Better than the legal.
Madge.
Compare the pressure of coaching State of Origin compared to club coaching.
The difference, Maddie, I'd probably say the Origin is on steroids, but the enormity of it in a short period of time creates how big it is. And obviously the spotlight, the scrutiny and the chatter around the game is what makes.
It pretty special too.
So I've thoroughly enjoyed, obviously the right of being a part of the Origin. And when you compare them from both, I think the longevity of what a NRL season brings it presents a few different things compared to what it does in Orange because it's such a short compact time.
But you can really feel it around the state. You know what it means.
When you work at a club, you've got your maybe five hundred thousand or a million supporters, But when you've got a state, you've got every single where you go everyone's talking about it.
That's you.
I want part of what you feel from I guess the community and people when you're talking about Origin, the.
Benefit you've got, Madge, and it's actually I'll take a step back with there. One thing I have noticed in the State of origin right the way across the board. But I've seen it certainly in the last decade, is that most coaches who go in going nice and relaxed, year by year you see them getting more edgy and intense.
Its usually year three really keeps in.
It's almost there are exceptions mal of course, with an exception and Wayne's clever. Wayne goes in for a series, dips out and goes back in again. But being a club coach, all the stuff you've been through, pushing good stead lighter, Yeah.
Well I've probably seen most of it, Maddie, from highs and lows and the pressures. But it's something there that I've always wanted to have a crack aut was the origin, watch it as the um Blake all the way through and then watched some good mates go in and coach at times and thought, it's something there that I'd love to be able to do.
And the fact that I've probably.
Faced most things in the game now, I'm just getting a lot of enjoyment out of coaching the top end of the talent, you know. And I had obviously the fortunate experiences of doing that with the kiwis as well, where when you're catching the best and you get the players and all you are in my.
Position year it is actually coaching.
It's one of the best jobs really because you're not having to worry about all the perofal stuff that's going on other than the players just coming in and just focusing on being at their best, and that's been really enjoyable.
I'll ask you that then, match on coaching the very best players, because you're a very thorough disciplined coach, very thorough disciplined person.
Is there a discipline itself not to overcoach at that level?
If you check yourself, I think I've probably learned a fair bit as a younger coach and then going through to.
Where I am now.
Definitely you coach the talent that I have in the orage differently than what you do at Clubland.
I mean, you don't have the young eighteen year old.
You've got the top of the tree, so you're utilizing a lot of their knowledge and their expertise, and they're smarts, so sometimes you don't have to catch at all.
You just got to make sure that you present them the arena to be able to go in and play.
And you know, I really enjoy talking with the top end, because you are talking about the niche of how we're going to play the game, and they understand it very quickly and they can go and do it. I saw Jake in this second series, you're seeing the build up every time the camera has putting me.
He looked far more comfortable in his role as captain.
What about you, Matt, What did you learn personally as far as build up pressure pre.
Game in Game one?
Yeah?
I learned a lot.
Obviously the circumstance of that game, definitely through a curve board at me. You know, I think I prepared for everything, but probably what happened. Yeah, so it happened quickly. But I tell you what it did teach me was the fact that I had twelve players on the field.
I learned a lot about the players themselves.
That you do get stretched in a garden lot that to be playing for seventy four minutes with twelve players, you really get to find out about your players. And I was really proud of the players. Once we sort of regroupped, you know, myself included. We regrouped and got the team in the right headspace with about ten minutes Togo in that first half, all of a sudden you could start seeing the team come together and the effort and what they showed and the fight. Something there that
I saw within the players. When you've got twelve players, you've got bigger spaces. They had to work a lot harder. And I obviously get all the data and the information and our middles. You'll be blown away by the numbers that some of the players had in around their GPS data being able to put the efforts in that they were doing throughout that game. So yeah, please, But I.
Learned a lot.
One of your strengths of coaching match is to recognize when the things haven't worked and then adjust. Now, the best example I can give you is what you did last year with the Couboys. First up against the os is the City Championships. You just really struggled. Then by the final, you know, you gave them a bath. Yeah, what is that match? Is that you're sitting just pouring out of take.
A little bit of that many but actually probably spending more time just with my players to get another players. Look, I can't wait to get back into the third campaign now because we're at a different level again. You know from the first time when the players walked in they're probably wondering who they all madges and who the staff are. And then we rowled into our second campaign and they get an understanding and of how we want to do things.
