NRL 360NRL 360 - BREAKING NEWS as several Dolphins withdraw from Rd1, Ryles loses star half, plus Trent Robinson's great challenge - 05/03/25
Catch up on all the Rugby League news from NRL 360, Wednesday the 5th of March, with hosts Braith Anasta and Dan Ginnane.
The NRL 360 panel are joined by James Hooper and David Riccio to discuss some big breaking news regarding the Dolphins round one clash against Souths, as well as the latest from the Eels with Moses missing their big match against Melbourne, plus the star power missing from the Roosters, and why it could be the biggest challenge of Trent Robinson's career.
For more of the show tune in on Fox League CH 502 or stream full episodes on KAYO.
WelCom to L three sixty regularly from every angle. Joining me tonight is Dan Ganain.
That's been the journey, Australian, James Hooper and Dave Ricky a Now unfortunately tonight Gordon tell Us can't join us. He's had to head home to Queensland to batten down the hatches. Take care of the family and the house, and from everyone down south, We're really thinking about everyone up north in Queensland.
Take care of your family and your friends.
We've got some breaking news actually out of Queensland. Let's get let's get to it straight away. Peter Badell is joining us. Pete talk us through what's going on with the Dolphins and the rabbit O's clash.
Yeah, good evening, boys.
Look at major development here as we know, there's been this disaster, a peer or potential disaster.
We'd be the siplone out for a threat.
And I can tell you some breaking news that up to four or five Dolphins players I said to withdraw from Friday nights class against the RCD. Now the players are on the way to the airport as we speak. They have a six thirty flight leading in about an hour's time from Brisbane.
I'm tald.
I don't know the identities of the players at this stage, but I have heard that one player could be Mark Nichols. There were Queensland Police stor knocks in the Newport region today advising residents that there will be major damage to their homes and Mark Nichols was out today getting.
Sandbags and Steen bagging.
His plays, fortifying it for what could be a major cyclone and probably a Queensand's worst cyclone in fifty years. So I'm at this stage I don't know the identities of.
All the players, but up to four or five.
Players won't be playing against our Sydney on Friday night, is my male?
Well, this is big news as there been an option given to the players to bring their families down for the game or any ways of trying to help this situation so that these players can play against the Bunnies.
Both.
They haven't offered the family's relocations in New South Wales, but they have put out smit invitations for the wives and partners and children to relocate to the Sofcotel hotel in Brisbane, CBD.
It's a regular hotel.
Used by the NRL that has been put forward by Dolphins bosses to the families.
I don't know if that's been taken up at this stage.
By the relevant families, but I know that there's been major concerns among partners, including coding Nigarema's partner Bree.
Who took to social media today.
She was quite critical of the NRL, saying that they need to do better and I wouldn't be surprised, guys, given given Bree sentiments, if Cody Nikarrema is one of the players who won't be playing on Friday night.
So look it is.
It is a concern for the Dolphins players, and it raises the prospect guys of weather South Sydney and getting an unfair advantage with several key players to miss out for the Dolphins.
Well, this all happened very quickly, obviously, Pete and yesterday the NRL made a decision and this has sort of showed to COVID where you know they had to be nimble and do things.
On the run.
Do the Dolphins actually want to play this gamet? It happens so quickly. They lost their home ground, which is fair, and they get it back in round seventeen. But given these circumstances, I know we have to fill television slots and it's eight o'clock Friday and seven o'clock Coinsland. It's a big one and it's worth a lot of money to the game. But do the Dolphins regret actually sort of ticking off on how this has all gone down?
Look, it's a good question, Dan, Look, I can only go off the sentiments of their chief executive, Terry Reader, and he said today at a press conference at sun Corps Stadium that they were happy with the dialogue with the Queens and government and including Premier David, Chris and Foley and also the NRL.
They've been in dialogue with them and they're satisfied with the outcome.
But I know Dean talking to a few Dolphins identities.
I know several of the wives are filthy.
I know that there's been some major, some major issues internally with players and staff as well, trying to organize logistics around family, old care and basically uprooting their lives for twenty four to forty eight hours to make sure this game goes ahead. So people may argue the merits of whether the game should have gone on, Dan and proceeded. Who knows, maybe the NURL may reverse their decision in the next twenty four hours, given if there is more fallout, but as it stands right now, the Dolphins are proceeding. I spoke to Christian Wolf, the coach, just a couple of hours ago, and he said, look, the show's going on.
