Better than the legal, better than well coops. Plenty of changes in the new New Southwest Side. Some expected well you look, most expected Latroal Mitchell left center, Delan Edwards and fullback Mitch Moses half back Cam Murray starting thirteen and Colin Watson to the bench in the fourteen. Got a story about Connor in a second, I thought McGinnis I thought he was. I thought he was, I thought he was unlucky. But I understand Murray and thirteen Connor in in fourteen.
The thing when McGinnis was named, everyone understood that it was a statement, a shift in the way that New South Wales were going to be looked at played, and to change before the next game is a strange strategic thing for me.
That's what That's what we do.
Mate, Come on, I think it's because they got found out having Jake ta Voievich and Care McGinnis in the same starting time on the field at the same time. I think that, in hindsight is the reason why they could only carry one of those guys. I think Moses, like I think he would have been in if fit Game one, So I don't see if that's a huge change he's got swagger, He's got that half back presence that it doesn't really matter. He believes he can be
the best part on the ground and I think that's it. Yeah, obviously Latrell. Great to see Connor Watson, like not only that he's playing, but some of the injuries he's been through. The thing I take away from this this the Blues is I think they're a better team. I think they are more of a chance of winning game two than they were a game one, just literally on paper. But the fallout from it is Nico Heinz, Like, how does he play now? How is he at the Sharks and
what is his reaction to it all? Because he's going to have to have some resilience in his mind and his ability.
It's really unfortunate for nickol. I think at that level, Niko is more of a six than he is a seven. I think if he had a really dominant seven alongside him, I think you've just seen the best of nick out at that level.
I think, then why wouldn't you put him at six this time? LOUI just playing too good.
I think match just made a decision that probably Leui's form.
Because those then hines the right sided players Lui is locked in on the left.
Which I thought Cody Walker was unlucky for that reason, I would have thought I thought the combination of Cody Walker and Latrell on the left could have been enticeing.
Yeah, it would have been juicy, no doubt about that. But I think on balance, I think they've got the right side.
One our key combinations. Just said it there, Latrell on the left and Jerome.
You playing well at moment, Jerome Leuie.
Jerome's playing is playing really very well. Cooper questioning, you wont two grand finals with Latrell as a playmaker. How do you bring Latrell into play? Is it as simple as give him early ball?
It really is up to Latrell. Like, if Latrell wants to be involved, he could be the best player in the field. Where he doesn't want to be involved, he's really hard to drag in. Like you will say put this play on, he'll say no. But then when he will say give me the ball, and you're like just giving it all. So it really depends on the move that Latrell's in. We've seen that the way that he plays when he goes after the contest, like he has the last couple of weeks, like he is very good.
So I don't think motivation is going to be the issue for the trail here. I think the fact will be when it gets fatigued, when there's tire moments, will he be able to steal hold his gloves up for long periods of time. And the other part is his discipline, Like he has been ill disciplined at different stages in heightened moments. But I see why they picked him. I don't know why they pick him in game two when they wouldn't pick him in game one. I don't know
what's changed there. Maybe that conversation happened between imagine Latrell. But he is an out and out star and he can literally win you the game with one touch. Twenty nineteen Grand Final is exactly that. He was quiet in terms of Grand Final and then with a moment in one game he goes down a short side flicks the pass ends up being the game that wins the Russes the Grand Final. So that is why he can He can be in the team and can win it.
I think it'll really suit your own because I find the rome. Although he took him to the line a few times against Newcastle on Sunday and look very good. But I think Jerome's his best football. I see when he's very clear cut. He either takes the defense on, challenges him or bang foods early. And that's one thing I always like love playing alongside guys like Maddie Gidley, Tamana Tahu because you took the guest work out. If you had not flow it something, you just go bang let him have the ball.
Well, sometimes when you play red football, you can't expect players from other clubs to play your style. You probably need to meet in the middle little bit, and Jerome does like having a center that will run a line for him and then plays out the edwards out the back. Latrell's not a line runner as such, he is give me the ball, I'm presence fan flick and get the pass.
