Player Interviews/Media - Finals Week 2, 2026 with KL Iro, Nicho Hynes, Addin Fonua-Blake and Tom Hazelton

[00:00:01] The Royal Motor Yacht Club Port Hacking is a hidden gem of the Shire, situated on the banks of the beautiful Port Hacking. It's a great place to catch up with friends, celebrate your birthday or any special occasion and they always show the NRL live on the big screens. The RMYC Port Hacking, proud sponsors of this podcast and big supporters of the Cronulla Sutherland Sharks. Check out their website rmycph.com.au

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[00:01:05] Hey there, welcome to SharkCast, a podcast dedicated to the greatest sporting club in the history of the world. The greatest club on earth. My name's Sam Shnazzi. This show is brought to you by Dyson Logistics, the Royal Motor Yacht Club in Port Hacking, Jason Hawes at Crips & Crips Real Estate and we get our coffee, which is pretty often we get it from Mr. Paisley's in North Caring Bar. Welcome to week two of the finals, 2026 edition.

[00:01:30] Sharks flying high, defeating the Cowboys as we all know, 26 to 16 on Saturday night. Fast forward one a week, we're going to be at the same venue, Allianz Stadium. I expect it to be a sea of black, white and blue. I expect you all to get out there if you can. And let's get behind this team that has a chance to go to a prelim, the third prelim in a row. One step at a time. Roosters this week going to be a tough task. They're coming off a narrow loss to the Panthers, really took them all the way.

[00:02:00] They're bruised, they're battered, but they're going to kick to Chupo. They're going to kick to Marky Mark. He's going to do the offloads. The forwards are going to go forward. DC is going to try and get a 40-20, so got to be on our toes and got to be at our best to beat the Roosters is my early analysis. Quite an obvious one. But looking forward to the challenge, and I think this team can do it. All reports are that Trindle got through the game well, and he will be fine to play this week.

[00:02:27] So looking forward to seeing him back again, because what a difference he made last week. On this short, sharp interview episode, you're going to hear from KL Iro and hear his thoughts on the game that was and the game will be. And we're also going to hear the press conferences from Nico Hines, Adam Fenua Blake, and Tall Tom Hazelton. Stay tuned for that in this episode coming up real shortly. We'll have another episode for you out on Monday sometime, probably in the evening.

[00:02:56] And that is catching up with Kieran over coffee about Cronulla. About an hour of chat, all things sharks and a little bit more. And that was a lot of fun, and Kieran's pretty fired up. So I hope you get to watch or listen to that episode when it's available, which will be quite soon after you hear this. And we'll have more things throughout the week. And can't wait to bring you more analysis and chats and all things sharks on the shark cast, as Luke Lewis calls it. Great to meet you all out at the Watson's establishment.

[00:03:25] Not sure what's happening this week, but we'll get something happening hopefully. And we can all hang out and talk black, white, and blue. Then go watch the team win at Allianz Stadium. I say that with an axtric because I'm not sure what my plans and commitments are and what everyone else's is. But let's see what we can do. Of course, because that's what we like to do is hang out, talk black, white, and blue with all you lovely people. Appreciate everyone who's been subscribing of late, especially on the Insta. It's been going a bit bonkers.

[00:03:52] And if you can keep doing it on whatever application we're on, that would be amazing. YouTube, Spotify, Apple, TikTok, The X, Facebook, the Insta. We've got a website, sharkcast.com.au. A lot of you go there, which is great. You can leave us a voicemail. Keep it short. 30 seconds to a minute would be most of it advised. Don't swear on it. You can contact us really easy via an email there. It's just a contact page. You can email us sharkcast.com.au. You can DM us on a bunch of applications.

[00:04:21] We are here for you, so don't be shy about letting your feelings be known. Tickets are on sale for members as of Monday, 10 a.m., so that means they're already on sale. Depending when you hear this, the general goes on sale on Tuesday at 10 a.m. I want to see our fan base outnumber the Roosters fan base. They come out in droves this time of year, but sometimes so do we. We had almost 17,000 Sharks fans exclusively at the ground last week. Let's up that. Let's make it 25. There's a lot of fans out there.

