League Of Our Own

The rugby league season has come to an end, and therefore, League Of Our Own wraps with a better-late-than-never Season Finale!

The Kiwis absolutely destroyed Samoa in the second half of the Pacific Championships Final and it’s got Blairy & Goran excited for the Rugby League World Cup next year.  However, there are a few positions where depth is questionable, especially since Kieran Foran is no longer a halves option…  outside of Jahrome Hughes and our Golden Boot-in-waiting Dylan Brown, are we satisfied with the back-ups?  And where does Kodi Nikorima sit in all of this?

Seeing as it’s the last episode it’d be rude not to make some kind of outlandish statement!  So here goes:  Wayde Egan will represent the KIWIS in 2026!  If he qualifies through residency, would he forgo a NSW jersey for the chance to play a World Cup for New Zealand?  He’d look very impressive behind that fabulous forward pack of ours!

In other selection news, Maori All Stars head coach Blairy has put in a super-early request to Ricky Stuart for 4 Canberra Raiders players to be released - you might remember Sticky got a bit annoyed with Adam earlier in the year!  Great news to see that the All Stars clash is coming back to NZ for only the second time, but what is it gonna take to get the match to the far north?  It would be truly special for the likes of James Fisher-Harris, and Adam too.

We look at the Warriors NRL draw, with a tough first 6 rounds, a long run-in to Finals of 9 straight matches, and a middle period of the campaign where they only play at Mt Smart Stadium once in 3 months!?  

We make some predictions for the rugby league year ahead, put out a plea for more sponsors (as always!) and say a massive thank you to YOU for watching!  We appreciate every single one of you that has taken the time to watch, listen, engage with our social posts - it means everything to us.  Let’s do it all again from February next year!

00:00  A toast to success! 

02:49  The Pacific Champs WIN! What about that 2nd half v Samoa?!

06:47  Depth chart: What positions are our SUPER STRONG Kiwis lacking in?

10:02  WAYDE EGAN FOR THE KIWIS!

15:27  Maori All Stars to WAIKATO NZ in February

17:51  Why not Whangarei? For Blairy and Fish!

19:33  Updating our LOOO Wish List - All Stars to Far North

20:01  Hey Ricky Stuart, we want your Raiders please!

22:55  Warriors Draw for 2026 - One home game for 3 months?!

26:41  Warriors Draw for 2026 - The first 6 rounds

29:32  Warriors Draw for 2026 - The LONG run-in to Finals

31:57  Dylan Brown!  HOW GOOD?

33:51  SPONSOR US in 2026!  Please??

35:46  Rugby League WISHES for next year

39:58  THANK YOU FOR WATCHING!  See you in February ‘26

Three big topics this week:  Kiwis vs Samoa PREVIEW.  Kiwis vs Tonga REVIEW.  And how did everything conspire so badly against former NZ Warrior ELIESA KATOA at Eden Park?

Blairy had front row seats as Eli was taken away on a medicab, and the Kiwis assistant coach was shocked that the game had let down the star Tongan backrower to that extent.  The boys talk about how the Tongan officials and the Sky Sport crew could’ve worked together to minimize the damage that day.

To the game itself, and the Kiwis produced a fine performance in booking their spot in Sunday’s final.  Blairy & Goran review the game, and single out a few individuals for praise such as Keano Kini and Naufahu Whyte.

And finally, who will be the difference makers for their sides in the Pacific Championships final?  Blairy’s answers may surprise!  And we’ve got our last Betcha This Happens for 2025.  Enjoy!

00:00  No rubbish bins this week!

01:38  Blairy’s view on Eliesa Katoa’s troubles

06:22  The players, the Tongan officials, the Sky Sport production

11:31  Wow wee, Kiwi!  Tonga gets annihilated

14:01  The thoroughly impressive KEANO KINI

16:32  It’ll be all WHYTE on the night - Naufahu the destroyer

19:22  Demetric Vaimauga shout out!

20:39  KIWIS vs SAMOA! World Cup Final Preview?!

24:11  Key Players!  Who are they?

28:20  Betcha This Happens Kiwis v Samoa!

30:09  Goodbye, good luck, and one episode to go?

Fun and games this week as Blairy & Goran scrape egg off their faces following last week’s Luke Metcalf prediction, and Adam leaves an important piece of his technical set-up back in Newcastle! 

But in all seriousness, it’s wonderful news that Metcalf has signed an extension to 2028 with the NZ Warriors, and the boys wonder if it can not only get the Wahs a Premiership, but help the pathways to produce the next big Kiwis playmaker - if you’ve got Stacey Jones, Shaun Johnson and Luke Metcalf involved at the Warriors,, imagine being a young playmaker coming through, learning from those 3?  Could be huge for the future of NZ league.

