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Monday Night Hudl Episode 7 · TDUK

• 0:00
  Heat
• 0:01
  >> [music]
• 0:12
  >> up [music]
• 0:14
  here.
• 0:34
  >> [music]
• 0:41
  [music]
• 0:49
  >> Oh god. Always do that every week. Every
• 0:51
  week won't fail. I always do that.
• 0:52
  Welcome to Monday Night Huddle episode
• 0:56
  seven. We've got the gentleman from the
• 0:58
  Cambridge Cats. How are we?
• 1:01
  >> Oh, very good.
• 1:03
  >> Good. Good. Tom, are you working?
• 1:07
  >> Can you hear us, Tom?
• 1:09
  >> No, we can't. Tom,
• 1:12
  >> he is he is panic looking for something
• 1:14
  here. We'll come back to Tom in a
• 1:15
  minute. And we got Lee. Lee, we've not
• 1:17
  seen you for a while. Um, there was a
• 1:18
  missing search bought posted, but and
• 1:20
  now you're back. How are you, mate?
• 1:22
  >> Yeah. I arrived back in the UK a couple
• 1:24
  of weeks ago. Uh
• 1:26
  been been busy back with the the the
• 1:29
  cats academy building that up. We had uh
• 1:31
  some really good numbers at the weekend.
• 1:33
  So um that's all been great. Um team's
• 1:36
  looking like it's it's going quite well.
• 1:38
  >> Good. Tom, how is your mic?
• 1:41
  >> Hoping it's a bit better now. [laughter]
• 1:43
  >> It is. It is.
• 1:46
  >> It is. Russ, you know, Russ spoke loads
• 1:49
  about technology and there he is
• 1:50
  getting, you know, made to look top
• 1:52
  Trump by the younger of the generation.
• 1:56
  >> It happens. It happens once a month. Oh,
• 1:59
  every single time we try and load up a a
• 2:01
  Zoom or anything, once a month it just
• 2:02
  doesn't want to play ball. You think
• 2:04
  we'd all know.
• 2:04
  >> Where do you Where do you from? Where's
• 2:06
  the accent from?
• 2:08
  >> I mean,
• 2:11
  I can't explain it.
• 2:14
  um with four years in Wales uh and
• 2:18
  spending a lot of time around a lot of
• 2:19
  different people. So it's it doesn't
• 2:21
  make any sense.
• 2:22
  >> I can I I I I can appreciate that. I'm a
• 2:26
  halftraveled man myself. Um okay, so you
• 2:30
  guys from Cambridge Cats, Russ, you've
• 2:31
  been on a few times. We we we do
• 2:33
  appreciate you, buddy. Um what's been
• 2:36
  what's been going on with you guys? like
• 2:37
  tell us what's going on cuz right
• 2:40
  literally the season is upon us. What's
• 2:43
  going on with you guys?
• 2:44
  >> Um Tom, do you want to go first?
• 2:47
  >> Yeah, absolutely. Um I could add some
• 2:50
  stuff after. Not a problem.
• 2:51
  >> Yeah, it's [snorts] it's been a good
• 2:53
  preseason. I think after going back two
• 2:57
  years ago, uh we finished third in the
• 2:59
  Premiership. Um Blitz had a down year
• 3:02
  that year and obviously Aztecs and
• 3:04
  Morris being the superpowers they were.
• 3:06
  Uh we entered last season with I think
• 3:08
  we lost just something over 50 players,
• 3:11
  coaches and backroom staff. Quite the
• 3:13
  the mass exodus. So last year was quite
• 3:16
  the uh quite the trial um for many of
• 3:19
  us. Lost a few along the Oh, there we
• 3:22
  go. [laughter]
• 3:22
  >> Yeah, don't worry. Sorry mate. Right,
• 3:24
  while you're saying all this, anytime we
• 3:26
  load up a comment because you came on
• 3:27
  last
• 3:29
  >> m because we've got another one here for
• 3:31
  just just that quickly. Silver Fox, lock
• 3:33
  up the cheerleaders, Cold Trusses, and
• 3:34
  the
• 3:35
  >> last year family show.
• 3:37
  >> That didn't take long, did it?
• 3:40
  >> Um, yes. So, obviously last year was
• 3:41
  quite tough for us. Just about survived.
• 3:44
  Um, so credit to all the players and
• 3:46
  coaches that were there last year and
• 3:47
  the tough times, but this preseason's
• 3:50
  been night and day from this time of
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  year last year. The numbers have been
• 3:54
  fantastic. Some of the best I've seen um
• 3:56
  that we've had. Um, and it's been a mix
• 3:58
  of veterans, guys who've played before,
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  both, uh, uni guys, guys coming in from
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  other senior teams, um, and other
• 4:06
  places, and a lot of green guys, a lot
• 4:08
  of guys that have never played the game
• 4:09
  before, from different ages, different
• 4:10
  backgrounds. And I think from the sort
• 4:13
  of coaching side of things, that is one
• 4:16
  of the nicest things they get to do is
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  to work up a guy from fundamentals and
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  when one of them turns to you, you know,
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  the week after the, uh, preseason game,
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  just like, yeah, I really love that. and
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  and you just see start to see that
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  passion that I think something that I I
• 4:29
  gained many you know nearly a decade ago
• 4:31
  now or over a decade ago where you just
• 4:33
  get that love for the game starting to
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  see that in a few guys that haven't
• 4:36
  played before or haven't been in a
• 4:38
  situation that kind of is the bit of a
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  story for for our preseason so it's been
• 4:42
  really really enjoyable a lot of
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  different new guys uh as well as all the
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  the fantastic vets that have already
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  pre-existing and it's looking like you
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  know hopefully building to some a good
• 4:51
  season well obviously only with eight
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  games now so a little bit less on older
• 4:55
  and older body.
• 4:57
  >> We we are going to get into that later.
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  >> There's your segway.
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  >> Um Rush, Coach Rush, um
• 5:08
  how much work's gone into this season
• 5:10
  because it sounds like it's a lot
• 5:12
  better, preparation, everything. Um but
• 5:15
  you also had a um live stream game on
• 5:17
  TDUK if you don't mind me plugging that
• 5:19
  in there. Um and you look really good.
• 5:22
  So
• 5:24
  what's what's going on?
