S1: Happy Friday everyone. Welcome to the Continuous Call Team daily podcast.
S1: Adam Haws with you. And today I'm joined by columnist
S1: for The Australian Andrew Webster. G'day.
S2: G'day, horsie.
S1: Wow. What a game we saw last night at Commbank
S1: Stadium was billed as a grand final preview. I'll tell
S1: you if that's the grand final. I'm happy because it
S1: was such an exciting spectacle. You didn't need 12 tries.
S1: It was three. Try match 126 for the Roosters over
S1: the Panthers. Very enjoyable.
S2: It was gritty. It was one for the purists. It's
S2: where defense actually, uh, dominated attack. For a lot of it.
S2: It was um it was it had certainly had that
S2: feeling of, of finals football and, you know, uh, you know,
S2: people sort of doubting, uh, Penrith without Isaiah. Yo. And
S2: it's going to be interesting to see how the season
S2: plays out for for Penrith without him. Um, but I
S2: just thought people have underestimated what James Tedesco does for
S2: that team and for them to the Roosters to to
S2: to win without you know their their fullback from whom
S2: so much of their halves play off the back of I,
S2: I just think it was uh it was a pretty
S2: impressive performance from uh, from the chooks.
S1: Well, especially given the background between both teams. It was
S1: 12 wins out of 13 for the Roosters going for
S1: the Panthers going into that match. So the Roosters that's
S1: an incredible performance including from the oldest bloke on the field,
S1: Daly Cherry-Evans. Why is he leaving the NRL to go
S1: to the Super League. He's he's killing it.
S2: What a story. Don't you reckon DC is is now
S2: the biggest story in this Premiership race. He has to
S2: be 37. He's missed it. You know what. What. You
S2: could count on one hand how many games he's missed
S2: in the last couple of years. Um as you said 37.
S2: He has brought the finish and the polish to the
S2: Roosters attack since joining them a year ago. Everyone was
S2: bagging the hell out of the Roosters. I'm pretty sure
S2: you're one of them because you like to bag things. He, uh,
S2: he he. Everyone's saying what? You know, he's old. He's
S2: past it, you know? Why would you sign, uh, DCE
S2: and he showed last night exactly why the rooster did
S2: get him. Um, I'm not surprised that he's signed with, uh,
S2: with Hull FC. It's, uh, it's been talked about, uh,
S2: at the Roosters for a while, but I think he'll
S2: go over there and then come back as an assistant coach,
S2: and they see him as being part of the Roosters
S2: furniture for for some time to come. Like, as I said, he,
S2: you know, Walker's been great. Walker's been was great in
S2: origin and he deserves as much money as he can
S2: squeeze out of his next deal with the Roosters. But
S2: let's not underestimate, uh, the the Cherry-Evans ability to get
S2: them over the line, not just last night, but throughout the,
S2: throughout the season. So it's some story heading into the finals.
S1: So we're saying he's going to do a Cronk. He's
S1: going to do what Cooper Cronk did. Came to the Roosters.
S1: He was the missing piece of the jigsaw puzzle. He
S1: gets him over the line as Cooper Cronk, did. You
S1: seeing that happening?
S2: Well, that's that was the comparisons that were made last year.
S2: And people were laughing at it and going, well, you know,
S2: Cherry Evans is no is no Cooper Cronk. And now
S2: it's all turning out again. Baggers like you. I hope
S2: you've got your tail between your legs and you've got
S2: your apology.
S1: I'm a huge Roosters rooster man. No, not.
S2: Not. You're a paramedic. What are you talking about?
S1: Mate, we're not going to. Good, eh? Um. It's very DCE.
S1: He could possibly start his career with a premiership 2011
S1: at manly and then finish with a premiership at the
S1: Roosters 2026. That's very.
S2: Good. Bookend it. He could. He could bookend it.
S1: But is there.
S2: A little I mean let's let's get let's get fair dinkum.
S2: Like you know he's he deserves to be remembered regardless
S2: of what happens this year. But you know, if a
S2: premiership would be the, you know, the icing on the cake.
S2: But you know, he's second only to Cameron Smith in
S2: terms of games played. He's uh captained Queensland to origin
S2: series victories, including in 2020 when they were dubbed the
S2: worst team ever. Um, you know, I'm not saying it
S2: should be the next immortal, but let's, you know, he's
S2: a much maligned character, Cherry Evans. And, you know, I've
S2: been critical of him at times as well. Uh, but he,
S2: he took, he, he deserves, you know, the, all the
S2: credit he gets at the moment for, for what he's
S2: done in the game.
S1: He sure does. Uh, is there a little dark cloud
S1: hanging over Bondi Junction, though, with, uh, Sam Walker putting
S1: contract talks on hold until the end of the season?