So there will be a little shift. But having the threat of Latrell on the outside, it'll be Valentine Homes, It'll be vowed val Homes and Hammer on the left, it will give the threat for Jerome to run because once Owl's eyes go to Latrell, which is a huge presence. We saw what Jerome can do on the weekend and cut straight through.
On the other side, you got Mitch Moses have Stephen Crichton as his center, who is a dream bloat to play with Stephen because he.
Has a defensive center in the world right.
Now, and I reckon with the football. He has few demands. He'll He'll play either side. It doesn't worry him. You can take him to the line. Hit a whole, doesn't worry him. Food him early, doesn't worry.
He's yeah, he's a great, great player. Tehim right. If I was picking a back line, he'd be one of the first to pick at the moment.
The Colin Watson tall three. But we got picked because he was on the show Sunday night, right, and we're at the back.
I didn't know he's in the side.
I didn't know. I didn't know he'd heard. He's sitting there and he's here in all the reports. And I said, do you know anything kind of He said, I haven't had a call. I don't know. Literally, As he said that, his phone rings looks still. He bath looked down. This is before the show, before the show, it's Madge and I look at him and he is and hello. Now you know what receptions like in this building because he goes, hey, Madge, Madge, Madge. He just dropped out, so we had to run outside.
I'm showing him how to get it certain he's running outside and make you see the sweat coming off him like his wait of course calls him. And on the show we had to be Corey because he said I'm about to go on Madie show, and of course mad shit himself. It was like, oh mate, whatever you do. But and after the show, as we were leaving, I said, con well done, because you know him better than he's lovely and he said, Maddie, how bizarre is rugby league?
He said, not that long ago? He said, I'm playing reserve grade.
I'm pet in origin, playing reserve grade. Multiple long term injuries was that the Roosters went to the Knights, came back and I think he potentially could have left the Roosters at one stage there maybe started this year, but chose to stay. But he has been outstanding and now there's a thought that he should be the nine for Roosters like Brandon Smith's going through what he's going through, but great reward, but there's still got the issue there
obviously kind of can play in the nine. Multiple positions in the hearts and that, but that outside back position too, that Hudson Young had the feeling.
We just jumped back there. You said on Brandon, the emergence of Connor as a legitimate number nine I think can really take the Roosters to the next level.
I think Brandon off the bench and be all running for middle Ford.
Would I would start with Brandon minutes in the game, take him the wrestle and bring him on just after halftime as a middle runner forward.
Yeah, I don't mind it. I think the thing with Brandon is Brandon made a name for himself at Melbourne Storm for fighting over a loose ball on the ground. He was always the first together. He fought over everything. That competitive spirit made him become. I think he won Hooker of the Year at one stage when Harry Grant wasn't there through period time, and I think he's lost that desire to fight, scrap and claw for it. If
he gets it's that back, he can play anywhere. It's up to Brandon Smith to get that determination back.
On bias with Brandon, I'll say that I love his personality and he's just he's got a big heart and I love him as a footballer. He's a guy that he can keep the heart on the cache. I'm back like I'm backing myself to get him going.
He can keep the heart and keep the character. He can have the personality. But the thing that made him great was when a ball was there between me and you to get it, Brandon Smith came through and I think that's all we need to understand.
Cos No Shewyn Cobbo.
Yeah again, I don't know about the injuries. Go back and watch Selwyn's game on the weekend, and he was good when he had the ball in his hands and he was motivated. But I thought there was a couple of moments where Selwyn was not concentrating, not focused, not really dialed in. I don't know if Billy saw that, but there has been changes. Maybe it is the rest, maybe he's carrying something. But you know, the two changes are obviously couple on hopgood and Felis cafusin. Kirk Capble
comes in. So I imagine in terms of the insurance policy that Cobbo ended up being in Game one when Walsh went down, I imagine that's Kirk Kate well now.
But Cable's been He's coming he's great, great competitor, and he's been great for Queens. Every time he's.
Played that COVID year that he was terrific.
Fantastic is amazing. It's like he knows players better than they know themselves sometimes what he spots in them.
