00:02
This is an ABC podcast.
00:06
Standby. Roy and HG.
00:14
Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, jet ski loons looking for a picnic to splash and fat tyre e-bike rodeo clowns creating untold mayhem on footpaths across the nation.
00:30
Our great code stands on the precipice of international sporting greatness!
00:38
So, with soul in the shorts, feeling in the feet, and joy in the jumper, it's time to bump, it's time to thump, it's time to sink the slipper!
00:50
Let's pull the cord on the Evan Roode two-stroke and set off for the far horizon. It's another blast of bludgeoning on the blindside with the master of midfield mayhem, rampaging Roy Slavin, and the man with a fistful of bait and burly, Captain Flathead H.G. Nelson.
01:13
Yes, too much. Cedric Ismetsam. AO, aka The Drain. Torching the Blindside Blue Paper for another week. And a familiar sound, sure, of the Sumster camped in the ABC spot. Soundproof booth here on ABC Local Radio. Remember, of course, here at the ABC, Friday night next year will be dog night.
01:33
More and more details getting into place. It sounds as though it's going to be one of the most exciting program initiatives the ABC's had in some time.
01:41
Hello Australia, HG Nelson lifting the lid on another magnificent week of consenting concussion magic.
01:47
And the Geelong Cats have taken consenting concussion magic to a whole new level. What a week. What an incredible week. A week when too much sport is barely enough. It's another, wait for it, Super Saturday here on ABC Sport. Aussies from start to stumps. It's beyond awesome on its way to being fully sick. And we could be fully sick by the time we get to stumps. And it's a TLT, obviously, the trip of a lifetime. Now...
02:13
Just before we get to the results, the Pope is booked for the big dance in October in 2028. Now, the Pope coming has caused some concern with people who like their rugby league and who like going to church or like going to gather in large numbers to see a papal mass.
02:31
I mean, obviously, I believe both things can coexist peacefully on the planet. We're modern people. We love our religion. We love our league. Now, details will be sorted out, but apparently Feathers, this is Peter Volanders, has booked his holiness to do something before kickoff in the Popemobile, and the popular Loaves and Fishers Act will be repressed at halftime.
02:52
So I think people can go with a lot of confidence. It's going to be great. And, of course, the league's sandwiched in between. Now, people have asked, well, what would he do in the Popemobile beforehand? Well, I'm hoping he can cash in on some of the great work that Freddie Fittler's done with the Olympic Games, Freddie's Olympics beforehand. And as I understand it, the Pope is prepared to drive over players in his Popemobile using kitchen doors on and off ramps. Now, look, whether he'll come at that, I'm not sure.
03:21
Blake loves his cars. He's got a Popemobile. He's got apparently a number of Popemobiles, one with the, you know, I was going to say the pack's a fair bit of poke and grunt, if that's not being too, what I call it, scandalous.
03:34
But the trip acknowledges and I believe celebrates the remarkable role the Catholic Church and in particular Catholic schools have played in the history of rugby league since 1908. Doodle, I rest my case.
03:46
uh, patrician brothers, Christian brothers, et cetera. It goes on and on and on. Now, while the details are a bit blurry also this week, Abdo air as championed by this show over many, many months, the rugby league airline has been cleared for takeoff. Apparently the NRL is using some of the loot from the multimillion dollar, the recent multimillion dollar, I've said that wrong, the multi-billion dollar TV deal to buy a 747. Now, as you know, the airline industry is in a bit of trouble and 747s, well, you can buy them for a couple of hundred bucks these days. After all, if the code is aiming at global domination, transport between hubs, rugby league hubs, becomes a very big issue.
04:26
Now to the NRL wrap from last week, starting to the big one at the bottom of the world. The Eels hung on to deny the Tigers a fairytale finish after a week of pain and turmoil at Tigertown. It was out at Combank in front of 13,000 deliriously happy fans. This was the Tigers turning the corner clash. It was supposed to be with Dewey back on patrol in the No. 7 shirt. Sadly, Eels got their 16, Tigers 13.
04:50
Most knowledgeable, the fallout, most knowledgeable observers describe this clash as a contender for wait for it, the worst game of the season. Now, I didn't realise, I didn't realise there was a lively competition for the worst match of the year. I didn't realise this was part of the Dallium. I've missed this in Dallium coverage. Just wondering what other matches are in the running for the coveted and desirable silverware trophy in 2026.
05:14
We'll take bids here and pass them on to authorities if you've spotted something or been to something or watched something on the television that you thought was shithouse. Now, and the house of my old, Cronulla stacked on 32 while the rabbits pulled up short of the carrot on 16. During this call, former NRL Grubb and now leading commentator Grubb Ennis suggested that the Sharks, wait for it, can win the competition. His words, not mine. Elsewhere, pundits described the Sharks as, wait for it, the real deal. So big raps all the way around Mould Central.
05:47
At some court, sadly, no big raps for the Broncos. Their season came to a shuddering halt with going down to the Knights. The tune, men on horses with spears, 30 galloping horses, six. The bottom of the NRL ladder does not make interesting reading with the clippity-clops auditioning for the shot ducks of the competition and a spoon bowl appearance looming. I'm not writing them off for spoon bowl work. Maybe the next couple of weeks we'll decide it. Now, the miracle of Mudgee.
06:14
Just too much to expect a repeat of last year's incredible brilliance. In 2026, the men of Horn, no match for the men of the mountain.
06:21
And what about those car honkers and Amy at the same time? The dish lickers ran away from the storm.
06:27
And the dog walkers honked all the way up the Hume to the Belmore Kennel. Howler's 36, Windy One's 22. It was a sad day in Melbourne. Now, in Origin News, Matt King has been appointed the new South Wales Blues coach, taking over from Laurie Daly, who this week completed his farewell lap of honour.
06:48
for his handiwork coaching the Blues, obviously. Matty, the popular choice comes with no specific coaching experience. I like that. I like that. A clean sheet, you've got no idea of what to get, neither of the Maroons. That's the beauty of it. They won't know where to look. Anyway, he comes with no specific experience on the CV, but he's been Laurie's assistant in the one-out, one-back slot for some time and obviously has had an eyeful of blues success recently. Now, the former North Sydney Bear, South Sydney Rabbit, Cronulla Shark, got to start as a council garbo.
07:21
I like it already.
07:23
Anybody who's got a star as a council, Garbo has great rugby league bones and credentials. He comes from a long tradition of league stars who began flipping lids on the bins along the league-mad inner-city streets of Sydney. Matt did the North Sydney Council run before finally moving to Melbourne to train with that wily bin master, Bellamy, who today has announced that he's going to kick on next year. There was some thought that he might pull the pin, but no, no, he'll be pulling the bins next year. Incidentally, what a great training ground the bin run has been for the league and many people have played.
07:56
Cement Gillespie, Tugger Coleman used bin work to get the grips on the fundamentals of the caper. New Zealand Test star Olsen Filippona dubbed the Galloping Garbo, attributed his incredible fitness to his years of pulling the Barry out for the rubbish truck. The Sharks' Ifa Talakai knows the streets of Sydney at bin height. He's still pulling the bins out as nearly as on. When he gets a chance, obviously, working with the Cronulla Sharks does rob him of time that he could be putting in at the bins, but be that as it may, he's bringing all that knowledge about bin work into the Rugby League.
08:28
Meanwhile, in the NRL, well, at least the HQ, Supremo Feathers Volandis has just appointed a crack squad of crime fighters located in a double garage out back of NRL House. This armed unit will be on the patrol in the mean streets of League with a mix of hardened police professionals who know how to deal with villains and NRL ticketed police who know where to find the crooks. What are they after? The Volandis Vice Squad, dubbed the McKinnons, And I know the word McKinnon is triggering to many people in league, and I'm not intending it to be triggering, but let's just give it some facts.
08:59
He played with the North Sydney Bears, who were back in the news, the Manly Seagulls, and pushed on into retirement, serving on the league judiciary. So he knows rugby league and he knows the law. This is a 24-7 policing operation, the McKinnons, to weed out crims in the community who bag everything the NRL is trying to do in the world peace through rugby league violence space. So many people are bagging the league. Since the balloon cleared the guttering, I've noticed nothing else but people bagging rugby league.
09:27
In passing, is this a clumsy, ham-fisted attempt to silence the code's most outspoken critic, Gus Gould, the author of the Walkley-winning Report in St George?
09:39
That was a beautiful read. Quick read, but beautiful.
09:42
They tried before to nobble Gus, but they failed. The McKinnon crime fighters are included in the $5.8 billion TV deal. Apparently it was the first thing they talked about, not to do with the money or anything like that, but stamping out critics...
09:57
Why wouldn't you? You want everybody to be on board with the league, not just wide-handing it from inside and outside.
10:03
That deal now includes a Saturday night game, that new deal that was agreed to, a Saturday night game, starting tonight with the Rabbits for Yields showdown online under, wait for it, the banner, Saturday Night Fever. They're not stuck for an idea at Rugby League House. Saturday Night Fever. Well, Rabbits and Yields. Make up your own mind about how feverish you want to get. This innovation leaves just Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday now without Rugby League. In the past, there used to be a game on Monday, but the Bludge now believes it's time to plug the yawning weeknight gaps.
10:34
We've had this on the agenda recently and we've been very vocal about it, criticising the league. We don't resile from those criticisms, even if we end up in jail. We're happy to do this jail inside, if it so be it. But we're not going to stand down. It's a fact. There is a yawning gap in the week. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, there's no league. So far from NRL House, it's been just crickets.
10:57
Is this just a question of branding and promotion? Let's face it, it's always Super Saturday on the Bludge here at the ABC, on ABC Sport and ABC Local Radio. Never mind how cod ordinary the fixtures might be. And Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday need a catchy promotion to get the balloon above the guttering and people tuning in. How about try these on for size? Monday Mayhem. It's got a ring to it, hasn't it? Terrific Tuesday. Wednesday. Wow.
11:22
Three great nights of rugby league just yawning and waiting to be chock-a-block packed with stars. They're just thought starters from the bludge. It's up to the great promotional minds at nine or the NRL to come up with winning tags like they have already. I mean, Saturday Night Fever, there's a beauty. And, of course, there's no question of sponsors. I know for a fact, for instance, and I can speak with authority on this, a zigzag cheese would love to a slice of Monday mayhem action. Frosty La Hood Finance have put in a quiet word about getting involved in the Wednesday wow. Should it get up?
11:53
Wednesday, I believe, should be isolated and, you know... guard railed to only be global league. In other words, teams from around the world that are playing rugby league at the highest level that we never get to see. So, Taiwanese oysters taking on the Biak Pythons in round one next year. Can't wait. Can't wait. Incidentally, looking at 2027, the Eels and Tigers have been tipped into the Vegas bucket. Surely we should be sending them our very best on this mission, not a couple of spoon bottlers. How are we going to convince Americans to get involved in the Cape if we keep dumping our worst into their top night spot?
12:30
And more football crime as the sporting spotlight falls on the AFL tanking.
