March 9, 2025 • 27 mins
This week on The Big League Podcast - Warriors winger Dallin Watene-Zelezniak joins us in studio to discuss his retirement timeline, injury recovery and why he's choosing to represent Tonga instead of the Kiwis.
Nathan Limm is back from illness and Alex Powell is in off the interchange for Michael Burgess. Can the Warriors upset a formidable Manly Sea Eagles side?
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio The
Big League Podcast League podcast at play News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, Warriors winger Dallan
watsenis a lesniak, joins us in the studio to discuss
his injury recovery, retirement timeline and why he's choosing to
represent Tonga instead of the Kiwis. I'm back from illness
and Alex Powell has in off the interchange from Michael Burgess.
Can the Warriors upset a formidable Manly Seagal side. My
(00:45):
name is Nathan Limb. Let's go good b l V nervous.
I'm nervous. I'm nervous. Over the weekend we were treated
to some of the most dynamic attacking rugby league we've
ever seen to start the competition. Three standout performances, namely
from Brisbane, Melbourne and Manly, the Warrior's next opponents. It
(01:06):
was the first time in NRL history multiple teams scored
fifty points in round one. This early in the season,
we are witnessing seamless, electrifying football and you know what
it makes me feel sick. Let's be brutally honest. The
Warriors were poor in Las Vegas, really poor. As discussed
last week, the Warriors attack looked aimless and uninspired. But
(01:28):
I reckon I know how to fix it. It's clear
the Warriors need leadership in the playmaking stock. So I
say bringing to Midy Martin into five eighth, persist with
Luke Metcalf at halfback he's only had one game, and
start Dylan Walker at locke Ford. The Warrior's attack undoubtedly
looked better with Walker's injections and with Martin's calm demeanor.
Maybe that'll take a bit of pressure off Metcalf. Alex Powell,
(01:51):
New Zealand Herald Rider. Am I being unfair on Chanelle
Harris Tavita?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
I think you are. I look at the problem with
the Warriors, and I think if you're going to look
at everything that went wrong in Vegas and say that's
on Chanelle, I think that's no.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm not
saying it's all on Chanelle. I'm saying clearly they needed leadership,
and you've got two young guys, both extremely talented, and
I say, if you just bring in some with a
little bit more experienced to might. Mundins obviously got his
kicking game as well, and we didn't see a lot
of kicking from the Warriors. I feel like Chanell kicked
more than Luke almost like I just feel like if
(02:24):
you have an older head in there, and you have
Walker with his little injections as well, that that could
give metcalf the space to flourish.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Do you know what I would actually do what with
Metcalfe and Sanel Harris the Beta, I'd swap them Harris
to beta to seven set back as the game manager,
Luke Metcalf to six at five eighth, where we know
he can take the game on users running game and
just get the best out of his natural attributes.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
But they've made a big deal about metcalf being the
next halfback. Have we even seen Chanell at halfback? Not
for it was the last time.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Remember he was really thrown in the deep end in
the first post Shawn Johnson era, and it was sort
of don't worry, We're not going to go out and
spend money on some half. We've got this KT in
the reserve member. We had that back heel for the
junior keep.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, he's got that.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
So at that point, the Warriors fandoms going yep, this
is the guy will invest in them. And obviously Chanell's
not really had the those heights that we hoped you
would have. But you remember in pre season Tanner Boyd
and Andrew Webster both way because let's Troy tanner Boyd
into the equation as well, and Webster basically said he
liked Tanner Boyd because as a halfback you don't really
know what you're doing until you've played sort of seventy
(03:26):
five to one hundred games. And that was in reference
to Tanner Boyd. He wasn't at that much. Luke Metcalf
has played twenty seven, you know. So like you say,
we do need to give Luke Metcalf for the time
to actually grow as a half back.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And your solution is put Chanell in a position he
hasn't played in a long time. I can't get on
board with that.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
I feel like Shanelle Harrister is a more natural game
manager than Luke Mtcalffe. We've seen Chanell not just for
the Warriors, but if you look at for some more,
he can play across the park, you know, He's played
at six and seven. He's played at fullback for the Warriors.
He's played at hooker in a World Cup final for
some more. He's played as the fourteen. He could probably
do a job at thirteen, could probably do a job
(04:05):
in the centers. I feel like that sort of natural
game intelligence makes him a better option as a halfback
when you do need to be the main man running
a team. I mean, it's not going to be a
seamless thing where he just comes and straight away and
gets it. But we are now talking about a Warrior's team.
In transition, we've seen not only Sewan Johnson ATAWH Harris.
These game leaders on the field aren't there anymore. And
(04:26):
it's not going to be something where the solution we
found right away they are going to have to get
it wrong as many times as they might get it right.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Well, I said, you know a couple of weeks ago
that this is going to there's going to be teething
issues in the first half of the season. Obviously we
saw that in Las Vegas. I don't think I expected
to be quite you know, like it was in terms
of it just looked like when they got into the
opposition twenty. They just they didn't have a plan. They
were they were running it on, you know, on the
on the final tackle and turnover ball. But I just
(04:55):
think Dylan Walker's presence calmed everything.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
It just it just held this.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
He just was able to hold the space a little
bit more. And if you have him at lot, you
have to mighty doing what he was doing last year
and running that left hand side of the field. They're
going to have to chop and change a little bit.
And Stacy, actually, Stacy Jones told us on this podcast
a couple of weeks ago that there was going to
be a little bit of change here and there.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
I like what you say about Tylan Walker. I do disagree.
I think fourteen is his best role coming on against
tired teams, especially in that sort of attacking half. I
just want to put it to you, though, do we
think Vegas might have actually been the problem the occasion
got a bit too much for them?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I mean, you can't really you don't know unless you
say that, unless you the players talk about that. But
all of the signs that all of the talk going
into Vegas was the management have handled this really well,
that it's been a great balance of letting them enjoy
the occasion and leading them and being focused on training.
We've just said, there's nothing he's seen that indicates that
(05:54):
this couldn't be a title winning season for the team.
So no, I don't think they can use that as
an excuse. Maybe maybe in the moment it did, I
don't know, but yeah, it's hard for us to sit
here at the side and.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Say that is what I worry about. Also what's to come.
You look at the sides went to Vegas last year
and how much they struggled coming back. That's what I
actually really worry about it this time of the year.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
We'll be back shortly to discuss further what the Warriors
need to change and what's making the Seagulls look so
bloody good. In twenty twenty five, you caught there win
over the Cowboys. But next Dallan what Tennis? Alesniak joins
me in studio.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
The Big League Podcast podcast.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
It is my pleasure to welcome to the Big League
Podcast Warriors winger Dylan ten It's Alesniak, Dlan joining me
in studio for this one. How are you welcome to
the podcast?
