WEBVTT

1
00:00:01.360 --> 00:00:04.000
<v Speaker 1>The West Tigers Podcast is brought to you by the

2
00:00:04.040 --> 00:00:08.800
<v Speaker 1>West Tigers Podcast Forum. Join the conversation today at wests

3
00:00:08.919 --> 00:00:26.280
<v Speaker 1>Tigers podcast dot com dot au.

4
00:00:30.120 --> 00:00:33.520
<v Speaker 2>It's the West Tigers Podcast and we're up to episode

5
00:00:33.600 --> 00:00:37.960
<v Speaker 2>number four hundred and twenty six. I noticed that Eddie's

6
00:00:37.960 --> 00:00:39.799
<v Speaker 2>still counting, so I thought I'll get in the spirit

7
00:00:39.840 --> 00:00:42.079
<v Speaker 2>of that. I'll look up the number and there you go,

8
00:00:42.159 --> 00:00:45.799
<v Speaker 2>four hundred and twenty six and a little bit different

9
00:00:45.799 --> 00:00:49.079
<v Speaker 2>for a by round because we've got Zach Kelsey here,

10
00:00:49.240 --> 00:00:53.439
<v Speaker 2>Zach from the Tigertown Podcast and Nick is here as well,

11
00:00:53.920 --> 00:00:56.119
<v Speaker 2>and although the West Tigers didn't play, there's still plenty

12
00:00:56.159 --> 00:00:58.320
<v Speaker 2>to talk about, so we're just doing it a little

13
00:00:58.359 --> 00:01:01.759
<v Speaker 2>bit different. Hello, Zach, Welcome to the West Tigers Podcast.

14
00:01:02.359 --> 00:01:04.879
<v Speaker 3>Thanks Joel. Make great to be here, longtime listener, first

15
00:01:04.920 --> 00:01:09.200
<v Speaker 3>time contributor. As they say, no, I made it really good.

16
00:01:09.319 --> 00:01:11.840
<v Speaker 3>And as I'd mentioned a little earlier, you know, we

17
00:01:11.840 --> 00:01:15.079
<v Speaker 3>had little little get together around West Tigers Unite earlier

18
00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:16.920
<v Speaker 3>in the year and thrilled to be back.

19
00:01:18.239 --> 00:01:21.280
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, well it's nearly a year ago since we were

20
00:01:21.280 --> 00:01:23.560
<v Speaker 2>doing all that stuff with West Tigers Unit. It was

21
00:01:23.560 --> 00:01:26.359
<v Speaker 2>over the off season last season. I'm sort of hoping,

22
00:01:26.519 --> 00:01:30.359
<v Speaker 2>or maybe I'm hoping. I'm hopeful that we don't have

23
00:01:30.400 --> 00:01:32.920
<v Speaker 2>to go there again. But it's certainly made for an

24
00:01:33.000 --> 00:01:36.480
<v Speaker 2>interesting off season. So we're looking forward to continuing to

25
00:01:36.480 --> 00:01:40.319
<v Speaker 2>talk West Tigers right throughout the off season. Nick, normally

26
00:01:40.400 --> 00:01:43.480
<v Speaker 2>we catch up post game, but the buyer this round,

27
00:01:44.079 --> 00:01:46.920
<v Speaker 2>how's your weekend been? What's I hope we could go traditionally,

28
00:01:47.040 --> 00:01:48.840
<v Speaker 2>So what's one word for the buy round?

29
00:01:49.920 --> 00:01:50.079
<v Speaker 3>Oh?

30
00:01:50.200 --> 00:01:51.640
<v Speaker 4>One word? You know what?

31
00:01:51.760 --> 00:01:53.760
<v Speaker 5>I don't know if I can think of one word.

32
00:01:53.959 --> 00:01:57.840
<v Speaker 5>The weekend has been amazing. As you know, I'm a

33
00:01:57.840 --> 00:02:00.920
<v Speaker 5>bit like Eddie. I'm a probably a bit of a sadday, especially,

34
00:02:01.200 --> 00:02:04.519
<v Speaker 5>I guess considering how Gary loves his weekends when the

35
00:02:04.519 --> 00:02:06.599
<v Speaker 5>Tigers are playing. But I'd actually prefer the weekends when

36
00:02:06.640 --> 00:02:09.719
<v Speaker 5>we're not playing because it's just extremely stress free.

37
00:02:09.759 --> 00:02:11.039
<v Speaker 4>So just been.

38
00:02:10.879 --> 00:02:12.759
<v Speaker 5>Able to enjoy my weekend, Joel, watch a little bit

39
00:02:12.800 --> 00:02:14.680
<v Speaker 5>of NRL, do a few other things, don't have to

40
00:02:14.719 --> 00:02:18.479
<v Speaker 5>worry about the anxiety around eighty minutes when we play.

41
00:02:18.599 --> 00:02:19.960
<v Speaker 4>So it's been good.

42
00:02:20.680 --> 00:02:22.680
<v Speaker 2>Peaceful is the word that I'm hearing out of all

43
00:02:22.719 --> 00:02:22.879
<v Speaker 2>of that.

44
00:02:22.960 --> 00:02:25.159
<v Speaker 4>Nick, Yeah, maybe zen something like that.

45
00:02:25.639 --> 00:02:28.080
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, they're guaranteed two points to helps.

46
00:02:28.080 --> 00:02:31.039
<v Speaker 4>I'm sure I wish we could have twenty seven buys.

47
00:02:30.919 --> 00:02:34.280
<v Speaker 3>So that'd be good. Second just for us though, that'd

48
00:02:34.280 --> 00:02:35.639
<v Speaker 3>be good just for us.

49
00:02:36.360 --> 00:02:39.039
<v Speaker 2>Zach. You're up in southeast queens Slade, is that correct?

50
00:02:39.520 --> 00:02:41.439
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, just based on the north side of Brisbane. Mate.

51
00:02:41.479 --> 00:02:45.240
<v Speaker 3>I've been up here going on twelve thirteen years now,

52
00:02:45.280 --> 00:02:49.199
<v Speaker 3>and originally coross Harbor born and bred, actually born in

53
00:02:49.360 --> 00:02:51.039
<v Speaker 3>Sydney for a couple of years and then up to

54
00:02:51.039 --> 00:02:53.639
<v Speaker 3>coss Aarbor, mid North Coast there, so found our way

55
00:02:53.719 --> 00:02:57.680
<v Speaker 3>up in Brisbane, but hasn't hasn't swayed any of my allegiances,

56
00:02:57.719 --> 00:03:00.319
<v Speaker 3>nor should it still bleed blue and cop it fright

57
00:03:00.360 --> 00:03:04.000
<v Speaker 3>and center at origin time, and obviously not to look.

58
00:03:04.039 --> 00:03:06.960
<v Speaker 3>There's West Tigers fans everywhere, but I'm in a sea

59
00:03:07.039 --> 00:03:08.759
<v Speaker 3>of Dolphins and Broncos up here.

60
00:03:09.159 --> 00:03:11.240
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. Yeah, Well I had about five or six years

61
00:03:11.360 --> 00:03:13.599
<v Speaker 2>up there as a West Tigers fan, from about two

62
00:03:13.639 --> 00:03:17.159
<v Speaker 2>thousand and four to two thousand and nine, somewhere around

63
00:03:17.199 --> 00:03:19.520
<v Speaker 2>those sort of numbers, so I remember what it was

64
00:03:19.599 --> 00:03:22.240
<v Speaker 2>like to be a West Tigers fan in Brisbane. But

65
00:03:22.360 --> 00:03:24.400
<v Speaker 2>you do see getting a little bit off track, but

66
00:03:24.439 --> 00:03:27.159
<v Speaker 2>you do see a surprising number of West Tigers fans

67
00:03:27.199 --> 00:03:29.960
<v Speaker 2>getting around in Brisbane? Is it something that you've experienced.

68
00:03:30.400 --> 00:03:33.599
<v Speaker 3>We're everywhere everywhere, I reckon I could fly to abou

69
00:03:33.639 --> 00:03:36.800
<v Speaker 3>Derbi in fine West Tiger's fans fear ncam and considering

70
00:03:36.879 --> 00:03:38.960
<v Speaker 3>how and where we've been, I guess for the last

71
00:03:38.960 --> 00:03:42.560
<v Speaker 3>decade and a half, it just goes to show. Like

72
00:03:42.919 --> 00:03:44.800
<v Speaker 3>I think many of us have mentioned, and I think

73
00:03:44.800 --> 00:03:46.759
<v Speaker 3>a lot of people suspect the moment that we start

74
00:03:46.800 --> 00:03:49.039
<v Speaker 3>to finally catch a little bit of fire. You wait,

75
00:03:49.120 --> 00:03:51.439
<v Speaker 3>do you see him come out of the woodwork. It's

76
00:03:51.479 --> 00:03:52.319
<v Speaker 3>a nice feeling.

77
00:03:54.360 --> 00:03:56.560
<v Speaker 2>Exactly how did you come to be a West Tiger's fan?

78
00:03:56.639 --> 00:03:56.879
<v Speaker 4>Zact?

79
00:03:58.319 --> 00:04:01.280
<v Speaker 3>Yes, I was mentioning a little bit earlier that I

80
00:04:01.319 --> 00:04:04.599
<v Speaker 3>wish I had some sort of elaborate story, dreaming of

81
00:04:04.800 --> 00:04:08.159
<v Speaker 3>Wayne Pearce, you know, breaking tackles at Leichard or Lauri

82
00:04:08.240 --> 00:04:10.840
<v Speaker 3>Nichols throwing left right combinations on the hill as a youngster.

83
00:04:10.879 --> 00:04:13.599
<v Speaker 3>But basically I grew up in a family of Paramatta fans,

84
00:04:14.639 --> 00:04:17.360
<v Speaker 3>so blue and gold galore. My old man was Rabbit,

85
00:04:17.480 --> 00:04:20.319
<v Speaker 3>still is to this day. And one day I just

86
00:04:20.319 --> 00:04:23.600
<v Speaker 3>walked out with a little tiger stuffed toy and told

87
00:04:23.639 --> 00:04:25.079
<v Speaker 3>him that I'm going to be the orange and black

88
00:04:25.120 --> 00:04:27.759
<v Speaker 3>sheep of the family, and that was it happened wavered

89
00:04:27.800 --> 00:04:29.920
<v Speaker 3>since and it still hurts him.

90
00:04:29.959 --> 00:04:31.920
<v Speaker 2>What do you think was that the right decision to

91
00:04:31.959 --> 00:04:34.000
<v Speaker 2>make in hindsight? Any regrets?

92
00:04:34.720 --> 00:04:37.319
<v Speaker 3>Tell you what, it's debatable. It's debatable. A couple of

93
00:04:37.319 --> 00:04:40.079
<v Speaker 3>Grand Final appearances for them, many many many more finals

94
00:04:40.120 --> 00:04:43.279
<v Speaker 3>than us. But you know, one trophy's got a trump

95
00:04:43.360 --> 00:04:45.639
<v Speaker 3>zero trophies and I remind him that every day of

96
00:04:45.639 --> 00:04:47.319
<v Speaker 3>his life, Tack when.

97
00:04:47.199 --> 00:04:49.439
<v Speaker 5>You walked out with that little toy tiger, was that

98
00:04:49.519 --> 00:04:52.600
<v Speaker 5>the moment you got evicted from Coffs Harbor up to Southeast.

99
00:04:53.600 --> 00:04:57.120
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, yeah it was, Nick. Those were rough times. But

100
00:04:57.480 --> 00:05:00.000
<v Speaker 3>even in spite of all that and my football side

101
00:05:00.240 --> 00:05:02.519
<v Speaker 3>generally woeful, still made the right to my friend.

102
00:05:02.519 --> 00:05:04.000
<v Speaker 4>I think, sir you did mate well.

103
00:05:05.680 --> 00:05:09.279
<v Speaker 2>Leads me into a good sort of question about as

104
00:05:09.360 --> 00:05:12.600
<v Speaker 2>as a fan. We're all fans here and Nick I

105
00:05:12.720 --> 00:05:14.800
<v Speaker 2>certainly I'd like to sort of hear your take on

106
00:05:14.839 --> 00:05:17.759
<v Speaker 2>this as well. What over the years some highs and

107
00:05:17.759 --> 00:05:22.879
<v Speaker 2>lows of being what's the experience been Like the lows

108
00:05:23.279 --> 00:05:26.560
<v Speaker 2>seem to be low and there's the highs seem to

109
00:05:26.600 --> 00:05:28.319
<v Speaker 2>be a bit of a memory. But you know, what

110
00:05:28.360 --> 00:05:30.920
<v Speaker 2>are some things that come to mind having been a

111
00:05:30.959 --> 00:05:32.920
<v Speaker 2>Tigers fan for the amount of time that you've been,

112
00:05:33.600 --> 00:05:36.600
<v Speaker 2>you know, what are some of the experiences.

113
00:05:36.199 --> 00:05:37.199
<v Speaker 4>Look for me?

114
00:05:37.720 --> 00:05:39.720
<v Speaker 5>You know, we're all fairly pretty much in the same boat.

115
00:05:39.759 --> 00:05:42.680
<v Speaker 5>I'm probably a little bit older. I'm on the higher

116
00:05:42.720 --> 00:05:45.680
<v Speaker 5>side of my forties, so I've been around since those

117
00:05:46.120 --> 00:05:49.319
<v Speaker 5>Tiger days as well. You know, as I've mentioned before,

118
00:05:49.360 --> 00:05:51.639
<v Speaker 5>I've had a little bit of history with the Magpies.

119
00:05:52.480 --> 00:05:54.240
<v Speaker 5>In two thousand and eight as a trainer, I was

120
00:05:54.279 --> 00:05:56.480
<v Speaker 5>lucky enough to be a trainer in the New South

121
00:05:56.519 --> 00:05:58.480
<v Speaker 5>Wales Cup for a season, so I do I did

122
00:05:58.480 --> 00:06:01.800
<v Speaker 5>feel like I grew a little bit of allegiance to

123
00:06:01.839 --> 00:06:04.120
<v Speaker 5>the Magpost during that year. So I've got a bit

124
00:06:04.160 --> 00:06:07.879
<v Speaker 5>of history with both sides of the original foundation clubs.

125
00:06:07.920 --> 00:06:10.000
<v Speaker 5>But as we all know, we haven't had a lot

126
00:06:10.000 --> 00:06:13.399
<v Speaker 5>of success from either side of the merger. And you know,

127
00:06:14.160 --> 00:06:17.639
<v Speaker 5>I guess, specifically speaking about West Tigers, that's been a

128
00:06:17.680 --> 00:06:21.319
<v Speaker 5>pretty tough twenty five years.

129
00:06:21.839 --> 00:06:22.560
<v Speaker 4>Where do you start?

130
00:06:22.839 --> 00:06:25.360
<v Speaker 5>I mean, you know, out of the blocks, I guess

131
00:06:25.360 --> 00:06:27.639
<v Speaker 5>we came out with a side that was really thrown

132
00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:31.040
<v Speaker 5>together from some pretty high profile signings.

133
00:06:31.040 --> 00:06:31.759
<v Speaker 4>From other clubs.

134
00:06:31.800 --> 00:06:34.759
<v Speaker 5>We had some pretty big names like Jared McCracken and

135
00:06:34.839 --> 00:06:38.439
<v Speaker 5>Terry Hill come across, and for that first half of

136
00:06:38.480 --> 00:06:40.600
<v Speaker 5>that two thousand season, we look pretty competitive.

137
00:06:40.639 --> 00:06:42.360
<v Speaker 4>I think we're up in the top eight for a

138
00:06:42.360 --> 00:06:42.720
<v Speaker 4>lot of that.

139
00:06:42.759 --> 00:06:44.720
<v Speaker 5>I actually think we're running second for almost half the

140
00:06:44.720 --> 00:06:47.519
<v Speaker 5>season before we sort of fell away a bit. But

141
00:06:48.360 --> 00:06:49.560
<v Speaker 5>you know, it took a little bit of time to

142
00:06:49.639 --> 00:06:51.920
<v Speaker 5>get some success, and I guess we got that pretty

143
00:06:52.000 --> 00:06:54.319
<v Speaker 5>quickly in two thousand and five, which came out of nowhere.

144
00:06:55.279 --> 00:06:57.720
<v Speaker 5>Then we fell away again. So just the highs and

145
00:06:57.759 --> 00:07:01.040
<v Speaker 5>lows of being a West Tigers fan last twenty five.

146
00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:02.879
<v Speaker 4>Years has been pretty tough.

147
00:07:02.959 --> 00:07:03.120
<v Speaker 2>You know.

148
00:07:03.160 --> 00:07:06.079
<v Speaker 5>We had that Purple Patch twenty ten and eleven where

149
00:07:06.399 --> 00:07:08.319
<v Speaker 5>we really did look like a top four team that

150
00:07:08.360 --> 00:07:10.399
<v Speaker 5>probably deserved to win a comp that we didn't, So

151
00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:14.319
<v Speaker 5>that was one that got away, and then since twenty

152
00:07:14.360 --> 00:07:19.160
<v Speaker 5>eleven we've fallen into eight. And the last thirteen fourteen

153
00:07:19.240 --> 00:07:22.240
<v Speaker 5>seasons now has just been an absolute spiral, and I

154
00:07:22.240 --> 00:07:23.839
<v Speaker 5>think we're just starting to see a little bit light

155
00:07:23.839 --> 00:07:27.360
<v Speaker 5>at the end of the tunnel. So I'm hoping, really

156
00:07:27.399 --> 00:07:30.519
<v Speaker 5>really hoping that next year we climb out of that rut.

157
00:07:30.600 --> 00:07:32.600
<v Speaker 5>And you know, can get it back into playing finals

158
00:07:32.639 --> 00:07:35.800
<v Speaker 5>football at least contending, like seriously contending for a top

159
00:07:35.839 --> 00:07:36.319
<v Speaker 5>eight spot.

160
00:07:36.399 --> 00:07:37.959
<v Speaker 4>It's been hard, Joel as we want to.

161
00:07:39.439 --> 00:07:42.439
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, Zach, what about for you? When you think about

162
00:07:43.639 --> 00:07:47.360
<v Speaker 2>obviously for me, like five was incredible and we always

163
00:07:47.360 --> 00:07:49.199
<v Speaker 2>talk about it. It gets a little bit boring really

164
00:07:49.240 --> 00:07:51.160
<v Speaker 2>to keep talking about it because it's so long ago,

165
00:07:51.519 --> 00:07:54.439
<v Speaker 2>Like if you think about it in belmain terms, when

166
00:07:54.560 --> 00:07:56.879
<v Speaker 2>people used to talk about the nineteen sixty nine Grand

167
00:07:56.920 --> 00:07:59.480
<v Speaker 2>Final and you know, back in the early nineties and

168
00:07:59.480 --> 00:08:01.759
<v Speaker 2>that it's the same same, and that would seem like

169
00:08:02.040 --> 00:08:04.439
<v Speaker 2>a different lifetime ago for a young kid that I

170
00:08:04.720 --> 00:08:07.600
<v Speaker 2>was in those days. But you know, the highlights for me,

171
00:08:07.720 --> 00:08:10.199
<v Speaker 2>I think were those, as Nick said, those twenty ten

172
00:08:10.319 --> 00:08:14.279
<v Speaker 2>twenty eleven teams. You had that confidence each week that

173
00:08:14.399 --> 00:08:16.160
<v Speaker 2>we were going to put in a good performance, even

174
00:08:16.160 --> 00:08:18.839
<v Speaker 2>though five it always felt like I was braced for

175
00:08:18.879 --> 00:08:21.120
<v Speaker 2>the wheels to fall off. But those years were different,

176
00:08:21.160 --> 00:08:22.639
<v Speaker 2>and they're the only two years that we've had of

177
00:08:22.680 --> 00:08:26.480
<v Speaker 2>any real sustained success or maybe that's not even the

178
00:08:26.560 --> 00:08:28.639
<v Speaker 2>right turn, but that feeling of confidence.

179
00:08:29.959 --> 00:08:32.240
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think that the concept of highs and those

180
00:08:32.320 --> 00:08:34.919
<v Speaker 3>is just woven into the fabric of this side, this club,

181
00:08:34.960 --> 00:08:40.000
<v Speaker 3>I should say, and it's from every element as you

182
00:08:40.039 --> 00:08:42.279
<v Speaker 3>boys are talking about over the course of the years,

183
00:08:42.440 --> 00:08:44.840
<v Speaker 3>and how the years undulate all the way down to

184
00:08:44.919 --> 00:08:46.960
<v Speaker 3>intry game and all the way down to probably a

185
00:08:47.000 --> 00:08:49.519
<v Speaker 3>best player in Benji Marshall, and Benji Marshall is nothing

186
00:08:49.519 --> 00:08:52.120
<v Speaker 3>else if not highs and lows. So you know, the

187
00:08:52.240 --> 00:08:55.360
<v Speaker 3>side black and we're almost black and some black and white,

188
00:08:55.360 --> 00:08:58.320
<v Speaker 3>black and orange, but contrasting colors. So you know, I

189
00:08:58.320 --> 00:08:59.559
<v Speaker 3>guess you could view us as a bit of a

190
00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:01.960
<v Speaker 3>bipole football club in a little ways and it would

191
00:09:02.000 --> 00:09:06.080
<v Speaker 3>be hard to argue otherwise. Not to make that comparison lightly,

192
00:09:06.120 --> 00:09:09.679
<v Speaker 3>of course, But look, I think you boys have mentioned

193
00:09:09.679 --> 00:09:12.639
<v Speaker 3>the good ones. The big loaers for me that don't

194
00:09:12.679 --> 00:09:15.840
<v Speaker 3>often get mentioned are losing some of our real crack

195
00:09:15.879 --> 00:09:18.000
<v Speaker 3>and players over the years. And when I say they

196
00:09:18.000 --> 00:09:19.960
<v Speaker 3>don't often get mentioned, oh boy, how do they get

197
00:09:19.960 --> 00:09:22.559
<v Speaker 3>mentioned in the media. I mean, I think when people

198
00:09:22.559 --> 00:09:26.240
<v Speaker 3>reflect upon low points in the club's histories, it's very

199
00:09:26.240 --> 00:09:28.080
<v Speaker 3>easy to gloss over an individual too. But you know,

200
00:09:28.120 --> 00:09:31.840
<v Speaker 3>the likes of losing Tedesco. You can look in retrospect

201
00:09:31.840 --> 00:09:33.519
<v Speaker 3>at the for feeders of the world, and you know

202
00:09:33.519 --> 00:09:35.919
<v Speaker 3>we've got a list a mile long. I think of

203
00:09:36.000 --> 00:09:39.559
<v Speaker 3>those things because of what could have bees or beans,

204
00:09:39.600 --> 00:09:42.519
<v Speaker 3>I should say. You know, I watched Mitchell Moses steer

205
00:09:42.519 --> 00:09:45.480
<v Speaker 3>Paramatta home tonight off his own back, and you know

206
00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:47.720
<v Speaker 3>he still have playing age, and you know we all

207
00:09:47.759 --> 00:09:49.519
<v Speaker 3>know where he came from and what could have been there,

208
00:09:49.519 --> 00:09:53.759
<v Speaker 3>and there's a lot of those types of examples. So yeah,

209
00:09:53.799 --> 00:09:57.759
<v Speaker 3>we could wax lyrical for a long time about moments

210
00:09:57.799 --> 00:10:00.559
<v Speaker 3>and years and particular games. But for me, the juniors

211
00:10:00.559 --> 00:10:03.080
<v Speaker 3>that we've lost is something worth mentioning, for sure. On

212
00:10:03.120 --> 00:10:04.120
<v Speaker 3>the low end, for sure.

