1
00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,387
Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine

2
00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:11,907
Speaker 1: from Newstalks edb.

3
00:00:12,747 --> 00:00:16,187
Speaker 2: Auckland FC Western Sydney wanderer is this afternoon five o'clock

4
00:00:16,227 --> 00:00:17,827
Speaker 2: Go Media Stadium.

5
00:00:18,387 --> 00:00:23,307
Speaker 3: That's the last opportunity of the contest. Auckland too strong

6
00:00:24,667 --> 00:00:29,747
Speaker 3: in this battle, the first versus second from bottom, the

7
00:00:29,827 --> 00:00:35,987
Speaker 3: form guide respected, the league table respected and most importantly,

8
00:00:36,267 --> 00:00:40,107
Speaker 3: seven points clear atop the standings with just five matches

9
00:00:40,187 --> 00:00:40,667
Speaker 3: left to play.

10
00:00:40,867 --> 00:00:42,307
Speaker 2: Isn't he that was a week ago and went over

11
00:00:42,347 --> 00:00:45,307
Speaker 2: Brisbane Raw This afternoon Western Sydney should provide a much

12
00:00:45,707 --> 00:00:49,787
Speaker 2: stiffer opponent. Let's bring an Auckland FC central defender Dan Hall,

13
00:00:50,347 --> 00:00:52,507
Speaker 2: who has recently returned to the side from a long

14
00:00:52,547 --> 00:00:54,907
Speaker 2: stint on the sidelines with a broken ankle. Dan, great

15
00:00:54,907 --> 00:00:56,067
Speaker 2: to have you back in the side and thanks for

16
00:00:56,147 --> 00:00:58,507
Speaker 2: joining us on match day. How do you reflect back

17
00:00:58,547 --> 00:01:01,347
Speaker 2: on your time out? By my maths, it was ninety

18
00:01:01,427 --> 00:01:04,107
Speaker 2: nine days out of the side. How do you reflect

19
00:01:04,187 --> 00:01:04,947
Speaker 2: back on that time?

20
00:01:07,627 --> 00:01:10,347
Speaker 4: Obviously yeah, I didn't do the math, but it did

21
00:01:10,387 --> 00:01:12,627
Speaker 4: feel like a long time, so ninety nine days makes

22
00:01:12,667 --> 00:01:15,867
Speaker 4: sense to me. It was obviously frustrating because I wanted

23
00:01:15,907 --> 00:01:18,747
Speaker 4: to be there helping my team. But you know, the

24
00:01:18,787 --> 00:01:21,227
Speaker 4: boys did really well without me there, and I was

25
00:01:21,267 --> 00:01:23,387
Speaker 4: just proud to watch on from the sideline and focus

26
00:01:23,387 --> 00:01:25,067
Speaker 4: on my rehab to be back out on the pitch

27
00:01:25,107 --> 00:01:25,387
Speaker 4: with him.

28
00:01:25,827 --> 00:01:28,067
Speaker 2: How did the injury actually happen?

29
00:01:29,587 --> 00:01:32,867
Speaker 4: Yeah, so it was actually just a training incident. It

30
00:01:32,907 --> 00:01:36,827
Speaker 4: was literally the lot final ball of training, match day

31
00:01:36,867 --> 00:01:40,067
Speaker 4: minus two, and I've gone for a slide tackle. I

32
00:01:40,187 --> 00:01:42,987
Speaker 4: do a lot of them usually in training, and my

33
00:01:43,107 --> 00:01:46,267
Speaker 4: foot just got stuck in the ground and I've just

34
00:01:46,267 --> 00:01:48,387
Speaker 4: gone over the top of my ankle and then yeah,

35
00:01:48,587 --> 00:01:51,627
Speaker 4: broken fibula and torn ligaments. So not ideal.

36
00:01:51,907 --> 00:01:56,667
Speaker 2: Not ideal. Indeed, had you suffered an injury previously in

37
00:01:56,707 --> 00:01:58,667
Speaker 2: your career which had kept you out for that length

38
00:01:58,707 --> 00:01:59,707
Speaker 2: of time or even longer.

39
00:02:01,307 --> 00:02:04,027
Speaker 4: No, this was probably my most severe injury today. And

40
00:02:04,107 --> 00:02:05,907
Speaker 4: I've had obviously a few things that have kept me

41
00:02:05,907 --> 00:02:09,947
Speaker 4: out for a while, but for one that's during the season,

42
00:02:09,987 --> 00:02:12,347
Speaker 4: this has definitely been the most severe for sure.

