Full Show Podcast: 07 March 2026

0:00You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Pine from News Talks at B The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues It's all on weekend sport with Jason Pine on your home of sport News Talks at B Yes, and it got a good afternoon Welcome into weekend sport on News Talks at B for the seventh of March Happy 74th birthday to one of the truly great West Indian batsman Servin Richards happy 66 to eight time Grand Slam winner Ivan Lendle and happy 31st to form a World Darts champion Go in price. I'm Jason Pine show producer today is Mark Kelly. We are talking sport with you until three o'clock this afternoon. The Warriors What about that a statement to open their NRL season Thumping the roosters 42 18 in Auckland last night. They led

1:0122 six at the break-powered on with three-second half-trice seven and all 42 points to 18 over one of the I guess you'd say competition favorites and one of the powerhouses of the NRL the roosters our Year is it our year far too early to say that it's only the seventh of March, but we can talk about it Tana Boyd is on the show with us after one o'clock and we'll talk Warriors then we lead off today though With the appointment on Wednesday of Dave Rennie as all blacks head coach the good thing about the timing of that Is that we've all had time to digest it now rumenate on it evaluate it chat about it with our friends and neighbours perhaps and Workmates anybody who's got a got a rugby interest and now we can all chat about it here on weekend sport as well Kevin Miyalamu is standing by to chat with us He was part of the selection panel that that chose Dave Rennie over Jamie Joseph He was also part of the 2025 review panel that eventually decided upon a change

2:02Kevin Miyalamu going to be able to offer us a unique view on both Processors and then very keen on your thoughts have we got the right man at the helm and Does he have enough time to get the all blacks fit and firing for a tilt at the rugby world cup in 19 short months from now other matters around today the national track and field champs are on in Auckland Tom Walsh after two o'clock As he targets a 15th New Zealand men's shop put title the season opening Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix is tomorrow Practice three is under way in the next little while qualifying from just before six o'clock tonight Going to get you to Melbourne Park with Alex Powell and New Zealand Racing's newest showpiece take center stage at Alice Lee this afternoon the $4 million NZB Kiwi Andrew Gordy Gonna join us to break that down for us is there any universe in which well written Doesn't stride home to win her sixth straight race in the NZB Kiwi this afternoon

3:04Adam Peacock out of Australia as well in his regular slot Actually quite keen to hear from Adam what the reactions been to Dave Rennie's appointment over there because of course He was Wallaby's coach until he was unceremoniously dumped from that role at the start of 2023 Hamish McClennan and his board brought Eddie Jones in for the World Cup and we know how that worked out So Adam Peacock out of Australia as well But a life sport this afternoon the New Zealand Iron Man is on in Topor one of the strongest fields ever assembled We'll get you there with Brian Ashby and round six of eight in blanket shield Means domestic cricket just the one game underway today the other two start on Monday CD batting first against Napier against ND in Napier CD against ND in Napier and they're going along pretty nicely 88 for one the 88 for one CD batting first and that one we will keep you updated Please join the show if you would like to couple of ways to do it I'll 880 1080 we'll get you through on the phone 9292 for your text messages and emails into Jason at newstalksheadby.co.nz coming up 11 past midday

4:11The biggest names in sport are here we can sport with Jason Vine news talks at B The all blacks have a new head coach Dave Rennie appointed this week following the departure of Scott Robertson 132 test double world cup winning former all blacks hook a Kevin Miyalamu played a key role in that process He was part of the panel that reviewed the team's performance in 2025 and also part of the recruitment panel That selected Dave Rennie as the new all blacks head coach Kevin Miyalamu is with us on weekend sport Kevin. Thanks for your time How close was the call between Dave Rennie and Jamie Joseph and what were the key factors that Ultimately tipped the balance in Dave Rennie's favor I'm some good question there. I think I think to start with actually I can say we must be We must be the envy of the rugby world at the moment. I just I want to think of our two candidates

5:11Just really too high caliber Coaches but also you know the more people we spoke to especially when doing our Our reference checks and referee checks. They just talked of Really good people really good people and um and great coaches. So There wasn't much in it actually um, but I just believe both of them Both of them had to have the skillsets. I you know, and when I reflect back to um Um What what what what did it look like it could have possibly just been um The the preparation that Dave had come with and um I also think from my time as it as being in all black just as he As prepared as um Uh as as as rugby um work and just looking at Weaselord and the opportunities that he sees in our game. I think that was something that really stood out for me Was there something as well Kevin in Dave Rennie's vision for the all blacks that that really resonated with you and with the panel

6:11Um, I'll definitely think um I think we think so All been able to see from um Dave across The multiple teams um over the years and his and his experience um around the world is that he's been able to grow great culture and um and team that looked types and they And they um and that's the way they play as well. So um Deckley um particularly around how we build culture um You can see their success that he's he's put into the team that he's been around this fish around the world How rigorous was the the the due diligence part of this the the background checks you mentioned them before You know those you spoke to to get a to get a gauge on on both candidates Yes, I was really lucky to um I think in total we we um had about 10 referees that um myself and don trigger But uh through as we spoke to players um people that had coached alongside the coaches as well and um Just being able to spend a lot of time dig a little bit deeper into you know um their philosophies how they

7:16Manage people how they bring teams along It was um it was done well and um, I think that's you know, I think that's it's what it takes for us to make sure that we landed with the right people. So Um a lot of uh a lot of time and um thought gone into the process but um You know um When I think think about it. That's how important it is We just we just needed to make sure we put in the work to make sure we got the right person As a former all black yourself and uh double world cup winner 132 tests The the unique insight that you were able to bring into this process along with dang calls of course who who was also involved what were You specifically looking for to hear from these two candidates that that would give you reassurance that you are on the on the right track of picking the correct candidate Um I think there's a few things in that there's um some of that's able to uh really um Get players to uh to really to really feel connected to to the jersey to be able to build that culture

8:18that culture that also um Gets players to feel confident and and believe in what they're doing but also really drive hard performance So that's the um that's it's one of the um priority is the key expectations of being in all black as well that that you're performing on the field I also think that when we talk to um had a chance to talk about they've had a really clear plan Of what the short runway looks like you know leading into EC at 18 months, but he he also said it's gonna look like 15 because he's gonna need about three uh three months to get your feet under the desk. So um I think just the it's a combination of things that you look at but um definitely look at um what what the age done to to build strong cultures in in a short amount of time and Is um It's a support of excellence and um and having high standards and driving driving performance. I think we'll certainly really start out Once you got to the final part of this the final interviews with the two candidates Did you go into that part of the process with with an idea in your mind that that day was your man or didn't he need

9:22The final part of the interview process to really solidify that in your mind I feel as we did the last interview um It wasn't there wasn't a fight there still was wasn't one person ahead of the other So it was some really heavy discussion and we're weighing up the the pros and cons Which I think is a really good way of um being able to go into the that's how close it was It's how well both presented and um just shows the real quality of um of the coaches that we That you know that that that that come down to so um pretty much right up until we'll We were debating all the way up right right up to the end Yeah, did you talk to um the two of them about who they would like to have working with them I know that a decision still to come But did you get an idea from the two of them who they would like to bring in alongside or retain? Yeah, I think that's one of the things that um We'll sort of we'll get a chance to reveal itself over time. Obviously there There's still management that are that are still there at the moment currently so um

10:26It will be something that unfolds with time and you want to respect that Uh those that are there at the moment are going through But uh a process in itself again, so um Like that's one of those things that uh that we talk about but And in respect to those that are um there currently you want you want that to uh let it play itself out The all blacks have long drawn enormous strength from pacifika players How significant is it that Dave Rene now becomes the first head coach of the all blacks of pacifika heritage I'd say um it's a very proud moment. I you know um One of our other board members um Caron that's on the New Zealand Rugby board. She was the first to say that um Uh, she's one of the uh one of the people for the kukala and world domination So just to see you know, it's um Like all things, you know when you get a chance to see um some amazing role models It always um says safe for those younger and those that um

11:30Want to one day become an all black coach yet. It's possible. So um Well, it's a wonderful day and um and uh hopefully it opens the door for for more people of pacifika um Backround to to look to say hey, maybe this might be a pathway for me as well Do you see a possible roll down the track for jamey joseph with the all blacks? Is there a scenario under which that might play out? Oh I can you can never say never and um I just think um we um You know to be able to have jamey and now and our ecosystem um We'll be really lucky to have them um still stay with us here in New Zealand I know there's so many opportunities that they will come up and that's that's the that speaks more so to his caliber of coaching but um Uh, yeah, you know, just you'd love we would love to have everything but um but obviously um This this rock and then it can only be held by one It's been a very busy few months for you Kevin, you know

12:31The as I say this off the back of the review of 2025 How do you reflect back on the review that you were a part of and the eventual decision that you made to to make a change Um, yes, it's been um it has been a it's been a big process and um Getting the chance to reflect back. I think it's um, um, I think you always think of it's it's people first and um When doing these sort of things is always hard in the difficult decisions to make and um and people are usually at the center of us So um obviously with change coming that means that um there's there's those those hard conversations to have Um So you think about the people involved and the family so you want to make sure that's done well with with real integrity and then looking forward You understand the um How important this is so um you're you know, I feel that that all that have been involved have been willing to Take the time to make sure this has done right. It's uh it means a lot to us in uh in the rugby community

13:32It means a lot to New Zealanders We want to make sure that this job's done well and Wouldn't we get a chance to reflect back? Um, we just wanted to make sure that there's no stones until uh and unturned So um It's been a lot of work. It's been done really well and um and hopefully Well, we can we can look back and say this has been done well, but this is this is now where the work really begins Indeed, I know anybody who's who's watched you play has played with you has worked alongside you Kevin always talks about how Much people mean to you how much the people you work with and alongside mean to you Was there a moment during this review where The emotional side of this decision really hit you knowing the impact that it was going to have on Scott Robertson Oh a hundred percent um, you know um because It's no you know, if I can put myself on the shoes, you know, I always speak to um I remember my time is as an all black And um we always have lunch

14:34We know some days are usually days. We have lunch with our entire family. So over my parents house and my dad Who worked on the um on the factory floor would always say um Some the amount of people that come up to me and tell me that keep you sure he's your son should have done it this way should have done it that way So there's you know, there's always families involved in this so um I It's definitely something I think about and um, you know, I think we should all think about it as well So that so that whatever the decision is it's still done with um what's got the utmost respect because um because that's what it deserves Indeed so after the um after the decision was made uh for Dave Rennie uh the other day You must have been about naked were you did you have the chances of They can press a little bit after it was all done because it's been a robust process by the chance of it I know there I know there are people out there that um that have got bigger jobs than than what we do But um, I don't know there's definitely that mental fatigue. It's um it's obviously something that um Yeah, yeah, and then yeah and then that's all because obviously there's there's other work that

15:37There needs to be done more of my usual day job, but also um You know, when I when I think back I just uh, I do feel a little bit um tired But it's been with it. It's um the learning um the um making sure that it's um done right enough And we have definitely landed with the right person. So it's something I can feel Feel really proud of that actually Just to finish um you talked about the short runway and there is a world cup in 19 months from now What will success look like for the all blacks under davir any and how quickly do you expect that all blacks fans will see that Well good question that I think what the success look like it looks like our team paint to their potential I think that that's uh when we know when you um when you see and um you're around the team that um You you you feel that It's uh, I suppose that's the it's the word at the moment you feel the aura of the of the all blacks and that you You see our players our team. I'm playing to the potential