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  >> Yeah, going back to to know on the back
• 5:27
  of what Tom's just said, um we've had
• 5:30
  we've had to make radical changes to the
• 5:34
  club and to the team um to move forward.
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  Um I I think
• 5:40
  survival mode is underestimated when it
• 5:43
  comes to that word. Um but we've had
• 5:46
  fantastic um help and support from our
• 5:50
  admin staff, our general manager Gary
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  House. Um and um all of them, even our
• 5:56
  media guy, David Johnson, who is a
• 5:58
  player, but he they've all every single
• 6:01
  person has stepped up [clears throat]
• 6:03
  with this club to get to to where we are
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  at at the moment. And we haven't
• 6:08
  finished yet. You know, we still got
• 6:10
  some players come back from injury.
• 6:12
  We've still got players that are
• 6:14
  inquiring about um joining the cats. Uh
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  so you know um things are are looking on
• 6:21
  the up and obviously moving the main aim
• 6:23
  was to push the club forward is to move
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  us from CN's common to a proper home
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  ground with facilities and we've done
• 6:31
  that with Shelfford Rugby Club and um
• 6:35
  Rory and Martin who are um there at
• 6:38
  Shelford um they've really put
• 6:40
  themselves out for us um and made us
• 6:43
  really welcome there. So um we are now
• 6:46
  got a home and we are now settled. Um so
• 6:49
  that is a fantastic base now to build
• 6:52
  off of not only for the senior team but
• 6:54
  for the academy me team as well.
• 6:57
  >> Um
• 6:59
  see Prem um is is really perked up my
• 7:02
  interest this season. Before I did like
• 7:05
  podcasts I wasn't like you know I didn't
• 7:07
  really take much interest and when I got
• 7:09
  into it I had to learn about it. But we
• 7:11
  had uh Bristol on um not long ago. Wow.
• 7:17
  Um
• 7:19
  came across really really good. Um and
• 7:23
  you other people might say that they've
• 7:25
  got a chance, you know, of winning it.
• 7:27
  For me, they're the the team to beat
• 7:29
  this season.
• 7:31
  How do you prepare yourself for games
• 7:33
  like that? And what's your thoughts on,
• 7:35
  for example, the um the the is it a,000
• 7:38
  pound league that they're offering?
• 7:41
  Yeah. So, it's it was it was you got to
• 7:43
  there's a lot of stipulation on on this
• 7:45
  and unfortunately uh the Cats won't be
• 7:47
  getting that this season um through
• 7:50
  through some some loophole. But, um
• 7:52
  yeah, it's £1,000 for traveling teams
• 7:55
  who who come correctly dressed and uh
• 7:58
  play a game on a Saturday night.
• 8:00
  >> I'm only just finding about this now. I
• 8:02
  mean, you're gonna have a good chat
• 8:02
  after this.
• 8:03
  >> I'll let Russ I'll let Russ explain that
• 8:05
  more.
• 8:05
  >> I mean, yeah. Yeah, explain explain.
• 8:07
  >> Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I mean, we I'm
• 8:09
  always in talks with um Pete Jones and
• 8:12
  Nigel Hoy. It was Nigel Hoy that uh
• 8:15
  contacted me. Um know Nigel for many
• 8:18
  many many years. And um great guy. Um
• 8:21
  but and we had a chat and um we had to
• 8:25
  realize that a Saturday game for the
• 8:28
  Cambridge Cats is virtually impossible.
• 8:31
  We have nearly twothirds of the team
• 8:34
  that actually work on the Saturdays. Um
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  that's not just people there, that's
• 8:39
  also students that have Saturday jobs as
• 8:41
  well. Um so to to put a product on the
• 8:45
  field would to go on a Saturday, it's
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  very similar to like last year only
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  fielding a team with 22 players. It's
• 8:53
  not going to help it's not going to help
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  Bristol. It's not going to help the
• 8:56
  Cats. It's not going to help help
• 8:57
  football in in general in in the league.
• 9:00
  um you know we want to put a good
• 9:01
  product on the field and to do that we
• 9:03
  need a full squad and you know the only
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  way we can have that is on a Sunday so
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  you know yes we had to give up thousand
• 9:10
  pounds for that but what's more
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  important is is that the Cambridge cats
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  give give themselves a good showing
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  against Bristol
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  >> and and and that's the way forward and
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  I'm sure that Bristol will you know
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  understand that there've been no
• 9:26
  kickback from it they've been they're
• 9:27
  really they're really nice guys Um,
• 9:30
  obviously from your last show, you know
• 9:32
  that I we get on and I get on with Pete
• 9:34
  Jones and Elliot, you know, highly
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  respect them both um throughout the
• 9:39
  football um
• 9:41
  you know, their their football careers
• 9:43
  and everything. So, you know, there's
• 9:45
  that it there's no issue there, you
• 9:47
  know, it's just that funny enough, the
• 9:50
  fact fun fact as well is that the
• 9:52
  Warriors didn't agree to it either. Um,
• 9:55
  but I don't think it was the same
• 9:57
  reasons why we didn't. We We couldn't
• 9:59
  agree to it.
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  >> They really They really don't get on
• 10:01
  them to at all, do they?
• 10:02
  >> No, [laughter]
• 10:04
  they don't. Um, but um, you know, on the
• 10:07
  flip side, we do. And um, we, you know,
• 10:10
  me as head coach and um, in general, the
• 10:14
  Cats, we we we like to get on with uh,
• 10:16
  our opposing teams. It's the only way
• 10:18
  forward. It's the only way forward for
• 10:20
  this sport to grow.
• 10:21
  >> You know, it's a it's a war on the
• 10:23
  field. It's a war between the whistles,
• 10:26
  but after the game, before the game, you
• 10:30
  know, we're human beings after all. So,
• 10:32
  there you go.
• 10:33
  >> Love it. Um, okay. Um, I want to go
• 10:38
  through you. I want to go through your
• 10:41
  opponents, but I want to just talk about
• 10:42
  you the live stream game. Um, how do you
• 10:46
  think he's did in that? Um, I want to go
• 10:47
  to Tom first on this, and Russ last. I
• 10:51
  want to I want to hear all of your
• 10:52
  thoughts because I thought he's looked
• 10:53
  really good against a very good team as
• 10:56
  well. Um but Tom
• 10:58
  >> Yeah, absolutely. I think North Ends I
• 11:01
  know they were missing a couple of guys
• 11:02
  I was looking forward to seeing uh one
• 11:04
  or two friends that I haven't but
• 11:06
  blessed they could make the trip. Uh but
• 11:07
  for me I speak on the defensive side
• 11:09
  that's that's where I live and breathe.
