April 21, 2026 • 18 mins
On Sports Fix with D'Arcy Waldegrave for 21 April 2026, today, the management group for Dave Rennie's All Blacks side was completed. Dr James McGarvey will be joining the side as the team doctor and Gilbert Enoka ONZM will be returning as the All Blacks' mental skills coach. Gilbert joined D'Arcy to discuss his return to the side.
D'Arcy shares his thoughts on the NRL placing restrictions on the amount of contact training allowed.
And D'Arcy and New Zealand Herald sports journalist Alex Powell discuss the refinements to the Formula 1 regulations.
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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.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome on into the SPORTSFX podcast. One of is Darcy
watercover Tuesday. It's the twenty first of April twenty twenty six. Right,
I have got lined up for you today was a
boy called Gilbert Andoka. He's an absolute legend of mental skills,
was an All Black mental Skills coach for twenty three years.
Had a bit of a rest and you know what,
(00:41):
he's back and he joined us on the podcast. I've
got some thoughts around the NRL and what they're doing
to mitigate dramas through head NYT, concussion and the like.
And then we'll be joined in the chamber by New
Zealand Herald journalist Alex Powell as we dance through the
weeds of the changes in Formula one. That is our
(01:02):
master plan, so like all good master plans. Liz Head
it in other news and in Sports today, these people
said this, and I've got proof. General manager of the
Wellington Phoenix David done As, balancing over the upcoming Women's
A League second League semi final set to get going
at Pottador Park on May the tenth. An extra thousand
(01:24):
seats will be made available, all part of the huge
effort from the club. Tickets will go on sale to
the general public tomorrow too good.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
So they love playing there.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
We love playing there in the club.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
We did have to move a few things for around
for apl.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
And luckily they agreed and the best venu for us
would be the Potterbroo Park Onlother's.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Day as well, which is even better I think for
a woman's team. So we're very excited about it. We
can't wait.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Worry wing the ridiculously airborne Alifiana carn Pereira isn't a
superman naturally, but training at Mount Smart has given him
a license to fly into try scoring the opportunities. He
scored twice over the weekend, one of them an acrobatic speck.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
That's something we really and you know it wasn't really
big when I was turning that tideles, but you know,
here's it's fundamental details and the boys do it every week,
so I get amongst it and you know, it definitely
pays off.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And Hurricanes coach Clark laid Law isn't too jarred by
the decision of Riley Higgins to depart for Scottish Shaws
next year. The debris of loss, he's found something shiny
to treasure.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
I think the good thing with really's decision is he
could have went somewhere else for more money, so he
had ather option. He had an option to stay here.
You know, we genuinely on our two year contract and
we'd love him to stare and strengthened that quickly. His decision.
He's so minute for the longer reason.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Good men, And that's sport today, you opinion.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
It's Sportsfix with Dancie Valde Greve as Warm.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Welcome now to the Sports Fixed podcast to Gilbert, Anoka
mental skills coach extraordinaire who's now back with the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Good a, Gilbert, I see, thank you for the privilege
of having a conversation with you that.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
You're the nicest man. Thanks very much for saying that
you're still working your mental skills coach. Here are you
back in the saddle again?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
You're too hard for that, mate.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Well you're going back into the saddle again, so plainly
you missed all of that. After a couple of years
Cup of teen a lie doown you're back in black again.
I suppose first up, what drove you to climb back
into the breach?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Your good question. You know, since I finished with the
All Backs, I've been in a lot of different environments,
with different teams, with different challenges, but there was something
around the pill of the jersey that's always been there
with you. I think when you've been involved with the
All Backs for such a long length of time, it's
(03:58):
something that never leaves you. I didn't come back because
I feel I had to. I came back because I
wanted to. You know, when Dave came on board and
I had contact with my good old mates Wayne Smith,
Steve Henson, they all encouraged me to get alongside with Dave.
(04:19):
So did Joe Smith by the way, and Ted. So
there was a lot of people who were saying that
you'd be good in the role. And then there was
something about the environment that people, the standards, meaning of
the jersey that just pulls you back. And and when
that call comes it's pretty hard to ignore.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Well, when those names you mentioned, sorry, Gil, they're big names.
They're hard turn around say yeah, no, I'm not interested.
