WEBVTT - Mark My Words: Storytime & Mailbag Madness 0:00:10.160 --> 0:00:13.920 Hi everyone. Welcome to Mark my words. Yes our Monday edition. 0:00:13.920 --> 0:00:16.520 We are back. It's public holiday. So you're listening to us. 0:00:16.520 --> 0:00:17.920 How good this is going to be a little bit 0:00:17.920 --> 0:00:19.840 different to what you're used to. This is story time, 0:00:19.840 --> 0:00:23.279 your questions and everything else. So, gentlemen, Piggy Riddell is here. 0:00:23.280 --> 0:00:26.800 Mark your boy's big weekend of public holiday rugby league, 0:00:26.840 --> 0:00:29.720 of course, Monday with the Bulldogs and Parramatta. Yeah, but 0:00:30.000 --> 0:00:31.720 there's a lot of injuries at the moment. Right. And 0:00:31.720 --> 0:00:33.120 you guys have been around the game for a long, 0:00:33.120 --> 0:00:34.600 long time. And I thought we would have a look 0:00:34.600 --> 0:00:38.200 at some of the weirdest, wackiest and uh, out there 0:00:38.200 --> 0:00:41.480 injuries that you've seen or experienced yourselves on the football 0:00:41.479 --> 0:00:42.839 field any spring to mind? 0:00:42.880 --> 0:00:46.240 Wow. Well, one straight off the top is origin. Mick 0:00:46.240 --> 0:00:50.239 de Vere. When doctor Doctor John Orchard had the stapler 0:00:50.280 --> 0:00:53.480 out on the field. Ding ding ding ding ding just 0:00:53.479 --> 0:00:54.200 nailing him. 0:00:54.240 --> 0:00:55.680 That was the last time that ever happened as well. 0:00:55.720 --> 0:00:57.840 Last time. Yeah. And they they never did that again 0:00:57.840 --> 0:00:58.240 did they. 0:00:58.600 --> 0:01:01.070 I was graphic oh yeah. Oh my goodness. 0:01:01.470 --> 0:01:03.630 Who would imagine that these days? 0:01:03.670 --> 0:01:05.350 No, they wouldn't let you wouldn't be allowed to like 0:01:05.390 --> 0:01:07.310 a lot of things in the game. I, um, I 0:01:07.350 --> 0:01:10.350 played with a guy called in 1988 when Ron Willey 0:01:10.350 --> 0:01:12.870 came to Penrith. He brought along a couple of hombres 0:01:12.870 --> 0:01:17.470 from Bulldogs Peter Kelly, Chris Mortimer, plus another, you know, 0:01:17.510 --> 0:01:19.910 other bunch of players who kind of taught us how 0:01:19.950 --> 0:01:22.069 us mountain men, how to be tough and how to 0:01:22.069 --> 0:01:25.070 train and stuff. And um, Brad Fittler was on the 0:01:25.069 --> 0:01:30.509 peripheral of making his first grade semi-final debut in 1989. 0:01:31.230 --> 0:01:34.789 Um but Chris Mortimer didn't. We were playing the Tigers, 0:01:34.790 --> 0:01:37.670 who were the meanest, toughest team in the competition back 0:01:37.670 --> 0:01:38.990 then with Cyril and Blocker. 0:01:39.110 --> 0:01:40.710 Yeah, they were in the grand final the year before 0:01:40.709 --> 0:01:43.310 and obviously ended up making. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 0:01:43.550 --> 0:01:45.470 Um, so we're playing our first final I think was 0:01:45.470 --> 0:01:48.070 elimination final at Sydney Footy Stadium. But the week leading 0:01:48.070 --> 0:01:50.430 up to it, Louis Mortimer had broken his thumb about 0:01:50.430 --> 0:01:52.550 four weeks ago and was six weeks ago was out. 0:01:52.790 --> 0:01:54.310 So he still had another two weeks to go with 0:01:54.310 --> 0:01:57.270 his broken thumb and was sitting in the dressing room 0:01:57.270 --> 0:02:01.100 before training one day and Louis said, fuck this, he said. 0:02:01.500 --> 0:02:03.180 I said, what do you mean? He goes, I've got 0:02:03.180 --> 0:02:04.900 two weeks to go. I said, yeah. He said, I'm 0:02:04.900 --> 0:02:07.380 going to take this off. I'm taking this out. I said, 0:02:07.380 --> 0:02:09.900 you can't take that. It's broken. He had like one 0:02:09.900 --> 0:02:10.220 of them. 0:02:10.419 --> 0:02:10.739 Wire. 0:02:11.139 --> 0:02:11.660 Velcro. 0:02:11.700 --> 0:02:12.220 Oh yeah. 0:02:12.380 --> 0:02:14.140 With cast iron. So he took the cast off. He 0:02:14.139 --> 0:02:16.940 went to his truck. He was a carpenter or. 0:02:17.180 --> 0:02:18.740 Oh, no. We're not saying what we're going to say. 0:02:18.740 --> 0:02:21.460 We are. He came back to the sheds. He got 0:02:21.460 --> 0:02:25.780 these pliers, had a pin inserted in his thumb. He 0:02:25.780 --> 0:02:29.139 pulled his the the the pin out of his thumb. 0:02:29.139 --> 0:02:32.660 And there was Ben Alexander, Steve Carter, Brad Fittler, they 0:02:32.660 --> 0:02:36.100 almost all fainted. They couldn't believe he did it. And 0:02:36.340 --> 0:02:38.380 we all go, what are you doing, Louis? What are 0:02:38.380 --> 0:02:42.180 you doing? He said, fuck it, I'm playing. The irony is, 0:02:42.380 --> 0:02:45.139 the irony is he got picked on the bench that 0:02:45.139 --> 0:02:48.380 Brad Fittler started anyway because he was trying to protect Freddy. Yeah. 0:02:48.419 --> 0:02:51.020 You know he's he's this one of the best blokes 0:02:51.020 --> 0:02:53.019 you'll ever meet in the game. Yeah. But the most 0:02:53.020 --> 0:02:56.419 gruesome thing I've ever seen in person was him pulling 0:02:56.419 --> 0:02:57.299 out this pin. 0:02:57.740 --> 0:02:59.859 And what happened like it was fine. 0:03:00.530 --> 0:03:02.050 But then you watch the game. He came on as 0:03:02.050 --> 0:03:04.530 a replacement. He's kind of holding it in, protecting it. 0:03:05.530 --> 0:03:07.369 But he was just that's the toughest thing I've ever 0:03:07.370 --> 0:03:09.489 seen in my life and one of the most gruesome 0:03:09.490 --> 0:03:10.090 things I've ever seen. 0:03:10.130 --> 0:03:12.410 And here we got the Broncos whingeing about training, too. Yeah. 0:03:12.450 --> 0:03:12.850 Come on. 0:03:12.930 --> 0:03:16.089 See that scar? That's. Yeah. I don't know what it's called, 0:03:16.090 --> 0:03:18.290 but that I got a plate and nine screws still 0:03:18.290 --> 0:03:21.730 in that now, I came back in three weeks from 0:03:21.730 --> 0:03:22.529 that operation. 