Easter Thrillers and First Coaching Casualty

It’s a milestone moment for Amateur Hour, ticking off 1000 downloads, and Jack and Bec are back to celebrate the only way they know how: talking plenty of footy and a bit of everything in between.

The life updates are flowing, with Bec counting down the days until pre-season kicks off for her 2026 AFLW campaign, while the duo reflect on the reaction to Jack’s big announcement from last episode. Then it’s into the thick of it. A massive few weeks across both codes sees the first coaching casualty of the NRL season, a cracking Easter round full of nail-biters, and another successful Gather Round lighting up Adelaide in the AFL. AFLW also gets its moment in the spotlight, with discussion around upcoming men’s and women’s double headers in August, plus a very wordy press release around a potential International Rules concept which didn't actually say that much. This month’s Third Person In segment delivers one of the most thoughtful listener questions yet, before its balls to the wall.. or chopping board more like it in 'Tell Me Something I haven't thought about lately.' And of course, the amateurs wrap it all up the only way they can, throwing out their latest predictions for the weeks ahead.

Credit to the third party audio we used: sitcomespecials0016 (5:31).

Transcript

Introduction

SPEAKER_03 0:10

Hello and welcome to amateur hour, the sports podcast for sports nuppies, buy a couple of nupties. I'm Jack Wilbury and joining me for another month, Rebecca Miller Davy. How are you, mate?

SPEAKER_01 0:19

Bloody brilliant, mate. Cannot complain.

SPEAKER_03 0:21

Can you complain about the Melbourne weather the last few days?

SPEAKER_01 0:24

Well, I can't because I haven't been here. I've been enjoying the sunny Sydney sunshine for the past five days.

SPEAKER_03 0:29

So there's the quality of our debrief pre-show today. Well, that's good, mate. Good. How was Sydney?

SPEAKER_01 0:35

I didn't wear a jumper for five days. It was so lovely. It was a couple of days it was 29 on Friday or Thursday, it was about like 33. So 33. Yeah, I was on the beach. Yeah, it was beautiful. And then I got back to Melbourne late Sunday night and I walked out and could see my breath. And I thought, I'm back in Melbourne.

SPEAKER_03 0:52

Yeah, it's been a bit of a chill in the air, but I love this kind of weather, mate. It's it's my seasonal, the opposite of depression starts now.

SPEAKER_01 0:59

So yes, great snuggle weather, great footy weather, great lounge weather.

SPEAKER_03 1:03

Yeah. Uh and pre-season

Life Update

SPEAKER_03 1:05

hasn't started properly for you yet. It's still about a month away.

SPEAKER_01 1:08

Just under. Yep. 11th of May is day one. So yeah, that time travel's coming. Can't wait for that. But yes, less than one month, which is exciting. And um just waiting for a draw.

SPEAKER_03 1:18

Yeah, I was gonna, that was my next point. No draw yet, but uh hopefully next month. So and before we get into this the footy, with something we just did manage to talk about off air, I said I was going to the movies tonight.

SPEAKER_01 1:29

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 1:29

To see, no, I've forgotten what it's called, the the drama with Robert Pattinson and Zendaya. And I've thought about getting a sort of pop culture segment into the show to demonstrate Beck's astounding lack of pop culture knowledge. And Beck doesn't know who Zendaya is.

SPEAKER_01 1:45

Nah, even after a bit of a Google, I was like, still not ringing a bell.

SPEAKER_03 1:48

So if you want to know something that Beck's not good at, if something she couldn't contribute it to on a trivia night, pop culture is the thing. Because you have to be living under a rock not to know who Zendaya is, but we've found the only person who does it.

SPEAKER_01 2:00

I will happily take that uh that prize. Thank you very much.

SPEAKER_03 2:04

All right, so let's get into some into some footing, mate. It's been another No, no, no.

SPEAKER_01 2:07

Hold on, hold up, hold up. I wanted to quickly just touch on what sort of reaction has come your way after last month's episode when you spoke about celebrating your two years of being sober after a gambling addiction.

SPEAKER_03 2:19

Uh yeah, all obviously very positive. Yeah. There were some people that who knew about it, obviously, um, and some other people like my dad who probably didn't really understand the extent of what I'd gone through, which was fine. That was that was on me for not sort of telling him and filling him in. But yeah, it kind of worked as intended, I guess. And uh a lot of people who said they were proud of me, which was very touching.

SPEAKER_01 2:46

Absolutely.

SPEAKER_03 2:47

Um, and yeah, it just felt like something that I needed to do, kind of like a s uh selfish good deed, if you will, I guess. I just it feels like something that the more I talk about, the more rewarding it gets, and the more I feel like I'm getting over it.

SPEAKER_01 3:01

And yeah, so so I've had about half a dozen people go, geez, that was great to hear Jack speak about that. They were very impressed to at how open you were in the last episode. So if you haven't heard it, definitely go back and listen to it. It's at the start of episode two on season two. Speaking of, yes, we recently just achieved 1,000 episode downloads. So that's pretty cool. But you know, downloads don't really count unless you guys who are listening download them. So a huge thank you to you guys for listening to our dribble.

SPEAKER_03 3:30

Yes, thank you very much. Thousand humble, humble goads would say at the start. So I'm pretty happy with that.

SPEAKER_01 3:36

Yeah, you look chaffed.

SPEAKER_03 3:37

Yeah. Um, and just like quickly on the gambling thing, too, since we've had our last podcast, the government's announced some reforms. I don't have it in front of me because it's not something we prepared for pre-show, but just to get more of the advertising and stuff out of sports coverages, including no gambling sponsorship on uh official strips, playing strips, I think something like seven NRL clubs are now going to have to modify their strips for next year, which speaks to the the the presence of it in the game, and also having the Prime Minister comment and say that sport and gambling shouldn't be synonymous with each other and you should be able to consume that medium without feeling like it's part of a key part of the game, a key key part of sport in this country. So it's a step in the right direction.

SPEAKER_01 4:20

Is it enough, just quickly?

SPEAKER_03 4:22

Um look, it's never gonna be enough. But there there's always a line between personal responsibility and and what governments and and and things can do. So it's a step in the right direction. There's always more that can be done. Um, but at least it's being thought about, and I and I do think that yeah, you want to be able to take your kids to the footy and expose them to sport without thinking that that's something that you have to engage in. So yeah, definitely a positive. Um, and hopefully they just continue to look at that and and how those things interact with each other.

SPEAKER_01 4:56

Wonderful.

SPEAKER_03 4:57

All right,

State of Play

SPEAKER_03 4:58

well, uh another big month in footy, both competitions well underway at this point, and some quality footy being played. Uh today, mate, we'll take a look at the first coach sacking of the year. Anthony Seabold falling on his sword at the Manley Seagulls after just four rounds. Uh, we'll look at the big Easter weekend of footy and some nail biting finishes there. Gather round has had another go in Adelaide over the weekend. We'll cast our eye at who's hot and who's not in both competitions. And we'll talk a bit about women's state of origin too, which will happen before the end of this month.

SPEAKER_02 5:30

I like to get the daily news.

SPEAKER_03 5:32

Uh,

Jack and Bec's Moment of the Month

SPEAKER_03 5:33

but before we started, mate, I wanted to get your moment of the month.

SPEAKER_01 5:37

I thought the Hawks vs. Cats Easter Monday clash was an epic.

SPEAKER_03 5:41

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 5:42

Absolutely loved that. Uh, watching on the couch, I actually had dinner at a mate's house that evening. And th three-quarter, I said, Lisa, we've got to leave now to make dinner. But she had it on, she was the passenger princess and was watching it KO on her phone. So I was listening whilst driving, and we pulled up to the house we're having dinner at, and there was about three and a half minutes left, and I was like, We're not going out yet. We're watching the end of this match. And yeah, one of my other mates who was also coming to dinner, she pulled up behind me too. Did the same thing.

SPEAKER_03 6:11

So classic.

SPEAKER_01 6:13

Yeah, it was great. But yeah, the best one point Jack uh Gunson's ever kicked in his life, that's for sure.

SPEAKER_03 6:18

In that situation, would you say it's better to kick it behind?

SPEAKER_01 6:21

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 6:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:22

Keeps the ball further away from their goals.

SPEAKER_03 6:24

Yeah. Like it's not something in that moment, you any any score is a good score, like you're not trying to kick it behind, but you've got to say, like, that's the perfect outcome. Perfect outcome. Because the clock stops as soon as the goal's kicked, yeah, is that correct?

