into the game. They've rested probably close to 0:02:13.130 --> 0:02:15.690 their most crucial player, Wade Egan. They're playing against a 0:02:15.730 --> 0:02:19.910 side that suddenly found a fair bit of form in Manly. 0:02:20.230 --> 0:02:23.710 And the primary focus is don't get injured, don't get suspended. 0:02:23.730 --> 0:02:25.390 You do have one eye on next week and all 0:02:25.430 --> 0:02:25.930 those things. 0:02:27.060 --> 0:02:30.000 But I like what Webster said after the game. Someone 0:02:30.200 --> 0:02:33.740 asked him about that, about the lacking of full intensity 0:02:33.820 --> 0:02:34.919 and commitment to the game. 0:02:34.940 --> 0:02:37.220 He goes, I'm not worried about that. These boys will 0:02:37.250 --> 0:02:37.840 get it next week. 0:02:37.880 --> 0:02:40.450 There's going to be a momentum and a buzz around 0:02:40.510 --> 0:02:44.490 New Zealand. And all those sort of half efforts or 0:02:44.790 --> 0:02:47.209 sort of, you know, backed off a little bit, that's 0:02:47.250 --> 0:02:49.429 not going to be there. This is a team that 0:02:49.570 --> 0:02:51.769 care for each other. They have a good game that 0:02:51.810 --> 0:02:54.590 holds up under pressure. And I think they will hit 0:02:54.610 --> 0:02:55.489 the accelerator. 0:02:55.710 --> 0:02:57.730 Mate, we kick off the finals with the Bunnies and 0:02:57.750 --> 0:02:59.450 the Knights. This will be a terrific game of football 0:02:59.530 --> 0:03:02.730 at Allianz, which I love. Yep. Isn't it funny, Coop? 0:03:03.970 --> 0:03:05.310 I said it on the show last night, the old 0:03:05.330 --> 0:03:08.100 bloke Wayne Bennett. One thing I really admire about him 0:03:08.440 --> 0:03:11.540 is while most coaches, you know, they've got their focus 0:03:11.560 --> 0:03:13.700 just on finals football. I've got to play finals, you know. 0:03:13.760 --> 0:03:15.400 And so what they do is they get their sides 0:03:15.440 --> 0:03:19.380 jumped into the blocks quick, accumulate points, stockpile points. And 0:03:19.400 --> 0:03:20.980 a lot of those teams, you see them start to 0:03:21.020 --> 0:03:23.919 play their best football in June or in July. Wayne 0:03:24.560 --> 0:03:28.080 is happy to risk not making finals to get the 0:03:28.139 --> 0:03:30.820 timing to win the whole thing. And bugger me, in 0:03:30.840 --> 0:03:33.880 the last two years, this club has been just decimated 0:03:33.919 --> 0:03:37.590 by injuries. Suddenly they hit the finals. Yeah. almost injury-free. 0:03:37.650 --> 0:03:40.610 Yeah, they're the team that probably scares anyone in the 0:03:40.630 --> 0:03:42.050 top four about what they could do. 0:03:43.030 --> 0:03:46.240 The Roosters rested on the weekend. Wayne Bennett didn't. 0:03:46.290 --> 0:03:49.680 They've had the Jai Arrow celebration the last couple of weeks. 0:03:50.460 --> 0:03:53.970 There is momentum. They're good players, feel like They're playing 0:03:54.010 --> 0:03:55.110 with authority. 0:03:55.230 --> 0:03:55.890 Yeah. 0:03:55.990 --> 0:03:58.870 You know, Brandon Smith's starting to do things. The key 0:03:58.970 --> 0:04:02.820 for South Sydney is their best players need to play well. 0:04:03.220 --> 0:04:05.900 That's as simple as it is for South Sydney. They 0:04:05.920 --> 0:04:10.270 have been primed, you know... Latrell's had 10 weeks off. 0:04:10.750 --> 0:04:13.130 He's been tippy-toed back in. Now he's ready to go. 0:04:13.470 --> 0:04:16.800 Cam Murray's fit. Cody Walker's played with confidence. 