00:00:10
S1: Hi everyone. Welcome to our Monday edition of Mark My Words. Just Piggy and Levy today milligrams still making his way back from Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. I've actually missed MGMG. We miss you. We love you, we.
00:00:21
S2: Miss you m g.
00:00:21
S1: Please return. Hello, pig.
00:00:23
S2: Hey, Levi.
00:00:24
S1: Um, great weekend of footy. We're getting closer to finals footy. Can you smell it? Sorry about that.
00:00:30
S2: Yeah. Um, you're a grub story time.
00:00:35
S1: You're gonna have to, uh, you're gonna have to really step up today because people are interested in yours and m g stories, but no m g today. So I'm going to lean on you here. Uh, the opponent I genuinely hated on the field, but absolutely loved off it. And what was the most hostile or intimidating away crowd you ever played in front of?
00:00:54
S2: Well, the first one I'm going to answer the first one. All right. I've got a couple here, G the opponent. I'm going to generalise that the team mate? When I first came into the NRL in 2001, the Broncos had just won the competition in 2000. If you go back and have a look at the team that they had, it was just ridiculous, like WebKit and seven receiver up front like, um, Gorden Tallis, Tony Carroll, I think Brad Thorn might have still been there then. Um, Wendell Sailor and Lottie Tuqiri were on the on the wings. Darren Lockyer but coming up against that forward pack, that was what I hated. Like I remember that seven receiver and they would just spot me up and they would just run at me all day, day in and day out and just hammer me. And I think I've told I don't know if I've told the story on here before, but I'll tell it. I'd retired. Right. Going off topic a little bit here, I retired and uh, Tim and myself, we ended up playing for a Dragons Legends team years later to raise money. And we went to Warwick, which is where Wayne Bennett's from. So Wayne Bennett must have been coaching the Dragons at the time, and we all went to Warwick to play against Warwick Legends team to raise money for charity and things like that. I came I came out there that day and Shane Webcke was in the Warwick Legends team. Shane. Shane Webcke continued to spot me up the whole game. I was retired and he just kept running at me the whole day and laughing. And I'm like, I'm saying to him like, Webby, for fuck's sake, mate, you did this for ten years. Can you fucking leave me alone? And he was just laughing his head off, running at me, head up after head up and making me make tackles on him. I'm like, mate, I retired for a reason. And anyway, that that that's one of them. But Webby's a great bloke. I don't know him real well, but know him well enough to have a have a joke and play around.
00:02:56
S1: It's funny you say that, because Petero Civoniceva is a really gentle.
00:03:00
S2: Nicest bloke in the world.
00:03:02
S1: But on the field, just, you know.
00:03:04
S2: Petraeus. He's an avid listener of two GB continuous call team. Oh. Is he? Yes, because I've bumped into Petra and as you just said, he's the nicest guy in the world. Great fella. Mate. One of the toughest players I played against. He was such a good player. Um, he's he's told me previously, he's like, oh yeah, I listen to you fellas. We're driving home or whatever from the footy and whatnot. Obviously I think he's up Brisbane way, so be tuning in to four BC up there. But yeah, he, he, uh, he listens to the show, but both of those fellas and Taylor's and all those guys mate, having to tackle them was just an absolute, absolute nightmare.
00:03:38
S1: Did they see you as a weak link in your well, did they?
00:03:40
S2: No. Well, you're always spot up the hookers through the middle, don't you? Because they're usually the smallest, smallest player.
00:03:45
S1: Did they get the better of you, though?
00:03:46
S2: I was an anomaly. I wasn't the smallest player.
00:03:49
S1: I don't know what's more impressive, you saying the word anomaly or you knowing what it means.
00:03:54
S2: There was another game, right? There was another game I played. Like I don't remember many times where I got hurt from tackles. right? Like I just don't either don't remember or it didn't happen or anyway, I was playing in New Zealand one day. I don't even remember what year it was, but I made this run. I can remember distinctly remember the run. And I ran sort of diagonally across field. Might have been from a 20 metre tap or just around that vicinity coming out of trouble, and I ran into one of their centres. I'm pretty sure it was Clinton Toopi mate. I, I felt I felt like I'd been hit by a brick wall. I felt like I ran into a brick wall. That's how hard the hit was. Like, there's never many times where I ran and went, oh shit. Like, jeez, that that got me. I ran into him that day. I'm pretty sure it was Clinton Toopi and he put a shot on me and mate, I'd never felt anything like it, never felt anything like it ever before and never felt like anything ever, ever again. Yeah. And I was rattled. Like, you know, those are not the, you know, the hits, but it rattled my jaw and my jaw was aching. He didn't even hit my jaw. He just hit my body. But it it's that hard. The force rattled my jaw and I just remember, uh, I run and I run at him again. I'll run somewhere else. I might just pass this game and just let the other boys run.