16:38And when when they're close to that um That's that's when um that's when we know when we feel that um we are a real chance of Of of being able to hopefully lift a lift a cup in a in about 15 18 months Congratulations Kevin on your part in this process uh and thank you so much for uh for joining us for a chat this afternoon Really appreciate it. Thank you point really appreciate it. No, thank you Kevin Kevin me alarmoo there Quality human being uh you've had three days to digest and reflect and think about the disappointment You've heard from Kevin me alarmoo there about some of the inner workings and what it was that gave davir any the edge Your chance now to give Voice to some of the thoughts that it's just been floating around perhaps inside your head or maybe you've told a few people You want to tell a few more? I'm 188 From what I can see this appointment has been met with something close to universal approval Dave Renny a popular choice as the new all blacks head coach he's built A substantial body of work both here in New Zealand and overseas. He's coached at provincial and super level

17:43Here in New Zealand with success in both as well as taking charge of the New Zealand under 20s He's coached in Scotland and Japan and he's been an international coach with the wallabies of course his CV Is exactly what you'd look for When you're approaching someone's or assessing someone's suitability For the biggest job in New Zealand sport He's the right man for the job Every new all blacks coach faces a defining early decision So once he's got his assistance locked in and you might want to chat about that The first big call for davir any to make is Who will be captain There's only one option Arty Savia must kept in the side And there's nothing against Scott Barrett what so ever It just feels as though this is Arty's time To take the permanent leadership of the all blacks. He's currently working with davir any in Japan

18:49He's at Kobe Steelers where davir any is the coach. They work with one another Every day they know each other just as Scott Robertson and Scott Barrett did When razor made that call So first big call for davir any name your captain And they've arty as you'll captain and does davir any have time The next rugby world cup is just 19 months away all blacks head coaches are hired as we know in four year chunks So they can work towards the next rugby world cup They need all of that time. They lay out a four-year plan as razor did this time two years ago davir any has less than half of that time exacerbated by the fact That he still has commitments in Japan until at least may And possibly beyond if the Kobe Steelers make the playoffs and they're currently second So he'll have to cram four years Into 15 months But there is a huge opportunity this year

19:52With such a huge all black season are head the all blacks play 17 matches In 2026 that big four test tour to South Africa with the fourth of those tests in Baltimore of course chuck in the midweek matches the nation's championship the bled is low cup plenty of rugby To be played He can make really good progress around embedding a playing style Building the combinations he needs and working out his packing order in key positions Does he have enough time? Well, I think He'd obviously say he would love more But this is what he has and so It has to be enough Because what other choices there? 0800 80 1080 Hello Grant Yeah, Piny I'll hardly give him Kevin me alarm about the the quality of the final two And I think you know Dave Rene on balance with his extra

20:57International experience with the wallabies coaching Against tier one nations certainly counted The obviously other things as well And Remember that the world cup doesn't start to October next year So although next year the there won't be as many tests Because the world cup and October in the in the leader The all blacks are still going to play test matches and maybe half the amount in the rugby championship So in effect you could say was it's two full all black seasons now obviously four years as ideal But I think you know if you got the right coach two years is pretty Well, I guess what they have to do is cut their cloth to suit Grant, don't they you know They don't have four years much as they would love to they they can't change that That inconvenient fact they have they have as you say 18 19 months To get ready for the start of the rugby world cup and really to get themselves ready for the back end of that of that tournament

22:00Where as things stand they may well face South Africa in the quarterfinals Um, I think if you Dave Rene your work back from that point, don't you you put that date in the calendar and work back He doesn't have the luxury that Scott Robertson had of building I mean one of razors catch phrases was you know Four deep in four positions. I don't think Dave Rene we doesn't he doesn't have the opportunity to do that As head coach these players though don't arrive as as you know as novices They don't arrive fully formed under his strategy either But he's got a good good you know group of players to work with he just has to concertina the whole process up Yeah, and he did say that the The DVD recorder will be working overtime. We've been watching every super rugby game and every International Game that he can find is also got free by By before the end of the Japanese season. So is it ever coming home for the first week of each two week by before I'm going back to

23:08Japan And remember also that normally with the all blacks at the start of each year There's usually only two weeks between the final of the super rugby which usually involves at least one New Zealand team if not two and the first International so we'll certainly be back at the well before that you know Yeah, absolutely great look and I get the feeling Dave Rene's been watching super rugby anyway Even when even when he wasn't even when he wasn't even when there wasn't a vacancy for For the all blacks head coach. I mean he strikes me as a guy who'd keep his eyes fairly fairly closely on On super rugby anyway. Yeah, you're right the first all blacks test of the year This year is on the 4th of july It is exactly two weeks after the super rugby grand final on the 20th of june so that that is You know, that's that's common If if the Kobe Steelers were to go all the way to the grand final in

24:13Japan Just gonna bring up their schedule here. I believe that that grand final is At the back end of no sorry front end of june so The final is on the 7th of june Over in japan So if the Kobe Steelers were to make that then I guess Dave Rene could come home on the 8th or 9th of june Still and he'd be back in time to watch the semis and the final of super rugby Pickers squad and then get ready for France and Christchurch on the 4th of july It is a tight time frame But it's what has been handed to him due to circumstance He has to cut us cloth to suit That's the hand he's been dealt to use another analogy peter hold there with you after this 0800 80 1080's our number Spell on there if you want to pass comments on Dave Rene or anything you heard from Kevin Miyalamu or your assessment of the major priorities between now And rugby world cup 2027 lines are open 0800 80 1080 back after this

25:14Where the weekends biggest calls are made we can sport with jason pine and gj garden homes New Zealand's post trusted home builder news talks at b A summer just wouldn't be the same without cricket and while it might be stumps on the holiday beach cricket south africa Are in the country and they're taking on our white ferns and our black caps and look we all know how it works She checked the forecast about six times the day before But there's something pretty cool if you've got a ticket to our white ferns or black caps match And in the unlikely event that a game in March is abandoned due to rain You're not given out because Brookvale Union have this thing called Rainurance basically you take your match ticket into selected superlicker stores the next day And you can redeem it for a Brookvale Union price pack So you're still winning rain or shine which means you can head along back the team soak up the atmosphere and not spend the whole day stressing about the weather radar Rainurance from Brookvale Union if it rains they poor

26:22We can sport on news talks MP Peter thanks for holding good afternoon Hey funny good afternoon hey hey brunette good choice I'm not really concerned about the white noise Well captain coming up next year and only three months to do this and do that I when he had his press presser I kept it on three words Pick on four and That may be visible because So far this third round of the super world Sorry super open is it's been amazing 60 points last night from the team 50 points from hurricanes There's players that are going to be playing themselves in And they're certainly going to be players that Would have thought they were in on our going to be out and And I really hope that day sticks to this I don't have any Allegiance to any particular club player or jersey. I think he will yeah

27:27Peter I think he will and you've landed on such a great point and I I wonder you know whether whether a change in all black's coach In fact, I don't wonder I'm almost certain that it will reinvigorate every single player who's got designs On an all black jersey because as you've just said davirini comes in he'll pick on form No preconceived ideas has worked with very few of these players in the past a couple of them During his time with the chiefs obviously and and in japan with arty for the you know for for example But I think you're right I think any player who was perhaps on the outer for the last couple of years Thanks to themselves Shivers I've got a chance here and anybody who's been a rusted on selection in the last couple of years Cannot rest on their laurels because it's a different coach now And the other thing I'm thinking is it's going to put this richimal one Story to sleep, you know, I'm like you can feel her at the island at the moment and You know, I just think that I think that it's exciting I reckon it's great and

28:29You know, I just really hope he sticks to those Those three foods that are used to this pressure and And I think rugby people be in a good shape again, and you know I look back to that world cup in France And who was the outside bolter in that team the email in a scholar and look what he did for those Those games for And last year Fabian Holland has our our bolter We've ever really had an outside expect the guy that has Been appointed and just run with it, you know, I think it's we've been too Too safe You know, let's get some went under the belt before we go out there and Experiment, but I hope to save the work David's like let's get out of the gate running and Build around what we have And go from there forget about last week last year You know, that's my two cents. I tell you who the near him on a skater might be this year Peter

29:34All for next year And he's a mate of your he's a teammate of Camilla who you mentioned and that's Caleb Tungato I've loved what I've seen from him on the wing for the Highlanders before you go I'm gonna ask you one question. I'm gonna and I'm not gonna hold you to the answer if it doesn't come true But for the first test of this year Saturday the 4th of July against France in Christchurch. Who has the number 10 jersey in that test match? Um If he continues the way he's doing I'm gonna say I'll be Camilla with Boat of Barrick on As a result if he has a good season Yes, thank you. Thank you, Peter. As I say, I'm not gonna I'm not gonna hold you to it I I will expect your call. I'll expect your call on the 4th of July when we broadcast from Christchurch And you and I can have a chat about who actually is wearing the 10 jumper if you like No, no, no, I will Thank you to that word What Ha ha good on you Peter drive safe. I'm 188 80 this is a bloke called Damian McKenzie who might have a thing to say as well

30:38And while your points very valid in terms I pick on form Um Dave reny was the first bloke to pick Damian McKenzie for the chiefs you'll remember back in 2015, Damien McKenzie was brought into the chiefs for the first time, by 2016 he was the first choice, first five at that franchise, and Dave Rennie was there for one more year after that. So Damien McKenzie and Dave Rennie do have history, a very, very good history. Jamie, hi mate. Good patience. Yeah, it must have been a really, really tough choice between two outstanding candidates, but I'm happy for Dave Rennie. I feel like it's a really, it's quite a solid appointment, and it's probably something that sort of like has a bit of, that people are happy with and sort of unified behind, rather than just giving it to the fuzzy days of days. There was just sort of like there was one camp for fuzzy and one camp for

31:40for Razor, but now it's sort of like it's either far, which I think is a good thing. I do remember though, Jamie, when Razor was appointed, even though there was a lot of chat about the process, and they've freely admitted in the time since that the process was done terribly, I do remember there being two years ago, a pretty strong sense that the right outcome had been reached, that Razor was our guy, had given, you know, had built up this body of work at the Crusaders. It was time for him to take over. He was going to come in and sweep us forward to the next World Cup. I mean, hindsight is a wonderful thing, but I know I did. I know I thought it was the right call. I've said today, Dave Rennie is the right call, and I believe that, but I believe that Scott Robertson was the right call too. So, you know, we don't always get these things right to me. Yeah, I probably wasn't a camp too, but yeah, but, um, yeah, and also, just for the question is, whether they have enough time to, for the next World Cup, well, we're probably just, I think we, three years, two years are still enough. I mean, any,

32:40let's say it was about a year, let's say it was about one year, there was, they'll be getting it really fine, but, um, two years is fine. I mean, look what, um, just look at the example of South Africa when, when Ressie took over before they won in, um, 2019, there was about two years before that. He took over, and then, you know, they obviously, obviously won it. So, I mean, yeah, it's going to be a really, obviously, really tough and introduction for the day, really, with the, with the tour to South Africa. You think it much tougher than that, but I mean, I'm just hoping to see that we'll, you know, we just, our performances will, in our standards, we'll just train in the right direction. Yeah, I mean, results. I mean, if we get a win or two against them, that's, there'll be great, but yeah, it's probably just, um, how we, it's all just see how we, um, our performances improve. That's what I feel anyway. It's a great, uh, it's a great set of thoughts, Jamie. Thanks for sharing them with us, mate. Look forward to chatting often across the next year and a bit to see if they do have the runway

33:44and the, and the Ressie Erasmus examples, a great example. Because in 2017, you'll remember this, the all blacks hammered South Africa 57-0 at Albany. In 2017, two years later, they were World Champions, two years, four years after that, they were World Champions again. So the runway is long enough. If you use it correctly, that's Dave Renny's big challenge. How does he get the best possible use out of a truncated runway towards the next rugby World Cup? It'll be fascinating to observe. Thanks, Jamie, 16 away from one mark with you after this. Spellone will talk rugby till one warriors after one. Tanner Boy, you're going to join us after one. Then I want to hear from you, warriors fans. Come on. What about that? But rugby until one, back in the moment on weekend, sport 16 away from one. No TMO, no DRS, just your call on 0800, 8010, 80. We can sport with Jason Pie and G.J. Gardner Holmes. New Zealand's most trusted home builder. Use talks at B.

