- 1 week ago
In episode four of The Serious About Rugby League Show, Will Jackson, Sam Cook, Sam Brockson and Peter Smith break down the upcoming play-offs, react to the Super League Dream Team and ask questions about St Helens' future.
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00:00Hello and welcome to the Serious Sport Rugby League show. This is episode four of the show
00:12and we're building nicely. So guys, if I can ask you just to like this video and subscribe to the
00:17channel, that would be much appreciated. I'm Will Jackson, joined by Sam Brockson and Sam
00:22Cook of Serious Sport Rugby League. And we've got Pete Smith as well from the Yorkshire Evening
00:27post. That's it for the regular season now. That's over and done with. We probably won't
00:33spend too much time talking about it, given, I mean, Friday was three days ago now and that's
00:38the time of recording, sir. But we now know that Hulke are the League League Shield, the
00:44League League Leaders Shield winners.
00:47The main league title winners, sir.
00:49Well, we'll get to that. We now know that Wakefield will be playing
00:57in the playoffs. We know that, we know what the playoffs look like. So we've got Lee Leopards
01:03versus Wakefield Trinity on Friday. We've got Leeds Rhinos versus St. Helens on Saturday.
01:10But before we get to that, Pete, give us your rundown of Wigan versus Leeds on last Friday
01:16night.
01:19Well, about five minutes after the game had finished. I couldn't remember anything about it.
01:23And I think that more or less says everything. It was just a case of fulfilling the fixture,
01:31I think, for both parties. Leeds had left a few out with minor injuries. They'll all be
01:38back this week. Leeds could be near to full strength. Apart from Cameron Smith, who's missed
01:45a lot of the season, who's missed a lot of the season. And Mike Acevedo, who hasn't played
01:50at all. Everybody else is going to be available. Leeds have nothing really to play for. Neither
01:56did Wigan. Wigan had named there just about the strongest squad. I think that was probably
02:01as a precaution because they didn't know for sure what was going to happen the night before
02:07when Hulkeia played Warrington. I think maybe if they'd had an extra 24 hours to name the
02:15squad, they might have rested a few as well. But there was nothing at stake. And it looked
02:21like that from the start. I mean, Wigan wasted their captain's challenge after three minutes,
02:27which I think tells you something about the game. They challenged a knock-on ruling and lost
02:33their challenge. And I don't think they'd have done that if there was anything really
02:38at stake. They played pretty well. Brevin French was the difference. Clearly, when he's playing
02:46and he's on form, he's the best player in the competition. I think the only reason he's
02:52not been talked about for Man of Steel this year is because he's missed a fair bit of the
02:58season through injury. Wigan looked very sharp, much better than the last time I saw them live.
03:04But Leeds will take some things from it, I think. They showed commendable spirit. They
03:11battled to the end. They scored the last try and avoided a nilling. They didn't offer a
03:16great deal on attack without Lucky Miller and Jake Connor, which is a concern. But the defence
03:22was pretty good for the most part. They conceded four tries, but they were in two five-minute
03:27spells. Other than that, there wasn't an awful lot in it. But it's not a game that will live
03:32long in the memory and it's not going to count for an awful lot in the next couple of weeks,
03:38I don't think.
03:39Yeah, Sambi, you watched that for us, that game. Are Wigan now looking like the team to
03:47avoid in these playoffs now?
03:48Yeah, I think so. Like Pete said, Bevan French was the difference and he is the best player
03:55in the league. He's just got that ability to just change a game at the flick of a switch.
04:00I mean, I think it epitomised that when he put in a relatively poor kick and James Bentley
04:06broke away and he managed to catch up with Bentley and then rip the ball off him to give Wigan
04:12possession back. But yeah, I think Wigan are the team to avoid. Hull KR, which I'm sure
04:18we'll come on to in a little bit, are beatable, as we've seen in the last five weeks or so.
04:23They've not been at their best. Wigan look like they're peaking at the right time. And
04:28I think, yeah, Fat Pete's side are the one to avoid in these playoffs.
04:32Yeah, Hull KR won the league, as we know. Second trophy of the year after the Challenge
04:37Cup, they're chasing a historic treble, but they were far from convincing against Warrington.
