Catching Up With Kieran Over Coffee About Cronulla (2/9/24)

[00:00:00] SharkCast, SharkCast

[00:00:02] SharkCast, SharkCast

[00:00:08] Fafina tries to crack his way out of the red dot

[00:00:12] Fafina dropped the ball over the line

[00:00:14] And all you people back in the shower

[00:00:17] Tell you watch live drop, cause we're coming over to trophy

[00:00:31] Good morning SharkCast world

[00:00:34] Welcome to Catching Up With Kieran Over Coffee About Cronulla

[00:00:38] Got the coffee, we got the Cronullas

[00:00:40] This is SharkCast Pod

[00:00:43] Brought to you by Dyson Logistics, the Royal Muddy Yacht Club in Port Hacking, adjacent halls at Crips & Crips Real Estate

[00:00:49] I'm Sam Schnazzi, OG 2015

[00:00:51] That is Kieran Fraser

[00:00:53] He's been following this team for a long time and knows all about this club

[00:00:58] Begins and Outs, the Ups and Downs, which we saw both of on the weekend

[00:01:02] And we're going to get into it and have a bit of fun like we do on a Monday morning

[00:01:06] Monday morning is our more light-hearted variety show

[00:01:10] But we are going to get into it because there's a lot to discuss

[00:01:14] I do want to have breaking news Kieran, people who watch us on the YouTube

[00:01:17] I'm getting some new glasses in the next week or so and they're not going to be glaring

[00:01:22] See how they're glaring when I look like that? Yeah, I always get paranoid about that

[00:01:25] It's some sort of thing on the glasses and the person who was selling me new glasses went

[00:01:30] Do you want to lose that? And I'm like, yeah, I want to lose that

[00:01:34] Every Monday morning my friend and I do this video and her eyes started rolling

[00:01:37] But for our podcast listeners, fascinating stuff but there is breaking news in the glasses world

[00:01:42] For Sam Schnazzi, which everyone's just waiting on

[00:01:45] Anyway, 30 points to 28

[00:01:49] Sharks lose to the Warriors somehow

[00:01:52] A game that the club will rue for a long time

[00:01:56] And there were lots of reasons why it happened

[00:01:59] People appointing to one thing, other people appointing to another way, we're going to get into all of it

[00:02:04] But let's start off with acknowledging Cam McInnes, he played his 200th NRL game

[00:02:09] Had a pretty decent game, we'll talk about one moment he had

[00:02:13] Shortly but Kieran a great occasion down at Shark Park

[00:02:17] On Saturday night as far as a spectacle goes

[00:02:19] It was, the crowd turned up quite late

[00:02:21] I was there for the 20s and it was pretty empty but then everyone just seemed to arrive right before kickoff

[00:02:29] And the line started getting pretty crazy so the atmosphere was actually quite good in the first half

[00:02:34] In the second half it's probably the most upset

[00:02:39] Shark Park I think I've been in just with the whole mood of the ET stand

[00:02:43] And just how angry everybody was

[00:02:45] So I haven't seen it like that but it did take away from Cam's

[00:02:49] Obviously 200th game which was a bit of a shame

[00:02:52] Yeah it is and that's just how it goes, I mean that's how the game played out

[00:02:56] We saw the Warriors score early with the old Shark connection

[00:03:01] And Met Carfin Johnson really good try, down our middle slash left edge

[00:03:07] Kefusi was there

[00:03:08] Just some speed and turn got the better of us, we came back into it

[00:03:13] And really dominated the game from sort of like the 20th minute through to

[00:03:19] I guess the 60th minute and we saw a turning point there

[00:03:23] I mean I should point out that the Warriors did score a couple of tries before this happened

[00:03:28] But the sin being of Carl Iro was the turning point for me

[00:03:33] And then it all sort of fell apart, we actually got back into it which is fantastic

[00:03:36] We were leading and we know what happened in the end

[00:03:39] As far as the takeaway for you Kieran, if you take away the referring decisions which we'll get into

[00:03:44] Give me a high and give me a low as far as performance as a team goes

[00:03:50] The high would probably be we've got Sifa, Ronnie coming back

[00:03:55] That's just being completely honest with you because we saw what happens when you've got

[00:04:01] New combinations and players that haven't been together and players that haven't been in their roles

[00:04:06] They got exploited, right? So Stone Street had a great game with the ball

[00:04:10] But SJ was peppering him with kicks and doing certain different things

[00:04:13] So that was kind of something where I'm going well if we had Ronnie here

[00:04:18] I would feel a lot more comfortable, a lot more safer with some of those reeds

[00:04:21] So I think that's something that we can look forward to

[00:04:23] I think the fact that we've got Nico back on the field

[00:04:26] That is a positive for everybody saying that we've got to drop Nico

[00:04:29] Or Nico can't be in 17

[00:04:32] The world that we live in, he is our highest-paid player

[00:04:34] And he's going to be there in the finals

[00:04:36] So we need him match fit and firing like he was before the Origin series

[00:04:39] So to get him back on the field I think that was good

[00:04:42] He had some good stuff with the ball

[00:04:43] If Royce Hunt takes two more steps forward and goes through the line

[00:04:47] Instead of stopping in the line, he's got a great solo try

[00:04:50] Had some try assist

[00:04:51] So I think that we can look at that with something we can build on

[00:04:56] Danny Lackerson's performance as a center I thought was admirable

[00:05:00] Again, he's not practiced in that position a lot

[00:05:02] He's played next to Nico, so combination-wise it was always going to be a little bit conky

