Dan Hall: Auckland FC Defender looks to next season as the opening match draws near

Auckland FC Defender Dan Hall joins Jason Pine ahead of the season opener against Melbourne.

He describes what improvements the team needed to follow up last season, how the team's managed themselves in the offseason, and how he's adjusted to playing with new faces.

He told Jason Pine that, "as a team we fell short and we want to rectify that this year."

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks by.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's get you inside the Plane Group now defender Dan
hallers with us. Dan, thanks for taking time. Do you
still feel the same hunger as you did last season
when everything about Auckland def C was fresh and new?

Speaker 3 (00:25):
Of course, of course thanks for having me Piney. I
think you know in this situation even more so. Obviously
last year we did great things being minor premiers, but
we believe as a team we fell short and we
want to raptify that this year. So you know, we're
buzzing for the season to start and we can't wait
to be out there.

Speaker 2 (00:42):
You've got some experience of this type. You won the
Grand Final what the Mariners in twenty twenty two to
twenty three, and then back that up with an even
more successful season the following campaign. So what were the
keys to following one excellent season with another one?

Speaker 4 (00:58):
Good question?

Speaker 3 (00:59):
I think for me, obviously, I believe a lot of
team camaraderie is a huge point of improving each year
and just sticking together and a hardworking, humble team I
think gets a lot of good results. So that's definitely
something we'll try to implement and obviously there's a little
bit of luck involved, but a lot of hard work too.

Speaker 2 (01:19):
Your last league game was quite some time ago. I
know you've had Australia Cup and preseason games in the meantime,
but how do you best navigate this very long a
league off season.

Speaker 3 (01:29):
Yeah, obviously the Australian Football Leagues has like the world's
longest preseason, so after doing a couple I'm quite conditioned
to them now, so but no, for sure, it's all
about just you know, not building up, building it up,
because obviously it's a long season as well. But with
a long preseason you have plenty of time to get
match fits. So I think here at Auckland we did

(01:52):
it very well. We got a lot of preseason games
in and just got to you know, try different combinations
and work on what the coach wants and hopefully come
Saturday that's all there to see.

Speaker 2 (02:02):
And last season, of course you forged such a cohesive
central defere it's a partnership with Nanda Pinnaker. He'll miss
the first month or so of the season as he
puts the final touches on his recovery from his injury.
How strange Is it going to be they're looking out
to your left and not seeing Nanda Pinneker there.

Speaker 4 (02:18):
Yeah, for sure.

Speaker 3 (02:20):
Obviously Nando is a great player and a great person,
so I've really enjoyed my time playing next to him
and can't wait for when he's back.

Speaker 4 (02:27):
Out on the pitch.

Speaker 3 (02:28):
But yeah, it's going to Obviously you make a good
connection with.

Speaker 4 (02:32):
Your center back partner.

Speaker 3 (02:33):
But luckily at Auckland f you know we have great
depth and whoever takes a field on Saturday, I'm sure
we'll do Auckland proud.

Speaker 2 (02:41):
And you talk about connections. A new goalkeeper behind you
as well, Alex Paulson has moved on a course and
we know how integral he was to your success last season.
So how do you go about building good a good
relationship with new arrival Olie Sale and also Michael Vaud
who didn't get to play last season.

Speaker 4 (02:57):
Yeah, I think just in training.

Speaker 3 (02:59):
You know, you're training with these boys every day, partnership
start to form. You understand play strengths and weaknesses and
how you as a team member can help them in
their own football journey.

Speaker 4 (03:09):
So I think just with time.

Speaker 3 (03:11):
And a lot of training and week in, week out,
you get to understand everybody, and yeah, hopefully come Saturday
that'll be able to show again how.

Speaker 2 (03:19):
Much you're looking forward to getting a crack at Melbourne
Victory nice and early this season, given the fact that
they were the team that denied you entry into the
Grand Final last season.

Speaker 4 (03:29):
Yeah, super excited.

Speaker 3 (03:30):
I think you know, as you said, it's the longest
preseason ever, so you just want to get out there.

Speaker 4 (03:34):
And play again.

Speaker 3 (03:35):
But to be able to reverse Melbourne Victory straight aways.
You know, you want to play the best teams and
I'm sure Melbourn Victory are going to be a strong
team this year, so can't wait to go tot to
toe with them and see how we end up.

Speaker 2 (03:46):
What about personally, Dan, are there still areas you feel
that our growth theory is in your own game personally?

Speaker 4 (03:53):
Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 3 (03:54):
I think for me personally, I've always had a growth
mindset and I feel like I still have lots of
things to learn personally for me this year, you know,
I want to try and be more of that leader
role and help guide my team and just be a
good team member. And obviously there's strengthen off the ball.
On the ball that I can definitely try and improve

(04:15):
on as the season progresses and.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
As far as the team is concerned. While you were
obviously well versed with the vagaries of the A League,
there were a number of players who hadn't played a
league before. Do you think as a team there have
been some good lessons to take from your first season
in the competition?

Speaker 3 (04:31):
Yeah, definitely, I think especially last year. Obviously a lot
of the boys hadn't hadn't played in the league before,
so coming into a second year, most players, if not all,
have had a taste of a league football, and they know,
you know, it's not just it's not just the intensity
of the matches. You know, you've got to take into
consideration things like the weather, the temperature and stuff like that.

(04:52):
So I feel like, off with one year under the belt,
the second year, it's only going to go up.

Speaker 2 (04:58):
And how good are you? And this docco by the way,
the star of the.

Speaker 3 (05:03):
Show, Yeah, said to me, you know, football doesn't work
out maybe Hollywood or stuff out it.

Speaker 2 (05:11):
Love it it is. It has been a really cool
little thing to sort of get us through. But the
last bit of the off season hasn't it. Do you
know if the cameras are following you for season two.
Has that been confirmed yet or not.

Speaker 3 (05:22):
I'm not sure if it's been confirmed, but I know
they're definitely in talks to see if season two can
get up and running.

Speaker 4 (05:28):
But I guess it was just we'll see with.

Speaker 2 (05:30):
Time, indeed, and just to finish obviously in a way
game to start, but then back home. We know just
how big that crowd was last season in terms of
it's it's impact on you guys and how they they
you know, were such a great support to you. How
much looking forward to seeing the port back again and
those big crowds at EPGO.

Speaker 4 (05:47):
Media, Oh absolutely buzzing. I think I was.

Speaker 3 (05:51):
You know, not a single person in the team would
expect to see how big the port really did turn
out until that first game against Brisbane last year. So
you know, we just can't wait to get out there
again and feel feel their twelfth man behind us as
we hopefully go for the three point against Wanderer's first
time game.

Speaker 2 (06:08):
Good on you mate, thanks indeed, Dan, appreciate your time.
Dan Hall central defender or one of the central defenders
in Auckland FC's squad again this year, a huge part
of their success last season and said to be the
same again at this time around. Auckland FC open their
A League campaign tonight in Melbourne Amy Park. They take
on Melbourne Victory from nine to thirty five.

Speaker 1 (06:27):
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