[00:04:50] Maybe they have some belief after that last game against the Cowboys. Maybe they're more available. If you can afford it, if you have the means, if you have the transport, if you have the flexibility in your life, please come out and watch the team. If you can't, I completely understand. You're under an obligation. All respect wherever you're watching this game. Enjoy it. And we'll talk to you real soon. Coming up now is an interview with KL Iro, plus the presses from Nico, Adin Fenua Blake, and Tom Hazelton. Up, up. You'll be hearing from us.

[00:05:20] Let's go. KL Iro, successful week one finals campaign. What did you make of the game? Yeah, it was a good battle. We always knew it was going to be a hard game. And I felt like we could have got further away when they just kept itching back into the game. And yeah, happy to come away with a win.

[00:05:49] And obviously, once they're close to the end goal. Trindle, unbelievable performance. I've been watching this team my whole life. That's up there with not only the bravery, but he had an amazing game. Yeah, yeah. His kicking game is massive for us. He just kept kicking in the corners. Obviously, I think Drinkwater had a few errors off his kicks, but at the end of the day, it's where he's putting them and how hard we've got to chase them. And that's why we're getting those errors from them. And yeah, that is massive for us.

[00:06:17] And yeah, he's just putting his body on the line for the boys. And that's a huge driving factor for the rest of the squad. I knew when he was on, when he was spraying you and a few other guys. Yes. What was the situation there? You were kind of supposed to get the ball, but he got caught with it. Like, what was that situation? Yeah, I think it was a bit of a tension detail for myself on the shape that he wanted to think. And then, yeah, obviously he copped the spray. And then, well, that's what he's like every week. So, yeah, he's just competitive.

[00:06:46] And he always wants to, like, do his best. So, yeah, I just got to work off that. And yeah, we're good mates off the field. So, we don't really care. I leave it all on the field. And obviously, he's only saying that so I can do better as well. So, yeah, we'll do this, fix those things. Well, there was no negativity. It was, that's how much he cared. Like, he wanted to win. And Cowboys were good. You guys were way better. Deserved to win. We march on to week two. How are you feeling Monday afterwards?

[00:07:15] Are you sorry? Are you sorry? Are you good? You look pretty good. You always look good. Nah, nah, pretty good. Really excited to get into this game on Saturday. Yeah, they've beat us twice this year. So, obviously, regular season doesn't really matter now. But we still own them one year for sure. They're going to be busted and bruised. But they're going to turn up. They're going to be doing offloads, marking marks, getting nuts, the whole thing. Are we going to do the same thing? Like, amazing kicks, kick pressure, attacking the ball when it's in the air? Because that worked really well.

[00:07:42] Yeah, I think that's been our goal for most of the year. Our structure and our system. So, yeah, we want to just compete on everything. And at the end of the day, just not coming out of our structure. And just trusting Fitzy's system he's put in place. And, yeah, putting that all together. And, yeah, I think we can do a good job if we do that. Did you have any words for Riley after his first finals game? No, I haven't spoke to him again. I think you asked me a question about that last week.

[00:08:10] Do you guys, like, sit the opposite end of the shed so you don't talk? Yeah, we actually are on separate ends of the shed. But, no, I'm pretty close with RJ. And, yeah, I'm happy for him. He's just opportunities like this don't come often. And he's taken with both hands. He had a strong game. And, yeah, I'm pretty happy. Like, he can go from playing cup the whole year to winning a comp this year potentially. And I feel like that will set up his career for the rest of his life.

[00:08:37] So, yeah, opportunities like this is pretty amazing. I'm really happy for him. What did the coach say at full time? No, he was obviously stoked. And then, yeah, he just quickly switched us back on to next week. And we wouldn't, obviously, we didn't know after the game who we were playing yet. But we knew it was going to be out of Penrith or Roosters, which are both strike teams. So, yeah, he's turned our focus quickly onto that. And, yeah, we were really excited for it.

[00:09:04] Now, I know you're a student of the game, unlike your wingers, Mulitalo and Katawa, who both said they weren't going to watch the game yesterday. Did you watch the game? Yeah, I watch every game. I love the footy. I always just use it as learning or homework, if you call it. But also just, yeah, watching what I can do to copy other players to what they do well and just add to my game as well. What did you make of the Roosters? Yeah, strong. It was a strong game, tight game.

