Full Show Podcast: 28 September 2024

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Fine
from News Talks EDB, counting down to the second Letterslow
Comp Test Live from sky Stadium, Wellington. It's Weekend Sport
with Jason Vine on your home of Sport News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (00:25):
Yeah, you're to good afternoon and welcome into the Saturday
edition of Weekend Sport on News Talks dB. September twenty
eight Test Match Saturday, All Blacks via Australia at a
sold out sky Stadium tonight from seven. I'm Jason Pineshow
producer Anna McDonald. We're here until three and as you
just heard, the showers come into your live today from
the match venue. I'm sitting in the commentary box that

(00:46):
Elliot Smith and Ross Bond will be in and around
what seven hours from now, looking out on an impeccably
manicured playing surface where in about seven hours the All
Blacks and Wallabies will do battle for the one hundred
and seventy ninth time in Test matches. Certainly hasn't been
the happiest of hunting ground here in Wellington for the

(01:07):
All Blacks in recent times. No wins in fact, in
their last five Test matches here seems hard to believe,
doesn't it. The last victory was against France in twenty
eighteen and France were down to fourteen men after about
twelve minutes in that game. That is the only when
the All Blacks in the last seven Test matches out
on this piece of grass here defeats to Argentina earlier

(01:29):
this year, Island in twenty twenty two, and South Africa
in twenty eighteen. Couple of drawers in there as well. Surely,
surely to goodness that poor ends, poor run ends tonight.
The rugby naturally plays a big part in our show today.
After one o'clock Wallaby's Rugby Royalty, John Eels joins us

(01:50):
to reminius a little bit, but also to give us
as views on the way forward for an Australian side
that really is a shadow of the team's John Eels
led to world domination in the nineteen nineties and into
the two thousands. First up today, though former All Blacks
first five Carlos Spencer is with us. Lots of talk
about the ten jersey this week, and rightly so, Boden

(02:11):
Barrett taking it over from Damien Mackenzie. As always your
thoughts on the game tonight are encourage sponsor with HERDM
Carlos the All Blacks team selection, your predictions for tonight?
Do you feel more or less optimistic after what you
saw last week? And will the All Blacks at some
point score a point after the hour mark? Let's hope
they do that tonight. Lines open all afternoon as per usual,

(02:34):
are the matters around today. It's the biggest day on
the Australian sporting calendar, the AFL Grand Final Australian rules football,
of course. The Sydney Swans and the Brisbane line set
to do battle at the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground from
four point thirty this afternoon. New Zealand Time Eddie McGuire
with us after two o'clock. A man in a voice
synonymous with the game of AFL. He's going to have

(02:55):
a chat to us in preview the Grand Final. The
black Caps Goodness Me trails Sri Lanka by five hundred
and eighty runs early in their first innings after two
days of the second cricket Test at Gaul Srilankers six
hundred and two for five declared New Zealand twenty two
for two. It could hardly have gone any worse for

(03:16):
the black Caps on the first two days. Ronnie Here,
former Black Cap, with us after two on that the
Melbourne storm meantime into the NRL Grand Final, thrashing the
Roosters last night forty eight points to eighteen. In the
preliminary final at Amy Park. They'll face either the Panthers
or the Sharks. Those who played tonight in Penrith will
cover off Week three at the NRL Finals with Jake

(03:38):
Duke from Fox and Ossie correspondent Adam Peacock also from
across the Tasman. Just a word on the biggest sports
story these last thirty six hours. Confirmation yesterday morning that
Kiwi driver Liam Lawson will replace Daniel Ricardo at the
Racing Balls Formula One team. He'll race alongside Yuki Sonoda

(03:59):
for the rest of this season, which includes nine races
at six venues, six four Grand Prix and also three
Spring We're going to dig deeper into that story on
the show tomorrow. Don't worry motorsport fans, we haven't forgotten
about it. Just exceptionally brilliant news for Liam Lawson and
for Kiwi Motorsport Live Sport this afternoon Farrah Palmer Cup

(04:21):
Premiership semi finals. Counties in Canterbury have just kicked off
and poke a Kewie White cut off against Auckland from
two thirty five in Hamilton. We'll keep you updated on
those penultimate round of Bunnings NPC rugby action. They have
plenty can jump into second place for a while when
they meet Northland in Todonga from five past to this afternoon.
Hawks Bay host Auckland and Napier at the same time.

(04:43):
Auckland desperately need a win to stay in quarter final contention.
Round seven Heartland Championship matches. To keep tabs on two
and it's opening weekend in football's National League for men
and women. Will keep eyes on today's opening matches as well.
Your calls and correspondence, though are the cornerstone of this
radio show. You can call through at any time on

(05:05):
eight wrould eighty ten eighty or text your thoughts through
to nine two nine two. Emails work as well. Jason
at newstalksb dot Co dot nzet coming up twelve past midday.

Speaker 1 (05:19):
The School, from the track Fields and the Court on
your home of sport. Weekend Sport with Jason Vine News Talks.

Speaker 2 (05:29):
To feed the scrum.

Speaker 3 (05:33):
Penninara gets it in, Savia gets it out, catch it
over the touchline. The All Blacks hang on to win
the match. The All Blacks hang on to the Bleddersloe
three tries in the opening sixteen minutes and then got
the front of their life. The All Blacks thirty one
Australia twenty eight. The Bleedersloe stays in New Zealand for

(05:53):
another year.

Speaker 2 (05:54):
But that was less than emphetic in the end, there
certainly was. That was a week ago in Sydney. Tonight
the two teams renew hostilities at Sky Stadium and Wellington
where the show is coming to you from today. Plenty
of chat when the team was announced on Thursday. Around
the first five position after starting the first seven Test
matches of the year, Damien McKenzie will come off the

(06:15):
bench tonight, with Bowden Barrett starting in the ten Jersey.
It'll be his first start at first five for the
All Blacks since he played there against Scotland on the
end of year tour in twenty twenty two. One of
our great running first fives was Carlos Spencer thirty five
Test matches between nineteen ninety five and two thousand and four,
scoring nearly three hundred points. He was particularly prominent in

(06:39):
the unbeaten Test year of nineteen ninety seven, during which
he made his Test debut, and of course in two
thousand and three, when he played pretty much every Test match,
including both Bledislow Cup matches, when New Zealand won the
Cup back after not having had it for five years.
Carlos Spencer is with us carloson to start in general terms,

(06:59):
what have you made of Damien McKenzie's performances at first
five for the All Blacks.

Speaker 4 (07:04):
This year, Toy?

Speaker 5 (07:08):
Yeah, Like, I almost a little bit sorry from to
be honest, but uh, you know, it's been a tough
little road for him, you know, obviously on the back
of a team that probably hasn't really performed to its potential,
and unfortunately it's usually the number ten that takes most
of the stick.

Speaker 6 (07:28):
You know.

Speaker 5 (07:28):
I've sort of always considered Damien as a bit of
full bit, uh a number ten, but yeah, just really,
I suppose he hasn't been able to give the direction that.

Speaker 7 (07:41):
The side needs.

Speaker 2 (07:43):
Do you think he is though a capable Test match
first five?

Speaker 5 (07:49):
Personally? Know, I don't think he is. I think he's
great at super super level, but when it comes to
test matches, yeah, I just don't think he's he's got
what it takes to be a really good at number ten. Unfortunately. Hey, look,
well I like Damien McKenzie. I think he's a great player,
but yeah, I just I just find him he's better

(08:10):
setted at fallback ten.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
To be honest, what is it about his play that
that has better suited to the fifteen jersey than perhaps
the ten jersey.

Speaker 5 (08:19):
Oh, I think he's just got a bit more time
and space. You know, he's got more time to make decisions,
he's a bit more space he enters the line well,
you know, and I think he just can you know,
he can see more from at the best, and it
doesn't stop him from you know, jumping into fierce receiver
occasionally fall back. But yeah, I think those are the

(08:44):
biggest points. But you know, I think he just left
that direction a test mets level where it's really important.

Speaker 2 (08:51):
Do you think the fact that he's so adventurous, or
more adventurous perhaps than a more traditional first five means
that he gets a bit more flat when things go wrong,
because people just think he's a bit of ratic yeah.

Speaker 5 (09:03):
I think it is the case. And you know, the
one person that knows there to understand that it's probably
me because I was probably one of those players myself,
you know. You know, so I do feel for Damien.
You know, it's a tough position, especially at just misched level,
and you know, and like I said earlier, yeah, you're
probably playing in the team that really ain't you know,

(09:27):
dominating like they used to. You know, I think that
they're struggling, but up front and when the team struggles
up front of it, you know, it's it's you know,
it's a little bit harder for a number ten to
to sort of fulfillers role. And in his draw, I
suppose did.

Speaker 2 (09:42):
Any of your coaches, Carlos at provincial super or particularly
at All Blacks level, did they ever try to tone
down your attacking instances get your reigned in a bit?

Speaker 5 (09:53):
Yes and no. You know, obviously we had a game
plan to follow and we spoke about that. And you know,
if I did three off the train tracks too much
in you know, obviously spoken to. But I think the
good thing about the most of the coaches I heard,
they sort of understood the sort of player that I was,

(10:16):
which was good, you know, And I suppose to me
it was just about understanding myself what was right for
the team. I suppose in that moment.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
How long did that take to get you know, to
get it right most of the time for you or
did you feel as though you made your decisions pretty
right from the start.

Speaker 7 (10:34):
That definitely took a while.

Speaker 5 (10:36):
You know, it was never right from the start, you know,
and there was always a progress thing. I think, especially
number ten, you know, they get it right every time. No,
you don't, and that's why, yeah, sort of right. And
the people around you as well. And I think that's
the same thing for Damien, you know, I think when
you look at the guys around him, are they giving

(10:58):
them the help in the direction that he needs. I
don't think they are.

Speaker 8 (11:03):
You know.

Speaker 5 (11:04):
I was lucky coming through.

Speaker 6 (11:07):
At my time.

Speaker 5 (11:08):
You know, I had some good players around me, good
experience around me that you know, we're able to help me,
especially when times we're tough.

Speaker 2 (11:16):
So are you talking about his teammates sort of in
and around him in the back line? Are you talking
about the coaching staff? Where do you think he needs
greater support?

Speaker 5 (11:25):
I think it's probably a bit of both party to
be honest, But I think most of it's got to
do with his teammates. You know, it's it's in the moment.
It's on the field and having these directions and trying
to come up with solutions on the field, and you know,
coaches can't really do the part through walkie talkies and

(11:45):
ear pieces. So I think a lot of it's got
to come down to the players around him, you know,
helping them.

Speaker 2 (11:53):
So yeah, did you feel I don't think accepted as
the right word. Did you feel relied upon by the
teams you played in they did you ever feel as
though they thought you might be he might be a
bit of radic for them all? Did you always feel
relied upon by your teammates?

Speaker 5 (12:11):
Ah, oh yeah, I don't know. It's a tough fun time. Yeah,
I suppose maybe a little bit relied on. Yeah, I see,
I don't know really.

Speaker 2 (12:24):
So Damien McKenzie. Then, do you think he has a
future as a Test fullback?

Speaker 5 (12:29):
I think he does.

Speaker 2 (12:29):
Yes.

Speaker 5 (12:31):
I'd actually like to see him have some time that's
fall back. Whether it happens or not, I'm not sure,
but I definitely think he is definitely potential for him
to be a good, good Test full bit just.

Speaker 2 (12:43):
On the Australians. Obviously you played a lot against them
during your career, but I mean of your thirty five tests,
only seven losses and four of those losses were to Australia.
How stern a challenge did they present to you during
the late nineties and into the two thousands when you
played them?

Speaker 6 (12:59):
Oh?

Speaker 5 (12:59):
Mate, they were tough.

Speaker 9 (13:00):
You know.

Speaker 5 (13:00):
You look at the players their head deck in those
late nineties and specially as mid to late nineties. You know,
the experience in the in the players that they had.
You know, we were real close test matches back in
those days, you know, so they were forced to be
reckon with so you know, really good, really good games
and back back then. And uh, you know, we're just

(13:22):
just a shame that you know, it's obviously not like
dead anymore.

Speaker 2 (13:27):
Yeah, and let us low kup. I think, well, you
think you were in the team that won it back
in two thousand and three from memory, a proud moment
to get your hands on the on the big thing.

Speaker 5 (13:41):
Always, you know, and uh, it's one of the trophies
that I was fortunate enough to win that year. It
was obviously a proud moment back then in two thousand
and Sreder obviously get get my hands on it for sure.

Speaker 2 (13:54):
You're played a bit with Razor and the or Blecks.
Did he appeal to you as a guy who might
go into coaching when you were playing with them?

Speaker 10 (14:01):
Uh?

Speaker 11 (14:01):
Nah, not really.

Speaker 5 (14:03):
I thought it'd be a full time soon for to
be honest.

Speaker 2 (14:10):
Brilliant all right, Just before you go, speaking of proud moments,
son Peyton signing with the Blues for next season. He's
a fallback. Does he play the way you used to?

Speaker 5 (14:19):
I don't think so. No, he's a pretty a bit
more reserved than I than I was, which is probably
a good thing. But you know, I just ye, he's him,
and you know, I've let him group the way he's
wanted to play the game and what not. But you know,
obviously you know, but what's and I'm very proud of

(14:40):
him for obviously signing with the Blues. So you we're
just looking forward to seeing where his career can go.

Speaker 2 (14:46):
Yeah, rightly. So always great chatting rugby with you, Carlos.
All the best, mate, Thanks for taking my.

Speaker 5 (14:49):
Call now all good pie chees mate, Thanks, thank you mate.

Speaker 2 (14:53):
That's Carlos Spencer joining us with some really interesting thoughts
there on Damien McKenzie your opportunity to react now, did
that resonate with you or do you have the the
alternative view that that Damien McKenzie is worth persevering with
at first five lines open, Oh, eight hundred eighty ten
eighty is our number if you want to jump board
and give us your thoughts. I think while it was

(15:15):
widely expected that they would make a change and kind
of telegraphed a few of the journos in and around
the All Blacks had caught win that it would be
Boden Barrett who starts this one at ten and Damien
McKenzie either to drop out of the twenty three or
as he has to drop down to the impact positions.

(15:35):
It was the major talking point when the team was
named on Thursday. Damien McKenzie has started the first seven
tests of the year. This is a definite change of approach,
and it's also proof that the starting first five position
is still very much a live discussion. Even after seven
straight starts for Damien McKenzie, he hasn't quite I don't think,

(15:57):
done enough to really cement that place. The big question
will be who starts at first five on the Northern Tour,
not so much that Japan Test, which is the next
one after this, but once they get up north and
those three big games in a row, England, Island, France.
Who plays first five? Then I eight one hundred and

(16:19):
eighty ten, eighty nine, two ninety two. If you would
prefer to correspond by text, let's get straight to the lines.
Good Matt, how are you?

