Will New Zealand or Samoa win the Pacific Championships? That, plus much more.
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0:00 20-round NRL season
9:56 Starting a podcast
20:25 Darren Lockyer
28:36 Soccer bug
36:47 Cameron Smith reportedly in talks with the Broncos
47:07 Storm v Broncos rivalry and 2008 finals series
1:09:50 Golden boot nominees
1:15:39 New Zealand v Samoa preview
Just a bloke in a bar. What is up, ladies and gentlemen? Welcome to another episode of Pack Her Up, boys. Uh, proudly brought to you by Lontel. As usual, guys, you know the drill. It’s a gaming weekend in the offseason without much footy. It is a gaming weekend. Now, I will say I may be doing a little bit of a a watch along for the Pack Champs game. I’m just trying to find the freaking green screen at my home. I don’t know where it is. I don’t know where it is. Hope I can find it and I could be Look, the thing about this time of year for us is like obviously we’re still working, but it’s like essentially the break for us now. We’ll get probably two weeks. Well, there’s never a week we’re not doing nothing. Matty will probably have a week or two where there’ll be nothing. Yeah. But like then that obviously then I take over and fully like instead of kind of doing some posts, I’ll do all of the posts and M does some of the post when he’s here, but then when he’s away, he won’t do any. Uh, so yeah, you never get like a full well you never get any time off per se, but like posting [ __ ] on the like Instagram and that like I get it. It does it’s an extra little like nugget in your head you got to think about, but it’s not like that’s not work. It doesn’t take very long. It doesn’t take you know you got Canva, bang, bang, bang, you bang her up, you put her up. That the hardest the thing that is the hardest when when you’re supposed to be like not working is you have to stay engaged with the news all the time. So you’ve got to be cuz like if the news drops and you’re like a day late it’s just like don’t even post it. Um so but it’s like as I said like you know it’s not really work like work is digging ditches. Work is sitting behind a computer all day. So anyway, uh in the offseason we got time to play video games and LEL actually you know so I have just added another they Lel sent me an adapter not an adapter sorry a um extender not because my house is big because like my internet thing is in a uh it’s in a cupboard and my bedroom is probably like maybe 8 m from it. So when it’s in a cupboard and that block the line side is blocked quite a lot. So I got an extender. So now in my room my internet is just flying whereas before it’s in the second bedroom where my computer is where um you know my internet’s wired plugged in. Plus also even if it wasn’t wide it would go cuz it’s right next to the router. But anyway it’s absolutely flying. You guys you know the drill. You know the drill. Go to longtail.net.au/blo. You pay as you go. You pay for the speed you use. Um you know there’s none of this like you know at 6:00 it starts slowing down cuz there’s too many people on the internet. This is premium internet. This is this is internet for people of the future. You get you only pay for what you use and also you get crazy speeds. On top of all that, you may be eligible to get your uh internet upgraded to fiber. Fiber run under your house. Go to the link in the show notes. I think it’s $150,000 residents that have it available to them. Used to cost $30,000 to get this done. It is now free. And it’s not the old MBN. I promise you that so much. You check my Instagram, you see all the fast speeds. That’s the MBN today. It is crazy fast. like insane fast. So massive thank you to Longtail. Support people that support us guys. Everyone’s got internet. Everyone has internet at home. So if you love the podcast by going to a better provider that I can promise you. I mean in my opinion anyway. Um I’ve had plenty of internets. I’ve never had something like this before. Um it supports the platform. It really does. So make sure to use the code bloke so they know that you’re from the bloke community. Uh and also people that have signed up but haven’t gone further to use their 7-day free trial or $25 credit. Make sure to link it all up. If you’re having trouble navigating things, give customer service a call. They’ve won customer service of the year 5 years running. So much so that other companies are like desperate to get what they have in regards to customer service. But uh Matty, how you going, bro? I’m good. I I tell you what, um shook me. I think it was yesterday. Um obviously this is the last week of footy for the year. It’s obviously such a long year. It starts in February. There’s only like two and a half preseasons have started, bro. That’s what I’m about to say. Oh, really? [ __ ] Sorry. Like no, no, all good. Justin Hullbrook saying that the young guys have impressed him. I’m like, you’re back at preseason. That’s crazy, bro. That’s crazy. And like I hate to be a negative negative Nancy or a Debbie Downer, but it just shows you the season’s too long, bro. The fact that these boys are already back at preseason this week for next year, it’s crazy. Listen, I’d get it if it was a, you know, I’d get it if it was a a softer sport. Uh, soft is the wrong word, but you know what I’m saying. Less contact. Less contact. Yeah, mate. It’s just like the things these boys like, no wonder we’re having crazy injuries all the time. Like, no wonder. And look, I know like you could probably look at the numbers and you’d say, “Oh, numbers are kind of the same.” But I don’t know. The eye test suggests to me that maybe more of our stars are getting injured. It just feels like it really does feel like that the last two or three years injuries have increased to star players. It feels like it. Well, as a Rabbitos fan, I’m I’m feeling that hard. But no, seriously, like across the board, it it does seem like it’s definitely ramped up. And look, I I understand the NL in a rock in a hard place cuz I think right now the NL probably probably sitting there going, guys, just just bear with us until the next TV rights deal so that we can get these extra teams in, reduce the rounds, but have more to sell to the um you know, build the international game up. But really, the perfect scenario would be 20 games a season, every game essentially matters. Yep. Uh and then then the focus is on an international game. That’s what I think. I think that’d be the perfect if we can build the international game up enough where it’s maybe not on par. Well, I mean it would be great to be on par with the NRL, but like closeish to it, then that that’s what they could sell to the you know, you know, I think at the moment the the the tough from a business perspective is like, well, we can have that at the moment we get 27 rounds to sell and we have the international game, which is I get that, but my argument against that would be yes, in the short term maybe it’s less to sell the 20 games. However, the product like imagine how hectic a season would be if it cut off at the 20 round mark. Well, but if you do the maths, it’s still the same amount of games because there’s more games squished into the 20. I think it’s like I think it’s like within 10 or 20 games, so it’s actually not that difference, but it’s all high quality. Yeah. Like everything matters really like um and so and also like cuz like the thing that sucks I think about the current thing is obviously the players and everything like that. That’s the number one priority. But two, like you can’t deny me even the the most, you know, the the dieh hard fan gets to round 20 or so and goes, “Geez, some of these games are like the pits.” And so I just wish that I want a season where until I get to like round the last two or three rounds, I’m going anyone can make the eight. Yeah. You know what I mean? Whereas whereas like right now we get to probably round 18, you reckon? Yeah. around when when Origin ends around so around yeah 181 19 181 19 and you’re like okay four teams come back the eight they’re done and like you really got to think about how far away round 18 is to round 27 that’s like almost 3 months it’s crazy it’s crazy so and that’s and then finals footy starts you know so look I understand like from a business perspective like I get it I really do but gez like I’ seen the boys go back I just think fire out man like, you know, and I I I understand there’s probably going to be a comment, you know, I get it. Oh, mate, I’m bloody I’m digging ditches every single week. I get it. There are hard jobs out there that suck. Doesn’t mean that everyone else’s job has to suck, too. Like, let’s It’s It’s so physical on the bodies, uh, rugby league, and I understand it’s a privilege to play it. I get all that. Doesn’t mean we can’t make it a better version of itself. Agreed. Um, so, yeah, eventually I hope they do. I think 20 rounds is perfect. I think that keeps you essentially engaged most of the year. And like I understand that some people say, “Oh, you know, what about the teams that lose their first 10 games? They’re definitely out then or something like that.” But like I think I think most seasons you’d find that it would be pretty edge a seat until around round 17 18 on if you lose the first 10 games and that’s Sorry, that’s a you problem. Yeah, I know. I know. I know. Um I’m just trying to cover for every scenario that comes up cuz people like put it this way. What I’m trying to say is this is I know that we could sit here and punch holes through it. I haven’t sat down and freaking worked with a board of people to get the right layout. I just get the feel from having watched like I watch footie obviously I played it watched it pretty a couple years I didn’t watch it like I watched it vaguely um when I retired but like seriously like essentially every game it’s probably been about 6 years now probably about six years now five six years and I just feel like when I get to about round 20 I’m starting to go okay okay let’s wrap it up here let’s wrap it up now granted I know that people go oh well the Broncos wouldn’t have gone on their run well [ __ ] fair enough then you know yeah that’s just what that’s it they gone around. Okay. Um, so yeah, seeing the boys come back to preseason. Jeez, man. I just I just wanted to have a look. I don’t know if this is like this perfectly works out, but I just looked at the ladder for round 20, which is seven rounds before it ends. It’s the exact same top eight except for one team. So basically, seven of the eight teams are in it. Then I went back seven more rounds, and like the Cowboys are in the eight, Manley are in the eight, the Dragons are in the eight. like it’s if you condense the season so you get this crazy fire into the end of the last few games. Yeah. Yeah. And uh it wouldn’t just teeter out like it kind of did. That’s such a good point because nothing essentially nothing changed in the last seven rounds except one team. Yeah. Whereas in the last seven rounds before the end of round 20, was it three teams dropped out? Yeah. Yeah. Uh Manley, who by to be fair was still there round 20. Um Cowboys, they ended up freaking almost bottom four. Dragons they didn’t get close. They were even lower down. Um, let’s have a look. Broncos were 11th. Crazy. Rooers Roosters were 12th. Penri were 14th. So like imagine that ride into the finals for pen fans. Exactly. Right. Because like what happened is is that they started playing well and we got to a point where like oh it’s not not will they make the eight. It’s like will they make top four and then they were like yeah we won’t bother doing that cuz we want to you know rest our boys. So you see what I mean? Like all the hype happens around round 16 17 18 19 20. So that’s a great great insight there. Great insight. That’s why you’re there. That’s why you’re the best in business, mate. Um, I was thinking the other day how much I don’t appreciate how good you’ve gotten at switching to people as they talk. What? What do you mean? Like doing this? Yeah. Switching to people as they talk. Do you remember when you first come you would have been like stressed out as [ __ ] I tell you what I what I liken it to. You know when like I mean you know this better than any know how like you’re playing a PlayStation game and you don’t even think about what you’re pressing? That’s it for me now. Really? I don’t I do not it I reckon it hasn’t crossed my mind what button I’m pressing for for like 3 years. Wow. It’s just it’s just become like a motor skill. Whereas when you first got the machine to do it I was going to the wrong people and [ __ ] I remember I wigged out once. We had a Wendle sailor in really really early and like I wanted to get it so perfect and I like I switched when he was talking I was on you for like it would have been like 10 seconds and I wigged out so much cuz you were like locked into the conversation. Yeah. Yeah. But I weed out so much in the edit that I like got it off the camera and edited it. But like now if it’s on you for 10 seconds, give a [ __ ] W That’s funny cuz But yeah, back in the day we would get the cards and then edit it, wouldn’t we? Rather than on the fly. Well, you used to I I just did that as a backup just in case something Oh, so you never did that? No. Oh, wow. Yeah, I used to do that. [ __ ] For years, man. Years, man. I’ll never forget like it’s I just I don’t know where I got the motivation from. Yeah, I know. I mean, I know where I got it from. I was desperate. I’d [ __ ] like life or death desperate. I was like, I’m going to do anything possible