00:05:15
S1: Do you ever get knocked out in your career?
00:05:16
S2: Yeah. Got knocked out millions of times. Yeah, heaps of times.
00:05:21
S1: What was the worst injury you suffered?
00:05:22
S2: Um. I've have I told you this? I've, I told the story on here about how I did my ankle in the I think I have yeah. Told that story. That was a pretty bad one. I had all my ankle ligaments reattached. Um and then just knee, knee issues and my thumb actually my thumb if I did, I'll tell you this story. If I didn't break my thumb, I wouldn't have met my wife Carly. So we were playing the Raiders, I think it was on a Saturday night at Parramatta Stadium. And I don't know how, but my arm sort of went up too high and I got a guy in the head and.
00:05:59
S1: She get sent off?
00:06:00
S2: No, I didn't get sent off, but I broke my thumb.
00:06:03
S1: I don't worry about my head.
00:06:05
S2: I broke my thumb. And anyway, I'm back in the back then and obviously still to this day. I literally was at the X-ray place that night, so I was still in my playing gear. I'm pretty sure got driven, had an X-ray, broken thumb Sunday or Monday, bang straight in for surgery, had a plate and nine screws put in there. Still got it to this day actually. Um, so I couldn't play the next week and our team was playing the Gold Coast up in the gold. So my eyes lit up. I had a weekend off. Probably did what I shouldn't do and I went out. You went to Rosehill races? Yeah. So I went to the races, got a corporate box with a few boys that weren't playing as well, a few friends, and we went and had a day out. And that's where I met my wife, Carly off the back of it. So if I never broke my thumb, if I never hit that bloke in the head, I never would have met my wife.
00:06:58
S1: And you walked up behind her. And what was the pick up line?
00:07:00
S2: What are you backing in this race?
00:07:04
S1: And now you got three beautiful kids.
00:07:05
S2: Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:06
S1: We've been married for.
00:07:07
S2: A long, long time.
00:07:07
S1: She's a wonderful, wonderful woman.
00:07:09
S2: She goes, all right.
00:07:10
S1: She's a ripper. Um, what about intimidating away crowds that you used to play in front of?
00:07:15
S2: Um, I'm just trying to think.
00:07:17
S1: Can I I'll tell you this. Not that anyone cares. Intimidating.
00:07:20
S2: Intimidating, though. No.
00:07:22
S1: Remember when. Remember when referees used to wear the, uh, the jerseys with f a eye on them?
00:07:26
S2: F a black and white with FAI.
00:07:28
S1: I remember I awarded a controversial try at Leichhardt Oval and you know, in that north western corner where you're virtually all the people stand and it's this bloke yelled out, you know what FAI stands for ref and I'll never forget it f an arseholes incorporated and the whole crowd started laughing and I laughed. I turned around and started laughing and the referees boss, he marked me down. He said you shouldn't react to the crowd. I said it was a good line.
00:07:51
S2: Oh please. FAR0, I'm just I like obviously Broncos crowd, Suncorp Stadium. They always got massive crowds. I wouldn't say they're intimidating. Please. I've slotted a goal from 41 out. Win the game. They didn't intimidate me.
00:08:07
S1: Cuz you're humble.
00:08:07
S2: Two two tries. Five goals and and that. So yeah, not too bad. Um nah. I don't know what. Yeah. England. I was actually thinking about England. England. You more get the songs like there were plenty of times you wouldn't believe this, but some of the away crowd sang some songs about me and usually they went like this. You fat bastard, you fat bastard. You ate all the pies.
00:08:36
S1: Are you serious?
00:08:37
S2: Yeah, because we were known in Wigan as the pie Eaters. Oh, that's what Wigan are known as pie eaters over there. And that's what that was.
00:08:44
S1: Was that why you signed with them?
00:08:46
S2: No, no, I didn't even know that when I signed with them. I signed with them for the cash. But anyway, cash for the cash.
00:08:53
S1: Well, there you go. Um, yeah. Like the Barmy Army. They sing songs.
00:08:57
S2: You know what they're like over there? They just sing and sing and sing.
00:09:00
S1: Did you ever, like, react to them? Like, turn around and.
00:09:02
S2: Yeah. Of course. Yeah, yeah. Well, when you're winning. Well, we, we won most of our games. Yeah. Yeah. Bloody oath I did. Yeah, mate. The Leeds crowds were pretty hostile because we had a fair rivalry against them in 2010. They knocked us out of the Challenge Cup final. They beat us on the bell with a try. But then we knocked them out in the preliminary final to get into the grand final at their home ground. So that was very, very satisfying. But those English crowds, they're all on top of you and they just sing their hearts out and they bag the shit out of you non-stop the whole game.
