Frenetic Passion
Kiwi mahi from NRL Finals Week 1, a new Welly Nix Wahine coach, All Whites squad vs Oz is named, and some bummer Blackcaps stuff
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2022 NRLWahine Round Wha Preview (Rugby League)
Kiwi-NRL Spotlight: Paul Turner's Titans Foundations (Rugby League)
The Football Ferns Beat Mexico Then The Football Ferns Beat The Philippines, Right On (Football)
Will Young Has Been Building Winter Foundations In England (Cricket)
Returning To The Suzie Bates Status-Quo (Cricket)
The Differing Fates of Junior Fa, Hemi Ahio & David Nyika at Kambosos vs Haney (Boxing)
The Wellington Phoenix’s Aussie Cup Run Is Over But The Real Yarns Are Only Just Beginning (Football)
Flying Kiwis – September 6 (Football)
Scotty’s Word
Don't hit up Supercars too often but the last race at Pukekohe was epic. Watching Shane van Gisbergen win in front of a hefty local crowd was irresistible and for all the Aotearoa sporting glory we enjoy, this was special...
Ain't nothing like NRL finals footy and that is amplified by Kiwi-NRL funk across the best teams. Storm and Roosters were knocked out of finals footy this weekend with Storm losing to Raiders, while Roosters fell to Rabbitohs. This brings an end to a funky Storm era with Manurewa's Bromwich brothers off to Redcliffe next season and the Waiheke Ram Brandon Smith moving to Roosters, leaving Wellington's Jahrome Hughes and Nelson Asofa-Solomona to take Storm forward.
This is an intriguing juncture for Storm as they enjoyed success during this phase and now rebuild without the same production line of Kiwi-NRL talent to refresh their stocks. Tohu Harris left Storm after winning the 2017 championship which flowed into Hughes moving to halfback, Smith emerging as a robust runner, and Asofa-Solomona continuing his development; Bromwich bros have been constant factors in the best NRL team of my lifetime.
Storm have Will Warbrick hunting an opportunity after moving from All Blacks Sevens ahead of this season. Warbrick scored a try for Sunshine Coast (Storm feeder) in their Queensland Cup finals win vs Tweed Heads and he's scored 10 tries in 13 games, with 14 linebreaks. Warbrick will be a factor for Storm moving forward and should get a crack on the wing next season. Christchurch's K-Ci Newton-Whare (Riccarton) is also locked in with Storm and will likely train with Storm this summer before starting next season in U21s or reserve grade.
Storm will be busy hunting Kiwi-NRL recruits as they always have done and snaring Tonga’s Eliesa Katoa from Warriors is a glorious Storm signing. Expect Katoa to shine with Storm next season and if you're buzzing about another Warriors player leaving to a better situation, relax. Two or three fringe-NRL players flourish with Storm every season.
This Storm crop will kick back ahead of the World Cup and Roosters losing to Rabbitohs means that Joseph Manu won't need to rush back for NRL finals. Manu can continue with his recovery and prepare for World Cup footy, which delivers a reminder that Roosters were without two certified Kiwi-NRL starters in Manu and Sitili Tupouniua.
Roosters have more Kiwi-NRL talent in their junior pipeline, leaving me curious about Roosters and Storm squads next season. Roosters have notable Kiwi-NRL juniors like Benaiah Ioelu, Cassius Tia and Connagh Takairangi to watch out for plus the elite lads leading the way.
Raiders were the surprising winners this weekend as Joseph Tapine defeated Wellington homies Hughes and Asofa-Solomona. Tapine played the first 50 minutes for Raiders and Raiders are only a finals factor because of Tapine's career-best mahi. Hokianga's Corey Harawira-Naera came off the bench and his energy, plus offloading was crucial for Raiders late in this game.
Matthew Timoko also elevated his play at centre, scoring a try and registering just one missed tackle (13 tackles @ 93%) against Justin Olam. Timoko is now a World Cup squad certainty, perhaps a starter if coach Michael Maguire opts to play Marata Niukore in the forwards (he started at centre vs Tonga and at lock for Eels vs Panthers). Timoko was a monster in Auckland Grammar School's 1st 15 and had an immediate impact with Raiders as he featured in the 2019 Raiders Jersey Flegg grand final team, before flourishing with consistent NRL game time.