0:04:16.920 --> 0:04:18.060 Fafita's found his place. 0:04:18.120 --> 0:04:20.320 Yeah, he's damaging on the right end. So their best 0:04:20.400 --> 0:04:22.960 players need to play well. I think that's the key 0:04:22.980 --> 0:04:26.610 for South Sydney. Cody Walker, Cam Murray, Latrell Mitchell, David 0:04:26.620 --> 0:04:28.290 Fita on the right edge, they all need to have 0:04:28.310 --> 0:04:30.270 like nine out of ten games. 0:04:30.050 --> 0:04:30.930 For South Sydney to win. 0:04:31.310 --> 0:04:34.770 On the other side, for your old mob, the Knights, 0:04:35.130 --> 0:04:36.790 There's a couple of things I think they need to 0:04:36.830 --> 0:04:39.230 get right. Their game style is they need to keep 0:04:39.250 --> 0:04:41.130 the ball in play for long periods of time. South 0:04:41.180 --> 0:04:44.460 Sydney are a stop-start team. Cody Walker loves to kick 0:04:44.500 --> 0:04:46.200 it out, loves to go, all right, we're going to 0:04:46.240 --> 0:04:48.500 go two plays to the right-hand post and we're getting 0:04:48.520 --> 0:04:50.700 the ball to Latrell. Now, if they get that style 0:04:50.740 --> 0:04:53.500 in the first 20 minutes, I think Newcastle are under pressure. 0:04:53.520 --> 0:04:55.940 But if the ball is in play for long periods, 0:04:56.680 --> 0:05:01.010 South Sydney don't have a great yardage kicking game. Sullivan, Walker, Smith. 0:05:01.390 --> 0:05:03.250 So I think Newcastle can win that there. But the 0:05:03.350 --> 0:05:05.880 one thing they must do, Newcastle, is they need to 0:05:05.920 --> 0:05:08.890 stop the left edge of South Sydney. The key part 0:05:08.910 --> 0:05:11.570 to that is if Cody Walker, Latrell Mitchell, Alex Johnson 0:05:11.589 --> 0:05:14.740 score tries, I think what they need to do is 0:05:14.810 --> 0:05:17.700 double team the left edge. So here Piram, it's for 0:05:17.720 --> 0:05:20.460 the Broncos, sits on the short side. He needs to 0:05:20.480 --> 0:05:22.159 be on the other side. So a fullback on the 0:05:22.200 --> 0:05:24.620 try line needs to be defending in the line on 0:05:24.660 --> 0:05:27.460 the left-hand side and stack up and make it thick 0:05:27.520 --> 0:05:31.600 on that left edge attack for the South Sydney. And 0:05:31.700 --> 0:05:35.550 force Sullivan, Fafida, Whiten to score one-on-one. Like, back your 0:05:35.580 --> 0:05:39.150 short side defence. Here, Caelan Ponga gets this one wrong. 0:05:39.570 --> 0:05:42.529 And on Friday night, he can't. From this position, he 0:05:42.550 --> 0:05:44.809 needs to be a couple of metres to his right-hand side, 0:05:45.150 --> 0:05:49.050 making an extra defender, thicken up that line and force 0:05:49.089 --> 0:05:50.800 that short side to come up with a play. Just 0:05:50.830 --> 0:05:54.480 force those Sullivan and Fafida to do something because that... 0:05:54.870 --> 0:05:57.270 is a space that Alex Johnston, Latrell Mitchell and Cody 0:05:57.290 --> 0:05:57.560 Walker use. 0:05:57.570 --> 0:05:58.469 Gotcha, gotcha. 