Tawera Nikau: Kiwis Selector on the upcoming rugby league tests against Australia and Tonga

Is the rugby league season getting too long? 

The season is about to get longer, as the Kiwis take on Australia and Tonga later this month. 

Kiwis Selector Tawera Nikau told Mike Hosking that the length of the NRL season becomes a bit of a problem at the back end. 

He said it’s not a lack of willingness from the players, but rather the state they’re in by the end of 27 rounds. 

LISTEN ABOVE 

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
So we've got a squad name for the League Pacific Championship.
But as the key Wes take on Australia and Tonga
later on this month, there are questions being raised about
the length of the season and the shape the players
are in the Key we selected to Itta Nika is
with us on all of this timeet of good morning.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Good morning, Mike. Great to be on the number one
breakfast show in News.

Speaker 1 (00:15):
Are very kind of you to say so. The international
window and its relevance to the game itself, is it
a problem.

Speaker 2 (00:23):
It is a bit of a problem in terms of
too many games in the NRL. At the weekend, I
was over at the Grand Final and talking to a
couple of people around what that season looks like and
how we could maybe change it. But because of the
twenty seven rounds, Mike and the players play at such
an intense place, it does become a bit of a
problem at the back end of the season.

Speaker 1 (00:43):
So what do you have to deal with. It's not
a lack of willingness from the players, it's just the
state they're in pretty.

Speaker 2 (00:50):
Much, Mike, in terms of the current status of the
game and with the NRAL in terms of the number
matches they play. It'll be interesting to see what happens
over the next couple of years of how that's going
to map out, because there's some talk of reducing the
number of games during the season, especially in the NRAL.
And if you see the players, we've got probably about

(01:10):
five or six players that played last year that are
unavailable for our team through injury at the moment, so
it is a bit of a problem Mic, But in
saying that, it's an opportunity for a lot of the
younger guys coming in and twenty seventh of October in
your hometown of christ Church, we have the Kiwi Ferns
and the Kiwis playing rugby league back in chross Church,
which is fantastic.

Speaker 1 (01:30):
It's going to be super exciting. So it does, in
fact become to a degree of blooding experience. In other words,
you get a few people that might get an opportunity
that under other circumstances might not have.

Speaker 2 (01:40):
Well we've seen this year, Mike, there's a couple of
young players that we had in the squad last year
that didn't get the opportunity to play. Guys like Keanu Kinney.
They've played at the Gold Coast Titans. Now you would
have seen them carve up the Warriors there Mica one
season the fullback from there who was outstanding. Also Will
Warbroock played for the Melbourn Stam and the Grand Fine
on the wing in the finality he gets an opportunity

(02:02):
in the squad. So it is definitely a blood the experience,
but a great opportunity for the new coach station.

Speaker 1 (02:07):
Jones, you've got any indication as to how good Australia
and how good tong are.

Speaker 2 (02:12):
We? You know we beat Australia thirty to nil last year.
Now that doesn't happen very often, but I know that
melman ninga is still hurting from that loss last year.
So they're going to come be very aware of the
wounded Kangaroo tongue. Mate. They've got outstanding team. A lot
of those top players that are playing in the Tonguan

(02:33):
side are going to be very competitive. They should be
a Tier one nation. And the Australian side, you know,
melman Linger's packed guys that paid really well in Origin
and guys that have paid really well in the Grand Final,
namingly most of the Penrith players in terms of it.
So those teams are going to be up to the
game in representing Australia. And the great thing about Peter

(02:54):
Velandi's is he's really brought back this the international game
which needs to be at the forefront. So you know,
all all as well for it. But it's going to
be an outstanding series.

Speaker 1 (03:02):
Fantastic go well, well, good to catch up. Appreciate it
very much. My telltal a Nick album Who's the Key?
We selected these days for more from the Mic Asking
Breakfast listen live to news talks. It'd be from six
am weekdays, or follow the podcast on iHeartRadio.