It’s a different type of Dirty Merger Podcast this week, with Justin Horo from Levels podcast joining me to preview the first two games of the season.
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0:00 Manly’s pre-season wooden spoon brought to you by Good Day
5:20 Levels podcast
10:27 Manly Sea Eagles Vegas preview
24:06 South Sydney Rabbitohs Vegas preview
40:04 Brisbane Broncos Vegas preview
52:38 Sydney Roosters Vegas preview
1:06:00 Reece Walsh to NFL?
1:07:42 Adam Reynolds and Luke Keary re-sign
1:08:51 Should Stephen Crichton play fullback or centre at the Bulldogs?
1:16:31 Scope’s top 8 2024
Just a bloking a bar what is up ladies and gentlemen welcome to another DMP look it’s a DMP but it’s a different kind of DMP uh some would say a more professional uh some would say a better looking uh that’s debatable from my end anyway uh but I’ve got the great sir
Scopus from the levels podcast how you going brother yeah it’s uh it’s getting very dirty it’s getting very murky in here I’d say with me being in here but yeah the boys are away I’m free I’m kicking the feed Up Normally this is a golf day for me KY but I’ll do anything
For you brother let’s get in here and uh let’s merge what would have been hello sports with a little bit of levels Network eh yeah I like it I like it’s one of the great merges all time one of the great merges three clubs have come together now yeah yeah uh now uh
Speaking of uh hello sport Tom and Eddie Eddie and Tom very convenient that manly win their first wooden spoon and they’re not here very convenient manly win their first wooden spoon and that’s why it gives me great pleasure for this podcast to be brought to you by good day
Manley’s wooden spoon brought to you by good day multivitamins that’s right you can carry with anywhere blah blah blah all that good stuff actually I actually ran out of mine uh yesterday so I ordered some more on the uh interwebs really easy really seamless but what
Brings me even more pleasure is to have a former M mly great here to talk about their first ever wooden spoon the preseason challenge yeah look um you know we’re always trying to I guess sometimes I feel like now I’m going to be speaking on behalf
Of the boys and I got to throw that even harder manly 13 plus rhetoric at you but uh we won it last year and it didn’t serve us well so we thought we’ll try something different this year the boys are away um jokes aside uh it’s you know
Like this time of the year it’s all about the could be anything’s more than anything right it’s uh trying to unearth some young kids that might be a part of the plans um moving forward but on our first TR in particular I thought they were really impressive the um the game
Against South Sydney uh with brooksie starting on the left I thought you know obviously bur’s now worked himself into a spot because of what’s happened to Josh Shuster but um I’m not worried I’m actually very I’m I’m very this probably I always feel like I’m optimistic about Manley every
Year but now I sort of want to have controlled optimism towards it uh I want I want them to sneak up on on a few teams this year Ambush a little bit of an ambush it’s worked for you on the pass with the Broncos you you’ve adopted
The Ambush before if you say Ambush every single year eventually the you’ve got to Ambush someone eventually and also the worse you go the more you can say that’s part of the Ambush yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah yeah so we’re going so bad it’s the least the last time you
Expect us to bounce out and win a Premiership yeah that’s that’s what happens in I um in particular I’m I’m really pumped i’ got no relationship with him at all I’m really excited to see what Luke Brooks toss up this year I se the podcast C Cooper and Maddie had
Their first episode shout out to Backstage baby the backstage the boys um and you don’t really see much from from Luke he very rarely and understandably I’ve been asking him for 10 years body he brush me no I’m joking that doesn’t happen it’s it’s it’s understandable like cuz they’ve gone through such a
Tough time and he’s always been at the Forefront of you know coping a lot of blame when a lot of us who who understand rugby league or even if you’re you fan you could see you know it’s not completely been Luke Brooks’s fault what’s happened at the Tigers for
The last 10 years so I’m really excited to see how he he goes in particular um I’m excited for the for round zero for Vegas and the teams and and how the the you know a lot of chatter in in the dimensions of the field I think that’s
Going to be the teams that adapt to that as quickly as possible we we’ll serve them well but it’s good foot he’s back K we’re back so good it’s so good but I just want to make it really clear Manley’s first would spoon brought to
You by good day with all that being said their first wooden spoon is literally sponsored by hell sport good day thank you uh also CBA could be anything shirts still available baby we got like only one size left in the black shirt and then we’ve got we sold out a three or
Four sizes in the red shirt they are available at bloke do shop uh we will never ever do this design again for the could be anything and we’ve also got the Red Hats so jump on bl. shop grab some also grab a case of bloke beer it is the
Beer of rugby league as I always say a lot of beers talk about love and rugby league but they don’t actually live and breathe it the way bloke beer does a beer for BL has turn up for family good uh family mates and Good Times uh now
Also thank you to everyone that’s done the survey don’t forget in the link show notes there’ll be a survey it really helps the podcast we’ve got some really really uh interesting answers honestly some things we didn’t even think about uh you have a chance we’re giving away
8100 you know what I’m doing 10 I’m 10 I’m going to 10 scope 10 are the best baby $1 $100 that’s $1,000 that’s 10 * 100,000 what were you thinking of eight to begin with I know I know I’m you the I’m raising the bar I’m doing $10 $100 vouchers you have a
Chance all you got to do it takes 5 minutes to do the survey it really helps the the show the podcast the blow everything you get a chance to win $100 um voucher now NRL starts in 3 days good to say that good to say that manly V
Actually first of all levels podcast how’s it going brother good good we just got back into it um we don’t slave away as much as you boys do we do a couple days a week you boys are grinding and uh mad respect to that me and M were
Talking about it just before the seven seven and a half hours of Doom well 6 hours 52 minutes okay sorry and then and then someone tried to copy us and allegedly did 7 hours and 10 minutes but I was a part of that also so I did yeah
And and obviously I was a part of that as well we missed each other we both broke the record we all did yeah we’re all part of the record actually we’re record Breakers um but yeah mate it’s good we I love doing it um me and mace got through the first year relatively
Unscathed how’s it like Rin the big dog it’s good I look we’ve we’ve got a pretty good relationship that goes back a while now um I understand what makes him tick uh but I I I always say this to you know a lot of people I I just got this
Recently the other day I think I was when I was down at husky someone I was down at the pub and someone was asking me about mace and um it sort of sounds condescending for me to speak about it on his behalf but like a lot of people always speak and and we
Talk about this all the time that I didn’t realize M was so in tune with the game or spoke so articularly because he’s perceived to be this tear away front rower through the party ages of the Bulldogs went to a couple of careers big personality but he loves his footy
Mate he loves his footy so it’s I love doing it with him uh we’ve got our little mate ly at the back running away with this as well and and getting it all going so good first year some stuff to build on few lessons uh but um you know like as You’
Know we you know we’ve caught up with each other heaps over the you know last 12 months in particular and I’ve boun some stuff off you as well but I’m pretty happy with where it’s at and just came for some more footy and some more content and doing some more cool [ __ ]
What I what I like about it from a you know podcasting zge it’s so different to bloke you know a lot of people that say like oh there’s so many podcasts out there there isn’t really if you being honest I always say this to when people
Go oh I was singing about starting a podcast but everyone Rec there’s too many I’m like imagine a person that’s about to create a TV show walking up and going oh there’s too many TV shows all right Game of Thrones doesn’t exist you know what I mean like what are you
Talking about TV’s been around for like what 50 60 years podcasting is it’s not even mainstream yet but let’s say it’s been mainstream for 5 years yeah um and so what I like about bloke and levels and even HSP and the Rue and Timmy but especially bloke and levels they’re so different
Uh usually very different opinions to so there may a lot offf you disagree with or the of the show BL you can go get that at levels podcast it’s a different vibe it’s going to have different opinions so that’s what I like about uh the levels podcast it isn’t necessarily
Just a you know a cut and copy of things that have come before you know yeah for sure um so go subscribe guys go subscribe like And subscribe uh you going to say m or you just leaving towards I had a comment sorry M just
Quickly I had a comment from cuz so I told all our levels list that I was going to be doing the show and the top comment with the most likes is I bounce back and forth from bloke and and levels basically on a Monday so that’s the
Beauty of it by around as well with Jimmy Graham I I spoke spoke to jamer about I did the uh interview with him last year and I think the the thing the beauty of what we’re all doing right now is we’ve all got pretty unique takes we’re all different come from you know
Different backgrounds different level of play um even with me and mace that’s why we I think our chemistry is really good cuz I can give the perspective of of the batler the guy that had to work every year for a position and mace was a top
Tier player so that works for us but it’s it’s what I said to Jammer halfway through last year when I did the podcast with him and I love Jammer’s podcast I love yours I love the boys I love obviously HSP and all that but um if you
Just worry about doing the podcast to your best of your ability and you can be a fan of other podcasts or you can you know know that other TV shows podcasts are always going to be there but if you just do uh your job the best you can the
Rest will take care of itself and it doesn’t have to be competitive and there’s enough time in a day on the way home from work uh sitting at home maybe trying to put the bub down where you can check the captions on and listen or or
Or what what it may be and and consume multiple forms of content because I do it in rugby league and I do it in the NFL as well cuz I love my NFL I love NFL NBA and I’ve got about three to four core podcasts or or shows that I watch
As well same as what I hope the listeners do for for us similar to myself I uh I’m known as Mr Cricket uh so very very deep into my cricketing game uh also known as Mr Festival uh recently joined the hard the hard style community so shout out my hard style
Listeners I know you’ve been embrace me with open arm seriously you guys are you guys having a good time all the time if you know what I mean uh cuz you’re very happy people uh but we got some big news and that big news is rugby league it is
