May 22, 2026 • 18 mins
On Sports Fix with Jason Pine and D'Arcy Waldegrave for 22nd May 2026, against the odds Auckland FC are hosting the A-League grand final.
They face Sydney FC as they look to win their first ever title in just their second season. CEO Nick Becker joined the podcast ahead of the grand final.
Piney dissects what he thinks will decide the winners of the final.
And the lads are in the chamber discussing Super Rugby and the NRL.
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Speaker 1 (00:09):
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Here we go again, this is the Sports Fix podcast.
Welcome in. It's great to have your ears on us.
This is Friday May, the twenty seconds edition of Sports Fix.
My name's Jason Fine.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
My name's Darcy water Grave. We are here to entertain
and inform in whatever else we can in the wonderful
wide world of sport, Right.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Jay, That's exactly right, that's what That's the least we
can do. Having been handed microphones, the least we can
do is entertain and inform or at least give it
a crack. A couple of things I want to kick
around with you, dars, including tonight's super rugby clash in
christ Church Crusaders be Chiefs Warriors looking to go six
on the bounce tomorrow against the bottom of the table Dragons.
(01:02):
But football's quite big at the moment around the place.
Have we got a football guest today, Well, of.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Course we have. We're going to the very top. We're
going to a chief executive of the Auckland Football Club
his name is Nick Becker. He's going to join us
to talk about what is an immense occasion tomorrow and
it's unique. We've never had anything like this before. It's groundbreaking,
(01:27):
right it is.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
It is.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
It's an epic occasion, one that a lot of people
have been looking forward to, very much looking forward to
hearing Nick Becker's thoughts on that latest and sports news coming.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Up to you.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So let's get in other news.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Let's get you going with a look at some of
the big sports stories around today. Chris What may have
a World Cup and a final round Premier League football
match to prepare for, but their Whites captain admits his
focus will be somewhat elsewhere tomorrow. He's going to wake
up in Nottingham to see if Auckland FC can win
the A League Grand Final at Mount Smart against Sydney FC.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Had to do it the hard way to sticky end
of the season, but they've been able to come out
on top, which is nice and a home ground final
is fantastic. Kid, it's going to be a huge motivator
I think for them, and I think the time are
quite favorable for us, so I'll be able.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
To watch in the morning which is nice rarefied air.
For the Dolphins in the NRL, they have won four
games in a row for the first time since entering
the competition in twenty twenty three, after a thirty twenty
two victory over the Raiders in Canberra. Is coach Christian Wolf.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Everything you want to see in you t lot of spirit,
with a lot of disorder, wing for each other and
play for each other.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
And it's rugging for the pluck and a definitive message
from Sir Lewis Hamilton regarding his Formula one future, the
seven time world champion and dured a difficult first year
with Ferrari in twenty twenty five, finishing sixth and he
is fifth after four rounds of this season.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Everything's one hundred percent clear to me and I'm still focused.
I'm still motivated to still love what I do with
all my heart, and I'm going to be here for
quite some times, so I'll get used to it.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Jason Vine and
Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
And it's without hearty handshake and a big smile. I
now welcome on into the Sports Fix podcast. Nick Beckernick
is the chief executive of Auckland FC, who were on
the cusp of something quite fantastic. Nick, welcome into the program.
How are you mate?
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Very well, Darcy, thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
May you've had this stupid big grin in your face
the whole time you've been up here. You're you're a
happy chief executive right now. This year has been explosive.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Yeah, I mean if I can't be happy this week,
then then what am I doing? It's it's it's exactly
what everybody works so hard for. And to get to
be in the first Kiwi graand finals as a special
moment for us.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Well, it's not only that you're in the Kiwi final,
but it's here. Yeah, you've got to go media, No
one want to pick that with the third play.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Fifth third play.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
So then we had that elimination final against Melbourne City
and that was quite as an epic match, you know,
through to extra time and then penalties. One of the
best penalty shootouts I've ever seen live for sure, without doubt.
If not it.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Wasn't the best, it was terrifying. You're kidding me, right,
I don't know how Carriker and you put up well
that I was had a currentary back home with the.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Cow exactly exactly that a very cagey semi final at
home against Adelaide, and then everyone sort of wrote us off.
