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We hope to see you there soon. West Tigers Podcast Episode number four hundred and nine, joined by Steven Deklan on a Thursday night, Steve, we're a little bit we've been caught on the hop a bit. I don't think we've had a Friday night game this year, which is suited the podcast teams, because if ever we couldn't get organized on a Wednesday, we had a bit of time up our sleeve, but not this week.
Now we've got eight o'clock Friday night, we've got the we've got the Brisbane Broncos timeslot. So I don't know why they're not playing. They must have requested it. But Jeromes, Jerome's in apparently he's he's going to be playing, so it's all all systems go for an upsit against Canberra.
They've probably got a buy, Steve. That's probably why they're not on Friday at day that would be right, I'd say, yeah, Jacklin, I really you know, I've got my theories on different things. But Friday eight pm I hate that time slot because if we lose in a nail biter, it's just going to put me in a horrible mood all weekend, at least Sunday, you know, the good part of the weekends almost over. So you depressed on Monday anyway, that's my theory.
Yeah, I don't know. I'm the opposite.
I feel like there's something really depressing, but weeke it up on a Monday morning after getting flogged and then just that one second where you wake up and you remember what happened the night before.
So I don't know. I think I'd rather just get to for a dune Worth.
Earlier in the week weekend and then just recover on the Sunday.
Obviously, we'll preview the game, we'll do rdies quiz and a little bit of chat just from some feedback from our podcast forum listeners about the crossover pods we did in the last week or so. But first, Steve one word for State of Origin last night.
Well, as usual, I can't stick to one words I've got I've got two one. My first word, I've toned it back. I was going to say manufactured, but I've turned that, turned that down a little bit and said over officiated. You know, I just love Origin games when there's three or four penalties and the players are let play the game and they decide the game. And I just felt that was so over officiated last night.
So that's one word.
But the other one is in a smoke bugbear about Origin and the football season in general, and it's just drawn out. It's just on it every year. It's a sign that the nrow competition. And I'm only speaking from my own perspective, I just love the narrow competition. That's that's what I enjoy watching. And this just takes over and occupies all their space for far too long, in my opinion.
Decline your word.
I just missed opportunity because I actually can't believes lost that one.
I mean like to like to tell the views.
I didn't watch the second half because I was just kind of over after the first and I went to bed early. So I'm not going to pretend like I was an expert on the whole game, but just watching that first half just how like ill discipline news help folds were and just like they scored the first try, they look like they were going to go on with it and then just drop ball. Ill disciplined. Yes, like
the rest. Obviously there was an element of the like being a little bit of pedantic, but I just thought the news it was really were massive opportunity to to seal it.
But what can you do?
And then you also found it was terrible. That really annoyed me see him out there knowing that, like he got picked on a trail made, But yeah, what can you do?
Well, Steve, you know I'm a positive guy, So my word was just trash. I thought it was trash. The whole build up was nothing except for Billy Slater throwing a tantrum, which was bizarre. I thought the refereeing was awful and I thought it was manufactured. I think every team, Steve that's down one Nill, you'll findal win the penalty cout in a big way, because that's what the NRL want, and that's what I would want if I was running
the NRL. You wanted the cider. Otherwise you've got a dead rubber in three weeks time and you've got to try and build that up. Good luck with that, you know, any.
Of the build up. It's getting close at each time to a boxing build up, you know, where you just get these ridiculous barbs thrown across, you know, at each of us, just to try to hype up the fight
and get the pay per views in. And it's starting to get a little bit like that, you know, like like if Billy Slater is so emotional just to need to say what he said about a comment that was nothing really, you know, coll when someone had grabbed me a big deal, but then to stage it at the official press conference on the eve of the game, it just stunk of. I don't know, I'll go back to my first word, manufactured.
Yeah, well I haven't finished with my trash Steve. I've got through the build up and the referee, but I'm also going to go both teams. I thought like New South Wales were poor like that game. They've got a far better side and obviously I think didn't help, but they also contributed to that that ten to one penalty count.
But Queensland, like, what would you be thinking you win a penalty count ten to one and you've got outscored the only reason they won is because Zach Lomax couldn't kick a dog like I just thought they will get absolutely lapped in game three decline. I know there's the pressure of a game three. I don't even care to be honest, but I just think New South Wales are so superior and they were so far from their best one.
Yeah.
I mean it's crazy, isn't it. And that's kind of when you go into a game two. The motivation for the team that lost game one is always so much higher than the team that kind of has that safety in it, isn't it.
But yeah, I don't know.
I'm just like, I'm not a bit different to everyone here. I think I actually do care about the origin. Do I think anyone else is a particular bugs fan of the Blazes here, But I do get invested in it, and I'm probably I'm a little bit nervous for game three, but I think that's only because you know, we've like we've been here before, we've lost those deciders and New Sephos as well. But I do agree with you, Eddie. I just think that like New Sefway was on paper,
its just so much better. And if everyone's really fat there is like, really no excuse they should be winning the series. It should have it should have been a whitewash, to be honest, if all things are equal. But we are where we are well because.
It's a pretty Gary's not with us tonight because he cares about origin probably as much as you do, a lot more than any and it's a pity he's not on the pod with us.
Funny you say that, Steve, I was just quite ironic because I was mentioning five minutes ago Gary that you know, the POD's getting a little bit unprofessional, and we've been caught out by the fact it's a Monday game and we haven't released anything until Thursday night. And now you're taking another step further by joining in ten minutes into a podcast. Do you think that's acceptable? I'm not well.
You guys always complain about me not giving you any space to talk. I thought i'd give you the first ten minutes and Steve could stop complaining about me talking too.
