Episode 171: Whitewashes, Magic mayhem and more

FromBy the Balls

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Episode 171: Whitewashes, Magic mayhem and more

FromBy the Balls

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Length:

64 minutes

Released:

Dec 2, 2023

Format:

Podcast episode

Released:

Dec 2, 2023

Format:

Podcast episode

Titles in the series (100)

UK-based journalists John Davidson and Ross Heppenstall discuss the latest sports topics of the day and endeavour to give you the story behind the stories. Lots of opinion, insight and detail on the world of rugby league, rugby union, football and more.

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Episode 7: Football’s really not coming home, Classy Croatia and Gareth's waistcoast wonders: John and Ross discuss England's semi-final loss to Croatia, the progress made by Gareth Southgate's team, the moments and memorable games that have made the tournament in Russia, and preview the 2018 World Cup final. by By the Balls
33 min listen
Episode 9: Klopp’s spending spree, Centurions in crisis, can Huddersfield Town avoid the drop again?: Ross and John debate Liverpool's audacious off-season spending spree, Mesut Ozil's stunning internaitonal retirement and Huddersfield Town's hopes for the new season, as well as the implosion at the Leigh Centurions, the upcoming Middle Eights and the... by By the Balls
43 min listen
Episode 2: Rectums, Barton, Integrity Units and club vs country battles: John, Ross and special guest Gary Carter dissect the Tomkins brothers' viral video, the Challenge Cup quarter-finals, the rise of Warrington, transition at Leeds Rhinos, Widnes' appointment of Francis Cummins and whether Super League needs an... by By the Balls
43 min listen
Episode 12: Live from Perpignan: In a French special, Ross is joined by Gary Carter from The Sun, Gareth Walker from The Daily Express, Bruno Onteniente from L'Independant and Steve Brady from Catalan Media to preview the 2018 Challenge Cup final between Catalans Dragons and... by By the Balls
35 min listen
Episode 1.5: A bit more of the first show with the Toronto v Leigh rivalry, Waney and Fast Eddie: John and Ross continue their first episode chat on the Summer Bash and the growing Toronto v Leigh rivalry, but also talk about Shaun Wane's departure, a changing of the guard at Wigan, and whether Eddie Jones is now under pressure with England after... by By the Balls
14 min listen
Episode 16: Ryan Hinchcliffe Uncovered: John and Ross delve into the life and career of Ryan Hinchcliffe, touch on his time in both the NRL and Super League, why he is retiring now, what his future holds and what it was like playing alongside of the best rugby league players of all time. by By the Balls
45 min listen
Episode 8: RFL’s move hits the rim, France victorious, Joshua punches on and Bolting to the A-League: Ross and John debate the merits of Ralph Rimmer’s controversial appointment to the CEO role of the RFL, the planning for the 2021 World Cup, France beating Croatia in the FIFA World Cup final, Ryan Hall's exit at Leeds and James Maloney heading to... by By the Balls
43 min listen
Episode 23: England emergence, All Blacks arrive and more: John and Ross analyse the first two tests of the series between England and New Zealand, look at the impact of Wayne Bennett and the emergence of England as a real force. They also touch on the meeting between the All Blacks and England this weekend... by By the Balls
43 min listen
Episode 20: Grand Final Special: John and Ross were at Old Trafford for the 2018 Super League grand final press conference. They spoke to Wigan stars Dom Manfredi, Sam Tomkins and Joe Greenwood, and Warrington's Steve Price, Jack Hughes and Daryl Clark, in this special episode by By the Balls
36 min listen
Episode 5: Russian roulette, Discussing Denver and time for Bielsa: Ross and Gary are joined by Forty-20 magazine editor Phil Caplan to talk about the Denver Test, Leeds United's new manager Marcelo Bielsa, England's performances at the 2018 World Cup and sporting contests coming up in summer. by By the Balls
33 min listen
Episode 10: St Helens boss Mike Rush unplugged: Ross, John and Gary Carter chat with special guess St Helens CEO Mike Rush. The trio talk about Mike's near two decades with the club, his initiatives to increase awareness of autism and raise money for autism charities, as well as the Challenge Cup... by By the Balls
44 min listen
Episode 4: Denver, Diving, King Kane and African destruction: Ross and Gary are joined by a special guest, writer and author Gavin Willacy, to talk about the contervsial England vs New Zealand Test in Denver, the first week of the 2018 World Cup in Russia, American rugby league, the revival of the Springboks and... by By the Balls
46 min listen
Episode 46: Cory Paterson upfront: John sits down with recently retired rugby league pro Cory Paterson. They talk about him hanging up his boots, his move into coaching and go through his 12-year career in the NRL with Newcastle, North Queensland and Wests, and in England with Hull KR,... by By the Balls
44 min listen
Episode 28: Headingley, Heroes and Hearns: John and Ross talk with Forty20 magazine editory Phil Caplan at Headingley Stadium about Leeds Rhinos, the Dave Furner era, the state of Super League, the prospect of a Eddie and Barry Hearn takeover and the appointment of Tony Adams by the RFL. by By the Balls
