Full Transcript for JOSH ADDO-CARR FACING 12-GAME BAN: Would you sign him for minimum wage?

wide-ranging interview and a good chat with the Chad. 00:02:36 Speaker 2: Chat with the Chad, that's right. World Cup's flying, Mick. It's going off. Record ratings, record crowds. 00:02:44 Speaker 1: Kevi Walters, this Australian team that plays Fiji on Sunday, he's going with Sam Walker and? 00:02:52 Speaker 3: Tommy Dearden. 00:02:53 Speaker 2: Tommy Dearden. 00:02:54 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:02:55 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's going to be hard to get a gauge, right, because they're playing a far inferior opposition to the Kiwis. And, you know, my concern, and we spoke about it last week, was that Australia's side, it wasn't a form team. It wasn't a team that was in form that shot the lights out this season, which is very rare of an Australian team. And he played like that. He played like a side that looks short of a Gallup, look short of, um, you know, form in a way. And if I'm the key ways, I'm sitting on, how did we lose that gap? 00:03:26 Speaker 4: Yep. 00:03:27 Speaker 3: Really? It's, and the scary thing is, is that I don't think Australia can play as bad again. 00:03:32 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:03:33 Speaker 3: So in the business end of the tournament, that's a scary proposition for, for the New Zealand side, but it was a great opener. Um, the debate around Tedesco v. Reece Walsh or Walsh stood up significantly. And I think we're discounting the fact of how long he'd been off and the injury that he's come back from. The halves, Mitch Moses, the race for the number seven jersey is now in full tilt. And I think the bench is obviously up for grabs as well because I'm sure it wasn't the plan to play Harry Grant for 80 minutes. Obviously, the Moses injury implicated that. But I'm... thinking for Australia to do some damage again in the back end of the tournament, it's got to be a Grant Braley rotation. I don't think Harry can play or should be able to play those 80 minutes. I'd be playing Blake Braley off the bench. 00:04:20 Speaker 2: Or one-two punch. 00:04:22 Speaker 3: One-two punch. Yeah, right. 00:04:23 Speaker 2: Because we don't really see that unfold at Melbourne. 00:04:27 Speaker 3: No, no. But I think there was a time in that game, and as I said, the injury to Mitch Moses stuffed up the rotation, right? But Braley wasn't even on the six-man bench. And regardless of what happens with Tom Dearden, if Tom Dearden's the halfback, that's fine. But I would be having Braley as part of my six-man bench. And barring an injury, I would be bringing him on because you know how quick he is at a dummy half. You know the service that he's got and how he can change the momentum of the game. I thought Australia desperately needed an injection of something against the Kiwis. And for mine, that's the way I would be going. So definitely Grant. Braley in my 17. And then, you know, the big questions around that, I think Reece will probably be the fullback now going forward. 00:05:12 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:05:12 Speaker 3: The big question is going to be Munster was okay,

but had some big moments for the Bostock kicks. 00:05:17 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:05:18 Speaker 3: And the one I'm surprised about is the inclusion of Ethan Strange. 00:05:21 Speaker 4: Yep. 00:05:22 Speaker 3: I know it's obviously more like for like for Mitch Moses, but I would have been picking Tom Jenkins. 00:05:25 Speaker 4: Yep. 00:05:26 Speaker 3: Yep. What about you? 00:05:27 Speaker 2: I thought you made a really interesting point. This is huge for Blake Braley. And granted... The opposition needs to be tempered a bit. 00:05:36 Speaker 1: We need to be careful of the form guy, right, the way they come out of this game against the Fijians. 00:05:42 Speaker 2: But this is a real big opportunity. If Blake Braley has a lights-out game, I think your point's right. 00:05:48 Speaker 1: I think he just absolutely locks down a bench spot and becomes that rotation. I'm really torn because I don't think there's a wrong answer in Sam Walker or Tommy Dibb. I think they can both get the job done in a final. 