Now the countdown continues to this afternoon.

Sold out prelim final between the Broncos and the Panthers at Suncorp Stadium.

It's a rematch of the 2023 decider, as both teams set their sights on qualifying for this year's grand final, so I thought we'd check in with a legend of the game who actually played for both the Broncos and the Panthers throughout his career.

Trevor the Axe Gillmeister is his name.

He was also a two time premiership winner with the Broncos, and I'm pleased to say he joins us on the line.

Trevor, good afternoon to you mate.

Yeah good afternoon boys.

What's happening?

Not much mate.

Well it's an the afternoon should be a cracker.

How do you see this one panning out.

Oh geez.

Um, it's like the whole year.

It's, uh.

How do you work it out?

It's, uh, you know, toss of the coin, but, I mean, I think Penrith deserved to be favourites, there's no doubt about that, because they're on a roll and, uh, they've been there before.

Um, obviously Pat Carrigan's a loss obviously too for the Broncos, so.

But yeah.

No, mate, I don't think there'll be nothing in this game if Reece Walsh has that, you know, nine out of ten again.

Um, you know, I think, mate, anything can.

Anything's possible.

Okay.

Gilly.

Sorry, sorry.

Big man.

Gilly.

What about Sunday afternoon?

Football?

The weather, the day time.

It looks hot there in Brisbane at the moment.

Perfect conditions.

Really?

Oh, it doesn't get any better.

And I.

I'm all for afternoon footy, um, especially on a Sunday afternoon.

And I was at a couple of Bronco games uh, this year.

Uh, through the afternoon and, and it's a bit of quality game, you know what I mean?

Like it's and you know, it's no, no ju on the ball.

Um, honestly, I obviously the, you know, the TV obviously determines when it's played, but I mean, I firmly believe it's a better quality game on a Sunday afternoon, especially grand final.

Yeah.

I think there's a bit of momentum building that way, mate.

Mate, you played for both clubs, would you classify yourself as a Panthers legend?

No no.

No.

No.

I would classify you as Panthers legend.

No no no.

You can join me.

I'm one.

Yeah, I know you are.

You tell me that all the time.

Well, I'm trying to boost you up a bit.

Get you up in that upper echelon of legends.

Yeah, well.

Well, we're we're a pair of Norths devils.

That's right.

I forgot about that.

Mighty devils.

I'm actually going up there doing a gig up there in the off season.

Yeah, we're doing it together.

Oh.

Yeah.

You're taking the coin.

You don't even know who you're doing it with.

No, all I said, look, make sure you get someone decent.

That's a bit.

About the the little old fellas.

Yeah.

Oh, that'll be great.

I'm looking forward to spending.

Quality time.

With.

You.

North Devils legends.

That's beautiful mate.

I can't remember what I was going to ask you anyway.

Yeah.

What what do you.

I know you think you said Penrith deserved to be fired, said I agree.

I think they do deserve to be favourites.

Where do you think there.

I mean, obviously clear is the obvious answer.

Where do you think they've got an advantage?

Oh mate yo yo yo is the he's the glue.

Now as I said Kerrigan's not playing so.

But I think Joe's the he's the difference between both teams really to be honest I know Nathan Cleary obviously Adam Randall's the halves you know and Reece Walsh obviously the superstars Dylan Edwards um you know all that type of thing.

And but I think Joe's the glue to the Penrith Panthers.

And I've been lucky enough to work with him in the Australian side, uh, a couple of years ago over overseas in the World Cup.

And, and he just he demands respect.

Um, he gives respect, but he, you know, he looks at all the players and they all listen to him.

So that's to me that's that's a player who's got the ultimate respect for his team.

And the opposition have as well.

But, um, but the beauty about even their, you know, their last game, um, obviously, uh, the Panthers, you know, Allen Monte, like, you know, he was on fire.

Um, scores a couple of great tries, and, um, Casey McLean, um, you know, talangai, you know, like, they're they're only young fellas.

And, I mean, how good is it to see?

I mean, honestly, you got to give him a huge rap, uh, Penrith, because they lose all these players, and obviously they've got another crop coming through, you know what I mean?

But, um, you've got to take your hat off to them because at the procession just keeps on coming, doesn't it?

Yeah.

Aghili on the Broncos.

Like if they are to win and get over this, you know, powerful Penrith outfit.

