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00:21Hello and welcome to Offsiders, I'm Abbey Jelmy.
00:24It's a record that hasn't been broken for 57 years
00:27and covers more than a century of rugby league history.
00:31Alex Johnston is the game's greatest ever tri-scorer
00:35and the scenes it sparked at Sydney Football Stadium will long be remembered.
00:40Now Fafita with his best run of the night, out it comes, could it be now?
00:45Mitchell down the sideline, draws his man, Johnston for the corner, Johnston for history, 213!
00:54Alex Johnston has done it!
00:58213 tries, Alex Johnston stands alone as Australian rugby league's greatest tri-scorer
01:06and the fans can't be kept off the field.
01:10To be lifted up on, I think it was Campbell and someone else's shoulders
01:13and just to see everyone there, it was a pretty amazing feeling
01:16and I enjoyed it for about a minute and then I was like, get me out of here.
01:21It was pretty crazy, it was full on like, I honestly was struggling to breathe
01:25and it was so hot in there, there's so many people, so many people, you know, tugging me
01:28and yeah, after about a minute, I was just like, alright, get me back in the sheds
01:32but it was an awesome feeling, that first minute for sure.
01:38What a moment it was, it's a pleasure to have your company
01:40it's also a pleasure to have the company of our panel.
01:42I'm joined by Roy Masters, Bianca Chatfield and Ned Hall
01:45joining us from Sydney as well.
01:47Roy, where does it stand for you in terms of big NRL moments for history?
01:50Oh, it's one of the great moments, but it was one that was relished by the crowd,
01:54by the people, the fans, rather than the authorities,
01:57all of whom, leading up to it, warned that you don't go out on the field,
02:01you get a $5,500 fine, you'd be banned for two years.
02:04They all said it, the Rabideaus, even the coach, the NRL venues, New South Wales,
02:09but they had to surrender to the fans.
02:11The fans knew what was going to happen and they raced out
02:14and so it became one of the great joyful moments in the code.
02:18When the Prime Minister's running out as well,
02:20I think you know you're not going to get a ban, right?
02:22Well, I can't cop the criticism that Anthony Albanese has.
02:26He's been a lifelong Rabideaus supporter.
02:29He walked with them through the streets of Sydney on the 80,000 march
02:32when they kicked out of the competition.
02:33He was on their board.
02:35He was a great supporter of Alex Johnson, the try-scorer.
02:39He was absolutely entitled to walk out once he saw the fans do it.
02:44It was all over.
02:45There was not going to be any fine for him.
02:46And Bianca, it's not a situation that's unique to rugby league, is it?
02:49Of course not.
02:50We saw it in the AFL, Buddy Franklin's amazing feat of the year,
02:531,000 goals that he kicked back in 2022.
02:56And, you know, it was the same story then.
02:58It was really no-one's allowed out on the ground,
03:00but then the moment the emotions just take over and out the crowd comes
03:05and, you know, it gives us such great vision.
03:07But I really did feel for Alex, too,
03:09when he was saying he could hardly breathe after a minute out there.
03:12It would be quite frightening as a player in those moments
03:15where you've got everyone storming the ground.
03:17And you mentioned the Buddy Franklin scenario.
03:18We know that some of the Swans players actually had to exit the SCG
03:21and find their own way back in.
03:22So there's a lot of player safety issues.
03:24But when it comes to it, the fans, we're always going to see this.
03:27And they are rare moments.
03:29And, Ned, you might be in a position where this happens again
03:31if we do see the Tillys win on home soil.
03:33Who knows?
03:34They could be charging in Australia, too.
03:36It'd be great to see with the Tillys actually being able to lift the trophy
03:39and actually the fans getting involved in that.
03:41Although I've got to say, security's pretty tight around the Asian Cup matches.
03:44They're not too lax the AFC officials on allowing people in and around the stadium.
03:50Even for people trying to get autographs and balls from players
03:52at the end of the matches in the career game last night,
03:54there were still officials trying to block the way.
03:56So good to see it for the Asian Cup.
03:58Not sure it'll happen, though.
04:00And, Roy, when do you think we may next see this record broken?
04:05Because, as we mentioned, it stood for over 50 years.
04:07It won't be 50 years, Abbey.
04:10When Tim Irvine set that record, the corner post was part of the field of play.
04:14So you knock the corner post, no try.
04:16Now you see these wonderful acrobatic feats where they put the ball down in the corner.
04:21Even afterwards, Alex Johnson, who was very gracious,
04:25said to Billy Slater, who's the number three on the try scoring list,
04:27you know, you play full-back, you could have scored that try.
