Sydney Roosters debate | JWH's milestone game and Paul Gallen's reaction to Townsend signing 09:38

I thought we'd just spend a couple of minutes here talking about the Roosters, given we've got Boyd Cordner with us on this Saturday afternoon. And boy, there's been a fever to news around the Chooks. It's been a big week. Hasn't it? What? Angus Crichton's locked in his future. Mark Nwanganitawasi has assumed the final place in the Roosters' top 30. And Chad Townsend to join the Roosters in 2025. This is what the Cowboys' halfback had to say this week on Nine News about his impending move to the Chooks.

I'll be there competing as hard as I can. And like I said before, you know, next year, my goal will be to help the Roosters win in any way that I can. And, you know, that's what I'm going to be there to do. And whatever Robbo needs me to do next season,

I'll do it the best I can. My family was another big element. We've been living in North Queensland for the past three years and we've really enjoyed our time up here but obviously it has its challenges with regards to our four young children and they're just about to start school.

Yeah, so Chad Townsend there speaking to Nine News during the week. Obviously some big stories, Boyd, but I think what I might start off with, away from Chad and Angus and Mark Nwangani-Tawasi, is the milestone for Jarrabriya Hargreaves, which comes up tomorrow. And I think I'm right in saying it's an old boys' day out there tomorrow. Old boys, yep. The 74...

Premiership team. Right. The great Arthur Beetson was captain there. Yeah, right. John Brass, Mark Harris, Monkey Mays, halfback there. So a lot of the... Pearty might have been there. Yeah, yeah. John Peart. Mm-hmm.

What a huge day for the club. But to think that Jarrabrija Hargreaves, this war horse, is going to become the most capped player in Roosters' 116-year history, that is just phenomenal, Boydie. Yeah, it's hard to believe, especially as a front-roller too and the manner he's gone about that. You know, it's just hard to...

Well, actually, we were having a laugh about it a couple of days ago when we had a big day for him there and we were telling a few stories about him around the room and he would have been on about 350 if he didn't get suspended every Sunday. LAUGHTER

It's a massive achievement to see how he's gone about it on the field and the way he plays. And then off the field too, I'm sure most of you guys have met him and it just doesn't match up to what he is on the field. Do you think he's totally different now

the same off it, but he's a totally different guy and he's a family man, he's a gentle giant and for him to be able to separate the two and to leave it on the footy field, how he goes about his business and then go home and be the guy he is, it's a credit to himself. Just to back up what you're saying there, I only met him for the first time, I think it was last year at coming home from Magic Ground, we were at the airport and J-Moz introduced me to him and I sat there and had a chat with him for about 10 minutes.

And I found myself halfway through the chat saying, am I really talking to this ferocious warrior that I see on the rugby league field? Because he was this quietly spoken, very gentle, very inquisitive bloke who was sort of sitting there and asking me, you know, about my life, my career. And I'm like,

This bloke plays like a lunatic, yet he's showing an interest in who I am as a person. I just thought it was a real credit to him. He's probably... He's a great bloke. A great guy. I don't know him overly that well away from footy a little bit, but not that well. But everything he's saying is 100% right, but...

He could be one of the best I've played against. As far as front rowers go, Matt Scott, him, he's unbelievable. I used to love playing against him. I'll never forget my last year, 2019. We came up against the Roosters early on in the season, and I loved going just at it. You'd say whatever you wanted to him, you'd do whatever you wanted to him. He'd never complain. He'd just give it just as a hard back.

And I reckon he ran at me probably two or three times in the first 20 minutes. And by the fourth time, I said, mate, leave me alone. Just stop it. I've had enough. I'm going to retire this year. Just leave me alone. And he just didn't care, just targeted me the whole game. And I knew then I was done. But he was just...

I used to love the competition with him. He was such a good competitor. And as I said, in my opinion, probably one of the, if not the best I've played against as far as I know. I think it's ironic that he's bringing it up on old boys day because I think he is probably the last link between old school football and the current game. You know, because he plays old school style of football and like he takes no prisoners. We know that. But, you know, and I suppose to play against him would be,

It'll be hard work. You know, you played with him, mate. I played with him. I played against him in... He's just such a warrior. What a warrior he's been. In the national as well. Mate, the scars on my head are from him in that training as well. I've never seen someone who can use the elbows better than he does. Every run. Even now, he's the best. He's unbelievable the way he does it. For them 307 games, I'm telling you right now, he has not let up one bit at training too. He's always leading the intensity games.

