Sam Shinazzi and Clinton Maynard Discuss The Sharks! (25/9/24)

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[00:00:35] SharkCast! SharkCast!

[00:00:42] Back in the Shire, tell your points live, because we're coming over to the trophy.

[00:01:06] Hey there, welcome to SharkCast Podcast, a podcast dedicated to the greatest sporting

[00:01:10] club in the history of the entire universe, proven by the fact that we are in every

[00:01:14] final or grand final happening this weekend in professional Australian rugby league.

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[00:01:25] This week we are going so all out, we are getting people out of their beds to

[00:01:29] record with us today.

[00:01:31] Right now we have the legendary, familiar friend of the show, he's a media tycoon,

[00:01:38] he's overnight, he's drive time, he's anywhere they need him, much like our

[00:01:43] very own Nicko Hines. Please welcome to the show, Clinton Maynard.

[00:01:48] Hey Sam, fortunately I don't cop it as much as Nicko does.

[00:01:53] There hasn't been a pile on me for a while, there hasn't been in the past,

[00:01:56] but there hasn't been, there hasn't been lately.

[00:02:00] After this episode there might be, we'll see how you go.

[00:02:02] Oh my goodness, I can't believe the reaction to Nicko, but anyway we'll get

[00:02:06] onto that. We'll get into it. So we are sitting on the eve, so to speak,

[00:02:11] a few days away from Aprilium, haven't been since 2018.

[00:02:15] You and I in our lifetime have experienced a bunch which have been

[00:02:19] mostly tragic with the occasional happy finish, but it's a big one.

[00:02:25] Playing Penrith, I wanted to start off with the game last week as the

[00:02:28] Cowboys, you were in the house, you were being whined and dined by the

[00:02:32] NRL, I believe I'm okay to say that.

[00:02:34] And tell us about your experience at the stadium and then tell us about

[00:02:37] the game, tell us things.

[00:02:38] Yeah, well firstly going to Allianz Stadium, I've been there numerous times

[00:02:43] before as in my job as a reporter. I was there when I think they turned the

[00:02:48] first side for the construction of it and followed the political debate for

[00:02:52] years about all the controversy over it because it has cost taxpayers

[00:02:56] almost $800 million and there's still a fair debate about whether that

[00:03:00] was money well spent. The actual stadium though, I think is brilliant

[00:03:04] and despite being there on many occasions for various press conferences

[00:03:07] and different events, that was the first time I'd actually seen the

[00:03:10] Sharks play there because I think the only time they played there before is

[00:03:12] against Souths in the semis a couple of years ago and I was overseas at the

[00:03:16] time when I missed that game. So and I haven't been to another rugby

[00:03:19] league game, I've been there for a couple of other events but not a

[00:03:21] rugby league game and there is no doubt from a viewing perspective it is

[00:03:28] just fantastic. Now I was very fortunate that I was in one of the NRL

[00:03:33] corporate facilities and so the seating is obviously pretty good in that

[00:03:36] environment but I've been in other areas of that ground, the non-corporate

[00:03:42] sections where you get a great view and it is a contrast to Shark Park

[00:03:49] and all like that's a whole other debate but listening to Kieran speak

[00:03:52] about the BQs that was interesting that that was the case but there's

[00:03:57] no doubt the experience of going to that stadium is just brilliant.

[00:04:01] But it's also been a stadium that I think for many of us it's been

[00:04:05] the scene of so much tragedy and heartbreak over the years for us that

[00:04:09] sight and my mind's cast I'd go back to say I think it was 2001.

[00:04:15] We played the Knights in a pre-leam and I still have vivid memories of

[00:04:20] us leaving, leading at half time and David Peatchy might have scored

[00:04:24] a try in the first half close to half time and I was there with one

[00:04:28] mate, I think it was the same mate I went to with on Saturday night,

[00:04:31] Friday night and there was so much excitement amongst the

[00:04:35] Sharks fans at half time and I remember jumping up and hugging a

[00:04:39] total stranger at half time was an older lady gave her a hug and I

[00:04:45] said we're going off to the grand final.

[00:04:48] Clinton!

[00:04:49] This is 2001.

[00:04:51] That's who you used to be right?

[00:04:53] And of course that was two years after 1999 and the heartbreak in

[00:04:57] 1999 and that came out of the Olympic Park, that pre-leam.

[00:05:01] But it's we've had so much heartbreak in pre-leams and you're fast

[00:05:06] forward to 2016 and that may have been the win against the

[00:05:12] Cowboys in 16 may have been the most enjoyable experience of

[00:05:15] the head of the football match because I think because we were

[00:05:18] in control at half time and then we were it was pretty

[00:05:22] evident midway through second half we weren't going to lose

[00:05:25] that one, particularly when James Muloney scored that try.

[00:05:28] There was just so much fun in the air that we were going to a

[00:05:32] grand final Friday night was very different to that because it's

[00:05:36] still a game away from that point but I've got and it was

[00:05:40] more nerve-wracking because really it wasn't despite I think

[00:05:43] we were the dominant side it wasn't decided until well into

[00:05:45] the second half because of the Cowboys comeback probably not

[00:05:48] until Val went actually off an apology Sam when he went off

[00:05:51] injured but I I have probably been the happiest I've been as a

[00:05:57] sharks fan after that game since 2016.

[00:06:02] Honestly, I can say that.

[00:06:03] Yeah, I mean, that's that's not outrageous.

[00:06:05] Yeah, I just think it's because we've got the monkey off our

[00:06:08] back with all the attention that had been particularly in the

[00:06:10] week leading up to it about our failure to win finals games

[00:06:13] and we know that's history proves that we haven't won

[00:06:16] finals since 18 to finally win that game.

[00:06:20] It just it just felt like as a supporter it felt like just such

[00:06:24] a relief and it felt like I'm not saying that was our grand

[00:06:27] final and I think that's why it's but but it just felt so

[00:06:30] wonderful to finally get that victory.

[00:06:32] Yeah, I was a little bit worried that that would be our

[00:06:34] grand final but it didn't feel like it didn't feel

[00:06:37] emotionally or physically that they gave their complete

[00:06:42] everything.

[00:06:42] I feel like there's more in the tank and hopefully again

[00:06:45] this week isn't the grand final either but what did you

[00:06:48] make of the game itself?

[00:06:50] I mean, noticeably high in energy high in as I say

[00:06:54] Robby League 101 with the kick chase and all that kind of

[00:06:57] thing.

[00:06:58] And that led to points that led to holding out points.

[00:07:02] I was pretty impressed with that aspect of the game.

[00:07:05] Yeah, I thought it was a fairly strong performance.

[00:07:08] I think we're another gear actually which pleases me.

[00:07:10] I think we can step it up or talk about Penrith game

[00:07:12] in a moment but I think we can still improve on that

[00:07:16] and we need to improve on that.

[00:07:18] But I sort of felt and again this is a when I go to the

[00:07:22] shark, when I go to points bet stadium shark park,

[00:07:25] often stand on the hill and sometimes I've been fortunate

[00:07:28] to sit next to you in the ivory tower but often I'm

[00:07:30] standing on the hill and then watching sharks games

[00:07:33] on TV.

[00:07:34] The beauty of going to a stadium like Allianz and

[00:07:36] sitting in a great seat is you have that completely

[00:07:39] different perspective of watching a rugby league

[00:07:40] match that you only get from sitting up high in a

[00:07:43] grandstand seeing the full field.

[00:07:46] And I've got to say in the first 10 minutes,

[00:07:48] I was a little bit concerned that I thought that yes,

[00:07:53] we turned up no doubt but they had the upper hand

[00:07:57] on us in field position and I think it's really only

[00:08:00] it's really evident when you're looking at the whole

[00:08:02] field.

[00:08:03] And yeah, you do get some perspective of that

[00:08:05] watching it on telly but you can tell watching it

[00:08:08] as we were going set for set with them,

[00:08:10] they were getting the upper hand with field

[00:08:12] position and was just when you can see the

[00:08:14] whole field that was evident.

[00:08:16] And I think because I think the Cowboys were

[00:08:20] were in a dominant position, particularly in the

[00:08:23] forwards and it seemed our back five was probably

[00:08:25] taking up most of the running in that first

[00:08:27] 13 minutes.

[00:08:29] I then thought we did well not to concede.

[00:08:33] We've started so many games poorly this year giving

[00:08:36] away that early try.

[00:08:38] So I think the fact that we hung on there and

[00:08:41] yet bit of controversy.

[00:08:43] In fact, I thought there would have been more

[00:08:44] controversy about the penalty try in the day

[00:08:46] since.

