Forster-Tuncurry's Robbie Payne this week's On The Bench guest, He told this week's On The Bench segment that he's pleased he didn't have to pull on the boots again.
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00:00Good afternoon and welcome to On The Bench for this week.
00:05Our special guest is Robbie Payne, the foster Toncurry coach, Robbie's second appearance
00:08for the year.
00:09Robbie, thanks for coming in again, mate.
00:10No problem.
00:11And, of course, Gary Bridge.
00:12We were actually going to be in Port Macquarie today, we had a slight change of plans, but
00:16it's worked out to be better.
00:18But so, On The Bench, of course, sponsored by Classic Design Jewels, is back in the Tenure
00:22Bridge studio.
00:25Manning Hotel Player of the Week for last week goes to Pat Maloney from the Old Bar
00:29Pirates.
00:30He's had a great year for the Pirates.
00:31He starred in the big win over Maclay Valley.
00:32I remember first seeing him a couple of years ago when they played a trial game against
00:36Byron Vagary and he was very good that day and then he sort of disappeared and came back
00:40on the scene late last year when they lost a couple forwards to Pirates towards the end
00:44of the year with injury and played well in the final series and he's been very good this
00:48year.
00:49He'll go close to the group three most improved player this year, I'd imagine.
00:52Well, that's good.
00:53I mean, sometimes when your player just drops out or we don't hear much of him, they're
00:57sort of gone, aren't they?
00:58Yeah, yeah.
00:59To come back and do what he's doing, yeah, well done and certainly need him as far as
01:05trying to win the competition.
01:06Yeah, I think so.
01:07Anyway, draw this weekend.
01:08Tarry City plays Foster Tunkara at the Jack Neill Oval.
01:09It'll be a slightly earlier start there.
01:10We'll talk about that in a little bit while.
01:11Wingham plays Old Bar at Wingham.
01:12That's a charity day for Can-Assist, also their Ladies' Day.
01:13We'll talk about that in a little while, too.
01:14Then Port City plays Maclay and Warhope plays Port Sharks.
01:15Last game of the season for you, Robbie.
01:16Yeah, it's, you know, it's a big game.
01:1714 rounds, but it's been a long season.
01:18You know, we're kicking off in January with pre-season, no trial form, and we just battled
01:19every week.
01:20Not so much with numbers, but just performance week in, week out.
01:21And every week, if the game went for 60 minutes, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have
01:22a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know,
01:23we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more,
01:24you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot
01:25more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a
01:26lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know,
01:37we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more,
01:45you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have a lot more, you know, we'd have
01:52Got it?
01:55Well actually the balls are a bit the same aren't they?
01:58Well actually the balls are a bit the same aren't they?
02:00Maybe they should make tomorrow's game 60 minutes, it'll be a cracker!
02:02Maybe they should make tomorrow's game 60 minutes, it'll be a cracker!
