October 6, 2025 • 7 mins
The NSW Warriors side capped off a dominant season in strong fashion, defeating the Burleigh Bears 50-20 to win the state championship for the first time in their history.
The win capped off the season where they won 24 games and lost only 3.
David Tangata-Toa is the coach of the reserve grade side and he spoke with Piney to reflect on the brilliant season they had.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Having secured the New South Wales Cup last weekend, they
yesterday ented the state championship and that is it. Were
well done to the New Zealand Warriors.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
For the first time in the club's history, they won
a game on Nrlman Final Day. They won the twenty
twenty five State Championship in emphatic fashion over the Burly Bears.
It's the Warriors fifty defeated the Bears twenty.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Warriors Reserve grade coach is David Tanga Tangata toa. He
joins us now. Congratulations on the win, David, and welcome
an utterly extraordinary season. Twenty four wins, a drawer and
just three losses too trophies. What were the main reasons
for your incredible consistency.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, it's a great question. Yeah, I put it down
to obviously the players and their efforts all year. They've
probably been the most consistent team that I've ever sort
of been involved with, through their preparation and their effort
each week and the willingness just to sort of work
really hard for each other.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
The nature of reserve grade of course, is that you
have an ever changing roster of players available to you.
How do you, as a coach manage that dynamic?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, like, it's obviously part of the job that we're
here to sort of basically have players fitting ready for
the NRL. So yeah, you sort of get used to it.
I've been a coach at this level now for a
few years, so it just sort of comes with the territory.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
How do you manage the more experienced players in particular
who had previously been first grade regulars but have now
dropped down into your side? How do you manage them specifically?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yeah, Like you've got to have a strong culture within
the club because obviously there's some boys there that probably
aren't where they want to be. So yeah, it's just
really important that the club has a strong culture because yeah,
we want to sort of have that team first, club
first attitude.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
And have you seen from players like I'll use a
specific example I got like Bunty ou for have you
seen from him when he dropped down the ability to
mentor and and to help the younger players who are
coming through at the other end, I guess of their journeys.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, he's been terrific. Bunty, I've been really lucky that
I've had a real strong sort of leaders group, some
of those more older experienced guys, and they've done a
great job because you know, they've led the way and
we've got some good young kids coming through that we
sort of hope that they make the transition to NRL.
(02:52):
And yeah, Bunty Kilaney, you know Tom Harley, Ed Cossi,
guys like that that are leaving the club, but have
done a great job this year just leading the New
Southwest Cup.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
So when you think about your goals at the start
of the season, David, are you targeting success in terms
of what you achieved on the field this season or
are you more gauging your success around how many guys
you can have graduate up to the first grade side,
either now or in the future.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, So New South Balls Cup's a development great still.
So we're here to obviously develop players to get them
ready for the NRL, but I think it's also important
that we teach them how to win as well, so
when they do go to the NRL, they know what
that feeling and they know what it looks like. So
(03:45):
it's a development team, but you still want to have
success as well, so that it's just getting the balance
right there.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
The club also has Harold Matthews Cup under seventeen side,
isg Ball under nineteen side, Jersey Flag under twenty one side.
