WEBVTT 1 00:00:01.320 --> 00:00:03.960 The West Tigers Podcast is brought to you by the 2 00:00:04.000 --> 00:00:08.800 West Tigers Podcast Forum. Join the conversation today at wests 3 00:00:08.919 --> 00:00:11.199 Tigers podcast dot com dot areu. 4 00:00:24.160 --> 00:00:27.920 West Tigers Podcast Episode number four hundred and seven A. 5 00:00:28.000 --> 00:00:30.719 You've got a very special edition tonight got the two 6 00:00:30.800 --> 00:00:34.079 stars of the West Tigers Life Podcast. We've got Rob 7 00:00:34.119 --> 00:00:37.200 Bashara and we've got the coach. Adele has Thank you 8 00:00:37.359 --> 00:00:39.600 very much, boys for coming on. The Boy's going to 9 00:00:39.640 --> 00:00:42.640 be debating Benji Marshall off the top, that's the lead. Tonight, 10 00:00:43.600 --> 00:00:45.560 Adele's going to be talking a little bit about the 11 00:00:45.640 --> 00:00:48.280 West Tiger's current coaching staff, a little bit of a 12 00:00:48.320 --> 00:00:51.679 breakdown of particular roles the guys have. We're going to 13 00:00:51.759 --> 00:00:54.000 do a bit of a masterclass on a tack, defense 14 00:00:54.479 --> 00:00:57.479 and contact, not looking at yesterday's game, but looking across 15 00:00:57.479 --> 00:01:00.520 the season, and what the boys make of some strengths 16 00:01:00.560 --> 00:01:03.479 and weaknesses of the West Tigers in those departments. And 17 00:01:03.520 --> 00:01:06.599 we'll end with one of our sort of favorite segments 18 00:01:06.599 --> 00:01:09.560 on this podcast, to buy, sell and hold. But Rob, 19 00:01:10.000 --> 00:01:11.840 thank you for coming on. Mate. Just tell us a 20 00:01:11.879 --> 00:01:15.120 little bit about how it came about you doing a 21 00:01:15.120 --> 00:01:17.239 podcast with Adel this year, because I know it's very 22 00:01:17.239 --> 00:01:18.959 popular with the West Tigers fans. 23 00:01:19.319 --> 00:01:21.200 Good a erdie and thanks for having us both on. 24 00:01:22.079 --> 00:01:25.040 It's a strange one. I just met Adele through a 25 00:01:25.040 --> 00:01:27.480 couple of cousins of mine about three or four years 26 00:01:27.519 --> 00:01:31.120 ago and the boys I invited him over to watch 27 00:01:31.120 --> 00:01:33.280 one of the games with us, and yeah, we just 28 00:01:33.359 --> 00:01:35.879 kind of kicked off a friendship from there and we've 29 00:01:35.920 --> 00:01:38.519 been bantering quite a bit over the phone, and I suggested, 30 00:01:38.560 --> 00:01:42.400 how about we trypot on Sunday night and if it 31 00:01:42.439 --> 00:01:44.799 goes good for the first couple of goes, we'll run 32 00:01:44.840 --> 00:01:48.599 with it. And it seems to be a very popular podcast. 33 00:01:48.799 --> 00:01:52.359 Adele is absolutely the star of the show, and I 34 00:01:52.400 --> 00:01:54.879 think the fact that he gives that perspective from a 35 00:01:54.959 --> 00:01:59.640 coach's lens, and he's so calm and calculating and definitely 36 00:02:00.280 --> 00:02:02.359 the complete opposite at me of me, at least when 37 00:02:02.359 --> 00:02:06.519 we're analyzing on hyper emotional and he's just so suave 38 00:02:06.599 --> 00:02:08.120 and cool and he loves it. 39 00:02:08.360 --> 00:02:10.360 And just for the fans out there that haven't heard it, 40 00:02:10.479 --> 00:02:12.360 Rob wins it on, I think your boy's going to 41 00:02:12.400 --> 00:02:13.560 be at like cart this Sunday, ain't. 42 00:02:14.039 --> 00:02:16.080 I'm not sure where we're going to do Sunday Nights one, 43 00:02:16.120 --> 00:02:19.199 but generally we record on Sunday Night, which would have 44 00:02:19.240 --> 00:02:24.560 been last night. Unfortunately, Adele was ill had some nause 45 00:02:24.560 --> 00:02:27.240 here and I jokingly said that he got that nause 46 00:02:27.280 --> 00:02:30.360 heer from all of Benji's chopping and changing positions on 47 00:02:30.400 --> 00:02:33.000 the field yesterday, which we'll get onto a bit later. 48 00:02:33.520 --> 00:02:35.599 But we're actually going to record what we would have 49 00:02:35.639 --> 00:02:39.280 done last night tonight after doing your pod. We'd made 50 00:02:39.280 --> 00:02:41.879 a commitment to doing your show eding we didn't want 51 00:02:41.879 --> 00:02:43.800 to let you down and thank you for starting a 52 00:02:43.840 --> 00:02:45.439 bit earlier, so we've got a bit of time to 53 00:02:46.280 --> 00:02:48.439 put a bit more content out there for West Tigers 54 00:02:48.439 --> 00:02:49.879 fans and Adele. 