to make this work. Packing up, working all week, covered in coal, so dirty, bro. Packing up, driving all the way from Willingong to Sydney, doing the interview, packing it all down, coming down, and then on the weekend just [ __ ] it the whole time. So, literally no extra time basically. Really? Yeah. Like what’s weird is looking back on it now because when I’m when I commit to something it’s like the way I I I struggle to commit to things cuz I when I do I almost say there’s no way out of this now. Like you can’t go halfway and then just go all right I’m not I don’t like this anymore. Yeah. So like for example when I started everything 10 years ago now far out. I actually procrastinated for six months because I was like, “Oh, [ __ ] Once I get into this, like I’m there’s no turning around. Like my life changes forever. I’m not stopping until it sorts itself out essentially.” It’s funny. It’s funny that because like I get that mindset, but like you’ve already spent 10 grand. I know. Yeah. That’s what’s crazy. So, I’d already spent all the money, couldn’t afford it, was on a credit card. Putting 10 grand on a credit card is crazy. crazy stuff for something that I don’t even really know cuz like the thing and I I don’t want to sound like a [ __ ] talking about like all this but like what people don’t realize with at least my journey in Australia I’m I’m navigating blind at the start I don’t have anyone like yes there is over Joe Rogan there’s like a podcast but at that stage I don’t know if they had they might have had like one sponsor or something maybe I don’t know whereas like in Australia like as a when I started the podcast like I didn’t know whether get the ground. I didn’t know whether, you know, businesses would be interested to sponsor it. Like none of that. I I didn’t know whether it would work. Now, when you start a podcast, there’s a very clear vision for what you do to do, you know, go out, you get your sponsors. And granted, like even right now, getting sponsors for a podcast, there is still a reluctance of like, oh no, we’ll go with the Trident, you know, TV and radio, which is insane to me. And that’s 10 years later. Imagine how reluctant people would have been when I’m trying to convince them 10 years ago to sponsor the podcast. Craziness. Absolute craziness. Um and so yeah, I’m traveling blind at the time. So like I had to, you know, like there’s a lot of stuff. If I had to go again, [ __ ] Oh man, I would save so much money. Like oh my god. And it’s funny cuz like if you had to go again like obviously you could say if I dropped myself at the same time period but if you had to go again now it’s totally different world. It is. And also like you know if I let’s say this all stopped and I start another podcast not every listener but I think most listeners would go I’ll just go [ __ ] like it’s not any difference for them. They’re just like I get the same thing. Um, so it is it is you’re right it’s a different world but back then like you know you just had to you know you know I had to okay I got to start a product to be able to fund this and then I put all this money in the product and then you know like there’s so many things you could do differently whereas like if you started a podcast after that point there was a much easier to look across oh well there’s that podcast in Australia that’s doing that well I can do that I can do that. Um anyway, just crazy times. Crazy times. Not not trying to big note or anything like that, but it was just Yeah, I just So when you say, “Oh, you had no time.” I didn’t think of it like that. I didn’t cuz in my head it was like, “No, this is my life now and I’m not I’m not stopping until it sort it still works until I get some kind of like my my aim was 2 years. I’m going to do this hard for 2 years and at the very worst I can advertise my electrical company on it.” Yeah, cuz the way I saw it was like, okay, let’s say a,000 people a week listen to the podcast, which back then, not even a thousand people listen to it. Like the downloads at the start are like [ __ ] 150. Yeah. You know, go back and look at some of those early ones. You can still kind of see some of them, I think. Yeah. I remember I had when we had our old platform, I had a look and Yeah. Lips in. I could lip in. I was like, “Wow, these numbers are small. They’re terrible.” No, they’re not terrible. Well, like so I don’t want anyone to be discouraged that are starting a podcast now, but like if you think cuz I think there’s a lot of people out there that think, “Oh, Denon was an NRL player, so he already had like an audience that would listen to him.” No, that’s not what the the history was. I had played 40 games of NRL, bro. And I’d been retired for, let’s just say, three or four years, and I hadn’t played first grade for um 2010 was the last time I’d played first grade. I started this in 2015. So imagine a 40 game first grader right now. And I know it’s a different world. Podcast exists, so it’d get a bit of traction. But like trying to start something in the media, doesn’t have social because I didn’t have social media. Like I had maybe Facebook or whatever. Had no Instagram, none of that. Like it it wasn’t a case of like, oh, he already had a built-in audience. Like it was truly who’s this random Denon Kemp guy that played 40 games, you know, all those years ago. Really in 2008 when people remember. So it’s 2008 really the [ __ ] people remember. And so there wasn’t a case of like the only thing the NL thing helped me with was there was a stamp of approval of like when he talked about rugby league at least he knows what he’s talking about to a degree. Now I’m not necessarily in the camp of you have to have played the game to know how to talk about it. I actually think there are a lot of people that play the game that don’t actually understand it that well which is fine. Like there’s there’s nothing wrong with that. There’s a lot of people that are really good at something but they’re not good at explaining it. Um, and so like there are people out there that have never played rugby league or at the very least never played it professionally that have a really good insight into the game. Um, so I’m not of them. However, it is a bit of a stamp of approval like well he’s been there and done it. So like there’s a there there’s a certain amount of respect you give that opinion even if it’s wrong. Um, and so yeah, that that’s the only real help I got. Other than that, like I mean the real help I got was sorry, you know what the real help was? It was knowing enough boys to be able to say, “Can you come on the podcast?” Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. That was the big big up in how supportive they were. I never forget when I asked Bo Ryan. Um, and we were like, we were good, we were friends, good friends at the time. And I was like, “Hey, bro, you want to come on my podcast?” He’s like, “What what’s a podcast?” And he would, and I was like, “Oh, it’s just a you know, we sit down, we have a chat. It’s at my house.” So, yeah. And the first studio I had studio was in my lounge room. So, we didn’t have a living room cuz the podcast was set up all the time cuz I didn’t want to pack it up and set pack it down. Yeah. Punish. Um and so yeah, there’s like there’s all these, you know, people often sit there and they go, “Oh, [ __ ] I deserve this because I work so hard and I, you know,” and all that carry on. But like you’re not, that’s nonsense. You’re not thinking of all the little favors that were done to you by people that love you. Even like or people that care about you, like even like, you know, my exartner letting that sit in the [ __ ] lounge room the whole time. Like, you know, little things like that. If you if you’re really going to sit there and go, “No, I did this. I’m the one that did this.” It’s like, yeah, kind of, but like, think about all the people that helped you out along the way. Of course. You know, I I always hate that mindset of like, you know, it’s it’s funny. I remember when I was younger, I used to think like when I see um men or women get up and be like, I just want to thank my husband or my wife. I wouldn’t be I was like when I was quite young and I was like, what the hell? like like you would you’re you did that yourself like you did that yourself and it’s not till you get older you realize no like there’s if you don’t have a partner at home that’s very supportive and sacrifice and m like it’s not even the sacrificing of a dream it’s the idea that your your dream is the priority of the family like you know you might have a partner she might she or he might not have this crazy dream that they’re like I can’t be a famous singer anymore I’m going to focus on my partner’s dream or whatever it’s not necessarily that it’s more like everything is a geared towards the husband’s dream. Like for example, let’s say the husband or the wife’s dream. Let’s say you got an NL player and um the kids need to be watched on the weekend, but he’s got to go and play, but then the wife or the husband go, “Well, now I want to do this for my job. Why is his job more important than hers?” Yeah, true. Other than like I know the financial one, but let’s just say they’re both earning the same. Why is his job more than important than hers? Or or why is her job more important than his? It’s not. It’s not. However, there’s one person in the relationship stepping back and saying, “All right, I’m going to be there for you to support your dream and all these little decisions that we make that in reality it’s a 50/50 split unless I’m I’m talking before the point you’ve said that I’m going to be the provider, you’re going to be the carer, whatever.” I’m talking before that point. Um, yeah, it’s not more important. But the there are people there are millions and millions and billions of partners out there that go, “Okay, I’ll get on board this ride.” And that’s what I get. You know, I always, it’s funny, I always used to think again when I was younger that award shows were very like narcissistic almost like what you’re up on stage, think, look at me, I’m so great. Um, but as I got older, I realized award shows aren’t for the person getting the award. They’re for the person around the person getting the award. They’re for the person that get to watch their husband or their wife go up and and they sit back and they go, “Yeah, you know, we did that.” And I’m proud. He’s a representation of what we tried to achieve as a team kind of thing. That’s in my opinion. Anyway, um I don’t even know how the [ __ ] we got speaking about. I have no idea how we got there. Yeah, who cares? Um can I have a quick memory? I actually just peered there for a sec cuz I remember the first time I saw one of your videos. I don’t remember which one it was, but I was like I know that guy. He’s the one that scored the try, the locker try. And obviously I remember the try, but I actually remember reading about it in Darren Locky’s book. Yeah. which is sitting right there. I remember I remember being so fascinated by it because he was he wasn’t wearing number six, he was wearing number 20 something because he just come back from a PCL tear or something like that’s that’s part of the story that is kind of forgotten about that put it on a bloody dime for he basically his his knee was [ __ ] Oh mate Loy like I just think he’s so underrated. Like I know he’s not underrated but he is underrated. Like the fact that there’s even a question about immortality with Locky is [ __ ] outrageous for me. Yeah. Best in the world at two positions. Look at his resume, bro. The start of the dynasty for Queensland. Premierships in multiple positions. Like, bro, I remember I was at school when in his last year, 2011, and um and like when you’re a school kid, that’s when you hate the most footy players, right? Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Cuz you’re not thinking about like they’re a human being. It’s like, [ __ ] that guy. Exactly. But all our friends cuz the prelim prelim is going to be against Manley at Sunp Stadium. Sorry, at Alian Stadium. So, around the corner from us. The week before he kicked the field goal against the Dragons, but he broke his cheekbone and all of us got tickets to the game cuz he ordered to watch Lockia play against me the prelim which would have been his last game in Sydney besides the grand final if they made it. Um he didn’t play in the end. He was going to wear he didn’t didn’t play but like a bunch of school kids all wanted to go watch Locky’s last game. That’s how much he was loved. Yeah. Yeah. Like a Broncos a Broncos Queensland legend. Yeah. 100% 100%. I’ll never forget that the great the goated tackling footage. Remember when remember when he came out he’s like I never tackled that dude on the street. The what? You don’t remember that controversy? You’re probably too young. So So basically what happened is is like this big report came out that Loy had like tackled this dude on the street like cuz like Loy on the Drink like he’s very calm and collected. Okay, I know this story. But like Locky on the Drink is a legend, bro. Like [ __ ] You’re just you’re just like who is this BL? as a leader off the drink. It’s like calm, collected, [ __ ] just like a dog, an animal, just so [ __ ] zoned in on the drink. He is a menace in a good way. Just a legend. Yeah. I mean, he learned to laugh for Alfie. So, like, what do you expect? And he came out and he fully denied it. He was like, “Nah, never happened.” Next night, there’s literally footage of him tackling the dude on the street. I think it was Caxton Street. Of course it was. Oh, so good, bro. That’s so lit. That’s literally That’s That’s the controversy you want. Exactly. That’s rugby league. You know what’s crazy is what a Derek for complaining about that. Oh, who wouldn’t want to be tackled by Darren Locker in his prime on the street, bro? Oh, I would love to be You know what I mean? I think I think it was the guy that sooked about it. You’d tell your mates about that forever. I think it I’m sorry if it wasn’t and it just got a story that got out, but cuz this was in a day and I said this story a million times so I’ll be quick and shout out to Darren, absolute legend. This is in the day where owners of bars and that like it’s we’ve changed so much we’ve gotten so far away from it. But back in the day, you used to like there used to be almost a bit of a code of honor just between anyone. Like you get caught doing something, all right, don’t tell anyone about it or if there’s a punch on or some [ __ ] Like this is how crazy is and I’m not I’m not some tough guy at all. Like everyone knows that. But like if someone pulled a [ __ ] phone out in a punch on back in the day, Yeah. they would get clean knocked out. And I’m not trying to say that to be tough or whatever. I’m telling you that’s facts. Now it is. So, like I remember when it started to first happen, many people would be like, “Um, what the hell are you doing, bro?” Now, we’re so desensitized to it. It’s so normal when something bad happens, get your phone out. But back in the day, that it was the opposite. It was, “Okay, something bad’s happened. Even though I don’t know those people, I’m not a dog.” Like, like, “Don’t get your phones out. Like, help them. Don’t help them.” Anyway, so back I remember um I was in like at the Normbby this dude said said something really inappropriate to to these girls I with. I wasn’t like trying to be a tough guy or anything like that but I just was like bro like what the [ __ ] Like what? You don’t even know these guys. Anyway, got into a bit of a push and pub bit of a fight or whatever and then um the next day he calls me in and deletes the footage. Like that was the mindset. The pub owner. The pub owner legend. Didn’t need to do that. Would have made some money. And this is like 2008, so like I know I’m not some star or whatever, but like I was pretty big in that year. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Um and so he would have made money from it or whatever that but that was the general social zeitgeist of like we’re a community almost and I just it sucks that sound like an old man now, but it just sucks that we’ve gotten so far away from that. Like we it is so doggy doggy out the world out there. Like there’s still a lot of great people, but anytime something bad happens, boom, phone. Everyone’s just thinking, I’m going to get heaps of attention from this because I’ll be able to put it up and get likes instead of being like, “Something bad’s happening. Don’t be a [ __ ] dog. Let’s sort it out here.” Um, and I think a lot of young people right now are not going to understand what I’m saying. But I promise you, like that really was the culture for every, not just like, you know, some people here, some people there. For everyone, it was the culture. Bad happened, don’t film it, don’t be a dog. M um anyway, so that’s why I think he Loia thought he could come out and say didn’t do it because the culture was don’t be a dog. Don’t don’t film it and send it to someone, but clearly someone some dog got them like was wanted to get paid for it kind of thing. Um and look, I get it. It’s it’s a such a complicated conversation because are you a dog if you’ve got footage of a little bit of a punch on whatever um and your family needs money for hospital you know what is the moral right thing to do I per like you know what would you do well if my family needed it I’d be cashing in yeah and and then okay then you take it a step further okay so what if just in general you’re struggling for cash and life is hard I guess it depends on what it is too like If you know they’re not going to get in heaps of trouble to like let me make clear I would never send anything in. Yeah. But like I don’t know if they got in a punch like they’re not gonna get in trouble. Yeah. But if they’re doing something like illegal then that’s so that’s like the problem is is punchons are illegal now. You can’t you get done even if they don’t charge the other person doesn’t charge you. I’m pretty sure. Yeah. Yeah. Is it wrong? But yeah. So anyway so that’s what I mean. It’s like a very it’s obviously if you’re if you’re not struggling and when I say struggling I mean struggling struggling then you’re absolutely the biggest dog ever by sending that in. Like if you’re just looking for cat like you are a dog whereas can I judge the man that family is struggling financially and he’s got two young kids and you know like he’s got all these bills to pay and the pressure of the money comes. I’d like to think I have the integrity and strength to say no to it, but I find it very hard to judge the man or woman that has a family. Yeah. When you’re in that situation, who knows what you do. I’ve always I’ve also always wondered how much they get paid for those videos cuz I my grasp on that is non-existent. I wouldn’t have a clue. Oh, yeah. Either, you know, maybe five grand or whatever. Listen, if you’re just a single person with no kids and you do it and you’re just desperate for money, hey, bro, sort it out yourself. Like, [ __ ] get over. But if you’re like a struggling family or whatever, like I would never do it cuz I I’ve got confidence in myself. I’ll go out and get a job. But you know, it’s hard to be less judgmental. But anyway, um so yeah, Locky the goat. Locky the goat. I don’t even know how we got on to that. Oh, seriously. Uh don’t forget, like and scrub. Also guys, Grumpy Coffee. Go to grumpy coffee.com.au. Uh 85 cupping rating, guys. It is premium coffee and I promise you, you will not be disappointed. Over 500 fivestar reviews of a coffee. Some of the most snobbish judgment you can get. And it’s 500 fivestar reviews. Trust me guys, you will not be disappointed. every day and very grumpy. Got quite a lot of people actually messaging me saying, “Hey, I order some grumpy. I absolutely love it.” Um, you know, honestly, you know, order it, give it a try. If you hate it, shoot us a message. Let me know. I want to know. Um, and and so we can tweak things or we can bring new flavors out or whatever. We’ve got every day. We got very, very grumpy as well. Um, in regards to getting to your house, usually a day or two, any dramas you shoot, customer service, we can sort it. Um, so grumpy coffee.com. Also, don’t forget to like and subscribe. Um, I’m back dinking on Russ. What? I’m back dinking them. Didn’t you see me dink on the Did you see me dink on the Instagram? I have no idea what that means. Oh. Oh, football. Soccer. I was like, “What the hell are you talking about?” Yeah. No, that was um You got the You got the soccer bug back cuz you were talking to me about the other day as well. Yeah, I got the soccer bug back. Yeah, I think I got the soccer bug back. I think I do. I think I do. Look, I might just You know what? I might just play a league. You know what? I think I’m going to play a league. I’ve made the choice. Um but uh yeah, I don’t know what it is. Like I definitely, you know, miss it every now and then. Um I think it’s my kids, man. I think it’s my sons. Like it just puts you into this different mindset of like, you know, thinking about them and your youth and you know, you know, wanting to I’ll be honest. I’ll be okay. So, I remember a couple weeks ago and the guy was he wasn’t trying to be harsh, but he was like he he was probably giving me a compliment, but he was like, “You’d never know.” Looking at Kemp, you’d never know. He’s got the biggest sports podcast in the country. And I was like, I know it’s a compliment, I think, about being humble and, you know, not carrying on or whatever. And like I don’t care. Me as individual, I don’t care. I’m I’m happy to be humble. I’m wearing thongs right now. Shorts, [ __ ] whatever. Like that. I’m that’s just the way I am. But I was like, bro, I don’t want I don’t want to represent my kids like that. I don’t want to be a dad, sorry, a dad for my kids. Like I want people to be like that’s their father. And that’s the different mindset when once you have kids, you you don’t start you you stop thinking about just what you want and you start thinking about how does this represent my children. how I always think like I would hate I would hate to think my kids are in a playground and they proudly say to someone, you know, my dad’s standing camp or whatever and they the kids laugh or some [ __ ] like that or like, oh, he’s a loser. That would I’d be so ashamed. You know what I’m saying? Um anyway, so yeah, and then it makes you think about, okay, being a good um role model. So, I’m like, “Okay, well, you know, as my kid gets older, it it’ll be good for him to see me play in sport rather than the guy that used to play sport. You know, you can only show a kid so many highlights.” Um, and he’ll, you know, he’ll probably like, “Dad, this is cringe. Get it off the TV.” Um, and so I’m like, now I’m thinking, okay, well, as he gets old enough to realize it, I want him to be like seeing me leaving a house going and playing sport. And it’s not necessarily about me forcing my kid to be like a superstar athlete or even just a professional athlete. It’s more more just about showing him, you know, keeping your body healthy. You know, staying active, sports important, doing physical things is important. Um that’s at least what I got with from my dad. I He used to every morning, bro, we had the oldest like you know those old weights that are so old they’re like red because of all the the rust and that on them. I’ve seen the I’ve seen them. Yeah. So you’ve seen them. When I say so, a lot of people go, “Oh, yeah, my dad used to do weight and skin garage.” And you go, “Oh, yeah.” So, he’s just in the garage with a couple of cars. Bro, this garage is like, you can explain it. Well, it’s like old tin shed. It’s every stereotype you could possibly imagine. Yeah. But of an Aussie, honestly, an outback tin shed essentially. Yeah. Like like no size, just a roof, weights that have all rust all over them. He would wake up every morning, this is before anyone knew anything about cold therapy, have a cold shower by choice and then I would hear him just and I honestly most mornings I wouldn’t even see him. I would just hear him and I would just hear this and he would just be down there working out by himself, get in the car at like 6:00, drive up to Brisbane about an hour and 10 minutes, work all day, wouldn’t get home till like sorry as I got older. So when I when Queensland Raw asked me to go and play for them when I was like 15 or something, he would then so before that he would just get home and have his own thing or whatever about 8:00 or 7:30 or whatever. But then on when I got up to the RAW 3 days a week, he would finish work at like 3:00. So he’d ask to leave early, he’d come home, get me from Gold Coast, Majar, drive me back up to Brisbane, sit in the car, wait for me to train for 2 hours, drive me all the way home, and we get home at like 10:00 at night. and and he would be essentially falling asleep as we got into the driveway. Like like genuinely so tired that he like this. He’d get up the next morning, same thing. 4:00, cold shower, waits, boom, does it all again just to give me an opportunity. Like seriously, that that’s it. Like if I put myself in like if that was my routine, I makes me sick. I know. I don’t know how he did it. And when I say and I’m not exaggerating and I know I’m I’m doing the dad brag right now. I’m bragging about my dad, but I don’t give a [ __ ] When I say I’ve never heard that man complain, I swear on everything. I’ll swear on anything. Growing up, I never heard him complain once. Now, I’ve heard him complain since, but it was about something very serious. And that was probably I think it’s about 3 or 4 years ago now. Um, and it was it wasn’t really complaining about work or anything. It’s about something serious. But before that, I’d never heard him complain. Never once said, “Oh, [ __ ] Got to go to work. Oh, [ __ ] got to take your kids to train. A [ __ ] never in my whole [ __ ] life. And like someone that’s got an excuse to if he was like, “Hey, I’m a bit tired to come down to kick the ball with you and that.” Cuz I was always like, “Oh, I want dad to come down and kick the ball with me and CERN.” And like he couldn’t cuz he’s working all the time. And now I look back, I’m like, “Yeah, no, no [ __ ] He couldn’t come down. He’s [ __ ] working his dick off just to just to provide for the family.” Yeah. But yeah, I got the soccer bug bug. So I went down, man, looking for a freaking good soccer field. There’s one in Ka or something like that, but I tried to find one with I just want one with like decent nets up. Listen, box nets would be great near the shish I think K. But I went down to like place near just near me and um started kicking the ball again. You know what’s so weird is like initially I was like far out well I’m definitely so sloppy and unfit. We all know that. Uh but initially it’s like you like to a normal person they like oh he’s kicking the ball like someone that might have played soccer before. But to me, I’m going jeez, this feels weird as but far out how quickly it can like come back to you. Just the knowing where of the ball to kick, how to kick