DEEP DIVE | "I love this selection from Stacey Jones"

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

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Scotty (0:16)

$6.21 here on Sport Nation. Train smarter and save big at Chemist Warehouse. Shop up to 40% off INC during the Save Big Now sale. Welcome to the Mad House, Godfather, says Parata. We're a special breed at this time of day, and another day off for old 40-20. He's not bad, hopefully he's fixing his floor.

Israel Dagg is currently undergoing some furthering education under the auspices of Harvard.

Sammy (0:40)

Our boys at Harvard.

Scotty (0:41)

Our boys at Harvard. Couldn't make that up.

Sammy (0:43)

So good.

Scotty (0:45)

Couldn't make that up. So we're thrilled from having the opportunity to further his education through the auspices of one of the great Ivy League universities in the world.

Sammy (0:55)

Yeah, why am I sniffing?

That's a question. It's a bit of a chill in the air.

Scotty (1:01)

I rode the motorbike to work this morning. That's probably why it's got right up the nostril of the cold morning air.

Sammy (1:06)

Yeah, it can really whip you on a motorbike because it's time of morning, Scotty. Yeah, Auckland on motorbike in the morning's cruisy.

Scotty (1:17)

Oh, very nice.

SPEAKER_1 (1:17)

It's just very nice.

Scotty (1:19)

Although fellow motorbike riders will understand lights aren't kind to motorbikes. Sometimes you can put it to a light, it doesn't recognize you. So you've got to wait there for an awful long time and hope that the car comes up behind you.

Sammy (1:35)

So you get the bike clean and get off and push or?

Scotty (1:38)

There's been occasion where you've had to create a work around. So a legal work around, but a work around.

SPEAKER_4 (1:45)

I'm a bike, I'm not a bike. I'm a bike.

Scotty (1:48)

I just ride it to ride in bus lanes. That's all. Beat the traffic everyone, get a motorbike, dress responsibly.

SPEAKER_4 (1:54)

Right.

Scotty (1:54)

What's happening? Keanu Kinney. We mentioned him before the break, Sammy. You had him on the show last night, of course, between six and seven last night. What are his thoughts and what did you make of the chat with Keanu last night?

Sammy (2:06)

I loved his energy. There's some people who have got a, just by talking to him, you feel what they're feeling. We don't know the bloke. I've spoken to him on the phone two, three times ever. I don't know him any better than that. But there's just something so genuine that comes in about that guy. He is a gun at NRL level. We know he's got the skills. But when it comes to the Kiwis, his number one asset is in his step, is in his speed. It's not his vision, it's his heart.

When he plays for the Kiwis...

Absolutely. He is wholehearted with his involvement and performance. I haven't seen him play badly in a Kiwis jersey. Every time he's got it on, I'm like, yep, is he Mr. Teku? Yeah. But he's a bloke who is just so heavily involved in a game. We built game one around Kailan Ponga, no doubt. I kind of feel like you almost need to do the same with Kenny. But we've got a few clips here to play you. I talked to you, I asked him about his relationship with Kailan Ponga, and what he feels he has been learning from him.

I really loved that. They talked about we're different styles, because a lot of people go, they both got a step, they're both fast. They're not very different in the way they approach the game of rugby league. Kailan Ponga, while he can be great from Broken Field, really loves to be an extra set of hands and a playmaker, where Kenny isn't the guy who's going to make the play, Kenny's the guy that's going to ice the play for you. So him roaming through the back is putting a lot more emphasis on both Hughes and Nekarima.

Scotty (3:41)

Can I ask a question here? Isn't this a great opportunity for Keanu Kinney?

He witnessed what Kailan Ponga did, how much of a playmaker Ponga can be from the back, how much he creates around him. Is this a chance for Keanu Kinney to take his game to another level?

Sammy (3:58)

I completely agree Scotty, it absolutely is. Cause you think about that, right?

This is a competitive environment. There's three blokes that want the same jersey.

Scotty (4:06)

For sure.

Sammy (4:08)

But Ponga has come down and laid a marker for, with a debut for the ages.