0:03:22.570 --> 0:03:23.850 What did you say your pin out. 0:03:23.889 --> 0:03:26.090 No I wasn't, I didn't have it in I healed, 0:03:26.130 --> 0:03:29.130 I still remember it. I was at Parramatta. Right. I smacked. 0:03:29.130 --> 0:03:30.970 It. That's a really common isn't it. Yeah. 0:03:31.010 --> 0:03:32.690 Because you're going like that. And I smacked it on 0:03:32.690 --> 0:03:34.649 someone's elbow. I think it was like carrying the ball 0:03:34.650 --> 0:03:37.010 and obviously hit it there, broke it. And I had 0:03:37.010 --> 0:03:39.170 it operated on the next day and then I came 0:03:39.170 --> 0:03:41.810 back in three weeks. But what I did, I don't 0:03:41.810 --> 0:03:44.290 think I should tell this, but what I did right. 0:03:44.330 --> 0:03:48.290 You know, when the um, the, uh, refs come in, 0:03:48.330 --> 0:03:50.410 the linesmen and they check your boots and they check 0:03:50.450 --> 0:03:53.650 your pads and everything. So I had to have it strapped. 0:03:53.650 --> 0:03:55.890 I had it strapped. I'm pretty sure just with strap 0:03:55.890 --> 0:03:58.370 and tight. And I had a guard made one of 0:03:58.370 --> 0:04:01.520 those big plastic or fiberglass? Yeah, fiberglass. And it was 0:04:01.520 --> 0:04:05.040 molded around there, then molded right across here and around 0:04:05.040 --> 0:04:07.200 my wrist. And then so when they'd come and check 0:04:07.200 --> 0:04:09.240 and they'd go, oh yeah, that's all good. And then 0:04:09.280 --> 0:04:12.200 see you boys and go bang, whack, put it on. 0:04:12.680 --> 0:04:14.920 Well, there was, there was, there was rumor in the 80s, 0:04:14.960 --> 0:04:17.200 mid 80s that the Bulldogs wore these. 0:04:17.360 --> 0:04:17.720 Shoulder. 0:04:17.720 --> 0:04:18.000 Pads. 0:04:18.279 --> 0:04:19.440 Shoulder pads. Yeah I heard. 0:04:19.480 --> 0:04:21.360 And then they they get checked. And then as soon 0:04:21.360 --> 0:04:22.840 as the refs walk out the door they put their 0:04:22.839 --> 0:04:23.559 shoulder pads on. 0:04:25.520 --> 0:04:27.440 I think there's a few stories about a lot of 0:04:27.440 --> 0:04:29.680 players that have done those sorts of things. They let 0:04:29.680 --> 0:04:29.960 the refs. 0:04:30.279 --> 0:04:30.920 Now with these. 0:04:30.960 --> 0:04:34.920 The arm guards and I think someone had bicep ones 0:04:34.920 --> 0:04:36.600 one time and they did the same thing. They'd wait 0:04:36.600 --> 0:04:37.839 for the refs to come in and then just. 0:04:37.880 --> 0:04:39.560 Can I tell you a funny story? Because as you know, 0:04:39.560 --> 0:04:41.440 I used to referee, right? Yeah. When I was a 0:04:41.440 --> 0:04:44.279 bit younger and bit fitter, obviously a lot fitter. I 0:04:44.320 --> 0:04:45.839 went in one day to do that. I was the 0:04:45.839 --> 0:04:47.920 touch judge for an A grade game. And when I 0:04:47.920 --> 0:04:49.720 was in the Saint George comp, I won't name the 0:04:49.720 --> 0:04:53.920 team because people will put two and two together and say, no, no, no, 0:04:53.920 --> 0:04:57.440 no no no no. Earlwood Saints. Um, so I went in, 0:04:57.440 --> 0:04:59.160 I went into the sheds because you had to check 0:04:59.160 --> 0:04:59.950 the nails and the boots. 0:04:59.990 --> 0:05:00.270 Boots? 0:05:00.270 --> 0:05:02.310 Yep. And I'll never forget there was one bloke that 0:05:02.310 --> 0:05:04.830 played for Earlwood and he was a cheeky bugger. In fact, 0:05:04.830 --> 0:05:08.150 I don't think he's around anymore. They called him Davo. Right. 0:05:08.589 --> 0:05:13.590 Davo had a Prince Albert. So I'm going around checking for. Because, like, 0:05:13.589 --> 0:05:16.070 if they had earrings, you had to take it out. Nails, 0:05:16.070 --> 0:05:18.910 boots and everything else. Davo has dropped. He's he's geed 0:05:18.910 --> 0:05:20.590 up all his team mates. So I've walked in and 0:05:20.589 --> 0:05:22.549 he's just pulled his pants down and showed the Prince 0:05:22.550 --> 0:05:25.350 Albert and I had to go back to the referee's 0:05:25.350 --> 0:05:27.430 boss and say, I don't know how to deal with this. 0:05:27.990 --> 0:05:29.750 He said, do not walk back in there. 0:05:30.830 --> 0:05:32.790 Well, it is hidden. It is hidden, I suppose. 0:05:32.990 --> 0:05:34.790 But I mean, you couldn't play rugby league with that, 0:05:34.790 --> 0:05:35.070 could you? 0:05:35.110 --> 0:05:36.390 Yeah. Why not? 0:05:36.589 --> 0:05:36.950 Piggy. 0:05:40.190 --> 0:05:41.070 Piggy has. 0:05:42.790 --> 0:05:45.470 Mate. I actually should I tell this? 0:05:45.510 --> 0:05:46.310 Yeah. Go on. 0:05:46.350 --> 0:05:47.030 Should I tell. 0:05:47.070 --> 0:05:47.349 Yes. 0:05:47.390 --> 0:05:47.669 Go on. 0:05:48.029 --> 0:05:49.430 What's the barometer? Five or. 0:05:49.589 --> 0:05:51.950 It's not rude. It's not rude. No, it's. I just 0:05:51.950 --> 0:05:53.789 don't know if I really want this out there. 0:05:54.230 --> 0:05:55.550 Um, well, you've committed now. 0:05:55.910 --> 0:05:57.870 When I, when I was playing in the lower grades 0:05:57.870 --> 0:06:02.580 at the Roosters, I was a bit left of center. 0:06:02.900 --> 0:06:03.900 You still are, mate. You know. 0:06:03.900 --> 0:06:07.100 That. I went and got my nipple pierced. This nipple 0:06:07.100 --> 0:06:07.659 right here? 0:06:07.980 --> 0:06:08.900 Yes. 0:06:08.940 --> 0:06:11.659 With a ball, a, uh, you know, like the U 0:06:11.700 --> 0:06:14.140 shaped bull rings with the two balls on the end. 0:06:14.820 --> 0:06:19.420 Swear to God. So I was playing each week. Why 0:06:19.420 --> 0:06:20.300 am I telling this? 0:06:20.339 --> 0:06:21.460 Well, you're playing with it in. 0:06:21.500 --> 0:06:24.700 Yeah. So what do I do? Right. The trainer would get, 0:06:24.700 --> 0:06:26.580 you know, the foam sticky pad. 0:06:26.620 --> 0:06:26.940 Yeah, yeah. 0:06:26.940 --> 0:06:28.780 The yellow. Cut it out. Strip it off. And they'd 0:06:28.779 --> 0:06:31.180 cut a hole in the middle. And they'd put that 0:06:31.180 --> 0:06:33.580 over it a couple of times. And then they'd put 0:06:33.580 --> 0:06:36.539 the protection over it with no hole, and then they'd 0:06:36.540 --> 0:06:37.860 strap me around. 