July 24, 2024 • 43 mins
D'Arcy Waldegrave returns to recap an exciting day in the world of sports! Highlights for tonight include:
Eric Murray - Olympic Gold Medallist - On the NZOC selection process ahead of the Paris Games.
Stacey Jones - Warriors Assistant Coach - On their side named to play the Tigers on Friday night.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldergrave
from News Talk zedb.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Woo.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Excited much to get back to week? Oh yes, I
am good evening to you. My name is Darcy Watergrave.
This is Sports Talk twenty third of July twenty twenty four.
It is It's a Tuesday, rapidly approaching seven minutes after
seven for your entertainment and digestion of an evening. What
are we serving up well? Later on the piece, Stacey
(00:54):
Jones joins us and as Roll as the assistant coach
of the Wire's not the head coach the keis that's
still to come, I'm sure, and we'll talk about the
team that was announced just over an hour ago to
take on the West Tigers on fry Day night. Find
out what worked last week, what didn't work last week,
and how many more players have fallen off the cliff
when it comes to injury. How many outside back can
(01:17):
they give lou how many of the backline can they
losing this anyway, We'll talk to Stacy Jones about that
and I'll run through the team with you as well.
Kicking off proceedings though double Olympic gold medalist, eight times
World champion. Wow, what a way to introdu someone. Eric
Murray joins us, talking about Olympic Committee selection rules and
if they're fair or not leaving athletes behind that have
(01:38):
qualified but they're not chosen. Does that put people off
sport if there is no Olympic pathways? And what do
you want out of this? What is your opinion attitude
around the selection process? What should it entail, what should
it encompass? What do you want as an Olympic sport watcher.
(01:59):
We'll talk about that after we hear from Eric Murray.
I mean, I wonder do you just like Parliament and
everyone that qualifies off you go to the Olympics. It
cost us an extra couple hundred thousand. Who cares?
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Right?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Let him go right right wrong? I don't know you
have your opinion on our one hundred and eighty ten
eighty to lad on the piece Before we do that, Let's.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
Do this Sport today and.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
The seven and Sport today All black Artie Savia has
a point to prove now that has moved from the
Hurricanes to Mowana Pacifika has been confirmed. The reigning men's
World Rugby Player of the Year has a huge driver
for next year's Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
But I'm looking forward to most is proving a lot.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
Of people wrong, proving people that you know, Wind not
PACIFICA is a great team and these great players, these
great coaches and that team, and I'm looking forward to
that challenge.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
We talked about this last week when that story broke,
and well, I'm so looking forward to this. This is
what they need to want to How many other top
athletes are going to climb on that train? Now that
the Savia brothers are leading it the games of the
thirty third Olympia to begin, the city of Paris is
taking security understandably, very very very seriously. New Zealander Chief
(03:13):
Mission that Avery speaks of the presence of the forces
driving back towards the village that two am, and it
was really notable.
Speaker 7 (03:22):
It's just on every corner through them.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
But in the village itself there are security people there
that they're not flowing around with weapons their but they're
not really impressive.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
And our CEO Mark Robinson joined Mike Asking this morning
to talk about the experience of taking a game to
Sandy Ago, plainly designed to get some hooks into the
massive American sports markets and He's pretty happy, he told.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Mike, have you definitely more work to do? Mike, I
don't think the plan is fully fledged, but what we're
seeing through content the influence of the you know, I'm
self spent a couple of days up at Stanford and
around Silicon Dalley talking to some people about what the
future could look like down the West Coast with regards
to rugby and finally.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
You can do us Finn Butcher, It's like years and
years of working so hard with that and the thing
in return for it left them in a really good
Posey for his debut at the Games in Paris twenty nine.
See that as a reserve way back in Toko, but
he's persevered to qualify in the slalom and kayak cross disciplines.
Speaker 7 (04:23):
Go you probably wouldn't have been in the same position
as I am now in terms of gun and for
some some real top results. So I'm pretty grateful that
I've kept improving over the last four years since our
selection for Tokyo, and I'm in a good spot now.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
And what's sport today.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
We're joined now by Eric Murray, long time celebrated Olympian.
As we look towards the start the thirty third Olympiad
in Paris. There's always discussion around qualifying but not getting
to go. Some athletes have got what it takes officially,
but they haven't got what it takes when it comes
to the people that count. Eric joins us now to
(05:00):
talk about that qualifying in general. Eric, welcome to the program.
So tell us about that you qualify but you don't
get to go. What kind of considerations to athletes have
in that space in the lead up to being nominated
for the Olympic Games.
Speaker 8 (05:16):
Well, you do, and there's there's just so many complexities
around it because you know, not only most sports because
of the Olympics, can't be absolutely massive, you know, these
limited quota spaces depending on your sport or your event.
And then obviously we've seen in the media and stuff
like that that we don't just seen people to be representatives,
(05:36):
you know, which I'm on the fence about a little
bit as well. You know, like you know, we want
people to excel. There's obviously a cost to it, there's
everything else. So it's a really tricky scenario in terms
of that. But yes, everybody, everybody is searching to try
and be at the Olympics because it's obviously your pinnacle
event and it's very special, you.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Know, and from my experience the first one in Athens
years ago, it was the catalyst to be like, I
don't just want to be here and be a number.
I want to be further.
Speaker 8 (06:06):
And that's what you find, especially in our team as well,
that you've got some I guess some of the senior
experienced people, you know, whether that's in the rugby or
you take the likes of in the twig, you know,
or you've got young people that are just in the team,
you know, their first Olympics and they're like, wow, this
is going to be an experience and you know, to
get to that point obviously as massive. But our team
(06:29):
and New Zealand team and over the years with our
different shift of missions, has done an amazing job in
creating a culture of our team, you know, and the
New Zealand team is probably one of, you know, one
of the titles that you probably see just in the
way that we do everything overseas and the camaraderie within
the whole group and the whole team being able to
(06:49):
sit in a in a communal area to watch and
support the team members and I think that's really does
what make it special and probably does make it even
special for New Zealand itself.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
You touched on the qualification and it's been called not
my quote, but fundamentally flawed. The ENZ and OCS approach
around the blanket top sixteen standard for people to actually qualify,
regardless of the sport. Now, there is trouble there when
you consider, i'm supposing Eric Murray, just how deep some
(07:22):
sports run and how big they actually are. In your
time as an Olympian, was that discussed much about that
cutoff mark.
Speaker 8 (07:29):
There was a few occasions, you know, And I think
that's what we've got to realize, is it's not in
every single sport, right And there are a few occasions.
You know, you can take Rome for example, some of
them don't even have sixteen crews, you know, so there automatically,
like a beauty, I'm in. It doesn't matter, I'm going
to be top sixteen anyway. But of course there are cases, yes,
(07:49):
where there's criteria and there's more people that are doing
it that could potentially be there, and the numbers for
entry are quite large, So yes, there are things that
are spoken about. But I guess It's one of these
scenarios where you know, we talk about it, and we
have the media that talk about and you have athletes
and stuff that talk about it. But we've got to
look at the flip side. You know, who's paying for it,
you know as a tax bad paying for this? Is
(08:11):
the IOC paying for it because I know they pay
for a chunk, but they don't pay for it all.
So then we could we could keep going on this
all day, Darcy. It's about you know, medals, medals and
the and the funding that goes towards high performance sport.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
You know, is there a model that can be done better?
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (08:26):
These are all the things that I think with the
development of society and just with open and honest conversation
with everybody, that it's things that we can talk about
in the future going forward.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
But the case of this badminton player, I don't know,
my not is walked away after being denied a spot.
Apparently he qualified, he should have been fine, he just
wasn't selected and that was just enough. He's just walked.
That's quite damaging for his careers. Should that be something
that has looked at in the wider scale about the
effect that has mentally on athletes who are good enough
but not deemed good enough by the Olympic Committee.
Speaker 8 (09:00):
Oh no, absolutely, yeah, And I think that I think
that those you know, those those conversations are going deeper,
right And and we're obviously pinpointing one because it's it's
the forefront of what everybody's talking about.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
And I don't know the solution. You know, We've.
Speaker 8 (09:15):
Obviously it's like anything, Darcy, You've got to put a
criteria in place, right, you have to, and it just means,
you know, and you're going to get some people that
fall outside of that criteria who are going to feel
hard done by.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Now.
Speaker 8 (09:27):
I truly believe, yes, if we could, if it's not costing,
and we could afford to send as many people that
qualify under international standards, send a lot of them, right,
I believe that that's how it should be. But this
is the problem that we've got is that I'm not
the one making the decisions in the NZOC. I don't
know the ins and outs of the funding. I don't
(09:48):
know the ins and outs of all those models. So
what can we do?
Speaker 4 (09:51):
You know?
Speaker 8 (09:51):
And obviously it's going to be something that comes out
of this going forward.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
And I believe that yes, if you qualify.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
As an international standard, there's a reason that there's an
international standard. And I know that New Zealand wants to
keep this high level of you know, competition and standard
of people that are going. But I can honestly say,
there's been so many people that have gone to the
Olympics and spent one Olympics going there, and the next time
they come out they're so much better, right, And what's
(10:20):
that done for the development of the sports? You know,
let's take kayaking for example, where's canoe racing and kayaking
come since Beijing?
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Right?
Speaker 8 (10:29):
We had Fouey, now we've got Carrington and look at
what that's done for the sport in New Zealand. And
that's what we've really got to look at, is how
this can affect those sports going forward.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Hasten to add the case of the badminton play was
the Tokyo Olympics. It is not just recently for people
are listening on into this. What's the purpose of the
Olympic Games? I suppose that's what it comes back down to.