[00:05:06] But I think that's something we can look at there and say

[00:05:08] Well now he's covered every position in the back line for us

[00:05:11] So if there is an injury in the finals

[00:05:12] We can throw him in there with some confidence

[00:05:14] Instead of throwing in a Herotti or a Kidd

[00:05:18] But then on the negatives, I just think

[00:05:21] The discipline got us again

[00:05:22] You can say what you want about the referees

[00:05:24] And I will 110% agree with you on the referees

[00:05:26] But you've got to defend that stuff and turn it away

[00:05:28] I know it's super hard when you are just getting peppered

[00:05:31] There was like 8-9 minutes where it felt like we didn't see the ball

[00:05:33] And it was just Herotti's late in the tackle count

[00:05:36] They're just absolutely kill it

[00:05:37] So the discipline is going to be fixed

[00:05:40] And again, we need to get our players back

[00:05:42] So there's only one more week left before finals

[00:05:45] It's an interesting time

[00:05:47] I completely understand the team letting in a try-out

[00:05:50] To which they did when the sin bin happened

[00:05:52] I cannot understand the last minute of the game

[00:05:56] And let's just go there just to get out of the way

[00:05:58] We get back into it, we're winning

[00:06:01] Mech half goes for a 2-point for your goal

[00:06:03] Misses that gives us 7 tackles

[00:06:06] With approximately a minute and a half on the clock

[00:06:09] But 90 seconds left

[00:06:11] 90 seconds

[00:06:12] 7 tackles

[00:06:14] Now you should be able to

[00:06:16] With hit ups and slow play the balls

[00:06:18] You should be able to

[00:06:20] Get to close to a minute

[00:06:23] Maybe 50 seconds to a minute

[00:06:24] Kick the ball down their end

[00:06:26] And that gives them 2-3 tackles at the most

[00:06:30] To go 80 meters

[00:06:32] With your line set

[00:06:34] If they score from there

[00:06:36] Beautiful

[00:06:37] Let's send SJ out a winner

[00:06:39] What the Sharkies did

[00:06:41] Was they started doing hit ups

[00:06:42] But they were doing 2 pass hit ups

[00:06:45] So

[00:06:46] Thumb half to guy

[00:06:48] Guy gets the ball passes

[00:06:50] And I have no idea why they were doing that

[00:06:52] Aside from it seemed like they wanted to make some meters

[00:06:55] They didn't really need to make the meters

[00:06:57] They just needed to get through their set and kick the ball

[00:07:00] We saw, I don't know

[00:07:02] Was it second or third tackle

[00:07:04] Given that there was a zero to start with

[00:07:07] Camikinis gets the ball

[00:07:09] Engages the line a little bit

[00:07:10] Passes to Jack Williams

[00:07:12] Jack Williams drops the ball

[00:07:13] Scrum I think around the 40-50

[00:07:16] At that point

[00:07:18] It's alarm bells because

[00:07:21] The Warriors got nothing to lose

[00:07:23] SJ's got nothing to lose

[00:07:24] They've had a pretty good half

[00:07:25] And from there

[00:07:28] We know what happens

[00:07:29] We can seed

[00:07:30] Pass might have been forward

[00:07:33] It's line ball

[00:07:34] At this point I don't care

[00:07:35] We should do better

[00:07:37] We have 13 men on the field

[00:07:40] I don't know

[00:07:41] Like the pass and the player wasn't that good

[00:07:43] That we couldn't stop it

[00:07:45] I'm convinced about that

[00:07:46] But even taking that defensive set aside

[00:07:50] How do we get in that position where there's 90 seconds on the clock

[00:07:53] But we give them the ball

[00:07:56] With a scrum

[00:07:56] On the 45 meter line

[00:07:59] I cannot

[00:08:01] Get past that

[00:08:02] Paul Gowlin

[00:08:03] The goat

[00:08:04] There's only one goat, right

[00:08:05] We've seen him do it

[00:08:07] In games where we're coming 16th

[00:08:11] And we've seen it

[00:08:12] Where we're about to win a premiership

[00:08:13] He puts it under his arm

[00:08:16] He holds onto it for dear life

[00:08:18] He's not giving it to anyone

[00:08:20] Usually from dummy half

[00:08:22] If not first receiver

[00:08:23] And he's making four or five meters

[00:08:26] With a slow play the ball

[00:08:27] Do that five times

[00:08:28] And kick the hell out of it

[00:08:29] You go and home a winner

[00:08:31] You're possibly coming second

[00:08:34] Possibly a home final

[00:08:35] But for some reason

[00:08:37] Didn't happen

[00:08:38] And I think three years in

[00:08:40] With the same players, same coach

[00:08:42] Gotta do better

[00:08:43] For all I know the coach said do it

[00:08:45] I've got no idea

[00:08:46] So I'm not having to go at anyone in particular

[00:08:48] I'm coming to go at the whole team

[00:08:50] Situations

[00:08:51] Situations like

[00:08:52] It is 101

[00:08:55] And they buggered it up

[00:08:57] And from the drop ball, the scrum

[00:09:00] I kind of felt it was on the team

[00:09:02] To help out their mate who's gonna be

[00:09:04] And has been absolutely ridiculed

[00:09:07] Currently without a deal

[00:09:08] To help him out

[00:09:10] Let alone finish second potentially

[00:09:12] And hold out one set of six

[00:09:15] Now it is interesting here in that

[00:09:16] The ref as he did for the second half

[00:09:19] He was waving six again

[00:09:21] Right around the time they scored

[00:09:23] So they would have had a few more tackles anyway

[00:09:26] With 30, 20 seconds on the clock

