Wingham under 18 rugby league coach Andrew Neaves made his bench debut while Port News journalist Mardi Borg, a semi-regular on the segment this year, made the trip south to join Mick McDonald and Gary Bridge.
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00:00Good afternoon and welcome to what will probably be the final On The Bench ever.
00:07This will be our last, certainly our last segment for 2024 and as I say, I think we'll
00:12probably be calling full time after today's from the segment for the future unless Marty
00:16can conjure up some magic in the future.
00:18But we've got a full house today and I think we think Andrew Nees, the coach of the Wingham
00:21Under-18s, Marty Borg, the sports journalist from the Port Macquarie News and of course
00:26Gary Bridges, the regular pundit, will come in to talk about GRIP3 grand final football
00:30and of course we're on the field tomorrow at the Port Macquarie Regional Stadium where
00:35in the under, sorry, the Women's League tag is an all Port Macquarie affair between the
00:40Sharks and the Breakers.
00:41Andrew's Wingham Tigers Under-18s play Lake Kattai in the Under-18s.
00:47The Women's, the Mid North Coast Women's Grand Finals between Lauriton Stingrays and Warhope.
00:52Reserve grade Bridges, Turrey City side will play Port Breakers and first grade of course
00:58will be Wingham Tigers, so it will be of course Maclay Valley versus Port Sharks.
01:03Before we start though, weather, Marty, what's the weather been like up at Port?
01:06Yeah, it's been quite dreadful, so it was okay like yesterday but it's been heavily
01:12raining pretty much all night so we'll have to see how that goes, yeah, in terms of how
01:18we'll clear up on Saturday.
01:20Hopefully it will because you've got a pretty busy day, Marty, you're there for the final
01:23five games, but Gary, if nothing else, it shows the folly of finishing this late in
01:30the year, the competition has to start early.
01:32Yeah, we've spoken about that throughout the year, earlier, about it's way, finishing what
01:38worked before Grand Final in Sydney, I think it's way too late to be finishing and obviously
01:44we had a few rounds throughout the year we've had to put them back because of the wet weather,
01:47so yeah, as I said, you've got to start off in the middle of March or first weekend in
01:52April, don't have any difference whatever Easter is, whatever weekend, that four doesn't
01:58matter, but you can always have that weekend.
01:59About April 20th next year.
02:00Yeah, so you won't be starting after that, if you start two rounds or something before
02:04then, you have that weekend off and go again.
02:06Yeah, just have three weekends through the, if there's nine sides in the eighties next
02:10year, which is a good chance it will be, they're going to have to put weekends, spare weekends
02:13in anyway to cover those extra games, but no, the Cubs can't have it both ways and when
02:17we're not, this is not criticising Groups 3 because as we said before, the Cubs decide
02:21when it starts and they want to start, they've got to start early, but then they want to
02:26finish in September, they've got to put those spare weekends, it should be no later than
02:31the second week of September, they shouldn't be going this late.
02:33And what's like Andy, you're coaching a side of young blokes, you start training in January,
02:37you don't play until late April, it's hard to maintain their enthusiasm.
02:44Yeah, it was a very long pre-season, we sort of went back two weeks before Christmas last
02:51year with Mitch and the first grade boys and yeah, it was definitely a long pre-season.
02:56And because it's hard to get trial games these days too, so you can't even play footy with
03:00them.
03:01Yeah, we didn't have any, so we had the one with the team out at Tamworth, I can't remember
03:08their names, but they pulled out of the 18th trial so there was only first grade trials,
03:12so we didn't have any games actually until round one.
03:14We had Mitch Collins in here about every second week during the year because he was a bit
03:17regular on this segment, but right at the very first segment of the year he was on he
03:22said we're going to have a good under 18 side this year.
03:24I think it would be fair to say you guys were a little bit inconsistent during the season.
03:28I don't know if we were inconsistent, I guess there was probably more outside noise in regards
03:33to us being a little bit disappointing throughout the year and up and down, but that disappointment
03:37definitely wasn't within the camp.
03:39We sort of knew what we had and what we were as a side, and we were always pretty confident
03:45going through.
03:46Obviously the season is a long one, so obviously you have your up and down games, but yeah
03:50we always knew that we had a fair squad this year, and that disappointment definitely wasn't
03:55within us, it was more outside noise that the boys weren't listening to anyway, which
03:59was really good.
04:00And long season, that won't be perking in May, do you want to be playing basketball
04:03this time of year?
04:04That's right, and like I said it's a long season, so sometimes you get your good games
04:06and your bad games in the year, you've just got to make it count at this time of the year.
04:10You played Lackadai three times this year, for one win and two losses, but you said in
04:15today's paper that discipline will be the key to it all.
04:17Yeah definitely, discipline will definitely be the key.
04:20We had them in the first week of the finals and we were up 14-4 with 15 minutes to go
04:24and gave away two penalties, and they got us 16-14.
04:27When we played them at Wingham about two months ago, our discipline was spot on and it was
04:32probably one of our better games of the year and we came away with a 14-0 win, so discipline
04:36is definitely the key in footy, especially if it's going to be wet.
