Episoder
-
International rugby league kicks into gear, as rugby league fans everywhere gasp for air at the end of a seemingly interminable season. Oh wait, it’s not the end… because there’s still internationals to play. And it’s a shame there’s a bit of fatigue around, because the International matchups are juicier than an early 00’s Mad Monday. Can the Kangaroos overcome the ‘second tier’ and reclaim their dignity as the pre-eminent league playing nation? And all rise.. captain Yeoh is on the bridge!
Meantime.. Australia’s government snuggles ever tighter to its PNG pillow, as the NRL’s transfer market heats up with a King, a Cobbo, a Dozer and a Stagg all potentially looking a place to rest their weary head.
Premier League is in full swing Liverpool seem to doing just fine in a Post- A-Klopp-olis world, but poor old Man U look like losing another gaffer to the poison chalice, Buzz saw, Angel of Death that is the Managers position at that once proud club.
NFL, Baseball, basketball, cheese, pickles, onions on a sesame seed bun….. this is actually a “sports” show… if you haven't already realised…..a remember - “The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched - they must be felt with a Grapple”
-
As well as being a highly effective run play in American Football, a delay can also mean time lapsing between two people discussing issues on a podcast using a digital platform.
This, amongst many other obstacles and barriers, is what our heroes had to contend with in the Grand Final/Offseason Kick off episode.
All the Grand Final stories are disclosed, discussed and dissected and - The Howarth no try, The Yeo no Medal, The NAS no show, The Luai no stay, The Kid Laroi no smoke......and The Hard Running GA brings the press in behind closed doors for a mid match video session.
Then to national teams and Lindsay Smith............. cough cough.........and Mal's Merritt Team.
The Wallabies Spring tour, the NFL is upon us... and the summer of cricket approaches.
Still plenty of sport to come and still and plenty of issues for our two delusional clowns to Grapple with.
Like It, Share It, Subscribe to it....and as George Herman Ruth said.. 'Never let the fear of striking out keep you from Grappling'
-
Manglende episoder?
-
This week our two heroes are squarely sandwiched between the AFL and NRL Grand Finals.
On one hand it's all celebrations and leaping on Lions wagons that carry bands, and on the other it's the steely focus on the absolute Clash of Rugby League Titans. (not of the Gold Coast variety)
1-13 who gets over who on Sunday?
Early late mail on who gets Herbert Henry's award?
Unable to play in the GF and until after a full lunar cycle in the new season..Does NAS go back to Brooklyn?
Will Rudolph be red nosed in Vegas?
More Bandwagoning on Fagan and the Pride
North Sydney's week from hell as North Brisbane look to enter the promised land
Madge calls QLD home and how much did Connery forgo when knocked back the role of Gandalf?
It's a great day for sport and a great day for Australia. It's all happening, the tension, the drama, the buzz, the atmosphere, the buffoonery.
Its a sports podcast baby, we welcome all comers.
Darkness cannot drive out darkness, hate cannot drive out hate... only Grappling can do that
-
Did King Arthur and his knights of the round table sweep into Camelot riding a mob of noble Kangaroos? The answer is no, at least if Kalyn Ponga was one of those Knights. Our heroes dissect the decision to say ‘no’ to Straya, whether it’s sensical, and whether punishment is indeed warranted.
They then shake off the cobwebs with a spirited correction session, admitting to being human by unpacking a couple of ‘minor’ errors committed in the previous episode.
All the nonsense aside, it’s the rare opportunity of an ‘Equinoctial Convergence,’ or ‘Sporting Equinox,’ as multiple codes come together for a super Saturday of sporting utopia.
In a nutshell:
Up the Lions.
Carn the Wallabies.
And Lord have mercy on the Roosters and Sharks.
The spirit of the game is discussed, and exemplified by the deeds of the All Blacks in recognising the feats of 140 cap Wallaby James Slipper. Australia’s return to England, and the origins of the ‘DLS method’ are analysed, and the belief of Brisbane’s AFL team is forensically sussed out- will it be enough?