Much any before before you while we're talking professionalists, Can I just give a shout out to Nick because I think we're out contractually obliged to give a shout out to Nick because they've.
Got to be mentioned in every pod.
Well, there was a lot of complaining on social media that he wasn't mentioned, which worried me until I realized it was all Nick.
Yes, I'm not a big Twitter man, but I have managed to sign up under an alias account the past few days. I'm like, Gary, I'm like what I used to do with Dan Laurie and that I'm stalking people on Twitter now and just you know, seeing what they say behind the scenes.
From what I've seen, it's only you stalking Robert Sharyl though I think you guys are the best mates. Now.
Alrighty leu eyes performance declan very hot in cold obviously put the first kick on the fall. I know you only watched the first half, but I guess the relief for Tigers fans is he didn't. He might have got charged, but there was It wasn't much in that hands in the face that happens every game.
I don't know.
I think the opposite for you, And you know, I'm like, oh, usually defend Lo and these sorts of situations on the pod, but I was human out of them because I thought could have come down hyder on that.
I don't think he actually I gauged them, but I think.
He gave every opportunity for then are able to charge them with something like that. So I just thought it was it was terribly dumb, like it just came out of nowhere. It was so unnecessary, and I'm sure he was thing about is tame of when he did it, for he was like with the but just it would have just been an absolute disaster if you got robbed out for a few weeks.
For I goas and when our.
Season is just like on the lane, you need your captain to be smarter than that, and you know, like, yes, he has that kind of guy who pushes that to the edge. But that was just all and unnecessary and I'm actually a little bit surprised that he wasn't suspended for it.
His short kicking game, Steve is elite. We've seen that in the past of Penrith and this year for us. But the two tries he set up were so deaf, those little short kicks, and I thought he looked good on that left hand side, looked really dangerous. He had some poor moments in the slippery conditions, but I think he's in pretty good nick.
I think a bloke who plays the way Jerome Lew likes to play is going to have some errors in a game, you know where it's pelting down with rain the way it was. Also the Queensland line speed was pretty exceptional for a lot of things, especially in the first half anyway, which put him under a lot of pressure. I thought he, you know, he played fairly well. As
you see. He did some great things. He had two try assists, he was heavily involved, but he also had some Jerome Lulo moments where he tried to do his own thing and nothing came of it. And it doesn't look real flash when that happens. But that's just the way he plays.
He's going to play tomorrow night. Gary, Isn't he like he's too stubborn. I haven't heard Benji's press commence today, but apparently pretty much said, I'm getting on a flight regardless coach, I'm playing.
Yeah, I've only seen written what Bendrick said, and he basically said, I'll tell you what he said.
I'm good to go. I'm in.
So I don't think there's any doubt that he'll be playing tomorrow. I thought he was pretty good in that second half last night. I agree that first half I thought he was poor and I was really worried that he made cop a suspension from that, I Gougers declan was that was concern for me. But he had involvement in all those tries. It may not have been the last past, but that left edge for New South Wales great last night, and a lot of that was was
Jerome being out there. So the two triss were fantastic. Yeah, up and down game, but I thought he played pretty well towards the end.
It's always interested in the backup question.
I've always heard that players say that it's actually easier to back up immediately after origin and the first like two or three days as opposed to like play it on the Sunday. So yeah, maybe that's the reason why. Like he's pretty confident that he can back up because it's stull like fresh in terms of his recovery. So it will be interesting to see.
Yeah.
I wouldn't have had any doubts at all about him backing up. The only thing is that game was in Perth, so it's a what five hour flight back for five hour flight back from Perth, and I thought maybe that would be enough to kind of rule him out. But obviously I don't think it's going to be and by expect him to play tomorrow night, and we need him to play for morow night.
I saw Penrith play in the what in Auckland, So I mean they've just got not going to care about Penrith, but they've been completely stiff. What's that an eight or ten hour flight from Perth over to Augward. Crazy scheduling.
I thought I heard this afternoon that the Panda players aren't even going over they.
Can't physically get there.
Steve Gary mentioned my new friend Rob. I mean, we've always been friends, Gary, me and Rob. It's just took him a couple of years to come on because you and him had a feud or it was your your feud.
Well, I think it was Rob's dued with me. I don't know. I'm a nice guy. I don't have few, if anyone.
A few comments on our last pod, Steve on Sunday night you were on it, Rusty sixty three said, just paraphrasing some of these, good to see you guys spreading the love. He agreed with Steve the fact that he thinks our next seven games the boys will use it as a bit of an opportunity for a reset and actually get some wins and stay in contention. The numerator said, really good listen, guys, Skip A thirteen really enjoyed the dynam between the boys. Did you hear that, Gary?
No, sorry, I wasn't listening.
It was a little bit. He wasn't sure about Josh Kerr and Adam Elliot being dream signings from Rob. I'm not sure if Rob's dream signings. Steve certainly made a dream signing with Payne HEAs Camberra Tiger said, really good, pob nice to see the crossover, Lorenzo said, any chance consolidated pod going further? He said, I actually hope not, as I liked the additional content. Nice distraction when I'm at the gym and during car drives. But yeah, we're
certainly thinking about content. Guys. There may be any less content going further from both pods, but Steve, nice to see a few positive comments in there. No snake or something calling a soft that's.
Right, Yeah, yes, Snake had a real a couple of weeks.
AG know it was.
It was great, I think with Rob joined us the other night and then you and Gary joining their pod later in the week. It was a good thing, and maybe over time we can do a little bit more of that. At the end of the day, real West Tigers supporters, we all want the same thing. We all want to talk West Tigers. We all want to see
the West Tigers do well. And so if we can play our part and come together and be a little bit more united and give a little bit more content out there for people to enjoy, that's a good thing. I will say, though, I reckon that team. You know, to have the two original members in Eddie and Joel there and then the rookie in Rob and then the people's choice in myself, I think we've stumbled on possibly the best team ever.
