Over the last few years I have been ‘wasting my time’ according to some by supporting the emotional roller coasters that are the Kiwis league team, the Warriors and the Black Caps.
Then nights like October 25 come around and make it all worthwhile.
It all began far too familiarly – after three minutes Gerald Beale dropped a bomb and it was touchdown Beau Scott.
Next was the token up, a Shaun Johnson 40/20 followed very closely by the down, Jason Nightingale celebrating a little too early and duffing what would usually be an easy try for him.
Kevin Proctor was next to get close to the line and made it count this time, muscling his way over for a four pointer which Johnson added two to.
Again this up was closely followed by a down – Greg Inglis easily galloping over to add six more points against us.
The rest of the half was a fight with Keiran Foran, Johnson and Proctor stand outs. Lewis Brown cheekily got a four pointer by darting through a gap five metres out and Johnson added the extras to tie it up again.
Two minutes out from halftime we turned down a shot at two for a go at the line, which turned out to be unsuccessful after a terrible pass to Shaun Kenny-Dowall saw him escorted over the touchline.
It was deja-vu at the break, the Kiwis in contention but surely in the second 40 they’ll lose the plot and the Kangaroos will steam home. I was to be pleasantly surprised…
It was as if a different Kangaroos team ran out. They were dropping balls and two of their best players – Inglis and Daly Cherry-Evans – were now sitting on the sideline. Foran and Johnson looked very comfortable together and now have me watching Eric Watson’s Twitter account very closely.
Warriors rumours aside, the second 40 was very enjoyable. Johnson had another one of his moments of brilliance and got himself a four-pointer, then it was Foran’s turn to have one with a kick to Dean Whare in the corner. With Johnson’s touch both of these are converted to six-pointers.
It’s not until Nightingale gets it down and Johnson converts for a 100 per cent strike rate on the night that I start to relax and realise that we’ve beaten the Kangaroos (albeit a depleted side) for the first time since the Four Nations in 2010.
I just hope we can back up this performance in the Four Nations final in Wellington, because the Samoa and England games were not played to the same calibre.
For some people being a sports fan in New Zealand is much less stressful. They just watch the All Blacks and only follow the others when they win. Fair enough when the Black Caps batsmen (apart from Luke Ronchi) perform like they did in the recent South African ODI series. But my mentality is that if I don’t watch them lose I’ll only end up reading about their wins and I won’t get to experience the moments that come with them.
I’ll be watching as much as the Pakistan Test series as I can because I genuinely believe we will perform better than the Australians did. If we come away with a draw or, dare I say it, a win I will be able to celebrate their victory. If we go down 2-0 then no biggie, we’ll make up for it on our home pitches.
Being a sports fan in New Zealand is one of the toughest gigs out there when teams are so inconsistent. At the same time it’s so rewarding when all of the players play to their potential.
paul
Guest
Definitely missing some rugby players in that league team. Zinzan Brooke at 13 Kieren Reid at Prop Jerry Colins/Jerome Kaino at other Prop Michael Jones at 11 Justin Marshall at hooker 9 Dan Carter at 7 Jeff Wilson at 5 Maybe Condrad Smith at 4
Jake
Guest
Aussies if every other country actually gave a stuff about league u wouldn't be as dominant as u are beating up on countries who give little time to a minority sport they prefer to put there energy into a real international sport like rugby or football sports that have real international competition and Olympic recognition
Jake
Guest
Gotta laugh at Aussies if we all played rugby blah blah the problem is u guys like minority sports like gay FL and rugby league no ones scared of Australia that is just pure ignorance and arrogance by u shackle draggers yeah u would be more competitive but to think you'll just turn up and roll the rest if world rugby very ignorant considering most of NZ rugby rejects who have to play league beat you're asses in the 08 RLWC and 2010 4 nations and 30-12 this yr if out best NZ players played league u wouldn't have dominated league like u plonkers currently do
Winston
Guest
Aussies should count them selves lucky that most Kiwis have no time for League of AFL. Wait didn't we just win the League as well
cedric
Guest
thanks for that, I didn't know.
Basil B'borgnay
Guest
4.5 million, in fact but how many of the present kiwis league team were selected out of that '4.5 million' pop'n??
kevin dustby
Guest
world cup final 30-2!
kevin dustby
Guest
Goodwin was born in australia. his son played for nz because he knew he was no chance of playing rep football in australia
code 13
Roar Guru
Some pathetic sod didn't like my comment -- so I re-posted it as an article for them to enjoy again! http://www.theroar.com.au/2014/11/12/league-needs-bledisloe-cup-call/
kevin dustby
Guest
i dont know what these comments have to do with the article at all. do you just love naming random lists to show your history knowledge. australia would kill that side in a league game
pat malone
Guest
you love a list, nick kosef you are kidding. you love to throw a red herring in your lists
pat malone
Guest
agree, NZ do very well
Birdy
Guest
Ted Goodwin was born in Australia . His father was australian an d his mother was a kiwi . ( Maori )
Johnno
Guest
Change: Owen Finigan to no 6. Kosef was only 6'2, thought he was taller. Finigan is 6'6.
Johnno
Guest
Aust RL side 1990-2014 (choosing from both codes) 1)Hayne 2)Izzy Folau 3)Big Mal 4)Inglis 5)Wendall Sailor 6)Darren Lockeyer 7)Andrew Johns 13)Paul Gallen 12)Paul Sironen 11)Brad Clyde 10)Lazo 9)Cameron Smith 8)Webke Kiwi Side 1990-2014(choosing from both codes) 1)Cullen 2)Lomu 3)Tana Umaga 4)Jarryd Mckracken 5)Manu Vatuevi 6)Kieren Foran 7)Stacey Jones 13)Jason Taumolo(he's already that good) 12)SBW 11)Steve Kearney 10)Sam Moa (a real good player) 9) Issac Luke 8)Ruben Wiki Very close game, aussies just. Moved Hayne to FB for this game. Get GI to mark up on big Mckracken. Some very big backs on both sides.
Johnno
Guest
Blended Kiwi side 1990-2014 15)Cullen 14)Lomu 13)Tana Umaga 12) Ma Nonu 11)Savea 10)Dan Carter 9)Justin Marshall 8)Kieren Reid 7)Mccaw 6)Kaino 5)Ian Jones 4)Brad Thorn 3)Olo Brown 2)Fitzpatrick 1)Carl Hayman NZ still win the rugby union game choosing from both codes.
Johnno
Guest
A blended Australian rugby side 1990-2014 15)Jarryd Hayne 14)Ben Tune 13)Greg Inglis 12)Tim Horan 11)David Campese 10)Darren Lockeyer/or Andrew Johns 9)Andrew Johns/or George Gregan 8)Toutai Kefu 7)George Smith 6)Nick Kosef -good line out option dangerous ball runner/tackler very good player just injury prone 5)Eales 4)Dan Vickerman 3)James Slipper 2)Kearnsy 1)Link
Dene Griffin
Roar Rookie
I like the Kiwis, they always punch above their weight, they always play hard but fair. As a nation they have the attitude that if needs to be done they will have to do it themselves. That shows in their sporting teams. I hope they give it to the Aussies this weekend and I hope they just fall short in a great game that was won by the better team on the day, which in a perfect world will be Australia.
Tigranes
Guest
Blankey one could argue that its Australia thats lucky NZ focuses on rugby union and not league. If NZ Rugby's resources were suddenly geared to rugby league, Australia's domination of rugby league would probably end, look at how many blokes come out of NZ junior rugby and play rugby league, and these are the blokes who cant get a gig in a professional NZ rugby side.
LXM of POM
Guest
Well said code 13!