They thought we were going to go to Adelaide, we
wouldn't be able to cope with the Coopers under lights
on a Friday night. And that was probably one of
our best performances, if not the best performance as a
club to win that three nil to kind of silence
some critics, and then for Sydney to do us a
(04:28):
bit of a favor there and sort of serve us
up a home grand finals. Yes, it's kind of.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
A bit of a pinch me moment, kind of underdogs
up against Adelaide. To a degree, you've not beaten them,
but plenty of draws. Is that right?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
We've beaten them at home, we haven't been them away,
and we hadn't we hadn't won. We drew with him
and every time we played them at Coopers, and they
certainly felt that they had the hometown advantage. And you know,
whether they had one foot in the final already in
their mind or whatever it was. What I know is
that our boys, especially after the elimination final, I talked
to a lot of them after the game and they
(05:03):
just said, now after that, after the penalty shootout, we
go all the way and we win this. And so,
you know, I knew that there was a lot of
there's a lot of togetherness, there's a lot of resilience
in the team, and they showed that in spades on
Friday night.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Also, when you look at that fixture and you look
at the history last season Auckland f C word nine,
unstoppable till the final match. This year it's been I
like the word mercurial. It's been up and down and
middling and up and down, and it's been all over
the shop. So if you look at that rhythm, you
(05:38):
wouldn't know what was going to happen, would you.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
It certainly had And you know what, I think it's
been sort of emphasized because it's been our second season,
right and our first season went so well and it
all was a bit of a dream, and then the
second season was always going to be harder. You're always
going to have those moments. That's just football where you're
up and down. I think if you look back over
the season when we've had to stand up, we have
we had that away when in Brisbane. When Brisbane were
(06:01):
playing really well, we'd come off a loss in a drawer.
I think it was likewise we went to Newcastle and
beat them when they were at the top of the table.
We had to hold on to them and stay in contention.
And then again for the elimination final and last Friday
night in the semi final. Our boys, when needed have
stood up and really asked to be counted. So yeah,
(06:22):
we have had results which have frustrated all of us.
I think the fact that we're only two seasons old
has kind of put it in bold and underlined it.
I think if you look at any team, that's what
they go through. But what I'm really proud of is
how they've just stood up and gone, no, this isn't it.
We're not done yet. We're going to go all the
way and to find ourselves. I'm with you. When we
were pushed down to third place, I didn't in my
(06:45):
wildest dreams have a home Grand Final on the cards.
But now we have one.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Second season syndrome. You no longer the fresh kids on
the block. People have got a rough idea about what
Kurk can achieve. They know your players, they know what
you do, so you're always going to be carrying a weight,
wouldn't you.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Yeah, yeah, we were, and we also made some We
did make some big changes and they take time to
bed into. You know. You look at someone like Sam Cosgrove.
I think he's been phenomenally golden boot in his first
season the A League, and any players who's done that
in their first season goes on to kind of score
a lot and seasons to come. So I think that's
going to be pretty exciting. You know, we lost Poulson
(07:23):
who was a real heartbeat of the team in the
first season, and he was only on loan for one season.
But then Michael Vood stood up and he's been immense,
you know, especially when he again had a little bit
of a wobble and was replaced by Oli Olie had
a real freakish accident and Michael's straight back in there
and he's just gone from strength to strength. He's now
been picked for the All Whites and he's off to
(07:44):
great audition.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I've had a couple of weeks to go. Actually, this
is what I can do, basically check this out. So
performs well under pressure and you need that for your
top players.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
You do you do and you need that in a
Grand Final. It's going to be it's you know, both
US and Sydney FC. We're not too dissimilar as teams.
Both defensively solid but got the ability to kind of
punish if you make a mistake up top. So you know,
I think it's going to be a pretty cagy, close
and tense affair on Saturday. But you know, I'm hoping
that packed out go media with it, all of the
(08:14):
Auckland FC fans in there are the difference.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Do you rename the whole place?
Speaker 4 (08:18):
The port absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Love it, what a supporters group it is, and the
speed at which the tickets disappeared, what you put up
an extra couple of thousand four minutes, it's all sold out.
So taking that into account, you're the CEO probably a
bit of a CFO on the side as well. Do
you think maybe we should have taken it to Eden Park?
You must have been asked this.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
There's a few times, and I think I mean my
answer is the same with it, with all of it.
So so the league run the finals, right, so they
kind of ultimately decide the venue and they run the
ticketing side of things. So for us, we're really happy
and Go Media. We're really happy to play there. It's
where the players want to be, it's where the fans
want to be, it's where the coaches want to be.
So it's you know, it's our home and it's our fortress,
(09:01):
and I think it would feel a bit a bit
strange taking the first Grand Final to Eden Park.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Now.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Look, hopefully we're going to make many more and maybe
it is something that we do in the future and
certainly if we get a bit more control over the
ticketing side of things for the final series, we'll be
looking at it. But right now, Go Meet is our home.
