'Completely over the top': Roosters under the microscope for constant complaining to the refs – 10/03/26

MUSIC

Welcome to NREL 360,

rugby league from every angle.

This Friday night,

rugby league history is on the line.

As our Sydney Winger,

Alex Johnson sits,

just two tries away from Kenovan's record

and the opposition.

It's the roosters, of course.

He is the most understated player of his generation,

an amazing athlete

who specialises in the gentle art of enhancing his charm

by not being aware of it.

Alex Johnson,

rabbit hoe.

Wow, what are we got on our hands here?

Johnson, you know who?

Kenzie is back!

I'm coming to get the lead in try and score.

We got a try, try, try!

Every step, a celebration.

Yes, Alex Johnson's now just one try short

of joining the legendary Ken Irvine

as Australian rugby leagues top try score.

Two tries,

and he's the all-time record holder.

It's an incredible story with no long speeches.

Just playing hard work.

Emility and a drive within

to turn up every single day of his existence.

No shortcuts.

Johnson had only just become a teenager

when the NRL showed amazing foresight

by selecting him to morph into the great-gragginess

in their season opener for $2,000.

He went on to become the Ducks of Endeavor Sports High

an Australian schoolboy representative

and for good measure,

the author of a couple of books.

I think I've read this book before.

He has $4,616,200,

and he's two mates.

They love him.

To make sure you stop to give Alex Johnson a cheer,

running air for his revenues against two else,

utter roosters this Friday night.

I'm Foxy.

What a player and what an achievement.

Joining me again, the great Gordon Tellers,

bring the journals in, Paul Crawley and Dave Riccio,

what about this Alex Johnson,

only two tries away,

and it could happen this week already.

Absolutely. What Ken Irvine, what retired?

No, finished in 1973.

So that's a 53-year-old record that he's trying to break.

So that's amazing.

And then Maddie Naible summed it up beautifully.

Crawles? Oh, it's a beautiful story.

Maddie Naible did a great job there.

I remember talking to Alex Johnson

and doing a story in the telegraph in 2020,

and the club were going to let him go.

They said they couldn't fit him in the salary cap.

There was a knock on his carries out of trouble

and he was heartbroken.

He couldn't believe it was true,

but he was determined to come and prove himself at that time.

He hadn't even scored 100 tries.

And for, you know, for the right reasons, South said,

no, we can't let him go.

He had that greater affiliation with the other players there.

They gave him a contract.

And here he is now on the verge of one of the great rugby league records.

You know, like Gordon said, 53 years.

That's a hell of a long time.

He sounds like he's such a great bloke too.

And Maddie Naible kind of mentioned it.

How his teammates love him, Dave.

And you can see that.

Like it's evident that they just love him as a member of their team.

And an integral part of it.

Well, he's about to break a record.

Well, 100% break. You're spot on.

And it's that mateship that is a big reason.

Well, he stayed at the footy club because the players spoke for him.

Like, this is a guy we're wanting our team.

And with the greatest of respect to an age A,

he's not a rep player.

He's not an original test player.

And he's about to break.

He did play a test, I think.

For, I think Australia, yeah.

Okay, okay.

So he has achieved his feet or will achieve his feet.

But Dylan, Dylan Hart, yes.

He's loved for the club too.

Because that's the other thing I forgot to mention too.

He actually wrote a letter to the club telling him how much he loved the place

and he wanted to stay.

And that's what kind of pushed it over the line

when they made the decision to let him stay.

Dave, just before we go, it's good to see you here.

On top of it, we want to be late today.

Come back from Melbourne.

Oh, yes, right.

I'll be here for you, mate.

Beautiful.

I'll be here for you, mate.

All these talk about rushing the field.

Good luck with this.

Yeah, now.

A lot of people have split on this, right?

The fans should be able to jump on the field

and celebrate with Alex.

What's your opinion on this?

Ask a 12-year-old Gordon, tell us on me out there

and I'm trying to take his boots.

Yeah.

Right.

Go ask a young kid like me sitting there,

and if that's my hero, and that's, yeah,

I'm part of it.

Me now sitting in the commentary box wanting to get on with the game.

I'd probably say no.

Yeah, the NRL averaged fans not to do it.

OK, so what would you want to make that clear?

What would you do?

I'll come to you, Paul.

What do you think?

Well, the NRL have to do that, don't they?

From a...

