NRL 360 - "Thank God it wasn't our team!" - Lomax weighs in on Queensland DCE dropping bombshell - 11/05/25

Welcome to L three sixty.

Regul league from every angle joining me, the Great Gordon Talas Again I was bringing the journal as James Hooper and Michael carry on us. And yesterday it was a bullfrog or bulldog Richie. Today it's Aaron Woods.

Woods.

He's calling the Queenslanders grubs. He's calling Billy grub. We are starting to get under their skin?

Or what, Gord are you? How are you accepting this behavior at the moment?

No, how they get under their skin? It's Billy.

I reckon Billy, like I reckon all coaches would would wear bullets for their team. I remember Gus one day. I was but I was sitting in the press conference. Gus was getting under my skin right, and I let her get to me and I said something back at Gus, and then in the end I said, mate, but.

He's not playing.

So if someone's not playing, they don't really get under your spoken.

Anyone in camp? Is there any reaction they're hearing it? Surely. Yeah.

It's splashing all over the back page of the paper, so you can't miss it.

It was pretty good.

Would have been Bake, would have been the I don't think they have Woods on him. To clarify, but I think the word grub.

He might get on. I think the boys are on their way down.

It will reminded me a little bit of when Paul Gallon called all Coinslanders two heads. That was quite heavy, but.

That spiced up has got the potential.

Asking you do you agree with him in terms of what what he said, Well.

Billy did was reckless when he played, was he But he's definitely reckless.

Yes, so you're so you're on Woodsy side. Definitely.

We just need there you have it. Uh, let's get into.

We'll crossing there live now the Blues Wing Zach Lomax on the g I O True Blue. Mike, Zach, you're up in the Blue Mountains in camp. How has the first few days been? And I'm assuming it's pretty cold up there?

Hey, boys, Yeah, absolutely, it's I mean it's a little bit better than last camp. It was obviously torrential rain last camp, but she's super frosty up here at the moment. It was actually not a bad day and as our first hit out this morning, but yeah, it's a little bit different.

Could you weather for sure? I'm sure, I'm sure of that, that's certain.

Now I spoke to Larsy coach last night, and I said to him, it must be a luxury. Do not have too many changes to make for this game?

Is it that case?

I mean, if you just got into camp and it's just business as usual.

Yeah, yeah, for sure, I think Bra that's the I guess that's a luxury that we've got. We've been able to just build on the connection straight away, and obviously that doesn't mean too many changes. It was obviously an unfortunate one for Mitchie doing his A c L. But it's also it's exciting for Steph to come in and fill that role. But yeah, it was obviously not the

Hey, Zack, it's good, he tell us him, Mate, what did you do so well in game one that's going to allow you to dominate in game two?

Yeah.

Obviously our connection has been really good through the whole camp. It's been a very similar team to last series as well. But I think we the field position was unbelievable for us, and I think especially we scrambled really well as soon

Zach James Hooper, you won a series last year under Michael maguire as coach. This year Laurie Daily achieved everything as a player for New South Wales. It looks as though Lass has evolved this time around. Can you give us an insight about some of his strengths as a coach?

Oh Loss has been unbelievable as well. I think I think Madge was obviously unbelievable and I think that the thing that Loss has done, he hasn't tried to be what Madge is. He's just added to it. And we definitely relived what happened last year, but in the same in the same breath it was it was about building and building from from what we created last year and

Zach Michael carry Onis.

He made obviously some concern around Brian Toy has that hamstring complain. Jacob Kiras has been brought into the side. Can you give us an update on how Brian's tracking.

Yeah, business, He's obviously professional, He's going to get the job done and we've got the best stuff in the world here with us, so I think he'll sit out tomorrow's trains session just in regards to Lowe's But I think on the flip side, it gives someone like Jacob Carras a big boost to be able to come in and and just and train tomorrow with the squad. I think it's it's massive for him too, he's been playing

Zach, there's there's reports that coach might move over to your side of the field.

Does that change anything for you?

Nah?

Not not too much. I think obviously Zabi is a great player too, and he's he's a kick.

Threat as well.

But I think for me that's yeah, it's one that it'll be a good matchup as well. So fingers crossed, that's the way it goes and we can we can come toe to toe on the field. That yeah, a good one to go to go. I had to head with Zach.

There was a lot of talk after Origin one about the students and whether the balls were any different after the goal kicking. Who's goal kicking this time around for the Blues? Will it be Nathan or will it be yourself?

I think Nate's going to take you. I think he's going to kick left foot this this this game, So yeah, not too surely, might even take to take it, you never know.

Queensland made a big decision to acts d C. Were you guys surprised by that decision? And how does having Tom Dinnen and the harves change the way you guys play mate.