34:4413 away from one from Chris on text piney. This is the first time an ex Aussie coach has become the all blacks coach. Pretty sure it is Chris yet. Can't think of another one. Can't think of another coach who has coached the wallabies and then gone on to coach the all blacks. Pretty sure Dave Renny is the first one. Can I mark? Hey, Pony. Yeah, I wonder if Tony Brown was in the picture where Jamie would have gotten the nod over Dave Renny. I think he might have sort of almost like a team went there and the fact that he went to Africa is, yeah, probably couldn't get out of that contract. But yeah, no, I think it's either of those two guys would have been, you know, pretty good appointment. I mean, obviously Dave Renny, I'm from the man of a turn. He sort of resurrected a sort of very sad, sad rugby team, you know, and he sort of brought it back to life really. But I think David Kirk is a real difference maker and the choice he made to get rid of Razor was a bold choice, you know, coming in. It's probably one of the most boldest decisions I've seen from sort of at any level of rugby for someone to come in and fire him like that. And he's

35:48obviously thought, well, with this guy in charge, we're probably not going to win the next world cup. And I mean, he's got the background and he's obviously got, you know, super intelligence to make these decisions. I think and back their coach, to me, I think that's probably the biggest piece of the puzzle for me for it for all but success. Because I think some things probably needed to change to be honest. What sort of CEO then, do you think would work best under David Kirk? Because he's effectively acting as a CEO, isn't he? An executive chairman. A lot of chairs on boards, not just in sport, but in all sorts of business Mark, really just leave it to the CEO. They let the CEO run the operation. They set the strategy as a board and they, and they get regular updates from the CEO and how it's going. In the absence of a CEO, David Kirk's being doing all that. So what kind of CEO are they going to bring in under him? I think he'll be more hands-on like Kirk and whoever he appoints, he's going to get someone who he can work pretty closely

36:51with to achieve the objectives that he wants. Because, you know, I mean, he's a rugby world cup winner, he's a player, he, you know, and he's, you know, had obviously a pretty successful career. I mean, you know, I don't think you could ask for anyone, probably better. And I'm maybe being a little bit critical of the last regime with the whole Foster FESCO, but yeah, I don't think we're going to get that same FESCO. I think he's going to make decisions and stick with them and, yeah, stick by the people he picks with, you know, I think he's a good decision maker. So, yeah, I don't know who you're picking CEO, but I've sort of got quite a bit of faith in this guy the way he's acted. I mean, the razor decision came from like so far out of the blue. I mean, it just blew me away. I don't know whether it blew you away, but it was, you know, quite a bold move. What do you think? Oh, no, I wasn't expecting it at all. No, I mean, the odd thing though, Mark, is you look back in hindsight and you think, okay, well, you can see why they made the call. They talked about trajectory and how, you know, they hadn't been improvement. It certainly wasn't based on the numbers. 19 wins and seven losses, that, you know, 78%. It's got nothing to do with the win loss record.

37:56It was the trajectory. And like you, I, it's obvious David Kirk has, is a strong-world firm leader, who isn't scared of making the tough decisions and having uncomfortable conversations. No, it'll be interesting here anyway, finally, and maybe DMACC might get the nod at number 10. Yeah, I thought he was good last night. Mark, I thought it was really good last night. For a guy who hasn't played since what, back into last year, has just become a new dad and anybody who's become a parent knows what those first few weeks are like. You just hang on for dear life, don't you? Don't even know what date is after time. You sleep when you can. Any thought of doing any regular exercise kind of goes out the window, unless you're out pushing the pram. But Damien McKenzie came back into that game last night and looked like he hadn't been away. He didn't look like he'd been away at all. Sort of slotted back in and he was kicking, well, he played the 80

38:58minutes, didn't he? I don't think you went off. Went back to fullback when Josh Jacob came on. Yeah, he has to be, well, of course he is. He bowed in Barrett, who I think is due back. I think he's playing tonight, isn't he? He's off the bench tonight for the Blues. Bowed in Barrett, and then Richie Morgan, when he arrives after the Japanese season. So three horse race for that number 10 jersey, you know, it's really, and I think we're going to add Cam Miller in as well from our previous caller. So there's a decision to be made there. I would not be at all surprised if it's Damien McKenzie and the 10 jersey in that very first test against France. Couple of texts before we go to the break point. He says, Bert, I've had the pleasure of spending a few hours talking with Dave Renny on a couple of occasions as well as his amazing methods of building team culture. He has a very, very good manager of people and he builds a very detailed understanding of players strengths and weaknesses and how to get the best out of them. Thank you, Bert. Jason, all the hot air expressed over recent weeks by the majority in backing

39:59Jamie Joseph as the front runner, yet the smart people lined up the CVs and experience et cetera very early. And it was very clear. It was a one horse race with Dave Renny hands down. The only choice just shows that those who think they know, no, not much of paraphrase that. Coming up. Seven to one news talks. He'd be analyzing the plays and getting the insight. We can sport with Jason fine news talks. It be four to one final text from Barry. I think this South African tour, although tough is a great chance for Renny to get his foundations for the team in place early. He'll get plenty of time with the players than he would on a northern tour. He's got more quality time than he would normally in the two years. He said he knew how he wanted his team to play. So it'll be about finding those that fit the plan. I also wonder if bringing Brody back, and I've seen that suggested a lot, and possibly making him captain, says Barry, could be a way to bring the team together under a hugely respected player who has no baggage with the current players over the last two years. Thanks, Baza. Yeah, the whole Brody Ritalic thing was

41:04a bit of a, kind of, let it feel, wasn't it? He got name dropped by Dave Renny. I wonder where the Brody's coming back. I would say no, but then, you know, I thought Razor was the right coach, so we all have our views, and they, you know, sometimes tend to be wrong. After one o'clock, Tana Boyd, up the ones. The only place for the big names, the big issues, the big controversies, and the big conversations. It's all on weekend sport with Jason Vibe on your home of sport, new talks have been. 107, welcome in. Welcome back, as the case may be, I'm Jason Pine. Mark Kelly is running the counter today. This is weekend sport until three Tana Boyd standing by to chat to us. What a game from the last night. In fact, what a game from everybody in a warrior shirt last night. In front of a very good crowd against a pretty good opponent, the roosters. If you'd said to Andrew Webs to start of the week, you'll put 40 on them and win comfortably. He would have bitten your hand off for that. I'll see you said last night, we're, you know, we're not

42:06totally satisfied. And of course, that's what coaches say. You can't, you know, you can't put all your eggs into around one basket. Can you and say we're going to win the comp? Well, the coaches can't. We can, though. Can't we? We can get a bit excited about this. Can't we? I loved that last night. I loved watching that. It was a tough night for what to watch. Wasn't it? Because you had the chiefs more on a Pacifica underweight seven. The warriors came on at eight. So that stage job was kind of double screening to, you know, to try and catch both of those when the rugby finished I was full on with the warriors. But then at nine thirty, the Hurricanes wore a tuss started and the Phoenix against Adelaide. So I had, I needed three screens to try and keep up with everything. Anyway, I digress. Tanner Boyd shortly, a couple of texts to mop up around our discussion in the first hour. Point of this, my sound a little bit left feel, but I'd like David Kirk to appoint another chair and take the CEO job himself. Therefore, he will be hands on better for the new regime. I've heard that suggested as well. I just wonder where the David Kirk wants the job. He'd have to relocate.

43:11I think he lives in Sydney at the moment. He'd have to relocate to New Zealand. He can't be CEO of New Zealand rugby and not live in New Zealand. And I'm not sure that he wants it, but he will certainly, I think, have a big say clearly in who the CEO is and the type of CEO who he thinks he can work best with. He showed himself as I said before, one when Mark and I were talking to be a firm hand, a guy who doesn't mind the tough conversations and the big decisions. So when they do recruit the CEO, whenever that might be, it'll need to be someone who can work under a chair like that because it's a say, not all chairs are like that. A lot of chairs just let the CEO get on with it. I said this strategy and say, right, here it is, if you go, keep us updated and call us if you need us. That doesn't strike me as the way David Kirk is chair of New Zealand rugby. Jason, I've been listening here show says Brian and the talk about the appointment of the New War Blacks coach or the talks been about a coach for the rugby world cup, but we have a tour to South

44:13Africa before then. I think everybody is disrespecting these South Africans by not including them in the conversation. Will we accept losses to the spring box? If this is part of the pathway to a world cup, Brian to answer that last question, I think the answer is unequivocally yes we will. If in November or December next year, whenever the final is, whoever the Blacks captain is is thrusting the William Webb Alice trophy into the Melbourne sky. I don't think it'll matter at all what happens in South Africa this year. I can't see us going to South Africa when we go full test matches, can you? But I think if we if we show improvement when a couple of them perhaps maybe square the series and there's some intent and there's some obvious improvement on that tour, then I think we will be happy and I don't think anybody's disrespecting the South Africans, but we do work as far as the old blacks are concerned in world cup chunks, don't we? In four year cycles and as I say

45:14nothing that comes before a rugby world cup really matters too much once that rugby world cup arrives. I can't remember much about the old blacks results in 2009 or 2010, not too much really from 2013 or 2014. I couldn't give you a score line, but I can give you a lot of score lines from those rugby world cups, but I take your point, Brian. I take your point. Incidentally just before we move midday tomorrow, the man who sacked Dave Rene's on the show, Hamish McLeanon, who was chair of rugby Australia when they got rid of Dave Rene at the start of 2023 and brought Eddie Jones in for what proved to be an absolute dumpster fire at the 2023 rugby world cup when you couldn't even get them out of the pool. So how is Hamish McLeanon feeling now seeing the old blacks, a point or New Zealand rugby, a point Dave Rene is old blacks head coach, be fascinating to hear his views. He's on the show tomorrow just after midday, so that will be worth tuning in for, I'm sure. But let's move

46:16to the NRL and the Warriors who have opened their season in emphatic fashion. Yeah, not just a beating, a hammering really. I think we can call it that 4218 and go media stadium, a seven tri performance to get their NRL campaign off to a flyer. One of the key figures in the win. Halfback, Tanner Boyd scored a tri controlled the game superbly and piled on the points with the boot in a commanding display in the number seven jersey. Tanner Boyd joins us on weekend sport. Thanks for taking the time, Tanner on what I'm sure is an afternoon off for you. We do appreciate your time. That is about as good a way to start a new season as you could hope for us.