SPEAKER_01 6:36

Yeah, but also the fact that everyone resets and they have the certain number of people in the forward line and back line, and there's more space for forwards to get crafty. So yeah, when you kick it behind that, you have to go through the whole team to get to your goals down the other end. So this clash between these two clubs always delivers funny, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 6:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:55

Like how I don't know what it is, what what it brings out in each team, but yeah, it is more often than not such a classic game. So it lived up to the hype.

SPEAKER_03 7:03

Yeah, it certainly did. Um when you and Lisa drive somewhere together, is there will you always drive or how does that work?

SPEAKER_01 7:11

Yeah, yeah, I wear the pants, so I'll I'll drive.

SPEAKER_03 7:14

I think because Lisa gives them to you to wear.

SPEAKER_01 7:15

Yeah, that's it. She's happy to drive, but I just take the keys and yeah, there's always one in a relationship. Yep, that's me.

SPEAKER_03 7:23

Yeah. My moment of the month. Um, we'll talk about these games a little bit more later as well. But uh Good Friday, North Melbourne versus Carlton at Marvel, sort of similar ilk to that. Uh honestly. Carlton doing a Carlton, but North Melbourne, I just I you I just love seeing clubs that are struggling and doing well. Yeah. Uh a couple of late goals, Jy Simpkin kicking the goal that put it out of reach for Carlton essentially. Not that put them ahead, but just that moment of, yeah, I think he put them up by 10 uh and kind of capped off a good start for North Melbourne. They've won a few games already this year. Fortune's looking up, but and also just the running joke that is Carlton.

SPEAKER_01 8:04

I don't know.

SPEAKER_03 8:05

Uh I've never seen someone look so stressed on the sideline as Michael Voss just pacing around like he knows what's about to happen.

SPEAKER_01 8:11

Yeah. What at Lisa called me evil at one point because I actually really enjoy watching this Carlton do a Carlton to themselves. It's I'm like, am I a bad person? And I think I am. So, but it's enjoyable to watch it.

SPEAKER_03 8:22

Yeah. Anyway, those were our moments of the month. Like I say, we'll have a bit of a look at some of those later as well. But let's start with Anthony Siebold sacking um over at the Manley Seagulls. Probably not a coach that I would have had high up my list as the first to go from either code.

SPEAKER_01 8:39

You've you've been public on this very podcast and critical of him.

SPEAKER_03 8:43

Yeah, oh absolutely.

SPEAKER_01 8:44

That's old.

SPEAKER_03 8:45

No.

SPEAKER_01 8:46

Obviously, the power brokers at Seagulls were listening to this podcast.

SPEAKER_03 8:50

Yeah. Uh they obviously take some stock in what I have to say. Yeah. Uh we'll have to start invoicing them for my consultation. Um, so four games into the season, they play your your boys, the Sydney Roosters, on a Thursday night at home. Uh, from memory, their third home game of the season. Yeah. Uh a big advantage there with a number of games being played in Brookvale. Um, but by Friday night footy, uh, the news had come through that Anthony Seabold had been sacked only four games into a contract extension, uh, still with this season and next year to run on his contract.

SPEAKER_01 9:24

That's so silly.

SPEAKER_03 9:25

Yes, and that Kieran Foreign only having retired last year and as an assistant coach to Anthony Seabold is going to take over as the interim coach for this year with no decision made on yeah, obviously they're they're looking to make another appointment there, although they didn't rule Kieran out as a potential candidate.

SPEAKER_01 9:41

Well, he's got the perfect job interview right now, hasn't he? He's got a great chance, opportunity in front of him.

SPEAKER_03 9:47

Yes, and off to a good start. His coaching record 2-0, uh, big win on the road against the Dolphins, and then uh backing up again on the road, beating the Dragons on the weekend. What do you make of this, mate? Like what what's the sense in sticking with a coach all offseason? Yeah. Getting four games into a season and and making that decision. What does that tell you?

SPEAKER_01 10:08

It's pretty soon, isn't it? It's almost too soon. I understand it's been a poor season. The media's been very critical of how Seagulls have started the season and in terms of the way they're playing, and rightly so. But it's a long year.

SPEAKER_03 10:20

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 10:21

Well things can change very, very quickly, and yeah, maybe maybe it was round eight, round nine, round ten, they should have had this decision or or met to see what his future was like. But after four rounds, it's a pretty, pretty quick turnaround to go, yeah nah, essentially.

SPEAKER_03 10:38

It's it's not like they were getting completely embarrassed either.

SPEAKER_01 10:41

Well, they have a new um their new half, the new halfback.

SPEAKER_03 10:44

Yes, who who openly kind of said, well, I I signed with this club because of the coach and a new opportunity there, lost by one point in round one.

SPEAKER_04 10:54

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 10:55

Backed that up with uh a loss against the Knights, who are having a fairly handy season. Um this is the part of it that I admitted. They lost to the Roosters on a on a Thursday night after round four, but they'd only played three games because they had the buy in round three. So they've lost three games and after having gone through a whole offseason with their coach, they have made that decision. So I mean it says that they already had their doubts heading into the season and that potentially the playing group have voiced some of those concerns, and that it's kind of been made a scapegoat for the reason to get rid of him.

SPEAKER_01 11:27

Well, I question the club's unity in that way. Who's given him this extension? Yeah, and then four rounds in after three games, yes, he's out the back door.

SPEAKER_03 11:38

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 11:38

They're not on the same page.

SPEAKER_03 11:40

Yeah, because I as a as a run-of-the-mill punter amateur, as the title suggests, I don't understand why he got the job in the first place.

SPEAKER_04 11:49

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 11:49

Really struggled at the Broncos, kind of left them in a world of pain. Um I just don't I don't really know why they went with him in the first place. And their results have been pretty mediocre. I think they made uh a finals appearance in his first season with them.

SPEAKER_01 12:03

Okay. Um with the Sea Eagles?

SPEAKER_03 12:05

Yes. Um, and then last year kind of they had a disappointing year. But they've had a destabilised roster, the Cherry Evans issue last year. Like, that's not his job to worry about. That they they did him really dirty in figuring how to best you know work that scenario out. Um, and then you give him three games in a season and there's the doormate. Don't let it hit you on the way out. So the Seagulls, even in successful times though, their management uh and their obviously their ownership by Scott Penn, I think that's been there's there's been rifts there in the past, and I guess that's just having one man with a lot of power over this club.

SPEAKER_01 12:42

Well, what's that saying? The fish rots from the head down.

SPEAKER_03 12:44

Yes. So it's it's gonna be a difficult difficult challenge for the next person. And I also don't think it's fair to give this job to Kieran Foreign either.

SPEAKER_01 12:54

It's a long a long shot in terms of he's as you said, he retired last year bang into coaching. Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 13:04

No, uh well, I mean, uh I've also kind of had doubts about Benji over at the Tigers, given his limited resume before being thrown into coaching. But in fairness, they've trended upwards um under his coaching. So I I I guess if if Kieran can get the the playing group together, yeah, the the ball's in his court in Vosby Trust. In Vosby Trust, if he can keep all his troops on the park. I wouldn't I don't want Kieran Foreign to get the job in fairness to him. I don't think it's fair on him. But he's yeah, if he can demonstrate that he's the man to to turn the fortune of the club around, then you might not want it. Yeah, well that's also something as well.

SPEAKER_01 13:41

Uh do really well and go, nah, not for me.

SPEAKER_03 13:44

Yeah, and I I think it just depends on his temperament whether he wants that challenge in his life right now.

SPEAKER_01 13:50

Um But it's it's always uh when he took over as uh caretaker coach, it's always the worst time to play a team when they've got a caretaker coach. It's a funniest stat how many times the that team wins with a caretaker coach in their first first game.

SPEAKER_03 14:04

Well they don't just win. They put 50 points on the dolphins away from home. And no, the dolphins aren't exactly flying either.

SPEAKER_01 14:10

Pull their bands down.

SPEAKER_03 14:12

Yeah, embarrass them. Yeah. But yeah, I guess we'll just have to wait and see with the seagulls. I'm not not sold, and there's probably some bigger issues there, and whether the whether getting rid of the coach is gonna solve that, I'm not so sure.

SPEAKER_01 14:23

Time shall tell.