A couple of shots by there declan, they returned the favorite schooes and we jumped on the West Tiger's life pot and they did a draft. I'm not sure if you're a fan of American sports, but it's pretty interesting try to pick two different West Tigers team. But I've got a slightly different question for you and the boys best five West Tigers players of all time if you had to rank them from five to one. I know you're a lot younger than us, so didn't see the
best part of the first decade. But I know you're aware of some of our great this players if you've got an order there.
So from like five to one, yeah, okay, so I think good prayer.
If you want to do no, I can do it.
Five.
So obviously, like number one, that's like pretty easy. I think that's Benji Marshall. That's probably gonna be everyone's consensus number one, Number two Robbie Farr a close second, and number three Clive Heard Clive Church of medal winner Scott Prince, winning half back, captain of apprenticeship winning team, number number three, number four, and five, I think like we all might have different ones, but I'm going to stick with who like I saw when I first moved here, and who
like has made the biggest and pressures me. I will go Gareth Ellis number four because I just thought he was sensational and like, probably haven't had someone like that like since he's left, even though the game's obviously different now.
But yeah, and then.
Number five, I'm gonna go we are safe and save someone like.
Joins Gondala's just a club legend just to be said that one.
Well, Gary at no point really repeating what declan said, I think the first four could be fairly unanimous. Five maybe is the one that's up in the air. What do you got?
Yeah, I'm exactly the same as stick one on the first four, but number five I would be going and Robert scha will love this. Retcondson, I think he's on our top five best players ever.
Fine with out order. Gary Prince at.
Three, exactly No, I'm the same as Steclan Steve, Yeah.
Exactly the same. The only difference is the order. I got Benji and Robbie at one and two. I just pok Gareth Ellis at three. The only reason he got aad of Scott Prince, you know by Whiska, is really because he was just so impactful. I know he didn't win a petition with this, but he just we didn't carry the forward pack, but he led the forward pack consistently. So I just put him as our third that he was my number three choice.
I haven't been following the votes Gary, of the two sides we put up, but I thought I thought we got the chocolates comfortably to have Scott Prince at halfback and Lewie No offense to Robert Louis, But I don't know if he's in the same class as those two boys.
Yeah, I thought ours was far and away the best team, despite what most people here had as a top two players. We made a decision to not really go after Benji and Robin Farrett because there are some guys there who do a really good job. So I think that was probably a strong strategic move that we made and I think our side was better.
Okay, venice to the West Life boys. They did have, you know, to Desco Benji, Gareth Ellis has some great players. Declan Under nine Ams Origin tonight. I don't know if I'll bother tuning in, but I might watch the first ten minuts. You sort of love these sort of games, don't you. The young fellas coming through, luke Li Lily starting on the wing. He's the only player selected. Apparently that's made his inner roldaboot. I don't know if that's just for New South Wales off for both teams, but
that's a bit unusual. I know in the past has been a few and Macassini is the eight eighth man, so unfortunately, unless he goes out and stomps on someone's foot in the warm up, we won't be seeing him tonight.
Yeah, I was really disappointed that he was eighteenth man. I just assumed he would start who was needing the squad. But yeah, it's gonna be interesting to see Looke playing his age grip, isn't it, Because you know, he came into fourth grade so young, kind of surprisingly for a lot of it look pretty good to start with, but I'm going to be really interested to see what he looks like an edge grip footy and by all the case, doing really really well in this Colds Cup, so that's
going to be interested to see. I'm hoping that he can find his way back into the fifth grade team at some point in this season because I think he's got a lot took. But then, like obviously nor in West Tiger's related, I think seeing that Mitch Woods and that Toby Rodwell, like Woods obviously from the Billdogs and then Rodville from the Risters, that they've come through with like huge raps on them.
So I'll be.
Interested to see how they jel, especially like Woods because there's so much we've talked about him with the Galvin piece, so it's gonna be interesting to see how he kind of sets him to that system going forward.
So Yeah, keen of Sey.
These games are always interesting because like there's death, like no matter what, there's always a few players that you look, you jump in time a few years and they're playing either origin or like pushing down the door of origin. So it's just good to see them at this stage of their careers.
Yeah, mac Issying actually only the only seventeen year old in the whole squad, even though he's not playing, so you can see that he's got some boom on him. But Steve, we've been it's interesting. We've been talking a lot of them this year about building a squad and the fact we don't have a lot of depth. But you forget how young sort of some of these guys, even Lukela Lily if him and Macasin he turned out to be really good outside backs. There's a first choice
winger and a first choice center. So maybe we are building some depth, but it might just be a couple of years away.
Yeah, I think that's right. We've discussed this a number of times on the problem. You know, one minute, we sort of the pendulum sort of swings both ways. You know, we one minute we're saying we've got we've got nothing, and we need to go out and buy a whole heap of players, and then when you have a real think about and have a look at it, you look at our current squad and you think, you know, it's not that far away. And if a couple of these guys do come through, like it's all we've been saying
all year we need a center, and we do. But if this Macasine he comes through, then maybe we're only a year away. I didn't realize until you just said, I didn't realize he was seventeen, So you know, I'm actually hoping he doesn't get a run this year. I hope we don't need him. I hope he can develop his craft a little bit. But then next year maybe he'll Next season he'll sort of break through and start
to show his presence in all age footy. But I'm looking forward to watching the game tonight and also want to just shout out to it if it's all right. Ella Walker and Evey McGrath, who are from the club, as all playing in NRLW nineties. As we're recording this.