[00:08:48] And I've seen it.

[00:08:49] I've seen the replay probably five or six times

[00:08:51] and I actually now agree with the call because

[00:08:54] I know they've tweaked the interpretations in

[00:08:56] the offseason.

[00:08:56] So I think I think it was a fair call.

[00:09:00] I think they did well to hang on

[00:09:02] and then be in that position to capitalize.

[00:09:05] And obviously once we scored the penalty try

[00:09:07] would sort of almost break the camels back

[00:09:09] really early.

[00:09:10] Floodgates open really, really early for us.

[00:09:12] Yeah. Yeah.

[00:09:14] I definitely the ground was very surprised that

[00:09:16] they gave it. We were kind of in line with where

[00:09:18] it happened. Didn't get a good view of it live

[00:09:20] and watch the screen and watching on the

[00:09:22] replay at home though.

[00:09:24] I could see there is a strong argument that

[00:09:27] he gets there first.

[00:09:28] So I think I think Deaton was away far

[00:09:30] and up away and he had a direct path without

[00:09:33] being taken out by Cota that he would have

[00:09:35] got there.

[00:09:36] So I back it now.

[00:09:38] Who impressed you aside from the halfback

[00:09:40] will get to the halfback.

[00:09:42] Sorry, the five eighth whatever he is will get

[00:09:43] to the halves.

[00:09:45] Who else impressed you?

[00:09:46] Most of them I've got to say.

[00:09:48] I don't think there were any bad performers out

[00:09:49] there and you need that.

[00:09:52] Toby, I think Tati Rudolph

[00:09:55] stepped up. He I think he's had a pretty

[00:09:58] good back half of the year after being

[00:10:00] coming back through Newtown.

[00:10:02] I think he's played pretty well.

[00:10:03] And I think stats wise you'd be aware of

[00:10:05] the stats but I think he had the highest

[00:10:06] running moves for the fours.

[00:10:08] For the forwards. Yeah.

[00:10:09] Yeah. For the forwards.

[00:10:10] I think I think he played well.

[00:10:12] I see I think I think he's partner

[00:10:14] Kofusi went all right.

[00:10:15] I've heard mixed reviews about Kofusi

[00:10:17] but I thought he stood up

[00:10:18] because I thought what was noticeable is

[00:10:20] that when those two went off,

[00:10:23] maybe it was sort of in that first

[00:10:24] half, first part of the second half.

[00:10:27] The middle of the field seemed to open

[00:10:29] up as in for the Cowboys, which

[00:10:31] concerned me.

[00:10:32] I got big concerns about that going

[00:10:34] to this game, Clinton.

[00:10:35] It's the penrith game.

[00:10:36] I because again, where we were sitting,

[00:10:39] that's what we were watching on that

[00:10:41] angle and we could see the middles

[00:10:42] really well at a low level.

[00:10:43] And I'm a little worried about

[00:10:46] that. Yeah.

[00:10:47] Absolutely. But just on other players

[00:10:50] that impressed me, I think

[00:10:52] Ramiin, given that he's coming back

[00:10:53] from the injury or still like I saw

[00:10:55] in the moon boot last night on

[00:10:56] Telly, so it's still obviously an

[00:10:57] issue for him.

[00:10:58] I know he's going to play but

[00:11:00] he was on with our continuous

[00:11:02] call team coverage last weekend

[00:11:04] and he was asked about the injury

[00:11:05] and that's pretty spoken since then

[00:11:06] as well. But he said nothing will

[00:11:07] stop him playing this weekend.

[00:11:09] He will be playing this weekend.

[00:11:11] But I thought he was good.

[00:11:13] I thought Ronaldo after probably

[00:11:15] some downtime.

[00:11:17] And I know he's had some injuries

[00:11:18] as well.

[00:11:19] I think he played played

[00:11:21] well

[00:11:23] and probably didn't have the highlight

[00:11:26] reel that maybe he has in the past

[00:11:28] month or really the whole year.

[00:11:30] But I thought Brailey did pretty good.

[00:11:33] Yeah. As you know, controlling

[00:11:35] things from the middle he did run a bit.

[00:11:37] I mean, I'd go maybe it's to be

[00:11:40] premature to start declaring this.

[00:11:41] I think Brailey is probably our

[00:11:43] player of the year.

[00:11:44] And you know, he was

[00:11:46] player of the year last year, which

[00:11:47] I think surprised most of us.

[00:11:48] But I think genuinely over the course

[00:11:50] of the season, he's been

[00:11:51] outstanding. It's scary to think

[00:11:53] that he he's played the most games

[00:11:55] in the NRL consecutively.

[00:11:56] But he's barely missed the game for

[00:11:58] the Sharks and his career while

[00:12:00] making I'm going to guess on

[00:12:02] average 45 tackles a game.

[00:12:04] Yeah. And very rarely replaced

[00:12:07] in the game. I think it was a couple

[00:12:08] of weeks ago they bought him off with

[00:12:09] 10 minutes to go.

[00:12:10] But very rarely replaced.

[00:12:12] His resilience is quite remarkable.

[00:12:14] And I think probably it's helped

[00:12:16] him.

[00:12:17] I hope it's helped him having

[00:12:18] Nick go out for that length of time,

[00:12:20] which forced him to step up

[00:12:22] along with the Trendles and so

[00:12:23] forth as well.

[00:12:25] And I just hope that I think we

[00:12:27] saw a bit of it on Friday night.

[00:12:29] He needs to keep that up.

[00:12:30] Yeah, he does.

[00:12:31] Let's go to the Harbs.

[00:12:33] Quite topical, should we

[00:12:35] say?

[00:12:37] Trindle was man of the match.

[00:12:38] There's no doubt about that.

[00:12:39] Nico Hines was solid.

[00:12:41] I'd give him a seven out of

[00:12:43] ten, which I don't think is the

[00:12:45] worst thing in the world.

[00:12:46] He didn't do anything wrong.

[00:12:47] I don't think he defended well,

[00:12:48] kicked really well.

[00:12:50] Goal kicking wise

[00:12:51] had about half as much general

[00:12:53] play kicking as Trindle, but

[00:12:55] they're all pretty good kicks,

[00:12:56] including some that led to tries.

[00:12:58] I just thought overall

[00:12:59] he played second fiddle

[00:13:02] to Trindle really well.

[00:13:03] And I think he had to.

[00:13:05] And I guess that's the

[00:13:06] instruction he's been given by

[00:13:08] the coach as well.

[00:13:10] Just on his goal kicking, you

[00:13:12] went back to his Daly M medal

[00:13:13] winning year.

[00:13:15] There was a lot of criticism of

[00:13:16] his goal kicking because I mean

[00:13:17] the stats probably weren't that

[00:13:18] flash.

[00:13:19] But I think his goal kickings

[00:13:21] come on in leaps and bounds

[00:13:22] and it's been outstanding.

[00:13:23] And he's and I know Trindle

[00:13:25] the first game back, Trindle

[00:13:26] actually the goal kicking, I

[00:13:28] think he was in the Warriors

[00:13:29] game. Trindle kicked.

[00:13:30] I think he kicked for a while,

[00:13:31] then Nick had taken over.

[00:13:33] So I guess they were still

[00:13:33] concerned about his about

[00:13:35] his ankle. But his

[00:13:37] you'd probably have more of the

[00:13:38] stats, but the stats would be

[00:13:40] off the charts this year

[00:13:41] for his goal kicking.

[00:13:43] Yeah, I think he's got the best

[00:13:44] accuracy.

[00:13:45] Yeah.

[00:13:45] We're not paying him a million

[00:13:46] bucks just to be the goal

[00:13:47] kicker. But at this time of

[00:13:49] the year, it's critical

[00:13:51] if I mean, say

[00:13:52] you win semifinals.

[00:13:54] Yeah. You can see, you can

[00:13:55] tell that that helped his

[00:13:56] confidence in general play as

[00:13:57] well. Like he was getting him

[00:13:58] from everywhere. He was pretty

[00:13:59] happy with that.

[00:14:00] It's funny, in the

[00:14:02] lead up with all the pressure

[00:14:03] that was on him, in

[00:14:05] the lead up to that you heard

[00:14:06] some commentators say that he

[00:14:08] just needs to simplify the game.

[00:14:09] I think Andrew Johns was

[00:14:10] saying, just simplify the game,

[00:14:12] get the kicking game right.

[00:14:13] Just get your tackling right.

[00:14:14] Just take a few tough runs

[00:14:15] early on.

[00:14:17] And I think he did that.