It's the place to play this game.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Ste History will be made at Go Media Stadium in
the Auckland suburb of Penrose tomorrow night when an A
League Grand Final is played on New Zealand soil for
the very first time. Who really saw this coming? Two
years ago when Bill Foley, this billionaire businessman, was given
the license to operate a football club in the A
(09:44):
League and set about success in the short term, he
always said that at the start, we're not here to
make up the numbers. We want to win things. And
he certainly put his rather considerable money where his mouth was,
and last season Auckland FC claimed the Premier's played the
regular season silverware, however fell one step short of the
(10:05):
Grand Final, going down in two legs against Melbourne Victory.
This time around, in their second season, they weren't able
to win the regular season Premieres plate. But here they
are not only in a grand final, but hosting that
grand final up against them tomorrow night, SIDNEYFC. This is
very circular for Auckland FC coach Steve Corriker, who won
(10:28):
championships as a player and as a head coach for
Sydney FC before he was unceremoniously sacked in the twenty
twenty three to twenty four season only three games in.
Actually he sat down, licked his wounds and then answered
the call from Auckland FC to be their head coach,
and here he is now up against his former side
in an A League men's Grand final. It could hardly
(10:51):
be more serendipitous than that. So who wins tomorrow night?
It's the question I've been asked by so many people
right across the week, and what decides this one? Grand
finals are often KG affairs and when these two sides
meet they are almost always tight contests. In fact, there
have been three draws and two one nil wins for
(11:12):
Auckland in the previous five meetings between the two they
are the best two defensive sides in the competition. And
as I say on Grand Final night, it's often a
cagy affair, not an open flowing game, but a match
that might be decided on a moment, a flash of
brilliant perhaps, or god forbid, an error by a player
(11:32):
on one of these two sides. It might even go
beyond the ninety, beyond the one to twenty. We might
even be into penalty shootout territory late late tomorrow night.
Whatever happens, it's said to be an historic and hopefully
equally dramatic night at go Media tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax, and.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Of the Chamber we go in just a few hours
depending on when you're listening to this, or maybe in
an hour or so, depending on when you're listening to this.
What I'm trying to say is tonight there's a super
rugby game in christ Church which takes on a few
degree of importance. I have to say, between the Crusaders
and the Chiefs, the Crusaders haven't yet lost in their
new te Kaha Stadium under the roof there it is
(12:18):
a small sample size, just the two many played there
so far, a tiny sample size. The Chiefs are not
a tiny super rugby team. What do you predict under
the roof tonight?
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Well, I'll tell you right now. This is the game
of the round and super rugby. With all due respect
or no respect whatsoever toward the Hurricanes in the Highlands,
this is the one we want to watch, though Moana
Pacifiki will have their last That looks like a home
game at North Harvest Stadium up against the Reds. That's
worth looking at. Look at this game. I would like
to think with the return of Will Jordan and under
(12:53):
that roof, this team will be too hot to handle
for the Chiefs. Now, the Chiefs are playing great rugby,
but they haven't got Damien McKenzie and as irritating as
I find him at first five, across the rest of
the parks devastating player. So I think with Jordan on
the way back and McKenzie on the way out, that
will be enough for the Crusaders to win. And saying that,
(13:16):
I am sitting in the studio warning a Crusaders Jersey right.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Fair enough, but it's such a good point you make
that arguably the Crusader's best player coming back, in arguably
the Chief's best player not playing, that those two things
have to have to balance each other off or certainly
wait things in favor of the Crusaders, as well as
the fact of course that they are at home, and
it seems to have already, as I say, under a
(13:39):
fairly small sample size, become a bit of a fortress
for them under the roof there the Crusaders kind of
I was going to say, do they need to win?
I mean, they haven't been utterly consistent have they this season?
Look at their last five games, lost to the Reds,
lost of the Force, win against the Waratas, lost to
the Hurricanes, they beat the Blues. I mean they'll they'll
make the six. I don't think there's a problem there.
(14:01):
But how do you feel about their defense of the
Super Rugby title? Right now?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
All good TOFC had a rotten old season, No down,
It doesn't matter how you start, right, it's how you finish.
So bit of wind in the sales and I think
by playing at home to boost themselves against you cannot
underestimate what the Chiefs bring to the party. They are
a raw, an abrasive team that will take absolute fight
(14:29):
because of course these two teams hate each other, which
adds extra to it. And you know, if any team
wants to come and wreck the Crusaders' home party, I'd
say the Chiefs would be all over that. I think
it'll be a brutal exchange and I look, I'd like
to think the Crusaders will win. I believe they will,
but no quarter given either way. It's going to be huge.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Well, one thing you're right about it is the game
of the weekend absolutely. I mean the Hurricanes Highlanders game tomorrow.
