Leeds Rhinos vs Huddersfield Giants Match Review Panel

We review Leeds Rhinos vs Huddersfield Giants. Enjoy!

how do you think bro Croft looked
today um thought he looked like broady
Croft but in a better color
jersey please have brought back to back
Rugby League titles the golden
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Edie just so you know I’ve said it more
than once uh we are filming and recorded
in the ACD and B Studio Studio I am
statman Reese I’ll be your host uh for
today Eddie isn’t with us today as he
has welcomed a new child into his family
so congratulations to him and his wife
this is the match review panel for the
fourth defeat of the season to
Huddersfield that happened on Friday it
leaves us eight Place uh in the table so
I’m officially calling this the second
therapy session of the season after the
first therapy session last week or two
weeks ago joining me today is one
regular guest making his first
appearance in Studio it is mix Max to
Josh we’ve upgraded your name from
Jingle Josh Josh how are you yeah I’m
really good actually feel really good um
despite the fact you’ve watched the game
live and you’ve watched it again since
in preparation for the podcast Y in
spite of that I
um I I think like a lot of us we
probably had a bit of sport fatigue
we’ve had the week off from both United
and rhinos me and uice we went to Ellen
Road a couple of weeks ago yeah that
wasn’t great that was terrible um so
yeah it was really nice to talk the week
off had my birthday drank a lot of beer
and then forgot about sple together
straight back into it this week and
actually I’m feeling good because I
think what’s happened this weekend
brings everything to a head it it
creates a great talking point for us
this week and there can’t be any
papering over the cracks it’s there for
us all to see we need to chat about it
and I’m feeling good about it fantastic
and we’ve got a new guest to the podcast
some of you may recognize uh the face to
my left here uh for those that are on
Spotify obviously you can’t see that at
all um you may recognize him from a
podcast called the square ball uh
distracting himself ahead of Monday
night Rob conin Rob how are we I’m all
right yeah I think you got the right
words at the top it is like a therapy
session for me I’m quite looking forward
to it yeah yeah well if you if Dan
Mullen steals that it’s more than
welcome as long as we get credit on the
Square ball that’s absolutely fine I
mean Square ball is just generally Doom
whereas I feel I’m not spoken about the
Rhinos for a while so I’ve got a lot to
get off my chest I yeah you’re not
allowed to speak about it on there so um
in true lot pod fashion then we are
going to sorry we are going to have a
bit more of a chat with Rob a bit later
on about him being a rhinos fan and a
bit about the square board as well
because it is a podcast in a magazine
that’s greatly influenced myself and
Eddie and something that we listen to
loads um but we’ll leave that to the
very end because I think we’ve got some
more important matters to attend to so
in true lot pod fashion we are going to
start with the positives uh and we’ll do
round robin we’ll take it in turns uh
this week and I’m going to kick it off
as it’s always great to see S brown and
James Simpson being welcomed into the St
delivering the match ball we have talked
to sa Brown before it’s a fascinating
story and we know about James’s success
so that’s my positive Josh have you got
any positives or one positive you want
to make first yeah I think just touching
on what I mentioned earlier I think this
game and then we’ve got Hull and uh
London next two haven’t we I think we
could have been in a situation
where we win all three and um we’re kind
of papering over the cracks of what
there are problems within our coaching
setup or our tactics or perhaps our
Squad and although you never want to
lose a game I think this has highlighted
the um the problems which we’ a lot of
us have been worrying about all year and
last year as well and it’s kind of
brought to the four and I think it’s now
the time a lot of fans are thinking it’s
time to maybe speak about this time
perhaps for a change we are in a
position now we’ve got too easy games
let’s let’s just you know put that in
inverted commas um I think it’s a
positive that like it’s it’s never a
positive to lose but I think now is a
good time we’re about a third way
through the season that if change needs
to happen or if you know if we’re going
to stick or if we’re going to change now
is the T it’s brought all to aead and I
think so your positive is you feel like
you’ve got a Moment of clarity for the
club of where we need to go kind of I
didn’t want a Jesse Mash beating
Liverpool beating Bournemouth straight
into the World Cup situation This is Our
Moment now we can act on it you know I I
think yeah that’s what I’m trying to say
I think that’s positive Rob positive um
I mean there’s just so many to choose
from isn’t there we got double figures
for points at home for the first time in
a long time you know what it’s you’ve
already stolen something from my stats
corner but it was actually the most the
second most points we’ve scored this
season yeah it such a joyous occasion
was it but um I suppose yeah it’s it’s a
weird one isn’t it cuz we’ve we’ve got
to that point where we’re either start
the season going well we’re defending
all right but we’re not scoring enough
points and then we we scored a few
points and uh let’s well we’ll get on to
the defending won’t we later we will do
I mean I’ve got I do have another
positive strangely and it was actually
Jared’s try because uh Jared friend of
the Pod as everyone knows um you know
he’s been in the podcast twice he scored
a try and for some row I don’t know how
he scored it he just seemed to the world
just seemed to open up for him but I I
can tell J’s a really likable character
and the whole Squad was around him when
he scored that try which is really nice
so that was another positive for me are
there any more from either of the you
two or is that is have they yeah I think
um I think the first
half I was generally feeling positive I
thought we were playing a bit more
direct I thought Loy Miller was
absolutely brilliant in his attack
especially um I thought kamam was
getting his hands on the ball more um I
thought MOSI finished off his try really
well more tries and any McDonald already
now I thought Mick was uh laying a
platform
you know that if we leave it there I
think that that’s a like what you said M
just just because Eddie’s not here I
need to insert the Polish Adonis remark
that Eddie always says he’s a Greek god
he’s a beautiful man any other positives
there I will go to the stats in a second
but I mean it’s not really to do with a
game but I had a pain in the cardigan
arms for the first time in a while which
is always a treat I’ve not been to the
cardigan arms in ages oh it’s amazing
I’d say it’s one of the best pubs in
leads so it’s yeah it’s a good excuse to
get there the trips ah headingly there
are there are some very good pubs and
food in that and I’d rather actually
talk about that but we’re not going to
unfortunately so we are going to go to
Stats corner so I’m going to look at the
camera now and say Chris insert stats
Corner jingle
here here’s a guy who’s got a mouth like
a snare had a voice like a cat trapped
in one it’s St man squeeze you are
listening to statman race with stats
Corner starts
Corner starts Corner you’re list to
starts Corner you’re listening to STS
[Music]
Corner perfect right so into the stats
then so I’m going to start with the team
stats then and then I’ll go into the
individual stats so team stats I’ve
already mentioned 24 points was the
second most points we’ve scored so far
this year 30 points conceded was the
second most six tries conceded was the
joint most obviously after round seven
um we missed 39 tackles which was the
second most uh but apparently hfield
actually missed more they missed 40
would you believe it or not um meters
conceded
1,396 that’s the second highest
completed sets for us was 24 second
lowest um strangely which I find quite
strange our average carry figure of 7.3
met as our high second highest of the
season and the one that annoys me more
than anything at the moment is plays in
the opposition 20 which is 12 again
which is a new low yet again and the
only team that’s worse than us is Hall
FC at the moment for plays in the
opposition 20 um I mean they got six so
they they are half as terrible as we are
uh or double as terrible as we are so
but anything from those team stats Josh
that are concerning you well to follow
that theme that you just said then I
don’t know if those who watched it on
Sky I watched it back on Saturday the um
I don’t know if you’ve seen this race
the startat was 132 play the balls in
the opposition 20 this season which is
the same as Wigan Wigan have scored 19
tries lead who scored
nine so for me that highlights a lack of
attacking structure which it’s territory
as well for me though like we I don’t
know what you think Rob but you we’re
not we’re not getting there it’s it’s a
combination of both territory and
structure I think which is not a good
combination to have cuz like you say
we’re not getting there and then there
were some stats a few weeks back so the
will have changed now but we require
something like the second highest number
of play of the balls in opposition 20
per triway scoring so we rarely get
there and once we’re there we don’t seem
to know what to do with it and it’s a
recurring theme on the Smith actually
which is a strange one to have but the
closer we get to the opposition’s try
line the less threatening we look which
is a worry and then we off the back of
that as well we don’t build any pressure
yeah which again just leads you back
into your own half yeah which again like
I say is just a recurring theme of
what’s been happening for the last 18
months I think so yeah I mean it’s G on
I’ve got I’ve got a little theory on
that I think that we’ve been scoring a
lot of tries from Deep this year haven’t
we and I think a lot of that I sorry
Josh I think we’ve that’s we have been
doing that in it’s quite Rowan esque
isn’t it to score from Deep yeah so it’s
not new is it I think that’s what you’re
saying isn’t it and for me that comes
down to individual Brilliance moments of
magic from Star players that can break a
tackle get an offload and get down the
field and that’s all brilliant but for
me I don’t think individ indiv
individual Brilliance can only get you
so far
I think at some point you have have to
have a really effective attacking
structure and when we get into that
opposition 20 I think that’s when we
break down we look clueless and that is
the last 18 months and we’ve got a new
uh spine now so we we used to blame it
on Caesar was clueless Austin was
clueless we’ve bought probably the best
nine in the league and definitely the
best standoff in the league my opinion
and we still face those same problems so
to me it highlights the fact that we
don’t have a clear effective strategy
once we get to that um opposition 20 and
that’s something I’d like to see change
so let’s let’s pick it up on that
individual billion sprit then because
I’ll go through the the player starts
before we go down into the first half
and second half because I can feel the
stats are the cor stats corner has
already been drifted away so I’m going
to bring it back on that individual
Billings comment so over 100 meters we
actually had six players do you want to
take a actually know come on let’s have
a lottery on this who got over 100
meters cam Camy yeah Cammy will was
fourth 116 lucky lucky was top 157 ree
Martin Ree Martin was second 153 we’re
doing well there guys four for four come
on two more Mick Mick was third in 120
with 125 and one oh have you said we
said four think we’ve got two left two
left um just from sheer weight of
carries perhaps leis Roberts leis
Roberts yeah was was sick for 108 his
second highest of the year if fussy had
have played 80 minutes would have
definitely said
him you know what I love fussy this I’m
going to have to come into this bit
later on let’s part fussy for a second
cuz I do it there’s one other player in
that backline that made over
100 uh movi movi yeah so movi was the
other one so that was Miller Martin
aledy Smith momodi and Roberts all over
100 Miller leading from the from the
front again
157 um aledy leading from the pack again
he’s consistently making over 100
actually got 8.3 meters per carry as
well did he just super human uh moski
also got free clean breaks as well
coming into the tackle bus uh Lackey
Miller is currently having a contest
with Matt dufty to be the top tackle