Declar I think he should debut this year. Have you seen the size of him? Like, I've got to be honest, I've never seen him play a live game. I've seen YouTube clips two minutes, so great, great stuff there from me. But like he's got that is Ralph Alow sort of build,
Like he's filling out already. So I think if you're going to debut an eighteen year old and you know he's got the sort of build that might handle it, it's more mental, you know, whether stepping up to the NRL is the right thing to do this season.
Yeah, it's crazy that I remember.
I think when we beat the Sharks at all, there was a team photo and he was like obviously not playing, but he was in like the team uniform and he
was actually better than everyone else team. And I think there was an article that came out a few days ago that said he's one hundred and eight kilos in six foot four, so he's like pretty much like he's bigger than me, right, So that just kind of shows even though he's like seventeen years old, like he's probably like physically like you could make an argument that he might be ready for a first grade game, Like mentally, I'm not sure, and he's playing school board rugby union
at the moment, so he's not even like playing regular rugby league week in and week out, So you'd probably think that like once his schoolboy commitments are over for Newington, that he'll like play flag Cup maybe even and then maybe like towards the very end of the year, he'll
play some first grade. But that article did seem to suggest the club's pretty keen to give him some first grade experience, because I think he's actually on like a lot of money next season because he had lots of offers from like Japanese rugby, from obviously it's Julian Rugby.
And then other NROLD clubs, so I think you'd be on a fair bit of money.
So I can see them trying to fast track his development like they did without that lily last year. In terms of if he's ready, I think it's obviously difficult to tell an age group footy because you know, he has like significantly better or bigger as well than like his opposition. But he's the thing that gives me confidence is it wasn't just that he was bigger than everyone else.
He got a lot of skill as.
Well, like very good hands, soft hands, like quick pass, could do really well to set up his finger on that left side, and he's really good in the air as well. So as you said, like very similarly Israel flow Mode. I'm not sure if he's he's as fast is Asrael Floil was, but he's definitely got like a lot of similar attributes. And I'm actually a little bit bummed he's not playing tonight, But what needed from me?
You're not going to hurt him by holding back till next season. He turns out time in a month storm, so he's still a month away from being a teen. He's still a month away from being a lad to playing the NR.
If we're if we're.
Doing well and there's not a need to play, then I don't see the point of rushing and then just get him a bit of experience, getting him into the offseason training, getting into having a proper preseason, and see where he is at the start of next year and make a decision.
Then I just think there's something to be said, Like like you mentioned earlier, Eddie that oh it might have been New Decline, sorry that luke La Lilly is the only one tonight who's actually played NRLL. So there's something, there's something that other clubs believe who's right in holding guys back a little bit, obviously, but I just want
to go back to the Harry Grant example. I don't know, everyone's different and you can't judge everyone the same, but I just believe Harry Grant is the player he is today because he was brought through so well through the Melbourne system and was held back a little bit and he learned his craft and then when he came into first grade, he was one hundred percent ready and then just absolute kicked it. And I you know, I know there's there's a theory out there that says if you're
good enough, you're old enough. And there's bloks who've forgotten more about footy than I'll ever know that subscribe to that, So there's probably something in that as well. But I just think we can we can damage players by bringing them in too early, you know, like you can even use Galvin as an example.
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Yeah, I do think I do agree with that, Steve.
I think that Galvin has probably the perfect example of someone we probably give the keys to too early, really dead burners. But with Harry Grant, I think that's a really unique situation because he happened to have like Cameron Smith walk in his pathway, you know, the greatest player.
Of all time. But Macassin he has Adam Dewy in his pathway.
So it's not exactly the same, you know, like path to first grade. So I can imagine obviously, like like when you're winning, as Gary said, if we're winning.
You know, and we're going to play finals pretty.
Then yeah, there would be no rush to to play them. But when like you know, the team might be struggling, there's an injury, I could see the temptation to kind of hit two buchs with one stone, and then you know, like what if he's like genuinely ready to play first grade and like he can he can make a difference. Because I remember Joseph so Leady, it's a very similar story, like school boy Union prodigy, like played first grade for
the Wristles when he was in high school. So but you know, I'm not fast through their way, to be honest, but it would be a good story when it happens.
Interesting to buy. It's probably the stave you probably right, be far more examples of you know, bringing in eighteen year olds and burning him rather than helping him. But I was I'm going to use a little loophole. You know, I'm not allowed to mention Galvin, but you just mentioned him, so I'm using a little loophole here. You said it damaged him. Do you mean it damaged us as a club because I look at him as a footballer and gone, it hasn't hurt him.
Well, we don't know that yet. And he like he might go on and be an absolute superstate. He probably will be. You know, he's got a lot of natural ability. But I think I think it has hurt him. I think going to the club, I think he feels I think he felt he was on the outer at our club. And you know, watching him early on as he was preparing to absolute start with Canterbury, he looked to be trying really hard to get in with the crowd. He's a bit on the outer And I don't know what
am I trying to say. I think it's probably damaged him psychologically a little bit. Now Serrouto might just bring out that the best in him, turning around feeling full of confidence. He'll be fine, but it could knock him around.
I'm trying to I'm trying to garry. I'm trying to make the listeners hate me like they hate you by mentioning Galvin every week.
I don't think you'll have to try too hard.
Camber Raiders Preview Boys, we play them tomorrow night, so hopefully we'll get this potty out either late Thursday night or definitely early Friday morning. Declan. It's been more than a Bogie side in the last six or seven years or the sword of side that can run up big scores. Although we did beat them forty eight to twenty four at the same ground last year at Campbelltown, they've only won seven from seventeen there. So is there any cause for optimism here or not.