04:39Went into the game against Port Sharks last week, Port Sharks hadn't lost a game for two
04:42years until Lackadai rolled them in the major semi-final.
04:44Marty, what's the mood up at Port Macquarie, were they shocked at the Sharks that they
04:48were beaten?
04:49Yeah, well leading into the game they felt prepared and everything, but finals campaign
04:55becomes a different competition and they gave away cheap ball and too many turnovers and
05:00you can't do that because the other team are going to capitalise on that, so that's
05:03just the tone of the game and how they lost.
05:07Remember the last time we went to Port Macquarie we spoke to the Port hierarchy and they seemed
05:12to think they were pretty good things for the 18s and for the league tag and they were
05:18certainly confident about it, confident for the first grade.
05:21It was a big loss, big shock, but Mick, sorry Mick, Andrew you were down at half-time 6-0
05:27but you weren't concerned about that in the final?
05:29No, not at all.
05:30We actually went into the sheds and I said to the boys, being 6-0 down, the way we were
05:34playing, it could have been a lot more.
05:36So going into the sheds, I took it as a win for our boys to let them know and we just
05:41come out in the second half and with discipline like we sort of said, I think we gave away
05:45one penalty and we completed 100%.
05:47Yeah, and scored some good tries too.
05:49You've got some good players, there's no doubt about it, good promising players, your
05:52half-back goes well, it's Col Marron isn't he?
05:54Col Marron, yeah.
05:55He's a good organiser, good playmaker?
05:57Yeah, he's a good prospect for the club moving forward as well.
06:00So he's a confidence player like a lot of those under-18s boys.
06:03So when his confidence is high, he's playing well.
06:05And we said, especially in the week, a lot of these young blokes have played a bit of
06:08first grade.
06:09They've played a bit of rep fully at the start of the year and also a bit of first grade
06:12so that's going to help in the higher pressure games.
06:16Yeah, there's a good handful of them played for the North Coast Bulldogs at the start
06:20of the year and over the last two years we've had some boys, there's probably about six,
06:25seven, eight of them that have played either first grade or reserve grade over the last
06:28two years.
06:29So the experience they've gotten there with those sort of games has been really good.
06:33One of your players, Leighton Moore, he's off to the Bulldogs next year, is that right?
06:36Yeah, he's heading south.
06:37So this will be his last game obviously for us for a little bit and then he's heading
06:42south.
06:43Possibility of a wet track.
06:44It won't be too bad for your game because you've only got the league tag before it so
06:48they don't knock the field around too much.
06:50But wet track, will that favour you guys?
06:53At the end of the day, conditions are the same for both sides so you've just got to
06:57play to the conditions and footy doesn't change.
07:00It is what it is, it doesn't matter.
07:02I haven't seen Leighton play, I don't even know where to be honest with you.
07:06I guess it's Canberra.
07:07What's their strength?
07:09They just don't go away.
07:11They play for the 60 minutes, they don't leave you alone and that's why if you're disciplined
07:16you're giving yourself the best chance to beat them.
07:19They're just strong across the park.
07:21They coach well and you can see they've played a lot of footy together, winning the last
07:25two under-16 junior competitions and then coming into the 18s this year.
07:29They're just a very well-disciplined side that will not go away.
07:33There's been a bit of comment during the year on this segment from a few of the clubs who
07:37were a little bit critical of the fact that they came into the competition late cat.
07:40Do you support their inclusion?
07:42I guess you don't want to turn people away from playing footy or being part of the group.
07:48It did make the under-18s competition weird this year, I would say.
07:53There were sides that were having buys and we were playing.
07:56Especially the wet weather I think made it probably worse than trying to get games replayed
08:01and it was hard because the 18s had to play and the 18s didn't have buys.
08:04At the end of the day, if there's teams and people that want to play footy in Group 3,
08:09you don't want to turn them away.
08:11Marty, the league tag, that should be a great game.
08:13I saw my first game of league tag last weekend when the Hawks went down to the Sharks.
08:18There are some players on that Sharks side, haven't there?
08:20Even though they got beaten the week before, there's some Red Hot Talent there.
08:23Yeah, definitely. I think they're full-back, Jordan Guest.
08:26I think she got a hat-trick.
08:28Yeah, she did, yeah.
08:29Yeah, she's a handy player. She always seems to be there at the right time.
08:32It's really good. I think Elohini is another one who's really good for the Sharks.
08:37They've got some handy players and quite a strong team, so it'll be good.
08:41Also, at a local derby, nothing beats that, especially when a premiership is at stake.
08:46So, yeah, it'll be a good game.
08:48Stella Lewis, who's been named at the Australian Schoolgirls side, I found out last week,
08:52she dislocated a finger during that match and there was a bit of concern she may have sustained a fracture.
08:57Is she blamed? Is she right?
08:59Yeah, I think they were just going to wait a bit.
09:01I don't know, she might be on the line-up,
09:03but I think they were just deciding closer to the game whether she's well enough.
09:08Sorry, she walked past a couple of times where I wasn't seeing any of the ice all over her.
