August 7, 2026 • 10 mins
Sports Journalist Nathan Limm and ZB Rugby Commentator Hamish McKay join Heather du Plessis-Allan for the sports huddle.
On the table today: Joseph Parker has explained what happened between him, his nutritionist and a cocaine test.
The trio looks at the state of Netball - with international success but domestic uncertainty, are the Silver Ferns actually excited to head back to New Zealand?
And Luke Metcalf has been called up for the Warriors - is he going to make the difference?
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Friday Sports Huddle with New Zealand Sufferby's International Realty,
a name you can trust locally and globally.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
But here we go back to New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
A golden deities for New Zealand, from contenders to champions.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
The Commonwealth Games gold belongs to New Zealand for the
first time since twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
The brand of Foo do. We play quite entertaining, very
exciting and when we do get everything right, not manytens
can stop us.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
So I think we've definitely got the squad to do
it this year.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It's been just hovering over me for the last nearly
a year. So now of the news is out there
were cleared.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I am over the moon, have been delighted.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Sports title with us this evening. Nathan Limb, the Herald's
sports journalist and Hamish McKay news talks he'd be rugby commentator. Lads, Hello, right, Nathan,
what do you think this is like a redemption story
of sorts for Luke Metcalf.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, it could be. It could be. It depends how
tonight goes. It won't be much of a redemption story
if he doesn't play very well. But look, he said
to buy his time, and he had two very underwhelming
performances at five eighths earlier in the year. The Warriors
lost both of those games and he was clearly low
on confidence. That was when he came immediately back from injury.
The difference here is he's been playing for months in
(01:21):
New South Wales Cup, so he's more accustomed to playing
in that half back role, to having that those minutes
under the belt. And look, this is the sort of
selection that could either go really well or really badly.
And Metcalf, I guess, brings that X factor that if
the Warrior's pank was getting beaten up through the middle tonight.
He's the kind of player that could spark something and
could create something out of nothing, and I think the
(01:42):
Warriors really need that. So this point out, you know,
five six weeks out from the NRAL finals, this is
the time when you need to try him and just
see what he produces.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Hemus give me some hope that we can beat the Panthers.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
I'd like to, and I think Napron's right, it's going
to be sort of a it's an all or nothing core.
This guy, he was hotter than a smoking pistol for
a while there and you know, could walk on water.
Then injury and then lack of confidence and things and
sort of reduced to having a nice sponsors car and
not doing much help and sort of disappearing off the radar.
(02:17):
If he has a good one, we're right in it,
you know. And I think Tony Kemp's points. You know,
they played very well this year. If you were going
to have a dollar on the Warriors, you have a
lot more confidence than you've had in a long time
against a fine pather doubt.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
The fingers crossing. We're a going to have our fingers
cross this evening, right, Nathan Joseph park a story about
the nutritionist. If you went to the library, Nathan and
you checked the story out, would you be finding it
in the fairytale section.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Look, I want to start this by saying that I'm
really pleased he's been cleared. He's undoubtedly in New Zealand
sporting great and I'm really looking forward to seeing him
fight again. I'm so happy that he's been cleared. I
raised my eyebrows at the story purely because he said
that they knew that the nutritionist was using drugs in
(03:12):
camp before this happened. So if he then suddenly tests
positive to a cocaine and they knew that the guy
handling his food was taking cocaine. Surely it doesn't take
more than a couple of seconds to connect those dots,
and there isn't this period of confusion immediately after the test.
I just that part. I don't understand Hamish.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
If you wish if your nutritionist had accidentally contaminated you
with cocaine, would that be through having recently used the
blow right next to the chicken that cooking for you,
or has he used and got it on the hands,
maybe on the surface, or has he used the blow
and then sneezed in your food?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Yes? Well, you know I probably professed to not being
an expert either being a chef or the use of
the blow so to speak. But look, to me, it
was interesting that at no point listening to him this
morning on the wireless, you know, that was like you're
having a root canow. He ducked and weaved and protect,
you know, like stood up for he didn't want to hang.