You spend a couple of years away you needed to
come back again. How refreshed are you now back in
this role I've bought twenty three years doing it. You
almost needed that break, didn't you.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Yeah? I never. It's funny about once you understand that,
you know pressures, it's not something that you visit from
time to time. You know, a lot of people think
it's an unwelcome visitor that get only occasionally. But in
an environment like the All Blacks and in any high
performance board, it's a lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
You know.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
You walk into it and it's an arena. It's not
your enemy. And once you understand that and get comfortable
in it, you learn to function well with it. And
so since I've been away, I think I've got a
deeper appreciation now of the balance between performance and people,
how you connect, how you lead, how you support each
other under pressure, and all those of are a place
(05:36):
where the real edges. And so I've got better at that.
And it wasn't so much that I missed it, It's
more that you know, it was an environment that enticed
me into an opportunity that presents over the next eighty months.
So I wanted to get on board the Walker I
had conversations with Dave enjoyed those had nudges from those
(05:58):
men like your Steve, Wayne, Joe, Ted, and ultimately my
own family, my wife Michelle and the children making sure
that they're okay with it because granddad now and that's
an important role in my life too.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
So you want to get back, Dave said, I'm pretty keen.
Was that kind of the order? When it did he
come first? Had this actually all fall into playscill.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Obviously when Dave was announced, you know then, and he
was beginning to form his start, so he spent a
lot of time on getting his the coaching staff next
to him sorted, and then when it came into the
other areas, Smithy approached me first and said is it
(06:43):
okay to give the number to Dave? And then Dave
phoned and we had a really good conversation, and since
then we had more conversations and he got to the
point to say, well, I want you to come back
on board. And you know, it's different because all the
other coaches I've worked with I've known real well before
(07:03):
I've got involved with him, and this will be the
first time that I'm working with a coach that don't
have that long term deliberate friendship as well as performance,
you know, arrangement with them. But the conversations I've had
a day I've really enjoyed. I love the simplicity, the care,
the warmth, and his connection and the genuineness about what
(07:26):
he's doing a deliberate way he's been putting this all together.
I just feel in the waters that he's the white
Man for the right time and I want to support
him in terms of what this legacy demands and moving forward.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Just quickly, do you actually have to be mates? Is
that important?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Do you think?
Speaker 4 (07:48):
I think? You know, it depends on your definition of
a mate. But as long as you can be honest
for somebody and you know what they're doing isn't right,
you've got to be able to tell them, you know.
I always say, sometimes you're losing so slowly you think
you're winning. Is because people don't call each other out
on the small pieces of behavior that degrading activity or
(08:11):
an environment. But you don't have to be made but
it helps. But at the same stage, as well as
you're respectful about doing what the team needs in the legacy,
and that's important.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Dissecting the sporting agenda it's Sportsfix with Darcy Walter Grave.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Contact sport has major issues in the concussion and CTE space.
We know this. We've seen a number of players have
come a cropper after long time repeated head injuries and
it's a very very sad story. Over recent times, there
have been moves afoot to mitigate the damage are caused
(08:52):
by collision sports, particularly the ones rich in high contacts,
such as the National Football League in NFL, such as
the NARL, such as rugby. The list goes on. So
the NRL now is saying, hey, only one hundred minute,
it's in a seven day period between two games. Are
you allowed to engage in full contact physical training. That's
(09:17):
going to limit the exposure these athletes have to the
possibility of ct and you've got to commend them for it.
That's a great idea. The problem here, though, is not
that it's this. There are numerous sports you can play,
numerous sports where you can experience the thrill of physicality,
(09:37):
where you can get it, where you can lose weight,
where you can gain the camaraderie that only comes within
a sporting team. These sports are everywhere. Back in my day,
there was only a couple this day and age, you
dig down the back of a couch and you found
yourself a spare sport to play. So if you're concerned
about CTE, you're concerned about the long term, long time
(10:01):
effects of concussion, as a simple path you can take,
don't play contact sports. Don't play rugby league, don't play
rugby union, don't play American football, don't play any sport. Hey,
you don't play mixed martial arts because it's not really
a game. But if you want to avoid all of that,
just don't play those sports. There are plenty of sports
(10:23):
you can play that give you all of the joy
of competitive sports, but they do decrease your chances of
ct and concussion somewhat. Your brain, your choice.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
It's climb into the chamber and let's talk about race cars.
