A Spoonful of Sugar

Warriors do the nitty gritty vs Cowboys, NBL statties, top uncapped All Whites/Football Ferns, Blackcaps muddiness, Black Sticks hockey, Jitka Klimkova & more

The Niche Cache

Jun 10, 2024

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Reading Menu

White Ferns Tour Of England Preview (Cricket)
2024 T20 World Cup: New Zealand Blackcaps Basics & Notebook (Cricket)
The Flying Kiwis 2024 Mid-Year Transfer Window Preview (Football)
The Rise and Rise and Rise of Alex Paulsen, From Wellington Phoenix to AFC Bournemouth (Football)
All Whites at the 2024 Oceania Nations Cup: Squad Yarns & Preview (Football)
Football Ferns vs Japan: Valuable Reminders From Forgettable Games (Football)
The Breakers Are No Longer Coached By Mody Maor (Basketball)
Recapping The Tall Ferns Efforts At The 2024 Olympic Qualifiers (Basketball)
Previewing The Tall Blacks’ 2024 Olympic Qualifying Campaign (Basketball)
27fm Weekly Playlist: June 7 (Music)

Scotty’s Word

Big ups to our latest member of the Patreon whanau Kate Watson. Also big ups to some ladies who have paid Substack subscriptions in Sharleen Hucker, Kate Dale and the lovely Maranui cafe. Let's start with the winners of the weekend...

Throughout the NZ Warriors win over Cowboys, I kept pondering how NZW were winning the effort areas. One percenters. Things NZW haven't done consistently for decades and the kind of things that fans can connect with. Despite the commentators warning us that Cowboys could score 10 tries in 10 minutes thanks to all their attack weapons, Cowboys were never in that contest because they didn't/don't celebrate the nitty gritty.

Remember when Todd Payten turned down the NZW coaching job and the drama that caused? Andrew Webster seems like a far better coach and that is reinforced by a 3-0 record for NZW vs Cowboys with coach Webster at the helm. The latest win came after perhaps the best two weeks of NZW fandom that I can remember and NZW have now won three games in a row, with three different fullbacks.

Taine Tuaupiki played vs Panthers. Dallin Watene-Zelezniak played vs Dolphins. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad played vs Cowboys. Nicoll-Klokstad had 22 runs - 251m @ 11.4m/run and the difference between NZW and Cowboys is evident in the two fullbacks. Nicoll-Klokstad has a bit of flash, mainly through his footwork, but his style is based on effort and mana. Scott Drinkwater is all flash and less of the tough stuff.

In previewing this game I highlighted how Cowboys were 17th (last) in kick metres as the only team below 500 kicking metres per game. NZW were second for kick return metres and with Panthers as the only teams averaging 200+ kick return metres. Cowboys had some weird kick-chase antics as they tackled Nicoll-Klokstad too early in one instance and then opted not to compete in most of the high kicks that followed; two kick-chase extremes there.

Cowboys fumbled so much footy that they didn't get to their kick often but these examples below from the first half show how the stat match up looked on the field. In both cases, NZW have lots of space to run the footy and along with dominant tackling down the Cowboys end, this helped NZW win the territory battle rather easily.

Other bits and bobs...

(NZW | Cowboys)

Average Set Distance: 42.35m | 36.29m

Offloads: 5 | 1

Dummies: 10 | 2

Missed Tackles: 21 | 32

Addin Fonua-Blake: 20 runs - 207m @ 10.3m/run

Jackson Ford: 19 runs - 178m @ 9.3m/run

Mitchell Barnett: 15 runs - 147m @ 9.8m/run

Tohu Harris: 14 runs - 143m @ 10.2m/run

Wayde Egan: 7 dummy half runs - 71m @ 10.1m/run

100% Tackling: Fonua-Blake (22 tackles), Barnett (28), Harris (26)

Good kicking split...

