Tom Trobjevic News is HEARTBREAKING, Koula for FULLBACK? + Cowboys a night to FORGET!

Matty, I'm heading up to Brizzy for a big week of footies soon, you know?

Of course. I'm super keen for the Friday matches, but I'll be there all weekend.

Yeah, same massive games on the whole week's going to be chaos.

Actually, I was thinking, my place is just going to be sitting empty that whole time.

And I'm thinking like, why wouldn't I just put it on Airbnb and make a bit of cash while I'm away?

And you've been in my place too. Good spot, good location.

I know people who do it every time they go away. They call it a cheat code.

A couple of nights while I'm away alone and I would make enough extra income to pay for

our next trip to Queensland. That is actually a great shout.

I'm telling you, it's a no-brainer. If your place is just sitting there,

you may as well make it work for you. Your home might be worth more than you think.

Find out how much at airbnb.com.au slash host.

What is up ladies and gentlemen, welcome to an episode of Packer Up Boys.

Just to remind out that the Spotify video will not be there for the foreseeable future.

It will just be audio on Spotify. If you want to watch a video, go to YouTube just

having some problem with the video files. Apologies guys on Spotify. I know how frustrating

it can be that it's out of our control. And do not forget, we've got the jerseys on today.

May 4th, 2026 bloke jerseys dropping. You do not want to miss these one guys.

The most limited drop we've ever done. And the highest quality jerseys you've ever done,

like even little things like the emblem have like little felt little touches.

We've never done a jerseys this premium guys. You will not be disappointed.

But the great Tommy Bom is here. How are you going brother?

Good chemistry. I've never been presented with the jerseys before.

So that was fantastic. You're not wrong about the quality.

No, it's been a good late campy. Did you see the Justin Bieber

Coachella? Yeah, of course I saw the Justin Bieber performance.

What do you think of it? I thought it was good. I thought it was good.

I thought people were carrying on like he was at his computer the whole time.

Did you actually watch the fucking performance?

I thought it was like an art form to be honest. I couldn't believe people were bagging it.

Yeah, listen, I don't look, I don't get how like it's pretty easy to put it together.

Justin Bieber, he's like one of the first YouTube superstars revisiting his history,

sitting down, having his personal kind of moment. I thought it was fun.

And it was a genuine person. He was like dueting with his young

yourself and he's like small and then shit. And it was really awesome.

And then people are coming out trying to make it like it's lazy or something.

And I was like, what did you want him to do?

If he comes out and he sings these songs with these like backup dancers and shit,

like the same old stuff, I've never seen a performance like it.

And I thought it was pretty good. Yeah, I'm with you.

Maddie, you've got an injury mate. What's the injury?

Yeah, this is why we're at the different set today.

So I was, I've got a back injury and normally when you do back,

you got like a story. I was at the gym where I was doing something.

I was literally walking to the south down the sandwiches

and did my back just walking.

And like I couldn't believe it. And it just got worse and worse than last night.

I was like, a bit of, because it was literally just walking, no, not literally

literally walking. And I was like, all right, I got to set up, because I normally

set up the day before. So I was like, I got to do it in the morning.

So I prepared, I put like, I got caught in for like deep heat and everything.

I was like, I got to get this done.

And I woke up a million times worse. I'm like, there's just no chance I could do it.

Did you, did you push through and get to South Daling though?

Yeah. Oh, mate, of course.

Absolutely. Love South Daly's here.

Now, if one of your squad members is struggling with injury, what do you usually tell them?

It just depends, Cappy. I mean, you know, if it's, if it's early in the year,

sometimes I'm on the course of sight. Yeah, you know, I'll pull the young fella off,

but it just depends. Like sometimes you do, just need a push through. It's good for the soul.

Like I would have been very disappointed if Maddie was one of my squad members.

If he didn't get a sandwich, if he turned around and limped his way home without a hugo under his arm,

that's actually what I got as well.

I'll say, I don't know if I've played.

I just heard what South Daling sandwiches like actually go to.

Yeah, it's unbelievable.

Actually go to.

And the fact that they do, they're just knows all their orders.

So I go there maybe once a year, literally, maybe once a year.

And I am not, there's no GST, there's no exaggeration.

He actually remembers my order and I go there once a year.

That's insane.

And I also love, you know what, like the reality is,

they could charge, and there are places that Anna's good respectfully

to whom the charge sort of 25 ish for the same sort of sandwich.

Maybe maybe a lesser sandwich.

Not even maybe, definitely a lesser.

No, definitely. Yeah, and it's play on.

Like people don't really button all in this day and age,

but they've refused to mark their price up too much.

You know, like they've always sort of stayed true to the Australian.

He loves the game.

Oh, he loves the game.

He has to.

It's not about money for him.

Well, clearly not.

Like clearly he's putting the people first.

And they're one of those places.

I remember they had a small price increase on that long ago.

That was sort of apologetic.

I was like, gosh.

Oh, they'll sign it everywhere.

Yeah, signs everywhere.

Apologies out there.

Some like, gosh, it's all good.

Like, I watch the news occasionally.

Like, I know what's going on.

Like, you know, I get it.

You're working these answers.

You're working these other sandwich stores

that are like offered in big contracts to lure them away.

You're working like sandwich 360.

Yeah, it's doing 360 where he's like,

he's the fucking big wig in the,

but he's been loyal and the sandwich people

talk about how loyal he is to the South Dailing Street.

Yeah, I reckon I reckon.

I mean, you couldn't fault him if sandwich 360

through the kitchen sink at him.

Any left, you know what I mean?

Like, especially the back end of his curry.

Like, he's done it for a while now.

But I'd love to see him be a one-clap player personally.

Yeah.

Yeah.

My cash in your reckon, maybe.

As I said, I don't want him to.

Yeah.

I like the nostalgia of a one-clap player,

but if he feels his burst with sandwich 360,

so be it.

So be it.

I don't want to see him in court,

you know, trying to play for another sandwich for us.

That's right.

As long as he hasn't signed the agreement,

that's when it comes down to, I mean,

I don't know who his manager is,

but hopefully he's got the right advice.

I will say, I'd understand though.

If he took the bus, he's earned the right.

To I personally, he's one of your premierships,

tenets out there, like,

at least in my world, he's one of your fucking premierships.

He's made 100%.

And so, listen, he took, he took,

he's taking that place from the spoon

all the way to a premiership.

If he wants to take the big bucks,

moving to the East and suburbs,

I wouldn't wouldn't end up against him.

He got pathways now.

I'm pretty sure they've got a shop in the rocks,

a shop at Alexander.

They've got the OG one on South Dailing Street.

Well, the OG one is where I first

went.

I've got pathway shops now.

This is one of their pathways.

Their real one is on South Dailing Street.

Yes.

But yeah, this is the second.

I didn't know the one about the rocks.

There's one in the rocks.

I think they do more catering.

I'll say you reckon the one around the corner

that they had some cultural problems

and the big dog needed to come down and sort them out.

That's what I reckon.

Because I tell you what, like,

my brother Uber Eats South Dailing once.

And that's how I found out

that they had a shop at the rocks.

Okay.

It was like, why, like,

we were living in Queens Park at the time.

I said, why have you Uber Eats from the rocks

South Dailing?

They've driven past about three other South Dailing shops.

That actually probably would have driven past South Dailing.

No, what is South Dailing Street?

It's probably the dude that literally makes our sandwiches.

Yeah, he's like, he drove past the other shops to get it to you.

He's getting out of yardage.

He's the driver, he's the owner, he's the person in front.

Oh, seriously.

Great club.

Anyway, shout out.

That was all free, too.

That's basically just...

Yeah, well, hard earned though.

Hard earned though.

Definitely earned.

Don't forget guys, powered by Lontel,

feels expensive.

You know the drill guys.

It's the best internet in all the land.

Also powered by EmberX,

the best tipping up in all the land.

An Asply Mazda, if you need a car,

give a looky a message,

LDC underscore O1.

Boys, it hurts my weedle heart.

It hurts my weedle heart.

Turbo was injured.

Turbo was injured.

I just...

Like, you know, it sounds callous to say it's not surprising

because unfortunately it's just, it's not.

But at the same time,

it doesn't take away the human element of like this poor bloke.

Does everything right?

You know, there wouldn't be a bloke that works harder

to get his body right.

Finally, looks like he's hit his stride

and told me turbo injured again.

Just devastating.

Yeah, I'm guarded for turbo.

To be honest, every time that he's sort of wound up this year

and over the last couple of years,

there's always part of me that's like,

oh, fuck.

So to do it in contact,

like, is just such a shit go.