Back this weekend manly V rabitos will talk about that first Tom let’s I’ll name the side guys in number one Tom trro no I’m sorry uh Tom to in number one at two Jason sa three koler four Garrick Paulo at five Brooks the dce the
P at 8 kroer at nine allia at 10 h 2 at 11 o scary boy 12 benra voic love that 13 if you didn’t get enough trich there’s another one Jake trich 14 Carl Lorton 15 woodell 16 bully Moore and 17 the big fella is back ready to rumble
Nathan Brown yeah shout out to Nathan Brown shout out shout out uh what are your first reactions to that Squad right so a couple of the reasons I’m excited about the bird gang uh on the Northern beaches I love the development of a couple of players that have been
Rewarded too with some big contracts uh During the period that Tom’s missed a lot of footy so when I’ve was sort of breaking down manly and looking at them um you look at what they’ve sort of been knocking on the door the last couple of years and obviously the team relies on
Turbo and the team will only go as far as your star player for any team so whether it’s Latrell whether it’s turbo whether it’s K is Turbo pouting in that photo cuz those are some big juicy lips baby is that a bit of Botox is that
Botox they are they are full cuz the one thing I hear about Botox and I’m not a Botox guy myself but they look shiny they look shiny as damn he’s kind of looking handsome isn’t he’s always he’s always been juicy cloney he’s always been juicy sorry I just to ask speaking
Of Cl got the got the Silver Fox on the side as well so um yeah I guess with what the players or what the squads had to endure with him not being there over the last couple years you’ve seen the emergence in particular of I’d say
Probably two guys that I really love is ham alaku I think he’s the star I really thought he should have been a part of the origin Squad last year he would given some real xfactor Off the Bench and he’s still figuring probably not as um at Advanced or or into his
Progression as himal but I love Toca yeah I think Toca um can be a real you know like I think he’s 21 22 sort of Hit the scene he’s got um so much things I love about his game and attack but even defensively cuz he looked really good when he went
Back and played a bit of fullback last year but I love the way he so raw and he made some bad decisions defensively early on his career but he’s so fast he can make up for it yeah so he’s the sort of player that wedges in but can somehow
You know got head towards the lead Runner make the mistake and still catch the fullback out the back so those two guys and Brooks are probably the stand out for me I think with a fully fit Tommy turbo we could be seeing the Bess
I h on the right and I and my m is col is going to be on the left cuz we haven’t really seen that much of a top tier U and trovich partnership now we haven’t um because the year that Tommy had his year I think he had just come
Into first grade alquire 2 yep he was and he wasn’t playing big minutes he was you know like one one thing that sort of let him down to the back end of games he he become a bit of a liability at the back end of halves because he was so
Gassed he’s a genuine 80-minute player now like I think he averaged 65 minutes last year um and for a long periods uh I think for a long period of the year he was is playing 80 minutes for most games so he’s he’s a genuine 80-minute player
If required now uh and I thought to Kaa specifically at the back end of the season when he got moved to fullback would just give him the world of confidence and a lot of you know solid play in and around that and you know I expect I got high expectations of me
Make the skipper but those two uatu and col I’m really looking forward to yeah U’s First full year was 2021 so Tommy’s year so Tommy’s year so he hadn’t really learned yeah partnership and also played a bit of basketball too so he would have been learning not learning the game but
Getting used to the game uh in his first year the interesting thing about Kaa Cola that um I don’t think gets spoken about enough sometimes when these boom youngsters come in with this like one asset that a lot of people talk about like for example if your pain house you
Come into first grade everyone’s talking about your size and your motor um with with Coler could he come in as one of the fastest we’ve ever seen and he didn’t immediately explode onto the scene people go oh okay well maybe he’s not as good as we’ve hyped him up for
Hyped him up like prior to his debut but what I really like about Ker’s development over the last few years is he has slowly built things on his game where if you took away the speed he would still probably be an NRL standard player I mean not if you took it all the
Way but if you took away that top end kind of speed and how many rookies do we see come in and they’ve got either speed size or whatever and they get to their second third year and they haven’t really added much to their game and by their second or third year they figured
Out that you know people double team them or uh you know in defense people sit a little bit wider so they can’t get in with speed whereas Cola he’s each year he’s almost gone under the radar with how much he’s developed as a player yeah uh and so I’m really excited to see
As he builds his game out what he can become because once you build that Foundation that actually creates more opportunities for you to use your one big asset which is your speed so we’re actually going to probably see more moments big moments from him cuz honestly for me personally I actually
Think he’s been had bigger defensive plays in the last 12 months than attacking players some of his defensive players for me are are fantastic some of his tackle uh defense uh technique is also fantastic um so yeah I agree with you mate I’m really excited about ker
All kwatu for him it’s just about mate there’s a new coach that’s openly said as in sorry see I’m talking about origin there’s a new origin coach that has openly said fresh slate outside of probably clear Clean Slate it’s like mate if you ever wanted because if you don’t if you don’t
Put the let’s say he stays inury free if you don’t put the best for foot forward this year someone else will and getting that Blues jersey is going to be way harder than what it’s going to be getting it this year you know what I’m saying yeah you’re right it’s a really
Competitive position too backro it’s so interchangeable like you think about over the years Angus Kon is not even in the 17 for the roosters that’s crazy he was like one of the one of or the blues best for at least two to three years on
The edge there if you can think of like I’m just thinking about one player that probably byy Corda is the only Wade Graham even as good as Wade Graham was was sort of in and out played bench played and he was Elite at Club level
For a long time so it’s a very highly contested position you’ve got Keon I actually think in the squad not on the team but I actually think Ben trovich is a smokey for the squad cuz I think he’s in he’s he’s had long enough to develop
Now he’s looking in real good Nick um you’ve got so we’ve got Keon you’ve got Cen Mur might have to play there if Isa y plays 13 uh obviously Liam Martin um I mean there are a bunch of back rowers then you’ve got um you’ve got Sai I’m
Assuming he could play for New South Wales y you’ve got Wong I’m assuming could s Wong yeah um you’ve got even he’s got plenty of allegiances too by S Wong he countries let alone St he could he could be available for both states he could be the only player that’s
Available for both states he can represent five different countries have you seen it he’s got he’s got um I believe he’s got a Chinese background he played for Fiji already even toonga there you go uh Tonga um New Zealand wow potentially did he grow up
In New Zealand we got people will let us know on the coms did I’m looking at tuo at the moment it is tough to say if he’s new because he grew up in New Zealand but he did come over at some point it doesn’t specifically say though I would
Reading this I’d probably lean towards not eligible not eligible okay I’ll keep digging okay um you even got Nat butcher I know he’s on the bench at the moment for the roosters but I thought he was he was their best play one of their best players out butcher Bros yeah um L lur
If he kills it at the dragons um he’s another guy on the edge there I mean there are so many good Ed Edge back I know we’re forgetting like one name that’s should be standing out to us that s could also be aoke New South Wales um
Edge back row but you’re right I I feel like there’s a name that we forgetting Su obviously is a queenslander um papal is a kiwi maybe MD can look at the squads for the last yeah CU cam Murray throws it out because he ends up playing Edge back row
Kawu look at the Tyson felle Tyson frelle there you go Tyson friselle I knew there was a name that’s been around that sort of was escaping us um but yeah on just before we move off I guess manly um and the big one is Brooks are you
Excited for Brookie as mass excited like look I will openly admit I do feel there were years where he should have shown more commitment but I also do believe most of his time at the Tigers the form the club was in was not his fault yeah so probably one or two
Years where I think he I felt uh I felt he looked disinterested but then you have to ask the question is that because the environment was so bad so toxic and and people like to say oh you’re getting paid a million bucks I I get it like yes
He got paid a big Wicket but it doesn’t matter what job you’re in if the environment is bad you were not going to be happy 100% it and whether your pay packet is there are people on 50 Grand 60 Grand a year that were probably happier than some rugby league players
On a big Wicket each day you know why because they went into work and they love being there they had a good environment um and I’m not trying to sit here and say oh W is me as a foot player I’m not saying that at all I’m just
Saying it is human nature if the environment isn’t good eventually it’s going to get to you straining um what do you got there man H just a couple of names going through uh Hudson Young’s another one yeah been screaming that watching it before we got that yeah you got people
Like Ryan Madison um he wasn’t in the squad last year I’m just looking through the whole NL sha Lane y y cartright could that be the Cinderella story that’d be good for bryy played for Bry um yeah so like PL Nam plenty of Nam very highly contested spot
And I I think the main people he’s competing with are Keon and and uh Hudson young CU they’re all relatively young so if they get that Jersey going to be hard too um but the thing is okay this is what I didn’t get last year with the blues and sorry we’re already
Talking about origin guys this is what I didn’t get if you were going to take a risk on to pangar Jr take a risk on allatu first last year like if I’m going to have a risk on one player it’s going to be the guy that has been playing
Really good footy for a pretty long period of time yes sometimes he has a quiet game are you telling me uatu in the middle for 20 minutes isn’t [ __ ] scary as if I’m a queen Zer I’d rather that’s one that’s one thing I wouldn’t want to defend against is a allu that
Only has to go for 20 minutes 100% like he’s a guy that can play Big minutes on the edge but you’re right like looking at the substitutions in particular that Freddy made last year with it where I think Stefano played 15 to 20 minutes the ver only played you know around the
Same like 25 to 30 hamal would have been able to knock you out easy that that amount of minutes in the middle and then potentially give you flexibility out wide and like he’s even a guy like similar to David fa yeah you don’t want
