Mitch Collins is our guest this week, this is his third season in charge of the Tigers and as was the case in 2022 and 2023, he's sidelined with an injury to his left hand. Collins intends to continue playing next year and beyond.
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00:00Good afternoon and welcome to this week's edition of On The Bench. We have Mitchell
00:05Collins, of course, the Wingham Captain Coach. He had a special guest today. We'll be talking
00:10Group 3 footy, of course, but also Mitchell's brother-in-law, Mitch Barnett, was a member
00:14of the New South Wales side that won the State of Origin. Wednesday night, Mitchell's up
00:18there with his family, so we'll be talking State of Origin with Bridgie a little bit
00:21later on. But first, before we start, and in all seriousness, an apology for last week's
00:26segment. Those who watched it will remember I said those going to Wingham Sporting Complex
00:32or the regional Big Australia Stadium on Sunday to prepare for icy conditions. I was told
00:37this by our resident weather guru. Sunday dawned. I looked outside and I thought, well,
00:43it looks a bit sunny, but it's going to be freezing at Wingham. It's got no-seas weather.
00:46I was like the Mitchell man. I had that many layers of clothes on. I got the expectancy
00:51of an icy tundra at Wingham with ice on the goalposts and people freezing. I was bathed
00:57in sunshine. I was absolutely bathed in sunshine. There were two of us players in the minor
01:03grades were treated for sunburn. That's how good it was. It came Tuesday. Yeah, yeah.
01:09Mick Clark had to go onto the field in first grade at one stage. He came back sweating.
01:14Mind you, Clark can probably do that anyway. So no, we won't be taking any weather tips
01:18from Scott Calvin anymore. So I don't know what the weather's going to be this weekend,
01:21but whatever it is, we're not asking Scott. Anyway, it's a bit of... It's the last weekend
01:27tour, of course, and a bit of family fare for you, Gary. The Benning Hotel Player of
01:32the Week goes to Jordan Warboys after he turned on a masterclass against the Taree City Bulls
01:37and it was a very one-sided game out there. Ton Currie, of course, on the bench, he's
01:42brought to us by Classic Design Jewellers of Taree. Mitchell, you've actually got a
01:46very important game this weekend. Foster, Ton Currie at Ton Currie. You need a win,
01:51don't you? Mate, we definitely need a win now after dropping a game against Kempsey.
01:56Probably wouldn't say one we should have won because we didn't deserve to win it, but it's
02:01one we would have liked to have won. Obviously, Foster stuck it to us, stuck it to the Sharks
02:07last weekend. I think they went up in the half-time and there was only a ten-point difference
02:11at the end. I think they're a side that's looking for a win too, so it's a massive,
02:15massive game for us and obviously one we want to win. Big day at Ton Currie there too. They've
02:19got their 1994 and 2004 Premiership sides there. It's a bit of a reunion. They're calling
02:24it Heritage Day. It's also a fundraiser for Chelsea Brown. She's the daughter of a club
02:29committee member and I think her brothers play for the club as well. She's fighting
02:32cancer, so they're getting in to give Chelsea a hand, so hopefully they get a big day. I
02:38think every home game this year, the Hawks have had some sort of theme about it.
02:43I went to their first game and even their first game of the year, they had a good crowd
02:48out there.
02:49I've been a couple of times, and considering where they are, they've won one game, but
02:53they're not actually scaling the heights. They're a good club, the Hawks. They're on
02:57the way up and they might not do great things this year, but I think in a couple of years
03:01time they'll certainly get it. Do you guys have theme days with the Tigers?
03:04Yeah, we've got a charity day. We must have a few, because someone was actually in to
03:10me the other day about how many different jerseys we get through the year. Our last
03:15game of the year is against what was meant to be against Old Bars, so that's our charity
03:20day this year. They're doing Cane Assist, so we've got that and then there is another
03:26one, but I can't remember what it is.
03:27That's alright, and you've just got the Cane Assist day coming up with you too, Gary,
03:30in a couple of weeks time.
03:31Yeah, 10th of August next.