I can't help myself. That's what happens when you let
me run this podcast. Alex Powell joins us now New
Zealand Herald's scribe covers a number of it sports, and
he's got this real problem with Formula one A. It's
a little addiction of yours, isn't it. You can't help yourself.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
Oh, look, I wouldn't call it a problem. I'd call
it an opportunity. I have a severe Formula One opportunity nicely.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
But so we're waiting a few weeks before the start
of the season again back into Miami again. There's been
so much chat around the legitimacy of the power plants
for these cars. If I have spent a bit of
time chilling out and they've gone, you know what, we've
got to change something, and they've released a raft of
new laws, rules suggestions for the next part of the season,
(11:31):
so many changes. If you've got to summarize it for us, Alex,
how would you summarize the changes they've made, because they've
made of a cross qualifying and racing and wet weather
and all sorts of things. What was the best way
to encapsulate it.
Speaker 6 (11:45):
I mean, it's a huge question, Darsie, Thank you for
having me. I think the best way to sort of
sum it up is they want to try and avoid
what we've seen so far this season, which is cars
effectively losing power and slowing down on straights. We're meant
to see Formulae being sort of the apex of the sport,
the best of the best, and you would say in
(12:06):
that regard, we have been let down this season by
what's known as super clipping, where a car and a
driver's need to recharge the battery means that they will
have to give up a top speed when they still
have plenty to go.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
And the issue with that can be cars driving into
the back of each other aka Oli baman, which drove
this change. I would suggest they wouldn't have been so quick.
But after that, look, we have to address this, and
you say, the best of the best, it's not being
like that, and that's why the step and doesn't like
I just want to drive my car as fast as possible.
Can that actually happen again?
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Do you think?
Speaker 6 (12:40):
Look, I think because these rule changes were so revolutionary
and what they were saying they wanted formula to be,
I don't know if it's going to be a quick
fit straight away, you know. Is it a bit of
a hydra situation where you chop one problems head off
but then create two more because that sort of has
what a nice reference is what it's been. I mean,
I'm all about the great see that's one here, But
(13:03):
I think the important thing to right here is you've
mentioned Alibaman is that is the biggest thing, because the
drivers were saying the whole time this year that is
what is going to happen. Someone is going to lose
power at the wrong time and it's going to go
disastrously for them or for everyone else trying to avoid them.
And we saw it happened at Suzuka because Oli Bahman
had to get out of the way of Franko Kolopinto
who lost all his power and Oli Baman skews off
(13:24):
into the fence. We saw it happen in Melbourne. Liam
Lawson couldn't start off the line and Franko Colpin turd
to get around to him somehow, and he managed to
do it amazingly because like you know, it's reaction time
at that level is almost nonexistent. So I think that
from that side of it, you do welcome these changes,
but you do I.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Was fighting for the butt.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
What what next?
Speaker 6 (13:47):
So I was lucky enough to be in Melbourne and
we had oh I know we had I should have
bet something, but we had breakfast out at Mercedes the
day before the season started and Kemmy Antonelli, who's what
eighteen nineteen, was asked these questions about the new rules
and regulations, and he said, it's going to be tracked track.
You know, what works on one circuit like Melbourne might
(14:08):
not work on another circle. Like we saw in China.
We saw the difference between those two races and the
overtaking and how different cars reacted based on the different
the way different tracks are built. You know, we're coming
up to Miami. It's of course it's a it's not
a street track, but it is sort of a repurposed
stadium car park in that regard, and there's going to
be a lot of long straits, there's going to be
a lot of technical turns. How will that plan to
(14:30):
it as opposed to somewhere like Austria, which is a
lot of fast, fast bits. I think of Belgium similar,
a lot of fast straight So it is it is
a learning experience in twenty twenty six, and whether or
not the data and what they learned goes into changing
these rules again in twenty twenty seven, I don't know.