To put him out there but if he was even in defending in the centers like what Center is want to going to run at him no you know like especially if it’s close to the line you know the shape where they’re like you know run a run a block
Shape inside H and C you’re like n bro that ain’t it early ball you know what I mean I want early ball I’m not running no line inside you know so um yeah yeah there’s a there’s a couple of names it’s exciting game s it equally as intriguing I will say
That the one question I have about the um the manly side is probably around the forward pack and its depth couple injuries and I just don’t know how they’re going to compete for a whole SE like if they keep this 1 to7 if they keep sorry their best 1 to 17 on the
Field I mean their best 1 to 17 you could even consider putting Nathan Brown at 13 Jake trovich and PCA to start bring and then bring Alloa and Lodge Off the Bench and that’s a pretty bloody good you know forward rotation y but I that’s the one concern I have is is that
When they start getting injuries you know mid year towards the end of the year are they going to have the depth to keep up with your top tier sides at the moment now you can make up with that with guys like Tom doovic dce uh Brookie um so yeah really really interesting
You’ve seen teams like as we’ll go through and we’ll probably speak about we’ll compare our top eights I’ve got mainly at eighth because of that reason when when I look at my top four teams I want to be 25 deep y I want to have a
Solid 17 I want to have three locks for the positions that might become available in the middle halves and in the outside backs so like 20 to 21 yeah and then you want a couple of young kids couple of could be anything that are just knocking on the door that need an
Opportunity that might play around origin that might play in the mid part of the year that can uh can kick on and potentially steal a spot for someone halfway through the year those are the sort of squads you’re looking at y uh mainly if tonra voic is fit
Definitely one of the biggest dark horses in the competition like probably the biggest Dark Horse okay now the rabido side big trelly mitt at the back Alex Johnston Isaiah Tas Richie Kenna Jacob gagi Cody Walker ilas TOA cook key o it’s a reunion baby katangi Arrow
Muray havil at 14 host at 15 moali 16 17 Tommy Burgers Talis dun 18th man which I love to see uh obviously they’re missing it’s crazy how strong that side still is missing all the players they like missing uh I’ve got I picked rabitos initially but I’m getting
More I think manly might come out because sealls are notorious fast starter in in in his uh coaching career I’m going to stick with Rabbid o just cuz they’ve got you know that that upper echelon of of players even though lell michell and Tommy can kind of cancel
Each other out if they play well um but I look at this forward pack especially you know your cam mares your JY arrows your col mangis it’s a pretty strong back row that I think is going to be hard to handle what do you what do
You see here with the rabitos yeah so shout out to Jacob gagy who uh you know knocked around with over the last couple years I know he’s been in around it’s tough for guys like that you know when you’re living your sort of you know you perceived to be living under your
Brother’s Shadow and his brother was such a great player but he’s been grinding in the in the L grades for a couple of years so he gets a shot how much is it like if you squint it literally looks like Dan goaga playing yeah like they just have same mannerisms
And well I play a lot of golf and I see him at the coast all the time cuz we play at the same where the members at the same um at the same course and I see trolling that out there all the time and the first time I sort of seeing gags I
No [ __ ] I was chatting him for about a minute without giving it away I didn’t give it away I didn’t say anything and I was like that’s [ __ ] not that’s not Dane like this was like 2 years ago mind you right so this is a couple years ago
And then I was realized I was like isn’t danne in Newcastle I’m trying to figure it out like cuz they playing with all the South Players I was like Dan’s gone like in my head and and I it clicked I was like oh this must be his it has to
Be his brother I tell you what I tell you story so I’m in uh I’m in Venice the city of love baby and uh me and the wife are just moseying around taking pictures we’re just deep in love you know just so deep just in a little love Bubble uh
Anyway we taking pictures and um sorry before we got to uh Venice we were taking pictures we were at Chota which is like 4 hours Southwest North or whatever of Florence in Italy yeah anyway taking pictures and then the Great Dan gagy uh messages me he say bro
I’m I’m here too and so I had a red wine with Dan gagar in the city of love baby good my wife his wife we all just sat down had a nice wine enjoyed a nice dinner together it’s great times Italian gags Italian gags Italian gags very
Italian too had a bit of swagger about him too G he’s a cool yeah he’s a cool cat he’s a cool cat he’s one of those like a lot of the boys are are cool but even now like it’s like those moments are pretty good like especially when you
See someone overseas uh you know it’s always good to catch up with people overseas but I still get like I still got a bit Star Struck now I went through a period where when you play early on um you’re like oh this is mad heaps NRL
Plays then you play and then they become familiar with them and then now life after as a fan I’m more like yeah I see some players and then I’m like it’s pretty cool that I know that guy you know still still relevant enough to to
Dab them up and they know some of your content and [ __ ] I feel like that old dad that’s like hey son know that guy whereas like you used to play with them all the time you know that you know what they’re like cuz you’ve been in a system
Before and you feel like once you do content with him you you sort of want to root for him even for sure for sure um okay so this side I guess the the biggest question around the Rabbid o is obviously and I don’t think we’ll get
Answers to this and I know it you know all been put to bed but there’s no denying there was a Schism in the club last year there’s like no denying that even Cody Walker did an interview on it and he he was kind of like he was
Unaware of anything going on but clearly there was something going on and he basically just said like I wish someone would sat down and spoke to me which um which to be in in COD Walker defense that’s 100% Fair like if there is an issue sit down with the actual bloke and
And have a chat to him and say mate this is what I don’t like um but from all reports it’s all sorted the South made a quite a decisive decision and said we’re back in JD y um but again how often have we heard in clubs
It’s all good it’s all good then a few things go wrong in a season and they just rear their ugly head again I’m not saying it’s going to be the case this time but there’s a chance that this could happen and I think coming out and
Getting a few wins early is the best ingredient to just completely quell any noise around that yeah I always feel like souths are a team that you know some teams always go well against certain certain certain match ups certain teams M you’re you’re sou AR you
You always do well against us don’t you we always well feel like they’re one of those teams that we just for whatever reason really struggle with do souths get up a little bit more does that sort of grow as we go on um you know talking we talked about number one for
For the for the mly seagulls equally or was even more important now with the the players that are missing in the outside backs is Latrell would to play with his good mate who’s who’s currently sitting out with a with a suspension the start of the year and I reckon Campbell Graham
Is a huge loss oh huge the amount of tough carries that he used does every single game is you seriously cannot put a price on that the reason and people are obviously critical of Latrell when it comes out when it when it’s to do with yardage and and
Getting out of his own Red Zone um and that’s understandable but if I’m South Sydney coach or if I’m a teammate of lrs you different players have their strengths and weaknesses so I don’t care if latrell’s not the best yardage player or doesn’t work as hard as say Dylan
Edwards for example you build around a team around because he’s still a superstar attacking inside the 20 there’s not many there’s not many fullbacks in the game that I’d probably take over L Trail inside 20 like getting the pass right running being able to over someone um
He’s a front rower with the ball skills of a he’s so big so when you take that into consideration the way you build around the team is important right so that’s why I think Campbell Graham in particular and not having Jack whiteon is really important because Alex
Johnson’s not a yardage guy yeah he’s not like he’s one of the best Tri scorers of all time but he’s not going to you know Dent the line on that first Carry coming out of yardage and Jacob gagy is a rookie and it would have probably been Tyron Monroe who’s who’s a
Slider build so I thought they were going to be very ring on their centers to get back on play one and take that first Carry um so that’s my concern with them and that’s why I like Manley okay against them but I can I I’d be even more confident back
Home in Australia with the wider Dimensions oh yeah I think it’s really going to play I think it’s going to and we’ll find out in the first game we’ll find out I gu I reckon like can’t guarantee it we’ll see multiple kicks out on the fall I think I think I think
Opposite AR and they’ll put a lot of them pull up so you’re going to see repeat sets in there it’ll be like what Nathan clear was trying to do in the the wigging game because it gets so short and slippery what they do is they just
Don’t want to give that momentum so they might run it a little bit more on the last tackle or sort of you know he was dropping the kicks 10 met short and and Nath can put it on a dime right but I felt like he was they were doing that on
Purpose to uh negate a seven tackle set I re first of the year like clear is arguably the greatest kicker of all time at least in you know top five I reckon players are going to get fatigued like ilas is going to get fatigued he’s just
Going to go back into muscle memory he’s going to go bang hit it like he normally hits it in every game and it’s you know you know how on you know how switched on you got to be for 80 minutes to not go back into muscle memory yeah um but
You’re right I do think a game plan the intention will be boys let’s just keep it in play kick it shorter if we lose 10 Meers we lose 10 meters it’s better than giving a seven tackle set out in the fall what do you think about the cook
Keon Arrow muray combination now I know U bovic and jakovic are also you know and and kroer are also good but I would say that cook Keon Arrow muray together are probably a level above at at this stage in their careers yeah I agree and
The bench too is going to be huge coming on like not being able to you know like I feel like advantage in the pack for sure that’s why the dimensions are really important to me cuz I think it’s going to be played through the Middle where probably favors South Sydney more
And then you bring on the big boys you want to play direct you want to play you know look for for quick play of the balls in and around cookie and if he gets a quick play of the ball and they want to play through the middle then
It’s going to be Advantage South Sydney so again like just quickly before we move off that um the tactic with the kicking cuz I’m not I’m not the biggest fan of it to be honest I’m not like I’ve seen it been done uh over the last couple of years and you’re right when
