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Scotty’s Word
Back amongst the lockdown stuff here in Auckland, gotta keep on truckin’ with the positive vibes though. I had a bit of a whirlwind to start the week, rolling through various NZ Warriors matters and trying to make sense of what happened/is happening. Having gone through that process, then falling back to find some clarity, the appointment of Phil Gould is where my clarity resides.
In Monday’s email, there was a hint of that clarity as I boiled this situation down to NZ Warriors now having the two best Aotearoa recruiters now tasked with keeping that talent in Aotearoa. Gould’s hand some level (varying degrees depending on the year) of oversight with Penrith Panthers’ recruitment out of Aotearoa, reinforced by Gould making a trip to Whangarei to hold training sessions and establish a connection with Northland rugby league; resulting in current players James Fisher-Harris, Corey Harawira-Naera and Caleb Aekins leaving Aotearoa to join Penrith Panthers.
Peter O’Sullivan is the current NZ Warriors recruitment manager, who previously handled the recruitment of Melbourne Storm and Sydney Roosters. I consider those two clubs to be the best recruiters of Aotearoa talent over the past 15 years and while O’Sullivan wasn’t with the Roosters at the time, his fingerprints would have been all over the Roosters recruiting Christian Tuipulotu from St Pauls College/Ellerslie Eagles; Tuipulotu made his NRL debut last night and was in the Warriors junior system.
Now, O’Sullivan and Gould will be tasked with doing the opposite of pillaging the Warriors backyard of talent.
Ol’ mate Gould was in the media a fair bit leading up to this appointment as there was growing buzz that Gould was in line for a gig with the NRL. This is where my second wave of clarity came in as this video below is from July 28th and Gould himself discusses a possible role with the NRL in which he would offer his advice, ideas, guidance to the health of rugby league and … helping rugby league in Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands.
“We need the Warriors strong, we need New Zealand Rugby League strong”.
So, what changed for Gould to move out of an NRL-based role and join NZ Warriors?
Nothing, it’s pretty much the same role - I shared this from the Warriors press-release thing in a previous email…
NRL boss man Peter V’Landys seemed like a slick, typically Aussie mover and shaker. That’s immediately yucky to me, however whether it’s the short-term battle of rolling out an NRL season during pandemic times or the long-term growth of NRL and rugby league, V’Landys is making moves to better rugby league. Maybe you see headlines about a second Brisbane team in the NRL? While Aussie media churn out those headlines and generally act as PR machines for some of these expansion groups, V’Landys appears to be leaning more into ensuring that the foundations here in Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands are in good shape.
Hence, V’Landys linked up with Gould in some capacity this year to initially get support, guidance ideas and then a role with the NRL. If you want to get a bit tinfoil-hatty, maybe V’Landys connected the Warriors and Gould to head down that direction?
I don’t know what specifically caused the change in … employer (?) between NRL and NZ Warriors for Gould. Regardless, I reckon the fit with NZ Warriors is better for Gould than operating under the NRL umbrella and that far more is possible for rugby league in Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands, with Gould working for NZ Warriors. Through NZ Warriors, Gould will set up an academy for the Warriors, talent pipelines for the Warriors and ensure that the likes of NZRL, Auckland Rugby League (and other provinces) and the Warriors are all in alignment.
Some of that would have been possible in an NRL role, everyone involved probably saw greater opportunity in a Gould/Warriors package and that’s what eventuated. I do not believe that NZ Warriors alone, head-hunted Gould nor that they did so to have any mid-term impact on the NZ Warriors NRL team. All parties saw the bigger picture and these are extremely exciting times for rugby league in Aotearoa and the Pacific Islands.
One more thing: these signings that NZ Warriors are making now, are not Nathan Brown influenced. Brown stated a few times via Triple M etc that O’Sullivan has had things in motion for a while and signing Kane Evans, Euan Aitken etc are part of O’Sullivan’s work.