04:30It will come, and it'll come from a winger.
04:34And that's simply because the corner post now is no longer part of the field of play.
04:40And we're talking pre-game.
04:41It couldn't have happened to a better guy, right?
04:43Oh, look, he's just a lovely guy.
04:45I mean, the scenes afterwards where he stood there with his young family,
04:50immediately after they were interviewing him, he said,
04:52look, all I want to do is go and hug my family.
04:55He writes children's books.
04:56There was a time in the past when he looked like he was going to get the flick from South
05:00Sydney.
05:01He wrote a pleading letter to them saying that this is, I was born at La Perouse.
05:05This is my family.
05:07Please let me be part of the team, which they related.
05:11And Albanese, again, was part of that decision.
05:13Well, you'd think, given his character,
05:15that Wayne Bennett would have some lovely words to say about the moment, surely?
05:20It was pretty special, was it?
05:22What did it look like from the coach's box seeing that unfold?
05:25No.
05:27What?
05:28I tried it.
05:29All of it?
05:32No.
05:32Pretty disruptive.
05:35Look, he's role-playing.
05:37Yeah, he knows.
05:39But, look, there probably was a little bit of coaching thought in his mind,
05:44insofar as he's got a bit of a flighty team, the Rabideaus.
05:48They were leading the Dolphins last week by a massive number of points and got home 30-20.
05:53So he probably knew that these emotional things are going to distract them from their task,
05:59which was to win the match, and they didn't.
06:00Let's not forget the fact that the Roosters won.
06:05For the sake of journalistic balance,
06:06we probably should show you the lovely things that the supercoach did have to say eventually.
06:10He's as good as players ever coach with regards to his behaviour.
06:13The discipline, commitment to the team, all the things that matter, he's a 10 out of 10.
06:18So the game's blessed that he's broken the record.
06:22First time he's said that.
06:25It'll be the last.
06:27So we got there.
06:28We got there eventually.
06:29But it does beg the question, you know, speaking about how much, of course,
06:32he's put his name up in lights with this record,
06:34and he seems to have outstanding character.
06:36He would be a great choice to be an ambassador when PNG do join the league in 2028.
06:42I think it's lay down Mazzare that he'll join the Chiefs in the New Guinea team.
06:48His ancestry is New Guinea.
06:50He is a member of the Cornwall national team.
06:54They will certainly lay down the welcome mat for him,
06:58and a great role model, a great example for them.
07:01I think it's inevitable that South Sydney will let him go,
07:04and then they'll welcome him back.
07:06Well, that question was put to him in the press conference,
07:08and here's what Alex had to say.
07:10These are conversations that, yeah,
07:12probably I need to have with South and with, you know, PNG,
07:16and that's probably something that's going to happen in the future.
07:18Nothing to really, you know, talk about now.
07:20South will always be there for him.
07:22So if he wants to do something else and come back to South,
07:25that's never going to be a problem.
07:27So definitely one to watch there.
07:29But as you said,
07:29it looks like that there seems to be a few patterns in the water
07:32that it might be happening.
07:33But we will move on,
07:34because the Storms-Dragon match was a genuine arm wrestle, Roy,
07:37and it was the Storm that came out on top.
07:39It was.
07:40Look, the NRL have increased the remit of the six agains,
07:45which is to say repeat sets.
07:47And so the first half was quite a tight affair
07:49until it broke right open by this guy here, Sewer.
07:53He is a Melbourne local junior.
07:55Craig Bellamy's brought him along very, very slowly.
07:58But he's attacking brilliancies without any doubt whatsoever.
08:01And they've just had to improve his defence.
08:04But he scored a hat-trick of tries, as we're seeing here.
08:07A brilliant player to replace Pappenhausen.
08:11When there was the concerns about Ryan Pappenhausen going,
08:13whether the Storm will be as strong this year,
08:15this kid's just waiting in the background there
08:17to burst into the team.
08:18He had limited opportunities last year,
08:20started in the centre on a couple of occasions,
08:22didn't always get that full-backs role.
08:23But he is a real superstar of the game.
08:26And as Roy just said,
08:27scoring three tries and a local product as well,
08:29it just goes to show the Storm production line
08:31just keeps on going.
08:32Well, you speak about things that keep on going.
08:34You've got the Panthers playing well,
08:36the Storm playing well.
08:37But the Broncos, I mean,
08:38they're staring down the barrel of travelling to Melbourne
08:40to take on the Storm.