it. Um cuz I haven’t kicked a ball in maybe 8 years, nine years. Jeez. So, so went to league and then from that point on like every now and then there might be a soccer ball for warm up but genuinely going down to the park to kick in that since I quit soccer I think I’ve done it twice in 20 years. Yeah. I mean that’s that’s that’s a long time. It’s a long time. So this was the second time and like you know obviously it took more than one take to [ __ ] hit the crossar. Jesus Christ. I just kept telling people in the comments like um yeah I got out of the car. I did it and then I went home. It took I think it took about 10 takes. I’m being fair still. But to like that shows you how important training is is from 5 years old to 18 cuz it creates that like kind of muscle I haven’t kicked a [ __ ] soccer ball in 20 years. But I still feel natural doing it because I did it for so long as a kid where if some random had 10 goes like if some 30-year-old had 10 fall over his feet. He’d literally fall over his feet. Yeah. Um, and like and that’s what’s so weird is like even all the training I did with footy and that like I still feel more comfortable with soccer ball in my feet. So I got the bug back. I’ve decided I’m going to play a league. So reach out to clubs. Um, I’ll take the highest offer. Take the officers. To be honest, you’ll be paying pretty much for just PR. Uh, old man now. Old man. But yeah, I don’t know what it is. It’s just with kids it changes your mindset a bit. Um, so that what are you doing this weekend? I’ve got my good friend’s birthday. I’m actually doing a cocktail making class with my dad, which will be fun. We got it for him. Me and my sisters got it for him for his birthday. And it’s one of those things like it takes forever to book in. So, tomorrow day. Yeah. We had to book months ago. Oh, really? Get in the cocktail making business. Jesus. Yeah. Otherwise, catch up with a mate tonight and watching the footy on Sunday. I got Yeah. So, not a lot, which is nice. Uh DC joins the roosters. We all know what’s happening. Okay. On to the next subject. Yeah. Um Cameron Smith to join the Broncos. Cam Smith is reportedly in negotiations. I want to make it really clear. So, you know, cuz a lot of people have put up like Cam Smith has signed with this or whatever. He has set to sign uh and he’s in the actual article says negotiations. Now, granted, usually in these situations, the Jouos are on to it like they’re pretty bang on. Um but I just wanted to make that clear. It hasn’t been confirmed by the Brisbane Broncos, but but usually when they say set to sign, it’s like it’s pretty far along, especially a guy like Smitty who um has a very strong um I guess like you’re not [ __ ] with Smitty in regards to like if you’re trying to get Smithy to the club. Yeah. You’re not leaking stuff against his will. Exactly. You know what I’m saying? Oh yeah, I know what you’re saying. It just don’t be an idiot, bro. If you’re dealing with a goat, show him the respect he deserves. So anyway, um I hope that’s the case. Anyway, uh but anyway, so set to sign with the Broncos, understood Smith joined Meguire at News last week where Richmond coaching staff and CEO Dave Donahe gathered to begin planning uh their title defense in 26. Okay, so first off, I’ve seen quite a lot of Storm fans um upset and and hurt and I guess feel a little bit betrayed. And I get that feeling, that immediate feeling because I go, “Okay, I put myself in in their position.” Like, if Loy went and signed with another club, especially one that just beat us in the grand final, especially all the history between Brisbane Broncos, would it sting? Yeah, I can empathize for sure. I definitely can empathize why you’re feeling those feelings. But I sat down and I thought about it for a bit longer. And like, first of all, Smithy lives on the Gold Coast and has for many years. But second of all, like not only has Smitty paid the price with what he did for the Melbourne Storm, like tenfold over, but at the end of his career, he was the DLM hooker of the year, he could have easily signed with another club probably two or three years for a million a year, probably $1.2 million a year, and also a guarantee into the coach’s role as well. Like, so he he probably walked away. So at to be loyal to the storm at the end of his career and be a one club man, he probably said no to about $5 million, I reckon. All up, you reckon? Probably three years on a million. Yeah. And then like coaching staff for the next two or three years after that. And it would have been a million minimum. Minimum. Like probably one cuz he probably would have gone to the Gold Coast and that would have given him heaps. Yeah. And we all know the reports at the time like that was in serious discussions. By the way, how funny was he when he literally just went down to the footy park just to kick the ball around in the Gold Coast just to just to create some headlines just to be funny. Just to be funny. It’s so good. He’s a legend. Absolutely. And so I just want to be and I know there’s going to be Storm fans that are just not going to hear me regardless. So I get it. I get it. But he’s already paid the price of loyalty in my opinion to the Melbourne Storm. I just I I feel like we all know he was a DM hooker. He, you know, won the Premiership like should have won a Clive. Um, that was his last Yeah, that was his last year, wasn’t it? Uh, well, he should have won a Clive in 2017. Um, he was he was okay. So, first half there, they they put the bets out. So, Sports Bet paid it out. That’s how that’s how close it was. Yeah. So, I I personally had him winning the the Clive. I I thought he should have won it, but anyway, he should have won. Yeah. So last game of he wins a Premiership and we all know the reports that were coming out in regards to him going to the Titans and and let’s be fair Dinkham he genuinely could have gone to any club. He he is one of the true players like you know Joey you know Locky the the very few players that truly it does not matter who was in their position he would have got signed to that club. Yeah. So that’s the price he paid. He paid that price for of loyalty and said, “I’m going to be a one club man even though I’m the best number nine in the comp by a mile already. Could go to another club, earn millions, minimum 5 million bucks, minimum. But out of loyalty to the Melbourne Storm, I’m not going to do that to be a one club player. That’s the price paid in my opinion.” Like, you know, if that if Locky was in the same position, I’d go, you know what, I get it. I get it. Um, and I know it’s going to be very hard to remove the like the emotion from it at all. And but if as I said if I try to put myself in a situation let’s say like Locky got paid a score you all the way up to the end and his form was a bit poor towards the end and so Broncos were almost hit doing him a favor by keeping him on or whatever or not other clubs wanted him but if he was in Smitty shoes where he was winning DMs or whatever last year and you know and he was turning down millions to go other places to be a one club player I um I think he’s earned the right to be able to especially by the fact what what do you want him to do? Go and live in bloody Melbourne like Yeah. So, I think he’s paid the price to be able to do whatever he wants. I think that his actions have should speak louder than any other words that might come of this. I think that if you’re going to say no to $5 million essentially to be a one club man, you’ve earned the right to then eventually work with other clubs in a mentor role in my opinion. Well, let’s look at Andrew Johns for the Knights. Like, I’d love to know how Knights fans feel about that because Andrew Johns has worked for the Roosters. He’s worked for the Eels. We’re trying to put yourself in your position. A rabbit’s legend. Yep. same did the exact same thing with Cam Smith and then he went to coach for it’s not it’s not Rooers Rooers it’s not Rooers Rabbit’s rivalry no but it is a pretty big rival Bulldogs or someone I don’t know see Greg English went to the Tigers right and like that didn’t I didn’t even blink at that Tigers and South don’t really have the biggest rivalry I guess and Tigers obviously aren’t going that well so I guess it’s a little bit different um but if Sam Burgess went to the Bulldogs I reckon I’d feel weird about that I reckon I’d feel weird I wouldn’t be a I don’t think I’d be offended by it I’d if I’d be ropable if went to the roosters. But um I think I think I’m with you. Like would it sting more though if like let’s say the club was really good to him and like kept him till the end of his career and he he couldn’t get a contract anywhere else or whatever then he went and did that. Would that sting more, do you think? Or Yeah, but that’s not what we’re talking about here. Yeah, I know. I’m just saying like like I think that’s a that’s the way a lot of people are thinking about it, right? Yeah. Matty John actually bad example cuz he the Knights let go of him. But I was going to say like May Johns was integral to helping the Storm win a couple of grand finals. Like he’s he’s a Knights guy. That’s probably not a good example to be fair, but it’s tough cuz it really is there’s no real example. Smith is a one club player goat. Yeah. The goat of everything essentially. Yeah, exactly. Um and also I think there’s the other added little spice to it is a Broncos passing him. Well, okay. Oh, that too. Yeah. I think the the big one and obviously I’m not going to speak for Storm fans like they can they can feel however they want to feel. Like I’ve not been in that situation, so fair enough. But like I think that what other fans are kind of like rolling their eyes at is like they just want the comp the Broncos. Like as if they need freaking Cameron Smith. That’s what that’s that was literally my first. Actually, you know what? Well, actually, I got a bone to pick. Okay. Rugby league guru claims to not have a team. Claims to like every team equally. That’s what the claim is. That’s what the claim is. And to my surprise, I put the post up and I think, you know what, Guru, the guy that doesn’t have a team apparently that loves every team equally, he’ll be happy. First comment, [ __ ] this. Really? So, I tell you who his team isn’t. Yeah, it’s the Brisbane Broncos. You cross Broncos off the list. Just saying, mate. So, you get back to me about your problem with my team cuz I thought you liked each team equally. Just saying. I remember a few It’s a Queensland based thing. I think it’s a Queensland based problem. But I remember a few weeks ago, the day after Broncos beat CRA in that crazy crazy game, I was sitting over there and Guru was sitting up there next to Timmy giving him so much [ __ ] And Timmy was obviously roable, right? I’m thinking this is [ __ ] Like, you don’t even have a team, Guru. Oh, yeah. You can’t do that. You can’t chat [ __ ] without a team. Cuz you the reason you have the right to to chat [ __ ] is cuz you’ve cpped it yourself. You’ve got to earn the right to chat [ __ ] And the problem is like there’s no situation where Timmy can get Guru back ever. Literally ever. It’s [ __ ] So there you go, R. There you bloody go. You’re over in England carrying like a pork chop. Well, we’re going to when you get back, mate. You just having a little chat, mate. [ __ ] this. That’s hilarious. When I saw I was like, “Fuck off, Guru. You don’t have a [ __ ] team talking [ __ ] about the Broncos.” It also, you know what it did? Um, you know, just in general, it just drives home my point. Broncos are the most hated team in the competition. Like, they are. I don’t care what anyone says. I I I think that they are obviously the biggest club, but in regards to fans that aren’t Broncos fans, I think they’re the most hated. I I really do. And And you know what’s crazy? When I played, I never realized it. I think it’s them. I I used to think it was Roosters. I Yeah, I vitriol the vitriol when the Broncos like win or like you even talk about their players for a [ __ ] second is crazy, bro. Like it is is genuine. And like obviously I’m biased, so I’m probably going to see those comments more often, but it it definitely be Broncos and Roosters. Those are those are the big two. Mainly used to be hated, but people kind of like me now cuz brothers, you know what? As this podcast has gone on, I’ve I’ve started to think about it. Like Storm and Broncos are pretty big. They’re massive rivals. Like Like if I’m a Storm fan, I’m I probably I probably want to walk back my comments now. Like I reckon I would be a little little bit off it. That’s what I said. It is a rivalry. Yeah, it is. The more that I think about it, like it kind of is. It’s not It’s It is close enough to South Roosters. Like it’s a huge rivalry and they’ve got so much history. I know the history is like 20 in the last 20 years, but still like it’s modern history. Like I don’t know. I reckon the more I think about it like I understand why Storm fans are off it. Yeah. But if I’m C like Cam Smith can do whatever he wants. Like I got there’s no issue with that for me. But I can see why Storm fans I can see as I said that’s why I can see why they’re not going to listen to what I have to say cuz they’re like I don’t give a [ __ ] what you have to say. I don’t care how logical what you’re saying is. And and I don’t care how true it is that Cam Smith Cam Smith clearly with his actions essentially said I will forgo $5 million to be a one club man. I hate you guys. [ __ ] you. And I don’t want him in a Broncos polo if he ever is in