S1: What's your mail there?
S2: Uh, well, it's a really interesting one in the sense
S2: that I don't think this was necessarily driven by his management.
S2: The calls I've made to the Roosters in the last
S2: couple of days to get to the bottom of this
S2: is it's, um, it that it was basically Sam Walker
S2: who said, I want to put this off until after
S2: the season and get the deal done before November 1st.
S2: So there was no indication at all that they want
S2: to go to market on November 1st. When, when, when
S2: Walker can talk to other clubs. I don't think there's
S2: a bit of a fear at the Roosters that the
S2: Broncos might be sniffing around. He's obviously a Queenslander and
S2: was part of that system before he left and came to, uh,
S2: to to Bondi Junction. It um, well, Bondi or Moorpark
S2: or wherever you want to say they're based out of.
S2: I know I said Bondi Junction.
S1: I said Bondi Junction, we always say Bondi.
S2: Did you say Bondi Junction?
S1: Yeah. I set the tone.
S2: Because that's where their legs club is isn't it? Yeah.
S2: But now it's more park anyway.
S1: Well clarify.
S2: That. What were we talking about? Oh that's right. Um
S2: um uh I, as I understand it, the, the offer
S2: is a lot more than a little bit more than
S2: what's been reported. It's actually one point for a year
S2: or so. What's that 5.6 over over four years. So
S2: it's good coin. I think the risk is with Sam
S2: Walker putting off contract or getting signing the deal now
S2: and getting it done before the finals. Like if you know,
S2: if they get if they tank, if he has a
S2: shocker in the first couple of weeks of the final series,
S2: then there's a view among some of the roosters that
S2: he's value certainly, uh, decreases. So, um, you know, good
S2: on Sam Walker for backing himself. I suppose the point is,
S2: if he leads him to the comp alongside DCE, what's
S2: he asking? $2 million a year. He could be. He's
S2: he's price goes up. So it's an interesting dynamic.
S1: Yeah. Why would there be any reservations about his form
S1: in the finals. I think he's shown this year he's
S1: he can make the step up. I thought he was
S1: outstanding for Queensland State of Origin. If they won that
S1: series he wins the Wally Lewis medal. So I don't
S1: know why there'd be any doubts over his capacity to
S1: step up.
S2: I'm not saying.
S1: That finals footy. What are you.
S2: Saying? I didn't say that. I did say listen to
S2: what I say, for God's sake. I said, if he
S2: doesn't go well in the finals, then his price goes down. Jesus.
S2: Jesus beating things up. He's the old hack. The old
S2: Sunday Telegraph hack just comes out.
S1: You've started the ashes early, mate. Um. What about. Yeah.
S2: Good, good.
S1: You got some news?
S2: How dare you?
S1: You got some news on Hudson Young as well, because, uh,
S1: this would be unbearable for any Raiders fan if he
S1: ended up with the Perth Bears or something, because he
S1: is their best player.
S2: I don't think he'll end up at the Perth Bears. I, I,
S2: I would be surprised. To be honest, if he doesn't
S2: end up at the at the PNG Chiefs. Um, I
S2: was surprised at how, um, uh, what's the best way
S2: to describe this? How. Matter of fact, the Canberra Raiders
S2: were about, uh, the interest from the Chiefs in Hudson Young. Uh,
S2: they're sitting down with his manager, Sam Ayoub, in the
S2: next week or so. And I wouldn't be surprised if
S2: the Raiders gave him a a ten day window like
S2: we've seen with Toto, like we've seen with, with other players, um,
S2: to negotiate with the Chiefs. I think they're of the
S2: opinion like other clubs that if the Chiefs are coming
S2: for one of their players, that they can't compete with
S2: it because of the tax free incentives. So we might
S2: as well rip the band aid off now and get
S2: the get, get it over and done with. Um, you know,
S2: Hudson Young is what 28 almost 29. He's he'll be
S2: coming off an Achilles uh, serious Achilles injury that's got
S2: him sidelined at the moment. Uh, this is the you know, when,
S2: when when the Chiefs got Brian Totto earlier in the week.
S2: Penrith were okay with it because they know that they
S2: can't hold on to their big name players. And as
S2: they've shown over the last 4 or 5 years, they've
S2: got the junior system in place to be able to
S2: replace those players. But Canberra aren't that club. They you know,
S2: they they are always up against it just by virtue
S2: of where they're located. They can't they struggle with Sydney clubs.
S2: They they struggle with the Roosters or the Broncos because
S2: they just don't have um they don't just don't have
S2: the third parties available to, to, to retain, uh, their
S2: best players. So, um, I think they're being pragmatic about it.