08:42All of a sudden,
08:42they could be potentially 0-3 to start the season.
08:45What do you think of their start?
08:47Well, they've lost three in a row, actually,
08:49because they lost the World Club Challenge
08:51over there in England to Hulkington Rovers.
08:55Their defence is poor at the present time,
08:58but they'll come back down for a very close tussle
09:03with the Storm.
09:04And as I said before,
09:06these six against where the referee makes a decision
09:09to renew the penalties,
09:11the possession that the team has,
09:13they have a massive impact on the game.
09:15Well, I think Broncos fans as well know
09:17that they can be rocks and diamonds,
09:18particularly rocks, to start the season.
09:20So I don't think they're too concerned,
09:21the fans of the reigning premiers,
09:23but we will wait and see what happens.
09:24We'll move on to the Matildas.
09:26And they're one win away from an Asian Cup final
09:28after Friday's 2-1 win over North Korea.
09:31The win came with a bonus.
09:32The Tillys are now qualified
09:33for the 2027 World Cup in Brazil.
09:36While it wasn't the most polished display,
09:39you'd have to say, Ned,
09:39what stood out for you?
09:41I think the fact that they were clinical
09:42in front of goal,
09:43that's something they've definitely missed
09:44through the other matches in the group stage.
09:47They wasted an awful lot of chances there.
09:49They only really had a couple of shots on target
09:51through this match.
09:52And Alana Kennedy,
09:53who's playing as a defensive midfielder,
09:55is currently the golden boot of the tournament.
09:58She scored five goals
09:59and she was a centre-back at the last World Cup.
10:01But great strike from her.
10:02She's playing with lots of confidence.
10:04And a great finish from Sam Kerr as well.
10:06So if they're taking their chances,
10:07that's a positive.
10:08A few negatives as well,
10:10and that was that they kept giving the ball away
10:12during this match.
10:13It's a very good North Korean side,
10:14but that's what cost them against Korea
10:16in the last group match.
10:17It meant they only drew
10:18and didn't top the group,
10:20had to travel back to Perth.
10:21So that was a frustration from them there.
10:23But they need to be better at holding the ball
10:25because they'll get tested in the semi-final.
10:27And we know, Ned,
10:28they were two very experienced players down.
10:31Hayley Rasso, Steph Catley,
10:33what are you hearing about their availability
10:34for this next game coming up?
10:36Well, we're both around with concussions.
10:37So it's a seven-day stand-down that's mandatory.
10:40Hayley Rasso was actually injured in the group stage game,
10:43and so she's definitely served her seven days.
10:45But she was really shaken up
10:47by the two blows to the head that she had
10:48after coming on as a substitute.
10:50Steph Catley, I think, should be all right.
10:52She went off fairly early on
10:53in the match against Korea.
10:55So they're both available
10:57via the concussion protocols,
10:58but I think Australia needs them to come back in.
11:00They could do with Catley's experience at the back,
11:02and I think even another attacking option
11:04that Hayley Rasso gives them going forward.
11:05I think we will see them in the squad for Tuesday night.
11:08Now, we next play China,
11:09who are the winningest team in this tournament.
11:11They've had so much success.
11:13What did you make of their win?
11:14Because there were little pieces from there
11:16that could perhaps inspire some confidence
11:18in the Matildas.
11:19I thought they'd blow the Chinese Taipei side away,
11:22and they got dragged into extra time
11:23and made it there in the end
11:24with a couple of good goals.
11:25A good goal late in the match from Xiao,
11:27the big, tall striker.
11:29But, yeah, having to go to extra time
11:30to get past Chinese Taipei,
11:32they missed a penalty in there as well.
11:34Hot afternoon in Perth.
11:35That all is a tick in the column
11:37for the Matildas, I think, against them,
11:38that they were dragged into that extra time
11:40and didn't take their chances in this match.
11:43Ante Menichuk did make eight changes
11:45from the team that had played
11:46in the last group stage game,
11:47so he rotated his squad through,
11:48possibly thinking that he knew
11:50they'd got enough in the tank to beat them
11:51and was targeting that game against Australia.
11:54He knows the Matildas inside out,
11:55so it's going to be a real battle
11:57to get past the defending champions.
11:58What will you see the key in that match-up
12:01between China and Australia for you?
12:02Look, I think China will sit back and defend
12:05because that seems to be the Achilles heel
12:07for the Matildas.
12:08They don't seem to be able to break teams down very well,
12:11and Australia needs to keep the ball better.
12:13They need to be better at holding onto possession
12:15and bring Sam Kerr into the game a lot more.