Will the FAA, who are famously stubborn, just double down
on it and just say this is what it is
(14:51):
and you've got to get on with it, or are
they open to changing. I think we've seen today that
they are open to actually changing if it' steemed that
they've gone it wrong.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
So it essentially what you're saying is that each different
track is going to throw up a different set of
parameters that these engines and that the engineers and the
drivers have to deal with that. There's no not a
cookie cut a solution for this.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
No, but that's what it is anyway, right, Different cars
react on different tracks. You know, you remember a couple
of years ago how bad Williams were, but they always
seem to perform at Monza because their car was just
built in a way that that track got the best
out of. Like, that's not unique. But when it is,
you know, potentially a problem with driver's safety, as we
saw at Suzoko, that becomes a problem. And I think
(15:31):
that is what they're going to have to really try
and keep an eye on.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
It's just enough to stop the step and running away,
because this is all the talk is he ped up
to the back teeth. It's like Shane ben Gisberg when
he gave up supercars because he actually wanted to race
as fast as he could and all the rules around
fuel and around tires mean it was about saving resources
and that's what's essentially happened to Formula one.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Look, I think there's a lot of issues with Maxis
step and I don't think it's just the racing. I
think he has he reached a singling with Formula one.
You look at his key figures around him, and he's
always sort of had his dad, his manager Mark Mill
and then doctor Helmet Marco who was Red Bull Senior
motorspoard advisor and Jampiro Lambi, I say, has engineer. Two
(16:15):
of those have now left, so he's not really got
any allies in that team and if he doesn't want
to keep going, then he won't. He said, you know,
he brought up two hundred races a couple of years
ago and he was asked, are you going to do
two hundred more? And he said no, definitely not. So
this isn't anything new. You know, he has always been
adamant that when he's when he's done, he's done. You know,
he's now a father. He's won four world titles that
(16:35):
you know, if that's enough for him, that's enough for him.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
What do you reckon the Baham racing at the supercar?
How good would that be?
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I love it.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
I think that genuinely that would be the most watched
supercars race there's ever been.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
It put him around Bathurst and see what he does.
So we've still got two and a half weeks to wait.
See what's new. You're waving a finger at me, you
have something else.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
Well, he did do Bathist remember when they were doing
all the COVID simulations, and he took a car around Bathurst.
And so I don't think it's anything new.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
We're sitting back waiting for Miami and they'll be well
rested and ready to go and we can be happy.
I don't mind what's going on in the Middle East,
but now it's interfare with my Formula one. I've got
a real problem with Netanyahu, Trump and everybody else.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
Well, I mean, you're not going to startup through the
night anymore.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Okay, you're finding you're finding good.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
That's what I like.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
It's all good. It's all good. Even if it's bad,
there's still some good to be found. Alex Powell, thanks
very much for joining us.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Beating of X. We've got just the ticket. It's Sports
Fix powered by News Talks Ivvy.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
And that's it for the Sports Fix podcast. Another day
another dollar, that day being Tuesday, the twenty first of
April twenty twenty six. I hope you've enjoyed the podcast.
If you have, tell your friends, tell your family, get
them to subscribe, which I hope you do as well.
That way, this podcast comes straight into your inbox on
(17:53):
a week daily basis. If you like traditional radio, wow
we all do, you can indulge in that too. Monday
through Friday seven to eight pm sports talk on News
Talks EB. Jason Pine's got the Monday gig, I've got
the rest of the week, and then on Saturday he's
front and center with the big show Gorn Glenn Maxwell.
That is weekend sport from twelve midday through three pm
(18:16):
on News Talk ZEDB. Hey, thanks for your time, Thanks
for your attention. Let's do it again tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Go on you know you want.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
To for more from News Talk ZEDB. Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
You're listening to a podcast from News Talks EDB. Follow
this and our wide range of podcasts now on iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:17):
This is Sportsfix Howard by News Talks EDB.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
Welcome on into the SPORTSFX podcast. One of is Darcy
watercover Tuesday. It's the twenty first of April twenty twenty six. Right,
I have got lined up for you today was a
boy called Gilbert Andoka. He's an absolute legend of mental skills,
was an All Black mental Skills coach for twenty three years.
Had a bit of a rest and you know what,
(00:41):
he's back and he joined us on the podcast. I've
got some thoughts around the NRL and what they're doing
to mitigate dramas through head NYT, concussion and the like.