S2: Canberra and I will be surprised if um, if Hudson
S2: Young stays, to be honest, but, um, you know, there's
S2: a lot of water to go under the bridge first.
S2: We'll see what happens.
S1: Yeah. Well Michael Chalmers is doing a great job up
S1: there for the Chiefs. He needs to sign some forwards.
S1: So Hudson Young would be a good start. He also
S1: needs some young players at some stage. Uh they're all
S1: they're all 30 or plus aren't they.
S2: Well that's right. We said this on Monday, the over
S2: 30 cop P and G. That's how they're going to
S2: start their campaign playing in the 30s. Yeah. Well exactly.
S2: But you know you say that chambers has done a
S2: good job and Michael has he's getting bashed up a
S2: little bit. Um they're saying, you know, they've got this
S2: all these tax free incentives to lure these players, but
S2: they've also got to be smart enough and savvy enough.
S2: Both him and Liam Mayhew, the recruitment, uh, manager up
S2: there to identify who they want and where to get them. And, uh,
S2: it's going to be interesting, though, once November 1st strikes
S2: just how much who they feel the rest of the
S2: squad up with.
S1: Well, hopefully.
S2: Yeah. But I think that's the plan down the track.
S2: I don't think you can just go and pull them
S2: out of the the PNG competition and put them in
S2: the NRL team. I know you got the hunters there
S2: but it's like you need you know you it's going
S2: to they're going to have to get other players, younger
S2: players from the NRL, uh, ecosystem.
S1: When we when you were wined and dined by the
S1: Telegraph and the Herald and the Australian throughout your career.
S1: I mean, did you go and tour the facilities? I
S1: did find that surprising that Brian Tahoe made his decision,
S1: you know, a massive decision in his career without actually
S1: checking where he was going.
S2: Yeah. When buzz got me over to The Telegraph in 2009,
S2: that's exactly what we did. We strolled the corridors of
S2: at Holt Street, then. No, we went to the Aurora
S2: hotel across the road and got drunk in the tab section.
S1: Yeah. And I did.
S2: It and I went and I, and I'm sorry, this
S2: I digress and buzz goes, I don't want to talk
S2: money at the start, you know, of the night and
S2: then by the fifth schooner, how much is it going
S2: to cost.
S1: You? Scribbling.
S2: Scribbling stuff. Yeah, that was it. Yeah, yeah. And then
S2: I woke up the next morning and said, buzz, what
S2: did we discuss last night? Um. Uh, no. Yeah, it
S2: is funny. There's not much you can really see in PNG,
S2: I think. I think when they took Louie up there
S2: the first time, they showed him a hole in the
S2: ground where the, where the centre of excellence was going
S2: to be. So, um, I hopefully they, they'll progress from there.
S2: And again, I do find it a bit funny where
S2: the chiefs say that, you know, they're coming here for
S2: the vision and they're coming for a belief in something new.
S2: And I get all that. But let's get fair dinkum.
S2: It's the money. It's the tax free money.
S1: Yep, yep. I remember when Jarome Luai signed. He actually
S1: didn't even admit that either. He said oh it's a
S1: chance to be part of something new and all this
S1: and but it's the cash. Come on. What about Parramatta mate? Um.
S1: Jim Sorrentino's, CEO since 2019, the eels are targeting someone
S1: new to take over. Tell us about.
S2: It. That's right. Matt Cameron, the, uh, the CEO of, uh,
S2: of Penrith. Uh, just on Jim Sorrentino's. My nickname for
S2: Jim is real because if you called him to. Are
S2: you sacking Brad Arthur? He's just like the wall. The wall,
S2: just the forward defence. You couldn't get anything past, uh, Jimmy.
S2: God love him. Um, and he's done a good job
S2: at Parramatta, you have to say. I know people will
S2: sort of think that they're divided on what his legacy is.
S2: They did make a grand final and you did take
S2: over in pretty dire circumstances at, uh, at Parramatta. Mate.
S2: I wouldn't, there wouldn't be an NRL, NRL club that
S2: wouldn't want Matt Cameron. Um uh what he's done at
S2: Penrith and the system that he's set up, uh, alongside
S2: Phil Gould many years ago has sustained that success for premierships,
S2: five grand finals, um, you know, uh, and up to
S2: their eyeballs in this year's premiership as well. So Matt
S2: Cameron is considered one of the one of the smartest
S2: football operators in the game. I, I know Parramatta might
S2: be interested in him. I've actually said this to Peter V'landys.
S2: You know what I would do? I'd go and throw
S2: the chequebook at Matt Cameron and make him the definitive
S2: head of football at the NRL. He's the man. He
S2: understands the game on the field. He understands the cap.
