Legendary Areas
A superb Tall Ferns win, Warriors slay the Dragons, U19 Women's footy dominance, Kiwi County Tour, Domestic Footy roundup & more
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2023 NRLWahine: Five Funkiest Players From Aotearoa (Rugby League)
2023 NRLWahine: Breaking Down All Aotearoa Wahine in NRLW (Rugby League)
All Whites vs Sweden: Living Through The Learning Curve (Football)
All Whites vs Qatar: Solidarity (And Some Overshadowed Football) (Football)
10 NZNBL Players Who Deserve A Crack In The Aussie NBL (Basketball)
Previewing The Tall Ferns On Their 2023 Asia Cup Quest (Basketball)
2023 White Ferns Tour Of Sri Lanka: Series Preview (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
NZ Warriors grabbed their third win in a row against Dragons on Friday night, which was also their third game in a row scoring 30+ points. Prior to this run, Warriors had only passed 30 points against Sharks and Knights. That's 12 games with two 30+ point performances flipping into three in a row.
Like many of their wins earlier in the season, the last three wins have seen Warriors absorb early pressure. Warriors were down 4-6 against Dolphins and 6-8 against Raiders at half-time. Warriors went down 4-6 against Dragons within 15 minutes but finished the first half up 6-20.
Apart from the opposition and their dramas, one notable difference in these three games was Dylan Walker's presence against Dragons. This was a fundamental aspect of Warriors wins earlier in the season and as soon as he was subbed on for Bunty Aofa at the 20 minute mark, Warriors sparked into their footy flow.
Walker had 13 passes in 42mins and that's the same number of passes Tohu Harris had in 68mins. Same number of passes despite Walker having 24 touches and Harris having 31 touches. Harris and Addin Fonua-Blake (8 passes from 25 touches) play their passing roles nicely, allowing Warriors to operate with three decent passers as middle forwards.
Walker is also quicker than most middle forwards and does all the hard mahi that is required. Walker is tackling at 90% this season and averages 94m per game. Against Dragons, Walker had 14 runs - 97m @ 6.9m/run. Fonua-Blake had 20 runs - 193m @ 9.6m/run and Harris had 19 runs - 161m @ 8.4m/run. Walker won't run like Fonua-Blake… but he will try.
Balance is required. Warriors start with Bunty Afoa who runs hard and straight with zero passes vs Dragons and 22 tackles @ 100%. Jackson Ford and Marata Niukore are runners as well, with Ford hitting holes and Niukore running over blokes. The edge forwards combined for a single pass. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad was near his best against Dragons and he had 19 passes which was the most of the players not playing halves or hooker.
Across the field, Warriors have slick passing. Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey both have 1st 15 rugby backgrounds in Aotearoa. Along with their athletic prowess, they make the most of even numbers or an overlap. Warriors always have a good passer in the middle thanks to Harris and Fonua-Blake adds some spice which is then amplified by Walker. With Nicoll-Klokstad and the two centres, Warriors have the same passing abundance out wide.
NZ Warriors stat profile
Tries: 6th
Penalties Conceded: 6th
Missed Tackles: 14th
Offloads: 14th
Dummy Half Runs: 16th
Set Completion: 5th
Kick Return Metres: 4th
Kicking Metres: 6th
Linebreaks: 4th
Post Contact Metres: 8th
Run Metres: 8th
Tackle Breaks: 8th
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is on track for the best season of his career...
190m/game - career high
4 try assists - career high
4 linebreaks - chasing 8
3 tries - chasing 11
87.34% tackling - second best season (89.4% last season)
NZ Warriors engine room...
Addin Fonua-Blake: 166m/game, 96.5% tackling
Tohu Harris: 132m/game, 94.6% tackling
Fonua-Blake has not missed a tackle in 4 consecutive games... while running 190+ metres in all 4 games. Harris has 3 try assists and 5 linebreak assists.
NSW Cup Warriors had a loss to Dragons on Saturday. A loss but the development pipeline is working well. Taine Tuaupiki, Demitric Sifakula, Selumiela (Leka) Halasima and Ali Leiataua did not play NSW Cup. All four youngsters have been fantastic in reserve grade.
