Not on tinner three sixty league from every angle, gentleman, the great Gordon Tallis. Let's bring the general Australian Jack Souper and Dave Rikio.
I've just noticed on the only bloke with hair on.
This panal today we're in that top of.
Sharks. They get enry at me.
Boys, come on all right, Sharks up against the Storm's going.
To be a big one.
Nikko Heines is in form. The last two games have been his best. Kevin Munster obviously he's been in good form as well as have the Melbourne Storm. This sets up to be an absolute beauty.
Absolute cracker and a really good test for the Sharks guys because as we know, they've been the Burke and Wills of the NRL. They've traveled far and wide and they finally get back home for the first time in about five to six weeks. It's a really good opportunity. They fell short against the Bulldogs at home their first series test against quality opposition. They lost to the Raiders, another quality opposition. I think they'll be primed for this to test the Storm.
As we saw in the teaser, a couple of these games have got pretty under over the years.
Made.
I forgot about a lot of that, So that's that's that's a lot of niggel and it will start again.
It'll be a salout one't Dave. Yeah yeah, Shark puck.
But look, Melbourne Storm hit some really good form last week. They tended to give up later just put the Q in the rank. But I don't think that's going to happen in the Sharks. Well, Nico's starting to get his running game back and it's going to be a great battle.
Now, there's an outstanding history in.
Terms of the rivalry, and that teaser did a brilliant job of outlining at Will Chambers used to love it. He was the king of the sledge and the king of the niggle. He had plenty to say. Yeah, absolutely, I'm going to remember covering a few of those games.
So there'll be plenty of feeling in this.
An opportunity for Cronella because yes, you know they have been good to date, but Melbourne off the back of a sixty Ford to annihilation over West Tigers. This will give us a true reading on exactly where Coronell sit.
Well, we know what well we can do and they are the premier Zape favorites of the mate.
We'll go into that a little bit later.
The Sharks are going under the radar and probably people underrest to make them at the moment, or do they. I mean, this is their first real test. They haven't not real tests, but they haven't really beaten any heavyweights this year. So this is their chance to, like you said, stand up and put their hand up and show we'll said the real deal.
Right.
Well, they went awfully closed.
Let's don't forget Las Vegas against the Raining Premiers.
They went awfully closed in Vegas.
And again that I mentioned it earlier, they had the opportunity down in Canberra. They blew that with only seconds to spare Bulldogs at home and this is their test. Look there without Hazelton and Tige Wilton. I think they're significant outs for the Sharks, but they do have depth. They keep on bringing young talented forwards into this system. Jesse Carlhourn's a great example. But to Hoops's point, we're going to get a really good read on where they're at.
I think the fact that they've been beaten by the Raining Premiers round one, but then also the Bulldogs and the Raiders well as well, that probably gives you a decent read that I don't think they are the top four side that with the addition of Adam Fanoul or Blake, everybody expected that they would be. So they're also still finding their way in terms of their halves. Trendle was
on at the beginning of the year. Last few weeks he's been a little shaky, whereas it's been Nicko who was shaggy at the start of the year and has been more dominant.
It comes first break the forward pack dominating all the halves.
Always the forward pack, always the forward pack. And you know, Adam Fanil Blake was great last week. Nico Hines, as I mentioned, has found his best form the last few weeks. Trendle not so much so. Trendle's been kind of in form on fire and Nicko wasn't so much. And then now now they've swapped, can they can they both get it together. If they can both find form at the same time, they probably go to that top four echelon.
Yeah.
Look, one thing I know is the absolute belief that Craig Fitzgibbon that to your point that these halves will come together in time, and I think that's the key point They're still very raw as a combination, still in its infancy as far as building that trust.
How many games do you.
Think they've played for nearly two years?
No snow chance Nicko was away.
All they were the starting halves for the Sharks that have been in the last year. Yeah they were, and Trendle got suspended, Niko got injured. Yes, they've been in and out, but still they've burned together twenty long half.
I wouldn't say that it's in a hin.
Hinds had injuries last year. We saw Rackings and play some games. They haven't played a long stretch of consistent football together. I think this is the season, no doubt, this is the season where you want to see them go.
But it's a time thing.
And you're right.
Heines has been the dominant half and Trendle's been sitting back.
Neither one of them have been poor stretch.