The Highland is playing eight dollars fifty and in New
Zealand Derby an eight dollars fifty outsider is almost unheard off.
But I think it speaks to how challenging a season
it's been for the Highlanders and no Caleb Toungertown now.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
So one of challenging for the Island is I'm saying
how good day Kanes have been. You can't deny that
they have been. And I thought they'd fold toward the
end of the season when things started getting a bit tricky. Nah,
They've just gotten better.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Let's go to the Warriors, who tomorrow night have to
return to Australia in nowhere near the same circumstances as
Magic Round and the pageantry and the carnival atmosphere of
Magic Round a week ago. They're away to the bottom
of the table. Dragons. I know you talk a lot
about banana skins, and it's the wrong phrase because you know,
if you see it, you don't slip over it, that
sort of thing. But is there any danger that the
(15:43):
Warriors won't go six on the bounce tomorrow afternoon tomorrow
evening against the Dragons stolen? That won't they?
Speaker 6 (15:50):
Wait?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yeah, but this is the NRL and the beauty of
this competition is even the worst team in the competition
on their day can wreck parties. I mean, we saw
the Titans come over and destroy things for the Warriors
in recent times. They are at home, They've got a
lot to play for and this is a team that
I wouldn't put it past them. But as we're talking
about the Hunters and the Hurricanes, the Warriors are playing
(16:13):
so well at the moment, so well at the moment.
So the Saint George's drag Queens are going to have
to pull something. Sorry, good now myself pulls something had
to win it. The only essue you might have with
the Warriors. There's been a bit of internal drama this week,
so hopefully they don't take their eye off the ball
and get it wrong. This is the only little chink
(16:36):
I can see in their armor.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
The other one I can see is no Mitch Barnett,
no Kurt cape Well, because so that there is that.
But then then you say, okay, well that means Jackson
Ford starts a game of rugby league. He's done pretty
well in those situations this year, you have to say,
and Jacob Labor don't a bad player either, to cover
cape well in the second row. Look, I think they'll
be okay nine days from now, though, dares how about
this one. The Panthers are way looking like it's going
(17:00):
to be one v two where you're going to get
a really good idea of the credentials of the Warriors
when they face Penrith away next Sunday evening.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Oh yeah, well comment on that next week, because that
is huge. And there's something about a Sunday game that
really gets my goat because you gotta wait all weekend
for it.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
At least you get mondays off.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Wait I do, indeed, thank you very well. I don't
really because on Monday I've got to watch so much
motorsport from so it's still work, right.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
It's a tough life. It is such a tough life
for it.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Now, all right, let's get out of the chamber.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news
cow and by News Talks Evvy.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Hey, let's blow the final. We're still on Sports Fix
for today. It's always a great pleasure bringing you Sports Fix.
We love putting it together. We absolutely appreciate those of
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Speaker 3 (17:56):
And look, it's very modern and woke of us to
actually have a podcast, but we are built by radio
and we'd love for you to listen to our programs.
Sports Talk seven eight pm Monday to Friday on zb
finey Piney, it's got the Monday show right because you've
just found out I don't actually work on a Monday.
And then he's got weekend Sport, a delicious program a
(18:16):
schmaugas sport of sporting entertainment and that is Jason, a.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Buffet if you like, Yes, indeed, and from a place
that serves food and beverage tomorrow and Tyler Street where
we'll build towards the Auckland FC Sydney FC Grand Final
middaya three and then we'll break it all down as
well as the worries and the rugman everything else on
Sunday mid day to three. I'm out of words.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Does have you sorted out that tab it or not?
Speaker 2 (18:41):
See you tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Come on, I've got another question for you. How's the
rehearsal going for the big walk and talk to the
camera ahead of FC again. I'll see you tomorrow, Thanks Jason,
indeed you will.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
For more from News Talk st B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks ed B.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
Here we go again, this is the Sports Fix podcast.
Welcome in. It's great to have your ears on us.
This is Friday May, the twenty seconds edition of Sports Fix.
My name's Jason Fine.
Speaker 3 (00:32):
My name's Darcy water Grave. We are here to entertain
and inform in whatever else we can in the wonderful
wide world of sport, Right.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Jay, That's exactly right, that's what That's the least we
can do. Having been handed microphones, the least we can
do is entertain and inform or at least give it
a crack. A couple of things I want to kick
around with you, dars, including tonight's super rugby clash in
christ Church Crusaders be Chiefs Warriors looking to go six
on the bounce tomorrow against the bottom of the table Dragons.
