Tension's Running High E99 - What should Ivan Cleary's new job be?

WEBVTT
1
00:00:00.130 --> 00:00:05.000
Let's all hear it for the Panthers. We know how
2
00:00:05.049 --> 00:00:10.460
to play the game. Side by side we'll stick together
3
00:00:10.660 --> 00:00:16.839
to uphold the Panthers' name. Hear the barricades all shouting.
4
00:00:17.179 --> 00:00:23.750
Hear them shouting one and all. For the premiership's a
5
00:00:23.850 --> 00:00:27.089
cave walk with the Panthers on.
6
00:00:27.070 --> 00:00:32.710
The Now it's time for Tensions Running High, a Penrith
7
00:00:32.750 --> 00:00:36.250
Panthers podcast presented by the Western Weekender, brought to you
8
00:00:36.270 --> 00:00:37.960
by Penrith City Automotive.
9
00:00:38.299 --> 00:00:40.259
Here's Troy Dodds and Nathan Taylor.
10
00:00:40.600 --> 00:00:44.420
Hello, everyone, and welcome to Tensions Running High, a Penrith
11
00:00:44.439 --> 00:00:48.990
Panthers podcast presented by the Western Weekender. This is episode 99.
12
00:00:48.990 --> 00:00:51.929
I'm Troy Dodds, joined by Nathan Taylor. Hello, Nathan.
13
00:00:51.969 --> 00:00:52.490
Hello, Troy.
14
00:00:53.219 --> 00:00:56.060
We are the voice of Rugby League in Penrith. We
15
00:00:56.100 --> 00:01:00.100
love talking all things Penrith Panthers. And for 35 years,
16
00:01:00.520 --> 00:01:02.700
the Western Weekender has led the way in Panthers coverage
17
00:01:02.740 --> 00:01:06.049
here in Penrith. We've covered six premierships, the biggest breaking stories.
18
00:01:06.069 --> 00:01:10.109
We've interviewed CEOs, coaches, chairmen, players, the list goes on.
19
00:01:10.510 --> 00:01:12.769
A big thanks to our sponsor, Penrith City Automotive, the
20
00:01:12.829 --> 00:01:16.000
only place to buy a car. On the agenda today,
21
00:01:16.019 --> 00:01:18.359
a big week for the game in terms of player movement.
22
00:01:18.400 --> 00:01:22.060
Have we lost the plot today? With expansion, Ivan Cleary's
23
00:01:22.219 --> 00:01:23.879
new role And of course we check in on the
24
00:01:23.920 --> 00:01:27.180
World Cup as well Plus our thoughts on Panthers Leagues
25
00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:30.670
Club And whether we think that the Leagues Club needs
26
00:01:30.689 --> 00:01:33.129
some change Or whether we're happy with where the club
27
00:01:33.329 --> 00:01:36.549
is at So let's get underway And Nathan, I'm going
28
00:01:36.569 --> 00:01:40.030
to start today with a pledge Okay A pledge of
29
00:01:40.049 --> 00:01:44.420
allegiance And the pledge is that from today until the
30
00:01:44.439 --> 00:01:49.450
30th of November When it comes to rugby league player movement,
31
00:01:49.849 --> 00:01:53.969
I am only going to rely on club statements. I'm
32
00:01:54.010 --> 00:01:57.329
not going to watch special editions of NRL 360 with
33
00:01:57.349 --> 00:01:58.129
Buzz Rothfield.
34
00:01:58.969 --> 00:02:00.569
1pm tomorrow.
35
00:02:00.609 --> 00:02:03.670
1pm Wednesday. I'm not going to read Fox Sports with
36
00:02:03.689 --> 00:02:07.010
their 23 Nathan Cleary speculation stories. I'm not going to
37
00:02:07.090 --> 00:02:09.969
find out that Liam Martin's going to 13 different clubs.
38
00:02:11.569 --> 00:02:13.939
I'm not going to follow the Sam Walker circus. It's
39
00:02:13.969 --> 00:02:15.719
all official statements for me and let's see if I
40
00:02:15.740 --> 00:02:18.240
miss out on anything or if I'm misinformed or if
41
00:02:18.340 --> 00:02:20.439
I'm the most informed one.
42
00:02:20.659 --> 00:02:22.500
But don't you just love all the drama? Don't you
43
00:02:22.520 --> 00:02:24.020
just want to get caught up in it, whether it's
44
00:02:24.099 --> 00:02:27.300
real or fake news? It's just fun to read.
45
00:02:27.659 --> 00:02:29.900
Sometimes, but I reckon that we've been talking about November
46
00:02:29.900 --> 00:02:32.379
1 since about February, so I reckon it's just going
47
00:02:32.400 --> 00:02:35.500
to be stupid and chaotic. So, no, I'm not in.
48
00:02:35.889 --> 00:02:36.430
You're not in?
49
00:02:36.469 --> 00:02:37.770
No, you don't have me, guys.
50
00:02:37.789 --> 00:02:40.129
So I hope you signed up to all the different
51
00:02:40.169 --> 00:02:42.669
clubs' media releases, otherwise you're going to miss out.
52
00:02:42.689 --> 00:02:46.599
No, I'll be tuning in. Now, there was, thankfully, player
53
00:02:46.620 --> 00:02:50.560
statements in regards to both Hudson Young and Sam Walker.
54
00:02:50.719 --> 00:02:55.150
This was yesterday, on Monday, that this happened. The Raiders
55
00:02:55.189 --> 00:02:56.949
have pulled out of their Hudson Young offer. I think
56
00:02:56.969 --> 00:02:59.490
they had a four-year deal on the table for their
57
00:02:59.530 --> 00:03:02.969
powerful forward. And, of course, Sam Walker, the number seven
58
00:03:02.990 --> 00:03:04.669
at the Roosters, we'd only heard that he was ready
59
00:03:04.689 --> 00:03:08.229
to expedite discussions. Well, they were so quick that they're over.
60
00:03:08.849 --> 00:03:13.620
The Roosters have torched the Walker deal. And, you know,
61
00:03:13.979 --> 00:03:16.659
it's done. He's gone, unless they come up with something
62
00:03:16.680 --> 00:03:19.939
in the next week or two. So the big question
63
00:03:19.979 --> 00:03:22.270
in this, it's obviously big for Rugby League, but do
64
00:03:22.289 --> 00:03:25.270
you think that there's any impact on Penrith's quest to
65
00:03:25.330 --> 00:03:29.090
re-sign Sam? their players given that this would open up
66
00:03:29.150 --> 00:03:32.580
some cash for both the Roosters and the Raiders.
67
00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:34.819
Yeah look these are the in terms of Hudson Young
68
00:03:34.900 --> 00:03:37.719
and Sam Walker these are two guys that have seemingly
69
00:03:37.740 --> 00:03:40.780
had deals on the table available to them for a
70
00:03:40.819 --> 00:03:44.439
while and you know their own clubs haven't been able
71
00:03:44.490 --> 00:03:46.530
to to land them so if you were if you
72
00:03:46.569 --> 00:03:48.770
were the Canberra Raiders or the Sydney Roosters you would
73
00:03:48.810 --> 00:03:50.689
be getting a bit annoyed by now going hey we've
74
00:03:50.710 --> 00:03:52.889
got a fair decent offer here for both of you
75
00:03:52.930 --> 00:03:56.449
players and You guys aren't interested, it seems, or you're
76
00:03:56.469 --> 00:03:59.189
haggling over some extra cash or something like that. I
77
00:03:59.930 --> 00:04:02.550
sort of get where these two clubs are coming from. Eventually,
78
00:04:02.569 --> 00:04:04.800
you've got to move on. They probably have a sense
79
00:04:04.840 --> 00:04:09.120
that these two guys aren't willing to stay with us,
80
00:04:09.280 --> 00:04:11.800
so we just have to make a big, bold statement
81
00:04:11.840 --> 00:04:14.240
and cut them loose, I guess. But in terms of
82
00:04:14.659 --> 00:04:18.189
Panthers impacts, look, someone asked me on Twitter today, Michael,
83
00:04:18.209 --> 00:04:20.910
he said, do you think with all the stuff that's
84
00:04:20.930 --> 00:04:23.680
happening with these two guys... Is that going to impact
85
00:04:23.740 --> 00:04:27.079
us as well? Are we hearing anything that we might
86
00:04:27.120 --> 00:04:29.629
pull off as to players? But I don't believe so.
87
00:04:29.649 --> 00:04:31.629
I think Penrith are still confident of keeping all four
88
00:04:31.649 --> 00:04:33.730
of those guys that are off contract. I think why
89
00:04:33.790 --> 00:04:35.490
things are a bit slow at the moment is because
90
00:04:35.509 --> 00:04:37.870
it's the World Cup period. A lot of people at
91
00:04:37.910 --> 00:04:40.939
Panthers as well, we discussed earlier, Troy, are on a
92
00:04:40.959 --> 00:04:44.220
bit of a holiday too since the season finished. So
93
00:04:44.300 --> 00:04:47.199
all your bigwigs are probably out of action at the moment.
94
00:04:47.339 --> 00:04:49.639
Players are out of action. They're at the World Cup
95
00:04:49.699 --> 00:04:52.319
or they're injured or whatever. So I think in terms
96
00:04:52.360 --> 00:04:54.279
of that, I think just because we're not hearing anything
97
00:04:54.319 --> 00:04:56.860
out of Pantherland about re-signings or anything like that, I
98
00:04:56.899 --> 00:05:00.110
don't think that's an issue. Penrith tend to keep all
99
00:05:00.120 --> 00:05:03.470
the negotiations in-house, as we know. They don't leak often
100
00:05:03.529 --> 00:05:06.029
to the media about things. You know, play managers might leak,
101
00:05:06.069 --> 00:05:08.949
but the club doesn't leak. So just because you're not
102
00:05:08.990 --> 00:05:12.970
hearing anything doesn't mean nothing's happening or potentially could be happening.
103
00:05:13.050 --> 00:05:16.279
But you're right. I top-tipped this yesterday. If Hudson Young
104
00:05:16.300 --> 00:05:19.209
is going to leave, Well, someone like a Liam Martin, Troy,
105
00:05:19.689 --> 00:05:22.250
who plays obviously the same position, who is just as good.
106
00:05:22.290 --> 00:05:25.389
They're playing, you know, for their countries and for their
107
00:05:25.430 --> 00:05:29.019
state together. Like, not a bad little replacement if you
108
00:05:29.040 --> 00:05:31.620
get him. Hudson Young, country boy, probably close to Canberra
109
00:05:31.660 --> 00:05:33.959
as well, for Mum to come and see him play
110
00:05:34.019 --> 00:05:39.639
as well. So that's one to potentially watch if, you know,
111
00:05:39.720 --> 00:05:42.300
Liam Martin becomes available and doesn't re-sign with Penrith. But
112
00:05:43.100 --> 00:05:45.579
as for the rest, I mean... I don't think so.
113
00:05:45.600 --> 00:05:47.160
I don't think Cleary's going to go to the Roosters
114
00:05:47.199 --> 00:05:49.079
now that Sam Walker is in. I'm sure they would
115
00:05:49.120 --> 00:05:52.920
love that as a backup option, but I don't think so.
116
00:05:52.939 --> 00:05:55.339
I mean, why would, like, I'm sure this will get
117
00:05:55.540 --> 00:05:58.060
mentioned in some circles, but why would Nathan Cleary go
118
00:05:58.100 --> 00:05:59.759
to the Sydney Roosters? Like, seriously?
119
00:06:00.540 --> 00:06:01.879
Like, for what?
120
00:06:01.899 --> 00:06:03.139
For a little bit more extra money?
121
00:06:03.160 --> 00:06:06.759
Well, if that, like, I can't see Penrith lowballing him.
122
00:06:06.800 --> 00:06:09.129
They're probably going to offer him... the most they can
123
00:06:09.189 --> 00:06:11.870
offer him and probably will be the richest player in
124
00:06:11.910 --> 00:06:14.410
the game. But no, I mean, there's no difference. Not
125
00:06:14.709 --> 00:06:17.949
like any closer to Mary Fowler because, you know, exactly.
126
00:06:17.990 --> 00:06:18.310
None of that.
127
00:06:18.329 --> 00:06:21.129
We've got a new airport now in Western Sydney, so
128
00:06:21.170 --> 00:06:22.990
he can easily jump on one of those planes when
129
00:06:23.209 --> 00:06:26.209
Singapore airlines opens and get to the UK quick.
130
00:06:26.569 --> 00:06:28.920
One thing that, um, that is interesting in all of
131
00:06:28.949 --> 00:06:31.360
this with the Raiders and the Roosters both releasing statements
132
00:06:31.459 --> 00:06:34.579
is it's not the player's fault that the NRL has
133
00:06:34.600 --> 00:06:38.689
this November one rule, right? Now, Both Hudson Young and
134
00:06:38.709 --> 00:06:41.790
Sam Walker are contracted to their clubs for next season.
135
00:06:43.350 --> 00:06:45.649
And it's just... Look, I guess what I'm saying there
136
00:06:45.689 --> 00:06:47.300
is I just find it interesting. We're not even at
137
00:06:47.339 --> 00:06:51.519
November 1 yet. And so what? These two clubs have decided,
138
00:06:51.579 --> 00:06:54.740
I guess, well, we want to make offers to other
139
00:06:54.779 --> 00:06:57.029
players who are available on November 1. So we're basically
140
00:06:57.050 --> 00:07:00.470
going to say goodbye to you, even though officially... Hudson
141
00:07:00.490 --> 00:07:03.189
Young and Sam Walker don't actually know what's on offer
142
00:07:03.230 --> 00:07:05.670
from other clubs, right? I mean, I think Hudson might
143
00:07:05.689 --> 00:07:08.360
have been given some permission with the Chiefs. Yeah. But
144
00:07:09.000 --> 00:07:11.720
let's say the Cowboys were interested in Sam Walker, right?
145
00:07:11.740 --> 00:07:16.649
Or the Broncos. They shouldn't know that yet. Like, Sam
146
00:07:16.670 --> 00:07:17.829
Walker shouldn't know that yet. So.
147
00:07:19.810 --> 00:07:21.329
Why do we see a breakdown of the deal? I
148
00:07:21.470 --> 00:07:23.149
guess Sam Walker's saying, I won't accept that. But then
149
00:07:23.189 --> 00:07:25.110
on November 1, the offers to Sam Walker may be
150
00:07:25.129 --> 00:07:28.000
less than what the Roosters are offering, in theory. That's
151
00:07:28.040 --> 00:07:28.740
a bit of a weird scenario.
152
00:07:28.750 --> 00:07:31.600
Well, maybe, but in rugby league, they've probably got an indication.