Finally, the end of the road. We talk retirements in all their different forms, and highlight the poignant words of Demons star Angus Brayshaw at the Brownlow medal, and the emotional cockpit lingering of Daniel Ricciardo. The end comes in many forms, but it doesn’t make it any less the end.
In the words of some smart motherf**ker:
“The way to get started is to quit talking and begin Grappling” -
This week our star duo are made whole again as Joel returns from the Heart of Darkness- "At first, I thought they handed me the wrong dossier."Conspicuous by his absence is any conversation this week is the Hard Running Graeme Annersley. Are our heroes :"Graeme'd Out"? Are we suffering from the dreaded "Graeme Fatigue"? Or is it like beating yourself in the head with a needle hammer? Only time will tell.Finals predictions abound as teams fight for their survival but is the comp a two horse race?Cleary's shot a serious piece of history, the stare Nicho needs to give the Shire a chance, has PVL chewed too much BeetleNut or is the PNG deal idea "good for the game'? Battle of the felines in the AFL as Queensland echo's Princess Leia's finals words to R2.... "Help me Lions and Cowboys, you're my only hope" All will be revealed in a bum tickling weekend of sport, but before you dive in to the kick off or the opening bounce, Grapple with this pair of fools.Like Share Subscribe. The road to Grappling and the road to failure are almost exactly the same.
-
With milestones in the rear view for the time being, our hero duo have been cleaved asunder again. The rock upon which the Grapple was built, Mr Spreadborough, has earned some R&R before a balls to wall tilt towards the Grand Final.
In his stead, Mr Manning required a man for all seasons, an experienced sports head, a calm head, a bald head .. so the choice was simple- Mr Worldwide. Cowboys and Eels former great Shane Muspratt takes reins on Joley’s side of the desk to carry Johnny through week 1 of the finals.
And carry the weight he did!
Our charges cover all things from the upcoming finals games, to the NFL, Socceroos, the Lions 2 quarter cricket score against Carlton and a couple of cheeky multi’s the fellas have their fingers crossed for.
Tribute is paid as our Paralympians return to Oz, and chats of beers of bygone eras…(Saturday)
The obstruction rule is called into question, as is the hunky Bunkers interpretation of said rule.
Uncle Wayne departs the Peninsula in search of greener (and redder) pastures at Redfern.
And the guys go deep on the 4 NRL games facing us fans in Finals weeks 1.
Tips, bets, predictions, permutations, sensations, home comings and short comings.
All that and much much more….and remember – Life’s not about the amount of breaths you take, it’s about the amount of times you Grapple.
-
Our heroes launch into the milestone 30th episode of the Grapple with a eulogy of sorts, lamenting ongoing mutations and bastardisation of a game once known as Rugby League. Former NRL hard man Jamie McDonald calls in to weigh in on the plight of a game that’s gone too far down the path of change to retract, and ponders what it might mean for the future.
Then we shake off the sads and rip into another epic round of confusion and point scoring. We all love attacking footy but 434 is just a bit much for one weekend. Frightening conclusions are reached. Is Covid time war hero PVL now the problem? Are we actually finding a small degree of sympathy for the hard running Graham A?
The capitulation of the Dragons is bested only by that of the Broncos, and we analyse the decline of the Brisbane powerhouse- headlined by an exclusive reveal of player manager interference around one of the biggest stars of the game, who apparently doesn’t enjoy feedback from his coach.
And has the NRL descended into diving? A series of incidents from round 26 are explored, with the games coaches yet again doing what they can to make the most of the interpretations of the day.
Don’t worry though- it ain’t all bleak. The Grapplers toast the wonderful things; the Shaun Johnson’s and Wayne Bennett’s of the world again helping to keep faith that all is most definitely not lost.
Life’s a grapple. Dig it.
-
As the saying goes, two heads are better than one, this week our heroic duo is made whole again as Joel returns from the deep, dark abyss of a Brisso winter flu.
With a full deck in our hands and systems operating at full capacity our two soldiers take aim at the Hard Running Graeme again and the fascist language contained in the NRL email out for his weekly briefings....not so brief these days.
The bunker is under siege and the reffing in the cross hairs, but just like Wyatt at the OK Corral, Gun-Slinging Graeme doesn't blink when it comes to backing his refs.