55 00:02:49.919 --> 00:02:51.800 It's a pleasure to have you on mate. I got 56 00:02:51.840 --> 00:02:54.319 to say, I'm an ardent listener of the Sunday Night 57 00:02:54.360 --> 00:02:57.159 show and I always find like I learned one or 58 00:02:57.199 --> 00:02:58.800 two or three things and then go back and have 59 00:02:58.840 --> 00:03:00.759 a little look at the replay or jees, I didn't 60 00:03:00.759 --> 00:03:04.199 spot that or something. But first off, Mate, tell us 61 00:03:04.240 --> 00:03:06.319 a little bit about where you're coaching at the moment 62 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:09.800 and also your sort of coaching history at the West Tigers. 63 00:03:10.520 --> 00:03:13.719 Thanks for having me, idiot, I do get a little 64 00:03:13.719 --> 00:03:16.080 bit embarrassed when you guys call me like a coach 65 00:03:16.120 --> 00:03:18.039 and whatnot, because the day I've never been to the 66 00:03:18.120 --> 00:03:20.439 level that was sort of talking about at the moment, 67 00:03:20.479 --> 00:03:23.240 so it's a little bit difficult for me sometimes hearing 68 00:03:23.280 --> 00:03:26.280 some of the compliments, but well, at the moment, I'm 69 00:03:26.280 --> 00:03:29.879 went to South Slogan Magpies up here in Queensland, so 70 00:03:29.960 --> 00:03:33.719 I coached their Cyril Connells side this year. Pretty interesting. 71 00:03:33.759 --> 00:03:36.000 It's pretty relative to what's going on at West Tiger 72 00:03:36.000 --> 00:03:39.439 at the moment with our club in regards to sort 73 00:03:39.439 --> 00:03:41.960 of the area and sort of we're a little bit 74 00:03:41.960 --> 00:03:44.879 of a merged entity as well. Two clubs that have 75 00:03:44.960 --> 00:03:48.520 come together but which got a pretty rich history. They're 76 00:03:48.520 --> 00:03:51.560 also the Magpies. So I coached at Cyril Connell this year, 77 00:03:51.599 --> 00:03:53.759 which is the Harold Matthews team, and I had to 78 00:03:53.800 --> 00:03:55.599 make some big decisions to be honest at the start 79 00:03:55.599 --> 00:03:57.639 of the year in regards to a lot of that 80 00:03:57.800 --> 00:04:00.599 age group. One of the things you used to doing 81 00:04:00.680 --> 00:04:02.319 is playing the hod age kids. I played a lot 82 00:04:02.319 --> 00:04:04.520 of the younger age kids this year because I thought 83 00:04:04.560 --> 00:04:07.039 that was the best development of the club. I did 84 00:04:07.120 --> 00:04:10.120 move on for a little bit into the being around 85 00:04:10.120 --> 00:04:12.240 the host Plus Cup team. We've taken a bit of 86 00:04:12.240 --> 00:04:13.719 a break from that at the moment, just from work 87 00:04:13.759 --> 00:04:16.680 wise and whatnot. So yeah, well I'm truly in trenchfer 88 00:04:16.680 --> 00:04:20.160 with the South Helgan Magpies. Love the club, love everything 89 00:04:20.199 --> 00:04:22.879 about the club. You know, a lot of really good 90 00:04:22.920 --> 00:04:26.199 people involved in the club. So yeah, that's where I've 91 00:04:26.199 --> 00:04:28.439 had at the moment. Obviously spent five years of my life, 92 00:04:28.480 --> 00:04:30.399 the last five years of my life at the West Tigers, 93 00:04:30.759 --> 00:04:33.920 started more so coaching just a junior rugby league and 94 00:04:33.920 --> 00:04:37.279 then went to the Sydney Roosters in twenty seventeen. I 95 00:04:37.319 --> 00:04:41.360 think it was when there's a the SG ball was 96 00:04:41.399 --> 00:04:43.199 there for a couple of years with Adrian Lamb was 97 00:04:43.199 --> 00:04:45.279 our head coach for the first couple of years and 98 00:04:45.800 --> 00:04:49.160 you learned a lot of him. And then through COVID 99 00:04:49.199 --> 00:04:53.879 I accidentally ended up at the West Tigers Harvey Norman side, 100 00:04:54.120 --> 00:04:56.160 purely because there was no other ragby league going on 101 00:04:56.279 --> 00:04:58.759 by the Harvey Norman competition was the only one that 102 00:04:58.800 --> 00:05:03.560 actually come back other than the NRL. So Adam Hargan 103 00:05:03.639 --> 00:05:05.199 was the general manager of football at the time. It 104 00:05:05.279 --> 00:05:08.439 was a close friend of mine and we sort of 105 00:05:08.439 --> 00:05:10.040 had a conversation. I come on board for the back 106 00:05:10.079 --> 00:05:13.319 end of that year, and that was really something different. 