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Blackcaps stats, Wellington Phoenix ALW, Kiwi-NRL signings tracker, NZ Breakers revival, international rugby league, WNL Team of the Week & more
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The Kiwi-NRL Juniors Who Helped Australian Teams Win In 2024 (Rugby League)
2024 Pacific Championships: New Zealand Kiwi Ferns In Final vs Australia & Kiwis Keep Building (Rugby League)
2024 Men’s National League – Week 6 (Football)
2024 Women’s National League – Week 6 (Football)
Flying Kiwis – November 6 (Football)
2023/24 Ford Trophy: Auckland Finish First Stanza Top Of The Table (Cricket)
New Zealand vs India Third Test Debrief (Cricket)
White Ferns ODI Series vs India & Women's Championship Update (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
Best Blackcaps in T20Is since start of 2022 now touring Sri Lanka…
Most Runs
Glenn Phillips: 1,230 runs @ 38.4avg/143sr - 1st
Mark Chapman: 929 runs @ 34.4avg/145sr - 3rd
Mitchell Santner: 317 runs @ 18.6avg/121sr
Michael Bracewell: 167 runs @ 16.7avg/125sr
Most Wickets
Ish Sodhi: 55w @ 24.4avg/7.9rpo - 1st
Mitchell Santner: 49w @ 20.7avg/6.7rpo - 3rd
Lockie Ferguson: 36w @ 19.3avg/7.1rpo - 5th
Michael Bracewell: 24w @ 15.1avg/6.4rpo
Most T20I games for NZ since start of 2020…
Ish Sodhi: 77
Glenn Phillips: 67
Mitchell Santner: 65
Jimmy Neesham: 61
Tim Southee: 60
Daryl Mitchell: 58
Mark Chapman: 52
Best emerging Plunket Shield players last season…
Dale Phillips: 686 runs @ 49avg/68sr - 1st
Gareth Severin: 657 runs @ 46.9avg/50sr - 2nd
Mitch Hay: 562 runs @ 51avg/52sr
Nathan Smith: 33w @ 17.1avg/2.9rpo - 1st
Zak Foulkes: 28w @ 23.9avg/2.9rpo - 4th
Kristian Clarke: 27w @ 24avg/3.5rpo - 6th
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Career mahi for a few Blackcaps…
Rachin Ravindra
FC: 41avg/52.56sr
LA: 35.77avg/100.81sr
T20: 16.85avg/131.64sr
Glenn Phillips
FC: 40.56avg/66.66sr | 35.38avg/3.47rpo
LA: 34.4avg/90.9sr | 40.7avg/5.99rpo
T20: 31.95avg/140.88sr | 34.57avg/8.38rpo
Will Young
FC: 40.05avg/48.46sr
LA: 42.28avg/89.6sr
T20: 24.61avg/130.7sr
Will O'Rourke
FC: 25.07avg/3.13rpo
LA: 20.64avg/4.78rpo
T20: 23.14avg/7.76rpo
Zak Foulkes
FC: 24.74avg/3.15rpo
LA: 20.20avg/4.5rpo
T20: 19.17avg/7.68rpo
Sophie Devine in WBBL…
47 runs @ 15.6avg/95.9sr | 3w @ 17.66avg/5.88rpo
International Rugby League results since 2022 World Cup…
Australia: WWLWW
NZ: WLWLL
England: WWWWWWW
Tonga: LLLLW
Samoa: LLLL
Australia
Win vs Samoa: 38-12
Win vs NZ: 36-18
Loss vs NZ: 0-30
Win vs Tonga: 18-0
Win vs NZ: 22-10
New Zealand
Win vs Samoa: 50-0
Loss vs Australia: 18-36
Win vs Australia: 30-0
Loss vs Australia: 10-22
Loss vs Tonga: 24-25
England
Win vs France: 64-0
Win vs Tonga: 22-18
Win vs Tonga: 14-4
Win vs Tonga: 26-4
Win vs France: 40-8
Win vs Samoa: 34-18
Win vs Samoa: 34-16
Tonga
Loss vs England: 18-22
Loss vs England: 4-14
Loss vs England: 4-26
Loss vs Australia: 0-18
Win vs NZ: 25-24
Samoa
Loss vs Australia: 12-38
Loss vs NZ: 0-50
Loss vs England: 18-34
Loss vs England: 16-34
Bulldogs continue to build their NRLW squad with wahine from Aotearoa by signing Shanice Moncshau (aunty) and Shaquaylah Mahakitau-Monschau (niece). Both were already in the Bulldogs system and have featured in a few different breakdowns of how Bulldogs love Aotearoa. Shaquaylah was the 2023 Secondary Schools Player of the Year for Netball NZ last year and there is a sneaky theme of NRLW snapping up netball talent as well as rugby union players; Mahakitau-Monschau, Sarina Masaga (Howick/Titans) and Summer van Gelder (Mt Albert/Bulldogs system) featured in this National Development Camp thing for Netball NZ.