A view point.

A view point on the safety point of the game.

They have to say, don't do it.

But like Gordon said, once one kid

throws his foot over the fence, five thousand follow.

And I actually think it would be great for the game.

I really do.

I think this is not just one game of rugby league.

This is not...

This is not two points.

Wait, I'll speak to Bennett about it today.

And I pointed out to him, I know where he stands on it, right?

From a traditionalist, he doesn't want to see it.

But when this record, when Ken Irvine set this record,

that was actually Bennett's first year coaching rugby league,

he was coaching the Queensland Police Academy in 1973.

I said, so that's how long it's taken to break this.

This can be something that we celebrate for the next 50 years.

Has anyone ever seen CS supporters before?

And I think that not one of them is going to jump on the field.

Like, have we not witnessed CS fans over the years?

And the American would have happened to you

if you were out there in the Richter's jersey.

That would probably bash me this year.

All of these security guards.

Do you know Alex said that on Maddie John show the other day?

He said, you know what, they can't find them all.

It's kind of an invitation to get out there.

Look, the NRL will be disappointed that we are supportive of...

Well, I think we're all on the same page.

We view this moment as something so extraordinary

that will live in our memory bank.

We will never see it again.

No, as a dad, I said no.

As a dad, I said no.

As a 12-year-old, I'm jumping back.

Let's get to the game, because it's going to be a big one.

This match, I mean, the bunnies and roosters.

If anyone knows, it's me.

It always delivers.

It really does.

I was a CS fan, roosters player,

and we all know the history there.

But it is a game that is...

No matter where the sides are on the ladder,

it always turns into a contest that...

It delivers, like I said, at the top.

It's unbelievable that the results

and the close games and encounters that have been...

You throw a form out the window.

You throw a form out the window.

And I'll go and appreciate what RLN ran to.

So the form line's not great as yet.

But it's a Derby as hatred.

And as you said, history suggests that this will be another match

that brings something...

These images are just...

They're all part of the rivalry.

That you get when CS and the roosters clash.

And this will be no different.

And I think there's just so much on the line for the roosters, both.

There's animosity, isn't there,

from the level of Nick Bliterson, Blake Sully,

all the way down to the players.

They genuinely hate each other.

It's a powder keg.

Every time these blokes run out in the field.

But I kind of disagree in a way

with form at the moment,

because the roosters have got so much to prove

after their disappointing first up game.

And South's have got to spring in their step

because after their heartache last year

with all the injuries, suddenly,

they know that they can...

Do they ever make a punch in front of them?

Do the roosters have enough front without, you know,

laying you in Victor?

Well, the roosters have got two packs of NRRL forwards.

They're made. You'd hope they've got enough.

Well, they've got...

If you move it there...

I know, I know, but they've got genuine first grade replacements

all over the park in every position.

They've got more depth in their forwards and souths.

Yeah. There's been a lot made of DCEs,

Dave Wu, for the roosters on the weekend.

How did you two see it?

Disappointing.

Disappointing, but not surprised.

And I say that because, in my...

It doesn't matter how experienced he is

and how quality of a player he is.

The combination between he and Sam...

Well, we think it was just going to click like that.

It was always going to take a little bit of time.

My concern is that they bought a...

an aging DCE that had a pretty disappointing season last year.

I didn't...

Can I ask, why doesn't it click?

If you play rep-footed, sometimes they get 10 days to click.

Sure.

Sure.

And with Daly Cherry Evans being 37,

having all that experience, Sam Walker,

the year that he's had, you think that...

I think it will click.

And we've got Sam Walker coming up on the show later,

which is a great get.

And I'm going to ask him about it.

But I think they will.

I think we've got to give him some time

and, you know, it's first game over in New Zealand,

which is always tough and disciplined, of course.

But how hard is it with a new seven or a new six?

It's hard to get that fluency.

You've got to get to know each other's game

and how they move and how they talk

and what's their preferred time to get the ball

and not get the ball.

And, you know, who's the dominant one?

Who's going to take what role in the team?

And, you know, it takes time to get to that elite level

where you're actually a primary ship threat.

It doesn't happen overnight.

You've got to, and I said last night,

you've got to give some teams some grace.

It's only around one.

I expected it would take time,

simply because Jerry Evans has spent 16 years

playing half-back.

And Sam Walker is a born half-back.

And so you're trying to match two genuine sevens

into a half's combination.