And then we'll be joined in the chamber by New
Zealand Herald journalist Alex Powell as we dance through the
weeds of the changes in Formula one. That is our
(01:02):
master plan, so like all good master plans. Liz Head
it in other news and in Sports today, these people
said this, and I've got proof. General manager of the
Wellington Phoenix David done As, balancing over the upcoming Women's
A League second League semi final set to get going
at Pottador Park on May the tenth. An extra thousand
(01:24):
seats will be made available, all part of the huge
effort from the club. Tickets will go on sale to
the general public tomorrow too good.
Speaker 4 (01:33):
So they love playing there.
Speaker 2 (01:34):
We love playing there in the club.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
We did have to move a few things for around
for apl.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
And luckily they agreed and the best venu for us
would be the Potterbroo Park Onlother's.
Speaker 4 (01:43):
Day as well, which is even better I think for
a woman's team. So we're very excited about it. We
can't wait.
Speaker 3 (01:47):
Worry wing the ridiculously airborne Alifiana carn Pereira isn't a
superman naturally, but training at Mount Smart has given him
a license to fly into try scoring the opportunities. He
scored twice over the weekend, one of them an acrobatic speck.
Speaker 5 (02:06):
That's something we really and you know it wasn't really
big when I was turning that tideles, but you know,
here's it's fundamental details and the boys do it every week,
so I get amongst it and you know, it definitely
pays off.
Speaker 3 (02:19):
And Hurricanes coach Clark laid Law isn't too jarred by
the decision of Riley Higgins to depart for Scottish Shaws
next year. The debris of loss, he's found something shiny
to treasure.
Speaker 4 (02:32):
I think the good thing with really's decision is he
could have went somewhere else for more money, so he
had ather option. He had an option to stay here.
You know, we genuinely on our two year contract and
we'd love him to stare and strengthened that quickly. His decision.
He's so minute for the longer reason.
Speaker 3 (02:47):
Good men, And that's sport today, you opinion.
Speaker 2 (02:53):
It's Sportsfix with Dancie Valde Greve as Warm.
Speaker 3 (02:57):
Welcome now to the Sports Fixed podcast to Gilbert, Anoka
mental skills coach extraordinaire who's now back with the All Blacks.
Speaker 4 (03:06):
Good a, Gilbert, I see, thank you for the privilege
of having a conversation with you that.
Speaker 3 (03:12):
You're the nicest man. Thanks very much for saying that
you're still working your mental skills coach. Here are you
back in the saddle again?
Speaker 4 (03:20):
You're too hard for that, mate.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Well you're going back into the saddle again, so plainly
you missed all of that. After a couple of years
Cup of teen a lie doown you're back in black again.
I suppose first up, what drove you to climb back
into the breach?
Speaker 4 (03:37):
Your good question. You know, since I finished with the
All Backs, I've been in a lot of different environments,
with different teams, with different challenges, but there was something
around the pill of the jersey that's always been there
with you. I think when you've been involved with the
All Backs for such a long length of time, it's
(03:58):
something that never leaves you. I didn't come back because
I feel I had to. I came back because I
wanted to. You know, when Dave came on board and
I had contact with my good old mates Wayne Smith,
Steve Henson, they all encouraged me to get alongside with Dave.
(04:19):
So did Joe Smith by the way, and Ted. So
there was a lot of people who were saying that
you'd be good in the role. And then there was
something about the environment that people, the standards, meaning of
the jersey that just pulls you back. And and when
that call comes it's pretty hard to ignore.
Speaker 3 (04:37):
Well, when those names you mentioned, sorry, Gil, they're big names.
They're hard turn around say yeah, no, I'm not interested.
You spend a couple of years away you needed to
come back again. How refreshed are you now back in
this role I've bought twenty three years doing it. You
almost needed that break, didn't you.
Speaker 4 (04:55):
Yeah? I never. It's funny about once you understand that,
you know pressures, it's not something that you visit from
time to time. You know, a lot of people think
it's an unwelcome visitor that get only occasionally. But in
an environment like the All Blacks and in any high
performance board, it's a lifestyle.
Speaker 2 (05:14):
You know.