[00:09:32] Obviously, yeah, it's going to, they're always going to be strong. It's finals footage now. So, yeah, whatever comes, we're ready for, I think. Did you feel the love from the 17,000 fans? Yeah, it was actually, people say there wasn't many people there, but it felt like there was more, even if you look in the sheds, it was empty up the top, but it was very loud. Our fans, that's what we know about our fans, they cheer hard and they're loud, even if there's not many of them. But I know there's plenty more out there that are going to start rocking up.

[00:10:00] So, yeah, can't wait to get them all done and hear their roar. You're a very smart guy, KL. There are many more who should be coming, and they didn't last week, but they're going to jump on this week, which is awesome. Hey, thanks for your time. Thank you. You're a great man. Thank you, brother. Thank you. Thanks, KL. Here it comes. Hines for the win. Zeiss Kool. It was night. They've done it again at the death in the Shire. That's right.

[00:10:29] It's a beautiful area here. It's one of my favourite places in the world. So, yeah, can't complain being right on the water. Body's feeling good. Pretty sore, to be honest, but always better after a win. Still after all these years, the final game's a different intensity just in terms of how you're going to run over the line. It's pretty similar each year, but as I'm getting a little bit older, it's starting to be a bit harder to recover. But, no, I put myself into a position that I recover really well, eat well. So, yeah, I'll be good to go by tomorrow and the next day. How sore? How's tricky?

[00:10:59] Yeah, he's probably pretty sore, to be fair. That shoulder, he looks pretty sore after the game. But I think this morning he looks all right. He's walking around pretty freely and chirping away like he usually does. So, he'll be all right. You need to speak to his, I suppose, toughness in many words. There was three or four times throughout that game he grabbed that shoulder and he was clearly in pain. Yeah, look, it's... Like I said last week, there's a certain degree of toughness you have to do or to be to play in this sport.

[00:11:26] And to play like the way with that bunk shoulder, it's an extra degree. So, yeah, really proud of his efforts to get himself right to play in this final series and then put himself in a position to make those tackles and put his shoulder on the line for the team. It's something that we value and hopefully he's ready to go again this week. As a group, can you guys help him out to be? Like the Cowboys said, they didn't get to title him nearly as much as they wanted to. Like that must be satisfying. Yeah, it is.

[00:11:53] It's always satisfying when a team have a plan against you and they don't get to get it on because we put ourselves in a position to nullify that plan. So, I'm sure the Roosters will be looking to do the same thing and hopefully we can put them in positions where they can't have that plan. Are you watching this afternoon again? Yeah, I watched a little bit of it. I think more of the second half. It was a great game of footy. A really good game of footy and that's finals intensity and I dare say they'll be bringing that again this week. What's your message to the Roosters? Should they try to target Tricky in his shoulder?

[00:12:23] Nah, I'm not giving too much away. I'm not going to send any messages out. Keep the energy within us and Tricky will be good to go. This is a huge final series, right? It's defined by those big plays and big moments. You saw Nathan Cleary grab the bull by the horns yesterday with his hurt foot by the looks of things too. Are you hoping for a moment like that? Should it come down to it against the Roosters as well? Oh, look, I don't search for those moments. We've got plenty of players in our team who can have those moments

[00:12:50] and if the moment ends up coming to me to have a play like that, then yeah, I'll look to do my best to nail it. It's just, yeah, if you're searching for those moments, you're looking for the wrong things. All I want to do is put our team in the right position to win a game of footy and yeah, when those moments come, then hopefully that'll be our nailer. How much advantage is it to have the extra days rest and watching how much petrol it must have taken out of the Roosters yesterday? Yeah, I reckon it's a slight advantage for sure

[00:13:16] and I know their club and their staff will be doing what they can to make sure they recover well and have the rest that they need and I wish the game went for 90 minutes instead of 80 but look, they're a professional club. They've got international players, origin players across the park so plenty of their players have been there and done it all before so they'll be ready. It was a few months ago now but how do you reflect on the last time you played them? It was a tough part at Allianz. Yeah, they played really good that night and we weren't too far off.

