Slumpage
The Devon Conway slump, Flying Kiwis football, White Ferns woes, NRL Finals, Breakers/NBL tip-off & more
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Three Themes Of New Zealand Warriors Recruitment & Development Ahead Of The 2025 NRL Season (Rugby League)
2025 New Zealand Women Warriors Signings Tracker: Second Wave (Rugby League)
2025 New Zealand Women Warriors Signings Tracker: First Wave (Rugby League)
Early Signs That Bulldogs Will Enter NRLW With Strong Connections To Aotearoa (Rugby League)
2024 Men’s National League Season Preview (Football)
2024 Women’s National League Season Preview (Football)
White Ferns 2024 T20 World Cup Preview (Cricket)
Early Guide To The 2024/25 Women's Domestic Cricket Summer (Cricket)
New Zealand vs Afghanistan Test Preview (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
There are two alarming concerns for Aotearoa cricket that continue to stretch deep into 2024 with Devon Conway's batting slump and White Ferns woes. Neither is new and we have covered both in depth over the past year for Conway and four years for White Ferns, but both had updates this weekend.
Conway had scores of 17 and 4 in the Test vs Sri Lanka. First dismissal was an lbw and then Conway did what must now be considered 'the Conway' where he dangles his bat outside off-stump. No shame in being lbw in these conditions but there is the quirky technical element of Conway's head being either side of the ball in both dismissals and they seem like low-confidence dismissals.
The lbw was especially pesky as Conway had faced 59 deliveries and had battled through 18 overs in the first innings along with Latham. A major issue with Conway's slump is that the Blackcaps are likely to lose an early wicket and, with a competitive target of 275 on the board, Conway opened the gate by being dismissed in the second over. Unfortunately, it feels like the Blackcaps batting unit is a bit soft and that starts with Conway's struggles up top.
As stated many times, this is not just in Test cricket...
Test Batting
2021: 63.16avg/50sr
2022: 49.92avg/52.42sr
2023: 32.46avg/48.61sr
2024: 11.33avg/37.15sr
T20I Batting
2020: 58avg/151.3sr
2021: 47.55avg/135sr
2022: 47.33avg/122.41sr
2023: 13avg/109.85sr
2024: 22.85avg/118.51sr
Here are more Conway wrinkles in Test batting...
WTC: 10inns, 115 runs @ 11.5avg/35sr
2024 Tests: 6inns, 68 runs @ 11.3avg/37sr
Last 100+ score: 122 in Pakistan, January 2023
Last 50+ score: 78 vs SL in NZ, March 2023
10 innings without a 30+ score
This is extra intriguing because Conway was graced with a casual contract by NZ Cricket and the only other bloke worthy of that honour is Kane Williamson. Contracts do not dictate game time hence they are overstated for fans but they do serve as a gauge of NZC's opinion about players and with this slumping context in mind, I found it rather generous that Conway got the casual contract opportunity.
By the time Conway returns to South Africa for SA20 (the root of his casual contract), there’s a chance he may be out of the Test 1st 11.
Conway's decision to dip out of the ODI/T20I summer (not sure exactly how much Blackcaps cricket he will miss) could mean that early next year he isn't in any Blackcaps teams. That would be bonkers given how awesome Conway had been up until this slump.
Of course, Conway can pile up runs to rectify this. I doubt he’ll be dropped for the second Test as Blackcaps (like NZW) stick with the older lads/proven performers until it's undeniable. Will Young isn't a pure opening batter but he is next in line and his average of 22.7 with five 50+ scores in 12 games, is better than whatever Conway is up to right now.
Blackcaps best bowlers in WTC…
Matt Henry: 23w @ 16.9avg/2.8rpo
Ajaz Patel: 22w @ 22avg/3.3rpo
Will O'Rourke: 19w @ 15.5avg/2.8rpo
Glenn Phillips: 19w @ 21avg/3rpo
Mitchell Santner: 13w @ 24.9avg/2.7rpo
White Ferns lost the second T20I vs Australia and that means they have lost the series, although the 1-2 White Ferns sweep is still on the cards. Nine T20I losses in a row and somehow there have been no dramatic headlines about coach Ben Sawyer. We have consistently documented how White Ferns have got worse under coach Sawyer and we even documented how he kinda sucks as a T20 coach in leagues around the world.
Nine losses with most of them against England and two vs Australia, but keep in mind that White Ferns had a T20I series loss to Pakistan in NZ last summer. Alarm bells have ben ringing for a long time and that loss to Pakistan should have been a moment for contemplation. Instead White Ferns have got worse.