Like, yeah, I really feel for him.

I hope it's not, I haven't heard yet, obviously.

On the day after the game here,

but I hope it was just more like something's happened,

but they're just going to really take it, take it easy.

Like, I don't know now.

Like, like you said, he does everything.

He's been over to the US, I'm pretty sure.

Oh, mate, he's done everything.

He's done everything, so to then do it in contact

and, you know, if anyone that has done their handspring,

I'll somehow manage to do more onto us

to spot things as long as fuck.

But, you know, doing it in contact is so unfortunate.

You know, we are, you know, acceleration.

Topso-of-the-one stuff.

Yeah, yeah, it sucks.

It sucks so bad.

What do you reckon, mate?

He's just started to look like the old turbo as well.

I was talking to Timmy during the weekend,

like, there's all this talk about

who's going to get the wing spot for origin.

And I was like, surely it's turbo.

Actually, he's playing that good.

And then, of course, a few days later,

it always happens to me around this time of year as well.

It's always around around four to seven

just before origin, where he, yeah, he's eight,

hammy, I think, NRL Fizio said, four on each.

So I had, it's just, it's devastating.

Like, last nights, I know we're going to the game,

but every minute of last night's game

just got worse than the last.

It was, it was just shit from start to finish,

but that was the worst part of it.

I mean, it was, it was a good old-fashioned slinger.

It was a slinger for the days.

I mean, look, you don't want to talk about it

because it feels harsh.

But unfortunately, this is our job.

Unfortunately, this is rugby league.

But, like, any, and look, I'm not sitting there saying,

or boohoo, feel sorry for the millionaire, Tommy Turbo.

But honestly, like, I, I just, I almost feel like,

after 27, not necessarily give it away.

I would never tell Tommy Turbo to give it away,

but maybe play it in a comp that's less extreme as the NRL.

Like, does it, do you look at Super League?

Like, think about the, and again, I understand

there's people out there struggling right now.

So it's like, boohoo, poor millionaire.

But in reality, money doesn't change

how much you stress about something.

But like, the mental stress he must go through,

every, just every game, just to be worried about,

is it going to happen again?

Like, you know, it's got to get to some point

where the future has to be discussed and talked about, you know?

Yeah, absolutely.

But also, you know, what's hard for Turbo?

And I think his character's not in question, by any means.

Like, it's like, it's all glass and fucking.

Well, he's asked, he's literally asked to take pay cuts

and the NRL said, you can't underseller cut rules.

Yeah, and, you know, so it's obviously on his mind

that he feels noisy.

And I don't need as any, any right to because when you look

at the last five years, he's still been such an integral part.

But I think mainly to be sitting there, and I think they're going to find that

if he is out for an extended period here,

and if Tolo's the one that moves to the back,

it's going to create a lot more headaches for him.

So I think watching Tolo, and I said to Maddie before, like,

he's, he can't be a center forever.

He's almost like, if you were to design the perfect fallback for this day and age,

it's Cola. He's, he's not necessarily short, but he's like,

nuggy, powerful, and fast as fuck.

Yeah, and if you, if you watched one man that was struggling at the start of the year,

and he's shining a light moment for their team, it came through Tolo.

He just wasn't getting enough footy.

And so I reckon if they move him to the back and he's sort of doing a good job,

maybe we do see Tolo come back in at the center on the wing.

So I've been a big proponent of, he should be playing center.

Just, just for the mileage in his legs.

Now granted, it may still happen.

I don't know, but it really is like, you know,

mainly probably our own position.

Unfortunately, now we're after 22, 20, 27.

You probably couldn't extend, like,

unless it was for a dramatically reduced price,

which, which, you know, what Turbo probably would do.

That's what the kind of bloke is.

And I, it fuck, it honestly makes me feel sick even talking like that.

But unfortunately, it's a reality now, you know,

like, unless you disagree, but...

No, not at all. I think that there's probably a part of,

I don't know, from Tommy's point of view,

probably from Manly and from a lot of people's point of view.

They probably see that as an admission of defeat

if he moves to center.

But I don't think it's...

I think we're past that point.

He's proven what the kind of fullback he can be.

But, you know, like, and I've spoken about Turbo a lot

with the lateral argument about the fullback.

I can hear him like a little bit more.

Oh, sorry.

I've spoken about the, like, with the trail.

Like, it's the same concept where Turbo, like,

he played AFL, he's super fit.

But he's, his body's just too big to cover the miles

that you're expected to cover.

So, you know, if his body's breaking down,

like it has over the last few years,

I think a move to center is just almost the only option now.

What do you recommend?

Would it be...

So, let's say hypothetically, he's out for four weeks.

Would it be a move to center in five weeks?

Is that what you're saying?

I reckon.

If Cola goes well and they're still winning,

I think so.

And look, as you just said,

it has nothing to do with how good Tommy is.

No, nothing.

Or how good of a bloke.

Not literally nothing.

Like, we know, at fullback,

on his days, literally one of the greatest fullbacks of all time.

He's been great this year.

He's been incredible.

He's been great.

And like, he actually has played a little bit more games

than people give him credit for as well.

Like, last year, he played 20 plus games.

Was he hampered though?

Like, was he...

Yeah, he was a little bit hampered,

but yeah, I just think that, honestly,

and I know this sounds like a bit of a cop out,

but even for his own mental well-being or whatever,

the next contract negotiation,

the less money he gets paid,

the less pressure is going to be on him.

Like, because, like, I know people don't want to believe this,

but, yes, of course, it's a million dollars.

Fucking, you know, we all would love a million dollars.

Trust me.

But there is a lot of pressure that comes with that.

There's a lot of pressure that comes with that.

And I'm not sitting here saying that I wouldn't want a million dollars

and I wouldn't want that pressure.

But like, I do think, you know, Turbo is on 4, 500K right now.

There'd be far less noise around this hot...

Like, everything.

Like, if he got injured or wasn't injured

or if he only played 16 games a year,

you know what I mean?

There'd be far less pressure on him mentally

to be out there on the field

because we all know what he can do.

But I think I just think it's gotten to that point.

Like, it stings me to even say it, but I just, it just has.

But I just think too, he's more likely to do an injury like that

at fullback because, you know,

he's not, he's not a lazy fullback.

He's on the side.

So he covers so much ground and then, you know,

sometimes by default at fullback,

especially if you're defending on the line,

someone puts a kick in or whatever,

you're forced to, when you're already under fatigue,

just explode.

Whereas at least at center,

there's a lot less of that.

So he can sort of, he'll be covering less ground.

And if, again, people go,

he's such a good fullback.

No one's disputing that.

We've all watched the game in the last five years.

But I just think it's at the point, like,

if you want to see him playing more.

Yeah.

Yeah, I call from him to go to center.

I want to say,

would it be two years ago, three years ago now?

At least some of the members, yeah.

So I just go,

now maybe he still gets injured, I'm not sure.

But what do you reckon, like,

where do they head with turbo, you reckon, matey?

Like, what's the...

Oh, I'm more for cooler going to fullback.

And then, remember a few years ago,

how cooler played fullback for two games?

I can't remember what year it was.

I'm going to say three, four years ago,

right at the back end.

He absolutely killed it.

And then the next year,

turbo got injured,

and then they might have put

Garic there and then Lehigh came in

and then made it all this,

they did all this stuff.

But it's cooler, right?

It's just, it's cooler.

And I don't know.

I think, I don't know...

Like, what direction the problem is,

is like, turbo is a club defining player.

So if they are looking at it going,

look, we can't build the club around this guy

over the next four or five years,

because we can't afford to pay him.

And he dollars, blah, blah, all that stuff.

They're going to have to begin

to making some tough decisions now,

because at the end of this year,

sorry, it's, sorry, it's 26.

So yeah, at the end of this year,

he's open to market.

Yeah.

So like, the club's book

is going to have probably have to make a call

on what direction they head in

from the end of this year.

And honestly, I think,

and it's interesting, Matty,

just as you're saying that,

then, about Lehigh and Garrick a couple of years ago,

being the ones that were chosen over, cooler.

I'd be interested to know what cooler

wants to do long-term in terms of positioning,

because I watch him play fullback,

and I'm like, the involvement he can have.

And even just like, as you've mentioned before,

lower center of gravity, strong.

One of the quickest guys,

if not the quickest guy on the camp,

like, so much more dangerous.

Yeah.

So is there an aspect where he wants to be a center?

I don't know.

But I think if they make a decision on that,

let's say he does want to be a fullback or he's open to it.

I reckon he's a guy,

lock him up,

as they already have locked him up in terms of long-term.