[00:09:29] Doesn't mean they were gonna score

[00:09:31] So I'm pretty annoyed by that as you can tell

[00:09:34] The other thing that I'm hearing is that

[00:09:37] Our captain who played 200 games

[00:09:39] He took it at the time

[00:09:41] Took it upon himself to take the blame

[00:09:43] He said he shouldn't have passed the ball

[00:09:45] In hindsight, I kind of agree

[00:09:48] I'm not gonna blame him for the loss

[00:09:50] I'm not blaming Jack Williams for the loss

[00:09:52] Like it's a team effort

[00:09:54] But it's kind of nice to know that

[00:09:57] At least the captain knows

[00:09:58] He should have done better in that situation

[00:10:00] That maybe next time it won't happen

[00:10:01] To your point, there was 90 seconds left

[00:10:04] And you see it all the time

[00:10:05] When teams make an arrow

[00:10:07] They always stick their finger up

[00:10:08] And they say one minute

[00:10:09] Because effectively that is defend

[00:10:11] For one minute, one set

[00:10:13] That's how long it will take for them to get through

[00:10:15] And we'll get the ball back, guys

[00:10:16] So just hold on for one set, one minute

[00:10:18] And we'll get the ball back

[00:10:20] And for us to not milk that

[00:10:22] One minute out to the 90 seconds

[00:10:24] Was pretty brutal

[00:10:25] What got me was

[00:10:27] The Warriors left Farnil Blake out in the field

[00:10:29] For 80 minutes, I felt like

[00:10:31] I don't think Farnil Blake went off

[00:10:32] And he was unbelievable

[00:10:35] Now where the momentum for that play

[00:10:38] Where they score in the corner comes from

[00:10:40] Is a late offload from him

[00:10:42] Where he pops the ball out

[00:10:43] And then their dummy half scoots

[00:10:45] And then they start setting up

[00:10:47] So Sean Johnson broke it down

[00:10:49] In a press conference where he talks about looks

[00:10:51] And it was this three-play setup

[00:10:54] For that ball to be put on to DWZ

[00:10:58] So that is extremely frustrating to me

[00:11:00] Because you knew that SJ

[00:11:03] Was going to go down that side of the field as well

[00:11:05] And you knew that he was going to reach some sort of

[00:11:07] Show and go dummy himself

[00:11:08] Or a long ball, something like that

[00:11:10] So again, it's easy for us to sit here

[00:11:13] And say you should be able to shut that down

[00:11:15] Because Sean Johnson is one of the best playmakers

[00:11:17] The game is seeing

[00:11:17] So it's very hard to defend against

[00:11:19] But when you have a team that

[00:11:22] Is playing for a lot of things

[00:11:25] You should be able to defend those things

[00:11:26] Because what was going through my head is

[00:11:29] If this happens in two weeks' time

[00:11:31] Absolutely

[00:11:31] It's going to hurt a lot more

[00:11:32] Absolutely

[00:11:33] It's going to be a lot more devastating

[00:11:35] And if we put ourselves in positions

[00:11:36] Where they concede 30 points

[00:11:39] Then we're not going to be in a good spot

[00:11:40] And the doom and gloom is coming

[00:11:44] You're seeing it already

[00:11:45] Where everybody is saying that

[00:11:46] They're going to go in straight sets

[00:11:47] And all that type of stuff

[00:11:49] So we need to do something very quickly

[00:11:52] To address that

[00:11:52] And we need to do something to get ourselves

[00:11:55] Out of the mess that we've found ourselves in

[00:11:56] Because we're one game away from the finals

[00:11:59] And we were coasting along quite nicely

[00:12:04] We weren't peaking at that top level

[00:12:07] In that first half when things were kicking into gear

[00:12:09] When you saw the Royce Hunt hit off

[00:12:11] And then Blake Brailey

[00:12:12] Go straight out of dummy half

[00:12:13] And we score back to back tries

[00:12:15] You start and say

[00:12:15] Okay, these guys are actually looking like

[00:12:17] They are building towards the semis

[00:12:20] And once we get a few of these guys back

[00:12:21] It's going to be unbelievable

[00:12:23] And then it all just turned

[00:12:25] And went back to how it was

[00:12:27] Against some of those lower teams

[00:12:28] That happened to us earlier in the years

[00:12:30] So how they addressed that I'm not sure

[00:12:32] But just on the Jack Williams thing

[00:12:36] I don't know anything about

[00:12:37] What's happening with his contract situation

[00:12:39] But typically the club will do a farewell

[00:12:42] To a player if we're not going to

[00:12:43] Keep that player next year

[00:12:44] Interesting

[00:12:45] So the fact that we didn't do

[00:12:46] A farewell to Jack

[00:12:49] Work we did with Dale

[00:12:50] That tells me that I think the club

[00:12:52] Has got a deal agreed with Jack

[00:12:54] But again, I don't know anything in that situation

[00:12:55] I'm not saying it's the right or wrong thing to do

[00:12:57] But that's just something that I noted

[00:12:59] And I completely appreciate bringing that up

[00:13:01] And you're right on that point

[00:13:04] There is a strong whisper

[00:13:05] That Hunt will go next year to the Tigers

[00:13:08] It's not a done deal

[00:13:09] And he may stay

[00:13:10] It's up to the Sharks to kind of allow that

[00:13:12] But if that was the case

[00:13:14] He didn't get a goodbye either

[00:13:16] And I understand why that wasn't the case

[00:13:18] But I guess it's all a bit up in the air