02:05It has been a long, long season, but we knew it was going to be a long, tough season
02:10And we're in for the grind, and we'll do it all again next year
02:15I suppose it's not confirmed yet, but you off last spot technically on points differential
02:18if you beat the Bulls tomorrow you could jump up to even the sixth spot so I guess
02:23your aim at the start of the season would have been to make the finals but that was
02:25probably always going to be a bridge too far so that respect from where
02:30the club was last year hasn't been a bad year. Yeah look the talk around town is
02:34everyone's still positive sponsors have jumped back on board everyone's still
02:38keen in town like it's still a buzz around. The boys are putting in
02:44effort we're just not getting the result that we need and you know on the back of
02:48last year which we try not to dwell on too much because it's such a new
02:53outfit this season but yeah it is an improvement the crowd attendance has
02:58shown that they still they still turn up in droves. It's yeah it's it's been a
03:05it's been a massive year off the field as well as on the field so you know we're
03:10we're not we're not tickled pink with the final result of the season but to
03:15get the monkey off our back of not being the worst defensive team and not and not
03:20coming last not getting that wooden spoon again they're big factors that you
03:25know they're victories without making the semi-finals and winning the
03:28competition you've got to you've got to you've got to take some positives out of
03:31the season and they're the two positives we'll take. Yeah and because you beat the
03:35Bulls in the that was your first win for the year in the first round pretty
03:39controversial game the Bulls are still smarting about that as Roger Wallace
03:42the President mentioned last week but so it could be a little bit of a
03:48contest there tomorrow? Yeah it'll be it'll be an 80 minute contest. Or 60. Yeah so it's you know it's
04:00gonna be nice weather it's going to be a good day of footy both teams last game
04:03for the season well sorry for for us it's the last game of the year
04:07Tari's still got one so it is important that we try and get the two points
04:11tomorrow to avoid that wooden spoon and not rely on results in the last round so
04:16we again it's up to us. Big game in Reserve row too if your guys have to win
04:21tomorrow then then other results to go their way. Yeah that's um they've
04:27sort of been in the battle for the last couple of weeks on on for and against so
04:34their for and against isn't real real flash but they've been locked up a
04:37couple weeks ago they were sitting equal second but with their for and against they were
04:41sitting you know fifth or sixth so they had a couple of recent losses which
04:45which has sort of hurt them but yeah if they win it doesn't yeah they're a
04:50chance it's a mathematical chance going into that that that washout round in the
04:54in the last round so. I think the Bulls are two points ahead of both the Hawks
04:59and the Pirates but the Pirates by last place wing them tomorrow so I'd assume they'd win that.
05:03If the Bulls win tomorrow you'd think they'd probably do I think. That's it yep.
05:07They're very recent for and against. As I said earlier on a bit of an early start
05:12your under 18s had to pull out of the comp issue last week was it? Yeah
05:15officially it was last week they've had a couple of forfeits throughout the
05:18season just player numbers again at the beginning of the year we we knew we
05:25didn't expect to have an under 18s but Vaughan Doherty he pulled the boys
05:29together and got them from you know some guys had never played rugby league
05:34before and got them to come and play they are they turned up they had a crack
05:38didn't get too many results going their way and on the back of that they've got
05:43a few injuries so player numbers they just without without bringing 16 year
05:49old kids up to play 18s because they've got their own competition they're sort
05:53of to try and win yeah the decision was made just to withdraw for the remainder
05:59of the year and you know that 18s group will be bolstered next year with the
06:04numbers in the 16s coming up and and the younger fellas in that 18 squad being
06:09retained but there's some good kids in that 18s that are putting their hand up
06:13to play reserve grade tomorrow and there could even be a an under 18s fella
06:19making his debut tomorrow yet to be confirmed. We'll wait with bated breath tomorrow.
06:24That means first grade starts a bit earlier up Taree tomorrow at 10 past 2 I think you said?
06:28Yes yep.
06:29Okay yeah. Looking ahead Robbie are you keen to go ahead again in 2025?
06:34Keen? Keen's a hard word. Big word. It's a massive word but look I'm willing to I'd hate to do it for 12
06:46months and walk away from it there is there's signs of improvement right
06:50across the park for the whole club not just first grade squad it's about the
06:55whole club and there are signs of improvement and we want to keep
06:59building on it and and bringing the Hawks back up to you know the proud club
07:03that they have always been for you know a hundred years so I'm definitely going
07:08again as long as the club will have me.
07:10You said you're going to hang to have a bit of a Susan review early next week and then start talking about next year?
07:15Yeah that's right so the rebuild will be on again you know we've got some
07:20we'll be retaining a lot of the first grade squad we've just got to find some
07:24key other players that can play that 20 minute gap that we're missing and score
07:30some points basically.
07:32How are you rearing your halfback or halfback from England?
07:36He's back next season?
07:41Yes he's re-signed sorted his visa out so he's all good to go yeah he brings a
07:50lot of energy in to the team to the club and you know to our supporters
07:54everyone loves him you know he's just a knockabout guy no one can understand him
07:59because he's from the north of England but yeah he's a knockabout guy and
08:03everyone's got a lot of time for the Prince, the Prince Harry.