I know you've already mentioned Reece Walsh, but there's a couple of other guys there as well that are going to have to have big games from him.

One in particular Payne Haas up front.

Yeah you're right.

And Corey Jensen too I think he's had a good season.

Corey Jensen he's played really well.

Um I, I wouldn't be surprised if they put Kobe Hetherington into 13 and put Tyson smoothie on the bench.

I wouldn't be surprised if that happened.

Xavier Willison he's had a good year.

He had a crack in that arm, so apparently that's not too bad as well.

But um, yeah.

So their bench Ezra man.

See like two.

He's on the bench.

So what are they going to do there?

Do they put Benny Hunt back into the nine and then get him, um, Ezra to hook up again with, uh, Adam Reynolds, uh, during the, you know, through that part of it, maybe 20 minutes into the game.

I'm not real sure, but.

Yeah, it's.

Yeah, I'm it's a forward.

It'll be a forward clash early.

Don't worry about it.

As you said, it's pretty hot here today.

So, um, the forwards will be, um, doing it a bit tough.

So hopefully, you know, I think, um, as I said, I think the Broncos can get it done, but, jeez, it's, it's they'll have to be at a nine out of ten for most of their players.

You know what I mean.

Mate?

It's funny you mention Kobe Hetherington I heard him interview the other day.

He's an er, chip off the old block.

He was completely different to the way I thought he would would speak, but but his form, his form has been in the last month since since they've had, since the Broncos have found a bit of form.

You know, I know he doesn't get noticed very often, but I reckon it could be on the back of him.

He's done a lot of great stuff for them in the last month.

Yeah.

You're right.

And um, like I think he's because he's he hasn't I mean, he hasn't played a lot of footy to be honest.

You know, I mean like so he's been like a bench type player.

So I think the more games and the game time he's got you know and we're all at that stage of our lives.

You know when we were younger and and you just you're used to playing you know um so so many minutes and then all of a sudden um, you know like the you go, someone leaves you out there for another 20 minutes or 30 minutes and you go and you get used to it.

So you, your body becomes accustomed to it.

You know what I mean?

So I think he's at that stage now that he can he can play longer minutes and um, defensively.

Yeah.

Because he's a fairly tall fella and I think he, I think he takes him by surprise.

Daryl.

When, when he, when he cuts him in half, you know, they don't expect him to bend their back.

You know he's been I think he's been particularly good the last month or so.

He's done some really great stuff.

So his father would be very proud of him.

Yeah.

And he is his dad, you know.

You know.

Do you speak to Jason a lot?

Oh, yeah.

Speak to him a fair bit every now and then if I can understand him.

So.

Is that, is that based on what time of day it is or.

Or not.

That's just.

That's him.

That's him.

Him.

Him at breakfast.

Listen, good luck this afternoon.

Uh, I hope it's a really, really good game.

Are you getting out there today, Trev?

Yeah, I'll be out there.

I'm doing a little bit for channel seven, but, um, you know, I'm there to make the rest of them look good.

But anyway, it's it's.

Yeah, it'd be great.

I'm really looking forward to it.

It'd be a cracker of a game.

Yeah.

Still.

Did you read the sport for channel seven or was it someone else?

No, no, it was Weki.

Meki.

I can't tell me name.

Mate.

No, Gillies.

Gillies.

The expert comments.

Man.

Yeah.

Okay.

Yeah.

Tied up with the network.

Cheers.

You've got it.

You've had a gig there for a while.

Oh, yeah.

I can't be bought.

Daryl I know, jumped from nine over there straight away.

You're good.

You're very good very quickly.

Yeah, well, enjoy your time out there Jillian.

Thanks for joining us on on this Sunday afternoon, mate.

Have a good day, boys.

See ya.

See ya.

Hey, can I say after listening to that.

He's one of the great.

Oh yeah.

But after listening to that, if you lived in Brisbane, you'd have got to go to that Norths lunch with Jillian.

Daryl?

That'd be that good.

Yeah we are.

As I said, I didn't realise he was doing it as well.

I thought I was the headline act, but clearly I'm not.

So I'm looking there's actually I'm doing one on a Friday and there's one on the Saturday to be the old boys as well.

So it's it'll be a big weekend up there.

I'm looking forward to it sometime in October.