153
00:07:32.220 --> 00:07:35.279
you know from managers or whatever the rules get yeah
154
00:07:35.540 --> 00:07:38.759
absolutely absolutely i think there's people people talk and all
155
00:07:38.800 --> 00:07:41.180
sorts of things you know people would know what sam
156
00:07:41.220 --> 00:07:45.069
walker's worth on the open market managers management whoever of
157
00:07:45.329 --> 00:07:48.029
different clubs would be talking for sure so while it's
158
00:07:48.069 --> 00:07:50.449
not official and they're not officially allowed to offer a
159
00:07:50.509 --> 00:07:52.310
make an offer to someone you can't tell me that
160
00:07:52.930 --> 00:07:56.930
you know there's not a informal discussions happening around the
161
00:07:56.970 --> 00:07:58.069
place All right.
162
00:07:58.089 --> 00:08:01.790
Well, a big week with the player movement situation, and
163
00:08:02.230 --> 00:08:04.040
Penrith will just stay out of it, I think, hopefully.
164
00:08:04.060 --> 00:08:08.600
But you beg the question, Troy. Sorry, you do wonder what...
165
00:08:09.579 --> 00:08:12.050
Will Penrith get the shits eventually as well and go,
166
00:08:12.290 --> 00:08:14.189
hang on, we're at December 1 now and we still
167
00:08:14.209 --> 00:08:17.449
have four players for those big four still off contract? Like,
168
00:08:17.470 --> 00:08:19.370
there's going to have to be a point where they're
169
00:08:19.389 --> 00:08:21.569
going to have to make some ultimatums, right?
170
00:08:22.040 --> 00:08:23.839
Yeah, look, I guess so. But I guess I feel
171
00:08:23.860 --> 00:08:25.879
like it's the other way around at Penrith where the
172
00:08:26.160 --> 00:08:29.899
players like Moses Leota, Julian Martins probably do want to sign.
173
00:08:30.379 --> 00:08:33.879
But until we know the Nathan Cleary and Isaiah Yeo
174
00:08:34.190 --> 00:08:37.620
final terms, we probably can't hit the go button. So
175
00:08:37.740 --> 00:08:38.899
there's probably going to be a lot of pressure on
176
00:08:38.940 --> 00:08:40.100
Nathan Cleary to get sorted.
177
00:08:40.340 --> 00:08:42.529
Are we that poor that we can't afford all four
178
00:08:42.570 --> 00:08:42.750
of them?
179
00:08:43.110 --> 00:08:44.850
Well, it's not about being poor. We're going to have
180
00:08:44.889 --> 00:08:48.090
the same salary cap as everyone else. But, you know,
181
00:08:48.149 --> 00:08:51.009
we've obviously, you know, we've got some players, by the way,
182
00:08:51.049 --> 00:08:53.940
who probably are taking up big chunks of the cap
183
00:08:53.980 --> 00:08:56.980
who we wish weren't. And Isaac Tango, for example. I mean,
184
00:08:57.019 --> 00:08:59.240
we've heard that he's on. seven or eight hundred thousand
185
00:08:59.279 --> 00:09:01.360
dollars a year now you're certainly not living up to
186
00:09:01.379 --> 00:09:03.279
that price tag but then you know you've had to
187
00:09:03.340 --> 00:09:07.220
resign players like thomas jenkins and more money um you
188
00:09:07.259 --> 00:09:10.159
know there's other deals that um or other players that
189
00:09:10.179 --> 00:09:12.200
have come through and as these players come through they
190
00:09:12.379 --> 00:09:15.460
get more money yeah so um one thing that is
191
00:09:15.519 --> 00:09:17.710
interesting though like in all the speculation that's going to
192
00:09:17.750 --> 00:09:20.450
happen now about hudson young and sam walker and other
193
00:09:20.490 --> 00:09:24.929
players who come off contract despite penrith being a powerhouse
194
00:09:24.990 --> 00:09:27.029
club now i mean it can't be denied that penrith
195
00:09:27.070 --> 00:09:30.649
are a Penrith never get linked to these players. Never
196
00:09:30.669 --> 00:09:32.860
gets mentioned. Oh, the Panthers will swoop. You know, like
197
00:09:32.940 --> 00:09:35.299
every player that comes off contract, apparently Nick Politis can,
198
00:09:35.919 --> 00:09:36.809
you know, be involved in.
199
00:09:36.840 --> 00:09:37.820
Or Gus as well.
200
00:09:37.879 --> 00:09:40.230
Gus at the dogs and all this. Like, why is it?
201
00:09:40.259 --> 00:09:42.519
Is it that we don't have that respect or is
202
00:09:42.559 --> 00:09:45.370
it simply that people just expected, well, we're going to,
203
00:09:45.570 --> 00:09:48.649
you know, blood players and develop players. So we're not
204
00:09:48.690 --> 00:09:49.169
that club.
205
00:09:49.570 --> 00:09:50.970
Yeah, I think it's the latter. I think back in
206
00:09:50.990 --> 00:09:52.909
the day, you're talking about 10 years ago, then we
207
00:09:52.950 --> 00:09:55.009
were probably linked to a lot of players. Jonathan Thurston's
208
00:09:55.029 --> 00:09:58.129
the world, Todd Carney's. We've got people like Trent Merrin,
209
00:09:58.149 --> 00:10:00.840
James Tarmow to join us. So back then, we were
210
00:10:00.879 --> 00:10:03.299
a bit of a club that liked to buy a
211
00:10:03.360 --> 00:10:04.860
big name or at least go in for a big
212
00:10:04.899 --> 00:10:08.700
name because I don't think our juniors were ready or
213
00:10:08.899 --> 00:10:12.120
were that good back then. But now, obviously, that's our
214
00:10:12.159 --> 00:10:15.139
bread and butter. That's how we build our great teams
215
00:10:15.220 --> 00:10:19.019
is through our junior base. So I I think that
216
00:10:19.080 --> 00:10:20.940
has a lot to do with it. I don't think
217
00:10:21.100 --> 00:10:24.039
it's that Penrith aren't interested in these guys. I'm sure
218
00:10:24.059 --> 00:10:26.679
they probably would be. I'd probably love to have Hudson
219
00:10:26.700 --> 00:10:29.139
Young as a Liam Martin replacement if they can't get
220
00:10:29.179 --> 00:10:32.230
Liam Martin. But yeah, again, it comes down to money
221
00:10:32.330 --> 00:10:35.009
or whether they would want to play for us. I
222
00:10:35.029 --> 00:10:36.769
just think we just have so many good players now.
223
00:10:36.789 --> 00:10:38.909
They're like, well, Penrith don't need a Sam Walker because
224
00:10:38.929 --> 00:10:41.529
they've got Nathan Cleary. They don't need a Hudson Young
225
00:10:41.549 --> 00:10:44.549
because they've got a Liam Martin. That's probably why we're
226
00:10:44.570 --> 00:10:47.129
not linked to some of these big names like other
227
00:10:47.149 --> 00:10:47.600
clubs would be.
228
00:10:47.610 --> 00:10:47.679
Yep.
229
00:10:48.009 --> 00:10:49.710
All right. Well, we'll take a quick break and we'll
230
00:10:49.730 --> 00:10:53.210
be back. All right. Now, Nathan, I want to read
231
00:10:53.230 --> 00:10:55.409
you a story. I know I made the pledge earlier,
232
00:10:55.429 --> 00:10:58.529
but that was strictly around player movements. So I'm still
233
00:10:58.570 --> 00:11:00.610
allowed to... But I'm almost there, by the way, on
234
00:11:00.649 --> 00:11:03.690
expansion as well. I'm almost ready to just only repeat
235
00:11:03.710 --> 00:11:04.269
the landings.
236
00:11:04.370 --> 00:11:06.309
The amount of new clubs that are expected to come
237
00:11:06.409 --> 00:11:08.149
in in a few years is unbelievable.
238
00:11:08.210 --> 00:11:12.159
This is from the Daily Telegraph. A Pacific franchise spanning
239
00:11:12.299 --> 00:11:16.240
five nations, including the American state of Hawaii, will lodge
240
00:11:16.279 --> 00:11:19.299
a bid to become the NRL's 20th franchise. The consortium
241
00:11:19.320 --> 00:11:21.960
would forever change the rugby league landscape by becoming the
242
00:11:22.000 --> 00:11:25.950
first NRL club to play home games in the US, Samoa, Tonga,
243
00:11:26.210 --> 00:11:30.110
and the Cook Islands. Wow. Known as Mana Pacifica, the
244
00:11:30.149 --> 00:11:32.769
team would be based in Auckland and play NRL home
245
00:11:32.809 --> 00:11:39.200
matches in Christchurch, Dunedin, Wellington, Hamilton, Wengeray. Is that right? Wengeray?
246
00:11:39.919 --> 00:11:40.080
Yep.
247
00:11:40.279 --> 00:11:43.590
Yep. And then take two games a year to Pacific Nations.
248
00:11:43.610 --> 00:11:47.070
Apologies to our New Zealand friends. Our Kiwi friends. I'm
249
00:11:47.149 --> 00:11:48.769
not sure I've heard of Wangarai.
250
00:11:48.950 --> 00:11:50.389
We've had so many people in the office come back
251
00:11:50.429 --> 00:11:51.500
from New Zealand as well.
252
00:11:51.679 --> 00:11:53.080
We have, yeah. Probably no one went to. None of
253
00:11:53.100 --> 00:11:55.919
them have told me they've gone to Wangarai. You know,
254
00:11:55.980 --> 00:12:00.070
it's probably not Wangarai. It sounds too like Wangaratta. Anyway.
255
00:12:00.490 --> 00:12:00.649
Nice.
256
00:12:01.759 --> 00:12:04.179
I'm getting a little, you know, and I'm generally a
257
00:12:04.200 --> 00:12:07.909
Peter Volandis fan. You've got a photo with him. I do, yeah.
258
00:12:08.529 --> 00:12:14.230
Moments of scepticism and concern. But if he was to
259
00:12:14.269 --> 00:12:16.970
go ahead with this, please, what are we doing? Like,
260
00:12:18.549 --> 00:12:20.519
we talk about the fabric of the game. We talk
261
00:12:20.539 --> 00:12:22.299
about that. And of course you have expansion. Of course
262
00:12:22.340 --> 00:12:25.620
you do all of these things. But I think we're
263
00:12:25.679 --> 00:12:29.679
getting a bit far away from the rugby league that
264
00:12:29.700 --> 00:12:33.539
we all know and love. By deciding that we're just
265
00:12:33.600 --> 00:12:36.259
going to almost add teams for the sake of it now.
266
00:12:36.759 --> 00:12:39.919
Just because we can. Oh yeah, let's do this. And
267
00:12:40.159 --> 00:12:41.600
at the end of the day, I can say all
268
00:12:41.620 --> 00:12:43.490
they like about teams being competitive. We are going to
269
00:12:43.529 --> 00:12:47.789
have an absolute lopsided competition. Pretty much starting from next year.
270
00:12:48.330 --> 00:12:52.730
When teams like Perth, Papua New Guinea all struggle. And
271
00:12:52.750 --> 00:12:53.929
then you still get your other clubs that are going
272
00:12:53.950 --> 00:12:58.220
to struggle. I don't know. I read this this morning
273
00:12:58.240 --> 00:12:59.440
and I thought, what are we doing?
274
00:13:00.549 --> 00:13:02.470
Firstly, do you know who the journalist that wrote it?
275
00:13:02.470 --> 00:13:03.049
Dean Ritchie.
276
00:13:03.389 --> 00:13:06.580
I could have guessed. I could have guessed. Look, firstly,
277
00:13:06.639 --> 00:13:10.419
I think this is a classic clickbait story if I've
278
00:13:10.460 --> 00:13:13.480
ever seen one. Surely, like, this is never going to happen.
279
00:13:13.500 --> 00:13:16.000
I thought this was written by AI when I saw
280
00:13:16.039 --> 00:13:19.179
it on the rundown. I don't believe it. I don't
281
00:13:19.220 --> 00:13:21.840
see that. When you said Dean Ritchie, I'm like, yeah,
282
00:13:21.950 --> 00:13:24.700
he's come up with this. Imagine if you're going to
283
00:13:24.720 --> 00:13:28.200
be a season ticket holder of this club. They're saying
284
00:13:28.220 --> 00:13:30.299
they're going to be based in Auckland, but they're going
285
00:13:30.320 --> 00:13:33.759
to be playing home games everywhere, like one game each.
286
00:13:34.679 --> 00:13:35.960
Yeah, over to Hawaii.
287
00:13:36.200 --> 00:13:38.480
Hawaii, they wouldn't even know rugby league exists. We've got
288
00:13:38.500 --> 00:13:41.960
to give up this Hawaii thing. What are they thinking?
289
00:13:42.299 --> 00:13:45.490
Yeah, and I just think, I don't know, like personally,
290
00:13:45.500 --> 00:13:50.720
you know, I'm still... somewhat against the Papua New Guinea
291
00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:55.379
introduction in 2028. Because I actually think, for all the excitement,
292
00:13:55.980 --> 00:13:58.120
I actually think we're in for a really rough ride
293
00:13:58.480 --> 00:14:03.330
with that franchise. But the 20th team, we talk about
294
00:14:03.350 --> 00:14:04.990
where it's going to be. Oh, maybe it's in Brisbane.
295
00:14:05.409 --> 00:14:08.350
Maybe it's in Auckland. We actually don't need a 20th team.
296
00:14:08.429 --> 00:14:10.129
I mean, I know we're going to have one. It's
297
00:14:10.149 --> 00:14:10.490
going to happen.
298
00:14:10.509 --> 00:14:12.159
Well, we can't just stick with 19, can we?
299
00:14:12.190 --> 00:14:12.389
Why?
300
00:14:12.590 --> 00:14:14.610
Well, it needs to be a bit even, right?
301
00:14:14.629 --> 00:14:16.250
Does it? Yeah.
302
00:14:16.269 --> 00:14:17.669
Do you want buys all the time?
303
00:14:17.990 --> 00:14:20.509
We're still going to have buys. Apparently next year.
304
00:14:20.529 --> 00:14:22.750
I was hearing the ice cream. Yeah, it's a very
305
00:14:22.789 --> 00:14:23.240
hot day.
306
00:14:24.039 --> 00:14:30.159
Ice cream. This is ridiculous to me that we don't
307
00:14:30.240 --> 00:14:31.950
actually need a 20 team. We're still going to apparently
308
00:14:31.990 --> 00:14:35.190
have buys next year when we have 18 teams.
309
00:14:36.009 --> 00:14:36.190
So.
310
00:14:37.120 --> 00:14:39.570
I don't know. I just think that we almost need
311
00:14:39.590 --> 00:14:42.889
to hit pause on expansion because we're about to expand
312
00:14:42.950 --> 00:14:45.289
two teams in two years. We have no idea of
313
00:14:45.309 --> 00:14:47.250
that impact yet. And here we are saying, oh, yep,
314
00:14:47.289 --> 00:14:50.100
we'll just, you know, throw a 20th team in and
315
00:14:50.159 --> 00:14:54.039
it doesn't really matter. You know, like obviously maybe conferences
316
00:14:54.080 --> 00:14:56.250
will develop from it. But, you know, even my fear
317
00:14:56.279 --> 00:15:00.350
on conferences is that. Because in conferences, I'm guessing you're
318
00:15:00.370 --> 00:15:04.100
going to have, what, all the Sydney clubs as one conference.