0:06:38.060 --> 0:06:40.420 Well, for a for, for. 0:06:40.420 --> 0:06:42.460 And then for a nipple ring. Yes. Because I couldn't 0:06:42.500 --> 0:06:45.299 take it out. And then I'm going deeper. 0:06:45.339 --> 0:06:45.900 Here you are. 0:06:46.180 --> 0:06:49.700 Right. And then I was leaving the roosters. Roosters had 0:06:49.700 --> 0:06:51.260 to let me go because they obviously. 0:06:51.420 --> 0:06:51.940 Couldn't afford you. 0:06:52.220 --> 0:06:52.460 Know. 0:06:52.500 --> 0:06:52.779 They had. 0:06:52.820 --> 0:06:54.860 Good players in front of me, you know. So I 0:06:54.860 --> 0:06:57.339 was going to the Dragons and before I signed at 0:06:57.339 --> 0:07:00.650 the Dragons I I'll get my manager ringing me saying, mate, 0:07:00.690 --> 0:07:02.490 there's a chance the deal's not going to go through. 0:07:02.490 --> 0:07:04.810 I'm like, why? And he's like, someone's told him, you 0:07:04.850 --> 0:07:07.010 got a nipple ring. He goes, I told him it 0:07:07.010 --> 0:07:09.170 was bullshit, like you don't have a nipple ring. And 0:07:09.170 --> 0:07:11.610 I'm like, no, I don't have a nipple ring. No. 0:07:11.650 --> 0:07:15.450 No way. My dad came out to the garage, took 0:07:15.450 --> 0:07:18.490 me out there. Boom. Oh no, I didn't rip it. 0:07:18.490 --> 0:07:18.970 But like. 0:07:19.210 --> 0:07:21.130 Boom, popped the thing, took it out, and that was 0:07:21.130 --> 0:07:23.970 the end of it. No. Wow. No more nipple rings. 0:07:24.010 --> 0:07:24.530 Story time. 0:07:24.890 --> 0:07:25.930 I still don't mind the. 0:07:29.530 --> 0:07:30.810 253 channels. 0:07:31.930 --> 0:07:34.610 What the hell's happened to this? Do we have to hit, like, 0:07:34.610 --> 0:07:36.650 an explicit button for this podcast? Wow. 0:07:36.890 --> 0:07:38.570 I only went to radio. 0:07:38.770 --> 0:07:40.530 So like, that's a pretty what was the sort of 0:07:40.570 --> 0:07:41.970 worst injury that you suffered? 0:07:42.010 --> 0:07:44.690 Um, oh, it was after footy when I, um, I 0:07:44.730 --> 0:07:47.490 broke both my tib fib playing up at uh, a 0:07:47.530 --> 0:07:50.610 charity footy game at Coffs Harbour. Oh did you. Yeah. 0:07:50.650 --> 0:07:54.410 And uh the um barbarians were playing like a, a 0:07:54.450 --> 0:07:57.369 nines tournament and I was like five years, five years retired. 0:07:57.370 --> 0:08:00.320 So I was 37 in the first game on Sunday 0:08:00.320 --> 0:08:02.800 after we all hung over playing. I've gone up for 0:08:02.960 --> 0:08:04.760 hit the ball up and a bloke has tackled me 0:08:04.760 --> 0:08:06.880 around the legs and as I went to offload, the 0:08:06.880 --> 0:08:08.680 blokes pushed me over the back of this bloke. 0:08:08.720 --> 0:08:09.080 Ah. 0:08:09.280 --> 0:08:16.480 And my tib fib spiral spiral fracture. Yeah. Like, um 0:08:17.160 --> 0:08:21.200 the manly player just recently um who had had it done. Um. 0:08:22.200 --> 0:08:25.320 All right. So bad, bad. Yeah. And we're about an 0:08:25.320 --> 0:08:29.679 hour from an ambo. All I'm doing is pumping VB 0:08:29.720 --> 0:08:30.160 into me. 0:08:31.880 --> 0:08:32.640 Are you serious? 0:08:32.679 --> 0:08:34.960 I'm serious. The ambos come. 0:08:35.000 --> 0:08:37.080 No green whistle. Just the green. 0:08:37.120 --> 0:08:40.240 VB how's it going, mate? It was like a funnel. 0:08:40.240 --> 0:08:45.160 I'm going. Oh. And then the ambos come. They said, 0:08:45.160 --> 0:08:49.160 what have you had? I said, VB what? My foot's 0:08:49.160 --> 0:08:52.440 on that on the side. And the one of the 0:08:52.440 --> 0:08:55.920 ambulance drivers was a lady. She goes, take this. They said, 0:08:55.920 --> 0:08:57.679 we'll see you in two days. I woke up two 0:08:57.679 --> 0:08:59.230 days later in hospital, my legs up. 0:08:59.670 --> 0:09:00.390 All done. 0:09:00.630 --> 0:09:02.390 And my wife sitting next to me. I said, what the. 0:09:02.429 --> 0:09:04.390 What's going on? She goes, I come up yesterday. You've 0:09:04.390 --> 0:09:06.949 been asleep for two days. Really? Yeah. 0:09:06.990 --> 0:09:08.710 Wow. That's a bad one. 0:09:08.750 --> 0:09:10.510 And then that was that was shocking. But I didn't 0:09:10.550 --> 0:09:13.590 like through touch with through my career. I didn't have like, 0:09:13.590 --> 0:09:17.110 no knees, no shoulders. I had a groin in 1990 0:09:17.150 --> 0:09:19.350 that was kept me out for about eight weeks. Um, 0:09:19.390 --> 0:09:21.590 that was probably the biggest pain in the arse because you, 0:09:21.670 --> 0:09:23.150 you can't really treat groins. No. 0:09:23.190 --> 0:09:26.030 Like I've had the similar operated on groins. 0:09:26.070 --> 0:09:28.430 Yeah. Neil Halpern same. 0:09:29.070 --> 0:09:32.550 I remember taking you remember video easy. What did you 0:09:32.550 --> 0:09:33.030 what happened then. 0:09:33.670 --> 0:09:34.350 Let's move on. 0:09:35.030 --> 0:09:37.910 You remember video easy. This is like this is embarrassing. 0:09:37.910 --> 0:09:40.150 I listen to your story video easy, easy. 0:09:40.390 --> 0:09:42.430 You you you get a paper cut. 0:09:42.710 --> 0:09:44.550 I slammed my finger in the door. That's the worst 0:09:44.550 --> 0:09:45.350 injury I've suffered. 0:09:45.390 --> 0:09:49.950 What about what about the great David Morrow? Story of 0:09:49.950 --> 0:09:52.830 the player in Tumut? Oh, can you tell? Because you 0:09:52.830 --> 0:09:55.030 probably remember. Do you remember it better than me with 0:09:55.030 --> 0:09:55.590 his knee? 0:09:55.630 --> 0:09:56.510 Yeah. So, David. 