08:08Who did he play for in England?
08:10He was a Warrington, Warrington Junior.
08:12He had a little stint with Oldham over there.
08:15They might be back in the first division Oldham.
08:23Yeah they're under footed at the moment so they might get promoted.
08:27You've got a young bloke playing out there.
08:29Yeah my oldest son he just plays in the local London comp at the moment.
08:34He played in the elite one in France for a couple of seasons, three or four seasons.
08:39He's got a girlfriend so he lives in London these days.
08:42He's actually in Ireland at the moment representing Great Britain in touch.
08:46How does that work?
08:48I don't know.
08:51Blonde hair, blue eyes with a mullet.
08:53That Australian cyclist that won bronze over there in France, he's going out back to England now.
08:59He was in Aussie.
09:04At least he was born in England.
09:06I'm guessing your son wasn't Robbie.
09:08No he wasn't, no.
09:11Rousell, she represents Queensland.
09:13Yeah that's right.
09:15It's all crazy.
09:17Greg Inglis.
09:21I noticed a couple of prospects this year.
09:23We mentioned Harry Reardon, his mum and dad were out for England last week.
09:26Yeah his mum and sister come out.
09:28They're still here.
09:30Hopefully they'll come to Tarry tomorrow and Harry will put on another performance.
09:35We have noticed a little thing when the West Tigers win, the Hawks win.
09:39On the back of last night.
09:41Possibly an expanded success there.
09:43We'll take it.
09:45Young Will Clifton, he's in his first year of first grade.
09:48He's been pretty good, the games I saw you play.
09:50Yeah he's been really good.
09:52He's been carrying an injury probably at least the last six weeks.
09:56First it was a hip injury from hitting the goal post a bit too hard.
10:00And then he had a lower ankle injury similar to a Sinners-Moses sort of injury.
10:08It's been a week-to-week manage for young Clifton but he's been really good.
10:12Tony's grandson.
10:16Has Tony done anything that was doing anything with the 18s?
10:20No, he pulled back.
10:22Daniel Stolz is actually going to coach the 18s next year as well.
10:29You look at them at training, there's about 20 kids in that 16.
10:34It's a strong squad coming through next year.
10:37It's funny looking at their side there during the week.
10:40There's a few Foster-Toncurry names there that you sort of notice too.
10:46I think the 16s played Port Sharks on Sunday in the final.
10:49The winner plays Ol' Barra in the grand final.
10:51How it works I think.
10:53That was a bit of an upset result there last week.
10:56They got towed up pretty well by the Pirates in the major semi.
10:59I think they played Ol' Barra in the grand final last year.
11:04Keen to watch it because they coached a fair few of these young blokes
11:07in the Andrew Johns Cup this year.
11:09They're a good bunch of kids in that Ol' Barra team and the Foster team.
11:15Where's the major semi at this weekend? North or South?
11:19South? I think it might be Wingham.
11:21I think it's Wingham too.
11:22On Sunday?
11:23On Sunday, yeah.
11:24Noon they kick off, I can tell you that.
11:25The time? Noon?
11:27It might be somewhere I'll be going.
11:29You don't go to Wingham too often.
11:31I've been up there a few times this year.
11:34Beefy Stewart, is he running around again next year?
11:38He keeps saying no, but he'll be two games shy of his 200th first game.
11:43He'll be climbing.
11:45He said he wants to select the two games he plays.
11:50We'll get him for 14 rounds, I'm sure.
11:53After you guys beat the Bulls in the first round,
11:56I think it was your sponsor's day or old boy's day,
12:00I grabbed him and said, Beefy, would you like to come and do on the bench?
12:03Well, I thought he was going to collapse.
12:06No, he said, no, no, I can't talk in front of the camera.
12:09I said, it's not like we're talking now, there's no difference.
12:11No, no, no, no, no.
12:13He's a bit shy than I thought he was.
12:15Yeah, he's very shy, yeah.
12:17And Wingham is tomorrow, Gary.