213
00:10:04.799 --> 00:10:06.600
<v Speaker 2>No, No, that resonates with me because one of the

214
00:10:06.639 --> 00:10:08.720
<v Speaker 2>big parts about following the club is seeing the youngsters

215
00:10:08.759 --> 00:10:11.399
<v Speaker 2>come through, because you do see them in a different

216
00:10:11.440 --> 00:10:13.679
<v Speaker 2>way to the guys that you buy. And then to

217
00:10:13.759 --> 00:10:15.320
<v Speaker 2>lose them and to see them go on and have

218
00:10:15.360 --> 00:10:18.000
<v Speaker 2>success else where, it's a bitter pill to swallow, given

219
00:10:18.039 --> 00:10:19.840
<v Speaker 2>how many times we've had to do it. Every club

220
00:10:19.879 --> 00:10:21.919
<v Speaker 2>has to do it, you know, Penrith did it with

221
00:10:21.919 --> 00:10:24.600
<v Speaker 2>Fitler and you can name however many, but for us,

222
00:10:24.639 --> 00:10:27.840
<v Speaker 2>we've had, you know, almost like generations of players disappear.

223
00:10:27.840 --> 00:10:30.639
<v Speaker 2>And although we had an incident this year with one

224
00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:34.600
<v Speaker 2>particular player and we let another one go. Hopefully maybe

225
00:10:34.639 --> 00:10:38.000
<v Speaker 2>hopefully that's those days are over. I would say if

226
00:10:38.039 --> 00:10:41.360
<v Speaker 2>we are you know, bi polar or we are like

227
00:10:42.600 --> 00:10:47.519
<v Speaker 2>polar opposite sort of organization, that hopefully that means that

228
00:10:47.559 --> 00:10:49.840
<v Speaker 2>we're going to swing around and have ten years of

229
00:10:50.080 --> 00:10:54.039
<v Speaker 2>great success because you know, the pendulum is going to

230
00:10:54.039 --> 00:10:57.720
<v Speaker 2>swing the other way. We all hope, but you know, hey,

231
00:10:57.720 --> 00:11:00.720
<v Speaker 2>what are the twenty thirties? Look like it's not far away.

232
00:11:00.759 --> 00:11:02.759
<v Speaker 2>We might be sitting here in ten years time going

233
00:11:03.039 --> 00:11:06.399
<v Speaker 2>what did we even worry about? Like we've everything came together.

234
00:11:07.279 --> 00:11:08.639
<v Speaker 2>Very optimistic, Nick, The.

235
00:11:08.679 --> 00:11:11.000
<v Speaker 5>Only thing that worries about me about that job is

236
00:11:11.039 --> 00:11:12.480
<v Speaker 5>whether it'll be a live long enough.

237
00:11:12.279 --> 00:11:12.799
<v Speaker 2>To enjoy it.

238
00:11:14.960 --> 00:11:16.759
<v Speaker 3>If Bingi keeps you on the way he's going, at

239
00:11:16.840 --> 00:11:18.360
<v Speaker 3>least in the last week or so, you might have

240
00:11:18.440 --> 00:11:21.440
<v Speaker 3>AI assistant coaches. Yeah, yeah, they just sort of out

241
00:11:21.480 --> 00:11:24.120
<v Speaker 3>that that attack clunkiness. But we'll see that's right.

242
00:11:24.240 --> 00:11:25.600
<v Speaker 2>That might be something that we need to do at

243
00:11:25.639 --> 00:11:28.080
<v Speaker 2>Concorder is feed the data into the AI and.

244
00:11:28.000 --> 00:11:30.600
<v Speaker 4>See when it comes up with Absolutely.

245
00:11:32.080 --> 00:11:34.440
<v Speaker 2>It's another you know how many years as the West

246
00:11:34.440 --> 00:11:39.240
<v Speaker 2>Tiger's taken off your life. That's another debate a lot.

247
00:11:39.279 --> 00:11:41.399
<v Speaker 2>You know, look at me, but I'm only twenty two.

248
00:11:43.080 --> 00:11:47.240
<v Speaker 2>The re signing of Adam Dewey, Zach you know do

249
00:11:47.399 --> 00:11:51.240
<v Speaker 2>He gets talked about every week on our pod. He

250
00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.720
<v Speaker 2>just seems to be the topic of conversation, whether it

251
00:11:54.840 --> 00:11:58.200
<v Speaker 2>be highs or lows or in betweens. But what's your

252
00:11:58.240 --> 00:12:00.039
<v Speaker 2>take on a couple of years for Adam.

253
00:11:59.840 --> 00:12:02.879
<v Speaker 3>To I think it was essential in the end for

254
00:12:02.919 --> 00:12:07.320
<v Speaker 3>a number of reasons. Leadership, goal kicking, versatility, experience, He's

255
00:12:07.360 --> 00:12:10.360
<v Speaker 3>a big moment player. My only concern, and I say

256
00:12:10.519 --> 00:12:14.039
<v Speaker 3>this is just the caveat with agreeing with the re signing.

257
00:12:14.039 --> 00:12:18.279
<v Speaker 3>The caveat for me is it's a contract season and

258
00:12:18.320 --> 00:12:20.919
<v Speaker 3>he was playing for a contract, and Adam Dewey is nothing,

259
00:12:20.960 --> 00:12:24.080
<v Speaker 3>if not in the past at least inconsistent. But to

260
00:12:24.120 --> 00:12:26.360
<v Speaker 3>give him his due course, I would argue he's probably

261
00:12:26.360 --> 00:12:29.000
<v Speaker 3>had his best season in our colors. He's done it

262
00:12:29.039 --> 00:12:32.320
<v Speaker 3>in a variety of positions, and he has come up

263
00:12:32.360 --> 00:12:36.200
<v Speaker 3>clutch in a variety of situations and one ass games directly, so,

264
00:12:37.279 --> 00:12:40.559
<v Speaker 3>I mean the other side of the coin, without going

265
00:12:40.559 --> 00:12:43.519
<v Speaker 3>on too much of a monologue, is he has kind

266
00:12:43.559 --> 00:12:47.279
<v Speaker 3>of played himself into a pseudo caretaker role around a

267
00:12:47.360 --> 00:12:50.759
<v Speaker 3>LA two lock halfback situation. So I think it behooves

268
00:12:50.919 --> 00:12:54.240
<v Speaker 3>behooves us to have signed him for that period of time.

269
00:12:54.279 --> 00:12:56.919
<v Speaker 3>And yeah, I'm really happy that it's sort of come through,

270
00:12:56.960 --> 00:12:59.159
<v Speaker 3>and I think there's a bit of clarity around that

271
00:12:59.240 --> 00:13:01.919
<v Speaker 3>now and we can look forward to what that might

272
00:13:01.960 --> 00:13:04.279
<v Speaker 3>look like with the preseason under our belt. At the

273
00:13:04.279 --> 00:13:06.639
<v Speaker 3>start of twenty twenty six, Zack, I.

274
00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:08.759
<v Speaker 5>Think he hit the nail on the head that it's

275
00:13:08.759 --> 00:13:12.159
<v Speaker 5>probably AD's best season this year, and I'll probably say

276
00:13:12.200 --> 00:13:13.840
<v Speaker 5>it's probably his best.

277
00:13:13.960 --> 00:13:16.320
<v Speaker 4>Second half of the season where he stood out.

278
00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:20.960
<v Speaker 5>And he's a real interesting one to talk about, isn't

279
00:13:20.960 --> 00:13:23.279
<v Speaker 5>he Because I still don't know if he's locked down

280
00:13:23.320 --> 00:13:25.559
<v Speaker 5>a position, and you said it like whether he's going

281
00:13:25.600 --> 00:13:27.399
<v Speaker 5>to be half back, whether he's going to be locked

282
00:13:28.000 --> 00:13:30.159
<v Speaker 5>I don't know where you start him. And we spent

283
00:13:30.240 --> 00:13:32.639
<v Speaker 5>the majority of the season playing him in the centers

284
00:13:32.799 --> 00:13:35.320
<v Speaker 5>this year, and he's always been able to do a

285
00:13:35.399 --> 00:13:39.200
<v Speaker 5>job without being overly dynamic in the centers, and I

286
00:13:39.240 --> 00:13:42.600
<v Speaker 5>think we really saw last week against the Bulldogs Benji

287
00:13:42.679 --> 00:13:44.679
<v Speaker 5>made that switch before the game to put him into

288
00:13:44.679 --> 00:13:46.799
<v Speaker 5>the halves, which I think was actually a master stroke

289
00:13:47.399 --> 00:13:51.320
<v Speaker 5>because Ad is our best general play kicker in the team.

290
00:13:51.480 --> 00:13:53.840
<v Speaker 5>He's got the biggest boot on him and in those wet,

291
00:13:53.879 --> 00:13:56.960
<v Speaker 5>muddy conditions against the Dogs last week, he was going

292
00:13:57.039 --> 00:13:58.840
<v Speaker 5>to be the one the correct person to be able

293
00:13:58.879 --> 00:14:01.919
<v Speaker 5>to kick the balldowns far possible without getting any bounce

294
00:14:02.000 --> 00:14:03.480
<v Speaker 5>or run on that ball. So you're going to get

295
00:14:03.480 --> 00:14:05.240
<v Speaker 5>a bit more field position playing off the back of

296
00:14:05.279 --> 00:14:08.960
<v Speaker 5>his kicks. So for me, you've got to really play

297
00:14:09.039 --> 00:14:11.879
<v Speaker 5>him either in the middle next year at Locke where

298
00:14:11.919 --> 00:14:15.320
<v Speaker 5>he can still be involved and especially in that general

299
00:14:15.279 --> 00:14:19.120
<v Speaker 5>player kicking area, or potentially you need to look at

300
00:14:19.200 --> 00:14:21.840
<v Speaker 5>him as maybe playing seven now. I don't want to

301
00:14:21.840 --> 00:14:24.240
<v Speaker 5>pick him at seven yet because he had one good

302
00:14:24.279 --> 00:14:26.720
<v Speaker 5>game against the Dogs. I want to see him back

303
00:14:26.720 --> 00:14:30.080
<v Speaker 5>that up and I think we've spoken about that. With

304
00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:33.399
<v Speaker 5>doing the past as his consistency, I think he's definitely

305
00:14:33.399 --> 00:14:35.320
<v Speaker 5>lifted his game. I feel like he's really gone to

306
00:14:35.360 --> 00:14:38.200
<v Speaker 5>another level this year based on the addition of Jerome

307
00:14:38.279 --> 00:14:41.279
<v Speaker 5>Leui and his attitude that he's brought from Penrith. I

308
00:14:41.320 --> 00:14:44.279
<v Speaker 5>can see an attitude improvement in Ad. The way that

309
00:14:44.320 --> 00:14:46.639
<v Speaker 5>he plays, not just attacking wise, but his defense has

310
00:14:46.679 --> 00:14:51.200
<v Speaker 5>gone up an absolute mile this year, so hopefully he

311
00:14:51.240 --> 00:14:55.279
<v Speaker 5>can maintain that level and build on it where he plays.

312
00:14:55.399 --> 00:14:57.159
<v Speaker 5>I don't even know if Benji knows where his best

313
00:14:57.159 --> 00:14:59.840
<v Speaker 5>position is yet for next year, but I agree with

314
00:14:59.879 --> 00:15:02.600
<v Speaker 5>you people are resigning, so I'm really glad that he's

315
00:15:02.600 --> 00:15:04.399
<v Speaker 5>sticking around, and he is a Tiger like he loves

316
00:15:04.399 --> 00:15:04.799
<v Speaker 5>the club.

317
00:15:06.360 --> 00:15:07.320
<v Speaker 4>Basically, we turned.

318
00:15:07.080 --> 00:15:09.240
<v Speaker 5>Down an extra one hundred k year to stay with

319
00:15:09.320 --> 00:15:13.000
<v Speaker 5>us over that Dragon's office, so I'm happy he's staying.

320
00:15:14.320 --> 00:15:18.519
<v Speaker 2>He probably just on that point, Zach made like he's

321
00:15:18.559 --> 00:15:20.399
<v Speaker 2>one of us two games this year, which can't be

322
00:15:20.799 --> 00:15:23.080
<v Speaker 2>understated when we're in the position that we're in. That's

323
00:15:23.080 --> 00:15:25.720
<v Speaker 2>the difference between maybe six and eight, which is huge

324
00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:31.200
<v Speaker 2>given last year. I guess a couple of points that

325
00:15:31.240 --> 00:15:33.600
<v Speaker 2>come to mind for me, is it by resigning him

326
00:15:33.639 --> 00:15:35.480
<v Speaker 2>as well not only be a minor point, but we

327
00:15:35.519 --> 00:15:39.080
<v Speaker 2>haven't strengthened the Dragons. They're one of our big rivals

328
00:15:39.080 --> 00:15:42.080
<v Speaker 2>for maybe a seventh or eight spot next year, so

329
00:15:42.120 --> 00:15:45.919
<v Speaker 2>I think you know there's a positive there. Definitely, goalkicking

330
00:15:46.639 --> 00:15:50.960
<v Speaker 2>without doing our goalkicking is probably a massive issue. But yeah,

331
00:15:51.080 --> 00:15:53.399
<v Speaker 2>still question mark's over where to play him next year.

332
00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:55.759
<v Speaker 2>But one thing that I think Eddie and the boys

333
00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:57.559
<v Speaker 2>were talking on there. The last part that they did

334
00:15:57.679 --> 00:16:03.120
<v Speaker 2>was that he's only played about eighty games, and theoretically,

335
00:16:03.240 --> 00:16:04.960
<v Speaker 2>like if you looked at this on paper. I don't know,

336
00:16:04.960 --> 00:16:07.600
<v Speaker 2>it's not played on paper, but here's a guy that

337
00:16:08.120 --> 00:16:12.360
<v Speaker 2>has twenty six, twenty seven years so coming into some

338
00:16:12.399 --> 00:16:16.679
<v Speaker 2>really good years of leadership and experience and only played

339
00:16:16.679 --> 00:16:20.799
<v Speaker 2>eighty games. So there's that aspect of it that it

340
00:16:20.879 --> 00:16:24.480
<v Speaker 2>seems a pretty good investment for two years. And although

341
00:16:24.519 --> 00:16:26.360
<v Speaker 2>it would be nice to know what position he's in,

342
00:16:26.399 --> 00:16:29.799
<v Speaker 2>there's also a luxury in having that flexibility. You could

343
00:16:29.799 --> 00:16:32.039
<v Speaker 2>still throw him in the centers at a pinch, if

344
00:16:32.039 --> 00:16:34.240
<v Speaker 2>you got really desperate, you could put him at full back.

345
00:16:34.279 --> 00:16:36.879
<v Speaker 2>You'll do an okay job at fullback. So I could

346
00:16:36.879 --> 00:16:39.279
<v Speaker 2>see the logic behind it, and I think that's I'm

347
00:16:39.320 --> 00:16:41.240
<v Speaker 2>glad that it's played out this way. Even though I'm

348
00:16:41.279 --> 00:16:43.639
<v Speaker 2>not the biggest Adam Dewey fan, I think it's I

349
00:16:43.639 --> 00:16:45.919
<v Speaker 2>think it's strengthened us more than if we'd lost him.

350
00:16:46.320 --> 00:16:48.320
<v Speaker 3>I agree, and I think it's a value based contract.

351
00:16:48.679 --> 00:16:50.600
<v Speaker 3>If we have a look at what the average quote

352
00:16:50.639 --> 00:16:54.360
<v Speaker 3>unquote contract would be across the league, if we're looking

353
00:16:54.360 --> 00:16:56.320
<v Speaker 3>at a rough twelve million. I know it's high elevens.

354
00:16:56.360 --> 00:16:58.480
<v Speaker 3>We're looking at around that four hundred marks. So we've basically

355
00:16:58.600 --> 00:17:00.919
<v Speaker 3>got him full at or slightly below what an average

356
00:17:00.919 --> 00:17:04.079
<v Speaker 3>contract would be. And as you guys have just discussed,

357
00:17:04.119 --> 00:17:07.000
<v Speaker 3>you know, the value that he brings is not one dimensional,

358
00:17:07.000 --> 00:17:09.720
<v Speaker 3>it's you need, it's multi dimensional. And yeah, he is

359
00:17:10.039 --> 00:17:12.160
<v Speaker 3>a goal kick, as you said. The other thing I

360
00:17:12.200 --> 00:17:14.359
<v Speaker 3>want to mention as well is I think we've been

361
00:17:14.400 --> 00:17:18.319
<v Speaker 3>the beneficiaries of in terms of the value of the

362
00:17:18.319 --> 00:17:22.000
<v Speaker 3>fact that he is now a try acl reconstruction athlete

363
00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:25.319
<v Speaker 3>and so he's on it is his last chance saloon,

364
00:17:25.839 --> 00:17:27.799
<v Speaker 3>and you can see that in his application, which I

365
00:17:27.799 --> 00:17:30.279
<v Speaker 3>think is one of the largest reasons for his inconsistencies

366
00:17:30.279 --> 00:17:31.519
<v Speaker 3>in the past, and it's one of the things that

367
00:17:31.559 --> 00:17:34.039
<v Speaker 3>have always been questioned. Not so much as he loved

368
00:17:34.039 --> 00:17:36.119
<v Speaker 3>the club. We've known that's there, but it's the aptitude

369
00:17:36.119 --> 00:17:38.119
<v Speaker 3>on the field and the willingness to do those one percenters.

370
00:17:38.160 --> 00:17:41.559
<v Speaker 3>And so I think all round the contract not only

371
00:17:41.640 --> 00:17:45.519
<v Speaker 3>prevent presents a great decision in terms of where we

372
00:17:45.559 --> 00:17:47.200
<v Speaker 3>are and what we need at the moment, whilst not

373
00:17:47.240 --> 00:17:50.200
<v Speaker 3>answering all of our questions but it presents good value

374
00:17:50.240 --> 00:17:53.240
<v Speaker 3>as well for both parties, so everybody comes out of winner.

375
00:17:53.960 --> 00:17:58.279
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, exactly. On the West Tigers podcast forum, Mike does

376
00:17:58.319 --> 00:18:01.519
<v Speaker 2>an excellent job of up dating the West Tigers roster

377
00:18:01.799 --> 00:18:03.680
<v Speaker 2>spreadsheet and I was having a look at that. It's

378
00:18:03.759 --> 00:18:07.720
<v Speaker 2>very interesting to look at, certainly twenty twenty eight. I

379
00:18:07.759 --> 00:18:10.079
<v Speaker 2>think there's only three or four guys. There's a huge

380
00:18:10.079 --> 00:18:12.200
<v Speaker 2>amount of roster spots of arlabout the West Tigers in

381
00:18:12.240 --> 00:18:15.559
<v Speaker 2>a couple of years. Seventeen spots in twenty twenty seven,

382
00:18:15.920 --> 00:18:18.559
<v Speaker 2>but we're at twenty seven for twenty twenty six. That

383
00:18:18.680 --> 00:18:23.200
<v Speaker 2>includes Maverick guy A Madden, Pierce Paul and also Sullivan

384
00:18:23.200 --> 00:18:25.880
<v Speaker 2>who's still listed in there. We don't know exactly what's

385
00:18:25.880 --> 00:18:31.119
<v Speaker 2>going to happen with Jaden Sullivan, any hope, Nick, or

386
00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:35.359
<v Speaker 2>can you see you know you've got Madden Lui La

387
00:18:35.359 --> 00:18:40.319
<v Speaker 2>Tufeinu Dewey. If everybody's fit and healthy and Sullivan does

388
00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:42.559
<v Speaker 2>end up back here, do you see a spot for

389
00:18:42.640 --> 00:18:45.000
<v Speaker 2>him other than New South Wales cup or how that

390
00:18:45.079 --> 00:18:45.839
<v Speaker 2>might play out?

391
00:18:46.480 --> 00:18:48.839
<v Speaker 5>And is it pronounced javonn Andrews?

392
00:18:48.880 --> 00:18:49.480
<v Speaker 4>Is that his name?

393
00:18:49.599 --> 00:18:54.000
<v Speaker 5>The Yeah, so that's another half too. So it's a

394
00:18:54.000 --> 00:18:57.799
<v Speaker 5>lot of pieces to fit into that harvest puzzle, so I.

395
00:18:57.720 --> 00:18:59.000
<v Speaker 4>Don't think but will come back.

396
00:19:01.440 --> 00:19:04.160
<v Speaker 5>I have heard a rumor somewhere I might have seen

397
00:19:04.440 --> 00:19:06.960
<v Speaker 5>something floating around on next that South's were trying to

398
00:19:06.960 --> 00:19:09.240
<v Speaker 5>do what they could to retain him for next season.

399
00:19:09.319 --> 00:19:12.200
<v Speaker 5>So and from all reports, Buds loved his time at

400
00:19:12.200 --> 00:19:15.000
<v Speaker 5>the Rabbits this year, so I would have to think

401
00:19:15.039 --> 00:19:17.240
<v Speaker 5>that he'll probably stay at South.

402
00:19:17.720 --> 00:19:19.559
<v Speaker 3>I think the other thing that points to that, sorry

403
00:19:19.599 --> 00:19:21.400
<v Speaker 3>Nick to Cutchy with him mate, is the fact that

404
00:19:21.480 --> 00:19:24.640
<v Speaker 3>Dodd's on the outer and they're shopping, and they're shopping him.

405
00:19:24.640 --> 00:19:26.759
<v Speaker 3>You know, he's on big money and obviously they're not

406
00:19:26.759 --> 00:19:28.759
<v Speaker 3>getting speaking of value value out of him there. But

407
00:19:28.799 --> 00:19:31.880
<v Speaker 3>you know, if they're able to move Lewis on, then

408
00:19:31.920 --> 00:19:33.279
<v Speaker 3>they're not going to do that if one of the

409
00:19:33.279 --> 00:19:36.000
<v Speaker 3>other backup halfbacks is also going back to his pre

410
00:19:36.039 --> 00:19:39.359
<v Speaker 3>existing club. That's my assumption, and I think, like you say,

411
00:19:39.400 --> 00:19:42.839
<v Speaker 3>I think that points to but yeah, staying with the Rabbits.

412
00:19:43.920 --> 00:19:46.759
<v Speaker 2>You'd think Dodd may be super league because I can't

413
00:19:46.759 --> 00:19:48.759
<v Speaker 2>see any other in our old teams going his way,

414
00:19:50.279 --> 00:19:52.440
<v Speaker 2>so that might open that up. So that would be nice,

415
00:19:52.480 --> 00:19:54.799
<v Speaker 2>that would if Sullivan wasn't in the picture. Then that

416
00:19:54.920 --> 00:19:57.680
<v Speaker 2>leaves four spots open, which is not a bad place

417
00:19:57.720 --> 00:20:01.079
<v Speaker 2>to be given you know, spines, he said, all a

418
00:20:01.119 --> 00:20:03.359
<v Speaker 2>couple of question marks obviously, as we were talking about.