[00:14:18] I think he took took the

[00:14:20] line on plenty of occasions

[00:14:21] early on in the game.

[00:14:23] And then now to see the

[00:14:24] reaction from various

[00:14:26] various outlets to say, well,

[00:14:28] hang on, he's not taken up a big

[00:14:29] enough role. Hang on, he was

[00:14:30] advised by the most of the

[00:14:31] commentators to simplify the role

[00:14:33] a week ago.

[00:14:34] Now he's copying it for not

[00:14:35] taking a dominant role.

[00:14:36] I think if you look at the game

[00:14:37] back, he was

[00:14:39] heavily involved.

[00:14:40] He just doesn't have the highlights.

[00:14:42] But he wasn't out there

[00:14:43] shirking responsibility or

[00:14:45] anything like that.

[00:14:46] He played his butt off.

[00:14:48] And as he and

[00:14:49] and you and I have discussed

[00:14:50] and people with a brain know

[00:14:52] you win the game.

[00:14:55] You've done well.

[00:14:56] Like, yeah, it's

[00:14:57] go home time. You don't win.

[00:14:59] You go home. They're doing great.

[00:15:00] And look, I've heard plenty of

[00:15:02] people say he hasn't been the same

[00:15:03] player since the Daly M year,

[00:15:05] right? The debut year.

[00:15:07] And often players have breakout

[00:15:08] seasons like that because the

[00:15:09] other coaches don't really have a

[00:15:10] tip sheet on them, new position

[00:15:12] and so forth. And yeah, it was

[00:15:13] an outstanding season.

[00:15:14] But just remember at the start

[00:15:15] of the year, he had a wonderful

[00:15:17] start to this year to the point

[00:15:19] he was named New South Wales

[00:15:21] halfback. Now that became

[00:15:22] because of injury. But even before

[00:15:23] the injury, he was being touted

[00:15:25] as the five eight, even though it

[00:15:27] doesn't play five eight, he was

[00:15:28] being touted before Lui is

[00:15:30] being the five eight for the

[00:15:31] team. Now, I think

[00:15:33] Origin has had a big effect on

[00:15:34] him as it I think did last year

[00:15:36] and it has a lot of effect on

[00:15:38] more inexperienced players when

[00:15:39] they don't have a good season

[00:15:40] or series or they get dropped.

[00:15:42] Got no doubt that played an

[00:15:43] issue in his probably, let's

[00:15:45] say form slump of sorts.

[00:15:47] But you know, all this crap

[00:15:49] that we're hearing, it's just

[00:15:51] I probably agree with most

[00:15:52] sharks fans completely over the

[00:15:54] top. I understand why it's

[00:15:55] happening. It's because he's the

[00:15:56] highest play player in the

[00:15:58] team. He's one of the faces

[00:16:00] of the game. He's always going

[00:16:01] to cop that attention. It's

[00:16:02] just the way life is. He

[00:16:04] attracts clicks, he attracts

[00:16:05] comments. So it's always going

[00:16:07] to happen to him. And he's

[00:16:08] got to learn to probably

[00:16:09] handle that into the future.

[00:16:11] And but I think he handled

[00:16:13] it really damn well.

[00:16:14] I know I was in our text

[00:16:16] chats, I was critical of him

[00:16:18] facing the media last week

[00:16:19] and I actually stand by that

[00:16:21] but he's now been praised

[00:16:23] for it. He's stood up and I

[00:16:25] think he fulfilled a role

[00:16:27] that was most likely required

[00:16:28] by him by the coach on Friday

[00:16:30] night quite well.

[00:16:32] Yeah, I think as far as the

[00:16:33] coaches instructions go, there's

[00:16:34] also the chance that if he sees

[00:16:36] something to take it, he's not

[00:16:38] going to sit back the whole

[00:16:39] game. Like if he sees a moment

[00:16:41] he'll go for it. But in this

[00:16:43] game, it was more Trindle.

[00:16:44] Lots of storylines about

[00:16:46] Trindle doubling his pay

[00:16:48] packet tripling his pay

[00:16:49] packet in one game, which is

[00:16:50] absolutely nonsense.

[00:16:51] He's done a great trajectory up,

[00:16:53] that's for sure.

[00:16:54] Trindle had an awesome game.

[00:16:56] No question about that.

[00:16:57] I read just before we started

[00:16:59] this pod recording

[00:17:01] a report that the Brisbane

[00:17:03] Broncos have now moved into

[00:17:05] favoritism to sign him as

[00:17:06] Adam Reynolds replacement.

[00:17:08] Why? Because he knows

[00:17:09] Katani Staggs.

[00:17:11] Oh, bingo, he's going to go

[00:17:12] to the Broncos.

[00:17:14] If Trindle is on 300,000

[00:17:16] a year, yes, there is going

[00:17:17] to be a big case for him to

[00:17:19] get a substantial pay rise

[00:17:20] because whether he's had that

[00:17:22] breakout game or not, decent

[00:17:24] halfbacks with experience are as

[00:17:26] rare as hands to eat.

[00:17:27] We're going to see the likes of

[00:17:28] Cherry Evans, even the Chad

[00:17:31] experienced halfbacks retire in

[00:17:32] the next few years. So they'll

[00:17:33] be demand for him simply because

[00:17:35] he's a halfback and he's gaining

[00:17:36] experience he'll get.

[00:17:37] But yes, a breakout game.

[00:17:39] No question.

[00:17:40] But can we wind ourselves back

[00:17:42] to the start of the year?

[00:17:43] When he started the year as 5

[00:17:45] 8, or he came in at the end of

[00:17:46] last year for Moïland,

[00:17:48] he had a great start to the year.

[00:17:50] And I remember when

[00:17:52] he had his offfield indiscretion,

[00:17:54] right? I was devastated by

[00:17:56] that because I figured that they

[00:17:58] had trained together as a halves

[00:17:59] combinational preseason.

[00:18:01] They got off to a great start

[00:18:03] to the year.

[00:18:04] And then I felt that was the

[00:18:06] spanner in the works. Now,

[00:18:06] they actually I think they kept

[00:18:07] their winning run for a little

[00:18:09] while while he was on the sidelines.

[00:18:11] And then we saw Alkinson obviously

[00:18:13] step up, which was brilliant as well.

[00:18:14] But he had a very good start of

[00:18:16] the year. So this big performance

[00:18:18] actually doesn't surprise me because

[00:18:19] I think he's I think he's displayed

[00:18:21] it throughout the season that he

[00:18:22] had that ability where we've seen

[00:18:24] trend all over our time

[00:18:26] following him, not

[00:18:28] perform. It's been when he's come

[00:18:29] off the bench, late in games

[00:18:31] and suddenly I think he probably

[00:18:33] felt he needed to prove something

[00:18:35] when he has started matches.

[00:18:37] He's usually performed pretty damn

[00:18:39] well. I would argue that

[00:18:40] he doesn't play bad games for us

[00:18:42] as a starting half, whether it's

[00:18:44] 5 8 half like he

[00:18:46] more than often changes

[00:18:48] games.

[00:18:49] Obviously, this was a massive career

[00:18:50] highlight at a crucial time

[00:18:52] in our season and that would be

[00:18:54] career best game. I'm no doubt of

[00:18:56] that either. But he's not

[00:18:58] that much different week

[00:19:00] in week out as

[00:19:02] as an individual.

[00:19:03] Now, the team doesn't always play

[00:19:04] that way.

[00:19:05] So the results don't come that way

[00:19:07] and even his efforts don't lead

[00:19:09] to the things they led to.

[00:19:10] But if you really think about

[00:19:12] it, he's had a lot

[00:19:15] more games that have been influential

[00:19:17] and great

[00:19:19] than any kind of negative games.

[00:19:22] Yeah, and it's obviously because it

[00:19:23] was the proof because it was the

[00:19:25] second week of the finals, all the

[00:19:26] pressure and granades always got

[00:19:27] the attention now. But I'm just

[00:19:28] thinking, did he play

[00:19:30] also a standout game

[00:19:32] with Nick on the halves in the

[00:19:33] All-Star game this year or last

[00:19:35] year?

[00:19:35] It was one of the years.

[00:19:37] Yeah. I remember here, he

[00:19:39] attracted some decent praise

[00:19:40] from the general wider rugby

[00:19:42] league community over that

[00:19:43] performance. So this we've known

[00:19:45] it's not just he's had it in

[00:19:47] him and suddenly break again.