The other elite Kiwi-NRL centre is Peta Hiku and he was part of an epic Cowboys win over Sharks, while Greymouth's Griffin Neame only grabbed 7 minutes off the bench. Hiku is an attacking weapon at right centre and had a fun battle with Sharks centre Siosifa Talakai. The South Auckland rhino Jason Taumalolo played 82 (of 93) minutes and while everyone had inflated stats for this game, Taumalolo's 24 runs and 42 tackles are an epic sign of his progress under Todd Payten's coaching.
Sharks get a second chance against Rabbitohs, while Raiders face Eels after Eels lost to Panthers. Eels weren't at their best against Panthers and I'll ponder their improvements ahead of the preview, while Panthers certainly were at their aggressive, bullying best. All Panthers dominance starts up the guts where Auckland's Moses Leota and Hokianga's James Fisher-Harris set the tone with their running ... and passing.
Moses Leota: 35mins, 10 runs - 113m @ 11.3m/run, 28 tackles @ 87%.
James Fisher-Harris: 54mins, 21 runs - 164m @ 7.8m/run, 34 tackles @ 97%.
Panthers obviously enjoy different contributions from their roster, but the rugged mahi through the middle starts with Fisher-Harris and Leota. Fisher-Harris has made 69 tackles with one missed tackle in his last two games, plus Fisher-Harris gave Leota an offload as well as a pump-fake to send Nathan Cleary through the Eels defence. Combine that with Tapine ‘s three linebreak assists for some subtle skill from Aotearoa's best forwards.
In NRLWahine, Raecene McGregor continues to chill as the best wahine play-maker in the world. When writing NRLWahine previews and notes I have to keep double checking McGregor's dominance as her three consecutive NRLW championships (two with Broncos, then Rooster earlier this year) seems too good to be true. It's true and McGregor is first for NRLWahine try assists as her Roosters are 4-0 while chasing back to back championships.
McGregor had another try assist in Roosters win over Knights. This gives McGregor a try assist, 100+ kicking metres and 80+ run metres in all four games so far this season. McGregor's nine try assists this season is a career best, along with her highest average kicking metres and run metres of her five NRLW seasons.
Tied for second in NRLWahine try assists is fellow Kiwi Ferns veteran Georgia Hale. Four players have three try assists and that puts McGregor's dominance into context, while Hale bagged two try assists in Titans win over Gayle Broughton's Eels. Hale also made 39 tackles with one missed tackle and Hale is first for NRLW tackles, making more tackles with fewer misses than anyone...
Georgia Hale: 175 tackles @ 97.8%.
Simaima Taufa: 147 tackles @ 89.1%.
Olivia Kernick: 113 tackles @ 94.2%.
This was the first win for Titans and unfortunately for Broughton, her Eels are 0-4. Broughton had 14 runs for 143m @ 10.21m/run, 1 linebreak, 1 linebreak assist, 6 tackle busts and 1 offload vs Titans, which is fairly impressive fullback mahi. Eels have missed 161 tackles this season which is the most and far more than Broncos' 135 missed tackles in second place - most of which probably stems from defenders in front of Broughton.
Redcliffe U21s defeated Sunshine Coast 30-16 to continue their finals run with NZ Wariors juniors. Ali Leiataua started at centre again, Kina Kepu and Lleyton Finau started as props, Taniela Otukolo started at hooker, Jacob Laban on an edge while Demitric Sifakula and Valingi Kepu came off the bench. Kina Kepu and Sifakula scored tries.
Redcliffe U21s play another finals game next weekend while Redcliffe's Queensland Cup team had a first up finals win, putting them straight into the next round. This is a key wrinkle to track as this crop of Redcliffe U21s will move into Warriors NSW Cup next season and you can't talk crap about Warriors juniors if you know nothing about what is happening, so tap in.
Zyon Maiu'u didn't play this game but has been a constant all season. Maiu'u and Laban were at Kelston Boys High School last year, Leiataua was at Kings College and Sifakula was at De La Salle. These lads were at school last year and are now playing U21 finals footy in Queensland.