Turbo tries to play Robin Hood but the NRL does their best Sheriff of NOttingham to thwart his gestures.
Wayne under the pump, the Broncos get a sniff and Hoppa's hand gets him in the sh$t again... not literally this time:-)
Get busy Grappling or get busy dying...
-
As our Heroes battle the Dreaded Brisbane Exhibition one falls a foul of the infamous Ekka Flu. And so The Grapple Lite is born.As Joel battles Dante’s 7th circle of hell Johnny fumbles his way through the announcement of the 14th Immortal - You little Ronny Coote!!
A stack of the boys responsible for 8 straight getting a start in the HOF, plus the Pearl and Lionel Graeme Graeme-splaining as only Graeme can, age old arguments against 6 agains and challenges, and what needs to happen for your team to make the 8. And remember life is not about the number of breathes you take…… it’s about the number of times you Grapple.
-
As the games of the 33rd Olympiad draw to a close (enough about old Frenchie's mort already) our heroes look for inspiration from some of the great performances, memorable moments and influential figures -
From Turkish-Jason Bourne to Noah “Weekend-at-Bernie’s” Lyles to Cam” Mark Watney” McEvoy.... (Never a shortage of Matt Damon references) .... - Enter Aragorn Meares, cleaving quipping journo's asunder and prompting one little black duck to delete a slightly derogatory social media comment. That defence of Raygun was Rodman-Like.
They tackle Flanno Junior getting a rest for letting loose that tremendous rack of chompers on Critter’s proboscis (unlike dad, he's yet to win a comp), They theorise that the bat wing doors at the last chance saloon swing both ways as Val follows is stableford partner to the Harbour City, they call Townsville a wash?
Graeme, as always, does Graeme, a couple of Wallabies make the switch and the News Media are at their listing best. So much to get through, so few podcasts……
And always remember- When life gives you lemons... just say f%ck the lemons and Grapple.
-
This episode sees our two heroes on a quest to find out what in god's name has gone wrong with the Broncos.
Switching gears there's always grappling in the Olympics and home town favourite, poor old Anthony Ammirati is grappling with an early exit from the pole vault...but let's be honest the 21 year old may have lost the battle, but he's definitely won the war. Not one to sit around and console himself with a baguette or two, his Instagram followers have grown faster than a honeymooners horn.
They celebrate the good, the bad and the ugly of the Olympic coverage and pay homage to our athletes.
One fella they continually celebrate is the hard running Graeme Annersley, who again has wowed the sporting faithful with another term Rugby League didn't know it needed.The 'Sleeper'. Most likely not a reference to our country's escalating terror threat, but something the HRGA felt needed to be part of the repertoire in his weekly Monday rules explanation extravaganza.
Player movements at the moment are like an Ornythorincus - they exist but are rarely seen. Oils might be oils according to Lawsy, but according Ash Klein a Head High certainly ain't a Head High. The NRL's top 50 most influential people have been announced .... ...Fortunately for their egos , our two knuckleheads are destined to operate in the shadows. Board a boat, sans latrine, and sail down the crusty waters of Rugby League's La Seine with two absolute half wits as the Grapple through life's merde.
-
Our heroes are dissecting the truth behind the NRL's head honcho undertaking a 'recruitment mission' to Paris, and dreaming about rugby league's inevitable and eventual foray into the Olympic games.
They are a little confused by some of the commentary around Broncos skipper Adam Reynolds' suitability for the (c) in Brisbane, and are calling a big steaming pile of BS on Brian To'o having the s**ts at Penrith.
They get the medical hats on to try and understand why confusing neurological terminology needs to be deployed to explain poor rulings by NRL referees.
More than anything, they're a pair of douche bags who don't really know asses from elbows, and you know what, neither does anyone else.
It's the Grapple and it's 25 episodes old. Get in on the ground floor, as we raise the collective bats for a glorious quarter century.