[00:13:46] It was just a few little things where we could have been better and we'll look back at that and then put up a plan to make sure that we're better in those areas and yeah, we'll look at some of their game on the weekend and we'll review our game and yeah, we'll see what the coaches come up with. I know you said just before, Nico, that you don't live for those moments or play for those moments but to have a moment to yourself for that solo try on the weekend, you're a heavily criticised player. You know that. What did that mean to you? Yeah, look, it's always a nice feeling scoring a try

[00:14:14] and in particular in a final series but yeah, look, I don't want to dwell on it too much and I know I'm a heavily criticised player. It comes with the job and it comes with the status and whatever and is it warranted all the time? I don't think so. It's only a month ago, you know, people like you guys who were interviewing me telling me I'm in the form of my career and then one bad game and then it's all of a sudden I'm the worst player in the world. So yeah, look, all I'm doing is looking to put my best foot forward

[00:14:44] for the team and whether I get a moment or not, it doesn't matter as long as we win. And look, you do as a rugby player live for moments like that but I'm not searching for those moments, you know. Maybe back in the day I used to but we've got players in the team who can have those moments and all I want to do is win a game of footy and win a final series and put ourselves in a position to win a grand final and if a moment arises then I'll happily love to take it and if it doesn't and we win the game, that's all that matters to me. It's not about the stats and it's not about all these highlight reels

[00:15:13] and what validation people can give you. You know, it's not about that for me anymore. It's all about just winning and doing my job for the team and if that's just kicking and tackling and passing the ball or running the ball and no highlight reels then that's all that matters to me. Can I say that the praise and the criticism, the highs and the lows I feel like you've dealt with it better this year. Do you feel that? And take me into the mentality, how have you dealt with it better? I've just worked really hard on myself. I've worked hard on putting things in place

[00:15:41] so I'm still living a happy life and not letting anything affect me and staying off social media, staying away from my phone or even just being around my fiancé, my family, my friends. I've just learned over the years how to do it better and I've just learned that it is a game of footy at the end of the day and it is my job and I want to do my best every time but like I've said before in the past, it doesn't define me as a person. Yeah, it might define me as an athlete but those things just don't affect me as long as anything. I might give myself 24 hours to be upset after a game

[00:16:11] or a loss or a bad performance but once that time frame's done, it's like get back on the horse. It's just you've got to do what you've got to do for the team and yeah, so I'm healthy. People around me are healthy. Going home to a fun household every single night after a training or a loss, like those things are important to me and don't get me wrong, like playing good footy and winning's important to me as well but you've got to get the fine balance and I feel like I've got a good balance of that. What did you make of the challenge of Ferry on PS of Ireland?

[00:16:40] I don't know, man. It's just... I actually don't know because sometimes people get suspended for it, sometimes you won't. It's above my prograde to sit here and have an opinion because whatever I say, they're going to probably write about it and I love Nathan and he's a really good guy and you don't want to see your best players getting stamped out of the final series but whatever's warranted is warranted and whatever it'll be, it'll be. I suppose that's the thing too, right? Everyone wants to see the best players play

[00:17:09] and there's that degree of leniency now formally applied for players in these judiciary settings too. I suppose you just want to apply it equally as well for perhaps the less known players too, right? Yeah, for sure. As long as it's equal for every player across the board then that's all that matters really. You've got to treat everyone the same regardless whether you're the face of the game or you're not. Look, I'm just looking to what the Sharks can do this week. I'm not worried about Penrith or the Roosters right now. We've got to go do our recovery and our review and get through that first.

[00:17:39] As well rolling into this week, sorry. Is the mindset different? Sharks are on a high, you won. Roosters are on a low because they lost and have to pick themselves back up. In sudden death football, I get that, but is it different? Yeah, it could be. I've been in that situation in 2022 when we lost to the Cowboys here and then lost to the Rabbitohs a week after in straight sets and the Raiders did it last year too when we went and beat them. Like I said, the Roosters are a great club

[00:18:08] and they'll have them in the best position to recover and win. But the energy is hard to come back from sometimes and they put a lot of effort into that game. Hopefully they're a bit drained from it, but like I said, they've got so many class players across the park that they've been there, done it before. They've got players who've played Origin, lost game one and go and win game two, you know. So, yeah, it's not going to be a thing where we're going to get an upper hand just because of that.