0:09:56.550 --> 0:09:59.140 This is how cold it was down in Tumut one day. 0:09:59.300 --> 0:10:00.220 Davey calling the game. 0:10:00.260 --> 0:10:01.260 I think he was down there. 0:10:01.300 --> 0:10:03.020 He was calling there might have been calling a game, 0:10:03.059 --> 0:10:07.660 but this is the late, great broadcaster. ABC two GB legend, legend, legend, 0:10:07.660 --> 0:10:08.180 legend Dave. 0:10:08.220 --> 0:10:08.860 Great man. 0:10:08.900 --> 0:10:12.060 He swears that he was in Tumut and called a 0:10:12.059 --> 0:10:14.220 game where a bloke broke his leg in the middle 0:10:14.220 --> 0:10:16.219 of the game and. 0:10:17.020 --> 0:10:17.420 It was that. 0:10:17.460 --> 0:10:20.460 Wet. It was that wet that the ice froze over 0:10:20.460 --> 0:10:20.860 his leg. 0:10:20.900 --> 0:10:23.060 Around his knee and leg where he broke. 0:10:23.059 --> 0:10:24.179 It, waiting for the ambulance. 0:10:24.179 --> 0:10:24.620 Waiting for the. 0:10:24.620 --> 0:10:25.900 Ambulance. We called back. 0:10:25.940 --> 0:10:29.339 We called mate. I've never heard something so ridiculous in my. 0:10:29.340 --> 0:10:30.300 Life, but he swears it's. 0:10:30.300 --> 0:10:30.500 True. 0:10:30.540 --> 0:10:31.660 I agree with him. 0:10:31.700 --> 0:10:35.260 So he's saying that the whoever is laying on the 0:10:35.260 --> 0:10:38.420 ground and. And it's that wet that it was and 0:10:38.420 --> 0:10:41.819 cold that the ice froze around the leg got broken. 0:10:42.179 --> 0:10:44.180 And was Game of Thrones before Game of Thrones. 0:10:44.700 --> 0:10:46.380 But you know what, the more and more I think 0:10:46.380 --> 0:10:48.220 about it, I am going to call BS because if 0:10:48.260 --> 0:10:51.180 you're playing football, your body's going to be hotter. Yes. Yeah. 0:10:51.220 --> 0:10:53.580 So how is it going to how's it going to freeze? 0:10:53.900 --> 0:10:56.380 We threw all this at him and he swore by it. 0:10:56.420 --> 0:10:57.179 Did he have a couple of. 0:10:57.250 --> 0:10:59.290 I reckon he would have had a couple of those ones. 0:10:59.530 --> 0:11:02.250 Davey, mate, that's one of the biggest weekends of my life. 0:11:02.250 --> 0:11:05.050 So myself and Darryl Brohman, we were invited by Davey 0:11:05.050 --> 0:11:07.130 to go down to Gundagai for the Snake Gully Cup 0:11:07.650 --> 0:11:10.090 that is single handedly the three biggest days that I've 0:11:10.090 --> 0:11:12.890 ever experienced in my life. I have never drunk more 0:11:12.890 --> 0:11:15.610 alcohol than I did with David and his mates in Gundagai. 0:11:15.650 --> 0:11:17.650 Even Darryl put up the white flag on the Saturday night. 0:11:17.690 --> 0:11:20.850 He said this is ridiculous. But there I was on 0:11:20.850 --> 0:11:21.930 Sunday carrying the torch. 0:11:22.010 --> 0:11:22.770 Ready to go. 0:11:22.770 --> 0:11:24.690 Again. Well, mate, you don't get this big mucking around. 0:11:24.690 --> 0:11:27.010 Let's have a break. We'll come back with listener questions 0:11:27.010 --> 0:11:30.929 right after this. Welcome back into listener questions. Thank you 0:11:30.929 --> 0:11:33.170 for all of the questions you're sending through in the 0:11:33.210 --> 0:11:36.370 Mark My Words mailbag. It's bursting. That's how big it is. 0:11:36.370 --> 0:11:38.290 I'll tell you what, it's one of the biggest mailbags 0:11:38.290 --> 0:11:40.650 I've ever seen. Yeah. So keep them coming wherever you 0:11:40.650 --> 0:11:43.370 leave your questions. What are you looking at me like that? 0:11:43.530 --> 0:11:44.050 Move on. 0:11:44.050 --> 0:11:46.970 It's a bursting mailbag. The Dragons from Gary. 0:11:47.090 --> 0:11:47.570 Mailbag. 0:11:47.610 --> 0:11:50.290 From Gary. Well, if you get a couple of those 0:11:50.290 --> 0:11:53.090 TV channels will be sweet. The Dragons just snapped a 0:11:53.090 --> 0:11:56.290 15 game losing streak against Brisbane. Payne Haas called his 0:11:56.290 --> 0:11:58.120 team out, saying they're all talk at the moment. And 0:11:58.120 --> 0:12:01.199 with key injuries hitting the squad, the Broncos lacking the 0:12:01.200 --> 0:12:04.320 required grit and leadership. Gentlemen, we might start with you 0:12:04.320 --> 0:12:04.760 on this. 0:12:05.000 --> 0:12:11.000 Yesterday's history. Tomorrow's a mystery. That's why today is a present. 0:12:11.679 --> 0:12:12.960 Does I say that right? Yeah. 0:12:13.280 --> 0:12:15.280 Let's run with it. Let's run with it. 0:12:15.320 --> 0:12:15.880 Well, anyway. 0:12:16.240 --> 0:12:17.240 With Nostradamus. 0:12:17.280 --> 0:12:17.920 In other words. 0:12:17.920 --> 0:12:18.640 Let's run with it. 0:12:18.679 --> 0:12:20.280 In other words, the Broncos at the moment are living 0:12:20.280 --> 0:12:23.520 in past glories. They are living in past glories. And 0:12:23.800 --> 0:12:25.520 Payne Haas has called them out. Yeah. 0:12:25.800 --> 0:12:26.600 I love that he has. 0:12:26.600 --> 0:12:27.360 So do I. 0:12:27.400 --> 0:12:29.800 If if anyone can say whatever he wants. 0:12:29.800 --> 0:12:31.400 He can say whatever he wants to because he can 0:12:31.400 --> 0:12:34.640 see something, he can see something maybe while he's out. Yeah. 0:12:34.679 --> 0:12:36.520 And when you put two and two together, when you 0:12:36.520 --> 0:12:38.600 see what happened on the weekend against the Dragons and 0:12:38.600 --> 0:12:41.959 you see the last weekend and you see that, um, 0:12:43.320 --> 0:12:47.000 that they wanted four days off, like, come on, that's 0:12:47.040 --> 0:12:48.360 that's it's mate. 0:12:48.360 --> 0:12:50.640 I reckon they are lacking the required grit at the 0:12:50.640 --> 0:12:52.319 moment and I'm not sure they all want to do 0:12:52.320 --> 0:12:55.280 the tough stuff. And that was shown on the weekend 0:12:55.280 --> 0:12:59.640 against the Dragons, but I would caution everyone. Like they'll 0:12:59.640 --> 0:13:00.240 bounce back. 0:13:00.280 --> 0:13:03.520 Hold on, I've got it. Yesterday's history. Tomorrow is a mystery. 