The ANZ Premiership enters its final round with three of the six teams unable to advance to the playoffs.
It means the Pulse, Stars, and Magic are preparing for their final matches not knowing what the future holds, given the competition does not yet have a television deal for next season.
Adam Cooper spoke to Pulse coach Anna Andrews-Tasola about their final match, and what she knows about the future.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
We caught it tonight on the All Sport Breakfast. Will
(00:01):
the Pulse sand Stars meet in the A and Z
Premiership Final round today? Both teams out of the competition's
playoff race which starts next week. So how the Pulse
feeling only two wins from their nine games so far
this season, so closing their season today up at Auckland
coach Anna Andrews Desola is with us morning to your Anna.
Is it a bit of relief that we're here after
(00:22):
a disappointing campaign?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah? Absolutely, It's definitely been a tough stretch, not hasn't
been a season that we had worked for, but really
looking forward to this weekend against a really good a
good team, so it's could be a good matchup.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
You've known for maybe the last couple of weeks that
the playoffs were a little bit out of reach for
the Pulse, So.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
What's that done?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
So I guess that the mood around the team is
there disappointment or is there still you know, just a
bit of freedom now to be able to go out
and play for each other.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
In professional sports we always want to play to the
best of our belly, so we're disappointed of not being
able to reach the finals. We have a proud history
of making sure that we are a leading team. So
we're all very disappointed in how the season has finished
off for us, But any opportunity is a part of
a performance cycle. When you're building and growing a new team,
(01:16):
you have to go through these pieces. So it's really
important that we're disciplined on learning and growing and every
chance that we get to go out in court, that
we make sure that we.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Grow you and the team through the season.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Talked about, you know, just a lot of those combinations
that were new at the start of the season being
about to come right starting to clerk. Obviously, you got
that great win just a couple of weeks ago. Did
things come right as you had hoped or was there
still maybe some room for improvement at this point of
the season.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
After beating the top team a couple of weeks ago
and putting out a full sixty minute performance which we
had been working so hard for, and then last week,
we're really disappointed in the way that we finished that game.
It's not something that we're proud of. If we had
put out a full sixteen minute performance and still hadn't
won the game, then will be a little bit more
(02:05):
pleased with that result, but the way that we lost
the end of that game, we just have to take
accountability and look at ourselves and need to be better.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, what happened in that final quarter?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, we're not sure really, we're still trying to understand
what happened there. We think it's probably a bit of
a mental piece around being able to compete for the
full sixteen minutes in this type of environment. It's very
new for a lot of our players. There's five of
them that haven't had this much experience before of having
week and week out games at this level. So it's
(02:37):
a really good learning for us around how we can
be better moving forward.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, and just looking back on the season, do you
think when you go back to the start of the year,
you'd obviously lost several key players that have been part
of the polls for many years.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Do the Pulse feel the effects.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
More than other teams around the country of those players
going to Australia and just that the nature of the
changes to the competition.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
I think definitely, so something that has impacted us, But
we do have a great development program as well, but
other teams have taken advantage of that, and we have
a few of our development players are sprinkled throughout the country,
so we're lacking a bit of depth at the moment,
so it's important that we start and continue to grow
that as well. We also have our training partner Skuyla
(03:23):
who has headed off to Steal to finish the season
with them, so that's another good opportunity for our development
player as well.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
You look at the year as a whole. What positives
are you able to take out of a year when
the final scores of games weren't necessarily where you wanted
them to be.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, I think we've had We've got a few bonus points,
have been very close. But I think the only way
you can become experienced players is by staying on the
court and going through the tough times and just making
sure you're really disciplined on learning and growing. Also the
defensive end, with Paris Mason stepping up in our leadersh role,
with Colly Commons as well, who's new to our environment,
(04:05):
who's Achille as well, She's only twenty and she's done
a great job in there. And also all the young
ones that have come through and got more experience as well,
and cannot speak highly enough of our co captain Amelia Ran,
who's been phenomenal leading the team through this tough stretch.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
The Stars also out of the playoff race. So is
it going to be a bit of a fun game.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
No, Actually, it's going to be a tough game. Everyone's
going to be looking to make sure that we finish
off really well. There's still a lot to play for.
