Full Show Podcast: 11 April 2026

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
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Speaker 2 (00:13):
The only place for the.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Big names, the big issues, the big controversies, and the
big conversations. It's all on Weekend Sport with Jason Vine
on your homeless Sport News Talks.

Speaker 3 (00:27):
Head B call to get afternoon. Welcome in to Weekend
Sport on News Talk SEAB for April eleven. Happy sixty
third birthday, Billy Bowden. I'm Jason Pien Show producer Andy McDonald.
We're going to talk sport with you until three. Busy
old show as usual. We'll get you to the Masters
at Augusta after one with Grahame A. Gars. Rory McElroy

(00:48):
has the biggest thirty six hole lead in the history
of the tournament. It took them all that time to
win it, and now it looks like he's going to
go back to back with the Green Jackets. Maybe you
just got to win one and then you want a
whole lot of them.

Speaker 4 (01:01):
Gray A.

Speaker 3 (01:01):
Gars on Rory McElroy After one. We'll also get an
update from Blair Chook co CEO and Wing Tram with
the Black Fours about when they might be back on
the water sal GP continues this weekend in Brazil. Black
fall is not there of course after the crash in Auckland,
so how far away are They will keep you updated
on a REGINC Supercars program in tow four, get you

(01:24):
inside the Auckland FC camphead of their big clash with
Melbourne victory this afternoon, And how will netball rebound from
what you would probably best describe as a tumultuous twelve
months to remain relevant to players, fans, broadcasters and sponsors
as the new A and Z Premiership competition gets underweight
first up today though. One of the biggest issues facing

(01:44):
grassroots sport in our country is a shortage of volunteers,
and as winter sport ramps up, there are fewer and
fewer people putting their hands up to help out, so
much so that many clubs are unable to run themselves
anywhere close to one hundred percent efficiency, and players, particularly

(02:05):
junior players, being turned away because there aren't enough volunteer
coaches or managers. How bad is it? Chair of the
New Zealand Amateur Sport Association, Gordon Noble Campbell is with
us in just a second. Now I want your stories.

Speaker 5 (02:19):
What are you.

Speaker 3 (02:19):
Seeing in clubland and why are we more reluctant to
lend a hand than those who came before us? Lines
open all afternoon as always, Oh eight hundred and eighty
ten eighties the phone number nine two ninety two for
your text messages. Normal charges apply. Emails into Jason at
NEWSTALKSEB dot co dot Nz nine and a half past midday.

Speaker 2 (02:43):
Analyzing the plays and get in the insight.

Speaker 1 (02:46):
Weekend Sport with Jason Vine News Talks mb.

Speaker 3 (02:50):
A stark reminder this week of the pressure facing grassroots
sport in New Zealand. A major Wellington football club Western
Suburbs is urgently searching for around forty four to ZHO
forty volunteer junior coaches just weeks out from the season,
with hundreds of kids at risk of missing out if
these roles cannot be filled. It's part of a wider

(03:11):
trend with volunteer numbers dropping across the country, workloads increasing
on fewer people, and concerns around player and sideline behavior
and burnout all playing a role. So what is driving
this decline in volunteer numbers and how serious is the
situation for community sport? Gordon Noble Campbell is chair of

(03:34):
the New Zealand Amateur Sport Association and he joins us
now Gordon a broad question to start, if I could
just how reliant are community sports clubs in New Zealand
on their volunteers.

Speaker 6 (03:47):
Totally reliant, Jase, and thanks for having me as part
of your show today. Without the voluntary service of so
many people around the country in delivering community sport, it
just simply wouldn't happen.

Speaker 7 (04:02):
And can I.

Speaker 6 (04:03):
Say, first up a big shout out to all of
those people who are actually throughout the year providing opportunities,
particularly for young people, but also for senior sport clubs
throughout the country. I mean their work is invaluable. And
I guess to answer a question, this is part of
the challenge, you know, time poor, costs going up and

(04:27):
all sorts of pressures now coming to bear.

Speaker 3 (04:30):
You've recally completed the National Sport Club Survey. What are
the headline findings when it comes to volunteer numbers.

Speaker 6 (04:38):
Volunteer numbers have been falling consistently post COVID and it's
part of a trend, I guess after that particular event
in our social history where many people just didn't really
come back in the same ways that they were participating
in community events or clubs or sports prior to that period.

(04:59):
So that's a real problem overall. The National Sport Club
Survey also has highlighted Jason the increased seeing financial pressures
that are bearing on or having a bearing on households
and their ability to easily and freely participate in community sport.
So that's not only obviously, you know, families with kids,

(05:21):
but it's also the volunteers, the match officials, all of
those people that have to make choices around one how
they're spending their time. Their free time are on a
weekend for example, and many more may not have that
free time available. And then secondly have to think carefully about,

(05:42):
you know, can I actually afford in a financial sense
to provide the support to the club or the organization.
And a great example just at the present time, of course,
is that there is a real stress for many families
with the price of fuel and thinking about, my word,
how am I going to get the family out to

(06:03):
wherever I need to go to not only there, but
to other places on Saturday afternoon bear that cost as
well as whatever else I might be doing during the
week or in fact on the weekend to help the
club out as well.

Speaker 3 (06:14):
Such an interesting point. So the amount of work needed
to be done by volunteers, I don't think has gone down.
In fact of anything, it will have gone up. So
with a smaller number of volunteers, are we seeing a
smaller group of people carrying more and more of the load.
And the second part of that is how serious is

(06:34):
volunteer burnout becoming?

Speaker 6 (06:37):
Well, one of the characteristics of people who do volunteer
regularly in the community is their willingness to help and
generally take on another job. So it's not uncommon and
I'm sure many listeners would agree with us. Within a
community club to find one person who's taking on three
or four specific responsibilities just to keep the club ticking over.

(07:00):
So the concept of burnout is actually a really really
important one for us all to be aware of, simply
because there is only so much that a person can do.
And on that note, I'd like to really emphasize that
community sport is a community responsibility. It's actually up to

(07:21):
all of us, and we all don't have to do
a huge amount. Actually doing a little bit to help
out can make a big difference. One of the things
that I think you know, you mentioned the challenge with
football club looking for volunteer coaches. Maybe you know clubs
need to think a bit more flexibly around the nature

(07:42):
of the roles they need filled and think about how
they can share those roles across a greater number of people,
so that, for example, there's less of a demand for
one to carry the full burden. I know that sounds
reasonably logical, but it's actually probably a little hard to
work through and figure out. But these are types of
things that might just bring and maintain more engagement from

(08:05):
volunteer in the community.

Speaker 3 (08:08):
What a club is telling you Gordon about the effect
that sideline and participant behavior is having on the volunteer numbers.

Speaker 6 (08:17):
One of the findings from the National Sport Club Survey
in twenty twenty five, and we tested this for the
first time at survey last year, was the proportion of
respondents who indicated that both verbal and physical behavior was
an increasing problem in their sports. As a match official myself,

(08:37):
as you know Piney and having been in many sport environments,
I know how emotional fixtures can become, whether it's with
kids or with adults, and there's a huge amount of
passion involved in the game as well, but actually it
can become a decurrent or a disincentive for people to
actually participate and particularly put themselves in the spotlight, for

(09:00):
example volunteering as a match official simply because of the
approbrium they may get from the sideline or from people
who are associated with the sport or the club. So
that's something again that we all need to take responsibility for.
But absolutely there is a trend as highlighted in the

(09:21):
survey and a concern around behavior not only on the
sidelines but also on the field.

Speaker 3 (09:27):
Do national sporting organizations and bodies have a role to
play here?

Speaker 2 (09:32):
Totally?

Speaker 6 (09:33):
National sport organizations set the standard. But might I say
also that all of our community sport is based on
strong community relationships at the grass roots. So one of
the things that we find them Sport Association and through
the National Sports Club survey as well is that quite

(09:53):
often the types of messaging or communications that come from
the top down don't automatically resonate at the grass roots.
Where we need to be spending more time is with
the people who are in the community, working with the
kids and the adults and the young people as part
of their club and reminding them of the standards and

(10:13):
the behaviors that we expect as part of making a
positive contribution to the community. And on that note, Piney,
if I can just simply say as well, you and
I both know that community sport is about a lot
more than just the sport that's being played for most
of our communities. It's a really fundamental social glue that

(10:36):
binds so many people together and we have to be
very careful around that to make sure that we're nurturing
it well, but also reminding people about all of the
important things that they get out of being a participant
or being a member of that organization. And I think
that's quite unique to us here in New Zealand as well,
and something that we need to take great care of.

Speaker 3 (10:59):
So so well said Gordon, and I'm nodding along with you.
So is your appeal today to those running clubs or
is it two individuals involved in clubs to perhaps look
internally at what they as individuals might do rather than
waiting for somebody else to do something.

Speaker 6 (11:17):
To go back to my earlier comment, Piney, it's your responsibility,
it's my responsibility if we want our kids to have
a positive experience playing sport as part of their growth
into good, contributing adults to society. It's our responsibility to
help them have an enjoyable, successful to to whatever degree

(11:40):
of success that might happen to be, and a really
cohesive experience in being with their mates and families, working
together and just creating a great community environment and vibes.
So it is certainly a collective responsibility, but might I
say also too, you know, and one of the things

(12:00):
that we have identified that is also becoming a little
bit of a barrier to participation is we need to think,
for example, at a council and local authority level, about
how accessible inaccessible some of our facilities are becoming to families,
particularly families with more than one child, where the cost

(12:21):
play seems to be going up, and we need to
reflect on that too. It's very tough times for everybody,
but let's not create barriers to stopping families and particularly kids,
being able to participate in sport. It needs to be affordable,
accessible and in many respects achievable, so you know, sport

(12:44):
provided at the right level. So a range of things
they're party and all of them we can do collectively
something about.

Speaker 3 (12:50):
Absolutely just to finish, Gordon, what are some simple practical
things our listeners can do this weekend or moving forward
to help out their local club.

Speaker 6 (13:00):
Number one, if you're at a sporting event or facility
with your kids, say thank you. Two simple words but
not often said. Say thank you to the person who
was coordinating the kids or the game or the coaches.
Say thank you to the match official. Those two words
will go a real long way to make sure that

(13:20):
that person comes back next week and says, yeah, I
made a real difference today and I feel good about it.
That's number one. Number two, be prepared to offer to
offer your help in some small way. And if you see,
for example, there's something about the team or the group
that clearly somebody's hands are needed in there to help

(13:42):
just sort things out or get the gear sordered or
what have you, just step forward and say hey, I
can help that, I can help with that. It's only
a small thing. It doesn't mean you need to sign
up for a contract to help for the rest of
the season, but your help will be noticed and appreciated
as well. And then thirdly, and the final thing is
just have a good time, celebrate the sport for what

(14:03):
it is enjoy what you see, enjoy the player and
afterwards have some good yarns and a bit of fun
and talking about it over the rest of the weekend.
So those are my three tips for today.

Speaker 3 (14:14):
Plony, great advice as always Gordon, always invigorating chatting with you,
keep fighting the good fight and look forward to staying
in touch.

Speaker 6 (14:21):
Good on your Plony.

Speaker 3 (14:22):
Thank you, no, thank you, Gordon, Gordon Noble Campbell. There
here is the chair of the New Zealand Amateur Sport
Association Plenty to pick up on their eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty. The texts are already starting to flow in.
I'd love to chat to you about this, in particular
your real life experiences. What are you seeing in your

(14:43):
community at your club and why? What have you been
able to put a finger on the reason why there
are far fewer people willing to put their hand up
now to volunteer. And this is wider than sport. It's
all sorts of clubs who are having these problems. But
let's stick to sport. Given the show is called Weekend Sport. Look,

(15:05):
I understand the reasons that are given for volunteer drop
off the rationale and you ask why people aren't volunteering anymore,
and I subscribe to these reasons to varying degrees. People
are doing it tough financially, there's no getting away from that,
and choices do have to be made based on dollars.

(15:28):
I totally get that. And you know, with fuel prices
being what they are at the moment, people are having
to make decisions around where they can go and how
they can get their children or themselves around over the
weekend to their various activities. So the financial argument I
totally totally understand. The time poor aspect is the one

(15:52):
that I take a bit of an issue with. You
hear so much these days everyone's always so busy. I'm
so busy. Everyone's so busy these days, everyone's so busy.
I hear that a lot. But our parents were busy too,
and their parents, but they got involved. There are still
twenty four hours and every day, just the same as

(16:15):
there have always been. There is still an opportunity for
you to choose how you spend your time. If it
means enough to you, you'll make time whatever it is.
And just before we go to the phones, can I
just encourage you if your kids are involved in sport,
especially if they're just starting out in sport, think about
coaching them. I know there's always a bit of trepidation

(16:38):
about whether you know enough. Look, I don't know anything
about the sport that they're playing. I don't know. I mean,
how can I coach? How can I coach? I can
assure you there are any number of resources available to you.
All you have to be is willing you can learn
the rest. Coaching your kids is one of the best

(16:58):
ways to spend time with your kids instead of just
dropping them off, grabbing a coffee and standing on the sideline,
which is your right, of course, it's your right give
some thought to being part of the solution to this
very real problem, because unless enough people do that, there
might not be a team for your kids to play in.

(17:19):
There might not be a sideline for you to stand on.
Oh eight, one hundred and eighty ten eighties and number
twelve twenty four.

Speaker 8 (17:27):
Hello Mary, Hi, it's very interesting your last points, because
that's what I won't to speak.

