Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
Speaker 1: from News Talks edb Bill two to come fun it
Speaker 1: now Met.
Speaker 2: There is, as we mentioned to the stages set for
Speaker 2: that meant sign.
Speaker 3: The number seven position. Luke Metcalf scored two tries, kicked
Speaker 3: four or five conversions and helped the Warriors move to
Speaker 3: within two points of the Panthers and the Roosters at
Speaker 3: the top of the NRL ladder. Ryan Girdler played over
Speaker 3: two hundred games for the Panthers. He was an NRL
Speaker 3: champion with them in two thousand and three. Also a
Speaker 3: New South Wales state of origin and Australian representative, is
Speaker 3: now part of Triple m's NRL coverage, the NRL's number
Speaker 3: one audio network as an incisive and respected analyst, and
Speaker 3: he joins us Now, Ryan, thanks for your time. How
Speaker 3: race of was that Warrior's performance against the competition leaders?
Speaker 2: Well, yeah, I think that certainly put the competition on notice.
Speaker 2: I think we've all been sort of speaking all year
Speaker 2: about the importance of those guys finishing one or two
Speaker 2: so they get some finals at Mount Smart and I
Speaker 2: sort of watched it obviously. Sorry for the noise on
Speaker 2: at the airport about to go home. But obviously see it,
Speaker 2: you know, on a weekly basis, the crowd and the
Speaker 2: energy that they bring and the performance out there mount smart.
Speaker 2: But to be their live was something that was really
Speaker 2: good to experience and now I really understand what they mean.
Speaker 2: If they can get a couple of home finals, it's
Speaker 2: going to be very hard to be.
Speaker 3: What was it about the Warriors last night that gave
Speaker 3: them the edge?
Speaker 2: I think like their physicality, their intensity obviously you know,
Speaker 2: being indigenous around, and the cultural aspect of it. And
Speaker 2: to see the guys, you know, or the Marry guys
Speaker 2: sort of performed the Harker beforehand and you just saw
Speaker 2: how that engaged the crowd. Kind of reminded me of
Speaker 2: like a Test match, and then from there, you know,
Speaker 2: the onset they were just really physical. I thought they
Speaker 2: were led really well by obviously Barnett, but I thought
Speaker 2: James last night, which is exceptional, especially in those moments
Speaker 2: where the momentums flung back to Penrith there in the
Speaker 2: second half, some of his leadership there was there for
Speaker 2: ord to see and obviously, you know, I think they've
Speaker 2: been really they looked really settled with their attacking structures.
Speaker 2: I thought they were great last week against the Titans,
Speaker 2: obviously with that win, but I don't know, they just
Speaker 2: seemed to be all full of confidence and really well
Speaker 2: connected and they got great balance, so it was just
Speaker 2: an out steven. Though Penrith made a little bit of
Speaker 2: a push at the later part of the game. I
Speaker 2: thought they were just always in complete control and they
Speaker 2: were really impressive.
Speaker 3: And into the mix, of course, came Luke Metcalfe. Hasn't
Speaker 3: played for quite a long time. Looked like it'd never
Speaker 3: been away. A couple of tries, good kicking game, plenty
Speaker 3: of confidence. How much did he impress you last night?
Speaker 2: Yeah, look at you know, I think it was over
Speaker 2: four hundred days since he played halfback, so obviously been
Speaker 2: playing a little bit of five eighth and I know
Speaker 2: that there's a similar role, but he went into that
Speaker 2: first receiver role last night and did a great job.
Speaker 2: You spoke about, you know, the tries that he scored
Speaker 2: and the impact he had with the football, but it
Speaker 2: was you know, his kicking game and his maturity and
Speaker 2: his decision defensively and all the little parts of his
Speaker 2: game that I was really impressed with last night. As well, so, yeah,
Speaker 2: it's going to be great for you guys to have
Speaker 2: him pushing into the finals like.
Speaker 3: A hell of seema. He keeps producing moments that excite
Speaker 3: people both sides of the Talesman, do you see him
Speaker 3: becoming one of the real genuine stars of the NRL
Speaker 3: over the next couple of years.
Speaker 2: Yeh, Look, I can't. I can't see why not. You know,
Speaker 2: like he's got all the attributes done he and last night,
Speaker 2: you know some of those the chases he put through
Speaker 2: with the kicks and then the acrobatics in the air.
Speaker 2: So just always seeing different parts of his game and
Speaker 2: his development and obviously that run out of trouble and
Speaker 2: then setting up the try in the same set of six.
Speaker 2: So he had a massive impact in the game last night.
Speaker 2: And he's a big physical guy and and you know
Speaker 2: it just could be a guy that could just be,
Speaker 2: you know, the star power that you guys need in
Speaker 2: those big games in the finals, when someone's got to
Speaker 2: pull something out of the out of the out of
Speaker 2: the kit bag, he might just be the guy to
Speaker 2: do that. With the confidency, out of the moment, we've.
Speaker 3: Become used to seeing Penrith finding another gear when they're behind.
Speaker 3: Did you think they were going to mount one of
Speaker 3: their trademark comebacks last night?