(04:17):
Hiss made out to dry as nutritionists. So yeah, it
would have taken a fair old sneeze, wouldn't it. I
would have imagined maybe he mixed it up with the creating.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Oh you never know, you never know where things like this.
I'd love to talk to the nutritionists, wouldn't you will
take a break? Come back and just to take.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
The Frindy sports tititle with New Zealand South of E's
international real team the only truly global brand, right.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
You're back of the sports tittle Hamish Mackaya and Nathan
lim Hamish the Silver Ferns scale of one to ten?
How awesome was that? Gold?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Oh? I think it was kind of a ten, wasn't it.
You know, it was just you know the fact that
the Australians sort of got nailed out of the pictures,
sort of slightly blindsided, and it sort of opened the
door and then that self belief came through and you know,
just to see Knowles like that after what must have
been a tumultuous period in her life was really cool,
(05:13):
wasn't it. I Mean it was just so nice to
see and that took it from sort of a nine
to ten. I think.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, Nathan, you've been writing about what's going on with
the netballers looking for jobs. How many netballers do you
think are emailing English clubs right now? Trying to land.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Jobs, all of them. I expect all of the twelve
silver Ferns who were at the Commonwealth Games to be
playing overseas next year. I don't think you know any
of them will be mucking around. This is the this
is their lives, These are their jobs. I had a
chat to Manchester thunder coach Karen Gregg this morning and
(05:50):
she said that they had been inundated with New Zealand
players and agents contacting them asking if they're a contract
available and then won't be contracts for everyone. Let let's
be clear about that. You know that there are so
many players in the age of premiership, but the top
players will all go. England are slightly restricted in the
fact that each team can only have two imports, so
(06:12):
they kind of handicapping themselves because they really could just
pinch whoever they liked if they just opened the floodgates
and said we can go for everyone. But it won't
just be the sort of funds. There are other aims
in premiership players who didn't make the funds who are
being targeted.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Okay, where are we at with because my understanding of
Anamobra and Ali Williams attempts to privatize Netbull is that
this is not going to get off the ground for
twenty twenty seven. It's a twenty twenty eight play. But
then somebody said to me yesterday Nathan, it might actually
be twenty seven. What are you hearing?
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Yeah, it's probably a little bit early to say. The
talks are sort of kind of in preliminary stages. And yeah,
definitely there is something I foot for twenty twenty eight,
twenty twenty seven. They're not quite at that stage where
we can confidently say that there will be something, But
you'd imagine that they would want to put together a
sort of bridging competition to get you know, some players
(07:09):
into a competition so that there's something in twenty twenty
eight to feel back from, because the issue is if
there isn't what exactly are building back from? Because all
these players are going to.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Go, yeah, how do you like the sound of that, Hamish,
If you hear that, Anna and Ali and a whole
bunch of other very wealthy people are going to buy
these clubs and set up a private competition to say that,
would you be on board of that?
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Absolutely? I mean how else? Still? I mean, I think
it's not necessarily the right mix for every sport, but
for a sport it's actually on the bones of it's
behind and shouldn't be because of the interest and the
player numbers through the junior grade, so it shouldn't be.
But for whatever reasons it is. So as far as
(07:50):
I'm concerned, whatever shot in the army can get and
where it comes from doesn't worry me because it needs it.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, absolutely, okay, Nathan, What time are we getting up
for the rugged tomorrow? Morning?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Got to be ordered a five?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
No?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
What are we doing this? Are we doing this? HAMI
should we get a five for the rugby?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Why wouldn't you for the Stormers? I'm on replay you
know later.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
That's a bit much, I mean, okay, Nathan says, why
wouldn't you? Because obviously I want to sleep And obviously, Nathan,
it's a foregone conclusion. The All Blacks are going to
funt the Stormers, aren't they?