00:06:04 Speaker 2: I really do. 00:06:07 Speaker 1: And it's just going to be unfortunate where there's just going to be a split decision on one misses out. I thought Deidam was very, very good when he came on. Can this Kangaroos team be beating me? 00:06:20 Speaker 4: Yes. 00:06:20 Speaker 3: Yeah? 00:06:21 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:06:21 Speaker 3: I walked in on Thursday and I've watched plenty of test matches, covered a few of them, and it's the first time I've walked into the game going, Australia could lose. Look, I've seen them lose. Right. But it was the first time I've gone into the game genuinely of a belief that Australia could lose this Test match. 00:06:38 Speaker 2: Yeah. 00:06:39 Speaker 3: So, yeah, they can. They can. If New Zealand don't throw. 00:06:41 Speaker 2: No Ponga? 00:06:42 Speaker 3: No Ponga. He'll be back. Yeah, he'll be back. He'll be back. But if New Zealand don't throw a couple of intercepts, they win. 00:06:48 Speaker 2: Yeah. And they are. They're filthy. They didn't get away with it. 00:06:52 Speaker 3: You know, so there's a chance for this Kiwi side to really... give this competition a shake. I think Tonga's a genuine threat as well. Samoa probably a little bit less so, but they've shown in the last World Cup that they can stand up when it counts as well. So I think, yeah, I think there's a genuine four sides that can win this World Cup. 00:07:15 Speaker 2: Well, well, well, Mickey. Look what has happened here. Christmas has come early. 00:07:19 Speaker 3: Wow. We had to stop mid-pod. Here's to this, baby. 00:07:22 Speaker 2: Yeah, mid-podcast. 00:07:23 Speaker 3: We carry the dream. 00:07:23 Speaker 2: We get a delivery. Straight from Port Moresby. 00:07:26 Speaker 3: We haven't looked inside yet. 00:07:27 Speaker 2: I assume it says, we carry the dream. We've got the P & G Chiefs. 00:07:31 Speaker 3: Well, that's the logo, firstly. 00:07:33 Speaker 2: Let's have a look. 00:07:34 Speaker 3: We sort of brushed the logo because we want to see what's inside. 00:07:36 Speaker 2: I'll tell you what, I like that logo. 00:07:38 Speaker 3: I like it too. 00:07:40 Speaker 2: Very, very cool. 00:07:41 Speaker 3: I like it. Shall we? 00:07:43 Speaker 1: Now, clearly, for the listeners and non-viewers, it's a logo of a clear P & G Chief. 00:07:52 Speaker 3: A Chief. A chief. Looks menacing. 00:07:54 Speaker 2: Looks menacing. 00:07:56 Speaker 3: Looks like he's here to play. 00:07:57 Speaker 1: With the traditional headdress on. 00:07:59 Speaker 2: Anyway, let's crack this jersey open. 00:08:01 Speaker 3: Let's do it. 00:08:02 Speaker 2: I think it's a jersey anyway. 00:08:04 Speaker 3: We're assuming it's a jersey. 00:08:05 Speaker 2: Wow. 00:08:07 Speaker 3: Let's see what we've got here. 00:08:10 Speaker 2: Here we go. The reveal. 00:08:13 Speaker 3: Official jersey presentation. 00:08:16 Speaker 2: Yeah, good. Oh, that's pretty special. So it's a predominantly black jersey. Wow, looks good. Which, as you said, is quite menacing, Mick. 00:08:29 Speaker 3: Oh, that looks like a good jersey. 00:08:31 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:08:32 Speaker 3: That looks great. 00:08:32 Speaker 2: Very traditional culturally as far as. 00:08:36 Speaker 1: The P & G' s design is. 00:08:39 Speaker 2: No, it's very, very cool. 00:08:41 Speaker 3: Strutty's, the jersey apparel. 00:08:47 Speaker 1: Nice. 00:08:47 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's awesome. 00:08:48 Speaker 3: That does look great. They've done a good job, the Chiefs. 00:08:50 Speaker 4: Look at that. 00:08:52 Speaker 3: Good job. We give it a tick. 00:08:53 Speaker 2: Yeah, that's a tick for me. 00:08:54 Speaker 3: That's a big tick. 00:08:55 Speaker 2: I like that logo. I'm staring at this logo. 00:08:57 Speaker 3: It looks like a footy team's logo. 00:08:59 Speaker 2: Yeah, it does. 00:09:01 Speaker 3: This is a better shot of the logo. Nice and big. Colour scheme's interesting. They've gone away from the red and the yellow. 00:09:13 Speaker 2: You wonder if there's an alternative strip. 00:09:17 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:09:18 Speaker 3: Involved looks like it might be a white strip if it's now this is a no no this will be a polo yeah this is a polo in general looks like it might be a a white strip but no. 00:09:27 Speaker 2: I'm yeah yeah no very cool well done. 00:09:31 Speaker 3: Chiefs and obviously uh they've they're in port moresby today to launch the jersey willie peters sat down and did some media yesterday spoke to our travis main but You've got some news around Hudson Young there, Dave. 00:09:44 Speaker 1: Yeah, look, clearly this has been a bubbling story in the background with the Chiefs. They are interested in Hudson Young. The Raiders, in the last 48 hours, as first reported by the telly, is that the Raiders gave Hudson Young. 00:09:58 Speaker 2: Permission to fly up to Portmore. to tour the facilities. 00:10:01 Speaker 1: Now, that's special treatment from the Raiders because he can't do that with any other NRL club because he's a