[00:13:22] And they probably had a few things to worry about

[00:13:24] Like Sean Johnson goodbye

[00:13:27] Which I in hindsight understand

[00:13:29] Cam MacKinnon's Dale

[00:13:31] Who is retiring so to speak

[00:13:33] Like we know he's retired

[00:13:34] But it was a final goodbye

[00:13:35] Officially as a player

[00:13:37] So I think that's where it gets a bit murky

[00:13:39] But completely appreciate what you say

[00:13:42] I'm glad you brought it up

[00:13:43] There's a talk about why did

[00:13:45] Williams come on for Rudolph

[00:13:48] In the final few minutes

[00:13:50] And I can tell you

[00:13:51] Four minutes

[00:13:51] It was in the four minutes

[00:13:53] I can tell you why

[00:13:53] And that is

[00:13:55] He is seen as our best defensive forward

[00:13:58] Jack Williams

[00:13:59] That is why he was brought on

[00:14:00] So with that in mind

[00:14:02] I understand

[00:14:04] They probably don't think he's going to

[00:14:06] Be on the end of that ball

[00:14:07] And also drop that ball

[00:14:08] It was a very catchable ball

[00:14:10] So I'm not blaming Cam MacKinnon's

[00:14:12] And I'm also

[00:14:14] Not letting Williams off the hook

[00:14:16] But there's a sort of in between

[00:14:18] Where I'm like this shouldn't be happening

[00:14:20] In any way

[00:14:20] So I don't want to hammer

[00:14:23] Necessarily one only of the guys

[00:14:25] We do need to move on from that moment

[00:14:27] Because we'll be here forever

[00:14:28] Now I was opinion here

[00:14:31] That if we won one of the two games

[00:14:34] Leading into the finals

[00:14:35] I'd be okay with that

[00:14:37] I don't think I'm now okay

[00:14:38] With losing two games

[00:14:40] Moving into the finals

[00:14:41] I don't think that's good mojo

[00:14:43] I think we need to get a brookie

[00:14:45] And win

[00:14:46] I'm not necessarily throwing every dude

[00:14:48] Out there that we have available

[00:14:49] If there is not much room for us to move

[00:14:53] But I think we are the last game of the round

[00:14:55] So we will kind of know what's happening

[00:14:56] As far as ladder and positions go

[00:14:58] And I would be taking that into account

[00:15:00] If we can't move anywhere

[00:15:02] And we'll get into the ladder stuff shortly

[00:15:05] Then I wouldn't be

[00:15:06] Risking anyone that shouldn't be risked

[00:15:08] But having said that

[00:15:09] With Miko for example

[00:15:11] There were moments when he looked awesome

[00:15:14] The more touches he gets against the team like Manly

[00:15:18] If he's fully fit

[00:15:19] And if we need him to play

[00:15:21] I think it's definitely to our advantage

[00:15:23] And his advantage

[00:15:24] Because at time looked awesome

[00:15:26] At time looked clunky

[00:15:27] That's going to happen when you have nine weeks off

[00:15:29] Or whatever it's been

[00:15:30] So not a criticism of him

[00:15:32] Let me ask you how did you think Niko went

[00:15:34] How did you think he gelled with the team

[00:15:35] With Trindle, etc

[00:15:37] I think it was pretty clear that Trindle

[00:15:39] Was steering the ship around

[00:15:40] Trindle was the main guy

[00:15:42] And Niko was the main guy

[00:15:42] And Niko was playing off the back of Trindle

[00:15:44] And he did look good in certain points with the ball

[00:15:47] I thought the ball playing was quite good

[00:15:49] Some of his defence was quite physical

[00:15:51] There was obviously that bad miss

[00:15:53] That he had on the young centre there

[00:15:55] That led to that huge break

[00:15:57] And it was kind of all downhill from there

[00:15:59] For Niko's game after that point happened

[00:16:02] This is why I say that

[00:16:04] We need him back on the field

[00:16:06] As quickly as possible

[00:16:07] So we can get the reps in before the finals

[00:16:09] Because something like that happens against the storm

[00:16:12] And Cameron Munster has done it to Niko in the past

[00:16:15] It's very hard to cop

[00:16:16] So I think getting him back on the field

[00:16:19] And getting the reps in his legs

[00:16:21] Are going to be a real big help

[00:16:22] I think as we go into Brookvale this weekend

[00:16:24] He has to play

[00:16:26] Because we need to get the best out of him

[00:16:28] We can't just disregard him and say

[00:16:30] Alright, we're going to stick with Trindle and Atkinson

[00:16:33] Because you're paying all that money for Niko

[00:16:36] And you need to get the most out of him

[00:16:37] You can't just move on from him

[00:16:39] And if you do drop him in round 26

[00:16:41] After one week back from an injury

[00:16:44] You're going to ruin the guy's confidence

[00:16:45] He's going to be out of the club

[00:16:47] Now there might be people out there that are saying

[00:16:49] That's good and I want him out of the club

[00:16:50] But he's only 18 months removed or so

[00:16:53] From being the Dallian player of the year

[00:16:54] For Four State of Origin

[00:16:55] He was in great form

[00:16:56] There's no reason to drop him

[00:16:57] But I'm just saying there is people out there

[00:16:59] That are saying this online

[00:17:00] So I'm just saying that I can't agree with that line

[00:17:03] Of thinking because again

[00:17:04] He's our main man

[00:17:05] And we need him to stand up and do well for us

[00:17:07] So I think it's good that he's back

[00:17:08] The one concern I've got about having that game

