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Kiwi-NRL Spotlight: Under 19 SG Ball & Tasha Gale Cup Hot Pockets (Bulldogs, Sharks, Knights) (Rugby League)
Key Points From The 2025 New Zealand Warriors Under 19 SG Ball Squad (Rugby League)
Bulldogs Strengthen Connection To Aotearoa With NRLWahine Signings & Development (Rugby League)
Exploring The Depths Of The 2025 New Zealand Warriors Top-50ish (Rugby League)
An Optimistic Perspective About The New Zealand Warriors Future Without Tohu Harris (Rugby League)
Exploring How Auckland FC’s Kiwi Players Are Fuelling Their Success (Football)
Flying Kiwis – January 28 (Football)
Ten Standout Prospects From The Next Wave Of The Wellington Phoenix Academy (Football)
Is This The Season That The Wellington Phoenix Finally Make The A-League Women’s Finals? (Football)
2024/25 Super Smash Scout: The Best Youngsters, Part 2 (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
Super Smash finals weekend at Basin Reserve...
Saturday
Wellington Blaze vs Northern Brave
Canterbury Kings vs Northern Brave
Sunday
Otago Sparks & Central Stags vs winners
Stats for finalists...
Women - Otago
Suzie Bates: 171 runs @ 19avg/101sr
Bella James: 136 runs @ 15.1avg/100sr
Caitlin Blakely: 210 runs @ 30avg/100sr
Olivia Gain: 159 runs @ 19.8avg/89sr
Polly Inglis: 160 runs @ 32avg/99sr
Hayey Jensen: 82 runs @ 20.2avg/123sr | 11w @ 22.2avg/6.4rpo
Felicity Roberston: 67 runs @ 11.1avg/86sr | 4w @ 24.5avg/6.5rpo
Anna Browning: 47 runs @ 23.5avg/115sr | 3w @ 34avg/6.3rpo
Kirstie Gordon: 34 runs @ 17avg/136sr | 14w @ 14avg/5pro
Eden Carson: 18w @ 14.1avg/6.3rpo
Emma Black: 10w @ 21.4avg/5.5rpo
Settled 1st 11 with Molly Loe and PJ Watkins in the mix to play final.
Wellington
Amelia Kerr: 397 runs @ 79.4avg/110sr | 9w @ 25.2avg/6.4rpo
Rebecca Burns: 248 runs @ 31avg/109sr
Maitlan Brown: 64 runs @ 21.3avg/110sr | 6w @ 15.6avg/6.1rpo
Jess Kerr: 299 runs @ 42.7avg/125sr | 13w @ 14.1avg/5.1rpo
Hannah Darlington: 30 runs @ 15avg/77sr
Leigh Kasperek: 11 runs @ 5.5avg/49sr | 7w @ 8avg/5.4rpo
Jess McFadyen: 19 runs @ 4.7avg/73sr
Caitlin King: 26 runs @ 6.5avg/74sr
Xara Jetly: 8 runs @ 4avg/114sr | 8w @ 25.8avg/6.6rpo
Nicole Baird: 3w @ 25.6avg/6rpo
Leigh Kasperek has only played three games. Natasha Codyre and Sam Mackinnder who have combined for 4 runs, no wickets are options to play.
Northern Districts
Chamari Athapaththu: 219 runs @ 31.2avg/134sr | 15w @ 11.3avg/5.4rpo
Jess Watkin: 183 runs @ 26.1avg/138sr | 6w @ 36avg/7rpo
Caitlin Gurrey: 196 runs @ 32.6avg/99sr
Nensi Patel: 93 runs @ 18.6avg/102sr | 5w @ 32.4avg/7.7rpo
Marina Lamplough: 23 runs @ 5.7avg/128sr
Sam Barriball: 2 runs @ 2avg/50sr
Sarah Glenn: 3 runs @ 100sr | 2w @ 21avg/5.2rpo
Carol Agafili: 53 runs @ 17.6avg/129sr
Jesse Prasad: 23 runs @ 177sr | 1w @ 17avg/8.5rpo
Holly Topp: 17 runs @ 5.6avg/94sr
Marama Downes: 17 runs @ 94sr | 7w @ 26.1avg/6.2rpo
Amanda-Jade Wellington: 63 runs @ 15.7avg/119sr | 5w @ 23.6avg/6.2rpo
Amanda-Jade Wellington (Australia) has been replaced by Sarah Glenn (England). U19s Natasha Wakelin and Eve Wolland offer cover but probably not required.
