Cluttered Pathways
Blackcaps at the World Cup, Tall Ferns extended squad, Plunket Shield, Aotearoa Maori rugby league teams, National League Teams of the Week & more
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Some Of Best Kiwi-NRL Junior Big Boppers To Watch Out For In 2024 (Rugby League)
Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Learning From The Addin Fonua-Blake Situation (Rugby League)
Aotearoa Kiwis Defeat Australia: The Black and White Toa From Aotearoa (Rugby League)
How Aotearoa Kiwi Ferns Defeated Australia And Continue The Resurgence Of Wahine Rugby League (Rugby League)
All Whites vs Greece + Ireland: Squad Yarns & Preview (Football)
2023 Women’s National League – Week 7 (Football)
2023 Men’s National League – Week 7 (Football)
Flying Kiwis – November 9 (Football)
Scotty’s Word
Today we recorded the Subscriber Podcast for the Patreon whanau and those with a paid Substack subscription. Included in that dispatch are Plunket Shield stats and various notes as well as National League bits and bobs. We'll keep dishing out these bonus nuggets as part of the Subscriber Pod, so if you are enjoying The Niche Cache's coverage of Aotearoa sport then please consider supporting us through Patreon or a paid Substack sub.
Blackcaps have all but sealed a World Cup semi-final spot after their win over Sri Lanka and are likely to face India next week. India are a powerhouse in their home conditions but none of that will matter if they lose against the kiwis and Aotearoa loves being underdogs. A big preview will be coming for theniche-cache.com in the next few days along with a Blackcaps Test squad breakdown.
Henry Nicholls and Ajaz Patel are the only lads in the Test squad to tour Bangladesh who aren't in the World Cup group. Nicholls has scores of 124, 61, 120 and 30* as the leading run-scorer in Plunket Shield and only bloke with 300+ runs (111avg). Patel has 10w @ 28.4avg/3.1rpo, taking wickets in five of his six innings with three wickets to help CD defeat Otago.
Here are some key Blackcaps things to ponder in the mean time...
Blackcaps World Cup stats
Rachin Ravindra: 565 runs @ 70vg/108sr | 5w @ 66avg/5.6rpo
Daryl Mitchell: 418 runs @ 59avg/110sr
Devon Conway: 359 runs @ 44avg/102sr
Glenn Phillips: 244 runs @ 40avg/109sr | 6w @ 33avg/5.7rpo
Will Young: 206 runs @ 34avg/83sr
Kane Williamson: 187 runs @ 94avg/93sr
Tom Latham: 155 runs @ 31avg/92sr
Mitchell Santner: 94 runs @ 31avg/132sr 16w @ 24avg/4.8rpo
Mark Chapman: 82 runs @ 20avg/124sr
Jimmy Neesham: 58 runs @ 29avg123sr | 2w @ 78avg/10.8rpo
Trent Boult: 19 runs @ 19avg/82sr | 13w @ 32avg/5.1rpo
Lockie Ferguson: 10w @ 23avg/5.1rpo
Tim Southee: 4w @ 39avg/6.7rpo
Ish Sodhi: 4ov @ 11rpo
Mitchell Santner bowling breakdown...
2023 ODIs: 35.95avg/4.9rpo
ODIs in India: 34.4avg/4.7rpo
ODIs vs India: 59avg/4.7rpo
World Cups: 32.7avg/4.8rpo
Rachin Ravindra in domestic cricket last summer (batting | bowling)
Plunket Shield: 37.28avg/50.9sr, 2 x 100 | 44.5avg/3.5rpo
Ford Trophy: 35.6avg/96sr, 2 x 100 | 48.6avg/5.5rpo
Super Smash: 20.2avg/121sr | 24.2avg/7.3rpo
Because I highlighted the stinky Auckland Plunket Shield vibe in a recent newsletter, it's now updated with a loss to Canterbury. Their third loss in a row this season...
vs CD: loss by innings and 77 runs (home)
vs ND: loss by 9 wickets (home)
vs Canterbury: loss by 8 wickets (away)
Three games in and Auckland have no batter scoring 200+ runs. Adithya Ashok and Danru Ferns are the only bowlers with 3+ wickets.
