Lomax signs 2 YEAR Rugby Deal, DCE Diced & should we storm the field?

Good day, I'm well with the County Blitz, week two of the 2026 NREL season and of course

Kentie's still off with recovering from his cancer treatment. I spoke to Kentie this morning

and he's a couple of weeks off now. He's finished his radiation, he's finished his chemotherapy

and his immunity's down so he's lying low in his house for the next week or two and then

he'll be back. And so until then we've got some friends of Kenties and a good friend of

Kenties is Paul Crawley, Paul Welcome. Yeah, thank you very much. I spoke to him this morning

as well and he seems in much better spirits than he was last week. I think it was a pretty

tough week for him but he's a tough little bugger and he keeps on fighting. I'm surprised

by his resilience, right? Yeah, it doesn't seem to have affected him. Yeah, it doesn't surprise

me because you know what he's like. He's just so full of life and he's gone through some ups

and downs throughout this journey but never once has he, you know, he's never felt sorry for himself

and he's he's never, you know, turned up his toes and thought, well, you know, I can't get through

this. He's just fought the whole way and yeah, it's a credit to him. Well, you're a lot of time

made it here. So thanks for coming on, Andreas. We'll see how we go today. So obviously the big

news right off the bat is Zach Lomax has signed for the Western Force. Yeah, surprised by that.

Well, no, not really because the inner role had made a decision or Paramatta had held him to

his decision. He had to find something. He's gone to the Force. He signed a two-year deal that allows

him to, you know, go and potentially play for the Wallabies at the World Cup next year. We all

know Zach's got all the ability in the world but he really dug himself into a corner here and he

was forced to do something and I wouldn't be surprised why aren't if he's taken a massive haircut

over these. But he's sought the opportunity and good luck to win. Yeah, it's a good opportunity

for him over in Perth. I guess get away from probably the noise that he's going to receive over here.

You know, I've got no doubt the crowd would have booed him and would have given him a hard time

if he'd come back to NREL. So two years over there, do you think it's a concern for PVL? Do you

know, all these players now, we've got Angus Crite going over. We've got Swali who's already there.

No, I'm going to need to say goes next year as well. Do you think it's a concern for NREL and PVL?

PVL has already said it's a concern for you, hasn't he? Because he doesn't want to lose these sort of

players to the game of Rugby League. But you know what, I don't know one person who didn't

flick on the Rugby League on the weekend because Zach Lomax wasn't playing. And you know what,

we can go back through generations. There's always been great players who have retired or left our

game and the show goes on and it won't change without Zach Lomax. The challenge for Zach now

is that he's got a two-year deal and he's got a stick to that because he has made a habit of

walking out on contracts. He wanted out of sains. You can understand there were certain reasons for

it as Steve Gillis has explained previously, but he wanted out of that. He went to Paramatta.

He lasted one year of a four-year deal. He signed an agreement to leave that club on the

proviso. He'd go to Rugby Union and then he wanted to go to Melbourne. Well, you can't have

your cake in it at two. And I'm really glad for the game that they've stood up for themselves

and they've said to the rest of the players out there in the clubs for that matter

that a deal's a deal. And unless two parties want to agree to break that deal, it is what it is.

The interesting thing now looking ahead, I guess, to the Rugby World Cup next year is back in 2003

when the Wallabies brought in Wendell, loaded to Kyrie, Matt Rodgers. It's kind of everything

old is new again. Next year for the Rugby World Cup, they're going to have four or five new South

Wales origin players or Australian players. Yeah. Well, back in that day, again, Rugby League,

you missed them, but it didn't miss a beat. And I think with Zach, he's a fantastic footballer.

Like there's not many players that are as good as him under the high ball. He's got great strengths,

super speed. He's a wonderful athlete. And he'll make it in that game just as Swally has.

You know, like he'll be an asset to the Wallabies, but NRL will get by without him.