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Yeah, it's quite cool to be here. Thanks for having me,
and yeah, it's yeah, it's cool to be here.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I know you've been been doing the rounds with the media,
and obviously you're having a bit of time on the
sidelines at the moment with your wrist injury. Obviously, you
know what a start, first ten minutes of your opening
pre season gaming, you take a hit and you're out
to what round seven? Can you talk to me about?
I guess how you've dealt with that that kind of blow.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Yeah, it's happened like the first five minutes, and to
be honest, the way it happened, it happens all the
timing games too. It was just when I braced myself
at the same time he had tackled me, so I
took his weight as well, and both our weights is
what calls it to go. So yeah, it's quite frustrating
because it does happen all the time, but it is
(07:30):
what it is. I've had quite a few injuries in
my career and they've all come around pre seasons or
end of seasons or start of the season, so I
don't get to miss too many games. But yeah, hopefully
round seven will be best case scenario, and worst case
could be like, yeah, round ten or long. It just
depends that. It's hard to It's hard to say right
now because I get the cast off in a few
(07:52):
weeks and depending what the scancers, if it's healing well,
I can start progressing my strength, my strength, getting my
strength back in my arm. Because I'm in the cast
at the moment, you lose a lot of muscle and
a lot of your strength in your hand and mobility
and your wrist. So if it all goes well and
the fast I can get all that back then as
sooner I get it back out on the field and
having some fun.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
So what what can you do for training? Because obviously
you got the cast on, so I imagine passing catching
might be slightly forgot what can you do?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I can run, so they're just running me, So I'm
just running, running, running. But yeah, to be honest, I
don't mind because you don't want to lose your fitness
base either. That's the hardest thing about injuries is if
it's a low loumb injury, you can't run, and that's
that's our game basically is running. So so yeah, it's
quite I'm quite fortunate that I get to still run
and keep my fitness base and all I have to
(08:38):
really work on is my strength of my arm But
to be honest, I don't even really use this harm
in a game, so.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
So no, you're sort of defending with that armage.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Yeah, it's through the right hand. I just need that
and it is what it is. But yeah, I've learned
a lot through my injuries and get to learn what
my lesson is that I can learn from this one.
But I'm sure I'll find out.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Yeah, I suppose in terms of your career as a whole,
you've done so much already, You're only twenty nine. Where
do you feel your overall? Do you feel like you
are in your prime? Now this is the prime of
your career. Are you yet to hit your prime in
terms of how your body's feeling and everything like that?
Like where are you at?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah? I think in terms of my career, this is
probably the best footy I've been playing Underwavy, And like
I felt, all the coaching has been good that I've
had throughout my career, but the way I was putting
it on the paddock probably wasn't the best until I
got here at the Warriors and the game plan that
just my role is real simple and like it's just
(09:38):
I have a lot of fun doing it as well,
But I still feel like I've got so much more
to give as well, more things to learn and get
better at. So yeah, you can say this is the
best footy I'm playing, but I still think my best
foot is yet to come. Like I said, there's so
many things I'm working on that I do get wrong
as well. A lot of people see the tries, but yeah,
there's still still plenty of things you can and I
(10:00):
guess you're never ever gonna have perfect games. You're always
going to have things to work on. So I really
enjoy that aspect of getting better each week and learning
from our mistakes.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
And so you contracted through with the Warriors until the
end of twenty twenty seven. Is it just sort of
a year by year thing? I know your family stuff
as well, Like what do you think about the future?
How long are you going to keep playing this game?
Speaker 4 (10:23):
I love the game, So I think my brother retired
a few years ago, and even hisetite was half for me,
you know, so I can imagine I can't imagine what
retirement will be like for me, And the fact that
we're even talking about is pretty scary. But I think
I can still. I can play. Yeah. Well, one of
my closest mates, Jordan Rapana's playing too. He's thirty six
(10:45):
I think this year, so who knows if I could
play the thirty six. But I don't want to play
the game to the point where just holding on. I
want to be playing well and happy. All I know
is twenty twenty seven, I'll be there, and if I
can keep signing on here, I don't want to go
anywhere else. I'd love to be here at the Warriors
if they want me. I love it back home. My
wife loves it, my kid, my kids love it. So yeah,
(11:07):
if we could set up shop and live here after footy, yeah,
I probably wantn't be surprised.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
And you mentioned just before you said, even though you
know everyone sees the tries, everyone sees the you know,
the fancy dies and that sort of thing, but you said,
there's still things that you're working on that you're improving
with your game. Can you talk through some of that
that nitty gritty, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Just positioning wise. We've got a new half back now
so to mine, Metcalfe, Chanelle Tanner Boyd. There's so many
things that things I've got to work on is the
way I can can compliment their games. The other things
I've got to work on is picking my moments with
certain things. I don't want to give too much away,
but but with certain things I do defensively, as you
(11:45):
can always you can always get better defensively, there's always
there's always something that goes wrong. We have a system,
and I think the system that where He gives us,
gives us opportunities to to I guess really know exactly
what we need to do right. And the thing about
the system is so many people that got to get
things right as well. It's not just I mean I'm
the winger. I'm the one right at the end. So
(12:07):
a lot of people will see the try sCOD and
blame the winger kind of thing. So what did you
do this for? And You're just like, there's so much
more that goes into it. And the things that I'm
trying to get better is no matter what goes on
inside of what happens, that I can still solve it.
And there's moments where I do I do solve it,
there's moments where I don't. So, like I said, you
(12:29):
get to learn each you learn each week on things
you can and can't do, and yeah, I'm still learning.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
If you look back at the last two years underwebst
obviously twenty twenty three was the year things things really
kicked off, the whole up the wires movement. You probably
caught most of the NRL off guard that season with
how well you guys played. What made that year click?
What was the secret formula that like, if you had
to narrow it down to a couple of things, what
made that year so good?
Speaker 4 (12:58):
The reason what was so good is we all bought in.
We all as a team, as a collective, we brought
into what Webb brought has brought to the club the
game play, and that was set for us, and we
didn't go away from it. We trusted in it and
it got us out of a lot of messy situations.
Like people in twenty twenty three, people forget I think
(13:20):
we lost three in a row at one point, but
nothing changed. We believed in our process. We believed in
our training systems, attacking and defensive systems, and that they work,
and we just kept believing in it and believing it
and were like putting all that together. We just brought
into it and it worked. And then like the camaraderie
of the boys too, Like we're so close as the club.