419
00:20:03.400 --> 00:20:07.279
<v Speaker 2>But you know, I think that that that's an okay

420
00:20:07.319 --> 00:20:09.000
<v Speaker 2>place to be at this stage. We'll talk a little

421
00:20:09.000 --> 00:20:13.160
<v Speaker 2>bit about our optimistic points, reasons to be optimistic for

422
00:20:13.200 --> 00:20:15.680
<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty six, and maybe some reasons to be a

423
00:20:15.720 --> 00:20:19.519
<v Speaker 2>little bit pessimistic in a few moments time. Charlie Stains

424
00:20:19.880 --> 00:20:23.119
<v Speaker 2>is his off contract, looks like he's off to the

425
00:20:23.160 --> 00:20:27.799
<v Speaker 2>Super League. Your thoughts on Charlie Stains, Zach I would

426
00:20:27.799 --> 00:20:30.359
<v Speaker 2>say probably, I wouldn't be surprised if you If you

427
00:20:30.440 --> 00:20:34.799
<v Speaker 2>agree he always tries hard, Yeah, just just lacking that

428
00:20:34.839 --> 00:20:38.599
<v Speaker 2>physical that physicality for one of a better term, and

429
00:20:39.559 --> 00:20:41.640
<v Speaker 2>not overly tall as well, which is a big factor

430
00:20:41.680 --> 00:20:43.160
<v Speaker 2>a lot of wingers have nowadays.

431
00:20:43.440 --> 00:20:46.240
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, I think physically he's always pushing it up the hill,

432
00:20:46.359 --> 00:20:48.720
<v Speaker 3>so to speak. But I've got to say, to be

433
00:20:48.759 --> 00:20:52.400
<v Speaker 3>perfectly fair on Charlie, up until he had that shock

434
00:20:52.400 --> 00:20:55.400
<v Speaker 3>a several weeks back, he has been terrific this year,

435
00:20:55.519 --> 00:20:57.880
<v Speaker 3>particularly his first drop. Whenever he had come up, he

436
00:20:57.920 --> 00:21:00.839
<v Speaker 3>was making big meters at a yard at the backfield.

437
00:21:01.680 --> 00:21:04.839
<v Speaker 3>He was pretty reliable in both attack and defense. But

438
00:21:05.279 --> 00:21:08.240
<v Speaker 3>I think as we look into wing next year, there's

439
00:21:08.279 --> 00:21:09.960
<v Speaker 3>there's a few decisions, and I know there's a lot

440
00:21:09.960 --> 00:21:12.480
<v Speaker 3>of the youth there. But if we look at Tudou

441
00:21:12.480 --> 00:21:14.960
<v Speaker 3>and gerrl A's probably having the inside running there. We've

442
00:21:14.960 --> 00:21:17.640
<v Speaker 3>got the likes of Hamasi who's banging on the door,

443
00:21:18.119 --> 00:21:20.880
<v Speaker 3>luke Lea lali He who is there or thereabouts. We've

444
00:21:20.880 --> 00:21:23.519
<v Speaker 3>got Isaac Thompson and Naden who were both unsigned for

445
00:21:23.599 --> 00:21:25.480
<v Speaker 3>next year as far as I know, But you know,

446
00:21:25.559 --> 00:21:28.079
<v Speaker 3>Naden's obviously been playing well enough to get a recent

447
00:21:28.119 --> 00:21:30.000
<v Speaker 3>recall and he did quite well against the Doggies, and

448
00:21:30.000 --> 00:21:33.720
<v Speaker 3>Isaac Thompson's been going gangbusters in for the Magpies this year.

449
00:21:33.759 --> 00:21:38.680
<v Speaker 3>So I think that in a lot of ways, I

450
00:21:38.720 --> 00:21:41.480
<v Speaker 3>think if we had, if we had far less wing depth,

451
00:21:42.039 --> 00:21:43.480
<v Speaker 3>then it might not be an issue. But I think

452
00:21:43.480 --> 00:21:45.839
<v Speaker 3>people have sort of come in and cut in front

453
00:21:45.880 --> 00:21:47.400
<v Speaker 3>of him in line, and so it's in his best

454
00:21:47.400 --> 00:21:49.920
<v Speaker 3>interest to follow Solfa tape over to France.

455
00:21:50.279 --> 00:21:54.039
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, they're going to play the same team over the Yeah,

456
00:21:54.240 --> 00:21:58.240
<v Speaker 2>the choice between Thompson and Nayden Nick. I'd be keeping

457
00:21:58.319 --> 00:22:01.720
<v Speaker 2>Thompson over Naiden after last week and not just after

458
00:22:01.799 --> 00:22:04.559
<v Speaker 2>last week, after a lot of stuff. And I want

459
00:22:04.599 --> 00:22:07.079
<v Speaker 2>to like Brent Nadan, but I'll just be relieved when

460
00:22:07.079 --> 00:22:09.000
<v Speaker 2>he's not part of the organization personally.

461
00:22:09.759 --> 00:22:11.000
<v Speaker 4>He's had of the trust, isn't he.

462
00:22:11.880 --> 00:22:14.319
<v Speaker 5>I love Naden at his best, but at his worst

463
00:22:14.480 --> 00:22:18.359
<v Speaker 5>he's in the sinbin. He's making terrible errors. His attitude

464
00:22:18.440 --> 00:22:21.039
<v Speaker 5>can stink. Yeah, but like I just said, on the

465
00:22:21.039 --> 00:22:25.359
<v Speaker 5>flip side, he can be a real quality outside back.

466
00:22:25.480 --> 00:22:28.079
<v Speaker 5>So he's a hard one. He's a bit of an enigma.

467
00:22:28.160 --> 00:22:31.119
<v Speaker 5>But I'm not sure how old Naidan is. He's been

468
00:22:31.119 --> 00:22:32.119
<v Speaker 5>around for a little while now.

469
00:22:33.480 --> 00:22:35.319
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, I think we must be about twenty eight.

470
00:22:35.759 --> 00:22:37.400
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, I was going to say twenty seven twenty eight,

471
00:22:37.480 --> 00:22:40.640
<v Speaker 5>So yeah, I don't mind what I've seen from Thompson either.

472
00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:44.000
<v Speaker 5>So yeah, I think we need like Gary's always banging

473
00:22:44.039 --> 00:22:46.079
<v Speaker 5>on too, we need those outside backs that can really

474
00:22:46.079 --> 00:22:47.759
<v Speaker 5>bring the ball back with a bit of punch as well,

475
00:22:47.839 --> 00:22:51.880
<v Speaker 5>especially if those kick returns and touching on Charlie stains.

476
00:22:52.000 --> 00:22:55.359
<v Speaker 5>I'm the same zacket like I love Charlie. You know,

477
00:22:55.400 --> 00:22:58.200
<v Speaker 5>he's a bit in that Corey Thompson type mold as well,

478
00:22:58.240 --> 00:23:00.599
<v Speaker 5>like that smaller winger that you know with a lot

479
00:23:00.599 --> 00:23:03.599
<v Speaker 5>of speed, but you know they try it harder for

480
00:23:03.599 --> 00:23:07.440
<v Speaker 5>eighty minutes, but not with a great deal of you know,

481
00:23:07.720 --> 00:23:09.839
<v Speaker 5>ability to break the line when they when they run

482
00:23:09.880 --> 00:23:12.480
<v Speaker 5>the ball back. So I hope he I hope you

483
00:23:12.480 --> 00:23:15.039
<v Speaker 5>can really find his feet over in the Super League.

484
00:23:15.039 --> 00:23:17.079
<v Speaker 5>If that's is that guaranteed where he's heading. Is he

485
00:23:17.079 --> 00:23:18.799
<v Speaker 5>actually locked into a contractor I don't think.

486
00:23:19.319 --> 00:23:21.279
<v Speaker 3>I don't think it's confirmed, but yeah, I think with

487
00:23:21.359 --> 00:23:23.599
<v Speaker 3>these types of second tier contracts, when you hear whispers

488
00:23:23.599 --> 00:23:26.440
<v Speaker 3>about him with respect to Charlie, they are that second

489
00:23:26.440 --> 00:23:28.680
<v Speaker 3>tier player. So if you're hearing something, it's probably yeah,

490
00:23:28.680 --> 00:23:31.039
<v Speaker 3>where they's smoke this fire, is my assumption. I think

491
00:23:31.039 --> 00:23:33.759
<v Speaker 3>with Charlie. I was just going to say with Charlie

492
00:23:33.759 --> 00:23:35.240
<v Speaker 3>as well, I think he's the type of character that

493
00:23:35.240 --> 00:23:38.799
<v Speaker 3>has gotten everything out of his ability, A very wholehearted player.

494
00:23:39.519 --> 00:23:42.400
<v Speaker 3>You know. It's kind of the anti Dave Taylor. Yeah,

495
00:23:42.759 --> 00:23:48.559
<v Speaker 3>well the Brent Naden, Yeah, yeah, better comparison probably yeah.

496
00:23:48.160 --> 00:23:50.680
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, Like Nadan's got the size and we've got

497
00:23:50.720 --> 00:23:54.400
<v Speaker 2>all of those attributes and yeah, whereas you're right. He's

498
00:23:54.599 --> 00:23:57.119
<v Speaker 2>If there's one thing that Charlie Steine could be really

499
00:23:57.440 --> 00:24:00.440
<v Speaker 2>proud of is that he has squeezed whatever lemon that

500
00:24:00.519 --> 00:24:03.039
<v Speaker 2>Juicy's got, he squeezed it out of himself. He's done

501
00:24:03.079 --> 00:24:07.640
<v Speaker 2>really well. Absolutely just I just wanted to get your

502
00:24:07.680 --> 00:24:13.200
<v Speaker 2>opinion on Stafford Tower, Zach. You know you mentioned Makassini

503
00:24:13.799 --> 00:24:17.599
<v Speaker 2>tailor May. We've got these options in the backs. How

504
00:24:17.640 --> 00:24:20.480
<v Speaker 2>desperate are you to sign Stafford? I mean, he's shown

505
00:24:20.559 --> 00:24:24.519
<v Speaker 2>some great glimpses, but also you know there's other times

506
00:24:24.559 --> 00:24:26.480
<v Speaker 2>where he sort of does go a little bit missing.

507
00:24:26.519 --> 00:24:29.000
<v Speaker 3>For me, Yeah, it's a bit of a copy out,

508
00:24:29.039 --> 00:24:33.920
<v Speaker 3>but it's I don't know. And the answer around that is, look,

509
00:24:34.039 --> 00:24:37.000
<v Speaker 3>I'm probably leaning towards Yes, it's going to depend upon

510
00:24:37.519 --> 00:24:39.680
<v Speaker 3>so I keep banging on about value, but what's the

511
00:24:39.720 --> 00:24:43.440
<v Speaker 3>number on the contract and how many spaces do we have?

512
00:24:43.519 --> 00:24:45.000
<v Speaker 3>It's a numbers game at the end of the day.

513
00:24:45.200 --> 00:24:47.799
<v Speaker 3>I love what Stafford can do. I know, I think

514
00:24:47.839 --> 00:24:51.839
<v Speaker 3>every Tiger's fan loves what Stafford can do. And I'd

515
00:24:51.880 --> 00:24:53.519
<v Speaker 3>like to give him the benefit of the doubt because

516
00:24:53.599 --> 00:24:55.720
<v Speaker 3>up until probably the last four to six weeks, I'd

517
00:24:55.799 --> 00:24:58.200
<v Speaker 3>argue he's probably had a career best season in terms

518
00:24:58.240 --> 00:25:01.079
<v Speaker 3>of consistency for us as well. But then you know,

519
00:25:01.559 --> 00:25:03.440
<v Speaker 3>he started having issues with that elbow and it seemed

520
00:25:03.440 --> 00:25:06.799
<v Speaker 3>to be quite hands hamstringing him for a while, and

521
00:25:07.119 --> 00:25:09.799
<v Speaker 3>I've got no doubt that has affected his performances, but

522
00:25:09.839 --> 00:25:13.480
<v Speaker 3>he just, yeah, he's dropped off a cliff defensively, and yeah,

523
00:25:13.599 --> 00:25:16.200
<v Speaker 3>whether he was dropped or whether he was, he's out

524
00:25:16.319 --> 00:25:19.960
<v Speaker 3>because of that injury. I think that at least in

525
00:25:20.039 --> 00:25:21.559
<v Speaker 3>terms of this year, he was due a break. So

526
00:25:22.200 --> 00:25:23.160
<v Speaker 3>he's a funny one, mate.

527
00:25:23.519 --> 00:25:25.240
<v Speaker 5>I wonder if a lot of that has to do

528
00:25:25.319 --> 00:25:28.680
<v Speaker 5>with that injury that he suffered to his elbow or

529
00:25:29.240 --> 00:25:31.440
<v Speaker 5>I think it was his elbow. I can't remember the game,

530
00:25:31.480 --> 00:25:33.119
<v Speaker 5>but it was out wide fairly late in the game

531
00:25:33.160 --> 00:25:35.279
<v Speaker 5>where he went down and he was down for a

532
00:25:35.319 --> 00:25:36.920
<v Speaker 5>bit and he was carrying that arm for the rest

533
00:25:36.920 --> 00:25:40.000
<v Speaker 5>of that game. It probably was four to six weeks ago.

534
00:25:40.480 --> 00:25:43.880
<v Speaker 5>But ever since then, he's lost his potency in attack

535
00:25:43.920 --> 00:25:45.960
<v Speaker 5>as well, because he was really hitting the line and

536
00:25:46.039 --> 00:25:49.039
<v Speaker 5>fending off a lot of players with a lot of aggression,

537
00:25:49.160 --> 00:25:52.200
<v Speaker 5>and that was really the side to Stafford that we

538
00:25:52.279 --> 00:25:55.039
<v Speaker 5>hadn't really seen consistently, and he was putting it together

539
00:25:55.079 --> 00:25:57.559
<v Speaker 5>for quite a while up until that moment, and I

540
00:25:57.599 --> 00:26:01.680
<v Speaker 5>know that we carried, you know, a censor on the

541
00:26:01.720 --> 00:26:03.799
<v Speaker 5>bench and on the extended bench a couple of times

542
00:26:04.240 --> 00:26:07.279
<v Speaker 5>since that injury. And I know that when we beat

543
00:26:07.480 --> 00:26:11.079
<v Speaker 5>the Titans at Leichhart, we had Christian Mapapalangi on the

544
00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:13.720
<v Speaker 5>bench and he was purely there to cover Stafford in

545
00:26:13.799 --> 00:26:16.200
<v Speaker 5>case he had a problem with that arm. So I

546
00:26:16.240 --> 00:26:18.000
<v Speaker 5>think he has been carrying that and I really do

547
00:26:18.079 --> 00:26:20.279
<v Speaker 5>think that's had an impact on his performance, which is

548
00:26:20.279 --> 00:26:23.680
<v Speaker 5>a real shame because I loved seeing that explosive in

549
00:26:23.799 --> 00:26:26.599
<v Speaker 5>dynamic side of Stafford and he was a real terror

550
00:26:26.640 --> 00:26:30.400
<v Speaker 5>in attack and really offering a lot of potency out wide,

551
00:26:30.920 --> 00:26:33.200
<v Speaker 5>you know, which we're now seeing with Tailor Maye.

552
00:26:33.279 --> 00:26:34.359
<v Speaker 4>So silver linings.

553
00:26:34.359 --> 00:26:36.680
<v Speaker 5>But I'd love to see Stafford come back to his

554
00:26:36.759 --> 00:26:37.480
<v Speaker 5>best at some point.

555
00:26:38.720 --> 00:26:41.240
<v Speaker 2>It's also a little bit hard to look in the

556
00:26:41.279 --> 00:26:43.559
<v Speaker 2>crystal ball because you've got a guy that hasn't played

557
00:26:43.599 --> 00:26:47.559
<v Speaker 2>first grade yet. I mean, he looks sensational against you

558
00:26:47.720 --> 00:26:50.799
<v Speaker 2>in schoolboy comps and the lower grades, but he hasn't

559
00:26:50.799 --> 00:26:55.079
<v Speaker 2>played inn RL. And you've got a guy that had

560
00:26:55.079 --> 00:26:59.680
<v Speaker 2>eighteen months out because of off field stuff and isn't

561
00:26:59.680 --> 00:27:02.279
<v Speaker 2>even signed for next year as far as we're aware, Like,

562
00:27:02.319 --> 00:27:05.359
<v Speaker 2>there's definitely some question marks around center, So maybe it

563
00:27:05.400 --> 00:27:09.759
<v Speaker 2>would be better to lock up Stafford tire just because

564
00:27:09.759 --> 00:27:14.200
<v Speaker 2>he's more of a known and trustworthy commodity perhaps.

565
00:27:13.839 --> 00:27:16.680
<v Speaker 3>But yeah, as far as I'm aware, Stafford is still

566
00:27:16.680 --> 00:27:19.680
<v Speaker 3>contracted for twenty six. Yeah, so he's off. Yeah, so

567
00:27:19.680 --> 00:27:21.640
<v Speaker 3>he's off from November one, and it's just going to

568
00:27:21.640 --> 00:27:23.480
<v Speaker 3>double check. I think something that often gets missed by

569
00:27:23.480 --> 00:27:25.480
<v Speaker 3>a lot of people is staff had just turned twenty five.

570
00:27:26.480 --> 00:27:28.759
<v Speaker 3>He's been around for a long time, but that's still

571
00:27:28.839 --> 00:27:31.759
<v Speaker 3>quite a young man, and he is getting better year

572
00:27:31.799 --> 00:27:34.359
<v Speaker 3>on year. I think that his body is let him down, obviously,

573
00:27:34.400 --> 00:27:36.640
<v Speaker 3>and we're alluded to that with the elbow issue. But

574
00:27:37.119 --> 00:27:39.279
<v Speaker 3>he's only a couple of minor tweaks away and a

575
00:27:39.279 --> 00:27:44.079
<v Speaker 3>good run from injury away from really contending tailor, whether

576
00:27:44.079 --> 00:27:46.799
<v Speaker 3>it's tailor may Massi, Macassini, whoever's in those positions. And

577
00:27:46.839 --> 00:27:49.839
<v Speaker 3>I think for right now he's probably in our in

578
00:27:49.880 --> 00:27:56.160
<v Speaker 3>our starting centers, in that other center alongside Taylan soeh. Yeah,

579
00:27:56.160 --> 00:27:58.559
<v Speaker 3>it depends if somebody swoops in and grabs him from

580
00:27:58.559 --> 00:28:01.039
<v Speaker 3>November one. That's true. It's tricky. I don't think we

581
00:28:01.119 --> 00:28:03.519
<v Speaker 3>chase it. But if he remains unsigned in the next

582
00:28:03.559 --> 00:28:07.079
<v Speaker 3>year and we go six twelve rounds, we'll see where

583
00:28:06.920 --> 00:28:10.880
<v Speaker 3>the chips fall. He's if he's a continued and heavy

584
00:28:10.880 --> 00:28:12.759
<v Speaker 3>member of that squad seal, I think it's a no brainer.

585
00:28:13.400 --> 00:28:15.640
<v Speaker 2>Well, I mean that was sort of what I was

586
00:28:15.680 --> 00:28:18.880
<v Speaker 2>alluding to, is going to Richo's, you know, shake the tree.

587
00:28:18.920 --> 00:28:21.440
<v Speaker 2>You never know what comes out. Like Toa could be

588
00:28:21.720 --> 00:28:27.640
<v Speaker 2>maybe potentially a trade option. If they believe in Tailor

589
00:28:27.720 --> 00:28:30.240
<v Speaker 2>May and they believe that Makasini will be the Center's

590
00:28:30.319 --> 00:28:32.240
<v Speaker 2>next year, then Toa would be the kind of guy

591
00:28:32.799 --> 00:28:35.759
<v Speaker 2>that you might put in the shop window and find

592
00:28:35.799 --> 00:28:39.160
<v Speaker 2>a home for, especially if he's committing somewhere else like

593
00:28:39.200 --> 00:28:41.519
<v Speaker 2>a Perth or something like that for twenty twenty seven.

594
00:28:41.640 --> 00:28:44.799
<v Speaker 2>So we'll wait to see what happens there. I don't know.

595
00:28:44.799 --> 00:28:47.359
<v Speaker 2>It just kind of feels nick to me with Tower

596
00:28:47.680 --> 00:28:50.559
<v Speaker 2>just last thing on him, like a kind of I

597
00:28:50.640 --> 00:28:54.960
<v Speaker 2>think I can kind of imagine the team without him,

598
00:28:55.000 --> 00:28:56.960
<v Speaker 2>if that makes sense. Like it kind of feels to

599
00:28:57.000 --> 00:28:59.480
<v Speaker 2>me like in even though he had really good parts

600
00:28:59.480 --> 00:29:01.720
<v Speaker 2>of his year, really good games this year, that he

601
00:29:01.839 --> 00:29:04.720
<v Speaker 2>might be sort of on the way elsewhere. That's just

602
00:29:04.759 --> 00:29:06.640
<v Speaker 2>a gut feeling that I've got, and.

603
00:29:06.680 --> 00:29:08.440
<v Speaker 5>I actually think this is probably the first time in

604
00:29:08.440 --> 00:29:10.319
<v Speaker 5>a while we've had a little bit of depth or

605
00:29:10.440 --> 00:29:12.319
<v Speaker 5>other options in the outside backs too, or in the

606
00:29:12.400 --> 00:29:12.880
<v Speaker 5>back line.

607
00:29:13.000 --> 00:29:14.640
<v Speaker 4>So yeah, I.

608
00:29:14.640 --> 00:29:16.599
<v Speaker 5>Don't want to see him go. I think he's still

609
00:29:16.640 --> 00:29:21.000
<v Speaker 5>a quality player Adi's best. But yeah, we'll wait and

610
00:29:21.000 --> 00:29:24.240
<v Speaker 5>see what happens. There are a few spots as you've

611
00:29:24.240 --> 00:29:26.079
<v Speaker 5>set up for GRAP so be interesting to see what

612
00:29:26.119 --> 00:29:28.640
<v Speaker 5>happens over the off season. Hopefully rich O and Eddie

613
00:29:28.640 --> 00:29:31.680
<v Speaker 5>are both out there shaking trees around the NRL, some

614
00:29:31.720 --> 00:29:35.319
<v Speaker 5>of those clubs, trying to shake a few quality plays

615
00:29:35.359 --> 00:29:37.519
<v Speaker 5>into some of those key positions that we need to fill.

616
00:29:37.720 --> 00:29:39.799
<v Speaker 3>I will mention it is nice to actually have a

617
00:29:39.880 --> 00:29:43.680
<v Speaker 3>possible problematic selection choice in the centers for once. Yeah,

618
00:29:43.759 --> 00:29:47.000
<v Speaker 3>what a position. I don't think we've been in that ever,

619
00:29:47.480 --> 00:29:50.079
<v Speaker 3>but maybe when Chris Lawrence was around, But even then

620
00:29:50.200 --> 00:29:51.519
<v Speaker 3>I think we had two at best.