(01:02):
But football's quite big at the moment around the place.
Have we got a football guest today, Well, of.
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Course we have. We're going to the very top. We're
going to a chief executive of the Auckland Football Club
his name is Nick Becker. He's going to join us
to talk about what is an immense occasion tomorrow and
it's unique. We've never had anything like this before. It's groundbreaking,
(01:27):
right it is.
Speaker 1 (01:28):
It is.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
It's an epic occasion, one that a lot of people
have been looking forward to, very much looking forward to
hearing Nick Becker's thoughts on that latest and sports news coming.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
Up to you.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So let's get in other news.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
Let's get you going with a look at some of
the big sports stories around today. Chris What may have
a World Cup and a final round Premier League football
match to prepare for, but their Whites captain admits his
focus will be somewhat elsewhere tomorrow. He's going to wake
up in Nottingham to see if Auckland FC can win
the A League Grand Final at Mount Smart against Sydney FC.
Speaker 5 (01:58):
Had to do it the hard way to sticky end
of the season, but they've been able to come out
on top, which is nice and a home ground final
is fantastic. Kid, it's going to be a huge motivator
I think for them, and I think the time are
quite favorable for us, so I'll be able.
Speaker 2 (02:10):
To watch in the morning which is nice rarefied air.
For the Dolphins in the NRL, they have won four
games in a row for the first time since entering
the competition in twenty twenty three, after a thirty twenty
two victory over the Raiders in Canberra. Is coach Christian Wolf.
Speaker 3 (02:23):
Everything you want to see in you t lot of spirit,
with a lot of disorder, wing for each other and
play for each other.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
And it's rugging for the pluck and a definitive message
from Sir Lewis Hamilton regarding his Formula one future, the
seven time world champion and dured a difficult first year
with Ferrari in twenty twenty five, finishing sixth and he
is fifth after four rounds of this season.
Speaker 6 (02:42):
Everything's one hundred percent clear to me and I'm still focused.
I'm still motivated to still love what I do with
all my heart, and I'm going to be here for
quite some times, so I'll get used to it.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Dissecting the sporting agenda. It's Sportsfix with Jason Vine and
Darcy Waldgrave.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
And it's without hearty handshake and a big smile. I
now welcome on into the Sports Fix podcast. Nick Beckernick
is the chief executive of Auckland FC, who were on
the cusp of something quite fantastic. Nick, welcome into the program.
How are you mate?
Speaker 4 (03:19):
Very well, Darcy, thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
May you've had this stupid big grin in your face
the whole time you've been up here. You're you're a
happy chief executive right now. This year has been explosive.
Speaker 4 (03:28):
Yeah, I mean if I can't be happy this week,
then then what am I doing? It's it's it's exactly
what everybody works so hard for. And to get to
be in the first Kiwi graand finals as a special
moment for us.
Speaker 3 (03:40):
Well, it's not only that you're in the Kiwi final,
but it's here. Yeah, you've got to go media, No
one want to pick that with the third play.
Speaker 4 (03:48):
Fifth third play.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (03:50):
So then we had that elimination final against Melbourne City
and that was quite as an epic match, you know,
through to extra time and then penalties. One of the
best penalty shootouts I've ever seen live for sure, without doubt.
If not it.
Speaker 3 (04:01):
Wasn't the best, it was terrifying. You're kidding me, right,
I don't know how Carriker and you put up well
that I was had a currentary back home with the.
Speaker 4 (04:08):
Cow exactly exactly that a very cagey semi final at
home against Adelaide, and then everyone sort of wrote us off.
They thought we were going to go to Adelaide, we
wouldn't be able to cope with the Coopers under lights
on a Friday night. And that was probably one of
our best performances, if not the best performance as a
club to win that three nil to kind of silence
some critics, and then for Sydney to do us a
(04:28):
bit of a favor there and sort of serve us
up a home grand finals. Yes, it's kind of.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
A bit of a pinch me moment, kind of underdogs
up against Adelaide. To a degree, you've not beaten them,
but plenty of draws. Is that right?
Speaker 4 (04:43):
We've beaten them at home, we haven't been them away,
and we hadn't we hadn't won. We drew with him
and every time we played them at Coopers, and they
certainly felt that they had the hometown advantage. And you know,
whether they had one foot in the final already in
their mind or whatever it was. What I know is
that our boys, especially after the elimination final, I talked
to a lot of them after the game and they
(05:03):
just said, now after that, after the penalty shootout, we
go all the way and we win this. And so,
you know, I knew that there was a lot of
there's a lot of togetherness, there's a lot of resilience
in the team, and they showed that in spades on
Friday night.