It’s being reported that Eden Park will host Game Two of State of Origin in 2027.  How good?!  And also…  why not?  With NSW and QLD being made up of Samoan and Tongan internationals, and Auckland being the largest Polynesian city in the world, it makes sense, right?

Sticking with Eden Park, that’s where the Kiwis face Tonga this weekend.  Blairy & Goran talk through the handful of changes, the kiwi approach, and why Big Nasty has lost his spot.  And still no Keano Kini?! 

00:00  Blairy’s Rubbish Bin! SPONSORS PLEASE

03:22  The Luke Metcalf prediction FAIL!

09:09  No Wahs collab stitches up the Pod

10:40  Injury-free, 100 gamer to influence pathways?

12:55  Luke, Stacey, Shaun to develop next big Kiwis half?

15:30  Origin to NZ!!

21:32  Kiwis v Tonga this weekend

25:46  Changes to the side

29:08  Where’s Big Nasty?

30:26  What’s the secret to beating Tonga!

34:33  CNK vs KEANO KINI

38:02  Betcha This Happens Kiwis v Tonga

39:37  Goodbye and SPONSORS PLEASE!

Not the best news for NZ Warriors fans:  Luke Metcalf is about to test his value on the open market.  And for those in the know, the halfback’s value could be as great as ONE MILLION DOLLARS per season.  Can the Wahs produce a paycheck like that, or does the Aussie return home…  to the Dragons, the Perth Bears, or somewhere else?  

Blairy & Goran talk through the factors a player in Metcalf’s position would weigh up, and then deliver their verdict:  Will he stay or go?

And then of course there’s the Pacific Championships, where the Kiwis snuck past Samoa in a brutal encounter at Mt Smart.  Casey McLean was enormous, and Joe Tapine was even bigger, but it wasn’t the perfect performance from New Zealand and assistant coach Blair tells us why.

And we look forward to Suncorp Stadium this weekend to see how the Samoans regroup ahead of another colossal clash against Tonga!

00:00  Congrats on the win!

01:40  Luke Metcalf is leaving?!

04:46  Aussies will always leave Wahs for family 

08:53  Injury prone so SHOW ME THE MONEY!

11:42  If not Metcalf, who’s the Warriors 7?

13:34  That’s why they re-signed TMM!

15:11  Warriors Spine has the NEED for SPEED

18:44  Kiwis SCRAPE PAST Samoa!

21:50  Casey McLean the Mean Machine

25:02  Joe Tapine is the MAN

27:37  Kiwi work-ons?

32:25  JMK injured…  Big Nasty at 9!

35:29  Samoa v Tonga Preview!

38:29  Betcha This Happens at Suncorp

League Of Our Own with Blairy & Goran is all about three big things:  NZ v Samoa in the Pacific Championships, Bunty Afoa signing for the Wests Tigers, and Alofiana Khan-Pereira joining the NZ Warriors on a 3-year deal.

Let’s start with the former Gold Coast Titans flyer…  Blairy mentioned a few weeks ago that the Wahs needed a strike centre or a winger with speed, and they’ve secured the latter.  But what does it mean for Dallin Watene-Zelezniak?  Or, dare we say it, Roger Tuivasa-Sheck?

We thought Bunty Afoa might be lost to the NRL after parting company with the Warriors, but Benji Marshall has offered Back Fence Bunty a one year deal - what can Marshall get out of Afoa, and is this a chance for the fan favourite to add a few more strings to his bow?

And of course, the Kiwis welcome Toa Samoa to Mt Smart Stadium on Sunday at 6:05pm, and as Blairy is an assistant coach of the New Zealanders he tells you about the key selections, the pressure facing the men in black, and the best match ups in what will be an incredible spectacle to kick off the Pacific Championships!

00:00  Blairy’s PRIDE! Back home for KIWIS!

02:38  BIG NASTY: I’m playing fullback anyways!!

06:15  Wahs sign WINGER WITH SPEED - Alofiana Khan-Pereira

09:53  Does DWZ… or RTS make way?

15:17  Attack vs Defence - tries galore, but defensively poor?

18:33  Mt Smart is home to the Triple Banger League Name

19:49  BUNTY AFOA to the Tigers!

22:36  Can Benji Marshall improve Bunty’s skillset?

25:14  KIWIS vs SAMOA this Sunday!

29:17  Pressure?  What pressure!

32:02  PAYNE HAAS and the battle of the middle

35:37  Betcha This Happens for Kiwis vs Samoa!

After a NIGHTMARE last week when it comes to technology, time difference and sleep deprivation, the boys finally return with a look at the upcoming Pacific Championships!

But before Blairy & Goran delve into that, a hypothetical:  What if Reece Walsh never left?