Yep. Very good. All right. Well, let's move on to the footy. This week, this weekend just gone.

The first game, I think we want to talk about is the roosters because both of you and I thought

they would be up the top at the end of the season and they looked awful on the game.

They were terrible. And you know what? You look at their roster and there's no excuses for the roosters.

They're talking about injuries at the moment, but they've just got huge depth in the forwards.

They've got two wonderful halves. They've got great backs. They're all missing a few on the weekend.

But there's no excuse for them to go out against a warrior side that a lot of people probably

thought going into the season may miss the eight. And they absolutely put a score on them.

What do you think of the warriors? I thought they were wonderful. I thought, you know, they're

again there without Luke MacCuff. Yes.

Tender Boyd comes into the side. He was inspirational how he led that team around the park.

He kicked well. He ran the ball. He organised. He left the roosters for dead.

What a Roger Tuovasa check on the wing. Like up against Marky Mark and he gave him a bath.

And you know, it was one of the better performances we've seen from Roger in a long time.

And he's a great player. The thing about Tender Boyd is it looked like he played the offseason

in that dominant position in the training, whereas previous years probably met Calf right.

And so he looked like he'd enjoyed the process of the offseason and looked a more confident

player. Well, he was way ahead of where he was last year. Not many people have ever given him,

you know, great comfort in his position. Everywhere he's gone, he's always been fighting for it.

Now, if Andrew Webster had met Calf coming back this week and he had to make a decision

between him and Tender Boyd, it would be a choice. You'd imagine he'd still go with Maccast

because he's now their marquee man. But Tender Boyd did everything to stay in that so-and-soated

Chanel Harris-Tavita. Like they were just wonderful, but the roosters on the other side are pretty

average. What do you think of them in the hearts? How did DCEE? It was hard to get a read on the game

because the roosters just kept on turning over possession and giving away penalties. And they

just could build for nothing. And I think in time that connection is going to work, you know,

because DCEE has been around the game for 16, 17 years. He's achieved at every level. Yes,

he's 37 years of age. But last year the roosters were missing some of that experience early on.

Sam Walker's a freak, you know, and he's just going to get better. I think he's 23 at the moment.

And you know, there's a good chance by the end of this season. I think that kid, you know, he could

be one of the stars of the game. But defensively was the issue for Cherry Evans and he missed two

crucial tackles that led to tries. He also failed to mop up a kick on one occasion that was another

try. And, you know, it's, I know it's only round one and you're not going to go right in the

roosters off now, but it has the potential if it doesn't work out to blow up in the roosters face.

And I'll tell you why because they had a good kid in Hugo Savala. And he was coming along

nicely last year when he got to play a few games with Sam Walker. He's 23 years of age.

And he was, he came through their system. And I reckon a lot of people, a lot of roosters fans

out there would have liked to have seen him got to go. But the roosters have this habit of going

and wanting all the shiny toys from elsewhere. And they've gone and got DCE this year. And I think,

you know, a lot of people spoke about the favouritism of them in the off season. I think if they

don't at least make a grand final on what they achieved last year with Sam and Hugo, it'll be a

failure. Yeah. And it wasn't a good start for them. Well, that's not right. I'm off yet. Although

many people are, you know, I've read many people are, I guess the issue for them this, this week is

they're coming up against the house who have a red hot left hand side and DCE who defends on the

right. Oh, good luck. You know, what about them yesterday? You know, for feeder,

um, letrelle, Cody, yeah, Alex Johnson on the wing. They've got Jay Gray now roaming around

at the back and making a menace of himself all the time. Look, I can't remember. I think it's

definitely the most lethal left edge in the in the game right now. And I struggled to remember

a more powerful attacking force than what souths have got now on that edge. You know, they still

gave up 30 points, which is a concern, but they scored 40. And that first try of letrelle's where

he literally had four dolphins on him. And he toyed with them. You know, he just monstered them.