621
00:29:51.279 --> 00:29:54.119
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, yeah, yeah, it's been a problem for quite

622
00:29:54.160 --> 00:29:57.920
<v Speaker 2>a while. On the West Tigers podcast forum, we'd run

623
00:29:57.960 --> 00:30:02.839
<v Speaker 2>a poll asking what the recruitment policy or priority needs

624
00:30:02.880 --> 00:30:06.359
<v Speaker 2>to be for twenty twenty six and just about everybody

625
00:30:06.440 --> 00:30:11.519
<v Speaker 2>voted for Prop middles. We need more impact upfront, Zach.

626
00:30:11.640 --> 00:30:13.880
<v Speaker 2>I know you listen to the West Tigers podcast and

627
00:30:13.880 --> 00:30:15.759
<v Speaker 2>you hear me bat Not about it all the time.

628
00:30:15.799 --> 00:30:18.519
<v Speaker 2>But are you of the same opinion that that remains

629
00:30:18.960 --> 00:30:21.880
<v Speaker 2>our Achilles heel? Is that impact up front?

630
00:30:23.200 --> 00:30:29.880
<v Speaker 3>Yeah? And most definitely for me, it's you talk about

631
00:30:29.880 --> 00:30:32.880
<v Speaker 3>you banging on, I bang on about something remarkably similar.

632
00:30:32.880 --> 00:30:36.960
<v Speaker 3>But it's momentum changes. So we need people in our

633
00:30:36.960 --> 00:30:39.960
<v Speaker 3>pact that are momentum changes. And what I mean by

634
00:30:40.000 --> 00:30:42.279
<v Speaker 3>that is, you know, you've got that organic momentum that

635
00:30:42.319 --> 00:30:44.359
<v Speaker 3>you can shift. You've got inorganic where the ref might

636
00:30:44.400 --> 00:30:47.079
<v Speaker 3>do something that will shift momentum, but when you're up

637
00:30:47.119 --> 00:30:50.079
<v Speaker 3>against it, as all sides are at certain points, I

638
00:30:50.079 --> 00:30:52.279
<v Speaker 3>think the better sides have one or two or even

639
00:30:52.319 --> 00:30:54.920
<v Speaker 3>three characters within their side who one of their primary

640
00:30:55.000 --> 00:30:58.440
<v Speaker 3>roles is to shift momentum, whether it's I think one

641
00:30:58.440 --> 00:31:00.839
<v Speaker 3>of our prototype attempts at that this here was Roy's hunt,

642
00:31:00.880 --> 00:31:03.880
<v Speaker 3>and I think early in the season we saw elements

643
00:31:03.880 --> 00:31:06.920
<v Speaker 3>of it. Obviously that disappeared, but you can do it

644
00:31:06.960 --> 00:31:09.000
<v Speaker 3>in so many ways, whether it's someone shooting up out

645
00:31:09.039 --> 00:31:10.880
<v Speaker 3>of the line to try to force a mistake, someone

646
00:31:10.920 --> 00:31:13.200
<v Speaker 3>pushing out heavy at market to try to cover a

647
00:31:13.359 --> 00:31:18.000
<v Speaker 3>b better, contesting on kicks, kick pressure, kick chase, all

648
00:31:18.039 --> 00:31:20.480
<v Speaker 3>that sort of stuff. You can look across the league.

649
00:31:20.519 --> 00:31:23.000
<v Speaker 3>I mean, Kurt Man's doing it exceptionally at the Dogs.

650
00:31:24.319 --> 00:31:26.680
<v Speaker 3>Leam Martin has been at penwith doing the same thing

651
00:31:26.720 --> 00:31:30.160
<v Speaker 3>for EON's Canber has just got about an entire side

652
00:31:30.200 --> 00:31:33.599
<v Speaker 3>full of them. And I look around our side and

653
00:31:34.480 --> 00:31:37.440
<v Speaker 3>look a simwell, a finer I can see most definitely

654
00:31:37.640 --> 00:31:41.279
<v Speaker 3>growing into that mold. Seafath tries to do it and

655
00:31:41.400 --> 00:31:46.119
<v Speaker 3>ends up slipping over and getting sent off. But I think, yeah,

656
00:31:46.519 --> 00:31:50.480
<v Speaker 3>in terms of prop I think that impact specifically, somebody

657
00:31:50.519 --> 00:31:54.519
<v Speaker 3>who is geared to be a momentum change. I hate

658
00:31:54.519 --> 00:31:56.440
<v Speaker 3>to say it because it's the low hanging fruit, but

659
00:31:56.960 --> 00:31:59.680
<v Speaker 3>someone in the Spencer Lenu mold that can do it

660
00:31:59.720 --> 00:32:02.319
<v Speaker 3>on both sides of the ball would be a big

661
00:32:02.359 --> 00:32:03.559
<v Speaker 3>difference to us.

662
00:32:03.920 --> 00:32:09.759
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. It's funny, Nick, because we last off season we

663
00:32:09.759 --> 00:32:13.640
<v Speaker 2>were talking about Skeleton and Taruva providing something different to us,

664
00:32:13.680 --> 00:32:16.839
<v Speaker 2>and that's getting some momentum going at the start of sets,

665
00:32:17.119 --> 00:32:19.480
<v Speaker 2>and we've kind of got that nailed and they've brought

666
00:32:19.519 --> 00:32:22.799
<v Speaker 2>that and we're going bang bang off the kick and

667
00:32:22.839 --> 00:32:25.160
<v Speaker 2>then we kind of go blok and grind to a halt.

668
00:32:25.240 --> 00:32:29.400
<v Speaker 2>So you're of the same opinion. If we've got a

669
00:32:29.440 --> 00:32:32.519
<v Speaker 2>guy or two that can just get that line going

670
00:32:32.519 --> 00:32:36.799
<v Speaker 2>and get that momentum going in our favor and gaining

671
00:32:36.839 --> 00:32:40.359
<v Speaker 2>us that extra ten or fifteen meters a set.

672
00:32:40.400 --> 00:32:41.319
<v Speaker 4>It campletely agree.

673
00:32:41.359 --> 00:32:44.079
<v Speaker 5>And your example there is just about you know, those

674
00:32:44.200 --> 00:32:48.079
<v Speaker 5>sets being started by a Jurel Skelton and Taruba, you know,

675
00:32:48.119 --> 00:32:50.000
<v Speaker 5>taking the first couple of hit ups to Ruver's been

676
00:32:50.039 --> 00:32:53.039
<v Speaker 5>taking probably two hit ups a set, like he's doing

677
00:32:53.079 --> 00:32:56.039
<v Speaker 5>half the work that the forward should be doing. I know,

678
00:32:56.319 --> 00:32:58.200
<v Speaker 5>I'll go back again to that Bulldogs game, and I

679
00:32:58.200 --> 00:33:00.400
<v Speaker 5>know the conditions are terrible because it was wet, heavy,

680
00:33:01.480 --> 00:33:03.680
<v Speaker 5>but the forwards we're having a lot of trouble, especially

681
00:33:03.680 --> 00:33:06.720
<v Speaker 5>in that second half, getting back on side after each set,

682
00:33:07.839 --> 00:33:10.680
<v Speaker 5>well after the balls returned back to us. So Uva

683
00:33:10.799 --> 00:33:12.880
<v Speaker 5>was doing a lot of that extra work. But I

684
00:33:12.960 --> 00:33:15.519
<v Speaker 5>definitely agree, And you know Gary said a lot during

685
00:33:15.559 --> 00:33:20.079
<v Speaker 5>this year Terrell May is brilliant. He can be an

686
00:33:20.079 --> 00:33:22.319
<v Speaker 5>eighty minute player. I know he probably wants to be

687
00:33:22.319 --> 00:33:24.599
<v Speaker 5>an eighty minute player. I know he's played probably seventy

688
00:33:24.640 --> 00:33:28.200
<v Speaker 5>a lot, especially the back half of this year, seventy minutes.

689
00:33:28.599 --> 00:33:32.440
<v Speaker 5>But we do need someone to compliment what he does

690
00:33:32.559 --> 00:33:36.000
<v Speaker 5>or add to what he doesn't bring. And while he's

691
00:33:36.160 --> 00:33:37.799
<v Speaker 5>a big man and he's hard to bring down and

692
00:33:37.799 --> 00:33:39.480
<v Speaker 5>he can punch out a lot of minutes, he doesn't

693
00:33:39.519 --> 00:33:43.720
<v Speaker 5>have that sort of phenol poly type impact when.

694
00:33:43.519 --> 00:33:44.440
<v Speaker 4>He hits the line.

695
00:33:45.680 --> 00:33:48.079
<v Speaker 5>Spencer lenu Zach would be perfect. And I know his

696
00:33:48.200 --> 00:33:50.079
<v Speaker 5>name has been thrown around a couple of times, even

697
00:33:51.160 --> 00:33:53.000
<v Speaker 5>towards the start of this season, or maybe it was

698
00:33:53.000 --> 00:33:56.200
<v Speaker 5>the end of last season. I'm not sure what's happening

699
00:33:56.240 --> 00:33:58.920
<v Speaker 5>with him contract wise, but and I have heard some

700
00:33:59.000 --> 00:34:02.279
<v Speaker 5>rumblings that he's maybe not happy in the East and suburbs.

701
00:34:02.480 --> 00:34:04.039
<v Speaker 5>I mean, why would you hold and want to live

702
00:34:04.079 --> 00:34:06.839
<v Speaker 5>in the East and Well, no way. I'm much happier

703
00:34:06.839 --> 00:34:11.519
<v Speaker 5>about Concord sort Penrith area or Kempbelltown area. But I'd

704
00:34:11.559 --> 00:34:14.400
<v Speaker 5>love a player like him, sort of with some controlled

705
00:34:14.400 --> 00:34:19.480
<v Speaker 5>aggression like Alex Cefaff has, but with physical impact on

706
00:34:19.519 --> 00:34:22.280
<v Speaker 5>top of that and some muscle. I think is exactly

707
00:34:22.360 --> 00:34:24.400
<v Speaker 5>the type of play we need. So yeah, definitely needs

708
00:34:24.440 --> 00:34:26.079
<v Speaker 5>someone hard hitting in the props.

709
00:34:26.599 --> 00:34:30.840
<v Speaker 3>We saw. We saw nick a proto type performance by

710
00:34:31.159 --> 00:34:34.880
<v Speaker 3>Alex Twile in the Bulldogs game. If you go back

711
00:34:34.880 --> 00:34:37.119
<v Speaker 3>and watch, I said in the show, in our show

712
00:34:37.199 --> 00:34:39.920
<v Speaker 3>last week, he put about four or five giant hits

713
00:34:39.920 --> 00:34:42.639
<v Speaker 3>on that he didn't wasn't required to do, and he

714
00:34:42.719 --> 00:34:45.519
<v Speaker 3>nearly Kmkazi one or two blocks in the meantime as well.

715
00:34:46.519 --> 00:34:49.400
<v Speaker 3>So I'm not suggesting that Twali is that guy, but

716
00:34:49.440 --> 00:34:51.800
<v Speaker 3>I'm saying that type of role. We saw it and

717
00:34:51.840 --> 00:34:55.159
<v Speaker 3>it was tremendous and it really really caught my attention

718
00:34:55.199 --> 00:34:57.800
<v Speaker 3>because what you're alluding to there as well, he played

719
00:34:57.840 --> 00:35:01.400
<v Speaker 3>that role. The problem for Twili in he shaved his hand,

720
00:35:01.440 --> 00:35:04.400
<v Speaker 3>so I know he can do it so when we're

721
00:35:04.440 --> 00:35:06.199
<v Speaker 3>not seeing that impetus out of him, when we're not

722
00:35:06.199 --> 00:35:09.440
<v Speaker 3>seeing him taking the game to the opposition, which he

723
00:35:10.280 --> 00:35:12.000
<v Speaker 3>I love to Ali, but he can. He can be

724
00:35:12.480 --> 00:35:15.320
<v Speaker 3>somebody who goes through the motions a bit of a

725
00:35:15.360 --> 00:35:19.159
<v Speaker 3>stat runner. Then the goodness may if he can, if

726
00:35:19.199 --> 00:35:21.679
<v Speaker 3>he can find that string to his bow, maybe he's

727
00:35:21.719 --> 00:35:23.480
<v Speaker 3>the long lost hope. I won't hold my breath, but

728
00:35:24.800 --> 00:35:26.400
<v Speaker 3>the proof of concept is there.

729
00:35:26.400 --> 00:35:31.199
<v Speaker 2>At least Lake Blue may be very late, our longest

730
00:35:31.239 --> 00:35:34.679
<v Speaker 2>serving player. When was the last time a team won

731
00:35:34.679 --> 00:35:39.320
<v Speaker 2>a premiership without without one of those guys? Like maybe

732
00:35:39.320 --> 00:35:42.039
<v Speaker 2>we didn't have it in five, but I can't really

733
00:35:42.079 --> 00:35:45.719
<v Speaker 2>think of a team that hasn't got that forward leader

734
00:35:45.840 --> 00:35:48.119
<v Speaker 2>or a couple of those guys that just go bang bang.

735
00:35:48.280 --> 00:35:50.559
<v Speaker 2>And I think if you looked at our team and

736
00:35:50.599 --> 00:35:53.239
<v Speaker 2>you threw in a lean you I think that I

737
00:35:53.280 --> 00:35:56.480
<v Speaker 2>think we're certainties for top eight. I think if you

738
00:35:56.480 --> 00:35:58.440
<v Speaker 2>put him in our team, that's that's how important I

739
00:35:58.440 --> 00:36:01.679
<v Speaker 2>think it is to it a little bit like Penrith.

740
00:36:02.039 --> 00:36:04.599
<v Speaker 2>I think a lot of the reason why Penrith struggled

741
00:36:04.599 --> 00:36:07.000
<v Speaker 2>earlier in the year as James Fisher Harris wasn't there.

742
00:36:07.119 --> 00:36:09.519
<v Speaker 2>I mean he if there was a guy that you

743
00:36:09.559 --> 00:36:13.639
<v Speaker 2>could that you could buy in terms of props, he would.

744
00:36:13.679 --> 00:36:15.480
<v Speaker 2>He would have been ideal for the West Tigers. You

745
00:36:15.480 --> 00:36:17.679
<v Speaker 2>put him in our team and I think we were

746
00:36:17.760 --> 00:36:19.320
<v Speaker 2>Our performances would have been a lot better. So we

747
00:36:19.360 --> 00:36:20.880
<v Speaker 2>need to find one. The trouble is is that we

748
00:36:21.000 --> 00:36:23.559
<v Speaker 2>don't seem to be growing them and they're not too

749
00:36:23.599 --> 00:36:26.719
<v Speaker 2>easy to come by. So because every team wants to

750
00:36:26.719 --> 00:36:30.320
<v Speaker 2>hang on to their impact forwards, but it's something maybe

751
00:36:30.360 --> 00:36:33.440
<v Speaker 2>even the UK Zach might be worth looking at, or

752
00:36:34.119 --> 00:36:37.079
<v Speaker 2>I just think it's just a vital need. Like I've

753
00:36:37.119 --> 00:36:40.519
<v Speaker 2>got big raps on Siony Feiner. He's really reliable, but

754
00:36:41.000 --> 00:36:44.639
<v Speaker 2>he's not your number one man. And Derell plays the

755
00:36:44.760 --> 00:36:47.400
<v Speaker 2>game that we all know he plays now, but it's

756
00:36:47.440 --> 00:36:49.559
<v Speaker 2>just so desperately needed. I just don't know, We've got

757
00:36:49.559 --> 00:36:52.559
<v Speaker 2>to look outside the box or something to find some impact.

758
00:36:52.760 --> 00:36:54.239
<v Speaker 3>I think a lot of people, I think for Noah

759
00:36:54.239 --> 00:36:56.039
<v Speaker 3>Ballet is that player. A lot of people are hoping

760
00:36:56.119 --> 00:36:59.559
<v Speaker 3>will grow into that, and I don't think it will

761
00:36:59.559 --> 00:37:02.639
<v Speaker 3>come as a us prize to most people that you know.

762
00:37:03.000 --> 00:37:05.960
<v Speaker 3>I think many are wishing he was a little bit

763
00:37:05.960 --> 00:37:08.360
<v Speaker 3>further down that road. But again, age people forget that

764
00:37:08.519 --> 00:37:13.039
<v Speaker 3>Venua is only just twenty two. I think we sleep

765
00:37:13.079 --> 00:37:15.519
<v Speaker 3>on a little bit. I think is very very quickly

766
00:37:15.559 --> 00:37:20.159
<v Speaker 3>putting a pretty darn good resume together that he particularly

767
00:37:20.199 --> 00:37:22.519
<v Speaker 3>from the I like him starting, but particularly from the bench.

768
00:37:22.559 --> 00:37:25.920
<v Speaker 3>He he just has a knack for being impactful, whether

769
00:37:25.960 --> 00:37:29.239
<v Speaker 3>it's footwork at the line, a little hit, a little bobble,

770
00:37:29.320 --> 00:37:32.679
<v Speaker 3>or sneaky strip that doesn't get picked up, or you know,

771
00:37:33.199 --> 00:37:35.280
<v Speaker 3>there's there's a couple of names floating around cap. I

772
00:37:35.280 --> 00:37:38.199
<v Speaker 3>know that Peter Tartello, I think it is it came

773
00:37:38.199 --> 00:37:40.400
<v Speaker 3>over from CAMBERU midseason, has been doing some pretty good

774
00:37:40.440 --> 00:37:45.719
<v Speaker 3>things in that type of mold. So yeah, look, there's

775
00:37:45.880 --> 00:37:48.000
<v Speaker 3>there's certainly options and it's it's going to be interesting

776
00:37:48.039 --> 00:37:50.960
<v Speaker 3>the way that they go into next year. I don't

777
00:37:51.000 --> 00:37:54.800
<v Speaker 3>know that we have the cap space to go out

778
00:37:54.840 --> 00:37:57.960
<v Speaker 3>and hunt somebody of note on that. So then you

779
00:37:58.840 --> 00:38:02.840
<v Speaker 3>awesome pipe dream and I hope that Richie can pull

780
00:38:02.840 --> 00:38:06.599
<v Speaker 3>it off. He's pulled off far crazier cups in his time.

781
00:38:06.679 --> 00:38:09.760
<v Speaker 3>But if we can uncover one like I guess you're

782
00:38:09.800 --> 00:38:13.639
<v Speaker 3>alluding to there, then yeah, I think, as you say,

783
00:38:14.199 --> 00:38:18.800
<v Speaker 3>whilst not a fair complete goodness, may it would change

784
00:38:18.800 --> 00:38:21.039
<v Speaker 3>the dynamic of the side in a lot of ways.

785
00:38:21.039 --> 00:38:23.039
<v Speaker 3>And I think far too often we are the hunted

786
00:38:23.599 --> 00:38:25.199
<v Speaker 3>and we need a couple of hunters in the side.

787
00:38:25.519 --> 00:38:30.320
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, exactly, that's it. We've need them for a while. Yeah, Okay,

788
00:38:30.400 --> 00:38:32.760
<v Speaker 2>let's have a look at some re What do we

789
00:38:32.800 --> 00:38:34.679
<v Speaker 2>want to do first? We want to do pessimistic first

790
00:38:34.800 --> 00:38:36.760
<v Speaker 2>or optimistic first for twenty twenty six.

791
00:38:37.400 --> 00:38:39.239
<v Speaker 5>I don't think we can finish in the bin. I

792
00:38:39.320 --> 00:38:41.599
<v Speaker 5>think we should start with the pessimistic that.

793
00:38:43.199 --> 00:38:45.599
<v Speaker 3>It's the easiest with this club anyway.

794
00:38:45.800 --> 00:38:50.760
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, yeah, Well the good thing was that our

795
00:38:51.079 --> 00:38:53.360
<v Speaker 2>on the on the forum, on the podcast FUM, nobody

796
00:38:53.440 --> 00:38:57.519
<v Speaker 2>left any pessimistic answers. They left optimistic. So I can

797
00:38:57.559 --> 00:39:01.679
<v Speaker 2>start with my three pessimistic The first one related very

798
00:39:01.719 --> 00:39:04.519
<v Speaker 2>much to what we're talking about now. Still look a

799
00:39:04.599 --> 00:39:08.000
<v Speaker 2>little bit light up front. That's number one reason to

800
00:39:08.000 --> 00:39:10.639
<v Speaker 2>be pessimistic about twenty twenty six for the West Tigers

801
00:39:10.719 --> 00:39:16.360
<v Speaker 2>as far as I'm concerned. Another one's the Buller contract situation.

802
00:39:16.639 --> 00:39:19.079
<v Speaker 2>I think that might be something that hangs over the

803
00:39:19.119 --> 00:39:23.840
<v Speaker 2>club a little bit next year. Nick, the Buller situation

804
00:39:24.320 --> 00:39:26.400
<v Speaker 2>is one that we're going to want to put away

805
00:39:26.599 --> 00:39:28.119
<v Speaker 2>as quickly as possible.

806
00:39:27.760 --> 00:39:29.119
<v Speaker 4>I think agreed.

807
00:39:29.280 --> 00:39:32.159
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, He's definitely a player that adds a hell of

808
00:39:32.159 --> 00:39:34.440
<v Speaker 5>a lot to our team. You saw that last week

809
00:39:34.480 --> 00:39:38.239
<v Speaker 5>when he came back for injury. His quality and he's

810
00:39:38.239 --> 00:39:41.119
<v Speaker 5>getting better and he will continue to get better with

811
00:39:41.440 --> 00:39:43.920
<v Speaker 5>better quality plays around him. So he's definitely gone to

812
00:39:43.960 --> 00:39:47.800
<v Speaker 5>another level in my opinion this season. He's one hundred

813
00:39:47.800 --> 00:39:48.320
<v Speaker 5>percent of play.

814
00:39:48.320 --> 00:39:49.119
<v Speaker 4>We've got a lockdown.

815
00:39:49.199 --> 00:39:52.519
<v Speaker 5>So I get very worried when I know we talked

816
00:39:52.519 --> 00:39:54.519
<v Speaker 5>about it last week or the week before when we

817
00:39:54.599 --> 00:39:57.039
<v Speaker 5>spoke about whether it was him or not sitting in

818
00:39:57.039 --> 00:40:00.559
<v Speaker 5>the Bulldogs camp now watching Galvin a few weeks ago,

819
00:40:01.760 --> 00:40:03.960
<v Speaker 5>and I spoke about when the Bulldogs players all came

820
00:40:04.000 --> 00:40:06.000
<v Speaker 5>over and shook his hand after the game last week

821
00:40:06.320 --> 00:40:08.239
<v Speaker 5>and they said more than a nice game to him,

822
00:40:08.280 --> 00:40:10.679
<v Speaker 5>they all had a real big hugain. They look very

823
00:40:10.679 --> 00:40:12.840
<v Speaker 5>friendly to him. So that makes me a bit concerned,

824
00:40:12.880 --> 00:40:16.760
<v Speaker 5>and but he feel good. Was on X yesterday posting

825
00:40:16.840 --> 00:40:19.239
<v Speaker 5>you know a photo where am I and he was

826
00:40:19.280 --> 00:40:22.760
<v Speaker 5>clearly sitting at like cutover, probably watching lower grades game,

827
00:40:22.840 --> 00:40:26.440
<v Speaker 5>but probably nothing to do with West Tigers. But I thought,

828
00:40:26.480 --> 00:40:28.599
<v Speaker 5>that's the type of person that's going to come and

829
00:40:28.639 --> 00:40:32.400
<v Speaker 5>poach someone like Dream Buller, and he's definitely a key

830
00:40:32.440 --> 00:40:34.119
<v Speaker 5>piece of that puzzle that we can't.