[00:17:10] On a Sunday is the turnaround

[00:17:12] Going down to Melbourne is obviously

[00:17:14] One of the longer trips compared to the other options

[00:17:16] In the top four

[00:17:17] So that's going to be a pain for us

[00:17:19] It would be Saturday night I think

[00:17:20] It would probably be the Saturday night game

[00:17:22] You know you would hope for the Sunday

[00:17:23] But you're going to be probably getting that

[00:17:25] I think it's penciled in

[00:17:27] And no one booked your flights based on my information

[00:17:29] It's penciled in for Saturday night

[00:17:31] Well there you go

[00:17:32] So again you're going to have a bit of a shorter turnaround there

[00:17:34] I probably would look to drop Jack

[00:17:36] Just because of that drop ball

[00:17:38] And I know that's a little bit harsh

[00:17:39] But again I think that there has to be consequences for things

[00:17:42] Toby got dropped

[00:17:43] And then Toby since he got dropped and came back

[00:17:45] I think Toby's world apart from where he was

[00:17:48] Before he got dropped after he did that bad error

[00:17:50] Which cost us the game as well

[00:17:52] So hopefully Jack can bounce back

[00:17:54] And be bigger and better than ever for us

[00:17:56] Because we're going to need people like him at his best

[00:17:58] Alright I know we're jumping around a little bit here

[00:18:01] But let's talk about some forwards

[00:18:03] Now the big difference

[00:18:06] And it was pointed out to me by a award winning

[00:18:08] And he won't mind me saying this

[00:18:10] Dave Ricciere but it's there for everyone to see

[00:18:12] And obviously he's not the only one seeing it

[00:18:13] But he sent it to me on Saturday night

[00:18:16] And that was that

[00:18:18] Now Shark, he's now a shark in Adon Fennel Blake

[00:18:22] Ran for over 200 metres

[00:18:24] The sharks did not have one

[00:18:26] They had one forward in Toby Rudolph

[00:18:29] Who made 105 metres

[00:18:30] And that would have been off Toby's last hit up

[00:18:32] So that was a huge difference in how the game went

[00:18:37] I know that at times they had a lot more possession

[00:18:39] So we didn't have the ball

[00:18:41] All of our backs went for at least 100 metres

[00:18:44] Including Catoa and Stone Street who were around 170

[00:18:47] Stone Street had that excellent long range try

[00:18:49] So you can take maybe 50 or 60 off that

[00:18:51] If you know what I mean

[00:18:52] Forward pack, so Rudolph 46 minutes

[00:18:56] 100 metres

[00:18:57] Brailey ran for almost 70

[00:18:59] Fantastic

[00:19:01] Kefusi 35 minutes, 70 metres

[00:19:05] Britton 65

[00:19:06] So he's down on past weeks

[00:19:08] Wilton around 70

[00:19:10] McKinnis 92

[00:19:12] Which is down for him

[00:19:14] And he played for 55 minutes

[00:19:15] You go to your bench

[00:19:17] Half a game for Jack Williams 65 metres

[00:19:20] Royce Hunt played 20 minutes for 70 metres

[00:19:23] Tall Tom Hazlison half an hour for 37 metres

[00:19:26] And again at these times we didn't have the ball

[00:19:30] So I'm not saying that they didn't put in

[00:19:32] Braden Hamlin-New-Elly 16 minutes

[00:19:36] One run, 7 metres

[00:19:39] Now again he might have been on there

[00:19:42] When we didn't have the ball

[00:19:43] So it's not a shot at BHU

[00:19:44] We love BHU

[00:19:46] But that bench to me on the weekend says

[00:19:50] That's not the way to go

[00:19:51] Or the way to run it

[00:19:53] Or maybe they were just all on the field

[00:19:55] And we didn't have the ball

[00:19:56] We might need to study up on that

[00:19:58] But that is alarm bells

[00:20:00] Yeah, I was sitting with Josh

[00:20:02] One of the co-hosts here

[00:20:03] And when we were watching the game

[00:20:06] The momentum changed when our bench came on

[00:20:08] At the start of the game

[00:20:10] So about 20 minutes in

[00:20:11] Our bench came on

[00:20:12] And then that's when we started to look really good

[00:20:14] And we were sort of saying

[00:20:15] Teams can struggle with our bench

[00:20:17] Because we can play that power game

[00:20:19] Then what happened in the second half

[00:20:21] Was all the ill-discipline and the penalties

[00:20:23] Which I don't agree with 90% of those penalties

[00:20:26] But they happened

[00:20:27] And the impact players will bring off the bench

[00:20:30] Were coming on and it was just defend

[00:20:32] And so like Hamlin-New-Elly starts there

[00:20:34] I was waiting for him to come on

[00:20:36] Because I'm of the belief

[00:20:38] If we are to try and take a step up

[00:20:40] We need him to be at his A game for us

[00:20:44] And when he came on the field

[00:20:45] It was just defense

[00:20:46] So we didn't have the ball

[00:20:48] That was that period where we just didn't get the ball

[00:20:50] And so yeah, he's stats don't look great

[00:20:51] Because of the situation like that

[00:20:53] But that's when we need to pull out a plan B

[00:20:56] For how we do it

[00:20:57] Because again if we're trying to do that power game

[00:20:59] Off the bench

[00:20:59] You know, Tom, Royce

[00:21:02] They're not built

[00:21:03] Even Hamlin-New-Elly

[00:21:04] They're not built to defend for long stretches

[00:21:07] They're built to get the ball

[00:21:08] Get over the advantage line

[00:21:09] Quick play the balls

[00:21:10] The next guy goes, right?