And as you said, mate, working out how that's going to work,

I thought, attack-wise, it would take a while.

The concern for me was DCE's defence,

letting two tries in.

And it's not new, you know.

He's had problems with these defence

going back a few seasons now.

And I reckon that would have to be a concern

because you tell me, Braith, as you get older

and you know what's coming at you

and you have to put your body on the line

and you know that it's getting harder and harder to do that.

And to do it at 37 years of age.

As you get older, it gets harder to pay the price.

And it's not out on the field.

It's training every day.

You just got to get yourself up for the combat.

And the thing about it is, too,

that there's genuine, I know you said last night,

you didn't have them in your top four,

but I think most people did.

And the fact that the roosters played...

That's my minor premise.

Well, I did, too.

And the fact that the roosters played semi-final football last year

with Hugo Savala and Sam tells me

that they have to at least finish top four this year

to even get a pass mark from themselves.

Just on that point, Crawl's in relation to DCE's defence.

Robo's made a change here on that right edge.

He's dropped, but you're back to the bench

and promoted C-WAR-1.

OK.

Is that right edge spot?

So straight away, we're seeing a change...

After him.

..to solidify DCE's position.

We spoke about last night, Crawls,

and you want to have a say on this.

They're disciplined.

I thought it was, you know,

I thought they were completely over the top.

James Tedesco is one of the statesmen of our game, you know?

Like he's a test captain.

He's a New South Wales captain.

He should know better

than to get up in the referee's face throughout that game

and just keep going and going and going.

And I know, God, you don't agree with this,

but they are role models to the kids out there.

And it sets a bad example for young rugby league players

coming into a season when you had Teddy constantly in his face,

arguing all the time.

Half the time, everyone knew the referee made the right call.

And they just didn't get up, mate.

Our little mate, Sam, out the back wasn't much better.

You know, like he was constantly blowing up

about different decisions and everything.

And I just think they've got to be more responsible.

They've got to get the discipline in their game.

You showed the graph last night,

where in the last five seasons,

the roosters have always been down near

the least disciplined teams in the competition.

So they've got to take some onus on this.

It's no use Trent Robinson getting there after the game

and making out that was an issue.

Their discipline's been an issue for years.

You can see the frustration in the players

and he got the better of them.

And you're right.

Like it's, I mean, the stats say it all.

And they, I reckon they'd admit it themselves.

Like it'd be frustrating.

It's frustrating for fans.

I can only imagine within the four walls of the group

to think that, you know, I said it last night,

if the roosters team with the squad

they've got completed 75% or better,

they don't lose.

And you can see even when they control the 41st more period of time,

they're all over.

The worry is, but they just shot themselves in the foot.

So, you know, and I said last night,

I don't agree with being up in the face of the referees at all.

I thought they're officiating over the weekend,

which you might get to a bit later.

Was, was Paul?

And I even said to Abdo, you know,

before we interviewed him last night, you know,

we're going to give it a few weeks though,

because they got to iron out a few cracks.

But they were frustrated.

But any other team you could say, you know what?

Maybe, but because they've,

they've been so disciplined for so long.

It's hard to argue, isn't it?

Well, and it is compounding too, Braithlake.

You know, like if you give away one penalty

through bad discipline, right?

Then on the back of that,

you're defending a second set.

And there might be a legitimate six-again call,

because fatigue starts to get in.

And then once that starts,

it just becomes the snowball.

Well, it's going to hurt a bit more this year with the six-again.

You know, in that zone than it is now.

If they make errors like they did,

it's going to hurt them even more than it has past years.

And we saw that in the game.

The possession is King more so than ever before.

And if you don't control the footy or have respect for that ball,

you're going to lose games.

Now, if they continue to struggle this year,

which is, yeah, it's premature, right?

But is it going to be pressure on Robo?

And, yeah, we've probably addressed this a few times

over the last few seasons,

but look at it at that record.

And, you know, if they do struggle again this year,

not again.

But if they do struggle.

But there's eight years since they've won a competition.

And the insiders at the Rooster say that Nick says that I get it,

you know, like a Premiership winning roster pretty much every year.

We play for Premierships.

Yeah.

You know what?

The evidence is there that they play for Premierships, right?

Because Nick brought this academy through

where they're grooming all their young guys

to be their N.R.L. stars of the future.