107 00:05:15.560 --> 00:05:16.279 Girls want to press. 108 00:05:17.240 --> 00:05:19.199 Not in the first year, No, No, that was I 109 00:05:19.240 --> 00:05:23.240 was there for three years as an assistant and then yeah, 110 00:05:23.240 --> 00:05:25.759 I just got lucky and got a job halfway through 111 00:05:25.800 --> 00:05:27.959 the year of a team that was not on too well. 112 00:05:28.000 --> 00:05:30.920 And I like to tell people I sprinkled on magic 113 00:05:31.000 --> 00:05:32.920 dust and we want to come. But yeah, that's a 114 00:05:33.040 --> 00:05:35.680 story for another day. But obviously moved on into the 115 00:05:35.800 --> 00:05:38.040 NRLW before making them move up here. 116 00:05:38.639 --> 00:05:41.120 That's your coaching history. What about your history as a fan? Mate, 117 00:05:41.120 --> 00:05:43.800 We were a big West Tigers fan before coaching at 118 00:05:43.839 --> 00:05:45.079 the club. I'm guessing you were. 119 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:50.240 Yeah, no, I you know what it's it's pretty relevant 120 00:05:50.279 --> 00:05:51.639 to say this sort of stuff because I don't know 121 00:05:51.680 --> 00:05:53.879 if other people you know the same as me. But 122 00:05:53.920 --> 00:05:55.120 I was a kid, you know, I grew up at 123 00:05:55.879 --> 00:05:58.000 first sort of my my first years as a four 124 00:05:58.079 --> 00:06:00.759 or five year old, I lived in Ashfield, so that's 125 00:06:00.759 --> 00:06:03.920 where those sort of years were. And relative to us, 126 00:06:03.959 --> 00:06:06.480 Bennie Alias was a hero for us. Not so much 127 00:06:06.560 --> 00:06:09.839 these days with the way he carries on, but you know, 128 00:06:09.920 --> 00:06:12.120 he was a hero to us, so I followed Bennie 129 00:06:12.120 --> 00:06:14.759 Ollis and for that I follow the West Tigers or 130 00:06:14.800 --> 00:06:19.040 the Balmain Tigers. At the time, I was banned from 131 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:21.879 watching Tigers games a teenager at home because of the 132 00:06:21.959 --> 00:06:23.680 carry on and the way I love the club. And 133 00:06:24.319 --> 00:06:26.000 you know, put it this way. In my year twelve 134 00:06:26.079 --> 00:06:28.639 the back of my year twelve jersey, when you could 135 00:06:28.639 --> 00:06:30.279 put a nickname, I don't put a nickname. I just 136 00:06:30.279 --> 00:06:33.079 wrote Tiger for Life. That was the back of my jersey. 137 00:06:33.199 --> 00:06:36.240 So I love the club so much, or was even 138 00:06:36.279 --> 00:06:38.600 one of those things. I was advised by people to 139 00:06:38.680 --> 00:06:41.040 not actually work at the club when the opportunity to come, 140 00:06:41.079 --> 00:06:43.199 because sometimes you sort of don't want to know what 141 00:06:43.720 --> 00:06:47.120 you will end up knowing. Yeah, always been a Tiger's 142 00:06:47.120 --> 00:06:50.120 fan all my life. You know, I'll be honest and straight. 143 00:06:50.360 --> 00:06:53.639 I don't consider Balmain and West to be anything anymore. 144 00:06:53.959 --> 00:06:56.959 Like the end, it's the West Tigers for me. Yes, 145 00:06:57.000 --> 00:06:58.720 I support him with Bowmain and Tigers, but I'm a 146 00:06:58.720 --> 00:07:00.240 West Tiger. 147 00:07:00.519 --> 00:07:02.759 It's funny that I actually went to school at Ashriel 148 00:07:02.839 --> 00:07:05.120 Boys and I was about Main Tiger's fan growing up. 149 00:07:05.399 --> 00:07:07.360 Played Ozzie Rules for the West Magpist so it was 150 00:07:07.399 --> 00:07:10.360 almost like the perfect merger for me. But boys, we 151 00:07:10.399 --> 00:07:12.360 are not going to dwell on yesterday's game because I 152 00:07:12.360 --> 00:07:14.319 know you're going to have to go through that torture 153 00:07:14.360 --> 00:07:16.879 later on your own podcast. But we are going to 154 00:07:17.519 --> 00:07:19.560 lead with Benji's presh conference because that was a bit 155 00:07:19.560 --> 00:07:22.680 of a hot talking point on our podcast last night. 