And he's going to be an absolute force. I can't remember David for feeder for years

getting involved in a game like he did yesterday. And you know, then you've got Alex outside

them and Cody who pulled off some magical things. I guess the the secret for south is going to be

their fitness. And if they can all stay fit. Well, it's been a problem hasn't it? And Cody's

Cody's what 36 approaching 37, I think he's he's getting on. And it's been the concern for him

the last two years. He's injuries. But if he stays fit and letrelle stays fit and they've got

cam Murray back now, they're a hell of a force. And you know, you talk about DCE. They'll have

a target on him this week after what he did that last weekend. And that's going to be the the

worry for the roosters is not so much if salmon and DCE can combine as a with the ball in their

hands. It's defensively what they're going to throw at him. There was one point yesterday where

Joe Gray made that break. And I think that together with letrelle's performance, I think

Joe's break kind of put to bed the discussion about Mitchell going back to one. I know

Joe Gray needs to keep performing, but he's break from 10 meters out where, you know, then set up

a try after that. I thought that was exceptional from him as a young player. He gives him so much

energy. Yeah. Like that's just what he does. He's just always looking for opportunity. Letrelle's

such a big dude, you know, and you can see it in him. He looks heavy framed. He's too heavy

for the modern day fullback. She'd look at all the kids that are coming through playing in the

one jersey now there. They're just back to that, you know, that brilliant speed whip at sort of

characters. And letrelle, he's he's born to play center in rugby league. And we saw yesterday

even though he's probably not handling the ball as much as he was last year, especially when he

was playing fullback, he can still turn the game in the blink of an eye and and win a game.

And that's what South's need for me as he did in origin. Yeah. And he's done it for years. Yeah.

Yeah. Let's go back to the roost as it was because there was a lot of complaining on the weekend

about the refereeing. The roostes were approaching the referee many times. They weren't the only

people to complain about the referee in the weekend. The dragons complained over in Vegas. Ricky

Stewart had a crack. Had a crack. I had a crack as well. What did you think of the

I think there is a lot of frustration from the fans out there with some of the rule changes.

You know, I don't think they completely understand him. And and you even had commentators on Fox

League on the weekend who didn't know some of the new rules like in one instance, they're they're

calling a try back for a one hand tap back. And then in the next instance in the chronola game,

Sam Stone Street does the same thing. And just through to the keeper of it goes. So, you know,

I say to a lot of people, I watch every single game, every single weekend. And often you'll sit there

and think, what was that for? Like, you don't know the rules and the fans out there don't know

the rules. And if if these experts commentators don't know the rules, well, the NRLs got a problem.

But but on the roostes, it it it annoys me a bit because there were many occasions on the weekend

where they clearly had done wrong or they'd clearly, you know, it was a fair penalty. And and

Teddy and Sam Walker are up in their face of the referee constantly arguing the point even when

they know, even when they know they've made the mistake. And they sit there and they and they they

try and, you know, manipulate the referee into giving them a fair go. Why do they do that? Just

create a bit of doubt. You think in the referee's a human, aren't they? Referees, you know, they

they can be intimidated by the great players. And we've seen it over years. You saw it with Jonathan

First and you saw it with Cameron Smith. You saw it with Jeff Tuvey going back in the day.

Yeah. Bobby Fulton. Yeah. Phil Gould. All these people can put pressure on them. And I have no

doubt the teams, you know, and the roosters are no exception. They go out there to try and bend

the rules as much as they can, thinking if we give away a couple of penalties, we keep doing it.

And they'll stop blowing the whistle. Well, to the referees credit on the weekend, I think on

several occasions, they just said, no, this is the way it's going to be. You know, Canberra,

Ricky was not happy with what happened against Canberra. But I think when when he goes back and

watches that game, he'll see that Joey Tarpenay gave away several penalties and silly mistakes.

Corey Horsbrook did the same. You know, when they got the penalty for that Jamal Foggedy

penalty shot at the end of the game that tied the game and sent it into extra time.