04:43I mean, I was there. Their attack wasn't really firing. Mikey Lewis wasn't himself. He seemed
04:48hesitant to pass the ball. And then defensively, they went to bits at times that Adam Holroyd
04:53try was really poor for them to concede against a team that really didn't have anything to
04:58play for at all. That try stuck in the teeth of Willie Peters. But after the game, Peter
05:05was fairly strong on his opinion that performances, the recent performances don't really matter
05:12going into the playoffs. And, you know, his team will rise to the occasion. Sam, are you
05:18concerned about, Sam C, are you concerned about performances at the minute at Craven Park?
05:25I think you have to be. I think if you ask Willie Peters, would you rather be going into the
05:30playoffs with the form that his side's in, or the form that Wigan are in, then it's a
05:36no-brainer. He'd obviously choose the form that Wigan are in. But I do think that one
05:39of the things he's been, one of the things that generally he's very strong on is that
05:43he'll always take performance over result to an extent. Like, as long as the performance
05:50is the right one. And I think he's kind of reiterated that now it's this time of the season
05:55where performance doesn't really matter. I think he'll take two more wins just like
05:59that. He doesn't really care what performance is like. And I think that's probably the mentality
06:06you have to take in playoff rugby. And that's probably the only thing that Hulker can take
06:10solish on. They've still got the win. They've not obviously won all of the games of late,
06:15but that was a real banana skin that they could have had. And, yeah, they made the banana skin
06:21for themselves, but they still managed to do it. So I think there probably is some confidence
06:25you can take from it. But I don't think you take in the confidence that other teams are
06:29because you just, you don't, you've not, you've not done it for, I'm not sure when you can say
06:34their last sort of 10 out of 10 performance was it. It feels like it's been a long time.
06:39And obviously you're not going to be playing these like teams like Warrington in the place.
06:44They're going to be playing, we'd probably expect it'll be Leeds. But again, it's going to be
06:48a team that has, oh, it's either Leeds, Wakefield or Saints. Saints have pushed them like fairly
06:56close, but I think they'd love to play Saints. And that's the easiest of the three for them.
07:02Wakefield have battered them and then Leeds have beaten them twice as well. And arguably
07:06they could have won the third game. So I think there's, there is real cause of concern, but
07:10the fact that they've managed to get over with, and you've got to kind of remember, they've
07:14had this almost like monkey on the back for about a month of, oh, when you're going to win
07:17the League Leader's Shield, when you're going to win the League Leader's Shield. That probably
07:21like, I obviously, ideally they'd have got that out of the way and it's kind of just
07:24lingered. Now that that's done, they've got, I think 16 days is the layoff that they've
07:28got. They're going to be firing into the playoffs. And I think there'll be, you can take some
07:33confidence from that, but I think there's still a lot of question marks there.
07:38Yeah. KR and Wigan have both earned themselves a week off for finishing in the top two, but let's
07:44just look ahead to this Eliminator round then. So first off, Lee Wakefield. I actually think
07:49this is going to be a really tight one. I think they've both beaten each other this season.
07:54I think Wakefield have shown that they can beat anyone on the day. I think they've beaten,
07:57I mean, they have beaten Rovers, Wigan, Lee, Leeds. They've beaten the top four this year.
08:04Pete, how do you see it going?
08:06Tough, tough one to call, but Wakefield had a big win at Lee earlier in the season. Lee have
08:12won at Wakefield. It's, I mean, in the, in the playoffs, it ought to be the home team
08:19really, because they're the team that's higher on the table and they've got home advantage
08:22where it doesn't always work like that. And I think Wakefield will go in quietly, confident.
08:26There's no pressure on them. They've had a successful season just getting into the top
08:30six. I think all the pressure's on, on Lee. It, it just, it could, could go down to,
08:40to come down to a mistake or, or an incident. I think it's going to be a really close game.
08:47I'd maybe tip Lee just because they're, because they're at home and they are in good form.