0:05:58.550 --> 0:06:00.850 So the fullback needs to defend on the right-hand side 0:06:00.950 --> 0:06:03.510 and thicken up that defensive side to stop the left. 0:06:03.670 --> 0:06:06.669 That's interesting, Coops. And you look at, I'll just talk 0:06:06.690 --> 0:06:09.310 about something that sides used to do in the past 0:06:09.370 --> 0:06:14.870 against really great ballplayers like Cody Walker is. But it's 0:06:14.910 --> 0:06:19.990 interesting about that left-side attack. They do it so well, obviously, 0:06:20.070 --> 0:06:22.830 because of the very fact that everyone knows they're coming back. 0:06:23.360 --> 0:06:25.970 Everyone knows they like to get in the left. And 0:06:26.010 --> 0:06:29.090 just about everyone knows and recognises the shapes they're coming with, 0:06:29.390 --> 0:06:31.950 but they still can't stop it. It's amazing. Okay, I 0:06:31.950 --> 0:06:34.880 want to talk about something there. So, you know, and 0:06:34.900 --> 0:06:36.539 you want to get numbers to the threat. You want 0:06:36.560 --> 0:06:38.780 to get numbers in and around Cody. It's interesting you 0:06:38.839 --> 0:06:42.060 see Caelan there. So, you know, like even if Caelan 0:06:42.140 --> 0:06:45.300 pushed into that type, the first defender there and went 0:06:45.320 --> 0:06:47.860 a little bit wider, pushed him because he's got mobility, 0:06:47.960 --> 0:06:50.280 pushed him a little bit wider and sort of just 0:06:50.320 --> 0:06:52.700 offered a little bit more space. you know, through the middle, 0:06:52.740 --> 0:06:54.600 giving them to know where the threat is. Like he pushed, 0:06:54.860 --> 0:06:57.490 like he pushes those tight guys, goes the other way 0:06:57.550 --> 0:06:59.820 and pushes them to the threat. And the other one, Coop, 0:07:00.470 --> 0:07:04.410 was the cliff lines rule. Now, Tim Sheens used to 0:07:04.450 --> 0:07:07.029 do this with Ricky Stewart. What he would do, Ricky, 0:07:07.570 --> 0:07:11.790 Ricky would basically, what Ricky would do when you played 0:07:11.830 --> 0:07:14.010 was pain in the ass because he'd just be chirping 0:07:14.030 --> 0:07:16.470 from there. He'd sit in what we call a safety position. 0:07:16.510 --> 0:07:19.050 So there's the two, there's the two markers. He'd sit 0:07:19.070 --> 0:07:22.280 behind there and he just, you know, like, He'd be 0:07:22.320 --> 0:07:24.160 pushing players. You go to the left, you go to 0:07:24.180 --> 0:07:27.280 the right. But what he would do, Coop, the crucial 0:07:27.340 --> 0:07:29.940 ball player, is that when they would set up manly, 0:07:30.020 --> 0:07:32.980 he would wander over straight opposite cliff lines and just 0:07:33.020 --> 0:07:34.310 come out of the line a million miles an hour 0:07:34.810 --> 0:07:36.170 just to make him play early. 0:07:36.190 --> 0:07:38.630 Yeah, see, I think Cody Walker's got that ability to 0:07:38.830 --> 0:07:41.730 drift on the outside and attack at a passive line, 0:07:41.970 --> 0:07:43.710 but he's also got that catch pass if you come 0:07:43.830 --> 0:07:47.210 outside in. So what I'm saying is, If South Sydney's 0:07:47.250 --> 0:07:50.690 greatest strength is their left edge, Kalen Ponga, stack up 0:07:50.730 --> 0:07:55.560 your right edge and force Sullivan, force Fafita, force Whiten 0:07:55.600 --> 0:07:58.540 to come up with a play. Defend that man-on-man, but 0:07:58.740 --> 0:08:02.100 stack the other one where it's double-team. And if Sullivan 0:08:02.120 --> 0:08:04.820 can come up with plays, good on you. I would 0:08:04.860 --> 0:08:07.120 be taking Cody Walker and Latrella out of this game 0:08:07.140 --> 0:08:07.800 as much as I could. 