09:12She's done playing, so it might be brave of me to tell her she can't.
09:15I can tell you.
09:16And of course, the women's game.
09:17First for Group 3, the first time the Mid North Coast women's has been played on grand final day.
09:22Lauriton Stingrays will play, we'll hope as we said.
09:26Lauriton's a favourite there, I understand.
09:28Yeah, I think they've only lost one game and they'll be hoping not to lose their second tomorrow.
09:33But yeah, they've been a strong team, consistent throughout the year,
09:37so they'll be red-hot favourites going in, but we'll hope they don't go away.
09:41So yeah, they've got their work cut out for them there.
09:44Yeah, Belinda Ennison coaches the website, doesn't she?
09:46Yeah, she's one of the better players in the conference.
09:48Lauriton there with Lake Caddye, that'll give that Camden Haven area a bit of support.
09:53You'd imagine you'll have plenty of supporters going up there, Andrew, I think.
09:58The Tigers will be mad keen to see a win.
10:00Yeah, I think they sold something like 200 grand final t-shirts for supporters,
10:05so yeah, there's definitely a nice vibe around town and people getting behind us, which is good.
10:09Because they won the 18 comp in 2020, it was a funny sort of competition,
10:13it was a COVID year and they were sort of thrown together in with the Group 3 Junior Rugby League.
10:18Maxwell might have had a side, I think another northern side,
10:22and without any of that taking away from that effort,
10:25this would be more of what you'd call a genuine premiership, wouldn't it?
10:29Yeah, well, I wasn't here for that premiership, so yeah, I'll definitely take it.
10:33Well, Gary's nephew, Matt, was a captain of the last side,
10:38the one with a traditional Group 3 comp way back in the day.
10:41Yeah, well, that's a fair while ago, isn't it?
10:44Yeah, 2012 or thereabouts.
10:46Yeah, we're talking about William's got good supporters going up to the game on the weekend.
10:53The Tarry City base last weekend up at Kempsey, there was massive support for Tarry City there last weekend,
11:00so I reckon it's going to be again this weekend up at Port.
11:03I wonder if they'll be able to pitch their marquees that they did up there at Kempsey.
11:07I guess they probably could on the field.
11:10I guess they could on the field.
11:11No, as I said, it's good that there's a lot of clubs participating in the grand final.
11:17Yeah, so that's going to give the group a really good day, a really good turnout,
11:24and obviously there'll be some poor sharks running the canoes and the bar facilities,
11:30so I hope they make sure that they have enough on.
11:34Excellent steak sandwiches at Kempsey last week, I might add.
11:36Ah, beautiful.
11:37One of the best I've had this year, and I've had a lot of steak sandwiches at 40,
11:41and I also won the 200.
11:43Did you?
11:44Yep, I've been to Kempsey twice in two years and won the 200 club both times.
11:47Oh, I'm coming with you next year then.
11:50Yeah, I won't shed.
11:54Talking about a long time between drinks, which we probably won't do, but we'll throw that in anyway,
11:58Tarry City, Gary, it's been a long time since they've tasted Premiership glory in any sort of grade.
12:02It's been a long time since they played in the league tag grand final last year,
12:05but in the other grades, a long time.
12:08Todd, your son, was coach of the last…
12:10Under-18, yeah.
12:11What, 2016?
12:12Something like that.
12:14It's good because they've only just scraped into the top five in reserve,
12:23but that was a very tight competition, wasn't it, in reserve?
12:26There wasn't one team that stood out and only won the Premiership by two points or something.
12:30And they're starting to play together, and obviously injuries,
12:34they've got all the players back now that need to be there,
12:38so they're going to turn up there in good form, good winning form,
12:43and they've been getting… they're only allowed to play 19, I think.
12:47They've had 25, 26 at training for the last…
12:50I was talking to their co-coach, Paul Campbell, during the week.
12:53They had 28 at the start of the season, and obviously they can't play every week.
12:56They're still at 26 on the books.
12:58How good is it?
12:59And that's good, and that's what you need in a club.
13:02I'm not getting a game, so why am I going to train for?
13:04Well, that's what you… you can't play everyone, can you?
13:07So that's a good aspect, and good looking forward to next year for them.
13:11Yeah, they've got a good half-back.
13:13From what I've seen, Brandon McKenzie, he's scored five tries in the last two games,
13:17including three in the final last week.
13:19He looks a real prospect.
13:21And I think he'll play a big role on Sunday, Saturday, if it's not too wet.
13:25Well, if you've got a player that stands out,
13:27and normally your half-backs, 5-8s and that,
13:30are the ones that sort of organise the play around the rucks.
13:33Just have a look at the first grade side last week with Jordan.
13:36He got injured early with his neck and everything,
13:40so he wasn't the Jordan War Boys that we know,
13:43and hence they didn't win.
13:45So you've got to have someone that dominates
13:47and knows when to run, when to pass the ball and which way to go.
13:51So he's a good asset to Tarry City.
13:54The blackie that sort of took control of the game last week was Nathan Mark, 5-8.
