Ryan Hoffman on the State of Origin

Here at two Good Sports, we would like to acknowledge the traditional owners of the land on which we record this podcast. There were innerie people. This land was never seated, always was always will be hello and welcome to do good sports and sports news told differently as always.

I'm Georgie Tunny and it's.

A miracle she rocked up today because she rarely, rarely wants to chat sport after a Queen's Land loss, and Georgie tows bleak twas.

Bleak, twas bleak. I'm still rapping my little beanie. So I'm wearing a Queen's Land.

Yeah, it's going back to first season. He barely took it off. Yeah, yep, yep.

So look, I've got to remain optimistic, which is really hard to do this morning, really hard to do.

Well, We've got the wonderful Ryan Hoffman joining us later in the app to break it all down for you. And if you are just a casual observer of origin, we'll catch you up. That's what Georgie does with me all the time. Lets me know what I need to know. And there might be a few expletives, but we'll see what happens. But George, my goodness, do I have a good sport because this three minute clip made me cry. Okay,

It is so we don't have tissues. Mom, I kin'd of. I still can't look at it.

Mom.

Mom is sitting in the boardroom and she basically is saying, I remember from preschool he was like footy footy, and I went, nah, I'm not sitting in the side of a paddock. I'm not having a bar of it. And she just says it's worth it all, It's worth all of it. And then he comes into the room and she hands over the number thirty jumper and says you deserve it. And then Dimmer says, you know what, I'll just let him say it because this, I mean, appreciate what.

She's Yeah, so it's a journey.

Yeah, it's a reason.

The Academy's part of it.

But the fact matter is, this is what people give her, but that's it should be incredibly prayers Hudan, and.

We are so honored that you're gonna play the first game for the girl. Couldn't heard it.

We love it. Why why do you think we wanted mum here? A grown man, knowing he's being filmed in a football club, says, because she's literally my everything.

Just for context, deal, isn't it?

Those five words.

Have set Jelmy off. She Esus is crying.

He's in front of his senior coach.

He's a young man, he's ripped to the nines because he's an athlete, and he's cuddling his mum's sobbing, and they say, why do you want mom here?

And he goes, she's literally my everything.

Now, well, good luck to your few, your wife, because she's.

Not getting a look in. Mum's gonna be the number one forever.

Sorry, there is a reality in my mind where Mamma Lombard, bless you, is there with Leo significant other and.

She just they have an argument.

She just leaves that, just leaves that on the table and says good luck, babe.

But Dimmer then cries. He cries, cries, everyone cries. It's just so the.

AFL shared that as well as a Gold Coast And sometimes we get caught up in some peanut.

Behavior that we see by AFL players.

So it's so nice sometimes to see just a good emotional hug with mum and how much it means I loved it.

This is like one of those videos where dogs welcome military people. This is in your feet immediately and then you just start bawling and then you're down a rabbit hole and.

It's a great time. It's a tearful time, but a great.

Time, just just the sob in.

But you can hear that, all right, I thought that was you you were watching.

Love it, Love it, Love it.

Speaking of potentially peanut behavior, I'm a bad sport peanut the best non offensive offensive work. It's really good. Also, bulb, like where do you go from that? You know someone calls you a bulb? I'd be like, what of a tulip.

Or a light? How not described?

You know?

I digress, So peanut behavior.

One of our favorite topics on this podcast, dear listeners you would know is the Tazzy Devils and this will they won't they? Will they won't they relationship. It's practically the coalition, Will they or won't they build this bloody stadium for the new team. And there was a news article that came out this week on the ABC with the headline.

I'm a phrasing and maybe making it up.

Oh no, how could we have foreseen that the cost of this stadium with roof may blow out.

To more than a billion dollars?

I'm trying not to swear. Trying not to.

Swear, obviously obviously, so concerns while who could have predicted it? Are us here at two good sports multiple times that potentially the building costs are going to cripple the.

Team before they even begin. Is it the team or the government that's going to be crippled?

Well, and this is the thing, it's both of them, right because we, as we've discussed on this podcast before, they're going hand in hand in this joint venture. And Brendan Gale, who you know personally, who's a genius really in the game, but even he's had to admit, yeah, it's not it's not great.

It's not a great thing to happen.

Meanwhile, there's debate this week being like, you know, Nathan Buckley has been approached. Yes, I've had the conversation. I'm like, bro needs a stadium to play.

This is going to be a senior coming. What are we doing anyone have.

Gigantic backyards in Hobart because we might need.

Also, just the amount of trades they're going to have to fly to jazz because there's actually exactly not that many people.

There's not enough worker ants to put it together.