What actually needs to be generated. Why people are involved
in this, is this an aspirational event? Is as purely
about winning medals for the health of the nation. What
(11:01):
do you think the expectation is across the board. I
think it's all of the above.
Speaker 8 (11:08):
Plus you've got generational motivation, you know, expectation and people
going that I'd love that to be me one day.
You know, we're talking about sitting there overnight watching the Olympic.
You know, the media articles that come out of it,
the employment that comes out of it, the economic benefit
(11:28):
that can come out of it in certain different ways.
It's such a massive, I guess area of everything, you know,
and it brings it all together. And yes, the Olympics
are the pinnacle of most of a lot of sports.
There's professionalism in sports these days where they're not in
they're not in.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
The Olympics, you know. But for the majority of a
lot of other sports, this is it.
Speaker 8 (11:49):
This is as big as it gets and it's always
been there, right, And we look back on history, and
I know we look back on history, but at the
same time we have to look at moving forward, right
because we can just look at the last twenty years
of technical, technological developments just in human society and the
way that we are. Everything's just moving so fast. And
(12:10):
so those are the conversations that always need to be had.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
A situation when you're Semmy Maxwell, the mountain biker has
had her decision not to go overturned. She's actually gone
to court, gone to a tribunal to get that overturned.
That's a lot of work to go through speak quite
stressful for an athlete to it ex even come down
to that.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
No, I don't think it should.
Speaker 8 (12:32):
But you've got a criteria, right, and you've got you've
got this is what it is, right, And I don't
know how to I don't know really how to describe it.
But it's like saying I was driving one hundred and
five and one hundred k kzone. You get a ticket
and you're like, but it was only one k over
you see, you know, like you can't argue and they're like, yeah,
but we only want people to go that.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Are at this level and you're outside that level. You
know you can't do you how do you change? Do
we change it?
Speaker 8 (12:58):
And just say as long as you create a world
standard of going to the Olympics, you're more than welcome
to go.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Yes, Right, That's how I feel that it should be.
Speaker 8 (13:09):
Because we're not talking We're not talking fifty people, We're
talking three four five, Right, it can't be that hard.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
What about comparing to other nations when they send people
to games like for the ski jumping for the eagle
edwards back at the Winter Olympics, so not a chance
of doing anything, but tax payer money and funding going
over there created huge vibrations and waves in the event
even though did nothing. Is it fair for us to
(13:39):
compare ourselves with nations that don't have a hope and
hell of winning but they're sending athletes anyway?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Well, I think that's that's this is where the problem is.
Speaker 8 (13:49):
We get onto a sports by sport basis, and you know,
if we're a small sport, you want to grow the sports,
so you're like, yes, let's see this person. But then
you've got criteria. And this is always the problem is
once you start getting it into rules and criteria, it's
very hard to go away from those because then, as
you say you've got to, you've got to end up
in bloody tribunal sports tribunal lord into court to say
(14:11):
hang on a minute, you know, like can we can
we redo these these these protocols and these processes.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
And that's where it lies, but yes you can.
Speaker 8 (14:19):
You can create Eddie, the Eagles, you know, Eric, the
equatorial Yeah, Eric.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
They're all part of it. And they are the stories.
And that's the thing with the Olympics.
Speaker 8 (14:30):
Right as you have your you have your stories about
your winners, you know, and people that tried, and then
you have your Nicky Hamlin's you know, they're falling over
on the track and then they run together to the
finish and they and they win Olympic Solidarity medals and
stuff like this, and you'd like, those are the stories
about what it's about. Not everybody's going to be at
the top level to be able to compete, not everybody's
(14:51):
going to be at the top level to have a
chance of winning. But at the same time, you've got
so many people there with dreams and aspirations that have
been working towards us, that have had supporters and people
underneath them, the country behind them.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
Aren't those important enough?
Speaker 3 (15:05):
What about buy Eric Murray around particular sports? Are there
sports that probably curry more favor from the Olympic Committee
the other? Are there cool kids? Are there cool sports?
Do they tend towards one more than the other?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
I don't wow.
Speaker 8 (15:20):
I don't know, Darcy, I don't know, because obviously we can.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
You can. You can answer that.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
You can answer that question by saying, what are the
most funded sports by high performance sport in New Zealand?
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Right? But I and as I say, I don't know,
there are full ins and outs of it.
Speaker 8 (15:33):
And where where does high performance Sport New Zealand finish
and New Zealand Olympic Committee takeover?
Speaker 9 (15:39):
Are that?
Speaker 8 (15:40):
Do they work closely enough together? Have they got slightly
different things? This is this is where we start to
because that's what you've got to remember is that the
Olympic Committee is the one that suggests you to go,
whereas in normal and normal circumstances it's a national federation
that then submits it to a high performance sport who
says we're going to send these people over on a
board level in your organization.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
So yeah, are there two people? Are there too many
bloody people at the top.
Speaker 8 (16:03):
Making decisions for athletes that are just trying to do
their best.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
The ref's call, you make a call on sports talk
on your home of sports news talks have.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Been seventy two. This is sports talker that was and
we don't use these words lightly but I can. In
this case the great Eric Murray, double Olympic gold medalist,
eight times world champion roller talking about qualifying for the Games,
where the import sits with the important sits for the
(16:34):
athletes and for us. This is about us, This is
about New Zealanders watching New Zealanders on the global stage,
succeeding or not succeeding. Who makes the call around this
and where should the call go? He talked about top
heavy situation with too many people at the top making decisions.
(16:55):
I get that. Should we wonder how many people are
in the Olympic team are actually not athletes? Is there
nearly two hundred athletes about a fifty to fifty split
between women and men. But how many excess staff are there?
And how much more would it really cost if you
qualify to get sent to the Olympic Games. Now this
is where you commit. Eight hundred eighty ten eighty lines
(17:18):
are open. It will be so to eight o'clock like
your calls, also your text nineteen nine two ZBZB that
cost your standard text charge. When it comes to the
Olympic Games, do you think that all of our athletes,
if they qualify for the global standard, should be sent
over regardless. At the moment money for medals approach, We're
(17:42):
going to send you over if you've got a realistic
chance of winning medals. Does that detract from what the
Olympic movement is all about? Do we want to have
a situation where if you are the best in New
Zealand and you hit that qualifying stage, you go regardless.
Is this all still a hangover from the Olympics where
they took a massive amount of athletes over. We only
(18:03):
won like no medals a bit more than that three
and people they had egg on their face and they
felt embarrassed so that to retilet so they could justify
the money They've got my eyes, it's been a lot
of money on a lot of things. I think the
power that the Olympic Games has, the aspirational nature of
the Olympic Games for especially the youth, and the way
(18:24):
it will drive youth into playing sport, which is something
that we all want. We want active children. If you
qualify it, you go, and you probably won't cover yourself
in glory. But what are the chances of you're covering
yourself and glory anyway reasonably remote? I'd like your opinion
on that. You qualify. You've got the standard. Go oh
(18:48):
eight one hundred and eighty ten eighty lines are open.
Will take your calls shortly. Here on sports.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Talk you hear it from the biggest names and sports men.
Have your say on.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Sports Talk on your home of Sports News Talk.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Zi B.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Eight Sports Talk here on News Talk at z B
gets straight to the phone. So eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty, you hit the mark, You go right in
that simple okay, studio, how are you today?
Speaker 9 (19:32):
I wish it was that simple, but it's not my
sports table tennis. Then it's where there's a lot of
people incredibly disappointing for a young talent in our country
called Alfred Delapina. He's taken everybody that needs to be beaten.
He's gone to the Oceania qualifying tournament and done it
he needed to and so he's theory. You'd say, oh,
(19:54):
that's great. So he's speaking all those players from round
the Oceana region. It's the thing he needs to do.
You've qualified, Oh, well, that's good, we'll just put him
and put his name forward. And you see on the
Olympic Committee said no unless you're in the top sixteen
in the world. In table ten in US. Nice tray
No sorry, hate see you. It's just the most annoying
and frustrating distance sensive for any sports person in a
(20:16):
minor sport.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Talk through Alfred to us. Sorry, so he's table tennis player.
So when does he sat globally? He said he's qualified.
He's not going to have the same thing, but he's
he's qualified for the Olympic Games based on.
Speaker 9 (20:30):
Well, based on the requirements of the Olympic, the IOC
set which as you get through the qualifying and the
ocean the region, much as our all whites for example,
get through in that same sort of region. Although you know,
as I say that, I think this time that changes,
and that's exactly what my point is going to be
at changes from from Olympic decades to decades, and sports
come and go from the Olympics, as you know. So,
(20:52):
but our current situation is that if they had won
the tournaments that he won, which he did, went to
Nemea and beat the players he needed to beat to
get through, so he qualified by Olympic IOC standards. But
when New Zealand Table Tennis put the names forward for
him to go, New Zealand Olympic Committee said on if
(21:12):
we're going to make a top sixteen as a realistic
chance of being you know a memble you're going to
be the top sixteen in the world. No, I think
you're one hundred and eighty seven or something, so too bad.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Do you know where he does ring?
Speaker 9 (21:22):
Sorry, studio, Look, look, I'm really sorry. I don't hold
that's okay. I would. I'm just so passionate about it,
and I said textually check the numbers before I phoned you.
But when I heard the topic, I thought, well, it's
a plasic example of some sports being favorite and others not,
and for not any particular good reason. I mean, this
guy lives, breathes and heats. It's incredibly talented, and it's
(21:44):
such a disappointment for every table tennis player that wants
to look for somebody to go out theseas really well, yeah, that's.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Really keen on this. As far as table tennis as
a whole in New Zealand, what does a non selection
like this do to the to the sport and to
the people involved. I mean, this is a is a
gut punch. Does it stop them wanting to play?