13:58Nathan's a first grader.
14:01He's played a lot of first grader over the years,
14:03and he needs to stand up in these games as well.
14:06I'll tell you, he's a good player, and he looked at good players under 18,
14:09but he was hindered this year by injury a lot, Blair Hamilton.
14:12Yep.
14:13He can tackle.
14:14Yes, he can.
14:15He's also a first grader too, if he's not injured.
14:19But he's had a lot of injuries over the last couple of years, Blair,
14:22so hopefully that's all gone now and he's right to go.
14:25You've got two brothers coaching, Paul and Joel Campbell.
14:29Might lead to some interesting arguments, brotherly arguments.
14:32How would you and Wayne go coaching together?
14:34No chance.
14:35No chance of that.
14:36What about Joel and Paul?
14:38They're both captain coaches, but they can't make the starting side.
14:43They've got to come off the bench, so it's not very often that you're captain.
14:46Wayne probably should be on there, but no, they're not in the top 13.
14:51I said to Joel the other week, the last week when he came in,
14:55I said, well, you can't even make the starting side, mate.
14:57He said, no, we're just there, we're there.
15:00I'd like to see the win for Zach Northam.
15:02Now, there's a family who's put their heart into that club
15:05and Zach's been there through the hardest of hard times
15:07and when I was struggling for first grade, he put his hand up and out he'd go.
15:10He's getting a little bit firer in his game this year or so too, Zach.
15:14He got sent off.
15:15I've never seen that.
15:16No, he got sent off last week.
15:18Did he?
15:19Yeah.
15:20That's a couple of times now he's been like that throughout the year.
15:24He was pretty smart in the last 10 minutes, so he didn't have to go back on it.
15:26He got sent about six to go.
15:28Oh, yeah, he didn't have a shower.
15:30He didn't really care.
15:32Any news on the first grade coaching job next year at the Bulls, Gary?
15:35Anything you've heard?
15:36No, I haven't.
15:37Mick, I haven't heard anything yet.
15:39You know, I think they've put it out there, but I haven't heard one.
15:45Is Christian definitely not coaching?
15:48No, no, no, no.
15:51I'm pretty sure Christian's playing,
15:53but I haven't heard whether he's coaching again or whether he's just going to play.
15:58He's going to play if he can coach, wouldn't he?
15:59Yeah, well, that's the thing.
16:01I think they're going out there and seeing what's going on.
16:05Yeah, word has it that Jake has that.
16:07His brother might be heading back to Port City.
16:09I think Port City will be opening the first strings.
16:11Well, as I said, we'll see a different Port City side next year than the one we've seen this year.
16:16Speaking of which, Marty, what do you know about the Port City Reserve?
16:19We were talking about the Bulls there.
16:21I looked at their side online this week, and they're pretty handy.
16:24The Breakers, Zendel Jumas and those blokes.
16:26Yeah, they've got a few quality players.
16:28I think they're leading by Brent Nixon, so he's been around for a while.
16:32So, yeah, they'll be strong and won't want to back down.
16:36So, it'll be a great grand final for them as well.
16:38Yeah, I thought the Bulls would win these,
16:39and then I had a look at that Port City side, which maybe won't be.
16:42So, I think a wet day would probably suit the Breakers too.
16:46Shouldn't be a bad Reserve grade game, though.
16:48Before we go to the first grade, Gary, you spoke then about the Pirates.
16:52Disappointing performance last week.
16:55That was the worst I've seen them play in three years.
16:57Terrible.
16:58You're saying that everyone I've spoke to that went to the game
17:03have said that they've never seen Old Bar.
17:05They'll be the worst game they've seen Old Bar play in a couple of years.
17:08Obviously, bad time to play bad gaming.
17:14But, you know, as you said, when your gun playmaker goes down in about the first 20 minutes
17:21and it's taken a long time to work out what's wrong with him,
17:24and then he gets up and plays, and he wasn't the same.
17:27So, the team wasn't the same.
17:29They weren't playing well until then, though, Gary.
17:30No, no.
17:31Not as a gun great.
17:33You look back at the game at Wingham that day when Wingham beat them.
17:38That's a turn it around.
17:39That's a turn it around for them.
17:42Not in the way they wanted.
17:44But, yeah, it can just be done like that, can't it?
17:47Well, they were cruising towards what?
17:48Heading towards the minor premiership.
17:50Yep.
17:51They were beating Wingham that day.
17:53I know there's a few complaints about a couple of refereeing decisions late in the game,
17:56but the fact is they should have been that far in front late in the game.
17:59It wouldn't have mattered.
18:00They just played badly, and then things have gone.
18:02But imagine if we had a green front at Old Bar this week with Israel.
18:04Yeah.
18:05They'd be getting worried now, wouldn't they?
18:07Well, they'd have called that off, wouldn't they?
18:08Well, they'd have had to.
18:09Because they'd have had them stopped all night.
18:11No, no, there's a bit more to come.
18:13First grade, Marty, you've been speaking to both the coaches.
18:15What's the mood there?