[00:21:12] So that's where you would like your Caffuses

[00:21:14] And your Jack Williams

[00:21:15] Who were more locked down that middle

[00:21:17] And defend and you know, strangle teams

[00:21:19] Of all that type of stuff

[00:21:20] So I don't know what the plan B is

[00:21:23] For how we run the bench

[00:21:24] Do we need that utility guy in there

[00:21:26] Like Atkinson

[00:21:27] Who will come in there and just

[00:21:29] You know, work and have that level of fitness

[00:21:31] And that creativity around the middle

[00:21:33] With leg speed

[00:21:34] That could be something

[00:21:35] But we're at round 27 now

[00:21:38] It's very hard to try and change

[00:21:40] And move away from what has worked for us

[00:21:41] So we've got to stick with that power game

[00:21:43] We've got to get it right

[00:21:44] And we just can't give away those penalties

[00:21:46] Even when, you know, some of them aren't deserved

[00:21:47] We just can't give the referees any excuses

[00:21:49] Yeah, so

[00:21:51] We will talk about the refs during the week

[00:21:53] On the show and that kind of thing

[00:21:54] I mean, everyone who listens to the show knows my

[00:21:58] My thing around a refs is

[00:22:00] That they don't really decide the games

[00:22:03] In this game

[00:22:04] The Sin Binning definitely changed the game

[00:22:07] And the Sin Bin

[00:22:08] In the audio on the ref said was for repeated

[00:22:12] I think foul play infringements

[00:22:14] It wasn't necessarily for that one

[00:22:16] Falling in a high tackle, right

[00:22:18] So captain said they weren't warned about it

[00:22:21] And he just went, you're off

[00:22:23] So that seems a bit crazy

[00:22:25] He lost control

[00:22:26] He lost control

[00:22:27] There were a lot of six against a lot of penalties

[00:22:31] There was a lot of movement for the Warriors

[00:22:32] To get back into that game

[00:22:34] I'm not one that would think

[00:22:36] That they were doing it for Sean

[00:22:37] I don't believe that

[00:22:39] But I think that when a team gets a roll

[00:22:41] On this modern game

[00:22:43] It's hard to stop

[00:22:45] That's where I give the sharks a little bit of

[00:22:47] Lee Wei in how they defended

[00:22:49] Because it was just an onslaught

[00:22:51] Of the opposing team getting a really good

[00:22:54] Rubber the green for that sort of 20 minute period

[00:22:56] Or whatever and it was, it's hard to stop

[00:22:58] Now they kept going to both sides

[00:23:01] They had more success on our left

[00:23:04] I was alarmed by that

[00:23:05] Because in the past month

[00:23:07] Stone Street and Eero have been really good

[00:23:09] As well as the guys next to them

[00:23:10] The other one I want to be critical of

[00:23:13] And you're not going to like it

[00:23:14] And we love him on this show

[00:23:16] But our boy was out fishing

[00:23:18] For one of those tries

[00:23:19] He was just

[00:23:21] Like if you go watch the replay

[00:23:22] Curin of the Katoa try that he let in

[00:23:25] I think it was against Montoya I guess

[00:23:27] It's a horrific defensive read

[00:23:30] Now it's only one

[00:23:31] I'm not hanging the guy out

[00:23:32] But he needs to be better

[00:23:34] Because he just shoots in

[00:23:35] There is no reason to shoot in

[00:23:37] And then when he shoots back out

[00:23:39] It's too late and the guy is covering him

[00:23:40] It's too late as well

[00:23:41] And I was a bit disappointed

[00:23:43] In the Tongan fishermen right there

[00:23:45] It's one thing though, one play

[00:23:46] I did notice that watching the game live

[00:23:48] That they were doing a lot of that

[00:23:50] A lot of shooting it

[00:23:52] And obviously that's a plan

[00:23:55] To shut down some of those long balls

[00:23:56] That those Warriors house can throw

[00:23:59] But that's the second time

[00:24:00] In a couple of weeks where we've seen

[00:24:02] Cione get isolated like that

[00:24:03] And kind of drop his head

[00:24:04] So we need him back

[00:24:06] And hopefully when he gets Ronnie back this week

[00:24:08] Hopefully his confidence will stick back up

[00:24:11] And we can just start the switch on

[00:24:12] Because mainly I'm missing a lot of players

[00:24:14] This week as well

[00:24:15] So let's get the Tongan fishermen firing

[00:24:17] So we're going to hopefully have

[00:24:19] Well we'll have Jesse back

[00:24:21] I'm not sure about Ronaldo

[00:24:22] Let's hope he's there

[00:24:24] Sifatalakai

[00:24:25] I don't know either

[00:24:26] But I'm assuming he's closer

[00:24:28] Again, don't risk it if it's a risk

[00:24:30] But if he's ready to rock

[00:24:32] Chuck him out there

[00:24:33] So the team should look a little bit different

[00:24:34] And a little bit more A-Team

[00:24:37] Than guys coming in for the A-Team

[00:24:40] So that's a positive

[00:24:41] Manly will be missing Trevojevic

[00:24:43] I believe they'll be missing Saab

[00:24:45] Thank goodness for that

[00:24:46] Looking at the ladder, Kieran

[00:24:49] So Melbourne are locked in for number one

[00:24:51] We know that

[00:24:52] Penrith in the box seat now to take second

[00:24:56] They are playing at home

[00:24:59] This week against

[00:25:02] The Titans

[00:25:03] Now on their day

[00:25:05] The Titans can score a lot of points

[00:25:07] Penrith had some injuries

[00:25:09] I'm still back in Penrith in here

[00:25:11] We know how good they are

[00:25:13] So they'll probably finish second

[00:25:15] On 40 points

[00:25:16] The Roosters play souths

[00:25:20] In their big derby

[00:25:21] Now we know the Roosters

[00:25:23] Or if you don't know

[00:25:24] They've lost two guys to ACLs overnight

[00:25:27] They're Hathbac and Brad and Smith

[00:25:29] I think a few other injuries floating around

[00:25:32] Victor, Radley did his shoulder

[00:25:33] It's not all doom and gloom

[00:25:35] Manu will go to 5-8

[00:25:36] Sand and Smith will come in

[00:25:38] They've still got a pretty good team

[00:25:40] They should still roll

[00:25:41] Yep, they should still roll the rabbit-os

[00:25:45] So at that point

[00:25:47] If we win

[00:25:48] We'll still finish fourth

[00:25:49] If all those teams win

[00:25:50] If the Roosters lose

[00:25:52] And we win

[00:25:53] We go to third

[00:25:54] We go to Penrith

[00:25:56] Behind us a Canterbury on 34 points

[00:25:58] So two points behind us

[00:25:59] Their foreign against though is

[00:26:03] What's ours?

