The Waystation
Auckland FC Premiers, Warriors vs Knights, Kiwi County Tour, Steven Adams in NBA Playoffs, and more
Scotty’s Word
New Zealand Warriors didn't only have an NRL win over Newcastle Knights in Christchurch - - the NSW Cup team also defeated Knights and the Jersey Flegg Cup team had a draw. Oh and the Under 17 Harold Matthews Cup team defeated Rabbitohs to make their second consecutive grand final in the first two seasons of existence.
I don’t have any insights for the U17 stuff aside from but they are defending HMC champions and have cruised through this season's finals campaign. First they had a 20-4 win vs Roosters then a 28-8 win vs Rabbitohs with all finals footy being played in Sydney. The win vs Rabbitohs was at their home ground in Redfern.
2025 New Zealand Women Warriors Signings Tracker: Patricia Maliepo Joins The Wave
Kiwi-NRL Spotlight: Xavier Willison Continues To Flourish As A Bronco
New Zealand Warriors Winning Notebook After Another Win In Christchurch vs Knights
After losing vs Raiders in the first round, NZW won three NRL games in a row (Sea Eagles, Roosters, Tigers). Those three wins were all about NZW grinding through tough footy and winning late. Then there was the loss vs Storm but NZW bounced back with wins over Broncos and Knights. NZW were the better team in both wins yet niggly mishaps presented opportunities for the types of losses that used to be common. Spark one up for Warriors trauma.
While the absences of Roger Tuivasa-Sheck and Dallin Watene-Zelezniak seem notable, they don't leave a glaring hole that makes one wonder 'damn, they need those dudes playing'. Missing James Fisher-Harris does have a significant impact on NZW and I reckon this is evident in how NZW lose control of the middle, as well as lapses of concentration.
NZW have won two games without Fisher-Harris though and like last season when they played better footy without senior players, this thread is now stretching across a bigger sample size with examples throughout the two Andys era. Add in three seasons of winning footy in NSW Cup and two U17 grand finals for a vista as lovely as a mellow seaside bay in Aotearoa.
The wins over Broncos and Knights were more about finding ways to win, less about playing their best footy with clear styles on display. In a long NRL season these types of wins are crucial and they set up the next phase of three games in Australia. Next weekend is Magic Round vs Cowboys, then they play at Dragons followed by a return to Brisbane to play against Dolphins.
NZW have one win and one loss in Australia this year, the other loss was in Las Vegas. The NRL finals potential of any NZW team depends on their mahi in Australia and we will learn far more about what NZW are capable of in these next three games. The other winning teams in the NZW pipeline both have strong records in Australia this season with the NSW Cup team going 2-0 and the HMC team going 4-0 during the regular season, 6-0 including finals.
I still believe Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad and Wayde Egan are the barometers for NZW. Here's how they lined up against Kalyn Ponga and Jayden Brailey...
Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad: 28 runs - 266m @ 9.5m/run, 6 tackle breaks, 6 tackles @ 100%
Kalyn Ponga: 16 runs - 126m @ 7.8m/run, 2 tackle breaks, 4 tackles @ 57%, 4 kicks - 144m
Wayde Egan: 80mins, 10 runs - 116m @ 11.6m/run, 1 linebreak, 2 tackle breaks, 1 offload, 43 tackles @ 91.4%
Jayden Brailey: 70mins, 4 runs - 42m @ 10.5m/run, 52 tackles @ 94.5%
Jackson 'Go' Ford has had a crazy season already. He’s shaken off the stinky first game to become one of my favourite players. Here's how Go-Ford matched up against the two Knights starting props...
Jackson Ford: 45mins, 2 tries, 16 runs - 147m @ 9.1m/run, 3 tackle breaks, 26 tackles @ 96.3%
Tyson Frizell: 39mins, 8 runs - 74m @ 9.2m/run, 1 tackle break, 2 offloads, 25 tackles @ 86%
Leo Thompson: 43mins, 14 runs - 125m @ 8.9m/run, 1 offload, 36 tackles @ 100%
NZ Kiwis Anzac Test Team
Fullback: Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad
Wingers: Jamayne Isaako, Ronaldo Mulitalo
Centres: Matthew Timoko, Sebastian Kris
Halves: Jahrome Hughes, Dylan Brown
Hooker: Phoenix Crossland
Middles: Joseph Tapine, Leo Thompson, Naufahu Whyte
Edges: Briton Nikora, Marata Niukore
Bench: Kodi Nikorima, Griffin Neame, Erin Clark, Xavier Willison
Squad: Taine Tuaupiki, Jesse Arthars, Ali Leiataua (Samoa), Casey McLean, Isaiah Papali’i, Scott Sorenson
Selected from players who lined up in this round. Notable injured players and eligible players who will probably represent other nations...