Sophie Devine went large with 106 runs @ 170sr for Scorchers in their win over Amelia Kerr's Heat. Kerr didn't take a wicket and conceded 11.5rpo before she was dismissed by Devine on 4 runs. Kerr hasn't taken a wicket in her last two games while Devine has taken a wicket in six of her eight games.
Scorchers and Heat play games this weekend, while Suzie Bates' Sixers are playing tonight (Friday). Sixers have been struggling for wins (3-5) despite their stacked team and while it wasn't a monster knock, Bates' 27 runs @ 142sr was crucial in helping Sixers defeat Stars. No other Sixers batter scored 25+ runs while this was Bates' first score over 20 in this campaign. Jess Kerr hasn't played the last four games for Sixers. Here's a round up before the weekend's games...
Sophie Devine: 345 runs @ 49avg/150sr | 9w @ 23avg/7.9rpo
Amelia Kerr: 104 runs @ 34avg/130r | 2w @ 52avg/9.5rpo
Suzie Bates: 77 runs @ 11avg/80sr
Jess Kerr: 2w @ 40avg/8.1rpo
Aotearoa Maori Rugby League teams were announced to play against Auckland next weekend. Auckland men have NZ Warriors NSW Cup players Eiden Ackland and Patrick Sipley, as well as NZ Warriors SG Ball lads Makaia Tafua and Sefanaia Cowley-Lupo. The funkiest Kiwi-NRL wrinkles in the Maori team are Cassius Tia and Harry Durbin.
Tia featured in the Kiwi-NRL Juniors Who Helped Australia Teams Make Finals yarn this year after a strong season for Roosters SG Ball and Jersey Flegg. I highlighted some young halves from Aotearoa in a recent newsletter and while still Under 19 SG Ball eligible, Marist junior Tia played halfback for Roosters in the Under 21s final. Cowley-Lupo also fits into this zone having spent time with Warriors-Redcliffe before returning to play U19 SGB and then Fox Memorial along with fellow NZ Warriors play-makers William Piliu and Phranklyn Mano-Le-Mamea.
Durbin has had a fantastic year after featuring in the 2022 Kiwi-NRL Juniors Who Helped Australian Teams Make Finals with Souths Logan. NZ Warriors signed the Pikiao junior for SG Ball this year and Durbin played that campaign before slotting into Pt Chev's Fox Memorial team. Durbin then played NZRL National Premiership with Vulcans and now he is in the Maori squad. While others like Tanner Stowers-Smith, Leka Halasima and Jacob Laban commanded more attention as SG Ball lads moving into NSW Cup, Durbin has quietly made the U19 - grown men footy transition as well.
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
The Tall Ferns this week named a 16-woman extended squad ahead of the Olympic qualifying tournament to be held in February. Eventually this’ll get trimmed to 12 players for the tournament in China where they’ll face the hosts as well as France and an undetermined fourth team. Probably not going to get through that cluttered pathway but it will be more valuable experience on the back of their best ever Asia Cup finish.
Nine players from that Asia Cup squad are in this group. Those are Beck, Dalton, Davidson, Leger-Walker x2, McGoldrick, Reed, Tamilo, and Tupaea. That means no place for Josie Stockill, Grace Hunter, and Paris Mason but they were the three who got the fewest minutes at the Asia Cup so that makes sense.
Kendell Heremaia is back after only just missing the cut for that last squad. Zoe Richards has also been recalled, as has Lauryn Hippolite. All three were curious omissions for that Asia Cup... although it’s not always publicised who’s out injured and whatnot. Kalani Purcell is included after giving birth earlier in the year (Purcell is married to Tall Blacks big man Tyrell Harrison) and her presence will be a huge boost, fitness depending.
Then on top of that there are three potential debutants within this wider squad: Lauren Whittaker, Sharne Robati, and McKenna Dale. All three are selected off the back of strong Tauihi campaigns... though it’s Dale who is the major story here.
McKenna Dale is 24 years old, born in Connecticut but with dual USA/NZ citizenship. Her father is Darren Dale who represented Aotearoa at the 1990 Commonwealth Games and was once the NZ 400m sprint record holder. Dale’s basketball development has mostly come in America but she was part of the 2016 NZ U18s... along with Heremaia and Reed from this squad. She’s six feet tall and is a genuine scorer, as she showed through the Tauihi season with the Whai...