And they've had kids in that system playing dummy half

and they've had kids in that system coming through the halves.

And yet, after last year,

they go and sign Daily Cherry Evans,

the former Queensland captain,

and they go and get the current New South Wales hooker.

You know, and they come in over the top

of who they've already got there,

because that says to me, they want to win the comp.

They're not there to finish top eight,

not even top four.

They're there to win the comp.

I don't think there's any chance in the world

the roosters will get rid of Trent Robinson.

But you talk about pressure.

He's got pressure on himself,

because his expectation would be the same as his boss.

Yeah, and answer you the question, bro.

I thought I'd say pressure, yes, absolutely.

Every in our real coach is under pressure.

But he's a job of saying that.

But that's sackable.

No.

And he's just got too many runs on the board at the roosters.

All right, let's be made of the Broncos performance.

What was your take on it?

Usually disappointing,

leaking 56 points in two matches now,

including the World Club Challenge,

the Brisbane Broncos.

You know, there's just been so much discussion

in and around their preseason once again.

Maj might leave mud on our faces, come September.

But they look as though they're a side

that has had a monster preseason once again.

Heavy leaks.

People can say, you know,

it's too early in the season to judge.

But unfortunately, rugby league public

sits there and we judge everything every week.

That's how the game works.

And you're right, Dave.

They've had so much drama over the offseason

with their staff forward.

Arguably a bloke that will probably go down

as the greatest prop we've ever seen,

leaving the club.

And he didn't leave for more money elsewhere.

He chose to leave.

At the last minute, days after Michael McGuire had come out

and said, he thinks he's going to stay.

Painhouses pulled all their pants down

and gone to South Sydney, right?

So there's something going on there

and they can deny it to their blue in the face.

But there's something...

Well, what do you think it is, right?

Because I'm in Brisbane and you hear that it's money, right?

So the people within the club are saying,

you know, it's the third party that's house we couldn't match it.

And then you hear the religion part of it.

What do you reckon it is?

You're in Brisbane, right?

Yeah.

You tell me what you reckon.

What you honestly reckon.

Do you reckon there's drama behind the scenes

that hasn't been spoken about, be honest?

Yeah, probably.

Yeah, absolutely.

Because of the way that they're trying to smother it.

Exactly.

Exactly.

Golly, golly.

The Broncos don't lose players.

That's one thing that I can't swallow

because they've got two million dollar halfbacks.

So I think it might be like a misnade,

but maybe he did slide under the rug.

Maybe he did slide out the back door.

I don't know. That's what I'm saying.

So on the back of that...

Listen, all I did hear, like,

and it's hearing that, you know,

that they were disappointed that there was a, you know,

like a hard session put on when they didn't think

that they had to go do it.

They went up to Tuber or something.

And it was two weeks, and it was another two weeks or whatever,

that they had to go to England.

And it was time away from their families.

That is the...

You know, like that's loud around the place.

Put it this way, right?

Let's compare how the warriors have managed the departure

or incoming departure of Mitch Barnett

on compassionate grounds.

Yes.

It's related to his family.

Pain has, has a family environment

that is so significant that we will never understand.

Yes.

To be fair.

Yeah.

Right?

Too hard basket for us.

The Broncos could have managed that identically

to the way the warriors have done it with Mitch Barnett.

They couldn't do it, right?

Because they didn't bloody know.

That's true.

It was all done under cover.

That's the cover.

The deal with South was done under cover.

They were called unaware boys.

That's true.

You're not buying the denial.

No, I'm not.

No, there's something going on at that club behind the scenes.

So there's no way the pain has.

This goes, I want to change.

Mate, it could be a part of that he's been there for 10 years.

But Gordon, you tell me after...

After you've won a competition...

Yeah, I find it.

And you're surrounded by arguably the most talented squad

in the competition.

Well...

And you tell him the club, and you lead in the club

along to believe that you're going to be staying

and that all of a sudden you walk out.

Yeah.

And then there's all this speculation going on around the club

that no one's going to admit to it.

But we ever get to the bottom.

Pain is such a quiet reason.

He is.

And then you've got a club.

And he doesn't need to tell anyone.

And this is not a knock.

But anytime the clubs in crisis,

you never hear from their chairman.

And you never hear from their CEO.

Ever.

Well, this was my point,

until I've made this point repeatedly.

About the...

So the management, the PR management of his exit.

He is the best front-rower in the game.