And now obviously we'll roll into our third one where we're at a high level again and no doubt opposition are going to be doing the same. But we're pretty focused very much on ourselves on how we want to do things. And I saw parts throughout our first half where we want to hang on to and there's parts here we want to improve.
Onto now by accidental design match we just talk about the selections. You and Billy have almost yinged and yang as far as selections from game one to game two. Game one, our team was very much grit, grind out last. Billy went for pick a team's going to score points. What's funny is in game two Billy brought in players like Capewell and Confusi, players who are gritty, were grind, who were out last. You picked aside more about points.
Did you recognize that or is it just been just the way out look?
I think the team in the second one we're still about what we spoke about, but I guess it's also too, who's available. I started with a squad of thirty five when I first got the players in January and spoke about the fact that we're building a squad and at some stage someone's going to get an opportunity and someone
may have to sit out and come game two. The players that I selected what I believe were the best ones for that to get the job done, and we're able to bring in some pretty handy ones in camp.
Murray obviously, l Trell came in, Mitchell Moses, yeah, and then you know, even Connor Watson, like he came in and everyone had a sort of their thoughts around that versatile player, but he's a player that complained anywhere, and so being able to get your bench a certain way was something that I had to look at as well.
Talk about the halves match who fantastic. Firstly, Mitch Moss best out of his career. The performance matched the swagger. Yeah, that's now, and I thought this was really important. You know, when you're in the halves, do you have that first kick you hit it sweet? That's an important one. But Mitchell's a very headstrong, forthright sort of bloke. Did he challenge you in camp? No, he's actually really good. I was really pleasant.
I've spoken to Mitch quite a bit prior to coming into camp, like I spoke to all the halves, you know, from Nicko to the ninth Clear and Jerome, so I had a really good understanding of each of the players. And Mitch he worked really hard, obviously to try and give himself the opportunity to be in Origin one, but
he wasn't able to make it. And then obviously the Origin two comes about, and he came into camp full of confidence, knowing that he had the support of obviously everyone around him, and he just he played his part. And I think Jerome too, he look, you watch Jerome here, like, I've been so pleased with Jerome about how he's gone about his foot and I guess you that no a
player until you get to coach him, yea. And my appreciation for Rami is he's a very smart player and the way he broke down the game and then you connect sort of Mitch with him and then dealing out the back and Richie Robson, he played a massive party in how we played, not even defensively, but with our attack just to get our plan on. So I just thought the spine came together in a really strong way, and then that just resonated through the tim with.
I reckon he played with more poise and control than I've seen before. And it's funny you said there about you know, he's real smart because he's so through williant. Times you sort of underestimate that part of his game, and it's funny the other times. The other thing too, I think it's unfair on your own. He's a very exuberant character. He's coming here at Fox Sports before. What
a fantastic guy. Everyone spoke so highly of him, and he's been criticized saying that, but yeah, there was no serio on.
The bus or any of that match. He's pretty quiet.
Actually, he's a family man, like what I guess everyone's perceived and the world creates that. But when you get him in camp made, he's with his kids and his family and look, he's just he buzzes about and he brings a lot of energy, which you know he required. But I just felt that he's probably now at the stage of his career where he can see that he
can really take control. And to his credit, he's probably played a path or a part in how Penrith had played over years, but you've got to remember they're won three Grand finals four they've been four Grand finals, so he's played a part. And now obviously he's experided his game in a different way. So it'd be really interesting to watch him as he moves.
Forward to a penalils.
So I'm going to ask you a question, and I'm always certain I know the reply, but I'm going to ask it anyway. You've got a bloke who's on the cusp. We're returning in Nathan Cleary, who is the best playmaker in the game. If he was to come back and be ten out of ten, is there any place for him in the squad?
The guy I've had a lot of discussions with Nath all the way through, and I know what he would say too. He says, you don't change what's working, And I think, you know, we're moving towards what we want to build and have having mentioned Jerome or Boot touch Wood that they all get through, we're building something very strong amongst that spoil and so look moving forward, you can see where we're going.
Did he visit camp? Did? Yeah?
Nath came up and Tommy came up. You know, when I first sort of started. I use those boys I suppose, which you call the leaders amongst the group, to give me a bit of an idea about how things are traveling. And one thing I probably got from all the group was how they're just so focused on making sure that your South Wales are strong. Yeah, I heard all the different stories about you know, whether or not they in all they're out and you know what passion they had.