43
00:02:12,827 --> 00:02:15,907
Speaker 2: And how were you watching? I know most most sports

44
00:02:15,907 --> 00:02:18,827
Speaker 2: people don't like watching injured. How were you watching from

45
00:02:18,827 --> 00:02:21,587
Speaker 2: the sidelines as you as you recovered and rehabbed.

46
00:02:22,947 --> 00:02:26,667
Speaker 4: Yeah, it's it's obviously a different vibe when watching and playing.

47
00:02:26,707 --> 00:02:28,947
Speaker 4: I honestly think I was more stressed just watching ON

48
00:02:29,067 --> 00:02:32,507
Speaker 4: than playing. I feel like when you're when you're actually playing,

49
00:02:32,587 --> 00:02:35,747
Speaker 4: you know, it's you just you're in the moment, much

50
00:02:35,787 --> 00:02:37,747
Speaker 4: more than watching on the sideline, where you know you

51
00:02:38,147 --> 00:02:40,227
Speaker 4: ride every tackle when you're watching and stuff like that.

52
00:02:40,267 --> 00:02:42,227
Speaker 4: So it was stressful times watching ON for sure.

53
00:02:42,667 --> 00:02:45,507
Speaker 2: So you came back in after all that time away,

54
00:02:45,547 --> 00:02:47,827
Speaker 2: you could have been forgiven for being a bit short

55
00:02:47,867 --> 00:02:50,667
Speaker 2: of match fitness. But you've played ninety minutes in both

56
00:02:50,707 --> 00:02:54,507
Speaker 2: of the games since your return, So how are you

57
00:02:54,547 --> 00:02:57,187
Speaker 2: able to keep your your aerobic fitness and your match

58
00:02:57,187 --> 00:02:58,427
Speaker 2: fitness up while you were out?

59
00:03:00,227 --> 00:03:06,547
Speaker 4: Yeah, obviously it wasn't wasn't It wasn't easy, But credit

60
00:03:06,667 --> 00:03:10,107
Speaker 4: to credit to the physio teams and the people doing

61
00:03:10,107 --> 00:03:13,307
Speaker 4: my rehab. I guess I spent the last three months

62
00:03:13,347 --> 00:03:15,227
Speaker 4: I was in the gym and then on the assault bike.

63
00:03:15,267 --> 00:03:18,227
Speaker 4: I became quite familiar with the assault bike every day,

64
00:03:18,347 --> 00:03:21,827
Speaker 4: so you know, they done well. Even though I couldn't

65
00:03:21,867 --> 00:03:24,347
Speaker 4: physically run and stay fit that way, there was other

66
00:03:24,387 --> 00:03:26,947
Speaker 4: ways to try and keep me fit, and you know,

67
00:03:26,987 --> 00:03:28,827
Speaker 4: I was just grateful that I somehow got through the

68
00:03:28,867 --> 00:03:31,147
Speaker 4: first ninety and then once you get through that first

69
00:03:31,227 --> 00:03:32,747
Speaker 4: ninety then you know you're good to go.

70
00:03:33,307 --> 00:03:35,547
Speaker 2: Yeah, that first came back, it was ironically enough against

71
00:03:35,587 --> 00:03:37,547
Speaker 2: your former side, the Mariners. I think you said to

72
00:03:37,587 --> 00:03:39,827
Speaker 2: me afterward, John, he's supposed to play an hour. But

73
00:03:40,187 --> 00:03:41,387
Speaker 2: I mean, were you're blowing me at the end of

74
00:03:41,387 --> 00:03:43,227
Speaker 2: But how were you feeling after the ninety the first

75
00:03:43,587 --> 00:03:44,467
Speaker 2: ninety minutes back?

76
00:03:45,547 --> 00:03:49,627
Speaker 4: Yeah, man, it was pretty funny. I mean I remember

77
00:03:49,667 --> 00:03:51,787
Speaker 4: looking up thinking like, I don't know how much longer

78
00:03:51,827 --> 00:03:53,867
Speaker 4: I got and it was literally the fifty third minutes.