Speaker 9 (17:34):
To go on.

Speaker 3 (17:35):
Then, Mary, the floor is yours.

Speaker 8 (17:38):
Thank you. Well, you talked about how things used to
be and for the grandparents, well, where my children were
young and they were involved in a lot of sports.
I was able to be a stay home mum, and
that meant that a lot of things got done during
the week and when Saturday came, you know, there was

(18:00):
time to go and do everything. And the difference now
is that banks require true income for one mortgage. So
if both parents are working full time, when they come home,
they have to wash, shop, clean and look after the children.
And it's it is demanding because they've done they've both

(18:22):
worked full time all week. They're both tired, and you know,
just getting through all the things that need to be
done to be ready for another week is sometimes enough
with some families, and then sometimes grandparents step in to
help with with with with those things, and so the grandparents,

(18:45):
because they're helping the family, are not free to go
and do the things that grandparents used to do, like,
you know, be volunteers in clubs. So it's really interesting
because I used to work for the bank and I
remember when I got to staff mortgage in the bank,
they said to me, just don't get pregnant. And they

(19:06):
did it because they expected that if I got pregnant,
I would stay home and look after my family, and
that was the expectation. I'm a grandmother. Now I'm a
nana and and that is not the expectation. Now the
expectation is throwing the kids in child here. But that

(19:26):
does you know, it's amazing what they say, behind every
great man was a woman. And if you had a
stay home mum, it's got everythink done during the week,
then then dad or granddad or anyone else was free
to go to the club and get behind the kids.
And look, I think is extremely important. It's it's a
balanced life. It's just such an important aspect of health

(19:51):
for the children and even for the extended family. But
it does you know, that is the difference. And two
incomes were not required to pay one mortgage.

Speaker 3 (20:06):
Yeah, Mary make it, you do. You make a very
good point. You make a very very good point. And look,
I said, as I said at the start of or
before we took the calls, I totally understand the financial
position that that families are in. But I also I
don't know. And again it's easy for me to stand

(20:26):
here and say it. I know, but yes, we're Yes,
we're tired at the end of a long week. Yes
we want to not think about too much. Yes we
want to perhaps let somebody else do it, but there
aren't enough. Somebody else is doing it at the moment,
and your kids are only if we talk, if we

(20:48):
just zero it on junior sport. Your kids are only
kids for so long. I promise you that that time
goes so fast, and I'm sure many of you will
totally agree with me on this. Before you know it,
there won't be an opportunity to spend that time with
your kids anymore. Take it while it's there. Yes, it's

(21:10):
another thing on your plate, but you choose what is
on there, and you can choose to put more on
there if you want to. And I can't think of
a worthier way to spend your time than by encouraging
your children and other people's children in physical pursuits. Oh eight,
one hundred and eighty ten eighty twelve, twenty eight. Take
a few more calls on this. There starting to stack

(21:33):
up a lot of real life experiences to chat about.
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Speaker 1 (22:42):
If it matters in sports, it matters here we can
sport with Jason Pine.

Speaker 2 (22:47):
News Talks that Be.

Speaker 3 (22:48):
Twelve thirty two Talking volunteers at grassroots level. Kevin, thanks
for holding good afternoon play.

Speaker 7 (22:54):
How are you very Goodlow Well? Last week, I was refereeing,
and I like a referee soccer, rugby, league and rugby.
And but last week I was doing a soccer game
and I got abused when I was referring the game

(23:14):
on the sideline from the adults, and it's spilled over
onto the pitch. And I just got the two coaches
together and told them, don't sort out what I stopped
the game and I saw it and I said, I
said to the coaches, I said, you need to sort

(23:36):
it out all right, or else I'm going to have
to stop the game because it's encroaching on the game
and on the kids as well.

Speaker 3 (23:46):
How common is this, Kevin? How common is this is?

Speaker 5 (23:49):
It?

Speaker 3 (23:49):
Does this feel like a one awful? Have you experienced
this before?

Speaker 7 (23:53):
I've experienced it before, and I did. I I do
the I can do the junior games as well as
the senior games. And I did it all last year
and I was just getting out of I even had
a a president from a club and I have asked,

(24:19):
I asked him to the coach to actually remove them
from the from the ground because he was so abusive
last year.

Speaker 3 (24:28):
Yeah, crazy, and and and you and this is sorry, Kevin,
This is junior and senior sport. Not that it matters,
but but it's grass for e sports. I mean, FIFA
are not waiting on the edge of their seats for
our results. You know, people need a reality check in
these situations. How much has it affected your desire to

(24:49):
continue refereeing?

Speaker 7 (24:52):
Well, I think stop referring for the uh stop referring
right now because it was so abusive and it got
really got to me. But what I what I did

(25:16):
to get the two before the game he ticks off.
I get the both teams together and I am asked
them to produced shake the opposite guy's hands please, and
they seem to. They seem to like that, and they

(25:39):
seem to get on really well. And then you know,
but then the what saim from the sideline, they reckon
that they really know the rules and regulations and all
the rest, and three quarters of them then don't know
the correct what SAME's rules and they're a little bit

(26:07):
upset about it.

Speaker 3 (26:09):
I can hear it in your voice, Kevin, I can
hear it in your voice, and I'm very sorry that
this has happened to you. Somebody who are cross by
the sounds of it. A number of sports has voluntarily
given up your time to officiate when ninety five percent
or more of those who throw abuse from the sideline
would never even dream of picking up a whistle themselves. Kevin,

(26:31):
I hope you can get a bit of a break
to refresh and reinvigorate yourself and I hope you're not
lost to grassroots sports, mate. Thanks for calling in Todd
good a mate.

Speaker 10 (26:43):
Yeah, my parents back in the seventies for how hornets
they did. Mum was on the ladies committee and Dad
was a chairman of the club.

Speaker 7 (26:54):
But he coached me and.

Speaker 10 (26:55):
I learned off that and in the end I ended
up becoming president of all Compulsoron Pidgeon Association and we'd
put on two shows a year for the kids in
the chooks and we always had trouble getting volunteers. And
the other thing too, is that I was president and
it's very hard to run volunteers, that's the biggest thing,

(27:21):
because they're not getting paid. They're doing it out of
their own free will. And anybody who volunteers, I'll take
my hat off to you because it's they're not being selfish.
They're helping the community out and you know, and I
think it's a good thing, putting something back in the community.

(27:41):
I mean, we've had old people in their eighties still
giving at least an hour's work polishing trophies.

Speaker 11 (27:48):
You know.

Speaker 10 (27:48):
And then we've had grandparents in the in the past
who would cut up oranges, you know, just something an hour,
an hour any time. Even if I don't believe that
anybody has an excuse not to be a volunteer and
give at least an hour out of their time once

(28:09):
a year, because I've seen so many and we get it.
We still get it down here in Taranaki at the
poultry Club here where people have got an excuse and
I'm too busy, I'm too busy. Well sorry, you're not
busy all the time, and you can afford an hour
out of your time to help us out by truck

(28:29):
by either cleaning cups or i mean doing something you know.

Speaker 3 (28:35):
Yeah, Todd, I do know. I do know. And you're right.
There's always been the same number of hours in the day.
There's always been the same number of minutes in an hour.
People have always had to prioritize things. Yes, I know
things are different. I'm not not eve enough to think
that things haven't changed. And Mary's call earlier talked of
previous generations where there was often only one income coming

(28:59):
into a house and that was enough. Now people do
need two incomes. Therefore you are committed. Both parents off
and in a household are committed to their jobs, and
therefore there is less time. But there is still time.
There is still time. And I'm not going to stand here,
as I'm sure none of you are, and tell people
that they must do something, that you have to do it.

(29:23):
But I just think it's a great idea. And the
other side of it is if enough people decide they
don't want to do it, then community sport, grassroots sport,
and the place that clubs hold, the very important place
that clubs hold in our communities is in real danger,
real danger. Thanks Tod, thanks for calling through. Craig Hi,

(29:49):
very good, Craig.

Speaker 5 (29:49):
Thanks Hey.

Speaker 4 (29:51):
I thought your last quarter made a great point. They're
managing volunteers. That's a real skill that I don't think
is around as much anymore. And there's a complexity of
managing a lot of people in and around a sports
club or a community club that you know, there's a
real talent in doing so. And I think what you're

(30:13):
mainly seeing is people who do volunteer for a small
job end up doing many small jobs, and then that
role becomes irreplaceable because the job is so big and
it's not simple enough for someone else to take over.

Speaker 3 (30:28):
Yeah, no, Craig, bang on, mate, bang on, And I
think that's it doesn't And often it's you know, it's
the same people, isn't it. So you volunteers, you say
you volunteer for one thing, Yes, I'll do X, y Z,
and then you end up doing A B, C, D,
E and F as well, And and you're right. And
when that person for whatever reason can't commit to it anymore,
or moves away or their kids aren't playing anymore, then
who's going to do X y Z, A, B, C, D,

(30:49):
E and F.

Speaker 4 (30:51):
And that's I think, you know that the art of
keeping things simple as a thing that's got to be
re embraced here. You know, with the there are lots
of small jobs and lots of people could do, but
we keep complex, making it more complex, putting a few
more things in place. You know what, there's a in
my sport football, we've I'm just about to step out

(31:12):
on the field. Lots of people have helped me, you know,
get out in the field, but I wouldn't know that
who they are. And you know, but a lot of
small roles are easily done. Yeah, you know, yeah, and
we're going to celebrate, celebrate these people and maybe just
take a week bit more time to celebrate those small

(31:34):
roles and you know, make make it a make You've
got a weird that it is easy.

Speaker 3 (31:38):
Yeah, and just as Gordon said before, you know, just
say thank you to those people when and if the
opportunity arises. How's the body mate, You're going to be
okay to get through a season.

Speaker 4 (31:48):
By a season?

Speaker 3 (31:49):
We're just worried about.

Speaker 4 (31:52):
Today, one weekend at a time.

Speaker 12 (31:54):
Mate.

Speaker 8 (31:56):
I love it.

Speaker 3 (31:57):
Good on you mate, great to chat, Thanks for thanks
for calling it all the this nineteen away from one
Julie with you. After this eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty spere line there they've been ringing off the hook.
There's some great stories coming through or trying to get
to them on text. But if you've got a point
to make our eight hundred and eighty ten eighty back
in a moment on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (32:14):
From Grassroots to the grandst Weekend Sport with Jason Pine
news talks.

Speaker 3 (32:19):
They'd be quarter to one. Hi, Julie, thank you for
holding good afternoon.

Speaker 13 (32:24):
Hi Jason. I used to be involved with running the
sport at Paraparumu College and what you've said today is
absolutely correct. It's got nothing to do with time. It's
got everything to do with people thinking somebody else will
do it for them.

Speaker 6 (32:39):
You know.

Speaker 13 (32:40):
I seem to remember they didn't worry about telling you
when things were not right, whether they weren't in the
right team or the coach wasn't doing the right thing.
They had time to do that, and I just used
to remind them, well, there's always something you could do.
And I think the really important factor is to break
up the role so you can help with equipment, you
can help with the transport, you can organize something from

(33:02):
home so you don't actually physically be to have to
be at the practice or at the match. That you
can still do lots to help that coach. So I
think you're absolutely right. It's got nothing to do with time.
It's got everything to do with attitude.

Speaker 3 (33:15):
Why do you think attitudes have changed, Julie, GEO philosophical
question you probably can't answer, but what what have you
observed why why is it so different now?

Speaker 13 (33:25):
Because I think we will you know, so many people,
I mean we have there are children, they're children that
we want to hopefully nurture and help, but we seem
to want other people to do it. And I think
it's it's definitely an all about you know, more about
and all about me and what I want to do,

(33:45):
and but somebody else will do it, not me, And
it's just that self responsibility that seems to have just disappeared.
I think it's probably got a lot to do with,
you know, people being given something to nothing rather than
having to work for it. But it doesn't seem to
be getting any better, which is the sad part.

Speaker 3 (34:04):
And Julie, Hey, great observation and insight from you, and
you're dead right, you're breaking it up. You might be
able to do the whole thing, but maybe you could
do a little thing or a couple of things which
might help out. Many hands make make light workers. They say,
thank you, Julie, thank you for calling through. Kyle, Hi, Hey,
how's the going good? Thank you.

Speaker 11 (34:26):
I've got a little bit of a different perspective on
it and a view on it. My opinion is I
think times have changed a lot compared to what we
think it should be like. And what I mean by
that is, back in the day, there was a lot
less option for sports and activities where you know, historically,

(34:48):
I guess everyone was kind of based around one sport
and it was a very family thing. You know, you'd
either be into your rugby so your whole family would
be at rugby club and your generationally go through that.
Where now things are changing and there's a lot more
variety in sports that kids are playing and adults are
playing as well. And I think that youth these days

(35:11):
have so many different options of sports out there and
they're taking up these options, which is really good and
it's good to see this, all these options. But with
that comes a whole lot more of a workload as
well for volunteers.

Speaker 3 (35:24):
Yeah, good point. Good point.

Speaker 11 (35:25):
In everybody being in one club, they're kind of spread
across everything.

Speaker 3 (35:29):
Yeah, especial if you've got two or three kids who
do two or three different things, Kyle, you can't be
in two or three places at once, can you. You
can't stretch yourself that far. It's a very valid point,
You're right, I mean, yeah, in the as you back
in the day, I think I lived in those days. Yeah,
it was it was rugby in the winter, or football
and then cricketer or softball in the summer, and there
was pretty much it but a neat ball thrown.

