00:00:11
S1: Good night and good day. And welcome, everyone to this Thursday edition of Mark My Words, Mike Pierce. Good. Mark. Hey, it's Mike my words today. It's Mike my words. He's been thinking about that one. Uh. Welcome, everyone. This is the definitive breakdown for the upcoming NRL grand final. A huge clash on Sunday. Uh, before we get stuck into it, make sure you're following the continuous call team wherever you watch or listen to your podcast. It's your one stop shop for the latest in rugby league. You can check us out on YouTube and on Instagram. Just search continuous call team. Joining me the Marx piggy m g. How are we? Hello boys.
00:00:48
S2: Pierce all m g. How are we going?
00:00:50
S3: Great final week. It's always, uh, a bit of a spring in the step, isn't it? It's the most important week of the year. Um, I think the two teams have both got their different ways, but I think at the end of the day, these two teams both deserve to be where they are. I can't wait for it.
00:01:05
S1: Well, so much to get stuck into in the lead up. I mean, last night. Uh, Phoenix Crossland to the judiciary. Look, we knew he was going to be a big suspension. They I don't think they even thought it didn't they. They they entered an early.
00:01:16
S3: He pleaded guilty.
00:01:17
S1: Pleaded guilty?
00:01:18
S2: Yeah.
00:01:19
S1: Uh, for weeks. Harris and Graham will come in to start at hooker, but for weeks for Phoenix. Crossland. We were calling this game pig. And I think you. You are you, myself and Daryl. We all thought of sort that a sort of thought that a sin bin would be enough. He was obviously sent off. And that's continuing to divide fans, uh, days later. What do you think? Four weeks? Is that is that reasonable?
00:01:39
S2: I'm I'm. I think that's fine. I think that's fine, considering everything. And obviously everything's amplified because preliminary final Nathan Cleary was the injury plus the injury that a compound fracture. Compound fracture. So everyone knows about that four week suspension. Now we can see how sincere he's been Crosland since he did it. so apologetic, you know, it was an accident. He came down on the back of of Cleary um for weeks. Fine. For me.
00:02:03
S3: Yeah. Yeah. I think it's more so um how do we eradicate this tackle from our game if indeed we can um with the speed of it these days and I'm seeing now look, I used to think that this wasn't coached at um or coached at training, but I'm thinking that watching so many of these hip drop tackles these days, I'm thinking that there's a, there's a shift in the way rugby league players are now hitting players front on because of the the threat of a high A every time you go in for a tackle and most of it's the defender who gets the HIA you know, if I'm running at piggy with my elbow cock like this with the ball he's going to come in. Usually we'd come in and hit right there maybe with his head. Now I'm seeing players come on the side a little bit more than than we used to. And consequently, if Piggy's come on the side to tackle me and I've got the ball. I raised like this. Piggy's hit me hard, but at the same time I've gone forward with the step. So pigs still on me. But then I'm half a meter in advance that way. So he's grabbed on to me. The only place he can grab now is low. He doesn't mean to hurt me. He's not. No way is he mean to hurt me. But he's holding on for grim death because he misses me and I score. He's in big shit. And I think in the end. Well, on the weekend, it was kind of like a whiplash from crosswind. Kind of got whipped around really quickly and was out of his control. Yes, it was a dangerous look. It was a not a it was a dangerous tackle. But I think I think the NRL should be more transparent and say that the injury befits the crime. If you are injured in the tackle like that, we're going to come down hard like he's the first player to be sent off. Yeah. And we've seen guys get six weeks for a hip drop. So where is the line piggy? Where is it? I know, I feel for all. I feel for the players. I feel for Crosslin, man. He does. He's. You're right. What you say so right. He's been such a man about it since it's happened. Nathan Cleary, he's been such a man about it. He's been on the end of this.
00:04:08
S2: Because they understand.
00:04:09
S3: They understand they do.
00:04:11
S2: They understand the other thing about the whole hip drop tackle and is fatigue. If we're going to speed the game up, if we're going to have six agains, and that's great and it's entertainment, but there's going to be an outcome. Collateral damage off the back of that. And the outcome is, is that we're seeing more because players are put under more fatigue. So that means their tackle technique goes out the window. Yep. So then they're hanging off to fend off attackers. Sorry. And then they lose their legs in tackle and come down the back of him. That that's what's.
00:04:37
S3: Happening. That's it.
00:04:37
S2: And they're all accidents. But it's the players that are under so much fatigue they can't make calculated decisions because those decisions are split second. The game goes that fast and that's why we're seeing it.
00:04:48
S1: The other thing is you look at like the crushers, chicken wings, all those sort of things. Um, they're obviously deliberate deliberate wrestling tackles. Right.
00:04:56
S3: They've got, they've got, they've got, they've set out the game quickly.
00:04:58
S1: But the motion of hitting someone and then sliding down towards your legs is what you're taught when you're in under 60. That's right.
00:05:04
S3: So that's right.
00:05:05
S1: It's yeah. I don't know whether they need to start coaching differently at junior level or what the what the goal is. But like people are getting suspended for making what was once a textbook tackle, hitting up top and then sliding down to the legs and an injury comes and anyway, we're confused.
00:05:19
S3: That's true. We've all had different opinions on what we think a hip drop is. Yeah. Imagine what the players or the fans think. Yeah. Like we need, we need a, we need a think tank in the off season of the of the minds of rugby league to say, how can we eliminate this altogether? Is there a way.
00:05:34
S2: They will MGI don't think they will. I don't think they'll eliminate it. I think it's here to stay. And if you're going to speed the game up as much as they have, I reckon it's going to be.
00:05:42
S3: Well maybe the 60 goals got to go.
00:05:44
S2: Well that that's for them. Like I, I I'm I'm. But if we're seeing more and more. And the proof is there that we are seeing more and more like we are seeing them. This this has been happening.
00:05:54
S3: But but 2 or 3 years ago, we didn't see a hip drop. Like not as.
00:05:57
S2: Not. Well what's changed? Speed. Speed of the game.
00:06:00
S3: Yep.
00:06:01
S2: Yeah.
00:06:01
S1: Uh, something that I guess that that that sort of episode in in the prelim final cross and sent off clear. He's out of the game. It did. I guess the silver lining it gave us the magic. That was the prelim final. Right. The Knights a man down eight points down at half time. No one, and I mean no one in that stadium. 57,000. Thought they were a chance to win that.
00:06:22
S2: I reckon it's the greatest game that I've watched outside of grand finals in terms of inspirational from the Newcastle Knights. The ability to play what was it, 44 minutes? Yeah, 44 minutes with 12 men and then go into the second half. They won 16 nil didn't they in the second half. Yep. To do that not just to any NRL team to do that to Penrith and albeit Nathan no good. And I think they lost to Lunghi as well. And you know, he's not 100% but they did it. Yeah. I thought it was sensational. I was on the sideline.
00:06:58
S3: I thought you had.
00:06:59
S2: I couldn't I could not have enjoyed it any more. Um that Newcastle win and I've got nothing to do with Newcastle. But I know a lot of the people that are involved in the club. You know, I think Betsy hugged me 2 or 3 times after full time. Um, I've, I grew up with Justin Holbrook and played at the same local footy club. Our brothers played together. Um for Brazil 16 years in the game. Gets his first opportunity in the grand final. Well, uh, Brett White, Stephen Hales, the two other coaches have known them for a long, long time. So just. And they're all good blokes. They are all great blokes just to to be out there and see how happy they all were. And and the players it was it was a great moment.
