July 8, 2025 • 42 mins
Elliott Smith returns to recap a full day in the world of sport! Highlights for tonight include:
Basketball NZ acting CEO Belinda Edwards on how expensive it was for our junior Tall Blacks to compete at the World Cup they just came 4th in.
Talkback - Do we need to move our sport funding model away from the Olympics and towards popular sports?
Matt Fisher - Northern Districts pace bowler on getting the call-up for the Black Caps.
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Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:06):
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Evening and welcome sports Talk until eight seven and a
half after seven Tuesday, the eighth of July twenty twenty five.
Alligant Smith and for Darcy of Autgrave again this week.
Later in the week we build up to the second
Test match between the All Blacks and France from Test
Match City in the Capitol Thursday and Friday plenty to
(00:56):
dig into tonight on Sports Talk though your calls and
texts welcome any points of our broadcasts. Oh one hundred
and eighty teen eighty for the former, nine two for
the latter. We have a new Black Cap and waiting.
Matt Fisher, the Northern District's placeman, given the call up
for the Zimbabwe Test Series in a couple of weeks time.
(01:17):
He will join us this hour on the program to
discuss how we found out, what he wants to get
out of the tour and how long he's wanted to
play for the Black Cats. Matt Fisher along in a
week while to discuss that. Also want to dig into
the New Zealand under nineteen basketball is how good was
that story over the weekend, beating Switzerland in the quarterfinals,
(01:40):
losing probably as expected to the United States in the
semi finals, and finishing fourth overall. But we want to
talk about more the remarkable financial costs that it took
them to get to this event. Quite remarkable the amount
that each player was forced to play, and it made
me wonder whether we have our high performance systems right
(02:01):
in this country. Belinda Edwards is the acting chief executive
Officicer of Basketball New Zealand and she'll add out for
us just how much players are expected to pay to
play in this tournament. Remarkable that they got there and
did what they did, but a big financial cost to
the players, their families, their communities, those that helped out.
(02:21):
Should we be funding our sport in a different way?
Basketball and New Zealand to respond to that in a
few moments time here on News Talk Zbeep. As I said,
your calls and texts welcome anytime on the program of
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty nine two ninety two
for the text message. But as we always do to
kick things off on sports Talk, it is sport today. Indeed,
(02:45):
and as you heard in the news, former Gold Coast
Titans number seven Tana Void all deboo for the Warrior
is a half back, replacing Luke Metcalf in the NRL
scientif Face. The West Tiger is at Mount Smart's on
Sunday afternoon. Okay, at the halfway line. The brand or
goes to fora for feed up quick ads there Remsen
look atny noon into the backfield for full live he
(03:07):
finds Tanner guide the gold coasted look put up again. Yes,
that was from his days the Titans. Now at the
Warriors to Mighty. Martin remains in the number fourteen jersey
as a utility option off the interchange. Skipper Scott Barrett's
out for the remainder of the All Blacks year opening
series against France after picking up a calf injury midway
through the second half of the opening. When in Dunedin
(03:30):
he is assistant coach Scott Hansen.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
We torst their depth an opportunity for someone else to
step up.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Ardie will come in and will lead us well like
his for the last number of weeks or so.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Still haven't clarified as to whether they are going to
activate another player. We'll bring him into Campnight to Koy
was around last week as injury cover. They hadn't yet
decided whether he will join the squad proper postseason. Netbull
has secured for the Mainland Tactics after a sixty eight
to fifty seven win over the Magic and the aen
Z Premiership match in Christ Dude, they'll finish top two
(04:01):
because he'll finish top spot. Here is this skipper at
a Canta pedison.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
We really wanted that one.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Obviously having the opportunity to play an elimination final, but
also a final here at home would mean so much
to us. So yeah, I'm really proud of the girls.
Let's jump on the bike and get into stage three
of the two de France, a one hundred and seventy
eight kilometer flat leg, finishing with a sprint and two dunkirk.
Jonathan Milan now kicks and goes for the line. It's Milan,
(04:26):
followed by timber Laire, now the European champion. Launches and launches.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Passed, is it?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Timber Lare? Photo finished for Lare puts his hand up
Similia there winning the stage. Matthew Vanderpoult continues to wear
the leader's yellow jersey. And we're at the point, en,
aren't we At Wimbledon. Fortune has favored the men's top seed,
Yarnick Sinner, getting him through to the quarterfinals via walkover.
Opponent Grigor Dimatrov withdrew to due to what appeared to
(04:52):
be a right pictrel injury. He was two sets to
love up with the score two aall and the third
Cinner was already struggling with the right elbow injury from
the first game of the match.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
It didn't seem a tough one, but you know, I
still felt quite a lot, especially servant fourhands.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
There's a bit of chatter going around as well. That's
benefited from the roof being closed, which Grigor Demotrov didn't.
But he's through and that was scot today. Indeed, well,
it was a story of the weekend perhaps outside the
All Blacks, wasn't it. The Under nineteen basketball is the
junior All Blacks taking a top four finish at the
(05:29):
World Championships in Switzerland, a very very impressive effort that
they put through, but it took them a lot of
money individually to get them to the tournament. Joining us
now is the acting Chief Executive Officer, usually the COO
of Basketball New Zealand, Belinda Edwards and Belinda, have you
come down to the ground on what was an incredible
(05:51):
few weeks A few cut, few couple of weeks, excuse me,
for the juniors, All.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Blacks absolutely an incredible effort. The boy's still a little
bit gutted about not getting the bronze medal, but we
continually remind them that the fourth in the world as
an incredible result and for a lot of those boys,
this is a second time they've done it. So they
did it at the Under seventeen World Cup last year,
(06:18):
ended up force and repeated that again, so extremely proud
of them.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Did you feel, obviously the previous year under seventeen so
that there was something building with this young group of men.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Yeah, definitely. I mean this is a really strong team.
We've also got some younger some younger teams coming through.
Our under sixteens at the moment are looking really strong
coming through for the next cycle. So when you're going
into this, we had an incredible team also an incredible
coaching staff alongside them, so we were going in very
(06:57):
hopeful and they came through.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
In the end, it's all Blacks senior team must end
in pretty good stead for the future. If this is
the crop of young players you've got coming through through.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Absolutely, these players have also been playing the skybroad Brand
Rapid League so NBL And. So the pathway for basketball
in New Zealand is really strong at the moment and
this success just shows that improves that we will continue
(07:29):
to see strength in both the Junior Tour Blacks and
the Tour Blacks in the future.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Obviously, funding wise, Basketball New Zealand doesn't get a great
deal from High Performance Sport in New Zealand. How much
did you ask each player or their families to contribute
to this trip?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Originally the full user pays would have been ten thousand dollars.
We had some funding that we could contribute to that,
so brought it down to eight and then that was
still extremely difficult for us to ask, so the Basketball
zell And Board agreed to reduce that further with some
(08:10):
other savings that we had managed to find. So the
total amount we ended up charging them was five thousand
dollars for each of them to attend.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Is it frustrating that you have to do that to
these promising young players? You know, I know that a
lot of sports around the country obviously fundraising and have
to put money into pockets to to send teams. But
frustrating you have to ask that much to get those
players on the international stage.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Oh, it's very frustrating. And like you say, we're not
the only sport in that situation. But when these especially
the high performing athletes are going to multipole campaigns year
on year, sometimes more than one campaign a year, it's
incredibly expensive and obviously it creates a bit of a
(08:58):
barrier there. We try and reduce that barrier. We allow
people to pay things off. We've got a raffle going
that we'd love people to contribute to to try and
help fundraise for these kids. But also you know, there
are some of them that have great support from their
community that gather around and try and help with the funding.
(09:20):
But to your point, it is extremely frustrating to have
to ask for these large sums of money when they're
representing their country.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Is this something that basketball in New Zealand has become
accustomed or used to. I suppose, given what's happened in
recent times around the funding model for high performanceupport in
New Zealand, that year by year you have to ask
these players to dip into their pockets or their families
or their communities.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Yeah, this isn't new. I guess the thing that for
Barsltball New Zealand is the better that we get the
more campaigns that we're going to So going to World Cups,
going to final Aga Cups, that is happening more and more.
We're also going to the other side of the world
(10:05):
is very often and so as we all know, travel
costs increasingly more and more expensive. So yeah, the price
is not reducing, which also doesn't help. But yeah, for sure,
it's something that's been around for a long time for
basketball having to charge players. We would love to be
(10:27):
able to get rid of that. For example, attending this
World Cup, we're the only team there where the children
the participants had to pay.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
And given the number of players playing basketball in the country,
you know, it's not like it's and here I say
it because I'm sure there'll be listeners of smaller sports
out there frustrated by that. But you know, basketball, you
feel into high participation sport. You know that must you know,
stick in the craw a little bit, that you've got
to go out and do this.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
There's a lot of things that we're working on in
the background, but the funding model certainly doesn't suit a
sport like basketball, a sport that's a truly global sport.
