Round 9 Preview w/ Cameron Smith

Join Cameron Smith and I for another episode of The Captain’s Run.

Please go to Spotify or Apple for full version of the show (including Bulldogs v Tigers preview)

0:00 Jason Demetriou sacked
7:09 Latrell Mitchell considering withdrawing from Origin
13:35 Gutherson ruled out
21:05 Souths v Panthers
29:19 Manly v Raiders
34:13 Titans v Storm
39:08 Cowboys v Dolphins
41:25 Knights v Warriors
42:19 Sharks v Dragons

Wayne likes success um I know he wants
to win premierships and I know he loves
um the values of the club and what we
stand for I think he’s made that pretty
clear in his time here and since then
about his affection for the club the
ownership the board um the management
team so um look we we certainly be
speaking to Wayne because he left the
place in very good shape when he left um
and he was great while he was here he
got us through a lot of really difficult
times during Co and um a bit of a
restructure of the um playing group when
John and Greg and Sam retired um it was
a pleasure to work with there you have
it uh Wayne Bennett Blake Sully talking
about Wayne Bennett which is uh look
obviously they’ve kept their options
open but it does seem like they are
pretty Keen to getting back what are
your thoughts in regards to who should
be the next coach
Smithy um yeah look I I don’t know who
who is going to be the next coach but I
guess if you want to get history shows
right that if you want to get this
football side back on track quickly you
probably go for experience right and and
you’re going to go for a guy like Wayne
Ben he’s been there before he
understands what the organization is
about um he probably seen a few of these
guys starting their career as well when
he was coaching and and have now gone on
to be you know sort of regular first
graders so he could he could rejoin
those guys um and and you know just get
that that sort of relationship going
again and you look I’ve been coached by
Wayne in in several sides um in in my in
my playing career here and you know he’s
a he’s he’s very good at at creating an
environment where you know players feel
confident they believe in themselves and
um you know they’re happy
so listening to Blake Sully talk about
just going back to you know that those
comments around you know the decision to
let um Jason Demetrio go around his
management of players well the thing
that Wayne Bennett is very good at it is
that history has shown that um you know
I’ve I’ve witnessed firsthand um you
know like he makes his players train
hard but but also um you know he he just
it gives them a place where they can get
the best out of themsel and and they
enjoy their football so I think short
term if you’re looking to get this club
back on track and there was there was
further comments from Blake Sully around
um you know the disappointment of the of
the last 20 games that they’ve played
and it’s just it’s not it’s not good
enough for for a club of their stature
that was his words right um if they want
to be back sitting at the top of the
tree
well I don’t I don’t know if they can
consider anyone else other than Wayne
Bennett that’s just my that’s that’s my
thoughts and now I know there’s been
other names um you know tossed up to to
potentially uh take on that role um you
know Justin Holbrook who’s currently
assistant coach of the Sydney roosters
not too sure what his agreement is with
the roosters as far as you know his
contract and whatnot um you know the the
coach of the Catan dra dragons at the
moment over in the English Super League
Steve McNamara he’s been tossed up as
well Michael Checker former wallaby
coach um Michael Maguire as well yeah
wow his name’s being thrown into the
ring but there’s no way he’s going to
coach he he he won’t be able to get the
job he’s just taking on the new of Wales
blu’s job and New Wales rugby league
won’t allow that to happen he can’t do
both um I think if you’re looking short
term to get this club back on track
where they feel or believe they should
be which is at the top of the ladder
then I think Wayne Bennett’s your
perfect person to do that yeah when you
when you actually consider where their
squads at how long their key players ass
signed for um it’s it almost you cannot
afford to have an inexperienced coach
come in and they continue to you know
play poorly if you know they might they
might go on to play really well but
there’s a chance to play poorly and so
you look and you go I think Wayne
Bennett is absolutely the front runner
but I think and look this is me reading
way too far into what he said so take it
with a gr assault but he did say because
I watched the whole press conference he
said you know we we’ve got a really good
relationship with Warrington he signed a
two-year deal with Warrington and that’s
Sam burges uh what actually got the auto
right here I don’t really know what um
Sam’s plans are um Sam I think has a
two-year contract at Warrington uh and
we’d have um built up a lot of respect
for Simon and Stewart and Carl and the
the group at Warrington and the team so
we wouldn’t want to disrupt that and my
view is it’s it’s Sam’s opportunity to
show the world that he can coach and um
we wish him every every success with
that it’s his opportunity Sam’s
opportunity to show the world he can
coach now as I said I’m reading too far
into this Smithy you know me you know me
but that sounds like me to we we talk
about the recent him parting ways and
having issues with the way Demetrio ran
the place is that kind of implicitly
saying well you had an issue with the
way JD coached you go away and show you
can coach and then maybe we have that
two-year period and he’s the successor
to Wayne because I think Wayne is the is
almost like the shoe in but the most
important thing is is the club can’t be
left in the same position not that it
was left in a bad position but you don’t
want to be two years down the track and
right where you were before Wayne
arrived and I think Sam burges will be
the eror parent what do you reckon well
how about this how about this right they
signed Wayne Bennett on a 2-year deal
okay yeah he gets them back on track so
Sam Burgess he’s got this year yeah
2024 and 25 to run on his contract is
that is am I reading that correctly
correct correct okay so Wayne Bennett
takes over in 25 and 26 Sam Burgess sees
out his contract at Warrington 2425