Speaker 3 (08:26):
No, because they put out an experimental team and you've
got to remember from the perspective of these South African players,
but the museum players haven't played, you know, some of
them have never played because of how long ago now
South Africa left Super Rugby. These South African players, this
is the one chance they're not going to play for
the spring Box. They're never going to play against the
All Blacks. Potentially in their lives again, they will be
(08:46):
going hell for leather. People are going to get injured
in this game. I have no doubt because if South
African players are going to be throwing themselves at the
All Blacks who have put out a lineup that they
don't we don't know what we're going to get, you know,
all new combinations, debutans off the bench, Boden barrass come
back in the start at ten, new loose forward combination.
(09:07):
This is an unknown and so yeah, one hundred percent,
I'm going to get up early and I'm going to
watch it because there is going to be something coming
out of this regard.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
All right, he's now that it's Karmakazi rugby. I think
I'm into it. What about you?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Oh can mccazie Rugby, You've got me, You've caught Methan was.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Just saying, basically, the South African players are just going
to injury everyone. I'm into this. Law is jey on
this game?
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Well, they're going out there to die, that is correct. Yeah, yes,
but yeah, yeah, I'm on the same now. But I look,
I agree totally Withathan in terms of the in terms
of the physicality that they will bring. But I just,
you know, I like to think I've got enough of
a finger on the paths to know what sort of
(09:52):
opposition they'll be, and I think our team will measure
up pretty well and have the I just wish it
was kind of like nineteen seventy six and there was
the old Western Province. You know, it just had a
bit more meaning than the Stormers. But you know, that's
that's from another.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Time, you know. I mean, you can always vote for
Winston Peters Hamers and it will take you right back
to that time quite comfortably.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drave, listen live to
news talks they'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
The Friday Sports Huddle with New Zealand Sufferby's International Realty,
a name you can trust locally and globally.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
But here we go back to New Zealand.
Speaker 3 (00:15):
A golden deities for New Zealand, from contenders to champions.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
The Commonwealth Games gold belongs to New Zealand for the
first time since twenty ten.
Speaker 3 (00:25):
The brand of Foo do. We play quite entertaining, very
exciting and when we do get everything right, not manytens
can stop us.
Speaker 4 (00:33):
So I think we've definitely got the squad to do
it this year.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
It's been just hovering over me for the last nearly
a year. So now of the news is out there
were cleared.
Speaker 1 (00:42):
I am over the moon, have been delighted.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Sports title with us this evening. Nathan Limb, the Herald's
sports journalist and Hamish McKay news talks he'd be rugby commentator. Lads, Hello, right, Nathan,
what do you think this is like a redemption story
of sorts for Luke Metcalf.
Speaker 3 (01:00):
Yeah, it could be. It could be. It depends how
tonight goes. It won't be much of a redemption story
if he doesn't play very well. But look, he said
to buy his time, and he had two very underwhelming
performances at five eighths earlier in the year. The Warriors
lost both of those games and he was clearly low
on confidence. That was when he came immediately back from injury.
The difference here is he's been playing for months in
(01:21):
New South Wales Cup, so he's more accustomed to playing
in that half back role, to having that those minutes
under the belt. And look, this is the sort of
selection that could either go really well or really badly.
And Metcalf, I guess, brings that X factor that if
the Warrior's pank was getting beaten up through the middle tonight.
He's the kind of player that could spark something and
could create something out of nothing, and I think the
(01:42):
Warriors really need that. So this point out, you know,
five six weeks out from the NRAL finals, this is
the time when you need to try him and just
see what he produces.
Speaker 2 (01:50):
Hemus give me some hope that we can beat the Panthers.
Speaker 4 (01:54):
I'd like to, and I think Napron's right, it's going
to be sort of a it's an all or nothing core.
This guy, he was hotter than a smoking pistol for
a while there and you know, could walk on water.
Then injury and then lack of confidence and things and
sort of reduced to having a nice sponsors car and
not doing much help and sort of disappearing off the radar.
(02:17):
If he has a good one, we're right in it,
you know. And I think Tony Kemp's points. You know,
they played very well this year. If you were going
to have a dollar on the Warriors, you have a
lot more confidence than you've had in a long time
against a fine pather doubt.
Speaker 2 (02:32):
The fingers crossing. We're a going to have our fingers
cross this evening, right, Nathan Joseph park a story about
the nutritionist. If you went to the library, Nathan and
you checked the story out, would you be finding it
in the fairytale section.
Speaker 3 (02:50):
Look, I want to start this by saying that I'm
really pleased he's been cleared. He's undoubtedly in New Zealand
sporting great and I'm really looking forward to seeing him
fight again. I'm so happy that he's been cleared. I
raised my eyebrows at the story purely because he said
that they knew that the nutritionist was using drugs in
(03:12):
camp before this happened. So if he then suddenly tests
positive to a cocaine and they knew that the guy
handling his food was taking cocaine. Surely it doesn't take
more than a couple of seconds to connect those dots,
and there isn't this period of confusion immediately after the test.
I just that part. I don't understand Hamish.
Speaker 5 (03:36):
If you wish if your nutritionist had accidentally contaminated you
with cocaine, would that be through having recently used the
blow right next to the chicken that cooking for you,
or has he used and got it on the hands,
maybe on the surface, or has he used the blow
and then sneezed in your food?
Speaker 4 (03:55):
Yes? Well, you know I probably professed to not being
an expert either being a chef or the use of
the blow so to speak. But look, to me, it
was interesting that at no point listening to him this
morning on the wireless, you know, that was like you're
having a root canow. He ducked and weaved and protect,
you know, like stood up for he didn't want to hang.
(04:17):
Hiss made out to dry as nutritionists. So yeah, it
would have taken a fair old sneeze, wouldn't it. I
would have imagined maybe he mixed it up with the creating.
Speaker 2 (04:28):
Oh you never know, you never know where things like this.
I'd love to talk to the nutritionists, wouldn't you will
take a break? Come back and just to take.
Speaker 1 (04:36):
The Frindy sports tititle with New Zealand South of E's
international real team the only truly global brand, right.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
You're back of the sports tittle Hamish Mackaya and Nathan
lim Hamish the Silver Ferns scale of one to ten?
How awesome was that? Gold?
Speaker 4 (04:50):
Oh? I think it was kind of a ten, wasn't it.
You know, it was just you know the fact that
the Australians sort of got nailed out of the pictures,
sort of slightly blindsided, and it sort of opened the
door and then that self belief came through and you know,
just to see Knowles like that after what must have
been a tumultuous period in her life was really cool,
(05:13):
wasn't it. I Mean it was just so nice to
see and that took it from sort of a nine
to ten. I think.
Speaker 2 (05:18):
Yeah, Nathan, you've been writing about what's going on with
the netballers looking for jobs. How many netballers do you
think are emailing English clubs right now? Trying to land.
Speaker 3 (05:29):
Jobs, all of them. I expect all of the twelve
silver Ferns who were at the Commonwealth Games to be
playing overseas next year. I don't think you know any
of them will be mucking around. This is the this
is their lives, These are their jobs. I had a
chat to Manchester thunder coach Karen Gregg this morning and
(05:50):
she said that they had been inundated with New Zealand
players and agents contacting them asking if they're a contract
available and then won't be contracts for everyone. Let let's
be clear about that. You know that there are so
many players in the age of premiership, but the top
players will all go. England are slightly restricted in the
fact that each team can only have two imports, so
(06:12):
they kind of handicapping themselves because they really could just
pinch whoever they liked if they just opened the floodgates
and said we can go for everyone. But it won't
just be the sort of funds. There are other aims
in premiership players who didn't make the funds who are
being targeted.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
Okay, where are we at with because my understanding of
Anamobra and Ali Williams attempts to privatize Netbull is that
this is not going to get off the ground for
twenty twenty seven. It's a twenty twenty eight play. But
then somebody said to me yesterday Nathan, it might actually
be twenty seven. What are you hearing?
Speaker 3 (06:45):
Yeah, it's probably a little bit early to say. The
talks are sort of kind of in preliminary stages. And yeah,
definitely there is something I foot for twenty twenty eight,
twenty twenty seven. They're not quite at that stage where
we can confidently say that there will be something, But
you'd imagine that they would want to put together a
sort of bridging competition to get you know, some players
(07:09):
into a competition so that there's something in twenty twenty
eight to feel back from, because the issue is if
there isn't what exactly are building back from? Because all
these players are going to.
Speaker 2 (07:16):
Go, yeah, how do you like the sound of that, Hamish,
If you hear that, Anna and Ali and a whole
bunch of other very wealthy people are going to buy
these clubs and set up a private competition to say that,
would you be on board of that?
Speaker 1 (07:29):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (07:29):
Absolutely? I mean how else? Still? I mean, I think
it's not necessarily the right mix for every sport, but
for a sport it's actually on the bones of it's
behind and shouldn't be because of the interest and the
player numbers through the junior grade, so it shouldn't be.
But for whatever reasons it is. So as far as
(07:50):
I'm concerned, whatever shot in the army can get and
where it comes from doesn't worry me because it needs it.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Yeah, absolutely, okay, Nathan, What time are we getting up
for the rugged tomorrow? Morning?
Speaker 3 (07:59):
Got to be ordered a five?
Speaker 1 (08:01):
No?
Speaker 2 (08:03):
What are we doing this? Are we doing this? HAMI
should we get a five for the rugby?
Speaker 3 (08:09):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (08:09):
Why wouldn't you for the Stormers? I'm on replay you
know later.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
That's a bit much, I mean, okay, Nathan says, why
wouldn't you? Because obviously I want to sleep And obviously, Nathan,
it's a foregone conclusion. The All Blacks are going to
funt the Stormers, aren't they?
Speaker 3 (08:26):
No, because they put out an experimental team and you've
got to remember from the perspective of these South African players,
but the museum players haven't played, you know, some of
them have never played because of how long ago now
South Africa left Super Rugby. These South African players, this
is the one chance they're not going to play for
the spring Box. They're never going to play against the
All Blacks. Potentially in their lives again, they will be
(08:46):
going hell for leather. People are going to get injured
in this game. I have no doubt because if South
African players are going to be throwing themselves at the
All Blacks who have put out a lineup that they
don't we don't know what we're going to get, you know,
all new combinations, debutans off the bench, Boden barrass come
back in the start at ten, new loose forward combination.
(09:07):
This is an unknown and so yeah, one hundred percent,
I'm going to get up early and I'm going to
watch it because there is going to be something coming
out of this regard.
Speaker 2 (09:13):
All right, he's now that it's Karmakazi rugby. I think
I'm into it. What about you?
Speaker 4 (09:19):
Oh can mccazie Rugby, You've got me, You've caught Methan was.
Speaker 2 (09:25):
Just saying, basically, the South African players are just going
to injury everyone. I'm into this. Law is jey on
this game?
Speaker 4 (09:32):
Well, they're going out there to die, that is correct. Yeah, yes,
but yeah, yeah, I'm on the same now. But I look,
I agree totally Withathan in terms of the in terms
of the physicality that they will bring. But I just,
you know, I like to think I've got enough of
a finger on the paths to know what sort of
(09:52):
opposition they'll be, and I think our team will measure
up pretty well and have the I just wish it
was kind of like nineteen seventy six and there was
the old Western Province. You know, it just had a
bit more meaning than the Stormers. But you know, that's
that's from another.
Speaker 2 (10:05):
Time, you know. I mean, you can always vote for
Winston Peters Hamers and it will take you right back
to that time quite comfortably.
Speaker 1 (10:11):
For more from Heather Duplessy Allen Drave, listen live to
news talks they'd be from four pm weekdays, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio.
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