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February 19, 2025 • 19 mins

On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave and Jason Pine for Thursday 20 February 2025, South Island Kea CEO David Moffett talks about the One NZ Warriors attempting to halt plans of an expanded New Zealand side into the NRL. 

D'Arcy delivers an opinion piece on the Black Caps' impressive opening Champions Trophy match against Pakistan. 

Plus, the lads join the panel to discuss why the Warriors aren't wanting to grow the game further in NZ. 

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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks ed B.
Follow this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:22):
Hello there, and welcome into today's episode of the Sports
Fixed podcast. It's great to be here, Thursday, February twenty.
I'm Jason Pine.

Speaker 3 (00:29):
Oh look who's back on, Darcy Walter Grave. It's okay.
I keep the seat warm when you're out of there, mate,
but I'm glad to have you back in the chaos again.

Speaker 2 (00:38):
It's good to be in the chaos, and it's good
to be here on a day where we can celebrate
a black Caps win in the opening match of the
Champions Trophy and also kick around a couple of pretty
meaty issues. You've got one. David Moffett lined up to
chat to us today.

Speaker 3 (00:51):
Yeah, of course. David Moffat dar CEO of how many
different sports teams and organizations I don't know, but currently
he's the South Island Kia bid for the NRL. He's
their CEO, and we'll talk to him about well, what
the worries are up to and whether there is actually
room for an other team and are they actively blocking
what's happening in the NRL. They seem to want to

(01:15):
look after their patch and not a lot will come
into it. So that interesting conversation with Dave Moffatt coming up.

Speaker 2 (01:21):
Yeah, looking forward to that. I've some good questions to
ask him, some good answers from David Moffatt, no doubt.
So without any further ado, let's get into it. In
other news, let's get things underway with a look at
the big sports stories around today. The black Caps have
beaten Pakistan and the opening Champions Trophy one Day Cricket
International in Karachi.

Speaker 4 (01:43):
That's it.

Speaker 3 (01:44):
It's all over.

Speaker 1 (01:45):
New Zealand win this match convincingly by sixty runs.

Speaker 3 (01:50):
It's been a polished performance.

Speaker 2 (01:51):
The New Zilla may three hundred and twenty for five,
Will Young and Tom Latham scoring centuries Pakistan and reply
all out for two hundred and sixty. Warrior's coach Andrew
Webster welcoming attempts to get American President Donald Trump to
attend the NRL's season opening double header in Las Vegas.

Speaker 3 (02:09):
It's awesome to put our game on the map, you know,
particularly the State States is the biggest sporting location in
the world. Having those guys around can help promote it.
I mean Donald Trump did one of his amazing tweets
about there, and that'll be pretty cool.

Speaker 2 (02:21):
In Manchester City have missed out on the Champions League
Round of sixteen for the first time in twelve seasons.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Row Madred imperious that there was no great challenge for
the Champions on.

Speaker 1 (02:33):
The night for Pep Cardiol as Manchester City.

Speaker 3 (02:37):
There's an end of empire feel about it.

Speaker 1 (02:39):
Leading of Vix, We've got just the ticket. It's Sports
Fix how By News talks.

Speaker 3 (02:44):
Ivy and it's a warm welcome to the Sports Vex podcast.
To David Moffatt. He is the South Island k CEO.
That's a bid to go into the n R. Ali
joins us now to talk about that and the Warriors.
Good day to you, David. I'm doing very well. Interesting

(03:04):
story today in the Herald. Trevan McKeown, former cel A
is again of the Warriors, writing this down about the Warriors,
about are the Key and other expansion teams coming through.
Suggestion here is that the Warriors are probably more interested
in looking after their patch than they are for the
good of rugby league in this country. Is that a

(03:25):
fierce statement? Do you think David.

Speaker 4 (03:27):
I think it absolutely is. You know that, what have
they done in the last twenty five, twenty seven years,
whatever it is, they've by any measure, I mean, I
think they managed to get to a Grand Final once.
But outside of that, you know, and it's still happening.
They just don't perform on the field. For them to
suggest that there shouldn't be another team in New Zealand

(03:48):
shows that they don't have any knowledge about the game
in this country and they actually don't have much knowledge
of our sport because all they need to do is
look next door at what's happening with the with the AFC,
the Auckland Football Club and the amount of interest there
is because of this rivalry they have built in with

(04:10):
with Wellington Phoenix and it would be even more than
that with rugby league. You know what, do we enjoy
our rivalries here in New Zealand and there's no bigger
rivalry between Auckland and christ Church.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
It's not with the Warriors though it looks like actively
blocking or being heard to be blocking this. Do you
understand from their point of view that they are looking
after their patch and they see that as being something
that is rightly theirs if you're a CE, are you
be doing the same thing, wouldn't you, David, I.