But I think Turbo,

any talk of him leaving,

I think that had a lot to do with former staff.

I don't think it's got to do with where he sits

in terms of how he feels about the club,

and I reckon he'd be keen to stick around.

I wouldn't be letting him go.

I wouldn't be sensual.

I would be going,

can we put you on center money and have you as a center?

And I know that the hard thing for Turbo is,

he's basically sacrificing probably $500,000 a year,

because there might be other clubs out there

that would still pay him $900,000, maybe.

You know, we never know.

But I, in a perfect world,

because as far as asking what direction,

what direction do you think the club should head in,

I think if they could flip it and like,

cool those out fullback now,

we've got Lehigh that's back up,

and Tommy Turbo has become the best center you can be,

and can we pay you to center money?

Now, I can understand if Turbo is like,

listen, I've only got so many years to play for you.

I need to earn as much money as I can,

but I reckon that's the perfect way forward,

where Salaricap wise, roster wise, everything,

he is a center going forward and trying to make it work that way.

Would you pay Turbo 800 to play center?

So I'll be trying to get it down to like,

$65,600 kind of areas.

I know that's underserved Turbo,

but to balance the Salaricap,

I just don't know if you can pay a guy 800 K to be in the centers.

I think they're more likely to be accepted by the NRL

to do that at center as well.

You know, if they do move him to center

and he's playing their weekend week out,

even they can still probably make an argument,

there would be other clubs that would offer him the million dollars.

I think they're more likely to accept the fact that,

okay, if he's playing center and given the injury history,

it's probably more reasonable to use the Salaricap.

Do you get up how much games you've played each year

over the last five years?

Yeah, so last year you played 18.

The year before was 20.

So not amazing, but much better than he gets credit.

It's a surprise, mate.

I thought it would have been less to be honest.

Well, much better than what I'm about to say.

So then 2023 was 11.

2022 was seven.

2021 was 18.

That's when he missed the first four rounds.

Yeah.

And 2020 was seven.

That was the COVID year where he did that horrendous hammy.

Yeah.

And then 12 the year before that.

So not good.

Serving tough, tough.

Yeah, so, you know, I'd love to get people's thoughts

on what the direction is.

He's obviously remembering that this guy would be absolutely,

you know, he'd be struggling today.

Time he'd be devastated.

You could see him walking off the field.

But I would love a world where they go,

you're our center, get less caves in your leg.

I just, I don't want to see like in that under the old

administration, when I treated him poorly,

I was like, mate, go to another club, mate.

They treat me like, you know, offering things

and then rescinding things like whether you agree

with what they were offering or not offering,

it's not the way you do things.

Now that there's a new, a new error there that seems to be,

it seems to be going really well,

I don't want to see him go anywhere else.

When they were treating him like, you know,

taking back offers, regardless of whether you agree

with what they did or didn't do,

I just not a big fan of that with a guy like Turbo.

But now that it seems like they've got a really bright future manly,

foreign's going great, the CEO looks,

you know, everything's going well.

I would hate to see him play for another club now

that everything seems to be going in the right direction.

Yeah, especially if you were to go to Super League on,

you know, Super League money, playing fullback

and then get injured anyway.

You know, then that would be the worst case scenario

from my point of view.

And as you just sort of alluded to,

I think he's going to be keen to stay at Malin now.

I think if you asked him maybe even as recently as six weeks ago,

might have been different.

But now, like, I think if he can earn enough money,

get fully, I think he's my thing would be he just wants to play.

Like, you can even say,

and that's where he just can't win.

Hey, like, you can even see a couple of games

when he's come back from long layoffs with injury,

like that he's a little bit hesitant to accelerate as you would be.

People bagging for it.

It's like, well, you know, what do you expect?

When he gets on the field.

Yeah, when he goes all out and then he fucking gets injured again.

And I think, I think this year we saw that old 2021 Turbo come back

and be able to pull out for the record.

I think I'd still pay him $750, $800 per cent.

Yeah, I think I think I think you could.

I think mainly, I mean, I think mainly should.

If I was in it, yeah.

Yeah, I think there's a world though,

just like with what Kevin was saying before where

it becomes $650 and he's okay with that because,

you know, he's already asked.

He's already asked to like take a picture

and say, pay count before like it's not form there.

So I think he's a kind of guy, you know,

you're wanting to play the club until he retires

and then go into coaching stuff in some sense or be some kind of.

So I think that's the perfect way forward

because I just like, let's say, you know,

they do resigning $1 million a year in his state

and he's still the fullback or whatever.

I just, I don't know if that's good for his mental health.

I know it sounds silly.

And look, I don't know, like I don't know him day-to-day,

but I'm just the pressure of that going forward.

If he gets injured again and you know,

I just, I don't know.

Anyway, in regards to the performance,

like yes, the Cowboys were terrible,

but at the same time, like Jesus Seagulls look free, don't they?

They're so solid.

They like, they just look like a team

that's playing pretty simple footy, you know,

straighten up their attack.

Their front rowers are actually, like here's a difference

with their front rowers with just,

this is how I guess restrictive it seemed

the game plan was before.

So across the first three games under C-Bolt,

the second average, 113 meters,

Heatherington 71, and Jake Torović 13 meters.

On the flip side in there, three games under four,

and Paseca was averaged 162 meters,

Heatherington, 126, and Jake Torović 56,

despite playing less minutes.

And so it's like, like everything is just straightened up,

like Paseca was running hard and straight.

I think Heatherington, what he's brought,

I know we had an error or two, but outside of that,

I thought he was outstanding,

and I think what he's done,

I spoke about this earlier, on Morning Glory,

is like, sometimes I get the feeling

that Webky and Petro almost used to thrive off each other,

like they used to get energy from each other,

like if Petro had a big run, Webky would be like,

no, you're not out doing me, I'm gonna have a big run.

And what I like, what Heatherington did,

Heatherington seems to have been doing

to Paseca and vice versa,

is you can see Paseca almost reacting to Heatherington,

just I can come in from the back stance

and doing those big hit ups, and then Paseca's gone.

You know what, I'm coming straight enough,

I do any of them, Jake DeRoy,

which is poking his nose through,

and they're almost like getting energy from each other,

and there's a real combination growing there,

and that's what I like about them,

and I think that they should be really stoked

with how they've been playing.

Yeah, absolutely.

I think also it's interesting watching them

last few weeks.

It seemed like in the first sort of few weeks of this year,

there was almost like a disregard for the middles,

but we just don't have the middles to do it,

so I'm trying to skin them.

Whereas the attitude and all difference in those blokes,

like, oh, Heatherington,

he would have beaten his first three rounds

in meters and two rounds.

Some of the line breaks he was making,

and I also love now,

like, he's seen guys like the homo-lays, the garricks,

like the way that they're coming back

under and testing middles,

like, I don't know, he just seems to be getting

the best out of all of them at the moment,

and for Turbo to go down,

I think we all sort of sat there and went,

like, devastated for him, but also like,

I thought the team would get deflated.

Yeah, I thought they might go on with this,

you know, that's a pretty big moment,

but they would just so much better,

and just the idea that, you know,

to have guys like Tolloo and Gary testing,

testing back against other teams' middles,

like, that's how you're going to compete,

given you don't have as much depth in that space,

and yeah, I think, you know,

even see why I'm coming back in,

playing his role, like,

I don't know if they're going to be able to compete

with the top teams,

but watching them last night,

I was like, if they're using that game plan,

and they're getting the best out of the middles they do have,

I think that they can definitely push,

like, we spoke about a few weeks here,

I, middle of the table area.

I think middle of the table is definitely realistic.

Yeah, I think, you know, who knows, really?

And they're going to get better,

and it just proves as well,

like, sometimes we try to overcomplicate Rugby League so much,

like, Heatherington should have been starting

in that forward pack from the get-go.

100%.

You know, Jake Roivitch has a much simpler game plan

as well, he's playing much better, 40.

But just, yeah, like, they've just unleashed,

they've just got the shackles off them,

they're playing good old fashioned 40.

What did you reckon about the game, Matty?

Yeah, I think the turbo injury

took all the life out of the game.

I think that's obvious.

I think, you know,

manly fan, like, we'll get to Cowboys later,

but obviously they'll disaster.

I think manly fans would obviously take the win,

but I dare say they're not feeling too stoked this morning,

but their best player's out.

But, yeah, it got overshadowed,

but I think it right.

It was just a nice, solid, simple win.

They, like, they're overcomplicating things,

probably the best way to put it.

It was just, they just did all the little things right,

and the problem that I had with manly at the start

of the year was their four-park and their middles,

and they just kept it simple and rolled through them.