With Tahlia Tupaea currently dealing with a long-term injury, and no guarantee to recover in time for the Olympic qualifiers, Dale’s emergence is enormous for the Ferns. Especially when coupled with Tera Reed’s hugely improved scoring, as she showed at the Asia Cup and which she continued into the WNBL season with Melbourne Boomers.
I wrote a bit about the kiwis in the WNBL on Monday and it seems we may have one more to add to the list because the NZBB announcement claims that McKenna Dale is also with the Bendigo Spirit (alongside Esra McGoldrick and development player Ritorya Tamilo). That’s news to yours truly but the BBNZ folks oughta know. MD didn’t play in round one, neither did Tamilo, but let’s see how that tracks.
Kiwis in the Men’s NBL Ranked by Total Minutes Played
Shea Ili – 278 minutes (10 games)
Tyrell Harrison – 219 (10)
Sam Waardenburg – 211 (7)
Reuben Te Rangi – 191 (10)
Corey Webster – 173 (9)
Finn Delany – 159 (6)
Tom Abercrombie – 158 (7)
Izayah Le’Afa – 148 (7)
Sam Mennenga – 141 (7)
Tai Webster – 128 (7)
Flynn Cameron – 102 (10)
Tohi Smith-Milner – 98 (8)
Rob Loe – 95 (6)
Hyrum Harris – 92 (8)
Anzac Rissetto – 28 (5)
Dontae Russo-Nance – 5 (2)
Walter Brown – 3 (1)
Dan Fotu - <1 (1)
Alex McNaught - <1 (1)
That’s 19 kiwi blokes who’ve taken the court this season. Angling towards that record of 20 from NBL21... and there are a few more fellas waiting in the wings. Sam Timmins hasn’t yet featured for Sydney Kings after coming back from an injury. Jack Andrew is a DP at Perth while the Breakers still have Carlin Davison, Max Darling, and Dom Kelman-Potu on the fringes of their roster. The Breakers don’t like to use the kiwis at the end of their roster though so don’t hold your breath there.
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As promised now here are both the NZ National League Teams of the Week for round seven. Didn’t get one done in time for Monday but the people shall not suffer for want of National League coverage within the Niche Cache realms.
Men’s National League Team of the Week #7
GK – Scott Basalaj (Wellington Olympic) – Hasn’t kept a clean sheet all season due to Olympic’s leaky defence but mate he made some saves against Christchurch United, commanding his area proudly for a crucial win despite his team playing with ten for more than half of it. Veteran level goodness.
CB – Aaryan Raj (Eastern Suburbs) – Increasingly impressed with how good this dude is on the ball. Didn’t have as much defending to do as in other weeks, with Suburbs dominating against Rewa, but that’s fine because his passing is even better than his aerial ability. Really establishing himself as great CB prospect this season.
CB – Tino Contratti (Manurewa) – It was a frustrating 3-0 loss against Suburbs, with two late penalties blowing it out, but Contratti was an huge presence in keeping that game close for so long. Plus the rare times when Rewa threatened on attack usually involved Contratti stepping into midfield to create an overload.
CB – Francis De Vries (Eastern Suburbs) – Going with a Wellington Olympic formation this week in honour of them putting one foot in the grand final with their win over Christchurch United. But the back three are all from a different game. FDV had his best performance of the MNL, with his precision set piece deliveries being one of the two major creative outlets for Subs.
CM – Mario Ilich (Auckland City) – In a routine win against Petone, despite an understrength ACFC midfield, their only first choice CM in the side was the best player on the park. Can’t ask much more than that, aye?
CM – Campbell Strong (Eastern Suburbs) – Feels like there are too many Eastern Suburbs players in here but that’s just how it worked out. Subs dominated the midfield against Rewa. It was the key to all they did and much of that stemmed from NZ U23s midfielder Campbell Strong. He wins the ball. He passes the ball. He does those two things over and over again.
RW - Dylan Manickum (Auckland City) – Would not say that ACFC have often found their usual greatness on attack this year... but Angus Kilkolly has carried them nicely with poacher’s goals plus more recently Dylan Manickum has returned as good as ever. Both those two scored in the 2-0 win vs Petone that kept City perfect through seven weeks.