Speaker 2: Yeah, well not really, to be honest, Like I thought
Speaker 2: the Warriors were in complete control of that one. Obviously,
Speaker 2: there was that ten or so minutes where they had
Speaker 2: a little bit of possession. They came up with some
Speaker 2: points and Nathan sort of pulled the trigger. But as
Speaker 2: soon as that tried to I think it was Alamani
Speaker 2: was disallowed because they were offside. I thought that God
Speaker 2: of the Air went out of the balloon. Then I
Speaker 2: think the Warriors and their fans were getting a little
Speaker 2: bit nervous, But but it was fleeting, you know that.
Speaker 2: I thought they were in complete control the whole night.
Speaker 3: Actually going off with a pectoral injury, if he's unavailable
Speaker 3: for an extended period, Ryan, how much does that change
Speaker 3: Penrith's premiership outlook?
Speaker 2: Oh, it definitely does. You know, Like there's only a
Speaker 2: certain amount of players, you know, in each team that
Speaker 2: can have that sort of impact, and him and Nathan
Speaker 2: and those guys I would say at Penrith, and he's
Speaker 2: a big part of their attacking structures. He allows their
Speaker 2: halves just to get that little bit wider and Obviously,
Speaker 2: he's a great leader, great defensively and he's a big
Speaker 2: part of what they do. So if he's out, it
Speaker 2: certainly brings them back to the field.
Speaker 3: Panthers worry is the Rooster's won last night. The Sharks
Speaker 3: will probably beat the Dragons. This is some top four race,
Speaker 3: isn't it.
Speaker 2: Yes, it's turning into a nice one. I think at
Speaker 2: the halfway make everyone was a little bit worried that
Speaker 2: the Penrith side were that good they were going to
Speaker 2: kind of blow everyone away and it was a one
Speaker 2: horse race. But I think we're seeing that, you know,
Speaker 2: these other sides growing in confidence, and the Sharks are
Speaker 2: mounting what looks like a really good finals push as well.
Speaker 2: And the Roosters where they add look at the back
Speaker 2: end of their game last night, they found a way
Speaker 2: to win against the Bulldaux who were also making a
Speaker 2: little bit of a push at the bottom part of
Speaker 2: the A. So it's going to be a very interesting
Speaker 2: final series.
Speaker 3: As always, great to have you here for this one. Ryan,
Speaker 3: hope we can welcome you back for a finals game
Speaker 3: or two. Mate.
Speaker 2: Well maybe, yeah, it looks like I'll be coming back
Speaker 2: over and then obviously I'll be part of the Origin
Speaker 2: push next year at when we come over at Eden Park,
Speaker 2: which are going to be exciting as well.
Speaker 3: Outstanding. Hey, great to chat mate, travel safe, really appreciate
Speaker 3: your time.
Speaker 2: My pleasure and enjoy the rest of the season with
Speaker 2: the Warriors and I wish them all the best.
Speaker 3: Thanks very much. Indeed, Ryan, good to talk to you mate,
Speaker 3: Ryan Girdler. There Penrith Panthers legend the Warriors are real.
Speaker 3: They are genuine NRL contenders. On that evidence, they can
Speaker 3: beat any team on any given night. The Panthers are
Speaker 3: the NL benchmark. Before last night, they had lost fewer
Speaker 3: games than anybody else this season. They've scored more points
Speaker 3: than anybody else the Panthers and conceded fewer than anyone else.
Speaker 3: They hadn't lost to the Warriors in Auckland since twenty eighteen.
Speaker 3: For the Warriors to beat them and to produce that
Speaker 3: first half that they did tells you everything you need
Speaker 3: to know about the Warriors. They can go all the way.
Speaker 3: Luke Metcalf doesn't matter how it happened. He's back. He's
Speaker 3: had to be extremely patient, but last night was a
Speaker 3: reminder of what a quality rugby league player he is.
Speaker 3: To Mighty Martin's been really good, really good since taking
Speaker 3: over from Tanner Boyd. But Luke metcalf is a very
Speaker 3: special rugby league player and yes he may be wearing
Speaker 3: different colors next year, but for the next two months
Speaker 3: he is a warrior and he could well be the
Speaker 3: key Warrior. Others to stand out Aaron Clark absolute machine,
Speaker 3: My god, what a player, James Fisher, Harris, what a leader,
Speaker 3: lack a hell of that kid could be anything he wants.
Speaker 3: The NRL Minor Premiership is a four horse race. Panthers
Speaker 3: thirty six, Roosters thirty six, Warriors thirty four. As I
Speaker 3: said to Ryan Girdler, the Sharks will probably beat the
Speaker 3: Dragons and move to thirty four, so it'll be thirty six,
Speaker 3: thirty six, thirty four to thirty four. After that, everybody
Speaker 3: will have four games to go. The Warriors have the
Speaker 3: Broncos away, the rabbit O's away, the Knights at home,
Speaker 3: the Sea Eagles at home. Those teams are currently sixteenth, eighth,
Speaker 3: sixth and tenth. Those games are all winnable, but in
Speaker 3: the NRL every game is losable as well. The Warriors
Speaker 3: lost to the Tigers in the early part of the season.
Speaker 3: They lost the Bulldogs two weeks ago. Nothing is guaranteed,
Speaker 3: but it is hard not to get excited about what
Speaker 3: this team can do could do between now and early October.
Speaker 1: All aboard for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine.
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