156 00:07:22.759 --> 00:07:22.959 Rob. 157 00:07:22.959 --> 00:07:25.199 I'm probably glad you went on last night because you 158 00:07:25.199 --> 00:07:27.959 were breeding fires on the text I got. But what 159 00:07:28.079 --> 00:07:30.720 did you make of it overall? Twenty four hours later? 160 00:07:31.560 --> 00:07:34.639 Yeah, I definitely am glad I wasn't on it last night, Eddie. 161 00:07:35.079 --> 00:07:38.399 I think I've cooled down somewhat in the last probably 162 00:07:38.399 --> 00:07:41.480 two or three hours. Only I was disappointed with a 163 00:07:41.519 --> 00:07:43.399 lot of what he said. I get that he had 164 00:07:43.439 --> 00:07:46.279 to cater to the New Zealand media and he was 165 00:07:46.360 --> 00:07:49.480 back home. I just couldn't get over the fact that 166 00:07:49.519 --> 00:07:53.839 it was just rather blase joking around the compliments that 167 00:07:53.879 --> 00:07:56.360 he gave to Tanner Boyd and New Zealand and how 168 00:07:56.399 --> 00:08:00.480 they played, and then complimenting their style and their ructure 169 00:08:00.839 --> 00:08:04.360 to a degree, and it was almost like his compliment 170 00:08:04.600 --> 00:08:07.879 his compliments towards New Zealand, we're actually denigrating what we 171 00:08:07.920 --> 00:08:11.879 have at our own club, and you know the stuff 172 00:08:11.879 --> 00:08:14.519 about he's very honest, like he's actually one hundred percent honest. 173 00:08:14.519 --> 00:08:16.959 He takes the blame for a lot of things, but 174 00:08:17.000 --> 00:08:19.000 the fact that he does say a lot of it's 175 00:08:19.000 --> 00:08:22.439 on me. And then you go back to previous press conferences, like, 176 00:08:22.480 --> 00:08:25.680 for example, a manly press conference where he says, oh, look, 177 00:08:25.680 --> 00:08:28.800 it's on me for tinkering around with all the positions. 178 00:08:29.439 --> 00:08:32.919 Yet all that tinkering went on yesterday. Granted some of 179 00:08:32.960 --> 00:08:35.600 it could have been premeditated that it was going to happen, 180 00:08:36.039 --> 00:08:40.200 but I just find how do you establish combination and 181 00:08:41.679 --> 00:08:45.120 flow and continuity when you keep chopping and changing, and 182 00:08:45.399 --> 00:08:47.360 to be fair, made I feel sorry for the players. 183 00:08:47.399 --> 00:08:50.840 I know Adele's a staunch defender of Benji, and you'll 184 00:08:50.840 --> 00:08:54.559 give him his opportunity to talk, but after yesterday made 185 00:08:54.559 --> 00:08:56.799 in that press conference, he's actually kind of lost me 186 00:08:56.840 --> 00:09:00.519 because I think that family first attitude, nothing wrong with 187 00:09:00.600 --> 00:09:04.039 that in life, but that family first attitude, as to me, 188 00:09:04.159 --> 00:09:08.759 comes across as winning isn't the primary focus, and he 189 00:09:08.919 --> 00:09:10.240 just gets on with it and it's like, oh, well 190 00:09:10.279 --> 00:09:13.159 we lost, we lost. But I know he loves the club. 191 00:09:13.240 --> 00:09:15.399 I know he's trying his best, But from my end 192 00:09:15.399 --> 00:09:17.919 and from what I see on the field, I don't 193 00:09:17.960 --> 00:09:21.039 think he's capable of caning as to where he wants 194 00:09:21.080 --> 00:09:21.559 to get us to. 195 00:09:22.360 --> 00:09:25.240 We'll get into some of his perceived strengths or weaknesses 196 00:09:25.240 --> 00:09:27.440 in a minute, Adele, But just on that press conference 197 00:09:27.679 --> 00:09:30.639 itself must be difficult because I assume they go in 198 00:09:30.679 --> 00:09:33.159 there like ten minutes after a game. They probably haven't 199 00:09:33.159 --> 00:09:36.159 really had a chance to speak to their players. What 200 00:09:36.519 --> 00:09:37.120 was your take on it? 201 00:09:38.440 --> 00:09:42.200 Yeah, I actually haven't heard it till Rob today, and 202 00:09:42.240 --> 00:09:45.799 sort of when I heard it. Look at honestly, I 203 00:09:45.799 --> 00:09:48.320 don't understand what everybody's up in arms about. Like he 204 00:09:48.639 --> 00:09:51.320 went into a press conference spoke about the Warriors, Well, 