12:19Can't assist, eh?
12:21Obviously a cause very close to your family's heart.
12:24Yeah, it's good to see.
12:28Wingham very well support our day.
12:32A couple of weeks ago and every year they support it.
12:35It's good they're getting on board now with can't assist
12:37because as we said, it affects a lot of people.
12:39It's a good day and they've got a gala.
12:42They have all that support tomorrow night.
12:44Tomorrow night as well up at Services Club.
12:46Sell out.
12:47Sell out, that's really good to hear and good to see.
12:50And that'll be a cracker of a game tomorrow, won't it?
12:53With old bar.
12:55I'd like to go back.
12:57I'd like to go back and fire it.
12:59But Wingham, they like to be going into some 70s.
13:03They'll be in the 70s, won't they?
13:05Yeah, they'll finish in 50.
13:07You don't want to be going in some losses.
13:09They were pretty unlucky last week too, weren't they?
13:11They got it in 20-12.
13:14They got back to 16-12 at half time.
13:16They got more injuries though.
13:18Fletcher Lewis broke his wrist.
13:20Aaron Groom, he's gone for a year, done his knee.
13:23They've had an unbelievably bad run this year with injuries.
13:25Not Blake's had two and three weeks.
13:27Mitch Collins busted his thumb as usual.
13:31JJ Gibson, the fullback, did the knee.
13:34That's right, yeah, because JJ was in here the other week.
13:39Injuries play a big part in how you travel in the competition.
13:43Particularly around here, yeah.
13:45You haven't got enough numbers anyway, have you?
13:48Two helps to do it.
13:50But a good crowd there tomorrow anyway, so good weather.
13:52It's also ladies' day at Wigan tomorrow.
13:54Craig Martin, the treasurer, tells me that ladies are getting admitted for nothing.
13:56They've got a bit of an area there in their corporate part of their green.
14:00Stand up there, Wigan.
14:02Free drinks.
14:04And free seafood, courtesy of Stone's Oysters.
14:07I guess you could dress up, Gary, and pretend you're a girl.
14:10Don't need to get dressed up.
14:12If you see me play golf, I should be playing off the ladies' teeth.
14:15Have a shave at least.
14:17Robbie, you threatened at the start of this season to have a run.
14:21Have you managed to stay away?
14:23I've managed to stay away.
14:28It was actually June 29 I got the transfer to play.
14:32Just to make sure we had enough numbers in our reserve grade stocks.
14:39Earlier on this week, there was a bit of pressure for me to play the last game.
14:43And earlier this week I tried to look for my old mouth guard and I couldn't find it, unfortunately.
14:48Your wife might have hidden it.
14:50And some advice from my doctor.
14:52Don't be so stupid.
14:57That's not so much advice as a directive.
14:59It's pretty much a directive.
15:01A good mate of ours, Aaron Bailey, plays for Albarra Reserve Grade.
15:06He keeps telling me he's finished his last game.
15:09He played the other week and now he's got two broken ribs.
15:12And he's a physiotherapist.
15:14He's a physiotherapist.
15:16Good choice.
15:19The last couple of weeks I've had scans on my shoulder.
15:22I'm petrified of doing Achilles.
15:24So I'll just stay happily retired.
15:26When was the last time you had that game?
15:28It was just before COVID.
15:302020.
15:32It wasn't that long ago.
15:34I was 41 when I finished.
15:37I thought 30 was old enough for me.
15:39You're at the beginning of your career now.
15:41At half back.
15:45I got to play first grade with two of my sons.
15:48Down in Group 6.
15:50Jack, the oldest fellow, was in a Grand Final.
15:53He was only 17.
15:55We got flogged in the Grand Final.
15:57But it was a good experience.
15:59I was hanging around to try and play with the youngest son.
16:01And COVID kicked in.
16:05We didn't get the trifecta.
16:07You did a lot of coaching in that Group 6 area, didn't you?
16:09I did, yeah.
16:11I have retired a few times and come back to it.
16:16I played in Mittagong and coached the under-18s down there.