I just have a good feeling about this. Again, we have some metal reinforcement coming back, and then I don't know, the Reds, they're just like kind of cruising at the moment in terms of Whens, So maybe we could just jag them on an off night, on a cold, off night at Campbelltown like we did last season. But they're a really good team and I was looking at their team lesson they have no injuries except for I think Ricky stuart Son is coming in on the wing. So
it's just incredible. The keep for like a really healthy team like pretty much the entire season. So they're going to be really difficult debate. But I think that if we can play like we did against Penrith, I atink we have a chance to beat in them. So I'm optimistic in that regard. I'm not I probably wouldn't types to win, but I think we should get close to them.
So Dick la mall right and saying your suggestion that a cold night in Campbelltown is going to put Camber off, is that? Is that what you're saying.
I have been to Canberra.
I've actually been in Canberra Stadium, but they still have to travel, Steve, and you know fair enough.
Yeah, I won't, you know, Gary, I won't mention that on Tuesday night I predicted it was going to be a ten to one penalty count to Queens and I'm not going to make to that.
You wouldn't mention something like that, would you.
But I will mention the fact that I thought this could be a letdown spot for camera not because it's Cammebelltown, because it's a cold they used to the cold and blah blah blah. But they've had a lot of huge occasions this year and big comeback wins or big wins over sides they weren't meant to beat. And last year they turned up at Cameltown and they weren't there from the first minute. So there's a little piece of me that thinks that could happen.
Yeah, I don't think it's for yond in the realms of possibility. I was actually feeling quite confident until Lui was selected to going to the new South oil side. I thought if we had a nice strong week leading into this game, that we could ambush them down there and pull off an upset. No I being away for the week and backing up has me a little bit less confident about that. But Cameras had a fairly hard run to the start of their season.
Last week. Was there first buy for the season?
I think a lot of sides are shown that Rusty coming off a buye and I know where coming off of buye as well, but it was our second buy in about a month, and from what I saw, I don't think we use that by how we have in the past, where we let players have the week off and then you come back and hit the ground running again.
We've been awful coming off by his Gary in the last few years it's been.
Yeah, I think this time we've used it as a working buy where we've kept training throughout and I think that will put us in better stead going into into tomorrow night's game. And well, I'm not that I'm not going to sit here and say, oh, We're going to win this game, but it wouldn't surprise me if we could pull if Camera shows up and they're a little bit off and we play like we did against Penrith, that we can pull out an upset Declan.
You mentioned Camera been virtually at full strength all year, Like we're pretty much a full strength year, aren't we.
Oh I suppose, well we're not Galvin anymore, but yeah, I get what you mean in terms.
Of like everyone is still at the club.
I like Twill and Twil and Paul are being inclusions for us, especially against that pack that's a strong pack.
Yeah, I think that with Roy's hunt as well, kind of falling out of favor with Benji Marshall. I think like those are like crucial inclusions, especially Pole, because it's just like he just adds when he's on, he just adds that extra a little bit of X factor and
then twelve is overs is super consistent. But yeah, I don't know, just something like it just seems like Canberra it's one of those teams that like everything is just going so well for them this season and they're building in the finals nicely, and like they don't really seem I know, they've got like a few Origin players.
I wouldn't say that they're.
Terribly affected by Origin like other teams will, which stucks because usually we do get like either a Penrith or a storm or something like that during Origin when all their players are gone.
But we haven't managed to get that this time. But who knows.
It's going to be an interesting Hopefully. I'm hoping lat two gets a little bit more time and this game, because I thought when he came on against Penrith, we look so much better and I was a little bit surprised that he wasn't actually named to start. But with the press conference, you're saying that he's still in a minute's restraction, which is not ideal, but you know, like he's clearly still coming back from injury, so hopefully he's mating,
you know, stands up. But yeah, it's going to be a good test for us, and hopefully we can stay competitive because they're a good team. Camera they've got a lot that They've got lots of different ways that they can be at you, So we're gonna have to be on our game.
Yeah, definitely.
I thought when LA two went off against the Panthers, we kind of lost their way a little bit, and I thought, if he has stayed on that entire second half, I think we probably get away with that win because I think he's that important to the why we play the way.
He stridens the attack.
I think, especially with Lua, who does have a habit of creeping brus the field a little bit lats of super in that role. So hopefully those minutes, even though he's on a minute restriction, hopefully they're a little bit more than they were last game, because I think.
He's not a minute's restriction or is that implied by Benji?
Look when I saw the side announced on Tuesday. That was my assumption straight away is that he's not starting because he can't play that eighty minutes yet. And there was a comment today that came out from Benji that he's going to get a real good opportunity soon. The only thing that's stopping that from coming now is that his fitness, So I think they're just taking it easy with him.
I haven't seen that it was official. I Decon may have seen something.
I've been at work all day, but I haven't seen Benji say that it was a minute restriction. But that's what I'm assuming, and from Benji's comments that I have seen today, it sounds about right to me.
Yeah, you just said.
I read an article that was caught in for the press conference that says he's like Stelen and Manut's retraction and build enough, it's bett Nes And it just sucks because I think, like Heath Mason, he's like clearly a good player, and I think he's going to be a first grade player, but he is a little bit too dimensional in the sense that he's a really good runner of the ball. But that's kind of like his like
skill set at the moment. But with last two he just does so much to kind of straighten up the attack, especially in the middle of the field, that then brings out the best in Louie.
Then I feel like we've got Louie and.
Mace and they're kind of just like the best at running the ball, and there's not much like setting up for other people.
And I think, like, yes, when, like.