White Ferns are not good at T20 cricket. They barely have a whack, leak runs, are sloppy in the field and look miserable. That was the case for the ODI World Cup in home conditions under coach Bob Carter and it's all been amplified under coach Sawyer.
Sloppy fielding and bad vibes can't be measured. Batting and bowling things can be measured...
No White Ferns batter has a strike-rate over 115 in this series vs Australia. Fran Jonas is the only bowler conceding less than 7rpo aside from Bates who isn't bowling anymore. Jonas has 1w @ 44avg/8.8rpo in 5 overs vs Australia.
Here's how Jess Kerr's bowling has progressed under coach Sawyer...
2022: 16ov, 5w @ 11.8avg/3.6rpo
2023: 23.2ov, 4w @ 44avg/7.54rpo
2024: 30ov, 2w @ 109avg/7.26rpo
White Ferns vs Australia T20I stats
Batting
Suzie Bates: 67 runs @ 33avg/110sr
Maddy Green: 56 runs @ 28avg/110sr
Izzy Gaze: 29 runs @ 29avg/111sr
Georgia Plimmer: 20 runs @ 10avg/74sr
Brooke Halliday: 16 runs @ 8avg/72sr
Leigh Kasperek: 14 runs @ 14avg/87sr
Amelia Kerr: 13 runs @ 6avg/81sr
Jess Kerr: 11 runs @ 110sr
Lea Tahuhu: 5 runs @ 5avg/100sr
Sophie Devine: 4 runs @ 4avg/40sr
Bowling
Amelia Kerr: 4w @ 11.7avg/5.8rpo
Brooke Halliday: 3w @ 6avg/7.2rpo
Lea Tahuhu: 2w @ 21.5avg/7.1rpo
Molly Penfold: 2w @ 24.5avg/8.1rpo
Eden Carson: 1w @ 26avg/6.5rpo
Leigh Kasperek: 1w @ 32avg/8.7rpo
Fran Jonas: 1w @ 44avg/8.8rpo
Jess Kerr: 3ov @ 9rpo
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In the wash up of NZ Warriors signing Sam Healey and then the breakdown of NZW recruitment and development themes:
NZW must be doing something right if Ivan Cleary is keen to send his son Jett to Aotearoa and join NZW. Same for Healey as his father Mitch played 222 NRL games for Sharks.
Sons of NRL players usually wind up in good systems because the parents know what their child needs. I've seen this trend emerge with Melbourne Storm in players like Reimis Smith, Joe Chan, Tyran Wishart, Jonah Pezet who are all sons of NRL players. Now it's something to ponder for NZW and the simple nugget of Ivan Cleary sending his son Jett to NZW is an indicator that good things are happening at Mt Smart.
For anyone wondering...
Wayde Egan has played 20+ games in four consecutive seasons
18+ in six consecutive seasons
4/5 seasons of 20+ games for NZ Warriors
29 games for Panthers then 100 with NZ Warriors
After previewing Naufahu Whyte's starting opportunity for Roosters, he made way for Victor Radley and dropped back to the bench. Bummer, but Whyte was efficient as always in his 20 minutes...
Naufahu Whyte vs Sea Eagles: 3 runs - 33m @ 11m/run, 11 tackles @ 100%
Cronulla Sharks defeated Cowboys to keep chugging along in NRL finals. Sharks are also in NRLW finals, as well as the NSW Cup (Newtown Jets) and Under 21 Jersey Flegg grand finals in New South Wales. They have folks from Aotearoa throughout this finals push with Braden Hamlin-Uele dropping down to play for Newtown this weekend and Richie Tupuailei part of the wider U21s team.
NRL: Ronaldo Mulitalo (Ellerslie), Kayal Iro (Mt Albert), Briton Nikora (BOP)
NRLW: Annessa Biddle (Otara), Brooke Anderson (Aus)
Jets: Chris Vea'ila (Waitemata), Braden Hamlin-Uele (Glenora)
Jersey Flegg: Salesi Ataata (Otahuhu), Felix Fa'atili (Honrby) | Richie Tupuailei (Hornby)
NRLW finals will involve Broncos, Roosters, Knights and Sharks. Broncos have been the most fun team to track in NRLW this season, even after Stacey Waaka's injury and they finish at the top of the ladder through points difference.
Broncos love Aotearoa's NRLWahine…
Stacey Waaka (Ruatoki)
Mele Hufanga (Southern Cross)
Gayle Broughton (Hawera)
Brianna Clark (Aus)
Annetta Nu'uausala (Otara)
Lavinia Gould (Whakatane)
Tafito Lafaele (Otara)
Jasmine Fogavini (Mangere)
Here's an NRLWahine team made up of players in finals that would be a pretty good Kiwi Ferns outfit...
Fullback: Shanice Parker
Wingers: Stacey Waaka, Tenika Willison
Centres: Mele Hufanga, Annessa Biddle
Halves: Gayle Broughton, Abigail Roache
Middles: Brianna Clark, Annetta Nu'uausala, Tiana Davison
Edges: Laishon Albert-Jones, Amber Hall,
Hooker: Brooke Anderson
Bench: Otesa Pule, Mya Hill-Moana, Tafito Lafaele, Lavinia Gould
There are contrasting situations for Aotearoa Kiwis and Kiwi Ferns in the halves department. Kiwis are battling for halves to join Jahrome Hughes assuming he is available after a long finals push, which flows into hooker where Brandon Smith and Jeremy Marshall-King are out of action once again.
2023 Spine: Charnze Nicoll-Klosktad | Jahrome Hughes, Dylan Brown | Kieran Foran, Fa'amanu Brown (bench)
Shaun Johnson is a possibility and the Hughes/Johnson combo would be pretty damn funky. Te Maire Martin would be a solid option but he seems to be out injured.
Phoenix Crossland (born in Wellington) is being thrown up as a hooker possibility and Kodi Nikorima is the ideal bench utility to cover hooker/halves. Daejarn Asi (Samoa), Chanel Harris-Tavita (Samoa) and Kaeo Weekes (Aus) are funky lads who could enter the mix if they opt for Aotearoa.
Kiwi Ferns, on the other hand, have stronger options available…
2023 Spine: Apii Nicholls | Raecene McGregor, Tyla King | Brooke Anderson, Ash Quinlan (bench)
Quinlan and Gayle Broughton have been in the halves this season, giving Kiwi Ferns four halves who have been starting in NRLW. Capri Paekau (signed with NZW) came off the bench as a hooker in the win vs Tonga and is currently playing for Waikato in the NZRL National Premiership.
My ideal spine: Nicholls | McGregor, Broughton | Anderson, King (bench)
Musical jam...
Wildcard’s Notebook
The Flying Kiwis desk is high on Debut Alert at the moment. It’s always this way after a busy transfer window (they’re all busy transfer windows these days) and we’re still seeing some of the ramifications. Three players from the U20 World Cup that happened earlier this month all popped up as unused subs this week: Olivia Page (Sheffield United), Suya Haering (Turbine Potsdam), and Kiara Bercelli (Sampdoria). Page has played League Cup for the Blades while the other two have so far only been youth teamers for these clubs. They’re on alert.
Sarpreet Singh remains on alert after he sat out UD Leiria’s League Cup fixture presumably with whatever injury precaution it was that led him to miss the All Whites games. Finn Surman (Portland Timbers) is also on alert having now reached five MLS matchday squad appearances without yet getting onto the pitch, something that Milly Clegg (Racing Louisville) can sympathise with since she’s up to seven unused NWSL sub dates. Clegg was also in that U20 WC squad, come to think of it. Only a matter of time for all of those cases.
But we can cross several other names off the list:
Grace Wisnewski (Lexington SC) – Missed the first three games of the USL Super League as she went through the final stages of her ACL recovery but popped up off the bench in the fourth fixture, looking as combative and energetic as ever.
Kate Taylor (Dijon FCO) – Became only the second NZer to play in the French women’s top division with a start in week one for Dijon, who drew 1-1 with Strasbourg. Taylor played the full game at centre-back though got plenty of touches with her team very keen to build up from the back, something that her midfield experience over the past 12 months will help her with massively.
Elijah Just (SKN St Pölten) – Subbed on for a debut in the Austrian second tier with his team still level at 0-0 after 64 mins. Before he’d even touched the ball, the opposition had their keeper sent off and SKN scored twice on the way to a 2-0 win. Just played as a roaming right winger, swapping to the left side near the end.
Indi Riley (Crystal Palace) – It was a rough beginning to WSL life for Crystal Palace, losing 4-0 to Tottenham, but IPR did play 74 minutes on the right side of midfield, starting on debut, making her the 16th kiwi woman to have played in England’s WSL.
We almost got to add Mickey Foster to the list as well but, despite making the bench, it was a little too soon for her to go straight in for Durham in the English second tier... who had the opposite effect to Eli Just’s team. They were 1-0 against Charlton and looking good until they subbed off Hannah Blake with quarter of an hour left and then lost 2-1.
NZers in the English Women’s Super League
Ria Percival – 74 games (West Ham & Spurs)
CJ Bott – 42 (Leicester City)
Olivia Chance – 26 (Everton & Bristol City)
Rosie White – 22 (Liverpool)
Anna Leat – 18 (West Ham & Aston Villa)
Hayley Bowden – 15 (Chelsea & Lincoln)
Betsy Hassett - 13 (Manchester City)
Anna Green – 12 (Notts County & Reading)
Rebekah Stott - 12 (Brighton)
Katie Duncan – 10 (Notts County)
Ali Riley - 9 (Chelsea)
Katie Rood – 8 (Lincoln & Bristol City)
Sarah Gregorius – 6 (Liverpool)
Emma Kete – 5 (Lincoln & Man City)
Aroon Clansey – 1 (Liverpool)
Indiah-Paige Riley – 1 (Crystal Palace)
What do Bart Verbruggen, Danny Ward, Jose Sa, Lukasz Fabianski, Fraser Forster, and Rui Patricio all have in common? They are the six Premier League goalkeepers who have faced penalties from Chris Wood. The Woodsman scored all six of them. Same as how he’s scored the past 28 penalties he’s taken in all competitions for club and country, including shootouts (it’s 21 in a row if you don’t count the shootouts).
Further to the Devon Conway slumpage idea, I’m just gonna present this without further comment...
Devon Conway’s 20 most recent Test innings:
18no, 122, 0, 77, 2, 0, 61, 30, 5, 78, 12, 22, 11, 2, 1, 29, 0, 17, 17, 4
20 inn | 508 runs | 26.74 avg | 1 100 | 2 50s
Henry Nicholls’ 20 most recent Test innings:
39, 7, 30, 3, 19, 7, 22, 26, 5, 4, 7, 30, 29, 2, 20, 200no, 19, 2, 1, 3
20 inn | 475 runs | 25.00 avg | 1 100 | 0 50s
Would ya believe it, the Breakers won at Hoopsfest. They beat the Brisbane Bullets 91-87 in a fascinating game, where Sam Mennenga got the better of the kiwi centre duel with Tyrell Harrison – who had been the NBL Blitz MVP during preseason. Mennenga knocked down a three right off the bat as the Breakers shot 7/9 from deep to begin this game, stretching Harrison away from the rim. That not only limited his paint presence but it put pressure on him in other ways, hence Harrison ended with five turnovers and zero assists. There was nowhere near enough movement around him either – all the Bullets folks have admitted they just weren’t at the races.
Meanwhile, Parker Jackson-Cartright was brilliant for NZB with 20 points and 11 assists. Mennenga tied his career high with 22 points. Also, Max Darling was given a surprise start. He played 16 minutes without a shot attempt or a rebound. One assist and two personal fouls were his only contributions to the box score... but he played his part in a funky performance so credit to Coach Kop for taking that risk. Darling only played one minute last year as a development player (though he did get 67 mins for the Illawarra Hawks as a DP back in the 2020-21 season).
Of course, Breakers being Breakers, what was a 26-point lead during the third quarter ended up only being a four-point win. When the Bullets started playing with urgency, they seriously ate into that deficit (scoring 35 points in the fourth). If the game had lasted two more minutes then the Breaks probably would have lost.
So on the one hand, we had a really encouraging team performance, including from the rookie head coach, straight after a preseason in which they’d lost every outing. Also got significant roles for the only two NZers on the main roster – and that could lead to some updated consideration about what Mennenga’s role will be when Freddie Gillespie returns from suspension (they very well may not have won this with Gillespie’s profile at the five instead of Mennenga’s).
On the other hand, they clearly caught their opponents off guard with some unsustainable early shooting and almost coughed it up at the end. Neither of those things are sustainable… for different reasons. For example, after starting 7/9 from 3pters, they ended up 9/21 for the game. They blew a couple of 4Q leads during the Blitz too. These are not safe trends.
Best not to overreact to anything after one game. The Breakers could still easily end up down near the bottom of the ladder as many predicted (myself included, to be honest). But there were encouragements to find here. Sam Mennenga most of all. As for Tyrell Harrison, he still had 9 points and 5 rebounds in a game where he was left to struggle so when the Bullets deliver an actual focussed team performance he’ll be back on track for the huge season that seems destined for him. Also cool to see Tohi Smith-Milner given the start here – supplying 10 points (2/5 3pt) in 19 minutes.
Musical Jam...