[00:18:36] We've got to go out there and earn the right to win the game. How much can you take out of eliminating the Roosters on the big stage last year? Yeah, hopefully a fair bit. Yeah, like we'll probably have a look at some of that footage as well, but it's a whole new year, a whole new competition and they've been a great team for a long period of time this year and not too long ago they were the favourites to win the comp. So, yeah, you don't forget about those things over a week or two and just really looking forward to the challenge and we always have good games against the Roosters

[00:19:06] and they're a big club, so we're looking to get after it. At least you're back at home this week too, not only on stage. Back at Allianz Day, yeah, it's our new home ground apparently, so hopefully the Sharkies fans and, yeah, calling out to fuck. Sharkies fans, we need you guys this week and I'm sure the Roosters fans will be showing up and try and get 50-50. It'll be nice. Get there for us. When you talk about, you know, you want to play teams at their best and have all the best players in, are you half expecting them to name Seppel this week? Oh, that's a big ask. I think it was only three weeks ago, wasn't it?

[00:19:36] He's running and there's a bit of talk about it. Well, look, it's not too worried about them at the moment, but if he's playing, it's only going to be a three-week return or something, so we'll probably have to look to send traffic at him too. Like, they're going to send traffic at Tricky, so, yeah, we'll get to us first. Now for Noah Blake. That time Seppel for Noah Blake. He's there. He's over for Crinola. How did the body pull up after Saturday night? Yeah, fully recovered now. I've done a bit of recovery this morning,

[00:20:04] but I'm feeling good and ready to go this weekend. How do you reckon Tricky feels? Yeah, I think he feels good. You know, he was a good first hit out from Tricky. He'd done everything that, you know, the coach obviously asked for him. He made his tackles and he led us around the park well alongside Nico. So, yeah, no, he's passed his test and I think he's ready to go again this weekend. Take me into being on the field with him. When you look around, you see him clutching at the shoulder like three or four times. What do you think? Do you think, what are you doing, bro? Are you putting yourself through this or, oh my God, you're a tough bust?

[00:20:34] Yeah, just obviously, you know, just sitting out there, seeing him putting his body through the ring, I just, yeah, it gives you a bit of admiration for him and, you know, what he does for the team. So, yeah, look, I knew he was hurting a bit there at the weekend, but I feel like he'll be better for it this weekend. And is the group better for the hit out with you all back, you know, the first or the spot there? Yeah, definitely, you know, I feel like obviously it was Tricky's first hit out. Obviously got to blow the cobwebs out. Blake and Nico had a week off and, yeah, they got a, you know, a little lung test on the weekend,

[00:21:04] but, yeah, we're going to need it again this weekend coming up against a strong team in the Chooks. Were you watching the BSL win? Yeah, I watched the last 25 minutes of it. Yeah, man, it looked like a tough contest just the last 25, so I couldn't only imagine, you know, what the first 60-odd minutes will. I'm just going to still question that he asked Nico, but do you think it's different for them coming in off a loss this week and you guys coming in off a win? Nah, no way. You know, that team's full of champions and, you know,

[00:21:32] they've bounced back a number of times, so, you know, we can't go into the game thinking, you know, where their head's at. We've got to only worry about, you know, what we do and how we prepare and put our best foot forward to go out there and make it a quality contest this weekend. You're a guy that takes one-on-one battles. Personally, shall I say, Adam, the battle against the Barthew White this year, or this week, sorry, he's one of the real up-and-comers in the game, isn't he? Yeah, I wouldn't say up-and-comer, man. I'm pretty sure he's the best prop in the game at the moment and I've got to give him his flowers, you know.

[00:22:01] He's laid the platform for that team week in, week out this year alongside Lindsay Collins and Victor and, you know, us middles this weekend are going to have our hands full. So, yeah, it's about making sure we get our bodies right as well and, yeah, making sure that we can try and match him in the middle to give our team the best platform to play for the back of. That's a big thought, it's to say he's the best prop in the game. Yeah. What makes him that? Oh, just the way, you know, week in, week out, you know, he puts his hand up, does all the tough stuff, plays long minutes and, you know, the work barely goes to the ground, you know.

