December 5, 2025 • 8 mins
A riveting final round in football's men's National League will determine the top two teams who advance to next week's decider.
Miramar Rangers hold a one point lead over Wellington Olympic, with the two sides meeting at Wakefield Park on Saturday.
The match could knock one of the teams out of contention, as third-placed Auckland City, who sit just one further point back from Olympic, are favourites in their game against bottom-placed Coastal Spirit.
Miramar can lock in their spot with a draw, and Adam Cooper caught up with Rangers head coach Kale Herbert to discuss the strategy for the game.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Very intriguing final round of football's National League today. Mirramar
Rangers lead on nineteen points, Wellington Olympics second on eighteen,
Auckland City third on seventeen. Mirramar Rangers are Wellington Olympics
square off today at Wakefield Park at two o'clock. Auckland
City have a game that you think they will win
and get their three points four our hosts. They're up
(00:21):
against Coastal Spirit who are bottom of the table. So
effectively Mimar Rangers of Wellington Olympic probably probably only one
of them can make it into next week's final, which
is well interesting. Mirramar Rangers head coach is Calee Herbert,
who joins us now Cayle. Morning to you mate. This
is a very exciting one house. The teams that have
prepared during the week is yes, sort of go do
(00:43):
or die here.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah. Look, it's been an incredibly long year, but now
the boys are ready for Saturday. You know, we spoke
at the start of the National League campaign, how cool
would it be if it went down to the local
d the last game of the season with everything to
play for And that's the way it's fallen. So now
(01:07):
we're ready to go We're super excited and I can't
wait to get to Wakefield Park. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Absolutely. What has given you the edge in this latter
part of the season do you think Obviously probably Olympic
have maybe had a couple more games, maybe a bit
of a longest season for them with Chatham Cup and
everything like that. But but overall, what do you think
has helped your team rise up and get these crucial
results over the last month or so.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, We've got a really strong group of players that
we've kind of built over the last few years. But
there's a real togetherness in the group. They spend a
lot of time together off the pitch, and I think
that's that's kind of shown in later stages and games
we've had to dig in and defend large periods of games. Yeah,
(01:51):
so I guess a real togetherness and it's it's kind
of got us to the stage that we're in now.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
And the goal difference as well, it's it's the best
for you guys out of any team in the competition,
I guess with some calculations that can possibly help you
out of Auckland City get up there this weekend as well.
How crucial has it been not just slotting the goals,
but defending at the back too.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, for sure, we've been We've been brilliant at the back.
I think in the National League we've considered a few
set pieces, but very rarely have we been kind of
pulled apart. I think look back to the probably a
twenty minute spell in at the start of the second
half against christ which where we were a little bit disjointed.
But outside of that we've been really well organized and
defended well. And then you know the top third of
(02:34):
the pitch when you've got Martin as our nine top
goals were in the country at the moment, and service
from you know, Owen Smith, Jordan lamb Eco, Bobadealer has
been brilliant through the National League campaign and shipped in
with a few goals as well. So we've got a
number of players that can hurt teams and hopefully we
(02:54):
can do that again.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
And it came on the back of quite as strong
and promising Central League as well. Obviously second to Olympic
you had another great year as well.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
There.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Have you changed much in terms of the way the
team's played throughout the season or have you you sort
of managed to stick with what you set out for
come right the way back and what March April.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, we've been pretty lucky this year. We've been really
consistent in the way that we've set up and we
took a lot of learnings from from the last couple
of years around you know, how we wanted to play
and we've probably chopped and changed a little bit last
year and so the year before that. This year we've
been super consistent. It's helped with you know, we've managed
players through through injuries. We've had a couple of boys
(03:35):
that have picked up suspensions, but not too many. So
the team's been pretty consistent as well, which has helped
keep the system the same.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I guess we can look at the table and say,
you're you know, you're one point ahead of Olympac, You're
two points ahead of Auckland City. You guys can probably
get through to the final next week with a draw.
Is that what you're going to be playing for this weekend?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
No, not at all. We're we've had a win, a
win or busts on a mentality the last or five weeks.
We've spoken about it. We spoke about it last night
at training around you know, we don't want to go
there and play for a play for a drawer. I
think with that mindset, we'll start defending ten yards deeper
than probably what we need to and going to invite
(04:16):
the pressure. And Olympic are a good site and we
don't want to we don't want to give him a slip.
So now it'll be win or bust for us again
and hopefully we should get the job done.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
And how are you going to know what's happening with
that Auckland City game, which I believe is all the
exact same time.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, I'm sure there'll be some people floating around at
the park mysas and actually each suspended for the game
on the weekend. So I've given him a task of
trying to keep me updated as best he can. So yeah,
we'll certainly have some people across it. But yeah, we
need to make sure that we get the job done
(04:54):
for us anyway, and then that result is kind of
by the vice.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, do you take much encouragement from the last few weeks?
So you guys have you know, risen up to the top.
Olympic have falled away slightly with a few losses. Do
you take some extra confidence as to wear the momentums
out in the competition.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, for sure. The group is extremely confident, but we
have been since we come in the first week of
Febuary for pre season. You know, we've got a really
strong group and like I said at the start, really
together group and where we know we were at and
we're super confident to get the job done on the
weekend and then host a National League final. It's a
(05:33):
bit of an end of an era myself. I'm moving
on and a few of the boys are moving on
to different challenges as well. So there's a lot to
play for and we will want to finish it with
a Grand Final at Davie. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Absolutely. And I wanted to ask about you know, you're
finishing up at Miramar and you talked at the start
Kale about, you know, the two three year journey of
a lot of the players that have come through the
Mirrmar system and are now here ready to so hopefully
bring a National League title to the club. How proud
of you of you know, being able to bow outs
when the team is you know, really in the mix
for some high honors at the end of the season.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, extremely proud. There's there's a number of the boys
that have moved from from Hamilton Wanders when they had
them in the Northern League and National League. And you know,
some of the boys have worked with for eight to
ten years. So yeah, it's certainly going to be a
difficult one when the whistle goes, hopefully in a Grand
(06:26):
final and and and it's all kind of come to
an end. But now I've loved my time at the
club and they've been brilliant for me. But yeah, it's
a different a different time for me and my wife
with our little girl at the moment, so a bit
more family time coming up, which would be good.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, nice. And you I know you are taking on
a new roll up on the coast. Do you expect
any players to maybe follow you again?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
No, no, no, I'd say that. I'd say the boys
will be staying staying on it at Miramar or inside
of Wellington. There won't be any boys heading up the
coast with me.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah, fair enough, all right. And before we get into
today's game, cal, I just want to know what is
your advice to the team for such a tight game
like this. What are your sort of lasting words set
to be to your players as they go out an
attempt to do do something pretty special?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I think it's it's a chance to leave our mark
in the club's history and create a bit of a
long lasting bond between the group. You know, ten years
time you're bump into Andy Bevan down the street. It's
it's a good connection point to discuss again. You know,
we're in a grand final, hopefully in the National League
(07:37):
in twenty twenty five. It's something to remember, so is
everything they played for on Saturday and the boys well
across that.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Brilliant Kale Haill. Congrats on the year so far mate,
and all the very best for these final couple of
weeks and you know, getting the job done, maybe made
this weekend and hopefully next weekend as well.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Mate.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
So thanks for your time here on News Dogs there
be and go well.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Cheers, No thanks having me for more from news Talk
sed B. Listen live on air or online and keep
our shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts
on iHeartRadio.
Very intriguing final round of football's National League today. Mirramar
Rangers lead on nineteen points, Wellington Olympics second on eighteen,
Auckland City third on seventeen. Mirramar Rangers are Wellington Olympics
square off today at Wakefield Park at two o'clock. Auckland
City have a game that you think they will win
and get their three points four our hosts. They're up
(00:21):
against Coastal Spirit who are bottom of the table. So
effectively Mimar Rangers of Wellington Olympic probably probably only one
of them can make it into next week's final, which
is well interesting. Mirramar Rangers head coach is Calee Herbert,
who joins us now Cayle. Morning to you mate. This
is a very exciting one house. The teams that have
prepared during the week is yes, sort of go do
(00:43):
or die here.
Speaker 2 (00:44):
Yeah. Look, it's been an incredibly long year, but now
the boys are ready for Saturday. You know, we spoke
at the start of the National League campaign, how cool
would it be if it went down to the local
d the last game of the season with everything to
play for And that's the way it's fallen. So now
(01:07):
we're ready to go We're super excited and I can't
wait to get to Wakefield Park. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (01:11):
Absolutely. What has given you the edge in this latter
part of the season do you think Obviously probably Olympic
have maybe had a couple more games, maybe a bit
of a longest season for them with Chatham Cup and
everything like that. But but overall, what do you think
has helped your team rise up and get these crucial
results over the last month or so.
Speaker 2 (01:28):
Yeah, We've got a really strong group of players that
we've kind of built over the last few years. But
there's a real togetherness in the group. They spend a
lot of time together off the pitch, and I think
that's that's kind of shown in later stages and games
we've had to dig in and defend large periods of games. Yeah,
(01:51):
so I guess a real togetherness and it's it's kind
of got us to the stage that we're in now.
Speaker 1 (01:58):
And the goal difference as well, it's it's the best
for you guys out of any team in the competition,
I guess with some calculations that can possibly help you
out of Auckland City get up there this weekend as well.
How crucial has it been not just slotting the goals,
but defending at the back too.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yeah, for sure, we've been We've been brilliant at the back.
I think in the National League we've considered a few
set pieces, but very rarely have we been kind of
pulled apart. I think look back to the probably a
twenty minute spell in at the start of the second
half against christ which where we were a little bit disjointed.
But outside of that we've been really well organized and
defended well. And then you know the top third of
(02:34):
the pitch when you've got Martin as our nine top
goals were in the country at the moment, and service
from you know, Owen Smith, Jordan lamb Eco, Bobadealer has
been brilliant through the National League campaign and shipped in
with a few goals as well. So we've got a
number of players that can hurt teams and hopefully we
(02:54):
can do that again.
Speaker 1 (02:55):
And it came on the back of quite as strong
and promising Central League as well. Obviously second to Olympic
you had another great year as well.
Speaker 2 (03:03):
There.
Speaker 1 (03:03):
Have you changed much in terms of the way the
team's played throughout the season or have you you sort
of managed to stick with what you set out for
come right the way back and what March April.
Speaker 2 (03:12):
Yeah, we've been pretty lucky this year. We've been really
consistent in the way that we've set up and we
took a lot of learnings from from the last couple
of years around you know, how we wanted to play
and we've probably chopped and changed a little bit last
year and so the year before that. This year we've
been super consistent. It's helped with you know, we've managed
players through through injuries. We've had a couple of boys
(03:35):
that have picked up suspensions, but not too many. So
the team's been pretty consistent as well, which has helped
keep the system the same.
Speaker 1 (03:42):
I guess we can look at the table and say,
you're you know, you're one point ahead of Olympac, You're
two points ahead of Auckland City. You guys can probably
get through to the final next week with a draw.
Is that what you're going to be playing for this weekend?
Speaker 2 (03:55):
No, not at all. We're we've had a win, a
win or busts on a mentality the last or five weeks.
We've spoken about it. We spoke about it last night
at training around you know, we don't want to go
there and play for a play for a drawer. I
think with that mindset, we'll start defending ten yards deeper
than probably what we need to and going to invite
(04:16):
the pressure. And Olympic are a good site and we
don't want to we don't want to give him a slip.
So now it'll be win or bust for us again
and hopefully we should get the job done.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
And how are you going to know what's happening with
that Auckland City game, which I believe is all the
exact same time.
Speaker 2 (04:33):
Yeah, I'm sure there'll be some people floating around at
the park mysas and actually each suspended for the game
on the weekend. So I've given him a task of
trying to keep me updated as best he can. So yeah,
we'll certainly have some people across it. But yeah, we
need to make sure that we get the job done
(04:54):
for us anyway, and then that result is kind of
by the vice.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
Yeah, do you take much encouragement from the last few weeks?
So you guys have you know, risen up to the top.
Olympic have falled away slightly with a few losses. Do
you take some extra confidence as to wear the momentums
out in the competition.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
Yeah, for sure. The group is extremely confident, but we
have been since we come in the first week of
Febuary for pre season. You know, we've got a really
strong group and like I said at the start, really
together group and where we know we were at and
we're super confident to get the job done on the
weekend and then host a National League final. It's a
(05:33):
bit of an end of an era myself. I'm moving
on and a few of the boys are moving on
to different challenges as well. So there's a lot to
play for and we will want to finish it with
a Grand Final at Davie. Yeah.
Speaker 1 (05:44):
Absolutely. And I wanted to ask about you know, you're
finishing up at Miramar and you talked at the start
Kale about, you know, the two three year journey of
a lot of the players that have come through the
Mirrmar system and are now here ready to so hopefully
bring a National League title to the club. How proud
of you of you know, being able to bow outs
when the team is you know, really in the mix
for some high honors at the end of the season.
Speaker 2 (06:06):
Yeah, extremely proud. There's there's a number of the boys
that have moved from from Hamilton Wanders when they had
them in the Northern League and National League. And you know,
some of the boys have worked with for eight to
ten years. So yeah, it's certainly going to be a
difficult one when the whistle goes, hopefully in a Grand
(06:26):
final and and and it's all kind of come to
an end. But now I've loved my time at the
club and they've been brilliant for me. But yeah, it's
a different a different time for me and my wife
with our little girl at the moment, so a bit
more family time coming up, which would be good.
Speaker 1 (06:44):
Yeah, nice. And you I know you are taking on
a new roll up on the coast. Do you expect
any players to maybe follow you again?
Speaker 2 (06:50):
No, no, no, I'd say that. I'd say the boys
will be staying staying on it at Miramar or inside
of Wellington. There won't be any boys heading up the
coast with me.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Yeah, fair enough, all right. And before we get into
today's game, cal, I just want to know what is
your advice to the team for such a tight game
like this. What are your sort of lasting words set
to be to your players as they go out an
attempt to do do something pretty special?
Speaker 2 (07:16):
I think it's it's a chance to leave our mark
in the club's history and create a bit of a
long lasting bond between the group. You know, ten years
time you're bump into Andy Bevan down the street. It's
it's a good connection point to discuss again. You know,
we're in a grand final, hopefully in the National League
(07:37):
in twenty twenty five. It's something to remember, so is
everything they played for on Saturday and the boys well
across that.
Speaker 1 (07:45):
Brilliant Kale Haill. Congrats on the year so far mate,
and all the very best for these final couple of
weeks and you know, getting the job done, maybe made
this weekend and hopefully next weekend as well.
Speaker 2 (07:56):
Mate.
Speaker 1 (07:56):
So thanks for your time here on News Dogs there
be and go well.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
Cheers, No thanks having me for more from news Talk
sed B. Listen live on air or online and keep
our shows with you wherever you go with our podcasts
on iHeartRadio.
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