The whole line was offside. So it was a ballsy call from the referee to do what he did.

But it was the right call. It was the right call. Yeah. That was miles offside.

Yeah. So the N.O. Rill still has a problem because, you know, there are too many six agains. And it

is giving these massive momentum shifts that lead to big scores. But on the other hand,

the players have got to do what they're, you know, they've got to stick to the rules and they

don't stick to the rules. Well, up until the rate is going pretty much every match had been

a blowout. Yeah. Every game had been 30 or 40 points. Yeah. It can happen though,

can't it? And you do bring a lot of those problems upon yourself. It can take one mistake or one

active ill discipline. And then suddenly on the back of that, because it's such a, you know,

a tough and fast game these days, that can lead to a six again. And it can be a legitimate six

again. And then that like can lead to another and pretty soon, as you saw in the Raiders game,

they went like the best part of 15 minutes without touching the ball. So, you know,

it comes down to your own discipline. And if you can get it right early, the advantage is

going to swing your way. It's interesting, Krolls. I was, I was sitting back when a few of those

gains were being blown out. And I was seeing them myself about this new rule that they tried to

bring in about the team that concedes the trying to kick off could decide whether to kick off

or receive. And I was trying to think whether that would make an impact on the end result. And

I'm not sure I would off based on where they were, but I reckon it could though, because that

can be a circuit breaker in a game, can't it? You know, and that's what Bennett wanted here.

I'm all for that. Well, I think I think they should have. I know everybody should count it,

but I think the team that concedes the try should have the option to choose. Yeah.

People disagreed with me, including very much better players than, you know, we've seen before.

I remember talking to Wayne over the summer about that particular rule. And the game I brought up

to him was that Canberra game against Melbourne last year where they went through the entire

first half and hardly touched the ball. And I said, that was a good example of where that could have

turned the game. And so people will also worried about all the great comebacks, you know, and when

they're shit canning this idea. But I think it had merit. And I think it's definitely something

they could look forward to in the future. But I don't think we're going to have a whole season of

these big blowouts because teams will get used to what's happening and they'll start sticking to

the rules. And I'll play with this one. Otherwise, they'll, they'll copy it. Very good. We've got

a, we've changed, asked Canty or AI Canty today. We've got a couple of statements or a couple of

snippets from Canty, which we're going to go through. And then we might have a quick chat. So

here's the first one from Canty. Here we go. The Dunderheads have again gone to the rule book over

the summer. And once again, we all know the result. Chaos. One of Rugby League's great strengths

was it was always a simple game to understand. Pass the ball back, run forward, stop them how you

can. But every year the game introduces new interpretations on rules, which are increasingly

making fans ask, what was that for? One of the great attractions of the game is being

erased by the compounding effect of poor administration. None of the changes are ever

pressure tested. So the bubble in the carpet effect takes hold. We push the bubble down here to

fix one problem. And a new bubble pops up over there we never saw coming. And like complex tax

laws, they are almost impossible to write out once they have been implemented. Each year it gets

worse. The sooner they get an independent rules committee, with knowledgeable people with no

agenda, the better. Leave the game alone. Thanks, Canty. I might just ask you about that last

thing that Canty said about the independent rules committee from the NRL. Canty, as we know,

always blows up about the capability of the NRL HQ to make these decisions. Have you got to

call on that? Well, it does have a point, you know, like there, you know, at times there's not

enough Rugby League IQ in that building. And sometimes they do make, you know, rash decisions that

don't always work out for the betterment of the game. But they do have, you know, they have coaches

in over some. And like last year, they had Bennett and Ricky Stewart, Michael McGuire, I think I

think I haven't clear he was there. And they all sit around and they come up with ideas. But as we

saw this year, they didn't take some of those ideas on board. You know, but it's, yeah, it's a

concern for the game because the one thing you can't have is a game that the fans don't understand.