831
00:40:33.840 --> 00:40:35.519
<v Speaker 4>Lose, So he needs to be retained.

832
00:40:36.800 --> 00:40:39.199
<v Speaker 2>Zach. I think it's not just what he brings, but

833
00:40:39.440 --> 00:40:44.079
<v Speaker 2>just the optics of losing a young player like Buller

834
00:40:44.280 --> 00:40:46.679
<v Speaker 2>and what that would mean for our for our brand,

835
00:40:46.880 --> 00:40:49.920
<v Speaker 2>like Galvin. You can a lot of people had sympathy

836
00:40:49.960 --> 00:40:51.840
<v Speaker 2>for the club for Galvin, like we were kind of

837
00:40:51.840 --> 00:40:56.679
<v Speaker 2>got a bit taken there a little bit had the silver. Still,

838
00:40:56.800 --> 00:40:58.880
<v Speaker 2>most people who aren't in the game would say that

839
00:40:58.920 --> 00:41:01.519
<v Speaker 2>he's not approven first, yet they can see that. They

840
00:41:01.519 --> 00:41:04.000
<v Speaker 2>can see that, you know, we had happy there, and

841
00:41:04.039 --> 00:41:05.760
<v Speaker 2>you can kind of see the logic behind it. But

842
00:41:05.880 --> 00:41:08.719
<v Speaker 2>I think losing Baller would be a really, really bad

843
00:41:08.760 --> 00:41:09.199
<v Speaker 2>look for the.

844
00:41:09.159 --> 00:41:13.000
<v Speaker 3>Club in a lot of ways. What I love about

845
00:41:13.079 --> 00:41:16.800
<v Speaker 3>Jeram is he is so authentic and he's marketable for

846
00:41:16.840 --> 00:41:20.880
<v Speaker 3>that reason. He gets around to so many positive charitable

847
00:41:21.039 --> 00:41:25.440
<v Speaker 3>events and movements and doesn't chase fan fare. He's quietly spoken,

848
00:41:25.440 --> 00:41:27.760
<v Speaker 3>he's humble, and then he just has the skills and

849
00:41:27.760 --> 00:41:30.639
<v Speaker 3>ability on top of it. So those types of players,

850
00:41:31.039 --> 00:41:34.280
<v Speaker 3>I could eat them up all day. He's tremendous, he's classy.

851
00:41:34.280 --> 00:41:36.920
<v Speaker 3>We've only just scratched the surface for what it's worth.

852
00:41:37.320 --> 00:41:39.880
<v Speaker 3>I don't think he's going anywhere, And in fact, the

853
00:41:39.920 --> 00:41:42.719
<v Speaker 3>fact that is or Isaac Moses is managing him now

854
00:41:43.159 --> 00:41:46.800
<v Speaker 3>makes me even more confident, because Isaac Moses above all

855
00:41:46.840 --> 00:41:50.760
<v Speaker 3>other things, including Benji. My assumption I don't know him personally.

856
00:41:50.760 --> 00:41:52.519
<v Speaker 3>My assumption is that he would hate not getting a

857
00:41:52.519 --> 00:41:57.840
<v Speaker 3>good deal for himself, and if he doesn't renegotiate Dream's contract,

858
00:41:58.719 --> 00:42:01.440
<v Speaker 3>we take up the offer at nine hundred, Dream gets

859
00:42:01.559 --> 00:42:04.280
<v Speaker 3>nine hundred, We get Dream and Isaac gets nothing. Has

860
00:42:04.320 --> 00:42:07.239
<v Speaker 3>to wait another twelve months. So that gives me a

861
00:42:07.280 --> 00:42:09.280
<v Speaker 3>little bit of confidence that we might see a resign

862
00:42:09.360 --> 00:42:11.719
<v Speaker 3>because he doesn't mind lining the back pockets in the

863
00:42:11.840 --> 00:42:14.199
<v Speaker 3>right way, does Dear Isaac?

864
00:42:14.800 --> 00:42:17.719
<v Speaker 5>Maybe Isaac Moses also feels like he needs to keep

865
00:42:18.320 --> 00:42:21.280
<v Speaker 5>a part of his clientele within the West Tigers so

866
00:42:21.719 --> 00:42:26.440
<v Speaker 5>he doesn't become completely alienated by the club because obviously.

867
00:42:26.840 --> 00:42:27.760
<v Speaker 4>If he starts.

868
00:42:28.000 --> 00:42:30.400
<v Speaker 5>I know his stories is that the Roosters refuse to

869
00:42:30.440 --> 00:42:32.519
<v Speaker 5>sign a player that's managed by Isaac Moses.

870
00:42:32.519 --> 00:42:33.440
<v Speaker 4>I think it's something I've heard.

871
00:42:33.480 --> 00:42:35.920
<v Speaker 5>Whether that's true or not, I'm not entirely sure, but

872
00:42:36.559 --> 00:42:38.719
<v Speaker 5>he wouldn't want to get to a point in his

873
00:42:39.000 --> 00:42:42.360
<v Speaker 5>in his career where, you know, there's a sad amount

874
00:42:42.360 --> 00:42:45.199
<v Speaker 5>of NRL clubs that don't want to entertain his players,

875
00:42:45.199 --> 00:42:47.719
<v Speaker 5>because that'll make it harder for him to, you know,

876
00:42:47.920 --> 00:42:50.519
<v Speaker 5>to sell off those players or to give them contracts.

877
00:42:50.519 --> 00:42:53.880
<v Speaker 5>So yeah, that might be that might be an angle

878
00:42:53.920 --> 00:42:56.119
<v Speaker 5>that he might have to work on too to you know,

879
00:42:56.280 --> 00:42:57.159
<v Speaker 5>maybe that's an idea.

880
00:42:57.159 --> 00:42:57.840
<v Speaker 4>I like that idea.

881
00:42:57.920 --> 00:43:01.719
<v Speaker 5>Zach Dream has to stay West Tigers with Isaac Moses.

882
00:43:03.320 --> 00:43:05.280
<v Speaker 2>I like it. Well, let's hope it go. It's a

883
00:43:05.320 --> 00:43:07.880
<v Speaker 2>situation that we can put behind us and move forward.

884
00:43:09.239 --> 00:43:11.679
<v Speaker 2>Also for him at this point in his career where

885
00:43:11.719 --> 00:43:14.239
<v Speaker 2>he is really turning into a really good first grader,

886
00:43:14.440 --> 00:43:16.000
<v Speaker 2>just to put it away, get it out of the way,

887
00:43:16.000 --> 00:43:18.039
<v Speaker 2>and not having hanging over you, you know, coming into

888
00:43:18.320 --> 00:43:21.800
<v Speaker 2>such an important year in twenty twenty six, and last

889
00:43:21.800 --> 00:43:24.960
<v Speaker 2>one for me was still at this point in August

890
00:43:25.000 --> 00:43:27.079
<v Speaker 2>twenty twenty five, and I look at the twenty twenty

891
00:43:27.079 --> 00:43:32.119
<v Speaker 2>six roster, there's still some non performers or some guys

892
00:43:32.159 --> 00:43:36.320
<v Speaker 2>that are shreder shreda worthy still hanging around. So it'd

893
00:43:36.320 --> 00:43:38.639
<v Speaker 2>be nice to sort of clear out a little bit

894
00:43:38.639 --> 00:43:40.679
<v Speaker 2>more dead would. We've done a pretty good job so far,

895
00:43:40.960 --> 00:43:44.079
<v Speaker 2>but a little bit more there would make me happy.

896
00:43:44.079 --> 00:43:46.800
<v Speaker 2>It maybe open up a couple of more spots. It

897
00:43:46.840 --> 00:43:49.800
<v Speaker 2>would be nice to get that Sullivan situation lockdown as

898
00:43:49.800 --> 00:43:51.920
<v Speaker 2>well and get that spot opened up. I don't see

899
00:43:51.960 --> 00:43:54.760
<v Speaker 2>it being good for Sullivan, al West tigers him coming

900
00:43:54.800 --> 00:43:56.679
<v Speaker 2>back here. So they are my three reasons to be

901
00:43:56.719 --> 00:43:59.920
<v Speaker 2>pessimistic at this stage. What do we got guys, Nick?

902
00:44:00.039 --> 00:44:02.719
<v Speaker 2>What do you got for us? And the pessimistic stakes.

903
00:44:03.000 --> 00:44:06.000
<v Speaker 5>I really didn't enjoy putting any pessimistic points out there, Joel.

904
00:44:06.039 --> 00:44:09.480
<v Speaker 5>To be honest, I really did enjoy putting the optimistic

905
00:44:09.519 --> 00:44:12.239
<v Speaker 5>ones down, but pessimistic was a bit of a challenge.

906
00:44:12.239 --> 00:44:15.239
<v Speaker 5>But my first one is exactly what you spoke about.

907
00:44:15.639 --> 00:44:18.159
<v Speaker 5>I said, you know, players like Galvin and Tallon leaving

908
00:44:18.519 --> 00:44:21.440
<v Speaker 5>or wanting out during the middle of this season is

909
00:44:21.480 --> 00:44:25.320
<v Speaker 5>a trend that we've seen in the past. So you know,

910
00:44:25.480 --> 00:44:28.400
<v Speaker 5>that's damaged us for a good eight years since you know, Tedesco,

911
00:44:29.000 --> 00:44:32.000
<v Speaker 5>Moses and Woods left and it's been very, very hard

912
00:44:32.000 --> 00:44:37.039
<v Speaker 5>to recover out of that. So you know, again I'm scratching,

913
00:44:37.119 --> 00:44:40.159
<v Speaker 5>but you know, Galvin probably will go on to a

914
00:44:40.239 --> 00:44:43.639
<v Speaker 5>decent NROL career, hopefully not too good Talon the jury

915
00:44:43.679 --> 00:44:47.079
<v Speaker 5>is still out, But yeah, we don't want to see

916
00:44:47.079 --> 00:44:50.880
<v Speaker 5>more young players. I'll throw out a scenario, what if

917
00:44:51.159 --> 00:44:53.480
<v Speaker 5>Hamasi comes out middle of next year and says, I'm

918
00:44:53.519 --> 00:44:55.599
<v Speaker 5>not happy playing under benj you want to go somewhere else.

919
00:44:58.320 --> 00:45:01.079
<v Speaker 5>I know, but that these kids are enirational players, right

920
00:45:01.159 --> 00:45:03.719
<v Speaker 5>and same as Tedesco. Look at what Tedesco has gone

921
00:45:03.719 --> 00:45:06.840
<v Speaker 5>and achieve in his owner L career. So it's just

922
00:45:06.880 --> 00:45:10.119
<v Speaker 5>the fear of that continuing to happen. But maybe this

923
00:45:10.159 --> 00:45:12.800
<v Speaker 5>is the point in the club's history where we do

924
00:45:12.880 --> 00:45:14.599
<v Speaker 5>turn the tables and these guys want to stay, and

925
00:45:14.679 --> 00:45:16.960
<v Speaker 5>that's what I'm very hopeful will happen under Benji. So

926
00:45:17.960 --> 00:45:21.239
<v Speaker 5>that was my first one. The second one I put

927
00:45:21.280 --> 00:45:24.360
<v Speaker 5>down was the uncertainty around Campbelltown Stadium and what's going

928
00:45:24.400 --> 00:45:28.280
<v Speaker 5>to happen going forward, and you know, not just playing

929
00:45:28.320 --> 00:45:30.840
<v Speaker 5>at that stadium, but our overall presence in the Southwest

930
00:45:30.840 --> 00:45:33.440
<v Speaker 5>off the back of that, because we can't have the

931
00:45:33.440 --> 00:45:38.000
<v Speaker 5>West Tigers not playing out of that Campbelltown region. So

932
00:45:38.719 --> 00:45:40.880
<v Speaker 5>I don't know what's going to happen. I know Richo

933
00:45:41.039 --> 00:45:42.679
<v Speaker 5>came out and said a while ago that if we

934
00:45:42.679 --> 00:45:44.960
<v Speaker 5>didn't secure funds, I think it was by the end

935
00:45:45.000 --> 00:45:48.159
<v Speaker 5>of June, or I think it was June, that we

936
00:45:48.159 --> 00:45:50.719
<v Speaker 5>weren't going to play it in twenty twenty six. I

937
00:45:50.760 --> 00:45:53.559
<v Speaker 5>haven't heard any certainly around that rumor. I don't know

938
00:45:53.559 --> 00:45:54.199
<v Speaker 5>if you guys have.

939
00:45:54.360 --> 00:45:57.400
<v Speaker 3>So I think originally it had lapstill come close to

940
00:45:57.440 --> 00:46:01.760
<v Speaker 3>lapsing and he gave him a brief extension round line. Yeah, okay,

941
00:46:01.760 --> 00:46:02.079
<v Speaker 3>there you go.

942
00:46:02.880 --> 00:46:05.639
<v Speaker 5>Okay, So hopefully that's still ticking. On in the background

943
00:46:05.679 --> 00:46:09.239
<v Speaker 5>because we definitely need to get Cameltown upgraded, as we

944
00:46:09.280 --> 00:46:12.559
<v Speaker 5>are hopefully doing very soon at like Art, so we

945
00:46:12.599 --> 00:46:15.880
<v Speaker 5>can cement our footprint out there and keep players or

946
00:46:15.920 --> 00:46:18.760
<v Speaker 5>teams like you know, the Bulldogs and Penrith away from

947
00:46:18.760 --> 00:46:20.760
<v Speaker 5>that Southwest corridor because that is ourse.

948
00:46:21.159 --> 00:46:24.440
<v Speaker 2>It's a It's a strange world where an inner city

949
00:46:25.599 --> 00:46:29.320
<v Speaker 2>you know, seat whichever way you want to describe it

950
00:46:29.719 --> 00:46:34.519
<v Speaker 2>from an electric electoral position or a politics position, gets

951
00:46:34.519 --> 00:46:37.440
<v Speaker 2>funding for an upgrade. But out in the southwest where

952
00:46:37.440 --> 00:46:40.360
<v Speaker 2>there's an airport and there's all of this development and

953
00:46:41.079 --> 00:46:43.719
<v Speaker 2>thousands of new homes and it can't get any funding.

954
00:46:43.719 --> 00:46:46.760
<v Speaker 2>And I know politics is involved, but it's a topsy

955
00:46:46.760 --> 00:46:48.920
<v Speaker 2>turvy world. It should be Cambelltown that's going ahead and

956
00:46:48.920 --> 00:46:51.920
<v Speaker 2>getting the new you know, forty million dollars or whatever

957
00:46:51.920 --> 00:46:54.159
<v Speaker 2>it was investment that like Art's getting. It's it's a

958
00:46:54.199 --> 00:46:56.800
<v Speaker 2>little bit topsy turvy and counterintuitive because you'd think it

959
00:46:56.840 --> 00:47:00.679
<v Speaker 2>would be out there where there's you know, voters to

960
00:47:00.719 --> 00:47:02.440
<v Speaker 2>win over and those sorts of things.

961
00:47:02.440 --> 00:47:05.679
<v Speaker 3>But yeah, and just seeing a gy and growth area

962
00:47:05.800 --> 00:47:08.920
<v Speaker 3>too exactly think that's where investment would be going. Not

963
00:47:08.960 --> 00:47:11.239
<v Speaker 3>that I'm complaining about the capitol they're boring into like out,

964
00:47:11.239 --> 00:47:13.840
<v Speaker 3>because I'm pretty excited about what that's going to become.

965
00:47:13.559 --> 00:47:19.199
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, waiting say, you're absolutely right, Nick. It's such

966
00:47:19.239 --> 00:47:21.000
<v Speaker 2>a big part of West Tigers and if we're not

967
00:47:21.039 --> 00:47:24.400
<v Speaker 2>playing there, then we're not representing the area and it

968
00:47:24.480 --> 00:47:26.400
<v Speaker 2>changes the whole optics of the club.

969
00:47:27.159 --> 00:47:27.960
<v Speaker 4>It really does.

970
00:47:28.079 --> 00:47:30.559
<v Speaker 5>So let's hope Camilltown gets that money because we need

971
00:47:30.599 --> 00:47:33.840
<v Speaker 5>to update that asap. And the last point I had

972
00:47:33.920 --> 00:47:38.000
<v Speaker 5>Joel on my pessimistic side was whether our currents squad

973
00:47:38.039 --> 00:47:40.159
<v Speaker 5>that we have locked in so far for twenty twenty

974
00:47:40.159 --> 00:47:43.400
<v Speaker 5>six will be strong enough to make an improvement on

975
00:47:43.480 --> 00:47:45.679
<v Speaker 5>where we finish over the next month or so in

976
00:47:45.719 --> 00:47:49.880
<v Speaker 5>twenty twenty five. So now we've made great strikes forward

977
00:47:49.920 --> 00:47:54.039
<v Speaker 5>this season, I really hope everyone hopes that we can

978
00:47:54.119 --> 00:47:56.400
<v Speaker 5>build on what we've done so far and improve that

979
00:47:56.519 --> 00:48:00.239
<v Speaker 5>again and be pushing for finals appearance. But yeah, I

980
00:48:00.400 --> 00:48:03.079
<v Speaker 5>just a little bit a little part of me is

981
00:48:03.119 --> 00:48:04.960
<v Speaker 5>afraid that we're just going to tread water again and

982
00:48:05.480 --> 00:48:08.960
<v Speaker 5>finish around the same spot. But you know, I probably

983
00:48:08.960 --> 00:48:12.440
<v Speaker 5>will really come down to those key positions of who

984
00:48:12.480 --> 00:48:15.880
<v Speaker 5>we can recruit over the next you know, a couple

985
00:48:15.880 --> 00:48:18.559
<v Speaker 5>of months, two three months leading into off season, and

986
00:48:18.599 --> 00:48:21.360
<v Speaker 5>then you know, hopefully we're as stronger going to next year.

987
00:48:21.760 --> 00:48:24.480
<v Speaker 2>It's an interesting point, isn't it, Zachus? Twelve months ago

988
00:48:24.480 --> 00:48:27.559
<v Speaker 2>we were sitting here thinking to ourselves and talking about

989
00:48:27.880 --> 00:48:30.519
<v Speaker 2>well Leuai's coming next year and to Uver's coming next year,

990
00:48:30.519 --> 00:48:32.280
<v Speaker 2>and we could kind of see these building blocks that

991
00:48:32.280 --> 00:48:34.079
<v Speaker 2>we're going to take us from here to here hopefully,

992
00:48:34.519 --> 00:48:37.119
<v Speaker 2>but next year not so much. At this stage, it's

993
00:48:37.199 --> 00:48:39.079
<v Speaker 2>kind of like we've kind of got the core and

994
00:48:39.119 --> 00:48:42.159
<v Speaker 2>as Nick saying, is there enough juice in that limit?

995
00:48:42.199 --> 00:48:44.039
<v Speaker 2>Can we make it? Can we blow the balloon up

996
00:48:44.039 --> 00:48:45.079
<v Speaker 2>a little bit more? With what we.

997
00:48:45.079 --> 00:48:48.239
<v Speaker 3>Got the double edged sword? I think, and I've been

998
00:48:48.239 --> 00:48:50.960
<v Speaker 3>speaking about this a lot recently, and in an odd way,

999
00:48:51.000 --> 00:48:53.719
<v Speaker 3>I'm pleased that this squad is looking a lot more

1000
00:48:53.840 --> 00:48:55.880
<v Speaker 3>clear as to what it looks like in the medium term.

1001
00:48:56.519 --> 00:48:58.960
<v Speaker 3>But the difference with the issue that I still have though,

1002
00:48:59.039 --> 00:49:01.079
<v Speaker 3>is that there's a lot of assumption that I personally make,

1003
00:49:01.519 --> 00:49:03.800
<v Speaker 3>and you mentioned a couple of them before, like I've

1004
00:49:03.800 --> 00:49:06.519
<v Speaker 3>got Taylor May in there on that wing, sorry, in

1005
00:49:06.519 --> 00:49:10.639
<v Speaker 3>that center position, but there is question marks about Taylor May. Firstly,

1006
00:49:10.800 --> 00:49:12.519
<v Speaker 3>are we going to resign him. I'm assuming that that

1007
00:49:13.199 --> 00:49:16.440
<v Speaker 3>will be done. It has to be done. But you know,

1008
00:49:16.480 --> 00:49:18.480
<v Speaker 3>how is he going to continue with his recovery? We

1009
00:49:18.559 --> 00:49:20.320
<v Speaker 3>all cross fingers and we hope that's okay, but we

1010
00:49:20.360 --> 00:49:23.320
<v Speaker 3>don't know Latu is he going to kick on to

1011
00:49:23.400 --> 00:49:25.320
<v Speaker 3>that next level enough to have an impact on twenty

1012
00:49:25.320 --> 00:49:27.599
<v Speaker 3>six if at all. I'm very big on Lato. I

1013
00:49:27.599 --> 00:49:29.920
<v Speaker 3>have been since he was at Manly, so I know

1014
00:49:30.000 --> 00:49:32.639
<v Speaker 3>that there is an absolute spectacular player in there. But

1015
00:49:32.679 --> 00:49:35.039
<v Speaker 3>as an example, we don't. You know, these are things

1016
00:49:35.079 --> 00:49:37.760
<v Speaker 3>that I know that I make assumptions about, you know,

1017
00:49:38.199 --> 00:49:40.039
<v Speaker 3>and there's a myriad of them. How is Kai Pierce

1018
00:49:40.079 --> 00:49:42.440
<v Speaker 3>Paul going to fit into a different system? Is that

1019
00:49:42.480 --> 00:49:44.679
<v Speaker 3>going to work on his edge? That that is going

1020
00:49:44.679 --> 00:49:48.679
<v Speaker 3>to take time to develop? You know, So the list

1021
00:49:48.719 --> 00:49:51.599
<v Speaker 3>could go on in that area. You know. We spoke

1022
00:49:51.599 --> 00:49:54.760
<v Speaker 3>about haw Marsi Makassini before, very very careful not to

1023
00:49:54.760 --> 00:49:58.719
<v Speaker 3>blow him up too much, but all the signs point

1024
00:49:58.760 --> 00:50:01.960
<v Speaker 3>to he's going to walk into it and be able

1025
00:50:02.000 --> 00:50:04.719
<v Speaker 3>to do it on his ear, which will be phenomenal

1026
00:50:04.760 --> 00:50:09.679
<v Speaker 3>to witness Joseph's s elite you like. But we don't know.

1027
00:50:09.840 --> 00:50:12.440
<v Speaker 3>These things aren't certain sa Yeah. My first is that

1028
00:50:12.480 --> 00:50:15.440
<v Speaker 3>probably I'm making a few assumptions and leaning on the

1029
00:50:15.480 --> 00:50:18.639
<v Speaker 3>positive and that's sort of a negative. So maybe being

1030
00:50:18.639 --> 00:50:21.039
<v Speaker 3>realistic around some of those squad holes, but they're certainly

1031
00:50:21.559 --> 00:50:23.199
<v Speaker 3>diminishing and that's a pleasing thing.

