Cultural Respect
Tall Blacks vs USA, Blackcaps warm-ups, Warriors nuggets, Kiwi-NRL chaos, Wellington Phoenix women scholarship signings & domestic football roundup
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Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Big Crowds & Tough Wins (Rugby League)
Here Are Six Future Football Ferns To Help Solve Our Goal Scoring Issues (Football)
First Impressions Of The Wellington Phoenix In Their Giancarlo Italiano Era (Football)
Recapping Tall Ferns Exploits at the 2023 Asia Cup (Basketball)
Previewing the Aotearoa Tall Blacks at the 2023 FIBA World Cup (Basketball)
The Quotable Steven Adams: 2022-23 Edition (Basketball)
Blackcaps vs UAE T20I Series Debrief (Cricket)
Winter Notes & Nuggs For Each Domestic Cricket Team (Cricket)
27fm Weekly Playlist: August 28 (Music)
Scotty’s Word
No dramas for Blackcaps in their two T20 tour games this weekend. One win bowling first against Worcestershire, one win batting first against Gloucestershire. The T20I series against England starts on Thursday morning and while there are no series stats for these two warm-uppy games, here are the basics of what's been happening...
Team vs Worcestershire (12 players listed on scorecard):
Chad Bowes, Tim Seifert, Rachin Ravindra, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Dean Foxcroft, Cole McConchie, Dane Cleaver, Kyle Jamieson, Lockie Ferguson, Adithya Ashok, Ben Lister
Team vs Gloucestershire:
Chad Bowes, Rachin Ravindra, Tim Seifert, Will Young, Glenn Phillips, Dean Foxcroft, Cole McConchie, Dane Cleaver, Ish Sodhi, Lockie Ferguson, Ben Lister
Who did what...
Blackcaps vs Worcestershire
Worcestershire: 124 in 19ov @ 6.52rpo
Kyle Jamieson: 3w @ 7rpo
Rachin Ravindra: 3w @ 5rpo
Lockie Ferguson: 3w @ 3.6rpo
Cole McConchie: 1w @ 9rpo
Blackcaps: 126/3 in 12ov @ 10.5rpo
Chad Bowes: 35 runs @ 206sr
Tim Seifert: 30 runs @ 187sr
Glenn Phillips: 32* @ 213sr
Blackcaps vs Gloucestershire
Blackcaps: 168/6 @ 8.4rpo
Tim Seifert: 32 runs @ 160sr
Glenn Phillips: 65* @ 176sr
Gloucestershire: 146/6 @ 7.3rpo
Ben Lister: 1w @ 4.5rpo
Rachin Ravindra: 1w @ 7rpo
Lockie Ferguson: 1w @ 10.5rpo
Ish Sodhi: 3w @ 5.7rpo
Phillips was the best batter across both games and Seifert had two 30+ scores. Seifert didn't play as wicket-keeper though with Cleaver playing that role after two games of W/K against UAE. Seifert batted top-order with Ravindra, while Cleaver slotted in further down the line up. Ravindra also got far more bowling mahi with 7ov in these tour games after only bowling in the first T20I against UAE.
Jamieson played the first game and now has at least one wicket in six consecutive games of cricket, including all four games on this tour. McConchie bowled in both games and Phillips rolled the arm over in the second game as Blackcaps went from three seamers and three spinners against Worcs, to two seamers and four spinners against Gloucs. Along with Ravindra, Ferguson and McConchie, Lister bowled in both games.
Jimmy Neesham hasn't been playing because he was busy winning The Hundred for the Oval Invincibles. Neesham whacked 57* @ 172sr in a big performance and wasn't needed to bowl, after hitting 46 runs @ 118sr and bowling 6ov for 2w @ 6.5rpo in the T20Is vs UAE. He’s now heading home for the birth of his child and will miss the T20s in England (Cole McConchie replaces him in the squad).
No White Ferns played in the women's Hundred final and no update to their stats offered in Friday's dispatch. White Ferns are locked in for a tour of South Africa later in September so there should be a squad for that announced soon. Remember that the NZ A team starts their unofficial Test against Australia A in Brisbane today with this team:
Henry Cooper, Sean Solia, Nick Kelly, Tom Bruce, Muhammad Abbas, Josh Clarkson, Cam Fletcher, Scott Kuggeleijn, Brett Randell, Ajaz Patel, Jacob Duffy.
