welcome to down the middle podcast bers oh I'll come in a little bit hot there maybe a little bit too close to the microphone um H Mo how are you but I'm good mate um yeah just plotting along the week's getting quicker and quicker good like not myself um we'll get to the review of last round of the NRL but very sad very sad week for us I I'm surprised you actually got the Sharks Jersey on so yeah mate oh I I don't have too many jumpers left I got to watch them so I probably put my socer I went black I went black tonight because it's it was a sad weekend and I'm sure we'll get to the review of this round uh it's not looking good for the the mighty red V yeah um M I was a little bit late tonight I'm going to tell you why I haven't told you why um I just copped about three liters of spew down the front of me so that was really fun trying to put the young fellow to bed he's struggling to [ __ ] and so he finally did a [ __ ] and he still didn't want to go to bed I'm like what's up buddy you got down on the ground and I was holding him like this and he just went and I went is this Harry is this this is this is Harry so it was like proper food everything bits of bits of ham bits of bloody chocolate biscuit and all sorts of um and there my first thought was better text h because Yeah clean up all two um reset have a shower clean up the whole thing anyway so the joys of fatherhood for anyone out there thinking of having kids just remember you will get shat on you will get spewed on wait it's not real fun um actually have you sign a f tag I have not I've got are you are you coming back to try back okay I got I think I'm going to make a comeback I probably won't play every game but I'll make say you'll miss winter come back for summer yeah I won't play every game but I I think like early games perfect late games probably a chance middle games like sevens and 730s don't know about it so anyway well we got a couple new new recruits I think this year I saw that yeah extra extra men on the bench is always a positive for for the BS well need it tired legs um let's jump into it mate you you go you go yeah mate we'll just jump straight into the review of round 26 of the NRL um kicking off with the Thursday night game the Cowboys winning 3830 against the Melbourne storm obviously storm put up a pretty good fight for the team that they they had um especially with I think penous and someone else going off um in the first 10 to 15 minutes um moner did pretty good to to hold the ship as long as possible but um unfortunately the the Cowboys were too strong in the end uh was it sey went off maybe maybe the the Winger or the center only played 15 minutes yeah I still backed the storm last week my tipping was terrible I got three from eight um I backed the storm last week and I was I was pretty surprised that they got as close as they did lots of points we've seen lots of big G big point games in the last couple of weeks there's not too many um under 20s now but under 20 points now like so it's crazy um so obviously that that helped the Cowboys with their final push maybe a home home semi-final depending on results yes as we'll get into a bit later on righty and moving on to the first Friday night game with the m Eagles winning 3422 I did say yeah you I did did I say on the part with no Kon I think yeah um yeah I think Manley would be too strong obviously tomovic getting injured in that game as well he's missing this week y but um man I started by tipping off good I was two from two got that was a bit of a differential one because I know some people still went went the dogs I the dog that hurts it I'm sh I Haven been the best Tipper this this year in in our tipping um mate and moving on to the second game of Friday night with the penth Panthers winning 3412 against the I was going to say Raiders the rabbits um is pretty expected result really um claim surprising just standard for them pretty much I think we both said I think 13 plus yeah for the uh with the penny Panthers and mate I think I was sitting actually for the first game of super satday I was sitting at inging Tavern with one of the good listeners BJ um and I just couldn't believe my eyes I was I'm going I'm three from three I'm on I'm on full four Round Here the dragons are on their win week um yes that's exactly right they're on their birdie week weren't they coming off a bogey and mate you were losing 44 to what is it 12 4412 with 10 minutes ago and somehow you've managed to pull it to uh 4440 it was an absolute sh um two tries in the first 10 minutes uh then clink goon scores oh so actually Conor M scores in the 14th minute and I went awesome right they've stuffed up the first 10 but they're back they're just going to find form here it'll be a bit of back and forth but we'll hopefully get the upper hand and the E went on to score four more in that first half I'm like what the hell is going on here um I was watching it at at um Family lunch I just had it propped up and I was like sitting next to sitting next to Uncle Brian just going mate this is this is terrible we flicked it off obviously during half time I went and played tennis or whatever it was come back and when they started scoring again those first two