(13:41):
It's hanging out after trainings and that, and like it's
it's it's just that kind of stuff really works. And
twenty twenty four like because it was compared to twenty
twenty three, everyone was saying it was a down a
year for us, but we lost quite a few games
just like within like four points. I think it was
like it might have been six or seven games within
(14:02):
four points. So we're just fortune. In twenty twenty three,
we're winning those, I think though in twenty four, so
much more expectation on us. I don't think we I
don't think we played our best football, but we were
still in games. So it was a good learning curve
for us that if we can stay in the game
and trust in our process, then twenty twenty five can
(14:22):
be a really good year. Because we've had twenty twenty
three a good year. Twenty twenty four not so not
as good as twenty three years. So we've got the
recipe and it's about, yeah, basically cooking it up this year.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
And twenty twenty five will be it'll be different. Right,
You don't have the sort of your talent's manic captain
and toahu Harris there Sean's obviously moved on you had
last year. We're dealing with constant injuries in the hearts
and in that combination. Perhaps that was a work in
progress the entire year. How important will be just staying
healthy this year, but also with you've got the lights
(14:55):
of Tana and Luke now running the show at half back,
it will have a different feel this year surely.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah, yeah, it's we're fortunate enough to have Webbe who
I said it before as well, then you get the
exact same training and respect from whereby if you've played
zero games too, if you've played two Hunchred plus. So
it gives a good opportunity that whoever steps in knows
their role and has trained well and prepared just as
(15:21):
I would have prepared for the game, and it's their
opportunity to take it. So you can't win the comp
with seventeen people, as I've heard, I haven't won the
comp before, but that's what people have won the comps.
Say it takes, it takes, it takes, it takes your
whole squad. So and we've got we've got a good
squad that the boys believe in themselves and we believe
(15:43):
that if we yeah, if we can play to the
best of our ability and stick to our game plan,
then we can win games and get that ultimate goal
of everybody's is winning that comp. So so yeah, we're
we're ready. We're had a big preseason and I mean,
you're no one's playing their best footy the first the
start of the season. But even though you're not playing
(16:03):
your best footy, you still want to be winning games,
and I guess you'll get to see where we're really
at as a team come yeah that mid season when
you're humming and you want to be paying your best
at the end.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Anyways, the last thing I wanted to ask you about
down is the international game because I know, like last
year you sort of talked about the idea of representing
tongue and I know you had an injury so you
didn't play any test footy. Where are you at with
that in terms of your your heat And I know
obviously loads of New Zealand rugby league fans are really
interested to know what your former kiwis captain. Where's your
(16:33):
head at with that?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah, I want to represent Tonger. I was going to
actually in twenty three, but yeah, injury stopped me. It
was a big year that year, struggling with my knee,
and then last year again the body just was struggling
with some stuff. So I want to I want to
go into Tonge and play my best football. I guess
for me, my grandmother's full tongon. So I've represented the Kiwis,
(16:56):
for my nan, for myself, for my caddl, and I
haven't been able to represent my grandma. So I think
it's time that I do represent her. The decision comes
to with with New Zealand Warriors, the only NRL team
I still get to represent New Zealand the country. I
still feel like each time I pull that Warriors jersey on,
I'm representing New Zealand. I get that same feeling. I
(17:18):
get to represent my card all and my nan and
that through the Multi All Stars that I didn't haven't
been fortunate to play in the last couple of years either.
And then now I get to represent my grandma. So
I'm getting I'm getting everything that I want with the
teams that I've chosen to play for. But yes, Tonga
is definitely a goal of mine. Hopefully this year I
can pull that jersey on and I get selected, so tong,
(17:39):
I have a really good team, so it's no easy
job trying to get selected in that team. So I
definitely want to It's definitely a goal of mine. But
I guess that will come if we're playing well at
the Warriors, and I think the best thing is one
of the most important things to be able to be
in a position to be selected, not just thinking that
it's just going to come.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Dylan Watson is a listney. Thank you so much for
your time and a mess of good luck to you
for the season ahead and obviously with your injury recovery
as well. I hope it all goes well for you.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Thanks well, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Big League Podcast, this is the Big League Podcast.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Really good to have Daylan Wattin's a Lisniak in studio
with us Alex. I loved what he said about wanting
to effectively finish his career at the Warriors. Not sure
he wants to play until he's, you know, just hanging on.
He wants to finish strong, signed through until the end
of twenty twenty seven, but he wants to stick around
and that's a massive bonus for the club, given his
leadership and his talent.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Yeah, absolutely, you forget how much of a figure dann
on Mateen's lesniak is that the Warriors And you know
even with the key, it was key. He's captain playing
on the wing. But this is a guy who spent
so much of his younger career playing in Australia and
he knows where home is now he wants to finish
his career sort of where his family are.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Let's take a look at Manly. We've got the Warriors
versus the Seagulls in Round two of NRL Action. The
Warriors have obviously had a couple of weeks to sort
of digest the loss in Las Vegas, and I don't
want to labor that too much because Nick and Burge
covered it off well last week. Manly look and credit dynamic.
I supposely in their big win over the Cowboys. They
(19:12):
demolished North Queensland forty two to twelve, and we're leading
forty two nil two at Brookvale, with the Cowboys getting
a couple of tries at the end. Daily Cherry Evans
and Tom Travoyevitch specifically looked incredible. Cherry Evans with a
try three Trysis Travoyevitch ran for two hundred and thirty
four met he was creating breaks. But they've got power
(19:33):
as well, with the likes of how Molly Olakoa too
as well. So this is a team that is I
mean I was reading stuff after that game saying, oh,
Manly's going to be top four. Man He's going to
be top four after round one. We're calling that apparently.
But if I look across the games that there were
teams that clearly stood out. You look at Brisbane, you
look at Melbourne, and Manly just looked like the complete package.
(19:55):
What did you think?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Very similar to you? I think the way Tom Travoievitch
plays like we've seen him whin a dally Am, you know,
this is really one of the best players in the game.
He throws brothers into it, Jake and Ben Traboievitch, and
there is such a c feel about that man with him.
We know that the teams that play for each other
on the field are the ones who do have that
sort of unity. You look at a guy like Luke
(20:17):
Brooks and what he's been able to do to get
the best out of Daily Cherr evens full of postcaring
for him. They had really struggled to find a harvest
partner for Cherry evens from one to thirteen, from one
to seventeen. You even look at Jazz Tavanga playing there.
He looked completely different playing at hooker than what we
had seen at the Warriors, playing through the middle as
either a prop or a lock or off the bench.
And I mean, yeah, they are well coached. You look
(20:39):
at what Anthony Sebold did or is doing his coach.
He's a guy who I mean, it felt like a
couple of years ago he was really one of the
hottest young coaches around him what he did at South Sydney,
and then he went up to Brisbane and it all
went wrong and everyone sort of question said is he
really the guy? And then he went away and worked
with England and Rugby Union and got to cut his
teeth a bit there, and now it looks like he's
really able to build with Manly And like I if
(21:02):
the shout is that they're going to be a top
four team this year going off Round one, I would
not be surprised if they were.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Where are the weaknesses. It's hard to talk about weaknesses
after just one game of seeing them and I suppose
the kind of performance that they did put on. But
in terms of the worries we've talked about the haves.