00:07:38
S3: So many things happened in this game, so many things like I've watched rugby league for a long time and that was one of the most emotive games that I've ever seen, both good and bad. Mhm. Um, we were at my son's house watching the game. Uh, my two year old grandson's birthday having a was sitting there watching, and my young bloke said, Nathan's starting on the bench. I went, oh yeah. Oh yeah. He's never started. He's no. Why? Like. Yeah. And then we heard.
00:08:06
S2: What did you all all you guys think that.
00:08:08
S3: I thought that his injuries were a lot worse than we thought. Yeah.
00:08:11
S2: Did you think like, see, we were sort of spitballing? We're like, did they just save him because it is worse and go, right, if shit hits the fan like 20 and we need him. Yeah.
00:08:20
S3: Yeah.
00:08:20
S2: But but they threw him in after.
00:08:22
S3: After 25 minutes. It was six all. Yeah. And if you watch it closely, Nathan uncharacteristically. His first four runs were like a a back rower.
00:08:33
S2: Carrying the ball.
00:08:34
S3: Didn't even think about passing it. And I think that was all to do with the fact that he knew his right foot was stuffed. He just wanted to try and get some, you know, some violence or severance.
00:08:45
S2: Get into the game, going into the.
00:08:46
S3: Game. Unfortunately for the fourth one he ran. That was.
00:08:49
S2: The line.
00:08:49
S3: He took the line. That was the tackle. But um it was. Yeah. And then Newcastle's come back like wow. Who would have thought that. I thought people were going to run away with it. Even without Nathan Cleary in the second half I said this could be, you know, 30 nil in the second half. But the tenacity this club has shown, um they've been in two grand finals before in 97 and 2001 where they've been underdogs. They're going to be severely underdogs on Sunday but I think they're going to win. I just think I think the momentum and and they've got at the moment it doesn't even mean look. Phoenix Crossland is a massive out because he makes 42 tackles a game. But not just the tackling. He's a he's a scrounger. He dives on balls.
00:09:28
S2: In the middle.
00:09:28
S3: Yeah. But I just think this juggernaut of of emotion at the moment they're on is unstoppable.
00:09:37
S2: Do you think the crowd will be oh 7030.
00:09:40
S3: 70.
00:09:41
S2: 31.
00:09:42
S3: 7030. Yeah, maybe. 8020.
00:09:45
S2: Can we do a public service announcement? If you're coming from Newcastle, leave the night before. Yes. Like, don't leave it late to get down to the grand final. Like.
00:09:54
S3: And don't forget Blake's talagi. Then he's Achilles. Yeah, yeah. Like, it was kind of like a butterfly effect. Yeah. You know what? That is? The butterfly effect.
00:10:01
S2: Run us through the butterfly. Yeah.
00:10:03
S1: Talk us through the butterfly.
00:10:04
S2: Come on. Come on.
00:10:05
S1: It's lucky we've got a scholar in the studio with us.
00:10:08
S3: Okay. I took a screenshot of it because I. I knew that what I was watching was kind of a butterfly effect with Penrith. Okay, the butterfly effect is a concept in chaos theory, meaning that the small changes in the starting conditions of a complex system can lead to vastly different and unpredictable outcomes.
00:10:25
S1: Oh.
00:10:26
S2: Wow.
00:10:27
S1: Flow on effect.
00:10:28
S2: Wow.
00:10:29
S1: Yeah. That's beautiful.
00:10:30
S3: Don't you think?
00:10:31
S2: Right. Yeah.
00:10:32
S3: Like I thought that's the ultimate example of the butterfly effect. Nathan didn't start. Nathan was in his joggers. Yeah. In the warm up.
00:10:39
S2: Well, he warmed up in front of me on the sideline when the game started. Yeah. So when the game he didn't, he warmed up. You know he was inside. Team went out for the warm up. Didn't go out there. And then the game started. And he actually was warming up right in front of me running up and down the try line to the 20 metre line in the southern end, where I was.
00:10:57
S3: His first run. He almost broke through. Yeah.
00:10:59
S2: Through the middle. Yeah.
00:11:01
S3: Oh, so so look, they're gonna, you know, whether he should have played or not. It's, I think with I think a lot of people taking too much away from what Newcastle did against a pretty star studded team.
00:11:11
S1: Well a quick note on Sand and Smith boys. Wow. Uh, they're down by eight. Down a man. Second half. Last tackle takes on that short side down the right hand side. And they have that try to. Dom young gets the tap. It wasn't a quick tap technically because they gave them up.
00:11:24
S3: Yeah that's explain that.
00:11:26
S1: So so you can't take a quick tap for foul play. And I believe it was a high tackle or it wasn't a ruck penalty. So you're not allowed to take a quick tap. But as piggy mentioned on the coverage the referee Uh, gave the mark. He said, what do you want to do to keep the touch? And he said, and then. And he and then Sandy Smith said, can I tap? And he said, yeah, you're good to go. So he set the mark. Given the mark, Penrith were back. They were you know, they were all walking.
00:11:49
S3: What's what's the two things you taught when we first played rugby league.
00:11:51
S2: Turn your back on him.
00:11:52
S3: The ref's whistle. Play to the whistle and never turn your back on your opponents.
00:11:56
S1: And they pulled their pants down. Yeah they did. They didn't get a hand on him? No. Um.
00:11:59
S3: How fast is he?
00:12:00
S2: He was. Yeah. Cos then he burned Edwards down to the Tryline didn't he.
00:12:04
S1: And then that, that intercept was just.
00:12:06
S3: Well that was, it was like all you needed was Benny Hill music. No no no no no no no.
00:12:11
S1: Just the frantic passing I going back.
00:12:13
S3: I've never been there like I love the way you were. It was. What a spot you had. Unbelievable. Wow.
00:12:19
S1: Yeah mate. Well, I was calling I was calling that last play, and I was like, Edwards out to yo out to Garner, back inside to Martin and I. And then once he picked it off, once he intercepted it, mate, he was running. And I thought my voice was going to go on the call. I was actually worried. I was shitting myself. I was like, my voice is going to go. Cos I was just I was riding him home with Newcastle.
00:12:36
S2: Everyone at the ground, obviously. Yeah, I was on the sideline. And you know you have all the Fox guys. All the nine guys were there as well. Every one of us were all up and it was like we backed. The favorite was getting home. And that's everyone because everyone just got caught up in the moment. Of course, because Newcastle and what had happened.
00:12:55
S3: Come from nowhere.
00:12:56
S2: We just no one could believe it.
00:12:57
S1: And it felt to me like there was an error, like it was inevitable that Penrith were going to win because they'd been in that situation so many times. It's two points as if Newcastle are going to win this. Penrith will find a way.
00:13:07
S2: Dylan Lucas dropped that ball. Two minutes to go in the game. And I'm sitting there and I'm going that's it. Oh here we go. Like they've put everything into it. And the Panthers because that's what they do. They they back themselves that they'll they'll be comfortable getting it at the back end like. Yeah. You know they'll they'll get it in the last minute of the game. I'm thinking here we go again. They're going to get him. They're going to get.
00:13:26
S3: What a final series they've had. The Knights are like the first game against Souths. We go you know what. They've done enough. They've come from last. They get knocked out in the first week. Then they go over to New Zealand, go, oh, you know what? Well as if. Then they go, then they get a call. We're going against Penrith 12 man 9 to 1 or something. They were. But with 12 men they would have been 50 to 1. So every every every year we need a fairy tale in our game. And they have provided this game. This year has been such a an emotive year in more ways than one. We've gone through ups and downs that I don't think our game has ever experienced before. Started with Elli Katoa with the head bleed. Oh yeah. And that was kind of. We thought, oh, what the fuck is going on here? Because that was someone needed to be better with that when he had went back on twice. Then we had, um, a stroke from Kamikamica. Yeah. Then we've had, uh, the, the Broncos front rower whose name escapes me at the moment with blood clots in his legs, the front rower from the Broncos, um, not Willison.