Speaker 4 (04:46):
Don't think so, mate, because I can understand that if
you've got another team, it'll actually make you perform better.
But then again, I think, I think this guy who's
running the Warriors comes out of a racing background, which
actually is a monopoly. Racing is a monopoly, both in
Australia and in this country, and he's now trying to
actually maintain a monopoly that I said, he's done nothing.

(05:07):
They've done nothing thing with for twenty five years. They
started coming down here and playing an odd game down here,
but that's all. You know. My view is that, you know,
we would most likely show them up if we got
a license, and you know, I have no doubt that
we would certainly get them to improve their own organization

(05:29):
because let's face it, it's hardly fit for purpose. We
actually want, fervently want the Warriors to be successful because
whilst ever they're unsuccessful, the NRL says, oh, well, look
New Zealand, you know hasn't got enough talent, even though
fifty percent of the players playing in the NRL come
from this part of the world and the Islands I mean,

(05:50):
you know, so we want them to be successful, but
they're not.

Speaker 3 (05:53):
There's a number of consortiums looking to climb into this
and have this second franchise, but there's been nothing from
the Arl. Has there come a time when something like
the lights of the care and so and so forth go.
We've gone as far as we can. We're besting a
heating against a brick wall. They don't want us know more,
because you've been very insistent, but there's nothing come back
that almost suggests like you're wasting it time.

Speaker 4 (06:17):
Well, yeah, we could be, but we're not a group
of people that are going to give in. You know,
we are doing this for one reason only and that
is for christ Church. You know, we are a city
that has come through some horrific times, you know, with
the earthquakes, and the city is being rebuilt and it's
it's going to be a great city and the council

(06:37):
are doing a phenomenal job and so therefore we're doing
this for christ Church, the city and also Rugby League
fans in the South Island. I mean, we've got we've
got access to two covered stadiums in the South Island
because we'd take a game or two down to Dunedin
and what sort of stadiums are they playing up there
in Auckland will be it'll be twenty years before they

(06:58):
get a decent stadium up there the way they're going,
and you know, we're already, we're ready to go, We're
fit and ready to go does and yeah, we're not
going to give it. What I've said is, look, we
understand where you're at, but if you want to reopen
negotiations and discussions, then we're here, we're real and we're

(07:19):
ready to go at a moment's notice.

Speaker 3 (07:21):
I think they should be able to have to reapply
for their license. So it's actually a battleground you can
both engage in because to the man of Born, they
do have this license and it looks like they're not
going to let it go. Is there a thought process
here that maybe they shouldn't hang on to it forever?

Speaker 4 (07:38):
Well, I actually suggested the other day in the media
that perhaps it's about time they were asked to reapply
for their license and to see how they do under
those conditions, and then put conditions upon keeping a license,
you know, I asked myself, I thought was an interesting question.
Is there any sunset clause? On any licenses for any

(08:00):
of the clubs or are they there in perpetuity or
until one of them might go broke or whatever. So yeah,
I mean I think that's a very valid question. But anybody,
I think who is taking the view that the Warriors
owners and management are taking at the moment that they

(08:20):
don't want any other team in New Zealand. I mean,
I don't give us stuff about or They can look
after Auckland, they can look after the whole of the
North Island. But we are a very proud rugby league
community down here and it's growing.

Speaker 3 (08:33):
Sorry, the growth of the game obviously is important from
a New Zealand perspective as well as opposed to just
the growth of one club. Do you propose to help
with the growth of the game as opposed to maybe
just looking after your own interests.

Speaker 4 (08:47):
Well absolutely, We've already made contact with numerous of the
islands and you know, if we were to get a
get a license, we would immediately get involved with the
other islands, Stonga, the Cook Islands, you know, to get
that stuff going. We want to become like Penrith, We

(09:10):
want to become a net exporter of talent into the NRL.
And that's something that we've been very clear on. But
I think you know, it's all about people looking after
their own interests. And let me make this point as well.
Rugby in New Zealand is a little bit on its
knees at the moment. And if ever rugby League the

(09:33):
NRL wanted to take on rugby in this country, they
shouldn't be waiting another five years because rugby will get
it back together eventually. We're starting to see a little
bit of a change in the way the game is played,
certainly in the Northern hemisphere, and I don't think that
bodes well for us. But they are starting to move
the ball about a bit more than we've been seeing
in the last twenty years.

Speaker 3 (09:55):
Have you had any contact with the Warriors? Does it
even come into the equation at all? Does it matter?

Speaker 4 (10:00):
I know it doesn't matter. I'd actually don't want to
talk to them. I just want to be, you know,
a bur under their saddle cloths. I want to develop
up a real strong rivalry from day one, because that's
what I mean. And the NRL should be bending over
backwards to develop this rivalry between Auckland and christ Church.