Men - Central Districts
Will Young: 66 runs @ 22avg/112sr
Jack Boyle: 280 runs @ 35avg/131sr
Dane Cleaver: 173 runs @ 21.6avg/129sr
Tom Bruce: 325 runs @ 65avg/164sr
Will Clark: 113 runs @ 22.6avg/133sr
Curtis Heaphy: 186 runs @ 26.5avg/109sr
Angus Schaw: 76 runs @ 38avg/177sr | 7w @ 25.1avg/7.6rpo
Brett Randell: 10w @ 21.5avg/7.9rpo
Jayden Lennox: 9w @ 24.2avg/7.3rpo
Blair Tickner: 15w @ 18.5avg/9.9rpo
Toby Findlay: 5w @ 25.6avg/8rpo
Josh Clarkson: 86 runs @ 21.5avg/126sr | 1w @ 45avg/11.2rpo
Settled 1st 11 without Josh Clarkson, who could come in for Toby Findlay if he's available but I'd rather see Findlay play finals cricket.
Canterbury
Chad Bowes: 205 runs @ 22.7avg/145sr
Tom Latham: 159 runs @ 22.7avg/107sr
Matt Boyle: 327 runs @ 40.8avg/154sr
Daryl Mitchell: 89 runs @ 44.5avg/139sr
Cole McConchie: 159 runs @ 17.6avg/117sr | 10w @ 15.8avg/8.3rpo
Mitch Hay: 76 runs @ 15.2avg/136sr
Zak Foulkes: 58 runs @ 9.6avg/123sr | 13w @ 17.8avg/8rpo
Kyle Jamieson: 43 runs @ 10.7avg/134sr | 9w @ 24.3avg/6rpo
Matt Henry: 9w @ 6.2avg/4.6ro
Ish Sodhi: 46 runs @ 9.2avg/144sr | 9w @ 25.6avg/7rpo
Will O'Rourke: 6w @ 32.1avg/8rpo
Michael Rippon: 109 runs @ 18.1avg/128sr
Henry Shipley: 78 runs @ 15.6avg/153sr | 8w @ 19.3avg/8.6rpo
Michael Rippon and Henry Shipley dropped out of 1st 11 with Blackcaps returning, unlikely to play finals if everyone's available.
Northern Districts
Katene Clarke: 282 runs @ 40.2avg/134sr
Joe Carter: 199 runs @ 28.4avg/148sr
Ben Pomare: 86 runs @ 17.2avg/121sr
Rob O'Donnell: 178 runs @ 35.6avg/148sr
Jeet Raval: 84 runs @ 21avg/117sr
Brett Hampton: 73 runs @ 14.6avg/155sr | 4w @ 37avg/8.7rpo
Mitchell Santner: 33 runs @ 11avg/103sr | 3w @ 30.6avg/7.6rpo
Kristian Clarke: 29 runs @ 14.5avg/100sr | 11w @ 20.3avg/9.7rpo
Neil Wagner: 19 runs @ 9.5avg/105sr | 8w @ 27.1avg/8.6rpo
Freddy Walker: 26 runs @ 13avg/79sr | 8w @ 25.3avg/7.8rpo
Matt Fisher: 5w @ 50.6avg/9.3rpo
Fergus Lellman and Rohit Gulati offer cover.
Best of the rest (kiwis only)...