Speaker 11 (35:49):
In, you know, yeah exactly. And so the lifestyle around
that was you'd have a training during the week and
then your game on a Saturday finished up with the
clubrooms where everybody's together and they talk about what they're
going to do on Sunday. Typically is a club type
thing where now it's a you know, you get together
at the game and it's like, oh, what are you
doing and it's like, well, well tomorrow is wakama or

(36:10):
you know, volleyball or something else, and then you're off
to that next club. And some like me personally, like
I'm involved in so many, so many different clubs, and
I'd love to volunteer for everyone, but it's hard because
I've got to be one of those people that is like, sorry,
I don't have the time because I just I can't
stretch myself across four different clubs to volunteer here and there.

(36:33):
So it'd be quite interesting to actually see like obviously
that you talked earlier about the survey that was done
around the amateur sports, and like how many more clubs
do we have these days? Like is there the growth
in those clubs, which then can I guess correlate to
how many volunteers are out there, because we hear about

(36:54):
deacon positions, but how many people are actually volunteering and
how many positions are out there compared to what there
was twenty thirty years ago.

Speaker 3 (37:03):
Great perspective, Carl, thanks for calling in night. Really appreciate
your in. Oh, eight hundred and eighty, ten eighty. You've
got a few more months to take calls on this,
Cameron High, Jason har You very good, Cameron, very good.

Speaker 14 (37:14):
Yeah.

Speaker 9 (37:14):
Look, I just think, you know, like as someone who
used to referee myself, you know, like there's a lot
of parents out there now who are thinking that their kid,
you know, because kids these days are getting signed at
younger and younger ages by these professional football teams. There's
a lot of parents out there who think their kids
are the next Ronaldo or you know, messy on things,

(37:37):
and that's putting parents put more pressure on these volunteer
coaches now because they want their kid.

Speaker 5 (37:43):
To be that person.

Speaker 9 (37:44):
Yeah, and volunteers don't need that, you know, like we know,
Like I mean when I was coaching as well, I
knew nothing about making them into the next special player,
but I just enjoyed being part of a team.

Speaker 3 (37:57):
Mate success in what you're talking about. And the ninety
nine percent of kid sport is having the kid turn
up next week that is six not you know, you
know as you say the.

Speaker 15 (38:11):
I mean went.

Speaker 3 (38:11):
It's a whole different discussion, which we can have another
day about identification of talent at a young age. But yeah,
you're right. The pressure comes on because because certain parents
do have that expectation and they also want to know
why their kid isn't getting the you know, isn't is
getting you know, the same number of minutes as somebody
who is supposedly less talented than they are. All those

(38:32):
sorts of things come in, and if you're a volunteer coach,
you know, you can be forgiven for saying, you know what,
I can't be bothered with this.

Speaker 9 (38:42):
Yeah, unubsessed, I couldn't agree more.

Speaker 3 (38:44):
Yeah, Cameron, We're in passionate agreement, mate. Good to hear
from you things. Indeed, it's a ninety one news talksb.

Speaker 1 (38:51):
The big names and the big calls on your home
of Sport Weekend Sport with Jason Fine News Talks MB.

Speaker 3 (38:59):
Coming up five to one High Claire.

Speaker 16 (39:02):
Hi, I'm a professional recruiter and executive search person. When
we volunteer, we feel better about ourselves, we're benefiting other people.
We're doing things that benefit children or other adults than
whatever community activity, sport, whatever. But we actually feel as
if we have more meetings. And right now we've got

(39:24):
a lot of people looking for work in this country.
There's a lot of people who are have been looking
for work for a long time, so you'd argue that
there's more people than ever before that might have a
little bit of extra time on their hands. The power
of having on your CV that you are volunteering and
giving your time and your skills to the benefit of
others should not be underestimated when you're trying to differentiate

(39:48):
yourself when you're looking for work. It's those type of
activities that will make you stand out. It's just a thought,
but you know, that's what we go looking for when
we are looking for special people for high performance inside
work environments. So I thought I would just say, if
anybody's got spare time with you, you are a recent
graduate or you are somebody in your twenty thirties, forties, fifties,

(40:10):
or in the sixties looking for work. By actively volunteering
with a local sports club or some other community organization,
you're adding power to your job applications.

Speaker 3 (40:22):
Claire, thank you so much for calling through. What a
great little nugget to finish the hour with. Really appreciate
it and solid advice, really solid advice. Thank you, Claire.
Thank you all for your calls and correspondence. So many
texts on this My apologies for not being able to
get to more of them. One though, that does jump
out at me, is another nice little way to finish.

(40:43):
This is from Tony Hi Jason. No one ever has
enough time, yet everyone has all the time that there is.
Thanks Tony, Thanks everybody. I can tell you just through
from Supercars they have canceled tomorrow's racing at the ITM
Toport Super four forty due to the weather conditions and

(41:04):
expected landfall of cyclone over the central North Island. No
Supercars racing tomorrow at topor more from that announcement in
our Sports News with Clay Wilson News Next at one o'clock.

Speaker 1 (41:20):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues.

Speaker 2 (41:25):
Head off the field. You've got a story.

Speaker 1 (41:27):
It's all on Weekend Sport with Jason Lyne on your
home of Sport News Talks ATV.

Speaker 3 (41:34):
News Talks every Weekend Sport. Welcome back. In one O seven.
We're at Augusta shortly where Rory McElroy has opened up
the biggest ever thirty six hole lead in the history
of the Masters at Augusta. Gray Maygars watched on. He's
with us very shortly. We'll also get you inside the

(41:55):
Black Foils camp. When are they likely to be back
on the water? Su GP continues without them for the meantime,
So when are we likely to see the Black Foils
back in sale GP action Blatt, you're going to join
us this hour. No, Adam Peacock today, he's on holiday

(42:17):
with his family. Very good idea from Adam Peacock, our
regular Australian correspondent. But it does give us an opportunity
to get inside the Auckland FC camp because this afternoon
they take on Melbourne Victory at go Media Stadium in
an extremely important A League men's match. Nanda Pineker going
to chat to us on his way to the ground,
probably or certainly in a couple of hours before he's

(42:37):
got to get there about the game and also about
his recent injury return from it and his hopes and
aspirations for the upcoming Football World Cup. O eight one
hundred and eighty ten eighty's our phone number ninety two
nine two for your text messages emails to Jason at
NEWSTALKSEDB dot co dot NZ. Defending champion Rory McElroy has
opened up a huge lead at the ninetieth Masters at Augusta.

(43:01):
It's on a good line. That was his chippin off
the green on seventeen. McElroy birdied six of his last
seven holes to cut US seven under sixty five for
the day twelve under overall. He's a stunning six shots
ahead of the chasing pack at the halfway mark. As

(43:22):
I mentioned, the biggest thirty six hole lead in the
history of the Masters. Gray Meygars watched on at Augusta
and joins us now Grahamer. Took all that time for
Rory to win at Augusta. He did that last year
and now he's in pole position to go back to back.
Do you just need to win one green jacket and
then you win a few of them? Not your Graham's there,

(43:50):
he's dropped off the line. We'll try and get him back.
It does seem like London buses they say if you
if you wait long enough, one will turn up, and
then another one turns up straight away afterwards. Just getting
Graham back on the line. So Ryan Fox incidentally will
miss the U and even past second round, unable to
save him after a five over first round yesterday, that

(44:14):
he won't be there the chasing pack, if you can
call it that, there's six shots back. Sam Burns and
Patrick Reid are tied for second at six under.

Speaker 5 (44:23):
Now.

Speaker 3 (44:23):
Patrick Reid won the Masters in twenty eighteen, So I
guess if you're looking for somebody with the credentials maybe
to chase down Rory McElroy, he might be your man.
As far as Burns is concerned, he's never even been
in the top five at a major, so I guess
you know if he's going to mount a challenge, it'll

(44:44):
be unprecedented in terms of his golf career. We wait
to see what transpires when the third round gets under way.
I think we've got Graham a gars back now. Graham,
I was just remarking that it took all that time
for Rory McElroy to win the Masters. He did it
last year and now he is in pole position to
win a second one. Is that what happens? You got
to win one to win a few more. Having real

(45:10):
trouble with Graham, agars out of Augusta, all right, we
might just have to knock that on the head. Unfortunately,
we'll try and get Graham back. It's obviously a problem
with communications at either our end or his. Eleven minutes
past one, we'll take a break and see if we
can get Graham back on the line. Effect just before
we just before we take that broke, let's try one
more time for Graham A Gas, have you got us there? Graham? No,

(45:33):
not there at the moment. Eleven past one, back in
a moment.

Speaker 1 (45:36):
The biggest names and sport talk to fighting weekend sport
with Jason Fine news talks.

Speaker 3 (45:42):
That'd be one for eight. Okay, let's try third time
lucky with Graham AGAs. I really don't want to on
Master's weekend miss the chance of chatting with him. Graham,
tell us about Rory McElroy's second round, and let hope
we've got you this time.

Speaker 5 (45:56):
You have, I didn't mind you to go through your.

Speaker 3 (46:00):
I got the thrift, love it, thanks Grime.

Speaker 5 (46:03):
The question, the question I was asking myself on the
way home was what was that. I mean, all the
experts and I won't claim to be one, said after
Rory got his Grand Slam done last year and did it,
you know in an absolute drama feeled way, he was
going to do one of two things. He was either

(46:25):
going to lose interest in golf and just kind of
play around the place for fun, or the burden has
been lifted from his shoulders and he's just going to
have at it. Well, he's just going to have at it.
And today he said, and I think this was significant.
I always knew that I could get on a run
at Augusta National, but I stopped myself and he said

(46:49):
today and yesterday, I just kept saying to myself, keep swinging,
don't try to start stearing it, don't try to play conservatively,
don't try to prevent a bogie. Just go for it.
And he burdied six of the seven holes are chipping
on seventeen. The most spectacular thing. He made birdies out

(47:12):
of trees. He made birdies out of all sorts of places,
and in the end, as you said six shot lead.
That's the biggest thirty six hole lead in the Masters.
And he's got the rest of the guys playing for
second already and we're only halfway through the tournament.

Speaker 3 (47:27):
Incredible stuff. So six shots that's too much, isn't it
for the field to claw back?

Speaker 5 (47:35):
Well, the one thing I would say is this is
going to be the first Masters in maybe fifteen years
where there's not been any weather interruptions, and they won't
be if the forecast holds up at the weekend, which
means that guss It can set that course up any
way they want. And generally if you let them do that,
excuse me, they make it firm, they make it fast,

(47:57):
and they make the greens treacherous. Now if you do that,
even if you're Rory McElroy, you can get yourself into trouble.
So it is possible that he could make a slow
start and come back a couple of shots and a
guy caught like Patrick Lead or Sam Burns. Could you
pick up a couple of early birdies and suddenly a
six shot lead is now down to two or three,

(48:19):
and now we've got a tournament again. But if Rory
keeps playing with this aggressive, devil may care. I'm not
going to worry about the outcome. I'm just going to
go for it. I can't see anybody beating him.

Speaker 3 (48:33):
Last year he was tied for third after two rounds
and took the lead after the third round, and then
of course one more than that playoff. How different a
proposition is it playing from so far in front.

Speaker 5 (48:46):
Well, the one thing I would say is at the
start of his career, when he started winning majors, he
won big, so he's not frightened of doing it, and
in his current state of mind, he knows his legacy
in the game is secure no matter what happens. So
everything from now on is just cream on top of

(49:07):
the cake. And that's the way he's approaching it. So tomorrow,
I think he's going to take exactly the same mindset
both rounds that he's played this year. He was kind
of shaky at the start, and normally, he said that
would have put him back in his shell and he
would have played more protectively, trying to avoid embarrassment instead

(49:29):
of making birdies. So I think the next two days
he's just going to have at it, and there's nobody
better in the game to watch. Probably since Sevibosteros that
when they're free wheeling and just using all their talents,
there's nobody better in the game to watch. It's just phenomenal.
His rhythm is beautiful, his shot shape is amazing. He

(49:52):
can make the door of the ball do whatever he wants.
And when he's confidence is up, he's a phenomenal putterer.
He makes them from all over the place. So you know,
we're seeing Rory at his absolute best. I would like
him to continue, but I would love somebody to come
out of the pack and make it go of it
on the final day, just put some pressure up.

Speaker 3 (50:14):
Well, I guess at the moment Patrick reads the most
likely candidate to do that, isn't he tied for second
six under six shots back we as we know he
won the Masters in twenty eighteen, so he's had success
here before. Does he feel like the most likely challenger?

Speaker 5 (50:29):
Well, he's a man on a mission. He left the
PGA two and when to live and that rubbed a
lot of people up the wrong way. And as you
know Patrick himself, he is not the most amiable character.
He gets himself into trouble with rulings. He was suing
everybody in golf and including his fellow PGA members when

(50:53):
he left Lives. So he's a character, let's put it
that way. And my favorite golf writer, Amon Lynch described
him this way. He said, my favorite pub, this is
Amon Lench, My favorite pub in the island. Has a
message across the front door. It says, everybody who passes

(51:13):
through this door brings joy, some when they come in
and some when they go out. And that's that's his
description of Patrick Reid. Now I will say this guy
has had the courage to leave Live when his contract
was up, eat some humble pie, and he's going to

(51:33):
work his way back onto the PGA Tour. But in
the meantime, he's going to prove himself as a competitive
world golfer. And he's playing the European Tour. He won
two of his first three events, and his goal is
to win the European Tour Championship in the Middle East
at the end of the year and then earn his
way back onto the PGA Tour. So this guy is

(51:57):
on a mission. And when he wants to play golf,
and he plays tons, he will play twenty six twenty
seven weeks a year regularly. He is phenomenal. He's strong,
he's got all sorts of shots in his bag. He
go left, go right, go high, go low, and he's
an excellent putter under pressure. So I think he's the

(52:20):
guy will step up because this means this means more
to him than perhaps even Rory to win this championship again.

