Choc Fires Up Over PNG’s NRL Advantage, Bradman Best’s Future & Tigers Rebuild | RLIEP185

Choc Fires Up Over PNG’s NRL Advantage, Bradman Best’s Future & Tigers Rebuild | RLIEP185

🏉 Welcome to The Rugby League Insider Podcast

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James Hooper is joined by Anthony “Choc” Watmough and Brandon Savage to unpack the biggest NRL off-season talking points.

The team discuss Bradman Best’s future at Newcastle, the November 1 player market and the PNG Chiefs’ recruitment advantage — with Choc firing up over tax-free deals, third-party agreements and what it all means for the Perth Bears.

Plus, Mal Meninga’s coaching tensions, Cooper Bai’s future, Wayde Egan’s Warriors extension and the Wests Tigers’ rebuild. Can Benji Marshall turn things around?

⏱️ TIMESTAMPS

0:00 — Welcome to Rugby League Insider 2:49 — International footy preview and Tonga’s big omission 3:26 — Bradman Best’s future: Newcastle or Parramatta? 8:01 — Contract talk in representative camps: has the game changed? 9:56 — Super League stories and rugby league’s contract wars 16:10 — Choc fires up over PNG’s recruitment advantage 22:54 — Perth Bears: Mal Meninga, coaching tensions and recruitment 30:18 — Choc’s Manly exit and the politics of rugby league 35:16 — Cooper Bai’s future and PNG’s third-party deals 42:29 — Wayde Egan’s Warriors extension and Kiwis eligibility 46:18 — Tigers secure Samuela Fainu: a key piece of the rebuild 48:15 — Second chances and the pathway back to the NRL 50:06 — Tigers recruitment and expectations for next season 52:51 — Benji Marshall’s coaching, player managers and burying the hatchet 59:22 — Final wrap-up and weekend plans

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