12:37
up until the Geelong Cats concussion problem. Tanking was the number one blight on the game. It's a horrible stain, tanking.
12:44
Stamping out the tanking scourge is requiring more work than any other issue.
12:49
And this stain needs a little bit of context. A while ago, the AFL decided in its wisdom to give the finals a week off before the September action, before the finals. This week was shoehorned into the schedule to prevent teams from giving their best players a rest in the last week of the home and away. Dropping top players made the final round of home and away a bit of a, well, a bit of a who cares, really, a limp stick of celery. I think it was described by, you know, some like Gerard Watley would always go on and on and on about the limp stick of celery. There were gaping holes, dull, just as things were getting interesting.
13:22
This week...
13:23
However, the code believes that clubs looking for the edge will give players a rest in the final week before the wild card of excitement, which comes now into the hole that the AFL created. Bloody, bloody, blah. It gets a bit complicated here, but you get my drift. The AFL has emailed all the clubs demanding that they don't do it, in other words, rest players. And Mr. Dillon, in his email...
13:47
Well, he says he wants to stamp out this staining on the code and there are going to be heavy penalties like a year's suspension and a fine of up to $7.9 million. Of course, the clubs have pushed back. You wouldn't expect the clubs to do anything else. Asking by what right does the AFL have to tell them how to run their football departments? If they're going to risk players, there's a real reason for it. Like... Let's say, I don't know, Jagger Smith's had too much football this year and needs a bit of a break. How will the big cheese in the AFL house know that the players have been given time off as opposed to riding the pine due to personal reasons or injuries?
14:22
That's what I ask myself. That is where the AFL crack integrity squad swings into action. Now, there was an excellent feature in the newspapers, the broadsheets, about the...
14:33
Well, the Integrity Squad, I didn't realise they'd be called on to challenge what's happening at Geelong, but be that as it may. Anyway, the squad spotted a couple of Maseratis idling with intent with the lights on in the street where a player lived. I mean, that was the end of the story. They're that good. They're that good. They found a couple of Maseratis idling. It's unbelievable what people will do.
14:54
Anyway, speaking of bye rounds, the bludge is getting in early for the end-of-season feed-up. We're on the pine next week, but there will be a highlight show at the usual time. AFLW and the international between Australia and Ireland at North Sydney Oval last Saturday was an outstanding success. The green and gold demolished the tourists. 13-13, that's 91, to 6-5-41 in front of 9,000 fans and many more hanging in the trees as you would expect at North Sydney Oval. Now, what's interesting is most of the Irish team apparently play here in the AFLW teams, and there is a suggestion that Ireland will be relocated to Tasmania for the duration and become the Tassie Devils W. So that's good news all around there.
15:36
And netball and our Aussie Diamonds had to make do with a tearful Commie Games third of disappointment at the Hydro in Glasgow. After being beaten by Jamaica in the semis, the Aussie Diamonds snatched a third against England, tuned 68-50, and you don't want to know who won gold. You just don't want to know. We'll move on. Finally, our Shoot Shield Grand Final this week today at 3.05 sees East and Sydney Union action. That's a clash between first and fourth on the ladder. And remember, the Shield is free to wear on Jim, that pluggy little outfit that does so much valuable work in the sporting space with just one camera.
16:11
Blindsiders, stand well back and let the hounds of hustle see the lure as we welcome to ABC's Spot. and ABC Local Radio, a man who's extremely passionate about Australian small business, before letting him off the leash to savage a bowl of Aussie dog cuisine, a reminder that the bludge is fully committed to telling Australian stories, and the can't wait man is standing by to take us through them. Obviously, this great Australian contributes today on the condition of complete anonymity. Rampaging Roy Slavin, can I get the bludging bunny in motion for another week by asking what highlights caught your restless eye?
16:42
4K HD, large language, model machine learning, AI encrypted, bubblegum,
16:46
Yes, thank you very, very much, HG Nelson. Of course, happy Rugby League, HG, to you and your family. And happy Rugby League to all genuine Aussies who honour Aussie values in the way they go about their lives. Honourable, decent, genuine, fair go Aussies.
17:05
That is Bludge listeners. That is you.
17:09
The Bludge listenership.
17:11
Decent, hard-working, tax-paying, fair-minded, genuine, decent Aussies.
17:21
Aussie Bernard Tomek.
17:24
Well, he's at a crossroad. He's uncertain as to whether to play on or to hang up the racket. Now, I haven't spoken with him yet, but I'm hoping to, over the next 48 hours or so, to advise him to kick on.
17:40
Good.
17:41
I think people would love to see Bernard, say, contesting for the Australian Open.
17:48
I think people would love that in January next year. It would be lovely to see Bernard back out there again.
17:54
You've been on the phones all morning. I know. And are people saying that to you? Yes, yes, yes.
18:00
There is a groundswell of support for Bernard Tomek. Groundswell, I like that. More than...
18:06
In the past, people have been a little bit ambivalent, you'd have to say, about Bernard.
18:12
He did his best to make himself unlikable and was very successful in that, we'd have to say.
18:19
And no criticism of him. That's just a fact.
18:21
That's who he is.
18:22
That's who he is. Bernard Tomic, slightly troubled, slightly awkward, odd, fish.
18:29
Yeah.
18:31
And over the years, you'd have to say, the fish has stayed just as odd. And I think people who are starting to enjoy it would love to see an odd fish out there again. A leopard doesn't change its spots. It doesn't. Nor would we want it to. Bernard, welcome back. Don't go away.
18:46
Will ye not stay one more time, one more tilt?
18:50
And remember the last time he played in a, you know, obviously in a top-flight match. Yeah. He won the first game and then lost 12 in a row.
18:58
He did. He did. That's typical Bernard, isn't it? But he's had a long-going feud, you might recall, with Kyrgios, with Nick. Oh, yes, that's right. Yeah. And I think he was challenging our Nick at some stage, kind of saying, you know, come on, kiss a go, you know, I'm happy to give you a go. And Nick used to say, you know, well, I'm number eight in the world, you're nothing, you know. Let's wait until you're eight in the world and I'm nothing. Well, that time's arrived.
19:23
doesn't it? Basically, I'm not saying Bernard is eight in the world. He's not. I get your drift. Yeah, but you understand what I mean.
19:31
So I look forward to that and that'll be something, you know, someone like Seven, Channel 7 could take up, you know.
19:36
Would they, as a part of the- A one-off, you know, say a Thursday night. Thursday night.
19:40
I don't know.
19:42
But Bernard v Nick, that'd be great.
19:45
Just- As part of the American- Best of three. US Open coverage?
19:48
Yeah, why not? Best of three.
19:51
Now, there's talk of Ben Stokes making a return to international cricket. I think that would be a very good thing.
19:57
I know we've probably seen the best of Ben Stokes, but he could certainly make a valuable contribution, I think, at the international level, certainly with bat and with ball. Not so much with captaincy. We'll put that aside. But I think he still has the skills to make it. Now, he's come out and said some very controversial things, I think, this week. He's suggesting that he's saying that cricket has what is called a drinking culture.
20:27
Look, I don't know about this. I mean, there is scant evidence.
20:33
I mean, I would cite the evidence of, say, the competition to drink the most cans of beer between here and the UK. I think it was 56 cans.
20:42
Stumpy Boone.
20:42
Stumpy Boone, yes, 56. But, you know, it's a long flight.
20:47
Yeah.
20:48
It is a long fight.
20:49
There's nothing much else to do. And if you cheer you up right and get a couple of helpers. Yeah. Who do the legwork.
20:53
To keep you awake.
20:54
And legwork. Yeah. Put the matches.
20:56
Yep. You always had to, whoever was sitting next to Stumpy had to have a cigarette lighter just to keep him awake.
21:04
Keep him drinking.
21:06
But he got the record. I think, whose record did he beat? Might have been Dougie Walters. Might have had the record.
21:11
It could easily be. It could easily be. Yeah.
21:14
But I wouldn't say it's a drinking culture. It's just every now and again players don't mind a drink.
21:21
Now, can I ask is we're not talking about drinks literally coming out in the drinks break, are we? No. They're just drinking lemon squash. No, no, no, no, no, no.
21:30
It's when you get the pads off and take the box out and sit about.
21:36
Put the feet up.
21:37
Put the feet up.
21:38
Gets a beer.
21:40
Gets another one.
21:42
Anyway, now, the 10K Open Water Marathon is to be axed by the IOC. Now, this is a very disappointing development.
21:51
As far as I'm concerned, it's an event that's in Aussie DNA. Yeah, but it is. It's ours. It's ours. Always has been ours.
21:59
And I don't know why Australia is being, you know...
22:03
Singled out.
22:04
Singled out in this matter by the IOC. I think it's a shot across the bow with Brisbane coming up. I would have thought it would have been one of the special events, the Brisbane Olympics, seeing the 10K open water marathon.
22:17
And you can see what happens when things are scaled back. Yeah. Look at the Commie Games. Yeah, I know. He hardly won a medal.
22:22
I know.
22:24
I know. I know. Anyway, it's something that the organisers... If I were the organisers in Brisbane, I would jack up against this. I would say, bugger it, we're going to have the 10K.
22:34
And we're going to do it a couple of times. And we're going to do it twice. Yeah, exactly.
22:37
Yep. Why not? Once early, early in the... And one later, you know, 10 days later. First day, last day. First day, last day. Thank you. 10K. Two 10Ks.
22:49
Now, there are two – this is very good news, especially with golf month upon us.
22:56
And hasn't golf been in the ether? I mean, I wondered why the other day as I was ambling, you know, just walking around the suburb and everywhere I wondered, people were whispering golf, you know, golf stories.
23:08
And I thought, what is going on here? And then it dawned on me, of course, it's golf month. Yeah, people get it.
23:13
Now, there are two new Aussie golf courses to be given PGA Tour of Australasia status. This is fantastic. And these courses, there's the Peninsular Kingswood course in Victoria. I remember you and I walked that course maybe two years ago or so. It's a beautiful course. It's a wonderful course.
23:29
And I could picture myself playing.
23:31
Yeah, I know. So could I. So could I. I mean, challenging fairways. Yes. But fair.
23:37
Yeah. Yeah.
23:38
Fair for everybody. Fair for everyone. I agree with that. I agree with that.
23:42
And the other course is that Perth layout, Secret Harbour. The name says it all. It says it all, doesn't it? You and I walked out maybe three years ago when they were still developing it. Working on it. And it looked fantastic. I mean, it really is. I mean, you can talk about picturesque golf courses, but I think Secret Harbour would be one of the most picturesque I've ever seen.
24:03
It's a great addition to what's...
24:05
It's a great addition, isn't it? And it will come up well, as I said to the organisers at the time, it'll come up well on television. It'll look good once we get a PGA event happening there. And now... Yeah, I mean, I could see... I mean, I could see someone like... Cam Smith. Leishman.
24:20
Oh, Leishman, yeah.
24:21
Teeing off. I said to you at the time when we were walking in, can you imagine, you know, having a Leishman lager watching this? And you said, yeah, count me in.