There's still a firm selections to play for, so I
know everyone's going to turn up and make sure that
the game's really competitive and it's going to be an
exciting game.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
What certainty do you have around next to Yanna regarding
I guess just contracting your role. Is there anything that's
clear about that possible twenty twenty seven season yet at the.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Stage, I understand that everyone's working extremely hard to be
able to secure a great future for Aims Premiership before.
We have no information as of yet, so we're all
being patient. That's all the performance staff and the athletes,
and we know the right people are working really hard
to be able to help the game grow. We've had
sold out stadium, we've had great coverage, so the product
(05:16):
is there. So it's just around how we can make
sure we can future proof that moving forward.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Is it tough to build that, you know, grow that
depth that we know we have in the central zone.
As you said, you know it was needed this year
that the next players in line. Is it tough for
the long term when at the moment it just feels
like it's a year on year kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, it's been very It's very challenging and tough, but
we are all here for the game and for our community,
and we know how much our community loves the game
and it continues to grow in the participation space as well.
So we've got a new board, new CEO coming on board,
so looking forward to their strategic thinking and their vision
(05:59):
for the game.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Great, And just to wrap up, you're referred to it there.
But there's been some great crowds for the Pulse right
through the season as always, but particularly this year. I'm
sure it would have been appreciated by the team. What
would you like to say to the fans that have
stuck with the team this year?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, absolutely, just on behalf of the whole organization and team,
we cannot thank you enough for all your support. We
go out there to play for you and make you
proud through inspirational performances and we're looking forward to a
strong finish and then hopefully heading into twenty twenty seven,
we go again.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Always appreciate your time, Anna, thanks for chatting. Go well
with the final hit out this weekend. No mahe Anna
Andrews Desola with us here on the All Sport breakfasts.
I don't know how Netbell finds itself in these positions,
but another period of uncertainty looming for the Pulse, everyone
involved in that organization, all the teams around the country
as to what is happening next year. But that game
against the Stars underway at four pm this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
For more from News Talks b listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
We caught it tonight on the All Sport Breakfast. Will
(00:01):
the Pulse sand Stars meet in the A and Z
Premiership Final round today? Both teams out of the competition's
playoff race which starts next week. So how the Pulse
feeling only two wins from their nine games so far
this season, so closing their season today up at Auckland
coach Anna Andrews Desola is with us morning to your Anna.
Is it a bit of relief that we're here after
(00:22):
a disappointing campaign?
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Yeah? Absolutely, It's definitely been a tough stretch, not hasn't
been a season that we had worked for, but really
looking forward to this weekend against a really good a
good team, so it's could be a good matchup.
Speaker 1 (00:37):
You've known for maybe the last couple of weeks that
the playoffs were a little bit out of reach for
the Pulse, So.
Speaker 3 (00:43):
What's that done?
Speaker 1 (00:44):
So I guess that the mood around the team is
there disappointment or is there still you know, just a
bit of freedom now to be able to go out
and play for each other.
Speaker 3 (00:53):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
In professional sports we always want to play to the
best of our belly, so we're disappointed of not being
able to reach the finals. We have a proud history
of making sure that we are a leading team. So
we're all very disappointed in how the season has finished
off for us, But any opportunity is a part of
a performance cycle. When you're building and growing a new team,
(01:16):
you have to go through these pieces. So it's really
important that we're disciplined on learning and growing and every
chance that we get to go out in court, that
we make sure that we.
Speaker 3 (01:24):
Grow you and the team through the season.
Speaker 1 (01:26):
Talked about, you know, just a lot of those combinations
that were new at the start of the season being
about to come right starting to clerk. Obviously, you got
that great win just a couple of weeks ago. Did
things come right as you had hoped or was there
still maybe some room for improvement at this point of
the season.
Speaker 3 (01:44):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 2 (01:44):
After beating the top team a couple of weeks ago
and putting out a full sixty minute performance which we
had been working so hard for, and then last week,
we're really disappointed in the way that we finished that game.
It's not something that we're proud of. If we had
put out a full sixteen minute performance and still hadn't
won the game, then will be a little bit more
(02:05):
pleased with that result, but the way that we lost
the end of that game, we just have to take
accountability and look at ourselves and need to be better.
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Yeah, what happened in that final quarter?