It'll be interesting to see how Webster plays that, how
he names his team. I do expect what you said
before about Dylan Walking being off the interchange Aaron Clarke
(21:30):
probably to start at Lockford.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
But well, do any to talk about that from round
or from Vegas because Aaron Clarke was named to start
at thirteen, and then there was sort of a late
switcheroo with Mitch Barnett playing at lock.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Nick and Berge who sort of covered it off last week.
But it was bizarre and it might have been to
do with I think Josh Papallee was brought in late
to start it at Locke, and that might have been
a response to that in terms of moving the big
body of Mitch Barnett back there, I mean, are the
areas the defense just wasn't up to stand it in
that Las Vegas game. But that is something I feel like,
(22:03):
it's a mindset thing.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I tell you what it was for me. So I
think it was from a minute to twenty four to
minute fifty one. Neither James Fisher Harris, Normich Barnett were
on the field as co captains and as the big
leaders on that side. In that time they conceded three tries.
That for me is how do they mitigate the loss
of leadership when one or both of the Warriors co
captains aren't on the field.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Well, they've got other leaders they do.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
However, you look at what Barnett and Fisher Harris bring
and that's having They've also lost Sean Johnson, and they've
also lost to Harris, and they've also lost Marcella Montoya
and they've lost Adam fanil Blake. So you think of
the leadership group that they had last year, I mean
you're really looking at Dylan Walker, Wade Egan, who else
that are actually Roger to Varsa Schek. So the leadership
(22:48):
issues are just so hard to quantify because we know
there are a lot of good players at the Warriors,
but good leaders are so much harder to find. And
it's never who you think it's going to be. You know,
if you just said to James Fisher's been turner butt
the Panthers and didn't say a word for four years,
that that guy was the one setting all the standards
I think they have all been so surprised, but then
you hear about everything he's done when he's come to
the Warriors, and obviously it's going to take time, but
(23:10):
they have actually got really good leadership there. It's just
about making sure that is represented on the field at
all times.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how we we've still
uses the interchange differently because you just pointed out both
captains were off the field for a sizable amount of
time there, and obviously there was that like reshuffle with
Clark Barnett Walker. So does the strategy change and where
I suppose are the biggest improvements going to lie what
(23:37):
if they looked at in the last couple of weeks
in terms of that attack, Because the big thing for
me is I want to see us kicking. I want
to see the Warriors kicking in the twenty. I want
to see Metcalf doing it, and I want to see
his halves partner, be that to Mighty or Chanelle or
you know, wherever they go with that. I want to
see a bit more fluidity and direction. And I'm sure
that's something that they would have talked about because anyone
(23:58):
watching could see that that was an issue.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I think you do actually have to give credits to
the Raiders as well. I remember the Warriors would have
gone there with a plan that they weren't allowed to
actually do because the Raiders are such a good defensive team.
Think any Ricky Stewart coach team, they're going to be
pretty uncompromising on defense, and I guess the Warriors were
the first victims of that in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Good b lvy, this is going the Big League podcast
on the Warriors Bad Wagons since day one.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Right to finish off, Alex Powell whip through some predictions
for Round two, Weekend three of NRL Action, and we're
starting off with the Knights and the Dolphins. Knights having
a two point win over the Tigers coming from behind,
and the Dolphins are two point loss to the Bunnies
on the same night. How are you feeling in a Newcastle?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
I would like to think the Dolphins, he saw them
nearly go and tip up the Bunnies missing a couple
of key players. Obviously they're playing for their homes now
post cyclone, so maybe that will inspire them to get
up and give a bit of relief to a Redcliff community.
That's hurting right now.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
I'm going to agree with you on that one. The
Dolphins to beat the Knights in Newcastle, even though it
is it's a tough place to play Warriors see Eagles.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
I'm not on this podcast often and I think the
last thing I should do is say Warriors lose and
then walk out. So I'm going to say the Warriors
when just the Warriors win, just based on just blind hope.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
I'm a realist and I've got to shoot straight, and
I think Mainly are going to be too good. If
you look at the I guess the massive difference in
terms of the Seagulls attack versus the Warriors attack. I
don't think they're going to turn it around in two weeks.
I think this is going to take time. And the
big dogs, like Mainly look to be this year, I
think will be too strong. Panthers versus the Roosters Panthers easy. Yeah,
(25:51):
the Roosters looked they looked pretty helpless.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Yeah, And the Panthers looked amazing against the Sharks, Like
the Sharks are not a bad team. And the way
the Panthers just not only held on but then really
struck back at the end. You know in that second
match in Vegas to kick off a couple of weeks ago,
I wouldn't be surprised if they're in the Man Come
finals again.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Yeah, the Roosters just were not on the Broncos level
at all. So I am going to go with the
Panthers as well. Dragons versus the rabbit O's rabbit O's
Rabbitos to win that one. Cowboys Sharks Sharks Shacks, Yeah
all right. I mean the Cowboys just they were losing
forty two nil, Yeah, forty two nil and cut through
(26:31):
a couple of times in the final few minutes. I
don't like the look of them. I still thought the
Sharks looked pretty good against the Panthers. So I'm going
to agree with you there. Raiders versus the Broncos. Oh, Broncos,
you can't go against a fifty point effort. Eels Tigers, Eels. See,
I actually picked the Tigers okay to beat the Knights,
(26:52):
and I'm gonna go with them again. So I'll pick
the Tigers there. Eels looked terrible.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Bulldogs Titans, Oh, Titans haven't played to Bulldogs.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
That'll Lewis for this week. Thank you so much, Alex
Power for your time, your wisdom. Yeah, insight on the
Big League podcast is a big question mark week. Can
the Warriors turn it around? Can they get anything done
against the Seagulls. We will cross our fingers and watch
with interest. Please follow and rate the podcast. My name
is Nathan Limb. Have a great week.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our Wide Ranger podcast now on iHeartRadio The
Big League Podcast League podcast at play News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:23):
This week on The Big League Podcast, Warriors winger Dallan
watsenis a lesniak, joins us in the studio to discuss
his injury recovery, retirement timeline and why he's choosing to
represent Tonga instead of the Kiwis. I'm back from illness
and Alex Powell has in off the interchange from Michael Burgess.
Can the Warriors upset a formidable Manly Seagal side. My
(00:45):
name is Nathan Limb. Let's go good b l V nervous.