Absent: Keano Kini, Will Warbrick, Kayal Iro (Cook Islands), Kieran Foran, Jeremy Marshall-King, Brandon Smith, James Fisher-Harris, Jordan Riki
Kiwi-NRL juniors: Deine Mariner (Samoa), Chanel Harris-Tavita (Samoa), Leka Halasima (Tonga), Siua Wong (Tonga), Salesi Foketi (Tonga), Sitili Tupouniua (Tonga)
The NZ-A cricket squad was announced this morning to tour Bangladesh for three 50-over games and two four-dayers. These A tours are awesome and they usually venture to conditions that are vastly different to New Zealand.
Here's the squad listed in a few buckets...
Older Blackcaps: Ben Lister, Dean Foxcroft, Josh Clarkson, Nick Kelly
Younger Blackcaps: Adithya Ashok, Mitch Hay, Zak Foulkes, Muhammad Abbas, Rhys Mariu
Older emerging: Joe Carter, Jayden Lennox, Dale Phillips
Younger emerging: Matt Boyle, Kristian Clarke, Curtis Heaphy
Henry Nicholls has joined the Kiwi County Tour with Worcestershire, playing alongside Jacob Duffy. Unfortunately they had a hefty loss vs Durham but Nicholls was the only Worcs batter to score 30+ runs in the first innings (42) and their only batter to score 20+ runs in the second innings (25).
Despite dipping out of top-tier Blackcaps stuff and not looking as slick as he can in his late summer appearances for Blackcaps, Nicholls has had a decent summer. He scored 52 runs in the Ford Trophy final win for Canterbury and had five 50+ scores in six Plunket Shield innings featuring two hundys.
Henry Nicholls scores in last 10 games: 46*, 103*, 52, 52, 70, 1, 171*, 67, 11, 22, 31, 42, 25
Jacob Duffy wickets in last 10 games: 2, 1, 4, 2, 2, 3, 2, 3, 0, 4, 1, 2, 1
Logan van Beek last 10 games…
Runs: 19, 1, 0, 2*, 10, 6, 22, 46*, 14, 5*, 82*, 25, 29, 5, 11
Wickets: 4, 0, 2, 1, 4, 2, 5, 2, 4, 3, 3, 4, 1, 1, 1, 1, 2
Kiwi County Tour Stats
Suzie Bates: 102 runs @ 102avg/82sr | 1w @ 15avg/7.5rpo
Brett Hampton: 40 runs @ 13.3avg/69sr | 5w @ 46.4avg/4.2rpo
Henry Nicholls: 67 runs @ 33.5avg/43sr
Jacob Duffy: 7 runs @ 1.7avg/20sr | 11w @ 32.6avg/4.2rpo
Ben Sears: 1 run @ 1avg/14sr | 1w @ 74avg/4.6rpo
Logan van Beek: 152 runs @ 38avg/64sr | 10w @ 35.5avg/3.5rpo
Blair Tickner: 65 runs @ 32.5avg/49sr | 9w @ 33.5avg/3.9rpo (one day left)
The late addition of Nicholls got me thinking about women who I'd love to see pop up in the women's one-day cup to join Suzie Bates who is the only kiwi at the moment.
New Zealand's 10 Best Young Women's Cricketers After The Summer Of 2024/25
There were four standouts: Eden Carson, Jess Kerr, Bella James, Bree Illing
I'd also be chuffed if Emma McLeod, Flora Devonshire and Anna Browning got opportunities.
Musical jam...
Wildcard’s Notebook
Auckland FC have lifted the A-League’s Premiers’ Plate, presented with the trophy after their hugely dominant 1-0 win over Perth Glory (it was 1-0 but it could have easily been five). They’d already won it the night before thanks to Melbourne City dropping points. Silverware at the first time of asking, incredible stuff. They’ve built a premiership-worthy team from the outset and now we’ve just gotta wait and see if they can translate that into championship glory through the playoffs too. Needless to say, this email segment is going to be largely dedicated to Auckland Football Club (sounds pretty dumb when you spell it out like that, aye?).
How did they forge such a successful team right off the bat like that? I have some ideas…
A-League Experience – Every division around the world has its quirks and oddities and the A-League has more than most. So doing the smart, if conservative, thing of hiring a manager who has been there and done that before was clever business. But it’s not only Steve Corica. Their Director of Football Terry McFlynn has a similar background. As do players like Jake Brimmer, Dan Hall, and Scott Galloway.
Top Recruitment, Especially Imports – Look at the Phoenix to see how bad recruitment can spoil so much, even if it’s just bad luck (like Marco Rojas being constantly injured). Auckland FC nailed their transfer work. They signed five quality imports, taking their time to ensure they got the best dudes possible. They also let those guys settle into the team naturally without excess pressure (Neyder Moreno most obviously benefited from that patience). They signed a strong core of kiwi players who were motivated and also experienced. A few reliable Aussies. A good crop of youngsters for the scholarship roles. They built a deep squad where a capped international like Michael Woud finds himself stuck on the bench and old mate Scott Galloway’s barely even featured (there was talk of an injury but regardless nobody’s even noticed).
Constant Evolution – The team that won six on the trot to begin the season is not the team we saw against Perth last night. That team was all defence, very solid and patient. As things have gone along, they’ve regularly adapted the starting line-up and continued to evolve. Max Mata’s promotion to the starting line-up did wonders for the attack. Guys like Liam Gillion, Neyder Moreno, and Marlee Francois have had turns in the elevens. Same deal with midfielders Louis Verstraete, Felipe Gallegos, Cam Howieson, and Jake Brimmer. They even used a back three away against Melbourne Victory last week (they often finish in that shape but they’d never previously started with it). AFC have stayed ahead of the field through week-on-week tactical growth.
Proactive Defence – This is another one where Nix fans will look on in jealousy and anger because Auckland FC may have a very rugged and impenetrable backline but they don’t sit back and soak up unnecessary pressure. Auckland FC have kept the most clean sheets (12 in 25 games) and conceded the fewest goals (the only team averaging less than one per game). They also win the most tackles and the most interceptions per game – double the possession! – as well as making the most defensive clearances. That shows a team that defends on the front foot, bringing it to their opponents. They love the battles. They’re physical and aggressive. Further to that, they rank third for possession won in the final third… and they concede the most fouls. That’s how it’s done.
Auckland FC have used 22 different players across the season (19 of them have started games). That doesn’t include Michael Woud who has sat on the bench for every single match. Nor Codey Phoenix who also made one matchday squad but didn’t debut (he’s the captain of the reserves). The AFC Reserves have had a tough integration into Northern League footy, to be expected, winning only once from seven games so far. But they’ve been competitive in all of them without yet using a single player aged 21 or older. They’ve used 23 different players, including all of the first team scholars within that age range. Balance that out with the players who’ve played for both and it gives us a chunky group of 45 players overall. This is your snapshot of Auckland FC depth at this precise moment in time...
Goalkeepers: Alex Paulsen, Michael Woud, Joe Knowles, Blake Callinan, Eli Jones
Central Defenders: Nando Pijnaker, Dan Hall, Tommy Smith, Adama Coulibaly, Semi Nabenu, Ryan McKay
Wide Defenders: Hiroki Sakai, Francis De Vries, Callan Elliot, Scott Galloway, Codey Phoenix, Carlos Ranui, Everton O’Leary, Matthew D’Hotman
Midfielders: Felipe Gallegos, Louis Verstraete, Jake Brimmer, Cam Howieson, Finn McKenlay, Oliver Middleton, James Mitchell, Nick Gaze
Wingers: Logan Rogerson, Neyder Moreno, Marlee Francois, Liam Gillion, Luis Toomey, Ralph Rutherford, Dejaun Naidoo, Shivan Nair, Jake Woolford
Strikers: Guillermo May, Max Mata, Jesse Randall, Jonty Bidois, James Taylor, Ryan Revill, Conor Sykes, Luka Vicelich
There seems to be an impasse with Auckland FC’s women’s team that’s being caused by the league getting stuck on the details. That’s slowed down the naming of a head coach and player signings – they’d already begun that for the men’s team this time a year ago – but I find it hard to believe that they won’t get that done. Surely the ALW wants an Auckland FC presence after how successful (especially in terms of crowd sizes) they’ve been on the men’s side. And AFC themselves have remained fully committed to the idea even after delaying the women’s team by a year once already (so that they could put complete focus on getting the men up and running – unfortunate but understandable).
With that in mind, I’ve been wondering about potential signings. I could name dozens of domestic players worthy of the opportunity and, who knows, there could even be a Phoenix player or two that jump ship. Certainly wouldn’t blame them.
But it’s the prospect of overseas pros coming back that’s most conflicting to me. It’s a pet peeve of mine how folks will look at an All White or Football Fern excelling overseas and wish to bring them back to the A-League. The A-League is a stepping stone and there’s always more worthy talent on the rise to have to lessen the level that our best players are working at. But of course sometimes there are situations where the A-League would be a step up, or at least a more stable home, or when a player and the stars align for those transfers.
Here’s a shortlist of five Football Ferns internationals that I genuinely think Auckland FC could convince to play for them, who would be really good in the A-League, and whose careers would currently suit such a move...
Jacqui Hand is the main one I’d throw up. She scored overnight for Sheffield United, which was great, but that’s only her third goal in a season and a half in the English second tier and both clubs she’s played for (Lewes and Sheffield United) have been relegated. Sheff Utd’s relegation was confirmed overnight. Her coach has spoken highly of her workrate and application and she’s continually been selected so no issues there. However, the production’s taken a dip and the Auckland native might feel it’s time for something different. For that matter, Olivia Page has spent the last two years with Sheffield United herself, a 20yo NZ youth international, so she might also be left in the wilderness by this relegation. Page used to play for Eastern Suburbs. Wouldn’t be a bad shout, although she’s not in the full international crew I’m talking about here.
Anna Leat already feels like a locked and loaded Auckland FC player. This is one where, if she were still with Aston Villa, I’d say absolutely not. She’s far too good for the A-League. But she left Villa in January for personal reasons and after three and a half years of hard work as a WSL backup goalkeeper, never getting the opportunity to be the number one, it seems she was probably a bit burnt out. Can’t blame her. Many others have used the ALW as a career reset. A statement signing like this would be equivalent to the Alex Paulsen move the men made. In the meantime, she’s having fun playing as a striker for Hibiscus Coast.
Maggie Jenkins has been so good for ALG Spor in Turkey. Straight out of college in the USA and instantly scoring and assisting goals as a winger. Usually starts, though has still been impactful when coming off the bench. However, ALG Spor have tailed off badly in the last few months after selling their best striker and that Turkish league feels a little too volatile to want to stay there long-term. Nor is it definitively better than the Aussie stuff. Only drama here is that Jenks is from Wellington so gotta be careful with the loyalties.
Grace Wisnewski is an ex-Wellington Phoenix player who was a fringe international primed for a huge club breakthrough when she busted her ACL early in the season before this. She’s since recovered and moved to the USL Super League (second tier in USA) which sounded like an amazing opportunity except those buggers have barely used her. 301 minutes all season. Only three starts. Two of those starts have come in the most recent pair of matches so she might finally be getting there but after two years with minimal footy the prospect of guaranteed minutes in the ALW would be enticing.
Abby Erceg is like Leat in that a few months ago this would have been a ridiculous proposition. Erceg was played every minute for Racing Louisville in 2024. Way too good for an A-League return (Erceg played for Adelaide Utd for two seasons between 2011-2023). But then she left the NWSL and played half a season in Mexico and that could be where she wants to stay... or it could have been a waystation before becoming an Auckland FC marquee. It’d mean getting to finish her career close to her home of Whangarei. It’d also be an unreal signing for the Aucklanders... imagine Tommy Smith’s experience mixed with Nando Pijnaker’s ability mixed with Hiroki Sakai’s achievements. Except better.
Musical Jam…