He's heading to the airport.
So whatever, even if there are mass withdrawals, guys, there will be a seventy Mare Dolphins team ready to play on Friday night.
Thank you Bomby, Thank you for the inside information. Always got your finger on the pulse. Now that is big news coming out of Brisbane and the Dolphins.
Now, this is a tough one.
It's a tricky one because as players, families, kids involved. But you've also got the NRL who have done everything they possibly can in a short period of time coming off the back of Vegas to relocate this.
Game to make sure that it continues.
It's hard to please everyone here. But where do we find ourselves and what do we think of this situation?
A huge news break given the fact that there could be four or five players in all likelihood missing from that game. Well, if the Dolphins end up missing the eight by two points, then all of a sudden, this scenario becomes so critical, but your heart goes out to all the people in Queensland that are obviously going through and preparing for what's going to be an extremely tough and difficult time. By the same token, I think the NROL need to be commended because we've seen, in terms of the leadership of Peter Landi's and Andrew Abdo that they are extremely agile, extremely nimble when it comes to these types of circumstances. We saw it throughout COVID, we're seeing it again now. The fact that the game is going ahead I think is a win. But at the same time, now that we find out four or five players could be absent, big.
News I think.
I think the doll perst have shifted from the original decision just over twenty four hours ago, with which I applaud wholeheartedly, the same as Hoops as far as the NFL moving to keep this game on and in my original thought was, these guys are well plaid rugby league's players, professional athletes. They've got a job to do and for that is they travel to Sydney and play the game the end.
However, when you.
Have five players and that's only now potentially pulling out of a match. Peak touched on it. It's now an unfair advantage. It is because it is now the worst possible preparation going into a Round one match you could ask for for a professional sporting organization. It does raise the prospect of whether this game will be postponed.
Now.
It is unfortunate.
It is terribly unfortunate and not fair the Warriors when a whole season where they had four or five players that didn't even come across because of COVID its circumstances.
There's nothing. I don't think there's anything.
More the NFL can do, but they made the decision Dave on a Tuesday for a Friday game.
Completely different scenario with COVID, everyone was in the same boat. I appreciate the Warriors, you know they were, but at least their opposition were also wrapped up in a bubble as well.
See how Sydney had a sweet preparation.
They're fine, they haven't even had to come out of playing in Sydney. It's a bonus. And now five players have pulled out of the Dolphins. I think it raises the prospect of whether this should be postponed.
Let's move on. It's a tough one. It won't be postponed.
The game will go ahead and it's very unfortunate for the Dolphins. Hopefully somehow those players can make their way down and play, but it's not looking likely at the moment now. Jason Ryles round one nightmare. Can you believe it? Now he signs on with the Eel. He's had a great offseason for more reports heads in Melbourne against Craig Bellamy, who's got the best record in the game possibly, I think in the history of the game for round one games and Moses his key playmaker, has been ruled out.
Not the best way to start dan No.
Their record is miserable without him since twenty twenty one paramatter.
Eight to nineteen. When Mitch Moses doesn't.
Play, it's look, I suppose it's best get this game out of the way.
You're playing Melbourne down there.
It's probably right now given Penrith don't have a home ground.
It's the hardest, as Simon, in all of rugby league. The expectations on.
Paramatta won't be that high surely, and this will be a forgive run even if they get lapped.
It's game one.
We're not going to expect miracles are with him, Jason roll straight away, it's going to take a little bit.
It's actually a good point you're making.
It's probably less pressure on him heading down there now because no one expects them to win. I want to touch more on the injury now of Mitchell Moses. Last night I asked bulld or Richie how the severity of it. He wasn't sure, he said, you know, they didn't know themselves. Have you got heard any more over the last twenty four hours.
Yeah.