I'm nervous. I'm nervous. Over the weekend we were treated
to some of the most dynamic attacking rugby league we've
ever seen to start the competition. Three standout performances, namely
from Brisbane, Melbourne and Manly, the Warrior's next opponents. It
(01:06):
was the first time in NRL history multiple teams scored
fifty points in round one. This early in the season,
we are witnessing seamless, electrifying football and you know what
it makes me feel sick. Let's be brutally honest. The
Warriors were poor in Las Vegas, really poor. As discussed
last week, the Warriors attack looked aimless and uninspired. But
(01:28):
I reckon I know how to fix it. It's clear
the Warriors need leadership in the playmaking stock. So I
say bringing to Midy Martin into five eighth, persist with
Luke Metcalf at halfback he's only had one game, and
start Dylan Walker at locke Ford. The Warrior's attack undoubtedly
looked better with Walker's injections and with Martin's calm demeanor.
Maybe that'll take a bit of pressure off Metcalf. Alex Powell,
(01:51):
New Zealand Herald Rider. Am I being unfair on Chanelle
Harris Tavita?
Speaker 3 (01:55):
I think you are. I look at the problem with
the Warriors, and I think if you're going to look
at everything that went wrong in Vegas and say that's
on Chanelle, I think that's no.
Speaker 2 (02:04):
No, that's not what I'm saying at all. I'm not
saying it's all on Chanelle. I'm saying clearly they needed leadership,
and you've got two young guys, both extremely talented, and
I say, if you just bring in some with a
little bit more experienced to might. Mundins obviously got his
kicking game as well, and we didn't see a lot
of kicking from the Warriors. I feel like Chanell kicked
more than Luke almost like I just feel like if
(02:24):
you have an older head in there, and you have
Walker with his little injections as well, that that could
give metcalf the space to flourish.
Speaker 3 (02:31):
Do you know what I would actually do what with
Metcalfe and Sanel Harris the Beta, I'd swap them Harris
to beta to seven set back as the game manager,
Luke Metcalf to six at five eighth, where we know
he can take the game on users running game and
just get the best out of his natural attributes.
Speaker 2 (02:45):
But they've made a big deal about metcalf being the
next halfback. Have we even seen Chanell at halfback? Not
for it was the last time.
Speaker 3 (02:53):
Remember he was really thrown in the deep end in
the first post Shawn Johnson era, and it was sort
of don't worry, We're not going to go out and
spend money on some half. We've got this KT in
the reserve member. We had that back heel for the
junior keep.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
Yeah, he's got that.
Speaker 3 (03:04):
So at that point, the Warriors fandoms going yep, this
is the guy will invest in them. And obviously Chanell's
not really had the those heights that we hoped you
would have. But you remember in pre season Tanner Boyd
and Andrew Webster both way because let's Troy tanner Boyd
into the equation as well, and Webster basically said he
liked Tanner Boyd because as a halfback you don't really
know what you're doing until you've played sort of seventy
(03:26):
five to one hundred games. And that was in reference
to Tanner Boyd. He wasn't at that much. Luke Metcalf
has played twenty seven, you know. So like you say,
we do need to give Luke Metcalf for the time
to actually grow as a half back.
Speaker 2 (03:38):
And your solution is put Chanell in a position he
hasn't played in a long time. I can't get on
board with that.
Speaker 3 (03:44):
I feel like Shanelle Harrister is a more natural game
manager than Luke Mtcalffe. We've seen Chanell not just for
the Warriors, but if you look at for some more,
he can play across the park, you know, He's played
at six and seven. He's played at fullback for the Warriors.
He's played at hooker in a World Cup final for
some more. He's played as the fourteen. He could probably
do a job at thirteen, could probably do a job
(04:05):
in the centers. I feel like that sort of natural
game intelligence makes him a better option as a halfback
when you do need to be the main man running
a team. I mean, it's not going to be a
seamless thing where he just comes and straight away and
gets it. But we are now talking about a Warrior's team.
In transition, we've seen not only Sewan Johnson ATAWH Harris.
These game leaders on the field aren't there anymore. And
(04:26):
it's not going to be something where the solution we
found right away they are going to have to get
it wrong as many times as they might get it right.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Well, I said, you know a couple of weeks ago
that this is going to there's going to be teething
issues in the first half of the season. Obviously we
saw that in Las Vegas. I don't think I expected
to be quite you know, like it was in terms
of it just looked like when they got into the
opposition twenty. They just they didn't have a plan. They
were they were running it on, you know, on the
on the final tackle and turnover ball. But I just
(04:55):
think Dylan Walker's presence calmed everything.
Speaker 4 (04:58):
It just it just held this.
Speaker 2 (05:00):
He just was able to hold the space a little
bit more. And if you have him at lot, you
have to mighty doing what he was doing last year
and running that left hand side of the field. They're
going to have to chop and change a little bit.
And Stacy, actually, Stacy Jones told us on this podcast
a couple of weeks ago that there was going to
be a little bit of change here and there.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
I like what you say about Tylan Walker. I do disagree.
I think fourteen is his best role coming on against
tired teams, especially in that sort of attacking half. I
just want to put it to you, though, do we
think Vegas might have actually been the problem the occasion
got a bit too much for them?
Speaker 2 (05:32):
I mean, you can't really you don't know unless you
say that, unless you the players talk about that. But
all of the signs that all of the talk going
into Vegas was the management have handled this really well,
that it's been a great balance of letting them enjoy
the occasion and leading them and being focused on training.
We've just said, there's nothing he's seen that indicates that
(05:54):
this couldn't be a title winning season for the team.
So no, I don't think they can use that as
an excuse. Maybe maybe in the moment it did, I
don't know, but yeah, it's hard for us to sit
here at the side and.
Speaker 3 (06:06):
Say that is what I worry about. Also what's to come.
You look at the sides went to Vegas last year
and how much they struggled coming back. That's what I
actually really worry about it this time of the year.
Speaker 2 (06:17):
We'll be back shortly to discuss further what the Warriors
need to change and what's making the Seagulls look so
bloody good. In twenty twenty five, you caught there win
over the Cowboys. But next Dallan what Tennis? Alesniak joins
me in studio.
Speaker 1 (06:31):
The Big League Podcast podcast.
Speaker 2 (06:34):
It is my pleasure to welcome to the Big League
Podcast Warriors winger Dylan ten It's Alesniak, Dlan joining me
in studio for this one. How are you welcome to
the podcast?
Speaker 4 (06:44):
Yeah, it's quite cool to be here. Thanks for having me,
and yeah, it's yeah, it's cool to be here.
Speaker 2 (06:50):
I know you've been been doing the rounds with the media,
and obviously you're having a bit of time on the
sidelines at the moment with your wrist injury. Obviously, you
know what a start, first ten minutes of your opening
pre season gaming, you take a hit and you're out
to what round seven? Can you talk to me about?
