We're not far away from kickoff for a huge addition of Sunday Afternoon footy between the Roosters and the Cowboys. You'll hear every moment on the Continuous Call team with Matt Thompson, Big Man, Mark Riddell and Mark Guyer, but you'll also see all the action on nine's wide World of Sports. And I'm police to say Billy Slater, who will feature in commentary for nine, joins us this afternoon. Billy, A very good afternoon.

We're not far away from kickoff for a huge addition of Sunday Afternoon footy between the Roosters and the Cowboys. You'll hear every moment on the Continuous Call team with Matt Thompson, Big Man, Mark Riddell and Mark Guyer, but you'll also see all the action on nine's wide World of Sports. And I'm police to say Billy Slater, who will feature in commentary for nine, joins us this afternoon. Billy, A very good afternoon.

To you, mate.

To you, mate.

Afternoon, gentlemen.

Afternoon, gentlemen.

Well we'll get to origin later mate, but it's a big day out for the Cowboys, who will be desperate to bounce back after an embarrassing loss at home last week.

Well we'll get to origin later mate, but it's a big day out for the Cowboys, who will be desperate to bounce back after an embarrassing loss at home last week.

Yeah, two tough defeats. Actually the last couple of weeks come before the bye, they went down to the Melbourne Storm and then obviously we will know what happened last week, so they'll be desperate to turn that around. Going to be a lot harder without Robson and Cotterer as the best part of one hundred tackles there, so that workload needs to be shared.

Yeah, two tough defeats. Actually the last couple of weeks come before the bye, they went down to the Melbourne Storm and then obviously we will know what happened last week, so they'll be desperate to turn that around. Going to be a lot harder without Robson and Cotterer as the best part of one hundred tackles there, so that workload needs to be shared.

Do you find it.

Do you find it.

Hard Billy to get a read on the Cowboys this year?

Hard Billy to get a read on the Cowboys this year?

Yeah?

Yeah?

I think so, because they look brilliant at times, don't they with the footy in hand. They've got young Tom did and Jackson Persha in the halves out there. They're still building that combination and obviously young Persia is still developing as a as an NRL player. We know what sort of talent he's got, but the consistency when you're a young fella isn't quite there. But they've got points in them, you know. It's got drink water at fullback. I think if they can get the foundation of their game right, they'll put a few points on this afternoon.

I think so, because they look brilliant at times, don't they with the footy in hand. They've got young Tom did and Jackson Persha in the halves out there. They're still building that combination and obviously young Persia is still developing as a as an NRL player. We know what sort of talent he's got, but the consistency when you're a young fella isn't quite there. But they've got points in them, you know. It's got drink water at fullback. I think if they can get the foundation of their game right, they'll put a few points on this afternoon.

Yeah, they won he last year. I think it an upset as well, and I'm pretty sure they did. But have you experienced a comp like we've got here at the moment? I mean must have been. I've been doing this for a fair while. The inconsistency is just incredible, inconsistent. You can't tip anyone with any great confidence.

Yeah, they won he last year. I think it an upset as well, and I'm pretty sure they did. But have you experienced a comp like we've got here at the moment? I mean must have been. I've been doing this for a fair while. The inconsistency is just incredible, inconsistent. You can't tip anyone with any great confidence.

Well, you look at last night the Melbourne Store nearly got rolled the Bunnies, the Panthers went over to New Zealand and beat the team that's in form without all their stars, and then the Flying team. At the moment the Dolphins got rolled by the Knights. You can't tip it.

Well, you look at last night the Melbourne Store nearly got rolled the Bunnies, the Panthers went over to New Zealand and beat the team that's in form without all their stars, and then the Flying team. At the moment the Dolphins got rolled by the Knights. You can't tip it.

It's amazing, isn't it. Do you ever read on the Roosters, because for some reason I do them very often because I find them more inconsistent. But they're actually going okay, it's going better than I thought they would.

It's amazing, isn't it. Do you ever read on the Roosters, because for some reason I do them very often because I find them more inconsistent. But they're actually going okay, it's going better than I thought they would.

I quite like the Roosters. I like what they've done since their Round one performance. After their Round one performance, a lot of us were saying, are they going to win a game this year? They've lost so much experience, but some of their young guys are really standing up. We've got one in the Queensland team in the in the center position. He's a wonderful player. And yeah, like, I really like what Trent Robinson has done with the Roosters over the last three months.

I quite like the Roosters. I like what they've done since their Round one performance. After their Round one performance, a lot of us were saying, are they going to win a game this year? They've lost so much experience, but some of their young guys are really standing up. We've got one in the Queensland team in the in the center position. He's a wonderful player. And yeah, like, I really like what Trent Robinson has done with the Roosters over the last three months.

What's it Robert Toyer, who I thought, Wow? Is that the pass he threw for the Wig to score that try? He did unbelievably well. The way he caught it and then he just sucked a bloke in and the timing of his pass was tremendous. I thought later in the game he got a bit dodgy defensively positioning wise, but Jesus is a good player. He's only a boy too, isn't he.

What's it Robert Toyer, who I thought, Wow? Is that the pass he threw for the Wig to score that try? He did unbelievably well. The way he caught it and then he just sucked a bloke in and the timing of his pass was tremendous. I thought later in the game he got a bit dodgy defensively positioning wise, but Jesus is a good player. He's only a boy too, isn't he.

Yeah, well, first go, yeah, we haven't seen anywhere the ceiling of what Robert Toy is going to get to. He's a great player. He's an even better person. He is a wonderful person, respectful, humble. You meet his family and you understand why and I've got I've got great time for him. And he's as a twenty year old or twenty one year old, he's he's playing well beyond his experience.