returns to the the rabbits in 26 as
Wayne’s assistant then he takes over as
full-time coach 27 there you go you
heard here first that’s what they’ve got
a great they’ve got a great relationship
he tried to get and San Burgers yeah
yeah they got a great relationship so um
I think uh you know like when when
you’re talking of guys that you could um
do your apprenticeship under and learn a
lot from um I can think of a lot worse
than Wayne Bennett so uh there you go
the scoop the scoop ladies and gentlemen
on the captain’s run Smitty scoop there
you go Smitty scoop new segment uh got a
text here boys I hear Blake Sully saying
Wayne left the place in good position
but we aren’t in a good position anymore
I hear management take zero blame for
anything the players are not to blame
it’s all JD Basket Case Club Aza from Dy
well the period where he did leave him
there they were top of the comp um and
also I think they made a prelim as well
the year after Wayne left didn’t they
yeah yep so like he did leave it in a
good place I think that’s undeniable
like to to blame Wayne for something
happening two years later it’s like come
on like you’re kicking the can down the
the road uh you kicking the can down the
Oh Long Road the whole country down the
highway highway
mate uh a story uh Sunday night in the
papers this one’s hard to talk about
because the trail hasn’t said anything
so you just don’t know whether this is a
beat up you don’t know where you don’t
know where this has come from but it is
it is a talking point it has become a
talking point of the NRL so I guess um
you know if he hasn’t said anything
maybe a measured kind of of opinion on
it can help it a little bit but anyway
we we’ll go forward with it Michael
McGuire said two weeks ago everyone
knows the capabilities of latr but it’s
about making sure he’s in the right head
space at the moment one thing I know is
that in the big games you need your
focus to uh Focus right about where you
were going soua going through a tough
period but latr has a chance to Bunker
down and really help the New South Wales
team he has another couple of months
where he can put himself into that shape
but origin games are up there with the
biggest games of your life I mean no one
knows
Latrell knows that a lot you know he
knows that a lot he’s he’s done it he’s
um he’s experienced it and had those big
moments what are your thoughts about
this whole Yann about um the NRL
reportedly coming out and saying he has
to make himself available what do you
think Smithy I I don’t know why does he
have to if he doesn’t want to play
origin he doesn’t want to play origin
what like why why does he have to play
origin if he’s fit and playing for
souths I I just don’t get that I really
don’t get that I I really don’t get that
um how the NRL can enforce someone to
play play state of origin what if you
just don’t want
to or maybe what if he doesn’t want to
just say look I’m retiring from rep
footy and then when the series is over
just say actually no I’ve come out of
retirement yeah yeah exactly just do
that you know what would be funny they
can’t do anything about that you know
they go they they go and say Latrell you
have to make yourself eligible and then
Jack whon comes out and says I I’m
eligible I’m coming out of retirement
they go no mate no you can’t do that you
can’t do that mate yeah yeah like just I
I don’t know why why as a as a league or
a game like you want to force someone to
do something that they don’t want to do
what what if like his team is in a
situation right that they are sitting
bottom of the
ladder to his own standards he hasn’t
played that great at the beginning of
this year he plays in a key position
he’s come off what this is he’s had the
3 week suspension is that right 3 weeks
yeah so he’ll be back next week he just
wants to get back and play footy for his
Club yeah like that’s that that’s where
his main source of income comes from is
is representing the South Sydney
rabitos now I know the state of origin
players they get uh they get paid to
play their matches there in in that
series but you know
that’s I I just don’t I just don’t know
how as a game you can force an
individual to take part in the state of
origin series if they don’t want to play
in it it it really does sound like
posturing because yeah what coach sorry
you go mate well I was just I was just
going to go on and say m like look we’re
we’re sort of getting a little bit sort
of fired up about this which it may not
even be a story you know like you said
at the start like this it may just be a
bit of a beat up but if if it’s true
let’s okay let’s take latrell’s name out
of it let’s say it’s someone else okay
what if Cam Murray or what if Cam
monster says oh look I don’t want to
play origin it’ll be
disappointing you know for myself as a
queenslander and yourself as a
queenslander you’d love to see K moner
there but if he says oh look guys I
really I I’m not in the right head space
or physically don’t feel as though that
I can play origin this year I’m just
going to play Club footy concentrate on
that and hopefully be back next year um
ready to go but you know like that’ll be
disappointing he’s not there but I I
still don’t feel the NRL can step in and
say no no C monster no you’re fit you
will be playing origin
it’s it’s honestly genuinely bizarre and
then yeah and then you and then you and
then you go a step further right like
you take it you go from that particular
coach’s point of view and the other guys
in that team well you’re going to pick a
guy that that’s come out and publicly
said I don’t want to be here then you
question him you go well where’s his
commitment at does he he doesn’t even
want to be here so what can I can I
trust that he’s going to give 100% on
game day like is he going to be with us
is he going to have full commitment
through this preparation that you know
he needs to to you know commit himself
to to be right to go for state of origin
I just I feel it I I find it really
strange if that’s true that that the
game can come out and and force players
to play origin when they don’t want to
yeah it’s it it honestly just looks like
posturing because as you just said what
coach is going to ring a bloke and go
hey mate I know the NRL forced you to
play so I’m picking you no matter what
you say you got to be at camp at 8: a.m.
