Full Show Podcast: 27 April 2025

Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from newstalk ZEDB, the only place to discuss the biggest
sports issues on and after field.

Speaker 2 (00:19):
It's all on Wee jen.

Speaker 3 (00:20):
Ford with Jason Vane on your home of sport news
Talk Killing.

Speaker 4 (00:26):
Good afternoon, Welcome into Weekend Sport, the Sunday edition for
April twenty seven. Happy birthday to Ni Kurios. I'm Jason Pine,
show producer Bevan Dua. We are here talking sport until
three this afternoon. Auckland FC our A League premieres at
the first time of asking. A nilall draw for second
place to Melbourne City against Adelaide United last night meant

(00:50):
that they now cannot catch Auckland f C at the top,
so the regular season silver aware. The Premier's plate is
Auckland f C's and what an occasion it promises to
be this afternoon at go Media Stadium when the Black
Knights host Perth Glory, looking to extend their unbeaten run
to fourteen matches. After the game, the Premier's plate will

(01:13):
be presented to the team in front of what is
likely to be another sold out crowd. What an occasion.
The weather I got to report not that flash in
Auckland today, but I doubt that'll dampen the enthusiasm of
the club's passionate fan base on this historic afternoon. CEO
of the club, Nick Becker standing by the chat with

(01:34):
his key players in the team, Nando Pineker and Louis
Vstrata both on the show this afternoon. So too is
Perth Glory and All Whites goalkeeper Olie's Sail. They are
just trying to avoid finishing bottom at the moment, so
it's a real contrast between they and Auckland FC. But
could they spoil the party somewhat this afternoon by by
getting a result? It wouldn't affect the Premier's plate, but

(01:56):
I'm sure Perth Glory are here to try and win
the match. Ali Sail on the show. Penny of time
for your calls and reaction to to this quite remarkable achievement.
This club didn't even exist at the start of twenty
twenty four and now they're lifting a trophy. Auckland FC
fans who have been there from the start, how good
is this? And for those of you who have jumped
on this ever expanding bandwagon as it's gone, this season.

(02:19):
How is it because from the outside looking in it
looks magnificent. Other matters around today, Round eleven is super
rugby in the books. The Crusaders joined the Chiefs at
the top last night without forty three to ten humbling
of the Highlanders down in Dunedin, the Hurricanes into the
top six. They beat the Brumbies in Canberra for the
first time since twenty seventeen. Wina Pacifica stayed in the

(02:40):
playoff picture with victory over the Fiji, and Drew will
cover those games off and try to predict the top six.
We know the Crusaders and the Chiefs will be one
and two in some order or another, but good luck
predicting the rest. And also we complete our journey around
the New Zealand franchise CEOs Andrew Ware from the Blues
with us after one o'clock today. The Ice Blacks, that's

(03:01):
our men's ice hockey team about to start the IIHF
that's the end National Ice Hockey Federation twenty twenty five
World Championship Division two Group B tournaments in deneed It.
Head coach Cam Freer is with us ahead of their
first game tonight and still a football actually barring an
utter catastrophe, Liverpool are going to win the Premier League

(03:22):
this season, and possibly as early as tomorrow morning. Chair
of the official Liverpool Supporters Group of Wellington, Andrew McGoff
on that James McConney along in his regular slot with
his Sunday offerings Live Sport this afternoon. The first round
of the NBA playoffs ongoing. In fact, there's game on
right now between the Clippers and the Nuggets. This game

(03:43):
is in Clippers territory in California, three quarter time and
the Nuggets are head by eighty five to sixty five,
so as significantly to three quarter time as they look
to square that series up at two apiece. It's best
of seven, of course. Earlier today, okay, see the Oklahoma
City Thunder swept the Memphis Grizzlies by winning Game four

(04:04):
in Memphis, won seventeen one fifteen, So okay see the
first team through to the second round of the playoffs.
At twelve thirty this afternoon in San Francisco, the Golden
State Warriors up against the Houston Rockets. That series is
currently tied at one apiece. Closer to home, New Zealand,
National Basketball League Basketball, the table topping Saints against the Hawks,
Bay Hawks and the Capitol from two thirty and there's

(04:26):
a bunch of Chatham Cup football to keep an eye
on this afternoon as well. But as always, your contributions
form a massive part of the show. Oh eight hundred
eighty ten point eighty will get you through on the phone.
You can call it at any time nine two ninety two.
Similarly for text messages and emails them to me Jason
at newstalksb dot co dot nz. Coming up eleven past midday.

Speaker 1 (04:49):
Don't get caught off side. Call eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty Weekend Sports with Jason Paine and GJ. Gunnomes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder News Talks nb SO.

Speaker 4 (05:00):
Auckland FC have won the A League Premiers plate after
an incredible inaugural season.

Speaker 5 (05:06):
What havings us the whistle in his mouth and says
that will do and this result here Tonight's meets that
Auckland are the premieres in their debut season on an
achievement for Steve character in this seave.

Speaker 2 (05:19):
It'll be some.

Speaker 5 (05:20):
Party in New Zealand's later on this weekend.

Speaker 4 (05:23):
There certainly will be that'll be this afternoon. With two
games remaining in their regular season, Auckland FC have sealed
top spot and the Premier's Plate. That after second placed
Melbourne City drew nillall with Adelaide United last night. That
result leaves Auckland in an unassailable position with just one
match remaining this season for Melbourne City, so this afternoon,

(05:45):
regardless of the result against Perth Glory, Auckland will lift
the Premier's Plate in front of an expected sold out
home crowd at go Media Stadium. Club CEO is Nick Becker,
who joins us our on Weekend Sport. Thanks for your time, Nick,
and congratulations to you and everybody involved in the football club.
With the messages flying around last night when the final

(06:05):
sill blue with Amy Park at around what eleven thirty
quarter to.

Speaker 6 (06:09):
Twelve or so, they were piney, thank you for having
me on. But yeah, it was a slightly odd way
to clinch the plate, but I guess it sort of
just shows we have been the best team across the
whole season. But to be sitting at home on the
sofa about midnight and finding out that we'd won it
by a draw between City and Adelaide was a bit odd,

(06:31):
but still that doesn't change the feeling, which is fantastic
and it's what we set up to do in our
first year and we've achieved and it's sort of blown
us all the way.

Speaker 4 (06:40):
It certainly won't dilute the occasion this afternoon. Well, now,
can you confirm the plate itself will physically be at
go Media Stadium this afternoon?

Speaker 6 (06:48):
Yeah, it'll be there for sure, and so it's going
to be presented by the apl A Leagues Chairman Stephen Conroy,
So he's flying over. I believe he arrives this morning
or maybe got in last night, and he'll be present
here to the team immediately up. So everybody who's coming
along I thoroughly encourage them to day. And it also
looks like the rain might be easing out as well,

(07:11):
so that's also a bonus.

Speaker 4 (07:13):
Yeah. Did any part of you sort of hope that
Melbourne City would win last night so you could go
out there this afternoon and secure the plate with some
sort of result.

Speaker 6 (07:23):
Yeah, you know what, I actually I had a gut finess.
That shows how good my gut feelings are that they
would actually win there and would have to would have
to get a result there. Look, it doesn't matter at
the end of the day. I mean, the good thing
is we go into this game knowing that we were
finished top. Nobody can beat us the Boys. I'm sure
we'll play with a lot of freedom and players premiers
against Perth. I'll still want to get a result there

(07:44):
and have a kind of, you know, a to get
a bit of revenge from the fact that Perth is
one of the only two teams that beat us this
season and be able to kind of, you know, have
a victory and lift that plate in front of our
home fans will be amazing feeling.

Speaker 4 (07:57):
Why do you think this team has been so successful
this season?

Speaker 6 (08:03):
There's no one thing. I think we kind of see about.
Right at the start, we had a plan, I guess
was a key part to it. I think, you know,
sort of having a really clear vision of what we
wanted to achieve. We got the right people and from
the start, you know, team it for income In as
our director of football, immense experience and fantastic human as well.
He did a great job in recruiting Steve Character, who

(08:25):
we know is a amazing manager in my opinion, the
best management a level without a doubt, you know, he's
he's won it before, he knows what it takes to
win it. So he had those two people together and
then we looked at we knew what the style we
wanted to play. We recruited really well. We worked really
hard to find not only great footballers, but great people

(08:46):
as well. And I think there's also another element of
having a core of keV players and the squad. You know,
we're a New Zealand team, majority of New Zealand players
in our squad, and they and they sort of set
the tone and sort of show what it was like
to be a key with sports team, so that that
happens from the start as well.

Speaker 4 (09:02):
You mentioned before that it was your stated aim, you know,
to be contenders stride away. You were bullish about that.
So was your owner Bill Foley or your majority owner
Bill Fowley. Did you, in your heart of HEARTSNAK predict
that you would do this in the club's first season. I, you.

Speaker 6 (09:19):
Know what, as right at the start, I was confident
with pulled together a good squad would be competitive. You know,
I knew that from the start. But then as those
games started rolling, the first six wins, and then you know,
we started just getting results and getting results in the
last minutes. You just saw that the team were actually
playing like a proper unit, and they played together and

(09:41):
they played for each other. I started to believe, you know,
before Christmas, and then I looked over at old Steph
Croker one day and I could tell and as I so,
he was like, we can win this. And it's seat
of that feeling and that kind of it all started
to build from Christmas and into the new year. You know,
we had a bit of a blip with the Perth trip,
but I think that was actually needed that set us

(10:02):
up for the strong finish that we've had. So I mean,
right at the start, Piny, I was hopeful. I wasn't.
I wouldn't have put the house on it. But throughout
the season it definitely built. It built, it built, which
is what what could tends to do, I guess.

Speaker 4 (10:16):
And you've set the standard off the field as well.
Your regular season average crowd is going to be in
the region of eighteen thousand, and I mean, having experienced
it a number of times myself, it's the best place
to be on the day of a home game. How
satisfying is what you've built off the field around this
Football Club.

Speaker 6 (10:37):
Ah, the Aucan fans have been a revelation. They've been
absolutely amazing. The thing that's bright their way is there's
two bout parts. So it's one the whole city of
Orphan has got round it. So you've got such a
wonderful diverse crowd there. You've got you know, your hard
core support at the heart of them support. But then
there's the other thing that blows their way is that
the number of families and the kids out of there

(10:57):
and the fun and joy that they bring to the
games is it's just you know, you can't you can't
buy that is just such an amazing organic piece and
it's something that we're super proud of as the club.

Speaker 4 (11:10):
What do you and Steve Cork could talk about when
you get together?

Speaker 6 (11:14):
Uh, great question.

Speaker 7 (11:19):
Well we'll talk a lot.

Speaker 6 (11:20):
I mean there's there's always something to talk about with
the with the squad, the players, the football and stuff.
But Steve's just a he's a good guy. He's a
passionate about football, but he's interested a lot of things.
He loves living here in Auckland. We often talk about
good places that eat, places where we've been, like, you know,
it's he it's really nice to see both Steve and
Terry come over to Aalkland and like really embrace the

(11:43):
sety and get round it. They love it here. They
having fantastic time.

Speaker 4 (11:46):
And how much contact do you have with your majority
owner Bill Foley.

Speaker 6 (11:51):
Bill's fantastic and Bill supports you know. I speak to
him probably at least twice a week. We've got you know,
some call structured in every week, but if ever I've
got a question or a queria and likewise if he
wants about the club. The great thing about him is
he just picks up the phone calls. You know, there's
no sort of math grading around having to do this,
so that it's like he's already He's a really good,

(12:11):
straightforward man to deal with, and he's smart and he's
got a lot of experience, so he's he's a great.

Speaker 7 (12:16):
Rock for us.

Speaker 4 (12:17):
He won't presumably be here today, but do you do
you hope that he can make it across across during
the final series.

Speaker 8 (12:25):
Yeah.

Speaker 6 (12:25):
No, he's actually in Bournemouth at the moment. They've just
announced the taking on the whole of Vitality Stadium. I
think it's a big game gets United. But he is
coming down to the finals. So we've got our home
semi final be on the Saturday, the twenty fourth of
mayott Go Media and then if we make it through
to the Big Dance it to be a week later
so here.

Speaker 4 (12:45):
And that's I know there's been a little bit of
chat back and forth about this, but that Grand Final,
should you make it, will be at go Media Stadium.

Speaker 6 (12:53):
I certainly hope. So I don't actually get the final
call on it. I've given my input and the A
League be great at listening and taking our point of
view on board. Ultimately it's their call. They meant it's
the whole final series, but I'd be fingers crossed and
I'd certainly hope to see it at Gometa. It's been
our home ground all season. That's where we'll play our

(13:15):
semi final, and definitely the players and my feelings of
all the fans want to be there as well.

Speaker 4 (13:22):
Everything just seems to have gone so well. Have you
made any mistakes?

Speaker 7 (13:28):
Oh yeah, we made plenty.

Speaker 6 (13:29):
We made plenty, But I think you know you kind
of You're always going to make a lot of mistakes
in your start up here. I mean the hardest bits
for us were actually convincing people were the real deal
before we started playing, so, you know, trying to get
on commercial partners, trying to you know, forecast what our
retail sales will be. I mean, I think my biggest

(13:50):
mistake was we ordered two thousand jerseys at the start
of the season. We went on to sell over twenty thousand.
So I'd say, that's the right stinker, don't you got
a bad.

Speaker 4 (14:01):
Got a bad mistake to make those better than the
other way around. Doesn't imagine if you'd order to imagine
if you'd all to twenty thousand and only sold a
couple of thousands, that would have been a lot worse.
So what do you reckon? It's going to be like
there this afternoon and you know, at around seven o'clock
this evening at full time when they're play tended over.

Speaker 6 (14:21):
I think it's just going to be it's going to
be a massive celebration, right, and it's going to be
like the players will be so pumfertent this is. And
we spoke to them to click for theirs and group
right at the start and sort of said, look, this
is the first year, and the group of players are there,
the be few that will move on. We know Alex
Polson's going back to Bournemouth and stuff like that. So

(14:42):
this is the only one season that they'll all be together.
Let's go ahead, let's go forward and achieve something special.
They've done that and so that's I think that kind
of feeling and emotion will come out tonight after the
game when we're lifting that plate and you just see
a whole bunch of very very very happy boys and
rightly so they deserve to be.

Speaker 4 (15:00):
Yeah, and thousands of very happy fans watching on as well. Nick,
thanks for taking the time on match day congratulation on
this achievement. I know you feel like there's more to
come over the next month or so. We'll send a
few hours all right, cheers fine, No, thank you, Nick,
Nick Picker, that CEO of Auckland FC. You've heard from
the man at the top, key defender Nando Pineke are

(15:21):
going to join us this hour as well ahead of
this evening's game. But lets tas and calls on Auckland FC.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty Auckland FC fans
in particular, how has this ride been for you? When
did you jump on? I'm keen to know this as well.