[00:19:49] He actually has been doing it,

[00:19:50] maybe not quite to that level, but

[00:19:51] he's been doing it. Now on the

[00:19:54] pay rise and the contract

[00:19:55] situation, I know that he's been

[00:19:57] quoted as saying, I'll go to

[00:19:58] November one, but we'll see what

[00:20:00] the manager says with the club.

[00:20:02] Let's not forget this guy's been

[00:20:03] in the system for a long time.

[00:20:06] Like seven years, seven years

[00:20:07] or so at least.

[00:20:09] And we've obviously been

[00:20:11] a club that's shown our loyalty,

[00:20:13] both contract wise and with the

[00:20:15] stuff that happened this year.

[00:20:16] Like if the sharks didn't handle

[00:20:17] the weather this year, it would be

[00:20:19] a lot different story for him

[00:20:20] and for us.

[00:20:21] So they handled that well.

[00:20:23] As you say, he can be friends

[00:20:24] with the Chthony Stagsley wants,

[00:20:26] but he's got 20 or 30 pretty

[00:20:27] good mates down here at the

[00:20:28] moment who love and adore him

[00:20:30] and he loves and adores them.

[00:20:32] And yes, if

[00:20:33] they can't come to a monetary

[00:20:36] substantial agreement,

[00:20:37] then he may not be around

[00:20:39] in a couple of years.

[00:20:40] But if they come close or better

[00:20:42] it, there's no doubt in my mind

[00:20:44] he's going to stick around.

[00:20:45] The other thing that we can get

[00:20:46] into Clinton either now or

[00:20:48] another time is that if you

[00:20:50] want to keep Heinz and Trindle

[00:20:51] and let's assume they do, there's

[00:20:52] other ways to tinker with the

[00:20:53] roster and there's other players

[00:20:55] off contract.

[00:20:56] There's a number one off

[00:20:58] contract around the same time.

[00:21:00] I'm not suggesting we get rid

[00:21:01] of him, but there's been fans

[00:21:03] out there and thoughts that,

[00:21:05] well, there's a Liam

[00:21:06] Eisen coming through and there's

[00:21:08] Dan Atkinson as other players

[00:21:09] who you can get a lesser

[00:21:12] fee than the fullbacks on.

[00:21:13] And again, I'm not trying to

[00:21:14] drive us through line and get

[00:21:16] rid of Kennedy, but there's ways

[00:21:17] around keeping Trindle if

[00:21:19] the cap is a problem.

[00:21:21] Of course there is.

[00:21:22] And look, he's in the fortunate

[00:21:23] position that he's a halfback.

[00:21:25] We have retiring halfbacks

[00:21:27] in the game.

[00:21:28] New clubs coming into the

[00:21:29] competition. So he's going to

[00:21:31] be in a chance if he wants

[00:21:32] over, as he might be able to

[00:21:33] get over. And there might be

[00:21:35] a position that we can't

[00:21:36] compete. And if he's just

[00:21:37] after the cash, you probably

[00:21:39] can't blame him, right?

[00:21:41] But we also have

[00:21:42] we have options such as

[00:21:44] Atkinson could be a five

[00:21:46] eight for us.

[00:21:47] It's not like I wouldn't

[00:21:49] based on his performance so

[00:21:50] far. Just I don't think this

[00:21:52] will happen. But say the Brisbane

[00:21:53] Broncos offered him 900

[00:21:55] thousand.

[00:21:56] There's no way I'd be going to

[00:21:57] match that. I'd be wishing him

[00:21:58] all the best.

[00:21:59] Not at this point.

[00:22:01] Yeah, I don't think it's

[00:22:02] going to happen.

[00:22:03] And he's under contract for

[00:22:04] another year as well.

[00:22:06] So if he wins the title this

[00:22:07] year and then we're on our way

[00:22:09] next year, let's have the

[00:22:11] conversation about 900 thousand.

[00:22:12] 100 percent. The other thing is

[00:22:13] if he was to be moved on,

[00:22:15] Dan Atkinson is there, right?

[00:22:17] Below Dan Atkinson and coming

[00:22:19] through within a few years

[00:22:21] is a kid called Riley Polard

[00:22:22] and he's the real deal.

[00:22:25] He's not fringe.

[00:22:26] He's not anything.

[00:22:27] He's going to be a regular

[00:22:28] first grader.

[00:22:29] If that's the case, you buy

[00:22:30] at your time and you bring

[00:22:31] him through when he's ready.

[00:22:33] Happy days.

[00:22:33] There's lots of scenarios

[00:22:34] there that could play out.

[00:22:36] And we're not trying to move

[00:22:37] anyone on. We're just having a

[00:22:39] chat about it.

[00:22:40] Clinton, you're an experienced,

[00:22:42] vastly experienced man in the

[00:22:43] media.

[00:22:44] Now, you do have one

[00:22:45] blue eye and one

[00:22:47] which is split between black

[00:22:49] and white.

[00:22:50] And I am also someone who's

[00:22:51] worked in the media for a while.

[00:22:52] We can concede that

[00:22:54] the onslaught against

[00:22:56] the club in the past week was

[00:22:58] a little bit over the top

[00:22:59] directly at Niko, but

[00:23:01] also the stadium staff

[00:23:02] and the finals record, which

[00:23:05] to be fair, there

[00:23:07] is criticism around

[00:23:08] at least two of those three

[00:23:09] subjects.

[00:23:10] But the onslaught

[00:23:11] was unbelievable.

[00:23:13] I think it's just the way modern

[00:23:15] media goes.

[00:23:16] And I think it's more so than

[00:23:18] say back in the 90s.

[00:23:20] Firstly, there are more

[00:23:21] specialist outlets that focus

[00:23:22] on rugby league specialist

[00:23:23] programs.

[00:23:24] But the way we measure

[00:23:26] success in media

[00:23:28] is so different to the way we

[00:23:30] did 20 years ago.

[00:23:32] These days, media outlets, not

[00:23:34] so much my media outlet radio.

[00:23:36] We receive ratings

[00:23:37] every eight weeks,

[00:23:39] but pretty much every other

[00:23:40] outlet gets instantaneous

[00:23:42] response in the forms

[00:23:43] of clicks to websites

[00:23:45] or comments on

[00:23:46] stories.

[00:23:48] And this has always been

[00:23:50] the case.

[00:23:51] Sensational headlines

[00:23:53] attract response.

[00:23:55] So of course, we

[00:23:56] were we were part of all

[00:23:58] that in the last couple of

[00:23:59] weeks.

[00:24:00] The fact that we

[00:24:01] did get off the performance

[00:24:03] against Melbourne was pretty bad

[00:24:04] in the second half.

[00:24:06] I think that was given what had

[00:24:08] happened in the previous two

[00:24:09] years against the roosters last

[00:24:10] year in the Cowboys.

[00:24:11] That was just going to add to

[00:24:12] the narrative.

[00:24:13] Nico is at the center of it.

[00:24:14] So as a media professional, I

[00:24:16] completely understand how it

[00:24:17] came about.

[00:24:18] But I do think it was over the

[00:24:20] top.

[00:24:21] But it's also there's when

[00:24:22] you get down to this point of

[00:24:23] the season, there were six teams

[00:24:25] left.

[00:24:25] And last weekend, there were only

[00:24:26] four teams

[00:24:28] playing.

[00:24:30] It's not going to be 25 percent

[00:24:32] coverage per team.

[00:24:34] It's going to be based on what

[00:24:36] the controversial aspects

[00:24:37] were.

[00:24:38] One of those teams Cowboys

[00:24:39] isn't out of sight out of

[00:24:41] town team.

[00:24:42] So they weren't going to attract

[00:24:43] a lot of attention in Sydney,

[00:24:44] really, no matter what.

[00:24:49] The roosters are mainly going

[00:24:50] to probably flow under the

[00:24:50] radar a bit.

[00:24:52] But there's, you know, with

[00:24:53] those two sides, okay, there

[00:24:55] was the roosters injury issues,

[00:24:56] but that was covered the week

[00:24:58] before and everyone sort of

[00:24:59] moved on from the

[00:25:00] that.

[00:25:01] Crunella was the obvious story

[00:25:03] that was going to attract headlines

[00:25:04] and was going to attract reaction

[00:25:06] from from listeners and

[00:25:08] viewers and people commenting on

[00:25:10] websites.

[00:25:11] How do you think the club handle

[00:25:12] it? And I actually had it.

[00:25:14] I met Dino for the first time

[00:25:16] at the function that I was at

[00:25:17] last Friday night and had a chat

[00:25:18] to him about a few things, had

[00:25:19] a chat to him about the leagues

[00:25:20] club.

[00:25:21] He's confident it'll be open in

[00:25:22] the years time.

