Despite back to back wins over Canterbury to conclude the Super Smash round robin, the Wellington Firebirds season is over after winning just three of their nine completed games.
However, the Wellington Blaze's bid for their title defence continues to gain momentum, with their latest win over the Magicians keeping them tentatively at the top of the table a week out from the playoffs.
To look at both teams' seasons, Adam was joined by TVNZ commentator and former White Fern Frankie Mackay.
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
From junior netball ATTATAI to the Pulse at DSB.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
We've got it covered on the All Sport Breakfast with
Honda Storm Wellington Newstalks at B.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Eighteen past eight or on the All Sport Breakfast Let's
Chat Super Smash T twenty Domestic cricket now and the
playoffs are next weekend down in christ Church, but for
our Wellington teams there a regular season is wrapped up.
Both the Blaze and the Firebirds getting back to back
wins over Canterbury over the past week Monday at the
Basin on Anniversary Day and then down at Hagley Oval
(00:30):
last night, the Blaze topping the table a week out
from the playoffs. Firebirds couple of late wins for their season,
but not enough to get them back into the playoff picture.
They said a bit of a chat about all this though,
and former White fer now keep part of TVNZ's commentary
team is Frankie McKay who's with us now and was
at Hagley Oval yesterday afternoon and evening. Frankie, should we
start with the Blaze? I guess a week out from
(00:53):
the playoffs they just have to sit and watch. Now,
how the playoff picture will work for them. Do you
think they'll be comfortable with where things sit for them?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I think you've always got to be You've always got
to be a little bit comfortable when you're sitting top
of the table. That is a nice place to be,
for sure. But it is a slight quirk of the drawer.
They were really busy earlier on in the season, they
had a lot of cricket in a pretty short space
of time, and now they get to the patch where
you know you've got the central side, they've still got
two games to play. So that's a unique little wrinkle
(01:22):
in the competition that as the Wellington side the players
they are done, they just get to sit back and
watch and hope. I think they will really be hoping
that that central side doesn't end up with two wins,
doesn't end up with a chance to get back at
the top of the table, because I think especially the
weather we've had around, certainly they should be coming on
saying that it's always beautiful and sunny and perfect in
christ Church, but I think it's been the same to everyone.
(01:44):
The weather this summer has been very hard to predict,
very hard to deal with at times, So you know,
you want to lock in that top spot. You want
to be number one, So if in a week's time
the weather does roll in, then you're the one that
gets to go home with the trophy exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
You've been in this position as a winning player. Frankie,
How crucial is it getting to that Grand final not
having to play the elimination final or does that elimination
final help build some momentum for the decider.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I really can go either way. I think as a player,
initially you want to be number one, You want to
go through as that top qualifier. It just takes any
of that kind of pressure off. You don't if you're
thinking about rain and all those other things. You get
to sit back and you get to watch another game
get played the day before the final. You get to
see conditions, how the pitch plays, especially if you're not
at home. I think that's always nice to get I
(02:31):
guess a little bit of an insight into what goes
on without the stress of actually having to play that
elimination final and you turn up physically fresh and ready
to go. But we've seen it a lot across you know,
competitions worldwide. Is when you play that elimination final, if
you play well, you win it. You go into the
final all of a sudden, you take that momentum and
you're feeling good, you know conditions well, you're ready to go,
(02:52):
you're clear in your plans. And sometimes that team, if
they're able to get through that elimination final, the other
ones that turn up and play fantastically well come finals day.
So it's always an interesting one. But if you ask
me as a player with my player had on, I
want to be top of the table. I want to
put my feet up for an extra day and I
want to know in in my back pocket if whether
turns up or something a ry happens, then then I'm
(03:15):
going home with a trophy. So yeah, give me number
one spot all day long.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah great. The Blaze seven wins from their nine completed games.
This year. Been an interesting season for them personnel wise,
hasn't it? With Mealy Kerr there at the start then
leaving to go and play in India. Couple of the
Australian imports came back this year too, but they've also left. Now,
how commendable has it been for the team? Do you
think sort of adjusting to those those personnel changes quite
regularly through the season.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, very impressive, especially because there's a lot of younger
players or newer players in that Blaze group who are
having to take on slightly different roles, slightly new roles.