16:18And then Mossfield had a bit of a resurgence.
16:20They'd been out of the comp for a couple of years.
16:22First grade competition for a couple of years.
16:24So I took over as head coach.
16:26And that quickly became captain coach.
16:28And I got a few boys that I'd played country with.
16:30Down at Worilla in Group 7.
16:32And we had a good time.
16:34It was a good time.
16:36It was a good time.
16:38It was a good time.
16:40It was a good time.
16:42It was a good time.
16:44It was a good time.
16:46It was a good time.
16:48It was a good time.
16:50It was a good time.
16:52It was a good time.
16:54It was a good time.
16:56It was a good time.
16:58It was a good time.
17:00It was a good time.
17:02It was a good time.
17:04It was a good time.
17:06It was a good time.
17:08It was a good time.
17:10It was a good time.
17:13It was a good time.
17:15I had the opportunity to go and play with young kids that I'd coached.
17:17I had the opportunity to go and play with young kids that I'd coached.
17:19I had the opportunity to go and play with young kids that I'd coached.
17:21Seven under eights, under nines.
17:23So it was a good experience for me.
17:25I got a lot out of it.
17:27Thank God for COVID.
17:29Thank God for COVID.
17:31A lot of NRL players have finished with the NRL.
17:33A lot of NRL players have finished with the NRL.
17:35They go to Group 6, don't they?
17:37Group 6 is very strong, isn't it?
17:39It is now.
17:41Players don't really have to travel that far.
17:43Players don't really have to travel that far.
17:45They pick up some good money playing in Group 6.
17:47There's a lot of Sydney money in Group 6 now.
17:49There's a lot of Sydney money in Group 6 now.
17:51Every team has got a swag of ex-NRL players.
17:53Every team has got a swag of ex-NRL players.
17:55I know my middle son.
17:57I know my middle son.
17:59He's running around with the Oaks.
18:01He had Greg Eastwood chasing him, trying to kill him last week.
18:03Brad Tangerangy was in that team.
18:05Brad Tangerangy was in that team.
18:07They played last week.
18:10Probably the likely Claitance Cup winners for this year
18:12We'll come out of Group 6.
18:14Camden, they're still undefeated.
18:16Camden, they're still undefeated.
18:18They'll be in the qualifier next week.
18:20They'll be in the qualifier next week.
18:22A bit of an association with Camden and Rams back in the 80s.
18:24A bit of an association with Camden and Rams back in the 80s.
18:29That funny, I was talking to a bloke over in Vegas last Sunday.
18:31That funny, I was talking to a bloke over in Vegas last Sunday.
18:37He was from that area, and the money I was talking about, he said, gets floated around the world.
18:39around, it was almost astounding, it was unbelievable money, you could live on it.
18:45Yeah, you definitely could, and the Illawarra, it's a step above, money wise, it's a step
18:51above Group 6, so there's a lot of money, I remember money in the Illawarra years ago,
18:5620 years ago, it was significant sort of money, how they sustain it, I really don't know,
19:03but you know they also, the clubs that can't sustain that sort of money, there's opportunities
19:09for employment, working in the mines or something like that, so you've got young fellas that
19:13can pick up a job earning 100 to 120 grand a year, and a bit of cash on the side playing
19:18footy, so it's a good competition, it's quite healthy down there, but like everywhere, everyone's
19:28struggling for quality refereeing and stuff like that, and down Group 6 is no different,
19:33even though it's Sydney Metro.
19:35I was going to say, the difference between coaching down there where you've got a vast
19:39resource to get players, whereas here you've got to try and get them in and then also get
19:44them jobs.
