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Hello there, and welcome into today's episode of the Sports Fixed podcast. It's great to be here, Thursday, February twenty. I'm Jason Pine.
Oh look who's back on, Darcy Walter Grave. It's okay. I keep the seat warm when you're out of there, mate, but I'm glad to have you back in the chaos again.
It's good to be in the chaos, and it's good to be here on a day where we can celebrate a black Caps win in the opening match of the Champions Trophy and also kick around a couple of pretty meaty issues. You've got one. David Moffett lined up to chat to us today.
Yeah, of course. David Moffat dar CEO of how many different sports teams and organizations I don't know, but currently he's the South Island Kia bid for the NRL. He's their CEO, and we'll talk to him about well, what the worries are up to and whether there is actually room for an other team and are they actively blocking what's happening in the NRL. They seem to want to look after their patch and not a lot will come into it. So that interesting conversation with Dave Moffatt coming up.
Yeah, looking forward to that. I've some good questions to ask him, some good answers from David Moffatt, no doubt. So without any further ado, let's get into it. In other news, let's get things underway with a look at the big sports stories around today. The black Caps have beaten Pakistan and the opening Champions Trophy one Day Cricket International in Karachi.
That's it.
It's all over.
New Zealand win this match convincingly by sixty runs.
It's been a polished performance.
The New Zilla may three hundred and twenty for five, Will Young and Tom Latham scoring centuries Pakistan and reply all out for two hundred and sixty. Warrior's coach Andrew Webster welcoming attempts to get American President Donald Trump to attend the NRL's season opening double header in Las Vegas.
It's awesome to put our game on the map, you know, particularly the State States is the biggest sporting location in the world. Having those guys around can help promote it. I mean Donald Trump did one of his amazing tweets about there, and that'll be pretty cool.
In Manchester City have missed out on the Champions League Round of sixteen for the first time in twelve seasons.
Row Madred imperious that there was no great challenge for the Champions on.
The night for Pep Cardiol as Manchester City.
There's an end of empire feel about it.
Leading of Vix, We've got just the ticket. It's Sports Fix how By News talks.
Ivy and it's a warm welcome to the Sports Vex podcast. To David Moffatt. He is the South Island k CEO. That's a bid to go into the n R. Ali joins us now to talk about that and the Warriors. Good day to you, David. I'm doing very well. Interesting story today in the Herald. Trevan McKeown, former cel A is again of the Warriors, writing this down about the Warriors, about are the Key and other expansion teams coming through.
Suggestion here is that the Warriors are probably more interested in looking after their patch than they are for the good of rugby league in this country. Is that a fierce statement? Do you think David.
I think it absolutely is. You know that, what have they done in the last twenty five, twenty seven years, whatever it is, they've by any measure, I mean, I think they managed to get to a Grand Final once. But outside of that, you know, and it's still happening.
They just don't perform on the field. For them to suggest that there shouldn't be another team in New Zealand shows that they don't have any knowledge about the game in this country and they actually don't have much knowledge of our sport because all they need to do is look next door at what's happening with the with the AFC, the Auckland Football Club and the amount of interest there is because of this rivalry they have built in with with Wellington Phoenix and it would be even more than
that with rugby league. You know what, do we enjoy our rivalries here in New Zealand and there's no bigger rivalry between Auckland and christ Church.
It's not with the Warriors though it looks like actively blocking or being heard to be blocking this. Do you understand from their point of view that they are looking after their patch and they see that as being something that is rightly theirs if you're a CE, are you be doing the same thing, wouldn't you, David, I.
Don't think so, mate, because I can understand that if you've got another team, it'll actually make you perform better. But then again, I think, I think this guy who's running the Warriors comes out of a racing background, which actually is a monopoly. Racing is a monopoly, both in Australia and in this country, and he's now trying to actually maintain a monopoly that I said, he's done nothing.
They've done nothing thing with for twenty five years. They started coming down here and playing an odd game down here, but that's all. You know. My view is that, you know, we would most likely show them up if we got a license, and you know, I have no doubt that we would certainly get them to improve their own organization
because let's face it, it's hardly fit for purpose. We actually want, fervently want the Warriors to be successful because whilst ever they're unsuccessful, the NRL says, oh, well, look New Zealand, you know hasn't got enough talent, even though fifty percent of the players playing in the NRL come from this part of the world and the Islands I mean, you know, so we want them to be successful, but they're not.
There's a number of consortiums looking to climb into this and have this second franchise, but there's been nothing from the Arl. Has there come a time when something like the lights of the care and so and so forth go. We've gone as far as we can. We're besting a heating against a brick wall. They don't want us know more, because you've been very insistent, but there's nothing come back that almost suggests like you're wasting it time.