08:53And they're, they've maybe, some of them have got more experience of big games like that,
09:00but it's a tough, it is a tough one to call. I genuinely could, could, you could make a case
09:04for both teams, wouldn't it? Yeah, lads, would Lee be kicking themselves then after,
09:10after the season they've had if the, if they fell at the first hurdle?
09:15Yeah, I think definitely. But I also think you look at the way they've progressed, like,
09:20built year on year. Hulk AR have done exactly the same and Lee are doing, Lee are doing that as well.
09:25And then doing it as well, like, with Gaz O'Brien in the halves. And I mean, that's not a,
09:30a slight on Gaz O'Brien, but he clearly, given that Matt Moylan was late in retirement last year,
09:34he clearly wasn't their, their preferred half, but it's, it's worked and they've got through it.
09:39And they've not just got through it, they've been one of the best teams.
09:44I think at their best, they're better than a lot of, they're definitely better than Wakefield
09:49when they're at their best, but they don't always show it. The consistency gap from,
09:53from Lee's best to worst is probably bigger than most of the other playoff teams.
09:58But I think at home, with Lachlan Lamb, Gaz O'Brien, I think the pack is more or less
10:05full strength as well now. I think they've, they've definitely got enough.
10:09And I think, but I do think, if they do get knocked out first round,
10:12the thing they'll be gutted about is that they've sacrificed home advantage.
10:15Because that like, is bit of a, it's not, it's not quite Craven Park,
10:20but I think it is becoming a bit of a fortress for them there.
10:23Um, and I think they've got, they've got the best opportunity.
10:27Obviously then they'd love to go to Wigan as well.
10:29They've beaten Wigan this year as well.
10:30I think they'll see it as a real opportunity.
10:32I think they'll be, they won't be scared of going to Wigan at all.
10:35So I think obviously, yeah, if they crash out, they'll be gutted.
10:38But I think they're going to be viewing this just as a massive opportunity
10:41rather than anything to fear.
10:43Yeah, let's have some predictions.
10:45Then I'll go, I'll go Lee by 10.
10:51Yeah, I think I'll go, I'll go Lee by four.
10:54I think a bit closer, Marie.
10:57I'll switch it up. I'll go Wakefield by four.
10:59I think they've got enough to beat them.
11:03And having just said that Lee will win, I'm going to go for Wakefield as well.
11:07Narrowly, by, by a Mason Lino drop goal in the 78th minute.
11:16That one of, Mason Lino, like if he's on form, then Wakefield are fully in it.
11:21Like Mason Lino, when he's been on form this season, has been unbelievable.
11:24And like, there was, again, loads of questions about him.
11:26I think he's had a really, really good season.
11:30And I think that's probably testament to Daryl Powell's coaching as well.
11:33Yeah, and Jake Truman got, I think, four assists the other night as well.
11:36So, I mean, if they're firing, then Lee might have something to think about.
11:41Leeds and Helens.
11:42Look, Saints have had the wood over Leeds in recent months, won the last two.
11:49Personally, I just can't see them getting over the line against Leeds.
11:52But, I don't know. Pete, how do you see it?
11:56You said recent months. It's not.
11:58It's like, I think I mentioned this the other week, it's since 2018.
12:02St. Helens haven't lost, certainly haven't lost to Leeds at heading least since 2017.
12:09They've won three of the four this season.
12:14They'll go into it fully confident that they can win this game.
12:19They know how to stop Leeds playing.
12:21Everything Leeds do well, they don't do when they play against St. Helens.
12:24And having said that, it's a bit different, isn't it, in the playoffs?
12:29And if you're ever going to sort of end a run like that, now's the time to do it.
12:35Leeds have waited a long, long time since, again, since 2017 for a home playoff.
12:40And I think Leeds are bang up for it.
12:44Speaking to Brad Arthur after the game on Friday, he's really up for these playoffs.
12:51Leeds love Lackey Miller and Jake Connor back.
12:56Probably Ash Hanley as well and Ryan Hall.
13:00I think the fact they're going in on the back of a couple of defeats is a concern.
13:05But I think, I wouldn't be surprised if Saints won.
13:09But I think now is the time for Leeds to end this bad run against them.
13:14So I'd predict a Leeds win by a couple of scores.