19:45Yeah, and that was the challenge of Mossvale, so Mossvale is the furthest south, they're
19:52non-existent now, they're the furthest south of Group 16, so it's an hour from Goulburn,
20:00an hour from Wollongong, an hour from Camel Town, so you're quite isolated,
20:06relying on your local players to stick with the Mossvale club, so Ray Stone for the Dolphins,
20:13he's a Mossvale junior, and he's probably the only one that I can remember that sort
20:20of stuck solid to Mossvale and didn't defect over the hill to Mittagong, so it's a tough
20:29gig when you're isolated, and I suppose there's a lot of similarities with the Hawks, we're
20:33quite isolated, but it's a nice part of the world to live in, so it's an easy get when
20:40you're trying to persuade a bloke from Coonabarabran or England.
20:44I noticed you're advertising the players on your Facebook page, you've got a nice
20:47battle there in the area, you're a bit of a Coonabarabran I'd imagine.
20:51So what areas do you think the Hawks have to work, what positions will you be looking
20:55to strengthen for next year?
20:56I'd say to strengthen our outside backs, so obviously with Beefy Stewart retiring,
21:04semi-retiring, we need another quality half that can steer the team around,
21:11we need some point scorers, yeah we need some point scorers,
21:17you know, Jakey Bolt, I don't know how long Jakey Bolt's going to play for moving forward,
21:22but he carries, all season he's carried a few injuries.
21:27Wingers have been our problem area this year with injuries, injuries to our outside backs,
21:33like broken bones and knocks in ankles and stuff, so it's our outside backs, our forwards
21:40are quite good, they're quite dominant, they're quite mobile, they can play decent minutes.
21:46So a couple of more forwards would be good just to keep our bench rotation, because we
21:49do have a couple of older blokes in our forward pack.
21:53Yeah, anyone and everyone we'll take.
21:56OK, because Ol' Barr's big win over Macleay's Valley last week, that
22:02doesn't actually ensure them the minor premiership, it puts them pretty well placed on points
22:06differential, they've got a couple, they've got Wingham tomorrow and finish with Warwick,
22:09that Warwick won't be easy, but do you think they'll finish minor premiers now?
22:13They're pretty well positioned to win it, do you think Robbie?
22:16I think the top three, it's going to be who turns up on the day, I still believe Macleay
22:25Valley are an extremely dangerous team, they can score points at the drop of a hat, they've
22:31got a half that steers them around unbelievably well, he looks like an NRL quality player.
22:38Ol' Barr, we may have got him on slow days, and we did play him a couple of weeks ago
22:44and they were missing quite a few players, and that's the day that Jordan, when the game
22:51started he was still in his club polo shirt, not long after he was on the field, so that
22:57showed their injury depth, but they didn't really give us too much grief that day, and
23:04that's not taking anything away from them, because look what they did last week.
23:08Port Sharks are a very clinical team, they do the job, everyone knows their job,
23:13they seem to be quite fit in their forward pack, quite mobile, so the top three, I think
23:20they'll battle it out, if anyone gets Warhope at Warhope, that's a rough day up there, Warhope's
23:27travelling quite well as well, so you've just got to prepare and you've got to turn up on the day
23:32and be prepared to play semi-final football for 80 minutes.
23:35Yeah, I think it was interesting, apparently a fortnight ago McClay played Port Sharks,
23:42and apparently it was a brutal game, it was just a tough game of footy, and well,
23:46McClay played at home last week in Sol Barr and got towelled up, and the Sharks struggled
23:50for a long time to beat Wigan there last weekend, they were obviously feeling the effects too,
23:56so those early semi-final games are going to be pretty physical, they could tell that could play
24:02a big role in how it all washes up, and Old Barr with a week off, if they win the minor
24:07premiership, a week off is going to put you in pretty good shape, particularly if they win the
24:11major semi-final and have another week off, but that major semi-final is going to be probably
24:16even more important than ever this year, I think, for that, not only the grand final,
24:19but getting that week off, because I think it's going to be pretty tough games in the semi-final
24:23season, semi-final series this year. But Gary, of course, the race day Monday,
24:29haven't mentioned that yet, Christie Lee Bridge Cup?