November 1 client and he needs that permission from his current club, the Raiders. 00:10:15 Speaker 2: They've done that. However, there's a catch. The P & G chiefs are saying, that's all well and good. We'll take you up here, Hudson. But we want to. 00:10:24 Speaker 1: Know for certain that you're going to sit on our salary cap at $ 900, 000. We're not spending 10 grand on flights and accommodation for you and your agent for a whip. 00:10:35 Speaker 2: Around Port Moresby. 00:10:37 Speaker 1: You fly back and go, right, oh, I want 1.4. 00:10:42 Speaker 2: And I can understand that. Yeah. And talking to the right people. 00:10:47 Speaker 3: Are the chiefs. 00:10:48 Speaker 1: This has been their normal practice. They want an agreement verbally on the figure of their player they're targeting before they tour the player up in Port Moresby because for that very point, if they get up there, like what they see, and the numbers are completely different when they come back, they've just wasted everyone's time and money in going up there. So they want a significant agreement around the number. Now, the catch here is, Mick, is that we know that the Raiders have already tabled an offer of 1.1. for Hudson Young and knowing that the 900 sits a lot less for Hudson Young. 00:11:24 Speaker 2: So it is. 00:11:25 Speaker 1: Only from an agreement with the NRL and with the impact of the RLPA as well that Hudson Young will be able to get on this flight and know that the 900 is going to be okay on the salary cap for the Chiefs. So I still think there's a little bit of water to flow here. 00:11:42 Speaker 2: Ultimately. 00:11:43 Speaker 3: What do you think he does? 00:11:44 Speaker 2: Well, if. 00:11:45 Speaker 1: Well, there's two things between what I think he does and what I think he should do. 00:11:48 Speaker 2: What I think he should do is sign with the Raiders. I think the four-year deal at $ 1. 00:11:52 Speaker 1: 1 million is a deal that Hudson Young won't be getting again from another rival club. 00:11:59 Speaker 2: Yeah, it's a great deal. 00:12:00 Speaker 3: It is a great deal. The NRL has always had the mechanism where a player can go to them and argue for less money. It's just rare. We saw it when Tyrone Peachy left the Tigers and went back to Penrith. It's not uncommon. I'm sure Ben Hunt would have had to get his deal cleared when he went back to Brisbane. So whilst it's rare, because players don't often ask for less money than what their contract value is, it has happened before. And this is an instance where it could happen again. 00:12:32 Speaker 2: So we'll see where it goes. 00:12:33 Speaker 1: I mean, I think it's getting to the point where the Raiders need an answer or want an answer. 00:12:38 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:12:40 Speaker 1: They have started at a three-year deal. They've bumped it up to four years. That's a significant deal now. And I think the Raiders, in a perfect world, would want an answer. And I think the Chiefs will want an answer prior to November 1 as well so that they know where they're setting their salary cap up and on who they're going to target. 00:12:59 Speaker 2: Come the November 1 market. 00:13:01 Speaker 1: It's a developing story, and I don't think it's going to go away. Mick, at the time of recording, Josh Adokari is still contracted to the Parramatta Reels. This may shift by the time this is released. But at this point in time, what we do know is that Josh is set to meet with Parramatta officials to determine what his future lies. 00:13:23 Speaker 3: Yeah, and then there may not be an outcome. They're still waiting for that B sample. But what we do know, if any club that takes on Josh Adokari for next season, he's going to miss 12 games. That's the parameters that have been put in place and Parramatta have been told that. So that's almost half the season for Josh Odo-Karr. So it makes him, it's a hard sell, I think, for any club to try and get a deal done now if they want to sign Josh Odo-Karr. It depends on the price. It's all price. I think it's price. Of course it is. And you'd get him for a bargain. You would get him for a bargain value now. 00:13:57 Speaker 1: You could pick up Josh Odo-Karr after the 12 games for about $ 200, 000. 