0:08:08.350 --> 0:08:10.070 On the night side of things, as far as their attack, 0:08:10.110 --> 0:08:11.570 I'd like to see them go back to what they 0:08:11.590 --> 0:08:12.690 were doing at the start of the year, which was, 0:08:13.130 --> 0:08:14.590 I mean, at the start of the year they had 0:08:14.610 --> 0:08:19.710 this system built around Dylan Brown, Fletcher Sharp and Kalen. 0:08:20.070 --> 0:08:22.510 And it was like very much what I really liked 0:08:22.570 --> 0:08:25.570 about it was you saw that Kalen would just, rather 0:08:25.590 --> 0:08:27.010 than go searching for the ball, then all of a 0:08:27.030 --> 0:08:28.970 sudden come back to his sweet spot. He would just 0:08:28.990 --> 0:08:32.160 position himself sometimes at the sweet spot and get them 0:08:32.200 --> 0:08:33.780 to move away and just bring it back to him. 0:08:34.260 --> 0:08:38.059 I think shift the ball, ball in play for long times, 0:08:38.120 --> 0:08:42.940 get fatigue into Latrell Mitchell, Cody Walker, Brandon Smith, and 0:08:42.960 --> 0:08:45.620 then start attacking them late in the halves. I think 0:08:45.660 --> 0:08:51.470 that sharp Ponga combination where they go long passes, I 0:08:51.570 --> 0:08:54.849 think Ponga attacks the centre better than anyone else. I 0:08:54.890 --> 0:08:57.630 think he can get to Latrell Mitchell if he's fatigued. 0:08:58.110 --> 0:09:01.670 If Ponga attacks Latrell fresh, I think he's going to 0:09:01.690 --> 0:09:04.260 smash him. But if he gets him fatigued at the 0:09:04.300 --> 0:09:06.679 back end of sets with long minutes of ball in play, 0:09:07.020 --> 0:09:08.920 I think he might be able to skip to the outside. 0:09:08.940 --> 0:09:10.780 One thing about the Knights that gives the Knights a 0:09:10.820 --> 0:09:15.130 chance is Souths let their opposition play football. I think 0:09:15.150 --> 0:09:17.810 Souths are a really dangerous side. My knock on Souths 0:09:17.830 --> 0:09:18.870 is they've got to tighten their defence. 0:09:18.890 --> 0:09:22.050 Yeah, they're not an elite defensive team. So that's why 0:09:22.070 --> 0:09:25.170 I mean fatigue. Get fatigue into them, they'll make mistakes defensively. 0:09:25.330 --> 0:09:28.079 Tell you what, I bet you it was a nervous 0:09:28.130 --> 0:09:30.820 wait for Wayne when they were waiting to watch the 0:09:31.460 --> 0:09:32.300 Latrell replay. 0:09:32.420 --> 0:09:33.040 Oh, the Rodwell smash? 0:09:33.059 --> 0:09:35.979 When he hit Rodwell outside in. I thought he just clicked. 0:09:36.000 --> 0:09:36.360 So did I. 0:09:36.540 --> 0:09:39.360 At first, first glance. Yep. Man, who wins, Coop? What 0:09:39.400 --> 0:09:39.700 do you think? 0:09:40.080 --> 0:09:40.180 Um. 0:09:41.559 --> 0:09:43.300 I think Souths do. 0:09:43.920 --> 0:09:47.850 I think Souths will fire. I think Wayne's just been 0:09:48.850 --> 0:09:51.150 stroking the ego of the South City players and they'll 0:09:51.190 --> 0:09:54.550 come out bouncing. If the Knights can get that style 0:09:54.610 --> 0:09:56.150 of play that I say, keep the ball in play 0:09:56.820 --> 0:09:58.940 and stop their left, I give them absolutely a chance. 