I guess how you've dealt with that that kind of blow.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
Yeah, it's happened like the first five minutes, and to
be honest, the way it happened, it happens all the
timing games too. It was just when I braced myself
at the same time he had tackled me, so I
took his weight as well, and both our weights is
what calls it to go. So yeah, it's quite frustrating
because it does happen all the time, but it is
(07:30):
what it is. I've had quite a few injuries in
my career and they've all come around pre seasons or
end of seasons or start of the season, so I
don't get to miss too many games. But yeah, hopefully
round seven will be best case scenario, and worst case
could be like, yeah, round ten or long. It just
depends that. It's hard to It's hard to say right
now because I get the cast off in a few
(07:52):
weeks and depending what the scancers, if it's healing well,
I can start progressing my strength, my strength, getting my
strength back in my arm. Because I'm in the cast
at the moment, you lose a lot of muscle and
a lot of your strength in your hand and mobility
and your wrist. So if it all goes well and
the fast I can get all that back then as
sooner I get it back out on the field and
having some fun.
Speaker 2 (08:10):
So what what can you do for training? Because obviously
you got the cast on, so I imagine passing catching
might be slightly forgot what can you do?
Speaker 4 (08:16):
I can run, so they're just running me, So I'm
just running, running, running. But yeah, to be honest, I
don't mind because you don't want to lose your fitness
base either. That's the hardest thing about injuries is if
it's a low loumb injury, you can't run, and that's
that's our game basically is running. So so yeah, it's
quite I'm quite fortunate that I get to still run
and keep my fitness base and all I have to
(08:38):
really work on is my strength of my arm But
to be honest, I don't even really use this harm
in a game, so.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
So no, you're sort of defending with that armage.
Speaker 4 (08:47):
Yeah, it's through the right hand. I just need that
and it is what it is. But yeah, I've learned
a lot through my injuries and get to learn what
my lesson is that I can learn from this one.
But I'm sure I'll find out.
Speaker 2 (08:59):
Yeah, I suppose in terms of your career as a whole,
you've done so much already, You're only twenty nine. Where
do you feel your overall? Do you feel like you
are in your prime? Now this is the prime of
your career. Are you yet to hit your prime in
terms of how your body's feeling and everything like that?
Like where are you at?
Speaker 4 (09:16):
Yeah? I think in terms of my career, this is
probably the best footy I've been playing Underwavy, And like
I felt, all the coaching has been good that I've
had throughout my career, but the way I was putting
it on the paddock probably wasn't the best until I
got here at the Warriors and the game plan that
just my role is real simple and like it's just
(09:38):
I have a lot of fun doing it as well,
But I still feel like I've got so much more
to give as well, more things to learn and get
better at. So yeah, you can say this is the
best footy I'm playing, but I still think my best
foot is yet to come. Like I said, there's so
many things I'm working on that I do get wrong
as well. A lot of people see the tries, but yeah,
there's still still plenty of things you can and I
(10:00):
guess you're never ever gonna have perfect games. You're always
going to have things to work on. So I really
enjoy that aspect of getting better each week and learning
from our mistakes.
Speaker 2 (10:09):
And so you contracted through with the Warriors until the
end of twenty twenty seven. Is it just sort of
a year by year thing? I know your family stuff
as well, Like what do you think about the future?
How long are you going to keep playing this game?
Speaker 4 (10:23):
I love the game, So I think my brother retired
a few years ago, and even hisetite was half for me,
you know, so I can imagine I can't imagine what
retirement will be like for me, And the fact that
we're even talking about is pretty scary. But I think
I can still. I can play. Yeah. Well, one of
my closest mates, Jordan Rapana's playing too. He's thirty six
(10:45):
I think this year, so who knows if I could
play the thirty six. But I don't want to play
the game to the point where just holding on. I
want to be playing well and happy. All I know
is twenty twenty seven, I'll be there, and if I
can keep signing on here, I don't want to go
anywhere else. I'd love to be here at the Warriors
if they want me. I love it back home. My
wife loves it, my kid, my kids love it. So yeah,
(11:07):
if we could set up shop and live here after footy, yeah,
I probably wantn't be surprised.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
And you mentioned just before you said, even though you
know everyone sees the tries, everyone sees the you know,
the fancy dies and that sort of thing, but you said,
there's still things that you're working on that you're improving
with your game. Can you talk through some of that
that nitty gritty, Yeah.
Speaker 4 (11:24):
Just positioning wise. We've got a new half back now
so to mine, Metcalfe, Chanelle Tanner Boyd. There's so many
things that things I've got to work on is the
way I can can compliment their games. The other things
I've got to work on is picking my moments with
certain things. I don't want to give too much away,
but but with certain things I do defensively, as you
(11:45):
can always you can always get better defensively, there's always
there's always something that goes wrong. We have a system,
and I think the system that where He gives us,
gives us opportunities to to I guess really know exactly
what we need to do right. And the thing about
the system is so many people that got to get
things right as well. It's not just I mean I'm
the winger. I'm the one right at the end. So
(12:07):
a lot of people will see the try sCOD and
blame the winger kind of thing. So what did you
do this for? And You're just like, there's so much
more that goes into it. And the things that I'm
trying to get better is no matter what goes on
inside of what happens, that I can still solve it.
And there's moments where I do I do solve it,
there's moments where I don't. So, like I said, you
(12:29):
get to learn each you learn each week on things
you can and can't do, and yeah, I'm still learning.
Speaker 2 (12:36):
If you look back at the last two years underwebst
obviously twenty twenty three was the year things things really
kicked off, the whole up the wires movement. You probably
caught most of the NRL off guard that season with
how well you guys played. What made that year click?
What was the secret formula that like, if you had
to narrow it down to a couple of things, what
made that year so good?
Speaker 4 (12:58):
The reason what was so good is we all bought in.
We all as a team, as a collective, we brought
into what Webb brought has brought to the club the
game play, and that was set for us, and we
didn't go away from it. We trusted in it and
it got us out of a lot of messy situations.
Like people in twenty twenty three, people forget I think
(13:20):
we lost three in a row at one point, but
nothing changed. We believed in our process. We believed in
our training systems, attacking and defensive systems, and that they work,
and we just kept believing in it and believing it
and were like putting all that together. We just brought
into it and it worked. And then like the camaraderie
of the boys too, Like we're so close as the club.
(13:41):
It's hanging out after trainings and that, and like it's
it's it's just that kind of stuff really works. And
twenty twenty four like because it was compared to twenty
twenty three, everyone was saying it was a down a
year for us, but we lost quite a few games
just like within like four points. I think it was
like it might have been six or seven games within
(14:02):
four points. So we're just fortune. In twenty twenty three,
we're winning those, I think though in twenty four, so
much more expectation on us. I don't think we I
don't think we played our best football, but we were
still in games. So it was a good learning curve
for us that if we can stay in the game
and trust in our process, then twenty twenty five can
(14:22):
be a really good year. Because we've had twenty twenty
three a good year. Twenty twenty four not so not
as good as twenty three years. So we've got the
recipe and it's about, yeah, basically cooking it up this year.