He's the biggest figure of the Broncos.

Unfortunately not because of that every time they lose.

It's going to be on track.

Which brings us back to their performance, though,

on the weekend,

because after what they dished up in the world club challenge

and all the drama that is sent around that club in the offseason,

you really expect it,

if there's no drama there,

they're going to come out and make a statement in round one.

And they didn't turn up to play.

I still...

They just didn't turn up.

I'm still confident they'll bounce back

and I think everyone's jumping the game a little bit.

I'm just going to...

They've got enough to stay there.

We'll finish up.

The pain has doesn't get all the blame.

No, he shouldn't.

You never said he was there.

What do you never said he was there?

No, it's right around here.

Hey, it's round one, though.

Oh, it's round one, right?

Of course, it's round one.

Of course, we're assessing them when we're assessing.

They get on the weekend.

And I'm not being critical of you assessing them.

And I'm just saying it's...

I'm quietly confident that they'll bounce back.

What I didn't agree with was Ezra and me

and starting on the bench.

I just couldn't understand that.

We spoke again with the other journalists last night.

How did you two say that?

I've got a bit of an update there.

My other thing is he had a quad injury.

It was a quad.

It was about load management,

bringing him back into the team.

Are you sure?

That's the problem, so I'm not too sure.

Are you sure?

No, that's...

That's certainly what we've been told.

He's starting this week, though.

He's seemingly overcome the quad injury.

You've started the management into the start of the game

instead of the back end of the game.

I don't coach the team for this.

I'm sitting at home and I'm like you, Braith.

I'll tell you exactly what I was thinking.

I was thinking this just reminds me of Brian Smith.

You know, too tricky for your own good.

Oh, that's a bit over there.

No, no, it's not.

He's the bloke.

He was the second best player on the field

in the Grand Final off the bench.

But he's also...

He's also the future.

But they took him...

You're on the bench, Colve.

And you've got to come on the main impact with the back point.

They've got the points. They've got those points.

Come on, mate.

There's a lot more to use for that too.

Is it the Ducati number?

All right, we've got breaking news from Brent Reed

and Michael Carianas.

Kaelin Ponga has requested

to change his allegiance to New Zealand.

This is big.

We've spoken about this past couple of seasons.

With the rule changing out,

he is able to apply for this,

although he did play for Australia and the Nines.

In 2019.

A long ways back.

So he has to request,

though, because of that?

Is that right?

Correct, correct.

This will go to the International Rugby League board tomorrow.

And it will be on their watch

to determine whether they want to accept Kaelin's application

to now represent the Kiwis.

If they can't come up with a decision,

there is a special committee,

boys, that will be now formed

for this newly introduced rule around eligibility.

And it could be the committee that comes up

with the call incoming days.

It is not ratified yet,

but certainly Kaelin.

And I don't see why they won't ratify it,

given they did so for Ajay Brimson.

With England.

The Kaelin wants to play for the Kiwis.

I'm glad it puts it out of our misery.

Like two years ago,

Kaelin Ponga pulled out of the Australian side

and showed complete disrespect to Malmaninga at the time.

And in my thoughts at the time,

I stood down from Orange in the next year.

But the NRL let it, you know,

go through to the keeper.

No big deal.

I would have been shocked if he would have made the Australian side

going forward because of what he did to Malback then.

So he obviously wants to play for New Zealand.

Go and play for New Zealand.

The question is,

from an origin perspective,

do we all sit on the,

where do we sit with the change of eligibility?

I'm absolutely fine with it,

because ultimately,

the most important determining factor

around this rule change remains the same.

So long as you've been in the country,

since the age of 13,

you're...

He has every right now.

You've got every right to play.

I'm not expecting an influx of

Kiwis pollination players to start playing origin.

I think there will be a handful.

I think it's good for the game.

And it's demographically the way the game's going.

It just shows, though.

The Kaelin's wanted to do this for a very long time.

The first one.

He didn't want to wear that...

I shouldn't say that can't speak for him.

But the fact that that incident happened,

which we will quite harsh on,

because we thought, you know,

what he wants to play.

He doesn't want to represent New Zealand.

Good on him.

He's got his chance now.

So that's...

That's fine.

What do you think?

Well, my opinion will never change.

If you don't want to play for Australia,

the stepping stones in New South Wales and Queensland.