00:14:30
S2: Who was.
00:14:31
S3: It? No. Help me out here, boys.
00:14:32
S1: Corey. Jensen.
00:14:33
S3: Corey. Jensen. Jensen. Retiring? Yeah. With Jiro. Yeah. Nathan. Merritt. Yeah. All this. Tony Mortimer. All this emotive stuff that we've seen this year. AJ getting the the tries. I don't think I've ever seen him like a pig or so. Yeah.
00:14:50
S2: It's been a big year.
00:14:51
S3: It's been like it's it's been just emotional an emotional rollercoaster in more ways than one. And um, it's, it's the, it's what's the greatest game of all?
00:15:01
S1: Yeah. Uh, well, boys, let's look at Sunday. Uh, this week's odds brought to you by. Better stay ahead of the game with better. Download the better app today. What are you really gambling with? Uh, it all kicks off early in the afternoon. I love the, uh, the interstate championship. We've got the Dolphins taking on the Panthers. Uh, in the early game. Usually the New South Wales Cup club tends to win those. It's been a fair few years since I think we've seen a.
00:15:23
S2: Panthers or the Panthers.
00:15:24
S1: Yeah, yeah yeah. The, uh. Well done. One of his best. The Panthers. I haven't even got it.
00:15:33
S2: Yeah. First page.
00:15:34
S3: Oh.
00:15:34
S1: Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:36
S3: Oh, there's no preview. No. No team sheets.
00:15:37
S2: No team.
00:15:38
S1: Sheets. Yeah, yeah. Well, it clearly doesn't give a give a shit about this one. But the dolphins I went through and looked. They got Trey Fuller, Jake Averillo and Brad Schneider playing up there.
00:15:48
S3: So the juggernaut.
00:15:50
S2: Yeah. Penrith.
00:15:51
S1: Yeah. Uh, the women's game boys. The Roosters $1.45 favorites against the Broncos $2.75. Uh, this was a rematch of last year's grand final. And the Roosters, they haven't tasted defeat in a game other than that grand final. Round five 2024.
00:16:06
S3: Yeah, well you know, you know who's going to win this.
00:16:10
S2: Well I don't.
00:16:12
S1: Those odds are unders for the Broncos.
00:16:14
S2: Because if you're a Broncos fan take the 275. Yeah take the because if if Upton's on and she gets the space that she needs she's good. Good. Yeah she'll she'll she'll carve him up. But Roosters are an unbelievable team. Yeah. They're stacked full of stars. They've got a great team. Um, as you said, been undefeated all year. Smacked everyone. But it's a grand final. And last year.
00:16:38
S1: There'd be nightmares from last year. Yeah.
00:16:40
S2: Don't be surprised if it happens again.
00:16:41
S3: And we. And we, uh. Bon voyage. Three really good players in Corbin Baxter and Billy Elliot and, uh, Ali Brigginshaw after this game on the weekend. So well done in your careers, girls, because you've been fantastic. And, uh, hope the day on Sunday is kind of, well, kind of one of you because it's obviously one of them's going to go out a loser in a, in their last game.
00:17:02
S1: So they've got about what, 15 premierships between the three of them. So yeah, they're not short of a juggernauts.
00:17:08
S3: And I think the difference is um, I think that young Jesse Southall could maybe get them over the line. The Bronx.
00:17:14
S1: Yeah. Uh, looking ahead to, um, the big game boys. Now it's time for our feature segment, the Finals blueprint, brought to you by our mates at James Hardy. Design and build Modern mixed material homes with one trusted brand, it's possible. With James Hardie, we're dissecting the exact master plan from the forward pack all the way to their big game finishes, and whether they've built a squad that can endure the heat of September or if their structure collapses under pressure. So, boys, let's do it. The chooks take on the Knights the blueprint for this game, I reckon for the Knights. I mean, they clearly targeted the Panthers edges and they had some luck getting Bradman. Best on Blaze Taulagi. But you've got someone like Bobby Toia there. He's a bit better defensively.
00:17:56
S2: Yeah.
00:17:57
S1: The Knights are gonna have to do something different here aren't they.
00:17:58
S2: Do they go to Gagai on Billy Smith. Yeah that's that's that's going to the right. And then they shift to both sides. Knights. They're probably one of the best teams are shifting out of their own end. Um and we saw that on the weekend when they tested the edges. Um Bradman best was sensational, but I wouldn't be surprised if they liked the match up of Gagai on Billy Smith to take skip and take him on the outside. Um, but they will test him. There's no doubt in my mind that they'll test the edges and Ponga will be out the back of those back rowers. Even in even coming out of their own end. Um, so for the roosters, they'll just be power game through the middle. Take us on. Good luck. Yeah. See? Yeah. See what happens.
00:18:40
S3: Yeah. Like any, uh, James Hardie. Uh. Unbelievable. Homes. Brick by brick, brick by brick, brick by brick. That's what the roosters were trying to do. Yeah. The knights, the knights.
00:18:49
S1: That's a that's a pro right there.
00:18:51
S3: The Knights will get the get the broom out and just go round the back and get the gurney out and say, I'm coming through you, Mr. James Hardie. I just think the unpredictable. It's almost like the. What is it? The irresistible force against the immovable object. I just think both these teams are so different in their styles, so different for us to sit here and try and figure out how they're going to win, it would be the opposite of what we say, because we know that. We know it's going to be such an unpredictable game. Roosters could win by 40. Honestly, I don't think the Knights can win by 40. I think the Knights can win in a grind. Yeah, I think the Roosters have got more star power. I think if you look at that they've got 12 origin and test players in there. It's an unbelievable but. But momentum. Momentum is a beast. It's almost irresistible. Yeah it's almost irresistible. It's so I just think I can't wait to be at this game. You've got the best house in the world again on the sideline right there. I mean from the sideline. What will you be looking for early with Crossland gone.
00:19:55
S2: What's the well Harrison Graham's coming in right.
00:19:58
S3: Well we'll just start with him.
00:19:59
S2: Yeah I think they will. That's what I was going to mention. Diesel Hagan, 21.
00:20:03
S3: No relation to Michael.
00:20:04
S2: I'm not sure.
00:20:05
S3: I don't think.
00:20:06
S2: So. I don't.
00:20:06
S3: Know. I don't think so.
00:20:07
S2: But because there's a fair few Hagan's floating around in the lower grades up in Newcastle at the moment. So I just don't know if there's.
00:20:13
S3: The word is Thomas Kent will be the.
00:20:15
S2: He's going to be the backup. Is he.
00:20:16
S3: That's word. Word. Or maybe.
00:20:18
S2: Hagan's there. Hagan hasn't made his NRL debut yet.
00:20:21
S3: No.
00:20:21
S2: And imagine he made his NRL debut on grand final day.
00:20:24
S3: You know what? 111 bloke who would grant him that would be tits. Yeah. Yeah.
00:20:31
S2: Holbrook. Oh.
00:20:32
S3: Sorry. That's his nickname.
00:20:34
S2: Yeah.
00:20:36
S3: I wonder, though, because I told him we used to call him Tootsie at Penrith. Yeah. And then when he's in the coach I thought, should I say it to him? Nah. No. I've never had one. We've interviewed him on GB. No, but that's his nickname.