Speaker 3 (52:30):
I'll tell you what, Grahame, You've got to scroll a
long way down to find the world number one Scotty
Scheffler down there at even par, twelve shots back from McElroy.
What's been the story of Scotti Schefler's first two rounds.

Speaker 5 (52:44):
Yes, so, first of all, he's proving his human He's
just had the birth of his second son, Remy, so
he's been distracted. He hasn't played a lot of tournament golf,
and he's just not playing well at the moment. He
seems to have the left a lot, which he had
midway through last year a memor when he corrected it
to finish up winning the PJA Championship, and we all thought, well,

(53:07):
he's back on track again. But I've always thought that
if you look at his swing, it's not picture perfect,
and his feet out of control when he swings. He's
one of the few golfers like Greg Norman and Johnny Millett.
Their feet's going or their feet are going all over
the place at the point of impact. And because he

(53:29):
has amazing hand eye coordination and because he's very strong,
he can get away with that. But if you watch
him compare to ninety nine percent of the PGA Tour
places players, he does not have a stable base when
he's playing. And I've always thought that if your hand
eye goes off a little bit, or you've got a
little niggling injury or something like that, your game can

(53:52):
go away pretty quickly. We all know that he's struggled
with his putting two years ago, but he rectified that
with a new putter and a new putting style. So
you can bet he's working on the problems he's got now.
But at the moment, you can see his confidence is down.
He's got this mused look on his face when the
ball doesn't go where he wants it to go, and

(54:12):
I think he's searching. So we'll just have to see
how long it is before he can find his way back.
I mean, he's too good to just be going away,
but at the moment he's not.

Speaker 3 (54:22):
Competing and apart from Roy mclroy seven under, the nixtbist
round of the day was the English Englishman Terrell Hatton,
who shot a shot a six under that's got him
up to four under the card, so he's still a
way way back, but a decent second round for Hatton
by the sounds of things.

Speaker 5 (54:41):
Yeah, and he's a lid player. The knock on the
lid players on the Thursday was not one of them
broke part, including him, but you know they dug in
a bit and John Rauhn just made the cutout I
think on the number until I got himself under the leaderboard.
But if you've watched Hill off the course, he's a

(55:01):
super nice guy and very calm. But on the course
he's got a very short vieuse and against the national,
particularly if it's firm and fast in the next two rounds,
it's just a test, you know, to light that fuse.
So we'll just have to see how he deals with that.
But you know, he, like everybody else, has got a
stiff neck looking up at the top of the leaderboard,

(55:22):
so who knows how they're going to respond.

Speaker 3 (55:25):
Did I like Rory at Augusta to the galleries like him.

Speaker 5 (55:30):
Oh no, everybody loves Rory, There's no question about it.
He's an absolute firm favorite. So you know he's going
to have everybody pulling for him, There's no doubt about that.
So we'll just see how he responds. But I've never
seen him this relaxed before. And I sit next to
Greg Allen, who does Ireland radio and television broadcasting, and

(55:56):
he hung around to get Rory after he did his
press conference and all these millions of other commitments, and
he came back and he said, we are so grateful
to have that guy, because he said he waited back
for us. He answered every question they had thoughtfully and
was friendly to all of them. Now, he hasn't always

(56:17):
been like that, you know, there had been times when
he's not going so well, he just didn't want to
see any album. But by and large, you know, if
you're going to have a number one for your country,
you'd picked that guy.

Speaker 3 (56:28):
Great to get you on the air. As always, Graham,
I'm glad we managed to do it. Sleep well, look
forward to catching up tomorrow, perhaps after round three. Goodness
only knows how far ahead Rory mcelroyal be at that stage,
or maybe as you say we'll have a contest. They
might set the course up a certain way and perhaps
we will get something a bit more exciting coming down
the stretch. On day four, Graham a Gars with us

(56:50):
out of Augusta with Rory McElroy are head by six
shots at the halfway point. One twenty five on Weekends
Fourth Weekends, let's got to Sailing New Zealand sal GP
team the Black Foils are on the sidelines for now
after that dramatic high speed collision that they endured at
the Auckland Regatta, a crash that has forced a complete rebuild,

(57:13):
ruled them out of this weekend's event in Rio and
left the team now working closely with the league to
get back on the water as soon as they possibly can.
At the same time, they're rallying around injured teammate Louis
Sinclair as he recovers from the broken legs he suffered
in that incident, while planning their return with a brand
new F fifty. Let's get an update on where they

(57:35):
are and most importantly, when they might be back. Black
Foils wing trimmer and co CEO Blair Chuker is with us. Blair,
thanks for taking the time for a chat this afternoon.
How tough is it to sit out the Rio sale
GP leg knowing that the season keeps on moving on
without the black foils.

Speaker 14 (57:56):
I think, you know, we've all sort of come around
the fact that it, you know, it does keep charging.
That's the nature of sale GP. You know, I think
the Sydney event came and went, and you know, to
be honest, after the sort of dramatic crash and working
through that, I don't think that was necessarily the worst
thing for the team to not be there. However, as

(58:18):
you say, missing now Rio, as you know that starts,
I think hit home a bit more that, you know,
everyone wants to be back out there and yeah, and
back back sailing, especially Rio for Pete and I as
a special place ten years since we won the gold
medal there and we would have loved to have been
back there and racing on Guanabara Bay. But you know,

(58:41):
such as such as life, right, you can't you can't
change these things. And now it's just about trying to
play the cards that are in front of us.

Speaker 3 (58:49):
Just how complex is the process of getting a brand
new F fifty built, shipped and right's ready in time
for an event.

Speaker 14 (58:59):
Well, it's the build of their fifty is complexes and
it's a long process. We're lucky that the the build
was well and truly underway, actually almost nearing the end
for this next boat that we will receive. So that
process is ongoing. That happens at the build facility in Southampton,

(59:20):
and it depends really where we end up rejoining the league.
And at difference stops, there's different amounts of training days
or days that we could sail the boat at that venue,
which you wouldn't want to just sail a new boat
straight into a race, so you have to have at
least a few days. So all these considerations are taking place,

(59:44):
which you know, if I was a Betty Man at
the moment, I'd be saying we're probably looking like June
maybe at the Halifax event or into the Portsmouth European
kind of side of things. But it was still pushing
the whole time to try and have that earlier and
working with the league. But you know, there's constraints of

(01:00:05):
the financial and just general logistical constraints too.

Speaker 3 (01:00:11):
Okay, so Bermuda in May, New York, May thirty one,
June one, does that feel unlikely?

Speaker 2 (01:00:19):
Yeah?

Speaker 14 (01:00:20):
I would say, Bermuda and New York at the moment
are unlikely but not completely ruled out. And you know,
the teams, we're just trying to keep fluid through it.
And you know you want to you want to try
to know when you're back so you can start preparing
for it. But of course all of us want to
get back as soon as possible, and you know, that's
that's why we do this. That's on the teams. There

(01:00:40):
is to be on the water and this is a
tough moment for the team, but at the same time
you have to try and use this time off the
water and not being there on those race weekends to
try and grow in others and that's what the team's
you know, focusing on the moment.

Speaker 3 (01:00:56):
What are some of the things that you can do well.

Speaker 14 (01:01:00):
There's sailing team side, there's a lot in the data
side where we've we've used this extra time to try
and go a layer deeper or in some cases layers deeper,
to try and unpick the subtleties and set up or
in technique and really trying to grow our tools that

(01:01:22):
we do to to I guess monitor that or to
review those areas. So that's been it's been a big
one for us, so the data analysis side of the sailing,
and then you know, for the wider team, it's just
about I guess, continuing to try and grow what we

(01:01:45):
who we are as a team, as a as a brand.
Broke the from a commercial sense, but also you know
through marketing and just yeah general general brand. Which is
I say that because it's it's actually quite it's quite
difficult when you're racing every other weekend to sometimes to
unpick some stuff and you have to sort of keep

(01:02:06):
putting your best foot forward for the next weekend. So
this time is where possible across the whole business or
the whole performance side too, going a layer deeper.

Speaker 3 (01:02:17):
So when you do get the boat and whichever event
it is that you have it for, let's say it's
Halifax for example, do you get the same amount of
time and the lead up on the water to the
other boats or is there a bit more for you
because you're on a new boat.

Speaker 14 (01:02:34):
Well, we'll definitely get a little bit more for a
commissioning side of things, Yeah, that I can say almost certainly.
But then there are other area or other times throughout
the year where for the lesser performing teams they get
some more time on their fifties, so I think it's
about three or four days extra and that's scattered throughout

(01:02:57):
the European events. And although we on the face of
it we wouldn't be one of the lesser performing teams,
but on the score board this year, of course, of
course we are. So that's something we will or maybe
lesser performing or developing teams. I think they establish that
as so there's some criteria as to how you fit there.
But would be certainly hoping that we were one of

(01:03:19):
those teams that would get a bit of extra time
because you know, we're certainly at the moment the other
teams are stepping forward on there on water, through the
areas I talked about before. Off the water, we're trying
to step forward, but you know, nothing really replaces that
time in the water, so we'll be trying to catch
that up when we can.

Speaker 3 (01:03:36):
For sure, do you reset your focus, Blair? Does it
slift shift slightly from you know, from from overall standings
to just nailing performances regatta on regatta once you're back,
given the fact you're going to miss.

Speaker 14 (01:03:48):
A few yes, yes, And those conversations are ongoing to Pinty,
and I don't think we've totally nailed exactly how we
want to hit these the remainder of the twenty twenty
sixth season now, because you know for sure we're going
to be out of the runnings for the overall. Right,

(01:04:09):
there might be a mathematical chance, but would be very, very slim.
So it's okay, do we just focus on trying to
win every race weekend, which is kind of similar how
we do it normally, knowing that we won't probably be
there at the end of the season for the final,
but that's you know, still great. Or do we actually
use this year to try and build a bit of

(01:04:30):
depth across the squad and set up for you know,
stronger for next season or for the seasons to come.
So those conversations are still going on with the coaching
team and the wider leadership group and exactly where we
land there and how we prioritize those things. Will we'll
closer to getting on the water, we'll nail those down.

Speaker 3 (01:04:52):
Has what happened in Auckland and the collision with the
French boat changed in any way the way the team
thinks about about risk at those speeds, Well.

Speaker 14 (01:05:03):
I think for sure you'd say that everyone, you know,
I'll start off again. I guess this first and foremost
was a very big incident, right, that's the biggest that
the league's ever seen, probably the biggest it's ever happened
in sailing, and you know, an extremely challenging time for
the team, but all individuals on board handled the situation

(01:05:30):
very well and post that and looking after each other
and themselves. So you know, that's ongoing, I would say,
and once we have that time to actually get back
on the water, that's another that will be another step
and the process of working through things. I must stay
apart from Live who's actually sailing this weekend with the

(01:05:54):
French team, so she's just sailed in the last few
hours actually as a practice stay. So that's great for
her to break through that. So overall risk, you know,
it was always there and we were as aware of
it as anyone. So I don't think that has changed.
But it's you know, I think for the whole It

(01:06:16):
wouldn't just be for us as a team. I think
it's for the whole league and for the fans and
everyone that have supported this that actually, yeah, okay, this
is real. This is an extreme sport and the risks
are there.

Speaker 3 (01:06:30):
Absolutely, Look, you'd be I mean, you wouldn't be human
if there wasn't a bit of mental scarring. Is that
how it feels internally that you're just you know, you're
well aware of the of the occupation that you're involved
in and the risks associated with it. But it's a
matter of processing that and moving forward from it. Or
does something so traumatic is this really change a lot

(01:06:52):
of what goes through your mind?

Speaker 14 (01:06:56):
Well, we've set up good processes and got good people
around individuals, and that's in the sailing team, but also
in the wider team because there's a lot of people
that are I guess we're involved, you know, whether it's
a shore crew or the support team that we're on
the water. So we have made a good specialists and

(01:07:18):
available to talk through these things and for individuals to
work through it their own pace and what's appropriate for them.
So yeah, we just like I say, once we actually
know when the team is going to be back on
the water, I think that's that's the time we'll really know.
But like I says, it was a big event. We're

(01:07:39):
all humans, will have families, it's you know, and we'll
have to work through that. We'll have to work through
that individually, but then also collectively as a team. But
you know, from what I'm seeing, everyone's pretty eager to
get back out there. It's what we do as a profession.
That's where we feel most comfortable and most alive, is

(01:08:02):
out there doing you know, doing what we love. So
that's I think where everyone wants to be.

Speaker 3 (01:08:08):
My bet, how's lowis and Claire going, Yeah.

Speaker 14 (01:08:11):
He's going, He's going good. He's back. He's back in
Antiguers that's where his home base is and he's a
key we but he lived and has grown up and
in Antigas, so he's he's back over there. Yeah, remarkably well,
I mean specially has right leg compound fracture that that's
feeling well, you know, weight bearing on it. It's been swimming.