0:13:03.720 --> 0:13:07.240 Today is the present. That's why it's a gift. Ah, 0:13:07.400 --> 0:13:08.280 that's the one. 0:13:08.320 --> 0:13:09.440 Did you stare down the. 0:13:09.480 --> 0:13:12.160 Yeah, I did. Like my when I was a poet. Yeah. 0:13:12.200 --> 0:13:12.680 I didn't know it. 0:13:13.880 --> 0:13:16.280 Can you deliver us some, like, inspirational words prior to 0:13:16.280 --> 0:13:17.720 the podcast? Every week. That's beautiful. 0:13:18.040 --> 0:13:18.360 No worries. 0:13:18.640 --> 0:13:18.880 That was. 0:13:18.880 --> 0:13:20.240 Lovely. Can you cut that bit out now? 0:13:21.280 --> 0:13:22.000 Yeah, yeah. 0:13:22.520 --> 0:13:24.440 No. No stuff. UPS get left. 0:13:24.600 --> 0:13:25.160 That's right. 0:13:25.200 --> 0:13:27.800 Yeah. Question from Jim Penrith just held off a Warriors 0:13:27.800 --> 0:13:29.440 comeback to go four points clear at the top of 0:13:29.440 --> 0:13:33.040 the ladder. They're completing at 92%. And resting origin stars. 0:13:33.040 --> 0:13:35.520 Is there any team in the comp that can legitimately 0:13:35.520 --> 0:13:37.839 challenge them for the 2026 premiership? 0:13:38.320 --> 0:13:39.880 No, not at the moment. 0:13:39.920 --> 0:13:44.080 Not if they're fully healthy come September. And we've seen 0:13:44.080 --> 0:13:45.720 this story way before. 0:13:45.720 --> 0:13:47.080 Yeah, it's on repeat isn't it. 0:13:47.080 --> 0:13:49.480 Yeah. They they rest players. They get themselves in front 0:13:49.480 --> 0:13:52.199 coming into origin, their ability to rest players to get 0:13:52.200 --> 0:13:55.360 them through that origin period to then freshen them all up, 0:13:55.360 --> 0:13:57.469 ready for a charge at the title. They know what 0:13:57.470 --> 0:13:59.550 they've got to do, when they've got to do it 0:13:59.550 --> 0:14:01.910 to get themselves ready. Injuries will be the only thing 0:14:01.910 --> 0:14:03.710 that stop the Panthers, I think. 0:14:03.750 --> 0:14:05.990 Yeah, I agree, I think that's their comp to win 0:14:06.030 --> 0:14:08.990 to lose. Um they have that look of menace about them. 0:14:09.110 --> 0:14:12.190 Um even to go against the Warriors last weekend when 0:14:12.630 --> 0:14:14.750 they had three of their best players out and Warriors 0:14:14.750 --> 0:14:16.069 had a couple out as well. And I think them 0:14:16.070 --> 0:14:18.790 two will go deep into September. But Penrith at the 0:14:18.790 --> 0:14:21.590 moment are just I don't know when you bring someone 0:14:21.590 --> 0:14:24.750 like Casey McLean into the team and um you know, 0:14:24.790 --> 0:14:26.550 Liam Henry has been out for most of the year 0:14:26.550 --> 0:14:29.470 with an injury and their depth is astonishing. You know, 0:14:29.510 --> 0:14:32.870 the the next man up mentality is just fantastic. And 0:14:32.870 --> 0:14:35.870 I think even, you know Kogarah against the Warriors last 0:14:35.870 --> 0:14:39.390 weekend was was awesome as well. So um yeah look I, 0:14:39.390 --> 0:14:42.030 I it's their comp to lose to, to be honest 0:14:42.030 --> 0:14:46.150 I thought roosters I thought maybe Raiders you know, the 0:14:46.150 --> 0:14:49.470 start of the year I thought dogs but the Melbourne obviously. 0:14:49.470 --> 0:14:52.630 But now they're the only team who kind of uh 0:14:53.590 --> 0:14:56.460 are backing their own favouritism. Yeah. All those other times 0:14:56.460 --> 0:14:58.980 we thought might be in the top four. Top five. Well, 0:14:59.260 --> 0:15:01.860 there's some doubts about them. There's no doubt about Penrith. 0:15:01.940 --> 0:15:03.820 Someone will have to go on a run won't they? 0:15:04.260 --> 0:15:06.620 Like a like a knights or a dolphins or roosters. 0:15:06.940 --> 0:15:09.180 Someone's gonna have to get. Yeah. Never know. 0:15:09.740 --> 0:15:12.700 You never know. Here come the dragons. 0:15:13.500 --> 0:15:15.580 It'll be the greatest comeback since any. I was going 0:15:15.580 --> 0:15:18.620 to say. Religious figure from Kerry. With the sheer pace 0:15:18.620 --> 0:15:20.780 of the modern game, the traditional prop forward role has 0:15:20.780 --> 0:15:24.260 changed drastically. Is the classic enforcer dead or just evolving 0:15:24.260 --> 0:15:26.260 into a different type of athlete? Good question. 0:15:26.340 --> 0:15:28.580 It's a great question because it is, isn't it? The 0:15:28.580 --> 0:15:30.860 way the rules have gone this year, we're seeing those 0:15:30.860 --> 0:15:35.380 lean front rowers come to the fore. Yeah. And like 0:15:35.620 --> 0:15:38.340 there is still room for those bigger front rowers, but 0:15:38.340 --> 0:15:40.220 not as many of them not to carry as many 0:15:40.220 --> 0:15:40.820 of them. Yeah. 0:15:40.820 --> 0:15:43.420 No, I think that the the way the game's going, 0:15:43.460 --> 0:15:47.300 it's um you see a lot more guys over the 115, 0:15:47.300 --> 0:15:50.820 120 mark be dinosaurs in our game. We're not you 0:15:50.860 --> 0:15:53.380 can't carry them because the game is so quick. 0:15:53.740 --> 0:15:56.570 Um, but isn't it crazy because you think about it, right? 0:15:56.610 --> 0:16:00.210 Like you look at a Mitch Barnett, Jackson Ford, probably 0:16:00.210 --> 0:16:03.770 six foot something, 110 kilo maybe. But then you could 0:16:03.770 --> 0:16:05.850 have the back row who's exactly the same shape. You 0:16:05.850 --> 0:16:07.850 could have a center who's exactly the same shape. Yep. 0:16:07.890 --> 0:16:09.690 You could have a winger who's exactly the same shape. 0:16:09.850 --> 0:16:12.090 You could have a fullback. He's exactly the same shape. 0:16:12.210 --> 0:16:13.450 Like it's all in the genes. 0:16:13.450 --> 0:16:15.130 It's all it's it's everyone's. 0:16:15.130 --> 0:16:18.050 Just remember, I remember, I remember when I was a kid, right? 