NRL 360 - "One of the GREATS" - Big Papa breaks Raiders record - Turbo & Jake's $1.5M sacrifice & QLD's next Captain? - 04/06/25

Josh Papa Lee Papa best bloke in rugby league. This Sunday, when the Big Fellow plays, He's three hundred and nineteenth game for the Raiders club record. It'll be the greatest thing down there since Bob Hawk and John Howell. He's slice of bread, bigger than when the much loved Jared Croaker celebrated.

He's three hundreds at home.

And yeah, bigger than when Big mal Maninger retired Viking clapper from wayback. As young fellow, Noah understands the normity.

Of at allody.

Make sure you'd be there God to see my dad Lamar week fun.

Coach Ricky Stewart loves him.

A really important game week for our club and for those we all love h Joshrah party and.

He's the captain Joey Tarpan's best mate. Papa is the ultimate contradiction, a fearless wrecking ball out there leaving parts of destruction. Get a real softy off the field. Every week before run on he writes the name of six kids on his wrist and even when he runs over an opponent, mobster often go back and dust him off and make sure he's okay.

Do that.

Coach once asked him to belve the tripe out of Cooper Kronk. Papa refused, saying I had too much respect for his origin teammate, if not a performing New South Wales origin back row Jamie Computer. When a rookie makes the Raiders squad but without a big money contract, eyes in a new pair of boots and you'll notice he's always last off the field, not because he's slow, but because he can never say no.

To his fans.

Treats everyone the same, and then he talks. We all lean forward two reasons. One speaks very quietly and two makes so much sense.

I hate talking in front of the group, not because I'm scared or anything. It's getting nervous and emotional.

Poppa's been making everyone he plays with play about us since twenty eleven, when he made is taboo as a teenage.

That's the thing.

Try counting slowly, twenty eleven right through to twenty twenty five. Fifteen years. Yeah, it's three hundred and nineteen first grade games and off your Raiders cap to the best bloke in rugby league.

It's a one and only Josh.

Hello and welcome to winner of three sixty red League from every angle during him in the Great Gordon tell Us ok Let's Dring the Journey, Australian James Superan, David Riccio. But Josh Papa Lee. What a player, what man and big Papa through the one hundred and nineteen games and most capped for the Canberra Raiders ever Gordon.

Unbelievable with that club, the players that they've had go through there for Josh Papa Lee to.

Play the most games.

I was surprised when he first got picked for Queensland, but I soon become a fan.

He's a proper enforcer.

He's one of those guys that let his actions do the talking, a real enforcer in the middle. And what a player like to be that big, to play the minutes that he has, you know, the collisions that he's got. It's really worthy to to someone like this in this rich club.

Champion player. Gordion also champ in Bloke and it was evident from early on he took on Paul Gallon, who was one of those feared forwards in the competition at the time when he was only a very young player. It was in a final series back in twenty twelve, and I think from that point on. People always knew that Papa was going to be a special player. It

I reckon that's one of the best Fox left packages that's ever been produced, and that was such a special piece and it encapsulates.

The camera Raiders. We all know that they're not.

The sexiest club. They have to they fight to recruit, but inside their.

Walls they know what they're about.

And he epitomizes that club, and that's what they don't care what the rest of the world think because they've got people like Big Papa inside the walls. And to be fair, it's him. It's his status that makes them makes the club such.

A great record.

He's a recruitment tool, specially his son, the little Mini Me.

They're signing him.

There's already under contract. Donny Ferner told us a funny story this week where they had a tribute lunch at raw Camber Golf Course for Josh on Monday, and there's a putting green outside the function room and when he signed with the Yels, Ricky Suret was having his golf day at the same course and don had to go and front Ricky this is back in twenty twelve and tell him, hey, mate, listen, I just want to let you know Papa's backflipped and he's staying with us.

Anyway, he said.

When he told him, they had to then go and play it and hal he said he was looking over his shoulder the whole time he thought Ricky was going to come. But then when Ricky came back to Camberra he said, mate, she's I'm glad that you got him to backflip. Because he is so influential around the group.