03:33Hey Mitchell, we said at the start of the year that we thought you guys were a given
03:38to make the final five, but that's not quite the case now, is it? You're in a bad year,
03:42well you're fifth, but you're in only just clear.
03:44Yeah, we've...
03:45Poor Sydney played one more game than you guys if it's close to it, hasn't it?
03:48Yeah, and I think we've played two less than one of the other sides or something as well,
03:53but we probably had dropped a couple of games we would have liked to have won, so on paper
03:59we've got a good side on paper, we're just not putting it quite together. The defence
04:03on the weekend was pretty poor and let us down, so that's something obviously this week
04:06we're looking to improve and obviously injuries don't help, but you get them every year, so
04:11that's sort of, no excuse really.
04:13Yeah, I mean, before you've had them, you get injuries, you seem to get bad ones, like
04:17you lost Nathan Campbell for the season.
04:19Yeah, so he's...
04:20How many games did he play?
04:21Two, I think, two or three.
04:23Well that's more than last year, wasn't it?
04:24Yeah, more than last year, so yeah, he's torn his biceps, so he had surgery yesterday
04:30or the day before, so he's gone for the year, obviously himself, pretty well gone for the
04:35year, and then there's sort of longer ones where most other clubs sort of seem to just
04:40get...
04:41Tore through actually.
04:42Yeah, which makes it a lot easier to manage, but that's part of it, so...
04:45Yeah, I guess, well you won't be back, don't you think?
04:49If we make semis, mate, I'll be back, so I think I've got the cast on for another five
04:52weeks, and then get out of that, and then I think it's a couple of weeks after that,
04:56so I'm hoping to be back for the last game of the year against Breakers, and then...
05:01That could be important too, couldn't it?
05:03Yeah, so I'll make it back for that game, and then, yeah, obviously if we make semis,
05:06play semis.
05:07Yeah, okay.
05:08And now let's not say, you've captained the coach the last, this is your third season,
05:11and you've stayed...
05:12Three years, yeah.
05:13Three years.
05:14It's the same, isn't it?
05:15It's the same year, yeah, so, and...
05:16Have you chopped your bones or something?
05:17No, mate, I'm doing something wrong, not enough milk, but...
05:19Might be that, you're going...
05:21No, that's the right arm.
05:22Oh, is that the right arm you're getting?
05:23Mate, every time I break it too, there hasn't been really anything in it, it's just been
05:27the worst one, I've actually palmed someone in the, sort of, yeah, so there's nothing
05:32in it, but, yeah, before that, never had an injury and never missed a game, and the last
05:36three years I've missed people the whole season, so...
05:38So, this is going to be, we ask you every time you're on, is this going to be the last season?
05:42A hundred, a hundred percent, nah, definitely, a hundred percent made the decision, spoke
05:45to Foodie and that, probably a month ago, and he said, definitely, definitely wouldn't
05:50be doing it, so, we're looking, looking around as it is, trying to, trying to find the right
05:55person to take it on, and, yeah, obviously try and keep everyone on board for next year.
05:59You'll keep playing, of course, though?
06:00Yeah, yeah, I'll keep playing, just, yeah, want to go back to, go back to playing and,
06:05yeah, finish off just as a player, not a coach.
06:07Okay, and, McLeod, what did you think of them?
06:12Um, I think they're, they're a good, I still think Hull Bar and Port Sharks are a lot in
06:20front of them.
06:21Okay.
06:22I think, that's just my opinion, I think probably War Hope, when we played them, I thought they
06:26were a lot tougher than Kempsey, I know Kempsey had it there, sort of in the same boat, they've
06:30had a fair few injuries, but, as I said, our defence was, was probably the poorest defence
06:36I reckon I've seen in probably three years there, so, um, we sort of had an off day,
06:41and saying that, they had a player send in three times throughout the game, so, um, I
06:46think they're, they're a top five side, um, but, yeah, I think they're still a fair way
06:50below Hull Bar and Sharks.
06:52Yeah, they're looking as, like, the third option below.
06:54I think they're a side you definitely wouldn't want to play in the semis, but, cause, um,
06:57you know, at the end of the game, every game, they sort of just seem to turn it on them
07:01and pull drives out of everywhere.
