AJ and Rhys are here to recap the second Ashes test as England's credentials as an international powerhouse are drawn into question.
Also on the show
- November 1 carnage as Papi wants a career pause!
- Titans ownership changes!
- How the NRL shunted their own concussion protocols and the glaring loophole that allowed Eli Katoa to take the field.
- Ashes recap as England show they miss Victor Radley
- Also, PNG showcase themselves a Pacific powerhouse with a big win over Fiji.
- Tonga's credentials put under the microscope after a poor showing as the Kiwis atone for last year's upset loss
- LOLCOW of the Week
AJ and Rhys return after a three week hiatus to bring you all the recap of the first Ashes Test plus the opening fortnight of the Pacific Championships.
On the program
- Inside the Jonah Pezet deal - who wins for Parra, Melbourne and Brisbane
- First test in Ashes football; the rise of Reece Walsh and the class of Australia smash England into submission. Questions over Shaun Wane's selection linger largest!
- Cook Islands football on the way back with a spirited showing in the Pac Champs
- Fiji's big win as Jahreem Bula's contract talks speak largest
- The rise of Samoan rugby league + Tonga's collapse (what needs to happen?)
- New Zealand win but at a major price!
- LOLCOW of the Week
AJ and Rhys are back to review Grand Final Day! All three grades and NSW walks away without a singular premiership to go for it.
On the program
- Brisbane's coming of age as they learn from their 2023 grand final lessons - no Reynolds, Hunt and they still find a way to scramble.
- Reece Walsh's coming of age!
- Is the Melbourne dynasty falling apart - grand final second halves are seemingly not their forte.
- The turning points analysed minutely
- Rugby 360 - is it all a hoax or is there some geniune nature to it as they circle Haas, Papi, Munster and NAS!
- NRLW GF review - the battle of the SUPER TEAMS!
- The Roosters squad problems - did they get the team selection right or horribly wrong
- Brisbane win the premiership... but at what cost with Hufunga (potentially), Broughton and Joseph all departing to accomodate Jesse Southwell
- NSW Cup premiers dog walk the QLD Cup premiers as Tanah Boyd has a legacy game
- LOLCOW OF THE WEEK
- Future Podcast Plans for 2025-26 off-season
AJ and Rhys review a chaotic week of the NRL Preliminary Finals which see Melbourne Storm and Brisbane Broncos book their tickets for the NRL Grand Final.
On the program
- The search for redemption for the Storm as the Sharks season falls short at the final hurdle for the second season in succession.
- Stefano Utoikamanu's trash talking - will Bellamy accept a deviation ?
- Brisbane escape the clutches as Penrith are another side to fall victim to the infamous 14-0 curse as we look at the Broncos rise and the super human effort of Payne Haas
- The uncanny comparison to Penrith and the 80's Eels
- NRLW Semi Final recaps
- NSW Cup and QLD Cup GF recap
- GF tips!
- LOLCOW OF THE WEEK!
AJ and Rhys join forces once again to recap a spectacular week of rugby league. We look at all the major codes in our great game and look ahead and give some post mortems on the teams that departed us in straight sets.
On the show
- Canberra bundled out by slick Sharks
- How big of a loss was Ethan Strange
- Are the Sharks the dark horse we believe them to be
- AJ's insane knowledge comes to the forefront
- Penrith play the FLAWLESS half to leave the Dogs DOA
- Bulldogs collapse? Who is to blame
- How does their pack look next year, can effort save Jaeman Salmon
- Paul Alamoti revenge game arc
- NRLW SF Recap
- NSW Cup + QLD Cup PF Recap
- LOLCOW OF THE WEEK!
AJ and Rhys are back to review a drama charged opening week of the NRL Finals series.
We review all the major talking points as Melbourne were too strong for the Bulldogs, while the Panthers and Sharks eliminated the Warriors and Roosters respectively. Sunday's drama charged match saw Brisbane outwit, outplay and outlast the Raiders in a game that was worthy of Survivor Glory.
From tactical masterstrokes, to disasters that we analyse and ridicule, this podcast has EVERY ANGLE.
EVERY ISSUE, EVERY MOMENT COVERED!
AJ and Rhys return for the final regular season round of 2025. The top eight have been settled, while the post mortems have begun for those teams who will enjoy finals footy from home.
