WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:04.000 The West Tigers Podcast is brought to you by the 2 00:00:04.040 --> 00:00:06.040 West Tigers Podcast Forum. 3 00:00:06.480 --> 00:00:10.480 Join the conversation today at West Tigers podcast dot com 4 00:00:10.519 --> 00:00:11.160 dot au. 5 00:00:23.519 --> 00:00:27.079 It's West Tigers Podcast Eddie joined by Nick. And I 6 00:00:27.120 --> 00:00:29.039 was gonna say Gary. I'm so used to saying Gary. 7 00:00:29.120 --> 00:00:34.520 It's not Gary, it's declar no big orange beard looking 8 00:00:34.560 --> 00:00:37.920 at me, wearing the face declan. So thirty six to 9 00:00:38.000 --> 00:00:40.079 two of the Panthers, we've had forty eight hours to 10 00:00:40.200 --> 00:00:42.439 digest that. Declan. What's your one word? 11 00:00:43.280 --> 00:00:47.079 My one word recycling Ben, because I think that's the 12 00:00:47.159 --> 00:00:50.759 performance that I will try to forget as soon as 13 00:00:50.799 --> 00:00:55.119 possible after we're doing recording this podcast. It was just 14 00:00:55.280 --> 00:00:57.560 a dull affair. I was in a pub in Melbourne 15 00:00:57.600 --> 00:01:00.840 in the corner watching it during the rugby and I 16 00:01:00.840 --> 00:01:03.560 think it was only one at the public screaming above 17 00:01:03.560 --> 00:01:03.920 the music. 18 00:01:03.920 --> 00:01:04.719 So it was just terrible. 19 00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:07.280 But my other one wide would just be just really 20 00:01:07.359 --> 00:01:10.879 uninspiring because we just couldn't. I didn't say it, I 21 00:01:11.239 --> 00:01:14.760 like well or any sort of mprint. Enter the game 22 00:01:14.799 --> 00:01:18.519 and the Panthers dictated pretty much every single facet of 23 00:01:18.519 --> 00:01:20.879 the game, barring the first ten minutes. 24 00:01:20.920 --> 00:01:23.319 Maybe I'm being generous but other than that. 25 00:01:23.239 --> 00:01:25.719 It was complete domination from Penwuth, who are pretty much 26 00:01:26.120 --> 00:01:29.079 control and dictating the game the entire. 27 00:01:28.959 --> 00:01:30.359 Time, which was not good to see. 28 00:01:30.480 --> 00:01:34.840 Obviously, I wasn't in a pub in Melbourne, Declan, but 29 00:01:34.920 --> 00:01:36.359 I was in a pub and I was sort of 30 00:01:36.879 --> 00:01:39.159 in that mode maybe like you were, or I was watching 31 00:01:39.200 --> 00:01:41.400 it without really watching it because I just thought, we're 32 00:01:41.439 --> 00:01:44.319 just absolutely no chance here the way they're playing. So 33 00:01:44.359 --> 00:01:46.640 I actually rewatched the game today, which I really do 34 00:01:47.120 --> 00:01:50.719 on a Monday. But Nick, your one word, My. 35 00:01:50.719 --> 00:01:54.239 One word, Eddie is coma because I'd really like someone 36 00:01:54.280 --> 00:01:56.719 to put me into an introduced Camra until the seventh 37 00:01:56.719 --> 00:01:59.799 of September, which is the day after we play the 38 00:01:59.840 --> 00:02:04.159 top Button's in around twenty seven. So unfortunately, I just 39 00:02:04.200 --> 00:02:06.560 feel like it's groundhog Day right. I just feel like 40 00:02:07.079 --> 00:02:10.479 we're at that point in the season again where and 41 00:02:10.520 --> 00:02:12.759 it's probably dragged out a little bit longer this season 42 00:02:12.759 --> 00:02:17.719 where we're not going to play finals, and I'm afraid 43 00:02:17.800 --> 00:02:19.599 that the effort is going to get a little bit 44 00:02:19.639 --> 00:02:23.800 too difficult over the next four to five six weeks 45 00:02:23.840 --> 00:02:26.280 to finish off the season, and I'm just worried about 46 00:02:26.280 --> 00:02:29.560 what might be to come so ideally I'd like to 47 00:02:29.599 --> 00:02:31.879 go into a long sleep, paddn Eddie and wake up 48 00:02:32.080 --> 00:02:33.800 just as the weather's starting to get a bit warmer 49 00:02:33.840 --> 00:02:36.240 and days are getting longer, and can get out in 50 00:02:36.280 --> 00:02:38.439 the golf course and don't have to worry so much 51 00:02:38.439 --> 00:02:39.599 about the West Tigers. 52 00:02:40.319 --> 00:02:42.520 I've always told you to think how good off seasons are, 53 00:02:42.599 --> 00:02:43.439 you know, September. 