It was nice to watch.

I mean, I'll never forget a couple of years ago,

when Anthony Seawold came out and basically said,

we're not gonna beat Penrith playing, you know,

traditional 40, essentially, I'm paraphrasing.

I remember being quite against that,

because like, even if it is technically true,

like you just, it's like, you're all,

you're already like sending a message to your playing group.

Here's an excuse why you're gonna get dominated

in the middle.

Like, you're basically saying,

we have to play this like,

end-to-end side-to-side footy

for even a chance at beating the best sides.

And what I like about this kind of new look manly,

as I said, I don't think there will be this biny stretch,

but their four-pack is a bit of belief,

fucking, like they look like a four-pack that's gone,

oh, you know what, like, we are,

we actually fucking can have a go.

Look, are we, are we the Penrith Panthers?

Or, no, maybe not, but I tell you what,

we're still a fucking decent NRL level four-park,

and they're playing like that,

and I think that sometimes that really technical side

of Seabold's kind of coaching style,

it seemed like seeping to the playing group,

and they almost started believing it,

like they almost started believing like,

oh yeah, we're not a good four-pack,

like we have to go around teams,

and now it seems like fours has gotten that confidence

back in their four-pack going, like, fuck, why not?

Like, you're all NRL level players,

like per second on each day, you can go with anyone.

Heatherington's been in a fucking grand final.

Venture Voviage coming through the grades

was the next big thing.

Corey Waddell, who struggled under Seabold

has been outstanding since,

so it's kind of like, what I like,

Fos is kind of instilled in this four-pack,

it's like, why not?

Like, why do we keep telling ourselves

that we can't go through the middle,

and it's just been great, and like I know,

the immediate pushback is, I'll come on, mate,

look at the teams I've played.

Do you know where they were three weeks ago?

They sacked their coach, they were on three,

so I'm not sitting here saying they're fucking

a top four side, but they're still,

that's still on the track.

It's easy to say look who they played,

but like, I tipped Cowboys last night.

I think Cowboys are famous last night.

Like, Cowboys were bad, but like, they were,

they were, they've been hot.

Yeah.

And it's like, the Cowboys four-pack's pretty good as well.

We're trying to park the Tama Lola, Luke, you know.

And the thing is like, it's still decent.

That's the thing though, they,

they look like it's team now where the message is,

if you are going to dominate our park,

you have to dominate our park, you have to beat us.

As opposed to just a,

we're going to let you have it.

Fuck, we'll just play around, you know, like,

it seems so simple, but name me,

name me any successful side in rugby league history

that has not operated under the principle

of run first, play second.

Like, there's none.

So even you watch Luke Brooks last night,

that first try he sets up for Lehigh.

He's taking the line on there.

And you watch him go and fuck,

he's taking the line on like,

he's actually running the ball with some intense.

So like, it just makes sense.

Like, the way that they're playing,

and I just, I like to say it,

because Kobe Hetherington for a while there,

he looked like a completely different player to what he was,

or why they would have signed him anywhere.

Yeah.

Which again, not to harp on,

you sign a guy based on form and how he's playing.

And then you don't let him play that.

Is it like that?

Yeah, you're playing five seconds of the bench.

And also like, he was brought to the club

to bring a bit of leg speed and momentum across the ground

and clean up a lot of the,

because they had such,

Jake Rovich, he's older,

Paseca was a big boy,

and then like, he's barely get anyway.

So look, yes, I think that they're just,

they have simplified things, even like little things.

Like, Ola Kuwait is a cheat code.

Like, in the first three games,

it looked like they needed to get to this very specific sport

and everything had to be perfect.

Then Ola Kuwait, who gets the ball

in like the perfect environment for him to,

whereas now they're just going,

fuck that, spin it.

I'm literally just going to throw a long ball to Ola Kuwait

and just say run hard.

And that's, it's working.

It's, you know why?

Because he's fucking huge and explosive.

That's why it's working.

I mean, sorry, anyone with half a brain,

like if you lay the other side of the field

to try and get to him on like a long shift,

obviously any teams can be like,

fuck letting him get any time in space.

And you've actually got a chance to stop that.

Whereas like, even a couple times last night,

just hitting him one off the rack and he's carrying them.

And he's carrying like five guys on his legs and shit.

Like, he looked like a vintage version of himself as well.

So, I want to give Foggy a wrap.

I thought he's best game so far this year.

I thought he was outstanding.

And he just, you know, the good thing is,

is because he is more of a traditional seven,

he suits more traditional footy.

And he's got a forward pack

that's actually getting him a bit of momentum now,

which gives him time and space to kick really well,

kicked over 500 meters,

had a couple of tries this like,

you know, we've been saying for quite a while,

but footy is a simple game.

And I think that at some times,

coaches just outthink the room,

mate, just get back to basics.

Then we can build,

we can build something on top of that.

So I thought Foggy, he was good.

Mate, I've got to say,

Lehigh Hopper Whitey's defense as a winger.

Yeah.

He might be pound for pound the strongest player in the NRL.

Tell me a guy that looks as little as him,

but is as strong as him.

Yeah, I kind of think of him.

He's fucking so strong for his size.

Yeah, he would be someone I reckon that he came down

and he trained with this last off season

and he was about to go play for Tonga.

And I was blowing away because I was like,

like, he looks really athletic,

but he's not,

you look at some of the other guys

that he's going to have to handle.

Yeah.

But he's all ticker.

Mate, he's so fucking strong.

Great defense, great reads and the fence as well.

And what I like about,

and I really, you know,

respect from Lehigh is like,

could it be very easy for him to be sucking on the wing?

You know, he wants to play fullback to it,

at least that's minor standing.

But he goes out there, rips in every single time

he's on the wing.

I thought his defense was outstanding.

Cola, I mean, fuck, what a, what a super athlete.

He is a shinder.

That's cross-saber.

Oh, yeah.

What?

First of all, burnty.

Burnsy.

That was a lazy effort.

But you can tell.

Get low, mate.

Use your forward.

You can tell that he thought

that he was like,

I'm either going to hit and spin out of this

or he'll carry me over the trial line

and then Toler put him in the third row of the grandstand.

It was like that was so good.

I mean, that like that is just an athlete

that is so like explosive and fast, which,

because burns, I'd say, would be heavier than him.

He's obviously bigger and taller.

But I reckon burns, yeah,

expected a normal fullback coming across there.

He didn't expect a fucking super athlete

that's so explosive and so strong in contact.

I'll go to say that, like, as a winger,

like that kind of summed up the Cowboys night.

Like burns has had the best opening to,

like, the best opening to a season of his whole career.

But I felt like that summed up the Cowboys night.

No, because it's like, mate, just step him

or go low, like, don't just get lazy and try and bump him.

I think it's summed up their night.

I think Burns, he thought that to be fair to him,

nine times out of 10, you probably do just get carried

over the line there or you sort of,

I think he thought he was going to be able to spin

out of the contact and score.

But like, you can't rely on that in rugby league.

You have to actually go and get it yourself.

And I think, yeah,

is Toler the most athletic player

you've ever seen?

In terms of, like,

and I don't know the thing I'm saying,

he's like the best center of all time.

I'm not saying that, but like,

does the athletic make up?

Is there anyone else that comes to mind for you?

Well, both of these parents are like Olympians or something.

And he's obviously a state champion in sprinting.

Yeah.

Mate, he is just, yeah, he's a super athlete.

But yeah, look, I think Burns has been killing.

I really do, but I just, that's a moment

where you just stop thinking and just assume

that you're going to score something

rather than earning the right school that try.

And there's a great try saver from.

It was a point early in the game as well when

Collar found space and he was one of them with Drinkwater.

And he was going to absolutely skin him,

but he slipped over.

Yes.

I wish he just kept his feet

because that would have been awesome.

Not for Drinkwater sake, obviously,

but that would have been sick.

Yeah, so listen, like a really, really good game.

Another guy I want to give wraps to,

like he's not sitting the world wide or whatever,

but Brennan Wake, so that game that he daybood

for me only seagulls or not club daybood,

but like this year started.

I think it was club daybood.

Was it really?

That was the second ever game it's seen you 40 at nine.

Yeah, mate, I think since starting at nine,

and I was against him starting at nine,

I didn't understand it.

You've got, what is it, what's he's doing?

Timkin.

Timkin coming off, I couldn't understand it.

Didn't make any sense.

But I think he's been pretty freaking good at nine.

I mean, he's been good.

He's been great, but did you see when he

gifted a try by Lehigh?

Yep.