Speaker 4 (05:14):
You walk into it and it's an arena. It's not
your enemy. And once you understand that and get comfortable
in it, you learn to function well with it. And
so since I've been away, I think I've got a
deeper appreciation now of the balance between performance and people,
how you connect, how you lead, how you support each
other under pressure, and all those of are a place
(05:36):
where the real edges. And so I've got better at that.
And it wasn't so much that I missed it, It's
more that you know, it was an environment that enticed
me into an opportunity that presents over the next eighty months.
So I wanted to get on board the Walker I
had conversations with Dave enjoyed those had nudges from those
(05:58):
men like your Steve, Wayne, Joe, Ted, and ultimately my
own family, my wife Michelle and the children making sure
that they're okay with it because granddad now and that's
an important role in my life too.
Speaker 3 (06:11):
So you want to get back, Dave said, I'm pretty keen.
Was that kind of the order? When it did he
come first? Had this actually all fall into playscill.
Speaker 4 (06:22):
Obviously when Dave was announced, you know then, and he
was beginning to form his start, so he spent a
lot of time on getting his the coaching staff next
to him sorted, and then when it came into the
other areas, Smithy approached me first and said is it
(06:43):
okay to give the number to Dave? And then Dave
phoned and we had a really good conversation, and since
then we had more conversations and he got to the
point to say, well, I want you to come back
on board. And you know, it's different because all the
other coaches I've worked with I've known real well before
(07:03):
I've got involved with him, and this will be the
first time that I'm working with a coach that don't
have that long term deliberate friendship as well as performance,
you know, arrangement with them. But the conversations I've had
a day I've really enjoyed. I love the simplicity, the care,
the warmth, and his connection and the genuineness about what
(07:26):
he's doing a deliberate way he's been putting this all together.
I just feel in the waters that he's the white
Man for the right time and I want to support
him in terms of what this legacy demands and moving forward.
Speaker 3 (07:42):
Just quickly, do you actually have to be mates? Is
that important?
Speaker 2 (07:46):
Do you think?
Speaker 4 (07:48):
I think? You know, it depends on your definition of
a mate. But as long as you can be honest
for somebody and you know what they're doing isn't right,
you've got to be able to tell them, you know.
I always say, sometimes you're losing so slowly you think
you're winning. Is because people don't call each other out
on the small pieces of behavior that degrading activity or
(08:11):
an environment. But you don't have to be made but
it helps. But at the same stage, as well as
you're respectful about doing what the team needs in the legacy,
and that's important.
Speaker 1 (08:24):
Dissecting the sporting agenda it's Sportsfix with Darcy Walter Grave.
Speaker 3 (08:30):
Contact sport has major issues in the concussion and CTE space.
We know this. We've seen a number of players have
come a cropper after long time repeated head injuries and
it's a very very sad story. Over recent times, there
have been moves afoot to mitigate the damage are caused
(08:52):
by collision sports, particularly the ones rich in high contacts,
such as the National Football League in NFL, such as
the NARL, such as rugby. The list goes on. So
the NRL now is saying, hey, only one hundred minute,
it's in a seven day period between two games. Are
you allowed to engage in full contact physical training. That's
(09:17):
going to limit the exposure these athletes have to the
possibility of ct and you've got to commend them for it.
That's a great idea. The problem here, though, is not
that it's this. There are numerous sports you can play,
numerous sports where you can experience the thrill of physicality,
(09:37):
where you can get it, where you can lose weight,
where you can gain the camaraderie that only comes within
a sporting team. These sports are everywhere. Back in my day,
there was only a couple this day and age, you
dig down the back of a couch and you found
yourself a spare sport to play. So if you're concerned
about CTE, you're concerned about the long term, long time
(10:01):
effects of concussion, as a simple path you can take,
don't play contact sports. Don't play rugby league, don't play
rugby union, don't play American football, don't play any sport. Hey,
you don't play mixed martial arts because it's not really
a game. But if you want to avoid all of that,
just don't play those sports. There are plenty of sports
(10:23):
you can play that give you all of the joy
of competitive sports, but they do decrease your chances of
ct and concussion somewhat. Your brain, your choice.
Speaker 2 (10:37):
The chamber is now in session on Sportsfix.
Speaker 3 (10:41):
It's climb into the chamber and let's talk about race cars.