54 00:02:44.680 --> 00:02:46.400 I love you off season, Eddie love it. 55 00:02:47.599 --> 00:02:50.039 Thank you for everyone's submissions on the West Tigers forum. 56 00:02:50.039 --> 00:02:52.439 I reckon it's a record amount of submissions because I 57 00:02:52.479 --> 00:02:55.159 was writing them all down the TSAVO. So what I'll 58 00:02:55.199 --> 00:02:56.960 do is I'll read out half of them now and 59 00:02:56.960 --> 00:02:59.000 I'm going to read out the other halfway through. The 60 00:02:59.039 --> 00:03:04.919 podcast started with Snake, my man Snake. He went with reserves. 61 00:03:05.360 --> 00:03:08.800 We're not going anywhere, Snake said, when we've got so 62 00:03:08.879 --> 00:03:14.599 many reserve graders. Dirty Reds went with speed. Panthers are 63 00:03:14.639 --> 00:03:17.919 on a different level in terms of rock speed, line speed, 64 00:03:18.000 --> 00:03:27.039 and ball movement. Irlwood Tiger said, ruddless, farmer, Rondo directionless, clueless, 65 00:03:29.400 --> 00:03:33.400 Mike said slow in terms of line speed, kick Chase 66 00:03:33.479 --> 00:03:37.080 played the ball attack Spoon races back on, he said, 67 00:03:37.080 --> 00:03:39.840 with the two bottom sides winning and on the richometer 68 00:03:40.120 --> 00:03:45.560 we were poor. Nat Max seventy eight. Word was variety. 69 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:49.680 We have none of it with the ball in attack. 70 00:03:50.639 --> 00:03:57.039 Wagat Tiger said, done done until there are changes. I'm done, 71 00:03:57.159 --> 00:04:00.000 he said. We keep buying and extending the wrong player. 72 00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:06.639 We need quicker guys that can run harder. Mac Tiger. 73 00:04:07.800 --> 00:04:11.879 The word was tailorball. We played right into their hands. 74 00:04:13.400 --> 00:04:18.120 Tigers two to You went with gear we could not 75 00:04:18.199 --> 00:04:24.959 get out of first gear. LFC Tiger said gutless. He 76 00:04:25.000 --> 00:04:27.160 said he switched it off with ten minutes ago. There 77 00:04:27.199 --> 00:04:31.040 was no go forward, no kick chase. Three wins in 78 00:04:31.040 --> 00:04:32.639 a row with this club, he said, is it going 79 00:04:32.720 --> 00:04:36.920 to be impossible? Doesn't like the cattle, but Benji is 80 00:04:36.959 --> 00:04:41.439 not helping us with his game plans. Tiger's fifty one 81 00:04:41.600 --> 00:04:47.639 fifty simply said outclassed the remote robotic machine of Penrith 82 00:04:47.759 --> 00:04:49.800 was back, but he did say we never gave up 83 00:04:49.879 --> 00:04:56.240 and Throuver was incredible. Cambra Tiger's word was rocks. He said, 84 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:59.079 we have too many rocks and diamonds type of players 85 00:05:00.199 --> 00:05:03.920 mentioned Adam Dewey, Alex Twele, Staff for Tower, save Farth 86 00:05:04.040 --> 00:05:07.319 stains Bird and he said even Polo is going a 87 00:05:07.360 --> 00:05:12.759 little bit that way. Lorenzo went with two two. We 88 00:05:12.839 --> 00:05:16.240 need two backs for Skelton and Tower, and we need 89 00:05:16.279 --> 00:05:22.519 two forwards for Sata, Twilve and ad Declin the last 90 00:05:22.560 --> 00:05:25.560 ten weeks only well, the last ten games, I should say, 91 00:05:25.600 --> 00:05:28.240 because it's been a million buyers and what not going on, 92 00:05:28.920 --> 00:05:31.000 we've only won two of them, and they've been by 93 00:05:31.079 --> 00:05:32.959 one and two points. So if I was to do 94 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:37.000 the form ladder over that past ten weeks, would we 95 00:05:37.079 --> 00:05:39.839 be the worst side in that period? Perhaps that's the 96 00:05:39.839 --> 00:05:40.639 way we're playing. 