So I'd rather play for Queensland and lose

as Queensland with that Kiwis in the side.

You see that?

If you wouldn't want him,

you'd be really sitting down picking his team next year.

Would you want him in the team?

Well, pick Tamiya for the day.

Pick someone that's going to go along

and wants to play in the green and go.

And that's just my opinion.

And they can shoot me down.

But I'd rather lose as a Queenslander with people

that want to go.

And as long as I was born in this country,

Queensland is part of Australia.

Right?

So you play for Queensland.

You play against New Zealanders.

It can still...

It can still have passion for Queenslander

and also wear the jumper that he's playing.

I mean, you know, but God is saying it, family.

He's a traditional...

As a kid on you, what Jersey I wanted.

Mm-hmm.

As a kid.

Ask him as a kid.

I had a Queenslander and then you're Australian Jersey.

So go ask him in there.

No one in town playing.

You know what I want.

Don't ask him when there's money involved.

No, no.

Don't ask him when there's money involved.

I'll tell you what you do.

Take the 30,000 away from Queensland.

If you want to go play for another country.

See whether they choose us.

He's giving me those scary oil lines.

No, but then...

I want the fact that...

Do you want to scare yours?

You know, they're...

Do you want any rules, though?

That the...

I'm...

I'm falling for it.

I'm falling for it.

I'm falling for it.

No, you know what I mean?

Most, as an Australian, the thing I like most

is the fact that...

Pong is a great example because two years ago,

he obviously didn't want to play for Australia, right?

And he pulled out.

At least now, every single person

that pulls on that green and gold jersey,

that's their first choice.

The problem is...

And so we'll know who really wants to play for Australia

and there'll be no argument.

Do you know the real changes?

Was state of origin broke?

Is it broke?

No.

Is it the highest rating show?

Yes.

Is it our best product?

Yep.

So was it broke?

So what are we trying to fix?

Because the...

The rugby league demographic has changed, Gordy.

We've had players...

So in Australia...

Yeah.

Since the age of 13,

that...

That are eligible to represent their...

the heritage of their family as well.

Yeah.

Right?

And...

There's got to be rules around it.

The...

You can't be jumping from...

No, no, no, no, no.

Well, what...

Well, around what?

How many international teams you can play for?

So if you are born in New Zealand

and you've got a...

Samoan mother and an Australian father,

you can play for three teams.

So we...

Yeah.

What's the cap on that?

You can play for...

Well, it's team...

Samoa, one year...

You can't lose team, right?

You know it's team.

Because...

It is a team now.

The teams aren't...

Because now the...

The Kiwis and the Englishmen can now play origin

if they're...

If they're eligible.

So how would that look though?

You've got to apply a plan for three different countries

within three years.

It's not going to happen, right?

You know that.

Okay.

If you don't make the World Cup team,

you can go and play for the other one.

Yeah, right?

Then you make the World Cup

and then you actually go play for the other one.

Then you jump back.

That's the...

I'm not saying it's going to happen,

but it can happen.

It can happen.

And it may happen.

Like it...

It's a possibility.

We haven't...

Well, that's what I'm saying with the rules.

I think you should only be able to switch countries

once or maybe twice, maximum.

Sure.

There's got to be a limit on that.

I'll see.

Because there are a lot of players that are born here,

other countries,

grow up here,

but have parents, different cultures, different...

You know, it's...

Well, it's not like this is a beginning either, Dave.

Like it's not...

Like I know there's more and more people

that will qualify for this,

but you think back even recently,

Kieran Foran.

Kieran Foran grew up in Sydney.

He was eligible to play state of origin,

but he didn't,

because he chose the Kiwi's first.

He drew that line in the sand

from the start of his career.

He replaced his home home here.

He has come out and said, you know,

he wouldn't change,

he's mind-even if he was eligible, you know.

My opinion Koween was won, as well.

Yeah, so it's not a new thing.

It's just a new change.

Oh, yeah.

Alright, Benji Marshall has issued a heavy warning

to his plays during the preseason

as the Tigers coach hopes

to break the club's finals drought.

And we're big on standards and if you don't

make your episode Congratulations!

You can't perform and you don't turn up

and you're not professional,

you'll be ****ed out here.

It's happened, trust me, we've been through the shit.

We're not doing that anymore, okay?

At the West Tigers now, we're f***ing stand for something.

And if you're not prepared to follow what we stand for,

guess what?

