The Grapple

It's a delightful tonic for a wounded state. Going down in a humbling to the Blues in a cauldron decider is heavy hitting for Queenslanders.. so our heroes figured why not cheer them all up by going all in with a heavy hitting Queenslander? Even the Bluest of Blues will get a tickle from the tales spun by the one and only Trevor Gillmeister. Our heroes have done well.

Lewis to Miles, Miles in the clear, TRY time. A version of the above was a very frequently used line in the 80's, as the REAL inventor of the flick pass cemented his legend in one of rugby league's most storied backlines. Gene Miles almost didn't make the journey from Townsville to Brisbane when the BRL came calling. The fact he did was a win for the rest of us. Strap yourself in as our heroes go deep with 'Geno' on his career journey, from the halcyon years of the BRL, to the birth of the Broncos, Kangaroo Tours, and Wally's go-to guy in the legendary Maroons backlines of the concept's golden ago. Part 2 of a 3 part special state of Origin series- DIG IT.

A series won a series lost, A sacred setting, a twisting plotm Maroon and blue, the chase and the hunt. And a whistleblower who apparently doesn't hate a punt Time to grapple with Ashley Kleins tough week, state of origin, and Australia's best ever FIFA World Cup display. Time to work out who wins Origin 2 and why the league press carves out conflict narratives, not unlike villainous media mogul Elliot Carver in the 1997 Brosnan Bond entry Tomorrow Never Dies. 'Tell me James, do you still sleep with a gun under your pillow?' And, for fans of the 90’s spoof classic Hot Shots 2, time to work out why we bought helium.. Instead of air. Life. Grapple. Dig.

'That's not a try, that's a miracle.' An especially special State of Origin adjacent special from our heroes, who go deep with Maroons legend Mark Coyne. From the BRL in the 80's, NSWRL in the 90's, to THAT try, it's a Grapptacular lens into some vintage rugby league folklore. And it's all yours. Tell your mates. Go the Maroons.

And so we arrive at a critical juncture Premiers buckling like a cyclist with a puncture FIFA takes over, Ben Stokes goes on a bender As Aussie crickets crisis reaches a crescend..a Studio transition pains have forced our heroes into a hibernation at an inopportune time of year. Only a marginal amount of time is wasted getting asses back into gears and the Grapplers are back into it, despite dealing with a few ongoing auditory and technical pieces of evil that they can only express widespread listener apologies for. Origin is well and truly afoot and the teams are dissected with the gentle touch of a year 8 biology student tearing into an unsuspecting mouse corpse. A reverant Mt Rushmore of all time great Origin finishes takes us all down a nostalgic hallway to piece together just why this concept is so bloody enduring. The NRL is broken down into 3 convenient QLD based teams for analysis, while the FIFA world cup is analysed with the analytical depth of a petri dish by by the same year 8 kid who ripped the mouse apart a few sentences ago. Our Grapplers may have lost a bit of touch with the world game since the 2006 world cup but they will join millions of others in firing up for a foreign winner of personal choice, while riding the Socceroos as far as they can manage. And hopefully having more luck in covering it all than Somalian ref Omar Artan had getting into the host country. Elsewhere, cricket is still happening and Australia’s proud history of the odd colored clothing calamity marches on in Dhaka. Amid it all, a pause, a nod, and a sincere hat tip to the Rabbitohs and NRL world for its outpouring and recognition of Jai Arrow’s awful plight. In a season where the fans have been dealing with more emotionally confronting headlines than most. But there is always hope. Because there is always Grapple.

Its that time of year, state vs state, mate vs mate Bill's team looks good, Lozza’s is strong, but who’s will be great? Amongst all this the game is under heavy fire, the best judges have grave fears All we can say at The Grapple.. we’ve been telling you this for years…. A year ago.. this sydney born, bondi raised pom could only dream of being suspended in an origin match NEXT week… his dreams of completely ruining his teams fortunes comes true.. in a wash of sky blue Northward… and it's a little blonde haired halfback from Ippy That's right NSW… ANOTHER one., Go FUCK yourselves Because Sam hadn't even Walked on to an origin field before the comparisons began Driving the narrative… the rugby league media.. besotted with the fact a bloke who isn't very tall and has light shaded hair comes from a town with a population of just under 300K… and plays rugby league COULD it be… that this one town… drenched in an obsession with the sport… could produce not one, but 2, little blond haired champion halfbacks in the space of 50 years, whilst the whole state of NSW, all 7 million of you half wits, struggles to produce 1 He’s blonde and he’s shorter than most… but he’s blonde.. and he kinda reminds us of another bloke. Whos name wasn't walker. And don't forget.. Allan Langer also came from Ipswich. We could’ve dragged him home from an English Nursing home to beat you f&cktards..but we don't need to. Because we've got A LITTLE BLONDE HAIRED CHAMPION FROM IPSWICH. Time to grapple with WALKER

