NRL 360NRL 360 - Is 2025 the year the the Penrith Panthers FINALLY crumble? Plus Anasta fires up over Flanno's Ilias comments - 18/03/25
Catch up on all the Rugby League news from NRL 360, Tuesday the 18th of March, with hosts Braith Anasta and Gorden Tallis.
The NRL 360 panel are joined by Paul Crawley and Andrew Webster to discuss whether 2025 is the year the the Penrith Panthers finally crumble, share some heated thoughts over Shane Flannagan's press conference comments on Lachlan Ilias, and debate the legitimacy of Francis Molo's departure from the Dragons.
For more of the show tune in on Fox League CH 502 or stream full episodes on KAYO.
Thursday Night Live on Fox League Best of the Best.
Hey guys, where you go? Where you gotta be?
Melbourne Storm and the Penrith Panthers.
Here we go.
Do you know last year's Grand finalists.
Back at it right here, right now?
The Panther is chasing five straight premierships.
That's right, five straight.
Look, Craig Bellamy, Storm the favorites to stop the run of this champion side just doesn't get any better than this and is stupidous, fully fit, Ryan Pappenhausen, Cameron Munster, Daly and medalist Jerome Hughes.
Good night, the best player of his generation, Nathan Cleary, Golden Boot winner Isaiah Oh.
Yes, somebody stopping.
Thursday Night Live on Fox FLUD. I must see.
Blockbuster, Storm and the Panthers.
We'n off three sixty other weeks from every Angle'll join me in the.
Great Gordon Talliss.
We've been General Australian Paul Crawley and Andrew Webster.
We've got a massive show on tonight.
We've got two of the South Sindia Rabbitos superstars on later on. We're also crossing live to Harry Grant in Melbourne.
But what about this blockbuster game.
The Grand Final rematch is here, the Melbourne Storm taking on the penwith Panthers, the Panthers coming off that loss against the Roosters.
The Storm flew out of the gates. Gordy.
Round one had to buy last week. You'd think they'd be fresh. They look fast in round one.
Yeah, Pendins was super impressive in Vegas and so we're Melbourne. Melbourne coming off of boy Penrith had a hiccup last week. But you think if something's going to get Penrith back and trying to get back on that winning way, you think Melbourne' film will bring out the best Grand Final replay.
What a game?
It was unbelievable, wasn't it?
Like Melbourne in round one I described him as the rugby league version of the Harlem Globe Shotters. They were their precision and the ability to come in round one of the season and perform like they did was quite incredible. Penriths were almost as good in round one. But then you're watching them in round two and you think what happened to her?
They were very Unpenrth like, weren't they against against the Roosters last week? There were parts of I can't actually remember them playing so poorly as they did in parts of that game. Yet despite all that their class, they were in it right to the very last player of the game. Penrith are three dollars thirty four?
Tell me last?
Well, that's what I'm trying to remember. The last time they would have been outsiders like that in the betting market. So I don't expect Penrith to play like they did against the Storm when they as they did against.
The Road normally did respond to the Penwrith Panthers th all, the thirty four is good?
Odds? Are you getting on you?
What do you mean?
I'm there already, baby with sports? But what about the Roosters? Did they find the key to success against Penrith. Yes, it's only one game, Yes it's only one win from the Chalks, but it was a big one given the circumstances. What did we see in that game that other teams could take into their performances against the Panthers.
I think with the Roosters, you've got a wait to see how they respond this week and back it up against the Warriors. But what they did last week was show to me that they have complete faith. The playing group have complete faith in their coach. All those questions last week about Robbo the recruitment. Has he been there too long? Were the players responding to their messages. They went out there and they played it so well. The pressure that they put on Dylan Edwards and young Casey McLain on the wing was quite incredible.
Just we're seeing these two kicks, that's what they did a lot of that really tested the back three of Penrith. They can test it every kick. They put the kick up high in the air. They had a really good kick chase. They didn't let their three wind up and make those easy meters as they usually do coming out of their own end because they use their back threes extra forwards Penrith and in this game the Roosters just they had a ploy and they executed to perfection.