00:09:34
S1: I always love the arrival at Kogarah when you know the players walk in off the bus. Oh yeah. Look, I'm obviously now you get the keyboard cowards that hide behind the anonymous profiles, but did anyone ever come up to you in public or when you were walking in and say, I hate you, blah, blah, blah. Or do they sort of just stand there in silence?
00:09:50
S2: No, no, no, I can't, I don't think so. I don't think there are too many like that. I've got another funny story for you. Right. I probably shouldn't tell this one. This is way off topic. This has got nothing to do with what we're talking about. But it's got to do with people coming up to you. Right On my 21st birthday, which is obviously a long time ago, we all went to Randwick races. Right? And there's a fair few of the Dragons boys there. My brothers were there. It was a big day and I had this pin striped pink shirt on and we were coming out of the we were coming out of the races. We were coming out of the races and someone decided to critique my shirt, a bloke. So anyway, it's on. Oh, his eyes are burning.
00:10:40
S1: Mhm. Your ears must be burning. Flannel. I just was talking about you on a podcast. I can't talk right now.
00:10:47
S3: Oh, I'm just ringing you that the great Phil Rothfield gave you a plug on our podcast today?
00:10:53
S1: What do you mean, your podcast?
00:10:55
S3: Oh, well, I do a show with fucking Rothfield.
00:10:59
S1: Oh, okay. That'll bring the fans back.
00:11:01
S3: Well, it does, it rates very highly. But he gave you a rap about your editorial about the swan stuff.
00:11:08
S1: Oh thank you Sean. Hey, by the way, are you on Disney or something? Like at least you got an audience that speaks the same language, eh?
00:11:15
S3: Yes, it's very funny, Mark. Seriously, you're not even smart. You're funny.
00:11:19
S1: Yeah, well. Bye, Shane.
00:11:23
S3: ESPN. Disney. Clock on.
00:11:25
S1: Did you say clock on? Clock on. You can't even speak. Goodbye anyway. Shane Flanagan on Disney. Sorry.
00:11:33
S2: Back to you. Yeah. No. Um. Yeah. So my 21st. So anyway, walking out of the race has obviously had a skinful and a bloke chipped me about my shirt. Well, it was on stink. No one else. Just me and this bloke and we're on, we're punching on. Then my brother Shane, who's just crazy lunatic. He comes flying in from nowhere. He doesn't knock the guy out of the way or start fighting him. He knocks me out of the way like crash, tackles me out of it, then jumps up and starts going to town on Old Mate. So anyway, we go to, uh, what's the. Don't know the Doncaster down the road. So we go to Donny. Down the road anyway. We're all there drinking. Everything's fine. Um, and a few of the boys started getting phone calls from Weidler and whatnot that something had happened. Anyway. All sorted? Nothing. No dramas. I reckon ten years later, I'm getting a kebab in Wollongong late at night, and the bloke comes up to me and says, do you remember me? And I'm like, nah. He goes, mate, I'm the guy that you punched the shit out of on your 21st birthday. And I went, oh, no way. And he had about four mates there and I was on my pat and I'm like, okay. I went, oh, we all good? He goes, yeah, yeah, nah. I tell all my mates all the time that you punched the shit out of me.
00:12:54
S1: You know what, given the shirt you've described, you probably deserved it.
00:12:57
S2: No, I didn't deserve it, mate. Everyone's entitled to wear whatever they want.
00:13:00
S1: And we don't, uh, we don't, um, we don't encourage you to do that sort of thing. No, it's just, uh, go to the races and get home safely. Have fun. Yeah. What are we doing now? Questions?
00:13:12
S2: Yeah. Let's go to the questions.
00:13:13
S1: Okay. Jimmy, who is your most charismatic or entertaining player in rugby league right now from Jimmy.
00:13:18
S2: Oh, charismatic and entertaining. Reece Walsh fit that bill.
00:13:23
S1: What's the Gold Coast bloke? Um. Titans player. Keanu. Kenny.
00:13:29
S2: Kenny. Yeah, but in terms of charismatic, I see.
00:13:32
S1: He's pretty charismatic, isn't.
00:13:34
S2: He? Yeah. But I just think off the field Reece Walsh just ticks every box there. He'd have to be. And entertaining God. My goodness.
00:13:41
S1: Yep.
00:13:42
S2: I think he he'd be the top of the pile for both of those.
00:13:45
S1: No longer need to Aussie yes.