Look, it's his left foot, Braith, and he broke that foot last year. In the process of that healing, he had a screw inserted into the foot and it's obviously healed. He came back and played, was crucial in that State of Origin series where he tore his by set, but the foot wasn't an issue over the summer. Throughout the course of the training preseason, he started to get some sawness where the screw is and where that bone had healed, and as a result of that is now in a situation where he didn't play any trial games. He had his loads lightened because he had some issues around the saunas and now we're not playing he's not playing this weekend and the Eels are saying it's indefinite as to when he returns, which that's the biggest concern for me. Whenever people say indefinite, well, there's no time frame.
Has he had skins skin and have we got the results back yet, because that's the most important thing.
Absolutely.
Look, as of ten minutes before coming on air's still no results from scans taken on Mitch's foot.
Now, to Hoops's point, there's this trepidation from the Eels to go out and declare what the severity of this injury is.
I will say this as of team this Tuesday morning, they were still considering naming Mitche So that gives me some indication that it might not be full blow and serious.
However, far from ideal.
It's the worst possible result, the captain and leader of this football team going on a road trip to Melbourne.
All Right, we've got Benny Elias, Mitch's uncle, coming on later on the show, so we'll get hopefully some more inside information there. Now, what about Dylan Brown and his contract. There's a bit of pressure on him now heading into round one. Na Mitchell Moses, we'll get to that a little bit later on the contract stuff. But this is his opportunity to really stand up and deliver. Right, Dan, Well, I don't.
Want to be a Stax machine, but I'll give you another one.
I go again there, I'll give you another one again.
When they're together, Moses and Brown sixty three percent. When Brand doesn't have Moses and he's in the halves, nine wins, eighteen losses thirty three percent.
Is that that is critical?
Is that.
I can't believe how much time you're spending in the lab that start scam. However, that is extremely pertinent because if you're going to be a million dollar player, you know both We've all said it, adnors him on this program over the years, you have to be able to close.
He's a big game.
He could be getting one point three million dollars for ten years, the biggest deal in the history of the game. So is this the time the moment to show us that it's worth It's extraordinary?
Other cards fall right, like.
This is the player that his management, Dylan's management believe can go to Newcastle and run that team. Now we've spoken about it as far as he hasn't had to do that before. It's so much uncertainty about going to a football club and banking on him leading your team around.
When he hasn't done it. Had to do it at Paramatta with Mitch Moses there.
I'd even argue Dave that he has had to do it at stages. He had to do it last year when Mitch was injured, and the sample size that we've got wasn't great. The cards didn't fall overly well for Dylan. He's a brilliant runner of the foot all is a strong defender, but in terms of being an organizing game managing half, I don't think he really ticks those boxes.
Housk you growth because I think you can relate to this, right, So you hit the ground running. You played for Australia very quickly. You're about one. I remember you signed a big deal for the Bulldogs. You're an in demand player.
What did that do to you? What did that pressure?
It's a lovely problem to have, yes, but with and I remember the amount of money. It wasn't one point three million, but at the time it was significant time. What does that do to a young player?
Well, you just got to look at the likes of Niko Hines, right, he's a little bit older and what he's gone through at the moment.
Straight away, it puts the bulls on your head, There's no doubt about that.
There's expectation, the magnifying glasses on you with every performance. If your team succeeds, you're a genius. If you lose your fault, you know, and you know that, and as a young guy, it really has an effect on your confidence and knocks you around. And if you don't deliver, then you can fall off the perch pretty quickly. So it is high pressure, and you know, and these days it's even more pressure because you've got social media, You've got it's I mean, it's triple the amount of money you offered.
Back then as well, so the money's gone up.
And the exposure the game that the viewership, everything, you know, you can't escape it.
There is no escaping it. So when you take on.
These big deals, you have to accept that the pressure and expectation come with it.
It's it's hard work, it really is.
But you know, the greades of our game they get through it and they and they deliver, you know, And that's the difference.
And I think that's what brings us.
Back here to Dylan is is he at that level yet? Is he at that elite level where he commands that kind of money? You know, really, if you sit back, you say no, right, but if he wants to prove it again, brings us back to this moment in time, you know, this is this is this is a moment for him to do that.
He's never going to get a better opportunity to shut all of us up than to go out, lead the team, dominate and win again Melbourne and break Craig Bellamy's incredible round one streak.
Do we think it will happen? Probably not.