Women - Auckland
Lauren Down: 304 runs @ 76avg/108sr
Maddy Green: 269 runs @ 33.6avg/107sr | 5w @ 9.4avg/6rpo
Izzy Gaze: 161 runs @ 17.8avg/117sr
Fran Jonas: 14w @ 16.3avg/6rpo
Bree Illing: 8w @ 24.5avg/5.4rpo
Canterbury
Kate Anderson: 294 runs @ 32.6avg/105sr
Missy Banks: 9w @ 26.5avg/7rpo
Central Districts
Hannah Rowe: 126 runs @ 18avg/81sr | 10w @ 20.6avg/7rpo
Kerry Tomlinson: 126 runs @ 18avg/93sr
Claudia Green: 10w @ 17.9avg/5.3rpo
Ocean Bartlett: 8w @ 21.6avg/6.7rpo
Men - Wellington
Nick Kelly: 238 runs @ 26.4avg/126sr
Tim Robinson: 230 runs @ 57.5avg/144sr
Ben Sears: 11w @ 20.4avg/8.6rpo
Logan van Beek: 9w @ 22.3avg/7.3rpo
Peter Younghusband: 9w @ 27.8avg/7.8rpo
Otago
Max Chu: 230 runs @ 28.7avg/155sr
Dale Phillips: 210 runs @ 23.3avg/154sr
Andrew Hazeldine: 13w @ 19.7avg/8.4rpo
Matt Bacon: 10w @ 27.7avg/7.6rpo
Ben Lockrose: 10w @ 29.2avg/7.8rpo
Auckland
Bevon Jacobs: 263 runs @ 37.5avg/141sr
Danru Ferns: 14w @ 15.7avg/7.9rpo
Jock McKenzie: 13w @ 17.9avg/8.9rpo | 134 runs @ 33.5avg/123sr
Angus Olliver: 9w @ 14.7avg/7.6rpo
Adithya Ashok: 9w @ 27avg/8.6rpo
The NZ Warriors U19 SG Ball team named for this weekend has two players from St Patrick’s Silverstream in Maui Winitana-Patelesio (Te Aroha) and Elijah Solomona (Wainuiomata). Winitana-Patelesio is starting in the halves and Solomona's named on the bench, having played loose forward in rugby union.
Two of Greytown's finest also went to St Pat's Silverstream in Rocco Berry and Toby Crosby - hopefully Crosby is still with NZW and could be a top-17 NSW Cup player this year. SPS isn't quite at hot pocket status yet but they are making a notable contribution to the Kiwi-NRL ranks, specifically at NZW.
Kiwi-NRL juniors who have departed NZW for Australian teams
Jackson Stewart, Hudsyn Frost, Kaawyn Patterson, Ezekiel Faga-Ieti
Stewart (Roosters - centre), Frost (Sharks - prop), Patterson (Bulldogs - hooker) have all gone straight into starting roles for Sydney teams with strong junior systems. Faga-Ieti (Knights - middle) is on the bench but has still commanded a top-17 role for round one.
Frost, Patterson and Faga-Ieti were covered in depth for the latest Kiwi-NRL Spotlight. I didn't cover Roosters there and as always, Roosters have a bunch of Kiwi-NRL juniors across U19/U17 this weekend...
U19 SG Ball
Jackson Stewart: Hornby
Kanaan Magele: De La Salle College
Phillip Lavakeiaho: Wesley College
U17 Harold Mathews
Felipe Fakauho: Otahuhu
Bastion Armstrong: Otahuhu
Charleston Te Rore: Otara
Jairo Senio: Riccarton
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
Ladies and gentlemen, we’ve already had the winner for the least self-aware quote of 2025 and it goes to NZ Breakers owner Matt Walsh...
Matt Walsh to Newstalk ZB: “I hear the fans, and nobody wants this team to be built around Kiwis more than me. Unfortunately, life and financial offers get in the way sometimes, but that’ll be our focus – trying to get a great Kiwi core”
Don’t think I really need to go into that one any further.
A snippet from my latest Auckland FC yarn...
As far as I see it, Alex Paulsen remains the best goalkeeper in the A-League but what’s interesting is that he’s doing it this time with a very different style of defence. The Welly Nix last season had the best defence by allowing the second-most shots (18.3 per ninety minutes). That was because they allowed opponents to shoot from low-percentage chances, either because they were from a distance or because they had bodies in the way to block them. Hence the second-most shots also equalled the lowest shots-on-target percentage (28.0%) and by far the lowest goals-per-shot ratio (only 1/20 shots vs the Nix went in).
The Nix are still up there in shots against, by the way. This season it’s 17.7 shots per ninety but the difference is the on-target rate has risen to 32.6% and the goals per shots is now 13% instead of 5%. But, to be fair, a lot of the goals they’ve conceded have been through self-inflicted errors and the last few games have seen them seemingly restore their defensive quality with a couple of strong clean sheets. Coinciding with Alby Kelly-Heald’s promotion.
The Auckland FC folks are the opposite. They only allow 10.4 shots per ninety which is the second-lowest mark. Very similar rate on target as the Nix but with that many fewer efforts it’s very relative. And their goals-per-shot stuff is 6%, pretty close to the Nix last term. AFC don’t allow many shots. They hardly concede any goals. And Alex Paulsen’s still saving them at a pretty similar rate on account of being the best goalkeeper in the A-League.
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There have been changes to the Football Ferns coaching staff. No new head coach yet but interim boss Michael Mayne has confirmed a brand new staff around him. Jenny Bindon is on board as assistant coach. A legendary former player with good coaching experience, this runs parallel to Simon Elliott being brought into the All Whites system. I had been wondering what Bindon was up to – she’d been working at London City Lionesses as a goalkeeping coach but that was before the takeover and new coach so I’d long assumed she wasn’t there any more. Turns out she’s been coaching at Reading where her son Tyler Bindon is playing in the men’s team. Tyler joined Reading after his family relocated to London from Los Angeles due to Jenny getting that job. Now it seems Tyler’s influence may have helped Jenny get a job (albeit one she was already very qualified for). Rate that.
Joining Mayne and Bindon as the other assistant will be Sam Wilkinson. Very well known name in kiwi football circles, he’s worked professionally in English systems, as an assistant for NZ age grade sides, a little bit within the Wellington Phoenix academy, and also had a hugely impressive stint as head coach of Melville United. Both he and Mayne have pretty strong Waikato football connections. Not sure how much women’s football experience Wilkinson has but he’s always struck as a very clever thinker of the game with a practical edge and a willingness to learn and evolve so should be good.
Finally, Englishman William Britt has been appointed as goalkeeping coach. A former pro keeper himself, he came up the ranks with Southampton and won the FA Youth Cup on loan with Norwich. Didn’t really progress into much of a senior career though and got into coaching very early. He’s still only 29 years old and has been the keeper’s coach with Southampton women for a few seasons now. Would have been there while Ashleigh Ward was playing for the club. He’s the only non-kiwi of the new coaching quartet (Bindon’s a naturalised citizen).
The previous Football Ferns staff included Czech head coach Jitka Klimkova and American assistant Keri Sarver (plus Mayne as assistant). It also often felt like a lot of the support staff were pretty transient as well, though admittedly JK was in charge during covid where that was a necessity. I’m still maintaining that Klimkova’s record was not as bad as what people give her credit for... but while her coaching didn’t necessarily make the team worse, it certainly didn’t make them any better. The disconnect that eventually led to her losing the trust of the players and thus making that job untenable did become more and more obvious after the World Cup. Coincidentally, Klimkova’s just been hired as the new Czech Republic coach, returning to her home nation. The Football Ferns now have a much more kiwi-flavoured coaching staff moving forward. Seems like a much more harmonious situation for all involved.
Flying Kiwis Transfer Tracker
Alrighty, here we are with just a few days left in the European transfer window and things are ramping up again. Milly Clegg has joined Halifax Tides in the brand new Canadian professional league that’s starting soon. This is a one-year loan from Racing Louisville, presumably to get her consistent minutes before returning to challenge for a more prominent role with the NWSL team in the third year of her contract. Clegg only got 18 minutes of club action in 2024 and while that was partly due to injury and she still spent most of that time training at a high level... it wouldn’t do either party much good to repeat that. Get some minutes, score some goals, then back to Racing Lou. Makes sense. The NWSL is arguably the toughest league in the world to get games in as a young international player and Clegg only turned 19 in November so she’s miles ahead of schedule. With Abby Erceg having left RL as a free agent, this leaves them kiwi-less for this year.
Meikayla Moore had already signed with the Calgary Wild in the aforementioned Northern Super League. That happened a few months back. Now she’s got some company because Ally Green is also going to be playing for that team. Green left AGF (Denmark) when the winter break began and now we know why. Moore and Green at Calgary. Clegg at Halifax. Still with plenty of room for a few more to join them. The NSL is fully professional and runs for most of the year (despite only having six teams, there will be 25 games each plus semis and a final)... so just like the USL Super League in America this is another start-up that’s going to be outbidding the A-League for players.
I’m fully expecting Matthew Garbett to get a move before the window closes early next week in the Netherlands. He’s one of a few players that NAC Breda are trying to offload as their new coach puts more of his own spin on the squad. Martin Koscelník moved to the Czech Republic the other day to begin that exodus. Garbett supposedly has a club picked out as his preference but that unnamed club needs to sell someone before they can afford to buy him. Likewise, NAC have players they want to buy but they need to sell Garbett (and maybe one or two others) in order to fund those moves too. In the meantime, Garbett has resumed training with the first team despite not being considered for games so clearly there are no hard feelings.
James McGarry’s move to Kallithea in Greece has been confirmed. Loan until the end of the season, no mention of an option to buy. He’s got another year with Aberdeen afterwards so it seems like maybe the Dons are keeping their options open. Jack MacKenzie has been the top choice left-back ahead of McGarry but he could leave as a free agent in a few months. They’ve signed Alexander Jensen to replace him so there’s a chance McGarry could return as a backup to a different starter. More likely, he uses this Greek stint to audition for a permanent departure. We shall see. At least he should be playing regular footy again.
Kiwi-Swede striker Oscar Faulds scored copious goals for Napier City Rovers throughout 2024, including an MVP-candidate National League campaign (I’d have had him second behind actual winner Monty Patterson). He almost didn’t play those Nats because if things had gone to plan then he’d have signed professionally in either Sweden or Denmark but they didn’t and he had opportunities in both fall apart at the last moment. Well, according to Brother Youngheart he’s about to be unveiled at Union Titus Pétange in Luxembourg. So there ya go. Not exactly a common destination, let’s wait for the official announcement before digging deeper. Another pro coming straight outta the NZ National League though. We do love to see it.
By the way, the English women’s stuff had their Deadline Day today so we shan’t be seeing any more ladies popping up over there in the short term. However, the blokes have until early next week and according to one of the reporters for Footy Insider 24/7: “Gillingham are lining up a move for Ayr United and New Zealand international defender George Stanger before the close of the transfer window”. He’s not actually a New Zealand international, only an U20s and U23s international, but we’ll let him off the hook because this is the same chap who earlier reported that: “a number of League One clubs in England” were tracking Stanger as he entered the last six months of his Ayr United (Scotland) contract. Now there’s been an actual club named. Could be a matter of time.
And it’s the same situation for Tyler Bindon on the way out of Reading. RFC have managed to keep all of their guys on board until late in the window but Sam Smith is now on the verge of joining Wrexham and that could be the start of it. Or maybe Smith’s exit allows them to keep Bindon, dunno. As Dogberry said, we must be vigitant.
January Transfer Window 2025 – Completed Moves
Stipe Ukich - Auckland City to NK Istra 1961
Henry Gray - Ipswich Town to Braintree Town (Loan)
Gabi Rennie - Aland United to Eskilstuna United
Alex Greive - Bohemians to San Antonio FC
Oskar Van Hattum - Wellington Phoenix to Sligo Rovers
Joe Champness - Auckland FC to Havadar SC
Anna Leat - Aston Villa to Free Agent
Moses Dyer - Vancouver FC to Galway United
James McGarry - Aberdeen to Kallithea (Loan)
Milly Clegg - Racing Louisville to Halifax Tides (Loan)
Ally Green - AGF to Calgary Wild
Oscar Faulds - Napier City Rovers to Union Titus Pétange
Musical Jam...