Normally, when you played Melbourne and Penrith and all the big sides, you tend to go back in your shell and you're trying not to make mistakes. Roosters played their own style and that was the key for them. But then they defended their mistakes. It's okay if you're going to make mistakes and they defend them. It was a great performance.
The way that the Rusters went after McLean and used Dom Young's hided band each which they probably haven't done enough of in.
The past, used the ball too.
It was but the Penrith for mine, the biggest mistake for Penrith, or the biggest deficiency was their last tackle options were terrible. And that's not Penrith at all, That's what I mean. I just can't see Nathan will get it wrong to I don't think they'll do it again against.
Against certainly off there was no doubt about that. Now.
Ivan Cleary never gives much away and with the gfree match on the horizon, he's remaining tylet.
I've been done for last week. Rather I talk about it, sort of said what I said after the game, and we reviewed it and got what we need to do out of it.
You get over it and move on.
So and obviously we're planning on our plates this week, so looking forward to that challenge.
Dylan, how is he going?
Deal's all right, it's yeah, not too bad, so they're not a long turner. But obviously yeah, it's you know, you never want anyone to get injured, but you know there's plenty of injuries around the league at the moment that usually is at so of the year.
Are you going to this game as rank out side, which is quite rare.
Right, Yeah, you know we're confident and what you know and what we can deliver, but you know we're also early into a new season with a new team and new circumstances and always look forward to this opportunity to play on you know, when we get to going down to Melbourne's, you know, arguably the toughest road trip in the game, so great challenge. Yeah, so yeah, definitely looking forward to it.
He looks like very excited.
They're looking forward to the game and Cleary and you know what, he moved on quickly.
He's a professional.
He knows that he wants to put that performance behind him and the team and bounce back this week.
Now what a test it is coming up against Melbourne.
It's probably the hardest one, I believe at the present time. Now with Penrith, every year they just continue to deliver with all their players that have gone moved on, They've lost some real key We speak about it every week.
Are we starting to see cracks though?
Even though we I mean we've said this every year as well, mind you, but are they.
Weak this year with Bunny to get some Sally's no more gaps because they feel them really quick. Like then every year you're like they lose players and you don't think that they're strong in that and yeah.
But could this year be the year where it actually does it does crumble?
Well I thought that for the last couple of years. They keep on yeah, and they keep on jumping the hurdles. Yeah, look you know what that was unpenwrith like and then you see the way they got broken down and Dylan Edwards and you think they've been a champion side have they have? They run out of breath, but you know, we'll see you on Thursday night.
You make a good point, though, breath because they have fee the cracks, but you continue to lose them. Eventually it will catch up you Like they've lost little Wie, they've lost James Fisher, Harris Turreva on the wing. Like it has to have an impact and as I haven't said, then it's round two. They've got a lot of young guys that have come into this team and it will take time to gel. But there's so much responsibility now on the senior players Nathan, Isaiah jo and Dylan Edwards who won't be there this weekend.
He's a huge out.
Even though we had a bad week last week, he's got enough points in the bank and he's missed this week.
It's huge Leam, Martin Cleary, Leo, Dylan Edwards, and they'd probably be in the Penmouth's Hall of Fame.
The Cracks are supposed to be. That's what the salary caps for.
It's only a testament one to the fact that they've got nine thousand guniors to tap into and their recruitment's so good. And also just the culture of their club. You know, like everyone talks about, you know, the great players that they have, but the culture that's been built there since the end of twenty nineteen when Ivan Cleary reset everything and just said this is we have to start again. And that's basically set them up for the success that they've had. You know, at some point they're going to have to not make a Grand Final, at some point that they're going to have to fall back and and like I'm not prepared after one loss to.
The Roosters to say that, you know that it's.
Starting to crum, They're starting to crumble. But I know one thing I just honestly think that at the end of the day, it's going to be Melbourne and Penrith at the end of the year, just like it was last year.
The best team of the modern era. Right.
So I'm not suggesting that either, but I think they're more vulnerable and susceptible this year than.
Any other year. I think that's that's a fact.
And you know, this year it could take its toll on them. But that's not to say they're not going to then they're going to be in the top four. I'm talking premier year. That that's that's where you hold these guys. That's how supreme and elite society, how they judge themselves.