yeah yeah like what yes it doesn’t make
any sense like it’s just no coach would
ever do that so no and look I get the
argument of oh you know this is a
precedent that you know what do you mean
this could be a crazy precedent we’re
only saying that because it’s a Char
Mitchell this has happened before plenty
of times where BLS have gone um you know
Jamie lion is the perfect example he was
like guys I don’t want to play origin at
the moment um and so it’s not like it’s
this first precedent that we’re going to
be it’s going to change the way the game
played playing for State mate and who am
I to talk about this you can obviously
talk about this better it’s the highest
honor you can have so it’s not you’re
not going to get people going oh no
stuff it don’t want to play for Queens
in on New South Wales yeah no and M
there’ll be people knocking the door
down to play if there’s one person you
know in the in the competition that says
oh look I’d really don’t want to play
origin this year he they’ll have people
knocking the door down to say look I
I’ll play I’m committed I’d love to
represent my state so like and I’ll just
rattle off a few I know this is you know
the TR but let’s let’s talk about
outside backs for New South Wales at the
moment like Tedesco Dylan Edwards Brian
to Turbo Critter Joseph um s Le um Josh
adok car M the list goes on how many
more guys all of them look at all of
them yeah puy they’re all ready to go
and they’ve done it before you know like
those outside backs like it’s just they
got they got they got a a a um a huge
pool of outside backs that could any one
of them could go in there and play well
for for for them you know in one game
two games or the entire series there’s
plenty of guys there to fill that Jersey
now uh some more news coming out over
the last couple of days it was Clint
gson has undergone minor surgery in his
knee expected to miss yeah the king miss
four or five weeks he’d been carrying
the issue for the past several weeks uh
I’d actually even heard it was his last
year he he may have injured it but to
the point he required fluid to be
drained he also had surgery on the
miniscus last year
uh I think that is it the same knee I
think is it the same knee that he had
the miniscus surgery yes I I think so uh
he had surgery on on a a miniscus it
says here so I’ll have to confirm with
that if it is the same one um but look I
think it’s
a look I know fans know this now but it
is a really good IND like Insight you’d
be very surprised at what bles are doing
just to get on the field when they
probably shouldn’t but their Club needs
them and that looks like what Guth is
done for quite a while now absolutely
yep um what do you yeah M I’m no I’m
with you and you know
like you and I both know like having
been involved at at the top level like
there’s there’s players left right and
Center everyone’s pretty much majority
of the competition is is fit at the
start of the year right but by
round now like we’re talking now 8 n and
10 there there’s niggles everywhere yeah
right you got busted ribs you got crook
knees you got busted shoulders s next
all the all the different things that
that um players are dealing with and and
they manage them on a daily basis not
just not just for game day you know
because they’re competitive people
they’re professional people right they
want to be out there training they don’t
want to be sitting inside in a gym doing
alternate sessions sitting on a row on a
bike or boxing or doing whatever they
want they want to be out in the football
field training with their mates and
prepareing for the weekend and you know
as we’ve said many many times like the
game is the fun part so you don’t to
miss out on playing so you know like I’m
sure GTH has been battling this and you
know like we’ve all seen him play and
you know the toughness that he plays
with you know not just physically but
his his mental toughness that he’s
played through many many matches where
he’s been banged up and all that sort of
stuff so um looks like it’s just got to
the point kmy where he just can’t play
through it anymore and they’ve bitten
the bullet and said look mate let’s just
let’s just go sort this issue out um you
know hopefully over the next couple of
weeks when you’re not playing
we might be able to get a couple of
Victories and uh we’re in a good
position to try and attack the back end
of the year yeah I think you if you
really watch gutho closely especially
this year I think you could tell he was
injured like on the weekend like he was
limping he was definitely not his best
put it this way this is I’m a soccer
player I’m I’m the least tough rugby
league player to ever play the NRL in my
deboo I I played my debut I needed a
shoulder reconstruction so that should
that should give you an idea
of some of the crazy stuff like as I
said I’m not even a tough footy player
some of the craziest stuff you’d ever
seen that you would be like mate you
shouldn’t even be walking let alone
bloody out in a footy field um now what
do you think about U Mitchell H sorry
the season for the years is I know it’s
done around the around the bar for them
so they’re trying to line it up so he
misses as little games as possible but
do you think there is a a tinge of them
going maybe this year’s getting away
from us well when did when did um Mitch
Moses hurt himself round two was it
round two two or three two or
three h yeah might have been round three
maybe he he Hur himself round two I
think he’s groin and then he he played
the next week fractur his foot and fra
his foot yeah the week that next week or
week after it was close around that time
yeah so like since then they’ve um