[00:25:23] Yeah.

[00:25:25] He's I tell you he's very

[00:25:26] frustrated. He is frustrated

[00:25:27] by.

[00:25:28] He's frustrated by.

[00:25:29] But I I think

[00:25:31] we would have been better off

[00:25:33] from the get go

[00:25:35] accepting that it was going to be

[00:25:36] at Allianz Stadium

[00:25:38] and embracing that from the start

[00:25:40] rather than points bet because

[00:25:41] it would be unprecedented

[00:25:43] that a suburban Sydney ground

[00:25:45] would host week two of the finals.

[00:25:46] It doesn't happen.

[00:25:47] It's always big stadiums

[00:25:49] in week two.

[00:25:50] So they would have had to have

[00:25:51] broken their own rules.

[00:25:52] I can see the argument for it

[00:25:54] and I could see the a lot of it

[00:25:56] came about because the AFL

[00:25:57] was next door and there was this

[00:25:58] fear that rugby league would be

[00:25:59] embarrassed.

[00:26:00] And I put a tweet out

[00:26:02] about how great the night was

[00:26:04] or something like that. And I

[00:26:05] saw that I've been hammered on

[00:26:06] Twitter by people saying, oh,

[00:26:07] you've got no fans.

[00:26:08] I just ignored them this time.

[00:26:10] I didn't respond.

[00:26:11] There were two issues there with

[00:26:12] the no fans.

[00:26:14] Now, I was on air broadcasting

[00:26:15] on 2 GB in the lead up to the

[00:26:17] game for three hours.

[00:26:19] My program is a general news and

[00:26:20] current affairs show.

[00:26:21] It was completely dominated

[00:26:23] by the problems on the T4

[00:26:25] train line, which was a

[00:26:27] shambles.

[00:26:28] And a lot of people because

[00:26:29] and they've been billed up to

[00:26:30] that because the industrial action

[00:26:32] had been flagged a few days

[00:26:33] beforehand.

[00:26:35] There would be a lot of people who

[00:26:36] would have made making 50 50

[00:26:38] decision whether to leave the shy

[00:26:39] that night. We know a lot of shy

[00:26:40] people. I'm the same.

[00:26:41] Don't like to leave the shy.

[00:26:42] What we've got now I'm not going

[00:26:44] to go because that

[00:26:45] no question.

[00:26:47] For our for our international

[00:26:48] interstate listeners, the T4 is

[00:26:50] the direct line from

[00:26:51] Cronola through to Bonnet.

[00:26:53] And it was the one train line

[00:26:54] that was affected on Friday night

[00:26:55] basically.

[00:26:57] And I think so given that was

[00:26:58] 19,000 people there,

[00:27:01] maybe it was inflated a little bit.

[00:27:03] Who knows? But say no, but

[00:27:04] let's take it at 19,000.

[00:27:06] Let's give the Cowboys be generous

[00:27:07] to 2000.

[00:27:09] So there's 17,000 sharks fans

[00:27:11] and corporates and so forth.

[00:27:12] I reckon you could probably take

[00:27:13] off another 5000 of sharks fans

[00:27:15] who were.

[00:27:17] Discouraged from going because of

[00:27:18] the rail line, but also because

[00:27:20] the whole drama throughout the week

[00:27:21] about it should be a points bet

[00:27:23] and then people thinking it

[00:27:24] should have been a points bet to

[00:27:25] start with. I'm glad it wasn't a

[00:27:27] points bet and this is

[00:27:28] different from my view for the last

[00:27:30] two years where we have the debate

[00:27:31] around one.

[00:27:32] I was always a fan of it being a

[00:27:34] points bet for the first game

[00:27:35] because that's the process you

[00:27:37] should get the home final in the

[00:27:39] first round.

[00:27:40] And I've always thought it gave us

[00:27:42] an advantage, but we've

[00:27:43] proved two years in a row.

[00:27:45] It didn't help us in terms of

[00:27:46] winning the game.

[00:27:47] So I thought we would be better

[00:27:48] off focusing on the excitement

[00:27:50] of playing in this big wonderful

[00:27:51] stadium where it makes the game

[00:27:53] it elevates the game above a

[00:27:55] club match.

[00:27:57] I said to

[00:27:58] a few people, I said on the show as

[00:27:59] well, it was met with a little bit

[00:28:00] of heat. But I did say that

[00:28:03] the more that we as a club said,

[00:28:04] oh, it should be at Shark Park,

[00:28:06] as you said as well, the more

[00:28:07] the fans will like, you know

[00:28:09] what, this should be at Shark Park

[00:28:11] it's BS. I can't believe this.

[00:28:13] And the narrative just turned and

[00:28:14] those people, as you say, were

[00:28:16] probably more negative

[00:28:18] about going somewhere that they

[00:28:19] in theory thought they shouldn't

[00:28:21] have to be doing. And it just

[00:28:22] snowballed. And I agree with you.

[00:28:23] I think there was a number of

[00:28:25] people who didn't make the track

[00:28:27] just to kind of put the middle

[00:28:29] finger up the NRL.

[00:28:30] I was really excited to be going

[00:28:32] to Allianz maybe because I hadn't

[00:28:33] seen the Sharks play there before.

[00:28:34] So I was happy about that.

[00:28:35] But I've got to say, you know

[00:28:36] that, you know, I love

[00:28:39] the fact the reason I follow

[00:28:40] the chronology sharks is because

[00:28:41] they play in the show.

[00:28:43] I'm a very parochial show

[00:28:45] person. I've lived my whole

[00:28:46] life.

[00:28:47] But this has been the first

[00:28:49] year going to sharks games

[00:28:52] where on occasions I've had second

[00:28:53] thoughts about going there

[00:28:54] because of the because of the

[00:28:56] ground. The ground actually has

[00:28:58] really got to me this year.

[00:28:59] I had one incident and one

[00:29:01] incident I had a bit of a

[00:29:03] running with security on one

[00:29:05] night that really annoyed me.

[00:29:07] And the reason that came

[00:29:08] through it, the reason it came

[00:29:09] about was because the place is

[00:29:11] so crowded at the moment with

[00:29:12] the limited capacity.

[00:29:14] And the security guard were just

[00:29:16] doing their job when they were

[00:29:17] trying to clear some spectators

[00:29:19] from where they'd been standing

[00:29:20] all match in the second half

[00:29:22] and where they'd been standing for

[00:29:24] weeks and weeks before that point

[00:29:25] as well. But it just demonstrated

[00:29:27] to me that we've got a ground

[00:29:28] that in my opinion at the moment

[00:29:30] is not up to NRL

[00:29:32] standard, little

[00:29:34] in a semi final, which should be

[00:29:35] above the stock standard

[00:29:37] NRL standard. I don't want to

[00:29:38] everyone to see us leave that ground

[00:29:40] genuinely.

[00:29:41] But and it's probably a debate for

[00:29:42] another day. Something's also going

[00:29:44] to be done about it.

[00:29:45] Yeah, they're going to have to get

[00:29:46] some capacity increases

[00:29:48] because the

[00:29:50] 12 and a half 13 is not going to fly

[00:29:52] for a lot of nor should nor

[00:29:53] shoot it. No, no, no, it shouldn't

[00:29:55] be professional sporting competition.

[00:29:56] Absolutely. So I don't know where

[00:29:57] that's going to come. That's

[00:29:58] another day. That's not a debate.

[00:30:00] I'm with you. I had a great time

[00:30:01] at that venue. I think, you know,

[00:30:03] you and I are in the same vintage

[00:30:04] where we grew up and all

[00:30:06] the big games are in the city.

[00:30:07] You know, you go to the city to

[00:30:08] watch you play when it really

[00:30:10] matters. And that I still had

[00:30:11] that feeling on the weekend.

[00:30:13] It was a great feeling.

[00:30:14] And I'm glad that they played it

[00:30:16] there and, you know, we can discuss

[00:30:17] that forever more.

[00:30:18] It also I think helps us heading

[00:30:21] into this weekend. Now, it's a

[00:30:22] different ground.

[00:30:23] But if we had played the points

[00:30:25] bet last week and Jagged a win,

[00:30:28] you're then having to play the

[00:30:29] Penrith Panthers at Sydney

[00:30:30] Olympic Park in Coral Stadium.

[00:30:33] That's a really big jump.

[00:30:34] At least we've been able to take

[00:30:36] a baby step.

[00:30:37] Yeah. And they kicked

[00:30:38] well. They played well. They

[00:30:39] reacted to the crowd well.