- Were Melbourne right to play Jahrome Hughes. AJ and Rhys spar as they share their reasonings. Plus, the rise of Reece Walsh as Brisbane run riot against the Storm.
- Wahs get it done inside 9 seconds, but they were poor in attacking situations and outside of Erin Clark and Sam Healey, offered little. Meanwhile, Manly send DCE out a winner.
- Roosters run riot against the Rabbitohs but AJ is concerned about his side heading into September. Plus, some brutal post mortems on some Souths players.
- Penrith flex their credentials as questions linger around the Dragons halves conundrum heading into 2026.
- Titans avoid the spoon, send Foran out a winner and unearth their future starting 13. Plus, a disappointing end to a season of growth in Tiger Town
- Bulldogs lose some bite heading into the finals, but where has their attack been the last few weeks. Cronulla flex professionally their way to a monster victory
- Round 2 – AJ v Rhys as we debate whether the 50 point rule still counts given Canberra were playing a de-facto NSW Cup side – we analyse the Dolphins outside back conundrum heading into 2026.
- Parramatta show how far they’ve come, despite the columns that have been written critical of their rebuild.
AJ and Rhys join forces to review a chaotic round of rugby league where teams stayed in the fight for the finals series.
On the show
- Inside the Titans recruitment boss' double deeds. Plus the contract that has South Sydney staying put at Accor Stadium.
- Penrith's cubs deliver a brave performance against the Bulldogs as Canterbury find their middle ground after two straight losses.
- Parramatta prove their rebuild isn't a fluke as questions continue over the Warriors finals credentials.
- AJ's Melbourne trip attracted attention as the Roosters break records with their second half onslaught as Melbourne shouldn't panic.
- Canberra claim their minor premiership that is 35 years in the making against a Tigers side that reverted back to last year's ill-disciplined group in a year that has seen so many positives.
- Manly prove too strong as they have a mathematical chance to get into the semi finals as the Dragons continue their demise to end the 2025 season.
- Brisbane show the good, bad, ugly, lethargic but still prove too strong for the Cowboys in Townsville. Reece Walsh shines, toilet water and all in a world class performance. We analyse how the Cowboys have faired this season.
- Cronulla rebound after 25 minutes to restore order in the race for the top four with a 24-point win over the Knights. We deep dive the Knights pursuit for a new coach and who they should target.
- Dolphins keep their finals chances alive due to some brain snaps from a certain Titan that we will not name. But the Titans are showing signs but we analyse how they need to rebuild.
- LOLCOW of the Week as Rhys has to adlib following AJ's sudden change!
AJ and Rhys dissect a lot of chaos within rugby league amid all the carnage amid the race for the finals.
On the program
- Immediate reaction to Brandon Smith's charge sheet
- Titans sack Des and give Hannay and co. a chance
- South Sydney rookies shine as the Dragons search for answers as the dam wall breaks
- How good are these Canberra Raiders hey! Absolutely incredible stuff as we spend an extended period detailing EVERYTHING about this game of football
- Big win for the Storm without their rep stars as questions linger around the Dogs pack
- Scorigami as Manly keep their finals hopes alive as we unpack what has gone wrong so quickly at Redcliffe
- Titans problems - can Hannay and Sattler fix it while the Warriors start to rejuvenate... with a 60 minute effort
- Parramatta show their improvement while the Roosters get complacent or did Parra give the blueprint to knock them out of the finals
- Is Reece Walsh cocky or is Paul Crawley not embracing new talent as Newcastle fall off with a wimper
- We're back to 05' with a try of all time! While the Cowboys show us what they are made of
- NRLW Round 8 Review
- LOLCOW of the Week
AJ is joined by Johnny Lew from the Rugby League Pomcast to deep dive the crisis engulfing the game of rugby league in the UK and England.
We've been asked numerous questions as we've been the only Australian news outlet to cover the complexities of the game in the UK and on the program we leave no stone unturned.
This edition covers
- Salford CRISIS TLDR! It is an absolute mess and describing it in this description would be a nightmare
- The drama of Nigel Wood and his resurrection after destroying the game of rugby league in his previous stint.
- How flawed is the criteria to return teams to Super League and the blatant conflicts of interest on the panel.
- The increase of Super League from 12 to 14 teams and the ridiculous criteria used to judge teams.