they’ve struggled right I don’t know if
they’ve even won a game they might have
won one game yeah they beat the Cowboys
yeah they beat the Cowboys and ever
since then they’ve really struggled so
um there’s no doubt that you know not
having Mitch Moses there has had an
effect on him but you take any any of
your your like your main halfback like
your Chief playmaker the guy that sort
of you know steers the team around the
park you take him out of any side and
and it’s going to have a bit of an
impact on the way your team operates
right and the way they play but
particularly now with with um Clint gson
out is the skipper plays like the
position he plays in the amount of work
that he gets through um I know it’s hard
when you’re sitting at home watching on
telly but if you ever get a chance to
watch a par at game live at the ground
just try and try and take your eyes off
the footy for a little bit and just
watch the amount of work that Clint
gutherson does off the football you know
just positioning his defensive line you
know making sure that he gets the kicks
on the fo and even his work rate with
with when his team has the ball like he
gets into first receiver he takes hit
UPS he gets on the back of their you
know the backline plays with the
sweeping run at the back like he sort of
he’s there everywhere man now he doesn’t
have that blinding speed of AR re Walsh
or you know the ability like to B out of
tackles like a Tedesco but he’s just as
effective for param so I’m not going to
say one’s a greater loss than the other
but they they’re they’re just as as
equal
so yeah it might be a tough couple of
weeks for param matter mate coming up it
is interesting uh look it may have just
the hand may have been forced so I I’m
as I said I’ve got a problem with
reading too far into things but I guess
it makes the question if they keep
losing the question of Brad Arthur and
whether he stays or not stays becomes
even more muddy because you go how could
you move the block on when he’s missing
gutho and Mitch Moses um so it does
create that a very tough kind of
situation I mean you would hope as a
club they’ve got things pretty locked in
before this decision was made rather
than making a decision reacting to how
their squad is going without their two
biggest players yeah yeah man it’s a big
one um and you know it I I’ve just
looked at I’ve just looked at their next
month have you seen their next month of
games so they got the buy right they got
the buy but then they go Broncos
storm rabbits and the
sharks so like they’ve got they have to
Bunker down in the next four weeks M
like it’s that’s as tough as it gets
like you know obviously you know rabbits
who knows what they’re going to be like
in three weeks they might go they might
be back and and playing their best footy
who knows but you know BR at least three
of the next four Broncos storm sharks my
goodness oh and as you you know I know
look rabitos at the moment I would say
they’re not going to make the eight but
they are making drastic changes for that
to happen pretty soon so there you know
there is a I know the squad hasn’t
played as well as we know they should
have but they still have a squad that
can make the den in the eight on paper
for sure and also they’re missing quite
a lot of their starting side so in three
weeks three or four weeks they actually
may be a very very tough challenge for
the E they they the E could def like not
definitely they could potentially go 0
and four the next and even with their
full strength side they could go on and
four when you look at the teams they’re
playing so it’s a bloody Tough Run yeah
M 0 and four um so the buy 0 and four
that means that leaves them um three
three wins from 12 games oh and that’s
that’s going to have them sitting pretty
low un unless the teams blow them win a
couple they’ll almost be last on the L
if they can get two from four that’s a
massive win two from four I’d be happy
with that if I’m the deals at the moment
without their players rabitos Fe the
Panthers Thursday 7:50 course Stadium
live on senn with Joel Kane Brett C and
Spud Carol rabido team news mil
suspended Isaac Thompson Returns on the
wing moali to start uh Cham returns uh
horn in the head coaches role for the
time first time I think also um katangi
will start in the front row again if did
it last week but he’ll definitely be in
the front row this week uh Tera returns
after being taken out of the side just
before kickoff last week Leota returns
after a week off with a shoulder
complaint Smithy what do you reckon here
manate well Tera he he was rested wasn’t
he yeah because cont did you take
lineup essentially the contract
negotiations this is what Ivan said the
contract negotiations took a lot out of
him so he decided to give him the week
off got get his head around it and he’s
back um yeah look um
we’ve we’ve spoken about coaches being
sack before on this show might have been
last year and teams getting up I just I
don’t think it’s going to happen this
week with all due respect to the rabbito
faithful um yeah they they’re just not
in they’re nowhere near where they need
to be to be competing with um this footy
side the penth Panthers and you they
they got away with a tight Victory last
week Penny um you know just got over the
Cowboys tough game up there in
Townsville got up by six points points
weren’t at their best but did what they
had to do to get a victory there’s such
I tell you what they did do well they
they defended the house down oh they
were so good defensively and and have
been now like it’s no surprise like it’s
not groundbreaking news that I’m that
I’m talking about now you know about how