Yeah, well, first go, yeah, we haven't seen anywhere the ceiling of what Robert Toy is going to get to. He's a great player. He's an even better person. He is a wonderful person, respectful, humble. You meet his family and you understand why and I've got I've got great time for him. And he's as a twenty year old or twenty one year old, he's he's playing well beyond his experience.

We saw on the footage here a bit of which will come out later that you were speaking to Jeremy and I pre game. Gave you a big hugan. You get to love these kids, don't you when you coach them. I mean, it's that hard a competition when you're involved in my origin that you know whateverone's going through, you know how up and down he's as far as roller coasters go. But when you see that, it's like a it's a brotherhood.

We saw on the footage here a bit of which will come out later that you were speaking to Jeremy and I pre game. Gave you a big hugan. You get to love these kids, don't you when you coach them. I mean, it's that hard a competition when you're involved in my origin that you know whateverone's going through, you know how up and down he's as far as roller coasters go. But when you see that, it's like a it's a brotherhood.

Yeah, it is them. Gee, it's quite hard to I didn't actually think I'd feel like this. You feel like their father, you feel like like help guiding them, and you do. You build this relationship with them and they go out there and they like it's a hard game, our game, and they put everything on the line and they try their hearts out and sometimes they don't get rewarded for that effort, but when they do, it's it's such a great feeling to see someone like Kurt Man, Like I played in Kurt Man's debut game for Melbourne over ten years ago, and and then to to give him that that news that he was going to represent the team that he grew up loving and idolizing at age thirty two, like like, that's something that I'll never forget.

Yeah, it is them. Gee, it's quite hard to I didn't actually think I'd feel like this. You feel like their father, you feel like like help guiding them, and you do. You build this relationship with them and they go out there and they like it's a hard game, our game, and they put everything on the line and they try their hearts out and sometimes they don't get rewarded for that effort, but when they do, it's it's such a great feeling to see someone like Kurt Man, Like I played in Kurt Man's debut game for Melbourne over ten years ago, and and then to to give him that that news that he was going to represent the team that he grew up loving and idolizing at age thirty two, like like, that's something that I'll never forget.

I'll tell you what. He's not good at getting on flights. I tried to get onto our flight. That's all he'd won. After that.

I'll tell you what. He's not good at getting on flights. I tried to get onto our flight. That's all he'd won. After that.

Consequently, what's like talking to Capable about coming back into the system, Like he's a veteran and he's probably probably arguing with the best player on the field.

Consequently, what's like talking to Capable about coming back into the system, Like he's a veteran and he's probably probably arguing with the best player on the field.

Yeah, he gat he was great, And you know I had to speak to him before game one as well and let him know that he wasn't in the team. So there's some really tough conversations, but there's some great conversations as well, And and Kurt's a wonderful player. He's a he's a real team first player. There's a reason why he played in a premiership winning team at Penrith. There's a reason why he was in the on Coast team and they went to a grand final and so close to winning the premiership. And there's a reason why the Warriors are doing so well. They've got players like k cape Weller that are willing to do anything for the team. And we saw that on Wednesday night.

Yeah, he gat he was great, And you know I had to speak to him before game one as well and let him know that he wasn't in the team. So there's some really tough conversations, but there's some great conversations as well, And and Kurt's a wonderful player. He's a he's a real team first player. There's a reason why he played in a premiership winning team at Penrith. There's a reason why he was in the on Coast team and they went to a grand final and so close to winning the premiership. And there's a reason why the Warriors are doing so well. They've got players like k cape Weller that are willing to do anything for the team. And we saw that on Wednesday night.

There were some really nice moments pre game before. I don't know if you would have seen it on Channel nine, Billy, but you were sitting next to cam Munster and he handed you something. It was a bit of music or something that he handed you, and I would love to know what he was listening to first, you know, imagine he was watching play School.

There were some really nice moments pre game before. I don't know if you would have seen it on Channel nine, Billy, but you were sitting next to cam Munster and he handed you something. It was a bit of music or something that he handed you, and I would love to know what he was listening to first, you know, imagine he was watching play School.

But at.

But at.

What a wow, geez that's on cue that I don't even that wasn't even pre prepared.

What a wow, geez that's on cue that I don't even that wasn't even pre prepared.

He's good? Can I can? I I just want to ask you you personally, how did you pull up because there's a pretty straight stressful week for you. Yeah, and I mean at the end of it, you're one. You must have been just fully drained. I reckon.

He's good? Can I can? I I just want to ask you you personally, how did you pull up because there's a pretty straight stressful week for you. Yeah, and I mean at the end of it, you're one. You must have been just fully drained. I reckon.

I thought my attention days were gone once I finished playing, But.

I thought my attention days were gone once I finished playing, But.

Yeah, not so much.

Yeah, not so much.

But look at I'm good. I'm fine. I've got some good family around me. I've got some good people you know, around me, and i've got a few horses as well. That helps out. So yeah, no, look I'm good.

But look at I'm good. I'm fine. I've got some good family around me. I've got some good people you know, around me, and i've got a few horses as well. That helps out. So yeah, no, look I'm good.

Good to hear, buddy.

Good to hear, buddy.

Thank you.

Thank you.

Well, don't forget you can hear all the action on the Continuous Call team and see it on Channel nine. Billy, thanks so much for your time this afternoon.

Well, don't forget you can hear all the action on the Continuous Call team and see it on Channel nine. Billy, thanks so much for your time this afternoon.

Mate.

Mate.

Hope it's a ripper this afternoon and a good call for you guys in channel nine.

Hope it's a ripper this afternoon and a good call for you guys in channel nine.

I think it will be.

I think it will be.

Thanks guys,

Thanks guys,