00:20:50
S1: What do you reckon, boys? If I had to sum it up real quickly, you've got experience and you've got emotion and momentum. Yeah. What? Knights momentum. You know, everyone's backing him. The Roosters. Tedesco. Daly. Cherry-Evans. You've just got game winners right across the park there. Origin players as you mentioned before.
00:21:05
S2: That's why the Roosters are $1.45. Yeah because they've got class everywhere. DK's last game. Walker back in the halves. Tedesco Marky Mark and what he's doing on the wing. Naufahu Whyte leading that pack through.
00:21:18
S3: Their inevitable.
00:21:18
S2: Victor Radley. Reece Robson out of nines. Been great the last few weeks like it all points to a Roosters win. There's no doubt.
00:21:26
S1: That time they run well haven't they?
00:21:28
S2: How can you how can you. Well it's.
00:21:30
S3: The roosters. Seemed like Roosters are the team of champions. They've got from 1 to 17 there. But knights have been playing like a champion team and they they as Peggy mentioned earlier, all the players have lost you know. But they just keep putting blokes in and they just keep putting blokes in and they. It's such a belief that that I saw. I was in an interview after the game on the weekend, he said it was like they had 13 men. We had 12. He said we didn't. We couldn't find a gap. We just never played against a team like that. So ever since they've finished the season proper, they had the bye. Remember the last year, the last game they had the bye. Yeah. Um and Roosters played against Roosters rested all their players. So maybe that's a blueprint to go deep into finals From now on, if you've got oh, obviously you can't.
00:22:19
S2: Get the opportunity.
00:22:20
S3: If you get the opportunity, you can't get a bye. But yeah. Um, and I think how people keep saying about um one who is going to be broken, either the 50 pointer or the outside of the top four. Yeah.
00:22:31
S2: I reckon there's an asterisk on the roof. Has to be 50 point. Has to be.
00:22:34
S1: There is but history won't remember.
00:22:36
S3: It.
00:22:36
S2: No, but it should.
00:22:37
S3: Be an.
00:22:37
S2: Asterisk because.
00:22:38
S3: They rested.
00:22:39
S2: All their teams. So it doesn't really count. I think everyone knew they were going to get smacked.
00:22:42
S1: Interesting note. Yeah. Usually winning week one of the finals is known as such a big advantage. But Dolphins and Panthers both out. Yeah. Interestingly. So uh well that is the blueprint to success. Thanks to, uh, James Hardy, the great people over there, James Hardy looking at the, uh, the odds there, boys. Thanks to better roosters, as you said, heavy favourites here. Big dollar 45, the Knights $2.80. Um, and it may even push out even further now that now that one's gone.
00:23:08
S2: Um yeah.
00:23:09
S1: No changes from the roosters. So they've got you know they've got that continuity. It looks like Connor Watson will be passed to play. He's got to see a neurologist tomorrow.
00:23:17
S2: I'm sure he'll be fine.
00:23:18
S1: Yeah, it'd be brave for the neurologist to to fail him. Say no. Sorry, champ.
00:23:23
S3: With uncle Nick looking over his shoulder. You mean you wonder what you want?
00:23:29
S1: But, um. I mean, just looking through it, boys. Yeah, you'd say that the Roosters favourites and deservedly so. As you said, like littered right across the park with talent there. But you just can't get over the emotion of the.
00:23:41
S2: And the crowd.
00:23:42
S1: The crowd.
00:23:43
S2: The crowd. Oh em gee I was saying I said this. I think I said this after the game or something I loved. I don't obviously it's, it's luck. But I loved how Newcastle defended the northern end where all their fans were. Rugby league poetry, poetry. Because you just look there the whole game in that second half and the whole Knights crew was all behind him.
00:24:05
S3: Yeah.
00:24:05
S2: Like Cheering obviously as a player you feel that that I'm like it just worked so well in the second half.
00:24:11
S1: You know what I reckon if.
00:24:12
S3: You're so true.
00:24:13
S1: If you're Jack Cole or Jack Cogger under pressure, you know you got to man up. You know you should be winning this game. And you.
00:24:18
S3: Know. And each second that goes by.
00:24:21
S1: You should have seen that wall of red and blue. And that would have felt every bit of that pressure.
00:24:25
S3: I reckon I've been blown away by the young forwards for the Knights in particular, this young kid up front, Cody Hopwood. Yeah, obviously McEwen was here last year, but um, man, you Layla like.
00:24:38
S2: Crouch off the bench.
00:24:39
S3: Crouch off the bench. Where has he come from?
00:24:42
S2: Sharks junior. Apparently I found out the other day. Is that right? De La Salle Caringbah.
00:24:46
S3: He's been so.
00:24:47
S2: Good, I think. Don't correct me if I'm wrong.
00:24:49
S3: Yeah, he's been so good.
00:24:49
S2: So he's been sensational. Crouch, I don't even. I didn't even know where he'd come from. Yeah. I'm like, wow, awesome.
00:24:55
S1: What about Kalyn Ponga turning into a hit man on the on the game on Moses.
00:25:00
S3: Yeah. Holy Moses.
00:25:02
S1: Absolutely levelled.
00:25:03
S3: Him. Nah. He's just he's in a.
00:25:04
S2: He's in a spot.
00:25:05
S3: He's in that sweet spot. Yeah. And and good luck with him. Yeah. Roosters good luck because he's the. He's. If Newcastle win he's. He's the Clive Churchill.
00:25:13
S2: Oh no doubt if he's on and firing and playing his best game of footy he can carry him to a win. Wow.
00:25:20
S1: Uh well boys what are your picks for this week. So I want to know Grand final day picks. Give us an NRL W and an NRL pick. What are you. What are you going. What's your pick?
00:25:31
S3: I'm going Roosters in tonight's. I'm going the Roosters to win the NRL W and I'm going the Knights to win. I'm not saying it's you know I I I I just think at the moment momentum this time of year is is palpable.
00:25:43
S1: Okay. Uh I'm going to take the Bronx to Meeker Upton any time. Into roosters 1 to 12. The heart wants the knights, but I just oh, I just feel.
00:25:53
S3: I reckon every winger will score in the grand final.
00:25:55
S1: You reckon high scoring?
00:25:57
S3: Every winger will score.
00:25:58
S1: Yeah. Right.
00:25:59
S3: The four wingers will score. It's going to be probably a 3226 game. Yeah I think.
00:26:04
S1: Chalk one up for a couple. He's just.
00:26:06
S3: At.
00:26:07
S1: Least one.
00:26:07
S3: At least one.
00:26:08
S1: Yeah. He's just on another level.
00:26:10
S2: All right. I got mine, boys. Go, brother. I'm gonna go. The roosters. Double roosters. Girls into roosters, boys. Both half backs to score a try. So, Tarryn Aiken. Oh, for the girls. Who's just an absolute.
00:26:23
S3: Warhorse, one said they put him in.
00:26:26
S2: I don't know the price yet.
00:26:27
S3: That's alright.
00:26:28
S2: And Sammy Walker to score for the Roosters.
00:26:30
S1: Beautiful.
00:26:31
S2: Righto.
00:26:32
S1: All right. Well, that's our preview for Sunday's grand final. Uh, thanks for listening to this episode of Mike. My words. Don't forget. We will be back on Monday with our Mark My words Dally M awards show. Uh, just a reminder, we will be continuing the Mark My Words podcast all through the Rugby League World Cup, so stay tuned for that. But as always, for all your NRL news, follow the Continuous Call team wherever you get your podcasts. It's your one stop shop for the latest in rugby league. Share with your mates. Leave a review. Hit subscribe wherever you're watching. You can also find us on YouTube and on Instagram. Just search continuous.
