Props & Locks
Olympic exploits, Warriors young forwards, Auckland FC debuts, NRLWahine round two, Indiah-Paige Riley to the WSL & more
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Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Grateful For A Win vs Tigers (Rugby League)
Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Summoning Mt Smart Mana vs Eels (Rugby League)
NRLWahine Spotlight: Annessa Biddle - The Scorpion From Otara (Rugby League)
Kiwi-NRL Spotlight: Second Year Surge With Will Warbrick (Rugby League)
Why Aren't The New Zealand Breakers Signing New Zealand Players? (Basketball)
Flying Kiwis – July 30 (Football)
OlyWhites & Football Ferns at the 2024 Paris Olympics: Double Defeat vs France (Football)
Exploring The Blackcaps Test Mixer For The Great Asia Adventure Of 2024 (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
News came through as we were recording our Subscriber Pod yesterday that Dylan Walker may be departing NZ Warriors. That comes after Jazz Tevaga's departure got official announcement treatment and while NZW lose two middle forwards, the likely departures of both opens up much-needed space in the forward pack for others to fill.
James Fisher-Harris will replace Addin Fonua-Blake next season and NZW may hit the market to buy a solid NRL forward who can immediately churn out 40+ minutes. NZW are undercover with their recruitment business so they may have some lads lined up, although it seems unlikely they will sign a young forward when they have so many local juniors hunting an opportunity. There is a hole for a solid NRL forward but not much space for a youngster.
No need for any edge forwards. Those roles are covered by Kurt Capewell, Marata Niukore and Jacob Laban. Jackson Ford, Leka Halasima and Demitric Sifakula can all plug a hole at edge forward.
NZW can have a starting middle forward trio of Fisher-Harris, Mitchell Barnett and Tohu Harris. The fact that Harris is all over the marketing for next year's trip to Las Vegas should comfort any concerns about his future. Don't buzz about 'props' and 'locks' here as the combo of these three covers the physicality and skill required. Harris is a lovely passer, Barnett's building that skillset and coach Andrew Webster helped developed Fisher-Harris' passing at Panthers (Fisher-Harris has a background in rugby union and he is a underrated passer).
Ford is a decent bench option as he can play big minutes if needed as well as covering edge/middle. NZW usually carry a bench hooker, so in this forecast of a 2025 NZW team, there are two more spots available on the bench. Take ya pick from Halasima, Sifakula, Bunty Afoa, Tom Ale, Zyon Maiu'u as lads who can play 10-20 minutes off the bench. Alternatively, Laban can offer edge forward cover on the bench which leaves only one spot available for the lads just listed.
All of the youngsters are capable of playing 15mins off the bench right now. Halasima and Laban have already had patches of big minutes, while others like Sifakula and Maiu'u can easily take advantage of games where they need to step up for 25mins for example. This is ample depth and I haven't even mentioned Kalani Going, Tanner Stowers-Smith or Eddie Ieremia.
Stowers-Smith and Ieremia could debut next season, so there's two more youngsters who can play 10-15mins off the bench. Going is the funkiest lad in this mix as he is older than the rest and it seems like coach Webster has been preparing him for this role, ever since he left rugby union to join NZW ahead of last season.
Every middle forward at NZW needs to get better at passing. I reckon this is why Afoa isn't getting much game time but that's just a theory. Going entered NZW, and like Leo Thompson (Knights), his experience in the midfield while playing rugby union means he can pass in both directions with reasonable accuracy. Given that Going was one of the first NSW Cup recruits for NZW under the two Andys (Webster and McFadden), I'm leaning towards them having a clear development plan in place for Going.
Going had to adjust to middle forward stuff and that's evident in how his running oomph is good enough, plus he loves to tackle. The best nugget here is how Going was the focal point of a good NSW Cup team last year but zoned in on running/tackling for his NRL debut vs Dolphins in round 27. Going has already had a taste of small forward NRL mahi and he has now played 43 NSW Cup games, with big running/tackling efforts over a long period of time.