1032
00:50:23.519 --> 00:50:27.639
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. Yeah, And looks as I'm constantly saying, you need

1033
00:50:27.679 --> 00:50:29.800
<v Speaker 2>to build off consistency, you need to build off a base,

1034
00:50:30.400 --> 00:50:32.559
<v Speaker 2>and hopefully there's a strong enough base there that you

1035
00:50:32.559 --> 00:50:35.719
<v Speaker 2>can just add in and get that extra because ultimately

1036
00:50:35.760 --> 00:50:40.400
<v Speaker 2>it's a twenty percent consistent, twenty percent increase. Let's just

1037
00:50:40.519 --> 00:50:42.159
<v Speaker 2>pull that figure out of the air of where we

1038
00:50:42.239 --> 00:50:44.760
<v Speaker 2>are to where we need to be, because if we won,

1039
00:50:45.440 --> 00:50:48.880
<v Speaker 2>if do we if Galvin grounds that ball, if one

1040
00:50:48.960 --> 00:50:52.119
<v Speaker 2>or two other results go our way, the whole conversation

1041
00:50:52.280 --> 00:50:55.119
<v Speaker 2>is different, and we're instead of talking about finishing on

1042
00:50:55.159 --> 00:50:56.920
<v Speaker 2>twenty eight points, we're talking about how do we get

1043
00:50:56.920 --> 00:50:59.159
<v Speaker 2>the thirty four points next year? Like it's not a

1044
00:50:59.239 --> 00:51:02.239
<v Speaker 2>massive jump that needs to be made, which.

1045
00:51:02.079 --> 00:51:04.960
<v Speaker 3>Is absolutely and it's I think we've lost something like

1046
00:51:04.960 --> 00:51:07.039
<v Speaker 3>five or six games by six points or less this year.

1047
00:51:08.000 --> 00:51:10.599
<v Speaker 3>The Warriors game Surreal may dropped it over the line

1048
00:51:10.639 --> 00:51:13.920
<v Speaker 3>as well. We were two knock ons away from being

1049
00:51:14.079 --> 00:51:16.400
<v Speaker 3>on the edge of the eighth right now, and that's

1050
00:51:16.440 --> 00:51:19.800
<v Speaker 3>having a season I think many would agree has been tumultuous.

1051
00:51:19.920 --> 00:51:21.880
<v Speaker 3>We've had a lot of squad changes. We haven't had

1052
00:51:21.960 --> 00:51:24.239
<v Speaker 3>long term injuries, but we've had our fair share of

1053
00:51:24.280 --> 00:51:29.480
<v Speaker 3>injuries at opportunity times and we haven't, in my opinion,

1054
00:51:29.559 --> 00:51:33.159
<v Speaker 3>particularly an attack played very well. I've been saying for

1055
00:51:33.199 --> 00:51:35.199
<v Speaker 3>a lot of the year this side has looked like

1056
00:51:35.239 --> 00:51:37.119
<v Speaker 3>it is in second gear and just can't quite get

1057
00:51:37.119 --> 00:51:39.639
<v Speaker 3>over that hump. And in spite of that, it's probably

1058
00:51:39.639 --> 00:51:41.559
<v Speaker 3>one of the optimistic things I should mention later. But

1059
00:51:41.599 --> 00:51:43.800
<v Speaker 3>in spite of that, we've still been winning football games.

1060
00:51:43.840 --> 00:51:47.320
<v Speaker 3>But you know, we didn't quite win enough to get

1061
00:51:47.400 --> 00:51:50.880
<v Speaker 3>us to that next level in that next conversation, on

1062
00:51:50.920 --> 00:51:52.920
<v Speaker 3>the edge of finals really even if we are a

1063
00:51:52.920 --> 00:51:56.519
<v Speaker 3>mathematic chance, so it's not that far away. But you know,

1064
00:51:56.599 --> 00:51:59.800
<v Speaker 3>like you said, there's a lot of burials between lot

1065
00:51:59.800 --> 00:52:00.280
<v Speaker 3>of game.

1066
00:52:00.840 --> 00:52:02.239
<v Speaker 5>Yeah, sorry, Zach, I was just going to say a

1067
00:52:02.239 --> 00:52:04.960
<v Speaker 5>lot of those close losses. I don't think he'd find

1068
00:52:05.719 --> 00:52:09.440
<v Speaker 5>better teams like you know, Melbourne and and the Bulldogs

1069
00:52:09.480 --> 00:52:13.719
<v Speaker 5>and the Roosters, even they wouldn't lose those games, they

1070
00:52:13.719 --> 00:52:15.599
<v Speaker 5>would find ways to win those games, and I think

1071
00:52:15.599 --> 00:52:18.800
<v Speaker 5>that will come. So the longer that this team that

1072
00:52:18.840 --> 00:52:21.920
<v Speaker 5>we have is together and the more cohesive we get,

1073
00:52:21.920 --> 00:52:23.800
<v Speaker 5>I think we'll probably get a little bit better in

1074
00:52:23.840 --> 00:52:27.119
<v Speaker 5>terms of managing games. And that probably takes me back

1075
00:52:27.119 --> 00:52:29.199
<v Speaker 5>to even signing someone like ad Agan for the next

1076
00:52:29.280 --> 00:52:32.320
<v Speaker 5>couple of years. He's pretty pivot in that leadership group

1077
00:52:32.320 --> 00:52:35.000
<v Speaker 5>as well. So hopefully next year is the year that,

1078
00:52:35.559 --> 00:52:37.039
<v Speaker 5>you know, we start to win a few more of

1079
00:52:37.079 --> 00:52:39.920
<v Speaker 5>those closer games rather than losing. And like you said, Joel,

1080
00:52:40.159 --> 00:52:43.079
<v Speaker 5>there's not much difference between where we sit now in

1081
00:52:43.119 --> 00:52:45.119
<v Speaker 5>the ladder and where we could be if we icd

1082
00:52:45.119 --> 00:52:47.679
<v Speaker 5>a few of those moments, So we could well be

1083
00:52:47.679 --> 00:52:50.880
<v Speaker 5>sitting here talking about, you know, potentially playing finals, but

1084
00:52:51.519 --> 00:52:52.599
<v Speaker 5>it's probably not going to happen.

1085
00:52:52.679 --> 00:52:53.719
<v Speaker 4>But we're not far away.

1086
00:52:54.039 --> 00:52:58.000
<v Speaker 2>Are you still doing the math? The other thing too

1087
00:52:58.039 --> 00:53:00.320
<v Speaker 2>is if you look at rich O's meter average, like

1088
00:53:00.480 --> 00:53:03.519
<v Speaker 2>if we're shooting for average, and I think the definition

1089
00:53:03.559 --> 00:53:06.719
<v Speaker 2>of average is consistent, so we need to and we've

1090
00:53:06.719 --> 00:53:10.960
<v Speaker 2>been mostly pretty consistent this year, where you know, West

1091
00:53:10.960 --> 00:53:13.320
<v Speaker 2>Tiger's the last maybe five or six years, I mean,

1092
00:53:13.360 --> 00:53:17.719
<v Speaker 2>we've been periods are consistently dreadful but you know, the

1093
00:53:17.760 --> 00:53:22.440
<v Speaker 2>team hasn't been consistently probably since Ivan was here. We've

1094
00:53:22.440 --> 00:53:24.599
<v Speaker 2>been sort of up and down or all over the place.

1095
00:53:24.639 --> 00:53:27.960
<v Speaker 2>So that's maybe something to build on, but we're not

1096
00:53:28.039 --> 00:53:30.920
<v Speaker 2>quite there because Ak's got some more pessimistic points or

1097
00:53:30.920 --> 00:53:32.079
<v Speaker 2>maybe shares some of else.

1098
00:53:32.480 --> 00:53:36.360
<v Speaker 3>Yeah. Yeah, definitely everything you mentioned so far couldn't agree

1099
00:53:36.360 --> 00:53:38.239
<v Speaker 3>with more. Just a couple of quick ones are the

1100
00:53:38.239 --> 00:53:41.400
<v Speaker 3>second ones, very very quick. I still have coaching concerns

1101
00:53:42.840 --> 00:53:47.679
<v Speaker 3>systematically defensively. I've seen big improvement and it's decision making.

1102
00:53:47.719 --> 00:53:50.599
<v Speaker 3>But the defensive systems appear better this year, so hats

1103
00:53:50.599 --> 00:53:53.400
<v Speaker 3>off to John Morris for that. We've still had lapses

1104
00:53:53.400 --> 00:53:56.199
<v Speaker 3>and individual misses, and people will make mistakes, particularly on

1105
00:53:56.239 --> 00:53:58.280
<v Speaker 3>the free quarter line. Now our free quarter line has

1106
00:53:58.320 --> 00:54:01.960
<v Speaker 3>been a disgrace fifteen years. But that's another side. But

1107
00:54:02.159 --> 00:54:05.159
<v Speaker 3>in attack, and I understand we've been missing dream for

1108
00:54:05.239 --> 00:54:07.920
<v Speaker 3>large portions. I understand that we've lost Lockey Galvin a

1109
00:54:08.000 --> 00:54:11.039
<v Speaker 3>third halfway through the season. I understand all of that.

1110
00:54:12.000 --> 00:54:16.760
<v Speaker 3>There's just been times where the attack has looked, as

1111
00:54:16.760 --> 00:54:19.880
<v Speaker 3>we all know, deplorably bad and probably beyond a level

1112
00:54:19.920 --> 00:54:24.960
<v Speaker 3>that is satisfactory. I think Brett Hodgen probably then needs

1113
00:54:26.079 --> 00:54:29.079
<v Speaker 3>to undergo a review of sorts around that, and if

1114
00:54:29.079 --> 00:54:32.360
<v Speaker 3>we can make improvements, so be it, and Benji by extension.

1115
00:54:32.360 --> 00:54:37.719
<v Speaker 3>Obviously nothing nothing happens without Benji's Benji's oversight, and it

1116
00:54:37.760 --> 00:54:39.880
<v Speaker 3>may well be some of his game plans around that too,

1117
00:54:39.920 --> 00:54:41.119
<v Speaker 3>And I think he's got a lot of work to

1118
00:54:41.159 --> 00:54:44.199
<v Speaker 3>do there as well himself. So I still do have

1119
00:54:44.280 --> 00:54:47.440
<v Speaker 3>some concerns about the coaching staff. It's not that my

1120
00:54:48.760 --> 00:54:51.519
<v Speaker 3>methodology is correct by any way, shape or means, but

1121
00:54:51.679 --> 00:54:56.719
<v Speaker 3>I yeah, the questions. There is probably questions to be

1122
00:54:56.760 --> 00:54:58.719
<v Speaker 3>answered there, and Benji may turn around and answer the

1123
00:54:58.760 --> 00:55:01.400
<v Speaker 3>questions with his performances next next year and blow me away.

1124
00:55:01.440 --> 00:55:04.000
<v Speaker 3>And look, I certainly am a supporter of Benji, but

1125
00:55:04.079 --> 00:55:05.840
<v Speaker 3>there's concerns there. I'd be lying if I said that

1126
00:55:05.880 --> 00:55:08.519
<v Speaker 3>there wasn't. Small though they might do.

1127
00:55:08.639 --> 00:55:11.840
<v Speaker 5>You know, I think where Benji's at as an NURL

1128
00:55:11.920 --> 00:55:13.960
<v Speaker 5>coach is probably you could probably say he's on his

1129
00:55:14.039 --> 00:55:17.519
<v Speaker 5>green peas. He'd probably sat through his learner's license a

1130
00:55:17.519 --> 00:55:20.079
<v Speaker 5>few years ago, and last year is probably you know,

1131
00:55:20.639 --> 00:55:22.599
<v Speaker 5>red peas and having a great time, and now he's

1132
00:55:23.000 --> 00:55:25.119
<v Speaker 5>got a bit more responsibility. He can't quite drive the

1133
00:55:25.159 --> 00:55:28.519
<v Speaker 5>speed limit yet, but he's not far away. So hopefully

1134
00:55:28.599 --> 00:55:31.599
<v Speaker 5>next year, you know, he hits his hits the ground running.

1135
00:55:31.639 --> 00:55:33.599
<v Speaker 5>He's got a bit more experience under the belt, and

1136
00:55:33.599 --> 00:55:35.639
<v Speaker 5>I know he's made some better changes bench wise as

1137
00:55:35.679 --> 00:55:39.639
<v Speaker 5>well in recent weeks, so he's still learning on the job.

1138
00:55:39.679 --> 00:55:42.280
<v Speaker 5>But I know he's spoken in recent pods too, he

1139
00:55:42.320 --> 00:55:46.840
<v Speaker 5>probably needs some different people around him on the coaching stuff.

1140
00:55:46.840 --> 00:55:49.440
<v Speaker 5>I'm not sure if anything will change on the coaching

1141
00:55:49.480 --> 00:55:52.760
<v Speaker 5>stuff over the off season, but we'll.

1142
00:55:52.599 --> 00:55:55.519
<v Speaker 4>Wait and see what happens. But I'll back Benji.

1143
00:55:55.599 --> 00:55:58.119
<v Speaker 5>I think he's got what it takes to be a

1144
00:55:58.119 --> 00:56:00.719
<v Speaker 5>good coach. He's definitely good people people manager.

1145
00:56:01.280 --> 00:56:04.039
<v Speaker 2>Well, the counter to that point, Zach is if we're

1146
00:56:04.199 --> 00:56:09.440
<v Speaker 2>if we're talking about the value of consistency, are we

1147
00:56:09.400 --> 00:56:12.480
<v Speaker 2>better off because we talk a lot about he needs

1148
00:56:12.519 --> 00:56:15.719
<v Speaker 2>more experienced people around him, But is there some value

1149
00:56:15.719 --> 00:56:19.679
<v Speaker 2>in keeping a consistent team together that are growing together

1150
00:56:20.079 --> 00:56:23.079
<v Speaker 2>and growing their bonds and rather than bringing in an

1151
00:56:23.079 --> 00:56:25.760
<v Speaker 2>outsider that he's going to blow it all up again?

1152
00:56:25.800 --> 00:56:29.639
<v Speaker 3>Potentially For me, Joel, outcome is everything. So if they

1153
00:56:29.679 --> 00:56:31.320
<v Speaker 3>show over the next month and I've got on winning

1154
00:56:31.320 --> 00:56:33.079
<v Speaker 3>three the next four, I called four or five a

1155
00:56:33.079 --> 00:56:35.320
<v Speaker 3>couple of months ago and got called a lunatic, but

1156
00:56:35.599 --> 00:56:39.159
<v Speaker 3>it's crossed if they finish the next month strong and

1157
00:56:39.199 --> 00:56:41.119
<v Speaker 3>strong doesn't have to mean three or four. Strong can

1158
00:56:41.159 --> 00:56:43.840
<v Speaker 3>mean strong performances even if we do have a couple

1159
00:56:43.880 --> 00:56:47.559
<v Speaker 3>of close losses. I think you're right there because they

1160
00:56:47.599 --> 00:56:50.559
<v Speaker 3>will then have another off season, another preseason to work

1161
00:56:50.599 --> 00:56:54.039
<v Speaker 3>on deficiencies. And are we looking for a wizard or

1162
00:56:54.039 --> 00:56:56.159
<v Speaker 3>we're looking for people to build a project. I think

1163
00:56:56.159 --> 00:56:58.320
<v Speaker 3>we're looking for people to build a project. And you

1164
00:56:58.360 --> 00:57:00.960
<v Speaker 3>can't be dropping single years on people and expect them

1165
00:57:00.960 --> 00:57:04.320
<v Speaker 3>to turn around entire systems in a club that has

1166
00:57:04.559 --> 00:57:07.360
<v Speaker 3>struggled for years on end, in a squad that is

1167
00:57:07.400 --> 00:57:10.719
<v Speaker 3>rebuilding and started from extremely low base and has a

1168
00:57:10.719 --> 00:57:12.920
<v Speaker 3>lot of has had a lot of chopping and changing

1169
00:57:13.360 --> 00:57:16.360
<v Speaker 3>both between years and entry years, so there's been a

1170
00:57:16.360 --> 00:57:20.639
<v Speaker 3>lot of challenges there. I'm not necessarily. I think earlier

1171
00:57:20.639 --> 00:57:23.159
<v Speaker 3>in the year, out of frustration, I was like a

1172
00:57:23.159 --> 00:57:25.320
<v Speaker 3>lot of people arguing that we needed some sort of

1173
00:57:26.480 --> 00:57:30.119
<v Speaker 3>olderhead experience coach to come in and in the right

1174
00:57:30.159 --> 00:57:34.440
<v Speaker 3>ways challenge bens Benji on some perspectives. If the current

1175
00:57:34.480 --> 00:57:39.199
<v Speaker 3>setup can continue, I wonder if it's recency biased with

1176
00:57:39.239 --> 00:57:41.000
<v Speaker 3>the Bulldogs win. But a lot of us are feeling

1177
00:57:41.000 --> 00:57:42.760
<v Speaker 3>good off the back of that. But if they can

1178
00:57:42.800 --> 00:57:45.199
<v Speaker 3>continue to show that that is the trajectory now that

1179
00:57:45.239 --> 00:57:49.239
<v Speaker 3>they can then henceforth go to then by all means,

1180
00:57:49.559 --> 00:57:52.360
<v Speaker 3>roll the dice again and the proof will burn the outcome.

1181
00:57:52.679 --> 00:57:57.800
<v Speaker 3>If our systems can look that you're talking percentage points, five, ten, fifteen, whatever,

1182
00:57:57.840 --> 00:58:02.559
<v Speaker 3>the arbitrary number is better again next year, trajectory, he's

1183
00:58:02.559 --> 00:58:07.280
<v Speaker 3>going the right direction, then absolutely, if they're winning games,

1184
00:58:07.320 --> 00:58:08.800
<v Speaker 3>it doesn't matter who's on the coaching team.

1185
00:58:08.960 --> 00:58:12.599
<v Speaker 2>That's it. It's funny. It's kind of like just listening

1186
00:58:12.639 --> 00:58:14.960
<v Speaker 2>to talking there, Zach I was thinking about like West

1187
00:58:15.000 --> 00:58:18.079
<v Speaker 2>Tiger's fans have been conditioned, I think because of what

1188
00:58:18.199 --> 00:58:22.239
<v Speaker 2>happened early on in our history to use the term wizard.

1189
00:58:22.280 --> 00:58:24.760
<v Speaker 2>But like that sugar hit, like it just happens so

1190
00:58:24.960 --> 00:58:28.679
<v Speaker 2>quickly that we've sort of believed that anything is possible.

1191
00:58:28.719 --> 00:58:31.119
<v Speaker 2>Now we just need to make you know this change

1192
00:58:31.159 --> 00:58:35.400
<v Speaker 2>and everything is going to change. And what that has

1193
00:58:35.480 --> 00:58:38.679
<v Speaker 2>led to is impatience and not trusting the systems and

1194
00:58:38.719 --> 00:58:42.360
<v Speaker 2>not sticking with systems. Certainly definitely a million times over

1195
00:58:42.719 --> 00:58:44.199
<v Speaker 2>not having the right systems.

1196
00:58:44.280 --> 00:58:47.840
<v Speaker 5>Nick the Wizardary left when Ron Palmer took his fairy

1197
00:58:47.880 --> 00:58:49.079
<v Speaker 5>dust away.

1198
00:58:49.840 --> 00:58:51.800
<v Speaker 3>We've always been in a patient club, mate, haven't we?

1199
00:58:51.920 --> 00:58:55.280
<v Speaker 3>And the last fifteen years look up in patients in

1200
00:58:55.320 --> 00:58:57.800
<v Speaker 3>the dictionary and there's our logo there. We just have

1201
00:58:58.159 --> 00:59:01.559
<v Speaker 3>gone through coach after coach, system after systems, CEO after CEO.

1202
00:59:01.679 --> 00:59:05.639
<v Speaker 3>Finally we've landed on a good one. So stability, clarity,

1203
00:59:06.039 --> 00:59:09.559
<v Speaker 3>all those things are something that West Tigers have never Yeah,

1204
00:59:09.559 --> 00:59:12.599
<v Speaker 3>other than the Tim Sheen's years, I guess, other than

1205
00:59:12.639 --> 00:59:16.000
<v Speaker 3>that period, in some ways we've never really valued. And

1206
00:59:16.199 --> 00:59:19.360
<v Speaker 3>it appears as though Richo is placing a lot of

1207
00:59:19.440 --> 00:59:22.280
<v Speaker 3>value in putting roots down in a number of context

1208
00:59:22.360 --> 00:59:24.639
<v Speaker 3>of this club and how that leaches into coaching and

1209
00:59:25.000 --> 00:59:31.480
<v Speaker 3>systems and pathways and the squad itself. And good because

1210
00:59:31.519 --> 00:59:33.559
<v Speaker 3>I think I think as a club and a fan base,

1211
00:59:33.599 --> 00:59:35.239
<v Speaker 3>we need a bit of stability for a while. And

1212
00:59:35.559 --> 00:59:37.840
<v Speaker 3>that's why people calling for Benji's head I think are

1213
00:59:37.920 --> 00:59:40.320
<v Speaker 3>white of the mark, regardless of how we went against

1214
00:59:40.480 --> 00:59:43.800
<v Speaker 3>the dogs and how we'll finish, because yeah, it would

1215
00:59:43.800 --> 00:59:47.000
<v Speaker 3>be like up ending a tree that's about to blossom.

1216
00:59:47.039 --> 00:59:48.199
<v Speaker 3>If I could be optimistic.

1217
00:59:48.639 --> 00:59:51.800
<v Speaker 2>Yeah, yeah, well I think you know now even worst

1218
00:59:51.800 --> 00:59:54.679
<v Speaker 2>case scenario, Benji's got the job until halfway through next year,

1219
00:59:54.719 --> 00:59:56.719
<v Speaker 2>you'd think at very least, which is there's a fair

1220
00:59:56.719 --> 01:00:00.320
<v Speaker 2>amount of stability there. So yeah, let's hope that. Let's

1221
01:00:00.320 --> 01:00:03.119
<v Speaker 2>hope he's a great success and it all comes together

1222
01:00:03.159 --> 01:00:06.000
<v Speaker 2>and we're successful. But we're being pessimistic right now, and

1223
01:00:06.039 --> 01:00:08.280
<v Speaker 2>I think you might have another one or two maybe now.

1224
01:00:08.440 --> 01:00:11.119
<v Speaker 3>My last one was just that I'm pessimistic because West garred.

1225
01:00:11.360 --> 01:00:14.480
<v Speaker 3>We're a scarred, fragile, sensitive fan base. We have every

1226
01:00:14.559 --> 01:00:17.760
<v Speaker 3>right to be. So that's why I carry a certain

1227
01:00:19.239 --> 01:00:23.079
<v Speaker 3>certain pocket full of negativity every single year.

1228
01:00:23.239 --> 01:00:25.320
<v Speaker 4>But hopeful we're going to say medication.

1229
01:00:25.719 --> 01:00:28.639
<v Speaker 3>Yeah, there's more than a pocket. There's our backpacker full

1230
01:00:28.639 --> 01:00:32.440
<v Speaker 3>of that. Long may maybe I can start to empty

1231
01:00:32.440 --> 01:00:35.519
<v Speaker 3>these pockets and be optimistic head in the next year.