tries in the in the second half or first three tries in the second half I said M let's just turn it off let's just get rid of it and then I look back later I'm like they got to 40 points are they freaking [ __ ] me like come on what's the point what's the point in getting so close scoring one two three four five tries in the last like 10 minutes stupid yeah especially you had you had it in your hands you had your own finals Destiny in your hands exactly you didn't have the results to go your way you just went needed to win the two last games to be absolutely certain or at worst and it was like it was the perfect result to play the eels because it's like awesome there we go there's our win the eels had nothing to play for and come out and put 44 points on on any team I don't care what team it is nothing to play for and they go out and put 44 points on a team like all from all reports flano gave an absolute spray I think he sprayed Ben Hunt even you know what deserve it all of them deserve a spray he's uh R's kept a bit quiet he's sort of done his little sprays here and there but um I think especially knowing what we just said what's at stake yeah and he did it right in front of the camera in the dressing room they sort of had the camera in the corner there and he just teed off on him and sort of Ben Hunt's just looking at him just going what what can I do like I just got to take this yeah and hope hope for the best and like it's not all these fault either like I know we've just sort of mentioned Ben but it's just like what what's doing like how do you I I know things can just happen and a team can come out and play really well but that is just abysmal that is just absolutely abysmal anyway so that's probably as we get to next round uh that's probably stuffed our stuffed our chances we'll talk about that you need a miracle an absolute Miracle yeah um mate then the second game of Super Saturday Dolphins what each time I tip the [ __ ] Broncos I said to myself I'm not going to TI the Broncos again and [ __ ] tipped it yeah but see you were doing it for the dragons you were tipping the Broncos I know they were both sitting in the same spot weren't they that's right the Dolphins winning 40 to six um I heard on the on the I think yeah on the weekend might have been on the uh Sunday or Monday from Aaron Woods going you know Kevy w got all this pra but he's been there for four years and he's only taken to the finals once and obviously they went to the Grand Final last year but now everyone's realizing that it's been a fluke because the year before I called the param getting to the Grand Final that was a fluke they got an easy run they got teams at the right time with all these injuries and look what happened they got blown off the par mind you the Broncos were 15 minutes away from winning the grandal but they blew it but I think regardless of being 15 minutes away from winning the the comp because they were and obviously a Nathan clear masterclass whatever you that that'll go down in history it is what it is but for the considering the players that they've lost and gained I don't I I I really think that this year has been it's it's I suppose this year speaks louder than last year you know last year was fantastic the go the Broncos you know realistically they played their heart out they played so well they got to the Grand Final they were winning for 65 minutes and the loss was like well that's typical penth no no real knock on Broncos but this year in in just that that to just go from one year to the next to you for you to drop right out of the eight you could expect them to make the eight and drop out of the finals sure or make the eight and make it to the semi like it that is what it is but if you drop right out of the eight I think that is a real that's got to be a coach killer that's got to be like what what what other performance data do you need to sort of go what's going on here 100% And I think you got to look at probably some of the players that the been P talks of last couple weeks that you know they've they've got a lot of egos in that team um some of them making their origin and then getting Australia Caps or Tamo caps getting International caps and they're walking around a bit like their [ __ ] don't stink puffy chest and um I think it's just hasn't hasn't worked out I don't know if kev's the right coach but [ __ ] you got no one El there's no one coming around to to take the range well yeah and look I know we always bash the coach and then other weeks we go oh but it's the players it's obviously a combination they've got a lot of good players there if if you're a team that doesn't have many good players but they like you said they've got players that have had International caps they've got players that have had state of origin games they got a lot of good players there it takes then one person to steer that ship and to create the culture and to get the to get the winds on the board that like that's the thing if you're playing with a if you're coaching a shitty team it's like well you do blame the players because you know look at the stock that they've got whatever y like like the dragons they don't have that you put those two teams on paper the