You know, obviously the highlight players, like all those tries against the Cowboys, it looks good, But then I just think that, like what last Yer brings is so much more through dimensional and like he just needs to start the team as soon as possible in my opinion.
Yeah, the other thing with Mysa and his defense was pretty awful against the Papers, So as soon as we can get Lato in that role, it's going to be best for the time. And it also it really allows us to see whether how hard we need to go after a half for next year. I really want him to get a few games back to back so we can kind of get an idea of what we're going to see next year and what we need to.
Do for next year.
Do you think his defense was awful Gary just because he's undersized, or do you think it's technical thing because I heard mixed things after that game. Some people praised him for his defense, but they he is He's going to be a spot player, no doubt.
Look, he has plenty of tickery, definitely has a go, But he's a young guy coming in the first grade, like he is another teenager, and he's just getting bumped off some tackles. He's missing some tackles, and I don't Yeah, I don't really hold it against him, but he is very dangerous sniffing around the ruck and that footwork and acceleration is a real key, and I think he'll actually be a key against Camera. Camera is a pretty big forward pack, which is interesting because we're gone with a
fairly small bench. So I think our plan is going to be to move those big forwards around and try and tire them out. And a guy like Keith Mason can really take advantage of that laid in the halves. So yeah, I think your plan has to be the tie those forwards, and I think Mason has a big chance to yeah, great some havoc with them.
I think his goal, like his defense on the line as well, was also a questionable, like he didn't directly mess any tackles that led to tries. But that I think Jenkins scored a hat track on his said defensively and you could tell that some of his smaller decisions impacted everyone else, which then created a space for Jenkins to score. So that also worries me. I don't think he's really comfortable at the minute defending in the front line because he has played the last three years of throwback.
So that's just something else he's just going to have to adjust to if he's going to permanently make the transition to the haves, which is like to be expected because I know he did play five eights growing up in junior grade, but he has been a specialist throw back for at least the last three years. So these are the kind of small details that he's probably not going to be christ necessarilier back into the transition.
Steve, Besides, you know, ambushing or hoping they play like crap, how do you beat a side like camera?
Well, I agree with what Gary said. I've got that written down that we've got to use the ball the side we have picked where we can't try to push through the middle of them because we won't. I think what's really important with Camber is we need to wrap the ball up. You know, we are notoriously poor when sides play good second phase play against this, so we've got to wrap the ball up and not let them get that second phase game, which which they can be really dynamic gap and you know you do that by
get numbers in tackles. But also we're going to need a really fast line speed, so we're going to have to defend and defend quickly and defend efficiently all game eighty minutes and that way we've got we've got a chance to beat them. I think we've also got to pressure the young bloke on the wing, Stewart put kick to him all day. Obviously, if we do that, we do it well. The thing that scares me most with Canberra I suppose that they're never out of a game, right.
They can have some down moments, but they always just seem to bounce back. And so we're going to have to play an eighty minute game as well, you know, minimize our errors and just be in that concentration for eighty minutes.
Yeah, for me, if we are going to it, it's going to be a game where we come over the top of the mate. If you have a look so far. Our trend recently is the finished game is quite strongly. Now we need to be working over their middles, we need to be working them over all game, make it
moving them side to side. I can see a fair bit of short interchange passing between our forwards right at the line, just to kind of create that little bit of extra work for their forwards and hopefully that ties them out and creates those opportunities late in the first half and especially late in that second half.
So like, it's not ideal though, Gary, is it. I mean, you've said that a number of times, and I'm not saying you're wrong that we're a better side at the end of the game, But how many times we conceived the first try this year? To be fair, they actually started well against Penrith, they just didn't put some points on the board. But I wouldn't want to start slow against Canberra because they could blow you away.
I reckon Well, honestly, I just think it's the makeup of the squad. I think where a guy who can start the game in the middle with a bit of impact. I think we're sure of that guy. Like I really like what Perila Polo adds to our team, but I think we need a little bit more punch for the middle at the start of the game that he both he and May can't really provide. May's a guy who's having a fantastic season, but he gets better the longer
the game goes on. He gets his fitness comes into play and he's able to push out minutes that no one else can and his impact in Perus and meet a gain in Prus as a game goes on. And I just don't think we have that impact early in the game to be a fast starting side. And I think for the majority of the season, I think I've been saying it since about round one. We're going to have to hang on in those opening twenty minutes, and
that's really important tomorrow. Defensively, we need to be strong in that opening twenty minutes because if we let in two or three tries during that time without being able to really penetrate canmera ourselves, then then it's going to be a long night. So it's really crucial not so much that we get off to a really strong start defensively, in my.
Opinion, Unfortunately, a lot of the time we don't help ourselves either. We put ourselves under pressure? How how many games have we seen the same scenario play out where the first five minutes, first five minutes, so maybe first six or seven sets, back and forth, back and forth, and it's all quite because then we give away a penalty or then we drop a ball and compound it
with a rough penalty. And then one set later, they've got to six again and another six again, and they're attacking our line, and they get three repeat sets on our line. And in past seasons you could guarantee that they would score six points. This season, not so much. We can repel that better than we have, but we tend to put ourselves under pressure through not completing, through not focusing, through not executing as well as we could as well. I agree with what you know, Gary is saying about
the lack of punch up the middle. But I think we're our own worst enemies sometimes.
Royce Hunt deck and where's he at? I mean, I'll be totally honest here, Like when we first signed Terry L. May Or in the mix, I was sort of like, I got some red flags here and Gary would know that. But I sort of came around on that one. But Royce Hunt I was the same on him, but more for just football reasons. I just don't know. I can't think of the top of my head, how many players these days play twenty minutes and have a real impact. Maybe that big Broncos guy who's eight foot tall off
the bench. I ever know his name. But I just think those those sort of players are going out of the game. You know, they're probably in a few years will be listening the changes, and you know, I just I think he's been a waste of money. I'll be honest.