I can't help myself. That's what happens when you let
me run this podcast. Alex Powell joins us now New
Zealand Herald's scribe covers a number of it sports, and
he's got this real problem with Formula one A. It's
a little addiction of yours, isn't it. You can't help yourself.
Speaker 6 (10:59):
Oh, look, I wouldn't call it a problem. I'd call
it an opportunity. I have a severe Formula One opportunity nicely.
Speaker 3 (11:06):
But so we're waiting a few weeks before the start
of the season again back into Miami again. There's been
so much chat around the legitimacy of the power plants
for these cars. If I have spent a bit of
time chilling out and they've gone, you know what, we've
got to change something, and they've released a raft of
new laws, rules suggestions for the next part of the season,
(11:31):
so many changes. If you've got to summarize it for us, Alex,
how would you summarize the changes they've made, because they've
made of a cross qualifying and racing and wet weather
and all sorts of things. What was the best way
to encapsulate it.
Speaker 6 (11:45):
I mean, it's a huge question, Darsie, Thank you for
having me. I think the best way to sort of
sum it up is they want to try and avoid
what we've seen so far this season, which is cars
effectively losing power and slowing down on straights. We're meant
to see Formulae being sort of the apex of the sport,
the best of the best, and you would say in
(12:06):
that regard, we have been let down this season by
what's known as super clipping, where a car and a
driver's need to recharge the battery means that they will
have to give up a top speed when they still
have plenty to go.
Speaker 3 (12:19):
And the issue with that can be cars driving into
the back of each other aka Oli baman, which drove
this change. I would suggest they wouldn't have been so quick.
But after that, look, we have to address this, and
you say, the best of the best, it's not being
like that, and that's why the step and doesn't like
I just want to drive my car as fast as possible.
Can that actually happen again?
Speaker 2 (12:39):
Do you think?
Speaker 6 (12:40):
Look, I think because these rule changes were so revolutionary
and what they were saying they wanted formula to be,
I don't know if it's going to be a quick
fit straight away, you know. Is it a bit of
a hydra situation where you chop one problems head off
but then create two more because that sort of has
what a nice reference is what it's been. I mean,
I'm all about the great see that's one here, But
(13:03):
I think the important thing to right here is you've
mentioned Alibaman is that is the biggest thing, because the
drivers were saying the whole time this year that is
what is going to happen. Someone is going to lose
power at the wrong time and it's going to go
disastrously for them or for everyone else trying to avoid them.
And we saw it happened at Suzuka because Oli Bahman
had to get out of the way of Franko Kolopinto
who lost all his power and Oli Baman skews off
(13:24):
into the fence. We saw it happen in Melbourne. Liam
Lawson couldn't start off the line and Franko Colpin turd
to get around to him somehow, and he managed to
do it amazingly because like you know, it's reaction time
at that level is almost nonexistent. So I think that
from that side of it, you do welcome these changes,
but you do I.
Speaker 3 (13:43):
Was fighting for the butt.
Speaker 2 (13:45):
What what next?
Speaker 6 (13:47):
So I was lucky enough to be in Melbourne and
we had oh I know we had I should have
bet something, but we had breakfast out at Mercedes the
day before the season started and Kemmy Antonelli, who's what
eighteen nineteen, was asked these questions about the new rules
and regulations, and he said, it's going to be tracked track.
You know, what works on one circuit like Melbourne might
(14:08):
not work on another circle. Like we saw in China.
We saw the difference between those two races and the
overtaking and how different cars reacted based on the different
the way different tracks are built. You know, we're coming
up to Miami. It's of course it's a it's not
a street track, but it is sort of a repurposed
stadium car park in that regard, and there's going to
be a lot of long straits, there's going to be
a lot of technical turns. How will that plan to
(14:30):
it as opposed to somewhere like Austria, which is a
lot of fast, fast bits. I think of Belgium similar,
a lot of fast straight So it is it is
a learning experience in twenty twenty six, and whether or
not the data and what they learned goes into changing
these rules again in twenty twenty seven, I don't know.
Will the FAA, who are famously stubborn, just double down
on it and just say this is what it is
(14:51):
and you've got to get on with it, or are
they open to changing. I think we've seen today that
they are open to actually changing if it' steemed that
they've gone it wrong.