319
00:15:04.620 --> 00:15:06.799
I don't know. With the Queensland clubs, I'm not sure.
320
00:15:06.820 --> 00:15:07.480
And then you're going to have.
321
00:15:07.840 --> 00:15:10.000
Well, I imagine it'd be like New South Wales teams
322
00:15:10.039 --> 00:15:12.879
might be one conference, and then you've got the interstate teams.
323
00:15:12.940 --> 00:15:15.269
I'm telling you, we'll get to a point where everyone
324
00:15:15.289 --> 00:15:18.470
will be more excited. Everyone in Sydney will just care
325
00:15:18.509 --> 00:15:21.539
about that first comp. Well, Papua New Guinea and the
326
00:15:21.679 --> 00:15:25.970
Hawaii Gravediggers go at each other. I mean, this is ridiculous.
327
00:15:26.149 --> 00:15:28.389
It is ridiculous. I think if they have to get
328
00:15:28.429 --> 00:15:30.250
it at 20, I think you stop at 20. You
329
00:15:30.289 --> 00:15:32.710
can't go any further because we're already seeing now how
330
00:15:32.769 --> 00:15:35.759
ridiculous it is that all these players are getting poached
331
00:15:35.820 --> 00:15:38.779
from here, there, and everywhere. They're paying them ridiculous amounts
332
00:15:38.820 --> 00:15:40.559
of money. Are they going to get kickbacks as well
333
00:15:40.600 --> 00:15:42.259
for this franchise? Like, I know they're going to be
334
00:15:42.279 --> 00:15:44.259
based in Auckland, so I imagine they're going to be
335
00:15:44.299 --> 00:15:47.210
living in Auckland, which is a good city, but... It
336
00:15:47.250 --> 00:15:52.850
just seems unbelievable. Just seeing the word Hawaii there, please.
337
00:15:52.870 --> 00:15:56.129
What are you doing? Have we produced any talent from
338
00:15:56.169 --> 00:15:56.889
Hawaii ever?
339
00:15:57.769 --> 00:16:00.649
No, I believe not. The only people watching rugby league
340
00:16:00.669 --> 00:16:02.269
in Hawaii are Australians on holidays.
341
00:16:02.710 --> 00:16:06.769
That's right. And these other countries, like obviously Cook Islands,
342
00:16:06.789 --> 00:16:08.789
they're just fodder at the World Cup. Samoa and Tonga
343
00:16:08.830 --> 00:16:11.309
are great. But do they need their own bloody football team,
344
00:16:11.350 --> 00:16:12.590
like NRL team as well?
345
00:16:12.730 --> 00:16:12.809
No.
346
00:16:13.490 --> 00:16:15.509
No, they don't. And we've got to, yeah, we've just
347
00:16:15.529 --> 00:16:15.669
got to.
348
00:16:15.669 --> 00:16:17.710
Imagine all the intramural stadiums you've got to build, Troy.
349
00:16:17.730 --> 00:16:20.250
You've got to build one in Hawaii, Samoa, Tonga, Kukai,
350
00:16:20.269 --> 00:16:22.350
like a proper NRL standard stadium.
351
00:16:22.370 --> 00:16:25.000
What I do find interesting is that we keep talking
352
00:16:25.019 --> 00:16:28.559
about how much we want to make the international game better.
353
00:16:28.720 --> 00:16:30.559
We want to see more tests and all this. And
354
00:16:30.580 --> 00:16:34.019
yet we're sitting here very much investing in the club competition.
355
00:16:34.480 --> 00:16:37.450
But that seems to be our focus, is the club competition.
356
00:16:37.519 --> 00:16:37.590
And.
357
00:16:38.299 --> 00:16:41.500
Yeah, look, I've got some concerns over that, but let's.
358
00:16:41.820 --> 00:16:43.990
Where are you thinking? You and I have to pick
359
00:16:44.019 --> 00:16:47.230
a 20th team. Volandes wants us to pick one. Out
360
00:16:47.250 --> 00:16:49.350
of the options that are around, what are we thinking?
361
00:16:49.429 --> 00:16:52.129
I think New Zealand. I think it'll be.
362
00:16:52.090 --> 00:16:54.269
A second New Zealand team. So out of Christchurch.
363
00:16:54.289 --> 00:16:59.830
Which makes sense. Yep, out of Christchurch. Beautiful new stadium there. Yeah. Look,
364
00:16:59.909 --> 00:17:01.970
it does make sense. That is one that makes sense.
365
00:17:02.600 --> 00:17:04.559
I still, as I said, don't think our 19th team
366
00:17:04.579 --> 00:17:05.529
makes sense, but anyway.
367
00:17:05.609 --> 00:17:07.490
I don't think another Brisbane team is necessary.
368
00:17:07.509 --> 00:17:08.529
We don't need another Brisbane team.
369
00:17:08.789 --> 00:17:11.769
We don't need another Brisbane team. The Titans are crap
370
00:17:11.829 --> 00:17:12.180
as it is.
371
00:17:12.210 --> 00:17:15.089
I think people sometimes forget that, you know, they talk
372
00:17:15.130 --> 00:17:18.269
as if, you know, another Brisbane team, what's it bringing in? Like,
373
00:17:18.309 --> 00:17:20.700
all it does is dilute teams like the Broncos, who
374
00:17:20.779 --> 00:17:23.220
are the powerhouse they are for one reason, and that
375
00:17:23.259 --> 00:17:25.400
is that they've had the city to themselves except for
376
00:17:25.680 --> 00:17:29.329
the Dolphins in the last couple of years, so. Just
377
00:17:29.430 --> 00:17:30.369
put a pause on it, Pete.
378
00:17:30.410 --> 00:17:31.890
What about the Rams? Adelaide Rams?
379
00:17:31.910 --> 00:17:34.680
Yeah, look, well, I'm all for Adelaide. I am. We're
380
00:17:34.720 --> 00:17:36.259
going to be a true national competition.
381
00:17:36.420 --> 00:17:37.440
You need a team in Adelaide.
382
00:17:37.460 --> 00:17:39.960
This is where these teams should be coming. We should
383
00:17:39.980 --> 00:17:43.559
have gone to Tasmania before the AFL did. That's true.
384
00:17:43.599 --> 00:17:44.940
Valenis would have loved to have done that.
385
00:17:45.319 --> 00:17:48.869
Yeah, we'll see what happens there. Look, Penrith City Automotive,
386
00:17:48.910 --> 00:17:51.390
make the switch. With fuel prices on the rise, now
387
00:17:51.430 --> 00:17:53.130
could be the perfect time to make the switch to
388
00:17:53.190 --> 00:17:56.829
a hybrid or electric vehicle. At Penrith City Automotive, you'll
389
00:17:56.849 --> 00:17:58.970
find a great range of hybrid and electric models from
390
00:17:59.009 --> 00:18:02.599
some of Australia's most popular brands, including Toyota, Kia, Honda
391
00:18:02.619 --> 00:18:05.039
and BYD. Whether you're looking to save fuel with a
392
00:18:05.079 --> 00:18:07.319
hybrid or you're ready to go fully electric, there are
393
00:18:07.359 --> 00:18:10.559
plenty of options to suit lifestyles and budgets. And with
394
00:18:10.579 --> 00:18:12.819
some great deals currently available, there's never been a better
395
00:18:12.839 --> 00:18:15.579
time to see what's on offer. Save fuel and make
396
00:18:15.680 --> 00:18:20.279
the switch today. Visit Penrith City Automotive, 87-103 Great Western Highway, Kingswood,
397
00:18:20.680 --> 00:18:28.440
or call 8805 9500. Head online to penrithcityautomotive.com.au. Penrith City Automotive, Toyota, Kia, Honda,
398
00:18:28.460 --> 00:18:32.009
and BYD, all in one convenient location. Terms, conditions, and
399
00:18:32.109 --> 00:18:36.509
eligibility criteria may apply to selected offers. I might go
400
00:18:36.549 --> 00:18:38.529
in there and see if they can fix my Honda.
401
00:18:39.809 --> 00:18:41.390
Oh, were you going to tell the audience what happened
402
00:18:41.410 --> 00:18:42.339
to your Honda over the weekend?
403
00:18:42.559 --> 00:18:45.640
Oh, look, I was the first car park accident at
404
00:18:45.680 --> 00:18:49.220
Western Sydney International Airport. So you can go on about
405
00:18:49.359 --> 00:18:53.329
first flights and whatever else, but I will hold that
406
00:18:53.960 --> 00:18:56.029
wonderful mantle.
407
00:18:56.109 --> 00:18:58.309
And hang on, did you crash it with someone else
408
00:18:58.329 --> 00:18:58.950
or you just.
409
00:18:59.130 --> 00:18:59.690
No.
410
00:18:59.730 --> 00:19:01.430
Yeah, was it no one else involved?
411
00:19:01.509 --> 00:19:03.970
No, but I'll send them a note just to let
412
00:19:03.990 --> 00:19:06.299
them know that there's these bike racks that have been...
413
00:19:07.539 --> 00:19:09.740
And those bike racks are just a little bit low
414
00:19:09.839 --> 00:19:12.160
and I didn't see it. But you know what? There's
415
00:19:12.220 --> 00:19:14.519
a sliding doors moment, Nathan. This is what annoyed me most.
416
00:19:14.980 --> 00:19:17.549
When I arrived at the airport on Sunday for the
417
00:19:17.630 --> 00:19:20.509
opening day, I reversed into a spot, which I normally
418
00:19:20.549 --> 00:19:20.930
don't do.
419
00:19:21.029 --> 00:19:22.809
No, we don't reverse into spots here.
420
00:19:22.829 --> 00:19:24.509
I thought, you know what? I'll reverse into this spot.
421
00:19:25.210 --> 00:19:26.490
And I was ready. I have to get out of
422
00:19:26.509 --> 00:19:28.609
the car. And I looked to my side and there
423
00:19:28.650 --> 00:19:31.369
was an elderly lady that I didn't notice was about
424
00:19:31.390 --> 00:19:32.880
to get out of her car in the car next
425
00:19:32.890 --> 00:19:34.859
to me. And her husband was coming around to help her.
426
00:19:34.880 --> 00:19:36.880
And I'm like, oh, this... This looks like it's A,
427
00:19:36.920 --> 00:19:38.720
going to take a while and B, I've now blocked
428
00:19:38.759 --> 00:19:41.279
her in. I can see a spot over there. I'll
429
00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:42.869
just zoom over there and park in there and I've
430
00:19:42.900 --> 00:19:45.130
helped them out. What a nice guy I am. That
431
00:19:45.190 --> 00:19:46.589
is nice. Now, if I just would have stayed in
432
00:19:46.630 --> 00:19:49.470
that spot, I wouldn't have had any drama. But of course,
433
00:19:49.509 --> 00:19:52.140
I went and zoomed into that spot. Probably didn't take
434
00:19:52.220 --> 00:19:53.839
in as I was parking. Oh, I'm parking next to
435
00:19:53.880 --> 00:19:55.700
a bike rack because I just zoomed in from the
436
00:19:55.740 --> 00:19:58.819
other thing. And then, yes, as I reversed out, hit
437
00:19:58.859 --> 00:19:59.819
the bike rack there.
438
00:19:59.920 --> 00:20:01.730
I just want to know who's riding their bike to
439
00:20:01.750 --> 00:20:02.230
the airport.
440
00:20:03.009 --> 00:20:03.710
Yeah, well, surely.
441
00:20:04.650 --> 00:20:07.029
Seriously, even if you worked there, that's a bit of
442
00:20:07.049 --> 00:20:08.150
a journey. It's a big journey.
443
00:20:08.190 --> 00:20:10.529
Where are you coming from? I don't think anyone. And,
444
00:20:10.549 --> 00:20:12.849
you know, I wanted to park in the electric car spots.
445
00:20:13.109 --> 00:20:15.069
Because you tend to do that sometimes.
446
00:20:15.089 --> 00:20:20.069
We're all available. But anyway. All right. Let's move on
447
00:20:20.089 --> 00:20:23.470
to the World Cup, Nathan. Now, look how you've been
448
00:20:23.509 --> 00:20:26.490
going with the World Cup. Because, look, apart from the
449
00:20:26.559 --> 00:20:29.039
first game, it was high hopes because Australia and New Zealand,
450
00:20:29.059 --> 00:20:31.569
it was great. Jeez, it's been pretty ordinary.
451
00:20:31.690 --> 00:20:34.569
Yeah, it's been a bit of a struggle. I haven't
452
00:20:34.670 --> 00:20:37.049
really been too invested in it. Despite me, I think
453
00:20:37.069 --> 00:20:38.730
I've been going really well in my tips that I
454
00:20:38.769 --> 00:20:40.230
give out on the podcast.
455
00:20:42.509 --> 00:20:44.730
Surely there's a World Cup tipping competition and everyone's on
456
00:20:44.750 --> 00:20:45.289
the same points.
457
00:20:45.390 --> 00:20:48.410
There could be. But yeah, it's a bit of a
458
00:20:48.410 --> 00:20:53.549
struggle to watch. I'm only really interested in Australia. Even then,
459
00:20:53.829 --> 00:20:55.190
it was a bit hard to watch that game on
460
00:20:55.210 --> 00:20:57.390
the weekend. It was sort of good at times when
461
00:20:57.430 --> 00:20:59.380
Fiji was sort of giving it to them at times,
462
00:20:59.470 --> 00:21:03.190
but I don't know, unless, I don't know, maybe we're
463
00:21:03.250 --> 00:21:07.849
over footy. The other games, a lot of them are blowouts.
464
00:21:08.069 --> 00:21:09.269
They're all pretty much blowouts.
465
00:21:09.809 --> 00:21:13.470
Yeah, I've hardly watched any of it, and it's strange
466
00:21:13.509 --> 00:21:15.349
probably for me even more so, because I watch eight
467
00:21:15.390 --> 00:21:18.190
games of NRL every week. Next year, I'll probably watch nine.
468
00:21:18.269 --> 00:21:22.420
I just can't get into international footy with teams. That's
469
00:21:22.460 --> 00:21:23.420
just a shit.
470
00:21:23.740 --> 00:21:27.819
I get that we all want to pretend that we
471
00:21:27.859 --> 00:21:31.029
want More international footy. Do we really want more of this?
472
00:21:31.150 --> 00:21:31.390
No.
473
00:21:31.430 --> 00:21:34.049
Well, there is a crusade out there online, like on
474
00:21:34.109 --> 00:21:36.750
social media, where they would love to shorten the NRL
475
00:21:36.809 --> 00:21:38.509
season and give us more of this.
476
00:21:38.529 --> 00:21:38.990
And get this.
477
00:21:39.190 --> 00:21:41.210
And just have this all year round. Like, we'll stop
478
00:21:41.230 --> 00:21:44.130
the comp every few months to have more games of this.