Speaker 9 (22:06):
Of course, of course it does because we look to
guys like this as the best talents that have currently arisen.
And he's worked. You know, he's worked, trained as hard
as any other sports person in any other sport. Believe me,
I know what he goes through and it's staggering. But
you know, and these guys don't come along every couple
of years. I mean, he's incredibly talented and he's done
(22:29):
incredibly while he's put himself out the funded most of
his own way around various tournaments to get him the
position he's in. It's not like he's proven commitment. But
as I say, it's come down to a simple, pragmatic
and quite cruel, in my opinion, decision by New Zealand
Oliver to me to say, oh, no, you're going to
be top sixteen. Well guess what. You apply that to
a dozen other sports and they wouldn't have anybody going
(22:51):
there either. But you know, and my sport, table tennis,
New Zealand is never going to be top sixteen. It's
just a fact of life. But does that mean we
should never have an opportunity to even send anybody to
the Games? I don't think so. Maybe we should implement
something that is perhaps changeable from decade to decade, or
Olympics to Olympics. This time we're going to allow someone's
(23:13):
who's maybe in the top hundred have a crack at
and getting that experience, which is just the most amazing
experience I'm sure of anyone's lifetime.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Before we let you go, Stu, what does the Olympic
Games mean to you? Is it purely based on medals?
Is it based on striving? Is it aspirational? Is it inspirational?
Was it bang for buck is?
Speaker 9 (23:32):
Yeah, well you've got it. I mean sure, every sport
like tents got its world championship titled and those sort
of things, and so that's that's important. But the Olympics
is the Olympics, man, I mean, there's there's nothing quite
like it. And I just think it's very sad that
sports like mine and mine table tents will be one
of many sports where we do okay and we qualify
(23:55):
by Olympic standards to have a cover. That's the point
of it, isn't it doesn't the Olympic Committee decide, well,
they want to see, they want to encourage people, as
you quite rightly mentioned, the Eddy the Eagles of the
World and the guy that are really battling, but from
African countries that haven't got the resources. Isn't that what
it's all about as well? Well, guess what we're in
that situation now at table tennis and we're getting stomped
(24:15):
on by our own New Zealand Olympic committee despite them
being able to qualify by Olympic stairs, they're not letting
him go. Well, hell's bells. I'm unhappy about that.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Look, Stu, I.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Couldn't have planned for this call. If I tried any
harder and planning I didn't, So thanks very much for
calling through that story there of the young table tennis
player qualify but they're meant yeah nine non interested. I
it is aspirational. It is inspirational. You think of the
Australian ice skated Bradbury the Winter Olympics. We haven't fell
over and written one and gold, and what a good
(24:46):
story that is for the sport. And that's not going
to happen every time. But if you only select people
who are guaranteed to want at the top, no one's
going to go. You don't have an Olympic Games, you
don't have a celebration of sport and humanity. You have
a whole lot of winners in second places. And that's
the end of the story. Is that what we want, No,
we want to see our countrymen represent our nation, our
(25:11):
silver fern. It's the missed out flag there, that's an
old thing. That's what we want to see. That's what
the Olympics is all about.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Surely, Hey, Peter, how are you very good?
Speaker 10 (25:22):
Well, we're pretty at the end of the world. Not
many people, but you know, Rowing certainly got us there
and John Walker a few others. And when you see
China and Russia yonks Ago, they had all the you know,
competitors that we didn't have, especially in gym and other things.
(25:42):
And then you have America and Russia that sometimes boycoit
each other. And now we've got Russia which is boy
cotting the Olympics and you know, the sport and politics and.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Israel they're just not allowed to go.
Speaker 9 (25:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (26:00):
Well, well then you've got Israel with the leeds, genocide
through the you know, go in and stuff are allowed
to go, and it just seems a political exercise, you know.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
And then when we're always going to have that a issue, Peter,
with the Olympics and the relevance and the politicize the
political side of it. But what I'm more interested in
here is the actual athletes who are on the ground,
who are representing us. I mean, that's what we're interested in.
Speaker 10 (26:24):
Right And I think, you know, if we could do
that without the country, it would be less possible to
politicize it in some ways. I know, you know, people
do represent their country, but you know, if you're in Australia,
only see Australian things with regard to the Olympics, and
whichever country it happens to be, I think, you know,
it's pretty specialist for their own audience.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
And I do so the chance it was in New
Zealander that even though some athletes have hit their qualifying
standards and you had an Olympic nah, nah, sorry sixteen
or otherwise, are you comfortable with that?
Speaker 9 (27:00):
I mean, I look, you get.
Speaker 10 (27:04):
Better when you have more practice, and we have got
just like health, you haven't got an endless budget to
do everything. And then numbers are unlimited, and you know,
no system is ever going to be perfect, and you know,
and sometimes the ones who are really dedicated, you know,
might change countries or whatever and they'll achieve their goal
(27:25):
because that's what they want to do and you know
you can't stop that, but I just think it. You know,
it's just gone too political for me, and I'm not
going to watch it this time.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Ah, Peter, that's discipline for you. I have to watch.
I just put all the noise to one side and
watch the athletics. And I watched the swimming, and I
watched the mountain biking, and I watched the breakdancing. Sure,
why not? You know, there's something that I've spoken of
this for over twenty years around the Olympic Games, and
(27:57):
the drive to watch the actual competition, the competing athletes
and everything else just goes into the background, just phase
away because you want see this. And there might be
a bit more money involved. But how much money does
the government throw away on pointless exercise? What did that
(28:18):
flag referendum cost us a few years ago? Twenty five
million bucks? Give that to the Olympic committee arguing about
a bit of material that flaps around at the end
of a pole.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Who cares.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yeah, they've got to have something to run and jump for.
But you make it the silver fern. See like there
there's an example of wasted government money that could be
utilized sending more athletes off to the games, which is
much better for the mental health and health of our country.
Seven thirty seven is the sports sorticon New Storks.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
There be.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
When we were traveling in your car speeds a fast
travel seriously before.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Your nineteen minutes to a staty Joanes shortly looking at
the Warriors team named today to take on and hopefully
beat the West Tigers Friday night at Mount Smart Stadium.
(29:26):
More than that, shortly, just still touching on the Olympic.
Are's you plenty of texts as well? Thanks for those,
and I'll read through a couple of them shortly. So
you look at people like Zoe Hobbs, Osa and Keecher
who disappeared and ended up disappearing from athletics full stop qualified,
but they said you're not going to get in top sixteen,
so you're not going This is in Tokyo. Zoe Hobbs,
(29:47):
she turned it around and went right, I'll show you.
And of course now she is right up there. I
might say she's an absolute metal prospect. You think she
get into the finals and that's pretty sharp going. Lucas
Walton Kim the kite foiler, he had to go through
a pretty full on process to get selected Sammy Maxwell,
ruled by the Sports Tribune, or there will be a
(30:09):
few of those in there as well. Someone's actually asked
me about sailing and what our best prospect is. I
would say it's probably Tom Saunders. I don't think there's
any favorites going in there, some of the new categories
and the new yachts, but I'd say you'd look that
way and go I like that. I think in some
(30:30):
of the other areas where we've been successful before, like
Joela Lay, Alex Maloney involved in the skiff and what
do they call the skiff again? Get that one out
of Darcy, the forty nine erra effects experience in other classes,
experience Olympics, but maybe not in that anyway. Let's just
whip through a few texts for you, Darcy. You probably
shouldn't have a dig at the flag referendum if in
fact you do want to support a new flag. Honestly,
(30:52):
I'm not losing any sleep over it, really, and I
just think, to me, it seems silly, but I'd rather
spend twenty five million dollars on athletes representing our country
than arguing over a flag where you had four choices
that we rule pants quite frank. Is it a question
of funding and there's not enough of it? How much
does the Olympic Committee fork out for any competing athletes
(31:16):
if it's limited understandable, only said the higher ranking one.
If you want to see Keywis go, you never see
them compete. They'll all be at the back. Well, that's
what I was asking the question. It is important to
you when it comes to the Olympic Games. Is it
purely medals or is it about seeing fellow New Zealanders
representing our nation on the world stage. What's more important
for you? Just I was covered off before. Plenty of
(31:38):
money gets thrown around on baboonery in this nation. Why
not a bit of positive biboonery form far as the
Olympic goes. And if we don't win and we have
a situation like we did in Sydney where it was
a massive team and the medals didn't come, are we
hiding from this? Are the people out there ashamed? Are
they embarrassed that that happened? You shouldn't be celebrate the
(32:01):
fact we had a crack. No it didn't work right,
Let's do it again. Dramatically change the qualification rule to
make you look better at the top of the table.
It's a good text. Maybe we need a new committee
that performs to the top sixteen in the world. And
this character says you need to take this further and
the coming days try and put people from the committee
(32:22):
under the blow torch. This is ridiculous, writes another. Anyone
that manages to qualify for the Olympics should be afforded
the opportunity to go. I'll still represent yoursel on at
the highest level. Could be the dark horse Kiwi's love
the underdog. Nice points well made, Thanks very much, ladies
and gentlemen. It is quarter to eight coming up shortly,
(32:44):
Stacy Jones. As we look at the Warriors stagging on
the very beatable I'm going to regret saying that Tigers
on Friday night. It's about time all the Fords fell over,
isn't it the last couple of weeks. I'll say it again.
So it's like an old jersey with a hole in
(33:05):
the sleeve. Maybe it's a bit uncomfortable, but you know
it feels comfortable. That's the Warriors hold on the sleeve.