97 00:05:42.240 --> 00:05:45.079 I'm not prepared to go that far. 98 00:05:45.199 --> 00:05:48.879 I think that we've had conversations about how although in 99 00:05:48.879 --> 00:05:51.839 that losing streak we were losing the game obviously that 100 00:05:52.079 --> 00:05:55.160 if I think or two went away, then you know, 101 00:05:55.279 --> 00:05:56.920 you could walk with a few real wins. 102 00:05:56.959 --> 00:05:59.319 So I don't think we would be the worst team. 103 00:05:59.560 --> 00:06:02.639 We definitely be bottom four probably, I think that's probably 104 00:06:02.680 --> 00:06:05.920 a fair assumption. But I think there have been like 105 00:06:06.000 --> 00:06:08.360 a few teams a little bit wise than ours, but 106 00:06:08.639 --> 00:06:10.439 probably clutching it strives a little bit, and you know, 107 00:06:10.480 --> 00:06:12.800 we haven't been great and probably deserved to be bottom 108 00:06:12.800 --> 00:06:13.519 for at this point. 109 00:06:14.879 --> 00:06:17.240 Sort of some different narratives going on at the moment, 110 00:06:17.319 --> 00:06:19.199 Nick with a lot of those sides that are jostling 111 00:06:19.199 --> 00:06:20.839 in that bottom six or seven, But. 112 00:06:22.439 --> 00:06:22.839 It is. 113 00:06:23.120 --> 00:06:25.319 I know it's not easy to compare game to game 114 00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:27.319 and week to week and looking at three different sides. 115 00:06:27.360 --> 00:06:29.360 But the first time we played the Warriors, we went 116 00:06:29.399 --> 00:06:31.639 down on the bell, and the first time we played 117 00:06:31.639 --> 00:06:33.560 the Panthers, we pushed him for eighty minutes. And the 118 00:06:33.560 --> 00:06:36.279 second time we played both those sides, we've been whacked. 119 00:06:37.040 --> 00:06:38.319 Yeah, we have been. 120 00:06:40.600 --> 00:06:42.720 That game on the weekend against the Panthers, we did 121 00:06:42.720 --> 00:06:45.480 get whacked. I'm just thinking about Joel's favorite word, physicality. 122 00:06:45.519 --> 00:06:48.040 Like we were, like Declan said, we had a real 123 00:06:48.079 --> 00:06:51.399 go early. I thought the first twenty minutes wasn't too bad. Actually, 124 00:06:52.439 --> 00:06:56.800 when we got in front with that penalty goal, you know, 125 00:06:56.839 --> 00:06:58.680 there's a part of me that feel like we're heading 126 00:06:58.680 --> 00:07:00.920 the school board, and the other part thought, okay, how 127 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:02.079 long until Penrith score and. 128 00:07:02.079 --> 00:07:04.040 It starts flooding the other way. 129 00:07:04.040 --> 00:07:06.480 But the longer that game went on against the Panthers, 130 00:07:06.680 --> 00:07:10.560 we just got dominated physically, which takes me back to 131 00:07:10.639 --> 00:07:14.800 Joel's word, But yeah, every team just seems to have 132 00:07:14.920 --> 00:07:18.360 it over as physically. The power game, we just seem 133 00:07:18.399 --> 00:07:20.800 to lack and like I think definitely you said that 134 00:07:20.839 --> 00:07:23.560 the speed of our game was quite slow, and I 135 00:07:23.560 --> 00:07:26.439 know we've spoken about the playable speed over you know, 136 00:07:26.680 --> 00:07:30.319 several pods not in the not too not too long ago. 137 00:07:30.480 --> 00:07:33.439 So we do seem a little bit sluggish, and it 138 00:07:33.519 --> 00:07:35.199 just seems like we don't have the stamina to go 139 00:07:35.360 --> 00:07:38.399 with a lot of these bigger, faster teams either. So 140 00:07:39.959 --> 00:07:42.680 we're definitely been dominating. I think that's just starting to 141 00:07:42.680 --> 00:07:44.240 show on the scoreboard of it too. We just can't 142 00:07:44.319 --> 00:07:46.120 keep up with a lot of teams. 143 00:07:46.519 --> 00:07:50.639 I think that the most disappointing thing for me was 144 00:07:50.680 --> 00:07:54.480 that we just couldn't create anything like in the middle 145 00:07:54.519 --> 00:07:58.319 of the field with like bowl playing or like damaging 146 00:07:58.399 --> 00:08:00.319 runs or anything like that, because we have two many 147 00:08:00.959 --> 00:08:04.680 kind of work right forwards who you know, like on 148 00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:07.600 their own or like quite reliable defenders, but no one 149 00:08:07.639 --> 00:08:10.680 that you can really say, oh, you give him the ball, 150 00:08:10.800 --> 00:08:13.079 he's either going to break a tackle or he's going 151 00:08:13.160 --> 00:08:15.480 to poke his head through and get a quick play 152 00:08:15.519 --> 00:08:17.879 the ball. That we didn't really have anyone in that 153 00:08:17.959 --> 00:08:20.319 four pack right now that can do it consistently. 