479
00:21:44.910 --> 00:21:45.670
It's not going to work.
480
00:21:45.710 --> 00:21:47.589
It's not going to work. And first of all, with
481
00:21:47.609 --> 00:21:50.089
the expansion that we talked about earlier, how are any
482
00:21:50.130 --> 00:21:51.829
of these nations going to get stronger? Because where are
483
00:21:51.849 --> 00:21:53.730
we going to play these supposed extra games?
484
00:21:53.930 --> 00:21:54.130
Yeah.
485
00:21:54.769 --> 00:21:58.150
But anyway... We do have games this weekend. We do.
486
00:21:58.539 --> 00:21:59.660
And you've got your tips.
487
00:21:59.960 --> 00:22:00.839
I do.
488
00:22:00.920 --> 00:22:04.210
Friday night, we are at Wynn Stadium in Wollongong. All
489
00:22:04.230 --> 00:22:06.150
the English fans will be out there because we've got England.
490
00:22:06.170 --> 00:22:07.029
We're playing a test down there.
491
00:22:07.329 --> 00:22:07.990
Yeah, a test match.
492
00:22:08.569 --> 00:22:09.390
I didn't know that was even an option.
493
00:22:09.410 --> 00:22:11.819
England up against Papua New Guinea. Brilliant. It's the home
494
00:22:11.839 --> 00:22:16.630
of the Sydney Sirens, Wollongong. So, what do you see
495
00:22:16.710 --> 00:22:17.690
here in this one, though?
496
00:22:17.829 --> 00:22:21.430
Yeah, look, England had a really good win last week
497
00:22:21.450 --> 00:22:24.289
against France. That was just a joke.
498
00:22:24.430 --> 00:22:26.849
They were just, you know, unbelievable. Unbelievable.
499
00:22:27.009 --> 00:22:31.710
So, look, England, for me, they're a massive favourite against PNG.
500
00:22:31.769 --> 00:22:33.849
PNG played all their home games, all their games so
501
00:22:33.890 --> 00:22:37.509
far at home. So, pulling them from Port Moresby down
502
00:22:37.609 --> 00:22:39.349
to Wollongong is going to be a culture shock for them,
503
00:22:39.430 --> 00:22:39.890
I'm sure.
504
00:22:39.910 --> 00:22:39.990
Yeah.
505
00:22:42.279 --> 00:22:44.799
England, for me, will be the kings of Wollongong. They
506
00:22:44.819 --> 00:22:46.460
will destroy Papua New Guinea.
507
00:22:47.039 --> 00:22:50.809
Saturday afternoon, Seabus Super Stadium on the Gold Coast hosts
508
00:22:50.970 --> 00:22:53.150
New Zealand up against Fiji.
509
00:22:53.430 --> 00:22:55.410
Yeah, this is going to be an interesting one. I
510
00:22:55.430 --> 00:22:59.250
would have thought New Zealand would have creamed Fiji, considering
511
00:22:59.269 --> 00:23:04.240
the talent. from both sides, but Fiji put up a
512
00:23:04.279 --> 00:23:07.160
real good fight against Australia, which I was surprised about.
513
00:23:07.180 --> 00:23:10.049
That was their best ever result, despite losing. I don't
514
00:23:10.069 --> 00:23:12.589
think they'd scored that many points against Australia ever, so
515
00:23:12.970 --> 00:23:14.769
good on them, but I don't think they've got any
516
00:23:14.809 --> 00:23:16.730
hope in hell in beating New Zealand. New Zealand's still
517
00:23:17.589 --> 00:23:21.430
the team to beat. Well, maybe not in the World Cup,
518
00:23:21.450 --> 00:23:23.839
but they're probably going the better out of Australia, to
519
00:23:23.880 --> 00:23:27.720
be honest. Despite winning only one game, they just seem
520
00:23:27.759 --> 00:23:29.000
to be a lot better up it.
521
00:23:29.769 --> 00:23:35.339
Now, Saturday night, Halloween, spooky, Queensland Country Bank Stadium in Townsville, 8.05pm.
522
00:23:35.359 --> 00:23:37.859
It's Australia up against the Cook Islands.
523
00:23:38.240 --> 00:23:41.480
Yeah, look, I think, judging by the odds here, Australia
524
00:23:41.640 --> 00:23:44.029
are $ 1, Cook Islands $ 41. I'm going to have to
525
00:23:44.089 --> 00:23:47.009
go with Australia on this one. Cook Islands, they might
526
00:23:47.049 --> 00:23:48.829
score a try or two. They've got a couple of
527
00:23:48.890 --> 00:23:53.230
NRL players hanging around in that team. But Australia, I
528
00:23:53.250 --> 00:23:56.200
think they actually need to destroy a team because... That
529
00:23:56.240 --> 00:23:58.670
game against the Kiwis was right down to the wire.
530
00:23:58.710 --> 00:24:01.250
This one against Fiji, I mean, if things, you know,
531
00:24:01.329 --> 00:24:02.910
could have went either way in that game as well.
532
00:24:03.230 --> 00:24:05.230
So I think we haven't seen the best of Australia yet,
533
00:24:05.269 --> 00:24:09.869
and I'll be hoping that Walter's name's a fully-strength line-up
534
00:24:09.910 --> 00:24:11.910
for this one and not stuff around anymore.
535
00:24:12.269 --> 00:24:14.809
All right. Sunday, we've got a doubleheader. 5.40 p.m. at
536
00:24:14.869 --> 00:24:18.490
Conbank Stadium. The big one, Lebanon and France at 5.40.
537
00:24:18.490 --> 00:24:22.410
This actually is tough to pick. France have been destroyed
538
00:24:22.430 --> 00:24:24.230
from pillar to post. Lebanon have put up a fight
539
00:24:24.250 --> 00:24:26.680
in their games. But I don't really know much about
540
00:24:26.720 --> 00:24:28.359
either team. So I'm going to have to go with
541
00:24:28.380 --> 00:24:31.920
the home side here in Lebanon. Lebanon?
542
00:24:32.750 --> 00:24:34.049
That's the home side, yeah.
543
00:24:34.089 --> 00:24:37.390
Can you believe that Lebanon are $ 1. 03 against France? What's
544
00:24:37.410 --> 00:24:38.490
happened to French Rugby League?
545
00:24:38.589 --> 00:24:41.250
Yeah, I don't know who's in this. I know we
546
00:24:41.289 --> 00:24:42.930
went through this last week. We don't know any of
547
00:24:42.970 --> 00:24:44.930
the players. I don't know where they found them from.
548
00:24:45.390 --> 00:24:48.940
They're probably just baristas and stuff in France somewhere. Who
549
00:24:48.980 --> 00:24:52.640
knows how good they are. But Lebanon, I think, should
550
00:24:52.680 --> 00:24:53.859
win this one well as well.
551
00:24:54.259 --> 00:24:56.240
All right, and then we finish up with the game
552
00:24:56.279 --> 00:24:58.240
I think everyone is actually excited for, and that is
553
00:24:58.319 --> 00:25:02.299
Tonga up against Samoa, 8.05pm, Conbank Stadium on Sunday night.
554
00:25:02.519 --> 00:25:05.740
Yeah, this is a real toss-of-the-coin game, I think. Both
555
00:25:05.779 --> 00:25:08.660
teams have won their two games to start the World Cup.
556
00:25:11.400 --> 00:25:11.890
I don't know.
557
00:25:11.950 --> 00:25:12.950
I mean, I'm probably.
558
00:25:14.549 --> 00:25:17.049
I'm more of a fan of Samoa, just because there's
559
00:25:17.069 --> 00:25:19.130
more of a Penrith flavour in it. Obviously, Paul Adamotti
560
00:25:19.150 --> 00:25:22.839
playing for Tonga. That's kind of cool. But Samoa, we've
561
00:25:22.859 --> 00:25:25.380
just got too many ex-Penrith and current Penrith players in
562
00:25:25.420 --> 00:25:27.559
that team. So I'm going to personally go for Samoa.
563
00:25:27.819 --> 00:25:32.150
I think Samoa will get it done. But yeah, it
564
00:25:32.190 --> 00:25:34.509
is a toss of the coin job for sure. Like Tonga...
565
00:25:34.900 --> 00:25:37.140
They're also very, very strong and have been in this
566
00:25:37.180 --> 00:25:39.720
World Cup. But it doesn't really matter who wins this one, right?
567
00:25:39.880 --> 00:25:43.160
Can they still both qualify? Tonga's already qualified. Is that right?
568
00:25:43.400 --> 00:25:45.279
I believe so, yeah. I'm going to be honest with you.
569
00:25:45.289 --> 00:25:45.869
I don't have a clue.
570
00:25:45.910 --> 00:25:48.750
I think Tonga's already qualified for the semis. Samoa haven't.
571
00:25:48.769 --> 00:25:50.170
So Samoa kind of need to win.
572
00:25:50.190 --> 00:25:50.269
Yeah.
573
00:25:50.769 --> 00:25:54.809
I mean, if anyone is actually following the pools.
574
00:25:55.230 --> 00:25:57.980
The pools are just ridiculous anyway. How there's a combined
575
00:25:58.039 --> 00:26:00.859
pool of B and C and then there's a pool A,
576
00:26:00.900 --> 00:26:03.279
then it's very silly. Let's go Samoa.
577
00:26:03.650 --> 00:26:08.450
Well, yeah, Samoa is on top of pool BC at
578
00:26:08.470 --> 00:26:08.890
the moment.
579
00:26:09.509 --> 00:26:10.450
Samoa is or Tonga?
580
00:26:10.470 --> 00:26:10.849
Samoa.
581
00:26:11.410 --> 00:26:12.190
Where's Tonga sitting?
582
00:26:12.210 --> 00:26:14.069
Second. Oh, really?
583
00:26:14.109 --> 00:26:14.609
Okay.
584
00:26:16.369 --> 00:26:18.589
Yeah. Anyway, the top two teams are going to go through.
585
00:26:18.630 --> 00:26:20.009
That's going to be Samoa and Tonga at the end
586
00:26:20.029 --> 00:26:20.309
of the day.
587
00:26:21.190 --> 00:26:23.059
There is a chance for England to go through.
588
00:26:24.430 --> 00:26:24.779
Yeah.
589
00:26:24.970 --> 00:26:26.000
There's a path for England.
590
00:26:26.019 --> 00:26:29.440
There's a path for England, yes. All right, let's have
591
00:26:29.460 --> 00:26:30.400
a look at the women's, Nathan.
592
00:26:30.579 --> 00:26:31.339
Ah, yes.
593
00:26:31.460 --> 00:26:35.589
We'll get through those. Friday 30th of October, 5.45pm, England
594
00:26:35.630 --> 00:26:37.970
up against Samoa at Wollongong Wynn Stadium.
595
00:26:39.069 --> 00:26:40.769
Sorry, I'm just trying to refresh the app here.
596
00:26:42.029 --> 00:26:42.769
Get the latest news?
597
00:26:43.250 --> 00:26:46.589
Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course. England, Samoa, look. It's actually,
598
00:26:46.690 --> 00:26:47.609
I'm surprised by this.
599
00:26:47.690 --> 00:26:48.150
No, I'm not.
600
00:26:48.230 --> 00:26:51.240
Because England have been going not really great in the
601
00:26:51.279 --> 00:26:54.460
Women's World Cup. They got thrashed by the Gillaroos the
602
00:26:54.480 --> 00:26:56.539
other day. They're so bad, England.
603
00:26:56.720 --> 00:26:57.599
Yeah, they're terrible.
604
00:26:57.700 --> 00:27:00.180
Aren't they? I think Gilleroo's beat them last year 90
605
00:27:00.180 --> 00:27:01.460
by 90 points as well.
606
00:27:01.500 --> 00:27:01.839
In Vegas.
607
00:27:01.880 --> 00:27:03.559
Yeah, in Vegas. Were you up that game?
608
00:27:03.819 --> 00:27:07.099
It was actually enjoyable to watch because you just get
609
00:27:07.140 --> 00:27:09.059
to see try after try. But yeah, it's ridiculous.
610
00:27:09.099 --> 00:27:10.660
I know, but it's a bit of a mockery of
611
00:27:10.700 --> 00:27:13.220
the whole thing, isn't it? Samoa for me, they've got
612
00:27:13.240 --> 00:27:15.660
some real out-and-out superstars in that team. A lot of
613
00:27:15.680 --> 00:27:17.700
them play NRLW, so go Samoa.
614
00:27:18.029 --> 00:27:20.670
All right, Saturday, Fiji and France on the Gold Coast.
615
00:27:20.990 --> 00:27:23.450
Yeah, look, I think the French women's rugby league team
616
00:27:23.470 --> 00:27:26.250
is just as bad as the men's one. So Fiji,
617
00:27:26.269 --> 00:27:28.809
for me, will romp at home.
618
00:27:28.809 --> 00:27:31.730
5.45 at Gold Coast. New Zealand versus Papua New Guinea.
619
00:27:31.759 --> 00:27:34.460
Yeah, Kiwi Ferns will be too strong for Papua New Guinea.
620
00:27:34.500 --> 00:27:36.779
I doubt Papua New Guinea will even score a try.
621
00:27:37.059 --> 00:27:40.460
And then Sunday afternoon at Combank Stadium. It's part of
622
00:27:40.500 --> 00:27:42.400
a triple header, actually. So the two men's games. And
623
00:27:42.420 --> 00:27:44.309
then this one's on before it. It's the Gillaroos up
624
00:27:44.349 --> 00:27:45.349
against Wales.
625
00:27:45.430 --> 00:27:48.069
Yeah, this could be probably the most lopsided... betting odds
626
00:27:48.089 --> 00:27:51.609
I've ever seen, $ 67 for Wales to upset the Gillaroos.
627
00:27:52.029 --> 00:27:55.559
I think this game could actually see Australia crack the century.
628
00:27:56.099 --> 00:27:56.400
Okay.
629
00:27:56.900 --> 00:27:58.420
We haven't had it yet in the World Cup. We've
630
00:27:58.440 --> 00:28:00.819
gotten close. The teams have gotten 80, 90 points, but
631
00:28:00.880 --> 00:28:02.700
this could be the... I think they could get the 100.
632
00:28:02.680 --> 00:28:04.289
All right. If they really want to.
633
00:28:04.289 --> 00:28:04.710
100 nil.
634
00:28:06.900 --> 00:28:08.799
104-0. Yeah, something like that.
635
00:28:09.059 --> 00:28:11.950
Or another wheelchair World Cup kicks off this weekend, which
636
00:28:12.009 --> 00:28:14.069
is exciting. A bit of a.
637
00:28:14.049 --> 00:28:16.369
Delayed start for the wheelchair teams.
638
00:28:16.410 --> 00:28:17.890
Yeah, but they're good to go. And there's a few
639
00:28:17.930 --> 00:28:19.710
teams in there that aren't actually in the men's and
640
00:28:19.730 --> 00:28:22.900
women's World Cup. There is actually. So Friday, a one
641
00:28:22.940 --> 00:28:26.079
o'clock start on Friday at the Wynn Entertainment Centre in
642
00:28:26.119 --> 00:28:30.349
Wollongong for Ireland up against the USA. So that should
643
00:28:30.369 --> 00:28:32.390
be a beauty. All on seven.
