Full Show Podcast: 14 December 2025

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine
from News Talks EDB. 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 Vine on your
home of Sport News Talks ed B.

Speaker 2 (00:30):
Hello, Yonna get afternoon. Welcome into the Sunday edition of
Weekend Sport on News Talks EDB. On another sunny day
around much of the country. December fourteenth, Happy thirty fourth birthday,
Matt Henry Recover well mate. Happy forty sixth birthday to
former England striker Michael Owen speaking of football. Happy birthday
to former All White and one of the best football

(00:51):
commentators and analysts going around, David Choate. Happy birthday Chody
and legendary Wellington winger Ron Jardin, who played thirty seven
times for the All Blacks in the nineteen fifties, was
born on this date in nineteen twenty nine. He passed
away in nineteen seventy seven. I'm Jason Pine. The show
is put together and produced by Andy McDonnell. We are

(01:12):
talking sport with you until three. We kick off today
with the Ashes Australia tu nil up after comprehensive winds
in Perth and in Brisbane. The Third Test starts in
Adelaide on Thursday. England are staring down the barrel of
losing the Ashes before Christmas and the very real possibility

(01:32):
of a series whitewash once they get to Melbourne and Sydney.
Plenty of chat about a couple of things to do
with the England team, the bears ball approaches one and
whether it needs to be if not abandoned, then certainly tempered.
And the fact that England have spent a few days
sunning themselves and having a few beers and nooser in

(01:54):
the time between Tests two and three. This has not
gone down particularly well. It should be said with England
cricket fans and a few former players. BBC Chief Cricket commentator,
former England fast ball and one of the world's most
respected cricket voices, Jonathan Agnew leads us off today. He's
standing by for a chat and then I want to

(02:14):
talk some Ashes cricket with you. Are you locked into
this series like I am? I absolutely love the Ashes
and if so, do you see it way back for
England cricketing matters closer to home are very very good
Test ABO this week in Wellington for Canterbury wicket keeper
batsman Mitch Hay. How does he reflect on it and
does he think he's done enough to keep a spot
for the Third Test? Mitch Hay on the show after

(02:37):
one o'clock. Other matters around today, the All Whites twenty
twenty six feet for World Cup pool play schedule has
been confirmed. So how easy or not is it to
get tickets to these games? And how much will they cost?
Matt Fijos is the founder of the Flying Kei We
supporters group. He's live in studio after two with the
answers to all of those questions, and one of the

(02:58):
A League's absolute super fans by the name of Matt Vandenberg.
He travels everywhere to watch his beloved Newcastle Jets play.
He's also in studio with US today Basketball's two EH
Grand Final, as you heard from Ruben and our sports
news is on in christ Church this afternoon the mainland
Poor Kai welcoming the Totong of five tip off at

(03:19):
three this afternoon. We'll hear from Porka head coach Alex
Stoikovich this afternoon James mcconey with his regular Sunday offerings
and we'll play sale GP Lingo bingo. This was so
popular yesterday and why not your chance to win a
trip for two to Aalkland with flights, accommodation and premium
grand stand tickets for itm New Zealand Sale GP February

(03:43):
fourteen and fifteen of next year. We've got one final
chance for you this afternoon to get into the draw
to win that absolutely tremendous price. Listen out for that
in the next wee while. But a live sport this afternoon.
It was supposed to be Day five of the black
Caps West Indies Test cricket at the Basin that finished
on Friday, So no Test cricket but round four and

(04:04):
domestic crickets Blanket Shield of matches and Fugadai christ Church
and Dunedin and round six of the women's Domestic fifty
over comp the Halliburton Johnston Shield Games and Parmeston North
throwing the Order and Auckland to keep tabs on. Please
join us at any time in whichever form suits you best.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty we'll get you

(04:24):
throw on the phone. That's pre call nine two nine
two for your text messages. Normal charges apply. Emails into
Jason at newstalksb dot co dot enz eleven and a
half past midday.

Speaker 1 (04:36):
The scoon from the trash fields and the court on
your homes sport weekends for it with Jason vine Us TALKSB.

Speaker 2 (04:44):
Australia have a two meal lead in the Ashes after
eight wicket victories in both Perth and Brisbane, needing just
six of the ten scheduled days. Smith takes lon.

Speaker 3 (04:57):
Can he win him with a six?

Speaker 4 (05:00):
Smash it away up by raise his hands. He's put
the captain. Where's the right to win the Test? Max Australia.
They go ahead two dearly. One of your most hype
series in the history for this fantastic Ashes in Australia
dominating England again.

Speaker 2 (05:20):
Nate wick it when so the series moves to Adelaide
for the Third Test starting on Wednesday. I think I
said Thursday, but Wednesday is Day one of the Third Test,
then the Boxing Day Test at the MCG and the
fifth and final Test in Sydney in early January. It's
a huge pleasure to welcome to the show, BBC Chief
Cricket commentator, former England fast bowler and one of the

(05:43):
world's most respected cricket voices, Jonathan Agnew Jonathan, thank you
for joining us. I read your excellent BBC column on
Monday and you wrote to me the bas ball message
is dead. There has been a realization by England that
the way in which they play their Test cricket must
be altered. So the question is do you think they

(06:06):
will alter it?

Speaker 5 (06:09):
That is the one hundred thousand dollar question. Thank you
homie on your program. By the way, it's nice to
be on well that we will will find out, won't we.

Speaker 6 (06:16):
You know, that's that's the question.

Speaker 5 (06:17):
I mean, I think you know you can call it
bass ball the way they've been playing and when when
Brenda mcculluman and Ben Stokes first got together four years ago,
there was a job to be done, and that way
of clearing people's minds, the player's minds, and making them
be more positive to enjoy their cricket again after a
terrible run in which they won only one of seventeen

(06:38):
Test matches, that was essential and he put smiles on
people's faces and they went out and enjoyed their cricket
and they beat They beat some decent opposition. They took
the opposition a bit by surprise, but I think people
who going to sound a bit arrogant, but I think,
you know, there are a lot of people who follow
the game of cricket, you know, at this sort of level,
was saying this is unsustainable. You know, you can't keep playing,

(07:01):
you can't keep playing that. So they were losing games
of cricket that they should have won, and so they have.
You know, there has been this idea of just just
throttling back, you know, just play with some common sense
which has been lacking at times in the game, and
the opposition were getting wise to what they were doing.
They weren't taken by surprise anymore. The opposition got better

(07:21):
India and then of course Australia, and they lost a
Test match at the Oval last year that absolutely committed
suicide and a match they should have won WHI should
have won them the series, which they failed to do
that They've leveled the series and that was it. And
then you see the way they played in person again
for much of the game in Brisbane. You know, it's
just it is, it is an unsustainable way of playing

(07:42):
test cricket. And you're you you'll you'll get you'll get
lucky once or twice, but not not anymore because people
know what's coming. The bowlers know what to do against
the rest hanging ball outside the off stump and wait
for a mad cap drive. Uh and and off goes
the next one. So I was very interested to see
what they come up with in Adelaide. But after the

(08:02):
few days they've had up there enjoying the beaches of
New I suggest they'd better come out and play a
pretty good game because if not, they're going to be
in for a hiding in the press.

Speaker 2 (08:12):
Well, I've got there down as a list of or
one of my list of things to ask you. There's
been a lot of talk about England spending time on
the beach in Noosa. Well, downtime is important pretty hard
self for England cricket fans, isn't it. When you're tookne
all down on the ashes.

Speaker 5 (08:26):
I think it's a very very hard Salem. And part
of the mindset now is that a ten day break
between tests is a rest, But actually what used to
be a ten day break between tests was the opportunity
to go from play game cricket, and in this instance
they would gone to someone like Port Pirie in South
Australia for the Adelaide Tests that had better country eleven.

(08:49):
Joe Ruthey have gone. She got one hundred in the
test match, played very nicely. Others would have played. Some
of the players who didn't play in the Test would
have batted and got some runs hopefully, and then there
was settled down and picked a team that was in formed.
So ten day breaks between test matches are not new.
They were just used in different ways. They were used.

(09:10):
They were used to play cricket on a cricket tour.
That doesn't sound like rocket science, does it, But instead
they sort of use this as an excuse. Now you
do need a break, you do need breaks. They've played
six days of test cricket, you know, does that constitute
needing a break.

Speaker 6 (09:29):
I also think that.

Speaker 5 (09:30):
You you you earn, You earn days off like that
like a sort of a holiday and do so you
earn it, And I don't think you earn it when
you're too kneeled down after six days of cricket and
when you've got three matches left and you have to
win all of them if you're to win the ashes.
So anyway, look, I think we've all had our say
about the about the preparation.

Speaker 6 (09:51):
This is what they've chosen to do.

Speaker 5 (09:53):
They've chosen to ignore everybody who said this can't be right.

Speaker 6 (09:56):
And who knows. They might have a miracle.

Speaker 5 (09:58):
They might, They might win the next three Test matches,
win the ashes and stick a finger up well, fair enough,
but they can have to play a damn site better
than they have done so far and show a massive
change in attitude to what they've been showing in the
last the last year or so. All all of those
things have to change because if they don't, if they'd
lose an Adelaide after all this, you know, for frolicking

(10:19):
round in LUSA, then I think it will hit the fan.

Speaker 2 (10:24):
You interviewed England captain Ben Stokes after both Tests of
feats and you wrote that he was very different after
the second Test in Brisbane than he was after the
first Test in Perth. Can you just explain the difference
that you saw.

Speaker 5 (10:37):
Yeah, Well, in Perth, I mean he had just come
off the field in front of fifty thousand people and
they'd had a hiding and they'd lost the game in
two days and he was angry. So you know, I
don't I don't mind him being angry at all. Is
what every right to be angry. So it was it
was a you know, it was a very testy interview,
which is fine. You know, he walks off the field

(10:58):
and you've got to talk to me. Well, that's no
one wanswer to that, particularly particularly when you had that
sort of treatment front fifty thousand. But the second one,
he clearly had things that he wanted to say. He
clearly had stuff about you know, no no week players
in our team and that you know, these are things
that he wanted to say, and that he was going
to go away. They're gonna have conversations and all that

(11:19):
sort of stuff. Now whether that's I say, well we'll
wait and see whether that's happened. Whether that was just
putting a harder edge to their days off in New Southan. Yes,
we're going to go and have fun, but by the
same token but also going to be rooting out these issues. Well,
I say, we'll just have to wait and see. You know,
they arrive at Adelaide on Saturday, they're going to have

(11:41):
their usual three days preparation going into that Test match,
and they better perform. They better performed, and I think
that Stokes that reality and that realization hit Stokes before
the end of that Brisbane Test, which is why he
changed his change his tone quite so significantly. You know,
they know, they know if they slip up anymore, well,

(12:04):
jobs and careers are on the line, as they should be.
And there's not been nearly enough accountability over these last
four years for players who have failed. And and that's
another thing that has to change. If you look at
the if you look at the England squad, apart from
Oli Pope batting at three, there is nobody breathing down anybody,

(12:25):
any batsman's necks, Dopris, haven't got any other replacements four, five,
six seven. Wicket keeper well he's got Oli Pope maybe,
but there's no one. There's no reserve wiket keeper as such.
There is no pressure on places and that again for me,
is part of is part of the issue. You know,
you have to feel that you there is competition for places.
That's a good thing as a healthy, a healthy team environment,

(12:48):
and there isn't that. There isn't that environment in the
England team.

Speaker 2 (12:51):
There's the general feeling Jonathan that Brendan McCallum and Ben
Stokes are the right meant to be leading England or
will that assessment have to wait until after this series.

Speaker 5 (13:02):
Yeah, I think the judgment day will come at the
end of the series. You know, there are very similar
and often in my experience, it's a good thing to
have two different people as captain and coach, two kind
of different mentalities.

Speaker 6 (13:14):
You know, I'm thinking.

Speaker 5 (13:15):
Andrew Strauss and Andy Flower who on the ashes here
last time, you know, fifteen years ago. They were very different,
Michael Vaughan, Duncan Fletcher, two very different characters, whereas Stokes
and McCullum are actually very much cut from the same cloth.
And the problem with that is that while they might
say we don't need this practice, we don't need to
do this, we need to do that, there are players

(13:38):
in their squad, I believe who actually do need a
bit of help. They do need to play some games.
They do need to get their head in order. They
can't just go out like Brandon McCullum used to do,
just go out and play. And that's the way that
Ben Stokes does too, just goes out and plays. Well,
you know, lucky them. Not everyone well not everyone's as
clear minded as that, or as relaxed as that. You know, people,

(14:01):
there are others there who need a completely different approach
and I just don't think that they're being allowed to
have that.

Speaker 2 (14:07):
Are Australia just a bit of tiss cricket team than
England right now? Is that part of us as well?

Speaker 5 (14:12):
No they're not England. England could have won both matches.
No they're not. They're lot better. And that's what's again
bitterly disappointing English that have won in Perth. There would
been one up going to the GAB but all sorts
of issues going on there in the Australian camp. You know,
there's all sorts of stuff we need to kick off
there with with with Kowaja and who's fit who isn't
fit and Nathan Lyon being left out and being grumpy

(14:34):
all these things. You know, these things would start would
have started to unravel, but they won. You know, they
won the game again tore up sitting very pretty with
a team that's well, I mean they're bowling attack. Take
Mitchell Stark out. It is one of the weakest Australian
bowling attacks so I've seen. And it's not being insulting,
it's just it's it's just true. I mean, you know,

(14:56):
Doggett and Niezer uh you know, compare that to hate
Hazelwood and Cummins and he got Line in there as well,
and there they'll well hazel won't be back coming to
be back at Adelaide and Lines, So it's going to
be a much stronger side of the England up against Adelaide.

Speaker 2 (15:12):
Just the funnish thing. Can we circle back to the
one hundred thousand dollars question we started with? Will England change?
Can you see them changing? Can you see things changing
in the series from Adelaide onwards?

Speaker 5 (15:23):
Well, if they're ever going to, it's going to be
next week, because if they don't, it's too late, and
that'll be that and then all the recriminations and the
inquests and inquiries and everything else will will start to
take place.

Speaker 6 (15:37):
So it's up to them. This is the way they've
chosen to do it.

Speaker 5 (15:40):
I think everyone, you know, also kind of blue in
the face from saying stuff. You know, they're not interested
in what we have to say. You know, you get
called has beens and that's how it used to be
in the old days and all that sort of stuff.

Speaker 6 (15:53):
Okay, well, let's see, let's see how.

Speaker 5 (15:56):
Your modern method works because it's going to have to
work next week.

Speaker 2 (16:00):
It's been a great pleasure chatting with you, Jonathan. Thank
you so much for attacking the time to join us
across New Zealand.

Speaker 6 (16:05):
That's the pleasure.

