1 00:00:06,707 --> 00:00:10,547 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,747 --> 00:00:11,827 Speaker 1: from newstalks'd be. 3 00:00:12,907 --> 00:00:17,507 Speaker 2: I saw Chanelle Harris Tavita afterwards. The camera landed on 4 00:00:17,587 --> 00:00:21,147 Speaker 2: him and you could tell how devastated he was. I mean, 5 00:00:21,227 --> 00:00:25,867 Speaker 2: games aren't won or lost on missed kicks, but the 6 00:00:25,907 --> 00:00:29,187 Speaker 2: fact remains that if he landed that last conversion from 7 00:00:29,187 --> 00:00:32,227 Speaker 2: a very handy position, the scores would have been level 8 00:00:32,267 --> 00:00:35,227 Speaker 2: and this game might have taken a different path. Andrew 9 00:00:35,267 --> 00:00:38,107 Speaker 2: Webster made the point afterwards, it's not down to the goalkicking. 10 00:00:38,187 --> 00:00:40,587 Speaker 3: We love to be one hundred percent on our goalkicking everywhere, 11 00:00:40,787 --> 00:00:42,867 Speaker 3: but there's plenty of other things to put it down 12 00:00:42,907 --> 00:00:45,587 Speaker 3: to not goalkicking. I mean, there's lots of injuries and 13 00:00:45,627 --> 00:00:47,947 Speaker 3: lots of things going on, but the goalkiing and thing 14 00:00:48,227 --> 00:00:48,827 Speaker 3: defind us. 15 00:00:48,987 --> 00:00:51,227 Speaker 2: The other kicks that he missed were tricky caate Well 16 00:00:51,267 --> 00:00:54,067 Speaker 2: and Barnett both scoring their tries out wide left. Not 17 00:00:54,227 --> 00:00:57,707 Speaker 2: ideal for a left footed kicker. But you know, again, 18 00:00:59,267 --> 00:01:01,827 Speaker 2: if he kicks that one over and it's a handy position, 19 00:01:01,947 --> 00:01:05,947 Speaker 2: isn't it. If he nails that one, then we might 20 00:01:05,947 --> 00:01:09,027 Speaker 2: be having a different conversation today. The Warriors have nineteen 21 00:01:09,107 --> 00:01:12,707 Speaker 2: points from eighteen games, four points outside the top eight. 22 00:01:12,787 --> 00:01:15,467 Speaker 2: Now there are still six games to play this weekend, 23 00:01:15,547 --> 00:01:19,107 Speaker 2: so they could find themselves five points outside the top 24 00:01:19,147 --> 00:01:21,907 Speaker 2: six by the end of the weekend and just seven 25 00:01:22,027 --> 00:01:24,667 Speaker 2: rounds remaining. We're now getting into the territory which is 26 00:01:24,707 --> 00:01:29,787 Speaker 2: never good of talking about mathematical chances of making the 27 00:01:29,827 --> 00:01:32,747 Speaker 2: top eight. You start to get the calculator out and say, okay, 28 00:01:32,867 --> 00:01:35,907 Speaker 2: we win, when that, When that, then we could be 29 00:01:35,987 --> 00:01:41,907 Speaker 2: in buzz Rothfield. He's unequivocal. This team is not making 30 00:01:41,907 --> 00:01:43,747 Speaker 2: the eight. I tend to try and be a little 31 00:01:43,747 --> 00:01:47,627 Speaker 2: bit more optimistic, but it is going to be tough 32 00:01:47,667 --> 00:01:50,187 Speaker 2: from here. Just before we look at the remaining games, 33 00:01:50,227 --> 00:01:54,827 Speaker 2: this was a team we were so optimistic about at 34 00:01:54,827 --> 00:01:57,827 Speaker 2: the start of the season, after last season and having 35 00:01:58,027 --> 00:02:02,107 Speaker 2: arguably strengthened the squad, we were talking top four. That's 36 00:02:02,107 --> 00:02:03,907 Speaker 2: not going to happen now and top eight is far 37 00:02:03,987 --> 00:02:08,947 Speaker 2: from certain. Still achievable, though achievable. The remaining games Tigers 38 00:02:08,987 --> 00:02:11,027 Speaker 2: at home Eels at home over the next two weeks. 39 00:02:11,187 --> 00:02:14,907 Speaker 2: Absolutely must win those two against teams who are down 40 00:02:14,907 --> 00:02:17,307 Speaker 2: on their luck and down near the bottom of the table. 41 00:02:17,387 --> 00:02:19,707 Speaker 2: Must beat the Tigers at home, must beat the Eels 42 00:02:19,747 --> 00:02:23,587 Speaker 2: at home, and then the run in Dolphins away, Sea 43 00:02:23,667 --> 00:02:27,227 Speaker 2: Eagles away, Bulldogs at home, Sharks away, and then the 44 00:02:27,267 --> 00:02:32,387 Speaker 2: Bier finish. So three of the last four games away, 45 00:02:32,427 --> 00:02:35,787 Speaker 2: and of those last four games all against teams who 46 00:02:35,827 --> 00:02:38,347 Speaker 2: are currently in the top eight, you'd have to think 47 00:02:38,347 --> 00:02:40,027 Speaker 2: the Warriors would need to win at least two of 48 00:02:40,027 --> 00:02:45,707 Speaker 2: those and probably three of them to jump up into 49 00:02:45,747 --> 00:02:48,347 Speaker 2: the top eight. Of course, the NRL is a competition 50 00:02:48,467 --> 00:02:52,107 Speaker 2: that swings on small margins sometimes, and the fact that 51 00:02:52,107 --> 00:02:54,987 Speaker 2: the Warriors are playing teams who are currently in the 52 00:02:55,027 --> 00:02:58,107 Speaker 2: eight is also helpful because you get the two points 53 00:02:58,107 --> 00:03:00,867 Speaker 2: that helps your cause, and you deny those teams the 54 00:03:00,907 --> 00:03:03,627 Speaker 2: points and you get a bit of a jump perhaps 55 00:03:03,627 --> 00:03:08,787 Speaker 2: on them. It is getting really tough now, though, and 56 00:03:08,947 --> 00:03:12,707 Speaker 2: a really interesting point that Buzz Rothfield made there, and 57 00:03:12,707 --> 00:03:16,027 Speaker 2: I've thought this for a long time, that the rules 58 00:03:16,067 --> 00:03:18,787 Speaker 2: around being able to sign players right at the start 59 00:03:18,787 --> 00:03:23,907 Speaker 2: of a season for next season, it's just fraught with complication, 60 00:03:24,067 --> 00:03:28,427 Speaker 2: isn't it. When you know that a player is on 61 00:03:28,467 --> 00:03:31,227 Speaker 2: their way out at the end of the season, even 62 00:03:31,267 --> 00:03:34,587 Speaker 2: before the new season has started, it's a no win situation. 63 00:03:35,307 --> 00:03:37,867 Speaker 2: As soon as that player has a game which is 64 00:03:37,907 --> 00:03:43,467 Speaker 2: below what you'd expect. Immediately that that chatter starts. All 65 00:03:43,547 --> 00:03:46,587 Speaker 2: he knows he's going, he doesn't care. It's almost certainly 66 00:03:46,667 --> 00:03:50,907 Speaker 2: not true. I don't know a professional sportsperson who doesn't 67 00:03:50,947 --> 00:03:54,307 Speaker 2: play to one hundred percent regardless of what their future holds. 68 00:03:54,747 --> 00:03:58,427 Speaker 2: But it is a it's a rule that just brings 69 00:03:58,507 --> 00:04:03,027 Speaker 2: up that conversation unnecessarily. I know it's not always possible 70 00:04:03,067 --> 00:04:05,667 Speaker 2: to wait until the end of the season and that 71 00:04:05,707 --> 00:04:07,987 Speaker 2: sort of thing, but there should be some sort of 72 00:04:08,987 --> 00:04:12,427 Speaker 2: you know, window, or some sort of date where you, 73 00:04:12,427 --> 00:04:13,947 Speaker 2: you know, at the moment, I'm sure there is that 74 00:04:14,027 --> 00:04:16,187 Speaker 2: date you can start talking to players who are off 75 00:04:16,227 --> 00:04:18,907 Speaker 2: contract at the end of next season, you know, before 76 00:04:19,027 --> 00:04:22,547 Speaker 2: the season starts. Maybe you push that date back, you say, 77 00:04:22,587 --> 00:04:25,227 Speaker 2: you can't start talking to anybody until I don't know, 78 00:04:25,987 --> 00:04:27,907 Speaker 2: a couple of months out from the end of the season. 79 00:04:28,507 --> 00:04:30,787 Speaker 2: Otherwise these conversations are going to continue to happen. 80 00:04:31,507 --> 00:04:34,667 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live 81 00:04:34,787 --> 00:04:38,067 Speaker 1: to News Talk said Be weekends from midday, or follow 82 00:04:38,107 --> 00:04:39,707 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.