A bit of an unraveled sleeve doesn't matter. They're our team,
right it's called to day. We're j are now on
(33:34):
sports Store by Stacy Jones, assistant coach for the Warriors.
Can't wait to interview Stacey and say head coach of
the Kiwi. But that's another story for another day. Let's
let's focus on the here and now. How's tricks, mate,
how's the squad after that gut wrenching loss over the
weekend and of course all of the guys that got
injured out, a couple of guys out on the and
the sick bay too half week end.
Speaker 6 (33:55):
Yeah, it certainly was, and you know, sort of continuation
on what happened previous to the bidens the Bulldogs where
you know, we lost three outside backs and in that
game before halftime, and then yeah, we lost two on
the weekend, which which made it really tough because you
don't really cover a lot in the outside backs department
(34:17):
on the bench.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
This sort of doesn't really happen.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
But we've had a bit of bad luck in that area.
Speaker 6 (34:22):
So things crossed this weekend that we come through the
game unscathed in the outside back department.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Okay, so talking outside backs, and he's look at that
back line. Two of us are shit coming in at
full back and well, let's face it, he looked outstanding,
didn't in the weekend back in that role, againt like
a very happy camper.
Speaker 9 (34:41):
He did.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
You know, he certainly bought the ball back through strong
and he scored a nice try and he was threatening,
you know. So the more more he gets his hands
on the ball, the more dangerous we're going to be,
especially on the backfield part of it. And you know,
he was under a lot of pressure last week to
move back to fall back and what the camera kicking
game was because Foggy he's got got a very good
(35:02):
kicking game. But Roger handled himself really well. So exciting
for him to be back in the full back role.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Yeah, a lot of experience there. Dun and Alisnik back
on the wing. That's good news coming out of that
head knock. So that's that's fantastic. But then let's look
at the rest of the back line. You've got Dali
Latoa and center along with Maala Graham, Telfer, Ed Cosey's
on the other wing. Look, Harristavida and Martin got experience
(35:29):
and those pivots passed. But those those three guys, this
is a lot on them. Even though the Tigers are
struggling at the bottom of the table. You never know
when they might turn right.
Speaker 6 (35:38):
Yeah, certainly, you know there, you know we've had to
make some changes there. We lost that in Pompey on
the weekend and you know he's going to be out
for for some time. And chance looker clock Stard's not right.
We lost tame to a picky to an hi A,
so he's not available. Mussel Montoya is still still injured.
Roco Berry is still injured. So yeah, we're just sort
(36:00):
of next man up case and Wiler Graham played against
the Dolphins a month or so ago and did a
pretty good job at late notice. He gets a little
bit more notice assigned to play, and he costly gets
another opportunity. He's played a bit of first grade. So yeah,
just about giving guys opportunities with players injured.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Did just run back through some of those names you
mentioned before, to a bicky, Nicol Klarks, did Marcella Montoya.
The list goes on. How close are any of these
guys to coming back? Please tell me they're not. And
they the Harris camp and we're not going to see
them again.
Speaker 6 (36:39):
Well, Rocco, we don't know where he's at with the
shoulder nerve damage that he's got there, so he's unlikely.
Pompey picked up a knee injury, and my understanding it's
going to be a few weeks and you know, so
there's not much left in the season. After a few
weeks Marcel, we're hoping he's not too far away. And
(37:01):
I think chances is a couple of weeks. So our
best case scenario is a chance and and Marcel to
return to play sooner rather than later. But yeah, we
look at it. But uh, these guys get an opportunity,
you know. And while I played against the Dolphins, like
I said, he's a chance Ali tour, you know, gets
(37:23):
a bit more experience and he's played decent footy so
and then costs you as well. So you know, we've
got some some players here that are going to look
for for an opportunity to steaky claim and play more.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
First great Stacy Jones, wiz Metcarfatt. I've seen a video
of him running around the place. I don't know if
he's in contact, what the dealer is, but how far
away do you think before he turns up? How fit
is he?
Speaker 6 (37:44):
Yeah, good question. Darsie he's training a lot more now
than what he was a couple of weeks ago. He's
getting more more training with the full squad and what
he can do. I think it's just a bit more
time for his for his injury to heal really as
far as the bone goes, So I'm thinking he might
(38:05):
be a couple of weeks away the way he's going.
So yeah, it'll be certainly handy to have him available
in full contact.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
At the moment, people are cleaning him out Oka and
he hasn't snapped.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
Well, you sort of got to be but careful with him.
Speaker 6 (38:18):
You know, they wear pink shirts are training, and the
pink shirts you've got to take it easy on them.
So yeah, but as training loads increasing every week, so
like I said, you'll be good to have him available.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
You look at the pack, very different story. You've got
a very solid line up, there are no real adjustments
and you've got a bench. So it's pretty handy too
with last week and Forward and Ta Vuga and Young Plasma.
So from that point of view, are you just going
to bolt it up the middle come Friday night.
Speaker 4 (38:47):
Against West Well you'd think so. With that forward pack, Yeah,
it's a pretty pretty good.
Speaker 6 (38:52):
We're the only sort of main player, keyper that we've
got out of our Fords is Toy Harris and young
Pauly Roach who got who injured a couple of months ago.
He's available, i think for our cup side and played
really good for the n R when he was there.
Speaker 5 (39:08):
So yeah, we're pretty healthy in the forwards.
Speaker 6 (39:11):
And you know there's a couple of those boys here
that played Origin and Barney and Capele you know, with
a little bit of time off this week from training
and they'll be ready to go tomorrow. They'll be excited
to be back in the group around in a full
time capacity with the team.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
What did you pull out of that loss over the
weekend or Friday night?
Speaker 2 (39:32):
More?
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Was the point? Are there any positives? Any major negatives?
Playing you didn't get the points, that's a negative, But
what else do you look to in that performance that
excited you or basically pessed you off?
Speaker 6 (39:43):
Yeah, well there's a few things, you know obviously, you know,
being fourteen nil down was a negative, you know, and
I think that that showed that we didn't have a
real good physical presence in the game. And the positive
was we caught our way back into it into that
game to get back to forteen all and that's a positive.
(40:06):
You know, we certainly got to fix the first thing
up first. I thought our you know, our kicking game
was off too. I thought the King game just sort
of pushed us right back deep into our half. And
that was a real strength of ours last year, our
last place, really putting pressure on the opposition, getting a
good kick chase, and you know the camera did that
to us. So there are two parts of our game
(40:28):
that we've really got to got to make sure it's
better on Friday in.
Speaker 3 (40:34):
This interesting phase, this twilight zone between that must win
in mathematical chance, where are your teams sitting right now,
come qualifying for the top eight? How much how much
intention have you paid that?
Speaker 4 (40:48):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (40:49):
Look, we know we got to win footy games. You know,
we know we have to win on Friday night, you know,
and we just worry about that and then you know,
then we go into the next week. So yeah, we're
in a position now where we know we've got to
win footy games. And like I said, it starts at
home on Friday.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Just quickly going back to Roger Ti vasisht coming in
at fall back, any idea how long he'll be therefore
obviously waiting for Uncle Clickstad to come back from from
his issues. We've got no tain either, so he'd have
that well roll for a couple of weeks, won't he.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
Yeah, we think so what taine should be right, should
be available next week. So again it's just making sure
that you know, we've got everything else covered. So you know,
he's very handy to have a fall back roch but
the other players out. But you know, we've got to
make sure that we cover everything. So your taine will
be should be back available next week and then like
I see chance not too long after.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
That Friday night up against the Tigers, get amongst roll
them and start cleaning those points. Stacy Jones, as always,
thanks for your time and your availability.
Speaker 4 (41:53):
Starts appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
But the right call is your call on eight sports Talk,
call on your home of sports news Talk.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Three and a halfway from a. That's sports talk for
you and you're projecting. Thank you very much for that,
duff Man, thanks to all of you for listening, for texting,
for calling. Marcus Lush is up next. I'll be back
tomorrow from seven. You want to listen to our daily podcast.
When I say ol, I mean myself, Jason Pie and
Newstalk ZB Sports Fix, We're all a good par Podcasts
(42:28):
are found go download it released daily well Monday, Tuesday, Wenesday, Thursday,
Friday daily. Anyway, it's like a listen doing it a
couple of months now. They've got rips, get a bug.
That's it from me. You know, we've got an artistic
gymnast at the Olympic gause you know that, and an
(42:49):
artistic swimmer as well. Wow, I'll find out more about
that before the Olympic starts. Not so far away, the
thirty third Olympia is on its way.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk
set Me from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldergrave
from News Talk zedb.
Speaker 2 (00:32):
Woo.
Speaker 3 (00:34):
Excited much to get back to week? Oh yes, I
am good evening to you. My name is Darcy Watergrave.
This is Sports Talk twenty third of July twenty twenty four.
It is It's a Tuesday, rapidly approaching seven minutes after
seven for your entertainment and digestion of an evening. What
are we serving up well? Later on the piece, Stacey
(00:54):
Jones joins us and as Roll as the assistant coach
of the Wire's not the head coach the keis that's
still to come, I'm sure, and we'll talk about the
team that was announced just over an hour ago to
take on the West Tigers on fry Day night. Find
out what worked last week, what didn't work last week,
and how many more players have fallen off the cliff
when it comes to injury. How many outside back can
(01:17):
they give lou how many of the backline can they
losing this anyway, We'll talk to Stacy Jones about that
and I'll run through the team with you as well.