It is incredible being in and around this playing group and what it means to them and what it means to obviously for them, for.
The supporters as well. I've got a lot of that from the players.
Nathan. One's pretty clear cut. I'll ask you a bet another blake.
Tom's provoid it right, and what we've seen with Billy is that in the last few series he will change a winning side if he if he believes he can make it better or suit the occasion. Tommy, is there any thought of him of maybe getting a bench spot.
Like Tom Abilly did with Cobber. Tommy will be much the same.
Really.
I mean, I've got to get through this next weekend's games. So that's the first thing.
That's the one thing I have learned about that you can't pick a team until you get to the Sunday night you work out what's what and who's fit and who's not. But as I said, I'm really confident with the group that I've got and Tommy he'll float in and around the camp if he's got the ability to get there. And that's something there that they've all done.
We've spoken for a Mitchell most starting the game well, hitting the care right and there were a lot of very good one on one battles. You had the yardish battle both respective packs, but some fantastic one on one clashes. Stephen Crichton versus hammersa was prime time rivalry and early in the game. I think this is a really important moment and exerting dominance is the end coming up with an error, but first touch of the football going over
Hammers Stephen Crichton. Little things like that, like that first good kick, you know, having dominance on that first run gives us sight a big lift.
Well, I think you've got to win your little battles. I mean we've always spoken about that matter, isn't it. But what you see there in Creta know is what the forward pack. You've got to earn the right obviously through the forwards, and I guess you know, in our first game we probably weren't able to dominate in that space, and I felt that our forward pack were a lot stronger. Ll be that, you know with the areas. I know that they're hungry to get a better rat moving forward.
You've got to have that dominance to be able to allow the boys on the edges. But someone like critter Steph Crichton, you know, it's nice to see. And I guess the one thing around Stephen is that not so much just his game, it's what he does off the field. And look, everyone's spoken about it, but I've been able to see that in real life now, to see the presence that he has in wanting to build something, and that's a fair credit to a young bloke coming through and being a leader.
Creator is a defender and I haven't seen a better defense.
Is one of the best center As far as decision maintenance concerned, Madge, it was very funny.
He'd keept like there was never appeared to be a hard and fast rule for Reese Walsh.
Sometimes he attacked him, other times he sat and went backwards again. Was it a tactic or was it simply Cretic just reading the situation.
A little bit of both.
To be honest, many look the position that Cretit gets himself in and how he moves.
I reckon he's one of the best in the game in his body position, so that allows him to have the nature of going at him or staying back and holding, and then it really comes down to the players around him adapting to how he moves. And I think as the game rolled on, Mitchell, Moses and Zach really got a good understanding and that had a fear to do
without training that they got together. But Critter is one of the best defensively in how he can move, and the more the players play around him, the better connecting you become.
In a second, we'll have a look at Latrell Mitchell and as an example of his power and his presence. But what about his power and presence within the team? Yeah, coming into camp, what a difference did it make?
Match?
Yeah?
Well, one thing Latrell, you know he probably is incredited for because he doesn't play as much center these days, is his defense. I thought he was actually really strong defensively out in the edge. So to be able to have those two boys out there on the edges. But Latrell has that presence. We all know that, and it's nice to see. He's got a real smile on his face and he's probably got that swagger back about enjoying his football and he's great to be around. We all
have said that, you know. And the one thing he said, mate, on one little part of the team. You know, it's all about the team. And I think you know, when you've got your players in that headspace, especially someone of his caliber, you're in a good, pretty good play. So to have him back in there and smiling and buzzing about trying and it's according jaw.
It was good look watching those two blokes, Crichton and Latrell on our side a great feeling because as a kid growing up watching New South Wales versus Queensland and watching Meninger and Miles operate on either side of the field and then in combination sometimes, oh my god, what a night there. But an example of Latrell's took Jerome. It's beautiful work by Jerome.
But you see this with Val and Xavier.
Coach Xavier just can't you can see he just can't quite leave him alone because he sees the mismatch that it watched.
The drew work of Ramey and Mitch together just subtly holds them up. Then Rami gives the ball early enough to Latrell, which then squeezes the line in, which then puts the pressure on the outside. So all those little subtleties are going on across your team. And I think the way Angus was running the ball, which I'm sure you will talk about now, he's mad, He's doing great, He's.