24:31Yes, the Torrey Race Club's come on board, and it's great to see Damien
24:37for that, for coming and seeing us, they did it last year, but this year they've done it again,
24:42and in a bigger way this year, with the sponsorship for all the races, all going to
24:48the sponsorship money, all going to the Can Assist, and the gates will open at about 12,
24:5312.30, and the first race is at 1.55, so get out there and support the Torrey Race Club,
25:03and also Can Assist, and it's great that they're coming on board with another
25:08Christie Lee Bridge Cup, so great to see, thank you very much for the Torrey Race Club,
25:13and we'll see you all there on Monday.
25:15What time's the Cup, any idea?
25:17It's going to be around about 4.30, which is good, so nothing else to do on a Monday afternoon,
25:26it's pretty quiet sometimes, so it's great to see.
25:30And Mel Dury from Group 3 has asked me to also mention the clubs about the Group 3
25:34Hall of Fame night coming up a bit later this year, for any club that wants to nominate someone
25:38for that, for the Group 3 Hall of Fame, which you're a member of, Richie?
25:41Yes, speaking about the Hall of Fame, wasn't it great to see Ronnie Coote?
25:45Funny you said that, didn't mention next year.
25:47Immortal, you know, he's done it, not only in his playing days, but he got the men of league
25:55off and running, and it's been a long time, well he should have been inducted years ago,
26:00but it's great to see.
26:01Should have been the second wave on.
26:02Yeah, yeah, exactly mate, and it's great to see that, and just the emotion come from everyone
26:07on, you said earlier on Wednesday night, everyone loved it and thought it was great,
26:14and yeah, well done.
26:15That's good, those nominees though, you played against a few of them didn't you,
26:18Brett Kinney and...
26:18Yeah, but they were the, that early 80s, it'll be 80s, they had some really good
26:25footballers there amongst them, and I played with Benny Elias who...
26:27Yeah, of course, yeah.
26:28It's great to see Benny doing it, there's probably a lot more from the Tigers that I
26:32reckon should probably be in the...
26:34Well, it's certainly the Hall of Fame.
26:36Yeah, yeah, yeah.
26:37Oh, Paul Seren and probably should be there.
26:38Yeah, they're two there, he was here for the charity day, so yeah, so it's really good,
26:44and you know, the support they got, it was busy wasn't it, it was big, big night.
26:48Yeah, yeah, yeah, of course you played against Wally Lewis, he's an immortal.
26:51Yeah, remember scoring three tries against Wally?
26:56Bring it back.
26:57Yeah, and wasn't he playing lock?
26:59Yeah, well I still remember, he'd come out of lock and I went past him.
27:03Yeah, yeah, you should be an immortal.
27:08No, no.
27:09That's...
27:11Okay, Rob, thanks for coming in mate, second time this year, I won't be back next year,
27:15but if there's a... on the bench, I'm sure they'll get you back on next season,
27:18and happy to have a good end to the season, and congratulations for what you've achieved
27:23this year.
27:23Now, I said last week we're going to Port Macquarie this week, but that didn't quite
27:27pan out, but we're definitely there next week, we'll be talking to the Group 3 president,
27:32Geoff Kelly, with Marty Board from the Port News, and of course we start the semi-final
27:36series, so I'll probably have to go to Port once or twice to be in there as well, but
27:38anyway, it's okay, it's in the future.
27:40Mate, I'll say good luck tomorrow, great weekend apparently, good for the footy tomorrow,
27:43and also the men in the Mid North Coast Premier League Hockey Grand Finals on tomorrow at
27:48Taroo, if anyone wants to watch a bit of hockey.
27:52Tigers from Taroo play Camden-Avon and the Women at 2, 2.30, and 4 o'clock,
27:56Sharks from Taroo plays Camden-Avon again, so it's always a good day at the hockey as
28:03well, so you can go to footy, watch the Hawks and the Bulls go, and then stride the hockey,
28:09what an afternoon, and then go to the Women that night for the Charity Bull.
28:13What a weekend, what a night, what a day.
28:15But okay, either way, from next week, probably from Port Macquarie, we'll see you from the
28:19bench, and again, Robbie, thanks very much, mate.
28:20No worries, thank you.