07:02Yeah, cause they're half-back, Shane Davis got called, he's a, he's a...
07:06He was, he was handy for them on the weekend, so, um, I think they scored a couple off kicks.
07:10Yep.
07:11Um, so, no, I think they're definitely in the top five, I think that's sort of cemented
07:15in, but, uh, yeah.
07:16Other than yourself, and obviously, uh, Nate, is there anyone else to come back into your
07:20side as good as, as good as you can do?
07:22Um, so, this weekend, Groomie's, Groomie's actually out as well, so is Jake Mullin, so...
07:26Oh, really?
07:27Yeah, so, got a few out this week, um, so, outside of us two, not really too much to
07:33come back.
07:34Obviously, them boys, they're only out for one or two weeks, and then they'll be back,
07:36but, outside of that, pretty well, what we've got's what we've got.
07:38So, will you be bringing a couple out to Ayleens in the first grade tomorrow?
07:41Yeah, so, Leighton Moore's going to, he's going to, uh, he'll start in first grade,
07:44um, young Jed will back up, and, um, outside of them two, pretty well.
07:49Don't know who the fourth one will be yet.
07:50Ah, okay, well, Leighton, cause he played New South Wales and some, New South Wales
07:53in the Invitational side last year, didn't he?
07:55Yeah, mate, he'd, um, he'd be probably starting in our side every week.
07:58He just, he wants to play Ayleens as well, which is fair enough, cause he pretty well
08:01played first grade all last year for us.
08:03Um, but, mate, on the weekend, he was, he was definitely one of our better players.
08:06Yeah, and, uh, well, he's been, he played a bit of first grade, as I said, last year,
08:09so, yeah, he's a, he's a, he's a, he's a Wigan boy, too, involved, he's a Wigan boy, and
08:12he, uh, he's working up there, too, so you've got him for a couple of seasons.
08:15Yeah, he's got an apprenticeship with Rob Moore, so he's, he'll be around for a while.
08:18Yeah, that's a handy thing with the Tigers, though, you've got a couple of those young
08:25I think, sort of, um, I think Leighton's, he's with the Dogs, I think, so, I think a
08:29couple of them are going down at the end of the year, uh, I think, sort of, sort of do
08:33what Tay Cochran's doing out there at Old Bar, something similar to that, how they go
08:36down there and do, do, um, a bit of pre-season and that, um, so, we're not, sort of, sure
08:42where Leighton will end up, but, um, obviously, if he, if he goes in that avenue, obviously
08:45that's the ideal, you know, it's a shame for us to lose him, but that's obviously what
08:48we want our juniors to be going as high as they can and, and make it as far as they can,
08:52so.
08:53It'll be disappointing in your eighteens, though, won't it?
08:55Yeah, mate, they're, they're a sight on paper, mate, they're a good sight on paper, but,
08:59uh, same sort of thing, they haven't been able to put it together at all.
09:02Okay, well, there might be time to start, start for your birth tomorrow.
09:04Yeah, yeah, well, that's what we're hoping, that's what we're hoping for.
09:06And Costari City, Gary, they're at home on Sunday, I think, to Port City.
09:09Port City.
09:10They're, they're, they're, they're in a whirl of hurt at the moment.
09:12Yeah, well, they did put the, the, the score on last week, they were, they were down eight
09:16first graders.
09:17Yeah, oh, yeah.
09:18They still won reserve, right, so, we've got the depth there and they've caught on
09:21a couple of the eighteens.
09:22The twins played.
09:23Yeah, they played very well, too.
09:24Played very well, yeah.
09:25And, uh, Blair Hamilton, he's, he's, he's.
09:26Yep, he's back.
09:27He's, he's started late, I think he had a shoulder, did he?
09:29He was, uh, late start of the year, but he played well.
09:31Yeah.
09:32Now, they've got some good young players there, but, you know, I don't think that reserve
09:34grad ran off and half of them ran back on again.
09:36Yeah.
09:37That's, they'll die, they'll die at the end of the month.