Of the six NRLWahine that Bulldogs have signed for next season, four were recruited from Aotearoa by Bulldogs before they had an NRLW officially announced. Ash Quinlan and Angelina Tekaraanga-Katoa were already in Australia, Alexis Tauaneai started in the Bulldogs system before playing NRLW for Dragons and the other three played various grades for Bulldogs this year...
Shaniece Monschau: Waitakere College/Mt Albert
Shaquaylah Mahakitau-Monschau: St Peters College Cambridge
Alexis Tauaneai: Wainuiomata
Sarahcen Oliver: Petone
Ash Quinlan: Taupo
Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa: Auckland
Kiwi-NRL Summer Signing Tracker...
Cowboys
Jeremiah Mata'utia (Otara), Henry Teutau (Marist) promoted to NRL training
Dolphins
Development: Aublix Tawha (Turangawaewae), Elijah Rasmussen (WBHS)
Sangstar Figota (Marist) joins from Roosters system
Titans
Tukimihia Simpkins (RBHS) joins from Norths Devils
Sean Mullany (Glenora) on train/trial, moved from Cowboys
Knights
Tyrone Thompson (Napier) joins on development contract
Rabbitohs
Nazareth Taua (Glenora/Marist) on 'supplementary list contract' after playing five Jersey Flegg games last year
Tigers
Eiden Ackland (Mt Albert) joins from local footy in Auckland, don't know official contract status but was announced so probably train/trial
Sharks
Mawene Hiroti (Western Suburbs, New Plymouth) and Chris Vea'ila (Waitemata) re-sign
Felix Fa'atili (Hornby) promoted to NRL training
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
The Wellington Phoenix Women have confirmed the signing of Imane Chebel and she could be in the squad to face Canberra United at home on Sunday. That’s very good news after the Nix had a bit of a shocker defensively in the season opener, looking quite good going forward against Western United and even taking the lead... before conceding four times in the space of half an hour. It was a back-three formation to begin with, seeing Rebecca Lake step up into midfield for the build-up but they were caught out for pace on several occasions and then just kinda looked shook with hesitant defending and sloppy turnovers. Again, there was good stuff the other way... it’s just that they also seemed like they’d concede at any moment. It was very soft.
So Paul Temple moved Maya McCutcheon back into central defence and switched to a back four at half-time. That definitely tidied things up, though it’s always tricky to know how much praise to give to tactical adjustments made after the damage has already been done and the other side has moved into game management mode.
McCutcheon looked great, bringing a commanding presence to midfield, so you can’t imagine her staying in defence. Hence Chebel’s arrival is such a welcome deal. Algerian international, raised in Canada, has played professionally in North America, South America, Asia, Europe, represents an African nation, and is now going to be based in Oceania for the current season. Can’t be too many women who can claim a footballing career like that.
Some things to watch for the Welly Nix vs Canberra Utd fixture...
Back three or back four? The way they started in week one was obviously something they’d been working hard on so you don’t want to throw that away after one bad half. Tighten the defence and there’s genuine promise there. But a repeat of the softness cannot be abided.
Manaia Elliott and Mebae Tanaka were the starting wing-backs. Zoe McMeeken and Lara Wall came on when the formation changed, playing fullback, and I kinda thought they looked better. Tanaka should maybe be in a more attacking role anyway. We’ll see how that goes.
There was no Olivia Fergusson in game one while Grace Jale got ninety but wasn't hugely effective. She held the ball up okay and definitely did some nice stuff without the ball. Jale’s a curious player because she’s never quite kicked on at any of her ALW teams and at 25yo we can’t be talking about potential anymore. Need to see a bit more consistency.