Buster in the league um I think dufty is
leading at the moment but Miller had
nine on Friday Martin had five Cameron
Smith five and uh I think that says no
that says McDonnell in my writing five
and then tackles wise uh cam Smith led
the way with 45 McDonald with 43 gamond
uh with 40 and uh McDonald missed eight
which when we come to the second half he
named probably going to feature for a
lot of those eight missed tackles so
let’s talk about the first half then
because I put a tweet out the first half
and I
felt I felt there was more line speed I
thought we would be more creative I
thought Camy was getting his hands on
the ball a bit more we were defending on
the goal line pretty well I mean h
hutsfield were throwing the ball out
left and right but they didn’t seem to
know what to do on the edges and they
couldn’t get past us and the only points
they got was from the penalty um at the
end of the half so if we just look at
the first half isolated alone
Rob did you feel that there was an
improvement from round seven absolutely
it um it reminded me a lot of the first
half against St Ellens in the league
game where we had decent half certainly
compe to a lot of stuff we’ve thrown up
recently did think we left a few points
out there though which I suppose going
back to what we were saying earlier but
the tries we scored with taken both
really well Miller that electric break
for the first one wasn’t it for which
again was very similar to one against St
Ellens where he s of go short side just
burns everyone uh and then the second
one you did actually see you know we
were in there 20 and we came away with
some points which is a rarity and it was
a lovely kick from Croft so it was just
getting towards the end of that half you
just thought have we left some points
out there yeah and that first try I mean
I think I remember rightly and I’m found
in the southst facing the north stand it
was right in that bottom right hand
corner where lacky had beaten three
people turned around and made 20 M and I
think it was off that set or a
subsequent set following we scor that
first try I know you’re a big fan of
Miller um that’s the sort of stuff we
like seeing but what what for you in the
first half what I ask you the same
question ask Rob do you felt that was a
better half or better performance than
what we’ve seen in round seven uh
definitely I think the I think you could
just feel it it just felt better um on
Lucky yeah I I don’t think we’ve had a
fullback exciting like that since Zach
um Prime Zach not the one that came back
um yeah and it makes a massive
difference to to win comps you do need
Superstars and people that can tackle
break you know break the line do bits of
magic get you out of you know that that
what we’re talking about there it was it
was behind the goal line and um it took
it P what was it three three or four
players and then it was maybe the next
play of the ball it was definitely that
set we got the try from um and if Lucky
Miller doesn’t do all that stuff we
don’t get that try um so that was great
like I mentioned earlier
absolutely love seeing cam get his hands
on the ball a bit more I think we look
great when he is um involved in the
buildup
players but he he definitely had the
ball and handed much Ball but my
frustration with Camy at the moment is
he he can get his shoulder through the
line but there’s no one there and there
is one prime player that got half of his
tries and half of his assists on that
and I don’t have the bell with me but
that is dny McGuire and so there was you
know I always get frustrated when I see
Kam he makes that half break or his
shoulders free and his arms for and
there’s no one there to in support to
take that line and I would you know i’
probably want someone like Lackey or
Akers to be doing to be doing that who
scored the first try was it movi or did
he get the second it was yeah movi it
was uh it was a nice lot sort of line
and pass from tholey into sangari wasn’t
it
and which didn’t come off in the second
half which we’ll come to that a bit
later that brain fart but yeah I again
one of those things same things with
shot like kickoffs I see sang about to
offload and I and I my instantly start
to panic but that one did come off and
obviously moski was able to Dot It Down
on the Corner the i’ I’ve completely
I’ve not rewatched the game you see so I
didn’t really want to watch it who
scored the second try fussy 2 fussy two
ah perfect now that kick from bro Croft
was absolutely bang on the money it was
curved bounce you know fussy two didn’t
even have to move his arms away from his
chest did he fussy T being back nice to
see him score what did he make of that
try and obviously fussy being back in
that first half it was exactly what he
want from Croft just putting him in a
bit of space and you see what he can do
once he does have that space on fussy to
there’s some guys next to me in the
stand having a bit of a sweep State
before the game of when he was going to
go off which felt harsh but then
actually who won what was what was there
you know one of them was really close
which was uh unfortunate but also they
were all sort of making a song a dance
after we scored our first try fussy too
was getting his knee strapped up then
you thought oh he was limping just
before that as well and and I’m gutted
for fussy cuz I I get the frustration
with him not being the field he’s he I
think he’s a marquee player he gets paid
a lot of money and I saw his first Carry
Josh and he he knocked someone over and
he got really good quick clean ball and
Akers did a run from DM half and I’m
there going we’ve missed that and
hanley’s great at carrying out from deep
but he he not he’s just not the size of
fussy which has apparently has now been
replaced which we might have to talk
about a bit later um but fussy try the
kick from Croft what what was your
thoughts yeah it was great it was crof
getting um it was second receiver
um bit of space a well executed kick to
the C it was just a just a great play
good League try what we probably when
you’re coming what your point about
we’re just not scoring we’re not doing
much creating of in that final 20 we’re
not seeing that enough unfortunately but
that is exactly what the play we should
be seeing yeah and and a lot of that the
good stuff we did in that first half it
was kind of just basic rby League you
know we bit of intensity in defense
forwards making some meters some players
making line breaks and just everyone
following off the back of that and it’s
you’re trying not to jump forward to the
second half already it’s all of shadowed
by that isn’t it but it’s kind of it is
what we lack sometimes you just think
just do the basics right and and it goes
It goes a long way in this game so jent
we might as well get onto it because
there’s not really much El to talk about
in the first half and most of the
talking points are in the second um
obviously I’ve mentioned my halftime
tweet saying I thought things had got
better sorry we talk I tweeted out half
time said I thought things were more
intense I thought we were off the line a
lot better um and all that all that jazz
and then 10 minutes later I had to then
quote tweet my own tweet and say scratch
all that because we absolutely [ __ ] it
up Rob going to come to you first was
there anything at the start of that
second half when you thought hang on a
minute we’re not we’re not firing all
Cinders this is not the same side I mean
it was pretty much from kickoff yeah I
noticed Sam Leone was like three or four
yards behind everyone else and I thought
that’s not a good sign considering you
know like talking about like having just
a bit of intensity in defense and doing
the basics well and then you see that
and you just think oh wait are we going
to sort of take our foot off the Garcia
and it really reminded again going back
to that St Ellen League game it reminded
me of that because in the first half of
that we defended really well and then
the very first set from kickoff we seem
to give them more easy meters than we’
given them in the whole first half and I
just saw that and I thought oh we’re not
for a repeat here admitt I didn’t see it
going as it went but yeah did you did
you see anything that caused you alarm I
mean I think my alarm was fussy injury
and I was actually quite surprised that
he came back out because he was limping
quite evidently I didn’t really see
Newman’s injury I know Chris was saying
to me before we recorded that he had his
hand on his back but was it I mean I’m
not saying that the injuries changed how
we played in that second half but was
there anything else that you saw that
alarmed us cuz it was that right Edge
well after they came off but also the
reason why they came off was because of
that um them chasing after Swift was
there anything that you saw that were
like hang on a minute well yeah do do
you think they should have been playing
should they have come out cuz
Newman Rowan said Newman did that injury
early fussy it was pretty obvious to
everybody that he’d had that injury um
should this all right been heroic but if
you’re going to be a liability on that
edge should you have put yourself out
there anyway we could have it was
halftime it was a good point to maybe
change a couple of things put Reese to
Center
um you know maybe switch a few things up
because
any decent half any decent coach will
have spotted at least fussy looking
injured if we all spotted him looking
injured and you would say if he’s out
there just Target that edge I would say
it’s a collective responsibilities
between the player the medical staff and
the coach whoever to make that decision
and and rugby league players are always
going to be the sort of players going
I’ll play on I mean we’ve seen images of
you know Westman for example whacking
his own knee back in place not the best
example in the entire world but you know
that that it’s that mentality isn’t it
that they don’t want to come off it’s a
pride fig especially with fussy when his
not not being playing um but the Devil’s
Advocate back myo and back to you is
that we’ve moaned together about you
know not having Square pegs in round
holes and you know maybe that’s part of
the decision why the subs weren’t made
but the clearly oh the clearly should
have be made because you could see the
fact that Swift got I mean he absolutely
battered fussy down that wi didn’t he
there was did any point did you think
fussy was going to be anywhere near
Swift he’ gone in the blink of an eye on
it really I didn’t have much help then
you go get back I mean f was F the wrong
way you turned didn’t and I was like oh
he’s he’s he’s gone I mean Swift quick I
mean I was quite impressed with Swift I
was really impressed how he runs into
contact he runs in hard but as soon as
he got that ball I think he’s one of the
quickest in super league but once he got
that ball that was I mean it killed off
Newman and fussy did that try and that
was a positive from earlier for me
having
Swift I uh drafted him back fantasy 71
points 71 71 points I’ve already
forgotten about fantasy I always do it
week one and I always forget but I’ve
had Swift in it last year um but yeah
God but so in terms of that I mean the
thing that concerned me most about that
Swift try anyway in fact was that it was
all set up by really poor Chase and I
think it was ikf and I’ve probably said
that wrong but he was allowed free roam
to run probably to the 20 20 30 meter
line and then he just took one step
looked I think it was McDonald I think
and just beat him one pass and Swift was
gone you know it comes back to your
point Rob the intensity what where
where’s the responsibility on that
intensity not being matched or not being
upped again because in that first 10
minutes we were out intensified by
Huddersfield and it showed because they
got two quick tries and quick sucession
yeah it does worry what ran Smith was
saying to him at half time and I know
you can read too much into these things
K but one of my worries with Smith is
that when you see him talking to the
media it just sounds like a broken robot
and then you start think well maybe he’s
not that comfortable in front of the
media fair enough he won’t be the only
Smith looks like that but then um yeah
he won that race the Smith race the
Smith out race but then when you do see
Clips behind the scenes of Smith talking
to the players he does sound the same
and you do think oh J does so are you
saying it’s the it’s the coaches run SP
show that I mean for me is I would say
it’s a mix you know it’s it’s it’s the
players that are on the pitch
but I suppose the inspiration comes from
your leaders your coach is a leader and
he is and know we’ve seen the behind the
scenes footage is quite mellow mhm
mellow it’s quite calm sometimes there’s