[00:26:03] About 68 points difference

[00:26:05] Our better

[00:26:06] So if they have a big win

[00:26:08] We have a big loss

[00:26:09] They can climb up to fourth

[00:26:11] We go to fifth

[00:26:12] But at this point

[00:26:14] It's unlikely

[00:26:15] So at this point

[00:26:17] We're pretty much going to go to Melbourne

[00:26:18] We could go to Penrith

[00:26:20] Unless the Cowboys win by 200 points

[00:26:22] Yes, and the whole bummer is

[00:26:24] If we win the game

[00:26:25] There is potential

[00:26:28] Potential that we have a home final

[00:26:30] That's out the window

[00:26:31] But that's what we were playing for

[00:26:33] That's what's so annoying about it all

[00:26:35] Manly, we're missing a bunch of people

[00:26:37] Let's look at their situation

[00:26:39] While I have this open

[00:26:41] Manly are currently in seventh

[00:26:43] On 33 points

[00:26:44] So they can rise up to 35

[00:26:47] And get a home final elimination final

[00:26:50] So they're going to be fighting hard Manly

[00:26:52] There's no doubt about that

[00:26:54] It's going to be tough as usual

[00:26:56] The good news is

[00:26:58] We've won three of the past four games

[00:27:00] Against Manly

[00:27:02] So that's already a twist

[00:27:04] On the storyline that we can't beat Manly

[00:27:06] We won the past two games

[00:27:08] Against Manly at Brookfire

[00:27:11] Which is very much a Craig Fitzgibbon thing

[00:27:14] So he's won the past two games there

[00:27:16] Big win in 2022

[00:27:18] And a tight win last year

[00:27:21] So the whole this team

[00:27:23] Can't play in Brookfire thing

[00:27:25] It's not a thing for Craig Fitzgibbon and the current mob

[00:27:28] Three of the past four in general

[00:27:30] We've won, there's not a lot of fee there

[00:27:32] For the newer brigade

[00:27:34] For younger fans, for people like you and I

[00:27:36] And older fans, there's obviously a lot of scars there

[00:27:38] So not suggesting it's going to be easy

[00:27:40] But that whole thing we can't win there

[00:27:41] Well actually we can

[00:27:42] That's that out of the way Kieran

[00:27:44] Tell me where we're at, what's happening

[00:27:46] I know it's a backward step

[00:27:49] Some people are just

[00:27:51] Why bother? I'm not in that camp

[00:27:53] I think there's still a lot of things we can do

[00:27:55] Especially with the pressure off us a little bit

[00:27:59] Which is how we like it

[00:28:00] How are you feeling?

[00:28:01] So I think if I look at it

[00:28:04] And I say this quite often

[00:28:05] There's different tiers of teams

[00:28:07] And I kind of had us pegged with the roosters

[00:28:09] As a notch below the storm and the panthers

[00:28:12] Because I think that they're of a much better quality

[00:28:15] A lot of people from the outside were saying

[00:28:17] The Bulldogs and the Sharks were at the same level

[00:28:19] We saw the Bulldogs kind of get tested

[00:28:21] And I don't think the Bulldogs performed

[00:28:23] I think that we are a better team than the Bulldogs

[00:28:25] I think with all the injuries now

[00:28:27] That the roosters have gone through

[00:28:29] I'm putting a line through the roosters

[00:28:30] They can't do anything

[00:28:33] They've just lost three key guys

[00:28:35] So that's some big injuries there

[00:28:39] I don't think the roosters can win it

[00:28:41] With my missing Radley and Smith

[00:28:43] And all those guys

[00:28:44] So I think that's going to be a really hard effort

[00:28:46] For the roosters to get up and get through

[00:28:49] The final series

[00:28:50] Especially their first game will probably be

[00:28:52] If we've got the storm, they'll be going up against

[00:28:54] Panthers

[00:28:54] So that's going to be a really tough task for them

[00:28:59] I think we're going to have a really tough task

[00:29:01] To go down to Melbourne and try and win twice

[00:29:03] In Melbourne

[00:29:04] But I think the one thing I would say is

[00:29:07] You've got to look at this situation

[00:29:08] As Fitsy would

[00:29:10] So put yourself in Fitsy's shoes

[00:29:11] Don't put yourself in as the fan

[00:29:13] Saying why don't they just play Tuku

[00:29:16] And drop Niko and do all these things

[00:29:18] You've got to look at the swad you've got

[00:29:20] You've got to look at the whole pre-season

[00:29:22] The 12 months of work that has been put in

[00:29:24] For this moment

[00:29:26] And these guys

[00:29:28] Are desperate to get that noise

[00:29:30] Around the finals off

[00:29:31] So if I'm Fitsy right now

[00:29:34] I'm doubling down on that us against

[00:29:36] The World Siege mentality

[00:29:38] Of everyone's riding us off

[00:29:40] And I'm pulling out out forwards

[00:29:42] And I'm saying the only way we can get this done

[00:29:44] Is if you step up

[00:29:45] And I'm putting up their meters from the weekend

[00:29:47] And we just went through the reasons why the meters were down

[00:29:49] Because again they didn't have the ball

[00:29:50] But I'm putting that up on there and I'm ripping into them

[00:29:53] And saying this is why we bought Farnil Blake

[00:29:55] Who's going to step up this against

[00:29:58] Manly and against the storm

[00:30:00] Or Penra, whoever we get

[00:30:01] And say guys you need to do this

[00:30:03] You need to lead us

[00:30:03] Because once those guys get that roll on

[00:30:06] That's the only way we can win

[00:30:08] So I don't

[00:30:10] I'm not a believer yet that we can still win the call

[00:30:13] But I think we have some

[00:30:15] Moving pieces that if we

[00:30:17] Can find the right mix and the right balance

[00:30:19] We can definitely

[00:30:20] Go further than we have in the finals

[00:30:22] In the last couple of years because

[00:30:24] A straight sets exit this year

[00:30:26] Would be an absolute disaster

[00:30:28] Because I feel we are much better than teams 5, 6

[00:30:31] And 7 and 8

[00:30:33] So the first week's going to be tough

[00:30:35] But hey

[00:30:36] You just front load all the effort

[00:30:38] All the energy and just see what you can pull out

[00:30:40] Because anything can happen in the finals

[00:30:42] You never know right

[00:30:43] They could have 3 HIA's in the first 5 minutes

[00:30:46] And they could be at 6s and 7s

[00:30:48] So that's why I always say

[00:30:50] It's not

[00:30:52] People saying why Bola

[00:30:53] Because you never know what could happen

[00:30:54] The roosters yesterday losing 3 players like they did

[00:30:58] Completely changed that game

[00:30:59] Everyone had the roosters winning that game against Canberra

[00:31:02] And then those injuries happened

[00:31:04] And then Canberra

[00:31:05] Throughout the game

[00:31:06] It wasn't because of the injuries that the Canberra is one

[00:31:08] But I'm just saying anything can happen

[00:31:10] So I think we have a decent team

[00:31:13] I think if everybody's fit

[00:31:15] And firing we can do something

[00:31:16] But so far we haven't seen that

[00:31:19] From a consistent period this year

[00:31:21] We saw it in glimpses where we

[00:31:23] Beat the roosters and we beat the storm

[00:31:25] Back to back weeks and then we went against

[00:31:27] Penrith feeling super confident and Penrith put 40 on us

[00:31:29] So what I need to see

[00:31:31] Is I need to see

[00:31:32] That kind of us against the world

[00:31:35] Nobody rates us

[00:31:36] Let's prove somebody wrong

[00:31:38] Because in my business world

[00:31:41] In my business life I have a thing

[00:31:42] It's called the three whys

[00:31:44] Why do anything, why now

[00:31:46] And why Bola

[00:31:47] If we can't answer those things

[00:31:50] What's the pain? What pain are we addressing here?