I think Porton McCally would, you know,

he'd have a few issues with Lehigh.

They're let Lehigh's given away trials for shits and giggles.

Oh, I got a lot more out.

I mean, just this lastly Clayton fill out out.

I thought he came on and was outstanding.

Really, really good.

Yeah, he was really good.

Sorry, you're right.

He's club daybood was in round two,

and then in round four, he started a whole guy.

Yeah, so like I actually think he's been,

yeah, I think he's been quite good.

So listen, great win from Manley.

You know, like from where the club was,

like they're in the top four now.

Crazy.

Like, and I know, like people still have games to play,

but even, you know, you know,

there's a lot of teams on eight,

but even still that, like at worst,

they'll still probably be around the eighth or ninth

by the end of this round.

That's crazy.

Yeah, I mean, what, three weeks ago,

four weeks ago, they were immoral for the Spoon.

They were literally like locked into the Spoon,

and now they're sitting in the top.

They're fourth, and they've played six games,

and they're basically, yeah, there's like four or five

of the teams that can be on eight,

but they'll probably land around eight or ninth

by the end of the round.

So, and they're ahead of teams like, you know,

Melbourne, for example,

Canberrators, Eels, the Dolphins, just crazy.

Just crazy.

So good on, good on Manley, good on Fuzz.

I'll tell you what, I have been,

I've become so cynical, though,

I've been so scarred by life that every time it goes up to him

and I see how happy everything is now,

everything, well, everything's going,

I just sit there and go,

I've seen this so many times before, we're like,

everything's going so good,

and then you fast forward like 10 weeks,

and there are like a three game losing streak,

and it's just like so far.

Don't do it like, I'm scarred, obviously,

we're all scarred by that in some way,

but I have a sick feeling that the tigers are just,

they're just getting, they're just a bit up too off here

right now.

I have this sickling feeling,

it's going to come all crashing down this week.

Oh no, don't tell her how many that.

I won't, and I want them to win.

I don't want the Broncos to win.

Oh fuck you.

But yeah, I just, I don't know,

maybe like, it's like,

I don't want to open myself up to the tigers

because we've seen this before.

I hope not.

You scared it off again.

I'm scared to lose, and it's scary.

That's what it is.

That's what it is.

But you know, each week that it sort of goes on

with the fuzz and like the mainly seals doing well,

each time the tigers keep doing well, I'm like,

like you just sort of lean a little bit more back

into it where you're like,

this could be,

because it has to eventually, right?

I know it's crazy.

If you took Panthers out of the comp right now,

it would literally be the most open competition

we've ever had.

Who's your competition favourites?

That's what I mean.

You take Panthers out of the comp,

and right now it's like literally,

outside of like, you know,

dragons, eels, probably,

you know, tight and it's like,

essentially anyone could go on a run.

Yeah, I can't believe you.

You've got like the tigers are $1.50

something favourites against the Broncos.

I wasn't the last time I would have done it.

Yeah, heavy favourites against Brisbane.

Like crazy.

And Reynolds back into,

you know, they're still missing a few,

but, you know,

pain arse out of Reynolds in the same side.

It's not.

That's why I'm actually kind of,

like, I'm not hoping for the downfall of Panthers,

but if they lose against Adolfins,

it'll just open up everything to like,

actual hope for another club to potentially like,

at least we can dream for the next month

that maybe someone else could win,

because right now, like,

there is not a single club that comes close

to the Panthers in regards to favourites to win the comp.

Oh, in terms of the first five, six weeks, absolutely.

You know, and I know they lost last week,

but you know what I'm saying?

No, no, no, no.

A cowboys, like the thing that sucks is this,

is how often have we been here with the cowboys,

where Todd Payton is essentially like,

he's one foot out the door.

Basically, he's one bad win,

sorry, bad loss, away from losing his job.

And then all of a sudden,

he rallies the boys, they get together,

they go on a great streak,

and we go, oh, well, of course you wouldn't fight, Payton,

I can't believe you were thinking that for four or five weeks ago.

And then they didn't just come out and play poorly.

That's one of the worst performances I've seen.

They completed at 42% in the first half.

I've never seen that.

And I just, how's that possible?

How do you go from,

and I know Broncos were missing some players,

but they still played really well the cowboys.

How do you go from the standard of 40

that they've set for the last month to that?

It just blows my mind.

And it's just like the tough thing is,

is that there's got to be a circuit breaker.

Is this going to be the cowboys for the rest of time?

Well, they lacked effort and intensity and attention to detail.

And I think, I've seen cowboys teams

in the last few years lose games,

where their attack was spot on and so much upside.

And therefore, they push it too much

and they end up dropping ball and they lose that way.

Some of the errors they were kind of with last night

were not even off the back of trying to play good attacking 40.

It was just laziness or just, you know,

just errors you shouldn't be making.

And I don't know how you break the circuit.

They're just like, you know, even poor drinky.

He's been playing unbelievable the last month

and it's absolute barry.

Yeah.

Even like the concern, anything as well as like,

the one, you know, real or not the one,

but one of the main knocks I had was a lot of young players

that would come into this squad,

would have a bunch of errors in their game.

And it like, it wasn't just one really good guy,

like Purdue, for example, where it was like,

oh, that just that specific gun, he's so good,

but sometimes that's an error.

It's essentially like Darby came into the side,

he had a bunch of errors.

And then on the weekend, like, sorry, last night,

Purdue, two errors, Tommy Chester,

who was outstanding the week before.

He had six errors, six errors.

I think Reese Walsh might not even have six errors in a game.

And so like, again, like, I just,

what environment is creating this,

like, who's creating the environment

where youngsters are having this many errors?

And it seems like it's across the board

with some of the youngsters.

It just wasn't there not to like,

Chester at one stage makes a line break.

It gets run down and then gets stripped off

in my Bruxy and it's just like, you know,

there's a chance for them to go on the attacking ball

and then not only do it to get stopped,

and it's a great effort to stop him,

but then yeah, to lose the ball,

like just little moments like that,

where it's just such a swing in.

And the talents there, like Chester is a gun.

Oh yeah.

It's such a gun, like he's so exciting,

like his future is going to be huge.

But I just, if it was just one player,

I could say, okay, that's just who they are.

But unfortunately, it seems to be quite a few young players

under Peyton that have this same concern

of this mistackles or error counts.

And I just, yeah, even though, like, you know,

with Kamala, I know it's sort of changed

a little bit over the last little while,

but he's pretty, pretty adamant that he wants to play

as many minutes as he can until the wheels fall off.

And even like, Lukey had eight runs all game.

Every time he touched the ball,

I thought he looked like pretty dangerous.

And he was at least far in his front.

He opens up the idea of offloads.

And, you know, he's a bit of a circuit breaker sometimes.

And like, he just wasn't getting enough.

But he, I just, I think they need,

they need to be more direct in the way they apply,

because they've got so much.

And I think that's what you've seen the last month

with them before last night.

Like they've, they've earned the right

to then give their attacking weapons the time

and space to do what they do best.

Yeah.

But just last night, they just, they found to do that

on the fourth floor.

Oh, all right.

What are you looking at money?

My man of the match last night was Cooper Cron,

because he was so angry in the commentary box.

And that was the only form of entertainment

that I had watched in the game.

He, like, every era, he just got angry.

And he's usually so composed.

But he, by the end of it, he just,

he just couldn't believe it.

He was humanized.

He was so furious just about everything.

He was even angry about Leah.

I hope, why are you passing it to wake him?

He was, he was, yeah, he was absolutely right from me.

He was, I love that.

Oh, same.

Because Crocs usually, you know, he's so polished

and, you know, he's not normally like that.

But every single era, it just got,

he just got worse and worse and worse.

Because you know, he's sitting there as a player

and a leader and a team

and almost imagining himself going like,

what the, are you doing?

There was one particular one, which I absolutely loved,

where they lost the ball inside their own half

the Cowboys.

And he goes, you know what?

It works at training,

but this is against the merely seagulls,

just because it works against,

just because it works for your training,

it doesn't mean it's going to work out here.

And I just, I just love that one.

But yeah, I mean, what else,

what am I supposed to say?

Like, it was just, I dare say,

every Cowboys saying, listen to this,

work out with a sore head this morning,

just from watching that.

It was, it would have been so frustrating.

Just era after era and they just showed nothing.

Ended up with 58% completion.

Just, where does that come from?

You know, like, it's okay for one bloke to have an eye off,

but that many players to have that big of a,

I just wow.

So it really is one of those, you know, hit a race,

don't even fucking watch it.

Let's just pretend that didn't happen.

But again, I just, I don't think the Cowboys can't go through

another season like this.

