S1: G'day. Welcome to the offload on this Monday I'm James Willis,
S1: joined by Josh Morris and journalist Andrew Webster from The Australian.
S1: We've got there's plenty to get through after round two.
S1: Some big headlines out of the weekend, some teams struggling already,
S1: others setting the way. James good to see you mate. Firstly,
S1: I want to start with Friday night. Alex Johnston incredible.
S1: Broke the all time try scoring record surpassing Ken Irvine
S1: after decades and pretty special scenes. And you were amongst
S1: it because you were on the sideline.
S2: Yeah I was it was a amazing scenes. I was
S2: sidelined for that. And um, just to see the fans
S2: reacting the way they did, I mean they, the NRL
S2: came out and said that they were going to find
S2: everyone who jumped over the fence. And within 30s there
S2: was 5000 people on the field. It was such a
S2: crazy experience. I had people coming up to me trying
S2: to steal my mic and had to shoo a couple
S2: of them away, almost had to tackle a couple of
S2: blokes coming up. to me, they were a bit aggressive, but, uh, no,
S2: it was, uh, and and to. It would have been, um,
S2: probably a travesty if he got it this week against um,
S2: the Tigers up in Central Coast, there would have been
S2: probably 5000 people there. So to do it in a
S2: sold out Allianz Stadium, as they were the visiting team
S2: on the scoreboard with all that little, uh, sidelines to
S2: the book of feuds, it was just a wonderful spectacle.
S2: And congratulations to, uh, to AJ and I'll always remember
S2: where I was when he scored the winning, uh, the,
S2: the try to take over.
S1: Ken Irvine Yeah, special scenes and Webby, the unfortunate thing,
S1: I think for Souths was it kind of cost them momentum. Although,
S1: you know, in the end they made a lot of
S1: silly errors in that second half. Um, what have you
S1: what did you make of it? Wayne Bennett's reaction was
S1: interesting in the press conference as well. And of course
S1: there's a bit of drama out of it. As Josh mentioned,
S1: given the rivalry between these two teams.
S3: Um, one, it was exactly the type of scene that
S3: we forecast on this very podcast a week ago. Just
S3: how it would be an amazing moment for the game.
S3: And that's exactly what it was. I do find it
S3: hilarious that both South Sydney in the NRL of like
S3: putting it all over their socials and saying the same thing,
S3: even though they specifically said not to do it. Um,
S3: so they should have leaned into it in the first place.
S3: There's still a bit of drama out of it. So
S3: the whole visiting team, uh, that the, this what I
S3: love about the Souths Roosters rivalry, they're so petty. It's
S3: so childish. We got prime ministers and billionaires and Hollywood actors,
S3: and they're all just basic, uh, rugby league bogans, like
S3: the the rest of us. Giving it to each other.
S3: But apparently the NRL. I'm not. Apparently they are investigating
S3: why the Roosters called it visiting team. Not, uh, not
S3: putting South Sydney because it's a breach of the rules.
S3: It's a breach of the rules.
S2: Let it go. It's it just adds it just adds
S2: to the the feud doesn't it? It does, it makes,
S2: it makes it more interesting and sarasil get their turn
S2: when they play at a stadium they want. That's not
S2: their home ground. Allianz isn't their home ground.
S3: It's ours. Put stickers all over Allianz every time they
S3: go saying South is our home ground. So as I said,
S3: the the pettiness between the two clubs is it's a
S3: thing of beauty.
S1: Is anyone going to be fined? No one will be fine.
S1: Will they?
S3: I'll tell you what happened. One one guy has, um, uh,
S3: went early. One guy jumped. It went after the first
S3: try and got held down on the ground. I know this.
S1: Right.
S2: That's right. He did too.
S3: I thought we were supposed to run on. I thought
S3: we were supposed to be on it. Apparently, there's another
S3: two fans who ran onto the field, but then have
S3: been charged with assault. Because they are. Because they belted
S3: up the security guards.
S2: So, yeah, one one happened right in front of me, actually,
S2: when there was a, a young fella with a, um,
S2: a his camera phone on and was baiting a security
S2: guard and swearing and getting up in his face. And
S2: the security guard went to tackle him. And then he
S2: tried to punch the security guard. And then after that,
S2: he got swarmed on and got taken away. So there
S2: were a couple of people that ruined it. Um, and
S2: they got dealt with, which is what you want to see.