one. Now, maybe he, you know, part of the agreement I’ll be like, I’m not going to wear the colors where I’m here to advise, which is I that’s fair. That’s fair. Um, but yeah, the like I’m telling you, we hated the Storm, bro. When we used to play the Storm, it was before the refs even knew what the wrestle was. They would crank our neck so hard you would walk like, put it this way. you you would feel different physically when you played the Storm coming off the field than any other team in the competition because of like just how much we hated that and then you know we obviously beat him in 2006 and they had they beat us all the time during in uh in the regular season um SA Blancos it’s just one of those games like it’s a neutral there’s certain fixtures that you I don’t know how to explain it but you just feel something like when it’s you know it’s funny you say that cuz I said it smithy as well When we first started doing the show together, I was like, “Bro, did you ever So, there was club games and every club game was pretty much the same. Like, I never really went into a club game feeling that much different.” And I say this respectfully, but like other than the rabbidos, cuz they were so poor, I just were like, “We’re going to smash these guys.” Now, obviously gun now, but that’s just I’m just being honest. Yeah. Um, Roosters a little bit, but that’s Mortal Wars final footies. Whereas when we played the Melbourne Storm all week, you could it was honestly like you could feel the tension in the air like you could cut it. It was such a weird feeling. It was such an intense even in a trial match, it was so intense around the joint. And it was funny cuz Smitty said, “No, we felt the same.” I think it has to do with like the Storm essentially took what the Broncos did and evolved it. Yeah, that’s what they did from from early 2000s. They essentially did took all of the class, the greatness, the methods, the the recruitment. They took obviously Bellamy was out the Broncos went down a storm, but then also Paul Bun, our head recruitment officer, took him as well and they took it and ran with it. So there’s always this kind of weird to be honest, I think it’s more like, and I hate to sound like a wanker cuz I know people don’t like the Storm Broncos, but it’s more the sense of like two really good warriors hate each other, but respect each other at the same time cuz they know how good they are. That’s what it feels like before you play the Melbourne Storm. At least when I was coming through. Probably changed for a bit there when the run where we got pounded by every sing. Um but even even the run like I’d forget that that streak existed at points cuz you Bellamy smashes every smashes the Broncos every single week. But it’s like it’s like rooes to an extent like it’s no matter what the form’s like. No matter who’s got the most wins like doesn’t like before you watch the game you don’t really know who’s going to win. Yeah, it’s true. It’s a good point. That’s a good point. Yeah. Um, and I think what probably stings Storm the most is like you can point to that like long like long as anything streak. Like it’s absurd how long it is, but the Broncos fans just go we beat you two grand finals. Yeah. Yeah. So you can have the season all you want, brothers. It’s two nothing, right? They haven’t beaten you in Yeah. No, they haven’t. No. No. And I it’s it is an interesting one like do is it is it the age-old tale of like just because Broncos have that extra bit of they’ve got access to just the cream of the crop when they get into a grand final just that extra bit of cream of the crop does that get them across the line? Maybe I I look at the Storm now and it’s like they are the cream of Well, I don’t have the numbers in front of me but I’m sure the Storm have knocked out Broncos a few times as well. Oh, for sure. Heaps of times. Heaps of times. Yeah. Yeah. In in finals games. Yeah. I I reckon Storm would have a substantially better record against the Broncos than the Broncos against the Storm. Um it’s a great rivalry. It’s a great It really is. What’s what’s mental is like even in the game they knocked us out like we had that game fully in control. It was a knock on that killed us. Yeah. It’s one of the great games. Cam Smith says I think he says the greatest game he’s ever played. Um I remember watching it. I It was one of the most gripping games I’ve ever watched in my life, bro. It’s so It’s so weird. Like I remember I’ll never forget I’m not I don’t want to say I’m rude or anything like that but I remember being out on that field and like we got these cars. We are so much better than these kind like just thinking it and then and we we just had the game in such control like we bombed so many opportunities but we were still very dominant coming out all we need to do was complete the set kick to the corner and we win and we dropped the ball. We’re short for numbers. Was that the game you came you scored that try down the middle? Yes. I remember I remember seeing um Yes. So I remember seeing Cooper Kron remember thinking um I just need him to plant his feet and then I’ll be sweet. So made him plan his feet pass to Locky and then just I’ve always prided myself on staying alive on plays and sorry staying alive every minute of the game no matter what even if the ball’s on the other side of the field like staying engaged. And then I so Locky passed the ball back to me. I remember looking up and I think I seen Crocker and and seeing like the spacing between the defenders was like half a meter bigger than it should have been and just going gotcha you [ __ ] and just went bang left foot. Um and yeah, just like I don’t know [ __ ] scored and yeah, we just had that game in control like but you know what they’re the better team. They hung in there that I mean you know what they did what the Melbourne Storm do. They [ __ ] stayed in the game long enough for us to [ __ ] up and just punish us for it straight away. And so yeah, the drop ball happens and I think it’s like two players later they score. But what happened was that cuz we were short of numbers and honestly they probably score no matter what. But we were short of numbers and Hojo used to do this thing sometimes where he would dummy for a jam in and like I just hadn’t played enough footy to know to be honest you can never know cuz a dummy is supposed to fall. So Loy sorry. So yeah. What about my edge? Locky Hodger. Oh, outrageous. [ __ ] hell, bro. Sometimes I think back and I’m just like, bro, you had no ro. Like, bro, 3 years before that, I was playing soccer. Yeah. Um anyway, so yeah, he used to do this like dummy thing. And I I get it cuz it’s like a smart play. You dummy the jam in and they they panic. But he dummy. So I was always of the mind, funnily enough, like that’s what I enjoyed so much about defending outside uh Darius Boyd cuz he was very conservative. What I don’t mean conservative is he wasn’t good. I mean conserv it was either A or B. There was no [ __ ] in between. It was either I’m jamming or I’m not. And so it was a very as a winger that’s all you want cuz it’s like let’s make the decision, we make it together. We make the wrong one, we’ll work on it, we come back again. But yeah, Hojo because he’s such high level like as we know like we’re talking tippity top high level center. He’s a he’s a level above that where it’s like no, I’m going to play with the rules kind of thing. The rules of being a center of jamming and sliding out or whatever. And so he threw the dummy and in my mind I’m like, “All right, that’s the signal. Go in and f and he pulled back.” And when he pulled back, I go to pull back, fall over. I mean, they would have scored anyway, but um then they just basically, you know, um yeah, they basically just uh strolled over. Greg English, game’s over. Game’s over. I’ve never seen Darren Lock react. [ __ ] I still feel so bad, bro. It wasn’t reacting to me cuz you can see when he reacts, he turns around. I think he looks back into where the ball was knocked on. Yeah. Um, and it’s funny cuz it’s one of those things that you know you not usually, but because we all know why that happened, a Bronc not a Broncos fan has never ever messaged me and said that was your fault. Oh, definitely wasn’t. I know, but like Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Cuz I’m the winger at the last play that goes to jam in and then you know what I’m saying? That slips over. Um, but I think you know most people knew like because like even if I didn’t if I don’t if Hojo doesn’t jam in and we slide they literally just it’s Greg English. What you think we’re going to [ __ ] hold that and he also had two people outside him. So it was a try no matter what. Um but yeah, like that’s how cricket happened and and I I just know that year that was the year that the manly seagulls beat uh Storm 40 and look maybe we would have beaten them, maybe we wouldn’t, but jeez, we had a [ __ ] good side. That week before we we had the most physical game I’ve ever had in my life. So the Melbourne Storm prelim was the highest quality game I’ve ever had in my life. The week before was the most physical and it was against the um it was against the Roosters. And I want you to go, can you type in 2008 finals roosters team list or whatever? Props. Uh, Marco Mey and Lini Payer. The back row, Nate Miles, Anthony Cherington, Craig Fitzgiven, Bench, Anthony Tubo, David Chillington, Mickey Payer, James Orbison. So just [ __ ] dogs. Yeah, like dogs. Willy is Willie there? No, he’s not there. He’s not there. But yeah, like just absolute dogs. Um, and I remember that game. Yeah, it was so physical. What was their back line? So Braith was at six. Bra is at six. So Minello fullback. Y um Brent Gross and Sammy Parrot on the wings. Uh set minus and Solola at center. He’s basically a forward anyway. Oh bro. Um and then Anastas and Pierce in the halves. Yeah. So did you win that? Yeah. Yeah. So what happened is we came out and I like they truly it’s actually I’m pretty sure it’s the game where Carmichael Hunt absolutely [ __ ] folds Braza illegally obviously you know the way that head high. Have you seen it before? I’ve seen it. It’s psycho bad. Honestly K would have been suspended for his entire life. Oh yeah that’s that’s a six to eight week now. Like that is honestly I reckon it’s more. I reckon he gets more. I I reckon that shot today, he probably gets 12 weeks. Yep. And bad. And what a lot of people You know what? Can you go back and and get it up? I just want to see what minute that was in. Had seven tackle breaks this game. You did? Yeah. In the final. Yeah. Five tackles, zero miss, bro. I don’t want to hear no [ __ ] jokes about me not being out of tackle ever again. Go [ __ ] yourself, you dogs. You hear that team that just got read out? Five tackles, zero. So, these is my stats on the on the night against the root uh roosters down at uh Aliance. Uh one try then um 121 meters I think which was the second most in the team just behind HJO. M only three of those were kick return meters. Um, line breaks two, tackle brakes seven, uh, offloads one. Stop it, [ __ ] Sunnyville, bro. Sunnyville. Uh, tackle efficiency. Tackle efficiency 100%. Bro, I don’t want to hear nothing, bro. That is the best tackle efficiency in the entire game. Just wait. Let me check, bro. I just need to check cuz it’s the best in the Broncos by a mile. Let me check. Let me check. Bro, [ __ ] If I ever see a comment talking about how I couldn’t tackle, I just I’m going to laugh. I’m going to laugh. There’s only one other guy with 100% tackle efficiency that night and he was a number nine and he made 11 tackles in the middle. Really? I made five tackles on a wing for 100% tackle efficiency. I don’t ever want to hear it, baby. I don’t want everyone to hear it. Um trying to say more like in one of the toughest games. [ __ ] Honestly, he was [ __ ] mental. Anyway, so what what um bro and the dude that Oh, the dude that has 100% as well, he played for [ __ ] 15 minutes. Yeah. Okay. Like in the middle as well, which is like, you know, you just you got what blocks next to you. So listen, I don’t want to hear no nonsense about beak not being out to tackle. I’m a bloody I’m a tackling machine. bloody Tony Carol level style. Bloody who was the last guy that made like a bazillion tackles, zero misses? Like it goes at, you know what, at the Broncos it goes pain and then dead in temp in regards to high quality defense. Um, but yeah, anyway, my that was my stats. Um, and so, sorry, when was the the the hit again? The hit was 2009, so you must not have been there. Okay. Okay. Yeah, it mustn’t have been there. Anyway, so um that game I never forget. We walked off the field after the first half and we’re just like what the [ __ ] just happened? That was it was the most aggressive. I’ve never seen anything so aggressive. Anyway, so we walked off but this was the like I reckon like the biggest dogs I’ve ever ever witnessed or come across is that early 2000 Bronco sides. They were such [ __ ] des that they could get the [ __ ] [ __ ] bashed at him for a half and still we walked out of that tunnel going [ __ ] we got these [ __ ] Yeah, but this that’s when I was like committed to footy. That’s when I was like actually g actually like cared wanted to play and so 2009 had all the dramas off the field and you’re a different team. Yeah, but it’s mainly dramas off the field cuz I actually the preseason I did really well for the Warriors. Um, but it just just terrible. Oh man, I look back and I’m like, bro, you in the worst relationship in history. Um, came back to