24:31
Now, Les Kiss...
24:34
The great Let's Kiss is calling his Wallabies coaching philosophy evolution, not revolution.
24:43
Dead wrong.
24:44
Did you try and talk him out of me?
24:45
Dead wrong. No, I haven't had a chance to speak with him. He's not picking up the phone.
24:50
What is needed is a revolution after the Schmidt disaster. I mean, Schmidt let us down a bloody... I mean, Australian rugby almost disappeared completely off the map.
25:01
Italy saved us.
25:02
Yeah.
25:03
Italy pulled us out of the mire.
25:05
Yes.
25:06
Prior to that, it was 10 blot.
25:09
10 blot. I mean, Australian rugby has been going backwards at a million miles an hour. Thank you very much, Schmidt. What we need is the Kiss Revolution. We do. If he'd said my philosophy is revolution, I'd have been right up there with him.
25:24
You beauty, I would have said. Wannabies, count me in. But I can't.
25:32
The Wallabies take on the brave blossoms of Japan in Osaka. I think that's today.
25:38
I think that is, right.
25:39
Don't ask me what time it's on. And don't ask me if it's been covered by...
25:43
I know it's hot. That's the only thing I know.
25:45
I don't know if it's on free-to-air. Is it? Do we know?
25:47
We can quickly find out. Please try and find out. But you see, it competes maybe with...
25:53
The Shoot Shield Grand Final.
25:54
Oh, it might too. Yeah, I don't know. There's not that much time difference between here and Japan. You get a bit. A bit, but not much. Not much. Let's say it's on tonight around 7 or 8 o'clock, something like that. Just flick around. You might find it.
26:08
But, yeah, the brave blossoms. Stan. It's on Stan, is it? 7.30. Stan at 7.30. Okay. Now, that's a streaming service. Is it Stan? No, no. No, is it free to wear? Channel 9. Channel 9.
26:24
Okay, beauty. Okay, that'll be nine gem, would it be?
26:28
No, Stan's a separate channel. Stan's a separate channel.
26:30
Yeah.
26:32
Right.
26:33
So what is it, nine three, nine four? What's the... Stan sport.
26:38
Stan sport.
26:39
Okay, so it's not free to wear. Bugger. Now, the federal government have announced, and this is very timely, a $90 million injection into Rugby Australia's Impact Beyond Legacy program.
26:54
Say that again. Impact Beyond Legacy.
26:58
90 million.
26:59
But what would it be? I don't know.
27:00
I don't know.
27:01
What, teaching people how to drive cars?
27:02
I don't know.
27:04
I don't know. How to find stand sport. Who knows?
27:08
Buggered if I know.
27:09
What would it be? 90 million. Yeah. What, marathon running?
27:12
Yeah. I've no idea.
27:15
It's Australia's Impact Beyond Legacy program.
27:20
Impact Beyond Legacy. Yeah.
27:22
Is there such a thing?
27:23
Is there such a thing? I mean, that's just a word salad, isn't it?
27:27
Legacy is enough.
27:28
Yeah, yeah. Why not just Australia's legacy?
27:32
That'd do me.
27:34
But impact beyond? You've lost me.
27:38
You've lost me.
27:40
Words, they don't mean anything anymore. Do they? No. I could understand if you're maybe putting up statues to the great heroes.
27:48
Yes. John Eales. If it was for a John Eales statue, great.
27:53
Yeah. Yeah. 90 million, you beauty. Yeah.
27:55
Cheap at the cost. Cheap at the cost.
27:58
Now, the NRL have announced a crackdown.
28:02
I always enjoy it when the NRL issues a crackdown.
28:05
Number six again, crackdown.
28:07
I'm all ears. Well, this is a crackdown on marquee players honouring media commitments. Now, a lot of people have said to me, you know, how come I don't see, you know... Malmininga. Malmininga or great players being interviewed after a game. And I said, you do, generally speaking. Yeah, but not the ones that are really good, not the good players.
28:28
Now, apparently, they have to appear...
28:33
Once every three weeks is a media commitment.
28:37
Say Reece Walsh, for example. Reece Walsh. Reece Walsh. Very popular player. Extremely popular. People love seeing him interviewed. You know, had it go tonight. Yeah, oh, well, we didn't complete our sets, bloody blah. They love that.
28:48
Ball handling. Ball handling was not so great. It wasn't us out there.
28:52
It wasn't us out there, but we tried our best and, you know, we'll be back. We'll just take it one game at a time. All that. People love that. Well, Reece Walsh hasn't been doing it and he's not alone.
29:03
Now, there are a number of players who've decided to put an embargo, a self-imposed embargo on media commitments. He is one of them.
29:12
Luttrell Mitchell is another. There are quite a few players who've decided they're not going to talk to the media.
29:17
Now, in their contract, they must talk to the media at least once every three weeks. Now, thus, the crackdown.
29:25
Hang on a minute. Dylan Brown today would play. Maybe he hasn't done it for six months.
29:29
Right.
29:30
I can't recall.
29:30
Well, the crackdown is going to be...
29:33
What are you doing, Dylan?
29:34
Mr Brown, there's someone here with a camera. You've got to talk to him.
29:37
But how does this help anybody? Well, it helps. Remember in the bad old days? Yeah. And I don't mean to point the finger at them, but St George Dragons got into trouble because they didn't do it seriously. No. And the players jeered each other up while they were doing it. That's right. Which I loved. Yeah, I loved. I thought, funny rugby league players. Funny ass, yeah. Funny ass, yeah. And the crackdown, bugger it. They're putting in. Mm-hmm.
30:00
Yeah.
30:00
But then they take that away. So what do they expect him to say along the lines that you alluded to a minute or so ago? Ah, it wasn't us out there. Yeah. Didn't complete enough sense.
30:10
Look, I don't think the NRL is – I don't think the NRL gives a bugger about what they say.
30:17
The NRL just wants them to be there so that the fans can see them talking and responding to the questions from, you know, Danica or whoever it's going to be. Yeah. You know, how'd you go out there tonight?
30:28
Yeah.
30:29
Yeah. Yeah, really good. Really good. I like zigzag twisties.
30:35
It wouldn't matter what they said.
30:36
We got the four points.
30:37
Yeah. We got the four points, but it was only worth two. Yeah, all right. You got me. We got two points then.
30:44
You know what I mean? It wouldn't matter. Just they've got to appear. I jumped codes there. Yeah, I know you did.
30:50
Oh, that'd be interesting, wouldn't it? Yeah, it would be great. Yeah, we got four points. How'd you do that?
30:55
We jump cards. Oh, weren't you playing rugby league out there? No, we weren't and that's why we lost. Anyway.
31:01
Could be a fascinating interview.
31:03
I must confess this passed me by.
31:05
Yeah. Well, it hasn't passed me by. No, good.
31:08
Whenever the NRL issues are cracked out, I'm interested.
31:12
I'm interested.
31:13
Wonderful week, of course, for the greatest game of all.
31:17
Not only the crackdown, of course, but as HG has mentioned, Matt King. I mean, what a story this is, Matt King. I think he might have started off with the casino Cougars.
31:27
I think that's right, yeah.
31:29
As a young kiddie. And had terrific skills, terrific talent.
31:34
And he left the game for quite a few years, wandering in the wilderness, as you say, doing work as a garbo and what have you, keeping himself fit, keeping himself across rugby league issues. Happy to talk to anyone.
31:47
Especially...
31:50
You know, happy to be interviewed at any stage about anything and give a very honest answer. You know, I'm lifting them well. They're coming out well. Yeah, that's right. Et cetera, et cetera.
31:58
And I've got the petunas going great at home. Do you want to come around and have a look at them? Why not? All of that.
32:02
All of that.
32:03
Bring some, you know, I was going to say carrots as well. We'll put them in.
32:06
Well, he was wandering around doing his Garbo's work and bumped into Craig Bellamy.
32:13
And Bellamy said, gee, you're lifting well. And he said, yeah, I have been lifting well lately. Yeah, it's all going well. He said, well, why don't you come and have a run around with the boys? Which he did. The rest is history.
32:24
Are you at all bothered by the fact that he's never coached a team in his life? No.
32:28
No, no.
32:29
I think he's going to bring something. Fresh. Something very, very fresh.
32:33
He's not afraid to talk to a microphone.
32:34
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no, no.
32:38
I'm convinced he's going to bring about what he's calling revolution, not evolution. Make of that what you will.
32:47
This is a shout out to all Aussies who love fun.
32:53
A rugby league heritage listed toilets of interest tour is now part of the Sid Fogg calendar. Tour buses will depart from Broadmeadow railway station in Newcastle at 3pm sharp each first Friday of the month, returning the following Friday at midday. Travellers must be over the age of 18 and be accompanied by a non-drinking, responsible adult.
33:18
Privacy will be guaranteed.
33:21
Simply go to the Heritage-listed Toilets of Interest website and follow the links. Terms and conditions apply. This is Bludging on the Blind Side.
33:32
Now, if you want to get involved with the show, there's a text line, 0467 920 222, 0467 920 222, or the old-style way, roynhg at abc.net.au. And quickly, the road to midnight here.
33:49
Yep.
33:50
Well, the Titans 3 Cowboys, well, it was the end of the section really for the Titans. Cowboys 30, Titans 8, and then the Warriors clobbered the front-running Panthers 28-12 in New Zealand. Yeah, that was a real wake-up call, wasn't it? A wake-up call, that's right. That's what we'd call a schooner of milked-out reality there for the Panthers. And they took a very bad injury. I don't know how bad it is to yell.
34:14
Isaiah Yeo, yes. It's a peck injury. And they take a long time to heal.
34:20
Yeah, to heal. So we may not see him again this year. I don't think we will. And the Roosters and the Dogs, well, this was the match, a really exciting match, entertaining match. Both teams well in it.
34:32
Roosters 20, Dogs 18. Now, the rest of the Super Saturday, it's just a mouth-watering card. Storm v. Seagulls at Stormtown. Amy getting underway with three, and Andrew Moore will be there with the game. Then Dolphins and Broncos.
34:48
a sort of all Queensland derby at 5.30. And then the big one tonight, Rabbits and Eels at 7.35. Andrew Moore will be there. Now, then tomorrow, Raiders and Knights at 2, followed by, well, a wonderful clash, Dragons and Sharks at 4 o'clock. So it's an exciting time to be interested in rugby league.
35:10
Sure is. They're all mouth-watering, aren't they?
35:13
And there'll be a lot of chat because the edict is that players have to talk now to the people on the sidelines.
35:20
Yes. Well, if they follow up on the crackdown.
35:22
And are the players in the gun to provide the answers allowed to say, no, that's a stupid question, I won't answer that?
35:29
I think so. They've just got to appear. I mean, the NRL is not concerned. As long as they don't use Old Norse phrases and words that can provide offence to a lot of people, they can answer in any way they wish.
35:44
Right.
35:45
With that caveat that it's not offensive language. Right.