Speaker 2 (14:34):
And twenty twenty five will be it'll be different. Right,
You don't have the sort of your talent's manic captain
and toahu Harris there Sean's obviously moved on you had
last year. We're dealing with constant injuries in the hearts
and in that combination. Perhaps that was a work in
progress the entire year. How important will be just staying
healthy this year, but also with you've got the lights
(14:55):
of Tana and Luke now running the show at half back,
it will have a different feel this year surely.
Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah, yeah, it's we're fortunate enough to have Webbe who
I said it before as well, then you get the
exact same training and respect from whereby if you've played
zero games too, if you've played two Hunchred plus. So
it gives a good opportunity that whoever steps in knows
their role and has trained well and prepared just as
(15:21):
I would have prepared for the game, and it's their
opportunity to take it. So you can't win the comp
with seventeen people, as I've heard, I haven't won the
comp before, but that's what people have won the comps.
Say it takes, it takes, it takes, it takes your
whole squad. So and we've got we've got a good
squad that the boys believe in themselves and we believe
(15:43):
that if we yeah, if we can play to the
best of our ability and stick to our game plan,
then we can win games and get that ultimate goal
of everybody's is winning that comp. So so yeah, we're
we're ready. We're had a big preseason and I mean,
you're no one's playing their best footy the first the
start of the season. But even though you're not playing
(16:03):
your best footy, you still want to be winning games,
and I guess you'll get to see where we're really
at as a team come yeah that mid season when
you're humming and you want to be paying your best
at the end.
Speaker 2 (16:13):
Anyways, the last thing I wanted to ask you about
down is the international game because I know, like last
year you sort of talked about the idea of representing
tongue and I know you had an injury so you
didn't play any test footy. Where are you at with
that in terms of your your heat And I know
obviously loads of New Zealand rugby league fans are really
interested to know what your former kiwis captain. Where's your
(16:33):
head at with that?
Speaker 4 (16:34):
Yeah, I want to represent Tonger. I was going to
actually in twenty three, but yeah, injury stopped me. It
was a big year that year, struggling with my knee,
and then last year again the body just was struggling
with some stuff. So I want to I want to
go into Tonge and play my best football. I guess
for me, my grandmother's full tongon. So I've represented the Kiwis,
(16:56):
for my nan, for myself, for my caddl, and I
haven't been able to represent my grandma. So I think
it's time that I do represent her. The decision comes
to with with New Zealand Warriors, the only NRL team
I still get to represent New Zealand the country. I
still feel like each time I pull that Warriors jersey on,
I'm representing New Zealand. I get that same feeling. I
(17:18):
get to represent my card all and my nan and
that through the Multi All Stars that I didn't haven't
been fortunate to play in the last couple of years either.
And then now I get to represent my grandma. So
I'm getting I'm getting everything that I want with the
teams that I've chosen to play for. But yes, Tonga
is definitely a goal of mine. Hopefully this year I
can pull that jersey on and I get selected, so tong,
(17:39):
I have a really good team, so it's no easy
job trying to get selected in that team. So I
definitely want to It's definitely a goal of mine. But
I guess that will come if we're playing well at
the Warriors, and I think the best thing is one
of the most important things to be able to be
in a position to be selected, not just thinking that
it's just going to come.
Speaker 2 (17:59):
Dylan Watson is a listney. Thank you so much for
your time and a mess of good luck to you
for the season ahead and obviously with your injury recovery
as well. I hope it all goes well for you.
Speaker 4 (18:07):
Thanks well, I appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (18:08):
Big League Podcast, this is the Big League Podcast.
Speaker 2 (18:16):
Really good to have Daylan Wattin's a Lisniak in studio
with us Alex. I loved what he said about wanting
to effectively finish his career at the Warriors. Not sure
he wants to play until he's, you know, just hanging on.
He wants to finish strong, signed through until the end
of twenty twenty seven, but he wants to stick around
and that's a massive bonus for the club, given his
leadership and his talent.
Speaker 3 (18:35):
Yeah, absolutely, you forget how much of a figure dann
on Mateen's lesniak is that the Warriors And you know
even with the key, it was key. He's captain playing
on the wing. But this is a guy who spent
so much of his younger career playing in Australia and
he knows where home is now he wants to finish
his career sort of where his family are.
Speaker 2 (18:50):
Let's take a look at Manly. We've got the Warriors
versus the Seagulls in Round two of NRL Action. The
Warriors have obviously had a couple of weeks to sort
of digest the loss in Las Vegas, and I don't
want to labor that too much because Nick and Burge
covered it off well last week. Manly look and credit dynamic.
I supposely in their big win over the Cowboys. They
(19:12):
demolished North Queensland forty two to twelve, and we're leading
forty two nil two at Brookvale, with the Cowboys getting
a couple of tries at the end. Daily Cherry Evans
and Tom Travoyevitch specifically looked incredible. Cherry Evans with a
try three Trysis Travoyevitch ran for two hundred and thirty
four met he was creating breaks. But they've got power
(19:33):
as well, with the likes of how Molly Olakoa too
as well. So this is a team that is I
mean I was reading stuff after that game saying, oh,
Manly's going to be top four. Man He's going to
be top four after round one. We're calling that apparently.
But if I look across the games that there were
teams that clearly stood out. You look at Brisbane, you
look at Melbourne, and Manly just looked like the complete package.
(19:55):
What did you think?
Speaker 3 (19:57):
Very similar to you? I think the way Tom Travoievitch
plays like we've seen him whin a dally Am, you know,
this is really one of the best players in the game.
He throws brothers into it, Jake and Ben Traboievitch, and
there is such a c feel about that man with him.
We know that the teams that play for each other
on the field are the ones who do have that
sort of unity. You look at a guy like Luke
(20:17):
Brooks and what he's been able to do to get
the best out of Daily Cherr evens full of postcaring
for him. They had really struggled to find a harvest
partner for Cherry evens from one to thirteen, from one
to seventeen. You even look at Jazz Tavanga playing there.
He looked completely different playing at hooker than what we
had seen at the Warriors, playing through the middle as
either a prop or a lock or off the bench.
And I mean, yeah, they are well coached. You look
(20:39):
at what Anthony Sebold did or is doing his coach.
He's a guy who I mean, it felt like a
couple of years ago he was really one of the
hottest young coaches around him what he did at South Sydney,
and then he went up to Brisbane and it all
went wrong and everyone sort of question said is he
really the guy? And then he went away and worked
with England and Rugby Union and got to cut his
teeth a bit there, and now it looks like he's
really able to build with Manly And like I if
(21:02):
the shout is that they're going to be a top
four team this year going off Round one, I would
not be surprised if they were.