good their defense was but you know that
was a huge effort to be able to repel
the Cowboys who leading into that match
had the best um attack in the comp so um
they threw everything at the Panthers
but they held them out
um to beat him by six
points yeah
it’s I think the question for me is like
what what does this change for the
players in the Rabbid o footy side with
Jason demitro now not being coach like
do they all of a sudden go out and play
the best game that they’ve played all
season because he’s not
coaching I I don’t know I just I haven’t
seen enough from them um with their
commitment to their footy and you know
the intent that they do things on the
field and their and their effort like
their consistent effort on the field to
suggest to me that things are going to
change that quickly in what is it well
they’re playing tomorrow so I don’t know
if they can turn around in two days so
look I think Panthers um and possibly in
a big score like a lot like last week
where they took on storm and you know
they racked up a big score on them in
the end like there was a little mini
fight back in a period of that game
where Storm sort of they took the foot
off the the off the throttle a little
bit but um Panthers I I just think
Panthers all oneway traffic I think
possibly a little bit of a score racked
up as well yeah the rabitos kind of find
them themselves in a bit of a strange
situation because if they come out and
play really well you know you’d be
sitting there going where the hell has
this been uh you know the last seven or
eight weeks you know like I understand
that the coach is you know hasn’t he’s
moved on and I understand that if you
come out and play well the argument
would be made you know the coach hasn’t
been the best but at the same time it
hasn’t really been just the coaching
it’s been some of the effort area so
they find I guess they find themselves
in a bit of a tough position in regards
to that but I um I’d have to say I just
I just haven’t seen enough patches of
good footy no way from sou to suggest
that they are even close or ready to put
together 80 minutes of decent fooy yet
um you know I think sometimes if you if
you look at other form runs and you go
okay this team is in a bit of a bad
patch at the moment they’ve just lost
their coach you can kind of look to like
two or three games where you go well
they actually did play some pretty good
footy here they actually did um you know
for 60 minutes so quite good if you
actually go back you know yeah the score
blew out a little bit but they’re
actually quite good unfortunately for
the rabitos outside of uh maybe 20 or 30
minutes in round one I haven’t I haven’t
really seen longer than maybe 10 minutes
of good footy from them so I just don’t
know if they’re going to be prepared for
the the pen Panthers 80 minutes no no
and that’s exactly what they did the
other night mate so they had a really
poor start oh sorry they they scored a
try early but then they had they had a
10-minute period um in the second half
where they scored three tries um so
that’s that’s really that sums up what
you’re talking about there where they
they can put together really good footy
and they can dismantle some of the best
defensive sides in the competition but
it it ends after 10 minutes and then we
just go back to the old South Sydney
that we’ve been we’ve become used to
over the last what season in a season in
a bit yeah um sorry not not a season in
a bit the last half of last year and the
beginning of this year so um yeah I I
just think we haven’t seen enough
consistently good football played by
them to um to have any sort of faith in
them particularly taking on the Panthers
this week I think also when you the
Panthers they’re not they’re not uh
rolling into town against the Panthers
that um that they could Ambush that are
I guess too high on themselves like
we’re not looking at a penrith Panthers
that have been playing really good footy
and they could get complacent the penri
Panthers have actually been playing some
for standards guys obviously they’re
still playing bloody good compared to
everyone else standards um but for their
standards they’ve actually since
probably I don’t know round four or so
or maybe even round three they actually
haven’t probably since the manly game
probably since the mly game they haven’t
actually played that good a footy so
they’re actually coming up against a a
panther side that I’m assuming Ivan
Curry although happy with their defense
last week wouldn’t have been happy with
their total performance um so it’s it’s
not going to be an easy fight at all or
an ambush opportunity yeah well made
that form to too that that that sort of
lack of form by pen standards I think
that that coincides with clear not being
there as well like you got to you got to
sort of remember that like he’s been he
hasn’t played the last what four games
was it did he miss four games three
games and maybe a buy I think it might
have been so you know like everyone
knows now like we don’t have to keep
talking about it but we all know how
important he is to that footy side and
and like their game plan is centered
around him being in that in that team
you you can replace him and put someone
else in there and and they’ll go and do
a really good job a job good enough to
to get results but they’re not they
don’t do it at a at as high quality as
as Nathan clear does so you know first
game back last week little bit Rusty um
team got the job done you I think that’s
a strong victory for them um and I think
that now they’ll look to build over the
next month I will say I have uh this
year I know he hasn’t played all the
games but I do think there are some