Doing a great job.
Because you know, if you're a center and you've got Angus that might pop on the outside of Cherry Evans, all of a sudden, you've got a hold tight, but then all of a sudden, it opens up the ability to what may happen on the outside.
And that's how the game's breaking down, isn't it.
Absolutely it is match, And you know, little things make a big difference. Most people would sit and watch jer own there and they go, oh, it's good.
Yeah, Dron just.
Gave a nice liuball. But as you know, he's timing of that pass was just perfect. One or two steps just.
To commit, get the line the whole a little bit and shoot it to Latrell.
Yeah, well, you watch Raimi, especially probably over the last little period of his development.
You know, with Nathan not being there, he is playing straight.
He likes the bounce, I guess inside, but he's got the ability to shall and go, So all of a sudden, you had to have Angus and Latrelle on the outside. And if you don't hold tight on your own mate, he's going to beata. So obviously things like that, you know, that's what you're building when you're out the field.
Angus Crichton one of the best stories in the game of the moment because I haven't seen a career turn around like it, given what he endured in the previous eight of the months. You coached him as a young block, so you're not surprised by the power. I suppose now it makes about consistency.
Yeah, definitely.
I mean when Angus came through, I remember his coming out school and he was this young, starry eyed kid and he brought him.
To house and he's pound for pound.
I reckon he's one of the most powerful players that I've coached at that age, Like he was strong, and to sort of see what he's doing now replicates obviously what I saw, but to see him now build consistency around his game and everything that he's been through. It's really nice to see a player that you've been able to coach quite some time ago and then reunite with him and then all of a sudden see these things.
It's they're special moments to see a player go through all the ups and downs of what our game brings and then be consistent at this level.
It's good to see, as you really went out and limb for Dylan.
Therewoods picked him in Game one, he couldn't play because the thigh James de Desco came in. Teddy played good in Game one, played well. It would have been very easy to keep him, but you went back to Dylan. He didn't disappoint your mate. Full credit to Teddy two.
I mean, he's one of the champions of the game and how he approached everything that's been put in front of him absolute champion.
But I just felt it was time for Dylan.
You know, he's been doing it for years and he probably had some challenges I suppose early on where he had to find himself as a fullback. He went back and built himself up and he's an incredible player. Just to watch him be able to do the things he's
doing in the work rate. Everyone tells me how fit is, but he is super fit, you know when you're watching as close as what I'm doing now and what he does off the ball and what he does for players, and he's one of those players that you'd love to play with.
Watching him match, you know, a lot of times I reckon it's a missed that we don't use them. And one of the stats is the fact we go this side has made so many tackles, but it's really tackle involvement and if you was dilling nothing, tires a big bloke out like missing a little bloke, and he makes it do a lot. But also when he runs the ball and he's stepping and he's skipping and he's twirling out of tackles. Mate, by the time they get into
the ground, he's probably engaged five six seven blocks. What a toll that takes up the opposition.
It's even before that matter, it's his support player that he's actually engaging a lot of defenders around Hi because he is in every single play. So if you're a defender and he's in your arena or in your space, you've got to be life, So you've got to be moving because there's every chance he's going to get the ball.
And then when he does get the ball.
He's got the ability to be able to get himself through and get a quick playaball. So yeah, he puts a lot of people on notice when he's running.
The role of thaih and Jake Trevoivich, they're soon to be in game to match. Far more of an attitude to just get forward, but less of a pass attitude run first past second. Particularly with Isaiah, you know, because he's at Penrith, he operates just about like a half back. Was that your decision, your tactic or was it these blokes just reacting on the run to what they saw.
Oh, I think it's more what they saw mad his eyes. Actually, he's really strong when he does run the ball. I mean that's one thing. Like you watch him here, he's got a powerful running game. And I guess because you're watching club Land and he plays a certain style, well, I mean a lot of what you're seeing now is that he's actually got one hell of a running game as well. He's got the ability to play the ball and build speed. So that's about recognizing how we want
to play. And you see good push there and he's drawing in three defenders there, which is taking a fear bit of juice out of the opposition.
Game one, they went to our right edge a lot and really tested out, test out Zach and they went there in the second half in game too and had a little bit of joy. Any concerns they're about tidying up that edge a little bit.
We'll definitely go back into camp and look at those maney They're the things that you know the playing group will talk about.