Speaker 3 (05:17):
Also, when you look at that fixture and you look
at the history last season Auckland f C word nine,
unstoppable till the final match. This year it's been I
like the word mercurial. It's been up and down and
middling and up and down, and it's been all over
the shop. So if you look at that rhythm, you
(05:38):
wouldn't know what was going to happen, would you.
Speaker 4 (05:40):
It certainly had And you know what, I think it's
been sort of emphasized because it's been our second season,
right and our first season went so well and it
all was a bit of a dream, and then the
second season was always going to be harder. You're always
going to have those moments. That's just football where you're
up and down. I think if you look back over
the season when we've had to stand up, we have
we had that away when in Brisbane. When Brisbane were
(06:01):
playing really well, we'd come off a loss in a drawer.
I think it was likewise we went to Newcastle and
beat them when they were at the top of the table.
We had to hold on to them and stay in contention.
And then again for the elimination final and last Friday
night in the semi final. Our boys, when needed have
stood up and really asked to be counted. So yeah,
(06:22):
we have had results which have frustrated all of us.
I think the fact that we're only two seasons old
has kind of put it in bold and underlined it.
I think if you look at any team, that's what
they go through. But what I'm really proud of is
how they've just stood up and gone, no, this isn't it.
We're not done yet. We're going to go all the
way and to find ourselves. I'm with you. When we
were pushed down to third place, I didn't in my
(06:45):
wildest dreams have a home Grand Final on the cards.
But now we have one.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Second season syndrome. You no longer the fresh kids on
the block. People have got a rough idea about what
Kurk can achieve. They know your players, they know what
you do, so you're always going to be carrying a weight,
wouldn't you.
Speaker 4 (07:02):
Yeah, yeah, we were, and we also made some We
did make some big changes and they take time to
bed into. You know. You look at someone like Sam Cosgrove.
I think he's been phenomenally golden boot in his first
season the A League, and any players who's done that
in their first season goes on to kind of score
a lot and seasons to come. So I think that's
going to be pretty exciting. You know, we lost Poulson
(07:23):
who was a real heartbeat of the team in the
first season, and he was only on loan for one season.
But then Michael Vood stood up and he's been immense,
you know, especially when he again had a little bit
of a wobble and was replaced by Oli Olie had
a real freakish accident and Michael's straight back in there
and he's just gone from strength to strength. He's now
been picked for the All Whites and he's off to
(07:44):
great audition.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
I've had a couple of weeks to go. Actually, this
is what I can do, basically check this out. So
performs well under pressure and you need that for your
top players.
Speaker 4 (07:53):
You do you do and you need that in a
Grand Final. It's going to be it's you know, both
US and Sydney FC. We're not too dissimilar as teams.
Both defensively solid but got the ability to kind of
punish if you make a mistake up top. So you know,
I think it's going to be a pretty cagy, close
and tense affair on Saturday. But you know, I'm hoping
that packed out go media with it, all of the
(08:14):
Auckland FC fans in there are the difference.
Speaker 3 (08:17):
Do you rename the whole place?
Speaker 4 (08:18):
The port absolutely.
Speaker 3 (08:21):
Love it, what a supporters group it is, and the
speed at which the tickets disappeared, what you put up
an extra couple of thousand four minutes, it's all sold out.
So taking that into account, you're the CEO probably a
bit of a CFO on the side as well. Do
you think maybe we should have taken it to Eden Park?
You must have been asked this.
Speaker 4 (08:40):
There's a few times, and I think I mean my
answer is the same with it, with all of it.
So so the league run the finals, right, so they
kind of ultimately decide the venue and they run the
ticketing side of things. So for us, we're really happy
and Go Media. We're really happy to play there. It's
where the players want to be, it's where the fans
want to be, it's where the coaches want to be.
So it's you know, it's our home and it's our fortress,
(09:01):
and I think it would feel a bit a bit
strange taking the first Grand Final to Eden Park.
Speaker 2 (09:07):
Now.
Speaker 4 (09:08):
Look, hopefully we're going to make many more and maybe
it is something that we do in the future and
certainly if we get a bit more control over the
ticketing side of things for the final series, we'll be
looking at it. But right now, Go Meet is our home.
It's the place to play this game.