• 11:11
  I was happy with [clears throat] being
• 11:13
  able to get every single person. So I
• 11:15
  think we had 22 or 23 on the roster just
• 11:18
  for that game for defense. missing a few
• 11:20
  guys again from injury, but 23 guys,
• 11:22
  everyone rotated on and that was
• 11:23
  honestly the aim for me if there was an
• 11:26
  absolute objective was to get everyone
• 11:27
  on whether they're rookies or or vets
• 11:30
  and get people game time. But I can't be
• 11:32
  too unhappy. We had we had a review
• 11:34
  afterwards, you know, zero points
• 11:36
  allowed, fumble forced, fumble recovery,
• 11:39
  pick and a safety, a bit just for a bit
• 11:42
  for some holding in the end zone, but
• 11:43
  you have to you have to force it anyway.
• 11:45
  Um, can't be unhappy. Can't be unhappy.
• 11:47
  I think for me perhaps it's yeah trying
• 11:50
  a bit zero some but always expecting
• 11:52
  more and more obviously yeah all respect
• 11:54
  to north they came against gave us a
• 11:56
  good game but we're we could be playing
• 11:57
  the Aztecs and the
• 12:00
  Aztecs and the blitz and of the world
• 12:02
  and these guys you know were great but I
• 12:04
  think that's that's that step up isn't
• 12:06
  it from from division one to to the
• 12:07
  premiership and in both size speed and
• 12:09
  execution I think that's always going to
• 12:11
  be a big one yes some of the guys that
• 12:13
  the Warriors had and had a massive and
• 12:16
  fast and fantastic um absolute athletes,
• 12:18
  but at the same time they're incredibly
• 12:20
  well coached and the scheme is as
• 12:21
  versatile as it is. So, I was really
• 12:23
  happy. Um obviously wanting just wanting
• 12:26
  more and more perhaps just again keeping
• 12:29
  eyes on on what's coming up, but I was I
• 12:31
  was really happy. And I think what was
• 12:32
  really good for me again that comment
• 12:34
  about one of the one of the new players
• 12:36
  coming up and saying how much he enjoyed
• 12:38
  it. That's what I wanted to see. And
• 12:39
  that and that buy in just starting to
• 12:41
  see that form after what is effectively,
• 12:43
  you know, a long preseason. It's it's
• 12:45
  yeah, we're three months in. you know,
• 12:46
  there's a you starts to to wayne a
• 12:49
  little bit. We've got quite a few weeks
• 12:51
  now until the first game and to sort of
• 12:53
  have a bit of a reset and and get back
• 12:54
  on the horse. I was I was really happy
• 12:56
  to see the guys really excited about it.
• 12:59
  >> Okay. Um Lee, what did you think of it?
• 13:01
  You were commentating at me.
• 13:03
  >> Yeah, I mean I comment commentated on
• 13:04
  the game. It was um it was a great game
• 13:06
  to watch. Uh it was it was, you know,
• 13:09
  full of full of touchdowns and and you
• 13:11
  know, defensive masterasses. Um, what I
• 13:15
  found interesting was, you know,
• 13:16
  obviously being, you know, a part of the
• 13:18
  Cats team last year, I knew a lot of the
• 13:20
  the veteran players. I knew their names,
• 13:22
  you know, recognize their numbers. Uh,
• 13:24
  but, you know, throughout the game, I
• 13:26
  was I I kept referring to the the team
• 13:28
  sheet that that coach Russ gave me to
• 13:30
  kind of see who who who who on the team.
• 13:34
  There was so many new new faces on
• 13:36
  there.
• 13:37
  um and some absolute
• 13:40
  amazing talent, you know, even from the
• 13:42
  rookies uh that that have never played
• 13:44
  before um really shoe up and and put on
• 13:48
  a good game. So, uh yeah, that was great
• 13:50
  to see. Um offensively, it was it was it
• 13:53
  was coming together. There's there's
• 13:54
  obviously still areas of improvement. Um
• 13:57
  but as a whole, you know, they they
• 14:00
  really did put on a show and and it was
• 14:02
  against, as you said, a very good
• 14:04
  Northst team. Um but yeah, it was it was
• 14:07
  I think we they could have pressed more,
• 14:09
  but I think the the key thing in any
• 14:11
  scrimmage is to make sure everybody gets
• 14:13
  a bit of game time. So, um yeah. Uh
• 14:16
  Coach Ross, what did you what did you
• 14:17
  think of the game?
• 14:18
  >> Um obviously overall I was very pleased,
• 14:21
  not just from the result, but the way
• 14:23
  that um each and every player took to
• 14:26
  the field and and their attitude um um
• 14:30
  toward towards the game itself. Um I I I
• 14:33
  wasn't happy with the amount of
• 14:34
  penalties that we we got especially in
• 14:36
  the second half. Um
• 14:38
  >> cost games. Discipline costs games.
• 14:40
  >> Absolutely. And and you know my old
• 14:43
  mentor coach Bob um you know God bless
• 14:47
  his soul always said that if you don't
• 14:49
  keep your discipline on the field
• 14:51
  >> you you could you would easily lose a
• 14:53
  game even when you're up two or three
• 14:56
  scores. So um you know first half was
• 14:59
  brilliant. First half was brilliant. We
• 15:00
  we had one 5yard penalty and the very
• 15:03
  last play a 15 yard penalty. So
• 15:07
  [clears throat] So at Halime part of my
• 15:09
  halftime speech was cut the penalties.
• 15:11
  We've been done really well up to now.