You got a team like penth and and Nathan CLE because they did it in the grand finals to the Broncos with those short dinks early on and you know it kept the game in the balance but it can it’s a real negative way to play and when you
Do have dily chair Evans or Nathan clear as your halfback [ __ ] back him you know back him to get a repeat set back him not not to put it Dead uh or back your outside backs just be competitive and and try to get some footy back so
Even though I think that will be the tactic I’m not a big fan of it and uh yeah just just on the on the south Sydney Ford pack uh they always sort of come out far and they’ve got it’s clear advantage in in the Ford pack for me so
The X factors I think it’ll come down to you know the the two number ones will decide the game they’re the swing players like if TR turns up on yeah you know or if Tommy turns up on it’s just like and I think Tommy will probably
Play more direct y I think he you know how he loves to get in by the line just one off the rck and try to hopefully go one-onone how could be to see him just go straight into Trail a inside the 10 um if they get a quick play of the ball
So remember the I remember in the world cup so went one-on-one with TR Y and TR got him and it was just like suly is huge but chy was like there’s levels here baby you may get here one day but not yet for sure Tommy even even seeing
Like KP and Walsh got it last year like when you see two ones Collide I know troll was playing centers for for Australia at the time but he is a number one when you see two guys that are you playing that full fullback position normally they come in Clash you’re like
Yeah that’s good to see yeah when reisse and p ponga played they both had like two or three you know Tri assist line break assist like it was just [ __ ] crazy uh okay yeah I’m going it’s going to be a tight one I’ve got Rabbid o just but
Definitely wouldn’t be it’s it’s put this way it’s not a it’s a pick him like you’re not just just quickly before we move off Tellis Duncan I’m a big fan love him I’m surprised he didn’t make the 17 I think the look we spoke about this on the season preview with the
Rabitos it’s kind of like the way I well well this is my this was my opinion with Talis sunin they’re here to win a Premiership correct like Yep this year they should be trying to win a premier ship they’re in a window 100% Jackie whon doesn’t sign for rers unless
They’re trying to win a premiership right now so with telis Duncan he’s in the best 17 I think we all agree with that but do you want him peing around round 14 or do you want him peeking heading into finals footy and that’s that’s why I reckon it’s smart that you
Ease him into the year because rookies as we all know usually get towards the end of the year and they are just done like just battered especially in the forwards so I reckon you time it so he’s peing into finals rather than getting into finals going holy [ __ ] this first
Four year is a bit too much for me uh what do you reckon yeah I like that that’s what I was talking about before right you look at your squad I want a strong 21 you know and then it’s got to go it’s got to extend to 25 at some
Point and there you know I like it when a young player comes in and takes a spot and I was more looking at rookies but I can understand that because what he’s about 10 games into his career Off the Bench as well he would halfway through the season or
Whatever so and he and he was a real tough period for him too last year when they weren’t winning games after starting so well so yeah I can understand that I can see that happening seven seven games all Off the Bench seven games all Off the Bench as well
But doesn’t he remind you of K Murray like just just a battler b pretty good s too um question do you think uh obviously they went um havil over Melos and and they went Jacob host over TS Duncan do you reckon that has anything to do with you know stacking the bench
And the and the team with bigger bigger players because of the smaller fieldon that has anything to do with it potentially I love havil I and havil is so underrated every team he sort of goes to he makes them better he’s real underrated guy when you would you would
Have noticed M like when he misses his misses games for them um it’s it’s that pocket rocket Off the Bench that can play he can play front row yeah like he’s a hooker can play front row which is so valuable it’s like the cheese yeah um the the the value that cheese brings
To a to a team and he’s he’s probably not the caliber of cheese but I do think he’s super underrated player I reckon melis will he’ll have to he’ll almost have to earn his R into the team so it’s going to take an injury or two then it’s
Going to take good form but then to for him to basically say to the coach we need to change arguably our whole setup to fit me in the site because if you’re putting melis in there you’re basically going we want two specialist hookers so that when cookie comes off we’ve got
Another crafty hooker around the rock whereas you’re putting hav in there you’re going we want a power player through the middle when cookie either if he does come off or someone else comes off um and also it’s a super long year you don’t want these rookies unless they
Are breakout breakout guys that just have absolutely forc their way into the side you don’t want you just don’t want to gas them out plenty of time they got plenty of time to m m is in a tough position he might require like something to happen to cookie like you don’t want
Anyone to get injured but like I don’t think a combination of him and cookie like like to your point cookie could play 80 minutes right he just go out and play it he’s fit enough he’s one of the fittest in the comp and then you just bring havilon in the front row or
Lock the the only way I’d see that’s what he’s got over mam the only way I’d see you know as I said the only way I’d see melis and cookie being on in the same team is if there is as the coach has gone to cookie and said sometimes we
Feel like we don’t get enough out of your running game because you’re you know you’re being conservative to play 80 and he’s going mate give us 30 minutes of just hter Skelter like full you know we take you off 10 before half time we keep you off 10 after half time
Give melis a we get to a rookie blood a rookie but also he just offers a different point of attack with his craftiness that’s and that’s what I mean with you’re basically changing your whole game plan then yeah and you don’t want to lose the kid as well in a period
Of just last couple years you know so there’s no way resigning for a few years unless cookie unless he’s been told mate you’re very very close cuz why would you sign and be in resi still y um but yeah what a game can’t wait so you’re going
Manly going manly 12 going to Manley yeah it’s going to be close it’s going to be very close I I can’t see a blowout despite filling in for the boys I’m not going to go chuing out 13 pluses willy-nilly on the first episode I’m going 1 to 12 rabitos I go rabbit but
Bloody hell I’m nervous bloody hell I’m nervous too coin flip it’s a coin flip it’s genuinely is I’m getting a building vibe in saying that I did the same thing last year with man I was like I feel like they they’re building toward something special and then [ __ ] look what happened um okay
Broncos ree Walsh at one two Jesse Arthurs Kon Stags at four SN Cobo sorry sags at three Cobo four Marin at five M Reynolds Jensen at eight Walters nine H 10 piora 11 Ricky 12 patty carrian patty get on me here boys carrian uh Tyson smoothie at 14 Baker 15 Kobe
Heatherington 16 Xavier Willison 17 sub notable admissions Cory oats and Martin tapua tap the OG’s the ogs so they’re gone the opposite of the rabitos but start of the young kids got the ogs in the extended Squad uh thoughts on this uh Broncos Squad yeah strong mate strong
I uh when I was breaking down the teams at the start of the Year going through I thought look they’ve lost so many key players players as in starting four out of their starting 17 from the Grand Final last year I was like it’s probably going to have an effect and then I
Watched him play the trials and I was like holy [ __ ] like no so much dep no like disrespect to a couple of players that have moved on probably specifically Herby because Herby was the best center in the comp last year thought that was going to be tough but SN I I’ll throw
This to you like I said this to mace the other day and I think this might have been I don’t even know if was on the potty was just off air no one looks disinterested at times on the wing and it reminded me of ham two years ago at
The Cowboys you know when CA was played fullback but then he was getting you sparingly and he does [ __ ] so easy that you sort of go he doesn’t care right it’s not the fact that he doesn’t care he’s just not in the game as much as he
Wants to be so when you see him playing centers and he’s getting all this B and he’s more involved you’re like oh [ __ ] like that was my that was a comparison watch dophins year and Orin and Australia he clearly cares and Hees so easily but he’s just not as engaged in
The game when you play on the wing so now you bring him into the centers and I think we’re going to see a whole new sell coobo yeah look I see I love s on the wing because I actually think Wingers are becoming more important than
Centers but to your point of how do we get SN more engaged if it is moving him into the centers then we do that cuz were times where especially in defense where he’d almost just like be totally clocked out of the game and he’ you know
Paul Reed would happen and you’d be like bro what what but then he would come out and do a chip and Chase and score a TR you like what the hell um he’s the biggest concern with someone is his defense we know attack wise he’s one of
The best in the competition y he’s still only 21 years old like 21 years old um like their backline Dean Mariner he’s like 20 uh R Walsh 21 um’s the OG and he’s what 24 25 25 26 maybe 26 7 at a stretch um look he’s between 18 and 35
Um and so it’s just going to be defense that’s the only thing it’s going to be defense make sure that he’s not making crazy reads and you know jamming him when he doesn’t have to uh but if he can sort that imagine roll you you know you
Run out and you look up and sell on Cobo small across the thing you just gone could be one of those you know why I like this matchup I’m not as concerned about it because I think this is going to be a physical battle okay so I think
Where he can get himself in trouble is lapses and [ __ ] not paying attention right like some examples of watching him last year like I’d be so confused where he’d drop a bomb that he is just standing there with no one around and then he’ll jump over leap over someone
Catch it one hand flick it behind his back and ex exaggerating but like he’d do crazy [ __ ] and then you just be like how did he drop that other one you know like sometimes I think he’s too relaxed whereas he’s playing Left Center he’s got Joey Manu on the other side who
Unless they change something drastically he played rights Center his whole career and Joey’s he’s a confrontational Center too right he’s you know he’s got all the he’s got everything in the bag but physicality is how he wants to win so I think SN will enjoy that battle y um
Maybe worry about him against lesser teams yeah true that could be the problem for S as you know they play a team where he’s looking over and it’s not an international or Not An Origin player maybe guys are probably still going to score two on him anyway this