The team that lost 16-18 to Dragons featured four Under 19 SG Ball players. Jacob Laban started while Tanner Stowers-Smith, Etuate Fukofuka and Eddie Ieremia came off the bench. This was Ieremia's NSW Cup debut after winning the SG Ball Clubman of the Year award (Halasima won SG Ball Player of the Year) and he was already playing against men in Fox Premiership for Howick.
Ieremia had been playing for Otara alongside Warriors SG Ball lads Kayliss Fatialofa, Phranklyn Mano-Le-Mamea and Rodney Tuipulotu-Vea. When Otara didn't qualify for the Fox Premiership these four moved to Howick and while that seems niggly, all Warriors youngsters are playing the top-tier Fox Premiership.
After leaving De La Salle College where he played league and union, Ieremia played edge forward for SG Ball and Howick. His NSW Cup debut came through the middle and his size/mobility combo looked comfortable at that level. Warriors have an abundance of talented young forwards below NRL and Ieremia's best comparison is with Sifakula as he will get most of his opportunities off the bench, playing through the middles.
Sifakula, Halasima and Ieremia offer middle/edge versatility. Halasima has even plugged a hole at centre in NSW Cup a few times.
Zyon Maiu'u, Isaiah Vagana and Stowers-Smith are middles. Solomon Vasuvulagi is also emerging as a big bopper.
The seven lads named above have size, mobility, aggression, footwork and power that forecasts well into NRL footy. Kalani Going differs slightly as he is smaller but offers maturity and versatility that could see him crack the NRL bench at some point.
The NSW Cup team is far more likely to win when Going, Michael Sio, James Gavet and Paterika Vaivai are in the forward pack along with Sifakula and Halasima. Those lads are veterans of reserve grade and winning requires experience. The forward pack that played against Dragons was younger, hence they lost but there is plenty of talent coming through the development pipeline.
Kiwi County Tour cricket continues with games starting last night. Central lefty Ray Toole is a new addition joining Durham in Division Two, replacing Central lefty (spinner) Ajaz Patel. Here are the lads involved and their day one mahi...
Daryl Mitchell: Lancashire, 27 runs
Will Williams: Lancashire, 8* runs, 2w @ 3.1rpo
Tom Latham: Surrey, 10 runs
Doug Bracewell: Essex, 7* runs
Matt Henry: Somerset, 7 runs, 2w @ 2.5rpo
Matt Quinn: Kent, 10ov @ 2.5rpo
Henry Shipley: Sussex, 2w @ 4.27rpo
Ray Toole: Durham
Lydia Ko is cruising through 2023:
T6, T31, T34, Cut, T42, T33, Cut, T57
Black Sticks had four more losses in the FIH Pro League this weekend.
Men vs Germay: 3-4
Women vs Netherlands: 1-4
Men vs Netherlands: 2-3
Women vs Germany: 1-3
Men: 9th, 0-2-12, 3 points, -28 goal difference
Women: 8th: 2-2-10, 8 points, -25 goal difference
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
The Tall Ferns have gotten their Asia Cup campaign up and running in stunning fashion with an upset victory over much higher ranked South Korea. It was a 66-64 win with a brilliant first half followed by a dogged second half in which they came up with the decisive hustle plays that clinched the game when it mattered most.
With this result, the target of a top four finish just became way more feasible. They play China and Lebanon over the next two days and if they win the one they should (Lebanon) then they ought to finish second in their pool. Second place earns them a playoff against the third-placed team in the other group for a spot in the semis – that’ll surely be either Chinese Taipei or Philippines who are both ranked below the Tall Ferns (whereas if they’d lost to Korea they’d probably have had to play Japan who are a couple ranks ahead of Korea). It’s all on from here.
The NZers were excellent from the outset, starting off on an 8-0 run as a heap of pick and roll action and plenty of ball movement – but also patience within the shot clock – led to good looks while their energetic defence kept South Korea from getting hardly anything they were happy with. They did lose some momentum late first quarter but then began the second on an even better run scoring 14 straight points as Korea were kept scoreless for more than five minutes.