I also like that he doesn't listen to outside influence. He goes to his own decisions. Because having Cobbo in the first time, everyone went, where are you going on with Cobbo? And he said, look, I've got a plan insurance. We've lost four of last six outside backs whatever, and now he's gone all Cobo's out because of x YS that I imagine it's because of his performances after Origin
one and he's gone with someone else. So he doesn't listen to outside He's very sure of the team and the players he wants to meet.
I think that would be a bad I spoke just before I'll speaking to a coach, quite an iconic coach from a different sport, and we were having to talk about selections. He said, he said, sometimes you just need to correct yourself. You need to have the discipline to not listen to all the noise and to actually pick the side that you know you have to pick, not to the one that people are asking you to pick, knowing that if it doesn't work, they're going to criticize you.
He said, that is a constant battle within yourself and you need to maintain the discipline and said, I'm not going to listen to that. I'm I'm just going to pick this guy because I want to pick him. And Slater has done that last year. I could not believe when he didn't pick Dang Gaguy. It blew me away what gag Guy has done for Queensland. But a tough decision was vindicated.
I will say this, You and I and anyone else can dissect the Queensland team with players should be or shouldn't be, But there's not another person in this planet that has watched every Queensland player more than Billy Slater, so he knows who he wants, what he needs. And the game two, in terms of the style, it ends up being moments. Now we're talking about origin moments. Game two becomes one because New South Wales is going to need them, and then obviously a decider if it goes
to it. But you've got to have players in your team one that can produce moments and two that have a dog of determination to stop them. That's the key and I think that's where it sits.
The matchup I'm really looking forward to watching is Stephen Crichton against Hamasa. That's a world class match any sport.
Arguably the best defensive center we have.
It's the best attacking I think at the moment, without a shadow of a doubt, the best defensive center. I haven't seen it. I've never seen a better defensive center. And against the guy the hammer at the moment, who's just out.
Of this world with the football, and after what Hammond did in Game one, I know, and move positions and everything, but if there's one guy to stop him strit.
Yeah again we come out Slater. I'm just curious to see what Slater what he's got planned, because will be something he'll be thinking about. What gives you confidence that Corinsland is going to win COEPS.
Sometimes you've got to play with the momentum and there's pressure building on New South Wales. There's obviously game two beaten up in Game one, and the coach might make decisions, the team might play a certain way. There's definitely some individuals when pressure comes that they might make a bad decision.
And if I'm the Queensland team, the thing that gives me confidence is they should take this game to the very last minute, take it deep, defend, keep doing what you need to do and maybe New South Wales players make the wrong decision.
What gives me confidence simple Latrell, Mitchell, Stephen Crichton and I know there's a lot of things, just the power, speed skill. The presence of those two reminds me of Miles from aninger back in the day, and I'd love to see him like a few years ago, with Turbo and Latrell linking playing together.
What about Latrell's defense. Obviously he's a star and he's dominated the left center position defensively for the russ and at REP level before, but hasn't done it for a while because he hasn't played in Origin being a fullback at South any concern.
I really don't. I think on the big stage, I think he'll elevate himself and get it done. And the other thing about too Coople. Though the MCG is a fast track, it's a place it's very hard to move the football around as well.
Yeah, I get that. There's one thing I would be doing if I was involved in the Queenla I'll make Latrol work. That's put it simpler.
My prediction New South Wales twenty two to sixteen Dylan Edwards maut of the Match.
Twenty two to sixteen. I'll tell you what'd be a hell of a story if if Dylan Edwards does do that, And I wouldn't be surprised if he did, because the way that he plays, he's always involved, he has moments, and he's a damn good competitor. And the storyline of him missing game one into game two, yeah, he w'd be primed for this. We're thinking the same way. I'm going to go twenty one twenty Queensland field goal Cherry Evans, and I think my man of the match is I
think Queensland winded on effort. I think Lindsay Collins is where starting to do things like particularly with the Roosters the other day against the Eels. He's done at origin level before where he just not too many front rolls have moments like he can, and I just think he might just have a game.
Coop, Let's go to Club Lean and just go back to Hammasa simply this try against the Shark, I mean Gi against the Broncos in twenty twelve, but I haven't seen do.