(10:20):
Where where is the natural rivalry between P and G
and anybody or the Western you know, they'll say, oh,
the Bears, but you know they haven't got anywhere near
the following that they claim. But then the biggest natural rivalry,
it's almost and its sort of state of origin like
would be between the North Island and the South Island.
And it's a bit frustrating when you can't seem to

(10:42):
get that message through.

Speaker 3 (10:44):
David Moffatt, Thanks very much for joining the program. I
get the feeling this story isn't going to end for
some time. But overarching, we just want to seek a
team in the NRL. That's what it comes down to.

Speaker 4 (10:55):
Thanks mate.

Speaker 1 (10:56):
So this is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports
news powered by News Talks.

Speaker 3 (11:05):
Last night, the black Heads hit the ground running with
the flame at their feet by beating Pakistan in the
first a game of the Champions Trophy. So much to
like about that performance, and as I touched on last
night on Sports Talk, primarily it wasn't how well the
black Caps went, it was how poorly the Pakistanis dealt

(11:26):
with the pressure. What pressure well, playing a major tournament
at home for the first time in decades, they couldn't
deal with the pressure applied to them by the crowd,
by the black Caps, and more importantly by themselves. Watching
them unravel in the last ten overs, watching them pointing,
watching them grimacing, watching them blame storming, while a very

(11:48):
amused to Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips watched on was
really quite something else. It was then you knew that
the Pakistani simply didn't have enough to chase down that
massive score. We also saw the return to form of
Tom Latham. He touched on it with a sketchy fifty
last time around against Pakistan, but when it really counts,

(12:08):
he counted a beautiful century, a well paced sentry, peppered
with the majestic stroke play, especially in the sweeping region
that we know he possesses well Young he's the Matt
Henry of the batting attack. He's always there to fill
a gap when required, and when he gets his role
full time, not unlike Matt Henry, he will provide. I'm

(12:30):
absolutely certain of that what happens next time he plays.
If he plays, it's a case of Devon Conway versus
Will Young. So I'm very interested in what the decision
is there and what they base that on. And then
of course you look at the bowling. We didn't see
much of Nathan Smith, but Kyle Jamison is over there
and i'd expect had come in as a replacement. This

(12:53):
is a great way to start this tournament. It is confident,
it is assured and from times it was absolutely brutal.
Get up, watch it and stay awake as long as
you can. It's worth it.

Speaker 1 (13:06):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.

Speaker 2 (13:11):
Into the Chamber we go to kick around the main
sporting issues of today, one of which is what you've
just been speaking to David Moffat about what we you
main takeaways from your conversation with him.

Speaker 3 (13:20):
It sounds terrible, but I really get the feeling that
the narl just aren't interested. Regardless that they pay lip service,
but they don't seem to want to connect or contact
or talk. They're more interested in Western Australia or Papua
New Guinea and Chinese money. I think they're bashing their
head against the brick wall. But as David said, well,

(13:45):
we're pretty bloody minded. We're going to get we want.
We're not going to give up. And as far as
the Warriors are consented, you understand that, don't you. Piney
around looking after your own patch, why would you give
it to somebody else? Or, as Moffatt pointed out, having
a competition like with the AKFC in the Phoenix is

(14:06):
actually going to be better for the Warriors, going to
be better for everybody.

Speaker 2 (14:10):
Yeh see. I fall on the second side of that,
the latter of those two things only, I guess because
to us, I've seen what rivalry and a derby has
done to the A League in very quick time. It's
become the hottest ticket in town and on Saturday, I'll
be there at Mount Smart along with twenty seven thousand
others to watch a game of football between two New
Zealand sides. Look, I get both sides of the argument,

(14:32):
but I think competition in any industry, and particularly in
sports is a good thing. I can understand why the
Warriors would rather be kings of the New Zealand Castle
when it comes to the NRL. I'm sure the Phoenix
thought exactly the same way. They would probably in their
private moments, prefer that it was still just them. But
you cannot deny what competition has done to the A League.

(14:55):
And you know, notwithstanding what you've said about the fact
that it might never happen anyway. I think a second
New Zealand team would be very good for rugby league
in this country.

Speaker 3 (15:03):
Now I'll be all over it. And as for the derby,
you have to be there because you're calling it. You're
not really part of a sellout because you didn't pay
for your ticket, did you, piney?

Speaker 2 (15:12):
No, I did not pay for the ticket. I was.
I was handed a pass which gets me in, gets
me in a back corridor of go media and up
to the box. I can't wait, look I I In fact,
in many ways I wish I was sitting out with
the port or standing with the port.