154 00:08:20.439 --> 00:08:23.319 I think for no Apole. He's probably the closest thing you. 155 00:08:23.360 --> 00:08:26.800 Have to that kind of player, but unfortunately he has 156 00:08:26.800 --> 00:08:29.519 been a little bit inconsistent this season, if not a 157 00:08:29.519 --> 00:08:31.839 little bit disappointing in the last few weeks. I think 158 00:08:31.839 --> 00:08:33.200 he turned it on a little bit against the Go 159 00:08:33.279 --> 00:08:35.480 Coast in the second half, but it's not to the 160 00:08:35.519 --> 00:08:37.919 point where you need it to match teams like Penrith, 161 00:08:37.960 --> 00:08:41.320 like we order was like that. Even that Penrith player 162 00:08:41.320 --> 00:08:42.600 from off the bench, I don't even know his name. 163 00:08:42.639 --> 00:08:44.879 He's a rookie, but he came on and he. 164 00:08:44.879 --> 00:08:47.320 Like nearly, you know, he probably much nearly ran like 165 00:08:47.399 --> 00:08:48.879 you know, forty meters to score a try. 166 00:08:48.960 --> 00:08:50.600 He just burst through a line, and you know, they 167 00:08:50.679 --> 00:08:53.120 just have a lot more balance in their team. 168 00:08:53.440 --> 00:08:54.279 And then when you're. 169 00:08:54.120 --> 00:08:56.600 Not able to we weren't able to score off structure, 170 00:08:57.399 --> 00:08:58.960 no back line moves or anything like that. But then 171 00:08:58.960 --> 00:09:02.279 we also wren a able to create anything ourselves off 172 00:09:03.159 --> 00:09:05.840 the cuff leave because we don't have those athletes to 173 00:09:05.919 --> 00:09:07.519 make the chances for us at the moment. 174 00:09:08.080 --> 00:09:11.519 Nick, I'll last declan, Oh sorry, I'll ask you similar 175 00:09:11.600 --> 00:09:14.559 question that I asked Declan. I'll just sort of rephrase it. 176 00:09:14.600 --> 00:09:19.159 Are we going backwards this season compared to the first 177 00:09:19.159 --> 00:09:21.000 ten weeks to these last ten weeks. 178 00:09:21.360 --> 00:09:24.879 I definitely don't think we're in a team that started 179 00:09:24.919 --> 00:09:27.320 the year. And I guess it's probably easy too, when 180 00:09:27.320 --> 00:09:29.960 you're starting round one and everyone's level pegging on zero points, 181 00:09:30.000 --> 00:09:33.759 so you know you're not climbing a ladder. You're starting 182 00:09:33.759 --> 00:09:35.320 out neck and neck, and you're seeing how you can 183 00:09:35.360 --> 00:09:37.440 go to first four to six to eight weeks where. 184 00:09:37.279 --> 00:09:37.960 You can compete. 185 00:09:38.240 --> 00:09:40.080 And I remember very early in the season saying if 186 00:09:40.080 --> 00:09:42.559 we could get to origin about fifty to fifty, then 187 00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:44.240 I think we're in a really good spot. And we've 188 00:09:44.279 --> 00:09:46.480 pretty much done that, and then the wheels fell off. 189 00:09:47.120 --> 00:09:49.120 I can't argue with you, Eddie, I think we are 190 00:09:49.679 --> 00:09:51.919 going backwards. I think maybe a lot of that too, 191 00:09:52.000 --> 00:09:55.240 has to do with just the confidence of the boys 192 00:09:55.279 --> 00:09:57.360 in the inexperience to be able to compete for long 193 00:09:57.399 --> 00:10:01.720 periods of time. We've shown over quite a few seasons. 194 00:10:01.799 --> 00:10:03.720 I know we haven't won many games prior to this 195 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:07.360 year in the last few years before that, but we've 196 00:10:07.399 --> 00:10:10.039 shown we can perform for two or three weeks at 197 00:10:10.039 --> 00:10:13.799 the time and win some games against good opposition. But 198 00:10:13.879 --> 00:10:16.000 then we fall in a heap and fall for the radar. 199 00:10:16.120 --> 00:10:20.600 And we haven't had as many blowout losses this year 200 00:10:20.840 --> 00:10:23.879 compared to previous years, only that huge one against the Storm. 