You reckon trendall? Right? Then when he just missed him at the start, knew what was about to happen, Like this game is about centimeters and Trindle had one hand on that jersey and he runs one hundred meters of score ends up being the difference. And the other thing that makes me like in awe of this but also really jealous of is he is at full throttle here and he looks like he's smiling and enjoying it. Kennedy comes near him, he went in his own internal monologue said no, not today.
Coops, you know, and it's fair before your time. But there was a four hundred meter herdline. I've compared him oftentimes Edward Moses, an American and mate. He was like super smooth mover, and I just think of Edward Moses when I see hammer. Made me think, you know, in rugby league, some other really good movers over the years, and probably a guy that probably is most like the
Hammer was Kenny Nagus. Kenny was just beautiful mover. The other one, of course, made is your man g I I mean here is Clive Churchill medalists in this game.
Ye, just the swerving speed and to accelerate away and then this to finish it off too. The thing about those guys and just picking it up is when people change like stride or speed, they start a step and then accelerate. Those guys don't. They're just long legged and speed continues and they can swerve and move without slowing down. It's like when they beat somebody or they just swerve an angle. They accelerate rather than brash spoed. They You and I had to make one hundred steps and then
start a step right footnetse. Guys just move smooth at.
Mullins of course, spoke about in a lot here this is the night. Of course he's got school four in.
Us short sided doing nothing. I have been there making a tackle.
I put it in the corner mate and mate Mark Lamb will just chasing him all the way there. Marlin's incredible. Now, if I'm going to meet there somewhere, yeah, someone somewhere back there. If I'm going to mention this, what's this? This could be the greatest try to say ever around, Maddie says he's gone. Darren Albert I played with Alberie. I'm telling you, mate, I would back him speed against anything. Now, what's interesting, I reckon Albie was just about the last
of the low work rate, high impact wingers. Like towards the back end of the ninety seven season, the fowards were blowing up. We've got the stats, we had a game, we got beat help His stats were one run two meters and then they're quite right, his cables two.
But you went twelve.
That Ford's blown up. And remember salv and Andrew we were talking about and I love playing with Albi and would defend that. And we said, look, here's the thing was he's not that type winger. He's not going to bust his backside, he's not going to work his ass off. But what but what we'll have with him is that when we need a big play, he'll come up with it.
That's the type of winger. This is the Grand Final qualifire. Yeah, Maddie Sears the man we just sat you have a look at this and just incredible.
But even the body rolled too, like the timing because he could have actually got that ball down if he didn't roll over and forced Sears onto his back because he actually could have got the ball down, but the fact that he made it then rolled over the ball missed the anger we had.
Our sprint coach said, the interesting thing about him, if you watch, he didn't actually chase. Now, what I mean is when you chase someone, you're really you're busting your back. He said, you watching him, he's just super smooth, just keeping that form.
Imagine the current day is someone like Alex Johnston, right yep, because not high work, right, not powerful out of the backfield like some others. But I'll tell you what he scores. Tries are not too many other and his success rate I've tried to score and he went past Slater.
Yeah, one twenty one off Kenne.
Does he get there? Does he get yeah?
I think yeah, I think he does. Just say no, you don't think so? No, I grew up here and all the stories about Kenovine. He could run on ten point zero two seconds one hundred meter with his boots on, incredible mover North Sydney and Manly would be some feet Yeah.
So the Warriors, so they switched up. So the thing about the Warriors when they were in the run, Seawn Johnson wasn't playing that high level got injured against the Ruses. Then Tomato Martin moves into halfback and all of a sudden they put some wins together. And I picked up something Webster actually said in the pregame before the Storm game, said, Oh, we're actually changing things up. Tomorrow will be the main
guy and Sean will play second role. So here a couple of weeks back, when Sean's in the middle, Charles Nipple Cook start on the right and Tomorrow Martin's here on the left. Against the Melbourne Storm, they switched it up Tomorrow Martin being the main indicator calling the shots, Charles is on the left and Sean's here on the right. So Webster's gone with Okay, Tomorrow Martin has been doing a great job for us. I'm going to give him the keys to the Warrior's attack. And the way that
they started the game was pretty good. And I think this might be a big moment for Sean because it could be he's off contract, it could be the thing that he might get upset about in terms of being made second fiddle, or it actually could prolonger. You could get that extension because if you're playing on the right side with less touches You're just going to be more fresher, more on the ball, and we ran the football on the weekend Sean.
