NRL 2023: Triple M topples Continuous Call team in radio wars | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
For 30 years 2GB’s Continuous Call team has dominated the Sunday NRL radio ratings. But now there is a new top dog in town, with Triple M taking over.
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We reported in this column recently how Triple M was closing in on 2GB’s Continuous Call in Sunday NRL radio ratings.
Well, it’s happened. On Sundays, 2GB has been knocked off for the first time in 30 years.
It’s a huge result for the likes of Gorden Tallis, Jimmy Graham, Dan Ginnane, Ryan Girdler and Ben Dobbin at Triple M.
Their show is an excellent mix of news, intelligent debate, good calling and a bit of fun.
Triple M rated 6.5 to 2GB’s 6.2. The margin is far greater in Brisbane where Triple M rated 10.5 to 4BC’s 5.
In fairness, 2GB’s entire station suffered a substantial fall in the latest ratings.
And now to the ABC.
Last time we wrote about its declining Sunday ratings, your columnist was labelled on air as an “agenda-driven clown”.
It has again finished a distant third. And that is the real circus.
THREE CLUBS CIRCLE BEST’S 14YO BROTHER
Who is the Best? Bradman or Baxter?
The Newcastle Knights centre or his 14-year-old younger brother, who has remarkably caught the attention of three NRL clubs as a Year 8 school student.
Baxter Best is so promising that he’s already in the development squads at the Brisbane Broncos, the Sydney Roosters and the Gold Coast Titans.
He played at Bradman’s junior club Woy Woy before the family moved to Ipswich earlier this year.
Baxter is a fullback who led Ipswich High School to victory over Redcliffe in the prestigious Renouf Cup last week, scoring a 60-metre try with a goose step reminiscent of Wallaby great David Campese.
His mum Tobi says he’d love to play alongside Bradman one day.
“Baxter’s raw and he’s got a lot to learn but he loves his footy,” Tobi said.
“Maybe one day they’ll play together. They’re really close.
“I’ve been upfront with all the clubs about coping with his workload and school.
“So far he’s handling it all really well.”
Roosters recruitment boss Daniel Anderson is super excited.
“I’ve heard he’s very good,” Anderson said. “We’ll offer him some advanced training and track his progress but no-one can sign him until he’s 15.
“Obviously the bloodlines help. Bradman’s showed what he can do this year at the Knights and for NSW.”
FORMER BUNNIES TURN ON ILIAS
You’ve got to feel for young South Sydney halfback Lachlan Ilias.
For all the things that have gone wrong at the club this year, he cops the blame for their premiership capitulation.
As Souths bombed out on Friday night in the loss to the Roosters, two of the club’s former No.7s turned on the 23-year-old playmaker on social media.
Check this out from Craig Field: “I’ve got to get it off my chest – don’t care what the people at Souths think – but number 7 is not up to what this coach thinks. I was far from a perfect player but @8)(: me.”
The comment was liked on Facebook by legendary halfback Craig Coleman, who has privately been a critic of Ilias for two years.
To blame the halfback for the Rabbitohs’ capitulation after leading the competition at the halfway mark is unfair. And unwarranted.
Agreed, he’s no Adam Reynolds but others, on bigger pay packets, haven’t aimed up.
Coach Jason Demetriou didn’t help when he recently said Ilias was “going to be the best halfback the club has had for a long time” in a subtle dig at Reynolds.
It only put more pressure on the youngster. There are other factors why Souths fell in a heap. None more so than Latrell Mitchell being sidelined for so long with an injury then being suspended for a stupid shot on Tyson Frizell.
Not having Tom Burgess for the last month didn’t help either.
Ilias’ manager and NRL 360 host Braith Anasta has fired back.
“Lachy really looks up to and respects Craig (Coleman) and appreciates the legacy that he left at South Sydney,” Anasta said.
“For this reason it amazes me that a guy that could have such a positive impact on Lachy decides to do the opposite and criticise him continuously whenever and wherever he can.
“Some people have short memories. He should be trying to inspire the kid and help him be better- not the opposite.”
PUSH TO GAG COACHES ON REF TALK
The NRL is to consider implementing a complete ban on coaches commenting on referees at their post-match press conferences.
The issue was discussed at the CEOs conference last week and had wide-ranging support from the clubs at the meeting.
South Sydney Rabbitohs boss Blake Solly and the Cronulla Sharks’ Dino Mezzatesta have both spoken in support of the move.
“Why not just make it off limits,” Mezzatesta said. “I think it’s got merit.
“More games are on a knife edge these days and every little decision is scrutinised.