a place for that and then but then we
we’ve got the other end of that scale
and we were just talking about him off
there which der um and it would it Felts
like that conversation would have been
very different I don’t know what you
think Josh in terms of where that
responsibility lies and that intensity
yeah the the uh behind the scenes video
where Rowan was real chill you know we
can score these points blah blah
everyone loved that in that moment for
that one game but remember saying won
yeah if we had won remember that that
was a really good game was the car game
remember we were actually a good team
and beat a good team played really good
rugby I think is that round
three three or four maybe it was like
yeah was that like start of match yeah I
remember feeling really positive it’s
all gone a bit down anyway gone but that
I I remember saying to you and Duncan
that doesn’t work every week no and
you’re right he he is often like that
isn’t he and I watched that uh that
Saints game uh the league game with
Duncan and he said at half time he said
uh we’ve been very poor straight after
halftime we’ll either win or lose this
in the next 10 minutes and sure enough
we were part and we lost that game
within those 10 minutes and that’s a
similar situation to uh what happened on
Friday night but on Friday the pendulum
actually swung back to us unbelievably
we ended up in his position where we’re
2412 up and I know Chris will want me to
mention it that triy with MOSI we
actually scored a bit of structure it it
was a really well worked dry I thought
when moski on the corner although I
thought the pass was a little bit flat
from my I was in line with that I’d say
that was fair fine I’m not biased the
linesman the lines wasn’t even looking
by the way cuz he was looking at MOSI on
the on the on the grounding rather than
looking at the line but that was a great
try I felt and it was not I mean MOSI
again we mentioned it earlier I’m I’m a
bit gutted from him having to get
shifted around all the time but he
scored more tries than then McDonald
already I said to Eddie I thought he’d
assist more than he’s scoring but he’s
now starting to contribute with some
tries yeah I think that was um coming
into the season partly thought they were
just going to shift Reese M to Center
and you know does a decent job there but
I thought kind of to take the pressure
off Newman a bit we just wanted some
strike on the other side and I mean it’s
like you say it’s wor out differently
because he’s moving all over the place
but he’s already contributed more than
McDonald in at least in s of tries and
also I thought the on Friday night he
did look to just get involved and get
stuck in and get some work like under
his sleeves which that’s what needed but
I mean that try surprised me because my
mindset at that point after those two
tries was and I’ve seen us I’ve used the
words capitulate before CU I didn’t feel
we had that leadership to to respond I
was astonished that we were 2412 up I
couldn’t believe it I mean were you
expecting us to be back in that position
where we were 12 points ahead
again I don’t know I I can’t tell you
what I was expecting on Friday night but
one one thing that I do um I think is
starting to be visible on the which
is in in his presses Rowan is making a
lot of excuses mhm uh I think we can all
see that and one thing I felt like I
really noticed in that second half was
that attitude filtering down to our
players you can see arms being thrown up
in the air to the referee when things
didn’t go their way players weren’t
playing to the whistle there was a try
that that interception try sorry to jump
ahead but right at the end cam Smith
threw the intercept pass and he just
stood at the referee and it was a bob
and it was it was a knock on but he was
stood right next to him he could have
just made that
tackle which is the second time he’s
done that this year it was a cast when
he just watched him get the ball and
score come on mate and I just think that
it was a knock on though I mean and I I
was screaming at locky say let him score
cuz he has to go back and review this he
has to go back and then he just put his
arm down and going how are you not
anyway and all that is true but we we
didn’t lose because of that and I was
disappointed that that was said but I
just think that these attitudes start at
the top and they filter down and this
excuse culture the blame game I think we
need as a collective to take
responsibility for what happens on the
field um and I to use your word
capitulation I think a lot of that came
through attitude yeah personally so I’m
going to flip the script to attitude
really quickly because someone that
always shows great attitude is Jared and
this is my final positive of the game
because everything unfortunately goes
downhill at this point but
um I messaged Jared uh yesterday saying
great try friend of the Pod leave it out
all right um but I messaged him going oh
great try was and he M said yeah I was
quite lucky because it was Fifth and it
was meant to go to
Cami and he I mean but I couldn’t
believe that the passing of the SE it
was I always stood there like surely
this is getting pulled back for
something um but did did you think the
same like did you feel like it was a
weird try like it was I felt like he
obviously just spotted a hole and over
the shouted the override call and but no
one was was it like he just I was going
to say I was looking at fory thinking
has he spotted that and got for the
short ball there the defense is just
completely moved out of the way but fair
play to O Conor cuz the way he steamed
onto that ball yeah was great come on at
that point yeah I think he’d come on a
couple of sets before I think that might
have been his first it took me a while
to realize who it was because he’s gone
a skin head now obviously that made him
more streamline maybe that’s why it
happened I don’t know we’ve been going
about mullets and stuff but maybe it’s
the SK look skullet oh we go that’s the
next one Cammy go for that um but yeah
unfortunately that’s my final positive
because then I think that it comes back
down to that word capitulation for me
and I think it was because we were and
and and I don’t like singling out
players at all because I think and the
one I about to say which is mcdonal I
think he’s fantastic I think he’s a
brilliant player a player that we should
have signed up to even a longer deal
than we did earlier this year but he got
battered by for Masters did he yeah it w
pretty there was a few though wasn’t I
mean there was there was a few weak
defensive effort all around there were a
few Miller where he’s the last man
needed to be a bit stronger but yeah it
was just time and credits to this field
they spotted it but it was ugly both him
and uh McDonald and movi who I thought
it was kind of harsh on I thought it was
kind of playing well but it just did not
work that combination at all and it
typically has to be the one time that we
didn’t have a back on the bench was the
time that we needed it wasn’t it and and
I know you can have that excuse we had
to shift things around losing two
players on one Edge is not easy but
unfortunately the ones row that probably
doesn’t work in his favor he didn’t have
a back on his bench meant that he had to
put McDonald in that position and
McDonald just kept and unfortunately I
caught a lot of this because it was
right in front of me every time it
happened McDonald he can’t have been
stood further away from me and new to
Masters right now and the touch line is
you can’t see it the brw dog candles
behind you there um that wasn’t a
sponsor by the way but if brw dog do
want a sponsor they’re more than welcome
to um but he then moski is obviously on
the touch line as well he just he wasn’t
communicating was it he just wasn’t
working on that edge so my question is
Huddersfield and Tony not Tony Smith not
him Ian Watson said we went we attacked
the edge because of that change so logic
would dictate that on the other
side that you would go hang on a minute
you can see they’re targeting that side
we’re clearly weakened down that edge we
should change something yeah I don’t
think we did no and I think that comes
from leaders on the field and it comes
from our coach I
think and I’m I’m trying not to drift
into no might as well we might as well
go into it now because this is where the
this this second half and this this the
minutes and what happens next all just
combines together yeah so um the
structure is now being Unleashed yeah so
crack on you sound like Rowan
Smith I’m trying to I’m going quite
happily be R’s coach to be fair but I’m
not sure that’s a positive at the moment
yeah um but well well one one thing I
want to start off on was I feel like any
successful coach
has his generals on the field that can
dictate the game plan they can see these
things they can see the weaknesses they
can adjust on the go because at the end
of the day the players are the ones that
have to go out and do it so for example
if we took Melbourne storm Craig belly
one of the best coaches ever um his game
plan would come from cam Smith the
Aussie cam Smith Cooper Kon Billy Slater
they would form the game plan they would
identify the weakness es in the
opposition they would identify their
strengths all those things create the
game plan Bellamy would facilitate the
the structures and whatnot to do all
that CU at the end of the day like I say
it’ll be those players carrying that out
on the field I feel like we’ve got a
situation where we’ve signed these great
players we’ got um Akers and uh Croft
and Miller BR as part of a brand new
spine flly as well I’m just going to put
him to the side a little and I feel like
Rowan’s trying to get them to play his
game plan his structure or lack of
structure where as I feel like a good
coach the best coaches in the world all
create a system so that the players on
the to suit the players on the field
does that make sense and I think that’s
on the attacking side but like on this
defensive side bit when yeah so I feel
like if we back in the day and and M
durma actually worked that way as well
sinfield Maguire would have said right
they would have identified this and they
would have said look this is we’re we’re
in charge of this game plan this this
this happen every all the play all the
EX players said that sinfield used to
almost coach on the field yeah and I
feel like this is what we’re lacking
we’re lacking the leaders and the
generals on the field we signed let’s
talk about fry for a second we signed
him as an organizing scrum half he’s
played standoff for the last three years
in the NRL for the Raiders he’s done
eight eight games 23 eight games in 2022
and less in 21 so he signed him to be
this General scrum to organize our game
plan and whatnot but it’s not his
game can he do that I don’t know maybe
he can in F maybe he’s learning this in
future I don’t know but I feel like two
things to summarize one the coach isn’t
giving the players that um
responsibility to create their own game
plan and do it to uh Implement that on
the field and two I’m not sure we have
the leader or the general to do that
either
yeah so we’re going to carry on our
theme but we’re going to close off the
second half with we were crap in the
last 20 minutes we got battered by the
right hand side we didn’t make tackles
we all agree that that was a second the
rest of the second half can we can we
talk about the Dropout yeah oh God sorry
yeah I’ve actually completely wiped that
from my mind so actually that that
follows on from that question actually
so got into an argument with a couple of
people on Twitter and some people agreed
with my tweet but there obviously Rowan
had said afterwards that it was a bad
decision from Lackey which I agree with
all right it is a bad decision of Blacky
and the execution was poor what also
concerns me was that apparently he was
practicing these before the game and one
of them was that bad it hit the own
crossbar so the clear that her form what
I’ve seen Blacky do some really exy
locky I keep getting wrong I’ve seen him
do some really great short kickoffs but
clearly the the mood wasn’t there at the
night because if you’re hitting your own
crossbow and you practice enough that’s
telling you something but in that moment
that I think that is Lo’s fault would
you agree that him the would you say him
doing it then the execution of it wasn’t
great at all but I suppose they argument
and I’m comeing to you first Rob there
isn’t I mean obviously Marx needed it
and it and it that didn’t go well for
him but it’s it’s the short kickoff
tactic or game plan or option is given
by the coach as part of the system it’s
the player’s job to sort of do that but