Yeah.

Like, I'm not saying that I am a mass savant, but even me with my abacus could be like, now, hold on a second, might be slightly more than the hundreds of millions you already thought.

I'm so confident with the only sports podcast that casually uses the word abacus vant.

For that matter, I promise we're about to speak opringing welcome back.

No, but in all seriousness, we desperately hope that Tazzy get a team.

Yes, we really hope that.

And I am the biggest advocate for the fact it does need a roof. Petty about the fact they're like stadium caveat with a roof.

It needs a roof. It's bloody, freezing, it's freezing and windy, and.

Peopleians hate it when you say that because they're like, it's beautiful sorry, have done boundary during the cricket season, which is summer, and have wore four jackets.

Yeah yeah, and probably you're meaning at this.

Well, you're welcome to it, maybe if it's a whitewash.

But tazzy fans deserve it. We know that startups i e. The jack Jumpers, startups, startups.

Silicon Valley down there on Valley. Yeah yeah, it's actually the Silicon.

Same salomecon Markets. What is it.

We know that new teams do so well and embraced by the tazzy public.

They deserve it, they do give it to them.

And we're just seeing across the board the building stadiums isn't viable at the moment.

Yeah, I know, I know, So watch this space. It's to watch this space. I will stay here with the calculator and we will keep totaling.

But it's not looking good.

Not lease, don't google the ABC article that starts with.

Oh no, because it doesn't exist. Ryan Hoffman coming up next.

Now, tell me it is absolutely no secret that my favorite time of year, nay, in any time of any ear in any world isn't Christmas.

It's not my birthday.

It is state of origin, namely game one, namely Game one in Queensland.

Over the years, I've had a lot of success.

And I say I because I have been a part of many Queensland victories, many series wins. The only times that I wasn't really there would always be a new South Welshman that would haunt my Dad and I as we sat around the television trying to hold back our.

Tears because we've got so used to winning. And that man is called Ryan Hoffland.

We always cheered him at the Melbourne Storm, our second team, you know, you know everyone, you know that everyone.

Was second and we thought, my god, he's good.

Then whenever we watched Origin and whenever the Blues were doing annoying things for me, but magical things on the field, this man was a part of it, so much so that Dad and I would say to ourselves, you cannot give this man any space.

He's too good. Do good.

And I even as a one eyed Queenslander with a sad little beanie on my head today just licking my wounds. After the game opening game in twenty twenty five, I am thrilled to welcome the Ryan Hoffman to two Good.

Spots, Riot.

Ladies.

That was a hell of it intot thank you.

She has a reputation for those.

Ryan.

Firstly, how are you?

We'll start with that, but we also just want to get into you're one of the very few people that know what it's like to run out to Suncorp as a Blue and what that feeling is and whether it verberates through your chest.

So what is it like and how are you after watching last night's game?

Thank you? Well, yeah, I'm good.

I'm certainly great after after a fantastic performance by the Blues last night.

There is nothing like running out of some uncle.

Whether you're in a Maroon's jersey or a Blues jersey, there is no feeling like it. Because when you play there for the Blues, you're the first team that runs out, So you're the first team that the crowd sees and they.

Give you a hell of a serve. But you like it. You want that.

You want that energy. You want the energy that the Queensland crowd brings. You've been copying abuse walking down the street, going for your team walk that morning around Queen Street Mall and everything like that. You're walking around there a copy of abuse, so it just builds up that bit of emotion.

Inn't you.

And then whilst you're out there, then the Queensland team comes out, see but all the booze and then all that she is and then it just sort of brings it to it. And it's great that you run out first because you actually get to look around. You actually get that an opportunity to look around, soaking the crowd, see your family, give them, give them a bit of a wave and then get ready to play probably the toughest game at rugby league you'll ever play in your life.

Well, it is just special for one of a better word, and you would have seen a young Georgie throwing something at you at some.

Station going out there is love with love with love.

But we talk about general sport, you and I on off siders, and we're lucky to be commentators where we talk about all sport. Just how far is the gaping chasm between Origin and everything else that we do sport wise in this country in terms of the rivalry, because there is no comparison in any other league.

It simply is the biggest.

You're going to camp and you're brainwashed. You are brain washed into hating these people. Yes, you don't hate the person, you hate the jersey.

That's right.

So guys like Billy.

Slader, Cameron Smith that there were groomsmen at my wedding, a very very good friend of mine. I've playing against all these guys. I hated them for three games, but I hated the jersey.

They were wearing. And the greatest thing about Origin is.