My favourite NZ Warriors nuggets...
Teams NZ Warriors have two wins against this season (chasing two wins vs Dolphins)...
Cowboys: 26-12 / 22-14
Bulldogs: 16-14 / 24-12
Sharks: 32-30 / 44-12
Raiders: 36-14 / 21-20
Dragons: 48-18 / 18-6
NZ Warriors in NRL & NSW Cup
NRL: 3rd (16-7)
Home: 8-4
Away: 8-3
NSW Cup: 3rd (14-1-9)
Home: 7-5
Away: 7-4
Addin Fonua-Blake is 1st for Post Contact Metres and is 100 pcm ahead of Payne Haas in 2nd.
NZ Warriors have only had one player in the top-50 for missed tackles all season.
Jackson Ford is the unluggy uce, but he is also 2nd for most tackles made for Warriors.
Tohu Harris: 770 tackles/51 missed
Jackson Ford: 727 tackles/74 missed
NZ Warriors stat profile…
Tries: 8th
Set Completion: 6th
Linebreaks: 5th
Post Contact Metres: 9th
Tackle Breaks: 11th
Kick Return Metres: 5th
Offloads: 17th
Tackles: 4th
Missed Tackles: 12th
Errors: 12th
Penalties Conceded: 6th
Lots of chaos in the Kiwi-NRL ranks with injuries and suspensions over the weekend. Jared Waerea-Hargreaves is now suspended for the rest of the season and while this may not include international Tests, it coincides with Jesse Bromwich currently being out injured for Dolphins. Two senior Aotearoa Kiwis props, full of mana and this offers a fresh angle for assessing Aotearoa Kiwis depth.
Top tier middle forwards: James Fisher-Harris, Moses Leota, Joseph Tapine, Nelson Asofa-Solomona, Isaac Liu, Braden Hamlin-Uele
Covering edge/middle: Kenny Bromwich, Isaiah Papali'i, Marata Niukore, Scott Sorenson.
Emerging middles: Leo Thompson, Toafofoa Sipley, Griffin Neame.
Aotearoa can build their starting and bench middle forward rotation from the top tier, or roll one of the edge/middle lads off the bench depending on who is available at the time. Thompson is still my favourite young middle this season and he has leaped ahead of Neame who was in the mid-season squad last year. Sipley is a sneaky lad who is eligible for Samoa and he has impressed this season for Sea Eagles.
Joseph Manu also injured his hamstring. Charnze Nicoll-Klokstad is an easy solution at fullback and as both lads were options at centre, this opens up a slot for someone else. Matthew Timoko is starting centre calibre for Aotearoa and Sebastian Kris has already played for NZ at the World Cup. Starford To'a is out injured with a hamstring and he is in the mix, also eligible for Tonga. Then there are the NZ Warriors duo of Rocco Berry and Adam Pompey as options as well.
If Manu is all good for Aotearoa duties, then it's either him or Nicoll-Klokstad partnering Timoko.
Jahrome Hughes was injured for Storm this round and while he should be back for finals, Aotearoa has ample depth here. Shaun Johnson is a starting half and will probably join Hughes in the best combo, with Kieran Foran and Dylan Brown offering depth.
Jeremy Marshall-King and Erin Clark are both listed as out for the season with shoulder injuries. This leaves Brandon Smith as the only certified hooker and he has started in four consecutive wins for Roosters, usually playing between 50-70 minutes. Aotearoa can deploy Foran or Brown on the bench to cover hooker.
NRLW results
Eels vs Cowboys: 16-12
Dragons vs Titans: 22-23
Roosters vs Tigers: 48-10
Broncos vs Raiders: 40-8
Knights vs Sharks: 22-14
Noaria Kapua played 44mins off the bench for Eels in her NRLW debut and the youngster from Taupo had 9 runs - 95m @ 10.5m/run, 1 linebreak, 4 tackle breaks, 1 offload, 14 tackles @ 78%. This helped Eels get their first win of the season and they will be eager to join Cowboys, Dragons, Tigers and Sharks on 4 points (2-4). Roosters, Knights, Titans, Raiders and Broncos are the leading teams after six games - all five have ample NRLWahine talent.