• 15:13
  Cut it out. And they did exactly
• 15:15
  opposite to what I asked them to do. But
• 15:18
  overall overall um I mean Dom Tom spoken
• 15:20
  about the defense. Offensively we used
• 15:23
  all our quarterbacks, we used all our we
• 15:25
  used everybody um on that field. Um and
• 15:30
  what we try to do is get continuity
• 15:31
  through throughout. Um yeah, Bob the
• 15:35
  dog. Uh and um he and
• 15:40
  we we were about 90% there with the
• 15:43
  contin continuity. Obviously mistakes
• 15:46
  got to be made otherwise it's going to
• 15:47
  be a boring football game. Um but um
• 15:49
  overall I was very very happy. Um and
• 15:52
  really pleased that you live streamed it
• 15:54
  as well guys. [snorts]
• 15:55
  Um, and just just on that folks, um, we
• 15:58
  are proud to announce that we're going
• 15:59
  to be announcing all of your games, uh,
• 16:01
  doing live streaming for all your games
• 16:03
  for the season. That's
• 16:04
  >> it's going to be brilliant. And if
• 16:05
  you're a team out there and you you want
• 16:07
  us to live stream your games, uh, drop
• 16:08
  us drop us a message. Right, I do have
• 16:11
  to ask some because it's a pet peeve of
• 16:13
  mine. [laughter]
• 16:15
  >> Oh god, here we go.
• 16:17
  >> No swearing. Um,
• 16:20
  I've seen teams announcing scrimmage
• 16:22
  results, which you guys never did, by
• 16:24
  the way. It is a big no no for me.
• 16:28
  Reason being, and Tom Tom might disagree
• 16:30
  with me here.
• 16:31
  >> Oh, no.
• 16:32
  >> Um, for me, it's like a gentleman's
• 16:34
  honor. Look, what stays here happens
• 16:35
  here. We're all learning. You're going
• 16:37
  to learn from this, then learn from what
• 16:39
  you've done. Vice versa, vice versa.
• 16:41
  when I'm seeing teams announce it and
• 16:43
  the teams announcing it when they get
• 16:45
  beaten scrimmages won't announce them
• 16:47
  scrimmages but it's just you know come
• 16:48
  it's more of like a maybe a transfer
• 16:50
  hall or whatever
• 16:52
  stop it and Elsa let it go
• 16:56
  >> well [snorts]
• 16:56
  >> any one of you want to comment on it go
• 16:58
  >> yeah I I will Tom if that's all right we
• 17:02
  had we had a scrimmage against um
• 17:04
  Cardinals
• 17:06
  >> nothing was announced that's just kept
• 17:08
  inhouse between the two teams
• 17:10
  >> you So, um, it was filmed. Um, I know
• 17:14
  some people got wind that it was filmed
• 17:16
  and, uh, we had a pre- coaches agreement
• 17:19
  that we won't share the film. It's
• 17:20
  strictly between us, you know. Um, and,
• 17:24
  um, that that was fine, you know, but I
• 17:26
  think, you know, if it's a game, if it's
• 17:29
  an actual game, fine.
• 17:32
  >> Yes.
• 17:32
  >> The result.
• 17:33
  >> Yeah. Scrimmage.
• 17:36
  No. No.
• 17:38
  >> I agree with that. Yeah. 100%. I think I
• 17:40
  want to get Thomas because he's pulled
• 17:41
  some faces like
• 17:42
  >> no it's an interesting it's not
• 17:44
  something I've ever thought about really
• 17:46
  but I think I completely agree it's a
• 17:48
  scrimmage which we had a few weeks ago
• 17:50
  which is it's controlled um having been
• 17:53
  part of a scrimmage many many years ago
• 17:55
  for the now defunct Berry Saints when we
• 17:57
  went up to Norwich and we scored I think
• 17:59
  something like 13 or 14 touchdowns no
• 18:02
  one was keeping score it didn't matter
• 18:04
  >> um that I completely understand because
• 18:06
  usually sometimes you're not running
• 18:07
  special teams you're it's not really a
• 18:10
  Whereas obviously a preseason game, it
• 18:12
  does make some sense. At the end of the
• 18:14
  day, the results don't matter in terms
• 18:17
  of the numbers, in terms of points
• 18:18
  scored or points allowed or anyone
• 18:20
  because it's a preseason game and it's
• 18:22
  meaningful and that it's meaningful for
• 18:24
  the coaches in terms of understanding
• 18:25
  how their players have done for players
• 18:26
  to get reps to to work the scheme,
• 18:28
  communicate and all of that, but in
• 18:30
  terms of actual results and you know
• 18:33
  going points going in the table,
• 18:34
  absolutely meaningless. So when you see
• 18:36
  results from around the country from
• 18:38
  preseason games, it's like great, cool,
• 18:43
  >> why are you doing it? Like
• 18:45
  >> it it just fine. So again, like seeing
• 18:47
  obviously,
• 18:48
  >> you know, Rushmore and Solent had a good
• 18:50
  old game and so they're both good squads
• 18:52
  and seeing the score happen there that
• 18:54
  was it's interesting, but at the same
• 18:55
  time you go, "Oh, that's interesting."
• 18:57
  And then you completely forget about it
• 18:58
  because it's meaningless. You have no
• 19:00
  idea as to what the conditions were.
• 19:02
  We're not no not all these games are
• 19:03
  live stream. We're not going to see the
• 19:05
  film. you just have no idea. So, you
• 19:06
  really if you're drawing conclusions
• 19:08
  from any pre-season content, um then the
• 19:12
  fool isn't the one on the other end.
• 19:15
  I I just So, Lee, I'll go to you in a
• 19:17
  second, but it come up in my timeline.
• 19:19
  Eight years ago, I had my first game of
• 19:21
  American football and it was a preseason
• 19:23
  plan scrimmage, Halton Spartans against
• 19:25
  Stafford Surge. Um, my first bit of
• 19:28
  football, there was a big team fighting
• 19:32
  early at the end [laughter]
• 19:33
  >> in a preseason game
• 19:35
  >> in a and I'm not even lying. I mean like
• 19:37
  18 guys separating 18 guys from fighting
• 19:40
  the other 18 guys who were getting
• 19:41
  separated by the other 18 guys. Um, and
• 19:44
  not like no nothing happened. It nearly
• 19:46
  happened, you know, but you know, there
• 19:48
  was a few scores made. There was a this
• 19:50
  and that. There was a, you know, for for
• 19:52
  both teams there. Um there was loads of
• 19:55
  stuff that happened and then when I went
• 19:57
  to put on like you know how we did. Now
• 19:59
  I'm not saying whether we won or lost
• 20:00
  but I was going to put how we did. One
• 20:03
  of the players was like no that is that
• 20:06
  that is a nogo. Like you nope it's you
• 20:08
  don't do that. This is behind us. It's
• 20:10
  you will learn from this blah blah blah.