Speaker 9 (15:35):
Were you.

Speaker 4 (15:35):
Were you a day oneer. Were you one of those
who right from the start, right from the moment that
Auckland FC were confirmed as the new expansion team in
the league. Were you one who went right, that's a
team I'm going to get behind, or did you get
drawn into the juggernaut that they quickly became six wins
to start the season. They only conceded one goal in

(15:57):
those six games. Across the twenty four game regular season.
To this point, they've only lost twice the last thirteen matches.
They have been unbeaten. What they've achieved is, you know,
so quickly is remarkable. It really is. Only one other
expansion team has ever won the A League in their

(16:20):
first season, and that was the Western Sydney Wanderers in
twenty twelve thirteen, and they didn't go on to win
the Grand Final. So Auckland FC have now got the
chance to really make some history. They've got the Premier's
Plate swing up, that's the regular season silver. We're the
team that finishes top after everybody has played their twenty
six games and then it's into the final series. And

(16:44):
no one has ever won the regular season trophy, the
Premier's Plate and the A League Grand Final in their
first year as an expansion team. Auckland FC have got
the chance to make that history. And who would bet
against them? I look around, I think who's going to
beat them? There is, you know, a certain jeopardy about

(17:04):
about knockout football. It's a twenty six game season. You
can afford the odd slip up, not that Auckland f
C have had too many and still finish up near
the top, but in one off matches it is an
entirely different mindset that's required. Now just to explain to
you how it works. The top two goes straight through
to the semifinals, so that's Auckland f C obviously, and

(17:25):
whoever finishes second, and we won't know that until next weekend.
The top two goes straight through to the semifinals. Then
the teams three, four, five and six play each other
in knockout matches. So three plays six and four plays five.
They are straight knockout matches over ninety minutes or extra
time and penalties are required. So the winners of those
two games go through to the semis to meet the

(17:45):
teams who finished first and second. The semifinals are home
and away. They are two legs away first for Auckland
f C and then back home and you heard Nick
Becker give you the date there, Saturday, the twenty fourth
of May at go Media Statium will be the home
leg of that semi final, and then the two winners
of the home and away semis go through to the final,

(18:06):
which once again is a one off a one off match.
So the home and away part of it actually I
think probably helps Auckland FC because they can go away
to wherever they end up going, you know, I guess
you know, manage that game, then come back home where
they hardly ever lose when that or when the tie

(18:27):
across the two legs, and then host the grand final.
I just can't see anybody coming to go Media Stadium
and winning a grand final. It just, of course it's possible,
but it just seems so unlikely. But the way they're
playing and off the field just an absolute triumph. Auckland
f C. What they've done. You know, anyone who's been

(18:50):
along to a game, and I've heard this from so
many people, they go to the go to a game
for the first time and they're immediately asking when the
next game is, When can I come again? When can
I get some more of this into my veins. It
is a terrific atmosphere there. And it's not just the
the port who are the active support who really get

(19:10):
into it. They chant, they sing, they bang their drums
and they make noise for the entire ninety minutes. There
are hundreds and hundreds of families at these games, and
again the club has done a great job of catering
for them as well, because anyone who's had young kids
will know that it's a little bit difficult to get
them to sit still for ninety minutes when they're, you know,

(19:33):
perhaps not that interested in what's happening on the field.
They've got the giant slide at one end, They've got
all sorts of you know, activities for the kids. They've
tried different things. They shipped a beach in for goodness,
take over the summer, ten thousand tons of sand or
something to play and down at one end. So they've
got a lot of things covered. Oh, eight hundred and

(19:53):
eighty ten eighty. Any thoughts on the hon or off
field success of Auckland FC. Hello, John Good, John Good.

Speaker 10 (20:02):
I think I just think what it's done for Aukland
has just been great.

Speaker 7 (20:06):
You know, have been that Auckland's and no one is
a bit.

Speaker 10 (20:08):
Of a rugby and you know, it's all hard at rugby.
You know, you've got the Warriors who are great, but
just to have this sort of footy team and yeah,
ever instead of coming around it, I think it's been unreal.

Speaker 4 (20:19):
Did you expect it to be like this?

Speaker 10 (20:23):
Oh, you know, not not like not the successful I think,
you know, the success of the team has definitely helped
everyone get around it, but to see it, you know,
in this sort of you know how big, how big
it actually has got, has been absolutely awesome.

Speaker 4 (20:38):
Yeah. I think the thing that that has been obvious
to me, John, I don't live in Auckland. I'm from
Wellington and you're obviously from from Auckland is that, you know,
people have been waiting for this, right, you know, when
the Knights got kicked out back in two thousand and
seven and they were so poor and nobody turned up,
I think everyone thought we'll never go back there again.
And it's just it just proves that actually there's been

(20:58):
a bit of an appetite for this because everyone actually
say she's got around it, haven't they.

Speaker 7 (21:03):
Yeah, Yeah, And I feel you know, putty been.

Speaker 10 (21:06):
So it does have a bit of a stigma around
it that it's sort of you know, it's not it
hasn't been quite like it's.

Speaker 7 (21:12):
Not quite like rugby and other places that foody.

Speaker 10 (21:15):
Gets to respect around around the world. But it's seat
of given this. I definitely it's given a new light
to sort of how amazing and how cool it is
and why it's sort of, you know, one of the
best sports in the world.

Speaker 4 (21:27):
Indeed, have you been along to many games?

Speaker 10 (21:30):
Yeah, been to a couple of year, as you say,
I went to sort of won two three games in
and then you just you're hooked.

Speaker 11 (21:36):
You're hooked. Good stuff.

Speaker 4 (21:39):
Yeah, good on your John got on, you make great
and dead right good to get that experience from here
from living in the city. Yeah, that's what it feels
like up here. I'm up in Auckland today. That's what
it feels like. It's it's an incredible sporting ecosystem in Auckland.
You know, when you think of of the Blues and
more Wana, Pacifica, the Warriors and now Auckland f C.
I'm sure they can all happily coexist. They must be

(22:02):
able to. It's a big enough city but Auckland f
C have come in and they've they've turned head straight away.
Look if you if you're a sporting body and you're
not paying attention to what Auckland f C you're doing,
then you know you're missing a trick. Thanks for your call, John, Hey, Sean.

Speaker 8 (22:17):
Mate, how are you good?

Speaker 4 (22:18):
Sean?

Speaker 12 (22:18):
Good?

Speaker 8 (22:19):
Excellent, excellent. Look, I'm just ringing to say. Look, I've
been I've grown up with rugby league, I've gone to
a number of games, I've played for my country and
now now all of a sudden, I'm just blowing away
with the results and you know, and I've I've become
a fan overnight with AFEC. Just the momentum, incredible results

(22:45):
and you know, the results speak to themselves. And yeah,
look jumping on the bad wagon. You asked that later on,
that's me and very excited. I'm going to go to
the game for the first time today and yeah, really
really looking.

Speaker 7 (22:56):
Forward to it.

Speaker 4 (22:57):
Sure, and you will absolutely love it, mate, even though
it's a little bit damp today, Mate, you'll love it.
And I can almost guarantee without knowing fo one hundred percent, sir,
but I can almost I can say with a fair
degree certainty that that after today you'll you'll be looking
for a ticket for the semi final. Mate, I think
you'll really enjoy it. And I've always said about bandwagons,
they're off infinite size. Everybody is welcome. It doesn't matter

(23:17):
if you jump on right at the end when things
are going well, or you've been through the thick and thin.
I mean, goodness me Warriors fans have been through thick
and thin. They get bandwagon fans jumping on and off
all the time, as you probably know. But you know,
but anybody you know, you're allowed. That's what band wagons are.
You can jump on and off as much as you like.

Speaker 6 (23:36):
Yeah.

Speaker 8 (23:36):
Absolutely, Look, I'm really looking forward to it. As you say,
it's my first game and the results are there. They've
got a winning formula. I don't know what it is
listening carefully, it could be the coach to be the players.
The attitude's there, but getting along in a bag wagon.
I'm certainly looking forward to it, mate, it should be
a fantastic game. Good I'm sure I'm a supporter, mate,
one hundred percent supporter good Man.

Speaker 4 (23:56):
Sure, I just find them just well, I've got your mate,
you reckon the Warriors will do it right this year.

Speaker 8 (24:00):
Yeah, I think you know, results all about results in
the field. I'm used to those results through my care
you know. And and it's got to turn up on
the day mate, And the Warriors have been turned up
for every game. Look, they haven't got all the star
players that they have a few injuries, but you know
it's all about attitude, as you know, any any league,
any professional games about attitude. So yeah, look I think

(24:23):
they'll do well, but today it's all about AFC mat
They're going to do well and really really looking forward
to going to the game. What a fantastic thing to
be part of, a dynasty be part of and I
think they will create a dynasty in New Zealand. Well
done to them.

Speaker 4 (24:36):
Love it sean good stuff mate, enjoy yourself this afternoon.
I guarantee you will. And amongst the crowds there at
go media stay in this afternoon. I think there are
still tickets left. I know that they're they're they're pretty
close to selling it out. I do. I do believe
there are tickets left. That won't be the case for
the semi final and if they make it the Grand final,
that'll be cheap as you'll you'll have to really be quick.

(24:58):
I don't know whether those tickets have gone on sale yet.
I probably should have asked Nick Becker when they'll go
on sale. Maybe I know that they listening to the
sh shoh. Maybe somebody from the club will let us know.
But yeah, I think there are still a few tickets
for this afternoon. They've sold it out three times, opening
Day when they beat Brisbane and the two derbies against
Wellington Phoenix, both of which they won. Those were the

(25:21):
three sellouts they've had, but they've had. I I worked
it out that if they get over twenty two thousand today,
their season average will be eighteen thousand, eighteen thousand. It's
you know, you look at any super rugby side would
kill for an eighteen thousand average crowd across a twelve

(25:44):
thirteen game season. Any of them would bite your hand
off for that. So, as I say, you have to,
if you are in sports administration at any level, look
at what Auckland FC have done as a case study
and ask yourself what you can take from it. Twenty
eight Away from One News Talk sai'd b o eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty. This talks on football now

(26:05):
to pinic at a come before one o'clock as well, would.

Speaker 1 (26:08):
You be the TMO have your say on eight hundred
eighty eighty Weekends Sport with Jason Hym and GJ. Guvnerholmes,
New Zealand's most trusted home builder news Talks, there'd.

Speaker 4 (26:19):
Be twenty five to one. Just keeping an eye on
Live Sport and NBA basketball. I think I mentioned the
three quarter time score between the Clippers and the Nuggets
in LA and it was eighty five sixty five at
three quarter time to the Denver Nuggets, so a twenty
point lead. The Clippers have closed that up to a

(26:39):
one point game with a minute thirty eight to go
ninety six ninety five, the Nuggets lead the Clippers now,
so what a fourth quarter from the Clippers in front
of their home fans.

Speaker 12 (26:50):
Hello, Mike, Yeah, Hi Piney, Yeah, that's a great release.
I'm really impressed with what Auckland FC you have done
and what they had achieved. And I don't really follow
football myself, but apart from what I've heard from you
usually on a Saturday or Sunday about what the results

(27:10):
have been and things, and you yourself definitely have an
ability to create a lot of enthusiasm, which is quite
quite addictive.

Speaker 4 (27:21):
Other things like that. Well, I hope, I think, I
hope that's a good thing. I hope that's a good thing.

Speaker 7 (27:26):
Well it is, Yeah, you know you do.

Speaker 12 (27:28):
And you know I've just been listening in over the
weeks and months and I really am impressed. But you
gave last weekend, you gave some equations and you said
that Auckland FC were on fifty points and Melbourne were
on forty four. So the equation was that if Auckland
lost two games and Melbourne won two games, then they

(27:52):
would be drawn at fifty points and it would come
down to you said, a points differential or something.

Speaker 4 (27:56):
Yeah, gold difference here, oh your gold diferend.

Speaker 12 (27:59):
And I thought, oh, here we go this this could
this could potentially be a Chapel underarm bowl here.

Speaker 7 (28:05):
So that would be yeah, that would that. That would
be if.

Speaker 12 (28:09):
Auckland lost both games and then Melbourne won the first
and got to the second with Newcastle. I saw on
the internet and Newcastle thought, well, we don't want to
give it to New Zealand. So if it comes down
now to a gold of frugal they could have let
a feen goals through, Melbourne would have got the plate.

Speaker 4 (28:26):
Yeah, no, look it's it's it's it's a scenario. It's
a far fetched one, Mike, But no, you did right
that that could you know? You're right? That was the
That was exactly the equation, exactly as you outlined it.
If Auckland lost those in Melbourne City won both and
the swing of goals was enough, yeah, Melbourne City would
have It's all a moot point now with them not
being able to get a win last night, but yeah,

(28:48):
it's yeah, I would hate to think that though the
other the other other eleven teams twelve teams in the
league would conspire against Auckland FC. But you never know.

Speaker 12 (28:59):
Yeah, And so I thought this was it until you
mentioned the Grand finals.

Speaker 7 (29:03):
So could you just please repeat?

Speaker 12 (29:05):
So how many games have we got to get into
and how many do we have to win to get
into the grant and play in the Grand Final?

Speaker 4 (29:11):
Okay, so we skip the first round because the top
two goes straight to the semi finals. So yep. So
so Auckland FC are in the semi finals. The semi
finals are home and away, so two games there, so
you've got to win a win aggregate across the two
legs and then the Grand Final itself is a one
off game, so they've got to win a win across
two games on aggregate to make the Grand Final, and

(29:34):
then they've got to win the Grand Final, so three
games basically to lift the champion the championship.

Speaker 12 (29:40):
Well, if we get into the Grand finals, there any
chance they could move it over to the Inner Park.

Speaker 7 (29:44):
I'm sure that's sell all those tickets.

Speaker 4 (29:46):
Yeah, And this is the other talking point as well,
like is that once you get to the finals, the
ticket revenue doesn't go to the club, it goes to
the APL, which is the organizing body of the a League.
So clearly they'd want it at the biggest possible venue
to get as many tickets sold as they can so
they can fill their coffers. Auckland FC, on the other hand,
would prefer to have it at Mount Smart where they've

(30:08):
created a bit of a fortress. And what might help
them is that on the night, the Saturday night of
the Grand Final, the Blues are playing at Eden Park,
so they couldn't play there unless they decided to play
the Grand Final on the Sunday, which is a possibility.

Speaker 7 (30:23):
Okay, all right, that's great. Oh well, good news and
yeah he's hoping.

Speaker 4 (30:27):
Thank you, Thank you, Mike, thanks for the call. I
appreciate it very much. Eleven away from note twenty one
away from one. It's twelve thirty nine. That's twenty one
minutes away from one. Taken right, come back. Nando Pinaker
out of the Auckland f C playing squad with us.

Speaker 2 (30:39):
It's more than just a game.