It's going to be a really it's an interesting dynamic. Do you support it? Do you support Tomorrow being the same peace playmaker.
The way that Sean was playing prior and conversely how Tomorrow was. Tomorrow is more of a threat to run the football, and as we've said here a thousand times, to be a good ballplayer need to be a threat to run the footing. I think for a couple of weeks to put Sean there, maybe they can need to change it back because it's the same system, but I like it for the moment, for the next couple of weeks to test out.
Bronco has lost three straight Cups. If you're a Bronco supporter, should you be not worried, mildly concerned, extremely worried, mildly concerned you Yeah, mildly concerned. Why just the nature of the nature of the way they've lost those games, going through this tough origin period. What concerns me. I know they're going to become good Coup. I know they're going to turn it around. I can't see them getting into
the top four. Now. The problem is if they continue to just drop a game here, in a game there, they're going to get to the point that with five rounds to go, they're going to need to win for it. The last five one of those scenarios and most of the time when side's are placed in that situation, awas, if they get there, they've spent their pennies. That's my concern around the Bronx.
Yeah, I'm concerned because when you remove someone like Adam Renlds from your team, you can't create bad habits in your game and then expect Adam to come back and fix everything. What I'm saying is the example is Penrith, right, take Nathan out. Their completion rate doesn't change, their defense doesn't change. They still are working hard for one another. Then Nathan comes in and adds his spice and that's great.
Well, I think there's been one of the secrets and then winning the competition during those years, losing Nathan for a period and then forcing them to tidy up and improve other areas of their game.
They double down on the basics. And the issue I have with the Broncos right now is the completion rates poor. They are considered way too many points and they are just throwing the ball expecting talent to get them over long. And it doesn't matter if this continues on and then Adam comes back, their winning rate won't change. I reckon. What they need to do is double down, play some real conservative but defense oriented football, and then when their
guns come back light. Walsh and renolds, they will add that style power to them.
That's right. Rebuild again again. South Sydney, start to play, start to playing with football. And we've said this a lot Coop. They play their best football when it's a run first, past second mentality. And hence the reason why for a long time will calling for White and the six and Cody in the seven. And there's there's just been there's a lot of examples. This one's an example on the weekend. Just a bit of evidence here with Jack Whiton. You see Jack there is tippy toeing around.
Accelerate through a half gap, quick up, play the ball, quick cookie scoop and go. And that's that's South Sydney. When South Sydney, when they start to penetrate the middle of the field, the center of the field, Cookie gets out and things start to happen This.
Is a good vision for good for SOUS, but also bad for Broncos. Right, they're talking about the defensive stuff. I like your concepts in terms of Jack and Cody running getting hands on the football. The other part to it has improved is Latrell Mitchell made a break. Right, So I'm still not really there with south sitting. Latrell makes a break and just watch how this set unfolds from here, where's Jack? Where's Cody? You've got Tarne Milon
running the football here? All right, they get in a situation, Cody's got his hands on his hips, Tarnay's here, Where's Jack? What are they calling? What's the communication? Like? Then all of a sudden, we've got this play here. Yeah, that to me is a little bit alarming. So I'm really hesitant on what souths is doing.
I'll tell you what, just watching them there. You know they've had the they've had possession that they've made, they've made the brace, they're doing some blowing that for me, that looking at SOUS, just that picture that frame you've put up with, and look at this clunky that generally looks like a side that need some top up with fitness.
We always say and we've said this before. When you're making line break, get the hands in your class, touches ie halves and get the ball to wear is the biggest threat. Yeah, I'm still holding on my cash for South sitting at moment now, Coop.
So we've got five best players in the competition right now. Unfortunately we're out of time, soble tipudau for next week. What that is in television terms and radio terms, I'm using my media sensibilities. It's called the hook and two's spread your next week proven