And you saw in Round one day, going back to Round one and you talk about the systems, how how everyone was so aligned to what they do, and then you had Nathan and Isaiah Yo who stood above everyone else and led the way like the champions. That's what they're going to rely on more this year than they probably have had to in previous years.
All Right, the sports Bet team selections are in for Round one. Let's take a look Round three. Sorry, So the Solomona for the Melbourne Storm returns, which makes their team even stronger. Laurie replaces Edwards with that Green injury at fullback for the Panthers. Look at Roosters, lend you, Radley and Collins all return after that big win against the Panthers. Tow Malila and Clifford into the starting sign for the Cowboys, and I named on the bench at a car is included for paramatter.
On the reserves of this boy they need him.
And the mainly seaguals Tom Draboievich and DCE named despite both having those injuries against the Warriors in round two. What sticks out to you, guys out of these inclusions for round three?
Oh, I'd say the inclusion on the bell will in the side of Tom and DC. You'd be shocked, wouldn't you if they if they risked Tom with a hamstring injury this early in the season.
I don't know what that's about. And DC is a little bit the same, isn't it.
I'm interested to see if if Nast plays. I know he's on the extended bench, but what do you throw him in or not?
Do you do you start him? You'd have to, You'd have to have him.
The Cowboys have really struggled Cowboy's really struggled to Malolo coming back now and I you know, hopefully they can give him the experience and a bit of confidence that they need.
What about the Dragons, Frankie Molo, he has been given permission to move on, So that's done, and Dusty can he talks through that?
Yeah, so the Dragons have Well, if it's not done yet, it's it's about to be done.
He's been given a release.
I think it says a lot about the Dragons, how they dug in on this and they've got a six figure some back from from Francis Molo to to get that release. Where he goes, I'll be stunned if he hasn't got somewhere to go, if a dealer isn't stitched up somewhere.
Money back, he's giving money back to leave. He's probably got somewhere to go.
You would think so. You would think so, because you.
Don't just give money back without a club to go to.
No, you don't, you don't.
But to me, boys, I think it's the bigger picture here is the fact that you know he's used mental health to get out of the last two years of his deal. I spoke to the NRL tonight, I thought they might might have looked at this. I think it's it's a bit of an interesting precedent about it. Look at it well, just whether like just the legitimacy of his of his mental health claims and whether he should have been released from the last two years of his deal, like it's it's I was told by not just the Dragons but people of the NRL that his manager was shopping him around before any of this blew up.
So I just think there's mental health that's half a year, like it's at least half.
He was on sickly, but but they'd also given him advance on some of his pay, so that's why some of that money came back. I'm glad the Dragons they dug in because they gave early releases to Hunt and Lomas. But to me, it's very, very messy, and I want to feel I want to see a little bit more transfer, a little bit more transparency around the circumstances which time playby.
Like we've had players, many players over recent years that have used the mental health card to get out of contracts and go to different clubs. I think there's also a concern here, and you can't ignore it.
With the Dragons.
In recent years, there's been a few now, hasn't there that have wanted to get out of their contracts, and this is just another one. Ben Hunt Zach Lomax push for it last year, There's been others. Even though in the in all instances they've held their nerve. It's still a concern that players want to leave.
Well, the Dragons had a bit of spine when they made If every club does it, it won't become the player's league at the moment. It's the players league. Whenever a player is dirty, they seem to just be able to walk and break.
The thing though. That's that's what The easy sort of suggestion is.
That Flannow's too hard on them and are going to talk about elist in the minute before him. Yeah, we Hunt wanted out of the Anthony Griffin wasn't there Lomax? You know, he didn't like being put on the wing. I was told by the end of the last year he wanted to actually stay. But he's it's a yeah, played on the wing on Sunday.
That's right.
That molo one was an interesting one. I'm still confused as how it all went down.
So what happened was that that Francis Molo into the end of season review. One of the assistant coaches said to him, it wasn't a good look that you didn't go to Mad Monday celebrations. He said, I'm not I'm off alcohol. I don't want to be around alcohol. They said, well, you know what, you're one of the leaders in the team. Can you please go there? And just you should have just gone there, shook a few hands and apparently that there's been enough for Francis Molo to want out of the club.