1232
01:00:36.639 --> 01:00:39.960
<v Speaker 2>It would be nice. Okay, let's switch gear into optimistic.

1233
01:00:40.559 --> 01:00:43.599
<v Speaker 2>On the West Tigers podcast forum, Mac Tiger had three

1234
01:00:43.719 --> 01:00:48.039
<v Speaker 2>reasons to be optimistic about twenty twenty six for our club. Firstly,

1235
01:00:48.280 --> 01:00:51.199
<v Speaker 2>improved roster, not just for the first grade side, but

1236
01:00:51.199 --> 01:00:53.519
<v Speaker 2>for the Magpies, which is a really really good point.

1237
01:00:53.559 --> 01:00:57.000
<v Speaker 2>Like it's pretty sad when the new South Iales Cup

1238
01:00:57.039 --> 01:00:59.719
<v Speaker 2>teams getting lapped every week, but when they're doing well,

1239
01:00:59.800 --> 01:01:01.320
<v Speaker 2>you kind of feel like there's a little bit of

1240
01:01:01.320 --> 01:01:04.320
<v Speaker 2>hope and there's some options and you can believe and

1241
01:01:04.360 --> 01:01:06.159
<v Speaker 2>trust in the system a bit more. So. That's a

1242
01:01:06.159 --> 01:01:10.199
<v Speaker 2>good point a more experienced Benji. Yeah, so you know,

1243
01:01:10.639 --> 01:01:13.159
<v Speaker 2>as Nick said, you'd be onto the green peas. He's

1244
01:01:13.199 --> 01:01:16.199
<v Speaker 2>almost there like you. And when do you stop using

1245
01:01:16.199 --> 01:01:18.519
<v Speaker 2>the term rookie coach because they still do it in

1246
01:01:18.519 --> 01:01:20.320
<v Speaker 2>the commentary and in the media. They refer to him

1247
01:01:20.360 --> 01:01:23.000
<v Speaker 2>as a rookie coach. But that's surely that's going to end,

1248
01:01:23.880 --> 01:01:28.880
<v Speaker 2>maybe next year. So yeah, we'll see and hopefully Mack

1249
01:01:28.920 --> 01:01:32.480
<v Speaker 2>Tigers is a confident ending to the twenty twenty five season.

1250
01:01:33.360 --> 01:01:35.559
<v Speaker 2>We're not there yet, Mac Tiger. We've got to actually

1251
01:01:35.599 --> 01:01:38.079
<v Speaker 2>do it before we can say it's a confident ending

1252
01:01:38.119 --> 01:01:42.039
<v Speaker 2>of the year. Tigertown SFS. Benji third year as head

1253
01:01:42.039 --> 01:01:44.760
<v Speaker 2>coach hopefully means we've crossed over beyond learning into being

1254
01:01:44.760 --> 01:01:48.480
<v Speaker 2>a genuine coach. He has man management down. Pat is

1255
01:01:48.480 --> 01:01:51.840
<v Speaker 2>a great recruiter, but he lacks game plans. Number Two,

1256
01:01:51.840 --> 01:01:54.519
<v Speaker 2>the squad is ninety percent capable and another off season

1257
01:01:54.519 --> 01:01:56.960
<v Speaker 2>with multiple teams in the league expected to be in

1258
01:01:57.199 --> 01:02:00.519
<v Speaker 2>rebuild mode, gives us the chance to cherry the rep

1259
01:02:00.639 --> 01:02:02.679
<v Speaker 2>level quality that we need to get into a top

1260
01:02:02.719 --> 01:02:06.239
<v Speaker 2>four threat, but a rebuild team can't utilize. Cowboys and

1261
01:02:06.280 --> 01:02:09.480
<v Speaker 2>Titans are the key targets for these At Lastly, a

1262
01:02:09.480 --> 01:02:12.719
<v Speaker 2>strong finish this year and start next year should cascade

1263
01:02:12.760 --> 01:02:16.119
<v Speaker 2>into more positive media narrative. The likes of the Bulldogs

1264
01:02:16.239 --> 01:02:19.039
<v Speaker 2>and bizarrely the Eels are getting this year. This finally

1265
01:02:19.039 --> 01:02:21.440
<v Speaker 2>lifts pressure off the club that has held us back

1266
01:02:21.840 --> 01:02:25.760
<v Speaker 2>and Cambra Tiger Number one optimistic reason cut a lot

1267
01:02:25.800 --> 01:02:28.559
<v Speaker 2>of dead wood. Yes, we have more to come hopefully.

1268
01:02:29.079 --> 01:02:31.800
<v Speaker 2>Number two the talent floor has been raised, especially in

1269
01:02:31.840 --> 01:02:34.840
<v Speaker 2>the second row. And number three Happy was quite in

1270
01:02:34.920 --> 01:02:37.280
<v Speaker 2>his first year and really broke out in his second.

1271
01:02:37.559 --> 01:02:39.920
<v Speaker 2>I reckon the same might happen with Leui and I

1272
01:02:39.960 --> 01:02:43.280
<v Speaker 2>haven't got that on my three things to be optimistic

1273
01:02:43.320 --> 01:02:46.960
<v Speaker 2>about Nick. But sometimes people need to come into a

1274
01:02:46.960 --> 01:02:49.280
<v Speaker 2>club and be here for a little while before they

1275
01:02:49.320 --> 01:02:51.639
<v Speaker 2>work it out and work out the lay of the land.

1276
01:02:51.760 --> 01:02:55.280
<v Speaker 2>And I think Leui for this year for the Galvin staff,

1277
01:02:55.639 --> 01:02:58.440
<v Speaker 2>and he's come out he said I'm not going anywhere.

1278
01:02:59.480 --> 01:03:01.719
<v Speaker 2>I think he'll better next year. For what's happened this.

1279
01:03:01.719 --> 01:03:07.119
<v Speaker 5>Year, Jerome one hundred percent will be better. Yeah, we've

1280
01:03:07.159 --> 01:03:10.079
<v Speaker 5>spoken about it too, Like Jerome's had several different partners

1281
01:03:10.119 --> 01:03:13.239
<v Speaker 5>in the halves over this season. He's worn to seven

1282
01:03:13.239 --> 01:03:17.199
<v Speaker 5>and the six he started literally just feeding the border

1283
01:03:17.199 --> 01:03:19.239
<v Speaker 5>lockey because Lockie was the whiz kid you know that

1284
01:03:19.360 --> 01:03:22.360
<v Speaker 5>was going to run the show who ended up walking

1285
01:03:22.480 --> 01:03:25.559
<v Speaker 5>on the club. You know, then Lar two, you know

1286
01:03:25.639 --> 01:03:27.280
<v Speaker 5>Lart two is going to be the future. But he's

1287
01:03:27.360 --> 01:03:30.320
<v Speaker 5>coming off the back of hamstring problems for who knows

1288
01:03:30.320 --> 01:03:33.000
<v Speaker 5>how long, and he's been eased in. I still haven't

1289
01:03:33.000 --> 01:03:35.800
<v Speaker 5>seen a decent long game kicking game from Latu, and

1290
01:03:36.000 --> 01:03:39.159
<v Speaker 5>Zaki said, you watched a bit of Latu manly does

1291
01:03:39.159 --> 01:03:42.360
<v Speaker 5>he have a long general kicking game anymore?

1292
01:03:43.000 --> 01:03:45.440
<v Speaker 3>He can kick long and he's got a surprisingly long

1293
01:03:45.480 --> 01:03:47.320
<v Speaker 3>boot when he lets it go, But he's not a

1294
01:03:47.360 --> 01:03:50.599
<v Speaker 3>long kicker specialist. No, he's a runner of the football primarily,

1295
01:03:50.599 --> 01:03:52.840
<v Speaker 3>can play short and wide and he's got a good

1296
01:03:53.079 --> 01:03:55.480
<v Speaker 3>He's got a decent short kicking game, but I'd probably

1297
01:03:55.519 --> 01:03:57.840
<v Speaker 3>say long kicking he's probably one of his weaker points,

1298
01:03:57.880 --> 01:04:01.599
<v Speaker 3>which you could almost argue that is probably Lewi's weaker

1299
01:04:01.679 --> 01:04:03.880
<v Speaker 3>kicking game too, so that's the problem.

1300
01:04:04.239 --> 01:04:07.440
<v Speaker 5>Yes, Jerome's definitely got the better short game short kicking

1301
01:04:07.480 --> 01:04:12.360
<v Speaker 5>game in my opinion anyway over long. So yeah, to

1302
01:04:12.480 --> 01:04:14.840
<v Speaker 5>enter your point, Joel, I think Jeromes one hundred percent

1303
01:04:14.840 --> 01:04:17.119
<v Speaker 5>is going to be better off for this season under

1304
01:04:17.159 --> 01:04:19.559
<v Speaker 5>his belt, and you know, with a few key positional

1305
01:04:19.639 --> 01:04:21.760
<v Speaker 5>changes next year and recruitments as well.

1306
01:04:22.960 --> 01:04:24.440
<v Speaker 4>Anyways, up, m.

1307
01:04:25.360 --> 01:04:29.760
<v Speaker 2>Well baby, yeah, you could say that in the last

1308
01:04:29.760 --> 01:04:32.840
<v Speaker 2>three years, but not this year. What do you think

1309
01:04:32.840 --> 01:04:35.360
<v Speaker 2>about What do you think about that, Zach? For Leui

1310
01:04:35.599 --> 01:04:38.760
<v Speaker 2>to go to another level next year with us.

1311
01:04:38.760 --> 01:04:41.199
<v Speaker 3>There's more So that last statement when we won our

1312
01:04:41.239 --> 01:04:42.800
<v Speaker 3>first spoon and we said the only way was up

1313
01:04:42.840 --> 01:04:44.960
<v Speaker 3>and then we went to side lower because the Dolphins

1314
01:04:45.000 --> 01:04:49.519
<v Speaker 3>came in, we got worse. Yeah, yeah, Louis for sure

1315
01:04:50.159 --> 01:04:52.960
<v Speaker 3>for a number of reasons. Nick nailed it. Leui played

1316
01:04:52.960 --> 01:04:57.920
<v Speaker 3>caretaker the first half of the year, being selfless, and yeah,

1317
01:04:58.079 --> 01:05:00.719
<v Speaker 3>we can comment retroactively on what what that was about.

1318
01:05:00.719 --> 01:05:02.559
<v Speaker 3>But I think just moving forward, there's going to be

1319
01:05:02.599 --> 01:05:06.760
<v Speaker 3>so much more. We're going already see it. He's finally

1320
01:05:06.760 --> 01:05:09.719
<v Speaker 3>taken control of the side and he's not going to

1321
01:05:09.760 --> 01:05:12.920
<v Speaker 3>be the type of player sorry to win games. Always

1322
01:05:12.920 --> 01:05:14.840
<v Speaker 3>off his own back. I think he's going to be

1323
01:05:14.840 --> 01:05:16.480
<v Speaker 3>the type of player We've seen it already that's going

1324
01:05:16.519 --> 01:05:21.800
<v Speaker 3>to bring sides together and combinations. Wise, we've seen what

1325
01:05:21.960 --> 01:05:24.719
<v Speaker 3>is now our future spine. The assumption is moving forward,

1326
01:05:24.760 --> 01:05:28.360
<v Speaker 3>the likes of even just having happy, Jerame and Buller around,

1327
01:05:28.800 --> 01:05:31.039
<v Speaker 3>whether it's Ad or Lato at the moment sliding in,

1328
01:05:31.159 --> 01:05:33.480
<v Speaker 3>they don't have reps in the tank yet, and so

1329
01:05:33.679 --> 01:05:35.840
<v Speaker 3>I think him being the lynch pin of that and

1330
01:05:35.880 --> 01:05:39.920
<v Speaker 3>being captain of the side and everything that comes with that. Yeah,

1331
01:05:39.960 --> 01:05:42.519
<v Speaker 3>we're just going to see collectively an entire side that's

1332
01:05:42.559 --> 01:05:45.679
<v Speaker 3>more cohesive, and he by default is one of the

1333
01:05:45.719 --> 01:05:47.320
<v Speaker 3>key players, is going to be the same.

1334
01:05:47.880 --> 01:05:51.320
<v Speaker 5>One thing you just said, Zack about Jerome being the

1335
01:05:51.360 --> 01:05:53.719
<v Speaker 5>player that brings everyone together, and he is exactly that.

1336
01:05:54.639 --> 01:05:56.840
<v Speaker 5>In a conversation we had earlier on in the Pot,

1337
01:05:56.920 --> 01:05:59.480
<v Speaker 5>we were talking about Ad and how Ad is a

1338
01:05:59.480 --> 01:06:01.840
<v Speaker 5>big moment player in a big game player, and how

1339
01:06:01.840 --> 01:06:03.599
<v Speaker 5>he won those two games off the back of a

1340
01:06:03.639 --> 01:06:06.239
<v Speaker 5>field goal and he's converted his penalty.

1341
01:06:05.800 --> 01:06:09.440
<v Speaker 4>Goal whatever it was. That's interesting, isn't it.

1342
01:06:09.480 --> 01:06:13.239
<v Speaker 5>Because Ad has been a bit of a bit play

1343
01:06:13.320 --> 01:06:15.760
<v Speaker 5>He's either on the bench ories at locker, he's at seven,

1344
01:06:15.800 --> 01:06:17.400
<v Speaker 5>or he's in the centers. We're not really sure where

1345
01:06:17.400 --> 01:06:20.599
<v Speaker 5>he fits. Drame's come off the back of what four premierships,

1346
01:06:21.599 --> 01:06:24.000
<v Speaker 5>and he's feeding he's literally feeding the ball to Adam

1347
01:06:24.039 --> 01:06:27.960
<v Speaker 5>Dewey to make those moments for our team. Like he's

1348
01:06:27.960 --> 01:06:29.920
<v Speaker 5>the player that's put his hand up and said, I'm

1349
01:06:29.960 --> 01:06:32.199
<v Speaker 5>going to win this for us and jerme. Rather than

1350
01:06:32.280 --> 01:06:33.719
<v Speaker 5>him putting his hand up and saying, you know what,

1351
01:06:33.800 --> 01:06:35.960
<v Speaker 5>I've won four comps, let me kick the field goal

1352
01:06:36.119 --> 01:06:40.159
<v Speaker 5>or let me make that moment, he's actually probably recognized that,

1353
01:06:40.360 --> 01:06:41.880
<v Speaker 5>you know, I'm just going to do what I need

1354
01:06:41.920 --> 01:06:43.599
<v Speaker 5>to do to get us in the right position and

1355
01:06:43.679 --> 01:06:45.960
<v Speaker 5>let let someone else take those moments.

1356
01:06:46.039 --> 01:06:50.039
<v Speaker 3>So I love it because it's pure collaboration and he's

1357
01:06:50.039 --> 01:06:53.400
<v Speaker 3>smart enough to recognize that he has other talents in

1358
01:06:53.440 --> 01:06:56.480
<v Speaker 3>his side that he can facilitate them having their moments,

1359
01:06:56.599 --> 01:06:59.360
<v Speaker 3>which is for the betterment of the side. I'm sure

1360
01:06:59.360 --> 01:07:01.440
<v Speaker 3>at some point you probably feed Lar to the opportunity

1361
01:07:01.440 --> 01:07:03.719
<v Speaker 3>to win a game for us, and I can see

1362
01:07:03.719 --> 01:07:06.519
<v Speaker 3>that he would be that type of selfless player, and

1363
01:07:06.599 --> 01:07:09.000
<v Speaker 3>that's a true leader, not thinking as though they are

1364
01:07:09.000 --> 01:07:11.199
<v Speaker 3>a one man band. And so yeah, I love it.

1365
01:07:12.440 --> 01:07:15.159
<v Speaker 2>You can also see some value in over the next

1366
01:07:15.199 --> 01:07:19.280
<v Speaker 2>four weeks touch Wood fingers crossed that the Spine can

1367
01:07:19.280 --> 01:07:22.400
<v Speaker 2>stay together and play as much football together over the

1368
01:07:22.400 --> 01:07:24.480
<v Speaker 2>next over the last four weeks of the competition, I

1369
01:07:24.480 --> 01:07:27.199
<v Speaker 2>think that'll be really important for us for twenty six

1370
01:07:27.280 --> 01:07:33.760
<v Speaker 2>as well. So my positives, So Benji, another year of experience,

1371
01:07:33.840 --> 01:07:37.320
<v Speaker 2>another off season, you know, I think that that that

1372
01:07:37.639 --> 01:07:42.000
<v Speaker 2>you just as much as you can have wizards or

1373
01:07:42.079 --> 01:07:46.360
<v Speaker 2>mentors or or whatever, like, just nothing beats actual experience

1374
01:07:46.400 --> 01:07:49.719
<v Speaker 2>and learning from your mistakes and putting things into practice

1375
01:07:49.719 --> 01:07:52.039
<v Speaker 2>seeing how they go. So that's I think that's a positive.

1376
01:07:52.039 --> 01:07:54.960
<v Speaker 2>I think it's going to hopefully be another another step

1377
01:07:55.159 --> 01:08:00.960
<v Speaker 2>in the ladder for Benji. Our spine looks most settled.

1378
01:08:02.280 --> 01:08:04.519
<v Speaker 2>Madden is a good option as a as a backup,

1379
01:08:04.679 --> 01:08:06.679
<v Speaker 2>or he may end up playing a bigger part than that.

1380
01:08:07.119 --> 01:08:09.880
<v Speaker 2>But you know, there are worse guys that we've had

1381
01:08:10.199 --> 01:08:13.079
<v Speaker 2>coming into play seven over the years than Jock Madden,

1382
01:08:14.119 --> 01:08:18.119
<v Speaker 2>and I've got here Macasini and Taylor like impactful centers.

1383
01:08:18.640 --> 01:08:20.680
<v Speaker 2>But it's not just that. It's a chance of an

1384
01:08:20.720 --> 01:08:25.920
<v Speaker 2>impactful back line with Buller, Skelton, Taruva. You know, I'm

1385
01:08:25.960 --> 01:08:28.079
<v Speaker 2>starting to like the look of that and what all

1386
01:08:28.119 --> 01:08:30.439
<v Speaker 2>of those guys can bring on their on their day.

1387
01:08:31.359 --> 01:08:34.800
<v Speaker 2>But also coupled that with Feinu and Kay Pierce Paul

1388
01:08:34.960 --> 01:08:38.520
<v Speaker 2>who look to be you know, NRL standard second rowers.

1389
01:08:38.560 --> 01:08:40.760
<v Speaker 2>So you know a lot of the pieces of the

1390
01:08:40.760 --> 01:08:43.439
<v Speaker 2>puzzle are starting to fit. So there's my three reasons

1391
01:08:43.479 --> 01:08:46.239
<v Speaker 2>to be optimistic for next year. Well, we'll keep it

1392
01:08:46.279 --> 01:08:48.319
<v Speaker 2>in the same order, Nick, what have you got for us?

1393
01:08:49.560 --> 01:08:51.600
<v Speaker 5>Almost the carbon copy of what you said, Joel. So

1394
01:08:51.760 --> 01:08:54.119
<v Speaker 5>my second point, which I'll start with, was Taylor May

1395
01:08:54.159 --> 01:08:57.439
<v Speaker 5>and Macassini and the strength that they will both add

1396
01:08:57.439 --> 01:09:00.640
<v Speaker 5>to our back line. We've seen what Taylor can already

1397
01:09:00.640 --> 01:09:02.720
<v Speaker 5>do in a very very short period of time since

1398
01:09:02.720 --> 01:09:05.880
<v Speaker 5>he's come back, and he's been very impressive. I've only

1399
01:09:05.920 --> 01:09:08.319
<v Speaker 5>seen highlights of Macassini. I can't wait to see him

1400
01:09:08.319 --> 01:09:12.399
<v Speaker 5>play live, really looking forward to that. Do they know

1401
01:09:12.399 --> 01:09:15.960
<v Speaker 5>whether he's going to get an opportunity this season? Wouldn't

1402
01:09:15.960 --> 01:09:19.119
<v Speaker 5>be surprised if he does, but also would understand if

1403
01:09:19.119 --> 01:09:20.800
<v Speaker 5>the club wants to maybe give him a few cup

1404
01:09:20.840 --> 01:09:23.640
<v Speaker 5>games and just you know, let him play against men

1405
01:09:24.039 --> 01:09:26.520
<v Speaker 5>in the lower grades and then potentially look at you know,

1406
01:09:26.560 --> 01:09:28.880
<v Speaker 5>maybe I would say they were one hundred percent trial

1407
01:09:29.000 --> 01:09:31.840
<v Speaker 5>m next season and then decide whether they're going to

1408
01:09:31.880 --> 01:09:35.119
<v Speaker 5>bring him to the starting team from round one. But yeah,

1409
01:09:35.119 --> 01:09:36.960
<v Speaker 5>there's a lot of potential there. And also you spoke

1410
01:09:37.000 --> 01:09:40.079
<v Speaker 5>about Lastu. I want to see him get through the

1411
01:09:40.119 --> 01:09:43.279
<v Speaker 5>rest of this season injury free and full of confidence,

1412
01:09:43.319 --> 01:09:45.960
<v Speaker 5>and then really hit his straps after a full preseason.

1413
01:09:47.039 --> 01:09:49.640
<v Speaker 5>If he can come into Round one next season fully

1414
01:09:49.680 --> 01:09:52.039
<v Speaker 5>fit and ready to go, then I can't wait to

1415
01:09:52.039 --> 01:09:55.920
<v Speaker 5>see what he brings to our team next year without

1416
01:09:55.960 --> 01:09:58.039
<v Speaker 5>any hindrances in terms of injury.

1417
01:09:58.119 --> 01:10:00.279
<v Speaker 4>So really looking forward of that.

1418
01:10:01.279 --> 01:10:03.840
<v Speaker 5>Also, I've already spoken about the early recruitment that we've made,

1419
01:10:03.920 --> 01:10:07.319
<v Speaker 5>so obviously Kyle Peace Paul coming into the back row. Again,

1420
01:10:07.439 --> 01:10:10.720
<v Speaker 5>I've only really watched him this year and playing in

1421
01:10:10.760 --> 01:10:12.920
<v Speaker 5>the team that I don't think plays with a great

1422
01:10:12.960 --> 01:10:16.600
<v Speaker 5>deal of cohesion, so I think he'll probably for me,

1423
01:10:16.640 --> 01:10:21.000
<v Speaker 5>it's an unknown, but from what I've seen of his skills,

1424
01:10:21.039 --> 01:10:22.960
<v Speaker 5>I think he can fit into our squad. It just

1425
01:10:23.000 --> 01:10:26.960
<v Speaker 5>depends on how quickly he picks out up. I guess

1426
01:10:27.000 --> 01:10:29.479
<v Speaker 5>Benji's ideas about what he wants to do with or

1427
01:10:29.520 --> 01:10:32.319
<v Speaker 5>how he wants to fit into our system. So there's

1428
01:10:32.800 --> 01:10:35.840
<v Speaker 5>definite potential and we one hundred percent need that stronger

1429
01:10:35.920 --> 01:10:38.920
<v Speaker 5>position in the back row going to next year. And

1430
01:10:38.960 --> 01:10:41.920
<v Speaker 5>then obviously the strength signings that we've made in Maverick Guyer,

1431
01:10:42.640 --> 01:10:46.600
<v Speaker 5>Ethan Roberts. Jock Madden's an interesting one. I could actually

1432
01:10:46.600 --> 01:10:51.119
<v Speaker 5>see him potentially starting next year in the halves. We'll

1433
01:10:51.159 --> 01:10:53.840
<v Speaker 5>just have to see what happens there. And also Javonne

1434
01:10:53.880 --> 01:10:57.079
<v Speaker 5>Andrew is a young fellow as well, so some really

1435
01:10:57.079 --> 01:11:00.000
<v Speaker 5>good strength signings which, as he spoke about as well,

1436
01:11:00.119 --> 01:11:02.319
<v Speaker 5>Joe hopefully to mag Pies will have a better season

1437
01:11:02.960 --> 01:11:06.359
<v Speaker 5>next year because that confidence will then run through to

1438
01:11:06.359 --> 01:11:09.159
<v Speaker 5>the NERL team as well if our reserves are doing well.