• 20:12
  Okay that's that. That was me told. That
• 20:13
  was me taught. I'm seeing teams posting
• 20:15
  it and celebrating it. I'm like what are
• 20:17
  you doing? Stop Lee. You're up mate.
• 20:20
  >> Yeah. I mean I think you're absolutely
• 20:21
  right. I mean, you know, we we touched
• 20:23
  on it on um you know, in our scrim in
• 20:27
  the in the the game we streamed against
• 20:29
  Northampton.
• 20:30
  >> Um you know, the Cats tried to play
• 20:33
  everybody they they could on their team
• 20:35
  and um and you I'm sure North did did
• 20:38
  the same. So, this the score is
• 20:41
  meaningless. You know, they they didn't
• 20:43
  they didn't travel too well. I know they
• 20:45
  were missing a few guys. It was it was a
• 20:48
  meaningless game
• 20:50
  to a to an extent where it doesn't
• 20:52
  matter what the score was. It's more
• 20:54
  what the players got out of it, what the
• 20:57
  coaches got out of it, what you know,
• 20:58
  what areas do you still need to improve
• 21:00
  on. It's it's not a it's not a an
• 21:04
  opportunity to celebrate a win. You
• 21:07
  know, that's that's for in a few weeks
• 21:08
  time when you start playing your first
• 21:09
  games. Um but you know
• 21:14
  it's it still it still raises the
• 21:16
  eyebrow when you when you look at the
• 21:18
  you know the Solen and the Rushmore
• 21:20
  games and and the other games when when
• 21:22
  you catch wind of it you don't know the
• 21:24
  circumstances but it's a bit
• 21:27
  it's a bit oh oh okay what happened
• 21:29
  there but um yeah again with I'm with
• 21:33
  you guys I think
• 21:35
  >> um personally I think preseason is
• 21:37
  valuable so you don't go into season
• 21:39
  cold But um I've seen severe injuries
• 21:41
  happen so it's okay. Fair fair. And then
• 21:44
  we've got a comment that we all need to
• 21:46
  stop drinking, lads. Seriously. Okay.
• 21:49
  >> Um I'm going to speak on behalf of me
• 21:51
  and Lee and say we're going to carry on
• 21:53
  drinking. Um
• 21:55
  >> [snorts]
• 21:55
  >> uh Russ, I don't know about you, Tom.
• 21:58
  It's the first time we've met. If you
• 21:59
  want Tom and I are athletes, we don't
• 22:01
  drink. Right, [clears throat] Tom?
• 22:04
  [laughter]
• 22:04
  >> I will say this, Shelford. Paul's a
• 22:06
  great pipe. Uh what what I always say,
• 22:08
  build like a temple, but above the
• 22:10
  temple. Um right. Um so we're going to
• 22:13
  play a game of 30 seconds. So um Lee,
• 22:16
  you don't get involved in this one. I
• 22:17
  know you want to, but we'll do this in
• 22:19
  the We'll do this in the season when it
• 22:20
  kicked off. Um so I'll say a name, a
• 22:25
  brand, whatever. Um and you need to say
• 22:28
  the first thing that comes to your head.
• 22:29
  Uh Rush, you say the first comment, Tom,
• 22:31
  you say the second comment, and then
• 22:32
  I'll say something else. Okay.
• 22:34
  >> Okay.
• 22:36
  There we go. [snorts] No swearing. Uh
• 22:38
  each go wrong with day before we do
• 22:39
  that. Um each team will treat a
• 22:41
  scrimmage and even a preseason game
• 22:43
  complete difference. Um I I'd agree on
• 22:45
  that. I've heard of some really poor
• 22:47
  attendances of scrimmages this weekend.
• 22:49
  We're not going to name them teams
• 22:50
  because it's just added of pressure they
• 22:51
  don't need. Right. Okay. So um
• 22:56
  Wembley Stallions,
• 22:59
  >> Warren Smart.
• 23:04
  Oh, I'm
• 23:06
  [sighs and gasps]
• 23:07
  Same as always. Okay. London Blitz.
• 23:13
  >> Got to say it. Finsbury.
• 23:16
  >> Cold showers.
• 23:18
  >> Okay.
• 23:18
  >> Showers.
• 23:19
  >> Cold showers. Um, Bristol Aztecs.
• 23:26
  >> Moving forward,
• 23:29
  >> University of West England. Okay. London
• 23:32
  Warriors.
• 23:35
  Fair play.
• 23:37
  Enjoy Europe.
• 23:39
  Um, Buffer
• 23:43
  >> big improvements.
• 23:46
  >> Need to keep saying more.
• 23:49
  Lastly, Cambridge Cats.
• 23:53
  >> We're in it.
• 23:55
  [laughter]
• 23:56
  >> Boys in red.
• 23:59
  >> Well done, boys. you've done your uh
• 24:01
  your version in 30 seconds, right? Um
• 24:04
  London Warriors, what what what do we
• 24:06
  think about that? Um I got um messages
• 24:10
  um from loads of people, maybe someone
• 24:12
  on this chat, let's not confirm, nor
• 24:14
  deny um of what was going on. Um we
• 24:17
  posted it, we're the first to post it. I
• 24:19
  had people messaged me going, "Are you
• 24:21
  sure this is true?" And I'm like, "The
• 24:22
  people who are telling me, "Yes, yeah, I
• 24:24
  am. I'm still yet to announce it, have
• 24:26
  they?" Um
• 24:28
  what's our thoughts?
• 24:31
  >> Well,
• 24:33
  mind jumping in, but I I was there was
• 24:35
  quite rumblings for quite a long time.
• 24:37
  Obviously, there's been quite a lot of
• 24:39
  turmoil on the continent with the
• 24:41
  various different leagues and their
• 24:43
  various different guises with
• 24:45
  >> bit of a rotation of teams in different
• 24:47
  places. Obviously, the GFL maintains
• 24:50
  most likely to be the the pinnacle of of
• 24:52
  European football. Um, obviously there's
• 24:55
  fantastic teams over in Poland and in
• 24:57
  Spain and Italy amongst loads of other
• 24:59
  places. So having a British team among
• 25:01
  that Pantheon is is great. Obviously the
• 25:03
  C the C EFL in that sort of FA Cup like
• 25:07
  tournament where you get you get a
• 25:08
  knockout, you get a one match is is a
• 25:10
  nice sort of tip, you know, dip your
• 25:13
  toes in for Bristol. I think there was
• 25:14
  the first year last year of jumping in
• 25:16
  there which is great. And then jumping
• 25:17
  in again this year with Belfast I think
• 25:19
  it was.