SPEAKER_03 14:24

But time shall tell. Uh, but let's jump over to the AFL now. Uh, gather around. Gather around in round five of the AFL. And uh, you know, chatter again, it hasn't had its future secured for Adelaide going forward. Um there have been chats though. Yes. Um, well, you know, chats from both sides. If you're part of the South Australian government, if you're from South Australia, you love having it there. Uh it seems to make sense there. I think we've all kind of agreed that there's no point having it in Victoria because every round's a gather round when you live in Melbourne. Uh, but certainly there's been talk about uh Perth, uh Sydney, uh Brisbane as well, uh, and then multiple ones throughout the year. Or where do you sit on that?

SPEAKER_01 15:12

Multiple ones. I haven't heard that one. Gosh, that's that's almost been a bit greedy. Like, I know you're into a good thing, but there is such a thing as too much of a good thing at the same time. So let people plan for a year out, let them get excited for the event, let them enjoy that weekend. I think no no more than one gather round for the season, I would say. Okay. But I think it's Adelaide's to keep, I reckon. They do such a good job and they've built it up to what it is. Yeah, the SA government deserved to have it listened on the few years there, give it a crack. I know there was talk of Tassie having it when they come in.

SPEAKER_03 15:44

That would be great as well.

SPEAKER_01 15:45

I think they just need to consider getting up and going, Tasmania, but that's okay. Yeah. Also, if you're gonna have a Tassie, you have to have it bloody early, like round five, 'cause it'd be so cold.

SPEAKER_03 15:54

Round five, you'd have to have it round one. It's too cold in Adelaide. But no, it was too cold here to have a gather around. Like, yeah, I think mum said it was about eight degrees in Tassie over the weekend.

SPEAKER_01 16:05

Oh, not even double digits.

SPEAKER_03 16:07

Yeah. No, yeah, if it's gonna I mean that's yeah, a long way away from thinking about Tassie. But I think that is that's that's the selling point for for Brisbane and for Perth, is that later in the season, the warm weather. And I think the there's not that much innovation in the AFL. It's not the NRL that already has three origins and a magic round and it's here, there and everywhere. Going to Vegas, like the AFL could afford to have around 15 magic rounds in Brisbane or Perth too if they wanted to.

SPEAKER_01 16:31

We'll see. I do think there has to be a point of difference. If they're gonna have another gather around, it can't just be copy and paste. There has to be some sort of point of difference, whatever that may look like.

SPEAKER_03 16:39

I mean, it could coincide with the women's opening of the season, they could get one as well.

SPEAKER_01 16:45

Absolutely, that'd be nice. I think uh Sydney would be the best place for AFLW Gather around. I just think you've got the SCG there, you've got Henson Park, North Sydney Oval, you've got a lot of ovals really close by. And the thing is you could actually do it over two days because we have a shorter game length as well. Yes. You can play more games in one day as compared to the men's competition.

SPEAKER_03 17:03

And just genuine doubleheaders as well. I think I think that'd be there'd be some great synergy with that, having a a men's one in in Queensland at the same time as a women's one in Sydney. And I'm and and rewarding Sydney's, you know, support of the women's program for the Swans is there is great. I went up last year and watched you play in Sydney. You've got some great boutique stadiums in Sydney for it as well.

SPEAKER_01 17:24

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 17:25

I think that it would really suit the AFLW calendar.

SPEAKER_01 17:29

Absolutely. So we'll see what they do. But

AFLW Double Header Announcement

SPEAKER_01 17:31

the AFL have just announced that there will be four doubleheaders officially in the first three rounds of AFOW this year, overlapping with the last three rounds of the men's home and away system.

SPEAKER_03 17:40

So that's uh a doubleheader women's into men's, or yes.

SPEAKER_01 17:44

Now we're not quite sure which four matches they've chosen because we don't have a draw yet. So minor detail. I am critical of this announcement in the fact that it's only four games across three rounds, so what just over a game per round? I think they could have gone bigger and Yeah, of course. The clubs and the players have been calling for this for a while, for a good two or three years, and I think the AFL could have put it back on us, the players and the clubs, and said, right, every club gets one double header, show us what you got. Yes. And make it big, essentially. And now I know that's really easy to say without knowing the logistics of the men's draw versus the women's draw and stuff like that. But dream big and say, okay, clubs, you've asked for this, you all get one, show us what you got.

SPEAKER_03 18:23

It can't be that hard. Like, I'm sorry, but it just can't be. Yeah. It's just not it's not wanting to take no for an answer.

SPEAKER_01 18:32

Like a little dabble by the AFL, like, yeah, we'll give you four doubleheaders, but that's all.

SPEAKER_03 18:36

Like it's uh, but that's just such a over three rounds. Like what's not much. What does that even why does it even matter? And yeah, it's in in terms of ground availability and things like that, like you're playing all this football at the MCG and Marvel in general over the course of the season. Like it's just i i if it takes you this long to get a women's draw out in the first place, what is taking so long and how is it so hard?

SPEAKER_01 19:02

And it just it puts it puts the members and the fans on the back foot because if they're with the double header, Richmond doubleheader, I'm sure we'll get a big crowd and people would be able to plan and travel in for the whole day and come watch both their club teams play. But the later you leave it, the harder it is for people to plan their lives and get to this event. So it's a little bit uh infuriating, and I'm critical of that four games, but it is what it is. Hopefully, the four games go off, and the AFL see that we want more next year.

SPEAKER_03 19:31

And a a real like cornerstone of NRL rugby league growing up and being a member as well is that AFL, it's bizarre to me that there's never anything on before a men's game or after. In NRL is so long, yeah, which so is cricket, so's yeah, you know, people spend a long time at at sport. Yep. But just having that option, it was it's always something that I look forward to. Obviously, not having a women's team yet for the Panthers, but if there's a pregame on, I'll go to the pregame.

SPEAKER_04 20:02

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 20:02

You're going to the footy anyway. If it's nice weather, if you're with good company, you'll go early. And it's that exposure for people who can't necessarily get to two commitments at once over the course of the weekend. Yeah. Like it's it's and it's it it it just makes sense. I don't yeah.

SPEAKER_01 20:20

Anyway, I'm just common sense, ain't so coming.

First AFLW International Series Launched... Somewhat

SPEAKER_03 20:23

No, but you did also bring uh to my attention last night that there's going to be a first ever AFLW international rules game played in June or July.

SPEAKER_01 20:32

Hasn't officially been confirmed, but they are the um the whispers, I guess, and what's been published online.

SPEAKER_03 20:39

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 20:40

Through the AFLW media website.

SPEAKER_03 20:42

Yes. Um I did find that, and it's funny as well, like this is from the official AFLW website. A first ever AFLW International Rules Game is set to become a reality with an agreement around fixtures pairing Australia against Ireland in June or July this year, edging ever closer. As far as a lot of words to say not much. Like, and it's it's it's April. June is six weeks away. Yep. In in June or this is an official statement in June or July. Uh if you don't have a date yet, don't like, do you have to make a statement in the first place? And if and it does is there is a more concise way to s to say that. I just I think that's exactly the frustrations you have with not having a draw is like that's soon though. Uh you'd like to know you're in that organization, like it'd be nice to know, wouldn't it?

SPEAKER_01 21:32

Yeah, yeah. I did uh I did a research project, a personal research project, a good couple of years ago now, and I looked at all the other major women's competitions like NRLW, Supernetball, WBBL, and I mapped out when their round one was, and I mapped out how many days prior to round one they got their draw, their fixture.

SPEAKER_02 21:54

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:54

And AFLW was atrocious.

SPEAKER_02 21:57

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 21:58

The uh the minimal time we Had from getting the draw to round one, we were so far behind the other codes it wasn't funny.

SPEAKER_03 22:05

Yeah. I'll just go on to read the rest of this statement. While the final details are still being hashed out between the AFL and the GAA, it's understood some of the best women's talent will square off in at least one fixture on Australian shores in either June or July. So once again, it's understood some of the best women's talent. So it's not even confirmed. It's that there's no sort of detail about how they'll be selected. We'll square off in at least one fixture. So there may be more than one on Australian shores, can't say where, in either June or July, can't say when. The statement goes on to say given the June-July timing, it's expected that international rules will form part of an extended shakeup of the AFLW's pre-season schedule. So again, speculative that it'll be shaken up, but not able to say how. So it's like the people that are writing, the pi the people who must be working for AFLW and doing their best to promote and push the game, they don't even know.

SPEAKER_01 23:00

No.

SPEAKER_03 23:00

But they're anxious to let people know that something is happening. But they can't tell you what because the higher-ups can't tell them what.

SPEAKER_01 23:06

No. And it but comes across as amateurish and a competition that needs a bit of it's just another example of AFL saying they value the women's game, but their actions speaking louder than their words.

