1
00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,547
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine

2
00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:13,347
Speaker 1: from newstalksb B League.

3
00:00:13,107 --> 00:00:15,947
Speaker 2: Writer Michael Burgess Birds, you've been following this team for

4
00:00:15,947 --> 00:00:19,587
Speaker 2: a while, You've seen a lot of games at that venue.

5
00:00:19,667 --> 00:00:23,467
Speaker 2: Where does last night rank among the cruel finishers that

6
00:00:23,547 --> 00:00:24,947
Speaker 2: you've seen it at? Go media?

7
00:00:25,827 --> 00:00:28,347
Speaker 3: Yeah, get biny, I've seen a few over the years,

8
00:00:28,587 --> 00:00:30,347
Speaker 3: but they will be right up there. It really would,

9
00:00:30,427 --> 00:00:34,387
Speaker 3: because the Warriors had you know, we didn't give them

10
00:00:34,427 --> 00:00:37,427
Speaker 3: a chance before kickoff, there were so many players missing.

11
00:00:37,947 --> 00:00:42,067
Speaker 3: They lost another player during the week, so you thought, Okay,

12
00:00:42,347 --> 00:00:44,787
Speaker 3: let's hope they try hard, but they're not going to win.

13
00:00:44,827 --> 00:00:48,107
Speaker 3: And then they just played played so well, so much

14
00:00:48,147 --> 00:00:54,227
Speaker 3: spirit and energy and skill, defended well, and so to

15
00:00:54,267 --> 00:00:56,947
Speaker 3: be winning with a minute to go and the Dolphins

16
00:00:56,947 --> 00:00:59,187
Speaker 3: score on the fifth tack or the last player of

17
00:00:59,227 --> 00:01:03,307
Speaker 3: the game, as you say, heartbreaking for the Warriors. Fantastic

18
00:01:03,387 --> 00:01:07,027
Speaker 3: ever by the Dolphins. And the wider question I guess

19
00:01:07,027 --> 00:01:09,907
Speaker 3: we've got to think about now is that the Warriors

20
00:01:09,907 --> 00:01:12,747
Speaker 3: are and are definitely in a bit of a hole.

21
00:01:12,787 --> 00:01:15,547
Speaker 2: Now let's talk about that in a moment, but with

22
00:01:15,587 --> 00:01:19,347
Speaker 2: the benefit of hindsight, could or should the Warriors have

23
00:01:19,467 --> 00:01:22,787
Speaker 2: done anything differently in the last minutes of that game last.

24
00:01:22,667 --> 00:01:26,867
Speaker 3: Night, Yes, I think so. I didn't really like the

25
00:01:26,867 --> 00:01:29,107
Speaker 3: way they managed the last five or six minutes. It's

26
00:01:29,147 --> 00:01:31,627
Speaker 3: always great in hindsight, but I felt there are a

27
00:01:31,667 --> 00:01:35,467
Speaker 3: couple of times they're right attacking on the Dolphins line,

28
00:01:35,787 --> 00:01:38,187
Speaker 3: and they died with the ball on the fifth tackle twice,

29
00:01:39,147 --> 00:01:41,947
Speaker 3: and you see that tactic it's safe rather than trying

30
00:01:41,947 --> 00:01:44,347
Speaker 3: to kick it and it might go long for a

31
00:01:44,347 --> 00:01:47,587
Speaker 3: seven tackle set, which is risky, but you also might

32
00:01:47,627 --> 00:01:50,947
Speaker 3: get a repeat set. So it felt like they're really

33
00:01:50,987 --> 00:01:53,787
Speaker 3: just trying to hang on rather than kill the game

34
00:01:53,827 --> 00:01:56,947
Speaker 3: with another try. They also had a shot at a

35
00:01:56,987 --> 00:01:59,707
Speaker 3: penalty close to the post. It's sort of been a

36
00:01:59,787 --> 00:02:02,667
Speaker 3: four point lead, so you wonder that that's a real

37
00:02:02,747 --> 00:02:05,627
Speaker 3: if only because a four point lead, you know, isn't

38
00:02:05,907 --> 00:02:10,067
Speaker 3: isn't every think because but there were there were just

39
00:02:10,107 --> 00:02:12,027
Speaker 3: a few things they did, and then the biggest thing, Piney,