Kicking off proceedings though double Olympic gold medalist, eight times
World champion. Wow, what a way to introdu someone. Eric
Murray joins us, talking about Olympic Committee selection rules and
if they're fair or not leaving athletes behind that have
(01:38):
qualified but they're not chosen. Does that put people off
sport if there is no Olympic pathways? And what do
you want out of this? What is your opinion attitude
around the selection process? What should it entail, what should
it encompass? What do you want as an Olympic sport watcher.
(01:59):
We'll talk about that after we hear from Eric Murray.
I mean, I wonder do you just like Parliament and
everyone that qualifies off you go to the Olympics. It
cost us an extra couple hundred thousand. Who cares?
Speaker 4 (02:11):
Right?
Speaker 3 (02:11):
Let him go right right wrong? I don't know you
have your opinion on our one hundred and eighty ten
eighty to lad on the piece Before we do that, Let's.
Speaker 5 (02:18):
Do this Sport today and.
Speaker 3 (02:21):
The seven and Sport today All black Artie Savia has
a point to prove now that has moved from the
Hurricanes to Mowana Pacifika has been confirmed. The reigning men's
World Rugby Player of the Year has a huge driver
for next year's Super Rugby Pacific campaign.
Speaker 5 (02:39):
But I'm looking forward to most is proving a lot.
Speaker 6 (02:41):
Of people wrong, proving people that you know, Wind not
PACIFICA is a great team and these great players, these
great coaches and that team, and I'm looking forward to
that challenge.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
We talked about this last week when that story broke,
and well, I'm so looking forward to this. This is
what they need to want to How many other top
athletes are going to climb on that train? Now that
the Savia brothers are leading it the games of the
thirty third Olympia to begin, the city of Paris is
taking security understandably, very very very seriously. New Zealander Chief
(03:13):
Mission that Avery speaks of the presence of the forces
driving back towards the village that two am, and it
was really notable.
Speaker 7 (03:22):
It's just on every corner through them.
Speaker 5 (03:25):
But in the village itself there are security people there
that they're not flowing around with weapons their but they're
not really impressive.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
And our CEO Mark Robinson joined Mike Asking this morning
to talk about the experience of taking a game to
Sandy Ago, plainly designed to get some hooks into the
massive American sports markets and He's pretty happy, he told.
Speaker 2 (03:48):
Mike, have you definitely more work to do? Mike, I
don't think the plan is fully fledged, but what we're
seeing through content the influence of the you know, I'm
self spent a couple of days up at Stanford and
around Silicon Dalley talking to some people about what the
future could look like down the West Coast with regards
to rugby and finally.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
You can do us Finn Butcher, It's like years and
years of working so hard with that and the thing
in return for it left them in a really good
Posey for his debut at the Games in Paris twenty nine.
See that as a reserve way back in Toko, but
he's persevered to qualify in the slalom and kayak cross disciplines.
Speaker 7 (04:23):
Go you probably wouldn't have been in the same position
as I am now in terms of gun and for
some some real top results. So I'm pretty grateful that
I've kept improving over the last four years since our
selection for Tokyo, and I'm in a good spot now.
Speaker 5 (04:36):
And what's sport today.
Speaker 3 (04:39):
We're joined now by Eric Murray, long time celebrated Olympian.
As we look towards the start the thirty third Olympiad
in Paris. There's always discussion around qualifying but not getting
to go. Some athletes have got what it takes officially,
but they haven't got what it takes when it comes
to the people that count. Eric joins us now to
(05:00):
talk about that qualifying in general. Eric, welcome to the program.
So tell us about that you qualify but you don't
get to go. What kind of considerations to athletes have
in that space in the lead up to being nominated
for the Olympic Games.
Speaker 8 (05:16):
Well, you do, and there's there's just so many complexities
around it because you know, not only most sports because
of the Olympics, can't be absolutely massive, you know, these
limited quota spaces depending on your sport or your event.
And then obviously we've seen in the media and stuff
like that that we don't just seen people to be representatives,
(05:36):
you know, which I'm on the fence about a little
bit as well. You know, like you know, we want
people to excel. There's obviously a cost to it, there's
everything else. So it's a really tricky scenario in terms
of that. But yes, everybody, everybody is searching to try
and be at the Olympics because it's obviously your pinnacle
event and it's very special, you.
Speaker 4 (05:56):
Know, and from my experience the first one in Athens
years ago, it was the catalyst to be like, I
don't just want to be here and be a number.
I want to be further.
Speaker 8 (06:06):
And that's what you find, especially in our team as well,
that you've got some I guess some of the senior
experienced people, you know, whether that's in the rugby or
you take the likes of in the twig, you know,
or you've got young people that are just in the team,
you know, their first Olympics and they're like, wow, this
is going to be an experience and you know, to
get to that point obviously as massive. But our team
(06:29):
and New Zealand team and over the years with our
different shift of missions, has done an amazing job in
creating a culture of our team, you know, and the
New Zealand team is probably one of, you know, one
of the titles that you probably see just in the
way that we do everything overseas and the camaraderie within
the whole group and the whole team being able to
(06:49):
sit in a in a communal area to watch and
support the team members and I think that's really does
what make it special and probably does make it even
special for New Zealand itself.
Speaker 3 (07:00):
You touched on the qualification and it's been called not
my quote, but fundamentally flawed. The ENZ and OCS approach
around the blanket top sixteen standard for people to actually qualify,
regardless of the sport. Now, there is trouble there when
you consider, i'm supposing Eric Murray, just how deep some
(07:22):
sports run and how big they actually are. In your
time as an Olympian, was that discussed much about that
cutoff mark.
Speaker 8 (07:29):
There was a few occasions, you know, And I think
that's what we've got to realize, is it's not in
every single sport, right And there are a few occasions.
You know, you can take Rome for example, some of
them don't even have sixteen crews, you know, so there automatically,
like a beauty, I'm in. It doesn't matter, I'm going
to be top sixteen anyway. But of course there are cases, yes,
(07:49):
where there's criteria and there's more people that are doing
it that could potentially be there, and the numbers for
entry are quite large, So yes, there are things that
are spoken about. But I guess It's one of these
scenarios where you know, we talk about it, and we
have the media that talk about and you have athletes
and stuff that talk about it. But we've got to
look at the flip side. You know, who's paying for it,
you know as a tax bad paying for this? Is
(08:11):
the IOC paying for it because I know they pay
for a chunk, but they don't pay for it all.
So then we could we could keep going on this
all day, Darcy. It's about you know, medals, medals and
the and the funding that goes towards high performance sport.
Speaker 4 (08:23):
You know, is there a model that can be done better?
I don't know.
Speaker 8 (08:26):
These are all the things that I think with the
development of society and just with open and honest conversation
with everybody, that it's things that we can talk about
in the future going forward.
Speaker 3 (08:37):
But the case of this badminton player, I don't know,
my not is walked away after being denied a spot.
Apparently he qualified, he should have been fine, he just
wasn't selected and that was just enough. He's just walked.
That's quite damaging for his careers. Should that be something
that has looked at in the wider scale about the
effect that has mentally on athletes who are good enough
but not deemed good enough by the Olympic Committee.
Speaker 8 (09:00):
Oh no, absolutely, yeah, And I think that I think
that those you know, those those conversations are going deeper,
right And and we're obviously pinpointing one because it's it's
the forefront of what everybody's talking about.
Speaker 4 (09:12):
And I don't know the solution. You know, We've.
Speaker 8 (09:15):
Obviously it's like anything, Darcy, You've got to put a
criteria in place, right, you have to, and it just means,
you know, and you're going to get some people that
fall outside of that criteria who are going to feel
hard done by.
Speaker 4 (09:27):
Now.
Speaker 8 (09:27):
I truly believe, yes, if we could, if it's not costing,
and we could afford to send as many people that
qualify under international standards, send a lot of them, right,
I believe that that's how it should be. But this
is the problem that we've got is that I'm not
the one making the decisions in the NZOC. I don't
know the ins and outs of the funding. I don't
(09:48):
know the ins and outs of all those models. So
what can we do?
Speaker 4 (09:51):
You know?
Speaker 8 (09:51):
And obviously it's going to be something that comes out
of this going forward.
Speaker 4 (09:54):
And I believe that yes, if you qualify.
Speaker 8 (09:57):
As an international standard, there's a reason that there's an
international standard. And I know that New Zealand wants to
keep this high level of you know, competition and standard
of people that are going. But I can honestly say,
there's been so many people that have gone to the
Olympics and spent one Olympics going there, and the next time
they come out they're so much better, right, And what's
(10:20):
that done for the development of the sports? You know,
let's take kayaking for example, where's canoe racing and kayaking
come since Beijing?
Speaker 5 (10:29):
Right?
Speaker 8 (10:29):
We had Fouey, now we've got Carrington and look at
what that's done for the sport in New Zealand. And
that's what we've really got to look at, is how
this can affect those sports going forward.
Speaker 3 (10:39):
Hasten to add the case of the badminton play was
the Tokyo Olympics. It is not just recently for people
are listening on into this. What's the purpose of the
Olympic Games? I suppose that's what it comes back down to.
What actually needs to be generated. Why people are involved
in this, is this an aspirational event? Is as purely
about winning medals for the health of the nation. What
(11:01):
do you think the expectation is across the board. I
think it's all of the above.
Speaker 8 (11:08):
Plus you've got generational motivation, you know, expectation and people
going that I'd love that to be me one day.
You know, we're talking about sitting there overnight watching the Olympic.
You know, the media articles that come out of it,
the employment that comes out of it, the economic benefit
(11:28):
that can come out of it in certain different ways.
It's such a massive, I guess area of everything, you know,
and it brings it all together. And yes, the Olympics
are the pinnacle of most of a lot of sports.
There's professionalism in sports these days where they're not in
they're not in.