• 25:19
  >> Yes, that's their first game. Correct.
• 25:21
  >> First game home game. Um, so good for,
• 25:24
  you know, fair enough warriors that
• 25:25
  they're taking the plunge. Um, again,
• 25:28
  brewing for a little bit of time. A
• 25:31
  little worrying that there's no official
• 25:33
  name. I would think they might keep the
• 25:35
  Warriors and everything. Uh, in terms of
• 25:37
  the branding, um, saves on some stickers
• 25:39
  on some helmets, but with no official
• 25:41
  home ground. Obviously, they moved off
• 25:43
  Greenwich. Um there no clear uh
• 25:48
  structure and I know there's been a lot
• 25:50
  of turnover in a lot of places there. I
• 25:52
  hope they can you know do Brit Bull
• 25:56
  proud in a way. They've obviously been
• 25:58
  stalwart for as many years as they've
• 26:00
  been in the league. I know they only
• 26:03
  came clo you know a very close second
• 26:04
  last year to Bristol but they've been a
• 26:07
  a stalwart for years. I I hope it goes
• 26:10
  well for them. Obviously, it saves two
• 26:12
  more games of wear on my body and it was
• 26:14
  interesting to see the confirmation of
• 26:15
  if they do want to come back in, it
• 26:17
  would be from associate up. Uh to see
• 26:19
  that confirmation was very interesting.
• 26:22
  We'll see what happens. It's it's one of
• 26:24
  those where it's big change for us um in
• 26:28
  the league and in Bripple big change for
• 26:30
  them in terms of them going forward and
• 26:31
  and trying out European football and
• 26:33
  hopefully a big change on the continent
• 26:35
  and hopefully the AFL which is the one
• 26:37
  they're going for um stays positive and
• 26:40
  and keeps going.
• 26:43
  >> Um we have a question. Does anyone think
• 26:45
  the Erupters and Scottish franchi
• 26:47
  franchise will actually play keep games
• 26:50
  in the transatlantic league? Yeah. So,
• 26:52
  that's talking about the the Arena
• 26:54
  Football League um that um there's
• 26:57
  there's had a few signings. I know I
• 26:59
  follow them on social media. Um there's
• 27:02
  been a a few signings for for the
• 27:04
  England erupters. Um not seen too much
• 27:07
  from the the Scottish uh franchise, but
• 27:12
  um certainly the England erupters are
• 27:15
  definitely filling their their roster up
• 27:17
  at the moment. So whether they actually
• 27:19
  get to play these games and how that
• 27:21
  those games are going to get funded, um
• 27:23
  it's going to be interesting to see. Uh
• 27:25
  but obviously the the the England
• 27:27
  eruptives are are in the European league
• 27:28
  to begin with. So they will compete in
• 27:31
  all the the European games. So I think
• 27:33
  there's uh Germany, France, Italy, I
• 27:36
  believe. So they've got some uh European
• 27:39
  competitors first. But [snorts] uh yeah,
• 27:42
  to actually play transatlantic if they
• 27:45
  make the playoffs is going to be
• 27:46
  interesting to see.
• 27:48
  Okay. Uh Russ, I want to get your
• 27:49
  thoughts on the Warriors before we uh
• 27:51
  before we move on here.
• 27:52
  >> Yeah. Well, I mean, I you know, they've
• 27:55
  had cor corporate sponsorship
• 27:57
  um for at least two or three years now.
• 28:00
  Um that I know of. Um but they wouldn't
• 28:04
  make the move. Um they're not an
• 28:06
  organization that will just try and dip
• 28:08
  their toe in and see what happens.
• 28:10
  They're they're fully backed. you know,
• 28:12
  they've got maybe the corporate
• 28:14
  corporate side of things, the
• 28:16
  sponsorship side of things, you know,
• 28:18
  they're fully backed to to to to so they
• 28:21
  they're able to make that move. Um I I
• 28:24
  hope they are successful. Um
• 28:28
  but also as well is that there's once
• 28:31
  you move into that, I hope they got a
• 28:32
  backup plan because if they don't have a
• 28:34
  backup plan, what are they going to do?
• 28:36
  They can't I don't think they'll enter
• 28:37
  back into Britall. you know what,
• 28:39
  affiliate and div 2. No, it's not going
• 28:42
  to happen. Um, you know, so I I I I
• 28:46
  think that um they've got to make it
• 28:49
  work. There's there's no question, you
• 28:51
  know, and unfortunately um stuff that
• 28:53
  doesn't make it work might be out of
• 28:55
  their hands, you know, like the league
• 28:57
  collapses or a big um sponsorship or
• 29:00
  corporate deal pulls out and then
• 29:02
  they're stuck. So, you know, um
• 29:04
  sometimes you got to take the risk and
• 29:06
  put all the eggs in the one basket and
• 29:08
  go for it, you know. Um um but you know,
• 29:11
  and I and I wish them all the success in
• 29:12
  the world for it, you know. Absolutely.
• 29:15
  Yes, it leaves a hole in Brit Ball, but
• 29:16
  we we've got teams to, you know, good
• 29:18
  teams that will will fill in those
• 29:20
  spots, you know. We all, you know, we
• 29:22
  will have, you know, that's what the
• 29:23
  promotion games are for. Um um but um
• 29:28
  you know but with regards to you know
• 29:30
  the Warriors themselves um I know I know
• 29:33
  uh Tianne um retired um but I'm I'm sure
• 29:38
  that um they've got enough people in
• 29:41
  their admin and backroom staff to keep
• 29:43
  that team uh well and truly on the up.
• 29:46
  So yeah, good luck to them. I think
• 29:48
  what's what was interesting as well was
• 29:49
  speaking to a a a player from the
• 29:52
  Warriors um who who actually turned up
• 29:55
  to the to the scrimmage game on last
• 29:58
  Sunday. Uh was the fact that a lot of
• 30:01
  the players don't even know what's going
• 30:02
  on right now. Um which which I found
• 30:07
  quite interesting. Uh
• 30:08
  >> it does. Damn it.