SPEAKER_03 23:17

Yeah. So good that they'll have the game and that there'll be that exposure there, but just still, I don't know, a bit of a longing for a bit more understanding of what the women's game needs and giving it that opportunity to really.

SPEAKER_01 23:32

Yeah, and I think a lot of the girls within the AFLW would absolutely jump at the opportunity to represent in this fixture, whether it be on the Australian side or or the Irish side. There's upwards of 40 Irish players currently in the AFLW, which is only growing and they're phenomenal athletes. They're just dynamic. So it'd be a really cool fixture to watch. Uh I can't imagine myself being picked, so I'll be definitely watching, not playing. Um, but yeah, it'd be great to see it happen. That's for sure. It's interesting, yeah, June, July. And in terms of that pre-season shake-up, they talked about the scheduling. We've got extra practice matches, not extra games, just extra practice matches.

SPEAKER_03 24:10

Uh, and just explain probably as well for the people who don't know, an international rules game is that sort of hybrid concept.

SPEAKER_01 24:17

Yes. Well, they'd have to agree on the the rules and all that jazz. And I think that article even says they'll play with the Aussie rules football, not the Gaelic football, which is probably a smarter move because I think the uh Aussie rules players would have no not much hope with the Gaelic football, so it sort of brings it a bit more the ledger bit more even, I reckon.

SPEAKER_03 24:37

Yeah, definitely. Um well yeah, hopefully by next month, given it will be nearly June or July, we'll have a bit more info on that. Stay tuned. Stay tuned. Stay perched on the edge of your seat. Uh let's just jump back to Easter weekend now across both codes. Um just for some really great footy being played, uh, as you said about uh Geelong and Hawthorne on the Monday afternoon. Uh that was at the same time as the Eels and Tigers in Western Sydney on the Monday afternoon.

SPEAKER_01 25:08

Easter Monday, yep.

SPEAKER_03 25:09

Easter Monday, both clashes taking place on Easter Monday. Just really good sort of advertisement for both codes. Like to me, they both were just what what each one does best. Like Geelong and Hawthorne, two teams highly touted this year to go on and do big things. Close game came down to the wire.

SPEAKER_01 25:35

Big rivalry.

SPEAKER_03 25:36

86,000, I think it was at the MCG. That's what you want from the AFL. That's why it's so such a big thing down here. And then likewise Eels and Tigers, like you're not having not having it played in front of the same amount of people, but in the heartland of rugby league, Western Sydney.

SPEAKER_01 25:54

Still would have been a full stadium, wouldn't it?

SPEAKER_03 25:55

Yeah, 30,000 people.

SPEAKER_01 25:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 25:57

And I think that that's something that's probably taken a backseat a little bit where the NRL's kind of realized that as far as crowds are concerned, they're never going to be able to rival what the AFL can do. But that that's where it's at its best, you know, 30,000 people in in the heart of Western Sydney, uh, close game. That's, you know, both codes at their best, pretty much. And I don't know if that you probably weren't watching it, but the Eels Tigers game, the Eels had a a debutante who scored within 15 seconds.

SPEAKER_01 26:28

Right.

SPEAKER_03 26:29

In his first touch in the NRL.

SPEAKER_01 26:30

That's the dream start.

SPEAKER_03 26:31

That's the dream. Two tries in about six minutes to put the ELS in.

SPEAKER_01 26:34

Living the dream.

SPEAKER_03 26:36

Easter weekend, like this time of year, is nearly the the best time of footy. While it's still warm, good quality footy being played. Probably

Hot or Not (Teams Edition)

SPEAKER_03 26:43

leads us to who's hot and who's not in both competitions. Uh, where do you want to start? Beck, the NRL or the AFL?

SPEAKER_01 26:49

Start NRL.

SPEAKER_03 26:51

In the NRL, everyone has had a loss at this point. Uh, the Dragons remain the only winless side. Uh, but I've got to say in the NRL, we've seen something from most teams. Yes. With the exception of the Dragons.

SPEAKER_01 27:04

Yes. Oh. Yep. Sorry, continue.

SPEAKER_03 27:06

There wouldn't be many other fan bases where I'm going, well, we're definitely not going to make the finals. Uh feel free to disagree. And then the difference a week makes, I guess, in the Panthers being talked about as going through undefeated and then being brought back to earth with a thud.

SPEAKER_01 27:21

I fell off my chair when I read that score on Friday morning.

SPEAKER_03 27:24

Yeah. It's like you've always said when, you know, you've got f Thursday or Friday night footy and it's supposed to set you up for the weekend, and then it's like Yeah, that that win can set you up for a glorious weekend, but a loss is Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 27:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:36

And I hate Thursday night footy, and Dad texts me at half time saying I was really hoping it'd be about 50 nil and I could go to bed, and I'm like, me too. Because I think I was 16 all at half time in the end. Penrith kind of pegged them back a little bit.

SPEAKER_01 27:48

But so they had a scoreless second half then.

SPEAKER_03 27:50

I believe so.

unknown 27:51

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 27:52

I'm confident saying that. They definitely had a second scoreless second half.

SPEAKER_01 27:55

Ooh, yeah, right.

SPEAKER_03 27:56

But this and again, it shows the ridiculousness and the knee-jek reactions and people making.

unknown 28:03

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:03

Really, really bold predictions really early on, us included, about yeah, because I was thinking, well, I they were gonna get beaten. I didn't think they were gonna go through undefeated, but I was thinking we're a little while off that.

SPEAKER_01 28:14

I didn't make that prediction, that was you.

SPEAKER_03 28:15

Yeah. But after you put 50 on the storm on Good Friday, you feel you walk a little taller all week. I mean, let's talk about the storm for a second.

SPEAKER_01 28:23

Four in a row. The last time they lost that was in 2022, apparently, but yeah.

SPEAKER_03 28:28

Well, that seems more recent than I would have thought.

SPEAKER_01 28:30

Bit of a slippery slope at the moment, which is a couple of the games they've lost as well and they've had the lead, so that's very unstorm-like. Craig Bellamy must uh must be scratching his head.

SPEAKER_03 28:40

Yeah, it's unusual territory for them. Uh the first time since 2002 that they've conceded 50 points in a game. And yeah, it's just Losing at home. Losing at home, they just looked out of ideas against the Warriors. Uh scored two pretty fortuitous tries in the second half, just didn't despite all the the attacking players in their team, just didn't look like scoring. They completed at 94% against the Panthers.

SPEAKER_01 29:06

Wow, that's a great completion rate.

SPEAKER_03 29:09

That's the that's your bread and butter. That's the things you look at when you you're looking at a loss is poor completion rates, high penalty counts, errors. There's not not none of that really stood out against the Panthers, but they still had 50 points put on them. And I've kind of had a long, long-running idea about the storm that Craig Bellamy's coaching style holds up, but there's not enough variation.

SPEAKER_01 29:31

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 29:32

And particularly when like the new generation of player being worked hard all the time, you get the idea that Craig Bellamy is relentless, that the storm have always peaked and troffed. Now their troughs aren't the same. It's not their missing finals, but their ability to compete at the highest level just kind of it it erodes away a little bit more. I mean, Penrith, with that exception, of we've never seen a side be so consistent for so long. But it's not like Storm haven't won back-to-back competitions for that reason, I feel. Is that they just they just go through seasons essentially where they'll they'll improve. There's no way they're not gonna make the finals.

SPEAKER_01 30:09

Who do they play this week coming?

SPEAKER_03 30:11

The Raiders in Canberra on Friday night. So not an easy assignment.

SPEAKER_01 30:16

No, no. I still I still would want to be the Raiders coming up against a storm. No losing four in a row.

SPEAKER_03 30:23

Well, you and that's uh you thought with the Warriors, okay, well, they're not gonna lose four in a row.

SPEAKER_01 30:27

And they did.

SPEAKER_03 30:28

And they did. At some stage, you have to kind of believe it. I mean, we know the Raiders can score points.

SPEAKER_01 30:34

Yes, yes, they can.

SPEAKER_03 30:35

30-some points in the weekend against the Rabbitos, held them off late.

SPEAKER_01 30:40

Just it will be interesting. You've got two great coaches for that fixture, Ricky Stewart for the Raiders and Craig Bellamy for Storm. Ricky Stewart has been here before and he'll he'll have his troops prepared pretty well for what's coming, I would say.

SPEAKER_03 30:53

Yeah, and that I think uh the thing with the storm as well is that everyone's everyone wants to beat them. You're highly motivated. It gives you credibility if you can beat the storm. You could see the warriors in that second half just accelerate into the challenge, and yeah, once they got ahead, they came home with a wet sal, and particularly in defense. Like there was a lot of pride there in coming to Melbourne and getting a win. Because you it's not often you can and the same with the Panthers the week before, it meant a lot to them. They'd had a pretty dusty record against the storm of late. It gives them credibility, and the same with the with the Raiders, they've been a bit misfiring to start the year. If they can get that scalp, regardless of how the storm are going, you feel like you're on the right track. And playing at home, it's a tough place to play Canberra.

SPEAKER_01 31:36

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 31:36

But the later in the year it gets and the colder it gets.

SPEAKER_01 31:39

Uh yeah, it won't be warm this Friday, but good luck to uh Thurston, probably on the sidelines. Get your hand warmers in.

SPEAKER_03 31:50

And how long do we reckon Shane Flanagan has, mate? We've got to talk about him at the Dragons.

SPEAKER_01 31:55

Oh, I think he's got until Anzac Day. I think if that's a big loss against the Roosters, against my boys, I think it will be that week or the week after.

SPEAKER_03 32:07

It just hasn't worked.

SPEAKER_01 32:09

No.

SPEAKER_03 32:10

It's not he's had a bit of time there now. There's there's so much noise around him and and and Kyle in the halves.

SPEAKER_01 32:16

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:17

Um six to start the year.

SPEAKER_01 32:20

Not where you want to be.

SPEAKER_03 32:21

No, there's not been a steady sign of improvement from them. He's kind of had control of the roster there for a little while now and brought some players in that he wanted.

SPEAKER_01 32:28

So well, he's chopped and changed the halves as well.

SPEAKER_03 32:31

I mean, he just doesn't have options there anyway. It is a lose-lose situation, and and you do have to buy into that. Who who else do they have? So I guess you you you can kind of understand him persevering with with Kyle there, but there's then there's always the claim of nepotism. It's a really hard place to be.

SPEAKER_01 32:46

Is Lockie Ilias not there anymore?

SPEAKER_03 32:48

I feel like he's out injured.

SPEAKER_01 32:50

Yeah, okay.

SPEAKER_03 32:51

Because that was someone that yeah, didn't really get as much of a look in last year as everyone was expecting.

SPEAKER_01 32:56

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 32:56

But yeah, the drums are beating pretty loudly around his future. Uh anyone else you you like, anyone who's hot or not in the NRL at the moment?

SPEAKER_01 33:05

Uh Cowboys have actually because they were pretty disappointing last year, so they've done pretty well to start the season well. They beat Storm up there at the home, mind you. But yeah, Cowboys have done well.

SPEAKER_03 33:16

Yeah, there's some real surprise packets there at the top of the NRL ladder.

SPEAKER_01 33:20

Also, wild to think the round just gone, the Sunday afternoon match, Tigers first Newcastle was second, first, third.

SPEAKER_03 33:26

Yeah, and uh What?

SPEAKER_01 33:28

Who would have thought?

SPEAKER_03 33:29

Who would have thought you'd be rushing home from work on a Sunday or rushing home from whatever else you're doing if you get to have the day off? To to watch the Tigers and and the Knights play a really entertaining game at Campbell Town. It again, pretty early, and and this isn't the some of these might not hold up, but Penrith at the top at the moment, West Tigers, Warriors, North Queensland, South Sydney, and Newcastle at the top of the ladder. And the Tigers, yeah, four from five, Warriors and and Cowboys, four from six. Uh Cowboys pretty dusty their first two games.

SPEAKER_01 34:00

But yeah, especially four in a row.

SPEAKER_03 34:02

And yeah, got the job done in the Queensland derby.

SPEAKER_01 34:04

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 34:05

Um, and just yeah, the the Tigers, it's you can't Tigers and Knights you just can't help but feel good that they're doing well. It's nice to see them, and hopefully they do hold up. Uh the knights with a couple of big players to come back as well. They've withstood that kind of absence of Ponger and Dylan Brown.

SPEAKER_01 34:22

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 34:23

Pretty alright.

SPEAKER_01 34:23

Yeah, my prediction was they wouldn't win a game until one of them returns, and that was wrong.

SPEAKER_03 34:28

Yeah, we didn't do too well last month in our predictions, but we will get to that. Um, so yeah. Um, a lot to like for a lot of teams in the NRL. But let's jump over the AFL now. The Tigers, unfortunately, are the only winless team there. Uh did you wanna uh how much how long till we get a win out of them, mate?

SPEAKER_01 34:50

Oh, we're just leaving our run till late. Thanks, Jack. That's that's what the boys have been telling me at the club.

SPEAKER_03 34:55

Um who have the Tigers got coming up?

SPEAKER_01 34:57

We got North Melbourne on Sunday afternoon.

SPEAKER_03 34:59

Get there, get there in numbers. What do you reckon the crowd figure for that's gonna be? Will they crack 30?

SPEAKER_01 35:04

Yeah, I reckon they will.

SPEAKER_03 35:05

They will?

SPEAKER_01 35:05

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 35:06

Okay, that can be one of your predictions for next round.

SPEAKER_01 35:08

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 35:09

Bit unfortunate for them, but probably not far off what we would have thought.

SPEAKER_01 35:13

Yeah, some some big some big outs at the moment. Tommy Lynch and Nank and Brody, so some serious experience there out of the team at the moment, but you just gotta keep getting the games into the young kids and see how they go. But it's all about just resilience, getting games under your belt, and learning what it takes at the AFL level, really. Yeah. So yeah, big loss to Giants on the weekend, unfortunately, which is pretty demoralizing when you're playing that. When you're playing a game like that and you just goals keep going in and you just keep on trying, keep on trying. It's it's a tough spot to be. So it makes the good times worth it, and all the more sweeter.

SPEAKER_03 35:49

Yeah. Uh the Bulldogs, the last team to remain undefeated. They lost to the Hawks on the weekend at Gather round. Yep. Uh, and the other big one, Essendon, finally breaking through for a win uh against the demons, as you said. Yep. Uh 17-game losing streak for Essendon. Yep. Uh, and yeah, pretty comprehensive victory in the end. Uh, do you put that more down to the demons being complacent or Essendon being good or a bit of both?

SPEAKER_01 36:18

A bit of both. Demons were a little bit lackluster, and they have started the season with the bang in terms of their offensive ball movement. They play with a lot of high energy moving the ball, which is a hard brand to sustain week on, week in, week out. So I think that also just shows you only have to be a little bit off, a bit like the week before when they beat Gold Coast Suns. Yeah. It doesn't take much to to be off and and lose lose your match. So I would say, yeah, Esseton were up for it, but also Melbourne Demons probably weren't at their best in that fixture.

SPEAKER_03 36:48

No, and probably put a lot into the week beforehand as well.

SPEAKER_01 36:51

Yep. Um I think the third time Essendon and Melbourne have played at Adelaide Oval in Gather Rounds. So because that was a pretty low attended game. Yes. Um, so some people were critical, like, well, why'd we go the same game we've already been to for the last two years at this event? So interesting.

SPEAKER_03 37:07

Was that at the Adelaide Oval or I believe so? Yeah, okay. There's some tinkering there for the for Gather Round as well. It's just sort of some strange scheduling decisions. That was at the Adelaide Oval. But yeah, four four sort of predictable sides in the top four of the AFL now, all with four from five, the Sydney Swans, Fremantle, Dockers, the Hawthorne Hawks, and the Western Bulldogs. Uh any standouts there for you?

SPEAKER_01 37:35

Hawthorne.

SPEAKER_03 37:36

Hawthorne, yeah.

SPEAKER_01 37:37

At the moment. Yeah. Last two seasons have made prelim finals and lost.

SPEAKER_03 37:41

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 37:41

You learn a lot from those losses. Yeah. And Sammy Mitchell is one of these new age coaches, the likes of himself, Craig McCrae. Yeah, the word is he he knows how to have fun, but also work hard and make sure his players enjoy what they're doing. Yeah. But also are clear on what they have to achieve within their role, which is important. So he seems like he's got a really good balance of that at Hawthorne with the men's team.

SPEAKER_03 38:06

And th those two victories, Geelong and Bull the Bulldogs the last two weeks, seeing off some quality opponents, uh, again lends some credibility to them.

SPEAKER_04 38:16

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 38:17

Uh the resurgence of Sydney uh seeing off the Suns pretty easily over the weekend.

SPEAKER_01 38:22

Yeah. Um disappointing couple of weeks for the Suns.

SPEAKER_03 38:25

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:26

Some people have described it as a bit of a an immature fortnight from them.

SPEAKER_03 38:30

Yeah, well, under that top four, the Suns, the Lions, North Melbourne, and the Cats all on three from five.

SPEAKER_01 38:36

North Melbourne.

SPEAKER_03 38:38

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:38

There you go.

SPEAKER_03 38:39

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 38:39

Always on the ball.

SPEAKER_03 38:41

Yeah. And yeah, you've a chance to make it four from six this weekend against the Tigers. Won't happen. Uh who around the bottom of the ladder is surprising you at the moment?

SPEAKER_01 38:53

Um Adelaide? Well, they've had a couple of really close losses. Yes. Which come back to bite you at the end of the season.

SPEAKER_03 39:00

And nearly had another one on Friday, and what was one of the most putrid games of football you might ever see. 45 to 39.

SPEAKER_01 39:08

Um But yeah, those couple of close losses at home when you're jostling for those final positions towards the back end of the year can become costly.

SPEAKER_03 39:17

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 39:18

Um, but I I think they'll build into the season nicely. I was a bit surprised by Port Adelaide, not at the fact they've lost me a lot of games, but just at how poor they have been. Yeah. As well. I know it's a new coach, but you think you sort of want to impress him. But maybe they're still in the system and getting used to it and all that jazz.

SPEAKER_03 39:37

And GWS as well. Yes. Pretty poor.

SPEAKER_01 39:40

Yes, that's a good shout too, because a lot of people had them in their top four for season 2026.

SPEAKER_03 39:45

That's a good shout.

SPEAKER_01 39:46

But they have some work to do, the Giants.

SPEAKER_03 39:49

Was it you who was talking to me about have a good one as the saying?

SPEAKER_01 39:53

No, but I would say it.

SPEAKER_03 39:54

Yeah, me too.

SPEAKER_01 39:55

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 39:55

My mum was like, I've never heard that before. What? Well, she doesn't really understand what it what it yeah.

SPEAKER_01 40:00

Gab Seymour had never heard of uh Unreal Banana Pill.

SPEAKER_03 40:04

I mean, I don't hear that a lot, and I can understand. I can understand that one. Classic one, Far Out Brussels Sprout.

SPEAKER_01 40:10

You love a good hit the frog and toad and Yeah, we should actually keep a bit of a count this podcast, how many cliches I say each episode. That'd be a fun little counter.

SPEAKER_03 40:18

Honey badger adjacent with some of your Gary Jack kind of slang.

SPEAKER_01 40:23

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 40:24

You you and him go way back.

SPEAKER_01 40:25

You take the girl out of Wagger, but you can't take the Wagger out of the girl. There's another one for you.

SPEAKER_03 40:32

Yes. So nice they named it twice.

SPEAKER_01 40:34

You know it.

SPEAKER_03 40:38

Uh anyone else you want to talk about in the AFL, mate? Or shall we jump over to women's state of origin?

SPEAKER_01 40:44

Are we talking about Vosse?

SPEAKER_03 40:45

Oh, sorry. He's right here in front of me. Yeah, so another one of your predictions last podcast was he wasn't going to make it to this podcast.

SPEAKER_01 40:54

I was so I was like, I might be on here. I might be on. I think people talk about how they're fading out the second half and they can say all they want, the Carlton players, in terms of they're doing the work and they're addressing it and they're confronting it, but it does become a thing in the end.

SPEAKER_03 41:09

Well, I was thinking today too, like we we touched on it last time about Patrick Cripps saying post-game. Yes. Kind of acknowledging that things are difficult, the season's going to be difficult as a captain, like well, if there's that expect if the expectation in the group and for you to say publicly as the captain is that you're not going to win very much, you're not going to do very well, then you can't say Michael Voss isn't meeting expectations if you're losing.

SPEAKER_01 41:36

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 41:37

And I guess, like, how would you feel if your captain said that publicly after a game? That the expect expectations in the senior playing group, and then I guess the coaching staff is that you yeah, you want to be competitive, but yeah.

SPEAKER_01 41:51

Well, it depends what they're saying internally too. Like the fact he's saying that publicly. I I think if my captain or coach said that, like I would have been like, well, why? Why not? Why can't we win this competition? Why am I why am I working my ass off day in, day out? Yes. Turning up to this club and putting everything I have into this just to win a few games. Like, yeah, it's interesting.

SPEAKER_03 42:12

Because I think you see in pro professional sport, like I I think it's a kind of the idea holds up that maybe you're not going to win competitions, but if everyone's on the same page and heading in the same direction, there's no reason you shouldn't be giving yourself an opportunity every week to every team wants to win the competition.

SPEAKER_01 42:31

Yes. There's one trophy, 18 teams. Like quick math, that doesn't work out. But you have to have other goals too, which yeah, you have those goals, you have the expectations, which almost shape your behaviours and shape what you do accept and what you don't accept. But if your expectations down to low, then yeah, it's it's a hard place to turn up to and enjoy what you do.

SPEAKER_03 42:51

Yeah. Like, would you be comfortable as a player, as an organization, just being like, we're not going to make finals before a game's even been played? Like, would your expectation always be that at least you're competing to make the finals? At least you're 50 50-50.

SPEAKER_01 43:09

Um I think the first few seasons of Tiges our we would not be expected to make finals and we probably weren't talking finals. So probably a bit different in that aspect. But now why why are we here if we're not aiming for finals?

SPEAKER_03 43:23

Exactly.

SPEAKER_01 43:24

What are we doing?

SPEAKER_03 43:25

And to for for him to say that in round one or after after round two, I think it was against the the Tigers and kind of acknowledge that then yeah, maybe that's a problem culturally at the club at the moment. Because yeah, if everyone's turning up every week and putting the work in, you should be putting you you should be at least a chance of that if everything else goes right.

SPEAKER_01 43:45

It's just uh it's just a fascinating thing to watch from the outside in. Carlton even Essen, how come they are consistently so poor?

SPEAKER_03 43:53

Well, I was gonna sort of ask you this but and you m may or may not know the answer, like I feel like Like in the AFL, there's some clubs where it is, you're just going to the season knowing they're no chance, but over an extended period of time. Yeah. Like you're saying this year, West Coast, Carlton, Essendon, Richmond are next to no chance of making the finals.

SPEAKER_01 44:16

Yeah. Even with the wildcard adding two extra chances.

SPEAKER_03 44:20

Yeah, and for those clubs, you know, that that's the second or third year that you'd be saying that. Whereas in the NRL, you could probably pick two. I would have said this year, St. George and the Gold Coast and no chance.

SPEAKER_04 44:35

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 44:36

Whereas any other team is genuinely, if they just have a good season, if everyone puts in, they can sneak in seventh or eight. They've no problems believing any other team. Like, why is it so hard in the AFL once you're at the bottom to haul yourself off? And is it good enough as a as a code that that's kind of the reality for some of these fans to just go through years?

SPEAKER_01 44:55

Well, I think the fans want they want to see. I know looking at and speaking to people around Richmond with being towards the bottom of the ladder or at the bottom of the ladder. Yes. They just want to see players getting better week in weekend, and they want to see a clear game plan. So that's almost their the goals, the standards that the fans have for their own team.

SPEAKER_02 45:15

Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:16

But Carlton and Essen just seem to be basket cases year after year. So it's not sort of meeting or it's not aligning to the fans' want for just getting seeing players get better and seeing a clear game plan. They just like that's probably the definition of hopelessness.

SPEAKER_03 45:31

And that will I and I was gonna say, like, Richmond is probably the exception to those four clubs I mentioned because it's cyclical. Because I had such a good three or four years.

SPEAKER_01 45:38

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 45:38

All those players age out of it and then you have to start again.

SPEAKER_01 45:41

Yeah, you have to be thankful for what you got and just start a new journey.

SPEAKER_03 45:44

But yeah, Essendon and West Coast and Carlton in particular. It's like, well, when is this gonna end? And and for Essendon and Carlton, like big Melbourne clubs. Yes.

SPEAKER_01 45:52

Yep, two of the big four.

SPEAKER_03 45:53

And West Coast, biggest membership in the Yeah.

SPEAKER_01 45:56

They did have their premiership in 2017. Yeah, I think you're uh 2018, 2018 it was.

SPEAKER_03 46:04

Because it was Tigers 17, wasn't it?