0:16:18.090 --> 0:16:20.890 Then we played school footy after the after, you know, 0:16:20.930 --> 0:16:22.930 school and you always stand at the in the science 0:16:22.930 --> 0:16:25.210 lab after going to roll call and watching their team 0:16:25.210 --> 0:16:27.570 come up and you'd see them come up and you go, oh, 0:16:27.570 --> 0:16:30.330 they're off the bus. There's their halfback. Yeah, there's their 0:16:30.330 --> 0:16:33.130 front rowers. Yeah. There's this. Oh, he might be a 0:16:33.130 --> 0:16:34.850 centre or second row. Now they get off the bus. 0:16:34.850 --> 0:16:37.489 You go. I don't know who's who. They're all giants. 0:16:37.530 --> 0:16:38.770 Yeah they're all giants. 0:16:38.810 --> 0:16:39.490 They're all similar. 0:16:39.730 --> 0:16:40.730 They're all similar size. 0:16:40.770 --> 0:16:42.850 Yeah. Like there's only you'd look at someone like a 0:16:42.850 --> 0:16:45.770 Payne Haas obviously an exception to the rule there. But 0:16:45.810 --> 0:16:49.410 predominantly everyone's at that very same figure. Mhm. 0:16:49.610 --> 0:16:50.570 Good question Gary. 0:16:50.570 --> 0:16:51.170 Thank you. Yeah. 0:16:51.610 --> 0:16:55.400 Um from Noel, Noel says, uh, we've got over 25,000 0:16:55.440 --> 0:16:56.920 Queensland fans signing a petition. 0:16:56.920 --> 0:16:58.000 To Noel. 0:16:58.040 --> 0:17:00.640 To have Ashley Klein axed for the Kalyn Ponga sendoff. 0:17:00.640 --> 0:17:03.240 Yet Graham Ashley and the NRL have fully backed him. 0:17:03.320 --> 0:17:05.680 How frustrating is it for players and coaches to see 0:17:05.680 --> 0:17:08.159 an on field referee issue a red card for a 0:17:08.160 --> 0:17:10.240 shoulder to the head, only for the match review committee 0:17:10.240 --> 0:17:13.840 to effectively downgrade it to a fine? Does this inconsistency 0:17:13.840 --> 0:17:16.000 make a mockery of the game's concussion protocols? 0:17:16.040 --> 0:17:19.000 Can you just give an explanation on why it was 0:17:19.040 --> 0:17:19.760 a fine. 0:17:19.800 --> 0:17:20.680 Well can I. Well. 0:17:21.040 --> 0:17:22.080 In 2022. 0:17:22.240 --> 0:17:25.040 The first thing I want to say is I look, 0:17:25.080 --> 0:17:27.080 a couple of weeks ago, I sat here in this 0:17:27.080 --> 0:17:30.600 chair and. And I said to Ashley Klein, if he, um, 0:17:30.640 --> 0:17:32.840 referees like he did to start the comp, he will 0:17:32.840 --> 0:17:36.199 single handedly destroy the state of origin. I'm going to 0:17:36.200 --> 0:17:38.760 give him a rap because I thought he was fantastic 0:17:38.760 --> 0:17:40.720 in origin one. So. Ashley. Well done. 0:17:40.760 --> 0:17:41.119 Yeah I. 0:17:41.119 --> 0:17:42.760 Do. Um, I also want to give him a rap 0:17:42.760 --> 0:17:45.520 for the decision that he made because he got it right. Um, 0:17:45.840 --> 0:17:48.919 there was forceful contact to the head of a player. Um, 0:17:48.960 --> 0:17:51.560 it was a shoulder charge and it was a send off. So. Ashley. 0:17:51.560 --> 0:17:53.919 Well done. Now, the reason why, because a lot of 0:17:53.920 --> 0:17:56.990 people and piggy have said because the match review committee 0:17:56.990 --> 0:18:00.350 has fined him, the referee got it wrong. That's incorrect. 0:18:00.350 --> 0:18:01.950 You'll remember a couple of years ago and I spoke 0:18:01.950 --> 0:18:04.230 to Graham Annesley about this. There was a change to 0:18:04.270 --> 0:18:07.669 the judicial code because the clubs, they virtually said, well, 0:18:07.670 --> 0:18:10.310 we are releasing our players to go and play rep football. 0:18:10.470 --> 0:18:13.790 Why are we being punished through suspensions for acts of 0:18:13.790 --> 0:18:16.270 foul play in the rep arena? So the NRL made 0:18:16.270 --> 0:18:19.070 the change with the approval of the commission. That way, 0:18:19.070 --> 0:18:20.950 if it was a grade one or grade two offence, 0:18:20.950 --> 0:18:24.750 the player would be fine. Yep. So the $6,900 fine 0:18:24.750 --> 0:18:26.990 that was paid by Kalyn Ponga for a grade two 0:18:26.990 --> 0:18:29.990 offence in club football would have warranted a suspension. 0:18:30.030 --> 0:18:30.670 2 or 3 weeks. 0:18:30.670 --> 0:18:31.109 Does that make. 0:18:31.109 --> 0:18:31.790 Sense? It does. 0:18:31.910 --> 0:18:32.790 Very well explained. 0:18:32.830 --> 0:18:36.590 That's and that's and look I with the actual send 0:18:36.630 --> 0:18:39.470 off um I, I on the night I didn't think 0:18:39.470 --> 0:18:41.469 it was one. And I think if you speak to 0:18:41.510 --> 0:18:44.109 ten people, five will say it was five will say 0:18:44.150 --> 0:18:47.830 it wasn't. And that's what our game's about. Um, you know, 0:18:47.869 --> 0:18:50.310 if that was put this way, that was Tedesco who 0:18:50.310 --> 0:18:52.590 got sent off for that, I'd be filthy. I'd be 0:18:52.590 --> 0:18:55.820 filthy because, you know, he didn't mean it. And it 0:18:55.820 --> 0:18:58.980 was just a it was a. But anyway, that's long gone. 0:18:59.140 --> 0:19:01.699 Don't go down that rabbit hole. But look. 0:19:01.740 --> 0:19:03.260 Well done Ashley. Well done. 0:19:03.300 --> 0:19:06.060 You know what? Yes. Because the opening 6050 minutes of 0:19:06.060 --> 0:19:09.260 the game or 60 minutes of the game until he 0:19:09.300 --> 0:19:11.780 got sent off were exemplary. Yeah. You know, they put 0:19:11.780 --> 0:19:13.740 the whistle away and it was fatigue. 0:19:13.780 --> 0:19:14.220 Yeah. 0:19:14.380 --> 0:19:17.619 And at that time, Queensland were winning the battle. 0:19:17.660 --> 0:19:19.580 Yeah. But but off the back of that and we 0:19:19.580 --> 0:19:21.379 spoke about it on the weekend, not to repeat myself 0:19:21.380 --> 0:19:23.979 here but the different audience I get that. Um, I 0:19:23.980 --> 0:19:25.820 think there's a lesson in this for the NRL, the 0:19:25.820 --> 0:19:28.540 way in which the game was refereed in origin. Mhm. 0:19:28.700 --> 0:19:31.420 If we referee the game at club level like that. Yeah. 0:19:31.460 --> 0:19:33.939 How much better will the product be? Oh mate the 0:19:33.940 --> 0:19:34.860 fatigue back into the game. 0:19:34.859 --> 0:19:38.459 Well I called the game on Friday night. Sharks versus manly. 