It's just if they can both fire at the same time. I think that would get them to the level they need to be. Do you where do you happen to take advantage you?
So what happens normally there's got to be a dominant half, and Niko was trying to be the dominant half when he was out, Trendle really stood up. Do they like and are they trying to be too polite? Break You need to get some guys and they and they don't run the side.
They sit back a little.
But one bloke doesn't put the hand up and go because Joey always take the rains made when he get injured. But Joey always wanted the rains. The good ones want.
The rains in the I think he'd rather Niko be the dominant half because we know what he can do and second you know.
That's you'd probably prefer there.
They go into premiership contention if Niko is playing his best for their team and he's the sole playmaker or the dominant one. If Trindle is, they can get to the finals. Not sure they could win a camp. If Nico is playing great and Trindle's just playing a second fiddle, that puts him in the premiership contention.
In my opinion, you'd prefer that the other way around.
Now, Harry Grant returns just in time for Origin this week. Are the Storm clear premiership favorites?
I think they are.
I think that they have Bernal Susan Gordon.
Yeah, last week, last week I think they they did the last time he was getting beaten by the Raiders. I think Dolpho's got them. You know, Saint George beat them millionaire. It wasn't the Melbourne storm of the past where they just shut you out and I thought that there was no clear favorite. They did beat the Tigers down there and that was the best eighty minute performance they put in at.
If you look at their roster, David, I think they've got the best depth of any of the seven one teams in the competition.
If we don't want to see.
Anybody get hurt, but if anything happened to the Pap of Hours and they've got to back up in sw for Lockdow jonahezit's injured at the moment. But they've also got great in a month well there you go. See, so they've also got great depth in the halves. They're pack with the addition of Stefano this season and now Harry back this week.
I still think they are the benchmark side.
They're the benchmark side and they're the Premiership favorites because it all comes back to what we know what wins comps and it's the spine. They've got the best spine in the comp pappen hous and Monster Hughes, Harry Grant.
Stop the fight seriously, most consistent spin absolutely.
And what was so impressive about the weekend?
And you could tell at halftime they had a big lead and they've given those leads away even when they've won games over the first half of the year. And you could tell that at halftime. Bellamy said to them, you win the second half and you don't con see points. And they were fighting until the last second in this game, which meant it means it been lots of them and there was definitely extra effort to not do what they had been doing so far this year. So they've got
the potential to be clear favorites. They're I don't think they're quite there yet, right They've played the Tigers. Yes, they Ham and it was down in Melbourne. The Tigers were poor. We'll get a better read probably this week against Cronulla if they are clear favorites or if last week wasn't as good as what we maybe thought. You know, I think I think this is a big game for them as much as it is for Crnulla.
To me, Melbourne pretty much always play at the red line they're always the most consistent, harder side to beat in the competition. Then you get sides that can go up. They can just change gears. Maybe Melbourne always play at that level and that's why they blow sides the way the Dogs and others.
The others need to change some gears.
The way the Dogs aren't.
But about a month ago you'd still have Melbourne well and truly ahead of the Dogs just because of the team. They've got the spine you just mentioned. But the way the Dogs are playing, it's it's like they can beat Melbourne. I think they can. If Melbourne are off, the Dogs are a team, they can beat them. DC's contracts saga now a lot going on.
We know that.
Does it have the capabilities of entering the Queensland camp and derailing that at all?
Do you think?
Or is that wash your mouth out.
Cooper?
I think so.
Here it is on the on the back page of the Caurier Mail. So there's normally Queensland don't do this to their.
You don't normally have to address it when you're in there, but it'll be the elephant in the room, like where you're going, especially Lindsay Collins or whatever. But someone's got to make it a joke. That's where Elf. Elf has always been good in camp. But like then make it a joke, present him a rooster's jersey or a bulldog's jersey or whatever and get on with it.
You know what I mean. But it shouldn't derail a state of origins.
Is such a profession as the captain.
I think the bigger issue, Breath is this game coming up this week and Tom Didn't has been playing out of his skin and Daily in a manly side that has been beaten and beaten at Fortress Brookwelle in the last three games. He hasn't been anywhere near his best. There is an argument that you could pick Tom Didn't
ahead of Daily on form. However, then you look at everything that he's done in a Queensland jumper and the fact that he's the captain, and you know that Billy Slater will probably remain loyal.
What's your opinion on with Queensland.
Well, go back.
I go back to the point of the decision being made in relation to deciding that he didn't want to be at mainly beyond this season. I go back then and think about his comments in relation to wanting to do everything and the utmost for the Manly Seagulls to try and get the most out of this season, including winning the premiership, And for me, playing state of origin impacts that goal of what he vowed to do at the Sea should playing.
I don't think he should be there.
From but I can understand why years like it's representative football.
I gather it. But you can't have it both ways.
You can't at thirty.
Because I heard through the week that he doesn't know who he's signed for a block that spoke to DC and he said he hadn't made up his mind.
So who is he going to? The rooster's definitely the roost.
Are you saying that he shouldn't play for the benefit of Manly or he shouldn't play for them?
Here?
Are we going to sit here and not think it's not going to be the first question the journalists asked when he enters Maron's camp next week, Well, but seriously, is it not.
Going to be?
I know it's it's and that's a job Queensland will the Queensland coaching staff will tell you this will be the best thing ever for daily Cherry Evans because it takes him into our into our camp under our umbrella will protect him and it'll to Poops's point, he's so experienced and it'll free him up.
I don't know.
While I don't know if he's playing, is he playing good enough for?
Is he getting there on his legacy only at this point in time, maybe.
On the last month for football you would say yes, absolutely would, but his legacy is pretty good.
In that chairse no doubt he feels more comfortable going to Queensland absolutely with what's going on man, and he's probably thinking, you know what, this is a good.
Break for me.
Right, You make a great point, breath because off the back of that lost to Cronala last Sunday, there has been a lot of noise around that. There's worse than splinters in the Manly camp.
There's a real divide. Divide at all.
Centers goes back to that decision that he made on live television. The club was blindsided and there's been a massive flow on effect. What have you heard, Well, I think some players are just struggling, Yeah, of course, and your players. Some players are struggling and they believe that that decision has essentially derailed their season.
Which is looking on we all thought that at the time.
Were discussed on the show, and looking on current form, you'd have to say that that the way that.
It is tracking if I put my foot in DC's. But how's that going to change? If I say, well, I'm going to go to that club, how's it going to change? You're still leaving them.
You blokes played, though, goody you played.
How would you feel if one of your team mates did what Daily did at the start?
Well, Wendall did it and I was gutted, Like Wendell promised us, We're all sitting around in a grieve. I'm going to stay. Then he went to rugby union, right, and you do feel good. The senior guys that are really close do feel a little bit hurt when they lose. And I suppose the Bulldogs with Sunny Williams there might have been that feeling. Right the Melbourne storm with Cooper Krong there would have been that feeling, but soon that
they would have addressed it. Right, Yeah, but I don't know whether he coming out and saying I'm going to that's going to ease the pain.
If he Even if he doesn't come out and saying which he hasn't, clearly it all comes back to form. It all comes back to showing your teammates you're willing to rip in every single week. Now, we saw the really good performance against the Panthers and then the nowhere performance against the Sharks, right, and he has to show his teammates that he's willing to rip and tear for manly.
At this point in time, I can understand where the teammates are going in on a sec Are you in or or you're out the big ones this Saturday night? If he flops and deed and fires, what do you think the questions will be going into camp next week?
Do we totally agree with you?
But I think regardless of the result, he's going to be there and Deedan's going to be fourteen.
Right, That's that's what's going to happen. To have a.
Questioning going well, I got to say, and you know, people say, will you like coming from a new South Welst point of view, but Coinsland, they did lose last year's series. It's not like coming off winning series. And you need to be loyal to that particular group of players, which.
Leads me to this, and I'd love to get your opinion on this game.
One Sun Court Stadium, DC's peaked at seven.
They lose the game. Is that his last origin game?
How does he play's average?
What if he plays average? It might wait because the odds.
Are it might be because you never owned a jersey like you run it for a long time. People deserve it for the next crack, I believe. But you never ever ever own a rep jersey. You always just borrow it for the time being an ad to it. So anybody playing for Queensland, if you don't go there and perform, and it could.
Be your last because there's a lot more to this, right, his situation at club Land, his age, they lost last series, they lose game one and hard you know, maybe there's a change of the guard, right.
Yep, And there's the age, and there's that whole you know this going around.
There like of course, And I'm sure Billy Slater he's paid for these decisions. He'll make the right ones. And we're lucky that we've got someone like Tommy didn't that is shooting the lights out. Whether he's ready to run the state and put on the number seven jersey, it's a great jersey for our state. Who knows, but you know he's going to be thrown in there at some stage he sets.
Up to be a big game for him and doesn't it.
If that's the case, really, when you when you peel it all back and look at it from the outside looking in, the reality is this could be, you, guys, a last ogin game.
Ever, well, it starts this weekend when he's got the shootout against Tommy did and if Tommy plays the way that he has been played over the course of the last month, it's going to be very hard, right. But then to your point, Brave, if Coinsland do lose the opening game and Daily is only average, then you would have to think that it's a decision Billy Slater probably has to make.
One of the biggest games of his career in that context.
It really is in that context because if he does not fire, there's no doubt. Gordon, I've got no doubt. Tom diedon like he's ready to go, ready to go, he went there.
Was one of our best players, and he's got someone like Cameron Monter. He didn't play last year and we really missed him. So having someone with that experience would certainly help the.
Fact that Billy Slater is considering Kurt Man as a utility option on his Marion's bench.
Kurt Man, Yeah, yeah, wow and Deedon on the bench.
Well that's the catch, right, So Kurt's, you know, such a valuable utility for the dogs. The Dogs have a huge opinion of Kurt Man. But to our conversation in.
Around DC is future.
If there is a dip there, you've got already made utility in Kurt Man.
You can mail you go.
Yeah, I'll back myself.
I like it.
I'm just saying, because people are watching this, going really kurk Man didn't I'm thinking the same thing.
That's solid mail.
It's a small to your point, you probably think it's a pretty small bench. Who the next time, I would think Lindsay Collins and Ruben Cotter come into the frame on the bench. Not a big bench, no small mobile, fast feet through the middle. That's that's the belief. I understand. Certainly, there's a lot of football to be played this weekend. Kurt obviously has to get through injury free. I've heard both for Moore's name come up as well as a
bench option. So look, but my point is that that bench spot of the Barons, the number fourteen, it's suddenly a little bit more open with the kurk Man there all right.
As always, there's plenty of questions around the Blues.
Lineup forage and right than coach Lurry.
Daily did he's best to answer them ELI today.
There's still a few questions we need answered. You know, there's a.
There's a sort of core group of people that were sort of settled on once the team's finalized, the captaincy will be easy.
Jake did a terrific job last year. Well, he didn't play a lot of minutes. Inside the camp coaching staff, they.
All spoke particularly highly of what he was able to do for a group. And then we've got other captains within the side that have led their teams, so we'll have another number of good captaincy options. It'll be a tough decision what the combination of the halves will be, but it's a good position to be in if they're all fit and available.
No exactly great to seeing back. This would get one or two. Do those injuries continue?
All, Yeah, that's that's a good good question. Because we're hoping that Zach will play this weekend, so we can have a look at Zach. Obviously, we can't watch Brian anymore, and they were two influential members of the team last year. We'll weigh that all up and see however performs on the weak again.
What more does have to do with Oh?
I think he's just got to keep playing like he has been. He's putting his best foot forward. There's no denying that. In a result like that, there's a lot of players not doing the job that's expected of them. I just want to see what they do when they're under pressure.
Well, it's a luxury of riches for Laurie Daily or is it?
This could become a well if it's not already a big headache for him. He's got so many decisions to make in key positions. He's got incumbents that have won the SERI Series last year.
Does he stick with them? Does he go with new players.
He's got their captain, Jake Chaboivich, who hasn't been in great form.
Does he pick him or doesn't he? We'll start with him.
It's a good headache breath, but I don't think it's a migrain. In terms of Jake, I love Jake. He is an absolute lion heart of a player for Manly and has never let New South Wales down to the point where when he's been dropped in previous series they've had to bring him back in in a rush when they lose the opening game. Such as is importance to the side. I don't think you can pick him on current form. I just don't think that you can.
Okay, oh yeah, Jimmy sentiments, it's spot on. The game loves Jake Dravovitch. Everybody does, absolutely, But you've got to pick the best team and the best pack. Unfortunately, I don't believe includes Jake in it.
Can it be the best mix of a team?
Not always the best players were, And then Braith would understand that you can't pick all one seat.
A champion team. That's the dilemma that Laurie's got. They had a champion team last year and some team of champions this year, Like.
Where's that balance? Where's that mix?
Yeah?
The balance of that hard work and guy, I know that if I play I reckon. Jake's one of those players like a Gary Larson and a Billy Moore And you get those guys and they just embarrass it. Miles, They just embarrassed you to stay on your edge, like they just do everything so and it's just team first. There's nothing selfish about them, and they sort of embarrass you to keep on pushing that little bit and I don't yeah, and you don't know what it is that I don't get the wraps.
Like Wally Lewis.
But Wally laws always thank Gary Larson and those hard working guys.
And he that guy for New South Wales.
Big decision.
But you've got but like you've got to Zaya Yep, yep, yeah.
You know, I mean like test captain.
They've got enough creativity in the team too to have someone like Jakin if he's good for the team and good for the team bus in the environment and he leads off the field and they love him and he's you know, and he just gets a job done in the first ten to fifteen twenty minutes. And then they've got enough talent, you know, they've got enough creativity, they've got points. You know, it's not like they need a front rower or a lot to come out creating opportunities.
You know, just do your job.
He gets thirty five tackles in hi middle.
He doesn't miss, he hits and sticks quickly. If he's not there, who captains the team?
II? Yeah, he's the Australian captain.
Stephen Krichton.
I think what he's going to do for the James said Esco was the Australian captain and he didn't pick last year.
We didn't get picked for strail last year.
Was he injured? Look at the queens I picked as him.
Crichton as a captain.
Yeah.
Well general, like normally when you play it's a toss up and we can talk about it. But when you're playing good good sides, there's five captains.
Yeah, like every Ara that's the strength of the team.
Yeah like yeah, Like there's five club captains and in Queensland probably two or three club captains in there and they're all leaders.
I love Stephen Krichton. He is a good leader. Look at this, he's what twenty three, twenty four this year. That what he's been able to do for the Bulldogs. You look at that game on the weekend against Camberra. He was the difference. He brought them back into the game. He's he leads by example with his actions. He's also very vocal. He's got both you know, and he's he's a freak. He's a freak of nature. I'd happily have Stephen Crichton as the captain of the Blues and he's.
Going to be there.
He's first pick for the next ten years. Like you're not going anywhere else.
The only question mark is the guys that captain him at Penrith, what they think that That is the only question about you know, you go to another side of bloke left he wasn't captain, you were captain and he's got it.
That'd be that'd be it. That's the only question mark over Apparently they're just in the podcast.
Yeah, Google work, what do you one of your best there?
Apparently we're head to the Lachlan Galvin speculation now as a ramps up. We spoke about the Bulldogs last night and possibly a chance of him going there or speculation around it. What's going on here? Have we have we heard any Have you had any backlash to last night because we're pretty strong on it. We're trying to put the pieces of the puzzle together and we're thinking, you know, Paramatta haven't signed him. They're saying they're not close to signing him.
The Bulldogs haven't re.
Signed sext and you know Galvin wanted to go to a good a really good team to win the premiership. He coached by the right coach. He wants to learn. And I heard crickets today. Like normally when we do a story like that on this show, people from the club contact you and they'll say you're either right or wrong.
And I haven't heard a thing, So it's just deafening. It's definite.
Gustin Ring you not Gus you.
You know.
I love your work, breath, absolutely love your work.
I'm just you're about to get the hose out before you go.
This is how we roll.
You know that, I respect you know.
This is I'm not as hold on this as as what you are. I'm really not.
I still I still think all loads, all roads lead to Paramatta.
For Lachlan Galvin of.
That super strange though, I'll tell you what running as the contradict. So he's come out he said, I want to I want to be the best educated footballer I can possibly become.
I want to try and win premierships. It's not about the money.
Right, So what would you know?
What's paramatters? What's there appeal?
Look solely playing alongside Mitch Moses an appeal. I think Isaiah Yongie is a series seriously, tell me, why wouldn't go to the bull That's more That's my point.
I come back to the Dogs.
I just know how much they believe in the development of Bailey Hayward as a half and a very talented young player in their lower grades.
In Mitchell Wood.
Years away, there's one where could play thirteen nine. There's rumors about Reid Marney whether they could he play nine or thirteen.
Yeah, he could.