The Broncos quartet of Mele Hufanga, Gayle Broughton, Annetta Nu'uausala and Tafito Lafaele were fabulous once again in their big win over Raiders. Lafaele made her NRLW debut with 24mins off the bench for 6 runs - 69m @ 11.5m/run, 2 tackle breaks, 14 tackles @ 100%. There isn't any room in the TOTW for Lafaele but she seems likely to rise to the top of the NRLWahine forward rankings with consistent game time.
Raiders didn't have fullback Apii Nicholls and along with Knights centres Shanice Parker and Abigail Roache churning out impressive mahi, this caused a funky shuffle for the TOTW. Tyla Nathan-Wong selected at fullback, while centres Hufanga and Niall Williams-Guthrie are selected as wingers.
Annessa Biddle was injured in the Sharks loss and Leianne Tufuga struggled in the Tigers loss. Alexis Tauaneai was immense for Dragons but not quite as good as the three selected for TOTW. It is worth highlighting once again that 18-year-old Tauaneai has played 65+ minutes (of 70mins) in her last four games, averaging 159m/game and making 200 tackles @ 95.7% in her debut season. Bonkers.
Mya Hill-Moana was immense for Roosters in her 35mins as starting prop. The Taniwharau junior had 13 runs - 170m @ 13m/run, 10 tackles @ 91%.
Kerehitina Matua keeps her TOTW spot despite the Raiders loss to Broncos. Matua played 52mins with 9 runs - 91m @ 10.1m/run, 6 tackle breaks, 16 tackles @ 94%.
Fullback: Tyla Nathan-Wong
Wingers: Niall Williams-Guthrie, Mele Hufanga
Centres: Shanice Parker, Abigail Roache
Halves: Raecene McGregor, Gayle Broughton
Middles: Mya Hill-Moana, Annetta Nu'uausala, Georgia Hale
Edges: Noaria Kapua, Kerehitina Matua
Hooker: Nita Maynard
Notables: Alexis Tauaneai, Teuila Fotu-Moala, Laishon Albert-Jones
NRLWahine stat leaders…
Tries
Mele Hufanga: 2nd
Shanice Parker: 6th
Leianne Tufuga: 8th
Linebreaks
Mele Hufanga: 2nd
Leianne Tufuga: 3rd
Post Contact Metres
Annessa Biddle: 1st
Alexis Tauaneai: 8th
Tackle Breaks
Mele Hufanga: 3rd
Cheyelle Robins-Reti: 9th
Tackles
Georgia Hale: 1st
Alexis Tauaneai: 3rd
Offloads
Alexis Tauaneai: 4th
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
Quick Notes from the Tall Blacks game vs USA...
Nobody expected anything other than a loss but the TBs 99-72 defeat was a lot closer than it appears. The NZers were actually up by ten points early on with Finn Delany and Reuben Te Rangi inspiring a 14-4 run out of the gates. However America predictably hunted that down before the first quarter was done and then comfortably edged each quarter after that by 8-9 points apiece. The game ended on a 14-2 streak for the USA as both teams let the reserves polish things off and that blew the score out further than it perhaps deserved to be.
The starting line-up for the Tall Blacks was: Shea Ili, Reuben Te Rangi, Jordan Ngatai, Finn Delany & Yanni Wetzell
The starting line-up for the USA was: Jalen Brunson, Anthony Edwards, Mikal Bridges, Brandon Ingram & Jaren Jackson Jr… however it was reigning NBA Rookie of the Year Paolo Banchero who stole the show with 21 points on 8/10 shooting plus 4 rebounds and 4 blocks. USA had 7 blocks in total. NZ had 0 blocks.
Part of the quick start by NZ was down to the Americans needing some time to adjust to the different rules in FIBA tournaments. Specifically the three-second rule helped the cause as the kiwis were able to leave that extra rim protector in place which influenced a few missed shots and some turnovers. Turnovers were again an issue for the Tall Blacks, as they have been in every game this tour, but they didn’t lose that battle. Both teams had 19 turnovers each and considering that the TBs won’t face a more daunting defensive team than this again that’s not actually so bad.
Instead the constant fouling was more of an issue... but then what else are you gonna do when every American player is bigger and stronger and faster than their equivalent New Zealander? It comes with the territory. But foul trouble did restrict Finn Delany to only 23 minutes, he had four fouls overall while every other starter ended with three PFs. They were a much more competitive team when those guys were on the floor. Delany was a -4 in 23 mins. Wetzell was -3 in 22 mins. Shea Ili, incredibly, had a dead even plus-minus across his 21 minutes. Yet they lost by 27 points overall.
Every one of the Aotearoa blokes got some decent game time. Walter Brown, the bolter, was the last to get amongst it only making his entrance in the garbage time stages but he still logged nearly three minutes. The other 11 fellas were all in the rotation as coach Pero Cameron made a lot of short sharp subs, especially early on, to try and keep the energy levels high.
Top performers were the obvious candidates. Te Rangi scored 15 points. Delany and Ili each scored 12 with Delany adding 5 rebounds and Ili adding 5 assists. Good to see Flynn Cameron playing nice and aggressive although it backfired on this occasion as he only shot 2/9 from the field. Nine shots in 13 minutes is a rapid usage rate though. Izaya Le’afa shot 3/11 though all three makes were triples which eased the blow. Plus he had three steals. Probably gonna need better shooting from those two bench guards against Jordan and Greece... but then we should be able to expect as much when they’re not getting hounded by Mikal Bridges and company.
Weirdly this was exactly one point each way off the score from when the Tall Blacks lost to the USA at the 2014 World Cup. It was 99-72 in 2023, it was 98-71 in 2014. Isaac Fotu is the only player from either team who played in both those games.
Also repeated from the 2014 edition was the blank-eyed stares from the Americans as they faced the haka, which was pretty funny. Less funny was the complete ignorance of American fans talking about the haka but then that’s why you don’t ever read the comments sections. Steven Adams summed that one up best back in 2014...
Having said that, if you only watched the game on TVNZ then you won’t have even seen the haka because the programmers figured that was a prime opportunity to cut to an ad break and pay the sponsors. Unreal.
Shout out to Tohi Smith-Milner whose deal with Adelaide 36ers was finally confirmed in the hours before that game, several weeks after it was first reported in the Aussie media. I believe that confirms us at 20 NZers for NBL24. Should they all get minutes then that’ll tie our record (with NBL21 and NBL23).
Plus there’s still plenty of time for more... the Breakers were working out a few locals recently based on some photos that were floating around on their socials. Max Darling, Carlin Davison, and Dom Kelman-Poto to be specific. Probably just making up numbers while their Tall Blacks are away but fingers crossed. The Breakers are short on kiwis right now and while their roster is full they do have multiple development players available to them.
NZers Contracted For NBL24
NZ Breakers – Tom Abercrombie, Finn Delany, Izayah Mauriohooho-Le’afa, Dan Fotu, Alex McNaught (DP)
Perth Wildcats – Corey Webster, Tai Webster, Hyrum Harris, Jack Andrew (DP), Dontae Russo-Nance (DP)
Melbourne United – Shea Ili, Flynn Cameron
Cairns Taipans – Sam Waardenburg, Sam Mennenga
SEM Phoenix – Reuben Te Rangi, Anzac Rissetto (DP)
Brisbane Bullets – Tyrell Harrison
Tasmania JackJumpers – Walter Brown (DP)
Sydney Kings – Sam Timmins
Adelaide 36ers – Tohi Smith-Milner
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I recently wrote an article highlighting six emerging creative/attacking players that will eventually help solve the Football Ferns problems in those areas. One of those six players was Ruby Nathan of Auckland United, who along with her former AU teammate Milly Clegg was one of two NZers to attend both the U20 and U17 World Cup last year. Clegg then made it a hat-trick by going to the senior World Cup as well.
Guess what? Ruby Nathan just signed with Canberra United for the upcoming ALW campaign. Seems to be full contract status too, not a scholarship thing. Nathan effectively gets to replace Grace Jale as the kiwi on the Canberra roster, with Jale replacing Paige Satchell before her. All three have come through the Auckland footballing ranks (although Satchell is originally from Rotorua) so there could be something in that link. Either that or the Canberra United scouts have been reading The Niche Cache.
Ruby Nathan is already the eighth kiwi player to be signed by an Australian club for next season with the whereabouts of Hannah Wilkinson, Katie Bowen, and Malia Steinmetz yet to be determined. Olivia Chance and potentially even Betsy Hassett too for that matter. Oh and Emma Rolston. Not to mention Kelli Brown who continues to score goals at NPL level. Ideally they all get gigs in the best leagues in Europe instead but each to their own. There were nine NZers who played for Aussie clubs last season and that was a new record. Surely we’ll surpass that this time (an additional expansion club helps, as does the fifth import spot).
Nathan’s signing with Canberra of course also means yet another of NZ’s best prospects has (wisely) chosen against the USA college route.
Meanwhile the Wellington Phoenix have announced three scholarship players for their A-League Women’s squad. Winger Olivia Ingham, fullback/wide forward Manaia Elliott, and defensive midfielder Daisy Brazendale have all been given two-year schol deals with which will convert into senior contracts the season afterwards. Huge faith in their potential from the club, although it does help that coach Paul Temple has already coached them all when he was in charge of the reserves.
Elliott was already established as one of our best prospects after captaining the U17s at the World Cup last year. She also played National League for Auckland United where she scored six goals in in nine games. Also played well at the recent Oceania U19s. Originally from the Waikato region, Manaia Elliott is an absolute nugget who is never going to back out of a challenge plus she’s tidy and direct in attack.
Olivia Ingham is a Wellingtonian through and through who is still only 17 years old but has already had a couple of years of National League with Capital – and that’s without playing last year. By then Ingham was already with the Phoenix Academy, in fact she was the first female player to officially join them (not sure on the timelines there but there may have been other women predating her who trained unofficially with the boy’s team – such as Mickey Robertson and Macey Fraser). Ingham did her ACL last December and is just about ready to come back from that. She’s a speedy winger with a decent finishing ability. Also went to the U17 World Cup alongside Elliott last year.
As for Daisy Brazendale, she’s slightly younger (thus will be the youngest in the squad) and is a Nelson native who plays as a defensive midfielder. Due to her age and the Nix Academy only this year beginning to play competitively... she’s not someone I’ve had the chance to see yet so can’t say anything else there. Will just note that all three of these scholarship players are older than Milly Clegg was when she signed last year. This brings the WahiNix up to 19 players in their squad with three full roster spots still available. They have access to two more imports but we’ll see if they use them or not. One of those spots will also need to go to a goalkeeper.
If you want further evidence of the increasing opportunities for female footballers these days, these are the members of that U17 WC squad from last November who’ve already got professional deals:
Manaia Elliott – Wellington Phoenix
Ruby Nathan – Canberra United
Milly Clegg – Western Sydney Wanderers
Olivia Ingham – Wellington Phoenix
Kiara Bercelli – Sampdoria
Olivia Page – Sheffield United
Once upon a time the Football Ferns themselves were only about half-professional. Now we’ve got players over in Europe missing out on squads while nearly a third of our U17s from less than a year ago have signed professionally somewhere. Several more of that squad are with the Wellington Phoenix Academy team.
Weekly Domestic Football Roundup...
Happy days for Auckland United who are NRFL Women’s Premiership champions for 2023. They took on Western Springs in the final game of the season knowing that a win or a draw would get the job done, while a loss would allow Eastern Suburbs to take the trophy on goal difference. Well, United wasted no time whatsoever as they went 2-0 up inside of four minutes. Both teams hit the crossbar before much longer although it was United who were well on top. Further goals followed. Jess Innes did score a belter just before the half to give Springs some semblance of hope but in the end it was a 5-1 victory for Auckland United at their home ground of Keith Hay Park, a perfect way to crown themselves champions. Chelsea Elliott scored a hat-trick while Talisha Green and Ruby Nathan added the others.
Western Springs finished third behind AU and ES. They’ll back themselves for revenge when these two teams meet again in the National League though – when Auckland United will no longer have the services of A-League offseason players Chloe Knott, Marisa van der Meer, or Ruby Nathan. And j
Joining those three teams in the NL will be... Ellerslie, who won 2-1 against Hibiscus Coast to stay ahead of West Coast Rangers for the last qualification spot. Britney Cunningham-Lee scored the winner in the 82nd minute. BCL was part of the U17 World Cup bronze medalists of 2018 so it’ll be cool to see her back in the NL against a few of her old teammates.
We’ve also had champions crowned in the Southern League, as Cashmere Technical’s 2-2 draw against Ferrymead Bays (itself only secured by a 90th minute equaliser from Garbhan Coughlan, his second levelling goal of the match) meant that they could no longer catch Christchurch United. Not that they would have anyway. The Rams then celebrated by by utterly destroying Green Island 15-3 the next day. Normally you score three goals you expect to win, right? Not to lose by a rugby score. Sam Philip scored eight goals all on his own... which remarkably only draws him level with Garbhan Coughlan for the Golden Boot. Both are on 28 goals (it’s an 18 game season btw). They play each other in the final round although Chch Utd have a midweek catch-up game which gives Philip the advantage. Fifteen to three... jeepers. Eoghan Stokes also got three while Matt Todd-Smith and Aaron O’Driscoll each got two. Back to back titles for Christchurch United... this one much more comfortable than the last-minute drama of 2022.
One week remains in the Central League and we already know that Wellington Olympic are champs for the third year in a row. There was no let up from the Greeks in a 4-1 away win against Napier City Rovers though, a result that means that NCR will still need to take care of business away to North Wellington to qualify for the Nats. Luckily they got handed a massive boost when the other two teams in contention also lost.
Western Suburbs conceded in the 84th minute against the Wellington Phoenix Reserves. Joshua Tollervey with the goal. Kairo Coore then levelled up in the 87th minute… only for Tollervey to win it for the WeeNix in the sixth minute added on. These were the WeeWeeNixers too with several of their usuals either in the Olympic qualifying squad or away in Melbourne with the first team – three of the dudes who played against Subs are in the current NZ U17s squad.
That late drama was matched across town as Petone fell 4-3 to Waterside Karori due to another injury time goal. Petone had been 2-0 up in the game. That leaves Napier on 30 points (away to North Wellington in the final round), Petone on 29 points (home to Stop Out), and Western Suburbs on 28 points (away to Wellington Olympic) with two National League spaces available. Should mention there’s still a chance that Whanganui Athletic can avoid the drop too. They need to win against Waterside Karori and hope North Wellington lose to Napier City.
Finally, the Northern League held no surprises as Eastern Suburbs won 2-1 against West Coast Rangers, Daniel Bunch with the 79th minute winner, while Auckland City won 2-0 away to Manurewa. The Lilywhites had also beaten Birkenhead 2-0 in the midweek so with one round remaining there are two points separating the pair, who are each still undefeated in league action. Auckland City face Manukau United. Eastern Suburbs face Auckland United. A win or draw will get the job done for City.
That’s the worst imaginable fixture for Manukau who need to those three points to have any hope of avoiding relegation. Yep, they have to do what no team has done in the Northern League since September 2022 and beat Auckland City. Even then they still need other results to help them. Realistically, their season was on the line this week against Western Springs and they lost 2-1. Manukau did equalise in stoppage time but they conceded again even later.
With Takapuna beating Birkenhead 3-2 (90+5’ winner there as well) it now looks like Taka will be the ones to survive. Huge comeback from Chris Milicich’s men who have won three of their last five games (after only taking 6 points from 16 games previously). Thye’re on 15 points. Bay Olympic are even with Manukau Utd on 12 points after a 3-1 loss away to Hamilton Wanderers. Lots of teams rolling out youth players these days, by the way. Partly because it’s that time of the season. Partly also to ensure they hit the required U20s percentages too.
2023 NZ National League, as it stands...
Men: Auckland City, Eastern Suburbs, Auckland United, Manurewa AFC, Wellington Olympic, Wellington Phoenix Reserves, [two of Napier City Rovers/Petone/Western Suburbs], Christchurch United & Cashmere Technical
Women: Auckland United, Eastern Suburbs, Western Springs, Ellerslie, Capital 1, Capital 2, Central Football, Wellington Phoenix Reserves, Canterbury United & Southern United