Speaker 2 (02:14):
Yeah, we're not sure really, we're still trying to understand
what happened there. We think it's probably a bit of
a mental piece around being able to compete for the
full sixteen minutes in this type of environment. It's very
new for a lot of our players. There's five of
them that haven't had this much experience before of having
week and week out games at this level. So it's
(02:37):
a really good learning for us around how we can
be better moving forward.
Speaker 1 (02:41):
Yeah, and just looking back on the season, do you
think when you go back to the start of the year,
you'd obviously lost several key players that have been part
of the polls for many years.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Do the Pulse feel the effects.
Speaker 1 (02:51):
More than other teams around the country of those players
going to Australia and just that the nature of the
changes to the competition.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
I think definitely, so something that has impacted us, But
we do have a great development program as well, but
other teams have taken advantage of that, and we have
a few of our development players are sprinkled throughout the country,
so we're lacking a bit of depth at the moment,
so it's important that we start and continue to grow
that as well. We also have our training partner Skuyla
(03:23):
who has headed off to Steal to finish the season
with them, so that's another good opportunity for our development
player as well.
Speaker 1 (03:32):
You look at the year as a whole. What positives
are you able to take out of a year when
the final scores of games weren't necessarily where you wanted
them to be.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Yeah, I think we've had We've got a few bonus points,
have been very close. But I think the only way
you can become experienced players is by staying on the
court and going through the tough times and just making
sure you're really disciplined on learning and growing. Also the
defensive end, with Paris Mason stepping up in our leadersh role,
with Colly Commons as well, who's new to our environment,
(04:05):
who's Achille as well, She's only twenty and she's done
a great job in there. And also all the young
ones that have come through and got more experience as well,
and cannot speak highly enough of our co captain Amelia Ran,
who's been phenomenal leading the team through this tough stretch.
Speaker 1 (04:20):
The Stars also out of the playoff race. So is
it going to be a bit of a fun game.
Speaker 2 (04:26):
No, Actually, it's going to be a tough game. Everyone's
going to be looking to make sure that we finish
off really well. There's still a lot to play for.
There's still a firm selections to play for, so I
know everyone's going to turn up and make sure that
the game's really competitive and it's going to be an
exciting game.
Speaker 1 (04:42):
What certainty do you have around next to Yanna regarding
I guess just contracting your role. Is there anything that's
clear about that possible twenty twenty seven season yet at the.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
Stage, I understand that everyone's working extremely hard to be
able to secure a great future for Aims Premiership before.
We have no information as of yet, so we're all
being patient. That's all the performance staff and the athletes,
and we know the right people are working really hard
to be able to help the game grow. We've had
sold out stadium, we've had great coverage, so the product
(05:16):
is there. So it's just around how we can make
sure we can future proof that moving forward.
Speaker 1 (05:21):
Is it tough to build that, you know, grow that
depth that we know we have in the central zone.
As you said, you know it was needed this year
that the next players in line. Is it tough for
the long term when at the moment it just feels
like it's a year on year kind of thing.
Speaker 2 (05:36):
Yeah, it's been very It's very challenging and tough, but
we are all here for the game and for our community,
and we know how much our community loves the game
and it continues to grow in the participation space as well.
So we've got a new board, new CEO coming on board,
so looking forward to their strategic thinking and their vision
(05:59):
for the game.
Speaker 3 (06:00):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (06:00):
Great, And just to wrap up, you're referred to it there.
But there's been some great crowds for the Pulse right
through the season as always, but particularly this year. I'm
sure it would have been appreciated by the team. What
would you like to say to the fans that have
stuck with the team this year?
Speaker 2 (06:13):
Yeah, absolutely, just on behalf of the whole organization and team,
we cannot thank you enough for all your support. We
go out there to play for you and make you
proud through inspirational performances and we're looking forward to a
strong finish and then hopefully heading into twenty twenty seven,
we go again.
Speaker 1 (06:30):
Always appreciate your time, Anna, thanks for chatting. Go well
with the final hit out this weekend. No mahe Anna
Andrews Desola with us here on the All Sport breakfasts.
I don't know how Netbell finds itself in these positions,
but another period of uncertainty looming for the Pulse, everyone
involved in that organization, all the teams around the country
as to what is happening next year. But that game
against the Stars underway at four pm this afternoon.
Speaker 3 (06:54):
For more from News Talks b listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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