205 00:09:51.360 --> 00:09:53.000 I said the Rob today, like the Warriors are a 206 00:09:53.000 --> 00:09:56.080 top four sign. Like if we're not going to acknowledge that, well, 207 00:09:56.559 --> 00:09:59.000 I get that the fact that I'm losing players, But 208 00:09:59.039 --> 00:10:00.879 if we're not going to acknowledge that they are who 209 00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:02.720 they are and they've got a really, really good coach, 210 00:10:03.799 --> 00:10:06.799 that doesn't take away from what Benji is, or the 211 00:10:06.840 --> 00:10:09.320 stage of his career he's at, or where how our 212 00:10:09.360 --> 00:10:12.279 results are going. But it does not matter to me 213 00:10:12.519 --> 00:10:15.799 how a coach speaks in a press conference. I'll be 214 00:10:15.840 --> 00:10:18.440 honest if I was coaching a row used that as 215 00:10:18.480 --> 00:10:21.600 an example because the level I could or should be at, 216 00:10:22.000 --> 00:10:23.559 and I went into a press conference, which I do 217 00:10:23.679 --> 00:10:27.919 these things, I'm not going to always be genuine as 218 00:10:27.919 --> 00:10:30.759 to what I'm actually feeling and what I'm thinking. Sometimes 219 00:10:30.799 --> 00:10:34.200 it's a little bit strategic in what I say. Sometimes 220 00:10:34.200 --> 00:10:36.720 it's also one of those things where I also got 221 00:10:36.759 --> 00:10:40.120 to understand my position and whether the things I say 222 00:10:40.120 --> 00:10:41.919 they are going to be taken out of context too much. 223 00:10:42.639 --> 00:10:44.559 Benji's being himself and I know we're going to touch 224 00:10:44.559 --> 00:10:47.240 on this a little bit later. I have no problems 225 00:10:47.279 --> 00:10:50.840 with what he said. I'm not a staunched defender of Benji. 226 00:10:51.200 --> 00:10:54.200 In the words of Rob, I try to think, I 227 00:10:54.240 --> 00:10:56.759 try to think I'm objective, and at the same time 228 00:10:56.799 --> 00:10:58.159 I put myself in his position. 229 00:10:59.120 --> 00:11:01.960 There's no doubt we are progressing, even if it is 230 00:11:02.039 --> 00:11:06.200 painful progress. I actually saw your own Instagram account West 231 00:11:06.200 --> 00:11:08.360 Tiger's Life. One put up a stat today that there 232 00:11:08.360 --> 00:11:12.440 are only three NRL teams being the Warriors, Raiders and Tigers, 233 00:11:13.000 --> 00:11:16.240 who have more wins at this stage this year and 234 00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:18.799 are better for it against than they did last year. Obviously, 235 00:11:18.879 --> 00:11:21.639 Warriors and Raiders in top four and we're forty eight. 236 00:11:21.720 --> 00:11:24.440 But my question to you is are we progressing enough 237 00:11:24.759 --> 00:11:26.000 given the improvement in the roster. 238 00:11:26.519 --> 00:11:29.399 It depends on what you compare it to, Eddie straight up, 239 00:11:29.480 --> 00:11:32.360 just on yesterday's game being the Warriors game, I compare 240 00:11:32.360 --> 00:11:35.080 it to where we were a Round four and when 241 00:11:35.120 --> 00:11:37.759 we played them in Round four at Campbelltown, I felt 242 00:11:37.759 --> 00:11:39.919 like we were unlucky not to win that game. I 243 00:11:39.960 --> 00:11:43.240 thought we matched them physically well, a lot better than 244 00:11:43.320 --> 00:11:45.240 yesterday anyway. I mean, we still could have been a 245 00:11:45.279 --> 00:11:46.840 little bit better in that day, but they didn't score 246 00:11:46.879 --> 00:11:49.120 many points, nor did we, and it came down to 247 00:11:49.159 --> 00:11:51.840 a Luke Metcalfe penalty goal from about forty meters out 248 00:11:51.840 --> 00:11:53.840 to win the game that day. So if I compare 249 00:11:53.840 --> 00:11:57.080 it to round four, we're regress. Now. There are certain 250 00:11:57.399 --> 00:12:00.360 reasons I think we're have regressed. I mean, obviously, Lochland 251 00:12:00.360 --> 00:12:03.799 Galvin was a focal point of our team and was probably, 252 00:12:04.440 --> 00:12:06.200 you know, the main man in terms of trying to 253 00:12:06.240 --> 00:12:10.320 create attack. So we don't have him anymore. So if 254 00:12:10.320 --> 00:12:13.919 we've