He shows these young boys what it is to be a first grader. And even in the wrestle room, he'll grab the young forwards. And I've never seen him lose a wrestle still to this day. And even at training, me and I think it was Frendy were sitting there and we just looked at each other and going, these boys are going to miss this. They actually don't realize that.

how good he is like at the moment and as a as a um as a leader and sets the example every day at training and then when he when he when he runs onto that field he's he's the same every single week and

It's just so impressive for him to still be able to just keep doing it week in, week out. We always talk about the way he has been suspended, but I'll tell you now, he would never complain and has never complained about anyone doing anything to him. He gives as good as he gets, without doubt, but he is never a person to say, well, hang on a second, they done that to me last week. Why did I get suspended and not them? He's just...

He goes out there and just plays as hard as that every single week as Boyd can see. I think the other thing that he should be really proud of is the respect he gets from his opponents. You know, you got the respect. So did you, Gal, but so does he. Like this bloke, he goes out every week, and as you said, he just gives 100% every week. I wasn't aware of his training attitude, but clearly he's –

He's a wonderful example off the field, you know, as he is on the field. But, you know, there'll be narcs out there saying, oh, he's just, he's a dirty bugger and all that sort of stuff. Well, he's from a different era. Yeah, he's 101. He was. He was a different, he would have been, he would have excelled in the 70s and 80s and 90s as he has in the 2000s all the way through. And we'll talk a little bit more later this hour with Tim Hoare and the former Wallaby. We're going to

plug the Wallabies test match coming up tonight. But I thought it would be a chance to also talk to Tim about what Mark Nwangani-Tawasi will bring to rugby league, given he's making the switch from rugby and then a player like Carter Gordon. But, Boydie, the other one I wanted to ask you about is Angus Crichton because it was well publicised, some of the issues that he went through recently. But to see the football that he's playing at the moment that has elevated him to that New South Wales team and probably been one of the Blues' best,

It's a credit to the individual, but it's also a credit to him to rebuild himself to the point where he's not only extended his stay with the Roosters, but he's playing state of origin again. Yeah, and he was probably, in my eyes, New South Wales' best player. So it's been a really quick turnaround for him. And to be honest, guys, he's worked so hard. He's had to work so hard and earn his spot again in that Roosters team.

Just so proud of him from where he was and to where he is now. There's been a lot of help around him. He's got a great family there and support that he's lent on throughout the time. But the club has been enormous with him too.

But at the end of the day, it's come down to the individual. It's come down to him and, you know, he's put, you know, countless hours in. And then it's pretty amazing to see that he was playing reserve grade at the start of the year. And then to fight his way through that, to play the footy he is at the moment and then to

to make the State of Origin team. It's a credit to himself. Yeah, absolutely. Well said. So, big week for the Roosters, and we'll talk more about Mark Nwangatini-Tawasi and Gal Chad Townsend, the former Sharky, making the move to the Roosters in 2025. It's only for a one-year deal, so who knows what the future holds there for Chad Townsend. Yeah, interesting one for me. Me and Chad aren't close, I can say that. We won a premiership together, but we don't get on, and look, I just...

I take my hat off to the career he's had. He's had a great career. He's squeezed every bit of, I suppose, ability out of himself, and he's getting another year at the Roosters. I find it a surprising signing for me at the Roosters. Well done. This is...

You don't get on with him. No, we don't get on. We're a professional outfit. It doesn't mean we have to... You want to comp with him. I wasn't aware of that. We want to comp with him. We're just not mates. That's life. Yeah, look, as I said, I'll take my hat off to him. He's squeezed every bit of ability out of his body and he's going to the Roosters. I said, surprising one for me from the Roosters' point of view, but no, that's their decision and good luck to him. Yeah.

Bit of drama there. No, there's no drama, mate. You just don't get on with everyone in this world. It's what makes the world go round. You know, ask Boyd and me if there's teammates we don't get on with, and our answers are, no, there's none. We get on with all of them. Ha, ha, ha.

I don't get on with you. You don't get on with me. I'm not your teammate. I didn't win a comp with you. You're his teammate on this show. Yeah, I'm his idol on this show. Is this true? Yeah. He's trying to be me. If I can be his age still doing what he's doing, yeah, maybe he is. Thank you. That's a beautiful thing you've just said. I'm his idol.