questions around and I’m talking we’re
talking top tier here guys like I’m not
I’m not comparing him to some but Ry
defense sometimes I I do think that some
teams if they are looking to at ways to
beat uh penrith to maybe explore that I
I because he because he actually is a
great defender in contact I think are we
still talking Nathan here mate yeah
Nathan apologies clear yeah yeah I think
sometimes teams go you know he can hit
he’s really good in contact and he’s
he’s actually one of the better
defenders in in actual contact with
whoever’s running him so for example
we’ve seen plenty of times clear put on
good contact on back rowers but he does
have a tendency to have games where it
just seems to be offer him and even last
week there were a few times where yep um
you look to the Grand finals well before
his 20 minutes the Broncos really
exploited him yeah mate I was going to
bring that up like it started I noticed
it in the Grand Final last year like
very very um sort of unlike Nathan cley
where he’s he’s a as you said M like
he’s a good Defender he’s a smart
Defender he knows where to position
himself and he’s just he’s try he’s he
plays quite a physical game as a as a
halfback um he doesn’t mind getting his
body in front of big bles but they um
they the Broncos found some Avenues to
to make some line breaks around him and
that sort of yeah he’s given up a few
this year already as well so yeah I
think you make a good point uh now let’s
head on to Manley vers the Raiders uh
it’s 6 P p.m. at Four Points Park uh
live ONN Jimmy Smith Brett Calle and Tim
Mana Manley fre uh dce free to play
bully Moore in for U sley returns to the
bench Raiders Albert HOA returns to
fullback Chevy Shu dropped out cotri
replaces Schiller on the wing Whitehead
returns from injury how do you see this
one playing at Smithy well they’ve still
got a number of players out don’t they
the
Raiders um they’ve been smashed with
injury they’ve got a they got a huge
list of top liners unavailable um and
and I think a big one too for mine is is
Jamal fogy right not being there I think
he’s just done he’s done such wonderful
things for that footy Club since since
joining them um playing in the halves
now listening to did you did you see or
hear um Josh papal talking after the
game like he was highly embarrassed by
that effort last week 40 blot um on
their on their um home ground against
the Sharkies and they’re usually pretty
good like on that that Sunday sort of
Aro evening game they’re usually pretty
pretty um strong and really competitive
but 40 blot they just never in the
competition and he said you know he was
highly embarrassed not just with the
team’s performance but he said you know
like I know we got a lot of Senor guys
out and some young young faces in here
playing um but you know you can’t you
can’t just point the finger at those
young guys and and say oh look we’re
inexperienced that’s why we got beaten
he just he said he wasn’t he was really
disappointed with his own effort and
guys like himself you know the more
senior players they got to step up so
this is this is another game where
they’re going to have to do so like they
it’s it’s they’re on the road they have
to travel up to
Brookville um and take on man who’ll be
they’ll be pretty Keen they’ll be pretty
happy that their Skippers back and free
to play um dce and they usually turn one
on it at um at four point as well so um
but yeah Cambra if they’re if they’re on
they can mix it with any team in this
comp I still feel as I mly um you even
minus U I think they can they can take
care of cber at the moment they just
yeah I just think they’re down on troops
down on troops even if they’re big even
if they’re big game players um step up
and and have a strong game um like like
the me I just spoke about in in Josh
papal and tarpy goes well you know
Elliot Whitehead back too I just think
they’re they’re just a little bit under
strength to take on a side like me at
the moment yeah it’s um for mly like
obviously you’d never want to go into a
game expecting to win but if I’m mly
it’s a real opportunity to sort their
defense out and I know that sounds harsh
because I think M you’ve had a really
good start to the year but I guess it’s
all about where do you actually Place M
do you think they’re a Premiership
threat or do you think it’s they should
be happy to be in the top eight I think
if Manley can fix this one thing which
is their defense they could be a
Premiership threat and so I think it’s a
really good opportunity for mle to go
out and go boys let’s not let’s be
excited about defense our attack we know
that that is sort of we know we can
score a lot of points but let’s go out
there and make a statement defensively
um if they can do that and then build a
foundation for the rest of the year I
definitely can see Manley um being a
dark horse towards the end of the year
uh in regards to the Raiders my biggest
concern it’s yes foggy being out is a
huge out and I think everyone agrees
like without foggy it’s going to be very
hard for them to win matches against
some of the top tier sides but my
biggest concern over the last couple
weeks is how dominated the forward pack
has gotten you know Broncos without pay
Hass uh and Adam Reynolds completely
dominated the the Raiders forward pack
coming next week the Sharkies uh come
out and absolutely dominate the Raiders
forward pack and so I don’t know whether
the their preseason was extra hard and
Ricky you know got them peing to head
into the year to get a few wins early
and maybe they’re tapering off a little
bit and that maybe that’s why we saw a
bit of fatigue but I think that they’ve
got to get that sorted because the