How important is the full pathway from those teams through
to yours and onto the first grade.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, it's really impt. You know a lot of the
elite players have gone through that pathway system. So yeah,
it's like the club does such a great job to
field all these teams, especially when you know we play
in Australian competitions. So yeah, full credit to the club
(04:27):
with their investment around fielding all those teams and it
definitely helps the NRL product if we've got strong sort
of pathway systems.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
And a couple of guys this year have have been
standouts in first grade who previously have course been in
the reserve grade side Dimitric Viimolngna and Liqua Hella Seima
graduating to first grade. What's it like watching those guys
excel you in first grade having had them under your wing.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, no, it's really cool. You know, I sort of
had a really small part play and obviously Dim and Lecqua,
you know, they've been in the in the pathway for
a while. But yeah, it's probably the most rewarding part
of a job is seeing guys, you know, make their
end up an RL day boot and then just to
(05:18):
see how proud obviously their families are, and yeah, it's
a nice experience to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
How many of this twenty twenty five side of yours
can you see becoming first grade regulars in the future.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Well that's the challenge, isn't it. So we've definitely got
some good young kids coming through, but they've got to
work really hard. Obviously they get a bit of a
break now, but you know, preseason is really important for them,
this preseason coming up, So yeah, there's a bit of
(05:52):
hard work to be done there. But we're a bit
excited as well of some of those boys coming through.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
There's always been a talk around a guy who's surname
is Cleary. I guess Jets spend time with you. How's
he tracking? What do you protect for him in the
in the future.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah, Jet's done a really good job. He obviously filled
in when Tanner Boyd went up, and then obviously once
the NRL was done, Tanner came back and I had
to finish a year off with US. So, yeah, Jets
had a really strong start at the club. He started
in Flag and then I think it was after round
(06:29):
eleven came up and played I think eight nine games
for US. So yeah, he's progressing really well. Yeah, he's
he's done a really good job. So yeah, we're excited
to see where where Jet goes. And he's probably one
of those kids that we talk about like they've got
to have a really good pre season this year or
(06:52):
next year, sorry, and then yeah we'll see where they
where they see it indeed.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
All right, so the team get to break. Now what
about you? Are you back with Tonga Rigain this year
as part of their coaching staff.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Yeah. Yeah, so Tuesday next week, so I get a
week off and then we fly to Tonga and we've
got a four day camp in Tonga. So yeah, haven't
really given that too much thought at the moment. I'll
sort of enjoy what we did yesterday for a couple
of days and then I'll get my head around starting
(07:24):
to prepare for Tonga.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Great stuff, David Well, congratulations on overseeing superb success on
the field and development off with the reserve. Great side
this season really appreciate you taking the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Awesome. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Duncie Wildegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
Having secured the New South Wales Cup last weekend, they
yesterday ented the state championship and that is it. Were
well done to the New Zealand Warriors.
Speaker 3 (00:20):
For the first time in the club's history, they won
a game on Nrlman Final Day. They won the twenty
twenty five State Championship in emphatic fashion over the Burly Bears.
It's the Warriors fifty defeated the Bears twenty.
Speaker 2 (00:34):
Warriors Reserve grade coach is David Tanga Tangata toa. He
joins us now. Congratulations on the win, David, and welcome
an utterly extraordinary season. Twenty four wins, a drawer and
just three losses too trophies. What were the main reasons
for your incredible consistency.
Speaker 3 (00:52):
Yeah, it's a great question. Yeah, I put it down
to obviously the players and their efforts all year. They've
probably been the most consistent team that I've ever sort
of been involved with, through their preparation and their effort
each week and the willingness just to sort of work
really hard for each other.
Speaker 2 (01:13):
The nature of reserve grade of course, is that you
have an ever changing roster of players available to you.
How do you, as a coach manage that dynamic?
Speaker 3 (01:23):
Yeah, like, it's obviously part of the job that we're
here to sort of basically have players fitting ready for
the NRL. So yeah, you sort of get used to it.
I've been a coach at this level now for a
few years, so it just sort of comes with the territory.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
How do you manage the more experienced players in particular
who had previously been first grade regulars but have now
dropped down into your side? How do you manage them specifically?
Speaker 3 (01:54):
Yeah, Like you've got to have a strong culture within
the club because obviously there's some boys there that probably
aren't where they want to be. So yeah, it's just
really important that the club has a strong culture because yeah,
we want to sort of have that team first, club
first attitude.
Speaker 2 (02:15):
And have you seen from players like I'll use a
specific example I got like Bunty ou for have you
seen from him when he dropped down the ability to
mentor and and to help the younger players who are
coming through at the other end, I guess of their journeys.
Speaker 3 (02:29):
Yeah, he's been terrific. Bunty, I've been really lucky that
I've had a real strong sort of leaders group, some
of those more older experienced guys, and they've done a
great job because you know, they've led the way and
we've got some good young kids coming through that we
sort of hope that they make the transition to NRL.
