Glorious Scarcity
Super Smash emerging talent, Kosta Barbarouses/Welly Nix revival, Kiwi-NRL juniors update, Tom Vodanovich returns to NBL, Flying Kiwis Transfers & more
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Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Releasing Ronald Volkman & Updated Depth Chart (Rugby League)
Six Of The Best Kiwi-NRL Junior Halves In Australia For 2024 (Rugby League)
Aotearoa Warriors Diary: Six Sneaky Juniors To Learn About (Rugby League)
Some Of Best Kiwi-NRL Junior Big Boppers To Watch Out For In 2024 (Rugby League)
Exploring The Wellington Phoenix’s Efficiency Boost Under Giancarlo Italiano (Football)
2023 Women’s National League – Team of the Season (Football)
2023/24 Super Smash Scout: Otago Defend Alexandra vs Auckland (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
Prediction: There will be large, glorious crowds for Blackcaps vs South Africa Test cricket.
I have explored cricket's rise in Aotearoa, especially the emergence of greater cultural diversity. Super Smash is one of many reinforcing wrinkles about kiwi cricket buzz (same with rugby league, football and basketball). Aotearoa loves cricket and the scarcity of Test cricket in a kiwi summer amplifies this love, which will be on show in two Tests against South Africa. Both Tests will be played in 'Northern Districts' regions with the first Test at Bay Oval followed by a Seddon Park affair in Hamilton.
Tests against Australia will be played at the Basin Reserve and Hagley Oval. Four fabulous venues for Test cricket. Kiwi cricket fans north of Lake Taupo will have two accessible opportunities to watch Blackcaps play Tests, let alone the one opportunity for folks around Wellington and the South Island. Don't moan about this, celebrate the environment that this scarcity provides.
This is to the extent that the quality of opposition does not matter - that's something for folks from England, Australia and India to worry about. Aotearoa is frequently toured by a cluster of teams (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka etc) and aside from the good vibes shared between underdoggy nations, kiwis show up to see their team play.
I did an exercise to see how many players were used by Blackcaps in ODI World Cup years stretching back to 2003…
2003: 25
2007: 24
2011: 20
2015: 25
2019: 17
2023: 31
There is lots of nitty gritty that can be explored here. Let it simmer.
White Ferns would win more games with Frances Mackay, Leigh Kasperek, Rosemary Mair and Jess McFadyen selected consistently ahead of young players. McFadyen is the best wicket-keeper in NZ by a margin that is kinda embarrassing for White Ferns selections, while the other three are all mature, skillful cricketers.
Blackcaps started with a tight 15 before building depth out to 30-odd players capable of stepping in for international cricket. White Ferns need a tight 15 of players who can help win games right now, with younger players gaining experience in domestic cricket - as is the case for Blackcaps. Here is a 15-player group for White Ferns that better resembles the best female cricketers in NZ...
Usually 1st 11
Suzie Bates, Sophie Devine, Amelia Kerr, Maddy Green, Lea Tahuhu, Jess Kerr, Hannah Rowe, Jess McFadyen (wk)
Reliable Depth
Kate Anderson, Rosemary Mair, Leigh Kasperek, Frances Mackay
Youngsters
Georgia Plimmer, Fran Jonas, Eden Carson
Wellington Blaze still have the best pipeline for young wahine. Xara Jetly is extremely fun with her offies and fielding. Kate Chandler is 17-years-old and already looks comfy in Wellington's 1st 11 with class batting, plus she is a leggy who isn't bowling much in Super Smash. Natasha Codyre is 20-years-old and offers rare out-swing as a righty - (most wahine seamers bowl into right-handed batters).
Auckland are yet to take all 10 wickets in their three games and have not scored 120+ runs yet...
Canterbury: 127/8 | Auckland: 116/7
Otago: 151/4 | Auckland: 104
Auckland: 93/7 | Wellington: 97/5
Molly Penfold has bowled 2 overs in each of her appearances so far with 1w @ 10rpo.
Izzy Gaze has batted twice with 8 runs @ 38sr.
Bella Armstrong earned White Ferns selection earlier this year and has responded with 15 runs @ 83sr in her two Super Smash appearances. Armstrong is yet to bowl while she also had 52 runs @ 10avg/57sr and didn't bowl in HBJ Shield.
Auckland has two batters with strike-rates over 100 and none over 102sr. Penfold's hit 15 runs @ 100sr and Maddy Green's on 62 runs @ 101.63sr.
Auckland does have Skye Bowden though who is one my five favourite youngsters in wahine Super Smash...
Georgia Plimmer: White Fern but she's still 19yrs. Top-tier fielder with 76 runs @ 76avg/101sr.
PJ Watkins: Otago lefty from England, 19yrs. Leading all Super Smash bowlers (as of Friday morning) with 8w @ 8.5avg/6.3rpo.
Skye Bowden: Fantastic seamer (22yrs) who is second for wickets with 7w @ 9.2avg/6.5rpo, strong hitter too.
Xara Jetly: Livewire fielding give her the nod ahead of others. Just as effective with her offies (5w @ 17avg/5.5rpo) as Wellington's senior spinners at 22yrs.
Marama Downes: Northern's best bowler with 5w @ 9.6avg/4rpo (21yrs) with lots of nibble.
Others to watch out for: Sarah Asmussen, Gabby Sullivan, Emma Black, Ashtuti Kumar, Kate Chandler, Natasha Codyre, Carol Agafili, Flora Devonshire
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Three favourite Super Smash youngins…
Nathan Smith: All sorts of swing and seam, powerful hitter, fabulous fielder. 25yrs and still brewing. 8w @ 11avg/5.8rpo with 48 runs @ 165sr.
Zak Foulkes: 21yrs and someone who is getting lots of Niche Cache spotlight. 5w @ 17avg/7.4po with the ball and 27 runs @ 142sr as a batter. Good fielder, super skillful bowler and don't forget Canterbury coach Peter Fulton selected Foulkes as a Plunket Shield opener to plug that hole.
Tim Robinson: Wellington's opening batter is on a crazy 2-hundo double: 210 runs @ 200sr. 21yrs and smacking bowlers around with ease.
Here is a list of Kiwi-NRL juniors with Australian teams. Recent additions include Josiah Karapani with Broncos and Caelys Putoko with Titans. Some may be outdated but find any info to confirm rumours, so I will rejig it as junior squads are announced...
Cowboys: D'Jazirhae Pua'Aavase, Jenson Taumoepeau, Henry Teutau, Jeremiah Matautia
Dolphins: Elijah Rasmussen, Tevita Naufahu, John Fineanganofo
Broncos: Josiah Karapani, Kylem Vunipola, Nathaniel Tangimataiti
Titans: Caelys Putoko, Vaka Sikahele, Ryder Williams, Immanuel Kalekale, Armani Wetini-Ngaropo, Mason Barber
Knights: Sebastian Su'a, Jayden Harris, Elijah Leaumoana, Jarome Falemoe, Bailey Carmichael, Tamakaimoa Whareaorere
Sea Eagles: Devante Mihinui, Viliami Kuli
Roosters: Salesi Foketi, Tevita Henare-Schuster, Cassius Tia, Beniah Ioelu
Rabbitohs: Nazareth Taua
Tigers: Oliver Lawry
Eels: Te Hurinui 'Apa' Twidle, Javahn Stevenson-Hala
Panthers: Preston Riki, Daeon Amituanai, Francis Manuleleua
Bulldogs: Issac Matalavea-Booth, Fahmy Toilalo, Sione Moala, Maraki Aumua, Bronson Reuben
Dragons: Te Umuariki Heremia-Tukere
Sharks: Salesi Ata'ata, Felix Fa'atili, Toutaua Porima, Tre Fotu
Raiders: Jack Sandford, Siamani Leuluai
Storm: Caius Fa'atili, K-Ci Newton-Whare, Dickie Terepo, Matthew Logopati
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
The Wellington Phoenix lads had a game last night away in Adelaide, getting out of there with a commendable 2-2 draw. First half it looked like a game they probably ought to win but Adelaide hit them hard in the second spell and the Nix did well to avoid defeat against what feels like a bogey team of theirs (it was ADL who knocked them out of the finals last season).
This was another one of those games where the quality > quantity methods of Chiefball was there for all to see. Adelaide had 28 shots compared to the Phoenix with only 8. But each scored two goals. The Welly Nix tend to attempt fewer shots but they create better shots which they’re usually able to convert and that’s been the secret to their success. In coalition with their defence doing the exact opposite.
No team in the A-League takes fewer shots than the Nix (10.09 Sh/90) this season... Sydney FC are way out in front with 22.4 shots per ninety minutes. But Sydney only score from 6% of those shots whereas the Nix are burying 15% of theirs, a league best, which is also true of their 39% conversion rate for shots on target. Meanwhile the Phoenix are allowing 19.27 shots per ninety, the highest mark in the ALM, but only concede from 5% of them which is also the league’s best figure. Likewise for 17% of the shots on target that they face.
In other words, they attempt the fewest but score at the highest rate and allow the most but concede at the lowest rate. I have a vague recollection that I may have recently written a piece on the Wellington Phoenix’s efficiency under Giancarlo Italiano... oh true what do ya know.
After 11 games there are still eight fellas who have started every single one of them: Alex Paulsen, Finn Surman, Scott Wootton, Tim Payne, Alex Rufer, Nico Pennington, Kosta Barbarouses, and Bozhidar Kraev. The first four of those – Paulsen, Surman, Wootton, Payne – have each played every single minute. That’s some remarkable consistency. Especially since two of them are academy graduates in their first seasons as First XI players. A full third of available minutes have gone to academy players this season (which has taken a slight rise in recent weeks thanks to Ben Old cracking the starters), with six new debutants after a season without any last time around.
But the most fascinating thing right now is the glow-up of Kosta Barbarouses. With a double against Adelaide last night he has now scored in four straight games, adding up to six goals (with an assist). He scored twice in all of 2022-23. Lots of players have benefited from the adaptations that Chiefy’s put in place (lots of players meaning pretty much all the players) but not sure any of them have made a season to season leap that compares to Kosta.
The more fluid attacking structures help so much for a bloke whose best attribute is his sneaky off-ball movement. This team is wicked in transition, KB being a major factor in that. The quality over quantity aspect is also doing wonders for his finishing by encouraging him get into the best positions possible before shooting. I got into this a bit in that article but he’s gone bonkers since, separating himself from the pack (last season Kosta and David Ball were inseparable in their struggles – this season seems to suggest that Ball’s struggles were/are physical and Kosta’s were tactical).
We’re not even halfway through the season but, as things stand, this is Barbarouses’ best ever ALM campaign in terms of goals and assists per ninety minutes. He’s at 0.83 goal contributions/90 this term, far ahead of the 2018-19 efforts with Melbourne Victory (0.70). Last season was the worst of his career in that regard.
Kosta Barbarouses in 2022-23 vs Kosta Barbarouses in 2023-24
Minutes played: 1383 | 975
Goals (Assists): 2 (0) | 6 (3)
G+A per 90: 0.13 | 0.83
Shots per 90: 2.47 | 1.85
Shots on Target: 42.1% | 70.0%
Goals per Shot: 0.05 | 0.30
xG per 90: 0.34 | 0.37
Successful Dribbles per 90: 0.65 | 1.47
Touches in Opposition Box per 90: 4.82 | 4.88
No player embodies the fewer shots but better shots mantra than Kosta. Fewer shots yet slightly more expected goals. That’s the trick. Note the way he’s dribbling more effectively too, thanks to being able to stretch his legs in broken play.
Switching to the basketball now and guess what? Tom Vodanovich is returning to the NBL following his stint in the Philippines. This eventuality was strongly hinted at when he was first released from the Breakers, who retained a right of first refusal for the 6’7 kiwi power forward. Except they must have chosen to refuse him because he’s actually joined the Tasmania JackJumpers instead.
No dramas there. The NZers aren’t getting too many minutes there at the moment and whatever Vodanovich did get in the short term would disappear when Finn Delany returns, not to mention that he’d swamp Dan Fotu out of the rotation entirely (which isn’t far from happening as it is). Spread the wealth, why not. TV has joined the TJJ as an injury replacement for Majok Deng and he’s expected to be available to play from next week onwards (round 15). He joins development player Walter Brown in Tassie.
Which means it’s time to have another look at which NZers are getting the most minutes in NBL24...
Sam Wardenburg (Cairns) – 540 mins
Shea Ili (Melbourne) – 494
Izayah Le’Afa (NZB) – 420
Tyrell Harrison (Brisbane) – 387
Tom Abercrombie (NZB) – 375
Sam Mennenga (Cairns) – 361
Finn Delany (NZB) – 346
Reuben Te Rangi (SEM) – 323
Tai Webster (Perth) – 317
Hyrum Harris (Perth) – 223
Flynn Cameron (Melbourne) – 201
Corey Webster (Perth) – 191
Tohi Smith-Milner (Adelaide) – 141
Rob Loe (Melbourne) – 120
Anzac Rissetto (SEM) – 55
Dan Fotu (NZB) – 53
Walter Brown (Tasmania) – 6
Dontae Russo-Nance (Perth) – 5
Sam Timmins (Sydney) – 4
Alex McNaught (NZB) – 3
Max Darling (NZB) – 1
Dom Kelman-Potu (NZB) – 1
Yet to get minutes are: Carlin Davison (NZB), Jack Andrew (Perth), and Tom Vodanovich (Tasmania). Keep in mind that not every player has played the same number of games, so Shea Ili will likely go ahead of Waardenburg when he plays his two games in hand, for example. And obviously there are injuries to be considered (such as to Corey Webster and Finn Delany) while someone like Rob Loe was only there on a short-term basis.
Anyway, add them all together and that’s 22 New Zealanders who’ve played in the Australian NBL this season and that’s a new record. Likely to stretch that out at least one more spot once Tommy V touches down too. Fantastic stuff, even if there is an abundance of role players and development players amongst... with Sam Waardenburg the top kiwi for total points and he’s 29th overall.
Having said that, Shea Ili top-scored for Melbourne United in their most recent win (against Sydney Kings). He had a superb game scoring 19 points with three assists and some wonderful defence. His shooting numbers are still recovering from an awful start but he’s remained incredibly effective for the best team in the competition. In fact, despite shooting splits of 36.3 FG%/23.2 3P%/76.0 FT% he’s on course for his best ever per-game season scoring (10.3 points/gm) and also assists (4.0 assists/gm).
Time for a Flying Kiwis Transfer Season Update…
Still waiting for the big deals to roll in, though it doesn’t really look like this month will hold anything crazy. The top kiwi players are mostly all settled where they are. Jacqui Hand got her move to England (Lewes in the second tier, for the rest of this season) nice and early and there aren’t too many other candidates... though I’ll keep tracking what I can.
Nando Pijanker is one bloke I’ve been wondering about. Having seen Max Mata leave for League One in England, and having been limited in minutes towards the end of the 2023 campaign at Sligo Rovers, it seemed like he was poised to leave. That’s no longer the case. The other day he was pictured training with the team in preseason and since then it’s been confirmed that he’s signed a new one-year deal to remain at the Showgrounds. Could be a case of the club triggering an option on his deal – in which case it is still possible he might he sold for a fee, but that feels unlikely right now.
Elsewhere in Ireland, Corban Piper (ex-Birkenhead) spent 2023 with second-tier Wexford where he started most games in the midfield. He’s now expected to leave the club with the rumour mill suggesting a sideways switch to Kerry FC. See how that goes, never know whether to believe these things or not. But he did just drop a highlights vid through one of those scouting third parties so that’s usually a clue.
Neither Logan Rogerson nor Ollie Whyte have contracts with FC Haka in Finland for the upcoming season. Haka had a stinker of a year and are moving onto a new coach (former Northern Irish international Andy Smith). The club have talked about making big changes to the playing staff, with 15 players under contract as things stand. Whyte has still been training with the club despite not having a current deal. No mention of Rogerson, although guess who’s also got a fresh highlights package on the interwebs...
We’ve currently got no NZers registered for the NWSL College Draft. Still a couple more days in which to do so (there’s a live tracker here) but then that doesn’t really matter since the Americans don’t like drafting New Zealanders. There is an impressive crop of graduates this year, with several of that 2018 U17s squad finishing up at their American universities, but the A-League is probably a more realistic next step. Gabi Rennie, Ava Collins, and Maggie Jenkins are amongst those to watch out for.
Michael Woud is a guy who should be assessing his options but nothing’s emerged there yet. Other than that it’s mostly a matter of waiting and seeing who pops up on the trial circuit and whether any of those folks sign deals. There are always a few of them each year. The two National Leagues were stacked with players with that capability.
Speaking of which, there have been some pretty fascinating player moves on that local scene already as clubs begin to piece things together ahead of preseason. Transfermarkt keeps track of a lot of that. Including the anticipated exodus at Manurewa (following coach Paul Marshall and top player/assistant coach Monty Patterson’s departures). Western Springs are stacking up. Birkenhead have done a few things. And Cashmere Technical have won the Joel Stevens sweepstakes after he moved back to the South Island.
Feel free to give a holler if you’ve got the good scoops, especially for kiwi players trialling overseas (which usually isn’t publicised very well - this morning I went looking for some Scott Morris x Stoke City updates and found myself reading one of my own articles quoted back at me on a SCFC forum lol).