0:09:58.980 --> 0:10:01.480 But I think on face value, I think South Sydney's 0:10:02.220 --> 0:10:05.100 best players will get the job done. You? 0:10:07.380 --> 0:10:10.010 Yeah, I look at the Knights and they've been smashed 0:10:10.050 --> 0:10:14.670 by injuries to key men. The Saifidi suspension is tough 0:10:14.690 --> 0:10:18.490 because they're short on middles. I think injuries have just 0:10:18.530 --> 0:10:21.030 been a bridge too far for them. But they've had 0:10:21.070 --> 0:10:23.130 the week off and they're fresh. As I said before, 0:10:23.530 --> 0:10:25.290 if there's a team that might be tailor-made for them, 0:10:25.860 --> 0:10:27.640 it could be South because, as I said, South will 0:10:27.660 --> 0:10:32.059 let them play football. Mate, won't Auckland be rocking this weekend? 0:10:32.080 --> 0:10:35.439 It'll be the best nightclub in Auckland, seriously. It'll be 0:10:35.460 --> 0:10:37.420 the best nightclub in Auckland. Best ticket in town. 0:10:38.450 --> 0:10:42.280 Incredible. And what a game too. Waz and Dolphins. Yeah, 0:10:42.559 --> 0:10:46.650 real contrasting styles. The dolphin's about speed and ball movement 0:10:46.690 --> 0:10:50.480 and they're speed out wide, you know, The WAS just 0:10:50.720 --> 0:10:51.940 power and directness. 0:10:52.400 --> 0:10:54.830 Well, I think this, you know, you don't win the 0:10:54.870 --> 0:10:57.270 game in the first 20 minutes, but you definitely set 0:10:57.309 --> 0:10:59.750 it up. And I think the first 20 minutes is 0:10:59.790 --> 0:11:02.989 going to determine who wins this game. The reason why 0:11:03.010 --> 0:11:04.770 I say that, if the WAS get off to a 0:11:04.830 --> 0:11:09.850 good start, that crowd support, the emotion, like, yes, they've 0:11:09.870 --> 0:11:12.770 got firepower, the Dolphins, but I just don't see the 0:11:12.809 --> 0:11:15.449 Dolphins beating the WAS if they get up and about. 0:11:15.850 --> 0:11:18.090 What I mean by that is, I don't think try 0:11:18.130 --> 0:11:19.970 scoring is the main thing for the Wilds, but if 0:11:20.330 --> 0:11:23.489 Fisher Harris and Aaron Clark, like they're– call them their 0:11:23.570 --> 0:11:27.470 spiritual alpha males. Like if those two start well and 0:11:27.490 --> 0:11:30.240 just put the Dolphins on the back foot with every carry, 0:11:30.740 --> 0:11:33.560 every tackle, I think it's just going to get the 0:11:34.040 --> 0:11:37.220 stadium up and about. And the system from the Warriors 0:11:37.240 --> 0:11:38.339 will get confidence from it. 0:11:38.400 --> 0:11:42.390 Yeah. The other thing about Dolphins, Coop, is that there's individuals– 0:11:43.000 --> 0:11:45.220 that have played, you know, the younger players have had 0:11:45.260 --> 0:11:47.620 a taste of big game football, Max Plath in particular, 0:11:48.179 --> 0:11:50.340 but there's not a lot of finals experience. 0:11:50.420 --> 0:11:52.460 Well, Fisher Harris will be captain of the year and 0:11:52.480 --> 0:11:54.250 Aaron Clark will be lock of the year. I just 0:11:54.280 --> 0:11:56.390 feel these guys, there's a lot more other guys that 0:11:56.410 --> 0:11:59.190 do a lot more highlight things, but I feel the 0:11:59.250 --> 0:12:00.630 key to this game. 0:12:00.470 --> 0:12:01.150 Is the Warriors. 0:12:01.550 --> 0:12:04.229 It's their start and it comes down to their spiritual leaders. 