12:17She had to drop deep a little bit
12:18when they were playing the game against North Korea
12:20to get hold of the ball.
12:21They're not giving her as many chances
12:23and servicing her as well
12:24as she gets with a club team, Chelsea.
12:26Chelsea lay goals on for her all the time,
12:28and they've not managed to do that yet
12:30at this stage for the Matildas in this tournament.
12:32Joe Montemuro almost joking in the press conference,
12:34being like, look, I'm happy to confirm
12:35we are going to try to get Sam Kerr around the ball
12:37as often as possible,
12:38because there's no secret there
12:40that when she fires,
12:41the Tilly seemed to win.
12:42Yeah, absolutely.
12:43And she took the chance brilliantly the other day as well,
12:46and it was often a mistake by the North Koreans,
12:48latched onto that, slammed the ball home.
12:50That's what she can do.
12:51She can get into a game when she's not at her best.
12:53She can still get in there and have a big impact.
12:55And we're so looking forward to seeing the Tilly's
12:57and what they can make of this charge
12:58against such a difficult team in China.
13:00But one of the toughest parts of this tournament
13:02has been watching the Iranian women's football team
13:04deal with the fallout from the war at home.
13:07Initially, seven team members sought asylum in Australia,
13:10but the government now says four of those seven
13:12have decided to return to Iran.
13:15The rest of the team is on their way back home,
13:17and just what will happen to them once they arrive
13:20is a real concern for all involved.
13:22Now, Ned, there's so many questions about this
13:24and so many things we simply don't know,
13:26but do you think the Australian government
13:28have handled this the right way?
13:31It's a really tricky one,
13:32because to try and intervene
13:34with what was happening with the Iranian team,
13:36and I'm sure there are a lot of discussions
13:37taking place behind the scenes
13:39that we've not been party to,
13:41and certainly within the dressing room
13:43of the Iranian women's team,
13:44whether they wanted to go back
13:45and whether they wanted to stay.
13:46But they haven't had direct access to the Iranians.
13:49They've been kept off limits for an awful lot of time.
13:51The fact that seven players initially decided to stay
13:54was almost surprising,
13:55whereas the rest had already made that decision to go home.
13:58The fact that more have decided to go back now
14:00shows these discussions have obviously been happening a lot
14:02within, I'd have thought,
14:04the dressing room and within the team
14:05to decide whether they'll be safe going back.
14:07But it's a really difficult situation,
14:09so three players only have chosen to stay in Australia
14:12from all the turmoil that's been going on behind the scenes.
14:14Ned, what do you think of the Tony Burke
14:16being photographed with the Iranian players,
14:19some of whom have now gone back to their home country?
14:23Surely that they are compromised
14:26by standing with a senior minister of a country
14:30that's significantly in support of Israel and US
14:34in their bombing of their own country.
14:36Yeah, I think a lot of stuff had to have been done
14:38behind the scenes, and that was a better look,
14:40was to keep it almost behind closed doors.
14:42So the fact that they were posting pictures
14:43in a sort of celebratory fashion,
14:46the fact that they were choosing to stay in Australia
14:47was a little surprising.
14:49And obviously now,
14:50several of those players have decided to go back.
14:52So how that's received back home, we're not sure.
14:54Obviously, it was seen as an act of treachery.
14:56They didn't sing the national anthem
14:57in the opening match of the tournament.
14:59So I'm sure that won't be well received at all
15:01when they go back.
15:02But this is one of the really difficult situations
15:04that faces these global sports.
15:06The men's team had qualified for the World Cup
15:08to be played later on this year as well.
15:09It looks unlikely that they'll go and play back there.
15:12But they're always in this difficult situation.
15:14And we don't hear a lot said from the AFC
15:16or from FIFA on these matters as well.
15:18They've been pretty silent
15:19throughout the whole of this situation.
15:21Well, surely you wouldn't expect too much from FIFA
15:23when they have awarded the International Peace Prize
15:26to the President, Donald Trump.
15:28I mean, surely that's going to compromise.
15:31And in fact, it's going to compromise
15:33the 2020 Sticks World Cup,
15:36surely that begins in June in the United States.
15:39Well, FIFA always make a big play
15:40of keeping politics out of football,
15:42but obviously handing over that very well-respected,
15:44well-revered and recently invented prize
15:47certainly seems to be a little bit political.
15:50I genuinely think a lot of that was done
15:51to assuage Donald Trump
15:53and to let FIFA keep control of the tournament
15:55rather than have him going in there
15:57and saying, I don't like Seattle.