- How the RFL wants to "choke out" the French teams from competing in Super League
- On the positives - we look at England's chances in the Ashes and the NRL's big broadcast deal which is impending.
AJ and Rhys recap the second of our Indigenous Rounds’ as the race for September footy heats up with inches determining ebbs and flows to decide who will be in finals contention and who will battle for the wooden spoon.
On the show
- Penrith and Melbourne deliver one of the games of the season with an incredible golden point thriller. The rise of the tall leapers and we debate for the final time, the issue of blockers.
- Warriors attack sputters into the finals as we give praise to the Dragons resilience for hanging in there with 14 players for 45 minutes.
- Roosters show their muscle as we debate the Walker/Savala/DCE log-jam that is fast approaching. The emergence of Naufahu Whyte as the Bulldogs premiership credentials are again questioned.
- A big win for the Sharks over the Titans as we examine the impact of Cam McInnes’ ACL injury. The big time involvements of Mawene Hiroti and why do the Titans do this to us week after week, season after season.
- Brisbane overcome a 14-point deficit to come from behind against the Dolphins to significantly dent the Redcliffe finals charge. The rise of Reece Walsh as a big on-ball player.
- Souths v Parramatta engage in a season defining tank bowl as the Rabbitohs show with some troops they can deliver as the Eels deliver their worst performance of the last seven weeks.
- Manly start fast but get run down by the May’s and Fainu’s in a dominant resurgence by the Tigers at Allianz.
- Plus we have a dozen questions for the Knights after their disaster at the hands of the Cowboys, meanwhile heap praise on new NRL referee Jarrod Cole.
- NRLW recap
- LOLCOW of the Week
AJ and Rhys are back as usual to recap a highly controversial and impactful week of the NRL season. There were highs for some and catastrophic lows for others.
On the show
- How do Brisbane survive without their halves + Cobbo and can Melbourne still have that killer instinct to lead into the finals
- Penrith flex their premiership muscle against a Knights side that just struggled to compete against the four time premiers
- Canberra show their class as Ethan Strange shows he has it over Lachie Galvin while Manly give us more questions than answers
- Dragons deliver the big upset over the Sharks as we put the blowtorch over the black, white and blue as they look to make the finals
- We analyse the 10 minute hell period and then how the Roosters completely massacred the Dolphins as the Phins finals chances hang by a thread
- Bulldogs prove they can win in the rain as we question the Warriors credentials
- SPOON BOWL ELECTRIC BOOGALOO - Souths move away from the chaos as the Titans let golden opportunities slip as they prepare to welcome back a rugby international
- After jokes that nearly get Rhys cancelled - the Cowboys ride in and fail to execute the heist against the Eels as Liam Kennedy's performance gets examined.
- LOLCOW of the Week
AJ and Rhys analyse a chaotic round of NRL action. As usual there's a lot to get through but here are some of the juicy bits for you to analyse.
- Penrith trainer gets in the way! Did it cost the Titans dearly? Also the Tigers get fancy in trash talking but did it cross the line?
- Thursday sees a big win for the Storm to keep top 2 hopes alive but question whether the retooled spine can keep it together as Stefano gets revenge against a determined Parra pack who overtried at times.
- Dolphins pull it out despite Farnworth's hammy blows as we put the Wahs under the gun.
- Brisbane show their stuff against a trying Souths side but plenty still to do for Broncos fans!
- Controversy central as the Panthers scrape past the Titans in golden point. Some questionable Bunker rulings has AJ ropable and gives his scathing assessment on officiating.
- Dragons upset the Raiders as Fogarty and King-Togia switch roles for an afternoon! LKT forces four dropouts while Fogarty had his worst performance of the season.
- Roosters keep their finals hopes alive as Walker and co. prove their wet-weather runners. Manly look off the pace and need to pull a position switch to keep their chances
- Tigers with the upset of the year as the Bulldogs appear off their game and allergic to the rain!
- Sharks find a way to be mud runners as the Cowboys put together the worst wet weather display we have seen
- NRLW Magic Round Recap
- LOLCOW of the Week
On the show this week
- AJ goes in on the Roosters goal-line defence and forward rotation. Can Melbourne get it done in the regular season. Harry Grant proves to be the constant in the Storm.
- North Queensland find their grove as their pack finds some sort of groove as their rotation continues to raise eyebrows. St George somehow show their good side and bad side in the same 80 minutes.