45 min listen
Episode 6: Rhinos derailed, the return of Sir Kev, Origin Blues, Pivac's Wales and Wimbledon: John and Ross chat about the stunning sacking of Brian McDermott and the appointment of Kevin Sinfield as Leeds Rhinos, new arrivals in Super League, the rise of NSW in State of Origin, Welsh rugby union's new national coach and the final stages of... by By the Balls
36 min listen
Episode 3: 2018 World Cup Special: John, Ross and Gary break down the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, look at the England and Australian teams, the merits of Gareth Southgate, and pick their favourites and teams to impress in the tournament. by By the Balls
24 min listen
Episode 1: Kicking things off with Kiev and Blackpool: The maiden episode of By the Balls, where sports journalists John Davidson and Ross Heppenstall talk about the Champions League final and the 'success' and future of rugby league's Summer Bash. by By the Balls
15 min listen
Episode 18: Sitting down with Jackson Hastings: Ross and John go through the life and career of Jackson Hastings, touching on his current spell with Salford, his future, his upbringing in Wollongong, his journey in the NRL, his thoughts on Super League and more. by By the Balls
44 min listen
Episode 11: Damian Irvine Interview: John and Ross sit down with former Cronulla Sharks chairman Damian Irvine. Damian has worked for Notts County and Wycombe Wanderers, and is now running commerical for Bradford Bulls. He talks about his life in sports administration, his time with... by By the Balls
45 min listen
Episode 13: Sitting down with Sam Moa: Ross goes one on one with Catalans enforcer Sam Moa to talk about the 2018 Challenge Cup final, his time in France, the impact of coach Steve McNamara at the Dragons and his life in rugby league. by By the Balls
14 min listen
Episode 15: Middle Eights machinations, Reds rising and brilliant Blades: John and Ross talk about the Super 8s, discuss troubles at Leeds Rhinos, Widnes Vikings and Hull FC, and debate where St Helens sit. They also muse about potential changes to Super League's structure, the death of the Denver Test, look at the start of... by By the Balls
44 min listen
Episode 17: Kenny Dougall Interview: John goes one on one with Barnsley midfielder Kenny Dougall in a special episode. They go through his footballing journey from the A-League to Holland and now League One in England, his experiences in the Eredivisie, his first taste of Socceroo camp,... by By the Balls
15 min listen
Episode 14: Jon Newcombe Interview: Ross and John chew the fat with rugby union journalist Jon Newcombe. The trio preview the 2018-2019 Premiership season, talk Sale and Newcastle, discuss the fortunes of Yorkshire Carnegie, Eddie Jones' England and more. by By the Balls
44 min listen
Episode 49: Steve Price: John spends an afternoon with Warrington Wolves coach Steve Price. They go through Steve's career, his upbringing in western Sydney and his playing days with St George and Balmain, and how he got into coaching. They discuss his time at the Dragons,... by By the Balls
39 min listen
Episode 21: Mourinho madness, Boro top, union's contact challenge: Ross and John tackle the latest in Premier League and Championship football, from Jose Mourinho's sideline run-in to impressive Arsenal, Newcastle's wobbles, Middlesbrough top and Ipswich in trouble. They also look at the ups and downs at Sale, a... by By the Balls
45 min listen
Episode 29: Cup farce, Sale fracas and football upsets: Ross and John sit down for the first episode of 2019 to talk about the Challenge Cup fiasco involving Catalans Dragons, the coming 2019 Super League season, Robert Elstone's promise of new beginnings and RFL bumbling. They also touch on the incident... by By the Balls
44 min listen
$Episode 29: Cup farce, Sale fracas and football upsets: Ross and John sit down for the first episode of 2019 to talk about the Challenge Cup fiasco involving Catalans Dragons, the coming 2019 Super League season, Robert Elstone's promise of new beginnings and RFL bumbling. They also touch on the incident...$
Episode 25: Mark Aston spreads his wings: We chew the fat with Sheffield Eagles coach Mark Aston as he takes us through the turbulent recent history of the Eagles, plans to play Toronto in Belgrade in 2019, Sheffield's bid for 2021 World Cup games, his time as coach of Ireland and more. by By the Balls
44 min listen
Episode 44: Barcelona and beyond: John and Ross are in Barcelona for the historic Catalans match against Wigan. They are joined in this episode by Warriors correspondent Phil Wilkinson to talk about the game at the Camp Nou, Shaun Wane, Super League and touch on the issues at Leeds... by By the Balls
38 min listen
Episode 39: James Ford sit down: John sits down with York City Knights coach James Ford. They talk about York's impressive start to 2019, James' background as a player, his coaching career, the transformation of the Knights, the future and more. by By the Balls
43 min listen
Episode 27: Karl Fitzpatrick and the Wire: John goes one on one with Warrington Wolves CEO Karl Fitzpatrick to discuss the state of Super League, Warrington's 2018 campaign, plans for 2019, the Robert Elston era and more. by By the Balls
44 min listen