SPEAKER_01 46:06

Yes, true. I should have known that. Oh, that's poor by me, isn't it?

SPEAKER_03 46:08

Yeah, I'm gonna cop it from Lisa after hearing this.

SPEAKER_01 46:11

Yes, 2018. To be fair, I didn't go on the Richmond Bear wagon until 2019 until I moved down here. So that's my disclaimer.

SPEAKER_03 46:18

Justify your lack of knowledge any way you want, mate. It's amateur hour for a reason. Uh all right, so what is Voss gonna be still around next podcast, or are you gonna double down on that prediction?

SPEAKER_01 46:30

No, I'll double down.

SPEAKER_03 46:31

Okay. We'll we'll we'll wait to see.

Death, Taxes and Origin Chat

SPEAKER_03 46:34

Let's move over to women's state of origin in the NRL. The first taste of women's football on either code's calendar for the year.

SPEAKER_04 46:42

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 46:43

Uh first game in Newcastle on April 30.

SPEAKER_01 46:46

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 46:47

So a couple of weeks' time, uh, before heading to Brisbane for Magic Round and then the Gold Coast. Third best of three series between the two, with New South Wales the reigning champs at the moment.

SPEAKER_01 47:01

It goes without saying that's very important for New South Wales to win game one, with that being their only game in their own state.

SPEAKER_03 47:07

Yes.

SPEAKER_01 47:07

But I want to back him in for a 2-1 series win.

SPEAKER_03 47:10

Yeah. I'd no reason not to really positive series last year. And the the year before that, they should have won that.

SPEAKER_01 47:17

They lost they lost a series they should have won.

SPEAKER_03 47:19

That was one of the classic, like the best team for the first three halves of the series, and then just it was actually at Newcastle, so it'd be interesting to see the demons that are left in their their mental scars there.

SPEAKER_01 47:31

But that game was Newcastle, which Queensland won, they should not have won, and then they went on to win game three. So yes, yes, yes, yes, we'll see. But um, yeah, exciting to have women's origin back on TV, women's footy back on TV. I know a lot of the girls at Tigers love watching this fixture as well, even though they have no idea what's going on.

SPEAKER_03 47:50

But uh They don't have to, mate. And it's it's a great introduction for if you don't know, it's such a good brand of football, the women's game. Yes, it's actually it actually, yeah, it it trumps the men's because of the way that it's played. The way that the women play is just different. And the game just flows. I don't know if that's the origin effect or or what. I'd but there's just there's less rubbish in the women's. There's less tactics and and trying to exploit the rules like the men do.

SPEAKER_01 48:15

Yeah, not as much wrestle on the ruck.

SPEAKER_03 48:16

Yeah, it's just a genuine good open games of football, uh, and really uh does what it says on the tin for the women's game, like is that advertisement, and another thing that the AFL, as we've said, have to think about doing now that they've brought the the men's back. Do you think though they should be kind of giving it the respect that it deserves and having origin a bit later in the year once some club football has been played?

SPEAKER_01 48:41

I do like how game two is at Magic Ground.

SPEAKER_03 48:44

That is good, yes.

SPEAKER_01 48:45

It's it's a spectacle, it's a celebration of the game as a whole. I do like that aspect. Yes. Um the jam-pack schedule as well.

SPEAKER_03 48:56

Yeah, I guess there's uh they want that sort of um synergy there where the the origins are getting played sort of well, it gets it it gets played before the men's. But yeah, I don't I don't know. It just it's a jam-pack schedule, I think that's what it comes down to.

SPEAKER_04 49:12

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 49:12

At the end of the day, the quality of the football's there.

SPEAKER_01 49:15

So if that's how they want to do it, yeah, testament to the girls for yeah, not playing any NRLW coming straight into game one of save origin and and hitting the ground running. It's it's a product you love to watch, and that's a testament to yeah, they'd be grinding for months well before game one, and yeah, hopefully Kira Dib's picked in the halves for New South Wales. Would love to watch her go round. Big body five eighths, so justice for Kira Dib, I say.

SPEAKER_03 49:39

Uh you brought up to me too, just the general sloppiness of you know, women's sport and NRL having not updated their site since 2023 about the women's game. I mean, you notice all the time, like with the with the NRL app and website, it's pretty amateurish at best.

SPEAKER_01 49:58

But yeah, I was just trying to find some information for this podcast and went to the NRL website and found their women's origin page and it was only updated to 2023. And I was like, be better. Like it's a simple respect thing, it's not that hard. Yeah. So I was a little bit a little bit ticked off when I saw that. Yeah, so be better, NRL.

SPEAKER_03 50:18

Be better.

Third Person In

SPEAKER_03 50:19

All right, mate. Well, let's jump over to our third person in for this week. Do you want to do the introduction or shall I?

SPEAKER_01 50:24

I would love to do the introduction.

SPEAKER_03 50:27

Excellent.

SPEAKER_01 50:28

So this week's third person in, she has done something that neither you and I have. She's tipped a perfect NRL round, and that was round one in 2026. She's currently atop the top of the NRL tipping competition. I don't know how many people are in that competition, but she's at at the top. She was also the leading trial scorer for the 2011 Telefix Titans, what was Premier Touch Footy team back in the day.

SPEAKER_02 50:52

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 50:52

Recently went enjoying a long lunch together on a Thursday. I was questioning Benji Marshall's coaching credentials at West Tigers, and she actually challenged me by pointing out that Benji has a great leadership capacity as displayed when he was crowned 2022 Celebrity Apprentice Australia winner. She's also the newest employee at ING Bank, AK the Orange Bank.

SPEAKER_02 51:11

Yep.

SPEAKER_01 51:12

So introducing you to Maddie Wilson, Ni Harmer.

SPEAKER_00 51:16

As a longtime listener, I'm very excited to be the question asker on the pod today. My question is about different grades. I've recently learned about how some overseas football comps have the opportunity for promotion or relegation of teams between the different professional playing grades? Do you think there's a place for that in Australia's footing comps? Especially as both codes continue to add more teams to the professional leagues, like the Tassie Devils and the Perth slash North Sydney Bears. Would the possibility for promotional relegation for some poor performing and some better performing teams make the comp more competitive, more exciting, and maybe even an opportunity for players and fans to get behind their local clubs more? I also ask, because as Aussies, we love a Stephen Bradbury underdog, could it create opportunities for this type of success stories?

SPEAKER_01 52:04

Maddie Hammer, well done. That was a very, a very well thought out question, my friend. Hats off to you.

SPEAKER_03 52:10

She's got a voice for a podcast, Maddie.

SPEAKER_01 52:12

She's a very talented woman in many different aspects. So what do you think? Um Having tears, relegation, promotion.

SPEAKER_03 52:20

Yes, someone who thinks endlessly about sport and goes nowhere with it. It's it's never going to happen in the NRL and the AFL. Yep. Because of the because of the commercial prospects of the these are big businesses now. Where signing up a sponsor where you may drop down a tier and off commercial television into a lower grade and then come back up again. And also because those so the Penrith Panthers, for example, have a two grades already under that banner. So they can't drop back into their own reserve grade, essentially.

SPEAKER_01 53:00

What if you split it though? Would it incentivize the likes of St. George, Gold Coast Titans, Carlton, Essendon to actually get their shit together? Or is it just going to reward poor quality football because I'll start winning the second tier comps?

SPEAKER_03 53:15

Well, I think in the NRL it's got a lot more merit because there are such tribal, these really you know rusted on bases of 10 to 15,000 people who come every week. Yep. And then all these teams that have come in, dropped out, like we're saying it with the Perth Bears now, obviously, with that the North Sydney link, but also the Central Coast have had a team, Adelaide have had a team. So the N the NRL fits that sort of uh Premier League, I guess, bill of yeah, if you come back, if all of a sudden you had 40 teams and the NRL was the top 16, and then so that's so when you look at it as like in English soccer, those clubs never go away. It's just what league that they're playing in.

SPEAKER_04 53:56

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 53:57

So it's just something that won't change because it hasn't been set up that way.

SPEAKER_04 54:01

Yeah.

SPEAKER_03 54:02

But yeah, that's it it's a it's a good thing to encourage performance because yeah, if you shit, you're out the door.

SPEAKER_01 54:09

Well, it also in the EPL and stuff, it's linked to money. When you go up, you get more money and you drop down, you you lose money.

SPEAKER_03 54:15

Yeah, and I and that I don't really I don't follow enough to know about salary caps and stuff there now. My knowledge of that kind of thing has increased a lot. Obviously, watching Welcome to Wrexham because they're in that model of the Wrexham football club, has always been around in one tier of the league, but there are five tiers.