1439
01:11:09.239 --> 01:11:12.960
<v Speaker 5>So yeah, some big signings there as well in terms

1440
01:11:12.960 --> 01:11:17.760
<v Speaker 5>of depth. And the last one I had just the

1441
01:11:17.800 --> 01:11:20.399
<v Speaker 5>obvious improvement of the NERL team this year compared to

1442
01:11:20.439 --> 01:11:24.119
<v Speaker 5>the last several seasons, because obviously it's no fun.

1443
01:11:23.960 --> 01:11:26.479
<v Speaker 4>Coming last, especially when you do it three times in

1444
01:11:26.520 --> 01:11:26.840
<v Speaker 4>a row.

1445
01:11:26.920 --> 01:11:30.279
<v Speaker 5>So you're right, Zach, I did say the any ways up,

1446
01:11:30.319 --> 01:11:33.399
<v Speaker 5>But yeah, we've probably got ourselves in a predicament now,

1447
01:11:33.399 --> 01:11:36.159
<v Speaker 5>don't we that potentially we might finish as high as ninth.

1448
01:11:36.239 --> 01:11:40.399
<v Speaker 3>I think I long for those days, say to.

1449
01:11:40.439 --> 01:11:42.520
<v Speaker 5>I, mate, but I mean the only way to the

1450
01:11:42.560 --> 01:11:45.600
<v Speaker 5>finals from ninth is up, So I guess that's where

1451
01:11:45.600 --> 01:11:46.520
<v Speaker 5>I run with that idea.

1452
01:11:48.039 --> 01:11:52.079
<v Speaker 2>Yeah. Interesting. I still all of that just highlights that

1453
01:11:52.199 --> 01:11:53.920
<v Speaker 2>I hope we don't throw it away by not having

1454
01:11:53.960 --> 01:11:56.520
<v Speaker 2>that impact that we that we need. Like it just

1455
01:11:56.520 --> 01:11:58.239
<v Speaker 2>seems to be like, yeah, I look at this team

1456
01:11:58.239 --> 01:12:00.399
<v Speaker 2>for next year and I go bang bang saying tic

1457
01:12:00.479 --> 01:12:04.399
<v Speaker 2>tic tik tick. But there's still that rich O. Get

1458
01:12:04.399 --> 01:12:06.279
<v Speaker 2>on to point, Zach, what do you got for us?

1459
01:12:07.880 --> 01:12:10.159
<v Speaker 3>Yeah? I agree with everything you've said. I tried to

1460
01:12:10.199 --> 01:12:12.319
<v Speaker 3>pick a couple sort of left field, so I didn't

1461
01:12:12.319 --> 01:12:14.920
<v Speaker 3>double up. Lack of reps was one, and I mentioned

1462
01:12:14.960 --> 01:12:19.079
<v Speaker 3>it earlier. Our side is only just piecing itself together,

1463
01:12:19.119 --> 01:12:21.359
<v Speaker 3>and I think we've had the framework there over the

1464
01:12:21.399 --> 01:12:24.800
<v Speaker 3>course of the year. Obviously, we had an obvious detour

1465
01:12:24.960 --> 01:12:27.920
<v Speaker 3>or diversion we had to take, but then injuries sort

1466
01:12:27.920 --> 01:12:29.119
<v Speaker 3>of caught up with us a little bit. So we

1467
01:12:29.199 --> 01:12:32.000
<v Speaker 3>just simply haven't seen the core of this side play together.

1468
01:12:32.279 --> 01:12:34.119
<v Speaker 3>Taylor May has been a recent edition, and we've all

1469
01:12:34.159 --> 01:12:36.640
<v Speaker 3>agreed he is a lock on that free quarter line

1470
01:12:36.640 --> 01:12:40.960
<v Speaker 3>next year, provided we get the signing done. So by

1471
01:12:41.079 --> 01:12:44.079
<v Speaker 3>virtue of that fact, I think that by almost default,

1472
01:12:44.079 --> 01:12:47.239
<v Speaker 3>we're going to be improved. We know that increase reps

1473
01:12:47.239 --> 01:12:49.800
<v Speaker 3>over preseason offseason, the more they rain together, the more

1474
01:12:49.800 --> 01:12:52.239
<v Speaker 3>they're more cohesive they're going to be and it will

1475
01:12:52.239 --> 01:12:55.039
<v Speaker 3>simply look better on the field regardless. Now I didn't

1476
01:12:55.079 --> 01:12:57.680
<v Speaker 3>know how much better that brings about. I'm not sure,

1477
01:12:57.680 --> 01:12:59.640
<v Speaker 3>but that's a reason for me to be optimistic that

1478
01:12:59.680 --> 01:13:03.359
<v Speaker 3>we are winning football games with combinations and people in

1479
01:13:03.399 --> 01:13:08.600
<v Speaker 3>positions and a side set up at the moment that

1480
01:13:09.239 --> 01:13:13.159
<v Speaker 3>is relatively unfamiliar with one another, where they certainly don't

1481
01:13:13.199 --> 01:13:16.199
<v Speaker 3>have a year or two as a cohesive squad, so

1482
01:13:16.840 --> 01:13:19.199
<v Speaker 3>that we will get heading into next year and that's

1483
01:13:19.239 --> 01:13:22.560
<v Speaker 3>pleasing in and of itself for me. We've touched on

1484
01:13:22.600 --> 01:13:24.840
<v Speaker 3>it a few times as well, is the clarity around

1485
01:13:25.119 --> 01:13:28.800
<v Speaker 3>the particularly the seventeen or maybe even just the thirteen.

1486
01:13:29.199 --> 01:13:32.279
<v Speaker 3>We've spoken about the need for those high impact props

1487
01:13:32.319 --> 01:13:34.800
<v Speaker 3>if we can add in that space. We've spoken about

1488
01:13:35.079 --> 01:13:36.880
<v Speaker 3>how Locke seems as though it has a short to

1489
01:13:36.920 --> 01:13:42.000
<v Speaker 3>medium term solution. Now, I think when we've got clarity,

1490
01:13:42.319 --> 01:13:47.319
<v Speaker 3>that is just going to provide a better foundation for

1491
01:13:47.600 --> 01:13:49.920
<v Speaker 3>the team and the squad and the coaching plans in general.

1492
01:13:50.880 --> 01:13:53.359
<v Speaker 3>But I also think something I'm really happy about is

1493
01:13:53.359 --> 01:13:56.079
<v Speaker 3>we can really start to map out clear air apparents

1494
01:13:56.079 --> 01:13:58.159
<v Speaker 3>in those positions too, and I think we're actually starting

1495
01:13:58.159 --> 01:14:03.359
<v Speaker 3>to place them there. About the debarclar around talent to

1496
01:14:03.399 --> 01:14:07.800
<v Speaker 3>silver leaving mid season, Jared Haywood looks sensational and he

1497
01:14:07.960 --> 01:14:11.199
<v Speaker 3>is far closer to what talent was than people think.

1498
01:14:12.000 --> 01:14:14.079
<v Speaker 3>He's doing great stuff in Flegg was the best in

1499
01:14:14.119 --> 01:14:15.920
<v Speaker 3>the fleg game against the Silk Tales on the weekend

1500
01:14:16.000 --> 01:14:18.640
<v Speaker 3>as well, that's Hooker. We've got the likes of Phoenix

1501
01:14:18.680 --> 01:14:23.119
<v Speaker 3>God and the who is pushing up into high where

1502
01:14:23.159 --> 01:14:25.000
<v Speaker 3>he should be as well in the second row, and

1503
01:14:25.039 --> 01:14:28.359
<v Speaker 3>he's a tremendous talent as well. We've got Christian Tapaw

1504
01:14:28.399 --> 01:14:31.600
<v Speaker 3>Moores down there. We've got Hamasi obviously, who is getting

1505
01:14:31.600 --> 01:14:34.399
<v Speaker 3>pretty close to a taboo, whether it's this year or next.

1506
01:14:34.399 --> 01:14:37.159
<v Speaker 3>So for me, not only are we seeing clarity around

1507
01:14:37.159 --> 01:14:39.920
<v Speaker 3>the squad and the best thirteen and seventeen to start,

1508
01:14:40.359 --> 01:14:42.600
<v Speaker 3>we're also starting to see what that might look like

1509
01:14:42.800 --> 01:14:46.159
<v Speaker 3>into these transitional squad periods into the future, which to

1510
01:14:46.239 --> 01:14:47.840
<v Speaker 3>me is a big thing because if we're going to

1511
01:14:47.840 --> 01:14:50.520
<v Speaker 3>future proof this club and go through three wooden spoons

1512
01:14:51.000 --> 01:14:53.199
<v Speaker 3>and fifteen odd years of pain. I want them to

1513
01:14:53.199 --> 01:14:55.319
<v Speaker 3>be putting systems in place that mean I don't have

1514
01:14:55.399 --> 01:14:58.039
<v Speaker 3>to when we don't have to endure that ever again, please,

1515
01:14:58.760 --> 01:15:01.920
<v Speaker 3>So that's pleasing to me. And the last one was

1516
01:15:01.960 --> 01:15:04.600
<v Speaker 3>just the trajectory. Trajectory. I keep stumbling out of that

1517
01:15:04.640 --> 01:15:06.479
<v Speaker 3>word tonight and Nick alluded to it a moment ago.

1518
01:15:06.680 --> 01:15:09.680
<v Speaker 3>Everywhere across the board, we are improving. We've had more

1519
01:15:09.720 --> 01:15:12.119
<v Speaker 3>wins this year. Defense is better, attack is better. But

1520
01:15:12.960 --> 01:15:16.079
<v Speaker 3>even the nuances of those, the systems look better. People

1521
01:15:16.119 --> 01:15:18.720
<v Speaker 3>are making individual choices better. I think there's more plays

1522
01:15:18.720 --> 01:15:20.399
<v Speaker 3>this year in career best form that I've seen in

1523
01:15:20.439 --> 01:15:22.720
<v Speaker 3>the Tiger side for a long period of time. They

1524
01:15:22.760 --> 01:15:25.640
<v Speaker 3>looked more cohesive culturally as a unit. So I think

1525
01:15:25.640 --> 01:15:28.279
<v Speaker 3>we're heading in the right direction. And that's a pretty

1526
01:15:28.399 --> 01:15:29.880
<v Speaker 3>good reason to be optimistic.

1527
01:15:30.239 --> 01:15:32.119
<v Speaker 2>Well, I was just going to you sort of stole

1528
01:15:32.159 --> 01:15:34.760
<v Speaker 2>my thunder there at the end there, Zach. But I

1529
01:15:34.800 --> 01:15:37.439
<v Speaker 2>was going to be cheeky like because the host it's

1530
01:15:37.439 --> 01:15:39.600
<v Speaker 2>like the one word submission, so the host always gets

1531
01:15:39.640 --> 01:15:43.439
<v Speaker 2>the opportunity to, as you know, you know, make up

1532
01:15:43.520 --> 01:15:45.079
<v Speaker 2>new rules along the way. But I was going to

1533
01:15:45.079 --> 01:15:48.000
<v Speaker 2>add in another one, and that is the cohesion and

1534
01:15:48.039 --> 01:15:50.680
<v Speaker 2>the bond and the connection of the boys. And there's

1535
01:15:50.720 --> 01:15:54.000
<v Speaker 2>something that that hasn't really been highlighted enough, and that

1536
01:15:54.159 --> 01:15:59.199
<v Speaker 2>is that we we had adversity this year. We lost

1537
01:15:59.279 --> 01:16:01.560
<v Speaker 2>Galvi and were for all those dramas. We lost all

1538
01:16:01.600 --> 01:16:05.199
<v Speaker 2>those games on the run. But the team hasn't fallen

1539
01:16:05.239 --> 01:16:08.880
<v Speaker 2>apart touch would It looks like the team is still cohesive.

1540
01:16:08.920 --> 01:16:10.800
<v Speaker 2>It looks like the team is still playing for each other,

1541
01:16:11.000 --> 01:16:13.000
<v Speaker 2>and it looks like they haven't given up. And that's

1542
01:16:13.039 --> 01:16:16.880
<v Speaker 2>something that in previous years West Tigers, by this time

1543
01:16:16.920 --> 01:16:19.560
<v Speaker 2>of the year, you'd say they're just going through the motions.

1544
01:16:19.600 --> 01:16:22.000
<v Speaker 5>Nick, it's a shame we had that sixty four no

1545
01:16:22.199 --> 01:16:25.439
<v Speaker 5>loss to Melbourne. Yeah, but saying that that could be

1546
01:16:25.520 --> 01:16:29.760
<v Speaker 5>the only actual, like real flogging, hopefully that will endure

1547
01:16:29.960 --> 01:16:30.560
<v Speaker 5>for the season.

1548
01:16:30.600 --> 01:16:32.079
<v Speaker 4>So hopefully there's no more.

1549
01:16:32.079 --> 01:16:33.359
<v Speaker 5>I don't want to put the mock on us for

1550
01:16:33.399 --> 01:16:35.880
<v Speaker 5>the next month of footy, but you know, over the

1551
01:16:35.960 --> 01:16:38.079
<v Speaker 5>last few years we've had several of those running into

1552
01:16:38.119 --> 01:16:40.279
<v Speaker 5>the back half of the year where the effort drops

1553
01:16:40.279 --> 01:16:43.479
<v Speaker 5>and heads go down and plays start thinking about you

1554
01:16:43.520 --> 01:16:46.479
<v Speaker 5>know where they're going next. Year, or looking for early releases,

1555
01:16:46.560 --> 01:16:49.359
<v Speaker 5>or thinking about we're the holiday you know, and it

1556
01:16:49.479 --> 01:16:53.439
<v Speaker 5>come you know, finals time. So yeah, hopefully those days

1557
01:16:53.479 --> 01:16:55.760
<v Speaker 5>are over because I don't want to think about that

1558
01:16:55.800 --> 01:16:57.840
<v Speaker 5>Melbourne game again. I'm already starting to get shit is

1559
01:16:57.880 --> 01:17:01.199
<v Speaker 5>thinking about that eighty minutes in. But yeah, hopefully we

1560
01:17:01.239 --> 01:17:04.720
<v Speaker 5>don't see that anymore in our future. There's always one

1561
01:17:04.760 --> 01:17:08.000
<v Speaker 5>that sneaks in. But again, I'll go back to the

1562
01:17:08.000 --> 01:17:10.600
<v Speaker 5>point I made earlier. Good teams don't lose games by

1563
01:17:10.640 --> 01:17:13.159
<v Speaker 5>that margin, so hopefully hopefully those days are gone.

1564
01:17:13.399 --> 01:17:15.560
<v Speaker 2>But to extend yeah, sorry, I'm just going to say

1565
01:17:15.640 --> 01:17:17.960
<v Speaker 2>Zach in saying that you know number good teams have

1566
01:17:18.119 --> 01:17:20.119
<v Speaker 2>really bad off days too. The trick is that we

1567
01:17:20.119 --> 01:17:22.159
<v Speaker 2>don't do it two three, four weeks in a row

1568
01:17:22.640 --> 01:17:23.760
<v Speaker 2>like what we've experienced.

1569
01:17:24.399 --> 01:17:26.520
<v Speaker 3>And yeah, our off days, we want to be thirty

1570
01:17:26.520 --> 01:17:29.239
<v Speaker 3>two sixteen instead of sixty four nil. So that would

1571
01:17:29.279 --> 01:17:32.039
<v Speaker 3>be nice to just to feed off that you both

1572
01:17:32.039 --> 01:17:35.560
<v Speaker 3>had mentioned it and in the past for EON's we

1573
01:17:35.600 --> 01:17:39.600
<v Speaker 3>have been a club that has crumbled in advertsy adverse city. Sorry,

1574
01:17:40.840 --> 01:17:43.920
<v Speaker 3>but with the Galvin scenario to your point both of you,

1575
01:17:44.079 --> 01:17:46.720
<v Speaker 3>I think that if anything we've almost it's almost amalgamated

1576
01:17:46.760 --> 01:17:49.159
<v Speaker 3>the site and the telling thing to me and not

1577
01:17:49.239 --> 01:17:51.640
<v Speaker 3>sorry to keep referencing the Bulldogs game, because it was

1578
01:17:51.680 --> 01:17:54.840
<v Speaker 3>fantastic and I think enjoying reliving it in my mind,

1579
01:17:54.880 --> 01:17:58.159
<v Speaker 3>but that was the first time for me particularly, and

1580
01:17:58.199 --> 01:18:00.640
<v Speaker 3>it was a particular note that was an emotional football game.

1581
01:18:01.119 --> 01:18:03.920
<v Speaker 3>And I can think of countless examples where this club,

1582
01:18:04.079 --> 01:18:07.600
<v Speaker 3>not this side, but this club has entered into an

1583
01:18:07.600 --> 01:18:10.600
<v Speaker 3>emotional football game for whatever reason, coming up against Ivan

1584
01:18:10.640 --> 01:18:13.199
<v Speaker 3>Cleary again. Look, if there is mum passing the Tommy

1585
01:18:13.279 --> 01:18:15.960
<v Speaker 3>Rodonegus game, playing the Sharks at like art to get

1586
01:18:15.960 --> 01:18:18.880
<v Speaker 3>in with a raucous home crowd, we've crumbled on every

1587
01:18:18.920 --> 01:18:22.720
<v Speaker 3>single occasion. We don't handle emotional football matches. This side

1588
01:18:23.359 --> 01:18:27.399
<v Speaker 3>went into the Bulldogs match and handled it absolutely brilliantly.

1589
01:18:27.920 --> 01:18:31.560
<v Speaker 3>And that to me, as you're saying, is it a

1590
01:18:31.600 --> 01:18:36.520
<v Speaker 3>signal that this culture can use adversity in the right

1591
01:18:36.560 --> 01:18:38.920
<v Speaker 3>way as a motivator. And we've also seen how they've

1592
01:18:39.000 --> 01:18:43.439
<v Speaker 3>risen over advertisy at numerous adversity It's getting late for

1593
01:18:43.479 --> 01:18:45.039
<v Speaker 3>me on a Sunday night. Boys, Sorry about that.

1594
01:18:45.079 --> 01:18:49.079
<v Speaker 5>You're starting to sound a bit like Gary.

1595
01:18:48.000 --> 01:18:51.239
<v Speaker 3>But yeah, look, and that's been sensational as well.

1596
01:18:51.279 --> 01:18:57.720
<v Speaker 2>So yeah, it's a good point. Yeah, and it's if

1597
01:18:57.760 --> 01:19:01.359
<v Speaker 2>we're aiming for consistency, then there needs to be some

1598
01:19:01.479 --> 01:19:07.600
<v Speaker 2>degree of ability to overcome obstacles and setbacks and adversity

1599
01:19:08.880 --> 01:19:11.720
<v Speaker 2>and not fall apart because an average team will keep

1600
01:19:11.720 --> 01:19:15.000
<v Speaker 2>showing up, may not be winning, but we'll continue to

1601
01:19:15.600 --> 01:19:17.960
<v Speaker 2>put in a consistent performance and until we get to

1602
01:19:18.000 --> 01:19:20.560
<v Speaker 2>that point. And hopefully we're there now, but I think

1603
01:19:20.560 --> 01:19:22.520
<v Speaker 2>the next four weeks really important and we'll give us

1604
01:19:22.520 --> 01:19:24.680
<v Speaker 2>a really good idea where we're at. The other thing, too,

1605
01:19:24.800 --> 01:19:27.279
<v Speaker 2>is you know, as you said, Nick, in the past,

1606
01:19:27.359 --> 01:19:29.720
<v Speaker 2>often guys would be going, well, I'm out of the

1607
01:19:29.720 --> 01:19:32.159
<v Speaker 2>club in a few weeks, so why am I going

1608
01:19:32.239 --> 01:19:35.680
<v Speaker 2>to put in Whereas almost this entire team is going

1609
01:19:35.680 --> 01:19:37.960
<v Speaker 2>to be here next year. So that's a slightly different

1610
01:19:37.960 --> 01:19:41.479
<v Speaker 2>one as well. So yeah, fingers crossed for a good

1611
01:19:41.520 --> 01:19:50.239
<v Speaker 2>finish to the year. So Gary and any Rob and Steve,

1612
01:19:50.319 --> 01:19:53.680
<v Speaker 2>they are recording out the micd Up Studios in Paramounta

1613
01:19:53.720 --> 01:19:56.760
<v Speaker 2>this evening, so that pod will drop maybe on Tuesday,

1614
01:19:56.800 --> 01:19:59.479
<v Speaker 2>there'll be a midweek edition of the West Tigers podcast.

1615
01:20:00.439 --> 01:20:02.600
<v Speaker 2>I don't know who'll be in that lineup, but it

1616
01:20:02.640 --> 01:20:05.680
<v Speaker 2>could even could be me, you never know. And then

1617
01:20:05.880 --> 01:20:08.359
<v Speaker 2>next Sunday we're going to come back with a post

1618
01:20:08.399 --> 01:20:10.880
<v Speaker 2>game edition of the West Tigers Podcast, hopefully a post

1619
01:20:10.920 --> 01:20:13.199
<v Speaker 2>victory edition. Hope you can join us Sack for that one,

1620
01:20:13.640 --> 01:20:15.319
<v Speaker 2>and we'll keep an eye up for the Tiger Down

1621
01:20:15.399 --> 01:20:17.800
<v Speaker 2>pod as well. That will drop sometime during the week,

1622
01:20:17.880 --> 01:20:18.439
<v Speaker 2>middle of the week.

1623
01:20:19.079 --> 01:20:22.279
<v Speaker 3>Yep, we're a Wednesday morning drop normally, jail. So yeah,

1624
01:20:22.279 --> 01:20:25.079
<v Speaker 3>looking forward to get that one done with my co star,

1625
01:20:25.199 --> 01:20:29.159
<v Speaker 3>and yeah, looking forward to Tiger's playing again because we're

1626
01:20:29.159 --> 01:20:31.079
<v Speaker 3>on a high and we're all feeling optimistic.

1627
01:20:31.600 --> 01:20:34.319
<v Speaker 2>Mind you, I do like a good bye weekend. That's

1628
01:20:34.600 --> 01:20:36.079
<v Speaker 2>goods and bye weekend exactly.

1629
01:20:36.199 --> 01:20:38.079
<v Speaker 3>Thank you boys, Thanks very much.