Speaker 2 (09:22):
Ste History will be made at Go Media Stadium in
the Auckland suburb of Penrose tomorrow night when an A
League Grand Final is played on New Zealand soil for
the very first time. Who really saw this coming? Two
years ago when Bill Foley, this billionaire businessman, was given
the license to operate a football club in the A
(09:44):
League and set about success in the short term, he
always said that at the start, we're not here to
make up the numbers. We want to win things. And
he certainly put his rather considerable money where his mouth was,
and last season Auckland FC claimed the Premier's played the
regular season silverware, however fell one step short of the
(10:05):
Grand Final, going down in two legs against Melbourne Victory.
This time around, in their second season, they weren't able
to win the regular season Premieres plate. But here they
are not only in a grand final, but hosting that
grand final up against them tomorrow night, SIDNEYFC. This is
very circular for Auckland FC coach Steve Corriker, who won
(10:28):
championships as a player and as a head coach for
Sydney FC before he was unceremoniously sacked in the twenty
twenty three to twenty four season only three games in.
Actually he sat down, licked his wounds and then answered
the call from Auckland FC to be their head coach,
and here he is now up against his former side
in an A League men's Grand final. It could hardly
(10:51):
be more serendipitous than that. So who wins tomorrow night?
It's the question I've been asked by so many people
right across the week, and what decides this one? Grand
finals are often KG affairs and when these two sides
meet they are almost always tight contests. In fact, there
have been three draws and two one nil wins for
(11:12):
Auckland in the previous five meetings between the two they
are the best two defensive sides in the competition. And
as I say on Grand Final night, it's often a
cagy affair, not an open flowing game, but a match
that might be decided on a moment, a flash of
brilliant perhaps, or god forbid, an error by a player
(11:32):
on one of these two sides. It might even go
beyond the ninety, beyond the one to twenty. We might
even be into penalty shootout territory late late tomorrow night.
Whatever happens, it's said to be an historic and hopefully
equally dramatic night at go Media tomorrow.
Speaker 1 (11:50):
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax, and.
Speaker 2 (11:56):
Of the Chamber we go in just a few hours
depending on when you're listening to this, or maybe in
an hour or so, depending on when you're listening to this.
What I'm trying to say is tonight there's a super
rugby game in christ Church which takes on a few
degree of importance. I have to say, between the Crusaders
and the Chiefs, the Crusaders haven't yet lost in their
new te Kaha Stadium under the roof there it is
(12:18):
a small sample size, just the two many played there
so far, a tiny sample size. The Chiefs are not
a tiny super rugby team. What do you predict under
the roof tonight?
Speaker 3 (12:30):
Well, I'll tell you right now. This is the game
of the round and super rugby. With all due respect
or no respect whatsoever toward the Hurricanes in the Highlands,
this is the one we want to watch, though Moana
Pacifiki will have their last That looks like a home
game at North Harvest Stadium up against the Reds. That's
worth looking at. Look at this game. I would like
to think with the return of Will Jordan and under
(12:53):
that roof, this team will be too hot to handle
for the Chiefs. Now, the Chiefs are playing great rugby,
but they haven't got Damien McKenzie and as irritating as
I find him at first five, across the rest of
the parks devastating player. So I think with Jordan on
the way back and McKenzie on the way out, that
will be enough for the Crusaders to win. And saying that,
(13:16):
I am sitting in the studio warning a Crusaders Jersey right.
Speaker 2 (13:19):
Fair enough, but it's such a good point you make
that arguably the Crusader's best player coming back, in arguably
the Chief's best player not playing, that those two things
have to have to balance each other off or certainly
wait things in favor of the Crusaders, as well as
the fact of course that they are at home, and
it seems to have already, as I say, under a
(13:39):
fairly small sample size, become a bit of a fortress
for them under the roof there the Crusaders kind of
I was going to say, do they need to win?
I mean, they haven't been utterly consistent have they this season?
Look at their last five games, lost to the Reds,
lost of the Force, win against the Waratas, lost to
the Hurricanes, they beat the Blues. I mean they'll they'll
make the six. I don't think there's a problem there.
(14:01):
But how do you feel about their defense of the
Super Rugby title? Right now?
Speaker 3 (14:05):
All good TOFC had a rotten old season, No down,
It doesn't matter how you start, right, it's how you finish.
So bit of wind in the sales and I think
by playing at home to boost themselves against you cannot
underestimate what the Chiefs bring to the party. They are
a raw, an abrasive team that will take absolute fight
(14:29):
because of course these two teams hate each other, which
adds extra to it. And you know, if any team
wants to come and wreck the Crusaders' home party, I'd
say the Chiefs would be all over that. I think
it'll be a brutal exchange and I look, I'd like
to think the Crusaders will win. I believe they will,
but no quarter given either way. It's going to be huge.