09:38They'll get them back, of course, but, uh.
09:39Yeah, no, I think that's just all that sort of flu and everything or whatever.
09:42Yep.
09:44Yeah, I mean, this'll be a, this'll be a, a must win at home this week against, sorry,
09:48against Port City, won't it?
09:49Yeah.
09:50So, they'll have to win this and sort of lead into the, to the charity day and when we do
09:54that, as Mitch said, we play Wingham twice in two weeks for, for that, which is, uh,
09:58you know, unusual, but that's, that's a catch-up game, isn't it?
10:01Yeah.
10:02Yeah.
10:03So.
10:04I think it's a must, must win for, for Port City as well, so.
10:06Yeah, they, they seem to.
10:07That'll sort of, if they win that, that'll sort of case them in a, in a pretty good spot
10:10to, uh, to try and get that.
10:12Yeah, I think they, I think they'll, they'll be fairly comfortably by Warhope last week
10:15too, I think.
10:16So, Warhope's starting to.
10:17Warhope's coming through.
10:18Mate.
10:19Yeah, well, they, they've played all, pretty all the games at Warhope, whereas, um, so
10:21that.
10:22Yeah, they've, they've played a couple of extra, extra games, I think, but, uh, see
10:25Matt, Matt Bird's back for them too, which is a.
10:27A huge.
10:28Yep.
10:29Huge inclusion.
10:30Yep.
10:31Yeah, he's, it seems like he's been around forever, that Matt Bird, that Bird, but he's
10:33only about 30.
10:34He's the same age as Jordan Warboys.
10:35Yeah.
10:36He seems like.
10:38As, as I said, if we, if, uh, Jordan doesn't play with old bar, they're not the same side,
10:42are they?
10:43No.
10:44No way in the world.
10:45He controls the game, he sits back, has looks, sees which ways he's got to go, and off he
10:48goes.
10:49We've seen throughout the year, even when, uh, when Jordan, those cup games where he
10:52sort of sat on the bench and that, they, they struggled, they got a lot of strike, but if
10:55you don't have someone steering it around, it's.
10:57You need, you need.
10:58Someone to steer it around.
10:59You do, yeah.
11:00You need someone steering the.
11:01Well, they didn't last week.
11:02Admittedly, they were always going to win last week, but they punched up the middle
11:04of the number.
11:05They're a bad pack of horse, actually.
11:06And, uh, uh, they'll punt, and they don't really make it any great.
11:09You know, as in, Jordan got the ball and threw it out wide of those backs, and it was all
11:12over Red Rover.
11:13Yeah.
11:14And that was, and that's when they, that's when they scored all their tries.
11:16They've got a bit of a conundrum this week, the bull, uh, the Pirates, though.
11:19They've got, uh, whether to start young Egans at 5'8", CM, CM Egans at 5'8".
11:22He had a good game last week, but again, not a lot of pressure, or Eli, their usual pivot
11:26he missed last week, but he's back this weekend, so it's going to be interesting to see who
11:29they.
11:30One less.
11:32Well, start, Jordan said, or one of the other men, because Eli's still eligible for, for
11:34eighteens as well, so he might have a, well, I don't know, I don't know what they'll do,
11:37but.
11:38You know, young CM Egans, he's the goal kicker too, isn't he?
11:39Yeah, he kicked last week, yeah.
11:40He kicked last week, and, yeah, so, I mean, if, why not play and let him get him a chance,
11:46because it's, they're playing against Port Shark Sunday, so.
11:49Yeah, yeah, at Port.
11:50At, at Port.
11:51Yeah, yeah.
11:52Ah.
11:53Sunday, yeah, yeah.
11:54So, I thought it might have been at Albarr, but it's at Port, so.
11:55No, it's at Albarr next week, because it's the same thing as the, the Bulls and, uh,
11:59and, uh, Wigan, that's, uh, their successive weeks.
12:01Ah.
12:02But, of course, they've watched our games.
12:03Yeah.
12:04Yeah.
12:05Ah, right.
12:06So, we'll see him at, uh, another crack and just, just see how he can handle that, uh,
12:09little bit of extra, extra.