79
00:03:53,907 --> 00:03:59,067
Speaker 4: So I think just a lot of I think, you know,

80
00:04:00,067 --> 00:04:02,067
Speaker 4: I think for my family were sending me their best

81
00:04:02,067 --> 00:04:04,027
Speaker 4: wishes and prayers, So I think that's what got me through,

82
00:04:04,107 --> 00:04:05,427
Speaker 4: to be honest, fantastic.

83
00:04:05,467 --> 00:04:08,827
Speaker 2: Well you're back and then last time out tonlawyin away

84
00:04:08,867 --> 00:04:11,427
Speaker 2: at Brisbane. That's the first clean sheet the team has

85
00:04:11,467 --> 00:04:14,587
Speaker 2: kept for the for the last four games. How pleasing

86
00:04:14,707 --> 00:04:16,187
Speaker 2: was it to, you know, to keep the clean sheet

87
00:04:16,187 --> 00:04:18,067
Speaker 2: against Brisbane and come away with the three points?

88
00:04:19,307 --> 00:04:22,787
Speaker 4: Yeah? Obviously, you know, at the start of the season

89
00:04:23,347 --> 00:04:27,067
Speaker 4: we focus on maintaining clean sheets and we were very

90
00:04:27,107 --> 00:04:30,547
Speaker 4: strong defensively. I think we've still been quite strong defensively,

91
00:04:30,627 --> 00:04:33,707
Speaker 4: just conceding a few unfortunate goals here and there. But

92
00:04:34,427 --> 00:04:36,867
Speaker 4: as I said, you know, the coaches pleased with us

93
00:04:36,907 --> 00:04:40,387
Speaker 4: getting back on that clean sheet mentality and hopefully we

94
00:04:40,427 --> 00:04:41,707
Speaker 4: continue that come the weekend.

95
00:04:42,147 --> 00:04:45,107
Speaker 2: You came into the side, I mean everybody's new, right,

96
00:04:45,747 --> 00:04:49,147
Speaker 2: So you came into a defensive unit that you were

97
00:04:49,147 --> 00:04:52,827
Speaker 2: pretty unfamiliar with in terms of personnel, but quickly established

98
00:04:52,867 --> 00:04:56,187
Speaker 2: a really solid defensive unit. I mean, all those clean

99
00:04:56,187 --> 00:04:58,467
Speaker 2: sheets in a row to start the season. How did

100
00:04:58,507 --> 00:04:59,347
Speaker 2: that all come about?

101
00:05:01,667 --> 00:05:05,107
Speaker 4: Yeah? I think with any team, I think it's important

102
00:05:05,107 --> 00:05:07,867
Speaker 4: that you build good connection off the pitch and then

103
00:05:08,347 --> 00:05:11,747
Speaker 4: as a result, you know, you see the good results

104
00:05:11,747 --> 00:05:16,547
Speaker 4: on the pitch. But obviously credit to the scouting team

105
00:05:16,547 --> 00:05:20,427
Speaker 4: from Auckland. See they've put together a very strong team

106
00:05:20,507 --> 00:05:24,227
Speaker 4: and talented players and good people as well. So whoever's

107
00:05:24,227 --> 00:05:26,307
Speaker 4: in that role playing center back or playing left back,

108
00:05:26,387 --> 00:05:27,867
Speaker 4: right back, then you know they do a job for

109
00:05:27,907 --> 00:05:31,147
Speaker 4: the team. And obviously, when you have Alex Toolson behind you,

110
00:05:31,387 --> 00:05:33,907
Speaker 4: if you do make a mistake, there's a good likelihood

111
00:05:33,907 --> 00:05:36,187
Speaker 4: that he'll bail you out, so credit to him as well.

112
00:05:36,547 --> 00:05:39,667
Speaker 2: So your next assignment Western Sydney, this afternoon. They're the

113
00:05:39,747 --> 00:05:43,867
Speaker 2: league's leading goal scorers. So how big a defensive challenge

114
00:05:43,907 --> 00:05:46,267
Speaker 2: are you expecting from the Wanderers this afternoon?