Well, it's interesting, Crawls, you just said that you watch games and sometimes you don't understand

the rules. And you know, the game very well. And you're in the game for 30, 40 years. So can you

imagine the people who were just starting to learn the game? Yeah. Well, the commentators don't

always know the rules. You know what I mean? And so you're sitting there and you do get frustrated

if you're watching a team that you like, you know, and the calls going against them and it happens

so fast, these six against these days, it is really hard to spot what's happening. But, yeah,

now it's a tough one though, but I'll get what Kenny's saying. Very good. Well, let's go on to the

second one, can't he? Wayne Bennett is right. Stay off the field when Alex Johnston breaks Ken

Irvine's record. Think about this, particularly you, Sous fans. Rugby League is an endurance game.

If Sous score, they will likely have the momentum or need the momentum. It will take 15 minutes to

clear the field if the fans run on giving their opponents a good rest. Save it for after the game.

So, Crawl's only going to be out at that game on the weekend. Friday night at a clock,

a couple of beers with a few of my mates. It's a cracking game. I mean, it's got everything and

any Fajah gets over for two, where he gets over one. He draws the record, gets over for two. He wins

and whatever I'm going on the field, what do you get? Well, Wayne's a bit of a stick in the mud

on this, I think. And, and so is Kenny. Yeah. Because you know, Alex Johnston was actually on Fox

League last night and they asked him about it on the Maddie John show. Yeah. And he said, well,

you know what? He said, advice to everyone out there. They can't find you all. So he's a total

to what Wayne's saying. And when you think about this, yes, it might stop the game for 15 minutes

and it might delay things. But Ken Irvine said he's record when he retired in 1973. So that's 53

years ago. And, and, and now you've got a guy in Alex Johnston who, against the odds and,

and on occasions where he's almost lost his spot itself. So, a couple of years ago,

it looked like he was not going to make it until Bennett came back and he had that wonderful

relationship with LaTrell and that where he could just see the opportunity. And he's creating

history. And I don't see the problem with really celebrating it. You know, whether it happens

during the game or after the game, I'd love to see that the fans get out there and be a part of

it. And it would be such a memorable thing. We don't have many great moments like that in rugby

league. You know, where they're breaking records. So, yeah, I think I'll be 53 years.

Unbelievable. You know, and think of all the great players that have scored so many tries over

the years. Billy Slater, Greg Ingalls, all these champions for decades. And they haven't been

able to achieve what Alex is just, you know, one try away from equally. Yeah, phenomenal. Let's

talk about South. Because last year, they missed the eight. Well, down the bottom of the table,

had a lot of injuries. At some stages there, they had to call on the NRL to get a special

dispensation to play extra players. They look like a real deal this year if they can stay fit.

Yeah. And if they can defend a bit better, they really do. Because, you know, like last year,

they, they, one thing they did do last year, they played brave. And in many games, and I know

it got away at the end of the season. And sort of, yeah, they lost their way a little bit. But

when you look at the injuries and for the majority of the season, the way that they stood up and

fought. And I truly do believe a pain-harser's decision to join them next year is also added

to spring to their step now. Because it's, it's put pressure on blokes like David Fuffieta

and Letrell, who played a hand in getting pain-hars to the club to say, well, you know, you guys have

got to stand up now. That's an interesting call. And I, and I do think that, you know, when you look

at that left edge and even, even in their fours, they've got some pretty handy fours, you know,

who do their job well. And Cameron Murray was such a, you know, his absence last year was massive

on that. Well, he didn't play a minute last year. He was the best player on the field yesterday.

Oh, fuck. He's a freak. And so he'll make such a difference to them. And yeah, for sure, like,

I'm not saying they can win the comp. But I think on their day, they can beat any side. And it would

shock me if they don't make the eight, providing these players like Letrell and Cody and, and Murray,

in particular, stay fit. The opposite to that was the Broncos, who got flogged, didn't they?

Awful. Yeah. So, hang over. Is it first game fever or what, what the hell happened up there?