00:14:04 Speaker 2: Max. 00:14:05 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:14:06 Speaker 3: It'd almost be minimum wage, Dave, because he's brought on $ 4, 450 in his half the year, plus you take into account the misdemeanor. It's, you know, pro rata, it'd be around $ 200, $ 250, but I think you could get him for less, considering what he's coming back from again. 00:14:24 Speaker 2: So if that's the case, one, I think a club will look at it. 00:14:29 Speaker 1: Yeah. 00:14:30 Speaker 2: With strict parameters around the contract. Yeah. 00:14:36 Speaker 3: And the frustrating thing for Parramatta officials is that they've loved having him there. They said he's been great in and around the club and his influence and, you know, he's been to rehab since and hopefully, you know, he's fixed because we know what sort of character he is, let alone what sort of player he is. He's such an infectious, big personality who's done, you know, great things for the game and off the field. But, you know, getting caught twice hurts. Yep. Big time. So we're still waiting for the B sample, as I said, but as it stands, you know, Josh Adekar facing an uphill battle to keep his NRL career alive. If. 00:15:15 Speaker 1: Would you make a case for the English Super League as far as financial for Josh? 00:15:20 Speaker 2: He may be able to earn a little bit more over there. 00:15:22 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's interesting around the parameters for the ban as well because they generally have reciprocal... A reciprocal relationship between the two. 00:15:32 Speaker 2: 12 games. Here is 12 games over there. 00:15:35 Speaker 3: Yeah, generally, right? That's definitely for judicial matters. Off-field, I can't remember. I don't remember a case where a player who's had some issues

here has gone over there in terms of a game. We've seen players being sacked from the NRL and gone to the Super League. But I don't know. I'm not sure. If not, if he doesn't miss 12 games, well, he's a walk-up start to find a deal in the Super League. 00:16:00 Speaker 2: Can you think of a club that might want to pick him up? 00:16:03 Speaker 3: Not off the top of my head, but there'd be plenty. 00:16:05 Speaker 2: Let's see how it unfolds. 00:16:07 Speaker 1: Mick, you dropped a story on Sunday in your column with Reedy about the Dragons. 00:16:13 Speaker 2: They're running out with Zilch. 00:16:16 Speaker 3: Whatever you've got. Code Sports. 00:16:18 Speaker 2: Code Sports might sponsor them. 00:16:20 Speaker 3: Do you think so? 00:16:21 Speaker 2: Honestly, they've got no sponsorship. Now, if any club has more optimism, more hope, more. 00:16:28 Speaker 3: belief that. 00:16:29 Speaker 2: They are going to bounce back into the finals, it's the red V. 00:16:32 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:16:33 Speaker 1: And yet, they're going to be blank. 00:16:36 Speaker 3: Well, you've seen the optimism amongst the fan base, even the media, but it hasn't flowed into the marketplace in terms of the corporate support because Squadron Energy has made a decision not to renew their major sponsorship. They're only in front of the jersey for two years. You know, they had St. George Bank for, I don't know, since 2010. 2000 or 2001 or something like that. Like they've had it for a long time, the bank. So they were fortunate in a way to have such a long-term major sponsor. But now, yeah, they're struggling to find a sponsor that's suitable. And the concerning thing for the club is that, you know, they're on the verge of missing the Christmas period. And that's when a lot of merchandise obviously is sold. 00:17:19 Speaker 1: I'm thinking hundreds and hundreds of thousands of dollars of missed opportunity for merchandise. 00:17:24 Speaker 3: Yeah. 00:17:25 Speaker 2: And, Because why would you buy a jersey? 00:17:27 Speaker 3: Yeah, well, you're not going to, right? 00:17:28 Speaker 2: You're not going to. 00:17:29 Speaker 3: And as you said, Dave, there is this sense of optimism around the club. And rightfully so. They've done an amazing job to turn that roster over, to put in a more than competitive side for next season. But that $ 1. 