Hi everyone, and welcome to Off the Record, the podcast of breaking news, heard, opinion and a little bit of Gibba. Got my copole with here again Phil buzz Rossi'll get a buzz hello.
Will be great to be back. Episode two and mate, we're flying about the first up reaction on the.
I know, well look what we wanted to thank everyone for their very kind words about our first episode last week. We are I feel like we're the Beatles, were like a On Apple podcasts, we're second for sports podcasts and on Spotify we're third.
That is terrific, and I do want us to thank a few people, Sam who puts all this together, and Mark Boris for allowing us to use his studios, and the backing we're getting from Marco Miller, Ben English at Newsical made it's all you know was Sancho and I think you know the partners obviously like what w'd you bring about?
That's the most important thing. Thank you seriously though, we've been overwhelmed with the positive response in the last week from you guys, so thank you so much. We just keep doing what we're doing and hopefully you keep on listening so you could keep a couple of old hats.
I want to knock off. I've got to knock off Canty.
I think you should knock out Kenny. Can just knock him off the top. Okay. So on today's podcast, we've got some breaking news from Buzz on origin eligibility, which has been thrown into chaos because of the Painhearts Saga. I've got some breaking news as well, so stay tuned. We'll talk about the NRL's head high crackdown that isn't a crackdown. We'll talk about where Dally Cherry Evans is headed and Tim Zoo's career whether that's on the line
when he fights on Sunday. And in our war story segment, I'm going to talk about the story I broke about Michael Clark being grabbed by the throat by Simon Kaddich in the SCG dressing room in two thousand and nine.
Can't wait, Web, I'll be asking questions about your sources for that one. Now, I don't know whether you'll be able to help. Would love to know where that story.
It's funny a lot of people that's I get asked out a lot from other journals. Where did you get that from?
All these different and I trust you'll with dell me our listeners.
To them, you know, because I was told off the.
Record, right of course.
All right, our first segment Champs and Chumps, buzz, who is your champ of the week.
Well, my champ of the week is the Canary Bulldogs. That might shock a lot of people because there are a lot of people in rugby league because of my non relationship with Gus. Don't think think that that might end of fear with my views on the Doggies. That they are top of the ladder four straight wins. They demolished the Cronulla Sharks at Chuk Park last Saturday night. I was there to see it. They are a seriously tough football side and they are seriously a skillful football side.
That they did it without Burton carraz who was a terrific outside back and kick out. Get these guys back into that football site and I will be am here to say that the Bulldogs are a hope are winning the comp this year now, hold on. I base this around the fact that Melbourne fell over last week. Penrith have fallen over the last few weeks. I think it's the most wide open Premiership in ten years. Gusts has obviously done a terrific job with this football side of that,
Cameron Surroundo, he is a sensational rugby league coach. He's a really smart dude. They can win the comp.
Three years ago, you blokes in the media were saying Surroundo is another next big thing that's going to flow.
Twenty twenty one, they won three games, they punted Trent Barrett and then they finally got surrounded and he struggled his first year. Yeah.
Well, it just shows you the importance of patience, doesn't it. I am trigger on clubs and play and coaches in particular, just after one or two seasons. I agree. I think they're top four team. I don't think they can make the I don't think they can win the Grand Final. I wouldn't be surprised if they made it. It's very exciting though. It's a great story. What's happening at Bellmore.
Mine's not rugby league related. In my champ, Josh Giddy sunk a half court shot on the buzzer for the Chicago Bulls, the famous Chicago Bulls, to beat the LA Lakers his last twelve seconds. We just perform miracles, Giddy. He's only twenty two. This kid, Willongong Boy, Wollongong Boy.
He's on target for a massive contract at the end of the year, as much as fifty million Australian and if he gets that, he won't just be on your money, He'll he'll be up there with Ben Simmons and Jordan Malata in terms of the highest paid Australian athletes we've got. He's a fun fact. His father, Warrick, played junior rugby with Ricky Stewart. Did he really Yeah, I didn't find that, I'm assuming so yeah, I just heard that a couple of days others.
So I like just say, I'm really pleased you've come up with a credible champ this week. I was so concerned about when you gave it Reggie Rabbit, you're saying for champ or thumbs up?