18:16Firstly, before you start that, Port Sharks haven't played a lot of footy in the last month.
18:20They beat Tarry going into the semifinals, finished minor premier, a week off.
18:26Obviously won the major semifinal, then another week off.
18:28So they haven't played a lot of footy.
18:29Is that a concern for a moment?
18:30Hogan said absolutely not.
18:32It's not a concern.
18:33He said some of the games...
18:34What would I know?
18:35Yeah, what would you know?
18:38He said some of the games that they played at training have been as good as any this year.
18:42And he's not concerned about that at all.
18:44But, you know, he's the coach for the Sharks, so he's going to say that.
18:47So we'll see how it goes and how they'll turn out.
18:50But he says they've been brutal at their training.
18:53And they've really given their all.
18:55And they're as prepared as any.
18:57There's no excuses.
18:58They're relatively injury-free, which is good.
19:02And the break has given them a good rest.
19:04And the only one that's out is Dylan Clark.
19:07But he hasn't played finals, I don't think.
19:09He hasn't played for a couple of weeks, has he?
19:10Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:11So it's not...
19:12He's a valuable player.
19:13But they've got Paul Bell.
19:15Yeah, I think he's playing in his place.
19:18So that's good.
19:19But, yeah, no, he said there's no excuses.
19:21So they're going to be out there and they're going to be hopefully getting their redemption.
19:25And it'll look a bit different with a new opponent.
19:28Yeah, because they would have been expected to play the Pirates all year, I think.
19:31Always going up against the...
19:33They played in the Major Semi, I suppose.
19:36I wonder if he'll use any kids from the 18s on the bench down there.
19:39They'll be nice and fresh now.
19:40So he might have a few options there as well.
19:42Yeah.
19:43Andrew, would you rather be playing 40 week in, week out
19:46or get that Major Semi final and go straight through?
19:48What's your thinking there?
19:50No, I think from my side, I think playing week in, week out works.
19:55Yeah.
19:57I personally wouldn't like to have the week off.
19:59But that's just me and every team's different.
20:01I just...
20:02The boys that I have and knowing them like I do,
20:04I think playing week in, week out definitely helps them.
20:06Just keeps them on track.
20:07Mind you, you've got to win, too.
20:09Well, that's right.
20:10The Pirates said we don't mind playing week in, week out.
20:12Didn't make it.
20:14But, yeah, it's interesting because then I spoke to Bo Champion, obviously,
20:17the Mustangs coach, and he said it suited them to play consistently,
20:22to get that experience of the finals campaign
20:24and to be able to go in there knowing that they've been battle tested
20:29and they've got that experience.
20:31I mean, they've got a relatively young side,
20:33so it's been a good experience for them going into the grand final.
20:37Have they got any injury problems, Mustangs?
20:39I spoke to Bo after the game last week,
20:41and he said they had a couple going into last week.
20:43Are they 100% fit this week?
20:45Yeah, I mean, there's a few niggles in that.
20:47I think the only one he didn't play last week, I don't think,
20:49was Robert Inglis.
20:51But other than that, he said it's going to be the same squad
20:54heading into this grand final.
20:56So they've pulled up all right.
20:58There'll be two different lead-ups for those clubs, too.
21:00I mean, the whole of Kempsey will be talking about the Mustangs,
21:03the shops that are getting done up around the place.
21:05They'll be all talking footy.
21:07Point Macquarie, because it's such a big place,
21:09does anyone even know it's the grand final line?
21:12They're probably more worried about the races being on Saturday night.
21:15Well, they're back. Mostly back, the races.
21:17This rain might wash them out as well.
21:19But, you know, I just think, you know,
21:21the Mustangs will be a bit like Wink.
21:24They'll have the feeling that town's right behind them.
21:27And there'll be plenty of Kempsey supporters there.
21:29Oh, yeah, and it's only just around the corner.
21:31It's not as though they've got trouble down at Foster or something.
21:34They've got a few buses going.
21:36Even the Kempsey Cannonballs from the Rugby Union,
21:38they've got a bus going down to support their rugby players.
21:41They've got their bar filled up.
21:43They've got Rugby Union blokes there.
21:45Yes.
21:47They enjoy drinking and watching the footy,
21:49but Rugby Union blokes traditionally.
21:51Obviously a long day, too, isn't it, because there's five games.
21:53Yeah, yeah. It's a long day.
21:55First game's at 9 o'clock, I think, Marty, isn't it?
21:57I don't know.
21:58Yeah, League Tag 18s, women's football, Reserve Grap, Reserve Grap,
22:01First Grap. First Grap starts at 3.30.
22:033.30.
22:04So it is a long day.
22:05Yeah, so, yeah, I don't know.
22:08Bo, you say at the end that they're going to have to improve
22:10to beat the Sharks, though.
22:12I mean, they weren't real good last week, to be honest with you.
22:15They were better than the Pirates, but the Pirates were terrible.
22:18So they were dropping ball.
22:20It wasn't the free-flowing attack
22:22that you usually associate with the Mustangs.
22:24Yeah, they can't afford to put on that performance.