(01:08:35):
They still store a long road to recoveries. So we'll
gearing up for sailing, bringing in another athlete to or
athletes to try and fill that void. Well, well he
gets back to full health, I think there'll be there's
gonna be an overlap before he's back to full health

(01:08:55):
when we're sailing. So we're just working out how long
that will be but you know under circumstance he's doing
doing great and yeah, just testament to who he is
as a person, like said right along, but how he
handled himself right in the moment but also through this
recovery and it's going to be long, it's going to
stick at it, and you're very disciplined to get back

(01:09:16):
in full health and on the water as soon as.

Speaker 3 (01:09:20):
Yeah, we'll credit to you as a team as well
for wrapping the support around him.

Speaker 2 (01:09:23):
Blair.

Speaker 3 (01:09:24):
It's been great to get so much information from you
and to chat to you. We'll put a ring around
June twenty and twenty one the Canada Sale GP in
Halifax as a target. I guess I know that's what
you'll be doing as well, maybe even earlier. But thanks
for joining us this afternoon, mate. Always good to catch
up and get and get information from you.

Speaker 14 (01:09:42):
Cheers, funny, thank you mate.

Speaker 3 (01:09:43):
That is a Blatchick co CEO and wing tremmer with
the Black Foils. So sal GP continues in Rio across
this weekend. Black Foil is not there of course, but
good to hear from Blair there that they are targeting
a return at the Canadian event in Halifax in mid June,
so Bermuda is next and then New York. But from

(01:10:03):
what Blair was saying there, those two gatters are unlikely
to feature the black foils, so June is when they
may well be back. And look, I think, as he
also said, any thought of being in the top three
for the season finale, you know, that seems a long
way away when you're missing so many regatters. They've already

(01:10:24):
missed Sidney. Obviously they didn't score points in Auckland because
of the crash, missing Rio, maybe two more, that's just
too many points to claw back. So it's event by
event really and their development across those events, and maybe
who knows, going out unencumbered by looking at the overall picture,
they can just focus regatta to regatta, event to event,

(01:10:44):
and who knows what they might achieve. Looking forward to
seeing them back out there, and good to hear that
Luis Sinclair, the grinder who had that an awful injury
during that collision in Auckland, is recovering well back home
and Antiguat, and hopefully we get to see him out
there in due course as well. Twenty one away from
one from two, rather they went away from two, will

(01:11:07):
take a break, come back and get you inside the
Auckland FC camp. Melbourne Victory are their opponent this afternoon
at go Media Stadium. Big game coming up as Auckland
FC looked to continue their quest to retain the Premier's
plate that they won last year. Victory this afternoon over
the victory is pretty important if they are to do that.
Nando Pintiket, returning defender to Auckland FC, is with us

(01:11:29):
after this.

Speaker 2 (01:11:30):
Don't stay on the sidelines. Call eight hundred eighty ten
eighty Weekend Sport with Jason Paine, News Talks at B.

Speaker 3 (01:11:37):
News Talks at B and Weekend Sport. What are we
seventeen to two? Three rounds to go in the A
League men's regular season. Auckland FC back at home this
afternoon to host Melbourne Victory. A win for Auckland FC
this afternoon would take them back level on points with
Newcastle at the top of the table. Newcastle play immediately
after Auckland's game up against Adelaide. The last time Melbourne

(01:12:01):
Victory were at go Media Stadium, they won the second
leg of the semi final last season two nil to
end Aukleft c's inaugural campaign Auckland le FC defender Nando
pinneket As with us. Nando don't want to open old
wounds or anything like that, But does that semi final
lost to victory last season still linger a little bit

(01:12:22):
or has the group kind of part that and you
move on now?

Speaker 5 (01:12:26):
Uh? Yeah?

Speaker 17 (01:12:27):
Well, for me personally, I think there's still some some memories.
Obviously it's quite a yeah with a sad, sad day
when we lost the game last year, But this is
obviously a new season. But I think I'll take some
of those memories from from that game into into tonight's
game and yeah, hopefully we can turn things around and
make sure that we are on the yeah right get
the right right result.

Speaker 3 (01:12:48):
With just three games left in the regular season, is
it starting to feel a bit like finals football already?

Speaker 17 (01:12:56):
Yeah? I think every game that we play now is
basically the most important game of the season. So you
can kind of see that the finish line is coming,
and we obviously want to want to finish really strong.
So yeah, these are the most important games, and these
are the games you.

Speaker 3 (01:13:08):
Want to be be a part of when it is
so tight and the Premiers players still on the line.
As I say, you win today and you move level
with Newcastle, they lose and your top on goal difference.
Does it just now feel as though you've got to
win games any way you can or do you still
try as much as possible to stick to your footballing principles.

Speaker 17 (01:13:29):
Yeah, but of both really. I think obviously, at the
end of the day, you want to win the games,
no matter, no matter how it happens. So that's that's
ow I am. At the end of the day. We
want to also entertain our fans because we have the
best fans in this Yeah. Sorry, we have the best
fans in the league, I think, and we want to
entertain them. But at the same time we want to
we want to come out with three points.

Speaker 3 (01:13:50):
Historically games between yourselves and Melbourne Victory have been really
low scoring affairs. I think there might have only been
five goals total in the five times previous to today
that you've played them. Why are they such a hard
team to break down? But then conversely, why do you
I seem to have you know, a good success in
stopping them.

Speaker 17 (01:14:10):
Yeah, that's a good question. I recall that there's been
a lot of draws between us. I'm not too sure
what the Yeah, what the what the problem is, I guess,
so tomorrow we want to we want to obviously change that.
We want to score a lot of goals, so that
that will definitely be our plan, and we want to
keep a clean sheet on our side defensively as well.

Speaker 3 (01:14:30):
Great to see you back after five games out. You've
had a bit of an injury disrupted season. Does it
feel like now you're you're back and you can build
I don't want to jinx anything here, but you can
build a bit of continuity.

Speaker 8 (01:14:43):
Yeah.

Speaker 17 (01:14:43):
One, I think it was nice for me to play
the full game last week, so I'm feeling really good.
I'm feeling really happy and really confident, and I'm excited
for the game.

Speaker 3 (01:14:53):
Have you learned to have full trust in your body
when you come back now as any sense of trepidation
that you might reinjur something or maybe have come back
a week or so too soon. Is that trepidation not there?
Based on how you feel about your body and also
what the medical team are telling you.

Speaker 17 (01:15:09):
Yeah, I think you're always kind of sick in guessing yourself.
But I managed to obviously first get through training, and
our trainings are really tough as well. So if you
can get through training that means you can get through
the game. And then I managed to get through the
game as well. So now I'm in a really good
place and just building my fitness back up. But yeah,
as I said, feeling feeling really confident, and yeah, I

(01:15:30):
have full trust, So yeah.

Speaker 14 (01:15:32):
I'm happy.

Speaker 3 (01:15:33):
How weird was it looking at to your left and
not seeing Francis Devrees there. He's played every game. Was
it a bit strange not having him out there?

Speaker 17 (01:15:42):
Yeah, as you said, he's played every game, so not
having him there is a bit of a shock. It's strange.
So obviously I want I want to hope that we
don't miss him so much for this game, but yeah,
it's obviously I hope his recovery goes really well and
he's back with us.

Speaker 2 (01:15:56):
As soon as possible.

Speaker 3 (01:15:57):
Absolutely, right and behind you, Michael vaud pulled the well.
Paul Groin I think or or injured himself on the
warm up last week. So Jimmy Hilton comes in. How
much of an adjustment was that because it was so
close to kickoff? Wasn't like you found out on the
Wednesday of the Thursday, there was going to be a
change right before kickoff as a defensive unit. How challenging
is that.

Speaker 17 (01:16:18):
I think it's it's part of football. These things happen
all the time where yeah, maybe it's the day before
or it's during the warm up where where things change
and there's injuries and you kind of just have to
adapt as quickly as possible. Obviously we've we've played together
at training, so you know how well I know how
Jimmy plays as well, so you kind of just have
to go, Okay, we're with Jimmy now and that it
is what it is, and we have to adapt and

(01:16:40):
get him to get into the game as quickly as
possible and feeling good. And obviously that's what we tried
to do against Adelaide and it worked. He I thought
he played really well and he gave us a Yeah.
It was really reassuring behind us. So that gives us
confidence going into this Melbourne game as well.

Speaker 3 (01:16:56):
Yeah, you're banging on It looked straight away from the start,
through his body language and the way he was playing
as though he belonged there. There didn't seem to be
any any center trepidation from you guys either to pass
the ball back to you know, you might have looked
behind and thought I'll just lump it forward. There was
none of that.

Speaker 17 (01:17:11):
No, No, I think, yeah, he probably wasn't as nervous
as he would be if it was a couple of
days before the game. But yeah, it was five minutes
before the kickoff. It's kind of like there's no time
to be nervous or anything like that. So it probably
probably helped him.

Speaker 7 (01:17:24):
Out a little bit. Absolutely, Yeah, that actually might have
helped him.

Speaker 17 (01:17:28):
So yeah, for us, it was good as well that
we started the game, yeah, relatively well, and he got
some passes in and helped his confidence as well.

Speaker 3 (01:17:35):
Absolutely look forward to seeing him on his home day
booth this afternoon. Talking about your injuries, it meant that
you missed the most recent New Zealand national football team
camps and the matches against against Finland and Chile. How
motivated are you to get back into that environment now?

Speaker 17 (01:17:51):
Yeah, extremely motivated and there's a yeah, obviously a massive
carrot dangling in front of me. It's been quite frustrating
being out for so many camps.

Speaker 7 (01:18:00):
Now.

Speaker 17 (01:18:00):
I really wanted to be a part of the most
recent one and unfortunately it wasn't. But I was lucky
that the camp was actually here in Auckland and they
were training at Northborough which is where we train as well,
so are they able to pop in and say hi
to Darren Baisley and the team. So I still felt
a little bit connected to the group. And now obviously
I just want to get I want to get, want

(01:18:22):
to get playing and then put my hand up for
a selection for the World Cup, which yeah, hopefully hopefully
goes well. But yeah, that's that's not that's not my
decision at the end of day. But I can only
do as well as I can on the pitch and
then ye, Darren Baizley has to pick the scene.

Speaker 3 (01:18:37):
What sort of messaging has he has he given you?
You know during your time yeah, when you popped into
camp and during your time not playing and even now
when you're back playing Nanda, what sort of messaging has
Darren Baisley given you.

Speaker 18 (01:18:50):
Yeah, he's been really good.

Speaker 17 (01:18:52):
Actually he's been in touch with me when I've been
injured and now that I've come back he text me
as well saying good to see you out back on
the field. So yeah, it's really reassuring knowing that he's
in touch in touch with you, So I think that's
a good sign. Obviously, I think he just wants to
be back playing, playing full games. And obviously if you
perform well on top of that, that helps helps my

(01:19:13):
cape to yeah, so hopefully be selected because yeah, obviously
the world Coppers I think everyone's dream and I want
to be a part of that. So I'm doing everything
I can to make sure that he selected.

Speaker 3 (01:19:26):
Well, you're back at just the right time. Big running
towards the end of the regular season, then finals football
to follow. Nando Aldabeth is all the best. The safternoon
against Melbourne Victory in the first instance, and thanks for
taking the time for a chat.

Speaker 18 (01:19:37):
Thank you, Thanks very much, No, thank.

Speaker 3 (01:19:38):
You very much, Nando. Nando Pinka there on his way
to the ground Go Media Stadium. The safternoon five o'clock
kickoff at is Auckland FC up against Melbourne Victory, their
penultimate home game in the regular season. Their final game
in the regular season is next Sunday, the nineteenth of April.
They take on the Central Coast Mariner. Just that one
is a three o'clock kick offf next Sunday. If you're

(01:19:59):
going to be in or around the Auckland region next
Sunday and you would like to go along to that game.
We have a six ticket family pass to give away.
This is for next Sunday's game, not this afternoon, next Sunday,
so they've got plenty of time to organize yourself. Simply
text AFC and your name to nine two nine two
and that puts you in the drawer. Pretty simple, really,

(01:20:21):
AFC and your name to nine two nine two. Six
tickets up for grabs for Auckland FC's final regular season
home match of this season against the Central Coast Mariner
is next Sunday, April nineteen at go Media Stadium with
a three pm kickoff. Weekend Sport on News TALKSB eight
to two.

Speaker 2 (01:20:39):
When there's a line call, it's your call.

Speaker 1 (01:20:42):
Weekend Sport with Jason five News TALKSV.

Speaker 3 (01:20:46):
Five to two. Jason on texts. Have you discussed Spurs
dropping into the bottom three of the Premier League, two
points behind west Ham and the relegation zone. I noted it. Yes,
I saw that game this morning, or the last bit
of it. So west Ham beating Wolves four nil this
morning that has dropped Tottenham into the relegation zone. There's

(01:21:09):
no need to utterly panic just yet, Spurs fans. You've
still got a game in hand and seven games to
play before the end of the season. But at some point,
it's some point you got to start stringing some results together. Yeah,
Tottenham are two points behind west Ham now, but with
that game in hand, they play Sunderland on Monday morning,

(01:21:30):
so when that they jump back ahead of west Ham.
I've got good friends to support west Ham. I've got
good friends who support Tottenham. I don't have any skin
in the game necessarily, but yeah, Tottenham, a proud football
club who have been in the apper echelons of English
football for so long, are in grave danger of relegation

(01:21:50):
into the Championship if they don't get a bit of
a move on. We'll certainly keep eyes on exactly what
happens over the next couple of months of the Premier
League season. After two o'clock. The Anti nibul Ante Premiership
Nipball season is underway this afternoon. For twenty twenty six.
It has been a tumultuous time for the sport of

(01:22:11):
netball in the last couple of well say a couple
of months, last twelve months, this won't have escaped your notice.
So how much impact has this had on the players?
They've had to take pay cuts. A bunch of them
have gone to Australia, so how are they feeling about
about things. Pippa More is the head of the Netball
Players Association, the general manager. She's going to join us

(01:22:32):
after two.