Speaker 2 (16:06):
It's a pleasure chatting to you, Jonathan. Thank you so much.
Jonathan Agnew. What a wonderful guy. By the way, what
a voice and what a depth of cricket knowledge. I
could listen to Jonathan Agne. You talk about cricket all day.
Your Ashes thoughts, though, are very welcome. Now, oh eight
hundred and eighty ten eighty. First of all, are you watching?
I know not everybody loves Test cricket, but I absolutely
love the Ashes, and I've watched plenty of these two

(16:29):
Test matches. And he's a big fan producer, and he's
off to Adelaide next week to watch the Third Test.
I hope it's a five day Test, or at least
it gets past halfway. One of the great things I
think about the Ashes is that as keywis, we can
watch it without an your real skin in the game.
I actually don't care who wins the Ashes. I don't
support either team. I'm not from Australia or England, so

(16:50):
it's a lot less stressful to start with, and you
can actually flip during a series. I mean, I want
England to win an Adelaide now, or at least not
lose so we can keep this series alive. Interesting to
hear Jonathan agn You say there he didn't Thinkustralia were
better than England. I kind of feel as though they
are though, especially given the fact that Pat Cummins is

(17:13):
coming back for the third Test, as well as Nathan
Lyon who didn't play in Brisbane. So that adds what
nearly a thousand Test wickets and a heck of a
lot of experience. On paper, Yes, England are a good team.
You look at some of their betters. Joe Root is
England's leading Test run scorer of all time. Only such

(17:34):
a ten Dolka has more Test runs than Joe Root.
Harry Brock could score thousands of runs for England. He's
a terrific batter. He averages over fifty five in Test matches.
Ben Stokes has already scored thousands of runs for England
seven thousand plus in Test matches. So yes, they're a

(17:54):
good team, but I just think Australia a better team.
The bas ball approach. I utterly respect being all in
on something. I totally get that not changing your approach
just because things go wrong. But it is possible to
temper and approach, tweak it slightly to suit, make adjustments

(18:16):
without abandoning the overriding philosophy all together. And surely they
have to, don't they They have to tweak it. And the
decision by England to have some downtime in Noosa between
the second and third Test this has not gone down
well at all with England fans and former players who

(18:38):
have seen this team lose the first two tests convincingly
well inside the allotted time. I don't think anyone expects
them to be in the next twenty four to seven.
But at two kneel down, sunning yourself on the beach
and enjoying a few beers, that just doesn't land well.
They could have arranged a game, they could be playing cricket.

(19:00):
As Jonathan Agneh said, you earn your days off, and
they haven't, by any metric, really earned these days off
in the eyes of many people. Oh eight hundred and
eighty ten eighty keen for your thoughts on the ashes,
any part of what you heard from Jonathan Agnew or
what you've seen and heard in the first two tests
of the Ashes series. James, I mate.

Speaker 7 (19:21):
Hey, pioneer. Hey, I'll get back to your first point
or what you were just talking about then, but I
just want to say thanks so much. I really love
your show and like you and Jamie and Marcus Lush
you know, you're amazing. That's what you guys do on
the radio. So yeah, I've got a lot of health issue,

(19:42):
so I listened to you guys at lots and I
really appreciate what you guys do and the effort you
put in, and you're really really lovely to listen to.

Speaker 2 (19:51):
Thank you, James. It's so wonderful to have you listening
and calling as well. So let's talk some Ashes cricket, mate.
Can you see England getting back into this?

Speaker 7 (20:01):
It's what you were just saying then. It's like like
I used to play crackt and played played for Hawks
Bay and played Prem Prem's cricket, and I'll get to
that soon. And you know we won the competition, should
have won at two years in a row, and and
and when you've got a player like Mitchell Stark, like

(20:22):
when the Ashes started, like you know a little bit
of bedding. And I put money on Australia because it's like,
the only reason I put money on them was Mitchell Stark.
And how many wickets you know, how many wickets have
been taken so far?

Speaker 2 (20:37):
So you know, yes, yeah, well he's taken He's taken
eighteen wickets out.

Speaker 7 (20:45):
Of sixty four. He's almost taken one player has almost
taken a third of all the wickets. Unreal, Like he's
an absolute freak. He's tormented teams in New Zealand for years,
like remembered them years ago. It's not just in recent times.
And so you've got and as a left hand bowler,

(21:07):
when you come across a better it's you know, there's
a small percentage of left arm bowlers, but you look
at the top ten twenty bowlers in the world, there's
a lot of left arm bowlers in that list, and
it's so difficult facing them when it's coming across you
and at that sort of speed and that height and
that action that he has, like it's it's like and

(21:30):
he and he seems like such a nice guy when
you hear him speaking after so it's like, you know, like, yeah,
England year, they've got like I love Harry Brookie's an
amazing better and some of their batsmen, but they're Australia.
You've got you've got some of the best betters, you know,

(21:52):
as much as people you know generally don't like Steve
Smith that much like his average. And you've got a
few others there that are not like almost fifty or
above averaging fifty several of them, and got best probably
the best keeper in the world at the moment, you know.
And then you've got Pet Cummings coming in who averages

(22:13):
twenty two with the ball as.

Speaker 8 (22:14):
Well, and got.

Speaker 7 (22:18):
Boland, got Bolden averages what's sixteen or eighteen in Australia,
and you know, he hardly can make the team. And
it's like it's like they're basically what the All Blacks
are or were in rugby. Unfortunately, South Africa now, you know,
I don't know who the hell's ever going to beat
South Africa now, but we'll have a chance and we

(22:42):
get a few of our players back.

Speaker 2 (22:44):
But yeah, it's a good comparison, James, It's a great
comparison because it also you know, if you think of
the All Blacks teams of the past and we compare
it to Australian cricket team. It's when someone goes down,
they just bring somebody else in, you know. I mean
remember the days of when Michael Hussey made the Australian
cricket team for the first time. It's got to have

(23:04):
ten thousand first class runs before he even got close
to the Test mental if someone scored ten thousand first
class runs in any other country in the world, they'd
be in the Test team before they's scored half that many.
You know, They're just an absolute factory over there.

Speaker 7 (23:19):
Eh oh yeah, yeah, it's like it's insane really the
talent they've got. And but the amazing thing is New Zealand,
like all South Africa coming up, they've got some amazing
tricket players coming on now. Unfortunately as well so, but
New Zealand has got some amazing players. And if we

(23:41):
can get our selectors to put politics out of it
and select on people that are playing in form. You
tell me who won the two games against it, well
I can tell you to me who won the two
games against England yet a team sport. But Blair Tickner
took four wickets in four wickets in those last two

(24:01):
one days when he is brought into the team because
of an injury and then he made either twenty runs
or you know, pick those runs off, which we could
have quite easily lost a game. And you have to, like,
I'll just be honest with you, there's always politics and
sports and there's always favorites. And if the selectors can

(24:23):
keep that out, we've got some you know, like even
this Michael Ray who's just come and like he should
have been given a chance some other time and you know,
just give you give these players a go and then
gee they can perform. And like that ticker like he
nothing was happening in that last one day for us.

(24:44):
They were what sixty seventy eighty for none and he
comes on and you know, bang two wickets and Mirkeel
Ray takes a couple other wickets and yeah, the other
two bowlers were exhausted from the last game, so it
could have given them four overs each and they just
brought the two fresh legs in and and it's here,
like you know, the Bears ball stuff, like they try to,

(25:07):
you know, get into teams. But that's what you have
to do nowadays, is you know, take every opportunity to
you know, get on top of a team and because
it's such fine margins in the sports, because it's you know,
any team can kind of went on the day a

(25:28):
lot of the titan.

Speaker 2 (25:29):
So but if yeah, James, I'm going to move because
I've got a couple of other callers to get to.
So good to talk to you though, mate, You've got
such a depth of cricket knowledge. Like Jonathan Agnew, I
feel like I listened to you all day, mate, talk
about it. Please call back any time and thanks for
your kind words as well. We love bringing you the
content that we do. Great to have your your analysis
of the cricket. And you're right about Mitchell Stark. What

(25:51):
a player and as you will also have noticed, he's
not bad with the bat either. What did he get
the other day seventy seventy seven? He's a one man team.
Good on you, James, thanks for calling mate. Twenty seven
away from one talking ashes, oh eight hundred and eighty
ten eighty.

Speaker 1 (26:05):
Oh my god, Cold Engage Weekend Sports with Jason Paine
and GJ. Gunnerhomes New Zealand's most trusted home.

Speaker 2 (26:13):
Milder News Talks to Baby News Talks a B twenty
four to one Talking ashes. He's Glen McGraw on bears Ball.
Former Australian fast baller Glen mcgrah on the bears ball approach.

Speaker 9 (26:23):
It might be I like the concept of basball, but
from trying to get rid of pressure, no negativity and
no accountability is what I don't like. I like the concept,
but you've got to enjoy the pressure and that's when
you left and there's an accountable to yourself and to
the team.

Speaker 6 (26:40):
You add that and that's a perfect game.

Speaker 2 (26:42):
That's Glen Magraw, one of the greatest to ever do it.

Speaker 10 (26:44):
Dallas hime mate, Yeah, Hi, finally I've great to hear
agis on.

Speaker 11 (26:50):
What a lovely voice.

Speaker 2 (26:52):
Oh I know, I was leading back a Machier listening
to him and almost forgot my next question. I could
just listen to the bloke all day.

Speaker 10 (26:59):
Yeah, he's agency. He seems as young as he was
when I first thirty years ago or yeah, it's I
don't know, it's just it seems very youthful. But he
must be getting on. But I do disagree with him,
and I agree with you that this Australian team is

(27:21):
better than the English team. And we saw the warning
signs when England came here first, didn't he. They didn't
exactly play well here in New Zealand.

Speaker 2 (27:31):
Yeah, it was just a T twenty. I thought that
was just them being in T twenty mode Dallas, and
you know, as it turns out, there's not a lot
of difference the way they approach that is approached Test cricket.
But yeah, I expected a lot more of them, I
must say in these first two Test matches.

Speaker 10 (27:46):
I think they the English press tend to big up
their own sports teams, whether it's football, whether it's rugby union,
whether it's tennis, anything that the Poms play. The press
there they also tear them down.

Speaker 2 (28:04):
Like they're brutal. They are brutal. Brutal, Yeah, the tabloid
press in particular in the UK, Yeah, brutal.

Speaker 10 (28:13):
They picked them up as well that when things go well.
I remember doing England doing the lap of honor when
they scored a drawer against the Warbacks, things like that.

Speaker 12 (28:22):
So as.

Speaker 10 (28:26):
Where as Australia, it's like we talked about yesterday, you
have to earn your stripes. In Australia, you come through
the Sheffield Shield. You have to be scoring runs and
it's a hard apprenticeship to get into the Aussie team,
you know, and like we saw yesterday, it's starting to
happen here as well. That is good for New Zealand

(28:47):
crickets that they're coming through. So yeah, I would rate
this Australians. You know, there's I mean, how many of
the English players would you have in a combined combined team?

Speaker 2 (28:58):
Yeah, great filter to look at it, great filter to
look at it through Dallas. I often do this when
you're comparing teams. Joe Root obviously would be there. I
think Ben Stokes probably would have a case. Other than
those two, maybe Joffra Archer, if he bowled quick all
the time, might be there. But I don't know that
there's too many others.

Speaker 10 (29:18):
Let's talk about Brandon for a second. You know, of
course we love him because he's kid here. But remember
the World Cup Final twenty fifteen. Brandon comes out, you know,
we were so hopeful would be and the first over
Brandon plays basball and who's a bowler? Mitchell Stark sorts
them out on the third ball, wasn't it? And our

(29:40):
hopes just plummeted because that sums up the bas ball
approach where McCollum played like that, he played he was
a gambler, you know, and often it came off because
he had the natural eye and the talent. But as
Aga says, that doesn't work for some of the some
of the other players who actually need practice. So and

(30:01):
that day we all felt let down by to be
frank by Brandon because that put us on the back
foot after having work so hard to get into that final.
But yeah, I think, hmm, it's a one trick pony
that Brendan brings to the coaching the way he played
cricket himself.

Speaker 2 (30:20):
You know, Yeah, he's always been a dasher, has any
dallas You're so right, and yeah that I guess what
you have to do is if you accept the absolute
diamonds that that approach comes up with. And remember Brenda
mccllum's final testings. What do you get a one hundred
off about thirty five balls or something, you know, the
fastest Test century of all time. You know, some of

(30:41):
his batting during that World Cup that you've just talked
about was brilliant. I remember him getting seventy off about
twenty balls in Wellington against England. You know, if you
accept the diamonds, I guess you also have to accept
the rocks of an approach like that, And that's why
I said, you know, if it's not working over over
a period of time, and I think two test matches

(31:01):
is a decent sample size, then I think you have
to tweak it, don't you at least make small adjustments
to it.

Speaker 10 (31:09):
Well, I think the reason brendan And played like that
was his defense wasn't really up to it. His defense
was the weakest part of his batting, to be honest.
But he attacked, and so he made a weakness into
a strength because he attacked every ball. And his philosophy
in coaching is every ball is a scoring opportunity.

Speaker 11 (31:32):
Right.

Speaker 2 (31:32):
Oh, I remember him saying once. I remember him saying once.
I think I've told the story. He said, if you
need two hundred of eighty balls, all you have to
do is hit twenty of those balls for six and
then you only need eighty off sixty. That was his philosophy.
You know, he just did the maths and said, I mean, unfortunately,
it's not as easy for the rest of us to

(31:53):
score those runs, Dallas. But that was the way that
he approached the game. And you have to take the
good with the bad when it comes to that good
to chat. I got to move on to a couple
of other callers, but let's have a chat next weekend
when Adelaide is hopefully still going. Always enjoy chat cricket
with you. I'm seventy two living in New Zealand, says
this text. I've been here for fifty years and a
total England fan and Test match fan. I'm embarrassed by

(32:16):
the rubbish England are presenting as Test match cricket. Jonathan
Agnive is right, Jeff Boycott is right in this statement.
This England team couldn't win an egg Cup. Thank you
very much, Nick.

Speaker 13 (32:26):
Hi, oh hi Jason, how are you very good?

Speaker 2 (32:30):
Good to hear from you.

Speaker 13 (32:32):
I am so looking forward to Adelaide. I should have
been there but I couldn't get there. But I think
it's going to be three nil at the end of
that and I just don't see resistance and that termination
to fight for the Test and the Australian bowlers. I

(32:56):
just state, Tackler, I mean start comings. You know that
they are just way above the English guys.

Speaker 2 (33:08):
I agree, Nick. I just think man for man and
Dallas's points a great one. If you if you stacked
up a best eleven across the two teams. I think
maybe two, potentially three England players make a best eleven.
The rest are Australians and Mitchell Stark and he is
just he's bowling in a different stratosphere right now.

Speaker 13 (33:27):
It is a He's just outstanding. And then you ain't
Cummings at the other end, Wow, exactly.

Speaker 2 (33:36):
And Hazel's not even there. You imagine if he was there,
I know.

Speaker 13 (33:42):
And then Lines isn't even there at the moment.

Speaker 2 (33:45):
We don't know, but.

Speaker 13 (33:47):
Lines is one of the best spinners in the world.
Who's sitting on the bench.

Speaker 2 (33:52):
Yeah, yeah, an embarrassment of riches. I think they call
it nick and look I feel the same way you do.
I hope that we're both wrong. I hope England, do
you know, do find some intestinal fortitude and a bit
of resilience and just resolved to make it a lot
harder for Australia what the West Indies did in christ Church,

(34:14):
albeit against a depleted New Zealand bowling attack. But they
came out and they said no, we're not moving and
they stubbornly saw that test out. England have to get
a result in this Test, beat a drawer one otherwise
the Ashes are gone again and it's very very hard
for England to win in Australia. I think the last
three series have been five nil, five nil and four nil.

(34:36):
They hardly ever win there. So get your heads down
and at least make it difficult for Australia. Good to chat, Nick, Dave,
hold their mate with you after this sixteen away from
one New Stalks head be you be the TMO.

Speaker 1 (34:48):
Have your say on eight hundred and eighty ten eighty
Weekend Sport with Jason Hin and GJ. Garvnerholmes, New Zealand's
most trusted home builder News Talks.

Speaker 2 (34:57):
They'd be twelve to one Gazz on Test Kid, Jason,
I absolutely love Test cricket, especially the Ashes. So does
my eighteen year old son. His Christmas present this year
and an end of high school present, is the two
of us flying to Melbourne on Christmas Day to see
the boxing day MCG test. We cannot wait. Cheers Gaza

(35:18):
and George in Queens Down. Gaza. That is father of
the Year stuff. Mate. That is just awesome. Need to
get you on the phone as well when you're over there, Dave, Hi,
thanks for holding.

Speaker 12 (35:27):
Look look look at us New Zealand and South Africa.
But when they went to India. Before they went to India,
they had matches in Sri Lanka, so they knew what
the conditions are like when they went to India. So
we us on South Africa want a Test series in India,
so we were prepared. If you're going to go to Australia,

(35:49):
you have some build of matches prepared. And stupid, stupid
England turned it down and they kept playing playing one
day shots and they don't spend time in little and
they keep that English but that they are approached by
Bendam just won't work in Australia. You have to spend
time a little. You can't keep see what the wigt's like.

(36:10):
You can't be bang bangs trying to hit the wall
before all the time. It's bad approach. It just doesn't
work in test cricket.

Speaker 2 (36:17):
Well also, Dave, Also, Dave, you talk about preparation. They
could have organized a game in between the second and
third tests. They might have had this trip book to now.
So that's call. But when you two kneel down, I
think you changed your plans. I think you're saying, you
know what we probably need to be playing some cricket
rather than having a couple of beers and lying on
the beach beach.

Speaker 12 (36:37):
And you see, when we go to Australia too, we
were left to be prepared to aren't we this year
where we go to Australia have some matches because we've
got four Tests in Australia too.

Speaker 2 (36:49):
Yes, I remember last time, Dave, we went there twenty
nineteen and we had no warm up games and we
lost all three Test matches by significant margins. I'm not
sure what the schedule is before we go to Australia
at the back end of next year, at about this time,
isn't it back end of next year? But I certainly
hope that there's a couple of games playing and you know,
reball games planned once we get there.

Speaker 12 (37:10):
New Zealand got to New Zealand, cricket got to have
some warm up games and maybe you've got to ask
captain if we're going to have some warm games. I
hope we do, because you know, it pays to have
warmart games. And England are going to look stupid. You know,
if they get beaten five nil, I can't see them

(37:33):
coming back. They don't change it approach, So you know
you can't keep bang banged.

Speaker 11 (37:37):
You've got to spend any.

Speaker 12 (37:39):
Game of Test cricket time in the middle, get yes
to the wicket, not playing keep the ball for all
the time in that pineyer.

Speaker 2 (37:47):
Yeah, Dave, you're so right good good thoughts, well articulated, mate.
I agree. I think, like I said before, I don't
mind a cavalier approach as long as it's working. You know,
look sports about taking risks, about doing things that the
opposition do not expect. And I think when Brenda McCullum

(38:08):
took over, and by the way, he hates the phrase
bas ball, he doesn't want it to be about him,
but it's been coined that I think we all understand
what it means. It means playing a very positive brand
of cricket when you're batting, trying to score off as
many deliveries as you can, effectively taking a white ball
approach to Test cricket. And I think when he and

(38:28):
Ben Stokes took leadership of the team, what was that
three years ago? I think it was probably needed not
just by the England cricket team, but by Test cricket
full stop.

Speaker 14 (38:40):
I think it.

Speaker 2 (38:40):
Needed in reinvigoration and bas ball did that. It reinvigorated
the Test game and all of a sudden there was
excitement about red ball cricket again when there's been so
much excitement around and almost an exclusive focus on white
ball cricket. All of a sudden people were watching Test
matches again because there was excitement in thee didn't know

(39:03):
what was going to happen. But yes, still have to
sit on the foundation of what Test cricket is. It's
a battle across five days. England were in a good
position in Perth. What were they in their second innings.
They were one hundred runs ahead and one down in
their second innings, so they could have built a lead

(39:24):
of two two fifty three hundred for Australia to chase. Instead,
they went through this period they lost about nine for
ninety and all of a sudden the Test match has changed.
Trevis Head comes in. It's a pretty worldy century to
be fair, and they won the Test. But the Test
is over inside two days. I know it's not the

(39:47):
most exciting thing to watch sometimes, but what the West
indiestern christ Church on that final day was utterly absorbing
Test cricket. They forced that game into a battle of
Wills against New Zealand and try as they might, New
Zealand could not get them out and they came out
with an honorable draw. So what happens now, what happens

(40:11):
in Adelaide? I feel like England just have to at
least temper their approach otherwise the series has gone before
Christmas seven to one. New Stalk ZB.

Speaker 1 (40:21):
Breaking down the hail Mary's and the epic fail weekends
for it with Jason him News Talk ZB.

Speaker 2 (40:30):
Four to one, good ashes check and I bring it
a bit closer to home after one stay with cricket
and Test cricket and a Test Day boo in the
last week for Mitch Hay, Canterbury wicket keeper batsman, and
you have to say it was a fairly decent Test
Day boo. Just the fourth wicket keeper to score a
fifty on Test Day boo. He got sixty one, top scored,

(40:51):
very tidy behind the stumps. Has he done enough to
keep his place well? By the sounds of it, No,
looks like Tom Blundele's coming back in. But how did
Mitch Hay enjoy the experience of his Test Day boo? Well,
rather than just you know, question it out into the Ether.
We'll get the man himself on Mitch Hate with us
after One.

Speaker 1 (41:10):
The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues on
and after fields, It's all on We James.

Speaker 14 (41:16):
Ford with Jason Vaine on your Home of Sport.

Speaker 2 (41:21):
Or Hello there, this is the Weekend Sport on News
TALKSB one O seven. I'm Jason Pine and A McDonald
as show producer. An hour from now, we're joined in
studio by Matt Fijos. He's head of the Flying kiwis
All White supporters group. We know whether the All Whites
are playing at the World Cup next year? Now Los
Angeles and Vancouver and Paul play. How do you get tickets?

(41:45):
How much will they cost? What's the best way of
giving yourself the best chance? If you are even mildly
thinking about getting up to LA and Vancouver in June
of next year to watch the team play, how do
you get your tickets? And are the prices that are
being talked about which are I watering? Might I say accurate?

(42:05):
Matt Fijos the Flying Key We was an hour from
now to answer those and other questions. Are this our basketball?
The toy Hi Old, Theodora Final, Mainland PORKI todong A
PI comes up three o'clock this afternoon at Carl's Stadium,
as we heard during our sports news there with Ruben
final game over there before they move all elite basketball

(42:26):
to the Patakyudi Indoor Center. This brand new sporting hub
and christ Church coach of the Mainland Porki is Alex Stouikovich. Now,
ironically enough, he was todong A FI coach last year
when they won it for the first time, so he's
coaching against his old sides. Does that help today, Alex Dorkovich.

(42:47):
This our James mcconey as well. Very shortly, Mitch Hay
is on the show. Can I just direct your attention
to the Halle Burton Johnston Shield very quickly. This is
the women's fifty over competition. Canterbury are playing Wellington in
along jorder. Canterbury have been bowled out for one hundred
fifty one Jess Kerr White Fern's seam bowler eight point

(43:12):
three overs one maiden seven for eighteen, seven for eighteen
Jess Kerr. I don't know what the record is. I'm
gonna have to get my team of researchers I e.
Andy onto this, but that has to be among the
best ever bowling figures by a player in the Halliburton

(43:34):
Johnston Shield Our Domestic Women's fifty over competition seven for eighteen.
Unbelievable stuff. Well see if we can find out whether
that is in fact a record. Even if it's not,
it's pretty dwn impressive, isn't it. Coming up ten past one.

Speaker 1 (43:50):
We're a trip for two to the AM New Zealand
Sale Drumfrie plus the Bessie to the house. It's time
for lingo bingo, Lingo bingo.

Speaker 2 (44:01):
It is the ICM New Zealand sal Grand Prix coming
to Auckland fourteen and fifteen February. Can get you there.
Here's the price return flights including transfers for two people
to Auckland, two knights, accommodation in Auckland, two waterfront premium
grand stand tickets and merchandise packs for the IM New
Zealand Sale Grand Prix. The way we do this is,

(44:23):
as the man said, sal GP Lingo bingo, Andy, how
do I get that job of being the man who
does the announcing of the of the you know, lingo bingo?
How do I get that? John Knowle's in your skill set? Piney? Sorry, okay,
I can't. I can't help you with her happily. But
I won't say any nice things, which tall I stick
to what I know, which is telling people how they

(44:46):
get in the drawer.

Speaker 8 (44:47):
What are they?

Speaker 2 (44:48):
What are the kids say nowadays? Stay in your lane,
staying firmly in my lane. There, here's how you get
in the drawer. I'm going to give you three terms.
One of them is a genuine sailing term, the other
two are not. All you have to do is identify
which one is the genuine sailing term, and text the
word sail and that word to nine two nine two.

(45:10):
Pretty easy, really, okay? So three words? Which of these
is an actual sailing term? Here come the three words helm, clasp, mastgate,
flight controller. Which of those three is an actual sailing term?

(45:30):
Text the word sale and the word that is a
sailing term to nine two niney two. Those words again, helm, clasp, mastgate,
flight controller, sail and the word to nine two ninety two,
and you're in the drawer to win that prize. We
got a bunch of people in the drawer yesterday when

(45:51):
we played Lingo Bingo. We'll put some more people in
the drawer today and we'll announce that winner for you
before two o'clock meantime. A debut to remember for Canterbury
wicket keeper batsman Mitch Hay in the second Test against
the West Indies in Wellington.

Speaker 1 (46:07):
And on the poll shot goes Hey out to the boundary.

Speaker 2 (46:09):
This could run away.

Speaker 3 (46:10):
Before it does, bitchu Hey brings up.

Speaker 5 (46:13):
There's fifty on Test Day boot, Yes, fifty two.

Speaker 3 (46:18):
Runs of seventy four boards.

Speaker 2 (46:19):
Well betted, well bettered indeed, Mitch Hay becoming just the
fourth wicket keeper to score a half century on Test
Day boot top scoring in the black Caps innings with
sixty one, also producing a very tidy display behind the
stumps as New Zealand claimed a nine wicket win well
inside three days. Mitch Hay is with us. Mitch, congratulations

(46:40):
on your Test day boo. The Test started on Wednesday.
So when did you find out that you would be debuting?

Speaker 15 (46:48):
Yeah, thank you. I found it on Tuesday morning. Yeah,
day before the game.

Speaker 16 (46:53):
Just got to be tap on the shoulder from Rob
saying that I was in for for the next day.
So that was obviously very exciting and that's when the
nerves really started to go to work.

Speaker 2 (47:03):
You'd already debooed of course for New Zealand and ODI
in T twenty cricket. You've played seven ODIs, twelve T twenties.
Now for the black Caps, were you still though a
bit nervous ahead of your Test A boot.

Speaker 15 (47:15):
Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 16 (47:16):
I think Test creet just being sort of the pinnacle
and it's the format I've sort of been striving for
for such a long time, so so you know, get
the the opportunity to day be on that format was
pretty special.

Speaker 15 (47:30):
And I think just for how much like Test cret means.

Speaker 16 (47:32):
To everyone in his arnd and round the world and
me personally, I think that just culminated to a few nerves,
but it's all part of it.

Speaker 2 (47:39):
So we get to the first day and Tom like them,
wins the toss and you're in the field. So did
it help as a wicket keeper to bowl first and
get out there immediately on the first morning.

Speaker 15 (47:49):
Yeah, I was hoping we would be fielding first.

Speaker 16 (47:53):
I was, yeah, pretty excited to get out there straight
away and get into my work.

Speaker 15 (47:56):
So I took a few balls for the first ball
to sort of come through to me. But once that did,
we're in the middle of the gloves.

Speaker 16 (48:02):
I thought you know, we're gonna be okay here, So
from there I could get into my work and.

Speaker 15 (48:06):
It was really enjoyable.

Speaker 2 (48:07):
So when you reflect on the two innings, the two
complete innings at the base and how happy were you
overall with your wicket keeping.

Speaker 15 (48:15):
Yeah, no, I was really happy.

Speaker 16 (48:17):
I think, you know, standards throughout the two four innings
were really good, really high. And that's something I always
prided myself on, is keeping, and I put a lot
of time, what effort into it to be as good
as I can be. So to see it stand up
in a Test match was really cool.

Speaker 2 (48:32):
And you shared your day bill of course with one
of your Canterbury teammates, Michael Ray, combined for a couple
of wickets called Hey Bold Ray. How special was that
for the two of you?

Speaker 15 (48:42):
Yeah, it was really cool.

Speaker 16 (48:43):
It was really nice to sort of have someone else
going through similar sort of emotions and stuff throughout the
Test match and it was really cool to share that
milestone with him. And it was just really impressive to
see him go about his work and how much success
he had out there. It was just really energizing his
spells and was really cool to see him get some rewards.

Speaker 2 (49:01):
I know, wicket keepers have a particular role in terms
of keeping the energy high within a playing group, even
on debut. Mitch, did you feel that you were able
to do that, you know, to bring some energy even
though you know you were playing your first Test match?

Speaker 15 (49:19):
Yeah, I think so.

Speaker 16 (49:20):
I think like a couple of things help with that,
as obviously I played with almost all the guys before,
which helps, but also I think just having that just
genuine excitement out there myself would have rubbed off on others.
But there's also stuff just around getting to the stumps
each bog and throws back in from the field, which
I think lifts everyone and keeps the stand is really high.
So that was something I tried to prime myself on

(49:41):
and keep constant throughout the the innings.

Speaker 2 (49:44):
All right to the batting innings, then going along quite nicely.
At one seventeen for two, all of a sudden a
couple of quick wickets one seventeen for four and you're in.
You walk out to join Daryl Mitchell. So what sort
of initial conversations are you having at that point?

Speaker 16 (50:00):
Yeah, me and Darrell battered a bit together, so you know,
he was just pretty calm out there, and I guess
game situation in a way in rebull cricket doesn't dictate
too much how you bat. You know, I'm going to
follow my game plan pretty similarly whether we're going really
well or not so well. So we were just pretty
clear in our game plans and trying to trying to
build a partnership together and work together and keep our

(50:22):
communication nice and higher so we keep each other accountable.

Speaker 6 (50:24):
And nice and calm.

Speaker 16 (50:26):
And that was the cool thing that we're able to
build a bit of a partnership and work towards sort
of climbing into that deficit.

Speaker 2 (50:32):
I know the formats are very different, but how much
does your red ball batting game plan differ from when
you're playing and batting in white ball cricket.

Speaker 16 (50:41):
Well, I think the cool thing about RedBull cricket is
almost every time I go on bat, I can play
the same way that I want to and I can
be really select if bout balls.

Speaker 15 (50:50):
I want to score off. And I think sometimes in.

Speaker 16 (50:52):
White ball cricket, batting in the lower to mid order,
you sort of dictated to about how you have to play.
So I think it's really nice being able to have
a pretty consistent game plan that I've been able to
sort of learn and trust stuff to my first class
games for Canterbury and New Zealand and stuff, so it's
just yeah, it's just simplified, I think compared to the
white ball game plans.

Speaker 2 (51:13):
And did you feel pretty comfortable straight I mean it
looked like it. Did you feel pretty comfortable straight away
out there with the bat?

Speaker 8 (51:19):
Yeah?

Speaker 15 (51:19):
I think once I got off the mark I felt
a bit uncomfortable. Yeah, that second ball it was nice.

Speaker 16 (51:24):
It's a sneakyy single and I think the heart rate
dropped a bit after that, So yeah, I think once
I got through that, I was pretty calm. Pretty Yeah,
I'm pretty confident that I could do a job out there,
which was cool.

Speaker 2 (51:35):
And a fifty on test day but terrific stuff. I
saw some lovely footage Gymum and dad up in the
ra vance stand when you brought your fifty up. How
special a moment was it to have them there to
you know, to watch on.

Speaker 15 (51:46):
Yeah, it was really cool.

Speaker 16 (51:47):
They were there every day, so it was great to
be able to share it with them. They've been massive
supporters of me and I couldn't thank them enough for
how much they've given me growing up so it was
really cool that they could be there to experience it
with me. I guess, and she has really cool But
a footage that was captured wasn't.

Speaker 2 (52:03):
It were you but gonna to get out when you
did a couple of polls for four but then caught
in the deep trying for another one?

Speaker 16 (52:09):
Yeah, yeah, no, definitely. I wasn't happy. Yeah, it's one
of those things. I was had had a plan to
keep it down and then I actually couldn't hit that
ball much better and just ended up being too flat
straight to the guy. So yeah, Porscha's obviously a strength
of mind, but can also you know, get me out sometimes,
which is just part of the game. But here it
was a frustrating time to get out because I think

(52:29):
me and Glen could built something pretty big there. But yeah,
that's cricket. I guess you're going to get out eventually.
It's just, you know, I could live with it, from
planning to my strengths.

Speaker 2 (52:37):
Well, in the end, it didn't matter. A comfortable, comprehensive
win win within three days. So it sounds as though
Tom Blundle may return from injury for the Third Test
starting on Thursday at bay Oval. Do you feel though
much as though you've done all you can to, you know,
to make the selectors make a decision.

Speaker 16 (52:57):
Yeah, I guess that that was my plan, just to
go out there and do as well as I could
for the team, and if I cause some selection headaches,
that's that's, you know.

Speaker 15 (53:06):
I guess I'm doing my job. But Tom's done so
so well.

Speaker 6 (53:09):
Think he's gone for such a long.

Speaker 16 (53:10):
Time and he's been really good to me personally, so yeah,
I think he's, yeah, looking like he might be might
be good to go for the third one. So that's
pleasing for him that he's been able to recover quickly
from his injury.

Speaker 2 (53:22):
Are you happy to be I don't know, aggressively patient
with this, you know, to to wait for the next
opportunity in the test side to come along.

Speaker 6 (53:31):
Yeah, I guess.

Speaker 16 (53:33):
I just keep doing what I can do, and when
I get opportunities to try to take them and just
keep trying to improve as a player, I guess.

Speaker 15 (53:39):
So that's a cool thing for me.

Speaker 16 (53:41):
I'm just still trying to get better and learn as
much as I can, and it's been really cool to
be a part of this test squad for you know,
ten days or so and pick the brains of some
of the guys that have played a lot more than me.

Speaker 15 (53:51):
So it's been been really cool in any experience as well.

Speaker 16 (53:53):
So you're happy just to keep keep trying to get
better and when I do get my chances, hopefully take.

Speaker 2 (53:58):
Them absolutely well. And just on your the contact that
you have in camp with Tom Blundell, who you know
it's played a lot of Test cricket. Is that a
good relationship You come in you feel you can immediately,
you know, sort of pick his brains and soak up
his experience in the black Caps camp.

Speaker 15 (54:17):
Yeah, definitely.

Speaker 16 (54:17):
We've worked together a bit in the past and winter
camps and stuff, and he's been really good to work with,
really cool just to sort of watch him go about
his work and ask questions of and stuff. So yeah,
it's been He's always been really good to me, really
open and honest with his sort of with his learnings
and experiences he's had. So yeah, now he's been really
good to man, and it was no different this week either.

Speaker 2 (54:37):
Did you know that it was your responsibility as keeper
to book the limousine for the traditional bowler's trip up
Mount vic after a Test winning Wellington?

Speaker 16 (54:46):
Yeah, I had heard whispers about that, but that was
a great, great trip up there. It was really cool
to get there. Everyone who had Bold and the keeper together.
It was a pretty good evening to be fair. We
had a lot of fun.

Speaker 2 (54:57):
Did the limousine break down?

Speaker 15 (55:00):
Yeah, yeah, overheated up top.

Speaker 16 (55:02):
Michael Ray's a bit of a car guy and he
was trying to be helpful.

Speaker 15 (55:05):
But now we got back down in the end, so
all it was all good.

Speaker 2 (55:09):
Yeah, what a cool way to wrap a very very
good test. Went all right, so on to Bayoval now
we wait to see what happens their selection wise. Mitch
terrific mate. I mean, it's just awesome to have you
out there. It's been a long time since we've had
a different wicket keeper and Tess Crickey you've probably picked
up on this b Ja Watling for ages then Tom Blundell,
so great to see you on debot.

Speaker 8 (55:27):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (55:27):
All the best for what lies ahead across the summer
and thanks as always for taking the time for a chat.

Speaker 15 (55:32):
All right, it all thanks having me.

Speaker 2 (55:33):
No, thank you for joining us.

Speaker 8 (55:34):
Mitch.

Speaker 2 (55:34):
Mitch Hay there test a boot in the week past
at the Basin Reserve and did all he could really
didn't he, you know, to stake his claim. There's been
I note, quite a bit of conversation around what will
happen in the Third Test at bay Oval starting on Thursday.
You might have heard Gavin Larsen on the show yesterday

(55:55):
with US black Caps selector. I asked him about the
selection decision now between Mitch Hay and a returning Tom Blundell.

Speaker 17 (56:05):
Everything you did at the pace and reserve to me,
it spoke to his class as innings was a very
very good one and that was that was in trying conditions.
That base and reserve picture had quickened up on day
two and Mitch showed really good determination and commitment with
his batting.

Speaker 2 (56:19):
So that was Mitch Hay. But what about Tom Blundell.

Speaker 17 (56:22):
Yes, he's been a bit light on runs, but we
also believe that he's a class player and formers temporary
class is permanent. Tommy's going to be back on the park.
He will need to provide the performances. We've got a
lot of cricket coming up that will be keeping an
eye on Tommy and on Mitch Hape.

Speaker 2 (56:37):
So there you go. So and Luke Ronkey did some
media yesterday as well. Black Caps batting coach and he
talked about Tom Blundell and his state of readiness for
the third Test.

Speaker 18 (56:48):
So he's been training fully, been running, been batting, been keeping,
so his hamstring injury and being own read there very well.

Speaker 2 (56:54):
So he's coming back in. I don't think, you know,
they're not even trying to suggest anything else. And you know,
I actually don't mind that. I don't mind that that
they're letting us know what's going on. Tom Blundele has
been Test wicket keeper for a very long time. He
took over after BJ Watling retired and was that after
the Test Championship win twenty twenty one. Yes, So Tom

(57:16):
Blundell's been the regular wicket keeper in this Test side
for four coming up five years, and I honestly believe
he deserves the opportunity to come back into the team.
He wasn't dropped. He was injured in the Test match
in christ Church. He's over that injury and so he
comes back. In the opposite view to that is that

(57:37):
if you come into a team and you play well,
that you should keep your place. So that is the
balancing act for Gavin Larsen, for Tom Latham, for Rob Walter.
Those who make these decisions about what happens in the
Third Test. It has been I mean everybody who has
been quoted on the record. We've heard Gavin Larson, We've
heard Luke Ronkey. Daryl Mitchell said the same thing Tom

(57:59):
Latham as well during the Wellington Test match that when
Tom Blundele's fit, he comes back in and again. I
don't mind that. I don't mind it. As a philosophy
of loyalty, sometimes it can be overplayed, but I think
in this case it's the right decision. And let's not
concern ourselves too much with Mitch Hay's international future. I

(58:20):
think we can all see that he is going to
play a heck of a lot of cricket for New
Zealand in all three formats. Remember the ninety nine he
got who was that against last summer Pakistan? Ninety nine
off seventy odd balls of twenty two off the last
over or something. The guy can bat in first class
cricket average is nearly fifty. He's a good wicket keeper.

(58:40):
He's the next one coming in. Luke Ronki actually had
some advice for Mitch Hay. He had to wait as well,
Luke Ronky for his chance to make a test taboo.
So Wat's his advice to Mitchay.

Speaker 18 (58:55):
It's about going out and enjoying what you're doing, and
then you understand the situation. You understand that you sort
of have to wait. Sometimes it can be frustrating, but
he did everything he could out there for us. He
made some good runs. Catwell had a high energy. So
you can ask if someone coming in.

Speaker 2 (59:10):
So that's Luke Ronke, Chris says on text, and it's
a great point. Same thing happened to Tom Blundell. Remember
he got one hundred on debut when bj Watland was injured.
Then Watland came back in. It's a Tom Blundell. I
think it went through exactly the same thing beg on
Chris test deboo bas In Reserve, looking up at his
old school of Wellington College and scored one hundred and
then famously I think either walked home or got the

(59:33):
bus home still wearing his whites. Maybe back to the hotel.
Maybe that urban myth has been expanded, but yeah, I
like the idea of it, and I think Tom Blundell
has earned over his test career the opportunity to continue it.
I think he'll come back in for the third Test.
He'll be first choice for England mid year, India back

(59:54):
here next summer and then Australia, and who knows that
might be it for Tom Blundele and then Mitch Hay
can come in and make Hay pardon the pun. One
twenty six News talks he'd be back in a moment.

Speaker 10 (01:00:04):
It's more than game.

Speaker 1 (01:00:07):
Weekend Sport with Jason Fine and GJ. Garnoves, New Zealand's
most trusted home builder.

Speaker 6 (01:00:13):
News Talks, AB.

Speaker 2 (01:00:14):
News talks basketball shortly Alex Stoykovich, the head coach of
the Mainland Paul Kai ahead of this afternoon's toy He
Basketball Artel Final. I mentioned Jess Curs bowling figures just
after the one o'clock news. In today's game against Canterbury
down at Lungy Order, she has taken the absolutely astounding
figures of seven for eighteen, eight point three overs one

(01:00:36):
made in seven for eighteen as part of Canterbury's one
fifty one all out, and I wondered out loud actually
whether they were the best ever domestic figures by a
New Zealand female cricketer. And Andy went to work and it
turns out that she has equalled the best figures seven
for eighteen is the equal best in domestic women's cricket.

(01:00:59):
Bella Armstrong on the seventh of December twenty nineteen, bowling
for Auckland against Otago at Melville Park in Auckland. Nine overs,
four maidens, seven for eighteen, so exactly the same figures.
So Balor Armstrong and Jess Kerr are now the joint
holders of the best domestic figures by a female cricketer
here in New Zealand. Tremendous research, endy, tremendous stuff, one

(01:01:24):
point thirty.

Speaker 8 (01:01:24):
It is.

Speaker 2 (01:01:24):
It's the final of the twenty twenty five TOIHI Basketball
altado A competition this afternoon. Hi findes.

Speaker 19 (01:01:33):
O the fun, the vision, the execution, Parky perfection, Jacobs
almost soft the backboard, Paul has it and.

Speaker 3 (01:01:52):
That is it.

Speaker 15 (01:01:54):
The Mainland Parkey and Sue.

Speaker 19 (01:01:57):
They grand final and they'll host it.

Speaker 16 (01:02:01):
Against the defending champion title a fight.

Speaker 15 (01:02:04):
They've beaten the Southern.

Speaker 2 (01:02:05):
High Hole Anddee. That was last weekend's semi final. So
the Mainland poor Kai, isn't it the only The commentators
said they're hosting the defending champion todong A FI in
christ Church Carl Stadium and christ Church this afternoon tip
off at three Poe Kai head coaches Alex Stoykovitch, who
joins us now. Alex, thanks for taking the time on
game day to have a chat to us. Can we
start with that game? How happy were you with your

(01:02:28):
win over the Southern hoy Hoo in the semis last weekend?

Speaker 8 (01:02:32):
Oh? Super happy. I was wout for somewhere to do
it at home, and especially considering we've had a few
players out injured. I was super happy and exciting.

Speaker 2 (01:02:41):
Have you managed to bring any of those injured players
back or will you still be slightly depleted today?

Speaker 8 (01:02:48):
We're going to be depleted unfortunately. So Azra mcgodwick was
the top Fen captain. She's unfortunately out and at the
Foka and centers also out injured, so you know we're
up against it a little bit. But I think we've
shown in the last month of the season that we
can manage them without those two.

Speaker 2 (01:03:03):
Going into semi final weekend last weekend and I know
your semi final was the second of the two, but
did you think you might be heading to Wellington? In
other words? Was the fires went over the Tokamana with
Queens are surprised to you.

Speaker 8 (01:03:17):
Not really, Like I thought the fight, we're actually the
best team during the regular season. They just had like
one injury to keep player at the last three regular
season games that made him drop down the table a
little bit. But like, no, I think I think they're
really really good team work coached, and now that they're
back at fourth strengths, they're definitely going to be a
handful today.

Speaker 2 (01:03:35):
Well you know a lot about that team. Of course,
you coached them last season to a maiden title. Does
having coached the Fie help you today as you coach
against them, Oh yes and no.

Speaker 8 (01:03:47):
Like obviously Tana who's the head coach, and I was
my system last year and he started an incredible job
as a team this year. There's some familiarity between the
two teams, but you know, he's evolved their system a
little bit and plays to their strengths. So it HAPs
a little bit, but I don't think that's going to
be the deciding factor.

Speaker 2 (01:04:05):
What was the thinking behind your move south? Tell us
about the decision making that you went through to to
take up the role in christ Church.

Speaker 8 (01:04:14):
Was probably mainly a lifestyle change. Like you know, I
was there to five from day one had been set
up the club and to be fair, you know, like
that was a pretty intense three and a half four
years and you know it's taking a bit of a toll.
So I was looking for maybe like a you know,
something a bit fresh and and and yeah, christ Church
came up and I thought it was a great opportunity.

(01:04:36):
So I'm so far glad that I moved down.

Speaker 2 (01:04:38):
Have you brought the same basketball principles to the Poorkui
that you used at the Fire very similar?

Speaker 8 (01:04:44):
Yeah, So, like I've got my style of playing, my identity.
I think that was one of the things that that
the PARKI you know, liked about my coaching. And yeah,
so trying trying to do the same or similar down
here for sure.

Speaker 2 (01:04:56):
And just before we move on to your team, the
fig of today, what are the specific threats that they
will present to you in the final?

Speaker 8 (01:05:05):
Well, I mean, for SATUS got obviously a couple of
key pieces back from last year, MICHAELA Cowling and then
A Snyders, so they've got the championship experience, and then
they've added a couple of great imports and Hannah Hank
and Jess McDonald white and they bought in told for
an Emmyshira. So they've got a very well balanced starting
five that doesn't really have a lot of weaknesses. So
you know, that makes it really difficult to game plan

(01:05:27):
because you know, normally when you play a team, you
can maybe help off someone, but but they're very, very good,
well balanced team. So yeah, it's going to be a
tough one for us.

Speaker 2 (01:05:35):
I saw you on TV during the week and you
said something along the lines without the team that shoots
better is probably going to win. It sounds so obvious,
doesn't it. But is that a big part of today?

Speaker 8 (01:05:44):
One hundred percent? And if you look at the semi final,
they who actually played pretty good. We just shot the
ball a little bit better. Ultimately, you know, we were
nearly fifty percent from three in the semi which is great,
and I think that's what ultimately made the difference. You know,
like you can, you can game plan and scout and
and and be as prepared as you as you want
to be, but ultimately, the players have to have to

(01:06:04):
make the shots on the court. And I truly believe
the team that's going to convert better is going to win. Ultimately.

Speaker 2 (01:06:10):
Looking back at the season as a whole, Alex, you
lost four of your first seven games, but you've won
five of your last six, including the semi Was it
just a matter of the players getting used to you
early on, or did something else change mid season?

Speaker 8 (01:06:25):
You know, Like it's always so hard to tell, you know,
Like I'm honestly I'm not sure. You know, You've got
your ups and downs in the season. You know, sometimes
it takes a little bit longer to jail. You know
that you've got injuries to deal with, and sometimes sometimes
when players drop out, it actually gave a nice as
the team a little bit. So now, when we lost
two startups about a month ago, that's obviously a tough situation.

(01:06:45):
And what I liked about the Scripto shots some real
real resilience, you know, like every time every time we
had a setback like that, we actually got closer together.
So I think it's just a natural progression of a season.
And because the season is so short, sometimes you've got
a bad start. It looks bad, but it kind of
evens itself out in the end.

Speaker 2 (01:07:02):
Indeed, how different is your preparation for knockout games compared
to the way you prepare for a regular season game.

Speaker 8 (01:07:10):
We actually tried to keep it very similar, just purely
because we want to take the pressure away from the group.
You know, like obviously everybody understands the magnitude of a
semi final or final, so the last thing I want
to do is create more casha. So we've tried to
go to business as usual. We've got on the preparation
throughout the week. You know, we're bringing we're bringing like
a scout team that simulates your position, and then and

(01:07:32):
then we're just training against again as much as we can.
And I suppose, if anything, we try to actually reduce
the load a little bit in the semi final final
because we want to be fresh on game day. So
you know, like earlier in the season, you're always thinking
long term. You want to you want to push during
the week, even closer to a game because you're thinking, okay,
we've got to be ready in December. But now it's
more about tapering, tappering down a little bit so we're fresh,

(01:07:55):
fresh come come game time this afternoon.

Speaker 2 (01:07:58):
And this will be the last game at Cal's Stadium,
which has been the home of basketball in christ Church
for goodness me decades. How driven is the aim to
win in the last game at this venue to send
it off in style.

Speaker 8 (01:08:11):
Yeah, of course that's that adds motivation. It's it's last
home gamm cout, it will be the first championship for
the club. Like there's a there's a lot of motivating
factors and obviously Canterbury has got a very proud basketball tradition.
So yeah, now we definitely definitely want to send our
tents bent into Christmas break with the title.

Speaker 2 (01:08:31):
And have you had the chance to look at the
new parta Coorti Sports Center? I know the special Olympics
have been on there all this week. Have you had
the chance to look at where where the poor Ki
will be playing next year?

Speaker 8 (01:08:42):
Yeah? Well I was invited for a tour. I think
it was maybe a couple of weeks ago. And yeah,
I mean it's a world class facility right at the
heart of the city, so you know, like I always say,
the best best stadiums are in the city, so you
can go watch a game and have a dinner before
after whatever, you know, to make it a complete, complete night.
So so I think it's going to be amazing. I

(01:09:03):
mean the events events will start there soon and I
think it's going to be exciting for the basketball community.

Speaker 2 (01:09:08):
Don't you wonderful Alex, well all the best of this afternoon.
Congratulations on getting the poor Kuye to the final. I
hope you can complete the job and go back to
back with different teams. Thanks for chatting to us today.

Speaker 8 (01:09:18):
Thank you appreciate it.

Speaker 2 (01:09:19):
No, I appreciate your time, Alex. Thanks indeed, Alex Stoykovich,
the coach of the Mainland Porkai used to coach the
Tongla on the Fire. That'll be an interesting little dynamic
from this afternoon, although they've played each other three times
this season, so it's not as that's the first time
he's played his former side, but he coached the fig
to victory last year. Can he go back to back,
as I say, with a different team the Mainland Porky

(01:09:40):
three o'clock s afternoon cal Stadium in christ jitch gee.
That's been the scene of some pretty famous basketball Encountess,
hasn't it? Cal Stadium final game? There in an elite
sense anyway with the porkin and also the Canterbury Rams
now moves moving to the Parti Courorti Sports Center as
of twenty twenty six, twenty one away from two, Let's

(01:10:00):
get a breakaway when we come back. James mcconey with
all sorts of things to discuss in his regular day slot, The.

Speaker 1 (01:10:07):
Tough Questions Off the Turf Weekend Sport with Jason Pine
and GJ. Gunnerholmes, New Zealand's Most Trusted home Builder News.

Speaker 2 (01:10:17):
Coming up eighteen to two Sunday afternoons about this time,
James mconey, Hello.

Speaker 11 (01:10:23):
Mate, how are you poneying?

Speaker 2 (01:10:25):
You're right great? Thank you, very very good. Yes, looking
forward to chatting a bunch of stuff with you. Can
we start with the black Caps? What did you make
of their win in Wellington? Were you happy with all
of the moving parts behind the black Caps victory?

Speaker 11 (01:10:41):
Yeah, comprehensive. I'm a big fan of TikTok of tech now.
I think that he's a player who can who can
do something at test level. He's got that steepling sort
of bounce and actually his test average bowling average I
think I tweeted this out and proof from something like
thirty six to twenty nine with that at four first,

(01:11:01):
so he's he's down under thirty the magic number. So
that was good to see. In Duffy as well, playing
a really solid role there and dismissing getting those twenty wickets.
But I was actually really interested in everyone's talking about
kin Williamson closing in on ten thousand runs, and I
was just just doing a bit of a comparison with

(01:11:23):
Rachen Ravendra after nineteen tests, and actually Rachen is slightly
ahead of Kine.

Speaker 2 (01:11:29):
Well, yeah, I feel like Rachen could be anything he
wants to be. Will there be enough Test cricket for
him to play though, to get to to get to
ten thousand.

Speaker 11 (01:11:38):
Yeah, exactly, that's the key question. I think our schedule, well,
it's looking okay next year with it with a tour
of England and then obviously we've got more tests than
we've ever had against Australia at the back end of
the year. So I think we've got four against them.

Speaker 2 (01:11:54):
Yep, yeah, four tests four So three against England yea.
I think three against England Magia, two or three against
India here and then four against Australia. So at least
nine and maybe ten in the next sort of twelve
to fourteen months or so.

Speaker 11 (01:12:09):
So there you go. Rutchen at nineteen tests. So after
nineteen tests, Kaine's average was thirty one. He had three
tests centuries. Ruschan's got four centuries with an average of
forty four. But then of course he was that incredible
purple patch of canes where he was just smashing. And
he's played one hundred and seven Tests now with thirty
three centuries at an average of fifty four. So that's

(01:12:33):
the thing. He does, smash, bang the dish around the place,
and there's lowest averages against Australia Caines. So whether he
wants to go back out there and improve on that
next year, let's hope he does. I'd still want Caine
to be there, but like you say, I think Rachen
it's all ahead of him. There's the table's been set.
But after that incredible victory where Rochan actually didn't play

(01:12:54):
much of a role, I was just looking and thinking, well,
the worst they can do is draw this Test series.
Is it worth actually elevating someone and making a couple
of changes on the batting side with a guy like
Bevin Jacobs is averaging eighty for Auckland in this first
class season.

Speaker 8 (01:13:12):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:13:12):
And the other thing we spoke yesterday, and I'm sure
you were doing more interesting things. We spoke yesterday about
the refreshing of the New Zealand seam attack and the
number of bowlers, and you mentioned Blair Tick, Michael Ray,
you know, Zach Folks and others who have got opportunities.
Then you look at the top five in the New
Zealand batting order, take ruch and out of it. You know,
Tom Latham, Devon Conway, came Williamson, Darryl Mitchell, can add

(01:13:35):
will Young into this conversation as well, all over thirty.
So at some stage the refreshing of the top order
has to happen. You mentioned Bevan Jacobs, what about Reece Martre?
You you'd be a big fan of his as well,
wouldn't you?

Speaker 11 (01:13:47):
Exactly? I think Reees definitely needs to get a look
in as well. But Bevan is because as a lower
order back, or lower than Reece anyway, who opens. I
just thought, I thought, well, you could actually speak him
in there in a Test match like this because the
next stop is England and then the next stop is Australia.
So I I feel like it's a chance to get

(01:14:08):
a young one in there and get them used to
the five day game, and so either or I'd be happy.

Speaker 2 (01:14:14):
Yeah, didn't, did you? I just loved Michael Ray's approach
to this Test. Didn't you. I mean a guy who
probably thought international cricket had passed him by. He wasn't
gonna get the chance. He was just gonna be a
very good domestic bowler with a wonderful headband. And here
he was on test about charging and picking up sex wickets,
looking like he loved every moment of it. I couldn't
help but smile every time Michael Ray was involved in

(01:14:35):
this test.

Speaker 11 (01:14:36):
I know it's a bit like Nieza, wasn't it for Australia.
Just somebody who's a veteran, salt of the earth, pretty
down to worth. I think you had Mitchell Hayes saying
he's a car guy, you know, so he's got to
love that he's a credits part of his life. But
he's a bit of a petrol head. So I mean, yeah,
it's I like those stories. I think that's that's cool

(01:14:59):
on the batting front though, because I love a grizzled
veteran bowler coming in. But on the batting front, I
really like to see some you some fresh eyes, let's say,
you know, with that with that slightly quicker reaction time.

Speaker 2 (01:15:13):
Yeah, well, I know rus Mardier went through a bit
of a lean patch but we've got another big one
hundred I think in the last Plankets ther game. Kid's
clearly got a lot of promise, So yeah, I would
love to see him. As you say, it's a difficult balance,
isn't it, because they don't play against the West Indies
and Totonga the next time we played Test cricketers in
England and the way they're playing at the moment that
might not be quite as hard as maybe it's been previously.

(01:15:34):
But then if you are going to blood guys into
a team for a very tough format series in Australia
next year, you kind of out of options really if
you don't do it now or I guess mid year
in England.

Speaker 11 (01:15:46):
Yes, now, the other thing I was going to talk
to you while we're on Cricket Ponty was Basball being Yes,
your listeners do think that Basball is dead. I agree,
even just watching Ben Stokes and that partnership with Will
Jackson digging in and showing that some regrets and resilience
and stickability is required really to play his cricket. And

(01:16:08):
it's all probably happened a little bit too late, but
we'll wait and see, because it's a five Test series.
But I think every team, every player. Every team has
a player who's a dasher, who's strike rate is high,
and of course the og of that is Vi Richards
with the West Indies way back in the day, who
was around the eighty six mark. And then you obviously

(01:16:29):
everybody has their favorite Adam Gilcrest Sewag. Both Kansas really
and now England have Harry Brooks. So let Harry be
the Bears guy, you know, But the rest of the
team really need to dig in because I think bas
Wall is over.

Speaker 2 (01:16:45):
Yeah, I agree at the very least temperate. You know,
you don't have to abandon the philosophy altogether, but I
think it does need tweaking because it certainly isn't working.
When you know, the first two tests take a total
of six days and you'll lose by eight wickets and
both of them, you know, something has to be at
least altered a little bit for me. But I guess
we'll wait and see what they decide to do once

(01:17:05):
they get off the new beaches. Have you been to
the Noos of Beaches? They're very nice beaches.

Speaker 11 (01:17:10):
No, but I didn't. Myre Brendan McCullum quite brazenly say
that they prepared too much for the second day off,
and the agress reaction was hilarious, like they just pretty
much burnt hard and just went come on, you know.
But I just if you met Brendan McCullum, he'd be
just staring down and saying, no, I think we went

(01:17:31):
too hard. We're going to have some days off in NUSA,
which is nice. I mean they might be able to
be able to catch some A League football if they
venture around the place. I was just going to say, Poney,
have a look at the the Phoenix game today, because
I think they're building towards something quite cool this season,
even though Awklan the f CEA have outshone them. The
Wellington Phoenix. You know, they're down the foot of the table,

(01:17:55):
but one one today and they spring back up into
the top six.

Speaker 2 (01:17:59):
Yeah, and look, the derby was only last weekend. It
seems like about a month ago. The second derby. I
don't know, I've I just had to check the calendar.
Was I really up in Auckland at that derby last week?
It appears as though I was. I feel as though
this game today against Newcastle and next weekend against the
Central Coast Mariners, two sides who are also sort of
in the lower echelons of the table, are really really

(01:18:19):
important for Wellington if they can get six points from
these two games, the table is so tight, James, You're right,
they could hit Christmas in the top six and be
ready to springboard in the new year.

Speaker 11 (01:18:29):
Yeah, there's something good buring there. I think they've got
people who can score goals. Even Alex Rufer is scoring
goal So it's a new year, new Phoenix and there Olaway.
Yeah MEI their keeper, who was a bit of a
calamity last season, played the house down in the derby,
so I'm looking forward to that. And just if you're
an Arsenal fan out there as well, just as while

(01:18:51):
we're on football, be very concerned because your team, even
though you're at the top of the table, if anything
happens to Kosaka, I don't think you're winning anything. That's
how I feel about Arsenal.

Speaker 2 (01:19:02):
Right now, Well they played. You would have seen the
game against Wolves or at least heard what happened in it.
So Arsenal. Arsenal went a head through an own goal
by Wolve, so have been utterly abysmal in the last
little while in terms of the accumulation of points, so
Arsenal's going to end with an own goal. Wolve scored
in the ninetie to make it one. All look like
they were going to get a very very well earned
point at the Emirates Stadium, and then they scored a

(01:19:25):
second own goal and Arsenal went at two to one.
It's just a crazy, crazy series of events.

Speaker 11 (01:19:32):
Jesus on the end of a cross as well. I
mean there's something in that, but we won't discuss it here. Jesus,
I'm talking about he didn't quite get his head on
the ball. It was an own goal. But the bakaya
saka for the average punter out there, they go, oh, yeah,
I think I've heard of him, and yeah. His most
famous moment was missing a penalty in the Euro final

(01:19:52):
against Italy a few years ago when he was nineteen.
But now he's turned into this incredible, just really exciting
winger and everything has to go through him.

Speaker 3 (01:20:01):
Though.

Speaker 11 (01:20:02):
Watching Arsenal, they need to expand their repertoire or to
something about their playmaking, because I've got talent and I
kind of would like them to win it. I know
you're a Liverpool man, but they looked really shaky this morning.

Speaker 2 (01:20:16):
James, greater channers always should. We got one more time
before Christmas next Sunday. Will you be available for that
one more time?

Speaker 11 (01:20:23):
Let's start punk it, mate, Let's put helmets on and
do it. Jee.

Speaker 2 (01:20:28):
I just hope that we could talk on the radio
one more time. But I love the way you've segued
into daft punk. Love it, James, Thanks mate. Eight Away
from two News Talks.

Speaker 1 (01:20:36):
MB analyzing every view from every angle in the s
Morning World Weekends Sport with Jason yell.

Speaker 2 (01:20:45):
Us Talks MB.

Speaker 1 (01:20:48):
Win a trip for two to the AIGHTM New Zealand
Sale draw free plus the Bessie to the house.

Speaker 2 (01:20:54):
It's time for Lingo Bingo, Yes indeed, and it's time
to announce our winner. Return flights including transfers for two
people to Auckland if you live out of Auckland, two
nights accommodation in Auckland, two waterfront Premium grandstand tickets and
merchandise packs for the ITM New Zealand sal Grand Prix

(01:21:17):
on February fourteen and fifteen of next year. Going to
be an absolutely tremendous event once again, looking forward to
being there and broadcasting live and maybe even meeting our winner,
who we can announce as Blair Oliver from Pataparamu on
the beautiful carpety coast. Blair Oliver, Congratulations Blair, you've won

(01:21:38):
that prize that have just outlined. Andy'll get in touch
or somebody will and let you know how to redeem it.
But you'll be joining us at sal GP February fourteen
and fifteen of next year. Congratulations Blair, look forward to
having you there in the grandstand as sal GPS hits
Auckland again. It's just an absolutely terrific event, unlike any

(01:22:00):
other same boats, short and fast races close to shore.
Great product for everybody to enjoy what I'm blare and
thanks to everybody who entered sale GP, Lingo Bingo football
after two. How do you get tickets to the All
Whites World Cup Games.

Speaker 1 (01:22:16):
It's the only place to discuss the biggest boards issues
on and after fields.

Speaker 10 (01:22:22):
It's all on Weekend.

Speaker 1 (01:22:23):
Sport with Jason Vane on your home of Sport Used.

Speaker 2 (01:22:28):
Talks two seven. This is Weekend Sport on News Talks
AB a couple of studio guests between now and three.
Matt Fijo is going to pop in. In fact, he's
already here flying Kiwi's FC, the official All White supporters group,
talking about how you get tickets for these World Cup
games next year. And then one of the A League's
super fans, Matt Vandenberg, who travels far and wide to

(01:22:51):
watch Newcastle play in the A League. He's here in
Wellington where I am to watch them play the Phoenix today.
He's going to pop in on the way to the
ground as well. So rather than keep our guests waiting,
let's get in case you missed it out of the
way after two. Every day on Weekend Sport we bring
you up to date with things that might have escaped
your attention in case you missed it. In Football's Premier League,

(01:23:12):
Liverpool a desperately needed win, beating Brighton to nil thanks
to a double from Ugo Ekiti k I send by
my Salar. It's a dangerous Patrino.

Speaker 6 (01:23:25):
He's there, okay at the couple from Liverpool.

Speaker 2 (01:23:28):
And this were made by my shaller, assisted wonderfully from
malt Sullen. It just the quiet the finish. He wasn't
going to mess that. Chelsea stay in the top four
with the two nil winn over Everton and.

Speaker 7 (01:23:41):
Pedro Netto may stop by Mikalenko a driving at the
defender and getting the better of him as well.

Speaker 3 (01:23:47):
Turno Man gots and it was all down to the
work of Pedro.

Speaker 2 (01:23:55):
Nazzo and Leader's Arsenal recovered from their blip last weekend
with a bizarre two one win over Wolves. They can
still grab another one here.

Speaker 3 (01:24:11):
Garrus heroes Gabby Jesus. It's a moment but he has
been praying for for eleven months.

Speaker 2 (01:24:22):
Well it wasn't actually Gabby Jesus who scored. It was
a known goal from Wolves, who interestingly scored all three
goals in that game but still lost to Won and
the Breakers winning streak and the Anbl's come to an
end to twelve point defeat to Southeast Melbourne. Last player
of the.

Speaker 20 (01:24:36):
Game from long rags, why not finish it with the
next formation point on a very rich kake the Southeast
Melbourne Phoenix now the nano from half court Banks are
three to give his team a twelve point when Southeast
ninety two New Zealand.

Speaker 1 (01:24:53):
Eighty from breaking down the hail Mary's and the epic fails.
Weekend Sport with Jason yin Newstalk zenby.

Speaker 2 (01:25:03):
Nine past two. The All White twenty twenty six feet
of World Cup pool play schedule has been confirmed. They'll
play Iran in Los Angeles and Egypt and Belgium in Vancouver.
So how easy or not are tickets to get and
what will they cost? Matt Fijos is the founder of
the Flying Kiwi's FC supporters group. He joins me in studio.

(01:25:26):
Let's start with the group. Matt, you're happy with the
teams that the All Whites have been drawn against.

Speaker 21 (01:25:30):
Yeah, happy for us in terms of the teams that
there's one, of course, really strong team, but there's two
other games that you know, we can go in and
have a go at and you only need really by
my maths, I think three points would get you through
as one of the best place third, which is new
with the forty eight teams.

Speaker 2 (01:25:47):
Indeed, all right, so how do traveling New Zealand football
fans access tickets to these games? A very broad question
to start with people listening, they're thinking about going. What's
the situation with getting tickets to these games?

Speaker 11 (01:26:03):
Great?

Speaker 21 (01:26:03):
So generally the feet com have a ballot that anybody
can enter from around the world. So that's where a
lot of this fear of loss drives people because they've
already reported that they've had five million applications within the
first I think it was twenty four hours. So that's
for all fans from anywhere who for example, if there's
I don't know, a Brazil game or Argentina or Spain

(01:26:25):
or England, you know there'll be fans from around the
world that would want to apply for them. And this
small piece of hope and soul in this is about
eight percent of sellable tickets which get the allocation of
them gets controlled by the member association, by the country
that is playing, So for New Zealand, that's New Zealand

(01:26:46):
Football and I think that's one of the most positive
things here, and something that I've been planning and thinking
about for quite a while is that you know, four
thousand fans from New Zealand roughly doing the maths on
that allocation seems like it, you know, there'd be a lot.
I don't think we're going to have tens of thousands
of applications. It sounds like there's more applications than tickets. However,

(01:27:09):
going through FIFA and the general ballot with the whole world,
there's a lot lower chance of tickets. There was five
times the applications to tickets back in twenty twenty two,
so that's a good chance. Because we're a small country
that we still get the same eight percent that England do.
But England have a big travel club of fans that
go and watch all the games in between and earn

(01:27:30):
points to get there. Ours is literally you can jump
on any hour and how it will close I think
later this evening. But New Zealand Football just have an
open form that you can fill out in about twelve
seconds with no cost, which means that all keywists can
get in the ballot and ever and have a good chance,
which is great all right.

Speaker 2 (01:27:46):
So that's not committing you to buying a ticket. That's
just saying, hey, I'm interested, I want to go into
the ballot, as you say, for one or more of
the seats in the eight percent allocation that New Zealand
Football get. As you say, the odds see much better
than competing against the whole world, because I guess some
people will just apply for tickets to any game, mightn't

(01:28:06):
they if they live in Los Angeles, for example, I'll
go along to watch you know, whoever's playing at so
Far stadium. So let's come into the I mean, should
New Zealand fans enter both have a bit of chance
or are you is your suggestion the New Zealand football one.

Speaker 21 (01:28:19):
Really first you have to be careful applying for bolt both.
So they have what they call a household rule, which
means that if somebody has already applied through FIFA dot
Com through the general ballot, then they can't also apply
through New Zealand Football, so that would get denied down
the line through New Zealand Football. So people need to
be aware and very careful of that. And yeah, it's

(01:28:42):
up to them about thinking how how to do that
and work their way around that.

Speaker 2 (01:28:49):
So your advice, I think for New Zealand people listening
is to go in the New Zealand Football ballot that
seems to be the highest. I'd try to get tickets
to one or more of these games if they're thinking
of traveling. If they are successful in getting a ticket
in the New Zealand ballot, are all those seats together.

Speaker 21 (01:29:09):
Yeah, so that's the good thing. Again. I almost refer
to it as the small soul of football left because
the rest it is literally out to you know, this
high prices the world market, and then they're legitimized scoping
because the official FIFA third party resale platform has no
price limit and FIFA will take thirty percent total fifteen
percent off each they say to make it sound a

(01:29:31):
little bit nicer.

Speaker 2 (01:29:32):
So people can buy a ticket. Anyone in the world
can buy a ticket and have no real intention of
going to the game and then put it on FIFA's
own ticket resale exchange platform and ask anything they like
for it.

Speaker 21 (01:29:45):
Yeah wow, yeah, yeah, but yeah, in terms of the
New Zealand tickets within that, I'm not sure if the
rules change with that about transferring or selling, but yeah,
it would certainly. If you think of games in the
Premier League, for example, it's almost unsafe to turn up
in the wrong place with the wrong shirt on, or

(01:30:07):
even if you know you're a fan of the wrong team. Yeah,
you know when fans turn up in home ends because
it's easier to get a ticket, for example. So yeah,
that's something that we, I guess are aware of. And
there's a I guess a trust that he was wanting
to go.

Speaker 2 (01:30:25):
Will there be a limit on the number of tickets
one person can buy to each game.

Speaker 21 (01:30:29):
Yeah, so it's up to four tickets per person and
forty tickets for the tournament. But I say that with
a big smile, because who's got that money on their
credit card to commit to those ticket prices times forty.

Speaker 2 (01:30:43):
Well, let's talk about cost. There's been a lot of
chat in the last a little while about about the
cost of tickets that I don't think have been officially
unveiled yet, but there seemed to have been a number
of news sources who have talked about ticket prices. Some
fan groups are calling this a monumental betrayal by FIFA.
The price is just beyond the reach of many genuine fans.

Speaker 15 (01:31:06):
Much.

Speaker 2 (01:31:06):
Do you have an indication matter how much a ticket
to watch New Zealand and a group match at the
World Cup will cost.

Speaker 21 (01:31:12):
Yes, and the general FIFA ballot. The pricings are there.
It's interesting that they vary by game based on the
predicted value I guess of largely the teams that are playing. Obviously,
so a Brazil game those higher prices I think, so Scotland,
I think at Brazil, and that the higher price level

(01:31:32):
I think is around seven or even eight hundred US.
Up to that higher whereas the New Zealand game on
free for dot com on the general ballot, the lower
cost looks to be one forty to one eighty US.
So the Belgium game a little bit more expensive up
to the higher price point of four point fifty to
five hundred.

Speaker 2 (01:31:51):
Dollars US dollars. Okay, so times what one point six
one point seven at the moment for New Zealand dollars thereabouts?
Not quite not quite double? Right, is that what we're talking?

Speaker 1 (01:32:02):
Yeah?

Speaker 15 (01:32:02):
Exactly?

Speaker 2 (01:32:02):
Okay, So how does that compare to previous World Cups?
It seems a lot more expensive than previous World Cups,
and in fact a lot more expensive than what was
indicated when these three countries bid to host the World Cup.
I think they had to give an indicative idea of
what tickets might be, and they were talking about tickets
for twenty thirty dollars US.

Speaker 21 (01:32:21):
Yeah, and that's it's disappointing, isn't it that that there
can be these bid documents? What is the point if
it can change this much? And I guess it is
a few years. It might be eight years or so
since those documents to win the rights, But yeah, what's
the point off the you can't value or trust what's
written on that piece of paper. And for future biting processes, yeah,

(01:32:45):
that is tough to take.

Speaker 2 (01:32:47):
As we get closer to the games, will further tickets
be released back? I mean there's always tickets that don't
get picked up by sponsors, travel companies, whatever it is,
even international allocations. Will further tickets be released? Do you
think for these games? Closer to the games themselves.

Speaker 21 (01:33:04):
There's usually a four phase, which is I think a
last minute they call it anyones that are left. I'm
not sure if they deliberately hold back a portion for those.
What's interesting and the process as well, is that there's
already been two phases before the draw, so that then
a's like you said earlier, someone who lives in the
host city can say that I want to go to

(01:33:26):
those games before they know the team. Sure, and we
were neutral fans in twenty fourteen, so we just went
for just random games and towns that we thought people
wouldn't go to as much and got games that way
and then found out later. So what's interesting is that
some people have gotten early for games and they've paid
higher than what those prices are now for the new
Zealand games. Because now that it's been drawn that it

(01:33:47):
might be New Zealand verse Iran, that isn't the you know,
the most prolific game or the most well known game
in football, they've paid more and so yeah, now they're
actually cheaper now that the teams are known.

Speaker 2 (01:34:01):
Does that help us though? And that we are the
lowest ranked team at this tournament, you know, not a
high profile you know, as you say Iran, I want
to talk about Iran and Los Angeles in a minute actually,
but but you know, Iran, New Zealand on the face
of it isn't a high profile game, so there won't
be huge demands I guess globally for that game. So
does that help a traveling New Zealand fan or a

(01:34:22):
New Zealand fan looking for a ticket for that game
or for the game against Egypt for example. For sure?

Speaker 21 (01:34:27):
I think like we're in such a unique position that yes,
we're a small country, so our allocation will serve far
more if our people wanted to go. So that's why
the you know, the messaging is so important that people
realize the New Zealand football ballot is an option. If
not FIFA dot Com, you might be placed anywhere in
the stadium, and then you would be there and see
that section of the kiwis and be a little lost

(01:34:47):
tray one up there somewhere crying.

Speaker 2 (01:34:49):
That's the beauty of it, isn't it. You know, That's
the beauty of football fandom is being there with others
who are wearing the same colors as you, traveling away.
You've done this, Matt, you know you've been part of
the flying kiwis and all sorts of places where often
there's just a little pocket of you. What is that
like in there supporting the all whites away from home

(01:35:09):
in a very small packet, a pocket of very passionate fans.

Speaker 21 (01:35:13):
I'll give me ears on the back of my neck
actually when you explain it like that, because I think
sometimes it's misinterpreted that it's about safety and that animals
and they can't be separated, but it's actually about the
right to, like you've just described, enjoy the game together
and when you do that far from home, and for
New Zealand, we are the furthest from home.

Speaker 8 (01:35:30):
You know.

Speaker 21 (01:35:30):
That's why I call us the most extreme away fans
in the world, because the players are on the top
of those lists of the most traveled players. So our
fans for the World Cup, you know, are traveling the
biggest distances and live around the world. So yeah, when
you're able to do that, connected with the group and
you meet others, and when it's somewhere so Norway two
months ago, now it was only friendly. But when you

(01:35:52):
get everyone there and you're staying in the same place,
there's a few days of breaking the ice, getting to
know each other. Yeah, it's what football is all about.
You're representing your people together in a land far far away.
It's a beautiful.

Speaker 2 (01:36:06):
Thing getting into the games. One thing, what about accommodation
flights things like that, our accommodation price is likely to
be hiked up in and around these games, in these venues.

Speaker 21 (01:36:14):
No, luckily people have been really fair and just kept
the same prices, and so it's going to be all good.

Speaker 2 (01:36:20):
Wow, you almost kept the straight place.

Speaker 21 (01:36:23):
You almost kept the interview over. No, there's charts, isn't
there of how much people have hiked up the prices.
And it's it's tough, isn't it, Because it's in some
ways it's it's the world we live in. But we
know that it's on some level it's not right to
just you know, put the prices up so much that

(01:36:43):
it tests people, or to get the maximum price for
someone that has something of value and to exploit it
to the nth degree is tough. And again fee for
a part of this from from the start, so the
control of the major hotel chains and the host cities
FIFA and from the start control and that supply, so
a lot of them are locked up in big travel

(01:37:04):
companies overseas. That then that we were getting quotes earlier
on in the air for four hundred US a night,
which is obviously ridiculous, but now when you look more
into it, it almost seems cheaper. I think that's people
having to buy in before they know where their team's playing,
and buying blindly because these big companies have access to
all sixteen cities. So yeah, now you can. Now you

(01:37:27):
can pay for more if you want to.

Speaker 2 (01:37:29):
Yeah, all right, Hey stay with us, Matt, want to
get more from your met Fie Jos, founder of the
Flying Kiwi's on supporting the All Whites at the World
Cup next year. Back in the twenty two past two the.

Speaker 1 (01:37:39):
Biggest things in sports are on Weekend Sports with Jason
Pin and gjjubnomes New Zealand's most.

Speaker 6 (01:37:46):
Trusted home builder. News Talks theb.

Speaker 2 (01:37:49):
News Talks Therebing Weekend Sport two twenty five, founder of
the Flying KIWISFC supporters group Matt fie Jos's and studio
talking next year's fee for World Cup and supporting the
All Whites over in the United States. Man, I guess
sports fans here are used to travel packages as well.
You know, typically with rugby, for example, if you want
to go and follow the All Blacks on the Northern Tour,
you buy a package which is flights, accommodation, match tickets

(01:38:11):
and everything you need. Are there official travel providers who
will be selling packages to kiwis, you know, which include flights,
accommodation and match tickets as well.

Speaker 21 (01:38:21):
Yeah, of course, and you doing the football have a
relationship with House of Travel, so naturally they will be
selling and wanting people to jump on those. Like you're say,
for people that have the budget of like twenty thousand
almost SEMs cheap. Now for the total budget again when
we're looking at it early on in the year, So.

Speaker 2 (01:38:41):
That's so sorry, Matt, that's twenty grand per person to
get there and back and to Wall three games with flights,
accommodation and tickets.

Speaker 21 (01:38:49):
That's probably without international flights. So wow, early on, Yeah,
in the year when we're speaking to people that are
selling these things, so.

Speaker 2 (01:38:56):
It could be twenty five So it could be twenty
five grand per person that sort of thing, depending on
where you're coming from in New Zealand.

Speaker 21 (01:39:01):
Yeah, which is wow, crazy money, isn't it.

Speaker 15 (01:39:03):
It is.

Speaker 2 (01:39:04):
It's just beyond the reach, isn't it. Of so many people.
You talked before about other countries they have similar ballots.
But I know the England if for example, as you
alluded to before, it's based on how many games you've
been to in the World Cup cycle, So they reward loyalty.

Speaker 21 (01:39:21):
Exactly, and I believe in that a lot. We're slightly
different in New Zealand that because we're growing, you know,
I do believe that also there should be some percentage
of that available for any New Zealander, but I guess
it's almost twofold to England. Then, Yeah, the percentage wise,
the top seventy percent of attendance, I guess over the

(01:39:42):
previous two year cycle they're guaranteed, So it means that
before well as soon as those teams are drawn out
of the draw, and as soon as the games are
allocated to cities, those fans who have earned their way
there by probably going to about fifteen games in the
last two years home and away, they know they'll get
a ticket because they've fulfilled the criteria, and they'll be

(01:40:03):
visible what their banding is, at what points they have
and how many people, so then they can start booking
their travel and accommodation and have a better chance of
getting there. The sad thing with that this time is
that the prices are so high and they go exponentially up.
I think I think a final ticket last time was
six or seven hundred in Qatar for the cheapest, and

(01:40:26):
now it's three thousand, three or four thousand pounds, So
when you add up that's exponentially that it goes up
through the tournament. Now, if a fan from a big
country wants to attend all those games, they have to
pay that money upfront, which again I think Ballpark was
about seven thousand pounds, which is a crazy amount of

(01:40:47):
money to go to what is now eight football games.
But they have to pay it upfront, and then if
their team doesn't make it, if they got knocked out
in the sixteen. They would get a refund after the
tournament minus a ten dollars charge.

Speaker 2 (01:41:01):
I think, wow, well, I mean because that's the other
thing too. New Zealand could get out of this group,
as you said before. So then then then what happens
We find out who we're playing, but more importantly where
we are playing, and then does the process then start again?
You're going to ballot for those tickets for example.

Speaker 21 (01:41:20):
There are Yeah, it's a really good question. There's there's
that ticket product I just described that England fans would
likely want to hop on because if you're an England fan,
I guess it might just go for the pool, but
you know, ultimately you want to be there to win.
There witness history, which they talk about a lot after
them in their teen years exactly. But yeah, so this

(01:41:41):
follow your team package, even with the LESIS prices, half
of our guys want to to follow your team for
the round of thirty two. So apply for the four
games and then yeah, when it's knowing we would need
one result, so one win. In my eyes, I'm quite
sure that three points would be enough to be eight

(01:42:02):
out of twelve top third place. But then again, there's
just there's more complications and factors where that game might
be played. We're lucky we're from a pool that the
third place can only be in two different cities, and
a second place would play the first place of US
and Australia's pool, which would be incredible to play either

(01:42:23):
of them, but particularly Australia. For me, that's like a dream,
how good and I only imagine in it as a
knockout game.

Speaker 2 (01:42:30):
Do you think some fans will go to the World
Cup without match tickets and hope to get them on
the ground.

Speaker 21 (01:42:38):
Yeah, well, look, so some of our guys have have
bought flights in accommodation already. That's the as hard for
New Zealand, been our first time to get all our
ducks in a row and to have a full system
like England to measure these things. We're lucky that news
in a football are supporting us with an allocation so
that you know, those dedicated fans who have traveled around

(01:42:59):
the world in the last sixteen years between World Cups
can have you know, some assurance. So yeah, so some
fans have already booked flights and accommodation and obviously they're
that dedicated that they'll find a way. It seems risky.
But if you compare that to waiting for match tickets
and the cost like you alluded to earlier, of flights

(01:43:20):
and accommodation are going to rise a lot more. That's
a lot higher price for the accommodation, So that's more
likely to rise a lot in the next six weeks
or so.

Speaker 2 (01:43:29):
And you talked about scalping before almost being legitimized through
the resale exchange platform, but will we still find scalpers
outside grounds with an open jacket and a pocket full
of tickets?

Speaker 11 (01:43:41):
Hey?

Speaker 2 (01:43:41):
Boys, what about these?

Speaker 16 (01:43:42):
Yeah?

Speaker 21 (01:43:43):
I think it's slightly harder because the modern tickets these
days are NFC, so they're linked to your phone. Yes,
So I'm not sure if they're going to lock a
time period where you can't do that or if not
yet it might still be easy enough to do it
and you just forward in an email that they receive
in the links then on their phone. But yeah, like

(01:44:07):
you said, they've legitimized it, so buying and sailing there'll
be plenty.

Speaker 2 (01:44:11):
Of And I talked about demand not being necessarily that
high for the Whites against Iran and Los Angeles in
the first game, but doesn't Los Angeles have a massive
Iranian population.

Speaker 21 (01:44:23):
It's incredible, isn't it When that came out and you're thinking,
it's not possible. None of the pools had game at
all their games outside of US, so that's not possible
with the political situation of a run and the doubt
on their part that fans will be able to freely
enter without complications. Should we say so, then you think

(01:44:44):
that's the game in the US, then maybe we're in luck.
As an opponent. I would want it to be open
and fair, because that's the key we values that they
should be able to enjoy football. But yeah, when you
saw that were drawn there, it would be easy to think,
wouldn't it that great? They won't have many fans, And then,
as you said, it turns out to many people it's
actually called Taranngeles to Arrangeles. However you would say it

(01:45:05):
because yeah it' it's the biggest center for Iranian people
outside Iran. Why they say there's about half a million
Iranians or maybe American Iranians maybe second generation or whatever. Now,
so yeah, it's makes it very tough. So the FIFA
dot com ballot, if you think that's has that similar

(01:45:26):
population to Wellington, isn't it depending on if it's a
region or city. So yeah, and they love football and
they travel well, so that's like imagining that. Yeah, we
just happen to have, you know, a World Cup game
in Wellington for New Zealand. That's what would be competing
within the FIFA dot com balot or the yeah, the

(01:45:47):
secondhand market.

Speaker 2 (01:45:48):
All right, Well to circle back to finish, then, anyone
listening to this who has any interest in even a
passing interest and being at one or more of these
games in June of next year, your advice is to
is to go in the New Zealand football ballot. That's
your your best piece of advice.

Speaker 21 (01:46:04):
Yeah for sure, and yeah, do that by today, so
you're in with a chance through the new sual a
football ballot.

Speaker 2 (01:46:11):
All right in JED football dot code audience is the website.
Just follow your nose. It's not hard to find. And sorry, Matt,
just to clarify, that doesn't get you a ticket, that
gets you in the ballot. So when will people know
that they that they have the opportunity to purchase tickets.

Speaker 21 (01:46:26):
Yeah, so they are giving codes out next week. It
might be late next week. I believe, and then the
codes that they give to people, you're halfway there, shall
we say? So, then you can go through to the
FIFA platform and submit your request and then in mid June,
I think it's until thirteenth of June. January, thirteenth of January. Yeah,

(01:46:50):
that then they can allocate them more or less.

Speaker 2 (01:46:53):
Okay, so you should know by the end of January
whether you've got tickets or not.

Speaker 21 (01:46:57):
Yeah, exactly.

Speaker 2 (01:46:58):
Yeah, you're excited.

Speaker 21 (01:47:01):
Excited, Yeah a lot. It's been a pretty intense last
week or so when those prices are announced late, so
I'm up late at night getting feedback from our guys
and yeah, it's been pretty intense week. But yeah, like
it's incredible to imagine, like you just described, not just
in New Zealand overseas playing anywhere and some friendly but

(01:47:22):
in the big stage in the World Cup first time
in sixteen years. Yeah, football's come a long way in
this country on the pitch and hopefully in the stands too,
and hopefully we can show that and enjoy it with
the team.

Speaker 2 (01:47:32):
Will do people find you on socials?

Speaker 15 (01:47:33):
Mate?

Speaker 21 (01:47:34):
So the flying key is FC, I think is probably
the tag for most places. So Ye're pretty active on
Instagram and being pretty deliberate with updating snippets of this
info to help people along. So definitely connect there if
you're interested.

Speaker 2 (01:47:47):
The Flying Key is FC on Instant and across other
socials as well. Matt, great to see you mate, Look
I hope this leads to an absolutely tremendous couple of
weeks and maybe more in June. We'll look out for
you in the stands.

Speaker 13 (01:48:00):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (01:48:00):
Thanks for popping in today.

Speaker 21 (01:48:01):
Thanks for your support. Party appreciate it now.

Speaker 2 (01:48:02):
I appreciate you coming in Matt. Matt Fijos, founder of
the Flying Key we FC supporters group. There's the best
piece of advice NZED football dot co dot nz. Sign
up to the ballot today. It finishes I think the
sign up process anyway. Later on tonight you'll get a
code next week and then's your opportunity to apply for
tickets for the World Cup next year. Twenty four away

(01:48:25):
from three. We're going to stay with football. Another studio
guest Matt's has gone and another Matt's coming in. One
of the A League's super fans, Matt Vandenberg. After this
on weekend sport.

Speaker 1 (01:48:36):
Don't get caught off Signed eight eighty ten eighty Weekend
Sports with Jason Paine and GJ. Gardnerholmes, New Zealand's most
trusted home builder news Dogs NB.

Speaker 2 (01:48:47):
Twenty one to three. There are sports fans and then
there are super fans. Matt Vandenberg supports a LEA football side,
the Newcastle Jets, paced two hours aware from where he
lives in Sydney, as well as being a season ticket
hold of a home match as he travels to every
away game as well, which means this and he'll make
three trips across the Tasman in the space of a month.

(01:49:09):
He was an Auckland to watch the Jets beat Auckland
FC two one a fortnight ago. He'll be back there
on New Year's Day. And today he's in Wellington to
watch his beloved Newcastle take on the Wellington Phoenix. He's
popped into the study on his way to the game.
Welcome mate, great to see you.

Speaker 22 (01:49:23):
Partly they say never meet your heroes, but with you,
I think it's a complete opposite.

Speaker 2 (01:49:27):
Ah well, I could almost say the same thing, when
and how did you all love a fair? But the
Newcastle Jets begin.

Speaker 22 (01:49:35):
So this was season two, when the A leagu had
just just started, like you'd say, somewhat the glory days.
And I'm a Sydney Roosters fan and a West Coast
fan and during those the period of the two thousands,
they were a very very they're very very good clubs
and Sydney FC one and I was a bit of
on the fence about whether I should support SINNFC and
they ended up winning, so I said, no, we can't.
We can't go for the winners three teams in a row.

(01:49:58):
Season two I was, I was an observer, can observer,
and then Nikki Cars scored that fantastic solo goal against
Adelaide on a Friday night at Energy Australia Stadium and
they were the team for me. And people have said
it's a bit of a curse that I would have
had a lot more success and a lot more less.
Columbus traveled supporting Sydney, but Newcastle through and through my friends.

Speaker 2 (01:50:19):
And so when so have you always you've always gone
to home games? But have you always traveled to awayne games?
Or when did the sort of trend of yours of
going to pretty much every away game begin?

Speaker 14 (01:50:31):
So I didn't as every Sydney side.

Speaker 22 (01:50:34):
I did a gap Yere in England in twenty twenty
twelve and twenty thirteen and I moved to a team,
moved to a suburb called Layton and the home team's
Late and Orient, and there were about fifty or sixty
faithfuls that would go up on down the country each
week via train which is a lot more easier, and
go and watch their team win. And I felt like
a massive connection. So when I came home, I kind
of felt a responsibility to see how I'd go one

(01:50:56):
season just flying solo traveling. The problem is in Australia
and New Zealand you have to fly everywhere to get
to where you go to go. So I felt a
responsibility and I just thought, you know what, we'll keep
it up for as long as we can. And my
parents somehow still love me, they're happy for me to
do it.

Speaker 14 (01:51:14):
I don't have a lot of responsibility in my life.

Speaker 22 (01:51:16):
Yet, so yeah, it's I've been lucky enough to do
what I do, and there's a lot of great A
League supporters and I feel feel very blessed to be
able to support the league as well as I can.

Speaker 2 (01:51:29):
Well, as you say, in the UK, there are trains
and they take you pretty much everywhere, but this is
an entirely different story. In the A League. There are
four other teams in New South Wales, the Mariners, who
I know you hate, Sydney FC, Western Sydney MacArthur, so
they're pretty accessible. But teams in Melbourne, Adelaide, Brisbane, Perth
two over here. Now, so how do you fund this
passion of yours?

Speaker 14 (01:51:49):
So a great question. I'll reveal the secret.

Speaker 22 (01:51:52):
My mum is a dedicated thirty nine year international flight
stewards wonderful. So the words of staff travel does work.
It has sent me stranded a couple of times. But no,
I'm very very fortunate and lucky to to get cheap
flight tickets when I can. But also there's like I

(01:52:13):
will credit myself, there are I do have to go
around New South Wales and there's a lot of trips
up the Hunter which is the M one motorway which
is known as the F three as well. I think
it's a lot of dedication and look, the club has
been very very good to me, and so is the
league in a way. But no, the Jets do recognize
the commitment I go through and I am I do

(01:52:35):
credit for them to credit me. I guess, but no,
it's just a dedication. Like and you know what, I
get to meet so many fantastic individuals and there just
there are. You could write a book about the legends
of a leagues and I think maybe one day I
might have to do that, but not now.

Speaker 2 (01:52:50):
Well, let's talk about your experiences when you travel. Are
you ever the only traveling fan or do you normally
have one or two others with you? I know here
in Wellington today, for example, you've got a couple with you.
Are you ever the only traveling fan?

Speaker 22 (01:53:06):
I can't pinpoint a on away day that I've just
been the only solo because you get a lot of
ex pats. For example, Perth you have a lot of miners.
I think Adelaida, Brisbane you have a lot of beer
and wine drinkers. So I'm sure they migrate.

Speaker 14 (01:53:19):
North and south. But no, I'm sure there's been Maybe
I'll tell you what. There was one a in twenty thirteen.
We played.

Speaker 22 (01:53:27):
At Westpac Stadium or the K tenor whatever you want
to call it, and it was a Tuesday night game.
Michael Bridges and Adam Taggett scored. We won two to one,
which is it's like Hen's teeth winning in New Zealand
for us, But yeah, there's been one or two. But
if you're ever thinking about doing Await Day, whether you
live in Auckland or New Zealand, or if somehow you
stream in Australia, do it because if you win, it's great,

(01:53:48):
and if you lose you just want to go home
and cry.

Speaker 15 (01:53:51):
Well.

Speaker 2 (01:53:51):
I'm going to ask about the other fans, and you
mentioned meeting other people in the UK again, sometimes you
take your life and your hands going into the wrong
place in the stadium. If you're away fan, do you
typically mingle with opposition A League fans before and after games?

Speaker 22 (01:54:05):
It's it's a bit of not really a touchy subject
anymore because back in maybe ten years ago, there was
all about that I want to be the top guy,
the hoogan who loves who. But no, look you'll find
I think ten eighty percent you get good, good people,
and like when you go to the Old Bailey and

(01:54:25):
Wellington and you meet Wellington, you just feel loved, You
feel home. Everyone wants to buy you a drink, They
appreciate you coming over. I would put on record that
I think Wellington is the best away to a purely
for the hospitality. If you ever want to go to Perth,
you had a great sun set at Rottenest or Codslow Beach.

Speaker 14 (01:54:42):
But no, most of the times you.

Speaker 22 (01:54:45):
Have some great away fans. And you know what, I
don't hate the Marrors. I love to beat the absolute
living piss out of them, if I can say that,
But when before and after the game, I'll always have
a drink with Marinith Stunts because they're just souch lovely
people and they're hard workers. They're just like Novocastrians. They
know what it's like to go through the good and
bad times. But there are some absolute legends. I think

(01:55:08):
I'll stop saying how good this league is and how
the people are around it. But no, now you get
some really good eggs.

Speaker 2 (01:55:14):
You've been to Auckland as well a couple of times
now new addition to the A League. How do you
compare a trip to Auckland to a trip to Wellington?

Speaker 22 (01:55:23):
First of all, on record, Wellington's a better city, but no,
look what Auckland are doing at the moment. The club,
the city has gotten right around their supporters and good
on them. I'm heading there for New Year's Eve. If
you've got any your suggestions call through on the line
right now, but no, like the Auckland's a credit to
the league. And obviously it was a shame the Kings

(01:55:43):
and the early Auckland A League team never really worked out.
But what they're doing, they're fantastic and they deserve their flowers.
I hope they never win the league because I think
their fans are a bit a bit on the high
horse about it, and I know Wellington fans would never
hear the end of it, so something I think.

Speaker 14 (01:56:00):
I think Auckland's a very very good club to have
around it, and they fans are a credit.

Speaker 2 (01:56:05):
I think football fandom sports fandom as a roller coaster,
right there are ups and downs, there's thick and thin,
and there's been a lot of thin in recent times.
For newcast Well it's been slim pickings. Look you you know, well,
I remember when you won the A League. Think Andrew
Duranty won the he got the men of the Joe
Marsten Master middle in the final and then came straight
to Wellington the following season. But and your hosted a

(01:56:26):
Grand Final a few seasons ago. But it's been pretty
slim pickings. Do you just accept that fandom is a
roller coaster.

Speaker 22 (01:56:31):
I told my parents about eighteen months ago, I don't
think the Jets will ever win another trophy and it
disappoints me to say that. However, like I know, I
don't know if it was Eric Cantona or someone someone
said famous. You can you can cheat on you you
so you can cheat on your workplace obviously, don't cheat
on your partner, please, but you can never cheat on
your football team. And you know what, I feel such

(01:56:52):
a responsibility and I feel very grateful, like the Jets
will always be my number one, but I'm very lucky
and to win the Australia Cup this year, even though
we might have had an easy draw, Auckland couldn't beat
Hardelberg for the record, No, I it was awesome to see,
you know what. I hope we win many more trophies

(01:57:13):
and my kids can see them hopefully one day.

Speaker 2 (01:57:15):
But I don't think it will matter to you well,
because you'll go regardless. When was the last time you
missed a Newcastle game?

Speaker 22 (01:57:22):
I missed one actually this year from Perth because I
played cricket and Newcastle the day before and I got
hate strokes. So I sat on the couch and I
was like, I'm not going. When was last time I
missed an away day?

Speaker 14 (01:57:32):
Um, I couldn't tell you. I honestly couldn't tell you.

Speaker 2 (01:57:38):
So it's been years.

Speaker 14 (01:57:40):
I'd say it's been over five years that I've missed
an away day.

Speaker 22 (01:57:44):
It's just a cracking experience, like you feel once again
a responsibility to be there. And everyone knows Redwig Steve,
who's the greatest A League away supporter on record. He's
always at every game. He wears his red suit, he
wears his red red wig and when he's on TV
he deserves his flower as well. When I get a flowers,
I think, please take me off screen unless you're saying

(01:58:06):
good about me. But no, you know, I don't mind
a bit of air time as well. It's always good
to play back and put on the Facebook or the Instagram.

Speaker 2 (01:58:13):
What would you do if there was a significant family
occasion which clashed with a Newcastle game. What's say one
of your close family members was getting married, for example,
on the day of a Newcastle Jets game. What would
you do?

Speaker 22 (01:58:27):
Depends how good of a friend this person is. I'd
say if it was a first family relative, I think
the Jets would have to take a back seat. But no,
I've missed a second cousin's weddings and I don't think
I've missed a funeral touch Wood, but no, I missed
my sister's twenty first birthday to flat to napier in
I think it was twenty thirteen for a nil draw. Yeah,

(01:58:49):
it wasn't the best experience and I got ridiculed on
the way home. But no, look, I as you get
grow older and wise, there obviously there will be responsibility,
but it's just not happening yet.

Speaker 2 (01:59:03):
You flew in yesterday, you're out tomorrow. So a couple
of nights here in Wellington this one. Do you often
or ever just fly in and out on the same day?

Speaker 22 (01:59:09):
Yeah, you know what, I think the best away to
eight is a fly and fly out because over past
years the jets don't normally pick up the result we're
looking for, and to be so far away from your
bed it's not fantastic. Two weeks ago in Auckland, I
actually did a fly and fly out, which was crazy.
I wake up at four am, got home at eleven.
It I don't know, I can say it pissed, but

(01:59:31):
it pissed down with rain and I got the middle seats,
sitting between two larger individuals and they felt soaked on
their arms and I apologized and they were good about it.
But yeah, honestly it's a great experience. But next time
I might take a change of clothes.

Speaker 2 (01:59:48):
We've just been talking about World Cup and New Zealand
fans traveling to watch the or watch Will you go
and watch the soccer as the World Cup? Does your
fandom extend to that.

Speaker 22 (01:59:55):
I don't feel a responsibility of the soccer is And
I was there in two thousand and five when Bresciano
and Mark Schwartz and John Aloissi, and that was kind
of awesome. That was before the A League. I've always
thought club over country. And once again, I hope you
know what, I don't really.

Speaker 14 (02:00:13):
Care how the software is go this year is sorry
next year, but I hope we beat America. That's all
I care about.

Speaker 22 (02:00:20):
I don't need to get political, but it is a
shame what's happening over there with the ticket prices and
accommodation prices. So for me, I think you could do
for two weeks over there. You could probably find a
couple of A League away seasons. So for me and Obviously,
the Jets are playing an Asia this year next year,
which is great. So now three away days in Asia,
maybe Bali from Hong Kong.

Speaker 14 (02:00:40):
I'd rather do that.

Speaker 2 (02:00:41):
I fear for you. I fear for the good people
of Bali of us as well. No, man, it's great
to see You've aiden you talked about Redwig Steve Adelaide United.
It's most passionate fan. I think you're in the same
issue or mate. It's been awesome to get the chance
to know you, to see you over here so often,
and to see you in the studio today.

Speaker 8 (02:00:56):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (02:00:56):
I hope the Jets get the result you're after this afternoon.

Speaker 14 (02:00:58):
Do you have a score prediction?

Speaker 2 (02:00:59):
Piney, I don't have a score prediction for you. Do
you have aol A score prediction?

Speaker 22 (02:01:03):
You know what, I'm actually really confident. I think the moment,
with Wellington's injuries, they don't necessarily have the power up front.
I know they've got a great, great player, but I
don't think they're gonna He's gonna have the steps. And
for us, I think it's we're a bit weaker in defense,
so I think it's going to be who blinks first.

Speaker 14 (02:01:21):
I will say Jets three to one. But I'm sure
this will come back to bite me.

Speaker 2 (02:01:24):
Well, I don't know. It may it may do, it
may not. You never, you can never predict predicting.

Speaker 14 (02:01:30):
Can I just say? Have you got the greatest family
of all time?

Speaker 22 (02:01:32):
Have you got the most your daughter and your wife,
great dancing partners, your son's on his way to the.

Speaker 14 (02:01:38):
NBA, and you're just you've got a head for radio.
But you do a bloody good job.

Speaker 2 (02:01:43):
I'm certainly the I'm certainly the underachiever of my family.
Matt put it that way.

Speaker 8 (02:01:48):
Mate.

Speaker 2 (02:01:48):
Great to see you, Thanks for stopping and all the business. Afternoon,
same time next year.

Speaker 8 (02:01:52):
Why not?

Speaker 16 (02:01:53):
Why not?

Speaker 2 (02:01:54):
Well, I know you're going to be here. Matt Vandenberg,
one of the greats, one of the A League's super fans.
Ate away from three News Talks. When it's down to
the line, you made a call.

Speaker 1 (02:02:05):
Hold on ten eighty Weekend Sports with Jason Pine, News Talks, Envy.

Speaker 2 (02:02:11):
Five to three. That's us on weekend Sport for today
and for the weekend, and beverage on your radio after
three with the Sunday edition off the weekend. Collecti've been
great fun bringing you. The show's out the last couple
of days. We're back again next weekend. We want to
say we're back. I'm back. This is it for Andy.
Andy is off to Adelaide to watch the Ashes Day one, two,
hopefully three and four as well. And that's it for
you this year, I think, Andy, so mate, amazing work

(02:02:33):
from you. Thank you so much for all you have
done for the Weekend Sport audience in twenty twenty five.
I'll look forward to rekindling our working relationship in twenty
twenty six. And to send you off, You're off to
Adelaide and Adelaide's favorite Sun. As far as music is concerned,
as of course, Jimmy Barnes, so a bit of Barnesy

(02:02:54):
upfront for Cold Chisel, Flame Trees, sending us out. Stay well, mate,
you stay well as well. I'll see you tomorrow night
on Sports Talk five for Now.

Speaker 1 (02:03:10):
Be Nothing.

Speaker 14 (02:03:30):
James bat.

Speaker 1 (02:03:42):
Boy for more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen
live to News Talks It Be weekends from midday or
follow the podcast on iHeartRadio