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 --> 00:00:11,507 Speaker 1: from News Talks. 3 00:00:11,707 --> 00:00:15,547 Speaker 2: By an early twelve nil deficit and a late red 4 00:00:15,667 --> 00:00:18,307 Speaker 2: card not enough to prevent the Blues from edging Mata 5 00:00:18,347 --> 00:00:21,787 Speaker 2: to twenty six nineteen in an excellent final at Eden 6 00:00:21,827 --> 00:00:24,387 Speaker 2: Park last night. Blues coach Willie Walker is with us 7 00:00:25,067 --> 00:00:28,307 Speaker 2: back to back. Will he congratulations as the second more 8 00:00:28,387 --> 00:00:31,987 Speaker 2: satisfying than the first or they both equally satisfying. 9 00:00:33,387 --> 00:00:36,787 Speaker 3: I think they're pretty similar in terms of where they rank. 10 00:00:36,987 --> 00:00:40,147 Speaker 3: Are obviously a different group to the crew we had 11 00:00:40,227 --> 00:00:45,347 Speaker 3: last year, but it's still special in the same breath. 12 00:00:45,387 --> 00:00:48,027 Speaker 3: We worked really hard for it. The girls week really 13 00:00:48,027 --> 00:00:50,787 Speaker 3: hard last night and we were put under pressure early 14 00:00:50,827 --> 00:00:53,427 Speaker 3: on from much to two, but we stuck him there 15 00:00:53,627 --> 00:00:55,547 Speaker 3: and we talked about that at half time that we 16 00:00:55,627 --> 00:00:59,667 Speaker 3: had to play through eighty minutes to get a result 17 00:00:59,667 --> 00:01:00,707 Speaker 3: in we came out on top. 18 00:01:00,787 --> 00:01:03,547 Speaker 2: So yeah, yeah, Master two did start better, didn't they? Twelve? 19 00:01:03,587 --> 00:01:06,347 Speaker 2: Narly head after twenty minutes? Any reason for the slow 20 00:01:06,707 --> 00:01:08,227 Speaker 2: slow start from your site? 21 00:01:09,467 --> 00:01:12,187 Speaker 3: Now? I think we were starved a ball and much 22 00:01:12,267 --> 00:01:14,667 Speaker 3: too held onto it for long periods and that's first 23 00:01:14,707 --> 00:01:17,787 Speaker 3: twenty minutes, so we knew though, that if we got 24 00:01:17,867 --> 00:01:19,867 Speaker 3: hold of the board and we showed that we had 25 00:01:19,867 --> 00:01:22,307 Speaker 3: two scrums I think, scored two tries kind of back 26 00:01:22,347 --> 00:01:25,147 Speaker 3: to back, and we knew that was going to be 27 00:01:25,187 --> 00:01:29,787 Speaker 3: the case, and once we were able to build a 28 00:01:29,787 --> 00:01:33,547 Speaker 3: few phases and create a few opportunities, yeah, you know, 29 00:01:33,627 --> 00:01:36,907 Speaker 3: we kind of pulled away a little bit at the end, 30 00:01:36,987 --> 00:01:39,987 Speaker 3: but it's still a little bit too tight for my 31 00:01:40,307 --> 00:01:41,907 Speaker 3: for my liking, I. 32 00:01:41,787 --> 00:01:44,107 Speaker 2: Want to get to the closing stages in a moment. 33 00:01:44,227 --> 00:01:47,467 Speaker 2: But when you were down and then came back, how 34 00:01:47,507 --> 00:01:50,667 Speaker 2: big are your experienced heads out there when you know, 35 00:01:50,747 --> 00:01:53,747 Speaker 2: when when cool heads and experience are required. 36 00:01:55,227 --> 00:01:57,907 Speaker 3: Yeah, huge, I think. But it wasn't just our experienced 37 00:01:57,947 --> 00:01:59,867 Speaker 3: girls that stepped up. You know, we've got a young 38 00:02:00,027 --> 00:02:04,147 Speaker 3: girl at the back of Braxton again share some special 39 00:02:04,147 --> 00:02:07,307 Speaker 3: moments as well. So just across the board, just really 40 00:02:07,307 --> 00:02:11,627 Speaker 3: happy was the way obviously everybody performed and contributed to 41 00:02:12,587 --> 00:02:13,987 Speaker 3: what was a successful season. 