How do you make sure that this team is as fit as possible? Is it going to be something that you're desperate to work on coming into next season?

No doubt.

I think that there's been some great learnings for us and understanding who we are as a team.

I think one thing is if you've got a thread that you can just go back to under moments of perceived pressure, it'll hold you in good stead.

And for us, the thread needs to be fit.

We need to do our work teams and something that we need to make sure that we tick off through the preseason and the The reality is if the CEOs alluded to that a little bit, you know, he's certainly the first one to put his hand up and say, we need to help in any way we can.

And he's just, you know, he's come back to us and he said, right, what does a gold standard club look like for us? Come up with a plan and let's, let's make sure we map it out and get it right.

I know you're always learning on the job as a coach, Ronnie, and we know how passionate you are about this club and the assignment you've been handed, but what have you learned this season that may have surprised you?

But that last 10 minutes, it was like, oh, my gosh, am I the curse here? Can you talk to me about that last 10 minutes? What have been the lessons from that? It was heartbreaking.

Yeah, it was.

I think as a collective, you know, I – I summed it up to someone the other day and that there are, you know, many different things that we're not getting right at this point in time.

And, you know, as a team, we've got to, you know, we've got to find what our thread is and keep chasing that.

And we showed some vision last night of who we are and just making sure that we keep referring back to that and reverting back to that under those moments of fatigue.

Further to that, like I said, They had a player celebrating 50 NRLW games on the weekend and they're by no means a really experienced side, but I started to think back again to who we are.

Sometimes we don't even have 50 NRLW games between us on the park.

yeah oh look this i've never questioned effort mate when it comes to what happens between the lines because you know that that's where pride is at stake and then everyone who shoots up for a professional team has pride in what they're doing but i want to try to get an understanding from you as a coach and How tough is it sometimes to get that connection in a game of moving parts like rugby league?

But that last 10 minutes, it was like, oh my gosh, am I the curse here? Can you talk to me about that last 10 minutes? What have been the lessons from that? It was heartbreaking.

Yeah, it was.

I think as a collective, you know, I...

I summed it up to someone the other day and that there are, you know, many different things that we're not getting right at this point in time.

And, you know, as a team, we've got to, you know, we've got to find what our thread is and keep chasing that.

And we showed some vision last night of who we are and just making sure that we keep referring back to that and reverting back to that under those moments of fatigue.

Further to that, like I said, They had a player celebrating 50 NRLW games on the weekend and they're by no means a really experienced side, but I started to think back again to who we are.

yeah oh look this i've never questioned effort mate when it comes to what happens between the lines because you know that that's where pride is at stake and then everyone who shoots up for a professional team has pride in what they're doing but i want to try to get an understanding from you as a coach and How tough is it sometimes to get that connection in a game of moving parts like rugby league?

There is, um, there was a lot to, to, to get through for the team too, and not, not just against a, a rampant Roosters side but, uh, you know, injuries of course are a part and parcel of the competition, we know that, but, um, there was, there was a lot of moving parts as well to deal with, weren't there?

Yeah, there was.

I think if you lose, like, you know, when we look at our Rugby League IQ at the moment, it's, it's, it's sparse, and then when you lose our fullback, Rpe Nichols, and then you lose probably the, the next experienced player in terms of Emanita Paki on game day, uh, a- again, then you're trying to manage a, a game or you've, you're, you're relying on someone like Gale, she's the only experienced half out there.

Patricia Maluipo is, you know, 15 games into a career and, you know, so is our hooker, Jaye Hodda, while she's, she's eight games in.

So yeah, it just sort of makes things difficult fr- from that perspective.

But yeah, certainly some- Uh, yeah, certainly a lot, a lot of things to work on.

We're not hiding behind that fact but, you know, some things that we, we know that we've gotta keep chasing and, you know, things will turn.

I mean, how was she after that win and, and how do you make sure that she just keeps building on her confidence and, and her versatility?

But, um, there was, there was a lot of moving parts as well to deal with, weren't there?

Yeah, there was.

I think if you lose, like, you know, when we look at our rugby league IQ at the moment, it's, it's, it's sparse.

And then when you lose our fullback, Apie Nichols, and then you lose probably the, the next experienced player in terms of Emanita Paki on game day, uh, a- again, then you're trying to manage a, a game or you've ... you're, you're relying on someone like Gale.

She's the only experienced half out there.

Patricia Maluipo's, you know, 15 games into her career and, you know, so is our hooker, Jaye Hudgeway.

She's, she's eight games in.