S1: Good night and good day. And welcome, everyone to this Thursday edition of Mark My Words, Mike Pierce. Good. Mark. Hey, it's Mike my words today. It's Mike my words. He's been thinking about that one. Uh. Welcome, everyone. This is the definitive breakdown for the upcoming NRL grand final. A huge clash on Sunday. Uh, before we get stuck into it, make sure you're following the continuous call team wherever you watch or listen to your podcast. It's your one stop shop for the latest in rugby league. You can check us out on YouTube and on Instagram. Just search continuous call team. Joining me the Marx piggy m g. How are we? Hello boys.
00:00:48
S2: Pierce all m g. How are we going?
00:00:50
S3: Great final week. It's always, uh, a bit of a spring in the step, isn't it? It's the most important week of the year. Um, I think the two teams have both got their different ways, but I think at the end of the day, these two teams both deserve to be where they are. I can't wait for it.
00:01:05
S1: Well, so much to get stuck into in the lead up. I mean, last night. Uh, Phoenix Crossland to the judiciary. Look, we knew he was going to be a big suspension. They I don't think they even thought it didn't they. They they entered an early.
00:01:16
S3: He pleaded guilty.
00:01:17
S1: Pleaded guilty?
00:01:18
S2: Yeah.
00:01:19
S1: Uh, for weeks. Harris and Graham will come in to start at hooker, but for weeks for Phoenix. Crossland. We were calling this game pig. And I think you. You are you, myself and Daryl. We all thought of sort that a sort of thought that a sin bin would be enough. He was obviously sent off. And that's continuing to divide fans, uh, days later. What do you think? Four weeks? Is that is that reasonable?
00:01:39
S2: I'm I'm. I think that's fine. I think that's fine, considering everything. And obviously everything's amplified because preliminary final Nathan Cleary was the injury plus the injury that a compound fracture. Compound fracture. So everyone knows about that four week suspension. Now we can see how sincere he's been Crosland since he did it. so apologetic, you know, it was an accident. He came down on the back of of Cleary um for weeks. Fine. For me.
00:02:03
S3: Yeah. Yeah. I think it's more so um how do we eradicate this tackle from our game if indeed we can um with the speed of it these days and I'm seeing now look, I used to think that this wasn't coached at um or coached at training, but I'm thinking that watching so many of these hip drop tackles these days, I'm thinking that there's a, there's a shift in the way rugby league players are now hitting players front on because of the the threat of a high A every time you go in for a tackle and most of it's the defender who gets the HIA you know, if I'm running at piggy with my elbow cock like this with the ball he's going to come in. Usually we'd come in and hit right there maybe with his head. Now I'm seeing players come on the side a little bit more than than we used to. And consequently, if Piggy's come on the side to tackle me and I've got the ball. I raised like this. Piggy's hit me hard, but at the same time I've gone forward with the step. So pigs still on me. But then I'm half a meter in advance that way. So he's grabbed on to me. The only place he can grab now is low. He doesn't mean to hurt me. He's not. No way is he mean to hurt me. But he's holding on for grim death because he misses me and I score. He's in big shit. And I think in the end. Well, on the weekend, it was kind of like a whiplash from crosswind. Kind of got whipped around really quickly and was out of his control. Yes, it was a dangerous look. It was a not a it was a dangerous tackle. But I think I think the NRL should be more transparent and say that the injury befits the crime. If you are injured in the tackle like that, we're going to come down hard like he's the first player to be sent off. Yeah. And we've seen guys get six weeks for a hip drop. So where is the line piggy? Where is it? I know, I feel for all. I feel for the players. I feel for Crosslin, man. He does. He's. You're right. What you say so right. He's been such a man about it since it's happened. Nathan Cleary, he's been such a man about it. He's been on the end of this.
00:04:08
S2: Because they understand.
00:04:09
S3: They understand they do.
00:04:11
S2: They understand the other thing about the whole hip drop tackle and is fatigue. If we're going to speed the game up, if we're going to have six agains, and that's great and it's entertainment, but there's going to be an outcome. Collateral damage off the back of that. And the outcome is, is that we're seeing more because players are put under more fatigue. So that means their tackle technique goes out the window. Yep. So then they're hanging off to fend off attackers. Sorry. And then they lose their legs in tackle and come down the back of him. That that's what's.
00:04:37
S3: Happening. That's it.
00:04:37
S2: And they're all accidents. But it's the players that are under so much fatigue they can't make calculated decisions because those decisions are split second. The game goes that fast and that's why we're seeing it.
00:04:48
S1: The other thing is you look at like the crushers, chicken wings, all those sort of things. Um, they're obviously deliberate deliberate wrestling tackles. Right.
00:04:56
S3: They've got, they've got, they've got, they've set out the game quickly.
00:04:58
S1: But the motion of hitting someone and then sliding down towards your legs is what you're taught when you're in under 60. That's right.
00:05:04
S3: So that's right.
00:05:05
S1: It's yeah. I don't know whether they need to start coaching differently at junior level or what the what the goal is. But like people are getting suspended for making what was once a textbook tackle, hitting up top and then sliding down to the legs and an injury comes and anyway, we're confused.
00:05:19
S3: That's true. We've all had different opinions on what we think a hip drop is. Yeah. Imagine what the players or the fans think. Yeah. Like we need, we need a, we need a think tank in the off season of the of the minds of rugby league to say, how can we eliminate this altogether? Is there a way.
00:05:34
S2: They will MGI don't think they will. I don't think they'll eliminate it. I think it's here to stay. And if you're going to speed the game up as much as they have, I reckon it's going to be.
00:05:42
S3: Well maybe the 60 goals got to go.
00:05:44
S2: Well that that's for them. Like I, I I'm I'm. But if we're seeing more and more. And the proof is there that we are seeing more and more like we are seeing them. This this has been happening.
00:05:54
S3: But but 2 or 3 years ago, we didn't see a hip drop. Like not as.
00:05:57
S2: Not. Well what's changed? Speed. Speed of the game.
00:06:00
S3: Yep.
00:06:01
S2: Yeah.
00:06:01
S1: Uh, something that I guess that that that sort of episode in in the prelim final cross and sent off clear. He's out of the game. It did. I guess the silver lining it gave us the magic. That was the prelim final. Right. The Knights a man down eight points down at half time. No one, and I mean no one in that stadium. 57,000. Thought they were a chance to win that.
00:06:22
S2: I reckon it's the greatest game that I've watched outside of grand finals in terms of inspirational from the Newcastle Knights. The ability to play what was it, 44 minutes? Yeah, 44 minutes with 12 men and then go into the second half. They won 16 nil didn't they in the second half. Yep. To do that not just to any NRL team to do that to Penrith and albeit Nathan no good. And I think they lost to Lunghi as well. And you know, he's not 100% but they did it. Yeah. I thought it was sensational. I was on the sideline.
00:06:58
S3: I thought you had.
00:06:59
S2: I couldn't I could not have enjoyed it any more. Um that Newcastle win and I've got nothing to do with Newcastle. But I know a lot of the people that are involved in the club. You know, I think Betsy hugged me 2 or 3 times after full time. Um, I've, I grew up with Justin Holbrook and played at the same local footy club. Our brothers played together. Um for Brazil 16 years in the game. Gets his first opportunity in the grand final. Well, uh, Brett White, Stephen Hales, the two other coaches have known them for a long, long time. So just. And they're all good blokes. They are all great blokes just to to be out there and see how happy they all were. And and the players it was it was a great moment.