I haven’t seen enough evidence this year
to say we need to continue doing with
these the short kickoff thing like
where where is the responsibility Ling
this I’m rambling because I’m trying to
work out what my actual question is but
I know what you’re getting at I mean
that’s the thing we we never did it to
such frequency high frequency until
Rowan Smith got here so it’s not it’s
not it wasn’t a surprise we did it even
as stupid as it was cuz we they got that
drop out and I turn to my dad and I says
we’re going to do something stupid and
and just on on that exact point I turned
to my dad cuz I saw lacky bring some I
can’t remember who it was he he shed
someone to the right and brought him
across to the left went we’re going
short and then he’s going we won’t do
that no we’re going short and then
everyone around me I’m not joking it was
going don’t do it do not do it it was
like that classic cartoon you know they
don’t do it like don’t touch the hot
plate thing as a kid but because you’re
stupid you’re going touch it anyway to
prove it was hot it was exactly like
that I mean I I I question why Miller’s
taking these if he’s as bad as that warm
up suggested I mean I didn’t see the
moment but I’ve seen plenty of tweets
saying bloody hell it was awful so it
makes you think why is he taking them in
the first place but yeah I thought it
was strange from Smith to come out and
basically blame Miller because it’s it’s
surely his coaching instruction is that
his his his thing is kind of it reminds
me of basball with the England cricket
team where he’s all about empowering the
players to like yeah play what they see
and go off the cuff and you know he was
Smith was even talking earlier in the
season of like when he talking about not
be build pressure he was like we’re
going to do things differently and it
reminds I mean I’m not much of a cricket
fan but it reminds me of mullum where he
was talking about Zach crawlin he’s like
he’s not going to be a consistent player
and you think okay not his jobs like
make him like you know coach these
things so he wasn’t a surprise that he
did Miller’s obviously got to set
responsibility for how bad it was yeah
you’re going to do it fry had a right
pad on the left hand side youve seen it
also the thing is that is that where was
he gave away the two points it was
completely the wrong time to do it the
time to do it was then from that kickoff
when we were two points down then we
need the ball pack why are we doing it
then it was it was such Panic R it just
went descended into chaos that second
half as soon as they scored those two
tries at the start of the half it just
descended into chaos it was just Panic
rugby from that point on and actually
kind of what you were saying Josh at
that point you need to fall back on what
you know and you need to have a a game
plan there that you can rely on to just
get yourself back into the game because
that’s all we were doing in the first
half we were kind of keeping it simple
doing the basics and we got the rewards
from that and instead we were chasing
the game that was we were still Level
and you know we were back in front but
we just still playing con kept missing
his kicks which we actually should have
mentioned was a positive but I I
shouldn’t mention it because he had the
last laugh on sky at the end of the game
but I know you’re a big Aid watch with
the NRL and it it has been poting out to
me that it’s actually been seeing a lot
more in the NRL and I know there’s a new
rule change coming in next year but
that’s they’re still doing it is it new
is it in now the now yeah okay but
they’re doing it and they actually seen
quite a bit of success but I think my my
argument is based on the kicks that
we’ve seen before the game and in
previous games it’s not working no so
what like is is there a stubbornness to
say this is how I want things to do like
for me I’d be going I’ve seen enough
evidence that it’s not working just
don’t do it well I think back to S my
point earlier see if if Rowan Smith was
coaching sinfield Maguire burrow I don’t
think we would be doing it I I don’t
think they would that that experience
would be just saying not doing it yeah
but on the lucky thing that situation as
Rob said he has to take responsibility
for the poor execution yeah there’s no
question of that and do you think
there’s a bit of inexperience in that
because I think sometimes Loy can be
brown to a bit of a I don’t want to call
it a brain F but it kind of is in a way
um but he can be a bit prone to that and
he’s not as exper whilst he’s
experienced in age he’s not as
experienced in rby League because he
came to it a lot later I think a lot of
his brain fats are around this short
kickoff short Dropout cuz there was a
there was a was the kick that forc the
seven set for Huddersfield I think just
before there there was one in that
Saints game as well yeah um I think
though so the I have a big problem with
Rowan outou in it in the media because I
think if you’re going to implement if if
during the week you’re going to
implement this mentality of off the cuff
we do things a bit differently we go for
the risky play if in that moment your
player which you’ve given this
confidence to goes for it and it doesn’t
work out yeah you can’t then throw him
under the bus if if it had worked off
out he would have been clearing the
credit like yeah we’re this off the cuff
team that all these things vice versa if
Miller was interviewed and said how do
you feel about the shot kickoff and he
threw Rowan under the bus he wouldn’t
have been happy about it and you look at
the NRL Grand Final Brisbane Bronco the
biggest stage in rubby League over there
Brisbane Broncos on the back foot Adam
Reynolds one of the most experienced
scrums in the game goes for the short
kickoff our Englishman Herby fan with
bats it back there’s no one there and
Mitch Kenny goes and gets the try for
penrith if that have happened Broncos
probably win the game do you hear Kevy
Walters throwing Adam Reynolds under the
bus not at all because he’s instilled
that that play in them and that
confidence and he takes ownership of it
that’s the probably it’s the ownership
of your own philosophy and that’s what
annoyed me about Rowan’s comments from
there um and and I don’t think there’s
anything else about the second half to
cover really because there was the sang
offload and then there was the referee
call about the final try but I don’t
talk about we don’t talk about referees
on there because with the standards just
general and just refering the game that
they’re given however can I just say one
more thing yeah you can always when it’s
not we’re not ending the Pod head we
still the therapy session will still
continue for a good I don’t even know
how long yeah we even when this stop got
a question to ask you both I’m going to
ask a question both to your second but I
think Lewis Roberts needs taken out with
the firing line the worst thing happen
for him was Newman and fussy getting an
injury but let’s just put that to a side
the errors that he makes in a game he
just looks shot of confidence thing is
he only made one
error unfortunately unfortunately it was
a really big error and I have not said
this I have not said this out in any
groups or or into anyone I actually
thought Lou had a really good game up
until not not a good game Sorry know a
better game by his standards that we’ve
seen he was getting the ball he was he
was Mak forward but that unfortunately
that I’m going to get shot in the
comments now for that um Chris can you
edit that but unfortunately yeah that
that one moment he dropped the ball but
at the moment the next person in the
firing line is an 18-year-old yeah well
well sorry so so he dropped the ball in
that moment and then he shut out the
line and created a massive gap for them
to walk in and try so that’s but it’s
every game it’s not a one-off um yeah it
is but does that we’ve seen 18 Jack W
could win a grand final at 18 Alf edel
is a fullback um as far as I’m aware and
he looked really good was it hul he
played yeah he was and he was safe under
the high ball he was good at kick
returns why don’t you go with something
that worked he he’s full of confidence
at the minute he’s just had a great game
away at UL put him there and just said
just keep it really simple I want I want
six carries from you and I want you to
try and get as many meters as you can
and just catch all the B just keep it
really simple and you know don’t over
complicate for him and just go with
something like that like I don’t think
Roberts is good enough anywhere but he’s
lacking in confidence yeah that’s the
thing I think with Roberts I almost
because he’s a young player I
almost kind of forgive him for the error
but I don’t think the rest of his game
is good enough to compensate for that
and like I say I don’t want to dig him
out cuz he’s a young lad but usually
with a young player even if they’re
making errors you’ll see a spark there
and you think ah right that’s why he’s
so highly rated worth persisting with
he’s too slow for a Winger every time he
gets the ball has to cut inside and so
there is the argument that he’s not in
he’s not in his Center role which is
Center I just don’t I don’t see the
skills there are in being contct I
understand I understand the points yeah
so yeah I’d feel for him CU you know
he’s he’s getting exposed and it’s not
necessarily his fault and like you say
it was only one error it was just a big
error but he works hard in yardage and
stuff like that but in reality in the
reality at the moment when you’ve got
fussy out again and Hanley out might not
be coming back just yet yeah no yeah you
got to do it it’s it’s the position that
we’re in unfortunately um I still I
still would probably put edel and
McCormack in before him I certainly put
my call back on the wing first edel was
I think fullback primarily but my call
back from there was it Jack Smith that
played on the wing in preseason yeah
Jack Smith had a couple of games there
at Center and Wing So did um Ned scored
in the KR preseason obviously played
four minutes um against W which still
annoys me now um from there so speaking
about the person that made decision I
was ask on this pod by Edie last week
about where I was at the beginning SE in
terms of percentage of the term Rowan
out um and I said I was 15 and then at
the moment last week I was 65% because
that’s where where I was feeling um
someone asked me on Friday night because
I was obviously uh tweeting a certain
tweet of someone to my left uh which was
you made in February which was uh was it
what’s the effect of I’m hes I’m trying
not to call Rowan a ball fraud yeah I I
posted that half time of the first game
of the season to be honest I was lining
it up from about 10 minutes in but but
it was it was it was genuine I I I don’t
want to do that yeah and I’ve
unfortunate to retweet that and quot
tweet that but I quot qu quote tweeted
that saying it’s time and I think my my
opinion now is that I don’t think Rowan
is the man to go forward doesn’t mean I
mean want him sacking now because I
think there’s so much in the behind the
scenes that need doing from that from
that process and St so many things that
need to happen
but if I was going to ask you rob first
a percentage of a scale of that 0 to
100% of what of the Rowan out scale
we’re now calling on the lot pod where
are
you um I mean I don’t think he’s the guy
for the job I guess it’s a a question of
what you were hinting at there of the
timing and what are we going to do
afterwards but I’m 95% sure that he’s
not the guy do you know what I mean and
coming into this season I I had my
doubts but I thought I’m willing to give
him a
yeah cuz I think he he had to deal with
a lot last year but we’re basically
saying the same thing seeing the same
thing and if anything it’s getting worse
week by
week
Josh yes same as raw but I had concerns
at the start of the year but certainly
wasn’t a very like a passionate rowing
out guy at the start of the year I was
willing to give him his chance um but
yeah all through last year had concerns
I voiced my worry over the project
signings that we made at the start of
the year I just didn’t think we’d just
been in a grand final I just didn’t
think those project signs were the
players to get us back to a grand final
or even challenge for top four and we
let a lot you know we let harder go
replaced him with alfors all that that
sort of stuff
um I I was willing to give him a go
though because he got you know we got
crto line hackers Miller MOSI all that
um but as each week has gone on I think
I’m about 100% I I just don’t think
think he’s the man I I just don’t think
he’s the man as I mentioned earlier I
don’t want a Jesse M situation where we