47:22And how satisfying was that performance and that result for the group? Yeah, it was extremely satisfying, mate. Obviously you worked so hard in the preseason and you try and work on the things that you want to get better at and to see it coming out on the weekend was obviously very pleasing and definitely getting the monkey off the bat. You always want to win that round one, so it was really good, mate. Was there anything in particular that came off the back of your couple of preseason games that was worked on particularly in the week leading into the first regular season game last night? Yeah, I feel from trials at our museums on the line and was was pretty poor, so that was a big focus point going into the into the week and I thought we defended really well at times and obviously still things we want to get better at and work on, but for the majority of the game it was really good, so yeah, very pleased. So you've got the worries on the board, early with the first try, first try, scorer of the new season. How nice is it to make an impact

48:22like that, like a material impact like that so early on in the game and in the season? Yeah, it's obviously very, very good and yeah, it kind of set the game up. I feel just kind of got the momentum rolling and for my confidence as well, it was obviously great and got me into my game and yeah, the more I'm running the footier, I feel that the more I get into my game, so yeah, it was very pleasing. You're really composed running the side around last night, man. I mean, how comfortable are you feeling? I know it's early, but in the warrior system, under Andrew Webster, particularly given, of course, she had a decent chunk of time in the seven jumper at the at the back in the last season. Yeah, very comfortable, mate. Yeah, having finished the year with the boys and then getting the full preseason, yeah, very comfortable and just leading the side. So yeah, it's it's that's my game, that's my job and yeah, I just want to keep building and keep, you know, being consistent with my performances

49:26and taking control of the team. So how much time do you spend on your goal kicking each week? Yeah, a fair bit. Yeah, I like to like to kick every day that we train and just I just limit the load, but yeah, definitely spend a lot of time on it and pretty disappointed with with the few of them, but yeah, there's always going to be improvement, mate. Chanel Harris-Tavita had a big night as well, a couple of tries for him. How much she enjoyed playing alongside him when the half's combination looks like it's clicking really well. Yeah, obviously he was outstanding. He just puts himself in great positions and he gets to reward. So yeah, I'm loving playing with Chanel and yeah, I know our combination would just keep building and yeah, we're just glad we got to play our solo for the last night and yeah, the more we're combining and on the same page, along with Wade, the better. In particular, the left edge looked really dangerous last night for the Warriors. There's

50:27something you'd identified in the roosters defense during the week? No, not really, mate. You kind of just adjusted on the run and sometimes that happens in games. You just feel a little weakness and you're trying, you know, exploit that and yeah, I thought the boys on the left edge did a great job and yeah, we're just happy that we got the rewards. So it was good. Always huge optimism around the Warriors at the start of any season. Does a performance like that give you genuine belief about what might be possible in 2026? Yeah, I always, mate. Yeah, everyone's obviously optimistic and you always want to be at in the back end of the year and yeah, you always have those higher hopes, but yeah, we've got a pretty big focus on just taking a week by week day by day, just being consistent, you know, just focusing on each day, getting better. So yeah, we're not getting too ahead of ourselves only from one. So yeah, we'll just look it onto that next week and against Canberra

51:29another tough game. So yeah, we'll just be taking a week by week. Yeah, we'll leave it to the fans and probably us on the media to get ahead of ourselves speaking of the fans. Always a bit tricky around one. You really don't know, but that crowd again last night. What's it like running out in front of that atmosphere to kick off the season? Yeah, it's amazing, mate. Our fans are unreal. They're just they're constant packed house and they just bring so much energy and and to us as a team. It just lifts off. So love playing at home. I know the boys do as well. It just gives us another, another kick and yeah, I appreciate them so much, mate. Interest in your mindset too, Tanner, you know, we know Luke Metcalf is on the way back and we're hearing sort of round six, round seven. He might be, might be back. How do you attack things knowing that he's coming back? You're running the car at the moment. Do you just try and make it a difficult decision for Andrew Weepster when Luke Metcalf is back in the mix? Yeah, that's that's that's exactly what I want to do and yeah, just want to play good footy and and put my best foot

52:32forward. But yeah, I can't worry about that. Again, I got to I got to take a day by day and make sure I'm now in my role and and playing good footy and making sure that I'm doing everything I can for the boys and and that's that's all I need to focus on for now, mate. So yeah, I don't look look forward, but there's something I plan to do just now my role and see what happens. I don't know, you've had your review this morning, anything in particular. I mean, it must be quite nice coming into a review when you just put 40 on the roosters. Yeah, it's obviously it's really good. Yeah, it's a happy camp. That's for sure. But yeah, obviously a lot of things we can work on and yeah, a lot of things that we want to get better at. So yeah, but we'll focus on that for the next probably two days and then and then we'll look into Canberra. So another big game coming next weekend also back at home. Tanner, congratulations on last night mate. Terrific performance from you on the team. Enjoy the rest of your weekend and thanks for chatting this afternoon. Thank you, mate. Appreciate it. Appreciate your time. Tanner, thanks indeed. Tanner Boyd.

53:36Man of the match last night, certainly in the conversation. Thorny was excellent. Goes to show doesn't know what time in the jersey can do for you. When he took over from Luke Metcalf last season that was unexpected. Wasn't it? No, I'd expected Luke Metcalf to suffer a season ending injury. And Tanner Boyd came in and and was solid. But it this this. Well, I think last night showed what what knowing that you're going to be playing does for you. He was able to put in a full preseason knowing that at least for the first six weeks anyway, he was going to be the man in the seven jersey and will be and that's all he can do. I mean, Luke Metcalf's a terrific player and will certainly push for that seven jumper when he's back. But Tanner Boyd showed last night that he is a very able deputy and calling him a deputy is probably the wrong word. He was excellent. Is there a scenario under which both boyd and Metcalf play? Luke Metcalf's played a bit of success, isn't he? Could we possibly see that?

54:41Could we see Tanner Boyd and Luke Metcalf and the halves together? Warriors fans? Tanner Boyd said there, you know, we don't want to get too carried away and fair enough to it's the first game. But we can get carried away if we want, can't we? Come on, Warriors fans. I don't expect you to come on and give it the big it's our year after one game. But I would like to get your assessment. I would very much like to hear from you what you saw and what impressed you the most last night. Well, Tanner Boyd was one. I thought Roger Tuivasa-Chek had a good game. Luke also, I thought James Fischer Harris was good too. I know he's had his fair share of criticism. He, you know, for whatever reason is a bit of a lightning rod for criticism, James Fischer Harris, which is odd really given he's the co-captain and such a tremendous player. But I don't know, he just seemed like he had a real aggression last night about the things

55:41that he was doing. Well, that Kurt Kepwell is, well, that Kurt Kepwell's try. That was just awesome. But also, when he set up, was Adam Pompey's try? When he squicked it on and they had to go back and they played it over and over and over again. But Kurt Kepwell, and then, you know, he played in the center slash. He didn't. When there was a bit of an injury crisis there, he was running like a center. It was great to see. So, who caught the eye for you? How much confidence do you take from game one? And what does the future look like in those six and seven jerseys? Because Chanel Harris-Tavita was very good last night too, wasn't he? So the boyd Harris-Tavita, Harves combo was good. Ed Luke McCuff into that and all of a sudden Andrew Webster has some decisions to make, which is whatever he coach wants. 122, 0880, 0880. Flag will be flying high early in the season, Greg. Yeah, flags flying high, but, you know, we've got to keep

56:48ourselves grounded as well. I don't want to bring everything back down to earth a little bit. Now, have some realism. Add some realism into my complete roast into naivety, Greg. That's what we need. Yeah, I think, you know, it was probably unexpected that we would beat the roosters and beat them by as much as we did. I think there's still obviously work to do, but obviously they've learned from the preseason. And I still think that there's guys out there that like, well, like most, they still need to get into their work, but Aaron Clark, I thought, was not Aaron Clark that we have got a new suit? I mean, I believe he will come good. And as you pointed out, there's players like people that sort of, sort of seems that he's not

57:51had enough season. He's just gone straight back into where he finished off. Same as Roger. I liked the interchange that Webster bought for the day. He seemed to have the timing of each and every one of those got us off the bench, basically at the right time. So that sort of stood out for me that we used our interchange beds. Well, one thing that I also stood out for me was we still have the problem. We've done what's in his Salisney Act. He got caught three times during that game coming in to our office wing. One nearly ended up in a trine. I think was two-poat that actually ended up knocking the ball on. Otherwise, they would have scored out wide. So it's obviously a work on still there. I don't know what the answer is.

58:55I know he had this conversation last year, Greg. I remember this, not you and I, necessarily, we might have, but I remember that it was a big talking point last year wasn't it? Why Dallin would often be caught out of position? And remember, Andrew Webster said, well, he's kind of damned if he does and damned if he does, and if he stays out, and he's beaten on the inside, then he looks like he's made the wrong choice. But if he comes in and then is beaten on the outside, the same criticism is sent as way. I guess it's more of a partnership thing, but I'm not actually sure what the answer is. Are you? I think it's probably a bit of a style that they play, where maybe they just need to to attain that style a little bit, and the guys who are on the outside need to stick more to a man and man-on-man situation, and then he doesn't get caught having to be dragged in all the time, which seems to be happening a lot. Good observation. Just on the interchange before you go,

59:58it must be hard to keep a reign on Lecker-Hullisema, and to know when the right time to introduce him is. I'm sure there's a clamor after the season he had last year to start him in matches, but Andrew Webster's clearly resisted that temptation. How challenging a reckon that would be to to know when and at what stage and for how long to inject Lecker-Hullisema into the game. Essentially hard. He's probably sitting on that bench and he's jumping out of his skin, as you can see once he got on the field, but it's almost like you have to curve his enthusiasm to a point and that he doesn't expand all his energy, which if you put a bomb first up in the starting team, he could burn himself out, so that's probably why they're holding him back because the enthusiasm that he has once he get on, he can't keep that energy up for a full 80 minutes at

1:01:01this particular point in his career, so maybe that's why he's holding him back to the point that he is. That's a really good man-management. He's a great impact off the bench. Indeed. Hey, great thoughts, Greg. Thanks for calling in with such a articulate thoughts on the game mate. I hope we can chat often across the season. Really enjoyed your call. 127-088-1080. Lyle, I'm with you after this, got to get a break away. Spell on if you want to talk warriors. We'll do it for a little while. Your first chance this year to talk about the warriors having seen them play in an RL game in a pretty good 1-2, 4-2-18 last night against the roosters. 810-80 back after this. Hard tackles. Harder opinions. We can sport with Jason Payne and GJ Gardner Holmes. New Zealand's most trusted home builder, News Talks-EDB. It is bang on 130 talking warriors. Good day, Lyle? Yeah, can I make a look at half-torn the stats where 24 sets of 6 they completed 23. The other side

1:02:07the roosters had had 13 completed 8. I've seen plenty of games in the past with the warriors and all that position but haven't manufactured points when they did last night. They played with high intensity hustle and bustle and they played that pretty well. He saw my football offloads here there and everywhere, but not too high at the top. Ten of blows was the best on the pack. Clark was very good. Two of us, the check was very good. Jackson Ford was outstanding. Having said that, they all played well with their sets in the Lyle tower. The center, man, he needs to improve. Look, you don't win championship in the first round or anything like that but it's a good start and what impressed me most is the small line at the end because it's late in the season when you're playing for top 8 spots. It could be a very congested bloody road into them so a four and against with points could make the world a difference.