the Broncos far outweigh the dragons easily easily easily yeah absolutely the coach and make a massive different and this year yeah yeah absolutely absolutely C the government off last year it's a massive Improvement yeah like we get better but the thing is you'll look to the Dragon season this year and go the dragons just missed the eight yeah it's not that they they you know they got they dropped out of the eight they just missed it until we're getting that one step closer I'm actually I should say maybe they still make it maybe they still make it anyway let's go to the next game my shy wining 224 at half time lose 30 to 28 ref got man of the match he [ __ ] he must have had some money on the Warriors because Jesus Christ we had two Tri disallowed in the first 10 minutes in the second half oh there definitely no tries because you can't stop in the line and and do that kind of stuff so there's obviously that that's fine but it's these silly little it's not the rest World actually it's the bunker with the players falling over and they're slipping and what do you want the player to do yeah he's stood he's ready to tackle shoulder toh shoulder and these boys are slipping down and then they hit the head like and he just went oh head High um dangerous contact y in the bin it's like he's [ __ ] slipping yeah like had had the exact same conversation on Monday with um with the black at work and we said there's there's got to be and and I I debated the point because I sort of said well then you you could open up to referee interpretation but then there'd be lots and lots of discrepancies but in that circumstance if a player running dips down or slips you've got to then remind yourself the defending player has less than a second to make a decision it is it is so hard to go oh oh no hang on I won't tackle him because he's falling to the ground sorry guys I'm just not going to tackle this PL just everyone everyone watch me I'm just letting him fall to the ground and I'll just put my hand on him and now he's tackled you can't do that like we can't even make those decisions in tag and we're playing tag we're not tackling someone like you can't expect if someone is falling to to then be able to change your whole body weight and these BLS are like hundred and something kilos oh yeah I've just got to change my whole body it I I honestly think if if you can clearly see that someone has slipped or someone has duck down if their head is below my chest I shouldn't I shouldn't it shouldn't be my responsibility to a degree to get right down to have to tackle some otherwise we might as well crawl yeah well what I was going to say is when that does happen look at the review and go the aggression on the defender if he's seen him slip and he's coming around with sort of a swinging arm not a swinging arm but like the way he's going to tackle then you he's already made that decision I know but because you're you're actually making that decision when you're in the line before you get off the line surely yeah well you would think so like you're already making the decision what shoulder you're using you're already making the decision how you're planning the feet like you're not you're not getting to within an inch and going oh hang on what am I doing here like I'm with you in the fact that you can't penalize well maybe you can penalize it but you shouldn't be sent to the bin you shouldn't be put on report all those sorts of things you know if someone gets hurt sure you could blow the whistle and and I don't know maybe you don't penalize it I don't know but right well it was a good way for joh Johnson to uh end his career unfortunately I'd rather win and then we could uh cement we would be in second place I don't think we would stay there but it just cement our top four because we could lose and drop out of the drop out of the eight H the four sorry um yeah did it did hurt your top four chances didn't it it did because it's funny my girlfriend goes oh it's his last game like that's bit [ __ ] I went yeah I've got his [ __ ] jersey in the other room so freaking match one from the sharks like [ __ ] did that go on the fireplace oh but I've got onek of [ __ ] memorabilia from him sitting in there um You Really Got A Shawn Johnson Jersey I didn't know you had a Shan Johnson Jersey M Sean Json and Brun and Cherry go figure out good two shy great when when he got suspended I sent him I sent him the picture of it and I said mate I spent 500 bucks on this to to get it and I spent another 450 to get it little framed with pictures and and stuff like that I said give me a thousand bucks and you can [ __ ] have it never never got a reply you should send it to him again send it to him again go mate it's all yours if you want it oh so that'd be a nice donation to charity to a charity event one day mate no going to be hang up go the next hey got the Newcastle nice winning 3614 against the go Coast Titans they well and truly hit the slumps um tit's gone yeah they just got burnt out during the middle of the Season trying to make their run from the slow start like we said last week and Newcastle trying to make that late push I think we're going to see a lot of a lot of player change at the Titans