May 14, 2026 • 10 mins
For Friday Sports Kick-off Nick is joined in the studio by Adam Cooper and Jason Pine, who is in Brisbane for the Magic Round.
Wellington Phoenix play their grand final tomorrow night in Melbourne. They look back on the success at the semifinal in Porirua Park last weekend.
And the impact of coach Bev Priestman - who has taken this team to the first A-League final in the clubs history.
Hurricanes vs Blues - tomorrow night at Eden Park, competing for
The canes have not won in Eden Park since 2019. Will this be the season?
And Luke Metcalf leaving the Warriors and joining the Dragons during his contract.
And will the Warriors win against the Broncos?
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 (00:07):
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said B making predictions for your weekend
of sport. The Friday Sport kickoff News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
It's Friday and it's sports weekend and we've got Piney
Jason Pine live from the NRL Magic Round in Brisbans.
Good morning, mister Pine.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hello there, Nick, it's absolutely buzzing over here. Can I
tell you I flew from Wellington to Brisbane yesterday afternoon.
Their plane was absolutely chockers. Ninety five percent of people
on board would have had Warriors jerseys on. Honestly, it
is just and then landing at the airport and there
was there was another. There are other flights coming in
(00:57):
from Auckland and honestly the place is just full of
Warriors jerseys. And it's Friday. They don't fatal Sunday obviously
there's mad Ground which is two games tonight, three tomorrow,
three Sunday. But Warriors fans will just take over Brisbane.
It's just amazing to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Now. Can I ask you, you don't know, because you're
in Brisbane, what shirt would Adam Cooper be wearing this morning?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Remembering a Wellington Phoenix shirt.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Remembering that it's pink shirt day today is bright yellow,
bright yellow shirt.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Well, I mean that makes sense, you know, with the
Wellington Phoenix into a Grand Final for the first time tomorrow. Incidentally,
I'm going to have to try and find a television
for that. It's a bit of a challenge finding anything
other than Rugby League and Brisbane at the moment, but
I'll get it to go.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Oh my god. Okay, Adam Cooper, how big morning by
the way, good morning next? How big a deal is
this for our city?
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Amazing? Yeah, I mean we've built up for it for
so long, haven't there. There's been so much expectation on
this team. I think that's one thing that as soon
as if Priestman was announced as coach and then she
started to fill her roster with not just some of
the top New Zealand players, you know, bringing some back
from overseas they haven't played club football in New Zealand
for a very long time, but also some of the imports.
I think they did put an expectation on this team
(02:18):
and they have absorbed that just diligently performed through the season.
They've had some you know, adversity several key players having
some season ending injuries. You know CJ. Bott, who was
one of their sort of marquee signings, obviously becoming pregnant
during the season, which caused another roster reshuffle. So they've
overcome some real issues that this year and found themselves.
(02:41):
You know, finishing second is the round robin, but I mean,
goodness me that the theater they provided to the six
thousand people that attended that semi final at Potty to
A Park last Sunday was I'm sure a memory that
no one there will ever forget. It was just pure
sporting theater. Coming from a goal down in the deficit
of the tie to come back home and score two
(03:03):
goals to beat Brisbane. It was just glorious to see.
So it's huge for this Phoenix club and it's nineteenth
season overall, whether it's men's team, never been at this
position before. No New Zealand team's ever won an A
league trophy as champions at the end of the season,
so so no, not yet. No, it's the first final,
(03:24):
first final and awk FC one Premier's plate and the
men's last year but obviously didn't get to the finals,
so this is massive for New Zealand and for the
football and just shows everything the Phoenix did to give
Bev Priestman that redemption has paid off for them and
it's going to hopefully pay big dividends after the game tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Jason Pine is hard to add anything to that. I
met Beef Priestman in the studio for the first time
a couple of days ago. I mean, if I was
an outside sports promoter marking her scorecard, I would put
her at nine point nine to nine nine. I mean,
you can't score any higher, can you?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Unbelievable impacts your head nick on this team. You know,
you look at the team and I reckon you judge
a coach well and quite a few ways. But one
way I like the judgmambers whether they improve the players
who they're in charge of. And once you get to
the elite level. I mean, she's not teaching players how
to play a twenty yard pass or to want a
head her over the top of a defender or whatever
(04:19):
it is. She's not teaching the that you know that
the technique. What she is doing is galvanizing that team together.