Game will set up a couple um but yeah I thought I thought it was going to be Dean Mariner at centers I’ve heard massive raps about him as a center coming through the grades and and uh but I can see why they’ve got some San in there and uh the other terway who’s
Looked I’ve always been you know probably halfway through last year really hit my radar been a fan but Brendan p c uh and no disrespect to Kurt catwell this is what I was mentioning before but he could be an upgrade and and I love Kurt catwell he’s been a
Winner everywhere he’s gone but it’s only trials but [ __ ] he looks sharp look he could be an UPG upgrade as long as Ricky picks up the slack of leadership that Kate well left I don’t think that as long as like he’s not going to be as
Good a leader as Kate well was straight away but he’s he’s 24 now which is still so freaking young um but he is going to have to be the guy that when there’s a tough carrier that is needed you’ve got to be in there and doing that that’s
What Kurt catwell did so well for the Broncos anytime that we were stuck in a corner a big play needed to happen so that’s the if if Ricky can give that platform for pakura then I agree with you then you could be like holy [ __ ] we’ve got two super young explosive Edge
Back rowers p is like mate I’ve said it a million times I’ve told the story der was asked who was the biggest like who was the man that blew your mind out of every all the superstars currently in the time we’re talking Reese Walsh Patty carrian pain house you name it in the
Bronos squad Ezra he goes P cor [ __ ] hell and we go and so and the fan this was at a live show last year the fan was like no no I mean like out of the current stars and he was like no no still pter well he goes the things that
This guy can do you you he’s the day like he’s around the Bronco he’s his Ambassador and he’s around he he was around them during this time so he was working for them everything like that so huge waps on and we saw it in the trial
Like I know he he strained his knee so hopefully that hasn’t affected him having round one y but we saw it in the trial like his footwork is unbelievable he can hdden defense um yeah it’s just about like keeping the errors as little as possible and hopefully Ricky can pick
Up a bit of the slack but another guy I mean ree Walsh the obvious talking points incredible Superstar but it’s it’s my boy eamy asra man yeah the same people that were rapping you last year writing the headlines about how great you are are waiting for you to have a
Bad year yeah so it’s about now you got the pay packet too exactly so it’s about building on that year it’s about understanding that all the little things you did to have the incredible year that you had you need to double down and go even further on them and so it with Adam
Reynolds getting a year older so that’s a year slower a year you know not that he’s necessarily known for his physical ability that means that Ezra mam needs to step up even more and also if you know Ezra was so young last year if they went back into that Grand
Final with another year under his belt maybe he is mature enough to go Rena take a step like seat back seat for this this set I’m on here now he already you know he scored three tries so that’s I feel like as a guy that has been given
This you know longer term contract with the Broncos anointed as the next half it’s a real opportunity to begin building that Foundation as the half yeah two two questions uh why why did ma not play any trials uh [ __ ] niggl injury niggl just a soft
Tissue injury he got R out of the all stars because of that yeah that’s right uh and do you believe he can play seven I believe he has the talent to but I I see him more as like he doesn’t necessarily have to be the foundational half as like the
Conservative kicking game or whatever but he can be the point of difference against every team in the Hales you know what I’m saying yeah so for example even though Hughes plays seven he could be a similarish player to Hughes that builds his kicking game builds his kicking game
And so you get a guy like there got some really good young um fellas coming through I forgot his name now is it Cole is it black Cody KOB black uh Kobe black KOB he played in the second half of that first troll he really good and he wanted
To play him in the last one but he was Too Young Too Young yeah so super super young um so he’s still got at least you know two to three years away 17 he’s 17 years old but the the more well-rounded M gets by the time he arrives the better
That pathway for him is going to be if he ends up being the guy or if Madden ends up being the guy um so I personally think if we were struggling for sevens then you put him there but if we’re not struggling six is Absolut his best
Position and he can be the best six in the competition I agree I think seven and six is overrated I can like as in you can build just depending on similar to what you’re saying there like my example is for years that when I first started at Manley fos was the
Seven chz was the six in if you were looking at the way they their stylist like their style was like kierum would let you know exactly where every play was going what set you know where we wanted to get in the field where we want to kick chz played eyes up footy played
Down short sides played off the cuff identified you know a middle plane on the sitting on the edge and attacked and and took advantage of that so I do I I’m happy I don’t I don’t think you necessarily need to move him to seven
Ezra M stays at six and then you find a a complimentary seven like it doesn’t have to be an Allstar like Adam Reynolds has served him really well and he’s probably going to go on the staff and still be around the team when he’s finished which really help out Ezra but
Um you know you bring in a seven who might be considered more a game manager and might not blow the fan base away but yeah I don’t think you sign a guy like Ezra m on a million dollars go I’m definitely going to play him at 7 when
When Adam Reynolds moves on so I think he stays at six just play six that’s your best position sometimes you move around just to compliment on a week toe basis or it might even be the year to year where you look at your squad and go look [ __ ] we don’t have that game
Manager right now you’re going to have to play seven but we’ll look at bringing someone back in and you can move back to six eventually so um so much to be excited about I’ve been a big fan of zavier Willison for a while he’s really impressed me in the trials I remember a
Couple years ago when he did his just before he did his ACL in his first couple of games I was you know really excited he’s just this big Shing bean run around out there great great attitude for a big big boy as well he’s so good he he’s he’s got even got a
Little bit like he sort of moves around a bit like Payne yeah yeah like you know what I mean just because of the size it probably it stands out but I was excited to see him make the 17 over a couple other options like you know you look at
Marty TPP has been around for a minute um he probably would have been in consideration but it’s a very impressive lineup and I initially went storm to win the comp because I thought a few teams were going to drop off with Broncos and Panthers
Losing a few plays but as the days go on as the trials went on I’m just I’m coming back over to your so I’m coming I’m look I like the Bron you tried to get me on the Broncos bandwagon last year I did you did so it’s too late
Though what did I say it’s gone it’s gone I said to you I said BR the bandwagon is filling up yeah you can get on now or you can never get on so look bandwagon members you let us know in the comments section is is the scope all on
The bandwagon too late I don’t want the bandwagon oh you don’t want the bandwagon I’m just going to stay in the shadows I’m going to wave you flag in the shadows I’m going to stay behind the curtain where MD is there and I’m just going to be watching the game from in
The BL offices like that no I I do think they’re going to be very hard to beat they’re going to be very hard to be I think they might have a bit bit of a slow start but once it kind of uh becomes a realization all right boys
We got to start kicking in gear I think they’ll kick into gear um okay next team we didn’t even mention Patty carrian or P at all really there crazy how stack they are uh Tedesco tupo Billy Smith Manu uh Su on the wing obviously because well I don’t I assume because Dom young
Is injured uh that that’s Billy Smith has made his way in I assume that could be wrong though uh Luke kir at six Sam Walker Spencer lenu starting at Brennan Smith at 9 Lindsay Collins Su Wong Sai tupua Victor Radley sandon Smith uh not related to Brandon but his evil brother
At the same time uh White at 15 Nat butcher at 16 Tero May at 17 talk about stacked within an inch of your life yeah they’ve even got a couple guys like Conor Watson and Kon can’t make your side and Egan butcher Ean butcher Ean butcher would be part of most Team 17
Easy easy love butcher so that’s tack swali I have a feeling he was going to be the one to miss out okay just off the trial so on the trials if you notice obviously they sat Joey Manu for the first half they put him in the 18
Jersey because Joey Manu is a lock like Joey Manu when Teddy were always going to be locked it was figuring out who the the other three were going to be yeah and the reason I say it’s probably swali he was going to miss out cuz he was
Right center okay so he was playing Joseph manu’s position yeah okay so he had if he had brained him i’ dare say Robo might have potentially changed his mind but I have a feel just resigned too Billy Smith two or three years extension shout out to him he’s had a a crazy
Career to begin with and and uh he was arguably their best back to finish the season before he broke his draw in the Sharks game um and then obviously Dom young you don’t sign him from Newcastle with the expectation that he’s probably going to play Reserve grade New South
Wales cup are on the bench so it looked like it was going to be SW so who who’s a better Wing you reckon SW or young I would have had Su and young over T over T I don’t want to hear that sacr you love I know I know you’re a big tubes
Guy I’m a tbes man huge tubes guy he’s their best Winger he has been their best Winger he has been their best Winger in probably their club’s history um they’ve had some really good Wingers but if I’m looking at their team as tomorrow you picking Tes oh that’s a
Tougher one yeah cuz I want to build into the season with the kids like they got they got they got age on their side right so you can build in probably Grand final tomorrow like just say if this is Grand final tomorrow probably I’m going tubes and the other two are going to
Have to figure it out wrestle off I might Billy Smith might even miss out in the Grand Final I might go more xfactor and track SW in the centers yeah and Dom young but yeah maybe maybe a wrestle session they always bring out the best in the boys like the Broncos did just
Four getting ready for preseason trials good um yeah so did you know that they were wrestling for Captain SE it was so good I love that [ __ ] I know it’s I love I not only don’t worry about it I fro that [ __ ] like I’ve been around boys and you know
Like if you do it as long as it doesn’t lead into full it’s on grass outside no one else it’s the boys it’s the boy who gives a [ __ ] yeah and you know I’ve been involved in a couple myself so whenever I see the boys getting after it I love
It so um Luke just resigned too um what are your thoughts on the SC L is this the last year where it’s like no longer can we go does this partnership work or not work well I probably would have said that originally if they weren’t already