To be fair, us as a team haven't really spoke about it, but for me personally, I was a little bit shocked in regards to obviously chairs getting dropped. I think as a kick threat he was. He the main kicker too, so me as a winger that sort of thing that I look at straight away. But I mean Tommy Didn's been playing great football and he has for a long period of time, So yeah, it's it's obviously it would have been a massive decision to make, but thank god it wasn't our team anyway, Zach.

After game one there was a general consensus from from everyone really that you guys can improve a lot from that performance, even though it was.

A great win.

Where do you improve? Where can you get better? Oh?

I think we just want to cycle a lot better than we did. We want to keep that, we want to keep the ball off the deck. There was definitely periods where we didn't complete the best we did, but as soon as we got in that cycle, you know, we looked like a completely different footy team, and you know, we've got a lot of a lot of unbelievable athletes in our team and in our four packs really unbelievable too.

On his Zach, you're having a great year yet again. Good luck in game two and great win in game one. Make sure you stay nice and warm up there in the Blue mountains. Maybe a few cuddles and even a hot chocolate. We've bull dogg you've.

Seen no ways les got on your boys.

Enjoy the camps. There he is now.

It was pretty interesting that that DC commic that he that he made kicking.

Yeah, well that's something that DC was really good at it. Right, he had great experience. He's a great kicker at that level. I don't think that our running threats were probably where we were in defensively. So you're looking at DC. He's been amazing for us, right, Like he's had a great career. He had one last crack at it and you know

I think Coinslanda are more dangerous with Tom Diddon at half back, irrespective of the fact that definitely from a kicking point of view, particularly a long kicking perspective, they do lose at edge with no daily but in terms of their run threat breath did and the way the bulldog directness that he loves to play the game with, I think he and then the off the cuff, unpredictable X factor of Munster with the captaincy that to me is a lot more dangerous and Coins when we're in game one.

Speaking of Didon the Great School, I said that Didn't is a rookie and a kid. Is he playing mind games here, Cass or is he spot on? He?

Is he right or wrong?

He is?

I wouldn't have dropped Dally Cherry Evans.

I don't think any half back, let alone a rookie, is going to function behind a forward pack beating as badly as them. D see at this stage of his career is far more equipped to deal with that than throwing in a kid, a rookie and a kid going.

Isn't he thrown in a kid at the hoods?

That's a kid, Well, that is a kid Likecky Gavin. He's a kid.

Tom died and he's not a kid played Origin. He actually beat Daily Chair Evans to a half spot for the Kangaroos last year. Right, So I don't know what I think Gus is just trying to stir the pot there because Tom did and is neither a rookie nor is he a kid.

He had the Player of the Series last year for Queensland.

Didn't believe queens Yes inside therefore Walls, Yeah, that's that and he won that won the series when Cameron had COVID and he got how is he a rookie and how.

Is he a kid?

He played for the Kangaroos last year too, in the number six jersey with alongside Mitch Moses when DC was overlooked games.

That's what he used the media platform to try and stir a bit of an agenda. But look, he's new South Wales's most successful coach in all serious discuss He knows what he's doing. He's putting the pressure on Queensland similarly to the way that Aaron Woods put the pressure on queens yesterday. There's no Michael McGuire with glass houses this time around, so it's been left to people who have worn or been involved with the jumper previously.

News howth Wales has throwing a lot of barbs from all different sides of their camp. Queen's arein going to fire any shots at all?

No, We're going to for it on the field.

No, I says, well, well can you when you get beaten winners of grinners right, and they're beating us on the scoreboard, So sometimes you got to shut your mouth and go out there and let your actions do the talking.

I find it very dangerous that they are.

So we've seen this story so many how many turns right when New South Wales are clearly the better side on paper, seemingly have all the momentum and then get blown off the park.

But the concerning thing is is how you're right?

Well, you can go back to two thousand and six Gordon and the final game of that series was at Eddie had Stadium in Melbourne and the Blues had won three straight series we're on target to win a fourth Brett Hodgson froze a while pass out of Dumby half lock your scores under the post, and then the Maroons go on to create an eight straight dynasty, never seen for possibly never seen again. So history does dictate and underline how often coins I love being in this position.

All right, we've got fresh vision of Spencer Land. You you it's emerged. Has Queensland is scared.

He's so cool And I watched this live. I was sitting up in this corner. They're like, I was probably a bit right there. He might have been talking to me, but you know what, that was great theater, right he came out. The first thing he did was he got into the crowd and he you know, and he's trying to get himself up.

That's the first thing I saw. And good on him.