201 00:10:24.200 --> 00:10:26.679 I'm worried what might happen this week against the Dogs, 202 00:10:26.759 --> 00:10:29.360 and we'll get to that a bit later. But yeah, 203 00:10:29.480 --> 00:10:32.879 I can't disagree any which is why. Also I'm looking 204 00:10:32.919 --> 00:10:34.879 towards the end of the season, I think the whole 205 00:10:34.919 --> 00:10:40.480 club needs to reset. I think we've shown some improvement 206 00:10:40.639 --> 00:10:42.679 this year, but yeah, I'm worried for what might come 207 00:10:42.720 --> 00:10:44.480 over the next six weeks. I just don't want it 208 00:10:44.519 --> 00:10:46.120 to fall off the cliff and have all of that 209 00:10:46.200 --> 00:10:48.639 hard work just thrown in the garbage bin, you know, 210 00:10:48.720 --> 00:10:49.720 leading in the next season. 211 00:10:51.080 --> 00:10:53.759 I think it's a tough question because I think the 212 00:10:53.840 --> 00:10:56.720 thing with like the really good and ERL teams is 213 00:10:56.720 --> 00:10:59.879 that they improve from the start of the year. That 214 00:11:00.120 --> 00:11:02.960 maybe why we managed to pinch some of those early games, 215 00:11:03.000 --> 00:11:06.120 because like teams aren't starting at their peak. 216 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:08.360 But obviously we put a lot into. 217 00:11:08.519 --> 00:11:10.799 Starting well being a struggling club because that's kind of 218 00:11:10.799 --> 00:11:13.559 what you need to do. So I don't necessarily think that, 219 00:11:13.720 --> 00:11:15.879 you know, we've had a massive immigration from the start 220 00:11:15.919 --> 00:11:17.519 of the year. I just think that other teams have 221 00:11:18.000 --> 00:11:20.960 either gotten better or just hit form and they went 222 00:11:21.000 --> 00:11:23.559 well passes to the point that we look worse and 223 00:11:23.600 --> 00:11:25.240 then at the start of the year. But in reality, 224 00:11:25.320 --> 00:11:27.720 other teams are just playing better, and we're playing teams 225 00:11:27.919 --> 00:11:30.320 they are going to be playing finals frety that time. 226 00:11:30.360 --> 00:11:33.600 They've won really really well, and they're just like just 227 00:11:33.679 --> 00:11:35.159 too classy for us at the moment. 228 00:11:35.240 --> 00:11:38.440 That's all happen with Penrith, and it'll probably be it 229 00:11:38.480 --> 00:11:41.559 will probably be what happens with the Bulldogs unfortunately, but yeah, 230 00:11:41.759 --> 00:11:42.759 just it is what it is. 231 00:11:43.559 --> 00:11:45.919 We did have a reasonably favorable drawer at the start 232 00:11:45.919 --> 00:11:47.559 of the year too. I know, we played a lot 233 00:11:47.600 --> 00:11:50.120 of teams that weren't expected to be in in that 234 00:11:50.240 --> 00:11:52.840 top half of the letter early on and now we're 235 00:11:53.080 --> 00:11:54.720 sort of, you know, back in starting to come up 236 00:11:54.720 --> 00:11:56.399 against a lot of the teams that are aboves and 237 00:11:56.799 --> 00:12:01.120 we'll be playing final So maybe that helped to you know, 238 00:12:01.679 --> 00:12:04.080 get us off on the right foot early on in 239 00:12:04.080 --> 00:12:06.840 the season. But maybe that's hindering is coming home too. 240 00:12:06.879 --> 00:12:09.759 But it's a long year, isn't It's a long when 241 00:12:09.799 --> 00:12:10.679 you keep missing Yate. 242 00:12:11.960 --> 00:12:16.600 Long Five Years Podcast I totally disagree with both of you 243 00:12:16.679 --> 00:12:20.080 guys points about sort of stronger clubs being asleep at 244 00:12:20.080 --> 00:12:22.679 the start of the season and you know, like Penrith 245 00:12:22.679 --> 00:12:24.080 taking their time to get into gear. 246 00:12:24.159 --> 00:12:28.159 But Deck on, why why shouldn't we improve, Well, we 247 00:12:28.240 --> 00:12:31.360 get better throughout the season, you're saying, I know it's 248 00:12:31.440 --> 00:12:34.039 not thinking we're not going backwards, but why should we 249 00:12:34.120 --> 00:12:37.480 stagnate or not improve like other teams throughout the season just. 250 00:12:37.480 --> 00:12:41.399 On the out level, because other teams have the luxury 251 00:12:41.879 --> 00:12:46.279 of having the same team from like round one to now. 252 00:12:46.399 --> 00:12:48.440 But we've chopped and changed so much. I think we 253 00:12:48.480 --> 00:12:52.399 talked about it last week. We've had different house combinations 254 00:12:52.440 --> 00:12:55.919 who are different rules. We've had we haven't had massive injuries, 255 00:12:55.919 --> 00:12:58.679 but we've had like a Spain player here out for 256 00:12:58.720 --> 00:13:00.879 a few weeks, a Spain player there out for a 257 00:13:00.879 --> 00:13:03.720 few weeks. So like, we've just had no like runs 258 00:13:03.759 --> 00:13:06.799 on the board. Well, obviously we did when Galvin was here, 259 00:13:06.879 --> 00:13:10.559 but when he left and that drastically changed our entire attack. 