One of the best things ever done the Camber Raiders, Josh Papa Lee. We celebrate him this weekend, but let's celebrate their team and they're playing roster, their group and their achievements this year. And Ricky Stewart would this go down as one of his best ever achievements. The season he's having at the moment with his team.

I think it is because if you go back to when Jack Watten decided that he wanted to leave the club and go to South Sydney, and the narrative was that he wanted to try and tick the premiership box with the Bunnies. That then forced the Raiders it wasn't their plan. They wanted to retain Jack, made him a four year offer I think it was four million dollars or more at the time, but that then forced him to pivot in terms of their recruitment strategies and it

Said they were to start started team at the start of the year, they have transformed into one now and a lot of those guys that were good players and now turning into great players and all and all, they're just a great team. Ricky's had to build this team, hasn't He hasn't been easy to a lot of people at home. They wouldn't know that, and they've heard over the years, but how hard it is to attract players to camera. It's kind of it's out of the way.

They well they were Queensland as early. Then they went with the Englishman. Now they've gone with young kids that no one really knows. Do they have a million dollar player?

I don't think he's beyond a million dollars, do you? I was thinking today how many players would be close to a million dollars or would they be on a lot of.

The point being not in their spine and that's where your million dollars sits for most of the premiership win he sides. So what he's getting out of the team when they aren't. You know, the big bickie players is significant. And what I love about the this Raiders team and the way Ricky Stewart's got them going is that it goes there. It goes against everything that Ricky Stewart.

Is what we know and love. He's a competitor, he's a winner, right but to get.

That, he's had to suffer some some bruises along the way because by playing the kids, he knew it was going to have to play the long game.

He's not the most patient.

Bloke, but he's had to play a patient game and and that's that pivoting as a coach shows his class as a coach.

And it's refreshing for me to watch the Raiders play their style of footing. So many sides cookie cutter approach, follow the Melbourne Storm, try to follow Penrith, you know, and they follow this other real successful sides.

But Raiders play their.

Style of footy and every week they tend to win different you know, whether it's defense or attack, or off floads or through the middle.

And they're surprising a lot of souls.

Ethan Sanders is a great example of what they're developing and as far as key positions are concerned at the footy club, Jamal Forgerty misses that game against the Roosters and Sanders comes in and just holds holds the gloves up and gets the job.

And they've got speed to burn too, like just speed on their edges and fall back in.

And hasn't even become cold yet. That's when they shine degrees.

But the other reason why you can argue that it is one of Ricky's forignest coaching achievements. You go back to the Roosters and the Star Started teams wins the premiership in two thousand and two his first year in coaching. Makes a couple of Grand finals off the back of it, but that team was an absolute role gold gold plated

But aside from.

That, yeah, you compare those teams and for what Ricky's the trajectory that he's got them going on it and out to all of.

That, a very interesting subplot this weekend with Jack White and returning. After leaving to win a premiership at Sears, he returns back to Cambran. Despite all the speculation, Anthony Sebold is confident that Jaboievich brothers will finish their careers at Mainly take a look.

Yeah, they're both really passionate about the club. They both want to start at the club.

The club. You know, we want to keep them.

Peter General and Tony Mestrov met with with their agent post Foot as well. You know, do you want to keep the taboy bitch is around the club. It's just a matter of making sure it's the it's the ideals for both of those guys. Whilst I'm coaching the club and you want to have Turbo in our playing group and.

So yeah, I wouldn't want to. I can't play over in the Super League, that's for sure. Okay. There are two brothers, two players to unpack here, two legends of the Manly Seagulls. Let's start with Tom. Tom Jaboye Ofvich off contract twenty twenty seven. I believe said he'd take a pay cut, even said he go to Super League. What a gentleman, what a professional, what a human being? It doesn't want to play against Manly Seagles ever. Showed a lot of sacrifice in that wanted to take a

Look, I understand Tom's management are going to sit down with the mainly Seagulls in the next couple of weeks just to try and map this out, because as we know, he.

Is such a for everything you just said, he's so.

Significant on the Northern Beaches for that football club and he does not want to leave. He just doesn't want to play against any other play for any other NRL club. So that's where the English Super League option has become the other option because.