Speaker 3 (15:25):
Just a quick word on that again, another huge derby.
It just underlines how good this is for the sport
and whether you like it or not, I'm still watching,
and I'm watching both teams. I can't help myself now.
I never thought i'd ever say that it's not stopped.
I'm gripped, mate, gripped.

Speaker 2 (15:41):
Yep, it's It's been a real boon all right now,
you and I. I'm sure I had similar sleeping patterns
last night. I tried to watch as much of New
Zealand dinings as I could last night, got through to
about one o'clock in the morning, at which point Tom
Latham was merely going on his way towards the century.
Then I wake up every sort of forty five minutes
to check the Pakistan and ths what a start for

(16:02):
the Black Caps at the Champions Trophy.

Speaker 3 (16:04):
Yeah, I stayed away till two o'clock. I was going
to go about one the last ten overs Kirby interesting
the way they've set their store out and wha was
it interesting? That was an absolute assault. It really was
on Pakistan. And as I've mentioned, I think the pressure
on Pakistan to perform at home in this big tournament
in their backyard, the pressure from the fans are from themselves.

(16:28):
It was too much. They really started unraveling in that
last ten overs and it didn't obviously get much better.
But this is a perfect launching pad. It's huge for
this team.

Speaker 2 (16:38):
Absolutely right. And in such a short tournament format where
you've got three Paul games and then only the top
two go through, winning the first game is such a boost.
And while Bangladesh do have the potential to chuck a
banana skin under the feet of the Black Apps, I
think they will well and truly back themselves to beat
Bangladesh and then go into that final group game against
India knowing that even defeat there might not matter, they

(17:01):
might still be through. But this seems like a team
full of confidence starts and look, isn't it amazing what
a few warm up games can do?

Speaker 3 (17:08):
Ah, I know exacly what you're referencing. Good on you, elbow.
And the thing for me is what comes up next.
As far as the opening bat, I mean, Devin Conway
scored some runs in a week or so ago. Will
Young is incredible with the way he keeps on coming
in as a replacement, saving the day, not unlike Matt
Henry in a bowling front and now Matt's got his

(17:30):
front and center and gets that role. But when Rutchin
comes back again, does Devin Conway move to one side?
Does Will Young move to one side? This is a debate.
And of course I've got Jamison as well, who's gone
over there? Does he come in? Does Nathan Smith make way?
It's a good problem to have.

Speaker 2 (17:51):
It is at the top of the order. I don't
see how he can drop well Young, you can't drop
a focus just got one hundred. I get that he
has often in his career been the guy who makes Way.
But I kind of feel as that might be revenge
and for Conway if he is fit for Bangladesh on
Monday night, New Zealand time. I guess, as you say,
it is a nice problem to have as the sleepless
nights ahead for the likes of you and I, the

(18:12):
cricketing public of New Zealand, and anyone who supports our
boys hitting a red or white ball around the around
the globe.

Speaker 3 (18:18):
Good Hey. Dylan Cleave, the ex colleague of mine, writes
a fantastic blog and a newsletter. He wrote something really
cool today. In his newsletter. He wrote that it looked
like Will Young was batting on another surface. Hard to
disagree with what the bouncers said.

Speaker 2 (18:36):
Yeah, I read that too, and I totally agree. In
the early stages of that innings, everybody else seemed to
be all at sea, but it was calm, smooth waters
underneath the kayak of Will Young.

Speaker 3 (18:47):
And how matters snot as Glenn Phillips got on his hands.
I mean he's got he's got hands like a chameleon's tongue.

Speaker 2 (18:55):
Yes, I wondered where you would going, but now I
understand the one handed cats. That's become a trademark of
Glenn Phillips. Much more of that to come, we hope
as well as this tournament progresses. That is us send
the chamber today.

Speaker 3 (19:12):
Dissecting the sporting agenda.

Speaker 1 (19:14):
It's Sportsfix with Jason pine and Darcy.

Speaker 2 (19:17):
Waldgrave and that is us on the Sports Fix podcast
for today. Thank you for downloading, thank you for listening,
and as you'll know if you're a subscriber, a new episode,
the Friday episode will drop into your podcast feed at
around about the same time tomorrow afternoon. All things being
equed us.

Speaker 3 (19:30):
And if its interactive sport talk you're after, well, Sport
Talk is your destination Monday through Friday seven to eight
pm at night on News Talk ZB and Piney does
the same trick all by himself with the weekend Sport
twelve midday through the three o'clock Saturday and Sunday. We
hope you can join us both, and don't forget to
tell your friends, tell your family to get amongst the Fix.

Speaker 2 (19:54):
See tomorrow.

Speaker 1 (19:57):
For more from News Talks ed B. Listen live on
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