Hang on, what about you? You had been because he returned a text message, So with that in mind, I actually I texted Wayne because we've spoken since they did he reply, Well, he didn't get back to me for a couple of days, and I thought you got back to buzz but you brushed me. He did get back to me, he did. Yeah, Wow, there you go. I'm not so self indulged in to make you.
Get him in here? Oh what odds one.
Fifty fifty to one? Yeah, but if anyone can get him in it's uh Nick Forden. Yeah, who's your chump?
Isn't it great day to have him back in rugby legion? Yes?
I well, you know what, Look at how they're going, like seriously, like they lose two big names in Latrellon and Cameron Murray and do what they do anyway, we're digressing you. Who's your chump?
My chuce? This week is the shame worn story in the Daily Mail. Three years after his death, the Daily Mail published a story that there was some sort of sex drug in his room. Care Factor zero. Let the great man rest in peace, think of his family, his kids. I just didn't think it was necessary whereby to be dragging it up. Look where you all have known? And the other thing I wanted to say. He wasn't cheating on anyone, He wasn't in a relationship whatever was going on there.
But his cause of death is relevant, buzz.
And we don't know it was the cause of death the currentry that was heart.
So let's let's get this clear. But like the way that they wrote it like it's a sex drug, it's like viagra, it's camagra. Yeah, well I'm not really across these things.
No, at my age, I'm not particularly concerned about it either. But I just want this guy. He was fairer World so beautifully with the mc J, with the stand and I just don't like it. You don't like it, No, I don't know.
No grubby journalism.
Well, what's yours?
Mine's Mine's football Australia. The way they went, the way they went weak at the knees over Sam Kerb, my god, the way that they've handled this whole story involving the Matilda's captain and didn't sanction her at all or talk the captaincy off her, which I thought would have been enough. The sycophanic football media, with the exception of Robbie Slater, have you know said that's a good idea. I think it sends a too rible message. I know she didn't
get she wasn't convicted. I know she was found not guilty of those charges, but that video footage of her in that police station was terrible for not just the Matilda's brand, but also the football brand in this country and I'm sorry. If it was an NRL or NRLWU player, they would have been given two to three weeks and she had nothing.
No, absolutely, And look, I honestly thought you and me, being completely different dudes, would be arguing each week over her these sort of things. But I've got a one hundred percent.
I'm with you.
Yeah, you are right. And the Matilda's had such a beautiful love affair with the Australian sporting public and rightly so, and those girls who represented us here at the World Cup and the Mary Fowlers, all those but it's really stained not just Sam but football Australia.
Frig read the Room, for God's sake, read social media, but the way that they the way that that they didn't act on it straight away, and then this press release that they banged out a couple of days ago and said that it was you know, we're with there's some information that's come to light, but we're not going to tell you what it is. You know that makes us think that you know, Sam deserves a free pass. I just think that's weak and that's the problem that
holds football back in his country. It's so insular and if you dare say anything critical about any of their athletes or their coaches, and suddenly you're, you know, the bad guy or the rugby league reporter bashing up you know, another sport.
It's just it's very briefly. Soccer went downhill in this country when Frank Lowey left. I've sat opposite Frank Larwie the top of the his office and the tower down there on William Street, and I interviewed him and that Clive Palmer, the jib bro, was in charge of the and he kicked Palmer out of the comp that was leadership whereby because Palmer was behaving like a goose. And I can guarantee you the Lowey family was still running Australian soccer. Sam Kerr would have got time and what
had been stripped of the captain. See, they have lost all leadership.
And I reckon if David Gallup was the CEO, he wouldn't have stood for it.
One hundred percent.
We'll get everyone upset. Yes, speaking of getting people, I love you said we're different, dudes, Well we are we are, thank god, we certainly are different.
Everyone keeps saying to me what they saw last week's podcast and said, we had no idea that you actually get on you can even sit o room together.
I think people think of how we were years ago and then we're making podcast music together.
I am not going to do it this week, but I am going to tell the story about the night at the dal Ms when I was very, very tempted to whack you.
If you.
I will tell that story.
You're going to make it up like in most of your guns anyway. I think, speaking of which our next ement, you heard it here first unless it didn't happen. Wow, buzz breaking story. Waby, What do you got for us? What do you got for the fans of off the record? Out there?