Speaker 12 (16:26):
Yeah?

Speaker 4 (16:26):
Good?

Speaker 12 (16:27):
Thanks? I don't know if I missed it or lot,
But did you ask him what he thinks about Baden Barrett?

Speaker 5 (16:33):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (16:34):
I guess I was more relating the way Carlos used
to play to the way that Damien McKenzie plays, So
it was more kind of a comparison, I guess with him.
But no, I didn't ask him that.

Speaker 12 (16:44):
The industry because I completely agree with it on McKenzie,
and I've got a funny feeling you'd probably say the
same thing about Boden Barrett, to be honest with you
made because he's just not a test first five He
never has been. He's never had a good game there
that I can remember.

Speaker 9 (16:57):
He madevde and Barrett.

Speaker 2 (16:59):
You're talking about, Matt, Boden Barret's never had a good
game at first five.

Speaker 12 (17:02):
Sleep before him ever think about the England series. He
came off the beat again and was absolutely marvelous. What's
going to happen to night? If he's going to play
like he normally does, he'll miss several kicks of goal,
will probably lose. Why did you pick drummer and not playing?
And what does it say the young players coming through
when he goes one Super Rugby competition was by far

(17:24):
the best first five in the camp and he gets
three minutes off the bench and this game he could
really test them out because if they didn't have the
net took cup first five, why do they kick it?
And why are we not bringing players through?

Speaker 13 (17:36):
What?

Speaker 12 (17:36):
I don't understand what's going on? A fallback start every
test this year and then one of the best utility
players in the world starts this fun and he's just
got to report again not kicking his goals tiny So
any time. I don't understand the love of fair people
have with him, especially given his age, you know, like
that's just what I reckon.

Speaker 2 (17:56):
No, and I love the Plumber call man. I would
have I would have and I think a lot of
people if they picked Plumber at teen, it would have
been gutsy, I think, but the bleeder slow cups tied up. Yeah,
I know Hubber seen that give him a crack, Give
him a crack one hundred percent.

Speaker 12 (18:10):
So I don't have an Oregon Biden. Let's see how
he gave tonight. He might have a good game. I've
never rated him best fine, so good like I hope
you beat the oldies, and I hope they give plumb
for charts against Japan or someone. They've got to give
them a crack at some stays.

Speaker 2 (18:24):
I agree. I agree that give us call TOMORROWF you
get the chance, makee let's have a chat then we
can talk about it. Nine sight. Good to get your
forthright thoughts nice and early in the peace, mate. I
eight one hundred and eighty ten eighty line starting to
fill up. There's obviously a pretty pretty live discussion. This
one got to take a break when we come back.
More of your calls. There is one spear line there.
If you can't get a board first time, it's just

(18:45):
because the lines are hotting up, so keep please keep trying.
I eight one hundred and eighty ten eighty nine two
nine two. If you would prefer to correspond by text
twelve twenty five News Talks Epic and get your All
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Speaker 1 (19:46):
Counting down to All Blacks v Australia on your home
of Sports Weekend sport Lay from Wellington's Sky Studio with.

Speaker 2 (19:53):
Jason and GJ.

Speaker 1 (19:55):
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Speaker 2 (19:59):
Rob says pinety short memory from Matt World Rugby Player
of the Year twice. Never a good first five, but
yes it's Plumber for me, Rob, So yeah, yeah, look
I think come, I think Biden Parrick's probably established a
reasonable c V at first five, but it's all about opinion.
Can I Russell? How are you very good?

Speaker 14 (20:20):
Russell?

Speaker 2 (20:20):
Can have you made? Are you there?

Speaker 9 (20:22):
Oh?

Speaker 15 (20:22):
Yeah?

Speaker 6 (20:23):
Sorry?

Speaker 9 (20:23):
Then can you hear me?

Speaker 16 (20:24):
Now?

Speaker 13 (20:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 2 (20:24):
I got you there? Now?

Speaker 4 (20:25):
Mate?

Speaker 2 (20:25):
Got you there?

Speaker 17 (20:25):
Now?

Speaker 12 (20:26):
How are you yeah good?

Speaker 18 (20:28):
I'm like the last quarter common needs to be given
a case. I don't know what hate. I don't know
what he's done wrong. Maybe he's from Auckland, who knows.
You know, there's all that conspiracy theory about the Pancas
and the team. I've always thought mister McKenzie's been a
great super ruggy play, but he gets in their black busy,

(20:52):
especially when he's start. He doesn't have the time, and
you know sometimes the little coaches are the same and hey,
mister Robinson. I think probably is the same thing. You know,
great super rugby cake, but this doesn't always transferring to
the top level, right, So I don't know. I would
start with comer next week. But the problem is you've

(21:16):
got to figure out who's on the bench and who's
in the dance between body and the MAC.

Speaker 2 (21:22):
Yeah, I mean, yeah, yeah, on just on Razor as coach.
I mean, it's a small body of work at the moment,
only seven test matches, so I guess we wait. But
you're right, it hasn't been probably the start that most
of us expected or he would have wanted with DMAC.
Though I think we do have a large enough body
of work to judge him on because he's played fifty
five test matches. Most of those have been either in

(21:45):
an impact role or at fall back. He's only had
thirteen test matches at first five. But maybe the seven
test matches this year have been demonstration enough in Razors
system that he may not be the man to wear
the ten jersey. And that's okay, yeah.

Speaker 18 (22:00):
Yeah, hey, And it might just be Razors system.

Speaker 4 (22:03):
You know.

Speaker 18 (22:05):
This is also also tactics and things and who's calling
what and all. That's also I mean we don't know,
but as a team, I don't. I don't think the Hey,
they're not firing up for the fiftieth minute.

Speaker 2 (22:20):
See what I want to happen tonight. What I want
to happen tonight is for DMAK to come off the
bench and tear it up and you know, and and
you know, either score or set up two or three tries.
That is true impact that we haven't had off the
bench in the last five or six games.

Speaker 18 (22:35):
You know what will happen tonight will who's gone for bid?
But in to the fiftieth minute we'll score a.

Speaker 2 (22:41):
Try keepers Russell, hope you're wrong, mate, but it's a jet.
Now you're gone. Let's because let's have a chat tomorrow
and we can we can perhaps discuss what does have
And thanks Russell, appreciate your call very much. Jason says Chris,
I can't help thinking if I was Damien's mum, I'd

(23:03):
be tempted to tell you to mind your own damn business. Chris.
You may be Damien's mum and it would probably be
a valid point. But I think it's also valid that
on a sports show we discuss players. It is not personal.
We're discussing players fitting into an all black system. Yeah, look,
I'm reasonably sure that that no mum would like to

(23:24):
hear her son's ability question. But yeah, this is a
sports show during which we discuss players and their various attributes.
But I do appreciate you taking the time to text through. Carlos,
what are your thoughts on dmac mate? Where should he
be playing? What jersey?

Speaker 19 (23:43):
I think they've got it right at the moment. It
as in like playing fifteen. I'd like to see him
at fifteen. But having said that, I think now the
Carlos made a good point where Body started there and
very similar lines. They have very similar players, and Body
had a forward pack in front of him, which came

(24:04):
a little bit more time before he took over that jersey,
so to speak, and felt comfortable in that position. I'd
like to see. I know Carlos thinks he's not at
first fire, but I'd actually like to see.

Speaker 4 (24:19):
I don't know. At the moment, I would keep him.

Speaker 19 (24:22):
At fifteen because those two will feed off each other
really well, and I think that'll be that'll be great.
But I think at the end of the day, I
think if we had we get a bit of parrots
who were more than parody out front, and give him
a little bit more time he could grow into that position.
And I'd like to see him, you know, see that happen.

Speaker 20 (24:41):
That's all.

Speaker 2 (24:42):
Yeah, yeah, oh, look and look as Carlos the other
Carloss said, you know, any first five is going to
look better behind a forward pack that is dominating, and
I think I think Bond and Better also had the
benefit of having Daniel Carter alongside him for the first
three years of his time in the All Blacks. He
became a magnificent impact player. And then once Dan Carter
had gone, there was a battle between Body and Aaron

(25:05):
Crudin after that. But I you know, Body quickly established
himself during the sort of back end of the last
decade as the man and the ten jumper, but he
was allowed time to grow into it. Having said that,
Damien McKenzie's All Blacks debut was twenty sixteen, so he's
been around the environment for a while.

Speaker 4 (25:22):
Yeah, great point too when you're bringing up with Daniel Carter.
And the great thing about that is the feedback that
is given to Boty Body could do that for Damien too,
you know, that could be another feed on there as well.

Speaker 7 (25:35):
Anyway.

Speaker 4 (25:36):
I just I mean, the guy is a really talented player,
and you'll do very well.

Speaker 20 (25:41):
I don't think.

Speaker 2 (25:42):
Anyway, Carlos, I agree. I totally agree. I've always liked
the way Damian McKenzie goes about things, and for the Chiefs,
I think he's just been terrific for quite some time now,
and we all want to see that at All Blacks level.
It's just what is the best use of Damien McKenzie.
I would always have him in my twenty three always,

(26:04):
you know, And look I didn't. I'm willing to give
anybody a chance to impress in their preferred position, and
Damien McKenzie's preferred position is clearly first five. But of
his best use for the All Blacks's fullback or coming
off the bench, then so be it. But I would
have him. I would have him in my twenty three
every single day of the week. And sometimes you look

(26:26):
at him and you look at his unorthodox you know, no,
unorthodox is the wrong word. His ability to come on
and create things, often against tired defenders, and the thing
that we've been missing the most in the last five
or six matches is impact in that regard. So that's
what I want to see from him tonight. I want
to see him come off the bench and do what

(26:47):
he does best, cause havoc and broken play, beat tired defenders,
set up as outsides, or go himself. I don't think
anybody is saying that Damien McKenzie's time and the All
Blacks jersey is done. Far from it. But what is
his best use in the All Blacks environment? Jeff, how

(27:09):
are you?

Speaker 21 (27:11):
Yeah?

Speaker 16 (27:11):
I'm very good.

Speaker 7 (27:12):
Thank you.

Speaker 21 (27:12):
Some some of the comments I've got Kenzie as actually
quite disgusted me. I think I think Damien mckenzick is
I'm very fast for he's a little flyer and he's
been in the Old Black for a long time and
I think I think he sort of why it was

(27:36):
put over that he was sort of blamed for the
lap of the game. It seems to me that Australia
in the end they wore people off the bench and
bought back in that final with a force. And I'll
tell you what I think, as there been another five
minutes in that game, I think Australia would have sworn

(27:59):
and beaten the Old Blacks. Now it seems to me
that they wore black, seemed to run out of pump.
They looked tired at the end, up for sixteen minutes,
they looked very tired.

Speaker 7 (28:13):
They looked as.

Speaker 21 (28:14):
Though that were not very hardly make. But ring Damien
McKenzie off the bench and said we can drive Corse
onto the final part of this game.

Speaker 2 (28:27):
Jeff yep, Jeff, I totally agree. I totally agree, and
I'm pleased to see him there because they didn't have
to pick him once they decided he wasn't going to
play first five. They didn't have to pick him in
the reserves. You know, they could have gone a couple
of different ways in there. They could have picked the
likes of Harry Plummer, given him another run off the
bench as a specialist first five, although he also plays
a bit of second five as well and can kick goals.

(28:50):
I'm glad Damien McKenzie is there. You know, if you're
wanting impact, and that's what they're calling the bench these days,
the impact segments of the team, then the players who
do come off the bench have to be game changes. Yes,
sometimes they're also players who can come on and tighten
things up for you. And that's why the discussion around

(29:10):
half back so fascinating to me, especially at the moment
with t J. Petanatta and Cortez Latimer, I think once
cam roy Gart's fit, then he's basically your nine in
the same fashion that Aaron Smith was for so long.
He's your starter and then you decide what you do
off the bench. But you know Ras is tinkered with
TJ and Cortez a lot. Both have started, both have

(29:31):
come off the bench tonight. It's DJ who starts and
Cortez who adds the impact. You have to work out
what you want from those guys in Jerseys sixteen through
twenty three and maybe for the next little while. Anyway,
Damien Mackenzie's part to play in this team is in
the twenty three jumper and there's absolutely nothing wrong with that.
It's a twenty three man game and he may add

(29:53):
more value in that jumper than he does in the
ten twelve thirty nine News talk to here b we'll
get another breakaway. Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
we're back of more your calls right after this on
Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (30:06):
Which is ready are you lave? From Wellington sky Stadium
ahead of All Blacks v.

Speaker 19 (30:10):
Australia.

Speaker 1 (30:11):
It's Weekend Sport with Jason Vine and GJ. Gardner homes
New Zealand's most trusted home builder.

Speaker 2 (30:17):
News Talks MB eighteen Away from One News talksb OH
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty is our number on text.
I wish Harry Plumber could get a start. I've rated
him for years, says Murray. Great utility player if necessary too,
great kicker, fast and strong. Give him a start, I say, Murray,
you might get your wish against Japan. It may well
be that they go with Plumber against Japan. That's the

(30:39):
next Test match after this one. Just excuse the noise
in the background, they're just practicing the national anthems here
at sky Stadium. That My big curiosity is who starts
the Test match after that? Who is handed the first
five jersey And the first Test match of the real
Northern Tour, which is against England at Twickenham on the
third of November. That will be extremely instructive. Paul, thanks

(31:02):
for calling. How are you?

Speaker 11 (31:04):
You could thank you?

Speaker 20 (31:05):
Ponier.

Speaker 11 (31:06):
I agree with you. I agree with you from a
point of view. I wouldn't have an all black side
without uh, you know, Damien in there. But for me,
I also agree with the fact that the number twenty three,
but he's soon the dynamic and he's probably the most
impact player coming off the bench, and he also covers,

(31:28):
you know, those back line roles, so he is a
frontman for utility and he's most as I say, he's
the most impact play when he comes on. But I also, yeah,
I agree with Carlos Spencer. But however, you know, if
they did have to scrumb up and you know, you know,
playing to these strengths and like Carlos Spency and others

(31:53):
have played in the past where their number teens haven't
been given their time, I still think there's that role
for Damien that number team still exists. But right now,
you know, he's still tinkering with their Ford pack and
there's no continuity the or strengths for a number ten

(32:13):
to be given at US. Doman mckinna, you know, the
one coming on probably has that experience. But yeah, what
do you think?