35:48
I was trying to think of something, you know, like along the lines, the owl and the pussycat went to sea in a beautiful Sir Pee Green boat. It took some money and a jar of honey blood wrapped up in a five-pound note. Yep. Next question, please.
35:59
Yep, that's right. That'd be perfect. That'd be perfect.
36:02
Yeah.
36:06
Australians, rugby league crime is at pandemic proportions.
36:13
Referees and officials can't see everything, but together we can.
36:20
If you see rugby league crime, then as an Australian, do your duty and report it to Bludging on the Blind Side. Text us on 0467 920 222.
36:40
Now to flesh out the crackdown, an ex-judge could have a final word on the overly negative media coverage of the NRL as the game governing ramps up its crackdown on conflicts of interest within the code. The NRL is set to assign an employee to act as the media cop, in inverted commas, It'd be a good job, wouldn't it? That'd be a million-dollar-a-year job, I would imagine. Yep. Policing rugby league commentators who are perceived to have competing roles in the game. I was playing in the game in the media.
37:12
The employee's remit will extend to callers perceived to be too negative in their coverage. Yep. If individuals are deemed to have broken the NRL rules, they could be removed from their roles following a thorough process. This would involve complaint being lodged by anyone to the networks. Talent would then be asked via their networks to explain what they were doing. Blah, blah. Now, can I raise something? You and I don't reside from the comments we made last week that the bunker hates rugby league. Yes. Now... We've got facts to prove that because you can slow everything down and it always looks wrong.
37:44
If it looks right, just slow it down a bit more and it'll look wrong. The bunker hates rugby league. It does. Now, is this going against the edict of this whole, you know, this whole Volandes constructors edifice of rugby league only saying good things about the competition and the players and people involved? Mm-hmm.
38:05
Well, it is. It is. We would be in breach of that edict if we were to down the track or from now on make comments that are in any way negative about Rugby League. Now, can I just say, HG, right from the off, that you and I have been – no one has been more supportive of Rugby League than you and I.
38:26
We've been very pleased in the direction that rugby league is going. We've been pioneering rugby league to be recognised as a formal religion and to have the tax advantages that most religions have, and that's fine. That's the society we live in.
38:44
We've loved the Kutfusi line. We've loved what rugby league is doing for international relationships and for the security of Australia.
38:55
So I think it's a little bit sad when it comes a day like today where you and I run the risk of jail and the opprobrium from Rugby League House just because we might be slightly critical. Look, our criticisms of Rugby League have only ever been to the advantage of Rugby League.
39:21
We've put Rugby League first and foremost in all our comments. We are trying to improve Rugby League.
39:28
And can I just say that I am not going to resile from the fact that the bunker has done nothing to improve Rugby League.
39:39
Has it? It gets everyone offside.
39:43
Everyone hates it.
39:45
Whenever I walk around as I've been walking around this week, oh, sure, people have been whispering about golf. Fair enough. It's golf month. But the other conversation is to do with the bunker and how often they get things wrong.
39:59
Now, that's just a fact.
40:01
Exactly. That's my point.
40:02
It's just the fact, are facts preventing you from ending up in jail?
40:06
Yeah. See, I believe the bunker maybe, let's just say the bunker costs $40 million a year to run.
40:11
Yeah.
40:11
It's got staff by excellent staff and people, a lot of TV screens and they have to have a central commentary position where they can see all the matches and all. I understand. That's how a bunker works. But it doesn't produce any evidence that it's improving rugby league. It's not. It's just a vehicle. It's a lightning rod for anguish. For dissent. For dissent.
40:31
It's a fly in the ointment that is rugby league. You know, rugby league is a healing balm in our community. It doesn't need flies in the ointment, does it?
40:40
And the bunker is a fly. Isn't it?
40:43
Filled with maggots.
40:48
The difficulty is we cannot now go back and all of a sudden say, oh, the bunker's great. Isn't the bunker great? We have no credibility.
40:55
Exactly. No credibility.
40:57
No credibility. Exactly.
41:00
And what worries me more is I pick up the paper.
41:04
Yes.
41:04
And I see this article about the NRL to police negative coverage. Yes. And I think, which police? Yeah. Obviously, I mean, you look at it and see if there's any problems there. Yeah. But then every article I read, like it's a classic, the NRL is diluting its product. Has the NFL got the right idea? I mean, there, that should be actionable. We should, I don't want to name this journalist.
41:27
Is that a journalist talking down rugby league? It is a journalist.
41:30
That's talking down rugby league. Thinking the NFL, give me a break here. The NFL, I can't stand it.
41:35
No, I hate it.
41:37
I hate it. And if the NRL is going to become like the NFL, I'm out of here. Yeah, no, I'm giving up. I'm giving up. You know, I'm going to go for a drive with Max Verstappen.
41:48
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42:27
I just want to continue here while I've got you. The example quoted here is, this is quoting directly from this article, the Gold Coast Titans on Thursday night. They were so bad it's almost a crime. And they still have more four matches left to play this season, which we rugby league lovers will have to endure. I mean, talk about talking the game down. Example two, the West Tigers in general. What an abomination of a club. This will be the 15th consecutive season in which they've missed the finals. And that is an era in which half the...
42:55
Yes, I know. You get my drift.
42:56
I do get your drift.
42:57
On the back page.
42:58
You know, people don't know. Whoever the clown is that wrote that, they don't appreciate the impact that has on the players. Right. You know, how do you think Benji and the team feel reading that sort of nonsense? Reading that rubbish, yeah. Or any of the Titans reading that sort of nonsense? The 15th year. It doesn't help.
43:16
It doesn't help supporters. It doesn't help supporters. It doesn't help anyone. People will be in tears.
43:21
Yes, that's right.
43:22
You know, they don't know what an abomination means, but they can ask their mum and dad, what's an abomination? It means you're a shit house.
43:28
Yes.
43:28
You know, how good is that?
43:30
How does that help anyone? It doesn't. It doesn't. It doesn't.
43:34
I've got to say is that, you know, and again, there's no facts. No. It's different when we say we hate the bunker or the rugby league hates the bunker. It's the other way around. The bunker hates rugby league. You always have proven facts there.
43:45
Yeah.
43:45
But an abomination is an opinion.
43:47
Yeah.
43:48
We don't need that.
43:48
No, no, no, no. I'd suggest that, you know, that whoever wrote that maybe lost a bit of money betting on the Titans and the Tigers. And if that's the case, they should say so.
44:01
Yes.
44:01
At the start of the article. I was rubbed by the bunker. I put a bet on and I lost. Blah-de-blah-de-blah. Anyway, this is how I feel. They're rubbish. You know what I mean? Then it has a context. Exactly. And then people can read that and, oh, I see where they're coming from. And I understand. And I understand.
44:18
Maybe write a letter to the sporting editor to say, love the article, and wasn't it great to get honesty in the bunker?
44:23
Honesty.
44:24
Thank you.
44:26
That's what we want.
44:28
Now, let's take a short break and come back with the talkback topic. Yes.
44:32
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44:49
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45:05
November is Referees Month at Rugby League World.
45:10
Families of ticketed referees are admitted free to what is widely accepted as Australia's number one tourist attraction. It's got a big gold tick of approval from the team at Bludging on the Blind Side.
45:28
Now, the talkback topic last week.
45:31
Before we get there, did I hear that promo that cricket is coming back? Cricket is back. That'd be Grandstand covering the cricket, would it?
45:37
Yes, that's right. Not to be confused with bludgeoning on the blind side. No, or ABC Sport. It's not ABC Sport, it's Grandstand. Thanks very much.
45:44
Good. Thank God we've cleared that up.
45:48
I was a little bit concerned that maybe Grandstand was disappearing, but it's not.
45:53
Now...
45:54
Last week, HG, you recall, we asked, do we need a federal department of rugby league?
45:59
Yes.
46:00
And a minister for rugby league.
46:01
Yeah, that's good.
46:03
I think 82% of people said yes.
46:06
Isn't that great?
46:06
Isn't that good?
46:07
82%. And do you see it having obviously a pyramid sort of structure where the minister's on top, the next layer down are the policing. Bureaucrat. Bureaucrats, then the policing of things like making sure players talk to television channels after their match, the crackdown on people bagging rugby league, etc. Yes, all of that. And so they'd have quite a big… Yes, a big remit. Yeah, remit and bureaucracy to come around.
46:33
You'd need quite a big bureaucracy, you would, I think.
46:39
It disappointed me a little bit that it's only 82%. I would have thought 100%, but anyway.
46:43
But there might be some people who support other codes.
46:46
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Well, no, I think a lot of people were suggesting, HG, that we need a federal department of St George. a federal department of South Sydney. You see what I mean?
47:01
It would be. It would be a bit unwieldy.
47:03
Communication would be a bit unwieldy.
47:05
It would. So what do you think about this week? Okay, this week, HG, the topic is, should the new NRL plane be called A, Rugby League One or B, Feathers?
47:20
I like the idea of this plane.
47:23
It just frees up.
47:25
So much now. Yeah, yeah.
47:26
Because remember, you'll never forget and remember this.
47:29
Because it'll be able to take players from, you know, Perth up to Moresby. Yeah, that's right. Back down to Brisbane. I mean, it'll be in the air. Yeah. Most of the time, you'd imagine. It will.
47:40
It'll be a great urn for them too. And as pointed out is that if it only had a team on there, they might be able to get, say, 200 or 300 spectators who'd have the time of their life travelling to Perth to see the bears with the bears on board.
47:55
Yeah, I know. That would just be awesome, wouldn't it? Wouldn't it? Also, I think the plane should be painted well. It should have a big NRL logo on it somewhere, shouldn't it?
48:06
Do you think – and all the flags or all the – Of all the clubs. Jumpers of the clubs. Yes, along the side. And NRL written over the top.
48:14
Yes, yep. And on the tail, you can have a big NRL there.
48:17
Somebody grounding the ball maybe on the tail. Beautiful, beautiful. Like the flying kangaroo.
48:22
Yep, let's leave it to the designers. Yeah, yeah, we don't want to tread on their toes. No, no, no, no. But I think it's a very exciting prospect.
48:29
And when you formulated that question, you didn't think of a third option – No.
48:34
That's all right. Look, we can put a third in if you wish, actually.
48:38
Well, that's the difficulty. NRL 1, feathers, or?
48:43
Well, in fact, I've got Rugby League 1. But if you wanted NRL 1, why not?
48:47
Okay, well, that's a good choice.
48:48
That could be C. C, yeah. NRL 1.
48:52
Now, when people phone, well, they know what to do and I think they know what the number is.
48:57
Well, they can do it all now on their phone. Yeah. Just press the one, two, three. Yeah. You know what's going on. Yeah, yeah.
49:03
You don't have to say anything. That's absolutely right. So I would encourage everyone to get on board and, look, if there's no one here to answer the phone, don't worry. Don't be surprised. First grade rugby league players.
49:14
Yeah!