“Putting a coach in straight after a game when it’s so raw can be tough.”
Solly agrees: “It would also make the post-match about the game, the players and the spectacle – not the match officials.
“The stakes in our matches have never been higher and the coaches are placed under more pressure than ever. In many ways they are placed in a no-win position by having to attend press conferences 15 minutes after full time and field questions about referees.”
NRL CEO Andrew Abdo told the meeting the ban would be considered as part of the game’s end-of-season review.
JUSTIN FIASCO
Pressure is building on Wests Tigers chief executive Justin Pascoe after a diabolical season ending at Brookvale Oval on Friday night.
Wests Tigers fans on the hill held up banners “Pascoe out, fans in” and “end the Pascoe fiasco” as the team crashed to a 54-12 loss to collect their second straight wooden spoon.
The same fans had the signs taken down by security at CommBank Stadium two weeks ago.
Pascoe has been in charge for 10 years of failures at the joint venture club.
Wests Tigers chairman Lee Hagipantelis recently publicly supported the embattled CEO with the quote: “He’s got the full support of the board.”
SAINT
The appointments of Kasey Badger and Belinda Sharpe to referee NRL games in this final round. Given the performances of some of their male colleagues during the season, it should not have taken until Round 27 for them to get a start. This is long overdue.
SINNER
We understand rugby league is a brutally tough game and not for the faint-hearted. However, the social media types who want to smash the Bulldogs players as being “soft” without taking into account a young player has left the club to get professional help to deal with mental health issues — are way out of order.
SHOOSH
Which NRL assistant coach has had to get a substantial cash advance from his club to pay gambling debts?
SHOOSH
There are some nervous Canterbury Bulldogs football club directors who must face disgruntled members at elections in February after a season of off-field drama and on-field failure. There has not been a word from chairman John Khoury or CEO Aaron Warburton since the latest controversy unfolded. Not one word.
SPOTTED
Kangaroos assistant coach Michael Hagan is one of the game’s good guys, demonstrated yet again when he turned up at the Newcastle Donor Centre to give blood last week.
SPOTTED
It is the job of an NRL referees coach on game day to monitor the tackle count, speak to the whistleblowers at halftime and offer advice, among other duties. He’s supposed to sit next to the standby referee.
Instead, Shayne Hayne sat with his wife in the refs’ box while in charge of the Bulldogs v Sea Eagles game at Accor Stadium last weekend, and moved the standby ref to the sideline. We all love a day at the footy with the wife but Hayne has been told in future to find another seat for the bride.
SPOTTED
Indigenous boxer and Rabbitohs tragic Kevin “Bones” Kelly has been inducted into the Australian Boxing Hall of Fame. Kelly was robbed of a WBA world title against US Olympic gold medallist David Reid. He was a Commonwealth light middleweight champ and is thoroughly deserving of the honour.
UBER RIDE TO VICTORY
Fancy working as a barrier attendant, driving for Uber … and riding a winner on the same day.
Welcome to a day in the life of Queensland jockey Noel Callow.
On Wednesday he started work early as a barrier attendant for trials on the Gold Coast.
He hopped into his car, turned on the Uber app, and picked up a fare to take a passenger to Brisbane airport.
Then it was off to Doomben for a ride in the third race on the card. His mount, Beaufort Park, saluted at $4.80.
SEVEN POACHES RIVAL REPORTER
Channel 7 might be the AFL station but the network is investing heavily in rugby league for its 6pm Sydney news bulletin.
Michelle Bishop already does a great job each week, holding her own against Channel 9.
Seven has now added Jelisa Apps to its sports department, pinching her from Channel 10 to cover NRL.
CEO James Warburton has made no secret of the fact that the network has long-term plans to bid for the NRL rights.
MUST-WATCH DOCO
There is an outstanding new documentary on mental health featuring some huge sporting names that will be released later this month.
Dolphins coach Wayne Bennett and boxing champion Tim Tszyu are among those who have joined former ABC rugby league commentator Craig Hamilton to produce an important film around suicide in Australia, which claims eight lives every day.
Entitled The Promise, it will be shown in theatres in Newcastle, Sydney, Shellharbour, Coffs Harbour, Canberra, Melbourne, Adelaide and Mackay over the next two months.
Hamilton is an inspiration.
“I’m passionate about mental illness because I’ve survived it,” he said. “Speaking about it might save someone else’s life.”
Check out the website for screening dates
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Originally published as NRL 2023: Triple M topples Continuous Call team in radio wars | Saint, Sinner, Shoosh
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