Speaker 2 (14:52):
Well, one thing you're right about it is the game
of the weekend absolutely. I mean the Hurricanes Highlanders game tomorrow.
The Highland is playing eight dollars fifty and in New
Zealand Derby an eight dollars fifty outsider is almost unheard off.
But I think it speaks to how challenging a season
it's been for the Highlanders and no Caleb Toungertown now.
Speaker 3 (15:07):
So one of challenging for the Island is I'm saying
how good day Kanes have been. You can't deny that
they have been. And I thought they'd fold toward the
end of the season when things started getting a bit tricky. Nah,
They've just gotten better.
Speaker 2 (15:21):
Let's go to the Warriors, who tomorrow night have to
return to Australia in nowhere near the same circumstances as
Magic Round and the pageantry and the carnival atmosphere of
Magic Round a week ago. They're away to the bottom
of the table. Dragons. I know you talk a lot
about banana skins, and it's the wrong phrase because you know,
if you see it, you don't slip over it, that
sort of thing. But is there any danger that the
(15:43):
Warriors won't go six on the bounce tomorrow afternoon tomorrow
evening against the Dragons stolen? That won't they?
Speaker 6 (15:50):
Wait?
Speaker 3 (15:50):
Yeah, but this is the NRL and the beauty of
this competition is even the worst team in the competition
on their day can wreck parties. I mean, we saw
the Titans come over and destroy things for the Warriors
in recent times. They are at home, They've got a
lot to play for and this is a team that
I wouldn't put it past them. But as we're talking
about the Hunters and the Hurricanes, the Warriors are playing
(16:13):
so well at the moment, so well at the moment.
So the Saint George's drag Queens are going to have
to pull something. Sorry, good now myself pulls something had
to win it. The only essue you might have with
the Warriors. There's been a bit of internal drama this week,
so hopefully they don't take their eye off the ball
and get it wrong. This is the only little chink
(16:36):
I can see in their armor.
Speaker 2 (16:37):
The other one I can see is no Mitch Barnett,
no Kurt cape Well, because so that there is that.
But then then you say, okay, well that means Jackson
Ford starts a game of rugby league. He's done pretty
well in those situations this year, you have to say,
and Jacob Labor don't a bad player either, to cover
cape well in the second row. Look, I think they'll
be okay nine days from now, though, dares how about
this one. The Panthers are way looking like it's going
(17:00):
to be one v two where you're going to get
a really good idea of the credentials of the Warriors
when they face Penrith away next Sunday evening.
Speaker 3 (17:09):
Oh yeah, well comment on that next week, because that
is huge. And there's something about a Sunday game that
really gets my goat because you gotta wait all weekend
for it.
Speaker 2 (17:19):
At least you get mondays off.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
Wait I do, indeed, thank you very well. I don't
really because on Monday I've got to watch so much
motorsport from so it's still work, right.
Speaker 2 (17:29):
It's a tough life. It is such a tough life
for it.
Speaker 3 (17:31):
Now, all right, let's get out of the chamber.
Speaker 1 (17:34):
This is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news
cow and by News Talks Evvy.
Speaker 2 (17:41):
Hey, let's blow the final. We're still on Sports Fix
for today. It's always a great pleasure bringing you Sports Fix.
We love putting it together. We absolutely appreciate those of
you who subscribe, who listen, who download, and who tell
their friends a fresh episode. We'll drop into your podcast
feed on Monday and every day Monday through Friday.
Speaker 3 (17:56):
And look, it's very modern and woke of us to
actually have a podcast, but we are built by radio
and we'd love for you to listen to our programs.
Sports Talk seven eight pm Monday to Friday on zb
finey Piney, it's got the Monday show right because you've
just found out I don't actually work on a Monday.
And then he's got weekend Sport, a delicious program a
(18:16):
schmaugas sport of sporting entertainment and that is Jason, a.
Speaker 2 (18:21):
Buffet if you like, Yes, indeed, and from a place
that serves food and beverage tomorrow and Tyler Street where
we'll build towards the Auckland FC Sydney FC Grand Final
middaya three and then we'll break it all down as
well as the worries and the rugman everything else on
Sunday mid day to three. I'm out of words.
Speaker 3 (18:37):
Does have you sorted out that tab it or not?
Speaker 2 (18:41):
See you tomorrow?
Speaker 3 (18:42):
Come on, I've got another question for you. How's the
rehearsal going for the big walk and talk to the
camera ahead of FC again. I'll see you tomorrow, Thanks Jason,
indeed you will.
Speaker 1 (18:54):
For more from News Talk st B, listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcast on iHeartRadio.
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