0:19:38.500 --> 0:19:41.659 Your man Todd Smith he would have taken off. And 0:19:41.660 --> 0:19:43.899 I think the the coaches blew up about it. 0:19:43.900 --> 0:19:45.740 I think we said about it on Saturday. 0:19:45.900 --> 0:19:46.660 It was awful. 0:19:46.700 --> 0:19:48.060 There was there was 12 in. 0:19:48.060 --> 0:19:50.300 The first half and then nothing in the second half. Yeah. 0:19:50.340 --> 0:19:51.340 Two. Leave it alone. 0:19:51.380 --> 0:19:54.020 No. But it was horrendous. I was blowing up deluxe. 0:19:54.020 --> 0:19:55.969 It was That looks like. 0:19:56.170 --> 0:19:58.369 It looks like the guy. Where have you seen where 0:19:58.369 --> 0:20:01.610 the Millers? Yes, where the Millers. You know, um. That 0:20:01.850 --> 0:20:02.969 the bloke. And where the. 0:20:02.970 --> 0:20:04.930 Millers. The guy that gets sitting on the. The spider 0:20:04.930 --> 0:20:05.290 on the nuts. 0:20:05.330 --> 0:20:05.729 That looks like. 0:20:08.050 --> 0:20:10.090 He's a good man. Leave the ginger ninja alone. 0:20:10.450 --> 0:20:11.609 Yeah. He's brotherhood baby. 0:20:11.609 --> 0:20:13.649 Brother. You know what? You know, I'll say this like, 0:20:13.850 --> 0:20:15.810 you know, I'm critical of referees and all that. They 0:20:15.810 --> 0:20:17.050 are actually a really good bunch of. 0:20:17.050 --> 0:20:17.530 People, mate. 0:20:17.530 --> 0:20:18.490 They're very good at what they. 0:20:18.490 --> 0:20:20.810 It's a thankless job. Yeah, 100% for Grant Atkins. 0:20:21.170 --> 0:20:24.490 And in defense of the referees there. Could you imagine 0:20:24.490 --> 0:20:28.050 they're getting pulled from pillar to post all these variations. 0:20:28.730 --> 0:20:30.810 It's the only job in the world, almost, that 50% 0:20:30.810 --> 0:20:31.889 of the people are going to hate you. 0:20:31.930 --> 0:20:32.290 Yeah. 0:20:32.690 --> 0:20:33.570 No matter what you do. 0:20:33.810 --> 0:20:38.490 True. Anyway, what's. Oh, we got one more. Sue Luciano 0:20:38.970 --> 0:20:41.050 recently opened up about how he nearly walked away from 0:20:41.050 --> 0:20:43.770 rugby league entirely six months ago, because he simply fell 0:20:43.770 --> 0:20:46.690 out of love with the sport, an environment as ruthless 0:20:46.690 --> 0:20:49.490 as the NRL. How common is it for senior players 0:20:49.490 --> 0:20:52.170 to silently battle that level of severe burnout, and what 0:20:52.210 --> 0:20:56.200 actually pulls an athlete back from the brink had some 0:20:56.200 --> 0:20:57.280 good questions. 0:20:57.320 --> 0:20:57.840 That is. 0:20:57.920 --> 0:20:58.800 That's full on. 0:20:59.040 --> 0:21:03.639 I'm piggy. When I played, um, if you were feeling 0:21:03.640 --> 0:21:07.520 down or you weren't feeling yourself, it was taboo to 0:21:07.520 --> 0:21:10.880 say anything to anyone. You were. You were thought of 0:21:10.920 --> 0:21:15.840 as a weak link in the chain. And I, you know, 0:21:15.880 --> 0:21:18.680 thank God, times have changed. You know, I thank God 0:21:18.680 --> 0:21:23.160 that we have, um, so many avenues to, to go 0:21:23.160 --> 0:21:27.080 down now that we can ask questions because, um, I 0:21:27.119 --> 0:21:29.200 would have used it a lot. You know, I was 0:21:29.200 --> 0:21:32.120 very temperamental player, very temperamental. I'd go off like a, 0:21:32.280 --> 0:21:34.960 like that. Maybe if I spoke to someone about my 0:21:34.960 --> 0:21:39.320 anger issues, I might have been a different person and player. Like, 0:21:39.320 --> 0:21:41.359 I don't take many things back in my in my life, 0:21:41.359 --> 0:21:43.879 I would have taken maybe my temper just back a 0:21:43.880 --> 0:21:46.880 little bit in what I do away from the. Because 0:21:46.920 --> 0:21:49.680 when you get given a green light as a 19 0:21:49.680 --> 0:21:52.040 year old at club footy, when Ron Willie come, he said, 0:21:52.040 --> 0:21:54.429 I want you to be the biggest, baddest man in 0:21:54.430 --> 0:21:56.670 our team and everyone. Everyone's scared to run at you. 0:21:57.230 --> 0:22:00.510 So at 19, I had that. I'd go to the club, 0:22:00.830 --> 0:22:03.230 you know, there was no button that would go off. 0:22:03.510 --> 0:22:04.909 I'd go over there and someone looked at me the 0:22:04.910 --> 0:22:07.310 wrong way. What are you fucking looking at? Like, like 0:22:07.430 --> 0:22:09.669 that's what happens. Yeah. You don't know like, because you 0:22:09.670 --> 0:22:12.950 get told to do that. But, um. Yeah, look, I 0:22:13.109 --> 0:22:14.950 thought I think there's a lot of rugby league players 0:22:14.950 --> 0:22:18.990 and we both experienced ex teammates who have committed suicide and, 0:22:18.990 --> 0:22:22.030 and what a trail of destruction that leaves and how 0:22:22.030 --> 0:22:25.430 many questions are unasked. Um I think we've we've come 0:22:25.430 --> 0:22:29.510 a long way Sue in um thank thankfully because modern 0:22:29.510 --> 0:22:34.669 day rugby league players are shielded from a lot of things. 0:22:34.830 --> 0:22:37.310 Um and they've given a really good guide on where 0:22:37.350 --> 0:22:38.750 to go if you have got dramas. 0:22:38.790 --> 0:22:41.629 Mhm. And it's accepted isn't it really. Of course it 0:22:41.630 --> 0:22:42.310 is accepted. 0:22:42.670 --> 0:22:45.030 People like Tommy, Tommy Herschel and Gus Wall and. 0:22:45.230 --> 0:22:45.670 All those. 0:22:45.670 --> 0:22:48.110 Guys. You know, I think that, you know, we need 0:22:48.109 --> 0:22:48.630 more of them. 0:22:48.670 --> 0:22:52.150 Yeah, it's. And good on you for what you said there. MM. I'm. 0:22:52.190 --> 0:22:55.859 I'm a big advocate for lifeline. 