Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the All Sport Breakfast podcast with Darcy
Waldegrave from News Talk sed.
Speaker 2 (00:11):
B nineteen past seven. Here on the All Sport Breakfast,
Adam Cooper with you through till nine this morning will
a season to fighting phase. I think it's fair to
say begins for the Breakers across the Tasman tonight there's
second to bottom on the ladder now in the Australian
Basketball League and on a to game losing streak, or
next up this evening the top of table Hawks in Willongong. Yeah,
(00:32):
not great. A let's head inside the Breakers camp now though,
key we board. Sam Meninga is with us morning to
your Sam and you know, looking at just where things
sit at the moment and the opponents you have tonight,
just how important do you and the team see this game?
Speaker 3 (00:47):
I mean this game is a you know, you're going
to be hungry. Every game for us in the position
we are with the ladder is a do game. So
you've got to be hungry. This team is at the
top of the ladder and they're there and they fight
very hard. So it's bringing the energy. Guys, understand that
it's going to be a war.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
And your own form individually, you're happy with with where
you're tracking sort of at the halfway point of the
season from from Christmas.
Speaker 3 (01:07):
No, I think there's a lot to work on and
prove on. I'm always going to be my biggest critics,
I think personally obviously I can play a lot better
and help this team also win.
Speaker 4 (01:15):
So yeah, honestly, now there's.
Speaker 2 (01:17):
Al any trends from the last couple of losses that
you sort of can put together and pinpoint some themes
as to where the team can sort of improve.
Speaker 3 (01:26):
Yeah, I mean it's just tightening the screws on little things,
little aspects of you know, executing the right plays, I mean,
communicating on the right level, and you know, you can't
rely on just making shots and having a lucky night.
Speaker 4 (01:36):
From the field.
Speaker 3 (01:37):
So it's doing little things defensively, knowing the scout, knowing
the person now you know, a little bit of everything.
Chips in eventually can win your games, but if we
don't tighten those screws, we won't have a chance.
Speaker 2 (01:46):
Yeah, the start was pretty strong against Brisbane. Is that
a positive you can take from it? Knowing that out
the gates here you can sort of, you know, get
a few points on and start some momentum building.
Speaker 4 (01:55):
Yeah, one hundred percent.
Speaker 3 (01:56):
I mean, if you start well, it makes the game
a little bit easier for you if you can keep
that momentum. So you know, you always want to start well,
but you always want to carry that on. And so
I think we can focus on having a good start.
We'll put ourself in a good position, but we've got
to keep that momentum throughout all four quarters.
Speaker 2 (02:09):
Talk us through how the season's played out for you. Obviously,
the break has made a great start, and the mean
term sort of halters in those few weeks leading up
to Christmas after a few personnel changes. So how has
it played outst are from your eyes from a general perspective, Sam.
Speaker 4 (02:23):
Yeah, I mean it's an interesting one. It's one that
isn't very common.
Speaker 3 (02:27):
So you you you have to take what it gives you.
You have to deal with the cards you've been played
and and not make excuses.
Speaker 4 (02:36):
And I think we started the season well.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
Things changed a little bit, but you can't look in
the past and look at what was or what you
know should be. It's playing the cards you have and
doing the best you can with it. So I mean
that's really how I view the season, and that's what
we've got to how we're got a viewer for the
next I think eight games we have left.
Speaker 2 (02:54):
And you know, Hawks, as you mentioned at the start,
are top of the ladder. What's what strengths do they
have that is given them this possession and will be
most challenging for you guys tonight.
Speaker 3 (03:03):
Do you think I think it's there's no strengths as
far as you know, superstar talent and everything.
Speaker 4 (03:09):
I think there's more talented teams in the league.
Speaker 3 (03:11):
I think this team just fights harder than most and
I think they bring the energy every single night, and
I think they're physical, and they run hard, and they
rebound well, and so it's all the little things that
they do that makes them a collective, really good unit
in this league.
Speaker 4 (03:22):
So we've got to out fight them.
Speaker 2 (03:24):
What did you want to get out of coming back
to New Zealand, Sam and joining the Breakers this year?
You know what was what was sort of behind that
move in the off season.
Speaker 4 (03:32):
I mean there's a lot that played into it.
Speaker 3 (03:33):
I think they expressed a lot of interest and I'm
familiar with the club and it's my hometown, and I
think you know that at this point in my career.
I was excited to come home and represent you know,
my city and the country and do us proud. And
I was ready for that challenge. And I think I'm
enjoying just being home and being around you know, familiar
faces and helping the community and helping basketball grow in
(03:55):
zeal And.
Speaker 2 (03:56):
Playing an Illawara Wollongong obviously tough venue for visiting teams,
a bit of extra travel that often comes into it
as well. What's what's been the key from your past
experience is heating there to try and get to get
a win.
Speaker 3 (04:07):
It's the same with every game. Starts strong, lock in
and and and win the war, win the fight.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
And negotiating that at a Christmas festive periods hopefully you
guys have had a little bit of downtime, but it
still has been a pretty congested schedule, hasn't it, including
that game on Christmas Day too? So you know, you guys,
you know what kind of physical shape is everyone in?
Speaker 3 (04:26):
Yeah, I think everyon's in pretty good physical shape. We've
got a couple of injuries that we're aware of, and
and guys who are back home working on getting healthy.
But you know, like you can't look at the schedule,
and it's life, you know, you get you get doubt
that schedule and you've got to figure out how to
best handle it and how to get through it. And
I think the bodies and everyone's physical status right now
is actually pretty good.
Speaker 2 (04:46):
Yeah great, and you will be back home in a
few days time too to take on Melbourne United. Just
give us a bit of an update. How crucial you
guys are seeing these these next two to three games
in terms of I guess, you know, defining how the
season plays out.
Speaker 3 (05:00):
I mean there's no there's nowhere around it, like you
have to win these games. You drop one or two
more for you know, these next day as you please.
Haven't a position where you just got to know, play
the luck game and hope other teams lose. But no,
we have to win these games and we have to
dictate how are we when I season the finish?
Speaker 2 (05:13):
He well say, I'm ready appreciate your time here on
News Talk ZEDB. Travel safe over there, and yeah, all
the best against the Lawara and look forward to see
you back and Hew Zealand next week.
Speaker 4 (05:22):
Mate. Thank you.
Speaker 2 (05:23):
Yeah, it's going to be tough, isn't it for the
Breakers tonight that is a Sam meninger from the team.
You can just almost sense a little bit of frustration
and his voice cunty with how the season has played out.
But yes, anyway, they're under way this evening seven thirty
our time and well on Gong taking on the Hawks
and the Australian Basketball League twenty five past seven.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
For more from the All Sport Breakfast with Darcy Watergrave,
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