S1: Yeah. Special scenes overall though. And of course, the Prime
S1: Minister was one of the people that made the walk
S1: onto the field and was interviewed after the game as well. Hey, uh,
S1: out of the weekend, before we talk about some of
S1: the positives, there are a couple of teams and coaches
S1: as part of that that are probably under pressure already. Webby,
S1: I'm keen to get your thoughts firstly on Manley, then
S1: zero from two to start the year. Very disappointing against
S1: the Knights at the weekend who played the second half
S1: without their two star players.
S3: Yeah, not good signs is it. I mean the drums
S3: have been beating about Anthony Seibold for, you know almost
S3: since he arrived at Brookvale, but particularly towards the end
S3: of last year, whether whether Manley decided to pull the
S3: trigger on him or not. I can't see him lasting.
S3: If they keep performing like they did at Brookvale for
S3: Pines on a. On a Sunday afternoon they had it
S3: all there. They had the two. The Newcastle two best
S3: players sidelined in the first half with injury. If they're
S3: not ripe for a victory then I don't know, James.
S3: I'm more interested in what you think about it. Like
S3: like that's a team that that should be your top
S3: eight teams shouldn't it? With that, the quality that they've
S3: got in that team.
S2: They do have quality. But one thing they have lost
S2: is a lot of experience. You can't undervalue the the
S2: the loss of um Daly Cherry-Evans. Like the way he
S2: got them around the park for the last ten years.
S2: And then someone like Josh alloy as well. He was a, a,
S2: a figure in that forward pack as well. Um, and
S2: for me, look Jake, he played, I think he played
S2: something like 68 minutes or something and only had five
S2: runs as well. So there's probably a couple of players
S2: out there that need to do a bit more in
S2: terms of their senior players. You can't just try and
S2: hope that Tommy Turbo has a good game and can
S2: win it by himself, because he he can't do that
S2: at this stage of his career anymore. He needs help.
S2: He needs people to lean on, and I just don't
S2: think they have that at the moment. And the fact
S2: that they've been beaten twice at home to start the
S2: season and like you said, they lost Dylan Brown and
S2: Kalyn Ponga, who were absolutely electric in that first half.
S2: It's worrying signs for manly.
S3: Uh, the the thing that really interests me is like,
S3: I mean, last year, so much of it was put
S3: down to the the drama around Jerry Evans and whether,
S3: you know, there was all this talk about a split
S3: in the player ranks, about the players not liking the
S3: coach and being off off Anthony Seibold. There's no excuses now.
S3: You know, there's no excuses. Whatever. Whatever animosity was towards
S3: Tony Mestrov, the former CEO. Like that's that's no longer
S3: a factor. Whether it was a factor in the first
S3: place or not. So they don't really have any other
S3: excuses but to to be winning games of football and
S3: certainly not losing games like they did, uh, yesterday afternoon.
S1: And Josh, three of the Queensland sides are yet to
S1: win a game. The Broncos the Cowboys and the Titans.
S1: So a disappointing start for them.
S2: Yeah you wouldn't think that the Broncos would have gone
S2: oh and two to start the season. But purely off
S2: the back of the way that they've been uh completing
S2: and holding onto the ball. They haven't respected it at all.
S2: And um, they got themselves out to a very comfortable
S2: lead against the eels, but then it's almost like they
S2: put the cue in the rack and just thought that
S2: they'd breezed through it. And you can't afford to do
S2: that in this day and age in the NRL and
S2: with the six agains and the momentum, uh, switches. And
S2: I'm happy for Parramatta that they uh, they went up
S2: there and got the win. Obviously with what happened in
S2: round one against um against the storm. Jason Ryles would
S2: have liked to have seen a better performance and they
S2: had to come from behind to win. So it would
S2: have been very happy there. I gotta switch the game
S2: off yesterday. Halfway through the Dolphins and Titans game because
S2: it was a drop a thon. And if they're going
S2: to play like that for the rest of the year,
S2: they won't feature in the in the finals. Like I,
S2: I think the Dolphins have got the team to play
S2: finals football, but at the moment they just the teams
S2: that are struggling at the start of this year, it
S2: all comes down to their ball possession and and their
S2: completion rate. And yeah that that's probably the main reason
S2: why they're not winning. And look I do feel a
S2: little bit sorry for the Cowboys. Um in round one.