00:07:38
S3: So many things happened in this game, so many things like I've watched rugby league for a long time and that was one of the most emotive games that I've ever seen, both good and bad. Mhm. Um, we were at my son's house watching the game. Uh, my two year old grandson's birthday having a was sitting there watching, and my young bloke said, Nathan's starting on the bench. I went, oh yeah. Oh yeah. He's never started. He's no. Why? Like. Yeah. And then we heard.
00:08:06
S2: What did you all all you guys think that.
00:08:08
S3: I thought that his injuries were a lot worse than we thought. Yeah.
00:08:11
S2: Did you think like, see, we were sort of spitballing? We're like, did they just save him because it is worse and go, right, if shit hits the fan like 20 and we need him. Yeah.
00:08:20
S3: Yeah.
00:08:20
S2: But but they threw him in after.
00:08:22
S3: After 25 minutes. It was six all. Yeah. And if you watch it closely, Nathan uncharacteristically. His first four runs were like a a back rower.
00:08:33
S2: Carrying the ball.
00:08:34
S3: Didn't even think about passing it. And I think that was all to do with the fact that he knew his right foot was stuffed. He just wanted to try and get some, you know, some violence or severance.
00:08:45
S2: Get into the game, going into the.
00:08:46
S3: Game. Unfortunately for the fourth one he ran. That was.
00:08:49
S2: The line.
00:08:49
S3: He took the line. That was the tackle. But um it was. Yeah. And then Newcastle's come back like wow. Who would have thought that. I thought people were going to run away with it. Even without Nathan Cleary in the second half I said this could be, you know, 30 nil in the second half. But the tenacity this club has shown, um they've been in two grand finals before in 97 and 2001 where they've been underdogs. They're going to be severely underdogs on Sunday but I think they're going to win. I just think I think the momentum and and they've got at the moment it doesn't even mean look. Phoenix Crossland is a massive out because he makes 42 tackles a game. But not just the tackling. He's a he's a scrounger. He dives on balls.
00:09:28
S2: In the middle.
00:09:28
S3: Yeah. But I just think this juggernaut of of emotion at the moment they're on is unstoppable.
00:09:37
S2: Do you think the crowd will be oh 7030.
00:09:40
S3: 70.
00:09:41
S2: 31.
00:09:42
S3: 7030. Yeah, maybe. 8020.
00:09:45
S2: Can we do a public service announcement? If you're coming from Newcastle, leave the night before. Yes. Like, don't leave it late to get down to the grand final. Like.
00:09:54
S3: And don't forget Blake's talagi. Then he's Achilles. Yeah, yeah. Like, it was kind of like a butterfly effect. Yeah. You know what? That is? The butterfly effect.
00:10:01
S2: Run us through the butterfly. Yeah.
00:10:03
S1: Talk us through the butterfly.
00:10:04
S2: Come on. Come on.
00:10:05
S1: It's lucky we've got a scholar in the studio with us.
00:10:08
S3: Okay. I took a screenshot of it because I. I knew that what I was watching was kind of a butterfly effect with Penrith. Okay, the butterfly effect is a concept in chaos theory, meaning that the small changes in the starting conditions of a complex system can lead to vastly different and unpredictable outcomes.
00:10:25
S1: Oh.
00:10:26
S2: Wow.
00:10:27
S1: Flow on effect.
00:10:28
S2: Wow.
00:10:29
S1: Yeah. That's beautiful.
00:10:30
S3: Don't you think?
00:10:31
S2: Right. Yeah.
00:10:32
S3: Like I thought that's the ultimate example of the butterfly effect. Nathan didn't start. Nathan was in his joggers. Yeah. In the warm up.
00:10:39
S2: Well, he warmed up in front of me on the sideline when the game started. Yeah. So when the game he didn't, he warmed up. You know he was inside. Team went out for the warm up. Didn't go out there. And then the game started. And he actually was warming up right in front of me running up and down the try line to the 20 metre line in the southern end, where I was.
00:10:57
S3: His first run. He almost broke through. Yeah.
00:10:59
S2: Through the middle. Yeah.
00:11:01
S3: Oh, so so look, they're gonna, you know, whether he should have played or not. It's, I think with I think a lot of people taking too much away from what Newcastle did against a pretty star studded team.
00:11:11
S1: Well a quick note on Sand and Smith boys. Wow. Uh, they're down by eight. Down a man. Second half. Last tackle takes on that short side down the right hand side. And they have that try to. Dom young gets the tap. It wasn't a quick tap technically because they gave them up.
00:11:24
S3: Yeah that's explain that.
00:11:26
S1: So so you can't take a quick tap for foul play. And I believe it was a high tackle or it wasn't a ruck penalty. So you're not allowed to take a quick tap. But as piggy mentioned on the coverage the referee Uh, gave the mark. He said, what do you want to do to keep the touch? And he said, and then. And he and then Sandy Smith said, can I tap? And he said, yeah, you're good to go. So he set the mark. Given the mark, Penrith were back. They were you know, they were all walking.
00:11:49
S3: What's what's the two things you taught when we first played rugby league.
00:11:51
S2: Turn your back on him.
00:11:52
S3: The ref's whistle. Play to the whistle and never turn your back on your opponents.
00:11:56
S1: And they pulled their pants down. Yeah they did. They didn't get a hand on him? No. Um.
00:11:59
S3: How fast is he?
00:12:00
S2: He was. Yeah. Cos then he burned Edwards down to the Tryline didn't he.
00:12:04
S1: And then that, that intercept was just.
00:12:06
S3: Well that was, it was like all you needed was Benny Hill music. No no no no no no no.
00:12:11
S1: Just the frantic passing I going back.
00:12:13
S3: I've never been there like I love the way you were. It was. What a spot you had. Unbelievable. Wow.
00:12:19
S1: Yeah mate. Well, I was calling I was calling that last play, and I was like, Edwards out to yo out to Garner, back inside to Martin and I. And then once he picked it off, once he intercepted it, mate, he was running. And I thought my voice was going to go on the call. I was actually worried. I was shitting myself. I was like, my voice is going to go. Cos I was just I was riding him home with Newcastle.
00:12:36
S2: Everyone at the ground, obviously. Yeah, I was on the sideline. And you know you have all the Fox guys. All the nine guys were there as well. Every one of us were all up and it was like we backed. The favorite was getting home. And that's everyone because everyone just got caught up in the moment. Of course, because Newcastle and what had happened.
00:12:55
S3: Come from nowhere.
00:12:56
S2: We just no one could believe it.
00:12:57
S1: And it felt to me like there was an error, like it was inevitable that Penrith were going to win because they'd been in that situation so many times. It's two points as if Newcastle are going to win this. Penrith will find a way.
00:13:07
S2: Dylan Lucas dropped that ball. Two minutes to go in the game. And I'm sitting there and I'm going that's it. Oh here we go. Like they've put everything into it. And the Panthers because that's what they do. They they back themselves that they'll they'll be comfortable getting it at the back end like. Yeah. You know they'll they'll get it in the last minute of the game. I'm thinking here we go again. They're going to get him. They're going to get.
00:13:26
S3: What a final series they've had. The Knights are like the first game against Souths. We go you know what. They've done enough. They've come from last. They get knocked out in the first week. Then they go over to New Zealand, go, oh, you know what? Well as if. Then they go, then they get a call. We're going against Penrith 12 man 9 to 1 or something. They were. But with 12 men they would have been 50 to 1. So every every every year we need a fairy tale in our game. And they have provided this game. This year has been such a an emotive year in more ways than one. We've gone through ups and downs that I don't think our game has ever experienced before. Started with Elli Katoa with the head bleed. Oh yeah. And that was kind of. We thought, oh, what the fuck is going on here? Because that was someone needed to be better with that when he had went back on twice. Then we had, um, a stroke from Kamikamica. Yeah. Then we've had, uh, the, the Broncos front rower whose name escapes me at the moment with blood clots in his legs, the front rower from the Broncos, um, not Willison.