15:58We'll take the games away from Seattle
16:00or this country, these players aren't allowed in.
16:02There's a lot of players who've qualified
16:04for the World Cup, a lot of countries
16:05who probably are on the banned list
16:07of nations that aren't getting visas
16:09to go to the US.
16:10So to try and smooth that process out,
16:12there's a lot of water to flow under the bridge
16:14between now and the start of the tournament in June.
16:16Well, Bianca, we just spoke about presidents
16:18and ministers, but really at the core of this
16:20is the human side of this story,
16:22of a team of women that came to represent their country
16:25that were put in an impossible situation.
16:27It's just unimaginable to even be in that situation
16:30and it's really hard, I think, for all of us
16:32to judge whether they've made the right or wrong decision
16:35by going back to Iran or staying here
16:38and so many complexities to take in.
16:41And, you know, I just really feel for them
16:43that they're even in this position.
16:44But the fact that, you know,
16:45the conversations they had with Australian officials
16:48happened at the airport in customs
16:50when it was the only time they could have one-on-one conversations,
16:53I mean, that's isolating in itself
16:54that they couldn't talk to their teammates about it
16:56and, you know, let alone family and friends back home.
16:59So, you know, my heart just goes out to those players
17:01for the situation that they're in
17:03and, you know, it's just a really, really tough one.
17:06Yeah, I think we all echo those sentiments
17:07and also just hope for their safety for all involved
17:10because that's paramount, of course,
17:11because sport's one thing,
17:13but at the end of the day, there's the human side
17:14and we just hope that they're safe.
17:16But we will move on now to the AFL
17:18and the Swans have continued their perfect start to the season
17:21with an emphatic 44-point win over the Lions.
17:24Now, Sydney kicked the first seven goals
17:26against the depleted reigning Premiers,
17:29but there was a few concerns for the Swans with injuries, Bianca.
17:32Yeah, it was.
17:32I mean, it was a great start from the Swans
17:34and haven't they kicked off season 20-26 in style?
17:37But, I mean, Errol Goulding, his shoulder,
17:41that looks like a major concern.
17:42Dean Cox said he didn't really know yet
17:44what the prognosis will be on that one.
17:47And, of course, Isaac Heaney, like, so dominant.
17:49He came off with what looked like just hamstring awareness by the end
17:54and I think they'd be glad that they pulled it up at that point
17:56before it probably became something more serious.
17:58But he'll be also assessed and hopefully that's not too bad.
18:01But, yeah, the Swans are up and about
18:03and the reigning Premiers, not a great way to start this season.
18:06I mean, they were missing a lot of stars through suspension
18:08and then also there was an injury too,
18:10so there was a few missing, so...
18:12It's 17.
18:1317 is an amazing number of players to be missing
18:16at only, what, the second round of the competition.
18:18Yeah.
18:19Well, it is a big question, but I also look at that and go,
18:22if you've got Armadi kicking five
18:24and you've added Charlie Curnow to your list,
18:25all of a sudden you start looking at the Swans and going,
18:28gee, maybe, maybe this is the year they make the tilt,
18:30get to the final and they might win it.
18:32Yep, and teams, you know what?
18:33They'll be pretty happy they're taking on Brisbane right now
18:35in the early rounds when they are so depleted as well.
18:39Well, we will have a look though,
18:40because Adelaide had a rare and valuable win
18:42over the Pies at the MCG,
18:44holding off a trademark Collingwood fight back
18:46to win by 14 points and put their dismal finals run,
18:50it has to be said, behind them.
18:51But, Bianca, this is such an unlikely rivalry,
18:53but it's really been built in modern times.
18:55Oh, and it's, yeah, so fiery.
18:57But, you know, one thing that Adelaide Crows
18:59have said they've been focusing on in the off-season
19:01is around they haven't beaten the Pies at the G since 2014.
19:05So, I think that's been a huge thing
19:07that they've had to deal with, you know,
19:09that kind of mental load.
19:10So, Bianca, come over here, put on such a strong performance.
19:13They're outstanding, especially around the stoppages.
19:16You know, Craig McRae described the Magpies last night
19:19as pretty average.
19:20Yeah.
19:20And I think the Pies are really going to find it hard
19:23how they're going to score enough goals
19:25to keep up with some of these teams,
19:26because not having a big forward up front,
19:29it's going to be a lot of pressure on the likes of Jamie Elliott
19:31to try and score as many goals without my check there as well.
19:34And a wonderful fight-back win from Geelong as well.