There is a major split in the ranks of the RLPA and five hundred and twenty players across the competition Civil War. Civil War. In the old tabloid days, that would be the back page headline. But you know what, it's over this mad Origin eligibility rules. And there was a poll done last year and players were asked. Five hundred and twenty players were asked should Tier one players from New Zealand and England be allowed to play Origin
if they played their first foot Industry under thirteen? You know the part, and this where the split is fifty one percent said yes, forty nine percent said definitely no.
God, so it's a.
Really interesting one. I think the qualification rules are just fascical. We had a story break this week and I know you were onto it first before Michael Chamis.
Beat me to the punch. You're saving it for this segment and I've got bit to the So.
We have this out rageous situation where Jerome Lewis, Stephen Crichton, Amalola now Painhass can play Origin and play for Samoa. Victor Radley, cleverly crocodile since he was a six year old, loves the New South Wales Blues, but good on him, chose to play for England, can't play. Callen Ponger wants to play for New Zealand but they won't let him because it's a Tier one. It's rubbish, It's crazy and wobbe what I got out of this before I chucked
to you. Clint Newton has told me that he did something they will bring up as part of the discussions and next CBA deal to find a solution that allows our premium product in rugby league to have the very best players in the game playing in it.
Look that's good. I hope he does the same has the same enthusiasm for fixing up the contracting system as well. I think there are I know we've lavish praise on PVL and Abdolah on this program last week and fair enough too, but there are three fundamental areas that need to be fixed. That getting rid of the dirt bag player managers in the game, two the contracting system, and three eligibility rules. And every league boss before them have always put these three things into the too hard basket.
He is the three things that need to be fixed, and these are the three main issues that piss off fans, and it needs to be It needs to be looked at, and it needs to hard and fast rule on what they are because the three systems are not working at the moment will be.
The rules were done in nineteen eighty there were five PACIFICA players in the competition. Then it was never an issue. The game's changed, yeah, and we origin was always the best thirty four players will run onto Lane Park, or will run onto the Gidney Cricket Ground or MC wherever the best thirty four in the comp Now, I don't want all Englishmen playing Sam Burgess would never qualify because he's a poem. Victor Radley's and Aussie who's chosen to
play for England. These fellas Samoa. I want them playing Origin because they all were born or grew up here. I want Ponger playing.
They've got to fix the I agree, and I think.
Peter Velandis and Andrew abdes we said that, but they're slow with this one. They've got to actually do. Wayne Pierce was supposed to look at it two years ago. Nothing happened.
You're very fine up. I get you.
I'm frustrated over the lack of action. I can tell you want to protect our show piece event.
You're done.
Yeah, I'm done.
Get another Nickoret I agree. I agree. The problem for me if paying hearts. I don't think you should be able to chop and change willy nilly. That's where I think it really undermines international football. I know they'll talk about it being good for international football, but you just can't change it at the drop of the hat. I reckon. I like the fact that blokes like Leui or whoever will represent Samoa, but I think that they've made that choice and played for them first, and I just think
that should be it. I don't think you should suddenly, all of a sudden, what because Camon Munster goes down and Leui shoots the lights out in Origin, that he should go from Samoa to Australia. I don't like that. I think it should be one. But I agree the problem is that, all right, use Leui as an example. If he doesn't get picked in the Australian team and he gets picked for some he should be allowed to play for Samoa because if you.
Do games a selection for Australia and in my life.
One hundred percent, And I agree, like as you said, there was five PACIFICA players in nineteen eighty in the camp. It's how fifty to sixty percent? And just as the rules have changed elsewhere in the game to fit the trends in the game, that's what that has to change too. And I'm with you.
It'll make international football strong if Palmer can play for New Zealand.
One hundred percent. But that's what that's the thing. So this is the thing. But so when I was sniffing around this in the last couple of days, I went to Vorlandi's and Abdo and the response was the same. It's not on the agenda. Why is it not on the agenda?
Why is it not considered some of that very very powerful man in this game, Andrew, you carry an enormous influence. This will go onto the agenda. I'm sure it will.
We're setting agenda.
We know Clint Newton's going to put down the agenda.