Speaker 2 (32:22):
Yeah, look, I I'm just trying to reconcile it all
of my own headed paulers as to who plays, where
as to whether what we see tonight Boden at ten,
Damian McKenzie in the twenty three jumper is what we're
going to see moving forward for the big Test matches
at the back end of the year, and I get
the feeling that we might. I get the feeling that
for those Test matches at the back end of this year,

(32:45):
which are tough Man England, Ireland, France and three consecutive weekends,
that's like, as I said last week, that's like playing
a that's like playing a World Cup quarter or a
semi in a final three big Test matches. So will
they go with the same first five for all three?
I think they probably will. But who will it be?

(33:06):
I think it'll be Boden, That's my view. And I,
as I said before, I really like the idea of
Damien McKenzie's skill set coming off the All Blacks bench.
It just feels like a good fit. The stuff he
can do, the stuff we know he can do, the
stuff he's done in a Chief Jersey so often and
on occasion to it in all Blacks jersey. I just

(33:28):
we can't lose that. It's what is the best use
of it. Good to chat, Paul, Thanks for calling through, mate.
Hello Phil.

Speaker 7 (33:37):
Hone, how are you?

Speaker 2 (33:39):
I'm good? Thank you? Phil? How are you mate?

Speaker 13 (33:41):
Yeah?

Speaker 22 (33:42):
I good?

Speaker 7 (33:42):
Thinking how are you right now at the all beacks? I
think you know, to be honest to us, see, I
don't think they cut the right you know bason for
the first wife at the moment, someone who can control
the king and someone who knows exactly the direction of

(34:04):
the caing, you know, the way Daniel Cutter used to
play a fish wife. I think that sort of a
player that we need someone like that to run the
theorbat first five.

Speaker 2 (34:17):
Yeah. Well I'm sure we'd all love Yeah, we'd love
another Daniel Carter. Yeah, it's a high Barder wasn't it
was such an exceptional player. So yeah, what about Richie Wonger.
Let's say he was available? What do you have him
in there?

Speaker 7 (34:29):
Oh yeah, I'm having that. Yeah, I'd having He's much
better than these two first wives. I think he cut
the Yeah, I mean he cut the direction of the
of the team that just like Daniel Cutter used to do.
But can see I think it's a little bit sort
of a super you know, first wife or that sort

(34:52):
of start is playing is like playing seven a side rugby,
not the way it's the fifteen. Yeah, to be honest,
we'll see that's my points.

Speaker 2 (35:00):
But that's me no, Phil, that's what it's all about.
I'm glad you've called it through. Look and you're a
and you will be shared by a lot of people.
I mean, we were spoiled with Daniel Carter, won't we.
We were spoiled with his exceptional rugby brain, his range
of skills. You know, Boden Barrett though I think it
is in his prime and that might still be now

(35:22):
on occasion too. Look at the second Test against England
when he came off and basically changed the game for us.
But Boden Barrett and his prime was the best first
five in the world. So was Dan Carter. Everyone agreed
with that. We've had. I mean, we've had some incredible
first five at Carlos Spencer, Andrew Mertens, you know, Richie
mu Wonga rate him extremely highly, had a chance to
was at a lunch yesterday Grant Fox was speaking out

(35:45):
what a player he was back end of the eighties
into the nineties. We've been spoiled and I think because
of that, we always and because it's such an important position,
it is worth discussing. Discussing it is always a live
discussion and we get more calls on this sort of thing.
Than we get on a lot of things. Speaking of which,
let's get another breakaway back with more in a moment

(36:06):
twelve Away from One News talk.

Speaker 1 (36:11):
From breaking Down the Hail Mary's and the Epic Fails,
Weekend Sports with Jason Pine, Newstalk DOZMB.

Speaker 2 (36:20):
Night and a half to one Back to the Fines.
Could I cane.

Speaker 20 (36:25):
O per mate? Yeah, I really hopefully everyone has enjoyed
the moment and the game to home. It should be
a good game looking forward to it. You know, described
them as being material and there was no one now
small material than the great King Carlos.

Speaker 2 (36:43):
Yeah, what a player. I used to love watching Carlos play.

Speaker 20 (36:45):
Yeah, he's so good. He would he would he would
be able to play in any air of walback rugby,
is how good he was. He'd be able to adapt. Yeah,
quite a talks about the making. At the end of
the day. I think he's going to be there twenty
twenty seven World Cup Limited the week place. He's gonna
be like a part of the especially the attacking side

(37:07):
of the All Blacks going forward. And it's already you
need to probably probably needs no harm in a bit
of arrest. But two things I think the lack of
their twenty minutes at the desk at the end of
the game. I think I Ruin's talking about number ten.
What about a captain is pretty quiet lower. I don't

(37:27):
know if he's in the same lines as Buckshelf and
that would really you know, get into this team. But
he seems captains are getting away a little bit here
when I've known captains always get the bront of it.
But but he talking about the impact off the bench. See,
A real impact to me would look like h a

(37:49):
six two split the two with I'd have two backs,
six forwards, so six two in your and your your
back would be your backs would be Hope and Todd.
No Hope and Todd, another half back and Proctor although
Proctor can now start as he's Jeordie's injured, so Property
could probably start. So he would bring in another back

(38:11):
with v Aob or whoever. But but but but real
impact is the forwards is what South Africa are doing.
And we've got the guns. Actually you can have you
can have Tossy oh sorry to mighty williams Omar and
Tossi and then they've got a lock and Tupua and

(38:36):
then so what said that it's for yeah, a.

Speaker 2 (38:38):
Couple of three, Yeah, a couple of lusies in there
as well. Kane. Yeah, look, I I know whether they
go with a six two split at some stage it
feels unlikely. It feels unlikely, And like I say, I
would still have Damian McKenzie as part of my twenty
three every day of the week. It's just a matter
of where what role does he play, and I think

(38:59):
that's what they just have to work out. I agree
with you, Kane. Damian McKenzie will be at the twenty
twenty seven Rugby will can't provided he stays in New Zealand.
What is his best use and if his best juice
is wearing twenty three, then so be it and good
on them. That might be the best use of dmac
in the in the Reign of Razor. Final word, that's

(39:22):
our Chris. What do you got for us?

Speaker 1 (39:24):
Yeah?

Speaker 15 (39:24):
Yeah, finally, I mean I usually ring about cricket, but
I'll tell you what, by the time they get through India,
I might be ringing about cricket for a long time.

Speaker 2 (39:31):
But what a what a couple of days, What a
couple of days against ra Lanka. It hasn't been great
viewing Chris.

Speaker 15 (39:38):
No and and an unusual body laps by our fielding
when we're when we're when we're world classed. But however,
let's let's move on. I hope it rains and gold
for three days.

Speaker 2 (39:47):
Yes, maybe, yeah.

Speaker 15 (39:48):
And look, I just want to come from another angle
with with Razor. Razor played with and coach probably three
of the three of the greatest five eighths of the
professional era. He played aid for Canabry and the Crusaders,
and Andrew Mertins he he uh played with and with,

(40:16):
and he coached Dan Carter at Canay, not not the Crusaders.
He coached Dan Carter when he was still playing for
Cantery and then and then he coached Richie Manger. And
I think you know, he hasn't at this stage. He
doesn't think that Dave McKenzie is as good as those three.
And he's been used to those three and he's just
got to take him at the time and say, look

(40:37):
bye the bullet. That sort of class isn't there, with
exception Bowden Barrett.

Speaker 4 (40:42):
What do you think?

Speaker 2 (40:43):
Yeah, well, I think I think Scott Robertson absolutely wants
Richie Mwonga back. He calls him as quarterback. That's that's
the way he describes them. And and look, you make
a great point. He knows he knows about first fives
from the guys that you've just mentioned really really you know,

(41:04):
top quality, top of their game players. Look, I just
honestly believe that Razor will be doing everything he can
to get Richie Mounger back, and from what you're here
around the place, that will happen midway through next year,
that he'll play another season in Japan and then get

(41:24):
out of his last year. And I think you'll see
at this time next year Richie Morna in a black
jersey John Eels After one.

Speaker 1 (41:33):
Your Home of Sport Lay from Wellington sky Stadium. It's
Weekends Forward with Jason Lay at US Talk ZMB here.

Speaker 2 (41:41):
Welcome back into the show. Seven past one. I want
to be six hours away from kickoff. Come into your
life from sky Stadium. It's clouded over just a little
bit here in Wellington, but still absolutely nice sign of rain.
The wind, well I mean at sky Stadium, as you
may well know have if you've spent any time here,
the wind tends to swirl around a little bit. It's coming,

(42:02):
I believe from the North today, but you wouldn't really know.
And here went down on the grass before the show started,
and yeah, you kind of get he don't get any
idea at all. Really, suffice to say it's not strong
enough to have any impact on the game tonight. The
conditions will be pretty good. No rain in the forecast
and the wind if anything, set to die down, so

(42:23):
we should have really good conditions for the game tonight.
It sold out crowd and prospect. A lot of people
in Wellington. I can tell you're driving here this morning.
A lot of people around for the rugby. A bunch
of Australian fans have made the trip by the looks
of it, and by the green and gold I saw around.
The other thing is happening in Wellington across this weekend
and at the moment is the world of Wearable Arts.

(42:45):
So there are a heap of people in the capitol,
which is great to see. It has been a bit
of a struggle for those in the capitol in recent times,
particularly those in retail and hospitality, so great to see
them getting a boost across this weekend. Long mate continue
eight past one. John Eels in just a moment the
greatest waller Bey ever, I think he's got a pretty

(43:06):
strong case, hasn't he. John Eels and a man who
broke our hearts on more than one occasion, including famously
here at sky Stadium in the year two thousand. First
ever Test match that was played here at sky Stadium
ended with John Eels potting a penalty with relative ease
down at the City end of the ground and winning

(43:27):
the game for his team and holding onto the Bledisloe Cup.
So he's standing by to have a chat to us
about that, about his battles with the All Blacks, and
about the current Wallaby side, Adam Peacock of it. Later on,
time for your calls as well. We couldn't get everybody
on the air before one, so we'll open the lines again.
Eight hundred and eighty ten eighty as always is the number.
Just updating some live sport for you. Farah Palmer Cup

(43:48):
semi finals today Premiership semi finals. These are counties Manical
hosting Canterbury in Pokercoe early in the second half. Canterbury
League twenty four points to nineteen and that one why
Cuttor and Auckland underway at two thirty five this afternoon
and a bit of National League football as well the
men's and women's national leagues have begun. To date. West

(44:09):
Coast Rangers are with a four nil lead over Central
Football early in the first half or rather second half
of their match in Canterbury United Pride too one ahead
of the Wellington Phoenix reserves again early in the second
half of that particular game. We'll keep you updated with
all of the live sport across the afternoon here on
News Talks Hedbat. But let's bring in a true Wallaby's legend.

(44:30):
John Eels eighty six Test matches in Green and Gold,
fifty five of those as Wallaby's captain, Rugby World Cup
winner in nineteen ninety nine and again in nineteen ninety
one and again in nineteen ninety nine, the best lock
and in the eyes of many the best players player
in the world. For a decade. Under his captaincy, the

(44:51):
Wallabies became the number one rugby team in the world.
In nineteen ninety eight, he lifted the Letterslow Cup as
the Wallabies of that year became the first Australian side
since nineteen twenty nine to beat the All Blacks three
nil in a series. Under his stewart ship, Australia also
won the Tri Nations for the first time in two
thousand and Among his many honors, he was made a

(45:13):
Member of the Order of Australia for services to Rugby,
inducted into the International Rugby Board Hall of Fame, the
Wallaby Hall of Fame, and the Legends of Australian Sports.
So so many accolades, and as mentioned in the year
two thousand, right here in Wellington he did this.

Speaker 23 (45:32):
How about this for stepping up to the march the
Chinese is he's going to take the catch himself.

Speaker 13 (45:43):
Well he has to because turning mortlocks off the field
and I guess he's the only other goalkicker recognized goalkicker.

Speaker 2 (45:50):
Joe Roth. Perhaps on occasions.

Speaker 23 (46:02):
This kick, well the side the frights of the Brano's
notes where it june Is has kicked has retained a

(46:24):
better Z cut.

Speaker 2 (46:26):
Yeah, that was twenty four years ago. John Iills is
with us on weekend sport. John, I'm sitting here looking
out at the patch of grass on which that happened.
I'm looking at what I reckon is the spot from
which you kicked that winning penalty back in the year
two thousand. Where does that game sit in your memory?

Speaker 6 (46:44):
Banks well, it's it's deep in the memory banks because
it's so long, agoy sadly because it's look at some look. Obviously,
it was a great moment for our team at that time. Yeah,
we had a obviously very good team at the time,
and that week had happened to be me other week,
so there was other people who took up those moments.

(47:06):
But it was a very special moment and a very
special team.

Speaker 2 (47:10):
Yeah, tell us about that Wallaby's team that we remember
so fondly over here, especially the back end of the
nineties and into the two thousands, where you never knew
from week to week who was going to come out
on top between the Wallabies and the All Blacks. What
was so special about that team that you led.

Speaker 6 (47:27):
I think I'll probably put it down job it was
an experienced scene that we did actually have a fair
bit of change through that team through that era, and
because we had very strong systems in the team, I
think we were quite composed in the ways in the
way that we hit it and the way that we

(47:49):
put things together on the field, and the way we
didn't panic when things weren't necessarily going our way.

Speaker 2 (47:57):
So new players coming into the environment were pretty quick
to understand and to grasp what was required. There wasn't
a lot of initiation required for the new players coming
into the environment.

Speaker 12 (48:09):
Now I think that's right.

Speaker 6 (48:10):
People understood what they had to do, they understood their responsibility,
their placing the team, and then we had very strong
patterns of play. But we also were a team that
were smart enough to read the game and what was
in front of us and then adjust to how we
play the game. As a result, you.

Speaker 2 (48:31):
Played the All Blacks twenty times in your career, eleven
wins in those twenty games, so very tightly fought. Obviously,
were they your would you call them your favorite opponent?
Were other games you look forward to the most?

Speaker 6 (48:45):
Now, there are certainly games you'd get nervous about because
they meant more than any other games for Australians. Playing
against New Zealand for the Winterers like Cup, we're in
the big games. But I think you did look forward
to them because the great thing about playing against New
Zealand is they would always back themselves and that backed
themselves to play good rugby, So therefore you knew it

(49:06):
was the game. It's your best rugby against their best rugby.
It wasn't I guess, so was physical when you played them,
but it wasn't quite like playing against the spring Box,
where the spring Box would almost want to win the
physical battle before they'd even consider about winning the game,
whereas the All Blacks would guess physical battle was part
of it, but it was more about how do you

(49:26):
win this game? And they would be trying their best
against our best, so it was always good. And as
it said, over that career as roughly fifty fifty so
it was always very close and.