Speaker 1 (01:22:34):
The only place for the big names, for the big issues,
the big controversies and the big conversations. It's all on
Weekend Sport with Jason Vine on your home of Sport
News Talks mb SO six.

Speaker 3 (01:22:50):
Welcome into Weekend Sport, Welcome back to Weekend Sport. As
the case may be. I'm Jason Pine with Anna McDonald
running things from the executive producer suite. I don't even
think it's called that, but he's here. We're here till three.
Then Tim Beveridge takes over the Weekend Collective Saturday. Before
we get that, I want to get you to Supercars
and Toport. If you hadn't caught the news, no racing tomorrow,

(01:23:14):
it's been canned. They're pushing the race that was going
to be tomorrow through to the Friday of next weekend
when the second League of the New Zealand Supercar Series
happens in christ Church. So the racing that is on
today is the only racing there will be in top Or,
such a great shame for the fine folk of that

(01:23:36):
part of the country and those who have traveled to watch.
Maybe those who are only going tomorrow, they'd already been
a rescheduling of the action for tomorrow morning. They've now
made a further decision to have no racing at all tomorrow.
So we'll try and get some insight and some more
information for you this hour. Out of Toport. We'll play
a sporting chance with a tab, your chance to win

(01:23:58):
a one hundred and fifty dollars bonus bet and place
it on a short evens or long choice. If it
comes home, you collect the winnings. Good stuff. Nepple is
our focus this hour to start with, though very shortly
here from pipper More. She is the general manager of
the Netball Players Association, and also Melody Robinson at a

(01:24:19):
TV and Z. Nepple's going to be on free to air,
so we'll talk a bit about that as well. Our
arms and communication are always open. Oh eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty is our phone number nine two nine
two for your text messages emails to Jason at Newstalk,
saidb dot Co dot Nz. But as we head pasted
eight past two. As we always do at around this
time on weekend sport, let's catch you up with some

(01:24:40):
of the stuff that you may have missed and all
of the excitement of the other things your weekend has
held in case you missed it. Starting in Super Rugby
and arm Wrestle at Forsyth Bar Stadium, was decided late
in the piece the Brumby is now here's the penalty
if they want it, rendering over the.

Speaker 12 (01:24:59):
Top and maybe right on the goal line, right.

Speaker 3 (01:25:02):
Underneath the posts or underneath the crossbar. Try time now
rive who's got the try? And man coming up as
rymer loop Rymer. The man came on as a supers
up the Brumbis squeezing out the win by fourteen points
to ten to the NRL. The SA Eagles two from
two under their new coach Karen Forham, the Dragons four adrift.

(01:25:26):
Many looking to silence them.

Speaker 9 (01:25:28):
Box Tom them builds the pass, benefacts it around the moment,
a brilliant.

Speaker 8 (01:25:34):
From Tom.

Speaker 5 (01:25:36):
A moment and plus from one of our superstars, Tom
Takoiovitch which a stand on.

Speaker 3 (01:25:44):
A big moment. The twenty eight to eighteen win handing
the Dragons their sixth loss of the season and tenth
straight if you count last season. Means on the Cowboys
on a four game winning streak. A massive victory over
the Broncos three quarter in front of the sticks.

Speaker 15 (01:26:00):
You're a shaker of a past pack a Cowca Konta
needs to get rid of it, does.

Speaker 19 (01:26:05):
Number Clifford try Hill of Luke has.

Speaker 2 (01:26:11):
Got to put the Cowboys back.

Speaker 3 (01:26:13):
In fronts thirty five thirty one. It finished the Cowboys
into the top four and finally more pressure on Tottenham
to avoid relegation from the Premier League. A big win
for West Ham over Wolves has moved the Hammers above Spurs.
Tottenham officially in the relegation zone.

Speaker 1 (01:26:30):
Would that be a season changing bress from Casa Johnos
to West Ham.

Speaker 3 (01:26:35):
Here they come worst Cornel the.

Speaker 2 (01:26:39):
Worst time in I.

Speaker 3 (01:26:40):
Said, and Dinas Martre Tenos schools again. Wolves are schooling here.

Speaker 1 (01:26:49):
The big names and the big calls on your home
of Sport Weekend Sport with Jason Fine News Talks mb.

Speaker 3 (01:26:57):
Coming up eleven past two. The new a m Z
Premiership Knitball season underway this weekend, but it comes off
the back of one of the most challenging periods the
game has ever faced here in New Zealand. Pay cuts
for players are reduced, broadcast deal, uncertainty around the league's future,
and a growing number of our top players heading offshore
to play in Australia have all raised real questions about

(01:27:20):
the strength and sustainability of our domestic netball competition. So
what does it all mean for the players and where
is the game headed here in New Zealand. Pippa Moore
is general manager of the New Zealand Netball Players Association
and she's with us on Weekend Sport Piper. Thanks for
taking the time. How would you describe the state of

(01:27:41):
elite netball in New Zealand right now as we head
into a brand new A and Z Premiership season.

Speaker 19 (01:27:49):
Yeah, hi, Jason, thanks for having me on your show today. No,
it's really exciting. There's a lot of upcoming new talent
coming into the coming into the competition and I think
I think I can speak on behalf of the girls
that they're genuinely really excited around heading into this competition.

Speaker 20 (01:28:07):
So I think that does really to get started.

Speaker 3 (01:28:09):
It has been, as I say, a challenging time for
the game and netball in the last twelve months or
so for various reasons. So how has that affected the
mindset of the players as they, you know, as they
contemplate what the top level of the game might mean
for them here in New Zealand.

Speaker 4 (01:28:26):
Yeah.

Speaker 20 (01:28:26):
Absolutely, I don't think we can be around the bush
with that one.

Speaker 19 (01:28:29):
It's been a really tough time with the players, and
then they don't know what's going to be happening next year,
and that uncertainty is unsettling. And I think it's just
like if any other person in their job, you know,
not knowing what next year looks like or not knowing if.

Speaker 20 (01:28:43):
You do have a job.

Speaker 19 (01:28:44):
I mean, that's pretty that's pretty tough. So I think
the players are in a pretty difficult position. Like you
said at the start, they've had to take a cut, but.

Speaker 20 (01:28:54):
They're really optimistic. They work bloody hard.

Speaker 8 (01:28:57):
They they know.

Speaker 19 (01:29:01):
They know they are able to just put that to
one side and focus on this competition. But behind the scenes,
we're working where you know, we need to work closely
with net One NEWSI to ensure that there is a
pathway moving forward for net On this country, and I'm
really confident that we can ensure that there is. It's
a great product, there's a lot of following, a lot
of interest. Last year, they had a number of sellout games,

(01:29:25):
sellout stadiums throughout the competition. You know, it's two rounds,
so it's it's it is promising, it is positive for
the game moving forward. I think we have a lot
of confidence that we can find a way.

Speaker 20 (01:29:38):
Through all of this.

Speaker 3 (01:29:38):
Yeah, it sounds like cautious optimism from what you say there.
I mean, the sports massive, it's huge, and as you say,
people still turn up to watch it. It's on free
towear television this year as well, which will only increase
the numbers. But you do feel cautiously optimistic or even
even optimistic that the future is bright for this competition
and our elite players playing here in New Zealand.

Speaker 13 (01:30:00):
Yeah.

Speaker 19 (01:30:00):
Absolutely, Like we've said, the following and the interest is great.
We've got a number of exciting players coming up, and
a lot of exciting players within the Silver Fern Squad
and the Wider and the Wider group, and a lot
of players that have played in a number of years
in the a competition that will add a lot of
strength and I am optimistic the key stakeholders, you know, obviously,

(01:30:22):
the players being the key stakeholder and working alongside Netbal
New Zealand and the other key stateholders to ensure that
there is a positive and a sustainable domestic competition moving
into nexty and beyond.

Speaker 3 (01:30:39):
The change of the eligibility rules around Silver Ferns selection,
meaning that players can play in Australia and still be
eligible for the Silver Ferns. A scene, you know a
bit of our top talent heading across the Tasman is that?
Is that just money, Pippa or are there other things
that play here as well?

Speaker 20 (01:30:59):
No, it's not, it's not just money.

Speaker 19 (01:31:00):
I mean each player will have their reasons why they
have gone overseas.

Speaker 20 (01:31:05):
Some might be because they have played A and Z for.

Speaker 19 (01:31:07):
A number of years and they wanted something different. Some
might be just they wanted to experience a different style
of netball. Others, yes, it might be money, it might
be because there's been a lot of uncertainty in the
current and the A and Z domestic competition.

Speaker 20 (01:31:20):
There's a number of.

Speaker 19 (01:31:21):
Reasons which which will be why if some of the
players have gone overseas, and and we welcome the opportunity
to allow players to experience that, to experience living abroad.
But again that opens the door for a number of
players here to jump into positions or to jump into

(01:31:41):
those teams where they might not otherwise have had that opportunity.
And I don't think he has said as a number
of players they've gone overseas. But you know, last year
we saw the likes of you know, Catherine Hall who
had an amazing season and then got into the Silver Ferns.
So it does create opportunities for other players back here.

Speaker 3 (01:31:59):
Yes, so players here still believe that the am J
Premiership can provide their pathway to the Silver Ferns.

Speaker 20 (01:32:07):
Yes, yeah, yeah, And we saw that. We saw that
last year, we'll see it again this year.

Speaker 19 (01:32:11):
I don't think people will be disappointed with the product
and what these women can can deliver. They've been working
really hard in the preseason and I think they're just
ready to get started and to get going.

Speaker 3 (01:32:22):
You mentioned before, Pepper, and you're so right. In any
industry when there's uncertainty, a unemployment that can cause stress
and decisions have to be made. Are players having to
make career decisions based on financial sustainability rather than just
purely their netball ambitions.

Speaker 19 (01:32:42):
I don't it would be hard to put them paint
them all in one brush. I mean, I think it
is definitely taking its toll on the players. It's making
them reconsider a couple of things, or maybe having to
work or change parts of they what they're doing, or

(01:33:04):
sort of long term plans. But I think ultimately a
lot of majority or and if not all, of these
players are really committed and determined to play for their
domestic netball teams and are doing everything they possibly can
to ensure that.

Speaker 20 (01:33:20):
They can do that.

Speaker 3 (01:33:22):
So you're having conversations obviously with Netball New Zealand, robust
conversations because I mean, these are professional athletes. They need
to be able to to fully commit to it, don't they,
And with reduced salaries that's not always possible or it
adds a layer of complication to that from the players
association perspective. What do Netball New Zealand need to do

(01:33:44):
to stabilize the elite game here?

Speaker 19 (01:33:48):
Yeah, we will a lot to work closely with netburn
New Zealand to ensure that there is a stable, sustainable
acid competition next year. And I mean it is challenging
and we all know that the broadcasting opportunities out there
and sport can be challenging and they are challenging at
the moment, but it's also it's also an opportunity to

(01:34:11):
look at delivering sport in a different way. If you
look all around the world, it's not just just through
a skydeal or through a broadcasting deal. There's lots of
different ways to show off the sport and I think
this is an opportunity for Netwill New Zealand to look
to do things differently, which is exciting and that's what
we will be working closely with Netwill Newson to ensure happens.

Speaker 3 (01:34:33):
Yeah, is that balancing? It doesn't it? Because you're right,
you don't get the broadcast money, but you do get
free to wear and you know with the entire competition
or fred to we we're going to hear from Melody
Robinson on the show a bit later on today. That
has to be an opportunity, doesn't it to get eyeballs
on your sports. What message would you give to fans
I guess who might be a bit worried about the
future of the game here, just get them.

Speaker 19 (01:34:56):
Behind the teams, get them behind the girls, and just
go and make sure that you turn and support them,
go to the games, watching on television and you'll see
a great a great product, and just make sure you're
getting behind and supporting the players that they've been to
a pretty tough time and they're still ensuring that they're
ready and to go for the start of the competition.

(01:35:18):
So it's just about making sure that they support them
and also understanding exactly it's.

Speaker 20 (01:35:24):
Quite as hard. It's challenging for these players.

Speaker 19 (01:35:26):
It's challenging to not know what the future holds and
to take a pay cart, but to still want to
be able to compete and train at the level that
they think is required. Like it's a really it's a
balancing act and it's a difficult one. But just understand
also these are human, their players are people, and they're

(01:35:46):
making sure that they're putting their best foot forward.

Speaker 20 (01:35:48):
So and just supporting them, getting behind them, I think it's.

Speaker 3 (01:35:51):
A huge credit to them. I think it's a massive
credit to them against the backdrop of the tumultuous times
the sport has faced in the last twelve months. To
do exactly what you've said, to get out there, to
put a product on court starting this weekend and exciting
fans about this great game, I think it's a huge
credit to them. So look, thanks for joining us this afternoon.
All the best with your ongoing conversations with Netball New Zealand,

(01:36:14):
look forward to staying in touch.