I've got a question for you.

So sharks have to buy this week.

Next week, Cowboys play sharks at home.

Who are you tipping?

What's going to happen that game?

I don't know.

I'm tipping sharks, but I don't know what's going to happen.

Who knows?

Who knows what Cowboys are doing?

Cowboys are doing 13 plus.

Yeah.

So, yeah, look, I just think that they just can't keep doing this.

This has been for five years now.

Yeah.

And it is frustrating because on that day, like,

you know, that Melbourne game, I gave them abs,

and I'm not alone here, I'm sure,

but I gave them absolutely no hope.

In the scramble and the urgency they show,

because again, no one's sitting there going,

I drink water, like, I don't know if he's good enough

with the ball in hand to do stuff.

Like, fuck, he's a guy.

Fucking so good.

But the urgency in the scramble,

I was watching that game, you know,

like, I don't know that, this, you know.

What about that, that, try that colonally scored?

Where's about four Cowboys around the ball?

And they all just like, watched it bounce,

and colloquially jumped on it.

Oh, he, he lost his shit about our cronly.

Yeah, cronly.

So angry.

They're just like, drink water.

That's yours every single time.

Oh, I just, that, he was the best part of the game last night

by so far.

I just, yeah, we're drinking like, he has been healing it,

healing it, and it just must be all the noise,

I guess, around what's happening,

might be destructing him quite a bit.

It seems like that's the, like,

I reckon it's just the destruction of what's going on.

And I will say like,

and I know the Cowboys have said,

oh, no, it was drinky that asked to leave.

Clearly the Cowboys have told drink water.

You're not needed.

He said on 360 a week ago, he wanted to stay.

Yeah.

So there is, there would be an element of,

of a bit of devastation from drinking like,

the realization that, you know, the club saying,

like, beat it, essentially, we don't need you.

At the very least, I've made it clear,

Purdue's the guy long-term.

You know, just like, read the room.

Yeah, so it's like, you know,

and then it would be,

imagine being a young, like, it's not young,

but imagine being a player.

Not only has the club told you that, you know,

you can leave a year early,

after you've been probably one of the best players

at the club for five years or so,

but also, then in the media,

you've got Todd Peyton saying, drink water,

ask for the release.

Imagine how fucking angry that would make you as a player.

Like, why come out and make out like,

I asked for the release when it's clear that the Cowboys,

and look, I'm not,

I'm not having a crack at the Cowboys for that decision.

Like, look, I don't,

I think they should hold on to drinking for a year or two longer,

but I totally understand where they're coming from.

Purdue's a gun.

He's gonna be there for a decade.

So I'm not against the Cowboys in that,

but like, why, why muddy the waters

and make out like, drink water's the one that's asked to leave?

Like, I don't.

So if you drink water,

and I'm not excusing the bad performance,

you still are professional,

you should still go out there and play as well as you can,

but like, as if that's not gonna piss you off as a player,

not only am I getting brushed,

I'm getting made out like,

I was the one that asked to leave.

Yeah, he deserves better than that, especially, you know,

as you mentioned before,

he's been one of their main players over the last few years

in terms of any spark, any upside.

Normally, he's got something to do with it.

So, you know, I'm sure there'll be some Cowboys fans

sitting there like a bit dirty on him

when it's not really justified.

Like, you're at a party and like,

someone walks up against his, you can leave.

And then they go around and tell everyone,

say, you asked to leave.

You'd be lost to leave.

He said, he said, he said, he said, he said,

he said, he said, he said, he said, he said, he said,

I don't understand why the Cowboys have done that.

Like, it just makes no sense whatsoever.

So, look, we'll see what happens,

but yeah, he had a poor night, unfortunately, drinky.

So, men in black, eraser, eraser.

Darwin's the next week.

Yeah, he had a poor night bit.

Wasn't the only one.

He's hooded all these teammates.

Yeah, well, he's hooded one of most of them.

And look, he's gonna cop most of the flak

because the million dollar target

is getting thrown around or whatever,

but it's like, hang on a sec.

Have we been watching the same drinky over the last four or five years?

This guy is a fucking wizard with the ball in here.

Oh, yeah, he is.

And, you know, the other one that are cronclose,

he shout out, it was funny, mate.

He was when the end of the game,

by this point, the game was gone to be fair,

but when Sonny Loot didn't get back behind the footy.

Oh, yeah.

He did a new off-load.

I wanted a welfare on the welfare check on cronclad,

but if he was gonna have a year or something,

it was, it's like, look, I get a drinky, you know,

in defense, definitely can be inconsistent,

but right now, the dragons, they are desperate

for someone creative, and that's why he's gonna get a million dollars.

Now, if he was going to another club like, you know,

the dogs or, you know, sharkies,

then obviously he'd be more around the 800 mark.

Yeah, but I think the dragons that they have to,

they just have to pay him a million, because they're desperate.

So he like, can be, last few years,

the young around our drinky has been attacking

while he's probably one of the best in terms of for each other.

Well, as we can never play origin

because of his defense, right?

Yeah, from what I understand,

Todd Payton's sort of climbed the fame.

He's mainly his defense orientated and stuff like that.

And we haven't seen a massive improvement in drinking,

given like you played a full back yourself,

and they're like, what do you reckon that comes down to with him?

Like, Jack, there's a world where if he does go to another club,

and he gets a bit of help with that side,

will we see an improvement?

Because there's been like a few years where that's been the chat now.

It's been noise.

To be honest, I think a lot of players in Cowboys

have defense hasn't improved.

You know, I think that like the year,

I think Dean Young was his assistant coach,

defensive coach, when they were really good in defense in the prelim.

To the prelim?

To the prelim?

Yeah, they made the prelim,

just me step from the eels, I think.

Look, I think it's probably too far gone now.

Like, drinking is so good in an attack that he kind of probably,

I just, I don't know whether he's going to become out

and be the best defensive, you know, full back in the comp

at a new club.

However, you can improve a little bit to where it's not so noticeable,

I guess.

But I just think that he's a kind of,

a little bit like Ries Walsh in the sense that like,

you know, granted, Walsh is super young,

and he's worked, he's asked off here.

He's defensive one on the grand final,

but he's a little bit like Ries Walsh in the sense that like,

there might be four errors next to Ries Walsh's name,

but everyone allows it because of what else he can do here.

And I think with Drinky,

if you're a mid table team that's desperate for creativity,

you're going to be like, you know what,

we'll cop a mistackle here all there

because you can put on three or four tries.

I think that's probably where he's going to land with it.

Matty, I'm heading up to Brizzy for a big week of footies soon,

yeah?

Of course, I'm super keen for the Friday matches,

but I'll be there all weekend.

Yeah, same massive games on the whole week's going to be chaos.

Actually, I was thinking,

my place is just going to be sitting empty that whole time.

And I'm thinking like, why wouldn't I just put it on Airbnb

and make a bit of cash while I'm away?

And you've been in my place too.

Good spot, good location.

I know people who do it every time they go away.

They call it a cheat code.

A couple of nights while I'm away alone

and I would make enough extra income

to pay for our next trip to Queensland.

That is actually a great shout.

I'm telling you, it's a no brainer.

If your place is just sitting there,

you may as well make it work for you.

Your home might be worth more than you think.

Find out how much at Airbnb.com.au slash host.

Alrighty, quick one.

We all grind hard, work family,

chasing a few wins on the weekend,

but while you're building all that,

your super should be building too.

That's why I like C-Bus Super.

It's run to benefit members, not shareholders,

and it's built for the long game.

No hype, just smart moves over time.

Life builds, your future should too.

C-Bus Super, build you or something.

Visit C-BusSuper.com.au to read the PDF

and TMD before deciding if it's right for you.

Doggy is kick off re-signing talks with Jacob Preston.

He's free agent of everyone this year.

Open the door for all that good stuff.

He's currently reportedly on 500k a year.

Wow.

That is gonna go up.

That's going up.

Holy shit.

By some margin.

Most likely going to make a origin this year,

especially if Liam Martin is definitely,

you know, only going to play one or two games

for a origin this year.

He's out for six weeks or so, isn't he, Liam?

It sounds like he might not even make a origin one.

Yeah, so who knows?

Yeah, you're looking at quite a while.

Tommy Bomb, Baltimore.

I love the Jacob Preston story.

And it comes back to, he was playing Flägett the Chalks

maybe five years ago or something like that.

Went to Norsany Bears and traditionally Norsany Bears.

You don't see a lot of guys come through from the NRL there,

but he's obviously just such a hard worker,

gets himself a train and trial at the dogs.