We just witnessed ‘The Plumber’ deliver a Clive Churchill Medal-winning performance as the Broncos beat the Storm for the 2025 Premiership, but if he didn’t leave the NZ Warriors after the 2022 season, would the Wahs have had ‘their year’ by now?  Food for thought!

Onto the Pacific Championships where Blairy is an assistant coach of the Kiwis, and the NZ boys look strong!  No Jahrome Hughes, but a fairytale ending for Kieran Foran.  Blairy & Goran talk about how impactful Kieran’s speech was after claiming the Ken Stephen Medal at the Dally M’s last week…  Seriously inspiring.

We talk about the opportunity that lies ahead of Nelson Asofa-Solomona - wiped out of the NRL GF through suspension - how does he get things back on track to be an asset, not a liability for the country?  He only played 12 matches for the Storm this season.

If there was a tug of war for the services of Leka Halasima between NZ and Tonga, you could say that the latter was victorious.  But Goran asks Blairy how hard did the Kiwis lean on Halasima to kit him out in black?

Looking at the strength of the 3 squads, Blairy wonders whether it’s time to lobby the powers that be to give the fans the FOUR NATIONS…  NZ, Tonga, Samoa and Australia.  Who’s keen?

00:00  Intro + We explain last week’s absence!

02:58  Blairy’s Broncos beat Blairy’s Storm + Ben Hunt REDEMPTION

05:12  What if…  Reece Walsh STAYED a WARRIOR?

09: 21 The PACIFIC CHAMPIONSHIPS are here!  Coach Blair on his Kiwi squad

13:32  Kieran Foran’s last ride + his inspiring Dally M Awards speech

18:07  Getting the best out of Nelson Asofa-Solomona

24:43  Tonga, not NZ, for Leka Halasima

27:40  Kiwi backrowers pretty strong though eh!

29:21  Blairy on the sensational depth of Tongan rugby league

33:09  Is anyone looking for DWZ?

36:12  We need THE FOUR NATIONS of Rugby League!

39:35  Adding to the wishlist + GOODBYE!

We are down to the final four in the NRL for 2025 and we have Kiwi representation across the board.  Blairy & Goran discuss the Storm’s selection of Jahrome Hughes - back from a forearm fracture - and how he can weaponize former Warriors backrower Eliesa Katoa when Melbourne meets the Sharks.

Blairy recognizes that the career of Isaiah Papali’i has serious similarities to his own; they both went to the Tigers from clubs that were performing well, only to find that positive results didn’t follow them.  A move to the Broncos saw Adam reach a grand final - now the Iceman is 80 minutes away from doing exactly that with the Penrith Panthers!  A tale of redemption for the former Wahs man!

On the subject of the Broncos, we shine a light on former Kiwis coach Michael Maguire, who was subjected to a barrage of criticism mid-season yet here he is on the verge of another GF.  Blairy talks about what makes Maguire such a good coach and motivator, but also has a word of warning when it comes to his approach to training long-term.

And when it comes to the Warriors?  There’s a reserve grade final this weekend against the Dragons, we reach into the mailbag to discuss last week’s ‘Final Ingredient’ for 2026, and Blairy has an idea for Luke Metcalf’s halves partner:  GET JONAH PEZET!

00:00  INTRO

00:51  Straight sets defeat for Joe Tapine’s Raiders!

04:25  Blairy’s Ricky Stuart apology + request for Maori All Stars

06:07  Do Storm need to risk Jahrome Hughes?

09:45  Unleashing Eliesa Katoa + the benefit of the week off

12:01  Spotlight on ISAIAH PAPALI’I

14:10  Blairy & Iceman are one and the same

19:39  Michael Maguire tames the Broncos

26:17  Riki and Staggs mismatch vs Casey McLean?

28:55  Wahs Reserves Grand Final bound!!

33:01  Erin Clark in the Players’ Dream Team!

36:03  Does Erin start at 13 for Kiwis?

37:09  MAILBAG! Is there a fullback in the post?

39:21  Blairy’s plan to get Jonah Pezet to the Warriors

46:08  Betcha This Happens - NRL Finals Week 3

Turns out 2025 wasn’t “Our Year” after all.  Following defeat to Penrith, the 2025 season comes to an end for the NZ Warriors in Week 1 of the NRL Finals.  Let the review begin!  Best place to start?  Looking at Roger Tuivasa-Sheck’s 4th Simon Mannering Medal win, edging out ‘buy of the season’ Erin Clark.  What was it that gave RTS the edge, and what more could Clark have done?

The campaign is easily broken down into two parts:  The first 15 rounds, where the team was flying high with Luke Metcalf guiding the ship, and then what came next in trying to find his replacement as the wheels began to come off… How do we score the Warriors’ year?