19:36We're seeing such a strong start
19:38and so many high-scoring games as well, Ned.
19:40Yeah, absolutely.
19:41And the early stages, it's always hard to get a form line
19:44through how the teams are actually going in this competition.
19:46But, you know, high hopes for the likes of Fremant.
19:48A lot of people were talking them up to have a good season,
19:50yet they go down there and lose it closer on against Geelong.
19:53And the same for Adelaide,
19:54to bounce back and travel over to the MCG,
19:56where they haven't had as much success in recent times,
19:59after the disappointing end to last season that they had.
20:02Genuine premiership contenders.
20:03I think it's a really interesting start to the season in the AFL.
20:06And I thought it was interesting with Justin Longmuir
20:08talking about after Frio's loss,
20:10that it's unfair about opening round, round zero,
20:13teams that get to play in round zero
20:15and then now they're in their second round.
20:17There's an unfair advantage to those teams.
20:19But I think Adelaide just proved the point
20:21that they didn't play last week
20:22and here they go out and beat the Magpies
20:24who were on their second game.
20:25So, you know what, maybe that's just bad luck for Frio.
20:28I think it's just the way it's...
20:29And honestly, AFL House would be so happy
20:31with how opening round went
20:32with the teams in the North performing so well.
20:34I don't think it's going anywhere anytime soon.
20:36But interesting, he didn't give the excuse.
20:38He just said to the journo,
20:40well, what do you think?
20:40Do you think it's an advantage or not?
20:42But we will move on
20:43because the world's best netballers
20:44kicked off the super netball season
20:46and the Thunderbirds had a record-breaking 20-goal win
20:50over the Swifts in Adelaide.
20:51Now, there were some of the stars
20:53that were rested towards the end of the game,
20:54but that didn't matter.
20:55They posted their highest ever total
20:57of 74 goals, Bianca.
20:59So this is...
21:00There's a statement
21:01and then there's whatever this was.
21:03And look, I'm meant to be an expert
21:04and to me, I thought the Thunderbirds
21:06were going to have a bit of a slow start,
21:08wait for their new recruits
21:09to really find their feet in super netball.
21:11But their South African shooter,
21:13Elmaray Vandenberg, was phenomenal.
21:15She shot 59 goals.
21:17Which is sometimes a whole team's total.
21:19Exactly.
21:20It's, you know,
21:20Janil Fowler-Nemard numbers,
21:22who's always been the superstar in super netball.
21:25She was unstoppable.
21:26And then Kate Heffernan,
21:27their New Zealand import,
21:28has slotted into their already incredible defensive end.
21:31So the Thunderbirds already looking like
21:33they're going to be very, very hard to stop.
21:35So we don't want to be talking too early in the season
21:37and everyone gets gun-shy of going,
21:39these have to be the favourites.
21:40But they have to be the favourites, right?
21:42Well, we're yet to see Vixens,
21:44the reigning premiers, play.
21:45Yet they play today against the Firebirds.
21:46But, I mean, the Thunderbirds will definitely go up there
21:48as one of the top.
21:49And, you know, it's hard to find a weakness.
21:51Hopefully, you know,
21:52injury is not what comes into the game for them.
21:55And why are we seeing more imports,
21:56particularly of this calibre, in the league?
21:58Well, it is the best league in the world.
22:00So if you are a player overseas,
22:02you want to be a part of it
22:03and you want to be able to kind of put on a show out here.
22:05And for those internationals
22:07and the countries that probably aren't up
22:09the higher end of the rankings,
22:11when it comes to world rankings,
22:13they were helping develop those players as well.
22:16So they're only getting better and better
22:17when it comes to World Cups.
22:18Bianca, I'm sure that your sport,
22:21your National League,
22:22would love to be compared with the English Premier League,
22:24certainly in terms of broadcasting contracts.
22:27Yes.
22:28But there is a similarity in the sense
22:30that you're allowing all the Kiwis in.
22:33I think 10% of the players are Kiwis.
22:36So it's a similar situation
22:38to what's happening over there
22:39with the English Premier League,
22:40where they bring all the stars in
22:42from all over the countries of the world.
22:44They train them up to be the best players in the world.
22:46They go back and play for their own countries at World Cup.
22:50Yet the host nation, England,
22:51hasn't won anything since 1966.
22:53Are you going to go the same way?
22:55Well, I mean, the difference here
22:57is the Diamonds are still winning.
22:58But I think it's a good point.
23:00I think we've got to be mindful of that.
23:02But I think Netball's position now
23:04and what they're doing,
23:05we need to have the best competition in the world.