260 00:13:10.720 --> 00:13:14.039 Everyone is now in a new role, maybe besides Bula 261 00:13:14.080 --> 00:13:15.960 who's probably going to come back and playing that right side. 262 00:13:15.960 --> 00:13:18.360 But Lula had to change the game, and you have 263 00:13:18.399 --> 00:13:22.120 to bring in Lato Finder, who's another rookie. He finds 264 00:13:22.120 --> 00:13:24.159 his feet as well, and then all of a sudden, 265 00:13:24.200 --> 00:13:27.799 your edges are different, your left edge is different. So 266 00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.039 I just think that part of the reason why we 267 00:13:30.080 --> 00:13:32.639 haven't like shown much, we haven't seen much improvement because 268 00:13:32.639 --> 00:13:35.039 we've just had to make so many like running repairs 269 00:13:35.320 --> 00:13:38.000 throughout the season. And yes, obviously there's like other things 270 00:13:38.080 --> 00:13:41.200 like the maybe like attitude and defense that definitely could 271 00:13:41.240 --> 00:13:43.919 be better, like one in one efforts like particular star 272 00:13:44.000 --> 00:13:47.360 for Toa and scaling against Penrith on the weekend. But 273 00:13:47.639 --> 00:13:49.360 I do think there is a few years to look at, 274 00:13:49.399 --> 00:13:52.639 like within the four walls of Concord. Like, I think 275 00:13:52.759 --> 00:13:55.200 like combinations would be a big reason as to why 276 00:13:55.519 --> 00:13:58.000 we haven't seen that gradual improvement. Not to say that 277 00:13:58.039 --> 00:14:00.919 we've been on par with all the top teams, but 278 00:14:01.120 --> 00:14:04.080 I do think if it was a more settled combination, 279 00:14:04.159 --> 00:14:06.480 clean squad, we would be played a lower better. 280 00:14:08.120 --> 00:14:11.039 I'll give you the Galvin one because there's no doubt 281 00:14:12.279 --> 00:14:15.679 like that was a big distraction and not just a 282 00:14:15.759 --> 00:14:18.200 distraction taking out one of your spine players you would 283 00:14:18.200 --> 00:14:19.879 have trained with three or four months of pre season 284 00:14:19.879 --> 00:14:22.159 a lot of the attack revolved around him. He was 285 00:14:22.200 --> 00:14:25.120 getting more ball than Luye and all of a sudden, 286 00:14:25.360 --> 00:14:27.000 you know, eight weeks in he's ripped out of your 287 00:14:27.000 --> 00:14:31.000 team and gone. That is a big thing with all 288 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:33.440 the media and stuff that comes with it. But Nick, 289 00:14:34.080 --> 00:14:36.919 I'm not buying the injuries one. I'm just not I 290 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:39.879 looked at clubs injuries today. South Sydney got a whole 291 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:43.240 team out. The Dolphins have got eight out, Bruis's have 292 00:14:43.279 --> 00:14:45.039 got eight out, Warriors have got two of their best 293 00:14:45.039 --> 00:14:48.679 players out. Our casualty ward at the moment is Darene Buller, 294 00:14:48.720 --> 00:14:51.720 who's back this week. And there's one other injury I 295 00:14:51.720 --> 00:14:53.919 think Samuel Fine. It was the only other injury. So 296 00:14:53.960 --> 00:14:56.279 we had the least We currently have the least amount 297 00:14:56.320 --> 00:15:00.200 of injuries in the competition. And I would say well 298 00:15:00.240 --> 00:15:03.360 down to Peter Musa and the performance staff there at Concord, 299 00:15:03.399 --> 00:15:06.480 because I think in general this season we've been able 300 00:15:06.519 --> 