He's been, we spoke about this last week,

but he's been there throughout the entire rebuild.

And just to see how well he's doing now,

I hope he does get to play origin this year.

And I hope they give him the right back row spot,

especially if Liam Martin is out.

And even if Liam Martin was playing,

I'd actually be happy with him.

He's played on the left before.

I'd actually be happy with them playing him

on the left even to start him.

I think if you're going to play him,

play him for the full, full 80 minutes

and let him do his thing.

There's a show they can spare his last week

like it took 70 minutes to actually break the line,

you know, and actually score a try

and then he sent up to the Noah.

So yeah, I'm stoked for him.

And I hope he gets rewarded accordingly.

How much are we thinking?

It's hard to tell in the new cap.

Is he, are we talking like 800, 900?

Is that, well, we're looking at,

or are we looking at?

I reckon around seven to eight.

You reckon seven eight?

Yeah.

Yeah, I was eight came to my mind first.

Just because the reason why I'd be happy to give him eight

is his durability.

Like, oh yeah.

If I'm paying you 800K,

I can't be worried that you're going to miss a game

once a month or something like that.

And I think with the reason why,

like if I'm paying,

if I, let's say I've got a salary cap in front of me,

if you're on 800K or more,

you should be in the top three players in our side

every single week.

And you should play more than 20 games a year.

And what I like about Preston is he,

there are very, very few games for the dogs

where he isn't in their top three players.

Whereas, if I'm trying to balance our salary cap,

unless I'm desperate,

like desperate for someone to come to Chloe whatever,

I can't justify playing someone 800 to a million dollars

that is the best player for two weeks in a row

and then the fifth best player.

And then the second best player and then the seventh best player.

I just can't justify that.

And that's why I'll be okay with Preston getting a,

you know, to be honest, like,

he's a tough question.

Who do you pay 800K?

Kick out or Preston?

I'd go Preston because of the consistency.

So would I.

That's what I was about to say, you know?

I don't know what the other boys are on,

but if I'm Preston, I'd be looking around,

I'll be going, okay, well,

I am one of the best top three players every week.

I'm durable.

Some of these other blocs,

they probably don't fit that mold and they're on X.

So I think he's got a really good footing

Nashy wanked quite a good deal for himself

when he deserves it.

What do you reckon, matey?

That's really tough.

I can't immediately go one of the other.

I think because we know, like,

kick out ceiling is like fucking whatever he wanted to be.

So like, obviously, kick out on his day,

he can do things arguably no back row again.

But is he consistently better than Jacob Preston?

Yeah, I'd probably have had Preston in front by a nose.

I still think kick out is underrated every week.

His kick chase gets underrated.

Well, I don't think people realise he's still

absolutely killing it.

So yeah.

His effort areas get underrated

because of how high his ceiling is.

And we're so used to,

as he was coming through as seeing the crazy,

like the runs, the off-loads, this, that.

Like I think people underestimate kick out

his effort areas, but in saying that,

like, Preston has been doing it a long time now.

If I'm Preston, I'm waiting till the end of Origin 3 to re-sign

because I dare say there'll be a bit more cash replays

over the games.

Or the very least until you get selected for game one.

Because as soon as you, if you can do it,

as you get selected or whatever,

because the problem is if you don't go well in Origin,

then that might hurt you a little bit.

Whereas if you can do it as your hype heads into Origin,

get a deal done.

Yeah.

Like you're an Origin player,

and everyone's almost assuming you're going to do well.

Now, granted, if you're super confident

that you're going to kill it in Origin, then, you know,

but honestly, like I would honestly say,

like, I actually don't think Origin Selection

will actually affect his price that much

because I feel like everyone already kind of assumes

he's at level anyway.

Yeah, I agree.

You know, like if he doesn't play Origin this year,

would you expect him to take 600K out?

I don't think you'd take 600K.

No, and there's going to be other clubs

that are willing to pay him around the 800K.

And like, you know, you look at some of the new clubs

coming in in those couple of years,

like that they'll throw the kitchen sink out of him if they can.

I just, I think ideal scenario for him.

He lands around the 800K.

He did a club that by their every chance

of winning the comp next few years.

Even Lockheed Yavin, they're building a good combo.

And I think, I don't know who wants more who.

I think he loves the dogs.

I think the dogs love him.

I don't see him moving, but yeah, I hope he gets 800.

I think he deserves it.

Yeah.

He's a four-year-old, perfect age.

Like, plenty of footy left in him.

Only ever going to get better.

And like, there is something to be said about.

Listen, if Garwin's going to be at the club long term,

having like a edgeback roller there, you know,

for his whole career, think about how damaging they're going to be.

Oh, I'll have to three or four years.

Yeah.

Another thing about Preston too, like, I, he's such a good story.

Because like, we were so used to seeing, you know,

you just mentioned Garwin,

burst onto the scene at like, you know, four years old.

He's the guy, everyone loves him.

Like, Preston had to go the long way around it.

He's only 24 grand to drive, but he got given a train and trial

and he's, on his own pace, he's made, he's become someone

who we're talking about him getting, you know.

He also had that horrific leg break

when he was playing for the Bears, I think it was.

Yeah.

So he had to come back from that.

And also he, so I think he used to be a postee.

Yeah.

And he used to listen to Blokin' a Bar

whilst he was doing his postee runs.

That's Garwin.

So I think he's, like, he's a young fella playing footy,

like doing postee runs.

Now he's about to be on $800,000 a year most likely,

$7800,000.

That's in, what a, what a, I can six story.

I'm not even kidding.

He's my first pick to origin back role this year.

Okay.

That's what, that's what I reckon.

Like, I don't know how long you expect someone to do it

because I think Liam Martin, like, he'll be there

if he's fit, like, in some role.

But how long do you expect Preston to actually just carve up

as a back rower and 80 minute back rower

before you go, oh, maybe we give this guy a crack.

So yeah, because Liam Martin's engine,

at the moment, mine is Preston on the right,

Hudson Young on the left.

Okay.

Yeah.

Which I'd be fine with, but if, if Martin was fit

and playing right back rower,

I don't think that should rule Preston out of the side

given he has played left before and he's able to.

And I think he's that good that it's worth a gamble

of putting him on the other side.

Like, you said last week, and it, fucking, it burns me.

But it's true.

I think Queensland would have picked him like last year.

Yeah.

He'd been doing it for two years, if there was a spot there,

or, you know, he was playing how he's playing now.

I think it's a no brainer.

Yeah.

Okay.

Some funny stuff happened.

That was, that happened quite a while ago, actually.

Horse bra versus Cooper Clark.

Sorry.

So Corey Horse bra, once got sinbed and was walking off the field

and got abused by a fan in the stands,

it was a teenage Cooper Clark, who was 145 kilos at a time

and he yelled, shut up, you fat prick.

They go head to head tonight.

So Corey Horse bra, yell that out to him.

Yeah.

I love the E-commerce.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Oh, that is so good.

I love that Cooper Clark is a rugby league head.

Like he's in the crowd watching some rugby league.

Just one of us.

One of us.

Yeah.

And he's spraying horses, he's walking off.

Was that when the horse rule got a bit emotional?

I don't know.

Just out of it.

Maybe.

Yeah.

Yeah, maybe.

Maybe you shared some tea.

You know what's funny about that is the idea.

You know, when you see players that you won't normally

say this at NRL level, but at local comps,

if someone's bagging them from the side, they're going,

come on the field, Ben.

Sweet.

Give me a few years.

Give me a few years.

I'll say it six p.m.

That's so good.

That's so good.

Surely there's going to be a bit of banter on the field.

That's correct.

How does that come out if one of the boys said it?

I think.

Cooper Clark's just.

He's just told the young.

Well, there was no quotes in the articles.

It's one of those stories that might have like got, you know,

for example, Cooper Clark might have gone down to Storm

and said, oh, you're actually back in the day.

I said this and Big Red said this.

And then it kind of permeates throughout the squad and then

a journal finds out about it.

Yeah, that's so funny.

Great start.

That is so funny.

That's so funny.

So they get a head to head tonight, Big Red, Raging Big Red.

OK, guys, the Green Ensign in Barnett Swapdeal is complete.

Jeez, I'm happy that this happened in the club

compensated the Warriors.

I would have been really disappointed that Broncos had

to say, no, you know, we want Barnett, we're not giving

anyone up.

You know, technically, the Broncos didn't need to get it.

They didn't give anyone up.

They didn't.

Barnett was already basically told that he can leave.

It was more just a gesture of, this is the right thing to do.