To me, that doesn't line up. That doesn't that doesn't line up to me.
Okay.
Despite clearing the Molo mess, Upshain Funning and still dealing with the fallout from his comments about half back Lachlan Ilius.
Here's what sparked the controversy.
How's that adjustment period being for lot Eliuslocke and I was coming to a very serious injury new club short preseason.
Are you getting to the point where he needs to be slower than what?
Do you hope?
Maybe you were here William obviously.
And that you can make your own assessment.
Thank you.
There is coach Shane Flannagan with his comments postmatch press conference about his half back Lochlan Ilius an emotional Shane Flannagan reacting to a question asked about his half back's performance, how do we see this look?
It was an emotional response. But he's not a rookie coach. He's got to be smarter than that. You're dealing with a young man who he his heartbroken last year at South Sydney, then he suffered a broken leg. You've brought him to the club as you're half back.
You're two games into the season.
There's no question in the world he had an off day, but he wasn't on his own on the weekend when that game was there to be won. You've got a lot of experience out there and none of them pushed him in the right direction. Yes, Lockey blew it with that kick when he went crossfield.
Instead of going for the field goal.
But I just thought it was pretty ordinary for your coach to hang out to dry like he did.
At the press Coss, ye hard.
You would have heard it.
You would have heard a coach say that. I would have heard a coach say that one hundred times during my career.
You know what they went about a rookie about a young.
Man's and he's coming back from a pretty tough years private.
I think it's not being bad.
I don't get it, but I honestly think it's been blown up too much.
Can I say that.
Boys coach put Jason Tamalala on show? Sure? Right?
I think one of the greatest forwards to play the game. How was he responded in the last couple of years. That's one of the greatest players to play up in Northwest. So you've got to read the room. I think as a coach sometimes because like Wayne Bennett, I think something should be said behind closed doors, and Wayne used to rip us, but in the media he tries to keep you away from it, so then the public don't hamm me.
I tend to think he did it one closed doors.
You know I would have I would have given lock your spray, told him that he didn't handle the last fifteen minutes well enough, told him exactly where he went wrong, tore him and you a new one. Really in behind closed doors, I just think, yeah, I know what you're saying with I.
Remember been an Olympic park years ago and Craig Bellamy got asked about a young Greg English's performance and he absolutely decimated him in the in the press conference.
As you say, what's his name, Yeah, Greg.
English, and he was a young player. Though, I get it. I get it, and look, I think I know. I spoke to Flano today. I understand that he you know, he regrets saying it as he did. He didn't apologize to him. He just said, look, I mean, I've got your back. I know you've got ten days before you play again.
He doesn't need to apologize to him.
But what he did is put his he put a bulls eye on his half back, right, and a young half who is struggling with his confidence and belief.
And that is everything. Not in our game, it's everything in sport. It's everything, but in particular for halves, you know.
So he's brought him there, he's trying to build him up, he's trying to make him their seven. They've just lost the game by one point. You know, he didn't do his job, but a lot of them didn't do their job, that's exactly. And he's put a bulls eye in and he's and he singled him out as a young half.
I just think it's not going to help him. It's not going to help flannel. He asked.
He was asked specifically abound him.
But let's your your man, he's locky. Yeah, okay, So tell us how he was after the game and how he responded.
Devastated, knew what he'd done wrong, knew he didn't take the game by the scruff of the neck, knew he should have went for a field goal, inside shoulder tackle on Walker. Wet We walked through the whole thing. Yeah, he got sprayed by flannel when he was He's fine with that.
He understands that he's a great he's a great boy man.
He's the public that the public things different And I know that feeling because I've been there and a lot of other halves have. When you're older and more experienced played red footy and you can handle yourself and you're a man and you're at the top of your game, you know what.
You don't give a ship when anyone says.
But when it's your own coach and you are going through a patch, you're not quite there yet, and you want your coach to believe in In the back you and your criticize you, but to you, where he went throng wrong?
Be constructive? Do it behind closed doors.
I just think, you know, like it doesn't matter whether it was Locky or five each other halves in the com have you asked for a release out or.
A serious note though, like you bring up the English thing with with Bellamy, where the dragons are at the moment, they need Locky Ilius out there playing his best football, you know, And as Brace said, that is ammunition for every team that comes up against him in weeks to come. And Flannel of all people should know that, you know, because he's lived it with his son. He has, and he's he's and he's had his own run ins with with some of Kyle's former coaches that's happened over the years, and I just think that he should have been smarter. He made this into an instance when he brought up that with Pengelli at the press conference. Then he's had a conversation with Buzz after that, and it's like there's been an apology, but the apologies come too late.
Doing Brown the weekend, they asked Rosey about his performance. He's just on thirteen or deal ten years and Rosey said, I know what you're trying to do, and he didn't buy it.
That's Rosy he's.
A new coach, and he didn't try Dylan in the bath.
He could have.
You know, I reckon the big parties with Flan when he last coached in the NRL and coach, they were real hardened blokes who responded to being spoken to like that, either publicly or behind closed doors. And I reckon, you know, the game's changed a bit. I reckon players have changed a little bit since. Yeah, in the last ten years.
Tiger and realized I don't respond anymore.
I don't know. I just you know what I'm saying.
If you're if you're a first grade half back, you're going to have to wear the bullets publicly and privately.
Of course, it's part of it. It is part of it. I just you know, it could have been a little bit different.
Played with Alfred Lucky anyway, all crawls on ready rewriting history.
Yeah, Like I sit there and listened to the conversation last night about Guthason and how Paramatta did the right thing by him to let him go and sign a three year deal at the Dragons, Like we'll forget are we forgetting that?
NELLI?
The first thing Jason Roll said when he walked through the door publicly was that Gutho wasn't going to be the fullback my playm at Hawker, my playm at Locke? Was that mentioned or maybe off the bench? We weren't too sure. Like it was almost like with a twisted arm. He walked out the door and I just think that you know half home. Yes, Paramatta allowed him to go and join the Dragons, but they didn't do the right thing by the club where Paramatta are at the moment they needed Gupherson's experience here. I'm not saying you had to go and offer him a new three year deal, but keep him for what you had him for.
They couldn't compete with a three year deal.
They didn't have to mate.
It was he was contracted at the club, but why let him go?
But he approached the club before November one and asked for an extension and they said we're not in a position to do it yet.
They didn't say no.
We're just not doing it now, and they gave him the opportunity to go and source or after before No Number one last Roles had.
Come out and said where he's going to be playing.
I don't think you said where he was going to be playing.
Need of you in the paper if I remember correctly, it was if it was actually a quote or it was heavy mail, that are going to put him at nine or thirteen? Yeah, yeah, But see Paramatter at the moment, right, I like, whatever whatever happens with that young fallback at the moment, they need experience there and I don't think they'd be getting beaten by forty points at the moment if he.
Was out there.
I reckon GUSA would be laughing because he's got three years.
But their job is to do the right thing by Paramatta, mate, And the problem for Jason made all.
Their big players have got clauses, but they've had causes. They've had a gun to the club's head for a long long time. They've lost all their young kids because those old blokes they keep on playing it out in the media. And Guthhason, right, but I think he's been fantastic for Paramatter was but three years and you watched.
Him on the weekend school.
It was contract, that's what he was.
But then all but every week with our where's Gutho going? And that's no good for your addressing room either. Well for like young kids to let.
Them and I'll tell you now, you watch that performance on the weekend, and they've just lost Dylan Brown from next year and and the ball. The more these performances were, the hard is going to be for Paramatta to sign someone.
I truly think I let him go.
Now.
Ross has got a heavy job on his hands, and you spoke about it last night too. He hasn't got Phil Gold there. He hasn't got Nick Politis like Robber had when he went to the Roosters. He's a young coach that walks into this club and he's got to pick him up on his own pretty much. The people that have been there in the past have shown they haven't done good deals. There's players there that wouldn't walk into opposition teams.
I think this is madness.
It's two years, two games into a four year rebuild, and we're saying he's made the wrong decision.
Saying he needs nine years. I'm saying, I'm saying, Guherson, you would have kept him for his final year. You would have made him just spoke about the Dragons making people.
I mean, Dylan Brown go now at.
This point of the season. Now, I wouldn't not with Mitchell Moses out, you know, I.