Tuipulotu sneaked into an NRL debut from an extended bench, so he didn’t quite get the hype-piece that I offered for Brisbane Broncos debutant Jordan Riki; Tuipulotu and Riki are two of the most decorated NZRL juniors that I’ve covered. Take the ideas about Aotearoa rugby league entering an immense growth period, then ponder these 2020 #KiwiNRL debutants:
Christian Tuipulotu - St Pauls College/Ellerslie Eagles/Auckland/Roosters.
Jordan Riki - Hornby Panthers/Christchurch/Brisbane Broncos (fingers crossed).
Daejarn Asi - Aranui Eagles/Christchurch/North Queensland Cowboys.
Connelly Lemuelu - Papatoetoe Rugby Union/Auckland/North Queensland Cowboys.
Emry Pere - Taniwharau/Waikato/North Queensland Cowboys.
Asu Kepaoa - Sacred Heart College/Ellerslie Eagles/Wests Tigers.
Eliesa Katoa - Tamaki College/Auckland/Tonga/NZ Warriors.
Jaxson Paulo - Northcote Tigers/Auckland/Rabbitohs.
Then ponder the recent Aotearoa Kiwis resurgence under Michael Maguire and how immense the top-tier talent is, then the second-tier that is part of my anticipation for Maguire’s Kiwis squads later this year (if we get there). This group is literally too deep for me to serve up names, just hit up the #KiwiNRL Encyclopedia and watch some footy to see that they are low key among the best players; Parrmatta Eels duo Dylan Brown and Marata Niukore are the best examples.
I covered much of this in the Diary of An Aotearoa Warriors Fan thing about Brown and Gould’s appointments, but I’ll add the simple version here. Take all that you’ve read above and ponder some of the talent that is currently in the Warriors system…
NZ Warriors SG Ball (under 18)
Viliami Vailea: 3 games, wing/centre, fullback for Aorere College 1st 15 - ranked the 8th best player in Aotearoa via HSTop200.
Jeremiah Asi: 5 games, centre, fullback for St Peter’s College 1st 15 - ranked 3rd for year 12s in Aotearoa via HSTop200, Blues Under 17s Camp 2019.
Cassius Cowley: 1 game, five-eighth, 1st 5/8 for Mt Albert Grammar 1st 15 - ranked 18th for year 12s in Aotearoa via HSTop200 (NZ Warriors moved him up to Auckland from Rotorua), NZRL Under 16 Residents 2019.
Sione Moala: 6 games, halfback, NZRL Under 19 Junior Kiwis 2019.
Taniela Otukolo: 6 games, hooker, NZRL Under 18 Residents 2019.
Zion Maiu’u: 6 games, edge forward, Blues Under 17 camp via Kelston Boys High School 1st 15, NZRL Under 16 Residents 2019.
Ali Leiataua: 6 games, fullback, Kings College 1st 15, NZRL Under 16 Residents 2019.
Tony Tafa: 6 games, middle forward, Kelston Boys High School 1st 15, Blues Under 17s Camp 2019
Eric Vaafusuaga: 2 games, wing, Kings College 1st 15, Blues Under 17s Camp 2019.
Vaka Sikahele: 4 games, hooker, St Paul’s College, NZ Warriors’ Future Warriors Excellence Award 2019.
Kina Kepu: 6 games, middle forward, NZRL Under 18 Residents 2019.
Valingi Kepu: 6 games, middle forward, NZRL Under 18 Residents 2019.
Future Warriors (under 16)
Francis Manuleleua: midfield for Kings College 1st 15 - ranked 1st for year 11s in Aotearoa via HSTop200, Blues Under 17s Camp 2019, NZRL Aotearoa Under 15 Tournament Team in 2018 and 2019, NZRL Under 16 Residents 2019.
Wildcard’s Notebook
First off, let us admire a bit of Bill Tuiloma as he celebrates winning the MLS Is Back Tournament with the Portland Timbers. Tui was subbed on in injury time of the final, his fourth appearance of the comp (two starts, two as subs), so he was there on the pitch as the final whistle went to confirm the trophy for Portland. Fella was an unused sub back in 2018 when they lost the MLS Cup final to Atlanta United and the previous time Portland won something was the MLS Cup title in 2015 when it was Jake Gleeson sitting on the bench as reserve goalkeeper.
The Covid Cup, as they’re calling it, doesn’t carry nearly as much weight as the MLS one obviously but on the flipside barring any future pandemics they might never have to hand it back... also it gets them into the CONCACAF Champions League in 2021 too. Decent, very decent.
And now attention turns to basketball where the Breakers have snapped up Taine Murray as a development player for the upcoming season. A beautiful little addition to the club, he’s the twelfth New Zealander signed up for NBL21. He’s also quite possibly the top prospect coming outta Aotearoa at his age so getting him amongst it all can only be a good thing. Murray played for the Auckland Huskies during the NBL Showdown, only playing ten games but he averaged 17.5 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 1.5 assists, shooting 45.4% from the field and a sizzling 43.5% from three. He’s 18 years old. Taine Murray can play, no doubt.
There are a couple wrinkles to all this and annoyingly the Breakers have thrown up zero deeper information on it beyond that tweet. No write-ups from around the news traps either. Come on, folks. What we know for sure is that he’s there on a development player deal which takes the Breakers up to their full capacity of three DPs – along with Terry Li and Kyrin Galloway – and that’s a welcome change after they only used one of those spots last season (Terry Li). The Breakers have done a lot of dumb things since the new ownership came in but credit where it’s due because they’ve also shown an adaptability to learn from those dumb things. One thing they’ve never had a problem with is saying the right things. When there was criticism this time a year ago about their lack of commitment to kiwi basketball there was never any lack of soothing quotations... but actions are the only bits that matter and things like signing Tai Webster and Taine Murray, like offering their facilities up to stranded pros like Isaac Fotu and Yanni Wetzell, those help plenty.
This doesn’t change the fact that Taine Murray is definitely going to college in the USA. That’s actually one of the things I’d have liked to know more about, how that is balanced with this Breakers stint – for example he surely won’t be paid so as to keep his amateur status. Murray graduates from Rosmini College at the end of this year so he’ll be a 2021 recruit and with his abilities we’re looking at a top tier school too. In fact he’s close to deciding on that already having received offers all over the place. Murray was quoted in 247sports.com just a couple days ago saying he’s narrowed his decision to three universities: Maryland, Stanford & Virginia.
Interesting three choices there. Maryland are the stylistic fit for him, Murray also saying in that piece that as an international player he feels a need to pick a team which will play in a way that fits with his skill set because it’s quite easy to be misunderstood as a player coming from a different basketball culture. Stanford are the academic choice for obvious reasons, young fella’s a well rounded human who cares about the schooling opportunities as much as the basketball as indeed he should. Then Virginia are the prestigious option with the personal connections. They won the NCAA tournament in 2018 with a certain Jack Salt playing for them while Kirk Penney has been doing some coaching there recently. Worth pointing out that Kevin Braswell (Huskies coach) has some connections with Maryland too. Whichever uni he picks he’s gonna be a part of a competitive basketball programme... and by signing with the Breakers for next season he’s ensuring his basketball development continues to ramp up in the meantime.
But wait there’s more because last night this happened...
There was a little worry that there might not be room for Britt on the roster after the Perth Wildcats signed Kevin White as their backup point guard (behind starter Mitch Norton). But Britt’s still eligible as a development player so no dramas there. The Cats therefore get another season with Britt as a DP while getting veteran guard minutes from White off the bench and it’s best of both worlds for the defending champs. It’s also a pretty impressive sign for 23-year-old Britt’s trajectory that he’s been retained. Dude was excellent for the Canterbury Rams despite not a lot of help and he’s clearly got fans in Perth too.
Taine Murray and Taylor Britt are up and coming ballers, Steven Adams is the bloke at the very top that all other kiwi basketballers aspire to. And there’s been some funny business with the OKC Thunder this week. I wrote about this in the most recent Kiwi Steve roundup but it’s had a cheeky conclusion since then.
The Thunder were in the middle pack of Western Conference playoff seed scrapping with a few minor injuries in the crew and without any real preference as to who they wanted to play. So after coming into the bubble with three really solid performances they started resting fellas. Steven Adams sat out three games in a row after bruising his leg in a fall against the Lakers, the large frame of JaVale McGhee landing on him. In a loss to the Phoenix Suns they rested all their starters except for Chris Paul. It was understandable but also a bit confusing... until you realised that they also had a draft pick to consider. If it finished outside the top twenty draft picks then they’d have to give up their 2020 first rounder to Philadelphia (from the Jerami Grant trade). Not a pick worth tanking their season for but combined with everything else it might have been the straw that broke the camel’s back.
Hence when they played the Miami Heat in their second to last game, with all their rested starters from the previous game available and playing (including Adams... though sixth man Dennis Schröder was still in isolation after leaving the bubble to be with his wife as she gave birth to their second kid), coach Billy Donovan never bothered bringing back his main dudes in the fourth quarter even as the reserves closed what had been an 18-point deficit after three quarters into a close and competitive contest. Steven Adams and Chris Paul and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Danilo Gallinari... all watching from the bench.
Yet if that felt like a bit of a tank then it wasn’t because Mike Muscala knocked down two three-pointers right at the end for a 116-115 victory. They won’t care too much at Thunder HQ but those pesky reserves surging back for the win means that draft pick is officially gone. It also means they’re guaranteed a first round matchup with the Houston Rockets.
The Houston Rockets. The Oklahoma City Thunder. For so many reasons these two teams have been intrinsically linked in recent times and that just shapes up as a brilliant series. I’m not sure on how the Thunder vs Rockets matchup works for Steven Adams though. There are two different ways it could go, either he plays huge minutes to exploit the lack of a traditional big man in the Rockets’ system and absolutely cashes in on the stat sheet or he barely plays at all because Houston run him off the court with their genius guard play (although Russell Westbrook will miss the start of the series with injury). It’s an unfortunate thing that centres who don’t have jump shots tend to become role players in the playoffs these days no matter how skilled they are in other areas. So yeah, could go either way.
And, I dunno, this popped up on YouTube for me and honestly I could watch classic Simpsons all day. Love it. So good. Still holds up. I just try and pretend that the newer seasons don’t exist, that whatever new episodes continue to come out are from another completely separate show... which they might as well be at this point.
The consensus goes that the first three seasons are great but they were still finding their feet at that point (Smithers was black in his first appearance, lol). Then season four is the greatest season of animated television there will ever be. The golden era is four until seven. Eight is a slight drop off but still golden era adjacent same as 1-3. Then as far as I’m concerned seasons nine and ten may be further steps down but they’re still closer to the golden stuff than they are to what follows.
After which you’ve got the long plateau where for several seasons there were still the odd quality episode but far more inconsistent ones too. You wouldn’t go wrong if you stumbled on one of those lot but you also wouldn’t seek them out. Then from about season fifteen onwards it gets unwatchable. The characters have become one-note imitations of themselves and the jokes have lost all satirical edge. But it doesn’t really matter because, like, nobody’s forcing you to watch anything. And if you do happen upon a stupid glossy unwatchable episode then clips like this make the perfect cleanser...
Stay safe, stay positive… and don’t trust anything you read on Facebook.
Reading Menu
#KiwiNRL Encyclopedia: Round Tekau Ma Wha (NRL)
Flying Kiwis – August 11 (Football)
Kiwi Steve in the NBA #11: Basketball Is Back (NBA)
Diary Of An Aotearoa Warriors Fan: Big Changes, Stay Mellow (NRL)
Monday Morning Dummy Half: Rugby League's Future in Aotearoa and Pacific Islands (NRL)
More Breakers Free Agency: Haere Mai Lamar Patterson, Haere Ra Scotty Hopson (ANBL)