13:19I think the fact that it's at home then, I think that's a massive difference.
13:22That crowd getting up and the band there and everything else.
13:25It should be, but Saints enjoy playing at Headingley.
13:29That's one of the problems that Leeds have, I think, is everybody likes playing at Headingley.
13:35And as I say, Saints have forgotten how to lose there.
13:39But it should swing at Leeds' way.
13:45It's just, based on the two teams, if it was a team other than St Helens against Leeds,
13:54that was in the same form, then I'd say, well, I think Leeds will do it fairly comfortably.
14:00But Saints know what to do to beat Leeds.
14:05And having done it three out of the four times they've met this season,
14:09they're going to be confident.
14:11But I think if Leeds can get off to a decent start,
14:14like they did in the game they won at Magic Weekend,
14:17and they really took the game to the Saints for the first quarter
14:19and were utterly dominant,
14:21I think if they do that and score first, then they'll be fine.
14:25I don't think Leeds have lost a game when they've scored first this season.
14:28So a big start from them is important.
14:30I think the longer it goes on and Saints are level or in front,
14:34the more they'll grow in confidence and belief,
14:37and it might take a look out of Leeds.
14:40Yeah, Sam C, how do you see Saints at the minute?
14:43I mean, the spying situation is still a bit of a mess.
14:49Defensively, standards slipped against Castleford,
14:51and I think even though they won that game,
14:53I think the manner of the victory,
14:55I think the confidence might take even more of a knock going into this,
14:58having really struggled lately.
15:01How do you see it?
15:03Yeah, I think the one thing you can say about the defence aspect against Cass
15:06is that they've rested a lot of big players,
15:08and a lot of those big players have come in,
15:10and players like Morgan Knowles, they don't have those standards.
15:14Their standards are going to rise massively
15:15for the introduction of Knowles, Clarke, Leeds.
15:19There's plenty more as well, but the spine still is a major issue.
15:23I actually thought that Friday was a game
15:26where Paul Wellens could have really experimented.
15:28They couldn't finish any higher than fifth,
15:29couldn't finish any lower.
15:31They're playing a team that I think at the time were 11th at the table
15:34and have since finished 11th.
15:36I think that was the game where you could have tested
15:39something different with that spine.
15:41Because, again, I just don't see the point in playing Jack Wellsby
15:44in the halves.
15:44I think, maybe not this season because of injury and just form,
15:49but I do think he is a top three full-back in Super League.
15:52And I think just shoe-hunting him into the halves
15:56is a complete waste.
15:58And I think I'd like to see Tristan Saylor at hooker.
16:01I think it's maybe a bit different,
16:06but I think that is an option.
16:10Obviously, you've still got the issue of a kicking game,
16:12which means you probably have to play him by,
16:14but then you consider they've got Whitby running the show
16:17in the Championship for Halifax.
16:19Granted, that is a different level,
16:21but they threw him in against Wigan.
16:23So, he maybe doesn't come into consideration,
16:26but Paul Wellens will probably be thinking,
16:29back of his mind, is it something he does look at?
16:32Because you've got to consider all options.
16:35I think to beat Leeds, you've got to be like pieces.
16:39I think the longer it goes, the better chance Saints have got.
16:42So, you've got to stay defensively sound all game.
16:45But that also comes off the back of having a kicking game, really.
16:49You need to be able to get your lights clear
16:51and get some territory.
16:52And they're not going to win the territory battle
16:53if it's Jack Wellsby and Johnny Lomax in the halves
16:56because their kicking game is not there.
16:59So, I think you've got to play him by or Whitby in the halves.
17:05But then once you start moving all those pieces about
17:07you're detracting from elsewhere,
17:09I think there's real, real issues.
17:11And I think regardless of...
17:13I mean, I think they're going to lose,
17:15but regardless of whether they win or lose,
17:17the same questions will get either asked next week or next season.
17:19And I think it's a really big off-season
17:22in terms of what do they actually do.
17:24I mean, they still don't have Paul Welland's contract for next year.
17:27That's another thing that is in contention.
17:31Like, what are you doing there?