I mean, the seams are urgently with her promotion up
the order, and I think she's been great with bet
in hand, She's provided a really key link in that
middle order. I mean, Jess Kerr coming off at the
fantastic season she had last year, has just continued. Rebecca
(04:01):
Burns has been a little bit up and down the order,
but I think now that she's back to her favorite
opening spot, I think you see the best out of her.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Dear.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
But you know, as much as you love having those
players around, I mean merely Curb at least Pierri, they
can lay claim to being the best player in the world,
So you strow Maitland Brown in there. She's very, very experienced,
very good performer with both that and ball. Great to
have your team, amazing to have your team now for
so much on and off the field, But it does
create that little problem of well, what happens when they go,
how do we know shuffle the deck? How do we
(04:29):
make sure we keep that momentum going and there was
probably a couple of concerns straight away as soon as
merely Kurr left the competition, that there were a couple
of losses there for Wellington. We don't see that happen
often for the Blaze, especially not back to back. So
they had to go away and ask some questions of themselves.
And I think that's probably what stands them in great
stead come finals time, is the fact they they've been
(04:50):
under that pressure. They've had to adjust, they've had to
rethink things, they've had to maybe us some serious questions,
have a proper sit down with each other, especially the
senior players, and say well, how do we want to
do that? How do we make sure we there a
thereabouts come finals time, even without some of our stars.
And they've done it well, and I guess there's always
that little concern for other teams is do some of
(05:10):
those imports in a week's time come back for finals
cricket And we've just got to wait and see.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Them now one, yeah, we certainly do. Speaking of questions
being asked, Frankie, the Wellington Firebirds season came to an end,
which is quite remarkable given Tom Blundell has at this
point of the season, been the competition's top run scorer.
He's had a great campaign, averaging around forty right the
way through two great wins to finish the campaign, but
(05:35):
just not enough others around Tom Blundell that have sort
of helped Wellington to be able to solidify some wins here.
How disappointing do you think has the five Bird season?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
D Yeah, it's been an interesting one for them, actually,
I think, you know, watching them, it's not as though
they've played a lot of bad cricket. I think at
times they've just been a couple of percent off with
either that or with ball, or there's been some team
moment some games that they haven't managed to grasp. I
think it's been a really interesting one to watch them,
(06:05):
because often when you're talking about teams that are down
the bottom of the table and not picking up wins regularly,
you're talking about a team that it's not playing great
cricket and you're watching them and you're thinking, this looks tough,
and this looks like a group of players who are
out of form, who can't take a trick, and that
hasn't really ever been Wellington. It's just felt as though
there's big moments that they've let slip. There's big moments
(06:28):
that all of a sudden, they've probably looked up at
the school boarding around how we so far? How are
we so far out of this all of a sudden,
just with a couple of poor oss with either bat
or with ball. But yeah, I think they will. They
will look at the way that they've played the back
half of the competition, especially their last two or three games,
and they'll be they'll be pleased with the effort they've
gone out and shown. I think, you know, really exciting
(06:49):
to see a couple of the youngsters come in. Sam Morgan,
he's been he's been a revelation in his first two games.
He's made it look like super smash crickets the easiest
thing in the world with a couple of half centuries
Oscar Jackson. He looks like he's a cricketer who's got
something a bit about him. We've seen some cameos with
the bat, We've seen him, you know, he's exciting to
watch with the ball too. He was entrusted with bowling
(07:09):
the last over of the game in the last match
at Heagley. So the fact that you can bring in
some young talent, some exciting young players around, some of
those old kids who are performing like that, like a
Tom Blundell, like a Nick Kelly, he runs a he
runs a good ship, and he's got the captains on
there on. And of course you've got players like Logo
Van Veg Ben Sears. You know, they're exciting to watch
(07:29):
any day of the week. So the ingredients of the year,
and that's what I think will be the thing that's
probably frustrated them the most is is they've had a
good side. They've had good players available to them for
large patches of it. Yes, you use you lose your
Black Caps here and there throughout the competition, but I
think for a lot of it they have looked really
good on paper. And just the way they started the
season meant they didn't get that momentum, they didn't get
(07:51):
themselves in it in a good enough position on the table.
So when they had that late run, they're still sitting
there bottom of the table thinking, oh, that that could
have been a good year, and unfortunately it'll probably have
to be back to the drawing board a little bit
for them.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Indeed, Frank, you really appreciate your insight and enjoy the
last seven eight days of the competition.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Yeah, thanks very much. You can't wait. It's going to
be an exciting finish for sure.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
For more from News Talks, EDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
From junior netball ATTATAI to the Pulse at DSB.