0:12:04.270 --> 0:12:07.410 Whereas on the other side for the Dolphins, I just 0:12:07.510 --> 0:12:10.470 think they get confidence from their attack, right? So I 0:12:10.490 --> 0:12:16.040 think Katoa, Farnworth... Cobbo, the hammer. They can't let 20 0:12:16.040 --> 0:12:18.160 minutes go without having a run or done something. 0:12:18.260 --> 0:12:18.880 It's interesting. 0:12:19.380 --> 0:12:22.000 They need to break a tackle, get a line break, 0:12:22.070 --> 0:12:24.869 start getting their feel into this game. What do you 0:12:24.890 --> 0:12:27.490 reckon about the Wiles and the Dolphins? Do you think 0:12:27.510 --> 0:12:31.089 the key is that start? But the firepower from the Dolphins, 0:12:31.710 --> 0:12:33.430 they can score points quickly. 0:12:33.770 --> 0:12:37.610 I think what you'll see from Christian Wolfe, I think 0:12:37.630 --> 0:12:40.880 you'll start to see. I reckon the outside backs will 0:12:40.900 --> 0:12:42.140 do a hell of a lot of work through the 0:12:42.160 --> 0:12:44.400 middle of the field to try to get Fish and 0:12:44.420 --> 0:12:46.800 those blokes to miss, just try to burn them out. 0:12:46.820 --> 0:12:49.000 Because as we know, Coop, it's a very simple thing, 0:12:49.040 --> 0:12:51.920 but fast blokes and little blokes making big blokes miss, 0:12:52.160 --> 0:12:53.180 that tires them out. 0:12:53.240 --> 0:12:55.630 Yeah, so what you're saying is the backs will do 0:12:56.130 --> 0:12:58.330 all the heavy lifting and score the points. 0:12:58.690 --> 0:13:01.030 The mids, the forwards, just defend. 0:13:01.070 --> 0:13:01.630 Just defend. 0:13:01.670 --> 0:13:02.530 Line speed, defend. 0:13:02.550 --> 0:13:05.030 Stop Fish Harris, stop Aaron Clark, and just defend. 0:13:05.990 --> 0:13:12.430 And I think... I mean, it goes without saying. You 0:13:12.470 --> 0:13:16.790 can't give Tamari Martin and Chanel time. When Wade Egan 0:13:16.830 --> 0:13:18.849 goes to the line and takes that ball to the line, 0:13:18.870 --> 0:13:21.770 he's looking short and he throws one of those no-lookers. Mate, 0:13:21.820 --> 0:13:24.740 those outside men, I'd give them the instructions to defend 0:13:24.800 --> 0:13:26.920 outside in. I think better to show a little bit 0:13:26.940 --> 0:13:29.720 of space over the top than a space through the middle. 0:13:29.920 --> 0:13:32.220 First time the Dolphins have ever played finals, so there's 0:13:32.440 --> 0:13:35.420 a lack of experience there. their first finals game is 0:13:35.460 --> 0:13:37.559 going to be flying over to New Zealand to play 0:13:37.580 --> 0:13:39.980 in front of that crowd. Do you think that plays 0:13:40.040 --> 0:13:44.040 a part in the Dolphins not delivering or potentially delivering? 0:13:44.179 --> 0:13:46.950 I just think if I was the Dolphins, Christian Wolfe, 0:13:46.990 --> 0:13:49.370 I just think this is a massive opportunity. If you 0:13:49.410 --> 0:13:50.790 go over there, I mean, if you're going to win 0:13:50.809 --> 0:13:53.250 the competition, you've got to beat the best anyway. There's 0:13:53.270 --> 0:13:56.310 an opportunity. Jump on the plane. Get over there. Beat 0:13:56.350 --> 0:13:58.310 them in New Zealand. Make a huge statement. 