Perhaps Going got a 'feel good' gig with NSW Cup Warriors where he offers experience and maybe he got a decent job via NZW connections. I lean towards the two Andys probably having a clear development path for Going, as they do for every youngster, leading to NRL footy. Going isn't a plodder. He is tough and skillful with experience in both codes. That led to NZW recruiting him so we will wait to see if he is brewed to take over from Walker as a small forward.
Kalani Going development arc…
NSW Cup Winning rates: 75% (2018), 58% (2023), 58% (2024)
2023 NSW Cup: 3.4 tb, 44.2pcm, 115m, 91.9% tackling (per game)
2024 NSW Cup: 1.7 tb, 49pcm, 137m, 93.3% tackling
NRL debut (round 27 in 2023):
35mins, 6 runs - 67m @ 11.1m/run, 18 tackles @ 81.8% - no passes
Last week in NSW Cup vs Magpies:
80mins, 21 runs - 195m @ 9.2m/run, 13 passes, 40 tackles @ 88.8%
Black Ferns Sevens won another Olympics gold medal and while there were headlines about Portia Woodman-Wickliffe possibly shifting to NRLW, Tenika Willison picked up a gig with Knights for this season. Willison joins Tyla King and Stacey Waaka as wahine who won gold in Paris and could play NRLW within a matter of weeks.
Willison also joins Xavier Willison (Broncos), Te Maire Martin and Taine Tuaupiki (NZW) in representing the wider Taharoa region in NRL/NRLW.
Regardless of what Woodman-Wickliffe does (related to Tea-Rani Woodman-Tuhoroa who is in the Knights system), the dam has already broken in rugby union wahine moving to league. As always, this is happening before NZW re-enter NRLW and it seems like it's only going to increase...
Tyla King (BF7)
Stacey Waaka (BF7)
Tenika Willison (BF7)
Gayle Broughton (BF7)
Niall Williams-Guthrie (BF7)
Cheyelle Robins-Reti (BF)
Rosie Kelly (BF)
Tafito Lafaele (BF)
Pia Tapsell (BF)
Grace Kukutai (SRA)
Isabella Waterman (SRA)
NRLWahine named for round two...
Raiders: Apii Nicholls, Madison Bartlett, Cheyelle Robins-Reti, Mackenzie Wiki, Ash Quinlan, Kerehitina Matua
Knights: Shanice Parker, Abigail Roache, Laishon Albert-Jones, Nita Maynard, Isabella Waterman
Titans: Niall Williams-Guthrie, Georgia Hale, Hailee-Jay Ormond-Maunsell (Ngatokotoru Arakua, Matekino Grey)
Tigers: Leianne Tufuga, Najvada George
Eels: Rosie Kelly
Sharks: Annessa Biddle, Brooke Anderson (Pia Tapsell)
Roosters: Otesa Pule, Mya Hill-Moana (Tiana Davison)
Broncos: Mele Hufanga, Brianna Clark, Jasmine Fogavini
Cowboys: (Harata Butler)
Dragons: Raecene McGregor, Angelina Teakaraanga-Katoa, Alexis Tauaneai (Maatuleio Fotu-Moala)
Number of contracted cricketers by region (16 domestic contracts + Blackcaps)
Auckland: 18
ND: 18
CD: 18
Wellington: 21
Canterbury: 23
Otago: 18
Now including non-contracted players who are still in the mix…
Auckland: 19 (Lockie Ferguson)
ND: 23 (Kane Williamson, Trent Boult, Tim Seifert, Scott Kuggeleijn, Joe Walker)
CD: 18
Wellington: 22 (Adam Milne)
Canterbury: 23
Otago: 18
ND were the only team who also stated that Tim Pringle and Zak Gibson didn't get contracts due to injuries. Both were regulars for ND in recent years so they would probably have contracts otherwise, giving ND at least 25 cricketers in their wider mix. For some regions, the 16th domestic cricket contract went to the 18th 'best' player and all are top-20 lads from the area. Wellington and Canterbury went top-22, while ND stretched out to their 25th-best lad for a contract.