Oh that's good because in the next CBA agreement it should be done now. Yeah, get into it now. Not in the next CBA negotiations. No, we've had ups and downs. Clean, I just don't like the contracting system even I'm at different ends of the spectrum. Anyway, let's get onto the news of the week. Well, it's a crackdown. That's not a crackdown. Apparently the NL is going to send in players for head high shots to rival players after some
slipped through the net last week. Another crackdown, crackdown, what is it? It's not they're enforcing the rules.
No, yeah, exactly, that's all. It is enforcing the rules that have been there since eight You can't hit the blake in.
The head, buzz. That's exactly what they did before Magic Round a few years ago, and look what happened is insanity.
Yeah, but The problem with Magic Round is they said this about three hours before the eventage three days. That was what they did, and I liked the fact that they admitted their referees, who were normally protected species, got it wrong last week and they've told them to be more vigilant this time, particularly that Red Barney shot on the ground attacking the man in the head on the ground. If you did that down the road on the street, they're a rest and charger.
I live in King's Cross. I see that every day. No, just from people trying to get a coffee.
Yeah, no, I applaud the NRL. They had to do something about it. There was some shocking incidents that went unchecked last week and it can't go on.
Where as long as they don't overreact, I'll be happy with it.
Well, it's up to the players to ensure they don't. The NRL doesn't overreact, and they need a slight adjustment to their tackling technique.
But they said this a few years ago.
Made I blow up about Magic Round more than anyone, and that ridiculously over the top and it shouldn't have happened the way it did.
You just know I don't want the bunker to get involved in everything like they do. That's the problem, that's the that's.
What I just totally disagree with you. There there was an even worse incident. Do you saw that touch judge up at sun Corpse Stadium the other.
Night doing what when you do something? Did the touchdows do something?
That is probably the biggest Selwyn Cobbo didn't plant his foot on the line but over the fright line and they played on a game changing decision. And I'm of the opinion and I've said this or week and I'm not going to bore people by keep going on the bug. I should have said, hey, you got that wrong.
They should have disagree, buzz. I think I think they should just put things. It's not NFL. Well, you can't stop start everything. Just put it in the hands of the on field match officials.
Team Saint George, we're in a grand final.
They did do it in a Grand final against the Rosters and they won the game.
No, but if it decides a premiership. But you don't want the blanket to say quickly, hey boys, you got it wrong.
I'm a grand back. No, no, no, no. I think I just think that the technology has overrun the game. I think it's far too much.
Well, you are wrong. We have millions and millions of dollars with a high definition four K.
Yeah, I know how the bunker works. Buzz, We're gonna have our first blue ear. Well, yeah, you know what.
I'm going to give you, just one of us a talking sense here where you can't you can't not allow them to step in. And I don't want them to step when there's a clanger, howler, a game changer.
That wasn't a game change. What if you go, okay, fair enough, Like I get it, I get it. It was a crucial decision. But mistakes are going to happen. We're not going to get every decision right. Well, I think you like the touch. You got that wrong, But that's.
In the position we saw in now lounge room. That was wrong.
So what were they supposed to do? So they play on across the back. What they get three tackles it down into the set and they go hang on. We've actually seen that it should be back here. The bunker would have done it, and that game doesn't stop. The game isn't It's not American football. We don't have stoppages. I don't watch if I watch trying to turn rugby league into NFL.
Now I'm not. I just don't. I think we've got it there, use it, but sparingly.
Right, I've had enough for you. Dally Cherry Evans, what a saga this has turned out to be. D c E versus Mestrov webv Moses nine v Fox Wide le v Rossfield on the undercart. It's Chambers v Read. That is very and so Dally Dally has he I love a smear campaign that was extraordinary. Media wasn't it terrible? I'll tell you what. He just didn't say it. He said it's a triple M S E N at the press conference. There's a blink going past saying smear campaign
like he told everybody. For someone who wanted to get rid of speculation about his future, he's sort of speculation times.
A thousand through of petrol.
I know, how did you?
I'm outraged by people because I know everything I've reported, there's nothing smear. It's factually correct, and it's been a massive, massive story, and I'm surprised DCU carried on the way he did. My opinion won't change ONNY. I think he's been well looked after over fifty years. I think him and his managers should have worked hard to do a deal with Manly before they just went on Channel nine
and announced it was going. I don't you know, It's just not the right way to do business at a fifteen year employee.