115
00:05:47,867 --> 00:05:52,667
Speaker 4: Yeah, there are credit they're a very good side. Obviously,

116
00:05:52,827 --> 00:05:55,507
Speaker 4: they score lots and lots of goals. So I guess

117
00:05:55,547 --> 00:05:57,467
Speaker 4: for a defender it's my job to try and prevent

118
00:05:57,547 --> 00:06:00,467
Speaker 4: that today. And you know, I think we're just trying

119
00:06:00,507 --> 00:06:03,907
Speaker 4: and focus on trusting the process and what we've done

120
00:06:03,987 --> 00:06:06,747
Speaker 4: throughout the week in practice to try and you know,

121
00:06:06,867 --> 00:06:09,707
Speaker 4: keep them quiet is hopefully what we'll do. And I

122
00:06:09,707 --> 00:06:11,427
Speaker 4: guess at the end of the ninety we'll see who

123
00:06:11,467 --> 00:06:12,187
Speaker 4: comes out on top.

124
00:06:12,387 --> 00:06:14,827
Speaker 2: I guess the feature of their side, too, Dan, is

125
00:06:14,867 --> 00:06:16,427
Speaker 2: they've got a number of threats. You know, it's not

126
00:06:16,507 --> 00:06:19,747
Speaker 2: just one guy's getting all their goals. Nicholas Milanovitch has

127
00:06:19,787 --> 00:06:22,787
Speaker 2: got ten, but Bodjerd kry of seven, Zac Satsford seven,

128
00:06:23,227 --> 00:06:26,267
Speaker 2: Mark Zanons and six Brandon Morello current Zakaru with six.

129
00:06:26,747 --> 00:06:28,787
Speaker 2: How much more challenging does it make it when you're

130
00:06:28,787 --> 00:06:31,347
Speaker 2: not just focusing on on shutting down one guy.

131
00:06:33,147 --> 00:06:37,787
Speaker 4: Yeah, exactly. When obviously a quality side like the Wonderers

132
00:06:37,827 --> 00:06:41,827
Speaker 4: have goals coming in from every way. It's obviously quite

133
00:06:41,827 --> 00:06:45,587
Speaker 4: a challenge, but you know, I think we're quite sound

134
00:06:45,627 --> 00:06:48,547
Speaker 4: defensively as well, So I think as a defender, you know,

135
00:06:48,587 --> 00:06:51,347
Speaker 4: you look forward to these games where you know there's

136
00:06:51,427 --> 00:06:54,347
Speaker 4: multiple threats coming in at once. So I'm excited to

137
00:06:54,387 --> 00:06:55,587
Speaker 4: play and I'll see how I go.

138
00:06:56,427 --> 00:06:59,667
Speaker 2: So depending on how things go over the next couple

139
00:06:59,707 --> 00:07:03,107
Speaker 2: of weeks, it's possible that you could secure the Premier's

140
00:07:03,147 --> 00:07:06,107
Speaker 2: plate as early as next weekend. This relies on a

141
00:07:06,147 --> 00:07:08,707
Speaker 2: few things happening. You guys winning other teams, not that

142
00:07:08,787 --> 00:07:11,027
Speaker 2: sort of thing. Do you look at the table? Do

143
00:07:11,067 --> 00:07:13,747
Speaker 2: you do the maths? Are you that kind of play

144
00:07:14,227 --> 00:07:15,067
Speaker 2: that kind of footballer?

145
00:07:16,307 --> 00:07:18,427
Speaker 4: Piiney. Look, I've never been very good at math, so

146
00:07:20,227 --> 00:07:23,107
Speaker 4: I feel like even if I wanted to do the math,

147
00:07:23,147 --> 00:07:24,587
Speaker 4: I wouldn't be able to work it out in my

148
00:07:24,627 --> 00:07:26,227
Speaker 4: head or I'd be here until the end of the

149
00:07:26,227 --> 00:07:28,107
Speaker 4: season trying to figure out if we've won or not.

150
00:07:28,227 --> 00:07:32,627
Speaker 4: So that being said, you know, it's been quite common

151
00:07:32,667 --> 00:07:35,067
Speaker 4: throughout the team that we all stay humble and we

152
00:07:35,187 --> 00:07:38,627
Speaker 4: just look at it each week, week by week, and hopefully,

153
00:07:38,667 --> 00:07:41,387
Speaker 4: you know, we're trusting the process by building results each week,

154
00:07:41,787 --> 00:07:43,467
Speaker 4: we'll get their awards by the end of the season.