- A defence of Reece Walsh’s performance as Parramatta have a position battle under their noses across several positions.
- Gold Coast deliver an ambush only Des Hasler can deliver in game 500. But, we raise significant questions over the Warriors premiership aspirations.
- Penrith seem to get themselves back on track! But… as much as the Tigers have significantly improved, has their roster got enough in them to continue their improvement or is it too late?
- The less we say about 7:30 the better, Souths somehow put up a brave fight against Cronulla who seemed to lack that killer instinct they showed against the Dolphins and the Roosters? Why was that the case?
- Canberra flick the second half switch and thrash the Knights as AOB’s halves roulette hits another hurdle. We analyse Canberra’s premiership hopes.
- Canterbury find their groove finally with Galvin and co. What does this mean for the Dogs title charge. Plus a ruthless takedown of Manly’s aspirations now Haumole is sidelined for the season.
AJ recaps a busy week of the NRL season which saw plenty of highs, some lows and embarrassing moments to cap off what is fast approaching the run to the finals this season.
On the program this week!
- Dolphins show their attacking muscle with another big score over the Cowboys. Is the Todd Payten era over up north and who is the replacement
- Cronulla flex their big boy pants with a strong performance over the Roosters. It's an effort that leaves AJ seething with several Roosters players, who's in the hot seat?
- Dylan Edwards returns as the Panthers run riot over the South Sydney Rabbitohs who continue to battle injury and a multitude of problems across their squads.
- Canberra show their muscle despite a poor first half, running riot against a hapless Parramatta side who lose their shining light to injury.
- Galvin time as the Bulldogs escape St George Illawarra in controversial circumstances at Accor Stadium. We review the contentious calls and see if they got it right or wrong.
- Manly run away with it over Melbourne before an edgy final 15 minutes was decided by one lapse in kick pressure.
- TANK BOWL! The Tigers and the Titans play the worst game of the season, as AJ rips into the coaching of the Titans and Des Hasler's shower tantrum.
- LEKA HALASIMA YOU STAR! What a performance to bring the Warriors off the floor against a sick Newcastle side who battled hard for 80 mins.
- LOLCOW OF THE WEEK TO COME!
AJ and Rhys are back together to review a crazy week of football as we see where each team is at, plus our reaction to the week's big stories.
On the show
- Origin III Review - every big talking point, plus Cam Munster's bravery in a week of adversity. Is Laurie Daley Safe? Plus, Nathan Cleary owning his Origin shortcomings
- Nicho Hynes owning the clutch - a much needed victory over the Dolphins for the Sharks. Plus our concerns over the Phins heading into the clutch.
- Melbourne's unheralded stars are getting the job done in Newcastle. Plus, our instant reaction to the carnage involving Adam O'Brien and Kalyn Ponga.
- Roosters find a way to grind out a win with a team effort against the Dragons. Plus, we're critical of the ' were there for the taking.
- Ugly football in Townsville justifies Ciraldo's calls to return Galvin to the 17? Plus, what is happening in Townsville??
- Tanah Boyd owning the halfback jersey and Taine Tuaupiki coming out party as the Tigers struggle to find the best combination of 17 once again.
- Parramatta own it against Penrith for 40 mins as the rub of the green goes Penrith's way - did Kautoga get illegally taken out of the game + are the Eels sabotaging their season at the expense of rebuilding?
- Titans are struggling - we expose their shortcomings as Brisbane grind out a win without their alpha.
- NRLW R2 wrap
- LOLCOW of the Week.
AJ is joined by our favourite UK export in Johnny Lew, to discuss a multitude of factors going on in our great game. There's so much happening that this is declared an Origin III free zone.
On the show this week
- RFL carnage - what is going on in the English game
- Friday Night Footy - Why Galvin isn't the lone person to blame for the Bulldogs nightmare as the Broncos unleash Payne Haas' ultra-ego aka Xavier Willison.
- Saturday saw the Raiders pull off another narrow victory against the Dragons as the NRL was fully introduced (once again) to Kaeo Weekes. We also dissect THAT QUESTION asked to Shane Flanagan.
- Melbourne pulled off a brave win against the odds in Townsville as we praise their youth program that they have run in previous seasons. We also debate whether this is a performance that the Cowboys would rue.