But he's on one point one. Let's just get in the bottom of that one point one at the moment. Mainly how much of a haircut would he need to take to stay significant? Significant? Are we talking?

And I'm saying that respectfully because of the games he's playing, I think he comes down to that seven hundred mark.

Okay, agreed?

Well, no, I think I'd like to see what happens for the remainder of this season, Like if he gets back on the field and he's able to punch the rest of the season out and he gets back to that form, that destructive where he's breaking tackles, making wine breaks.

Really the problem is since he won the Daian Medal and even that year, he hasn't looked one hundred percent healthy at all, Like at any time even when he plays, he looks like he's playing injured. It's it's hard, hard to watch and I can only imagine what he's going through himself, and I feel for him.

Well, I've tried a lot, and that's what.

It is. A business still in fact what you're saying, you know, like they've got to protect their their and salary. They got a lot of young young man.

He showed the other night that he's ready to take over the number one jersey.

But you don't want to lose Tom. But withoud the game sign seven hundred wouldn't.

Well, this is the catch for everything we've just said about Tom. Is Tom really going to just just hang around like put the burden on the.

Club around he was?

Still there will have to be tough conversations in and around his physical capabilities and his body.

That has to be you can't sign re sign.

Him, But wouldn't he play a sound concern and have the same impact on a game?

Well, that has to Yeah, in order to keep Lehi Hoppawati's fullback, Absolutely, there's going to have to be a positional.

Change, and I think other clubs would put up with that. But if you say I'm going to sign Tom for seven hundred, because there'd be a club that would want Tom to play fullback.

He's seven hundred a bit much for a cent today, I don't know. You're happy to you you're not. You're not buying the center you're buying. I have to ask the question, like if I'm manly, and the loyalty that he's shown even though he's been injured, and the sacrifice he is willing to make for the team you're paying more just to have him there.

The influence, the leadership.

Every club craves.

Leaders within their team, and Tom's influence on a Lehigh Hoppowarty coming through the next gen of manly players coming through. You can't deny that it actually adds dollars to his salary. So look, I'd be comfortable with that, but there has to be a tough conversation in and around his body.

If you go back a decade, it was Brett Stewart. There was a young Tommy Turbo coming through and Tom initially played a lot on the wing because Snake was still such a superstar of the game. But on with Dave in that, I think you've got to keep him at the club given everything that he has done for that jersey to date. But you have got to strike the right price. I'd think seven hundred be as much as you can pay, give them what he's been able to get out of his body out the last couple of seasons.

I waved the Perth franchise flag to his management today and.

That was waved away again. Look, so not even the new clubs.

So Tom does not want to play for anybody out, same as Jake, because I think the Dogs offered him years ago.

Said no, that's right, yeah, all right, what about Jake. He's the same of contract twenty twenty seven, six eighty six.

Right, So the situation there would be is very much a Luke Keary style of deal where let's have if you recall that Luke Kiri with the Rooster's a very much open communication right, Luke, Let's see how you're going.

You see how you're going, We'll see how we're going.

And then let's just be honest with each other, same story, same family, super honest. Jake won't muck around, and I think there's a one year deal in it for Jake, but again, it has to come back.

Salary was what's what's he around now at the moment.

Well, he's sitting up at around nine hundred, so yeah, he's got to come back a fair bit.

He won't get anywhere, But I don't think Jake will have an issue with no because he's gone on record. Like when Daily did what he did and decided that he didn't want to be part of the club anymore. Jake was one of the players who fronted up answered the tough questions, said that he could never do this for Manly and I have got no doubt in the world that he would make the sacrifice for the team.

I think he's playing for a few more years. If you be looking like he blokes at the end of its time boys, I d gets dropped. Who gets captain for Coinsland? So I'm still after that slot captain for coinsly An. You better fask in the raging.

There's this you think Harry Grant's going to be there for a long time. You think someone like Tina being a leader at the club. Both of those guys captain there are their clubs. But at the moment DC's a captain Tommy Deed and if he comes in maybe him. He's got Cameron Munster like all those guys like there's natural leaders there so and you got Paddy Carrigan like as well.