00:13:47
S2: But he's so polite and nice and that isn't he?
00:13:49
S1: Yeah that's alright. You can be charismatic, entertaining and polite.
00:13:52
S2: I know. Okay.
00:13:53
S1: You'd have to be a lair.
00:13:54
S2: No, I just think Reece Walsh is number one.
00:13:57
S1: Uh, Todd, which position on the field takes the absolute hardest physical beating week in and week out? Well, given what you've said, hooker. Hooker.
00:14:03
S2: No doubt. No doubt in my mind. I don't care if people say I'm biased, mate. When you have to run and get to every ply of the ball. Pass the ball. Make sure it's the correct pass. Make sure it's going the right way. Scan the defense. Then you've got to defend in the middle for six tackles. All right. For the other forwards they can have a carry and a hit up. And then they can just go and stand behind the ruck and wait. Not the hooker. They're going all day all day all day.
00:14:28
S1: Makes you appreciate how durable Cameron Smith was. And even like now Blake Braley.
00:14:32
S2: Blake Braley, Harry Grant, what they get through, mate, the game is that fast these days compared to when we played it. And they're still playing 80 minutes and getting through a mountain of work.
00:14:42
S1: Sammy, what makes a better captain? A vocal player who directs everyone, or a quiet player who leads purely by example?
00:14:48
S2: Yeah, I think a combination of both. Sammy, um, a player that obviously demands respect but leads by example, but also knows, you know, what needs to be said when.
00:15:00
S1: I think the perfect, um, example of that would be like a Boyd Cordner.
00:15:04
S2: Unbelievable. Yeah. Great fella to Boydy. Um, we've seen what he did, uh, for his state and country and his club. Uh, great. Captain legend of a bloke and probably just well described here. Someone that knew when to when to speak but wouldn't, uh, just talk for the sake of it. And led by example every week.
00:15:25
S1: Daisy, uh, what is the very first rugby league match or moment you remember watching as a kid?
00:15:30
S2: Okay, um, I've got a few. I remember sitting in my lounge room watching a VHS tape of the 1986 kangaroo tour, and it was a highlights package of every game, plus the test matches. Right. And I used to sit down and watch it religiously over and over again. I was five at the time, so that was my first VHS. Then there was another VHS that I used to watch religiously, which was, uh, video called The Champions of Rugby League. Right. And what it was, it was a highlights montage of all the best players back in that era and all their, you know, hit ups and tries and goal kicks and that, and it had music backing to it. And I just sit there for hours and just watch every player. They were my two things that I'd watch in terms of grand finals, 88 grand finals. The first one I remember properly, Bulldogs were playing. I was a Bulldogs fan. They played the Tigers. Bulldogs won 24 points to 12. Um, I remember some of the tries and how they were scored. It was the game Terry Lamb took Ellery Hanley out. It was the game. Steve Mortimer came off the bench with his big forearm guard. Uh, Michael Hagan kicked a grubber for a try. I think Glen Nissen scored that one in the corner. I've still got those memories to today that I can go back on. That's my first memories of. Yeah. Wow. Yeah.
00:16:54
S1: Uh. And Blake, who was your footy hero growing up? Did you ever get to meet them in person?
00:16:58
S2: Yes. Terry Lamb and I see him all the time. I love him, I've told him, as I just said, I was a Bulldogs junior and grew up supporting the Bulldogs. So Terry Lamb was my number one. Absolutely loved him. You won't believe this.
00:17:12
S1: To be with.
00:17:12
S2: Him. I have had plenty over the years, but I actually was a five eight growing up. I played six, so I just idolized Terry Lambert and to this day still do. He's an absolute legend.
00:17:25
S1: We had a lot of fun with him in Vegas, didn't we?
00:17:28
S2: Yeah, I can't really remember much. He's probably not the right question for me to ask.
00:17:35
S1: Good point. All right, we've got to go. We do. I think we've done well.
00:17:38
S2: Yep. Will be back next week, hopefully.
00:17:42
S1: Where will he be this week?
00:17:44
S2: What do you.
00:17:44
S1: Mean? Well, he's been in Noosa last week.
00:17:46
S2: Oh, mate.
00:17:47
S1: Where's he going to be?
00:17:47
S2: This bloke. He's forgot his roots.
00:17:51
S1: Well, he's turning over the page as if we've got more to do.
00:17:53
S2: No, I'm turning it over because I'm finito.
00:17:56
S1: Finito, finito. That's it for us. Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for your company. Mark my words. If you've got a question for us, send them through. Subscribe like the podcast and spread the word. Mark my words Mondays and Thursdays, and we'll be back for our Thursday edition later in the week.