12:10Pressure.
12:11Pressure.
12:12Yeah, yeah, yeah.
12:13I'm going there on Sunday.
12:14I mean, they haven't driven to Port for a long time.
12:15I don't suppose they've changed it.
12:16It's still in the same place.
12:17I don't.
12:18Yeah.
12:19Well, probably not.
12:20Ah.
12:21We'll move on to the state of origin, Mitchell, of course.
12:24What was the, what was the atmosphere like there on, on Wednesday night?
12:26It's unreal, mate.
12:27I reckon it's probably, um, out of all the, all the, not even just rugby league games,
12:31out of all the sort of sporting events been to, I reckon it's probably the, the best atmosphere
12:35I've, I reckon I've been to.
12:37It was, it was awesome.
12:38Well, I was thinking that, watching the game, and was the, the cry, I thought the cry was
12:44New South Wales, New South Wales.
12:46But is it?
12:47At the, at the end, there was, um, obviously when Queensland run out, it was, it was definitely
12:51all Queensland.
12:52But, but, uh, once they start, once it was, uh, probably the last five minutes, they started
12:55to leave, so towards, towards the end, we probably had them outnumbered, so.
12:59But there was actually, there was, there was actually a fair few Blues supporters there,
13:02so.
13:03Yeah, well, that Bletchley Blues turned up in numbers, didn't they?
13:05Did they?
13:06Well, we didn't see them because they had the Wally Lewis.
13:07Yeah.
13:08Oh, did they?
13:09Yeah.
13:10Yeah, so the Bletchley Blues are on the, on the other end of the field.
13:11Oh, they're in.
13:12They didn't show the, I didn't see them once throughout the, the night, but they had the
13:15Wally Lewis section there.
13:16When, uh, Mitchell Moses scored that last try, and they flashed the, there's one Blues
13:20supporter in the sea of those Wally Lewis.
13:22One.
13:24He was, he was shoved up and down, like, this is your brave.
13:27It was a good, great game, wasn't it, Mitchell?
13:29It was, mate.
13:30It was, yeah, it was an unreal game, and, uh, arm wrestled, so it was a good game to
13:35watch, and, and yeah.
13:36I don't actually reckon there's a bad seating, that's unthought.
13:38Nah, there's not.
13:39You can see it.
13:40Yeah.
13:41Even up the top, I reckon you'd be able to get a pretty good.
13:42It's, it's like Combank Stadium in Parramatta's home game.
13:45No matter where you sit on the stadium, you, you virtually, you can just reach over and,
13:49and grab them.
13:50Yeah.
13:51And yeah, play it like that.
13:52Pretty about it is.
13:53Local.
13:54Wingham boy, eh?
13:55Who, who, Andrew John says from Taree, but we all know he's a Wingham boy.
14:00He is, he is.
14:01He's a Wingham boy.
14:02Now, Mick, the, the, the New South Wales jersey that I've got for the charity day this year,
14:07all signed by the locals who have played New South Wales, the ladies and the men's.
14:11Mitch is, uh, is gonna get, um, Mitch to, um.
14:16Sign.
14:17Sign it.
14:18Yeah.
14:19Yeah, because, and that'd be, that'd be great, you know.
14:21It's, uh, it's a great, uh, honour to, to represent your, your state and, and, and for
14:26what Mitch has done.
14:27I mean, it's, uh, it's really good, so.
14:29Yeah, um, yeah, so that'll, that'll, that'll, that'll fit you.
14:32When, when's the auction this year?
14:33On the, on the.
14:34On the 10th, on the.
14:35Yeah, but on, on the day itself, isn't it?
14:36Yeah, be, be, be, uh, halftime of first grade or just before first grade, probably.
14:40Okay, yeah, that'll, that'll, that'll fit you.
14:42A few weeds, I would imagine.
14:44Yeah, I'm not saying that, I hope, we hope to get more to play for New South Wales over
14:48the period of time, but to be able to do that, and thanks, mate, for, for getting that done
14:53for me.
14:54So, were you telling, were you telling your brother more before the game, Mitchell, is,
14:56is, do you have any access to them before the game, or?