Raiders forward pack that’s the heart of
their team if that if that isn’t
absolutely firing at the top tier of the
comp they can’t even make a shot so I
think that that’s going to be a big um
emphasis is all about energy and the
Ford pack not getting dominated for the
Raiders yeah no I agree mate um that’s
where the games are won mate that’s
that’s that’s it’s you learn it from a
very young age when you particularly in
first grade when you come in you know
the work’s got to be done in the middle
first if they can’t win the middle if
they can’t win the forward- pack battle
then the boys out wide can’t do their
job so yeah and that goes back to what I
was saying about you know Josh Pap’s um
comments post game was that like we were
dominated I’m really disappointed not
only in the team’s game but my own
effort you know I should needed to be
better so I’m sure the big boys they’ll
be up for a big one this week Titans
verse storm Saturday’s 5:30 seabus
Stadium KH Pereira Sho Dropout for
Philip Sammy and Harley Smith shield for
a Waker out with concussion for feeder
name to start but expected to come off
the bench again storm T news wishot
named on the wing
for you what I didn’t even know this
holy wish shot to the wing for Xavier
coats Bronson garlic onto the bench K
moner set to play his 200th game wow
wish out on the wing the blow can do
anything yeah well he played there last
week mate when um zavier coats went off
I think uh Xavier coats he actually went
off in the first half after he scored um
was it his his second try or third try
yeah might have been um just went off
with the lazy bit of a tight so I’m
hoping that’s going to be um nothing too
serious I think just maybe precaution he
would have loved this game to be a part
of it um zavier coat because he’s he’s
from the go Coast so he would have been
up here with a lot of family and friends
to play in front of but not to be Toren
Wisher man he is one of the most
versatile players you’ll ever come come
across yeah like he’s played I think
he’s played a bit of time in the half
he’s playing the wing um I think he’s
chucked him at
fullback um once or twice before he’s
played dummy half he plays all over
plays in the middle as a rock rock
player yep you know just incredible so
um he’ll do a job uh and and they’re
they’re coming up to the goal Coast with
um a lot of confidence and a lot of
momentum sitting second on the
competition ladder and they’re just
they’re just sneaking along aren’t they
the storm yeah and you probably you look
at their performances you’re probably
thinking well you know like they’re not
sort of they’re not setting the world on
fire at the moment um they probably
we’ve seen them play a better style of
football or more consistent style of
football than they have um in the
opening sort of eight rounds but uh
they’re getting the job done that’s what
they’re doing so I think that’s the
thing that’ll be most pleasing for Craig
Bellamy as coach um and another big
milestone that they they really put a
huge emphasis on is these Milestone
matches cam mster plays his 200 so um
big game for him then you look on the
other side though like the
Titans did you give them any chance
against the Warriors last week not
really but I did make a bit of money I
had uh well the line the line was n and
a half so I chucked a sneaky little
sneaky little bit on that plus anytime
score AJ brimson she got up but I didn’t
have I didn’t give him any chance for
head to-head no way no way no well no no
same so I thought there was going to be
a Warriors Victory but you know if you
look at their performances leading up to
that game last week it’s they were
improved right so they slowly built over
the last fortnite and then they got over
there and played a tough game of footy
you know you could probably argue that
you know the Warriors aren’t in great
touch right now but the Titans it’s a
hard place to play yeah it’s a hard
place to play it’s a hard place to
travel to and and get a victory
particularly on a day like they they
played on Anzac Day um the stadium was
chalk a block and it’s you know it’s
pretty intimidating playing playing
there with a full crowd of of Warriors
fans so to get the job done over there
that that means they’ve played a pretty
good game of football AJ brimson he’s he
remains of a full back and I heard him
talking on the radio this morning about
how he’s just he loves being a part of
the spine
kmy he just really enjoys his time
playing in the spine that’s where he
prefers to play whether it be at
fullback whether it be at six he just he
wants to be around the ball and that and
that that’s where he’s dangerous right
yeah his his threat is his ability to
run the football so being out in the
center is like you you rely heavily on
the work done on the inside to be able
to get quality football so quality
football being that you get you’re
getting the ball with opportunity to to
run um you know whether whether it be
space bit of time to do your thing or
it’s a one-on-one opportunity with your
opposite Center um to beat him but if
that work’s not being done then it’s
pretty much a shut out of the game
whereas if you’re playing fullback or
you’re playing six you’re getting that
opportunity with the ball with time and
space in your hand to do what you do
best so look he’s going to be he’s going
to be a huge threat to the storm can’t
wait to watch this game I’m going to go
I’m going to go along just as a fan and
and see what happens but um I think the
storm a little bit too strong for for
the Titans yeah I uh it’s a a really
interesting the Titans win you know a
lot of people will try to downplay it