Well, yeah, we could be, but we're not a group of people that are going to give in. You know, we are doing this for one reason only and that is for christ Church. You know, we are a city that has come through some horrific times, you know, with the earthquakes, and the city is being rebuilt and it's it's going to be a great city and the council are doing a phenomenal job and so therefore we're doing this for christ Church, the city and also Rugby League
fans in the South Island. I mean, we've got we've got access to two covered stadiums in the South Island because we'd take a game or two down to Dunedin and what sort of stadiums are they playing up there in Auckland will be it'll be twenty years before they get a decent stadium up there the way they're going, and you know, we're already, we're ready to go, We're fit and ready to go does and yeah, we're not
going to give it. What I've said is, look, we understand where you're at, but if you want to reopen negotiations and discussions, then we're here, we're real and we're ready to go at a moment's notice.
I think they should be able to have to reapply for their license. So it's actually a battleground you can both engage in because to the man of Born, they do have this license and it looks like they're not going to let it go. Is there a thought process here that maybe they shouldn't hang on to it forever?
Well, I actually suggested the other day in the media that perhaps it's about time they were asked to reapply for their license and to see how they do under those conditions, and then put conditions upon keeping a license, you know, I asked myself, I thought was an interesting question. Is there any sunset clause? On any licenses for any of the clubs or are they there in perpetuity or until one of them might go broke or whatever. So yeah,
I mean I think that's a very valid question. But anybody, I think who is taking the view that the Warriors owners and management are taking at the moment that they don't want any other team in New Zealand. I mean, I don't give us stuff about or They can look after Auckland, they can look after the whole of the North Island. But we are a very proud rugby league community down here and it's growing.
Sorry, the growth of the game obviously is important from a New Zealand perspective as well as opposed to just the growth of one club. Do you propose to help with the growth of the game as opposed to maybe just looking after your own interests.
Well absolutely, We've already made contact with numerous of the islands and you know, if we were to get a get a license, we would immediately get involved with the other islands, Stonga, the Cook Islands, you know, to get that stuff going. We want to become like Penrith, We want to become a net exporter of talent into the NRL. And that's something that we've been very clear on. But I think you know, it's all about people looking after their own interests. And let me make this point as well.
Rugby in New Zealand is a little bit on its knees at the moment. And if ever rugby League the NRL wanted to take on rugby in this country, they shouldn't be waiting another five years because rugby will get it back together eventually. We're starting to see a little bit of a change in the way the game is played, certainly in the Northern hemisphere, and I don't think that bodes well for us. But they are starting to move the ball about a bit more than we've been seeing in the last twenty years.
Have you had any contact with the Warriors? Does it even come into the equation at all? Does it matter?
I know it doesn't matter. I'd actually don't want to talk to them. I just want to be, you know, a bur under their saddle cloths. I want to develop up a real strong rivalry from day one, because that's what I mean. And the NRL should be bending over backwards to develop this rivalry between Auckland and christ Church. Where where is the natural rivalry between P and G and anybody or the Western you know, they'll say, oh, the Bears, but you know they haven't got anywhere near
the following that they claim. But then the biggest natural rivalry, it's almost and its sort of state of origin like would be between the North Island and the South Island. And it's a bit frustrating when you can't seem to get that message through.
David Moffatt, Thanks very much for joining the program. I get the feeling this story isn't going to end for some time. But overarching, we just want to seek a team in the NRL. That's what it comes down to.
Thanks mate.
So this is Sports Fix, your daily dose of sports news powered by News Talks.
Last night, the black Heads hit the ground running with the flame at their feet by beating Pakistan in the first a game of the Champions Trophy. So much to like about that performance, and as I touched on last night on Sports Talk, primarily it wasn't how well the black Caps went, it was how poorly the Pakistanis dealt with the pressure. What pressure well, playing a major tournament at home for the first time in decades, they couldn't deal with the pressure applied to them by the crowd,
by the black Caps, and more importantly by themselves. Watching them unravel in the last ten overs, watching them pointing, watching them grimacing, watching them blame storming, while a very amused to Tom Latham and Glenn Phillips watched on was really quite something else. It was then you knew that the Pakistani simply didn't have enough to chase down that massive score. We also saw the return to form of
Tom Latham. He touched on it with a sketchy fifty last time around against Pakistan, but when it really counts, he counted a beautiful century, a well paced sentry, peppered with the majestic stroke play, especially in the sweeping region that we know he possesses well Young he's the Matt Henry of the batting attack. He's always there to fill a gap when required, and when he gets his role
full time, not unlike Matt Henry, he will provide. I'm absolutely certain of that what happens next time he plays. If he plays, it's a case of Devon Conway versus Will Young. So I'm very interested in what the decision is there and what they base that on. And then of course you look at the bowling. We didn't see much of Nathan Smith, but Kyle Jamison is over there and i'd expect had come in as a replacement. This
is a great way to start this tournament. It is confident, it is assured and from times it was absolutely brutal. Get up, watch it and stay awake as long as you can. It's worth it.
The Chamber is now in session on Sportsfax.
Into the Chamber we go to kick around the main sporting issues of today, one of which is what you've just been speaking to David Moffat about what we you main takeaways from your conversation with him.