14:59Uh, yeah, so before the, uh, before the game, uh, I went to the, the hotel where they were
15:04staying and, uh, sort of, they, they all get dressed, um, and then all the families go,
15:11um, upstairs and pretty well we all just sat around and, and had a drink and, uh, they
15:16obviously have a coffee or whatever, they don't get, they don't get the, get the luxury,
15:19but, um, so, yeah, spent, got to spend a couple of, couple of hours with his family beforehand,
15:24so.
15:25How was he, was he nervous?
15:26Mate, he was actually, he was actually pretty calm, they all actually seemed pretty calm,
15:29I definitely don't think they, they would have been too calm when they run out on the
15:32Suncorp and, uh, with the atmosphere, but, um, nah, he was, he was pumped, he was excited
15:37as, I think, obviously like everyone that, that does it, it's something, you know, you
15:40sort of bring it home.
15:41Yeah, he'd probably be lucky, he's, uh, cause, uh, Angus Crichton got hurt, or had the,
15:44like the HIA in the first minute or so, and he got, he wasn't sitting on the sideline.
15:47Nah, he got on, got on early.
15:48Didn't get nervous, got on there early, yeah.
15:50Nah, got on there early, got an early touch, so, um, you know, I thought, thought he had
15:54a good game, I didn't do anything wrong, so.
15:56No, he did, he did.
15:57Well, he's got 6.5 out of 10 in the Sydney Morning Errol player ratings, and they said
16:01we'll see him in the new Blue's Jumping Elm, what does that, what does that affect anyway,
16:04so, yeah, no, he was, uh, nah, about a 30 year old, sort of a long time coming, you
16:08would have thought by 30 you weren't gonna, you're not gonna get there, wouldn't you?
16:11Nah, nah, most, most blokes sort of, sort of get him pretty, uh, pretty young, but,
16:15um, I think sort of, since he's gone over to New Zealand, he's, um, his footy's sort
16:20of come a lot further, and, um, I think he's enjoying it over there, and, well, he's obviously
16:24enjoying it, he just re-signed over there, so he's, um, I think he likes it over there
16:28with Andrew Webster and that, and I think he's probably, probably brought the best out
16:31in his footy.
16:32Did you party on with him afterwards, or was you?
16:34Nah, mate, I was, I was pretty well behaved.
16:36Well, did you celebrate with him, did you celebrate?
16:38Nah, nah.
16:39Not much?
16:40Nah, nah, nah.
16:41Well, I don't want to push him too hard now, because you've got to get, get, get...
16:43I think, I know, I know he's, I think he's flown down to Canberra now, so he plays down
16:46there, but, um, we, we definitely went and celebrated, uh, for him, we went to, uh, we
16:50went out to Caxton Street afterwards, and...
16:52Did you?
16:53Honestly, he couldn't really get in anywhere, it was a long line-up to get in anywhere,
16:56and I think she was a long line-up for a drink, so, uh, we had a, had a six o'clock flight,
17:00so, she was a rough...
17:01Yeah, it's very rough fun, aren't they?
17:02Yeah, she was a, she was a rough, uh, rough flight home.
17:06Right.
17:07Yeah, OK, well, um, yeah, so hopefully we'll see him in the, in the Bluejumper again next
17:11year, but, uh, he's signed for, over there, what, till, down to 2027?
17:142027, yeah, he's, he's signed over there for, so, uh, I think it was a two-year extension,
17:18I think, so, he's still got another year left, and then, see who's on it.
17:22So, he won't be coaching the Tigers next year, then?
17:24Nah, uh, 2028, mate.
17:26Is that his, generally speaking, is, is, is that what he's playing over?
17:30Oh, nah, I...
17:31If, if his body's OK?
17:32Yeah, I think, mate, I think if he was, if he was living back here, I think he definitely
17:34would, um, obviously, sort of, uh, depends where he, where he moves to, I suppose, uh,
17:39whether he goes back to Newcastle, or, or whether he, whether he moves home, and that's
17:43probably a decision, uh, him and his family will make when they, when they move back over,
17:46but...