0:13:58.370 --> 0:14:01.510 And Christian Wolfe has said that. He said that when 0:14:01.530 --> 0:14:06.189 the Dolphins play the Roosters. And they blew them away 0:14:06.250 --> 0:14:06.750 early on. 0:14:06.790 --> 0:14:09.689 The other one, Coop, right? Let's look at State of 0:14:09.730 --> 0:14:13.310 Origin 3 in terms of this game. So for all 0:14:13.350 --> 0:14:15.630 intents and purposes, like New South Wales were on a 0:14:15.690 --> 0:14:17.550 mission no one gave them a chance to do. But 0:14:17.630 --> 0:14:18.910 as the week went on and everyone was sort of 0:14:18.929 --> 0:14:20.690 writing New South Wales off and, mate, this is the 0:14:20.710 --> 0:14:24.220 toughest road trip, suddenly the pressure started on Queensland. And, 0:14:24.240 --> 0:14:27.280 you know, the Warriors have been– one thing about the 0:14:27.320 --> 0:14:30.030 Warriors I really admire is the fact that The ability 0:14:30.050 --> 0:14:32.110 to not worry about pressure, not worry about everything that's 0:14:32.150 --> 0:14:35.290 going on around and just remain single-focused. But there's a 0:14:35.410 --> 0:14:38.170 lot of expectation in Auckland. There's a real feeling and 0:14:38.190 --> 0:14:40.150 there's a sense of destiny around this side. It's going 0:14:40.170 --> 0:14:42.780 to be a full house, fair bit of pressure on 0:14:42.800 --> 0:14:43.300 the Dolphins. 0:14:43.400 --> 0:14:44.920 And a bit like the New South Wales. 0:14:44.940 --> 0:14:45.480 Sorry, the WAs. 0:14:45.500 --> 0:14:47.240 A bit like the New South Wales team. 0:14:47.340 --> 0:14:50.240 When that starts happening, and I heard Laurie Daly talk 0:14:50.260 --> 0:14:52.470 about this, heard some players talk about it, there's only 0:14:52.490 --> 0:14:54.890 30-odd people that can do anything. 0:14:54.990 --> 0:14:55.170 Yeah. 0:14:55.470 --> 0:14:57.790 You know what I mean? So the Dolphins will go 0:14:57.850 --> 0:15:01.450 over there. them versus New Zealand. I mean, the whole country. 0:15:01.920 --> 0:15:03.950 There's only 30 of us that can actually have a 0:15:04.000 --> 0:15:04.880 say in what's going to happen. 0:15:05.180 --> 0:15:07.050 They can't. We can't. So you do. 0:15:07.350 --> 0:15:11.530 You sharpen up and you become more sort of intricate. 0:15:11.990 --> 0:15:15.990 Interesting. We're talking about Wade Egan now, crucially. What an 0:15:16.050 --> 0:15:19.670 opportunity this finals presents for Izzy Katoa. It was already 0:15:19.710 --> 0:15:22.400 just so highly thought of, but I mean, he has 0:15:22.420 --> 0:15:26.360 a big September. He gets elevated even more. Who wins Coop? 0:15:26.960 --> 0:15:27.780 I think the Warriors. 0:15:28.240 --> 0:15:32.520 I just feel Fish Harris is the guy. I feel 0:15:32.540 --> 0:15:37.510 like he's the only one that's truly done multiple comms, 0:15:37.570 --> 0:15:41.350 experienced what this is all about, and they will be going, Fish, 0:15:41.410 --> 0:15:43.130 what do we do? And he'll be going, this is 0:15:43.150 --> 0:15:45.310 what we do, follow me. I feel like he is 0:15:45.370 --> 0:15:46.100 the key to it all. 0:15:46.660 --> 0:15:48.760 Both times they played this year, it went down to 0:15:48.800 --> 0:15:50.100 the wire, I think it was a two point split. 