00:14:30
S2: Who was.
00:14:31
S3: It? No. Help me out here, boys.
00:14:32
S1: Corey. Jensen.
00:14:33
S3: Corey. Jensen. Jensen. Retiring? Yeah. With Jiro. Yeah. Nathan. Merritt. Yeah. All this. Tony Mortimer. All this emotive stuff that we've seen this year. AJ getting the the tries. I don't think I've ever seen him like a pig or so. Yeah.
00:14:50
S2: It's been a big year.
00:14:51
S3: It's been like it's it's been just emotional an emotional rollercoaster in more ways than one. And um, it's, it's the, it's what's the greatest game of all?
00:15:01
S1: Yeah. Uh, well, boys, let's look at Sunday. Uh, this week's odds brought to you by. Better stay ahead of the game with better. Download the better app today. What are you really gambling with? Uh, it all kicks off early in the afternoon. I love the, uh, the interstate championship. We've got the Dolphins taking on the Panthers. Uh, in the early game. Usually the New South Wales Cup club tends to win those. It's been a fair few years since I think we've seen a.
00:15:23
S2: Panthers or the Panthers.
00:15:24
S1: Yeah, yeah yeah. The, uh. Well done. One of his best. The Panthers. I haven't even got it.
00:15:33
S2: Yeah. First page.
00:15:34
S3: Oh.
00:15:34
S1: Yeah. Yeah.
00:15:36
S3: Oh, there's no preview. No. No team sheets.
00:15:37
S2: No team.
00:15:38
S1: Sheets. Yeah, yeah. Well, it clearly doesn't give a give a shit about this one. But the dolphins I went through and looked. They got Trey Fuller, Jake Averillo and Brad Schneider playing up there.
00:15:48
S3: So the juggernaut.
00:15:50
S2: Yeah. Penrith.
00:15:51
S1: Yeah. Uh, the women's game boys. The Roosters $1.45 favorites against the Broncos $2.75. Uh, this was a rematch of last year's grand final. And the Roosters, they haven't tasted defeat in a game other than that grand final. Round five 2024.
00:16:06
S3: Yeah, well you know, you know who's going to win this.
00:16:10
S2: Well I don't.
00:16:12
S1: Those odds are unders for the Broncos.
00:16:14
S2: Because if you're a Broncos fan take the 275. Yeah take the because if if Upton's on and she gets the space that she needs she's good. Good. Yeah she'll she'll she'll carve him up. But Roosters are an unbelievable team. Yeah. They're stacked full of stars. They've got a great team. Um, as you said, been undefeated all year. Smacked everyone. But it's a grand final. And last year.
00:16:38
S1: There'd be nightmares from last year. Yeah.
00:16:40
S2: Don't be surprised if it happens again.
00:16:41
S3: And we. And we, uh. Bon voyage. Three really good players in Corbin Baxter and Billy Elliot and, uh, Ali Brigginshaw after this game on the weekend. So well done in your careers, girls, because you've been fantastic. And, uh, hope the day on Sunday is kind of, well, kind of one of you because it's obviously one of them's going to go out a loser in a, in their last game.
00:17:02
S1: So they've got about what, 15 premierships between the three of them. So yeah, they're not short of a juggernauts.
00:17:08
S3: And I think the difference is um, I think that young Jesse Southall could maybe get them over the line. The Bronx.
00:17:14
S1: Yeah. Uh, looking ahead to, um, the big game boys. Now it's time for our feature segment, the Finals blueprint, brought to you by our mates at James Hardy. Design and build Modern mixed material homes with one trusted brand, it's possible. With James Hardie, we're dissecting the exact master plan from the forward pack all the way to their big game finishes, and whether they've built a squad that can endure the heat of September or if their structure collapses under pressure. So, boys, let's do it. The chooks take on the Knights the blueprint for this game, I reckon for the Knights. I mean, they clearly targeted the Panthers edges and they had some luck getting Bradman. Best on Blaze Taulagi. But you've got someone like Bobby Toia there. He's a bit better defensively.
00:17:56
S2: Yeah.
00:17:57
S1: The Knights are gonna have to do something different here aren't they.
00:17:58
S2: Do they go to Gagai on Billy Smith. Yeah that's that's that's going to the right. And then they shift to both sides. Knights. They're probably one of the best teams are shifting out of their own end. Um and we saw that on the weekend when they tested the edges. Um Bradman best was sensational, but I wouldn't be surprised if they liked the match up of Gagai on Billy Smith to take skip and take him on the outside. Um, but they will test him. There's no doubt in my mind that they'll test the edges and Ponga will be out the back of those back rowers. Even in even coming out of their own end. Um, so for the roosters, they'll just be power game through the middle. Take us on. Good luck. Yeah. See? Yeah. See what happens.
00:18:40
S3: Yeah. Like any, uh, James Hardie. Uh. Unbelievable. Homes. Brick by brick, brick by brick, brick by brick. That's what the roosters were trying to do. Yeah. The knights, the knights.
00:18:49
S1: That's a that's a pro right there.
00:18:51
S3: The Knights will get the get the broom out and just go round the back and get the gurney out and say, I'm coming through you, Mr. James Hardie. I just think the unpredictable. It's almost like the. What is it? The irresistible force against the immovable object. I just think both these teams are so different in their styles, so different for us to sit here and try and figure out how they're going to win, it would be the opposite of what we say, because we know that. We know it's going to be such an unpredictable game. Roosters could win by 40. Honestly, I don't think the Knights can win by 40. I think the Knights can win in a grind. Yeah, I think the Roosters have got more star power. I think if you look at that they've got 12 origin and test players in there. It's an unbelievable but. But momentum. Momentum is a beast. It's almost irresistible. Yeah it's almost irresistible. It's so I just think I can't wait to be at this game. You've got the best house in the world again on the sideline right there. I mean from the sideline. What will you be looking for early with Crossland gone.
00:19:55
S2: What's the well Harrison Graham's coming in right.
00:19:58
S3: Well we'll just start with him.
00:19:59
S2: Yeah I think they will. That's what I was going to mention. Diesel Hagan, 21.
00:20:03
S3: No relation to Michael.
00:20:04
S2: I'm not sure.
00:20:05
S3: I don't think.
00:20:06
S2: So. I don't.
00:20:06
S3: Know. I don't think so.
00:20:07
S2: But because there's a fair few Hagan's floating around in the lower grades up in Newcastle at the moment. So I just don't know if there's.
00:20:13
S3: The word is Thomas Kent will be the.
00:20:15
S2: He's going to be the backup. Is he.
00:20:16
S3: That's word. Word. Or maybe.
00:20:18
S2: Hagan's there. Hagan hasn't made his NRL debut yet.
00:20:21
S3: No.
00:20:21
S2: And imagine he made his NRL debut on grand final day.
00:20:24
S3: You know what? 111 bloke who would grant him that would be tits. Yeah. Yeah.
00:20:31
S2: Holbrook. Oh.
00:20:32
S3: Sorry. That's his nickname.
00:20:34
S2: Yeah.
00:20:36
S3: I wonder, though, because I told him we used to call him Tootsie at Penrith. Yeah. And then when he's in the coach I thought, should I say it to him? Nah. No. I've never had one. We've interviewed him on GB. No, but that's his nickname.