Otukolo continues to be an interesting case and perhaps the best example of Warriors/Redcliffe collaboration niggle. Otukolo was part of the same Warriors SG Ball team as Leiataua, Maiu'u, Kepu twins, Finau etc and made his NRL debut last year without playing reserve grade (Q Cup). Otukolo only played NRL or U21s last year and seems to have done the same thing this year.
Redcliffe have their own players in their Q Cup team, with little space for Warriors juniors. Fringe-NRL Warriors do get game time with Redcliffe but the younger lads have been forced down to U21s as Redcliffe and Warriors balance their needs. There is a massive difference between sprinkling Warriors players into Redcliffe teams and having a reserve grade team consisting solely of Warriors players. Otukolo boosts the Redcliffe U21s crew though and his presence should help their finals push.
Blackcaps have been swept by Australia in ODIs ... after being swept in Tests by England. There was the same tame, timid vibe in the third game as there was in the first two games and I reckon folks should be more concerned with Blackcaps dipping than All Blacks. As laid out in Friday's email, Blackcaps have been losing for a while now and the manner of their losses heightens this concern vs All Blacks.
All Blacks have had some wobbles in a rampant period for international rugby. Encountering some of these international rugby teams and their frenetic passion is tricky, which doesn't look good for All Blacks when they are below par. Ponder the energy and class evident in Ireland, South Africa and Argentina's rugby.
Blackcaps opponents lack that vigour but Blackcaps have also been losing. It's weird and slightly alarming, but I'm eager to wait for the T20 World Cup before diving deeper into Blackcaps demise. Blackcaps made the final of last year's tournament and this provides a simple comparison a year later.
Trent Boult took the most wickets for Blackcaps in ODIs against West Indies and Australia. The bloke who may or may not play many games for Aotearoa moving forward has been their best bowler in recent ODI series, which forms Boult's best year of ODI bowling since his debut in 2012. Boult has 18w @ 12.38avg/18.6sr this year. Boult has averaged below 20 in just one other year (19.77avg in 2015) and this is the first year of Boult's career where his strike-rate is below 25.
Boult isn't just Aotearoa's best bowler, he is in a career-best pocket of ODI bowling and his Test mahi this year is among the best of his career (25w @ 25.48avg). Boult was also Aotearoa's best bowler at the T20 World Cup last year with 15w @ 13.30avg/6.25rpo.
Blackcaps batters vs Australia
Martin Guptill: 2inns, 8 runs @ 4avg/33sr.
Devon Conway: 3inns, 72 runs @ 24vg/63sr.
Kane Williamson: 3inns, 89 runs @ 29.66avg/48sr.
Daryl Mitchell: 3inns, 52 runs @ 17.33avg/60sr.
Tom Latham: 3inns, 53 runs @ 17.66avg/71sr.
Jimmy Neesham: 3inns, 54 runs @ 18avg/100sr.
Michael Bracewell: 2inns, 19 runs @ 9.50avg/63sr.
Glenn Phillips: 1inns, 47 runs @ 89sr.
Finn Allen: 1inns, 35 runs @ 92sr.
Blackcaps bowlers vs Australia
Trent Boult: 30ov, 10w @ 10.30avg/3.43rpo.
Matt Henry: 20ov, 5w @ 16.60avg/4.15rpo.
Lockie Ferguson: 19ov, 3w @ 38.66avg/6.10rpo.
Mitchell Santner: 27ov, 2w @ 60.50avg/4.48rpo.
Tim Southee: 20ov, 2w @ 48avg/4.80rpo.
Jimmy Neesham: 21ov @ 5.71rpo.
Michael Bracewell: 6ov @ 6.16rpo.
Wildcard’s Notebook
Funky news outta the Wellington Phoenix this morning with confirmation that Gemma Lewis has taken up a job with the Wales FA, leaving the Welly Nix Wahine just a couple months before their new season begins. Lewis did a fantastic job in really tough circumstances in the team’s inaugural campaign and was re-signed for year two before any of her players. But she’s also a Welsh native and a sweet new gig as ‘senior pathway manager for women’s football’ was probably one she didn’t feel she could turn down. Especially when they’re also sponsoring her UEFA Pro Licence.