I mean, how is she after that win and, and how do you make sure that she just keeps building on her confidence and, and her versatility?

Who have you got around in that team who can really sort of nail the specifics of the issue?

I think there's a good cross-section of leaders.

We get Harata.

She's really good at driving different things.

Gail's really good at different stages.

So I think there's certainly a group that's sort of taken in turns to drive things because at the end of the day, we want the players to drive what we're chasing.

Our job is to just put some simple framework in place and keep corralling and pushing in the direction.

How have you found this year? Is there anything different or something that you've learnt about yourself this year in particular?

Who have you got around in that team who can really sort of nail the specifics of the issue?

I think there's a...

There's a good cross-section of leaders.

We get Harata.

She's really good at driving different things.

Gail's really good at different stages.

So I think there's certainly a group that's sort of taken in turns to drive things because at the end of the day, we want the players to drive what we're chasing.

How have you found this year? Is there anything different or something that you've learnt about yourself this year in particular?

Ron, I know the Tigers have a pretty dismal points differential, but what do you make of what they've been able to put together when they have won games this year?

They've got a very astute coach.

He spent a long time in the NRL.

So they'll be well-versed in terms of just, you know, simple game plan, high completions, make sure they make their tackles.

But one thing they are is fit.

So they won't go away.

And I've got no doubt over there on Sunday at 145, it's a little bit warmer.

Is Patricia Mullie-Epple a long-term nine for

Ron, I know the Tigers have a pretty dismal points differential, but what do you make of what they've been able to put together when they have won games this year?

They've got a very astute coach.

He spent a long time in the NRL.

So they'll be well-versed in terms of just, you know, simple game plan, high completions, make sure they make their tackles.

But one thing they are is fit.

So they won't go away.

And I've got no doubt over there on Sunday at 145, it's a little bit warmer.

In terms of the shape, are you close to nailing it? Like the creativity that the girls are showing on attack, has it impressed you?

What did you make of first taste of Mele as a warrior?

Yeah, she was great.

I think getting her some ball in clear air rather than just coming out of the backfield is going to be beneficial for everyone.

And you can see when she turns it on, she's just a different – different character altogether just watching a live on game day um you know you watch a train and she moves well you watch her on tv when you're coaching against her and you can see she's got some but when you see a live on game day it's uh it's completely different it's just like yeah someone's just turned something on and That's just a ball of energy that's just raging.

It's crazy.

But her energy around the group was sensational.

She changes the complexion of the way we train and captains run and then changes it on game day through her talk and her actions.

Roddy.

What's she like around the group in terms of the vibe she brings and the effort she makes to learn her craft?

I think one thing is she's diligent with her work.

Like if you send a few clips, she's in the next day knocking on your door to go through them and understand what the clips are about, whether they're good or bad.

So she wants to do that.

She cuts her own vision and brings it in.

So very diligent about her learnings.

And what she brings around the clip is...

Was it hard to shift Ocean Tierney from the starting? I think she's fulfilled a role and a job in the last couple of weeks, and you've always got to make those decisions, but just a quick message on Ocean and the work she's been able to do in the last couple of months.

Qu'est-ce qu'elle aime autour du groupe en termes de la vibe qu'elle apporte et l'effort qu'elle fait pour apprendre son art ?

Je pense que l'une des choses, c'est qu'elle est délicate avec son travail.

Par exemple, si tu envoies des clips à Stacy, la prochaine fois qu'elle est là, tu lui appuies sur la porte pour qu'elle comprenne ce que sont les clips, qu'ils sont bons ou mauvais.

Donc, elle veut faire ça.

Elle coupe son propre vision et l'amène là-dedans.

Donc, elle est très délicate avec ses apprenants.

Et ce qu'elle apporte sur le clip, c'est...

Vous devez toujours faire ces décisions, mais juste un petit message sur Ocean et le travail qu'elle a pu faire dans les dernières semaines ?

But can you give me an understanding of Emanita Paki and what she's been able to do in a position that is predominantly with Gail's position, but how impressive she has been for you and the group?

Yeah, she's great.

I was fortunate enough to coach her in Newcastle and the first time when I got the job over here, I rang her and said, do you want a holiday? And she said, yeah, I'm all in.

So that's how laid back she is.

But last year, we played her at 5'8", played her at fullback, played her at centre, predominantly at centre, and I think defensively probably the calmest centre in the competition.

But, yeah, if you watch her play, she's nonchalant.

She understands the game.

Are we operating at 70%? Are we near our best? I was so enthusiastic at the start of the season and I will remain, but for you, where do you think this current group is operating right now?