17:47Well, he's married to William Miller too, of course, isn't he, so...
17:49Yeah, yeah, so he's partner, partner to Clare, his wife, Clare, she's, um, she's from
17:52Wingham as well, so, uh, I think it's probably on the cards, but, um, locking up in three
17:57years too.
17:58Yeah, of course.
17:59Well, no, that's what we're hoping for.
18:00That'll be a good competition, then, if he comes back and, Captain Coach Wingham, we'll
18:02have Luttrell and Shaq Mitchell probably come back to Taree, and...
18:05Taree as well.
18:06Hopefully they'll, hopefully they'll, Captain Coach Taree, so, oh, that could be, hey...
18:11Yeah, absolutely.
18:12We'll wait for that.
18:13Wait, wait for that.
18:14Conspiracy theorists will say, will say, well, of course, he was involved in that bizarre
18:18incident where he was on the field at, at, um, at, um, yeah, we've got...
18:22When Cam...
18:23Millet, Millet...
18:24Yeah.
18:25And, of course, Cameron Murray got hunted in the sin bin, and, uh, he, he, from the bench,
18:29so, uh, blew a player to go with him.
18:31Um, because Boyd Cordner, who was the strapper, he was the one who had to nominate, was it,
18:36so, uh, it's an old bar Wingham thing, is it?
18:38Old bar Wingham, yeah.
18:39Swifty, mate.
18:40Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
18:41Yeah, I'll get that, I'll get that Wingham back, actually.
18:43You know, yeah.
18:44Lucky there wasn't a Taree City buggy, he would have gone as well.
18:47He would have been down all over.
18:52Well, mate, well, good luck this weekend, um, and thanks for coming in, as, as always.
18:55Even, and, to be fair, we were a little bit critical of Mitchell last year, because he
18:58forgot that he didn't.
18:59I actually texted you this morning, mate.
19:00You did?
19:01At eight o'clock.
19:02No, no, no, no, as you get older, your memory's getting better, and also, uh, his family provided
19:06the front page photo of, uh, of Mitch and his son's, son's, uh,
19:10Ah, their name, their name, yeah.
19:11front page of today's paper, and a big story about Mitchell and the, his effort and the,
19:15uh, and his family support in the, in the, uh, Wednesday nights game.
19:19So, if you're looking for a paper today, go on, go on by the Times, or even better, get
19:22us online.
19:23But good luck, mate, good luck for the rest of the season.
19:25Cheers, mate.
19:26And, uh, and this is probably the last time we'll get you in here as captain coach.
19:29We'll get you in, you know, probably won't be here next year, but anyway, it's beside
19:32the point.
19:33You don't say that every year.
19:34No, we might not be here every year.
19:35Yeah, yeah, yeah.
19:36But anyway, anyway.
19:37And we, and we're taking a break.
19:38Next, we're not taking a break.
19:39We're leaving the tenure bridge studio, and next week we're going back to the, uh, to
19:43Port Macquarie.
19:44We'll be talking to Marty Borg from the Port Macquarie News, uh, and the president of
19:48the War Up Club, who's having a talk with us about how all things were at Rugby League.
19:52And, uh, so, that'll be interesting, Gary.
19:54Is he not going to come, Gary?
19:55Uh, no, mate.
19:56I've just got to, it's a little bit hard.
19:58I can't get the afternoon off work, you know.
20:00But it'll happen before the end of the season.
20:02Well, we'll be on again in the semifinals.
20:04Might stay overnight.
20:05Yeah, well, I don't know about that.
20:06Oh, I've got a couple of places up there we can stay.
20:09Yeah, well, someone's got to work that.
20:11Yeah, have a good night up there.
20:12Anyway, we'll worry about that later in the year.
20:14But, uh, everyone going to the footy this weekend, apparently, the weather's supposed
20:18to be nice, according to our weather guru, but, uh, I wouldn't take that as a gospel
20:22truth, but anyway.
20:23Thanks, Mitchell, again.
20:24Cheers, Gary, and we'll see you next week from Port Macquarie on the beach.