Speaker 20 (01:36:16):
Thank you, Thanks Stason, No, thank you, pipa more there.

Speaker 3 (01:36:19):
She is the general manager of the New Zealand Netball
Players Association. The A and Z Premiership underway this afternoon.
As I say, I think it's a massive credit to
the players to take a pay cut and with the
backdrop of major uncertainty around the future of the competition,
still turn up and train like professionals and give everything

(01:36:43):
they've got for their franchises because what else is there
to do. Yes, we've lost a lot of players over
to the Australian Netball competition, as many as eight I
think at last count, but that opens opportunities for others.
The A and Z Premiership has always been a terrific
at game product, a good television product and it's on

(01:37:05):
free to air now. Robinson from TV and ZG going
to join us shortly to tell us a bit more
about that. But against the backdrop of an organization that
has not served them very well at all in the
last twelve months, Netball's players, I think need to be
congratulated and supported, and they are among them more engaging

(01:37:30):
elite sports people in our country when it comes to
their fans and with their sponsors and with their broadcasters
and the things that they do with all of them.
I just hope that they get some sort of resolution
around what the future might look like, because at the moment,
there is still no certainty around next year, and here
we are at the start of this year. It's got

(01:37:50):
to be really unsettling. And the pause after I asked
the question there to Pipper of whether players are making
decisions based around whether they can afford to play the
game rather than chase their netball ambitions was really telling
to me. And you know, she very authentic answer from Peppino.

(01:38:11):
She said, well, I don't want to place them all
on the same boat, but of course everybody has to
look at their circumstances. It's the same in any job.
If you're not making ends meet, no matter how much
you love your job, you've still got to pay your
rent and put food on the table. Am Z Premiership
is going to be live on TV and Z across

(01:38:31):
this season. Melody Robinson is head of Sport at TV
and Z she's going to join a shortly two twenty
two here on news Talks EDB.

Speaker 1 (01:38:39):
Where the weekend's biggest calls are made Weekend Sport with
Jason Paine News Talks.

Speaker 3 (01:38:45):
V two twenty five on the Dots. So netball is
back and this season marks a major shift in the
game in New Zealand with the am Z Premiership returning
to free to air television for the first time in
a long time. Every match is accessible to KIPI audiences
as TV and Z takes over live coverage of the competition.
This is a move that could play a significant role

(01:39:05):
in growing the game and reconnecting fans with one of
our most popular sports head of Sport, Events and Partnerships
at TV and Z is Melody Robinson, who joins us
now Melody from a TV and Z point of view,
why was this the right broadcast decision for you.

Speaker 15 (01:39:24):
Well, we experimented with it last year and got some
really good results, reaching over half a million kiwis on
TVNZ turn in another seventy six thousand on tv Z plus.
We've seen youre on year. The growth with our previous
experimentation was twenty nine percent on TVNZ plus and then
twenty six percent growth on broadcast. So what that's saying

(01:39:45):
to us is if you put it on free to air,
you make it accessible, you schedule it the right way,
then kwis are going to come and watch it. Takes
a bit of time to grow audiences when we pick
up a sport again. So we're year three now, we're
really excited about what we can do for the sport
this season.

Speaker 3 (01:40:00):
How important is sport in driving audiences to TV and Z.

Speaker 15 (01:40:04):
Our critical sport is still one of those big content
pillars that drives audience is in a way that a
lot of other content genres doesn't. So that's why here
at TVNZ we've got three main focuses. We've got the news,
we've got normal entertainment content, and then we've got sports.
So super important with what TVNZ going forward.

Speaker 3 (01:40:27):
Is the elevation of women's sport a specific TV and
Z strategy.

Speaker 15 (01:40:33):
Well, it's women's sport and support of women's sport is
a personal purpose for myself, I would say, and I
think that one of my intentions coming here was making
sure that women's sport had a voice. We business cased
it and we got it in front of our acquisition
content programmers teams. We've done that a really good job

(01:40:54):
with a number of different sports. If you look at
the White Ferns and how we've scheduled that and how
well that has gone, what with well over a million
viewership on their top game that we've broadcast on LILIAR.
That's unbelievable audience results for women's sport, and that's grown
over that six year period that we've had the White
fans with us.

Speaker 3 (01:41:15):
Are you planning any changes or innovations. What can we
expect to see from TV and z's netball coverage this
A and Z Premiership season.

Speaker 15 (01:41:23):
Well, New Zealand Netball's actually leading the production and the editorial.
They've got an incredible executive producer and Todd Miller who's
in charge of the product this year. He's looking at
a whole lot of different innovations. You're probably going to
see some really cool new graphics, a lot more integrations.
He's changing a lot of the mics and bringing in

(01:41:44):
some of the live player comments and stuff as well.
So it's going to be a progression and he'll probably
be quite agile and pivot depending on what the audience
feeds back.

Speaker 3 (01:41:55):
In terms of the product, do you worry at all
about the number of top players who are playing super
Netball in Australia rather than now A and Z Premiership.

Speaker 15 (01:42:04):
Well, it's probably more of a question for New Zealand
Netball that one. But what I do know is that
sports that work, whether it's on streaming, audience or social
media platforms, have got the top athletes and the stars playing,
you can create new stars zone. I think that should
be the focus with putting stories around these new athletes,
creating these new stars and working from there. So we're

(01:42:27):
going to do our job on that side with our
social media team and also our news team. So I
think that we're going to rebuild some of these amazing
players so you'll see and focus on them instead of
some of the other players that have gone overseas.

Speaker 3 (01:42:41):
Who's paying who under this arrangement? Are you buying the
rights or are Netball New Zealand paying you to broadcast
their sport?

Speaker 15 (01:42:48):
Tricky Tricky never talk about the commercial arrangements with them,
that's for sure, because we've got a whole lot of
variation of deals that we have, so it's not fair
we can't contractually talk about it. But the fact that
we are scheduling them like we are primetime afternoon slot
said day Sunday on TV and Z two shows you

(01:43:10):
that we care about the sport.

Speaker 3 (01:43:12):
Are we moving towards a model? Do you think melody
where reach through free to air matters more to a
sporting organization, a national one or a code than getting
money from broadcast rights fees.

Speaker 15 (01:43:25):
It's a mix. Actually, it depends where the sport is
in their cycle. If you've been locked behind a paywall
for a number of years you're not activating your fan base,
then absolutely you'll want to vary up your broadcast still
the next time and think about perhaps non exclusive rights
on a free to air platform, on linear or streaming.

(01:43:45):
But to be honest, my bigger maybe World Rugby head
on here. It's all about fan engagements and sports holders
thinking about innovating through technology and reaching those fans. So
that's probably the most important thing than anything, and you
can do that when you're behind a paywall. You can
do that when you're on free to air, and that's

(01:44:05):
up to the sport rights holders to innovate.

Speaker 3 (01:44:07):
And of course at TV ANDG you're entering the pay
per view space this year with the fief for World Cup,
looking forward to watching that. Will the success of that
in terms of the the the uptake in a pay
per view sense inform your decisions about future use of
that model.

Speaker 15 (01:44:24):
Yeah, we actually base all of our acquisition strategy on
performance data, so that's audience and also revenue and a
whole lot of other things like brand hosting, those types
of things. So yep, it's going to form a massive
guide as to which sports that we're going to target
next and how big we go into the pay business model.

(01:44:47):
We are looking at other sports already though, before we
get that data, because there's some good sports and markets.
So I think we're in the pay business model world.
But we're going to pick and choose and be careful
about where we put our investments there.

Speaker 3 (01:45:01):
I'm not expecting you to tell me the cost of it.
But when will we know what the tournament pass for
the FIFA World Cup. We'll set us back.

Speaker 15 (01:45:09):
Early May, early May, and as soon as it's announced,
you'll be able to buy it straight away. And it's
going to be right there, available on TV and Z plus,
very accessible.

Speaker 3 (01:45:17):
Good to hear now you've said TV and Z plus
a number of times melody during our chat. How important
is TV and Z plus is digital now just as
critical to you as as as traditional linear television.

Speaker 19 (01:45:28):
Yeah.

Speaker 15 (01:45:29):
Absolutely, Look, we want to sustain the audiences and also
that commercial revenue that we made through linear, but we
have to shift to digital and there's a number of
different reasons for that. That's where the audience is for
a start, that's the experience that they're expecting. So our
whole strategy is digital first, much like a lot of

(01:45:50):
the other big media companies around the world. And it
also gives us access way better access to data. So
we're really going to understand what keywis care about. So yep,
being digital, digital first, that is massive for TV and ZED.

Speaker 3 (01:46:02):
And a wide arranging question just to finish, where do
you see sports broadcast in New Zealand heading over the
next five years?

Speaker 15 (01:46:10):
Say, yeah, look, I think Sky is always going to
be a big part of sports and where we're heading
in this country. We need a big company like that
Healthy you know sometimes are a competition, but that we
collaborate with them as well. At the end of the day,
TV and Z had been in some sport, a lot
of entertainment, a lot of news. We need to work

(01:46:32):
together with Sky to make sure. You know we've beat
some of those big streaming tech companies and you're in.

Speaker 3 (01:46:38):
You're in it for the long haul. Now, sports broadcasting
sport on TV and Z it's something that I mean
clearly you probably wouldn't have the role of it wasn't
going to be the case. So you're a pretty determined
for TV and Z to still be an appointment place
for sports viewing.

Speaker 15 (01:46:54):
Oh absolutely, I love sport. While I'm here, I'll be
pushing that the whole way. You know, sport has a
big impact on people's lives and particularly Kiwi's lives. So
what a cool space to be in here at TVs IT.
I'll love us.

Speaker 3 (01:47:07):
Good on you, Hey, great to chat as always, Melody,
thanks for taking the time, Thank you, Thank you, Melody.
Melody Robinson there. She's the head of Sports Events and
Partnerships at TV and Z. So an Z Premiership is
underway this afternoon, first games this afternoon. Just let me
bring up the schedule for you so I can speak
with authority rather than just try to remember the Central

(01:47:29):
Pulse up against the whitecutt or Bay of Plenty Magic
at TSB Bank Arena in Wellington Center pass at four
the Mainland Tactics defending champions of course, up against the
Southern Steel at Wolfbrook Arena in christ Church seven o'clock
this evening, and then tomorrow afternoon it's at Auckland Derby
Northern Stars the Northern Mystics four o'clock at Pullman Arena

(01:47:50):
in Auckland. Those are the first three matches in the
A and Z Netwal Premiership for twenty twenty six. Speaking
of sport, that's happening this afternoon. They're underway in the
first Super Rugby match of today. This one's taking place
at Rotte Dua International Stadium, Mawana PACIFICA up against the Chiefs,

(01:48:11):
and the Chiefs have started pretty well in this one.
They've already run in three tries to lead twenty one
nil as we approach the half hour mark. Tries so
far to Quintabaya, Kira, Intel, Moyfilo and Summer Penny Female,
all converted by Damien McKenzie. So Majana pacificas challenging season
looks as though it's continuing. They are twenty one nil

(01:48:33):
down against the Chiefs with twenty eight minutes gone in
that game. Right, let's play a sporting chance with the
tab always enjoy doing this on a Saturday afternoon. I'm
going to offer you the choice of three bets, short,
evens or long. You decide which one you want, and

(01:48:54):
we will place a one hundred and fifty dollars bonus
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(01:49:15):
number seven.

Speaker 1 (01:49:17):
No TMO, no drs, just your call on eight hundred
eighty ten eighty. Weekend Sport with Jason Pain News Talk z'b.
It's time for a sporting chance thanks to tab.

Speaker 3 (01:49:32):
Love this part of the show a sporting chant with
the tab. Troy is ready to play. I'm going to
offer Troy the choice of three bets short, evens or long.
Troy is going to decide which one to select, will
place a one hundred and fifty dollars bonus bet, and
if it comes home, the winnings minus the one fifty
are all yours Troy. Presumably you're over eighteen.

Speaker 4 (01:49:53):
I just have to check.

Speaker 12 (01:49:56):
Yeah, just over eighteen.

Speaker 3 (01:49:58):
Good to hear, Good to hear, Troy, all right, good
to have you on the on the showmate. So I'm
gonna give you the three options. I'll run through the
three of them, and then I'll get you to choose
which one you're after. Okay, yep, go okay, Short, the
Unstoppable Force, the Unstoppable Force Special. These are Andy's names
for the bets. By the way, this is a Super
Rugby bet Hurricanes the Blues total points over fifty five

(01:50:23):
point five, so effectively fifty six points or more total
in that game. It's paying a dollar ninety. You would
win one hundred and thirty five dollars. Evans Evans is
an A league bet. It's the doing Auckland FC A
Favor special Newcastle against Adelaide Adelaide United to win, which

(01:50:44):
would help Auckland FC out. It's paying two eighty. You
would win two hundred and seventy. On our Evans bet,
Troy and our long the what Melbourne Curse Special Melbourne
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thirteen plus later on tonight. It's paying eight to fifty.

(01:51:08):
You would win one thousand, one hundred and twenty five dollars.
So Cain's Blues fifty six points or more to win
one hundred and thirty five. Adelaide to beat Newcastle to
win two seventy. Warrior is to beat Storm thirteen plus
to win twelve hundred and seventy five. What are you
going to go?

Speaker 9 (01:51:26):
For?

Speaker 12 (01:51:28):
A look, Jason, I am a massive wild fan, and
I probably give a five percent chance of beating a
Melvine storm by burning plus.