1:03:08I like Boyd over the other bike that's coming back because he kicks about 80 percent and there's Gus Gold set. The first thing you pick is you kicker and the second thing you pick is your backup kicker. Look, Canberra are going to be very hard to beat next week. They're incredibly unlucky not to beat Brisbane but have put them out of the competition late last year in Canberra. So, I'll tricky, Ricky Stewart will have a chip on his shoulder and they play and I'm spoiling. They just never go away, Canberra. As for Wacker, the time to bring him on is when the opposition are just starting to tire. Lecker, the Tongan Racker, as I call him, is the bike. If you drop him in 10 minutes early, he just won't have the effect. You've got a time at right and he comes for any represent and destroys opposition defenses. Hey lolly, you're saying that if there was a straight choice between Tana Boyd and Luke Metcalf,

1:04:11which it may well be when Metcalf's fit again, you would take Tana Boyd because of his Gold kicking over Luke Metcalf. Look at my head, Metcalf on the bench. I think it would work better that way but that's only more at two scenes. Plenty of my relatives over there will tell me I'm talking three bit behind. But yeah, I like Boyd, Metcalf. Good stuff lolly. Look, it's all about opinions, mate, as you know and I love it when you've expressed yours. We get the chance to see the Raiders tonight of course when they take on the C Eagles. That'll be a good game actually. That's a pretty even matchup. It's in Sydney, so the Raiders who come to Auckland next weekend, we get our first, we get a look at them. Remember last year in Vegas, they betted they'd been a spot about 30 points to eight or something like that last year. That was an old Vegas experiment. It wasn't it for the Warriors. Good to chat to your loyal, always enjoy your calls mate and I'm sure there are other people on this side of the Tasman who agree with you as well. Good to hear from you as always. Phil, what did you make of it? Is it our year?

1:05:15Yeah, mate, all the way. Go on, Phil. That's the spirit. Jump on the bandwagon with me mate. Jump on with me. That's fun. I'm on there with you mate. We'll fool off it together. Absolutely, we will. Hopefully, hopefully not next week. No, no. Well, I actually didn't, I forgot the game was on and I didn't actually watch the game pointy, but I've just listening to you show and I'm a bit late to get a sneaky rugby call meeting because I tried to get three, but I couldn't with Dave Rene, but I just listened to you cooler that rang up and said about the concern of Wasney, was he? Yeah, what's in it? Yeah, what's in his Elisney? Yep. Yeah, I'm sorry, I trouble pronouncing the name, but I've talked to you in the past about the same thing being concerned about him coming and off as wing too often, you know, and exposing that side, you know, and the outside guy getting around and running him for the Troy. And when you said to him, when you asked the guy, what do you think the answer is,

1:06:19you sort of got me thinking and I was thinking about like you said, about talking to Andrew Webster, which I also remember listening to about that. And I'm being damned if he doesn't, no, sort of thinking maybe I've been a bit harsh on him and maybe the answer is that the guy on his inside should better cover his man and mark up his man and then they and then he wouldn't be put in that position where he gets caught between trying to get two people, you know, and get and exposes the outside. So maybe that's the answer. It's not so much with Wasney, himself and fixing that. It's more that his man that's beside him, maybe doing a better job of marking that inside player. Always a combination, Phil, you're right. Always a combination between the centre who is on that side and the winger and you're right again, like what you don't want is for opposition teams to perceive a weakness there, right? To think okay, we've got a defender

1:07:21here who isn't entirely sure about whether he should stay in or should go in or stay out and, you know, you're placed out in the mind, not only of Dallin himself, but of Andrew Webster and his coaching staff. I dreamed the last year there was a game and I can't remember who was against when there had been a lot of pressure on Dallin and he had a very good defensive game. Even picked up an intercept or two and I remember thinking okay, maybe he's got the hang of it. He's got the, he's worked it out, but obviously still a work in progress. And just part of his game, we know how exciting an attacking player he is. I'm sure that they'll work on it. They will. They'll have reviewed it and they'll continue to work on it. Yeah, yeah, absolutely, because like he's a fantastic great player, you know, it's things he does, he runs, he makes. And also, I think, in having said that ironically, that like his actual defense is quite outstanding too, you know, for a winger and a guy who comes in

1:08:23and does make some great tackles in the past that I've seen and thought that's, yeah, really good. So, yeah, I like I say it's a bit, I'd feel a bit harsh, criticising him because he's such a dynamic good player and he has a good defender, you know, on the whole, but it's just like you said, it's just that he's getting caught in two mines and I'm at the beginning, I'm sort of just thinking, well, maybe it's not so much his fault, you know, and yeah, we don't want teams to, other teams to, like you say, if they perceive that there's a weakness out there, they will exploit that because I'm sure they've done that last year in games where they picked up, you know, that he can't win a couple of times because he might have had to, you know, because he's caught in that position of trying to defend two players. So they, you know, they go, right, let's create that again and put it out there. So, interesting times, Phil, interesting times, got him, we've got a couple of other calls to get to, but look, it will be a work in progress. Of course, it will be

1:09:26and, you know, as you've said, Dallin and Whitenney's last night offers you a lot in an attacking sense and I think sometimes those, those, when a try is scored out wide, it's almost as though the, the lack of defense is magnified out there because it always looks like ice coming early and there's an overlap on the outside or he hasn't come in and the guy's gone through to score. It always, I think, looks worse. Blake says intercepts are unfortunately often a sign of a bad read. It often means they're caught in two minds between staying and going, yeah, but at good point, Blake, good, good point. Yep. Again, I'm, you know, it's not a, I'm sure everybody at Warriors HQ is aware of it and and we'll be, we'll be working hard on it. Steven says point, it could be wrong again, but to me, it seems Chanel Harris to beat him may finally be maturing into the class act. He's always threatened to be when his head and body are right. He's one of the best halves operating in the NRL. If I'm right, he'll carry the Warriors a long way towards the playoffs. Thank you,

1:10:31Steven. I agree. Hello, Frank. Good day, Pony. My flag is out of the draw and it will be flying high at the 10th this week. There was so much to like about that game. It's across the park, their defense and offense was tight. I mean, this team we were playing Sydney. I mean, they've got a lot of speedsters in there and they were breaking over the advantage line a lot and I was thinking at the, but the first half I was thinking, oh, I don't know about this. This is, this is not looking good. They're getting, they're getting through us and but we, unlike other season or last season, we tightened up. I mean, you've got players in there where you've got what Starros Smith in the, in the engine room, you've got Hallisheema, you've got Egan, two of us, a shared clerk, Kate, well, boy, he was, his kicking was very good. I mean, those high kicks to keep us, to help our guys to get up the end of their faces was another

1:11:38very good feature of the game. No, there's a lot there which I did like. I know it's one smaller doesn't make a summer, but that's a great start to the season. I love the crowd singing the anthem at the end. I think that's boys them up and there's so much. I mean, when you can, let's consider it. We've got Luke Mittcraft, we've got Mitch Barney, we've got Rocco Berry, we've got Teamata, Neamata. I mean, these are these are top guys. They weren't playing. They're injured. They're going to come back and they're going to replace these guys who are playing. So, Weber's got a, I've got quite a very interesting task ahead of him. And I'll say, I just love the way they played. I love the way they finished. And I think we've got to show against the eraders next week. I do too, Frank. I do too. And you talk about the depth that's building. That's every coach will tell you that's the head I they want. They want a couple of guys, you know,

1:12:42really making it difficult for Andrew Webster. He'll want difficult decisions. He'll want Tanner Boyd to make it hard for him when Luke Mittcraft is back. Good to chat to you as always, mate. I'm sure we'll talk off and through the season. Walt, you're going to get the last word on the Warriors today. I just wanted to bring up some of the comments about those near coming off as when it's normally a common rule to follow and push inside with your centre. The centre makes that decision and often the centre's decision is guided by his insights. And the comments made earlier by the guy Greg saying that should be marked. The whole intent and purpose of working a left and right side is to add extra numbers when the defence is left. It's going to be caught out in that instance if you're marking or marking up one-on-one. And I'd be commenting, mate, if I let you see it, not being able to play 80 minutes,

1:13:45you just spoke about the depth, mate. The fact that he's coming off the bench just shows them still growing that depth with having laben start. He can go on and play a whole lady. No, no, no, doubt. Depth is like to say, you can't want to comp with 13 guys, 17 guys. You can't. I haven't got the stats in front of me, but I'm almost certain that championship winning teams would use 20, 23, 24 guys, yeah, some less than others, obviously. But you can't want to comp with 17. No, and even looking at our 10 of staves coming off the bench last night, he came on and just lifted the tempo in the middle. Now he was someone that was being bled in last year and managed to hold a spot on the consistent basis. And I think he's going to be doing that again this year. Tom, man, well, good stuff. I'm glad you were the last word. It made a very, very logical and articulate last word it was. Good to chat to you mate. Final text here from Jason. Got a question. Do you think the way the warriors are playing last couple of years will attract

1:14:47more experienced Australian players to New Zealand? Well, I guess, I guess at my height here, I guess if you look at a successful team, you want to be a part of it. Well, more experienced players begin to play for the warriors or is there room for a second in our real team? You'll certainly run for a second in New Zealand in our real team. That's probably a different conversation. Certainly work for Auckland FC. Thanks for all your calls on the warriors. Next, the Raiders. Next weekend will obviously track their progress right across the season. When we come back, though, we'll get back to Australia and in Peacock, Australian correspondent in his regular slot. Coming up 13 to 2, let's get you across the Tasman, Adam Peacock is our regular Australian correspondent and he joins us now, Adam, but a chat this afternoon on our show about Dave Renny as new all blacks head coach. I'm sure that would have picked the interest of many on that

1:15:52side of the Tasman, given the fact that he was a former Wallabies coach. What has the overall reaction been to Dave Renny's appointment? Yeah, it stood up some emotions. Namely, why did he even have to go looking for a job in the first place in 2023 when rugby Australia did what it did? It still remains one of the worst years in rugby Australia history, I think, that are announcing horrible financial problems. They decided to, in the dark of night, get rid of Dave Renny after two months after they played a game. They then pulled the trigger, wasn't like straight away after spring tour and then Eddie Jones comes from nowhere to get the job when he wasn't looking likely at all and then they take him to a World Cup for me out and then Eddie Jones departs after that. It was just the calamity and Dave Renny, through no fault of his own, was a character in all of that. I think that from the Australian rugby community, because they got to know Dave Renny a bit more of what a quality guy he is, that they're actually happy for him, but not going to be too happy if

1:16:52they extend this, but it's like up for us in a couple of months. Do you think, if you had to pick it and take off any parochialism as far as this is concerned, who do you think is better placed 18 months out from a rugby World Cup in Australia to win that rugby World Cup? You or us? I think it's always going to be New Zealand, just through the deck. And this is the point of long made about the world's coaching job. It's the God, Michael Checker, Eddie Jones, where he did his own way. He created problems when there weren't problems in my honest, but take that aside. Joe Smith, Dave Renny, Michael Checker, they're all upgrading not with one hand time behind their back, but it doesn't help the pathway system, the drain on player stocks, the rules we have on players that are playing overseas offer, already pretty shallow, talent pool, that these more of the coaches, it's not easy for them, but Michael Checker, making a rugby World Cup when he did

1:17:52is very good on a miracle. So I always think New Zealand is just going to be a step ahead of us, because that's just got more depth of quality. Now, I know you've got your issues over there at the moment, probably yet, to ask questions, they're going to be Australia or New Zealand winning World Cup at this point in time, you're probably going to go up and say, you need someone from the open handed field or South Africa, but I always think New Zealand, until rugby Australia really fixes what's coming through, and it's on that it's happening, we've got some exciting young outs on backs, but we've now got this issue where France are coming in and getting some of our best teenagers and taking them out there, and then attempting to naturalize them. So yeah, there's always issues, but the answer question you guys, I'll talk to you. All right, okay, that's good to know your audience, I think, when you're on the air over here, well done. Let's talk the NRL. The Broncos were on the wrong end of the heaviest round one defeat of a defending Premier in NRL history, losing at home 26-0 to the Panthers last night.