S2: He understands clubland. He is um he is one of the, uh,
S2: the smartest operators I think I've ever dealt with in
S2: this game. I'd be making him a definitive head of
S2: football because that's what the NRL needs. That's what they need.
S2: They need. They need someone to take control of the cap,
S2: someone to take control of third parties, of player agents
S2: of of referees and the on field product. And I
S2: think Matt Cameron would be perfect for that role.
S1: Take control of journalists like yourself. No more negative comments. Uh, um.
S2: He could be the media cop. He could be the
S2: media cop.
S1: Can you can you can you let me try?
S2: Can he can try.
S1: Baby, you'll be gagged one day. Can you, um, at
S1: least let Parramatta have a crack at him first before
S1: you siphon him off to the NRL? He did start
S1: at Parramatta. Parramatta. Don't forget.
S2: That. I'm. I'm aware. I'm aware, I'm aware. But, uh,
S2: I don't know. I don't I can't see them. I
S2: can't see him walking away from Penrith at um at
S2: the moment.
S1: Yeah. He's very good. He doesn't he doesn't crave the limelight.
S2: If he doesn't at all he, he that's what I
S2: love about Matty. He's, uh, he's just, uh, he just
S2: gets in and gets it done. And the proof has
S2: been there for all to see with what Penrith have
S2: done in the last few years.
S1: Okay. Now, I heard recently that the NRL had gone
S1: cool on acquiring the Super League, but apparently that's back
S1: on the table. Any info on that?
S2: Uh, yeah. Well, I think the, the, the, uh, Super
S2: League clubs, uh, discussed it last night and I think
S2: they come back in two weeks with, uh, with what the, uh,
S2: what they want. Um, it's 60 million over five years
S2: from the NRL. I, I know some in the Super
S2: League think that's too light. I think others understand exactly, uh,
S2: where the Super League is. I'm all for it. I
S2: think the most important thing is less to do with
S2: the equity that, that the NRL want to um uh
S2: want to want to buy into it in super League.
S2: But and more, certainly more about them running the Super League.
S2: That's what they need. You talk to people in the
S2: Super League. That's what they need. They need they need
S2: some direction. Uh and you know Peter V'landys and the
S2: NRL have shown that they're pretty good at running the
S2: game of rugby league. Given what's happened in the last
S2: few years. Uh, I think it's a smart idea because
S2: the game I'm not big on global round. I think it's, uh.
S2: It's a bit gibberish, to be honest. Um, I like Vegas.
S2: It's a good start to the year. Uh, I don't
S2: think we're going to crack the American market, but it
S2: provides so much impetus for the for the start of
S2: the NRL season. But you, uh, if you had a
S2: strong super League, the transfer of players to. And from there,
S2: I know Cherry Evans is going over to Hull. Um,
S2: you I think that's I think that could only be
S2: a healthy thing. I don't think we want, uh, English
S2: football to wither on the vine and the NRL taking
S2: control of of the Super League and running it can
S2: only be a good thing.
S1: Yeah. And look, we should celebrate if it happens with
S1: the World Club Challenge, like 1997. Bring over Wakefield and Bradford.
S1: Remember those glory days? The all English clubs made the
S1: finals without winning a game. It was just brilliant. We
S1: loved it.
S2: I tell you what. Well, on that on that note.
S2: Right on that note though. Right. Remember when you when
S2: we were we were kids and you're, you're, you know,
S2: significantly older than I am. Um, it's just look at
S2: our heads. No. When we were kids like those Challenge
S2: Cup finals were something to get up and watch in
S2: the middle of the night. Definitely they're not. They don't
S2: hold that prestige like they used to. And you want
S2: to get English football back to that that, um, that
S2: gravitas like I remember. And English football is fantastic. I
S2: went to a Warrington game a few years ago and
S2: it just, uh, it was such a, it's a vibe
S2: as the kids say.
S1: Yeah.
S2: Sterling vibe.
S1: Sterling v Kenny, 1995 at Wembley. It was brilliant. That's right. Yeah, yeah. Uh, Webby,
S1: have yourself a great weekend and, uh, wonderful job today.
S1: Probably your best, I'd say of the year.
S2: The best of the year.
S1: Yeah. And well done with the paint job. Yeah, yeah.
S2: It's. You like.
S1: That? Yeah. Not bad. Okay. There he is.
S2: Andrew Webster and matches and matches. Matches my mood dark.
S1: Check out his column in the weekend. Australians must read material. Uh,
S1: thank you for tuning in to the continuous call team
S1: daily all week. Have a great weekend. You can catch
S1: us on Instagram and YouTube and I'll see you Monday.