Speaker 4 (11:46):
The Olympics, you know. But for the majority of a
lot of other sports, this is it.
Speaker 8 (11:49):
This is as big as it gets and it's always
been there, right, And we look back on history, and
I know we look back on history, but at the
same time we have to look at moving forward, right
because we can just look at the last twenty years
of technical, technological developments just in human society and the
way that we are. Everything's just moving so fast. And
(12:10):
so those are the conversations that always need to be had.
Speaker 3 (12:13):
A situation when you're Semmy Maxwell, the mountain biker has
had her decision not to go overturned. She's actually gone
to court, gone to a tribunal to get that overturned.
That's a lot of work to go through speak quite
stressful for an athlete to it ex even come down
to that.
Speaker 4 (12:30):
No, I don't think it should.
Speaker 8 (12:32):
But you've got a criteria, right, and you've got you've
got this is what it is, right, And I don't
know how to I don't know really how to describe it.
But it's like saying I was driving one hundred and
five and one hundred k kzone. You get a ticket
and you're like, but it was only one k over
you see, you know, like you can't argue and they're like, yeah,
but we only want people to go that.
Speaker 4 (12:52):
Are at this level and you're outside that level. You
know you can't do you how do you change? Do
we change it?
Speaker 8 (12:58):
And just say as long as you create a world
standard of going to the Olympics, you're more than welcome
to go.
Speaker 4 (13:06):
Yes, Right, That's how I feel that it should be.
Speaker 8 (13:09):
Because we're not talking We're not talking fifty people, We're
talking three four five, Right, it can't be that hard.
Speaker 3 (13:16):
What about comparing to other nations when they send people
to games like for the ski jumping for the eagle
edwards back at the Winter Olympics, so not a chance
of doing anything, but tax payer money and funding going
over there created huge vibrations and waves in the event
even though did nothing. Is it fair for us to
(13:39):
compare ourselves with nations that don't have a hope and
hell of winning but they're sending athletes anyway?
Speaker 4 (13:46):
Well, I think that's that's this is where the problem is.
Speaker 8 (13:49):
We get onto a sports by sport basis, and you know,
if we're a small sport, you want to grow the sports,
so you're like, yes, let's see this person. But then
you've got criteria. And this is always the problem is
once you start getting it into rules and criteria, it's
very hard to go away from those because then, as
you say you've got to, you've got to end up
in bloody tribunal sports tribunal lord into court to say
(14:11):
hang on a minute, you know, like can we can
we redo these these these protocols and these processes.
Speaker 4 (14:17):
And that's where it lies, but yes you can.
Speaker 8 (14:19):
You can create Eddie, the Eagles, you know, Eric, the
equatorial Yeah, Eric.
Speaker 4 (14:25):
They're all part of it. And they are the stories.
And that's the thing with the Olympics.
Speaker 8 (14:30):
Right as you have your you have your stories about
your winners, you know, and people that tried, and then
you have your Nicky Hamlin's you know, they're falling over
on the track and then they run together to the
finish and they and they win Olympic Solidarity medals and
stuff like this, and you'd like, those are the stories
about what it's about. Not everybody's going to be at
the top level to be able to compete, not everybody's
(14:51):
going to be at the top level to have a
chance of winning. But at the same time, you've got
so many people there with dreams and aspirations that have
been working towards us, that have had supporters and people
underneath them, the country behind them.
Speaker 4 (15:03):
Aren't those important enough?
Speaker 3 (15:05):
What about buy Eric Murray around particular sports? Are there
sports that probably curry more favor from the Olympic Committee
the other? Are there cool kids? Are there cool sports?
Do they tend towards one more than the other?
Speaker 4 (15:18):
I don't wow.
Speaker 8 (15:20):
I don't know, Darcy, I don't know, because obviously we can.
Speaker 4 (15:24):
You can. You can answer that.
Speaker 8 (15:25):
You can answer that question by saying, what are the
most funded sports by high performance sport in New Zealand?
Speaker 4 (15:30):
Right? But I and as I say, I don't know,
there are full ins and outs of it.
Speaker 8 (15:33):
And where where does high performance Sport New Zealand finish
and New Zealand Olympic Committee takeover?
Speaker 9 (15:39):
Are that?
Speaker 8 (15:40):
Do they work closely enough together? Have they got slightly
different things? This is this is where we start to
because that's what you've got to remember is that the
Olympic Committee is the one that suggests you to go,
whereas in normal and normal circumstances it's a national federation
that then submits it to a high performance sport who
says we're going to send these people over on a
board level in your organization.
Speaker 4 (16:00):
So yeah, are there two people? Are there too many
bloody people at the top.
Speaker 8 (16:03):
Making decisions for athletes that are just trying to do
their best.
Speaker 1 (16:06):
The ref's call, you make a call on sports talk
on your home of sports news talks have.
Speaker 3 (16:13):
Been seventy two. This is sports talker that was and
we don't use these words lightly but I can. In
this case the great Eric Murray, double Olympic gold medalist,
eight times world champion roller talking about qualifying for the Games,
where the import sits with the important sits for the
(16:34):
athletes and for us. This is about us, This is
about New Zealanders watching New Zealanders on the global stage,
succeeding or not succeeding. Who makes the call around this
and where should the call go? He talked about top
heavy situation with too many people at the top making decisions.
(16:55):
I get that. Should we wonder how many people are
in the Olympic team are actually not athletes? Is there
nearly two hundred athletes about a fifty to fifty split
between women and men. But how many excess staff are there?
And how much more would it really cost if you
qualify to get sent to the Olympic Games. Now this
is where you commit. Eight hundred eighty ten eighty lines
(17:18):
are open. It will be so to eight o'clock like
your calls, also your text nineteen nine two ZBZB that
cost your standard text charge. When it comes to the
Olympic Games, do you think that all of our athletes,
if they qualify for the global standard, should be sent
over regardless. At the moment money for medals approach, We're
(17:42):
going to send you over if you've got a realistic
chance of winning medals. Does that detract from what the
Olympic movement is all about? Do we want to have
a situation where if you are the best in New
Zealand and you hit that qualifying stage, you go regardless.
Is this all still a hangover from the Olympics where
they took a massive amount of athletes over. We only
(18:03):
won like no medals a bit more than that three
and people they had egg on their face and they
felt embarrassed so that to retilet so they could justify
the money They've got my eyes, it's been a lot
of money on a lot of things. I think the
power that the Olympic Games has, the aspirational nature of
the Olympic Games for especially the youth, and the way
(18:24):
it will drive youth into playing sport, which is something
that we all want. We want active children. If you
qualify it, you go, and you probably won't cover yourself
in glory. But what are the chances of you're covering
yourself and glory anyway reasonably remote? I'd like your opinion
on that. You qualify. You've got the standard. Go oh
(18:48):
eight one hundred and eighty ten eighty lines are open.
Will take your calls shortly. Here on sports.
Speaker 5 (18:54):
Talk you hear it from the biggest names and sports men.
Have your say on.
Speaker 1 (19:07):
Sports Talk on your home of Sports News Talk.
Speaker 5 (19:10):
Zi B.
Speaker 3 (19:17):
Eight Sports Talk here on News Talk at z B
gets straight to the phone. So eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty, you hit the mark, You go right in
that simple okay, studio, how are you today?
Speaker 9 (19:32):
I wish it was that simple, but it's not my
sports table tennis. Then it's where there's a lot of
people incredibly disappointing for a young talent in our country
called Alfred Delapina. He's taken everybody that needs to be beaten.
He's gone to the Oceania qualifying tournament and done it
he needed to and so he's theory. You'd say, oh,
(19:54):
that's great. So he's speaking all those players from round
the Oceana region. It's the thing he needs to do.
You've qualified, Oh, well, that's good, we'll just put him
and put his name forward. And you see on the
Olympic Committee said no unless you're in the top sixteen
in the world. In table ten in US. Nice tray
No sorry, hate see you. It's just the most annoying
and frustrating distance sensive for any sports person in a
(20:16):
minor sport.
Speaker 3 (20:18):
Talk through Alfred to us. Sorry, so he's table tennis player.
So when does he sat globally? He said he's qualified.
He's not going to have the same thing, but he's
he's qualified for the Olympic Games based on.
Speaker 9 (20:30):
Well, based on the requirements of the Olympic, the IOC
set which as you get through the qualifying and the
ocean the region, much as our all whites for example,
get through in that same sort of region. Although you know,
as I say that, I think this time that changes,
and that's exactly what my point is going to be
at changes from from Olympic decades to decades, and sports
come and go from the Olympics, as you know. So,
(20:52):
but our current situation is that if they had won
the tournaments that he won, which he did, went to
Nemea and beat the players he needed to beat to
get through, so he qualified by Olympic IOC standards. But
when New Zealand Table Tennis put the names forward for
him to go, New Zealand Olympic Committee said on if
(21:12):
we're going to make a top sixteen as a realistic
chance of being you know a memble you're going to
be the top sixteen in the world. No, I think
you're one hundred and eighty seven or something, so too bad.
Speaker 3 (21:21):
Do you know where he does ring?
Speaker 9 (21:22):
Sorry, studio, Look, look, I'm really sorry. I don't hold
that's okay. I would. I'm just so passionate about it,
and I said textually check the numbers before I phoned you.
But when I heard the topic, I thought, well, it's
a plasic example of some sports being favorite and others not,
and for not any particular good reason. I mean, this
guy lives, breathes and heats. It's incredibly talented, and it's
(21:44):
such a disappointment for every table tennis player that wants
to look for somebody to go out theseas really well, yeah, that's.