49:16
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49:37
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49:45
Yes, welcome back to Bludging on the Blind Side. If you want to get involved with the show, text line 0467 920 222. That's 0467 920 222. And the other way is roynhg at abc.net.au. Just before I hand over to Roy, there is some problems with planes at Sydney Airport due to air traffic control problems. Now, this is where your rugby league plane would come into its own. The rugby league would be able to zoom off and go wherever it wanted to with obviously the teams on board and hundreds of thousands of deliriously happy rugby league fans going to a match say in wherever you want to take it.
50:25
Well, you'd imagine the rugby league down the track would have its own airport, its own air traffic controllers, you know, just to smooth the way.
50:33
to ease the way in. Sorry, but take it away on the text line.
50:36
Yeah, well, just on the text line, HG, someone is suggesting, this is Michael from Sandringham, that the designers of the NRL1, he's plumping for NRL1, which Terranon, should paint a Steedon on the nose of the 747 with two hands either side, putting it down for a try as the 747 comes in for landing at Moresby. Isn't that great? That's a lovely idea.
50:58
It's a brilliant idea. Lovely idea. And maybe the people on board who make the announcements could say, we're coming in for a touchdown.
51:05
Yep.
51:07
Yep. Try time. Try time. Someone else suggesting HG, why stop there? Slap the Sportsbet, TAB, Responsible Wagering Australia and Racing New South Wales logos across the fuselage alongside the NRL Blanding.
51:24
Nothing says taking the game global quite like exporting Australia's gambling culture to kids in developing countries. Well, that's not a bad idea either, isn't it?
51:36
Well, kids would be saying, oh, what's that about? What's sports bet?
51:41
You mean kids in the Cook Islands?
51:42
Yeah.
51:43
Or in Fiji? Yeah.
51:44
Yeah. Yeah. I don't know what the penetration is there of the betting companies.
51:49
And they'd have to point out that, you know, if you're worried about getting on, use your phone. It's some sort of connection. Yeah. Or kids know that already. Yeah.
51:58
I suppose they'd know that already. Yeah. But there's no reason why the NRL couldn't be able to, you know, provide a lot of these kids with phones so they can do the gambling.
52:06
That's something to think about down the track. And I don't want to get into trouble from the NRL.
52:11
Look, we're resigned to the fact that we will end up in jail eventually. We're bound to say something that they disagree with.
52:17
I know. I know. I know. I hate it when talking about Rugby League comes...
52:23
It's like walking on eggshells. It shouldn't be.
52:25
I won't. I won't.
52:26
I won't. No, I won't either.
52:28
Good.
52:29
Now, this comes from Eamon. He says, read this news report last week and thought you'd appreciate it. I think it shows Australia is leading the world in eradicating introduced feral animals. Now, it says that Kangaroo Island claims it is now the largest island in the world with no feral pigs, declaring victory in its Boer War.
52:53
The South Australian island has waged war on the invasive species for five years, removing 878 pigs under a 7.5 million feral pig eradication program.
53:05
The last sows were removed in 2024, but it's taken two years of careful monitoring for authorities to finally declare the operation a success.
53:14
Isn't that good news?
53:15
That's fantastic. It's got some unique fauna in Kangaroo Island. I suppose it does. Yeah, yeah. Because the island means it grows in a different sort of way or develops in a different sort of way. Yeah. Isolated.
53:26
Well, Murray Watt, the minister, says, as she knows, feral pigs means helping the recovery of native species. Yes, there you go. That's what you're talking about.
53:33
That's my point, yeah.
53:33
Including threatened plants and reducing the spread of dieback.
53:38
Kangaroo Island is now a world leader in invasive species eradication. Well, that's very good news. Yep. And I don't think they have any fire ants on Kangaroo Island either.
53:47
And they could bring people to have a look at what they're doing. Yes. And take it back to their own country.
53:51
That's right.
53:52
Or other parts from Australia. That's right. Yeah.
53:55
Yep. Yep. Yep.
53:56
Now, this comes from Jake HG, Jake from Hobart, and you might be able to assist in helping him here more than I can.
54:05
He says, happy rugby league. I was watching the AFL broadcast on Fox footy this evening during the greatest game of all half time interlude and the commentary team were rambling about the game's pressure factor.
54:20
This discussion piqued my interest. How in God's name is Fox footy's quantitatively measuring the pressure factor? Every weekend a team mysteriously posts a pressure factor of 187. Two minutes later it's 214. Nobody questions it.
54:35
We all nod as if Professor Julia Sumner-Miller personally certified the figure between boundary throw-ins. Yours in statistical confusion.
54:43
Well, I can't really help because I don't think anybody actually understands. It's more an idea. Sorry, it's more – there's no actual measuring.
54:52
Well, let's say the attacking team has flooded the 50-metre zone in the attacking quarter. Yeah. Right.
54:58
Well, they would bring a lot of pressure there.
55:00
Well, then the defending team, their pressure factor might well be 214.
55:06
No, that's true, but why wouldn't the attacking?
55:08
It could go up to a 250 maybe.
55:10
It could, briefly.
55:11
Yeah, briefly.
55:12
But it's not as though there's something in the ground that you could, like a penetrometer. No. Or something like that, or a pressionometer. No. To measure it.
55:19
It's just the... We just get a feel for these things, I guess. Feel, yeah, that's a good right. You know, I look at some teams and I say to you, at least 210 pressure factor there.
55:27
And I often agree.
55:28
But you are not.
55:29
Yeah.
55:29
Yeah, you're not. Yeah.
55:32
No, look, it's a – Yeah.
55:35
I suppose it's something we could adapt to rugby league. I don't know. I'd like to imagine a pressure factor.
55:40
What an interesting question. Yeah.
55:43
That's something for, you know.
55:45
We might be able to take that up next week. Yeah.
55:48
Yeah. We need to look at the games because you know how defence is – fascinating bit of rugby league where defence is lauded, that's when your pressure factor would come because the two opposing forces meet and so the pressure factor on one is often overwhelmed by the pressure factor of the other. Not by much, but enough to get a try.
56:08
No, that's right. Or enough to rebel a try. Often when you see a game, I think to myself, oh, God, look, the pressure factor on the attacking team here, it appears to me to be about 274. But for the defending team, it's nearly 500.
56:19
Yeah, well, that'll stop them. Yeah. Yeah, no, I get it. I get it, yeah. Probably more applicable to rugby league than the AFL, if the truth be known.
56:27
Yeah.
56:28
It's a concept in the AFL where it could be measured by pressure points.
56:31
Well, I think it would be a useful thing for people who don't understand the game coming to understand the game. Because pressure factor is something they'd really get.
56:39
Yeah, yeah.
56:42
This comes from Erica Betts in Mudgee, HG, you recall. She got in touch a couple of weeks ago. Did she go to the match the other night, last weekend? Well, she says, the second miracle of Mudgee was a bit one-sided. It was. But a wonderful spectacle. Oh, isn't that good?
57:00
The lighting was excellent and I got to meet Gus and James Bracey and Ivan Cleary.
57:06
Oh, mighty. Gus is very dry, James was really busy and Ivan let me have a selfie with him. I really felt at home in the warmth of the rugby league community.
57:16
Isn't that great? Isn't that a good story? And what would be good is if she saw any of the players talking to the media and...
57:22
Yes. She makes no comment on that. No, no.
57:25
But I think from memory, didn't she strike up a conversation with the bloke who was doing the lights? Yes, that's correct. Originally setting it up.
57:31
Originally setting it up, yes. So I'd say that bloke introduced her to Gus and James Bracey and Ivan Cleary, I imagine.
57:38
Yeah. Yeah.
57:39
What a wonderful night that must have been.
57:41
Yeah. But the miracle. The miracle stands. Yeah. And maybe she went thinking there'd be miracles like that every time they play in Mudgee, which sadly not to be.
57:50
No. No. I think, yes, the Raiders got bashed up. Yeah, they did. About 40 to 18 or something. I mean, it was massive. But terrific spectacle, though. Yeah, spectacle.
58:01
And the lighting, really.
58:01
Yeah, especially for Penrith fans who were there, which I don't know whether Erica doesn't say what team she supports.
58:08
And it's not a bad drive from Penrith to Mudge, because you're obviously towards the mountains.
58:13
Yeah. It's a bit of a bugger, though, getting over Victoria Pass, HG, the difficulty being that you've got to go along Bill's line of road and through Lithgow. It's a nightmare.
58:24
What a bloke.
58:25
Nightmare.
58:26
That's where the plane comes into its own again.
58:28
Yeah. Lincoln in Newtown.
58:31
Happy Rugby League, he says, my interest was piqued by your recent discussions of boxers failing to make weight. I don't really follow boxing, but I saw footage of the recent Zoo weigh-in and fight and prominently featured in both was former manly second rower George Rose. Yes, that's right. Who I understand is a successful promoter now.
58:51
Like all decent God-fearing Australians, I despise Manly, but I do have a soft spot for George Rose. When I was first introducing my partner to the sport of rugby league, he was her favourite player because she said he, quote, didn't look like a professional athlete.
59:08
She also quite liked the way that he would have to rearrange his Guernsey and re-tuck it in after almost every hit-up.
59:16
Well, those are the things. Memories.
59:18
Yes.
59:19
I can see George tucking himself in. I know, but people take away whatever they want. Yeah, they do. They do. That's the right thing about it. Yeah. Yep. And what a great memory. Yeah. Tucking in.
59:28
Tucking in.
59:29
And it reminded me when you were talking there, because George is similar shape, to Olsen Filippano, which we mentioned in the opening remarks.
59:36
That's right.
59:36
And the garbage run.
59:38
That's right.
59:38
And I can remember Olsen tearing apart as an Australian team one night. Mm-hmm. Might have been in a, you know, trans-Tasman play.
59:45
Yeah, Australia v New Zealand, yeah.
59:46
Yeah, some time ago.
59:47
Yeah, he was a wonderful player, Olsen Filippano, wasn't he?
59:51
On another recent topic, I noticed recently my local grocer had a large stand of snakes of origin on sale.
59:58
See a touched image.
60:00
As you discussed, I can confirm that both snake varieties would be unlikely to get a start in a regular bag with the blue snake particularly disgusting.
60:08
Fair enough.
60:10
Thank you, Lincoln.
60:11
I reckon we should stop correspondence on the snakes of origin. The snakes of origin.
60:16
People will be outraged by that decision, but there it is.
60:21
Now, this comes from Michael.
60:23
He says, not a rugby league topic, however, it's a great sports story. Yeah, good. The county of Mayo, having not won an all-Ireland football final for 75 years, losing a level 11 final since then, a certain myth developed around this based on the curse that was allegedly placed on them.
60:44
that they were disrespectful when passing a funeral while travelling home from the 1951 final, the curse being that they would not win another final until all members of that team had passed.
60:58
Wow, what a great curse.
61:01
The last of that team passed in 2023. And yesterday, Sunday the 26th, Mayo defeated Kerry in the All-Ireland Final, their first win in 75 years, a win that was celebrated by supporters of all other counties.
61:15
While there's been doubts cast on the myth, it does make for a great sporting story. Are there similar stories around rugby league? Well, there'd be millions of them.