Well, you know what? You, you, you look at this and it is a hangover of some sort because they

lost the World Club challenge. And you can forgive them for that because the game's over the other

side of the world. And it's in different English conditions, the winter. And they've drawn over

there and everything that goes with it. And Australians don't have a great history in that game.

But to come back and it's your first home game at home, you know, you've got what 45,000 people

at Suncorp, you're playing Penreth, who you've come back from 14 nil down to knock them out of

the prelimfinal last year. And there was so much expectation and so much talk over the

offseason about pain, harsh. And is there a drama with McGuire? And if there's no dramas, you would

have expected them to go out in that game and made a statement. And they made no statement.

You know, like even Penreth weren't completely on their game. But they beat him. Was it 26 nil?

Kettler's. You know, you had a player like Reese Walsh, who may have had seven runs in the game.

And you put it up against the what Dylan Edwards put in about 28 runs and 190 metres or whatever

he got. Like it's just that's all the cheese, the attitude that was out there.

That's been the knock on Reese Walsh hasn't that consistency, you know, and you know, no doubt he won

the grand final for him, no doubt he won the prelimf finals. But that has been a knock on him,

probably compared to somebody like Dylan Walker. Yeah. And Billy Slater. And the champion fallbacks

over time. And it's where Reese needs to grow his game because the team does rely on him so much.

You saw that in those final four games starting from, you know, the last round game against Melbourne

last year was like when he flicked a switch. And then he came back in that final 15 minutes against

the Raiders and did it again. And he did it against Penreth. And then the grand final was probably

the greatest individual grand final performance we've ever seen. So he said he's benchmarked.

And he was so disappointing on the weekend because the the team really relies on him. And if he

doesn't do it, someone else has got to do it. And they just didn't do it on the weekend. The Broncos,

they they looked lost. And you've got a wonder for, you know, a team that's just months ago won

the premiership. And again, I know it's only round one. And they could come back this weekend

against Paramatta. Yep. And and really turn on a clinic. They could do that because they've

got that much brilliance in the side. But there's no question in the world that that something's

happened up there over the offseason to make pain. Haas make the decision he did. You know what I

mean? Like he's come off a premiership. And he's he's got a talented group of players there who

could create their own dynasty. And yes, he's come out and you said there's no issue with

Madge. But he's made special mention of his relationship with Wayne and you just sent yourself

if everything's not Hunky Dory up there or it is Hunky Dory, why is he leaving? And you know,

there's a lot of rumors that go around the game about something that may or may not have happened

over the summer. But ultimately he left the club for no more money. He came to South Sydney

who missed the finals last year. And if the Broncos don't get a hold on this and they can't turn

it around, this this storyline is just going to continue. And as we've seen with everything that

happens at the Broncos, it just becomes bigger and bigger and bigger. And after Paramata this week,

I think their third game is against Melbourne and Melbourne. And you know, that's not an easy task

if they don't get it together right, you know, right now. With points bet, back the first

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number on the screen or visit the website. Yeah, the other thing crawls is no Queensland teams.

I know it's too early to talk origin, but it's never too early to talk origin. You've got to be

careful what you wish for there were because I think someone wrote a story about that last year

how they they hadn't won anything and they ended up winning everything. So yeah, yeah, you got

bet they were disappointing. You know, Cowboys were terrible in in Vegas and the Titans were just

a disgrace. You know, near coach, first day on the job you've heard. All this promise over the

summer about the difference Josh Hane is going to make and they've got rid of Des Hasler and

Justin Holbrook before him and it's the same group of players and they go out and they do it all

again and Hane on the weekend got his first taste of it. The Titans have really got a what's

up to the playing group there, isn't it? You know, they've got to take some charge of what's

going on there. You know, Tino's agreed to stay at the club because he thought things were going

to change. Jaden Campbell did the same. He took up less money than he could have got at the

Perth Bears and he stayed at the club, but you know, it comes down to performance. They've

been a total disappointment for as long as I can remember and they've just got to turn it around.