Korea have a 6’6 centre Ji-su Park who has played multiple WNBA season for Las Vegas and she was the focal point of their plans... but although Penina Davidson may lose a bit in the height comparisons against Park but she lost nothing in heart, playing the entire 40 minutes and picking up only one foul despite the constant battles. Park was visibly frustrated at how things were going and with the quick closeouts of the kiwis, Korea also weren’t getting to their renowned three-point shooters either. The lead got as high as 23 points and was sitting pretty at 41-25 for the big break.
However Korea made adjustments. Their quicker transitional play and their zone defence really stopped the flow of interior passes and when a couple of threes began to drop for them the deficit quickly shrunk. Charlisse Leger-Walker, who’d been typically instrumental, got stuck in foul trouble as did Tahlia Tupaea who also had an issue with her shoulder. The lead was down to six points after three quarters and a 9-0 run from Korea eventually tied the game up with 3:30 remaining. Yet Korea never led. The Leger-Walker sisters supplied buckets that were immediately answered, then CLW missed a corner three but inconclusive replays meant the possession stayed with NZ after the ball went out of play with 45 seconds remaining.
After which came two enormous and decisive rebounds. Davidson missed from a tough feed inside but Krystal Leger-Walker wrenched the ball free from an opponent as they hit the ground and Davidson scored at the next attempt for the lead. Korea went up the other end with 26 seconds left and worked a couple open looks from deep however Dan-bi Kim overcooked her shot. Once again, as happened so often all game, it was Davidson vs Park for the rebound. Park seemed to have it. Then Davidson ripped it away. Aotearoa with the 66-64 victory.
Penina Davidson scored 24 points on 11/16 shooting with 10 rebounds, 2 blocks, and 3 steals. On the floor for every single second as a centre, that’s borderline unheard of let alone when you’ve got the toughest match-up in the game. Legendary areas. Charlisse Leger-Walker missed a few shots as the defence collapsed on her in the second half but still scored 20 points and had the best plus/minus in the team (+9). Also gotta hype up Akiene-Tera Reed who in her first major tournament game for the Ferns scored 14 points with 11 rebounds.
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New Zealand’s second game at the Oceania U19s Women’s Championships went much more smoothly than the first. The first, a 3-0 win against hosts Fiji, was solid enough against a good team but the impatiently direct way that the kiwis played was well below what they’re capable of. Suffice it to say that they fixed that issue with an 11-0 win over Papua New Guinea in their second effort.
Coach Leon Birnie made the maximum seven changes to his starting team (18-player squads), with only the two centre-backs Marie Green & Ella McMillan, right back Rebekah Trewhitt, and forward Manaia Elliott (who captained) retaining their spots. And Elliott only played the first half before being subbed. It seems fair to suggest that the best eleven is some combination of the two because that midfield of Lara Colpi and Danielle Canham with Helena Errington playing as a ten in front of them was excellent, constantly giving options and keeping the ball moving in a way that they’d never really figured out in the first match (which DC & HE played off the bench and LC didn’t play at all). There were triangles. There were runners off the ball. There were overlaps. It was lovely.
And it was ruthless. After 21 minutes, the kiwis were up 6-0. It was so bad that PNG subbed off their goalkeeper after only half an hour… which did actually make a difference as the goal rate slowed down the rest of the way, with PNG sitting very deep in the second half to limit the damage. Unlike Fiji the other day, PNG barely had a chance all game and the few that they did manage came from NZ mistakes playing out from the back.
Zoe Benson and Alexis Cook set up a golden boot a race with each other as they both scored four times within the dominance. However it was Errington and Elliott who really bossed it – they were the creative forces that provided the spark. Helena Errington was already one of the top prospects in the country and this player of the day performance only enhances that reputation. She’s currently with the Wellington Phoenix Academy as are many in this squad.
The NZers are in one of the groups with only three teams so this is actually the end of their group stage. That means there’s a six day break before their next match in the quarter-finals, with Fiji and Papua New Guinea playing in the meantime to determine who joins NZ in progressing from Group B. It’ll be either Cook Islands or Solomon Islands on the cards in the next round. The prize at the end, along with trying to win the championship itself, is to qualify for the U20 World Cup next year. So far so good.
Starting XI (4-2-3-1): Charlotte Eagle | Rebekah Trewhitt, Marie Green, Ella McMillan, Suya Haering | Lara Colpi, Danielle Canham | Manaia Elliott, Helena Errington, Zoe Benson | Alexis Cook
Subs Used: Kiara Bercelli (Elliott HT), Ruby Nathan (Cook 65’), Charlotte Mortlock (Canham 65’), Zoe McMeeken (McMillan 76’)
Goals: Elliott (3’), Cook (12’, 20’, 24’, 54’), Benson (21’, 37’, 48’, 56’), Errington (18’, 71’)
Meanwhile the Wellington Phoenix Women have made a few notable roster decisions over the past week. Mackenzie Barry has signed a two-year contract to ensure that their best defender over the first two seasons of existence remains with the club for longer. Great news. That two year contract is notable as only Chloe Knott and Alyssa Whinham (both last season) have ever signed multi-year deals with this team before. Along with those three, Michaela Robertson and Emma Main are the others on lock for next term.
Following that news, they also announced six players who won’t be offered new terms for next season:
Isabel Gomez, Ava Pritchard, Saskia Vosper, Charlotte Lancaster, Te Reremoana Walker, and Georgia Candy
Pritchard is the most curious on there as she’s played some part of every single game through the first two seasons... but this club’s reached the stage where they’re serious about targeting finals football and the lack of goals across the squad is the biggest hurdle there (Pritchard scored 5 in 32 games). They’ll probably pick up an import striker and may wish to upgrade further. Unfortunately for AP, some tough decisions therefore had to be made.
Pritchard might have enough recognition to get another ALW gig... otherwise she can follow the course of Kelli Brown who after being released by the Nix went and scored bundles in the National League and is now bossing it for Macarthur Rams in the New South Wales top division – equal top scorer in the division with eight goals.
Other than that, well, Lancaster, Walker, and Candy were all scholarship players and none of them made more than one start last season. Izzy Gomez was really good in year one but injuries limited her to just 87 minutes in year two and there are other priorities in midfield. Plus Vosper played more off the bench than as a starter over both seasons. All of these six have further untapped potential but there just aren’t enough minutes to go around and there are limited spots in the roster. These are depth releases.
Also, Paul Temple and company know more than we do. They know more about which players of the remaining free agents are likely to return and who might get poached elsewhere. They (hopefully) have some kinda clarity about how many Aussie nationals they’ll be required to have in the squad. The release of Gomez could be a clue there. They know whether Lily Alfeld is tracking to play again next season after her long injury absence.
They also now have a fully functioning academy system on the women’s side which mirrors the men’s set up and no doubt there’ll be a few players from there that they’ll want to keep handy – clearing out the scholarship decks is probably not a coincidence (the fourth and final scholarship spot went to Michaela Foster and let’s just say she won’t be doing that again).
Remaining Welly Nix Women Free Agents:
Betsy Hassett, Paige Satchell, Milly Clegg, Zoe McMeeken, Michaela Foster, Marisa van der Meer, Lily Alfeld, Kate Taylor, Grace Wisnewski, Brianna Edwards, Emma Rolston & Claudia Cicco
Weekly Domestic Football Roundup
First off, the postponed Chatham Cup game from last week took place with Eastern Suburbs beating Tauranga City 2-0 thanks to second half goals from Martin Bueno (67’) and Luis Toomey (87’). Subs were slightly understrength but still had a very strong side and Tauranga did well to hold them out as long as they did. Respect for that. Round four takes place the week after next.
Onto the Northern League stuff and there was a bonkers game between Manukau Untied and West Coast Rangers. Not sure what the hell happened but Manukau led 1-0 and 2-1 but were 3-2 down at the half. The game ended up as a 4-3 Rangers win with Allan Pearce, the 40yo champ, still delivering the goods with a hat-trick. And... somehow there were five red cards in stoppage time. Three to Manukau and two to WCR. Crucial points for Rangers though as they move 10 clear of the relegation zone.
There was also a typically feisty Hamilton Derby. Hamilton Wanderers and Melville United drew 1-1 after Derek Tieku’s first half goal for HW (his 15th of the season) was matched by Jack McGovern’s equaliser with quarter of an hour to go - the English import scoring on debut for Melville. Erik Panzer was sent off for a deliberate handball stopping a goal near the end and Melville’s keeper Max Tommy saved the penalty. Gotta love a local derby. Also, somehow despite Melville losing their three best U20 players from last season (Oliver Colloty, Ryen Lawrence, and Josh Galletly) they’re still not only leading the way with youth players but also doing so outside the main three cities and pushing for another top four finish in the process.
Elsewhere Auckland United sprung a 2-0 defeat on Manurewa with Xavier Green and Matt Conroy in the goals – great to see Conroy back after a long injury break having been hurt very early in the last National League season. This was a statement win for AUFC who therefore push ahead of Rewa into third place. Western Springs took advantage of Rewa dropping points as they won 3-1 against Bay Olympic. But Birkenhead couldn’t do the same after a pair of Ryan De Vries goals sent them to defeat against Auckland City.
Over in the Central League, Wellington Olympic needed a last gasp Ben Mata penalty to salvage a 2-2 draw against Waterside Karori. Mata had scored an own goal in the first half but he levelled up on 70’ only for WK to retake the lead before his third goal of the day split the points in the 90th min. Can’t call it a hat-trick. Olympic remain one point clear of the Wellington Phoenix Reserves who won twice this week. 3-1 vs Miramar Rangers in a midweek catchup with Josh Tollervey scoring twice. Then 4-1 over Whanganui Athletic. Ben Wallace got two in that match, Kaelin Nguyen scored in both matches, while it was good to see NZ U17s striker Luke Supyk on the board in the latter as well.
Western Suburbs are hanging close only three points behind the WeeNix after a 4-0 win away to Stop Out. Ihaia Delaney got two goals with Ryan Feutz and Josh Rogerson scoring late to pad the margin. Napier City Rovers couldn’t hold an early 2-0 lead as they drew 2-2 against Petone thanks to an 84th min penalty. But a good bounce back win for Miramar Rangers winning 5-2 away to North Wellington. Nathan Simes with a hatty, the 20 year old. NCR, Petone, and Miramar are separated by only two points in the hunt for the last National League spot.
Then in the Southern League we had the utter madness of Cashmere Technical being 4-1 down at home to Nelson Suburbs at half-time... only to surge back and win 5-4. Garbhan Coughlan scored four times to keep him top of the golden boot ranks with 18 ahead of Sam Philip of Christchurch Utd on 15 goals, while third place is Ben Stanley (Dunedin City Royals) all the way back on 8 goals. Philip scored both goals for Christchurch United in a 2-0 win over Coastal Spirit the night before. There were away wins for Green Island (3-0 vs FC Twenty11) and Nomads (2-0 vs Ferrymead Bays), however Dunedin City Royals were held 1-1 by Selwyn to fall six points adrift of the top two. Looking like the familiar pairing of Christchurch Utd and Cashmere Tech will be repping the South Island in the 2023 National League.
Couple notable results in the Women’s NRFL Premier Division while we’re at it. Eastern Suburbs had to do the hard yakka in getting past Ellerslie but they did so for a 3-2 win that keeps them top – albeit in range of the next two teams with games in hand. Those are Western Springs whose game away to Hamilton Wanderers was postponed and Auckland United who got a crucial three points thanks to an 86th minute Penny Brill goal. That in a 2-1 win away to West Coast Rangers. Hibiscus Coast also beat Northern Rovers 1-0, Rovers are still yet to earn a point after ten games. As it stands, West Coast Rangers (16pts), Ellerslie (15pts), and Hamilton Wanderers (13pts with a game in hand) are scrapping it out for the fourth and final National League spot.