- Sunday saw AJ devastated as his Roosters dropped two valuable points against the Tigers. We look at the rise of the Fainu clan as the new nucleus of the club seems to form. Plus, our host endulges in praise for Naufahu Whyte as he matches against his former team-mate Terrell May.
- We went to Brookvale Oval next as Turbo shone brightest as Manly continue their hot form at Brookvale over a Souths side Johnny rips apart as they leave his countryman Lewis Dodd out in the cold... AGAIN!
- AJ analyses the referees and what they are looking for in the ruck.
- NRLW R1 recap
- Super League Recap
- LOLCOW (or DICKHEAD) of the Week
AJ celebrates Beanies for Brain Cancer Round in style as he hosts the program solo while Rhys is on assignment.
On the program
- Reaction to the Origin squads
- Coming to terms with all the mid-seasons signings as AJ goes ballistic at the Broncos handling of Selwyn Cobbo
- Penrith's coming of age as the young handles the veteran and questions over Galvin's involvement linger
- Manly show up the Tigers as the joint-venture undergo major spinal surgery
- Canberra still struggling to put teams away as they hold off the fast finishing Knights
- Brisbane take care of the Wahs in style was Walsh and Shibasaki run amuck, also answer the Wahs injury woes - we also question the Warriors pack
- The Dragons show their muscle in the wake of social media hate as Parramatta lack speed in their offence
- Hammer and Katoa run riot in Brisbane as Souths defence completely surrender
- Melbourne show their premiership muscle as the Sharks honesty session proves fruitless
- Scott Drinkwater masterclass as the Cowboys run riot before a near collapse see the Titans come so near, yet so far
We also pay tribute to our dear friend Yvonne Sampson who departs for maternity leave, we wish her all the very best and cannot thank her enough for her support of this program and of our dreams!
AJ and Rhys recap the second State of Origin II and the U19 Origin. The boys recap all things NRL in a crazy Round 16 of the competition. Canberra held off the Tigers in a fast paced game which saw plenty of tooing and throwing – we congratulate Jed Stuart on his debut and look at the Raiders legitimate premiership chances despite their slow starts to games and fade outs in some. We also debate the Tigers halves direction.
Saturday’s matches saw the understrength Panthers show their class against a Warriors side that showed their inexperience in big matches. We question Andrew Webster’s coaching tactics as far as reshuffling the squad after DWZ’s injury and his decision to play Metcalf out. The game in Perth saw the Knights take down the Dolphins at a big cost for both sides with young guns Jack Bostock and Fletcher Sharpe facing long absences on the sideline but we debate the Dolphins’ game smarts and how the Knights attack is shining. The late game saw a win for Melbourne against the Rabbitohs as Trell shines… in the second half! While Melbourne show their class in big moments to walk away with victory.
Sunday footy saw Brisbane pull off a second half miracle against the Sharks. AJ is filled with rage on how the Sharks bottled their middle rotation… well not for the first time this season. While Rhys is overjoyed with Payne Haas’ heroic performance. The Roosters quickly improved AJ’s mood with a massacre over the Cowboys – Mark Nawaqanitawase and Naufahu Whyte continue their upward trajectory while Hugo Savala shone brightly. The late game saw Parramatta beat the Titans in a big performance at CommBank with shining lights from Isaiah Iongi while the Titans execution continues to bedevil us.
This week, AJ and Rhys are looking back at the Origin impacted bye week. Round 15 saw plenty of thrills, spills as well as a shock thunder-storm.
On the program this week we look at the Dragons collapse in the first half as the Sharks seem to find their mojo. We turn attention to the rise of the Titans and how one offload cruelled Manly’s game after a ruthless start. Is DCE the answer at the Roosters? The only place to see comprehensive analysis of his game play. We also have answers to the big AJ Brimson conundrum over the Titans.
Saturday saw a scrappy win for the Roosters as AJ praises his troops for finally nailing a tight victory in season 2025. We ask ourselves why we got ourselves drunk on Jackson Hastings koolaid. Siua Wong, Salesi Foketi and Blake Steep cement themselves in the pack alongside Naufahu Whyte but we question Victor Radley’s future after his fifth HIA of the season (second failed).
Then we analyse a ruthless Dolphins performance as we question everything and anything about the demise of the Cowboys. Sunday footy saw a thunderstorm interrupt the Dogs flow but they always looked comfortable against a Souths side that were smashed by injuries before and after the game.