not a lot of people but some might try
to downplay yeah they just got that one
win but you have to look at it like this
if the storm went over to New New
Zealand and beat uh and beat the
Warriors by two points or a try or
whatever you’d probably go oh yeah good
win over in New Zealand uh New Zealand’s
a much better side than in the past and
so the Titans did that so to suggest
that they don’t have a chance here
against Melbourne storm I actually think
they’re going to I’ve got Melbourne
storm winning but I actually think
they’re um the Titans will make it a
tighter match than uh we thought we’ve
got the Cowboys V the Dolphins how do
you see this one playing out Smithy yeah
well I I think straight off the top I
think you you’d be thinking Cowboys
particularly with the outs for uh
Dolphins um Kenny bronich he’s out after
failing hi although KUSI and uh Lelo
they’re coming back so KUSI of course he
he tore the Hemi with that line break he
should have passed earlier he just he
just hogged the ball he held on it way
too long man give it up old fell you
don’t have to run 40 or 50 m just P pass
it to the Hammer earlier jeez um but no
he’s back but I think uh look I’m
tipping the Cowboys but like the Cowboys
they they really need to address their
issues with their defense they really do
like they they’ve scored 203 points K be
right so that’s like I think that’s like
in the top five in the C now a couple of
teams had big wins on the weekend which
took them past um the Cowboys so like
the Bronx went past them I think the
chooks went past them um I think maybe
was it Manley went past them with a
couple of big wins so they’re top they
top four or five for points scored but
they’ve they’ve conceded more than
they’ve scored and they’ve scored 200
points yeah it’s just ridiculous come on
fellas like it’s not it’s not a
one-sided sport like it’s not all about
scoring points you can’t think that you
going to win big games or at the end of
the season win you know be a part of
finals and and beat the best sides when
all you thinking about is scoring points
rather than stopping being scored
against you so if they correct their
defense um and you know whether that’s
through some techniques through effort
whatever it is I think they’re going to
be they’ll be really hard to beat it
doesn’t matter who they play I think
they’re going to be a little bit too
good for the Dolphins um they met they
played they played first round didn’t
they these two teams I think they played
round one um Cowboys were very good that
day scored scored a lot of point they
scored 43 points but the Dolphins that’s
almost their worst performance of the
year so I’d like to think that they’re
going to be better than what they were
in round one they they will definitely
be better than what they were in round
one they’re they’re a better football
side now I just think
Cowboys
um bit too bit too bit too strong across
the park particularly with a couple of
the the more senior players not playing
for the Dolphins right now okay Knights
Warriors
oh nice Warriors this is a tough one
what’s doing with the w what’s up with
the w man what’s what is doing can like
I’m I’m asking the question what is
doing like they they they were sort of
becoming like that that that crowd
favorite the fans second second team
almost you know everyone’s second side
that they wanted to support they’re up
and about early but they’ve just they’ve
been on the slippery dip the last three
weeks can’t find a victory yeah um and
all of a sudden they come across to
Newcastle who put in a great effort to
beat the Dolphins last week up here in
Brisbane um unchanged the nights um from
that win uh Cody capwell he’s back for
the W so does that make a difference
bunny a far out tough one to tip this
one I’m half on the fence o should I go
n should I go W I might just go the home
team welcome back to the captains run
SMY let’s get straight in with shakies
dragons what do we thinking they oh look
I think shakies um big match
Sunday Aro sharks dragons always is um
it’s officially sold out it’s going to
be huge they’re going to be hanging from
the rafters are the rafters still there
I don’t know they’ll be up on the
they’re up on the hill um on the
Northern end of the field so it’s going
to be big did you know kmy the dragons
haven’t beaten the shark since round
five 2020 what did you know that Holy I
did not know that so a bit of a little
mini hoodoo going on here so it’s a
number of games that they have Gone
without a victory against the uh the
cross town Rivals so look I’m picking
Sharkies they’re just they’re they’re
just motoring along nicely at the moment
um Nik is pulling all the strings he’s
leading the deli M at the moment so yeah
I think you’ll be up for a big one this
weekend look I’d like to think that
Shane Flanigan’s going to challenge
these BLS he would have been bitly
disappointed with that result on Anzac
Day they would have built up for it
actually spoke to him before the game a
and I said how are they looking how are
they feeling for this one he said oh
look they were a little bit quiet oh wow
um so you know whether that had anything
to do with the result I’m not too sure
but I will go on to say he said they
were like that the week prior too and
they won yeah okay so um you know take
what you want from that um could mean
something could mean nothing but uh I
think he would have plenty of feedback
for them on the weekend maybe just about
the way they handled that occasion big
occasion playing on Anzac Day of course
you know the first little thing to Moses
Sully that didn’t help um with the
preparation of of all but I’ve got the
sharies to continue mate sharies