17:33It just all seems...
17:35For a club that's been so well-run and well-organised,
17:40what has gone wrong?
17:41It just... I don't know.
17:42It's the recruitment, the planning.
17:45It all just seems off at the moment at the same time.
17:48And I think that obviously impacts on the field.
17:51I think the players can see that.
17:52And that's probably why they're having these issues.
17:56Yeah, I mean, I'd be surprised...
17:59I mean, famous last words,
18:00but I'd be surprised if Paul Welland's isn't there next season.
18:03The way he's talking at the minute,
18:04talking about recruitment and whatever else,
18:08he's talking like a man that is probably going to be there next season.
18:11Yeah, I agree as well,
18:12but I don't understand why the club can't then come out and say,
18:16right, that's it.
18:17Like, you breed in speculation,
18:20which breeds uncertainty,
18:22which, again, leads to fans questioning things.
18:24Because it's such an easy thing to come out and lay the market down.
18:29Because, again, if they were to change him now,
18:31there's no real options on the market.
18:33So everyone kind of knows it,
18:35but by not saying it,
18:36you just kind of lead to that little bit of doubt,
18:39which just doesn't help at all.
18:41I don't understand why a decision hasn't been publicly announced anyway.
18:46No, I think you're 100% right, actually.
18:48Just on to predictions,
18:49then I'll go,
18:51you know,
18:51if Jake Conner's firing on all cylinders,
18:53if he's fit and ready to go,
18:56I'll go lead Rhinos by 12.
18:59Lads?
19:01Yeah, I'm on a similar vein.
19:03I'll go leads by 10.
19:06Yeah.
19:07Sorry, but you go.
19:09I've already said I think leads by a couple of scores,
19:12but I wouldn't be totally shocked if it was the other way around,
19:16just based on what's happening in the past.
19:17I've just hammered St. Helens,
19:19so I think I'm probably going to have to go leads by about three scores.
19:22Basically, I've just had that sense.
19:24So watch Saints upset the apple cart and make us all wrong.
19:28Yeah, I do think it'll be low scoring,
19:29whatever happens, to be honest with you.
19:32The Dream Team was announced yesterday.
19:35There's eight debutants in it,
19:37four Hull KR players.
19:38So we've got Jez Lytton, Mikey Lewis,
19:40Dean Hadley, Petter Hickey.
19:43Jake Conner and James McDonnell are in from Leeds.
19:46You've got Jayfield and Liam Marshall from Wigan.
19:50Hull had two, even though they missed out in the playoffs.
19:52So Lewis Martin, top try scoring Super League and Herman SCSA.
19:57Then there's Emila Hanley, Morgan Knowles
20:00and Mike McMeekin from Wakefield.
20:03I suppose a big surprise for me was no Lachlan Lamb.
20:0641 try assists all season.
20:09I think that's a massive oversight.
20:10Pete, and I know that he's been playing seven,
20:13the same as Jake Conner,
20:13but I don't think it really matters in situations like these.
20:18Can anyone feel hard done by to miss out, Pete?
20:24Lamb will, as you mentioned,
20:28and Lachie Miller, the Leeds fullback.
20:32I think he is unfortunate not to be in there as well.
20:37But having said that, obviously, he's up against Field,
20:40who's had a terrific season.
20:43Lamb, he could have been in there, couldn't he?
20:48He couldn't have argued too much if he'd been in there ahead of either
20:53Mikey Lewis or Jake Conner.
20:57In my dream team, we all picked a dream team last week.
21:02I picked Mikey Lewis and Conner as the halves.
21:08But, you know, you'd have no quibble if Lamb was in there as well.
21:11They've probably been pretty much on a par.
21:15I think Conner's been the better of the three this season, personally.
21:21I'd have said he had to be in there,
21:22and then it'd be a choice between Lewis and Lamb.
21:25But I can understand why league fans and Phil Lamb had been hard done by.
21:31It's good that we've got that sort of competition in the competition, isn't it?
21:37Yeah.
21:38Sam T, you had Tom Davies in your dream team, I think, didn't you?
21:42Were you surprised not to see him?