That you will belt this not out of these blokes because you've never got another opportunity, because you've played with them in the same team, You've never got another opportunity hit them. Say they do it in Origin. But as soon as the game is done, you shake hands, you move on. I mean, you cats in a plane home with these guys the next day and nothing's really mentioned about Origin.

You're just back to bend your regular teammates.

And it's that concept that a lot of people find it hard to understand that you could go from trying to kill the opposition because you hate the jersey they're wearing into just being best mates the next day.

But that's what makes Origin so special.

And I think what's great about it too, is that the clubs buy it.

It's the best thirty four players in the country. Remove them from your competition, give them.

The hardest build up in the toughest game that you could do in the clubs and say no worries, take them. And I think that's that's why it's so special. And unfortunately for the AFL. Why have the state of origin dropped the ways because the clubs wanted to protect their players. It's not then in rugby league, Hey, you want your players playing standard origin.

I just can't fathom the level of propaganda needed to make anyone hate Billy Slater. Oh that's gotta be I mean, the man can ride horseback.

Yeah.

I grew up loathing and I mean loathing Joey John's you know how good he was as a player, And I grew up hating the man.

Like no, it was like when I didn't like because.

You were in camp. Georgie speaks like she played for the Maroons there, right, I did.

I have no idea the brainwashing that goes on this stuff.

Then little incidents they find in the game just to highlight say look at this flake, look what he did in this game.

And like, as I said, they're talking about your best mates? Are you akay? Because if we're in our own Jersey. But that's that's what Origin is about.

This is a perfect tie in Ryan because I think, and I will, I'm so interested to get your thoughts. But my overall review from the Queenslanders was that they were incredibly uninspiring and really could use a wee bit more piss, a lot, a bit more mongrel. So I want those video sessions. I want that Billy to be like.

Look at that there he looked at you sideways and.

Then for that to really build that I think that we're missing, We're missing a little bit of that edge.

Yeah, look that there was a bit of a missing from a hard edge from Queensland. But to be honest, Queensland didn't help themselves, and I think Bill was first to admit their discipline was horrific. They just picked up New south Wales and held their hand and walked them down the field through penalties and you can't do that,

Well.

Run, we'll get on to the fact that you're an oracle because you've made some amazing and also been on air and said there should be these decisions that made that weren't. But I'm going to give you an idea to the sort of text messages I was receiving in one sentence passe from Georgie last night. We're a disaster. This is killing me. I mean, I agree, he's one hundred and four. I won't tell you what player we're referring to his age there. We're so shit, our attack

Oh, she's at a pub screaming so this Ryan? Do you do you agree?

But I've alluded, I've alluded to a particular selection there which you're on air saying that Tommy Diardan should get an opportunity, and they went with DC. They went with the incumbent. Do you think there needs to be a change before game two?

I think Bill will make a change in the spine where it is.

I'm not sure would full back half five eight, I'm really not sure.

But two their attack last night it was uninspired.

It really was that they didn't really ask him many questions on this South Wales, even the score, even the try they did get came off for New south Wales era which went through two quick EANs and got out to the wings, so they didn't really break apart the New south Wales defense. So they need a change there. And I think Tommy diden is a great competitor for me personally, I'm not a selector or anything like I would have put.

Tom didn't over Dally Cherry Evans.

And said that publicly, so he looks it looks good.

Now and as nothing is.

Dally Daly has been a fantastic player for Queensland, but no one beats father time.

No one beats father time.

And I just think he looked his age last night. But it would be a very tough call for Bill to make, seeing as he is captain. Dropping your captain midway through a series would be a huge call.

So you've just said foreseeing that Bill might make a change. This is him after the game, addressing whether or not he thinks he has the right squad.

He's a listen.

I definitely don't think it's a personal thing, Like I know what this team's capable of, and that's why I'm you can probably see I'm disappointed because they haven't played their best footing and I feel responsible to try and help them get there. So yeah, it's definitely not a personnel thing, to be honest. They've had a great attitude as well, but to the discipline side of the game, the attitude wasn't.

As good it was.

I'm i, as a Queenslander, Ryan am concerned because I think that that may have been their best footing, do you know what I mean?

And if that doesn't sound like a man who's going to make that much, no not.

I said, like, we don't have any game breakers in that team.

In that team, that was my thought before heading into last night, and last night it was proven. I'm with you in that. I mean, I said to Jellmy that he was one hundred and four daily Cherry Evans. You know, love you love your work. You got older as the game progressed, I.

Was like, he's four thousand, why.

Is he on the field?

Like you know?

So I just think that how hard is it?

Right?

And when you are a player and you've got all this outside noise from and it's never loud, but it's never louder than state of origin, it is it is and they're calling for like your head.