S2: Uh they lost uh Braden Burns in the last ten
S2: minutes and they ended up losing the game from there on.
S2: And then, uh, I think it was Kai O'Donnell got
S2: sinbinned and it was, it was a soft sin binning.
S2: Like you could have just said, rightio. Give it, give
S2: it six, uh, six again or a penalty. I didn't
S2: think it deserved to go to the bin. And then
S2: from that position, uh, the tyre gets kicked on with
S2: it in the first half. And by first half the
S2: game was pretty much over. So I do feel a
S2: little bit sorry, uh, for, for Todd Payten in that instance,
S2: but he's got to start winning games because he is
S2: probably the other coach that's under the most pressure this year.
S1: Yeah, absolutely. And that is the thing. Todd Payten coming
S1: off a disappointing season last year. And they've got a
S1: pretty good roster. Webby with a lot of representative players,
S1: both Queensland and Australian players.
S3: I don't know what's happened at the Cowboys. I mean,
S3: Todd Payten was coach of the year a few years ago.
S3: And um, I was in Vegas. I like Todd. There's
S3: something about him. He's I like the directness of the
S3: way that he speaks publicly. And he's very open, honest
S3: guy from from what it looks like on the outside
S3: looking in. I heard a great story in in Vegas
S3: about Todd Payten, about how he went to the board and, and,
S3: and pitched so strongly for Tom Dearden to go to
S3: that club. I think people sort of forget when Tom
S3: Dearden left the Broncos, he was damaged goods and people thought,
S3: you know, at the age of 22, he had lived
S3: up to the next Allan Langer tag, which is ridiculous
S3: in itself. But, um, you know, Todd Payten really came
S3: out swinging for Tom to come to that club and
S3: he's turned into, as we all know, you know, one
S3: of the best sevens, if not the best on his
S3: on his day in the competition played for Queensland in Australia.
S3: So um you know I'd like it. I don't really
S3: know what the better option is than Todd Payten up there.
S3: Uh there's Ben. Oh, I remember calling. I called him
S3: last year saying, is it right to, you know, that
S3: that you got fronted by some of your senior players
S3: about your coaching style? And he said, I did, and
S3: I took it on board and I was receptive to it.
S3: But for whatever reason, it's not sort of, uh, it's
S3: not resulting in, in, in, in victories. And if, if, again,
S3: like Anthony Seibold, if, if they don't start putting some
S3: victories together, then he's got to be under enormous pressure
S3: if he isn't already.
S1: Hey, Josh, uh, on the podcast last week, you had
S1: a bit to say about the rule change and how
S1: you thought it had played out in round one. I'm
S1: keen for an update from you on whether you think
S1: it's settled down a little bit. There's a lot of
S1: points scored at the weekend and a lot of teams
S1: winning by 40 plus as well.
S2: And even the coaches don't know.
S3: Was that a pin drop?
S2: It was. That was a pin drop. Even the coaches
S2: don't know. Like Craig Fitzgibbon is still bemused with it.
S2: Like he he he didn't realize like the Jesse Ramian one.
S2: And I think we're going to see like if you
S2: just make any contact at all, it's going to be
S2: a penalty. Like there's some. Sometimes there needs to be
S2: a bit of common sense added to the rules. And
S2: we saw a couple of times there. There was one
S2: with Dylan Edwards where he just got hit on the
S2: legs as he was making the catch. Now that wasn't
S2: a genuine attempt at getting the ball. Jessie Raymond kind
S2: of wasn't really looking and then made contact. He was
S2: he was kind of looking up in the air and
S2: he gets penalized for that. And I think there's still
S2: frustration from the coaches. I think a couple of them
S2: over the weekend were still unclear on on the rules.