61:26
Wouldn't there? There would be. I mean, in all our grand finals with the chamois, in all our grand final wins, and I'm pretty sure, no, it is a fact, one of the players was involved in a prang getting to the final training session.
61:41
Isn't that great? Yeah, there you are. So you thought when the prang happened, you're waiting around, yes, bang, you know, we're going to win.
61:49
And so it came to pass.
61:50
Isn't that great? That's right, that's right.
61:53
I mean, rugby league would be full of those.
61:57
Collingwood had a long stint, didn't they, without winning there for a while?
62:02
Yeah, but I can't recall.
62:03
I think they lost a series of grand finals and then you had the term the Collywobbles.
62:08
Yeah, all of that's true. But the only one I got stuck with there briefly was Howard Carter broke the curse of Tutankhamun's tomb and broke in and there was supposedly a curse that would kill them all, the people who worked on it.
62:23
That's right.
62:23
And so years later, when the last one died, the paper printed the headline, the curse still rings true. So you do get them.
62:30
You do get them.
62:31
That had nothing to do with rugby league, of course.
62:33
No, no, no, no, no. But these things happen, don't they? Yes.
62:37
People remember.
62:38
Yeah. What a day that was when they discovered Tutankhamen's, when they burst through there, and it hadn't been touched at all.
62:49
No, a lucky one. Wonderful, yeah, very, very lucky. I mean, wonderful thing, that.
62:55
Now, this comes from Jonathan. She says, like all Aussies, I'm delighted to hear our anthem played time and time again at the Commonwealth Games, like the sweetest of soundtracks.
63:05
I got to thinking. Some individual states in Australia would be competitive against our major rivals. To bring back a sense of competition, I propose that Australian athletes compete under their individual state of origin banners at the next games, even considering some of the problems with these arrangements that you've highlighted. Does the Bludge have a position on this shake-up of the games? The reform would allow for eight Aussies to potentially qualify for a swimming final, state against state, mate against mate.
63:35
Well, we raised this last week. We did. And we raised it because of the problems of punting on the games. We thought, you know, state of origin, the number, making some ratio between the number of athletes and the number of people in the state and so on would generate a lot more interest.
63:50
It would. Yeah.
63:50
And I take the point that if New South Wales found eight people who could swim faster than the rest of Australia, why not let them have a go?
63:57
Exactly. Exactly.
63:59
It'd be fantastic getting there.
64:00
It would make the Commonwealth Games have a little bit more meaning, wouldn't it?
64:04
Well, you see, in some events, I think the women's 1,500 metres and one of the other ones, Australia got one, two, three.
64:14
Yeah, as it should be.
64:16
As it should be. I don't know what state they were from, but there you go.
64:19
No, no.
64:21
Now, this comes from John in Kelso.
64:26
He says, given your encyclopedic knowledge of rugby league players west of the Sandstone Curtain, I believe that you, like me, will be scandalised by this article that appeared in local papers listing what it judged to be the all-time top 20 Western Division rugby league players with Penrith's Isaiah Yeo ranked as number one.
64:46
Yeah, well, that's not bad. That's not bad.
64:48
The article ranks Yeo above legendary Western Division forwards Ian Walsh Barry Beeth, Roy Simmons. Rod Slater. And Paul Dunn.
65:00
Oh, Paul Dunn. Where's Dunny from?
65:02
Paul Dunn. He's from Bathurst, I think, or Molong, I want to say. Yeah. Something like that.
65:08
Look, I don't – I haven't got a problem with any of those.
65:12
He says, how I believe that Royal will be delighted with the number three ranking of Lithgow's own Barry Rushworth. Oh, yes, Bowser. He was a terrific set of three-quarter. Went on to play for Parramatta, I think, HG, for a few years. But it was one of those rare players who toured in the Kangaroos from playing in Lithgow. Oh, yes, yes. So he got picked from Lithgow into the Kangaroos and went on tour.
65:37
Is that when the fiasco was still on, the city country event?
65:39
Yeah, yeah, yeah.
65:40
And is that where he would have caught the eye of selectors?
65:43
He would have done, yeah, yeah, yeah, the Bowser. And I think Stomper on that list was ranked fifth, Stomper Staines. Isn't that amazing? Great players from Western Division.
65:55
Now, just finally, actually, this came last Saturday from Janet Hattam at Talon Bend. Oh, yes, the home of motorsport. She says, I'm raising a glass of Leishman Lager on a Saturday along with a milk stout chaser to wish you all a very happy golf month.
66:11
Oh, isn't that lovely?
66:12
Isn't that lovely?
66:13
Yes, a correspondent who remembers golf month.
66:16
She reminds us every year.
66:17
That's right. That's what it's getting to.
66:18
Yeah, yeah, which is wonderful and we do appreciate it. Thank you, Janet. And thank you to all correspondents.
66:26
From the hutch of rugby league merchandise comes the Mamazellas Pancake Mix. It's a total meal made with free-range eggs from the Coachwood and Myrtle Triangle, the home of Wayne Bennett's Big Birds. Pete's breakfast biscuits are made to a special weight-reducing formula and come in four flavours. Blueberry, shark, panther and rooster. Rooster.
66:50
Every box of Mamo's pancakes is an after-the-siren match-winning four-pointer scored between the posts and a kick to come. That's breakfast in the bunny box, blindsiders.
67:03
ABC Radio.
67:07
Wouldn't it be good to see Teddy back for the grand final again this year?
67:10
Took the words right out of my mouth. Now, I was just wondering... See, that's real music, isn't it? It is. It's rugby league music.
67:16
Rugby league music.
67:16
Now, can I ask, since we're talking about the grand final and the big dance, the Pope's appearance at the big dance...
67:23
Well, someone's suggesting the Pope could put a blessing on both teams.
67:27
Well, of course the Pope could, but see, the difficulty that I've got is the Pope's big enough to carry the show by himself, isn't he?
67:34
Oh, yes. He wouldn't need Teddy Swims to come along, would he? No.
67:37
No. And then the other thing is, do you think the idea of some sort of crossover, I think the story would be that 400,000 would gather out at, say, Ramwick.
67:49
Yep.
67:50
to hear what the story might be of the day and then either catch the train out to Stadium Australia where they can fit quite a few in and the Pope would appear at both. It would be a great get.
68:03
It would be a great get for rugby league.
68:06
And that would save the rugby league an enormous amount of money on acts. Well, it would. The Pope comes with that.
68:14
It certainly would.
68:15
Once he gets that loads of fishes stuff going, it really is very entertaining.
68:19
Well, I think it's up to the rugby league to reach out and to bring, see, his holiness may not be aware of the importance of the Catholic Church in the development of rugby league.
68:34
I accept that, but, you know.
68:35
Catholic schools have been wonderful nurseries for rugby league, and that should be pointed out.
68:43
I mean, he may be aware of that. I don't know.
68:45
Are you teasing out an idea here where there might be a parade of schools who have contributed the most, like the top 100 schools?
68:52
Yes, Holy Cross College, Patrician Brothers, wherever. They could line the streets.
68:57
And they could bring the current students in. Yes. In their uniform. Yes. You know, I'm not sure how much uniform they're in. It would be wonderful. Thanks. Wonderful. Wonderful. And that could be where the papal blessing comes into its own. Yes. I mean, I don't want to write the script for them because they've got people who can do all this. And I'm sure the Vatican will have ideas as well. They will. But the Popemobile, I think, is absolutely essential.
69:21
The Popemobile is an exciting scene because he's got a fair way to go. Yes. You don't want him lost in the crowd because the Popemobile adds size to the performance. Yep. Now...
69:33
By then, of course, is the new team, the Bears. That's the North Sydney Western Red Himalayan Mountain Bears will be part of the proceedings. Yeah. And the head office this week granted the Bears two concessions on Friday to help them attract top talent. Now, this can't be right, can it? Help them attract top talent?
69:55
Do you think people would be putting their hands up? Thanks very much. I want to be a Bear. Screaming, I want to be a Bear.
69:59
Yeah.
70:03
The first is a marquee player allowance that will allow an existing club sponsor to top up one player's salary by 20% without additional amount going on to the salary cap. I don't like this idea at all.
70:16
One player.
70:18
I don't like these things. Well, how are the other players going to feel? Thanks very much.
70:22
It undermines it, doesn't it? Unless it could be kept secret or something, but I don't know how it could be. I mean, if you're the marquee player going into the Bears and Torben's Paints have offered you, you know, an extra $20,000 or $100,000, say.
70:36
A week. They're going to expect something for that $100,000. Exactly. And quite rightly. Exactly. If it means, you know, just holding a brush before you walk out or, I don't know.
70:46
But there will be some commitments to be made.
70:48
And then your mates are going to be saying, oh, what were you doing here last night?
70:52
Oh, I had to, you know, I had to paint my garage. What, with a crew there? Yeah. Why? I'm teaching them how to paint. Yeah. But then it goes the other way is they're the player that's going to get most of the demands to be interviewed. Yes. So then, of course, the line is, you know, if you're...
71:10
Thought about, you know, let's say it's James Bracey talks to him. James, have you thought about painting your house? No. That's right. You know, well. You're going to have to weave that into the conversation, you know. Exactly.
71:19
Yeah. Oh, yeah. I thought our completion rate wasn't as good as it should have been, but have you seen that colour over there?
71:28
It's a great completion job.
71:32
Now, the other thing is what worries me is how will it be kept at 20%? I mean, let's say 20% is $100,000.
71:40
It may well be more than that. It could be. Why won't they say, well, here's an extra bit as well? Yeah. Because who's overseeing this? And who's presenting the, what do you call it, the documents of financial transactions in and out of the bank accounts, et cetera? Why isn't a lot of it stashed under a bit of a car?
71:56
Well, there'll be the cash economy.
71:57
Cash economy. Thanks for that. That's the word I'm looking for.
72:00
You know, people are still looking for it. At cash, you know, and it's still very, very acceptable. I mean, if you're a player and there's a brown paper bag there with your name on it and you open it up and it's full of the green.
72:10
Yippee.
72:11
You're not going to complain. No. You're just going to slip it.
72:14
Yeah. Where's my cheque?
72:15
Yeah.
72:16
Now. The other stipulation that Bears could be given first crack. Should a contracted player want to leave their club? So let's say who's trying to get out of a club at the moment? I'll go back to Dylan Brown as an example. Yeah, yeah. Or Lomax.
72:29
Yeah, Lomax. Whatever club he's at, he's always wanting to leave as soon as he joins. Yeah. Let's say Lomax.
72:35
Okay. So Lomax at the moment, he's doing the Wallabies, but then he's going to join the Pirates. Pirates, yeah. So he'll want to get out.
72:42
Yeah.
72:43
Now. For example, if a player from one club wants to be released like Glomax from the deal, the only club they can join will be Perth. Wow. Weird idea, isn't it?
72:53
What a weird idea is that? How are the other clubs going to feed?
72:56
Well, how about all the other players who want to leave their club? Yeah. Oh, no.