win the next two games suddenly where
what would that be six out of 10 uh wins
for the season and Gary’s you know we’re
trus in this process blah blah blah and
actually the season’s over because he’s
not the man to get us in the top four I
think I’d rather
be mixing things up now I think it’s a
good this that’s what I was kind of
trying to say about that positive is
that it’s brought everything to aead for
me um we’ve got two games now where they
should be winnable games spoke earlier
about those moments of Brilliance which
can get you across the line in certain
games we should have enough of that to
get there um I think now is actually
probably a good time third way through
the season to save the season um maybe
get an interim and then um some someone
new the thing for me is a massive thing
for me is
um I mean before Rowan I wanted a proven
head coach I wanted Shane Flanigan a
winner someone like that who was a free
agent then but who it’s probably
unlikely we can get a proven coach right
now but what I want is someone
with uh I think we’ve had like a soft
defense to us for a long time so I want
someone who comes from a background with
strong
defense um but also and really
importantly I want a strong assistant
two assistants around him I want a team
of coaches who bring a winning mentality
and uh culture back into the to the
squad and the team and the
ethos
um because even under agar I didn’t
think we look
particularly strong
defensively um and I just want rubby
League’s a simple game we just need some
simple Str everyone talks about this off
the cuff rugby that we’ve had and been
known for for so long but all that is
comes out of a solid structure so you
know where you are Croft needs ball in
space to do what he does he’s an out and
out six his thought is run first and
let’s see what happens we need a game
plan to get cof in those
positions um and Akers they were they
were playing in such a structured setup
for sford last year and they thrived
under it we need somebody to get the
best out of these players come to this
team look at what we’ve got we’ve got
some real Superstars now let’s get the
best create a system to get the best out
of these players and solid uh solidify
our defense this passive defensive thing
you know what when saints were winning
for what was it they they had the best
line speed they had the best Rook speed
we just it’s never this passive defense
has never worked why are we out thinking
the room like I I was happy to give
Rowan a chance but he’s not adapting
he’s not you you know that’s a that’s a
good phrase trying to outthink the room
I think that’s that my issue with the
whole thing under Smith is that he’s
trying to be clever and not trying to be
good just do the basics and it’s like
that 2014 when they talk about working
under Tony Smith and there was the
interview with Danny McGuire and Jamie
Jones Buchanan got put out last week and
magu is talking about playing this free
flowing off the cuff rugby but they all
say that preseason Smith just drilled
them with the basics until they were
bored to death he had them passing
didn’t he yeah exactly and whereas you
think and Smith we doing short dropouts
and like you know just it’s mad it’s
Madness but uh he’s talking about that
sort of Jesse Marsh wait to sack him I
don’t see it coming do
you no did you hear the Gary Edon Jesus
Christ interview with Jenna Brooks it
was with John wil no I’m still not
listened to the podcast in the week yeah
I’ve not listened to that yet no well
all is all is great and he’s loving any
he yeah Rowan’s I mean by all accounts I
think Rowan has done a lot off the field
from what we can hear and it’s something
that Chris again has said before that
there might be things that Rowan’s done
that if he goes that he won’t get the
credit for but he actually has set up
and has changed things but there there’s
a fre there’s there’s a degree obviously
there’s the expectation of the Rhinos we
have been spoiled in the luxuries of
winning and as a fan base we expect it
now whilst GH does say those in that
podcast I full know that as soon as the
crowds start to turn and the St don’t
start turning up and it comes up to
season ticket renewals time that thought
process is very different in his head
cuz it’s Ruby league is we know
financially he’s not that strong so
those ticket sales matter so much so
there’s a phrase that you said which was
save the season is is that are we
already in that territory Rob of saving
the season it’s round eight there’s 27
games in a year are are we in that
territory I mean on the basis of what
we’ve seen and the facts that we’re just
repeating last season and if anything
game worse is the season goes on then
yeah cuz it’s only going to go in One
Direction even if we beat H and London
who are absolutely pathetic you know and
and I actually had to question and I’ll
ask you both this are they the worst two
games to have next I surely not I mean
there’s one way you can look at it the
confidence Builders we could get you
know go we could go Rowan could like
wipe the wipe the sck clean now just
focus on the basic it’s no short
kickoffs and we could blow him away and
we could it could and this is completely
hypothetical everyone it could blow away
this season so that’s one way of looking
at and that’s the Devil’s Advocate thing
that I have to insert because that’s not
my mindset CU my mindset is I think that
I I think it almost creates a bit of a
false illusion if we win those two games
yeah so would you I’ll go to you first
Josh are they the worst two games to
have next well it depends how you look
at it if I was GH now I’d be getting an
inter in him intering in and I would be
seeing it as two w games to win and
build confidence and go from there and
that would buy me time to start thinking
about the next coach however if we stick
with Rowan then yes it could be that
false illusion it could be that thing
that I just I feel like we’ve seen
enough in Rowan to know it’s not going
to work so even if we win these it might
give him his job till the end of the
season and then what I just don’t think
we’re going to win with him I guess my
reluctance about getting rid of him now
is you were talking about things that
he’s done behind the scenes and off the
pitch and he alluded to that in his
pre-match press conference cuz it was
the 2-year anniversary of him being in
charge and he was asked you know what
he’s achieved and stuff and he was
mentioning the club infrastructure and
things like that and you think that’s
not your job though mate like you’re the
head coach I mean well maybe it is his
job and I think this is why I would be
reluctant about changing in the coach
now there needs to be a director Ruby
there you can’t have Herington making
this decision and Herington I couldn’t
agree more going back W Jesus Christ
yeah uh that is absolutely me he’s done
really well out of life R but anyway um
aair is the most appropriate word you
could have used there if that was not
intended that is underrated but anyway
but like he when hington appointed Kevin
sinfield as the Director rby it’s almost
like he put the B signal out for the
hero to return but he he basically said
then I shouldn’t be making these
decisions anymore sinfield goes we’re
about to square one there seemed to be a
plan to
maybe to go up but that just left him as
a dead man walking when that sort of got
I don’t know if it was announced or it
was leaked anyway
but we haven’t replaced him have we
we’ve not replaced him we’re still
without a director rugby there was weird
things last season around like Blake
Austin’s departure where Gary everon
saying it’s all Rowan Smith’s you know
who’s at the club and then Rowan Smith
saying I don’t know anything about this
yeah and I was asked on the only Ruby
League podcast not wasn’t R rate podcast
what was one of my biggest fears of the
season and it was if another player left
under weird circumstances CU then this
whole thing about culture clearly isn’t
right because then clearly the problem
is the head of the snake you can
determine who is the head of the snake
separately but I think like this this
sort of culture debate it kind of
fascinates me a little bit CU I sort of
think does culture make winning or does
winning make the culture something like
what comes first it’s interesting how uh
you hear John Wilkin and some of those
Saints players who were involved in that
rival rivalry with Leeds will talk about
oh leeds’s culture was just better than
that and you s think well your culture
can’t been that bad if you were like
winning challenge C did your culture
only work up till like the end of August
and stop do you know what I mean it’s
kind of strange but yeah my big worry is
that if we’re to make a change I think
director Ruby needs to come in and be
sting this out I just
can’t see hington getting why like why
should we trust him to get it right when
he’s he’s got it all so wrong and yeah
the thing watching that I don’t I don’t
want to sound horrible but the thing
watching that interview with him I was
just like you’re 70 year old mate like
why are you still doing this I get the
impression that and now you’re nodding
in my corner of my eye here that the
changes are more wides scale that you
you think the Chang is are more wides
scale than just a
coach no wides scale in the sense of of
a director but we need someone who is in
charge of who the coaches are and
recruitment you can’t have the head
coach looking after all that stuff sure
they get an input of course you’ve got
to you don’t want to give him plays that
they don’t want but Rowan’s got enough
on his player coaching the team he don’t
need to be dealing with all that more
time practice shot kick off if if Gary
evon’s admitting when sinfield came in
all them years ago he shouldn’t be
making those decisions either there’s
just this vacuum at the top and what it
leads to is those project signings where
he’s just backing Smith to do that and
yeah and are they the is that is that
the wild scale change that you think we
need
Josh I think they come hand in hand I
think you don’t do one without the other
do you
think yeah I don’t I don’t know I mean
you could I think I think short term we
I just feel like we’re going nowhere
with r that the initial where we are
right now I just don’t think we’re going
to win anything with Rowan but as a club
and the whole the future everything I
think we’re crying out for a director of
Ruby that has a long-term plan a
long-term recruitment
strategy um you know coach in mind
Academy setup so that it can filter
through to the first team everything
like that it needs someone to oversee
that process which Gary’s obviously done
for such a long time and did do well but
you’ve got to say
since 2017 it’s been poor and even 2016
was poor did we was 2017 actually
because Danny mags wasn’t injured and he
just dragged us to the Grand Final and
you know was the best player of all time
sort of thing you know what I mean
um you look at the recruitment since
then this has by far been our best year
but we’ve also resigned Donaldson for a
year we’ve signed a you know a reserve
grade standoff as our en 7 um you know
last year was full of project signings
after we’d just been in the Grand Final
um I think it’s just thank you very much
for all you’ve done you’ve been
incredible you have literally you are to
thank massively for the Super League
generation of fans that we have and
success um but I just think it’s time
like what Rob said is in his 70s you
know um and in that interview when
they’re asking him about the secret of
his longevity and he’s like well if
you’re in charge of it you can’t suck
yourself can you yeah oh God is that
really what we want to hear right now
that didn’t film me confidence that that
sounds like a dictatorship doesn’t it I
think that’s the same phrase that
certain members of the International
Leadership may say but it’s like he he
as much as I don’t see it coming and
that interview makes you think that he
does see things a lot more positively
than the crowd hfc by all accounts was
sort of publicly back in Tony Smith
until like the day before they sacked
him but the worry have as much as I’d be
reticent to make a change now they can’t
afford to let another season slide
because already on Friday night after
thought short kickoff the crowd was
singing what the [ __ ] hell was that
there were booze Rowan Smith comes out
and then says oh you sure they w’t
booing the referee yeah I’m really sure
they weren’t Rowan but uh the interest
is waning massively I don’t look forward
to going to edley I’ve not had a good
night at edley in years and you know
what that I think that was my that was
my barometer of where I am on the r out
scale because I for me going to rby