We theorize as to what Andrew Webster meant when he said the team still needs a ‘final ingredient’ to challenge for an NRL Premiership - is it luck, further player development, a big name signing?  And if they get the cheque book out, what position are they filling?

But most importantly…  WAS IT A FORWARD PASS?!

00:00  INTRO

00:55  Was it a forward pass?

04:14  RTS wins 4th Simon Mannering Medal!

08:39  Leka Halasima wins Rookie of the Year

11:04  SEASON REVIEW - Great start, tough finish

17:47  One last TMM rant.  Sorry.

22:36  LUKE METCALF - a blessing and a curse

27:50  What will 2026 bring for Taine Tuaupiki?

31:27  Creating the Wahs’ version of Isaiah Iongi

34:00  The FINAL INGREDIENT for NRL PREMIERSHIP success

37:30  Goodbye Dallin…  or RTS?!

40:06  Betcha This Happens - NRL Finals Week 2

44:42  Goodbye + Lets Gone Warriors 2026!

It’s NRL Finals time and the Warriors meet the Penrith Panthers at Go Media Stadium Mt Smart on Saturday!  As daunting as Ivan Cleary’s side appears - 5-straight Grand Final appearances, 4-straight NRL Premierships - Coach Blair lays out the blueprint for a Wahs victory.  Yes, it IS possible.

Blairy & Goran also believe that the team Andrew Webster named on Tuesday will look a lot different at first whistle - the changes that need to be made are revealed!

We talk about the influence of Penrith’s ‘second halfback’ Isaah Yeo, what Nathan’s brother Jett Cleary can do to help the Warriors, and ask if the real James Fisher-Harris would please stand up against his former side.

As always we’ve got Betcha This Happens and a 4-leg multi…  where we push the boat out big time and splash the cash!  Comparatively.  All this and more on League Of Our Own.

00:00  Blairy’s fastest NRL try beaten by JFH!

03:44  How the Warriors can take down the Panthers!

08:06  League Of Our Own’s Warriors team for Saturday

08:43  Kurt Capewell vs Liam Martin?

09:57  If Kurt moves, who plays CENTRE?

11:16  Come on down, TAINE & TE MAIRE!  Please?

14:02  Ivan v Webby - Master and Apprentice

16:39  Will James Fisher-Harris bar up for this?

20:51  Why is ISAAH YEO the REAL danger man?

24:32  Jett Cleary conspiring against big brother Nathan

26:30  Dylan Edwards with a case of the dropsies

29:13  ROCCO BERRY - injury prone, tortured genius, mismanaged, all of the above?

34:27  Betcha This Happens, Finals Week 1

35:25  STORM v BULLDOGS

37:15  WAHS v PANTHERS

39:54  SHARKS v ROOSTERS

42:00  RAIDERS V BRONCOS

We’re into the final round of the regular season and the NZ Warriors face a daunting trip to Brookvale Oval to keep faint hopes of a top 4 finish alive.  With so much at stake, Blairy & Goran go back to the well once again:  in order to give themselves the best possible chance, Te Maire Martin MUST start.  However, coach Andrew Webster has again picked Tanah Boyd alongside Chanel Harris-Tavita in the halves to face the Sea Eagles.  So if it were you, what would you do?  Stick with Boyd and CHT, or introduce the spark plug that is TMM?

With that in mind, the boys talk about X-factor playmakers in the NRL, having seen one last week in Mitchell Moses, and coming up against another in Daly Cherry-Evans in Round 27.  In the absence of Luke Metcalf, has Webster’s selection been a little too safe?  DCE may be in the twilight of his career but in his farewell match as a Manly player, he’ll undoubtedly pull out all the stops to get the win.

Elsewhere we urge the kiwis on the Gold Coast to show up in their thousands to support Kieran Foran in his final NRL game this weekend, as the Titans meet the Tigers…  Dylan Brown takes back the 6 jersey one last time in his Parramatta farewell against his future team the Newcastle Knights…  Goran asks Blairy if he’s doing okay after a tough week in Newy…  and we celebrate our glorious success in Betcha This Happens after picking 8 from 8 last week!

00:00  INTRO + We picked 8 from 8!

02:47  NZ Warriors team selection = TOO SAFE?

05:05  Pull the trigger!  Te Maire Martin MUST START

12:27  DCE at centre of Sea Eagles’ point-scoring blitz

17:30  Loss of Wayde Egan + Sam Healey’s chance

19:00  POSITIVES! The Wahs are back playing finals footy!

22:43  Farewell to FOZ - Kieran’s 318th NRL game

27:08  Dylan Brown’s unlikely Eels farewell vs Knights

29:40  RUOK?  Blairy’s difficult week in Newcastle