131114. If you're if 0:22:55.900 --> 0:22:57.940 you're struggling, you need to talk to somebody. I've actually 0:22:57.980 --> 0:23:00.660 I've spoken publicly about this. I phone lifeline one night. 0:23:00.740 --> 0:23:03.020 I lost several of my mates growing up to suicide 0:23:03.020 --> 0:23:05.060 and I blame myself. And one night I was just like, 0:23:05.060 --> 0:23:06.340 I just need to talk to someone. I thought I 0:23:06.380 --> 0:23:08.180 kept hearing about this number and I rang them. I'll 0:23:08.180 --> 0:23:10.020 never forget the woman's voice on the other end of 0:23:10.020 --> 0:23:11.380 the phone and what she said to me that night. 0:23:11.380 --> 0:23:14.379 So if you are feeling a little bit, you know, 0:23:14.420 --> 0:23:15.380 just feeling a bit down. 0:23:15.420 --> 0:23:16.740 It's okay not to be okay. 0:23:16.780 --> 0:23:18.820 And you know, the other thing, you don't even have 0:23:18.820 --> 0:23:20.619 to identify who you are. Know, if you want to 0:23:20.619 --> 0:23:23.020 just ring up anonymously and have a conversation, you can 0:23:23.020 --> 0:23:25.740 do that as well. So, um, and I think with, 0:23:25.740 --> 0:23:28.139 with players like Nicho Hynes, piggy and some of the 0:23:28.140 --> 0:23:30.340 others that are talking about, well, obviously struggles. 0:23:30.580 --> 0:23:31.220 Like Luciano. 0:23:31.580 --> 0:23:36.580 Luciano, well done. The more, the more people talk about it, 0:23:36.619 --> 0:23:39.060 talk about it, especially rugby league players who are looked 0:23:39.060 --> 0:23:41.659 up to by others. It gets rid of that stigma, 0:23:41.660 --> 0:23:42.300 which is important. 0:23:42.300 --> 0:23:45.139 Yeah. And it normalizes it for everyone. And then kids 0:23:45.140 --> 0:23:47.020 that are looking up to all these role models that 0:23:47.020 --> 0:23:50.020 are football players are seeing that they go, the players 0:23:50.020 --> 0:23:52.380 go through situations like this and they go through times 0:23:52.380 --> 0:23:55.050 like this and it's okay. It's okay for them to 0:23:55.050 --> 0:23:56.770 do that. And then the kids see that as well, 0:23:56.810 --> 0:23:59.850 and they take an understanding understanding to it as well. 0:23:59.890 --> 0:24:02.290 I don't want this question to be misconstrued because it's 0:24:02.290 --> 0:24:04.090 not meant to be that way. But you're involved in 0:24:04.090 --> 0:24:07.210 the NRL w so the women's program and look, I 0:24:07.250 --> 0:24:09.929 don't know whether this is this is fair and accurate, 0:24:09.930 --> 0:24:12.490 but is it fair to say that women could be 0:24:12.490 --> 0:24:14.290 a little bit more delicate or maybe a little bit 0:24:14.290 --> 0:24:16.929 more fragile with some of their emotions from time to time, 0:24:16.930 --> 0:24:17.810 or not really? 0:24:17.850 --> 0:24:20.050 Well, I just think it's a whole different space. The 0:24:20.050 --> 0:24:24.330 men's game to the girls game. And and obviously there 0:24:24.330 --> 0:24:26.449 is less pressure than the men's game. You know, they 0:24:26.450 --> 0:24:29.370 only play ten games a year at this point in time. Yep. 0:24:29.609 --> 0:24:32.090 Um but the, the girls still go through I, I 0:24:32.130 --> 0:24:35.570 would say different pressures to the men because the girls are, 0:24:35.609 --> 0:24:39.010 they're not full time. So whilst they're getting paid and 0:24:39.010 --> 0:24:41.410 the work, then they're, then they're, then they're working, as 0:24:41.410 --> 0:24:43.050 Emily said, the work that they've got to find has 0:24:43.050 --> 0:24:45.730 got to be around footy, the football and the times 0:24:45.730 --> 0:24:48.129 that they're training, they've obviously a lot of them have 0:24:48.130 --> 0:24:50.409 got partners, husbands and the like that they've got to 0:24:50.410 --> 0:24:52.960 deal with their own home issues as well. So they 0:24:52.960 --> 0:24:56.160 probably got a different set of, um, issues that they've 0:24:56.160 --> 0:24:58.399 got to deal with compared to the men where, you know, 0:24:58.440 --> 0:25:01.719 there's a huge spotlight on the men every day, every week, 0:25:01.720 --> 0:25:05.040 every little thing that they do is scrutinized. And whereas 0:25:05.040 --> 0:25:07.360 the girls, it's probably not at that point yet, but 0:25:07.359 --> 0:25:09.679 they've got their own set of issues that they've all 0:25:09.720 --> 0:25:11.680 got to deal with day in and day out playing 0:25:11.680 --> 0:25:12.600 in the NRL W. 0:25:12.640 --> 0:25:13.320 Well sir buddy. 0:25:13.359 --> 0:25:15.240 Well said. All right boys. This has been great. 0:25:15.280 --> 0:25:15.680 Yeah. 0:25:15.720 --> 0:25:16.360 How good is this. 0:25:16.400 --> 0:25:18.680 Yeah. Well listen the questions always bring a bit of 0:25:18.720 --> 0:25:21.560 a different perspective to the to a lot of things. 0:25:21.560 --> 0:25:24.480 And these these questions this week were fantastic. Keep them coming. 0:25:24.520 --> 0:25:27.120 Yeah. Thank you very much for coming everyone. It's been 0:25:27.119 --> 0:25:30.879 a very, very entertaining podcast. Uh, we just had to 0:25:30.880 --> 0:25:32.359 cut a little bit out there because we got a 0:25:32.359 --> 0:25:33.120 little bit random. 0:25:33.160 --> 0:25:33.680 Woo hoo! 0:25:35.000 --> 0:25:38.160 MJ, see you later in the week. Love you. Great, man. 0:25:38.200 --> 0:25:38.800 See you buddy. 0:25:38.840 --> 0:25:39.560 Yeah, Piglet. 0:25:39.600 --> 0:25:41.560 See you everyone. Thank you very much for your company. 0:25:41.560 --> 0:25:45.840 Leave your questions. Follow, subscribe, like leave comments, leave questions. 0:25:45.840 --> 0:25:48.200 Just love us because we love you. Mark my words. 0:25:48.200 --> 0:25:49.359 We're back later this week.