Te Maire Martin: 16 kicks | Chanel Harris-Tavita: 9 kicks

Te Maire Martin's last 3 games...

vs Panthers: 599 kicking metres, 3 try assists, 69m

vs Dolphins: 1 try, 313 kicking metres, 2 forced droppies, 98m

vs Cowboys: 436 kicking metres, 1 forced droppy, 4 try assists, 77m

Martin has 8 try assists this year, tied with 2022 at Broncos for the most of his career per season

Martin averaged 63.6 kicking metres/game last year and 170 kicking metres/game this year. Two highest of his career.

Awesome Rocco Berry things…

NZW also had an Under 21s Jersey Flegg win in Fiji (16-10). NZW have now won three Jersey Flegg games in a row and five of their last seven. The most interesting thing about this game was Tallan Egan playing at fullback. He is the younger brother of Wayde and Tallan started this year in U19 SG Ball, along with most of the current Jersey Flegg team.

Keep in mind that the NRL, NSW Cup and Jersey Flegg Warriors have all been winning with players moving up levels. For the NRL squad this is about depth players stepping up, while the NSW Cup and Flegg teams have been winning with lads playing above their age-grade. The Flegg Warriors who won in Fiji had a bunch of U19s once again...

Tallan Egan, Nganatatafu Vake, Rapael Sio, Jesse Soric, Jeriko Filipi-Talisau, Alvin Chong Nee, Augustino Filipo, Kayliss Fatialofa, Maui Winitana-Patelesio, Rodney Tuipulotu-Vea, Francis Tuimauga.

11 seems to be the magic number in recent weeks; 11 of the 17 player in the U21s team were U19.

Blackcaps lost to Afghanistan. It sucked. This dented my faith in Blackcaps and much of my optimism went up in flames like Aotearoa vitamins. Lots went wrong and the preparation looks horrible in hindsight, which wasn't helped by not selecting the best 11 T20 cricketers from Aotearoa.

Blackcaps have entered White Ferns mode. For the past few years, White Ferns teams in either format have not and do not reflect the best female cricketers in New Zealand. White Ferns are so deep in this method that the stench has infected their vibe - they never seem happy.

Blackcaps didn't have Ish Sodhi, Tim Southee, Rachin Ravindra or Jimmy Neesham in the team that lost to Afghanistan. These four are in the 11 best T20 cricketers from Aotearoa.

Neesham is the best slugger from Aotearoa. His T20I strike-rate of 155.66 is lower than Finn Allen, but Neesham's been doing this for twice as long. Fabulous bowling strike-rates as well. Neesham is also in the trickiest pocket which is the middle order, but given how Mark Chapman only seems to perform in Pakistan, I'd roll with Neesham ahead of Chapman.

Mark Chapman loves Pakistan...

T20Is in Pakistan: 45avg/160sr
T20Is outside Pakistan: 23avg/124sr

The case for Ravindra is boosted by Devon Conway's slump.

Devon Conway T20I batting breakdown…

2020: 58avg/151sr
2021: 47avg/135sr
2022: 47avg/122sr
2023: 13avg/110sr
2024: 19avg/122sr

The case for Rachin Ravindra…

T20 & T20I batting strike-rates over 130
ODI & List-A batting strike-rates over 100
ODI World Cup: 64avg/106sr
2024 IPL: 10 games, 22avg/161sr
T20I bowling mahi: 22avg/6.6rpo

Ravindra was also one of the busiest Blackcaps at the IPL which may have helped absorb some of the 'under done' preparation stuff. Trent Boult and Daryl Mitchell were the only Blackcaps who played more than Ravindra in the IPL...

Trent Boult: 53.2ov, 27.68avg/8.3rpo
Daryl Mitchell: 13inns, 28.9avg/143sr | 6ov, 70avg/11.66rpo
Rachin Ravindra: 10inns, 22.2avg/161sr
Lockie Ferguson: 24ov, 28.3avg/10.6rpo - 7 games
Matt Henry: 12ov, 110avg/9.16rpo - 4 games
Mitchell Santner: 9ov, 32avg/7.11rpo - 3 games
Kane Williamson: 2inns, 13.5avg/100sr

Who are Aotearoa's leading wicket-takers in T20Is? Southee and Sodhi.