[00:31:52] If we can't answer that

[00:31:53] And we can't answer the pain that we're feeling

[00:31:55] As a club

[00:31:56] If we can't answer the why now

[00:31:58] And the why do anything

[00:31:59] Then we're not serious in the finals

[00:32:02] So I think that there is a narrative there

[00:32:04] That we can cook up internally between those balls

[00:32:06] Us against the world

[00:32:08] The

[00:32:10] Cock-eyed Optimus Timmy says

[00:32:11] You use that result and you say

[00:32:13] You've got to turn that around

[00:32:14] Otherwise pack up and see you guys in November

[00:32:17] And we're doing sandhills for the next four months

[00:32:20] There's no more sandhills

[00:32:20] Biggest bummer about the

[00:32:24] Situation is that the finals are not this week

[00:32:27] I think I'd just rather fly in

[00:32:29] And I say that only because

[00:32:30] The Manly Game could

[00:32:32] Could be meaningless

[00:32:34] Yep, we could get the reps in

[00:32:36] I'm not backtracking what we said

[00:32:38] Some guys need more reps than others

[00:32:40] But I think based on

[00:32:42] The way we lost, the disappointment

[00:32:44] From the fan base, from the players themselves

[00:32:46] The coach, I'd love to throw ourselves

[00:32:48] In the playing Melbourne this week in Melbourne

[00:32:50] That would be the go time now

[00:32:51] I think in other weeks

[00:32:53] We've got pros and cons

[00:32:54] But that just popped into my head

[00:32:57] Want to give a shout out to Blake Brehle

[00:32:59] Who I thought was the best out there for us

[00:33:01] I need to see that again this week

[00:33:03] I thought he was really good

[00:33:04] There was a moment where one of the most disliked players

[00:33:07] On the field, Dylan Walker

[00:33:09] Was really getting into Blake

[00:33:10] And really ripping into him

[00:33:11] You can hear it in the audio

[00:33:13] Blake just stood his ground and was awesome

[00:33:15] And I love this new Blake Brehle

[00:33:19] Attitude, I think some other guys

[00:33:20] Could probably lose a bit of attitude to be honest

[00:33:22] I think Blake needed it

[00:33:23] And it's awesome

[00:33:25] Just on the halves, Kieran before we wrap up

[00:33:27] People talking about who was dominant

[00:33:29] Who was more dominant

[00:33:30] The touch is actually evened out

[00:33:32] So Hines had 45 possessions

[00:33:35] Trindle had 43

[00:33:37] Hines ran for a lot more

[00:33:39] Trindle had double

[00:33:42] Trindle had two tri-assists

[00:33:43] Dylan Brehle and Sissnick had one

[00:33:45] And as far as the kicks go

[00:33:47] Trindle had double the kicks

[00:33:49] So 12 kicks, 475 meters

[00:33:52] Hines had six kicks for 142

[00:33:54] So

[00:33:55] Kicking didn't even out

[00:33:57] But as far as touches go

[00:33:58] Pretty much evened out

[00:33:59] I can't tell you when they touched it

[00:34:01] So it might have ebbed and floated

[00:34:04] Or it might have been one half

[00:34:04] This guy, one half, you can work that out for yourself

[00:34:06] But just as far as dominating halves go

[00:34:10] And I thought Trindle was pretty good

[00:34:12] I didn't think that that was a disaster

[00:34:14] Nico coming back and changing the game

[00:34:16] I did notice that we didn't play as simple

[00:34:19] But that may not be a Nico thing

[00:34:21] It could be game

[00:34:23] Environment, it could be

[00:34:24] A whole bunch of things

[00:34:25] Atkinson out in the centers

[00:34:27] I think I longed for that Titans power game

[00:34:30] I think that's how we win the comp

[00:34:32] I don't think we're going to play that way necessarily

[00:34:34] So that's that

[00:34:36] Manly this week, Kieran, it's going to be a Wild Week

[00:34:39] We're going to have a Wild Week podcast

[00:34:40] Hopefully as well

[00:34:41] We do need to wrap up because you and I

[00:34:43] At this very early time of the day

[00:34:45] Need to go about our business

[00:34:47] So no fun and games on this episode

[00:34:49] It's all serious now on this episode

[00:34:51] But we'll have some fun and games for sure coming up

[00:34:54] Kieran, thank you for your time

[00:34:55] Appreciate you

[00:34:56] Glad you had a good time at the game on the weekend

[00:34:59] For most of the game at least

[00:35:01] Sharkhust pod, get in touches

[00:35:02] We've got some amazing mail coming up this week

[00:35:05] Kieran, it's not all horrible

[00:35:08] That mail bag is going to be on fire

[00:35:10] It's on fire but it's not all horrible

[00:35:11] And this guy can never

[00:35:13] Be seen out of the house ever again

[00:35:16] Etc like there is some of that

[00:35:17] But there is some really smart

[00:35:20] Intelligent rugby league

[00:35:22] Talk from our listeners so I can't wait to rip into that

[00:35:25] And

[00:35:26] We will talk to everyone

[00:35:27] Real soon this week more episodes coming

[00:35:29] Until then Kieran, thanks for your time

[00:35:31] Enjoy the rest of your morning

[00:35:34] And everyone watching and listening

[00:35:35] Thanks for your time, appreciate you

[00:35:36] Sharkhustpod at gmail.com

[00:35:38] On the DMs and the socials

[00:35:40] We will talk to you soon

[00:35:42] Keringala, we got to do this

[00:35:43] We got to do this for all of our sakes

[00:35:45] Up up, speak to you soon