They're up against it. And in terms of the highest paid player in the history of the game, he's got to be able to show in these crucial clutch moments that he can do it.
And he hasn't.
He's been highly inconsistent. He is a brilliant player, flashes the brilliance everywhere over the course of his career. Has he done it for twenty six rounds or in a final series?
When you think of John's you think are first and there guys that if there are other halves, clearly now, if there are other house partners out, you don't blink and I may deliver. Eels recruit Zach Lomax is hoping Dylan Brown stays put in paramounta.
There's so much annoying around you are what are you going to do in the future or a future sort of up in the air, or you've already decided to remind it's a part to ignore that external noise.
I tend he is his motivation, and I think for for Dil there's there's every reason that he'd have a whole week of speculation around him is because he's such a great player, and you know, us as teammates obviously want him to be here because they're a much better team when he's in it. As I said, he builds a lot of speculation because he's such a great a great player, and you know, I Fingercoss is going to be here. I think he'll be here, and I don't think he'll leave Mitchell or or the boys here. And he's a Wessie at heart, So I'm sure Deal's going to go out and put in a good performance for us, and it's a great opportunity for him this week as well.
Teammate Zach Lomax doesn't want him to go obviously, just got there and he doesn't think he'll go. Let's talk more about Newcastle and what the offer actually is.
Why are they offering this much money.
We've talked about Paramounter, We've talked about Dylan's what's.
The game with Newcastle?
So it's a ten year deal worth one point three million dollars a season, which we've indicated will become the richest deal in history of the game. Thirteen million dollars. We've spoken about also to boys that what to the other ten year deals in the game. Jason Tamalalo for SU Malawi on ten year deals haven't reached the figures of this magnitude. What a Newcastle need him because they're struggling to sign a market player and they need two things. One they need a big signing. Secondly, they need to keep Calum Ponger at the club.
There's plenty of people in the game at the moment who will tell you that they think Brown is as good as gone. He will not be at PARAMOUNTA next year. Money talks all languages. Thirteen million dollars to set yourself up your life. I can understand why that has turned Dylan's head and why he absolutely and Yels.
Are who would turn anywhere.
Of course it would, of course I would.
It's power thirteen have these bonkers clauses that he's going. Good luck to him and his management for getting all those silly clauses in there. That's incredible, an incredible bit of negotiating.
Does this no clauses in this one?
It's a good question. Yes, there are some towards the back end of it. Now I don't know the exact details, but I was told this today. Certainly there's a theory in the Paramatta camp that there are some clauses towards the back end. I think they're mutual. I think they go both ways. The club. There's an option in the club's favor, there's an option in the player's favor for the last couple of seasons.
What about the money factor? Is this what do you call it? These ratchet and there's a ratchet clause in there? Because I think we're in for an astronomical ride twenty twenty seven, twenty twenty eight, when the new television deal comes, a cap will go and there might be another television deal before that. This Brown contract games and you're telling you do we.
Have a ratchet cause too? That was We spoke about this in Vegas. We touched on it quickly our first show. I couldn't believe that one point three with a ratchet cause. So again, as Dan was just alluding to, if the salary cap goes up, which it will, his contract goes.
Up as well.
Who's his manager?
I don't know, but I'm going to bring up his number my deals up this year.
You're giving them a run.
You talk about clauses, and it's really interesting.
I understand there's an appetite if Dylan knocks back the huge money and shows loyalty to paramatter. The Eels do have an appetite to play with those current clauses going forward in his contract, maybe remove them to keep him at the club long term on a new deal.
So okay, fair enough.
Been a big off season for the Roosters, but coach Trent Robinson is putting on the great faith.
Trent is this season learn is the most challenging.
You're cotching career.
No, No, it's just an exciting season. Looking forward to this year. There's a lot being made about, you know, what we don't have, but you know, the guys that step into those roles have been here for a while so.
Looking forward to the season.
Banking on youth and experience to play to the same level as the bloodshed lost.
No, that's not how it works.
You sort of seen your players step up.
They're a year older, they play more games, they take on those leadership roles.
So it's really about that.
Crew taking on that role and then yeah, you give time for those young guys, give you energy.
And he spent nothing less from Robo, one of the great coaches, really just focusing on the positive and the players that he's got in front of him. But as you can see here, there is still a major concern regardless of what coach Trent Robinson says.
Jared Luke, Keary Marnu, I can go on.
The list goes on, but look at the bottom there the total of NRL games missing one thousand, two hundred and seventy eight just over the preseason.
That is astronomical too.
They didn't need, they didn't need expense of Lenu being unavailable as well.
That was just the icing on the cake for this game.
I can't believe we're talking about odds here, but they are being undersold, aren't they.
Everyone just expects Brisbane to run through them.
Tomorrow.
I just want to they've still got some class in there to Are they as good? No, of course they're not as good. They've still got players that know how to win.
I just look at that list that was on the screen a minute ago, Dan and the amount of experience from Jared up the top there Strike in the middle. With Manu and Joseph Sulia the key playmaker and Sammy Walker out for the majority of the season, I think the Roosters are absolutely pushing it uphill to make the eight this year. I think this is the greatest challenge of Trent Robinson's coaching career and I do think that Brisbane will handle them tomorrow night.
I did it with a few of the power breakers of the Roosters in Vegas though quite tight lift. But you've had a conversation with a few maybe over the past twenty four hours.
They concerned or not.
But there's certainly they're remaining quite bullish in regards to Robot, specifically about Robot, because we know that the noise is going to the drums will start to beat if the Roosters start to lose a few games.
But at this point, now what the drums haven't over the like I'm talking over the years, he's had a lot of success, but he has gone through a couple of you know, you know, not many.
In fairness, he's won three hits the finals once.
Totally and he should be given time and respect. There's no doubt about that.
That's what's not even That's why it's not even a discussion point at the Roosters at this.
But you believe this year though, it's this year that the Drums will be.
Well, not only off back of losses brave, but that's that's the.
Game I'm talking.
If they do lose, I still think they'll I think I'll stay staunch, I really do, regardless of because of what Hoops mentioned, that record is enough to get Robbo through and.
Just the season.
I don't think.
Look, guys, I don't think the roster for overhaul of the Roosters has coming to some a great surprise.
But it's not. It's the fact that they missed Dave for feeder.
That's not just that.
Being tipped out.
They're the changes.
Do you think they've recruited, Well, no, I think that This is one of the big question.
Smith was a fail.
This is one of the big issues is It's probably the elephant in the room around the Chucks in the air of recruitment and retention. Normally, they are absolutely up the top of the tree in terms of rival and RL clubs. If they want to buy or sign a player, they go out, they have a benchmin they get it done. This time around the last three to four years, recruitment and retention, I think that's where they've made some poor decisions. There's been a variety of different reasons why. The Brandon Smith signing has been well documented about a lot of the problems that have gone wrong there. We're going to talk about that later. But I really do believe it's the biggest challenge in Robbo's career, and I do genuinely think that from what we saw of them in the trials, I think it's going to be a tough season.
Your expectations are lower, right.
Of course they are so, but it's a rooster's dand.
Tolerate not expects this year.
Yeah, but that's not the point you've just sat there. They still have some decent players. There'll be plenty of other coaches in the comp that would love to desco Crichton, Radley Colin's Daniel Tupo, Dom Young.
Yeah, doubled a lot, So we're not crying Paul here.
What's a past mark?
I think top aight's a good result. Do you not agree to That's a pretty good.
Year, which is unusual, right, but for the Roosters, But I think if they make the top eight, it's a part.
If they had Sam Walker available all year, to a lesser extent, Smith, then expectations would be high for what they're up against.
Top eight's pretty I know it's the Roosters, but top eight's pretty good.
Yeah, I agree, top.
It's definitely an enormous win for the club.
I think this.
Season let's get more into the Brendan Smith situation. What is going on in the NBA. We're hearing rumors, Well, we know that he won't be there next year. Yeah, do we know where he may be heading?
The Roosters tell Brandon some time ago, obviously when they signed rest Robson that we won't be extending you beyond twenty twenty five. This is a fascinating narrative break because we know how much the rooms in South Sydney loathe one another. But I think that the Bunnies are absolutely having a look at Brandon. I wouldn't be surprised if a coach like Wayne Bennett and his track record of being able to fix players who things might have gone a little bit sideways for and they might need a little bit of a cuddle.