Tim Southee: 157w @ 23.15avg/8.13rpo
Ish Sodhi: 136w @ 23.1avg/7.99rpo

Only lads with 115+ wickets, only lads who have bowled in 100+ T20I innings. Along with Boult, Southee and Sodhi are the only Blackcaps in this squad who have played five or more T20Is in West Indies.

Maybe selecting these lads wouldn't have changed the outcome. Given the circumstance of no warm uppers etc, selecting the best lads who are also the most experienced (aside from Ravindra) seemed like a better option. While we're here, Tim Southee wasn't 'lucky, lucky, lucky' to be in this squad...

Southee has churned out four consecutive years with averages below 20.5 in T20Is, three of which are below 20avg. Since the start of 2021, Southee is averaging 19.67 which is better than his career mahi of 23.15. Southee's career economy rate of 8.13 drops of 7.69 and his career strike-rate of 17 drops to 15.3.

Buy Me A Cuppa

If you need a second T20 World Cup team, rally behind Netherlands. Three kiwis in their squad...

Max O'Dowd: 56 runs @ 56avg/103sr
Logan van Beek: 23 runs @ 23avg/104sr | 5w @ 7.8avg/5.3rpo
Tim Pringle: 3w @ 11.3avg/5.6rpo

Nathan Smith took a cool catch in England's T20 Blast.

Black Sticks Men won the FIH Nations Cup with a shoot-out win over France. The kiwis finished 1-1 and then won the shoot-out (4-3) to help prepare them for the Olympics, which is a major checkpoint for New Zealand hockey. This win is encouraging, although it's worth noting that France and South Africa are the only other teams from the Nations Cup who will be in the Olympics.

France are hosts so they are locked in. South African finished third at the Nations Cup. New Zealand won't have them in their Olympic pool though as they have Belgium, India, Australia, Argentina and Ireland. Black Sticks can get wins against India and Ireland if they're sizzling, while it would take something special to beat the other teams. Top four from the group go into quarter-finals, so Black Sticks will need two wins and/or a few draws.

I'll be covering Black Sticks Men closely at the Olympics so this is part of the learning phase to prepare for the tournament. Black Sticks Women will not be at the Olympics and they finished fourth at the Nations Cup, losing to Chile in their last outing. The ladies also had a loss to Ireland and a draw with Canada, which highlights their struggles along with iffy performances against teams like Chile and USA in recent years.

Black Sticks Women and White Ferns are two Aotearoa sports teams who folks should be concerned about. Both are coached by men and both get lots of positive yarns about them in the media, yet they have gone backwards in the past five years.

Musical jam...

Wildcard’s Notebook

There was a spectacular game of basketball on Sunday arvo as the Auckland Tuatara played the Canterbury Rams for top spot in the NBL after round 11. The Tuatara were on a 10-game winning streak. The Rams were on a 9-game winning streak. Auckland showed some great offensive touches early on with Corey Webster hitting tough shots and Reuben Te Rangi and Tom Vodanovich both connecting from range, though Canterbury responded as Taylor Britt made his mark from the mid-range. Charlie Dalton gave the Tuatara some energy at both ends, meanwhile Walter Brown and Max Darling were able to chip in with helpful buckets for the Rams. Good fun. Pleasant activities. Fine sporting endeavours.

However, the Tuatara’s three-point barrage eased off in the second half and neither team could seem to find a clutch bucket when they needed one... except for the main man Taylor Britt. He ended up with 25 points (10/13 shooting) with 4 rebounds and 6 assists as the Rams claimed the 86-83 victory on the road. Was not expecting a low-scorer between these two sides but there you go. The Rams are now the team with the 10-game win streak and they move into first place. Canterbury have not lost since Lachlan Olbrich joined the team. Olbrich was quiet but effective in this game – his presence best evidenced by Rob Loe being kept to just 7 points and having to play with foul trouble throughout the final frame.

If you’re wondering how the first-placed Canterbury Rams only feature at the top of the stat ranks in a couple of rebounding categories and nothing else... they’re fourth for points, second for points against, third for points differential, second in defensive rebounds, sixth in assists, seventh in steals, last in blocks, second for points in the paint, second for second-chance points, fifth for field goal percentage, tenth for three-point percentage, sixth for free throw attempts, and fourth for turnovers.

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We’ve had a resolution to the Football Ferns coaching shenanigans, with Jitka Klimková to resume her position following the “employment matter” investigation. Absolutely no new information about the situation was forthcoming. This was the entire statement from NZF:

“Jitka Klimková will return to the head coach role of the Ford Football Ferns after taking a temporary leave of absence for the team’s June 2024 tour in Spain while an investigation was concluded in relation to an employment matter. With the investigation, commissioned by New Zealand Football and carried out by an independent workplace investigator, now concluded, Klimková will return with immediate effect. As is standard in workplace investigations and employment matters, findings of the investigation are strictly confidential to the related parties.”

It would be nice to have some idea of what’s going on. The only hints I’ve found came from Scotty Stevenson, randomly, on SENZ saying that some players had been upset at how selections were being communicated. Specifically when dropping folks. There was a weird one where CJ Bott got dropped last year. If that’s the gist of it, and it very well may not be (Stevenson’s a great broadcaster but if you’re familiar with his cricket commentary then you know he can be prone to hallucinations), then that’s hardly a sackable offence, right? It’s a learning moment. Players express frustration with a method. Governing body freak out and order an unnecessary independent review. Coaching staff adapts their methods in the future. We could do without the middle step but okay.

Assuming that’s even what it was all about. Fact is, we don’t know. We never knew. But that didn’t stop folks making grand assumptions. There was an opinion piece on the Herald website talking about how “it is hard to see the 49-year-old coming back from this and returning to the dugout”. Quite a judgement to make on the evidence of... nothing. And she was never stood down, she opted for her gardening leave, and there is a difference there. Basically all of the reaction to her return that I’ve seen has been negative too. Mostly due to this idea that she’s an inadequate coach and nothing to do with the relevant point of the investigation (whatever that may have been). She’s not Pep Guardiola but we’ve had worse coaches... and none of them ever won a World Cup game. In the parlance of our times... she’s mid. Not great, not terrible. Just mid. As is Darren Bazeley for the All Whites. Fortunately at the international level, mid can often be good enough.

Also I still keep seeing this absolute fallacy of how the Ferns need to get rid of the old guard and bring in the youth. As if half the current player base didn’t get their debuts under JK. As if we haven’t had seven of our 13 centurions retire within the past five years... with a couple more potentially heading that way after the Olympics. Here are the previous two Olympic squads. The players in bold are those who were part of the squad for the Japan series last week (which is likely to contain the entirety of the 2024 Olympic squad).

Football Ferns 2016 Olympic Squad

Erin Nayler, Ria Percival, Anna Green, Katie Duncan, Abby Erceg, Rebekah Stott, Ali Riley, Jasmine Pereira, Amber Hearn, Sarah Gregorius, Kirsty Yallop, Betsy Hassett, Rosie White, Katie Bowen, Meikayla Moore, Annalie Longo, Hannah Wilkinson, Rebecca Rolls

(CJ Bott, Daisy Cleverley, Paige Satchell & Victoria Esson were travelling reserves)

Football Ferns 2021 Olympic Squad

Erin Nayler, Ria Percival, Anna Green, CJ Bott, Meikayla Moore, Claudia Bunge, Ali Riley, Abby Erceg, Gabi Rennie, Annalie Longo, Olivia Chance, Betsy Hassett, Paige Satchell, Katie Bowen, Daisy Cleverley, Emma Rolston, Hannah Wilkinson, Anna Leat, Elizabeth Anton, Marisa van der Meer, Michaela Roberston, Victoria Esson

So that’s 5/18 left from 2016 (plus three more travelling reserves), and 10/22 from the 2021 edition just three years ago. The Japan squad featured only 24 players and 16 of them were 25 or younger. Only three were older than 31 and between them they played less than ninety combined minutes.

Bit of news today out of the Wellington Phoenix with Kate Taylor announced to be leaving for an overseas gig somewhere. Fascinated to see where that might be, especially after Grace Wisnewski also revealed she was leaving. Taylor’s specifically said “overseas” opportunity while Wiz’s just said “other opportunities” so hopefully she’s not just swapping for another ALW club (all goods if she is but we’d rather the highest level possible.

Fortunately, the Phoenix added a spoonful of sugar in the medicine with Marisa van der Meer then promptly signing a new contract. That means Mack Barry, Bex Lake, and MVDM are all under contract while signs seem to point towards Michaela Foster returning also. Zoe McMeeken’s on the books too so they could already roll out a pretty decent backline. MVDM is of course working back from an ACL tear that cost her a possible Football Ferns debut... which has me wondering about the best uncapped players from Aotearoa. Not the best prospects but the best here and now possibilities. The next in lines.

Football Ferns Best Uncapped Players

Marisa van der Meer (Wellington Phoenix)
Emma Pijnenburg (Feyenoord)
Alyssa Whinham (Blacktown Spartans)
Emma Main (Unattached – Wellington Phoenix)
Rebecca Lake (Wellington Phoenix)

All Whites Best Uncapped Players

Alex Paulsen (AFC Bournemouth)
Matt Dibley-Dias (Fulham)
Sam Sutton (Wellington Phoenix)
Jay Herdman (Vancouver Whitecaps)
Kees Sims (GAIS)

Domestic Football Roundup

The Men’s Northern League has a new leader after Birkenhead won 4-1 against Western Springs. Luke Jorgensen bagged a double to help them on their way while 18-year-old Fijian-Kiwi Shivan Nair scored the opening goal – his first in senior football. This was loss number three for Springs, while Birko’s only defeat came in the opening round of the season in the reverse fixture of this very match. They were beaten 3-2 by Springs that day and are 11-games undefeated in all competitions ever since. They did have their Auckland City game postponed while ACFC were busy winning the Oceania Champions League though.

Speaking of Auckland City, they were held to a battling 0-0 draw at home against Auckland United. Great result for United with Kurtis Mogg getting singled out as the team’s Player of the Day – he’s a former Welly Nix Academy skipper who missed almost all of last year with a serious injury. Great to see he’s back to his best. This was also Cameron Howieson’s final match for the Navy Blues before his Auckland FC contract kicks in so there were plenty of tributes to an Auckland City legend going down at Kiwitea Street. It’ll be curious to see how they travel without him since Howieson’s been such a crucial player for this team for so many years... especially if they lose a couple more players to AFC or overseas, as could easily happen. They have at least softened the blow by adding Kailan Gould (Wellington Olympic) and Derek Tieku (Hamilton Wanderers) to their ranks. To proven National League goal-scorers.

This draw keeps Auckland United five points back on the top four. Eastern Suburbs are fourth after Kelvin Kalua’s 37^th minute goals split things in a 1-0 win over Bay Olympic. It still feels like Suburbs aren’t scoring the goals they ought to but they do have a brilliant defence to lean upon, with only Auckland City allowing fewer goals per game. Tauranga City held on for a 2-1 win away to Melville, with the latter missing a last-minute penalty that would have earned a draw. Their local rivals had a better time of it as a brace from new signing Ronaldo Munoz gave Hamilton Wanderers a 2-1 win over West Coast Rangers. That, friends, was Wanderers’ first win of the season and it only took them 12 matches. Also had East Coast Bays winning 3-1 away to Manurewa with all of their goals scored inside the first twenty mins. Malcolm Young got two of those.

The Women’s NRFL Premier Division held one big upset with Hibiscus Coast winning 1-0 against Eastern Suburbs. But then maybe that’s not such an upset – as only Auckland United and West Coast Rangers seem to be able to win consistently this year. This was the fifth loss from eleven games for the Lilywhites yet they’re still sitting third (to be fair, it does look a very youthful Suburbs team these days). Danica Urlich-Beech scored the goal for the Coasties to continue her good form.

West Coast Rangers needed an 84^th minute winner to beat Hamilton Wanderers. Catherine Smith scored twice off the bench to turn defeat into victory for WCR. No issues for Auckland United who remain one point clear in first after scoring twice inside of ten minutes on the way to a 3-1 win vs Fencibles. Plus shout out to Maia Lythe on an 89^th minute goal to clinch a 1-0 Western Springs victory against Ellerslie.

Fascinating areas in the Men’s Central League where Wellington Olympic won 2-0 against Napier City Rovers, repeating what they’d done earlier in the campaign. Both of NCR’s losses have come against Olympic. Goals were scored by Jonty Roubos (61’) and Tor Davenport-Petersen (82’). No dramas for Western Suburbs who sit second between those two clubs. They won 5-1 against Island Bay with Lucas Meek scoring three. To be fair, it was only 2-1 until the last ten minutes there. The Wellington Phoenix Reserves got a tidy three points beating Miramar Rangers 2-0 through goals from Ryan Watson (5’) and Fergus Gillion (25’). That’s undoubtedly the best win of the season so far for the WeeNix. Elsewhere, Jack O’Connor got a double in a 3-1 win for Petone vs Stop Out. Then in a wild contest we had Waterside Karori and North Wellington both scoring in stoppage time in a 3-3 draw. Karori with the final equaliser.

Nothing crazy in the Women’s Central League where the three top teams all won by at least four goals. Wellington United lead on 13 points after five games. Hope Gilchrist got a pair of goals in their 5-0 win away to Moturoa. Waterside Karori are second on 12 points after winning 4-0 vs Seatoun. Petone are third on 11 points following a 4-0 win vs Taradale. Double for Phoebe Gray in there. Also Palmerston North Marist won 3-2 away against Victoria Uni in the other game. Palmy Marist are fourth on seven points.

We’re almost ready to add the Women’s South Island League to the calendar. That one kicks off in a fortnight, with the qualifications mostly wrapped up. Defending champs Cashmere Tech breezed through winning all six games with a +43 goal difference. Aimee Phillips (12) and Anna McPhie (9) were the top scorers in the Canterbury section. Coastal Spirit and Nelson Suburbs also qualified automatically, though Nelson Subs only managed it by a single goal difference point after beating Selwyn 8-0 in their last game, a week after Universities were beaten 8-0 by Cashy Tech. That sixteen goal swing means that Universities have to do a playoff against the equivalent team from the southern section. That would be Roslyn-Wakari. Dunedin City Royals (five wins from five with +26 GD and zero goals conceded) and Otago University got the automatic spots.

Over in the Men’s Southern League, Cashmere Technical reinforced their stocks with a 4-2 win against Christchurch United to remain in first place. They were losing 2-1 but then three goals in eight minutes between 59’-67’ turned everything around. That could be a huge eight minutes in the overall season’s context because with Coastal Spirit winning 5-1 against Universities of Canterbury (Alejandro Steinwascher with two more to his ever-growing tally), Christchurch United are currently outside the National League qualification spots. Plus they’re already out of the Chatham Cup. In other news, Nomads United won 2-1 vs Ferrymead Bays with Nick Simpson scoring in the 82^nd min. Selwyn United breezed to a 4-0 victory against Twenty11. Plus lots of goals as Nelson Suburbs won 6-2 against Dunedin City Royals.

A contribution to the musical jam fund...

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