22:28They've got to stay in the fight, haven't they?
22:30And then if it's really tight, with 10 minutes to go or something,
22:34Kempsey's got that level of you don't know what they're going to do.
22:38Commitability, yeah.
22:40Yeah, so they've got to stay in the game,
22:42because if they don't, this could blow out.
22:45So I'm looking forward to that one,
22:47because, you know, since Kempsey's been...
22:49Oh, 2009.
22:50This is actually their third grand final, I think,
22:52since they joined the competition in 2014.
22:54This is their third grand final since then.
22:56So they've got a pretty good record.
22:58I mean, if you look at Taurasi,
23:00Taurasi Foster and Wingham have had a great time since 2014.
23:03So it's a great effort.
23:05They'll all have to change that next year, won't they?
23:07Yeah, well, let's hope.
23:08We'll talk about that in a little minute, actually.
23:10But, yeah, no, I think if I was wet, it'll favour the Sharks.
23:15I mean, they're a big side.
23:16And they like to stay in the grind too.
23:18They will be gunning on Kempsey, trying to play with them
23:22and get within the grind,
23:24whereas Kempsey, they're a bit erratic at times,
23:27but they've got a lot of flair.
23:29And, you know, they've got a good half-back
23:31in Shane Davis-Caldwell as well.
23:33So it'll be interesting.
23:34I'm sure they'll have a few tricks up their sleeves.
23:36Yeah, he was fairly subdued last week, the half-back.
23:39But he still scored the first try.
23:41But he wasn't quite as in the game as perhaps they would like.
23:46Their five-back player was Chris Houlton, I think his name is.
23:49He's had a pretty good game.
23:50They're forwards.
23:51They just keep going.
23:52Those Thomson brothers and those fellas, they just keep taking up.
23:55Andrew, you've said a bit about it, I guess, this year.
23:58Who do you think it is?
24:00Oh, I think it'll be very hard for Sharks not to win it
24:03in that first-grade competition,
24:05and definitely with the wet weather.
24:07Yeah, but it should be a good game either way.
24:09But, yeah, I think Port will probably get it there.
24:11Well, they'd be still rookin' that last year.
24:14They had that grand final last year up there.
24:17And they got beat, so they'd be the back-to-back games up there.
24:21So you'd nearly think that they'd want to win this one,
24:23or who knows how.
24:25They'll just travel after that.
24:27Yeah, well, they say you've got to lose one to win one.
24:31I don't think that's correct.
24:33Well, they did.
24:35They lost one.
24:36They lost one.
24:37And then they won three.
24:38Yeah, they won three.
24:39It could be four.
24:41I don't envisage that one, mate.
24:43No, I don't.
24:46That might be what my coaching career was.
24:49You've got to lose one to win one.
24:51Well, a loss, loss, loss, loss, never won, never won, never won.
24:56Don't work.
24:58You're amazingly consistent, though, aren't you?
25:00I get told that, yeah.
25:03What Brisbane did with Kevin Walters,
25:06they should have got you coaching up until the final and sacked you.
25:10After saying you're safe.
25:12Yeah, well, they re-signed him for another 12 months.
25:16But, yeah.
25:18You're safe until you're not.
25:19Yeah, but they did say that every time.
25:21Have a look at the teams that have played Penrith in the grand final down there.
25:25The following year, where have they finished?
25:27Last, or down near the bottom of the field,
25:29and their coaches have been sacked.
25:32So, yeah.
25:34Roosters don't make the grand final.
25:36No, no, no, we won't worry about the Roosters.
25:38I'm too nervous to worry about the Roosters.
25:40But speaking of Penrith, Andrew,
25:42you've got a bit of an association there with the Panthers?
25:45Yeah, I worked down there for a couple of years.
25:48I was their orange shirt trainer for the Jersey Flick side in 2018, 2019, 2020,
25:54but obviously it got cancelled with COVID.
25:57Yeah, obviously I moved from Penrith to Wingham in the start of 2021.
26:01So, yeah, I had a few years there working with the Panthers,
26:03which was unbelievable.
26:05It was a really good time and I enjoyed every minute of it.
26:07And you were involved with some pretty handy players, you were saying, before you came here?
26:11Yeah, well, the other side, obviously,
26:13it was the first year of Jersey Flick after they got rid of the National Twenties competition.
26:17So, the side that I was involved in had a lot of the current boys,
26:21like Brian Toto and Stephen Crichton, Spencer Lanier, these sorts of fellas,
26:24Matt Burton, yeah, the list goes on.
26:27I was very lucky and fortunate to be involved in that sort of side
26:31and the experience I gained through that was unbelievable.
26:34And that's helped your coaching, you think?
26:36Yeah, well, yeah, because obviously being in training and whatnot with those boys,
26:40I used to have a diary and I used to go home after training sessions
26:45and just write in the diary the things that they were doing
26:47and the different drills and skills and whatnot.
26:50And I'm still very close.
26:51One of the assistant coaches at the time there, I'm still very close with,
26:55ring him once a week and he's still involved.