in the next um 6 to 12 months it's going to be interesting to see what does he do does he does sorry um obviously Tino is going to be back back next year so that's a massive left um yeah I think they got to get rid of some people and stick with positions they changed a lot in their L from and injury hurt them a little bit you know every second week someone had to change because of injury and blah blah blah but that's what I mean I think I think you're going to see some changes but also some pick and sticks it's like no you're in this position now make it yours off you go% even the Wingers mate you got Kier and you got Sammy in out in out in out ridiculous um kns Knights needed that win for a sniff at the 82 so they did a good job there U making sure that they you know are just keeping themselves alive definitely and then the shock of the round pretty much yeah I don't think winning not much more shock actually with Raiders winning 1412 against roosters they came to play roosters didn't um they had a bit of an off off game obviously the injuries to well the ACL injuries to Sam Walker and Brandon Smith doesn't help and then rley done his shoulder blade too snapped his shoulder blade enough so so yeah they they're getting injured at the wrong time as well just before the finals um Tedd still did you see the stat roosters have about double the amount of ACL injuries in the last I'm going to say 10 to 15 years really yeah I think they're at about 12 uh next team can't remember who it might it might have been the Panthers I'm not entirely sure next team was at six the Tigers would have to be up there with it could have been Tigers it could have been Tigers did like three there yeah well maybe maybe it was them but I I I can't remember the exact time time frame but it was you know they were at 12 the next team was at six in in however many years um but that game too M Raiders it's funny how some of these teams just start to turn up with with almost not enough time left you know Raiders are now giving themselves a half a chance at the eight the Paramount eels you know winning in the second last R round for what the Warriors winning in the in the in their last round for what it's it's really funny how some teams can switch on and other teams you know can can just get walked over especially ell white got sent to the bin twice yeah in that game and then he went over to sort of apologize that the game in Trent Rober I go M if I was Elliot widad I'm going well I'm I'm gonna be suspended for next week maybe building I'm going back to I'm going back to the Super League yeah I'd put one on his chin or at least give at least give him a spray at least tell him where to go is the biggest [ __ ] s he gets into the press conference and he goes off know mate you just had a [ __ ] um wjh just came back from a four we suspension he's got another [ __ ] three weeks look at your own backyard calling out other team and other players mate your [ __ ] team gets to send all the time Radley Brandon Smith exactly right that's exactly what I was thinking I'm like bit Rich coming from the bloke with three of the biggest grubs in the in the game like he's lucky well I think he's an overrated coach but luckily he's done good in his career because hey if he didn't have the runs on the board like whatever he says just move over buddy talking [ __ ] he's a bit he's a bit sort of like precious isn't he oh M Bond wers course well that's exactly right suburbs the the mighty the yeah and they missed a good opportunity to go second as well the roosters so well you know what that's probably what he's really dirty at he's probably dirty the fact that they underperformed and they could have they could have got up into that top two yeah we we hate the roosters here it down the middle so it doesn't really matter yeah not many teams we like well yeah well there's a couple there's at least two yeah uh let's look at this week mate um we're halfway through the storm Bronx game off tip the storm they are currently leading at 286 I'm pretty sure I've got will Warrick in my team having an absolute blind 106 points of Vice Captain Jerome Hughes as well who's on 95 so that could be interesting decision for me after tonight for my super coach um tomorrow 6 p.m game of the round we have the spoon bow out at Campbell Town Sports set you know what is that sold out yet surely oh maybe I I don't think so actually might be a chance six tough I think there'd be enough people just wanting to get around the The Wooden Spoon um Championship that they might go I reckon that might be a sellout well that's double check anyway who you got I got I got the Tigers at I I don't think par can do two in a row I think the Tigers get their third third spoon in a row well I don't really care who gets the spoon stuff them both they've played terrible all year in honesty I think they both deserve the spoon I think they both you get the spoon imagine a draw oh no hang on so what is give rabbits a spoon as well I think imagine a draw they both go to 19 points who's who's got the four and against surely we don't count four for and against if you end up both at the bottom of the ladder the eels would get it the eels would get it I'd