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December 27, 2024 • 13 mins

Fresh face Corban Piper made his starting debut for the Men's Wellington Phoenix last week. 

The 22-year-old combative midfielder joined the Phoenix from Birkenhead United. 

The Wellington Phoenix will host the Newcastle Jets at Sky Stadium in Wellington at 5pm this afternoon as they hope to snap a three game loosing streak. 

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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from Newstalk ZEDB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
It's the Wellington Phoenix Men back in action this afternoon.
They host the Newcastle Jets at Sky Stadium in Wellington,
five o'clock kickoff as they look to snap a three
game losing streak. You're shooting from everywhere at the moment,
West at Sydney circludida a lot of strike.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
What the trsper It's over for the line now and
you could not ask for a better way to score
your first goal.

Speaker 2 (00:37):
And what an exclamation though for Western Sydney to finish
this way man. That was the Western Sydney Wanderers beating
the Phoenix four to one last Sunday back home, as
I say, against the Newcastle Jets. One of the new
faces in the Phoenix squad this season is young Kiwi
utility Corbyn Piper, who actually made his starting debut for
the side last weekend in that loss at Western Sydney.

(01:00):
He joins us now, Corbyn, thanks for your time apart
from the result obviously, how happy were you with with
getting your starting debut and how you went on starting debu.

Speaker 3 (01:11):
Look, I was buzzing to be fair like, as soon
as I found out that I was starting, I was just, yeah,
I couldn't get the smile off my face, to be honest,
and even more happy to get a full ninety minutes.

Speaker 2 (01:23):
You had forty five minutes off the bench against Melbourne
victory in late November. Was that helpful in getting you
used to the level of the A League?

Speaker 3 (01:32):
Yeah? It was. Actually after that I felt a lot
more comfortable in actually being on the pitch and patiently
waiting for another chance than there I was at Western
Sydney getting my second chance to play, So yeah, I
was so light it.

Speaker 2 (01:46):
How big a step up in standard have you found
the A League to be from what you've been playing previously?

Speaker 3 (01:55):
Quite a big step up, to be honest. When I
was over in Ireland it was more physical and not
so technical as the A Leagues. But day leaves, Yeah,
by far, so much more superior, much faster. You have
a lot less time.

Speaker 2 (02:11):
On the ball, and yeah, did you feel like you're
able to quickly adjust to that? Though I look at it,
from what I saw, it didn't look like you were
rushed or hurried necessarily. Did you feel like you got
used to the pace of the game pretty quickly.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
Yeah, I mean that's what I believe Cheetie wanted to
do is bring me in and sort of give me
two to three months training with the boys and getting
used to the level. Because originally I came in here
and I wasn't so technically good. But after training here

(02:49):
for just two or three months already, I found that
I've improved a lot already and it's helped me be
more confident on the field.

Speaker 2 (02:56):
So yeah, when you assigned and in the time since
your versatility has been talked about a lot, can you
tell us the position you've played most often?

Speaker 3 (03:08):
Actually, I can't actually answer that, to be honest, I
actually I have no idea. Really, I get so on
anywhere in training and I'm just happy to be there
and playing like they can put me on anywhere, and
like I said, yeah, just happy to be on the pitch.

Speaker 2 (03:23):
I know you played in a sort of a teen
role for Birkenhead, so you know, right in the guts
of midfield, has that you know, playing in a position
like that where you do need to be technically pretty
good around three hundred and sixty degrees? Is that helpful
when you've played because mostly for the Phoenix. You've played
in defensive positions where everything's in front of you. Here's

(03:44):
the ability to play three sixty degrees help that.

Speaker 3 (03:48):
Yeah, definitely, one hundred percent. Yeah, I believe though, because
when I'm in type situations I need to get out
of I kind of I have the confidence that actually
take a man on and go go myself rather than
passing back or something like that. But yeah, it's definitely
been a big help. But no mistakes in the defense line. Unfortunately,

(04:10):
I can make a mistake higher up the field as
a ten. But yeah, no room for areas are cine back.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
Is center back, somewhere you feel comfortable though. Does it
feel like a place where you could have a natural home,
at least in the short term for Wellington Phoenix.