The travel is incredible and we're punched well above our weight.
So the funding model in New Zealand, I think the
criteria for that funding is probably not suitable for those
(11:27):
types of sports anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
I remember speaking to it to Ian Potter when he
was in the job about this. It's been a number
of years now, this this long term frustration. Do you
see any light at the end of the tunnel with
high performance sport in New Zealand around.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
This Perhaps not for this cycle. They've already done their
funding for this Olympic cycle, but we're continually having those conversations.
I think there needs to be some sort of waiting
for the truly global sports rather than just podium finishes.
(12:01):
I think that we need to have a look at
the waiting on the critera area for those that are
still achieving incredible results. I mean force in the world
out of one hundred and fifty two countries competing is
phenomenal and I think there needs to be some recognition
for that.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Do you think obviously that the numbers come around every year?
Obviously Olympic comes into a big time, but they do
get reassessed. Do you think you've got a case to
go back to high performance sport in New Zealand this
year and you ask for a little bit more funding
or do you think that the door's closed.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
I think we'll certainly be having some conversations. I think
high performance sport elves are limited by the money that
they get from the government as well, so it's certainly
not not their fault. I think in general the funding
is reducing for high performance sport as well, so they've
(13:00):
got a challenge on their hands. But will certainly be
knocking on the door and seeing if there's a there's
any more that we can tap into.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Blenda inwards with US and basketball in New Zealand. Just finally, Blunder,
I mean the fourth place finishit this at the Under
nineteen World Cup. You know, everyone remembers the two thousand
and two campaign with the Tall Blacks and what they
are able to do there. The signs must be pretty
good though for a sport that doesn't get a lot
of funding, that you're punching above the weight and you know,
maybe another World Championship or Olympic style result could been
(13:29):
the offering in the years to come with this group
of Adirasat kids.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean incredibly proud of this group. A
lot of them off to their colleges and the States
where they'll get even even more high performance support on
their games and their skills. So looking forward to them
coming back and joining the Tall Blacks as our selectors.
(13:56):
So we're incredibly excited. Our high performance team at Basketball
New Zealand have got a really strong campaign both men's
and women's for the twenty twenty eight cycles, so we're
extremely hopeful and that's certainly a World Cup in twenty
twenty seven for the Tall Blacks and then Olympics in
the twenty twenty eight and obviously we're doing extremely well
(14:20):
in three.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Extrae as well.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Our our youth three xtray are currently ranked second in
the world both men and women. So all the signs
are certainly pouring in the right direction and where we're
certainly working towards some partium finishers in the future.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Forget the refs call, you make a call on eight
hundred and eighty eighty Sports Talk on your home of
Sport News.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Talksib Blinda Edwards. They're joining us from basketball in New
Zealand season charge with Dylan Boucher at the war At
the Warriors, the breaker is now and is the chief
operating officer usually acting our chief executive officer at basketball
in New Zealand. So there were the numbers five thousand
dollars per play to get the New Zealand to under
(15:07):
nineteen basketballers to the World Cup. Basketball and New Zealand
could chuck in a little bit, not much. They got
it down from what eight thousands, I think five thousand
number that she says, what as it was, but they
still had to fork out five thousand dollars per player
to get to the world stage. They're not the only
(15:27):
sport force to get youngsters to tournaments around New Zealand
around the world. Five thousand dollars, though, seems to be
excessive because this Bo's point there by and large, maybe
in the last year of high school, maybe even having
exited high school. In the US college system, depending on
whereabouts they fall into that under nineteen age group, a
(15:48):
lot of them, maybe all them playing college basketball in
the United States. So they're on the cusp of making
it and they have to pay for the privilege. It's
really tricky. I mean basketball New Zealand, it's seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars of funding this year from high
performance sport in New Zealand seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Cycling is about five million. To put it into bit
(16:09):
of context, that money goes towards their tall Blacks and
Tall Ferns programs. High performance sport in New Zealand's doesn't
have a bottomless pit of funding. Money doesn't grow on trees,
as we all know. But given basketballs numbers as a
participation sport in this country, they're huge. Are we necapping
(16:31):
ourselves our future tall Blacks, our future tall Ferns by
funding it so little? Is the funding model fundamentally broken
here in New Zealand for high performance sport? Is it
too steered towards the Olympic Games? You can't argue really
(16:53):
that sport New Zealand doesn't know what it's doing in
terms of funding for Olympic sports because they're getting return
on investment. Paris last year was New Zealand's most successful
Olympics ever. But is it time that maybe we look
to the sports that are bringing in players and massive
numbers like basketball and give these kids a pathway where
(17:17):
they don't have to pay five thousand dollars per tournament
to go to a World Championships. Oh eight hundred eighty
ten eighty nine two nine two for a text message,
is it time the sports funding model in New Zealand
gets an overhaul away from Olympics and maybe towards the
sports that New Zealanders are playing more often? Want to
(17:40):
hear from you on this here on News Talk ZIBB
twenty four and a half after seven, your calls and
texts after this.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Plenty game.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
You hear it from the biggest names in sports and men.
Have your say on oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty
sports Talk or more on your home of sports news
Talk ZIBY.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Seven after seven on News Talk ZIBB, talking the funding
model for high performance sport in this country. It astounded
me that a lot of those players that did New
Zealand so proud over the weekend had to pay five
thousand dollars per player to go five thousand dollars. Now,
(18:23):
I'm sure we all know tales of sportspeople, young sports
people that have had to fundraise do the old sausages
or chocolate, whatever it might be, to get to sporting events,
but when you're the next step to the elite level,
when you're the under nineteen representation of a national body,
(18:44):
in this case the Junior Tall Blacks, have we got
things a little bit wrong. For years, Basketball and New
Zealand have been crying out for more money and they
have been basically ignored by and large on most occasions
because what they see is success doesn't fit in with
(19:07):
the high performance sport New Zealand model. It was interesting
looking at this story this afternoon and doing some research
around the funding. I mean, this isn't you but the
fact that they got to fourth is on the back
of having to pay to play. In two thousand and nine,
Steven Adams couldn't travel with the Junior Tour Blacks because
(19:31):
he couldn't afford it, couldn't afford the accommodation, couldn't for
the flight, couldn't afford the meal fees, whatever it might be.
He did not go with the Junior Tour Blacks. That
was fifteen years ago and nothing. And you just think
how many other Steve Adams might have missed out on
their opportunity because their family haven't had the funds, their
(19:55):
community couldn't get them there. There's only so much a
soliciticial can do. Oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty nine
two nine to two for a text message or a
text I'll get too in a moment. Let's though, go
to Lines and Tom Evening.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Tom, hiy on, do you think do you think the
Junior All Blacks the under twenties are paying five thousand
each to tune up at the tournament?
Speaker 2 (20:21):
I would say almost certainly not. No, they're not.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
And do you imagine how many more basketball as there
are in New Zealand than there are rugby players truckloads,
So you know, when you work at an ROI return
on an investment. Obviously basketball is getting stuffed as many
other sports such as football, golf, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
That's a very good point. I'm even sure who pays
for the Junior All Blacks with the All Blacks under
twenties to go to that tournament, because I think it
might be World Rugby or New Zealand Rugby funded themselves.
They are a self funded model. But when you come
to basketball, there's only so many avenues in New Zealand
to get revenue, and you know, these poor kids have
had to fork out five thousand dollars each to get there.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Yeah, I just think that's abominable. Do you think if
you imagine how much investment there is not a shot
putter or a javelin thrower, you know which that you
could count them on one hand how many there are,
and there's hundreds of thousands of basketball and they get
two tenths of bugger all Its crime shame.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
It certainly is, Tom. So you'll be happy for more
basketball funding at the expense of perhaps some of those
traditional Olympic sports.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Absolutely, I mean you get a medal at the end
of it. Great, We do all feel fantastic when someone
does want a medal at the Olympics, to be sure,
But if you want to promote youth sport and get
youth into sport as opposed to some other activities which
would rather they went doing, then invest in the youth
(21:54):
and the sports that they're playing.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
I tend to agree with your Tom. Nice to hear
from you this evening. Oh, eight hundred eighty teen eighty
nine four a text message. Mate's a good point. We
do feel the warm fuzzies when there's a shot put worm,
there's a rowing gold and if you asked this question
in July of last year. Should we take away the
rowing funding? Should we take away the basketball funding? Should
we take away whatever? Might be a different conversation, But
(22:21):
seven eight months on, when these basketballers have had to
go to the World Championships age great level, these kids
that are out of pocket, Yeah, they've had a great time.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty nine two nine
two for a text message, or saying Steven Adams couldn't
(22:41):
travel with the junior toll Blacks because he couldn't afford
the funding. He's got to the highest level of basketball
without really benefiting from high performance sport funding. He still
has never played for the twoll Blacks. It's looking increasingly
likely like he probably never will. What's better for sport
(23:04):
in New Zealand? Is it those Olympic gold meddal moments
or is it having three four five players in the NBA?
Where does the value come from? What are we more
likely as a country to get value out of in
that regard? Eight hundred eighty ten eighty nine two nine
(23:27):
two for a text message? Basketball, You know it's a
sleeping giant. In many ways, they've always missed out because
of the Olympic focus that high performance sport in New
Zealand has had the middle focus the competitiveness of that.
(23:48):
But with the back to back under seventeen and under
nineteen fourth placings, you could argue really that a podium
finished like the top two blacks the senior toll Blacks
got in two thousand and two may actually well be
a realistic possibility in the not too distant future. Still
(24:08):
have to qualify, I still have to get there. The
funding model works for what it sets out to do,
which is when Olympic medals twenty at the last Games.
No one's arguing at that it works for what high
performance sport wants to do. But is basketball right and
that it deserves more of a share and shouldn't be
(24:30):
forcing kids to pay five thousand dollars to get to
the pinnacle age group event. A couple more texts that
I'll get to after the break. Oh eight hundred and
eighty ten to eighty line is open as well for
your calls. There are a couple of interesting ones. Maybe
I've misread this so it feels like you age group
parents out there, of promising teenage sports people having to
(24:56):
dip into the pocket a fair bit. We'll come back
to those texts after the break here on Newstalk ZB
twenty six away from eight. It is twenty two away
(25:47):
from eights. On new stalks they'll be talking the funding
model and sport by watering some to me anyway, five
thousand dollars to get the New Zealand under nineteen basketballers
to their World Championships that they did very well at
and finished in fourth. But having a look at the
text line feels like it's not particularly uncommon for that
(26:10):
kind of sum to be asked of parents of families
of communities to get their team or sport to the
world stage. I'm sure the people out there may be listening.
They haven't been able to send their young prospect there,
young kid, some daughter to a tournament because the cost
(26:32):
is just too much. Someone on the pathway, it's a
lot of money to ask people to come up to
There is a couple of texts that I will get to.
This is hi. Not all rugby reps get funded. My
niece represented New Zealand in an under twenty touch rugby
international tournament in Australia. It cost you five thousand dollars.
A lot of fundraising. God are there? So seems the
rugby money pool doesn't apply to touch age group touch rugby.
(26:54):
Thank you for the text. My daughter just got into
the New Zealand women's volleyball team. Cost you six thousand
dollars for about ten days at a major tournament in
Vietnam a few weeks ago. Thank of Roger for the text.
NOL says this high In my opinion, administration is the
biggest killer of any organization. Players play in affiligation to
participate and much of which is absorbed in overheads. The
(27:19):
under nineteen rowing team have to pay twenty k each
this year to row. Every Olympic sport has to self
fund at junior level. I thought the reality of that,
and this is me being probably quite naive, thank you
for the text. Is that given a lot of the
funding for those sports like rowing, like cycling is committed
(27:43):
to pathways, one of the three priorities of the high
Performance Sport in New Zealand system is performance pathways, that
some of that Monday might trickle down to those age
group events that we're talking about, for the ones that
are more well funded. Anyway, you're rolling, you're cycling, your
tier one sports from a New Zealand perspective that we
(28:04):
fund marsworth this, Sorry Elliott, can't take money away from
the Olympics. Last Olympics was our best one yute. Take
money away from that and it would jeopardize it. Basketball
needs sponsors like the All Blacks to help fund them.
If there's that much interest in basketball, they're why don't
they have Nike added ass forward knocking down the door
to sponsor them. There's not enough eyeballs on the sports
Sorry Alligat, It's just a reality muzz fair point. I
(28:29):
think they don't have a lot of content, a lot
to sell. Put it that way, for basketball in New
Zealand to All Blacks maybe pay ten times a year.
A lot of that's offshore, not really in the home market.
A lot the All Blacks they play six games at
home a year, filling out stadiums. They're around the globe,
they're getting TV right, steals, they're getting very everything else
(28:51):
like that that comes into the n Z ar coffers.
I think B and Z's one of the major ones
that have got in behind basketball in New Zealand. I'm
not sure if it's directly two basketball in New Zealand
or just teams and youth programs, but they're one of
the ones that have there very sort of capitalistic market.
What have you got to sell? What can we stick
(29:11):
our branding on? And basket when you just don't have
enough to sell? I think is the truth of it.
Barnsey with this, maybe Steven Adams could arrange a pre
season game for the Tall Blacks playing his NBA team.
He could play for US against his team. Maybe don't
mind that, Parnzy the coffers a little bit. I'd other
one ask Bevan says how many kids were there on
(29:32):
the trip? It's good point. Actually did have a look
for this before we came on here. Couldn't quite figure
out the number. I'd say probably in the vicinity of
twelve at a guess. Ruth with us shameful. I can't
believe at the very least their costs are not covered. Embarrassing.
Well done lads, outstanding cheers Ruth. Another couple to finish
(29:55):
try sailing sending teenage daughter to a World Championships that
she qualified. Year twenty k year one, keep doing well
grows to one hundred k per year, all parent funded.
It's a lot of money. It's a lot of money
to put into sport. I'm grateful that we've got parents
out there that are able to do so, that are fundraising,
(30:15):
that are getting their kids to the tournament, because that's
keeping the pathways alive for our kids in this country.
There's a couple more I'll get to before we wrap
up the show tonight. So it is seventeen away from
eight on Used Talks ZIB. The new black Caps pacement
Matt Fisher, uncapped, only uncaped player in the squad for Zimbabwe.
He's going to jump on the blower after this on
(30:37):
Use Talks b it is seventeen away from it.
Speaker 6 (30:40):
We've got the.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Limb and everything. Had me.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Send shoot living this up stairs, do sing again. It
(31:14):
is Sports Talk fourteen away from eights on news Talk
zb Well Northern District's pace bowler Matt Fisher the new
name in the black Caps squad fifteen strong for the
two Tests tour of Zimbabwe later this month. Widely regarded
as one of the fastest bowlers in the country. He
was by injury over the summer just Bean or four
(31:36):
months ago, just Bean, but he is the young Cat
player in the squad. If you did miss it this morning,
Tom Latham's the captain, Tom Blundell, Devin Conway, Jacb Duffy,
Matt Fisher, Matt Henry, Darrell, Mitchell, Henry Nichols, will ow' rourke,
a Jaz Battel, Glenn Phillips, Russian Ravendra, Mitch Santoner, Nathan
Smith and Will Young to no King Williamson in that
squad and Michael Brace were allowed to play in the
(31:58):
hundred in the UK, joining us. Now. One of the
players in that squad the new name is Matt Fisher.
Matt thinks so much much for your time here on
news talks. He'd be congratulations on your selection.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Yeah, pretty stoked. A dream come true.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
How did you find out the news? Did Rob Walter
give you a call?
Speaker 6 (32:18):
I had a camp last week with him, and after
the camp, literally after I bowled my final ball.
Speaker 5 (32:23):
He sat me down and yeah, told me the news.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Did you feel by going to that camp that you
were in the mix or was it very much a
sort of let's hit along and see what happens.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (32:34):
I thought I was just net bowling because obviously there's
a few players overseas playing in all the leagues, so yeah,
I think they're short on bowlers, and I just had
some overs under my belt and I just thought it
was pretty cool to be a part of the squad,
and yeah, training with them all week.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
And what did Rob say, what were his reasons for
forgiving you the call up?
Speaker 6 (32:52):
He just basically said he was just keen to get
me in the side, and yeah, to just keep doing
what I've been doing at the domestic level.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
I know that you mentioned your pace, what kind of
pace you're clocking with the red ball.
Speaker 6 (33:06):
To say, we don't really have speed cameras all the time,
but sometimes bring them on to training and touching one forty.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
It's a decent old ball of the ball of the
cricket ball. Have you always been sort of that that
fast bowler that has the you know, that that element
in them.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
Yeah, I think from a young age I always wanted to
bowl fast, and yeah, when I was about fifteen, I
grew quite a bit and started bowling considery faster than
a few mother mates. So yeah, and then just kind
of started from there. Just coaches get telling me to
bowl fast, and yeah, I enjoy doing it.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
I saw a we note today that you when you
went down to Otigo, you're sort of more of a
batsman or you regarded yourself as an all rounded down there.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I don't know where you've heard that from claimed out
a school, but quickly realized probably wasn't the option.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
I know you've had a few injuries along the way
as well, including one of the most recent domestic season.
How frustrating have they been? Have they been big setbacks?
Speaker 6 (34:04):
Yeah? The first couple of years didn't really get a bowl.
Many balls actually kept me out of the season. Yeah,
they're very frustrating, but talking to a lot of bowlers
around New Zealand, they say it's going to happen. So
I've just got some good people around me that kind
of led me in the right direction.
Speaker 5 (34:22):
Just trying to get stronger and fitter.
Speaker 6 (34:23):
And they've hinted at the magic age at twenty five
is when those injuries start to slow down.
Speaker 5 (34:28):
So now I'm twenty five, I'm hoping hoping that's the case.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
But yeah, just trying to stay as fit as possible
and trying to avoid them at all costs.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
That's the way. Have you had a mentor through your
career at all or you fast forward that that you've
used to the soundboard.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
I've had Graham Aldredge since I was about sixteen. Who's Yeah,
he's just really been really good for me, able to
talk to him about everything, and is my INDI coach
for a couple of years there, and then lately I've
just been able to pick the brains of Tim Saudi
and Neil Wagner, who was lucky enough to play for
for the last couple years, I'll play with for the
last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (35:06):
Yeah, they've been great to talk to and really enjoy
picking their brains.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Not a bad couple of players to learn from what
would have been there? The main messages about your growth
and how have they helped.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
You, mainly just backing myself.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
I think like the more you bowl in games, is
the more confidence you have.
Speaker 5 (35:25):
Yeah, I think just backing my pace.
Speaker 6 (35:27):
And kind of the more cricket I've played, the more
skills I'll get. So yeah, they're just always backed me
and that's probably just a big thing. And then staying
on the park, they said you'll just slowly learn how
you can bowl and test and how you can break
games open.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
So no, they're just really good to talk to.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Do you see that primarily as your role is that
you know that game breaking sort of fast bowler.
Speaker 6 (35:47):
Yeah, I think so at the moment, probably come on
and try break the game over. Sometimes might go for
a few more runs than the other bowlers, but yeah,
I think that'll probably be the case.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
I'm seeing you obviously in domestic cricket. Do you see
yourself as a multi format sort of bowler that can
can play the white ball stuff pretty well as well?
Speaker 6 (36:07):
Yeah, I love playing all formats, still trying to get
the skills and whatnot, and T twenty probably haven't mastered
that as much yet. But the more cricket I player,
the more skills I developed in more confidence I get.
But yeah, I love playing all formats, and obviously there's
a lot of opportunities coming that are popping up all
around the world. So yeah, hopefully I'll stick to all
(36:29):
three at the moment, and yeah, hopefully I can get
some call ups here and there for all three.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
And this tour of Zimbabwe. Just looking at the squad,
I mean, I assume you know Mitch Satonner quite well.
There are many of the other boys that you're familiar with.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
Yeah, well, I suppose there's any a few teams in
New Zealand around the domestic Concil always bumping into everyone
and talking to them, So yeah, it'll be good to
I suppose meet some of the other boys and have
a bit more to do with them. But yeah, we've
been lucky enough to train with them and had a
bit to do with them, so hoping i'll fit in.
Speaker 5 (36:59):
Alright.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
What are you expecting out of Zimbabwe? I guess it's
been a while since the Black Caps have played there
as well. Traditionally sort of hard sort of wickets. Is
that what you're expecting when you get over there?
Speaker 5 (37:10):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 6 (37:11):
I've been following the South Africa Zimbabwe Test at the
moment it looks like there's runs galore, so probably not
the site you want to be seeing as a fastballer,
but I think it would just be a really good
opportunity and I suppose learning how to adapt on different surfaces.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Yeah, as cricket always been your main passion, Matt through the.
Speaker 6 (37:28):
Years, rugby and cricket growing up, and then probably towards
year eleven, cricket started taking a ford Yeah, Ford focus,
and yeah, start focusing on that bit more.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
But yeah, love rugby.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Because I think, well, Paul's collegiate, which obviously is Danielatori's school,
so a fair bit of cricketing pedigree through those hallways
through the years.
Speaker 5 (37:49):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
Now we're in the same house, so I haven't actually
had much to do with them, but definitely one for
the ages at Saint Paul's.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
And mattch a couple of final ones. What's your main goal,
I guess getting out of this tour. I suppose you've
you've got the call up now, so as you begin
to prepare to head off and on the planning in
a week or two, what do you want to get
out of this tour? Is it a debut or is
it just immersing yourself in the Black Caps environment.
Speaker 6 (38:14):
Well, obviously you'd want to day Bob, but I'll just
be preparing for any any well opportunity that pops up.
I'm just keen to go over and learn and show
that I'm real keen and yeah, just see what it's
all about.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
And I guess Rob Boltz is from that part of
the world, is South Africa as well as he giving
you any insight as to the we talked a bit
about the decks, but I guess the conditions everything like
that and what you might come.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
Across, not yet so I think the next couple of
weeks will probably be a bit more detail on that end,
but yeah, just see it.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
Kind of congratulations and he's looking forward to having me.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Well, we're looking forward to seeing you get out on
the pitch as well. Hopefully you get a crack with
that red ball. Appreciate your time Matt here on News
Talk ZB. Thanks for joining.
Speaker 5 (38:56):
Us so there, Thank you for having me there.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
He was Matt Fisher joining the program new Black Cats
placeman and kept going on that tour of Zimbabwe. Well
we're chatting to Matt. Jeff called in around this funding
model for sport in New zealandif evening.
Speaker 7 (39:19):
Yeah, good evening, just about this funding of sports yet
the lack of funding goes right back now. I came
from the GYN and we had a really good roller
hockey team and roller hockey was big time in Australia
and probably still was. But we couldn't go because we
(39:42):
didn't have the funding to get there, which was really
disappointing because we won a minor tournament when I was
about fourteen fifteen, was in New Zealand and it was
hard enough getting to Wellington or going to christ Church,
which my parents really struggled for the funding. So but
(40:08):
the biggest disappointment was not getting into Australia.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
Yeah, so it's not a new problem, Jeff. Sorry, I'm
just saying it's not a new problem in many ways,
it's been around for a wee while.
Speaker 7 (40:21):
Yeah, well, f finally, you know, like some basketball team,
you know, you know, parents don't always have five or
six thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
That's the trouble, that's right, Jeff. I mean, it's a
hell of a lot of money to be asked to
stump up, and maybe you're anticipating it in some ways.
Brendan said this earlier as well. The five k is
not great, but I think it's not bad considering my
daughter has four different tournaments in New Zealand this year
at eighteen hundred every time. I'm not sure what supporterism
(40:54):
I have miss missed that, but not a World championship.
But still expensive year for us. The reality is outside
of one or two sports, that's costing everyone loads to
do sport. We just had to prioritize and do some fundraising.
Problem as the rest of our community is doing the same. Well,
my eyes have been opened a little bit tonight. Around
some of that because I thought if you're at the
under nineteen level in a sport like basketball, then maybe
(41:16):
you should be getting some funding. But here from rowing
in other sports tonight that that is far indeed from
the case. Not a lot of money to go around,
as we know from high performance sport in New Zealand,
and they've prioritized it. Someone's going to miss out, isn't it.
Ultimately the case just depends what misses out. My thanks,
(41:37):
he calls them text tonight, my thanks to ANTS for producing.
We will see you back tomorrow night from seven here
on sports Talk on News Talk ZEBB. It is coming
up three away from eight.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it B from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
on iHeartRadio
You're listening to the Sports Talk podcast with Darcy Waldegrave
from News Talk ZEDB.
Speaker 2 (00:36):
Evening and welcome sports Talk until eight seven and a
half after seven Tuesday, the eighth of July twenty twenty five.
Alligant Smith and for Darcy of Autgrave again this week.
Later in the week we build up to the second
Test match between the All Blacks and France from Test
Match City in the Capitol Thursday and Friday plenty to
(00:56):
dig into tonight on Sports Talk though your calls and
texts welcome any points of our broadcasts. Oh one hundred
and eighty teen eighty for the former, nine two for
the latter. We have a new Black Cap and waiting.
Matt Fisher, the Northern District's placeman, given the call up
for the Zimbabwe Test Series in a couple of weeks time.
(01:17):
He will join us this hour on the program to
discuss how we found out, what he wants to get
out of the tour and how long he's wanted to
play for the Black Cats. Matt Fisher along in a
week while to discuss that. Also want to dig into
the New Zealand under nineteen basketball is how good was
that story over the weekend, beating Switzerland in the quarterfinals,
(01:40):
losing probably as expected to the United States in the
semi finals, and finishing fourth overall. But we want to
talk about more the remarkable financial costs that it took
them to get to this event. Quite remarkable the amount
that each player was forced to play, and it made
me wonder whether we have our high performance systems right
(02:01):
in this country. Belinda Edwards is the acting chief executive
Officicer of Basketball New Zealand and she'll add out for
us just how much players are expected to pay to
play in this tournament. Remarkable that they got there and
did what they did, but a big financial cost to
the players, their families, their communities, those that helped out.
(02:21):
Should we be funding our sport in a different way?
Basketball and New Zealand to respond to that in a
few moments time here on News Talk Zbeep. As I said,
your calls and texts welcome anytime on the program of
eight hundred and eighty ten eighty nine two ninety two
for the text message. But as we always do to
kick things off on sports Talk, it is sport today. Indeed,
(02:45):
and as you heard in the news, former Gold Coast
Titans number seven Tana Void all deboo for the Warrior
is a half back, replacing Luke Metcalf in the NRL
scientif Face. The West Tiger is at Mount Smart's on
Sunday afternoon. Okay, at the halfway line. The brand or
goes to fora for feed up quick ads there Remsen
look atny noon into the backfield for full live he
(03:07):
finds Tanner guide the gold coasted look put up again. Yes,
that was from his days the Titans. Now at the
Warriors to Mighty. Martin remains in the number fourteen jersey
as a utility option off the interchange. Skipper Scott Barrett's
out for the remainder of the All Blacks year opening
series against France after picking up a calf injury midway
through the second half of the opening. When in Dunedin
(03:30):
he is assistant coach Scott Hansen.
Speaker 3 (03:32):
We torst their depth an opportunity for someone else to
step up.
Speaker 4 (03:36):
Ardie will come in and will lead us well like
his for the last number of weeks or so.
Speaker 2 (03:41):
Still haven't clarified as to whether they are going to
activate another player. We'll bring him into Campnight to Koy
was around last week as injury cover. They hadn't yet
decided whether he will join the squad proper postseason. Netbull
has secured for the Mainland Tactics after a sixty eight
to fifty seven win over the Magic and the aen
Z Premiership match in Christ Dude, they'll finish top two
(04:01):
because he'll finish top spot. Here is this skipper at
a Canta pedison.
Speaker 1 (04:04):
We really wanted that one.
Speaker 2 (04:05):
Obviously having the opportunity to play an elimination final, but
also a final here at home would mean so much
to us. So yeah, I'm really proud of the girls.
Let's jump on the bike and get into stage three
of the two de France, a one hundred and seventy
eight kilometer flat leg, finishing with a sprint and two dunkirk.
Jonathan Milan now kicks and goes for the line. It's Milan,
(04:26):
followed by timber Laire, now the European champion. Launches and launches.
Speaker 5 (04:31):
Passed, is it?
Speaker 2 (04:32):
Timber Lare? Photo finished for Lare puts his hand up
Similia there winning the stage. Matthew Vanderpoult continues to wear
the leader's yellow jersey. And we're at the point, en,
aren't we At Wimbledon. Fortune has favored the men's top seed,
Yarnick Sinner, getting him through to the quarterfinals via walkover.
Opponent Grigor Dimatrov withdrew to due to what appeared to
(04:52):
be a right pictrel injury. He was two sets to
love up with the score two aall and the third
Cinner was already struggling with the right elbow injury from
the first game of the match.
Speaker 6 (05:00):
It didn't seem a tough one, but you know, I
still felt quite a lot, especially servant fourhands.
Speaker 2 (05:06):
There's a bit of chatter going around as well. That's
benefited from the roof being closed, which Grigor Demotrov didn't.
But he's through and that was scot today. Indeed, well,
it was a story of the weekend perhaps outside the
All Blacks, wasn't it. The Under nineteen basketball is the
junior All Blacks taking a top four finish at the
(05:29):
World Championships in Switzerland, a very very impressive effort that
they put through, but it took them a lot of
money individually to get them to the tournament. Joining us
now is the acting Chief Executive Officer, usually the COO
of Basketball New Zealand, Belinda Edwards and Belinda, have you
come down to the ground on what was an incredible
(05:51):
few weeks A few cut, few couple of weeks, excuse me,
for the juniors, All.
Speaker 4 (05:55):
Blacks absolutely an incredible effort. The boy's still a little
bit gutted about not getting the bronze medal, but we
continually remind them that the fourth in the world as
an incredible result and for a lot of those boys,
this is a second time they've done it. So they
did it at the Under seventeen World Cup last year,
(06:18):
ended up force and repeated that again, so extremely proud
of them.
Speaker 2 (06:24):
Did you feel, obviously the previous year under seventeen so
that there was something building with this young group of men.
Speaker 4 (06:33):
Yeah, definitely. I mean this is a really strong team.
We've also got some younger some younger teams coming through.
Our under sixteens at the moment are looking really strong
coming through for the next cycle. So when you're going
into this, we had an incredible team also an incredible
coaching staff alongside them, so we were going in very
(06:57):
hopeful and they came through.
Speaker 2 (06:59):
In the end, it's all Blacks senior team must end
in pretty good stead for the future. If this is
the crop of young players you've got coming through through.
Speaker 4 (07:08):
Absolutely, these players have also been playing the skybroad Brand
Rapid League so NBL And. So the pathway for basketball
in New Zealand is really strong at the moment and
this success just shows that improves that we will continue
(07:29):
to see strength in both the Junior Tour Blacks and
the Tour Blacks in the future.
Speaker 2 (07:34):
Obviously, funding wise, Basketball New Zealand doesn't get a great
deal from High Performance Sport in New Zealand. How much
did you ask each player or their families to contribute
to this trip?
Speaker 4 (07:46):
Originally the full user pays would have been ten thousand dollars.
We had some funding that we could contribute to that,
so brought it down to eight and then that was
still extremely difficult for us to ask, so the Basketball
zell And Board agreed to reduce that further with some
(08:10):
other savings that we had managed to find. So the
total amount we ended up charging them was five thousand
dollars for each of them to attend.
Speaker 2 (08:18):
Is it frustrating that you have to do that to
these promising young players? You know, I know that a
lot of sports around the country obviously fundraising and have
to put money into pockets to to send teams. But
frustrating you have to ask that much to get those
players on the international stage.
Speaker 4 (08:36):
Oh, it's very frustrating. And like you say, we're not
the only sport in that situation. But when these especially
the high performing athletes are going to multipole campaigns year
on year, sometimes more than one campaign a year, it's
incredibly expensive and obviously it creates a bit of a
(08:58):
barrier there. We try and reduce that barrier. We allow
people to pay things off. We've got a raffle going
that we'd love people to contribute to to try and
help fundraise for these kids. But also you know, there
are some of them that have great support from their
community that gather around and try and help with the funding.
(09:20):
But to your point, it is extremely frustrating to have
to ask for these large sums of money when they're
representing their country.
Speaker 2 (09:28):
Is this something that basketball in New Zealand has become
accustomed or used to. I suppose, given what's happened in
recent times around the funding model for high performanceupport in
New Zealand, that year by year you have to ask
these players to dip into their pockets or their families
or their communities.
Speaker 4 (09:43):
Yeah, this isn't new. I guess the thing that for
Barsltball New Zealand is the better that we get the
more campaigns that we're going to So going to World Cups,
going to final Aga Cups, that is happening more and more.
We're also going to the other side of the world
(10:05):
is very often and so as we all know, travel
costs increasingly more and more expensive. So yeah, the price
is not reducing, which also doesn't help. But yeah, for sure,
it's something that's been around for a long time for
basketball having to charge players. We would love to be
(10:27):
able to get rid of that. For example, attending this
World Cup, we're the only team there where the children
the participants had to pay.
Speaker 2 (10:39):
And given the number of players playing basketball in the country,
you know, it's not like it's and here I say
it because I'm sure there'll be listeners of smaller sports
out there frustrated by that. But you know, basketball, you
feel into high participation sport. You know that must you know,
stick in the craw a little bit, that you've got
to go out and do this.
Speaker 5 (11:01):
Yeah, it does.
Speaker 4 (11:02):
There's a lot of things that we're working on in
the background, but the funding model certainly doesn't suit a
sport like basketball, a sport that's a truly global sport.
The travel is incredible and we're punched well above our weight.
So the funding model in New Zealand, I think the
criteria for that funding is probably not suitable for those
(11:27):
types of sports anymore.
Speaker 2 (11:29):
I remember speaking to it to Ian Potter when he
was in the job about this. It's been a number
of years now, this this long term frustration. Do you
see any light at the end of the tunnel with
high performance sport in New Zealand around.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
This Perhaps not for this cycle. They've already done their
funding for this Olympic cycle, but we're continually having those conversations.
I think there needs to be some sort of waiting
for the truly global sports rather than just podium finishes.
(12:01):
I think that we need to have a look at
the waiting on the critera area for those that are
still achieving incredible results. I mean force in the world
out of one hundred and fifty two countries competing is
phenomenal and I think there needs to be some recognition
for that.
Speaker 2 (12:21):
Do you think obviously that the numbers come around every year?
Obviously Olympic comes into a big time, but they do
get reassessed. Do you think you've got a case to
go back to high performance sport in New Zealand this
year and you ask for a little bit more funding
or do you think that the door's closed.
Speaker 4 (12:37):
I think we'll certainly be having some conversations. I think
high performance sport elves are limited by the money that
they get from the government as well, so it's certainly
not not their fault. I think in general the funding
is reducing for high performance sport as well, so they've
(13:00):
got a challenge on their hands. But will certainly be
knocking on the door and seeing if there's a there's
any more that we can tap into.
Speaker 2 (13:08):
Blenda inwards with US and basketball in New Zealand. Just finally, Blunder,
I mean the fourth place finishit this at the Under
nineteen World Cup. You know, everyone remembers the two thousand
and two campaign with the Tall Blacks and what they
are able to do there. The signs must be pretty
good though for a sport that doesn't get a lot
of funding, that you're punching above the weight and you know,
maybe another World Championship or Olympic style result could been
(13:29):
the offering in the years to come with this group
of Adirasat kids.
Speaker 4 (13:34):
Yeah, absolutely, I mean incredibly proud of this group. A
lot of them off to their colleges and the States
where they'll get even even more high performance support on
their games and their skills. So looking forward to them
coming back and joining the Tall Blacks as our selectors.
(13:56):
So we're incredibly excited. Our high performance team at Basketball
New Zealand have got a really strong campaign both men's
and women's for the twenty twenty eight cycles, so we're
extremely hopeful and that's certainly a World Cup in twenty
twenty seven for the Tall Blacks and then Olympics in
the twenty twenty eight and obviously we're doing extremely well
(14:20):
in three.
Speaker 2 (14:20):
Extrae as well.
Speaker 4 (14:21):
Our our youth three xtray are currently ranked second in
the world both men and women. So all the signs
are certainly pouring in the right direction and where we're
certainly working towards some partium finishers in the future.
Speaker 1 (14:38):
Forget the refs call, you make a call on eight
hundred and eighty eighty Sports Talk on your home of
Sport News.
Speaker 2 (14:45):
Talksib Blinda Edwards. They're joining us from basketball in New
Zealand season charge with Dylan Boucher at the war At
the Warriors, the breaker is now and is the chief
operating officer usually acting our chief executive officer at basketball
in New Zealand. So there were the numbers five thousand
dollars per play to get the New Zealand to under
(15:07):
nineteen basketballers to the World Cup. Basketball and New Zealand
could chuck in a little bit, not much. They got
it down from what eight thousands, I think five thousand
number that she says, what as it was, but they
still had to fork out five thousand dollars per player
to get to the world stage. They're not the only
(15:27):
sport force to get youngsters to tournaments around New Zealand
around the world. Five thousand dollars, though, seems to be
excessive because this Bo's point there by and large, maybe
in the last year of high school, maybe even having
exited high school. In the US college system, depending on
whereabouts they fall into that under nineteen age group, a
(15:48):
lot of them, maybe all them playing college basketball in
the United States. So they're on the cusp of making
it and they have to pay for the privilege. It's
really tricky. I mean basketball New Zealand, it's seven hundred
and fifty thousand dollars of funding this year from high
performance sport in New Zealand seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars.
Cycling is about five million. To put it into bit
(16:09):
of context, that money goes towards their tall Blacks and
Tall Ferns programs. High performance sport in New Zealand's doesn't
have a bottomless pit of funding. Money doesn't grow on trees,
as we all know. But given basketballs numbers as a
participation sport in this country, they're huge. Are we necapping
(16:31):
ourselves our future tall Blacks, our future tall Ferns by
funding it so little? Is the funding model fundamentally broken
here in New Zealand for high performance sport? Is it
too steered towards the Olympic Games? You can't argue really
(16:53):
that sport New Zealand doesn't know what it's doing in
terms of funding for Olympic sports because they're getting return
on investment. Paris last year was New Zealand's most successful
Olympics ever. But is it time that maybe we look
to the sports that are bringing in players and massive
numbers like basketball and give these kids a pathway where
(17:17):
they don't have to pay five thousand dollars per tournament
to go to a World Championships. Oh eight hundred eighty
ten eighty nine two nine two for a text message,
is it time the sports funding model in New Zealand
gets an overhaul away from Olympics and maybe towards the
sports that New Zealanders are playing more often? Want to
(17:40):
hear from you on this here on News Talk ZIBB
twenty four and a half after seven, your calls and
texts after this.
Speaker 3 (17:47):
Plenty game.
Speaker 1 (17:51):
You hear it from the biggest names in sports and men.
Have your say on oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty
sports Talk or more on your home of sports news
Talk ZIBY.
Speaker 2 (18:02):
Seven after seven on News Talk ZIBB, talking the funding
model for high performance sport in this country. It astounded
me that a lot of those players that did New
Zealand so proud over the weekend had to pay five
thousand dollars per player to go five thousand dollars. Now,
(18:23):
I'm sure we all know tales of sportspeople, young sports
people that have had to fundraise do the old sausages
or chocolate, whatever it might be, to get to sporting events,
but when you're the next step to the elite level,
when you're the under nineteen representation of a national body,
(18:44):
in this case the Junior Tall Blacks, have we got
things a little bit wrong. For years, Basketball and New
Zealand have been crying out for more money and they
have been basically ignored by and large on most occasions
because what they see is success doesn't fit in with
(19:07):
the high performance sport New Zealand model. It was interesting
looking at this story this afternoon and doing some research
around the funding. I mean, this isn't you but the
fact that they got to fourth is on the back
of having to pay to play. In two thousand and nine,
Steven Adams couldn't travel with the Junior Tour Blacks because
(19:31):
he couldn't afford it, couldn't afford the accommodation, couldn't for
the flight, couldn't afford the meal fees, whatever it might be.
He did not go with the Junior Tour Blacks. That
was fifteen years ago and nothing. And you just think
how many other Steve Adams might have missed out on
their opportunity because their family haven't had the funds, their
(19:55):
community couldn't get them there. There's only so much a
soliciticial can do. Oh eight hundred eighty ten eighty nine
two nine to two for a text message or a
text I'll get too in a moment. Let's though, go
to Lines and Tom Evening.
Speaker 3 (20:08):
Tom, hiy on, do you think do you think the
Junior All Blacks the under twenties are paying five thousand
each to tune up at the tournament?
Speaker 2 (20:21):
I would say almost certainly not. No, they're not.
Speaker 3 (20:24):
And do you imagine how many more basketball as there
are in New Zealand than there are rugby players truckloads,
So you know, when you work at an ROI return
on an investment. Obviously basketball is getting stuffed as many
other sports such as football, golf, et cetera.
Speaker 2 (20:43):
That's a very good point. I'm even sure who pays
for the Junior All Blacks with the All Blacks under
twenties to go to that tournament, because I think it
might be World Rugby or New Zealand Rugby funded themselves.
They are a self funded model. But when you come
to basketball, there's only so many avenues in New Zealand
to get revenue, and you know, these poor kids have
had to fork out five thousand dollars each to get there.
Speaker 3 (21:07):
Yeah, I just think that's abominable. Do you think if
you imagine how much investment there is not a shot
putter or a javelin thrower, you know which that you
could count them on one hand how many there are,
and there's hundreds of thousands of basketball and they get
two tenths of bugger all Its crime shame.
Speaker 2 (21:27):
It certainly is, Tom. So you'll be happy for more
basketball funding at the expense of perhaps some of those
traditional Olympic sports.
Speaker 3 (21:34):
Absolutely, I mean you get a medal at the end
of it. Great, We do all feel fantastic when someone
does want a medal at the Olympics, to be sure,
But if you want to promote youth sport and get
youth into sport as opposed to some other activities which
would rather they went doing, then invest in the youth
(21:54):
and the sports that they're playing.
Speaker 5 (21:56):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (21:57):
I tend to agree with your Tom. Nice to hear
from you this evening. Oh, eight hundred eighty teen eighty
nine four a text message. Mate's a good point. We
do feel the warm fuzzies when there's a shot put worm,
there's a rowing gold and if you asked this question
in July of last year. Should we take away the
rowing funding? Should we take away the basketball funding? Should
we take away whatever? Might be a different conversation, But
(22:21):
seven eight months on, when these basketballers have had to
go to the World Championships age great level, these kids
that are out of pocket, Yeah, they've had a great time.
Oh eight hundred and eighty ten eighty nine two nine
two for a text message, or saying Steven Adams couldn't
(22:41):
travel with the junior toll Blacks because he couldn't afford
the funding. He's got to the highest level of basketball
without really benefiting from high performance sport funding. He still
has never played for the twoll Blacks. It's looking increasingly
likely like he probably never will. What's better for sport
(23:04):
in New Zealand? Is it those Olympic gold meddal moments
or is it having three four five players in the NBA?
Where does the value come from? What are we more
likely as a country to get value out of in
that regard? Eight hundred eighty ten eighty nine two nine
(23:27):
two for a text message? Basketball, You know it's a
sleeping giant. In many ways, they've always missed out because
of the Olympic focus that high performance sport in New
Zealand has had the middle focus the competitiveness of that.
(23:48):
But with the back to back under seventeen and under
nineteen fourth placings, you could argue really that a podium
finished like the top two blacks the senior toll Blacks
got in two thousand and two may actually well be
a realistic possibility in the not too distant future. Still
(24:08):
have to qualify, I still have to get there. The
funding model works for what it sets out to do,
which is when Olympic medals twenty at the last Games.
No one's arguing at that it works for what high
performance sport wants to do. But is basketball right and
that it deserves more of a share and shouldn't be
(24:30):
forcing kids to pay five thousand dollars to get to
the pinnacle age group event. A couple more texts that
I'll get to after the break. Oh eight hundred and
eighty ten to eighty line is open as well for
your calls. There are a couple of interesting ones. Maybe
I've misread this so it feels like you age group
parents out there, of promising teenage sports people having to
(24:56):
dip into the pocket a fair bit. We'll come back
to those texts after the break here on Newstalk ZB
twenty six away from eight. It is twenty two away
(25:47):
from eights. On new stalks they'll be talking the funding
model and sport by watering some to me anyway, five
thousand dollars to get the New Zealand under nineteen basketballers
to their World Championships that they did very well at
and finished in fourth. But having a look at the
text line feels like it's not particularly uncommon for that
(26:10):
kind of sum to be asked of parents of families
of communities to get their team or sport to the
world stage. I'm sure the people out there may be listening.
They haven't been able to send their young prospect there,
young kid, some daughter to a tournament because the cost
(26:32):
is just too much. Someone on the pathway, it's a
lot of money to ask people to come up to
There is a couple of texts that I will get to.
This is hi. Not all rugby reps get funded. My
niece represented New Zealand in an under twenty touch rugby
international tournament in Australia. It cost you five thousand dollars.
A lot of fundraising. God are there? So seems the
rugby money pool doesn't apply to touch age group touch rugby.
(26:54):
Thank you for the text. My daughter just got into
the New Zealand women's volleyball team. Cost you six thousand
dollars for about ten days at a major tournament in
Vietnam a few weeks ago. Thank of Roger for the text.
NOL says this high In my opinion, administration is the
biggest killer of any organization. Players play in affiligation to
participate and much of which is absorbed in overheads. The
(27:19):
under nineteen rowing team have to pay twenty k each
this year to row. Every Olympic sport has to self
fund at junior level. I thought the reality of that,
and this is me being probably quite naive, thank you
for the text. Is that given a lot of the
funding for those sports like rowing, like cycling is committed
(27:43):
to pathways, one of the three priorities of the high
Performance Sport in New Zealand system is performance pathways, that
some of that Monday might trickle down to those age
group events that we're talking about, for the ones that
are more well funded. Anyway, you're rolling, you're cycling, your
tier one sports from a New Zealand perspective that we
(28:04):
fund marsworth this, Sorry Elliott, can't take money away from
the Olympics. Last Olympics was our best one yute. Take
money away from that and it would jeopardize it. Basketball
needs sponsors like the All Blacks to help fund them.
If there's that much interest in basketball, they're why don't
they have Nike added ass forward knocking down the door
to sponsor them. There's not enough eyeballs on the sports
Sorry Alligat, It's just a reality muzz fair point. I
(28:29):
think they don't have a lot of content, a lot
to sell. Put it that way, for basketball in New
Zealand to All Blacks maybe pay ten times a year.
A lot of that's offshore, not really in the home market.
A lot the All Blacks they play six games at
home a year, filling out stadiums. They're around the globe,
they're getting TV right, steals, they're getting very everything else
(28:51):
like that that comes into the n Z ar coffers.
I think B and Z's one of the major ones
that have got in behind basketball in New Zealand. I'm
not sure if it's directly two basketball in New Zealand
or just teams and youth programs, but they're one of
the ones that have there very sort of capitalistic market.
What have you got to sell? What can we stick
(29:11):
our branding on? And basket when you just don't have
enough to sell? I think is the truth of it.
Barnsey with this, maybe Steven Adams could arrange a pre
season game for the Tall Blacks playing his NBA team.
He could play for US against his team. Maybe don't
mind that, Parnzy the coffers a little bit. I'd other
one ask Bevan says how many kids were there on
(29:32):
the trip? It's good point. Actually did have a look
for this before we came on here. Couldn't quite figure
out the number. I'd say probably in the vicinity of
twelve at a guess. Ruth with us shameful. I can't
believe at the very least their costs are not covered. Embarrassing.
Well done lads, outstanding cheers Ruth. Another couple to finish
(29:55):
try sailing sending teenage daughter to a World Championships that
she qualified. Year twenty k year one, keep doing well
grows to one hundred k per year, all parent funded.
It's a lot of money. It's a lot of money
to put into sport. I'm grateful that we've got parents
out there that are able to do so, that are fundraising,
(30:15):
that are getting their kids to the tournament, because that's
keeping the pathways alive for our kids in this country.
There's a couple more I'll get to before we wrap
up the show tonight. So it is seventeen away from
eight on Used Talks ZIB. The new black Caps pacement
Matt Fisher, uncapped, only uncaped player in the squad for Zimbabwe.
He's going to jump on the blower after this on
(30:37):
Use Talks b it is seventeen away from it.
Speaker 6 (30:40):
We've got the.
Speaker 5 (30:41):
Limb and everything. Had me.
Speaker 2 (30:51):
Send shoot living this up stairs, do sing again. It
(31:14):
is Sports Talk fourteen away from eights on news Talk
zb Well Northern District's pace bowler Matt Fisher the new
name in the black Caps squad fifteen strong for the
two Tests tour of Zimbabwe later this month. Widely regarded
as one of the fastest bowlers in the country. He
was by injury over the summer just Bean or four
(31:36):
months ago, just Bean, but he is the young Cat
player in the squad. If you did miss it this morning,
Tom Latham's the captain, Tom Blundell, Devin Conway, Jacb Duffy,
Matt Fisher, Matt Henry, Darrell, Mitchell, Henry Nichols, will ow' rourke,
a Jaz Battel, Glenn Phillips, Russian Ravendra, Mitch Santoner, Nathan
Smith and Will Young to no King Williamson in that
squad and Michael Brace were allowed to play in the
(31:58):
hundred in the UK, joining us. Now. One of the
players in that squad the new name is Matt Fisher.
Matt thinks so much much for your time here on
news talks. He'd be congratulations on your selection.
Speaker 5 (32:11):
Yeah, pretty stoked. A dream come true.
Speaker 2 (32:14):
How did you find out the news? Did Rob Walter
give you a call?
Speaker 6 (32:18):
I had a camp last week with him, and after
the camp, literally after I bowled my final ball.
Speaker 5 (32:23):
He sat me down and yeah, told me the news.
Speaker 2 (32:26):
Did you feel by going to that camp that you
were in the mix or was it very much a
sort of let's hit along and see what happens.
Speaker 1 (32:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 6 (32:34):
I thought I was just net bowling because obviously there's
a few players overseas playing in all the leagues, so yeah,
I think they're short on bowlers, and I just had
some overs under my belt and I just thought it
was pretty cool to be a part of the squad,
and yeah, training with them all week.
Speaker 2 (32:46):
And what did Rob say, what were his reasons for
forgiving you the call up?
Speaker 6 (32:52):
He just basically said he was just keen to get
me in the side, and yeah, to just keep doing
what I've been doing at the domestic level.
Speaker 2 (32:59):
I know that you mentioned your pace, what kind of
pace you're clocking with the red ball.
Speaker 6 (33:06):
To say, we don't really have speed cameras all the time,
but sometimes bring them on to training and touching one forty.
Speaker 2 (33:13):
It's a decent old ball of the ball of the
cricket ball. Have you always been sort of that that
fast bowler that has the you know, that that element
in them.
Speaker 6 (33:23):
Yeah, I think from a young age I always wanted to
bowl fast, and yeah, when I was about fifteen, I
grew quite a bit and started bowling considery faster than
a few mother mates. So yeah, and then just kind
of started from there. Just coaches get telling me to
bowl fast, and yeah, I enjoy doing it.
Speaker 2 (33:41):
I saw a we note today that you when you
went down to Otigo, you're sort of more of a
batsman or you regarded yourself as an all rounded down there.
Speaker 6 (33:49):
I don't know where you've heard that from claimed out
a school, but quickly realized probably wasn't the option.
Speaker 2 (33:55):
I know you've had a few injuries along the way
as well, including one of the most recent domestic season.
How frustrating have they been? Have they been big setbacks?
Speaker 6 (34:04):
Yeah? The first couple of years didn't really get a bowl.
Many balls actually kept me out of the season. Yeah,
they're very frustrating, but talking to a lot of bowlers
around New Zealand, they say it's going to happen. So
I've just got some good people around me that kind
of led me in the right direction.
Speaker 5 (34:22):
Just trying to get stronger and fitter.
Speaker 6 (34:23):
And they've hinted at the magic age at twenty five
is when those injuries start to slow down.
Speaker 5 (34:28):
So now I'm twenty five, I'm hoping hoping that's the case.
Speaker 6 (34:31):
But yeah, just trying to stay as fit as possible
and trying to avoid them at all costs.
Speaker 2 (34:36):
That's the way. Have you had a mentor through your
career at all or you fast forward that that you've
used to the soundboard.
Speaker 6 (34:45):
I've had Graham Aldredge since I was about sixteen. Who's Yeah,
he's just really been really good for me, able to
talk to him about everything, and is my INDI coach
for a couple of years there, and then lately I've
just been able to pick the brains of Tim Saudi
and Neil Wagner, who was lucky enough to play for
for the last couple years, I'll play with for the
last couple of years.
Speaker 5 (35:06):
Yeah, they've been great to talk to and really enjoy
picking their brains.
Speaker 2 (35:10):
Not a bad couple of players to learn from what
would have been there? The main messages about your growth
and how have they helped.
Speaker 5 (35:17):
You, mainly just backing myself.
Speaker 6 (35:19):
I think like the more you bowl in games, is
the more confidence you have.
Speaker 5 (35:25):
Yeah, I think just backing my pace.
Speaker 6 (35:27):
And kind of the more cricket I've played, the more
skills I'll get. So yeah, they're just always backed me
and that's probably just a big thing. And then staying
on the park, they said you'll just slowly learn how
you can bowl and test and how you can break
games open.
Speaker 5 (35:40):
So no, they're just really good to talk to.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
Do you see that primarily as your role is that
you know that game breaking sort of fast bowler.
Speaker 6 (35:47):
Yeah, I think so at the moment, probably come on
and try break the game over. Sometimes might go for
a few more runs than the other bowlers, but yeah,
I think that'll probably be the case.
Speaker 2 (35:59):
I'm seeing you obviously in domestic cricket. Do you see
yourself as a multi format sort of bowler that can
can play the white ball stuff pretty well as well?
Speaker 6 (36:07):
Yeah, I love playing all formats, still trying to get
the skills and whatnot, and T twenty probably haven't mastered
that as much yet. But the more cricket I player,
the more skills I developed in more confidence I get.
But yeah, I love playing all formats, and obviously there's
a lot of opportunities coming that are popping up all
around the world. So yeah, hopefully I'll stick to all
(36:29):
three at the moment, and yeah, hopefully I can get
some call ups here and there for all three.
Speaker 2 (36:35):
And this tour of Zimbabwe. Just looking at the squad,
I mean, I assume you know Mitch Satonner quite well.
There are many of the other boys that you're familiar with.
Speaker 6 (36:43):
Yeah, well, I suppose there's any a few teams in
New Zealand around the domestic Concil always bumping into everyone
and talking to them, So yeah, it'll be good to
I suppose meet some of the other boys and have
a bit more to do with them. But yeah, we've
been lucky enough to train with them and had a
bit to do with them, so hoping i'll fit in.
Speaker 5 (36:59):
Alright.
Speaker 2 (37:01):
What are you expecting out of Zimbabwe? I guess it's
been a while since the Black Caps have played there
as well. Traditionally sort of hard sort of wickets. Is
that what you're expecting when you get over there?
Speaker 5 (37:10):
Yeah, I think so.
Speaker 6 (37:11):
I've been following the South Africa Zimbabwe Test at the
moment it looks like there's runs galore, so probably not
the site you want to be seeing as a fastballer,
but I think it would just be a really good
opportunity and I suppose learning how to adapt on different surfaces.
Speaker 2 (37:25):
Yeah, as cricket always been your main passion, Matt through the.
Speaker 6 (37:28):
Years, rugby and cricket growing up, and then probably towards
year eleven, cricket started taking a ford Yeah, Ford focus,
and yeah, start focusing on that bit more.
Speaker 5 (37:39):
But yeah, love rugby.
Speaker 2 (37:41):
Because I think, well, Paul's collegiate, which obviously is Danielatori's school,
so a fair bit of cricketing pedigree through those hallways
through the years.
Speaker 5 (37:49):
Yeah, definitely.
Speaker 6 (37:50):
Now we're in the same house, so I haven't actually
had much to do with them, but definitely one for
the ages at Saint Paul's.
Speaker 2 (37:57):
And mattch a couple of final ones. What's your main goal,
I guess getting out of this tour. I suppose you've
you've got the call up now, so as you begin
to prepare to head off and on the planning in
a week or two, what do you want to get
out of this tour? Is it a debut or is
it just immersing yourself in the Black Caps environment.
Speaker 6 (38:14):
Well, obviously you'd want to day Bob, but I'll just
be preparing for any any well opportunity that pops up.
I'm just keen to go over and learn and show
that I'm real keen and yeah, just see what it's
all about.
Speaker 2 (38:28):
And I guess Rob Boltz is from that part of
the world, is South Africa as well as he giving
you any insight as to the we talked a bit
about the decks, but I guess the conditions everything like
that and what you might come.
Speaker 6 (38:38):
Across, not yet so I think the next couple of
weeks will probably be a bit more detail on that end,
but yeah, just see it.
Speaker 5 (38:46):
Kind of congratulations and he's looking forward to having me.
Speaker 2 (38:48):
Well, we're looking forward to seeing you get out on
the pitch as well. Hopefully you get a crack with
that red ball. Appreciate your time Matt here on News
Talk ZB. Thanks for joining.
Speaker 5 (38:56):
Us so there, Thank you for having me there.
Speaker 2 (39:07):
He was Matt Fisher joining the program new Black Cats
placeman and kept going on that tour of Zimbabwe. Well
we're chatting to Matt. Jeff called in around this funding
model for sport in New zealandif evening.
Speaker 7 (39:19):
Yeah, good evening, just about this funding of sports yet
the lack of funding goes right back now. I came
from the GYN and we had a really good roller
hockey team and roller hockey was big time in Australia
and probably still was. But we couldn't go because we
(39:42):
didn't have the funding to get there, which was really
disappointing because we won a minor tournament when I was
about fourteen fifteen, was in New Zealand and it was
hard enough getting to Wellington or going to christ Church,
which my parents really struggled for the funding. So but
(40:08):
the biggest disappointment was not getting into Australia.
Speaker 2 (40:11):
Yeah, so it's not a new problem, Jeff. Sorry, I'm
just saying it's not a new problem in many ways,
it's been around for a wee while.
Speaker 7 (40:21):
Yeah, well, f finally, you know, like some basketball team,
you know, you know, parents don't always have five or
six thousand dollars.
Speaker 2 (40:34):
That's the trouble, that's right, Jeff. I mean, it's a
hell of a lot of money to be asked to
stump up, and maybe you're anticipating it in some ways.
Brendan said this earlier as well. The five k is
not great, but I think it's not bad considering my
daughter has four different tournaments in New Zealand this year
at eighteen hundred every time. I'm not sure what supporterism
(40:54):
I have miss missed that, but not a World championship.
But still expensive year for us. The reality is outside
of one or two sports, that's costing everyone loads to
do sport. We just had to prioritize and do some fundraising.
Problem as the rest of our community is doing the same. Well,
my eyes have been opened a little bit tonight. Around
some of that because I thought if you're at the
under nineteen level in a sport like basketball, then maybe
(41:16):
you should be getting some funding. But here from rowing
in other sports tonight that that is far indeed from
the case. Not a lot of money to go around,
as we know from high performance sport in New Zealand,
and they've prioritized it. Someone's going to miss out, isn't it.
Ultimately the case just depends what misses out. My thanks,
(41:37):
he calls them text tonight, my thanks to ANTS for producing.
We will see you back tomorrow night from seven here
on sports Talk on News Talk ZEBB. It is coming
up three away from eight.
Speaker 1 (42:15):
For more from sports Talk, listen live to News Talks
it B from seven pm weekdays, or follow the podcast
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