So there's enough. Who do you have? Though? You got to pick one right now. I'd pick Tina or Harry.

So the concern for me on that, Gordy is Tino's playing in around fifty minutes a game about fifty five Again, in that Origin one performance, Harry Grant needed a spell. He's actually yeah, he's only played two games in six weeks. Now, Harry Green's probably going to need another spell in Origin two.

I get that, but sometimes when you're like, when you're captain, it's not about the game, it's about the week, you know, I mean, it's about the leading it's about the belief that you're going to give to other guys.

It's about the message that.

You can deliver, right, And I haven't like and I haven't been around the group, and I know Tino. When you talk to him, he gives your confidence. Harry Grant is probably that same guy.

I'd pick your man, I'd pick your man monster because where Coensland are at the moment, this is no disrespect, but they were convincingly beaten in that game, even though the score one was a eight and six off. And you see and you were when you've got the captaincy next to your name, it made you play. It makes the best players may better. That's the best point the circuit break.

And that's the best who's going to play better with the c beside? Because some it's a burden, Like you can see some people and they carry it and it can be a burden with some guys and that it doesn't make them play better. Yeah, like they get annoyed it and some guys just gay.

That's me.

Well the concern for me, Gordy.

With Harry as good a leader he is, he had a career low performance in Origin one where he.

Almost overplayed his hand. He tried so hard.

He won't play that bad, understand but you would.

Want Harry just make a focus on your own game.

Don't like if he walks into campus.

So you're telling us we've got options.

Anyway, So you're going to get more advice for some new self welshman. I'm going with Munster as well, because he has that capability of saying, come on, boys, get on my back, let's go.

Yeah, he does.

But does he play better with it or will Munster be Cameron Munster?

No? I reckon and he would.

I reckon he played the style of character and the style of player. He would revel in the responsibility, do you think?

Yeah? I think I think he'd be great captain. I know that it would be a privilege for him, and I know that he would love the responsibility. I haven't spoken to him about it, but yeah, and if he's going to, if there's any team that he I think he'd performed even better at, would be Queensland as a captain, as a leader, because it means so much to him. I've never met a guy who so passionate about his state. So yeah, I think it could only be a good thing. Now,

I think they'll go to the eighteenth man of Origin one, Kurt Man. I think they'll use him, and I know how impressed they were during Origin one as far as what Kurt brought to that camp, but also to we know his capability as a utility. He can play a number of positions, and I think it's his chance.

Kirk Man before.

Billy said on TV on Sunday, was quite telling when he said the definition if if you think they're on the same thing is going to get a different result, then you're probably kidding yourself. So I'm talking a lot of people around the game. There is a bit of a feeling that it might not just be one change Gordy, that there could be significant changes. Possibly the Hammer and Holmes switch around, so Hammer ends up on the wing

And we struggle to score points and if Reese wolves comes back and shoots the lights out. Maybe he could get fourteen and then Ponger has paid in the middle. You just don't know. Like these, we've got options, Ezra man Man, Harry Grant. If we start somebody else and so we've got you got Gody, Well.

We've got enough.

We've got enough, and then we win with our options.

A lot of is up in the air for Queensland, so it's going to be interesting to see how that plays out over the weekend. Who's in line to replace Barnett Paul Barnett injured on the weekend, who steps up in his role?

I like Kele and Cala Matungi. That's just an opinion. Watchingim against the Warriors, I thought he was his work rate since he's moved in the middle. Big Motor played Origin before and rose to that level. So that's just an opinion. But I think the male is Stefano will probably be the way that they go.

Yeah, certainly the male is Stefanomano.

Again, I'll come back to Origin.

Coaches love these guys that have.

Already been part of camps and and that's.

Exactly what Stefano was as the eighteenth nineteenth man in camp one, and it's the natural progression for him to step up and start in this matter. He's Look, he's a big body. And Craig Bellamy is another key influence here.

He knows when you start and play eighty minutes, they kick off, logical kick off to him, psychological win what he can't play at him minute?

You got will they kick off to it? All right? I was just asking you a question. Will they kicked the board? Yeah? Absolutely?