Speaker 2 (00:04):
We've got it covered on the All Sport Breakfast with
Honda Storm Wellington Newstalks at B.
Speaker 1 (00:09):
Eighteen past eight or on the All Sport Breakfast Let's
Chat Super Smash T twenty Domestic cricket now and the
playoffs are next weekend down in christ Church, but for
our Wellington teams there a regular season is wrapped up.
Both the Blaze and the Firebirds getting back to back
wins over Canterbury over the past week Monday at the
Basin on Anniversary Day and then down at Hagley Oval
(00:30):
last night, the Blaze topping the table a week out
from the playoffs. Firebirds couple of late wins for their season,
but not enough to get them back into the playoff picture.
They said a bit of a chat about all this though,
and former White fer now keep part of TVNZ's commentary
team is Frankie McKay who's with us now and was
at Hagley Oval yesterday afternoon and evening. Frankie, should we
start with the Blaze? I guess a week out from
(00:53):
the playoffs they just have to sit and watch. Now,
how the playoff picture will work for them. Do you
think they'll be comfortable with where things sit for them?
Speaker 2 (01:01):
I think you've always got to be You've always got
to be a little bit comfortable when you're sitting top
of the table. That is a nice place to be,
for sure. But it is a slight quirk of the drawer.
They were really busy earlier on in the season, they
had a lot of cricket in a pretty short space
of time, and now they get to the patch where
you know you've got the central side, they've still got
two games to play. So that's a unique little wrinkle
(01:22):
in the competition that as the Wellington side the players
they are done, they just get to sit back and
watch and hope. I think they will really be hoping
that that central side doesn't end up with two wins,
doesn't end up with a chance to get back at
the top of the table, because I think especially the
weather we've had around, certainly they should be coming on
saying that it's always beautiful and sunny and perfect in
christ Church, but I think it's been the same to everyone.
(01:44):
The weather this summer has been very hard to predict,
very hard to deal with at times, So you know,
you want to lock in that top spot. You want
to be number one, So if in a week's time
the weather does roll in, then you're the one that
gets to go home with the trophy exactly.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
You've been in this position as a winning player. Frankie,
How crucial is it getting to that Grand final not
having to play the elimination final or does that elimination
final help build some momentum for the decider.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
I really can go either way. I think as a player,
initially you want to be number one, You want to
go through as that top qualifier. It just takes any
of that kind of pressure off. You don't if you're
thinking about rain and all those other things. You get
to sit back and you get to watch another game
get played the day before the final. You get to
see conditions, how the pitch plays, especially if you're not
at home. I think that's always nice to get I
(02:31):
guess a little bit of an insight into what goes
on without the stress of actually having to play that
elimination final and you turn up physically fresh and ready
to go. But we've seen it a lot across you know,
competitions worldwide. Is when you play that elimination final, if
you play well, you win it. You go into the
final all of a sudden, you take that momentum and
you're feeling good, you know conditions well, you're ready to go,
(02:52):
you're clear in your plans. And sometimes that team, if
they're able to get through that elimination final, the other
ones that turn up and play fantastically well come finals day.
So it's always an interesting one. But if you ask
me as a player with my player had on, I
want to be top of the table. I want to
put my feet up for an extra day and I
want to know in in my back pocket if whether
turns up or something a ry happens, then then I'm
(03:15):
going home with a trophy. So yeah, give me number
one spot all day long.
Speaker 1 (03:18):
Yeah great. The Blaze seven wins from their nine completed games.
This year. Been an interesting season for them personnel wise,
hasn't it? With Mealy Kerr there at the start then
leaving to go and play in India. Couple of the
Australian imports came back this year too, but they've also left. Now,
how commendable has it been for the team? Do you
think sort of adjusting to those those personnel changes quite
regularly through the season.
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Yeah, very impressive, especially because there's a lot of younger
players or newer players in that Blaze group who are
having to take on slightly different roles, slightly new roles.
I mean, the seams are urgently with her promotion up
the order, and I think she's been great with bet
in hand, She's provided a really key link in that
middle order. I mean, Jess Kerr coming off at the
fantastic season she had last year, has just continued. Rebecca
(04:01):
Burns has been a little bit up and down the order,
but I think now that she's back to her favorite
opening spot, I think you see the best out of her.
Speaker 1 (04:07):
Dear.