0:15:50.580 --> 0:15:53.360 Both times. Good games. It's gonna be, it's gonna be, 0:15:53.740 --> 0:15:56.100 it's gonna be tight. Look, I'll lean to the Warriors, 0:15:56.840 --> 0:15:58.740 but I, mate, jeez, I reckon the Dolphins are gonna 0:15:58.760 --> 0:15:59.440 push them a long way. 0:15:59.520 --> 0:16:01.140 Yep, I give them a big shout, big time. 0:16:01.400 --> 0:16:05.350 Now, Sharks, Cowboys, funny this one, both teams enter the 0:16:05.410 --> 0:16:08.530 finals looking really vulnerable. But the good news is they 0:16:08.550 --> 0:16:10.280 play each other. Each other, yeah, yeah, yeah. You know 0:16:10.300 --> 0:16:10.560 what I mean? 0:16:10.600 --> 0:16:12.500 If they were playing any other team, you'd choose any 0:16:12.520 --> 0:16:12.880 other team. 0:16:12.920 --> 0:16:15.540 Yes. So this, and as you know, Coop, when you 0:16:15.570 --> 0:16:20.190 win finals football, regardless of what's happened beforehand, round one 0:16:20.210 --> 0:16:23.530 to 27. If you hit the finals right there, you 0:16:23.550 --> 0:16:24.870 get a new lease of life and you win that 0:16:24.910 --> 0:16:26.790 first finals game, it just gives you a little bit 0:16:26.830 --> 0:16:27.270 of a boost. 0:16:27.290 --> 0:16:29.940 Yeah, and particularly if you end up playing a team 0:16:29.980 --> 0:16:31.920 that lost in the top four that got beaten up, 0:16:32.260 --> 0:16:36.180 suspension or just something, you can have a rails run. 0:16:37.620 --> 0:16:39.600 These two teams, I don't have a lot of confidence 0:16:39.660 --> 0:16:42.990 in either of them. I feel like it comes down 0:16:43.050 --> 0:16:47.210 to match-ups and whoever wins the match-up. Like, you look 0:16:47.230 --> 0:16:50.609 at Tamalolo versus Adam Fanua Blake. Who wins that? 0:16:50.910 --> 0:16:51.050 Yeah. 0:16:51.820 --> 0:16:54.980 If Tal Malolo beats up Faneuil Blake, well, I'm starting 0:16:55.020 --> 0:16:57.460 to lean towards the Cowboys could do this. Now, if 0:16:57.520 --> 0:17:01.330 I go to the halves, you've got, you know, drink, 0:17:01.680 --> 0:17:03.270 let's go fullback, drink water versus Kennedy. 0:17:03.450 --> 0:17:05.810 Who do you think would win that? Maybe drink water. 0:17:06.270 --> 0:17:08.390 He's a bit of the gunslinger there. Then you've got, 0:17:08.510 --> 0:17:11.070 you know, Dearden versus Hines. Who do you think in there? 0:17:11.369 --> 0:17:13.330 Trindle comes back. Does he beat Clifford? 0:17:13.510 --> 0:17:14.209 He's not a big one. 0:17:14.430 --> 0:17:14.690 Right? 0:17:14.770 --> 0:17:17.780 So I think it's not necessarily trying to find, you know, 0:17:17.920 --> 0:17:20.760 the form guide to work out. I think it's individuals. 0:17:20.780 --> 0:17:20.850 Yes. 0:17:21.359 --> 0:17:22.659 Even Todd Payton versus Fitz. 0:17:23.320 --> 0:17:25.660 These guys are trying to manage both their teams to 0:17:26.060 --> 0:17:27.959 get the best performance from a low base. 0:17:29.000 --> 0:17:30.760 This is a flip of a coin for me. 0:17:30.940 --> 0:17:33.160 If there's no Trindle, I'm really curious to how Fitzy 0:17:33.180 --> 0:17:38.659 goes about this. I think if there's no Trindle, I 0:17:38.680 --> 0:17:40.159 think take a bit of a leaf out of the 0:17:40.180 --> 0:17:42.510 Warriors book and you build the attack around Blake Braley. 0:17:42.950 --> 0:17:45.730 a lot around here it would allow it allows nico 0:17:45.750 --> 0:17:48.370 to fall more into his more natural role of watch 0:17:48.430 --> 0:17:50.429 and react and the other thing about it too by 0:17:50.470 --> 0:17:53.530 doing that coops if there's one thing about cronulla sometimes 0:17:54.470 --> 0:18:00.060 they just fall into this um formulated football and it's 0:18:00.080 --> 0:18:02.940