CAM – Gavin Hoy (Wellington Olympic) – Love a dude who can play between the lines, who creates as well as scores. Hoy has hit the back of the net in four consecutive games (as has teammate Gianni Bouzoukis). Shout out to Thunder Bay, Ontario.
LW – Luis Toomey (Eastern Suburbs) – FDV’s set pieces were one of Suburbs’ major outlets. The other was the ducking and weaving presence of Luis Toomey. Fittingly, the pair of them each took (and scored) one of the two late penalties. Toomey’s too good for this level. Hope he’s got a good agent.
FW – Garbhan Coughlan (Cashmere Technical) – Cashy Tech blew a 2-0 lead against Manurewa two weeks ago after getting a red card. This time they were 2-0 down against Napier City until Rovers got a red and Tech came back to win. Thanks to a Coughlan hat-trick. Ain’t no doubt about it.
FW – Gianni Bouzoukis (Wellington Olympic) – Coughlan is up to seven goals. Bouzoukis is up to seven goals. GB’s early effort against the Rams was his 100th for the club. He’s been superb. He set the tone in their biggest game of the season. That golden boot race is going to be wild.
Women’s National League Team of the Week #7
GK – Leonie Heck (Central) – A rare clean sheet and a rare win for Central... only just edging Ellerslie 1-0 but you know what the difference was? Heck sweeping outside her area in a way that Ellerslie did not. Heck has also played a game off the bench as an outfielder this season so there you go.
RB – Caelin Patterson (Wellington United) – For much of their game, it looked like the Diamonds might get destroyed by the might of Eastern Suburbs... but other than one overwhelming ten minute spell they mostly kept them at bay thanks to some great scrambling defence... especially in the second half after Patterson switched to right back and came as close to containing Charlotte Lancaster as anyone has all season.
CB – Hannah Mackay-Wright (Southern United) – Southern’s most difficult remaining game was against Waterside Karori and they smacked them down for a 3-0 win. There was brilliance across the park and HMW was not to be ignored with an absolutely commanding performance in shutting down the in-form Kaley Ward.
CB – Saki Yoshida (Eastern Suburbs) – She was a midfielder for this club in their 2022 championship run (and one of the best in the entire league) but this year has had to switch to central defence... where she’s been equally effective, efficient, and underrated. The sweeping job she did against a speedy Wgtn Utd forward line was largely what’s kept the Lilywhites’ finals hopes in their own hands.
LB – Talisha Green (Auckland United) – One of those players who occasionally has these games where she just cannot be stopped. The defensive mahi, the energy up the flanks… naturally she scored a banger of a goal as well. All Talisha Green goals are bangers. She doesn’t bother with the simple ones.
CM – Rose Morton (Southern United) – Two of Southern’s goals against Karori came specifically from Rose Morton midfield pressure. In the battle of the sisters, with Rose captaining SU and Sarah captaining WK, it was the younger sibling who triumphed.
CM – Hope Gilchrist (Wellington United) – The goal might’ve tipped the scales however it was the central defensive midfield activities against such a dangerous Eastern Suburbs side that have won HG another Team of the Week selection. She’s been so damn good this season.
CM – Lara Colpi (Western Springs) – Honestly starting to ponder whether Colpi should be in the MVP conversation at this point. Every week her classy playmaking and efficient goalscoring (she’s got like three goal of the season candidates in the bag) make that case stronger and stronger.
FW – Sammi Tawharu (Western Springs) – Colpi wasn’t the most influential player for Springs in the win over the Cantabs though. Nah, that’d be Tawharu who may not have scored but she did greab two assists amidst some supreme hold-up play. Unselfish strikers are such an asset.
FW – Amy Hislop (Southern United) – She scored a goal, she got an assist, she had her footprints all over another impressive SU victory. This is becoming an every week thing. Only Kaley Ward also has at least four goals and at least four assists this term... Ward who was playing for the WK side that Southern beat 3-0.
FW – Charlotte Lancaster (Eastern Suburbs) – Pretty much everything that Suburbs did in went through Charlotte Lancaster as the ex-Phoenix fullback continued her absolute dominance with another goal and assist. A-League scouts be aware.
And some fresh kiwi tunage to finish…