Losing looks like to be Joseph Manu and definitely moving on right so they’re going to lose a fair chunk of their celery cap and some star power in the outside back so do you this is this the roosters could be in the the big window out of any team if if
Joseph Manu does indeed go over to French rugby SW he heads off um Jared rer hard Graves is in his last season tupes who knows with tupes they extended him by a year I believe but tupes is getting a little bit older now and I can see a world in which he goes
Over with his mate like yeah he might head over with skitty’s on the staff Sean Kenny Dell’s on the staff over there Willie Peters is an ex rabbit o might have play for the roosters so where over at H Super League could you know something like that could could
Eventuate um but yeah it’s a real they’ve got so much star power and they’re so deep but then there are players moving on and I M always likes to say iron sharpens iron that’s good when you’ve got maybe a vet that’s 100% got his job and a young kid’s pushing you when you
Got players that probably are more established now in Conor Watson and Egan butcher probably like 60 games in 50 games in and go no [ __ ] that I want to be playing every week you know that’s when you can if it’s not going the right way Angus cryon like [ __ ] put more
Specifically though Luke Ki Sam Walker has it been a success or has not yet no obviously so so how many more years do you give this a try well I think it I think both players can play well I think Sam Walker’s got one more year Sam
Walker’s got one more I think Sam Walker’s got one more yeah to figure out if they’ve extended Luke Ki Luke K’s been around for a minute there was talk around they’ve always had chat around the halves I think this is a big make or break year for Sam Walker
And I just don’t and it might not necessarily be Sam Walker’s fault I just they they’re probably the opposite to what what I was saying before they don’t marriage together well that’ probably both those guys could exceed running a team and having an X Factor like an Ezra
M or Cameron moner obviously those are elite players that probably go good with anyone but if they could direct the team a little bit more and have that six that plays off the cuff because I have a feeling even though K’s in the six jersey they both want to run the team y
They both want to be handson and there’s so many players in that team that require the footy yeah it’s a tough one because as soon as stalker came back last year they started scoring points whereas before he wasn’t there they were struggling to score points but at the
Same time then you’ve got also you know risky plays errors all that kind of stuff oh I I do think this is the last year to work out whether Walker and Kiri work whether it’s it’s Kiri or and I think that the reason why there’s reports have got $3 million in the cap
Uh next year is because they’re waiting to see whether this works if it doesn’t I think they’re going super aggressive into the market yeah reload and and maybe because they’ve already got young they already got Billy Smith and maybe they’re sitting there going in tupo another year they’re going look we’ve
Got good enough backs to get the job done but we need to we need to spend more of our capit one our six and seven or six or seven so I I think they’ll be going aggressive in the market if it doesn’t work this year does anyone sorry
Is anyone available like in six and seven that’s sort of in the next that’s a tough one mate but um yeah yeah what say I was going to say they’ve played just to throw some stats here they’ve played 32 games together Ki and Walker they’ve won 20 and lost 12 see it’s not
The worst is it it seems way why does it seem like it’s tell I tell you why because or not why it hasn’t worked it just seems longer because kir was out 2021 and Walker was out for half of last year so they’ve been together this is their fourth year together but they’ve
Only really had one and a half uh years together and they weren’t they weren’t going crazy bad last year when Walker was dropped and then when the opportunity would have been there to probably bring him back in he got injured and did his knee and missed some more footy
So I think we both agree though it’s a for who it may be this is probably the last year this is the tri for him I don’t I I don’t think cuz if if I think if Robo does go on now and going to stick loyal with this if it doesn’t work
Then I think there’s going to be pressure on Robo um because in reality the squad they’ve got and I know they’ve been smashed with injury and and I know and Robo is one of the best coaches to ever coached the game so there’s no questioning that with his runs on his
Board but in reality since uh they won their back Tob backs they haven’t really fired a shot they’ve gone on good runs and you know head towards the back of the year they’ve gone seven or eight on the tro and but is is that is is that
Good enough for this kind of squad they’ve had for the last few years no no not with that not with this scored like this is another one of those teams that jumped my list that I didn’t anticipate were going to be closer I think I might
Have had them fifth when I had them sort of at the bottom of the eight before I started looking at the squads and then when you look at how deep they are the expectations when you when you wear that Jersey and and what Robo done so early
In his career there’s no reason why they shouldn’t be thereabouts well I I think there’s a a very uh very good reason why they have reportedly $3 million in the cap yeah ready to go ready to go ready to ready to load up I’m just trying to
Think of some of the boys that might be available could you check um look I’m sure they’ll be able to pull some strings to get some releases yeah um I’m sure there are some guys year in advance too that’s the the tough thing when you start looking at all these uh so maybe
They’re even going with the extension of Ki to 25 maybe they’re aiming for 26 yep cuz that would be way easier to get there’d be some half that’s coming off you know 25 26 that’s high quality i’ assume for sure um and so maybe they’re aiming for 26 to bring in if if
It doesn’t work out if it doesn’t work out so maybe they’ve got it longer than 12 months what I will say is though like Sam walk and Ki if it does click like if it eventually does click cuz like even though their record’s good I’ve never really walked away from a game going
Jeez that Ki Walker combination has been like unbelievable yeah kind of even like like I’ve walked away from some games going geez L I clear compliment each other all Ezra and Rena unbelievable combination Moses and brown walked away you know what I mean I’ve walked away I
Haven’t done that yet with Walker and Ki and also that’s also not their fault because you have to remember Kiri was put in the seven jersey and Walker was put in the sixth Jersey didn’t work out so they switched again then K Walker got dropped you know what I mean so it has
Been a bit top you know up and down for both you’re right like when you you go away from a game going either Ki branded them or Sam Walker Brom you didn’t never really think about them from my memory trying to jog it now like go back and
And think about it where I’ve gone they Linked UP really well and and did you know did it as a Hales partnership and they’ve got so much strike too um there’s just so many players that require the ball there and I think that’s what sort of happened with the
Dip and Radley at the end of the year too yeah okay I think Bradley had lost his confidence they halfway through last year because when you got a 76 Brendan Smith’s a ball Runner Victor Radley likes to play through the middle Teddy touches the ball 25 times a game and
Then everyone’s complaining about Joseph Manu not getting enough ball yeah like how how many how many footies are on the field so that’s sometimes you like that’s goes back to my iron sharpens on like sometimes you need role players you need guys in your team going to take a
Tough carry Bradley dipped mid mid to late in the season and then I think his form bounced back up when he decided to become just a role player just starting running the ball hard just getting through his work what do you got there m a just having a like a quick look
Through this is going all the way to 2026 but you got Ben Hunt you got Tanner Boyd you got Jonah pezant there are a couple of names that are coming off H he’s going to be he going to be fairly you I’d go with the first one you said
There Ben H if the roosters aren’t afraid of making a big play on a vet at the back end of their contract if Ben Hunt would probably be 35 36 he’d still be sweet he you can tell he’s not going to drop off yeah it could be Ben Hunt
For a one like a quite injury free too isn’t he [ __ ] his body seems sweet um all right so who are you going here Broncos yeah I’m going Broncos but I think it’s going to be a tight tight uh battle tight battle uh you can watch
Both those games we just talked about on KO and the only watch only way to watch both of them uh is on KO 4K capabilities have arrived so now you can watch selected enal games in detail so clear that you’ll think you’re part of the action might even walk away a bit sore
Be like o I can feel that tackle baby uh new to KO get on board and start your free trial today the amount of content KO has is unbelievable guys also do not forget uh the fights that are coming up um very soon so on March 13th we’ve got
Rising Superstar Contender Sam Goodman returns to the ring in hopes of continuing his run for a world title shot when he faces Mark schbs and Markle has been chatting that chat jeez he’s been good for a highlight real on on some talk uh in the co-main event fan favorite Isaac headsplitter Hardman will
Face Venezuelan Andre or Andre Andre cedra order exclusively on Main Event with KO Sports no KO subscription is required for this event details are in the show notes we’ll even have a link to the pay-per-view I’ll also be heading down to the pay-per-view you might even see the beaks melon on the pay-per-view
Pay-per-view but also p- um so make sure to head to the link grab the pay-per-view support K they support us guys we really appreciate it now some of the other games uh that are heading next week uh you know what actually we we we’ll save them
For next week uh ree Walsh uh has was asked about a potential move to AFL he said I have so much more I want to do in the game but maybe in a few years I would we’ll see what happens what do you reckon as an NFL man is he big enough
For a position the NFL yeah yeah he could play he could play running back or slot receiver just like is it Ty it’s tyq Tek Hill he’s quite small isn’t he yeah he’s a smaller smaller stocky build just like walshy that the thing is and look the NFL will always come knocking
For our Elite athletes especially Our Stars that that can draw more eyes to the game but if you don’t grow up understanding the game or watching the game from I’d say you need about 3 or four years of proper watching the game to at least understand the basics of it
Look physically so many of our players physically would be able to match it it’s just mentally know knowing the game in that it’s just understanding like the play books are huge yeah um understanding your assignments um yeah and just even the basics of lining up
And where to line up and and uh and not being able to go like the beauty of our game is it’s a war of attrition you build you know what makes re Walsh so great is he eventually wears down Defenders out the back yeah when you go
On full like these players are fresh they go on each other they have a good break they go sit on the sideline they swap in and out y it’s just a different game so game body shape yes everything imagine how much they would froth him cuz he’s such a good sort an Australian