Speaker 3 (04:25):
Yeah, of course. Yeah. Like I said, I'll play anyway.
I enjoy playing cine back, making big tackles, all this
and that, but I also really enjoy being higher up
the field, so I don't really mind. But yeah, wherever
there's a spot on the pitch for me, I'll play.

Speaker 2 (04:41):
And alongside you in central defense on the weekend. Scott Wooton,
who of course has been around for a long time,
one of the more experienced players going around the A League.
How much of a help was he for you?

Speaker 3 (04:51):
I he's great. Like just being paired with him, I
already feel ten times more confidence and comfortable on the ball.
He yeah, really helps me throughout the game, communicating literally
for the full ninety minutes with me. So yeah, it's yes,
unreal to have them here next to me. It's a
great help and.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
A couple of chances to score too. Mate, How how
do you remember those moments?

Speaker 3 (05:17):
Honestly? Yeah? Yeah, no words, Really I could have got
a hatchick, I believe, but nah, honestly, yeah, I hopefully
we'll get one this weekend if I get on and
get some minutes or yeah, I.

Speaker 2 (05:31):
Mean, but to be also to be an attacking three
like a couple of heaters, and then there was a
volley light on as well. I mean that surely is
another string to your bow. That you're even at set pieces,
if you're playing center back, even at set pieces, that
you're an attacking threat. That must add another string to
your bow.

Speaker 3 (05:47):
Yeah. Honestly, my whole life, I've been quite good in
the air. I've scored a fair few bit of headers,
so yeah, I've always had an attacking mind for corners
and whatnot. Yeah, like I said, I've scored a fair
few headers my career. But yeah, every time it's the corner,

(06:09):
I'm running up straight ready, can't wait if it's a
good ball and hopefully get my head on it. And yeah,
eventually hopefully one's going to go and I do think
one's going to come in so and I'll be buzzing.

Speaker 2 (06:21):
Yeah, I know, well, I know. Well you mentioned your
time in Ireland for Wixford. If she tell us about
that experience.

Speaker 3 (06:29):
I mean the football, the football there was a lot different. Yeah,
it was, like I said, very physical, and it wasn't
so much did little small passes trying to play out.
Its more just direct and long ball. And yeah, I
enjoyed the football aspects of things, and yeah, it was

(06:54):
it was quite. It was good for my football career
over leave because I got a I think it was
thirty five appearances in the season, so yeah, obviously playing
against men over in Europe for thirty five games really
benefited me. So yeah, I enjoyed it.

Speaker 2 (07:13):
Good stuff. All right, let's look at this game this afternoon.
Three straight losses never much fun. What sort of messages
are you getting from the coaching staff as you look
to turn things around.

Speaker 3 (07:24):
I mean, same messages as every week. To be honest,
nothing really needs to be said. I think us boys
are pretty motivated to end that losing straight of ours.
It's a musclim game for us, I believe. And yeah,
the boys are going out really more ready than ever.

Speaker 2 (07:42):
Are there any small things or even medium sized things
that if you do change or get right or even
get a little bit better, will have a big influence today?
Do you think?

Speaker 3 (07:55):
Yeah? I think just concentration. Really, just few little errors
cost us a few goals in the past games, and
I think just touching those up, we'll be Yeah, we'll
be sweet.

Speaker 2 (08:13):
And your first appearance at sky Stadium, all of your
other appearances have been away from memory. How much you're
looking forward to playing a home game?

Speaker 3 (08:21):
Hopefully I can get on or get some minutes. Yeah,
I'd love to because my family's coming down and it'd
be great to play in front of them. So yeah,
I'm buzzing as.

Speaker 2 (08:33):
Being a private the Phoenix, what you expected it.

Speaker 3 (08:35):
Would be, Yeah, yeah, it is really. I came in
knowing that the boys are great lads, great group of boys,
and yeah, everything I expected to be honest.