00:15:09.519 to run out most of our top seventeen most weeks 301 00:15:09.519 --> 00:15:09.879 stick on. 302 00:15:11.039 --> 00:15:11.320 Well. 303 00:15:11.879 --> 00:15:15.320 I just disagree with that because I'm not saying that 304 00:15:15.360 --> 00:15:18.480 the injuries are why they haven't been playing well. I'm 305 00:15:18.480 --> 00:15:21.200 just saying that there's been like like a little like 306 00:15:21.279 --> 00:15:24.200 unfortunate injury to one player who's missed this chunk of 307 00:15:24.440 --> 00:15:26.240 time on the sideline and he comes back and then 308 00:15:26.279 --> 00:15:27.600 another person gets messed up. 309 00:15:27.639 --> 00:15:30.480 For example, how many Cubs could say that, every club 310 00:15:30.519 --> 00:15:32.000 in the NROL could say that, couldn't they? 311 00:15:32.279 --> 00:15:34.159 Well, like you look at the radios and they've like 312 00:15:34.200 --> 00:15:38.039 pretty much had like a like a pretty consistent spin 313 00:15:38.759 --> 00:15:40.720 going through the whole time. I don't really remember any 314 00:15:40.720 --> 00:15:41.559 of them getting injured. 315 00:15:41.600 --> 00:15:44.480 And I think that, like, I get what you mean. 316 00:15:44.399 --> 00:15:46.320 As a part of the game, injuries are something you 317 00:15:46.360 --> 00:15:48.480 have to deal with. But I'm just saying, like, oh, 318 00:15:48.480 --> 00:15:51.159 why haven't we improved? And that's just why I think 319 00:15:51.159 --> 00:15:53.200 we haven't improved, because we just haven't gotten the runs 320 00:15:53.200 --> 00:15:55.080 on the board. I think that lul I messed a 321 00:15:55.120 --> 00:15:57.120 little bit of time at start of the year with 322 00:15:57.159 --> 00:15:59.240 that showed injury. Then with Origin really has been out 323 00:15:59.240 --> 00:16:02.360 with that answeringer we lost Galvin last Is coming back 324 00:16:02.360 --> 00:16:05.639 from injury also, he like barely plays the first half 325 00:16:05.720 --> 00:16:08.639 of this season. He's pretty much been the only like 326 00:16:08.720 --> 00:16:12.039 fully fit Spain player we've hired. But I'm not saying 327 00:16:12.440 --> 00:16:14.399 that we've been hard done by it by injuries. I'm 328 00:16:14.440 --> 00:16:17.919 just saying that this stuff impacts the team in the 329 00:16:17.960 --> 00:16:20.720 cohesion of the team when, as you said, they wrapped 330 00:16:20.720 --> 00:16:23.600 out like the most high percentage usage player of the 331 00:16:23.600 --> 00:16:26.039 ball in Galvin, and the other guys just haven't had 332 00:16:26.080 --> 00:16:28.279 the reps together a lot of preseason either. 333 00:16:28.399 --> 00:16:29.000 And it's not an. 334 00:16:28.879 --> 00:16:30.840 Excuse because you know they need to do better than that, 335 00:16:31.080 --> 00:16:33.240 especially against Pendrith, which is looked hopeless. 336 00:16:33.799 --> 00:16:36.000 But that's just how I feel about it. 337 00:16:36.200 --> 00:16:38.320 Okay, No, I just look at other spines, Nick, and 338 00:16:38.320 --> 00:16:40.120 I know they've got stronger rosters. But I look at 339 00:16:40.120 --> 00:16:42.759 the Warriors. They're missing Metcalf. They've continued to win games. 340 00:16:42.799 --> 00:16:44.960 I know they didn't win on the weekend. Bulldogs have 341 00:16:45.000 --> 00:16:48.200 now got Galvin at halfback. Other teams have had distractions 342 00:16:48.200 --> 00:16:51.240 through origin. I just think compared to like a Paramota 343 00:16:51.240 --> 00:16:53.440 who's had Mitchell Moses out for ten or twelve weeks, 344 00:16:53.600 --> 00:16:57.279 I actually think we've had a reasonable run taking out 345 00:16:57.320 --> 00:16:59.559 that Galvin, you know, left the club because that he's 346 00:16:59.559 --> 00:17:03.240 a big one. But I still think, you know, at 347 00:17:03.279 --> 00:17:05.960 the end of the day that that playing squad of thirty, 348 00:17:06.480 --> 00:17:08.039 there's still a lot of work to do on it. 349 00:17:08.799 --> 00:17:11.440 Yeah, a lot of work and I know, like Declan said, 350 00:17:11.440 --> 00:17:13.880 we did talk about this last week as well. I 351 00:17:13.920 --> 00:17:16.839 know that the core group has probably stayed