But can you give me an understanding of Emanita Paki and what she's been able to do in a position that is predominantly with Gail's position, but how impressive she has been for you in the group?

Yeah, she's great.

I was fortunate enough to coach her in Newcastle and the first time when I got the job over here, I rang her and said, do you want a holiday? And she said, yeah, I'm all in.

So that's how laid back she is.

But last year, we played her at 5'8", played her at fullback, played her at centre.

Predominantly a centre, and I think defensively probably the calmest centre in the competition.

But, yeah, if you watch her play, she's nonchalant.

But for you, where do you think this current group is operating right now?

When was it that Dai, David Jenkins left and Tommy Evans came in?

Well, that was during '67, I think.

We, um...

I wish I had a, a diary in front of me.

David, he wasn't as enamored with our, uh... as the rest of us doing demos of our own material, and he'd met and fallen in love with a girl named Sue Wing, who used to be, um, in an agency, I think it was Arthur Howes.

And, uh, she knew some small faces, and he got so enamored with her, he spent more time with her, and at the end of the day it was just Mike, Pete, and myself doing the demos.

And, uh, Bill, the manager, said, "Look, um, this is getting a bit one-sided here.

Was that what you heard? Tell us about the recording of the Badfinger version.

Slow out of the blocks, took a little while to get going, but I thought at least we saw the ladies throwing punches to the end.

Yeah, definitely.

I think particularly at halftime, it was 18-6.

We were certainly still in the hunt.

But yeah, Canberra were just far too clinical.

And we've seen some good traits in terms of we certainly didn't back out of the contest.

We just weren't on the same page in the contest, which is an easy fix.

So for you, is it an easy turnaround?

Slow out of the blocks, took a little while to get going, but I thought at least the, uh, we saw the ladies throwing punches to the end.

Yeah, definitely.

I, I think at, you know, particularly at half time, it was 18-6, we were certainly still in the hunt.

Um, but yeah, yeah, Canberra were just far too clinical.

And, and we've seen some, some good traits in terms of, you know, we certainly didn't back out of the contest.

We just weren't on the same page in the contest, which is, you know, an easy fix, and you know, the players are set about fixing that, and they've already done so.

I think, uh, you know, we, we'd scheduled to have tonight off training but, you know, on the way back they just decided that they thought they needed to, to come in, so they've organized training for tonight and, um, just to go through so- some role clarity and make sure that we're comfortable leading into this weekend, 'cause it's a short turnaround.

So for you, is it, is it an easy turnaround?

Some people out there were watching, probably didn't see the things that you've seen to allow the team to operate.

Yeah, I've been through the vision a fair bit.

And I think that one thing that the whole team have done is they've been able to certainly, you know, what we've put down through the preseason with their training, where they need to get to, they've done that really well.

But further to that, when we see the change from the bench, when you watch Harata Butler come on and she just sort of just kicks the front door in, you know, and allows them to play off the back of it.

And then I think further to that, her and Jay Hoodawai, they built a good connection and we could see them just playing some free-flowing ad-lib football.

So there are many different elements.

One, they understood how we were playing and who we were getting at.

Was that something that was really pleasing for you, the way that the group showed a lot of patience?

Some people out there were watching, probably didn't see the things that you've seen to allow the team to operate.

Yeah, I've been through the vision a fair bit.

And I think that one thing that the whole team have done is they've been able to certainly, you know, what we've put down through the preseason with their training, where they need to get to, they've done that really well.

But further to that, when we see the change from the bench, when you watch Harata Butler come on and she just sort of just kicks the front door in, you know, and allows them to play off the back of it.

And then I think further to that, her and Jay Hoodawai, they built a good connection and we could see them just playing some free-flowing ad-lib football.

So there are many different elements.

One, they understood how we were playing and who we were getting at.

Was that something that was really pleasing for you, the way that the group showed a lot of patience?

What are some differences, I suppose, for you as a coach leading that group of athletes?

Yeah, it's way less established.

As we know, rugby league's been, you know, played for over 100 years, and the men have been professional for a long period of time, and our ladies are certainly well on the way to heading there.

But I think one thing that we need to be mindful of is the work-life-family balance.

You know, we get someone like Stacey come in from the seven system who's professional, and she said, oh, you know, I struggle a little bit with, you know, sometimes our time's not spot on in terms of, you know, arrival start time, different things like that, and not like it's grossly, grossly out, but it certainly, you know, sometimes it can be challenging for Stacey because that's what they do in the sevens.