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Episode 175: Money, Media and Mismanagement: John and Ross are back to discuss the first few rounds of Super League, the shocking situation at Featherstone Rovers and whether a player’s union is needed in UK rugby league. They also talk about the match review panel, the issue of media facilities... by By the Balls
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Episode 174: Super League 2024 Season Launch: John, Ross and Phil Caplan are live from the Aviva Studios in Manchester for the launch of the new Super League season. by By the Balls
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Episode 173: New beginnings: John is joined on the podcast by author and journalist Steve Mascord. The pair talk about the launch of the Championship and League 1 seasons, changes at Wakefield Trinity, the new concussion rules, Super League’s foray into streaming and a new... by By the Balls
26 min listen
Episode 172: Brett Kearney: We are joined by former professional rugby league player Brett Kearney. Brett, who retired in 2014, had spells with South Sydney, Cronulla and Bradford. Now an ambassador for the Brain Foundation, he joins us to talk about concussion in sport, his... by By the Balls
31 min listen
Episode 170: Gareth Ellis: Our special guest is Gareth Ellis. He joins us to talk about his new book, his amazing career, his plans for the future, his time in Super League, his time in the NRL and more. by By the Balls
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Episode 169: 2023 Super League Grand Final Preview: John and Ross are back to preview the 2023 Super League grand final between Catalans and Wigan. We discuss the main talking points of the big match, and the Championship grand final between London and Toulouse, and interview Jai Field and Matty Peet. by By the Balls
36 min listen
Episode 168: Broadcast deals, Relegation battles and playoff pushes: John and Ross discuss the new Super League TV deal, the battle to avoid relegation and the fight for the competition’s top six. They also look at the issues at Leeds Rhinos, Kevin Sinfield’s involvement with England rugby union and answer your questions. by By the Balls
56 min listen
Episode 167: Anthony Broxton: Anthony Broxton, author of ‘Hope and Glory: Rugby League in Thatcher’s Britain, joins the pod to talk about his new book. He chats about the changes in the UK and UK rugby league in the 1980s and 1990s, the influence of people like David Oxley and... by By the Balls
73 min listen
Episode 166: Redemption, Revival and Relegation: John and Ross are back to talk about the Super League relegation battle, Catalans’ title charge, Leeds and Leigh’s rise, and Warrington’s slide. We discuss revival at Hull FC and a slip at Salford. We also touch on Fev’s promotion push, the next World... by By the Balls
52 min listen
Episode 165: Jon Brady: Our special guest is Northampton Town manager Jon Brady. Jon take to us about clinching promotion to League One, dealing with heartbreak and disappointment, and his plans for the new season. He also chats about his background, his playing career in... by By the Balls
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Episode 164: Bayley Liu and No Limits: Our special guest is Sheffield Eagles utility Bayley Liu. He joins us to talk about his career, the amazing season to date with Sheffield and his background. He also chats about No Limits, the disability support service he runs that supports people... by By the Balls
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Episode 163: Success, struggles and streaming: John and Ross are back to talk about England’s huge double win over France, international teething problems, the Tonga series, the 2025 World Cup and IMG. They also touch on broadcast deals, rugby union’s wobbles and the work of player agents. by By the Balls
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Episode 161: The Magnificent Seven: Ross and John are back to review the first seven rounds of Super League. They discuss Warrington and Catalans’ great starts, the relegation battle, Hull FC’s struggles, Wakefield’s woes, Wigan, the Hull derby, IMG and more. by By the Balls
48 min listen
Episode 160: Tom Coyd: We sit down with Tom Coyd, head coach of England’s World Cup-winning wheelchair rugby league team. We talk about the World Cup win, the wheelchair game and its plans for growth and expansion. We discuss Tom’s journey and path in the sport, the next... by By the Balls
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Episode 171: Whitewashes, Magic mayhem and more

Episode 171: Whitewashes, Magic mayhem and more

Titles in the series (100)

More Episodes from By the Balls