Speaker 2 (04:08):
But you know, as much as you love having those
players around, I mean merely Curb at least Pierri, they
can lay claim to being the best player in the world,
So you strow Maitland Brown in there. She's very, very experienced,
very good performer with both that and ball. Great to
have your team, amazing to have your team now for
so much on and off the field, But it does
create that little problem of well, what happens when they go,
how do we know shuffle the deck? How do we
(04:29):
make sure we keep that momentum going and there was
probably a couple of concerns straight away as soon as
merely Kurr left the competition, that there were a couple
of losses there for Wellington. We don't see that happen
often for the Blaze, especially not back to back. So
they had to go away and ask some questions of themselves.
And I think that's probably what stands them in great
stead come finals time, is the fact they they've been
(04:50):
under that pressure. They've had to adjust, they've had to
rethink things, they've had to maybe us some serious questions,
have a proper sit down with each other, especially the
senior players, and say well, how do we want to
do that? How do we make sure we there a
thereabouts come finals time, even without some of our stars.
And they've done it well, and I guess there's always
that little concern for other teams is do some of
(05:10):
those imports in a week's time come back for finals
cricket And we've just got to wait and see.
Speaker 1 (05:15):
Them now one, yeah, we certainly do. Speaking of questions
being asked, Frankie, the Wellington Firebirds season came to an end,
which is quite remarkable given Tom Blundell has at this
point of the season, been the competition's top run scorer.
He's had a great campaign, averaging around forty right the
way through two great wins to finish the campaign, but
(05:35):
just not enough others around Tom Blundell that have sort
of helped Wellington to be able to solidify some wins here.
How disappointing do you think has the five Bird season?
Speaker 2 (05:45):
D Yeah, it's been an interesting one for them, actually,
I think, you know, watching them, it's not as though
they've played a lot of bad cricket. I think at
times they've just been a couple of percent off with
either that or with ball, or there's been some team
moment some games that they haven't managed to grasp. I
think it's been a really interesting one to watch them,
(06:05):
because often when you're talking about teams that are down
the bottom of the table and not picking up wins regularly,
you're talking about a team that it's not playing great
cricket and you're watching them and you're thinking, this looks tough,
and this looks like a group of players who are
out of form, who can't take a trick, and that
hasn't really ever been Wellington. It's just felt as though
there's big moments that they've let slip. There's big moments
(06:28):
that all of a sudden, they've probably looked up at
the school boarding around how we so far? How are
we so far out of this all of a sudden,
just with a couple of poor oss with either bat
or with ball. But yeah, I think they will. They
will look at the way that they've played the back
half of the competition, especially their last two or three games,
and they'll be they'll be pleased with the effort they've
gone out and shown. I think, you know, really exciting
(06:49):
to see a couple of the youngsters come in. Sam Morgan,
he's been he's been a revelation in his first two games.
He's made it look like super smash crickets the easiest
thing in the world with a couple of half centuries
Oscar Jackson. He looks like he's a cricketer who's got
something a bit about him. We've seen some cameos with
the bat, We've seen him, you know, he's exciting to
watch with the ball too. He was entrusted with bowling
(07:09):
the last over of the game in the last match
at Heagley. So the fact that you can bring in
some young talent, some exciting young players around, some of
those old kids who are performing like that, like a
Tom Blundell, like a Nick Kelly, he runs a he
runs a good ship, and he's got the captains on
there on. And of course you've got players like Logo
Van Veg Ben Sears. You know, they're exciting to watch
(07:29):
any day of the week. So the ingredients of the year,
and that's what I think will be the thing that's
probably frustrated them the most is is they've had a
good side. They've had good players available to them for
large patches of it. Yes, you use you lose your
Black Caps here and there throughout the competition, but I
think for a lot of it they have looked really
good on paper. And just the way they started the
season meant they didn't get that momentum, they didn't get
(07:51):
themselves in it in a good enough position on the table.
So when they had that late run, they're still sitting
there bottom of the table thinking, oh, that that could
have been a good year, and unfortunately it'll probably have
to be back to the drawing board a little bit
for them.
Speaker 1 (08:04):
Indeed, Frank, you really appreciate your insight and enjoy the
last seven eight days of the competition.
Speaker 2 (08:09):
Yeah, thanks very much. You can't wait. It's going to
be an exciting finish for sure.
Speaker 1 (08:12):
For more from News Talks, EDB, listen live on air
or online, and keep our shows with you wherever you
go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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