Speaker 2 (49:39):
Often close matches which were won right near the end.
I look at your very final test on the twenty
nine to twenty six win over the All Blacks Stadium,
Australia two thousand and one TOTALI carefu scoring a late try.
It felt for a while there as though late tries
and late points were the order of the day. Did
it always feel like you had to play for the
eighty minutes sometimes the eighty five?

Speaker 6 (50:01):
Well no, indeed, see All Blacks in sixty or seventy minutes,
you've beat them through an eighty minute effort. You can
never be you can never relax against them, and you
see that all the time. So yeah, we knew it
was going to always come to that, and so we
were ready for that, and we tried to make sure

(50:22):
that we approached it in exactly the same way each time.
And then whether it was the first minute of the
game or the last minute of the game, we had
to focus on the same things, getting the execution of
your basic stuff correct.

Speaker 2 (50:38):
If we fast forward to the present day, what do
you see says that as the Wallabies state of being
right now? How do you assise where they are at
the moment?

Speaker 6 (50:49):
I think they're on a journey towards building the confidence
they need to compete regularly at this high level. They've
got the skills that can match it in the best moments,
but we've got to lock in the downside of our play.
And it's generally not bad minutes. It's not about group
of ten minutes or something. It's just the bad moments

(51:11):
where we're just not where we let ourselves down through
just that breath and gets away for a second now,
or might score a try or Argentina's score a try.
But we're generally competing for most of the games. We
just have to make sure we keep that intensity, keep
the skill level, and therefore keep the pressure on for

(51:32):
the larger components of the game.

Speaker 2 (51:34):
Does that come largely with experience?

Speaker 6 (51:36):
John, A lot of that is experience, the ability to
read certain parts of the game, know what's going on,
and be able to react, but have the composure to
not get worried if something is not quite going your way.

Speaker 2 (51:53):
Do you think Joe Schmid's the right man to take
this team forward?

Speaker 9 (51:58):
Yes?

Speaker 6 (51:59):
I do think he is. I think from a coaching perspective,
is experience dealing with dealing with teams that are trying
to change the way they do things. But also, you
know what he did with Ireland. I think he got
a lot out of a system that wasn't necessarily the

(52:22):
deepest system in the world, and I think he helped
create a very strong structure that then was reliable for
developing players to come in and step into that structure.
Now he's starting from early stages with the Wallabies that
I think he's the right person to be leading this
this drive.

Speaker 2 (52:42):
All right, And just to finish, what would you like
to see from the wallabiests tonight? You mentioned before, you know,
the big moments and maybe the moments where they don't
quite get to the level that they need to be.
What are you hoping to see from the Wallabies and
Wellington tonight?

Speaker 6 (52:59):
What I hope to see is consistency and just building
on building on the performance of last week, and just
less of those bad moments where they let the All
Blacks in. Like if you start well, the Wallabies came
back into the game, they showed a lot of character,

(53:20):
a lot of courage, commitment and skill. So making sure
that they can show that from the start. I'll give
you one example. I think there was three or four
I can't remember exactly. You'll probably be able to correct me.
Three or four lineouts that we lost attacking lineouts in
the All Blacks twenty two through the game. I mean,
that's a classic example of a moment where you've got

(53:43):
an opportunity to turn the screws and apply pressure. So
if the opposition knows that that's fifty to fifty ball
in those moments, well they're not going to feel the
same pressure. Now, all teams struggle to some extent under pressure.
The Wallabies have to learn to build and apply that
pressure for longer periods of time.

Speaker 2 (54:06):
Fascinating time for rugby on both sides of the Tasman John,
you broke our hearts on more than one occasion, particularly
here in Wellington. We're on broadcasting today. Really appreciate you
taking the time for a chat this afternoon.

Speaker 6 (54:17):
Thanks, it's a pleasure and I hope it's a great
game out there today.

Speaker 2 (54:21):
Yeah, we hope so too, John. Thanks. Indeed, John Eels
there Wallaby's legend. They used to call them nobody, didn't
they because Nobody's perfect. What a terrific nickname, and what
a player just generational and I think the greatest Wallabies
player ever. One on news talks there began open the

(54:41):
lines again. Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty. Any
aspect on the game tonight you want to pick up
on If you were at that game in two thousand,
the very first Test matches I've said to be played
at this arena. Were you here when John Eels broke
our hearts? Janus on text, Jason, my dad and I
were there at that two thousand game. We knew the

(55:02):
kick was going over. The second John Eels kicked it,
it was headed straight for us. Thanks Jennie. Yeah, I
remember Jonathan Caplan was the referee, the South African good referee,
but as he was leaving the field, I remember there
was quite the controversy because he was pelted with some

(55:24):
plastic bottles. I mean, it wasn't his fault, It wasn't
Jonathan Caplan's fault that John Eiles kicked the penalty. I
think what they were a little bit annoyed about the crowd,
not that it's any justification for throwing things, but I
think what they were annoyed about was the fact that
there was so much time outed on at the end
and the All Blacks gave away a couple of I

(55:46):
don't remember the exact detail, but I remember there was
a line out throw that didn't hit its mark and
Astraighta got their hands on the ball and then New
Zealand tried to get it back and they were penalizing.
That's when John Yills kicked it. There was a bit
of controversy around as far as the end of the
game was concerned. But yeah, Jonathan Caplan, yeah, the referee

(56:07):
pelted John says. I honestly believe what John Eils did
that day taking that kick was the best piece of
captaincy I've ever seen in any sport. Ever. He stood
up and took ownership rather than letting someone else take
the blame if they missed. I'm key we threw and through.
But Eels is allegiant. Totally agree, John, How are your

(56:27):
funn Oh good.

Speaker 16 (56:29):
Thanks Pioneer. Yeah, just a couple of things made and
I've set for a few mates and all that I
like in this new era under Scott Robinson, and I
throw it back to the whole start of Laurie Mains's there.
There's a bit of a tough transition, changing trying to

(56:50):
put his blueprint on the cane, trying to develop players,
starting with sort of some yeah, some seniors, trying to
develop players here and there, and I reckon in four
years time, we'll see, we'll see what Scott Robinson's done.

(57:11):
I really do think liking it to Laury Mainzer's there
with the all Blackton and I think it's going to
be pretty positive. And in four years time, I really do.

Speaker 2 (57:22):
Look for I love the comparison. Yeah, Laurie took over
what nineteen ninety two, didn't he and he brought a
lot of new guys into that team. You know, I
remember there was a there was talk at the time
that it was you know, he brought a couple of
Otago guys and the likes of Jamie Joseph and Aaron
Aaron Penney. But then you know, he he also brought
some other terrific players into that team, Frank Buntz, you know,

(57:46):
and then later on Jonah of course, Josh Cronfeld and
Andrew Martins, although they were later in the piece. But yeah,
it's some it's a journey, as they say, and isn't
it a journey?

Speaker 16 (57:56):
Well yeah, you know, yes, sort of them of one
massive error, you know, Bozzy and the Hanson and Henry
the same systems and plates were so long, and then
changing the mindset of those players that have.

Speaker 20 (58:10):
Played under those bullers for so long and that.

Speaker 16 (58:13):
But in just the second point before I go the
what I feels really killed the all Blacks or brought
and brought everyone else up to our level and the
South Africans manipulated better than everyone. It's this whole bomb
squad thing, the twenty three. It's you know, it's bicycle

(58:37):
that the bomb squad comes on. Someone from the bomb
squad goes down and then they're able to give give
one of their big massive props or locked so they're
able to put them on the field. End after five
or ten minutes after the bomb squad has done their job,
and the English did that no better better than anyone

(59:00):
in the tests against the All Blacks over here. When
if you remember that Topey Smith went toss for ten
to fifteen minute rest in that final period, just before
that final period, and then someone conveniently got injured and
he came on for that last ten minutes fresh as
a bloody daisy.

Speaker 2 (59:18):
You reckon, that's premeditated, Yeah, it's manipulated.

Speaker 16 (59:22):
Why should you be allowed to sub four or five
players love being subbed? You bring the bomb squad on
and then someone from the bomb squad goes down and
then you can bring the bloody that same prop on
who's had ten to fifteen minutes rest. To me, it's like,
well you've used your sub you can't bring someone else

(59:44):
on in that position, or you shouldn't be able to
bring someone else on at all.

Speaker 7 (59:48):
The South he.

Speaker 16 (59:49):
Cans manipulate that better than anyone.

Speaker 20 (59:53):
It's a yeah, it's fascicle.

Speaker 2 (59:56):
Yeah, but as you know, you know you've got if
a front rower goes off, and if it is a
genuine injury, which I think you're suggesting it might not be,
you know you've got to bring a front right back
on so you can have scrumb But yeah, it's an
interesting point you make if you think it's premeditated that
the bottom squad go on and then members of that
bombs quite actually decide that they'll they'll go back off
again and you bring on your starter again, Jeeves. That

(01:00:19):
is getting deep into the deep, into the premeditation of things.
Good to chat to you, mate, Thanks for calling through
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty one to twenty five.
Will take a break when we come back. More of
your calls. Adam Peacock from Australia. Before two.

Speaker 1 (01:00:33):
Play from Wellington sky Stadium on your home of Sports
Weekend Sport with Jason Fine and GJ gar No Homes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder News talks'd.

Speaker 2 (01:00:43):
Be coming up one twenty nine, broadcasting live from sky
Stadium where tonight it's seven it's the All Blacks against
Australia final match of the Rugby Championship. Taking some calls, Cameron,
how are you it takes fining yourself? Very good mate,
Looking forward to tonight, Yeah, no, I've.

Speaker 12 (01:01:00):
Been a long time since.

Speaker 24 (01:01:01):
I really look forward to a Blair slow Cup Test,
you know, like I mean, they've been silly one sided
up until just three, so haven't they they have?

Speaker 2 (01:01:09):
Do you think tonight might be as tight as it
was last week? I kind of thought, well, I guess
my my pregame thought is that the All Black should
win at thirteen plus tonight. Do you reckon it'll be
another tight one?

Speaker 1 (01:01:19):
Well?

Speaker 24 (01:01:19):
I think the Australia has probably realized they made some
mistakes early on and that you know.

Speaker 6 (01:01:24):
They obviously falling off some airly simple tackles in.

Speaker 24 (01:01:26):
That first test early on, and I think they will
be Joe Schmidt will have them primed and ready to go. Yeah,
Pops for my court party was I just want to
thank you for that John Eels interview. He's he's very inspirational,
isn't he. You don't hear a lot of them anymore
on the on TV radio, And I'm not sure what
he's doing now. I'm assuming he's not involved in rugby,

(01:01:48):
but he's very inspirational captain.

Speaker 2 (01:01:51):
Yeah, I remember when he was, Yeah, when he used
to lead that team. And you imagine those players looking
as they as they prepared to walk out onto the grass,
seeing that big number five on his massive back about
to lead them. It would just I think he just
improved everybody in the team.

Speaker 24 (01:02:11):
Yeah, I mean like being a lock. He was literally
and cigarettively the glue that held the team together, wasn't he?

Speaker 6 (01:02:17):
You know?

Speaker 2 (01:02:18):
Yeah, he really was. And yeah, I don't I don't
know what he's doing these days, Cameron, As far as
as a job as concerned, you think that if he
was available in some capacity for Rugby Australia he would be.
I mean they've got the likes of Phil war and
Joe Roff and others involved over there. Who were you know,
players who played alongside John Eills. I'm sure they invite

(01:02:38):
him and on occasion to address the troops. But yeah,
I'm not sure whether he has any official official role
with Rugby Australia. But I'll tell you what, if Ole
was in charge, I'll be getting him in there somehow.

Speaker 7 (01:02:51):
Yeah.

Speaker 24 (01:02:51):
One hundredsent agree.

Speaker 2 (01:02:52):
Good on your mate, Thanks for calling through, Cameron, and
enjoy the game tonight, mate. In some ways, I hope
it is close. We all like a contest. But I
also hope that the All Blacks give us an eighty
minutes performance. An eighty minutes performance. We've seen it in glimpse.
What about the first fifteen minutes last week? Even if
they do that for an hour? Waits she longer than

(01:03:14):
an hour because we want to see some points after
the sixty minute mark, so we can get rid of
this narrative.

Speaker 22 (01:03:20):
Hello ed Hi, how you Dan? I like you, shay mate.
I'm going to take an upset now. I'm taking Australia
hit first try.

Speaker 2 (01:03:28):
The first try tonight by the Australians. Yeah, I guess that,
so I reckon they'll start, they'll start fast. I guess
it's not really enough. I thought you were to say Australia,
we're going to win the game head.

Speaker 22 (01:03:38):
Well, I'm pretty sure it could do it. You know,
we haven't really had a good captain and the team
to lead the forward from the team. That's what's lacking
the all for that team as them. You're a decent captain,
I mean, like seeing what worked up was very good.
Richie was good. We haven't going to captain no leadership
and the rugby team.

Speaker 15 (01:03:56):
I think, Yeah, I.

Speaker 2 (01:03:58):
Think he's be as well regarded. I think he's well
regarded within the team. He's not like an outwardly emotional character.
Scott Barrett, but I think he's very much he leads
by actions rather than words.

Speaker 22 (01:04:11):
I guess you'd say he's seeing too old to be
a cat. They need to blood a new captain here
and keep the game going forward.

Speaker 2 (01:04:18):
We've only just got the job.

Speaker 22 (01:04:19):
He's only got the job. You're not burma job losing.
Holy he's not durm a job.

Speaker 2 (01:04:29):
I think he's gone. I think he's I haven't haven't
really expressed any concern or since any concern about his captaincy.
But interesting that you have it. Interesting and I mean
you're from that part of the world by the sounds
of it.

Speaker 22 (01:04:42):
Yeah, yeah, I've seen you think that. Hey, listen, Sam
White Club was brilliant. You know they couldn't listen him
so much before that. Yeah, and just not doing my
job up front and all the backs. How the hell
are we going to beat Australia. Last I bet put
a bed on what we'd beat Australia by thirty points

(01:05:05):
out by thirty and I've lost my bet because the
Australia came up to just about beep from you for
your points shot wiped out real quick.

Speaker 2 (01:05:16):
Look, I hope From an all Blake's point of view,
that the All Blake's win tonight. But I actually chucked
that fiver on the first try for Australia and yeah,
and I'll hope that happens, but then I hope we
run over the top of them. Good to get you mate,
Thanks for calling through. How are you Bruce?