And perhaps things have.
Gone with Murray going down too right with that Achilles and he's had some injuries the past couple of years.
And the middle forward.
I see him more as a middle forward with late footwork, powerful, quick play the ball, I think, and you can play at nine wherever they want to play him, and they're sure to nine in the South if Mademoisella's doesn't become the player they want him to be, or for Philly's potential, there's there's a couple of positions that he could play at the Bunny's that's an interesting one.
Well.
The funny thing is this time last year.
It was raised during the middle of last year and Nick Polaitis and Bus the Roosters went absolutely no way, that's the Souths. But I get the impression as though that tune might have changed a little bit.
Now, yeah, there's a little bit more.
But maybe it's on purpose. Maybe there's a little you know, I don't know. I want to go to further with that.
Hoops his males spot on.
It's the increasing talk within the game that Brandon Smith's on his way to Sydney. He's on his way there. That's that's the discussion, And for me, I still see it as a risk. Now, I'm not one hundred percent sure on the salary that is being put forward, but.
For me, it's still a risk.
And when you think about Sydney situation, they're backing Peter Mamazula's to play in the dummy half role. Saliva Harvili is that rotating dummy half plays.
A little bit power forward like Brandon does.
But for everything we've spoken about the Roosters, we've spoken about the recruitment, they got this one wrong.
So why is it going to be right at sour Sydney.
That's a good point that you make, and I suppose time will tell. Now, Michael will I image sorry at the gym this morning, training nice and down there at Kuldjie.
But there's been some criticism.
Of one of our penalists on this show and a few others about how hard he trains. He has been training the Broncos. He's hit back hoops.
Yeah.
I spoke to Madge today.
He's loving life at the Broncos and loving the challenge in front of him, but asked him about the fact that Buzz, who we all like and respect, had said that he'd heard that Madge might have been overcooking his players.
This was the response.
Do you think Penrith and Melbourne are training soft over the preseason? They've never spewed in their lives, They've never done a tough session. Bloody hell, it's all bullshit. I have a grin on my face now when I.
Hear that stuff.
It's a fair gay the two teams who've been rolling around in Grand finals for however long it is Penreth and Melbourne. Everyone talks about how crazy their preseasons are, but someone else does it. I know you're training the players too hard now.
Look, Madge was in a mood.
He was saying that a little bit tongue in cheek, there's.
A bit of venom in that though there he is, there is some pepper.
I tend to think that Madge has had enough of this assertion that because he was branded with it at the Bunnies, followed him to the Tigers and now here has raised its head at the broncos I love it over the summer that break. You can't sit around playing lawn balls and you're not going to win comps rolling out the picnic rug and passing out around.
I can't comprehend it.
Like we trained the Bulldogs harder than anyone else. When I was back, she used to kill it and we were in the finals every year one our premiership could have won more. And the Roosters were our heavyweight opponents, our opposition. They did the same, Like you don't get to the top from not training hard.
You just don't do it. And all this bullshit really that you're here.
Coming out from the media saying he's flogging them and the players are unhappy.
I'm going to defend my man Buzz.
On this school to do I know well, Firstly, I remember Gordy in his book wrote about a camp in two thousand, right, and he said, I've never been flogged that hard in my life. And that's where we won the comp in February. As the game changed that much in twenty five years, I don't think so. Right, it was professional then, it's professional now. But you can't judge this until the last couple of months of the season if they fade.
Now, hang on, buzz has got a point.
Now Brisbane will unbelievable the way they looked in the trials.
Buzzes saying they're not going to make the top eight.
Well, OK, I'm not defending my man Buzz on that. I'll defend my man buzz.
Disagree a buzz on me.
Yeah, I did better than the top.
But don't go chips in until we see how they end their season, particularly when.
The criticism about the Broncos over the past couple of seasons is their soft underbelly. So Madge's got up there with a job to do, and yeah that starts in the preseason.
Absolutely no doub We had two players on you last night and they couldn't believe it, one from Saint George and one from the West Tigers.
So for me, that says it all.
Think you Hoops said you dave up next with the Legends agenda with Benny Alias and Steve Back a roach