the Broncos, started killing again, scored that match winner against the Cowboys, then broke my ribs, lung collapsed. Was that the Cowboys try where you knocked out? No, that was 2008. Okay. 2008. I scored two tries that night. Far out. 2008 was I scored 21 tries or something like that. Yeah. Okay. Um, and also this this is a time where was like probably a bit harder to score at this stage than now. Now obviously the game is quicker. Yeah. Um but yeah, so 2010 broke my ribs, lung collapsed, that put me up for the season, kept trying to rush me back. 2011 pretty much like new coach comes like come back, good Nick, new coach comes in in and basically there were certain things agreed to just let’s just put it this way, they they didn’t want to hold their end of the bargain or certain things. Uh and then from from really that point on, you know, it sounds dramatic, but my heart was just broken, bro. I was so [ __ ] just just devastated that the Broncos would do that to me cuz I cared about them so much and I I they’ll always be my team and I no matter what doesn’t matter how much they don’t like me or whatever they’ll always be my team or um doesn’t matter what they do to me because of just the opportunity but at that stage as a young man that just was like just I didn’t I didn’t know anyone in footy like even though I was like at that stage was like 3 years into it but like still feeling relatively lonely in the sense of like guidance um didn’t have a really a a manager in the at that time as Well, and I was just [ __ ] heartbroken. I was just like, “Fuck.” And so that’s that’s when everything just went downhill from there pretty much. Like obviously I went to Union Fruit, came back, had massive issues u off the field with Union, came back, tried to get the the the car started again for the Dragons. Actually tried really well again, but similar situation. Was still in that really poor relationship. Was that the charity shoe where you had the fight with Reynolds? Yeah. Yeah. So I jammed in and and um he dropped the ball from me jamming in. And he spoke about that recently. Where did I hear him speak about that? Oh, really? Oh, it was on Kevy’s potty. Oh, no way. Yeah, he spoke about that on Kevy’s. Yeah. Yeah. So, yeah, jammed in uh off the wing. Um he dropped the ball. We win the game. And so, I actually traveled really well there as well. But again, once the season kicked in, like it was always the same. [ __ ] this dramas. And then quit footy. Like, this would have been the worst period of my life. Was just in such a bad headsp space. Quit footie. And I’ll never forget. So, I’d quit footy and I was just so disillusioned with it. just just [ __ ] so disillusioned with it. And so I just went [ __ ] mental then. I was just going bendering every single week. And I remember um so I’ve been bendering and it would have been like maybe January. So I’ve pretty much I’ve literally just been bendering all summer. So is this 2013? This is 2012 into 13. 2012. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And so like I’m bendering footies over like like genuinely just just done. And so I’m bending all summer and I remember one bender where it was like literally like Friday, Saturday like genuinely maybe even Saturday, Sunday and I remember waking up to a missed call from the Broncos and I called Andrew G back and he’s like hey bro would you hey mate do you want to come back and I was like I looked around and I was like bro I’m not doing anything else that’s for sure. So came back and so I was back focused. When I’m focused it’s it’s I don’t want to say easy but anyway whatever. And so came back was focused and trled trolled the best of any winger at the club at the time and was probably should have been taken over to New Zealand for the last trial. But I get why Hook didn’t cuz like guys have been there all preseason in a row. So I get it. I get it. Went really well. Um and basically got named to play mid year. So it was like my I would have been back into footy and it was like a thousand days since I played. And then he so he named me at two number two or something like that. two or five and then two days before the game he call pulls me in the office and he’s basically dropped me out of the side before and that’s that’s and it unfortunately just like reinforced all the negative things that I’d been through in footy and I was just like [ __ ] I’m done bro this is [ __ ] [ __ ] and again like I’m not sitting here saying that like I hold myself accountable for the decision I made and like you know maybe I was being a sukie young kid kick kicking kicking kicking rocks instead of just just working hard and going but again I just I didn’t know bro I just didn’t know at that stage especially when when you you know if if I had have struggled to make sides before that I think I might have been more well equipped to deal with it when things just like for some reason didn’t go your way but cuz my whole life you know I I’ not that it was easy but like I’d made nearly all the sides and it was always like just play really well and get selected that was just what I that’s what I had to do. Yeah. Um and so that’s that’s really and so like yeah it’s hard cuz like sometimes you not sometime well yeah sometimes you you carry a lot of shame not from the perspective of like am I um like not happy with what I achieved but from the perspective of like as you get older you like I didn’t give myself these genetics or whatever I just got [ __ ] lucky and there are so many kids out there that would kill for the opportunity to have that and I’m and I’m I’m not talking like I’m not trying to talk myself up and be like you like I’m not trying to do that at all. I’m just expressing how I felt or feel is like I won a lottery and I didn’t spend the money correctly in my opinion. That’s how I that’s but then I think back and I go but you were just you’re a young man just trying to navigate some pretty [ __ ] situations that that weren’t really your fault and you probably didn’t have enough people in your corner in rugby league that could guide you in the direction like you know cuz by the time I went back to the Broncos I definitely didn’t have a manager then. And I definitely when I went from Warriors back to Broncos, I didn’t have a manager then because I’ve been through the story before, but you know, I was Anyway, I’ve been through that story many times. Um, but yeah, I don’t even know how the [ __ ] we started speaking about this. This podcast is just we’re going all over the show. Anyway, Cam Smith, the Broncos. Yeah, Cam Smith, that’s where we’re at. I think it’s great. I think it’s great. And I and when I spoke to him, when he called me and said I won’t be able to do the radio show anymore, he did say that he was really interested in, you know, doing this kind of stuff at clubs. Not this specifically. You didn’t talk about the Broncos at all, guys. Just more leadership roles at clubs. And like, makes sense. Like, you don’t become the captain of Australia for like the longest ever if you don’t have some kind of enjoyment for it. Yeah. Um, and I and I said at the time when we announced that he wasn’t going to be part of the the radio show, like I was like, this is better for the game. Like, this is like, don’t get me wrong, if I put myself first, I’m like, freak, I want my show back with Smidy. Of course I do. I would do it in a [ __ ] drop of a hat. I’d have I’d love to do a show with Smidy again. I always love Jana with um Smithy, but in regards to the game, like we need him involved in it. He’s the goat. He the the knowledge that he can impart on the younger generation. And it just so happened it looks like he’s going to land at the Broncos, which is like, you know what, if I’m being honest, look, did I sacrifice for the Broncos? Did I sacrifice my co-host? Yeah, I did. I did. So, listen, a thank you’ be nice for the Broncos. A thanks. Maybe just like a, “Hey, Kempy, thanks for like sacrificing something you really enjoyed once a week in your life for the betterment of of the Broncos.” Like maybe just that. Just one. Well, they won the comp anyway. So, mate, bro, what I just When you win a comp, bro, anytime your life is [ __ ] you just go, “Bro, we won a comp.” I remember the summer of 2014, I dined out on that Premiership all summer and then we went over to New Zealand and won the nines and I was just like, “Life can’t get better than this.” Oh, man. I just it’s crazy like every time I think of like next year or how we’re going to go like I’m like obviously I care. I care but at the same time I’m like we did it baby. Drought’s broken. You know what I mean? Drought’s broken. Like we we can d on that for at least another 5 years. Now obviously I’m not going to dine out on it for 5 years cuz I want to I want to see us go well again. But they did it. Um Smith of the Broncos. I mean look is there much to say like everyone knows how good that is. Yeah. Like there’s there’s not much to say. I’m super excited to see him Moses develop under him. That’s what makes me so like to think of a spine eventually of Mosa Walsh M either black or pezet bro. Wow. They’re doing they’re doing good Broncos in terms of like setting up for their future. They’re doing really good. Like if they like honestly the spine let’s say Pez works out or doesn’t work out. Let’s just say for some reason bizarre reason he doesn’t work out. You essentially got the best young seven coming through, the best young nine coming through with two absolute superstars, established stars already that have not just like in season stars. Like the thing is is that most players that are really good, they’re just really good in season. They get to finals footy and you never see them. It’s one thing to be good in season, it’s a whole another level to be good in finals footy. And the MM and Walsh have done that multiple times now. Well, I mean, could I I mean, yes, Walsh, obviously, but him literally in two grand finals, like the two biggest games of his career, mental. And so, yeah, with him them with his guidance is just like, wow. Wow. Uh, so I can’t wait. I’m super excited. Obviously, I hope it happens. I’m, you know, I just think that, as I said, he’s he’s born to be a leader, Cam Smith. It’s that simple. It’s that [ __ ] simple. Um, so I’m really really happy for him. Really happy. Uh, that was brought to you by Code Sports. go to bloke for discount uh offer and uh there’ll be $4 for $49 for the year. We got a couple of a couple exciting things coming with code sport soon. So stay tuned as well. Also brought to you by Minulog. Use code brown for $7 off sushi. Use code brown. Also brought to you by Aspley Mazda. Currently got a sale going on with uh used cars. LDC_1. Give Luki a follow. Shoot him a message. Um and also I think they’re doing a massive giveaway too as well. Currently Ashley Mazda. So go to them as well and check them out. Li and they’re giving away a a a Mazda Ford Mazda all 55 grand cash them in collaboration with someone else. Guys, Luki does collaborate. Sorry, Luki does giveaways all the time. So, you’ve got to be following it. Okay. Golden boot golden boot nominees. Dylan Brown, Bullah, Cotter, Angus Cryen, Harry Grant, Pain Hass, IPAP, Locky Lamb, Moses Leotaa, uh, Jerome Liy, Casey McClean, Cam Monster, Papa Lee, Junior Balor, Jeremiah Nai, Tarpon, Timoko, and Ree Walsh. Um, trying to think. Did I Did it say Monster? Yeah, it said Monster. Yeah. Um, that looks pretty good to me. Yeah. And I get why they have to do all the like share it amongst the teams. I understand why they have to do that. But in my opinion, it comes down to two teams. New the New Zealanders and the summers. Yeah, I think so. I think so. I just I don’t think the Ash’s footy has been level. So, it’s been bad. Yeah. It’s just been like watching that is like you’re sitting there going, “What the This is like genuinely local league.” Like as in New South Wales Cup stand. Um not New South Wales Cup. You know what I’m saying? just wasn’t good. Okay. Uh yeah, it’s got to be between New Zealand and Sam Moa. We’ll say Casey McClean a bit of a smoky. Yeah. Bit of a smokey. I’d say the front runners right now are Dylan Brown, Angus. You can’t you can’t give it to an Australian, can you? I don’t think you can. You just can’t. They just been [ __ ] like if they win 60 nil tomorrow, then I’ll I’ll I’ll hear it. But like if if it’s another close grind and it’s low quality and there’s heaps of errors and it’s just it’s average, then I I got to give it to one of the S. or the Kiwis cuz this specific championships, those two teams have been phenomenal. Even in Sol’s lost, they were pretty good. Yep. Well, um, another Smokey for me is, uh, Tarpon. I just think that the tough thing for Tarpen is he does all the doesn’t do the flash. Like, he’s got flash stuff in him obviously, but all his stuff is just so high quality. So, it’s like it’s not going to be on the highlight reel, but if you actually watch the game, you know, someone else’s stats might be better. Like, okay, here’s a good example. So that first game, Pashas vers New Zealand, I still had Paneash just a bit ahead of Tarponire, but and so but when you looked at the stat, you’re like, what do you mean a bit ahead? It was like miles ahead, but it’s like, bro, watch the game. Tarponire was freaking unbelievable in that game. And so he’s a guy that like Tarpon was so close to winning it two years ago. Remember Fisher Harris came in after he won and said, “I thought Tarpon was going to win.” No, he was in regards to just individual performance. I actually thought he should have, but I thought the the leadership of Fish got him across the line. Um, I think he is definitely a big shout. Junior Bal is an interesting one. He’s going to need a really good game this game because you got to remember his first game wasn’t great. Yeah. Um, I wouldn’t mind Leota either, but I think Tarpon right now is probably the the smoky for me. Um, I know this shouldn’t matter. Oh, it should a little bit, but I know it’s not this black and white, but if Sam do win on Sunday, I would like some to win it. Yeah, for sure. cuz but you would have had surely you know them play two good games uh out of the It’s hard to say actually cuz when you think about it like well both teams are two out of three I guess. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It’s an interesting one. You’d probably go but I’m trying to look at that and I’m like who who has really stood out for Sam Moa in every game? Yeah. It’s hard with the I guess the first loss cuz like oh Pass. Oh. Yeah. Like Paneas was solid last week. Incredible first week. So pain is another one. Um yeah, so pain hash is probably the one that stands out the most uh in regards to consistency like incredible solid junior bolo junior palor poor incredible nai below like just okay notice him the first game really honestly second game incredible so yeah it’s probably pain that stands out but really right now if I had to give the award out right now it would be it probably between Brown tarpon and man and I would probably go brown just over Tarpon. Yeah, at the moment a Kiwi’s definitely won cuz they’ve they’re two from two. They were incredible last week and they were very good in week one. I just The reason why I want Tarpon to win one though is like I just want him to get some respect on his name. I know he already has it. People are beginning to see it for sure in the last year or so, but like I don’t I still don’t think people really gather how freaking good this guy is. Like he has beaten and dominated nearly any forward pack he’s played against. Now, yes, there have been times where the other forward back has won the battle or whatever, but what I’m saying is like some some players play really well against other teams that are okay or all good. Tarpon is the kind of guy that can play against a pain house and hold his own and go well kind of thing. Whereas I don’t think that there are there’s a more a wider casual audience that wouldn’t have tarpon in the top tier of front rowers. Now granted, I think that that audience is absolutely growing and I think this year nearly everyone has tarpon is in the front row top tier. But I just I don’t think people realize that how long he’s been doing it like this for. It’s not just one year. He’s essentially since that whole drama happened a few years ago about him sitting on the bench or whatever. He’s essentially been one of the best forwards in the competition. That seems like a lifetime ago now. Yeah. But yeah. No, for me he is in tier one and he’s like probably at the top end of tier one. Obviously Tart’s number one, but like right now if you told me if you if you said to me Taran is the second best property in the game, I I can’t push back for sure. I I’d definitely cop it. Um cuz like right now, yeah, individually you got Payne Hass at one, clear one, I think. And then then you’ve got like obviously AFB, Tarpon, um Tino, Tino, Fish, Leotaa, um and Terrell May is obviously getting there now as well. Yeah. But uh yeah, so interesting. I think they got most of it right in regards to I mean Tim was another like guy that’s been flying. He was really good both games as well. Um okay, on to next one. Broncos will play Hull Ko in World Cup challenge. Cool. Good. Um, glad it’s going ahead. Um, uh, and now let’s get into some pack champs chat. Um, this is brought to you by KO. Mouthwatering clash between New Zealand and Samo this week. Uh, watch Pacific Champs final live on KO. Can the Aussies go three and all up in the ashes and watch every game live on KO? This pack champs game. I’m that pumped. It is. It It could be I reckon it’s the most hyped international footie game since the World Cup 3 years ago final. Yeah, cuz like even when Kiwis beat us 30 deal, like no one really expected that. That just kind of just happened out of nowhere. But this is hyped. I have no idea who’s going to win this game. Yeah, true. Good point. Okay, Pack Champs game, grand final. Um, Samo verse New Zealand. I mean, it’s going to be a banger of a match. I just I just wonder the speed of the ruck from the Kiwis. I just wonder whether it was going to be a bit too much for Samoa. Now granted, Samoa did similar things to Tonga the week before, but I just saw when you watch that game from New Zealand, like they were playing like a top tier NRL side. That’s what that’s the way they played. Like genuinely, like they played together for a very long time and and they could go toe-to-toe with some of our top tier sides. I know that sounds silly to say that cuz they’re an international side, but you’ll find because NL players play together a lot. They’re much their systems are much better than international footing. And so like I watched that game and it gez it reminded me of the speed of the grand final of these prelim games. Like I think it was 3.12 seconds average playable. Now Grant, remember guys, the average for the Australians in game one was 4.12 seconds. I’m pretty sure that was a second like the average was a second slower. That’s how fast the Kiwis were. That’s insane. Like and so I just wonder once they get that rolling. I just think right now if I have to be fair income, I just think this this New Zealand forward pack is too good. It’s the best for pack in the world. Like I just think it’s too good. And I know that people go, “Hang on a sec.” You know, we got Molo, we got Pain, we got Sua, we got Sangi, we got Junior. So, okay, let’s go. Okay, so we got Francis Molo, Tvanga, Painas, Sua, Sangi, Junior, Paulo verse Fish, Phoenix, Leotaa, Nikota, Papali, and Tap. But then you look at the bench and you go, Kiwi Bench, bro. So Kiwi Bench is Tom Martin, White Clark Willis verse Harris Tvita. So Martin and and Tvita, I’d just go Yep. Like for like uh Baya uh Yelu um good number nine which you know you could argue surely he’s starting Jesus Christ. So really it would be Jazva. So Jazva and Aaron Clark I think form wise Aaron Clark you know quite a lot better at the moment but similarish players. Then you’ve got White versus Cheryl May, which is a crazy matchup. And then Willis vers Josh Papaliki, which is like it’s it’s funny. It’s like two ends of the spectrum. Guy in the back end of his career and obviously a guy in start of his career. I will say Josh Papaliki’s son is is some of the cutest, funniest content I’ve ever seen. The video of when he was like, “Yeah, I I went to the game to watch my dad.” Like inspiring music in that. Yeah. Yeah. And it’s just him on the on the exercise bike. I tell you what, his uh his mom or um his mommy is funny as [ __ ] She’s one that edits all um so super talented at what she’s doing. So she like that’s the one thing I’m looking at his stuff and some of like the meme inputs and that and like as a content creator sometimes you look at it and go okay is this a someone that gets humor on the internet like she gets it. She’s good. Really really good. Really good. Um ah look on paper, you know, both teams could go with each other, but it’s not it’s not necessarily the paper. I just think this Kiwis forward pack just get each other better. Yeah, they’re they’re in sync, aren’t they? They’re so in sync, bro. Like the the Leota Fish one two punch arguably the greatest punch we’ve ever seen in the rugby league. When when I think of Kiwis, and I know this is obvious that winning teams are in sync, but spec specifically Kiwis, when I look back at history and I look back at like four packs and teams that are just in sync, like the Kiwis from 2008 World Cup when they beat Australia, like they were just in sync. They they the one against the World Cup more recently, the 300 like all in sync. All this this team reminds me of all of them. Yeah, I’m with you. I’m with you. just I look at it and I go, “Okay, so Payne has hash like essentially the goat front row in my opinion.” However, when the game speed ticks up, he’ll be gassed cuz he’ll have to cover a lot of that defense. And then you’ve got uh Francis Malu, who you know, good solid first grader, but he’s not on the top tier. Uh Tanga, good solid defender. Sua, you know, at his best is is a bloody good. Sangi, but again, I just junior bolo outstanding. But it’s it’s really the it’s just the the clicking nature like papi diam win a back rowa nika diam has he won the delium back row one year you know I don’t think he has but he should off yeah I mean he’s been very close um tarpon diam leota yet to win a dium I’m pretty sure fish diam surely fish has won that one one day I’ll have a look I’ll have a look um I don’t think nicar’s won one I’ll check fish but yeah and so I just think they’re too in sync I really do I I just this Kiwi side is so in sync now granted said, “When you look at the backs, Fish has won two props of the year.” Two two props of the year. Okay. So, okay. So, when you look at the backs, RTS versus Kiny, man, I got to say, like in nearly any matchup, I’d be giving RTS the the edge. I’m giving Kiny the edge here. Well, he’s in form. Just he showed last week what he can do. Like RTS essentially ran for 300 meters a week before, which is crazy. So, it’s not like by a lot, but I’m giving Kenny the edge here. RTS, one of the goats. Um, to versus Sako going to Timmo versus Tango. Um, obviously Timoko better form, but Tango was so under like not under is the wrong word, but he’s just so solid like he just goes I know defensively he has these like goes through the season where defensively has his lapses, gives final footing and kills it, but far out he’s just consistent. Um, it gives you a good level of especially in attack. Dean Mariner vers. I’m going Dean. However, I thought Chance was good last week. And Talangi verse Casey McClean. Oh, [ __ ] Like actually don’t know who I’m giving that to. Yeah, I I I’m gonna go I’m gonna go Talangi just cuz he’s been there and done it for longer. Um and I think he is a bit slept on because he’s up at North Queensland. Bloody he’s slept on but Casey McClean like not by much. Like you’re talking top tier. Well, he’s the next he’s next big thing. Uh, in six, Blaze slangy lai and then obviously Dylan Brown foreign. Um, bro, I don’t know. I just think I’m going Kiwis. I’m going Kiwis. I’m going Kiwis. I just think that um they’re just too in sync. I I really do. Like not by much, not at all. I think it’s going to be a crazy clash. I just think their rock speed is going to be too much for Samo and squad. And honestly, if I’m being fed income like right now, they’re probably the best team in the world. Kiwis. Yeah. when you look at how the Australia’s played, they are. And it’s it’s crazy. They didn’t even make the final last year of the Pacific Championships. How how far they’ve come in a year. Um, and you got to send Fos out in a win. Surely. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Surely. Yeah. I think the Kiwis are going to win this one. Like imagine this Kiwi side with Hughes at seven. I mean, we saw his bloody beat. Yes, definitely. But then imagine this Samoan side with Critter in it and Taylor May in it and potentially Tino in it. Although, you know what? The more the more I like see Tino talk, the more I think he might stay with the with the Aussies. With the Aussies. Yeah. Hope so. Hope so. So, yeah. Listen, I think Speed of the Rock is going to be super super vital. Whoever can win that wrestle, if somehow Samoa can slow him down, I think it’s going to go a long long way to helping him win. Um, but really when you look at these matchups, like probably on paper, the Kiwis forward pack is just a teeny bit better. Um, in the backline, I just think you’re pretty much even pretty much. uh bench probably the Kiwi bench probably just yeah just but you can’t count out a guy like Josh Papa Terron May probably should have won Dian for the year as well like [ __ ] it’s a tough one um so yeah I’m going New Zealand in regards to Australia we’ve already spoken on Wednesday about the trans uh sorry the decision to not select other players I still stand firm like I I respect the idea of like having to earn the jersey and all all that kind of stuff. I get it. I I really do. You don’t just hand those jersey outs. But at the same time, like listen, if you get selected in a 25man squad and you go halfway across the world, like it’s not like this team’s playing that good either. Yeah. Like I just like there are BS that you know could be dropped on form if you if you and that’s what I guess you could argue like like if no one get did anyone get dropped? No. So it’s like I think Yo came back in someone dropped out but so it’s like okay so on one hand you could argue yep we can’t hand the jersey out but then it’s like well there are guys here that have not played to to the way they should have and probably if if we’re being that ruthless then they probably should have been dropped. Yeah in my opinion and that but that’s not even the argument I care about. The argument for me is like we’re trying to build for the future. Yeah. What what if you know like if you’re willing to fly all the way over half the world be in a squad of 20 what is it 22 or 23? It’s supposed to be I think it’s supposed to be 23 but then they added Ethan Strange just