72:59
Suddenly the Bears have got, you know, 4,000 players. Is that it?
73:04
How's that going to work?
73:06
If the parties agree the Bears will pick up the entirety of the contract, the club he is leaving will not be allowed to chip in any of the freight. Now, that might slow some up, but they're just going to get run over by players wanting to leave Lomax style.
73:18
Yeah, and join the Bears even if it's only for 20 minutes. Exactly. You know, to get the Tourmans money and the brown paper bag and a few other things that are going.
73:26
And off to the Titans. Off to somewhere else, yeah.
73:29
That's what's going to happen.
73:31
And you can't blame the rugby league players.
73:33
You can't.
73:33
I mean, they're professional. I mean, the reason you play rugby league is, A, I love rugby league, and, B, I'm being paid for it.
73:39
Yeah.
73:40
I agree.
73:41
I agree. Isn't it?
73:42
Now.
73:42
I mean, if you take the pay for it out of it, you're not going to get as many players putting their head up. You won't.
73:46
You know.
73:48
Now, the other thing was, of course, while they were over there, they revealed the jumper.
73:54
I was knocked out.
73:54
Yeah. Yeah, I know. I know.
73:56
I mean, so simple, really. Red and black. Red and black stripes.
74:00
I mean, that's bears, isn't it? Yeah.
74:04
And no sense of an away strip.
74:06
No.
74:07
But I suppose that'll come in time.
74:08
No, that'll come in time. But, and the sponsors actually, I couldn't see any beer company. I couldn't see any alcohol associated with the team at this stage. I couldn't see any betting company associated. I mean, what's going on?
74:22
Now, and lovely touches like.
74:25
Is there a Western Australian lager or something?
74:28
They'd have to be, wouldn't they?
74:29
Or a stout? What about sheaf stout? Well, Emu. I don't know if it's still being made. Let's say it is. Sheaf Stout Bears.
74:37
Yeah, that's all good. I was going to say the brand that I connect with Western Australia, I might be entirely wrong, is Emu.
74:42
Emu, right.
74:43
Emu Lager.
74:44
Which I haven't tried. Sounds great. It's good. Yeah, or Redback. Is it easy drinking? Easy drinking. Easy drinking. That's the important thing, isn't it?
74:51
You know, a lager you can enjoy on Monday night, Tuesday night, Wednesday night, et cetera.
74:55
Now. A lager that won't let you down.
74:58
Now.
75:00
A lovely touch here is that the Bears' bear, the logo, is facing forward, which they're saying, well, that's what the Bears are, we're a forward-looking club. Fair enough. And then in the mountain.
75:11
So it's not the back of the head of the bear? No.
75:13
Well, that was obviously what it had for years. That just looks stupid. Yeah. So what happens now is, and the eight teeth indicate the eight premierships.
75:23
People will know if the Bears have won eight premierships.
75:26
I suppose they started in, what, 1922, so there's a chance they've won eight premierships over that time. They've certainly had some good teams.
75:33
Eight teeth, yeah. What happens when they're ninth?
75:35
Yeah, that's going to change the design, isn't it?
75:38
Well, they'd come up with the different wheeze for the eight teeth.
75:42
Okay, well, they've thought it through, haven't they? They have. Isn't that great? Because the people of Perth and Western Australia, they're going to be asking these questions. That bear there, look at the way it's facing. Why is it looking at me? Because it's going forward.
75:56
Oh, what about the teeth? It's got eight teeth. What's that about?
75:58
Eight premierships.
76:00
See what I mean? I know.
76:01
Starts the conversation.
76:03
Now, the design revealed from the – it was shown at the light towers at the WACA. They unveiled it there.
76:08
Yeah.
76:08
And dignitaries including Roger Cook, former North Sydney Bears forward Billy Moore and former Western Reds prop Mark Geyer.
76:16
Oh, the tap was there. Yeah, the tap was there.
76:18
That's good. So there were stories.
76:21
It's a forward-facing bear because the bears stand up when they are challenged. That's according to the coach. When they are confronted, they move forward. That's the attitude. That's the boldness we love.
76:30
Is this based on the behaviour of a brown bear, HG, or a black bear?
76:35
I know. Very good question.
76:36
Yeah, well, that's a question that's got to be asked, isn't it? Is it based on a brown bear? Or a polar bear? Well, it's not a polar bear because it's brown. So it's got to be a brown bear.
76:45
Look, I can't help you with this. No. But that's something for school projects.
76:49
Yes.
76:50
How realistic is or how naturalistic, I suppose the question is, is the bear on the jumper, you know?
76:57
Yes.
76:58
And I would imagine next on Monday that would be the question that many people are asking.
77:02
Yes. And would a bear, say a brown bear, in the wild be disadvantaged by only having eight teeth?
77:10
The Brisbane Broncos Pizza is back with 13 new first-grade varieties. Available exclusively online at BrisbaneBroncos.com. All pizzas contain a minimum of 600 grams of pure Queensland sugar. The Brisbane Broncos Pizza is registered to the Brisbane Broncos Leagues Club, Fulcher Road, Red Hill. This is Bludging on the Blind Side.
77:43
The Rugby League lotto numbers for this week are 2, 40, 8 and 9. Supplementaries are 7 and 2.
77:56
This is Bludging on the Blind Side.
78:01
That's a rare draw in rugby league, Lotto, where there's... You've got two twos. Two twos. I know. But that's something for people who overlook how they filled out their card.
78:11
Yes.
78:13
Now, I should have mentioned that the Melbourne Manly match is, of course, in Perth as part of the promotion of the eight-tooth bears coming into the competition. It's being played at HBF Park today at 3pm.
78:25
Oh, it'll be fabulous. It'll be a great atmosphere. Great atmosphere. I think the locals will get right behind this.
78:30
I do too. Yeah. And a lot of people will have formed an opinion about Manly. Yes.
78:34
I hate them already, you'd imagine.
78:37
And Melbourne. Yeah. Well, they don't hate Melbourne as well, so hate them around. Probably.
78:41
Double hate.
78:43
It's a double hate match at HPF Park today. Now, one thing that's been sitting here on my desk for some time is a think piece by the Professor of Rugby League Theory at Wollerang University, Professor Roy Masters, and it concerns – A revolutionary suggestion to capitalise on the $5 billion broadcasting rights war chest and achieve the dream of global domination for the code. Allow one attacking kick or forward pass to an offside receiver per set of six tackles.
79:14
Now, I thought this was a G up at first.
79:18
I just can't see how... See, that's bringing the game into disrepute, that sort of talk.
79:21
It is. It's just busting...
79:23
There's something wrong with the rules. We've got to make the rules different.
79:27
But... I mean, no, we don't. Clearly.
79:30
The rules are great. They've just got to be policed properly, isn't it? How would you go policing that one?
79:35
Well, exactly. It would just create a nightmare for us.
79:38
It is insane.
79:39
Yeah. Okay. The trouble is, is that you would change the absolute structure of the game completely.
79:45
Yep.
79:45
Because as soon as you got to tackle whatever it was, one.
79:49
Everyone would be running offside.
79:50
Exactly. Exactly. Running to an offside position. Because they would soon know, sooner or later, the ball's going to come to me. Yeah.
79:58
So consider the scenario on, say, a tackle three in the NRL game with one offside kick pass per set, a pair of outside backs rushed downfield. Yeah, well, I don't want to know anymore. Because the whole thing about rugby league is to keep the teams apart. Yes. Or keep the teams in the correct relationship to each other as in opponents.
80:19
Yeah, to muddy that would just be madness. It undermines what rugby league is all about.
80:25
doesn't it? And I don't see the advantage.
80:28
No, nor do I. If it ain't broke, don't fix it.
80:31
Yeah, and what are you worried about here? More scoring opportunities? Is that what this solves? And there's enough score as it is.
80:38
Look at this. Plenty of scores. There are too many tries being scored in some games.
80:43
Well, that match where Roosters clubbed somebody 18-4. Yes. Just a couple of weeks ago. Yeah.
80:50
Yeah. I know I'm right against that. And the difficulty is that I think the professor of league theory thinks that this game is, however it evolved, would be easier for other countries, I'm using that word in the broadest possible sense, to understand. But I don't get that.
81:08
By having one forward pass allowed in every sixth, that's going to simplify the game for people overseas? Give me a break. That's madness.
81:18
Absolute madness.
81:21
In trouble again, on and off the paddock? Well, the legal firm of Burgess and Columatangi, the Southsider Specialists, can represent you at the tribunal from a simple high shot to murder.
81:37
Contact them through bludging on the blind side. Fire up Australia. The Knights and Loomers are not asking for money. No, they want your pants.
81:50
Register your trousers for the billion pants burn off for world peace.
81:56
This year's Burn Off is sponsored by Zig Zag Cheese, Lomax Aid, Hasty Automotive and Dish Head Burgers. Why not drop what you're wearing into the Burn for World Peace Project care of bludging on the blind side.
82:18
An update on Bear's success, Roy.
82:21
Yeah, apparently they won in 1921 and 1922.
82:24
Hang on.
82:26
That's only two premierships. Yeah, but you said they only committed the comp in 22.
82:32
Well, I was wrong. And that's the thing. I'm quite happy to accept when I'm wrong, you know.
82:37
I won't resile about certain issues, but if I'm caught cold wrong, you've got to admit it. if you're wrong. I thought they'd come in in 1922. They hadn't. They'd come in in 1921.
82:48
Well, they might have come in earlier.
82:51
Who knows?
82:53
Now, you've got a couple of texts. Yeah, on the text here, SG, someone is suggesting, this is Gerard of Brisbane, is saying the Swan Lager has a black and red logo.
83:07
It's a black swan with a red beak and And it would be perfect on the bears jumper.
83:13
Isn't that great news? I'd forgotten about swan lager.
83:16
Yeah. That's a really tight fit, isn't it? It is.
83:20
I wonder if they still make it.
83:22
I don't know. It's up to Mel, I suppose, to reach out.
83:25
To the brewing community there and say, look, we need a beer that says bears.
83:30
Yeah. Nick in Melbourne is saying Little Creatures is a WA brewery. Aye, that's right. Yes, yes, that's true. And they do an easy drinking mid-strength.
83:38
Well, that's got to be good.
83:39
And redback, you see, redback was a red spider. Oh, yeah. I mean, you're confusing animals here.
83:45
Yeah, well, there are a few opportunities there. Wouldn't it be great if little creatures, redback and swan lager, all got on the Guernsey?
83:55
Then we've just got to find a little bit of room for sports bet. Oh, 1908, the Bear State. Oh, they're a foundation. Foundation Club.
84:02
Wow.
84:05
Oh, WH is suggesting maybe Il Papa should be installed in the bunker for the entire game, thereby making all calls infallible.
84:18
Yes, well.
84:19
The problem is that infallibility only extends to theological issues. Yeah. It doesn't invade the practical world in any way.
84:28
Look, yeah.
84:30
You know.
84:31
It's a nice idea.
84:32
It's a nice idea, but flawed. Flawed.