(02:52):
And yeah, Bunty Kilaney, you know Tom Harley, Ed Cossi,
guys like that that are leaving the club, but have
done a great job this year just leading the New
Southwest Cup.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
So when you think about your goals at the start
of the season, David, are you targeting success in terms
of what you achieved on the field this season or
are you more gauging your success around how many guys
you can have graduate up to the first grade side,
either now or in the future.
Speaker 3 (03:24):
Yeah, So New South Balls Cup's a development great still.
So we're here to obviously develop players to get them
ready for the NRL, but I think it's also important
that we teach them how to win as well, so
when they do go to the NRL, they know what
that feeling and they know what it looks like. So
(03:45):
it's a development team, but you still want to have
success as well, so that it's just getting the balance
right there.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
The club also has Harold Matthews Cup under seventeen side,
isg Ball under nineteen side, Jersey Flag under twenty one side.
How important is the full pathway from those teams through
to yours and onto the first grade.
Speaker 3 (04:05):
Yeah, it's really impt. You know a lot of the
elite players have gone through that pathway system. So yeah,
it's like the club does such a great job to
field all these teams, especially when you know we play
in Australian competitions. So yeah, full credit to the club
(04:27):
with their investment around fielding all those teams and it
definitely helps the NRL product if we've got strong sort
of pathway systems.
Speaker 2 (04:39):
And a couple of guys this year have have been
standouts in first grade who previously have course been in
the reserve grade side Dimitric Viimolngna and Liqua Hella Seima
graduating to first grade. What's it like watching those guys
excel you in first grade having had them under your wing.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Yeah, no, it's really cool. You know, I sort of
had a really small part play and obviously Dim and Lecqua,
you know, they've been in the in the pathway for
a while. But yeah, it's probably the most rewarding part
of a job is seeing guys, you know, make their
end up an RL day boot and then just to
(05:18):
see how proud obviously their families are, and yeah, it's
a nice experience to be a part of.
Speaker 2 (05:25):
How many of this twenty twenty five side of yours
can you see becoming first grade regulars in the future.
Speaker 3 (05:31):
Well that's the challenge, isn't it. So we've definitely got
some good young kids coming through, but they've got to
work really hard. Obviously they get a bit of a
break now, but you know, preseason is really important for them,
this preseason coming up, So yeah, there's a bit of
(05:52):
hard work to be done there. But we're a bit
excited as well of some of those boys coming through.
Speaker 2 (05:57):
There's always been a talk around a guy who's surname
is Cleary. I guess Jets spend time with you. How's
he tracking? What do you protect for him in the
in the future.
Speaker 3 (06:08):
Yeah, Jet's done a really good job. He obviously filled
in when Tanner Boyd went up, and then obviously once
the NRL was done, Tanner came back and I had
to finish a year off with US. So, yeah, Jets
had a really strong start at the club. He started
in Flag and then I think it was after round
(06:29):
eleven came up and played I think eight nine games
for US. So yeah, he's progressing really well. Yeah, he's
he's done a really good job. So yeah, we're excited
to see where where Jet goes. And he's probably one
of those kids that we talk about like they've got
to have a really good pre season this year or
(06:52):
next year, sorry, and then yeah we'll see where they
where they see it indeed.
Speaker 2 (06:56):
All right, so the team get to break. Now what
about you? Are you back with Tonga Rigain this year
as part of their coaching staff.
Speaker 3 (07:02):
Yeah. Yeah, so Tuesday next week, so I get a
week off and then we fly to Tonga and we've
got a four day camp in Tonga. So yeah, haven't
really given that too much thought at the moment. I'll
sort of enjoy what we did yesterday for a couple
of days and then I'll get my head around starting
(07:24):
to prepare for Tonga.
Speaker 2 (07:25):
Great stuff, David Well, congratulations on overseeing superb success on
the field and development off with the reserve. Great side
this season really appreciate you taking the time for a chat.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
Awesome. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
For more from sports talk, listen live to news talks.
It'd be from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio.
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