23:07And controversially,
23:09I actually don't mind all the imports being out here.
23:11We just have to work on the league below here in Australia
23:14and make sure that is firing
23:15and gets plenty of opportunity
23:16to create, you know, future Diamonds.
23:19And of course, bring in all that EPL money.
23:21Thanks.
23:22We'll take that.
23:23So EPL money,
23:24but we're not worried about sharing IP just yet.
23:26I think that's where we landed.
23:27But we will touch on the other game
23:28because the Mavericks also made a statement
23:30in their opening match,
23:31seeing off the Giants 61 to 52.
23:33But the scoreline doesn't reflect
23:35what we actually saw in this match.
23:36It was more of an arm wrestle.
23:37Yeah, it was.
23:38And it was actually really chaotic.
23:39A typical round one game
23:41where errors everywhere,
23:42balls flying everywhere.
23:44But the Mavericks,
23:45they just seemed a much happier team this year.
23:47They've made some great off-season recruits.
23:50Jamie Lee Price right there.
23:51She is in phenomenal form
23:53and she's really going to be the linchpin for that team.
23:55So it was good to see them start off their campaign.
23:58It was first round one win for them as well
24:00since they've come into the competition.
24:02So good start.
24:03We just mentioned just how dominant the league is.
24:05It's daylight to the next domestic competition
24:08we see in netball.
24:10Such an important year in terms of the broadcast rights
24:12that puts netball in a really bizarre situation
24:15that isn't bizarre to netball
24:16but would be strange for other leagues
24:17where every player is out of contract
24:19at the end of the season.
24:20That's right.
24:21So, you know, there's a lot of anticipation
24:23around what the next broadcast deal will look like
24:25because that's the reality.
24:27Every single player can't be contracted for next year
24:30because no one knows what the terms and conditions
24:32are going to look like yet.
24:33So, you know, I'm sure there is a lot of pressure
24:35on Netball Australia to get that deal done.
24:38I know we're hearing that it's not too far away
24:41because, you know, you can imagine if you're a player
24:43even coaches trying to figure out
24:44what their team might look like next year
24:46there's no real pre-planning being able to go into that yet.
24:49And unfortunately for netball
24:50it's not an uncommon position they've been in
24:52but hopefully we start to get that proactively sorted out
24:56sooner rather than later.
24:57I'm waiting for what I call the Whoopi effect.
24:58If it can get Whoopi Goldberg going
25:00it needs to be on her women's sports network.
25:02Surely, surely the money's got to roll in
25:04but we will move on
25:04because the Zac Lomax saga
25:06has dominated headlines in rugby league circles this summer
25:09after he decided to join the new Rugby 360 Roadshow
25:13only to watch it collapse under him.
25:15We had news this week
25:16that the former St George and Parramatta winger
25:18has signed with the Western Force
25:20and he had just a little backhand for rugby league
25:22on the way out.
25:24The reality is that rugby is a truly global sport
25:29it's played in more than 100 different countries
25:30and I guess from my point of view
25:34that's something that absolutely attracts me as a player.
25:37Roy, any counter-attacks to not being truly global?
25:40Well, I think the boy from tomorrow
25:41I think those words might have been put in its head
25:43by his management team
25:45which have been pushing him to go to R360.
25:49The fact of the matter is that
25:54all the interest now in Rugby Union
25:56is focused pretty much on which rugby league stars
25:59are going to play for them in the World Cup next year
26:02and he will certainly be a big candidate
26:05as will Carter-Gordon
26:07who played for the Rebels
26:09went to the Titans
26:10and now back with the Reds
26:11and he scored two tries there.
26:14Well, you mentioned that.
26:14It was a terrific super rugby match
26:17between the Reds and the Tars
26:18in Brisbane last night
26:19with Isaac Henry
26:20and as you mentioned Carter-Gordon
26:21leading the Reds with a 26-17 win.
26:24The Tars had a late try disallowed
26:26and Gordon took advantage.
26:27So as you mentioned
26:28these are the sort of names
26:29that people are putting up in lights
26:31because they're stealing the rugby league glow
26:33as you say.
26:34Well, rugby league will probably supply
26:36about four or five for the World Cup
26:38and you can understand the players
26:39wanting to play
26:40in front of such a big tournament
26:41in their home country.
26:44But, yeah, I've got to accept
26:45the fact that Rugby Union
26:47is a more international game
26:48than Rugby League
26:49but, you know...
26:50That's a generous concession
26:51from you, Roy.