Okay, But if he comes on and he starts with those guys in the middle, I'm sure you.

Kick to it.

But if you come on after all the tough stuff's done after twenty five minutes to Hey, I'm just asking suggest question.

Start him.

You're suggesting, you're suggesting he ducks the hard stuff.

I never said that.

You just said that suggesting.

No, I didn't what what's hard? The game goes for eighty minutes. We've all wanted to duck the hard stuff. You never said. I never said he did. I said, why don't you pick him? And he plays eighty minutes.

Minutes the game.

In the game plays eighty minutes.

That does Glenn Lazars does. Okay, Well, don't beg your own teammates.

I just said, you said I'd pick him and play eighty minutes, just kick the ball, and all he said he can't after him. Maybe I feel no faith.

In suggesting he's not tough enough.

I never can feel it. I can sense it from you. What is that tough for twenty eighty minutes?

Yeah, but he's only playing twenty five off the beach.

You're saying, cool, all right, let's move on. Well, well, well lucky he's a bulldog day after all that. That's actually this is roll the tape. You know.

I love your work, breath, absolutely love your work. I'm not as holding on this as what you are. I'm really not. I still I still think all thads, all roads lead to Paramatter. There's still my even money favorites.

I've still got Paramo.

I've still got Paramatter favorite.

I mean, yeah, so only a few weeks ago, you just explained what happened there.

It was he shook hands with Paramatter on the Friday. I understand management, his management, sugar, So it wasn't that far off the mark break, all right, so what just respect respect and said, you know, when you don't remember months they shook hands with Wayne Bennett and that was very similar.

Didn't happen, didn't respectfully.

The Paramatta fairy tale, the ringer ring arose you that he was ever going to go to the Eels, and that they shook hands in the corporate box.

And that was not confident. I thought you would have been, he said all Via Belmore. It was because I remember at the time it was heavy heavy. I say this.

I just I just couldn't see how and why they signed him. I don't know how they why would they try and fit him in?

Well, he wanted he wanted coaching, and he wanted football developed with that and those boxes both ticked at Canterbury Banks down given where they sit on the ladder. I actually think that the Paramatta narrative was a complete thurfy throw off, smoke screen fairy tale the tire time. I do don't because I genuinely believe that.

Lookie says it himself. I spoke to Jason Roles him.

I'm sure he spoke to him.

There.

No, he didn't, Okay, So he agreed.

With Paramatter on the Friday, and then all of a sudden he flipped on the Saturday and decided he wanted to go.

That the story's going with you believe that's I'm only going to want to the kid says.

Are any clear to where he will play it on the weekend.

I still feel like he'll come off the bench brave looks.

I've certainly got no confirmation whatsoever, but I just don't see.

The point in easing this kid in. Like just he's an NFL player play NRL.

So when you bring him in, he's going to put noses out of joint. So you're just train him straight in there now and get the noses out of joint now or in two weeks.

Again, the feedback is he hasn't put the noses out of joint.

You know.

Cameron Serraldo spoke at his press conference about seeking the leadership group's advice before signing off on Gavin to ensure that this, as you're saying, doesn't put noses out of joint.

So I say, throwing man. The only opposing view to that is is the.

Dogs are such a defensive minded club and their principles and their structure may take time for Lachlan Galvin to adjust to and does a new South.

Wales Cup game in that system help that development?

If he plays, he's fascinating what could happen, Like if you actually sit back and think about it, like where do you play if he's there with Hayward on the bench and you've got your two other forwards? What if Sexton starts the game poorly and doesn't get off to a good start there? You know, do they put Galvin in at seven? Do they not? Do they put Hayward in at seven? Do they not? Where do they put Galvin? Do they shuffle anyone else around? Like anything could happen.

Yeah, they couldn't be happy Tobe Sexton because all the male leading into the by was that he was going to be dropped when they return. Now he's retained the jumper for now. But if you go back to the Raiders game where I think they trialed twenty Niol Cameron Serado opted to put Bailey Hayward on Now come to You Broth as a champion half and it looked as though Hayward was playing more of a dominant on the ball playmaking role than Sext and was he kind of

Potentially he could potentially he could. I want to come to you Dave on this. Actually, when they announced Galvin, they said that Sexton was about to be dropped anyway. That was the male I got out of Canbury. Yeah, I got the same March got the same man, and then all of a sudden if named him at seven.