Teammates Connor and Camel Graham turns around, he and goes Blake's not normally.

I would have seen it a thousand times playing for but.

It's great theater, and it was great theater on a night made he run right into the teeth of the fans and that's the part. And then right now, right he come on after twenty five minutes, we like, we had no momentum.

Why did you kick me? But if he starts the game, I guarantee will kick doing well. He won't be starting on the bench. If you guys don't want to start.

But he said how tough he was, started him and let him play any minutes like the other boys. And if you do, you guys called us cowards because I remember it right and this and Queensland.

They shoot themselves and all the things.

You All that you have to do is put him on at the beginning of the game, show your courage and show your behind him and they will kick doing.

You said, what about to change their game?

Okay, but we don't have to change out, So what are you telling us how to change ours?

Stick to your game?

Yeah, but New South Wales did, but it was good.

He's a genuine villain, right this is and he plays up to it. We know you know where you stand with Spencer. There's no gray area there.

I love it.

It is awesome to watch. We need more mad men like that in the game, right. We need him up against Corey Osbro that's what we need in origin, Cory.

But do you want to go down that path?

I would.

We'll get there. We'll get there. Now another mad man, he's Liam Martin.

Love him and he praises Cameron Munster. Here it is congratulations, I guess praising.

It was pretty tame out there.

I saw a quote where he said that he wants to take the game on more. I think I'm just going to have to try and match that.

Is this a feud or do they play on the same side for the Kangaroos.

Sure, but they come.

It's so good because Cameron he does get under his skin and they lift his leg and every time he plays look.

At him so like they're always into each other. It's a great little rivalry. It's a great battle every time.

Every time they find one another, they are mates. No doubt they're both got a good dash of Rogan off the field. But I think once it's on the field, there is no doubt that William goes out there with a bulls eye on Cameron and he likes to try and get under monthst the skin. So given he's just been given the captaincy, I think the role only intensive force.

Next week out of each other. I don't know. I mean Williams, he's imposing right at the.

End of the different place, at the end of the year. Whoever picks the Kangars, they've got to put those two in the same.

Room, all right.

You mentioned it before.

Now Ricky Stewart has demanded a please explain over Corry hawes Bro being snubbed for this second game.

With Ricky, I can't believe he's not in your seventeen, Gordy. He's a piece of difference and an explosion that Queensland desperately needed. Off that off that bench. They've dropped Pat Carrigan to the bench. But fine, New South. Wow, I'm glad that Corey hawesb is not in that seventeenth, particularly off the bench, because we saw what the Blues bench did in Game one. Queensland couldn't match it. I think he's a guy that could.

Yep, Gordy, No, yeah, prize.

Like when I picked my SI, I'd say six weeks ago, I would have had Corey in my seventeen. But I'm not the coach, so he he must be this far away, right, You've got Tin, you got Lindsay Colin, you got Mae right, So they're the guys that he's competing against.

Better than all of them except for Tin.

I would have picked him over after what happened in Origin one. That's not a knock on my that's just after that game and given the way that the Maroons pack was stick guys.

I saw Dennis the bull he gave it. He was looking good to the bull frog. He was very.

Yeah, looked premier today. He was filthy. He's gone on and die. He hasn't eaten.

All right, Kirk kate Well has Rubbie suggestions he'll be a liability in defense for Queensland.

Take a look a.

Bit of an unfortunate stat for yourself leading the comp and miss tackles.

The stat's not telling the bull story?

Or is is it a bit of a differ and approach for you in Origin?

I'm not sure I where that's that, but I guess I don't know. We're winning games at the Warriors, so obviously it doesn't mean too much. Probably a lot of them are effort players where you're sort of pushing someone across field or trying to make a cover tackle or something like that. So I don't read too much into the stats, and I just do what I can for the team to win.

Now here are the stats, and Kate Will looks surprised there, But here are the number seventy seven misstackles from Capewell, most this season. Five by chorus on the list goes on, he's quite a ways ahead of the others. Is this a concern, Gordy or do you not look too much into stats.

I don't see him as a poor defender. And obviously we were talking about it last night when they told us the stats. It's how you miss him, but he slid off there, but he wedged him to make the tackle. It's where you miss him, how you miss him. That's on the kick chase. He sort of tackled him and stopped him. So it's not a true one on one mistackle where someone runs through and makes a break, but

Where he is defending and those ones at the center, right, and he's done a job because the Warriors have been under strength.

His days of center have gone past him.

Right. He does a job there for the Warriors out of necessity, but he doesn't have the speed at times and you know has good He said a lot of them are kickchase and he's getting isolated when he's making that kick pressure because he's a little bit old and a little bit slower than he was. So I don't read into them too much at all.