Yeah, yeah, look it's it's especially after a loss.

I mean, no one's jobs secure. Bill is a very loyal person.

He is very very loyal and sometimes that loyalty can come through and we'll get the best out of players knowing that they have the trust from the coach. I think the problem for Queensland is a lot of that players aren't in a good club form either.

Yeah.

The club that he draws most of his players from is normally the North Queensland Cowboys, and they are only in great form.

They're really up, up and down team.

I think Tom Diden's been the standout for them head and shoulders above any other player that they've had on the paddock. So he may be forced to make changes Bill, I'm not sure, but look, as I said, he is a loyal person. He won't make changes for the sake of changes, but for the individuals. And I've been there, you know. You lose the first game, you think Jesus my head on the chopping and it is quite a stressful situation. But all those players can do is go

Let's turn to New South Wales because as the oracle, I have a big question for you, Ryan, did someone put a hex on Nathan Cleary?

Because why couldn't he kick anything?

He couldn't kick as well himself out of a wet paper ban last night? Right?

He even gave Zach Lomac's a chance too and he shaped a big time And they are probably two of the best goalkickers in the competition.

I don't know what was and they still smacked him, I know, I.

Know, And that's the scary part. It could have been twenty four nil.

Oh yeah, really could if we've kicked those goals and there was a mistake from you.

I was coming out of their own end. It could have been twenty four nil.

So I don't think the school one actually show just how dominant New South Wales was. But one thing I always said, you're never blaming goalkickers because they'll win your game, but they'll never lose your game because you shouldn't put yourself in a position where the goalkicker's got to kick a goal to wiz.

Yeah, did you ever play in Perth?

Right? I did?

I actually played in the first first game at off the stadium, first game one has ever used. It was a double header in twenty eighteen, the NRL open that season over there and Melbourne Storm played the Bulldogs and the Warriors played the Bunnies.

I think the double header that was the first game I've ever played.

Well, you can give us some insight into what it's like taking NRL over to the West because that's where we're seeing State of Origin next and I think there'll be some Bears, some fresh bears, guernsies going around.

Surely I actually played it. I would have played in Perth at least half a dozen times. A lot of times Sydney teams took the Melbourne Storm and when I was at the Warriors, I mean merely would take us to Perth for a home game every single year. So can you imagine that flight from Auckland to Perth. That's eight hours. But they looked after us. They put us up the pointing end, so we all looked after there.

You take the points too, you take.

Yeah, oh yeah, you worry. I got I've got to goal with a new zilla very quickly. But look, that's it's a funny stadium because when when I used.

To play club football before of the stadium was built, we played at HATESBF Stadium where the Force played, and that's that's a purpose built rectangular stadium. This is obviously an oval so massive. It is a huge grand I never forget. It was the first time I've seen those digital lights. So we scored a try and it was a night game and all of a sudden, all the lights went out.

With what's going on here?

And there's been a power series and then they flicked on and they're flicking on and off of We're in the middlefield, go, what the hell's going on here?

So they've got these fancy digital.

Lights, especially if you were the first to play like the exhibition sort of match there. Do you know, Ryan, they actually made them pull that back for broadcast because it was setting people off at home that might have epilepsy really because of just how much it was flash.

And going off.

Wow, because at the Freo game it used to be like you were at Diplo. It was it was like I remember thinking like, if I'm a player, I'm wondering, like is this going to end?

Like scrilex here?

I'm sorry, An Harris, so like it was. It was just like this.

It's like they had a rave in between every score, like they wanted to show off what it could do, and the broadcasters have been like, you need to calm down.

Yeah, it was.

It was really bizarre, as I said, but sort of in the adultal Great try boys, blah blah and then the lights start flashing off.

Great try Boys, blah blah blah.

That's a peep behind the curtain if you've ever heard it.

Well on that on that now, Ryan, this is something that you, I'm going to say, may have never done in your life, certainly your playing career. If you were to give a pep talk to the Queensland Morones ahead of.

Its given a pep talk to the Morons. I'm guessing he's never given a pep.

Talk famously listens to this podcast. So mate, what would you tell them?

Like?

What what?

What do they need to do? You are currently like one hundred percent in all predictions.

Okay, so peptal the turning up it Starnes, New South Files are better than you. Guys you've had You've had a good chance. But I wouldn't bother showing up tomorrow.

And you know what, Georgie, you had a good run.

You've had a good time.

I mean not recently, but in general, in general terms, I feel like you've enjoyed the joy.

Actually no, I will do it.