2 million is about what that front of the jersey deal is worth. So that leaves a hole in the bottom line as well. If they don't get a deal done, I'd expect one of the partners to step up in terms of St. George Leagues Club, who go by the name of St. George Venues or the Wing Corporation. 00:17:58 Speaker 2: Okay. 00:18:00 Speaker 3: And one of those jerseys to be, one of those to be parachuted on the front, at least in the short term. 00:18:05 Speaker 1: The big factor here is if you're a company or a major sponsor interested in sponsoring the Dragons, the new players, as far as photographically is concerned, they will be on the front and back page of the Telegraph. 00:18:20 Speaker 3: Hmm. 00:18:20 Speaker 2: As soon as we can get our hands on them. 00:18:22 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:18:22 Speaker 2: The likes of Drinkwater, Metcalf. 00:18:24 Speaker 3: Keon. 00:18:25 Speaker 2: Keon. Yeah. Nicorema. 00:18:27 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:18:28 Speaker 2: As soon as... In any other world. 00:18:30 Speaker 1: Now, what will happen now, Mig, is the Dragons won't want to put them in a jersey because there's no major sponsor. Now, any other time, you'd be on the back and front page of the telly with unbelievable brand. 00:18:44 Speaker 2: Millions of people seeing your branding. 00:18:46 Speaker 4: Yeah. 00:18:47 Speaker 2: It's a huge. 00:18:48 Speaker 1: It's a really big story and a lost opportunity for Saints. 00:18:52 Speaker 3: It is, and for the potential sponsor too. So hopefully, you know, speaking to officials yesterday, they were confident, you know, there's a few off the back of, not off the back of that story, but just having some a bit more, you know, some bit more public awareness of it. They've been hard in the marketplace and they've had offers, but they don't want to shortchange themselves either, given the optimism. That's why I think if, you know, Rather than take a deal for not much, they might just bump up one of their owners. 00:19:22 Speaker 2: I understand. 00:19:23 Speaker 3: For a short term and hope next year that performances will see a change in heart from the marketplace. 00:19:30 Speaker 1: Mick, we've got a piece on the weekend looking at the players that are still without a contract next year. So their career is in limbo as we speak. They still just haven't been able to lock down a club. we can rule the line through one of those players. 00:19:44 Speaker 3: Yep, should be able to. Cody Walker, it looks like he's about to agree to a 12-month extension. Rabideau's a are confident they'll be announced next week. And they needed that done. They desperately needed that done because he is such an important member of their attack. 00:20:02 Speaker 2: Yep, massive. Blake Moser, what's going on at the Broncos? 00:20:06 Speaker 3: Yeah, he's got 12 months left on his contract, but free to speak with rival clubs now for next season. He's being told he can talk to other players. He's told, yep, yep. So if he gets an opportunity, the Broncos won't stand in his way to leave immediately. Highly touted young hooker who was, I think he's been in the Broncos system since he was 13. He's played, you know, hasn't started an NRL game yet. He's played a few off the bench, but, you know, injuries, shoulder issue last year, broken jaw this year. The fact that they've re-signed Billy Walters, Corey Pace, and they've got Ben Hunt still on their books as a potential hooking option, it just, for their roster balance, you know, Corey and Billy have signed multiple year deals. So that pathway to the NRL is blocked. 00:20:50 Speaker 2: Do you think the Ben Hunt deal is stopping that? 00:20:54 Speaker 3: It's not blocking, it's more the other two. It's more deciding to give Corey and Billy two more seasons. You know, if they'd only given it to one of them. 00:21:03 Speaker 4: Yep. 00:21:04 Speaker 3: Then he would become, you know, you usually carry two and a half hookers in your roster. So to go with three and a half generally doesn't work. 00:21:14 Speaker 2: Mainly for Blake Moser? 00:21:16 Speaker 3: Option. Definitely an option. 00:21:17 Speaker 2: They need a hooker. 00:21:18 Speaker 3: They're desperate for a hooker. Yeah, he'd be really good for them, I think. Look, I haven't seen enough of him to know if he's an NRL caliber player, but, you know, good judges have long said that, you know, his footy analysis, his footy IQ is outstanding.