The Chiefs have got their guy, what about the bears? In more ways than one, down the barrel Bellyache stares the NRL reckon. the games are not too fast and injuries are down.. The more Annersley digs, the more he just look likes a clown It's a time of great expansion and industry. From the wharves of Wollongong to the gold mines of the Papua New Guinean highlands, wealth flows between the hands of the governing noble class. On the Isle of Aus, a pair of sullen heroes brood in typically robust fashion about the man intrigues of the sport known in ancient Latin as 'rugba lego.' They investigate the nuances of contracting and the likelihood of rebellions surviving the forthcoming harsh winter. As silver crosses oceans and boroughs back home cry foul, the kingdom of NRL forges on with its bold charter. The power radiating from the forge of Moore Parkia doth spell short sightedness, and a brewing storm of great strength from the east. Jurisdiction remains centralised to the capitol, and its shrewd and severe sovereign V'landyssss.For it is sovereign V'landyssss casting greedy eyes on swift battlefield victories, without thinking of the toll on the standing army's of his kingdoms 17 ancient houses. The iron fist remains firmly on the throat of what once was a game, and our heroes are the only ones who can possibly stop it.They just need to find their courage.And some new sponsors.

The dragon lords did gather.. authoritarian their intent Shitting out excuses.. as out Flanno went While the kings of men and women bask upon their thrones Gazing afar to a land of mist, shadow, and royal bones For it is in England the claim of supremacy shall be staked A super duper investment.. as the turf underfoot doth quake.. ********************* Tis the winter of sporting discontent, and late is the hour of our grappling this week. A new power is rising.. and it sure as shit isn't coming from head office of St George Illawarra. The dragons bosses have given a blueprint in masterful mismanagement and have got the whole thing all sides of arse up. Flanna-gone smells a bit like a festering Ennis, and the belatedly announced Young replacement has stopped short of an AI generated image of himself as the lord and saviour in his mission to have the fire breathers soaring once more. Where was the NRL on the North Korea style press conference anyway? No one knows. England is in the crosshairs and reasonable efforts to restrict training contact to less than 100 minutes for men and 85 for women are rightly discussed as thresholds unlikely to already be widely met (and news that broke months ago for clubs) - another hat tip on actioning without action on that front. Rugby league and rugby union are enemies according to many ex players and media voices, it's a rhetoric with the same amount of damage potential as the News Corp journos mission to unseat as many coaches as possible as quickly as they can. Lomax is forcing his way into wallaby conversations, but sure guys, let's talk about the insult to both codes that he and fellow code hoppers supposedly represent. And for the love of mercy, wont someone cough up and save Moana? One of our heroes errantly fancies himself as a master tipper, the other confuses Super rugby franchises, but both speak with passion and insight that you're unlikely to have served up at the cheap buffets of mainstream press. So sizzle away grapplers, your fearless weekly smackdown shows no signs of faltering, and the crosshairs will always find their mark. Love. Live. Announce your coach. Grapple.

The QLD Reds wind back the clock The Wahs deliver an ominous shock Gout and Lachy signal a golden era ahead.. And can Flanno put the doubters to bed? Through the trials, tests and tribulations of life, through, natural disaster, acts of god and existential crisis, our heroes stand tall as bastians of high moral, high class, high culture and a smidge of toilet humour.The questions of who controls the news cycle, who controls the rule and does anyone control a raging bull are raised.Does our most valuable sporting franchise have a thin skin and should they just point to the scoreboard( or trophy) ? Is the best way to get a million dollars, to play like you're worth a million dollars? Crazy thought but maybe Drinky builds a case for it. So many ambushes this year we can rename the NRL Pearl Harbour. Who does a job this week? One thing Rugby League teams have never been short of is access to hookers, but that's exactly where the Broncos find themselves. From an embarrassment of riches in the number 9 to an SOS going out to legendary rakes of years bygone. Will Flanno reignite the Dragons to the glory of yesteryear, will the 2026 Tigers be too good at Campbeltown, will Zac continue to improve in Super Rugby and have our heroes really cracked the code of Existence. We are actually living in a simulation. Ergo, we continue taking the blue pill.....or do we dare with the red one......What would a Grappler do......Like it ..share it ..... subscribe to it... -WARNING: EPISODE CUT SLIGHTLY SHORT BY TECHNICAL MUMBO JUMBO WELL BEYOND THE FORCE POWERS OF OUR JEDI OPERATIVES-

