Dead In Goal

We get right into this weekend's prelim finals (6:56), with James expressing backhanded admiration for Wayne Bennett's longevity and guarded optimism for his Panthers. And like a couple of old men, we reminisce in our Honesty Session (27:43) about how we first became interested in rugby league, which includes references to Amco Cup board games and Paul Hauff. Lastly, a memorable encounter with the retiring Issac Luke (52:16).

Week two of the NRL Finals looms, and James didn't expect his Panthers to have to play this weekend. We talk the postseason format present and past (3:15), James explains why the finals are a certain nondescript colour (17:18), and how a two-point conversion to win a match would be the ultimate act of league bravado (27:33). In our Honesty Session, we ask what you would rename your team, which includes Jeff's memories of Filipino pro basketball teams named after hot dog brands (40:18).

The NRL season reaches its decisive phase, and James is beginning to feel nervous. Dead in Goal goes final by final (8:28), and we ask you in our Honesty Session what the headlines will be after this weekend (39:52). Spoiler alert: an inordinate amount of them relate to the Tigers. Also: the grand final heads to Brisbane (49:03), and with Jordan Mailata on the verge in the NFL, Jeff waxes lyrical about the athleticism of rugby league players.

Jeff's dog sets the tone for this episode, as we woof about what can be done about resting players in the penultimate round (2:38) and restoring esteem to the minor premiership (20:08). In our Honesty Session, we ask about your favourite upsets (29:41). And to finish, we discuss Latrell Mitchell, because everyone else has (45:31).

With the bids for the NRL's 17th team going before League HQ again this week, we're talking about the expansion of the comp (8:27) and how James once found himself viewed suspiciously around the Redcliffe Dolphins (25:25). And in the spirit of the league going places, our Honesty Session asks about your best footy trips (33:09). Also: a rule change for the dead-in-goal crowd (50:41).

After the NRL's average salary figures were made public this week, Jeff gets a step closer to information he's long been dying to know. The pod gets into a way-too-involved discussion of which positions rake in the big bucks, as well as how clubs structure their payrolls (11:22). Also: firing back at ref-blaming (32:18), and our Honesty Session asks about your favourite footy legend from the bush (40:27). And yes, one indeed did tackle sheep. 

In honour of the great national head count this week, we talk stats and whether we should trust them at all in rugby league (4:25). We nominate our most useless stats (23:28), as well as the ones we'd most like to see (32:38). And in our Honesty Session (44:33): what rugby league question should have been asked on the census?

The NRL season is headed down the stretch, but we're still in preseason form. This week, we talk about whether Tom Trbojevic could swing a finals campaign by himself (6:45), share our thoughts about Wild Wests (23:55) – we're not going to bash your club, Tigers fans – and ponder other great rugby league doco subjects in our Honesty Session. Also: James explains the Hallmark movie formula!

Our first regular episode of Dead in Goal arrives just in time for the big Storm-Panthers contest this weekend, and Penrith devotee James tells us why he feels no pressure about it (5:20). We also re-introduce our Twitter question, with a new name for the segment (30:18). And lastly, a lament for the Rugby League World Cup, from two guys who worked on the last one (42:21).

For listeners old and new, we get up to speed since we last cast a pod in mid-2019. So nothing too big has happened in rugby league – and the world – since then, right?