1:18:53Did you see this coming? Yeah, not to that degree. I thought tennis had had a good showing, I was just so professional, methodical, tennis at their best, they're just like a well-oiled machine when things are clicking, and they just prayed on the Broncos, just being a bit flippant with the ball. I said it after the game that we were our worst enemy, we could hang on to the thing, giving away stupid penalties, all of those things, they went against Broncos. This was Broncos in the first half of the season, up until about 13 last year, and then something quick. So you can't get ahead of yourself and say, oh, they're going to have a horrible year off, one performance, but there's a lot to fix, and they play Parramatta next week, as themselves got absolutely melted by Melbourne on Thursday night. So that'll be a closer watch than ordinarily, it might have been for a round to the game now. What about the Melbourne storm? I mean, I know we know that they're good, but they're all, I mean, that's a stake in the ground as I know, it was against the eels who have had their challenges, but putting 50 on and round one, it's, I think it's 23 and 0 now for Craig Bellamy in opening rounds of the NRL?

1:19:55Yeah, 23 or 24, what it is is a remarkable stroke, he's never lost the round one. Just watching that game, it was, we talk about the, like how, escroks and penress were about doing what they had to do, and then just adding a bit of play, Melbourne afraid that it was. Craig Bellamy coaches that thing once so well, about the little things that we don't notice about the roleplay of playing their role as well as they can, because that benefits the team. No one looks unsure of what they need to be doing, like with the ball and play three or four, they're very good in the rut defensively, which kind of quills and I mentioned in the opposition. They just do that at another level, and they did that to the tournament of the other nine who had no answers, and yeah, any insecurities you've got to get in Melbourne when they're in a mood like that, you're going to get found out. And just want to ask you about the, the Grand Prix in Melbourne. I mean, we're such a busy time. The NRL season's underway, AFL underway. We've got Super rugby carrying on, A league heading towards its final series. Where does F1 fit undermixed all this? How does it,

1:20:56how does it cut through? Yeah, clearly the decks on Thunder Auto and we'll watch. Yeah, it is, it is a heightened interest, and especially with Oscar Piastry, we've got a lot of chance to clean the Grand Prix. So he's he's massive over here, like in Melbourne, he's doing story appearances and it's like a freaking rock star, like Justin Bieber rocking up. So yeah, he, he's a massive star. The formula one, the the decision to do what they did, the blog to survive and expand their audience, expand their catchment is just one of the great masterstrokes of all time. So yeah, there's a lot of interest about it. And yeah, at the front of the grid this year, it was absolutely no idea what's going to happen with the cars that changed the regulations like never before. So who knows, going to have the quickest, we'll find out after qualifying later today. But what we do know is that after Martin has got, well, I reckon my master's is very good to give it a run for money though, that would be in practice, first practice, first 30 seconds off the tape, which for a, and I'm talking for a lap that takes a minute, 20, that's a lot. So there's a there's a looming disaster there, which adds a layer of intrigue

1:21:59as well, because that's right, so we love watching brilliance, but we are intrigued when things go horribly, horribly wrong as well, and it looks like it has there. All right, such an interesting time, and if one interesting time is always on your side of the Tasman, Adam, thanks as always for updating us. Well, I'll do it again next Saturday. Cheers, Bonnie. Thanks, mate. No, thank you, mate. Adam Peacock out of Australia. Seven to two Newstalks, Edby. The big names and the big calls on your home of sport we can sport with Jason Fine, Newstalks, Edby. Two o'clock after two Tom Walsh, heading to the National Track and Field Champs in search of a 15th National Men's Shop put title, and we'll also head to Melbourne, Alex Powell, ahead of qualifying in the Formula One Grand Prix. The only place to discuss the biggest sports issues on and off the field. It's all on weekend sport with Jason Fine on your home of sport. Newstalks, Edby. Good idea. Six past two, I'm Jason Fine, Mark Kelly alongside. We're

1:23:02head to all three on weekend sport. Now, I've just been handed some exciting, excellent news if I could even get it out. Auckland FC, Perth Glory, tomorrow, three o'clock go media stadium. That is in the exciting part. We knew that was happening. The exciting part is that I've got a six ticket family pass up for grabs. Six tickets to go along tomorrow in the sunshine in Auckland, we hope. Three o'clock against Perth Glory. If you are in the Auckland region or can get to go media stadium tomorrow, and you would like to be in the draw for these six tickets, simply text AFC and your name to 9292. Now you need to do it quickly. We're going to give this away before the end of the show and that's three o'clock. So what does a text takes you a few seconds to do, doesn't it? So send your text AFC and your name to 9292. Six tickets to watch Auckland FC

1:24:02against Perth Glory tomorrow, three o'clock at go media stadium. We'll announce the winner before the end of the show. Great stuff. Thank you very much indeed to the team at Auckland FC for making those tickets available to us. Between now and three o'clock as well as announcing that winner, I'm going to talk to Tom Walsh. He is in the shop put circle again tonight at the national track in field champs. If he wins, it would be his 15th national men's shot put title, would you believe? Incredible from Tom Walsh. He's with us very shortly. Alex Powell is in Melbourne for us, New Zealand Hero of Motorsport Writer. He can give us all the details on free practices one in two yesterday and the third practice about to get underway qualifying later on tonight, the race tomorrow. How's Liam Lawson looking? How's everybody looking? It was a great degree of curiosity around how the new power systems and the car would work. That's sort of the thing. Alex Powell is with us from Melbourne live in the next little while and Alice Lee this afternoon is set to absolutely go off because the NZB Kiwi is happening at Alice Lee this afternoon. The richest

1:25:10three-year-old race in the Southern Hemisphere, $4 million. And the NZB Kiwi up for grabs. Well written is an almost unbackable favourite and Ruggordi is going to join us from Alice Lee to tell us more before three o'clock. Our lines of communication as always are open 081080 get you through on the phone 9292 for your texts. Emails into Jason at newstalkzb.co.nz But as we take past nine past two, as we always do, it's time to catch you up on a few things that you might have missed. In case you missed it starting in the six nations, where Ireland have survived a scare. The race car is not the past, debates for the entire island defense, a dragon shield, drive from the prop board, get some part as an opportunity if they use the web there and they get out of the board, score some and it's a tranquilizer relief and exhaustion

1:26:19all around the stadium in Dublin. Ireland got their trade ballers for victory. Yeah they've hung on to beat the Welsh 2717 in Dublin. Close at a home, the chiefs bouncing back from last weekend's defeat to the Crusaders rather emphatically running in nine tries in a 5724 win over Moana Pacifica in Hamilton last night. Get into McKenzie, McKenzie put for it on the inside. This young man has the first touch of his game car around scores under the post. After that the Hurricanes hammered the Waritas in Sydney. And a gnarly will score. Proctor is going to score. Oh try number nine for the Hurricanes and a massive statement from the Hurricanes. They've gone to Allian Stadium and they have hammered the Waritas by 59 points to 19.

1:27:25Still in Australia the Wellington Phoenix have climbed off the foot of the A-League men's ladder with a 1-1 draw at Edel-Aid. That's so hard. All back post, the head of Corbyn Piper. Well he won the free kick and he heads it home. Fantastic in the air. The Wellington number three. And those next fans can celebrate. Oh good little boy. 100 times time, you've had a fantastic match. Yeah one one at finish there at Cooper Stadium in Adelaide. Liam Lawson content with his first day's efforts at the Formula One Australian Grand Prix. A 13th place finish in each of the two practice sessions. To be honest, yeah we actually had quite a decent day in terms of labs completed. We pretty much completed our run plan which was good so overall pretty happy.

1:28:28I think the speed is not too bad as well especially for day one. You know obviously we're trying to improve as much as we can but to roll out here with a decent car all from online simulations and the limited running we've done is pretty good so yeah pretty happy. And finally Scotty McLachlan the best of the Kiwis qualifying fifth for the latest Indika Rice and Phoenix Arizona. Another adjustment on the front bar and a big whifted one and two way high tells you everything you need to know about just how good that lap was from David Maluchas. Scot McLachlan will it be two in a row? It will not. And it's not going to be a Penske 123. Mick Schumacher has outqualified. Scott McLachlan as you can see Maluchas getting very excited. When there's a line call it's your call. We can sport with Jason Fein, News Talks at B. News Talks at B and we can sport across to Melbourne in the next little while for

1:29:32Grompry Chat but New Zealand's most decorated shot putter is back in the circle tonight chasing a 15th national title at the New Zealand Track and Field Championship. 2017 World Champion three time indoor World Champion including last year, double Olympic medalist, double defending Commonwealth Games Champion, 13 time Diamond League event winner and four time Diamond League Series Champion Tom Walsh. Of course as who we're talking about he remains the benchmark in New Zealand men's shot put and he joins us now with such a glittering resume, Tom. What motivates you still at a national championship level? Can you say that again Pony for me that sounded bloody good didn't it? No look at me it's I just love what I do I think is the end of the day and I wake up every morning and I get to throw a rock for a living and it's pretty bloody good so

1:30:33I really enjoy I'll enjoy the challenge of getting it right as much as it frustrates me and at the moment I'm in a real frustrating point where I've got some juice in the tank but I'm just not using it effectively so you know today I'll hopefully you know can put things together and things that keep feeling like they're getting closer and closer but it's um I guess the question is what you know what motivates me and it's just about getting it right still trying to get it right trying to get that ball going a long way um for some reason after she's 13 or 14 years uh it still excites me brilliant so during periods of frustration and I'm sure you've had them throughout your career where do you place your focus? Sometimes I'm not in the right things um but uh at the moment at the moment uh you know we're really clear with me and my team around what we're trying to do while we're trying to do it um and also trying to be aware of for me is the long-term goal. This year um the long-term goal this year is obviously to win

1:31:33win come-off games and to win the dyno league and don't give me wrong winning national championships is good um but it doesn't if I don't win national championships it doesn't mean I can't do the other things and so as long as I am progressing towards getting better um and to that bigger picture then um that's what we're trying to do and look I don't always get that right I get very short side sometimes and and want it now and get pissed off and frustrated um so I'm not perfect but at the moment I'm in good spot I understand the bigger picture quite well. Are you still refining parts of your throw even at the stage of your career? Yeah um definitely I think it's like anything anyone who plays any sport um there's always tweaks and and we change is right and and there's things that I've done I'm doing better than I've ever done and these things that I'm are I'm not doing as well as what I have done before so it's just about trying to get that right um and it's it's it's a it's a ever ever balancing act right and um and then try to get it right and and and be

1:32:36comfortable in the circle to just let it go. So in terms of your outcomes then I mean it's all quiteifiable isn't it Tom you know there's a distance every time you throw it there's a distance that gets you know put up on a board are you able to look beyond the the quantifiable to say actually I'm I'm feeling pretty good about it at the moment and not worry too much about what distance is your throwing? Um John Quinn my sports psychologist would love to say I've loved for me to say yeah I can look past it but um look not always um and and that's that's probably the point I'm at uh we have been at uh last probably three or four weeks and now I'm as I said before Pony seeing the bigger picture a little bit trying to remove myself from the hero now and know that we are we are going really well there are like physically I'm the best shape I've probably ever been at this time of year now the challenge is about getting it into the ball and and that's the hard part but that's the beauty about my sport is that it's really clear you

1:33:36either throw it or you don't um you know the throw 22 meters or you don't you know it's really clean cut it's no one's opinions about it or anything like that it's just done so that's what I love about it but also something that drives me up for someone's to. So you're through what 20.8 three to one in Christchurch 20.80 to one in Auckland last month um do you have a target for this weekend or or not really? Oh look we we do in our team situation we do kind of put some markers in the ground around each comp and realistically I've been behind them in both competitions where I needed to be and and so you look I know Jekko loves throwing in Auckland and loves throwing at Wattakari so I think I'll need you know I'll need well into the 21s to to be competitive with him this weekend but look the world and doors are just around the corner too and and I guess one thing I have with experiences I know how fast with me how fast things can come good when they come good so I've just got to be patient as we talked about mate I've