Our heroes emerge from a two week Easter hiatus like a pair of cracked Easter eggs being devoured by bears with headaches and largely vacant playing rosters; taking derisive aim at everything from tackles to whistles and showing about as much quarter as a late night truth social post. On the brighter side of life, our pair of pythons go full Monty on expansion insight for the NRL, offering more takeaways (Grap and go's) than Southern Florida around how the game probably won't end up being broader than the map in Game of Thrones, and might just be approaching a very steep cliff. Does local infrastructure support another team in SEQ? Do players exist to support 20 teams? The brass are running evasive manoeuvres that might have even saved the Pentagon a few bucks on these queries, as the most devious of coaches slips away from the fire of a thousand Targaryen Dragons in the NRL ranks. AFL is summarised with far more relish than an overpriced brioche Angus beef burger on game day at the Gabba, as the lions gather in a less and less interested Adelaide and the suns look to prove their genuine mettle in the shadows of a terrifying Swan. Rugbys vague wording around the Giteau law makes a shadowy appearance, as does a wistful back and forth over the games Mount Rushmore across eras, which leads to another history channel style segment of the same name in rugby league. If fox sports could get into its program in less than 3 minutes we'd all be happier, and it might also be a tidy earner for Matt Nable to begin voicing intro sequences to HBO programs, as he adds a bit of Donkey energy to the expression 'overly long package.' While we're at it, have a think about the sporting events you'd go to over any other, and we might even see you there. It'll be far more positive, we assure you. Welcome back heroes. Eat, pray, grapple.

Star players dropping like flies, why would you be a coach? PVL reckons its all on the players, now the refs seem beyond reproach? The Queensland Teams are challenged to show some starch… For two of their coaches we say “ beware the ides of March”..... Et Tu Brute? Well No Jules, not really....and don't call us brutes. Far from being brutes, our heroes this week show the slightest whiff of culture that isn't derived from The Simpsons, South Park, Marvel or Star Wars. Shakespeare in fact is the source of musing this week as the vultures circle the not yet deceased carcasses of several NRL coaches. But are they really in trouble? Or are their names simply being tossed up as conversation filler on punditry shows, led by materially compromised panellists, in need of slapping’s of putty to cram between ads and prolonged narrated montages? Only time will tell but no death riding from the two pillars of integrity this week. In a turn up for the books, the show is led out of the barriers by Rugby and the absolute spectacle that is the 6 Nations. The seemingly long bow, bereft of any glimpses in the mirror, drawn by a former All Black great, and the enduring charge of Le Bleu. The Rise of The Tillies runs a close second and arguments abound as accusations are cast like Redford in A River Runs through it and rebutted like a Rafa base line forehand at Roland Garros. Then the nitty gritty gets worked over like all the great franchises with sequels- Xerri v Gus I, Gordy v Reyno III, Gordy v Madge VII, Gordy v Broncos XXVI, Grapple v PVL CVII, and Grapple v the Refs MMCLXXXV. When the 15th of March rolls around each year the 14th says "Beware the ides of The Grapple" Sage advice 14.

Oh where, oh where could our heroes be? Oh where, oh where could they be? Scanning the fields and domes of sporting prowess And sharing all that they see. From Broncos besieged and coaches at ends to justify their means, To grand designs and hastily issued fines, and a very rugby league looking Wallabies. Oh where, you ask, could they turn their eyes, to view the truth of the world? Channel 7 perhaps, for a current affairs style take, or Fox, for a bucket of hurl. A national side bemoaning a draw as though a 10 nil defeat, and a promise of riches for all in the stands, but noone watching TV. From Vegas to Leicnhardt, Lang Park to Bathurst, and the HQ of the ARU If it stinks and looks like a pile of terd, our heroes will label it poo. To Grapple, is to live.

