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Speaker 1: You're listening to a podcast from Newstalks EDB. Follow this

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Speaker 1: and our wide range of podcast now on iHeartRadio The

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Speaker 1: Big League Podcast podcast by News TALKSB.

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Speaker 2: This week on The Big League Podcast, another tough watch

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Speaker 2: for Warriors fans across the Tasman as the club's top

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Speaker 2: eight hopes are officially dashed. Alex Powell from The New

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Speaker 2: Zealand Hero joins me to take a look at what

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Speaker 2: went wrong against Manly and a final home farewell looms

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Speaker 2: one of the Warriors' favorite sons. Can that possibly inspire

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Speaker 2: a change in fortunes and what's been an underwhelming season?

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Speaker 3: My name is Nick Muley. Let's go b LB.

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Speaker 2: Well it's finally over. No more mathematical maybes. The Warriors

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Speaker 2: won't make the NRL Finals in twenty twenty four, and

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Speaker 2: in many ways it's a relief to get the red

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Speaker 2: pen out and put a line through them for good.

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Speaker 2: The clinging to the slimmest of possibilities and permutations as

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Speaker 2: a dance. Most Warriors fans know all too well. It's

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Speaker 2: the hope that kills you, As they say, part of

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Speaker 2: the appeal of the Warriors over the years is the

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Speaker 2: club's unpredictability. Heck, just look at last year and its totality,

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Speaker 2: but sadly it's become predictable this season, predictably stale, particularly

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Speaker 2: over the last few weeks. The intent is there in patches,

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Speaker 2: but the polish isn't. Only the heartiest one eyed Warriors

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Speaker 2: fan could say the club deserves to be in the finals.

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Speaker 3: Could have, would have, should have.

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Speaker 2: Some would say, let's hope now it's done the team

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Speaker 2: plays with a bit more freedom and pride before we

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Speaker 2: can consign this campaign to history. Alex Powell of the

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Speaker 2: New Zealand Herald Warriors twenty four to ten beaten at

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Speaker 2: Friday Night to Manly, as I mentioned there that the

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Speaker 2: intent was there initially, but just not a lot doing

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Speaker 2: on attack and as soon as Manly got an opportunity

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Speaker 2: that they made it count.

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Speaker 3: What were your overall thoughts on that fixture.

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Speaker 4: I mean, I think you've summed it up pretty well.

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Speaker 4: It's like watching a fight with a boxer and as

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Speaker 4: soon as you land one punch, they land eight. You know,

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Speaker 4: it feels like since that lost to the Storm matt

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Speaker 4: Go Media Stadium, all of the Warriors games have fired

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Speaker 4: the same pat where they'll start well not be able

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Speaker 4: to turn that advantage into any points, and then we'll

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Speaker 4: immediately get hit on the break and go behind, and

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Speaker 4: it's just too far back. You might get a little

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Speaker 4: spark at the end, but that didn't even happen this week.

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Speaker 4: So it's a pretty disappointing way to see the mathematical

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Speaker 4: hopes finish. But in reality, I think you're right. These

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Speaker 4: top eight chances were gone weeks ago.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, it felt like for me ever since the Titans

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Speaker 2: sixty six six one. You know, statistically, no teams ever

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Speaker 2: won the competition when they've had fifty points put on them.

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Speaker 2: That was really where it hurt the most. But I

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Speaker 2: looked at that first ten minutes and perhaps compared to

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Speaker 2: the Dolphins game the week before, that dreary night at

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Speaker 2: Mount Smart a few weeks ago when they lost to

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Speaker 2: Parramatta and they were down about thirty to four at

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Speaker 2: one point, there was real intent there, positivity Adam fanil

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Speaker 2: Blake with that late footwork trying to break the line.

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Speaker 2: But when you look at that ten minutes, there was

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Speaker 2: you know, how long were we camped there on Manly's line,

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Speaker 2: and then just for whatever reason that the attack the shape,

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Speaker 2: it just felt like Manly knew where the Warriors were

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Speaker 2: going to go and could easily keep them out, and

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Speaker 2: then it was I think it was a daily cherry

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Speaker 2: evens forty twenty on tackle three and they get one

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Speaker 2: chance and put you away.

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Speaker 3: It's just incredibly frustrating.

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Speaker 4: Like it feels like everything that we can say here

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Speaker 4: has been said all season. This attack, you know, the

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Speaker 4: style that they play under Andrew Ribster is for all

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Speaker 4: intenseveps is very simple. You know, the back line's going

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Speaker 4: to split, They're going to do you know, three on

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Speaker 4: one side, three another, and then the half back in

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Speaker 4: the middle and then basically the half back will decide

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Speaker 4: which way they go, and then you might get one

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Speaker 4: of the edge forwards as a runner in there as well.

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Speaker 4: But I mean, if you and me can sit here

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Speaker 4: and pick this up, opposition coaches and teams will do

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Speaker 4: the same and they'll have a week to prepare for it.

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Speaker 4: So I mean, I think there does need to be

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Speaker 4: a bit of ingenuity put into this Warriors team as

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Speaker 4: we approach twenty twenty five.

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Speaker 2: Yeah, certainly, I think that lack of evolution on the

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Speaker 2: attack when you compare twenty three to twenty four has

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Speaker 2: been part of the Warriors undoing and just looking at

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Speaker 2: some of the key stats. Always liked to look at

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Speaker 2: halftime stats versus how it all shakes out a full time.

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Speaker 2: Of course, it was ten all at halftime. Warriors had

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Speaker 2: fifty seven percent of possession in the first half, twenty

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Speaker 2: of twenty four completions. They led all those key metrics

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Speaker 2: that I know coach Andrew Webster really likes to look

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Speaker 2: at in terms of run meters, post contact meters. But again,

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Speaker 2: if you're not able to do anything with it and

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Speaker 2: turn that into points, then it's a long way back.

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Speaker 2: And it must be rarely disheartening when you're putting all

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Speaker 2: that work together and then you look up at the

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Speaker 2: scoreboard and go, shit, we're actually or either behind or

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Speaker 2: in this case level then you go to obviously the

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Speaker 2: heavens open. It made for a pretty tricky second half,

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Speaker 2: but it kind of unraveled from there. There were errors

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Speaker 2: again when they did have their limited opportunities. Manly score

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Speaker 2: off a kick and he just felt like a dagger

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Speaker 2: blow that Reuben Garrit try. After halftime, they were just

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Speaker 2: never really able to produce anything that looked like they

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Speaker 2: were going to threaten the line.

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Speaker 4: From there, now you always no conditions are bad when

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Speaker 4: you can see the rain on the main cameras. That's

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Speaker 4: how I look at it. But yeah, you're right. It's

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Speaker 4: frustrating to be sitting here week after week and saying

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Speaker 4: the same thing. But you've got to give Manly credit.

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Speaker 4: They came in with a game plan. They are a

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Speaker 4: genuine top eight side and that's what they should do.

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Speaker 3: Bang on right.

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Speaker 2: Here are the highlights courtesy of Fox Sports from the

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Speaker 2: Warriors round twenty four loss to the Manly Seagulls.

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Speaker 5: Over great finds books. He's cherry ever goes out the

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Speaker 5: fact they've put the numbers here.

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Speaker 6: Todd your voi bage gives it off to Jason Sad

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Speaker 6: who love scoring tries against the Warriors.

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Speaker 5: He plays a Flassis whose walker for.

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Speaker 6: Newark Lake who's a specialist. Another really piece of play

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Speaker 6: by Adam Vanua, Blake and Sean Johnson.

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Speaker 5: Now as Brooks shows them.

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Speaker 6: The inside A huge hole for Ta Lal. He's got

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Speaker 6: tom te back through the middle. Turbay will plant it down.

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Speaker 6: A lovely move on this left hand side, lay it

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Speaker 6: on top of the tryline.

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Speaker 3: Is Johnson sweeping again. Nicol cooks down the taser Leslie.

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Speaker 6: Out they had got them this time the flying put.

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Speaker 5: Down like d w Z. Last play for men Jim

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Speaker 5: Jerry Evans will kick out towards Sad and also Garrick contest.

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Speaker 6: Damn on tire couldn't captain Groven Garrick?

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Speaker 7: Could you're getting that ball caught on the full? There

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Speaker 7: a little bit of a surprise on his face, just

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Speaker 7: like that. After they've had the better of the second

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Speaker 7: half to start the Warriors, Manly good enough. Garret gets

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Speaker 7: over the stripe.

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Speaker 8: From the left edge on the field, though Baby howards him.

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Speaker 8: Now Cherry Evans is brooked. Tom Travue which bay passes

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Speaker 8: Kahla father line Lee hi Hipaadi.

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Speaker 6: A famous name at this famous rugby league venue.

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Speaker 5: We'll watch it again comes up with the player over

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Speaker 5: the top of the Jan Harris.

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Speaker 8: Tavita who comes down on the back of your head

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Speaker 8: and then get another placed on report here it will

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Speaker 8: be an all time record tonight.

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Speaker 5: Block little play is placed on report for the last

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Speaker 5: play of the game, Manly on the doorstep of the finals.

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Speaker 5: With this victory, Garrick gets the flags in the air

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Speaker 5: and after being locked together at ten points apiece, it's

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Speaker 5: Manly who do all of the scoring in the second.

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Speaker 3: Half, picularly here with Alex Powell alongside.

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Speaker 2: Now, look, I'm a bit of a gripe and that

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Speaker 2: first half, and I know this wasn't the decisive part

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Speaker 2: of the game, but certainly from a momentum standpoint, it's

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Speaker 2: sort of stimied where the Warriors were going in.

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Speaker 3: That firm the obstruction law.

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Speaker 2: It's not new this weekend, and it's not just the

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Speaker 2: Warriors copping these types of interpretations. I remember earlier in

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Speaker 2: the season various other teams, but that line that usually

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Speaker 2: it's usually a second row was running. In this instance,

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Speaker 2: it was Kirk Caple running sort of the shadow line

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Speaker 2: for the half back to play out the back and

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Speaker 2: hit Adam Pompey. On this occasion, the defensive halfback is

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Speaker 2: getting this get out of jail free card for just

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Speaker 2: showing some semblance of intent to get across when he's

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Speaker 2: already made a defensive era. Now it was Daily Tiar Evans.

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Speaker 2: He just sort of he realized he was done. The

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Speaker 2: Warriors had them strip for numbers on the outside, and

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Speaker 2: he just sort of moves ever so slightly to the right.

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Speaker 2: Where's Kirk Capele's supposed to go? It's called a try

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Speaker 2: on field, there's a bit of toing and froing, and

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Speaker 2: eventually the bunker rules the try out. Where do you,

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Speaker 2: sir Alex, on the obstruction interpretation. I know you can

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Speaker 2: make the argument that if Kate Pble just runs maybe

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Speaker 2: a slightly angling line and hits a gap, then there's

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Speaker 2: no problem. But it just feels like the benefit of

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Speaker 2: the doubt is going with the defensive team and we're

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Speaker 2: just scrubbing out tries for you know, when it seems

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Speaker 2: like the slimmest of possibility that the halfback's actually going

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Speaker 2: to be able to stop a try.

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Speaker 4: It feels very conservative, doesn't it. You know, like you said,

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Speaker 4: the benefit of the doubt goes to defensive team. I'd

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Speaker 4: really like to see what we see in cricket where

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Speaker 4: the benefit of the doubt goes to the on field decision,

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Speaker 4: which in this instance was a try. Daily Cherry Evans

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Speaker 4: is thirty five. Do you really think he was going

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Speaker 4: to get across and make that covering tackle to stop

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Speaker 4: Adam pomp scoring? Because I don't.

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Speaker 2: Absolutely no chance, But he knows as a three hundred

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Speaker 2: gamer in the NRL, and again he's not alone that

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Speaker 2: they can just get across and perhaps feign a bit

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Speaker 2: of contact minor contact at that and know that when

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Speaker 2: the bunker goes over it with a fine tooth comb,

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Speaker 2: they're going to spot something. I think it's something down

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Speaker 2: the line that Graham and Isley and Cod needs to

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Speaker 2: have a look at him and look back to Sunday

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Speaker 2: night as well. Around this new rule with the blocker

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Speaker 2: the field goal. There was two field goals that were

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Speaker 2: ruled off in that Newcastle Cronulla game. I think for

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Speaker 2: a game that for a lot of people is attractive

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Speaker 2: through its simplicity, we're getting a little bit over complicated.

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Speaker 2: I guess back on the Warriors and I know, I'm

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Speaker 2: sure with the weeks to come and we'll unpack and

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Speaker 2: go through a real season post Morten. But one of

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Speaker 2: the other glaring things in mine, and it's really a

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Speaker 2: match up thing that we see against the likes of

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Speaker 2: Manly Whoever, Jason Saab or the Gold Coast Titans with

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Speaker 2: carn Pereira out wide, is that sometimes they don't even

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Speaker 2: really have to earn the right to go wide. They've

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Speaker 2: just got so much pace. And I wonder, I know

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Speaker 2: with our wing is they do a lot of work

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Speaker 2: in terms of that yardage work out of their defensive end,

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Speaker 2: the likes of Watenis Lesnik and Montour. But for quite

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Speaker 2: some time now I was trying to think back of

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Speaker 2: when the Warriors had like an out and out speedster

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Speaker 2: on the wing. Of course we've had the kim Mal

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Speaker 2: Marlow's and even further back Manuvaduvaya, like, do you think

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Speaker 2: that the Warriors might have missed a trick? And going

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Speaker 2: forward to into twenty twenty five when they'll be looking

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Speaker 2: at all sorts of things just having a bit of

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Speaker 2: pace out wide because a number of times whether it

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Speaker 2: was a short side raid or just be able to

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Speaker 2: shift the pass. I just thought Manly knew that with

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Speaker 2: a speeds throughout wide they could get around us.

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Speaker 4: I mean it's a bit of a trade off, isn't it.

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Speaker 4: You look at Manly's two wingers. They're not flash on defense.

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Speaker 4: You know, if you put those two wingers up against

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Speaker 4: down By tennans his Neck and Marcella Montoya, I would

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Speaker 4: happily say the Warriors have the two better defensive wingers.

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Speaker 4: But that's not really what a winger is there to do.

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Speaker 4: There's a joke in rugby league if wingers score so

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Speaker 4: many tries because they're marked by wingers. But do the

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Speaker 4: Warriors have two guys who are easily the first choice

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Speaker 4: pair on the two wings who are both touching thirty

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Speaker 4: and we know, not just in Rugby League, but all

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Speaker 4: over the shop that it is a young man's game.

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Speaker 4: Whether or not that means those two have a short

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Speaker 4: shelf life, I am not sure because they are both

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Speaker 4: off contract in twenty five, But if it's a direction

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Speaker 4: they want to go in, I think it does take

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Speaker 4: away from Andrew Webster's game plan, which is, you know,

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Speaker 4: you start your sets by having your wingers carry hard

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Speaker 4: and then your forwards go towards the back end of

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Speaker 4: the set, which is basically the inverse of what every

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Speaker 4: other team in there OL does, isn't it.

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Speaker 9: Yeah?

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Speaker 3: For sure.

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Speaker 2: Look, don't get me wrong, I really like what Watsen

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Speaker 2: is Leslie it does in his ability to finish so

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Speaker 2: many of those those right edge attacks in the corner.

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Speaker 2: But it just keeps feeling like to me, just something

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Speaker 2: we might be lacking in, something that the Warriors need

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Speaker 2: to look at going forward. There was some late changes

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Speaker 2: to the Warriors side Friday night as well. The twenty

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Speaker 2: four hour squad switcheroo that has become quite common practice

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Speaker 2: for coach Andrew Webster. Luke Metcalfe back in the halves,

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Speaker 2: starting alongside Sewn Johnson, No Wade Egan Chanelle, Harris Tavita

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Speaker 2: back to the interchange. It was what the end of

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Speaker 2: March that we last saw Luke Metcalfe in first grade. No,

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Speaker 2: he's impressed with a couple of returns return games in

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Speaker 2: New South Wales cut from that broken leg suffered against Newcastle.

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Speaker 2: Here's coach Webster on what he made of Luke Metcalfe's return.

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Speaker 9: Awesome, Yeah, he was great. He asked a lot of questions.

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Speaker 9: I thought the lawyers having fun and he's only going

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Speaker 9: to get better. Like he's he's a real threat. He's

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Speaker 9: seeing it really clearly. He's matured and none exactly how

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Speaker 9: he wants to play. And I thought he added plenty

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Speaker 9: for us.

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Speaker 2: So relatively happy was Webster, Alex, what did you make

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Speaker 2: of metcalf And I suppose, as we all know, Shawn

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Speaker 2: Johnson's hanging the boots up, But where do you see

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Speaker 2: metcalf fitting long term?

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Speaker 4: It's a strange one, isn't it. I mean, my first

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Speaker 4: answer is hopefully at the Warriors, because we know that

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Speaker 4: these guys do get a sniff to go back to

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Speaker 4: Australia and Sydney and they'll generally take it. Last year,

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Speaker 4: Andrew Webster did say he sees Luke metcalf as a

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Speaker 4: seven long term. Whether or not he still sticks to

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Speaker 4: that give him what to Mighty Martin's done this year,

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Speaker 4: I don't know, but I thought it was great to

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Speaker 4: see him back. I thought there was obviously a bit

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Speaker 4: of russ there, which I think you forgive at this level.

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Speaker 4: I thought his kicking game left a few questions to me.

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Speaker 4: The fact he was kicking goals as well was obviously

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Speaker 4: assigned to the future. But overall, look, I'm in the

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Speaker 4: webs to camp with that. I was pretty happy to

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Speaker 4: see him back out there.

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Speaker 1: Yeah.

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Speaker 2: I think with this Jay, as we all know, he's

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Speaker 2: a dominant half, so Metcalfe his role alongside Johnson is

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Speaker 2: more that secondary playmaker being there and support and I

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Speaker 2: think he only had about two sort of attacking two

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Speaker 2: or three attacking kicks all and I found it a

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Speaker 2: little bit stranger. Must admit that that metcalf took on

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Speaker 2: the goal kicking duties with Adam Pompey back as well.

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Speaker 2: That might just be a confidence thing. Sometimes it is

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Speaker 2: for a half. They like to be more involved in

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Speaker 2: the game and have that extra responsibility. Will be interesting

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Speaker 2: down the line. I'm sure that'll be a big talking

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Speaker 2: point going into the preseason with Harris Tavita, with Tomighty Martin,

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Speaker 2: I know you guys, with Nathan of speculated around where

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Speaker 2: Jet Cleary fits and all this as well. We will

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Speaker 2: be twenty next year. It will be one we will

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Speaker 2: watch with interest. Belvy, this is the big league po Well, let's.

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Speaker 3: Take a look at this week then Friday night.

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Speaker 2: Otherwise we're a pretty who hum night, I think, but

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Speaker 2: an opportunity to fare well one of the club's favorite

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Speaker 2: sons and Alex I know you and Nathan last week

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Speaker 2: reflected on where Sean Johnson sits in the greatest Warriors

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Speaker 2: of all time. I think you've got that pretty much

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Speaker 2: spot on, just that number three behind Stacy Jones and

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Speaker 2: Simon Manning. But on this weekend, Friday, and I'm sure

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Speaker 2: the club will roll out the red carpet for Sean.

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Speaker 3: What are you expecting? What are you hearing? Surely the

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Speaker 3: fans are going to give him some Flowers.

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Speaker 6: Oh.

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Speaker 4: I mean, look, I think he deserves it. You know,

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Speaker 4: this is a guy that could have I mean, he

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Speaker 4: did walk away from the club because it didn't all

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Speaker 4: go the way he needed it to, and then came back.

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Speaker 4: You know, let's not forget that he wanted to come back.

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Speaker 4: He wanted to finish his career here, got an offer

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Speaker 4: for what eight hundred thousand at the Roosters this year,

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Speaker 4: and could have taken that for next year, but decided

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Speaker 4: against it. Look, I hope in some way Sean gets

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Speaker 4: to send off he deserves and not a lot of

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Speaker 4: athlete to get that. You know, it's a very romanticized

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Speaker 4: way that you get to choose how you bow out,

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Speaker 4: and not a lot of guys get to do it.

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Speaker 4: So I'm thankful that Sean does this week.

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Speaker 3: Yeah, for sure.

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Speaker 2: And I see there's already been a bit of discussion around,

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Speaker 2: you know, more than the seventh for so long, whether

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Speaker 2: they do something like that you sometimes see in European football,

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Speaker 2: where there's a sort of minute applause at the seventh

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Speaker 2: minute or something like that.

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Speaker 3: I think they would be pretty cool.

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Speaker 2: Here's Andrew Webster just after the Manly defeat, just talking

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Speaker 2: about I guess the week and trying not to allow

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Speaker 2: the occasion to get in the way of what we

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Speaker 2: still hope we hope as a win for the Worries.

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Speaker 9: If we want to really do the best and for

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Speaker 9: Sean this week, that we're going to have to make

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Speaker 9: sure that we prepare properly. I think the fans are

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Speaker 9: going to make it about Sean, which will be the

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Speaker 9: best one and they really celebrate him. And if we

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Speaker 9: get a win, then we can celebrate that after as

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Speaker 9: I think if we get it back to front and

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Speaker 9: pull energy or that we're going to get it wrong.