[00:30:41] And I haven't got any crowd

[00:30:43] figures, but I'm

[00:30:45] sure that the crowd will be

[00:30:47] at least

[00:30:49] 30,000 people, if not

[00:30:51] more. And from what

[00:30:53] we're hearing, there's going to be

[00:30:54] a good split of the fans, which is

[00:30:55] awesome. So you're right.

[00:30:57] Like they could they could have

[00:30:58] gotten massive stage fright if

[00:30:59] they went from Little Shark Park

[00:31:01] to big Homebush Stadium.

[00:31:03] So it worked out well.

[00:31:04] Panther's game, Clinton,

[00:31:06] we know it's going to be tough.

[00:31:08] I am listening to all sorts of

[00:31:10] things I can from people that I

[00:31:12] respect, you know, certain

[00:31:14] commentators and radio people

[00:31:16] and trying to block out the ones

[00:31:17] I don't.

[00:31:18] I'll tell you who grabbed my

[00:31:19] attention and, you know, he's a

[00:31:20] personal hero of mine is Cooper

[00:31:21] Cronk.

[00:31:22] And he was on the Maddie John

[00:31:23] show last night, the podcast

[00:31:24] show. He said he said something

[00:31:26] akin to they got a shot

[00:31:28] like if they do it right, if

[00:31:30] they if they if they plan it

[00:31:31] and do it right, they're in

[00:31:33] it. And for him to say that,

[00:31:35] I mean, I agree.

[00:31:36] I think the same way.

[00:31:37] But to hear him say it, I think

[00:31:39] he's one of the best analysts in

[00:31:40] the game.

[00:31:41] They gave me some confidence.

[00:31:43] I think they got a shot because

[00:31:43] they're there.

[00:31:45] Yeah, most the other sides in the

[00:31:47] compound playing this week.

[00:31:48] So go on.

[00:31:49] I need more than that.

[00:31:51] Of course we can win.

[00:31:53] Yeah, I think what's on our side

[00:31:55] is that Penrith overall

[00:31:57] and yet they've played a lot of

[00:31:58] the year without Nathan Cleary.

[00:31:59] We've got to say Geron Lewa,

[00:32:00] particularly in the thrashing

[00:32:02] of us.

[00:32:03] I think he's been outstanding.

[00:32:04] I think the West Tigers would be

[00:32:05] really happy seeing Joe Lewa

[00:32:07] excel at number seven this

[00:32:08] year.

[00:32:09] But I think of the

[00:32:11] three seasons that they won the

[00:32:13] comp and now the fourth attempt

[00:32:14] to win a comp.

[00:32:15] It's fifth. This is the fifth grand

[00:32:16] final if they make it.

[00:32:18] I think this is where they've shown

[00:32:19] the most vulnerability, where

[00:32:21] they've shown the most inconsistency.

[00:32:22] They weren't minor premiers.

[00:32:24] Melbourne Storm were minor premiers.

[00:32:25] And then at one point they may have

[00:32:26] well even finished third or fourth

[00:32:28] towards the end of the last round

[00:32:30] had we actually done the right

[00:32:32] thing and defeated the Warriors,

[00:32:33] mind you.

[00:32:34] So I think that they are vulnerable

[00:32:37] when you go through the team list.

[00:32:40] Now, I know we are now known as

[00:32:42] this team that doesn't have state of

[00:32:43] origin stars and of the four teams

[00:32:45] left, we are the one man on

[00:32:47] man and maybe the weakest side.

[00:32:48] I actually reckon when you go through

[00:32:49] the team list, that's not quite the

[00:32:51] case. I actually think we stack up

[00:32:53] pretty set. When you look at the

[00:32:54] 17s, I think we stack up pretty

[00:32:56] well. So I've got it in front of me.

[00:32:58] You know, there are ones that they

[00:32:59] will win. So they've in theory,

[00:33:01] hear me out, sharks fans in theory

[00:33:03] they have a better fullback, right?

[00:33:04] But when you go to the wingers,

[00:33:06] Taruva and Toa versus Katoa

[00:33:08] and Mitalo and Toa is amazing.

[00:33:10] I don't mind having our guys out

[00:33:12] against their guys.

[00:33:14] And when you go to the centers, my

[00:33:16] friend, you have Isaac Targo and Paul

[00:33:18] Alamotti versus Jesse Ramion and

[00:33:20] Kail Eero. Now, I need our guys to be

[00:33:22] 100 percent fit, but I also don't

[00:33:24] mind those matchups.

[00:33:25] Yeah, I think Ramion, I think made a

[00:33:28] big difference to us on the weekend.

[00:33:30] Kail Eero has exceeded

[00:33:32] I know there were massive wraps on

[00:33:33] him. He's exceeded my expectations

[00:33:35] this year. I think for a rookie

[00:33:37] he's been outstanding because

[00:33:39] he was, you know, defensively

[00:33:41] he's been strong.

[00:33:42] He replaced Talakai who would knock

[00:33:44] up these extraordinary running

[00:33:46] leaders figures every week at center

[00:33:48] and he's he's matched that if not

[00:33:50] exceeded it on occasions.

[00:33:52] I think I would hope that he's

[00:33:54] learned some lessons from the

[00:33:55] weekend with the strips.

[00:33:58] The two strips. Let's remember

[00:33:59] Cowboys, I think statistically

[00:34:00] certainly early in the year were

[00:34:02] the number one stripping side in

[00:34:03] the competition.

[00:34:04] So so I looked it up and Penrith

[00:34:06] have had one strip all year.

[00:34:08] All right, I don't mind that.

[00:34:10] I don't know. I agree.

[00:34:11] I think I think in the centers

[00:34:13] we are strong.

[00:34:14] OK, the Harves.

[00:34:17] So Harves they're going to win out

[00:34:19] career wise and even form wise

[00:34:21] to be fair.

[00:34:22] Absolutely. But you have Braden

[00:34:23] Schrundtler coming up for career

[00:34:24] best game and you've got Nick

[00:34:26] O'Hine looking the best he's looked

[00:34:27] for a while.

[00:34:28] See how that one pans out.

[00:34:31] Now this is where it gets a little

[00:34:31] bit trick.

[00:34:32] Lyota and Fisher Harris versus

[00:34:34] Rudolph and Kaphoussi.

[00:34:35] They've got it. They've got

[00:34:36] out blow. Now hopefully it's not

[00:34:38] a knockout blow on the weekend.

[00:34:39] But in theory they've got it.

[00:34:40] Hookers, Mitch Kenney versus Blake

[00:34:42] Brailey. I think we win that like

[00:34:44] Mitch Kenny is incredibly consistent.

[00:34:46] Brailey I think is shown he's the

[00:34:48] better guy. Right.

[00:34:49] Yeah. But they also don't need a

[00:34:50] Mitch Kenny to be an happy

[00:34:52] correspondent these days or a

[00:34:53] Blake Brailey on potential because

[00:34:55] you've got two of the best Harves

[00:34:56] in the game. And that's where I

[00:34:57] think Brailey even though Trindle

[00:34:59] has stepped up, I think Brailey

[00:35:01] has got to continue that

[00:35:02] that role that he has played when

[00:35:04] Nicko was out.

[00:35:06] I think we need that.

[00:35:07] Now this is where it gets

[00:35:08] fascinating for me the back row.

[00:35:10] So Luke Garner, Liam

[00:35:12] Martin, Isaiah

[00:35:14] against Britain, Nicko, Tegel

[00:35:16] Wilton, Cam McInnes.

[00:35:17] Isaiah will become the most

[00:35:19] capped panther on the weekend.

[00:35:21] He's going to pass Stevie Carter.

[00:35:23] He'll be the greatest capped

[00:35:24] panther.

[00:35:25] He's a very, very good player.

[00:35:26] We know this.

[00:35:27] His strength is engaging the line

[00:35:29] late pass and completely

[00:35:31] different player than the

[00:35:32] Guinness. The different styles

[00:35:33] of play. Yes.

[00:35:34] Almost a half.

[00:35:35] Liam Martin doesn't come too much

[00:35:37] tougher.

[00:35:38] He's a bruiser.

[00:35:39] He's got skill.

[00:35:40] He's got ticker.

[00:35:42] He can play injured.

[00:35:43] He can do all that tough stuff.

[00:35:45] He can miss a tackle.

[00:35:46] He can make a tackle, but he can

[00:35:48] miss a tackle.

[00:35:49] Luke Garner, pretty

[00:35:50] average, not below,

[00:35:52] not above second row.

[00:35:54] I've read that Scott Sorenson

[00:35:55] is still a chance of being

[00:35:56] Scott Sorenson chance.