S1: Hi everyone. Welcome to our Monday edition of Mark My Words. Just Piggy and Levy today milligrams still making his way back from Noosa on the Sunshine Coast. I've actually missed MGMG. We miss you. We love you, we.
00:00:21
S2: Miss you m g.
00:00:21
S1: Please return. Hello, pig.
00:00:23
S2: Hey, Levi.
00:00:24
S1: Um, great weekend of footy. We're getting closer to finals footy. Can you smell it? Sorry about that.
00:00:30
S2: Yeah. Um, you're a grub story time.
00:00:35
S1: You're gonna have to, uh, you're gonna have to really step up today because people are interested in yours and m g stories, but no m g today. So I'm going to lean on you here. Uh, the opponent I genuinely hated on the field, but absolutely loved off it. And what was the most hostile or intimidating away crowd you ever played in front of?
00:00:54
S2: Well, the first one I'm going to answer the first one. All right. I've got a couple here, G the opponent. I'm going to generalise that the team mate? When I first came into the NRL in 2001, the Broncos had just won the competition in 2000. If you go back and have a look at the team that they had, it was just ridiculous, like WebKit and seven receiver up front like, um, Gorden Tallis, Tony Carroll, I think Brad Thorn might have still been there then. Um, Wendell Sailor and Lottie Tuqiri were on the on the wings. Darren Lockyer but coming up against that forward pack, that was what I hated. Like I remember that seven receiver and they would just spot me up and they would just run at me all day, day in and day out and just hammer me. And I think I've told I don't know if I've told the story on here before, but I'll tell it. I'd retired. Right. Going off topic a little bit here, I retired and uh, Tim and myself, we ended up playing for a Dragons Legends team years later to raise money. And we went to Warwick, which is where Wayne Bennett's from. So Wayne Bennett must have been coaching the Dragons at the time, and we all went to Warwick to play against Warwick Legends team to raise money for charity and things like that. I came I came out there that day and Shane Webcke was in the Warwick Legends team. Shane. Shane Webcke continued to spot me up the whole game. I was retired and he just kept running at me the whole day and laughing. And I'm like, I'm saying to him like, Webby, for fuck's sake, mate, you did this for ten years. Can you fucking leave me alone? And he was just laughing his head off, running at me, head up after head up and making me make tackles on him. I'm like, mate, I retired for a reason. And anyway, that that that's one of them. But Webby's a great bloke. I don't know him real well, but know him well enough to have a have a joke and play around.
00:02:56
S1: It's funny you say that, because Petero Civoniceva is a really gentle.
00:03:00
S2: Nicest bloke in the world.
00:03:02
S1: But on the field, just, you know.
00:03:04
S2: Petraeus. He's an avid listener of two GB continuous call team. Oh. Is he? Yes, because I've bumped into Petra and as you just said, he's the nicest guy in the world. Great fella. Mate. One of the toughest players I played against. He was such a good player. Um, he's he's told me previously, he's like, oh yeah, I listen to you fellas. We're driving home or whatever from the footy and whatnot. Obviously I think he's up Brisbane way, so be tuning in to four BC up there. But yeah, he, he, uh, he listens to the show, but both of those fellas and Taylor's and all those guys mate, having to tackle them was just an absolute, absolute nightmare.
00:03:38
S1: Did they see you as a weak link in your well, did they?
00:03:40
S2: No. Well, you're always spot up the hookers through the middle, don't you? Because they're usually the smallest, smallest player.
00:03:45
S1: Did they get the better of you, though?
00:03:46
S2: I was an anomaly. I wasn't the smallest player.
00:03:49
S1: I don't know what's more impressive, you saying the word anomaly or you knowing what it means.
00:03:54
S2: There was another game, right? There was another game I played. Like I don't remember many times where I got hurt from tackles. right? Like I just don't either don't remember or it didn't happen or anyway, I was playing in New Zealand one day. I don't even remember what year it was, but I made this run. I can remember distinctly remember the run. And I ran sort of diagonally across field. Might have been from a 20 metre tap or just around that vicinity coming out of trouble, and I ran into one of their centres. I'm pretty sure it was Clinton Toopi mate. I, I felt I felt like I'd been hit by a brick wall. I felt like I ran into a brick wall. That's how hard the hit was. Like, there's never many times where I ran and went, oh shit. Like, jeez, that that got me. I ran into him that day. I'm pretty sure it was Clinton Toopi and he put a shot on me and mate, I'd never felt anything like it, never felt anything like it ever before and never felt like anything ever, ever again. Yeah. And I was rattled. Like, you know, those are not the, you know, the hits, but it rattled my jaw and my jaw was aching. He didn't even hit my jaw. He just hit my body. But it it's that hard. The force rattled my jaw and I just remember, uh, I run and I run at him again. I'll run somewhere else. I might just pass this game and just let the other boys run.