The changing of seasons is not lost on our courageous heroes this week. As the spark of summer subsides, and the leaves begin to brown on the autumn trees, the often common bedfellows of Rugby League and Poetry assume their natural and more favoured positions of front and centre in the cultural zeitgeist. Both lionhearted champions wax hysterical on the court cases of Lomax. He really should have had Ivan represent him. Ryan Matterson seemingly had Ultron, The Entity and Hal 9000 pushing his wears to a southern counterpart, all unbeknownst to him. And just like Ethan Hunt he managed to put the back inot the submarine and tell the AI Bots a few words about sex and travel. Discussed the knocking of centuries off many less balls, both on the sub continent and in Albion, the knocking of a certain coach who only 5 months ago broke a two decade premiership drought, the knocking out of a Melbourne front rower and the subsequent ban, the knocking of Bellamy putting Sua to fullback and the subsequent apology and retraction, the knocking of the vegas on field performance but the praising of all things off the field (aside from the final resting place of the games on Fox 2 in the USA Or was it Fox 8?), the knocking of the choice of apparel in the new Channel 7 Footy Show promo photos (and the duds wearing the apparel too) and the knocking of Australia's second best ever leggie. Get a grip Stu. Joel tells Johnny he's gone too far and threatens to jump across the Mic, but that part was unfortunately lost to the cutting room floor. All Grappling is done under the strict supervision of a Welsh wrestling coach. Life is enough of a Grapple these days.

As we spiral headlong into a cultural collision course with Las Vegas and its Allegiant Stadium…curiously dubbed the Death Star…. Our heroes lifelong quest to uncover the Sith, who are really running the NRL , is realised. And you’ll be shocked who Darth Jar Jar actually is. This explosive revelation is made all the more real when we exclusively reveal the lofty heights which Emperor Palpatine….cough.. I mean PVL believes the broadcast reach will be in PNG some 20 years in the futire! We also can tell you the preferred play the ball speed for 2026….cue the 6 again sound FX. We also dub Ivan and Nathan Cleary the Neo and Morphius of the NRL after cracking the Judiciary Matrix….. or are the Daniel Caffey and Jo Gallowy…. You decide, but the upshot is Nathan did not order the Code Red, and hence is free to play against the Donkeys Round 1. Whilst League in America is our focus this week, Craig Tiley’s defection to Flushing Queens to join the Nanny named Fran does not go unnoticed. For once the Sepo’s are looking Down Under to improve sports entertainment. Our two experts still need convincing he’ll have as big an impact as a suave English single dad, but only time will tell. (Oh Mr Sheffield!) More movie quotes than IMDB, more silly voices than the Mrs Doubtfire outtakes and more cliches than you can poke a stick at. Get busy Grappling or get busy dying

As a new season sets in and the NRL sets its sights on a possible Friday night footy adventure into Sarajevo or Constantinople, our heroes emerge from the gloom with a belated but brazen return to the microphone for 2026. An off season deemed not really worth coming back early for is swiped left quicker than an undesired Tinder approach, and the introspection sorely missing from the current sporting agenda is bombarded with the podcast equivalent of a barrage of unsolicited d**kpics. Our heroes have 3 main issues on their mind around the Why Brisbane Broncos: why have they always been fibbing about Payne Haas and coach Michael Maguire's friendship, why Brisbane media scribes are fibbing about his apparently stated desired longevity at the club, and- to quote the 90's cult classic Hot Shots2- why did we bring helium instead of air? Moving the crosshairs onto NRL Hq, John Mannings attempt at an measured and un emotionally impacted take on State of Origin eligibility changes holds about as much credibility as Australia's T20 cricket squad, who don't escape a spray for combined ineptitude and failure to capitalise on its enormous talent pool. But, aka Mark Waugh, it's easy to throw stones at the setup when you're not a selector anymore. BY THE WAY ORIGIN, why don't you just say you want to see Kiwis and Tongans spending hard earned on $160 synthetic blue and maroon jerseys and talk less about your version of the games fabric? Shitty newscorp headlines claiming non existent beefs are cross examined with prejudice, as is the ABC Sport claim that Australia is the moguls capital of the world. In short- both are BS. But how good is winter sport when all of our would be cereal box heroes have their faces mostly covered by ski masks? 'Look honey, it's Jakarta Anthony.. oh wait no, shit, this is a home invasion!' Six nations rugby adulation rounds out a romp worthy of several replays, with a sprinkle of some classic stories from our heroes alter ego existences as prolific (but never spared from the wrath of a withering director) actors. These idiots are just getting started baby. 2026, the year of the Grapple. Look it up.