[00:35:58] He might come off the bench,

[00:35:59] but he might start as well.

[00:36:00] But even if it's Scott Sorenson,

[00:36:02] who has shown immense

[00:36:04] improvement since leaving our

[00:36:05] club, I'm still not

[00:36:07] staying up all night worrying

[00:36:08] about those two guys.

[00:36:10] Britain, Nicker, T.

[00:36:11] Wilton, incredible form.

[00:36:13] Cam McInnes, we know what he

[00:36:14] does when he does it like he

[00:36:16] did last week.

[00:36:17] It's really impressive.

[00:36:19] So I don't mind that back row

[00:36:20] challenge.

[00:36:21] Completely understand I has a

[00:36:23] yo is another level

[00:36:24] in what he does.

[00:36:25] He gets to the bench if

[00:36:28] it stands this way.

[00:36:29] Brad Schneider,

[00:36:31] Lindsay Smith, Liam

[00:36:33] Henry, Matt Eisenhooth,

[00:36:35] workman like some experience

[00:36:37] now at the big level in a really

[00:36:39] good system.

[00:36:40] I get it.

[00:36:41] Sifatale Chi, Jack

[00:36:43] Williams, Royce Hunt,

[00:36:45] Tall Tom Hazleton

[00:36:47] with those four guys worth

[00:36:48] showing our cards.

[00:36:50] You know, you know what you're

[00:36:50] getting from those guys.

[00:36:52] If they play to their capacity,

[00:36:54] I've got a spotlight on Royce

[00:36:56] Hunt. If they if they can

[00:36:57] play to their potential,

[00:37:00] I think we've got the better

[00:37:01] bench.

[00:37:01] You completely agree with you.

[00:37:03] What worries me, though, and

[00:37:05] you alluded to it at the start

[00:37:06] of our pod is what did

[00:37:08] occur in the second half when

[00:37:09] the benchies were playing.

[00:37:11] We opened up in the middle

[00:37:12] defensively. That worries me

[00:37:14] on the plus side, though,

[00:37:16] Royce Hunt has had his best

[00:37:18] year.

[00:37:19] And I think from

[00:37:21] from I've never met Royce,

[00:37:22] but I've heard you in a view

[00:37:23] several times.

[00:37:24] Lovely bloke up until

[00:37:25] this year, I've never been

[00:37:26] in the Royce Hunt fan club.

[00:37:28] I thought he was probably just

[00:37:30] a bit of a plodder, to be

[00:37:31] honest.

[00:37:33] But this year

[00:37:34] and maybe it did coincide

[00:37:36] with his potential for a new

[00:37:37] contract, even though he had

[00:37:38] another year to go.

[00:37:40] He played out of his skin as an

[00:37:41] impact bench prop

[00:37:43] mostly. And I know he started

[00:37:44] plenty of games as well, but

[00:37:45] but it was that 20 minutes

[00:37:46] stint, that impact that he

[00:37:47] can bring.

[00:37:49] Now,

[00:37:50] given this is going to be

[00:37:52] potentially his last

[00:37:53] game playing for the sharks,

[00:37:54] I would hope that he showed

[00:37:56] throughout the season when

[00:37:57] he's got something really to

[00:37:58] play for. I knew the contract

[00:38:00] through the year.

[00:38:01] This weekend, maybe last game

[00:38:03] for the sharks.

[00:38:05] Maybe that's actually going to

[00:38:06] drive him to put in one of those

[00:38:08] standout performances that we

[00:38:09] know we now know he's got in

[00:38:10] it. I think so.

[00:38:12] That's those with confidence.

[00:38:13] Siffer Talakai, his minutes

[00:38:15] were pretty low last week.

[00:38:16] I guess that's injury related.

[00:38:18] So hopefully he's another

[00:38:19] week down the track, but he

[00:38:21] was still ripping people apart

[00:38:23] last week in attack.

[00:38:24] I love his. Siffer is one of

[00:38:26] my favourite players without

[00:38:28] doubt. I'd still somehow love

[00:38:29] him in the starting side, but

[00:38:30] I think he can provide us with

[00:38:32] impact off the bench. There's no

[00:38:33] doubt there's more impact off

[00:38:34] the bench.

[00:38:37] Jack and I know he's a

[00:38:38] polarizing figure for us

[00:38:40] all, but

[00:38:41] and I think he's probably come

[00:38:43] back a bit in the last month

[00:38:44] or so.

[00:38:46] But defensively, he's

[00:38:47] obviously should be one of the

[00:38:49] rocks of the side.

[00:38:50] So, you know, I hope that he

[00:38:51] can take on the can begin

[00:38:52] his role well when he comes

[00:38:54] onto the field defensively.

[00:38:56] Tall Tom, I think again, he has

[00:38:57] had a wonderful season.

[00:38:59] I think he's probably shown

[00:39:01] signs that it's been a long

[00:39:02] season for him though.

[00:39:03] And he's probably played a lot of

[00:39:04] minutes. I think he's come

[00:39:06] back around to the better

[00:39:08] tall Tom, though, in the last

[00:39:09] yeah, three weeks.

[00:39:11] Yeah. Now on paper,

[00:39:14] I'd be going out bench every day

[00:39:16] of the week.

[00:39:17] But their system is so good.

[00:39:20] They're one of those clubs

[00:39:20] that you know, the whole next

[00:39:21] man in mentality, which I find a

[00:39:23] bit all cliche, to be

[00:39:24] honest, but it does

[00:39:26] work for them. Right?

[00:39:28] It does work for them.

[00:39:29] And you know who also works

[00:39:30] for it works for us a lot too.

[00:39:32] Yeah. So I think

[00:39:34] that I think we've named our

[00:39:36] strongest possible team.

[00:39:38] Not as strong as possible team

[00:39:40] might suggest salary wise

[00:39:41] because we've got a bloke playing

[00:39:42] for Newtown, I suggest this

[00:39:43] weekend is in the extended

[00:39:44] squad and Braden and you well,

[00:39:46] which he just I just don't I

[00:39:48] guess it's all injury related.

[00:39:49] But he should be in that

[00:39:50] 17 somewhere.

[00:39:52] There's a reason he's not like

[00:39:53] yeah, on a building.

[00:39:54] Thank God

[00:39:55] and he knows I love him.

[00:39:56] Thank God he's not because it

[00:39:58] means the coaching staff

[00:39:59] means he's not ready for it.

[00:40:01] Based on how things stand

[00:40:02] basically this is our strongest

[00:40:04] squad, which is great that we've

[00:40:06] got people on the field

[00:40:08] not injured at the right time

[00:40:09] of the season. So that's

[00:40:10] that's great.

[00:40:12] But there I think we're

[00:40:14] if we're going to have a hope

[00:40:16] and we know this was a

[00:40:17] particular theme for the first

[00:40:18] half of the season, bad starts

[00:40:20] to the game.

[00:40:21] They've got to start well,

[00:40:22] clearly.

[00:40:24] And then when the bench forwards

[00:40:25] come on, they've got to maintain

[00:40:28] that defensive middle

[00:40:30] as well as bringing impact as well

[00:40:32] to try to change the game if

[00:40:33] necessary.

[00:40:33] I will say this Clinton

[00:40:34] been doing a lot of work on the

[00:40:36] game and we can see

[00:40:37] the least points in

[00:40:39] the 20 minutes after half time.

[00:40:41] Now, I know last week that goes

[00:40:42] against that grain year

[00:40:43] long, year wide.

[00:40:45] Like we actually concede the

[00:40:47] fewest points in that 40

[00:40:49] to 60 minutes.

[00:40:49] So even though

[00:40:51] I saw some gaps last week, you saw

[00:40:53] some gaps last week.

[00:40:54] I guess there's ways of not

[00:40:56] making that be too

[00:40:58] costly because that is a fact.

[00:41:00] They they are the they concede

[00:41:01] the fewest in that time.

[00:41:03] Now, I don't have the top of my

[00:41:04] head, the 20 minute to 40

[00:41:06] minute mark.

[00:41:07] But still, that's that's a part

[00:41:08] when those forwards are on and

[00:41:09] they kind of hold their own in

[00:41:11] that at least not

[00:41:13] conceding points kind of avenue.

[00:41:14] So there is some hope there as

[00:41:16] well.

[00:41:17] Are you thinking

[00:41:18] about going to the game?

[00:41:20] Yeah, I'll be at the game.

[00:41:22] Fortunately, I'll be in a pretty

[00:41:24] good seat as well.

[00:41:25] So yeah, look at you.