Everything is, you know, spot on, perfect on time in terms of professionalism.

But she also said, I understand some of these ladies are working full-time jobs.

What are the different jobs that some of the players have? What's the spread of, I guess, work and the different responsibilities that you're juggling within the group?

How quickly have they settled in? A- and what have you done to integrate your new players into the squad?

Uh, yeah, I think, you know, naturally they've, uh, you know... they've, they've got great characteristics and, and, and really great personalities, so they've been able to integrate really quickly.

Uh, we've done some connection pieces in particular, like a, uh, a connection camp where we went away for a weekend to, to build, you know, to make sure that they could integrate.

Um, and, and yeah, um, for us it's, it's fortuitous that we've signed those players because they're from New Zealand, they're experienced, um, they've been around for a long period of time and played in many, many different systems, so, you know, they've fitted in quite easily.

And have you noticed a different level of belief compared to this time last year?

Yeah, no doubt, no doubt.

And I think the, uh, you know, with, with some of the young players who are 12 months on, their-- it's their second preseason done.

Some of the older players who are now in their fifth, sixth, seventh preseason, you know, it's another year for them, and then some of the experienced players we've brought in.

110 gramos me he caído, no estoy jugando y nadie debería estar jugando con Meli Hufanga, lo he dicho muchas veces, lo diré de nuevo, creo que es mi futbolista favorita en cualquier código, en cualquier género, me encanta verla jugar, y contamos por su oportunidad en un Juventus de Warriors, y solo una noticia, Stacy Waka, nombrada en las reservas, ¿es que está encontrando su camino hacia los 13 después de los 7? ¿Dónde está, Ronnie?

Sí, definitivamente.

Y la otra cosa fue que cuando terminó su último partido de 7, o el último torneo, ella tuvo una concusión.

Entonces, el transferido de la Unión a la Liga en términos de los protocolos de concusión probablemente no se marcaron.

Así que no pudimos verla físicamente la semana pasada con mucho contacto.

Esta semana la tenemos, así que necesitamos estar seguros de que ella estaba lista para ir.

Así que después de este fin de semana, ella estará lista para salir de ahí.

¿Qué estás esperando de los Bulldogs? Y cuando miras una área del juego, ¿qué estarías mirando para asegurarte de que tengas una performance y tengas el resultado?

So just talk to me about what does this job... done for you i probably doesn't feel like a job but what has this team done for you

i just people ask me about living in new zealand and i just say it's one of the best decisions i've ever made in terms of the work-life balance uh it's fantastic like a australia is like a uh like a big machine it's open 24 hours a day seven days a week and people say to me what about what about new zealand i just i could drive somewhere at five in the morning and not find a coffee Um, I absolutely love it.

And then on top of that, the club and the team itself, like I, I, I last year at our, um, presentation or season launch, no presentation.

It was, I got up on stage and I said, they're asking me questions and they said, well, what's it like? And, um, and I remember saying to the lady, then there's an old John Fogarty song, um, joy of my life.

And I just said, that's where I am at the moment.

This is the joy of my life, this club and the players that I've got.

It's just so rewarding and so effortless.

Do you hate time off? You just need to be coaching at every moment?

So just talk to me about what does this job – done for you i probably doesn't feel like a job but what has this team done for you i

just people ask me about living in new zealand and i just say it's one of the best decisions i've ever made in terms of the work-life balance uh it's fantastic like a australia is like a uh like a big machine it's open 24 hours a day seven days a week and people say to me what about what about new zealand i just i could drive somewhere at five in the morning and not find a coffee Um, I absolutely love it.

And then on top of that, the club and the team itself, like I, I, I last year at our, um, presentation or season launch, no presentation.

It was, I got up on stage and I said, they were asking me questions and they said, well, what's it like? And, um, and I remember saying to the lady, then there's an old John Fogarty song, um, joy of my life.

And I just said, that's where I am at the moment.

This is the joy of my life, this club and the players that I've got.

It's just so rewarding and so effortless.

Do you hate time off? Is this like you just need to be coaching at every moment?

What was the journey or the exploration of that for you? What shape did it take? What were the breakthrough moments for you? Were there moments that stand out where a light was turned on for you in terms of your background?

For me, when I talk about that, I knew who I was from when I was a kid.

My father was an Aboriginal activist, so that's how I grew up.

So I was fortunate.

A lot of people were, you know, a lot of people were part of the Stalin generation.

But for me, you know, from the moment I was born, you know, I knew who I was and we lived that our whole life.

You know, my dad fought for Aboriginal rights.

Yeah,