The Tip Sheet - 2022 Ep 82: Parra Surges On, Sloan's Plea & The Ikin/Walters Divide

As the Parramatta Eels surge into the Grand Final Qualifier against the North Queensland Cowboys, The Tip Sheet takes a moment to step back and reassess the bigger picture. Spiro joins Sixties and Forty20 to talk about all the happenings around the league and indulge just a wee bit in the glorious win over the Canberra Raiders. The show starts by winding everything back to Friday night as Spiro delivers his takes on the breakthrough victory and what it means for the club. The panel then looks at the status of Tom Opacic and the inclusion of Bryce Cartwright ahead of the trip to Townsville this week. The conversation eventually turns to the unique position that the Parramatta Eels hold inside the domain of the media and why negativity seems to follow them - even after clearing the hurdles set for them in 2022. Next up is the bid by Tyrell Sloan to leave the Dragons. It is the latest chapter of player-vs-club contract drama and the dilemma faced by young stars who need to establish themselves quickly lest they get cast aside is the main theme of the discussion. That chat turns Northwards to Brisbane as rumours of a divide between Ben Ikin and Kevin Walters emerged this week. The Sydney Roosters dominated the RLPA Team Of The Year which leads Sixties to pose the question - did they underperform? The conversation opens up the idea that rugby league players can lead surprisingly insular lifestyles when it comes to the game itself and how that can impact these sort of votes. The show closes out with Spiro delivering his predictions for Friday night and how the Eels will book their place in the big dance come next week!