00:05:15
S1: Do you ever get knocked out in your career?
00:05:16
S2: Yeah. Got knocked out millions of times. Yeah, heaps of times.
00:05:21
S1: What was the worst injury you suffered?
00:05:22
S2: Um. I've have I told you this? I've, I told the story on here about how I did my ankle in the I think I have yeah. Told that story. That was a pretty bad one. I had all my ankle ligaments reattached. Um and then just knee, knee issues and my thumb actually my thumb if I did, I'll tell you this story. If I didn't break my thumb, I wouldn't have met my wife Carly. So we were playing the Raiders, I think it was on a Saturday night at Parramatta Stadium. And I don't know how, but my arm sort of went up too high and I got a guy in the head and.
00:05:59
S1: She get sent off?
00:06:00
S2: No, I didn't get sent off, but I broke my thumb.
00:06:03
S1: I don't worry about my head.
00:06:05
S2: I broke my thumb. And anyway, I'm back in the back then and obviously still to this day. I literally was at the X-ray place that night, so I was still in my playing gear. I'm pretty sure got driven, had an X-ray, broken thumb Sunday or Monday, bang straight in for surgery, had a plate and nine screws put in there. Still got it to this day actually. Um, so I couldn't play the next week and our team was playing the Gold Coast up in the gold. So my eyes lit up. I had a weekend off. Probably did what I shouldn't do and I went out. You went to Rosehill races? Yeah. So I went to the races, got a corporate box with a few boys that weren't playing as well, a few friends, and we went and had a day out. And that's where I met my wife, Carly off the back of it. So if I never broke my thumb, if I never hit that bloke in the head, I never would have met my wife.
00:06:58
S1: And you walked up behind her. And what was the pick up line?
00:07:00
S2: What are you backing in this race?
00:07:04
S1: And now you got three beautiful kids.
00:07:05
S2: Yeah. Yeah.
00:07:06
S1: We've been married for.
00:07:07
S2: A long, long time.
00:07:07
S1: She's a wonderful, wonderful woman.
00:07:09
S2: She goes, all right.
00:07:10
S1: She's a ripper. Um, what about intimidating away crowds that you used to play in front of?
00:07:15
S2: Um, I'm just trying to think.
00:07:17
S1: Can I I'll tell you this. Not that anyone cares. Intimidating.
00:07:20
S2: Intimidating, though. No.
00:07:22
S1: Remember when. Remember when referees used to wear the, uh, the jerseys with f a eye on them?
00:07:26
S2: F a black and white with FAI.
00:07:28
S1: I remember I awarded a controversial try at Leichhardt Oval and you know, in that north western corner where you're virtually all the people stand and it's this bloke yelled out, you know what FAI stands for ref and I'll never forget it f an arseholes incorporated and the whole crowd started laughing and I laughed. I turned around and started laughing and the referees boss, he marked me down. He said you shouldn't react to the crowd. I said it was a good line.
00:07:51
S2: Oh please. FAR0, I'm just I like obviously Broncos crowd, Suncorp Stadium. They always got massive crowds. I wouldn't say they're intimidating. Please. I've slotted a goal from 41 out. Win the game. They didn't intimidate me.
00:08:07
S1: Cuz you're humble.
00:08:07
S2: Two two tries. Five goals and and that. So yeah, not too bad. Um nah. I don't know what. Yeah. England. I was actually thinking about England. England. You more get the songs like there were plenty of times you wouldn't believe this, but some of the away crowd sang some songs about me and usually they went like this. You fat bastard, you fat bastard. You ate all the pies.
00:08:36
S1: Are you serious?
00:08:37
S2: Yeah, because we were known in Wigan as the pie Eaters. Oh, that's what Wigan are known as pie eaters over there. And that's what that was.
00:08:44
S1: Was that why you signed with them?
00:08:46
S2: No, no, I didn't even know that when I signed with them. I signed with them for the cash. But anyway, cash for the cash.
00:08:53
S1: Well, there you go. Um, yeah. Like the Barmy Army. They sing songs.
00:08:57
S2: You know what they're like over there? They just sing and sing and sing.
00:09:00
S1: Did you ever, like, react to them? Like, turn around and.
00:09:02
S2: Yeah. Of course. Yeah, yeah. Well, when you're winning. Well, we, we won most of our games. Yeah. Yeah. Bloody oath I did. Yeah, mate. The Leeds crowds were pretty hostile because we had a fair rivalry against them in 2010. They knocked us out of the Challenge Cup final. They beat us on the bell with a try. But then we knocked them out in the preliminary final to get into the grand final at their home ground. So that was very, very satisfying. But those English crowds, they're all on top of you and they just sing their hearts out and they bag the shit out of you non-stop the whole game.
00:09:34
S1: I always love the arrival at Kogarah when you know the players walk in off the bus. Oh yeah. Look, I'm obviously now you get the keyboard cowards that hide behind the anonymous profiles, but did anyone ever come up to you in public or when you were walking in and say, I hate you, blah, blah, blah. Or do they sort of just stand there in silence?
00:09:50
S2: No, no, no, I can't, I don't think so. I don't think there are too many like that. I've got another funny story for you. Right. I probably shouldn't tell this one. This is way off topic. This has got nothing to do with what we're talking about. But it's got to do with people coming up to you. Right On my 21st birthday, which is obviously a long time ago, we all went to Randwick races. Right? And there's a fair few of the Dragons boys there. My brothers were there. It was a big day and I had this pin striped pink shirt on and we were coming out of the we were coming out of the races. We were coming out of the races and someone decided to critique my shirt, a bloke. So anyway, it's on. Oh, his eyes are burning.
00:10:40
S1: Mhm. Your ears must be burning. Flannel. I just was talking about you on a podcast. I can't talk right now.
00:10:47
S3: Oh, I'm just ringing you that the great Phil Rothfield gave you a plug on our podcast today?
00:10:53
S1: What do you mean, your podcast?
00:10:55
S3: Oh, well, I do a show with fucking Rothfield.
00:10:59
S1: Oh, okay. That'll bring the fans back.
00:11:01
S3: Well, it does, it rates very highly. But he gave you a rap about your editorial about the swan stuff.
00:11:08
S1: Oh thank you Sean. Hey, by the way, are you on Disney or something? Like at least you got an audience that speaks the same language, eh?
00:11:15
S3: Yes, it's very funny, Mark. Seriously, you're not even smart. You're funny.
00:11:19
S1: Yeah, well. Bye, Shane.
00:11:23
S3: ESPN. Disney. Clock on.
00:11:25
S1: Did you say clock on? Clock on. You can't even speak. Goodbye anyway. Shane Flanagan on Disney. Sorry.
00:11:33
S2: Back to you. Yeah. No. Um. Yeah. So my 21st. So anyway, walking out of the race has obviously had a skinful and a bloke chipped me about my shirt. Well, it was on stink. No one else. Just me and this bloke and we're on, we're punching on. Then my brother Shane, who's just crazy lunatic. He comes flying in from nowhere. He doesn't knock the guy out of the way or start fighting him. He knocks me out of the way like crash, tackles me out of it, then jumps up and starts going to town on Old Mate. So anyway, we go to, uh, what's the. Don't know the Doncaster down the road. So we go to Donny. Down the road anyway. We're all there drinking. Everything's fine. Um, and a few of the boys started getting phone calls from Weidler and whatnot that something had happened. Anyway. All sorted? Nothing. No dramas. I reckon ten years later, I'm getting a kebab in Wollongong late at night, and the bloke comes up to me and says, do you remember me? And I'm like, nah. He goes, mate, I'm the guy that you punched the shit out of on your 21st birthday. And I went, oh, no way. And he had about four mates there and I was on my pat and I'm like, okay. I went, oh, we all good? He goes, yeah, yeah, nah. I tell all my mates all the time that you punched the shit out of me.
00:12:54
S1: You know what, given the shirt you've described, you probably deserved it.
00:12:57
S2: No, I didn't deserve it, mate. Everyone's entitled to wear whatever they want.
00:13:00
S1: And we don't, uh, we don't, um, we don't encourage you to do that sort of thing. No, it's just, uh, go to the races and get home safely. Have fun. Yeah. What are we doing now? Questions?
00:13:12
S2: Yeah. Let's go to the questions.
00:13:13
S1: Okay. Jimmy, who is your most charismatic or entertaining player in rugby league right now from Jimmy.
00:13:18
S2: Oh, charismatic and entertaining. Reece Walsh fit that bill.
00:13:23
S1: What's the Gold Coast bloke? Um. Titans player. Keanu. Kenny.
00:13:29
S2: Kenny. Yeah, but in terms of charismatic, I see.
00:13:32
S1: He's pretty charismatic, isn't.
00:13:34
S2: He? Yeah. But I just think off the field Reece Walsh just ticks every box there. He'd have to be. And entertaining God. My goodness.
00:13:41
S1: Yep.
00:13:42
S2: I think he he'd be the top of the pile for both of those.
00:13:45
S1: No longer need to Aussie yes.
00:13:47
S2: But he's so polite and nice and that isn't he?
00:13:49
S1: Yeah that's alright. You can be charismatic, entertaining and polite.
00:13:52
S2: I know. Okay.
00:13:53
S1: You'd have to be a lair.
00:13:54
S2: No, I just think Reece Walsh is number one.
00:13:57
S1: Uh, Todd, which position on the field takes the absolute hardest physical beating week in and week out? Well, given what you've said, hooker. Hooker.
00:14:03
S2: No doubt. No doubt in my mind. I don't care if people say I'm biased, mate. When you have to run and get to every ply of the ball. Pass the ball. Make sure it's the correct pass. Make sure it's going the right way. Scan the defense. Then you've got to defend in the middle for six tackles. All right. For the other forwards they can have a carry and a hit up. And then they can just go and stand behind the ruck and wait. Not the hooker. They're going all day all day all day.
00:14:28
S1: Makes you appreciate how durable Cameron Smith was. And even like now Blake Braley.
00:14:32
S2: Blake Braley, Harry Grant, what they get through, mate, the game is that fast these days compared to when we played it. And they're still playing 80 minutes and getting through a mountain of work.
00:14:42
S1: Sammy, what makes a better captain? A vocal player who directs everyone, or a quiet player who leads purely by example?
00:14:48
S2: Yeah, I think a combination of both. Sammy, um, a player that obviously demands respect but leads by example, but also knows, you know, what needs to be said when.
00:15:00
S1: I think the perfect, um, example of that would be like a Boyd Cordner.
00:15:04
S2: Unbelievable. Yeah. Great fella to Boydy. Um, we've seen what he did, uh, for his state and country and his club. Uh, great. Captain legend of a bloke and probably just well described here. Someone that knew when to when to speak but wouldn't, uh, just talk for the sake of it. And led by example every week.
00:15:25
S1: Daisy, uh, what is the very first rugby league match or moment you remember watching as a kid?
00:15:30
S2: Okay, um, I've got a few. I remember sitting in my lounge room watching a VHS tape of the 1986 kangaroo tour, and it was a highlights package of every game, plus the test matches. Right. And I used to sit down and watch it religiously over and over again. I was five at the time, so that was my first VHS. Then there was another VHS that I used to watch religiously, which was, uh, video called The Champions of Rugby League. Right. And what it was, it was a highlights montage of all the best players back in that era and all their, you know, hit ups and tries and goal kicks and that, and it had music backing to it. And I just sit there for hours and just watch every player. They were my two things that I'd watch in terms of grand finals, 88 grand finals. The first one I remember properly, Bulldogs were playing. I was a Bulldogs fan. They played the Tigers. Bulldogs won 24 points to 12. Um, I remember some of the tries and how they were scored. It was the game Terry Lamb took Ellery Hanley out. It was the game. Steve Mortimer came off the bench with his big forearm guard. Uh, Michael Hagan kicked a grubber for a try. I think Glen Nissen scored that one in the corner. I've still got those memories to today that I can go back on. That's my first memories of. Yeah. Wow. Yeah.
00:16:54
S1: Uh. And Blake, who was your footy hero growing up? Did you ever get to meet them in person?
00:16:58
S2: Yes. Terry Lamb and I see him all the time. I love him, I've told him, as I just said, I was a Bulldogs junior and grew up supporting the Bulldogs. So Terry Lamb was my number one. Absolutely loved him. You won't believe this.
00:17:12
S1: To be with.
00:17:12
S2: Him. I have had plenty over the years, but I actually was a five eight growing up. I played six, so I just idolized Terry Lambert and to this day still do. He's an absolute legend.
00:17:25
S1: We had a lot of fun with him in Vegas, didn't we?
00:17:28
S2: Yeah, I can't really remember much. He's probably not the right question for me to ask.
00:17:35
S1: Good point. All right, we've got to go. We do. I think we've done well.
00:17:38
S2: Yep. Will be back next week, hopefully.
00:17:42
S1: Where will he be this week?
00:17:44
S2: What do you.
00:17:44
S1: Mean? Well, he's been in Noosa last week.
00:17:46
S2: Oh, mate.
00:17:47
S1: Where's he going to be?
00:17:47
S2: This bloke. He's forgot his roots.
00:17:51
S1: Well, he's turning over the page as if we've got more to do.
00:17:53
S2: No, I'm turning it over because I'm finito.
00:17:56
S1: Finito, finito. That's it for us. Ladies and gentlemen. Thank you very much for your company. Mark my words. If you've got a question for us, send them through. Subscribe like the podcast and spread the word. Mark my words Mondays and Thursdays, and we'll be back for our Thursday edition later in the week.