26:58Not with Panthers anymore, he's with the Steelers now,
27:00but, yeah, ring him once a week and just talk footy, which is good.
27:04And next year you're moving on from the 18s to assistant coach with Mitch,
27:08next year in the first grade as well?
27:10Yeah, yeah, working with Mitch next year in the first grade.
27:12So, no, that'll be good.
27:13So, Mitch Collins just said he wasn't coaching you?
27:15Yeah, no.
27:17I understand he's under a bit of a cloud, injury cloud going into next year.
27:21His back's still a bit sore.
27:27Actually, you want to give him a bit of space on the bench with him, Andrew,
27:29because he breaks a hand about mid-match during the season.
27:33Speaking about young fellas from here that are playing in the grand finals,
27:37well, again, young Tate Cochran is playing for the Bulldogs
27:43in the jersey play grand final this weekend.
27:47He's playing full-back.
27:48Well, he was full-back for the Pirates two years ago, wasn't he?
27:51He was actually a 5'8", wasn't he?
27:535'8", half-back when I first sort of helped him.
27:55Yeah, he might have been too.
27:57He was born in the first grade, but he's only 17 or whatever, yeah.
28:00His father came in yesterday and he said his brother would be over there with him.
28:04I said, Manly, what were you going over there to?
28:06Make sure he wears a Canterbury.
28:07I said, make sure Malcolm puts a Canterbury Bulldogs jersey on, or a shirt on.
28:11He said, I bet he doesn't do that.
28:12I said, well, send me a photo if he does.
28:15So, like more, when he goes to the dogs, he goes into the what?
28:19The jersey flag, is it?
28:20What's the system?
28:21No, he's going there for the SG Bull.
28:22Oh, OK.
28:23It's under-20s, is it?
28:2419s.
28:2519s, yeah, because they went to 17s, 19s, didn't they?
28:28Yeah, they changed it with COVID.
28:30And so, the group was aiming for a 20,000 gate tomorrow.
28:33What are your chances now, do you think, Marty, of getting the 20 grand?
28:37Obviously, we need their own to stay, right?
28:40Yeah, well, it depends on that.
28:41I'm still expecting a big crowd.
28:43There'll be a lot of supporters there, particularly because there's so many
28:46different clubs involved.
28:48So, they'll be all supporting.
28:49But, yeah, Mick Dormer, obviously, has been keeping tabs on the crowds as well.
28:55And he's been very happy, almost doubling a lot of the gains from last year.
28:59So, yeah, he's been really happy with that.
29:01So, they're expecting a big crowd still.
29:03Just hope that the sun shines.
29:05Yeah, $8,000 gate, $8,000 plus gate at Kempsey last weekend.
29:08And there was a lot of – I was talking to one of the officials there,
29:10and there was an Indigenous knockout on it.
29:13Yeah, Lismore.
29:14Yeah, and they said there's been a lot of players, people up there
29:17who would have been there.
29:18So, you'd probably say that would have been close to 10,000.
29:20That hadn't clashed, unfortunately.
29:22But, now, a jury tells me the group sets over 40,000 for the gate so far,
29:26which is a record.
29:27So, if they can get that 60 Jews tomorrow, that'll be 60,000,
29:30which would be unbelievable.
29:31And, again, I guess the women's – Mel said before the women's grand final,
29:35the tackle grand final, still bolster that.
29:38Well, I'll make the predictions I'll start off with.
29:40I think the Port Sharks will win the league tag.
29:43Wingham will win the 18s.
29:46Stingrays will win the women's tackle.
29:48The Bulls will win the reserve grade, and the Sharks will win the first grade.
29:52Andrew, what about you?
29:53Yeah, we'll go with those tips as well.
29:55That sounds fine.
29:56I didn't get your back leg hat on.
29:58Nah, it sounds fine by me.
30:00I know we're going here.
30:01We're all hastings here.
30:02But, anyway, Marty, you've already made your predictions.
30:04Yeah, well, I think Sharks.
30:09Yep.
30:10Yep, and then Lake Kaddai.
30:13Stingrays.
30:15Puts me – Port City.
30:17Sorry.
30:18Yeah.
30:19And then puts me in a bit of a tricky situation
30:21because it's obviously a power up the north with Mustangs and the Sharks.
30:25Sharks are red hot favourites, though, and they're going in there.
30:28So, I would tip the Sharks.
30:30But, also, I think Mustangs.
30:33No, no, no.
30:34No sitting on the fence.
30:35You said the Sharks.
30:36I feel like I can.
30:37I feel like I can.
30:38No, you can't.
30:39No, no, no, no, no, no.
30:40Sharks.
30:41Sharks.
30:42You said the Sharks.
30:43And just for people who don't know,
30:44Marty writes the sport for the Kempsey paper and the Port Macquarie paper.
30:46So, you've got to put him both.
30:47Mustangs will give them the run for their money.
30:49Yeah, yeah, yeah.
30:50You said the Sharks.
30:51Don't try and backtrack now.
30:52Marty just gave me a little bit of a nudge saying get on the Sharks,
30:56get on the Kempsey.