Hectic sort and he’s in the NFL uh also a reminder olm hit on Zack Lomax was our ldb t60 power play of the week if you’re looking for a powerful new Ute look no further than the LDV t60 uh the great Adam Reynolds has resigned already kind of touched on that
Guys um but look I think this is just good timing they’re looking at their roster they’re going okay when will the next next guy be ready similar to probably the kir situation y they’ll know they’ll have more answers so they’re almost buying themselves time to build the next guy to come through and
Do it thoughts yeah with both of them yeah I agree mate well like you get them they’re probably they Club first guys too they’re at the back end of their career so I dare say both coaches would had conversations with them like you’re a guy for sure but we’re trying to blood
Someone new and you know if we do get in whether it’s a young kid or you know you get someone in that that middle tier that could be really big cash then it’ll be like would like you to help us help us transition them into being the guy
Yeah and um both those guys have been around from what Luke CI he’s probably is he 14 2014 won the rabbit o yeah and de probably the year before that so he’s still got he’s still got a bit to go KZ yeah he’s only like 31 32 I think few
Injuries as well like the head2 gave him a few years off yep um Steven kryon I would love to hear your opinion should he play fullback or center for the Bulldogs no keep him at centers okay yeah I’m centers I like I like Steven kryon in the centers um it’s tough
Because I’m not completely sold if Blake tff is the answer I think he’ll they got still got so many questions for me the Bulldogs and um when I look at sort of priority positions there’s a team that I think you know you got to back guy who’s
Been around and done it for as long as Gus has done but some questionable signings and it’s just in the trials they’ve jelled quite well offensively uh I think you know as a fan you would have watched the game against kenal and G Li this a bit disappointing but um
Defensively at this point of the at this point of the year you want to be sound defensively and both teams were despite being some Stars being out crit only played 20 minutes but yeah leave leave Critter in the centers um play I like what sher’s done
Despite having a whole heap of time off and give Blake tff half the season and don’t like I think as a fan base even more so put pressure on the club because there’s going to be a shitload of pressure on this club and when the pressure starts from the outside
Eventually you start to feel on the inside and you get a situation with what happened with KL ALU last year he’s 18 n n year old kid that everyone was talking about being this you know Prodigy and they played him and he just clearly
Wasn’t up to it yet like he was ready to play week in week out first grade so um they’ve got that joash papal in the back that everyone seems pretty excited about he looked pretty good just want them to play the vets that they’ve brought in
Play these vets and try to get through the first half of the Season then reassess halfway through the year what do you reckon I reckon fullback for sure um I just don’t think they have like when you look at their their centers you can have kiras you can have Sherry
Wilson on the wing you’ve also got Skelton that could make the side obviously adoc car they whereas at fullback at the moment with Taff I just don’t know like didn’t trial very well unfortunately especially the second game and so when you look at their depth at fullback it’s like at the moment you
Wouldn’t you don’t have any NL standard fullbacks um with the way T trial you know like he didn’t trial that well which is unfortunate hopefully he can bounce back I love the way he plays he’s always on the ball he’s working his ass off but didn’t try that well so it’s
Like if I’ve got decent enough centers and Wingers to sort it out put credit fullback because he’s a top tier player he’s a top tier player on top of that he’s a captain of the club you want his hands on the ball as much as possible
Also he does have the potential or the physical ability at the very least to be a top tier fullback so you what would okay what would you rather inide one of the best fullbacks in the comp or one of the best centers in the comp yeah easy
Fullback easy fullback so on the small chance of that plus also the fact that they don’t really have an NRL ready fullback right now now maybe ta goes and kills at new southwest W cup or Conor Tracy comes in kills it or or papal I don’t know is it papal or papali they’ve
Been saying it different oh have they been saying yeah I’m not too sure he’s only a young kid so generally you find that out after they play a couple more games um so he he won’t be ready till at least midy year maybe even started next
Year uh and that’s why I reckon you put CR at the back you you give him time yes he’s ball playing we don’t know whether it is good or it’s not good um obviously it’s not going to be topped here straight away but even Billy Slater’s ball playing wasn’t that good when he
First started but you just want his hands on the ball um would you be more open to Conor Tracy if Conor Tracy was healthy and play at the moment at the moment if you if I’m going to put Critter at Center I’m putting Tracy at
Fullback for sure cuz you got a bit of ball playing there seen from him seen enough from him for sure um again though I would still with with the outside backs tring so well for the dogs I would still lean towards putting Critter at the back just because with a team that
Lacks Superstar players he’s a superstar player in a key position until they get a player that can play in that key position to a certain level I just think he’s the best option well I assume they were signing him for fullback originally and I think that was
A lot to do with people trying to create the narrative that Critter left the Bulldogs to play fullback when that wasn’t true yeah well I know I was more looking at it from a bulldog’s standpoint and they clearly hadn’t had a fullback there and if you’re going to
Pay that much money it’s similar the way I talk about if you’re going to pay for Joseph Manu to go anywhere I can understand Roost has wanted to hold to Joseph Manu but if I’m the dragons and I sign or I go off a guy like Joseph Manu
It’s the play fullback and it’s probably the same reasoning that you’re saying there with K so I originally thought CR was going to play fullback but then once they did sign Taff and probably Conor Tracy who probably more suited or I’ve seen more from them at the fullback
Position then I thought all right well CR must be staying in the centers yeah and it sort of conditioned me to to him being in the centers you’re right because I I’m sort of now leaning towards your way a little bit more with with the mindset of you’ve got to find
Out if you can play fullback I’m still I’ve got my just in the few times that I’ve seen him play I’m like he just doesn’t look like he suits it yep but he’s going to be there for a long time if it I think the risk
Outweighs well how you got to like what are you going to what you got to lose really you’re not playing finals 40 this year like doggies I hope you do but I don’t think so you’ve got to find out if you do indeed have a premier position
Locked in that you can start looking at other positions because and that becomes cheap then too cuz they were talking like 700k in this new cup it’s about it’s not that much that’s great money for a fullback if he ends up if he ends up becoming an elite fullback so I can
Understand the thinking there um I have’t I have a feeling they’ll go tough to begin with okay and maybe they’ll do the opposite where they’ll they’ll give it you know eight games 8 to 10 games go into the origin period and then see see how in particular is see if they
Go that route I’m keeping Critter at Center cuz clearly it’s like they fully see him as a center and I’m I am keeping a very close eye on Jo is it Josh or joash joash joash papal um and I’m bringing him in mid rather than putting Critter back because
It’s like well what’s the point of putting Critter back when you you didn’t even think he was a good enough fullback to pit those boys at the start of the year and you’re not making the eight this year most likely so you give as much game time to a guy like papal who
Is an out andout fullback like looks like a really really good young player so that next year he’s already played 10 to 12 games in first grade so he can hit the ground running next year whereas if you put Critter back there then you go into the next season going does CR play
E playay fullback um so yeah look can’t wait it’s a massive headache it’s a headache for the Bulldogs like you know when I was looking at their team trying to figure out their best team a couple of weeks ago it’s probably the one that I had you know multiple guys where I was
Just like who’s gonna who’s going to play what who’s gonna who’s going to do what here and there were no clear answers like you worry about other team’s depth but at least like you’re predicted 13 you feel like you’re going to be 90% right 95% right I re I had no
Idea theall like I had no idea even the lock back row position center position halves fullback so what if you know if you do play Critter whatever position Critter plays what the other positions look like I don’t know it’s going to be a real real interesting start of the
Season for the Bulldogs and it could be a whole heap of pressure on early on Bulldogs fans stay patient um all right here is horos top eight prediction yep at number one the brzy Broncos two storm Panthers three Cowboys four Warriors 5 roosters 6 rabbit o 7 sea eagles 8 seal eight yeah
So again going back to the squads that I’ve talked about I went I had I had a system to figure this out too so walk us through the system it might it might differ from how you view those players in those positions but this is how I
Viewed them so I went through and I did a 1 to 17 rating of what I value what positions I value the most so it was for me it’s having a Class 1 7 six who your Elite and goto front rower is and hooker
And lock so if you’ve if you can if you can sort out at least three of those positions you’re generally going okay maybe four if five you’re Elite you’re one of you’re one of the better teams and you look at penth straight off the bat they’ve they’ve got that
So um for instance for an example my fullbacks were my in my opinion the best fullback in the game Greece Walsh number one so he gets one point and the lowest score determined from all the all the positions added up was going to be the
The eight and that’s what I got to I ended up moving I moved one around on oh I moved the Broncos oh really yeah I had the storm I had the storm and I moved the Broncos back up cuz I was just like no I feel like the Broncos just off uh
Off just the gut feel and some of the other positions but uh I’m interested to see how it plays out because it was different to my initial top eight that I had okay yeah with with the system okay with the system changed uh A team out of the eight which
Was param y I had param in the eight originally okay it pushed param out it actually pushed Manley in yeah I was going to say so the Manley is a big call because you’re basically you’re not including then this top eight it might honestly I think it might be the hardest
Top eight to ever make since I’ve been watching the game yeah because basically at the moment there’s no Knights there’s no um sharks Sharkies then you’ve got guys teams like Titans Dolphins uh parah parah see the one that might cost me to well the one one