Speaker 2 (21:08):
Where are the weaknesses. It's hard to talk about weaknesses
after just one game of seeing them and I suppose
the kind of performance that they did put on. But
in terms of the worries we've talked about the haves.
It'll be interesting to see how Webster plays that, how
he names his team. I do expect what you said
before about Dylan Walking being off the interchange Aaron Clarke
(21:30):
probably to start at Lockford.
Speaker 3 (21:33):
But well, do any to talk about that from round
or from Vegas because Aaron Clarke was named to start
at thirteen, and then there was sort of a late
switcheroo with Mitch Barnett playing at lock.
Speaker 2 (21:42):
Nick and Berge who sort of covered it off last week.
But it was bizarre and it might have been to
do with I think Josh Papallee was brought in late
to start it at Locke, and that might have been
a response to that in terms of moving the big
body of Mitch Barnett back there, I mean, are the
areas the defense just wasn't up to stand it in
that Las Vegas game. But that is something I feel like,
(22:03):
it's a mindset thing.
Speaker 3 (22:05):
I tell you what it was for me. So I
think it was from a minute to twenty four to
minute fifty one. Neither James Fisher Harris, Normich Barnett were
on the field as co captains and as the big
leaders on that side. In that time they conceded three tries.
That for me is how do they mitigate the loss
of leadership when one or both of the Warriors co
captains aren't on the field.
Speaker 2 (22:25):
Well, they've got other leaders they do.
Speaker 3 (22:28):
However, you look at what Barnett and Fisher Harris bring
and that's having They've also lost Sean Johnson, and they've
also lost to Harris, and they've also lost Marcella Montoya
and they've lost Adam fanil Blake. So you think of
the leadership group that they had last year, I mean
you're really looking at Dylan Walker, Wade Egan, who else
that are actually Roger to Varsa Schek. So the leadership
(22:48):
issues are just so hard to quantify because we know
there are a lot of good players at the Warriors,
but good leaders are so much harder to find. And
it's never who you think it's going to be. You know,
if you just said to James Fisher's been turner butt
the Panthers and didn't say a word for four years,
that that guy was the one setting all the standards
I think they have all been so surprised, but then
you hear about everything he's done when he's come to
the Warriors, and obviously it's going to take time, but
(23:10):
they have actually got really good leadership there. It's just
about making sure that is represented on the field at
all times.
Speaker 2 (23:16):
Yeah, it'll be interesting to see how we we've still
uses the interchange differently because you just pointed out both
captains were off the field for a sizable amount of
time there, and obviously there was that like reshuffle with
Clark Barnett Walker. So does the strategy change and where
I suppose are the biggest improvements going to lie what
(23:37):
if they looked at in the last couple of weeks
in terms of that attack, Because the big thing for
me is I want to see us kicking. I want
to see the Warriors kicking in the twenty. I want
to see Metcalf doing it, and I want to see
his halves partner, be that to Mighty or Chanelle or
you know, wherever they go with that. I want to
see a bit more fluidity and direction. And I'm sure
that's something that they would have talked about because anyone
(23:58):
watching could see that that was an issue.
Speaker 3 (24:00):
I think you do actually have to give credits to
the Raiders as well. I remember the Warriors would have
gone there with a plan that they weren't allowed to
actually do because the Raiders are such a good defensive team.
Think any Ricky Stewart coach team, they're going to be
pretty uncompromising on defense, and I guess the Warriors were
the first victims of that in twenty twenty five.
Speaker 1 (24:15):
Good b lvy, this is going the Big League podcast
on the Warriors Bad Wagons since day one.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Right to finish off, Alex Powell whip through some predictions
for Round two, Weekend three of NRL Action, and we're
starting off with the Knights and the Dolphins. Knights having
a two point win over the Tigers coming from behind,
and the Dolphins are two point loss to the Bunnies
on the same night. How are you feeling in a Newcastle?
Speaker 3 (24:49):
I would like to think the Dolphins, he saw them
nearly go and tip up the Bunnies missing a couple
of key players. Obviously they're playing for their homes now
post cyclone, so maybe that will inspire them to get
up and give a bit of relief to a Redcliff community.
That's hurting right now.
Speaker 2 (25:05):
I'm going to agree with you on that one. The
Dolphins to beat the Knights in Newcastle, even though it
is it's a tough place to play Warriors see Eagles.
Speaker 3 (25:15):
I'm not on this podcast often and I think the
last thing I should do is say Warriors lose and
then walk out. So I'm going to say the Warriors
when just the Warriors win, just based on just blind hope.
Speaker 2 (25:28):
I'm a realist and I've got to shoot straight, and
I think Mainly are going to be too good. If
you look at the I guess the massive difference in
terms of the Seagulls attack versus the Warriors attack. I
don't think they're going to turn it around in two weeks.
I think this is going to take time. And the
big dogs, like Mainly look to be this year, I
think will be too strong. Panthers versus the Roosters Panthers easy. Yeah,
(25:51):
the Roosters looked they looked pretty helpless.
Speaker 3 (25:54):
Yeah, And the Panthers looked amazing against the Sharks, Like
the Sharks are not a bad team. And the way
the Panthers just not only held on but then really
struck back at the end. You know in that second
match in Vegas to kick off a couple of weeks ago,
I wouldn't be surprised if they're in the Man Come
finals again.
Speaker 2 (26:10):
Yeah, the Roosters just were not on the Broncos level
at all. So I am going to go with the
Panthers as well. Dragons versus the rabbit O's rabbit O's
Rabbitos to win that one. Cowboys Sharks Sharks Shacks, Yeah
all right. I mean the Cowboys just they were losing
forty two nil, Yeah, forty two nil and cut through
(26:31):
a couple of times in the final few minutes. I
don't like the look of them. I still thought the
Sharks looked pretty good against the Panthers. So I'm going
to agree with you there. Raiders versus the Broncos. Oh, Broncos,
you can't go against a fifty point effort. Eels Tigers, Eels. See,
I actually picked the Tigers okay to beat the Knights,
(26:52):
and I'm gonna go with them again. So I'll pick
the Tigers there. Eels looked terrible.
Speaker 3 (26:58):
Bulldogs Titans, Oh, Titans haven't played to Bulldogs.
Speaker 2 (27:03):
That'll Lewis for this week. Thank you so much, Alex
Power for your time, your wisdom. Yeah, insight on the
Big League podcast is a big question mark week. Can
the Warriors turn it around? Can they get anything done
against the Seagulls. We will cross our fingers and watch
with interest. Please follow and rate the podcast. My name
is Nathan Limb. Have a great week.
Speaker 1 (27:22):
For more from News Talks at b listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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