1:34:38got to be patient try and remind myself of that bigger picture and what we're really trying to do this year and trust you know you hear about it all the time trust the process um that we are doing the right things and we are working on the right things. Do you enjoy your work with with your mental skills coach John Quinn is that something you enjoy? Oh Jesus me and Quini have worked together I actually the first time I met Quini was in I think 2009 and he was giving a speech to the Canary under 17 cricket team that I was in so we've got a long long history together but it's challenging right because mental skills stuff is not it's not glamorous you know no one really like you don't get any kudos for it right and so it is really tough and also to do it well you've got to you got to be incredibly honest with whoever you're dealing with who you're just trying to help you because if you're not completely honest then you know they can only help you as much as they know right so it is a very challenging feel but it's something that I know when I'm

1:35:43throwing well in a good space I'm doing that well. And just I wanted to ask you about the old Deora athletics trust as well you and Hamers Kerko founded it to help fund emerging track and field tell us a bit about the motivation behind that. Yeah I think you know both Hamers and I are very lucky now where we are in our career where we are you know on the world stage we get into any comps we want and there's prize money and appearance fees and travel stipends to go with that right but we also know the other side of the coin when we were coming up both of us that it's not like that when essentially if you're outside the top 10 in the world top 15 in the world and a lot of events it's pretty tricky pretty business to kind of get over to Europe or get into some of these competitions so we kind of thought well how can we help that next generation that development those development athletes where they don't get a lot of support just because of the nature of the sport itself and so we tried to put a put a hand up there and put a you know I guess money where our mouth is I guess a little bit and you know try and get some support from the athletes

1:36:46community and the wider community around that point so it's it's it's a little bit of giving back from us and you know we're doing pretty well so far we've managed to send you know four athletes like last year overseas and and hopefully this year we'll be able to send probably six we're looking at sending this year so we're actually running an online option at the moment to try raise some raise some funds so if you've got any spare cash and like some sporting memorabilia jumbo on tar website ulteiro athletic trust and you'll you'll find some pretty cool stuff there love that mate love that and just to finish with tonight and at this tonight isn't it track stars it's something a bit new with all these events you know sort of you know back to back tonight with with some you know obviously field and track events does that add a little bit extra to the the nationals having this new innovation tonight yeah I think I think it does mate I actually was pushing before it to be called field stars rather than track stars but they didn't they didn't take that which I don't know why but no I think it's good I think it's great for it's great for

1:37:52athletics to be on live TV live 3d a TV 2 on TV NZ you know just after the news great time great slot you know I think that probably showcases where we are as a sport you know we don't just have you know one marquee athlete which we have traditionally had over the last 20 or 30 years we've got five or six seven eight you know now that are realistically middle chances every time we kind of go to major championships and obviously you've got some pretty exciting races like the the two sams and so forth so it is going to be pretty cool and I think they expect a decent crowd which is which is good to have in athletics and it does bring some energy when you get some atmosphere on there yeah looking forward to tuning in always love chatting Tom all the best tonight mate thanks thank you Tom Tom whilst there our our standard bearer as far as the means shop putters concerned looking for a 15th national title track stars as part of all of this the national champs have been on since thursday they continue tomorrow but tonight

1:38:56between I think from about seven o'clock tonight it's it's almost like a just a 2020 version if you like it's great track and field action but it's it's all of these events sort of cram together so there's always something happening it's on free to our television and the big you know the big I guess what you'd call the glamour events are all there including the means shop put the 100 meters with Zoe Hobbs unfortunately Sam Tanner not running the 1500s tonight Sam Ruth though will be there I believe that's the last event on the on the agenda tonight so yeah track stars looking forward to seeing that it's a it's a really good time for for athletics in New Zealand at the moment and good to see athletics New Zealand capitalizing on that popularity and and making it accessible to everybody so looking forward to seeing how that plays out tonight any any big big results and I'm sure there'll be a few we'll cover them off on weekend sport tomorrow 223 let's take a break then get you across to Melbourne Formula One Grand Prix this weekend at

1:40:00Albert Park free practice three is either just about to get underway or is already underway qualifying tonight the race itself tomorrow Alex Powell going to join us from the New Zealand herald with his assessment of day one and in particular Liam Lawson's day one when we come back from grass roots to the grandstand we can sport with Jason Pine and GJ Garden Homes New Zealand's most trusted home builder news talks at the coming up to 27 the Australian Formula One Grand Prix the season opening event to on the Grand Prix calendar is tomorrow from five o'clock New Zealand time or they're about we had two practice sessions yesterday the third practice session is all but underway qualifying tonight from around six o'clock New Zealand time and we'll have grip positions for the race tomorrow as I say from around five o'clock New Zealand time Alex Powell from the New Zealand herald has been at the Albert Park circuit these last few days and joins us now what were your big takeaways from from practice day one yesterday Alex

1:41:03I hope you will yeah it's kind of a tricky one because we still really don't have any idea how quick these new cars actually are we were expecting Mercedes to be the front runner across yet today and yet it was a Ferrari the top of times and if you want and I'm a Clarence top set and FB2 so I've got one more practice in coming up and qualifying later tonight as you said but it really is sort of anyone's game at the moment the new era of power units has been a big talking point as you say did we see any early signs of who has nailed the new regulations and who conversely might be struggling a little bit well I mean I can tell you who's last fantastic Martin who we've just learned yesterday there's been a real I mean almost gets a frenic type I designed for them there's real doubts that they will even be able to make it onto the track on time to start the race who's in front I would still say Mercedes I think you look at the times that they might not be on the top but consistency wise they did have a very high number of laps up towards the front of the grid whereas Ferrari Red Bull McLaren all sort of were a bit up and down

1:42:07now the FIA have decided to remove straight mode from the drag reduction system active euro on part of the circuit due to safety reasons you're going to have to explain every part of that sentence to me oh I mean sit down because they might say go up but basically with the new car design where the electrical side of the engine that's most of the combustion side of the engine is going to be at the forefront as we go into this new era we've seen the removal of what we knew as drag reduction system interactive euro so basically that straight mode is there's straight mode and then there's cornering mode when the front and rear wing will basically change depending on what circuit or what part of the circuit you're on so we had that yesterday but for only four of the eleven times have been able to go through this certain section of the Melbourne circuit which is the car stick to the road the downforce levels are not safe enough for all times to go through quickly so they've just removed it for this race. Liam Lawson 13th in both

1:43:13practice sessions yesterday how will he feel about his day? He was actually really positive so I don't know if you saw that his teammate Arvin Limblad did very well he was fascinating so this is clearly something in that car that should be competitive as a midfield front runner like say Liam 13th twice but he did do his video around last night and said everything that they wanted to get out of there so they did so whether or not they're just holding back or they're using Limblad trying to get as much data as they can to put it into the day I guess we'll have to wait and see but I think he is confident in what they've got. They've got a new team his teammate the only rookie on the on the grid as far as I can see Arvin Limblad he was faster in both practices yesterday is that a concern as far as picking water is concerned? In practice no if he's faster in qualifying later today I guess we'll have a bit of a chat then but like practice is very hard to take away anything from fp2 as we're talking about the past is generally a pretty good sign

1:44:13of where you might be for qualifying but with these new engines and new cars we really just don't know like it could be we could see some really crazy things this weekend starting in a couple of hours and even given that though from what you've seen when will you be able to make an assessment on whether where the Liam and the racing ball team could consistently fight for points if things go well when when will we be able to make that assessment will will this weekend be too early to make that assessment? Definitely so we had actually a media breakfast out at Mercedes the other morning and can be as nearly more or less outlined but the way these new cars are it's not really fair to say we're going to be able to actually change track to track because of the way to fit up in the way batteries are now deployed so I mean it could be you know you get like a red ball of Ferrari or quick air but then they're slow in China and Mercedes or McLaren takes over which I think is what we've all wanted to see like f1 over the last few years has with the exception of the three way title by last season it has tended to be one way traffic with

1:45:17next to happen so with the move to these deregulation hopefully seeing more competitive abrasive I mean I think that's everything fans want at the moment. How did Max Verstappen look yesterday? He looked good in then fp1 so there was there was just that we're going to go back to the Mercedes breakfast. I'm sure Drus will put in an absolute masterclass of slaking off Max Verstappen the whole morning without mentioning the same ones just in regards to how he's complained about the new cars but also they feel as though red ball held back in the second best and bar owner they've not actually been truthful about how quick their car might be so I think you put Max Verstappen on anything and he should be able to drive it so we'll see later what's up then just exactly where he is. Why did they make the changes at all? Well I mean there's some areas one I think they are more conscious of the environment we're sorry to the now which is why we're seeing the birds towards the electric you look at the need to sort of mix up racing out and then say you don't just get one team dominating for years at a time and I think ultimately like we here at Super Oak we talk about putting the fans first

1:46:19the need for closer racing really is doing that with Formula One now. Tell us about the circuit at Albert Park how important is grid position and how easy or not is it to pass on the circuit. I mean grid position is always important just matter what they're getting right I mean to hope with these new cars that overtaking will be easier what's hopeful with these new cars and new batteries is that you will see overtaking in areas that you just didn't in the past nor will you see overtaking trip to the RS zone they're going now with why the claim to the active arrow but now with drivers managing their batteries you will see them have to be really smart about when they attack and when they defend. What would represent a good result for Liam Lawson this weekend? I think points would be everything he wants I mean that's generally how you go anyway but I think just getting through as many I'm sorry getting through the race without any major issue given the new cars and we're still learning about who's got what I think that would be a bit of a win

1:47:21as well even if he does say you know 11 so 15. And what about 2026 on the whole now how do you assess you know his mind set going into the into the entire Formula One season? I think he has had a very disrupted career let's not forget this is now his four seasons as an F1 driver I don't know he's only done 35 races because of being in an outdoor injury replacement at waiting for people to make way from but I think he now knows that this is his chance he's always there he wanted to be an F1 driver it didn't matter what team he was with and so he took back to racing bulls up getting out to mind if I riffled last year but he now has the chance to be the team leader for racing bulls he's mentoring Arvid Lindblath who has a lot of faith and they have sort of put him in there as the team leader and I think we will actually hopefully see the best of Liam Lawson this year. All right just to finish I know a lot of our listeners have been the the Formula One Grand Prix in Australia I never have I'm not sure how many times you've been what's it like? It's kind of like a big day out so it's actually it's I'm standing outside

1:48:26the pit line of the moment just because you know to get away from the sound of let's start F3 but it's great you know there's a lot of orange a lot of McLaren fans from F3 in its own race but there's a lot of key was about you seeing the occasional racing bulls kit a few influence the air who got cherry crews up here I mean he he put all the Australian journalists out of joint because they asked for any city was working when he was just walking around so it is actually a really good feeling. Well it's great to to read the pulse of it so what F3 practice 3 is is about to get underway or has got an underway? So it's been delayed because the end of the Formula 3 sprint race plan was red flagged by Ashley Carey driver Louis Sharp crashing into his team mate and sort of ending that race for everyone. All right well look forward to seeing how practice 3 goes and how qualifying goes. Thanks for for joining us on weekend sport Alex as always. Cheers mate. Good on you Alex Powell. Read him at nzherald.co.nz and keep up today with the Formula 1 Grand Prix in Australia. Here are some slightly more extensive comments from Liam Lawson