40
00:02:12,107 --> 00:02:14,707
Speaker 3: to be honest, was the way they approached the very

41
00:02:14,787 --> 00:02:17,547
Speaker 3: last set. It felt they were just a bit passive

42
00:02:17,707 --> 00:02:20,587
Speaker 3: with their defense. And Andrew Webster said after the game

43
00:02:20,627 --> 00:02:23,267
Speaker 3: he didn't like the body language, the way that Okay,

44
00:02:23,307 --> 00:02:24,587
Speaker 3: you don't want to charge out of the line and

45
00:02:24,667 --> 00:02:26,867
Speaker 3: leave a hole. But they were sort of hanging back

46
00:02:26,867 --> 00:02:28,987
Speaker 3: and that allowed the Dolphins to go one side the

47
00:02:28,987 --> 00:02:31,987
Speaker 3: field to the other and then score in the right corner.

48
00:02:32,427 --> 00:02:34,827
Speaker 2: Was that caution or fatigue or both?

49
00:02:35,707 --> 00:02:37,387
Speaker 3: Yeah, a good point, mate, I mean, there would have

50
00:02:37,427 --> 00:02:39,547
Speaker 3: been a lot of fatigue. It was a crazy game.

51
00:02:39,587 --> 00:02:41,987
Speaker 3: It was a It was one of the most entertaining

52
00:02:42,027 --> 00:02:47,227
Speaker 3: games I can remember, back and forward, so much attack,

53
00:02:48,707 --> 00:02:51,107
Speaker 3: just just just a brilliant watch, it really was. It

54
00:02:51,107 --> 00:02:52,627
Speaker 3: would have taken a lot out of them. So there

55
00:02:52,667 --> 00:02:56,027
Speaker 3: was fatigue. There were players cramping, but also you know

56
00:02:56,067 --> 00:02:58,787
Speaker 3: it's hard. You're thinking, we just had to hang on here,

57
00:02:58,827 --> 00:03:02,507
Speaker 3: we win the game. The tackles are counting down, so

58
00:03:02,907 --> 00:03:05,267
Speaker 3: just felt like they were hanging off a bit and

59
00:03:05,387 --> 00:03:07,307
Speaker 3: they paid the oldimate price. Because the other thing we

60
00:03:07,347 --> 00:03:10,347
Speaker 3: haven't mentioned yet is that the Dolphins were down to

61
00:03:10,387 --> 00:03:14,867
Speaker 3: twelve men for Leis Kafusi Sinbind with seven minutes to go,

62
00:03:15,067 --> 00:03:20,267
Speaker 3: So twelve against thirteen, that's another reason why you should

63
00:03:20,267 --> 00:03:23,027
Speaker 3: be able to hang on in another reason why this

64
00:03:23,187 --> 00:03:24,627
Speaker 3: result will hurt so much.

65
00:03:25,427 --> 00:03:28,347
Speaker 2: I guess if we flip it though, eight frontline players

66
00:03:28,387 --> 00:03:30,547
Speaker 2: missing birds, you know, a couple of them out for

67
00:03:30,587 --> 00:03:32,947
Speaker 2: the season, others coming back in dribs and drabs over

68
00:03:32,987 --> 00:03:36,347
Speaker 2: the next few weeks or so. Given that was was

69
00:03:36,387 --> 00:03:40,347
Speaker 2: this actually a pretty good performance from a vastly under

70
00:03:40,387 --> 00:03:41,827
Speaker 2: strength Warrior's side.

71
00:03:42,747 --> 00:03:45,267
Speaker 3: Yeah, we can't forget that, Piney, You're exactly right. I mean,

72
00:03:45,707 --> 00:03:48,947
Speaker 3: they had seven hundred and fifty games of anerol experience

73
00:03:48,947 --> 00:03:51,467
Speaker 3: sitting on the sideline. And if you make a list

74
00:03:51,507 --> 00:03:54,427
Speaker 3: of their five most important players, four of them went

75
00:03:54,467 --> 00:03:58,427
Speaker 3: there last night, Egan, Fisher, Harris Barnett, Metcalf. So you

76
00:03:58,427 --> 00:04:00,507
Speaker 3: add all that up. They weren't supposed to get close

77
00:04:00,547 --> 00:04:03,027
Speaker 3: to the Titans, and they played. They played really well.