Get what you're saying. When Ready was saying it last night. You know they've done the right thing. I agree, and Buzz went back at reading read he was a bit of a gibber last week with that. You know, here's he'll be filthy. I'm sure that's probably him just ringing.
Now.
It's like it's i'd be you know, he's you know you're not there, it's not. It's a high school footy. You know, you don't give another club a you know, a gift. But you know they wanted to move on from Gutho, and I can understand why. I mean that said I'd be faster than him over fifty minutes, and I'm a Dragons man. I'm a Dragons man. I'm stoked that he's at our club. He's exactly what the Dragons need at the moment. He's experienced that. It was clearly the best player of the last two weeks in a losing team. But I can understand PARAMOUNTA wanting to move on.
From Suffer suffer over the clause.
Confusion there at Paramounta whether he's at right or with.
Dylan Brown, Sorry Dylan b Yeah, So there's been reports of the last you know twenty four hours that Dylan Brown has no get out clause or Newcastle has no get out clause for the entirety of the ten year deal. I've been told that's not right, that they actually both have get our clauses for the last two years of the ten year deal, which will probably probably sit better with the Knight's Old Boys Network, who I'm told aren't particularly happy with this deal. They're too classy to say anything publicly.
So we've got to wait nine years till he can get out of the clause in there in a ninth year.
But the first eight years willgo really quick break. There are comps will be sweet, there clauses.
But Dylan Brown said an interview there yesterday that there's no no clauses in it. Well, clearly Dylan Brown doesn't know his own deal, because apparently there is, and there's also clauses the Night's way in the last two years, so that I think that's I like, that's a bit, that's a that's a.
Bit more reasonable.
Then he got to year six or seven, he just I just signed that.
He didn't get to these nine.
He just saw the thirteen million.
When I'm done, I'm protected with this deal or they are protected.
They are well, they protected protected year in the last two years, it's better than ten.
The narrative that Dylan Dylan Brown has the potential to be sort of evolve into a into a Jerome Hughes style Cooper Cronk style half back of what Melbourne's done with those blokes over the year, I find it a little bit misleading because the difference is when Craig Bellamy got a hold of Jerome Hughes, he got him on rookie wages and over three or four years he took him to where he is now and he created a player who's still is on nowhere near the money that Dylan Brown will get next year.
And that's the thing.
The Knights have brought a guy that they want to teach to do this job, and they've brought him on top dollar.
Through the comparison with Cooper Kronk is just mad because Cooper Kronk went there and he was like the understudy to Matt Orford. You know, I remember all the talk about Matt Orford and whether he was going to go or on and Melbourne were more than comfortable with Matt Orford taking a massive deal at manly because they you that they had Kronk coming through the system and had been in that system for a couple of years. So to make a comparison and say, well it work for Cooper Kronk, it can happen for for Dylan Brown. In that interview last night, Dylan Brown, they was asked straight out of your halfway as no, I'm a six.
So that's to me these alarm.
Belts about Newcastle having any reservations, A buzz says none at all. They're it's completely happy with the deal that's been done and no regrets.
The other way around.
I find them very edgy about talking about it.
Yeah, they're very sensitive to any sort of criticism about it and any any discussion about it. Really so because they're supposed to be a big well there was going to be a you know, supposed to be a positive for the club. I know it's well, it's haven't even started there yet.
I feel it's not a Dylan Brown here, it's a Knight's that's right. It's the Knights that went there and offer him that much.
Don't put the heat's not on Dylan Brown.
The Dylan Brown was offered the deal and like we all said last week he'd be mad not to take it. The Knights are going to come out and they're going to make out that everything hunky dory.
They'd be as nervous as anything like.
Watching him live. And I'm not a coach. I'm not even a backs coach. I don't know, but I thought he'd be more suited in the centers or fullback than going closer to the ruck just watching him the way I saw him play, So it's gonna be like it's a big transit if.
I'm the Knights.
I am very worried with how he responded in the first two games of the season. I would have thought someone who'd signed a deal like that would go as hard as possible, and it's.
Clearly on his mind. It was clearly on his mind on Sunday
You stick around, Stick Around, Crawls up next Storm Superstar Harry Graham