S2: And and with the six agains, we're seeing still seeing
S2: plenty of six agains. And I was speaking to Debbie
S2: about this just before we went on on air. I
S2: almost think that the interchange bench needs to go back
S2: to ten, like with the the speed of the game
S2: and the way we're seeing it and the fatigue and
S2: these blowout scores, like we we dropped from 12 to
S2: 10 to speed up the game and, and increase fatigue
S2: so we could see more football. than we went down
S2: from 10 to 8 for the same reason. But now
S2: we've introduced these six again and introduced them from 20m out.
S2: Now they're just giving six away again all the time.
S2: And I don't say this very often, but I feel
S2: sorry for the middle forwards. Yeah. Your hook is your
S2: your front rowers, your back rowers because most of the teams,
S2: when they get the six again, they don't shift the
S2: ball unless they're inside the attacking team's 20. Like they
S2: go straight back through the middle of the field. These
S2: middles are having to make a lot more tackles under
S2: a lot more fatigue. And you know, we brought in
S2: this extra player for hire. But if we maybe go
S2: back to ten substitutions we're going to see a bit
S2: less fatigue winners, see some better contact and better wrestle.
S2: And we might be able to slow these rucks down
S2: again and get to a speed where we're not going
S2: to see all these six again's happening. So I, I
S2: just think at the moment, again, the game's too fast.
S2: You look at the Panthers and the Cronulla game like
S2: there weren't as many in that game And the Panthers,
S2: they've only conceded six points. So they're doing something right.
S2: I don't know what it is, but I think teams
S2: should be watching what they're doing in defense because obviously
S2: it's working for them and no one else at the moment.
S2: But I just think with the way that the game
S2: has sped up, like it needs to be taken into
S2: consideration that we look at maybe going back to ten,
S2: ten players, uh, substitutions.
S1: Yeah. Where we are, I'm noticing just teams are rolling
S1: through other teams very, very quickly. Like it's momentum from
S1: one end to the other. And as Josh just said,
S1: there'd be an argument. And the thing is, there is
S1: a bit of policy on the run here. So if
S1: they figure out by round four, it's not working and
S1: the scorelines look like they are now, they could always shift.
S1: The administration has shown they can do that well.
S3: They did well. They rushed through all these changes and.
S2: They didn't get rid of the line drop out rule.
S3: No, that's that's fine. But I mean, you know, they
S3: they like the, the changes to the to the six
S3: to go's coming from, you know, the penalty, not being
S3: rewarded within the from 20m out. Um you know that
S3: dropped on Boxing Day that edict to clubs so they
S3: can quickly change it that way and they can change
S3: it back. The number one complaint from all the former
S3: players and coaches that I speak to, uh, at the
S3: moment is just the, the, the set restarts and just
S3: how it's, it's, it's tipped the balance too far one way.
S3: So at some point you think the NRL are going
S3: to have to listen to all those stakeholders and think
S3: that you know, it's um it's too much.
S1: Uh meanwhile there's a discussion about the finals potentially having
S1: a shake up, the biggest in the games 118 year
S1: history with a potential ten team playoff series instead of eight.
S1: Just now, I feel like we hear this story every
S1: couple of years. They've spoken about conferences before. They've spoken
S1: about different finals. Series are in principle. And keep in mind,
S1: we've got two new teams coming into the competition. How
S1: do you like the idea? Do you like the idea
S1: of a ten team finals. Or if it's not broke,
S1: don't fix it.
S2: Oh yeah, I'm a bit. If it's if it's not broke,
S2: don't fix it. But what I will say is the
S2: season needs to be shorter as well. Like if we're
S2: going to have 20 teams, let's just play every team
S2: once and then get into finals. You can you can
S2: have a little break for origin if you want. You
S2: stick origin in the middle and play that over, you know,
S2: 2 or 3 weeks and then and then that'll lengthen
S2: the season out a little bit. But we've got to,
S2: you know, fit in international football at the end of
S2: the year. I just think there's so much football being
S2: played at the moment. Let's get the season length right
S2: before we change the final series.
S3: I think that's definitely what Peter V'landys has. I've talked
S3: to him about it. He he likes that idea. A
S3: 20 team competition where they play each other once, um,
S3: with a big, uh, origin slash international, uh, window in
S3: the middle and also at the end of the year.
S3: But that's still a long way off. But in terms
S3: of ten teams, even if it's a 2010 competition, well,
S3: if it rewards mediocrity, like just.