• 30:11
  >> Yeah. You thought it would be, you know,
• 30:13
  everybody singing on the same song
• 30:15
  sheet. Yeah. Um, but when the players
• 30:16
  are going, we don't know what's going on
• 30:19
  right now. Uh, they don't know who
• 30:21
  they're playing, when they're playing,
• 30:23
  where they're playing. So, it's it's a
• 30:25
  very interesting situation. So, uh,
• 30:29
  yeah, I think it's definitely something
• 30:30
  to to watch over the next few months or
• 30:32
  so.
• 30:33
  >> I think uh, sorry, with Brit had a bit
• 30:36
  of a, you know, you've got uh, the
• 30:37
  American Football Classic now, you know,
• 30:39
  the title sponsor of the league and
• 30:41
  again doing things like the coach
• 30:43
  subsidy. there's there's some money
• 30:44
  starting to come in a little bit again
• 30:46
  that there was that moment you know you
• 30:47
  go back 30 40 years where a little bit
• 30:49
  of money started coming into the league
• 30:51
  and perhaps Bripple didn't quite
• 30:53
  capitalize on it and now we've got
• 30:54
  European opportunities opening up title
• 30:57
  sponsorship from the again the Kansas
• 31:00
  state game the American football classic
• 31:03
  obviously warriors going for it England
• 31:05
  erupters the Scottish team there's
• 31:06
  there's these few little seeds of
• 31:09
  opportunity that maybe for this sport to
• 31:12
  maybe not turn fully professional.
• 31:14
  That's maybe not the way it needs to go
• 31:15
  because for me, you know, particularly
• 31:18
  as as we're all adults that earn a
• 31:20
  living, have a job, have yeah, many with
• 31:22
  families and whatnot, being an amateur
• 31:24
  sport is one of the purest forms of the
• 31:26
  of the sport. But Brit, I think, finds
• 31:28
  itself again at another crossroads with
• 31:30
  a little bit of money starting to sneak
• 31:31
  in and potentially some opportunities to
• 31:34
  do it. So hopefully Baffer can make sure
• 31:36
  that it's going all to the right places
• 31:38
  and see how it goes.
• 31:42
  Yeah, it's it's a mad one. Um, you know,
• 31:46
  they've got the Vernon K backing. I
• 31:48
  mean, [laughter]
• 31:49
  he he's quite public with it to be fair.
• 31:52
  Um, I wouldn't I wouldn't say what's
• 31:53
  being said, you know, on the account
• 31:56
  between myself and him, but um um he I
• 32:00
  don't think he'd back it if it wasn't if
• 32:03
  he didn't think it would work. Um, and
• 32:05
  this sport has just gone to to massive
• 32:08
  lengths of getting bigger and bigger o
• 32:10
  over here lately, whether that be from
• 32:12
  flag, from other bits and bobs. Uh, I do
• 32:15
  want to mention quickly, Jen's just off
• 32:18
  subject. Um, everyone, uh, TD UK is
• 32:21
  deeply saddening to learn of the passing
• 32:23
  of, um, Anthony Fitzpatrick. Um, there's
• 32:25
  a statement here, former Great Britain
• 32:27
  Lions, SG Pride, London Blitz, and
• 32:30
  Hoffer Hurricanes coach. Uh we're
• 32:32
  sending absolute love to everyone uh his
• 32:34
  family there. Um it's always, you know,
• 32:37
  sad when anything like like that
• 32:38
  happens. Um right. So what's your aim
• 32:43
  this season, Jeds? Um where are you
• 32:45
  aiming to finish? Like um
• 32:49
  you know what is the plan or do you want
• 32:51
  to say our aim is a free you know a free
• 32:54
  season plan? What's the plan for the
• 32:56
  team at the moment?
• 33:00
  Come on, Tom.
• 33:03
  >> Absolutely.
• 33:04
  >> Yeah.
• 33:04
  >> I think obviously after
• 33:07
  a tumultuous year last year, a
• 33:09
  transition year last year, um I don't
• 33:12
  think you can go straight back into it.
• 33:13
  It's obviously an opportunity this year.
• 33:15
  I know how hard the Blitz have recruited
• 33:17
  and how you know there's some fantastic
• 33:19
  people over there. Same with the Aztecs.
• 33:21
  Um in theory with the way, you know,
• 33:24
  Blitz took a game off Aztecs last year.
• 33:26
  Aztecs were the Brit bowl champions and
• 33:28
  we now lost the Warriors. Those are the
• 33:30
  two other you best teams in Brit is yeah
• 33:33
  a case can be at least made for it. I
• 33:34
  appreciate this commentary and
• 33:36
  Manchester and all some fantastic teams
• 33:37
  in the north as well. Um but arguably
• 33:40
  we're in a division a conference even if
• 33:42
  we're in with two of the best teams in
• 33:43
  the country if not the two best teams.
• 33:45
  Obviously it's to compete with them and
• 33:47
  and get to that level. Uh having caught
• 33:50
  again like I said two years ago we we
• 33:52
  took two games off the blitz in one
• 33:54
  year. I appreciate they had a bit of a
• 33:55
  down year that year. PA team um and
• 33:58
  they've stormed right back as you'd
• 33:59
  expect with a with a great organization
• 34:01
  like that. [clears throat] I would think
• 34:03
  our aim is to finish at least third, but
• 34:07
  to try and at least compete and be on
• 34:10
  that level. Again, we live in in a bit
• 34:12
  of a brick ball black hole in East
• 34:15
  Anglia. There's only so many teams and
• 34:16
  and it's a it's a place where obviously
• 34:18
  we're not in quite a big metropolitan
• 34:20
  area to be able to get everyone in from
• 34:22
  from a capital city. We have to um yeah,
• 34:26
  we've got some great guys and what we've
• 34:28
  got, but it makes it harder to recruit
• 34:29
  both players and coaches and for us to
• 34:31
  compete, you know, we've got to be on
• 34:32
  that that next level. So, to compete to
• 34:35
  to get some good score lines and
• 34:38
  hopefully take a a game or two off the
• 34:40
  uh off the top two, I think
• 34:41
  >> you don't you don't need to feel a goal
• 34:43
  kicker there, guys.