Yep, you know they've already spoken about that and how we want to look at things.
So getting back into camp and going through the areas of what we want to improve on, it's definitely part of what.
The group's about. Queensland. Imagine.
I know that both you and Bility don't like to talk about the opposition, but you know it's do you anticipate change it chat? Well, there would be a change Avia coach as Daney's hamstring. So it looks as they probably saw when may come back into the side. David FRAFRIEDA, what do you think do you think can you see him coming.
Into the squad, do you honest, Maddy, I don't know. I guess yeah.
They've gone down the path where they pick and stick and they talk about that, so you know, they'll present whatever it is that we need to play, and then we'll go about our prep to make sure we nuther find whatever's in front of us.
Their coinsland us.
It's funny games and it's so entertaining, the Origin game through mat It's son Corps Stadium.
Now.
In the past there's been so many ambushes at sun Corps Stadium and people say, well, no, no, that's not an ambush because they knew what was coming.
Well, new stuff. Wild sides have known what they're going into.
But even then they underestimate the intensity and the ferocity of what they have to endure and go through up there. And they oftentimes say that it doesn't matter how well you prepare if it's your first game up there, until you've gone through it, you've got no idea.
But how do you prepare it match? What are you going to do?
Yeah?
Well, I think everyone around us, even yourself, is talking about it, so we know exactly what we're walking into.
And it's been done a number of times before. To be able to go up there and do it.
So I guess you take all that that's part of history, but you can also build your own history. And I guess the walks of my coaching career is that you can always do it if you're they want to. So I'll bring the group back together again and we'll talk about how we want to be as a team, and you know, we'll keep it fairly focused within around how we go about I.
Thinks members too.
Mortimer, he is the one the first series one he made the bus go down caston Street and he made him look and basically lead the hate feed the site to an extent on that match. The moment you take the side into the city of Brisbane, there's going.
To be hostility.
They're going to get it from all different areas, kind of come from everywhere. When will the side we moved to Brisbane.
We'll go up there on the Sunday prior to rolling into the Monday Tuesday and then play on the Wednesday.
But that's all part of it. Money look forward to that, that's right.
I mean, we had the hot obviously here in Sydney, and the players regarded that we went able to give our crew know what they would have liked and then going down to New Melbourne and have a ninety thousand and we'll go up there and everyone's telling us about the hostility, but you know, as a group, we'll get together and plan how we want to be as a team and go up there and get stucky.
When you go into a camp, represent a camp as a player, you go in there sometimes and there's always that one player that really surprises you different ways. It could be personality, could be their skill, intensity, preparation, whatever it is in there, which players surprised you.
Match, that's a good one. Leam, Martyrs and Beauty. He's a good character to have around. Quiet, but then you're see him more across the white line and be mad. Yeah, it's been able to look after him. But I've got to say a lot of the players have all surprised me. Paint House made he's an incredible athlete, incredible person. He's very impressive. Yeah, So I don't really want to sort
of just isolate one of them. Yeah, may because they are all unique in their own way, and they've all bought into what.
We're trying to create with this group.
Yeah, And like we spoke about Jerome like he's great Latrell you know in his own certain ways. He's come into camp to Dylan zach Laimax like he had plenty of challenges at the start of the year and made he's one of the four players running around.
So he'll get challenged, no doubt in this next game. And you have plenty of people you're doing an injustice imagine. I'm telling you he's starting to he's looking like a very good wing. Just just finish with and we're going to go into club land. But the bloke at the moment on blown when we spoke abou him a couple of times. But Stephen Crichton, is there a better player in the game right at the moment than Crichton. He's well and truly out there. And I mean that's what
your class is a better player. I think what he's doing on and off the field, you'd class him up there with some of the best. And I guess you know one thing I probably didn't talk about with someone like a Russy Robinson in and around the middle. There he's a player in the middle that probably doesn't get too many raps. That's the style of player. When you're talking about a great player like he's locked down our middle.
And you've got to remember in that first game he played eighty minutes as a hooker and he's the one buzzing around and didn't come off.
So you're looking at efforts like that.
I think players like that represent, you know, the Stephen Crichtons and the roofs and those style of plans.
Well, Madge, congratulations again. Make game two, but game three coming up. Enjoy all the hostility, all the build up, all the pressure. I know you will. Thanks, Mate's good on your mat. TRAMHM