League I go with my dad my uncle and my
cousin and my best mate it’s uh it’s
something that we do I enjoy with my
family together unfortunately I’ve
dragged my best mate along in the last
three years he’s now got a season ticket
this year I don’t know why he’s still
friends with me um but I I needed that
two week break with the challenge cup
was not being the challenge cup which
again we should be um but I needed that
twoe break and it came to Friday and I’m
like I’m actually in the mindset that I
really didn’t want to
go and and that and that that annoy
upsets me annoys because I wasn’t
looking forward to spending time with my
dad my uncle m c and my best mate my
family and going to wos and that that’s
my barometer of that I’m not I’m not
looking forward to attending headingly I
feel like that was as much behind the
sigings of Croft and akas and Mosi in
the offseason it was like we need to
keep these fans interested CU I mean
last year I was went to Kan last year
and just couldn’t quite arrange it but I
was I was so apathetic I had nothing to
say I was just like I’m not interested
really and it was getting too like I I
don’t have a season ticket these days I
I get like the five game membership and
sometimes top that up and then and often
like this often like spare season ticket
or whatever knocking around and it got
to the last two games of the year and I
had still two games on that left and I
thought oh god I’ve got to go with these
like and it felt like such a CH and and
you just they can’t if he was to let
another season slide what is it going to
be like next year you can’t imagine him
throwing even more and more money at it
just signing more and more play that’s
the thing we’ve spent a lot of money
this year haven’t we so it needs to
count I mean Wigan and Saints haven’t
dropped off have they so I don’t think
we’re they’ve been through transition I
don’t I don’t think we’re un realistic
to expect a club our size with the money
that we’ve spent the squads we have the
the the pull that we have the squad
we’re able to assemble I don’t think
it’s too much to ask really to expect
top four every year in this league that
we play in at least the playoffs
certainly I was looking at St Ellen’s
transition transition m they finished
outside the top four twice and they were
still fifth I think they had four
seasons where they weren’t at least in a
final yeah and and you think it’s gone
badly wrong at leads for his to be we’ve
made consecutive playoffs what twice I
think that was under AAR yeah it’s yeah
which you know and you look at that and
think well why should Edon be trusted to
make these decisions anymore yeah and he
needs to have the humility there’s a
role for him at that club still as CEO
when it comes to the Department surely
he needs to acknowledge no yeah I mean I
mean I always will cave at this there is
a there is so much credit that needs to
be delivered to Gary Herington for what
he delivered to this club he saved it
and he delivered the best gener involved
team and led from the front in terms of
delivering well the best child on I
think ever it was awesome it was awesome
growing up in that area I’m so lucky but
if I’m going to ask you just right
now you’re in his shoes you’re in Gary
hington shoes now m
what do you
do uh yeah I think I just I just think
we’re not go I’ve said it a few times I
don’t think we’re going to win with
Rowan so I think I’d be taking these
next two games as an opportunity to get
an interin in interim in and do you
think that’s one of because I mean my my
worry with the interim thing which is is
that I don’t I don’t think AR our
assistance
no the quality to me and I do think and
it’s Duncan’s mentioned this before I
think that’s part of the problem is that
yeah you look at the assistants that are
around there in we really need the bell
in the Danny Maguire Bell mags but then
you also look at some of the other
assistants that are knocking around in
the league at the moment um I would I
would use these next two games as an
opportunity to sort that out okay
because I think the squad is has if you
make the decision if you if you’re JH
and you say right I’m sorry ran yeah but
we’re not going to find replacement
tomorrow so you gonna have to you’re
gonna have to let one of Chev or or
Scott gricks or you bring someone in I
don’t know I mean
yeah anyway I mean jjb for example he’s
not the most intelligent rugby league
analyst but he’s all about passion and H
defense was his thing playing for the
club and we managed to pick up a few
wins yeah he’s had a go of it he’s
experienced in any and he seems to get a
taste of for it as well which was
frustrating um so maybe someone like
that but then longer term for the coach
I’d be look at our our weaknesses
personally I me men earlier a huge huge
thing is just our defense I’d be going
for someone who has a background of
strong defense and we’ve got these
amazing offthe cuff players that can
play but we don’t have the general half
to execute a really kind of strategic
game plan i’ i’ get someone who can draw
the best out of what we’ve got someone
who could maybe just create a real
simple game plan for folley to stick to
and directors and just get crof the good
ball he needs I’d be looking at I mean
as I mentioned earlier my ideal last
year would have been someone like um um
oh the dragon’s cut just gone on my head
sh Wait a minute no no no sorry Dragon
sorry flan Sor um sorry yeah Flanigan I
was just I was trying to go through the
list that you sent me of all the people
um I sent him
an um but you know like yeah I mean you
look at someone like Sam burges
who Super League fans were saying W what
a joke of an appointment all that stuff
and I think they just see the headlines
but what I saw and I raised it in our
group was he’s an absolute Legend in
South Sydney and he pretty much dragged
that club who were an unsuccessful club
for a long time back to their
Premiership through Shia
determination mental toughness he
knocked drink on the head for the year
and said to everyone I am so dedicated
to this we’re going to win this Grand
fight his mental toughness is not in
question in that regard outside of rugby
you know whatever but just on the field
he then went and got he went cuz he was
so passionate about being a head coach
one day he took an amateur side in
Australia and he did everything it was
it was bottom of the league and they had
no money nothing he went he s he got a
sponsor to to sort kit um you know balls
all that stuff and he got on backto back
uh promotions within that League that’s
he couldn’t sign players that’s all the
players he was uh working with and I I
said at the time that that mentality
that graph mentality just keeping things
simple but the mentality of winning and
being tough will go well over here if
nothing else will be
competitive and I think that’s the kind
of thing we’ve missed is that hard Edge
our defense you hear people say things
like we’ve got soft underbelly which I
always think is a really strange thing
to say but I kind of know what they mean
someone like Jason rles who’s been at
the storm who’s tip to one day be
Bellamy’s replacement or is it Peter
Wallace at the Panthers who’s been
clar’s uh defense coach or um Boyd cner
at s uh Sydney roosters who again is
just a back rower purely based his game
on grit and
determination I I’ve seen us for too
long just be too soft I want us to be
gritty I kind of want us to strip every
to mention John Wilkin who I
despised but he he said when Holbrook
came in and before anyone says we should
get holdbrook he’s completely dedicated
to the roosters and said he’s going
nowhere but he and also Warrington threw
the checkbook at him yeah he even then
he didn’t come so he’s not leaving but
what he did for that Saints team was he
said he just stripped everything back
made it really simple and enjoyable
again and got the right players the
right ball at the right time tackle hard
run harder and that’s what they did
wasn’t it and it and it we don’t need to
over complicate things with all the
you know R’s wacky ideas I just want
someone to bring that kind of mentality
back a long answer to it a question I’m
afraid sorry it’s all right don’t wor if
G if I was GH for the day that’s the
sort of Direction I’d be so you all be
sorry rarin yeah for final you had your
bounce back thanks for the off find find
an interim and use that time to go get
someone yeah
okay floor’s yours Josh has convinced me
I’m just going to say what I said I was
going to say it’s not my job I think no
give it to Josh give him get direct okay
let me POS a question back to is there
an argument in your mind to
say look it’s not working out but
because a part of is like like if if
it’s not working out you you want to
tell you can’t just tell where look it’s
not working out we’re going to find
someone else because obviously he’s
going to go why am I still here so do
you then go right what you’ve got the
year and then in that time then go find
someone because my worry is Ruby league
isn’t football there in people readily
available M I’ve heard people I’ve heard
people mention Tony Smith
nope if you think our problems are bad
now I know he’s great but look at hle um
and I’ve heard you know
it’s I think for me you need time to go
find the right person and I don’t think
people are as easy to be release from
contracts as people think I think so my
my internally I’m thinking whether you
the decision or not is a sorry my
decision is R needs to go but it’s
really when yeah no I’m with you on that
cu the word
is I like Josh’s idea of getting the
inter room but I think the worry is
Smith gets sacked and you’re left with
Chev Walker and Scott gricks and Scott
gricks was a strength and conditioning
coach at Halifax wasn’t he before he
joined us he think yeah that’s not the
option which yeah speaks volumes about
like other problems as well but so My
worry is Smith would go we end up with
Chev Walker to the end of of the Season
or whatever and again it’s Herington
making the cause so I don’t I really
don’t know where they go because I just
don’t get the sense that that he’s ready
to get rid of Smith and I think he is
desperately hoping that we beat Hull and
London which if we don’t Jesus Christ
well uh we will probably have to do
emergency podcast if we lose the whole
we’ve only ever had to do one before
that was when we lost to wak field last
year if we can lose to W field then
maybe we can lose so did you hear the
end of the mag’s interview he sounded
like he was tting for a job to me well
you know what I I’m really conflicted
with this stuff cuz part of me thinks we
just need to move on from the golden
generation a bit I think that kind of
holds us back and I worry that we’re
just waiting all the time for sinfield
to come back and save us basically and
even he when he got the direct to Rie
job he kind of made a mess of it at the
start like fer was a disaster and he did
get a grip of it
eventually but then I was watching that
interview with them to and I was just
look listening to what McGuire is saying
I’m thinking how the hell is he not
working at our club just the things he
said even if you just got him as as
halfback coach yeah just Magi for me as
an assistant for whoever we get in yeah
initially and for the two for whatever
contract and if it’s someone like you
Jason rles I’m probably going to want to
go back to
storm go go let them come over here
change it up wi the treble make EDD
happy um and then make it but make magsi
your assistant and then magsi can take
over there my only concern if magsi ever
became head coach of leaders and you’ve
not met Eddie yet Rob but Eddie is
fiercely fiercely in love with Danny and
I’m not sure how I can keep him in
control on his podcast if Danny mcgu
came back to this club um but why I’m
going to start bring this to a club
because we do we are into quite a lymy
podcast uh so far so I’m going to end it
with the player ratings but really Rowan
Smith’s rating because last week it was
1.4 um and this week it actually has
remained at 1.4 oh wow so the listeners
are Stillen at a score of 1.4 for Rowan
Smith from there so lots to go through
from that hutsfield game jents thanks
very much for your time we’re not going
to end the here we are going to spend
some time with Rob just to get to know
him a bit about his Rhino’s uh
experience as a fan and also to ask
about the square ball so even if you’re
not a lead United fan stay here anyway
uh and we will be back
[Music]
shortly right so therapy session over
and done with breathe in breathe out
everyone I hope that was what you needed
how we feel better gentlemen yeah
actually it was nice that got few things
off my chest things off your chest have
you got how many pages of your notebook