It sounds terrible, but I really get the feeling that the narl just aren't interested. Regardless that they pay lip service, but they don't seem to want to connect or contact or talk. They're more interested in Western Australia or Papua New Guinea and Chinese money. I think they're bashing their head against the brick wall. But as David said, well, we're pretty bloody minded. We're going to get we want. We're not going to give up. And as far as
the Warriors are consented, you understand that, don't you. Piney around looking after your own patch, why would you give it to somebody else? Or, as Moffatt pointed out, having a competition like with the AKFC in the Phoenix is actually going to be better for the Warriors, going to be better for everybody.
Yeh see. I fall on the second side of that, the latter of those two things only, I guess because to us, I've seen what rivalry and a derby has done to the A League in very quick time. It's become the hottest ticket in town and on Saturday, I'll be there at Mount Smart along with twenty seven thousand others to watch a game of football between two New Zealand sides. Look, I get both sides of the argument, but I think competition in any industry, and particularly in
sports is a good thing. I can understand why the Warriors would rather be kings of the New Zealand Castle when it comes to the NRL. I'm sure the Phoenix thought exactly the same way. They would probably in their private moments, prefer that it was still just them. But you cannot deny what competition has done to the A League. And you know, notwithstanding what you've said about the fact
that it might never happen anyway. I think a second New Zealand team would be very good for rugby league in this country.
Now I'll be all over it. And as for the derby, you have to be there because you're calling it. You're not really part of a sellout because you didn't pay for your ticket, did you, piney?
No, I did not pay for the ticket. I was. I was handed a pass which gets me in, gets me in a back corridor of go media and up to the box. I can't wait, look I I In fact, in many ways I wish I was sitting out with the port or standing with the port.
Just a quick word on that again, another huge derby. It just underlines how good this is for the sport and whether you like it or not, I'm still watching, and I'm watching both teams. I can't help myself now. I never thought i'd ever say that it's not stopped. I'm gripped, mate, gripped.
Yep, it's It's been a real boon all right now, you and I. I'm sure I had similar sleeping patterns last night. I tried to watch as much of New Zealand dinings as I could last night, got through to about one o'clock in the morning, at which point Tom Latham was merely going on his way towards the century. Then I wake up every sort of forty five minutes to check the Pakistan and ths what a start for the Black Caps at the Champions Trophy.
Yeah, I stayed away till two o'clock. I was going to go about one the last ten overs Kirby interesting the way they've set their store out and wha was it interesting? That was an absolute assault. It really was on Pakistan. And as I've mentioned, I think the pressure on Pakistan to perform at home in this big tournament in their backyard, the pressure from the fans are from themselves. It was too much. They really started unraveling in that last ten overs and it didn't obviously get much better.
But this is a perfect launching pad. It's huge for this team.
Absolutely right. And in such a short tournament format where you've got three Paul games and then only the top two go through, winning the first game is such a boost. And while Bangladesh do have the potential to chuck a banana skin under the feet of the Black Apps, I think they will well and truly back themselves to beat Bangladesh and then go into that final group game against India knowing that even defeat there might not matter, they
might still be through. But this seems like a team full of confidence starts and look, isn't it amazing what a few warm up games can do?
Ah, I know exacly what you're referencing. Good on you, elbow. And the thing for me is what comes up next. As far as the opening bat, I mean, Devin Conway scored some runs in a week or so ago. Will Young is incredible with the way he keeps on coming in as a replacement, saving the day, not unlike Matt Henry in a bowling front and now Matt's got his front and center and gets that role. But when Rutchin comes back again, does Devin Conway move to one side?
Does Will Young move to one side? This is a debate. And of course I've got Jamison as well, who's gone over there? Does he come in? Does Nathan Smith make way? It's a good problem to have.
It is at the top of the order. I don't see how he can drop well Young, you can't drop a focus just got one hundred. I get that he has often in his career been the guy who makes Way. But I kind of feel as that might be revenge and for Conway if he is fit for Bangladesh on
Monday night, New Zealand time. I guess, as you say, it is a nice problem to have as the sleepless nights ahead for the likes of you and I, the cricketing public of New Zealand, and anyone who supports our boys hitting a red or white ball around the around the globe.
Good Hey. Dylan Cleave, the ex colleague of mine, writes a fantastic blog and a newsletter. He wrote something really cool today. In his newsletter. He wrote that it looked like Will Young was batting on another surface. Hard to disagree with what the bouncers said.
Yeah, I read that too, and I totally agree. In the early stages of that innings, everybody else seemed to be all at sea, but it was calm, smooth waters underneath the kayak of Will Young.
And how matters snot as Glenn Phillips got on his hands. I mean he's got he's got hands like a chameleon's tongue.
Yes, I wondered where you would going, but now I understand the one handed cats. That's become a trademark of Glenn Phillips. Much more of that to come, we hope as well as this tournament progresses. That is us send the chamber today.
Dissecting the sporting agenda.
It's Sportsfix with Jason pine and Darcy.
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