Bats and Balls Podcast

Pies has suffered a training setback and will miss the last hit out before the season starts. In his place is the super sub Maybo. The Producer is also on deck. With the help of a few friends of the podcast we cast an eye over every NRL team for season 2021.

Each team segment is time stamped in the show description so you can skip straight to your team if you like.

Thanks to Maybo, Hammer, Erik, and Lobby & Pedro from League by the Fireplace for having a chat about your teams.

0:15:00 - Brisbane Broncos
0:19:00 - Canterbury Bulldogs
0:21:00 - North Queensland Cowboys
0:24:00 - Manly Sea Eagles
0:28:00 - St George Illawarra Dragons
0:39:00 - Wests Tigers
0:43:00 - New Zealand Warriors
0:47:00 - Gold Coast Titans
0:51:00 - Cronulla Sharks
0:54:00 - Newcastle Knights
0:57:00 - South Sydney Rabbitohs
1:02:00 - Canberra Raiders
1:07:00 - Sydney Roosters
1:11:00 - Parramatta Eels
1:19:00 - Melbourne Storm
1:25:00 - Penrith Panthers
1:29:00 - Predictions

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Mendy - @BigMendy180
Maybo - @maybo83
Erik - @ErikNielsen2759
Lobby - @LobbyLBTF
League by the Fireplace - @leaguebythefire
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

Pies and BS in the studio to discuss another week of sport.

India prepared a spinner's paradise for the 3rd test which was over on Day 2. The Producer is not happy about it.

Brighton copped one of the howlers of the season and proceeded to miss 2 penalties in a shocking loss to West Brom.

SVG kicked off the Supercars season in style at Bathurst.

And we answer all your questions and have a chat about Supercoach NRL & AFL.

0:00:00 - Cricket
0:30:00 - EPL
0:37:00 - Supercars
0:42:00 - Other Sport and Questions

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Mendy - @BigMendy180
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

Australia aren't touring South Africa but we do have India vs England and Bangladesh vs West Indies to talk about. Test cricket might be on the way back to relevance.

Tampa Bay Bucaneers dominated Kansas City Chiefs in Super Bowl LV. The Chiefs couldn't keep the Bucs away from Mahomes and he was running for his life most of the game. On the other side of the ball, Brady was measured and protected the ball. And he also hit Gronk for two TDs.

In soccer Manchester City are almost home in the Premier League. While PSG put the cleaners through Barcelona.

Utah Jazz are on fire in the NBA. New York are a proper NBA team. And AD is out for a few weeks, leaving LeBron to carry the load for the Lakers.

0:00:00 - Cricket
0:28:00 - NFL
0:59:00 - Soccer
1:05:00 - NBA

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Mendy - @BigMendy180
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

We've sat Mendy out for another 12 weeks for a bit of cap relief so it's just Pies and The Producer in the studio.

Australia have cancelled the tour of South Africa due to the threat of the coronairus. The Aussies were concerned about the South African strain of COVID-19 and have pulled the pin. A shame for world cricket, but as a result New Zealand are through to the World Championship Final. In the BBL Brisbane Heat are in form leading into the Challenger Final against Perth Scorchers. A single COVID-19 case in Perth meant the Scorchers will now host that game at Manuka with the victors facing the Sydney 6ers at the SCG.

The NFL is down to the big dance. The final showdown. That's right it's Super Bowl LV featuring the Tampa Bay Bucaneers and Kansas City Chiefs. Tom Brady vs Patrick Mahomes. The GOAT vs the best player in the NFL right now. We're looking forward to a great game.

In the EPL Manchester City are on top with games in hand. Mancheter United are on fire and Tettenham have saved #PiesKnows for the time being with defeat at the hands of Brighton.

The NBA has been great. The Brooklyn Nets are going out and just scoring more points than their opposition. Can it work in the playoffs? Plus there were some buzzer beaters this week.

Rugby League is back in the media and we discuss the big stories around the NRL. Israel Folau testing the waters with St George Illawarra Dragons who have become the NRL version of a wrestling heel. Roosters have received $350k in cap relief by keeping Boyd Cordner out of the game for 12 weeks. Raiders players DUI and Bryce Cartwright training the house down at the Eels.

And we finish off the show with a bunch of listener questions. Keep em coming!

0:00:00 - Cricket
0:23:00 - NFL
0:37:00 - Soccer
0:40:00 - NBA
0:45:30 - NRL
1:22:30 - Parramatta Eels
1:46:30 - Listener Questions

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Mendy - @BigMendy180
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

We're back for another year of Bats and Balls Podcast.

Pies and BS in the studio a day after India pulled off one of the great run chases in test cricket history. We dissect the Australian failures and try to find a solution. While Pies is a little more positive about how India played against the odds and came out on top.

The NFL Playoffs are down to the Championship games. Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Green Bay Packers and Buffalo Bills at Kansas City Chiefs. Can Tom Brady keep the fairytale going for another week? Can the Bills go back to the Super Bowl for the first time in decades?

In the EPL Manchester City are poised as Liverpool, Tottenham and the rest of the league falter.

James Harden was finally traded to Brooklyn. We discuss the trade and how the NBA is going. As well as the NBL tip off last week.

Then we rattle home with some other sports. Some tennis players want more, others are just happy to be here. And others just can't stop complaining. BS has been watching the ABL.

And we answer some listener questions.

0:00:00: - Cricket
0:57:00 - NFL
1:06:00 - EPL
1:10:00 - NBA
1:18:00 - Other Sport & Listener Questions

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Mendy - @BigMendy180
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

Thanks to Covid-19 2020 was a terrible year. Even though we were in the middle of a global pandemic, we managed to carry on with sports. Here's to a bigger brighter and more fun 2021.