As Summer descends and the Mercurio rises our heroes muse over the mere concept of a new world order. One where athletes can play for whomever they wish, where ever they wish and the threat of life long bans is a campfire horror story told by broken down old footballers to their wide eyed offspring. In this NWO, Les Kiss is currently coaching the Wallabies and making the hard selection calls that this podcast alone endorses, the Broncos logo is just that and not some hundred million dollar statement on the ghost of Brisbane’s past, present and future and PVL wears a taylor made suit. When finally the day dream breaks and reality sets in we congratulate Big H and Len on their inclusion in the world VX, we break down the pitches down under and wax lyrical about an Aussie pace attack still 2 prongs short of a nightmare. A much needs semi hiatus awaits our battle weary righteous warriors. When it’s all done bar the shouting, the only thing left to do is Grapple.

Australia bloods more bats.. England phones it in Vlandys struggles to put the entire NRL playing group in the bin The Wallabies are a game away from rugbys greatest sin AND the CELTIC COUNTRIES CAUS CHAOS with dramatic last minute wins Alllll happening in the world of sport and our heroes are padded up and ready to take on the new ball, unlike the poms, who’ve played less cricket than the SCG gets every rained out summer in the build up to the ashes. Peter V’Landys continues to derive inspiration from Eastern politics as he carves out an even deeper divide between the NRL and the rest of the sporting world, while the wallabies need to work out how to be less Herschelle Gibbs and more Steve Waugh under the high ball, once they catch their collective breaths from a test schedule clearly inspired by the summer routine of a Guantanamo Bay prisoner. Meantime, the sporting purity of Ireland and Scotlands gargantuan leap into the FIFA World Cup reminds us all of what really matters. Kicks from halfway over a 10 year ban any day of the week. Live. Laugh. Grapple.

Andrew and Peter challenge the Klingons for total interstellar rule Crawleys crying that Kev leaving out the Emus is cruel… The Wallabies slip to seventh but do not despair While Josh Giddey now sits in Rarified This week Grapplers call for action on the NRL. The only consistent is the inconsistency and hypocrisy. Andrew and Poiter are giving off a “Bond Villain” like vibe…… absolutely hell bent on global, nay universal domination. Next story will be NRL HQ has relocated to a hollowed out volcano containing sharks with fricken laser beams……. In other news it seems the independent doctors at the PAC nations got their degrees from the same cornflake box Poiter reckons R360 originated from. #prayersforeli Kevvie comes under fire for selecting his strongest 17 for an Ashes Tets - only in a Rugby League! #everyonegetsacar And the Wallabies are on the precipice of having to deal with a top 6 team in the group stages of RWC. #playJAS15 As the mercury rises in the southern hemisphere the grappling gets real.

It’s chaos as always as the rugby logo moidia dishes up the same number of shoddy headlines, only with less personnel on the tools. Our heroes call into question some of the analytical reads read out by B. Read to millions of mainstream readers. Short version: they stink. Assistant coaches are moving and shaking, rugby league is trying to dine out on the English Super League, as the English team deals with the apparent anxiety and stress of what their own coach described poor buildup to a first test fizzle. As one coach spouts the doldrums, across hemispheres another takes a Fifita sized gamble at the Rabbitohs offer a lifeline to the much maligned Lou Ferrigno doppleganger. The wallabies need serious work and international windows are seemingly sealed against Australian prosperity. Bring them all in whenever they’re available says we. And we can deal with a crash back to earth from our usually all conquering women’s cricket team. A World Cup semi final defeat with 338 on the board batting first doesn’t impact the belief this team remains our country’s best across all codes and comers. Besides, winning in front of a packed Indian home crowd is a treacherous prospect. Spare a thought for the 2 NRL teams who might just end up playing a season opener there if Peter ‘Napoleon’ Vlandys gets his way. Life is for staring down 10 year bans, seeking releases, Pappling, and Grappling. Declare it to be dug, It shalt be dugeth Because life will always be a grapple

The sun rises on an all new ashes series The Kangaroos team has raised a couple of vexing queries Our women’s cricket team continues in their merry way The Wallabies, the NFL, The NBA and Shohei Otahn-ey Our heroes assess international eligibility and the role of the Kangaroos assistant coach who calls himself a Bull and confronts many targets of his media crosshairs ahead of the Rugby League Ashes. Perhaps a more credentialed and active coaching appointment might have made sense? Meantime.. the buildup to Crickets Ashes- the actual and only Ashes- continues, but buildup attention turns to Australia's all conquering womens team. Are they the best womens team across any sport, including our all conquering Diamonds? Yes. Amid it all.. the Grapplers are grappling with a swearing ban, and might still let a few slip, not unlike Ange Postecoglou when he lost a job inside 40 days. Like Ange though, the swears will never really go away. Unlike him, they wont likely win us any trophies though. DIG IT.