I mean, yeah, I think at the time when we signed him, we were just looking for that Stefano replacement, and then the calculation would have been that, okay, like we can surely get like at least ten more minutes of you know, quality pretty time out of them, and then obviously tell me you're gonna kind of fill out the tree.
And thank god he did, because.
If he hadn't, we've been a lot of trouble right now, like because you know, Hunt hasn't like when he started, he's been really poor. But I don't know, I just didn't think that Hunt was playing that badly when like he was coming off the bench for it.
It's like, yes, it got a little bit loose.
In the middle when he did play the big minutes, but like he still added that value. So I don't know, Like I'm not sure why he wouldn't just be coming off the bench now. But and it just show with the Sharks, like he kind of came as advertised that yes, he's kind of like that kind of prop has going out of fashion, but you know, like we've got him contracted, like surely we should try and use them to the
better of his abilities. I don't understand it, because like I don't know what is having Jack Burdes like there instead of him do.
I just don't get when you've got light who.
Like attitude declin Like, I don't know. I'm not inside the walls of Concord.
Gay.
Yeah, I think it's an effort of getting getting fitter. I'm hoping they're playing. I haven't watched the lower grade games he's playing, and I haven't really had a check to say how I was going, But I hope he's playing a few more minutes there.
I think he's fit.
This level probably dropped away, and this is an attempt at getting a little bit.
Fitter playing close to half a game. If my memory is correct. There.
I feel like because augament training, I don't understand why, Like I like my understanding was that he got dropped because he wasn't playing well.
Match fits is different now, isn't it? Like you can't really train that. I think you've got to do it in.
Games, Like I don't know, but you can do it, like you can take positive steps to buld it up.
But I would haven't playing. That's we that's we can. I think we need them, but clearly the coach is actually something else.
But yeah, where do you think it's at Steve with him, I don't want to labor it, but like I'm not against a little clip around the ear like Benji dropped jack byrd for a week and maybe sometimes it's just too you know, jop players. But this is now a couple of weeks for Hunt. Where's it going?
Yeah, I'm concerned that it's it's prolonged. I agree with you. When he was originally dropped, I thought it was going to be out for one week and then straight back. We need, we need what he brought to the team earlier in the season. I'm nervous of that opinion EDDI that he was a waste of money I thought he was doing in those first half dozen games of the
season was critical to our success. That impact he bought from the bench at the twenty five minute mark was absolutely fantastic, you know, when Jack Bird was fresher in the season at the time, and together when they would both come on and had huge impact on us. I think it's defensive. I think it's fitness, and I think that then demonstrates itself on the field through his defensive efforts.
And I think that's why he's not being picked, because I think he becomes a defensive liability of a minuity fatigues, whether he spat the dummy, and there's a bit of attitude. We don't know, right, I'd hate to think that's the case. I've got no reason to think it is the case. But he's obviously been told to improve his fitness and maybe he's got to hit a benchmark and he hasn't in it yet.
It's interesting that the issues we kind of have with him really started to show when we moved into that starting prop.
Role off the Poula got injured. So I think they were his poorest games.
So hopefully those increase minutes in Cup can get him that a little bit fitter can and getting back in because I agree with Steve what he provided in those opening few rounds, coming on about the twenty five to thirty minute mark and having a short stint I thought was really important to our team, and that was the part of the game where I was feeling most confident about our ability to oken sides up off the back
of his playables. So hopefully we can get him into some kind of fitness and into some kind of role in the team soon.
I don't know what Kat the Lily has to do to get a game, because yeah, because he's just that, like he's the opposite point where he's that like modern day like felt load of the ground, lots of leg drive,
like quite more bail. I'm not sure if he's like I'm not sure how if fat is determined how many minutes he can play, But like he would just be someone like i'bout a pocket rocket you could play off the bench, and he has that mobility, and he played really well in the Bill Dogs trial, and by all accounts,
he played really well for the Magpies last weekend. I just don't get I don't know why he isn't getting some minutes and then he got like he was on the bench against Permouth, but he didn't even get game to him. Now, I saw some justificads, some justification letter that it might have been like an imprompt thing to get last back on the field, and that you was the last in the case. But I'm a bit surprised that he hasn't played more flush grade this season, to be honest, Yeah, I.
Was really disappointed when he didn't get any gang time against the Panthers. I was really excited from what we saw in the in the troll. I really wanted him get more in that second troll to see really what he has the offer against center old.
Players because he has impact. He runs the whole extreme we have.
He doesn't hold back, and I'm a huge fan of kid. I can't wait to see him get some more time in SR because I really think he has to offer. So hopefully we get to see some of him soon too.
Steve, I don't think I can go to Campbelltown ever again. I just until we win a game. I know you're laughing like you're crazy. You've got to get on a flight to somewhere in the east. Is at Dubai two in the morning on that day, you're getting on a flight or getting ready for a flight at six in the morning or whatever, and you were going to go to Campbelltown tomorrow night in the freezing cold and probably
watch us lose. Give me one good reason why I should go out there, given I reckon I've lost the last twelve games, not that I've had anything to do with playing or coaching when I've been out there.
Because you're a West Tiger, Eddie, because your claws out mate, because you're there for the team.
All those k's coming out are they.
Because you've got a mindset that you never give up. You support your team through thick and thin.
Eddie doesn't have that mindset.
No, I don't know.