84:34
Look, it puts a lot of weight on him to learn the rules. It does. And to then override, you know, the idiots that he'd have to work with. Yep. You know.
84:42
Yep.
84:43
Yep. Now, you know how we often talk about Freddie's pathways? Yes. Well, very good news this week because Sydney Roosters veteran, Victor Radley, had recently started his own rubbish removal company. Good. And runs a property via Airbnb. Mm-hmm.
85:01
and recently ventured into the role in the media. I'm getting a bit older now, so I wanted to think about post-football. Rugby league's my life. I'm a carpenter by trade. I love doing that. Radley's rubbish as well. Love doing the, obviously, banging the nails as well as pulling things down. But rugby league is everything I know. He started the rubbish removal company in June with a business slowly picking up momentum over the last two months. He's got an Airbnb in Bondi, which he also launched earlier this year and has been tracking along nicely.
85:31
So isn't this great?
85:33
These rubbish removals, is it simply – is it only around the eastern suburbs near the clubhouse or is it extended?
85:41
I think he's got to have binnable travel philosophy.
85:43
Okay. And is it just a skip bin he provides or does he actually come around?
85:48
He comes in with the hammer and – Okay. The reverse spirit level, so to speak. Okay. He takes to – how do I put this? He's got a social media site which is involved in Radley applying his trade as a carpenter and getting on the tools to help get the apartments into shape, which he puts up on – So you can access it on your phone or your television as he goes along.
86:12
You can access him doing renovations and get some tips at the same time. I think so. So if he's putting in, say, some wainscoting or something like that, you can watch him do it.
86:23
Yeah, that's right. Good idea. That's fantastic. We started the online stuff two months ago in Bond. I did a renovation on a unit.
86:30
Is that going through the roof?
86:32
Through the roof.
86:32
Through the roof.
86:33
Yeah. That we had rented out for a bit and doing well. Yeah. You have to obviously do a bit of admin with it, but it's doing well at the moment. We've had a fair bit of booking, especially in the middle of winter, so I'll hopefully take off in summer.
86:47
What he does is I'm not exactly well equipped to do detailed construction, but he's got an off-sider he works with. We've already had a three-unit strip out.
87:00
He'll just go and make, just have a look at what's on the floor and what's, you know, quite on the job, and then they go in and pull everything out that needs to go before the renovation. Okay. You know, which is obviously get the gyprockers in and the starters and all that sort of stuff.
87:13
So would he use his own rubbish removal service in doing that, HG?
87:17
I think that's right.
87:18
That would be a tight fit, wouldn't it?
87:20
Excellent fit. So isn't that great? Yes. He's a bit of a demolition player.
87:24
Right. He is.
87:25
You know, he could probably put up online, this is what I'm like on the paddock. Imagine what I can do for your apartment.
87:31
Yes.
87:32
That sort of idea. And then... Isn't that terrific? It's a really good idea.
87:35
Now, are these businesses registered with the NRLHG? They'd have to go through Freddie and NRL House, wouldn't they?
87:42
Well, I think Freddie probably advised him.
87:43
Yes, he would have done.
87:44
You know, look, we've got a... A lot of building around here. We've got to pull it down. Maybe some work at NRL House every so often. But generally speaking, I think he spots the jobs himself. He's got a partner who helps out with the admin and, you know, sizing things up.
88:02
So if someone wanted to rent Victor's apartment for a holiday. Yeah, the Airbnb in Bondi. The Airbnb in Bondi. Is it just the one HG or has he got a couple? Yeah. It's just one at this stage.
88:14
I think one at this stage. But listen, and how you would access that, you might be able to go, Victor Radley, if you went to his site, you'd probably find a link to the, this is my guess, to the Airbnb apartment.
88:26
Well, that'd be good for people, you know, we get a lot of listeners overseas, you know, in Ireland, et cetera, West Cork. Finland. Yeah, Finland. Someone might like to come and have a bit of a holiday.
88:38
Or interstate, somebody from Melbourne.
88:40
Yes.
88:41
People I love from Melbourne go to the Bondi Beach.
88:43
Just to book into Victor Radley's unit. Is he an apartment, is it, HG? In Bondi. In Bondi.
88:47
Yeah, now.
88:49
Speaking of the same sort of thing is happening with Bradman Best. Now, this is a... Newcastle player. Excellent Newcastle player. Terrific. And Origin player.
88:57
Yep.
88:58
Packs a punch. Went a bit like Victor Radley. He does. But with a bit more sustained. He's the Radley of the backs, isn't he? Yeah. And got a great try in the last, you know, the last Origin. He did. Maybe won the game. Anyway, he's...
89:12
When football commitments allow, he's going to start acting lessons. Good. Now, he's been, obviously, state of origin, but he's also going to take a role in Fennec, the Jeff Fennec story. Now, I didn't know this was being made into a film. No. The Jeff Fennec story. Okay. He's been cast as a former Australian boxing world champ, Jeff the Hitman Harding.
89:32
Jeff Harding. Oh, good. Yes, I can see that working.
89:35
A sparring partner for Fennec in the movie, and it's going to be directed by award-winning local filmmaker Matty Norman.
89:42
Right.
89:43
Now, the role is Unexpected Family Affair. Best is engaged to Kayla Fennec, obviously related to the Marrickville mauler.
89:51
Mm-hmm.
89:53
Pretty exciting. This is new to me, acting. Catch up at dinner with the director maybe two months ago. He informed me that I need to start acting lessons, so we'll see how that goes. We'll probably start in the off-season. My part isn't too hectic. I'm just sparring partner, so whether I'm getting punched in the head or I'm punching, I don't know. It'll be cool. Now, there's a lot of acting involved in rugby league, and maybe he needs to focus on the bit of acting that he does in rugby league,
90:19
You mean penalty pulling, that sort of thing?
90:20
Penalty pulling, bit of white line fever, standing over opponents. Yes.
90:24
The intimidation factor. Intimidation, that's exactly right.
90:28
Well, that he could bring to his sparring work, couldn't he?
90:31
And remember, of course, his training. There's a lot of sparring, in inverted commas, in training. You know, you're pushing and shoving other of your own teammates to get and demonstrate that you can tackle them and all that sort of stuff. That's right. But I was just wondering if there was a text or something like that he should –
90:46
Or the Stanislavski method, HG. He could look at Stanislavski, I suppose, but it might bore him.
90:54
I think I would say to him if I was on set directing, I would say, Bradman, just imagine yourself sparring and take it from there. Can we roll camera? Now, okay, you're sparring. Off you go. Start sparring.
91:14
Because no one will remember what Jeff Hitman Harding was like. No. I don't mean to be unkind to Jeff Hitman Harding.
91:19
But I don't know if he had a particular style of sparring that's… Yeah, that's obviously a left-hander or a right-hander.
91:23
Who knows?
91:24
Yeah.
91:25
And I'm pretty sure boxing is part of the training for a lot of… Rugby league players, well, it would be. And footballers because they sharpened up their reflexes and stuff like that. They do. And you never know where to punch and come in handy.
91:37
Yes, yes, yes, yes, yes, yes. Is there much dialogue, HG, in the scenes? Do we know? Because that'll be the tricky bit.
91:45
Well, playing a boxer, he says he won't be a stretch for best. The 24-year-old has done plenty of pad work with Fennec, who is convinced he would have no trouble beating giant footballer turned boxing Nelson Asafara-Solomona if they squared off in the ring. That's a big rap.
92:00
Ah, that's donkey circuit stuff, though, isn't it?
92:02
Yeah, but he's always calling people out, this Nelson. Nelson is, yeah. He wants to get that NRL belt happening. He does. He's gone a bit QT lately. Yeah.
92:10
Well, he's called Gal out, hasn't he? Yeah. He's called Gal out. So there's no suggestion he's calling Bradman Best out. But he might now that he knows if Bradman Best is impersonating Jeff Hitman Harding.
92:24
Now, the trouble is here, I, of course, don't have an exact memory of the timing of all of this, but I seem to remember there being a great avalanche, a great golden age of boxing.
92:37
Many, many Australians at that time took up boxing and really had a good go. I mean, obviously, the main one who went into acting was Ozzy Joe Boudna, who was fantastic as Opal Johnny Fitzgerald.
92:50
He was.
92:51
But he arrived in Australia with those acting skills behind him. He did. He had all that already once he'd arrived here, hadn't he? Yeah.
92:59
Yeah, whereas these people playing Jeff Fennec, I was trying to think of other contemporaries of Fennec.
93:06
Yeah.
93:06
There was a lot of he fought a huge number of people.
93:09
Yes, he did, didn't he? Because he fought in three divisions at one stage, didn't he?
93:13
That's right. That's right. And he worked his way up. He made sort of a couple of returns to the ring. He did.
93:19
He did.
93:20
Quite a lot of parts. I'm not sure how they're going to film that.
93:22
No.
93:23
It's a bit boring watching punch after punch.
93:24
I think the interesting part in the film will be whoever plays the greengrocer.
93:33
That's right.
93:34
Very difficult scene, but I look forward to it.
93:39
Rugby league players can do anything. Pick fruit, plug potholes, change bed sheets. If you need job-ready Aussies who won't quit, get in touch with Smearson Employment through Bludging on the Blind Side.
94:00
Actually, someone is suggesting that the Bears are a foundation club, yes, 1908, but also in 1908 was the first time Swan Lager was sold.
94:11
A very, very tight fit. Isn't that a beautiful fit? Back to your roots. Isn't that great? Isn't that wonderful? Maybe as part of a ticket you can get a trip to the Swan Brewery. I'm not sure if it's – I'm not sure where that would be.
94:23
Yep, yep, yep. Well, that would be a great photo op for Mal and a few of the others at the Swan Brewery just as a means of, you know, talking up both the beer and the beers. Yeah.
94:38
And, of course, it worries me the – do you think next week there'll be another series of concessions for the Bears?
94:44
I hope so.
94:45
Yeah.
94:45
I hope so.
94:47
I mean, it's important for Rugby League that the Bears be a strong team, isn't it? And it's up to Mal, I think, to stitch the team into the fabric of Western Australia. That's the challenge. I reckon that's the challenge. And I think the Swan Lager Association is a very, very good stepper.
95:03
And the funny thing here is, are we expecting Rugby League to be supportive of the Bears in a way that so far hasn't happened with other teams? In other words, we've got to pretend that everybody's all shoulders to the wheel. Doesn't matter who wins or loses, it's all about Rugby League.
95:20
I think the latter, actually. I think it's got to be all about rugby league. But I think as well it's important that Mal reach out and get Kerry Stokes on board. I think that's very important.
95:30
And maybe approaching with a six-pack of Swan Lager. Well, that'd be a start.
95:36
That's it for the Blonde Side this week. Of course, the sporting team here on Grandstand, did I say that? Here on the ABC Local Radio and ABC Spot will take you through all the matches of this fabulous Super Saturday right here across the nation. And that's it for the Blonde Side. More Blonde Side this time next week. Join us then. Bye now.
96:04
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