The dolphins, they were pretty, pretty haphazard themselves. 40 points put on them.

Yes. And the Broncos, of course. So yeah, bad luck Queensland.

Bad luck. Bad luck to our friends north of the harbor. Oh, north of the border. Let's talk

about the Panthers, obviously prowling again. Huge result for the Panthers. I thought they were,

they looked fantastic all across the park. Yeah. You know, I looked at the backline kind of,

you know, the teams of the start of the year. I thought that's as good a backline as any

one else and they were phenomenal. But the trick to them is that almost every time they run out

on the field, you know, aside from last year, where they were had some bad luck and bad injuries.

I say, you know, Nathan, Cleary and Dylan Edwards, like they're their key players and almost nine

times out of the 10 there, they're an eight or above in their personal performances. Yep.

And that's what leads that side. And there's also great coaching out there because they continue

regenerate that side. You know, they've lost so many great players over the last six years where

they've been up around the the premierships. And they just continue to come up with, you know,

just the answer for the next generation moving forward. And it's something when we were speaking

about the roosters before, you know, the roosters have made a go of their their academy at the moment.

They still go out and they buy top-shelf players like Cherry Evans and Reese Robson and they try

and fill the blanks with the great players. We're pen-ruth. They just they just build from within.

And it's something that you have to admire in the modern world of Rugby League. Except maybe

Blaze too long. Yeah, yeah, but even he but even he was a kid wasn't he? And he played a handful

of games of Paramata and and yes, he had all the talent, but a game they've spent over a year

getting him ready to what he is now. And I think, you know, the bookmakers have already after

went round one, put him in as the favorites. And I think it's about fair. They have to be, you know,

they're not going to get off to the start. They did last year, are they? No. Where they were

last on the ladder after 12 rounds. And even they would look back on on that prelimped final against

the Broncos where they were 14 nil up. And how they lost that game, I'll never know. I'll never

know because they quite easily could have gone to a grand final and won it again. But that would

charge them this year. What about the Oils? Because preseason, everyone's talking, well, it's the

new Oils, you know, they'll pour it at the start of last season. They turned it round. Everyone was

kind of thinking, you know, 10th to 8th, maybe. Just how disappointing. Yeah, they're really

disappointing, you know, but for good reason, we thought that though, because they did finish off

the season pretty impressively. And and Mitchell Moes is such quality player that when he plays

Paramount or usually a different side in this year, they'd also brought in Jonah Pesid who showed

what he could do with Melbourne last year. And there was such great excitement about the Oils.

But they just went out against a side that know how to play early season football by minimising

their mistakes in Melbourne. And for 24, you straight years, they're, they've won round one. And

Paramount went out and played a game that you're just, it's not going to win round one football.

You know, they had no patience. They, they really got to the end of their sets. They, they gave away

penalties. They dropped balls. They tried to play like the Harlem Globe Trollers. And, and I like

the way that Royals allows that team to have a bit of personality and play like that. But it's not

what you do at the start of the season. They got monstered in the middle. And and Moses and Pesid

really didn't have a chance to show anything in that game. But they brought it all on themselves.

And it was completely disappointing. Yeah. And, and they've got to turn it around this week when

they go up to Brisbane and play the Broncos. Because yeah, they, you know, there's going to be a lot

of heat on that club now. They look down fit. They just didn't, they just couldn't match it with

Melbourne. Melbourne, Melbourne were brilliant. Melbourne had a lot of possession again. You know,

Harry Grant tore them apart in the middle. You know, but it was across the park. It was everywhere.

The big fours like Stefano was enormous. To become a Kameka was great. You know, they just

Jack Howe out in the centers. The eels just had no answers. Harry Grant was next level, was he?