say 24 listen I get like guys like Ethan Strange in that like you don’t just hand him giving him a jersey you know he’s a young fell coming through and he was brought on for experience but guys like Mitchell Moses potentially Preston definitely Bradman Best like like I I think they’ve kind of earned it. Um, and maybe Brayley as well. One game. Yeah, one game. Like, okay, what what if Harry Grant’s injured next World Cup? Yeah. Then Brayley has to literally debut. He might not even have played. He might not play. Like, Robson’s probably got the spot next year at this point. So, who knows? So, I just I I think it’s more like I understand having to pick like, okay, it’s the Kangaroo jersey. You don’t just hang out. I do understand that. I really do. But then I if if that’s the case, I feel like some guys should have got dropped. Yeah, cuz they haven’t played that good. Like, I really do. um like if it’s that ruthless. But as I said, I don’t care about the argument. I’m I I think personally we’re trying to build something here. We’re trying to build a core of guys that can be in the squad for the next four or five years together, get experience. And if I’m being like if we’re worried about the 3-0 victory, like respectfully, we could put every single reserver in right now and we would still win in my opinion. No matter what team we’d roll out, we win. I got a left field one for you. Considering Isaiah is a captain, right? And you don’t want to like drop any off from cesy, but like realistically when Kar comes back, he’s going to be 13. So Isao probably will start at prop, but whatever. He’s he’s spotting the 17 is not questioned, but he’s where it is is if you’re Kevy to keep Tino happy. Well, keep happy, but like could you give Tino the captaincy and then that’ll stop him from going to Samola? Like like he said that he wants to captain Queensland. No. No. No way. If you’re a captain of Australia, you should not even be considering playing for another country in my opinion. Okay, maybe that’s wrong of me to say, but that’s just how I feel. Ah, fair enough. If you want to captain this nation, there should not even be a question. And I I understand everyone’s different. I understand everyone’s had different upbringings and and I’ll never understand what it’s like to have a mom from here and a dad from there or whatever, but I just think if you’re going to captain the nation, it should just be like this is the only country I’m ever going to play for. I love it. like, you know, you might not love it more than the guy that would play for someone else. I’m not sure. But what I do know is there can never be a question as to whether you you were going to choose another nation over our nation. Yeah, it’s a fair call. You know what I’m saying? Cuz you’re captaining it. It’s It’s one thing to play for it, but to captain a country, if put it this way, I don’t mind if eventually like, let’s say Tino didn’t make the Australian side, and he wants to play for some like sweet, whatever. That’s totally okay. But if all nations are available to you and you can get selected for everyone, if you want to be captain of the country, you should always select Australia in my opinion if you have the opportunity to play for them in my opinion. Fair enough. Maybe maybe I’m the old man yelling at clouds and and the next generation see things differently, which is I respect that, but at least that’s my my opinion. I think I respect that. I I do think Tino is a very unique case though. Like he loves playing for Australia. Yeah, I’m I’m definitely not doubting his love for it or his commitment at all. like, you know, I think he would play just as hard if it was his number one side. It’s just the It’s the thought that like if you’re going to captain the nation, the thought of you sitting there and going, “Oo, could I play for another country over this country?” It just doesn’t sit right. I don’t know. Call me old school. That’s No, that’s that’s a fair argument. And that doesn’t mean that you’re going to play less hard if you have options to play elsewhere. Not at all. But it just the captaincy of the nation. Like it can never be in your heart to want to play for someone else if you have the opportunity to play for a straight in my opinion. And we have just so many guys here. Like we have got so many guys we could put there that you know Oh, there’s half the team are full of captains. Yeah. Um and I I ne I don’t think anyone is above the importance of the Australian jersey where we have to plate them to be there. If you don’t want to be here, don’t be here. That’s fine. We don’t I don’t dislike you for whatever. If you want to play for someone else, I fully respect it and I I’ll enjoy it and I’ll watch it. But I’m I hope there’s never an Australian coach or selected that’s like, “Oh, we want to keep this guy in the squad. We we’ll give him this or we’ll give him that.” It’s like, “No, no, the honor is the jersey. The honor is the jersey. And if you want to if you want to play another jersey, that’s fine. It’s totally sweet. However, we aren’t going to compromise to plate you.” And and we’re talking about not talking about Tino at the moment. We’re talking about just in general in general. Yeah. Um yeah, just Yeah. As I said, maybe I’m an old man now, but I do think that sometimes I feel like the younger generation may not actually realize what has been sacrificed for those colors. Yeah. I just I don’t know if they do. And and and you know, when I was younger, maybe I didn’t either. And as you get older and you start to hear the stories about sacrifice for those colors, and you’re like, “Come on, Kev. It’s a it’s a game of sport.” No, but to represent your country, you’re representing the history of it, the colors, the the Australian flag. Like, you know, people have sacrificed their lives for that flag. Like that that flag represents an ideal, a belief that you believe in this thing called Australia. You believe that it’s worth putting your life on the line for protecting your family, your loved ones. you you’re you’re making there are thousands, tens of thousands, maybe hundreds of thousands of people that have put their life on the line for the belief in this is worth fighting for. And that’s what the Australian jersey is cuz you’re representing them. That guy, that guy that was sitting in the trenches in World War II or whatever, he was like riding home saying, “How’d the boys go footy?” You know, they’re representing me while I’m over here obviously putting my life on the line. I’m not saying they’re equal at all. They’re not even close, but like that’s who they’re representing. But they’re also representing the single mom, the they’re also representing, you know, the young kid with a dream. Anyone in Australia that’s Australian kind of thing in my opinion. I just sometimes I feel people are like, “Oh, come on, mate. Just just a jersey.” Like, you know, it’s not just a jersey. It’s not just colors, you know? Think like that then nothing means anything. Yeah. You can’t think like you can’t that’s Yeah. Like it means something, bro. It means something. Um, and maybe it’s like a cultural thing like this next generation is much more nonchalant is not the right word, but like disillusioned potentially like disillusioned with this idea of Australia and you know the Australian dream and potentially which I can get you know I get it with how much we’ve found out about the people that run this joint. I understand that disillusionment but it’s not about the people that run the joint. It’s the people that are sacrificed. It’s it’s the it’s your mate when that was just like you but 100 years ago that went away lied about his age to go to war or you know whoever it is. So anyway, who cares what I think about that stuff? Seriously. Uh that is us done and duc I’m pretty sure. Well, actually, I saw a comment the other day on it. He’s like, “Dan, you’ve got to change the question, the last question of favorite rapper, or favorite musician.” And I was like, “Listen, bro. There’s some things that you never change.” And even if it’s the shittest question in history, I will not betray the listener like that. Tradition matters. Tradition matters. Do you know why I asked that question? Do you want to know? Yeah, I do want to know. Um, it’s to wrap the the interview up. Oh, yeah. So, so by asking that question, you say, um, all right, mate. So, you know, to end the episode, I always ask these questions. Whereas, if you don’t do that, how do you end the Oh, so you don’t even have to think about it. Well, you just it puts a full stop rather than, oh, all right, mate. Cuz you’ve been sitting there talking to a bloke for an hour and 20 minutes and and it’s just flowing flowing and he says he’s talking about his career, whatever. And then the last answer to his last, you know, not question, but the last response to his last statement is, “Okay, thanks so much for coming to the show, man. We really appreciate it.” It’s [ __ ] really weird wrap-up. That I’ve never thought of that, but that actually makes a lot of sense. It wraps the show. It like wraps it up. Puts a full stop on it. Makes them feel comfortable like, “Okay.” Oh, yep. Sweet. Like bit of a laugh. Ends ends the show on a a much better flow. Nice. Love it. Anyway, we’ll go [ __ ] ourselves. Who cares? What’s gambling really costing you? For free and confidential support, visit gamblinghelonline.org.au.
23 Comments
Broncos broke the curse and put a hex on the Storm.
Sorry guys, I’m late to the party by 45 mins. Have a great weekend and go fuck yourselves 💪💪💪
I'm maybe in a unique position, grew up following broncos. But like some.Qldrs, always go for qld teams first. up until recently Storm had qld feeder clubs so was basically a qld team. Moved to Melbourne at 21, switched to Storm as I know id barely ever get the chance to see a broncs home game. But Broncs are my 2nd team, always watch em etc.
Was pissed off for about 5 mins after the GF at how Storm.played. but happy to see the Broncos win. Good storylines, hunt etc.
I dont care about Smith going to the Broncs, hope hes getting big money lol
As a lifelong Storm fan I can happily say that Smithy doesn’t owe the club anything. He’s the GOAT and gave us all of himself while he was there.
However, I now see his statue outside Aami park like it’s a confederate statue that needs to be torn down!
22:08 I like this POV, I never went to my uni graduation nor any award nights at school because I felt cringe accepting applause esp if I didn’t give it my all, but if you can think of it as for the fam or misso that makes it feel less self indulgent
One problem with shortening the season too much, is that the Origin period will affect a bigger percentage of the year. Over 25% of the year, in a 20 round competition.
The smith thing sucks because storm just lost the GF to the broncos and then it comes out are greatest player ever is gonna go help them win more prems. Hard for that not to sting abit but you guys make great points he doesn’t owe us anything and if we won the gf and then this came out It would be like go ahead do your thing
I think everyone rates Taps as a top tier forward….
As a Samoan, I agree with the Tino captaincy thing. It seemed like a very hard decision for him to play for the Kangaroos. Carrigan is the future captain 😂
You had loads of memorable games in those 40 Kempy speaking as a fan you have the career highlight reel of a 200 gamer. You had 2-3 years in a premiership window with memorable highlights that’s the same for an average nrl 10 year footy player probably only gets 2-4 year window to win and make memories
I don’t see the Broncos hate. People celebrated the spoon but ever since then I think people have been neutral. There was a lot of Walsh hate but he’s completely shut them up.
Roosters are easily the most hated. This year there was also a lot of Dogs hate but I think that was all about Gus
If it weren’t for Charnze’s errors that let Samoa back in, I reckon the Kiwis would’ve kept full control. Expect them to lift the tempo Kini will be sliding across the line, looking for tired Sāmoan forwards to break through and play fast. The Bash Bros and Tapine will be punching through the middle, setting up those quick play-the-balls.
Samoa needs go toe to toe with nz like how they did Eng but better.
do teams need such long preseasons? for example, the premier league have a quick turnaround and very short offseason
You're totally right about length of season. Thing is, it's not actually even business, it's people on spreadsheets. If you draw a straight line yeh more games mean more money, but it misses the point that each game can become worth less because it's a poo slinger and you've ended up with the same total value but with a whole lot more work
yes Matty drop Yeo as captain to please Tino. the greatest minds in rugby league here
Kempy was why you went sorta viral is the goose trend? Or can you explain that. Thats how I found you😂
Smithy just wants to hang out with his mate Dozer, that’s play on
Lockyer the legend, champion, true hero. I can't stand when people say that he is not good enough to be immotal. He played two positions and became best in both positions.
The best of the best! Absolutely love him. He 6 go after attention or speak ill of others. Avery polite person. Love, love, love him. ❤️ ❤❤❤
It is reported that Smith contacted Bellamy to get his blessing. Nice touch! So happy.
Overall Reese Walsh golden boot winner 🏆
Yep fill sorry for you first world problem
Geez this guy talks through a hole in his arse. As good as an NRL team…what a joke