Maybe they treated him poorly.
Look if you went to News Corp your employer and said, oh, look, you know the editor is smearing me the CEOs, well you don't say it whereby not publicly.
I think he's playing I think both gamps are playing a pr war, and I think DC is winning it. I do buzz he didn't get booed at all there at Brooklyn very mind.
But look, I.
Just again we disagree. I think Manly stuffed it up. They should have sorted this a long time ago. And I think it's a lot of us to do with Tony Mestrov wanting to have complete control and power of that club. I know he's the CEO, but you've got to sometimes you've got to realize you're gonna you're gonna win a camp with or without Cherry Evans. You win it with him, so you do what you do to keep him.
I've said all along that there's two sides that fault here, and both of them have had very, very poor table manners in the negotiations, and it's finished up with a legend leaving the club.
I reckon. The thing that's annoyed him the most was the stuff about the release, because it was explained to me from the Cherry Evans camp. The release was asked for some time ago about returning the Queen's lad for family matters, and now that's been used against him, and I think that's probably what's annoyed him the most.
It has been leaking to mate who's been king.
There's been a lot of leaking.
Okay, more important, bring my relationship with Danny Weidler into it, Please God, why? Because I don't want to.
You're the big dogs. You're the big dogs. No, we're not saying there's like animosity, but it's like there's it's jeweling columns.
Well, it's it is, it's and often you have a CLI vision on a Sunday morning with his column and there's been combat over the years. But I report things as I see and I don't even think about Danny as I'm sitting there at the keyboard doing my best to inform the punters.
I've got you bifocal glasses. I can see Danny living rent free in your head. Listen where's he going? It's it's shaping up as a the dog Father versus the Godfather. Gus v politis Uncle Nick.
So he know how to play the game. They play it, I reckon DC. He'll be singing that song at the Chalks.
It better than that. What's that song?
What's wrong? You know how to play the game. They play it hard but fair.
That's a song from the Nine as pre what's he going? Where's he going?
I think he's going the Chalkies.
It seems our way, doesn't it? He does, But I mean there seems to be I know, Gus come out on Twitter and said or X and said, you know I'm not We're not interested. I don't believe that, do you? Reckon Tom a lot of things. Weeks later he denied a lot of things. Old Philip Ronald Gould and they came to Fruition. Yeah, the truth is out there.
Look there's a smoke in Redcliffe. I also got told he might be interesting cat Lands, his wife and a couple of years in France.
But I can say this one I spoke to some with the Gold Coast yesterday at the top end of the tree. They have not even a discussion about him, right, so that's not going to happen.
Was that he's wedding seebs wasn't Oh god.
We must be going there. Then go to a wedding. We play half back with him next year. Okay, let's get into our final news. Tim Zoo is finding Joey Spencer, an American who's a loud mouth in in zoo Castle, Newcastle on Is it Sunday or Saturday?
Sunday?
On Sunday?
Sorry, two o'clock before the forty what.
Do you reckon? There's some debate about whether Joey Spencer will fight because he's blown up about the judging judges.
Yeah, I think he's going to fight. I think it's a bit of pre publicity hype that boxing generates every now and then.
I love boxing. You can you could say anything about something. You can say that your opponent's a serial killer. That's all right as long as it gets tickets and pay per views.
On the way in this morning, I stopped at Bramskate and I had a coffee with the most nervous man in Australian Sport, that being Matt Rose. Oh how is the boss of no limit? Who knows it is d Day for Tim Zero. He's lost his last two fights, the only two he has ever lost, clearly beaten in both, and unless he can beat Joey Spencer, I think it might be all over. Red Rover.
Really, when he can retire.
I think he will mate. I just don't think there's any way back from three straight losses, not at his age at thirty. He's not an up and coming boxer. He had his first fight in twenty sixteen. It was at an event at the Sydney Cricket Ground and he became world class. But what I like about Tim though, Matt Rose and the team said, you've got to come back. You've had two losses against a you know, we'll just put you up against a stiff basically, we'll just get
your confidence back. We'll get to pay your audience. He said, No, if I'm gonna, you know, stay in this business, I'm going to fight the best, and he's picked one of the best available. Do you know now Tim Zoo is not in the IBF top ten really well, actually he's not in the top ten. If he wins this fight, he'll shoot into all of them.