Speaker 8 (01:05:32):
Yeah, well, thank you. Find it was great to here Johnny.
It was one of the remarkable features about him, where
it was his humility when that last you know, he
lost some crashing games and he always came out and
spoke so well. And one of the things I realized
at the Test in Wellington where he kicked that pin audio,
I feel like I was sitting right be hot in

(01:05:54):
line with the ball went over. And the thing I
remember most about that game was that Todd Landeck there
was the captain, never came out and spoke afterwards, clearly
because he was disappointed. I didn't know that, Yeah, And
that was my distinct memory of the game. And Johnny
was had game after game with humility, come out and

(01:06:18):
spoken despite some punishing losses at the end of the
game to the ends of the All Black and in
that game I think it must have been one of
Todd's early games of the Captain. I'm not test, but
he refused to come out and talk, obviously because he
was pretty upset about the results. So he didn't speak.

(01:06:40):
Because in those days they used to come out and
you could hear it in the crowd and then it
wasn't too much, you know, standing in front of a
sponsored product on TV. And he sadly didn't come out
of that game.

Speaker 2 (01:06:53):
Yeah, I mean, I guess it must be hard. Yeah,
it must be hard. It must be hard. But you're right,
if you if you compare it to John Eels, so
as you say, I mean, he just he just seems
like a pretty unique sort of a human being who
just is able to somehow carry himself with dignity and
pride regardless of what's happened in the eighty minutes previous.

Speaker 8 (01:07:11):
Absolutely, and anyway, that was my rich collection of the game.
And I may be doing Blackadder an injustice. He may
have been injured or something may have happened, but it
was my distinct memory of the game having seeing John
Neils come out and front up when he probably was
the last thing he wanted to do, And that truly

(01:07:32):
was the measure of that man.

Speaker 2 (01:07:34):
Yeah, good man, Bruce, thanks mate, yeahow that was yeah.
Two thousand was Todd blackad his first season in full
charge as All Blacks captain. As it turned out, it
was his only season. He kept in the side right
throughout two thousand and had overseen wins over the likes
of Tonga in Scotland before those two incredible Test matches

(01:07:55):
against Australia, the one the match of the century and
then the one we're talking about in Wellington. Good to
chat to you, mate, Juliet, says Jason. I'll be interested
to know who's going to kick goals tonight. Well, to
presuma to be Boden Barrett. He's the only the goalkicker
in the starting fifteen that I can see, and if
he goes off then Damian McKenzie. I presume we'll do it, Juliet,
So I think we'll be okay there. I wouldn't want
both of them to get in. David Hay's in the

(01:08:16):
twenty three? Does he kick goals? Will Jordan? Maybe? Not sure?

Speaker 13 (01:08:20):
Hello?

Speaker 17 (01:08:20):
Christy yeah, hello, hell yeah, I'm here, Jesus, I mind
you hey. I would just like to mention that I
think the All Blacks will put the Wallabies away and
it'll be brutal tonight. The reason being the influence that
Wayne Smith will have on that team and the coach

(01:08:41):
is going to be monumental. Monumental. That guy, Wayne Smith
a's gold. He could go anywhere in the world, name
as price. He's got the X factor that you and
I and a lot of other people in general. He
can see something within players and a game of a
structure that we don't. He's just a genius and I

(01:09:04):
think he's going to have a massive impact working with
Razor and the team this week. And I wouldn't be
surprised if it's an early night for the for the
Wallaby's going home tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:09:18):
I hope you're right. I wonder, Christy, why Wayne Smith
hasn't been there all along? He's been in that role
of a sort of overseeing the high performance aspects of
New Zealand rugby. Yeah, why why has it? Because it
was highly publicized that he's in and around the team
this week? I wonder with a new coach at the Helm, Yeah,
but why hasn't he been there right from the start
with a new coach like Razor at the Helm?

Speaker 17 (01:09:40):
Because he's retired and I'd say he's pretty staunch and
values his retirement.

Speaker 2 (01:09:45):
No, but he's no, he's got official role with New
Zealand Rugby. He's the yeah yeah, yeah, no, good question.

Speaker 25 (01:09:52):
Good question.

Speaker 17 (01:09:54):
That being said, I think Joe Schmidt, if he can
have a great relationship with this Wallaby team at the moment,
they will be extremely dangerous come next World Cup. I
think these the makings of a really strong side once
you get all the pieces together, get that chemistry happening.
And chemistry is a slippery thing. It's either there, it's not.

(01:10:17):
It's either coachable or it's not. Some players can be coached,
some players can't. And once you get that chemistry an
X factor going. But I think Wayne Smith he just
had this X ray vision, he had this, he still
has this incredible golden touch and insight, really humble for it,
quiet and I think my instinct, I think I think

(01:10:40):
he's going to have a massive influence on how the
oven Blacks perform tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:10:45):
Very good one away from.

Speaker 17 (01:10:47):
This young Australian side, because I see massive potential with
him and John Needles was right, you know, once they
get trained to know how to conduct and compose themselves
and work the game out and not panic and play
the full, any minutes, keep going from strength to strength,
they'll be a force to reckon with.

Speaker 2 (01:11:06):
Yeah, and I think we will want that, Christie. I
think we all want that. We want those old days.
Excuse me, I want those old days back. We want
to have a battle, and you know, not not one
like last week where it's just all over the place
and we started well and they weren't defending them. At
the end we couldn't get any points. Those tests of
two thousands more of that, there's what we're after. Good

(01:11:27):
to chat to you, Christy, Chris who wins tonight hopefully
you know it's very you don't have very certain Well.

Speaker 26 (01:11:39):
I talked to you this weekend before the game.

Speaker 2 (01:11:42):
Yes, how was it?

Speaker 14 (01:11:43):
And what a what a phenomenal environment it was as
when us all blacks, we were getting up, all the
pee wee's were going and screaming, but then the Ausies
came back and they were starting to make some noise,
and in the last ten minutes I was like, I've

(01:12:04):
seen this happen before.

Speaker 3 (01:12:06):
That was a popper.

Speaker 7 (01:12:08):
That was the Propper Slitter.

Speaker 14 (01:12:10):
Slow Cup test match. And what I liked about that
was a lot of people back in Jon were saying, oh,
you know, the South Africans butchered the Aussies and we
were closest that African, so we should butcher the Australians.
But the Australians pipe up when they fight against us.

Speaker 27 (01:12:29):
And it was really cool to see what was going
shop a couple of years thousand locals while I was waiting.
Because I throw things and like biskips and stuff. I
don't need dom Vans and the zoo market. So what
happened is there was three of them that put a
scoon on with me. The Aussies are confident after they

(01:12:53):
saw that result, so this is really cool.

Speaker 26 (01:12:58):
The rugby has come back into the spectrum of them
being a weird as a Wallaby, and not that the
that they have the underheaded Jones or Checker. They know
that there's something brewy here.

Speaker 2 (01:13:16):
I hope it continues to brew, Chris. I hope it
continues to brew. A strong Trans Tasman rivalry and uncertainty
from week to week as to who's going to win
is absolutely crucial to rug me down this part of
the world. And as I say that, actually I think
back and it's not as though we've run over the
top of them. Even though we've had the bledislough for

(01:13:36):
so long. That's been based largely on, of course, winning
often just one game. You know, Australia do raise their
game when they play us. Last week was a great
example of that. They'll probably do it again tonight. Even
though they had sixty one on them by Argentina, they
still got within three of beating us last week. Looking

(01:14:00):
forward to the Test match more to come eighteen away
from two. Will cross the Tasman again when we come
back and tattoo our Aussie correspondent Ed Peacock.

Speaker 1 (01:14:11):
Live from the Cake Tin and Wellington. They ate of
all blacks, be Australia. It's weekend Sport with Jason Vine
and GJ. Gunnerholmes, New Zealand's most trusted home builder News
talks be one.

Speaker 2 (01:14:23):
Let's get you across the Tessmonstrating correspondent Ed Peacocks whe
a bleat uslow to this evening Adam to the narrow
defeat last weekend. Give you a bit of optimism the
Wallabies could win tonight.

Speaker 10 (01:14:33):
More optimism than twenty minutes into the game.

Speaker 4 (01:14:35):
Pie It.

Speaker 10 (01:14:37):
The red the balance of the game gave optimism that
Joe Schmid he's not really into noble losses or close losses.
He's in about building something and that twenty minutes obviously
wasn't good enough. They they need to be better than that,
and some set piece is still that they need a
lot of work on. But they're they're things that over
time evolve. It's not like the new coach can go

(01:14:58):
and click a finger, Oh the scrums better? Are the
lineouts better? Like that, there are things that they need
to work on because like maybe the fat brick of
Australian rugby doesn't teach the fundamentals well enough, so when
you get to that stage up against the lead opposition
like the All Blacks are and like the Northern Atmisphere
teams in South Africa, you're going to get exposed. So yeah,
there's there's a little bit more hope at the end

(01:15:20):
of that game than there was minute midway through because
they thought they were watching another all of his all
of his performance that they dished up in Argentina.

Speaker 19 (01:15:28):
For instance, we.

Speaker 2 (01:15:29):
Had David Campezi on the show last weekend on Sunday
and he, I don't know whether this is a theme
that's common. You might know he's not a big fan
of having a non Australian as coach of the Australian
rugby team. Is that a widely held view?

Speaker 10 (01:15:44):
Not by me, not by some fans. But I can
get Campo's point of view because he's put on the jersey,
So I get he might go back to his days
when he was sitting there and he'd rather hear from
someone who knows where he's from, his backstory, all those
things that go into it you take time to pick
up if you're from beyond our boarders, So I get

(01:16:05):
what can post saying it's not I don't think he
means any xenophobia, vite or anything like that. He just
he probably feels that the Australian jersey means more to
an Australian than it does to others, and that goes
the coach as well. But I don't subscribe to that theory.
I'm very much a best person for the job, whether
they be male, female, kiwek Irish, Australian, don't care. And

(01:16:29):
I reckon judgment's up there with one of the best
available options.

Speaker 2 (01:16:32):
All right, we look forward to this afternoon for you,
this evening for us. It's a big day in Australia.
AFL Grand Final Sidney Swan's Brisbane lines at the Melbourne
Cricket Ground. So two non Victorian teams are Swan's slight favorites.

Speaker 10 (01:16:48):
Yeah, yeah, that's been the best side for the majority
of the year. They had a really weird kind of
free quarter point period where they just dropped games for
fun after going undefeated for so long to start the season.
But Brisbane have just shown this tenacity and they got
to a Grand Final last year that this ability in
bigger gains to kind of just stay in it and

(01:17:09):
then be really really good when it counted, So that
that kind of puts the market the squeeze on the market,
I reckon, like if Brisbane didn't get to the Grand Final,
of manner they did, Swans are probably dollar thirty favorites.
But yeah, I can see a tight game especially and
it's it's kind of captured. Sydney has captured Brisbane has

(01:17:31):
captured Melbourne of course, because these two clubs actually started
in Melbourne or know the.

Speaker 20 (01:17:38):
A big part of the club.

Speaker 10 (01:17:39):
It was South Melbourne for Sydney and it was Fitzroy
for Brisbane before mergers and relocations happened for various reasons.
So Yeah, there's a bit of everywhere in the country
kind of involved in this one to day and they're
expecting record ratings on TV for it because of that.

Speaker 2 (01:17:53):
And to the NRL Week three of the finals before
the Grand Final next weekend. The Stormer they're far too
good for the Roosters last night. I actually thought the
Roosters were a good team until I saw them play
Melbourne last night. Any chance to Sharks upset Penrith tonight
or are we storm Panthers next weekend?

Speaker 9 (01:18:11):
Yeah?

Speaker 10 (01:18:11):
About a week ago, Piney or less than a week ago.
After the two games were set, I thought, I can't
see either of these two sides getting closer. If there
was going to be one of them, it was going
to be the Roosters. And I mean, first first tackle
of the game, they lose their starting front rower Lindsay Collins,
with stuffed their rotations up on the bench and you
know Lindsay Collins is He's a world class player, so

(01:18:34):
he dropped out and in the end, I mean Melbourne
were just too good and they picked apart. Melbourne is
so good at picking a deceived weakness of a team
and then really going at it and making him to
a gaping wound and that's what they did yesterday with
Luke Keary in his defense, unable to get the protection
to him, so they blew him apart in the first
half tonight. I can see the same thing happened. Penrith

(01:18:54):
are just so good at being just robotic in what
they do at a million miles an hour and I
don't think Sharks could cope with them. Unfortunately, And just before.

Speaker 2 (01:19:02):
You go, hi, excitement here in New Zealand yesterday with
confirmation that Leam laws And will have a Formula One
drive for the rest of this year and presumably that
he does well, he'll keep the seat next year at
red Ball. This of course is at the expense of
Australian Daniel Ricardo. What's the reaction been on your side
of the Tasman to this.

Speaker 10 (01:19:20):
Yeah, it's nothing to do with Liam Laws And I
don't think there's any shade been thrown at him. It's
not his fault. He's just a good young driver waiting
for an opportunity like Oscar Piastre, like Daniel Ricardo did
back in the day. Purely down to Red Bull and
how they've handled this. It's been an abomination. I think
I think Lean was on your radio station earlier in

(01:19:42):
the week with your breakfast presenter saying that, yeah, I
kind of got wind of this that this was going
to happen two weeks ago. Oh that was the case.
Give Daniel the due course of a proper sendoff when
it happens last weekend in Singapore. Instead, he just kind
of had to guess for himself and then make his
own kind of feelings clear at that Grand Prix, whereas
it was really really average human behavior I thought from

(01:20:08):
the people at Red Bull about not fronting up and
not owning their decision.

Speaker 19 (01:20:12):
Make the decision.

Speaker 10 (01:20:12):
It's fine. The kid's a good driver, obviously, Lamb Lawson.
There's an outside chance that if Sergio Perez drives like
a bustard for the rest of the year, that Lamb
could be elevated into the main Red Bull team because
he's gone into the kind of the junior team. So like,
just own your decision and it's fine. Everyone will get
on And I think Daniel Ricardo would have appreciated that
as well. So that's where all the angst from Australia

(01:20:34):
has come this week, because he's so loved over here.
Daniel Roccardo and will.

Speaker 13 (01:20:38):
Continue to be so yeah, and what knicks for him?

Speaker 2 (01:20:40):
Does he mean he probably won't drive Formula one again?
Will he will he stay in.

Speaker 13 (01:20:43):
A car of some sort.

Speaker 10 (01:20:45):
No, these guys get opportunities to drive here. He'll come
back and drive things like Bathist. That wouldn't be surprised
if he ends up in Indy car and things like that.
There's so many options. He can drive the mine and
he can drive various freelancers, just go around the world
and drive races. Nothing like the thriller and glamour of
Formula One. He apparently had the opportunity to become the

(01:21:07):
reserve driver again of Red Bull and he told him
where to stick it. So I can I can understand
that unless something's changed in the last twenty four hours.
But mate, one thing I know about Daniel Ricardo, he'll
get on with life and he'll be okay. He's done
pretty well for itself. So it's it's not like the
end of the world for him. And it's oh my god,
he's having us written where's He's going to live?

Speaker 11 (01:21:27):
Type thing.

Speaker 10 (01:21:28):
It's just how you treat people, and that's the thing.
And I think Daniel Ricardo's coming come out looking better
out of this than certainly his exposes.

Speaker 2 (01:21:35):
Absolutely right. Hey Adam, always great to chat Australian sport
with you. Thanks for your time this afternoon. We'll do
it again next Saturday.

Speaker 10 (01:21:41):
Kire's piney go to war.

Speaker 2 (01:21:44):
I I those thoughts mate, but to jenty none of
the list. Adam Peacock part of our Saturday Afternoons. Our
Australian corresponded every Saturday about this time on Weekend Sport.
This time is seven away from away from.

Speaker 1 (01:21:57):
Two, analyzing every view from every angle in the sporting world.
Weekend Sport with Jason Pills Talks.

Speaker 2 (01:22:07):
NB four to two updating Pharah Palmer Cup Premiership semi final.
Canterbury have scored two tries in the last three minutes
to get up over Counties Monaco in Pokacoe thirty six
thirty one and earn a place in next weekend's final.
They'll play the winner of the White Cuttle Auckland Storm
match set to get underway around two thirty five. After
two Eddie McGuire, one of the most recognizable voices in

(01:22:30):
the media in Australia, tied very very tightly to AFL
Australian rules football and of the Grand Final this afternoon.
Sydney Swan's Brisbane Lines at the MCG also cover off
NURL Week three of the finals and the black.

Speaker 1 (01:22:45):
Caps counting down to the second Glenislow Coup Test. Live
from sky Stadium, Wellington. It's Weekend Sport with Jason Vine
on your home of Sport News Talks NB.

Speaker 2 (01:22:59):
Yes, Hello and welcome back into the show. At six
past two as we come to your life from sky Stadium,
don't forget Our build up to the Test match to
starts after our use at six, so an hour of
build up between then and kickoff just after seven o'clock.
Elliott Smith as the microphone as always tonight our rugby
editor and lead commentator, joined in the commentary box by

(01:23:19):
Ross Bond. I'll be down sideline trying to get a
close up view. But our build up, as I say,
starts after six o'clock tonight, building towards kickoff just after seven.
This hour, we're going to pivot away from the rugby
just ever so slightly, because there is other sport to
focus on quite a bit of it on the other
side of the Tasman actually AFL Grand Final this afternoon.

(01:23:40):
The biggest day on the Australian sporting calendar. The Melbourne
Cricket Ground will be jam packed for the final between
two non Victorian teams. The Sydney Swans and the Brisbane
Lions are the two grand finalists. Eddie McGuire standing by
to have a chat to us about that. We've got
one of our grand finalists in the NRL. Melbourne Storm

(01:24:02):
fans rejoice. What an absolute slack of the Roosters last night.
Well on the scoreboard it was anyway, presumably it was
on the grass too. Jake Duke out of Fox Sport's
going to break that down for us and it just
feels like an inevitability that it'll be the Panthers who
face them in the final next weekend. But are the
Sharks a chance tonight? We'll cover that off and over

(01:24:24):
in gall I'm struggling to remember a worst couple of
days of Test cricket for New Zealand Sri Lanka six
hundred and two for five declared. We're twenty two for two,
so what's that? A deficit of five hundred and eighty
runs eight first of things, wickets left three days to play.
I mean the winds off the table for us. Can

(01:24:45):
we salvage something in terms of some credibility A draw
Ronnie here are going to break it down for us.
More thoughts coming on the rugby. If you'd like them
to be part of the show, please feel free to
text them through nine two nine two O eight hundred
and eighty ten eighty is and a'mble to call if
you'd like to get through on the phones. But with
the time approaching nine pass two, as we always to

(01:25:06):
do it around about this time, it is time to
bring you up today with the things that may have
escaped your attention. There's a lot of sport going on
at the moment and it's impossible, I'm sure, for you
to keep your eyes.

Speaker 4 (01:25:17):
And he is on all of it.

Speaker 2 (01:25:18):
Andy McDonald has though it's his world famous and cassiaistic feature.
Starting with the Australian National Basketball League season into week
two and the Elawora Hawks spurred on to a win
over the Brisbane Bullets by their star Trey Kel.

Speaker 13 (01:25:34):
I'll give it to Trey, call and get out of
the eight. Then they get over that thirty eight point mark,
the highest scoring first quarter of all of US season.
Here is California.

Speaker 2 (01:25:45):
Wall He's giving them hell at the Elaora Hawks won
thirteen to one oh one over the Bullets. In the
NFL American Football, the Dallas Cowboys picking up a win
over Division rivals the New York Giants, second year out
of North Dakota State.

Speaker 13 (01:26:01):
To the sideline, here goes Lamb, you get string on
the inside, Lamb.

Speaker 4 (01:26:07):
What's that?

Speaker 2 (01:26:09):
Twenty fifteen the score to the Cowboys. Meantime, in cricket,
England surging to a big One Day International win over Australia,
giving Mitchell Stark an undesired record wild slapped not for
six but fourth.

Speaker 24 (01:26:28):
What an innings from Liam Livingstone.

Speaker 2 (01:26:30):
Final over goes for twenty eight outstanding from England. England
three twelve for five Australia one hundred and twenty six
all out. As mentioned in the NRL, the Melbourne Storm
are back in the Grand Final forty two away.

Speaker 28 (01:26:46):
Is a bold stunt battle of buns.

Speaker 2 (01:26:48):
To old gadad again melvotstant'st a.

Speaker 28 (01:26:52):
Da Melburn read fidalists Melbourne Are they premiership favorites based
on this?

Speaker 2 (01:27:03):
Yeah? I think they probably are forty eight eighteen as
me and I'm glad you put this in Andy. An
astonishing performance in Booker Coey and the Bunnings MPC last
night with Counties Manekow giving it to the Wellington Lions.
It all goes over from the penalty County's Lunaco for
the first time since nineteen ninety.

Speaker 11 (01:27:26):
Six they have beaten Wellington.

Speaker 10 (01:27:29):
Hold me O Bone Patch at Booker Koey by the.

Speaker 2 (01:27:33):
Astonishing score expressively one points to twelve.

Speaker 1 (01:27:41):
From breaking down the Hail Mary's and the epic weekend
sport with Jason him News Talk ZMB.

Speaker 2 (01:27:50):
I watched that game last night, couldn't believe what I
was seeing. County's Manico absolutely shell lacking the Wellington Lions.
The Lions will still make the quarterfinals obviously, but yeah,
that wasn't their best night at the office. It is
fair to say twelve past two it is the biggest
day on the Australian sporting calendar Australian Rules Football, the

(01:28:13):
AFL Grand Final between these two.

Speaker 23 (01:28:19):
Who they're through to the Grand Final in a show
at their sixth play all the season. This has been
for the Sydney Swans.

Speaker 28 (01:28:31):
Those that were here will never forget what they saw.
Brisbane just had unfinished business.

Speaker 2 (01:28:38):
To attend to at the MC two and they will.

Speaker 28 (01:28:42):
Get their chance next week against the Sidneys.

Speaker 2 (01:28:46):
Thus and next week is today. It is the Sydney
Swans and the Brisbane Line set to do battle at
the iconic Melbourne Cricket Ground four point thirty this afternoon
New Zealand time, two thirty local time in Victoria. It's
a massive pleasure to welcome in a man's synonymous with
AFL and its broadcast coverage in so many different capacities,

(01:29:07):
and a very familiar voice on both sides of the
Tasman Eddie McGuire. Of course, Eddie, welcome to Weekend Sport
on news Talks. He'd be first of all, how unusual
is it to have two non Victorian teams in the
Grand Final.

Speaker 9 (01:29:20):
Well, it's been something that's building over the years. You know,
you go back to nineteen ninety when the Victorian Football
League became the Australian Football League and you know within
two years the West Coast Eagles from Perth had won it.
They wanted again two years later and Adelaide won it
twice within the first nine years, so that all built
up and then the two thousands you had the prism

(01:29:41):
of Lines winning three in a row and I think
there was about five years in a row where there
were two non Victorian teams in it, but it's been
about sixteen years since that happened. But look at the
national competition these days and there's two teams in Queensland,
New South Wales, Western Australia, South Australia. So there's chances
that these teams are going to get there eventually. But
look there there are two great teams that both been

(01:30:01):
last year. Brisbane are unlucky against my boys Collingwood in
the Grand Final, missed by a kick, and the City's
one's been on top of all later basically all year
and have played their final series perfectly, so all set
for a big day.

Speaker 2 (01:30:13):
Indeed, from what I can see, any of the bookies
have the Swan's as slight favorites top half of the
twenty three game regular season. As you say, how heavily
favored would they be to win the flag this afternoon, I.

Speaker 9 (01:30:23):
Look at it and think it's they're heavily favored. As
I said, look, they had a hard hit at and
we just got up in the last second against Greater
Western Sydney in the first qualifying final. But it turns
out that was a great result for them in that
good hit out, had a week's break, then had a
pretty easy puliminary final win against Port Adelaide, which just
tuned them up nicely. Apart from the captain Calam Mills,

(01:30:45):
who's missing with a hamstring injury but has missed a
lot of football this year, they've pretty much got everybody
in the side that they want. They're playing well, they're confident,
they're running on top of the ground, whereas Brisbane have
had a horror year in many ways. They started badly,
they had a number of massive injuries early in the
year and midyear they look like they're completely done cooked

(01:31:05):
and Chris Fagan has done a miraculous job in getting
together re calibrating their side. But they've had to come
from behind and they're two big wins this final series,
massive comebacks, so they either feel like they're invincible and
they can beat anyone, or they might have played their race.
So that's why Sydney, all things being equal, going as favorite,
just on.

Speaker 2 (01:31:24):
The lines finishing fifth, so they'd become what just the
second team after the Western Bulldogs in twenty sixteen to
win the flag from outside the top four. But I
guess youee that basically been playing knockout footy for the
last three weeks. So will that have them in part
a bit match hardened?

Speaker 9 (01:31:38):
Well, it depends which way you want to look at it,
isn't it.

Speaker 6 (01:31:41):
You know, it's either match hardened or.

Speaker 9 (01:31:43):
They're cooked to one or the other. I mean they've
got through relatively unscathed. As they said that, they've lost
a number of star players to knee reconstructions and debilitating
injuries earlier in the year, but subsequently they've been in
a really good form. And you know, it's those things
that they when they take the game on and they
run hard and they believe in themselves. So yeah, you've

(01:32:05):
got both seems going in naturally, if you get through
the Grand Final, you're in pretty good form.

Speaker 2 (01:32:10):
The Swan's humbled by Geelong in the twenty twenty two
final one thirty three fifty two. Goodness, mean, will those
scars still be relevant or will they instead be deeply
motivated to put that right?

Speaker 9 (01:32:21):
I think it could to be honest that they were
the team in the Grand Final was young and they
probably got to a Grand Final ahead of time. So
they've had their humiliation. They've had an extra couple of
years of pre season they've built up and now all
those twenty two year olds are twenty four years of age,
but one hundred and fifty games and their profile, their

(01:32:43):
demographic is perfect at the moment. So you know, whether
it's a motivation or whether it's system growing and realizing
how much they had to do to get themselves right
to play Premiership football, they've been able to do it.
So yeah, there is prepared as you could possibly get.
They're playing great football. They're run and carry, their kicking,
their skill, their aggression. Now they're a really good side.

(01:33:06):
Finished on top of the ladder at the inn of
the Home and I series, you know, with good reason.
So now it's these to lose, to be perfect honess.
The more we think about it, who are the.

Speaker 2 (01:33:15):
Most important players for each of these two sides? Maybe
the favorites for the Norm Smith Medal for Beast on Field.

Speaker 9 (01:33:21):
Well it was the Macanonie, the big ruckman, dissile cutting
his shower for Brisbane. It opens the door for Brodie Grundy, who's,
you know, one of my great friends. He played with
Collingwood and then he had this hiccup where he went
from being the all Australian ruckman, two times best and
first of Collingwood. So after I'd left as president, he
was moved on and then he went to Melbourne and
it was going to be the big story of him

(01:33:42):
and Mexico Wan were going to donate things, and he
got moved on again and it was circumstances more than anything.
He's a wonderful, very highly intelligent, big ruckman who plays
really hard football. Anyway, he's had a great season at
the Sydney Swans, so he'll hit the mcg and know
all about it. He played in the losing Grand Final
side in twenty eight en for Collingwood and you know

(01:34:04):
he's at the peak of his power.

Speaker 17 (01:34:05):
So you could be a Grundy production.

Speaker 9 (01:34:07):
As they say that wins the normal Smith Medal. But
you know they've got that great midfield the Sydney Swans
as well, and Isaac Heeney has been just an enormous
player all year, and Warner and gold and Golding and
all these sorts of players are great. Similarly, for the
Brisbane Lions, if Joe Danaher up forward, who you get
good Joe and bad Joe sometimes within five minutes in
a game. But if he can put it together and

(01:34:29):
make the difference. You know, he'll be a huge component
to the outcome of the match. And Eric hit what
his sort of second tier forward up there. And Harris
Andrews the captain of the side across halfback, who's a
beautiful intercepting mark. So you know they've got winners all
through the place. The midfield generally sets the tone in
a Grand Final, but of a big forward or a

(01:34:49):
big ruckman can dominate, it goes a long way to
winning the premiership.

Speaker 2 (01:34:52):
All right, Just before I get your top for our
listeners here in New Zealand, Diddy, can you just put
into context for us how big a sporting day this
is in Australia.

Speaker 9 (01:35:01):
Well, when you look at it on a world scale,
it's one hundred thousand and if mcg held three hundred thousand,
they would have sold every ticket as well, So it's massive.
Three hundred thousand. Literally people line the parade route. It's
the biggest television event in the country. I've just left
another once year today with twelve hundred people at the Crown.
I hosted the show last night in the Telephone, which

(01:35:23):
raised five and a half million dollars around the football.
You know, the opposition, Channel seven had their TV show
on the night before, we had another show. The night
before that, we had another show, and so it's just dominating.
So and we don't have the rights. They imagine what
would happen if we had the rights, but no, it's
all consuming it is. And I got to the Super
Bowl every year. You know the key weason know what

(01:35:45):
it's like when the All Blacks are playing and it's
a big game or platters like cup or a World
Cup in these days, that's what it's like, and it's
it's just enormous. Katie Perry's singing before the game, so
I think she's getting paid five million dollars and soon
million bucks.