So what are the SheNix up to instead? They’ve done the obvious thing and promoted assistant Natalie Lawrence to the head coach role. Lewis and Lawrence were a duo from day one with the Nix, working together not only at that club but also with the FFDP and the NZ U20s. Lawrence is the appointment that’ll cause the least disruption as the club continues to announce new signings (they’re up to 13/18 as it stands), with Lawrence being given the freedom to choose her own assistant.
That should all take care of itself. No need to panic. Although it does have me wondering which assistant turned head coach will do better this season: Nat Lawrence with the Phoenix or Mody Maor with the Breakers. Both were elevated from regimes that didn’t win very many games, albeit with very different vibes.
However buried later in NL’s media conference was some very exciting news that the Wellington Phoenix have managed to push the A-League into allowing them two extra kiwi players in their squad. As it stands they’ve signed 11 of them, same as they had last season. But this development means there are two more on the way, 13 NZers out of a squad of 18. Plus potentially up to four scholarship players (they had two last year).
Also Lawrence confirmed that Annalie Longo was close to being announced as a Welly Nix signing when she suffered that ACL/MCL injury on Football Ferns duty. That’s likely to rule her out not only for the entire ALW season but the World Cup as well. Awful news. And a spanner in the works for the Nix because Longo would have been eligible as a dual-national Australian player. A bonus kiwi same as NZ U20s rep goalkeeper Brianna Edwards. But Lawrence says she’s still keen to have Longo on board with the team in some off-field capacity if she wants it.
Here’s an All Whites squad for the two upcoming games against Australia...
This’ll get a deeper dive write-up tomorrow or maybe Wednesday (got a few things to get through) but here are a few initial thoughts:
Glad to see Winston Reid there. I missed his name on first glance and felt sadness, then saw his name upon second glance and felt relief. It’s quite concerning that he’s still without a club after two straight transfer windows as a free agent – it’s now been more than a full calendar year since he was released by West Ham – but at least he’s popping up for these games. Basically a full time international player now.
Kyle Adams and Alex Paulsen get their maiden call ups. Adams has been doing great work in America for several years now. All of that at USL level, not the highest standard, but he’s come close to MLS fringes and with a bit more luck might’ve gotten that chance by now. Tall central defender with long curly hair. Can’t miss him. Good solid player with Ole Academy roots. As for Paulsen you’ll know him well as the Wellington Phoenix reserve keeper. Probably the best goalkeeping prospect that Aotearoa has produced at his age for several years, he’s got massive potential if he kicks on.
24 players here in the wake of a 26-man squad (that was trimmed to 23 for the game itself) that amassed for the Costa Rica WCQ. This is how things have shifted between the two groups…
IN: Kyle Adams, Andre De Jong, Cam Howieson, Ben Old, Alex Paulsen, Storm Roux, Michael Woud, Deklan Wynne
OUT: Kosta Barbarouses, Joey Champness, Francis De Vries, Matthew Gould, Niko Kirwan, Clayton Lewis, Stefan Marinovic, Logan Rogerson, Marco Rojas, Tommy Smith
That’s quite a few changes and there are some notable players on the outer. NZF gives bugger all context in their announcement, preferring to sell tickets to the game at Eden Park instead (see you there), but they do specify that De Vries, Kirwan, and Lewis are all out injured. FDV and Kirwan both suffered serious knee injuries in recent months. Tommy Smith has also been out injured for Colchester but doesn’t get a shout out on that list for some reason. Obviously Sarpreet Singh and Ryan Thomas remain long-term injury absentees.
Others you’d assume are more circumstantial. No Barbarouses after his red card against Costa Rica - hilariously he’s suspended for two games and is serving that absence here even though these are only friendlies. Rojas is missing, probably focussing on ingratiating himself at his new club in Chile. Seems curious that Marinovic isn’t there either after Oli Sail overtook him at short notice for the starting gig in the CRC match (it was only Sail’s fourth cap). Also Logan Rogerson hasn’t been picked despite career best club form lately, cracking the Team of the Month in Finland’s top division not so long ago. I’d suggest Max Mata and Sam Sutton are unlucky to miss out too. Otherwise all the big dogs are there.
The major concern I’ve got is that not too many of them are playing regularly at the moment. We’re on a downswing there. Joe Bell’s been an unused sub a couple games in a row. Chris Wood is now a backup for Newcastle. Libby Cacace hasn’t yet played a second in Serie A this campaign. Neither has Matt Garbett, who’s awaiting a debut at that level. All the A-League dudes are in preseason – although at least the Welly Nix had that Aussie cup run. Alex Greive’s not had a heap of game time in the past month.
There were many areas in which the Blackcaps came up short against Australia and the bowling unit was definitely not the worst of them. Even still, I find the idea of not picking five specialist bowlers in an ODI line-up to be very annoying. This isn’t like a Test match where you can get away with 4.5 options. There are bowling limits in ODIs. You absolutely have to get ten overs out of the rest of your team beyond those top four guys.
But the Cappies love their all-rounders so what did we see in all three bowling innings in Oz? We saw early wickets and run-scoring pressure completely ease once Trent Boult in particular ended his first spell. Aussie would stump up a partnership and change the course of the match. Then they’d strangle our batters (except in the first game when they’d already strangled them in the first innings) on their way to victory.
Boult was outstanding. Matt Henry was very good. Tim Southee and Lockie Ferguson had their moments. Mitchell Santner wasn’t quite at his best but he at least limited the runs as he’s so talented at doing.
Meanwhile this is what the fifth bowling option got up to in each game...
First ODI: 6 overs | 30 runs | 0 wickets (Neesham/Bracewell)
Second ODI: 13 overs | 61 runs | 0 wickets (Neesham/Bracewell)
Third ODI: 10 overs | 72 runs | 0 wickets (Neesham/Mitchell)
The run rate wasn’t always bad, in fact in the second game it was excellent. That was when we restricted them to 195/9 – although that should have been more like 150 except the Blackcaps couldn’t get that last wicket. Neesham and Bracewell bowled the last four overs between them and conceded 36 runs to Mitchell Starc and Josh Hazlewood. Cheeky momentum at the end of a tough innings which then spilled into a suffocating bowling attack, the Caps skittled for 82 in response.
This is already a Blackcaps bowling unit which doesn’t get a heap of wickets from Mitchell Santner. That’s all good because Santner is world class when it comes to restricting the runs... but that skill runs out of use when the dude at the other end isn’t taking advantage by threatening wickets. Top of the innings, white ball whipping around corners, there were no dramas. Trent Boult was unplayable. But in all three games the pressure eased as the ball softened up and the deeper bowling options came to the crease. Easy to blame Kane Williamson’s bowling rotations for that but the real issue is one of selection.
Big yarns today about how TVNZ are carrying the Devin Haney vs George Kambosos rematch for the undisputed lightweight world boxing title. First time a boxing event of that magnitude has been broadcast free to air in this country since David Tua vs Lennox Lewis. But we woulda watched it one way or another anyway so that’s not important. What matters is that both David Nyika and Hemi Ahio are going to be back on the undercard.
The first meeting between Aussie Kambosos Jr and American Haney featured those same two kiwi pugilists. Hemi Ahio had an unfulfilling one round win by retirement against Christian Ndzie Tsoye after David Nyika had won a five round decision over local boy Karim Mataalla. Both will face as yet unnamed opponents on this second card, each in their subsequent bouts. Nyika was meant to got to the Commonwealth Games in between but a hand injury kept him out.
Haven’t heard any chat of Junior Fa joining them, sadly. Fa was also on that first card but was unceremoniously knocked out by Lucas Browne in a result that shapes to be pretty devastating for his future prospects. Haven’t heard a peep of any fight rumours surrounding him since. Probably best to take a bit of time off anyway.
But Ahio and Nyika both remain undefeated as professionals and will get to continue their up and ups in front of another huge crowd at Rod Laver Arena in Melbourne. The first fight was also in Melbourne but at Marvel Stadium. October 12 is the scheduled date for the rematch.
Elsewhere, a reminder that Joseph Parker vs Joe Joyce is on Sunday 25 September NZT. That’s the morning of the home All Whites vs Australia fixture.