built our whole preseason around Lochland Galvin and Jerome Lewie, 255 00:12:13.960 --> 00:12:16.080 being in the harves and suddenly that guy's gone. I 256 00:12:16.200 --> 00:12:19.399 understand it takes a while to improve what bothers me 257 00:12:19.440 --> 00:12:22.120 from yesterday, Eddie, in terms of talking about whether we've 258 00:12:22.159 --> 00:12:25.440 progressed or regressed, that's our best forward pack. Like when 259 00:12:25.480 --> 00:12:27.440 we looked at that team and spoke about it on 260 00:12:27.480 --> 00:12:30.679 Wednesday night on our show, that was the best lineup 261 00:12:30.720 --> 00:12:32.480 I thought we could have named, given that who we 262 00:12:32.559 --> 00:12:34.600 had and who was available. So for that team to 263 00:12:34.639 --> 00:12:38.240 get basically belted yesterday physically, not win the collision, not 264 00:12:38.279 --> 00:12:42.200 win the ruck, as Joel Helms always says, lack of physicality, 265 00:12:43.240 --> 00:12:46.720 that really disappointed me. And like I said, you know 266 00:12:46.840 --> 00:12:49.919 to Adele privately, obviously they were missing half their spine 267 00:12:51.120 --> 00:12:54.440 in Metcalf and Nicol Klockstad, but they're also missing Mitch Barnett, 268 00:12:54.799 --> 00:12:57.799 they lost Rock Oberry through the game. They just seem 269 00:12:57.840 --> 00:13:01.879 to know what they're doing, and we are still searching 270 00:13:01.919 --> 00:13:06.159 for our playing identity, Eddie, and I feel if Benji, 271 00:13:06.720 --> 00:13:09.399 I know, Benji's got to be himself, but Benji should 272 00:13:09.399 --> 00:13:11.399 know how we want to play. He knows who we've got, 273 00:13:11.440 --> 00:13:13.879 he knows how we want to play, and we're not there. 274 00:13:13.879 --> 00:13:15.679 We don't seem to have our own style. Yet he 275 00:13:15.720 --> 00:13:18.759 mentions it quite often, whether he's telling the truth in 276 00:13:18.799 --> 00:13:21.480 press conferences or not, that we're still trying to search 277 00:13:21.480 --> 00:13:23.720 for our own identity, still search for a way to 278 00:13:23.759 --> 00:13:26.519 win and how to win. And I think by now 279 00:13:26.559 --> 00:13:28.759 he should know what we should be doing, what we 280 00:13:28.799 --> 00:13:31.840 shouldn't be doing. And I don't get any confidence from 281 00:13:31.840 --> 00:13:34.480 what he says in the press conference. Granted, I really 282 00:13:34.480 --> 00:13:36.360 don't care what he says in the press conferences as 283 00:13:36.399 --> 00:13:38.679 long as everything's going better on the field and. 284 00:13:38.720 --> 00:13:40.919 They'll give me two or three of what you think 285 00:13:40.919 --> 00:13:44.799 of Benji's biggest strength doesn't have to be specific to 286 00:13:44.879 --> 00:13:46.600 on the field, but in terms of the fit for 287 00:13:46.679 --> 00:13:47.120 our club. 288 00:13:47.679 --> 00:13:50.320 Yeah, the obvious ones for me right now is he's 289 00:13:50.360 --> 00:13:53.519 relatable to the players. I think I've said this on 290 00:13:53.559 --> 00:13:55.639 the West Lagger's Life podcast and it's probably something that's 291 00:13:55.639 --> 00:14:00.399 a little bit uncomfortable having this conversation at the moment society. 292 00:14:00.559 --> 00:14:04.480 I think the fact that he's a Maori, he has 293 00:14:04.480 --> 00:14:06.440 that relatability to a lot of the specific eye on 294 00:14:06.480 --> 00:14:10.320 the boys. I think that's significant. Now. People can have 295 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:13.559 their opinions on whether that's a positive or a negative, 296 00:14:13.600 --> 00:14:16.919 but I think that's that's an obvious one for me. 297 00:14:17.200 --> 00:14:19.919 It's probably been a fact in recruitment, hasn't it? 298 00:14:20.440 --> 00:14:24.320 Absolutely absolutely? And you know, from a mentoring perspective, I 299 00:14:24.320 --> 00:14:27.519 think it's really important. But at the same time, I 300 00:14:27.519 --> 00:14:31.000 also understand why that could be something that doesn't attract 301 00:14:31.039 --> 00:14:34.879 certain people. And you know, it might be a little 302 00:14:34.879 --> 00:14:37.679 bit controversial saying this. The boys