I find it really the loss of Fundora, like at finding him an awkward fightal of that at the last minute was always going to be, you know, a tricky task for him. I'm sad with how the Tim Zoos story is gone. He looked, you know, he was was going to go to America and take on Vegas and you know, and and become our best boxer in a you know, in a generation. He was so determined to
step out of Costure's shadow. And then when things started to turn, he just tried to trade in on the on the Zoo name I Reckon And I think that wasn't particularly I think there was mixed messages about you know, who he was and what he wanted to be, you know, say my name, say my name, which was an le thing. It was. Yeah, I just it's he's become. Boxing is so brutal, and it's such a lonely sport. If you if you lose a couple, you're out the door. You've seen it with Cambos, you know.
The ramorifications of a loss. It's not just him, but it's no limit boxing and they're the number one. Yeah, they do things world class. I don't care what you say. They're big events.
They very much almost saved Astray and boxing in many ways.
Yes, but if they lose Tim Zoo from their stable there in Strie.
They're they're in stra So there is a limit, Yes, there is no limit.
And as I said, Maddie Rose is so nervous. Yeah right, but Tim Zoo despite I think he'll win because he is a great fighter. He's better than his tactics were wrong in the last fight, and he's tough.
He is shy boy, shy boy, mate, he's got a glass Juli, beg your pardon. You know what, I'm just giving you a bit of grace. I'm going to give you till about round seven or eight. And then if you keep sledging me and climb across there, how you I'm going to climb across there. Just go bang bang and do what I should have done twenty odd years ago.
The Dalm story will be told in upcoming episodes listeners and yeah, the day James Hooper saved Web, The.
Day I tried to fight half of News Corp at them after party. All right, right, let's move on to our next segment, War stories.
I love war stories. I love them. And it's your term. It's your turn.
So let's go back to February two thousand and nine, when I was about twenty kilos lighter and had more hair, and i'd just been I joined the Telegraph two weeks earlier, and you were my sports editor. Yes, and I start and, like every young journo who starts at a new master, heek because it quite a big move, wasn't it, from the Herald to the Telegraph.
Can I tell people that it took me to schoon.
You said this last week, and that's a lie. I can't remember what I don't think any of us can remember what happened that night. And the story that fell into my lap from a very good contact was that Michael Clark Australian captain. Was he captain then?
Yeah, I don't know if he was. I think Panda might have been mate.
I think he was the vice captain. Sorry, it's good to know. I'm glad I know my own story. He was the vice captain and they'd won a test, right, they'd won a Test, and they kept Clarkey, one of the songs under the Southern Cross sung early so he could depart the dressing rooms at the SCG. They'd lost the series of South Africa, but they had won that test by one hundred and three runs. At the Sydney
Cricket Ground. That's the tradition of singing under the Southern Cross, and Simon Caddich was the custodian of singing the song, and Clark kept saying, I want to you know, I want to move along, want to move it along. I got told it was because he wanted to see Lara Bingle. Clark actually denied that in his autoboom many years later. Look, I just think it was because of but his teammates
certainly thought it was to see Lara Bingle. Anyway, Simon Caddich grabbed him by the throat and held him up against the wall, and it was passed off as a just a minor skirmish that happens in every sporting team. But it just showed the simmering tension in that side towards Michael Clark. What's surprise you with that story? Buzz was was so Peter Young was ahead of corporate affairs. I remember Peter Young. You saw the glasses and the beat and the bow tye. It was quite a good
It was an eccentric character, good operator. And I called him and he said, I'll get back to you quite quickly, and he came back with prepared statements from both of them, Caddy Chang class. So they been waiting for the story to go and I'd got out first.
What surprised mood? Where be just interrupting? The Australian cricket dressing room is probably the most sacred place in Australian sport. What happens inside that dressing room for AE hundred and more years stays inside that dressing room, all the antiques, all the you know. I can't believe it got out. No, and how did you get the story?
I heard it from someone I'm not giving up.
Was it a player? Can you say that much?