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Speaker 2: Certainly saying the right things there as coach Webster, but look,

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Speaker 2: I'm sure he's been saying similar things in the last

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Speaker 2: few weeks and haven't been able to produce an eighty

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Speaker 2: minute performance. The Bulldogs, on the other hand, plenty to

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Speaker 2: play for. They're sitting fifth at the moment, got another

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Speaker 2: really good win at the weekend. I think that's four

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Speaker 2: on the bounce now. I mean, can you see the

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Speaker 2: Warriors Alex being inspired by the occasion or is it

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Speaker 2: just a case of you look at two teams in

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Speaker 2: terms of the form and one's gone a lot better

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Speaker 2: than the other.

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Speaker 4: I mean, there's absolutely that form element to it. The

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Speaker 4: Bulldogs are flying at the moment, and you know they

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Speaker 4: deserve nothing but praise for the season they've had so far.

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Speaker 4: They're going to be back in the finals, you know,

365
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Speaker 4: not odds on, but if they finished in the top four,

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Speaker 4: I wouldn't be surprised. In the Sliders, Cameron Soreldo has

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Speaker 4: completely turned that team around. These two teams will know

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Speaker 4: each other quite well because of the link the coaches have.

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Speaker 4: You know, Andrew Webster and Sireldo were both part of

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Speaker 4: that Penrith dynasty under Ivan Cleary. But I look, I

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Speaker 4: just don't know anymore. I would like to think the

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Speaker 4: Warriors get up and send Sean out, and not just Sean,

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Speaker 4: because this will also be the goodbye for add FANUELB.

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Speaker 4: Blake and jas Tavanga.

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Speaker 2: Well let's touch on those two guys, and I think, look,

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Speaker 2: I've said some things here on this podcast around Adam

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Speaker 2: fanoa Blake in terms of his motivation at times this year.

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Speaker 3: You know, we all know what happened after that.

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Speaker 2: You know what was probably the most memorable moment of

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Speaker 2: the season from a positive standpoint, when they beat the

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Speaker 2: Penrith Panthers. He didn't get involved in the team celebrations.

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Speaker 2: There was a week stand down, it felt like, and

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Speaker 2: drips and drabs. He was heavily involved in games and

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Speaker 2: then sort of took a bit of a backwards seat.

385
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Speaker 2: But I thought he was Actually it was very impressive,

386
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Speaker 2: obviously setting up that try for Sean on Friday before

387
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Speaker 2: we get to Jazz, who deserves his flowers too. How

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Speaker 2: do you think that Adam fanol Blake era at the

389
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Speaker 2: Warriors will be remembered as he gets set to say

390
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Speaker 2: farewell as well?

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Speaker 4: Well, I mean we've all sort of been talking about

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Speaker 4: this in the office. I mean my consensus, I generally

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Speaker 4: would consider add In fanoel Blake probably one of the

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Speaker 4: two best front rowers the Warriors've ever had. I would

395
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Speaker 4: just like to have seen him do it for longer.

396
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Speaker 4: The off field stuff, I worry will detract from his

397
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Speaker 4: legacy at the club. You know, let's not forget he

398
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Speaker 4: won the Delian Prop of the Year last year. You know,

399
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Speaker 4: he's not a player we should you know, scoff out

400
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Speaker 4: by any means, it's just who is advising him to

401
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Speaker 4: act this way? And you hope that you know, I

402
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Speaker 4: mean you worry that will it keep happening throughout his career,

403
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Speaker 4: because let's not forget how he even came to the

404
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Speaker 4: Warriors in the first place.

405
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Speaker 2: Yeah, and I think that's something crediller that they've probably

406
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Speaker 2: looked at risk reward and gone jee if we can

407
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Speaker 2: get the twenty twenty three version of Adam Fanol Blake

408
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Speaker 2: or just get that and extrapolate that out to an

409
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Speaker 2: entire season or two, Like the Sharks are already a

410
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Speaker 2: bloody good team and currently sitting fourth at the moment,

411
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Speaker 2: and they're going to be even better when they have

412
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Speaker 2: Adam Fanola Blake on the books in twenty twenty five.

413
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Speaker 2: Jazz Savanga, though he's kind of he's one of those

414
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Speaker 2: cult heroes is and he's been in the system. He

415
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Speaker 2: went for a Warriors junior trial a decade ago, finally

416
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Speaker 2: got his first grade debut in twenty sixteen. Not the

417
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Speaker 2: way when you were talking Alex before about sort of

418
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Speaker 2: fairy tale finishes or being able to go out on

419
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Speaker 2: your own terms. I've heard Jazz say would have liked

420
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Speaker 2: to go around again the club looking more at youth

421
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Speaker 2: in terms of those middle prop positions. But what about Jazz,

422
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Speaker 2: what's going to stand out for you when you think

423
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Speaker 2: back his time at the club.

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Speaker 4: The thing that I love about Jazz, and we're about

425
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Speaker 4: Jazz is how much he cares. I think sometimes he

426
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Speaker 4: has been guilty of trying too hard.

427
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Speaker 2: You know.

428
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Speaker 4: Remember back to twenty eighteen, in the season that Roger

429
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Speaker 4: Turvasishek had to win the dai M. Jessee Vunger also

430
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Speaker 4: won a DLIM that year for the Interchange Player of

431
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Speaker 4: the Year. But that sort of comes into arguably the

432
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Speaker 4: problem with Jazz is we still probably don't know what

433
00:20:32,253 --> 00:20:34,613
Speaker 4: his best position is, you know, because remember he came

434
00:20:34,653 --> 00:20:36,933
Speaker 4: through as a hooker. You know, is a hooker? Is

435
00:20:36,933 --> 00:20:37,573
Speaker 4: he at thirteen?

436
00:20:37,693 --> 00:20:38,253
Speaker 5: Is he a prop?

437
00:20:39,053 --> 00:20:41,733
Speaker 4: I like to think, you know, and taking the journalist's

438
00:20:41,733 --> 00:20:43,573
Speaker 4: hat off for a second here and being a fan,

439
00:20:43,813 --> 00:20:46,653
Speaker 4: I think every fan likes to think if we were

440
00:20:46,693 --> 00:20:48,973
Speaker 4: in the Warriors, we'd play like Jazz, would, you know?

441
00:20:49,093 --> 00:20:51,093
Speaker 4: Because because of the love for the club. I think

442
00:20:51,173 --> 00:20:53,213
Speaker 4: that's what will stand out for me. I don't know

443
00:20:53,693 --> 00:20:55,733
Speaker 4: how I'm going to go if he signs for another team,

444
00:20:56,053 --> 00:20:57,693
Speaker 4: and I hope he'd get a good reception if he

445
00:20:57,733 --> 00:20:59,173
Speaker 4: comes back to Mount Smart, I.

446
00:20:59,213 --> 00:21:02,253
Speaker 2: Hope, I hope he does find another home, because you're right,

447
00:21:02,333 --> 00:21:03,933
Speaker 2: he's just one of those guys that's going to give

448
00:21:04,013 --> 00:21:07,493
Speaker 2: absolutely everything in the whatever minutes he gets. He cares

449
00:21:07,813 --> 00:21:11,453
Speaker 2: so deep, plea and as you mentioned there, sometimes it's

450
00:21:11,453 --> 00:21:13,613
Speaker 2: one of those cases. Sometimes it's just too much, and

451
00:21:13,733 --> 00:21:17,293
Speaker 2: you know he's thinking about just nailing someone or running

452
00:21:17,333 --> 00:21:19,133
Speaker 2: over the top of someone when the first thing he

453
00:21:19,173 --> 00:21:21,333
Speaker 2: needs to do is catch the ball. When you mentioned

454
00:21:21,373 --> 00:21:24,213
Speaker 2: twenty eighteen there, Alex, you know now that Jazz and

455
00:21:24,653 --> 00:21:29,133
Speaker 2: SJ are leaving. It's just what Roger and Taurho and

456
00:21:29,373 --> 00:21:31,173
Speaker 2: I know this turnover at a lot of different clubs.

457
00:21:31,213 --> 00:21:33,813
Speaker 2: But yeah, that feels you know, that feels like a

458
00:21:33,853 --> 00:21:37,453
Speaker 2: lifetime ago. Now that finals run in twenty eighteen.

459
00:21:38,573 --> 00:21:39,613
Speaker 4: It makes you fair LOLd, doesn't it.

460
00:21:40,573 --> 00:21:40,933
Speaker 3: You said it.

461
00:21:41,853 --> 00:21:48,933
Speaker 1: Big League Podcast, Big Hits, Big Mullets, The Big League Podcast.

462
00:21:48,773 --> 00:21:52,773
Speaker 2: Right onto Round twenty five, quick fire Predictions, we goes,

463
00:21:52,893 --> 00:21:57,253
Speaker 2: interesting results, no doubt about it, and Round twenty four.

464
00:21:57,373 --> 00:22:01,613
Speaker 2: But it all kicks off Thursday night. The Tigers, who

465
00:22:01,693 --> 00:22:04,533
Speaker 2: got up over South Sydney at the weekend taking on

466
00:22:05,013 --> 00:22:05,973
Speaker 2: the Manly Seagulls.

467
00:22:07,293 --> 00:22:08,613
Speaker 4: I like, I think I'm gonna have to go manly

468
00:22:08,653 --> 00:22:09,053
Speaker 4: for this one.

469
00:22:10,213 --> 00:22:12,853
Speaker 2: Yeah, I mean as good as the I think the

470
00:22:12,933 --> 00:22:15,453
Speaker 2: Tigers probably inspired maybe Boyd a little bit after their

471
00:22:15,533 --> 00:22:18,693
Speaker 2: coach Benji Marshall, the news got through that he'll be

472
00:22:18,733 --> 00:22:21,693
Speaker 2: inducted into the NRL Hall of Fame this week, which

473
00:22:21,773 --> 00:22:25,413
Speaker 2: is thoroughly deserved. The fourth key we to be in

474
00:22:25,533 --> 00:22:28,613
Speaker 2: that Rugby League royalty. But you look at where Manly

475
00:22:28,693 --> 00:22:31,053
Speaker 2: are and where they you know they need to obviously

476
00:22:31,133 --> 00:22:34,693
Speaker 2: keep building the results through towards the finals. All right,

477
00:22:34,893 --> 00:22:37,973
Speaker 2: so one we all care about the Warriors and the Bulldogs?

478
00:22:38,053 --> 00:22:39,933
Speaker 3: Is it heart over here? Alex Bell?

479
00:22:40,573 --> 00:22:43,093
Speaker 4: No to go the Bulldogs. Yeah, I think there is

480
00:22:43,093 --> 00:22:45,013
Speaker 4: a real risk the Warriors start playing this one on

481
00:22:45,133 --> 00:22:47,413
Speaker 4: a motion and that could open the door.

482
00:22:48,373 --> 00:22:50,253
Speaker 2: Yeah, I'm just going to be a romantic for the

483
00:22:50,293 --> 00:22:53,853
Speaker 2: sake of it, I think, yeah, hopefully, And I'd just

484
00:22:54,173 --> 00:22:57,333
Speaker 2: like to think that they can show something special. There's

485
00:22:57,373 --> 00:23:00,573
Speaker 2: absolutely no evidence to suggest they can over eighty minutes

486
00:23:00,613 --> 00:23:03,053
Speaker 2: when you couple that as well with how well the

487
00:23:03,333 --> 00:23:05,613
Speaker 2: Bulldogs are going. But as you mention, Alex, I'll take

488
00:23:05,693 --> 00:23:07,613
Speaker 2: take your words. These two teams do know each other

489
00:23:08,373 --> 00:23:12,293
Speaker 2: very well. The Seraldo Webster dynamic it was only about

490
00:23:12,373 --> 00:23:14,733
Speaker 2: just a little over a month ago it was thirteen

491
00:23:14,893 --> 00:23:16,253
Speaker 2: twelve to the Dogs.

492
00:23:16,333 --> 00:23:19,093
Speaker 3: It could have easily been the Warriors on that night.

493
00:23:19,213 --> 00:23:19,773
Speaker 3: I think it'll be.

494
00:23:20,573 --> 00:23:23,013
Speaker 2: I'm certain of one thing is that the Warriors will

495
00:23:23,053 --> 00:23:25,253
Speaker 2: start with a hiss and a raw. Whether that will

496
00:23:25,333 --> 00:23:30,253
Speaker 2: translate to points, we'll find out. Also Friday night the

497
00:23:30,333 --> 00:23:32,133
Speaker 2: Broncos up against Paramatta.

498
00:23:32,573 --> 00:23:35,493
Speaker 4: Surely the Broncos on a Friday night at Suncorp will

499
00:23:35,493 --> 00:23:35,973
Speaker 4: get it done.

500
00:23:36,933 --> 00:23:37,733
Speaker 3: You'd have to think so.

501
00:23:37,933 --> 00:23:41,413
Speaker 2: But gee, it's been a season of hell for them,

502
00:23:41,493 --> 00:23:44,293
Speaker 2: hasn't it. The Broncos don't think they're quite out of

503
00:23:44,373 --> 00:23:45,373
Speaker 2: the mixhead of course.

504
00:23:45,253 --> 00:23:46,053
Speaker 3: Just coming off the buy.

505
00:23:46,213 --> 00:23:49,733
Speaker 2: But yeah, they've really gone backwards after what been twenty

506
00:23:49,773 --> 00:23:52,773
Speaker 2: minutes away from winning the Grand Final last year. Speaking

507
00:23:52,813 --> 00:23:57,293
Speaker 2: of that Grand Final, the Penrith Panthers open up things

508
00:23:57,413 --> 00:24:00,253
Speaker 2: on Saturday afternoon. They're away to Canberra.

509
00:24:00,933 --> 00:24:03,213
Speaker 4: I mean, you think after losing Nathan Cleary that the

510
00:24:03,293 --> 00:24:05,293
Speaker 4: Panthers might take a bit of a backward step, but

511
00:24:05,373 --> 00:24:07,053
Speaker 4: they just haven't this year, so I think you're going

512
00:24:07,093 --> 00:24:07,693
Speaker 4: to have to back them.

513
00:24:08,773 --> 00:24:09,133
Speaker 3: I'm with you.

514
00:24:09,733 --> 00:24:12,293
Speaker 2: When Cleary went down the first time earlier in the season,

515
00:24:12,373 --> 00:24:14,693
Speaker 2: I thought, yes, they're a system club and they seem

516
00:24:14,733 --> 00:24:16,173
Speaker 2: to be able to just chuck anyone in there, but

517
00:24:16,453 --> 00:24:19,613
Speaker 2: surely like Cleary's so key for that team. But Jerome

518
00:24:19,693 --> 00:24:23,093
Speaker 2: Law I just looked very much at home at half

519
00:24:23,173 --> 00:24:26,373
Speaker 2: back as well, shouldering more responsibility. So yeah, I think

520
00:24:27,053 --> 00:24:29,253
Speaker 2: the Panther's too good, and I think the Raiders I'm

521
00:24:29,373 --> 00:24:32,693
Speaker 2: pretty sure out of the finals equation now, so not

522
00:24:32,853 --> 00:24:36,173
Speaker 2: much really for them to play for Storm, who currently

523
00:24:36,213 --> 00:24:39,133
Speaker 2: sits top of the table now hosting the Dolphins.

524
00:24:39,533 --> 00:24:40,973
Speaker 4: I've said for the last two weeks and I think

525
00:24:40,973 --> 00:24:42,373
Speaker 4: the Storm are going to win the whole thing. So

526
00:24:42,653 --> 00:24:44,453
Speaker 4: just to stay true to myself for back then.

527
00:24:45,053 --> 00:24:47,333
Speaker 2: Yeah, this is a simple one for me, as desperate

528
00:24:47,373 --> 00:24:50,533
Speaker 2: as the Dolphins are. I think Storm with players back,

529
00:24:50,653 --> 00:24:53,453
Speaker 2: just two goods. The Rabbit O's and the Knights.

530
00:24:53,893 --> 00:24:56,853
Speaker 4: Nights thought they looked good yesterday, got a rough one.

531
00:24:57,853 --> 00:24:59,333
Speaker 3: Now I'll go with that as well.