1:49:29after practice 2 yesterday. In 2026 how was it all on your side? Did you get through everything you wanted to today? To be honest yeah we actually had quite a decent day in terms of laps completed. We pretty much completed our run plan which was good so overall pretty happy I think the speed is not too bad as well especially for day one you know obviously we're trying to improve as much as we can but to roll out here with a decent car all from online simulations and the limited running we've done is pretty good so yeah pretty happy I think still a lot to work on for tomorrow through the rest of the weekend but a good start. Yeah he touched on it there. What does tonight look like for yourself and the team a little bit busier than last season perhaps? Definitely it's just they're analysing it's just a lot deeper making sure we're crossing all out yeah all the bases and making sure we do everything that we need to on my side obviously making sure because there's a lot we have to do behind the wheel this year that's probably quite

1:50:30different to previous years so making sure that what I've done today is mostly correct and if there's anything else I can do tomorrow to try and work on that. We spoke about it yesterday as all the big day for your new teammate. What did you make of it today and feel like you got good data across both cars? Yes I think it's been a I think a good day for for the team for Arby's looks like it's had a pretty strong day as well so it's honestly great for us going into tomorrow to have yeah what looks like a pretty strong package and so obviously both of us working on it together is is good so it's promising so far. That is Liam Lawson after practice two yesterday as you heard from Alex Powell practice three has been delayed due to an accident and earlier race on the circuit they will get underway as soon as they possibly can and then qualifying tonight all important qualifying tonight at around about six o'clock and then tomorrow from five is when the when the race itself will go grid position obviously important and qualifying will determine that

1:51:35between six and seven tonight so sort of around seven just after we should have the grid positions for the first Formula One race of 2026. 22 away from three just updating you on blanket shield cricket as well just the one game going on right now in around six of eight it's in Napier we're northern one the toss and cent central into bat there 153 for three Brad Schmullian 61 and Curtis he fee 44 in fact he fee still there open the batting he's 44 not out he's still out there will young out for a dark which is a bit of a boost for northern Dean Foxcroft for 16 Tom Bruce is out there with Curtis he fee and on the first day of this of this blanket shield match in Napier the central stags 153 for four in fact as I say yeah and it is four now because Curtis he fee of put the mockers on him he's just got out for 44 153 for four the central stags 21 to three massive

1:52:35day at Allisley the NZ B Kiwi set to go at around 10 to 6 this evening with an almost unbackable favorite in the field and well written what is this all about what is the NZ B Kiwi and why has it created such a buzz so quickly we'll get you to Allisley to find out more when we come back on weekend sport the biggest names in sport talk to Pinyy weekend sport with Jason Paye and GJ Cardinal Holmes New Zealand's most trusted home builder news talks at B 2.42 on weekend sport New Zealand Racing's newest showpiece takes center stage today the four million dollar NZ B Kiwi at Allisley race course it is the richest three year old race in the southern hemisphere and a centerpiece of champions day bringing together slot holders top young horses and huge prize money with the unbeaten favorite well written dominating the pre-race conversation would be on three hundred to go he who dares here comes well written out after him now

1:53:39two links away war princess for the back then with the larger rider it's well written in he who dares but well written she best away oh have a look at New Zealand's next race he's seen best now well written she is the best seller she has absolutely bolted in yeah well written now that was the car to come millions of course she's in the field this afternoon and as I say an almost unbackable favorite Andrew Gordy as part of the team bringing the NZ B Kiwi together he's with us now from Allisley Andrew for listeners who might be new to this just how big a race has the NZ B Kiwi become in a pretty short space of time yeah afternoon pointing afternoon to all the listeners may it's just become a behemoth frankly like it is the the biggest race on the New Zealand Racing calendar on the biggest race day for New Zealand Racing I mean champions day in itself with three other group one races you've got the Auckland Cup as well that's big enough but to have this big shiny new race on top is it's just a game changer for the industry I mean it's it's really doing

1:54:42for our industry what the likes of the Everest has done over in Australia and I suppose you know into different sort of way it's like the Melbourne Cup this is this is we want this race to be the race that stops our nation you know what I mean and yeah we've got another cracking edition of the race this year and as you say headlines by this extremely talented young Philly who's five from five she's the pin up girl of New Zealand Racing she's got everyone in the industry talking about her and yeah we're certainly looking forward to seeing what she can do later this afternoon all right just before we get to well written what makes the NZ B Kiwi such a unique concept here compared with traditional races yeah so the big difference party between the NZ B Kiwi and any other race on the racing calendar is this is a slot race so think about any other race it's group performance that you qualify for the race this one is different you know you have 14 slot holders who essentially buy a slot in the race so and then they decide they negotiate with owners to get you know to pick their best or the best horse that they can give their hands on into the slot so it's got a whole nother layer to it and you've got these sort of consistent characters in

1:55:47the race who are all brilliant people and and yeah they sort of negotiate with their owners to get the very best horse that they can into the slot so there's a sort of there's a whole build-up narrative to the race that you don't get with with any other race on the calendar which is what makes it a whole lot of fun and that's what really enables you and NZTR to have this huge prize money attached to it you know it's the richest sporting event in New Zealand Pine four million dollars and there's another one million dollar bonus pool attached to that as well so there's actually five million dollars up for grabs with this race this afternoon so no it's a game changer and it's brilliant all right all the talk leading into the key we has been about well written is she really that far ahead of the rest of the field on form put simply yes the who last start in the cadacan millions three-year-old race just to put this into some context like anyone who's seen that race I mean she was explosive but then to to provide some context to that immediately after that race she was given an international rating of 115 and at the time that made her the highest

1:56:53ranked three-year-old horse in Australasia so that puts it into context you can only beat what's in front of you sure but the margin of victory six links and compared to what she had beaten in the standard of those horses that made her the highest ranked three-year-old in Australasia so that is that is something really special and she's not only caught the attention of you know racing fans and followers here in New Zealand she's definitely caught the eye of you know some pretty serious racing judges over in Australia as well and I guess what they're all talking about is they're excited to see what she can do in the NZB key we today but then you know Steven Marsha trained has made no vines about it they're going to be targeting the $10 million dollar gold and eagle over in Sydney and the spring as a four-year-old so she has got some big targets in mind and her form to date absolutely you know would see who stack up against the very best and she would be one of the favourites for that race if she can go out and repeat what she's already done today of course history will tell us that there have been certainties before who have been beaten

1:57:54what are her potential vulnerabilities this afternoon who who might throw the cat amongst the pigeons due to completely wrong in allergy well to be perfectly honest party the only thing that can really beat her today is extraordinarily bad luck and I think there was you know there was all eyes were on the barrier draw on Tuesday night to see if you know maybe she would draw wide maybe that would make it difficult for her but she's drawn barrier to which really gives her all the options and she's pretty you know she's pretty speedy out the gate so it's unlikely you would say based on what was seen so far that she's going to say miss the start and get buried away and you know behind a wall of horses and not be able to get out at the right time and the reality is piney she's that explosive you know the way I like to talk about her you know in Kiwi Athletics terms she's like a rising middle-distance star like Sam Ruth but she's got a sprint like Zoe Hots so that sprint can generally get her out of any sort of trouble that she manages to find herself and she can probably just you know pull back go wide and go around them and still win sort of things so she is carrying a little bit of extra extra weight because she gets penalised

1:58:57because of her performances up to now so she's carrying 58 kilos today on top but I just can't see that stopping her you know even on her ratings alone that would probably still see her at least two links better than the rest of the field so yes it's hard to see who get beaten today but look this is racing at the end of the day strange things have happened but no she's she's a favourite for a very good reason when you've got such a dominant favourite how much does that change the way the other jockeys ride the race yeah and to be honest piney that that is a very real possibility today that one of the other jockeys might decide to do something that sort of upsets her rhythm upsets her tactics you know and that and I suppose by that I mean someone could just shoot out of the gates and try and get sort of six links clear and you know sort of not give her a chance to to really wind up she might get you know another horse might get too far in front of her we see sort of those daring tactics sometimes and sometimes they fail miserably but sometimes they they really pay off so you know I certainly think Matt Cartwright

2:00:00is going to be riding well written this afternoon he's got to be aware of those possibilities that other jockeys might do do something just to throw him and her off her game but yeah look it's going to take a very very special performance from and one that's you know I've real step up from anything they've produced before to see her get knocked off this afternoon all right what time does the NZB Kiwi jump and where can we see it 548 pm the big race jumps and you can watch it on Sky Sport 1 are they they're going to be you know carrying carrying racing for the very first time I think piney so yes Sky Sport 1 from 5 pm they'll be showing the New Zealand Derby and then warming up to the NZB Kiwi so you can watch it on Sky Sport 1 and also of course on track side but look if you're trying racing for the first time and you're not sort of you know perhaps I'm enamored with it with some of the the wagering and things like that you know the the broadcast of Sky Sport are going to put out this afternoon it's going to be very much entertainment focused they're going to be focused on what's happening on course and and all the entertainment aspects of

2:01:01it so yeah if you're trying for the first time and yeah you're keen to see this this girl go out and do what you know what sort of Lisa Carrington sort of does it you know every time she sits in a boat then yeah for sure tune and Sky Sport 1 and we'll see the action unfold looking forward to seeing how it unfolds thanks so much for taking time for a chat to us this afternoon good stuff cheers finally no thank you Andrew Andrew Gordy there ahead of the NZB Kiwi 5 48 this afternoon it jumps at Alice Lee what are we coming up nine to three we've shut the text machine off for the Auckland FC tickets a six ticket family pass up for grabs we've been taking texts over the last hour and we've certainly got a few I think that's probably the understatement of the day but our random winner generator has given us the name Bridget Robinson congratulations Bridget you and five others heading off to watch Auckland FC against Perth glory tomorrow at GoMedia Stadium 3 o'clock kick off somebody from Newstalks AirB will be in touch with you in the next little while to let you know how to redeem those tickets thank you to

2:02:05Auckland FC for making them available to our audience and all the best to Auckland FC tomorrow three o'clock kick off against Perth glory nine to three Newstalks AirB analysing the plays and getting the insight we can sport with Jason Vine Newstalks AirB coming up five to three quick look ahead to tomorrow's show as mentioned after midday tomorrow the man who gave Dave Rene as marching orders from rugby Australia so how's he feeling about him now being the all blacks head coach hey miss McClennan after midday ruch and revindra is on the show t20 cricket world cup final early hours a Monday mornings out they're feeling about that we'll get you back to Melbourne with more formula one analysis Logan Rodgerson as well out of Auckland FC and whatever happens in Eden Park tonight Blues vs Crusaders well well we'll paint the picture for you tomorrow and review it all thanks for listening in Tim beverage after three huge thanks to Mark Kelly for producing with such enthusiasm and efficiency today you have earned the right to pick

2:03:05the exit song MK what are we going with oh thank you pine man very uh i'm on it this is the late great Toby Keith one of my favourite country singers the great song called Red Soul Low Cup wonderful stuff see you tomorrow folks let's have a party let's have a party I love you Red Soul Low Cup I lift you up proceed to party proceed to party now I really love how you're easy to stack but I really hate how you're easy to crack because when beer runs down the front of my back well that my friends is quiet yucky but I have to admit that the ladies get smitten admiring how sharply my first name is written on you with a sharpie when I get to hit him on them to help me get lucky red soul low cup I do you up let's have a party let's have a party I love you Red Soul Low Cup

2:04:17I lift you up proceed to party proceed to party now I see you in blue and I've seen you in yellow but only you red will do for this fellow because you are the avid and to my castello and you are the fruit to my loom red solo cup you're more than just plastic you're more than amazing for more from weekend sport with Jason Pine listen live to news talks it be weekends from midday or follow the podcast on i have radio