Position that can swing the other way is I loved what hopk good did last year but at lock I had him further down when I started going through all the locks I remember looking at it going [ __ ] I can’t find a spot for hop good here and
I ended up just he ended up dropping dropping whereas I think he’s got after only watching a couple of Trials now top five at his position um he could be that he could be that by the end of the year which could drastically bring paramet up but I had
Him so far down with Joey lassik yeah which really tailed them off yeah um and Guth was sort of mid tier you know Mitch Moses and and and Dylan Brown I had Brown at Brown to win Del M six of the year in my opinion three I had Brown at
Three for six so you had monster m brown yep monster man Brown yeah sounds yeah sounds about right um so the sea eagles at eight that’s probably the most controversial call I reckon well that was heavily loaded and that’s dependent on turbo again turbo yeah like if fully
Fit and I didn’t take injury into I just looked at like who I thought if they were all playing for a full season who was going to be the best of their position I had turbo two okay which drastically you know shot manly up because then you got chz for me is two
Yeah and halfbacks behind Nath um Jake jakey’s mid pack uh Luke Brooks was Mid Park and then there I think krro was lower down the bottom lman kroer and and tanel PCA was their for me their front row he was right down the bottom as well that sort of dropped the the rankings
But it was just interesting like it’s I don’t know if it’s going to work but it just gave me a bit of a a a theme to play on this year and and and see if the value that I have on these positions matches up at the back end of the season
What so another controversial call Cowboys at four yep thoughts on that they had a lot of like really in between 5 to 10 players okay so like drinky just in that 5 to7 uh Tommy Deen in that 4 to six um Chad Townsen was closer to like
The 10 Mark Ruben Cotter I had him in the top you know five to six ree Robson same so they really they didn’t have stars they didn’t have an out star in their team but they were super consistent across the board that lifted them bun teams that might have had an
Elite fullback like Latrell was like top three for me but and but Loy elas was further down and cookie was up there but you know their front rowers were you know taller or I couldn’t figure out where would you okay if you put Warriors at fullback
RTS how far up do you think they would have gone they would have jumped inside the top four probably were they they were at five weren’t they five at the moment and I’d say would you say RTS is the best fullback in the game where
Would you put him um if I oh [ __ ] now in the rankings so I had and this is how good the fullbacks are in the game I had chanzi around like 10 or 11 yeah and if if is definitely top five so we try knock him off like walshy kin Latrell and
Turbo Y and then he’s in the teddy as well he’s in the he’s in the teddy category for me I reckon he starts that’s when you start having the conversation about Teddy drinky Dylan Edwards and Roger okay okay what are you reckon about that is it no I love the
System yeah and and I and you know we’ve been speaking about it quite a lot on the podcast the front row at the moment is so important like you look at all the top tier sides that can blow teams off the park they got one like look at the
Warriors what would they be without adamor Blake we’re about to find out next year yeah like they’ll need to find and look they’ve got the best young forwards in the competition coming through so you know there’s hope there but without him in that front row position it’s it’s not as important as
Your seven but by God it’s not as far as people think oh so we didn’t say this on camera but I told Kempy off camera when I had my positions of value it was 1 s and six and in the past if I had a just say you just say you
Could only because you got a salary cap so you could only lock in one out of the 1 seven and six and then you build some journeyman or you balance out your squad around that my next position of priority would have been front row yeah whereas
In the past it was probably hooker and lock yeah um so front rows for me yeah they jump look at the top four Adam fenel Blake James Fisher Harris pay har um and not only do they have one but like a lot of those teams have two you know like
The storm what’s the storm missing at the moment well yeah it’s Nelson was was obviously their their Alpha but because he comes off the bench he sort of sort of maybe looking for maybe more of a a forward that can play the bigger minutes like the other the other like if kamaka
Has a big year I think that is going to be defining for them if sorry if blor and howorth step up the know the way we know they can and kamak has a big year then they can they can win the compo again all like is in can I still would
Have the Broncos ahead or Panthers but they’re closer than how funny is it they finished third last year and everyone thinks it’s a disappointing year for them yeah crazy that was a part of it too like when I looked at the teams and then you’re like look at their call so
Their call when I was going say papy papy was in so papy was hard to place very hard to place because you think about how good he was a couple of years ago but papy was around the seven or eight Mark monster one uh Jerome Hughes
Three um Harry one yeah so but then they the lock position uh and the front row position like I had even though I love big nasty I had him further down than probably what a lot of people would have had him just cuz he he plays not as many
Minutes usually like what usually average is around 30 to 40 yep and Josh King’s a tear away but he’s a typical melbour storm player he’s more of a front rower now like if he yeah he is it looks like they’re going to move him into the front row and if he was playing
Anywhere else he’d probably just be like just a good B good good battler but he probably exceeded everyone’s expectations days last year so they they dropped few points you can’t fill every position that’s this why it’s hard yeah but yeah front rows what about your have
You done your eight yeah well we’ve done our eight but what the way we do it is we give brackets y so we go 1 to four yep like or 3 to five so brackets are four how did how much did yours differ from mine uh so basically look the
Hardest the hardest uh one for me is the the one team that I’m really unsure about is sharks and knights so basically my top eight penth Broncos storm roosters rabitos Warriors Cowboys sharks and knights for me are the two sides I think they’re the swing teams that are battling away but
Then you’ve got eels Titans could be a shmokey with the great Desi hler um you know you’ve got even the do you know what I mean like so manly as well that’s why I think that top 10 10 to 11 I think is going to be crazy like I put it this
Way I think there is 11 teams 11 to 12 I’ll be generous and then the rest just there’s quite a gap between them in standard of of roster yeah I’d agree I’d agree depending on you know it’s only one trial but the dragons with a fleno mindset could be a
Team that I initially had in the bottom five that I could see them just being a pain in the ass fleno is going to keep it super simple if they run the way that they did like that left Edge if that if they just fire up and run into teams
Like they did in that trial I know it’s only the Tigers but um still a lot of question marks around some of the Bulldog ERS they fight for the eight the first 10 or so rounds and then Fall Away fall away cuz of injuries fatigue all that kind of
Stuff but not fall right away where they’re getting tailed up most likely but they’ll still be an absolute pain in like you’ll be a penth and you’ll go down to you know Wen gong and you’ll win [ __ ] 164 or something [ __ ] like that um I just the depth for me is the
Biggest concern with whereas all the top tier sides like you look at for example the Warriors forward depth is insane like actually like some of the Young Guns coming through and then you look at the Broncos dip so even guys like even teams like the Dolphins have pretty good depth
Inzy you know guys that probably won’t play every week Jared Wallace’s like who they go with Jared Wallace Mark Nichols like all those sorts of players so if you got a solid 21 or 22 yeah you’re right I think that’s where some of those other teams may come come
Undone but we’ll see how it goes we’ll see how it goes that’s it dun and deed uh make sure to grab a a CBA shirt or grab a case of bloke beer it’s the beer of rugby league rugby league is back guys a beer for blog to turn up for
Family Mason Good Times make sure to subscribe to levels podcast on Apple on Spotify leave reviews all that good stuff on YouTube as well uh it’s a great point of difference to bloke guys a really good podcast um and yeah thanks for joining us big fell round zero famous Brisbane Broncos manly seagull
Dubs and uh and then we’ll flow on round one after that thanks for having me brother right getting a love nose beak thing thanks for coming on brother boom done we’ll go [ __ ] ourselves thank you
37 Comments
Now this is awesome
Good poddy lads!
Matt reckons the Sea Eagles will finish Top 4 this year … excited to see Brooks in a new environment
OG HORO
Sweet, Horo 👏👏👏👏
Horo good bastard
The Horoscope! Could be anything
Bloke and Levels are my go too’s🙌🏽🙌🏽🙌🏽
Bloke and levels new podddy pleassseeeee
Can you ddp us
You don't realise just how good Bloke podcast is until you try to listen to an average punters poddy.
What a collab!!! 🙌🏻
I could listen to Scope talk all day. I’m sure it’s difficult pumping out content but keep it up bro!
Boys how did you talk about Nsw second row and not mention Liam Martin once haha
What's your guyz thought on penrith playing 2 World Cup challenges without playing any trial matches.
Cowboys 4? 😂
The collab we all needed💯🔥
Scott Sorensen cant play for NSW as hes already represented NZ in the league world cup.
levels x bloke 🔥, this needs to be consistently every week
The boys did good as usual today. The beakasaurus on form
4NPPFWYW Nrl fantasy boyz out there lessggggooo
Love it!!! Levels meets Bloke in a Bar. Great insights and analysis as expected.
This needs to happen so much more. Conversations flow, you guys dont interupt each other and its really easy listening. You can tell the footy chat is genuine. Unreal poddy lads
Brooks dally m 6 of the year
Love listening to Scope! I reckon this needs to be a regular fixture!!
greatest podcast of all Walker will end up at the Bronco's soon
Love the HSP boys but anytime Bloke and Scope get together its a must watch.
I have never screamed Jacob Preston so much at my laptop before haha
scope off the bench
Its Joash Pap-Ar-Lee, same as what Josh used to be 🙂
horos system is flawed
That initial Manly teams list voice bloody cracked me up… glad he didn't continue with it though.
To go from pre season Premiers to pre season Spooners has been a monumental fall from grace but that can only mean one thing & that is in 2024, there’s only one way to go & that’s all the way to Premiership glory.
Another great analysis scope. U should be on nrl 360
Kempy and the lads in the comments – what do you think about NRL having 2 games in Las Vegas in Round 27 as well, every year? They could have the last round match-ups unscheduled until 3-2 weeks left in the season (similar to AFL) and send 4 teams from the bottom 6 to go play in Vegas as they dont have to prepare for the finals series week-after
You guys just leveled up the blokes.
SO I didnt think much of the reviewing field goals for block, but look at the rooster v broncos in vagas that was real…