Is it too soon for an Ela Jerez debut? She was excellent for the reserves last week, getting a goal and an assist on her return from the U17 World Cup. Still a month away from her 17th birthday and is quite possibly the best up-and-coming footballer in the country so an ALW debut is only a matter of time. Learn the name.
Bit of a shocker debut from Carolina Vilão in goal. Made some decent saves but also dropped one leading to the fourth goal and could have done better with the first one too. The distribution is clearly better than Rylee Foster though Western pressed the first phase pretty well which made things shaky. Four goals conceded in her first half of Nix footy. Upwards from here.
Steven Adams 2024-25 Game Logs...
vs Charlotte (L) – DNP, Calf Injury
vs Memphis (W) – DNP, Calf Injury
at San Antonio (L) - DNP, Calf Injury
at San Antonio (W) – 14 MIN | 6 PTS (3/3) | 3 REB | 3 PF
at Dallas (W) – 10 MIN | 0 PTS | 1 REB | 3 AST | 2 PF
vs Golden State (L) – DNP, Rested
vs New York (W) – 14 MIN | 4 PTS (1/4 FG) | 5 REB | 3 AST | 1 PF
vs San Antonio (W) – DNP, Rested
So they’ve won all three games that he’s played and are 2-3 when he doesn’t play. Definitely got some rust on display, plus he’s adjusting to a different role coming off the bench. So far so good though. The Rockets are going to be careful with building up his legs and lungs and not overexerting himself early season when the risk of niggly injuries is highest. Right now he’s on a 15 minute limit with no more than mins per quarter. All part of the process of returning to play after so long out injured, nothing’s gone against the plan yet. Patience and more patience.
Somehow over the last two weeks, the Breakers have started playing really well. They’d won a couple of games prior to the needless NBA tour but those had been against teams that were pretty compromised themselves (SEM Phoenix started 0-5 and sacked their coach) and both the Phoenix and Bullets went on to beat the Breakers the next time they played them. But then they went and beat the Sydney Kings in Sydney, beat Adelaide 36ers 109-82 in Auckland, and most incredibly they absolutely smashed Melbourne United 113-79 over in Melbourne where they hadn’t won for about eight years.
Those are the three highest-scoring games of the season for NZB, whose game points totals have gone: 91 (W), 81 (W), 73 (L), 89 (W), 62 (L), 93 (W), 109 (W), 113 (W). The Melbourne win was particularly insane because this team which looked like a bang average offensive team through the early months managed to shoot 66.1% from the field and 11/19 (57.9%) from threes in that game. They could not miss... in stark comparison to a MU side that had respective splits of 37% and 27%. That could prove to be a fluke but it absolutely raises the bar on what we now know the Breaks can do under Petteri Koponen’s coaching and it raises it by a significant margin.
It’s too soon to have a full understanding, we’ll see how things track down the line. But here are five ideas I’ve been pondering lately (and if they can keep winning through this spell of away games then I might find time to write about this in deeper form)...
After giving everyone a chance earlier on with constant subs – ten different players played 10+ mins in the season opener vs Brisbane – Coach Kop seems to have narrowed down his rotation lately to a seven or eight man group... which is also allowing for maximum Parker Jackson-Cartright on the court. Also useful is fellow import Matt Mooney shooting 44% from threes on 52 attempts.
Likewise, it’s worth looking at who is not playing because Mitch McCarron (as a facilitator) and Mojave King (as a scorer) were supposed to be key figures in this team’s offensive system but they’ve both been out injured as the Breakers suddenly became a good scoring team. Max Darling too... but Darling was expected to have a smaller role anyway so can’t put him in the same bag. Darling’s actually got the second-best net rating in the team including an absolutely monstrous 148 Offensive Rating in his 83 mins. Compare that to McCarron who has played 69 mins and the team is scoring 80 points per 100 possessions in that time. McCarron’s a poor shooter and his passing isn’t overcoming that. Mojave King has been more effective but he’s also got a negative net rating.
Karim Lopez might actually be as good as advertised. None of the other Next Stars have managed to compete with Breakers Hyperbole but this guys is 17 years old and already shooting well from multiple levels. He’s throwing in some highlight blocks. He rebounds. He’s got great energy. After limited opportunities through the first few games (injured for some, playing 10-12 mins in others), he’s suddenly gotten 31 mins vs Sydney, 29 mins vs Adelaide, and 30 mins vs Melbourne and scored double digits each time with 10 rebounds on two occasions in what have been the team’s three best performances by far. These are things we simply have to recognise.
In fairness, this being Coach Kop’s first head coaching gig and him coming in with no prior experience in the NBL and inheriting a roster he didn’t have much to do with... it does make sense that there’d be some teething issues to begin with. The only benefit of the NBA tour was that it did at least delay some of their early season games and give them more time to figure these things out.
And because this is ostensibly a New Zealand-based basketball team, gotta hype up the main kiwi on the roster: Sam Mennenga. He’s a multi-level force and big body, twice set career highs in scoring already including 25 points in 18 minutes against Melbourne (shooting 10/12 from the field). This may only be his second year as a pro but Mennenga has already established himself as a leader within the roster, he’s vocal during timeouts and his teammates seem to love him. These are amazing trends.
Funnily enough, Mennenga torched his compatriot Rob Loe in that game. Rob Loe then recalibrated things with a 30-point banger in Melbourne’s win against Brisbane last night, shooting 6/8 from deep. That was also against a kiwi big man with Tyrell Harrison contributing 13p/6a for the Bullets (but was -11 on court largely due to Loe’s floor-stretching talents). And speaking of kiwi bigs who can shoot, Sam Waardenburg is a sneaky 19/43 for 44% from distance so far for Cairns.
WNL Team of the Week #6
GK – Nikki Whyte (Eastern Suburbs) – Little bit tricky to pick a goalie this week, so I’ve gone with someone who didn’t make a heap of saves but the ones she made were crucial, helping lead her team to a victory. Whyte’s been great all season, exuding heaps of confidence, so this is some recognition.
RB – Zoe Barrott (Wellington United) – Rare to sneak a defender in here from a losing team but Barrott was spectacular in the 2-0 defeat against Auckland United. One of those players who never fails to rise to the challenge.
CB – Ella McMillan (Wellington Phoenix) – Scored two early goals, both from corner kicks, and continued to hold high standards in defence the whole way through no matter how comfortable her team seemed on the scoreboard. Huge leadership dropping back into the ressies.
CB – Marissa Porteous (West Coast Rangers) – A goal and an assist and a profound defensive display shutting down her old teammates at Southern United, who haven’t quite been the same without her (or Kendrah Smith) this year.
LB – Daphne Ranta (Waterside Karori) – It started on a slippery slope for Karori but they bounced back from a 2-0 early deficit to win 3-2 against the Cantabs, with young defender Ranta amongst the standouts. Will probably see her move into midfield eventually but this year she’s locking it down as a left-sided central defender.
CM – Yume Harashima (Auckland United) – Typical Yume game full of mind-reading in the midfield, picking off passes and disrupting whatever the opposition thought to try. Notable that Welly Utd’s best moments all came from out wide. Oh yeah and she scored a banger too.
CM – Emma Starr (Waterside Karori) – Another one of those games where she showed why she’s played well beyond this level in the past. The American was all over the midfield, winning tackles, creating chances, whipping passes, scoring from a cross-shot, and setting up the winning goal.
CM – Jess Innes (Eastern Suburbs) – She scored a double against her old team. Both good finishes too, making those timely runs into the penalty area and taking care of business. Always a tidy presence.
FW – Shannon Henson (West Coast Rangers) – Bree Johnson also deserves some praise but it was Shannon Henson who scored the goals as WCR beat Southern 3-1 in Dunedin. Two of them, even. Henson has four for the season, tied second, and leads the league with five assists.
FW – Britney Cunningham-Lee (Eastern Suburbs) – A hat-trick of assists in a 3-1 win against Western Springs, one of their closest rivals. BCL’s guest move to Eastern Suburbs is seeing her rightfully inherit a reputation as one of the country’s most fearsome number nines.
FW – Ela Jerez (Wellington Phoenix) – Quite possibly the best prospect in Aotearoa right now, just astoundingly talented and every few months she seems to have added new skills to her game. The magnificent solo goal she scored against Central capped off a dominant afternoon.
Musical Jam...