And you're so right, She's so magnetic. You know, you
talk to be a priestman, and you're just drawn into
her aura. You know, she's so charismatic. You know, she
was very very she was quite excited to meet you.
I can tell you next you wanted to hope she
(04:39):
got a selfie with you because she was quite kean
on one.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
It's all I could say is that it's called the
radiance or something, you know, where you really want to
just be. You want to you want to take you
want to suck that out of them, you don't want
to be take it with you.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
And she's she's absolutely that person.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Isn't she absolutely yet? Couple of Warriors fans? Two more
walking past. There are so many Warriors fans here, honestly,
and the time I've been on the phone here, I
would have seen at least twenty Ship Warriors fans just
in downtown Brisbane. It's I know I said it before,
but this place is going to absolutely go off in
the next couple of days.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Talk to me Jason Pine about Hurricanes versus Blues. I mean,
that's tomorrow night at Eden Park is normally a massive,
massive game, but it seems like it's a little bit
overshadowed when we played Canterbury. Is it or am I
making that out wrong.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
After this sort of the game. Coach has been in
and around the team this week, so he might be
able to comment more about the vibe and stuff like that.
But I still think when the Hurricanes play the Blues
or any derby, really you know there's a bit of
a lift, you know, the Hurricanes playing so well at
the moment. Blues are a bit sporadic for me. They
sort of up and down. But I don't know what
sort of vibe you're getting out of the team this week.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Just still a very important game. They needed that five
points last weekend against my Wada Pacifica in terms of
where they are on the table, just to give them
some breathing space. It's the start of three crucial weeks
for the Hurricanes to end the regular season. Blues tomorrow,
Highland is at home next weekend and then Crusaders away
under the roof in christ Church to wrap up the
round robin. So whatever you know, the Hurricanes put out
(06:10):
on the park, they are desperate to get the five
points and they know this is going to be tough
without DUPLEF tomorrow obviously, just hoping it's just a week
long injury to his knee. But you know, the Hurricanes are,
you know, a very good vibe out there at the moment.
But they are at that point of the season now
where it's getting serious, it's getting important, and I think
(06:31):
they were really buoyed by the way they were able
to win against the Crusaders two weeks ago. You know,
utilize their kicking game, let their forwards do some of
the work. They know that they're not always going to
be able to rely on getting it out wide, creating
that space that we've seen from the likes of Feki
Finiongenov and Josh Morby this season. Obviously Kinney Niholo coming
back into the mix, and if you watch that last
(06:51):
half of the second half against Moana last weekend, we
know what aspect he can bring. So confidence but quite
serious out there at the moment. It's how good of that.
But I think it's gonna be a great game. Blues
have got a great team on paper. Never quite know
what Blues team you're going to get, but they're at
that top end of the table. Well, they're chasing the
best possible spot come the playoffs too. So Hurricanes haven't
won at Even Park since twenty nineteen. So it's not
(07:13):
as if it's an easy stomping ground for them either.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I think it's an easy stomping ground this season with
this team, with this organize. I hope I'm right. Party,
Me and Coeps kind of disagree on this. We kind
of like butted heads a little bit on this on
this topic. This morning before the show started, Luke Metcalfe
leaves the Warriors, you know, under a cloud. I say,
(07:35):
under a cloud, but I say good on him for going.
If he wants to go, let him go. Coops disagrees,
but I'm sure he'll have us say in a minute.
But what are your thoughts?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Yeah, I thought you were talking about a conversation about
your future employment and that you have disagreed over there.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Don't tell people yet, Pidy.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I'm glad it's look metcalf you're talking about so interesting.
Look the there's obviously two sides of this, and we'll
talk about this a lot on the show over the weekend.
I've got break an Asta actually on the show after
midday tomorrow. One of the greats who played in The
Hearts and also now on NURL three six are going
to chat to him about this. But look, for Luke metcalfet.
You know, it's easy to look at it and say, well, shit,
he has got his own way. So you know, he
(08:13):
decided that he wants to go, he wants to number
seven Jersey. He hasn't got it, so he's gone somewhere else.
And then you say, well, what's a contract even work?
You know, he signed a contract and they can get
out of the contract just because they're not getting game time.
What is the contract even worse? The big question now
is how they use look Metcalf for the rest of
this season because he's going to be with the Warriors
until the end of this year before he goes to
(08:35):
the Dragons on that three year deal. So how will
Andrew Webster manage Luke Metcalf and get get the best
out of him this season? Because he's still a very
good player. Guys. You know, a guy that the Warriors
I'm sure would love to have as they push the wards,
you know, towards the top eight.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
And beyond, and if an injury comes around, he could
be vital. Coops, You've got a pretty strong opinion on this.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Well, I just think you know, we see time and
time again these superstars that come over from Australia and
Luke Metcalf. You know, he was on the running for
a jem last year Superstar with had Reese Welsh come
over in the past. We've got the Warriors captain, Mitch
Barnett's co captain at the moment, who's leaving at the
end of the season because he's just decided he doesn't
want to be in New Zealand anymore.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
So.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Just as frustrating when, as Piney said, these guys sign
these long term deals. They you know, the fans get
sold to dream that these guys are in it for
the long haul. They're here to contribute to this club,
and as soon as something doesn't quite go right for them,
then they kind of throw their toys and want to
go back home or or test the market. They're well
in their rights to do that. But what's happened to
(09:36):
loyalty to saying I've got a three year deal here,
I'm going to see it out. Was what was stopping
him from saying, right, I am coming back from injury.
I'm going to tell the coaches that I am the
starting half back and I'm going to play in reserve
grade and absolutely blow the opponents out of the park.
Why couldn't he do that?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
One hundred percent fair comment, But also the Warriors could
have said no, we're not, then you out.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
They could have done that. They had to make this
decision though he didn't want to be there. He clearly
didn't want to be there. Like they've done nothing wrong here.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
The Warriors, Warriors, Broncos. Big game tomorrow, Piney, you'll be there.
Who wins it quickly?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Warriors? Warriors? What up? The wise boys?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
The Warriors have a great weekend. You go Warriors, dude,
I'm going to go Broad Coast. There you go. I
got a cart. Agree with everything.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Home game for them, though, doesn't it?
Speaker 1 (10:16):
It is a homegun For more from Wellington Mornings with
Nick Mills. Listen live to news talks It'd Be Wellington
from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Wellington Mornings podcast with Nick Mills
from News Talk said B making predictions for your weekend
of sport. The Friday Sport kickoff News Talks EDB.
Speaker 2 (00:26):
It's Friday and it's sports weekend and we've got Piney
Jason Pine live from the NRL Magic Round in Brisbans.
Good morning, mister Pine.
Speaker 3 (00:36):
Hello there, Nick, it's absolutely buzzing over here. Can I
tell you I flew from Wellington to Brisbane yesterday afternoon.
Their plane was absolutely chockers. Ninety five percent of people
on board would have had Warriors jerseys on. Honestly, it
is just and then landing at the airport and there
was there was another. There are other flights coming in
(00:57):
from Auckland and honestly the place is just full of
Warriors jerseys. And it's Friday. They don't fatal Sunday obviously
there's mad Ground which is two games tonight, three tomorrow,
three Sunday. But Warriors fans will just take over Brisbane.
It's just amazing to be here.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
Now. Can I ask you, you don't know, because you're
in Brisbane, what shirt would Adam Cooper be wearing this morning?
Speaker 3 (01:25):
Remembering a Wellington Phoenix shirt.
Speaker 2 (01:29):
Remembering that it's pink shirt day today is bright yellow,
bright yellow shirt.
Speaker 3 (01:38):
Well, I mean that makes sense, you know, with the
Wellington Phoenix into a Grand Final for the first time tomorrow. Incidentally,
I'm going to have to try and find a television
for that. It's a bit of a challenge finding anything
other than Rugby League and Brisbane at the moment, but
I'll get it to go.
Speaker 2 (01:51):
Oh my god. Okay, Adam Cooper, how big morning by
the way, good morning next? How big a deal is
this for our city?
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Amazing? Yeah, I mean we've built up for it for
so long, haven't there. There's been so much expectation on
this team. I think that's one thing that as soon
as if Priestman was announced as coach and then she
started to fill her roster with not just some of
the top New Zealand players, you know, bringing some back
from overseas they haven't played club football in New Zealand
for a very long time, but also some of the imports.
I think they did put an expectation on this team
(02:18):
and they have absorbed that just diligently performed through the season.
They've had some you know, adversity several key players having
some season ending injuries. You know CJ. Bott, who was
one of their sort of marquee signings, obviously becoming pregnant
during the season, which caused another roster reshuffle. So they've
overcome some real issues that this year and found themselves.
(02:41):
You know, finishing second is the round robin, but I mean,
goodness me that the theater they provided to the six
thousand people that attended that semi final at Potty to
A Park last Sunday was I'm sure a memory that
no one there will ever forget. It was just pure
sporting theater. Coming from a goal down in the deficit
of the tie to come back home and score two
(03:03):
goals to beat Brisbane. It was just glorious to see.
So it's huge for this Phoenix club and it's nineteenth
season overall, whether it's men's team, never been at this
position before. No New Zealand team's ever won an A
league trophy as champions at the end of the season,
so so no, not yet. No, it's the first final,
(03:24):
first final and awk FC one Premier's plate and the
men's last year but obviously didn't get to the finals,
so this is massive for New Zealand and for the
football and just shows everything the Phoenix did to give
Bev Priestman that redemption has paid off for them and
it's going to hopefully pay big dividends after the game tomorrow.
Speaker 2 (03:42):
Jason Pine is hard to add anything to that. I
met Beef Priestman in the studio for the first time
a couple of days ago. I mean, if I was
an outside sports promoter marking her scorecard, I would put
her at nine point nine to nine nine. I mean,
you can't score any higher, can you?
Speaker 3 (03:59):
Unbelievable impacts your head nick on this team. You know,
you look at the team and I reckon you judge
a coach well and quite a few ways. But one
way I like the judgmambers whether they improve the players
who they're in charge of. And once you get to
the elite level. I mean, she's not teaching players how
to play a twenty yard pass or to want a
head her over the top of a defender or whatever
(04:19):
it is. She's not teaching the that you know that
the technique. What she is doing is galvanizing that team together.
And you're so right, She's so magnetic. You know, you
talk to be a priestman, and you're just drawn into
her aura. You know, she's so charismatic. You know, she
was very very she was quite excited to meet you.
I can tell you next you wanted to hope she
(04:39):
got a selfie with you because she was quite kean
on one.
Speaker 2 (04:43):
It's all I could say is that it's called the
radiance or something, you know, where you really want to
just be. You want to you want to take you
want to suck that out of them, you don't want
to be take it with you.
Speaker 4 (04:53):
You know.
Speaker 2 (04:53):
And she's she's absolutely that person.
Speaker 3 (04:56):
Isn't she absolutely yet? Couple of Warriors fans? Two more
walking past. There are so many Warriors fans here, honestly,
and the time I've been on the phone here, I
would have seen at least twenty Ship Warriors fans just
in downtown Brisbane. It's I know I said it before,
but this place is going to absolutely go off in
the next couple of days.
Speaker 2 (05:17):
Talk to me Jason Pine about Hurricanes versus Blues. I mean,
that's tomorrow night at Eden Park is normally a massive,
massive game, but it seems like it's a little bit
overshadowed when we played Canterbury. Is it or am I
making that out wrong.
Speaker 3 (05:32):
After this sort of the game. Coach has been in
and around the team this week, so he might be
able to comment more about the vibe and stuff like that.
But I still think when the Hurricanes play the Blues
or any derby, really you know there's a bit of
a lift, you know, the Hurricanes playing so well at
the moment. Blues are a bit sporadic for me. They
sort of up and down. But I don't know what
sort of vibe you're getting out of the team this week.
Speaker 4 (05:50):
Just still a very important game. They needed that five
points last weekend against my Wada Pacifica in terms of
where they are on the table, just to give them
some breathing space. It's the start of three crucial weeks
for the Hurricanes to end the regular season. Blues tomorrow,
Highland is at home next weekend and then Crusaders away
under the roof in christ Church to wrap up the
round robin. So whatever you know, the Hurricanes put out
(06:10):
on the park, they are desperate to get the five
points and they know this is going to be tough
without DUPLEF tomorrow obviously, just hoping it's just a week
long injury to his knee. But you know, the Hurricanes are,
you know, a very good vibe out there at the moment.
But they are at that point of the season now
where it's getting serious, it's getting important, and I think
(06:31):
they were really buoyed by the way they were able
to win against the Crusaders two weeks ago. You know,
utilize their kicking game, let their forwards do some of
the work. They know that they're not always going to
be able to rely on getting it out wide, creating
that space that we've seen from the likes of Feki
Finiongenov and Josh Morby this season. Obviously Kinney Niholo coming
back into the mix, and if you watch that last
(06:51):
half of the second half against Moana last weekend, we
know what aspect he can bring. So confidence but quite
serious out there at the moment. It's how good of that.
But I think it's gonna be a great game. Blues
have got a great team on paper. Never quite know
what Blues team you're going to get, but they're at
that top end of the table. Well, they're chasing the
best possible spot come the playoffs too. So Hurricanes haven't
won at Even Park since twenty nineteen. So it's not
(07:13):
as if it's an easy stomping ground for them either.
Speaker 2 (07:15):
I think it's an easy stomping ground this season with
this team, with this organize. I hope I'm right. Party,
Me and Coeps kind of disagree on this. We kind
of like butted heads a little bit on this on
this topic. This morning before the show started, Luke Metcalfe
leaves the Warriors, you know, under a cloud. I say,
(07:35):
under a cloud, but I say good on him for going.
If he wants to go, let him go. Coops disagrees,
but I'm sure he'll have us say in a minute.
But what are your thoughts?
Speaker 3 (07:43):
Yeah, I thought you were talking about a conversation about
your future employment and that you have disagreed over there.
Speaker 2 (07:49):
Don't tell people yet, Pidy.
Speaker 3 (07:51):
I'm glad it's look metcalf you're talking about so interesting.
Look the there's obviously two sides of this, and we'll
talk about this a lot on the show over the weekend.
I've got break an Asta actually on the show after
midday tomorrow. One of the greats who played in The
Hearts and also now on NURL three six are going
to chat to him about this. But look, for Luke metcalfet.
You know, it's easy to look at it and say, well, shit,
he has got his own way. So you know, he
(08:13):
decided that he wants to go, he wants to number
seven Jersey. He hasn't got it, so he's gone somewhere else.
And then you say, well, what's a contract even work?
You know, he signed a contract and they can get
out of the contract just because they're not getting game time.
What is the contract even worse? The big question now
is how they use look Metcalf for the rest of
this season because he's going to be with the Warriors
until the end of this year before he goes to
(08:35):
the Dragons on that three year deal. So how will
Andrew Webster manage Luke Metcalf and get get the best
out of him this season? Because he's still a very
good player. Guys. You know, a guy that the Warriors
I'm sure would love to have as they push the wards,
you know, towards the top eight.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
And beyond, and if an injury comes around, he could
be vital. Coops, You've got a pretty strong opinion on this.
Speaker 4 (08:56):
Well, I just think you know, we see time and
time again these superstars that come over from Australia and
Luke Metcalf. You know, he was on the running for
a jem last year Superstar with had Reese Welsh come
over in the past. We've got the Warriors captain, Mitch
Barnett's co captain at the moment, who's leaving at the
end of the season because he's just decided he doesn't
want to be in New Zealand anymore.
Speaker 1 (09:14):
So.
Speaker 4 (09:14):
Just as frustrating when, as Piney said, these guys sign
these long term deals. They you know, the fans get
sold to dream that these guys are in it for
the long haul. They're here to contribute to this club,
and as soon as something doesn't quite go right for them,
then they kind of throw their toys and want to
go back home or or test the market. They're well
in their rights to do that. But what's happened to
(09:36):
loyalty to saying I've got a three year deal here,
I'm going to see it out. Was what was stopping
him from saying, right, I am coming back from injury.
I'm going to tell the coaches that I am the
starting half back and I'm going to play in reserve
grade and absolutely blow the opponents out of the park.
Why couldn't he do that?
Speaker 2 (09:51):
One hundred percent fair comment, But also the Warriors could
have said no, we're not, then you out.
Speaker 4 (09:56):
They could have done that. They had to make this
decision though he didn't want to be there. He clearly
didn't want to be there. Like they've done nothing wrong here.
Speaker 2 (10:01):
The Warriors, Warriors, Broncos. Big game tomorrow, Piney, you'll be there.
Who wins it quickly?
Speaker 3 (10:06):
Warriors? Warriors? What up? The wise boys?
Speaker 2 (10:09):
The Warriors have a great weekend. You go Warriors, dude,
I'm going to go Broad Coast. There you go. I
got a cart. Agree with everything.
Speaker 4 (10:15):
Home game for them, though, doesn't it?
Speaker 1 (10:16):
It is a homegun For more from Wellington Mornings with
Nick Mills. Listen live to news talks It'd Be Wellington
from nine am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio
Popular Podcasts
Las Culturistas with Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang
Ding dong! Join your culture consultants, Matt Rogers and Bowen Yang, on an unforgettable journey into the beating heart of CULTURE. Alongside sizzling special guests, they GET INTO the hottest pop-culture moments of the day and the formative cultural experiences that turned them into Culturistas. Produced by the Big Money Players Network and iHeartRadio.
Bleep! with Ana Navarro
Fear thrives in silence and confusion. Ana Navarro rejects both. Her voice is an antidote to today’s chaos. Her new podcast, Bleep! with Ana Navarro, takes on today’s most pressing issues with the voices most connected to it: decision-makers, political leaders, cultural shapers, and people on the frontlines of the story. The conversations acknowledge the emotions we all feel—despair, sadness, fear— but emerge with knowledge, perspective, and hope. The belief is simple: fearless dialogue can transform fear into courage, and courage into change. When fear dominates the headlines, this show digs deeper. Because information, debate, and conversation don’t just ease fear, they give us power to shape the future.
Hey Jonas!
Hey Jonas! The official Jonas Brothers podcast. Hosted by Kevin, Joe, and Nick Jonas. It’s the Jonas Brothers you know... musicians, actors, and well, yes, brothers. Now, they’re sharing another side of themselves in the playful, intimate, and irreverent way only they can. Spend time with the Jonas Brothers here and stay a little bit longer for deep conversations like never before.