New Zealand’s men’s American Football team, the Iron Blacks, is facing one of the biggest fixtures in their history.
They’re one of three teams facing Australia in the Festival of Football this weekend, and will be looking to overturn last year’s agonising 20-16 defeat on the Gold Coast.
Head Coach Harry Siono told Piney the result’s been a huge motivation for those who played last year, as well as the coaches and staff who were around at the time.
He says they have a fairly young squad, with 18 debutants, so this match is a bit more personal for them than it is to most people there.
LISTEN ABOVE
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Listen
Watch
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
On today internationally in New Zealand, because the New Zealand
senior men's American football team, the Iron Blacks, are playing
Australia in Auckland for the first time in more than
twenty years. It's the headline event of a festival of
football featuring three New Zealand national teams taking on their
(00:33):
Australian counterparts as American football continues to gather momentum across
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Last year, the Iron Blacks played Australia on the Gold
Coast and had an agonizing twenty points to sixteen defeat.
Head coach of the Iron Blacks is Harry Sional, who
joins us now. Harry, good to jat you a significant
occasion for your sport, New Zealand hosting Australia on home soil,
for as I understand it, the first time in more
(01:00):
than twenty years. So how big a milestone is this
for American football in this country?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah, thanks for having on.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
It's a messive milestone for us here to host an
international game of any kind, you know, let alone the
sport we love American football. It's huge for us to
to sort of have the Aussies come down here and
play us at home.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Hopefully we can here it.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Put on a show and and get the win over
these guys. Yeah, like you said, unfortunately we lost narrowly
to them last year, and we worked hard and they're
to rectify that the result year.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
How much has that result last year been driving this
group over the last twelve months or.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
So, A huge, huge motivation for the for the guys
that did play last year.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
We do have a young squad though.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
That's with about eighteen debutantes. And yeah, so, but that
the guys there were there last year. They know what
it feels like to be on that receiving end, you know,
and games tight and you almost can take it in
that last minute like most of American and football games.
(02:14):
But yeah, the motivation is a massive driver for these
guys there. Myself, you know, as a coach, my coaching
staff is the same stuff from last season as well.
So for us, it's a it's a bit more personal
than it is to most people here.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
How much advantage will home advantage be?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Oh man, that I mean to have to have families
and friends there. Emotionally, the advantage is going to be massive.
I think that they've only got three thousand tickets for sale.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I think they're pretty.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Close to being all gone. But yeah, playing in front
of family and friends and stuff in our football community year,
there's a lot of people that that we're trying to
get into the squad but couldn't. So for them, you know,
to play in front of those guys as well, it's
an honor to have it.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, Harry, how much is this standard of American football
here in New Zealand improved over the last few years.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
I'd like to say we've improved a lot as the result.
You know, the Australians there, they're a very very imposing team.
You know, They've got a few guys that play college football.
They've got guys that are now in the NFL. They've
got guys all over the pack that are playing professional overseas.
So for us, you know, trying to match them and
(03:36):
playing at their level, I think over the last few
years we have definitely improved and the quality of the
players that we've got.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
We do have a few guys that.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Now play overseas that are playing in our squad, So yeah,
there's more guys that go overseas and that can come
back and put effort into.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Our game here, the better our game is.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
But yeah, the standard of the level of plays at a.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
High level, probably the highest we've ever had in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I guess some a natural way into the game would
be through rugby or rugby league. But are you starting
to see more athletes now choosing gridine earlier rather than
switching across from one of those codes or another one.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
I mean a lot of the kids that are in
our teams at the moment their their fathers, you know,
and some of them, some of the sixteenes boys, their
grandfathers have played for New Zealand And, so they've they've
grown up, you know, knowing only American football in their lives.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
So I think that's a positive, the fact.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
That we are growing kids into American football as opposed
to coming.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Through rugby and rugby league.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
We do have some soccer players that are interested in
it now. You know that that you are the kicking situation.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
I feel like it's I feel like we're at the
top of our game at the moment.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So yeah, Flag football, of course continues to grow rapidly
it or debut at the next Olympics. Are you starting
to see that translate into more young people taking up
the game.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Absolutely, yeah, especially especially those that love rugby, but they
have said decided, oh yeah, I'll give flag football a
go because it's a good it's a good opportunity to
sort of learn the game and it's a good opportunity
to to get involved in flag football first and foremost
(05:30):
and then transition over.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
So we've got a few of the young kids that
are in.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
There under a sixteen squad and they are under eighteen squad.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
There's a few of them that have played flag football
nationally for New Zealand as well. So for them to
transition over, yeah, that's a positive.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
What sort of athletic profile makes a successful American football
player in New Zealand? I mean, do you need to
be a big, big guy to play this game or
or can you get by if you're not If you're
not massive.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
That's that's that's the best part about it as the
uniqueness of.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Every single person any shape or size.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
You know, Like I'll give you an example. You know,
if you're if you're a big kid, that's uh, you know,
six foot six six for seven, six foot eight, or
you're you'll be really good at it. Well, it doesn't
just stay stop there. You know, we've got you can
play corners, cornerback, sorry, wide receivers. Those kind of guys
are like, uh, you know your wingers and rugby, you
(06:30):
know your halfbacks and those kinds of situations.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Then you've got the linebackers and running.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Backs that are your sort of hooker shaped guys, your
prop shaped guys. Yeah, and then you've got your quarterback
that's that's basically the.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
The leader of the team.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
And so those kind of guys could be any shape
and size. You know, like you've got a great mind,
you could be a very good quarterback if you've got
if you've got.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
If you're a big kid, you'd be a very good aligneman.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
If you're an average size kid, you can play at
wide receiver, tight end, or there's a lot of positions,
you know. So it can it can cater for every
single shape and size.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
It can care for for all types of speed, you know.