that have left are 303 00:14:37.720 --> 00:14:40.759 not specific on the boys, so I don't know how 304 00:14:40.799 --> 00:14:47.000 much of an impact that's having attracting players or attracting 305 00:14:47.039 --> 00:14:49.000 certain players. He's done a good job in doing that. 306 00:14:49.519 --> 00:14:51.840 And then the last thing is probably something that he 307 00:14:51.879 --> 00:14:55.480 hasn't been able to I guess translate into his current 308 00:14:55.600 --> 00:14:57.759 thing as a coach. But he's got the football like you. 309 00:14:58.360 --> 00:14:59.559 I meant the end of the day, he's got the 310 00:14:59.559 --> 00:15:03.519 football ability like no other. There is this notion that 311 00:15:03.799 --> 00:15:06.240 great players don't make great coaches. I don't necessarily think 312 00:15:06.279 --> 00:15:10.159 that's true. But he's got that football in IQ, that's 313 00:15:10.200 --> 00:15:14.519 his strip. They're the obvious ones without being on the inside. 314 00:15:14.799 --> 00:15:16.840 Rob, is there a pass mark for Beggie for you 315 00:15:16.960 --> 00:15:18.879 for the rest of the year. I mean, I said 316 00:15:18.879 --> 00:15:21.159 at the start of the year, I just thought I 317 00:15:21.200 --> 00:15:23.720 set fairly low expectations that if he could just avoid 318 00:15:23.720 --> 00:15:25.799 the wooden spoon and get a few more wins and 319 00:15:25.840 --> 00:15:26.759 I'd be happy enough. 320 00:15:27.240 --> 00:15:27.759 Are you there? 321 00:15:27.840 --> 00:15:28.840 Or he's got to be better? 322 00:15:29.399 --> 00:15:32.159 No, he has to be better the way I see it, 323 00:15:32.240 --> 00:15:34.759 look from what I see on the field, Eddie, there's 324 00:15:34.799 --> 00:15:39.879 a certain clunkiness to our attack. I was actually pleasantly 325 00:15:40.000 --> 00:15:43.159 surprised when Skelton scored that try really early yesterday because 326 00:15:43.200 --> 00:15:46.200 that was a really smooth looking back line player, looked 327 00:15:46.200 --> 00:15:49.720 really simple, really effortless, and we scored, you know, with 328 00:15:49.840 --> 00:15:53.440 precision in the corner. But generally our given Benji such 329 00:15:53.440 --> 00:15:55.679 a great attacking player and the guy that could strip 330 00:15:55.759 --> 00:15:59.840 numbers from any defense, it's upsetting to me that he 331 00:15:59.840 --> 00:16:03.320 can't translate how to how to you know, how to 332 00:16:03.360 --> 00:16:05.080 get that to the players, how to teach them to 333 00:16:05.080 --> 00:16:07.600 actually do it? And that's what coaching is about. It's 334 00:16:07.600 --> 00:16:10.639 about teaching players how to do it. There's no point Benji, 335 00:16:10.799 --> 00:16:12.879 you know, running shape of training. He needs to be 336 00:16:12.919 --> 00:16:16.120 able to explain to Loui and Latu and how to 337 00:16:16.159 --> 00:16:18.919 do this and be really x's and those and specific 338 00:16:18.960 --> 00:16:22.240 about how to do things. Sometimes I've questioned some of 339 00:16:22.279 --> 00:16:25.759 the team selections. Obviously, you know we don't know what 340 00:16:25.840 --> 00:16:28.679 goes on during a game, but your question the interchange. Sometimes, 341 00:16:28.679 --> 00:16:31.480 particularly when some bugs haven't got out on the field, 342 00:16:31.840 --> 00:16:33.919 I can accept, like Adele's pointed out to me, that 343 00:16:34.320 --> 00:16:36.759 a back or you know, a hooker or something doesn't 344 00:16:36.759 --> 00:16:39.200 get a run. But when a middle you know doesn't 345 00:16:39.200 --> 00:16:41.360 get on the field at all, I mean that there's 346 00:16:41.360 --> 00:16:43.080 something wrong there. It's either a lack of trust in 347 00:16:43.120 --> 00:16:46.480 the player or he's got the selection wrong. But no 348 00:16:46.600 --> 00:16:48.759 look for me. For me, it's a it's a it's 349 00:16:48.799 --> 00:16:51.240 a fail right now. And I put it this way 350 00:16:51.320 --> 00:16:54.799 to Eddie. We've got three players that were incumbent premiership 351 00:16:54.840 --> 00:17:02.159 winners in Happy corus Our, Jerome Leui and Tito Taruva. Now, 352 00:17:02.200 --> 00:17:04.559 if I go back to two thousand and six, and 353 00:17:05.000 --> 00:17:07.839 I know they're different players, but put those put players 354 00:17:07.839 --> 00:17:11.519 from those positions, such as Robbie Farrow, Benji Marshall and 355 00:17:11.559 --> 00:17:15.079 say Pat Richards, who'd be the three equivalents in those positions. 