Have you heard anything I honestly haven't heard anything different.

I answer to your question in relation to how much pressure is he younger, No doubt he's under pressure, but he's been under pressure all year. He hasn't got a contract for next year, so he's actually been playing with a spot a lot more.

Now you think, certainly, you're right, it's a good point that you do.

He's off contract, so he's playing under pressure all year.

So yeah, But myself and issues because I was a half and I know that whenever I played my best is when I knew that the coach, the team, the players believed in me, and knew I was the best man for the job. Like that's that's really what makes you thrive because you always isn't absolutely going to second guess yourself a little bit. Confidence is king. Any hesitation or doubt is a killer. So like it was always when I was flying, it was like I had the

Isn't he thinking I got to go out and shoot the lights out? Because I was like, yeah, it's just a arrive but it's a different minds. And they bought him to play half back, so I don't go out, of course, basically playing for his jump.

Of course he is, but that's more pressure, right, Yeah, and you know what, hopefully delivers and I think he can. But I'm just trying to paint a picture. Possibly it's a tough assignment.

First up against Mitchell Moses that Blues five at will be playing for the Yeels on Monday. That game, that's going to be a crowd.

It'll be awesome. Let's move on to the Broncos and Ben Eichenwarn's manages the clean house or be back on the chopping block. This was an interesting one, Bomber at his best. Peter Biddell writes this story in Yeah what did you guys think of this?

The issue is this and when we're all hearing the same noises that these Broncos players are mentally cooked right due to the fact that Madge is running a different regime to what Kevy was running in the past, and right now the results are reflecting everything. The narrative coming out of the Broncos is due to their performances. Their performance against the Manly Seagulls was embarrassing, it was abysmal h and.

It's now a case of.

I just don't understand why management who appointed Michael McGuire would now suddenly think about sacking him on the basis of what he's going on at the moment.

I think they have to stay the course.

Well they have to.

They can't if they sacked Madge, then they have to sack them selves because dashing Dave Donahey, the CEO, has become ducking and diving Dave Donahey. We haven't seen or heard he hasn't been spotted off nobbies. I think there might have been a shot with him in the dressing room with Madge after that diabolical loss Saturday night, But aside from that, we haven't earn anything from Dave publicly about the inferno that is burning at Redhill and it is an inferno.

Good do you live up there? You know?

The blow torch and the microscope that's put on.

This is not that bad, is it? To change it? So?

What ben Iichen was trying to say that they don't marry up with Madge's style, and if he wants to play his style, he needs his style of players.

Is that No, I don't think so.

I think what Ikey was saying was the roster that Madge is inherited and the setup that Madge is inherited is essentially Kevy's team because Kevy had had v well, that's right, Kevy had had a number of seasons there and set it up the way that he'd want it. Well, if Madge is going to have to find the balance of how he tried us to get it to fly with Kevy's system there, that's the challenge, and at the

See what, It's a big game for them this week, a huge game against the Titans, big brother, little brother. I don't know if you can call them Mighty Titans, but yeah, the mighty Titans. But you know what, like if they don't stand up and deliver this week, they know what's coming because.

We need to win as well, the Titans as well, like we do, like we were close to Melbourn, didn't get the Biscuits. So and it'll bring out the best in the Titans. I've got no doubt it'll bring the best out in t and these mates.

All right, Jeno is your key player matchups thanks to Ozzie Broadband.

I'm going to the Raiders Big Poppa up against South Sydney on Sunday. Should be an awesome crowd at g i A Stadium up against Keelon Cola Matangi, who's in form playing for a new South Wales jumper.

I'm going now West Tigers.

Jerome Louy up against his old club. Nathan clearyutiful the Panthers, good game.

Don't wait there, you do. Thank you for that seat. That re seat isn't wearing off. That's those predictions, you know, maybe it is, maybe

Next week, next week's pink jacket all no, thank you,