[00:22:30] He's, yeah, he's that strong and fit and fast and he's throwing the ball, offloading it around, just pretty much nothing he can't do. And, yeah, like I said, I've got to give him his flaws, man. He's probably the best in the league at the moment. So, yeah, like I said, it's going to be a tough game. I'm going to have our hands full in the middle and, yeah, can't wait. They've got he and Lindsay that are quite humble and just go about their work and then they've got the firebrand in Spencer Lennier coming off the bench. Yeah. Is there a guy that you can bait? Oh, look, man, I don't really go into any games

[00:22:59] just trying to bait other teams and get them off their game. I'm just worried about myself and how I can perform best as I can for my team. So, yeah, look, I'm just going to approach the game like I always do. Try to go out there, put my best foot forward and make it a contest and try and give a platform for our halves to play off the back of. Did you notice, though, yesterday, that it seemed to be a bit of a painful tactic, like a lot of chat, a lot of chirp? Yeah, like I said, I turned it on and he wasn't on the field yet.

[00:23:29] So I missed that beat. But Spencer, you know, he's a great player and, you know, he brings that energy off the bench for him. And, you know, that might have been a tactic of Penriff, but like I said, I don't think that's going to be a tactic of ours. Our boys just worry about, you know, what we've got to do and how we can play and, yeah, how we can make it a contest. Bruce is hoping that they can pull off some sort of miracle and have St. Walker play this week. What sort of traffic can you expect if he does get there? Oh, man, I wouldn't have a clue.

[00:23:58] If he plays, you know, they're a dangerous team, you know, with what we've found him, but, you know, they're that bit more, you know, he's got that bit more unpredictability ability when he's got the ball. So if he does play, it's going to be, you know, a tougher job for us, definitely. Tom Hazleton is out there. Look at him, steam under the ball. He's enormous. He looks like Peter Garrett steaming down. Tommy, it was a tough hit out, obviously, on Saturday night. How did you pull up? Yeah, obviously a little bit sore, a little bit tired.

[00:24:26] Same sort after every week when you play a team like the Cowboys, have a lot of strike, physical in the middle. It's pretty normal to end up feeling like this, but, yeah, just happy to get away with the win and moving on to this weekend. If everyone's a little bit busted, then how much does that extra day of recovery help this week on the Roosters? Oh, I don't think it'll be a bad thing, but, you know, every sort of club would have their own, you know, recovery things.

[00:24:53] I'm sure they've got the state-of-the-art recovery facilities and they'll leave no stone unturned in their prep this week and, you know, obviously played really well. Yes, they are though as well. So it's going to be a good challenge for us on Saturday. I was only watching like the last half of the game. Did you watch all of it? Yeah, I watched it. I'm a bit of a footy fan anyway, so regardless of who was playing, I would have watched it. But, yeah, it was, you know, really intense. Both teams, you know, going pretty hard at it. So, yeah, it was a good fixture

[00:25:23] and, yeah, it's exciting for us to be able to play a team like the Roosters this weekend. Yeah, second year straight, you play them in some definitely in the finals. Yeah. Do you take confidence or stock in what you were able to do in the last year? Oh, that's last year, right? This is a new year and they've had our number twice this year, so we've got a bit of footage there to go back through and take some learnings and obviously do our own review today as well. So, yeah, a few pieces to pick up and then we'll get into our training over the next few days

[00:25:53] and get into our preparation. Was there something you were able to identify after those games this year? You ever think like what it is about it? I just don't think we defended well either time. Like when we played them over in Perth, shot out to a bit of a lead and even sort of when we were scoring tries, we weren't defending that well and a similar situation back at Allianz. I don't think we were too far off that night, but you don't have to be too far off against teams like that to pay the price either. So, yeah, we'll go back and have a look

[00:26:22] and take our learnings and get into our prep. I've been some of the watchers, a lot of footy. Like are you just watching the guys you're going to be coming up against each week or how do you just watch as a fan? Yeah, I just watch as a fan. I know, like it's something I've always enjoyed doing since I was a young kid, obviously watching footy. Yeah, it's just finals time, whether you're playing or whether you're not, it's just quality games every game. So, yeah, like I said, regardless of who it was, I watch as much footy as I can.