532
00:24:59,333 --> 00:25:03,253
Speaker 2: With a couple of teams, I heard Adam O'Brien say

533
00:25:03,773 --> 00:25:06,293
Speaker 2: they need other results to go their way. Basically they're

534
00:25:06,293 --> 00:25:09,453
Speaker 2: where the Warriors were last week. But yeah, they're probably

535
00:25:09,453 --> 00:25:10,813
Speaker 2: will be a little bit heart after last week, a

536
00:25:10,853 --> 00:25:13,893
Speaker 2: little bit fired up, and they'll probably get some some

537
00:25:14,173 --> 00:25:17,733
Speaker 2: news from Graham Annersley later Monday, afternoon that they'll even

538
00:25:17,773 --> 00:25:19,573
Speaker 2: fire them up some more. In terms of some of

539
00:25:19,573 --> 00:25:22,013
Speaker 2: the things, out of O'Brien was a bit upset about

540
00:25:22,373 --> 00:25:24,293
Speaker 2: Sunday night Titans Roosters.

541
00:25:25,133 --> 00:25:27,093
Speaker 4: I mean, surely it's the Roosters to lose, isn't it.

542
00:25:27,933 --> 00:25:30,893
Speaker 2: The Titans are an enigma. I never know they're They're

543
00:25:30,973 --> 00:25:33,053
Speaker 2: like the old Warriors. They actually throw the ball around,

544
00:25:33,133 --> 00:25:35,173
Speaker 2: but I never quite know what they're going to get.

545
00:25:35,213 --> 00:25:38,293
Speaker 2: They can certainly rack up the points, but when you know,

546
00:25:38,333 --> 00:25:40,293
Speaker 2: I know you said the storm are your favorites. I

547
00:25:40,333 --> 00:25:42,533
Speaker 2: still think the Roosters, if they can piece it all together,

548
00:25:43,253 --> 00:25:45,733
Speaker 2: they're very much in The conversation comes September.

549
00:25:45,893 --> 00:25:53,933
Speaker 3: Which which way we go for broosters Roosters easy and

550
00:25:54,093 --> 00:25:58,213
Speaker 3: just around things out. The Dragons and the Sharks. I

551
00:25:58,333 --> 00:26:02,933
Speaker 3: want to go Dragons, Okay, why I see?

552
00:26:03,053 --> 00:26:06,173
Speaker 4: It feels like whenever I watch the Dragons they play well,

553
00:26:06,253 --> 00:26:07,733
Speaker 4: but whenever I don't watch them, they lose.

554
00:26:08,773 --> 00:26:10,813
Speaker 3: Are you planning or watching this weekend, Alex?

555
00:26:10,973 --> 00:26:13,693
Speaker 4: Or what am I doing on Sunday? They're probably not

556
00:26:14,813 --> 00:26:17,373
Speaker 4: the Sharks for me. Even though they'reforeth they haven't looked

557
00:26:17,453 --> 00:26:19,533
Speaker 4: like a top four team at times. You know, you

558
00:26:19,613 --> 00:26:22,013
Speaker 4: think of what we saw last year in the top

559
00:26:22,093 --> 00:26:24,453
Speaker 4: four were very much the four best teams, whereas this

560
00:26:24,573 --> 00:26:26,253
Speaker 4: year just feel so much more up and down.

561
00:26:27,013 --> 00:26:28,213
Speaker 3: Yeah, I don't mind that.

562
00:26:28,373 --> 00:26:31,333
Speaker 2: And I think the Dragons they're looking good to be

563
00:26:31,533 --> 00:26:34,533
Speaker 2: one of those maybe seven eight, picking up seven or

564
00:26:34,573 --> 00:26:37,493
Speaker 2: eight seeds in the eight. A lot of class here

565
00:26:37,533 --> 00:26:39,253
Speaker 2: in the lights of Ben Hunt, Zach Lomax and his

566
00:26:39,333 --> 00:26:40,653
Speaker 2: last year at the club, for example.

567
00:26:40,773 --> 00:26:42,733
Speaker 3: So I think they might get one over.

568
00:26:42,653 --> 00:26:45,773
Speaker 2: There, and then who knows where they'll where that'll shake

569
00:26:45,853 --> 00:26:48,493
Speaker 2: out come September. That'll do us here on the Big

570
00:26:48,573 --> 00:26:52,813
Speaker 2: League Podcast this week. Please do like subscribe and follow

571
00:26:53,413 --> 00:26:57,093
Speaker 2: worries of course, in action last home game of the

572
00:26:57,253 --> 00:27:02,093
Speaker 2: season against the Bulldogs Friday nights, we have fingers toes,

573
00:27:02,173 --> 00:27:04,893
Speaker 2: everything cross that we can pull something out of the

574
00:27:04,973 --> 00:27:07,573
Speaker 2: fire against the Bulldogs. Teams that are certainly on the

575
00:27:07,773 --> 00:27:11,333
Speaker 2: upper Nutculey signing off, Thanks so much Alex Powell for

576
00:27:11,493 --> 00:27:11,893
Speaker 2: your time.

577
00:27:11,933 --> 00:27:14,253
Speaker 3: We'll be back here, same time, same place next week

578
00:27:18,253 --> 00:27:19,653
Speaker 3: for more from News Talk sed B.

579
00:27:19,973 --> 00:27:23,173
Speaker 1: Listen live on air or online, and keep our shows

580
00:27:23,253 --> 00:27:26,533
Speaker 1: with you wherever you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio