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Scotty’s Word

New Zealand Warriors have two games against Titans this weekend. The NRL game is on Saturday on the Gold Coast and the NRLW game will be played on Sunday as part of Magic Round in Wagga Wagga. I went deep into the NRLW Warriors and how they have started their season for this yarn.

Sarina Masaga (Howick) is named at centre for Titans. Georgia Hale (Richmond) is in her usual dummy half spot and Fanua Rimoni (Wainuiomata) is starting at prop, while Aleksandra Tunufai (Howick) is in the wider squad. Here are their involvements so far this season...

• Sarina Masaga: squad, 29mins (bench), 48mins (bench), 70mins (centre)

• Georgia Hale: 63mins, 63, 64, 56

• Fanua Rimoni: 46, 55, 43

Here are some Warriors ponderings in NRL...

NRL champions don’t have three top-10 ... let alone top-five players out injured. Roger Tuivasa-Sheck, Tanah Boyd and Jackson Ford were in great form at the time of their injuries, probably top-five at Mt Smart and among the best in the NRL for their positions. Recent champions have been full strength or close to it in their Grand Finals and while I admire how Warriors have held steady despite suffering injuries that would ravage other teams, the reality is it’s highly unlikely they will be champions in this situation.

Titans could be a tricky match up with their speed but it’s also a good match up for Warriors. Speed won’t matter as much if Warriors control the game with their long grind style of footy, winning collisions and slowing down the ruck. Warriors have consistently scored tries on both sides of the field this season, even in their recent dip and Titans aren’t close to the Bulldogs in terms of defence.

Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad’s last start at fullback was against Titans in round seven. His five tackle breaks and four offloads in 45mins vs Bulldogs were the second-most tackle breaks he’s had this season and the most offloads.

Warriors started this season with fewer than 10 errors and five penalties conceded in their first three games. They have hit those markers in their last three games. In their win vs Titans at Mt Smart they had six errors and four penalties conceded.

Jacob Auloa is named in the wider squad. Auloa is 21yrs and has risen through the Mt Smart system as a hooker, before gathering experience as a small forward. He is the most similar player to Erin Clark in the Warriors system and while he can cover dummy half, he sits behind Makaia Tafua in that role so he has a clearer pathway to NRL by being a versatile small forward.

Auloa only played one season of U19s with eight games at that level in 2024 along with 10 games of U21s that year. He also played five games of NSW Cup in 2024 before moving up to U21/NSW Cup last year and he has only played NSW Cup this year. Auloa has played 16 games this season and started the last six games at middle forward - playing 50+ minutes in four of them.

No NSW Cup or Jersey Flegg Cup games for Warriors this weekend...

• NSW Cup: 7th | 10-8

• Jersey Flegg Cup: 8th | 8-9

Deep south Kiwi-NRL matters...

Torino Jackson is named on the bench for Titans in NRLQ. He is a Zingari-Richmond junior from Dunedin who has worked through the Titans system since moving ahead of the 2024 season. He played U19s for Tweed earlier this year and has played one game of NRLQ so far this season as a middle forward.

Along with Mason Lome-Hindle (Otago Boys High School) who is playing Queensland Cup with Redcliffe, they are the most notable deep south Kiwi-NRL juniors. Lome-Hindle was with Warriors before moving to Brisbane and he has played five games of Q Cup as a 20-year-old. Three as a winger and two at centre.

Sualo Lafoga (Southland Girls High School) has moved from the Eels U19 team to Brisbane Tigers in QLD Women’s Premiership. Balclutha’s Kairus Booth also started with Warriors before joining Brisbane Tigers for the Mal Meninga Cup U19 season earlier this year.

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When thinking about hot pockets in domestic cricket I kept coming back around to seamers in the South Island. The four North Island teams have good seamers too but in terms of skills and styles that could translate to higher levels, Canterbury and Otago lead the way. Fraser Sheat is a notable bowler for Canterbury who could follow in the path of Michael Rae as he is a bit older and could continue to develop towards Blackcaps.

Fraser Sheat - 28yrs

• FC: 27.39avg/2.8rpo

• LA: 25.5avg/4.6rpo

• T20: 28.18avg/7.8rpo

Canterbury also have Lachlan Harper, Cameron Paul and Matthew Rowe as younger seamers who have more obvious talents. Harper was one of the most surprising players last summer and emerged through Super Smash where he moved the ball both ways and whacked boundaries. Paul’s been on the radar for a few years now and I spotted him alongside Matt Fisher and Curtis Heaphy as part of NZC development trip to Chennai’s academy last month.

Rowe fits the Canterbury style as a tall seamer who moved from outside the region like Kyle Jamieson and Will O’Rourke. Rowe’s only played one game for Canterbury but his pedigree and the way Canterbury develops seamers suggests that he should flash his talents this season. Everyone knows about Thomas O’Connor for Otago. There is less buzz about Mason Clarke who made his Super Smash debut as a 17-year-old and is currently 19yrs. Clark and Rowe were part of the 2024 Under 19 World Cup, then Clarke backed it up earlier this year...

2024

• Matt Rowe: 8w @ 17.7avg/4.4rpo

• Mason Clarke: 7w @ 15avg/5.5rpo

2026

• Mason Clarke: 7w @ 22.4avg/5.6rpo

Otago also has Toby Hart who I highlighted briefly in the Monday dispatch. He played for an NZ 11 vs West Indians prior to the Test series last summer alongside O’Connor and Paul, with Hart comparing well to those two...

• Thomas O’Connor: 12ov, 1w @ 2.5rpo

• Cameron Paul: 9ov @ 2.8rpo

• Toby Hart: 12ov, 1w @ 2.3rpo

Harry Sixton also played one Super Smash game for Otago last season, having moved down from Auckland. He bowled 3 overs @ 10.6rpo and may or may not be part of their group at the moment, but Sixton is very tall and was given an opportunity so those are positive indicators of talent.

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

New Zealand Football have (finally) confirmed details about next year’s National League. Starting in March 2027, there’ll be a full league season with home and away fixtures across the country. 12 teams in the Men’s National League, 10 teams in the Women’s National League. There will still be one more edition of the old end-of-year format later in 2026 but after that we’re adding a new top tier, with promotion and relegation. Seems like the best thing to do to have the country’s strongest teams playing against each other more often. There’s a weighted formula based on the last five years which determines the qualifiers, here’s how the breakdown works...

MNL: Four from Northern League, Three from Central League, Two from Southern League, Wellington Phoenix Reserves, Auckland FC Reserves, One playoff winner

WNL: Four from NRFL Premiership, Two from Central League, Two from South Island League, Wellington Phoenix Reserves, Auckland FC Reserves

The playoff in the Men’s will see the next-ranked team from each region compete in a three-team, three-game mini-series (i.e. they’ll each play the other two) and the team with the best record will earn the last golden ticket. That’ll happen in September. They’re promising every game will be broadcast live but they didn’t specify where they’ll be broadcast in the press release... which is good news since FIFA+ tanked it (and wasn’t very good anyway) and DAZN doesn’t seem to care (and isn’t any better an experience than FIFA+ was).

There will be a “finals series” at the end of the league phase, suggesting probably a top four with semi-finals and a final. They didn’t actually clarify that bit though. The number of teams has been decided based on sustainability and NZF is open to future expansion with a review to take place after two years. The balance between the regions mirrors what’s already the case in the National League – although notice the very significant Trojan Horse announcement within there of an Auckland FC Reserves team next year. Choice. That’ll give them most of the year leading up to the 2027-28 A-League campaign when they’re intending (if the Aussies let them) to finally get that women’s team going. Interesting to see if they keep it strictly U20s like with the blokes or if they try use that team in year one to give themselves a running start for ALW.

Also, they haven’t yet figured out how promotion/relegation will work with teams coming from three different secondary leagues. Like, if a team from Southern gets relegated then does the next team from Southern go up? Will there be limits (both minimums and maximums) on the participants from each region? Will they repeat the three-way playoff series every year? The answer is that NZF will let us know further down the track.

There’s also the question about relegation from each of the regional leagues but that’s for the regions to sort out. The assumption is that nobody will be relegated from the Northern League, for example, due to the 5-6 teams that’ll be leaving anyway to form this new division. We’ll see how it ends up – the playoff series means those federations can’t actually make concrete decisions because they don’t know how many teams they’ll be losing.

We’ve still got a few more weeks to go until we know the final standings though for the most part it’ll be the expected teams that qualify...

For the MNL, that means Northern League reps of Birkenhead United, Auckland City, Eastern Suburbs and either Auckland United or Western Springs with the other falling into the playoff. The likes of Fencibles and East Coast Bays might get into the 2026 edition but they don’t have the five-year backlog to qualify for 2027. The top three are pretty much safe. Western Springs will pip it over Auckland unless Auckland finish two places above them (not counting Auckland FC). Central League reps will be Wellington Olympic for sure and probably Napier City Rovers along with them. Then it’s whoever finishes higher out of Miramar Rangers and Western Suburbs, looking very likely to be Miramar. Petone had a slight chance of catching Wests but they’ve had a stink year so that’s not happening now. For Southern reps we can lock in Cashmere Technical for one spot. The other will be Coastal Spirit if they finish two spots above Christchurch United and the latter if not. Coastal are currently third with CUFC down in seventh. Might be a bit much for the Rams to overcome… though with their recent Pro League influx they’ll be a handful for anyone in the playoffs.

MNL as it stands: Birkenhead United, Auckland City, Eastern Suburbs, Western Springs, Wellington Olympic, Napier City Rovers, Miramar Rangers, Cashmere Technical, Coastal Spirit, Auckland FC Reserves, Wellington Phoenix Reserves (plus one of: Auckland United, Western Suburbs, Christchurch United)

For the WNL, there are no playoffs to consider so it’s top four in the NRFL over the past five years and while I’m not sure if I’ve got the formula exactly right (or if they even use the same one), that seems highly likely to be Auckland United, Eastern Suburbs, Western Springs, and West Coast Rangers. Springs have slumped this year but I don’t think it’s possible for Ellerslie or Fencibles to overhaul them. Easy to work it out in the Central League where Wellington United and Waterside Karori should have it in the bag. Petone might have had a crack if they’d won the league but that no longer looks like happening. And in the South Island it’s also pretty safe with Cashmere Tech and Dunedin City Royals.

WNL as it stands: Auckland United, Eastern Suburbs, Western Springs, West Coast Rangers, Wellington United, Waterside Karori, Cashmere Technical, Dunedin City Royals, Auckland FC Reserves, Wellington Phoenix Reserves

Cool thing there is it’s not completely dominated by Auckland-Wellington-Christchurch, with Napier City Rovers men and Dunedin City Royals women mixing it up.

Excellent game of basketball last night in the first NZ NBL elimination final as the Tauranga Whai came out all guns blazing away to the higher-ranked Southland Sharks. Opened up a big early lead thanks to some sweet shooting... but the Sharks clamped them down in the second half to emerge with the expected victory. Teased an upset, couldn’t get it done for four quarters. So we say ka kite to the Tauranga Whai for 2026 and appreciate that they just put up a genuine scrap in a playoff game with Aussie Nick Stoddart as their only import player. Probably could have used the help as Southland’s imports Caleb Asberry and Keylan Boone took the game away from them but nonetheless.

Taine Murray Points Per Game:

30, 22, 23, 25, 15, 7, 34, 18, 17, 5, 15, 17, 29, 21, 44, 9, 13, 20

Per Game Averages:

20.2 PTS | 41.0 FG% | 35.7 3P% | 4.9 REB | 2.4 AST

The bold numbers are his points tallies against the top four (Auckland, Canterbury, Wellington, Southland), showcasing a bloke who did his finest mahi when it mattered most – that 44 point game vs Wellington two weeks ago was the third-highest scoring individual game of the season. Shane Gatling of Nelson scored 56 against Tauranga in early July and Elijah Pepper had a 45-pointer for Wellington vs Manawatu a few days earlier. That’s the sort of form from Murray that suggests a breakthrough year incoming for his second season with the Brisbane Bullets.

The other guy who gets that spotlight is Breakers wing Reuben Te Rangi who had a resurgent scoring season, really looking to be aggressive and lead the way for his team. His inconsistent shooting has been an issue for several years in the Aussie NBL, not always capable of being covered up by his staunch defence and quality leadership. For Tauranga he got out in front with a remarkably consistent season that saw him score in double figures in every game he played. And the more he attacked the rim or ripped those no-hesitation threes, the more his passing also came into play.

Reuben Te Rangi Points Per Game:

35, 24, 31, 10, 16, 37, 23, 20, 12, 13, 14, 24, 30, 21, 27, 17, 26

Per Game Averages:

22.1 PTS | 54.8 FG% | 35.8 3P% | 5.8 REB | 3.3 AST

Didn’t quite peak against the toughest opponents like Murray did but he was more consistent across the board.

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Something that stuck with me from the Luke Brooke-Smith transfer stuff...

Chris Greenacre: “I’m obviously disappointed to lose Luke. He’s an integral part in terms of us playing young players and I really wanted that opportunity to work with Luke because I think we can get him to another level.”

Seems a bit much to be talking about how desperate you were to play a guy who you could have played last season and pretty much didn’t. We know about how Giancarlo Italiano iced LBS out of his last two squads as a punishment for not doing his defensive duties... but even with a few unused sub days sprinkled in there too he actually averaged more minutes per game under Chiefy (17.2%) than under Greenacre (15.3%). And it was Greeny who should have been trying to shift the focus to next season, particularly in the last two games after their slim chance of finals footy was officially goneskees.

These were the minutes totals for Luke Brooke-Smith during Greenacre’s interim tenure...

26, 2, 1, 5, 7, 17, 7, 45 (110 mins total, 15.3% of overall game time)

Let’s break it down further with the match situations when LBS was subbed on...

• Sydney FC – 0-1 at 64 mins (0-1 final)

• Adelaide – 1-1 at 88 mins (1-1 final)

• Perth – 2-0 at 89 mins (2-0 final)

• Brisbane – 1-1 at 85 mins (2-1 final – LBS got the winning assist)

• M.Victory – 0-0 at 83 mins (1-0 final)

• M.City – 0-1 at 73 mins (0-2 final)

• Western Sydney – 2-1 at 83 mins (2-1 final)

• Macarthur – 0-3 at HT (0-4 final)

To summarise, the only three times he was subbed on for more than a ten-minute stint were when the team was already losing. If the game was level or they were winning, he had to wait until right at the end... not that it stopped him setting up the winner for Ifeanyi Eze in that Brisbane game. Not a lot of trust on display there from his coach.

It was frustrating then and it remains frustrating now. Especially since Greeny had already coached him at an U20 World Cup... but I’m trying to keep space for Greenacre the Head Coach having a different approach than Greenacre the Interim Coach. It’s up to him to swing that reputation though, because if you don’t trust Brooke-Smith over a bunch of impending free agents then it’s hard to comprehend how he’ll trust guys like Jayden Smith, Anaru Cassidy, Xuan Loke, and Eamonn McCarron let alone the uncontracted guys behind them.

I don’t think Brooke-Smith is leaving with anything but gratitude and I also suspect he’d have left at this juncture even if he’d started every game last season. His minutes are nowhere near as relevant as having turned 18yo and become eligible to sign overseas. Good, that’s the ambition we need to see from NZ’s top prospects. But yeah it does leave some of that “if only he’d stayed” stuff ringing hollow.

Musical Jam...

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Scotty’s Word

NZ Warriors had another loss vs Bulldogs in the NRL. It was their fourth loss in a row against them and Warriors have scored less than 20 points in all of them. Bulldogs blew Warriors away in the first 15 minutes with what seemed to be a ploy to offload as much as possible, which when combined with their mobility and defensive pressure was too much for Warriors to handle.

The intensity of that opening onslaught from Bulldogs put Warriors on the back foot and ruined any hope of a comeback. Warriors were quickly fatigued and the halves who are usually pretty good tacklers both missed assignments for the Bulldogs first two tries; Te Maire Martin couldn’t touch Viliame Kikau and Chanel Harris-Tavita stumbled to close a gap with James Fisher-Harris.

Going down 0-12 early in a game is never ideal. Against Panthers and Bulldogs, that means you will lose the game. Panthers will control the game, limit your opportunities and keep scoring points. Bulldogs lack the attacking juice of Panthers but their defensive identity is more extreme.

Warriors had eight players hit 10m/run vs Dragons and that dropped to just two vs Bulldogs. Bulldogs line speed and aggression was so intense that the team who usually bullies their opposition (led by James Fisher-Harris and Mitchell Barnett) were bullied into a tame performance.

Most of which seems specific to Bulldogs. Despite not playing their best footy in the last month, Warriors have won thanks to their own version of winning the physical battle. Bulldogs have struggled to play their way consistently this season but they have dominated Warriors a few times now and while I’m cautious about a future finals match up, I’m not too fussed otherwise.

Warriors take on Titans next. Titans are a fun team with Northcote junior Keano Kini playing excellent footy. They are much faster than Warriors and ripped the Dragons apart for a win on Sunday. Another tricky match up for Warriors but they should be able to break the Titans defence down far easier than the Bulldogs.

The Bulldogs identity revolves around defensive pressure. Titans are fast but don’t have any kinda defensive identity. Here’s some more information about how this looks for Warriors...

Points scored per game

• 2023: 23.3

• 2024: 21.3

• 2025: 21

• 2026: 27.6

Points scored in last few games: 38, 24, 32, 20, 6

Match ups in two Andys era...

vs Bulldogs (less than 20 points in five of six games)

• 16-14 win

• 24-12 win

• 12-13 loss

• 18-34 loss

• 14-32 loss

• 6-18 loss

vs Titans (20+ points in four of six games)

• 28-18 win

• 24-27 loss

• 6-66 loss

• 16-24 loss

• 32-18 win

• 28-20 win

Warriors women probably shouldn’t have won vs Eels but they did. They capitulated in the last few minutes while two points up with a sin-bin followed by one player battling cramp, others struggling to get back on side, Gayle Broughton thinking the game was over because the hooter went off mid-play and she stopped playing for a moment - just enough for Eels to score a try but the final pass went forward.

That capped off a glorious game of footy. Harata Butler vs Elsie Albert was an awesome battle in the middle, Tinopai’s Ocean Tierney ate up plenty of Eels’ kicks and other sneaky heroes like Shakira Baker and Tysha Ikenasio were excellent. Patricia Maliepo even moved to dummy half which was a surprise but she handled it well.

Eels had Martha Mataele (Sydenham) at her brutal best on the wing and Noaria ‘Boss’ Kapua played well as a middle forward. Kapua is from Taupo and officially goes by the name of Boss, which is a great name for a 21-year-old who is already in her fourth season of NRLW.

Kapua played 40 minutes vs Warriors after 30mins in round one. She missed a couple games in between and Eels haven’t won a game yet this season, but Kapua joins 18-year-old Titans forward Fanua Rimoni as two of the best young forwards from Aotearoa playing for Australian teams.

Rimoni and Titans had another win vs Cowboys. Titans have the same 3-1 record as Warriors but Rimoni has won all three of her games and she has played 30+ minutes in all three. Titans also have Kiwi Ferns veteran Georgia Hale now playing hooker and Sarina Masaga started her first game of the season at centre after two games coming off the bench.

Masaga is a Howick junior who went to Howick College. That’s the same combination as Asha Taumoepeau-Williams who is 17-years-old and is part of the Warriors squad. Warriors have a partnership with Rabbitohs in NSW Women’s Premiership and they had their first game with Warriors players over the weekend with Taumoepeau-Williams playing centre and Natalia Hickling on the bench.

Taumoepeau-Williams scored a try and her rise should catch your attention...

• 2024: 4 tries in U17 Lisa Fiaola Cup final for Bulldogs

• 2025: 2 tries in U17 Lisa Fiaola Cup semi-final for Bulldogs

• 2025: 6 games for Auckland in Farah Palmer Cup

• 2026: NSW Women’s Premiership debut for Rabbitohs

That’s also an example of the Bulldogs investment in Aotearoa talent. They go far beyond Mangere East but there is a concentration of young wahine from South Auckland in the top two teams for Bulldogs right now.

Mangere East juniors who played for Bulldogs women this weekend...

NRLW

• Simina Lokotui: wing | 20yrs | 4 tries in 3 games so far

• Mary-Jane Taito: hooker | 18yrs | Minutes: 46, 46, 47, 41

• Evelyn Roberts: bench | 18yrs | Minutes: 24, 23, 29

NSW Women’s Premiership

Shanthie Lui, Limilaiti Paea, Giovanna Suani, Shafenior Lui

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A few deep cuts after seeing domestic cricket squads listed...

Angus Olliver: 23yrs | Auckland | seam

• FC: 5 innings, 3w @ 84.6avg/4.6rpo

• LA: 9 innings, 10w @ 37avg/5.7rpo

• T20: 14 innings, 21w @ 20.7avg/8.8rpo

James Naylor: 26yrs | ND | seam

• FC: 5 innings, 8w @ 32.1avg/3.4rpo

• Wickets: 1, 0, 2, 4, 1

Taylor Bettelheim: 25yrs | CD | batter

• FC: 6 innings, 22.8avg/47sr, 2 x 50

• Scores: 0, 62, 13, 50, 0, 12

Samuel Morgan: 23yrs | Wellington | batter

• T20: 2 innings, 126 runs @ 63avg/173sr, 2 x 50

• Scores: 55, 71

Scott Janett: 22yrs | Canterbury | batter

• FC: 13 innings, 272 runs @ 22.6avg/46sr, 1 x 50

• LA: 5 innings, 159 runs @ 31.8avg/93sr, 1 x 50

• Scores: 38, 0, 1, 7, 2, 40, 0, 49, 0

Toby Hart: 22yrs | Otago | seam

• FC: 6 innings, 9w @ 30.2avg/4rpo

• LA: 1 innings, 1w @ 31avg/4.4rpo

• Wickets: 1, 1, 1, 1, 6, 1, 0, 0

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

The NZ NBL season is done and the playoffs are imminent. It was a fantastic last round where a bunch of teams were in contention either for the top two (and a first round bye) or sixth place (the last playoff qualification) and therefore not only had to win but had to win by as much as possible for the points differential. Manawatu Jets won three of their last four games, absolutely crushing Franklin by 48 points in the last one with Corey Webster making nine three-pointers (Kazlo Evans also scored 21 points on 8/10 shooting, he’s had a really nice season at 22yo). But it wasn’t enough due to the Tauranga Whai winning down in Nelson, pipping the Jets with their superior points percentage.

Meanwhile, Wellington Saints gave themselves a chance with a 119-94 win over Southland Sharks but then Sunday’s slate saw both the Auckland Tuatara and Canterbury Rams log hefty victories. With Southland losing, that drops them to third while Auckland claim top spot and Canterbury settle in second (on the back of a five-game win streak). One win separated first from fourth so it’s anyone’s guess how these playoffs are going to go. One-off games, best team on the day, and while the elimination finals should go as expected even those are ripe for an upset given the format.

Elimination Finals

• Southland Sharks vs Tauranga Whai on Wednesday at 7pm

• Wellington Saints vs Otago Nuggets on Thursday at 7pm

Semi Finals

• Auckland Tuatara vs Lower Ranked Winner on Saturday at 3pm

• Canterbury Rams vs Higher Ranked Winner on Sunday at 6pm

Kiwi Stat Leaders from the NZ NBL Regular Season…

Total Minutes Played

1. Ethan Rusbatch (Otago) – 630 mins

2. Alex McNaught (Nelson) – 616 mins

3. Sam Timmins (Southland) – 606 mins

4. Kazlo Evans (Manawatu) – 592 mins

5. Carlin Davison (Wellington) – 589 mins

Points Per Game

1. Reuben Te Rangi (Tauranga) – 22.1 ppg

2. Taine Murray (Tauranga) – 20.2 ppg

3. Kruz Perrott-Hunt (Nelson) – 20.2 ppg

4. Taylor Britt (Canterbury) – 20.1 ppg

5. Jackson Ball (Hawke’s Bay) – 19.98 ppg

6. Keanu Rasmussen (Hawke’s Bay) – 19.7 ppg

7. Sam Timmins (Southland) – 19.0 ppg

8. Corey Webster (Manawatu) – 18.7 ppg

9. Walter Brown (Canterbury) – 28.2

10. Ethan Rusbatch (Otago) – 17.3 ppg

Rebounds Per Game

1. Sam Timmins (Southland) – 11.0 rpg

2. James Moors (Taranaki) – 10.3 rpg

3. Jack Andrew (Canterbury) – 9.7 rpg

4. Rob Loe (Auckland) – 9.3 rpg

5. Tohi Smith-Milner (Nelson) – 8.4 rpg

Assists Per Game

1. Carlin Davison (Wellington) – 7.2 apg

2. Taylor Britt (Canterbury) – 7.0 apg

3. Keanu Rasmussen (Hawke’s Bay) – 5.9 apg

4. Rob Loe (Auckland) – 5.1 apg

5. Alex McNaught (Nelson) – 4.7 apg

Three Pointers Made

1. Ethan Rusbatch (Otago) – 57/150 (38.0%)

2. Taine Murray (Tauranga) – 55/154 (35.7%)

3. Brayden Inger (Southland) – 48/110 (43.6%)

4. Kruz Perrott-Hunt (Nelson) – 46/122 (37.7%)

5. Walter Brown (Canterbury) – 42/117 (32.6%)

(To be clear, those are the top stats for NZ players excluding imports... the imports still lead pretty much all those categories overall, that’s what they’re there to do, but obviously we’re far more bothered about the locals doing the business)

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Stats & Reaction from NZ winning the Men’s U16 OFC Champs

Auckland FC played Tottenham Hotspur at Eden Park on Sunday in front of a massive crowd and results mean absolutely nothing in preseason games but Spurs did win 2-0. Both teams mixed it up with copious substitutions along the way, although they staggered the youth and first-team players so that there was always a mixture of both on the pitch at any given time. Way too much Spurs focus on the kiwi broadcast for my liking considering how fascinating the Auckland team was as they rebuild for their championship defence. There were heaps of subs at half-time and then a few more scattered through the second half so you can split AFC into three distinct line-ups: Start of the First Half, Start of the Second Half, and Full Time...

Might have to zoom in to see all that. The numbers are the ages of the players.

A few notes...

New coach Pedro Moreira hasn’t been announced yet so Luke Casserly was in charge for this game. A perfect bloke to oversee things given how he coached the Reserves last year and then moved up to the Pro League side and has been an assistant for the A-League team throughout. Nobody knows this club across the levels quite like he does (plus he’s been hugely successful with all of them).

Callan Elliot and Nando Pijnaker were absent after their World Cup efforts. Francis de Vries and Lachlan Bayliss were both involved. Not sure why the discrepancy; perhaps the other two had injury knocks or perhaps FDV and Bayliss just really wanted to play and cut their holidays short. Doesn’t really matter, it was fun to get a look at a few different options.

Bayliss was easily the most impressive dude for AFC. He was genuinely awesome in that attacking midfield role, holding onto the ball through pressure and finding clever incisive passes. He might even be an upgrade on Guillermo May in that role given how May only really rediscovered his form in the latter weeks of last season. Bayliss has a bit more presence and passing range. The trick will be if he can match May’s goal-scoring offerings.

The chat is that they want to use their last import spot on a left-winger to replace Jesse Randall and that would make sense... if it weren’t for how bare the cupboard is in central defence. Would much rather they reinforce the backline and lean into that defensive grittiness they’ve been known for. The wings are light but there’s a lot of young talent that they can alternate between (Isa Prins, Van Fitzharris, and Aaron Cartwright should all be challenging for bench spots in week one).

Hopefully Aaron Calver turns out to be a reliable steady hand at the back but tbh I get far more Scott Galloway vibes about him than I do Dan Hall vibes. Far too early to judge him but another CB option would clearly not go to waste with Hall and Jake Girdwood-Reich leaving after ranking first and fourth respectively for minutes played last term. Third-placed Jesse Randall and fifth-placed Louis Verstraete have also gone though they’ve retained pretty much everyone else bar Guillermo May.

To that point, couple of sketchy moments in there from Luka Vicelich both in and out of possession. A reminder that he only turned 18yo two months ago and right now is probably the third choice CB (unless Hiroki Sakai is an option there, but he’s much better out wide). Ronan Wynne is also better out wide, though is versatile enough to cover the entire back four. Trialist Marley Leuluai shapes as a CB moving into senior footy even if he was more of a defensive midfielder in his youth days. He could be a handy depth piece if they sign him up but this team needs another experienced central defender, whether it’s an import or not.

Daniel Normann looked pretty nice out there in midfield. His shift was way more balanced towards the defensive stuff given the nature of the game but he worked hard and won a lot of ball, then shifted it around smartly. He’ll go alright as a squadie, probably sitting as the fourth midfield option right now given Bayliss is being used further up. Gallegos and Howieson/Brimmer as the starters. Possibly Brimmer getting the nod since that was a combination used on Sunday. Granted, the new coach might have other ideas when he arrives. Any tactical ideas are subject to massive asterisks for that reason – however, this is a Director of Football club so the coach has still somewhat gotta adapt to the squad that Terry McFlynn is giving him.

Curious to see James Mitchell used as a right-back. He got cooked for the second goal but then made a very good intervention when Matthys Tel tried to repeat the same move on him a few mins later. Mitchell currently captains the Reserves and is predominantly a central midfielder, though pretty sure he has been tried in central defence too. Gotta get in where you fit in as a youngster. That’s the rule. The more adaptable you are, the more chance you have of getting on the field... and even after you settle in a position those experiences in different areas are going to help you develop as a player.

Logan Rogerson, Van Fitzharris, Bailey Ferguson, Isa Prins, Aaron Cartwright, and Dejaun Naidoo were all given time on the wings. Lachlan Brook played through the middle but would likely be first choice on the right-wing in a proper team (again, depends on the new coach). Rogerson should have a better season than last time. Brook is good enough to go close to his 9G/2A from last time. Losing 17 goal contributions from Jesse Randall leaves a lot of slack though. Bayliss will help with some of that. Callan Elliot is a sneaky one who is going to have to show more on attack (1 assist in 1743 mins last year). Bidois will be targeting goals now that he’s had his contract elevated. A more prominent Jake Brimmer will help, same with a fully fit Nando Pijnaker come set piece time. Not to mention those young wingers. There’s potential there, just gotta see who steps up (and also whether their defence can keep it up because the more you concede, the more goals you require up the other end).

AFC Squad Tiers From Spurs Friendly

• A-League Squad – Michael Woud, Ronan Wynne, Hiroki Sakai, Cam Howieson, Dan Normann, Lachlan Bayliss, Logan Rogerson, Sam Cosgrove, Francis de Vries, Aaron Calver, Felipe Gallegos, Jake Brimmer, Lachlan Brook, Jonty Bidois, Joe Knowles (plus Nando Pijnaker & Callan Elliot)

• Scholarship Players – Luka Vicelich, Van Fitzharris, Isa Prins, Bailey Ferguson, Aaron Cartwright

• Promoted Reserves – Matt D’Hotman-de Villiers, James Mitchell, Dejaun Naidoo (Unused Subs: Eli Jones, Harley Hill, Will Gross, Nathan Martin)

• Trialist – Marley Leuluai

Biggest Reported Crowds at Football Games in NZ

• 43217 – Switzerland vs Spain (5 Aug 2023) at Eden Park in Auckland

• 43217 – Japan vs Sweden (11 Aug 2023) at Eden Park in Auckland

• 43217 – Spain vs Sweden (15 Aug 2023) at Eden Park in Auckland

• 42958 – USA vs Portugal (1 Aug 2023) at Eden Park in Auckland

• 42137 – New Zealand vs Norway (20 July 2023) at Eden Park in Auckland

• 41107 – USA vs Vietnam (22 July 2023) at Eden Park in Auckland

The top six were all at Eden Park and they were all during the Women’s World Cup. Doubt there’s another nation on the planet whose six highest football attendances were all for women’s games. And then in seventh place comes this AFC vs Spurs friendly... also at Eden Park. Naturally the biggest stadium is going to draw the biggest crowds... there isn’t even room for 40k anywhere else. The biggest kiwi football crowd outside of Eden Park was the 37034 folks at the Caketin in Wellington for NZ vs Peru in November 2017.

Add to that how Auckland FC have had the largest attendance figures in the A-League in both seasons and that the All Whites have drawn between 14k and 25k to their last five home games (four in Auckland, one in Wellington) and we’ve got a bench of these impressive attendance milestones piling up over the past few years. The people want their football.

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Scotty’s Word

NZ Warriors weekend match-ups...

NRL

• Warriors: 2nd | 12-5 | +202

• Bulldogs: 10th | 8-9 | -70

NRLW

• Warriors: 6th | 2-1 | +34

• Eels: 11th | 0-3 | -64

NSW Cup

• Warriors: 9th | 9-8 | -21

• Bulldogs: 5th | 8-7-1 | +79

Jersey Flegg Cup

• Warriors: 2nd | 11-4 | +154

• Bulldogs: 8th | 8-8 | +134

There is a notable difference in dummy half running between Warriors and Bulldogs in NRL this season. Both teams have been moving in opposite directions as well, with Warriors increasing their dummy half running per game in each season of the Two Andys Era and Bulldogs decreasing their dummy half running.

Dummy half runs per game for Warriors | Bulldogs

• 2023: 6.4 | 9.3

• 2024: 7.3 | 9.7

• 2025: 8.5 | 5.9

• 2026: 8.7 | 5.5

Wayde Egan (4.3) and Samuel Healey (2.7) are far busier scooting around the ruck than Bailey Hayward (1.8) who leads the Bulldogs in this pocket. Hayward has played 80mins in four of his last five games so he could play the full game on Saturday or Sean O’Sullivan could step in for a few minutes.

Egan doesn’t play 80mins with Healey playing every game he’s been available for and hovering around 20mins this season. Here’s how the three main hookers compare in attacking stats this season...

• Wayde Egan: 17 games, 2 tries, 8 try assists, 5 linebreaks, 6 tackle breaks, 9 offloads, 47m/game

• Samuel Healey: 15 games, 2 tries, 1 try assist, 4 linebreaks, 19 tackle breaks, 2 offloads, 39m/game

• Bailey Hayward: 17 games, 2 try assists, 5 tackle breaks, 1 offload, 16m/game

Warriors could roll out their best group of outside backs in NRL vs Eels. Mele Hufanga is lurking on the extended bench and here’s my favourite outside back unit if she is good to go: Apii Nicholls, Payton Takimoana, Mele Hufanga, Stacey Waaka, Tysha Ikenasio.

There is also a middle forward trio of Harata Butler, Ivana Lauitiiti and Annetta Nu’uausala. Nu’uausala has started a few games so she may make a late move back into a starting role but these three would offer tremendous impact off the bench. My weekly Lauitiiti note is that she is averaging 5.1 tackle breaks per game in her NRLW career as a 19-year-old.

Three NZ Warriors juniors who have surprised this season…

• Jye Linnane: 20yrs | centre | Kurri Kurri (NSW)

• Tyson Hansen: 18yrs | utility | Ngongotaha

• Connor Bowden: 18yrs | edge forward | Botany Downs Secondary College

All Kiwi-NRL/NRLwahine players named for Bulldogs this weekend...

NRL

Leo Thompson (Napier), Alekolasimi Jones (St Pauls)

NRLW

Simina Lokotui (Mangere East), Daynah Nankivell (Moerewa), Monica Tagoai (Marist St Pats), Ash Quinlan (Taupo), Mary-Jane Taito (Mangere East), Alexis Tauaneai (Wainuiomata), Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa (Sydney), Evelyn Roberts (Mangere East), Maatuleio Fotu-Moala (Otahuhu)

NSW Cup

Sosaia Alatini (Hornby), Zyon Maiu’u (Te Atatu), Alekolasimi Jones (St Pauls)

NSW Women’s Premiership

Shanthie Lui (Mangere East), Moana Courtenay (Mahurangi), Milahn Ieremia (Marist), Limilaiti Paea (Mangere East), Paea Uilou (Katikati), Giovanna Suani (Mangere East), Shafenior Lui (Mangere East)

Jersey Flegg Cup

Chelden Hayward (Linwood), Alvin Chong Nee (Manurewa), Bronson Reuben (Kaiapoi), Kaawyn Patterson (Westlake Boys)

Check the quality of these players who have entered the NZ Kiwis tier in recent years...

Backs: Matthew Timoko, Casey McLean, Keano Kini, Will Warbrick

Forwards: Griffin Neame, Leo Thompson, Naufahu Whyte, Phoenix Crossland, Jordan Riki, Erin Clark, Xavier Willison

Similar for Kiwi Ferns...

Backs: Leianne Tufuga, Annessa Biddle, Gayle Broughton, Mackenzie Wiki, Patricia Maliepo, Tysha Ikenasio

Forwards: Amelia Pasikala, Brooke Anderson, Tiana Davison, Alexis Tauaneai, Ivana Lauitiiti, Shakira Baker, Shaniece Monshcau

Ford paid subscribers

• Five surprising Warriors juniors

• NRLWahine spotlight on Tenika Willison, Kerri Johnson, Trinity Tauaneai

• Kiwi-NRL spotlight on Mason Lome-Hindle, Siamani Leuluai, Charleston Te Rore

• Blackcaps series results & ODI stats

Blackcaps finished their tour of West Indies with a 3-2 ODI series win. Jayden Lennox was the best performer on tour with 14w @ 13.6avg/4.3rpo. This puts him in a few hot pockets...

New Zealand ODI bowlers averaging below 20 with 20+ wickets

• Jayden Lennox: 22w @ 17.86avg

• Dayle Hadlee: 20w @ 18.2avg

Most ODI wickets this year

• Nahid Rana: 27w @ 16.07avg

• Jayden Lennox: 22w @ 17.86avg

• Taskin Ahmed: 20w @ 23.7avg

In the five ODIs vs West Indies there were four batters who scored 100+ runs, five who had a 50+ score and the three main spinners took 5+ wickets each with averages below 30. Aotearoa used 14 players across the series and have now used 25 different players in ODIs. All very impressive kiwi cricket things that we’re covering every dispatch on Substack and still feels underrated by others who cover cricket.

Coach Rob Walter has had an almighty start to his time in charge. Blackcaps have a relatively mediocre T20I record but that is balanced by making the T20 World Cup final earlier this year and the only stain on their ODI apron was in Bangladesh where they had a second/third tier squad. Add in two Test series wins in which Blackcaps had their most visible displays of excellent depth and coach Walter’s got winning mahi in all three formats, using 20+ players in each format.

2026

• Test: 3-1 | 17 players

• ODI: 6-5 | 25 players

• T20I: 9-11 | 30 players

Rob Walter as coach

• Test: 7-1 | 24 players

• ODI: 12-5 | 28 players

• T20I: 17-15 | 34 players

Musical jam…

Nick’s Notebook

That Elijah Just to Swansea City move is complete. EJ will be teaming up with Marko Stamenić in an attempt to get the Swans into the English Premier League, more on that in Flying Kiwis which I delayed to today in expectation of that deal getting done overnight (only for Katie Bowen and Luke Supyk to also confirm transfers along with further updates required for guys like Joe Bell and Tyler Bindon... keeping me busy most of the day – these are glorious times on the kiwi football beat). The fee has been reported at £6m (NZ$13.8m) which makes Just the second most expensive footballer from Aotearoa in history (though only for the fourth-highest fee)...

Biggest Transfer Fees Paid For NZ Footballers

1. Chris Wood – Burnley to Newcastle in 2022 - £25m

2. Chris Wood – Newcastle to Nottingham Forest in 2023 - £15m

3. Chris Wood – Leeds to Burnley in 2017 - £15m

4. Elijah Just – Motherwell to Swansea City in 2026 - £6m

5. Marko Stamenić – Crvena Zvezda to Nottingham Forest in 2024 - £4.8m

6. Winston Reid – Midtjylland to West Ham in 2010 - £3.8m

7. Chris Wood – Leicester City to Leeds in 2015 - £3m

8. Liberato Cacace – Sint-Truiden to Empoli in 2022 - £2.5m

9. Liberato Cacace – Empoli to Wrexham in 2025 - £2.1m

10. Marko Stamenic – Nottingham Forest to Swansea City in 2025 - £2m

Transfer fees are often undisclosed, so these are reported figures as best as I can tell and may not be 100% accurate. Just’s fee is expected to climb with add-ons, for example. Also I’ve put them in Pound Sterling rather than translating them to NZD because all but one of them were to English clubs so it was just easier that way to keep it consistent. Chris Wood has another £1.1m move from West Brom to Leicester (2013) that falls just outside this list, to add to the funkiness. And none of that ‘adjusting for inflation’ nonsense, I’ll leave that business to the accountants.

Most of our other recent transfer fees have been for young players, many of them from the Wellington Phoenix, who drew big figures relative to the A-League but a long way off the multi-millions of this lot. If/when the Luke Brooke-Smith move to Portsmouth goes down, he’d be in this category too (they were reporting est £400k). Joe Bell would be next on the list, pretty sure, for his move to Brøndby which was claimed to be around €2m (roughly half what they got when they sold him back to Viking 16 months later). The most likely dude to himself onto this list in the short term is without a doubt Finn Surman.

The other thing here is that it gives us one of those awesome kiwi duos at a foreign club. Always get a few of those every year where multiple New Zealanders end up at the same team, some of the current duos that we’ve got going (spare a thought for Alex Paulsen + Elijah Just at Motherwell which lasted one preseason game and about a week in total before Just swapped him for Stamenić)...

• Marko Stamenić + Elijah Just at Swansea City

• Chris Wood + Tyler Bindon at Nottingham Forest

• Malia Steinmetz + Grace Wisnewski at FC Nordsjælland

• Meikayla Moore + Tilly James at Calgary Wild

• Dublin Boon + Nathan Garrow at Stellenbosch

• Michael Boxall + Troy Putt at Minnesota United

That’s not including academy players with the exception of Troy Putt because he did actually make a first team appearance for the Loons earlier in the year. Even if that’s a technicality, it’s still true that Minnesota Utd are coached by NZ’s Cameron Knowles so they’ve got a kiwi coach/captain thing going on. Outstanding from them. Wood and Bindon haven’t played together for NFFC but they’ll get a chance in preseason when Wood returns from holiday – Bindon checked back much earlier in order to try win his place in the Prem squad. The other asterisk there is that Dublin Boon is the subject of heavy transfer speculation... but if he leaves Stellies then he’ll be teaming up with Andre de Jong at Orlando Pirates which is even better.

Updated Charlisse Leger-Walker Superstat:

• Connecticut Sun are 6-4 when CLW plays at least 28 minutes

• Connecticut Sun are 1-16 when CLW plays less than 28 minutes

They got absolutely tonked by Indiana Fever this arvo with Caitlyn Clark hitting five threes and Aliyah Boston and Kelsey Mitchell also scoring 20+ as the high-scoring Fever won 123-88... Leger-Walker had four assists but also four turnovers and four personal fouls. She played 27:24 mins to juuuust fit smoothly within the established superstat.

For the Paid Subscribers, you can feast upon another hearty edition of the Flying Kiwis Transfer Tracker gossip column which has gone behind the paywall today just to keep you all on your toes

At this point you should be well aware that Tyler Bindon’s mum, Jenny Bindon, was a Football Ferns goalkeeper. It’s only in the last year or two that Tyler has emerged out of the shadow of being Jenny’s son (much like Steven Adams eventually outgrew the tag of being Valerie’s brother). First mother and son duo to both play at World Cups. But every now and then you see Tyler Bindon leap about a kilometre off the ground to win a header and you’re reminded that his dad Grant Bindon used to captain the Aotearoa volleyball team too…

The Wellington Phoenix Women have signed a new visa player with Kamila (Kam) Pickett on board for the 2026-27 season. She’s a very speedy wing-back who had a full university career in her homeland and then played in Iceland last year with Fram Reykjavik where she made 15 appearances for a club that finished one spot above relegation. Same league that Makala Woods was signed from and she’s worked out alright. Same league that Betsy Hassett spent the majority of the second half of her career aside from one year with the Phoenix. Same league that Helena Errington, a former Nix scholarship player, is doing awesome things in for the current league leaders.

I’ll be honest, I’m a little surprised that the Nix haven’t been able to make higher profile signings with Bev Priestman around... though that’s probably more because of the limited money they can offer rather than any lack of aura for Coach Bev. This is very much a Priestman signing too. Barely five feet tall but lightning fast, limited goals and assists in her career to date but someone who will probably benefit from having a defined role. Priestman loves players who’ll run through brick walls for the team. She also prioritises athletes over technicians. Not sure how they’ll use her because they already have two wing-backs on board with Brooke Nunn and Manaia Elliott having re-signed... perhaps Nunn will move further forward or perhaps Elliott and Pickett will have to scrap it out for selection. Always helps to have competition for places.

Wellington Phoenix 2026-27 ALM Squad (As It Stands)

• GK – Vic Esson, Aimee Danieli

• DEF – Ellie Walker (I), Kamila Pickett (I), Mackenzie Barry, Marisa van der Meer

• MID – CJ Bott, Grace Jale, Macey Fraser

• FWD – Brooke Nunn (I), Samba (I), Emma Main, Makala Woods (I), Pia Vlok (S), Manaia Elliott

(Current Free Agents: Alyssa Whinham, Daisy Brazendale, Ella McCann, Lara Wall, Mackenzie Anthony, Zoe Benson)

That’s 15 players on board with another couple of months before the season begins. Haven’t even started preseason yet... which is why Mack Barry has been allowed to pop north to play for the Auckland FC Invitational team that’s playing touring Chelsea in two weeks. Very controversial within the Nix fanbase but to be honest I think that’s an overreaction.

This will be way more a Football Ferns Invitational team than an AFC team, it’s only the colours and branding that’ll be AFC. They’re not even playing at Mt Smart. Jenny Bindon and Kirsty Yallop are coaching while Abby Erceg, Liv Chance, Charlotte Lancaster, and Liz Anton are the other players announced so far. Expect a few Northern League additions and maybe some players from AFC’s Talent Development Programme... but this has nothing to do with AFC’s plans to get a team into the A-League. It’s about them picking up the slack when another WSL team pulled out of the tour, ensuring that Chelsea would still have a game to play in Auckland.

From Barry’s perspective, it’s weird for the Phoenix captain (well, vice captain once CJ Bott returns) to don an Auckland FC kit but this is a unique opportunity to play against one of the very best teams on the planet. Hard to hold the rivals thing up against her when Auckland FC doesn’t even have a real team yet. None of the others will be AFC players either. Plus who’s going to turn down a cheeky two-week gig in this economy, right? Cash that cheque, girl. It’ll all be forgotten in a month.

Ideally Barry would have been in the A-League All Stars and played against Chelsea that way, maybe swap her for Auckland native Claudia Bunge and that would have avoided the dramas. Nevertheless, between the All Stars and the AFC Invitational team it seems like roughly half the Football Ferns talent pool is going to get to play against Chelsea next month. Grace Jale, Rebekah Stott, Claudia Bunge, and Pia Vlok are all in the ALW squad. We did once have a kiwi play for Chelsea - Ali Riley spent a short stint there (mostly stuck on the bench). Wrexham signed a kiwi when they came to Aotearoa so Chelsea Women and Tottenham Men you are both on the clock.

Wellington Phoenix 2026-27 ALM Squad (As It Stands)

• GK – Henry Gray, Alby Kelly-Heald, Eamonn McCarron

• DEF – Bill Tuiloma, Isaac Hughes, James McGarry, Matt Sheridan, Lukas Kelly-Heald, Xuan Loke, Jayden Smith

• MID – Kazuki Nagasawa (I), Fin Roa Conchie, Anaru Cassidy (S)

• FWD – Corban Piper, Luke Brooke-Smith, Nathan Walker

Good news here, amazing news actually, is that Jason Pine has reported that Alex Rufer has turned down offers in Asia to re-sign with the Wellington Phoenix after all. That’s massive for the Nix who have already lost Tim Payne’s leadership and experience this offseason.

While we’re at it, Auckland FC have made three very predictable additions to their squad with Isa Prins, Bailey Ferguson, and Van Fitzharris all given scholarship deals for the upcoming campaign. All three of them are 21yo or younger and have played for both the Pro League and Northern League teams already – with Ferguson and Fitzharris also debuting in the A-League to complete the set. This carries on from the Pro League promotions for Daniel Normann and Ronan Wynne last week.

They’ve also made an unexpected move with Aaron Cartwright plucked out of the Melbourne City system. Only turned 18yo a couple weeks ago but played first team footy in the Aussie Cup and was in Asian Champions League squads... Cartwright was born and raised in Oz but has been a standout in the NZ U16s and U17s teams over the past two years. He played every minute at the 2025 U17 World Cup.

Still got one visa spot and at least a couple other local spots to fill (and a new coach soon to be announced) so they’re a little short of being a full A-League squad as they prepare to face Tottenham Hotspur on the weekend... but that’s fine because Tottenham are a little short of being a full Premier League team.

Auckland FC 2026-27 ALM Squad (As It Stands)

• GK – Michael Woud, Oli Sail

• DEF – Francis de Vries, Hiroki Sakai (I), Callan Elliot, Nando Pijnaker, Ronan Wynne, Luka Vicelich (S)

• MID – Felipe Gallegos (I), Cam Howieson, Jake Brimmer, Lachlan Bayliss, Daniel Normann (I)

• FWD – Logan Rogerson, Lachlan Brook, Sam Cosgrove (I), Jonty Bidois, Oli Middleton, Van Fitzharris (S), Bailey Ferguson (S), Isa Prins (S), Aaron Cartwright (S)

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Scotty’s Word

NZ Warriors had two wins vs Dragons on the men’s side and a win over Cowboys in NRLW. There was a crowd of 23,895 for the NRL game at the same times as an All Blacks game was being played down the road - I love these pockets of kiwi sport where two or three cool events are happening in a small radius at the same time. In theory, the All Blacks game would have had an impact on the Mt Smart crowd but there wasn’t a major drop.

All NZW crowds at Mt Smart this season sit between 23,000 and 25,000. The crowd for the Dragons game was the second lowest of the season but it is one of four games that have had between 23,800 and 24,250 fans show up (the average at Mt Smart this season is 24,062). NZW have had a smaller crowd and the crowd for the Dragons game was in the same zone as most other games at Mt Smart this season, showing how solid NZW fandom is right now.

While on the topic...

Biggest crowds for NZW this season

• Wellington vs Dolphins: 34,812

• Christchurch vs Cowboys: 25,365

• Auckland vs Sharks: 24,938

The stadiums in Wellington and Christchurch are bigger than Mt Smart, but NZW haven’t hit 25,000 at Mt Smart this season. Regardless, I don’t think anyone in Aotearoa sport is worried about their crowd sizes and that’s led by the quartet of sports we cover in depth. I especially love the NBL crowds as the regional flavour and buzz for places like Invercargill with Southland Sharks is kinda unique in the kiwi sporting landscape at the moment.

NZ Warriors weekend results

• NRL vs Dragons: 20-12

• NRLW vs Cowboys: 42-4

• NSW Cup vs Dragons: 31-26

• Jersey Flegg Cup vs Dragons: 22-34

NZW are 4-0 vs Dragons in NRL and NSW Cup this season, while they are 0-2 in Jersey Flegg Cup vs Dragons this season. The NRLW team is 2-0 against Cowboys and the Cowboys are 0-3 in NRLW this season, led by Kiwi Ferns coach Ricky Henry.

The latest dispatch was titled ‘Glamorous Spines’ and I loved what the NZW spine did against Dragons. The halves got busy winning the territory battle with their long kicking game. This paid dues in the second half as NZW found a higher level with their physicality. The game was in the balance in the second half and NZW won thanks to their effort, intensity and attitude in dominating tackles down the Dragons end.

Wayde Egan and Samuel Healey controlled the ruck while Taine Tuaupiki continues to shine at fullback. Tuaupiki’s running mahi is easy to spot and he has found consistency in how he’s able to squeeze between defenders this season. Add in how the long game grind impacts the opposition with guys like Tuaupiki and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak having more impact with their runs as the Dragons tired; Tuaupiki had more space in kick returns and Watene-Zelezniak does the same run 22 times but the defence can’t keep whacking him as they fatigue.

Tuaupiki’s defence and reliability is now at a Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad level. He’s grown into the communication required to organise the defence and he is a good tackler when the defensive line is broken. I expect Tuaupiki’s tackles around the legs to stick now and you can tell that he has been tackling bigger blokes his whole life, especially as a fullback, because his positioning and accuracy is crucial in making those tackles.

Dragons were competing well in the second half but Tuaupiki was always there to mop up grubbers and he’s confident catching bombs. All of which is just as important as his speed and zip that made him a better option at fullback than Nicoll-Klokstad. I also love Kurt ‘first to floor’ Capewell who doesn’t lose many contests when the ball is bouncing around in his vicinity.

Te Maire Martin had his first game without a try or try assist this season but his kicking, passing and defence was good vs Dragons. Chanel Harris-Tavita is the main kicker in this combo so that’s a key aspect of his game and he now has a try assist in four consecutive games, taking him to 11 for the season after a career best 18 last season.

This means that Harris-Tavita, Martin (8) and Egan (8) all have at least eight try assists this season. Tanah Boyd stacked up 10 in 10 games and Martin’s taken over from him, also averaging one try assist per game. That covers most of the field and flows into Watene-Zelezniak (1.06) and Alofiana Khan-Pereira (1.2) averaging more than a try per game on either flank.

NZW are scoring tries on both sides of the field thanks with a lovely mix of play-makers setting them up. It’s amplified by the fact that everyone’s favourite centres in Ali Leiataua and Adam Pompey both have linebreaks in their last two games, combining for five after that pesky outing vs Dolphins.

No type of rugby game is won without forwards rolling forward though...

• James Fisher-Harris: 18 runs - 189m @ 10.5m/run

• Mitchell Barnett: 19 runs - 190m @ 10m/run

• Erin Clark: 16 runs - 161m @ 10m/run

These three also combined for 18 passes (Clark had 11). Running oomph and the odd pass is tricky to handle.

The funkiest thing in the NRLW win was how the halves flipped roles. Emmanita Paki had no kick metres in the first two games and then did most of the kicking vs Cowboys, including a few try assists. Patricia Maliepo must have been battling a niggle because she averaged 137 kick metres per game last season and had 200+ kick metres in the first two games this season.

Kicking mahi vs Cowboys

• Emmanita Paki: 9 kicks - 116m

• Patrica Maliepo: 3 kicks - 61m

Paki is the main Aussie for NZW this season with Natalia Hickling offering depth in the halves. While playing nearly everyone backline position, Paki has 13 try assists in 14 games across two seasons of NRLW for NZW.

I also love how a couple of depth players have settled into NRLW footy. Ocean Tierney has played two games on the wing with three tries after she switched from rugby union and Christabelle Onesemo played 40 minutes on debut, followed by the full 70mins in her next two games. Neither were on my radar before the season started, now they are helping NZW win.

Ivana Lauiti’iti…

A few differences between how NZW play in NRL and NRLW...

The men had three dummy half runners and two players with offloads vs Dragons. The women had eight dummy half runners and 10 players with an offload vs Cowboys.

Something cool from the NZ Warriors NSW Cup win vs Dragons...

Most tackles

• Makaia Tafua (22yrs): 45 @ 88%

• Rodney Tuipulotu-Vea (21yrs): 34 @ 92%

• Kayliss Fatialofa (21yrs): 34 @ 92%

• Tyson Hansen (18yrs): 34 @ 92%

Bulldogs had their first of the NRLW season vs Sharks. NRLWahine who played in the win...

Simina Lokotui (Mangere East), Daynah Nankivell (Moerewa), Monica Tagoai (Marist St Pats), Ashleigh Quinlan (Taupo), Mary-Jane Taito (Mangere East), Alexis Tauaneai (Wainuiomata), Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa (Sydney), Evelyn Roberts (Mangere East), Ma’atuleio Fotu-Moala (Otahuhu).

Fanua Rimoni (18yrs - Wainuiomata) in her second NRLW game with Titans: 55mins, 15 runs - 152m @ 10.1m/run, 17 tackles @ 85%.

Amelia Pasikala (22yrs - Wairoa) is back in an NRLW groove. She left Raiders for Knights this season and has played 20+ minutes in all three games off the bench. Kiwi Ferns Pasikala, Shanice Parker and Tiana Davison scored tries in the Knights win over Dragons.

For paid subscribers

• Lots of NZ Warriors stats and deep cuts

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Blackcaps had a fun win in the fourth ODI vs West Indies in Barbados and have wrapped up the series with a game to spare. Mitchell Santner’s in the spotlight here with 2w @ 3.6rpo and 34* @ 61r as he steered Aotearoa to victory ... after Tom Latham had a couple not-outs in two winning run chases in Guyana.

Santner has gone up a few levels since the start of 2025...

• Before 2025: 26.8avg/91sr | 37.4avg/4.8rpo

• Since the start of 2025: 29.4avg/104sr | 25.3avg/4.3rpo

Here’s how that breaks down over the last five years...

• 2022: 32.5avg/81sr | 37.3avg/4.7rpo

• 2023: 27avg/107sr | 38.5avg/5rpo

• 2024: 7.5avg/68sr | 86avg/4.3rpo

• 2025: 26.2avg/115sr | 26.8avg/4.5rpo

• 2026: 55avg/75sr | 19avg/3.2rpo

Another thing I have been tracking is how Blackcaps spin depth is the same as every other skill/role in their pipeline. Blackcaps have used nine spinners across the formats this year and that doesn’t include Ajaz Patel, while Tim Pringle’s the best emerging spinner yet to play for Blackcaps.

Blackcaps spinners this year in order of overs bowled

• Test: Mitchell Santner, Rachin Ravindra

• ODI: Jayden Lennox, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner, Dean Foxcroft, Glenn Phillips, Adithya Ashok

• T20I: Mitchell Santner, Ish Sodhi, Cole McMonchie, Rachin Ravindra, Glenn Phillips, Jayden Lennox, Dean Foxcroft

Blackcaps are 23-7 in ODis since the start of 2025.

Recent ODI series results since the start of 2025

• Home vs Sri Lanka: 2-1

• Tri-series in Pakistan: 4-0

• Home vs Pakistan: 3-0

• Home vs England: 3-0

• Home vs West Indies: 3-0

• Away vs India: 2-1

• Away vs Bangladesh: 1-2

• Away vs West Indies: 3-1

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

Unsurprisingly, the Junior Tall Ferns were well beaten by Spain in their U17 Women’s World Cup quarter-final. We just couldn’t get good shots against them, leading to turnovers which then spurred the Spanish offence and yeah that was rough. Charis Broughton did hit a few threes on her way to 10 points & 3 assists but other than Emilia Ainley with another towering effort down low (13pts/10reb) there wasn’t much going on. Decent defence kept it somewhat respectable until the fourth quarter as Spain won 84-55. Having a 25-3 deficit in points from turnovers never helps. Spain then beat Australia 58-51 in the semis before falling 82-73 to the USA in the grand final, so we were beaten by a very good team there.

What was brilliant was that the Junior Tall Ferns then picked themselves up with two superb outings. They beat Japan 77-52 in the first classification game, keeping them to just 20 points in the first half with Japan shooting a pitiful 23% from the field. 64-33 rebounding advantage for the kiwis. Still had heaps of turnovers but this time they limited the collateral damage whilst dominating in the paint (28-12) and with second-chance points (25-8). There were 14 points & 9 assists for Emilia Ainley plus 11 points & 10 rebounds for Imani Rasmussen. Charis Broughton hit 5/8 from deep for 19 points with 6 assists. Ava Jones hit 4/4 threes for 12 points. There were seven different NZers with at least four rebounds. Superb stuff.

With that, there was one game remaining against China to see if we’d finish fifth or sixth. We finished fifth. 76-61 final score. Just like in the Japan game, the JTF’s never trailed at any stage. China kept things a lot more balanced but New Zealand were a little better in most areas and it added up across the four quarters. Emilia Ainley grew beautifully into the tournament and peaked with the final game where she scored 20 points with 17 rebounds. Imani Rasmussen added 13p/8r as the bigs put in heavy work. With NZ leading almost the whole way, everyone got at least ten minutes of action with 11/12 players scoring points. Fifth place at the U17 World Cup. Record finish for the Junior Tall Ferns. And yet another example of NZ basketball thriving in ways we’ve never before witnessed.

New Zealand at Recent FIBA Events

• June 2024 - Women’s U18 Asia Cup – Fifth (2-3)

• July 2024 - Men’s U17 World Cup – FOURTH (4-3)

• July 2024 – Women’s U17 World Cup - 12th (3-4)

• September 2024 - Men’s U18 Asia Cup – SECOND (5-1)

• July 2025 – Men’s U19 World Cup – FOURTH (4-3)

• July 2025 - Women’s Asia Cup – Fifth (2-3)

• August 2025 - Men’s Asia Cup – Fifth (2-3)

• September 2025 - Men’s U16 Asia Cup – THIRD (5-1)

• September 2025 - Women’s U16 Asia Cup – SECOND (3-3)

• July 2026 – Men’s U17 World Cup - 12th (2-5)

• July 2026 – Women’s U17 World Cup – Fifth (5-2)

That means in the past three years, we’ve had a top five finish in the Men’s U16, Women’s U16, and Men’s U19 World Cups. We didn’t qualify for the last Women’s U19 World Cup but we can make amends for that in October if we finish in the top four at the U18 Asia Cup as qualifying for the next one. Before that, there’s the Men’s U18 Asia Cup in August.

Junior Tall Ferns at the 2026 U17 World Cup

The Wellington Phoenix posted a few images and a video of day one of preseason last Monday. I wrote a bit about that for the paid subscribers at the time, having managed to spot every currently contracted outfielder (including Luke Brooke-Smith) except for James McGarry and Lukas Kelly-Heald (and that’s no suggestion that they weren’t there, just that I didn’t see them in the selected images shown). I almost forgot about McGarry at first... he was the club’s only outside signing until the loan move for goalkeeper Henry Gray. That got me reflecting on McGarry again, which led me to his comments upon (re)signing...

“Everything [Greenacre] said was just what I want in a football club. The players he wants to bring in and the style he wants to play fits me. Over the years I’ve changed my game a little bit. Last season I showed some pretty good defensive capabilities that maybe had lacked in previous seasons. I’m a really confident defender but I also like to have that freedom to go forward and have that left side as my own. That was pretty much what Greeny proposed to me that I’ll have that freedom to go forward, be involved in the attacking third, whipping crosses into the strikers and hopefully scoring a few goals myself. And on top of that being in a city that I’ve lived in with fans that I’ve had behind me before makes me feel comfortable. When I’m comfortable I think I play my best football.”

I’d warn McGarry to be careful going by “everything that [Greenacre] said” rather than what Greenacre does. The footy that he had this team playing during his interim spell was pretty dire... although there’s a valid point to be made that having a more dynamic left-back like McGarry, who is actually capable of whipping in a good cross, will make a big difference. Greeny was working with someone else’s squad after all.

Next job is to find someone who can get on the end of those crosses (Corban Piper is a good start but an aerial threat striker alongside him also feels necessary)... and also hope that McGarry hits corner kicks as well because that was the main way they were scoring goals late last year and yet Ramy Najjarine and Tim Payne have both gone. Matt Sheridan should succeed T-Payne as the right-back and we’ll need to see some development in the attacking third to go with his rugged energy in defence. Sheridan feels like a dude who’ll benefit a lot from being able to focus on one specific position rather than being Mr Plug-And-Play as he was for Giancarlo Italiano.

Also gotta respect McGarry talking about his own defensive improvements because if you saw him last year for Brisbane Roar he’s absolutely right. Shed that reputation of him being a revolving door on defence, this guy spent a couple years in the Scottish Premiership working very hard on that area. Plus the other thing is he stayed injury free at Brisbane for the full campaign. Granted, letting him loose in Wellington with their injury history will be the real test of his fitness - it broke Sarpreet Singh within one game.

The Henry Gray signing is fascinating because he’d only just had his Ipswich Town U21s deal extended (a one-year contract option) and by all signs appears to be moving promisingly through the ranks there. A move to the Nix still fits the pattern of Gray making progressively better loan moves every year and as more and more players settle into European football directly out of the A-League a deal like this begins to have more potential as a development loan rather than an offloading loan.

That’ll remain to be seen but in the meantime he’s going to have a full season of senior footy where he should be the number one. Working with some familiar mentors, with Chris Greenacre having coached him at the U20 World Cup and Paul Gothard, now back at the Nix, having been the goalkeeper coach when a 16yo Gray was hanging around the first team when the Phoenix were based out of Sydney during covid. For folks who don’t realise, this dude is one of Aotearoa’s absolute best goalkeeping prospects and I’m going to make a prediction that he debuts for the All Whites before the end of this loan. He’s also going to be fronting a very young, and very tall, Welly Nix goalkeeping trio...

• Henry Gray is 21yo & 1.93m

• Alby Kelly-Heald is 21yo & 1.96m

• Eamonn McCarron is 18yo & 1.99m

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• Wellington Phoenix Departure List

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Flying Kiwis Transfer Tracker

The one we’ve been waiting for has almost arrived. Elijah Just is going to get his big money move away from Motherwell, possibly as soon as within the next 48 hours (so looks like we won’t get to see him in any of Motherwell’s Europa Conference League qualifiers, although Alex Paulsen will be there to fly the flag after an encouraging preseason debut over the weekend), and when that’s all said and done EJ will be playing for... Swansea City, teaming up with Marko Stamenić for the English Championship club.

I’ll be honest, it’s not quite the move I was hoping for after his superb past twelve months. Was crossing my fingers for something that’d keep him in European competition or at least a top division club somewhere. But there are a few things to consider here. One is that EJ, despite his awesome production of late, is not a sitter of a prospect. Top clubs are looking at him as a 26yo with only one season at a level relevant to what they’re looking for as well as a physical frame that leaves a few question marks about his adaptability to tougher leagues. Personally I doubt his size will be an issue but I understand why clubs, with the resources to scout the entire world for alternatives, would hesitate at it. So it’s not like Just had his pick of Barcelona or Bayern.

The other thing is that English football has ridiculous money in it (you only have to look at the fees paid for Elliot Anderson and Morgan Rogers lately) and some of that certainly trickles down to the Championship where a club like Swansea City, with strong investment, can genuinely outbid teams like Celtic or Rangers. Just has the final say as to where he ends up but any pursuit has to go through Motherwell first and they’re in it for the biggest fee possible so they can reinvest it in their squad.

Also, Just isn’t a passenger here. It’s been reported as a club record fee for Motherwell – beating the £5m (estimated) they got for Lennon Miller from Udinese a year ago (also therefore beating the £4.6m that the Swans spent on Stamenić, making Just the second most expensive kiwi footballer ever after Chris Wood – who has made three moves for at least triple that tally). Swansea City aren’t throwing that money at some rando. Just is an excellent player who will improve their chances of getting promoted to the Premier League. And the Prem is as tough as it gets, that’s the level we’re trying to see these guys get to. Similar to Sarpreet Singh signing with a second-tier club in Portugal with expectations of challenging for promotion.

Swansea City finished 11^th last season but were way better in the second half after Vitor Matos took over as coach. Their form from February onwards was worthy of a playoff spot... and they’ve done good business since then. Moussa Yeo has been signed for the other wing, a Mali international previously with Matos at Red Bull Salzburg. Stephen Welsh was picked up from Celtic for centre-back... he was on loan at Motherwell alongside Just last season. They did lose Ethan Galbraith to Stoke but they got a huge fee for him which has helped bulk up those wing spots and also clears room for Stamenić to be more of a key figure in the midfield. So no Champions League footy for Just... but don’t think this isn’t a step up for him.

Righto, what else do we have on the list? Those Katie Bowen to Lazio rumours have been lingering for a bit... now suddenly Fenerbahçe in Turkey are being linked to the former Inter Milan defender. Defending champs in Turkey who conceded just nine goals in 30 games with a+127 goal difference… not sure they really need any defensive reinforcements but they are in the Champions League qualifying rounds for the first time and got a decent draw with Metalist 1925 (Ukraine), OH Leuven (Belgium), and TSC Bačka Topola (Serbia) in their group. That would be a selling point.

This was John Mousinho, coach of Portsmouth, talking a few days ago about further incoming transfers at a time when Luke Brooke-Smith is among those being heavily linked to the club...

“We are also close to a couple of others, but it’s very, very slow moving, particularly with the types of transfers they are doing. Any time there is significant money involved, it becomes a lot slower.”

One guy who could be moving to the English Premier League without moving to the English Premier League is Tyler Bindon who checked back early for Nottingham Forest after the World Cup (much earlier than Chris Wood who gets the full veteran’s holiday leave – he’ll join the squad for their training camp in Portugal) and made his first non-competitive appearance for the club in a friendly against Notts County over the weekend. Played the full second half as new boss Oliver Glasner used two distinct elevens. Will find out soon if he’s travelled to Portugal. As expected, NFFC used a back three in that game which is another boost in Bindon’s favour: more CBs on the pitch mean more CBs required in the squad. Murillo was injured so the first half back three was: Nikola Milenkovic, Jair Cunha, Morato. Second half it was: Bindon, Zach Abbott, Omar Richards.

For confirmation, Michaela Foster (Durham) and Malia Steinmetz & Grace Wisnewski (FC Nordsjælland) are busy in preseason with their same clubs so nothing’s changed there. It appears that Tommy Smith has left Braintree Town though. After his World Cup compensation saved the club from a transfer ban, the now sixth-tier English club have begun preseason without him... or pretty much anyone from last season’s squad. Only two players remain - Fletcher Hub­bard and Elliot Thorpe, with the latter being made the new club captain... a role occasionally given to Smithy last season. Could be that he’s merely taking his mandatory World Cup break but it seems more likely that he’s left.

Told ya last time that Abby Erceg was leaving Toluca... now today she’s been announced as the first player for the Auckland FC Invitational team that’s going to face Chelsea next month. There’s no proper AFC team just yet, and their Talent Development Pathways only reach to U17s, so that squad is going to be quite a fun amalgamation of players from around the Northern League with some of the best TDP youngsters mixed in. Putting a leader like Abby Erceg in there is massive for setting the tone, even if it is only a friendly game (arranged in a hurry after another WSL team withdrew from the fixture). That AFC team will be coached by Jenny Bindon, a Football Ferns teammate of Erceg’s once upon a time. No doubt there’ll be plenty of Auckland United players involved but curious to see how many other free agents they bring along. AFC vs Chelsea is on 8 August at Eden Park. Hopefully this doesn’t end up also being a testimonial game for Erceg but time will tell.

And I’ll try get into this more next time but Van Fitzharris, Bailey Ferguson & Isa Prins have all been given scholarship contracts by Auckland FC for next season. Fitzharris and Ferguson have already made substitute cameos at A-League level. All three of them have played both Pro League and Northern League too. Ferguson was recruited from Australia but has dual-NZ eligibility through one of his parents.

Musical Jam...

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Scotty’s Word

NZ Warriors have three games at Mt Smart on Saturday and the U21s are playing on Sunday. The men’s teams are playing against Dragons and the women are playing against Cowboys, so the NRL and NRLW teams are playing against the two teams at the bottom of their respective ladders.

As noted on Monday, this is a bit iffy for Cowboys in NRLW because Kiwi Ferns coach Ricky Henry is in charge. They won’t have the Rosie Kelly/Abigail Roache halves combo with Roache named at centre but they still have an all Aotearoa halves combo as former Warrior Lydia Turua-Quedley is named alongside former Black Fern Kelly. Cowboys also have Hailee-Jay Ormond-Maunsell at edge forward to round off their NRLWahine crew.

Dragons have Otahuhu’s Setu Tu on the wing and another Otahuhu winger Christian Tuipulotu is in their wider squad. Tuipulotu will play NSW Cup alongside Marist junior David Fale who is named at centre while their Jersey Flegg Cup team will have Te Puke’s Bailey Carmichael rolling through the middle.

NZ Warriors weekend match-ups…

NRL

• Warriors: 2nd | 11-5 | +194

• Dragons: 17th | 2-14 | -239

NRLW

• Warriors: 8th | 1-1 | -4

• Cowboys: 12th | 0-2 | -58

NSW Cup

• Warriors: 10th | 8-8 | -26

• Dragons: 11th | 6-9 | +2

Jersey Flegg Cup

• Warriors: 7th | 8-7 | +146

• Dragons: 1st | 11-3-1 | +162

NZW don’t have a glamorous spine but they are doing the job and playing good footy. The Taharoa connection have snapped up opportunities with Taine Tuaupiki settling as the best fullback and Te Maire Martin making us all forget about Luke Metcalf. Tuaupiki will play his 15th game this season so he will overtake his 14 games from last season, with career highs for tries, linebreaks and run metres per game.

Tuaupiki also probably also has a career high for tackle breaks but his profile doesn’t include those stats. His 75 tackle breaks this season are 10th overall and he is the only NZW player with 50+ this season. With 5.35 tackle breaks per game, Tuaupiki’s average is ranked sixth overall. He is the only NZW player averaging 4+ tackle breaks per game.

Good spot to bring up Jett Cleary’s freakish abilities here. I went deep into how the emerging Aussies are tracking for NZW and Cleary leads the NSW Cup team for tackle breaks, averaging a similar amount per game to Patrick Moimoi and Toby Crosby - two former NZW players who have crazy power. Cleary’s usually averaging 10m/run and while he has dipped out of his starting halves role, Cleary’s so good that he’s capable of playing other roles like small forward to a high level.

Chanel Harris-Tavita is in his second consecutive year with 10+ wins, 200+ kick metres and 10+ try assists. Last season was the first hitting each of those marks separately, let alone all together, and he’s backed it up this season. Martin is also averaging 200+ kick metres this season which shows how NZW split their kicking mahi fairly evenly on both sides of the ruck - this is a key difference between NZW and Dragons.

Daniel Atkinson averages 571 kick metres per game and Kyle Flanagan averages 48. Those are similar splits to the Tigers combo from last week and while good teams can rely on a dominant kicker (like NZW did with Tanah Boyd earlier in the season), it’s an easy pressure point for bad teams. NZW can put Atkinson under the pump but it’s more evident in how Tuaupiki and his wingers position themselves, knowing Atkinson will do most of the kicking, allowing them to spark up their kick returns ... against a defensive line that won’t be as tight as the best teams.

Martin also has four tries and eight try assists in his seven games. Add in Harris-Tavita’s 10 try assists so far and Wayde Egan’s eight try assists and the play-makers are making plays. Egan’s tally is tied with his 2021 mahi as career bests but he also has nine offloads and 47m/game this season, compared to three offloads and 38m/game in 2021.

Egan’s also not playing 80 minutes at all. Samuel Healey has gone from seven games last season to 14 this season and he scored his first try of the season vs Dolphins, then scored in the next game vs Tigers. Healey’s efficiency off the bench, after Egan has been busy carving up the rucky with his slow-mo running and deceptive passing should help NZW break down the Dragons defence.

Plus there is Alofiana Khan-Pereira’s lightning speed which has been a fun addition to the team this season. He is in awesome try-scoring form...

• 2023: 0.86 tries per game

• 2024: 1.14

• 2025: 0.9

• 2026: 1.22

NZW were rolled by Raiders last week but Patricia Maliepo still had two try assists, which were her first in NRLW. Somehow she didn’t have any last season but she did score four tries and she already has a try this season, so Maliepo should bounce past that mark as well. She has leapt up from 137.4 kick metres per game last year to 269.7 this one.

It’s tricky to get an indicator of Maliepo’s mahi with and without Gayle Broughton because of the nature of those first two games. Emmanita Paki has plugged the halves hole without Broughton but Apii Nicholls has been more influential. Expect to see some rotation between Paki and Nicholls as half and fullback.

A few weeks ago NZW announced the signings of Ocean Tierney and Christabelle Onesemo. Both played full games vs Raiders with Tierney making her debut on the wing and Onesemo playing edge forward, after 40mins on her debut vs Bulldogs. Now Tierney keeps her wing spot and Onesemo is named to start as a middle forward. Big roles and swift rises for two players I didn’t know much about before the season started.

Bulldogs are 0-2 in NRLW and 0-5 in NSW Women’s Premiership. That’s a bummer because of how many NRLWahine they have in their system and like some quirky ‘hype then vanish’ situations in their men’s pipeline, Bulldogs have shuffled through a few NRLWahine in recent years. One of note is Summer van Gelder who is now playing for Rabbitohs in NSW Women’s Premiership and they have a loose connection to NZW.

All four NRLQ teams have Kiwi-NRL juniors again…

• Dolphins: Adaquix-Jeremiah Watts-Luke (Ellerslie), Patrick Kaihali (Hamilton Boys High School)

• Broncos: Tokoaitua Owen (Ngongotaha), Disharne Tonihi (Shirley), Marley Igasan (Otumoetai)

• Cowboys: Reweti Ngarimu (Scots College)

• Titans: Lukji Yloi (Taniwharau), Meihana Pauling (Halswell)

For paid subscribers

• NZ Warriors U19/U21/NSW Cup crossover

• Five Christchurch Kiwi-NRL juniors in NSW Cup

• Spotlight on Francis Manuelelua who is starting for Knights this weekend

• Spotlight on Shaniece Monschau who is the sneakiest NRLWahine on a 2-0 team

• Blackcaps ODI batting update

• Blackcaps spin depth

Jayden Lennox is the most important Blackcap right now. Crazy thing to type out and most folks wouldn’t know much about Lennox the Blackcap but his 5w @ 2.3rpo in the second ODI not only helped Aotearoa bowl West Indies out for 138, it continues an amazing year for the lefty tweaker from Central Districts.

Lennox is the leading wicket-taker for Blackcaps in ODIs this year with twice as many wickets as the next best in Kristian Clarke. Lennox has also bowled the most overs (67) and he is the only kiwi who has bowled more than 35 overs this year. That stems from Lennox playing seven of the eight ODIs this year and he’s the only bowler who has bowled in more than five ODIs so far.

His only competition for being the most economical bowler for Blackcaps this year is Mitchell Santner, who has bowled 17ov in two games. Lennox is on 4.11rpo, Santner’s on 3.7rpo and Muhammad Abbas is on 3.2rpo have bowled in one game.

Blackcaps spinners in ODIs since the start of 2025

• Mitchell Santner: 163.4ov, 27w @ 27.1avg/4.4rpo

• Michael Bracewell: 152ov, 21w @ 34avg/4.7rpo

• Jayden Lennox: 67ov, 14w @ 19.7avg/4.1rpo

• Glenn Phillips: 46ov, 3w @ 96.6avg/6.3rpo

• Rachin Ravindra: 24ov, 3w @ 37.3avg/4.6rpo

• Dean Foxcroft: 22.3ov, 2w @ 51avg/4.5rpo

• Adithya Ashok: 6ov, 1w @ 55avg/9.1rpo

Spinners in West Indies vs New Zealand ODI series

• Jayden Lennox: 6w @ 12.3avg/4.1rpo

• Khary Pierre: 3w @ 24avg/3.7rpo

• Gudakesh Motie: 3w @ 27.6avg/4.2rpo

• Michael Bracewell: 3w @ 28avg/6rpo

• Vitel Lawes: 3w @ 31.3avg/5.5rpo

• Mitchell Santner: 2w @ 31.5avg/3.7rpo

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

It’s Charlisse Leger-Walker for the lead today, since the people have gotta know what she’s been doing in the WNBA. Her Connecticut Sun season is split pretty evenly into three segments:

1. Before Leila Lacan, Connecticut’s starting point guard and best player, returned from her club commitments in France

2. After Lacan returned when CLW was only being used as a bench player

3. After CLW earned a spot alongside Lacan in the starting line-up

The Sun went 1-8 through the first section

The Sun went 1-7 through the second section

The Sun are 4-3 during the third section

Breaking it down even further, Connecticut are 5-3 when Charlisse Leger-Walker plays at least 28 minutes and are 1-16 when she plays less than that, the only win being in Lacan’s return game. Or how about this one: the Sun are 4-1 when CLW gets at least five assists.

Put simply, Leger-Walker is becoming a winning presence for the Connecticut Sun, helping haul the worst team in the WNBA into a place of competitiveness (in two of those third section losses they held leads in the fourth quarter; there’s only one heavy defeat in those seven games, having suffered eight defeats by 9+ points during the earlier phases). The other thing is that two of those last three defeats came while Britney Griner was out injured, taking away their best paint presence... the recently discovered starting line-up of Leila Lacan, CLW, Diamond Miller, Olivia Nelson-Ododo & Brittney Griner has gone 4-1 together. It’s the only starting five that’s been used more than three times of the 13 unique groups (from 24 games played) that they’ve tried. Something’s finally clicked for them and the main difference is more Charlisse.

That’s the team-wide impact, as to what Charlisse is doing better herself... it’s not about scoring. She’s had some double-digit efforts and some much quieter ones where she’s not much of a factor in that area. She was in a nice groove with her outside shooting but has gone 2-15 across the last three games. Where she’s shining is with her distribution, finding good passes to put teammates in shooting positions, and also with her rapidly improving defence at this level.

CLW’s Last 7 Games As A Starter

29.6 MIN | 9.1 PTS (36.9 FG%) | 3.6 REB | 4.0 AST | 1.9 STL

102.7 ORtg | 96.9 DRtg | 2.15 AST/TO | +3.4

It’s a bit tricky/misleading to compare those numbers to other parts of her season because of how she’s been in and out of the starting line-up, but just for the sake of it this is how she began things...

CLW’s First 10 Games

21.6 MIN | 7.5 PTS (37.3 FG%) | 1.8 REB | 2.7 AST | 0.8 STL

89.0 ORtg | 109.2 DRtg | 1.69 AST/TO | -8.6

It’s been constant and rapid improvement since she got to the league and that’s always an amazing sign from any rookie athlete. Being able to adjust quickly to a higher level (the highest level!) is one of those things that separates the contenders from the pretenders.

Also, WNBA scheduling is insane. Connecticut started with an away game then three home games. After that came a run of 8/10 away games... and now they have just wrapped up a spell of 9/10 home games. Next they have six away games in a row before it finally gets a little more logical over the last quarter of the season. The Sun are 4-10 in home games and 2-8 in away games so there’s not a major difference results-wise... actually, they won the only away game in the 9/10 homestand they just wrapped up.

For The Paid Subscribers…

• Sarpreet Singh’s move to Portugal

• NZ U16s football at the Oceania Champs

• Breakers NBL squad updates

The NZ U17 Women lost their group game against Canada at their basketball World Cup. They put in a strong display though, leading after the fourth quarter and continually making runs in the second half to stay in the contest. Couldn’t get enough stops at the other end but Canada were always gonna be favourites there. Final score was 85-76 with Imani Rasmussen (14 points & 7 rebounds) and Emilia Ainley (13 points & 8 rebounds) leading the way for the kiwis. Madelin Eliadis and Areta Kahura also chipped in with 9 points each. That meant a second-placed finish in the group following earlier wins against Egypt and Italy... leading to a round of sixteen meeting with Colombia.

And in that R16 game vs Colombia... the New Zealanders led for all except the first 15 seconds and never trailed, winning 60-40 to qualify for the quarter-finals for the first time in this competition. Brilliant stuff. We did only score three points in the entire fourth quarter though the result was locked in long before that. Big disparity in offensive rebounds and points in the paint to make up for the fact we shot 3/30 from three pointers (lol). Shamar Broughton was 2/3 from deep so don’t ask about the rest of them.

With the Colombians restricted to 24 points across the first three quarters this didn’t need to be a crazy offensive night. We scored that many in the first quarter and even if we’d gone scoreless in the entire second half we still would have won. All 12 players in the squad got at least 13 minutes and nobody played more than 21. Emilia Ainley scored 13 points with 10 rebounds. Sinai Foai scored 10 points. Colombia shot 14/68 from the field (20.6%) and that’s where the game was won. Colombia beat hosts Czechia in group play so this wasn’t a complete mismatch on paper.

The quarters will see New Zealand face Spain at 12.45am on Saturday. Spain have so far won 66-40 vs Germany, won 75-40 v Mexico, won 72-36 vs China, and then in the R16 they won 87-33 vs Ivory Coast... wouldn’t get your hopes up over that match-up for the Junior Tall Ferns but they’ve done awesome just to get to this stage. The other quarter-finals are USA vs Slovenia, China vs Canada, and Australia vs Japan. You’d expect to see USA, Canada, and Australia all win those comfortably... New Zealand will face the winner/loser of Aussie vs Japan in our next game depending on whether we’re in the main bracket or the classification bracket.

Minutes Played by the Junior Tall Ferns (After 4 Games)

• Emilia Ainley – 98 mins | 36 pts | +19

• Imani Rasmussen – 98 mins | 52 pts | -3

• Sienna Maurice – 86 mins | 18 pts | +20

• Charis Broughton – 78 mins | 28 pts | +3

• Shamar Broughton – 72 mins | 35 pts | +38

• Ava Jones – 71 mins | 24 pts | -2

• Katie Moors – 61 mins | 7 pts | +29

• Nahala Toeleiu – 59 mins | 14 pts | +36

• Areta Kahura – 52 mins | 27 pts | +18

• Madelin Eliadis – 47 mins | 21 pts | +12

• Elisa Brown – 40 mins | 11 pts | -3

• Sinai Foai – 39 mins | 10 pts | +18

Flying Kiwis Transfer Tracker

The latest from Elijah Just’s agent, speaking to the Daily Record overnight...

“We’re still evaluating the different options available to Elijah. He’s back with Motherwell now and, as always, we have a lot of respect for the club, so there are ongoing discussions to determine what the best path forward looks like. The World Cup certainly generated further interest and we’ve had additional enquiries from clubs in a number of countries. That’s natural after the tournament he had. At this stage, though, our focus is on carefully assessing the opportunities rather than rushing into any decision. We’ll see how things develop over the coming weeks.”

So if you’re wondering why nothing is happening yet, that’s because it’s more than simply Celtic and Rangers that are competing for Eli’s signature now. Lots of propositions to consider after the twelve months that he’s had.

Abby Erceg has posted an Instagram farewell not only to Toluca but to Mexico in general, so NZ’s greatest ever player is on the move. She turns 37 in November hence there’s retirement potential here... but Erceg, like Michael Boxall, is famously fitness-obsessed and could easily grind through another couple years if she wants. She’s at the stage of her career where an A-League stint wouldn’t be out of the question. She did play two seasons for Adelaide way back at the start of her career.

According to reports, Alex Rufer is nearing a move to Cong An Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. It’s long been rumoured that the Wellington Phoenix captain was going to join Newcastle Jets but the hold-up there suggests that maybe he had an international out-clause (relatively common in the ALM). Former Melbourne Victory coach Arthur Diles is about to be unveiled as the new boss at Ho Chi Minh City and Rufer will be one of his top signings if this gossip rings true.

Ipswich Town have announced that reserve goalkeeper Cieran Slicker is off on loan to Barnsley in League One, a move that has ramifications for Henry Gray. That leaves Gray alongside Christian Walton and Alex Palmer as Ipswich’s contracted keepers as they return to the Premier League. David Button was in talks to re-sign when they did their retained list but nothing else has come of that yet.

A lot of the Scandi newspapers are paywalled so it’s tough to get the full context but it sounds like, after previously suggesting that Silkeborg would be happy to sell Callum McCowatt after his value went up at the World Cup, the sporting director is now digging in his heels. McCowatt is ready for a move but the club has just lost a couple other key players on free transfers and don’t have the depth to replace another. At a guess: they’re trying to push the price up so that they don’t appear too desperate. Still six weeks left in the window for something to happen... and if it doesn’t then McCowatt will still be playing top flight Danish football so no dramas there.

Confirmation that Ronan Wynne has been promoted from the Auckland FC OPL squad to the ALM squad. Great progression from the 25yo defensive utility who’ll offer much-needed cover in all positions across the backline. Spent some time in the Phoenix Academy prior to his USA college stuff and did have one year in MLS Next Pro with Atlanta United after they drafted him, though was rudely released after only one year despite him having played pretty much every game for them, along with doing preseason with the MLS squad. Will be interesting to see how AFC uses him. Definitely a guy who is overdue a professional opportunity like this.

The latest Flying Kiwis yarn also has heaps on detail on transfers for: Hannah Blake, Alex Paulsen, Lawton Green, Suya Haering, Jack Perniskie, Nathan Garrow, and the big man Tim Payne. Plus confirmation in amongst that winger Matt Warbrick is still with Ayr United, having popped up on the bench for their two League Cup games so far. And there’s more on Sarpreet Singh’s move to Portugal for the champs with paid subscriptions.

Done Deals in the 2026 Mid-Year Window

• Jesse Randall - Auckland FC to Dundee United

• Tim Payne - Wellington Phoenix to Club Olimpia

• James McGarry - Brisbane Roar to Wellington Phoenix

• Lachlan Bayliss - Newcastle Jets to Auckland FC

• Liam Gillion - Auckland FC to Western Sydney Wanderers

• Marco Lorenz - Eastern SC to Gainare Tottori

• Oliver Colloty - Peterhead to Elgin City

• Jacob Borgnis - Reading U21s to Aldershot Town

• Hannah Blake - Durham to Rangers

• Suya Haering - Carl Zeiss Jena to Montpellier

• Jack Perniskie - Wellington Phoenix Reserves to Milton Keynes Dons

• Alex Paulsen - Bournemouth to Motherwell (Loan)

• Lawton Green - Queen of the South to Alloa Athletic

• Nathan Garrow - Auckland City to Stellenbosch

• Sarpreet Singh - TSC Backa Topola to SC Farense

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Scotty’s Word

Great weekend for NZ Warriors blokes and a bummer for the women. The NRLW team suffered a big loss vs Raiders and while they were impacted by an injury to Gayle Broughton, she wouldn’t have helped NZW handle the speed and physicality of the Raiders. Kiwi Ferns Leianne Tufuga and Mackenzie Wiki scored ties for Raiders and they also had Auckland’s Grace Kukutai play a few minutes off the bench.

Tinopai’s Ocean Tierney made her NRLW debut and scored two tries, while Christabelle Onesemo played a full game at edge forward. They were only announced as NZW players just before round one and weren’t on my radar leading into the season which shows the depth building in the development system. Both played Farah Palmer Cup as well - Tufuga and Kukutai have also played FPC.

The performance was so bad that it’s best to flush the dunny and move on quickly. Next weekend they host Cowboys at Mt Smart and they have lost their first two games so there should be a bounce back for NZW. It’s a bummer that the Cowboys have two losses because they have Kiwi Ferns coach Ricky Henry in charge and he can’t stop tinkering with their halves combination, led by Hokitika’s Rosie Kelly who has played halfback in both games while Abigail Roache played the first game in the halves then moved to centre for the second game.

NZW men messed around and had an easy mahi 32-6 win vs Tigers. They also had a 44-20 win vs Mapgies in NSW Cup and a 40-6 win in Jersey Flegg Cup, offering a combined score of 116-32 vs Tigers teams in Sydney. Something that has stuck with me over the weekend was how NZW and Tigers have dealt with dramas in their halves, revolving around Luke Metcalf and Jarome Luai.

The nitty gritty is different but the way these two organisations have handled the drama reflects the cultures brewing within either group. Tigers have struggled since Luai announced his move to join Papua New Guinea and despite that being a year or so away, the dramas have only festered and escalated.

Tigers don’t have the leadership, culture or depth to handle such situations. The fact that they usually have dramas reflects the lack of leadership and culture that flows down from the top with ownership and folks running the organisation. The Metcalf situation felt like it could have had a similar impact for NZW except everyone from Cameron George to Andrew Webster and the leaders in the playing group fought against those dark forces.

Tanah Boyd and Te Maire Martin both snapped up their opportunities to make folks forget about Metcalf. Credit to Metcalf because he has done everything required of him by NZW and this included being part of the NRL squad for their win vs Tigers on Friday night, then playing the full NSW Cup game on Saturday.

The only bummer is how this has impacted Jett Cleary’s role in NSW Cup. Metcalf and Luke Hanson are both leaving NZW at the end of this season, yet they have been selected as the leading halves combination in recent weeks. Cleary’s sticking around and I think he has more potential than Metcalf or Hanson, but Cleary is the guy who plays out of position.

That’s kind of a good thing though. Cleary is tough enough and good enough to play any role on the footy field, plus the Cleary whanau knows all about putting the team first. This highlights the difference between Cleary and Metcalf as Cleary is willing to play any position and fully embrace the team-first method, while Metcalf has been picky about his role and had to work around to doing whatever was required of him.

Regardless, neither the NRL or NSW Cup seasons have been impacted by the Metcalf saga. NZW didn’t need to shun Metcalf either as he’s been the next half in line for the NRL team and they have rolled with him in the NSW Cup halves combination. There doesn’t even seem to be a drama right now and, considering NRL brutality, there is always a chance that Metcalf could play a role during finals.

I’m always yarning about the young Aussie halves at Mt Smart but Jye Linnane and Brandon Norris are two young Aussies who you need to know about. Linnane was part of the young halves mix but he has played all seven of his NSW Cup games at centre for NZW and the 20-year-old has scored seven tries, including this banger form the win vs Magpies.

Linnane joined NZW from Knights and is a Kurri Kurri junior. Norris is from Darwin and had a stint in Brisbane before moving to Auckland where he has settled into a talented U21s team. Norris scored five tries vs Tigers over the weekend to take him to 15+ tries in his last two seasons of Jersey Flegg Cup footy with NZW.

Norris also scored this epic game winning try vs Tigers last year.

Linnane could be playing U21s but he’s only played reserve grade this year. Somehow Norris hasn’t played NSW Cup yet and that means he was one of a few who played U21s vs Tigers who haven’t played NSW Cup this season. 12 of the 17 have, including four guys who started this year in U19s...

Guys who have played NSW Cup this season and played in U21s win vs Tigers:

Joseph Ratcliffe (U19), Caelys Putoko, Motu Pasikala, Harry Tauafiafi-Iutoi, Jack Thompson, Emosi Ravosai, Amasio Tiatia (U19), Tepatasi Laumalili, Bishop Neal (U19), Connor Bowden (U19), Braelan Marsh, Hohepa Chandler

That left Ngongotaha junior Tyson Hansen as the only U19 who played NSW Cup vs Magpies. Hansen is 18-years-old and just had his third consecutive game playing 40+ minutes in NSW Cup, capable of playing in the halves as well as all positions in the forward pack.

18-year-old Wainuiomata junior Fanua Rimoni played 46 minutes for Titans in their NRLW win vs Bulldogs. She had 10 runs - 104m @ 10.4m/run with 28 tackles @ 100%. Rimoni wasn’t the only 18-year-old in this game as the Mangere East duo of Mary-Jane Taito and Evelyn Roberts both got game time for Bulldogs.

For paid subscribers

• Ali Leiataua and Adam Pompey bounce back a bit

• Young forward minutes for NZ Warriors

• Chanel Harris-Tavita and Te Maire Martin updated mahi

• More NZ Warriors deep cuts

• Blackcaps ODI stats

• Underwhelming Michael Bracewell and Nathan Smith ODI bowling stuff

• Matt Boyle the all-rounder

Blackcaps lost the first ODI vs West Indies. Daryl Mitchell continues to be Aotearoa’s best batter and his score of 65 runs @ 89sr puts him well ahead of all other Blackcaps batters in ODIs this year. Mitchell now has two centuries and two halfies in his four games this year, keeping him as the only New Zealand ODI batter averaging 50+ with 1,000+ runs.

Mitchell is in his third consecutive year averaging 50+ in ODIs...

• 2024: 52.3avg/100sr

• 2025: 54.3avg/86sr

• 2026: 139avg/106sr

Tom Latham is someone to watch closely in this ODI series. He is averaging 14.5 in four ODI innings this year with a much lower strike-rate than other notable batters (62). This is his third consecutive year of ODI batting with an average below 30 and while he won’t be shuffled out quickly, Mitch Hay is hunting another crack at ODI cricket.

Jayden Lennox took 1w @ 5.5rpo so he is still the leading wicket-taker for Blackcaps in ODIs this year. Lennox has a wicket in all six of his ODIs and his 59 overs this year are the most for Blackcaps, missing just one over of his available 60. This leads a wave of undercover Blackcaps stuff at the moment like Dean Foxcroft and Nick Kelly being two of the best ODI batters so far this year - neither played the first ODI vs West Indies.

Lennox’s recent one-day mahi for NZ-A, Central Districts and Blackcaps

• 2024/25 Ford Trophy: 16w @ 29.3avg/5rpo

• 2025 NZ-A in Bangladesh: 2w @ 58.5avg/4.2rpo

• 2025 NZ-A in South Africa: 4w @ 21avg/4.2rpo

• 2025/26 Ford Trophy: 15w @ 29.9avg/4.8rpo

• 2026 Blackcaps in India: 3w @ 28avg/4.2rpo

• 2026 Blackcaps in Bangladesh: 5w @ 23.6avg/4rpo

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

Time for a check-in with Auckland FC. While I may have had a few whinges recently about how that club announces their signings, particularly how they withhold contract lengths, also gotta give credit where it’s due because they do some great video stuff. The insider training footage is always a fave of mine, getting to see that peek behind the curtain, and for day one of preseason they gave Lachlan Brook the ol’ Meta Glasses and the resulting 48 second clip offered up enough transfer clues to put Sherlock Holmes out of business.

• For starters, Lachlan Brook even being there at all was a clue because he’s one of three dudes from last year’s senior squad whose futures haven’t been confirmed. Sam Cosgrove and Oli Sail are the other two and guess what? They were both there as well. AFC being AFC, they might have been re-signed, they might have had options triggered, or they might always have had multi-year deals and they just didn’t tell us.

• Based on the signs on the changing room wall, we now know that Lachlan Bayliss (the only new signing so far) will wear the #10 jersey vacated by Guillermo May. Whether that’s also a clue as to how they plan to use him, we shall see... can’t read too much into such things when they don’t even have a coach right now.

• Also on those name signs are three players from the Pro League squad: Daniel Normann, Ronan Wynne, and Bailey Ferguson. The latter made two sub appearances last season and has played briefly for the U20s as well. So has Isa Prins who isn’t spottable in that vid but I gather he’s sticking around too.

What’s funky there is that Daniel Normann is a Norwegian midfielder. Joined Western Springs out of uni in the USA and then got picked up for AFC’s Pro League side where he was the only player to start all 19 matches. But he’d have to be an import signing. Could be that with a stricter salary cap being enforced this year (and AFC having just won a grand final with only three of their imports taking the pitch) they’ve decided that they can go cheaply with the fifth spot in order to have the money available to re-sign Hiroki Sakai (tick), Felipe Gallegos (tick), Sam Cosgrove (looks likely), and either Louis Verstraete or an outsider. And frankly that plan would carry plenty of logic.

As for Ronan Wynne, he’s a versatile defender who can play anywhere in the backline. Right-sided fullback is probably his best spot but he featured a lot at CB for the Pro League side. Younger brother of Deklan Wynne. Had a year in the Atlanta United system after being drafted but then they rudely cut him loose. Definitely some A-League potential about the fella should that come to pass.

There is a chance they’re merely filling out the numbers ahead of the friendly game vs Tottenham in a little over two weeks... but nah it sounds pretty legit, certainly hope so because it puts that OPL squad in a new light if they’re genuinely keen to bring the best dudes up into the ALM from there. We’ve already seen a willingness to push the top U20s lads into the Pro League, now we’re seeing the stairway continue up another flight.

Auckland FC 2026-27 Squad As It Stands

Michael Woud, Francis de Vries, Hiroki Sakai (I), Felipe Gallegos (I), Oli Sail*, Logan Rogerson, Lachlan Bayliss, Jake Brimmer, Nando Pijnaker, Callan Elliot, Cam Howieson, Sam Cosgrove (I)*, Lachlan Brook*, Jonty Bidois, Oli Middleton, Luka Vicelich (S), Ronan Wynne*, Dan Normann (I)*, Bailey Ferguson*, Isa Prins*

(*unannounced signing/re-signing)

My guess is that Prins and Ferguson will be picked up on scholarship deals, probably with Van Fitzharris too. That’d still leave room for one last import (Verstraete or otherwise) and a couple more local additions.

Update on Daryl Mitchell’s Race to 3000 ODI Runs

World Record: Hashim Amla, 57 innings

Second place: Shubman Gill, 62 innings

Third Place: Shai Hope, Fakhar Zaman & Imam-ul-Haq, 67 innings

Daryl Mitchell – 2755 runs from 55 innings (58.61 avg)

The FIBA Women’s U17 World Cup is underway, following promptly after the men’s edition (where New Zealand finished 12/16 teams). And already the women are doing better than the blokes, beginning with a 79-65 win against Egypt. Did the damage in the first half to be ahead by 28 points at HT and then controlled it from there. The Liam Connelly-coached team restricted Egypt to just 34% shooting from the field and were able to spread the minutes around pretty evenly across the roster with everybody getting at least eight minutes and nobody more than the 26 mins of Emilia Ainley (who is the equal second tallest player at the tournament, standing at 1.96cm). They were led by balanced scoring contributions from Charis Broughton (18 points on 6/9 FG), Imani Rasmussen (14 points with 11 rebounds), and Ava Jones (14 points on 5/8 FG). All 12 players got at least one assist.

That was an expected result, to be fair. But one day later they backed that up by beating the higher-ranked Italian side by a 68-56 scoreline. Nothing fancy from an offensive perspective, with Imani Rasmussen top-scoring with 16 points, but they absolutely bossed it with the rebounds: 54-31 overall and 20-8 in offensive boards. Especially as Italy were trying to spark a late comeback only for NZ to just keep on getting those extended possessions by cleaning up the glass.

That’s two wins from two and next they face Canada at 6.15am on Wednesday NZT. Canada has also won both games so that’ll determine who finishes top of the group and therefore gets the more favourable round of sixteen match-up. It’ll be one of Japan, Colombia, Slovenia, or Czechia depending on how the last matchday goes. Fun to see an NZ team that has a genuine size advantage with the likes of Imani Rasmussen, Emilia Ainley, and Katie Moors allowing them to go very big. Strong guards with outside shooting capabilities around them... that’s a well-forged team.

For the Paid Subscribers...

• Flynn Cameron getting buckets in NBA Summer League

• Wellington Phoenix begin their ALM preseason

• Charlisse Leger-Walker WNBA rookie rankings

• Breaking down the NZ NBL playoff hunt

Flying Kiwis Transfer Tracker

As we await news/developments from the All Whites World Cup representatives, there’s been some fascinating stuff going on from guys seeking to rise up into that level. Such as the news that came through on Sunday from the UK that Wellington Phoenix winger Luke Brooke-Smith is on the verge of a move to Portsmouth. The claim is that a £400,000 fee and a three-year contract have been agreed to send one of Aotearoa’s finest young prodigies to the English Championship.

Couple different angles to this. One is that Brooke-Smith was very underused last season, making 19 appearances all off the bench for just 388 minutes. That’s less than Dan Edwards got. Less than Fin Roa Conchie. LBS had an outside chance of making the World Cup squad but never got enough of a chance to do so... and it may well be that there are some frustrations about that from the player’s perspective. Chris Greenacre actually used him less on average than Giancarlo Italiano so the change in manager wasn’t helping either.

But this was probably always on the cards for Brooke-Smith. His father is English so there’s no issue with the work permit stuff and he turned 18yo in June which is the age that FIFA allows players to sign pro contracts overseas. Lucky for him that aligns smoothly with the English preseason. With one year left on his current Nix contract, if he doesn’t leave now for a fee then he’ll likely leave for nothing in twelve months. This guy is an ambitious player and we want to see him playing as high up as possible.

By the way, £400k works out to around NZ$900k which is significantly more than they got for Tim Payne in the same window and, depending on add-ons (and also the accuracy of reported figures) probably works out more than the Alex Paulsen fee. Only Finn Surman and Ben Old have been transferred for more by the Nix. As to what happens on the other end of the line, Pompey love a bit of A-League action having previously signed Kusini Yengi (Western Sydney Wanderers), Jacob Farrell (Central Coast Mariners), Hayden Matthews (Sydney FC), Thomas Waddingham (Brisbane Roar), and Adrian Segecic (Sydney FC). It’s possible LBS will be loaned out for experience though a strong preseason impact never goes astray.

But wait there’s more because another top youngster at the Phoenix, 18yo Jack Perniskie, has also popped up in England. Three weeks after lining up for the WeeNix in a 0-0 draw against Waterside Karori, he played the second half for Milton Keynes Dons against Maidenhead in the first game of that club’s preseason. The first preseason game often comes with more opportunities for the youngsters as they ease into things but that’s not the point, the point is that Perniskie appears to have signed (unannounced) for MK Dons. He did apparently spend some time trialling over there a while back so clearly that went well.

As did this first friendly appearance because Perniskie scored and assisted in a 4-1 win. Brought the good stuff now he’s going to be heading to Croatia with the first team for a training camp... not clear what kinda terms Perniskie has signed, it’s possible he’ll go straight into the first team but it’s more likely he’s an academy signing. MK Dons are in League One having earned promotion last season. Also, one of the teams they’re going to face in Croatia is NK Istra where Stipe Ukich is trying to break into the first team picture after a good stint with their feeder club last term.

Manaia Elliott has re-signed with the Wellington Phoenix for another season. Would have been a tough decision for her between staying in a good spot where she’s a regular starter competing for silverware at the Nix... but has been in and out of the national team... versus going overseas to challenge herself and potentially boost her chances of getting into next year’s World Cup squad but at the risk of not settling and dropping out of the mix. All things told, she’s probably made the right call. Remaining kiwi free agents from last year’s WahiNix squad: Alyssa Whinham, Lara Wall, Daisy Brazendale. Preseason begins in a month for the ALW crew.

That Katie Bowen to Lazio rumour has been reported in a few more places over the last few days, looking more and more like a formality there. That’s a great move, keeping her in a top league. And it sounds like similar things are brewing for Kate Taylor. Nothing official yet but with her Dijon team on the chopping block in France, KT’s teammates are all signing elsewhere and the word from over those ways is that Taylor is poised to sign in Spain. Never had a kiwi in the Spanish top flight before... Amber Hearn was about to play for Logroño in 2018 until she did her ACL and ended up retiring. Obviously Barcelona and Real Madrid would be dumb not to sign Kate Taylor but we’ll see what happens. Cool thing about Spain is that they have 16 teams in the Liga F, meaning a whopping 30 league games per season. They’ve also got a dynastic national team (at all age levels) so let’s hope this one comes true.

One spot that doesn’t feel very profitable is Giancarlo Italiano’s new job at Lee Man in Hong Kong. He did just sign Bozhidar Kraev to help him deliver that club their first title in a couple of years but he’s also inherited quite a few import players and it doesn’t seem too likely that he’s got room to add to that. It’s not a particularly high level (Marco Lorenz went from NZ National League to Eastern SC last year and has since moved to the Japanese third tier) and this team doesn’t have continental qualification to offset that, plus any kiwi who joined would be competing for minutes with those other foreigners who, judging by Kraev’s presence, are probably getting paid decent enough coin that any ex-Phoenix player who is good enough to compete with them is also good enough to play somewhere better. But the guy to watch is Gabe Sloane-Rodrigues seeing as how he was born in Hong Kong and could qualify as a local (although that’s frisky too because I don’t think they allow dual-citizenship there). The other aspect is that very few former Phoenix coaches have gone scavenging after their past players. Des Buckingham didn’t do it. Paul Temple didn’t do it. Natalie Lawrence did sign Jacqui Hand at Lewes but she was never a Nixer. Ufuk Talay didn’t do it. Giancarlo Italiano’s probably not going to do it.

Also, further to the Owen Parker-Price stuff last time, he just set up two goals (including an 87^th min winner) as Örgryte snapped their winless streak while Mjällby lost again so if they’re serious then they might need to raise the offer for OPP.

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Scotty’s Word

NZ Warriors have four games in Australia this weekend with a Warriors game on three consecutive days over the Matariki weekend. The three men’s teams are playing against Tigers and their affiliated teams, while the women are playing against Raiders. Here’s how the match ups look...

NRL

• Warriors: 2nd | 10-5 | +168

• Tigers: 12th | 7-9 | -104

NRLW

• Warriors: 3rd | 1-0 | +22

• Raiders: 4th | 1-0 | +20

NSW Cup

• Warriors: 10th | 7-8 | -50

• Magpies: 7th | 7-7 | +117

Jersey Flegg Cup

• Warriors: 8th | 7-7 | +112

• Tigers: 4th | 8-4-1 | +54

There has been lots of Warriors angst about halves kicking since Tanah Boyd got injured. I reckon Chanel Harris-Tavita’s kicking is underrated and Te Maire Martin has grown in his kicking mahi with every game, showing development in this skill since last season. While it doesn’t tell the full story of their kicking, both Warriors halves have similar kicking distance per game to Adam Douehi and far more than Jarome Luai...

• Chanel Harris-Tavita: 255.42

• Adam Douehi: 253.14

• Te Maire Martin: 250.3

• Jarome Luai: 141.13

Depending on how active Mitchell Barnett and Kurt Capewell are returning from Aussie duties, this could be another funky game for the undercover brothers in Tanner Stowers-Smith and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava. Both averaged 30+ minutes in their first NRL seasons and have climbed up to around 40 minutes per game this season.

Stowers-Smith’s running oomph and defensive efforts have been easy to spot this season, especially in recent weeks with James Fisher-Harris out injured. Ieremia-Toeava had a nifty moment at centre for Dolphins and yet he is still one of the least known Warriors at the NRL tier. 40mins per game for Ieremia-Toeava sums up his pedigree as a junior and how coach Andrew Webster views his no nonsense mahi as a youngster who can play middle, edge and centre.

One deep cut for the Warriors system is Tyson Hansen sticking in NSW Cup. Lots of players have dropped back down to U21s but not Hansen, who is an 18-year-old from Rotorua. Hansen can play in the halves as well as all forward pack positions and despite Warriors adding Riley Price to their NSW Cup group, Hansen has kept his bench spot. Hansen’s minutes in NSW Cup: 15, 38, 44, 50.

Warriors women are having their depth challenged once again and yet I reckon they can win in Canberra. Their depth was ravaged last season and they held steady thanks to the quality of talent stepping up from grassroots footy, now they are in a similar pocket to what the men have experienced in the last few rounds.

Five top-tier players are out injured (Payton Takimoana, Mele Hufanga, Laishon Albert-Jones, Kaiyah Atai, Matekino Gray) and Mya Hill-Moana is suspended. They also have Tyra Wetere out for the season and Anastasia Sekene is another depth player out injured at the moment.

Warriors are boosted by the return of Ivana Lauitiiti though. She is 19-years-old and I’ve come around to viewing her as one of the best youngsters at Mt Smart, man or woman. Lauitiiti made her NRLW debut as an 18-year-old last season, going from premier women’s footy in Auckland with Otahuhu to NRLW and Kiwi Ferns.

In her first season, Lauitiiti scored two tries and averaged 5.3 tackle breaks per game. She also averaged an offload per game and 105m, tackling at 92%. This makes her one of the best young players in NRLW and while I love how players like Stowers-Smith, Ieremia-Toeava, Jacob Laban are doing the hard mahi, Lauitiiti’s only rival for crazy footy talent at Mt Smart is Leka Halasima.

Titans have made some NRLWahine waves this week for their game vs Bulldogs with Fanua Rimoni named at prop and Aleksandra Tunufai on the extended bench. Rimoni is an 18-year-old Wainuiomata junior who made her Farah Palmer Cup debut for Wellington in 2024 when she was 16/17yrs.

Then she moved over to Brisbane to played in the Women’s Premiership for Norths Devil and she played 12 games last season, before adding another game to start this season. Rimoni caught the attention of Titans and she was named in the round one squad but didn’t play, now she is named in the starting team.

Titans also picked up Tunufai after she impressed with Easts Brisbane in the Women’s Premiership. Tunufai is from Howick College and had a stint with Sea Eagles before settling in Queensland. She officially joined Titans last week and has scored 10 tries in 14 games of Women’s Premiership, mainly at centre.

Along with Georgia Hale, Sarina Masaga has been a regular for Titans in NRLW. Masaga also went to Howick College before moving to Queensland and like Tunufai, they were both excellent netball players. This offers a glorious snapshot of how NRLW is shaking up old school New Zealand sports as most emerging NRLWahine played rugby union or netball before chasing NRLW opportunities.

Emerging South Island Kiwi-NRL Team…

• Fullback: Jackson Stewart (Hornby)

• Wing: Mason Lome-Hindle (Otago Boys High School), Victory Isaako (Eastern)

• Centre: Antonio Verhoeven (Cobden Kohinoor), Oliver Lawry (Halswell)

• Half: Bronson Reuben (Kaiapoi), Harry Inch (Nelson College)

• Middle: Tanner Stowers-Smith (Halswell), Felix Fa’atili (Hornby), Jason Salalilo (Papanui)

• Edge: Sosaia Alatini (Hornby), Bishop Neal (Hornby)

• Hooker: Makaia Tafua (Linwood)

• Bench: Amasio Tiatia (Linwood), K-Ci Newton-Whare (Riccarton) Te Kaio Cranwell (Linwood), Isaiah Savea (Hornby)

• Backs depth: Meihana Pauling (Halswell), Montel Lisala (Halswell), Chelden Hayward (Linwood), Dakota Kakoi (Linwood)

• Forward depth: Tom Perkins (Nelson College), Saumaki Saumaki (Nelson College), Xavier Lynch (Halswell)

For paid subscribers

• More NZ Warriors stats and notes

• Spotlights on Mary-Jane Taito (Bulldogs - 18yrs playing NRLW) & Charleston Te Rore (Roosters - 17yrs playing NSW Cup)

• ODI spotlights on Nathan Smith and Will O’Rourke

• How a selection of emerging Blackcaps have gone under coach Rob Walter

• White Ferns team made up of those who didn’t play at T20 World Cup

• White Ferns depth chart

• Domestic cricket deep cuts

Folks around the cricketing world have caught up to the seam bowling depth cooking in Aotearoa but Jacob Duffy wasn’t part of the buzz. Here’s how Duffy’s bowling averages rank for Blackcaps...

• Test: 25w @ 16.28avg/2.3rpo

Lowest average for 20+ wickets

• ODI: 35w @ 24.25avg/5.9rpo

Sixth lowest average for 20+ wickets

Fifth lowest average for 30+ wickets

• T20I: 62w @ 20.25avg/8rpo

Fourth lowest average for 20+ wickets

Second lowest average for 50+ wickets

Mark Chapman shouldn’t be overlooked either…

Last three years of ODI batting

2023: 18.6avg/115sr

2024: 39avg/91sr

2025: 73.6avg/107sr

Last three years of T20I batting

• 2024: 19.9avg/132sr

• 2025: 21.6avg/159sr

• 2026: 20.4avg/141sr

Highest Blackcaps ODI batting strike-rates for 100+ runs since start of 2023

• Michael Bracewell: 692 runs @ 108.8sr

• Mitchell Santner: 523 runs @ 108.73sr

• Rachin Ravindra: 1,424 runs @ 107.55sr

• Mark Chapman: 670 runs @ 107.2sr

• Glenn Phillips: 1,105 runs @ 104.24sr

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

The Tall Blacks wrapped up the first round of World Cup qualifying by beating the Philippines and Guam. Double OT thriller against the Philippines and then a much more routine victory vs Guam, both in Auckland over the weekend. They also won away against both those teams last window and lost home and away to Australia in the first window.

The second round sees the twelve remaining teams lumped together in two groups with the top four from each making it through to the World Cup (unless hosts Qatar don’t finish top four in the other group, then the worst record of the two fourth-placed teams misses out). Results from the first round carry over so New Zealand already have a 4-2 record with two matches to follow against each of Iran, Jordan, and Syria. Not home and away this time though, the games are being played in hubs with the first lot in the Philippines in late August.

Tall Blacks in Round 1 of Asia/Oceania WCQs:

• Lost 84-79 to Australia (A)

• Lost 79-77 to Australia (H)

• Won 69-66 vs Philippines (A)

• Won 99-66 vs Guam (A)

• Won 106-102 (2OT) vs Philippines (H)

• Won 129-75 vs Guam (H)

Coach Judd Flavell used 23 players across those six games with only Taylor Britt and Taine Murray featuring in all six...

• Six Games: Taylor Britt, Taine Murray

• Five Games: Sam Mennenga, Carlin Davison, Tohi Smith-Milner

• Four Games: Jordan Ngatai, Reuben Te Rangi

• Three Games: Tyrell Harrison, Yanni Wetzell, Keanu Rasmussen, Sam Timmins

• Two Games: Mojave King, Izayah Le’Afa, Sam Waardenburg, Flynn Cameron, Finn Delany, Tai Webster, Shea Ili, Max Darling, Alex McNaught, Jackson Ball

• One Game: Jack Andrew, Kruz Perrott-Hunt

Something to track in the Blackcaps upcoming ODI series in West Indies...

The Race to 3000 ODI Runs

World Record: Hashim Amla, 57 innings

Second place: Shubman Gill, 62 innings

Third Place: Shai Hope, Fakhar Zama & Imam-ul-Haq, 67 innings

Daryl Mitchell – 2690 runs from 54 innings (58.47 avg)

It’s a five-game series, starting on Sunday, so that’s 310 runs required in two innings to break the record, three to tie it, or way more likely a maximum of seven innings to beat Shubman Gill’s recently acquired second place on this list.

For the Paid Subscribers:

• Jayden Cecil’s kiwi identity

• Joaquin Reinoso the Argentina-Aotearoa football prospect

• Chris Wood (and maybe Tyler Bindon) gets a new club coach

I didn’t do a Flying Kiwis yarn this week because there wasn’t enough stuff happening to fill one out. The top line transfers aren’t happening this soon after the World Cup and most clubs are out of action. There are the lads in Ireland and lower-tiered America but nobody did anything this week (and the Irish scene has been dormant for months tbh). There was a good win for Rebecca Lake’s Thai Nguyen T&T in Vietnam but she only played off the bench, given a rest against one of the weaker teams. The Swedish men’s league returned which saw Owen Parker-Price get ninety in a 3-0 loss to Kalmar while Kees Sims was on the bench for GAIS as they drew 1-1 away to IFB.

So I parked it. Next week should be more fruitful with preseason games beginning for most European clubs as well as League Cup action in Scotland and the resumption of the Norwegian league (Viking may choose to rest Joe Bell for the first week or two, we shall see... but he’s back in town so he’s probably good to go).

But what we do have is transfers and while I’ve already done an audio yarn for the Paid Subscribers breaking down a few of these things, it’s time to bring back an old favourite segment...

Flying Kiwis Transfer Tracker

You never quite know what the situation is when a player is released by a club. After Hannah Blake was let go by Durham last week, that could have been the English club saying ka kite after two years where she hadn’t been able to sustain a consistent first eleven spot. She’d finished last season strongly but that was with an interim coach and Durham have since hired Willie Kirk to be their new boss (a controversial decision to say the least). As it turns out, Blake left because she had a much better offer on the table. Kia ora to Rangers Football Club. One year since Vic Esson left and they realised they couldn’t go any longer without a New Zealander in their squad, a wise course of action.

While Esson was with Rangers, she won multiple cup titles but could never get over the line in the SWPL. Wasn’t any different last season as Rangers finished two points behind Hearts, settling for second place... but with it the consolation prize of Champions League entry. So Blake’s got that to look forward to. This will be a very different dynamic for her following two seasons in the English second tier with a club that was losing more than they were winning. Rangers tend to tally up some pretty massive victory margins given the disparity between the best and worst teams in Scotland and Blake, as an attacking player who is at her best when she’s part of a flowing team rather than being expected to bring out the solo magic, could really thrive playing more front-foot footy. We’ve been waiting to see which Football Ferns would make ambitious moves one year out from the World Cup... this is a fantastic way to get that started.

Also in that category is Suya Haering making the move from relegated German club Carl Zeiss Jena to France where she’s signed for Montpellier. Another club who’ll be battling relegation but one that won’t be getting thrashed to nil like CZJ and her previous club Turbine Potsdam were often doing. Nice progressive move from the 21yo left-fullback... hoping to see her nail down a regular starting spot this season.

This of course follows two years of having Kate Taylor in the French top flight with Dijon... but that team’s gone broke and had their licence revoked so all signs point towards Taylor, quite possibly the first name on any Football Ferns teamsheet these days, being on the move. She’s good enough that no destination is out of the question so just gotta wait and see.

Katie Bowen is another one on the move. Inter Milan let her walk after another second-placed finish in Serie A but there’s chat that she could stay in Italy because apparently Lazio like the look of her. From Milan to Rome if that comes to pass. Lazio’s are an upper-midtable trying to close the gap to the teams above them. From their perspective, Bowen is an experienced player at international and now Serie A level who has been part of an Internazionale squad that made that exact rise a couple years ago.

And keep an eye out for what Indiah-Paige Riley does after being released/freed by Crystal Palace following a season spent wasted on their bench because they only wanted to play her at right-back. Another hugely important Ferns player seeking form ahead of the World Cup.

There’s a fascinating situation in South Africa where Orlando Pirates, not content with having signed Andre de Jong from Stellenbosch, have also been trying to coax young kiwi goalkeeper Dublin Boon in the same direction. Pirates scout Brendon Fourie used to be the head of recruitment at Stellies and he signed both ADJ and Boon in that capacity. But Stellies have just lost a couple of their backup keepers and really like Boon’s potential, in fact there’s a chance he could be their second choice keeper next season. What’s more, he apparently has some South African heritage and one of the articles claimed they rate him as a potential Bafana Bafana keeper of the future. Bloody hell.

Pirates had been negotiating a swap move but that fell apart in recent days when their own attacking midfielder Kabelo Dlamini decided he didn’t want any part of that. Pity because clearing out another CAM would also suit Andre de Jong sweetly. So the price will have to be raised to get that over the line but either way it sounds like Stellies are closing in on a deal for Nathan Garrow of Auckland City, who impressed at the Club World Cup and has been impeccable for ACFC in domestic duties since. Notably, Garrow’s been absent from recent City squads with Matthew Foord taking his place after the former Cashmere Tech, Wellington Phoenix Reserves, and Bula FC gloveman was poached post-OPL.

These are good rumours. Love it when there are good rumours. There’s also really high potential of moves for some of our very top All Whites following on from the World Cup. Tim Payne to Club Olimpia and Jesse Randall to Dundee United are already done. Elijah Just, Finn Surman, Callum McCowatt, and Sarpreet Singh (in that order) should also be eyeing up something tasty. Alex Paulsen and Tyler Bindon are on loan watch.

Nik Tzanev has signed an extension at Huddersfield Town as well. One year with a club option for a second. When he first joined the club in January to be the third choice keeper, insurance for what they hoped would be a playoff run (they didn’t make it), it was only for the remainder of that campaign. He ended up making two unexpected appearances as the two blokes ahead of him both got injured and then when the Retained/Released list was revealed afterwards it was claimed that Tzanev was in discussions over an extended stay.

Sticking around as a third-choice keeper in League One as a 29-year-old would stink of a lack of ambition... except that on the same day as this deal was announced, it was also announced that Lee Nicholls would be joining Championship side Preston North End for an undisclosed fee and that Aussie keeper Jacob Chapman has also been sold, in his case to St Mirren up in Scotland. Jak Alwnick remains around while Huddersfield have also picked up 19yo Sunderland prospect Matty Young on loan, an England youth international who has played 64 League Two games on loan at Salford City over the previous two years and apparently that kid is tremendous. So lots of changes in that Terriers goalkeeping department.

Lee Nicholls had been the main keeper for the previous five seasons and now the three competing keepers (assuming there’s no more business) have a mere seven club appearances combined, as two January signings and a 19yo loanee compete for the number one status. Jacob Chapman was out on loan with Crawley Town last season but he did play quite a bit for Huddersfield the season prior, yet he specifically said that he left because he wanted a better shot at getting regular footy. Obviously they’d given up on him. Fingers crossed Tzanev can lodge an application for starter’s duty during preseason, you never know, although the signs point towards Matty Young being The Guy with Alnwick and Tzanev on board as experienced alternatives. Not hard to read between the lines when the comments in his extension announcement refer to “the goalkeeping department” and “strength and depth”.

And here’s one more... after Owen Parker-Price’s rather stunning rise up the ranks in Sweden, his Örgryte team have been kinda crap since being promoted and currently sit last with only one win from eleven games. That one win came in week two away to the defending Swedish champs Mjällby and hey guess which club is suddenly rumoured to want to sign him? OPP is contracted for another 18 months and ÖIS are huge fans of his abilities so there’s no reason to get ahead of ourselves. But Mjällby do have Champions League qualifiers coming up in a few weeks. Imagine if he went from a club on track for relegation from the third tier to playing Champions League in the space of twelve months.

Musical Jam...

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Scotty’s Word

Great start to the NRLW season for NZ Warriors with a win vs Bulldogs. This was their second win vs Bulldogs in NRLW with a combined score of 66-16 across those two games, split between Sydney and Hamilton. There is lots of nitty gritty footy stuff to ponder but I’m more interested in the opportunity for this group to impact the sporting landscape in Aotearoa.

This goes beyond women’s sport but I sense a wee opening for NZW. Kiwi sports fans are hungry for a women’s team or individual to support and capture their hearts, especially in this winter window. Melie Kerr as White Ferns captain is the only other pocket that comes to mind and White Ferns let that opportunity slip away with their recent T20 World Cup performance.

Charlisse Leger-Walker is top of the list as well but she’s off in a distant land and unless you’re following the kiwi basketball gurus (like my comrade), there isn’t much mainstream media attention given to her now that the WNBA season is flowing. The lack of any basketball buzz in mainstream media is kinda bonkers given how popular it is at the grassroots level, but that’s why we do what we love to do.

There are many other fabulous kiwi women doing world-class things around the world. What I’m describing feels more like Wellington’s connection to their dynastic Blaze team and that stems from how close the team is with their community. Black Ferns Sevens don’t play in New Zealand, while nothing at the Super Rugby Aupiki level or anything in netball comes close to the bandwagon potential of the NZW women.

Some of the Up The Wahs glow is involved for the women’s team. They have their own identity though and, at a time when some folks want to divide Aotearoa communities, NZW are led by Maori and Polynesian women (the whole squad is Maori or Polynesian). Their elite footy talents are matched by their understanding of their impact on communities around New Zealand, along with their enthusiasm and vibrant personalities.

Winning is crucial when cultivating such fandom and this group looks like they can play finals footy. NZW were missing top-tier talent against Bulldogs yet their spine was awesome, playing behind a forward pack that overwhelmed an opposition forward pack led by two Kiwi Ferns in Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa and Alexis Tauaneai.

NZW men have showcased their culture by sustaining a high level while their depth has been challenged this season. Last season, NZW women kept battling through injuries and pregnancies, which was most evident when they almost won vs Raiders after two red cards. They showed the quality of their depth against Bulldogs to start this season with equal doses of gritty defensive mahi and razzle dazzle flair.

Two of the biggest personalities and most recognisable players weren’t even playing. Mele Hufanga and Stacey Waaka are superstars of women’s sport in Aotearoa, so just wait until they spark it up.

Flowing on from that, there is a growing list of players shifting their eligibility from Australia to Aotearoa in a World Cup year. Shannon Mato, Kennedy Cherrington and Zahara Temara have all made official moves to Kiwi Ferns after playing for Australia in recent years. At the same time there are more and more women moving from rugby union to bolster Kiwi Ferns depth as well as Tonga, Samoa and Cook Islands.

The growing halves depth offers a snapshot of this. Temara joins Gayle Broughton, Patricia Maliepo, Raecene McGregor, Tyla King and Ash Quinlan who have all played in the halves for Kiwi Ferns in the last few years. Cowboys were smoked by Broncos with Abigail Roache and Rosie Kelly in an all-Aotearoa halves combo, while youngster Shaqualya Mahakitau-Monschau was in the halves for Bulldogs.

Evelyn Roberts was part of the Bulldogs squad and she has dominated footy in Australia since leaving Auckland where she was a Mangere East junior. Limilaiti Paea is another Mangere East junior playing in the halves for Bulldogs in NSW Women’s Premiership, while Linwood’s Julliana Kolio has played halfback for Sharks in reserve grade and Dragons had their own all-Aotearoa halves combo in Women’s Premiership with Tyali Raihe (Taniwharau) and Danii Gray (Mangere East) playing a few games together.

There is also growing dummy half depth. Kiwi Ferns have had Brooke Anderson playing hooker and small forward in recent years, while Georgia Hale’s mainly played small forward and started at hooker for Titans in their loss vs Roosters. King and Quinlan have covered hooker and halves.

Cherrington has the hooker for Eels and Raiders hooker Chante Temara could follow her sister to Kiwi Ferns. NZW have Capri Paekau and Jasmin Huriwai as their dummy halves this season, both are aligned with Kiwi Ferns. Huriwai played rugby union for Australia but that won’t mean much now that she is back in Aotearoa.

Mary-Jane Taito started at hooker for Bulldogs and the Mangere East junior could add to Samoa’s depth, or Aotearoa’s. A deep cut is Charley Lahmert from New Plymouth who started this year in U19s for Knights and is now starting at hooker in Women’s Premiership.

John Fineanganofo made his NRL debut for Dolphins on the same weekend that his brother Fehi made his All Blacks debut. Along with older brother Melino, they all played 1st 15 for Auckland Grammar School and John was part of the Dolphins’ Aotearoa recruitment wave to help them establish a development pipeline as they entered NRL.

Left to right: Melino | Fehi | John

Fineanganofo joined Tevita Naufahu in the Dolphins team for their loss vs Knights and Naufahu was also recruited from 1st 15, having made the 2023 NZ Schools team via St Kentigern College. Dolphins have a wide mix of Kiwi-NRL from all possible backgrounds and while most Kiwi-NRL juniors played 1st 15 at some stage before moving into NRL pipelines, it’s notable that the early recruitment wave for Dolphins featured a bunch of players from 1st 15 rugby.

Next up in this lane are Patrick Kailahi (Hamilton Boys) and Elijah Rasmussen (Westlake Boys) who are both forwards.

For paid subscribers

• NZ Warriors women stats

• Dylan Brown the halfback and NZ Kiwis halves

• Blackcaps ODI podcast

• Plenty more Blackcaps ODI stats

• Emerging White Ferns batting oomph

Daryl Mitchell is Aotearoa’s best ODI batter at the moment and should be viewed as one of, if not the best kiwi ODI batter ever. Mitchell leads Blackcaps for ODI runs since the start of 2025. Here’s how he stacks up against other Blackcaps who have had at least 19 innings in this period...

• Daryl Mitchell: 19inns, 1,113 runs @ 69.5avg/92sr

• Will Young: 24inns, 500 runs @ 21.7avg/79sr

• Michael Bracewell: 19inns, 412 runs @ 31.6avg/101sr

• Tom Latham: 19inns, 398 runs @ 23.4avg/78sr

Mitchell has 2,690 runs @ 58.47avg/96sr. That’s the highest Blackcaps ODI batting average ever for 100+ runs and he is the only batter with 1,000+ runs/50+ average for New Zealand. Brendon McCullum (6,083 runs @ 30.41avg/96sr) is the only other Blackcaps ODI batter who has 2,000+ runs and a strike-rate over 90.

Mitchell has one of the craziest all format careers for New Zealand...

• Test: 43.05avg/53sr

• ODI: 58.47avg/96sr

• T20I: 26.84avg/140sr

The NZC schedule isn’t super reliable because the tour of West Indies isn’t listed but apparently White Ferns are next in action for a tour of Australia. That starts with T20Is against the World Cup champions and White Ferns are 2-12 vs Australia since the start of 2020, including nine consecutive losses.

Melie Kerr has been awesome in T20Is against Australia, while some legends have struggled. Only a few White Ferns have averaged 20+ with the bat against Australia or averaged below 30 with the ball so the baseline for solid mahi in this zone is pretty low.

Best White Ferns vs Australia in T20Is - Batting

• Melie Kerr: 390 runs @ 32.5avg/106sr

• Maddy Green: 217 runs @ 19.7avg/123sr

• Suzie Bates: 197 runs @ 16.4avg/5sr

• Sophie Devine: 189 runs @ 17.1avg/88sr

Bowling

• Melie Kerr: 18w @ 21avg/7.1rpo

• Lea Tahuhu: 14w @ 18.3avg/7.7rpo

• Sophie Devine: 7w @ 30avg/8.2rpo

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

Won’t talk much about the Tall Blacks here because they play again at 7pm tonight. Make sure you check out the highlights of their 2OT win against the Philippines on Friday night though, because it was an insane spectacle. The Filipinos turned up in huge numbers to once again turn Spark Arena into what felt like an away venue and the game lived up to the hype with all sorts of late drama. Not a particularly impressive outing from the Tall Blacks on the whole but it’s only early stage World Cup qualifying so don’t worry about that. Many in the squad are out of season and the Philippines have evolved into a really tough team to play against. Just gotta dig in and get a win for the nation and that’s what they did.

Reuben Te Rangi with 22 points, Shea Ili with 21 points & 6 assists, Sam Waardenburg with 16 points & 10 rebounds. Lots of minutes spread around in a double overtime game - ten different dudes got at least 10 mins and only Keanu Rasmussen wasn’t used of the 12-man squad. That win guaranteed progression to the next round although we would have gone through even with a loss since Australia predictably beat Guam by 72 points. We face Guam tonight with absolutely nothing riding on it but it’s always cool to turn up for the home fans. That one’s at North Shore Events Centre.

But I will talk more about New Zealand finishing in 12th place (out of 16) at the FIBA U17 World Cup. Couldn’t match the top four effort of the last cycle but even at the time we could tell that was a special group. This lot probably should have bagged an extra win or two along the way except they let themselves down with some poor fourth quarters. That often comes with the territory at youth level. What matters is that we saw that familiar kiwi basketball pride and grittiness shining throughout… as this tour helped unearth one spectacular kiwi prospect along with a couple more very good ones.

Last we checked in, they’d just lost to Serbia in the first knockout round – that’s the same Serbia team that went all the way to the final where they were beaten 107-81 by the USA (while Australia won 77-69 against Türkiye in the bronze medal game). The NZers therefore dropped into the classification rounds where we were drawn against Japan first up and claimed an excellent victory on the back of some inspired Jayden Cecil three-point shooting.

Cecil had 22 points in the first half as the Junior Tall Blacks established a decent lead and then a few of his pals came to the party in the second half on the way to a 104-83 victory. Japan had shooters too but they didn’t have the size or strength of the NZers, who won the rebounding battle 63 to 33 (the inverse of how NZ had struggled against the rangy Serbians). The kiwis never trailed from midway through the first quarter onwards. Cecil ended with 31 points (including 7/16 from threes), 11 rebounds & 6 assists to lead NZ in all three of those major stat lines. Marco Sula (17 pts), Lawson Pryor (13 pts, 4/4 threes), Liam Keogh (14 pts), and Noah Duncan (12 pts) each scored in the double digits as well.

Sweet as, that put New Zealand into the bracket for the top half of the bottom half: competing for spots 9-12. China were the next opponents and a bright start, inspired by Cecil again of course, had New Zealand leading by 11 points late in the first and by similar fluctuating margins throughout the first half. It was 47-35 at the big break. Then some ominous shades of the first two games returned as New Zealand faded in the second half. Final score 92-79 to China - we got blown out 57-32 in the second half. The Junior Tall Blacks were +16 on the boards yet their erratic shooting and too many turnovers became insurmountable in the end. Still, Jayden Cecil scored 25 points (5/14 from deep, 9/24 overall) while Liam Koegh chipped in with 14 points.

The consequence of which was a final playoff game against Ivory Coast to see whether we’d end as the 11th or 12th ranked team. And... well, we lost that one too. Squeezed ahead in a close game during the third only for another shocker of a fourth quarter, outscored 30-17 in the final ten minutes to lose 85-81. Would blame it on tiredness except that they were doing this the whole way through the tournament...

NZ Fourth Quarters at the U17 World Cup

• Türkiye: 20-37 (Lost in 2OT)

• Puerto Rico: 14-31 (Lost by 8 pts)

• Slovenia: 18-22 (Won by 5 pts)

• Serbia: 31-28 (Lost by 30 pts)

• Japan: 24-16 (Won by 21 pts)

• China: 15-31 (Lost by 13 pts)

• Ivory Coast: 17-30 (Lost by 4 pts)

If those games had ended after three quarters, NZ would have gone 6-1. Instead they were 2-5. Oh well, so it goes, it’s a youth tournament so it’s not like these guys had a whole season to prepare their clutch plays and hone their combinations. But Jayden Cecil did score 38 points in this game. Shot 8/18 from deep.

Cecil is a volume shooter who had relatively modest overall percentages of 42.7% from the field, 38.3% from threes, and 71.1% from the free throw line. Scores a lot of points but takes a lot of shots to get them. That’s not a problem though. This team gave him good rebounders to cover the misses, he’s got a quick release and great balance which allows him to let fly from pretty much anywhere, he’s a multi-level scorer who can also beat a dude off the dribble, and if you watch him play you’ll see he’s far from selfish about it too. Excellent vision and always willing to pass to a guy in a better position. This dude is a tremendous talent.

Jayden Cecil at the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup

209 points in seven games makes him the top scorer at the entire tournament. His 42 points against Türkiye was the highest individual scoring game of any player and he had three of the top seven high-scoring games. Didn’t get him an MVP trophy because that, naturally, went to Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje of USA for leading the champs to an eight-straight title at this event. Didn’t even get him into the All Star Five which was entirely made up of players whose teams made the top four. That’s fair enough too.

But Jayden Cecil’s put himself on the map with his U17 World Cup performances. Can’t ever remember Aotearoa having this type of prospect before, someone who scores at will with the size and athleticism to match. Maybe not quite as explosive as the best Americans of his age but he’ll hold his own there. Absolutely one to track as he moves towards college and hopefully one day the NBA as well.

Junior Tall Blacks at the 2026 FIBA U17 World Cup

And guess what? Next week the Women’s U17s get their turn. The Junior Tall Ferns are in a group with Canada, Egypt, and Italy. Seems to be a little more buzz about what this JTF squad can achieve. Their squad is as follow…

Emilia Ainley, Shamar Broughton, Charis Broughton, Elisa Brown, Madelin Eliadis, Sinai Foai, Ava Jones, Areta Kahura, Sienna Maurice, Katie Moors, Imani Rasmussen, Nahala Toelieu

For The Paid Subscribers…

• Charlisse Leger-Walker’s emerging new WNBA starter status

• The time Erling Haaland couldn’t score against Nando Pijnaker & George Stanger

The Wellington Phoenix shrunk their squad a little further on Friday when they released 19yo forward Gabriel Sloane-Rodrigues. He signed a three-year pro contract back in 2024, shortly after debuting off the bench to become the first 16yo to play A-League for the club. Luke Brooke-Smith broke that youngest player record nine months later but GSR got there first... around the same time, Oskar Zawada picked him out as the most talented player in the academy. Now he’s been released with a year still remaining on that contract after only making five substitute appearances across three seasons.

GSR: “There’s been lots of ups and downs, but overall it’s been really enjoyable. I had a meeting with Greeny and he gave me the option to leave or stay. I thought it was the best decision to leave and explore an adventure elsewhere. I’ve had great teammates and great staff in my couple years here that have really helped me develop in a professional environment. I learnt a lot at the academy, and they played a huge role in me signing my first professional contract, so I’m really grateful for all they did.”

Sloane-Rodrigues was due to move from a scholarship to a full contract this year and from a Nix perspective that was looking like a wasted roster spot, hence coach Chris Greenacre called him into his office and said: what do ya reckon, son? Obviously the writing’s on the wall at that point. Even though Greenacre coached him at Nix and NZ U20s level, he doesn’t forecast as a natural fit in Greeny’s (expected) system. Definitely suffered from Chiefy’s departure... although it’s not like he was playing much under Italiano either. Probably gotta admit he’s stalled over the past 18 months... despite some bright stuff for the Reserves in the National League.

His problem is that he’s not an easy player to pin down. Should he be a winger throwing in stepovers and wriggling past tackles? Should he be a Sarpreet Singh type central attacking midfielder getting into pockets and being creative? He sorta got stuck in between those ideals, just as he got stuck in between being too good for the U20s but not good enough for the A-League squad.

This is a funky spot for the Phoenix because Luke Supyk was given a multi-year deal prior to GSR’s promotion and he’s also been allowed to leave after failing to kick on. Luke Brooke-Smith has had way more opportunities but there was a feeling throughout last year, under both managers, that he was being underused. Nathan Walker unfortunately missed all of last season with injury but it’s not clear where he sits moving forward. Guys like Luke Flowerdew, Ryan Watson, and Ben Wallace have all walked in recent times without getting first team offers. The club is in a great spot when it comes to developing centre-backs (Hughes, Smith, Kelly-Heald) and goalkeepers (Kelly-Heald, McCarron). Fullbacks (Sheridan, Loke) and midfielders (Roa Conchie, Casidy) are doing alright. But there are big question marks over how they’re handling their young forwards. Hopefully LBS and Walker can alter the course next term.

Auckland FC have been busy too, giving extensions to Jonty Bidois, Oliver Middleton, and Felipe Gallegos. In typical AFC media fashion they haven’t specified how long the deals are for so we’ll assume they’re all one-year contracts. That’d make most sense for a pair of unproven youngsters and a 34yo visa midfielder who finished last season injured. Gallegos joins Hiroki Sakai in returning for a third season as an import. Louis Verstraete and Sam Cosgrove still have unknown futures while Guillermo May’s departure has already been announced.

Verstraete feels like the more important retention in midfield after Howieson’s heroics in the finals series and the addition of Lachlan Bayliss... what they need is a defensive-minded dude. But perhaps they see Gallegos as that guy. Or maybe they’re planning on bringing back Verstraete as well and just wanna have mad depth in that position (or view Bayliss as an attacking option). That all remains to be seen - not holding out much expectation of Jake Brimmer seeing out his contract though. Sounds like Gallegos is happy and settled with his family in town and there’s not much risk to bringing him back since they won a grand final with the guy only fit enough for the bench anyway.

As for the two young’uns, again the lack of clarity in the announcements is bloody annoying but you’d have to assume from this wording...

Bidois, 21, and Middleton, 20, signed scholarship deals with Auckland FC before the club’s inaugural season; the extension means they are now officially signing on as first-team players.

... that the lads have been promoted to first team deals. That makes sense for Bidois who is a promising striker with 13 A-League appearances under his belt (all off the bench). Scored some good goals for the U20s and then moved up to Pro League where he remained effective, starting in both the semi-final and grand final of that championship run. Needs to show a bit more threat in the ALM but he deserves the opportunity based on his development thus far.

Middleton’s a much stranger one. Attacking midfielder who never even made a squad in his first year with the club, played seven minutes against Brisbane early last season in his debut, then busted his ACL and was done for the season. That injury prevented him from doing any Pro League stuff where he’d probably have gotten a run otherwise. Did make two Aussie Cup appearances... but he must have been training the house down to get promoted to a full contract off the back of very limited evidence otherwise, especially after they’ve already released Finn McKenlay.

Middleton looked alright in that short debut cameo, it’s just that Van Fitzharris and Bailey Ferguson did a lot more in a similar position when given their chances. You’d imagine those two should benefit from the scholarship deals that have been freed up by this and the Coulibaly/McKenlay releases. Based on what we’ve learned through A-League and Pro League selections (as well as the ages of the players in question), you’d have to figure that guys like Aston Burns, James Mitchell, Isa Prins, Eli Jones, Nathan Martin, and Dejaun Naidoo are among the others in contention for scholar nods.

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Scotty’s Word

The NRLW season starts this weekend with a crazy amount of women from Aotearoa involved. The NZ Warriors vs Bulldogs game on Sunday sums this up perfectly as Bulldogs are the most active NRLW team recruiting from New Zealand and their teams below NRLW usually have a majority of players who played junior footy in Aotearoa, specifically Mangere East.

Eight of the top-17 named for Bulldogs are NRLWahine. Of those eight, Kiwi Ferns forward Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa is the only one I can’t find a junior footy connection to Aotearoa for. There are a bunch of NRLWahine named for Bulldogs in NSW Women’s Premiership as well, which shows the investment Bulldogs have made in recruiting talent from New Zealand.

Bulldogs have players like Moana Courtenay, Daynah Nankivell and Monica Tagoai who they recruited at the NRLW level. Courtenay and Tagoai were part of the Bulldogs’ entry to NRLW and Nankivell will make her NRLW debut. They also have players like Shaquaylah Mahakitau-Monschau and Mary-Jane Taito who have worked through the Bulldogs system as Bulldogs have had NRLWahine at all levels (U17, U19, Women’s Premiership) in recent years.

All NRLW teams have wahine from New Zealand. Then there’s the first NZ Warriors team of the season that only has one Aussie in the top-17 in Emmanita Paki, although Jasmin Huriwai is from Aotearoa and played rugby union for Australia before switching to NRLW. Switching from rugby union to rugby league or going from playing both to just rugby league is a common theme here and it’s something to track because mainstream media don’t seem to care ... yet.

Take that Bulldogs trio named above. All three joined NRLW from rugby union with Courtenay moving from the Farah Palmer Cup level, Nankivell played Super Rugby Aupiki and Tagoai has played for Black Ferns. This is the norm and the majority of NRLWahine have played rugby union at some point, while many have snapped up better career pathways in NRLW.

The funkiest selection for NZW is Christabelle Onesemo-Tuilaepa who is named on the bench having not featured in any signing announcements or squad lists prior to the team naming. Along with twin sister Demielle, they are from Samoa and moved to Auckland to chase footy careers which led to them making representative teams in both league and union (peep the theme).

They went to Westlake Girls College along with Ashlee Matapo who popped out of nowhere last season to play NRLW as an 18-year-old. Matapo is named to start at middle forward this week and NZW are battling plenty of injuries for round one which has opened up space for these younger players in a similar fashion to the men’s team.

NZW do have Apii Nicholls at fullback and a halves combo of Patricia Maliepo and Gayle Broughton. That’s as good as it gets and as they also have a big, powerful forward pack, the Kiwi Ferns halves combo should lead the way for NZW. Young Aussie Natalia Hickling is named in the wider squad as the halves depth and she fits the theme of the NZW organisation recruiting young halves from Australia.

I expect Huriwai to cover dummy half behind Capri Paekau. Stacey Waaka is on the extended bench and could be a late inclusion but she will probably be eased into NRLW footy. That’s an example of the depth on offer because Mele Hufanga is also out injured and NZW don’t suffer too much as all the outside backs have done well in NRLW so far.

NZ Warriors team vs Bulldogs

• Fullback: Apii Nicholls

• Wing: Lavinia Tauhalaliku, Payton Takimoana

• Centre: Tysha Ikenasio, Emmanita Paki

• Half: Gayle Broughton, Patricia Maliepo

• Middle: Annetta Nu’uausala, Mya Hill-Moana, Ashlee Matapo

• Edge: Maarire Puketapu, Shakira Baker

• Hooker: Capri Paekau

• Bench: Jasmin Huriwai, Harata Butler, Laishon Albert-Jones, Christabelle Onesemo

• Extendo: Metanoia Fetalaiga, Natalia Hickling, Stacey Waaka, Felila Kia

Here’s my best attempt at listing all NRLWahine named for Australian teams in round one...

Sharks: Annessa Biddle (Otara), Najvada George (Melbourne), Jaydika Tafua (Papanui)

Knights: Shanice Parker (Perth), Tenika Willison (Taharoa), Tiana Davison (Waitara), Fane Finau (Otara), Amelia Pasikala (Wairoa), Cheyelle Robins-Reti (Taranaki)

Titans: Georgia Hale (Richmond), Sarina Masaga (Howick), Te Ngaroahiahi Fanua Awhina Rimoni (Wainuiomata)

Roosters: Otesa Pule (Otara)

Dragons: Nita Maynard (Gisborne), Brooke Anderson (Sydney), Trinity Tauaneai (Wainuiomata), Seriah Palepale (Mangere East)

Raiders: Leianne Tufuga (Otara), Mackenzie Wiki (Manurewa), Grace Kukutai (Lynfield College)

Broncos: Kerri Johnson (Kaikohe), Brianna Clark (Sarina), Shannon Mato (Upper Hutt)

Cowboys: Abigail Roache (Richmond), Rosie Kelly (Hokitika), Hailee-Jay Ormond-Maunsell (Invercargill)

Eels: Martha Mataele (Sydenham), Boss Kapua (Taupo)

Tigers: Raecene McGregor (Sydney), Shaniece Monschau (Mt Albert)

Bulldogs: Moana Courtenay (North Shore), Daynah Nankivell (Moerewa), Monica Tagoai (Marist St Pats), Shaquaylah Mahakitau-Monschau (Waitakere College/St Peter’s Cambridge), Angelina Teakaraanga Katoa (Auckland), Alexis Tauaneai (Wainuiomata), Mary-Jane Taito (Mangere East), Giovanna Suani (Mangere East), Evelyn Roberts (Mangere East), Maatuleio Fotu-Moala (Otahuhu), Simina Lokotui (Mangere East)

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• NZ Warriors men’s signings/departures

• Blackcaps ODI squad for West Indies tour

• Emerging one-day New Zealand team

I did pretty well to debrief the Blackcaps Test series win without mentioning the other team. One thing I’ve been pondering is how coach Rob Walter has settled into his role nicely and how different his role is to that other team’s coach. The other cricket cartel team has more of a celebrity coach in charge so lots of the attention for them is directed towards the coach.

Many folks wouldn’t even know who Walter is, let alone how seamless the transition has been from the Gary Stead era. The cricket cartel nation is constantly having resets and reviews to shake things up, yet Blackcaps have had no such dramas in changing coaches. Stead was an excellent coach for Blackcaps and played his role in the most successful phase of Blackcaps cricket that I can remember, finishing with a Test series win in India and making the Champions Trophy final.

Then Walter took over and he has worked with 20+ players in each format, guiding the top-tier to a T20 World Cup final and another Test series win overseas. Walter has also been instrumental in giving opportunities to emerging talent which has cultivated incredible depth with a bunch of seamers debuting in Zimbabwe, Mitch Hay and Dean Foxcroft scoring runs on Test debuts and players like Kristian Clarke and Jayden Lennox playing key roles during the ODI series win in India.

Coach Walter has continued Stead’s mahi in creating an environment where players do their jobs, regardless of where they sit on the depth chart. Blackcaps went deep into their seam bowling stocks vs West Indies last summer and two players from that series in Jacob Duffy and Michael Rae weren’t even part of the latest series win.

This is a guy who has worked through the Aotearoa pipeline in the domestic circuit and then with NZ-A before taking up a job with South Africa. That reflects well on coach development in New Zealand and there’s plenty more coming through the pipeline such as BJ Watling who has done a lovely job with Northern Districts.

All of which makes these quotes below from Walter even more interesting. He said this stuff while he was coach of South Africa in 2023...

“They’ve gone beyond the time where people couldn’t understand why they achieved the results they have. They’re a very good side now and you don’t see many holes in their make-up. They have a lot of depth in different positions and for the most part, highly experienced cricketers who’ve played a lot and achieved a lot.

That’s probably the strength of this New Zealand side, it’s not easy to get a game, let alone a World Cup squad.

If you look at a guy like Daryl Mitchell, it’s an indication that in the New Zealand system, you have to play a lot of domestic cricket to eventually get a shot at internationals. I was exposed to Daryl from day one when I started coaching in New Zealand and it’s only in the last two years that he’s really become an unbelievable international cricketer.

In New Zealand, when a player steps in [to the national side] there’s pressure from beneath and it inspires the incumbents to raise their game”

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

The Belgian team that absolutely smoked the All Whites 5-1 in the group stage were on the verge of getting knocked out by Senegal this morning, trailing 2-0 after 85 minutes and looking pretty toothless... which in turn reflected terribly on New Zealand for being thrashed by those same jokers. But then Romelu Lukaku (86’) and Youri Tielemans (89’) scored to take it to extra time and Belgium ended up getting a very late penalty awarded after a VAR review, which Tielemans dispatched top bins for the win (120+5’). 3-2 to Belgium. Nice to see a bit of fight from those guys against someone other than the All Whites, we were looking a bit exposed there for a sec.

A key lesson of the World Cup is that it’s never as simple as the rankings or the pedigree of teams... all these nations from all over the globe bring different styles and New Zealand’s (much evolved) style didn’t match up great against Belgium who could move the ball with a much quicker tempo and more precision against the slower kiwis. Senegal’s threat is their athleticism, especially in transition. They’ve got rapid forwards who run direct and made Belgium’s older dudes look exhausted, unable to settle. Kevin de Bruyne was subbed within an hour. We were incapable of doing that to them. Senegal were not... but then they bottled it.

If not for the collateral shame for New Zealand, it would have been brilliant to see Senegal advance at the humiliating expense of Belgium. Humiliating not because Senegal were rank underdogs or anything - they have an awesome squad that’s honestly underachieved in this tournament - but for how little Belgium had accomplished. They were wasteful in draws against Iran and Egypt. Blew out the NZers but then didn’t take any of that momentum into the knockouts. Then were on the brink of going down whilst barely firing a threatening shot until the last five minutes against Senegal. Oh well, that’s the World Cup for ya. Crazy things happen.

Group Stage Eliminations by Confederation:

• Asia (7/9): South Korea, Qatar, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Jordan, Uzbekistan

• Europe (3/16): Czechia, Scotland, Turkey

• North & Central America (3/6): Haiti, Curacao, Panama

• Oceania (1/1): New Zealand

• South America (1/6): Uruguay

• Africa (1/10): Tunisia

European and South American teams have dominated the World Cup throughout history – no nation from any other region has ever won it. Four years ago, Morocco became the first African nation to make the semi-finals and it’s been incredible to see the success the African teams are having, with only Tunisia failing to advance to the knockouts. Alas, the knockouts are here now and they appear to have triggered something else from those AFCON sides...

• South Africa lost 1-0 to Canada due to a 90+2nd min goal

• Ivory Coast lost 2-1 to Norway due to an 86th min goal

• DR Congo lost 2-1 to England due to an 86th min goal

• Senegal lost 3-2 to Belgium due to a 120+6th min goal after also conceding an 89th min equaliser to force extra time

The exception is Morocco (with their past pedigree) who beat the Netherlands on pens after equalising in stoppage time. We’ll see how it goes with Egypt vs Australia, Algeria vs Switzerland, Ghana vs Colombia, and Cape Verde vs Argentina still to come. Those other four African sides were good enough to have won those games but came up short in critical moments, unable to handle the pressure against teams outside their confederation. A lot like how the All Whites weren’t able to hold onto leads in their own games. We’ve got more of an excuse since we don’t even get competitive games within our confederation, but then that’s why we went home early and they all made knockouts. By the way, we drew with DR Congo a couple years ago. Drew with Tunisia also.

Not really sure the gap has closed for the other confederations, though. The Central American teams were all eliminated in the first round with only the three North American hosts progressing from that region. Asia did crap with the exception of Aussie and Japan. Oceania wasn’t able to squeeze through - commiserations to our All Whites. Gotta log this context for the next four years as the All Whites try to put themselves in position to go further next time.

All Whites Opponents By Confederation During Bazeley Era (Since March 2023)

• Africa (1-2-2): DR Congo, Egypt (2), Tunisia, Ivory Coast

• Asia (2-2-3): China, Qatar (DNF), Australia (3), Malaysia, Iran

• Europe (0-2-7): Sweden, Greece, Ireland, Ukraine, Poland, Norway, Finland, England, Belgium

• North & Central America (0-1-2): Mexico, USA, Haiti

• South America (1-0-2): Colombia, Ecuador, Chile

• Oceania (9-0-0): Solomon Islands, Vanuatu (3), Tahiti (2), Samoa, Fiji, New Caledonia

Darren Bazeley’s contract runs through until September so he’ll get at least one more window in charge (probably many more on top of that too but we’ll see). Sounds like there will be at least one home game in that slot, probably against an Asian opponent. The match calendar is changing to have a 16-day window in September-October with room for up to four games and therefore less disruption to club seasons. There’s then a normal length window in November. That means up to six more games before the end of the year. Chris Wood could be sitting on 99-caps at Christmas time if we schedule the maximum amount and he plays them all.

Check out the Paywalled section if you’re one of those clever, talented, kindly souls who support TNC financially - there’s a full breakdown of the Men’s U16 football squad that’s just been announced including a few curious selection trends from NZ Football at this level

There’ll be at least one New Zealander partaking in NBA Summer League activities this year: Flynn Cameron’s been invited to play for the Portland Trail Blazers. The reigning NBL Most Improved Player will give it a nudge against Phoenix, Orlando, Minnesota, Denver, and whoever they end up against in their last match which is results-dependent. Portland just traded for Ja Morant so perhaps he’ll put in a good word for another kiwi NBA teammate after his time spent with Steven Adams. NZ Breakers old boy Karim Lopez will play for Morant’s old team Memphis Grizzlies after his draft pick was traded there on the day. Cameron won’t have to compete with any draftees in Portland because they’d traded away all their picks and didn’t select anyone, not even in the second round.

Last year we had Sam Mennenga (LA Lakers), Tyrell Harrison (Denver Nuggets), and Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones (Toronto Raptors) for our busiest ever Summer League group... but Mennenga and ATW were only used very sparingly while Harrison started off great but then they gave up on him after a couple games. We’ll see how much room Cameron gets to impress but usually these are purely about experience and personal growth rather than a genuine shot of earning an NBA contract. Almost nobody earns one of them based on Summer League but the invitation alone has become something of a badge of honour that only gets dished out to those among NZ’s very best current pros/college grads.

New Zealanders who have been invited to NBA Summer League:

Kirk Penney, Craig Bradshaw, Steven Adams, Tom Abercrombie, Robe Loe, Corey Webster, Tai Webster, Jack Salt, Finn Delany, Sam Waardenburg, Mojave King, Sam Mennenga, Tyrell Harrison, Aniwaniwa Tait-Jones, Flynn Cameron

Highest Individual Score By Batting Position on Blackcaps Test Tour of Ireland/England

• 1 – Tom Latham 151 vs England, Test 3

• 2 – Devon Conway 157 vs England, Test 3

• 3 – Henry Nicholls 121 vs England, Test 2

• 4 – Rachin Ravindra 121 vs Ireland

• 5 – Daryl Mitchell 100* vs England, Test 3

• 6 – Tom Blundell 186 vs Ireland

• 7 – Glenn Phillips 100 vs England, Test 2

• 8 – Glenn Phillips 44* vs England, Test 1

• 9 – Kyle Jamieson 41 vs England, Test 2

• 10 – Ben Sears 19no vs England, Test 3

• 11 – Will O’Rourke 0* vs England, Test 2

So across the last four Test matches played, for three wins and a loss, the Blackcaps have scored seven hundreds by seven different batters in seven different positions. None of them tonned up twice on that tour but none of them needed to, the weight of runs was shared around. Dean Foxcroft did get out for 98 (batting at seven) against Ireland on debut so it could have been eight. Mitchell, Blundell, and Ravindra (x2) are the only ones with additional 50+ scores.

Most Test Runs by NZers vs England

1. John Wright – 1518 runs @ 37.02 avg (4 100s)

2. Martin Crowe – 1421 runs @ 40.60 avg (5 100s)

3. Kane Williamson – 1408 runs @ 40.22 avg (5 100s)

4. Luteru Ross Taylor – 1272 runs @ 41.03 avg (3 100s)

5. Stephen Fleming – 1229 runs @ 35.11 avg (2 100s)

6. Daryl Mitchell – 1191 runs @ 56.71 avg (4 100s)

Most Test Runs by NZers vs England In England

1. Martin Crowe – 845 runs @ 40.23 avg (3 100s)

2. Daryl Mitchell – 779 runs @ 70.81 (4 100s)

3. Bevan Congdon – 726 runs @ 33.00 avg (2 100s)

4. John Wright – 714 runs @ 35.70 avg (1 100)

5. Devon Conway – 681 runs @ 42.56 avg (2 100s)

Devon Conway Test scores in England:

200, 23, 80, 3, 3, 13, 46, 52, 26, 11, 1, 41, 9, 11, 157, 5

Daryl Mitchell Test scores in England:

6, 13, 108, 190, 62*, 109, 56, 12, 0, 44, 68, 11, 100*

Daryl Mitchell in Tests vs England

24 inns | 1191 runs | 56.71 avg | 4 100s | 8 50s

Daryl Mitchell in Tests vs Everyone Else

38 inns | 1220 runs | 34.86 avg | 2 100s | 8 50s

The NZ U17 Men’s Basketball lads continue their efforts at the FIBA U17 World Cup. They got on the board in their third and final group game, beating Slovenia 79-74 in a meeting of two 0-2 teams. The Junior Tall Blacks shot out to a 10-0 lead in the opening minutes and then it was pretty much even the rest of the way with Slovenia making little runs whenever NZ seemed to be finding some breathing room. Liam Keogh was the star in this win, scoring 20 points on/11 shooting with 8 rebounds, 3 assists, and 4 steals.

Aussie-based Keogh was everywhere with his long arms and lanky athleticism (very good defender too), scooping in lay-up after lay-up. Point guard Tawhiri Cate of the Canterbury Rams knocked down four triples for 18 points and 9 assists. Big man Zach Rampton (Nelson Giants) scored 10 points. And the main man Jayden Cecil had an average game by his standards but still delivered 14 points and 3 assists. He looks like an outstanding prospect with his variety of scoring moves.

That was an important win because it meant that the kiwis avoid having to face Australia in the round of sixteen, instead leaving that fate to Slovenia. The JTBs, on the other hand, faced off against Serbia early this morning. Serbia beat us by 48 points at the 2022 U17 World Cup but began this tournament getting whupped 88-66 by the Aussies, before big wins over under-matched Venezuela and Ivory Coast.

This one was tough as Serbia turned up with a team full of rangy, long-armed giants who kept grabbing offensive rebounds, poking away turnovers, disrupting shots at the rim, and generally just messing with the kiwi game plan. They were up 31-16 after the first quarter with only nine points from Jayden Cecil keeping the pulse going for NZ. He and Marco Sula were almost entirely responsible for the scoring in the first half and it wasn’t until Keogh and Rampton settled in and started challenging some shots that the JTBs looked in any way competitive... and Serbian burst out of the gates in the second half ruined any of that progress. It ended in a 121-91 defeat.

There are classification games too so it’s not over until everyone’s played through and got their ranking out of sixteen (it’s a youth tournament so more games against more nations is the whole point). Tomorrow night at 9pm NZT we face Japan to see if we can get into those 9-12 placed classifiers or drop into the 13-16 classifiers. The loss to Serbia saw the JTBs out-rebounded 62 to 39, giving up 74 points in the paint. Couldn’t hang against the long limbs of their opponents… except for Jayden Cecil whose 37 points were hugely impressive and keep up his extensive mahi at this event.

Jayden Cecil so far at the 2026 U17 World Cup:

With all 16 teams having played four games to this point, Jayden Cecil is the second top scorer in the entire tournament with 28.8 ppg. Only Dwight Gaines of Puerto Rico with 29.3 ppg is ahead of him and Gaines is playing about an extra minute per game.

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Scotty’s Word

Despite losing lots over the last month, there are positive signs for NZ Warriors and White Ferns. NZW have lost three of their last four and injuries continue to ravage them with Dallin Watene-Zelezniak the latest addition to the casualty ward.

I talked my way through the Adam Pompey performance among a few other wrinkles here. Pompey’s game was so diabolical that it felt as though NZW lost because of him. Unfortunately this crept over both edges as Watene-Zelezniak’s injury meant that Pompey moved from left centre to right wing and that’s where the damage was done in the final minutes.

This captures the optimism though because Eddie Ieremia-Toeava moved from middle forward to right centre and had the final pass for a Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad try. Ieremia-Toeava sums up how impressive the young forwards have been in this month of losing footy. They have been crucial in maintaining high standards while the team battles these injuries.

NZW have only lost these games by a few points and two were in Australia against their peers at the top of the ladder. Tanner Stowers-Smith made a crazy try-saver early in the game. Jacob Laban had his best game this season and is churning through 80 minutes at edge forward. Demitric Vaimauga also stepped up for his best game in a while and Ieremia-Toeava ... well he’s a 21-year-old who has played middle, edge and centre this season.

Others keep making the most of their opportunities too. Te Maire Martin and Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad lead the way in recent weeks, while Samuel Healey did well to try shake off the challenge of Makaia Tafua with what should have been the game winning try.

The playing style is another factor. NZW have delivered their usual platter of breaking opposition defences in each channel, tremendous scramble defence and their set for set grind in the second half led directly to Healey’s try. They are missing almost half of their top-17 but NZW are still trucking along and I have more admiration for what’s cooking at Mt Smart after these losses.

Less admiration for White Ferns but plenty of optimism. They have had two underwhelming World Cup campaigns over the last year and have missed the semi-finals in seven of the last eight World Cups.

White Ferns in the last two World Cups (3-7)

• ODI: 1-4

• T20I: 2-3

Coach Ben Sawyer isn’t a reason for optimism either. He has won enough to have job security but Sawyer is Lord of the Bad Vibes and his goofy selection calls are matched by declines in kiwi cricket fundamentals like fielding.

I love the talent coming through the White Ferns pipeline though. White Ferns refreshed their ODI group after the World Cup last year and had a series win vs South Africa earlier this year, followed by a 1-1 series draw with England before this T20I phase. South Africa and England are both in the T20WC semi-finals.

Now the T20I group will have the same refresh and I believe they will get better. Bree Illing and Izzy Sharp have demanded 1st 11 slots. Nensi Patel made her debut this year and is now 1st 11 in both formats. Flora Devonshire was selected in both World Cup squads but didn’t play and she will be a key member of the team moving forward.

Molly Penfold and Kayley Knight will be factors as well, plus there’s the Fran Jonas and Eden Carson duo who will play roles moving forward after dropping out of the top-tier this year. NZC have more NZ-A tours than ever before, the standards of domestic cricket keep rising and cricket has some of the best career pathways for young women in Aotearoa so this will ensure that the most talented athletes pursue cricketing journeys.

I wrote about the Blackcaps’ best emerging Test batters here.

For paid subscribers

• Lots of Blackcaps Test batting stats

• NZ Warriors deep cuts

• Blurbs for funky Kiwi-NRL juniors from Christchurch

Seven funky Kiwi-NRL juniors from the Canterbury region in Australia…

• Sosaia Alatini: Bulldogs | Hornby

• K-Ci Newton-Whare: Storm | Riccarton

• Jackson Stewart: Roosters | Hornby

• Te Kaio Cranwell: Knights | Linwood

• Bronson Reuben: Bulldogs | Kaiapoi

• Victory Isaako: Storm | Eastern

• Chelden Hayward: Bulldogs | Linwood

Add them on top of the best NZ Warriors juniors from Christchurch…

• Tanner Stowers-Smith: Halswell

• Makaia Tafua: Linwood

• Jason Salalilo: Papanui

• Bishop Neal: Hornby

• Amasio Tiatia: Linwood

• Sione Telefoni: Papanui

Musical jam...

Nick’s Notebook

The All Whites have finished up at the FIFA World Cup, outclassed (and then some) by a rampant Belgium team in their final game. Drew 2-2 with Iran, lost 3-1 to Egypt, lost 5-1 to Belgium. It got worse as the games went on but the opponents also got better as the games went on. There were levels and levels between us and Belgium, so it goes, the first two games were when the quest slipped away. Particularly against Iran after holding two leads and having to settle for a point. At the same time, there’s far too much negativity around that outcome. It’s hardly a “failure” for the lowest-ranked team at the tournament to not qualify out of their group. Frustrating, sure, since we showed glimpses of being capable of more. But a little context about the world of football doesn’t go astray here.

Personally, I think we’re in a really exciting space because unlike the previous two appearances, which came generations apart, this time we’re poised to build from this. There were 15 players who got at least 50 minutes for the All Whites at this tournament and ten of them are aged 27 or younger:

Marko Stamenić (24), Finn Surman (22), Joe Bell (27), Libby Cacace (25), Sarpreet Singh (27), Eli Just (26), Callum McCowatt (27), Tyler Bindon (21), Ben Old (23), and Jesse Randall (23)

Chuck in the injured Matt Garbett (24) and that’s a sturdy core of footballers who will all be better players in four years. Several of them will be aiming for upward transfers within the next two months. A few others have already had them.

And that’s without looking at the goalkeeper situation, where Alex Paulsen (23) has had a few wobbles lately but should be in that same pocket as those other guys. Big season incoming for him as he tries to prove his potential to Bournemouth. He’s got two years left on his current deal and they’re going to loan him out again where he’ll need to bring the goods if he’s going to stick around in that fourth and final year. Even then, it’s not impossible Paulsen doesn’t even make the next squad. The likes of Henry Gray (Ipswich), Kees Sims (GAIS), and Joe Wallis (West Brom) are coming up fast.

Lachlan Bayliss and Jesse Randall (both 23yo) were nowhere near this squad a year ago and look how fast they progressed. There’ll be more where they came from. Just to illustrate the point, here are a few names to look out for...

• Stipe Ukich – A striker/winger working his way up the grades at NK Istra in Croatia, previously seen scoring goals with Auckland City as a 17yo before he moved overseas. Strong and quick, skilled on the ball... if he keeps on the way he’s going he could bring a whole different athletic element to our front line.

• Luka Vicelich – AFC coaches have been frothing over what this guy is capable of. Son of Ivan. Already played several A-League games (including one start) before his 18^th birthday in May. Very composed central defender who reads the game well and has excellent technique.

• Luke Brooke-Smith – Wasn’t that far away from the squad this time around as a 17yo... genuinely exciting winger who can dribble and doesn’t get knocked off the ball easily. Didn’t get the minutes he wanted last season but that should be motivation for him to command a starting spot for the Wellington Phoenix next time around.

• Troy Putt – Speedster from Birkenhead United in his second year within the Minnesota United system. Made an MLS debut off the bench at the start of 2026 after training the house down during preseason (he won the club’s beep test as a teenager, outlasting the Major League Soccer dudes... even including Michael Boxall). He’s getting more of a go in his preferred attacking spots with the reserves this year but is versatile enough to cover fullback, wing-back, winger... or even striker or attacking midfield. We need more athletes and here’s one.

• Noah Dupont – Very tall central defender who was born in England but played for NZ at the U20 World Cup and is getting close to making a first team debut for West Bromwich Albion in the English second tier. For that matter, there’s also Alex Leinard at Sunderland. A little younger and just as promising with how he’s working his way up their academy system.

That’s just off the top of the dome... it’s impossible to predict these things when it comes to prospects, there are so many variables at play: injuries, opportunities, managerial changes, attitude, luck, etc. But the point is we’re doing pretty well here – it’s not like we have a golden generation and then nothing. Kiwi football is now set up in a way that good players are coming through all the time.

The key is getting these guys into the best possible club situations for their development, where they can learn to live with the pace and intensity of world class footballers. If we want to win World Cup games then our best players need to be as far up the food chain as possible. Not too far that they don’t play... although if they get there and don’t play then maybe they’re not our best players. Wins or no wins, we showed at this tournament that we’ve got ballers. They didn’t have the experience to go ninety minutes of World Cup intensity but we can get there. Keep an eye on the transfer buzz over the next few weeks.

New Zealand vs Belgium, Starting Eleven Clubs

• GK - Millwall vs Real Madrid

• RB – Club Olimpia vs Fulham

• CB – Portland Timbers vs Eintracht Frankfurt

• CB – Nottingham Forest* vs Club Brugge

• LB – Wrexham vs Brighton & Hove

• CM – Viking FK vs Aston Villa

• CM – Swansea City vs Club Brugge

• RW – TSC Backa Topola vs Arsenal

• CAM – PEC Zwolle vs Napoli

• LW - Motherwell vs Manchester City

• FWD – Nottingham Forest vs Atalanta

*Nottingham Forest but really Sheffield United which is where Tyler Bindon played on loan last season. The alternative was Michael Boxall’s Minnesota United. Club Olimpia (you can guess who that is) is also more like Wellington Phoenix, who also have a claim on TSC for Sarpreet though basically he didn’t play anywhere for the previous six months due to new manager selections and then injuries.

Every single one of those Belgian players has played in the UEFA Champions League. 11 players combining for 446 UCL apps with 51 goals and three championships (between KDB and Courtois). In contrast, Marko Stamenić gives us one UCL rep with seven appearances and one goal. Those are the kinds of massive games that our guys just haven’t been a part of often enough to be able to deliver complete performances at a World Cup. That includes international games where we simply have to find a way to get competitive matches outside of our confederation. The World Cup was the taster to get the appetite going, we need to be ambitious if we want to make it work next time.

Fastest Top Speeds at the World Cup by Players Aged 37+

1. Michael Boxall (NZL) – 32.8 km/h

2. Ivan Perisic (CRO) – 32.2 km/h

3. Shoja Khalilzadeh (IRN) – 31.9 km/h

4. Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) – 31.6 km/h

5. Alberto Quintero (PAN) – 31.0 km/h

6. Luka Modric (CRO) – 30.7 km/h

7. Nicolas Otamendi (ARG) – 30.5 km/h

8. Tim Ream (USA) – 30.5 km/h

9. Edin Dzeko (BIH) – 30.1 km/h

10. Marko Arnautovic (AUT) – 30.0 km/h

11. Lionel Messi (ARG) – 29.7 km/h

12. Yuto Nagatomo (JAP) – 28.6 km/h

At the conclusion of the group stage, the World’s Fastest Unc title remains with Michael Boxall, who actually upped his top speed against Belgium coming off the bench and having to keep rushing backwards to deal with the rampant Belgian subs trying (and succeeding) to run up the scoreline. Only Jesse Randall, Tim Payne, and Finn Surman reached quicker top speeds for NZ during this World Cup... which is both super impressive (for Boxy) and also kinda concerning (for everyone else).

For the Paid Subscribers…

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The Men’s U17 Basketball World Cup is going on as we speak, with New Zealand over in Türkiye attempting to match the fourth-placed finish the previous generation achieved two years ago. Unfortunately, that’s not going so well with two defeats from two thus far. Game one was against the hosts, Türkiye, and it was a hugely pesky one as the kiwis led by as many as 25 points (56-31 midway through the 3Q) only to let it slide out of their grasp from there. They actually tied it up with more than four minutes left so lots of crunch time action there... Türkiye missed a three in the final seconds but got the offensive rebound and the NZ defender fouled him under the rim for the and-one that took it to extra time. Türkiye won 112-100 in 2OT as the kiwis eventually ran out of gas.

If you watch the highlights of that game, it’s a whole lot of Jayden Cecil. He’s the bloke mentioned a couple of newsletters ago when he was part of the NBL Next Stars team that won the Adidas Eurocamp invitational event recently. Jackson Ball was there too. Cecil’s currently at Utah Prep where Sparky Dickel is his coach and his dad Tai Cecil is the president and his brother Isaac Cecil also attended. As did AJ Dybantsa who last week was the first overall selection in the NBA Draft following one year at the BYU Cougars. Yeah, two years ago that guy was teammates with Jayden Cecil... who scored 42 points against Türkiye. He shot 17/40 (6/19 from threes) to get those points so it wasn’t super efficient but those are still mad numbers. Liam Keogh also scored 20 points while Tawhiri Cate had 14p/11r/9a.

Following that, the NZ U17s were beaten 85-77 by Puerto Rico. Led 19-8 after the first quarter but again had big troubles with turnovers and fourth-quarter defence – outscored 31-14 in the fourth to lose by eight points overall. 22 points for Jayden Cecil (6/12 FG, 3/7 3PT), while Jackson Couper added 14 points in 15 mins (3/3 from deep), Cate again flirted with a triple-double with his 9p/11r/8a... admittedly he’s also been the main culprit with turnovers. Marco Sula scored 15 points with 5 assists as well.

New Zealand face Slovenia next (Weds at 5.15am NZT), who have also lost both games. The good news is that the group stage is only for classification and nobody gets knocked out. Everybody advances… it’s just that if you finish fourth in your group you’ll be playing a top seed from one of the other ones in the next round. In our case that’d probably mean Australia... so a win against Slovenia would be the difference between having that game in the R16 and facing Serbia or Ivory Coast instead.

Junior Tall Blacks at the 2026 Men’s U17 World Cup

The screenshot there doesn’t have first names so for the record:

Jayden Cecil, Lawson Pryor, Liam Keogh, Noah Duncan, Jackson Couper, Tawhiri Cate, Zach Rampton, Daley Pohio, William Patten, Marco Sula, Malakai Tuimalealiifano, Matayas Thomson

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Scotty’s Word

NZ Warriors play Dolphins on Saturday in a weekend of even match ups across the top three grades...

NRL

• Warriors: 2nd | 10-4 | +170

• Dolphins: 3rd | 9-5 | +129

NSW Cup

• Raiders: 8th | 7-7 | 71

• Warriors: 9th | 7-7 | -32

Jersey Flegg Cup

• Warriors: 8th | 7-6 | +120

• Raiders: 9th | 6-8 | -9

NZW are 4-3 against Dolphins. Both teams have away wins in there and Suncorp Stadium is an Up The Wahs hot-spot in Australia. This serves as a finals footy reminder that NZW have lost many games at Mt Smart and have lots of wins in Australia during the two Andys era. No home ground in Australia is scary for NZW and after seeing lots of NZW fans for a few Broncos games at Suncorp in this period, it should be even more vibrant vs Dolphins.

Dummy half runs per game

• Warriors: 8.8

• Dolphins: 6.6

• Wayde Egan: 4.3 | 47m

• Jeremy Marshall-King: 4 | 51m

NZ Kiwis hooker Marshall-King has won all six games he’s played this year for Dolphins. Along with Phoenix Crossland and Brandon Smith, these three give Aotearoa ample dummy half options for the World Cup. Dolphins also have Jamayne Isaako and Kodi Nikorima in fabulous form.

Isaako is the numero tahi Kiwis winger right now, closely followed by Ronaldo Mulitalo, Will Warbrick and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak. Watene-Zelezniak was about to switch to Tonga before getting injured a couple years ago so watch out for that and while he’s worked his way back to the top-tier for Kiwis with good NRL form, Aotearoa can still have three good wingers without him.

Nikorima is part of the best halves depth I’ve ever experienced for Kiwis. Jahrome Hughes and Dylan Brown is the best combo with Brown shining in his move to halfback for Knights. Nikorima and Te Maire Martin are in career-best zones as well. Nikorima is the only pure five-eighth in this group as Martin’s settled as a halfback with NZW but they all have experience doing all the halves stuff.

Egan had 10 runs - 126m @ 12.6m/run and 8 dummy half runs @ 12.5m/DHR vs Cowboys. Not only did Egan tear Cowboys apart around the ruck in the midfield, he also set up a couple of tries with his passing from dummy half. That was his first game with 100+ metres and his second game this season with two try assists. His eight try assists this season is a career high.

NZW won’t have Jackson Ford for a while and probably the rest of the season. Ford joins Tanah Boyd and Roger Tuivasa-Sheck with long-term injuries, while James Fisher-Harris and Leka Halasima have niggly injuries. That’s five of the best players out injured for this game. NZW have been in this space for a few weeks which isn’t ideal but they have held steady with their level of performance.

Mitchell Barnett has returned to offer a Fisher-Harris type of presence and Kurt Capewell’s back from Aussie duty this week. Losing Ford sucks but NZW have gone alright without Boyd or Tuivasa-Sheck and I reckon the young forwards will step up to absorb the loss of Ford.

The most important dudes are Tanner Stowers-Smith and Eddie Ieremia-Toeava. Demitric Vaimauga has a different role in the middle as more of a passer like Erin Clark and the Cowboys game laid this out nicely as Vaimauga had five passes and no other young forward had more than one.

Clark had eight passes which is normal. Barnett had six and this shows the levels of middle forward play as Barnett and Fisher-Harris do all the gritty mahi, as well as consistent involvement in distribution. Clark’s grown into a top-tier Kiwis middle forward by developing that ability and the young forwards lean more towards workers or passers.

Vaimauga loves to run it straight and bounces around to create chaos, as well as doing all the tackling required. Sometimes it looks like he’s not playing well because he shuffles the footy on and doesn’t churn out big stats, but that reflects the role he plays as a middle forward. He’s usually on the field when Clark is off to map this out further.

How did NZW deal with Ford’s absence for 60 minutes vs Cowboys?

• Tanner Stowers-Smith: 46 minutes, 18 runs - 180m @ 10m/run, 19 receipts, 32 tackles @ 89%

• Eddie Ieremia-Toeava: 45mins, 8 runs - 62m @ 7.7m/run, 9 receipts 25 tackles @ 89%

• Demitric Vaimauga: 42mins, 9 runs - 64m @ 7.1m/run, 15 receipts 1 offload, 20 tackles @ 83%

Ieremia-Toeava played a bit of edge forward so he had fewer involvements than Stowers-Smith. Similar game time but Stowers-Smith had 19 receipts and Ieremia-Toeava had nine, along with less tackles. It’s easy not to notice Ieremia-Toeava and that’s a good sign because he’s busy doing the hard mahi like decoy runs, finishing tackles, closing gaps etc.

Stowers-Smith has been awesome this season and he’s usually hitting the 40 minute mark. Ieremia-Toeava has played one less minute than Stowers-Smith in the last two games and this shows how coach Andrew Webster trusts Ieremia-Toeava to do the team-first work.

Keep in mind that Ieremia-Toeava was an awesome 1st 15 player for De La Salle College and after eight games of U19s for NZW, he skipped U21s to move straight into NSW Cup. The 21-year-old has played 52 games of NSW Cup and has already snuck in nine NRL games. Him and Stowers-Smith don’t have the highlights of Leka Halasima, yet the are local juniors who are the exact kinda forwards that winning NRL teams need.

Part of this equation is Jacob Laban who has played 80 minutes in three of his last four games. Marata Niukore has not played 80mins in his seven games this season and has played less than 65mins in every game. Laban has played 65+ minutes in four consecutive games and after starting this season ranked ahead of Niukore as edge forwards, Laban has made that gap bigger throughout the season.

With Capewell back, NZW have two edge forwards who can play 80mins. Laban’s just had a busy phase so he may have a break during the Dolphins game with Niukore or Barnett capable of sliding to the edge. Ford did spend a few minutes at edge forward this season before his injury with the same middle/edge versatility as Barnett and Ieremia-Toeava, but NZW have hungry youngers in both roles who can do the job.

For paid subscribers

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It seems like Blair Tickner will come into the Blackcaps Test team for Kyle Jamieson and Mitchell Santner’s in the mix. Tickner is on the list of 10 Blackcaps Test bowlers with 20+ wickets averaging below 27 that I noted in the last dispatch. He has the fewest wickets and the highest average of that legendary list but Tickner deserves his opportunity and was also awesome in ODIs last summer.

Blackcaps with 20-30 wickets and averages below 27

• Jacob Duffy: 25w @ 16.28avg

• Nathan Smith: 28w @ 25.14avg

• Blair Tickner: 22w @ 26.5avg

Santner in Test bowling while also averaging 26 with the bat

• Before 2023: 45.6avg/2.7rpo

• 2023 onwards: 19.7avg/2.9rpo

White Ferns need a win vs England at the T20 World Cup and they are 2-11 vs England in T20Is since the start of 2024. Tricky spot for a must-win game.

Izzy Sharp’s last two scores...

• vs Ireland: 36 runs @ 128sr

• vs Scotland: 62 runs @ 144sr

Sharp was the leading run-scorer for White Ferns in both wins. She batted seven vs Ireland and three vs Scotland with similar results. Sharp also had a knock of 26* @ 130sr in the T20I series vs England a few weeks ago and she has started her career among Aotearoa’s best T20I batters...

Highest White Ferns T20I batting averages with 100+ runs

• Melie Kerr: 2007 runs @ 30.87avg

• Izzy Sharp: 234 runs @ 29.25avg

• Suzie Bates: 4739 runs @ 28.89avg

• Sophie Devine: 3787 runs @ 28.68avg

Highest White Ferns T20I batting strike-rates with 100+ runs

• Jess Watkin: 118 runs @ 157.33sr

• Izzy Sharp: 234 runs @ 128.57sr

• Sophie Devine: 3787 runs @ 122.79sr

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Nick’s Notebook

The Auckland FC refresh has begun with a signing that we already knew was coming but Lachlan Bayliss is a fantastic addition to that AFC midfield all the same. A perfect fit who’ll bring a bit more mobility and, when the stars align, much more of a goal threat from deep than the group of Cam Howieson (1 goal in 45 games), Felipe Gallegos (2 goals in 49 games), Louis Verstraete (4 goals in 53 games), and Jake Brimmer (3 goals in 43 games) without losing much on the technical side of things. Granted, that perfect fit idea applies to Steve Corica’s version of this team and they might choose to change a few things next term... but Corica’s Version is all we’ve got to go by at this stage. Despite Bayliss having some mad versatility, he’d be best utilised in the midfield duo for Auckland.

The odd thing about Bayliss’ breakthrough season is that he did almost all of his attacking work in the space of a five-game window. It was part of an eight-game winning streak that began with a 3-1 win over Auckland FC at Mt Smart. Wins over Melbourne City (1-0) and Western Sydney (2-1) followed and then Bayliss all of a sudden did this...

• W 4-1 vs Wellington – Goal & Assist

• W 4-1 vs Brisbane – Two Goals

• W 3-2 vs Adelaide – Assist

• W 3-1 vs Perth – Goal

• W 1-0 vs Macarthur - Goal

In that five game window he scored five goals with two assists. He played 27 games overall in that campaign and in the other 22 games he had zero goals and one assist. This is something he’s capable of... but it’s not something he’s ever done consistently and in fact is probably a bit of an overrated aspect within his reputation. But we’ll see if AFC are able to coax a little more consistency out of him with the goal contributions.

The other thing with Bayliss is that he can be a bit dodgy defensively. The Jets were quite an open, attacking team which can leave the midfield exposed at times, plus his numbers are skewed somewhat by alternating between different midfield roles. Nevertheless, he’s certainly not a guy to replace Louis Verstraete... although if they can re-sign LV (or get someone of a similar profile) to put alongside Bayliss then that’s a wicked midfield pairing right there. Because what Bayliss does superbly is he gets his team on the front foot with clever and incisive passing and the ability to claim territory with his dribbling.

Love this signing from AFC. Did wonder if maybe Bayliss might be tempted to move overseas (well, further overseas) but then again he’s really only had one year as a standout A-League player (and only two as a regular starter) so it makes a lot of sense to want to consolidate that.

Despite being born and raised in Darwin, Bayliss does play for the All Whites (and went to the last Olympics with NZ) thanks to the eligibility he inherited from his kiwi father. His dad actually passed away a few years ago, hence his commitment to Aotearoa is a very personal and heartfelt thing. You understand that every time you hear him speak about it. Now he’s taking that commitment further by living and playing in New Zealand at club level too.

Plenty more transfer funkiness going on where that came from. Yesterday there emerged a rumour that Sarpreet Singh has interest in a move to Iraklis in Greece, a club that’s just been promoted to the top flight as second tier champions. Singh was only on loan at the Wellington Phoenix last season and has another year on his contract with TSC Backa Topola in Serbia. Except they got relegated so it’s unlikely he goes back – he joined them because his former Nix boss Darije Kalezic wanted him, then dropped out of the rotation once Kalezic got fired.

That was a pity because he had some good performances in Serbia and it’s not like the Phoenix return did much for him. He got injured straight away and now looks a bit undercooked with his touch at the World Cup. Not with his fitness which has been immense - so much pressing and closing down. But he’s also turning the ball over far too often, not playing in his groove the way that Elijah Just and Callum McCowatt have been. The All Whites need to be at a certain level to get results at a World Cup and the only way they’re getting there is by coaxing the most out of Sarpreet Singh – there’s nobody on the bench with that kinda ceiling (although I am on board with Ryan Thomas starting and Singh being subbed on after an hour or so, to consolidate the midfield vs Belgium and also keep things fresh). Anyway, however the World Cup ends for NZ, Sarpreet Singh is looking for a new gig and it appears he’s already got options.

There was also a rumour linking Elijah Just to Southampton. Bit awkward for his goggle-eyes celebration given how the Saints just got snapped sending a spy with his binoculars to scout Championship opponents. The Singh rumour is weird enough that it’s gotta have some truth to it – nobody would make that up. The Just rumour... not so much.

With Just having been linked to Celtic/Rangers for months already, this one stinks of trying to push up the asking price with a bidding war. Motherwell have qualified for Europe next season. Celtic and Rangers could end up with Champions League. And we’re supposed to want him to join a second tier club whilst in the form of his life because... because it’s in England? There would be Premier League promotion possibilities about it and the Saints probably pay the best of those options. But we’ll see how it goes. Apparently the rumour stems from FootyInsider24/7’s Peter O’Rourke who has a history of saying random stuff. Some of them have been accurate, fair enough, but here are some reasons to be sceptical...

Elijah Just is very likely to be on the move and Southampton is a decent option. Still would rather him at Celtic playing Champions League and winning trophies though.

And then there’s the Wellington Phoenix who have announced five departures from their women’s squad:

• Lucia Leon – Not a surprise given one of the attacking imports has to be squeezed out by having Samba and Makala Woods both returning. Leon was excellent with her pressing, not so good on the ball. Only twice played more than 70 mins. She was alright but they’ll be plotting an upgrade. Also, she almost never played in the wing-back position she was presumably signed for.

• Emma Pijnenburg – Joined as an injury replacement after wriggling an early release from her Feyenoord contract (where she was getting regular but short substitute appearances) and really came into her own as the season progressed, forming a fine partnership with Grace Jale and becoming a Football Ferns regular. Started all three finals games. But the Nix didn’t have a say in this because EP is going back to the Netherlands where she’s agreed a deal with Hera United. Her new club just got relegated from the Eredivisie so EP’s there to help get them promoted back up again.

• Tessel Middag – Another midfielder released, Middag busted her ACL in the first half of the first game but stuck around with the club as an off-field veteran and doing some analyst work as well as chipping in with coaching in the youth spaces. Bit risky sticking with her off the back of that injury in the second year of a championship window under Bev Priestman and you want to at least keep room for one new import.

• Ella McMillan – Never got a look-in under Priestman last season. McMillan already left a couple weeks ago to join Waterside Karori in the Central League but will continue on at the Nix as a physical performance scientist for the academy, as she’d already been doing.

• Ela Jerez – Another one that Priestman didn’t seem to rate, another one who has already joined another club. Jerez signed with Wellington United where she scored four times on debut in a 13-1 win vs Palmerston North Marist and then scored again in her second match. Not sure why Priestman didn’t see it from Jerez but this won’t be the last you hear from her.

I’ll get into what this means for the WahiNix squad and which players are still unsorted for next season in the stuff beyond the paywall... along with a bit about Danny Hay’s Champions League career and some Football Ferns forecasting

Fastest Top Speeds at the World Cup by Players Aged 37+

1. Michael Boxall (NZL) – 32.5 km/h

2. Ivan Perisic (CRO) – 32.2 km/h

3. Cristiano Ronaldo (POR) – 31.6 km/h

4. Shoja Khalilzadeh (IRN) – 31.3 km/h

5. Luka Modric (CRO) – 30.7 km/h

6. Tim Ream (USA) – 30.5 km/h

7. Edin Dzeko (BIH) – 29.9 km/h

8. Lionel Messi (ARG) – 29.7 km/h

9. Nicolas Otamendi (ARG) – 28.8 km/h

10. Marko Arnautovic (AUT) – 28.8 km/h

Since initially sharing that stat yesterday, Edin Dzeko has climbed a couple spots while Ivan Perisic has also bridged the gap between Boxy and all the other uncs but number one hasn’t changed. Boxall would still rank third even if you lowered the bar to include all 36 year olds too – with only Enner Valencia (33.1 km/h for ECU) and Ryan Mendes (33.8 km/h for CPV) nudging him among the 26 such fellas to have gotten minutes this World Cup (18 such fellas if you discount the goalies).

Michael Boxall’s Minnesota United coach (Aotearoa’s Cam Knowles) was marvelling a few weeks back about how the ageless Boxy had just broken his personal best historic max speed – this a guy who has been at that club for basically a decade so there’s plenty of data in the tank that he’s competing with. Now we’ve got even more evidence.

Kiwi Stat Leaders from the NZ NBL…

Total Minutes Played

1. Keanu Rasmussen (Hawke’s Bay) – 480 mins (14gm)

2. Sam Timmins (Southland) – 465 mins (14 gm)

3. Kazlo Evans (Manawatu) – 456 mins (14gm)

4. Kruz Perrott-Hunt (Nelson) – 424 mins (13gm)

5. Ethan Rusbatch (Otago) – 421 mins (13gm)

Points Per Game

1. Reuben Te Rangi (Tauranga) – 22.1 ppg

2. Keanu Rasmussen (Hawke’s Bay) – 20.4 ppg

3. Kruz Perrott-Hunt (Nelson) – 20.4 ppg

4. Taylor Britt (Canterbury) – 201. ppg

5. Taine Murray (Tauranga) – 19.0 ppg

Rebounds Per Game

1. Sam Timmins (Southland) – 10.6 rpg

2. Jack Andrew (Canterbury) – 9.5 rpg

3. Rob Loe (Auckland) – 8.6 rpg

4. Tohi Smith-Milner (Nelson) – 8.3 rpg

5. Walter Brown (Canterbury) – 7.8 rpg

Assists Per Game

1. Taylor Britt (Canterbury) – 7.0 apg

2. Carlin Davison (Wellington) – 6.7 apg

3. Keanu Rasmussen (Hawke’s Bay) – 5.9 apg

4. Rob Loe (Auckland) – 4.9 apg

5. Alex McNaught (Nelson) – 4.6 apg

Three Pointers Made

1. Taine Murray (Tauranga) – 36/101 (35.6%)

2. Brayden Inger (Southland) – 34/76 (44.7%)

3. Ethan Rusbatch (Otago) – 34/94 (36.2%)

4. Kruz Perrott-Hunt (Nelson) – 30/83 (36/1%)

5. Sam Dempster (Nelson) – 27/72 (37.5%)

The per game stats are limited to those who’ve played a minimum of ten games, so Jackson Ball misses out with his 19.8 ppg in eight games for Hawke’s Bay... it didn’t seem right to include him when he hasn’t actually played since going off to do that Eurocamp stuff with the NBL Next Stars team. None of the other stat lists were affected by that limit. Also a reminder that these are only the kiwi players, there are imports ranked higher in all those spots but that’s not what we’re looking at.

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