21:44Yeah, I think I'd have had him over Liam Marshall.
21:48But I'm actually just looking at the stats,
21:51and I was going to make a big argument against Liam Marshall.
21:53But they are quite similar.
21:55And I think the thing that Marshall has is assists.
21:57Davies is, like, but I think, because obviously I think J.T. Wardle's a big tri-scorer in centre.
22:03But they're very comparable metres-wise.
22:06But I think what Tom Davies brings to Hulk AR is,
22:09he's just so significant in terms of what he brings.
22:11Like, the carries out of backfield, he's absolutely massive.
22:14His handling is generally one of the better wingers for handling.
22:19And I think, off the back of just joining the season, I think the impact he's had has been massive.
22:26I think he's unlucky.
22:28And I think, again, the bigger question for Tom Davies now is if he makes the Ashley squad.
22:33I think he probably has to.
22:34But whether he starts or not is another question.
22:37But I think outside of that in the stream team, I add Tessinu,
22:41but I think Amaila Hanley and Peteyku are fine picks.
22:45I don't really have an issue there.
22:48And then I think probably there's not really many other complaints.
22:53I think there's a lot of league players that are unlucky.
22:55I think Trout, Isaac Liu.
22:56But Isaac Liu is up against Morgan Noles,
22:58who's been probably one of the best players in the competition.
23:01So I think there isn't that many absolute shockers, really.
23:06I think some years you've had it where you think,
23:08what has been picked there?
23:09But I don't think it's that outrageous this year.
23:13Yeah.
23:14Sambi, you've seen a lot of league rhinos, obviously, this season.
23:17How pleased are you to see James McDonnell recognised?
23:22I'm pleased for him.
23:24I did question it a little bit,
23:26just because I do think Callum Watkins has had a better season than him.
23:30I think that's fair to say.
23:33I think McDonnell in defence is brilliant.
23:35I just think his attack needs a bit more work.
23:37We saw it on Friday night, I think,
23:39a couple of drop balls in good field position.
23:42But yeah, I think, obviously,
23:44Sean Wayne rates him because he's in the Provisional England squad this year.
23:50But yeah, I think both Jake Conner and James McDonnell
23:54have had very good years for Leeds.
23:57Yeah, I just think Watkins probably would have been the better choice.
24:01I know he's played a lot of loose forward this year,
24:03and that might be a reason.
24:04But yeah, I mean, I'm pleased for both players.
24:09Yeah, Pete and I are heading down to the Dream Team launch
24:13and playoff launch today.
24:15Actually, it's a media event.
24:16Pete, who are you talking to today?
24:18Well, it won't surprise you to know that the Leeds players
24:23and Mike Matmeekan from Wakefield,
24:25who I think has had a really good year.
24:29And I was pleased to see that he's in there.
24:33One player who, and a left field pick that I put in my dream team
24:41and someone that no one else would be talking about.
24:44I think Alex Miller has had a really big year for Castleford.
24:50Second from bottom in the table.
24:52I just think he's worth a mention.
24:58Consistently good in a poor team.
25:01And he wasn't one of my second row picks.
25:03I just think he deserves an honourable mention.
25:07I don't think there was ever any realistic chance
25:09of him getting in the Dream Team,
25:11playing for a really poor Castleford side.
25:15But I hope that he can maintain that form for Cass next season
25:20when there should be a lot better.
25:21And I think he might be in with a realistic shout next year if he does.
25:25Yeah, just as a second to last topic of conversation,
25:30I just wanted to ask you all, really,
25:33who's been your coach of the year?
25:35Obviously, Willie Peters has done a fantastic job at Brovers.
25:38John Cartwright has completely turned Hull SC around
25:41from being bottom of the league club to playoff contenders.
25:45Daryl Powell, obviously, has done a fantastic job
25:47getting Wakefield to the playoffs.
25:50Personally, I'd go Paul Rowley.
25:52I just think in terms of his mental fortitude
25:55of getting up in the morning and going to work
25:57and grinding out this full season
26:00and somehow picking up three wins
26:02when there's such uncertainty there and what's going on.
26:07I think he gets my vote, but I just wanted to ask you a lot.