He's good to play out there at the moment. You know what, Cameron Smith is the greatest hookup

we've ever seen. But I reckon Harry is the best to watch, probably going back to the days of

Benny Elias. You know, like Benny, Benny came in and changed the game the way he played back then.

And you've had other great hookers in, you know, Steve Walters and Danny Baderos and there's been

some absolute champions. But and as great as Cameron Smith was and that he's a way to manage and

manipulate a game, Harry just brings you to life the way that he can play football. He's, he's just

one of them. He's great. He plays so well on the back of momentum. And that's what they had the

other day. But still, you know, even with Melbourne like if they won that one and they won it well

and they'll continue to do that. And they'll be up in the top four again this year and they'll

be charging for that Premiership. But we won't know what Melbourne are about until we get to the

final series because they're going to be there. They're going to be there. But they've got to turn

it around. Go guys like Harry Grant. Harry hasn't won a grand final yet. Yeah. You know what I mean?

And and and since the retirement of Cameron Smith and the departure of Cooper Cronk, it's the

guys that are there now, the big three now, Hughes, Munster and Harry. It's their job to

create their own dynasty. Yeah. Good point. Let's finish off with the last match to talk about

today was the match of the round, the Raiders. And mainly wasn't that a great game. That was

fantastic. You know, like early in the game, Tom Trevoivich, you just felt so good to see Tom

back Tom, right? Playing with confidence and just showing his speed and he was terrific. And

there'd been question marks over him over the summer. Should he move to the centers?

Are they making a mistake keeping it fallback? Well, he answered the question there. And then

the Raiders, the way that they responded. And in particular, the young halfback Ethan Sanders

who came in, he was so impressive. And it was in an understated way. Like from early in the game,

the way he just so casually drops the ball onto his foot and it flies 50 metres down the field.

It was just so natural. And he he played within himself with his running game. I think he only

had three runs for the game. But when he needed to, manly just held off him and he took that opportunity

and went show and go straight through scored a vital try. And then that kick at the death,

you know, it was just like no one expected it. I know it was the fifth tackle in Jake Trevoivich

was coming across. He was the only guy that put pressure on. But calm as you like. Ethan Sanders

just nailed that kick. Like it was something that he did at the school yard. Yeah. Yeah. It was just

it was so so beautiful. And you'd think, you know, after what the Raiders had gone through last year

and losing Jamal, who didn't own those moments for the Raiders last year to see this kid come

through, he just looks like he he he he gives your faith that the Raiders have made the right decision

by letting Jamal go and sticking with this kid. Because Jamal initially was offered a two-year

extension at the Raiders, right? And then manly offered him a three-year deal. And they just

thought, well, hang on a minute, he's 32 years of age. We've got young Ethan underneath him.

Can we hold him back that long? No, you couldn't. The answer was there for all to see on the weekend.

And and now for manly, well, they got Jamal for three years and there's also got Joey. Well,

sitting up in the stands, wait for his turn. And so as time rolls on, you'll see, did they make

the right deal for their club? Or did they go one year too long? It's interesting when you hear

Ricky talk. You know, he appears to the great puppeteer the way he brings the players up from,

you know, juniors into into New South Wales Cup. And then, you know, it was interesting him talking

about Sanders and how he was ready. And you know, I really enjoyed hearing that commentary from

from Ricky and you can't understand, I understand what they've done, Warren. Because like,

Camber is a club that traditionally no one wants to go to. Yeah. Well, I can't remember that last

time that they recruited a marquee player, like every single time a name comes up, they don't want

to know about the Raiders. Yeah. So they have to go and hand pick kids, they have to bring young guys

through their system. And to develop the team that he's done now, which is arguably one of the

greatest Raiders sides since those early 90s periods, it's just a, it's a huge wrap for Ricky and

Don Turner and the people down there. Yeah. Very good. Cross. Very good mate. I really enjoyed

that today. That was excellent. Cross, we back another day this week. But until then, we'll see

it tomorrow. Bye-bye.

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