Speaker 20 (01:35:59):
So bad is it?

Speaker 9 (01:36:01):
She actually getting paid more than the players. But it's
going to be it's going to be a huge game.
And because they're from the Queensland and New South Wales,
the whole of Victoria, South Australian, West Australian, Tasmania Northern
Territory watching, So now the other two popular states in
Australia will be all over it. So it'll probably be
the highest runing Grand Final in history.

Speaker 2 (01:36:21):
Okay, who's your pick and by what? Sort of margin.

Speaker 9 (01:36:24):
Well, I'll say Sydney for all the reasons I gave
you before, I'd really like to see Brisbane window. Their
coach Chris Fagan is a wonderful man and he is
just absolutely sensational and he's had a lot of things,
a lot of pressure on him this year and he
deserves He deserves it more than anyone. His eldest coach
and in a I think he's one of the oldest

(01:36:44):
coaches to get to a Grand Final and he's a
wonderful person. I love him to winever, but I think
the Sydney's ones might just have too much.

Speaker 2 (01:36:50):
Hidi, thanks so much for leading us your expertise. That's
been a great pleasure to chet to you. Thanks for
taking the time made Pye Well, that is Idy Maguire
of course, unmistakable voice across so many different platforms as
far as Al is concerned. Who wants to be a millionaire.
Of course he was former the president of Collingwood, head
of Collingwood for a while. They're not in it obviously,

(01:37:12):
as you heard Eddie mentioned. It's the Sydney Swans and
the Brisbane Lines, both of who of course used to
be based in Victoria. The Swans were formerly South Melbourne
and the Brisbane Lines were throwback to the Fitzroy Lions,
so I guess effectively it's something of a home game
for the older fans of these two teams. It just

(01:37:33):
seems so odded to us, doesn't it, relocation of teams
to different states. But yeah, no Victorian side in the
Grand Final, but that one stop at being an absolute
sellout as Eddie mentioned, and the ratings on television are
set to be absolutely huge when the Grand Final gets
underway in just over two hours. Actually, Sidney Swan's Brisbane

(01:37:54):
Lines latest tab odds, I've seen Swan's won seventy five
Brisbane Lines two dollars ten, So that's the thinking. And
I've looked around some of the bookies as well around
the Australian bettings and it's pretty much the same as
you will probably speak. So this one's the best team
right throughout the season and the regular season. The Brisbane
Lions finished fifth, but have made their way all the

(01:38:16):
way through to the Grand Final and maywell way well
win the whole thing. Who knows? Four point thirty this
afternoon two thirty in Victoria, eight hundred and eighty ten
eighty as always as a number ninety two ninety two
if you would prefer to correspond by text if you
hear on the game. We were speaking before two o'clock
about the famous John Eels game here at sky Stadium

(01:38:40):
or Westpac Stadium as it was when it was first built.
I think it was west Pac Trust Stadium in fact,
when it was first built. That game should never have
been lost, as this text amazing. The whole of Wellington
did the blackout. The crowd and the stadium were given
black cards to hold up when the team ran on
one of the best tests I've ever been to, and
this one here from I doesn't say who it's from,

(01:39:02):
but it says I was at that game in two thousand.
It took me seven years before I could stomach going
to an all Blacks game again. That extra time was brutal.
John Eels is still one of the all time greats
for me, though indeed he is. Two twenty three is
the time we'll stay in Australia. When we come back,
we'll change the code and go to NRL. It's week

(01:39:26):
three of the finals. We're in the middle of it.
These are the effectively the semi finals ahead of the
Grand Final next Sunday. Last night, the Storm doing a
number on the Roosters. Tonight the Sharks try and stop
the Panthers. Jake Juke out of Fox Sport's going to
join us after this on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (01:39:41):
Big down to All Blacks v. Australia on your home
of Sports Weekend Sport from Wellington's Sky Studio with Jason
and GJ Gard The homes New Zealand's most trusted home builders.

Speaker 2 (01:39:54):
We can Sport two twenty six, The Melbourne Storm of
thrash the Roosters forty eight to eighteen at Amy Park
to charge into the NRL Grand Final. Half Back Jerome
Hughes a hat trick of tries, stand off Cameron Munster
bagging a brace right at the eight tries to three
in favor of the Melbourne Storm and the big Dance
style face the Panthers all the Sharks. They meet tonight

(01:40:14):
in Penrith to determine the other Grand finalist. Jake Duke
from Spock Sports League is with us. I believe you're
doing the game tonight. Jake will get to that in
the moment. But how comprehensive was this from the Melbourne
Storm last night.

Speaker 8 (01:40:27):
Oh, unbelievable performance from the Melbourne Storm.

Speaker 13 (01:40:30):
Jace to believe in a preliminary final they could win
by what thirty points on.

Speaker 29 (01:40:36):
Just it shows the class of this side, the class
of their spine, the guys that they've invested in heavily
over the past five or six years in Pappenhaus and.

Speaker 13 (01:40:47):
Munster, Hughes and Harry Grant. They were all unbelievable last night.
You know, a hat trick to Jerome Hughes doubles for
Munster and Pappenhaus and Harry Grant was everywhere defensively and
just dictating things through dummy half like they just have
some special, special players and it's a crazy testament to
what Craig Bellamy and the Melbourne Storm have built over

(01:41:09):
so many years now. I think it's Craig Bellamy's tenth
Grand Final in his twenty one years of coaching at
the Melbourne Storm, which is just unheard of in probably
modern sport anywhere in the world really, especially in the
salary cap sport where there is so many restrictions on
players and things like.

Speaker 8 (01:41:26):
That, so.

Speaker 13 (01:41:28):
You just have to take your head of to what
a crazy organization they are and what they how dominant
they've been for so long to kind of dominate the
Roosters like that, who have one of the best rosters
on paper. I know they had some injuries, but you know,
you'd be hard pressed to think Sam Walker and Brendon
Smith could turn around that thirty point kind of mauling
they had last night. Obviously, they did call their way

(01:41:49):
back into it the Roosters. It was a six point
margin there for a little bit string of tries after halftime,
but you kind of got the feeling that the Melbourne
Storm were never really in danger. The Roosters have got
points in them, They've got star players. We know they
can score. But the Storm were just kind of fully
in control of that game from after conceding that first try.
They kind of wrestled back momentum and never really looked

(01:42:11):
like losing.

Speaker 2 (01:42:12):
It's remarkable that, as you say, articulated it brilliantly the Storm.
You know what they've built there. But I mean, the
Roosters aren't a bad team, aren't they what? They were
third in the regular season one sort of sixteen of
their twenty four games. I think it was so not
a bad team. Could they really have done anything else
or were they just purely outclass last night.

Speaker 13 (01:42:33):
I think Melbourne have just been the better side all year.
If you look at their record. They finished four points
clear at the top of the table the Minor Premiership
and they even sacrificed the game at the end there
where they rested all their start players. So you know,
this is a team that was effectively six points clear
of everyone else. They were the best team all season.
The Roosters, you know, they showed all year that they

(01:42:53):
can dominate and score points and then probably are the
best attacking side in the competition. But I think history
has shown now and questions will be asked, the big
questions about that's what won in twenty two games now
against penn and Melbourne that they've lost. Yeah, that they've won,
you know, so they're on an incredible kind of losing
streak coming up against those two sides. So it shows

(01:43:14):
that they have a lot of a flare and attack
and they can flog the teams kind of below them
on the ladder. But when it comes to those really defensive,
gritty efforts against Penrith and Melbourne, there's just something missing.
And now you know, it's only probably going to get harder.
We saw some of the guys that are departing the
club last night in terms of January, Hard Groves, Luke Curry,

(01:43:35):
it's an end of a year at Joseph Sulalii's going
to rugby union, Joey Martin who's going to rugby union
as well. There's four absolute stars there and guys that
have been a part of this Rusters organization for a
long time.

Speaker 20 (01:43:47):
So it's a big kind of rebuilding.

Speaker 13 (01:43:49):
Phase and plenty of questions for Trent Robinson and his
men to answer and how they kind of rebuild this
Rooster's team really, So yeah, there'll be plenty in the
post mortem for them. You know, the Roosters played for premierships.
They're probably argue this year have probably the best ross
on paper in the competition. But yet you know, that's

(01:44:10):
another season where they would probably have expected to be
competing for a title, and so thet'll bit short. So yeah,
not the season they are after and the finish to
a season.

Speaker 2 (01:44:18):
They're after, all right, So the storm into the Grand
Final next Sunday, they await the winner of the Panthers'
Sharks tonight. This seems on paper, Jake as though it'll
be I don't want to say one sided, but certainly
Penrith are heavily favored. Are the Sharks a chance tonight?

Speaker 13 (01:44:35):
Look, anyone's a chance in the game of football, I
guess in a two horse race, you would have to
think something would have to go catastrophically wrong for Penrith
tonight for them not to win. They just such a
dominant team, you know, trying to get into their fifth
Grand Final in a row and win four straight. Team
hasn't been to a five straight Grand finals since I

(01:44:57):
think the rabbit O's team of the late sixties early seventies.
So it just shows you the kind of achievement that
this Penrith side has created. You know, they finished second
on the ladder. They are one of the great teams
in history, so it would take a lot for this
Pronola side to kind of get up and win. But

(01:45:17):
that being said, you know, the pressure's kind of off.
No one expects them to win. All the pressure is
on Penrith. Cronola kind of got the monkey off their
back last week with that finals. Who do where they
won their first final in eight attempts. So yeah, Craig
Fitzgiven didn't want to use the word free throw at
the stumps or a free hit this week, but it
kind of is. You know, no one expects them to win.

(01:45:37):
They can go out there and chance they're arm and
try to build this team and continue its kind of
growth and test yourself against the defending premiers and the
benchmark for the competition for.

Speaker 20 (01:45:49):
A long long time.

Speaker 13 (01:45:49):
But you'd imagine the way Penrith played in that week
one of the finals. They showed us what they're capable
of against that rooster's side.

Speaker 20 (01:45:57):
They've had a week off, they're rested.

Speaker 13 (01:45:58):
Nathan Cleary looks in sublime touch show does Jerome Louisdell,
and Edwards looks to be back to his best in
terms of hiding a bit of an injury towards back
in the season. Isaiaho tonight becomes the most capped Panther
of all time, playing his two hundred and forty third game.
I think it is to Pendith. So plenty of reasons
for the Panthers to perform tonight. You know, they obviously

(01:46:21):
want to extend their season one more week and farewell
guys like James Fisher, Harris, Jerome Lewis, Sinea Taruba guys,
that are off to new clubs next year and have
been a part of this premiership success. So look, you'd
be a brave man to bet against Penrith. But you
know we've seen Cronulla. They're a gritty side, they've got
some workers. Nico Hines's hundredth game tonight, you know, they've

(01:46:44):
got their own reasons to kind of win, and yeah,
it should be an interesting contest.

Speaker 6 (01:46:50):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:46:50):
Well, if we go down the path of of highest likelihood,
and that is that the Panthers win tonight, Let's say
that they do, and do it in recently comfortable fashion.
They still won't be favorite next week, will they? The
Storm have to be favorite after last night and after
the season they've had.

Speaker 13 (01:47:07):
Oh look, I don't know. I think it'll be pretty tight.
Melbourne a big blow today obviously broke in the last
hour or so that Nelson a Sofa Solomona is facing
four to five week suspension for that hit on Lindsay
Collins last night in the first couple of twenty seconds
of the game, So in all likelihood he's not playing
in the Grand Final. It's very unlikely they'll be able

(01:47:29):
to get that down greater enough to miss zero weeks
almost impossible. So they lose Nelson Asofta Solomona, that's a
huge loss. They're not the biggest forward pack in the
competition as it stands. He is kind of their battering
ram for lack of a better word, So losing him
is going to be a big blow for the Melbourne Storm,
especially if Penrith come through unscathed tonight and have guys

(01:47:50):
like Fisher Harris and the Oder and those guys that
have done it for so long Yo as well. So
I don't know. I think if it is Penwrith Melbourne,
I think I think you might find maybe Beendrith will
be the favorites by the time betting goes up in
the next couple of days, because as I said, they've
done freender Row, you know, they just continue to do it.
But wouldn't it be at mouth Water and Clash. You've

(01:48:13):
got Nathan Cleary, who many consider the best half back
in the game versus Jerome Hughes, who has probably been
the best player in the competition this year and is
probably likely to win the Daly m this week. Just
great matchups all across the park. It's probably the Grand
Final we deserve as fans in terms of Melbourne Penrith
and it's kind of a bit of fate and destiny, right,

(01:48:35):
Like you think Melbourne beat Penrith in twenty twenty to
win a Grand Final. Since then Penrith have been dominant
and won three straight. They now meet Melbourne again. You know,
can Melbourne kind of they stopped the dynasy starting a
year early back in twenty twenty, can they be the
ones to kind of end it now? I think that's

(01:48:56):
the Grand Final that most people expect, so but we'll
wait and see. You know, anything can happen in eighty
minutes of football, you know, sendoffs and anything injuries in
the modern game. You know that anything can be twisted
and turned on a dime. So yeah, it should be
an exciting question tonight.

Speaker 2 (01:49:14):
Indeed, all right, I know you're working at for Fox.
When you have eyes on the AFL you an AFL fan.
Will you watch that before you get to work in
the NRL?

Speaker 13 (01:49:22):
Unfortunately, I will watch it. I'll probably have to take
off at half time to get out to a course
stadium tonight, but I'll be keeping an eye on it
listening to on the radio. Yes, AFL fan, I actually
had tickets to go to the Grand Final today, but
I had to work for the league tonight, so you know,
work always takes precent and always a rugby league man first,

(01:49:44):
but become a bit torn today. I live in Sydney
and I do like the Swans, but I grew up
on the Gold Coast, always had a bit of a
soft spot for Brisbane Lyons, A big fan of Charlie Cameron.
So I don't know a little bit torn. Who will
win today? Over to the cracking game and.

Speaker 20 (01:50:02):
You knows.

Speaker 13 (01:50:03):
As a new South Welshman, I just think it's kind
of funny to have no Victorian teams in the AFL
Bet finals.

Speaker 2 (01:50:08):
Yeah, feels very very unusual. Hey, Jake, grag to Jed
has always mate, Thanks.

Speaker 14 (01:50:14):
For taking the time now that's problem Jake, Thank you
all the.