You've been an elite sportsman. Well, you keep telling this, you've been an elites. I'm still still waiting to see the video. But you've been an elite sportsman. You know what it's like. Get out there and support the team. You know what I'll do. I'll go out to Campbelltown. I'll watch the game. We'll have a glorious victory. I'll come home about eleven o'clock. I'll sit there and turn it on and watch it again and then I'll jump on a plane and just you.
On the hill or in the corporate box tomorrow night.
No, I'm in my I'm in my my paid for seat.
What are you meeting with Abra and Dubai? Are you meeting with one of those chieks or are you going to be like this fake sheek that to buy the club or for us?
Not sure how anyone who listeners is interested at all, But I am spending a week with my son who currently lives over there, and.
Third party deals will be nicely.
And looking forward to it.
Yes, No, I actually I heard a rumor that Steve is actually trying to put a call asher together to buy the club with some sports watching money from the Middle East.
So yeah for that one.
The Middle Eastern money it's taken over and boxing and other sports and Steve the Sheik when he comes back if he's things on it.
So anyway, if we put the eye kicks up and we pressure their winger, I think we'll do pretty well. Isn't it time for the quiz?
Sorry, there was no denial about buying the club there exactly. Let's do the quiz before I get in trouble. What I'm saying, here got his quiz. My favorite time of the week. I'm hosting it tonight.
Boys.
Question one's a multiple choice so you can listen to this. Who scored our first try in the twenty ten Do or Die semi final against the Green Machine? In camera? Was it a Chris Hydington, B Gareth Ellis, see Lottie Dakiri or d Chris Lawrence? I reckon they all scored on the night, But who scored the first try? Steve, I'm going to say Chris Lawrence, declan, I'm.
Going to say Chris Lawrence as well.
I was gonna say Chris Lawrence, but I'm going to go lighting just to be different.
No, all wrong.
In the seventh minute it was Chris Hidington and he celebrated the way everyone seems to say lebrate these days, Steve. They just kicked the ball into the crowd.
What is it about that?
Are they getting Are they getting money on the side for that or something?
I don't mind that if you want to kick well as long as you're winning. When you're down by twenty points and you do a celebration, there's something wrong with it.
I've got the try July coming up, deck and I like the silly try celebrations when you're down by thirty and you taking to I don't think that's quite funny.
Well, what would try celebration should be any I know you probably scored times when you're back in the day, but what would you go for it?
Just walk back to halfway? Yeah yeah, yeah, betting on the other team or something terrible? Question two is it true or false?
Boys out?
Two two thousand and six games against the Raiders had the same halftime, full time and Golden points score pols wollso it is false. Both games come up with the answers. Both games had the same halftime score, which was twelve all, same full time score or eighteen all but one Golden Point game was decided by a penalty goal, and that would have been against US without doubt, and the other by a field goal with camera winning both. Imagine losing to the same side twice in Golden Point in a
year that could only happen to us. Question three, Name the four NRL players who we have directly signed from the Raiders jumping whenever you like?
Or the first lay lure? What was his name?
Yeah, Joey.
I was going to say, but if.
Todd Peyton came from the rus He went to the roosters first, isn't he ju came from the rest of them? Yeah, that might he might have been reserved great from hur from the readers. One for Gary, there's two more. One was a redhead second rower. Red Eddy was sort of a back roller A.
Yeah, I know who you're talking about, Joel Edwards.
Col Edwards. Well done, Declin. So we've all got one and the last one there's a little pocket rocket. Declan can't get this one because it was two thousand and one to two thousands. Lincoln Withers in the halves played forty six games. I like that question question four nearest to the pin. So Gary, you're going to go first? Cheat and these ones. Since our inaugural two thousand season,
West Tigers have debooted three hundred players. Whoever that bloke that played last week would have been number three hundred Murray in the same amount of time, how many players have camera da boot? Gary, go first?
Uh, two hundred and.
Eighty one, Declan, I'm going to go two hundred and thirty to forty five.
Well, declan your nearest two hundred two. So that's it. It's a good quiz from you this week because it's given me talking points. He's basically saying, this is the reason we've been awful for twenty five years, because we nearly used one hundred more players than Camera who haven't been great over the past quarter century.
It's a good quiz as long as all these questions are right this week.
Question five? Who am I? I was born in Sydney in nineteen eighty three. Debuted with a Western Sydney team the year before they won the Grand Final. Wasn't part of their premiership winning squad. I joined the West Tigers in the season after we were defending Premiers SO two thousand and six, well two thousand and seven, defending premiers season after we were defending Premiers SO seven. Played one game as a starting prop. I remember that and ruptured
Mike Keilles Tendon. I remember this was like a Tim Sheen's one oh one Crazy to the Grant. Not Tim Grant. He wasn't not Bronson Harrison. I finished with the Joint Venture in the season we finished ninth, scoring one, trying thirty four appearances. Continued playing NRL until I moved finished in the Super League. I say this is the Big One. I shared the same surname as a West Tiger's two thousand and five Grand Final winner. Probably started in the
forward pack that night. Probably started at Locke, Anglia well Daniel Ga no relation to Bengalia but Danny Gallier so Debud Penrith West Tigers two thousand and seven and two thousand and nine. So thank you, Jodi. I thought that was one of your best. That quiz tonight. All right, boys, that's it. I told you Ael tonight, Steve. I sent him a text. I said, I'm not coming on Sunday night because i need a break. I've done three podcasts in five days. I've been worked.
Am I one podcast? What's that carry long podcast?
I know?
So we're getting paid per minute to be good, but we're not so declan you might have to jump on Sunday night. But obviously if we lose that won were happening.
I'll be there as long as it's said before my bedtime.
Popefully christ our best. All right boys, thank you, jeers guys, those guys sto