Sometimes statistics can be like matches, dangerous in the wrong hands, and in this case, I don't think they're an accurate reflection of what Kirk Caprall can do for the Morines next Wednesday night. I think there's no doubt defending in the back row rather than in the centers.

Bill Aima, No, I agree with all that.

Now.

Stephen Crichton has dismissedconcerns Lachlin Gavin Will upset the Bulldogs playing group, insisting its team first mentality.

Right now, I'm at the Blues and this is at the forefront and when I get back there we can sort out kind of whatever's going on there. But here unlucky. He's just very happy that we get to have a player like him come to our team, and because a better footy team as well. We've got a massive thing at the club is put in the club first and whatever the club needs, that's first priority, and putting egos aside is the biggest thing for us too.

Berry and Stephen Krichton not too concerned about Reid Marny his reaction and saying that it's a team first mentality, which is what you've got to have to win a comp So I love that, I really do. And we've seen the result of Lochlin Galvin going there so positive. He played great, the team won the game.

Last night.

We highlighted this and a few Bulldogs fans had the you know what's with this?

But at the end of the day, can't be in denial.

There's always going to be someone who's been put out in a situation like this, and let's read what have you got for us on the situation, hoops.

I think the Bulldogs have got a delicate balancing act here, breath, because I think there's no question that Reid is going to be squeezed out of Canterbury banks down at the end of this season. I don't think he will be at the Bulldogs in twenty twenty six. Toby Sexton could also be another casualty as well. We wait to see how that plays out. But in the case of Ruid,

I feel like there was an element there that this was going to happen, regardless of look at Galvin Kye that Bailey Hayward was going to be their dummy half next season, but not this year, not this year. No, he's not getting squeeze out this year. He'll finish the year there.

Yeah, but I think that reaction is into what's happening next year.

That reaction from Reda is what he replaced, he's been replaced, and probably the fear of what's going to happen the next few months. You know, he's Easy's spot in jeopardy. He's there a chance to win the competition. You know, every player wants to win a competition.

I don't think when push comes to Shop they'll be playing Toby Sex and a dummy half instead of remarking. So I don't think his place is in jeopardy in terms of starting for the Bolldogs this year and playing a key part into their premiership tilt. I just don't I'm with Hoops. I don't think he's the next year. But I don't think there's an issue with you know, there might be limited he might play less minutes now, right, but eventually we all believe that Luckie Galvin's going to

Yeah, it's forteen rounds to go. How do we see these playing out? Where does this land over the next sort of month.

Well, it's a blessing in disguise, the origin period and the fact that Matt Burton had to gave it to Perth because it means the six jumpers available this week, So Galvin plays six, Sexton gets to wear the halfback jumper still reads, still named it number nine. But I think once everybody's fit and available and back on deck, Sexton will most likely be the player who gets squeezed out.

I have here for the Dogs, but it is so fascinating and intriguing whether you like it or not, Like it's a great problem they have, their stocks have gone up in terms of a premisshion.

But what's it like? I'll ask you, blokes, what's it like? From a player's point of view. Put yourself in read Marty's shoes.

Gordy, well, look, twenty four hours has gone. I like his reaction because you want him to know, you know, to have the Royals right, like you want him to be dirty that he got taken off. But what Crichton said, and when the senior players get back, and it's how I reckon the senior players sometimes when the coach and they've made those decisions, you know, it can go through one ear and out the other. I reckon it's the players. Like right now, I reckon for the rest of the year.

The team first.

I actually think that this is not a bad thing for Reid right now. He's probably he's had twenty four foot hours and now think about it himself and he would have been in a bit of shock probably and on the weekend he would have been probably had the

Bit of reassurance from his head coach.

You know, pots attitude, bring you best to training team first mentality, let's go.

So you know we highlighted it because it happened. You know, you can't.

It's legitimate.

It's legitimate to the point where you could see that he was a groove.

Well.

He then went home and put the game strade on and analyzed it and was trying to pick up areas where he'd either made errors or let the team down. So he wants to improve as well. If any coach can get at the Fly, I think Cameron Crela has shown him what he's built already at the Bulldogs, he can, I agree.

Now.

Paint Hass has tried to calm Broncos fans, declaring he wants to extend his contract at Redhill.

You want to be a Bronco for life, as yell, yeah, I do want to be a Bronco for life. I love Brisbane, my family does, and I know, you know, we'll be doing all we can strike a door, but my left my agent sort that out and Broncos and you never know what's going to happen. So yeah, obviously I love to stay, but like I said, there's not one hundred percent sure. Yeah, so see what happens.