-
Well done to the NSW blues on an epic victory in the 2024 state of origin series. And commiserations to those enjoying the victory, who had to deal with some of the BS in the aftermath. Our heroes lift the lid on some poor form detracting from the grace of a well deserved victory, and unpack the words of an anonymous letter sent by someone in the maroon hierarchy.
The broncos are back, the cowboys are initialising a changing of the guard, and the Knights are ready to rumble with their own coach. It’s another week of grapple fever, and it’s infecting us all.
-
An Origin decider.... at theCauldron...... QLD is up against it...... No Bloody Worries......
This week our Heroes Grapple with a game 3 that seemsunwinnable against a team that looks unbeatable in a series that is all but unsalvageable.......But isn’t this exactly how we like it?
We draw on the spirit of Arthur,the work rate of Horse, the tenacity of Turtle, the guile of Alf, the physicalityof Boxhead the Toughness of Jed and the finish of Dozer.
This week we need all the greats,all the FOGS, all the people who proudly call themselves Queenslanders… tounite… and fight…. For what needs to be always ours……. Lets Effing Grapple Yo!!
-
Billy's under pressure, QLD are underdogs, and the bunker cocks another one up. It's a big week for rugba legg, and our heroes are up to their necks in a tireless search for answers to questions you didn't realise you needed to know.
Are media bans actually media bans? What would Reece Walsh talk about anyway? Who's been the most under pressure State of Origin coach in history? Is a broken leg a blessing for Nicho Hynes? And are the NRL's touted record participation numbers actually papering over a disturbing truth in grassroots rugby league?
All that, and much much mor.. well, SOME more stuff.. on the 22nd installment of The Grapple Podcast.
-
This week our heroes Grapple with the listener question- Has QLD and Billy begun to believe their own hype? Digging into Origin and discussing any needed changes. The Rah Rah boys have been given the green light to jump ship….. invoking memories of H.H. Messenger in 1908. Are the Broncos flogging a dead horse and The Annersley Effect- should it really be Charlton Heston delivering the weekly media brief on the rule interpretation buffoonery. Only here will such burning questions be addressed.
Life’s a Grapple…. Dig It.
-
Our heroes call in some backup as they notch the big 2-0. Former Warrior, Cowboy and Italian international Grant Rovelli chimes into the backline to discuss the increasing influence of the bunker (do we actually have some sympathy for infield referees?), the demise of defence, how the NFL might help the NRL manage dodgy hammies, and some of the fairytale stories of the iconic Confraternity Shield tournament (of which he’s a former MVP). Origin chat turns to the attitudes of the two camps ahead of a trip to Melbourne; one side being adamantly focused on individuals, the other seemingly not giving a s**t. It’s also creeping closer to finals time, so who is wearing the proverbial pants in the top 8? And what’s behind the latest withdrawal from next years trip to Vegas? It’s the grapple, and it’s a gorgeous thing. Get onboard.
-
As the world of NRL is enveloped by Origin fever, our heroes break down the two teams heading for Melbourne - a QLD 3peat or NSW saving face? Was Nicho the Scape Goat? Will Mosses part the Maroon sea? Does Billy Slater live in a glass house, and can Madge ever look relaxed?
The Euros rock, Rory in De shambles as Bryson wins the open….. and some really crappy tipping.
Lets Grapple
-
joins the boys for a completely balanced and impartial discussion on the Raiders v Cowboys game and prop bets are made.
At the mid point of the season our hero’s deal with breaking news on multiple levels. The Roosters are storming the beaches of Orange County in search of the next Tom Brady, oblivious to the fact he’s filling in at 7 for the Broncos.
A wallaby wants to be a Titan and a cheese is on the nose, and are the Jets migrating west for the Winter at the expense of the Headhunters from the North.
So much Grappling to be Grappled with Grapplers……
-
This week our heroes Grapple with the Clear and Present Danger….. Origin.
Both teams dissected, line up changes speculated pressure points dissected, selections pondered and results predicted.
Joel Grapples with his best NSW 17 but all are conspicuous by their absence in Madge’s team.
Annersley cops it again but what’s new?
The new digs just got newer and the production room is fuller.
Hypocrisy, idiocy and a tribute to late Rob Burrow. What a warrior.
- Vis mere