42 00:02:14,107 --> 00:02:17,627 Speaker 2: Yeah, what a moment for your teenage fullback Braxton sign 43 00:02:17,667 --> 00:02:21,147 Speaker 2: and McGee. Ten minutes to go, she goes to lead 44 00:02:21,187 --> 00:02:22,787 Speaker 2: to the field to score a try. She's a pretty 45 00:02:22,787 --> 00:02:24,907 Speaker 2: special talented yes she is. 46 00:02:25,107 --> 00:02:29,147 Speaker 3: I think we talked last night around generational players. Obviously 47 00:02:29,347 --> 00:02:31,227 Speaker 3: we've got a number of those in our team, and 48 00:02:31,867 --> 00:02:35,747 Speaker 3: it's quite a cool feeling. But perhaps somebody obviously starting 49 00:02:35,747 --> 00:02:39,787 Speaker 3: out her career footing it with the likes of pusha Woodman, 50 00:02:39,947 --> 00:02:45,627 Speaker 3: who obviously her accolades speak for themselves. It's a special 51 00:02:45,667 --> 00:02:49,507 Speaker 3: place to be and I know that these young these 52 00:02:49,547 --> 00:02:52,827 Speaker 3: young ladies are really enjoying that opportunity to be alongside 53 00:02:52,827 --> 00:02:54,387 Speaker 3: some of the legends of the game. 54 00:02:54,627 --> 00:02:57,387 Speaker 2: So how were the emotions as Mutta to attack your 55 00:02:57,387 --> 00:03:01,747 Speaker 2: line late on while you were down to fourteen players. 56 00:03:02,107 --> 00:03:04,507 Speaker 3: Yeah, she was pretty tense. I think up obviously up 57 00:03:04,507 --> 00:03:07,387 Speaker 3: in the box, which talked about a half time we 58 00:03:07,387 --> 00:03:11,867 Speaker 3: needed to be disciplined, especially around that breakdown area, and 59 00:03:12,227 --> 00:03:14,947 Speaker 3: the girls just did beat showed a lot of hard 60 00:03:14,987 --> 00:03:19,387 Speaker 3: and we talked around how if we needed inspiration, just 61 00:03:19,427 --> 00:03:22,387 Speaker 3: look around at the circle and the people across from 62 00:03:22,427 --> 00:03:24,707 Speaker 3: you and and just dig and work hard for each other. 63 00:03:24,747 --> 00:03:26,907 Speaker 3: And that's what they did. It was really awesome to see. 64 00:03:27,307 --> 00:03:29,787 Speaker 2: I know you were firm favorites going in, you know, 65 00:03:29,907 --> 00:03:32,867 Speaker 2: top qualifiers, home advantage, that sort of thing, But did 66 00:03:32,867 --> 00:03:35,827 Speaker 2: you get the challenge you expected from Matatu last night? 67 00:03:36,507 --> 00:03:39,347 Speaker 3: Yeah, we definitely did. We we knew that they were well, 68 00:03:39,347 --> 00:03:41,267 Speaker 3: they were a quality side, a number of black fans 69 00:03:41,267 --> 00:03:45,267 Speaker 3: in there. They obviously beat us last time around, so 70 00:03:45,787 --> 00:03:47,667 Speaker 3: we knew we'd be in for a tough old night 71 00:03:47,707 --> 00:03:49,867 Speaker 3: and finals for these a little bit different to the rest. 72 00:03:51,187 --> 00:03:53,987 Speaker 3: So everybody listened their game and we just needed to 73 00:03:54,067 --> 00:03:56,547 Speaker 3: make sure that we controlled as much as we could 74 00:03:56,587 --> 00:04:00,027 Speaker 3: around our own stuff, and and you know, we got 75 00:04:00,027 --> 00:04:01,547 Speaker 3: the dunce of the ball on the night. 76 00:04:02,227 --> 00:04:04,787 Speaker 2: I try to ask about Carlos Spencer to who's obviously 77 00:04:04,827 --> 00:04:08,027 Speaker 2: part of your coaching group. I saw him cheering Braxton Honors. 78 00:04:08,067 --> 00:04:10,747 Speaker 2: She was sprinting down the field. A couple of expletives 79 00:04:10,747 --> 00:04:12,667 Speaker 2: in there, if I read his lips correctly as well, 80 00:04:12,947 --> 00:04:16,067 Speaker 2: I have you enjoyed having Evan Carlos Spencer as part 81 00:04:16,107 --> 00:04:16,587 Speaker 2: of your crew. 82 00:04:17,587 --> 00:04:22,147 Speaker 3: I'm obviously very lucky to have somebody off Carlos's experience 83 00:04:22,187 --> 00:04:26,547 Speaker 3: in Elkin, just the way he sees the game, you know, 84 00:04:26,587 --> 00:04:33,387 Speaker 3: his vision and his innovation. I think it's invaluable his experience, 85 00:04:33,427 --> 00:04:38,787 Speaker 3: and you know, the girls really thrive on that knowledge. Yeah, 86 00:04:38,787 --> 00:04:40,307 Speaker 3: he gets a little bit tense in the box, mate, 87 00:04:40,387 --> 00:04:43,187 Speaker 3: It's it's for sure. But well, I actually had to 88 00:04:43,187 --> 00:04:45,227 Speaker 3: get him off the sideline from last year wasn't allowed 89 00:04:45,267 --> 00:04:47,947 Speaker 3: to back down there, so it's a lot easier to keep 90 00:04:47,987 --> 00:04:48,987 Speaker 3: control of the bot. 91 00:04:49,587 --> 00:04:52,187 Speaker 2: That's so good. And of course now you meet the 92 00:04:52,187 --> 00:04:54,907 Speaker 2: Warratas on Thursday, the first crossover match between the New 93 00:04:54,987 --> 00:04:57,547 Speaker 2: Zealand and Australian champions. How much you're looking forward to 94 00:04:57,627 --> 00:04:57,947 Speaker 2: that game? 95 00:04:59,067 --> 00:05:01,987 Speaker 3: Yeah's huge, I think I think the whole idea of it, 96 00:05:02,707 --> 00:05:07,867 Speaker 3: the opportunity for the exposure of what potentially openly looks 97 00:05:07,867 --> 00:05:10,467 Speaker 3: like next year. If we can you know, involve the 98 00:05:10,467 --> 00:05:15,267 Speaker 3: Aussies and grow this competition too to what it needs 99 00:05:15,267 --> 00:05:17,907 Speaker 3: to be to be able to continue to improve the 100 00:05:18,387 --> 00:05:21,787 Speaker 3: game for these ladies is something special and we're looking 101 00:05:21,787 --> 00:05:24,227 Speaker 3: forward to it again. It's just a different challenge. We 102 00:05:24,547 --> 00:05:27,627 Speaker 3: get used to playing these same teams every year, but 103 00:05:28,027 --> 00:05:30,627 Speaker 3: to be able to play against an Australian side who 104 00:05:30,667 --> 00:05:33,707 Speaker 3: will bring something different, it's really exciting. 105 00:05:33,867 --> 00:05:35,507 Speaker 2: Where is that game being played, will he? 106 00:05:36,307 --> 00:05:38,467 Speaker 3: It's going to be at North Other Stadium seven five 107 00:05:38,587 --> 00:05:39,947 Speaker 3: seven five North Other Stadium. 108 00:05:39,987 --> 00:05:41,467 Speaker 2: Good stuff. We'll put a ring around that. But you 109 00:05:41,507 --> 00:05:43,427 Speaker 2: still managed to have a well you and the team 110 00:05:43,467 --> 00:05:45,547 Speaker 2: managed to celebrate a little bit last night, even with 111 00:05:45,627 --> 00:05:47,147 Speaker 2: that that game coming up Thursday. 112 00:05:47,667 --> 00:05:51,547 Speaker 3: Yeah, we had a little b brief and then yeah 113 00:05:51,547 --> 00:05:53,507 Speaker 3: we are. I mean, we understand that we've got a 114 00:05:53,507 --> 00:05:56,587 Speaker 3: bit of work to do before then, but we've you know, 115 00:05:56,867 --> 00:06:02,627 Speaker 3: the girls deserve to to celebrate what has been a 116 00:06:02,707 --> 00:06:08,107 Speaker 3: really tough season and to the main goal was to 117 00:06:08,147 --> 00:06:10,627 Speaker 3: win the Soap Pickie Final, and you know they deserve 118 00:06:10,667 --> 00:06:13,947 Speaker 3: all the opportunity they can to have a couple of 119 00:06:14,067 --> 00:06:19,347 Speaker 3: quiet lemonades and reflect on what they've actually achieved. 120 00:06:19,387 --> 00:06:22,547 Speaker 2: Absolutely they do, as do you. Congratulations on going back 121 00:06:22,587 --> 00:06:24,187 Speaker 2: to back, Willy, Thanks for the chat this afternoon. All 122 00:06:24,227 --> 00:06:25,787 Speaker 2: the best against the Warritas on Thursday. 123 00:06:26,267 --> 00:06:27,227 Speaker 3: Jeeers, thank you very much. 124 00:06:27,667 --> 00:06:30,867 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine, listen live 125 00:06:30,987 --> 00:06:34,267 Speaker 1: to News Talk said B weekends from midday, or follow 126 00:06:34,307 --> 00:06:35,907 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio.