NRL 360 - "More dangerous!" - Questions raised over Billy's BOLD move to leave out Reece Walsh, Buzz EXPLODES after another young gun walks out on Tigers | 30/06/25

Welcome to three sixty Rubelly from every angle, brought to you by Ford Everest joining me again, the great Good and Tallas.

That's been the jour Buzz Rothfield and Brent Reid and Red. He's been a busy boy.

The top fifty influences, powerful whatever.

The only bloke is on my read.

What's the feedback, Bean? Since you've been very.

Positive, breath, very positive.

Yeah, a lot of people are very happy with their positions, particularly you, because I think you were under seven.

We'll get to that and sorry, I'll tell you what I noticed. It stood out Buzz Rothfield was ahead.

And fair enough, fair enough to I reckon.

Your kidnn't you?

You're a holiday one.

Read and you think he's that close an influence in rugby?

Lea your kid?

It was a tight call, Buzz. I'll be honest with you.

But yeah, we thought you just held a bit a bit more swathean mate.

I'm told you wanted made about forty nine and Mike carrianas bump me.

Up that I would never do that.

But what about your weekend?

A number seven three year contract? Don't worry about your colleague. She wrecked our salary caps.

Nothing left for us it's what it's not you, it's what you know.

You know that.

That's been a good weekend signing you deal with Fox League and.

He was in there to she stress card. He was in there as well. Back number thirty.

Was in the.

Classified the funeral notices.

That's page one, on page one, Mary and Nathan number one.

The great Bullfrog. Richiell be very happy with that. He's obsessed with that.

Nothing's about the move to Super League, isn't it?

Apparently okay, let's move on. Queensland coach Billy Slater has made a number.

Of selection bombshells ahead of the Origin decider in Sydney.

Take a look, why don't go with them? Yeah?

I just think it's the right fit for the footy team right now and I think he's in He's in a great stage of his career. Reese is a great player. He wouldn't be here if he was injured. It was purely a decision over who we thought was best for the position at this time. There's no one more proud than me seeing Reese back on the field and doing what he's doing. It's a great luxury to have both

He's going to have a couple of.

Days and make sure that his priority is being a dad. Because there's probably something that I've had in the back of my mind for a couple of years now.

Now.

I was a little bit unsure of the response i'd get. I spoke to Papa a couple of days ago and the response was pretty much where where my head was at, which was fantastic and it just shows you that he's still got that fire to play for this footy team. We're not naive to know where we're going, We're not naive to know how good the footy team is. That we're playing and the individuals in the footy team, so you know it's a it's a task for sure, but what an opportunity.

Yes, the Queensland Maraons team has been announced after that great win in Perth to tie the series going into the decider in Sydney Gordier.

There are a couple of changes.

Yeah, it is Josh Papal which makes he makes his return.

I love it.

I reckon he's one of those guys in the dress room that when he's pulling up your socks, you just look. You just got to watch the way the Green Machines playing at the moment when they got around him. He kicked those goals the other week, scored a double, so I think he's in great form and give them Shubasaki was from left field, but he's playing really good footage. He's been Between him and Containy Stags have been probably

You've got to be one hundred percent feet if we're going to beat in.

He was limping around Gord.

It didn't stop him the way he played, and I think he's almost single handedly picked the Broncos in that last couple of weeks. And I've got nothing against the selection of Shibasaki.

He's had a terrific gear.

But my thoughts were Queensland would be a much more dynamic side to defend up on if they had Welsh out the back and hammering the centers and a sort of double X factor threat, and I think it would have been a bit more dangerous. They're now lacking a lot of experience in the centers. Robert Doyer's had two games and shuber Saki's under bow, and they're up in against Crighton and the Trail, who was very very.

I can't argue with that. It's a tough decision for Billy.

I would have had Reese as well, and that was I kind of thought that even after Game two, Caylyn didn't have the best game, didn't have the best game one, wasn't playing really good for Newcastle. Then he brained it against the Dolphins and I thought, Okay, they'll probably stick with him. So when Kylen went down, I thought, well,

Now really pick and stick. They won game too, that may change.

That's the one that's the bones surprised me brace is Mo for the Waker going out and Josh Populi coming in. I know Papuli has been playing great for Canberra, but you're right they won. We won in Perth and I would have thought given Mo. Look, he hasn't had a great series, but he's done his job and I'm surprised that he's particularly Josh has played for a couple of years and obviously I think he retired. I need footing

Big job on Crichton.

But the big step up the Fowkers going from the he's been planning, done a remarkable job.

He signed with the Queensland Cup, so the.

Train and troll the other start.

When a man or one of the Q Cup sides and then the Broncos at the last minute gave him the train and trial and to step into this ruin and when they could have had those two champions out there.

I'm surprised, yeah, but I think defensively they struggled a bit at times on that side of the field, and I think he'll he's a bigger body or strengthen them in that respect.

But yeah, the.

Fodow Warker won't surprising me because I think he deserved to be there.

So Papa, I think, is it the right call. Let's get to the bottom of them. I believe he possibly be starting. He is probably unlucky not yeah, but he was unlucky.

To miss going too.

I thought, Papa, he deserved it and he's been playing amazing for the Raiders. So although we talk about picking stick and we could give you guys.

You picked the best side. We could give you some ship to win, you picked the best side to win. And I think, Josh, if you can ask any Coueensland have we been bullied in any of the games in the last couple of series, and there's been moments where we've been bullied. I don't think anybody bullies Josh.

And the bottom line is you do have a look at club form and I don't think you can carry two Titans front rowers. The way they're languishing at the bottom of the ladder, you can't call it it. They're running last for a reason, mate, and they haven't had that midfield dominant.

They haven't's made the call, to be fair, you know, he just probably couldn't ignore it any longer.

And he needs his best team team in form from the.

Front row at the top of the ladder for one at the bottom of the.

I think it makes them a better team.

But I think that they won the last scale and I think my did all right.

But look, he wasn't He hasn't been great, been big on the.

Pig and stick I have been whole time loyalty, so I'm not. I can't change my tune. I can't change my tune.

So you are a stickler, Yeah, very very long?

Are you a number seven makers? I'm very loyal, very So that's a bit of concerns.

Okay, all right, now quick mentioned John Singleton is coming up on heavy. He just can't wait to talk to him. What the character he's We just had.

Him in the green room Legends the Best fifteen listening to him.

How funny is he saying we're boring? Oh you were not to around with seeing our back in the day. Surely I did. I did.

I used to go to his corporate suite of course. Of course, he had the first corporate suite in Australian sport at Hanson Park. He built what was called the jet Set at the time. He used to invite the media up there for some proms and champagne.

This was the late seventies. He was way ahead of his time in rugby.

Then.

I did have more head than I have in our breaking.

I wish I was back in those days. Well, can we move all right? It's head in the Blues camp now. Laura Day joins us on the jo true Blue, Mike Laws. You've resisted making changes after losing game two?

Is that an advantage heading into the designer Yeah?

Good evening break. I think it.

Helps us where we're at.

I think this team hasn't played anywhere near its capabilities, and I think the more time.

We get to play with each other, the better will be.

And I think, yeah, being able to have the same seventeen will be advantage. But again, we're going to play a lot better than what we did in game two.

Yeah, Lauria, it's good to here mate.

What did go wrong and what's the focus for the decider in Sydney.

Yeah, that's quite easy, Gordio. I think for us, there's two things we need to be better at. One's our discipline. We're poor in that area. We need to be better and we're going to execute a little bit more and be.

A lot sharper with the ball.

You know, if you only have a fifty six percent completion rate at the NRL level, you're going to struggle against teams and if you go to the State of Original level, you're going to do it tough. And that's what we were in that first forty minute. So we have to address the problems that we had in that regard and we're going to be a more disciplined footy team. So they're there two big things that I'll be stressing all week and that'll be the message.

It's simple, but it'll be clear Lowry.

The nine Nael penalty count forty five minutes has been well documented. Are you going to get into the NRL and have a meeting with the refereeing staff or the actual referee?

Yeah, I won't be having a meeting with the ref buzz, but I certainly been had a meeting with Jared Maxwell just about the clarification on you know, some of the rulings that happened in game two. You know, I just want to be clear in my own mind about what the expectations are of the referee but also the expectation of the referee of.

Us because we let ourselves down.

So we need to be better in all those areas of the game. And again I think you know, for us, it's a clear focus.

We've got to be.

Giving away less penalties and we've got to be better and we're more smart with what we do with the football and how we do work with the football.

Hey, Laura, Brent Reid, I want to ask about a couple of the queens and changes, well one in particular, Josh Popular.

You know him, well, why do.

You think Billy has turned to him and what do you think he'll bring into this game?

He brings the presence and he's a leader. And watching him this year for the Raiders and over the last couple of years, you know, he's one of the reasons why they're having so much success with the ball. You know, he's a try scorer, but he just carries ball forward so well for the Raiders. But the fact that he gives them a presence in the middle of the field. He can whack, you know, in defense, and he and Tno will bring that aggression up front.

And you know, I think God him myself.

Last year, I remember talking about it, and you know, on my radio program, I was talking about maybe they could bring Josh back last year, and you know, he didn't get that call up.

So this year he's got the call up.

And I know what a proud Coinslander he is, and I know what inspiration he has with a team, and they'll feed off his energy and feed off his aggression and his leadership. So I really understand why Billy's brought him back.

Laurie, I'll set it up for you here.

I am surprised that they would have dropped Mo for the Worker after winning that game and bringing Josh back.

I think as a coach, what you look at is how you.

Can strengthen your team.

And if you think you can't strengthen the team, then you don't make changes. But if you think you can, you bring other people in. And again, you know, Mo has done a terrific job for Queensland. But I think the fact that Josh is playing with the team that's sitting on top of the competition, he's just forced his way in through performance.

I don't think he's anything against Mo.

I think he's played well, but Josh has just been, you know, one of the form front rowers of the competition.

It's no.

Fluke that the Raiders you know, are on top when you've got Joe Tarpani and Josh Papa Lee that one two punch.

That's a big reason why the Raiders are having success.

They're playing off the back of that, and I can understand why Billies brought him into the team.

Was Nathan Cleary.

He was very good against the Bulldogs over the weekend, but he's still carrying that leg injury and it was obviously it hurt him in game two. Do you think he'll be back to full contact running kicking for Game three?

Yeah, yeah, we think he will be. Both we think he'll be one hundred percent fit.

Although goal kicking, I don't think he'll be goal kicking, but again that'll be up to Nathan and just to see how he's traveling. But I wouldn't expect him to goal kick. I think Zach will do a great job for us. But yeah, it was just unfortunate that before game one he sort of twinged his groin, so he was I did a really great job for.

Us to play.

In fact, you know, we were unsure of whether he's going to play or not, but he and the medical staff did a terrific job for those twenty four hours. And you know, he's confident that he get through. But obviously he couldn't do goal kicking, couldn't do a lot of.

The long kicking.

So but he's more confident now than what he was leading into game two. And we're still, you know, nine days away from from Origin three, so I think he'll be close to her to one hundred percent by game three.

Current laws, I love the pick and stick me mentality that you've gone with.

For the Blues.

Have a great week of preparation and good luck next Wednesday night.

Thanks by thanks for to see your boys.

There. Is the great Laurie Dailey, And yes he has picked the exact same team as game two.

Heading in the game three.

Looked very focused there and didn't give away too much their loss.

He's very nervous. Nervous is that how you are?

No, Well, it's got to be confident, right, they've you know, they played some pretty good footage. Well like when he said how much person they had at fifty something. You don't win a club game with that, So that's alarming for us.

Yeah, well they're at home and they should win.

Shouldn't they to see the referees boss to try and get the right.

Of the green, I mean the green, just to get something. Yeah, please started that he did. They should just say.

The good thing is he's taken owner ship for that penalty count and you submit her.

That discipline was way poor. It was really bad.

It's graceful.

But after the game New South Wales weren't prepared to accept that.

But they've gone because he would have been emotional too.

Yes, you know, straight after the game, he's had time to look at it, sort of calm down a little bit, refocused, resetting and be a head coach. You know, he knows you can't be a head coach and going to a camp thinking we're having excuses you know, the players.

It's not going to help the players, not going to help the.

Team heading into this game which is so important for him. And then and let's be honest, it's not going to happen. It's not going to be no one Neil ready, let's.

Let's well, I was ill disciplined as they were in game two. Open is nine nil because that's what it deserved to be, just a little bit so very tense to its rubbish. Hopefully he puts a whistle away, let's the game flow and we see a great contest.

But I mean, yeah, if they do that a lot in trouble.

As we've established a lot of these penalis were justifoied Brace. So need they need to fix up their discipline because the Queens got in this stuff.

Queens have got a lot of leg ups and going to.

I was just done, like he had his hands in the Tigers in damage control after six straight losses and the Silver joining the Eels mid season.

What's our thoughts on this?

Well, I think it was all.

Look, it was always heading down this path. Brace Once once the tygets decided to keep up a chorus, I mean rich. I had met with Talum to Silver and his family and they made it pretty clear that if he stayed, if they extended up his contract, Tellum would leave.

The strongest stand.

It's just I'm just asking the question, taking the strongestand he's got a year and a half pretty much left.

Yes, he wants to be the.

Dominant nine, doesn't want to play behind Happy, but you don't always get your own way. When you saw on the contract, you know who's ahead of you? Are you know both?

By cutting him loose, they've got six hundred thousand dollars to play with now and.

He was.

Have they given up on this season?

Fighting to avoid the wooden spoon? What if Happy Carris how gets hurt?

Well, they've got a kidnamed Tristan opens.

He's a new Southwest Cup player. He's there for a reason.

Well, this kid's not.

They've given up on the season.

They've let the two best young players have now left the club, Galvin and the Silver. They are the two best youngsters at that club, right and they're both gone. But both were under contract until the end of next season.

One was going to take him to court.

So you want to I'll give you a Galvin.

You give me a Galvin?

Okay, This young hawker is a very good is.

Their backup hooker? Have you seen anything to suggest that? Tell them Silver, which you respect?

I haven't spoken to a lot of very good judges in the game who rate him extremely highly. That's why Manly wanted him, by Newcastle wanted him, why Paramatta wanted him, and for the West Tigers just to.

Say, oh, I did a deal with his mum and dad. His mom and dad picked the team.

Far from the finished product right now, buzz. He's a few years off eighteen.

Played out his contract. What's the months they've got to win footy games?

Yeah?

And happy helps him win footy games?

Can I can I just name? What?

Can I say?

Getting an extra six hundred thousand dollars in your salary cap.

Who knows sign who knows what's going to happen in the office. He's a buzz. We see it every year players become available. There now are eighteen months.

I'll name some players.

Galvin the Silver you toy, Kemanu Sean Bloor was about twenty two when he left, and there was a kid there, a schoolboy on a Tony large.

The show is about sixteen, but go on, well seven heed now and he wanted the West Tigers to he his contract to get out of that club.

All I want you to think about is why have five outstanding young players in the last twelve months all wanted out of the West Tiger either than made.

I'm not talking to okay, they've all wanted out, but what about they've signed lat too. Funny that on someone was before rich O.

That was before rich O came to the club.

You know that was Are you saying rich O's the issue now?

I'm not saying.

I'm just saying to you, and I've given you names that five outstanding young footballers walked out on that class.

Louis Taruva.

I've just given the examples of guys who've come to the club.

But they're not young kids, they're not the future. I'm going to lay it out here now and last year I'll last you.

If you've heard this, have you heard the stories that Jerome Leuai and Happy Corusau are so tight with Benji Marshall. They've got that little circle of three and there's a lot of younger players that don't quite feel part of that outfit. I'm sure, and you know that was a situation with Galvin. I'm wondering if it had anything to do with these fellows as well.

Well.

They were assured by Talon to Silver and his parents that have talent, that talent wanted to start the club, but that if ap he re signed, he would leave, but they rich. I was assured by his family the talent's preference, preference was to start the Tigers and be their long term But.

To win a spot when when when is there going to be a young kid to win the spot?

Well, obviously I just go to just go to a.

Bell main hooker with Benny Elias.

Wasn't Neil Whitticker the club captain, and wasn't he the number nine? And didn't he just play so good that they had to pick him above him.

And I want to the canber Raiders are lading the cop they've got to kick go oh and Patty really good hooker can't break into that first grade side because Starling's outstanding and they've even signed the young fellow from Newcastle Brayley. He's prepared and he's happy to buy into. That's just can I ask you how many hookers the Broncos have?

How many do they have? Four lining up to get out?

Now?

Eighteen months out from the contract?

Corey Place doesn't have a contract for next year, so some of them are knowing.

I just want to interject your circle back to what you said, Buzz, because I first I really heard of that. You spoke about happy Chorros Lui and Benji having this circle, and he asked you really if you'd heard that, and you didn't answer it.

Have you heard that or that? Because that's news to me.

Whether I've heard the Benji upp a Titan that we know they're extremely.

That's okay, But is it a healthy relationship or is it healthy amongst the playing groups.

I was very critical Locklin Galvin the manner in which he's manager handled his exit. But I do know that Lachlan Galvin on the Quoi felt a little bit locked out once Lewai, and that they established this big three at the club.

All of the rumors that the war and others would prefer to play with Lato Fan.

I mean that was those room rumors were going around earlier in the year.

I don't know how to do you believe that then, because it looks like that's how it's played out.

In the Obviously there was something to it, because obviously Lokie's left the club now.

I don't necessarily think that was the case.

I'm not being brown Silver, but I think the point at five, you know how highly regarded on Tony Large is he is.

They say the best schoolboy half back going around.

You're in your name rugby league and mate. He didn't want to bar of the joint, want Manly to wait for Cherry Evans. I was still a kid. I just think it's a bad look when so much young talent.

They've got some young Richard Buzzy got they got some, They've got some young te they've got some young talent coming through Macassin. He signed a lot of the young kids on who everyone says it is going to be a superstar. He's signed a long term deal with that club. There's a finished god, and I think they've got a whole lot of school boys coming through now who've signed long term deals with that club and are willing.

To stay and fight.

Hold on the Silver had a long term deal to He's got something, definitely, And Patty, you.

Can't compare Tommy's Darling and Jay and Brayley to Uppy cross out.

There's no respect to you're going to tell me that what.

The two Hawkers who have got camp but at the top of the ladder, you think they're spots in danger?

Darling, I think eventually just signed again.

I understand that, but I think Paddy will take his spot, yeah, or they'll work together. But up he's an has been playing eighty minutes most weeks.

For the for the time, I think they should have half the time.

This is just my thoughts.

I think they should have tried harder to keep him, but most certainly insisted.

You see out his eighteen months, Richard.

When they're now in a dangerous position where they could win a fourth Wooden Spoon.

Richie went to his house, sat down with his family. What more do you want him to do.

But if you go to every moment dad who says the kid's not happy?

Seriously, look, I think it's lovely.

Trying to convince them to stay buzz.

Let's move on from the nines. Okay, you both made your point. You both don't agree as usual, Let's get six losses in. Let's I guess a bit of noise around Benji. Has Richie jumped the gun on his support for Benji or where are we at with this situation?

Is his job safe? I don't know. Have you guys heard anything? What's the latest?

I think his job safe?

Well, well, that depends probably on how he finishes the season I imagine. I mean, if they lose every game from here on in, Benji is going to be under immense pressure. But I think right now rich I is showing with the decision to sign up or retain up he chorus rather than tell him to Silba.

He's back in the coach and he wants to give Benji every chance.

Benji wanted happy, Benji want up and the club wanted the silk.

No.

I don't think that's necessarily right, Gordy. I think I think Benji wanted happy, and the club has backed their coach, and I think that's what you've got to do in that situation.

They have improved this year amongst all of this drama and six losses in a row. If you peel it all back, they have got better and they've been a much better team to watch.

Think so too.

But in saying that, the next couple of months is critical because if they blow all that with a poor back end of the year, considering the players they do have on the field.

Buzz yeah, yeah, Look, I hope Benji does finish strong and safety.

What do you think that, Buzz, You seem like you just sort of hold them back you a little bit.

No, Look, I think if.

They run last, he'll probably lose his job because there are other people around like Willie Peters, who's breaking records over at Hull in England. He's coach at Newcastle, he's coached at South He's a very good coach and he's close to Shane and he worked under him at the Rabbit Ducks. And I think they will if they run last or even second last, they'll have to look at other options.

Not just for the way the football side's playing.

That club needs to create an environment where people like Talon de Silver and Lachlan Galvin want to play footy for the rest of their careers, all.

Right, Enough of the Tigers.

Anthony Sebi was under all sorts of pressure ahead of Mainly's win against the Tigers, which led to some interesting comments around the realities of coaching in the NRL.

Well, look, what's pressure about it. Let's put perspective on this, what's going on over in Israel and Ukraine and all that's pressure, right.

The really of it is, guys, like I've got if you think.

About life, right, every single one of us are going to die, every single one of us, right, and so if you work back from that point, you really it's not to be more, but but you really work out what's important in life.

And I'm really.

Passionate about coaching, but I'm also passionate about other things as well, So it's not pressure. You've got to put perspective one of these things. Guys, it's a game of footy. We'll go out there and we're going to play really well tomorrow and I've got.

No doubt about that.

Well, that was intense.

If you didn't know already, If you didn't know already, guys, we're going to die one day.

What are you talking about? To tell you what?

I found very He wan't talking to me. I'll tell you what I was. What did you think? A bit strange under pressure?

I think everything's just starting to get to him just a little bit. It's starting the sense a bit of Brisbane, you know, when it all started unraveled and he just started going off course a little bit. And maybe maybe that started, like it's been a tough year. If you're a manly supporter, DCE Tommy changing positions, what's happening there. It is a tough tough job being a coach. But that was a little bit strange for me.

I'll tell you the press conference that shop he was after the game when d C was asked about Steve's having his back, and he spoke about how tight he was with Seabold, and you know they had had these really good three years together, so close.

He didn't invite him to his wedding, well he didn't, and then he walked out on him in round.

Three, So so you think there's a bit of.

Po It was an odd thing to say for Blake. It walks out in the coach and it doesn't.

Birthday well, you might think it anything, but I do apparently do you think it should you invite your coach to your wedding?

Not necessarily, Okay, I think you.

Need to, but it shows that you are read. You come to.

Mind in Vegas.

I think what those comments, what I took from those comments was that he went through a hell at Brisbane and he's it's given him some perspective about It's a bit like those Nico Heines comments last year and everyone went, what's Nico doing?

Football should be everything?

His be all.

It's not right at the end of it, and we talked about that last year with Niko good But Steves, I think Sieves is just realized that something's more important than what you really cool.

It's number one baby, with the.

Spotlight, with the blow torch.

It's the world's hardest job coaching an n RL franchise. And you look at chain planning and last week and you look at that press box and the way that the pressure was.

You know, he didn't look well.

That was I saw Seeds after the game on Friday night. A man, he looks so happy, look like the way to the world was off.

U League all right, stigure out as we head to right. Let's take a look at the nominees for our sports bed play over the Round