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January 31, 2025 • 12 mins

Sports Journalist Nicky Styris and Sports Commentator Andrew Gourdie on the Huddle. 

Who will the new Warriors captain be? The Huddle throws Mitchell Barnett, James Fisher-Harris and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck in the ring as contenders. 

The Australian Open saw runner up Alexander Zverev heckled over domestic violence allegations - does protesting have a place in sports stands?

Moana Pasifika are aiming for the Super Rugby final this season, as well as a title within five years. Is this a realistic goal? 

And can the triumphant Auckland FC remain top of the league? 

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Episode Transcript

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Speaker 1 (00:00):
The Friday Sports Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International Realty,
local and global exposure like no other. Maybe with thirty
seconds to go, the Super Sovis done it again and

(00:21):
all plants are going to go home with the three points.

Speaker 2 (00:24):
Probably standing out would be probably James. You know, obviously
the club has bought him for everything.

Speaker 3 (00:30):
That he brings.

Speaker 4 (00:31):
You know, my father was the other day of the accident,
and you know there was an image that was created
and his and stilled in his head of a young
disabled girl. And in that moment when Nashal Ansam was playing,
I got to change that into a world champion and.

Speaker 2 (00:47):
The voice of Dame Sophie Pasco. And we'll get to
here in a second. Nicki Styrs sports journalists here for
the sports Huddle tonight. Hey Nicki, Hello guys. Great to
have you won with Andrew Gordy's sports commentator. Good evening, Gordy,
how are you very well? It's great to have you
both on the show. Let's start with the Warriors captain.
Who's it going to be? Do you think Nicky will

(01:07):
start with you? Is James Fisher. Harris's name has been
thrown about there. I know You're a huge Warriors fan,
so what's your.

Speaker 5 (01:15):
Yeah, I am, although actually I'm going to put my
vote in f Mitch Barnett. I think that he's proven
that he can do the job. He did it late
last year with Tory Harris injured. He's a man that
leads by his actions. He's proven that not only for
the Warriors, but for the Blues, the Kangaroos, and I
think he's got the respect of the playing group at

(01:38):
the moment, and I think that's actually really vital going
in to a new season. Don't get me wrong, James
Fisher Harris is also a very good candidate, however, I think,
and even he has openly said he probably needs to
earn that position first, and he's new to the club,
so he needs to come in show what he can do,
lead by his actions, and he has signed on for
a bit latest or a bit longer to end of

(02:00):
twenty twenty eight, I believe, so I think there's time
for him. So that's that's kind of where I'm putting
my vote.

Speaker 3 (02:06):
All right, what about you, Goody, I don't disagree with
any of that actually, and I think mitn sorry mate, sorry,
I can make something up for you if you like.
Look Mitch Barneer, he's got real Kevin Cambian vibes about him,
and he was the player of the Year last year.
He absolutely commands respect within that dressing room. So right

(02:26):
now I think he probably is the top candidate. But
James Fisher Harris. From everything I've heard about this man,
it doesn't matter what dressing room he walks into. He
absolutely leads by example in everything that he does. But
the challenge for him is walking straight in and commanding
that straight away, so there might be a challenge there.

(02:47):
And then you've got Roger try Vasishek as well. Well,
he's the only person in that dressing room that's won
a Delian Medal. He's done it all for this club
on the field. I think probably the question mark for
him is that his form last season probably doesn't necessarily
demand captaincy and leadership just yet. I think they'll go
with Mitch Barnett and he'll have two excellent deputy deputies,

(03:08):
and James Fisher Harris and Roger to Vasishek.

Speaker 2 (03:10):
All right, well, that sounds good. They're in good hands
either way. Then they've got three solid options, which is great.
Let's talk tennis that end that was earlier this week,
but the Australian Open. Nikki I had a problem with that. Well,
I don't like it when people protest at sporting events
generally anyway, because it's it's annoying. I mean, people pay
a lot of money to go and see these things

(03:32):
and if they're constantly being interrupted by fairy dust from
some climate protester, I just got.

Speaker 5 (03:38):
You know.

Speaker 2 (03:39):
But anyway, this was quite a separate situation that so
this is sphearev and was being heckled before an interview,
and it was it was about some domestic violence allegations
that he had faced. But we've also had this anti
royal chanting. This is at the Champions League game against
aston Villa that Prince Wiam attended, where they said Lizzie's

(04:02):
in a bar, which is I mean, it's terrible, it's terrible, nicky.
What do we do about this or is it just
part of the part of sport.

Speaker 5 (04:10):
Look, I think there's a little bit of a difference
between something, you know, like an individual sport like tennis,
like golf, because it becomes very personal when someone's he called,
you know, it's not like a team event where you
can throw out general heckling and everybody's affected by that.
I just think I agree with you where it's actually
not the correct platform for that type of heckling. And

(04:31):
I think that type of comment at all, I think
it ruins the experience for everybody else who've paid a
lot of money to go and watch, you know, professional
people do a professional job. And also you know, it's
it becomes almost like a kangaroo court, and I think,
you know, that's not fair. You can't you can't put
somebody on the spot for something that's a very very
serious allegation, which I might add has not been proven.

(04:55):
And you know, there was two outer court settlements. The
ATP launched an investigation into one of them. No discipline
react was taken. None of that comes into account. He's
just basically standing there and she's having a good, right
old crack. No, I don't agree with it. It's no
place for it.

Speaker 3 (05:09):
Well, she certainly picked her moment, didn't she, when the
entire crowd was silent waiting for his words. I'm not
quite sure how I feel about this, because what she
actually said wasn't actually that bad. You know, she didn't
make a direct threat to him, didn't make didn't use
derogatory language or anything like that. She purely made a

(05:30):
statement that Australia believes these two women. Now, she doesn't
have the right I don't think to speak on behalf
of everyone. But if she had said I believe I
don't know what's wrong.

Speaker 5 (05:40):
With that, well, I just don't think it's the right platform.

Speaker 3 (05:43):
Perhaps not, but she certainly got her point across.

Speaker 2 (05:46):
So and to be fair to her, she she also
didn't interrupt a game. She just interrupted a broadcast, really
didn't she that's great?

Speaker 5 (05:52):
But what do you do if you're zerib You know,
what do you do in that situation? You're damned if
you do, and you're damned if you don't. If you
speak up again to her, you look like an asshole.
Excuse me I to say that said it now, mouth

(06:13):
is sorry. You know, So what does he does? And
if he sits in silence, then she gets her platform
and he gets to say nothing in his own defense.
I think it's Yeah, I don't like it.

Speaker 2 (06:23):
Yeah, that's interesting because like golf, not great for shouting out,
Tennis not great for shouting out because they're quite intimate
sort of arenas.

Speaker 3 (06:32):
That's right, but for golf. I mean that the etiquette
is clear right you do not make a sound while
the player is in their backswing, for example. But as
you quite rightly pointed out, this was not during the game.
It was after the game. It was all over. She
picked a moment to get a point across. And does
he have the right, like you say, guilty, you know,
innocent until proven guilty, et cetera, et cetera. But does
he absolutely have the right to walk around and play

(06:55):
tennis and receive nothing?

Speaker 2 (06:58):
Well, clearly not proven not and ONEA Pacifica will chat
that and also Aukland FC. Nicki stars Andrew Gordy on
the Sports Huddle, returning.

Speaker 1 (07:07):
Next the Friday Sports Huddle with New Zealand Southeby's International
Realty Elevate the Marketing of your Home.

Speaker 2 (07:15):
Twelve to six news Talks. He'd be Nicki starras sports
journalist and Andrew Gordy's sports commentator on the Sports Huddle
this evening. Let's talk ONEA Pacifica. So they want to
make the Super Rugby Final this season and they want
to get a title within five years. This is the
plan they do of course have Artie Savier. Is it
Gordy a realistic goal or I mean, well, good to

(07:38):
dream big.

Speaker 3 (07:38):
I suppose it is good to dream big. That's that's
essentially my point I think there. Do I believe that
they'll achieve their goal? I certainly hope that they do.
And Artie Savia is certainly the player I think you
would want. If you could choose any player right now
to build a team around, it would be Artie Savia.
So they've chosen the right guy in that regard. But
one person does not make a team, so they're going

(08:01):
to need to build around him, and five years isn't
necessarily impossible to do. But they've got a long way
to climb from from where they are. But I love
the goal and I love what certainly getting Ardie Savia,
what that does for the Muana PACIFICA fan base and
the PACIFICA community to get behind this team because New

(08:24):
Zealand Rugby and Super Rugby needs this team to fly.

Speaker 2 (08:28):
Do you agree with that sentiment, Nikki.

Speaker 5 (08:30):
What he says? Do you know it was another one
of those situations where I okay, stole my Sunday. Yeah,
it's pretty hard to disagree with all of that. You
have to dream big and New Zealand rugby definitely needs
them to fly. But I'm kind of an agreeance that,
you know, they've only been around what's their third season

(08:52):
or whatever, and being based in New Zealand, I'm not
sure it always works for you in the sense of,
you know, keeping that momentum going with your fan base
and so you know, Ardie Savia, of course he's going
to bring wonderful things to the leadership, you know, just expectation, professionalism,
all of those things. But as Gordy says, you can't
build an entire campaign round one player. You're going to

(09:13):
have to get more buy in and time we'll see
that develop.

Speaker 2 (09:17):
I think do you know who they could take some
inspiration from as Auckland FC, because look at them, you know,
this is their first this is their first foray in
right and their top of the leader table you know,
halfway through the season right now. Are you confident, Gordy?
These football is your thing?

Speaker 1 (09:34):
Right?

Speaker 2 (09:34):
Are you confident they're going to stay there?

Speaker 3 (09:35):
Am I confident they're going to stay there? I think
if they have a fully fit squad, they are very
competitive and a red hot chance to win this title absolutely,
because they've got the fan base behind them.

Speaker 2 (09:46):
But they need fit.

Speaker 3 (09:47):
Players and I think the injury to Dan Hall has
certainly affected Auckland f C's form. But if they can
get him back and keep the rest of the squad fit,
they're a red hot chance.

Speaker 2 (09:55):
Here's an interesting piece in the Herald this week, Nikki,
that talks about the sort of over lap in Auckland,
in particular for the fan base between the Warriors, the
Blues and Auckland FC, and just how these two franchises
are potentially going to really hurt the Blues.

Speaker 5 (10:12):
I actually think it could have the opposite effect. I
think it's really mobilizing Auckland is to get in behind sport,
the sport in their city. You know, it's a good
situation to have the Warriors going flying that. You know,
the Blues proved last year that they have got what
it takes to win a Super Rugby title. The Auckland,
you know, a football club are doing a fantastic job
and you know, looking like a maiden title. So I

(10:35):
sort of see it the other way. I think I
think rugby needs They have had some challenges, let's let's
face it, as a product, and they are going to
need the Auckland crowd to get behind them for this
season to make sure that they do do the Auckland
the rugby product well, I mean, look the using on
rugby board last season was in disarray. These questions around

(10:58):
Eden Park is it the right stadium for Auckland Blues.
But I actually think the success of the Warriors, the
fans behind the Warriors and Auckland's FC will move and
permeate into the Aukland Blues.

Speaker 3 (11:10):
This is a huge perception issue, isn't it. We're talking
about a team and whether they are now third in
the pecking order. They won their competition last year and
we're all on board the hype train. Of course that
exists around the Warriors and Auckland f C, who at
the moment haven't won anything. So where is that perception
built from. It's what you see on TV because the
Warriors and Auckland f C are playing at a purpose

(11:33):
fit you know, purpose Belt stadium White so purpose Belt,
but it's perfect for them, whereas the Blues play in
a massive stadium that they cannot have a hope of filling.
So what are they going to do? They either move
or find a way to I suppose pack up on
the sentiment that Nick's talking about. Auckland sports fans are
mobilized at the moment, So the Blues have to get

(11:55):
on board that and make sure that they get as
many fans into that stadium as possible, make the tickets,
do it cheap, just get people there, because that builds
the perception around the they're going.

Speaker 2 (12:06):
Sometimes, when you watch something at the rate they're going,
you could play at a high school and you feel
like they wouldn't fill it out.

Speaker 3 (12:11):
You know, if you actually go, it's an enjoyable experience.
But the trouble is it's such a big stadium they
haven't got a chance.

Speaker 4 (12:19):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (12:19):
Interesting point, really interesting point. Guys. Thank you. Great to
see you both. Well, I haven't seen you, Nikki, but
I don't need to do that.

Speaker 5 (12:27):
It's great to see you too, obviously Andrews, you know,
he went into the studio, got the jump on me.

Speaker 2 (12:32):
I was just around the about.

Speaker 3 (12:33):
I thought i'd pop in and see Bridgie.

Speaker 1 (12:35):
What a trait did you?

Speaker 2 (12:37):
Okay, all right, you're coming next time. Nicki. Nicki staris
sports journalist Andrew Gordy, sports commentator on the Sports Huddle
for your Friday Night Thanks guys, it is seven to
Sex News TALKSB

Speaker 1 (12:50):
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