SPEAKER_04 54:33

Yes.

SPEAKER_03 54:33

So you add up all the clubs in that, it must be a hundred clubs that can come and go. And the blue chip Premier League sides that never drop out because they're really well funded and really well set up against the clubs that even if they are promoted into the Premier League, yeah, are likely never going to win. But you do have those stories of Leicester City ten or so years ago, and that that opportunity for a team to do something like that. Yeah, and I and I think with the way that the NRL is going there at 19 franchises being confirmed now, and that with the Pacific Islands and things coming in, there's scope for another New Zealand club, as I say, Adelaide, the Central Coast, you know, Queensland, like Perth, I don't know if they could support a second team, but you know, if you ended up in a situation where you had 40 odd clubs or something like that, then that's something that you could absolutely consider.

SPEAKER_01 55:30

Would you put, for example, say if say if the current codes were tiered system, would you put the new teams like your Tassie Devils, your Perth Bears, your Papua New Guinea Chiefs, would you put them in the top tier straight away, or would you put them in the bot the second tier?

SPEAKER_03 55:44

You'd have to put them in the top tier and give them the opportunity to stay there, I think. Give them the best chance of the exposure and but that's I and I guess that also at what point is the market oversaturated? So even if you have a 24 team comp in 12 games, yeah, some people at the moment might watch all eight games over the weekend.

SPEAKER_01 56:03

I do not.

SPEAKER_03 56:04

Most people don't have the time, most people have other commitments and things on. So at what point does the commercially you don't make that much more money by having more teams? But if we had promotion and relegation, that would kind of solve that problem in a way. So yeah, I would like to see it. I think it's exciting because then it makes it makes the reserve grade more exciting to watch.

SPEAKER_04 56:25

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 56:26

Because there's a there's something to be achieved there, and then it's an incentive incentive for clubs. If you're not very good, well, you've got to spend some time elsewhere and give someone else a chance. It's not gonna happen, but I like the idea of it. I and it's got some merit to it. But then you also I guess that ties in with the English football system of it's first past the post rather than having a grand final as well.

SPEAKER_01 56:50

Yeah. Well, great food for thought. Thanks, Mads. Thank you for uh sending in. Well done.

Something You have NEVER Thought About

SPEAKER_03 56:56

Which leads us to something you haven't thought about lately. Now I went to the well with this one, mate, because I wanted something that I hadn't thought about lately as well.

SPEAKER_01 57:04

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 57:05

When you want to know something, when you want to go to the deepest, darkest corner of the internet, where do you go?

SPEAKER_01 57:11

Oh god, no. No, I don't want to go anywhere in the deep dark corner of an internet.

SPEAKER_03 57:15

Reddit, mate. You there's something for everyone on Reddit.

SPEAKER_01 57:18

Okay. And do you have the app on your phone? Or do you have to go to the browser?

SPEAKER_03 57:22

Yeah, I don't really understand how it works still. Okay. So yeah, there's a comprehensive list of NRL scandals on Reddit.

SPEAKER_01 57:30

Oh, you would have enjoyed that.

SPEAKER_03 57:31

It was great. It was like a walk down memory lane. I feel like we've gotten a lot better as a code in the NRL. And if you and I I'll have to see if there's an AFL one as well. I came across one that without much context is sort of just dot pointed out. It was about Bryce Gibbs who played for the West Tigers and the Cornella Sharks.

SPEAKER_01 57:49

Yep. Rings a bell.

SPEAKER_03 57:50

Rings a bell, pretty sort of no frills forward. And the caption read Uh Bryce Gibbs gives himself homemade vasectomy with Benji Marshall's chopping board.

SPEAKER_01 58:04

Okay. There's a bit going on in that title.

SPEAKER_03 58:07

And I was like, well, this doesn't ring a bell, but it's not unsurprising. But it wasn't something that came out as like a mad Monday thing. It was uh a segment of the footy show, Perfect Partners from 13 years ago when Fatty Vaughn used to host it. And Bryce Gibbs was asked that the the concept of the segment is you're you have to try and figure out what your partner is going to say to a question. Yep. So he was asked, What's the craziest thing you've ever done?

SPEAKER_04 58:33

Yep.

SPEAKER_03 58:34

And he had a guess. I don't even know if it was correct or not. I think it was. But she guessed correctly that it was him hammering a nail through his own scrotum to give himself a vasectomy. So not only has he done it, he's offered this up willingly.

SPEAKER_04 58:48

No.

SPEAKER_03 58:49

And then Benji Marshall, who's also sitting on the panel, has confirmed that it was at his house while he was away using his chopping box.

SPEAKER_01 58:55

Oh gosh. Oh my gosh. Oh my gosh. And they aired that?

SPEAKER_03 59:01

Channel 9 put it to air.

SPEAKER_01 59:03

Oof.

SPEAKER_03 59:05

It was like the But just go and pay for one, mate. Like, seriously.

SPEAKER_01 59:09

How much did they cost? I wouldn't know.

SPEAKER_03 59:11

About $1,500.

SPEAKER_01 59:12

Oh gosh, yeah, right. Did he have any any pain? Um nothing.

SPEAKER_03 59:18

Just the extent of the segment was him admitting that. I don't know. I don't know.

SPEAKER_01 59:22

A lot of questions, not many answers.

SPEAKER_03 59:24

Would it be better if he was?

SPEAKER_01 59:25

I think so, yes.

SPEAKER_03 59:26

But the confidence to do something like that, you'd well you'd have to be drunk, wouldn't you? There's no way that's sober.

SPEAKER_01 59:34

No.

SPEAKER_03 59:34

And that you'd be confident anyway. So yeah.

SPEAKER_01 59:41

There you go.

SPEAKER_03 59:42

Something you've never thought about.

SPEAKER_01 59:44

No, definitely haven't. And I will never think about it ever again after this episode.

Month Ahead Predictions

SPEAKER_03 59:49

Alright, to play us out, mate, we're gonna revisit the bold predictions from uh last month and make another few for this month. We've already gone through over uh a couple of yours. You said that Michael Voss wasn't gonna make it to this podcast, which he did.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:05

Yeah, I was pretty confident, but I was like, this this might be on.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:09

Yes. Uh what were your other predictions for this month?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:14

Uh North's being the top eight after round five?

SPEAKER_03 1:00:17

Yes, which was correct. And you had another one which wasn't correct.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:20

Newcastle Knights will not win a game until Pong or Brown return.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:24

Yes. Uh I said that Panthers and Roosters would go to Golden Point. Penrith wiped the floor with your boys. I also said that the Melbourne Storm would be undefeated on Anzac Day.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:37

Yes, that's incorrect.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:38

Incorrect. And that the Gold Coast will be the last undefeated team in the AFL, also correct. So we're one from six for the last month, living up to our amateur name. So, mate, what are your predictions for the next month?

SPEAKER_01 1:00:51

Are we including your Yeah, we're we'll include the I still think Michael Boss will be gone. I'm gonna repeat that one.

SPEAKER_03 1:00:57

That's one.

SPEAKER_01 1:00:58

And then Richmond to get over 30,000 the Sunday's match versus North Melbourne.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:03

Lovely.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:04

And I also think they'll have their first win of season 2026 before the next podcast. They've got North, Melbourne Demons, West Coast Eagles, Crows. Yeah, they'll have their first win by the next time you and I sit down. And also the AFLW draw to be released. I'm just putting out there trying to be hopeful.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:21

A bonus question.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:21

Yeah, manifesting that.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:23

Lovely. My prediction is Carlton will beat Collingwood at the MCG this Thursday night. Um that Shane Flanagan won't make it to our next podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:36

Okay.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:37

And that the Roosters will win by 40 on Anzac Day.

SPEAKER_01 1:01:42

Oh god, I'd love that. That would be delightful.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:47

You should have made good Anzac Day predictions. Do you like Essing Essendon or Collingwood?

SPEAKER_01 1:01:53

Uh Collingwood and Roosters.

SPEAKER_03 1:01:56

Yeah. I I give I give Essendon a little bit more of a chance now that they've won one game, but no.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:02

They'll go on another 17-game losing streak.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:05

Alright, mate. Well, thank you for another successful episode of our humble little thousand thousand download podcast.

SPEAKER_01 1:02:13

Putting the amateur in amateur hour.

SPEAKER_03 1:02:15

And we'll see you next month and we'll do it all again.