Pies, The Producer and all our Bats and Balls Family will be back very soon.

It's the last show of the year and we've got a Christmas cracker to finish with a bang.

In the early bits we talk about Cricket, NFL and Premier League.

Swainy joins us via NBN from his new digs at Channel 9. We recap a rebuilding year for the Wallabies. Lament what might have been after those early rounds of the Super Rugby and look toward a brighter future for Australian Rugby.

Shaun McMeeken joins us for the first time. Shaun is a Carlton Blues fan, which makes two in a month. We talk about a difficult AFL Draft year in which the Victorian kids barely played and a lot more stock was placed in recruits that we actually saw play this year.

Not for the first time this year, the NRL have outdone themselves with their rule changes for 2021. Not only have they introduced a 2 point field goal, but in a revolutionary move, referees will be expected to actually police rules that were already in the rule book!

No Nathan to catch us up on Surfing and Darts. But Pies is hopeful the NBA season can be a good one. And the F1 finished with a win for Max Verstappen in Abu Dhabi.

Then we recap all of our 2020 predictions. As you can imagine, noone had a global pandemic bringing the world to its knees. Then we get most of the friends of the show back to give their sporting highlights, lowlights and predictions for 2021.

0:00:00 - Cricket
0:10:00 - NFL
0:17:00 - Soccer
0:20:00 - Rugby with Swainy
0:37:00 - AFL Draft with Shaun
1:03:00 - Other Sport
1:18:00 - 2020 wrap up and 2021 Predictions.

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Mendy - @BigMendy180
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

Mendy joins Pies and The Producer in studio. We haven't talked darts in a while so it's back. Who are the best going around at the moment? Is there a dearth of talent at the top? Plus Mendy has been keeping up to date with the surfing from Hawaii and is poised to tackle the Dakar Rally.

The Olympic Games have included Break Dancing to the schedule for Paris 2028. And Pies is not happy.

The Wallabies had another draw with Argentina.

In the cricket, Australia and India split the 6 limited overs matches with India taking out the Dettol T20 Series 2-1. Hardik Pandya hit some long bombs and Glenn Maxwell has been in good form for Australia. But how good are the bowlers really?

All of a sudden the NFC East is looking decent with wins away for the Giants and Washington. Can they keep up the form this week? Plus the Rams moved into first place courtesy of the Seattle loss to NY.

In the Premier League, crowds were welcomed back but nothing has changed at the top with Tottenham continuing to dominate. Son and Kane bagged a couple of scintillating goals against Arsenal. Meanwhile Manchester City and United are lurking just outside the top 4.

All that and more from the newly streamlined Bats and Balls Podcast.

0:00:00 - Darts, Surfing, Motorsport
0:15:00 - Olympic Breakdancing & Speed Climbing
0:33:00 - Rugby
0:36:00 - Cricket
1:01:00 - NFL
1:10:00 - Soccer

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Mendy - @BigMendy180
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

Pies and The Producer are in studio to talk about the week in sport.

In Cricket, Australia won the first two ODI vs India putting on huge scores that the Indians couldn't run down. Then in the third game in Canberra, India passed 300 and Australia fell just short. Steve Smith and Glenn Maxwell have been in some pretty hot form with the bat, and for India Hardik Pandya is in career best ODI form.

In the WBBL Sydney Thunder came from third to claim the title after restricting Brisbane Heat in the Semi Final and then demolishing Melbourne Stars in the Final. If they held all their catches the score would have been even more embarrassing for the Stars.

The NFL rolls on with the 49ers beating Brendan's Rams. And the Giants are on a winning streak to take top spot in the NFC East. Meanwhile Denver started a backup WR at QB after their whole QB staff went down with Covid-19.

In the Premier League, noone wants to win it. Liverpool and Tottenham were held to draws while Manchester City with a game in hand all of a sudden are back in the picture.

Pies has been all over the NBA Draft and Free Agency period. He picks his two big winners and makes some bold statements. How high can the Phoenix Suns go?

Then we rattle home with some other sports including Rugby, Supercars, F1 and Tennis.

0:00:00 - Cricket
0:28:00 - NFL
0:34:00 - Soccer
0:38:00 - NBA Draft & Free Agency
1:08:00 - Other Sports

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Swainy - @swainy7
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/

Pies and The Producer in studio this week with a couple of calls via mobile telephone.

Swainy kicks off the show with Rugby. Swainy was the caller for the epic Argentina win over the All Blacks. Plus we recap the Wallabies draw with the Pumas. And we look ahead to an exciting last two weeks of the Tri Nations.

Then we recap a disappointing State of Origin series for NSW. Freddy Fittler was clearly outcoached by Wayne Bennett. But does it run deeper than that? Is Cleary the half to lead them? Are the forwards that good? And how good was it to see DCE lift the trophy?!

Tottenham are gonna win the Premier League.

Australia and India kick off their Summer of Cricket this Friday with the ODI series. Then we get into the T20 and Test series. It could be a cracking Summer.

Just as we were preparing to call it an early night we get a first time call from Jason. Pies and Jason travelled South East Asia together 23 years ago and played an International Australian Rules game for Malaysia in Jakarta. We talk Lawn Bowls, Test Cricket and the Carlton Football Club.

0:00:00 - Rugby with Swainy
0:19:50 - State of Origin
0:38:45 - NFL
0:48:40 - EPL
0:55:00 - Cricket
1:06:00 - Other Sport with Jason

Part of the No Phony Podcast Network nophonynetwork.com
Twitter - @batsandballspod
Brendan - @brendansmith05
Josh - @PiesJosh
Swainy - @swainy7
No Phony Network - @NoPhonyNetwork
Email - [email protected]
facebook.com/batsandballspodcast
http://batsandballspodcast.com/