26:12I think I'd probably choose John Cartwright.
26:14I think, obviously, Wakefield snuck the playoffs rather than Hull.
26:18But I think the difference is Daryl Powell had,
26:21albeit a championship team, a very successful team.
26:24So the culture was kind of bedded in.
26:26So to see them kind of carry over,
26:30simply the belief that they can win wasn't necessarily a surprise.
26:34But I think with Hull, he's entered a team there
26:36that were absolutely hopeless last year.
26:38I mean, if you consider that they got three wins last year,
26:41Salford got three this year.
26:43And I think that says a lot.
26:45And I know there's been a lot of big signings,
26:48but far from the finished product.
26:50And for him to get them to where they were on the cusp.
26:52And realistically, it's actually, it's too long.
26:54I think it's two defeats to Huddersfield, really,
26:56that have cost them.
26:57But you look like there's one at the Magic Weekend,
26:59which was Huddersfield's first win of the season.
27:01And that's really, like, you look back and think,
27:04that's what's cost them the playoffs.
27:06And I think that would have been,
27:08I think that would have rubber-stamped it.
27:10But still, for me, I think it's probably John Cartwright
27:12because the way he's transformed that team is incredible.
27:16But obviously, like you say, Paul Rowley is,
27:18I think Paul Rowley's in a similar,
27:21albeit far more extreme,
27:24similar than Mike Eccles last year.
27:26He got a nomination, rightly so,
27:27for the situation they were dealing with.
27:29The Salfa situation has just been, like,
27:31to the nth degree this year of what it was.
27:34So I think he definitely deserves a shout,
27:36but I'd probably be going Cartwright.
27:39Pete, I can take a guess where you are going for this.
27:46Well, yeah, for the same reasons
27:49that Sam's mentioned John Cartwright,
27:54I think, obviously, that Brad Arthur should be in with a shout there.
27:58But it depends how you measure coach of the year.
28:02Is it winning stuff?
28:03In which case, then, it has to be Willie Peters, doesn't it?
28:08Especially as the award's announced before the grand final.
28:12If it's improving players and teams,
28:17then Cartwright and Brad Arthur have had a similar impact.
28:22I think experienced Aussie coaches who've come in
28:25and adapted well to the competition
28:27and have really improved everything about the team
28:30that they're in charge of.
28:33And if it's just for sheer bloody-mindedness
28:40and determination and hanging in there
28:42and grit and everything else that rugby league's about,
28:45then Paul Rowley, I think, would be a very popular choice.
28:51If I had to vote, I'd probably vote for Paul Rowley.
28:54Just stick it to the man sort of thing.
28:58I just think the way he's held everything together this year
29:02in appalling circumstances has been a credit to him, really.
29:08But, you know, are you going to give coach of the year
29:11to someone whose team's won, what was it, three matches?
29:15Realistically, I don't think that'll happen.
29:19It tends to go to the obvious choice.
29:24So I imagine it'll probably be Willie Peters.
29:27But he's improved his team by one place, hasn't he?
29:31So it's just different opinions on how you measure that sort of thing.
29:37But you could make a case for probably those four that I've mentioned.
29:44Sam, do you agree with that?
29:47I think Powell.
29:48I know Sam mentioned they had probably the better squad than Hull FC,
29:52but I think to bring them up to Super League
29:55and then get playoffs at the first time of asking
29:57has been a huge feat.
30:00I know Lee, you're the only other team to do it two years ago.
30:04And it is a big challenge.
30:05You know, they've brought in Mike McMeek
30:08and they've brought in Tom Johnson,
30:09who seems to be back to near his best.
30:13I know he's had a couple of injuries this year.
30:16And, yeah, I think to get the playoffs and to be...
30:20They've had them big wins over Wigan, Leeds, Hulk AR.
30:24I don't think they've beaten St. Helens this year.
30:26But, yeah, they're in with a shout in these playoffs.
30:29And I think they are real underdogs and can throw an upset.
30:33Yeah, I think Powell as well.
30:35The way they play is so good to watch.
30:38They are quite similar to the Salford that we're used to.
30:42And I think that does deserve...