644
00:28:32.630 --> 00:28:34.430
Very difficult because there are actually no betting odds for
645
00:28:34.450 --> 00:28:37.720
the wheelchair game, unfortunately. So I don't know who's favourite here.
646
00:28:38.299 --> 00:28:41.619
Let's put our minds to this. Ireland or USA? Well, USA,
647
00:28:41.660 --> 00:28:45.289
more people. So they've got more people to choose players from,
648
00:28:45.490 --> 00:28:48.089
you know, compared to Ireland, very small nation. So USA
649
00:28:48.130 --> 00:28:49.470
will beat the Irish.
650
00:28:49.690 --> 00:28:53.529
Okay. Now, same venue, straight afterwards, actually, 330. It's a doubleheader.
651
00:28:54.190 --> 00:28:55.230
England take on Wales.
652
00:28:55.630 --> 00:28:56.210
Yeah.
653
00:28:56.230 --> 00:28:58.210
Do you think the wheelchair English team is better than
654
00:28:58.259 --> 00:29:00.380
the men's and the women's?
655
00:29:00.500 --> 00:29:03.160
I think England will be good in this one. They've
656
00:29:03.180 --> 00:29:08.039
got quite a strong wheelchair team from what I know
657
00:29:08.059 --> 00:29:11.730
because they've played before. in other test matches and things
658
00:29:11.769 --> 00:29:13.730
like that. So England, for me, will beat Wales.
659
00:29:14.109 --> 00:29:17.019
All right. Saturday, 3 o'clock p.m. Also at Wynn Entertainment
660
00:29:17.039 --> 00:29:19.579
Center in Wollongong. All these games are in Wollongong. France
661
00:29:19.619 --> 00:29:20.440
up against Scotland.
662
00:29:20.599 --> 00:29:22.859
Well, France have just had a shocking World Cup from
663
00:29:23.019 --> 00:29:25.240
women to men. Send them home on a boat. I
664
00:29:25.339 --> 00:29:27.799
think the wheelchairs are going to be just as bad.
665
00:29:28.180 --> 00:29:30.650
Let's go our friends from Scotland, the Scottish.
666
00:29:30.650 --> 00:29:32.769
All right. Then the big one, Saturday at 5 30
667
00:29:32.769 --> 00:29:37.880
the australian wheelaroos up against the wheel kiwis um so
668
00:29:37.960 --> 00:29:39.400
australia new zealand.
669
00:29:39.519 --> 00:29:41.579
Yeah i'll give it to the home team here the
670
00:29:41.859 --> 00:29:44.869
australian team uh i think that will be too good
671
00:29:44.890 --> 00:29:46.990
for the what they call the wheel.
672
00:29:46.650 --> 00:29:50.130
Kiwis kiwis and we got the wheelaroos.
673
00:29:49.750 --> 00:29:53.210
Wheelaroos wheelaroos for me all right well there is nathan's
674
00:29:53.230 --> 00:29:56.220
tips You can follow them every single week and you'll
675
00:29:56.240 --> 00:29:57.650
be backing a winner, getting like a $ 1.
676
00:29:57.519 --> 00:30:00.970
01 back on most of those teams as we take
677
00:30:01.089 --> 00:30:06.329
a quick break. All right. Now, Nathan, of course, Ivan Cleary,
678
00:30:06.349 --> 00:30:09.039
we're going to talk a lot about his final year
679
00:30:09.059 --> 00:30:12.900
next year. But one thing we've forgotten about, of course,
680
00:30:12.960 --> 00:30:16.589
is that Ivan is not... Apparently, riding off into the sunset,
681
00:30:16.630 --> 00:30:19.930
apparently he is entering his new leadership role at Panthers
682
00:30:19.950 --> 00:30:23.230
from 2028. Now, I have in the past been sceptical
683
00:30:23.269 --> 00:30:26.289
about that. I actually don't believe that's even going to happen.
684
00:30:26.690 --> 00:30:30.029
There you go. But let's pretend it is. Let's pretend
685
00:30:30.089 --> 00:30:33.670
that Ivan Cleary remains linked with the Panthers in 2028
686
00:30:33.670 --> 00:30:36.549
in some sort of employment. What do you think this
687
00:30:36.630 --> 00:30:42.390
role should be? And... And, you know, it's an important
688
00:30:42.430 --> 00:30:44.710
question because you don't want him to be too involved
689
00:30:44.750 --> 00:30:46.549
in the day-to-day because Peter Wallace needs to make his
690
00:30:46.630 --> 00:30:49.450
own mark as our new coach. So what role do
691
00:30:49.470 --> 00:30:50.349
you want Ivan to have?
692
00:30:51.349 --> 00:30:52.829
Yeah, it's a good question. Is this going to be
693
00:30:52.869 --> 00:30:54.529
a paid role, do you think?
694
00:30:54.609 --> 00:30:56.529
Look, it has to be. He's not just going to
695
00:30:56.759 --> 00:30:59.680
volunteer unless he's just cooking a barbecue at training. He's
696
00:30:59.720 --> 00:31:01.240
not going to volunteer. He's going to be in a
697
00:31:01.359 --> 00:31:01.880
leadership role.
698
00:31:01.900 --> 00:31:05.069
Well, Ivan's always said he wants to, obviously, he wants to,
699
00:31:05.490 --> 00:31:08.009
leave coaching because he wants to free up his schedule.
700
00:31:08.049 --> 00:31:10.390
He wants to be able to travel with his wife.
701
00:31:10.450 --> 00:31:12.900
He wants to just more of a relaxing sort of
702
00:31:13.539 --> 00:31:15.799
life from here on in, at least for the near future.
703
00:31:15.859 --> 00:31:19.079
So I can't imagine him doing anything too strenuous, like
704
00:31:19.119 --> 00:31:21.619
being a CEO, like replacing Matt Cameron or anything like that,
705
00:31:21.640 --> 00:31:24.049
because that seems like a bloody full-time job to me.
706
00:31:24.769 --> 00:31:26.910
You're not doing much traveling doing that. I can't see
707
00:31:26.930 --> 00:31:29.589
him doing coaching director. We don't really have a coaching director.
708
00:31:29.609 --> 00:31:30.250
We never really have.
709
00:31:30.349 --> 00:31:32.980
And that's such a BS role.
710
00:31:33.039 --> 00:31:34.079
That seems like a fake role.
711
00:31:34.119 --> 00:31:34.259
Yeah.
712
00:31:34.500 --> 00:31:36.599
What are you, is he going to oversee Peter Wallace?
713
00:31:36.619 --> 00:31:36.700
Yeah.
714
00:31:37.579 --> 00:31:38.700
Peter Walsh is going to like that.
715
00:31:38.839 --> 00:31:40.099
No, we don't need that.
716
00:31:40.319 --> 00:31:41.859
That's why I think it's going to be more of
717
00:31:42.400 --> 00:31:45.980
an ambassador-type role, where if you need to convince a
718
00:31:46.019 --> 00:31:48.940
player to stay at the club or to re-sign or
719
00:31:49.220 --> 00:31:52.519
bring someone in, you bring Ivan Cleary in as your
720
00:31:52.539 --> 00:31:54.640
sort of trump card. Yes, he might get some sort
721
00:31:54.680 --> 00:31:58.720
of fee. I don't know what. But, I mean, unless
722
00:31:58.740 --> 00:32:02.049
you're getting a full-time role, he doesn't want that. Otherwise,
723
00:32:02.069 --> 00:32:02.869
he'd be coaching still.
724
00:32:03.329 --> 00:32:05.970
And look, I think that, in reality, Panthers just said this,
725
00:32:06.029 --> 00:32:07.549
and so did I, but it almost softened the blow
726
00:32:07.569 --> 00:32:09.230
of him going. I don't think I've thought about it
727
00:32:09.250 --> 00:32:09.589
at all.
728
00:32:09.690 --> 00:32:12.319
And the risk of him going elsewhere as well, like
729
00:32:12.339 --> 00:32:13.299
signing with another club.
730
00:32:13.579 --> 00:32:16.059
I see a path, and I've noted it before, but
731
00:32:16.420 --> 00:32:18.160
I see a path, and that path to me is...
732
00:32:18.529 --> 00:32:21.329
There is a board election in 2028. If Ivan Cleary
733
00:32:21.369 --> 00:32:23.309
was to go for the board in 2028, he will
734
00:32:23.369 --> 00:32:27.619
romp it in without any question. Absolutely. And I see
735
00:32:27.640 --> 00:32:29.720
that as a great role. It keeps him connected, but
736
00:32:29.759 --> 00:32:31.720
it's not like he needs to be at Panthers every day.
737
00:32:31.740 --> 00:32:34.579
He can do all his travel and whatnot and turn
738
00:32:34.599 --> 00:32:36.200
up for the board meetings. I'm sure he can zoom
739
00:32:36.240 --> 00:32:38.740
into some of them if he was on the, you know, France.
740
00:32:38.799 --> 00:32:41.640
It's very similar to what the Brawl Brandy has and has.
741
00:32:41.380 --> 00:32:46.079
Had for 20 years. Absolutely. And Brandy manages to, continue
742
00:32:46.099 --> 00:32:49.140
all his other commitments in radio and TV and all
743
00:32:49.160 --> 00:32:50.980
of that while being on the board, plays a bit
744
00:32:51.019 --> 00:32:54.220
of golf. So, yeah, I actually think that's the path
745
00:32:54.319 --> 00:32:56.750
because I think that, to me, it just seems it's
746
00:32:56.769 --> 00:32:58.690
going to be too clunky to give him a role
747
00:32:58.730 --> 00:33:01.049
within the football department after you've been the head coach.
748
00:33:01.230 --> 00:33:01.509
Yeah.
749
00:33:01.829 --> 00:33:04.130
Like, it's almost like Nathan Meese saying, you know what,
750
00:33:04.170 --> 00:33:07.059
I've had enough of being the GM, editor, whatever title
751
00:33:07.079 --> 00:33:09.200
I have today here at The Weekender, so I'm going
752
00:33:09.220 --> 00:33:11.160
to sit back a bit and I'm just going to
753
00:33:12.009 --> 00:33:15.730
I'm going to dabble around and write the country music column,
754
00:33:16.769 --> 00:33:19.289
write a little bit, write for the websites, you know,
755
00:33:19.309 --> 00:33:20.170
but I'll still be here.
756
00:33:20.410 --> 00:33:20.650
Yeah.
757
00:33:20.970 --> 00:33:22.970
Now, imagine that new person who comes in. Maybe you've
758
00:33:22.990 --> 00:33:25.690
moved into the GM role and I'm just floating around.
759
00:33:25.730 --> 00:33:26.569
Yeah, you're still here.
760
00:33:26.609 --> 00:33:27.910
You know, like it doesn't work.
761
00:33:27.970 --> 00:33:30.609
You wouldn't feel that you have complete control. No, that's true.
762
00:33:30.910 --> 00:33:34.299
So, no, I think that the board is a legitimate path.
763
00:33:34.720 --> 00:33:36.920
But is that a leadership role, though?
764
00:33:37.480 --> 00:33:40.390
Well, yeah. I mean, when you're the board, you're... You're
765
00:33:40.430 --> 00:33:41.420
holding all the strings.
766
00:33:41.619 --> 00:33:42.640
So is Ivan going.
767
00:33:42.740 --> 00:33:45.880
You become Matt Cameron's boss.
768
00:33:46.240 --> 00:33:48.299
You would become Matt Cameron. But can you see Ivan having,
769
00:33:48.319 --> 00:33:49.700
and we're going to talk about this later, having a
770
00:33:49.759 --> 00:33:52.640
say in the league's club, running of the league's club,
771
00:33:52.720 --> 00:33:54.619
and those sort of duties and things like that?
772
00:33:54.640 --> 00:33:56.529
He will. I mean, Brandy does, right?
773
00:33:57.180 --> 00:33:58.130
I guess Brandy does.
774
00:33:58.309 --> 00:34:00.130
And there is going to be shake up and change
775
00:34:00.150 --> 00:34:02.789
at the board. I don't believe that Peter Graham will
776
00:34:02.809 --> 00:34:06.349
contest again. I know he hasn't announced that, but... Peter's
777
00:34:06.369 --> 00:34:08.449
obviously getting a bit older as well, so I don't
778
00:34:08.469 --> 00:34:11.130
know if he wants to go around for two more years. Yeah.
779
00:34:11.150 --> 00:34:12.510
There's a lot of talk about the board. I mean,
780
00:34:12.530 --> 00:34:14.530
there always is, but there's a lot of talk about
781
00:34:14.989 --> 00:34:17.389
a bit of a youth contingent having a crack at
782
00:34:17.409 --> 00:34:19.710
the board as well, so who knows what's going to
783
00:34:19.730 --> 00:34:22.030
happen there. But look, I just think that when we
784
00:34:22.070 --> 00:34:24.170
talk about Ivan's role, apparently they've just got to be
785
00:34:24.210 --> 00:34:26.869
very careful and not put him in a role that
786
00:34:27.230 --> 00:34:29.070
destabilises things for Peter Wallace.
787
00:34:29.889 --> 00:34:32.340
Yeah, and when will that role start? As you said,
788
00:34:32.360 --> 00:34:34.460
will it start in 2028 as soon as he goes?
789
00:34:34.480 --> 00:34:34.619
Yeah.
790
00:34:35.519 --> 00:34:37.280
Will he let him travel for a bit? And then
791
00:34:37.619 --> 00:34:40.849
once he comes back, he figures what he wants to do.
792
00:34:40.869 --> 00:34:43.190
I still wouldn't rule him out from coaching.
793
00:34:43.550 --> 00:34:50.909
No. Somewhere. And potentially at a representative level, for sure. Yeah.
794
00:34:51.170 --> 00:34:54.659
And he might coach the Hawaiian team. Or the New
795
00:34:54.679 --> 00:34:56.519
Christchurch team. He'll be able to do a lot of travel.
796
00:34:56.900 --> 00:35:00.719
He'll be able to go Cook Islands, Samoa, Auckland.
797
00:35:01.019 --> 00:35:03.579
And he's still very young. He's still in his mid-50s
798
00:35:03.639 --> 00:35:07.250
or whatever. There's no reason... He can't do that at
799
00:35:07.349 --> 00:35:09.510
some point and backflip. Would you be pissed off if
800
00:35:09.550 --> 00:35:10.159
he backflipped?
801
00:35:10.219 --> 00:35:12.260
No, I don't like it. He's done enough for us.
802
00:35:12.360 --> 00:35:13.320
I don't think that's fine.
803
00:35:13.340 --> 00:35:15.960
So if they sack Trent Robinson, he signs with the
804
00:35:15.980 --> 00:35:17.639
Roosters and brings Nathan along with him.
805
00:35:17.679 --> 00:35:20.239
All good? Well, maybe not if he brings Nathan along
806
00:35:20.260 --> 00:35:23.860
with him, but he can do what he wants. All right, look,
807
00:35:23.880 --> 00:35:28.010
moving on. Look, the Panthers Leagues Club, Nathan, we all love.
808
00:35:28.460 --> 00:35:31.260
panthers i'm yet to resign i think i've only got
809
00:35:31.320 --> 00:35:31.900
four days.
810
00:35:31.780 --> 00:35:35.199
You do october 31 is the cutoff.
811
00:35:34.840 --> 00:35:36.900
You're in trouble yeah i'm gonna sign a new deal
812
00:35:36.920 --> 00:35:40.559
they haven't rang me to you know um in fact
813
00:35:40.599 --> 00:35:42.539
i will say this i haven't received anything so they
814
00:35:42.579 --> 00:35:44.360
don't tell you just no you just know that it's
815
00:35:44.400 --> 00:35:45.460
october do you like.
816
00:35:45.360 --> 00:35:47.199
Oh you haven't said anything it's time to resign no.
817
00:35:47.400 --> 00:35:50.320
Well like um my driver's license i feel like they
818
00:35:50.500 --> 00:35:52.579
used to do that well they used to get snail
819
00:35:52.599 --> 00:35:54.699
mail yeah i'm not saying snail mail but maybe an
820
00:35:54.719 --> 00:35:57.559
email Or a text? Might have unsubscribed.
821
00:35:57.780 --> 00:35:59.449
Yeah, this probably dates back to that.
822
00:36:00.510 --> 00:36:02.730
Anyway, the Leagues Club, we all know and love it.
823
00:36:02.809 --> 00:36:04.929
But one thing I was thinking about the other day
824
00:36:05.289 --> 00:36:07.449
is that it's been quite a while now since we
825
00:36:07.469 --> 00:36:10.349
had that massive refurbishment of the Leagues Club. And almost
826
00:36:10.389 --> 00:36:13.480
impossible to think now that the entrance was completely at
827
00:36:13.519 --> 00:36:14.199
a different spot.
828
00:36:14.239 --> 00:36:14.480
Yeah.
829
00:36:15.440 --> 00:36:17.559
We had restaurants you could access from when you walk in,
830
00:36:17.599 --> 00:36:20.500
the old Panerottis and things like that. It's been a
831
00:36:20.500 --> 00:36:24.199
long time since we've done that. And... One thing I've
832
00:36:24.239 --> 00:36:27.429
learned about club land is that you can become dated
833
00:36:27.489 --> 00:36:30.590
very quickly. Other clubs can, you know, what you've got
834
00:36:30.650 --> 00:36:33.530
a state of the art today is almost dated in,
835
00:36:33.849 --> 00:36:36.170
you know, a year or two's time. So I was wondering,
836
00:36:36.210 --> 00:36:38.630
where do you think Panthers Leagues Club sits at the moment?
837
00:36:38.670 --> 00:36:40.969
Do we need change in Panthers Leagues Club? Should Andrew
838
00:36:41.010 --> 00:36:43.030
Hill be on a redevelopment plan?
839
00:36:43.659 --> 00:36:46.869
Yeah, well, maybe. I mean, obviously, Andrew Hill just took
840
00:36:46.929 --> 00:36:48.989
over the job, what, this time last year, I think
841
00:36:49.010 --> 00:36:51.969
it was, that he finally got the role of the
842
00:36:51.989 --> 00:36:54.860
big boss of the Panthers group. But look, I think
843
00:36:54.889 --> 00:36:59.619
it is a bit, it's not somewhere I visit anymore regularly.
844
00:37:00.039 --> 00:37:02.639
So in saying that, back when I was younger, growing up,
845
00:37:03.400 --> 00:37:05.500
You know, Pampers was the place to go for a
846
00:37:05.539 --> 00:37:08.289
night out with the friends or for a birthday party
847
00:37:08.329 --> 00:37:11.829
with people or a gathering. You would go there, my
848
00:37:11.869 --> 00:37:13.900
wife and I would go there a lot for dinner
849
00:37:14.260 --> 00:37:16.760
at a restaurant, like when Panerotti's was open, for instance.
850
00:37:16.820 --> 00:37:17.619
Go there regularly or.
851
00:37:19.800 --> 00:37:23.250
But I feel like in recent years, I've stopped going there,
852
00:37:23.349 --> 00:37:25.809
maybe because there are lots of options around Penrith. As
853
00:37:25.849 --> 00:37:27.610
we know, there's plenty of places where you can have
854
00:37:27.670 --> 00:37:30.349
a function or be entertained or have a drink or
855
00:37:30.409 --> 00:37:33.550
something or grab a meal. Where back in the day,
856
00:37:33.639 --> 00:37:36.099
Panthers was the place to go, wasn't it? It was
857
00:37:36.119 --> 00:37:39.340
the only place to go. Now there's so many options.
858
00:37:39.400 --> 00:37:42.099
So I think that if Panthers are going to attract
859
00:37:42.659 --> 00:37:47.199
young people or people our age, Troy, that you know,
860
00:37:47.219 --> 00:37:49.500
have some money and, you know, like to eat out,
861
00:37:49.539 --> 00:37:52.329
then they might need to come up with some different
862
00:37:52.389 --> 00:37:56.070
restaurant options and cycle through, like, go through your list
863
00:37:56.130 --> 00:37:58.230
and say, okay, these are our top two performing. We'll
864
00:37:58.269 --> 00:38:00.590
keep you guys on board. Maybe that'd be Osso. And
865
00:38:00.610 --> 00:38:02.610
I don't know, we'll just have the second one would
866
00:38:02.630 --> 00:38:05.550
be the, probably the Italian restaurant, right? Italian kitchen.
867
00:38:05.570 --> 00:38:07.980
I mean, it's no Panerotti's, the mobster pizza. How good
868
00:38:08.019 --> 00:38:09.699
was that? No. But, you know, it's a nice place.
869
00:38:09.820 --> 00:38:13.599
But it's, yeah, it's a nice place. It's a franchise thing.
870
00:38:13.619 --> 00:38:16.719
There are other Italian street kitchens around. So, It's got
871
00:38:16.760 --> 00:38:19.360
a bit of a name behind it. So, do you
872
00:38:20.099 --> 00:38:22.380
find a new place to go upstairs? You were mentioning
873
00:38:22.420 --> 00:38:24.840
before that a lot of people don't know that there's
874
00:38:24.880 --> 00:38:28.650
a fully fledged restaurant upstairs. It's still Asian, right?
875
00:38:28.690 --> 00:38:32.150
Yeah, yeah, yeah. I went up there once because they
876
00:38:32.170 --> 00:38:33.849
had a buffet concept and I thought, oh, I'm having
877
00:38:33.869 --> 00:38:35.289
the buffet. Then they just sat me down at the
878
00:38:35.349 --> 00:38:37.739
table and I ordered on a lunch menu.
879
00:38:37.949 --> 00:38:39.940
So, you don't know. That's a little bit confusing.
880
00:38:40.159 --> 00:38:40.340
Yeah.
881
00:38:41.010 --> 00:38:44.360
CJ's Crab Shack, I think I've eaten there once. I
882
00:38:44.380 --> 00:38:45.920
know a lot of people do like it. It's a
883
00:38:45.920 --> 00:38:47.579
bit of a favourite amongst locals.
884
00:38:47.760 --> 00:38:50.059
And there's Kelly's, which, of course, underwent its little refurbishment.
885
00:38:50.079 --> 00:38:50.960
It's like you're eating in the forest.
886
00:38:51.059 --> 00:38:52.760
Kelly's is probably the one that I probably eat at
887
00:38:52.800 --> 00:38:55.849
the most. We tend to go there for small birthdays
888
00:38:56.090 --> 00:38:58.550
with some extended family and things like that because it's
889
00:38:58.570 --> 00:39:00.409
got options for everyone. So if I'm going to eat
890
00:39:00.750 --> 00:39:02.530
at Panthers, it's probably going to be Kelly's.
891
00:39:02.929 --> 00:39:03.090
Yeah.
892
00:39:03.889 --> 00:39:06.519
And then we have downstairs, we have the Brisket Boys, which...
893
00:39:07.389 --> 00:39:10.010
We were speaking with someone involved with Bristol Boys recently,
894
00:39:10.030 --> 00:39:12.500
and that doesn't open every day anymore either. That's a
895
00:39:12.559 --> 00:39:15.159
very open when they want to open.
896
00:39:14.980 --> 00:39:17.460
Sort of situation. Yeah, when there's events and things like that.
897
00:39:17.500 --> 00:39:20.139
There are other places, don't forget Zen Noodle Bar.
898
00:39:20.280 --> 00:39:21.480
Zen Noodle Bar is popular.
899
00:39:21.639 --> 00:39:23.179
Tang Hot Pot is the one that's upstairs.
900
00:39:23.260 --> 00:39:25.829
Tang Hot Pot. You could have asked me to name
901
00:39:25.849 --> 00:39:27.170
that place. I would never have gotten it.
902
00:39:27.190 --> 00:39:28.860
And then Harry's Cafe, of course, outside.
903
00:39:28.949 --> 00:39:29.469
Outside.
904
00:39:30.079 --> 00:39:33.380
But look, I think, here's my view on Panthers. And Alexander's,
905
00:39:33.400 --> 00:39:35.780
of course, is probably the newest thing at Panthers.
906
00:39:35.800 --> 00:39:38.480
I think people are a bit unsure about Alexander's still.
907
00:39:38.500 --> 00:39:39.360
I'm not sure what it is.
908
00:39:40.070 --> 00:39:43.010
Well, I will say this, and this is absolutely no
909
00:39:43.070 --> 00:39:46.360
offence to the great staff at Panthers, but a couple
910
00:39:46.380 --> 00:39:47.639
of times I've been there, and I'm a bit of
911
00:39:47.659 --> 00:39:49.300
a cocktail guy. I love a cocktail.
912
00:39:49.320 --> 00:39:50.590
You're a cocktail connoisseur.
913
00:39:50.630 --> 00:39:53.550
You know, I was at a lovely restaurant in Brisbane
914
00:39:53.570 --> 00:39:59.210
last weekend. Like, You can make a bad cocktail. And unfortunately,
915
00:39:59.250 --> 00:40:01.489
sometimes at Panthers, I feel like they're good at making
916
00:40:01.530 --> 00:40:05.050
a bad cocktail. So it's not the place you go like,
917
00:40:05.110 --> 00:40:07.809
oh yeah, I'm going to somewhere there for that. And
918
00:40:07.849 --> 00:40:10.190
so therefore, I don't know why you go there. But look,
919
00:40:10.650 --> 00:40:13.030
here's my take on Panthers leagues. I'm probably going to
920
00:40:13.050 --> 00:40:14.699
get myself in more trouble with Panthers.
921
00:40:14.719 --> 00:40:17.500
They might not want you to resign in like four days.
922
00:40:17.800 --> 00:40:20.000
I think Panthers is great. Like I'd spend all day
923
00:40:20.019 --> 00:40:22.079
and night there. Like love it. Love it to bits,
924
00:40:22.219 --> 00:40:24.780
but in terms of when I see some other clubs
925
00:40:24.840 --> 00:40:27.360
and the incredible stuff that happened at West HQ, Rudy
926
00:40:27.739 --> 00:40:30.980
Hill RSL, and Canterbury Leagues Club, I think it's undergone
927
00:40:31.000 --> 00:40:34.730
a bit of an upgrade. I think that there's some
928
00:40:34.789 --> 00:40:37.969
wasted opportunity at Panthers. I'm going to go through a
929
00:40:37.989 --> 00:40:39.389
five-point plan. There you go.
930
00:40:39.889 --> 00:40:40.570
Yeah, let's hear it.
931
00:40:40.630 --> 00:40:44.599
Point number one, I think the sports bar... for me,
932
00:40:44.699 --> 00:40:48.989
has never, ever, ever reached its potential to be, I reckon,
933
00:40:49.389 --> 00:40:52.550
should be the greatest sports bar in Western Sydney. Like,
934
00:40:52.849 --> 00:40:55.630
it absolutely should knock it out of the park. You've
935
00:40:55.650 --> 00:40:59.469
got all that room down there, but it almost feels
936
00:40:59.530 --> 00:41:01.619
like someone's just set up their projector at home and
937
00:41:02.079 --> 00:41:05.159
you've just rocked up and you don't know if sometimes
938
00:41:05.579 --> 00:41:07.179
the right, like, it would feel like that they need
939
00:41:07.219 --> 00:41:09.420
someone who sits there and is the programmer, you know,
940
00:41:09.440 --> 00:41:11.159
and is like, here's what we're showing, we're showing it live.
941
00:41:11.559 --> 00:41:13.699
Sometimes it might be a late night sport from overseas,
942
00:41:13.719 --> 00:41:17.989
but they're playing some bands playing so that the sound's down. Like,
943
00:41:18.090 --> 00:41:19.769
I don't know. I just feel like I could do
944
00:41:19.829 --> 00:41:24.289
so much better with downstairs and turning it into a
945
00:41:24.550 --> 00:41:26.570
real proper leading sports bar.
946
00:41:26.590 --> 00:41:28.670
Because when I go to sports bars, the one I
947
00:41:28.750 --> 00:41:30.309
tend to go to the most is the one at
948
00:41:30.329 --> 00:41:32.349
the casino in the city, Troy, the Star.
949
00:41:32.469 --> 00:41:32.809
Yeah, yeah.
950
00:41:33.050 --> 00:41:35.090
It's like a stadium kind of concept. It's a huge,
951
00:41:35.110 --> 00:41:37.309
it's a massive room. You've got a big stadium. Then
952
00:41:37.329 --> 00:41:39.300
they'll have a stage where they might have some entertainment
953
00:41:39.320 --> 00:41:41.690
like they might have. you know i saw mitch kitty
954
00:41:41.789 --> 00:41:43.550
and brian fletcher there earlier this year like they actually
955
00:41:43.570 --> 00:41:46.449
have things that entice you to go to that part
956
00:41:46.489 --> 00:41:49.110
of the casino and then they have like a food
957
00:41:49.170 --> 00:41:51.710
area as well where there's like a little place we
958
00:41:51.730 --> 00:41:53.969
can get hot chips or whatever like there's you know
959
00:41:53.989 --> 00:41:56.340
chicken or it's like there's actually food that can be
960
00:41:56.380 --> 00:41:59.320
brought to you so it's actually you need something that's
961
00:41:59.739 --> 00:42:01.760
that's going to keep you down there and and keep
962
00:42:01.780 --> 00:42:05.730
you in that area so i've never felt the need
963
00:42:05.750 --> 00:42:07.409
to want to go to Panthers and watch a game
964
00:42:07.429 --> 00:42:07.929
of football.
965
00:42:07.989 --> 00:42:10.280
I will say this. I'm not that guy either. Like
966
00:42:10.360 --> 00:42:12.480
I'm not someone, doesn't matter how good the place is.
967
00:42:12.579 --> 00:42:14.519
I don't want to go somewhere and watch the game.
968
00:42:14.780 --> 00:42:16.300
I do want to watch it at home, but I
969
00:42:16.340 --> 00:42:18.699
just say from a, from a general point of view,
970
00:42:18.719 --> 00:42:20.840
I don't look at Panthers and go, that's a great
971
00:42:20.889 --> 00:42:23.329
sports bar. You know, that's automatically in my head. That's
972
00:42:23.369 --> 00:42:26.550
a great sports bar. So that's, that's number one for them.
973
00:42:26.989 --> 00:42:30.429
Number two, we mentioned it, the whole upstairs scenario, like,
974
00:42:30.889 --> 00:42:32.030
I don't know what you can do, like get a
975
00:42:32.050 --> 00:42:33.989
builder in and figure out what you can knock down
976
00:42:34.050 --> 00:42:36.440
and not, but I feel like when you walk into
977
00:42:36.480 --> 00:42:39.650
that reception area, you need to be able to see upstairs.
978
00:42:39.889 --> 00:42:43.260
Because at the moment, you take this single escalator, so
979
00:42:43.280 --> 00:42:44.400
you go into an airport lounge or something.
980
00:42:44.440 --> 00:42:46.079
Yeah, literally it's a single escalator.
981
00:42:46.199 --> 00:42:48.579
And it's a single escalator up, and you end up
982
00:42:48.619 --> 00:42:50.420
at this Tang Hot Pot, or I think the kids
983
00:42:50.820 --> 00:42:54.320
play space. Lollipops. Lollipops. Yeah. But you could be going,
984
00:42:54.340 --> 00:42:55.480
I mean, it looks like you could be going up
985
00:42:55.500 --> 00:42:57.320
to Evan, for all we know, right? You don't know
986
00:42:57.340 --> 00:42:59.500
where you're going. And then if you actually went up
987
00:42:59.539 --> 00:43:00.940
there and looked around a bit, there's a lot of
988
00:43:01.300 --> 00:43:05.630
dead space. So I think just a... it doesn't matter
989
00:43:05.650 --> 00:43:07.170
what you put up there though. You've got to somehow,
990
00:43:07.230 --> 00:43:08.889
I don't know, knock out wall, whatever you're going to do,
991
00:43:08.929 --> 00:43:10.010
but you've got to be able to see it. You've
992
00:43:10.030 --> 00:43:11.469
got to be able to, as you walk into that club,
993
00:43:11.489 --> 00:43:14.849
you look up and you see clear glass and you
994
00:43:14.889 --> 00:43:16.050
see something happening upstairs.
995
00:43:16.489 --> 00:43:20.199
Yeah. You'd be pretty disappointed if that's where your restaurant was.
996
00:43:20.340 --> 00:43:23.320
Like you, you'd almost think like, I'm in Panthers, man.
997
00:43:23.340 --> 00:43:25.500
Like this is going to be pumping with people. I'm
998
00:43:25.519 --> 00:43:27.719
going to have so much opportunity to get customers in,
999
00:43:27.760 --> 00:43:30.559
but being up there, you're right. It's just so, it's hidden.
1000
00:43:30.699 --> 00:43:31.739
It's completely hidden.
1001
00:43:31.800 --> 00:43:34.719
And there's, unless you're a kid going to lollipops you
1002
00:43:34.739 --> 00:43:37.320
wouldn't know it's up there yeah there's no reason for
1003
00:43:37.360 --> 00:43:39.360
me to go up there because there's no they don't
1004
00:43:39.380 --> 00:43:41.239
have any kids to take to lollipop so i wouldn't
1005
00:43:41.280 --> 00:43:43.659
even know that tang hot pot was next door no
1006
00:43:43.840 --> 00:43:45.139
so why are you going up there.
1007
00:43:45.099 --> 00:43:49.820
No and number three function rooms so those old function
1008
00:43:49.860 --> 00:43:52.469
rooms the ron murlock room rooms like that they've been
1009
00:43:52.489 --> 00:43:55.429
there a long time untouched yeah and i know we've
1010
00:43:55.449 --> 00:43:58.340
got the conference center across the road but Penrith RSL
1011
00:43:58.380 --> 00:43:59.800
has just redone their function area.
1012
00:43:59.820 --> 00:44:02.300
I'm about to experience that for the Penrith EMUs Awards
1013
00:44:02.340 --> 00:44:02.679
next week.
1014
00:44:02.699 --> 00:44:06.639
Oh, excellent. It's a great facility. So I think we
1015
00:44:06.679 --> 00:44:11.159
need a change there. You know, do a full refurb there,
1016
00:44:11.539 --> 00:44:13.739
whatever we need to do. But, you know, it just
1017
00:44:13.760 --> 00:44:14.699
needs something a bit fresher.
1018
00:44:14.739 --> 00:44:16.579
Well, I went to a function there the other day,
1019
00:44:16.760 --> 00:44:19.559
and I remembered it when I went to a Toys
1020
00:44:19.599 --> 00:44:22.159
R Us Christmas party there 20 years earlier. I'm like, yeah,
1021
00:44:22.199 --> 00:44:24.699
everything's in the exact same spot. Like, that's how long
1022
00:44:24.719 --> 00:44:25.639
those function rooms have been.
1023
00:44:26.400 --> 00:44:30.150
They might argue that, well, it still works, and I
1024
00:44:30.170 --> 00:44:31.849
know they put a lot of effort in across the road,
1025
00:44:31.929 --> 00:44:34.630
but I just think that that needs it. Number four
1026
00:44:34.670 --> 00:44:36.530
for me is, yeah, the restaurant offerings. I just think
1027
00:44:36.550 --> 00:44:39.369
we need to just take a step back and figure out, well,
1028
00:44:39.969 --> 00:44:44.449
what do we want? And bars as well. So there's
1029
00:44:44.469 --> 00:44:47.820
been times when I've come back sometimes late at night.
1030
00:44:47.840 --> 00:44:50.659
It was a Thursday night. The Panthers played the Bulldogs
1031
00:44:50.719 --> 00:44:53.880
earlier this year. It was our first loss of the season. And...
1032
00:44:54.929 --> 00:44:56.530
So we would have got back at what? On a
1033
00:44:56.570 --> 00:45:00.789
Thursday night, 10.30, 11 o'clock. And basically, unless you were
1034
00:45:00.809 --> 00:45:02.309
playing a poker machine, there was no bar open.
1035
00:45:02.369 --> 00:45:03.269
There was nothing open.
1036
00:45:03.349 --> 00:45:05.880
And I just feel like, come on, you're a... You're
1037
00:45:05.909 --> 00:45:09.380
basically a 24-hour club. What can we do there about
1038
00:45:09.400 --> 00:45:11.420
the bars and restaurants and things like that?
1039
00:45:12.000 --> 00:45:15.159
I'd like to see some of the bars maybe themed. Yeah, absolutely.
1040
00:45:15.239 --> 00:45:16.639
I know they've got Dom's up there, but I think
1041
00:45:16.840 --> 00:45:18.280
Dom's might be a bit tired as well.
1042
00:45:18.300 --> 00:45:20.000
Well, I can't believe at Dom's. You go into the
1043
00:45:20.019 --> 00:45:22.989
bathroom and they've still got the mannequins. Yeah. Wow, that
1044
00:45:23.010 --> 00:45:25.389
was controversial 20 years ago. There were stories on that.
1045
00:45:25.409 --> 00:45:26.130
We've still got them.
1046
00:45:26.670 --> 00:45:29.010
Yeah, I just feel that concept was so cool at
1047
00:45:29.030 --> 00:45:31.750
the time, but I think now maybe we need to
1048
00:45:31.929 --> 00:45:34.429
think of a new concept for it. to go into Dom's.
1049
00:45:34.530 --> 00:45:35.800
A country bar would be cool.
1050
00:45:35.929 --> 00:45:36.489
Excellent, yeah.
1051
00:45:36.969 --> 00:45:38.349
I'm not into country, but I think that would be
1052
00:45:38.389 --> 00:45:42.090
really something different, something unique, like some cool different cocktails
1053
00:45:42.289 --> 00:45:45.469
or whiskey offerings, and then you've got the country music
1054
00:45:45.510 --> 00:45:47.010
or something different.
1055
00:45:47.030 --> 00:45:49.650
Yeah, I think from a bar perspective, right at the moment,
1056
00:45:50.210 --> 00:45:51.690
like Panthers have got all these different bars that are
1057
00:45:51.710 --> 00:45:52.309
basically the same.
1058
00:45:52.329 --> 00:45:53.150
They're the same, yeah.
1059
00:45:53.170 --> 00:45:56.199
So I think a refreshed cocktail bar, like, okay, what's
1060
00:45:56.219 --> 00:45:59.079
your cocktail bar? Is it Alexander's or is it Dom's? Like,
1061
00:45:59.239 --> 00:46:02.519
choose one, right? So... We're having one cocktail bar, then
1062
00:46:02.539 --> 00:46:04.619
we're having, as you say, maybe a quiet whiskey kind
1063
00:46:04.659 --> 00:46:06.639
of bar. And then, yeah, maybe you do have a
1064
00:46:06.679 --> 00:46:07.920
bar where you go, you know what, this is going
1065
00:46:07.940 --> 00:46:09.539
to change every three or four years, but we're going
1066
00:46:09.559 --> 00:46:10.860
to go on trends and we're going to make it
1067
00:46:10.880 --> 00:46:13.059
a country music bar at the moment. And sometimes you
1068
00:46:13.079 --> 00:46:15.179
need these, like West HQ's done really well with this,
1069
00:46:15.219 --> 00:46:17.599
where they kind of like, it feels like you're not
1070
00:46:17.739 --> 00:46:18.579
a real RSL.
1071
00:46:18.739 --> 00:46:18.920
Yeah.
1072
00:46:18.940 --> 00:46:22.030
You know, like you could feel like you're... I'm going
1073
00:46:22.050 --> 00:46:24.929
to this country bar... Happens to be in Panthers... You know... So...
1074
00:46:25.369 --> 00:46:28.440
And then just yeah... Rethinking some of the... The general bars...
1075
00:46:28.219 --> 00:46:32.550
And restaurant offerings... Like... You know... I feel like... You know,
1076
00:46:32.670 --> 00:46:35.679
and this is, you know, maybe they're all doing well. But, like, also, great.
1077
00:46:35.780 --> 00:46:36.780
You know, no dramas there.
1078
00:46:36.800 --> 00:46:39.360
And look at their placement. Right in the foyer.
1079
00:46:39.420 --> 00:46:42.300
But, like, the Italian one, it just doesn't really scream
1080
00:46:42.320 --> 00:46:44.199
out to me. And the CJ's Crab Shack, like, I
1081
00:46:44.420 --> 00:46:45.429
would never even think of it.
1082
00:46:45.739 --> 00:46:45.900
No.
1083
00:46:47.300 --> 00:46:49.989
But also, it's also what you planned. Like, I mean,
1084
00:46:50.090 --> 00:46:52.550
should we have a five-star seafood? Penrith doesn't really have
1085
00:46:52.590 --> 00:46:56.210
this five-star seafood restaurant. Maybe that's, you know, where that
1086
00:46:56.230 --> 00:46:56.530
should be.
1087
00:46:56.889 --> 00:46:59.469
Yeah, we should be attracting. This is Penrith. This is
1088
00:46:59.530 --> 00:47:02.190
like Western Sydney. We're the heart of Western Sydney. We've
1089
00:47:02.269 --> 00:47:05.289
got an airport now. We've got big major hotels. We
1090
00:47:05.309 --> 00:47:10.239
should be attracting big restaurant operators to come and put
1091
00:47:10.539 --> 00:47:12.860
a restaurant here. I mean, I'm not sure if you
1092
00:47:12.880 --> 00:47:15.380
follow the Sydney Morning Herald Good Food Guide, Troy, but
1093
00:47:15.400 --> 00:47:17.920
they released it yesterday. And there's only one restaurant in
1094
00:47:17.940 --> 00:47:20.079
Penrith that made the list. It was Sinclair's.
1095
00:47:20.519 --> 00:47:21.840
Yeah, okay.
1096
00:47:21.860 --> 00:47:25.010
That was it. They won a hat, and they have
1097
00:47:25.030 --> 00:47:25.619
been hatted.
1098
00:47:25.429 --> 00:47:26.630
For a while. Chicken Man just missed out, apparently.
1099
00:47:26.650 --> 00:47:28.829
Chicken Man just missed out. But we should be able
1100
00:47:28.849 --> 00:47:30.230
to attract more than just one restaurant.
1101
00:47:30.250 --> 00:47:30.730
Of course we should.
1102
00:47:31.269 --> 00:47:34.349
And Panthers would be the perfect place to have something
1103
00:47:34.610 --> 00:47:35.269
high class.
1104
00:47:35.349 --> 00:47:39.610
Yeah. And I think also, for me, number five, and
1105
00:47:39.659 --> 00:47:42.179
I speak, I guess, this from the family perspective. We
1106
00:47:42.199 --> 00:47:45.920
know Panthers is a big family area. That backyard area,
1107
00:47:46.360 --> 00:47:48.820
I think it's great, but it actually has the potential
1108
00:47:48.880 --> 00:47:52.019
to make it the best family playground in Western Sydney.
1109
00:47:52.099 --> 00:47:54.099
If we're the best club, why don't you go, you
1110
00:47:54.119 --> 00:47:56.860
know what? We're going to make the best family playground
1111
00:47:57.019 --> 00:47:59.090
in Western Sydney. And I know we're getting away from
1112
00:47:59.119 --> 00:48:01.329
rugby league here, but I look at somewhere like, say,
1113
00:48:01.369 --> 00:48:03.969
the Orchard, for example, right? It hasn't gone as well
1114
00:48:04.010 --> 00:48:06.190
as you would have hoped. And I look at who
1115
00:48:06.210 --> 00:48:08.429
they're trying to attract, families, whatever, and I look at
1116
00:48:08.449 --> 00:48:11.909
that playground, and I'm like, there's just parts of it
1117
00:48:11.929 --> 00:48:15.690
that I'm like, what kid wants to... come back here
1118
00:48:15.829 --> 00:48:20.179
right where you create sort of this mega playground like
1119
00:48:20.199 --> 00:48:22.519
i'm talking mega let's not just put in four swings
1120
00:48:22.559 --> 00:48:23.900
and a couple of slippery dips and give it a
1121
00:48:23.920 --> 00:48:25.420
green tick like let's make it like.
1122
00:48:25.380 --> 00:48:27.800
Water park or something bit of water water area water
1123
00:48:27.860 --> 00:48:30.969
play apparently that's always problematic the council one seemed to
1124
00:48:30.989 --> 00:48:33.349
always be off for.
1125
00:48:32.489 --> 00:48:37.280
Maintenance but um you know just just go epic, go
1126
00:48:37.360 --> 00:48:40.000
nuts and make it as if, okay, because what Pantus
1127
00:48:40.019 --> 00:48:41.820
has the potential of there, which is somewhere like the
1128
00:48:41.920 --> 00:48:44.440
Orchard and a lot of places, pubs sometimes don't have,
1129
00:48:44.760 --> 00:48:46.699
is that it's all enclosed there, right? So you can
1130
00:48:46.760 --> 00:48:50.010
actually sit at the bar or wherever and let your
1131
00:48:50.030 --> 00:48:52.670
kids go off if they're responsible enough, off they go.
1132
00:48:52.690 --> 00:48:55.929
And you know that they're going to be within those confines.
1133
00:48:55.949 --> 00:48:59.130
So they have that advantage already. So let's, you know,
1134
00:48:59.190 --> 00:49:01.510
take advantage of it, make it a massive playground. And
1135
00:49:01.530 --> 00:49:02.909
I think all, you know what, none of this is,
1136
00:49:02.929 --> 00:49:04.929
I'm not saying it's cheap, but all of this is
1137
00:49:04.949 --> 00:49:06.699
basically just sitting down in a room and going, okay,
1138
00:49:06.739 --> 00:49:07.699
we want to be the best at this.
1139
00:49:08.019 --> 00:49:08.159
Yeah.
1140
00:49:08.179 --> 00:49:09.880
How much is it going to cost? Yeah. So there
1141
00:49:09.900 --> 00:49:11.039
you go, a five-point plan.
1142
00:49:11.280 --> 00:49:14.300
And you're right, it hasn't been, since that major renovation,
1143
00:49:14.300 --> 00:49:16.610
what it was 15, 20 years ago, we we haven't
1144
00:49:16.760 --> 00:49:20.199
had a big panthers renovation something really big and new
1145
00:49:20.260 --> 00:49:22.340
and shiny that's come to the actual club itself yeah
1146
00:49:22.380 --> 00:49:24.239
we've got the hotel across the road we've got the
1147
00:49:24.460 --> 00:49:27.860
the i-fly but something inside those those walls there we
1148
00:49:27.880 --> 00:49:29.760
haven't seen what about entertainment just a quick one do
1149
00:49:29.800 --> 00:49:33.409
you think in terms of entertainment um are we happy
1150
00:49:33.469 --> 00:49:36.880
with The backyard concept, how they run concerts there, the
1151
00:49:36.980 --> 00:49:39.059
Evan Theatre situation.
1152
00:49:39.079 --> 00:49:40.099
Well, I don't know if I'm going to say I'm
1153
00:49:40.280 --> 00:49:42.699
happy with it because I would say at the moment,
1154
00:49:43.119 --> 00:49:45.559
West HQ... They're getting the bigger names. They've had Keith
1155
00:49:45.599 --> 00:49:49.590
Urban there. And they've invested, obviously, in a... A big theatre.
1156
00:49:49.610 --> 00:49:52.010
Australian Idol is filmed there.
1157
00:49:52.050 --> 00:49:54.590
But, yeah, they're winning that war. So if that's a war,
1158
00:49:54.650 --> 00:49:55.909
I don't know if it's a war. It'd have to
1159
00:49:55.989 --> 00:49:56.409
be a war.
1160
00:49:56.429 --> 00:49:57.610
You'd have to be threatened if you were there.
1161
00:49:57.630 --> 00:49:59.449
You want your big artists, right? Because your big artists...
1162
00:49:59.860 --> 00:50:01.769
get people in to get people into the club um
1163
00:50:01.789 --> 00:50:03.289
so yeah maybe i need to put a number six
1164
00:50:03.309 --> 00:50:05.730
there the evan theater also why is it called the
1165
00:50:05.769 --> 00:50:07.849
evan theater is that after someone.
1166
00:50:07.690 --> 00:50:10.070
Well we don't know i mean we presume so i mean.
1167
00:50:10.010 --> 00:50:11.929
There must be some sort of connection i don't know
1168
00:50:11.949 --> 00:50:14.300
what i'm missing here i'm gonna sound stupid when i
1169
00:50:14.340 --> 00:50:16.380
try and think of what the evan connection is because
1170
00:50:16.800 --> 00:50:18.860
uh one of our houses at jameson high school used
1171
00:50:18.880 --> 00:50:21.579
to be called evan too oh really so.
1172
00:50:21.440 --> 00:50:23.840
And then you got evan evan evan street.
1173
00:50:23.579 --> 00:50:26.079
Evan street yeah yeah yeah so we'll try and find
1174
00:50:26.099 --> 00:50:30.170
out um The famous Evan in Penrith.
1175
00:50:31.110 --> 00:50:32.570
We should know that as a local paper.
1176
00:50:32.670 --> 00:50:35.889
We used to have a section, you know, what's in
1177
00:50:35.949 --> 00:50:38.309
a street name, remember? We did. It had all the
1178
00:50:38.349 --> 00:50:42.190
history about that. Yeah. So we could have done that.
1179
00:50:42.469 --> 00:50:46.659
Who is Penrith Evan Street named after? Well, it's actually named, Nathan,
1180
00:50:46.739 --> 00:50:48.219
and here you go. This is why we can't dump
1181
00:50:48.239 --> 00:50:50.579
the Evan Theatre. It's named after Sir Evan the Peon.
1182
00:50:51.230 --> 00:50:54.889
who was born in 1751, died in 1822. He was
1183
00:50:55.090 --> 00:50:58.349
the British Under-Secretary of State for the Home Department, who
1184
00:50:58.369 --> 00:51:04.840
helped organise the First Fleet, so sent him over. And, yeah,
1185
00:51:05.019 --> 00:51:07.920
he was involved in the Nepean River naming. The area
1186
00:51:07.960 --> 00:51:11.099
of Penrith, historically known as the Ebon District, before the
1187
00:51:11.139 --> 00:51:14.719
town name took over. Ebon Street sits in the historic
1188
00:51:14.780 --> 00:51:18.539
core of Penrith. near early landmarks like the old St.
1189
00:51:18.579 --> 00:51:22.289
Joseph's Convent and St. Nicholas site. So there is relevance,
1190
00:51:22.369 --> 00:51:24.329
but I don't know if we need the Evan Theatre.
1191
00:51:24.889 --> 00:51:27.260
I actually think Sir Evan the Pian... We'll be all
1192
00:51:27.300 --> 00:51:28.940
right with it. It's a couple of hundred years now.
1193
00:51:28.960 --> 00:51:31.059
And he's got an Epean River named after him, which
1194
00:51:31.079 --> 00:51:31.940
will never change.
1195
00:51:32.000 --> 00:51:32.320
He does.
1196
00:51:32.340 --> 00:51:34.489
That's pretty good. Do you need the Evin Theatre also
1197
00:51:34.530 --> 00:51:35.130
named after you?
1198
00:51:35.150 --> 00:51:35.429
No, no.
1199
00:51:35.449 --> 00:51:36.730
You've got the river on, I think you need the
1200
00:51:36.769 --> 00:51:37.909
Evin Theatre named after you.
1201
00:51:38.090 --> 00:51:41.010
You could come up with a really cool name, you know?
1202
00:51:41.030 --> 00:51:44.809
Yeah, yeah. And as you said, themed bars, named bars.
1203
00:51:44.849 --> 00:51:45.090
Yeah.
1204
00:51:45.590 --> 00:51:47.360
You know, like if we lean into Rugby League, we
1205
00:51:47.380 --> 00:51:50.539
have the Roy Simmons Bar and the Brandy Bar. The
1206
00:51:50.559 --> 00:51:51.719
Whiskey Bar, we'd probably call it.
1207
00:51:51.739 --> 00:51:52.519
It would be perfect.
1208
00:51:53.159 --> 00:51:55.380
And yeah, let's really lean into it. And of course,
1209
00:51:55.400 --> 00:51:57.599
the one thing we've forgotten... We need room for the
1210
00:51:57.639 --> 00:52:00.059
new Pandas Museum. Yes. If we can get that. Yes.
1211
00:52:00.260 --> 00:52:02.179
And there's plenty of space, as we know.
1212
00:52:02.219 --> 00:52:02.360
Yeah.
1213
00:52:03.019 --> 00:52:05.139
But I just think at some point we are going to,
1214
00:52:05.219 --> 00:52:07.570
and look, this is a serious side of this as well,
1215
00:52:07.610 --> 00:52:11.409
because revenue from gaming machines, from a generational point of view,
1216
00:52:11.429 --> 00:52:14.670
is not going to be there like it was in
1217
00:52:14.690 --> 00:52:16.550
the years gone by. So clubs need to be making
1218
00:52:16.570 --> 00:52:19.420
money off, you know, in different ways. So we need
1219
00:52:19.440 --> 00:52:21.519
to be getting people in there and not going somewhere else.
1220
00:52:21.760 --> 00:52:25.260
And you'd imagine that they'd be having round table meetings about,
1221
00:52:26.159 --> 00:52:27.420
The future of the Leagues Club?
1222
00:52:27.460 --> 00:52:30.019
Of course. I mean, there is, but I have a feeling,
1223
00:52:30.079 --> 00:52:32.429
and this is, you know, anyone at Pantless can correct me,
1224
00:52:32.440 --> 00:52:35.000
that there's probably been a lot of focus on the
1225
00:52:35.039 --> 00:52:37.559
things surrounding the core Leagues Club. I know that they've
1226
00:52:37.599 --> 00:52:40.139
got constant dramas about the back and the lake and
1227
00:52:40.539 --> 00:52:43.480
flooding and trying to get something happening there. Obviously, they've
1228
00:52:43.500 --> 00:52:47.500
built ESQ. A lot of those fast food restaurants at
1229
00:52:47.519 --> 00:52:49.530
the front come off lease in five or ten years.
1230
00:52:49.550 --> 00:52:51.889
I'm sure they're thinking about that. Obviously, they've got Five
1231
00:52:51.909 --> 00:52:56.150
Guys in. There's a lot of development happening around... The
1232
00:52:56.170 --> 00:52:58.250
main club that I wonder if sometimes they've just kind
1233
00:52:58.289 --> 00:53:00.929
of forgotten a little bit about. Yeah, you're right.
1234
00:53:00.969 --> 00:53:03.329
So there are going to be more food offerings and
1235
00:53:03.389 --> 00:53:06.429
retail offerings once a lot of that construction's.
1236
00:53:05.929 --> 00:53:07.309
Finished, right? Yeah, as long as all that sort of
1237
00:53:07.329 --> 00:53:07.889
stuff happens.
1238
00:53:07.929 --> 00:53:10.050
Again, that's going to take more people away from inside
1239
00:53:10.070 --> 00:53:10.369
the club.
1240
00:53:10.389 --> 00:53:10.710
Yeah, definitely.
1241
00:53:10.730 --> 00:53:12.190
Because you might want to go to a restaurant out
1242
00:53:12.230 --> 00:53:12.949
there instead.
1243
00:53:13.030 --> 00:53:13.289
Yeah.
1244
00:53:13.630 --> 00:53:15.210
And look, I think it would be better if pandas
1245
00:53:15.230 --> 00:53:17.050
could somehow find a way where all of that felt
1246
00:53:17.090 --> 00:53:19.489
like it was under one roof. You know, right now,
1247
00:53:19.510 --> 00:53:23.750
I don't consider... that Outback Steakhouse is at Panthers.
1248
00:53:23.889 --> 00:53:24.510
Yeah, no.
1249
00:53:24.530 --> 00:53:26.489
Which happens to be in the car park at Panthers.
1250
00:53:27.210 --> 00:53:27.409
Yeah.
1251
00:53:27.929 --> 00:53:30.110
Whereas, you know, if it was somehow part of the precinct,
1252
00:53:30.130 --> 00:53:31.829
I don't know, you could figure out a way. But
1253
00:53:31.849 --> 00:53:33.889
I don't know. I think we could do better. I
1254
00:53:33.909 --> 00:53:36.210
think we could do better. And sort of apologies to
1255
00:53:36.230 --> 00:53:38.230
Sir Evan for not remembering.
1256
00:53:38.250 --> 00:53:40.510
Yeah, I hope his family's not listening this afternoon.
1257
00:53:40.530 --> 00:53:45.599
No, if anyone remembers him from 200 years ago. All right, well, Nathan,
1258
00:53:45.619 --> 00:53:48.920
that's it. That's our second last episode of the year.
1259
00:53:49.260 --> 00:53:52.260
As it works out, we've got our 100th episode next week.
1260
00:53:52.409 --> 00:53:53.130
Very exciting.
1261
00:53:53.230 --> 00:53:54.929
Be out on Wednesday. We're going to reflect on the
1262
00:53:54.949 --> 00:53:57.130
year that was, look forward to what's in, and also
1263
00:53:57.150 --> 00:54:00.690
we may be revealing our brand new intro song next week.
1264
00:54:01.369 --> 00:54:01.730
Really?
1265
00:54:01.750 --> 00:54:02.449
So stand by.
1266
00:54:02.469 --> 00:54:03.929
We've had someone specially.
1267
00:54:03.949 --> 00:54:05.969
Stand by. Jane Scarley may be in the studio. I
1268
00:54:05.989 --> 00:54:08.480
don't know. Who could it be? Rodney O.
1269
00:54:09.349 --> 00:54:09.909
Who knows?
1270
00:54:09.949 --> 00:54:10.570
That's exciting.
1271
00:54:10.590 --> 00:54:11.630
I didn't even know this was happening.
1272
00:54:11.849 --> 00:54:14.119
Yeah, so stand by for that one. But that is
1273
00:54:14.219 --> 00:54:16.349
it for Tensions Running High this week. New episodes out
1274
00:54:16.429 --> 00:54:19.969
every Wednesday. Visit westernweekender.com.au. Follow us on all the socials
1275
00:54:20.010 --> 00:54:23.150
and check out our print edition out every Thursday. Also,
1276
00:54:23.190 --> 00:54:25.650
download the Western Weekender app on Google Play and the
1277
00:54:25.750 --> 00:54:29.670
Apple App Store. Check out panthersnews.com.au as well, which is
1278
00:54:29.710 --> 00:54:32.500
our new Panthers website. I'm Troy Dodds. Nathan, thanks for
1279
00:54:32.519 --> 00:54:32.800
joining me.
1280
00:54:32.820 --> 00:54:33.300
Thanks, Troy.
1281
00:54:33.360 --> 00:54:35.639
And a very big thanks, too, to Penrith City Automotive.
1282
00:54:36.039 --> 00:54:39.400
Always a fantastic sponsor. We love Garth and the team
1283
00:54:39.519 --> 00:54:42.219
at Penrith City Automotive, so make sure you... You go
1284
00:54:42.260 --> 00:54:44.489
in there and buy a new car or get yours fixed.
1285
00:54:45.090 --> 00:54:46.230
Like you might need to.
1286
00:54:46.250 --> 00:54:49.150
If they do smash repairs there. We'll see you next
1287
00:54:49.170 --> 00:54:50.679
time on Tentage Running High. Go the Panthers.