Congratulations Birmingham Phoenix women for breaking their 12-game losing streak under coach Ben Sawyer. Phoenix are now 1-2 with another game Saturday night. Sophie Devine (67 runs @ 22avg/105sr) and Suzie Bates (12 runs @ 6avg/52sr) aren't up to much though.
Hold up - Devine hasn't taken a wicket on the tour of England and now The Hundred...
ODIs in England: 11.4ov @ 6rp
T20Is in England: 10.2ov @ 9.3rpo
The Hundred: 9ov @ 9.4rpo
The case for this being a low point for New Zealand Hockey...
2022 Commonwealth Games was the first time NZ did not win a medal since hockey's 1998 debut. That's a concerning low point to start with.
Women missed Paris Olympics - first time since missing the 1996 Olympics. This is after withdrawing from FIH Pro League ... to focus on Olympic qualification.
Men relegated from FIH Pro League.
Men are 0-4 in Paris Olympics with -9 goal difference ahead of last game vs Ireland.
A loss to Ireland would be horrible. A win is more likely, but that wouldn't change anything. No Commonwealth Games medals and women not making Olympics were already new lows, so it would have taken a deep Olympic run for the men to change the trend. This may be/probably is the lowest dip ever for NZ hockey.
Musical jam...
Wildcard’s Notebook
There’s been a bit of Olympic medal angst over the first few days of the Olympics, it seems. People worrying that we might only be in for a small haul coming off the NZ-record 20 medals that we returned with from Tokyo last time. The Olympics are about the vibes as much as the rewards... but I’ll admit I’ve been susceptible to a wee bit of impatience waiting for Aotearoa to climb up the standings.
That moment happened proudly on Thursday night as three rowing crews all medalled within the space of an hour, including gold for the women's double sculls pair of Brooke Francis and Lucy Spoors. Incredible fact about those two: both are mothers. Also, Lucy Spoors’ sister Phoebe Spoors was part of the women’s four who won bronze medals soon afterwards.
The thing is, this is all completely consistent with what happened last time. In 2021 the NZ Team only had one medal after the first four days and that was Hayden Wilde’s bronze in the triathlon. We had zero at the same stage in 2024 but only because they kept postponing the triathlon. Then came gold in the women’s rugby sevens, same as last time, followed a day later by Wilde’s silver in that spectacular men’s triathlon race.
Of the 20 medals that we got in 2021, five of them came from the rowing team. Well, we’re now up to three from that lot with the single scullers still to follow. The women’s lightweight double sculls are into their final as well. There were also three medals from the canoeing, all involving Lisa Carrington. Those events haven’t happened yet.
We did drop a rugby sevens medal due to the blokes being unable to match their silvers from Tokyo, and there’ll be no repeat in tennis or boxing either. But the sailers could make up for that (only one silver last time) and the cyclists are yet to take to the velodrome either. Let alone the athletics team, where Tom Walsh and Hamish Kerr will hopefully lead the way. Would’ve been nice to scoop something up in equestrian or mountain biking. There is still the golf though (where Lydia Ko is yet to tee off and Ryan Fox is -4, tied for sixth, after the first day’s action), as well as Dylan Schmidt trying to get on the podium again in the trampoline. Triathlon has a mixed relay race coming up. There’s usually an unexpected hero or three along the way as well. We’ll do fine. Don’t worry about it.
Auckland FC played their first ever organised game of football on Wednesday night, drawing 2-2 against Auckland United at Keith Hay Park. Apparently 2500 people turned up to watch (in what was far from pleasant weather). Goals were scored by Max Mata and Luis Toomey, the latter being a tidy hit from distance that picked out the bottom corner.
AFC were missing several players for obvious reasons - Jake Brimmer didn’t play, nor did Scott Galloway, Hiroki Sakai hasn’t arrived yet, Liam Gillion and Jesse Randall were still at the Olympics, pretty sure Oliver Middleton is injured since he didn’t feature at the OFC U19s recently. Not to mention any signings who haven’t been announced yet.
They did have four trialists on board though, and unlike most clubs they were kind enough to name them: Nikko Boxall, James Bulkely, Dejuan Naidoo, and Ralph Rutherford. Boxall you should know. He played briefly for the Wellington Phoenix, younger brother of Michael Boxall, and has had an impressive overseas career mostly in Finland. Like a curiously high number of AFC folks, he began the year with Eastern Suburbs. Same deal with Rutherford, a 19yo winger who I’m pretty sure has done some trial stuff in England, though he only got four National League apps off the bench last season so I’ve not seen much of him. Bulkely was an impressive get for that U19s squad, raised in Aussie but a dual-national who wasn’t getting many opportunities in the other system. He’s a tall centre-back with an impressive long ball. As for Dejuan Naidoo, he’s only 17yo and recently moved from Auckland United to Eastern Suburbs. He scored the winner for the Lilywhites in their 1-0 win vs Melville a couple weeks ago.
Corica’s starting line-up took a 4-3-3 shape. Michael Woud in goal. Dan Hall and Tommy Smith were the CBs with Callan Elliot on the right and Francis de Vries on the left. Finn McKenlay anchored the midfield with Cam Howieson and Luis Toomey ahead of them. Logan Rogerson and Joey Champess were the wingers outside striker Max Mata. Champness suffered an early injury and was replaced by Rutherford. Naidoo came on at half-time. Adama Coulibaly, Jonty Bidois, Joe Knowles, and Nikko Boxall all featured off the bench in the second half.
Huge news just prior to the last Football Ferns game at Paris 2024, with Indiah-Paige Riley reportedly about to join Crystal Palace in the English Women’s Super League. After weeks spent wondering whether Ria Percival will be signed there on a permanent basis, after a strong six months on loan helping them towards promotion, all of a sudden this creeps up...
The Guardian: “Crystal Palace are poised to sign the New Zealand forward Indiah-Paige Riley as they accelerate efforts to strengthen their squad after promotion to the Women’s Super League. A fee has been agreed with PSV Eindhoven and the 22‑year‑old has agreed personal terms with Palace, who have not made a signing since they won the Championship to secure a place in the top division for the first time.”
Percival will probably still sign with Palace, who have been very slow in building their squad for the top flight. Only a few re-signings from last season – with many of their squad off-contract and rumours swirling that richer WSL clubs would scoop them up instead. Percival is on record as saying she wants to sign permanently with the club after being released by Tottenham. But first will come Indi Riley’s big break – yet another young kiwi footballer joining a top division European club. In the past few weeks alone we’ve had:
Alex Paulsen to AFC Bournemouth (English Premier League)
Marko Stamenic to Nottingham Forest (English Premier League)... then on loan to Olympiakos (Greek Super League)
Ben Old to AS Saint-Étienne (French Ligue 1)
Kate Taylor to Dijon FCO (French Première Ligue)
And perhaps we ought to count Anna Leat re-signing with Aston Villa too (English Super League)
It might not even be a stretch to say that Percival played a part in this transfer, possibly by a direct suggestions though almost certainly by affiliation – if you’re looking for scouting vid ahead of a loan for Percy then the World Cup is surely where you start and IPR just happened to have an excellent tournament. Since then IPR has spent a quality year with PSV Eindhoven scoring seven goals in 19 Eredivisie matches mostly as a left-winger. She’d already made 52 appearances for Fortuna Hjørring in Denmark’s top division prior to that, plus 30 games for Brisbane Roar across two stings. Pretty busy for someone who doesn’t even turn 23 years old until December. By then she’ll probably have a few WSL matches under her belt too.
A Donation to the Musical Jam Fund...