But I only saw what Bailey Hayward when he stepped up in the second half is great against the Raiders. He took on a more dominant playmaking role than what Toby Sexton did, and I firmly believe that this bloke is the short to medium term focus for the Dogs and the halfs.
So if Gavin wanted to go there, you think they.
Actually they'd say we're happy with Hayward. That's what you believe.
I think at West Tigers it's obviously a legal standoff at the moment, but most people around the game think that the Tigers are now coming to the belief And I don't like saying it because I would have loved if they stood on their digs and said that a contract stands for something. I don't think a contract's going
to stand for something. I think that Lachlan Galvin will be at a different club next year, and I think it makes sense that all roads lead to Canterbury because everything that we've heard out of his camp, dating back even six weeks before this story initially broke, was the decision was going to be all about the best coaching
and where it could best improve his football development. And you look at the Bulldogs at the moment and whether it's experienced players like Stephen Crichton or emerging rookies like Bailey Hayward, the improvement in Toby Sexton, Siraldo has got that side absolutely humming. They're the best defensive team in the competition based on what he's implemented. Then you've also got one of his key assistants being Luke Vala, who was Lockey's coach at Westfield Sports High School, is his mentor.
He's got the tattoo on the wrist with one of his favorite sayings.
I've thought a lot about this, like the way he can to be applying.
They're very systematic, right, they get the points on the field. They are relentlessly disciplined in what they do. Their defense is faultless, but their attack as well. They've got a game plan that they just stick to.
They don't go away from it. Right.
Sexton has a very simple game plan there. He's got a great short kicking game. He's got a good short passing game. He gets them to where they need to get to, and they execute with star power. Like Crichton on the weekend, Galvin goes into that team, he could do what Sexton does with a little bit of more star power, and he's got a great short kicking game. I just find it hard when I think they're not resigning Sexton, but they're doing that because they're happy with Haywood, yep and Mitch Woods.
That's what you think.
That's what at this point in time, one hundred percent.
Who plays half back next year?
The only to Hoops's point, the only thing that you're pulling me into the bulldog's argument is exactly that Luke Veller. Luke Veller shouldn't be underestimated, nailed to.
Touch a little framers to market though, what do you think price of Paramatta?
There's still my even money favorites.
Even so that was months ago, six weeks ago.
I'm not having a bet with you will settle this show.
They were a dollar that was sure.
Yeah, I've still got Para, I've still got paramount favorites.
I got Canterbury into a dollar ninety.
What about the coaching thing, you know, rookie coach. Ye in mind, it's a contradiction of my and I think he's doing great things at the moment, really do. But it still doesn't really justify.
It doesn't contradiction of the argument.
I agree with you to Hoops's point, there isn't an increasing belief that this is all coming to an end of this season.
Luckie.
The album will finish up at the West Tigers this year, to the point of which the West Tigers are already looking across the market for a replacement next year, which is where Adam Reynolds's name has come up.
So when do we think that the Tigers or Locke might be able to negotiate with other clubs. Is he going to have to wait till if that is the case, does he have to wait till November one? Or is it fast tracked under the Tigers just go? You know what, we know he's going. Just let him go, And I.
Think it's I think it's when the Tigers find their answer. Right. If the Tigers can secure their replacement on your bike, mate.
Who are they chasing?
Well?
As I said, Adam Reynolds has been linked to the club.
So far, all my inquiries to the West Tigers have led to denials that they that Adam will be coming down.
The belief is that this stays in Brisbane.
If they're denying it, where to start.
Shane Richardson's son looks after Adam Reynolds off field sponsorship arrangement.
There's a natural relationship there of which goes.
Back along Way was a half back when one of the content that makes sense if an Adam wants to keep on play. Yeah, but I thought adam My understanding was he wants to stay at the Broncos.
He's very settled up there.
His family's happy, loves life in Brisbane and was happy.
With what they're building. All right, do you know is your key player match up?
Well? Thanks, he broadband, Well, I can't come.
I can't get away from Saturday night's match and we spoke abou him. Nikko Hines up against Jerome mus is going.
To be belt On gets the points Sharks at home Sharks in the dark.
Okay, when we go on Friday night the Dylan Brown Cup between Parramatta and Newcastle. So Dylan Brown up against the side that he will be joining. I'm saying keep and I on him.