Speaker 3 (21:51):
Really keen on this. As far as table tennis as
a whole in New Zealand, what does a non selection
like this do to the to the sport and to
the people involved. I mean, this is a is a
gut punch. Does it stop them wanting to play?
Speaker 9 (22:06):
Of course, of course it does because we look to
guys like this as the best talents that have currently arisen.
And he's worked. You know, he's worked, trained as hard
as any other sports person in any other sport. Believe me,
I know what he goes through and it's staggering. But
you know, and these guys don't come along every couple
of years. I mean, he's incredibly talented and he's done
(22:29):
incredibly while he's put himself out the funded most of
his own way around various tournaments to get him the
position he's in. It's not like he's proven commitment. But
as I say, it's come down to a simple, pragmatic
and quite cruel, in my opinion, decision by New Zealand
Oliver to me to say, oh, no, you're going to
be top sixteen. Well guess what. You apply that to
a dozen other sports and they wouldn't have anybody going
(22:51):
there either. But you know, and my sport, table tennis,
New Zealand is never going to be top sixteen. It's
just a fact of life. But does that mean we
should never have an opportunity to even send anybody to
the Games? I don't think so. Maybe we should implement
something that is perhaps changeable from decade to decade, or
Olympics to Olympics. This time we're going to allow someone's
(23:13):
who's maybe in the top hundred have a crack at
and getting that experience, which is just the most amazing
experience I'm sure of anyone's lifetime.
Speaker 3 (23:20):
Before we let you go, Stu, what does the Olympic
Games mean to you? Is it purely based on medals?
Is it based on striving? Is it aspirational? Is it inspirational?
Was it bang for buck is?
Speaker 9 (23:32):
Yeah, well you've got it. I mean sure, every sport
like tents got its world championship titled and those sort
of things, and so that's that's important. But the Olympics
is the Olympics, man, I mean, there's there's nothing quite
like it. And I just think it's very sad that
sports like mine and mine table tents will be one
of many sports where we do okay and we qualify
(23:55):
by Olympic standards to have a cover. That's the point
of it, isn't it doesn't the Olympic Committee decide, well,
they want to see, they want to encourage people, as
you quite rightly mentioned, the Eddy the Eagles of the
World and the guy that are really battling, but from
African countries that haven't got the resources. Isn't that what
it's all about as well? Well, guess what we're in
that situation now at table tennis and we're getting stomped
(24:15):
on by our own New Zealand Olympic committee despite them
being able to qualify by Olympic stairs, they're not letting
him go. Well, hell's bells. I'm unhappy about that.
Speaker 5 (24:25):
Look, Stu, I.
Speaker 3 (24:26):
Couldn't have planned for this call. If I tried any
harder and planning I didn't, So thanks very much for
calling through that story there of the young table tennis
player qualify but they're meant yeah nine non interested. I
it is aspirational. It is inspirational. You think of the
Australian ice skated Bradbury the Winter Olympics. We haven't fell
over and written one and gold, and what a good
(24:46):
story that is for the sport. And that's not going
to happen every time. But if you only select people
who are guaranteed to want at the top, no one's
going to go. You don't have an Olympic Games, you
don't have a celebration of sport and humanity. You have
a whole lot of winners in second places. And that's
the end of the story. Is that what we want, No,
we want to see our countrymen represent our nation, our
(25:11):
silver fern. It's the missed out flag there, that's an
old thing. That's what we want to see. That's what
the Olympics is all about.
Speaker 5 (25:18):
Surely, Hey, Peter, how are you very good?
Speaker 10 (25:22):
Well, we're pretty at the end of the world. Not
many people, but you know, Rowing certainly got us there
and John Walker a few others. And when you see
China and Russia yonks Ago, they had all the you know,
competitors that we didn't have, especially in gym and other things.
(25:42):
And then you have America and Russia that sometimes boycoit
each other. And now we've got Russia which is boy
cotting the Olympics and you know, the sport and politics and.
Speaker 3 (25:55):
Israel they're just not allowed to go.
Speaker 9 (25:59):
Yeah.
Speaker 10 (26:00):
Well, well then you've got Israel with the leeds, genocide
through the you know, go in and stuff are allowed
to go, and it just seems a political exercise, you know.
Speaker 3 (26:09):
And then when we're always going to have that a issue, Peter,
with the Olympics and the relevance and the politicize the
political side of it. But what I'm more interested in
here is the actual athletes who are on the ground,
who are representing us. I mean, that's what we're interested in.
Speaker 10 (26:24):
Right And I think, you know, if we could do
that without the country, it would be less possible to
politicize it in some ways. I know, you know, people
do represent their country, but you know, if you're in Australia,
only see Australian things with regard to the Olympics, and
whichever country it happens to be, I think, you know,
it's pretty specialist for their own audience.
Speaker 3 (26:47):
And I do so the chance it was in New
Zealander that even though some athletes have hit their qualifying
standards and you had an Olympic nah, nah, sorry sixteen
or otherwise, are you comfortable with that?
Speaker 9 (27:00):
I mean, I look, you get.
Speaker 10 (27:04):
Better when you have more practice, and we have got
just like health, you haven't got an endless budget to
do everything. And then numbers are unlimited, and you know,
no system is ever going to be perfect, and you know,
and sometimes the ones who are really dedicated, you know,
might change countries or whatever and they'll achieve their goal
(27:25):
because that's what they want to do and you know
you can't stop that, but I just think it. You know,
it's just gone too political for me, and I'm not
going to watch it this time.
Speaker 3 (27:35):
Ah, Peter, that's discipline for you. I have to watch.
I just put all the noise to one side and
watch the athletics. And I watched the swimming, and I
watched the mountain biking, and I watched the breakdancing. Sure,
why not? You know, there's something that I've spoken of
this for over twenty years around the Olympic Games, and
(27:57):
the drive to watch the actual competition, the competing athletes
and everything else just goes into the background, just phase
away because you want see this. And there might be
a bit more money involved. But how much money does
the government throw away on pointless exercise? What did that
(28:18):
flag referendum cost us a few years ago? Twenty five
million bucks? Give that to the Olympic committee arguing about
a bit of material that flaps around at the end
of a pole.
Speaker 4 (28:29):
Who cares.
Speaker 3 (28:31):
Yeah, they've got to have something to run and jump for.
But you make it the silver fern. See like there
there's an example of wasted government money that could be
utilized sending more athletes off to the games, which is
much better for the mental health and health of our country.
Seven thirty seven is the sports sorticon New Storks.
Speaker 6 (28:49):
There be.
Speaker 1 (28:56):
When we were traveling in your car speeds a fast
travel seriously before.
Speaker 3 (29:04):
Your nineteen minutes to a staty Joanes shortly looking at
the Warriors team named today to take on and hopefully
beat the West Tigers Friday night at Mount Smart Stadium.
(29:26):
More than that, shortly, just still touching on the Olympic.
Are's you plenty of texts as well? Thanks for those,
and I'll read through a couple of them shortly. So
you look at people like Zoe Hobbs, Osa and Keecher
who disappeared and ended up disappearing from athletics full stop qualified,
but they said you're not going to get in top sixteen,
so you're not going This is in Tokyo. Zoe Hobbs,
(29:47):
she turned it around and went right, I'll show you.
And of course now she is right up there. I
might say she's an absolute metal prospect. You think she
get into the finals and that's pretty sharp going. Lucas
Walton Kim the kite foiler, he had to go through
a pretty full on process to get selected Sammy Maxwell,
ruled by the Sports Tribune, or there will be a
(30:09):
few of those in there as well. Someone's actually asked
me about sailing and what our best prospect is. I
would say it's probably Tom Saunders. I don't think there's
any favorites going in there, some of the new categories
and the new yachts, but I'd say you'd look that
way and go I like that. I think in some
(30:30):
of the other areas where we've been successful before, like
Joela Lay, Alex Maloney involved in the skiff and what
do they call the skiff again? Get that one out
of Darcy, the forty nine erra effects experience in other classes,
experience Olympics, but maybe not in that anyway. Let's just
whip through a few texts for you, Darcy. You probably
shouldn't have a dig at the flag referendum if in
fact you do want to support a new flag. Honestly,
(30:52):
I'm not losing any sleep over it, really, and I
just think, to me, it seems silly, but I'd rather
spend twenty five million dollars on athletes representing our country
than arguing over a flag where you had four choices
that we rule pants quite frank. Is it a question
of funding and there's not enough of it? How much
does the Olympic Committee fork out for any competing athletes
(31:16):
if it's limited understandable, only said the higher ranking one.
If you want to see Keywis go, you never see
them compete. They'll all be at the back. Well, that's
what I was asking the question. It is important to
you when it comes to the Olympic Games. Is it
purely medals or is it about seeing fellow New Zealanders
representing our nation on the world stage. What's more important
for you? Just I was covered off before. Plenty of
(31:38):
money gets thrown around on baboonery in this nation. Why
not a bit of positive biboonery form far as the
Olympic goes. And if we don't win and we have
a situation like we did in Sydney where it was
a massive team and the medals didn't come, are we
hiding from this? Are the people out there ashamed? Are
they embarrassed that that happened? You shouldn't be celebrate the
(32:01):
fact we had a crack. No it didn't work right,
Let's do it again. Dramatically change the qualification rule to
make you look better at the top of the table.
It's a good text. Maybe we need a new committee
that performs to the top sixteen in the world. And
this character says you need to take this further and
the coming days try and put people from the committee
(32:22):
under the blow torch. This is ridiculous, writes another. Anyone
that manages to qualify for the Olympics should be afforded
the opportunity to go. I'll still represent yoursel on at
the highest level. Could be the dark horse Kiwi's love
the underdog. Nice points well made, Thanks very much, ladies
and gentlemen. It is quarter to eight coming up shortly,
(32:44):
Stacy Jones. As we look at the Warriors stagging on
the very beatable I'm going to regret saying that Tigers
on Friday night. It's about time all the Fords fell over,
isn't it the last couple of weeks. I'll say it again.
So it's like an old jersey with a hole in
(33:05):
the sleeve. Maybe it's a bit uncomfortable, but you know
it feels comfortable. That's the Warriors hold on the sleeve.
A bit of an unraveled sleeve doesn't matter. They're our team,
right it's called to day. We're j are now on
(33:34):
sports Store by Stacy Jones, assistant coach for the Warriors.
Can't wait to interview Stacey and say head coach of
the Kiwi. But that's another story for another day. Let's
let's focus on the here and now. How's tricks, mate,
how's the squad after that gut wrenching loss over the
weekend and of course all of the guys that got
injured out, a couple of guys out on the and
the sick bay too half week end.
Speaker 6 (33:55):
Yeah, it certainly was, and you know, sort of continuation
on what happened previous to the bidens the Bulldogs where
you know, we lost three outside backs and in that
game before halftime, and then yeah, we lost two on
the weekend, which which made it really tough because you
don't really cover a lot in the outside backs department
(34:17):
on the bench.
Speaker 4 (34:18):
This sort of doesn't really happen.
Speaker 5 (34:19):
But we've had a bit of bad luck in that area.
Speaker 6 (34:22):
So things crossed this weekend that we come through the
game unscathed in the outside back department.
Speaker 3 (34:27):
Okay, so talking outside backs, and he's look at that
back line. Two of us are shit coming in at
full back and well, let's face it, he looked outstanding,
didn't in the weekend back in that role, againt like
a very happy camper.
Speaker 9 (34:41):
He did.
Speaker 6 (34:42):
You know, he certainly bought the ball back through strong
and he scored a nice try and he was threatening,
you know. So the more more he gets his hands
on the ball, the more dangerous we're going to be,
especially on the backfield part of it. And you know,
he was under a lot of pressure last week to
move back to fall back and what the camera kicking
game was because Foggy he's got got a very good
(35:02):
kicking game. But Roger handled himself really well. So exciting
for him to be back in the full back role.
Speaker 3 (35:08):
Yeah, a lot of experience there. Dun and Alisnik back
on the wing. That's good news coming out of that
head knock. So that's that's fantastic. But then let's look
at the rest of the back line. You've got Dali
Latoa and center along with Maala Graham, Telfer, Ed Cosey's
on the other wing. Look, Harristavida and Martin got experience
(35:29):
and those pivots passed. But those those three guys, this
is a lot on them. Even though the Tigers are
struggling at the bottom of the table. You never know
when they might turn right.
Speaker 6 (35:38):
Yeah, certainly, you know there, you know we've had to
make some changes there. We lost that in Pompey on
the weekend and you know he's going to be out
for for some time. And chance looker clock Stard's not right.
We lost tame to a picky to an hi A,
so he's not available. Mussel Montoya is still still injured.
Roco Berry is still injured. So yeah, we're just sort
(36:00):
of next man up case and Wiler Graham played against
the Dolphins a month or so ago and did a
pretty good job at late notice. He gets a little
bit more notice assigned to play, and he costly gets
another opportunity. He's played a bit of first grade. So yeah,
just about giving guys opportunities with players injured.
Speaker 3 (36:22):
Did just run back through some of those names you
mentioned before, to a bicky, Nicol Klarks, did Marcella Montoya.
The list goes on. How close are any of these
guys to coming back? Please tell me they're not. And
they the Harris camp and we're not going to see
them again.
Speaker 6 (36:39):
Well, Rocco, we don't know where he's at with the
shoulder nerve damage that he's got there, so he's unlikely.
Pompey picked up a knee injury, and my understanding it's
going to be a few weeks and you know, so
there's not much left in the season. After a few
weeks Marcel, we're hoping he's not too far away. And
(37:01):
I think chances is a couple of weeks. So our
best case scenario is a chance and and Marcel to
return to play sooner rather than later. But yeah, we
look at it. But uh, these guys get an opportunity,
you know. And while I played against the Dolphins, like
I said, he's a chance Ali tour, you know, gets
(37:23):
a bit more experience and he's played decent footy so
and then costs you as well. So you know, we've
got some some players here that are going to look
for for an opportunity to steaky claim and play more.
Speaker 3 (37:33):
First great Stacy Jones, wiz Metcarfatt. I've seen a video
of him running around the place. I don't know if
he's in contact, what the dealer is, but how far
away do you think before he turns up? How fit
is he?
Speaker 6 (37:44):
Yeah, good question. Darsie he's training a lot more now
than what he was a couple of weeks ago. He's
getting more more training with the full squad and what
he can do. I think it's just a bit more
time for his for his injury to heal really as
far as the bone goes, So I'm thinking he might
(38:05):
be a couple of weeks away the way he's going.
So yeah, it'll be certainly handy to have him available
in full contact.
Speaker 3 (38:12):
At the moment, people are cleaning him out Oka and
he hasn't snapped.
Speaker 5 (38:15):
Well, you sort of got to be but careful with him.
Speaker 6 (38:18):
You know, they wear pink shirts are training, and the
pink shirts you've got to take it easy on them.
So yeah, but as training loads increasing every week, so
like I said, you'll be good to have him available.
Speaker 3 (38:29):
You look at the pack, very different story. You've got
a very solid line up, there are no real adjustments
and you've got a bench. So it's pretty handy too
with last week and Forward and Ta Vuga and Young Plasma.
So from that point of view, are you just going
to bolt it up the middle come Friday night.
Speaker 4 (38:47):
Against West Well you'd think so. With that forward pack, Yeah,
it's a pretty pretty good.
Speaker 6 (38:52):
We're the only sort of main player, keyper that we've
got out of our Fords is Toy Harris and young
Pauly Roach who got who injured a couple of months ago.
He's available, i think for our cup side and played
really good for the n R when he was there.
Speaker 5 (39:08):
So yeah, we're pretty healthy in the forwards.
Speaker 6 (39:11):
And you know there's a couple of those boys here
that played Origin and Barney and Capele you know, with
a little bit of time off this week from training
and they'll be ready to go tomorrow. They'll be excited
to be back in the group around in a full
time capacity with the team.
Speaker 3 (39:28):
What did you pull out of that loss over the
weekend or Friday night?
Speaker 2 (39:32):
More?
Speaker 3 (39:32):
Was the point? Are there any positives? Any major negatives?
Playing you didn't get the points, that's a negative, But
what else do you look to in that performance that
excited you or basically pessed you off?
Speaker 6 (39:43):
Yeah, well there's a few things, you know obviously, you know,
being fourteen nil down was a negative, you know, and
I think that that showed that we didn't have a
real good physical presence in the game. And the positive
was we caught our way back into it into that
game to get back to forteen all and that's a positive.
(40:06):
You know, we certainly got to fix the first thing
up first. I thought our you know, our kicking game
was off too. I thought the King game just sort
of pushed us right back deep into our half. And
that was a real strength of ours last year, our
last place, really putting pressure on the opposition, getting a
good kick chase, and you know the camera did that
to us. So there are two parts of our game
(40:28):
that we've really got to got to make sure it's
better on Friday in.
Speaker 3 (40:34):
This interesting phase, this twilight zone between that must win
in mathematical chance, where are your teams sitting right now,
come qualifying for the top eight? How much how much
intention have you paid that?
Speaker 4 (40:48):
Oh?
Speaker 6 (40:49):
Look, we know we got to win footy games. You know,
we know we have to win on Friday night, you know,
and we just worry about that and then you know,
then we go into the next week. So yeah, we're
in a position now where we know we've got to
win footy games. And like I said, it starts at
home on Friday.
Speaker 3 (41:06):
Just quickly going back to Roger Ti vasisht coming in
at fall back, any idea how long he'll be therefore
obviously waiting for Uncle Clickstad to come back from from
his issues. We've got no tain either, so he'd have
that well roll for a couple of weeks, won't he.
Speaker 6 (41:23):
Yeah, we think so what taine should be right, should
be available next week. So again it's just making sure
that you know, we've got everything else covered. So you know,
he's very handy to have a fall back roch but
the other players out. But you know, we've got to
make sure that we cover everything. So your taine will
be should be back available next week and then like
I see chance not too long after.
Speaker 3 (41:44):
That Friday night up against the Tigers, get amongst roll
them and start cleaning those points. Stacy Jones, as always,
thanks for your time and your availability.
Speaker 4 (41:53):
Starts appreciate it.
Speaker 1 (41:54):
But the right call is your call on eight sports Talk,
call on your home of sports news Talk.
Speaker 3 (42:04):
Three and a halfway from a. That's sports talk for
you and you're projecting. Thank you very much for that,
duff Man, thanks to all of you for listening, for texting,
for calling. Marcus Lush is up next. I'll be back
tomorrow from seven. You want to listen to our daily podcast.
When I say ol, I mean myself, Jason Pie and
Newstalk ZB Sports Fix, We're all a good par Podcasts
(42:28):
are found go download it released daily well Monday, Tuesday, Wenesday, Thursday,
Friday daily. Anyway, it's like a listen doing it a
couple of months now. They've got rips, get a bug.
That's it from me. You know, we've got an artistic
gymnast at the Olympic gause you know that, and an
(42:49):
artistic swimmer as well. Wow, I'll find out more about
that before the Olympic starts. Not so far away, the
thirty third Olympia is on its way.
Speaker 1 (43:06):
For more from Sports Talk, listen live to News Talk
set Me from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
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