fairly stable 352 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:20.279 over you know, however, many rounds of twenty one or 353 00:17:20.319 --> 00:17:22.359 so rounds of footy but that we've played. But like 354 00:17:22.440 --> 00:17:24.440 Declan said, there's been a lot of musical chairs on 355 00:17:24.480 --> 00:17:26.759 the field, and it happened again on the weekend. I 356 00:17:26.799 --> 00:17:28.519 didn't even realize. It took me a lot to realize 357 00:17:28.559 --> 00:17:32.240 when Lato got taken off for Rest and Dewy shifted 358 00:17:32.279 --> 00:17:35.119 into the halves alongside Jerome like a lot. 359 00:17:35.160 --> 00:17:36.519 That stuff happens every week. 360 00:17:38.000 --> 00:17:42.079 I guess that's true, Nick, But is that coaches problem 361 00:17:42.200 --> 00:17:42.720 or injuries? 362 00:17:43.640 --> 00:17:46.319 Well, no, that would be a coaching decision. I don't 363 00:17:46.359 --> 00:17:48.359 know about a problem. And I get it that Benji 364 00:17:48.440 --> 00:17:53.000 was probably looking for an alternate, you know, way of 365 00:17:53.079 --> 00:17:55.400 playing because we weren't getting anywhere against the Panthers doing 366 00:17:55.440 --> 00:17:59.160 what we're doing. So no, I don't think we've been 367 00:17:59.240 --> 00:18:02.480 smashed by in actually looking at the Round one team 368 00:18:02.480 --> 00:18:05.000 that we put on the park against Newcastle, and it's 369 00:18:05.039 --> 00:18:07.359 funny because our sides are quite different. There's about fifty 370 00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:10.759 percent of our starting team there that didn't play for 371 00:18:10.839 --> 00:18:13.359 us against the Panthers on the weekend. Albeit I think 372 00:18:13.400 --> 00:18:18.000 Happy was suspended Round one, I think Buller was injured 373 00:18:18.039 --> 00:18:20.640 THEAH there were a few issues there early on in 374 00:18:20.720 --> 00:18:23.119 the season. But yeah, like I said, we've had the 375 00:18:23.160 --> 00:18:26.400 same fairly big core of players playing. I don't think 376 00:18:26.400 --> 00:18:29.200 we have as many key players as a lot of 377 00:18:29.279 --> 00:18:32.680 other teams do in those key positions. And when we 378 00:18:32.680 --> 00:18:34.839 do have someone out like Buller over the last few weeks, 379 00:18:34.839 --> 00:18:38.480 like that's and Sam Feyner as well, like that creates 380 00:18:38.480 --> 00:18:41.319 a massive impact in the way that we play. So 381 00:18:41.440 --> 00:18:43.440 you know, Buller is a huge impact in our attack. 382 00:18:45.319 --> 00:18:47.759 And even Sam Feiney, like Gary's been saying quite a 383 00:18:47.759 --> 00:18:50.400 few times recently that you know Sam feyn who has 384 00:18:50.480 --> 00:18:53.799 been really looking pretty dangerous with his combination out there 385 00:18:53.839 --> 00:18:56.000 and that left side, and he's been hitting a lot 386 00:18:56.000 --> 00:18:58.599 of half holes and very nearly getting through. So he's 387 00:18:58.640 --> 00:19:01.759 looking like he's improved the course of this season but 388 00:19:01.920 --> 00:19:03.079 just hasn't quite got there. 389 00:19:03.160 --> 00:19:06.079 But a lot of chop changing. 390 00:19:06.079 --> 00:19:08.000 Hopefully we can get set on a Round one team 391 00:19:08.079 --> 00:19:11.559 next year and maybe have a bit more stability as 392 00:19:11.640 --> 00:19:14.240 next season goes on and we need something to build off. 393 00:19:14.240 --> 00:19:16.680 So I just see all this chop changing look Decuitely 394 00:19:16.799 --> 00:19:20.960 was talking about with the cohesion disruption, that obviously doesn't 395 00:19:20.960 --> 00:19:23.119 help your team, especially in the team that's been struggling 396 00:19:23.119 --> 00:19:25.000 for so long. I think you just need a bit 397 00:19:25.039 --> 00:19:26.960 of stability as a platform to then build off. 398 00:19:27.920 --> 00:19:30.680 I mean, Penrith obviously decked on a clear benchmark and 399 00:19:30.720 --> 00:19:33.359 they were close to their very best on the weekend. 400 00:19:33.400 --> 00:19:37.880 That was a Penrith special what they produced on the weekend. 401 00:19:37.960 --> 00:19:40.759