love to see a draw and a double a double spooning that doesn't sound good anyway uh the 8:00 games bunnies roosters roosters will bounce back surely be interesting I know souths don't have couple players missing obviously Ru is Ru is arring Daniel tupu Dominique young so I think the still get the job done but I don't think it would be the cricket score that I would have said before yeah um the new BL from rugby Mark haven't worked out to how to say his last name yet I'm going to research that he gets a start which is which is pretty promising he's had a couple of games in reserve grade so no qu to us yeah I think there's a couple of funky sounds in there but we will work that out for next year if he's going to be a starter um is he got roosters yeah roosters but um but just maybe I might take rabbits with a start depending on yeah um we got dragons Raiders three o'l on Saturday couple of changes there ravala out couchman out Whitehead out rapana out um Dragon get it done you reckon I think they get the done and they're in the eight or a second 26 hours yeah perfect they can have a party while they're still in and then they can go and have Mad Monday unless there is that'll say later on I I will tip the dragons I have tipped the dragons um but I am not confident whatsoever whatsoever oh you're just head to head absolutely nothing else head to head I'm not looking at TR scorers there might be no tries scored there might be one field goal or something I'd probably take dragons to win Low Max to score that's pretty safe bet yeah okay yeah sure uh doggies Cowboys this is this will be a good game it's fifth verse sixth out of the core Stadium um both teams looking or actually we got Matt Burton and Bronson Sherry out for the doggies Drew Hutcherson comes back um mty Burton could be a fair loss B bombs yeah who who are you going I'll take the I'd like to go Cowboys because then if we lose we still make the top four so go Cowboys see I'm think thinking dogs off last week's round um I'm going Cowboys against an underst strength storm yes scoring 38 points but having whatever it was 34 scored against him dogs probably a little bit more of an arm wrestle last week with with um the SE Eagles I'm going to go the dogs yeah look I think it's a bit of a first half see what happens if dogs start good I think they'll go with it but not sure yeah um Panthers Titans not much to look at here third and plus Panthers Panthers are have they named a pretty pretty full strength side too which is almost slightly surprising but I think they probably just want to keep the momentum moving into the finals and they keep second to get a home final that's true yep that's true this is why this this week you haven't seen Mass wrings from lot of the teams because technically other than Melbourne and some of the other teams um that whole top eight that whole top eight can change just about can't it with with a win here or a win there yeah that's true second technically second to 11th can all change can all change up for crabs yeah y all right and then we've got um seagull and sharks four pawns I like the see Eagles mate I like my sharks okay that's fine you're allowed to you're allowed to no confidence my dragons no Tommy turbo that's the only Shining Light if he was playing mly but yeah yeah it's it's tight it's really tight um and then last game of the round which is going to be the decider again we talk about that eighth spot um being up for grabs this is going to be the decider um the knights and the Dolphins who are sitting in ninth and eighth respectively had at McDonald Jones um you've got the knights the Dolphins the dragons and the Raiders all sitting on 28 points so two of those teams will win one team will take the eighth position and that will probably come down to four and against um unless one match ends in a draw and then the other gets a win I'm hoping the knights and Dolphins get a draw and the dragons get a win that's the only scenario that will happen and mate I think he got more chance of uh Jesus Christ coming back than them two teams going out hey he's done it once who says he can't do it again don't think he's gonna do it for the dragon oh I text a friend of the show KT I text him um so make come around on Saturday IBO while the the girls are at the bridal shower he goes yeah yeah I I'll come around I said we'll put the footy on he goes oh great nothing like watching your team play in the last round to uh miss the not like not make the eight I'm like no we got a 1% chance he goes 1% you reckon I said yeah it's probably not as high as 1% is it 0.1 0.1 maybe yeah uh I'm gonna go the I'm gonna go this is a tough one I I'm gonna go the knights in an upset because I think the Dolphins should win I'm gonna go to Knights I think Knights because was at home if it was up at Sun i' go Dolphins yep yep that's fair pack pack McDonald Jones Stadium up there in Newcastle so it's gonna be interesting yeah I'm Tipp of the nights hoping for a draw anyway um M we've got obviously this is the last round for our super coach and for our tipping p um so by next episode we will have two winners of that have you got either of those um I've got the super coach yeah so Paul in the Tipping