26:52We're taking over the Pacific.
26:53Yeah, there you go.
26:54There you go.
26:54Now we will touch on the NBL
26:56because we're heading
26:56to a Game 3 decider
26:58between South East Melbourne
26:59and the 36ers.
27:00Nathan Sobey
27:01just shot the lights out.
27:03He posted a career-high 41
27:05against his former side
27:06to help the Phoenix
27:07to a series-levelling
27:09nine-point winning Game 2.
27:10They even managed
27:11to minimise the impact
27:12of Bryce Cotton
27:13which is saying something.
27:14The victor will take on
27:15the Sydney Kings
27:16who beat the Wildcats
27:17in the West,
27:18one of the hardest road trips
27:19in the league
27:19to secure their place
27:20in the Championship Series.
27:22So the stage is almost set
27:23but we know that's going to be
27:24an explosive Game 3.
27:27Now it's time for observations
27:28and, Neb, we'll start with you.
27:30Look, I'd love to touch
27:31on the Paralympics.
27:32He's coming to a conclusion there.
27:33Australia's picked up
27:34two medals at the Games
27:35in Milan-Cortina so far.
27:37Ben Tudhope's picked up
27:38both of them.
27:39He got the silver
27:39there in the Snowball Cross
27:40after dislocating his shoulder
27:42in the early stages
27:43of that competition
27:44and then in the banked slalom
27:46he's picked up the bronze medal
27:47which shocked him
27:48because his last four years
27:50have not been great
27:50in that competition.
27:51I think he's been ranked
27:52about nine in the world.
27:53Finds himself on the podium
27:54with a bronze medal
27:54so fantastic for him
27:56and he won the only medal
27:57at the last Games
27:58in Beijing as well.
27:59And he may be
27:59one of the most delightful
28:00athletes in the country.
28:01He's just the best, Ben
28:02so we wish him all the best.
28:03Over to you, Bianca.
28:04Well, I think we're still
28:05all recovering
28:06what happened last weekend
28:07at the Melbourne Grand Prix
28:08with Oscar Piastri.
28:10The fact that, you know,
28:11he didn't even make it
28:12onto the grid
28:13I think is still shocking
28:14all of us
28:15with this accident
28:16that happened.
28:16It's too soon to show it.
28:17Too soon.
28:18There's so much they need
28:19to sort out, I think,
28:20with those cars.
28:20But good news is
28:21he's qualified
28:22fifth fastest
28:23in the Chinese GP
28:25which will happen today.
28:26So all the best to Oscar.
28:29Hopefully a good start
28:30now for the season.
28:31And there has been
28:31breaking news overnight
28:32in that Bahrain
28:33and Saudi Arabia,
28:34the Grand Prix,
28:35have officially been called off
28:36because of the conflict
28:37that we are seeing
28:38in the Middle East.
28:39And as we spoke earlier
28:40about with football,
28:41it's not just football
28:42being impacted.
28:43It's going to be worldwide.
28:44So it's going to be
28:45really interesting
28:45to see who that gap
28:47in competition favours
28:48and who it doesn't.
28:49But Roy, over to you.
28:50I went to the ice hockey
28:51on Friday night,
28:53Australia versus New Zealand.
28:54A very entertaining match.
28:57This brings me
28:58to talk about Jeff Henke.
28:59You went to the ice hockey.
29:01Indeed.
29:01And Jeff at the ice house,
29:03good tucker too.
29:04And Jeff Henke
29:05is the father of winter sport.
29:07He actually was selected
29:09in a team,
29:10Australian team,
29:11to go to the Winter Olympics
29:13in 1956.
29:14But the AOC barred the team
29:17from going,
29:17didn't think they were
29:18competitive enough.
29:19That has not stopped him
29:20from devoting the rest
29:21of his life
29:22to try and send
29:23these wonderful
29:24winter athletes overseas.
29:26He is perhaps behind
29:28that success more than anybody.
29:29And he is the...
29:30He's 98.
29:32Stop.
29:33And can stand there
29:34and have four beers
29:34with me
29:35and look unaffected.
29:38If you can keep up
29:39with your Roy,
29:40he's going OK.
29:40Next time you come
29:41to the ice hockey,
29:41I'm inviting myself.
29:42I'd love to come.
29:43Team, thank you so much
29:44for your time.
29:45We really appreciate it.
29:46That's all we have time
29:47for today.
29:47We'll leave you with more
29:49of those extraordinary scenes
29:50from Alex Johnson's
29:51tri-scoring record.
29:52Thanks for watching.
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