Speaker 1 (30:41):
Weekend sport with Jason Payne and GJ Gunnomes, New Zealand's
most trusted home builder news Dogs, they'd be nostrado.

Speaker 11 (30:49):
It's a good ball.

Speaker 13 (30:50):
Pinnaker at the towering hat.

Speaker 5 (30:53):
That's Awland in the shadows of halftime, as they so
often to open the scoring.

Speaker 4 (31:00):
Yeah. One of four goals this season so far for
Auckland FC defender Nanda Pinick, who joins US now, Nanda,
thanks for taking the time. I guess at the start
of the week you didn't know what was going to
happen last night. It might have been that you needed
a draw this afternoon at least against Perth to secure
the Premier's Play. You don't now, of course, but at
the start of the week and across the week, was
there a conscious effort to keep things as normal as

(31:21):
possible and to stay grounded, stay focused.

Speaker 14 (31:25):
Yeah, yeah, definitely for sure. Even though Pertha are at
the bottom of the table, we lost them last time,
so we still remember that. So we want to give
one back to them, so to speak, and hopefully we
can put on a really good performance at our last
home game. So yeah, we're all really excited.

Speaker 4 (31:40):
Yeah, I mean that was a bit of an outlly,
wasn't it, the loss to Perth only two losses all season.
They're the only team to have beaten you over in Australia.
What happened that night? Have you looked back at that game?
Is there anything you can take from it that will
be useful today.

Speaker 14 (31:54):
I haven't looked back at it since we played there
a long time ago. Now I do remember that. Yeah,
we had a lot of chances that we didn't manage
to score, so I think we were a bit unlucky
not to score in the game. So hopefully we can. Yeah,
obviously put our chances away in this game.

Speaker 4 (32:10):
So the success of the side has been built on
a number of factors, one of which is the best
defense in the league. Just twenty three goals conceded in
twenty four matches, eleven clean sheets. As a defender yourself, Nando,
how much pride do you take in stats like that?

Speaker 14 (32:25):
Yeah, I think it's it's amazing as a defender, but
also for the whole team. I don't think it's just
the defenders that played their part with that. I think
it's it's from the front, from the strikers. Obviously we
have Alex and Gol who's been Yeah, I think amazing
for us, but it's the whole team in general working
hard for each other keeping that ball out of our net.

Speaker 7 (32:43):
So, yeah, it's been good.

Speaker 4 (32:45):
The back five has been really consistent with Alex, Paulson,
goal yourself, Haroki, Sakai, Francister, Vreez. You've all played pretty
much every game, Dan Hall who came back from injury,
Tommy Smith was there while he was in jed. So
how much has that consistency helped Having pretty much the
same guys we can week out.

Speaker 14 (33:04):
Yeah, it's been great obviously. So we've kind of, I guess,
improved together since the start of the season, although we
had obviously a very good start, keeping a bunch of
clean sheets at the start, But I think over the
course of the season. Yeah, you learn each other's abilities,
what they're good at, what they're may be not so
good at, so you can help them out in certain moments.
And that's really helped us throughout the season, getting through

(33:26):
tough games so that we can, yeah, obviously have the
best defense of the league.

Speaker 15 (33:32):
Yeah.

Speaker 4 (33:33):
I will to somehow articulate your captain, Hiroki Sakai's influence
on your playing group.

Speaker 6 (33:40):
Wow, that's very difficult.

Speaker 14 (33:41):
I think he's incredible as a player and as a
human being.

Speaker 6 (33:46):
Yeah.

Speaker 14 (33:46):
I've said it before. It's a privilege to be with
them at training and obviously play with him. Yeah, I
think he's been amazing for us. I learned from him, yeah,
every single day, and I love just watching him play
play football as well. So yeah, I think for us
he's been absolutely amazing.

Speaker 7 (34:02):
To be honest, and.

Speaker 4 (34:03):
The man behind you, Alex Poulson. He leads the league
and a lot of the goalkeeping stats in terms of
clean sheets and safe percentages, things like that. Can you
give us an idea of how Alex Paulson compares to
some of the other goalkeepers you've played in front of.

Speaker 14 (34:17):
Yeah, I think AP's been amazing, especially this season. So
before the season, I hadn't really played I don't know
if I've actually ever played with him before in a
competitive match, so I didn't know too much of what
to expect. But yeah, he's been amazing for us.

Speaker 7 (34:31):
I think he's.

Speaker 14 (34:32):
Grown a lot and he has a lot of like
Aura and prisons, So I think some teams are almost
worried when they face him because I know that if
I make a mistake or makes a mistake in the
striker runs through goal, he still has yeh Alex debeat,
which is tough enough. So yeah, I think he's going
to be top top keeper.

Speaker 4 (34:49):
He already is, so yeah, Yeah, I love that description Aura,
that describes it perfectly. You've played in front of a
bunch of goalkeepers, I'm sure some of who wouldn't have
been quite so effective. Is there a real security in
having someone like him behind you?

Speaker 7 (35:05):
Yeah?

Speaker 14 (35:05):
Definitely, definitely think Alexy he's not only good with his hands,
but he's good with his feed as well. So if
we're in trouble playing out from the back, then I
know that Alex is there to help us out with
that area as well. So yeah, for us, it's it's
been amazing to have him there for every single game,
and I know that it's it's really difficult for the
opposition to score, so that really helps us out and

(35:25):
gives us.

Speaker 4 (35:26):
Confidence and down the other end. Nando, four goals this
season for you as well, how much have you enjoyed
contributing the attacking end as well.

Speaker 7 (35:34):
Yeah, yeah, it's been a bit new to me.

Speaker 14 (35:36):
I haven't scored too many goals, but obviously really want
to improve in all areas of my game, and yeah,
obviously scoring it as one of them. So that's been, yeah,
really enjoyable. Hopefully you get one or two more before
the season is finished. Yeah, no, it's been it's been great.
But it's also the team created a lot of opportunities
from from set pieces and corners, which has been where

(35:57):
most of my goals have come from, so it's not
all of them.

Speaker 6 (36:00):
So yeah, it's been been really good.

Speaker 4 (36:01):
Now, have you pointed out to your central defensive partner
Dan Hall that he hasn't yet scored his first goal
for Auckland f C.

Speaker 14 (36:09):
Yeah, there is a little joke going around between the
defenders who can score the most goals, but yeah, I
think there's one coming for Dan, so maybe it's this weekend.

Speaker 4 (36:18):
Maybe maybe today is the day you were overseas for
a long time, Nando, playing in Europe for five years.
How much convincing did you need to come back to
Walkland after so much time away?

Speaker 6 (36:30):
Yeah, obviously a little bit.

Speaker 14 (36:31):
I didn't know what the plan was going to be
for me. I knew that I wanted to get out
of Ireland at the time, and that New Zealand or
Auckland the Sea was one of the options. Obviously, because
the club had never played in the A League before,
I didn't know too much what to expect, and there
was just sort of I heard that there was going
to be a club, but there was no coach yet,

(36:52):
there were no players, so there's kind of like, Okay,
let's wait and see a little bit, what's what's going
to happen? And then once the Yeah, once the coach
was named and then Danny came on board to us
worked before, and there's a bunch of players from the
All Whites obviously and some some good friends of mine.
It didn't need too much more convincing than that.

Speaker 4 (37:10):
So once you did get together and the imports all
arrived and you started training together, did it feel like
this would be a team that would be challenging for
silverware straight away.

Speaker 14 (37:23):
At the very start, probably not, because we've never played
together before.

Speaker 7 (37:27):
We didn't know.

Speaker 14 (37:28):
There was a sort of unexpectedness, if that's a word,
or apprehension of what was going to happen that season.
You could sense that we had a yeah, obviously a
really good group of players as football players, but also
as people. I think we have really a really good
group of humble, humble players and humble people, So.

Speaker 7 (37:48):
I think that's really been one of our strengths this season.
We've all stuck.

Speaker 14 (37:51):
Together throughout the good times and the time, so yeah, I.

Speaker 7 (37:55):
Think that's really helped us.

Speaker 4 (37:57):
And you're still pretty young. I mean, you've got many
many more years ahead of you as a professional footballer.
Is it your ambition, Nando to play overseas again at
some stage?

Speaker 7 (38:06):
Ah, yeah, definitely, definitely.

Speaker 14 (38:08):
Obviously I'm enjoying this season as much as as much
as I can, and then yeah.

Speaker 6 (38:14):
I don't know.

Speaker 14 (38:14):
I have a three year contract with Auckland, so I'm
really enjoying my time here. We're obviously having a good
season this season, so we'll we'll see what happens in
the future. But yeah, at some point obviously, I'd love
to go back overseason. Yeah, see how it goes over there.

Speaker 4 (38:28):
And I know you're only focusing on the A League
season at the moment, but the World Cup is now
just over a year away. Of course, you're part of
the squad that earned qualification last month for the World
Cup in North America next year. How driven a to
be part of your white squad for that?

Speaker 11 (38:43):
Yeah? Very driven.

Speaker 14 (38:44):
These World Cups they don't come around too often. Obviously,
this is the New Zealand's third World Cup, so I
definitely want to be a part of it. And yeah,
obviously I want to make sure that I'm somewhere I'm
playing regularly and performing well. So hopefully if that's Auckland,
then that's great. And yeah, so I'm really looking forward
to the World Cup.

Speaker 4 (39:03):
So five o'clock kickoff this afternoon. Most of the home
games have been five o'clock kickoffs. What is your match
day routine? What do you do on a day when
the game's at five o'clock?

Speaker 14 (39:15):
Not too much, to be honest, I try to. I
like to be quite relaxed on game day, so obviously
like a bit of a sleeping, just chill breakfast, might
go for a little walk. I live quite close to
the beach, very lucky, so we'd go for a little
walk on the beach for fifteen to twenty minutes or so,
and then yeah, just be at home. I like to
be around your friends and family are my girlfriends, So yeah,

(39:38):
just try to be as chill as possible before the
storm before the game. So yeah, that's kind of what
my yeah prematch routine looks like.

Speaker 4 (39:46):
And just to finish, this is just step one in
your goal to win both the premiers played and the
A League Championship in the first year for Auckland FC.
Those goals I'm sure have been talked about internally. Are
they starting to feel more real now as we as
we really reach the business end of the season.

Speaker 14 (40:03):
I think so. I think yeah, the team and the players,
coaching stuff, we all have the belief that we can
obviously go all the way when the minor premiership and
the major premiership. You know, obviously now we're just focused
on Perth at the moment, and then we're going to
be fully focused on making sure all the players are
in the best but this they can be going into
the finals. So yeah, definitely.

Speaker 4 (40:24):
Definitely exciting time. Snander congratulations on first of all the
Premier's plate win. That's so on up and you'll look
forward to showing it off to the crowd at at
Go Media this afternoon. All the best for the rest
of the season as well, and thanks for taking the time.

Speaker 14 (40:38):
For a chat mate, No worries, Thanks very much.

Speaker 4 (40:40):
No thank you, Nando, Nando Pinka. They're a big part
of the Auckland FC side this season. Seven and a
half to one Us Talks EB.

Speaker 1 (40:48):
When it's down to the line, you made a call
on eight Weekend Sports with Jason Hine, News Talks MB a.

Speaker 4 (40:56):
Couple of bits of correspondents to finish the Vicky says Jason,
there's a lot of saltiness about Auckland FC talking about
a billionaire buying talent, but my sense is that they've
recruited really good key we players. That's the core of
the team. Players like Cam Howison and a pineker Francis Devrees,
even an old boy like Tommy Smith. They were hardly
household names before this year for the majority of viewers.

(41:16):
I honestly think the club has showing how a Keiwi
football side can succeed with a great bunch of local boys.
And some selected imported stars. I can't wait to see
how far they go. Great points well made, Vicki, and
Peter says no, I think I've already read that one
from Joe. What a season Auckland FC have had. Congratulations
to them and their team management for a stadium in

(41:36):
the heart of an industrial area that people around the
planning and organization of the game day experience deserve a
massive congratulations. Whether it's football, rugby or league, they've all
done a great job. Thanks Joe, appreciate your text, Appreciate
all your correspondents on Auckland FC. We're going to flick
our attention across to rugby after one o'clock, look at
the final few games in around eleven of Super Rugby

(41:58):
and complete our trip around the CEOs of the New
Zealand based franchises. Auckland Blue CEO Andrew Hohre.

Speaker 1 (42:06):
The only place for the big names, the big issues,
the big controversies and the big conversations. It's all on
Weekend Sport with Jason him on your home of sports
News Talk, said b.

Speaker 4 (42:23):
Well one O seven, Welcome in or welcome back. This
is Weekend Sport on News Talks headb I'm Jason Pine,
Devin you a show producer. We're Hit till three. Rugby
is our focus this our James mcconey is along at
the back end of the hour as well with a
bunch of different things to talk about. We'll keep eyes
on live sport as well, including as you heard from
Reuben during our Sports News, an astonishing finish to the

(42:45):
Nuggets Clippers game. I was updating you on the scores
at the back end of the hour. What happened at
the end, I don't think I've ever seen. It was
ninety nine all, so that the Clippers had come back
from they were twenty points down and one stage twenty
two points down. They came back and it was tied
at ninety nine all with eight seconds to go. Nikola

(43:09):
Jokich of the Nuggets threw up this shot and it
was missing, So his teammate Aaron Gordon jumped up, grabbed
the shot and dunked it with point one seconds remaining
on the clock. Now it was so close that nobody
knew whether the ball had gone through the hoop from

(43:32):
the dunk before the final buzzer sounded. Now, luckily, what
they have in the NBA, you might have seen. This
is when the clock reaches zero, the backboard lights up,
so that's a visual indicator that time is up. So
they were able to watch it frame by frame whether
Gordon had dunked this dunk before the lights flashed on

(43:56):
the backboard indicating that time was up, and it was
frame by frame and you couldn't tell. Eventually they decided
he had had got it into the net. I guess
they had to go through the riom and into the net.
Like I say, frame by frame you couldn't tell, but
they decided he had got it through. So the Nagge's

(44:17):
won at one oh one ninety nine and tied up
the series at two all. The third of the games
today is underway now. It's in San Francisco Golden State
Warriors at home to the Houston Rockets. In the first quarter,
the Warriors lead eighteen seventeen. The series is tied up
at onon apiece as well, so pretty important third game

(44:38):
going on, which, as I say, we will keep you
right up to date with here on News Talk SEB
and we can sport. Let's continue our journey around the
Super rugby franchises based here in New Zealand with the
opportunity over last weekend and yesterday to chat to the
CEOs of the Highlanders, the Crusaders, the Hurricanes and the Chiefs,
and we've arrived at the Blues. Blue CEO Andrew Wore

(45:01):
joins us on the show. Andrew, thanks for taking the time.
I guess it's been what you might call fairly challenging
season on the field for the Blues, particularly given the
success of last year with that drought breaking title that
the Blues won. You're latest outing a lost of the
Reds on Friday night, So as CEO, what can you
do to try and help out?

Speaker 15 (45:24):
Yeah, no, it is, and I think everyone we agree
after the fantastic performance of last week, we didn't quite
get the same. And I think that the key thing
is you support good people and this group doesn't go
from good to tell by the night and searching for
the answers, and you've got to support them in finding

(45:47):
those solutions, because I think we've shown and I think
people would agree that the next four games, if we
get up and get into that even fifth or sixth spot,
it's on for young or old, and that's the beauty
of the competition. So panicking and getting in a flux
is going to do anything. It's actually supporting and and

(46:07):
motivating and supporting these people to reach their potential. And
if we do that, there's still a lot of season
to go, which is when you look at how far
through the season we are, it certainly is a fantastic
competition this.

Speaker 4 (46:21):
Year, Oh, without question, without question, Yeah, one of the
best I can remember. And you talk about supporting the
coaching staff, the playing group and such like, what does
that support look like? What can you actually specifically physically do.

Speaker 11 (46:38):
Well?

Speaker 15 (46:38):
Sometimes I think the best thing you can do is
actually just listen. Listen about how they're working through those
problems and what they're looking to do. Make sure that
you've got an environment that's enabling to give them the
time to breed and the support that they need within
that environment. They may need some time where they need

(46:58):
extra time as a team, and making that time available.
There's also just staying to systems and structures which we
know works, and looking out for those people as well,
so that they've got support at times of high stress.
Because you're going in each week and yet your work

(47:19):
is on a scoreboard in front of well, now you
know there's been one hundred and fifty three million dealers
a curistic glovings all alone, that's a lot of people
that have a lot of opinions, and that can be trying,
and that can be challenging for people at times when
they're working so bloody hard to get it right and

(47:40):
sometimes they're so entwined into what they're doing they need
to step back and giving that ability to breathe. And
I think we saw that after during the break can
sometimes be the best thing you can do. So making
sure that they're not getting embroiled and getting shuck into

(48:03):
that into that spiral, and so that they can come
out and think clearly at times of high pressure.

Speaker 4 (48:11):
Yeah, word you mentioned there, which is always going to
be around top level sport is opinions. And you know
what fans are like, you know what people involved in
the game are like. How do you separate the unhelpful
noise from the helpful noise but also embrace the fact
that people actually care a lot about your team?

Speaker 7 (48:32):
Yeah, and that's the key.

Speaker 15 (48:33):
You've got to remind yourself. They weren't into here and interested.
They probably invested and that can be your family at
home and everything that you do.

Speaker 16 (48:46):
And so I think keeping their head on the facts
and where you're at in that season.

Speaker 7 (48:54):
See very easy now to start looking at which could.

Speaker 15 (48:58):
Have, should have, would have done, But in reality we're
still in the fight in this season. So it's what
can we do and what leaders do we pull now
and not getting embroiled and sometimes going into those comments
and with social media and a like, but respecting that

(49:21):
people are entitled to a view too.

Speaker 7 (49:23):
A person writing a columns entitled.

Speaker 15 (49:25):
To write a point there as well, and you've just
got to that that is the job and accepting that
and just going well, okay, what can I control them
the situation?

Speaker 7 (49:36):
What am I going to go back to?

Speaker 15 (49:37):
What can we do as a team? What can I
do as an individual? And we've really worked hard in
the club in the last few years around self responsibility,
So it starts with.

Speaker 7 (49:48):
You and what you can do to enhance.

Speaker 15 (49:52):
The team, enhance our own performance, and then how do
you help the others within your team an organization to
get out of the whole. And we've seen some great
examples that are ye teams and organizations that have done
that to a lot of success. I think if we're
the Crusaders were last year to where they are this year,

(50:14):
and we're seeing it with the chiefs so to us
for you, so even with our own competition, and that's
the beauty of sport, right, you get another week and
then you may not have the end of the year
and you get another.

Speaker 7 (50:28):
Preseason if you looked in that context.

Speaker 15 (50:31):
And so again we've got a real chance here to
get this rise and we've had glimpses when we've got
it right, and so it's working that out and staying
present in the moment to do that over the next
few weeks.

Speaker 4 (50:46):
Do you think the spotlight shines brighter and more harshly
on the Blues compared to other New Zealand franchises as
the side based in our biggest city, You know.

Speaker 15 (50:59):
I look statistically, we generally have higher one of the
higher media reaches, and you can't get away from that
that they it's a thirty year old institution that people
are passionate about.

Speaker 7 (51:15):
So yeah, I do. In the same way I think
the Wartars probably are in Sydney.

Speaker 16 (51:21):
And and that again that is that is the job
you take on and I wouldn't want it any other way,
to be honest with you, I think rugby is I've
always said to you as a game I deeply love,
and I know that people in our organizations deeply love
and are on it to represent the rugby players in

(51:43):
our region. So if you've got that to group me
because of the size of population, et cetera, celebrate that
in reality, as hard as.

Speaker 7 (51:55):
That sometimes can be.

Speaker 15 (51:58):
And so yeah, I think so it's like the argument
about you know, keeping every player. The fact is, you
only get a squad of thirty eight and you've just
got to make sure as many as the kids as
you can for as long as you can to then
be able to produce the best squads you can. And
yet we get under a scrutiny. So those kind of

(52:18):
things can be a little bit out of balance.

Speaker 7 (52:20):
Because of that. But you just have to accept that.

Speaker 15 (52:23):
That's actually it's an honor if you look at it
another way, and.

Speaker 7 (52:28):
That that's that's.

Speaker 15 (52:31):
The way we should approach it, I think, and make
sure just and foremost that rugby stays the permanent sort
of sport in our region, because you know, it's broader
pressures on the game right now, and that celebrate the
sport that it is and the competition we're in.

Speaker 4 (52:53):
And let's not forget you're won at last year. We
can't move on too quickly from that. I know we're
in a new season now, but how much did the
title when last year mean to you?

Speaker 7 (53:06):
I think it means a lot to a lot of people.
I was really proud of.

Speaker 15 (53:10):
An ib Blues the women's team this year, back to
back and playing such great rugby too in the trans Tasman.

Speaker 7 (53:19):
Final as well.

Speaker 15 (53:20):
So you're always really delighted for your people when they excel.
And I think the region needed the Blue and probably
the competition the Blues to be successful.

Speaker 7 (53:34):
I think what we've got to do is look.

Speaker 15 (53:35):
At getting an improved response after victories like that, and
if you look outside of one organization and everyone else
has actually struggled to go back to back in this competition.
I think the only e.

Speaker 7 (53:52):
Was a Blues on the other day.

Speaker 15 (53:54):
So that is our challenge and that is not over
yet and there will be some learnings. I can assure
you that. And you know we forget that for He's
This is the first time as head coaching a super
environment and that is distinctly different to France. You've got

(54:15):
far more variables, far more people coming back from New Zealand,
Ay and the All Blacks there that you have to
integrate in and those kinds of things, and I'm sure
there'll be some learnings, but it's not over yet. But
as far as what did it mean to people, I
think you saw the response with the sellout in three

(54:35):
hours and those kinds of things. But we can't live
on that now. That's in the past, and we've got
to ever say stay right here, right present, right here, now, right.

Speaker 4 (54:44):
Now, just to look ahead the next year. Rico you want,
he's going to miss next season as he takes up
his opportunity in Ireland. How did these discussions play out?

Speaker 7 (54:54):
Well?

Speaker 15 (54:55):
Generally, as an athlete goes through their career, I think
all of us are cognizant of the fact that you
want to keep them fresh and not having style so
used as a financial component to these athletes going overseas.
But there's there can be at times sometimes a chance
to freshen them so that they want to stay here.

(55:17):
And so what happens is and as as time goes on,
I mean, every representative of their player tries to push
for it earlier and earlier to get these reason incentives.
And it was, you know, the time of doing Rito's
contract that was agreed and we wish him well. You know,

(55:40):
he there's Japanese clubs at one of them for three
four years and he's chosen to come back here and
represent his country and represented his blues and as a.

Speaker 7 (55:50):
Proud grammar and pontsanbe boy that that feels he's I
was with his dad last night. Then we're delighted that
he'll come back.

Speaker 15 (56:01):
And obviously that'll give the likes of the zab Tayles
of this world of Kennedy shine and we saw of
gotten some that in the Chiefs game this year. So yeah,
come with the come with the animal, and those people have.

Speaker 7 (56:18):
To come to the war.

Speaker 4 (56:20):
Are you tied to Eden Park as your home venue?

Speaker 7 (56:25):
No, no, we're not.

Speaker 6 (56:26):
No.

Speaker 15 (56:26):
That's a that's a choice and.

Speaker 7 (56:32):
One that's done us proud over the years. It's still.

Speaker 15 (56:37):
It's still a venue that people want to go to.
It has its challenges when crowds aren't to where we
want to be. But I think if you with the
Chiefs this year, with that sort of twenty three and
a half, you're starting to really get at.

Speaker 7 (56:51):
The bounce there.

Speaker 15 (56:54):
And even on the lighter games, what we've try to
do is.

Speaker 7 (56:59):
Make sure we've used that we st end a lot more.
It will change it this year, whether it be a
corporate function or whether it be bound to cast of
that kind of stuff that changed the change the environment.

Speaker 15 (57:10):
And the other beauty of eating part was probably with
minor Pacifica match when we had the Pacifica Festival, which
I've got to stay with outstanding out of two thousand
people with through them and we ended up with eighteen
and a half thousand electrics.

Speaker 7 (57:26):
She last year only well eight and a half.

Speaker 15 (57:28):
So there's things you can do with even part of
which I think we've sort of tried this.

Speaker 7 (57:34):
Year and a bit of work.

Speaker 15 (57:38):
Sometimes it doesn't and you know we look each and
review that each and every year. I think Don Ray,
for example, last year was outstanding for us. They got
us off to an absolute little buy and it was
ten and a half thousand people and it looked it
looked incredible from a broadcast perspective, and I think that's

(58:00):
what some of the environments, some of the stadiums can
give you when you've got those small crowds.

Speaker 7 (58:05):
Cross Christmas year to EFC versus one of the teams
in New South Wales.

Speaker 15 (58:12):
There there, I think the force on the table they
had eleven and a half thousand there and it was
still bouncing and so horses for courses and we've got
to consider that each and every year.

Speaker 4 (58:23):
Just to finish, you operate in a sporting ecosystem which
is getting increasingly crowded. Andrew, you've got one in Pacific
in your city. The Warriors, of course are now Auckland FC,
who are pulling big crowds every time they play at home.
How challenging is the sporting ecosystem of Auckland.

Speaker 7 (58:42):
Yeah, I think we're all much of a muchness.

Speaker 15 (58:46):
I think the Warriors probably would tip on average the
great I think we've got to embrace that. To be
honest with you, my attitude changed quite a lot because
if you look at Melbourne, you look at Sydney. I
think we're going to be a city not too too
long away at one point act to two million people.
And if we can put a product on the field

(59:11):
which is exciting like this year and intriguing, and we
can perform, then you will have a place in the
sporting landscape. And we've got to start celebrating the fact
that you know, work in the UK for over fifteen
years and kids don't get the same opportunities from a
sports expective that they do in New Zealand and so
we actually are a sports mad nation as of Australia,

(59:35):
and I actually do truly believe that these sports can coexist.
I would, yeah question, having two professional rugby teams and
an economy our sides is challenging, but it can be done,
and a rugular league shown that. So we've got to
embrace it and not be threatened by it. We've got

(59:58):
to celebrate what's good about our sport, our comp and
make the most of been probably New Zealand's camp sport.
I know that to aggravate some but the simple fact
matter is now with the Breakers, with the Warriors, with
the football. I think there was that weekend in March
where you could go to effectively four different sporting events,

(01:00:19):
where you could go to the poly Fest. How does
that not make for a great city. I went to
the cricket on Friday night and then obviously our game,
and so Cameron, George and I caught up for a
coffee and I think we're both the same mindset that
there is opportunity in this that we can make this
work for all codes and actually enhance the lifestyle for

(01:00:43):
many Oklanders and more broadly whether it be South Aukland
or North Oakland and Northland to have activities that they
can do every weekend.

Speaker 4 (01:00:55):
Could not agree more, could not agree more with that
big month coming up for your fourth drawm onea Pacific
a war Ataz Andrew, all the best on the field
to the team and thank you for being so generous
with your time off at the afternoon.

Speaker 7 (01:01:08):
No problems, Thanks mate, have a good day.

Speaker 4 (01:01:10):
You have a good day too, Andrew thinks indeed, Andrew
whare with a conversation and went a bit longer than
I thought it might actually some interesting thoughts, some very
interesting thoughts on a wide range of topics there from
Andrew ware Blue CEO. Thank you for your time, Andrew,
and in fact thank you to all of the five
CEOs four joining us on weekend sport over the last
couple of weekends. You might have some thoughts Blues fans
and what you heard there. The other thing I wanted

(01:01:32):
to do was to try and work out who's going
to finish in the top six. So round eleven is
done and dust it. Just to remind you what happened
Friday night seems like an age ago, doesn't it. The
Chiefs beat the Fourth fifty six twenty two. The Reds
beat the Blues thirty five twenty one. Three games yesterday
morning Pacific a thirty four to fifteen winners over the
Fiji and Drewer, the Crusaders doing a number on the

(01:01:54):
Highlander is under the roof in dned in forty three
ten and the Hurricanes for the first time in eight
years winning in Canberra beating the Brumbies thirty five twenty nine.
So at the moment looks like this. The Chiefs and
the Crusaders, I think we can safely say are going
to be the top two. They have cleared out really
from the rest thirty seven points apiece. The Chiefs are

(01:02:16):
top courtesy of a better points diff the Crusaders a second,
but they're on equal points. Then it's eight points back
to the Brumbies in third on twenty nine. The Reds
have twenty seven and then it gets ready congested from
five down to eight Hurricanes twenty two Force twenty two
Waratars twenty one to ONEA pacificat twenty the Blues have seventeen,

(01:02:38):
the Highlanders have seventeen, The Fiji and Dreuer have eleven.
So even there, you look at teams like the Blues
and the Highlanders who occupy places nine and ten on
the ladder, they're only a bonus point one outside the
top six. So what is the top six going to be?
Let's lock the Chiefs and the Crusaders in, shall we
let's make that call. Remember, everybody plays fourteen matches. Most

(01:03:01):
teams have played ten. The Reds and the war Retars
have each only played nine, so they've got a game
in hand. Which of the New Zealand sides is not
going to make it? I worry for the Highlanders. I
have to say, I just I want them to meet
a lot better than they are. But that is back
to back concessions of forty points while only scoring ten themselves.

(01:03:25):
They had very similar scorelines actually the last two weeks.
Last weekend they lost forty six ten to the Chiefs.
Last night they lost forty three to ten to the Crusaders. Yes,
they are the top two sides, so let's not catastrophize
things here, but the Highlanders are going to have to
get a move on if they are to play in

(01:03:46):
the finals. And as I mentioned yesterday, their problem is
that they've got a very difficult running. They host more
Una Pacifica, they visit the Hurricanes, they visit the Crusaders,
and they host the Chiefs, so they still got to
play the Chiefs and the Crusaders again. So I don't know.
I just barring a real quite stark turnaround in form,

(01:04:08):
I just don't know whether the highland Is are going
to make it. The Blues well, as I just said
to Andrew Whore, I think they're running, is a lot
more favorable force at home Fiji and drew Away. That's
in Suva, though not Alloudtoka where the Fijian draw always
seemed to win. Then Maina Pacific at Albany and they
finished with the Warortars at Eden Park. That's a much

(01:04:29):
more That's a much friendlier running, isn't it for the Blue?
So I reckon they've still got it in them to
make it. It's just a matter of who drops out.
Have you got some thoughts if you want to pump
up the tires of your own team. Crusaders fans are
your back, aren't you? Just like watching the Crusaders of
two years ago? How much did they miss Will Jordan

(01:04:50):
last year? The guy's just a magician on the rugby field,
doesn't He Just an absolute genius of a rugby player.
And you forget that he didn't play at all last
year in Super Rugby and look what happened to the Crusaders.
I'm not saying they're a one man team, but he
makes a massive difference to that Crusaders team. Will Jordan
just an absolutely superb rugby player. Forty three to ten

(01:05:13):
last night with a couple of tries to Will Jordan
early on in the piece and you know straight away
after fifteen minutes they're out to fourteen nil. It was
such a shame to see Taha Kimaa come off, wasn't it.
And he was just starting to kind of get the
hang of super rugby, wasn't he just starting to to
I think find his feet. They've they've wrapped a lot
of support around him. They've backed him to wear the

(01:05:37):
ten jersey. Unlike last year they had about five or
six blokes playing first five. He's been the man and
even James O'Connor wasn't on the bench last night, So
river'z Raehana came on, didn't he and actually did a
pretty decent job too. But for tahe Kim and I
haven't heard any more about the knee injury. But it
looked bad, didn't it. You know, it looked just like

(01:05:58):
one of those where he's not going to recover in
a week or so. I hope it's not the dreaded
acl which has you out for months and months. Haven't
heard anything. We'll obviously get some some further detail on
that in the week ahead. But yeah, such a shame.
But the Crusaders, man, I mean, just how good are
they looking? How good are they looking? This takes some calls.

(01:06:18):
One hundred and eighty ten eight nine two nine to
two on text twenty nine away from two talking super
Rugby when we come back.

Speaker 1 (01:06:25):
The tough Questions off the turf Weekends Sport with Jason
Tyne and GJ.

Speaker 3 (01:06:30):
Gunnerholmes New Zealand's most Trusted home.

Speaker 4 (01:06:32):
Builder twenty six to two. Michael on text, I'm a
very very happy Hurricanes fan. See is Michael? I am too? Michael,
I am too. I was beginning to get a little
bit worried. Welcome back, Billy Procter. Hello, Bruce you good o.

Speaker 11 (01:06:46):
Mate.

Speaker 9 (01:06:47):
Hey, I'm a Blues fan and I'm looking at the
drawer coming up. I can see us making the top six.

Speaker 6 (01:06:57):
But to be quite.

Speaker 9 (01:06:59):
Frank, unless they change their game plan, they're just not
going to get anywhere in terms of the I mean,
I'm really frustrated with the way that they're playing and
it's just such a narrow game. They're not They're the
worst New Zealand side to watch. I'd have to say

(01:07:21):
they won.

Speaker 4 (01:07:22):
It last year playing a similar way though Bruce didn't
they They didn't.

Speaker 11 (01:07:25):
They weren't.

Speaker 4 (01:07:25):
They went very expensive last year either. They kept it
in tight, they bashed up the middle. Eventually they got
it out to the likes of Clark and Talaya, but
they didn't really you know, run it from anywhere last
year either.

Speaker 9 (01:07:37):
They didn't. But they still use their backs a bit
more than I feel that what they're doing this year,
and it's just like it's yeah, it's just I just
don't think. I mean, I look at the form of
Rico at the moment and he's had an pull appolloling season.
He's been a non event. Every time he gets the bull,

(01:07:59):
he knocks it on. If that guy gets put into
the midfield for the All Blacks, it'll be one of
the great travesties. Mate, like he does not deserve to
be picked. I watched the Hurricanes last night and Billy Proctor,
you know, like, you know, he's just streets ahead of Rico,

(01:08:21):
and you know, as a digression, I think that the
Hurricanes could be a real dark horse moving forward. But yeah,
just I just don't think, you know, like they need
to have a serious, serious look at themselves and the
way that they're playing, because they're not utilizing the players

(01:08:41):
that they've gotten the team.

Speaker 4 (01:08:44):
Thanks Bruce. Look, I agree on on Rico. I think
he's had a disappointing Super Rugby season. I think by
his own admission, he would probably say the same thing.
I don't know this to be true, but you know,
by his own very high standards, his own All Black standards,
once he played eighty Test matches, he's a high quality
All Black. He hasn't had a good season. You're right,

(01:09:04):
he hasn't. And for Billy Proctor to come back last
night after so long away and play the way he did,
Clark laidlaw in the postmatch press conference. The question was
asked of him what was different tonight and he just
said Billy Proctor and then he laughed and he expanded
a bit, But actually the fact is the Hurricanes looked

(01:09:24):
so much better with him in the starting side. Now,
when the All Blacks are chosen for the French Series
in July, I could almost say, without fear of contradiction,
that Rico Yoanni will be in the side. Of course
he will. He's one of those players who's been around
for long enough that his reputation speaks for itself. But

(01:09:47):
if you are picking on form, then he's going to
have to play a lot better in the last month
and it may well be that he and others lift
their game and they do make the top six. Andrew
Ward just said before, Look, if we make the top six,
I back us, of course, I mean anyone who makes
the top six. It's a slightly unusual format. But in
knockout rugby you've got game breakers the likes of Talaya

(01:10:11):
and Clark and Rick Owanni and others. So the Blues
can beat anybody on their day, and it was only
last year that they beat everybody on their day. But yeah,
they're gonna have to lift their game. Bruce, thanks for
you call. M'd appreciate it.

Speaker 17 (01:10:22):
Peter, Hello, Hey, funny, absolutely loving, super ruppy. At the moment,
I just every week it's there's a list two good
games that have been played that are just solid football games.
And I think it's great the rule changes, just how
the teams are going about their general player is just

(01:10:46):
as exciting to watch. Like the Fiji and Amina game
last night, the Hurricanes game last night, brilliant games. Just
really good to see an end to what we hated
about the last two seasons. Yeah, you know, it's a
huge change. I'm loving that the ref doesn't give a

(01:11:09):
crap if someone goes down play on, you know. I'm
loving that they're not just just stopping the game for
you to listen to themselves. It's just yeah, it's just great.
And Hurricanes is a Hurricane fan, I'm quite excited what
after they went after and camera and and I think

(01:11:33):
they're still missing a combination of that hardy saber and
that steady stead pass of Jordan. But I think they can,
they can, they can get up there. I'm not worried
about the Blues.

Speaker 9 (01:11:45):
Who cares?

Speaker 7 (01:11:45):
But yeah, yeah, that's.

Speaker 4 (01:11:49):
The that's the spirit. Peter, You're right about the games though,
there's hardly been a dud. I mean, if you're like me,
I tend to watch most of the games most weekends,
I kind of have to. But but I think most
fans watch their own team and they might watch the
derby's but I think now, I mean, I I'll never
look at anything now because they're all such good games.

Speaker 17 (01:12:06):
I'm happy that Australia has stood up in the last
couple of years. Has been and New Zealand and Australia
haven't featured with. Now you going, oh, okay, hang on.
Your Hurricanes just drough to the Force last weekend and
they won. I believe the Force this week, didn't they yep, yep, yeah, yeah,

(01:12:29):
so it's awesome. It was awesome. It's the old Super
twelve days coming back slowly.

Speaker 4 (01:12:36):
So yeah, so the Force didn't know. Sorry, the Force
didn't win, mate, they got they got a hammerd by
the Chiefs. They drew with our Hurricanes last week. No
only you to raise that fem memory I had as well.

Speaker 17 (01:12:47):
So yeah, yeah, got.

Speaker 4 (01:12:50):
On your yeah, got on your makee grunty chat and
I totally endorse what you said at the start. It's
great to watch and that's it's been a common theme
this year. The rugby is good to watch, and that
hasn't always been the case, Like I said, I used
to watch You know, most fans, I think you used
to watch their team or watch the New Zealand derby's.
They couldn't really be bothered watching a game between a

(01:13:11):
team from New Zealand that wasn't their team and one
of the Australian sides because you kind of knew what
was going to happen. Now you don't, you don't. And
I went through the table before and with four games
to go, we've still got three Australian sides in the
top six and the warratas just one point outside. So
the four Australian sides are in the top seven, occupying

(01:13:33):
places three, four, six and seven. There could easily be
three teams three teams in the from Australia in the
top six, easily nineteen away from two. Have to knock
it on the head there, I'm afraid you have to
get to James mcconey. Here's with us and as regular
Sunday slot.

Speaker 1 (01:13:50):
Right after this, the biggest seams in sports are on
Weekend Sports with Jason Pine and GJ. Gunnomes, New Zealand's.

Speaker 2 (01:13:58):
Most trusted home builder.

Speaker 4 (01:13:59):
NEWSTORMSB NEWSTALKSV quarter to two on Sunday, which means well
a few things. I don't know what you do at
quarter to two. So on a Sunday AN normally chat
to James McConney if I can get my mouse in
the right place and get them on the Yir Hello mate.

Speaker 7 (01:14:12):
Hello piney, if you've got pre match nerves because it's
such a big day.

Speaker 4 (01:14:17):
Yeah, but Jeffery, Yeah, but Jeffery. Although although I mean,
I guess the players, I'd be interested to know to
know what you think about this. How will the players
be feeling for Auckland FC because they don't have to
do anything today and they still get the plate at
the end of it.

Speaker 7 (01:14:32):
I know it is strange. I'll have to fire up
somehow and play because they won't want to lose and
lift the plate. No, No, at least that'll be they
need to put on a show. I think there'll be
a festival atmosphere anyway, because you know, even despite the rain,
the fans will be out, the port will be packed.
There'll be an incredible atmosphere there at Mount Smart. But yeah,

(01:14:54):
it's a strange one that they are the plate for
the Premiers plate winners. And I looked at actually what
happened next and it actually it doesn't help them that
much really because they have to play a two leagues
semi final. Presumably they get the second league at home?
Is that right, Piney, Yeah, that's right.

Speaker 4 (01:15:10):
Yeah. Nick Becker was on the show earlier. He said
that will be on Saturday, the twenty fourth of May.
So this come. So they've got another regular season game
next weekend, then they get a week off and then
home and away away first, So yeah, they get the
second League at home and then I guess the big
price for finishing top is that if you make the
Grand Final, you host the Grand Final.

Speaker 7 (01:15:30):
That's the one. So I mean there's a rub you
need to actually get through this minefield of a two
league semi final. I think that's really tricky for Auckland City.
I mean, Auckland is c but at the same time
they've built their whole season on defense, right, So they've
conceded the least amount of goals twenty three goals. Only

(01:15:51):
Melbourne City of twenty four goals conceded came close. So
they are built around this wall. And of course you
know Hierarchi Sakai, the heroic captain, as the one who's
kind of led them and that's been probably one of
the best signings in a league history.

Speaker 4 (01:16:07):
Yeah, just absolutely brilliant and just on the two legged thing.
I mean, you know, Wellington Phoenix was second last year,
so they missed the first the first round of the
playoffs and they had the home and away. They couldn't
negotiate it. They couldn't make it through to the Grand Final.
So not that they would have hosted it because they
were second, but the fact remains. It's not a fatal
complete that you that you can get through, you know,

(01:16:29):
two ninety minute games and as it was last year,
there was extra time as well. So it's a lot
of football before you get to the Grand Final.

Speaker 7 (01:16:35):
It is, and that's the whole thing. I think, you know,
you're going to appreciate this when I think Steve Curriker
said to me a couple of weeks ago, this is
how most leagues around the world are measured. First past
the posts. Like this, the grand Final, where you played
for the toilet seat is an oddity of the A
League and a few other places where they have you know,

(01:16:56):
sort of they split the league in some European countries
for the final series. But look it's been a massive
season for them, and I was just thinking to you, Piney,
because it's such a big Liverpool fans. You've got quite
quite a weekend on your hands, haven't you, Because they're
pretty much going to win the Premier League and and

(01:17:16):
and actually there are similarities and only both teams have
only lost two games each, so I'm looking at the
way they stack up statistically. I know there's more games
in the EPL, but quite similar seasons.

Speaker 4 (01:17:28):
Yeah, I want the defense wins championships, as they often say.
And yeah, if you're if you're not conceding, you're not losing.
And you're right, Liverpool haven't lost many games. You're not
as civilized as time. Five o'clock this afternoon, Great time
for a game of football. Three point thirty tomorrow morning.
Not quite so much.

Speaker 7 (01:17:44):
Yeah you'll be up, though, pony.

Speaker 4 (01:17:45):
I we'll be up. I'll be up having a look
at it. I'll be up having a look at it. Hey,
can we talk some super rugby? Do you think the
Blues are going to make the six?

Speaker 7 (01:17:53):
No? I feel bad for the Blues because they're actually
better than what their season has shown. And yesterday the
Reds were They're pretty determined team the Reds Michael line
has Son Tom Liner having an absolute blinder at first
five as well that didn't help them. And then also
the TMO getting involved pretty much every time they crossed

(01:18:16):
the line, the TMO was in there, and of course
having that television match official, I guess slow your flow
is really tough for me. And of course compounded by
a red card to there arguably the biggest attack weapon,
Mark Tallire who got done for a spear tackle. So

(01:18:36):
it's not great for the Blues. But meanwhile for the Hurricanes,
let's look on the positives there there. Season looked down
and dusted there for a while, but with that when
they're against the Brumbies, that was pretty amazing stuff last night. Piney,
you would have loved that.

Speaker 18 (01:18:50):
I did.

Speaker 4 (01:18:50):
I did, And I was just talking about Billy Procter
before and how much of a difference he made. It's
interesting when you know, you talk about a guy coming
back into a team and making a difference, and you
often think about a raw boned, loose forward, or maybe
you know your captain who's a lock, or maybe you're hooker.
You don't often think of you of your center coming
back and making such a big difference. But he was
terrific last night, Billy.

Speaker 7 (01:19:11):
Proctor, Yeah, he was exceptional. I really do like the
way that the Hurricanes forwards went about their business as well.
I think there was a fifteen or five minute period
where they silenced the Aussie commentators, which is no mean feat.
You know how biased that getting Justin Harrison. Justin Harrison
with his very very pro Brumby's commentary. But the thing

(01:19:34):
is when the Hurricanes showed their attack, it was really
slow forwards and backs and he said that's the best
rugby he's seen played this Super Rugby season, but none
so the Hurricanes have got it in them. Billy Proctor, however,
we need to talk about that. Yes, as a center,
I think he's eclipsing ricoe Yowani at the moment. I think,
at age twenty five, he's at the peak of his powers.

(01:19:57):
He's showing what he can do. The combo with Riley
Higgins is what I guess everybody's wanted to see, all
rugby fans, but especially Hurricanes fans, and to be on
now that we've in love is settled into that number ten,
would do you even move him? When Harry Godfrey comes
back I think not.

Speaker 4 (01:20:13):
Yeah, it's it's so interesting. And yeah, the bit about
Billy Proctor and what he could become. You know, you
don't want to pump a guy ties up too much.
But he's actually been around for a while, Billy Proctor.
They liked him as a as a teenager, and you know,
he had to sort of live in the shadow of
his brother Matt for a while. But he's in there
now and yet look, I think he's making them, making
a great fist of things. So good to have him

(01:20:34):
back from that, from that our killer's injury. Hey, can
we finish with the an Zach anthem at the AFL.
Did you happen to catch this over the weekend?

Speaker 7 (01:20:45):
I did. It was impressive. This is private Heavy Adams
from the New Zealand Army Band. Her anthem, her rendition
of God Defend New Zealand was so good that that
they had all the commentators and raptures saying, pipes of
an Angel, the greatest rendition of the national anthem I've
ever heard. But Ozzie's were loving it. They were saying
that our anthem slaps pie, which is very rare, and

(01:21:09):
exults of praise for a national anthem which is much malign,
but she made it her own. As they say in
American Idol. She was not pitching at all, but she
was on the pitch and fantastic rendition Maori and English
verse there at the mcg We probably don't have time
for both verses, but I think we should go out

(01:21:30):
with Hettie Adams singing God Defend New Zealand. She made
the crowd go wild.

Speaker 3 (01:21:38):
Good.

Speaker 4 (01:21:43):
And well boy sweet.

Speaker 16 (01:21:55):
Gardy.

Speaker 19 (01:21:57):
Breaking down the Hail Mary's and the epic fails Weekend

(01:22:45):
Sport with Jason Hine, News Talk ZENB.

Speaker 4 (01:22:49):
Four to two, updating you from the NBA Playoffs halftime
in Game three between the Golden State Warriors and Houston
Rockets and San Francisco and the Rockets league forty nine
to forty six at halftime that seven game series tied
up at one apiece. After two o'clock, we're back into
a football for you. Louis Strata out of Auckland FC.

(01:23:10):
They've claimed the Premier's plate. They take on Perth this
afternoon in Golf of Perth. Ollie Sale all Whites goalkeeper.
He's on the show as well. And Liverpool, as James
mcconey mentioned, could secure the Premier League tomorrow morning, we'll
talk to one of their biggest fans.

Speaker 1 (01:23:24):
True the only place to discuss.

Speaker 3 (01:23:26):
The biggest sports issues on and after fields.

Speaker 2 (01:23:30):
It's all on Wee James.

Speaker 3 (01:23:31):
Ford with Jason Vaine on your home of Sport, Use
York two six.

Speaker 4 (01:23:38):
This is Weekend Sport until three. Then Tim Beveridge takes
over with the weekend collective ice Hockey for you this hour.
Cam Freer is the coach of the Ice Blacks. That's
our New Zealand national ice hockey side. They're about to
embark on a tournament in Dunedin. First game tonight. Cam
frea this hour with his thoughts and hopes and expectations
for the week ahead. Liverpool could win the Premier League

(01:23:59):
tomorrow morning. The head of the Wellington branch of the
official Liverpool Supporters Club, Andrew McGoff, going to chat about
that football as well from go Media Stadium with Auckland
FC up against Perth Glory. Louisvis Strata and Olie Sayle
and goal for Perth Glory. He's an Auckland boy of course,
but plays his football out west. How is he feeling
about coming back home and being part of an occasion

(01:24:21):
such as the one which is about to hit us
this afternoon, causing correspondence continue to be welcomed on the show.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty gets you throw
on the phone nine two ninety two if you wish
to send a text. But as we always do it
about this time on weekend Suport, it's time to bring
you up today with the stuff you might have missed.
It's called in case you missed it, and we start
with Super Rugby and recapping yesterday's games. Minor Pacifica won

(01:24:45):
the Battle of the Pacific against the Fiji and drawer
at Albany a.

Speaker 20 (01:24:49):
Kind of vetty release it and just after it it's away.
Matabeta offer and he'll score underneath the horns and that
will be enough from a one on a win kicked
over the touch line at Pacific ragging rights belonged to
Momana Pacifica. Thirty four fifteen.

Speaker 4 (01:25:06):
The Crusaders went to Dunedin and did a number on
the Highlanders, who were starting to slip out of top
six contention. That is the end of the game.

Speaker 21 (01:25:13):
It is the Crusaders who are scored six tries to
two after leading back twenty one points to nil at
halftime a runout, convincing winners by forty three points to ten, and.

Speaker 4 (01:25:25):
The Hurricanes became the first New Zealand side to win
in Australia this season, beating the Brumbies in Canberra with
their wingers to the four pruck to to hearken. They
draw all the Brumbies defense across to the right wing side,
and he comes the.

Speaker 20 (01:25:39):
Hollow, shut the gate to me, boys.

Speaker 4 (01:25:42):
Bolted, try to the NRL. The greatest side of modern times.
We'll finish this weekend at the bottom of the ladder.

Speaker 17 (01:25:50):
Sure he have aginst Hello.

Speaker 18 (01:25:55):
Totoler He's so quicked, he is so fast.

Speaker 17 (01:26:02):
He came from.

Speaker 4 (01:26:03):
Nowhere here Penrith losing twenty sixteen some manly meantime, the
Cowboys thrashing the Titans.

Speaker 11 (01:26:11):
All right, Well that's the.

Speaker 22 (01:26:12):
End of that total second half domination. That man gets
an actrey, That man gets an ulcer. North Queensland over
the Gold Coast Titans fifty eighteen and.

Speaker 4 (01:26:23):
The first FA Cup semi final played overnight Crystal Palace,
securing their place in the final, beating aston Villa three nil.

Speaker 19 (01:26:32):
A casa get.

Speaker 22 (01:26:33):
Away here and really settler, it's my LASSA.

Speaker 23 (01:26:36):
It does.

Speaker 6 (01:26:39):
Right away to wrap it up his course.

Speaker 22 (01:26:43):
Two against Aston Villa again as he did in February
game sets and much to Crystal Palace.

Speaker 1 (01:26:53):
On crutch Hold Engage Weekend Sport with Jason Hym and
GJ Gunner Homes New Zealand's Lost Trusted No Milder News
talks to Baby.

Speaker 4 (01:27:03):
Yeah, well done to Super Palace Gone email this morning
from a regular listen to the show Glenn, who says,
morning Jason, I cannot express my joy and happiness at
the result this morning. I must have walked five k
in my lounge and made one hundred passes and fifty
tackles watching Crystal Pallace. I'm exhausted despite the adrenaline. Three
nil was not as easy as it sounds, but on

(01:27:26):
the other hand, it could so easily have been by
six as we missed Penn and two absolute sitters that
against a team who made the Champions League quarterfinals and
almost the Semis and marvelous performances against Paris Saint Germain.
Just at Auckland FC to win today, says Glenn, for
the trifecta Warriors Palace and Auckland FC South London and
proud good on you, Glenn. Thanks for your email. I

(01:27:48):
enjoyed getting it earlier on today. Speaking of Auckland FC,
they are in action this afternoon five o'clock against Perth Glory.
Belgian midfielder Louis Vastrata has been a massive part of
their success this season. Hi arriving now, it's over his heads.

Speaker 5 (01:28:03):
The threes for Strata.

Speaker 6 (01:28:06):
Turn loi for strata for all times.

Speaker 5 (01:28:11):
That's Steve Coracer's term.

Speaker 6 (01:28:13):
Have hit the front.

Speaker 4 (01:28:15):
Yes, so they are in front of everybody else in
the league and will win the Premiere's plate. They've claimed it.
Of course we spoke earlier in the show about this.
With Melbourne City drawing Nilo last night, Auckland FC have
won the regular season silverware. Louivi Strata joins us. Thanks
for taking our call, Lowie. Why do you think Auckland
FC have been so successful this season?

Speaker 24 (01:28:37):
Yeah, I've thought about it.

Speaker 25 (01:28:38):
I think the main so obviously there is a lot
of quality in the team. Without quality, it's it's not
possible to reach anything. But second of all, I think
the way we defend as a as a team. I
think this is what what makes us better than other
teams because we obviously we will score goals, but I

(01:28:59):
think we have the best defense in the league statistic wise.
But it's not just the defenders, it's also deals and
even strikers the way they they help the team out.
I think this is quite extraordinary because if you look
at other teams, I think not eleven players on the
pitch really work for each other. And I think this

(01:29:20):
has been the main difference between us and other teams.
I think why we've been successful.

Speaker 4 (01:29:26):
I remember your coach, Steve Corker saying that when you
first spoke to him, you told him that you love
to defend. It's not everybody's capite, but you love defending
in those midfield spaces. So do you take a sense
of personal pride for your part and the solid defense
of the team this season?

Speaker 25 (01:29:44):
Yeah, I think I try to do my job as
good as possible. Like you said, I told Steve before
I came here what he can expect from me and
what I like to do on the pitch, and I
tried to do.

Speaker 24 (01:29:56):
As good as possible.

Speaker 25 (01:29:57):
And I must say I'm quite satisfied with my season
so far, but we still have to finish it off
at a pretty good note.

Speaker 4 (01:30:05):
So and last week of course, she scored a goal
and assisted another one against Melbourne Victory and the two
nil went over there. But a superb all ram performance
from you as well, Louis. I know you probably don't
want to talk about yourself too much, but was that
one of your best games for Auckland FC this season?

Speaker 1 (01:30:25):
Yeah?

Speaker 24 (01:30:26):
I think I felt pretty good in that game.

Speaker 25 (01:30:28):
But it's always when when you get some statistics, when
you have a goal and assist, all of a sudden
your performance is.

Speaker 24 (01:30:35):
Like is way better than it than it actually was.

Speaker 25 (01:30:38):
I think I was satisfied with the performance, but I,
for example, I had a better feeling the week before,
So sometimes, like your your own personal feeling on the
pitch is maybe not how people perceive the game when
they were watching. But obviously I felt I felt good
and it was nice to get the goal. And that's
also what the support is and what everyone remembers, so

(01:31:00):
that's that's good.

Speaker 4 (01:31:01):
When you first agreed to come to Auckland FC, what
were you expect before you arrived?

Speaker 25 (01:31:09):
To be fair, I did not really know what to
expect because there was so many question marks. I didn't
know how the what the level of the league was,
how our new team was how we were going to
perform the first year. We obviously most of us didn't
know each other. We hadn't played with each other yet,
so there was a lot of uncertainty. And I think

(01:31:31):
I just came with an open mind and I wanted
to be I want to personally, I just wanted to
prove myself to to to other people gave me the
confidence to to sign here. But it was yeah, I
didn't really have like a goal in mind for what
I wanted to achieve the season. I just wanted to
play every game and and I wanted to be a

(01:31:53):
reliable player for the team.

Speaker 24 (01:31:54):
That was my main main objective.

Speaker 4 (01:31:57):
How long after you arrived then did you realize that
this team was a good team and that it could
actually do something pretty special.

Speaker 6 (01:32:05):
In this.

Speaker 25 (01:32:08):
I think, to be fair, I noticed straight away that
we had we had called in the team, but especially
the preseason games. We when I arrived at the same
time as Jim in Philippe and Nada still had to
come so we were not like our full strength yet,
and we still we still also physically weren't at our best.

(01:32:29):
So for me, I think after our first first two
or three official games, then then I started to realize, okay,
we might we might be able to do something this season.
But I think for for me and for the team,
those first victories were really important to to get the
self believe up and to give us a boost.

Speaker 24 (01:32:51):
And what we could have achieved, what we could achieve
this season?

Speaker 4 (01:32:54):
And what about the standard of the football in the
I League? Louis was that what do you expect and
what do you what do you make of the standard
in the I League?

Speaker 25 (01:33:01):
Like I said, I didn't know what to expect, but
I must say it's it's a very good league, very
competitive league, a lot of talent in the league as well.

Speaker 24 (01:33:10):
I think I think.

Speaker 25 (01:33:12):
Also that that that I think on on a global skill, I.

Speaker 24 (01:33:16):
Think the league is not valued as it should.

Speaker 25 (01:33:18):
I think there are very very good players in this
league and the way I think as a neutual fan,
I think it's also nice to watch the games because
there was so much, so much goals, and it's it's
open place. So I didn't know what to expect, but
I didn't expect this, that's for sure. It's it's been

(01:33:39):
a very good experience, I must say.

Speaker 4 (01:33:41):
And what about the travel, because I know when you
were based in Europe and playing over there, you wouldn't
have had to travel the distance as you do here
for away games. You know, trains Tasman across to Australia
every other week. Have you adjusted to the extra travel
required down here.

Speaker 25 (01:33:57):
Yeah, for me, especially in the beginning, it was it
was a bit hard for me because, like you said,
like the longest trip I did in Belgium was two
hours with the bus, and and in my mind that
was already a long trip. So when we went to Perth,
or even the first time we went to Sydney, for me,
it was I needed. It was quite an adaptation for

(01:34:17):
me because especially the flying for me, it takes takes
a bit of.

Speaker 24 (01:34:22):
Energy out of me.

Speaker 25 (01:34:24):
But yeah, we we always go a little bit on beforehand.

Speaker 24 (01:34:29):
We we have a lot of like we.

Speaker 25 (01:34:32):
Tried, let's say our physical coach. He wants to create
the best circumstances. So yeah, that all helps. But in
the end, it's it's tricky and you have to you
have to be mindful, like how you travel, trying to
get up in the plane. Also you have to get
used to sleeping in a hotel so much away from home.

Speaker 24 (01:34:53):
So it's all little factors.

Speaker 25 (01:34:54):
But now I'm quite used to it, but yeah, that
was that was quite often.

Speaker 24 (01:35:00):
I had to adapt to that. Yeah, I wasn't. I
wasn't ready in the beginning, let's.

Speaker 4 (01:35:03):
Say, and before last weekend, when of course beat Melbourne victory,
you'd drawn five of the previous six games, and three
of those were at home after holding the lead. So
was that becoming in any way frustrating that you couldn't
convert some of those draws, particularly at home, into wins.

Speaker 24 (01:35:22):
Yeah, I think.

Speaker 25 (01:35:23):
I think also you could say, like in the beginning
of the season, look was a little bit on our side,
and I think at that period luck wasn't. There were
a few games I think we always should have won.
They also it's always easy afterwards. But I think also
I remember, like the Atheleate game, like some referee decisions
that were not in our favor. So I think it

(01:35:45):
was multiple factors and I'm not quite sure what it
was why we drew so much, but I felt that
we should have won at least a few of those games.
But in the end, it's football and you need that
bit of luck and sometimes you have it and sometimes
you don't.

Speaker 24 (01:36:02):
So yeah, it's part of the game.

Speaker 14 (01:36:05):
All right.

Speaker 4 (01:36:05):
Hey, Lewi. Thanks for the time today, Tavia chat to us.
Enjoy yourself this afternoon at what will be a great
occasion at go Metia Stadium. Louis vu Strata, Belgian midfielder
for Auckland FC, now in goal for Perth, a familiar
face all Whites goalkeeper Ollie's Sale is back in his
hometown and he joins us, how does it feel to
be back in your hometown Ollie for a game of football,

(01:36:26):
even though you are on the opposition side.

Speaker 26 (01:36:29):
It's great, mate, Obviously I love playing at home in
Auckland in front of friends and family and obviously an
exciting time for myself, first taste of Orcan FC and
nowt's smart and modern occasion because obviously it's going to
be a big crowd and it's nice to kind of
tap into what they're feeling this year and all that excitement.

Speaker 11 (01:36:50):
So I'm really looking forward to this evening.

Speaker 4 (01:36:52):
Absolutely a big occasion coming, as I say, for the
home side. But how do you approach it as the
visitors as you try to spoil their party?

Speaker 26 (01:37:01):
Yeah, look, obviously without coming across as too much of
a villain.

Speaker 11 (01:37:04):
I don't want people to dislike me too much. We
are here to spoil the party.

Speaker 26 (01:37:08):
And you know, from my perspective as a as a
usual football advocate, as an orcand boy, as a friend
of many of the orcand boys, there's there's so much
I mean that's really excited about what they're doing.

Speaker 11 (01:37:23):
And I'm so proud of them, and you know, it's easy.

Speaker 26 (01:37:27):
It's slightly easier for me to say because we're not
not at the end of the table competing with them,
but I am extremely happy for them.

Speaker 11 (01:37:34):
But yeah, like I said, we've got a job to do.

Speaker 26 (01:37:36):
And you know, we got one over one over them
at home earlier in the season and for us, we've
got our own ambitions.

Speaker 11 (01:37:43):
So yeah, look, we're here to spoil the party.

Speaker 4 (01:37:46):
Just on the game where you beat them over in
Western Australia. There only lost two games all year, as
you'll know, only one away and that was to you guys.
Can you take anything from that game that might be
useful today?

Speaker 26 (01:37:58):
Absolutely, you know that they're they're a really big side,
a very physical side, and looking back on it, probably
it was one of the few games this season where
we really fronted up physically with energy.

Speaker 11 (01:38:11):
Obviously at home.

Speaker 26 (01:38:12):
We're very fortunate even during tough circumstances, we get a
really good following.

Speaker 11 (01:38:17):
An HbF Park is a fantastic atmosphere, and yeah, we
just really fronted up physically. We matched everything there through
it us.

Speaker 26 (01:38:24):
We almost bullied them, which is a really strong part
of their game, and yeah, we just didn't really allow
them into the game. They started to build some momentum
in the back end of the second half and we
were very resolute and just stood tall.

Speaker 11 (01:38:37):
So yeah, looking looking to hurt them early like we
did last time. I think that helps.

Speaker 26 (01:38:41):
They're a very strong side, but they don't necessarily score
heaps of goals. I think it's their defense, the defensive
structure and defensive efforts that have put them in this position.
So if we can rattle their cage early and hopefully
score really then I think, yeah, it puts the pressure
on them. And obviously, like you just touched on, it's
an occasion for them and we don't really have anything

(01:39:02):
to lose, so we're just going out there playing with
freedom and looking to enjoy the occasion in the atmosphere.

Speaker 4 (01:39:07):
The win over Auckland FC was one of the high
points and what has been a difficult season for Perth
Glory why hasn't it gone your way?

Speaker 26 (01:39:16):
This season looks it's obviously still a period of change,
and I know the fans are probably frustrated here in that,
and we are too. I think since the beginning of
last season, when we went through some difficulties with ownership
and all of that sort of stuff.

Speaker 11 (01:39:32):
We're slowly rebuilding.

Speaker 26 (01:39:33):
But I think we started the season with a very
very young side and we were on the back foot early.
We've got a new coach that's implementing his structure and philosophies,
and it just hasn't quite arrived quickly enough, and everything
hasn't quite fallen into place quickly enough.

Speaker 11 (01:39:50):
There's been glimpses.

Speaker 26 (01:39:52):
I think probably since January, we've we've shown enough in
just about every game, probably bout one or two to
win and to take positives out of the game. But
we're just we're just struggling to complete a really solid
ninety minutes. I think a really good example is we
played probably our best game of the year last time

(01:40:13):
out at home against.

Speaker 11 (01:40:17):
Against Adelaide United, and we just put them to the sword.

Speaker 26 (01:40:19):
But even so we still managed to give them a
really soft goal. And that's just kind of been the
story of our campaign. Fortunately enough for us, we played
so well and took our chances at the other end,
which it didn't really matter, but we just we tend
to play quite well but then just let teams into
the game. So it's about consistency for us and putting
together ninety minute performance. But I think what we're building

(01:40:42):
is starting to look positive, and I think the back
up of the season has kind of shone more glimpses
of that.

Speaker 4 (01:40:47):
Certainly, and talking of building and rebuilding and adding on.
Nothing's been confirmed here yet, but there's some fairly strong
male that a couple of your former Phoenix teammates might
be joining you at Perth Glory next season. Sam Sutton,
Scott Wotton. If that were to happen, what would they
add to your playing group?

Speaker 26 (01:41:06):
Well, yeah, like you said, I have heard those rumors too,
so I think for me, whether it's true or not,
it signals it shows that the clubs got the right intent.
You know, they want to add experience, they want to
add good quality, like young player in the form of Sutz,
who brings.

Speaker 11 (01:41:24):
You energy and knows what it takes to compete at
the top of the league.

Speaker 26 (01:41:28):
Off the back of last seasons, fantastic campaign for Wellington,
and then obviously you've got Scotty who just brings a
wealth of experience.

Speaker 11 (01:41:36):
And solidity at the back.

Speaker 26 (01:41:41):
He's played at all sorts of levels and both great
characters as I know well, So, yeah, if those two
signings were to come true and those come to fruition,
then I think from the fans perspective at Perth, it's
a strong show of intent and I hope that we
can continue building building a really strong squad.

Speaker 4 (01:41:58):
And it wasn't that long ago you were an organ actually,
of course, with the All Whites securing your place at
the World Cup next year, how motivated are you personally
only to be part of that squad that goes to
the World Cup?

Speaker 11 (01:42:12):
Hugely? Hugely?

Speaker 26 (01:42:13):
Obviously, it's been a gym mine for a long time
and it's been something that I've been walking towards for
a long period of time, and the decisions that I've
made over the last few seasons have all kind of
centered around the plan to play it next year's World Cup.
And for me, obviously, it's been a frustrating period with
football over the last two seasons and I've kind of
slipped down the pecking order a little bit at the

(01:42:33):
All Whites, but if anything, being a part of the
qualification campaign most recently in those games in March, it
just it just fueled the fire inside of me that
I want to be playing and that I want to
be out there performing at the World Cup. So yeah,
it was, it was so much fun. It's fantastic group.
I can't speak highly enough of the group and the
culture that everyone a part of that, everyone at in

(01:42:57):
football has been a part of the build that, and yeah,
it's very exciting time.

Speaker 4 (01:43:02):
Yeah, absolutely, it has an exciting occasion coming this afternoon. Well,
I hope as far as you're concerned, Oli end for
Perth Glory that you can play the villain this afternoon.
I get the feeling, as I say, you'll still be
asked for plenty of autographs him self. He's afterwards, mate,
thanks for taking the time for a chat. Look forward
to seeing you in a few hours.

Speaker 11 (01:43:20):
My pleasure. Thanks for having me as always, Pony.

Speaker 4 (01:43:22):
Good on you, Olli thanks and Dad Ali sail there.
Perth Glory goalkeeper, All Whites goalkeeper and former Wellington Phoenix
player of course, and in Aucklander he grew up and
played a lot of his junior football in Auckland, so
it must be quite nice for him to come home,
even though he'll be very much a supporting act. You'd
have to think this afternoon at go Media Stadium when
Auckland FC play Perth Glory and at the end of

(01:43:44):
it all, regardless of what happens on the field, I
love the Premier's plate at the end of it to
twenty seven, let's take a break when we come back.
Ice Hockey. Our ice Blacks that's our New Zealand men's
ice hockey team about to embark on a World championship
tournament on home ice in Dunedin. They're head coaches with us.
Right after this on Weekend Sport.

Speaker 1 (01:44:04):
Those Voice of Sports on your home of Sport Weekend
Sport with Jason Vain and GJ. Gunner Homes New Zealand's
most trusted home builder.

Speaker 4 (01:44:13):
News Talks Bang on two thirty Sunday afternoon. The Ice
Blacks that's our New Zealand men's ice hockey team, are
about to start the International Ice Hockey Federation twenty twenty
five World Championship Division two Group B tournament in Dunedin.
Ice Black's head coach is Cam Freer, he joins us
ahead of opening game tonight against Chinese Taipei. Cam, thanks

(01:44:36):
for taking the time for a chat. Tell us about
the schedule for the team this week. After Chinese Taipei
tonight in your opening game, then who do you face?

Speaker 27 (01:44:46):
So yeah, Chinese Typeay tonight, and then we played Georgia
tomorrow night, and then we have a day off and
to kind of recharge the batteries. And then from there
we played Thailand, then Bulgaria, then Iceland. So yeah, our
last game being next Saturday.

Speaker 4 (01:45:02):
All right, So when you look at those nations, you'll
come up against who who is likely to be your
toughest opponent.

Speaker 2 (01:45:10):
You would you would think Iceland.

Speaker 27 (01:45:12):
Iceland was relegated from the division above last year, so
they'll be very strong.

Speaker 2 (01:45:17):
And then Georgia as well.

Speaker 27 (01:45:19):
We beat Georgia, managed to beat Georgia last year, but yeah,
they're a very strong ice hockey nation.

Speaker 4 (01:45:24):
And it's just a full round robin, no semi's, no final.
You just just whoever finishes top after the round robin.
Is that how it works?

Speaker 27 (01:45:31):
Yeah, So whoever finishes tops you get three points for
a regular time win, two points for an overtime will
shootout win or one point for an overtime we'll shootout loss,
and it's just whatever team has the most amount of
points after the five game round robin.

Speaker 4 (01:45:46):
Now, of course, our women's team, the Ice Ferns, claimed
silver at their recent equivalent, also played in Dunedin. How
motivated were you buy there if it only listened to
Australia the eventual winners in an overtime shootout in their tournament.

Speaker 2 (01:45:59):
Yeah, it's really motivating.

Speaker 27 (01:46:00):
That did such a great job of representing ice hockey
New Zealand on the world stage, and yeah, we're we're
hoping to do just as well or hopefully try and
win this thing.

Speaker 4 (01:46:09):
Tell us about the team you've assembled and the mix
of experience and youth that you have at your disposal
this week.

Speaker 2 (01:46:16):
Yeah, I think the biggest thing is we looked to
find some experience.

Speaker 27 (01:46:19):
So we've got you know, players that have played up
to fifty games like Jordan Challis for the Ice Flax,
and then you know other players that have become naturalized
like Colin Macintosh and Justin Diagel who both playing professional
hockey overseas, and so we've got a lot of experience.
But then we really have some strong new young players

(01:46:40):
coming through Jacob Carey, and we have four other New
Zealand under twenty players that were in the team that
won gold their respective gold this year as well.

Speaker 4 (01:46:50):
The young players who take up the sport, I mean
it's not widely available in secondary schools is if at all?
How do the young players who find their way to
the top level of the sport find their way into
the sport?

Speaker 2 (01:47:04):
I think we've got ice hockey. New Zion's done a really.

Speaker 27 (01:47:07):
Good job at advertising and getting people wanted to learn
to play programs all around the country and from there
being able to develop them through that. And yeah, they're
doing a great job managing to we're seeing the fruits
of it now of having you know, five under twenty
players and the national men's team is just almost unheard of.

Speaker 2 (01:47:25):
So yeah, we're doing a great job.

Speaker 4 (01:47:27):
And what about your own background, Cam, what's your background
in the sport?

Speaker 11 (01:47:31):
So?

Speaker 27 (01:47:31):
I played for the Stampede for the Sky City Stampede
for roughly one hundred and seventy games, and then I
played three seasons with the Denean Thunder as well.

Speaker 2 (01:47:41):
So my background as a player.

Speaker 27 (01:47:43):
I played for the ice Blacks back in twenty thirteen,
and then I was injured in twenty eighteen. And I've
been coaching the Sky City Stampede since twenty nineteen, so
this would be my seventh year as the head coach
of the Stampede, and then this is my second year
with the Ice Blacks.

Speaker 4 (01:48:00):
Did you always feel like you would move into coaching
while you were playing?

Speaker 2 (01:48:05):
Honestly?

Speaker 27 (01:48:06):
Know, you know, I ruptured my achilles playing touch rugby
in the summer, so your hot playing hockey for one
season was kind of not going to work out for me.
And we had a professional American coach in Queenstown and
he had to go home, and you know, the kind
of the stars aligned and the senior players and the
Stampede asked me to coach for a few weeks while
we found another coach.

Speaker 2 (01:48:28):
And I'm still here seven or eight years later.

Speaker 4 (01:48:31):
Good stuff, Well it must be, it must be in
the blood. And when you when you look to develop
yourself as a coach and look to do the best
possible job for the Ice Blacks, where where do you
where do you take your inspiration from?

Speaker 27 (01:48:42):
I think it's you know, taking a little bit of
you know, what I thought made each coach that I've
had successful throughout and then you know, and then try
and apply there in a in a genuine way that
the players you know, find easy to digest. And then
for me, it's not just you know, coaches, it's it's
meeting people, you know, whether it's in business.

Speaker 2 (01:49:02):
Or whether it's you know, in life and taking parts
of what people do.

Speaker 27 (01:49:06):
You know, whether they're a person could, they're personable, they're
a great public speaker. You take parts of that and
then and then from there that kind of makes up
you coaching. And it's always moving as well as there's
new information available and different ways to communicate stuff, and
you know, with different generations the way that you would
talk to people was a little bit different as well.

Speaker 4 (01:49:24):
Love that And have you had any sort of any
sort of decent preparation leading to this week ahead?

Speaker 2 (01:49:30):
Yes, So we've managed to be able to be in
Goodeeden for for almost of the week.

Speaker 27 (01:49:34):
So we've had about six or seven trainings and then
we had a an exhibition match against like a Dunedin
Thunder and Canterbury Red Devils combined team on Thursday.

Speaker 4 (01:49:46):
Fantastic and the ice how's the ice in d Need
and at the at the facility you'll be using.

Speaker 2 (01:49:50):
Yeah, the facility looks amazing. They've they've done such a
good job of getting it ready and yeah, we're really
excited to be able to play it home.

Speaker 4 (01:49:58):
Outstanding. Well, all the best for a very exciting week
starting tonight against Chinese Taipe Ai and then right across
the week until you made Iceland on Saturday. That's next Saturday.
That might even come in the form of some sort
of grand final arrangement. Hey, Cam, all the best to
you and the team mate. Thanks for taking the time
for a chet today.

Speaker 2 (01:50:14):
Hey, thanks very much, mate.

Speaker 4 (01:50:16):
No, thank you, Cam Freer, the coach and former player
for our ice Blacks, our national ice hockey team. So
tonight Chinese Taipei. All of these games I think they
play at eight o'clock every night, Yes they do. So
Chinese taypepay tonight. Then it's Georgia tomorrow a day off,
and then Thailand on Wednesday. On Friday night Bulgaria and

(01:50:38):
next Saturday it's Iceland. And as you heard Cam say,
Iceland are likely to be the ones who provide the
stiffest competition for New Zealand. They've dropped down from the
division above, so they're likely to be the ones. I
could well be that when that game comes around on
Saturday evening in Dunedan, that it's a bit of a
Grand Final. Let's up look at some live sport happening

(01:51:00):
around the place over in San Francisco. For starters, it's
three quarter time in game three of the year round
one NBA clash between the Golden State Warriors and the
Houston Rockets. Series are locked up at one all after
two games, and at three quarter time in game three,
the Rockets with a slender leads seventy one sixty nine
and that one and just about to get under way.

(01:51:21):
In our National Basketball League match, it's the league leading
Wellington Saints up against the Hawks bay Hawks that one
at the TSB Bank Arena in Wellington. Just about to
get started in that one, the Saints top of the
table with seven wins from nine, in fact joint top.
I shouldn't forget the Canterbury Rams, otherwise we'll be in
trouble again with the good folk of christ Jurch. The

(01:51:43):
Canterbury Rams also seven and two, and in fact Canterbury
are top because they've got a better points differential, So
I should probably have done a bit more research on that.
Maybe the Saints can win an eighth game in the
next couple of hours and go to the top. Just
on twenty two away from three. We'll take another break
when we come back. It's back to football. Been quite

(01:52:04):
a bit of football on the show today, but that's
where we are, I guess in the calendar In Liverpool.
Liverpool fans have waited a wee while for a Premier
League title. The last time they won one was during
COVID times, a very odd Premier League season. But tomorrow
morning they could clinch this year's Premier League title with
four games to spare. So how are they feeling over

(01:52:25):
the side of the world in the New Zealand division
of the Liverpool Supporters Club. We'll find out when we
come back here twenty two to three.

Speaker 1 (01:52:32):
Back in a monte the Big Issues on and after
Fields Call eight hundred eighty ten eighty Weekend Sport with Jason.

Speaker 4 (01:52:40):
Paine and GJ.

Speaker 1 (01:52:41):
Gunnerhomes New Zealand's first trusted home builder News Talks a BB.

Speaker 4 (01:52:45):
Two forty one on News Talks, he'd be barring and
utter catastrophe. Liverpool are going to win the Premier League
this season. And possibly as early as tomorrow morning.

Speaker 18 (01:52:54):
Out to seller honey much to take his class, and
he's done it quite beautifully, a dozening goal from the
havoc sala Liverpool's advantage. What a glorious finish.

Speaker 4 (01:53:12):
So Liverpool have five games left and they're twelve points
clear at the top. Second placed Arsenal have just four
games left, so that means Liverpool need just one point
so a drawer from their remaining five games to clinch
a second title in the Premier League era and a
twentieth top flight title overall. They host Tottenham tomorrow morning

(01:53:36):
at what will be, no doubt a celebrating anfield. Let's
bring in Andrew McGoff, chair of the official Liverpool supporters
group of Wellington. Andrew, thanks for your time. That almost,
as I'm explaining, it sounds too easy. It's almost a
fader complete. Does that dilute the achievement at all?

Speaker 3 (01:53:54):
Oh?

Speaker 28 (01:53:55):
Absolutely not? Like care, I really hope that it is
a celebration at Ntil tomorrow and I guess it's the
huge assumption that Liverpool will go ahead and at least
get a draw against Hers on Monday morning our time.
But I'll tell you what It's been a great old
season for Liverpool and certainly not one that a lot

(01:54:19):
of fans would have expected, particularly with Hug and Klop
leaving at the end of last season.

Speaker 4 (01:54:23):
Yeah, I want to talk about the new boss, Anna
Slott in just a moment. But in terms of the
dominance of this team in the Premier League such that
they are going to probably or or could well win
it with four games up their sleeve, what have been
the reasons for Liverpool's dominant league form.

Speaker 28 (01:54:40):
I think there'd be a couple of things that kind
of stand out to me.

Speaker 7 (01:54:44):
Piney.

Speaker 28 (01:54:45):
One is whilst we have had our injuries, we haven't
had the muscle injuries that Well always had under Clop
with his style of football, and I think the backroom
staff that Slot's bought in with him have managed the
players extremely well, and we just seem to have been
so consistent over the season. There's only one loss that

(01:55:05):
Chris Woods, not Ingham Forest. In the first half of
the season. We had some huge results in the Champions
League as well, particularly that one over Real Madrid that
fansa remember so well. It's been a team that we
haven't enjoyed playing over recent years. But I just think
it's the consistency. There's some stats coming out where our
first half and second half of the season have almost

(01:55:26):
mirrored themselves. And there's a lot of chats in the
UK media in particular and fans on social media about
Liverpool's drop off in the second half of the season,
and it kind of has felt like that in a way.

Speaker 23 (01:55:38):
I guess it felt that the season wasn't as dominant
as the first half, but as I say, the results
almost mirrored themselves, and slot's been able to bring in
that belief in the side and.

Speaker 28 (01:55:50):
Keep those key players playing at at a hugely high level.
You look at Mohammed Sala and what his output has
been again, particularly in the first half of the season
is just almost unplayable. And yeah, it's been it's been
epic to see really just to see how we've been
able to just well say where I may now have

(01:56:12):
see of course, have been able to go through and
just really just just dominate. And what is against some
salty fans belief has been a really strong Premier League
this year where there's been upsets from bottom half teams
beating top half teams, and you have to look at
the Champions League with aston Villa and Arsenal in particular

(01:56:33):
doing so well. They're just to show what a what
a strong Premier League it is, So let's just be
the icing on the on the cake having Liverpool winning
such a strong Premier League.

Speaker 4 (01:56:43):
You mentioned the departure of Jigen clab at the end
of last season. He was such a popular manager for Liverpool.
Can you remember what your expectations were at the start
of the season.

Speaker 28 (01:56:55):
I know they weren't high. Pinely like, I wasn't particularly overwhelmed. Intact,
I was underwhelmed by it by Slot coming in. Admittedly
I didn't know if you lot about him, but it
wasn't one of those big name managers that you thought
would come in and win the fans over and be
able to sign some marquee players. But while he's really

(01:57:19):
proved me wrong, and I honestly thought that would be
scraping into Champions League this season. I thought this probably
would have been Arsenal's title to win.

Speaker 7 (01:57:29):
Man City.

Speaker 28 (01:57:30):
We know that every year, well that's such a comittable side,
they usually take the title out and I really thought
Chelsea would have would have given a better showing to themselves.
So yeah, for me, it was sort of looking to
scrape into that fifth spot and hopefully clinch Clint Champions
League's place.

Speaker 4 (01:57:46):
Well, it's certainly going to finish off a lot better
than that in terms of the Premier League. The last
time Liverpool wanted, of course, was during COVID and you
know a lot of fans, not just Liverpool fans, will
remember the trophy being lifted in front of nobody. Basically
it was a very odd, odd time for us all.
How much more will this mean, you know, and presumably

(01:58:08):
at some point they will get the chance to lift
the trophy itself at home. How much more will it mean,
you know, given the more traditional environment of you know,
a huge fan base for this football club.

Speaker 28 (01:58:20):
Well, I've been looking at some interviews from Ana Slots
and Uje van Dyke and just saying how important to
them it is that they'll be able to perform and
hopefully clunch the Premier League in front of a pack Danfield,
It's been thirty five years since I've been able to
to win the title at home in front of a
packed house. Obviously, as you mentioned, that was in front

(01:58:43):
of an empty stadium in the COVID era, and I
guess one of the big things for fans. Were Liverpool
fans over in the city is they really gathered that
they couldn't have a parade for the team and the team.
I know the team felt that as well from the
interviews that have come out, and I've got friends over
there who are really looking forward to being able to

(01:59:04):
be a part of that, and you know, just be
able to do it at anfield, as I say, like
in front of the fans, not relying on other results.

Speaker 23 (01:59:12):
I think if you remember back to the nineteen twenty season,
there's videos went around of the Liverpool team watching the
Chelsea City game and Chelsea got up there, which Clint's
just clinched the league for Liverpool. So just be able
to do it under our own steam will be will
be pretty epic and yeah, what an atmosphere it will be.

Speaker 28 (01:59:31):
It'll be on Monday morning.

Speaker 4 (01:59:33):
Any chance at all Tottenham win this game and delay
the celebrations by at least a week.

Speaker 6 (01:59:40):
They could, they could.

Speaker 23 (01:59:42):
I think it's what we always used to joke amongst
friends of mine that when you're putting on sport maulties,
never to include Tottenham because they would lose.

Speaker 28 (01:59:51):
The ones that were.

Speaker 23 (01:59:52):
Lose, the ones that they're obviously going to win, and
win the ones you wouldn't count them. I think probably
what works in Liverpool's favors. I've got a Spurs I've
got a big semi final coming up a couple of
days after. I hear that Son's not playing either, which
he's always been a bogey player for Liverpool, and I

(02:00:13):
guess it's never felt easy against Tottenham, but surely they can.
Liverpool can just clinch a point based on their existing
form throughout the season and hopefully that should be enough
to do it. I just really hope it's not a
not a nervely ninety minute. It'd be nice to be
able to watch it comfortably.

Speaker 4 (02:00:30):
It's kind of an unfriendly time though, wasn't it for
us over the side of the well? Was it three
thirty tomorrow morning?

Speaker 28 (02:00:35):
It kicks off as sure as an early start on.
I've got my first day of work on a new
job on this first day back at school to watch
the game, So yeah, we'll be We'll be in our
lounge at three point thirty in the morning watching the game.
I understand the liquor licensing laws and why they are
how they are, but it is a real shame that
friends can't come together to watch this game and enjoy

(02:00:59):
the moment together.

Speaker 4 (02:01:00):
Yeah, well, I'm sure that will follow when when not not,
when Liverpool do get this point over the next five
games and when the Premier League. Hey, Andrew, look, I
was going to say sleep well tonight, you'll probably want
get a couple of hours then get up. You're not
going to push through, are you.

Speaker 28 (02:01:15):
I certainly won't be pushing through. I'm so old for
that now, but I'll try and get an early night.
It's fair to say it will be uh, it'll be
pretty broken sleep. But yeah, I'm really looking forward to
three thirty tomorrow morning and watching that with my oldest
son and hopefully, hopefully just getting that point so we
can celebrate the twentieth title for Liverpool.

Speaker 4 (02:01:37):
Good man, Andrew, great to chat mate. Thanks for taking
the time this afternoon.

Speaker 7 (02:01:41):
Always a pleasure party.

Speaker 28 (02:01:42):
Thank you so much for having me on.

Speaker 4 (02:01:43):
No, thanks for joining us, Andrew, Andrew McGoff there, he's
the chair of the Wellington branch of the Official Liverpool
Supporters Club. Three point thirty tomorrow morning and field. It'll
be jumping when they take on Tottenham and as mentioned
a couple of times, just a point, that's all they need,
just to draw and if it doesn't come tomorrow, they've
still got four more games and that is provided that
arsenal when they're remaining four games. So look, it's it's

(02:02:06):
based Liverpool's title. It's just a matter of when it
will officially be confirmed same time tomorrow morning. Actually, Chris
Wood is in action in the FA Cup semifinals, Nottingham
Forest up against Manchester City. This game is at Wembley.
They play the semifinals at Wembley, so Chris Wood will
be at Wembley tomorrow morning three point thirty trying to

(02:02:27):
help Nottingham Forest into the FA Cup Final. It's then
more Manchester City Crystal Palace earning their place with a
three mil win over Aston Villa in the early hours
of this morning. Nine away from three News Talks it be.

Speaker 1 (02:02:41):
The scoons from the track Fields and the Court on
your home of Lord Weekends for it with Jason Vine
News Talks.

Speaker 4 (02:02:48):
B and that is us for Weekend Sport for today.
Five and a half away from three. After the three
o'clock news, Tim Beveridge in the chair with the Sunday
edition of the Weekend Collective who knows what gems he
will have to regal you with. I can see him
out there beavering away, putting the final touches on the
preparation for his show. So he's up after three o'clock

(02:03:08):
back on sports Talk tomorrow night, looking forward to bringing
you that between seven and eight. Huge thanks to Bevan
Dua for producing across the weekend or some work mate,
Thanks indeed for stepping in. I don't know where Andy is.
I'm sure he's around somewhere. I'm sure he'll be back
at some point, but if not, I've got a very
very handy replacement through the glass here in Bevin. Thanks indeed, mate,

(02:03:30):
Thank you for listening in as well as far as
an exit song goes today well, Auckland f C, as
we've been mentioning in all afternoon, have signed up the
Premier's plate. Majority owner of course is Bill Foley, and
he has sporting interests all around the world, including an
expansion team in the NHL Ice Hockey competition, the Vegas
Golden Knights. They launched in twenty seventeen and won the

(02:03:52):
Stanley Cup, which is the big ice hockey price. In
their sixth season. Auckland FC have got some silverware and
just there first, so a Vegas theme. I thought to
take us out today. Katie Perry waking up in Vegas.
EM it makes a litt risty you're waking say tomorrow night.

Speaker 13 (02:04:14):
To toss that brings you can't waking up.

Speaker 3 (02:04:28):
And bad.

Speaker 13 (02:04:31):
Cup. That's what's your wake up?

Speaker 14 (02:04:36):
And what to day say?

Speaker 3 (02:04:46):
Say cast up by.

Speaker 13 (02:04:56):
Cash up ma m hmmmmmmm.

Speaker 1 (02:05:13):
For more from Weekends Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to news talks at B Weekends from midday, or follow
the podcast on iHeartRadio

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Episode Transcript

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