It's the f***ing door.

Oh, whoo.

Did he show himself?

He just walked out the door, didn't he?

That was...

No, we didn't cut that up, did we?

Tell us what to do.

That was the clip, we didn't cut it up.

We each showed him the door, then he walked straight out of

himself.

And then the players left two minutes later.

You've been all serious, then.

That's a good speech.

I love it.

So I love this.

You know, this is what they've needed, I reckon, for a long time.

You don't think it adds pressure, immediately?

No, no.

No, you want to put it on your feet?

You want to put it on your feet?

You want to put it on your feet?

You want to put it on your feet?

If you get an antedress in room, no, no.

If you get an antedress in room, that's speech is said.

I understand.

I understand.

But you know what?

He's in a good broadcast.

But isn't a good that the fans get all access now or no?

So like a tiger fan now,

it's going to go and watch out and go.

It's going to bump up.

I'll tell you what adds pressure.

The fact that I haven't bloody played final since 2012.

That adds pressure on everyone at the club.

You said that it adds pressure on everyone at the club.

I'll leave the vision being shared.

By the West Tigers on a YouTube channel,

we now know where Benji sits as far as what the requirements are.

And it doesn't have any cash.

That's it.

That's it.

Okay.

We don't know how Craig Fitzgibbon speaks to his players.

We don't know how Robo...

He may not speak to these players.

I can't understand.

I can't understand.

The line in the scene is still going to be there.

No matter how they say it.

No matter how they deliver their speech,

that's the line.

Coaches don't all the way.

Just because Benji delivered that right there and then

doesn't mean that every time he talks to them,

that's the way you do it.

No, we're suggesting that.

What are you suggesting there?

Because in that moment, I think the exposure,

well, how ridiculous for a journey to say,

I...

Thank you so much.

No, I am.

I'm not that fast.

I don't know if the West Tigers...

We've been down this path before.

Hello, Ty.

Tales of Tiger Town.

Be positive, please.

You're very pessimistic tonight.

Hey.

We've been down this path before.

You know what?

We're jumping on the Tigers.

They're going to have a good year.

But I don't think you need to add more pressure

by doing a documentary again.

Can I ask you?

Are you in a full documentary?

Because you're a canola fan, aren't you?

It's a tiger's attack.

Whatever it's called.

Listen.

You're a tiger.

It's a build-up.

You're a shark who's been...

If you're sitting on the hill with your son,

aren't you happy to hear that from your coach?

Yeah, yeah.

Sure.

No, they are sure.

No.

But it's the West Tigers.

They've been through enough crap.

They don't need more spotlight on them.

Yeah, but that's...

I don't see that as a big spot.

I see that as a termination.

I see that as a legend of...

A buzzer to give you one of those speeches in there.

What do we think, guys?

What do we think of the club extending Berndy's contract?

I thought it was premature.

I thought it was too early.

I mean, what was it?

Well, why?

Stability.

Usually, when I look at a coach being resigned,

I look at what other clubs are chasing...

Well, chasing that coach.

Weren't they in the paper today?

A board member trying to get back on the board.

They're asking for more money.

Wouldn't that chase stability to the playing group?

Yeah, that's what they say.

Absolutely, but you don't have to push it out that far, Gordon.

Okay.

And to be fair to Berndy, you know, I want to be fair here.

They are on an output trajectory.

They're going places.

They certainly showed improvement in him.

But it wasn't...

A nut for an extension.

Yeah.

Well, it wasn't enough for an extension.

You know, they finished 13th last year

and the wooden spoon year before that, you know.

They've got a pretty talented roster.

They really have.

When you go through that roster, there's enough players there.

They should have an expectation on themselves

this year to be playing top-paid.

But after all the drama that they had last year

with the board and everything,

and there's all this chaos as per usual at the Tigers,

and they come out with the answer.

I know what we're going to do.

We're going to give Berndy an extension

until the end of 2030 when there's no one else...

There's no one else that wants to bloody...

Oh, my love, Berndy.

You know, he's done a great job.

And I wish...

For his sake, I wish he saw it a 30-year deal.

But just from the outside looking,

I thought it was premature and a bit of a...

Let's just sign him while we can and keep the fans happy.

I think Gordon is right.

I think they were searching for stability.

And I think he's doing a great job.

I just thought it was a bit reactive.

Stick around to your nose tomorrow.

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