#161: Sydney Showdown

We started 2026 with a dream burning bright after the extraordinary joy of back-to-back flags.

Hopes were high that we might just be on the cusp of seeing another three-peat.

It was a dream that took some heavy hits in the first half of the year.

A steady stream of injuries, stars down on form, and a third quarter against GWS that some of us are still having nightmares about, dented our belief.

Thankfully, though, wins over the Suns and Tigers did enough to steady the ship, giving us a chance to enter the bye with the dream still alive.

Now, as we enter the second half of the season, there is very little margin for error left.

The task is pretty clear.

From here on out, we need to see the best of Brisbane and we need to see it pretty much weekly or 2026 could slip away quickly.

Welcome to the Raw Deal Podcast.

We started 2026 with a dream burning bright after the extraordinary joy of back-to-back flags.

Hopes were high that we might just be on the cusp of seeing another three-peat.

It was a dream that took some heavy hits in the first half of the year.

A steady stream of injuries, stars down on form, and a third quarter against GWS that some of us are still having nightmares about, dented our belief.

Thankfully, though, wins over the Suns and Tigers did enough to steady the ship, giving us a chance to enter the bye with the dream still alive.

Now, as we enter the second half of the season, there is very little margin for error left.

The task is pretty clear.

From here on out, we need to see the best of Brisbane and we need to see it pretty much weekly or 2026 could slip away quickly.

Welcome to the Raw Deal Podcast.