S2: Yeah, well, you're going to see you're going to see
S2: the teams that are ninth and 10th get flogged in
S2: the first week anyway, aren't you?
S3: And it's like, but it's it again. And I know
S3: I say it every time on this podcast. All these
S3: decisions are about the TV deal. It's all about trying
S3: to monetize the game even further when you know at
S3: some point you're going to dilute it.
S2: Can you imagine if the if they had the ninth
S2: and 10th position for the last ten years, the Tigers
S2: would have been sweet.
S3: There you.
S1: Go. Well, last year the Dolphins, the Dolphins and Manly
S1: finished two points outside of the top eight with 12
S1: wins and 12 losses. Yeah. So they would have they
S1: would have snuck into the finals and played. I don't know.
S1: The Sharks and Warriors in week one.
S2: Would that mean that the the teams that come first
S2: and second of the week off potentially.
S1: Oh yeah. I, I don't know I'm not sure. But
S1: I think the current system is great and it's far
S1: better than the old system where it was 1V8, 2V7
S1: and all that sort of stuff. Hey, just before we go,
S1: what's happening with Bronson? Uh, Sherry and the Bulldogs. Webby,
S1: what are you hearing about this?
S3: Oh, look, I don't think it's as dire as some have, uh,
S3: have have, uh, painted it, but it's certainly not all
S3: rainbows and unicorns at Belmore for Bronson Cherry. I think
S3: the way it's been explained to me this morning by
S3: someone is pretty high up at Canterbury, is he's just
S3: not happy about the positional shift. I think it's it's
S3: a done deal that he won't be given a contract extension.
S3: So um he hasn't but but look who's taking his
S3: place at left centre. I mean in all fairness to
S3: Bronson Cherry he's done well since he's come back. But
S3: Canterbury don't necessarily owe him anything. He's uh he's um
S3: I thought the giveaway was his, um his stand in
S3: manager because he's, uh, his new manager is suspended at
S3: the moment saying, you know, you got to fight for
S3: your position. That gave it all away to me.
S1: Yeah. Jameis, what do you make of it as a
S1: former Bulldog?
S2: Ah, look, it's it's a tough one because, you know,
S2: the Bulldogs gave him gave him the shot when no
S2: one else wanted to. And Bulldogs fans don't forget that either. Like,
S2: if he goes and asks for a release after they've
S2: given him a shot. And to me, like he had
S2: four years out of the game, like you would have
S2: thought he would have built up a bit of resilience,
S2: having to play a different side of the field and
S2: cracking the shits about it. I, I don't get there's
S2: no resilience there. And if you did get dropped to
S2: to reserve grade, well then show some resilience, put in
S2: good performances and get back in the team. Like I
S2: just think these days players, when they, they just expect
S2: to be first graders. And if you you're not, you're
S2: still a professional athlete. If you get dropped, don't kick stones.
S2: The jersey isn't yours. It doesn't like yesterday they had
S2: your name on it in Vegas, but it doesn't for
S2: for most of the year. It's not. Your name's not
S2: on the back of the jersey. It's not your jersey.
S2: You have to perform. And if Cameron doesn't think he's
S2: performed well, then that's fair enough. He gets put down,
S2: he gets he he kicks stones. But you get over it.
S2: You go down there, you play the best you possibly
S2: can and you get yourself back in the side off
S2: your performances. So I just think he needs to do that.
S2: Too often we see kids, um, you know, get dropped
S2: and then straight away they're not happy. They speak to
S2: their managers, they agitate for a release. And I just
S2: I can't cop that. I really can't like you've got
S2: to show a bit of resilience, a bit of character,
S2: go through the tough times. Right? And like I said,
S2: he's gone through tough times before. So I, I want
S2: to see him stay in the Bulldogs jersey. I think
S2: he's a great player. But um yeah, we'll have to see.
S2: Wait and see because a lot can happen in rugby
S2: league boys.
S1: That's it. We're out of time. Thank you. We'll catch
S1: you next Monday on the show.
S3: Thanks, boys.
S2: Thank you.
S1: Josh Morris and Andrew Webster joining us there. Make sure
S1: you subscribe to the Continuous Call team through your podcast channels.
S1: We're also on YouTube and Instagram. We'll see you next time.