Let's just say it was a former player connected to who was well connected witness. Well, then I subsequently founded up with eyewitnesses and people around Clark and Caddich.
It was a massive story where it was a start and back page.
Well here's the thing. So at the time News Corp News Corp. It ran on the front page of every single newspaper in the tab in the News tab Corp in the news Corp, in the news Corp family, except the Daily Telegraph, where I was working, because the editor of the time, Gary Leannelle, was very excited about the fact that it was going to be forty seven degrees in city. The next day it turned out to be twenty six. I got bumped off the front paget. I
got found for a weather story. But I remember Connie. I remember he was a great editor. Gary Lenell. I called in heally for a reaction piece the next morning and that was his first thing that buzz. He goes, who told you? I said, I can't say, and he said, I've got nothing to say. He's dark on me.
You've raised a really big story, because from there it became very, very apparent that Michael Clark was quite distant from the rest of that cricket side, particularly in retirement. His fortieth birthday were.
beIN, yeah, yeah, I've heard this from people before that you know, there's no cricketers at it, which is which is fine. Pastor present plays, which is fine. But it just shows that Clark is a different cat, you know.
But even you go to the and you come to the Test too in Sydney and you see all those great old champions, either in the Fox box or the Channel seven box? Or are you usually are with your mate Stephen Gibbs. What Stephen Gibbs like feeding plus one?
He is? He is, Actually he loves Jackson.
He'll drink for Australia. Russ Jackson my chief of staff.
I've got to say this, Once you drink cold beer out of a frosty glass, I can't go back. I'm not going back to plastic cups.
Look back to Clarkey. I never see him there at the Sydney Test. He doesn't seem to be part of reunions. And look, I've had a very colorful history myself with Clarky when he was on the big Sports breakers. So I peered every Monday and every second Monday we'd have a major blue to finish up the Daily Mail.
We're very combative.
Oh well, I can find a blue better than most. But I actually like him a lot, Yes so do I.
I Look, don worry. Clark and I had a very ups and downs, so we were all right after that story with the bigger blue we had was twenty fifteen, when I had actually been at the cricket and the former very very well known former captain came up and said, when are you one of you? Blake's going to write about how the Australian cricket team are off. Michael Clark he was out with that hamstring injury. So this is two fifteen. I remember writing it and that caused absolute
World War three. But you know what, and I was told it was wrong and it was a beat up. And then all these subsequent autobiographies from all these players, Mitchell Johnson, Clark himself, they all confirmed it in their own books. So so like this story and like and like that story. Then it gets denied. You beat up, merchant. This is all bullshit. Your sources have told you lies, and then you know what, it's just social story. But
then it ends up being confirmed. It's just a reminder to me that if you're strong enough in your sources to don't flinch and still write it. But let me just say this, I get on great with clarky now and I have a great relationship with talk better.
There's all the takedowns in his life, the Karl Stefanovic fallout and the video. Yeah that's the Bell, his longtime accountant who set him up for life. He's on the water down there at Rose Bay. He's got probably just squillionaire Clarky, but they no longer talk. I think it's sad.
It is sad, I do.
I really think it's sad because I find him a good bike too.
Carl Stefanovic v. Michael Clark in NUSA. It's like a Kathy King episode. Anyway? Was it a great story?
That didn't Carl do his hammy?
He did? I remember? What did Clark? You call him? Carlos? The We probably can't. I know, I know we could swear on this podcast. We probably drew a line there. All right's just for a story.
I can't heard him for next week.
I can't wait to tell and listen. Well just well, just very briefly. It's thirty years in Super League on April and I spoke to John Quowle, the general manager of the Australian Rugby League earlier this week. I said thirty years qualely and he you know, he didn't even flinchy goes, He said, mate, I didn't even know that was the anniversary he said for us. The battle started, you know a couple of years earlier. What's your Super
League war story? I was just a young journal in the Hunter Valley back then.
So I went look a young boughts editor at the Sunday Telegraph at the time and a Rugby league writer there. And it was the most difficult period of my career because I was working for a company and I didn't agree with what they were doing and my mates were on the arl side RK and Quail and a lot of the officials there. It was a really, really difficult story to cover where me and I'll probably go into more deal. I don't want to.
You know, this is along the story down the track.