30:58I'll go for all the ones that you said, Nick,
31:01but I'm going for Kempsey.
31:02Okay.
31:03In first grade.
31:04You know, Bo Champion's first year there.
31:07So, you know, to get him to the grand final for a start,
31:10it's there.
31:11And if he can, as I say, if they can play their natural game
31:14and no one's seen him being sent off or anything,
31:17yeah, I'm going for Kempsey.
31:18It should be coach of the year, don't you think, Gary, Bo?
31:21It should be, I reckon.
31:22With all due respect, yeah.
31:23Yeah, yeah.
31:24It should be coach of the year because of, you know,
31:26first time at it in the local area.
31:30And then, so I don't see why not, but sometimes, you know,
31:34I don't know who votes on that one, but it should be.
31:36Well, it usually goes to the side that goes through undefeated.
31:40Well, the two undefeated sides have now been defeated,
31:42so that rules them out of contention.
31:44So, yeah, no, it'd be to him.
31:46Well, he's turned an always entertaining but often erratic side.
31:49Mustings, you know, pretty professional political unit now,
31:52so I think he does.
31:54And, you know, they're all locals.
31:55They're all kids from Kempsey.
31:56I think every one of them's that.
31:57And I think they'll only get better after this year.
31:59For the next year, what they've done this year,
32:01I think they'll be a huge…
32:03They can be pariahs for a couple of years to come.
32:04Yeah, exactly.
32:05And they had, like, a bit of adversity at the start of the season too.
32:08A few people, you know, wrote them off and that.
32:10Not me, though, because I had the Sharks and Mustangs in the grand final.
32:14You did?
32:15Yeah.
32:16Rewind the tapes.
32:17I did say Mustangs and Sharkies.
32:18Well, I'd better get your thoughts on the Melbourne Cup winner.
32:21Yeah, exactly.
32:22I'll tell you off the record, but yeah.
32:25But, yeah, so it's been great to watch them develop over the season.
32:30Obviously, they've got a strong coach in Champion.
32:32So, yeah, it'll be a really good clash.
32:34And, you know, it can be anyone's game on the air.
32:37You said the Sharks.
32:38I don't show them back to you.
32:39And the Mustangs can give them a run for their money.
32:41Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
32:44That's a bench sitting and not the fence.
32:49Gary, your NRL thoughts?
32:53Well, I think Watsonham's doing it easy.
32:56Penrith, I think they'll get through.
32:58The game that's on tonight, Melbourne and the Roosters, that's clinical.
33:02The Roosters, well, they're going to lose seven players next year.
33:04So that's going to be a tough game.
33:06That's, you know, you can't begrudge Melbourne for what they did this year.
33:13They finished two points, four points clear of the top of the table.
33:17So, you know, it's going to be a cracker.
33:20So, you know, if I'm going with my brain,
33:24I'm saying probably Penrith, Melbourne grand final.
33:28But through the shop, I need Roosters to get there
33:31because there's not too many Melbourne supporters in town
33:34apart from me brother and my son.
33:38Well, thanks, Gary.
33:39Well, thanks, guys.
33:40Before we go, before we sign off,
33:43this will be the last I say on the bench,
33:46certainly under the present regime.
33:48Scott Calvin, who is the, I wouldn't say the brains behind the organisation,
33:51it's a horrible thought to think,
33:53but certainly the bloke who puts the episode together,
33:56week in, week out, he runs the slices in the photos and all the rest of it,
34:00sits behind the camera and takes the photos
34:02and gives very dodgy weather predictions.
34:04Scott finishes up with the Times today
34:07after some best part of 30 years, 25 years or something or other.
34:11We started doing this segment, Gary and I, before COVID.
34:15We used to do it at the old Times building
34:17back in the days when they gave us the building.
34:19And we did it Facebook Live and it was OK,
34:23but people said they couldn't hear it, couldn't see it properly.
34:27Scott said, well, I can tape it and we can have a bit of fun with it
34:31and he's taken over since.
34:33And there would be amoeba on Saturn
34:35that would have more, I believe, knowledge than Scott.
34:37You won't mind me saying that.
34:38But he's done a great job with this
34:40and he's also a very fine photographer
34:42and he'll be missed certainly by the many of the Times
34:44and all the people he's looked after over the years
34:46as far as his great camera work.
34:48So Scott, look after yourself in the future.
34:50And thank you so much everybody for letting me take your photo.
34:53I've been here for 26 years now
34:55and there's been thousands of people that I've had to take photos of.
35:00And it's been a great time and thank you very much.
35:03As on the bench is maybe not going to be here next year,
35:08obviously Mick and Scott have been the brains and the hands behind it all
35:13and I'm sure everyone's really appreciated how much coverage you've done for
35:18and all the clubs have really appreciated what you've done for them
35:21and you'll be sorely missed.
35:23I know this segment will be sorely missed.
35:25So thank you on behalf of all the clubs and everyone.
35:27Thanks buddy. Thanks mate.
35:29You can take it over.
35:30Yeah, I could. We'll see.
35:32Big shoes to fill. Big shoes to fill.