[00:26:52] Are you knocking down Fitz's door telling him what you're seeing? No, I'll leave that to him, mate. We've got staff that put a lot of hours into that. So, yeah, they'll do all the hard work for us. Are you a 40 nerd though in that way? Are you coaching waiting? Do you watch it that way or are you just... No, I just enjoy it. Like it's something I've never thought it's sort of about coaching or anything. It's just, I suppose, a bit of a habit. Just Thursday comes around, Friday comes around footy and, you know, I look forward to it.

[00:27:22] I look forward to playing, I look forward to watching. It's, yeah, just something I enjoy. I mentioned as well, you watch as a fan. I'm wondering, what was the fans' view of the challenge of Nathan Ferrell and Hugo Sabala? Oh, look, it's a hard one. There's probably, there's definitely, sorry, people that are more informed than me over it. You know, there was sort of no injury going for a charge down. I'm not sure how they've been judged or fined earlier in the year.

[00:27:50] I wouldn't imagine it would be a suspension. And, you know, this time of year, you want to see all the best players playing. So, yeah, I'm, yeah, I don't want to obviously say too much, but it'd be a very harsh suspension if that's what came of it, I would imagine. We might be hoping Tom Hazelton's on the judiciary panel. Speaking of fits, he kind of made a joke in the presser on Saturday night and said, like, I won't watch with the team. They need a bit of a break from me.

[00:28:18] Like, we know he's in tennis footy, he watches it all. Like, particularly this time of year, is he at next level? Um, not so much. Like, he's, he's just so passionate. He leaves no stone unturned. He just, he was, you know, a winner when he played. He, um, um, a competitor. He still has all those traits now. He just wants the best for us. He squeezes, you know, the most out of himself as well. So, um, he's, I suppose everyone at this time of year

[00:28:47] is a little bit more, um, fired up, a bit more intense. So, um, that's just expected of him. Some of the Roosters players mentioned after the game yesterday coming up against him, you know, like they're obviously still close with him and think about him like that. Like, do you think these games feel a little different for him? Um, I would imagine so. Like, he's a, he's a legend of that club. Um, he coached there for a long time. Um, you know, probably still has a lot of good relationships there. So, um, I reckon those would probably be able to put on hold this week,

[00:29:17] I would imagine. But, um, yeah, I would expect that he will, you know, put all of his energy into us and not them anyway. So, yeah. Um, Adam was saying just before that he rates Nefahu White as the best prop in the game. It's pretty big coming from a guy like him. Yeah. Um, but where do you see that matchup? Yeah. Where do you see that matchup? Yeah, I've, you know, you tend to agree, especially this year, he's, um, you know, in the pack that's got guys like, you know, Victor Radley, Lindsay Collins, Nat Butcher, Spencer,

[00:29:46] he's probably laid the platform, platform for them this year. And, um, he's, you know, so strong. He's got good footwork. Um, just like stands up and he's tackled a lot. He's hard to get to the ground and, um, yeah, credit where credit's due. He's, he's probably been the standout prop in the comp this year for sure. I know you're the quite humble guy out there, but do you get under Spencer's skin this week? Nah, it's not, not in my nature. We'll, we'll be directing our energy into us and, um, you know, he does a good job for them off the bench. He's an energy spark.

[00:30:15] They all sort of get a bit of a lift off him coming on. So, um, we're going to have our hands full this weekend for sure. SharkCast is supported by the best and most honest real estate agent in the Sutherland Shire, Jason Hawes from Crips and Crips Real Estate. He's an expert in the Caring Bar region and has his eye all across the Shire. Lifelong Sharks fan and supporter of this podcast. If you're looking to buy or sell in the region, the person you need to be talking to is Jason Hawes from Crips and Crips Real Estate.

[00:30:44] Call him on 0410 417 450. That's 0410 417 450. Jason Hawes, Crips and Crips Real Estate. SharkCast! SharkCast! Back in the Shire.

[00:31:14] Turn your porch lights off because we're coming over to the trophy.