James McOnie from The Crowd Goes Wild joined Piney to discuss the Lions v Wallabies match, the Warriors' latest loss and the reveal that there won't be an Auckland FC women's side.
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZB and.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We always chat to James mccaronney. Hello, mate, how's your weekend?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Oh, good things, poney, Yeah, good weekend. Still some sport
out there. Not a bad Saturday with the wires and
the Lions.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Let's talk the Lions. Did you think that was a
penalty at the end.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, I did think it was a penalty. And I
know it happens a lot with when you've got a
jackler over the ball, But the top players find a
way to clean those guys out, because generally, if your
head's pointing down towards the ground, they'll clean out. They'll
grab their back or under their outpits or you know,
even their waste sometimes to sort of move them from
the spot. But you can't have direct shoulder contact to
(00:52):
the back of your head and neck like that and
not give a penalty because it really is a yellow
car defense. I think your previous text has said that.
So by ignoring that, I think that the problem is
they're focusing on Tazano's dive the Hollywood, and I think
that's not the point. The point is that he was
actually hit in the back of the head and you
(01:14):
have to give that as a penalty. And obviously the
Australian directors TV directors were doing their best to show
them all the angles and you could even say that
Jack Morgan that got the cleaner, if you will, from
the Lions. He left his feet as well to make
that clean out, which you're not supposed to do either.
And they were being very picky in the breakdown every
(01:36):
other for every other minute of that game. Pinty, So yes,
it was a penalty. Yes, Australia should have won it.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah. And I think today, if that penalty is given
and Australia win the Test match, I think there's probably
fewer arguments around than there are today. I mean, again,
you can't take the context of the series into account,
but had they given the penalty, Australia win the Test
Match and all of a sudden we've got a blockbuster
series decider in Sydney next week. Again, I know that's
not the point, but I'm not sure that you get
(02:04):
as much argument if you give that penalty exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I think if you give the penny, people are saying, well,
there might be a few people saying game's gone soft.
All that sort of stuff. Look, I know there's lots
of jacklers out there. You'd probably would be good to
talk to someone like duplasy Kitty feed and and to
mark the tather ta Nahai. How many times you get
hit in the back of their head or neck and
the ref doesn't care? Because I've seen this on your
show probably a couple of years ago. I think it's
(02:29):
one of the big anomalies or you know, sort of
blind spots and Rugby that they're not picking up on
that head contact. And you could say the same for
you know, picking go close to the line, the person
picking and going is going low, the tackler's going low.
It's pretty much like mountain goats on you know, National
geographics sort of thing, where there is heat contact but
(02:51):
it's just ignored. So that's where Rugby's got to. Now.
They've tried to set these parameters and now they've ignored them,
which I think is the biggest problem with last night.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I also think actually that you know, the Wallabies should
have been able to hold a twenty three to five lead.
I thought they were really good in the first half hour.
A couple of the tries they scored. Joseph Suli was
involved in one of them, and you finally you know
understand why it is that they are so keen on
this bloke exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
I mean, I think that the way they went for
Joseph saurierly he is probably the smartest thing they've done
in a while. Australian rugby Eddie Jones is the dumbest
getting him back, but signing saurially from Roosters from the NRL,
it was a big battle for a signature when he
was a rugby star as a youngster at school and
then they lost out to league. But getting him back
(03:44):
it just shows how much that one player can make
a difference in the team sport. Because yes will scouting
Rob Valentini bolsted the pack and the forwards were a
lot better, but that move it was just absolute champagne rugby.
You know, a set play from inside their own twenty
two really or just outside their twenty two, just flowing
the whole length of the field. That to me rugby
(04:07):
I think is at its best, and I mean you
have to congratulate that both teams on the series. I
think it's been better rugby than what we saw with
the All Blacks against France. You know, just just for
I guess at the expense of play a lot more
long passes. Some of them don't work, but hey, they regroup,
they get the ball backs, you know, thirty seconds later
(04:29):
because everyone's box kicking, so who cares?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
In massive crowds too? Was it ninety thousand there last night?
I know the Lions are well supported with Man, what
an atmosphere there at the G last night. Hey are
the Warriors thoughts?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah, well, let's start with the Wahena. I thought they were.
Actually they battled back so well, and then it was
the same issues, which was not being clinical in the
set of danger zone really and I think that's tough
because it is a team that's only just been brought
together this year, so that's okay. I think they did
learn though, really what it's like to have someone who's
(05:06):
absolutely lightning on the other team. That the Titans had
two players in particular who are just so vital to
their go forward and everything they did. So maybe they
need to I mean, you've only got one michaela break,
but you need to sort of work out where you
place your wheels around the field with the men. I
just thought that the Titans have just got their number,
(05:29):
do they? Because even when when the Titans went down,
they were they went flustered. Karen for and had an
incredible game. The old veteran on the left side for
the left edge for the Titans, and really they everyone
knows about Lequa Hala Sema now right, the cat is
out of the bag. Leckerscored a try, you made an
(05:49):
incredible run, but they still managed to deal with that
and take down the Warriors. So for me, Piney, the
issue was one of the ones we've talked about before. Yeah,
who are the danger? Mean? Lequa Roger looked good. You
need more dangers because if you've got two players that
that the opposition really have to have alarm dolls four
(06:10):
it's not enough. You really need five. So the great
Melbourne Storm teams doesn't matter who comes in like Pappenhausen
can be incredible, but they're also got their head on
a swivel for the Xavier Coats and Cameron Munster and
the rest you know, I mean meaning as well. So
that's where we're left. I think we've just got too
(06:30):
fewer focal points.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Do you reckon they're still top four?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah? I think so? I mean with he is an
incredible coach, and I think he's probably learned that even
getting rid of Tame Tour pick he was a mistake
because he does provide I guess that other line breaker option,
and you know, when it gets down to it, we
sort of need someone like that. I think that what
(06:58):
they should be looking at though, is that last week
they should be treating like a loss. If it wasn't
for Lequa's incredible try one of the greatest tries in
in RL history at the death when we're trying for
a miracle drop goal from distance, it wasn't for that try.
That's really a loss, right if it wasn't for that
one little moment. So yep, basically be saying, Okay, we're
(07:20):
in a slump. Now we've got to actually climb out
of it. And so I think it is time for
going back to the drawing board on a few things
that they thought were going to work. And waiting and
being out is a big problem because I think with
that headnock, he's not available next week.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
No, he's definitely not. So you're right, there's another change
coming there. A couple of other matters, A m Z
Premiership Netball Final this afternoon, A couple of hours away,
two time defending champion Mystics, the Tactics who have never
won it. Who you got here?
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I'm going to go maybe against the grain and go
for the Tactics. I think Donna Wilkins formerly Donna Lofhagen,
it just brought some steely resolve forgive the pun because
she is just one of those coaches who caused it
as she see it, sees it, and all those players
of respect onted to her let's say, brutal, honestly earthy
(08:10):
language and just you know the vibe of a winner's mentality.
So she's tough, she's got that Southern grit, and I
think the Tactics will go there, you know, just feel
and confident. Anyway. The Mystics, though, look, no grass and
wiki hasn't really slowed them down. They are sort of
(08:30):
like a classic what would you call it, like a
free flowing team that just seemed to sort of be
telepathic with their play. But yeah, I'm going for Donna
and her girls from down South, all.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Right, And it's been confirmed this week. I think it's
been generally understood for a while that there we know
Auckland FC women's team in the coming season. That was
the original plan that having stood the men's team up,
they would do the same with the women and the
women would compete in the Women's A League in the
season ahead. That will now have to wait for at
least one more season. I'm a bit gutted about this.
I love the men's derby so much I was looking
(09:05):
forward to the women's ones.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yeah, this is a massive kicking the gats for people
who love football, for women playing football in Auckland and
fans of women's football, and in the Queens City, the
city of Sales. So look, it's it really is a
big backtrack. And I know that there's financial concerns from
the A League saying, look the competition runs at the lost,
(09:27):
we can't afford to check another team into the mix.
So that's one factor. But the other factor is, like
I think Auckland they see probably need to front foot
this a bit more and say what the plan is
and what's going to happen, because you know, if you're
an aspiring footballer in Auckland and that when they launched
Auckland the f C, they said this is the team
for all of Auckland, you know, So they need to
(09:50):
leave let all of Auckland know, especially women's football, is
exactly where they stand, what the plan is next when
the trials are what you know, when they're planning to
assemble them and muster all the players. So that's I
just think it's been a little handled clankily and it's
(10:11):
not really a good look for a team that's sort
of had a really like a pr sort of like
ridden a wave. It's been a dream for them so far,
but this isn't great.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Gott to leave it there for today, mate, Always love
chatting sport with you. Shall we do it again next Sunday?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Why not? Finally, let's talk next Sunday.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Let's do it mate. You have a great week. James
McConney a big part of our Sunday afternoons here on
Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk ZEDB weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talk ZB and.
Speaker 2 (00:13):
We always chat to James mccaronney. Hello, mate, how's your weekend?
Speaker 3 (00:16):
Oh, good things, poney, Yeah, good weekend. Still some sport
out there. Not a bad Saturday with the wires and
the Lions.
Speaker 2 (00:24):
Let's talk the Lions. Did you think that was a
penalty at the end.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
Yeah, I did think it was a penalty. And I
know it happens a lot with when you've got a
jackler over the ball, But the top players find a
way to clean those guys out, because generally, if your
head's pointing down towards the ground, they'll clean out. They'll
grab their back or under their outpits or you know,
even their waste sometimes to sort of move them from
the spot. But you can't have direct shoulder contact to
(00:52):
the back of your head and neck like that and
not give a penalty because it really is a yellow
car defense. I think your previous text has said that.
So by ignoring that, I think that the problem is
they're focusing on Tazano's dive the Hollywood, and I think
that's not the point. The point is that he was
actually hit in the back of the head and you
(01:14):
have to give that as a penalty. And obviously the
Australian directors TV directors were doing their best to show
them all the angles and you could even say that
Jack Morgan that got the cleaner, if you will, from
the Lions. He left his feet as well to make
that clean out, which you're not supposed to do either.
And they were being very picky in the breakdown every
(01:36):
other for every other minute of that game. Pinty, So yes,
it was a penalty. Yes, Australia should have won it.
Speaker 2 (01:42):
Yeah. And I think today, if that penalty is given
and Australia win the Test match, I think there's probably
fewer arguments around than there are today. I mean, again,
you can't take the context of the series into account,
but had they given the penalty, Australia win the Test
Match and all of a sudden we've got a blockbuster
series decider in Sydney next week. Again, I know that's
not the point, but I'm not sure that you get
(02:04):
as much argument if you give that penalty exactly.
Speaker 3 (02:07):
I think if you give the penny, people are saying, well,
there might be a few people saying game's gone soft.
All that sort of stuff. Look, I know there's lots
of jacklers out there. You'd probably would be good to
talk to someone like duplasy Kitty feed and and to
mark the tather ta Nahai. How many times you get
hit in the back of their head or neck and
the ref doesn't care? Because I've seen this on your
show probably a couple of years ago. I think it's
(02:29):
one of the big anomalies or you know, sort of
blind spots and Rugby that they're not picking up on
that head contact. And you could say the same for
you know, picking go close to the line, the person
picking and going is going low, the tackler's going low.
It's pretty much like mountain goats on you know, National
geographics sort of thing, where there is heat contact but
(02:51):
it's just ignored. So that's where Rugby's got to. Now.
They've tried to set these parameters and now they've ignored them,
which I think is the biggest problem with last night.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
I also think actually that you know, the Wallabies should
have been able to hold a twenty three to five lead.
I thought they were really good in the first half hour.
A couple of the tries they scored. Joseph Suli was
involved in one of them, and you finally you know
understand why it is that they are so keen on
this bloke exactly.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
I mean, I think that the way they went for
Joseph saurierly he is probably the smartest thing they've done
in a while. Australian rugby Eddie Jones is the dumbest
getting him back, but signing saurially from Roosters from the NRL,
it was a big battle for a signature when he
was a rugby star as a youngster at school and
then they lost out to league. But getting him back
(03:44):
it just shows how much that one player can make
a difference in the team sport. Because yes will scouting
Rob Valentini bolsted the pack and the forwards were a
lot better, but that move it was just absolute champagne rugby.
You know, a set play from inside their own twenty
two really or just outside their twenty two, just flowing
the whole length of the field. That to me rugby
(04:07):
I think is at its best, and I mean you
have to congratulate that both teams on the series. I
think it's been better rugby than what we saw with
the All Blacks against France. You know, just just for
I guess at the expense of play a lot more
long passes. Some of them don't work, but hey, they regroup,
they get the ball backs, you know, thirty seconds later
(04:29):
because everyone's box kicking, so who cares?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
In massive crowds too? Was it ninety thousand there last night?
I know the Lions are well supported with Man, what
an atmosphere there at the G last night. Hey are
the Warriors thoughts?
Speaker 3 (04:43):
Yeah, well, let's start with the Wahena. I thought they were.
Actually they battled back so well, and then it was
the same issues, which was not being clinical in the
set of danger zone really and I think that's tough
because it is a team that's only just been brought
together this year, so that's okay. I think they did
learn though, really what it's like to have someone who's
(05:06):
absolutely lightning on the other team. That the Titans had
two players in particular who are just so vital to
their go forward and everything they did. So maybe they
need to I mean, you've only got one michaela break,
but you need to sort of work out where you
place your wheels around the field with the men. I
just thought that the Titans have just got their number,
(05:29):
do they? Because even when when the Titans went down,
they were they went flustered. Karen for and had an
incredible game. The old veteran on the left side for
the left edge for the Titans, and really they everyone
knows about Lequa Hala Sema now right, the cat is
out of the bag. Leckerscored a try, you made an
(05:49):
incredible run, but they still managed to deal with that
and take down the Warriors. So for me, Piney, the
issue was one of the ones we've talked about before. Yeah,
who are the danger? Mean? Lequa Roger looked good. You
need more dangers because if you've got two players that
that the opposition really have to have alarm dolls four
(06:10):
it's not enough. You really need five. So the great
Melbourne Storm teams doesn't matter who comes in like Pappenhausen
can be incredible, but they're also got their head on
a swivel for the Xavier Coats and Cameron Munster and
the rest you know, I mean meaning as well. So
that's where we're left. I think we've just got too
(06:30):
fewer focal points.
Speaker 2 (06:32):
Do you reckon they're still top four?
Speaker 3 (06:37):
Yeah? I think so? I mean with he is an
incredible coach, and I think he's probably learned that even
getting rid of Tame Tour pick he was a mistake
because he does provide I guess that other line breaker option,
and you know, when it gets down to it, we
sort of need someone like that. I think that what
(06:58):
they should be looking at though, is that last week
they should be treating like a loss. If it wasn't
for Lequa's incredible try one of the greatest tries in
in RL history at the death when we're trying for
a miracle drop goal from distance, it wasn't for that try.
That's really a loss, right if it wasn't for that
one little moment. So yep, basically be saying, Okay, we're
(07:20):
in a slump. Now we've got to actually climb out
of it. And so I think it is time for
going back to the drawing board on a few things
that they thought were going to work. And waiting and
being out is a big problem because I think with
that headnock, he's not available next week.
Speaker 2 (07:35):
No, he's definitely not. So you're right, there's another change
coming there. A couple of other matters, A m Z
Premiership Netball Final this afternoon, A couple of hours away,
two time defending champion Mystics, the Tactics who have never
won it. Who you got here?
Speaker 3 (07:49):
I'm going to go maybe against the grain and go
for the Tactics. I think Donna Wilkins formerly Donna Lofhagen,
it just brought some steely resolve forgive the pun because
she is just one of those coaches who caused it
as she see it, sees it, and all those players
of respect onted to her let's say, brutal, honestly earthy
(08:10):
language and just you know the vibe of a winner's mentality.
So she's tough, she's got that Southern grit, and I
think the Tactics will go there, you know, just feel
and confident. Anyway. The Mystics, though, look, no grass and
wiki hasn't really slowed them down. They are sort of
(08:30):
like a classic what would you call it, like a
free flowing team that just seemed to sort of be
telepathic with their play. But yeah, I'm going for Donna
and her girls from down South, all.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
Right, And it's been confirmed this week. I think it's
been generally understood for a while that there we know
Auckland FC women's team in the coming season. That was
the original plan that having stood the men's team up,
they would do the same with the women and the
women would compete in the Women's A League in the
season ahead. That will now have to wait for at
least one more season. I'm a bit gutted about this.
I love the men's derby so much I was looking
(09:05):
forward to the women's ones.
Speaker 3 (09:07):
Yeah, this is a massive kicking the gats for people
who love football, for women playing football in Auckland and
fans of women's football, and in the Queens City, the
city of Sales. So look, it's it really is a
big backtrack. And I know that there's financial concerns from
the A League saying, look the competition runs at the lost,
(09:27):
we can't afford to check another team into the mix.
So that's one factor. But the other factor is, like
I think Auckland they see probably need to front foot
this a bit more and say what the plan is
and what's going to happen, because you know, if you're
an aspiring footballer in Auckland and that when they launched
Auckland the f C, they said this is the team
for all of Auckland, you know, So they need to
(09:50):
leave let all of Auckland know, especially women's football, is
exactly where they stand, what the plan is next when
the trials are what you know, when they're planning to
assemble them and muster all the players. So that's I
just think it's been a little handled clankily and it's
(10:11):
not really a good look for a team that's sort
of had a really like a pr sort of like
ridden a wave. It's been a dream for them so far,
but this isn't great.
Speaker 2 (10:21):
Gott to leave it there for today, mate, Always love
chatting sport with you. Shall we do it again next Sunday?
Speaker 3 (10:27):
Why not? Finally, let's talk next Sunday.
Speaker 2 (10:29):
Let's do it mate. You have a great week. James
McConney a big part of our Sunday afternoons here on
Weekend Sport.
Speaker 1 (10:35):
For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live
to News Talk ZEDB weekends from midday or follow the
podcast on iHeartRadio.
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