78
00:04:03,067 --> 00:04:06,347
Speaker 3: As I mentioned before, this is a vastly superior before

79
00:04:06,347 --> 00:04:10,147
Speaker 3: almost the last week against the Dolphins. So they will

80
00:04:10,147 --> 00:04:13,467
Speaker 3: take when the dust settles, they will take positives out

81
00:04:13,467 --> 00:04:16,307
Speaker 3: of this game, and there's things to build on. I

82
00:04:16,467 --> 00:04:19,867
Speaker 3: like the new structure they had, the new lineup. I

83
00:04:19,947 --> 00:04:23,067
Speaker 3: like the way they played. But the question will be

84
00:04:23,147 --> 00:04:29,347
Speaker 3: how much mental and emotional energy this kind of defeat

85
00:04:29,427 --> 00:04:30,427
Speaker 3: also takes out.

86
00:04:30,267 --> 00:04:33,507
Speaker 2: Of them, just on the lineup chance Nikol klukstar coming

87
00:04:33,507 --> 00:04:36,987
Speaker 2: into the centers, which released Kurt Capewell back into the forwards,

88
00:04:37,067 --> 00:04:39,787
Speaker 2: and Andrew Webs has been wanting to do that for

89
00:04:39,827 --> 00:04:41,547
Speaker 2: a while. What did you make of that? Do you

90
00:04:41,547 --> 00:04:45,347
Speaker 2: think they'll stick with Charms until the likes of Rock

91
00:04:45,387 --> 00:04:48,427
Speaker 2: o'berry and Ali Layatawa are back in the equation?

92
00:04:49,467 --> 00:04:51,027
Speaker 3: I hope they do. Yeah, I think it will be

93
00:04:51,027 --> 00:04:54,147
Speaker 3: a smart move. I mean Chance. It was only Chance's

94
00:04:54,267 --> 00:04:57,947
Speaker 3: second NRL game at center, which sounds pretty crazy, but

95
00:04:57,987 --> 00:05:01,187
Speaker 3: he's also played seven tests there. As you say, it

96
00:05:01,267 --> 00:05:04,587
Speaker 3: releases cape Well back to the second row, which is

97
00:05:04,587 --> 00:05:07,267
Speaker 3: is his position. You get minutes out of them there

98
00:05:07,267 --> 00:05:09,907
Speaker 3: he was excellent again. The other thing it does is

99
00:05:09,947 --> 00:05:13,787
Speaker 3: that brings in tain to old Pecky into fullback, and

100
00:05:13,827 --> 00:05:17,387
Speaker 3: they they need that spark and that speed, especially without

101
00:05:17,467 --> 00:05:20,867
Speaker 3: Metcalf now, who was their X factor player to our

102
00:05:20,907 --> 00:05:24,147
Speaker 3: Pecky did well. He adds another dimension, so it feels

103
00:05:24,187 --> 00:05:28,227
Speaker 3: like more of a balanced lineup, and you'd think they'll

104
00:05:28,267 --> 00:05:32,827
Speaker 3: stick with Nickel clock start at center until as you said,

105
00:05:33,187 --> 00:05:36,107
Speaker 3: the specialists comeback, which you know is still a few

106
00:05:36,147 --> 00:05:36,667
Speaker 3: weeks away.

107
00:05:36,947 --> 00:05:39,027
Speaker 2: All right, So the Warriors will finish the weekend in

108
00:05:39,107 --> 00:05:43,387
Speaker 2: fourth place, but the chasing pack is closing in Broncos Panthers,

109
00:05:43,427 --> 00:05:46,827
Speaker 2: even the Dolphins themselves after last night Sharks five games

110
00:05:46,867 --> 00:05:50,107
Speaker 2: to go, Bulldogs away, Dragons home, Titans away, Eels home,

111
00:05:50,507 --> 00:05:54,507
Speaker 2: See Eagles away. Are the Warriors still a top four side?

112
00:05:56,667 --> 00:05:58,787
Speaker 3: Well, they haven't been playing like one, have they? If

113
00:05:58,827 --> 00:06:02,347
Speaker 3: we're frank, They've lost four of their last six games.

114
00:06:02,507 --> 00:06:04,947
Speaker 3: I think the thing that's hurt them the most is

115
00:06:04,947 --> 00:06:07,547
Speaker 3: they've lost four of their four or five games at

116
00:06:07,547 --> 00:06:09,507
Speaker 3: Mount Smart. You know who would have picked that this

117
00:06:09,987 --> 00:06:13,147
Speaker 3: paird was supposed to be their time of milk and honey,

118
00:06:13,147 --> 00:06:15,707
Speaker 3: all these games at home, and it just hasn't worked

119
00:06:15,707 --> 00:06:18,707
Speaker 3: out like that. So of course they can still finish

120
00:06:18,707 --> 00:06:21,067
Speaker 3: in the top four, but whether they will is looking

121
00:06:21,107 --> 00:06:24,467
Speaker 3: increasingly unlikely because the Bulldogs, I mean far out of them,

122
00:06:24,427 --> 00:06:26,147
Speaker 3: and they lost a couple of games all season. They're

123
00:06:26,147 --> 00:06:28,907
Speaker 3: going great. The Dragons are a decent team, as you

124
00:06:28,947 --> 00:06:31,347
Speaker 3: say they've got and then they've got the Titans away,

125
00:06:31,707 --> 00:06:35,307
Speaker 3: the ultimate bogie team, and the Seagles match you mentioned

126
00:06:35,507 --> 00:06:39,667
Speaker 3: that will just happen to be daily Cherry Evans last metric,

127
00:06:39,747 --> 00:06:42,227
Speaker 3: mainly after he's played a thousand games there, so you'd

128
00:06:42,227 --> 00:06:46,507
Speaker 3: think that'd be quite a hostile occasion. So yeah, it's

129
00:06:47,307 --> 00:06:51,267
Speaker 3: it's not stacking up great. But I guess look, they're

130
00:06:51,307 --> 00:06:54,227
Speaker 3: still in They're still in the top four. They've got

131
00:06:54,227 --> 00:06:56,947
Speaker 3: to find a way to stay there. If they slipped

132
00:06:56,947 --> 00:06:58,587
Speaker 3: to fifth or six, it wouldn't be the end of

133
00:06:58,627 --> 00:07:02,507
Speaker 3: the world because they still have a home home semi final,

134
00:07:02,587 --> 00:07:06,067
Speaker 3: but they will lose their second life. So you're really

135
00:07:06,627 --> 00:07:08,947
Speaker 3: you really want to stay in the top four. But

136
00:07:08,987 --> 00:07:12,027
Speaker 3: a combination of you know, a loss of a bit

137
00:07:12,027 --> 00:07:16,267
Speaker 3: of confidence in Mojo and critically, all these this injury

138
00:07:16,307 --> 00:07:21,427
Speaker 3: crisis just happening at the worst possible time has has

139
00:07:21,667 --> 00:07:25,267
Speaker 3: really really stalled all that momentum they had in May

140
00:07:25,307 --> 00:07:26,107
Speaker 3: and early June.

141
00:07:26,227 --> 00:07:30,387
Speaker 2: Indeed, YEP a very challenging final five rounds to play

142
00:07:30,467 --> 00:07:33,547
Speaker 2: for the Warriors. Appreciate your time is always Burge. Enjoy

143
00:07:33,547 --> 00:07:35,107
Speaker 2: the rest of your weekend, mate, Thanks for joining us.

144
00:07:35,667 --> 00:07:37,587
Speaker 3: Thanks bye now I mean the sun shining in Auckland.

145
00:07:37,627 --> 00:07:40,227
Speaker 3: Say you know we keep going, don't we? We do?

146
00:07:40,787 --> 00:07:41,027
Speaker 3: We do?

147
00:07:41,107 --> 00:07:44,347
Speaker 2: There's no other way, burg There's no other way. Thanks mate,

148
00:07:44,387 --> 00:07:47,587
Speaker 2: Michael Burgess. Read him at enzidherld dot co dot

149
00:07:47,667 --> 00:07:51,627
Speaker 1: Nzed For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fain, Listen

150
00:07:51,747 --> 00:07:54,987
Speaker 1: live to News Talk zed B weekends from midday, or

151
00:07:55,067 --> 00:07:56,987
Speaker 1: follow the podcast on iHeartRadio