It sounds like another interview we did earlier this year in regards to playing for Australia.

But the doors closed, but the windows are open, the side doors open, and.

The chase if he wants to be there. He loves Brisbane and his family's there. Why hasn't he signed?

Well, that's a two million dollar question, Browth, and none of us can answer it. And not only that, I mean his management claim. There was an email that went around recently with his name as being a player who is off contract as of November one to rival clubs. Now the agents tried to since smooth that over, but his name is on the list until he signed. If you're the Broncos, you want him signed yesterday. You know you don't want to mince around about this anymore. You've

It's a balance.

To sign.

You are the best front rower of the game, you've been demand by. There's a shortage of them of that quality, right, So what's the hurry for.

Him because he could pick any club because clubs would move anyone essentially almost anyone to get him in.

Right, So he's got the.

Choice crazy not to go to the market and there.

Well, if he's happy, he's not crazy not to go to the market, Gord, if he's happy with the offer and happy to stay.

Back other day when it was Brisbane or Sydney. Now he's got red Cliff, he's like, there's other options like and he can stay in Brisbane.

Well, what it says is his second guessing staying there because if he was, if he was happy and does he can name his price there and he's amount of years like that, The Broncos would jump at that. So it's not the money all the years, then what isn't I.

Think he's clearly got a little bit of head noise and some doubts around the journey that the Broncos are on. At the moment, because we all remember, I know that a good win over the Gold Coast, But aside from that, it's been a lean eight weeks, right, so I think clearly the fact that he hasn't put pen to paper, he's clearly still got some question all.

I mean, he had some breaking news on Josh Josh Alia.

Yeah, he looks like he might have played his final game. He's had this ongoing shoulder complaint. It reared its head again two weeks ago in that clash against the Broncos and he just loses feeling in that shoulder. So privately, there are suggestions that he's played his last game for Manly's medical retirement. Medical retirements, medical retirement. Here's never age of twenty nine. He's never afraid to voice his opinion.

We love the lawmar was yet Yes, when Lee A.

Pentell has told him that when he wanted to get out of the West Tigers, leagabentellis that he can paid the dress and sheds and mow the lawns.

And that's what he came up with, all right.

Now, merely criticized for buying old journeyman forwards.

If that's the case, who do they target next.

There's not a lot on the market at the moment, so I'm not sure where the Seagulls could try.

And yeah, that's going to be their issue because and as you just alluded to Regard and Paint hals break that there's not a lot of big middles or high quality middles off contract at the end of the season. Right then of next year, come November one, Josh's salary will three up around four hundred and fifty thousand dollars on their.

Cap if he is medically retired.

But you look on the market, you're got paying Hass clear cut number one. You know, Tino's the other interesting one what happens with his future. But outside of that, it drops off quite significantly.

There would be a front rower at every club coming off the bench. There would be a young front roll coming that wants to start. Yeah, so there's enough there, but you've got to get a young kid.

What's the out read on?

Mainly at the moment, they've been terribly inconsistent the sitting ninth position as we speak, that's.

The most inconsistent side. Like them and Brisbone are the most frustrating sides to watch in the NROL. At the moment because mainly on their day can mix it with the top four. On and off day they look like a bottom four side and they very rarely play in between. If I'm a mainly fan, it'd be doing my head in because they've got the talent.

I think where they let themselves.

Their issue is their middle right No Taniela Perseca, which hurts Josh Loyer gone now as well, and at times you know their game management just hasn't been there, so you know, to get a read on them is virtually impossible.

I think it's worse when you see how really good they are closely great sometimes and then how poor they are. You'd rather have a team that really good or good every week and can reach a certain ceiling or improve every week. But when you see the inconsistencies, it's so

You know they're hugely a rady team. You spot on breath and I think we can't den know that. You go back to when Daily made that announcement. Clearly that hasn't sat well with some of them. Last year too, they were, but I think it's worse this year.

I really do.

I think it's if you look at the fluctuation this year, one week they look as though they could genuinely compete for the top four.

Next week down the bottom not thinking thinking about it, I'm just that creates friction within within the group.

Yeah, within the playing group, but I think that the uncertainty around it has then added to the other reasoning as to why they're an erratic turn.

All right, boy is your key player matchup? All thanks to Oussie Broadband. Who have you got for this weekend?

I'm going to see and Jackson Hastings. Jackson Hastings back into the NRL for the first time in a long time.

Let's see how he goes.

Kyle Flaning again up against Nico Hines in the local diving.

That's an interesting one. Both under a bit of pressure this week.

Definitely all right, all right, hoops, fantastic work up next to Legends agenda with Public Enemy number one Aaron Woods and Billy Moore.