Speaker 2 (08:50):
Good to hear well all the best of this afternoon, Corbyn.
Let's hope you can turn things around and get back
on the winning side of things. Look forward to seeing
seeing you out there hopefully fingers crossed this afternoon. Thanks
for the chat.

Speaker 3 (09:00):
Appreciate that.

Speaker 2 (09:01):
No, thank you, Corbyn, Corbyn Piper. There new face in
the Wellington squad. Unfortunately, a couple of injury concerns for
Wellington this afternoon to a couple of key players. When
I say injury concerns more than concerns, a couple of
players have been ruled out. Marco Rojas, who unfortunately missed
last weekend having had a really good game the previous week,

(09:25):
has twisted his ankle quite badly. He's out for today
and is in a moon boot unfortunately and will miss
probably the next two to three games. And Tim Pain
also injured himself at training, one of the more experienced
players in the team. He'll also miss this afternoon, So
some further selection conundrums for Jihn Callotaliano the coach of

(09:46):
the side, but I'm sure he'll have a strategy for
when the game kicks off at around about five o'clock
and it is a beautiful day in Wellington compared to
the last couple which have been terrible. It is a really,
really nice day in Wellington today, so let's hope that
the football matches the weather at Sky Stadium five o'clock
this afternoon. Finally, we go to Auckland FC, who are

(10:07):
in Gosford on the Central Coast of New South Wales,
to take on the Central Coast Mariners in Gosford from
seven o'clock tonight. Unfortunately, with their travel schedules and training
loads and things like that, they were unable to join
us or no, there wasn't enyone able to join us
for a chat today on the show, but some comments
got sent through from head coach Steve Carriker, so i'll

(10:29):
play for you first of all around how they've prepared
for this game off the back of their loss to
Western United a week ago.

Speaker 4 (10:36):
Really good. We've had a good week's training boys. We
spoke about the defeat. Obviously it's our first one, so
we want to respond on a positive note against Central
Coast and we've been working towards that. They've been great.
They're upbeat, they're ready to ready to go for the
Central Coast game. Injury wise, everyone's pretty good. Obviously, a

(10:57):
couple of young boys out Ollie Middleton and Cam Howison
of he's not young, but he's still out. Cam and
Dan Hall. But other than that, we have a fully
fit squad and yeah, looking forward to it. Similar to Western,
they're in a position they were last week, so we
obviously have to make sure that we're on our game.

(11:18):
We want to perform a lot better than last week.
They're a good team. They like you said, they won
all trophies last year. They've a bit of change in
their squad as well throughout this season. But they're at home.
They had a good performance the other night. They've got
a draw, so you know, we really have to take
care of business. Some dangerous threats. They got up front

(11:40):
with pace docer quoll with the pace you know, Celtech
defensively very strong, so we have to perform really well
to beat them.

Speaker 2 (11:49):
Here you go, Steve Coriker with some brief prematch thoughts.
Seven o'clock tonight they take on the Central Coast Mariners.
They're back home actually on New Year's Day, so some
New Year's Day football ago Media Stadium, five o'clock on
January first, which is Wednesday they take on Melbourne victory,
so yeah, looking forward to seeing good crowd at home.
For Auckland FC, they played tonight in Gosford and then

(12:11):
at home on Wednesday twenty two to three. It's lunch
at the MCG on day three. India having resumed at
one hundred and sixty four for five in their first innings,
they got through to two hundred and forty four for seven,
so they've hadded eighty for the loss of two wickets.
Nitish Kumar ready is doing pretty well actually forty nine

(12:31):
out of sixty one balls, joined by Washington Sunda who
is unbeaten on five so they are now just thirty
one runs away from avoiding the follow on, So that'll
be a big order of business after lunch for India.
Australia just need their remaining three wickets in India's first
innings to be able to enforce the follow on if
they so choose, So India two forty four for seven.

(12:54):
They'll resume at the MCG at around about ten past
three this afternoon.

Speaker 1 (12:59):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk zed B weekends from midday. Follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio,
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