did we cover Josh was it two of 29 two
yeah 2 or 30 I think I always feel a
certain responsibility cuz I was saying
to you guys just off a then there’s a
listener you always think oh I wish I
had a right to reply to this I wish I
could you know say that but you know
hopefully we’ve represented a few people
and yeah well people are always more
than welcome to tweet uh Eddie in
particular at lot 17A or comment on
YouTube from that bit but as we have a
new guest uh today we want to spend a
bit of time to get to know Rob uh
obviously talk about as Rhino’s uh Fan
Experience but also a bit about the
square ball as well so in true fashion
we’re welcoming you guest we have some
sort of quick fire there might not be
quick responses but quick fire questions
to rhinos so we’ll start straight away
first ever game can you remember what
your first ever game was it was around
2002 or three I can’t quite remember I
remember sitting on the wall of the old
what be East stand I’m just used to
calling it The Cari stand yeah uh and it
was either Wayfield or Bradford I’m sure
it was there was two points in it or
ended in a draw I can’t quite remember
I’ve got a head bit of say memory but
mine’s I remember the kit and I can’t
remember the game but I remember the
maroon kit with the black stripe in the
middle I just remember that for some
reason but not that’s when we used to
swap ends at half time used to do that
Dad yeah yeah we’d go in the going the
Western Terrace for the second half
sometimes that little corner bit Yeah so
was Ruby League always is it is it
something that sort of followed football
obviously football I think probably one
your main sport sport you follow but has
it always been United and rhinos or is
it rhinos came a bit later or no it was
rhos first R first yeah so I mean my
dad’s a big football fan my sister is as
well I was never that into it growing up
until i’ I wasn’t really into sport to
be honest until i’ kind of got to high
end of Junior school high school and I
was just better at rugby league than
playing football so I I started playing
down at Alton Raiders and yeah it would
have been around that time I’d have gone
to to wedding L part of it I guess was
just cuz going to Ellen rad so expensive
my I remember getting a season ticket
the I didn’t and it was 35 quid for home
and away which is insane so yeah so uh
it was it cost us 47 quid to stand in
the East don’t even
think it’s absolutely Bonkers is it so
yeah I would um well I was always the
leg United fan as well but I had a
season ticket headingly years played
rugby league so I was you know
you kind of same age as me are you we we
were very very privileged and lucky to
be supporting leads there the rhin was
the you know the the most successful
time in the club’s history admittedly at
the same time as Le United at the worst
time in his history yeah I had a debate
this I think me talk about this where
has there ever really been a year where
both Le rers and Le United have been
good because it’s always
2020 yeah 2020 is other than that it’s
always been one of the opposite so
obviously you’ve been a fan for quite a
while then same as me is there a
favorite kit or start on kit is there
one that stands out obviously we’ve got
some in the room those on YouTube you
can see the old ones are amazing um I
really liked the dark away one in
2007 is like really dark Navy almost
black Chris will know it oh now we
need but I think that’s partly because
they wore it in the 2007 Grand final
which is oh my sorry um and then there
was another one I saw it
recently I think it might have been that
Danny McGuire J Jones be kind interview
it show highlights of the 2014 challenge
Cup Final oh yes shirt I no it was it’s
blue and Amber yeah but it’s pretty
simple the design but it just looks
looks really good and again that one was
the Cass
challenge I don’t not the uh yeah it was
yeah but I don’t know I don’t know if
it’s just because you associate the kits
with like the good times so that’s
probably why yeah maybe that one okay
favorite
player that’s a tough one in fact let’s
go favorite player of just Le rhinos
that that era growing up and then then
I’ll do favorite player now but we’ll do
favorite player of that era when I first
started going Keith senior I absolutely
loved fan himself as a bit of a center
certainly was were you b as a kid as
well is that why I help yeah pry Late
Bloomer um see se you but then going
forward I mean now probably Maguire I
think yeah kind of for his longevity for
he changed his game for just that Bloody
good he was but then you know you got
like the cult Heroes like Kyle abbl
absolutely love Jonesy br had a good
song Kylie L had a good song I S I saw
think we should bring the Kylie song
back now CU we don’t really got much to
sing about on the pitch no we don’t so
if there was a favorite playing now in
the current Squad is the one that you go
is the one player for you that can do no
wrong I know his is Lackey Miller yeah
Miller’s a lot of fun I do really enjoy
watching
him Ashley I like because he’s an Al
Raiders lad uh reys Martin maybe yeah he
don’t put a foot wrong does he even the
other night he was he was really good uh
and I think since 2017
he you’d have to say he’s been argu
arguably our most consistent player but
yeah have you got a preferred spot in
headingly where you tend to go now do
are you a South Stander or are you an
East stand or in the southand we’ve
pretty much always stood in the same
spot even going back to when it was the
Old South stand uh but in the
southand sort of car stand end okay that
way so like lit like the last stairs up
just to the right and yeah uh by the
back wall but yeah I do miss the old
South stand dearly fair enough and
favorite a
day um I kind of like the crap ones I
like Cass uh I loved C first year first
time I’ve done it this year and it was
like being at a national league North
you had the the wedding DJ in the
background playing rayell music um twoo
pots always go you know I always like a
two-point drink so you don’t have to go
to the bar a lot and it pissed it down
with rain so no you know no one could
moan about the Western Terrace cuz we
know we get it as well yeah um but yeah
that that was and it was a size of a a
postcard postcard wasn’t it’s a tiny
pitch yeah it’s good easy to get to the
only time I’ve done Bradford was like
Cup game when we got beat which was
awful I think rained for that
huddersfield’s often fun just because
he’s more leads fans than other field
fans I’ll be for for the semi-finals as
well there’s been some good semi-finals
there so fields are fun as well and have
you got a favorite moment is the
favorite moment or whether it it’s a try
whether it it’s a tackle u i one one
that always sticks out for me uh is
libbre when when calber ran over Libras
and screamed in his face that that is my
ultimate favorite time is there
something that stands out for you
um it’s hard to top Ryan Hall at at
Huddersfield yeah I’ve never that game
I’ve never been so exhausted watching a
game it was the it was so tense and it
was
so intense on the pitch as well and the
players after we’d won the challenge got
the players look knackered they done and
then that happened it was just
yeah explosion and then all the stuff
afterwards where the helicopter has to
come back from wig and the um they went
to get a photo in front of all the fans
if you remember this and but the players
would have had the backs to the crowd so
obviously the crowd would been in the
back of the uh in the photo and all the
crowd started saying turn it around turn
it around turn so it was I remember it
was Danny mcgu I think it was Brad
Singleton just picked it up and turned
it around went no we we show in the
tropy to uh to the fans first yeah that
was a that was a hell of night I
remember me and my mate went and we he
driving and we got lost on the way back
and neither has really noticed cuz we
were so exhausted neither of has really
said anything until about a half an hour
later then we went bloody
hell so your first love was rby League
um and then you’re now on a your your
first appearance in rubby League podcast
but obviously um we know you from the
square ball for those that don’t know
what the square ball is obviously it’s a
legion United podcast very successful uh
podcast but also it’s got massive
history um with it so what what what’s
your sort of because obviously you are
on the match reviews sometimes aren’t
you and the weekly reviews and
propaganda sometimes yeah a bit of
everything really I mean that they so I
started writing for the magazine when I
was still at Uni and started been like
2013 2014 is just doing the odd article
and then once I moved back to leads
started doing a bit
more um gradually s of jumped on the
podcast slightly and then yeah it
was be’s last season they hired me uh
mainly as a writer I guess um my my week
is quite varied these days uh where bit
of podcasting bit of writing for the
website we have like a daily email that
goes out to
subscribers um and then yeah do we’re
just coming up to the deadline for the
next for the last magazine of the Season
uh in next week or the week after should
probably find out uh so yeah writing for
the magazine as well tend to do like try
to do like the main feature for that and
try and interview some people or whatnot
um so yeah quite varied really but yeah
the square ball itself dates back to
like the like 80s when there was a bit
of a fanzine boom um and then the The
Lads that I work with they sort of
started took it over and started running
it cuz it kind of it was kind of dying
well dying to death is maybe a bit
disrespectful to the people that were
used putting in their time to keep it
going but they took it over around 2009
10 and they uh they were just kind of
kind of fed up a Ken bites so that was
the first that was the promotion year
wasn’t
it9 I think the first Square ball
podcast was after theed wi at Old
Trafford yeah so it was a good time to
start I admittedly like the next few
months then were pretty miserable but it
end it had a happy ending That season at
least so you told us beforehand that you
were meant to say well we meant to say
that Moscow Dan and and Michael he is
busy week to week I know Rob you’ve got
some you’ve got some questions that you
want to ask Josh um what what did I you
what the just call I’m Rob oh God
Almighty we we’ve been in this room for
nearly an hour and a half two hours now
I’m tired
sorry question is that how you got into
the working with a square ball and
through writing for them initially yeah
writing from them for them initially and
then I got to know Moscow a little bit
so I was writing for a different
football website based in leads um
freelancing for this company and then
through that I got to meet Moscow cuz I
interviewed him about his b or the film
he made do you want to win yeah and then
got to know each other a bit more so
through that when Dan was up in
Newcastle working and they were trying
to keep the podcast going during I think
it was the Thomas Christensen season uh
great days again uh I sort of jumped on
a few of those and then um yeah it got
to have sort of ridden on the back of
the success really and that it got to be
Elsa’s last season and we obviously got
promoted and we finished ninth and
everything was going great and they
hired me and I’ve I’ve been a real good
luck champ in that sense it’s gone
brilliantly ever since well it’s a it’s
a great podcast and man there’s a lot of
people who listen to the lot pod who I’m
sure listen to the square ball what um
what what is your your week because
obviously we just see the three four
five shows that come out a week there’s
obviously a lot that goes on behind the
scenes what does a date like a week to
week a general week look like for you
Moscow Michael Dan aie Flora whoever
what what sort of things are you doing
apart from just the podcasts yeah Moscow
might scoff at this I am very busy tell
him that anyway H but no so me and
Moscow generally like the so we have
propaganda and then the weekly show that
go out through the week me and Moscow
would generally alternate on them so if
he does propaganda I’ll do the weekly
show or vice versa and then obviously we
have the match balls which is like the
the postmatch
podcast um
and again we try and Alternate on them
uh so then around that it just tends to
be writing for the blog that we’ve got
online um be stuff that come out of game
that what comes out of games or just
random ideas if there’s nothing going on
I just like you know write about a
random ex player or some Daft idea that
I’ve seen or everything that’s sort of I
feel like we need to jump on the the
writing on the random stuff in the past