00:20:50
S1: What do you reckon, boys? If I had to sum it up real quickly, you've got experience and you've got emotion and momentum. Yeah. What? Knights momentum. You know, everyone's backing him. The Roosters. Tedesco. Daly. Cherry-Evans. You've just got game winners right across the park there. Origin players as you mentioned before.
00:21:05
S2: That's why the Roosters are $1.45. Yeah because they've got class everywhere. DK's last game. Walker back in the halves. Tedesco Marky Mark and what he's doing on the wing. Naufahu Whyte leading that pack through.
00:21:18
S3: Their inevitable.
00:21:18
S2: Victor Radley. Reece Robson out of nines. Been great the last few weeks like it all points to a Roosters win. There's no doubt.
00:21:26
S1: That time they run well haven't they?
00:21:28
S2: How can you how can you. Well it's.
00:21:30
S3: The roosters. Seemed like Roosters are the team of champions. They've got from 1 to 17 there. But knights have been playing like a champion team and they they as Peggy mentioned earlier, all the players have lost you know. But they just keep putting blokes in and they just keep putting blokes in and they. It's such a belief that that I saw. I was in an interview after the game on the weekend, he said it was like they had 13 men. We had 12. He said we didn't. We couldn't find a gap. We just never played against a team like that. So ever since they've finished the season proper, they had the bye. Remember the last year, the last game they had the bye. Yeah. Um and Roosters played against Roosters rested all their players. So maybe that's a blueprint to go deep into finals From now on, if you've got oh, obviously you can't.
00:22:19
S2: Get the opportunity.
00:22:20
S3: If you get the opportunity, you can't get a bye. But yeah. Um, and I think how people keep saying about um one who is going to be broken, either the 50 pointer or the outside of the top four. Yeah.
00:22:31
S2: I reckon there's an asterisk on the roof. Has to be 50 point. Has to be.
00:22:34
S1: There is but history won't remember.
00:22:36
S3: It.
00:22:36
S2: No, but it should.
00:22:37
S3: Be an.
00:22:37
S2: Asterisk because.
00:22:38
S3: They rested.
00:22:39
S2: All their teams. So it doesn't really count. I think everyone knew they were going to get smacked.
00:22:42
S1: Interesting note. Yeah. Usually winning week one of the finals is known as such a big advantage. But Dolphins and Panthers both out. Yeah. Interestingly. So uh well that is the blueprint to success. Thanks to, uh, James Hardy, the great people over there, James Hardy looking at the, uh, the odds there, boys. Thanks to better roosters, as you said, heavy favourites here. Big dollar 45, the Knights $2.80. Um, and it may even push out even further now that now that one's gone.
00:23:08
S2: Um yeah.
00:23:09
S1: No changes from the roosters. So they've got you know they've got that continuity. It looks like Connor Watson will be passed to play. He's got to see a neurologist tomorrow.
00:23:17
S2: I'm sure he'll be fine.
00:23:18
S1: Yeah, it'd be brave for the neurologist to to fail him. Say no. Sorry, champ.
00:23:23
S3: With uncle Nick looking over his shoulder. You mean you wonder what you want?
00:23:29
S1: But, um. I mean, just looking through it, boys. Yeah, you'd say that the Roosters favourites and deservedly so. As you said, like littered right across the park with talent there. But you just can't get over the emotion of the.
00:23:41
S2: And the crowd.
00:23:42
S1: The crowd.
00:23:43
S2: The crowd. Oh em gee I was saying I said this. I think I said this after the game or something I loved. I don't obviously it's, it's luck. But I loved how Newcastle defended the northern end where all their fans were. Rugby league poetry, poetry. Because you just look there the whole game in that second half and the whole Knights crew was all behind him.
00:24:05
S3: Yeah.
00:24:05
S2: Like Cheering obviously as a player you feel that that I'm like it just worked so well in the second half.
00:24:11
S1: You know what I reckon if.
00:24:12
S3: You're so true.
00:24:13
S1: If you're Jack Cole or Jack Cogger under pressure, you know you got to man up. You know you should be winning this game. And you.
00:24:18
S3: Know. And each second that goes by.
00:24:21
S1: You should have seen that wall of red and blue. And that would have felt every bit of that pressure.
00:24:25
S3: I reckon I've been blown away by the young forwards for the Knights in particular, this young kid up front, Cody Hopwood. Yeah, obviously McEwen was here last year, but um, man, you Layla like.
00:24:38
S2: Crouch off the bench.
00:24:39
S3: Crouch off the bench. Where has he come from?
00:24:42
S2: Sharks junior. Apparently I found out the other day. Is that right? De La Salle Caringbah.
00:24:46
S3: He's been so.
00:24:47
S2: Good, I think. Don't correct me if I'm wrong.
00:24:49
S3: Yeah, he's been so good.
00:24:49
S2: So he's been sensational. Crouch, I don't even. I didn't even know where he'd come from. Yeah. I'm like, wow, awesome.
00:24:55
S1: What about Kalyn Ponga turning into a hit man on the on the game on Moses.
00:25:00
S3: Yeah. Holy Moses.
00:25:02
S1: Absolutely levelled.
00:25:03
S3: Him. Nah. He's just he's in a.
00:25:04
S2: He's in a spot.
00:25:05
S3: He's in that sweet spot. Yeah. And and good luck with him. Yeah. Roosters good luck because he's the. He's. If Newcastle win he's. He's the Clive Churchill.
00:25:13
S2: Oh no doubt if he's on and firing and playing his best game of footy he can carry him to a win. Wow.
00:25:20
S1: Uh well boys what are your picks for this week. So I want to know Grand final day picks. Give us an NRL W and an NRL pick. What are you. What are you going. What's your pick?
00:25:31
S3: I'm going Roosters in tonight's. I'm going the Roosters to win the NRL W and I'm going the Knights to win. I'm not saying it's you know I I I I just think at the moment momentum this time of year is is palpable.
00:25:43
S1: Okay. Uh I'm going to take the Bronx to Meeker Upton any time. Into roosters 1 to 12. The heart wants the knights, but I just oh, I just feel.
00:25:53
S3: I reckon every winger will score in the grand final.
00:25:55
S1: You reckon high scoring?
00:25:57
S3: Every winger will score.
00:25:58
S1: Yeah. Right.
00:25:59
S3: The four wingers will score. It's going to be probably a 3226 game. Yeah I think.
00:26:04
S1: Chalk one up for a couple. He's just.
00:26:06
S3: At.
00:26:07
S1: Least one.
00:26:07
S3: At least one.
00:26:08
S1: Yeah. He's just on another level.
00:26:10
S2: All right. I got mine, boys. Go, brother. I'm gonna go. The roosters. Double roosters. Girls into roosters, boys. Both half backs to score a try. So, Tarryn Aiken. Oh, for the girls. Who's just an absolute.
00:26:23
S3: Warhorse, one said they put him in.
00:26:26
S2: I don't know the price yet.
00:26:27
S3: That's alright.
00:26:28
S2: And Sammy Walker to score for the Roosters.
00:26:30
S1: Beautiful.
00:26:31
S2: Righto.
00:26:32
S1: All right. Well, that's our preview for Sunday's grand final. Uh, thanks for listening to this episode of Mike. My words. Don't forget. We will be back on Monday with our Mark My words Dally M awards show. Uh, just a reminder, we will be continuing the Mark My Words podcast all through the Rugby League World Cup, so stay tuned for that. But as always, for all your NRL news, follow the Continuous Call team wherever you get your podcasts. It's your one stop shop for the latest in rugby league. Share with your mates. Leave a review. Hit subscribe wherever you're watching. You can also find us on YouTube and on Instagram. Just search continuous.