So yeah, I think I feel like it's a very
all round sport. Yes, you can't. People people think.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
That you have to be a really really big kid
to sort of play American football, but I beg to differ.
I feel like that the faster the kids are, the
better they are at American football because it's very technical
and you know, things like such players in New Zealand
they'll they'll they'll probably be very ideal for American football
(07:46):
as running backs and wide receivers.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
So yeah, it's a place for everyone to be.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Fair fantastic And the NFL a course bringing regular season
games to Melbourne from this year. I mean, has that
announcement created a bit of a buzz over here?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Absolutely? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
I mean I myself and I a group of my friends,
we've already booked to go, so yeah, I mean, we can't.
We can't pass up the opportunity, no matter how expensive
it's costed us. But that's a once in a lifetime
sort of situation, you know, in the first time that
(08:23):
that it's come down to Australia. So it's a it's
a big occasion, not just for Australia but for us here,
you know, because I mean, I don't think we'll ever
get it down here, but Australia is the next best
thing for us, and so to have them come down,
you know, kind of promotes that promote our sport down
here in Australia and New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Heere, And just to finish, how a five years from now,
let's say, where would you like to see the Iron
Blacks and the sport sitting in our sporting landscape in
about five years?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Say, oh, look, mainstream is the main thing. I'm trying
to get it so that it's in a situation where
we can attract, you know, some formal sponsorship to help
help the teams out. But yeah, essentially getting kids into
a pathway program is the biggest value I think we
(09:15):
see in it, getting them getting achieving scholarships you know,
to go and study and good colleges in America, And
I mean if you come out with a free degree
out of it, that's, Forwady, the worst case scenario, but yeah,
if the opportunity to advance and playing the foul Obviously,
the Canadian Football League is a few leagues around the
(09:37):
world now that are semi professional as well, so yeah,
absolutely the development of our game is up there as well,
making sure that hey we're here, we're kajaking off the
positions that we're in to sort of move the sport forward.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So Yeah, wonderful stuff mate, sounds like it's in very
good hands. Exciting time for the sport. Here all the
best across the weekend as your host Australia, Harry, thanks
so much for taking the time for CHET to us.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
No, thank you, Harry. Harry Ciondo their head coach of
New Zealand's senior men's American football team, the Iron Blacks,
so three New Zealand national teams taking on their Australian
counterparts today The Iron Blacks game against Australia this afternoon
at three o'clock.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talks at B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:12):
On today internationally in New Zealand, because the New Zealand
senior men's American football team, the Iron Blacks, are playing
Australia in Auckland for the first time in more than
twenty years. It's the headline event of a festival of
football featuring three New Zealand national teams taking on their
(00:33):
Australian counterparts as American football continues to gather momentum across
New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:39):
Now.
Speaker 2 (00:39):
Last year, the Iron Blacks played Australia on the Gold
Coast and had an agonizing twenty points to sixteen defeat.
Head coach of the Iron Blacks is Harry Sional, who
joins us now. Harry, good to jat you a significant
occasion for your sport, New Zealand hosting Australia on home soil,
for as I understand it, the first time in more
(01:00):
than twenty years. So how big a milestone is this
for American football in this country?
Speaker 3 (01:06):
Yeah, thanks for having on.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
It's a messive milestone for us here to host an
international game of any kind, you know, let alone the
sport we love American football. It's huge for us to
to sort of have the Aussies come down here and
play us at home.
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Hopefully we can here it.
Speaker 4 (01:27):
Put on a show and and get the win over
these guys. Yeah, like you said, unfortunately we lost narrowly
to them last year, and we worked hard and they're
to rectify that the result year.
Speaker 2 (01:40):
How much has that result last year been driving this
group over the last twelve months or.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
So, A huge, huge motivation for the for the guys
that did play last year.
Speaker 3 (01:52):
We do have a young squad though.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
That's with about eighteen debutantes. And yeah, so, but that
the guys there were there last year. They know what
it feels like to be on that receiving end, you know,
and games tight and you almost can take it in
that last minute like most of American and football games.
(02:14):
But yeah, the motivation is a massive driver for these
guys there. Myself, you know, as a coach, my coaching
staff is the same stuff from last season as well.
So for us, it's a it's a bit more personal
than it is to most people here.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
How much advantage will home advantage be?
Speaker 4 (02:35):
Oh man, that I mean to have to have families
and friends there. Emotionally, the advantage is going to be massive.
I think that they've only got three thousand tickets for sale.
Speaker 3 (02:46):
I think they're pretty.
Speaker 4 (02:48):
Close to being all gone. But yeah, playing in front
of family and friends and stuff in our football community year,
there's a lot of people that that we're trying to
get into the squad but couldn't. So for them, you know,
to play in front of those guys as well, it's
an honor to have it.
Speaker 2 (03:06):
Yeah, Harry, how much is this standard of American football
here in New Zealand improved over the last few years.
Speaker 4 (03:15):
I'd like to say we've improved a lot as the result.
You know, the Australians there, they're a very very imposing team.
You know, They've got a few guys that play college football.
They've got guys that are now in the NFL. They've
got guys all over the pack that are playing professional overseas.
So for us, you know, trying to match them and
(03:36):
playing at their level, I think over the last few
years we have definitely improved and the quality of the
players that we've got.
Speaker 3 (03:43):
We do have a few guys that.
Speaker 4 (03:44):
Now play overseas that are playing in our squad, So yeah,
there's more guys that go overseas and that can come
back and put effort into.
Speaker 3 (03:53):
Our game here, the better our game is.
Speaker 4 (03:56):
But yeah, the standard of the level of plays at a.
Speaker 3 (04:00):
High level, probably the highest we've ever had in New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (04:03):
I guess some a natural way into the game would
be through rugby or rugby league. But are you starting
to see more athletes now choosing gridine earlier rather than
switching across from one of those codes or another one.
Speaker 3 (04:17):
Yeah, for sure.
Speaker 4 (04:18):
I mean a lot of the kids that are in
our teams at the moment their their fathers, you know,
and some of them, some of the sixteenes boys, their
grandfathers have played for New Zealand And, so they've they've
grown up, you know, knowing only American football in their lives.
Speaker 3 (04:33):
So I think that's a positive, the fact.
Speaker 4 (04:36):
That we are growing kids into American football as opposed
to coming.
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Through rugby and rugby league.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
We do have some soccer players that are interested in
it now. You know that that you are the kicking situation.
Speaker 3 (04:52):
Yeah, so.
Speaker 4 (04:54):
I feel like it's I feel like we're at the
top of our game at the moment.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
So yeah, Flag football, of course continues to grow rapidly
it or debut at the next Olympics. Are you starting
to see that translate into more young people taking up
the game.
Speaker 4 (05:10):
Absolutely, yeah, especially especially those that love rugby, but they
have said decided, oh yeah, I'll give flag football a
go because it's a good it's a good opportunity to
sort of learn the game and it's a good opportunity
to to get involved in flag football first and foremost
(05:30):
and then transition over.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
So we've got a few of the young kids that
are in.
Speaker 4 (05:34):
There under a sixteen squad and they are under eighteen squad.
Speaker 3 (05:37):
There's a few of them that have played flag football
nationally for New Zealand as well. So for them to
transition over, yeah, that's a positive.
Speaker 2 (05:47):
What sort of athletic profile makes a successful American football
player in New Zealand? I mean, do you need to
be a big, big guy to play this game or
or can you get by if you're not If you're
not massive.
Speaker 4 (06:00):
That's that's that's the best part about it as the
uniqueness of.
Speaker 3 (06:04):
Every single person any shape or size.
Speaker 4 (06:08):
You know, Like I'll give you an example. You know,
if you're if you're a big kid, that's uh, you know,
six foot six six for seven, six foot eight, or
you're you'll be really good at it. Well, it doesn't
just stay stop there. You know, we've got you can
play corners, cornerback, sorry, wide receivers. Those kind of guys
are like, uh, you know your wingers and rugby, you
(06:30):
know your halfbacks and those kinds of situations.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
Then you've got the linebackers and running.
Speaker 4 (06:35):
Backs that are your sort of hooker shaped guys, your
prop shaped guys. Yeah, and then you've got your quarterback
that's that's basically the.
Speaker 3 (06:46):
The leader of the team.
Speaker 4 (06:48):
And so those kind of guys could be any shape
and size. You know, like you've got a great mind,
you could be a very good quarterback if you've got
if you've got.
Speaker 3 (07:01):
If you're a big kid, you'd be a very good aligneman.
Speaker 4 (07:03):
If you're an average size kid, you can play at
wide receiver, tight end, or there's a lot of positions,
you know. So it can it can cater for every
single shape and size.
Speaker 3 (07:14):
It can care for for all types of speed, you know.
So yeah, I think I feel like it's a very
all round sport. Yes, you can't. People people think.
Speaker 4 (07:25):
That you have to be a really really big kid
to sort of play American football, but I beg to differ.
I feel like that the faster the kids are, the
better they are at American football because it's very technical
and you know, things like such players in New Zealand
they'll they'll they'll probably be very ideal for American football
(07:46):
as running backs and wide receivers.
Speaker 3 (07:48):
So yeah, it's a place for everyone to be.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Fair fantastic And the NFL a course bringing regular season
games to Melbourne from this year. I mean, has that
announcement created a bit of a buzz over here?
Speaker 3 (08:02):
Absolutely? Yeah.
Speaker 4 (08:03):
I mean I myself and I a group of my friends,
we've already booked to go, so yeah, I mean, we can't.
We can't pass up the opportunity, no matter how expensive
it's costed us. But that's a once in a lifetime
sort of situation, you know, in the first time that
(08:23):
that it's come down to Australia. So it's a it's
a big occasion, not just for Australia but for us here,
you know, because I mean, I don't think we'll ever
get it down here, but Australia is the next best
thing for us, and so to have them come down,
you know, kind of promotes that promote our sport down
here in Australia and New Zealand.
Speaker 2 (08:43):
Heere, And just to finish, how a five years from now,
let's say, where would you like to see the Iron
Blacks and the sport sitting in our sporting landscape in
about five years?
Speaker 4 (08:53):
Say, oh, look, mainstream is the main thing. I'm trying
to get it so that it's in a situation where
we can attract, you know, some formal sponsorship to help
help the teams out. But yeah, essentially getting kids into
a pathway program is the biggest value I think we
(09:15):
see in it, getting them getting achieving scholarships you know,
to go and study and good colleges in America, And
I mean if you come out with a free degree
out of it, that's, Forwady, the worst case scenario, but yeah,
if the opportunity to advance and playing the foul Obviously,
the Canadian Football League is a few leagues around the
(09:37):
world now that are semi professional as well, so yeah,
absolutely the development of our game is up there as well,
making sure that hey we're here, we're kajaking off the
positions that we're in to sort of move the sport forward.
Speaker 2 (09:54):
So Yeah, wonderful stuff mate, sounds like it's in very
good hands. Exciting time for the sport. Here all the
best across the weekend as your host Australia, Harry, thanks
so much for taking the time for CHET to us.
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Thanks for having me on.
Speaker 2 (10:08):
No, thank you, Harry. Harry Ciondo their head coach of
New Zealand's senior men's American football team, the Iron Blacks,
so three New Zealand national teams taking on their Australian
counterparts today The Iron Blacks game against Australia this afternoon
at three o'clock.
Speaker 1 (10:24):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news Talks at B weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Betrayal Weekly
Betrayal Weekly is back for a new season. Every Thursday, Betrayal Weekly shares first-hand accounts of broken trust, shocking deceptions, and the trail of destruction they leave behind. Hosted by Andrea Gunning, this weekly ongoing series digs into real-life stories of betrayal and the aftermath. From stories of double lives to dark discoveries, these are cautionary tales and accounts of resilience against all odds. From the producers of the critically acclaimed Betrayal series, Betrayal Weekly drops new episodes every Thursday. If you would like to share your story, you can reach out to the Betrayal Team by emailing them at betrayalpod@gmail.com and follow us on Instagram at @betrayalpod and @glasspodcasts. Please join our Substack for additional exclusive content, curated book recommendations, and community discussions. Sign up FREE by clicking this link Beyond Betrayal Substack. Join our community dedicated to truth, resilience, and healing. Your voice matters! Be a part of our Betrayal journey on Substack.
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com