because it might distract myself from
the crap on the the moment CU well well
for the next mag of the L of fan scene
I’ve just written about Joel Moon just
because I thought he was really cool and
that was and he was great fun to watch
and he he used to he seemed to be like
made from silk but then he’d hit like an
absolute heart as well in defense uh so
yeah there’s a lot of stuff like that on
the Square ball blog or just random bits
and pieces that I might have seen online
that’s kind of sort of linked to Le
United but sometimes it’s very
tenuous um it’s bit of that writing the
daily emails which is kind of just every
day we send out like a bit of a it’s
almost just like a Roundup of the news
and it’s kind of like we scroll through
Twitter and news now so you don’t have
to kind of thing and hopefully write it
in a interesting or entertaining way uh
not all I’m sure we feel like that
sometimes but um so then yeah so and
then in the background always got like
slightly bigger ideas for the mag uh
sometimes that involves rugby league
like interviewed Danny McGuire for the
magazine last season and what was that
for just for the just want to interview
basically because is he a leads fan he’s
a big leads fan I’m assuming he would be
mosco done Stevie W before as well I
think or yeah I think that was might
have been back in the city talking days
so in my old job as well um the company
I worked for ended up taking over love
rugby league so I would occasionally I
like at the time I did a bit of a series
of interviews with Le rhinos players so
chat to Stevie Ward who like I played
against when I was a kid and even then
when he was like 14 everyone was like
he’s the next Kevin sinfield like he’s
mad and um obviously it’s such a shame
the way his career went but uh yeah chat
to Stevie Ward Jamie Jones bu Canon
ahead of his last season aw I did an
interview with him which was one of the
most fun things I’ve worked on just
getting to sit and chat with him for
about an hour and a half two hours I
silence no absolutely not I only ask him
one question yeah I do feel that if if
you got JB Jose Canon at a pub like if
you’d have to start at 12 just to be
sure because like I think it’s one
player I could just well he’s just great
speaking back is he’s great to have a
cover I imagine it’s immense fun he
absolutely passes the Pint test yeah
yeah well there’s one point where uh in
fact cuz he found out was a Le United
fan oh we ended up chatting about that
anyway and he just unzipped his lead
rhin like she and he just had a legion
United top absolutely love that yeah and
but there was one about an hour into it
his phone went off and it he like
rejected the car and I was like oh mate
like if you need to go like don’t let me
take your time he’s like no no no I’m
enjoying this let’s carry on I was like
that was it for me that was just like
the best thing ever um so yeah so sorry
chat about some of the rubbly stuff for
the mag but yeah chat to Danny McGuire
last season and at the start of this
season I think it was issue two or three
of the magazine was writing about kind
of some of the history of Rugby League
at Ellen Road and mainly the history of
people moaning about rugby league being
played at Ellen Road obviously off the
back of the magic I mean Ruby League
fans do like a moan exactly C been short
of it basically goes back hundred years
and people were moaning about it then
even when it was Leeds versus hunet in a
championship final people were moaning
about why isn’t it being played at
Whitefield so there’s some staries there
yeah and obviously that still continues
with magic weekend exactly yeah the back
of that which I mean I must admit when
that news got announced I was like yeah
cool I might actually go this
year so what um so when you first
started on the podcast how did you find
that and have you was it strange hearing
your voice back was it strange thinking
how many people are going to listen have
you the different things you do now to
what you did then obviously he more
nervous for today because we’ve got way
more listeners than the the square ball
you know I was uh no I’ve always like
genu I I am a fan of this podcast and I
was always hoping that there was a sort
of a square ball equivalent for the r i
was been far too lazy myself to do
anything about it so when you guys came
along I was genuinely buzzing uh and
like I said I was saying earlier that
was very apathetic last season but I
sort of saved up a lot of these podcasts
for the end of the year and just had a
big session of moan and it was so
cathartic to listen to and he genuinely
like re-energized me for rugby league um
sorry what was your question going back
to yeah starting at starting on the
podcast yeah it was strange because i’
not done a lot of it before and I was a
big fan of the show so it was really
cool to go on but then you end up sting
a room like oh [ __ ] I’ve got to actually
do this now um do you take notes during
the game yeah during the game I do uh if
I’m there I’ll just do it on my phone
obviously and then when we’re in the
studio watching an away game I’ll take
take notes
um you kind of just get used to it I
used to get quite nervous before it and
then it’s almost like you’re playing
football you just want an early touch
and it setts you down um but then these
days it I’m don’t really get nervous now
nowadays it just feels like I’m going to
chat to my mes for a half hour which is
really lovely and that’s because I’ve
Got to Know Dan and Michael more of the
last two or three years whereas when I
first started I only just met him you
know what I mean it was I’d only chat to
him during the podcast which really
strange um so yeah now it’s just like
just go in and chat [ __ ] to my mates for
a half hour and um then yeah go and
write some nonsense as well after we
might need a crossover on the on the
back of the it’s a leads thing this year
obviously we’ve seen um what’s his face
and what’s his face melier and rut
heading the we’ve seen vice versa I
think gamond and sang went to Ellen Road
a week we’ll have to do a square ball
crossover have to get Dan Michael to to
headingly yeah yeah last thing I don’t
think out with out of those three who
who’s most likely to come to a rhino’s
game Moscow Moscow probably Moscow kind
of follows it a little bit yeah uh not
too closely but I don’t think Don
Michael particularly interested at all
but yeah I think Moscow kind of keeps an
eye on it and I’ve been to lot The Brood
and Al to just watch on the Telly with
him before so yeah he’s got a bit of an
interest well the um the other thing I
wanted to ask you about was we as we’ve
mentioned similar sort of Ages
uh
Pablo one of the greatest players I’ve
seen live yeah just everything about him
the little magician he’s just made me
happy to watch leades United and you
went to go see him uh could you just
tell us a little bit about that trip
yeah so I I mean he’s when it comes to
Le United he’s my hero he’s the best
I’ve seen at Le United I know there
there’s an argument that rafin might be
a more talented player or whatever but
Pablo in terms of kind of like Danny
McGuire thing of game’s there to be won
he’s the guy that stepped up and did it
and he was magic the things he would do
were amazing but it was kind of more the
when he did it that was even more
magical about him yeah exactly like it
was always going to be him that scored
the the Swansea goal and the goal that
he scored against West Brom after 17
seconds or whatever genuinely just like
blew my mind it was unbelievable but um
so when he retired well when he left
leads and he went to his Boyhood Club
Cason in like the lower leagues of
Spanish football
I always kind of just had my eye on
getting out there
so uh I didn’t go when he was there his
first season it was kind of a couple
months into his second season I think um
and yeah a few people had given me a few
tips about how to meet him because he
always just takes time after the game to
chat to any leads fans out are there
because obviously a lot do go out and
they’ll get photos and whatever I think
he alad I know he like signed his chest
or something he was that excited to meet
him and he just like lifted his top and
I can see Eddie doing that for Danny
McGuire
actually what walking over to Cass
walking over to Cass just take his top
off going Danny sign me anywhere please
as long as it’s his top um and yeah so
watch the game that like we’d spent a
couple of days in Valencia before and
went to Cason which is kind of just a
small town it’s not I’ve been actually
oh really yeah we stayed there when we
went to Ben casim ah nice so yeah you’ll
know it’s kind of a bit of a sleepy Town
there’s not much going on there um this
like little Shack opposite the Stadium
which was kind of a makeshift bar which
just had like washing machines in it
basically it was a bit of a strange
place but um watched the game and then
went to like gate zero or gate one or
whatever it was where someone had told
us he would emerge at full time
and P was like I don’t want to embarrass
myself like should we do this should we
just go uh but we hung around and you
could see like his family hanging about
and you just I don’t want to bother
these people like this is weird like
this to drunk English Lads and then yeah
Pablo emerged um just holding his
washbag under his arm and straight away
spotted us no doubt the sunburn English
gu like oh all right you’re from leads
then um and he was dead lovely uh came
over pretty much I think Le’s were
playing Villa that day and the first
thing he said to was like oh what was
the scar what was the scar and um kept
Thanking us for coming and we thank you
PA blah blah blah H got a photo with him
and Legend I put my arm around him I
could feel my arm shaking and I was like
oh my God and I knew he noticed as well
but he was just dead nice about it and
then I looked at my mate who was taking
the photo and he hand was
like um see it was probably I don’t know
meeting the Beatles or something uh and
yeah he was dead nice kept Thanking us
and eventually we left him to go hang
out with his family taking up enough
your time but someone else actually told
me they went to see
castion and they were hanging around
afterwards and I think they did get chat
into his family and they would telling
these leads fans like he’s going to do
Post much media like he might be late
and they had a train to go catch back to
Valencia so had to just leave and go get
the train um and then once they got to
the station Pabo nandez is wife pulled
up and she was like no no wait wait wait
he’s coming he’s on his way and he sped
from the ground well I’m sure he drove
very responsibly from the ground uh just
so they could get a photo with him
before they got the train absolute
Legend yeah absolutely what a guy yeah
amazing one last thing for me just best
moment working with a square ball oh
good question it’s been absolutely
terrible no
um best moment with the square
ball what have I done that’s been a lot
of fun we did
um like an AAL history of the wins at
Old Trafford and the win of bristle
Rovers at the end of That League one
season where my job just entailed
ringing up a load of people from prebs
my favorite leads team and just chat him
about winning at Old Trafford and
getting promoted on the final day in
absolute Madness and uh I always
remember I think I was going away on
holiday so I thought I’d kind of done
them all and then someone at KN County
got back to me they like oh Michael
Doyle speak to you and I was Michael do
I really need to do this I’m going on
holiday and it’s like pack and I ended
up I was like no come on just do it and
ended up checking to Michael baller for
a little while and he was brilliant like
he still absolutely loves leads had
loads of great stories about uh kicking
Gary and whatnot and um and crying on
the pitch on that promotion game and
stuff and yeah he was so into it still
you could tell it just really meant a
lot to him and I just remember thinking
God I’m glad that I actually made that
call because he was the absolute star of
those two articles yeah amazing
fantastic well if you haven’t checked
out the square ball already I’m sure you
have but if you haven’t go ahead that
way and see Rob doing his work there Rob
thanks for coming today you are always
more than welcome back on the lot pod um
although unfortunately Eddie can’t pay
you because he pays me too much thanks a
lot great to have you in the studio for
the first time this season please make
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thanks for joining us today we’ll be
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and hopefully we we’ll R viewing a win
uh at over hul next weekend or we might
need an emergency
pod e