Speaker 2 (01:50:17):
Best, mate, Jake. Jake there from Fox Sports and their
rugby league coverage are regularly contributor to our shows here
on News Talks hereb always good to get his insight
and analysis. So the Melbourne storm into the Grand Final
forty eight eighteen winners over the Sydney Roosters last night comprehensive.
As comprehensive as it looks on the scoreboard. From what
Jake was saying there, Panthers Sharks tonight. Quick look at

(01:50:38):
the odds, Panthers playing a dollar twenty two at our tab,
the Sharks are rank outsiders at four dollars fifty. It
just feels as though the Grand Final that this season
has been setting itself up for. Basically from the last
I don't know, ten weeks of the regular season, it
always felt as though these two, the Storm and the Panthers,
were on a collision course for the Grand Final next week. Yes,

(01:50:59):
the Panthers still have to get past the Coronella Sharks,
and as Jake said, anything can happen in finals football,
but you just get the feeling that Penwrith will have
too much for the Sharks tonight and then we can
really look forward to a mouth watering NRL Grand Final
next Sunday night at around nine thirty New Zealand time,
if it is to be the Storm against the Penrith Panthers.

(01:51:20):
News talks HEREB and Weekend Sport approaching twenty two away
from three coming to your Life from sky Stadium, All Blacks,
Australia tonight for commentary of course on ZEDB Goldsport and
iHeartRadio from just seven o'clock. Our built up starts at six.
But when we come back, we're going to shift our
attention to cricket. A couple of days of Test cricket
that the Black Caps, I'm sure we'll look back on
with a complete lack of fondness. Sri Lanka have totally

(01:51:43):
dominated the first two days of the second cricket Test
in Gaul. Ronnie here are going to break it down
for us when we come back.

Speaker 6 (01:51:50):
The pitch is ready.

Speaker 1 (01:51:51):
Are you live from Wellington sky Stadium ahead of All
Blacks v.

Speaker 19 (01:51:55):
Australia.

Speaker 1 (01:51:56):
It's weekend sport with Jason Vine and GJ Garden Homes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder, News Talks EDB.

Speaker 2 (01:52:03):
News Talks B nineteen away from three the black Hat
trail Sri Lanka by five hundred and eighty runs early
in their first innings after two days of the second
cricket Test at Gaul, Sri Lanka eventually declaring at six
hundred and two for five Dinesh chandeml Comindu Mendus and
Cousol Mendus, all scoring centuries.

Speaker 21 (01:52:26):
Take the ery rute and he joins the company of
the creator, Sir Donald Bradman wed that hate block and
he has declared and that.

Speaker 2 (01:52:38):
Was the moment the captain was waiting for Glenn Phillips,
the best of New Zealand's bowlers with three wickets, and
if six hundred and two for five wasn't bad enough,
New Zealand twenty two for two in reply opened Tom
Latham out for two, his opening partner Devon Conway for nine.
Came Williamson and night watchman a Jazz Patel at the crease.

(01:52:59):
So six hundred and two for five declared plays twenty
two for two after two days. Former Black cap Ronnie
here with us. That's a pretty grim looking scoreboard, Ronnie,
isn't it.

Speaker 13 (01:53:11):
Yeah?

Speaker 7 (01:53:12):
Pretty tough work.

Speaker 25 (01:53:13):
And I think they obviously blew a lot of missed
opportunities with the ball on the first day and in
the field.

Speaker 2 (01:53:20):
Yeah, I mean they're going to be costly, aren't they.
But I don't know what did you make of New
Zealand's bowling effort six hundred and so, I know it's
a flat track and all of that. They didn't take
their opportunities, but could New Zealand have done more with
the ball and in the field.

Speaker 7 (01:53:36):
Definitely in the field.

Speaker 25 (01:53:38):
Yeah, Like I said, with those mischances, it becomes difficult
for bowlers to maintain. I guess the energy and morale
when you see miss chances happening like that, especially in
the first couple of overs when you saw kuner art
they get dropped, and then a couple of the stumpings
and bits and pieces that just starts to deflate you.
And then when you can't get any momentum or pick
up wickets and clumps with new batsmen coming in, then

(01:53:59):
it becomes very difficult. And you just saw guys who
inform for the shril Ankans obviously make make us pay.

Speaker 2 (01:54:07):
In terms of anything that could be done differently with
bowling changes or I mean there's only I know, there's
only certain players available to Tim Southey to use and
you are going to rely heavily on your spinners. But
I look at a guy like Ajas Pttel, who was
really effective, particularly in the second and things of the
first Test with six fur forty one overs none for
one hundred and thirty five. Why was he so much

(01:54:29):
less effective this time around?

Speaker 5 (01:54:32):
Yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 25 (01:54:34):
It did seem that he was obviously bowling where he
had his fast share of rovers, that's for sure, and
I think lend Philip's obviously got a few year as
well as just picking out wickets, But I just I
felt like they just couldn't keep pressure on from both
ends and in terms of age Azz, I think they
just found a method to try and obviously rotate strike,
we'll actually attack him and then yeah, obviously at the
other end, we're just trying to keep pressure on. So

(01:54:55):
just don't mean the bottom partnerships really well. And then yeah,
as soon as they sort of got a roll on,
it just become difficult to sort of break the partnerships.

Speaker 4 (01:55:03):
Really.

Speaker 2 (01:55:04):
I know Willow rourks early in his Test career, but
he was really effective in the first Test as well,
eight wickets across the two innings and that was only
I think thirty five overs across the two innings. No
joy for willow Rock this time again. Was he just
negotiated better by this Lankan batsman this time?

Speaker 7 (01:55:22):
Yeah, I'd say so.

Speaker 25 (01:55:22):
I mean that we were side unseen that first Test,
so that probably count a little bit more. Bounty is
obviously very tall, tall bowler, so yeah, a little bit
more bounce of this Lankans probably didn't. They were affecting
that and then yeah, they did the scouting between between
the two test matches, and I think in terms of

(01:55:44):
management and workload for people that willow rock he's obviously
got probably you know, I think it's at least three
tests in India. So they also balanced that out too.

Speaker 2 (01:55:52):
When you are in the field like that and you're
not getting wickets and the runs are piling up and
you're going a long time between you know, positive moments,
how do you stay energetic? How do you stay up
and about.

Speaker 5 (01:56:06):
Tough?

Speaker 25 (01:56:07):
It's tough that usually guided somewhat by the by the keeper.
He's sort of is the as usually and most teams
are sort of spark plug to keep guys going and
get them around. That's whe obviously where the noise comes
from behind the stumps, so some of lots on Blundle
is pretty crucial that in that sort of space. And
then you just rely on on people like Glenn Phillips,
you know who's energizer bunny to try and produce something

(01:56:30):
in the field or keep guys going. But yeah, it's tough, man.
With the two days worth of bowling almost the best
part of and then you're sending guys out to bat
who have had all that time in the legs, then yeah,
the situation becomes twenty two for two and we're steering
down the barrel.

Speaker 2 (01:56:43):
Really Yeah, So in New Zealand, one's off the table now, Ronnie,
I mean, they're not gonna win it from here. What
chance did you give them of saving some face and
at least getting out of this without a second straight
defeat over there?

Speaker 7 (01:56:58):
Yeah, it's probably. Yes, it's going to be tough.

Speaker 25 (01:57:02):
I think you are expecting guys like King Williamson to
be performing out of a ten out of ten, you know,
is going to soak up a lot of time, a
lot of effort and produce you know, a really big
hundred if not like a double, and then any guy
to support him. And even that only breaks half of
the back of what they've produced in terms of the
first school, first thing schore, you know. So you know
day three they have to be they have to be

(01:57:23):
batting by they have to be batting by stumps in
their first innings if they are to try and save
this test.

Speaker 2 (01:57:28):
Should we be worried about Devon Conway?

Speaker 25 (01:57:31):
Yep, yep, we shouldn't be, Although that's just missile and
the second innings looked a little bit on the first
things rather looked a little bit fifty to fifty. I
don't know if that ball actually carried to the fielder.
So in that regard, I think he's probably a little
bit of bad luck. But when things aren't going away,
these types of things happen. So in the has sort
of situation and how things are going, it's been a

(01:57:52):
little bit lean recently if you look back and see
how things are going. So yeah, he just needs to
find a way to spend some time in the middle
and the runs will essentially start coming. But yeah, it
just seems to be stuck at the stuck at the
wicked and and you know, getting out with our actual
I guess trying to take it to the bowlers.

Speaker 2 (01:58:09):
It's a tough stretch, isn't it too, Ronni? Because after
this what three tests in India, that's not going to
be easy either. It's it's a pretty tough stretch, isn't it.
We need to find I mean, and there were positives
in the first test. Let's not forget that the bowling
I mentioned from Ajas and also will I roll. But yeah,
there's some it's a it's a tough, a tough five
Test tour, isn't it.

Speaker 7 (01:58:28):
Yeah, I just going to to your point there.

Speaker 25 (01:58:30):
I think they probably could only have been another ten
to twenty percent better in the first Test, and they
have won that. You know, in that first innings, if
they've got another twenty or thirty runs and eked it out,
then that last set of day, you know, in only
chasing twenty or thirty, it becomes a lot easier. But
obviously stirring down trying to get sixty with the last
two wickets is pretty difficult to do. So I think
they missed opportunity for the Black Cats was in that
first Test and the first in things where they didn't

(01:58:50):
get a big enough lead. And then obviously, yeah in
the first innings here they've obviously been put to the
sword while there by the shink and batsman. So yeah,
a few positives to take however, you know, Yeah, three
tests against India. You can see how they're performing at
the moment against Dangladesh and it's going to be tough
in their own conditions and the way that they sort
of attack their Test cricket.

Speaker 2 (01:59:10):
Yeah, I don't know.

Speaker 25 (01:59:11):
If they make any changes. I don't know if they
go to the bench then put some other guys in,
But they've got to find a way to be competitive
at least.

Speaker 2 (01:59:17):
Well, great chance for somebody over the next couple of
days to get big runs. As you say, three days
to ban if you like, really at least a couple
of days. I mean, Caine Rtchen they've got you know,
they've got form in terms of spending time with that crease.
I guess if you turn it around, there is an
opportunity for somebody to get a big, big score.

Speaker 25 (01:59:32):
Yet, yeah, you're right, it is, but the wicket's not
been a get easier about on so ech I think
can make it look really easy. But then you can
see obviously when we're banning it, it's a lot more difficult.
When you've got to you know, you've got to try
and hang in there to stumps, and they're starting in
the next day. I mean, I think the best thing
they can do is try and just not worry about
what they've scored now that's done and dusted, and just
try and make sure that they're making every sort of

(01:59:53):
partnership go as long as they can, and try and
make it towards stumps. If we're banning again today and
it's our second innings, then yeah, we're obviously well on
the road to losing this Test within sort of four days.

Speaker 2 (02:00:03):
Indeed, great to chat Ronnie. Thanks for taking our call mate.

Speaker 7 (02:00:07):
That's funny.

Speaker 2 (02:00:08):
All the best mate, Ronnie.

Speaker 12 (02:00:08):
Here are there?

Speaker 2 (02:00:09):
Former black Cap Keen, observer of the game of cricket. Yeah,
it's tough, real tough in New Zealand from here six
hundred and two for five declared, Yeah, the winds off
the table. Let's be realistic about this, twenty two for two.
Cain Williamson there with ajs Pttel who went out as
night watchman at the fall of the second wicket late
on day two. But yeah, Kane's just going to have
to bat and bat and bad. And then you look

(02:00:31):
at the likes of rich and Ravendra, who, let's not
forget you got a double one hundred las summer, didn't
he against an albeit weekend South African side, so knows
how to spend time at the crease and got that
ninety odd in the first Test as well. So in
these conditions has shown an ability to bat for long periods.
You need someone else there as well. Obviously, the likes
of a Darrel Mitchell, Tom Blundell, maybe even a Glenn

(02:00:53):
Phillips to spend a decent amount of time at the
crease over partnerships like like srel Anka. Did you look
at the partnerships that they put together in their innings
and it was just such a long long time between
periods of success for New Zealand. You know, must just
be so demoralizing when you can't pick up up wickets,

(02:01:15):
you know in clumps, when it just takes well, mean,
they got that first one quite early, didn't they. They
were two for one, then one hundred and twenty two
runs for the second wicket, then another nearly one hundred
runs for the third, another one hundred runs for the fourth,
sixty odd until they got their fifth wicket, and then
another one hundred runs before they declared. So century partnerships

(02:01:37):
just dotted right across the Sri Lankan first innings. When
you build partnerships, score mounts and you make it difficult
for your opposition. So play starts on day three at
around four thirty this afternoon in New Zealand. Resume twenty
two for two with Cam Williamson and ajz Ptel together
nine away from three News Talks B.

Speaker 1 (02:01:56):
When's down to the line. You made a call on
eight hundred eighty ten eighty Weekend Sport with Jason Pine
News Talks B.

Speaker 2 (02:02:05):
Six to three just before we le weekends. Boy just
wanted to make mention of Sam Kain, who today becomes
the All Blacks thirteenth Test century. In a bit of
a long and winding road to the century for Sam Kain.
He debuted in twenty twelve, had to bide his time
as Richie McCaw's understudy, then had the unenviable task of
being the guy who took the seven jersey when our
greatest player ever retired. When he and Foster took over,

(02:02:28):
Sam Kane was handed the captaincy again, had to follow
one of our great leaders and Karen Reid. And there's
always this underlying feeling that he didn't absolutely command his
place in the team as McCaw and Red had and
that's never helpful as the captain, especially when you're not winning.
And during the Trials and Tribulations of twenty twenty two,
he was as much escape got as Ian Foster for
the All Blacks' poor performances, but he produced that performance

(02:02:50):
for the ages in the World Cup quarter final last year.
One many people will remember when they remember Sam Caine
in a black jersey. His teammates to a man talk
about his influence in the playing group, his integrity, his professionalism,
and the way he carried himself with dignity and pride
even when things weren't going so well on the field.

(02:03:11):
He deserves his moment tonight and his place in an
exclusive club. Understand there'll be a presentation to Sam Kine
after the final whistle tonight as he becomes All Black
Centurion number thirteen. That is us on Weekend Sport for today,
we're back after six building towards a kick off at
seven o'clock here at Sky Stadium. Huge thanks for listening in.

(02:03:33):
Big thanks to Andy McDonald for producing the show. What
have you gone with for an exit song today? Andy? Yeah, Well, Poney,
it's you. It is quite an important song, obviously.

Speaker 30 (02:03:41):
It's We had the untimely news stay of the death
of Maggie Smith, who famously played Violet Crawley in one
of the great television series, Downton Abbey. So I've chosen
the theme song for Downton Abbey just to remember Maggie
Smith by.

Speaker 2 (02:03:55):
It's a good one too. We'll see you tonight at
six Tim Beverage After three

Speaker 1 (02:04:34):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks it be weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio

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