Serious, okay, serious, serious marid On, Okay, right, stop giving my penalties. You're literally taking the twelve guys to your foot pulling the trigger.

So that's the first thing they need to sort out.

Number two. They need to ask more questions. They're way too pedestrian. And you know they need to ask a questions of the New South Files defense. They didn't do it and New South Wales defense was too good.

So I need to be.

Disciplined and they need to ask more questions.

Very good. I could run through a brick wall. I could run.

We're ready, we are ready, We're ready. I'm going to print that on posters and be like, C see.

Everyone and you have predicted on ABC saying that you might see a whitewashing this series. And to be fair, if they hit the Blues kick straight.

Oh god, it's if there's no personnel changes. Honestly, after what we saw in game one, I can't see us scoring. We only scored because it was thirteen v twelve.

I kept yelling at the screen.

It was another message finally we might do something.

I lost a man.

That's only they've scored one trying two games against New South Wales.

That's some call.

Wow at Suncl's.

Scary like that is Honestly, as a Queensland I'm like, what are we doing?

Like there has to be some changes.

I understand it sounds on Queensland alike of me because you know we're all about loyalty.

But it's come on, that's the start.

It talks of it for itself, well right, and we do fun facts on this podcast and you let us know a little fun fact before we started recording and you talk about personnel changes, you could have been a Marone and Georgie nearly fell off her chair. Can you tell us a little bit about the fact that you could have been playing for Queensland.

Yeah.

I am the son of two Queenslanders. My mum and dad were Queenslanders. Grew up in Queensland, grew up on the Gold Coast. My dad actually played for Queensland. He played played three games for Queensland for the Maroons. And when I was playing, I played low grade, so I played in New South Wales Under seventeen so I played New South Wales under nineties. But back then when I was at the Melbourne Storm, the feeder club was Brisbane North, so I was playing some games in Brisbane more So

The GI rule, and I actually knocked it back. I had never lived in English, would never never lived in Queensland. I didn't consider myself a Queenslander. I'd always lived in New South Wales. I was a blues man.

I appreciated that to what he wanted to do, and like all kids all, I just wanted to follow her dad did.

But he was a moron. I'm a blue.

This will be the ultimate test. Can you say the word p double o l Pool? There he's a Queensland.

Queenslander.

We had Harry grant On. He was talking about recovery. He's like, so I went to the peal Queenslander.

Did he finish off at a at the end of it?

Oh?

Fun fact from now One of mine.

Fun fact Ryan that when I started in media and I had to get voice coaching because everyone at that time did. They wanted me to sound more authoritative. And I was like, I can read. Don't you worry about this. I'm going to freaking nail it. And I was like, read the lines and then I was like waiting for all of the praise to just fall upon me, and my voice coach goes, oh, you've got a really annoying sing song pattern in your voice, like it sounds like you're from Brisbane.

I was like, I am a prisman.

Hey, but love to both your parents, Ryan, love, We love Queenslanders.

But Georgia, who did they go for?

Now?

Hold on hold on, hold on, are your parents still Maroons or do they go for the Blue.

That's a wonderful question.

All about the Blues when I was playing for the Blues.

But the problem is my mum actually sent me a text last night and she's gone, I don't know who to go for.

There's just too many people I love on both teams.

They love Course, and we've obviously been friends with Bill a long time. Bill actually when they were starting to so and so and Coach bobbed around to to see my dad to say goody.

So they're very close friends there.

But we also love Craig and obviously Matt King and Brett White. We know Laura Dale, so that will Coach on. So it was quite strong for them. But their Queenslanders. Unless I'm playing, I just.

Love the idea of mum sitting at home being like, I just hope no one gets hurt, like it's such a mum thing, being like, oh, I just hope everyone's happy, and I hope that'll get hurt.

Meanwhile, Georgie is like, call em kill everyone, kill everyone. The propaganda made its way through.

But honestly, Ryan, that you've so perfectly encapsulated what origin means the passion, the propaganda, the hatred, but also the love. And we can't wait to see your prophecy come true with a whitewash.

How dare you a moment if I can?

I was about to say Trophies in their second season.

He's given himself a KPI on national television and you look like a genius.

Don't worry, we will be highlighting that forever. Ryan. Thank you so much for your time.

In what is, as Georgie puts it, the most wonderful time, really a free shiate it.

Thank you Ryan.

How delightful does a man need to be that Georgie now loves a blue I know, I mean that is a high high bar and I do full disclosure.

I love RONFM, love him, love him all right.

That has been another episode of two Good Sports. I've got some crying to do.

Ye check on George's welfare, particularly after the weekend. We will circle back, but until next week Good Sport