[00:41:26] Excited about that.

[00:41:27] Excellent.

[00:41:28] Excited about that.

[00:41:30] Look, I'm going.

[00:41:31] But, you know, as I said,

[00:41:33] I'm at the start, I was over

[00:41:34] the moon to win that finals

[00:41:36] game because I just felt it's

[00:41:38] the monkey off our bat off

[00:41:39] our back.

[00:41:40] And you know that in our group

[00:41:42] text, so I was arguing and

[00:41:44] I still maintain I was right

[00:41:45] here for a fifth place.

[00:41:47] Well, now that it's to pan

[00:41:48] down. No, I was arguing for

[00:41:49] a fifth place finish because

[00:41:51] all I wanted was a finals

[00:41:53] victory to position us

[00:41:55] for next year when we are going

[00:41:57] to have a stronger side.

[00:41:58] And I think next year is our

[00:41:59] Premiership window open with

[00:42:00] AFB provided everything goes

[00:42:03] well.

[00:42:04] I think I'm heading into

[00:42:06] this prelim feeling my best

[00:42:08] about the sharks in years

[00:42:09] because like probably most

[00:42:12] rapidly, people

[00:42:13] I have no expectations for

[00:42:14] victory genuinely.

[00:42:17] And where previous

[00:42:18] prelims in the past, well, up

[00:42:20] to 2016, it just meant

[00:42:21] everything because I just wanted

[00:42:22] to see my team win the grand

[00:42:24] final. I don't have that pressure

[00:42:26] anymore as a fan because of 2016.

[00:42:29] You combine that with no

[00:42:30] expectation of a victory.

[00:42:32] And I'm just I am genuinely

[00:42:33] another sounds really defeatist.

[00:42:35] I'm happy we just had a finals

[00:42:37] win and I don't want the players

[00:42:38] to have that attitude.

[00:42:38] I don't think they will. They don't

[00:42:40] they don't. And I understand

[00:42:41] I understand where you're coming

[00:42:42] from. And I'm sure a lot

[00:42:44] of our listeners feel the same way.

[00:42:45] So I feel really good about I'm

[00:42:46] happy. I'm going to be happy

[00:42:47] going to the game on the weekend.

[00:42:48] I'm not going to be a nervous wreck

[00:42:49] and I'll I'll be happy when I leave.

[00:42:51] But in saying all that,

[00:42:54] actually, I and I look

[00:42:56] I do think Penrith will

[00:42:58] win. However, I don't

[00:43:00] think we're without a chance.

[00:43:01] I do. And it's not just the fact

[00:43:02] that we're there. Yeah.

[00:43:04] I think this is Penrith's most

[00:43:05] inconsistent year of their run.

[00:43:08] I think we have

[00:43:09] taken a lot of pressure off our

[00:43:11] shoulders by winning last week.

[00:43:12] I think this is the best side

[00:43:14] that we can name at the moment.

[00:43:15] And without putting any more

[00:43:17] pressure on this issue,

[00:43:20] I think the fact that Trimble had

[00:43:21] to break out game last week

[00:43:23] may mean our other half has a

[00:43:25] breakout game this week

[00:43:26] without saying that that's what's

[00:43:28] going to happen. That's not

[00:43:29] a pressure.

[00:43:31] I'm hoping he's not going to

[00:43:33] listen to this pod today, Sam,

[00:43:34] because he's got other things to

[00:43:35] pursue.

[00:43:36] But but that's the way football

[00:43:37] tends to work though.

[00:43:38] It's you very rarely get the

[00:43:40] same player being unless you

[00:43:41] know it's unclear being the

[00:43:42] outstanding player every single

[00:43:43] week. Good teams share it

[00:43:45] around. Maybe it's going to be

[00:43:46] braily, maybe a bright if

[00:43:47] Trindle is the best player.

[00:43:48] No one's going to be complaining.

[00:43:49] That's for sure.

[00:43:50] What are you going to do next year

[00:43:52] when we get our shot cast

[00:43:54] Patreon happening and we and

[00:43:55] we have subscribers for real

[00:43:57] and we open up the text line

[00:43:59] and people better reply to your

[00:44:00] text. What are you going to do

[00:44:01] then?

[00:44:02] I've got to let you know the

[00:44:03] secret, Clinton.

[00:44:04] We go pretty easy on you.

[00:44:07] Being a talk back radio host,

[00:44:10] let me assure you I'm

[00:44:12] very used to a range of

[00:44:14] correspondence,

[00:44:16] those in the negative.

[00:44:18] I assure you, I get hammered

[00:44:19] left right and set on a daily

[00:44:21] basis.

[00:44:22] And long ago I

[00:44:23] learnt well, I try not to

[00:44:25] take it to heart.

[00:44:26] Well, we appreciate your time.

[00:44:28] I know that you're on less

[00:44:29] sleep than me and that's

[00:44:30] saying a lot.

[00:44:31] So we wish you all

[00:44:32] the best for the rest of your

[00:44:33] working week. We'll see you

[00:44:34] out at the stadium.

[00:44:35] We'll make some plans.

[00:44:36] We'll have some catch ups.

[00:44:38] Maybe you can sneak a few of

[00:44:40] us into the NRL box.

[00:44:41] Appreciate your time, my man.

[00:44:43] Thanks everyone for listening.

[00:44:45] We'll be back with some more

[00:44:46] episodes before you know it.

[00:44:47] So make sure you subscribed

[00:44:49] via your podcast apps on your

[00:44:50] social media as a new.

[00:44:52] But particularly it's important

[00:44:53] if you if you if you want to get

[00:44:55] the latest episode as soon as

[00:44:56] they pop up, hit subscribe on

[00:44:58] your on your podcast app

[00:45:00] or on YouTube where you might

[00:45:01] watch it as well.

[00:45:02] Listen to it in this case.

[00:45:04] And that's the best quickest

[00:45:06] way to get our episodes.

[00:45:07] We did an interview based one

[00:45:09] yesterday, Clinton, with your

[00:45:10] man, Cipha Talakai and with

[00:45:12] Blake Brailey, which is awesome.

[00:45:14] And we got more stuff coming at

[00:45:15] least next few days.

[00:45:17] So appreciate everyone's

[00:45:20] support and Clinton.

[00:45:21] I will talk to you real soon.

[00:45:23] Take care. Have a good shift

[00:45:24] tonight. Oh, yeah. Let's tell

[00:45:25] everyone listen in to GB

[00:45:27] overnights. You come on right

[00:45:29] at midnight, which is awesome.

[00:45:30] Yeah, you go through till 530.

[00:45:33] Correct. And I'm giving away

[00:45:34] sharks footballs or

[00:45:36] giving away sharks football.

[00:45:38] So between if you want to get

[00:45:39] up really early, yeah, between

[00:45:41] four and five.

[00:45:42] Yeah. And this will be the next

[00:45:44] couple of days the rest of the

[00:45:45] week. I will ask you a sharks

[00:45:47] or Penrith related question

[00:45:49] right for your chance to win

[00:45:50] sharks football.

[00:45:52] And you've timed it well before

[00:45:53] to five o'clock. You know, you

[00:45:55] haven't gone from midnight or

[00:45:56] five twenty five p.m.

[00:45:58] You've got another one that I'm

[00:45:59] giving away in the two o'clock

[00:46:00] hour as well. But I'm letting

[00:46:02] our listeners know get up a

[00:46:03] little bit early. And I mean,

[00:46:04] you'd be surprised. We actually

[00:46:05] have a pretty sizable morning

[00:46:06] and four o'clock in the morning.

[00:46:07] A lot of people get up early

[00:46:08] for trade is going to work

[00:46:09] on the road at that time of

[00:46:11] the day. So we do have a big

[00:46:12] chunk of audience then.

[00:46:14] So if you want to win a shark's

[00:46:15] footy, I've got some to give away.

[00:46:16] I was giving away tickets last

[00:46:17] week because I was on the day

[00:46:19] shift last week. So I don't

[00:46:20] have tickets to give away this

[00:46:21] week. But we do have some footies.

[00:46:23] Footies are cool.

[00:46:24] Mention shark cast. You might

[00:46:25] have even a better chance to get

[00:46:26] on here. But we'll leave that

[00:46:27] to Clinton. Appreciate your time.

[00:46:29] Listeners of viewers, we will

[00:46:30] speak to you soon.

[00:46:32] Get in the mood. We're going

[00:46:33] to pre-limp up.

[00:46:34] Let's go.

[00:46:36] Back in the shower.

[00:47:14] Tell you what, it's like

[00:47:15] coming out with a car.