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Whateley

Andrew Voss | Across the Divide! (12.05.26)

12 May 2026

Transcription

Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.

Chapter 1: What cultural differences exist between AFL and NRL?

5.262 - 14.613 Gerard Whateley

Look, the AFL have always looked down their nose at rugby league. They treat us as second class citizens. It's obvious we've got them rattled. And the figures and the facts speak for themselves.

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14.673 - 28.789 Unknown

We measure ourselves on traditional metrics like people turning up to games, people watching, how long they watch for. They can huff, they can puff, but they won't blow our house down. It's solid brick. We're going to get stronger and we're going to take some of their fans.

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30.659 - 33.724 Gerard Whateley

Not a great day to be a Vossie. Hello, Andrew Voss.

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34.004 - 42.878 Andrew Voss

Yeah, I'm trending apparently. That's fantastic news. I just said in the introduction to this, I'd love to have an argument with you about something. I don't know whether I've got anything.

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Chapter 2: How do traditional metrics impact the rivalry between AFL and NRL?

42.898 - 66.314 Andrew Voss

I don't know whether we're at odds at anything. What I will say is we had on our rugby league program last night, agenda setters on the Seven Network, Anthony Seabold, he was the coach who was moved on by Manly after three rounds this year. Yep. There's an amazing quote. He said, I respect the quick kill. He respected the fact that there was a quick kill.

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66.374 - 80.394 Andrew Voss

As unhappy as he was about it all, he respected that he didn't have to go through the six, seven weeks of analysis every Monday. Your sack, second half collapse, whatever. Michael Voss at the end, do you think he would have respected a quicker kill?

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80.554 - 106.667 Gerard Whateley

I think putting the scenario out of its misery has played a role here. So the difference, I think, with a couple of yours is Voss was in the last year of his contract, and this is a team that's not set up to be successful this year. And it has a fatal flaw. It keeps failing in the same way. And so there's been an inevitability about this for – what has been distastefully too long.

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106.707 - 130.343 Gerard Whateley

And while he was still in the job as the lists were being drawn up as to who he was, replacement was going to be because his year was about winning the next contract. And it became crystal clear that there was no path to winning the next contract with the team that he'd been left with, which was the strategic decision of the administration. So they were never in lockstep with,

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130.323 - 146.728 Gerard Whateley

The administration had wavered on its coach at the end of last year, but didn't move. So they had him on quicksand throughout the year. And so what did we get to? Nine. It's very similar to the Leon Cameron scenario with the Giants those few years ago. And it ended in the same round.

147.012 - 165.991 Andrew Voss

A lot of the rusted-on rugby league fans wouldn't, like everyone knows Michael Voss, a huge name, superstar, three times Premier, Brownlow medal winner. But his coaching career is fascinating that he's had that, you know, a stint as head coach, then a large period as assistant coach, then come back to head coach. Now he's resigned.

166.051 - 172.777 Andrew Voss

It's almost like a prime minister, you know, coming back for a second term after a break. Is there a third term for Michael Voss? No, there won't be.

172.797 - 173.458 Gerard Whateley

Do you want to call it right now?

Chapter 3: What are the implications of coaching changes in rugby leagues?

173.438 - 196.813 Gerard Whateley

I don't imagine that he would even vaguely want to now. So he was too soon into the job at the Brisbane Lions and they went into decline for reasons that were perfectly understandable as well as he wasn't able to make them successful in the second wave. He then did the apprenticeship and he did it so thoroughly at Port Adelaide.

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197.637 - 221.805 Gerard Whateley

And then he gets his second chance, which I think people were really pleased at is we discard coaches so quickly sometimes. But he hasn't been. He took Carlton to a preliminary final, which frankly looks like a miracle. And then the test of the five years is he wasn't quite able to do the job to a level to keep it. I think the circumstances of the past nine months are pretty torturous.

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221.785 - 225.989 Gerard Whateley

but it's over at the end of round nine. What a job, isn't it?

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226.009 - 246.01 Andrew Voss

You know, really. Like, to see Anthony Seabold there last night, to see what Shane Flanagan was going through at the Dragons up here in the NRL, he lost his job. He looked tormented, you know, when they go – Dragons still haven't won a game. They changed the coach, have lost another two, considered over 100 points since they changed the coach. I just don't see where the fun is in it.

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246.09 - 255.101 Andrew Voss

Like, you must be born to be a coach, I think. Yeah. I hate the thought of it. I just don't think I could... Nah, it's just not my go.

255.121 - 281.267 Gerard Whateley

You have to have the chip for it, I'm sure. Because, yeah, I think the enjoyment layers are away from us. It's teaching young men and implementing strategy and the like. I think sometimes the worst of it is when winning just feels like a relief. It's got to be more than that. It needs to be exciting and fulfilling. But when the wins won't come, it... It is torturous.

281.327 - 284.85 Gerard Whateley

His lot this year has been regrettably torturous.

285.117 - 307.026 Andrew Voss

On our show here, Front Office, we've had one of the guests, one of the superstars of the Australian Women's Rugby League scene, Tiana Penitani-Gray, made some really strong points about where to next because they are on the way up and quickly. Million viewers for the first game. We've got the second women's origin game this Thursday. You can listen to it on SEN.

307.667 - 328.48 Andrew Voss

But we play their origin games out of season, Gerard. It's an unfair ask, isn't it? We can't keep doing that. All they do is train. They have in-house trials. And then we put them on the bigger stage and say, go for it. I don't think that can be sustained. But the women's game is on the way up. The reaction here on the open line is enormous. People are tuning in Thursday.

Chapter 4: How has Michael Voss's coaching career evolved over the years?

536.371 - 542.314 Andrew Voss

Is there anything wrong with that, Gerard? It's not a try before you buy. I don't eat them. I just feel them. I'm a squeezer. I'm a feeler.

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542.334 - 550.571 Unknown

You shouldn't touch other people's fruit. That would be my first rule there. You touch them, you buy them. All right, Gerard.

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550.611 - 556.219 Andrew Voss

Well, that's it then. I don't think I can have an argument with you about that, but I'm a squeezer and you're not.

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556.419 - 562.307 Gerard Whateley

I'm going to carry that with me for the rest of the day. Just on Anthony Seabold, he's working with Collingwood.

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562.507 - 563.329 Andrew Voss

Yeah, well, there you go.

563.529 - 565.632 Gerard Whateley

A bit of cross-code pollination.

565.652 - 590.548 Andrew Voss

He's an interesting character. There's no doubt about that. And he has had success in rugby league. It's not premiership success, but he's now had rugby league, rugby union, AFL. He's a very versatile figure. So he's got something to offer. Look, I would strongly encourage you to have him on your program to talk sport and talk broadly around leadership and putting things into place.

590.588 - 600.784 Andrew Voss

An interesting figure. Things went pear-shaped there at Manly earlier this year, but I still think he's got something to offer in sport. if it's not rugby league.

600.804 - 620.123 Gerard Whateley

Yeah, and the coach's brain is wired to the profession. So the idea of using him to mentor coaches and assistant coaches off field, so it's not a tactical job. These are brilliant minds to be able to tap into and further your program, I think.

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