And I'm really proud of the club, McGuire, Donna, he, all of that,

all the whole crew, the whole administration that, you know,

Green Ensign's a friggin' bloody good player.

And he's a part of our plans because one injury, he was in the side

and then he got injured.

Otherwise, he would be in the side right now.

I think this is a really classy move from the Brisbane Broncos.

I'm stoked they did it.

Yeah, I'm proud of the sport generally.

To be honest, like, I think both clubs have done such a good job there

in terms of a lot of goodwill has been shown.

And like, you know, it was pretty public knowledge early on that he was coming

back for compassionate grounds.

And the second that that comes out, you lose so much bargaining power.

Yeah.

So, you know, good on them for not letting the business side of it get in the way

of looking after their player, being Mitch Barnett, and good on the Broncos

for being willing to, like, as you just said, they didn't need to do that.

And Green Anderson, they've only just signed him from the storm.

So, he hasn't been there that long and he was part of their plans moving forward.

So, they've done the right thing by the Warriors.

Warriors have done the right thing by Mitch.

And it sounds like it's all worked out for everyone.

Yeah, I'm super proud.

Like, I'm stoked because usually in these situations,

like, the fact that it already came out that he was being, he's released

from his contract.

Like, the Warriors lost every bit of leverage there is.

Yeah, 100%.

The Broncos, you know, if they wanted to, could have easily just said,

nah, not the owner, because we know no matter what you're letting him go.

So, eventually he's going to land at our club.

And I just think would have been super unfair, especially because the Warriors

have been so understanding in these situations.

And they've had to deal with it quite a bit.

So, look, I'm actually, I'm gutted to lose, Green Anderson.

But we'll say Barnett is arriving.

He's, I think it'll be 33 when he rises quite old.

But first I get your thoughts, Matty, in regards to this.

Well, I'm more, like, good on Green Anderson.

Like, he's just for states.

And now he's moving countries.

You know, he's kind of in mucked around a little bit.

And he's just been like, yes.

Yeah, buddy.

And I know he's comfortable to get a good deal for three years of security then.

Yeah, I think he'll kill it with the Warriors.

Now, in regards to, I've seen some Warriors fans been a bit, like not as excited about the deal.

Look, I promise you, I reckon Green Anderson is going to kill it at the Warriors.

Absolutely kill it.

I reckon it'll become a fan favorite.

Like, they're going to love a player like Green Anderson.

He's a fantastic player.

I agree.

Given on the Warriors, their boys, like, a lot of, a lot of guys leaving there, right?

But they're playing, they're playing goodfully.

But there's a, there's a few like guys, particularly senior players up, uping and leaving.

Are we saying that that's like a good reflection on the club, given they've got some guys coming through?

And also, like you mentioned before, they've dealt with these situations before,

they let racewalsh come back.

A very compassionate reason too.

So, like, the fact that they're willing to let these guys go and do the right thing,

they've also got, you know, Roger Nekore, and DWZ most likely looking like he's going to leave.

Like, there must be a pretty good spot with the guys coming through.

Well, they want the Interstate Cup.

The junior is a killer in it.

Maths of one, I think, either both years or they won first year.

Balls are always competitive.

And there's a lot of upside with compare, compare as well.

Like, I know there's rough round the edges, but he's going to be good.

Green Anderson.

I think Green Anderson is a fantastic signing.

He is.

I think he's good.

And I saw some people saying that, like, they wanted a forward for Mitch Barnett.

I'm like, are we watching the same team?

Stacked with, like, they're good for forwards.

Your forwards are unbelievable.

Like, you know, some of you guys coming off the bench haven't even been spoken about this year that have been killing it.

Aaron Clark just reached on the other day.

Yeah.

So, now in regards to Barnett coming to the club, what are your thoughts, boys?

I'll be honest.

If Barnett, if we're getting this version of Barnett now,

what he played with last year and everything, stoked as anything,

I am a little bit concerned of the age that he will be when he does arrive in the middle there.

Yeah.

I think that's a fair enough concern, especially given the injuries.

But when he's on, he's, he's well and truly on.

Like, he, his first game back after that long layoff and the, um,

lays on the nice little, if you know who, who was it, he did it for,

but nice little tip on to set up a try in his first game back.

He, um, he's got a lot of upside, Mitch Barnett.

I think you, you, you pretty spilt for choice there at the moment.

Granted, you're going to lose pain and fuck.

I can't believe this.

To Cora.

The Cora's on the edge.

Yeah, he's on the edge.

He's, he's, he's, he's going as neat.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah.

So, a few younger guys that aren't going to be there,

but he's, he's a very good middle forward.

Because it's a three-year deal, Mitch.

So, he'll be 36 when it is.

Yeah, it's a risk.

It's definitely a risk.

Yeah, it's, it's, it's weird though, because I think we're,

we're in a period of time where we're sort of having to evolve our minds

on how old players are.

Yeah.

Because, yeah, there's every chance that if, if he comes good,

and it's hard to tell with ACLs, like unfortunately,

you look at someone like Billy Smith, he's got such a history.

Mm-hmm.

Tedesco for the first five years of his career.

He couldn't catch a break with any injuries,

and then you're watching play the 10 years afterwards.

He slips every two seconds, and he's, he's been fine.

I think he's made his studs smaller.

Stopping the ACL from up, I think.

Yeah, I remember saying that, but like, you know,

there's no guarantees, but if you do get the upside of him,

he's going to be a great leader.

You're going to add a lot of punch to the middle.

He's also got a little bit of ball playing, so.

And the concern I have though is like, what front rower is 36?

Yeah.

Has it even been done before?

Not even.

Like, he'll be basically 35, 36 on 750k or something.

So how old would seven a saver have been when he wrapped up?

Because I remember at the time, people used to speak about him

like he was a thousand.

I know, I know Gale was a lot, but he was pretty much a front rower.

Yeah.

Okay, Gale, yeah, there, there.

Yeah, Gale has been older.

But so that's really like, that's the only question.

It's just age.

I love it.

I love it.

I think I bring leadership, mungrel, great standards, great culture.

Yeah.

If we get, even if we get like him at 90% of how good he is,

I'm still happy with it.

You're also not losing anyone for him.

Like, Payne had obviously left pride in him coming.

So if you were risking losing a younger guy for the sake of getting him,

then I think there's more reason to be concerned there, but.

Yeah.

I think it's a good deal.

What are you reckon, Maddie?

Uh, yeah, I think it's a risk, but like, it's just the whole paying housing.

Like, that thing is, I'm a sales fan.

I sometimes forget that he's leaving the Broncos.

It's just ridiculous.

Doesn't seem real.

It does, it really doesn't.

Yeah.

It really doesn't.

It's so funny, um, just like scaring online and seeing Broncos fans being like,

Oh, what a Pat Carrigan's been better than Payne has to see you.

Oh, come on.

Look, I get it.

I'd be doing the same thing.

Um, yeah, no, it's, it's, I think it's, I think it's a good signing,

but I just think he's coffee ACL the age thing.

It's a three year deal starting next year.

So there's a lot of risk involved, but I don't know how much money he's going to get paid,

but yeah, uh, I, I like it, but it's, yeah, it's, it's very risky.

I wonder whether it goes like seven, seven, fifty, seven, fifty,

and then it drops maybe.

And that last year, potentially, I mean, I'd be able to sign that.

But anyway, um, fingers crossed it goes all good.

Um, okay.

All these games guys are about to preview.

They are on KO.

It's time for some tips.

Are you going on Raiders versus Storm?

Who are you going on Raiders?

Yeah, I'm gone.

Raiders.

That's a, I'm going to a wrong now because we all want Raiders.

I go to the storm coming up.

I know.

Yeah, I don't know.

It's been a tough year of tipping.

One of the tough.

Don't you reckon it's weird this game six p.m.

You look, see these two teams, it actually makes sense as a six p.m.

Game at the moment based on form.

Like, yeah, if you just watch this blindly at the start of the year,

and you'd seen Raiders in a storm six p.m.

on a Friday, you'd be going.

I will say after last night's game,

I don't ever want to hear clubs complaining about not getting primetime.

If that's what you dish up in primetime,

I wouldn't need something better than that on a primetime Thursday.

I could not agree more.

Yeezes.

Um, Dolphins versus Panthers.

Unfortunately, I think Panthers get absolutely,

sorry, Dolphins get absolutely spanked.

Yeah, I'm back in the riffing.

It's a bounce back.

Yeah, I've been Darwin as well.

So I can, it's got clear.

It's between straight and all over it.

Uh, warrior's time.

Although,

Cleary versus Catoa tonight.

I always just love seeing that.

That's gone.

Yeah.