Speaker 4 (01:51:39):
But I'm going to take it, mate.

Speaker 3 (01:51:42):
I knew you would as you were saying it. I thought,
is he going to be cautious hair and let his
head rule his heart? Not a bit of it, Troy.
I love it, mate. We're going to place the bet.
It's not your money, mate, We'll place the bet, and
if the Warriors beat the Storm thirteen plus tonight, not
only can you celebrate that, but you'll celebrate twelve hundred
and seventy five dollars appearing in your bank account in
the not too distant future. Mate. So hope you I

(01:52:04):
hope you have some joy both with supporting the Wars
and and a bit of financial accumulation tonight, mate.

Speaker 12 (01:52:11):
I hope I need too the whole town or here good.

Speaker 2 (01:52:14):
Man, Troy.

Speaker 3 (01:52:15):
Hold there, mate, and he's going to just get your
details one more time and place that bet for you.
If you get the result, are the winnings minus the
one fifty or all yours will do it again next week.
Thanks to our mates at tab Form, guides are available
at your fingertips with the tab app see how teams
and players have performed in the last five games to
help you make smarter bets. As always, of course, please

(01:52:35):
bet responsibly. Eighteen away from three, all racing scheduled for
tomorrow at the Supercars event in Topo has been canceled.
There is plenty of racing today though. Let's bring in
Mitch Robinson, media manager with Supercars. Mitch, thanks for joining
us across New Zealand. Tell us about the decision to
can all racing tomorrow.

Speaker 18 (01:52:57):
All right, Well get up noon. Yeah, that's a bit
of a second coming away. So it's difficult to put
on a car race when there's that much expected rain
and win that it's going to be about, not only
from a racing service perspective, but of course with the
infrastructure around the venue and I of course fans and
all the staff would be out here as well. So
it was a tough decision, no doubt, but ultimately I

(01:53:18):
think it's probably the right one to make in the circumstances.
So yeah, no racing tomorrow, but we took the what
was scheduled to be a two hundred pilmeter race for
tomorrow has been moved to this afternoon, and the spare
the extra one hundred and twenty kilometer rates that was
still meant to be taking place will be now rescheduled
to Friday in christ Church. So it's making the most

(01:53:38):
of a challenging situation for everybody, But obviously it's you know,
you'd have to expect safety is paramount and these sorts
of things, So doing the best you can with things
and getting a weird car racing while we're out it
here on Saturday, on a Sunday afternoon and opall.

Speaker 3 (01:53:50):
Yeah, I's going to say how it conditions today. I've
got the TV up. It looks okay. You've got a
big crowd in there. So even though it's been truncated
by by circumstances beyond your control, the crowd looked like
they're still enjoying themselves today with a big race to
come this afternoon.

Speaker 15 (01:54:04):
Yeah.

Speaker 18 (01:54:04):
Absolutely. We made the yesterday which is a thing coming
along to make it open to people who had a
Sunday only ticket to come in here as well on Saturday.
So we feel like that's that's help things for sure.
But yeah, good healthy crowd. It's a light breeze, not
too cool. It's really actually quite pleasant out here today.
So I had a good race already earlier today. Brodie
Gisteky won that one. But there's plenty of actions on

(01:54:26):
lots of door banging, wheel banging going along, so they've
been entertained hopefully and yeah one four to come here
and just under.

Speaker 3 (01:54:33):
An hour thought what chat to Kawai went a lighter
on the soft and and remembering of course.

Speaker 18 (01:54:38):
Where you are much of course now there's a good
chance of that. Ryan Woods on fold today for the
last race from Wellington and it's the first ever pull
for Toyota and Supercar to super joined the grid this year.
It's the first time racing of course, and new's dealing
and yeah Wood he put it on fall and he's
looking very speedy. He was third in that first race
here today. Matty Payne, who won to the three races

(01:55:00):
here last year he's he finished fitting that first race,
so you know they're right up there in it. So
I think there's there's a chid.

Speaker 5 (01:55:06):
You know.

Speaker 18 (01:55:07):
It's really the best chance of the Key winning race
this early in the year. So Nick definitely Toyota as well.
Keep an eye on warding he'll be right up there
and think of things. He'll have his elbows out for sure.

Speaker 3 (01:55:17):
Fantastic much thanks so much for joining us, and it's
a busy day for you with the rescheduling. Thanks for
taking the time to chat to us. Mitch Robinson out
of Supercars, so all racing schedule for tomorrow is off.
The Race ten, which was to happen tomorrow, has been
rescheduled for Friday at next week's inaugural event in christ
Church and the big two hundred lapper this afternoon with

(01:55:38):
Ryan Wood on pole. So we'll look forward to seeing
how he goes as he tries to claim a win
on his home track. It's a quarter to three. The
football Ferns about to embark on the final steps down
the road to the FIFA Women's World Cup in Brazil
next year. They'll play Fiji in the semi finals of
Oceania World Cup qualifying this afternoon at FMG Stadium. Win

(01:55:58):
that and they're into the final on Wednesday night at
North Harbor. Win that and they're off to the World
Cup Football. Fern's utility Mikayla foss up, there's with us, Mickey.
Great to get the chance to catch up again. How
special is this going to be for you going back
to your hometown of Hamilton and on the ground where
you made your Fern's debut three years ago.

Speaker 15 (01:56:17):
Well, we experimented, Yeah, I think, I mean.

Speaker 3 (01:56:22):
Which a little bit of trouble getting Mickey up there.
Just stand by, will try and get the right line,
the right line on end Mickey, as I was saying,
how good is it going to be to go back
to your hometown?

Speaker 21 (01:56:32):
Yeah, well, first, what's nice to talk to you again,
pione It it's been a while, but yeah, it's it's
special and like you said, it was where I made
my debut and not many people get to make a
debut in their hometown, so to be back three years later,
there's a bit of a full circle moment, I guess,
and just being quite special just to reflect on what
it's been like the last three years in this environment

(01:56:53):
for me. But yeah, I can't wait just to be
back in that stadium and in front of friends and
found the again. Can't wait.

Speaker 3 (01:56:59):
Fantastic. I can't imagine Hamilton would have changed too much
in the three years since you were left. I suppose
you've been back in the meantime, have you at some point?

Speaker 21 (01:57:08):
Well, to be honest, I haven't actually been home in
New Zealand since moving to Durham, which was September twenty four,
so it has been far too long. So it's really
been quite special when I landed in Auckland, just to
be back on New Zealand soil. But yeah, I'm not
excited to see if anything has changed in Hamilton. But yeah,
like you said, I'm not sure if much has.

Speaker 3 (01:57:28):
But yeah, well I look forward to the game there
on Sunday. I see utility in the intro because we
know you're adept at playing a number of different positions.
Where have you been playing mainly for Durham in recent matches?

Speaker 21 (01:57:41):
Well, again, all over the place, to be fair, I've
played we just different formations as well a little bit,
but started kind of a left sided center back in
a back three, and then a lot of the midfield
again recently the last couple of games and then back
to a left back sort of role. So he has
been I guess whatever the team's needed in a moment
is kind of the player I've been in a lot

(01:58:01):
of different environments. But yeah, most recently that's six role
and left that and what about for.

Speaker 3 (01:58:08):
New Zealand, then Mickey in Michael Main's system, where are
you expecting to fit into that?

Speaker 21 (01:58:15):
Yeah, like I've played again in that left sided center
back in a back three a bit, and then most
recently in the Solomon Island and in the center of
that back three and with the opportunity to step in
into the midfield a little bit obviously men Study were
kind of rotating in that role a bit last tour,
but yeah, I'm probably trying to solidify my spot a
little bit in that back line, and yeah, what just

(01:58:38):
grow in the style that we're learning to play and
kind of I think I can really utilize my left
foot and or obviously both feet, but yeah, that left
side is to try.

Speaker 3 (01:58:47):
To make that mine and set piece delivery was something
we saw you involved in a lot when you were
back here with Wellington Phoenix. Is that something that you've
been doing at Durham and will likely do for New
Zealand as well.

Speaker 21 (01:58:58):
Yeah, I've been a little bit more in the box,
attacking on some set pieces, and I think I scored
a hero against Zip Switch, so I think since that's happened,
they've tried to get me in a bit more. But no,
I'm still was taking left sided corners for this team
and the Solomon Islands, So I think it's still a
bit of a weapon that I can can bring to
this team and my delivery. So absolutely always working on.

Speaker 3 (01:59:21):
It World Cup qualification as well, and truly in the
sights of this team. Now, how have you approached the
week and how will you approach the semi final against
fig You know, without getting too far ahead of yourself,
you know you should win the game, but how do
you just focus on FIGI in the first instance.

Speaker 21 (01:59:37):
Yeah, like you say that where we should should and
should win this game, and we obviously know that, but
it's obviously taking it with a grain of salt and
making sure that we've been as detailed as we can
and the build up to it and not taking anything
for granted. I think in these moments, and yeah, Laci're
not thinking too far ahead, but knowing that that's still
well our main goal and going for those in these

(01:59:58):
games so that we can perform at the World Cup,
but nailing those details and pushing each other on the
field to make sure we're going out and we're.

Speaker 3 (02:00:06):
How determined you to ply at the World Cup? You
were in the squad for the last one, didn't get
on the field. How determined are you to play in
a World Cup next year? For New Zealand?

Speaker 21 (02:00:16):
Hugely? Obviously it's been quite a well win three years
and kind of making more starts in this team, more
game times, something that's continued to grow in the last
couple of years. So I think, yeah, obviously I want
to make that odd desperately and then obviously again to
be on the pictures as my goal. And I think
I went into that World Cup as a very fresh
player into this team, and I knew my role and

(02:00:39):
I was obviously playing behind a quality player and leader
in Elie Riley, So it was just learning and kind
of taking everything in that moment in that World Cup.
So it's kind of going into this one knowing that
I can potentially play a bigger role on the field
and probably help lead myself and also the girls around me.
And kind of know what I can bring to this

(02:01:00):
team and doing that.

Speaker 3 (02:01:02):
Mickey, thanks indeed for joining us. All the best of
this afternoon against Fiji. That's Mikaela Foster as part of
the Football Ferns squad. They take on Fiji this afternoon
four o'clock for a place in the Oceania World Cup
Qualifying Final at North Harbor on Wednesday, nine and a
half to three News Talks EDB.

Speaker 1 (02:01:18):
The biggest names and sport are here Weekend Sport with
Jason Vine News Talks, NB.

Speaker 3 (02:01:24):
News Talks six and a half away from three half
time at Grotto Do International Stadium. More on a Pacific
and nil the Chiefs twenty six, so a fourth try
scored with about seven minutes to go in the first half.
Quintupire with two now and to make matters worse. More
on in a Pacific, I have a man in the bin.
Tom Savage has gone to the bin just before half time,

(02:01:45):
so the first ten minutes of the second half they'll
play with just fourteen men and twenty six nil down.
So the Chiefs flexing their muscles in Rotto. This will
be followed by the Fiji and Dreuer against the Force
that game at Churchill Park in Lautoka. The Hurricanes against
the Blues tonight at sky Stadium now it's now called
Henry Stadium. Eventually stopped doing that Henry Stadium this afternoon

(02:02:08):
this evening, five past seven, full commentary on Gold Sport
and iHeartRadio. Then the Reds against the Crusaders from nine
thirty five, full commentary of that one as well. We'll
cover off everything that happens in Super Rugby and with
the Warriors storm tomorrow on the show. We'll look at
the Masters, We'll cover off anything that comes out of
Supercars today and look ahead to anything that is coming

(02:02:31):
up tomorrow and into the new week as well. This
is me sort of padding really that because we haven't
entirely pulled the show together for tomorrow, so I can
only tell you so much.

Speaker 22 (02:02:41):
Andy, Well, I don't give them too much behind the curtains. No,
I'm usually a lot more organized than this, But that's anyway.
The song, the song I've got to choose. The Beatles
help a lot of talk about needing volunteers, so I
just need a bit of help. Sports clubs do actually
not me personally, that's another story. Finally, start talking now,

(02:03:02):
please see tomorrow.

Speaker 17 (02:03:07):
And now my life is changed in on so many ways,
and I independom seems to have vanished in the days.

Speaker 3 (02:03:17):
But every now and then I feel so mistake. You
just need you, like I never told me before.

Speaker 1 (02:03:26):
Help me if you can.

Speaker 2 (02:03:28):
Feeling down.

Speaker 3 (02:03:31):
And I'm too a CREATI to be around, help me
get my feed back on the ground.

Speaker 2 (02:03:41):
Won't every.

Speaker 13 (02:03:44):
Help me?

Speaker 2 (02:03:47):
Well?

Speaker 18 (02:03:47):
I was doing so much childer than today.

Speaker 3 (02:03:52):
I never needed anybody.

Speaker 14 (02:03:54):
Is helping anyway now and now these days are gone.

Speaker 2 (02:03:59):
Help so self is sure.

Speaker 3 (02:04:03):
Changed my mind open up with.

Speaker 8 (02:04:07):
Tell me you can feeling.

Speaker 14 (02:04:12):
Appreciate you?

Speaker 9 (02:04:17):
Tell me I can't ground?

Speaker 12 (02:04:22):
Won't you.

Speaker 3 (02:04:24):
Tell me?

Speaker 15 (02:04:25):
Help me?

Speaker 2 (02:04:27):
Help me?

Speaker 1 (02:04:32):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live
to news talks it be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.

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Full Show Podcast: 11 April 2026

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