356 00:17:15.359 --> 00:17:17.000 If I took them out of the West Tigers in 357 00:17:17.039 --> 00:17:19.319 two thousand and five and put them in the team 358 00:17:19.359 --> 00:17:21.839 coming last in two thousand and six, I don't think 359 00:17:21.880 --> 00:17:25.000 they'd come last. Okay, so we've got basically a quarter 360 00:17:25.000 --> 00:17:28.599 of a premiership winning side sprinkled with some other talent 361 00:17:28.640 --> 00:17:30.960 there as well. We should not be wooden spooners. We 362 00:17:30.960 --> 00:17:32.799 shouldn't even be in the fight for the wooden spoon 363 00:17:32.839 --> 00:17:34.839 And to be fair, if we'd have won the games 364 00:17:34.839 --> 00:17:36.519 we should have won, we wouldn't even be talking about 365 00:17:36.519 --> 00:17:38.480 this right now. We should be in the middle of 366 00:17:38.519 --> 00:17:40.759 the pack, but we're not. And it's such an even 367 00:17:40.759 --> 00:17:43.240 comp you see too. That's what's most frustrating about it. 368 00:17:43.279 --> 00:17:45.680 This is probably our best chance to make the eight 369 00:17:45.759 --> 00:17:50.000 because the top four have separated themselves and we should 370 00:17:50.000 --> 00:17:52.680 have been in that fight from fifth to eighth and 371 00:17:52.720 --> 00:17:55.440 now we're basically in a fight for the bottom four. 372 00:17:56.480 --> 00:17:58.920 I noticed you didn't mention Brett Hodgson there, rob in 373 00:17:58.960 --> 00:18:03.200 your little comparison. But Adele espose from a coach's perspective, 374 00:18:03.240 --> 00:18:05.680 do you reckon they set like win targets at the 375 00:18:05.680 --> 00:18:08.400 start of the year or is it simply about next 376 00:18:08.440 --> 00:18:11.839 training session and improving individuals throughout the year. Do you 377 00:18:11.839 --> 00:18:14.799 think there was a specific top eight target or is 378 00:18:14.799 --> 00:18:16.559 that looking at it too simplistically? 379 00:18:17.160 --> 00:18:20.480 Oh, I think they'll have different targets amongst different parts 380 00:18:20.480 --> 00:18:24.000 of the organization. So you know, your football administration, your 381 00:18:24.000 --> 00:18:27.480 football committee would have targets, Your coaching staff will have 382 00:18:27.480 --> 00:18:31.000 their targets. You probably have one with the leadership group, 383 00:18:31.200 --> 00:18:36.279 and then obviously as a playing group as well. One 384 00:18:36.279 --> 00:18:37.920 of the things I always talk about is you sort 385 00:18:37.920 --> 00:18:40.599 of target little blocks of the season, so maybe your 386 00:18:40.599 --> 00:18:44.079 first four rounds, your first six rounds, a middle further 387 00:18:44.279 --> 00:18:47.000 orangein period. You know, I'm sure they break it down 388 00:18:47.039 --> 00:18:49.559 into that sort of stuff and try to target certain things. 389 00:18:49.960 --> 00:18:52.200 You certainly look at that period we lost six in 390 00:18:52.240 --> 00:18:55.279 a row and that's a massive negative and that that 391 00:18:55.319 --> 00:18:58.960 would put a lot of pressure, will take the confidence 392 00:18:58.960 --> 00:19:05.119 out of you. Sometimes it really takes its toll. But yeah, 393 00:19:05.279 --> 00:19:09.039 I'm sure they'll have targets or they'll have expectations. No doubt. 394 00:19:10.359 --> 00:19:12.400 They do change though during the year as well, both 395 00:19:12.400 --> 00:19:16.559 positively and negatively. I mean, if you have targets that 396 00:19:16.599 --> 00:19:19.680 are trying to be fifty percent, i'd say seam of 397 00:19:19.680 --> 00:19:22.519 the Camber Raiders, I recommend their goals will change halfway 398 00:19:22.559 --> 00:19:24.759 through this year, haven't they considering what it was to 399 00:19:24.759 --> 00:19:27.119 start of the year. So it's one of those things 400 00:19:27.160 --> 00:19:30.079 where you do have targets and you do have expectations, 401 00:19:30.119 --> 00:19:32.960