• 34:44
  [clears throat and laughter]
• 34:46
  [snorts]
• 34:47
  >> Practicing against Russ, any anything on
• 34:50
  that? Yeah, I just, you know, backing
• 34:53
  what Tom said, I mean, I mean, ideally,
• 34:55
  uh, for this season, I would like to try
• 34:57
  and get a a 500 season going, you know,
• 35:00
  like Tom said, try and take a game off
• 35:03
  one of the top two, uh, teams, um, and
• 35:06
  win the rest. Um, but, you know,
• 35:11
  sometimes you got to be realistic about
• 35:12
  these things. Um, you know, we aim to,
• 35:15
  you know, every team in, you know, in
• 35:17
  the in the Prem are aiming to win.
• 35:19
  There's no question about it. That that
• 35:22
  is the focus. That's what we we prepare
• 35:23
  for with every game. Yeah.
• 35:25
  >> And that's what we need to do. So, you
• 35:27
  know, game by game, win by win, you
• 35:30
  know, we take a loss, we got to learn
• 35:32
  from it. We got to make sure we adjust
• 35:34
  to it and and and push on forward.
• 35:36
  There's there's no giving up with this
• 35:37
  cat's team. And and and even from last
• 35:41
  year, we've proved that, you know, even
• 35:42
  with the the limited amount of players
• 35:44
  and stuff we had, [snorts]
• 35:47
  >> we go for it, mate. That's it.
• 35:50
  and event
• 35:52
  Rushmore. They're two fantastic teams.
• 35:54
  We've played Wembley before. It's good.
• 35:56
  Good. It's got to be 2022 I think was
• 35:59
  the division last division one year for
• 36:02
  us. And Warren gets put out a good team.
• 36:05
  Always work hard and and Rushmore um
• 36:08
  beat us twice last year. That's that's
• 36:09
  all you can say. Again, our
• 36:11
  circumstances were a little bit
• 36:12
  different, but you know, it's silly to
• 36:14
  to try and put them down because it's a
• 36:16
  it's a competitive PR sale.
• 36:18
  >> Cool. You got anything from
• 36:20
  >> Yeah. I just wanted to think, you know,
• 36:23
  asked a question on, you know, what do
• 36:24
  you think your your biggest hurdles are
• 36:26
  going to be this season uh with, you
• 36:28
  know, with everything going on at the
• 36:30
  moment.
• 36:31
  >> If that's a question for me, it's going
• 36:32
  to be old age. It's for them two I'll
• 36:34
  let them crack on. [laughter]
• 36:36
  Uh if you're talking about hurdles uh as
• 36:38
  a team in general, I would say that
• 36:40
  keeping the team fit uh and healthy for
• 36:43
  the season that is that that's always a
• 36:46
  challenge for any coaching staff and um
• 36:50
  organization is to make sure the players
• 36:52
  are uh fit fit and and and injuryfree or
• 36:56
  almost injuryfree to continue the season
• 36:58
  because it is a long season.
• 37:00
  >> Yeah.
• 37:00
  >> Um hurdle we've got I don't think we've
• 37:02
  got any other hurdles. I mean, um, uh,
• 37:04
  we've got a new coach company that's,
• 37:06
  uh, uh, which is good that we're it's
• 37:09
  going to take us to our four games. So,
• 37:12
  that's it. Tom, [snorts]
• 37:15
  >> yeah, it's always making sure that we
• 37:17
  have a a good team to travel. Um, as I
• 37:19
  said, like we're we're adults, we're
• 37:21
  amateurs, we're playing a sport because
• 37:22
  we love it, which means we've got other
• 37:24
  commitments and and getting teams to
• 37:26
  travel, particularly um, in a
• 37:28
  premiership where Bristol is however
• 37:30
  many hours is away on a coach with a
• 37:32
  stop. And
• 37:33
  >> how many is there?
• 37:35
  >> It's with a stop it's four and a half,
• 37:37
  five on, you know, depending on traffic
• 37:39
  and whatnot. Obviously, you know, you
• 37:40
  could drive it probably quicker, but for
• 37:42
  guys who with full families on a Sunday
• 37:46
  having to play a later game, you
• 37:47
  particularly a double header in the
• 37:48
  capital, even being an hour and a half
• 37:50
  hours away, playing a 400 p.m. game,
• 37:52
  that's quite a commitment. So,
• 37:53
  traveling's always been a Brit a very
• 37:56
  Brit thing and you often meet two very
• 37:58
  different squads home and away. [snorts]
• 38:00
  So, I think it's always going to be
• 38:02
  maintaining good depth to make sure that
• 38:03
  even with injuries, even with traveling,
• 38:06
  we put out the same product.
• 38:09
  I I I think they were um they were very
• 38:13
  very good answers. [laughter]
• 38:15
  I'm looking forward to seeing the
• 38:17
  differences this year cuz I did feel
• 38:19
  really bad for you. It was between um
• 38:22
  between you guys and cheaters. Um and it
• 38:26
  it is one of them like unfortunately for
• 38:29
  a lot of teams players will start
• 38:30
  turning up for training now expecting to
• 38:32
  start. Um if they lose that first game
• 38:35
  you never see them again for the season.
• 38:37
  It is, it is a mad one, but I do wish
• 38:39
  you all the best for the season, gents.
• 38:41
  Um,
• 38:43
  great bunch of guys. No complaints from
• 38:45
  me. Really good guys. Um, good luck and
• 38:47
  get the job done and we'd love to have
• 38:49
  you back on on the show again. Um, so
• 38:51
  folks, that's been us. Uh, Monday Night
• 38:54
  Huddle episode seven, I believe. Um,
• 38:56
  we've got our first game in three to
• 38:58
  four weeks. Um, if you want to join on,
• 39:01
  please do drop us a message, myself,
• 39:03
  Lee, the page. We are also looking for
• 39:05
  volunteers if you want to help us in the
• 39:06
  brick ball, the uniball, the flag ball,
• 39:08
  every aspect of it all. Um, Lee, I'm
• 39:11
  going to let you take this. But folks,
• 39:13
  we will see you next week, same time.
• 39:15
  >> I've been Lee. I've been Matteo.
• 39:18
  >> I've been Coach Ras.
• 39:20
  >> I've been to Tom.
• 39:21
  >> And we didn't swear, folks. Thank you
• 39:22
  very much. [laughter] Have a great one.
• 39:24
  We've only had one swear word. And would
• 39:26
  you believe it was from a Canadian. Take
• 39:27
  care, folks. Have a great