155
00:07:43,947 --> 00:07:46,907
Speaker 2: Well, you you come in with championship pedigree. Of course,

156
00:07:46,907 --> 00:07:48,867
Speaker 2: you went back to back A league championships with the

157
00:07:48,907 --> 00:07:51,947
Speaker 2: Mariners last two seasons. Last season, you want to treble

158
00:07:51,947 --> 00:07:55,347
Speaker 2: of trophies. Do you sense in this Auckland FC team

159
00:07:55,987 --> 00:07:59,187
Speaker 2: some similar qualities to the Mariners teams that you were

160
00:07:59,227 --> 00:08:00,747
Speaker 2: a part of in the last couple of seasons.

161
00:08:01,947 --> 00:08:04,867
Speaker 4: Yeah, definitely. I think, you know, having a winning mentality

162
00:08:05,467 --> 00:08:08,387
Speaker 4: and just being very competitive in training translates a lot

163
00:08:08,427 --> 00:08:12,147
Speaker 4: of the games. And obviously with my former side and

164
00:08:12,307 --> 00:08:14,507
Speaker 4: current side, you know, there's good people around you that

165
00:08:14,587 --> 00:08:17,307
Speaker 4: push you each week and each day. So I think

166
00:08:17,347 --> 00:08:20,467
Speaker 4: that's just the recipe for success and it's working so far.

167
00:08:20,747 --> 00:08:22,907
Speaker 2: Certainly is. And you are still waiting for your first

168
00:08:22,987 --> 00:08:25,667
Speaker 2: Auckland FC goal. I know you've been out for a while,

169
00:08:25,707 --> 00:08:27,907
Speaker 2: you know that, so that hasn't helped. But has that

170
00:08:27,987 --> 00:08:30,707
Speaker 2: been a topic of conversation at all? Nando's got one,

171
00:08:30,947 --> 00:08:34,307
Speaker 2: Freendy's got one, Heroki? You know, has it been talked

172
00:08:34,347 --> 00:08:36,387
Speaker 2: about at all that you're still to open your account?

173
00:08:37,347 --> 00:08:39,747
Speaker 4: Yeah, well, I'm glad. I think you're the first one

174
00:08:39,747 --> 00:08:43,107
Speaker 4: to mention it, because I've been I've been to be fair, Piney,

175
00:08:43,147 --> 00:08:46,227
Speaker 4: I've been thinking about it. I mean, this Nando guy

176
00:08:46,227 --> 00:08:48,547
Speaker 4: that plays next to me is almost our leading goal scorer,

177
00:08:48,707 --> 00:08:51,987
Speaker 4: so he's not making me look very good. So I

178
00:08:52,027 --> 00:08:54,227
Speaker 4: think I'll have to work out something because I've got enough.

179
00:08:54,307 --> 00:08:56,227
Speaker 4: I've got lots and lots of celebrations to pull out

180
00:08:56,227 --> 00:08:58,307
Speaker 4: when I do finally get one, So you'll have to

181
00:08:58,387 --> 00:08:58,907
Speaker 4: stay tuned.

182
00:08:59,067 --> 00:09:01,947
Speaker 2: I will stay tuned. Hopefully it will happen this afternoon

183
00:09:01,987 --> 00:09:05,227
Speaker 2: and or certainly at a very important time. Dan, such

184
00:09:05,227 --> 00:09:07,307
Speaker 2: a pleasure to catch up. Awesome to have you back

185
00:09:07,307 --> 00:09:10,067
Speaker 2: out there with Auckland FC for the run towards the finals.

186
00:09:10,227 --> 00:09:11,747
Speaker 2: Thanks for the chat mate, and all the best against

187
00:09:11,787 --> 00:09:14,267
Speaker 2: the Wanderers this afternoon. Thank you very much to take

188
00:09:14,267 --> 00:09:16,027
Speaker 2: care now you take care to Dan Hall. What a

189
00:09:16,067 --> 00:09:19,787
Speaker 2: character center back for Auckland f C. Western Sydney Wanderers

190
00:09:19,827 --> 00:09:23,307
Speaker 2: are their opponent this afternoon five o'clock kickoff at go

191
00:09:23,587 --> 00:09:24,547
Speaker 2: Media Stadium.

192
00:09:25,347 --> 00:09:28,547
Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live

193
00:09:28,667 --> 00:09:31,947
Speaker 1: to News Talk zed B weekends from midday or follow

194
00:09:31,987 --> 00:09:33,587
Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio