Stay Golden
White Ferns & Blackcaps, NRLW Finals, Wellington Phoenix Academy Days, Warriors Gratitude & WNL Team of the Week
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2023 Women’s National League Season Preview (Football)
2023 Men’s National League Season Preview (Football)
Christchurch United Are Chatham Cup Champions For 2023 (Football)
Western Springs Are Kate Sheppard Cup Champions For 2023 (Football)
The NZ Breakers Are Ready To Repeat The Dose in NBL24 (Basketball)
The Rise Of William O'Rourke & Canterbury's Funky Seamers (Cricket)
Three Key Blackcaps ODI Storylines Prior to Bangladesh Series (Cricket)
Scotty’s Word
White Ferns lost the first ODI against South Africa and are now 1-3 in ODIs this year. The kiwis batted first and put up 235/8 thanks to their lower order. Brooke Halliday led the way with 76 runs @ 82sr and she had support from Hannah Rowe's 52 runs @ 72sr and 26* @ 108sr from Izzy Gaze. Even Jess Kerr chimed in with 19* @ 271sr to help finish off the innings.
No batter in the top-five scored more than 25 runs. That's niggly when this group consists of Suzie Bates, Amelia Kerr, Sophie Devine and Maddy Green. While it was lovely to have greater contributions from the role-players, White Ferns don't win without dominance from their best players and they didn't win this game.
South Africa chased down their target in 47.1ov @ 5rpo, losing 6 wickets. J-Kerr took 2w @ 4.7rpo and Rowe had 2w @ 4.3rpo as the best White Fern bowlers. A-Kerr didn't take a wicket but she was the only White Fern who dipped below 4rpo (3.9rpo). South Africa were 111/5 by the 28th over but their batting line up differs to Aotearoa's as they have some of their best batters further down the order; Marizanne Kapp, Nadine de Klerk and Chloe Tryon.
Rowe scored her first ODI 50+ score, having made her debut in 2015. This year Rowe is averaging 32 with the bat and this is her first year averaging over 15, with her knock against South Africa higher than her total run tallies in seven of her last eight years.
Halliday flashed her talent with her third 50+ score of her career and how she finishes this series will be interesting. Halliday averaged 27.9 in 2021 before dropping to 14.2avg last year and then scoring 3 runs in Sri Lanka a few months ago. Now averaging 39.5 in 2023, Halliday needs to turn a corner and chime in with frequent knocks of at least 30+ to help White Ferns win.
Gaze is now the leading wicket-keeper after Bernadine Bezuidenthout return to Aotearoa with illness. With scored of 36* and 26* in South Africa, including the warm up tour game, Gaze has an opportunity to command this role as a frisky hitter down the order and wicket-keeper.
I'm still intrigued by A-Kerr's bowling. A-Kerr has 1w @ 150avg/5rpo in 30overs this year which is her fourth year of ODI bowling averaging 30+. This stretches out to 39+ average in her last three years and comes after A-Kerr averaged below 30 in her first four years, below 22avg in her first three years.
Next game is on Thursday and White Ferns obviously need a win. They are looking at two ODI series losses in a row and are 7th on the Women's Championship ladder (4-4). The teams below them are Bangladesh, West Indies and Ireland.
Blackcaps defeated Bangladesh in their second ODI, led by some funny stuff with Ish Sodhi. Cole McConchie also took a wicket with a horrible peach down the leg-side for another giggle. Tom Blundell and Henry Nicholls are the leading batters for NZ after batting in both games. Blackcaps only bowled in the second game and apart from Sodhi's 6w @ 3.9rpo, Kyle Jamieson took 2w @ 4.5rpo.
Of the players not going to the World Cup, Jamieson is the most interesting. Jamieson has bowed 32ov this year in ODI cricket which is the first time he's hit 30+ overs in a year of ODI bowling. It's also his worst year with 3w @ 71avg/6.7rpo but he is stacking up overs and given his past few years, that's lovely.
Weird ol' stats for the players heading to the World Cup...
Will Young: 58 runs @ 35avg/58sr
Ish Sodhi: 35 runs @ 35avg/89sr | 6w @ 6.5avg/3.9rpo
Lockie Ferguson: 13 runs @ 13avg/100sr | 1w @ 28avg/4.5rpo
Rachin Ravindra: 10 runs @ 5avg/62sr | 8ov @ 3.2rpo
Trent Boult: 8ov @ 4.6rpo
Knights and Titans will play in the NRLW Grand Final. Knights had a 30-24 win over Broncos and Titans defeated Roosters 12-0. Both games featured NRLWahine among the best players for winning teams with Shanice Parker, Abigial Roache and Laishon Albert-Jones churning out hard mahi for Knights. Mele Hufanga had nine runs and nine tackle breaks for Broncos, who also had Gayle Broughton with two linebreaks and Tafito Lafaele continues her development as a prop, offering size and mobility.
On Friday I pondered the best Kiwi Ferns centre pair and after the Titans win, Niall Williams-Guthrie is in the top-tier alongside Parker, Roache and Hufanga. Williams-Guthrie whacks in defence and like Roache, they offer sneaky ruthless carries when their teams need it.
If Titans are winning 12-0 in a grizzly performance, Georgia Hale is shining bright. Hale played the full 70mins as a middle forward with 15 runs - 141m @ 9.6m/run and 57 tackles @ 96%. This is the third game of 10 in which Hale has made 50+ tackles and she now has 459 tackles made, five tackles missed this season.
Tough end to the NRL season for NZ Warriors after their loss to Broncos, although the first season of a new era has over-delivered. Panthers and Broncos are the top-tier this season, just them two teams. NZ Warriors finished fourth in their comeback to Aotearoa season and the consistency of their performance, as well as crowd numbers serves as a fantastic start to this era.
As the season rolled along, two bits filtered through about coach Webster's style. First was bossman Cameron George telling the players that Webster was comfortable with the squad of players when he started the job. Coach Webster didn't need an overhaul as he and his staff made the most of who was already in the Warriors squad.
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Coach Webster also laid out the blueprint for being a top-four team by sharing key stats that the best NRL teams always tick off. If Warriors hit those stat markers, they would be playing finals footy and they'd probably be hosting a finals game. The season finished with Warriors hitting those markers and players who Webster inherited playing their best footy.
All of which leaves me optimistic about building on this season. There are examples of NRL teams who surprise, then revert back to a mediocre norm. NZ Warriors will be aiming for consistent finals footy at least, ideally another top-four finish. The foundations established over the past year should ensure a plateau at least, perhaps a splash of improvement.
Musical jam…
Wildcard’s Notebook
There was an interview from Wellington Phoenix Director of Football Shaun Gill went up on the club’s YouTube channel last week. Genuinely fascinating yarns as Gilly laid bare the men’s team strategy moving forwards, confirming what we kinda already knew which is that they’re now going all in on their academy system with a new vision of themselves as a development club. Chances are you’ll be reading quotes from that interview in TNC write-ups all season... I took a page full of notes from a 15 minute chat lol.
The question to ask before anything else is: why is the DOF doing an in-house chat like this? Presumably to get out in front of the criticism that they haven’t been signing any players. And, yeah, don’t expect any when one of the things that Gilly said was that they’ve already exhausted their first team budget (which has been lowered this year).
Granted there are four imports in place who won’t have come cheap... but they did also lose a few lads who have not been replaced. Reports are that they will make one more senior signing and it’ll be an academy player. Then four more academy dudes will get scholarship deals. Even though they’re desperately short on clinical attacking talent... yeah it might get worse before it gets better.
That Nix Academy has some ballers in it though. Finn Surman is ready to be a starter. Alex Paulsen is ready to be a starter. Finn Conchie can contribute at this level. Sam Sutton is already proven. It’s not impossible that they do a few sneaky things... but yeah prepare yourself for a dip in expectations for sure. There’s a learning curve at play whenever young lads get this much game-time and in all honesty I’m just not sure that the senior players can carry the load... unless Oskar Zawada somehow gets even better in year two.
The idea is that their homegrown players can be just as productive as more expensive Aussies whilst also being in an age range where they might be able to haul in a few transfer fees from European clubs to help fund the club’s operations in a more sustainable way. It’s a gamble. But that’s what they’re doing and they’re being upfront about it, which is always the preference. Good luck to them.
So... who gets that last academy graduate spot? Personally I think they’re alright for defenders and a third keeper (probably Alby Kelly-Heald) will likely be amongst the four scholars so ignore that area of the pitch. If they do grab a defender then it’ll be a right back but not sure there’s an obvious candidate there. Nah, I reckon they need to be looking in the attacking roles and they need to be looking for someone with a bit of x-factor to set them apart, someone who can score great goals out of nothing. In that light, my nomination would be… drum roll please… Ben Wallace.
The Women’s Reserves played their first ever National League game on the weekend and it was a slick 4-0 win away against Ellerslie. Read more about how they did that in the write-up tomorrow. But just to prove a point about how the Welly Nix have recruited from all across the country and not just locally in Wellington, here was the starting eleven that they used in that match...
Charlotte Eagle (GK) – One of a handful of ex-Melville/Waikato signings
Emma Main (RB) – Wellingtonian born and bred (even won the Maia Jackman Trophy in a Kate Sheppard Cup title for Wellington United a few years back)
Mackenzie Barry (CB) – Originally from New Plymouth and played a lot of footy up in Auckland prior to signing with the Welly Nix
Marie Green (CB) – From Auckland and played for Ellerslie... meaning her WNL debut was against her old club coincidentally
Zoe McMeeken (LB) – Christchurch by origin, played a lot for the Canterbury United youth team and a wee bit (at least one subs appearance that I can find) for their senior team prior to joining the Phoenix
Ella McMillan (CM) – Another one of the Melville/Waikato crop
Lara Smith (CM) – One of a handful of Central Football signings made this year, along with substitutes Bex Trewhitt and Georgie Furnell
Grace Bartlett (AM) – Believe she may have been born in England, but she definitely used to play in Auckland prior to joining the academy
Sienna Candy (AM) – She’s still only 15 years old so pretty sure she must be a local Wellingtonian... if not then she’s too young to have left a paper trail elsewhere anyway
Manaia Elliott (AM) – The third of the Melville/Waikato contingent, also played for Auckland United last season having played for WaiBOP previous to that... at 18 years of age she’s already played for three different WNL teams
Ella McCann (FW) – The hat-trick hero from game one is originally from Nelson and did play a season for Canterbury United the year before last, playing five times off the bench
The All Whites play in 18 days and a squad is due to be announced imminently. Darren Bazeley does have a few issues to sort through however. Beautiful news that Matt Dibley-Dias is set to be included – had been feeling pretty confident about that lately and now here we go... perhaps even a little ahead of schedule. But elsewhere there are injuries to deal with. Here’s a quartet who are all in serious doubt…
James McGarry: Surely on the verge of a recall after his move to Aberdeen... except he limped off just six minutes into his game this morning (which Aberdeen won to finally snap their poor start to the term). Seems to have been a hamstring strain which, let’s be honest, he’s not going to be risking for international friendlies. McGarry will be back in the All Whites soon enough but maybe not ‘til the November window.
Ryan Thomas: He was tracking okay through preseason... then got injured on the eve of the new term and literally has not played yet. Nothing too serious but unfortunately he suffered a respiratory infection as he was nearing his return which has set him back even further. Doubtful he would have been available anyway but this makes it a near guarantee he’ll be absent again.
Matt Garbett: This one isn’t yet a lock. Garbett was dealing with a back issue during preseason – allegedly due to a poor quality bed that he’d been sleeping on in his hotel – but he was okay to play the first few games of the season for NAC Breda. Then he had a game in which he got thumped on the ankle a couple of times and had to be subbed off early and he hasn’t been spotted in the wild again since. However the word is that he’s close to a return so jot him down as a maybe.
Bill Tuiloma: Another maybe here as well. Bill Tuiloma’s had a weird season with Charlotte, battling to preserve his starting spot for a struggling team then getting injured and then trying to have a go at right back then getting injured again. He has missed the last month of football with a groin injury or something similar, however he did return to the matchday squad for their latest game – albeit as an unused sub.
It’s also the case that guys like Libby Cacace and Sarpreet Singh are little undercooked for minutes right now, while Chris Wood’s only been playing off the bench and all the A-League guys are in preseason mode. Funky timing for Darren Bazeley’s first tour in charge as permanent coach.
Women’s National League – Team of the Week #1
GK – Amy Simmers (Southern United) – Last season Simmers started the first two games for Southern, conceded 13 goals, then got dropped and didn’t play again (as Southern only conceded 10 more goals in 12 games). This season she’s had a much better start with a bunch of top stops against defending champs Eastern Suburbs, including one magical save in particular to deny Nicole Cooper, and the only one that beat her was a worldie from Charlotte Wilford-Carroll. Flawless from Simmers. Love to see it.
CB – Sarah Morton (Waterside Karori) – The Morton sisters are National League treasures. Superb leaders, always playing with a smile, always working harder than anyone else. Sarah set the whole tone for the Wharfies in their derby draw with Wellington United. Some of the tackles she made, you wouldn’t wanna be on the wrong end of them. Couple courageous blocks too. Huge mahi.
CB – Saki Yoshida (Eastern Suburbs) - An underrated gem in the midfield during the Lilywhites’ title challenge... turns out she’s an underrated gem in defence too. Yoshida’s poise and technique were crucial in Suburbs keeping a winning clean sheet in a game against Southern that turned out to be much tougher than many (myself included) were anticipating.
CB – Hannah Mackay-Wright (Southern United) – One of the reasons Southern Utd were so sharp was having players like HMW, whose aggression in closing down ball-carriers and her typically excellent timing in the tackle (plus some class distribution) were as good as ever in week one.
RW – Emma Main (Wellington Phoenix) – Player of the entire round, to be honest. A goal and two assists. Main was unstoppable for the Nix, effectively playing two positions (right back and right wing) because she was just that far ahead of everyone else. Big A-League season coming up for Mainy, telling you that right now.
CM – Ella McMillan (Wellington Phoenix) – Often a centre-back for NZ age grade teams, McMillan played central midfield for the Nix against Ellerslie and was at the heart of so much slick football. Heaps of touches, keeping that ball moving, winning back possession, and launching a few dangerous long shots too. An all-round midfield performance from the Waikato export.
CM – Charlotte Wilford-Carroll (Eastern Suburbs) – It’s a cliche to simply pick the players who scored the goals but CWC’s winner against Southern was worth the price of admission alone. Absolute rocket. Plus, you know, in a real midfield scrap she was pretty darn good the rest of the time as well.
CM – Liz Savage (Western Springs) – She was great in the cup final, she was great in the WNL opener. Three assists plus a goal of her own. Nothing matches that veteran savvy. She gets into great positions and then makes great decisions.
LW – Bree Johnson (Auckland United) – The architect of AU’s 4-2 win over Canterbury Utd. Johnson gave her fullback nightmares with her constant attacks on the dribble, that pace and strength getting her in behind time and time again. Only thing missing was a goal for herself, denied a couple times by the keeper... but she was still one of the first names on this list.
FW – Sofia Garcia (Western Springs) – Look, you score four goals and you’re going to make the TOW. Doesn’t matter if your team won 8-0. You still shone. Garcia’s pace and finishing were far too much for Central to handle and for the second season in a row she’s scored a week one hat-trick.
FW – Ella McCann (Wellington Phoenix) – Ella McCann scored a hat-trick as well, pocketing three goals in the Nix’s 4-0 win over Ellerslie. Two were tap ins and the third was a long ranger in which she slipped as she shot. But goals are goals and McCann is really beginning to show a fine striker’s instinct for getting into the right positions at the right times.
A tune...