Yeah it is, but it got to a stage where I did quit over it. I James Packer rang me and offered me a job at Rugby League Week has edited a car a parking spot, good money. Do you know what he said to me? He said, I need a decision in twenty four hours. I said why. He said, because I went on Alan James's show Tomorrow morning bagging news Corp about how they're dictators and I want you on the footy show tomorrow night bag in news Corp visit it, I said, James, that's why I want to leave,
because people were telling you what to do. Thankfully, I stayed independent always, absolutely, don't you Ever.
Was how much? What was the increase in money?
Absolutely? No increase?
Are you going to get he wanted you to go for the same money?
Oh no, no, I tell you when I decided to stay, it would have been some more money. Yeah, well how much I'm not now on no that you don't reveal this?
How much of a percentage?
The super League coverage at news Court. Rupert Murdoch once poked his head into conference. He said, where's the sports editor? I put my hand up. I maybe, mister Murdoch, you said, just look after super League. No, it was very very lighthearted. It was very lighthearted.
Good on you, uncle rub Yeah, it would have been great days.
But you know we've got a thousand make that's a beauty the Cad Clark story. Did you win an award for that?
No? I didn't. Actually that's why ever since then, I've rarely gone in awards because I thought, if that will can't even get a no, No, they're fast anyway, it's lefty.
I don't left you. I don't write for awards, I don't enter all.
We don't do this job for the awards. You do it for the cash, right, let's get let's get to feel US forecast. But what's your feel US forecast For this week?
I've turned to the big game. Eastern Suburbs Roosters versus South Sunny Rabbit is my favorite game of the year. I don't care where they are on the ladder. I don't care what sort of struggles they are going through. It'll be a cracker. You know why because the twill Mitchell is back and you click more Turnstiles and he will bring more eyeballs to Fox and Channel nine. It is a super super game. I think Sous with him back,
will comfortably beat the Roosters thirteen plus. And I would throw Latrelle in as an any time try scorer.
I like it.
I will say, though, the most important thing is gamble responsibly.
Andrew, thank you for that tip, Uncle Buzz. Mine's the Panthers. I can't believe people are you know, the dynasty's over, Like, I mean, they've been up for a while, the old Pennies, haven't they Yeah they have, you know, like they in tonal.
To look a little bit Vegas hangover.
I do, I know, I do, yeah, but still but yeah, they probably do. I think the problem was they look so good against Cronulla in that in Vegas. Like, I thought that was a quality game. You know what I really noticed at that stadium at Allegian, where were we were sitting, where we were the sweet we were in Halp High. It was almost like brook value right on top of it. You could really get an appreciation for the speed of the game. That game is very quick.
I love how you spend the day in the suite. I was in the press box. I was a working accredited journalist.
I'll give you a little tip. You get more stories in the suite than you do in the press spot.
I scooped you on the biggest story there where the Warriors assistant coach came out of his room and at half time and grabbed grabbed the.
I scooped you. It wasn't that I couldn't care less about an assistant coach, And it got a lot of clicks. That's all that matters. So I like the Panthers will be back with a vengeance, particularly with Nathan Cleary back in the side. I know there's no Sorenson, Edwards or Edwards, of course, but still I think Pendrith wild do a job. Thirteen plus Alamodi ta lungey, Liam Martin. Always a bit of value for a back rower to score. Anytime I scores, that's fourteen dollars gamble responsibly.
Is this shut the one you do with your nephew?
We no, no, no, I do one with my nephew every week. That's that's good. It's good.
What do you call it?
The jay Monday multi? That's my nephew who's a tyler on the North coast and that good. Isn't that a great to bond with your.
You're you knock around a lot of tradees.
I come from a family of traders. Yeah, I got I was smart. I got out. You bring about sport for a living, which we've just done for the last forty five minutes or so. Very good. Thanks so much.
Do you find us a sponsor?
Hang on, what's the door? I think they're knocking now to get on board? Hey listen, Thanks everyone for tuning in again. Remember you can follow us on OTR, Buzz and Webby on Instagram, or you can subscribe to us on YouTube, which is the Off the Record Podcast. Thanks Buzz, loved.
It, Webby a lot of fun and see back in there, SWAZ.
See you next week. Buddy, see you guys,