Speaker 3 (14:58):
So it essentially what you're saying is that each different
track is going to throw up a different set of
parameters that these engines and that the engineers and the
drivers have to deal with that. There's no not a
cookie cut a solution for this.
Speaker 6 (15:10):
No, but that's what it is anyway, right, Different cars
react on different tracks. You know, you remember a couple
of years ago how bad Williams were, but they always
seem to perform at Monza because their car was just
built in a way that that track got the best
out of. Like, that's not unique. But when it is,
you know, potentially a problem with driver's safety, as we
saw at Suzoko, that becomes a problem. And I think
(15:31):
that is what they're going to have to really try
and keep an eye on.
Speaker 3 (15:34):
It's just enough to stop the step and running away,
because this is all the talk is he ped up
to the back teeth. It's like Shane ben Gisberg when
he gave up supercars because he actually wanted to race
as fast as he could and all the rules around
fuel and around tires mean it was about saving resources
and that's what's essentially happened to Formula one.
Speaker 6 (15:54):
Look, I think there's a lot of issues with Maxis
step and I don't think it's just the racing. I
think he has he reached a singling with Formula one.
You look at his key figures around him, and he's
always sort of had his dad, his manager Mark Mill
and then doctor Helmet Marco who was Red Bull Senior
motorspoard advisor and Jampiro Lambi, I say, has engineer. Two
(16:15):
of those have now left, so he's not really got
any allies in that team and if he doesn't want
to keep going, then he won't. He said, you know,
he brought up two hundred races a couple of years
ago and he was asked, are you going to do
two hundred more? And he said no, definitely not. So
this isn't anything new. You know, he has always been
adamant that when he's when he's done, he's done. You know,
he's now a father. He's won four world titles that
(16:35):
you know, if that's enough for him, that's enough for him.
Speaker 3 (16:38):
What do you reckon the Baham racing at the supercar?
How good would that be?
Speaker 2 (16:41):
I love it.
Speaker 6 (16:42):
I think that genuinely that would be the most watched
supercars race there's ever been.
Speaker 3 (16:46):
It put him around Bathurst and see what he does.
So we've still got two and a half weeks to wait.
See what's new. You're waving a finger at me, you
have something else.
Speaker 6 (16:54):
Well, he did do Bathist remember when they were doing
all the COVID simulations, and he took a car around Bathurst.
And so I don't think it's anything new.
Speaker 3 (17:02):
We're sitting back waiting for Miami and they'll be well
rested and ready to go and we can be happy.
I don't mind what's going on in the Middle East,
but now it's interfare with my Formula one. I've got
a real problem with Netanyahu, Trump and everybody else.
Speaker 6 (17:15):
Well, I mean, you're not going to startup through the
night anymore.
Speaker 3 (17:18):
Okay, you're finding you're finding good.
Speaker 2 (17:20):
That's what I like.
Speaker 3 (17:21):
It's all good. It's all good. Even if it's bad,
there's still some good to be found. Alex Powell, thanks
very much for joining us.
Speaker 2 (17:26):
Beating of X. We've got just the ticket. It's Sports
Fix powered by News Talks Ivvy.
Speaker 3 (17:32):
And that's it for the Sports Fix podcast. Another day
another dollar, that day being Tuesday, the twenty first of
April twenty twenty six. I hope you've enjoyed the podcast.
If you have, tell your friends, tell your family, get
them to subscribe, which I hope you do as well.
That way, this podcast comes straight into your inbox on
(17:53):
a week daily basis. If you like traditional radio, wow
we all do, you can indulge in that too. Monday
through Friday seven to eight pm sports talk on News
Talks EB. Jason Pine's got the Monday gig, I've got
the rest of the week, and then on Saturday he's
front and center with the big show Gorn Glenn Maxwell.
That is weekend sport from twelve midday through three pm
(18:16):
on News Talk ZEDB. Hey, thanks for your time, Thanks
for your attention. Let's do it again tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (18:22):
Go on you know you want.
Speaker 1 (18:24):
To for more from News Talk ZEDB. Listen live on
air or online, and keep our shows with you wherever
you go with our podcasts on iHeartRadio
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