comp mate is well our tipping comp goes to the finals so does it yes perect don't worry about tipping comp then we got a little bit longer and but Paul C has got a fivepoint lead in that so I'd be pretty surprised if he loses that it'd be big to lose that PO yeah so yeah other than that no point going through other people's names because too far away um super coach super coach will finish up this round though won't it because we obviously don't go into the finals because there's not enough teams so number one is doo doo did quite well last year and was only pipped at the post by you wasn't he yes he was so he's done very well this year it's very close at the top uh the muffin pile drivers damos team on currently uh 29,99 and the g Steiner from Rohan 29,8 64 shark NATO Hayden you could still come through with a big lift if you play your cards right and get a couple of tons 29,7 196 I do mate well uh D's only got 16 plays this week so I've got one player up on him um really two two of his other differentials are playing now with Ms on 125 and Arthur's on six so hopefully okay that can happen and then uh Rowan's uh teammate he has only got 17 16 he's only got 14 so they've used they've used up all their trades you reckon yes and then they've run out of Trades I used my last trade mate listen to this I brought in hang on they they must have done some stuff because Ro Rowan's got uh Aden F Blake with the with the VC on so that must have been last week's surely surely he's got some trades in the bank and he's done something no he's got none oh man that's not good oh it could be open so I'm hoping if I play my card right if my plays go good I'm sweep through back to back the running champ we might even see we might even see Brock with what happens in vas 29,600 if he gets a good if he gets a good go anyway he's only got 16 he's only got 16 as well jeez all these teams M I've got I've got I've got like 20 players I could pick from the thing is though this is when he and this is the problem he's only he's got no one else in the second row to play so he can't even Greg Mau that he's playing because he can't put the the r on him because then he won't be able to get that player so he'll get it actually he'll get at a so he'll have 17 but yes oh well mate that's why you've got to be smart with your trades like me y on you got 12 2826 no I used all mine last week oh sweet and I actually used them both by accident cuz I forgot after to lock out that you couldn't reverse so I went to reverse but it wouldn't let me so then I traded again and then I pressed confirm and then I couldn't undo any of them and I was like oh well that'll do well I traded clear last week too Hind and then five minutes before the the Sharks game I went do I go to see Walker no I'll stick with hor oh lucky you didn't lucky you didn't had no trades and and yeah would have been disaster M I'm on 238 points already at the moment go me go Jerome Hughes anyway all right um well winners will be announce next week um we're going to announce our uh down the middles the down the middle delam style thing um obviously as H said earlier in the year we go behind closed doors so and I haven't been posting one I've been lazy two well behind closed doors uh but we're going to announce our team of the Year whoever from each position racked up the most amount of points um and then you can give us your feedback on that absolutely 100% And also just actually during the week we didn't post it Liv Adelaide got announced 14th of February 14th 15 and 16th that' be a great little Valentine's Day for anyone that wants to go maybe I take the so I don't know I did send a message to someone they seen it didn't reply um might have to work on I send message the C but um maybe maybe me and you go on a Valentine's Day date why not think we might have to make a couple days with because I'm GNA throw some ideas at you and try and try work things out and love to see it you love to see it yeah Brian Brian work working hopefully the person says yes if possible um if a course will say yes this space watch this space yeah right early and then um the other thing was live vpga Is that real yep December Bryson and Brooks V Scotty and Rory yep in December um through I think TNT I think it was oh yeah so yeah who's your money on realistically it's tough to beat Scotty himself [ __ ] Bryson's done that this year um it all depends on what they do I would I would say I would love that them to play a two balling AB Bros I'd [ __ ] love that like not not just Ambrose or two ball for no Ambrose because you don't you don't want to go shot yeah it'd be interesting I reckon ah I'd love to see leave win I'd love yeah yeah sure depends on what course like you know well we'll have to wait for some more info on that one but um stay anyway bers that's episode 93 we've also got episode 100 coming up so I'm just going to tease that we're going to I don't know what we're going to do for episode 100 but surely we need a big birthday party for that H have a think on that Bas if you got any ideas for episode 100 let us know you never know we might wait till next year go and break for It Go 99 and then okay then I'll leave you I'll leave you with that I like