30:44When you look at some teams, Hulk AR to an extent,
30:48like don't play...
30:50It's a defensively focused game.
30:53But Wakefield are happy to play with the ball.
30:55And it's really good to watch their games.
30:57And I think that's just...
30:58Again, what Pete was mentioning,
31:00how do you judge coach of the year?
31:01It is hard.
31:02But if that was...
31:03If there was a metric for how good a team is to watch,
31:06then I think Wakefield would be right up there.
31:08Yeah, just a quick bit of instant reaction as well.
31:11While we've been recording,
31:12London Broncos have announced that Jason Dimitri,
31:15who's going to be their head coach next season.
31:17I mean, that's a massive sign of intent, isn't it?
31:22I think they'd kind of...
31:23They'd teased the ad in there.
31:24They'd said it was a pre-commitment,
31:26I think was the previous explanation.
31:29But obviously now they've formally got him.
31:32And I think previously they'd said
31:33that they were going to have him
31:34regardless of whether it was Championship or Super League.
31:36But it makes you wonder
31:38what's coming when this IMG
31:41and the 13th, 14th teams are selected.
31:44But I think it's...
31:46I wonder what Mike Eccles' role is going to be
31:48because I'd like to see him still involved at London.
31:50I think he deserves something there.
31:52But I think it is a massive statement of intent from London.
31:54They are really serious.
31:57It's just now whether the signings come as well
32:00because that squad is a squad
32:01that's just finished 10th in the Championship.
32:03So you can't put that squad in Super League.
32:06So there's got to be massive change along...
32:09to follow the coach.
32:10But I think in terms of the coaching,
32:12Pete's just mentioned,
32:13you've got two coaches who come over from Australia
32:15and they've made a big difference.
32:17That hopefully will be the same for London
32:20and we'll get a strong London finally.
32:22Yeah, that's a massive coup as well.
32:24I mean, I think he's a current P&G head coach.
32:26He's obviously coached in the NRL recently.
32:29Still, I mean, he's been linked with jobs there
32:31very recently.
32:32Pete, do you rate that appointment?
32:36I think he's an excellent appointment.
32:39Yeah, experienced.
32:40Knows the British game.
32:42He obviously played here for a long time
32:44mainly with Wakefield
32:46and he's coached here outside the top flight
32:49with Keith Le Cougars
32:51when he did a really good job
32:52and sort of marked himself out
32:55as a coach to watch
32:56in the worldwide game, really.
33:01He's a good bloke.
33:03He's got solid, experienced people behind him
33:07in Gary Hetherington
33:10who's in charge of the club at the moment.
33:13There's finance coming in to London.
33:15I think there'll be announcements coming
33:18about sponsors
33:19and some quite high-profile backers
33:22for the club.
33:24Obviously,
33:25everyone seems to think
33:27that it's already done and dusted
33:29and they'll be in Super League next year.
33:32I hope they are
33:33because I think
33:34Super League needs a London presence.
33:36But I think
33:37Jason Dimitri is capable
33:39of getting the best out of them
33:41whether he's coaching
33:42in the top flight
33:43or the second tier.
33:45And like you say,
33:46it's a statement of intent.
33:47It's an eye-catching signing.
33:51It'll boost their chances
33:53of bringing some decent NRL
33:56or Aussie-based players over.
33:59And yeah,
33:59I think
34:00if you're a London fan,
34:02it's a time to start getting a bit excited.
34:05Yeah.
34:06We'll find out
34:07whether they're in the Super League
34:08next month
34:09as an announcement due then
34:11once the decision's been made.
34:13But I think
34:13for now that will do us.
34:14Pete and I have got to
34:15go and prepare
34:17for this media event
34:19this afternoon.
34:20As I said before,
34:21we'll have plenty of content
34:22from that media event
34:25and throughout the week
34:25as we build up to the playoffs.
34:27So if I can just
34:28prompt you all again
34:29to like this video
34:30and subscribe to the channel,
34:31that would be much appreciated.
34:33Thanks for watching.
34:40Thanks for joining us.
34:41Please like and share
34:42and we'll see you next week.
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