Michael Burgess: NZ Herald sports writer on the Vegas clash between the Warriors and the Raiders

The Warriors have struggled under the bright lights on Sin City, going down 30-8 to the Raiders in their NRL season-opener in Las Vegas.

Canberra scored five tries to two, including doubles to winger Xavier Savage and centre Sebastian Kris.

NZ Herald sports writer Michael Burgess explains further.

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from Newstalk ZB.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Let's get you to the match venue. Michael Burgess from
the New Zealand Herald is at Allegiance Stadium. Can you
start off, maybe, Michael by painting a picture for us?
What is the venue like?

Speaker 3 (00:24):
It's incredible, Piney, I'll be lucky to go to a
few stadiums in my career.

Speaker 4 (00:28):
But this one it must be the best.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
It's absolutely amazing, really really steep, grand stance and no
matter where you're sitting, the viewers incredible. The press box
luckout INSU from Vertigo. It's so high. I don't know
how many meters but you just way up in the
clouds up here. It's covered, but there's plenty of light
coming in. Just beautiful, a lot of fans in here.

Speaker 4 (00:52):
We've just had.

Speaker 3 (00:52):
The national champion University of Las Vegas cheerleaders performing, and
of course the Warriors aren't too far away, so it's
just a magnificent atmosphere.

Speaker 4 (01:02):
It really is.

Speaker 2 (01:03):
We heard from Slade Griffin earlier in the hour. He
talked about the dimensions the field being quite different or
slightly different from what they face in a normal NRL
game back here. Is that obvious that the field is narrower?

Speaker 4 (01:16):
It is, Actually it was during the Captain drunk yesterday.

Speaker 3 (01:19):
Went down on the field and had a look and
the sideline is really close to the Grandstown and the
concrete part. You don't want to be a winger today
getting pushed out.

Speaker 4 (01:27):
Over the sideline. It could hurt. I think the field is.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
About five meters narrower and about six meters shorter, so
that the blocks of ten meters are actually only nine
and a half meters.

Speaker 4 (01:38):
But I think the width will obviously be the biggest difference.
You would you would think.

Speaker 2 (01:43):
What sense do you get from the Warriors players, coach
Andrew Webster and others associated with the playing group, from
the media opportunities you've had since your time there.

Speaker 3 (01:55):
They're in a good space. I mean, it's been a
long week. It had to be long week. They had
to ride earlier, they arrived on Saturday. But they're saying
all the right things. Las Vegas is the kind of
place that does drain you. You know, where you walk
out the door, there's just something to take your energy away.
They've been conscious of that, but Webster told me he's
happy with the training they've done, They've been pretty focused
since Monday. We're fully focused, so you know, I think

(02:19):
they're ready to perform. But that's the big question. The
game we've just seen between Wigan and Warrington was quite
obvious that the Warrington team had a bit of stage fright.
The occasion got to them that they didn't settle.

Speaker 4 (02:30):
Down until well into the second half.

Speaker 3 (02:32):
So that is one of the big battles today because
this is not your ordinary round one. You know, this
is unbelievable, isn't it to be here in Las Vegas,
in this stadium? And also just thinking about the fact
that this game is going out, this game, the Warriors
game is going out on free.

Speaker 4 (02:46):
To air on the Fox Sports network.

Speaker 3 (02:48):
In the United States, So that's I'm not saying you
was good at watching, but that's to one hundred and.

Speaker 4 (02:52):
Twenty million households.

Speaker 3 (02:54):
So if you start thinking about that as a player,
you know, it could distract you.

Speaker 2 (02:59):
From a playing roster point of view. This is this
isn't on paper as strong a Warriors team as last season,
is it? But how do you receeize their ability to
perhaps do better than the team did last year? You know,
such high expectation last year wasn't delivered a bond. What
about the year?

Speaker 4 (03:18):
I mean, the obvious concern this year is having no
Shawn Johnson. I mean, he couldn't have gone another year.
But the lack of experience as the halves is the
big one really.

Speaker 3 (03:27):
Because their halves are so important over year and they'll
really miss adding although of course Fisher Harris is a
fantastic player, so that's sort of two obvious ones plus
Twur who the experience is gone. I do think, however,
they've got a bit of a better balance this year
across the team. I like Roger on the wing. I
think center actually never worked. I like Lea Tara at center,
the young kid, he could be really good. Some of

(03:50):
the young Fords coming through I think are ready now
after a couple of pre seasons, and Barnead and Fisher
Harris will be great leaders. So that there's things to like.
But it just really depends how they start. I think
it's the same with every Warriors season. The first six
or seven games. They've got to win a few and
get some.

Speaker 4 (04:08):
Momentum otherwise it could be a long year.

Speaker 3 (04:10):
You know, if they win today and they win one
of their first two games in Mount Smart then then
they're well placed.

Speaker 2 (04:16):
Do they feel like favorites today?

Speaker 4 (04:18):
I mean?

Speaker 2 (04:19):
Or is it difficult to gauge that? With it being
such a unique occasion.

Speaker 4 (04:23):
It's quite hard to gauge really mine.

Speaker 3 (04:24):
Yeah, I mean, I think it's going to be a
tight game with the Raiders obviously did better last season.

Speaker 4 (04:29):
Oh, here we go, We've got the national anthem. This
is great.

Speaker 2 (04:32):
Well, we can't have your talking during that. We makee shure.
We let you go and enjoy the rest of the occasion.

Speaker 4 (04:40):
But yeah, I think, I think, I think the Warriors
can certainly do it today. The Raiders are a beatable team,
but they are a good team.

Speaker 3 (04:47):
They've got plenty of pace, They've got those big forwards,
so expecting a close one.

Speaker 2 (04:51):
Good man, burge, go and stand for the star spangled banner.
Michael Burgess our man in Las Vegas. Read him at
NZ Herald dot co dot nz. He's done brilliant work
in the lead up with all sorts of color and
different storylines about the fans who have traveled. He's also
of been alongside the team, so you can read match
previews and all sorts of things, and then after the
game Today, you'll be able to read his analysis and

(05:14):
match reports etc. At enzidhrald dot co dot

Speaker 1 (05:17):
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